Liverpool’s Premier League title defence kicked off with three points. Bournemouth were valiant and impressive at Anfield, but the Reds dug in and showcased their quality as they rallied in the final stretch of the curtain-raising game.

While the Reds showcased a remarkable array of attacking talent against the hard-fighting Cherries, they lacked something in defence, with Arne Slot’s side squandering a two-goal lead in the second half.

Antoine Semenyo had a field day against a discordant Reds backline, who must find balance and coherence in the weeks ahead if they wish to rebuff the danger that is bound to spring from title rivals who are expected to improve after last year.

And Ibrahima Konate, in particular, suffered from a rusty performance at the back. It was a display that, perhaps, new recruit Giovanni Leoni and top transfer target Marc Guehi would have taken heed of.

Ibrahima Konate's performance vs Bournemouth

Semenyo’s second-half double proved a blow to Liverpool’s start to their title defence, but the impressive right winger deserved both of his goals and will have felt be got the better of the hosts’ unfluent backline.

Konate was at the epicentre of the struggles, with Jamie Carragher remarking on Sky Sports co-comms that the France international was “all over the place” for Slot’s side, making seven clearances throughout the evening but lacking the control nor composure to ensrue the home side moved toward three points in a smooth fashion to start their campaign.

Completely exposed for Bournemouth’s second and suffering across numerous offensive pushes from the lively south coasters, Konate, 26, will be frustrated with his performance, not least because noise rumbles in the background regarding a potentially forthcoming move for Crystal Palace’s Guehi.

While Konate struggled to produce anything close to his finest form, he wasn’t the only one to have flattered to deceive, with Florian Wirtz leaving plenty to be desired on his Premier League debut.

Florian Wirtz left plenty to be desired

Wirtz joined Liverpool in a club-record £100m move in June, and that may yet rise to a £116m fee with add-ons that would see him eclipse Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo as the record-breaking signing in British history.

But he struggled to produce a befitting performance against a well-oiled Bournemouth side, enjoying some high-level touches and neat layoffs but struggling to lay down his marker as he would have hoped.

Without a doubt, these first two outings have left something to be desired, but they’ve also demonstrated the German international’s first-class quality on the ball, invariably creative and finding openings for his teammates.

Minutes played

84′

82′

Goals

0

0

Assists

1

0

Touches

74

69

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

50/57 (88%)

37/48 (77%)

Key passes

4

3

Dribbles

0/2

0/0

Tackles

2

2

Duels won

3/9

3/9

After the Bournemouth clash, The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle handed the 22-year-old a 6/10 match rating acknowledging his playmaking ability but struggle to influence proceedings as would have been desired. Indeed, he would depart after losing the ball on average every 3.6 touches, having lost possession 19 times in all.

He will need to muscle up over the coming weeks, adapting to the rigorous nature of the Premier League, but there’s no doubt that Wirtz is a top talent.

However, as with Konate, he left plenty of room for improvement against Andoni Iraola’s side, and his performance will be under greater scrutiny against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park next week.

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Nicolas Otamendi has confirmed his retirement from international football and says a decision on his club career will be made soon.

• Otamendi to retire after 2026 World Cup
• Venezuela was his last home game
• Denies River Plate return rumours

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Argentina defender Otamendi confirmed in an interview that his time with the national team will end after the World Cup, with the recent qualifying match against Venezuela being his last official match in his homeland. This follows team-mate Lionel Messi’s suggestion that he may retire after the tournament, saying that he has played his last ever qualifier. 

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• WHAT OTAMENDI SAID?

  “I said it was going to be my last official match in Argentina, with our fans , my family would be there… The truth is that they are a key part of me. We are going through a wonderful stage, and the fact that they get to enjoy this moment makes me very happy."  he said on "The World Cup would be my last competition with the national team."

  The veteran is aiming to go out with another World Cup crown, adding: "When you wake up from a dream, you want to dream again, and we Argentines are ambitious . We're going to compete, but always with humility, our feet on the ground, knowing that it's something difficult but not impossible."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 37-year-old's contract at Benfica expires at the end of the season and it has been suggested he could bow out of the game altogether, though there have been reports of a move back to Argentina for a spell with River Plate, which he denied. 

