Wrexham star Paul Mullin has been named the PFA Fans' Player of the Year for League One after firing his club to promotion.
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Fulham manager Marco Silva must have felt a frisson of fear as Liverpool ramped up the gas in the second half of their Carabao semi-final tie at Anfield last night, with his side leading but well-versed in the hosts' predatory instinct in the late stages.
Indeed, just as Liverpool did last month in the Premier League, they came from behind to prevail against the Cottagers after Jurgen Klopp's substitutions made the difference.
While a return trip to Craven Cottage presents a tough task, the Reds are one step closer to the final, with Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo firing the home side into the advantage after an excellent creative cameo from Darwin Nunez.
Jones restored parity after 68 minutes as his effort took a big deflection to wrongfoot Bernd Leno between the sticks, but there was nothing fortunate about Gakpo's rifled strike moments later to send the Kop into rapture.
Both efforts were provided by Nunez, who has received constant criticism throughout his Liverpool career for wayward finishing but has proved to be increasingly influential this term, now boasting eight goals and ten assists from 30 appearances across all competitions.
The Uruguayan also succeeded with three of his four dribbles and won four of his five ground duels to really emphasise the robustness and tenacity that has left him in such stellar standing with the Liverpool support, who forgive his profligacy due to an unwavering eagerness to fight for the badge.
Jones, too, proved himself yet again as a key component, ever important in the midfield and orchestrating the play, with another goal to the collection nice but not the core of his craft – he completed 47/48 passes and proved to be the fuel for the engine room.
|
Nunez & Jones vs Fulham |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Nunez |
Jones |
|
Minutes Played |
34 |
90 |
|
Goals |
0 |
1 |
|
Assists |
2 |
0 |
|
Touches |
29 |
74 |
|
Pass Success |
8/12 (67%) |
47/48 (98%) |
|
Duels Won |
4/5 |
5/16 |
|
Key Passes |
2 |
1 |
|
Stats via Sofascore. |
||
While both efforts were impressive, it was the performance of one Conor Bradley that stood out above all others, with the young full-back filling in and pronouncing his quality on a statement night,
With Trent Alexander-Arnold sidelined for a few weeks with a hamstring injury, Bradley was handed the opportunity to impress down the right lane, having been praised for his "eye-catching cameo" against Arsenal on Sunday by The Athletic's James Pearce.
As per Sofascore, the 20-year-old played the full 90 and played a key part in the victory, taking 87 touches, completing 88% of his passes as he marauded the wing, making six tackles, two key passes and winning one interception.
He was dribbled past three times as he struggled to contain the electric-paced Antonee Robinson on occasion, but having won a whopping nine ground duels, it's safe to say he held his own and impressed against a cohesive and spirited Premier League outfit.
|
Bradley vs Fulham |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes Played |
90 |
|
Touches |
87 |
|
Pass Success |
49/56 (88%) |
|
Key Passes |
2 |
|
Dribble Success |
1/2 |
|
Duels Won |
9/21 |
|
Tackles |
6 |
|
Interceptions |
1 |
|
Stats via Sofascore. |
|
Writing in his post-match player ratings, This Is Anfield's Mark Delgado echoed these sentiments and handed the up-and-comer a stunning 9/10 match score.
He wrote: 'Lost his footing in the lead-up to the goal and a few times was skinned by left-back Antonee Robinson, who has lightning pace, but generally dealt well with Willian in one-v-ones and got forward fearlessly which was important as we sought a route back into the game.
'Never afraid to take on his man and won a few dangerous free-kicks. But it was his defensive tenacity which we needed tonight and he kept that up throughout, notably tackling back four or five times in one attempted Fulham attack down his flank in the final 15 minutes.'
It wasn't a perfect performance but Bradley showcased his skills and proved that he can be the one to fill in for Alexander-Arnold over the coming weeks – with the versatile Joe Gomez's talents required at right back.
To be honest, that's probably the best praise to be handed to the lively full-back, whose emergence may well end Liverpool's supposed pursuit of a new right-back.
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Newcastle United reportedly have a "concrete" interest in bringing in a Champions League-winning manager as Eddie Howe's successor, according to a fresh update.
Howe has done a magnificent job as Magpies boss overall, not least because he finished fourth in the Premier League last season, guiding his team back into the Champions League in the process.