  "I have a one-year contract with Benfica , and after the World Cup I'll see what I'll do," he said. "I've never spoken to [River coach Marcelo Gallardo], I've never had the opportunity to speak to him."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR OTAMENDI?

  Otamendi will look to end his Argentina career on a high by winning the 2026 World Cup held in Canada, USA and Mexico. 

تحدث المدير الرياضي لنادي برشلونة، ديكو، عن أزمة صفقة لاعب أتلتيك بلباو نيكو ويليامز، الذي كان قريبًا بشدة من الانتقال إلى بطل الدوري الإسباني هذا الصيف، قبل أن تنهار الصفقة في النهاية.

كان برشلونة يتطلع إلى الحصول على خدمات نيكو ويليامز، الصيف الماضي، ولكن الصفقة لم تتم بسبب تراجع لاعب أتلتيك بلباو خشية عدم تمكن النادي الكتالوني من تسجيله، إلى جانب مطالبه المالية.

بعد ذلك، عرض نيكو ويليامز نفسه على برشلونة هذا الصيف، من خلال وكيل أعماله، وكان على مقربة من الانتقال إلى حامل اللقب، قبل أن يفاجئ الجميع بتوقيعه على عقد جديد مع أتلتيك بلباو.

وظهرت تقارير صحفية آنذاك تفيد بأن هناك العديد من الأمور التي تسببت في إفساد صفقة نيكو ويليامز، من ضمنها مطالب وكيل أعماله (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وقال ديكو، في تصريحات لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسباني: “كنا نتفاوض مع لويس دياز ولكن رأينا أن الأمر صعبًا للغاية، بالنسبة لـ راشفورد رغب مانشستر يونايتد في بيعه فقط، وكنا نبحث عن حلول، لم يكن نيكو ويليامز مطابقًا للمواصفات التي نريدها، ولكنه يستطيع اللعب على اليمين واليسار، ومن ثم سيكون لدينا لاعبًا في كلا المركزين، ولكن ليس بنفس مواصفات لاعب جناح”.

وأضاف: “إذا طلب منا لاعب رائع مثل نيكو الانضمام وعندما يبحث الوكيل عنا، سنتحدث، وهكذا جرت الأمور، هكذا هي كرة القدم، اللاعب، لأي سبب كان، لم يوافق على الشروط المقترحة، كان لدى الوكيل مصالحه ولا نعرف كيف تسير الأمور، ولكن لا يوجد جدل، الأمر سهل للغاية.، يمنحك نيكو جناحًا أيمنًا وآخر أيسرًا، ولا يعطيك رقم “9”، ولكن إن لم تكن لديك الحلول الأخرى فسيكون ذلك جيدًا لنا لأنه لاعب رائع ويمكنه أن يعطيك مركزين من المراكز الثلاثة”.

وواصل: “نحن وضعنا شروط النادي، وكان علينا تدوين ذلك في العقود بعد ذلك، رفضنا أن نقبل الشروط التي وضعوها لأنه لا يوجد لاعب يفرض أي قيود علينا، في النهاية لم يحدث شئ، منحناهم مهلة للرد، ولكنهم لم يجيبوا، فسلكوا طريقهم وكان لدينا طريقنا”.

وعما إذا كانت ضمانات التسجيل التي طلبها وكيل نيكو ويليامز غير مقبولة، قال: “الأمر ليس هكذا، الأمر بسيط للغاية، الأمر فقط أنه إذا كنت ستتفاوض، فأخبرني بكل ما تحتاجه وما تريده ولا تغيره بعد ذلك، هذا كل شيء، ولن أتحدث عن هذا بعد الآن، كان هناك الكثير من الكلام والكثير من الهراء من جانب بلباو أيضًا”.

وعن رأيه تجاه موقف أتلتيك بلباو من توجهه إلى الدوري الإسباني لمعرفة قواعد اللعب المالي النظيف لـ برشلونة، قال: “لا أريد الخوض في مسائل لا تخصني، أنا أعمل مع اللاعبين ومع إدارة النادي، لكنني لا أعتقد أن بلباو مثال يُحتذى به في هذا الصدد”.

وشدد: “لم نسع لضم لاعبهم، عليهم القلق بشأن وكيل اللاعب الذي زار برشلونة عدة مرات لعرضه، إنها ليست مسألة نادي، إذا سمح أحد لاعبينا لوكيله بالتحدث إلى فرق أخرى، فلا يمكننا أن نغضب من الآخرين بسبب ذلك، سنمضي قدمًا، إنه لاعب في بلباو”.

واختتم ديكو: “الأمر بسيط جدًا، سعى الوكيل إلينا وحاول أن يجعلنا نضم نيكو، لكن الأمر لم ينجح، وعلينا أن نمضي قدمًا في أمور أخرى أكثر أهمية”.

Ben Stokes says Durham quick has “a massive engine on him”

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024Matthew Potts will earn his 10th Test cap as England make one change for their final Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park. Chris Woakes, who played the first two Tests, will be the one to miss out.Potts has taken 31 wickets at 29.22 since making his debut in the summer of 2022, playing the first five matches of Ben Stokes’ tenure as captain. The first three were against New Zealand, with Potts excelling with 14 wickets.However, after being left out for the returning Ollie Robinson for the second Test of the South Africa series that summer, the Durham quick has found his opportunities limited.Related

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The 26-year-old played just one Test in 2023 (against Ireland at Lord’s), and, after playing the first two Tests against Sri Lanka this summer, was left out for the third as England opted to have a look at Leicestershire left-arm seamer Josh Hull. A solitary appearance on the Pakistan tour came for the second Test in Multan, on a surface tailored towards the home spinners though Potts took respectable match figures of 3 for 85 in 31.2 overs.With England 2-0 up and the series secure heading into Hamilton, Stokes has decided to give give Potts an outing in the team’s 17th and final Test of 2024. He is likely to take the new ball in Woakes’ abscence.”It’s another opportunity to look at one of the fast bowlers that we see playing a big role going forward,” said Stokes on Potts’ selection. “Two-nil up, you obviously put yourself in an easier position to make the change.”Pottsy’s got a massive engine on him. He can go all day, bowl a lot of overs, but not just that, he’s a very skilful bowler, which he’s got better at by being here, working with Jimmy [Anderson] on a few things here and there. He’s someone who is another versatile bowler, you can use him with the new ball, the short-ball plan that we go to because he’s so fit. He can bowl you 20 overs one day, then rock up again and bowl you another 20.”Stokes also praised Woakes’ output on this tour. The 35-year-old has taken six wickets at 29.16 with the Kookaburra ball as the leader of the attack. That has included Kane Williamson twice.An overseas average of 51 coming into the winter has been reduced slightly to 48.93. And though there is uncertainty as to whether Woakes makes the trip to Australia next winter for the 2025-26 Ashes, Stokes believes the Warwickshire veteran has shown his class.”Chris Woakes came into the winter tours with a bit of scrutiny behind his away record but I think what he has done over the winter has proved a lot of people wrong,” said Stokes. “He’s been fantastic, he was great in Pakistan and pretty influential over here.”

Tim Southee takes two on final Test outing as New Zealand wrap up consolation win