There is no doubt that the 46-year-old has suffered an underwhelming campaign this time around, however, not helped by injuries, in fairness. Both performances and results haven't been good enough in various competitions, and it now looks like a tough ask for Newcastle to once again finish in the top four.
Howe now appears to be under genuine pressure to keep his job for the first time, and with PIF no doubt wanting the Magpies to enjoy similar success to Manchester City in the future, they may be ruthless in disposing of the Englishman if they feel there is a stronger alternative out there.
According to a new update from Football Insider, Newcastle have "concrete" interest in making Jose Mourinho their next manager, should they part company with Howe, with the former Chelsa and Man United manager very keen on the role.
"Sources have also told Football Insider that links to multiple Premier League title winner Jose Mourinho are “concrete” and that the two-time Champions League winner is very keen on the job.
"Sources have told Football Insider (5 January) that Howe is under huge pressure to keep his job at Newcastle following a dramatic downturn in results. It is believed that the owners’ expectations this season are to repeat the success of qualification to the Champions League."
It does certainly feel as though the pressure is really starting to crank up on Howe, despite Saturday's vital 3-0 win away to rivals Sunderland in the FA Cup third round, and he faces a massive few months ahead of him. As the report states, it looks as though the Newcastle manager will again need to secure a top-four finish to keep his job, but the Magpies are already 11 points adrift of Arsenal in that position, so it is asking a lot to achieve that.
Should Howe be relieved of his duties at the end of the season, Mourinho would certainly be an intriguing option, considering the Roma boss is widely seen as one of the best managers of his generation. The Portuguese is a serial winner, tasting Champions League, Premier League, La Liga and Serie A glory down the years, and he is the big-name figure that the owners could want, in terms of attracting world-class players to St James' Park.
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Howe arguably doesn't possess that, and with each passing month, the more it arguably feels as though he may have taken the Magpies as far as he can, doing an admirable job along the way, making a move for Mourinho one to keep an eye on in 2024.
Manchester United have been dealt a huge blow with the news that Lucia Garcia is to leave the club and join fellow Spain star Jenni Hermoso in Mexico.
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Ahead of TST 2024, USMNT star Christian Pulisic tried to help J.J. Watt find soccer cleats that fit, but the Burnley co-owner had tough luck
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The January transfer window is now approaching the final stretch, and while there is still plenty of time for Liverpool to make a move, it's looking increasingly unlikely that Jurgen Klopp will do anything dramatic over the coming weeks.
Defence is surely the priority in the market but with the emergence of Jarell Quansah, it looks like the pursuit of a new star is on pause until the summer, though potential arrivals have been earmarked.
Sporting Lisbon defensive duo Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande are reportedly both on Liverpool's radar but neither would come cheap, and if Klopp and co desire a shrewder alternative, then advancing negotiations for Japan international Ko Itakura might be the best move.
According to Sky Sports reporter Patrick Berger, the Borussia Monchengladbach star – who has a €15m (£13m) release clause in his contract, active in the summer – is being considered by the Anfield side, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur also interested.
In 2022, Gladbach signed Itakura from Manchester City for €5m (£4m), though he had never actually reached Pep Guardiola's first team during his time at the Etihad Stadium.
Nonetheless, numerous loan spells – including a stint in the Netherlands that led pundit Hans Kraay to dub him "one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie" – culminated in a promotion-clinching campaign in Germany's second tier with FC Schalke, convincing his current club to swoop in and sign him on a permanent.
The 26-year-old has been injured for large parts of the 2023/24 season but has bagged two goals from just seven outings, though a better reflection of his defensive armoury can be pulled from last season, having completed 91% of his passes in the German Bundesliga, also winning 62% of his duels and succeeding with 89% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 16% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 13% for pass completion and the top 5% for blocks per 90.
Such metrics underscore the player's excellent ability to thrive across different facets of the defensive game, and with the £31k-per-week ace also noted for his "incredibly fast" pace by Kraay, he could prove to be Virgil van Dijk's next Joe Gomez in the Liverpool rearguard.
Gomez and the Dutchman were once considered the finest partnership in English football and won the Premier League and Champions League under Klopp's guidance with some imperious and dynamic displays together, serving as foils to each other's skill sets.
While Van Dijk is arguably the best defender in the world right now, Gomez fell by the wayside last year and while he has now picked himself back up, his protean talent is being used at full-back with greater regularity this season.
But Itakura could serve the England international's former role and provide the Reds captain with a fleet-footed presence beside him to ensure that Liverpool's multi-dimensional system maintains its fluidity.
Gomez ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90 to emphasise this point.
Given the small outlay that would be required to secure Itakura's services, this might be the move to make for Liverpool as they look to add depth and something different to their ranks, maintaining the cohesive and free-flowing nature of their squad.
England midfielder Georgia Stanway has been praised for her work with mental health organisation FCC USA.
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The rebuild at Manchester United is well and truly underway, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe attempting to fix the way the club functions.
However, on-the-field additions are yet to occur in what has been a quiet January for the Red Devils who are yet to welcome any new faces to the club.
The attacking department is what Erik ten Hag is keen to address, with his side struggling in the final third.
According to reports from Spain, Man United are in the race to sign Brighton sensation Kaoru Mitoma.
That said, they face plenty of competition for his signature with Arsenal said to be favourites to sign the winger after Mikel Arteta personally ordered a move was made. Treble-winners Manchester City also interested in the Japanese forward.
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Mitoma's estimated value as per CIES Football Observatory is £68m, which likely rules out a move occurring this month due to FFP restrictions.
Last season, Marcus Rashford was unstoppable, scoring goals, and full of confidence, as he netted 17 times in the Premier League.
However, he has been a shadow of his former self this campaign, scoring just four in 26 total appearances, and the last thing he needs at this current moment is the attention of the media for his off-the-field activities, snapped in a Belfast night club a few days ago.
Nevertheless, consistency is what United have missed the most this season, and Ten Hag will want his players to perform to a certain standard for the most part. Having said that, Mitoma could just be the player to provide a continuous threat in the United attack, and that serves as bad news to Rashford.
The Japanese attacker entertained the Premier League for the first time last season when he scored seven goals and registered five assists in 24 starts.
This campaign, he's on track to match his previous numbers, as he's currently netted three times and provided four assists in 13 starts, with an ankle injury reducing his matches played.
Nonetheless, let's look at Mitoma's statistics from this season, which prove he would be an excellent signing for United.
|
Mitoma's 2023/24 PL Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
Mitoma |
PL Percentile |
|
Goals |
0.20 |
Bottom 58% |
|
Assists |
0.27 |
Top 25% |
|
Touches (Att pen) |
8.04 |
Top 9% |
|
Take-ons attempted |
5.93 |
Top 9% |
|
Successful take-ons |
2.38 |
Top 13% |
|
Carries into penalty area |
3.82 |
Top 4% |
|
Progressive passes received |
14.38 |
Top 6% |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
There's nothing that Mitoma cannot do when the ball is at his feet, and based on the statistics, it is no surprise that he did his university thesis on the art of dribbling.
The 26-year-old dazzles opponents with his feints, which enable him to breeze past opponents and carry the ball into dangerous areas.
Ten Hag's side lacks players who can take people on, with only two players in the squad boasting over one successful dribble per game, which often makes United far too easy to face.
Although his goal output is low, that direct dribble into the box often provides him with an opportunity to work half a yard of space to either set up a teammate or slot the ball into the corner with finesse, which has caused Mitoma's former teammate Christian Burgess to say he "finishes like [Thierry] Henry."
However, the main problem for Mitoma is that he is often being marked by two, sometimes three players at times, because there is only going to be one winner in a 1v1 scenario. That said, it has huge benefits for the rest of the team because it allows a numerical advantage to occur elsewhere.
There's not a player in the United squad that can impact a game in the same way that Mitoma can, and therefore, signing the Japan international could be a great piece of business, even if it banishes Rashford from the first-team picture.
In the games that followed Chelsea's defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Christmas Eve, Mauricio Pochettino appeared as if he was starting to steady the ship and to give him credit, winning five of seven games and securing the Blues a place in the League Cup final was genuinely impressive.
However, the Pensioners' previous two Premier League games have utterly eviscerated any feeling of goodwill starting to spring up around Stamford Bridge.
The first saw the Blues fall to a 4-1 defeat away to Anfield that could, and maybe should, have been worse, and then on Sunday, Pochettino oversaw his side lose 4-2 at home to Wolves.
With the fans now chanting the name of former owner Roman Abramovich at home games and the results being what they are, it is starting to feel like the Argentine is on borrowed time in west London. Still, with an FA Cup Fourth Round replay up next, he has a slim chance of earning more time.