Alan Gardner16-Dec-2024 • Updated on 17-Dec-2024

Tim Southee’s farewell gift was New Zealand’s massive win•Getty Images

England produced their second ignominious collapse of the match as New Zealand marked Tim Southee’s Test retirement by equalling their biggest Test victory by the margin of runs. Jacob Bethell and Joe Root put on a century stand but the innings unravelled in a flurry of shots thereafter, New Zealand barely detained beyond lunch on day four.With Ben Stokes opting not to bat after injuring his hamstring, New Zealand only needed to take seven wickets to seal a crushing win. Mitchell Santner pocketed four of them, while Southee dismissed England’s top-scorer, Bethell, to finish with 2 for 34 on his final outing. He led New Zealand from the field at Seddon Park, his home ground, to bring down the curtain on a storied Test career – England’s rapid demise meaning extra time to toast his departure.It continued New Zealand’s remarkable recent record in Hamilton, where they have won eight of their last 10 Tests going back to 2012, and put a stop to a run of four consecutive home defeats stretching back to Australia’s visit in February.England had already claimed the series – their first in New Zealand since 2007-08, when Southee made his debut – but ended a bumpy 12 months in Tests on a low note. Defeat by 423 runs was only their second-heaviest this year, after a similar thrashing in Rajkot, and meant they ended 2024 with a record of P17 W9 L8.The performances of Bethell at No. 3 were a bright spot throughout, and he added a third half-century in as many Tests. His partnership with Root suggested England were keen to make New Zealand work hard for the win, but both were dismissed before lunch and there was scant resistance from the rest of the batting order beyond Gus Atkinson thumping eight boundaries in 43 off 41. The wicket of Ollie Pope, bowled by Matt Henry while attempting to reverse-ramp in the fourth over after lunch, suggested they had little appetite to hang around.England had resumed in the morning on 18 for 2, notionally chasing 658 to win. If that was an unlikely target, then so too was batting out two days for a draw – but Root and Bethell made positive progress, bringing up a 50 partnership inside the first nine overs.Both rode their luck at times. Root was badly dropped at second slip by Tom Latham off Southee when he had made 20, while Bethell chopped Henry past his stumps attempting to drive. Will O’Rourke gave Bethell, in particular, a torrid time from round the wicket, pushing his pace up to 153kph/93mph in his second spell.After setting off at a run a ball, Bethell slowed down as he approached a 60-ball fifty. He brought up the mark with a single off Santner, who was then repeatedly picked off by Root to raise his own half-century a few overs later, their partnership reaching 100 at the same time.But it was Santner who made the breakthrough, Root missing the ball as he looked to sweep to be trapped in front. It was given not out by Ahsan Raza, but New Zealand’s review was shown to be an astute one, with the ball dipping under the bat before straightening down the line of middle and off stumps.O’Rourke then bagged the reward his bowling had deserved when he dismissed Harry Brook cheaply for the second time in the match. Brook, who made a golden duck in the first innings, had attempted to charge his fourth ball and then was dispatched by his sixth, a snorting short delivery that he could only fend to slip.Ollie Pope was struck on the arm in the same over as he ducked into a bouncer, but Bethell continued to attack, taking three fours off O’Rourke in the space of five balls. However, having earlier smacked Southee’s first ball of the day over the head of mid-on for four, he fell trying to repeat the trick in the retiring seamer’s second spell, as he sliced a drive out to Glenn Phillips at deep backward point.The fall of the fifth wicket brought Atkinson to the crease, with Stokes still in his training kit, and he hit four of his first nine balls for four to hint at England’s mindset going into lunch. He resumed in the same vein, hitting Santner for 6-4-4 the over before Pope’s ugly swipe, before eventually trying one slog too many. Santner then wrapped up the innings in the space of five balls as New Zealand matched their margin of victory over Sri Lanka at Christchurch in 2018.

Glasgow Rangers have utilised the loan market to great effect in recent seasons to bolster their squad with talents they would otherwise be unable to afford.

Malik Tillman from Bayern Munich. Vaclav Cerny from Wolfsburg. Abdallah Sima from Brighton & Hove Albion. These are all recent examples of exciting forwards who thrived at Ibrox after joining on loan.

However, not every talented loan player has found success in Glasgow, as Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo failed to hit his stride with Rangers.

The current Red Devils star spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Ibrox and only delivered three goals and zero assists in ten matches in the Scottish Premiership, a far cry from the 11 goals and eight assists he produced for United last season.

Rangers schedule medical to sign teen star

Rangers and Russell Martin may now have to be careful with their latest reported target, as they are looking to bring in another teenage loanee from the Premier League.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to journalist Paul Gilmour, Rangers have scheduled a medical for Tottenham Hotspur winger Mikey Moore for later this week, if all goes to plan.

The Gers are closing in on a season-long loan deal for the England U19 star, and Gilmour describes it as a ‘mutually beneficial’ deal for all parties involved.

He adds that Birmingham, Charlton, West Brom, and Coventry were also among the teams interested in a deal to sign the 17-year-old forward, which shows that Rangers have beaten off plenty of competition to close in on a deal for the Spurs gem.

Why Mikey Moore may be an Amad Diallo repeat

As was the case with Amad, there is no doubt that Moore is a young talent with huge potential to be a star in the future, as he has already made a first-team breakthrough at Spurs at the age of 17, playing 21 times.

However, this move to Ibrox would be the English dynamo’s first experience of playing senior football on a regular basis and there is no telling how he will adapt to that, as the youngster could struggle to make the transition at first.

That was the case for Amad, who had only played 14 first-team games before his loan to Rangers, and he then only managed three goals and zero assists in 13 games for the club.

Analyst Ben Mattinson claimed that Moore has “superstar potential”, as Amad – who now stars for Manchester United in the Premier League – did, but it is down to him to realise that potential on the pitch in Scotland.

Tottenham

21

1

2

Tottenham U21s

5

2

2

Tottenham Youth League

5

0

0

Tottenham U18s

24

19

13

England U19

11

3

3

England U17

12

10

4

England U16

14

7

2

England U15

4

1

0

As you can see in the table above, the English forward has all the tools to be a success if he can translate his youth form over to senior level, as he scored and assisted goals on a regular basis for club and country at various age groups.

Moore has only scored one goal for Tottenham’s first-team, as shown in the post above, though, and this means that it remains to be seen if he can make an immediate impact at Rangers.

Ultimately, this is an exciting move for the Gers but it is also a gamble as there is the potential that he follows in Amad Diallo’s footsteps at Ibrox, as an incredibly talented player who will use this loan as an initial struggle before going on to thrive in England in the future.

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Of course, Martin will be hoping that he can help Moore to enjoy a successful first loan spell, unlike Amad’s, if this deal gets over the line as planned.

Tottenham Hotspur have now directly contacted a “fantastic” defender’s club, in order to assess the possibility of a potential deal, according to a report.

Spurs looking to bolster full-back options despite Spence renewal

Tottenham are relatively well-stocked in the full-back department, given that Thomas Frank has Destiny Udogie at his disposal at left-back and Pedro Porro on the opposite flank, while Djed Spence is capable of playing on either side.

Despite a rocky start to his career at Spurs, Spence has now done enough to earn a new long-term contract, and the full-back has admitted he is delighted to extend his stay in north London.

That said, given that Spence has predominantly featured on the left in recent times, Frank may want to bring in another full-back to provide competition for Porro on the right, and Manchester City’s Rico Lewis was recently identified as a potential option.

Last week, intermediaries made contact with the Lilywhites over a potential deal, and Frank’s side have now stepped up their interest, having made direct contact with Man City.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Tottenham have now submitted an enquiry to City about Lewis, but there could be fierce competition for the full-back’s signature, with a number of rival Premier League clubs also keen.

Indeed, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have all made approaches for the 20-year-old, with the Tricky Trees even submitting an offer worth €30m (£26m), which was knocked back by the Blues.

That said, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible, with Pep Guardiola keen to keep hold of the youngster, while also recently saying: “I think he’s going to stay, I think. He told me that. But, I said, maybe tomorrow, after tomorrow, it’ll change.”

"Fantastic" Lewis could challenge for Porro's starting spot

Once lauded as “fantastic” by Guardiola, the English starlet has managed to repay his manager’s faith in him by establishing himself as an important player for City, making 28 appearances in the Premier League in the 2024-25 campaign.

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During that time, the Bury-born defender has also showcased his versatility, featuring at left-back and even in central midfield, although right-back is the five-time England international’s favoured position.

As such, Lewis would most likely be brought in as a direct competitor to Porro, and he could have the potential to usurp the Spaniard on a long-term basis, considering Pep has stated the City ace is “one of the best” players he has trained.

That said, it could be difficult for the full-back to displace the 25-year-old in the Tottenham starting XI, given that Porro has outperformed him in both an attacking and defensive sense over the past year.

Average per 90

Pedro Porro

Rico Lewis

Non-penalty goals

0.09

0.03

Assists

0.21

0.14

Tackles

2.13

1.46

Interceptions

1.23

0.66

Australia captain Alyssa Healy is a significant doubt for the remainder of the Ashes series after she was ruled out of the first T20I with a “stress response” in her foot on the same side as the injury she sustained at last year’s T20 World CupIt meant that Australia were led by Tahlia McGrath in what became a convincing victory to retain the Ashes at the SCG while the top-order vacancy was filled by debutant Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney will keep wicket.”As you can imagine, she’s pretty flat,” Mooney said. “She doesn’t want to miss any games for Australia and unfortunately for her, she’s missed a few in the last few months. We’ll put our arm around her, wait and see what the [medical] staff say and what the prognosis is.”But, certainly, she’s a key member of our playing group both on and off the field and we know what impact she can have to the outcome of the results on field. So, we’ll be keeping a close eye on making sure she’s okay mentally, but also doing all the right things with [the sports science sports medicine staff] well.Australia also had to contend with allrounder Ashleigh Gardner being ruled out with a calf injury. She will be assessed again ahead of the second T20I in Canberra.Related