With so much resting on this meeting with Aston Villa, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager is unlikely to make too many drastic changes to his starting XI, with at most two personnel and one positional change to the side that lost on the weekend.
GK – Đorđe Petrović
The man between the sticks for Chelsea on Wednesday night will be Đorđe Petrović.
The Serbian international was given a chance following Robert Sanchez's injury against Everton in December and has been rather impressive ever since.
The only other fit shot stoppers in the squad are Marcus Bettinelli and Lucas Bergstrom, and it feels unlikely that they would be given a chance in such an important game.
RB – Alfie Gilchrist
The first change comes at right-back, as the performance of Malo Gusto on Sunday was so dreadful that Pochettino simply has to drop him for Villa.
The former Lyon man gave away a penalty and was given a 3/10 for his performance by The Standard's Nizaar Kinsella as he 'kept putting Chelsea in danger with his passing.'
After performing admirably against Villa in the FA Cup last month, Alfie Gilchrist also deserves another start in the team.
Plus, if club legend John Terry thinks he's "unbelievable", he must have something about him.
CB – Axel Disasi
Keeping his place in the side at right centre-back is former AS Monaco man Axel Disasi.
However, this decision is more down to a lack of quality alternatives than anything else.
The Frenchman wasn't great on Sunday, but Levi Colwill is still out, and the performance of Benoît Badiashile against Liverpool was genuinely shambolic, with pundit Gabby Agbonlahor particularly scathing of the Frenchman's performance on The Sports Breakfast (via GOAL), saying: "Badiashile, the centre half, he gave probably the worst centre-half performance I've seen in the Premier League in the last two seasons."
CB – Thiago Silva
Another defensive survivor from Sunday's massacre at the Bridge is Brazilian veteran Thiago Silva.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star got on the scoresheet and is still one of Pochettino's more reliable players.
Considering he has started 91% of the team's league games, it would be shocking if he were rested for a match as important as this.
LB – Ben Chilwell
With no Colwill or Marc Cucurella to call upon, it's Ben Chilwell who'll likely be given the nod to start at left-back.
The former Leicester City man has only started 26% of the team's league games this season, but that is more down to his poor injury record than anything to do with how Pochettino rates him.
DM – Moises Caicedo
Now, this could be a controversial choice given his abysmal showing on Sunday, but Moises Caicedo is still likely to start in midfield on Wednesday evening.
The Ecuadorian may have picked up an assist against Wolves, but The Standard's Kinsella gave him a 3/10 for his performance, citing that he 'was caught in possession multiple times, including for Cunha's equaliser.'
Ultimately, there aren't many other options to pick instead of the 22-year-old and with his label as the most expensive Premier League signing ever hanging over his head, he needs to play himself back into form.
DM – Enzo Fernández
Unsurprisingly, Enzo Fernández will form the pairing at the heart of Chelsea's midfield against Villa.
The World Cup winner struggled like the rest of his side on Sunday, but considering his importance to the team and the fact that he has started 100% of FA Cup games thus far and 78% of Premier League games, it would be shocking not to see him involved from the first whistle at Villa Park.
CAM – Conor Gallagher
Disappointing on Sunday, but a firm fan favourite nonetheless and a tireless runner for Pochettino, Conor Gallagher keeps his place as the side's primary attacking midfielder on Wednesday.
However, he'll have to do a lot better in possession than he did against Wolves, as his clumsiness is why Kinsella could only give him a 4/10.
RM – Cole Palmer
If there is a Chelsea player who'll likely come out of this season with a better reputation than they started it with, it's Cole Palmer.
The former Manchester City youngster joined the Blues in the summer and has arguably been the one bright spot in their season – registering 21 goals and assists in all competitions.
He was on the scoresheet again on Sunday, so it would be utterly perplexing if he didn't start on the right-hand side again at Villa Park.
LM – Christopher Nkunku
The second significant change to the starting line-up will come on the left-hand side, as Christopher Nkunku replaces Raheem Sterling.
The Englishman had a shocker against Wolves on Sunday and missed a golden opportunity to pull the Blues level in the game, something Kinsella noted when giving him a 4/10.
Nkunku didn't have the best of times up front either, but he needs time to adapt to the Premier League, and with plenty of experience playing on the left wing in the past, he seems like the logical replacement for Sterling.