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The injury to Healy meant that Australia pushed back announcing their squad for the day-night Test at the MCG which had been due to be named during the T20I on Monday.”Alyssa has got a stress response in her foot,” head of high performance Shawn Flegler told Fox Cricket. “We’re going to try and get a little bit more information before we make a call on her. It’s a big call for Alyssa. Test captain as well. So we’ll wait and see on what we come up with over the next 24-48 hours.””We’ve got a selector meeting tomorrow morning. We’ll see what plays out. We’re not going to rush into it. There’s still a week or so before the Test matchAfter returning from the plantar fascia injury sustained at the World Cup, Healy had her WBBL cut short by a knee problem which also meant she played as a batter only in the ODIs against New Zealand in December having missed the earlier home series against India.She returned to keeping duties for the three ODIs against England with the matches taking place in six days. The schedule is also tight for the T20I series with games in Canberra on January 23 then Adelaide on January 25.Even if Healy is able to play a part in either of those, there will be major questions over whether she can sustain the workload of a Test match, especially as a wicketkeeper.Depending on the prognosis for Healy, her participation in the WPL and the T20I tour of New Zealand in late March could also be in doubt.

There would have been no complaints from the Liverpool squad that it was 16-year-old Rio Nguomha who took the limelight after an incredible victory over Newcastle United on Monday night.

Liverpool are two matches into their Premier League title defence, and have blown two-goal leads in both fixtures yet somehow clawed back victory at the eleventh hour.

Looking at the table, you’d call it a flawless start from Arne Slot’s side, six points from six as they push to retain a top-flight title for the first time since 1983/84.

However, the thrill of successive victories in dramatic fashion has papered over the cracks that Liverpool’s unbalanced set-up has shown since the summer break.

Slot proved himself and then some last season, and there’s every confidence that the wrinkles will be ironed out.

However, certain players look like shadows of their former selves at the moment, and no one more so than Ibrahima Konate in defence.

Ibrahima Konate's performance vs Newcastle

Konate left plenty to be desired as Liverpool scraped past Bournemouth in their Premier League opener, courtesy of a late Federico Chiesa winner from the bench.

Against Newcastle, he didn’t fare any better, having been criticised for his “poor” performances to start the campaign by Reds correspondent Lewis Steele.

On the face of it, Konate didn’t look to have done too badly on Tyneside, winning four of his six contested duels and maintaining accuracy in possession.

However, the eye test revealed a different story. The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle branded the France international with a 4/10 match score, drawing attention to his unconvincing defending and his fault in missing his header in the second half, allowing William Osula to restore parity for the hosts.

Most of a Liverpool persuasion will be aware that Konate is being chased by Real Madrid, and that he is into the final year of his contract at Anfield.

Regardless of the outcome of his situation (which is starting to evoke unwanted Trent-themed memories), Liverpool need to sign a central defender before the transfer window closes.

Liverpool in talks for Konate upgrade

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Liverpool remain in talks to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, who, like Konate, has entered the final year of his contract.

Guehi, 25, has been one of Liverpool’s main transfer targets all summer, and it’s looking likely that an official approach will materialise in the coming days.

The main sticking point centres around valuation: Guehi will be a free agent at the end of the season, and so Liverpool consider Palace chairman Steve Parish’s £40m asking price to be exorbitant.

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FSG seek something closer to £35m, though they will be aware that Manchester City are mulling over a move too.

Why Marc Guehi would start for Liverpool

Guehi, 25, has captained Crystal Palace to their first two trophies, beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup in May and following up that triumph with a penalty shootout win over Liverpool in the Community Shield earlier this month.

He has spent four years at Selhurst Park, having joined the south Londoners from Chelsea after graduating from the infamous Cobham academy and enjoying a successful loan spell with Swansea City in the Championship.

Now, he is one of the most refined and respected centre-halves in the Premier League, and there’s every chance that he would arrive on Merseyside and instantly take Konate’s place in Liverpool’s starting line-up, especially when considering how the Les Bleus man is playing right now.

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

31 (30)

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

2

Touches*

64.9

71.6

Pass completion

84%

90%

Big chances created

5

2

Key passes*

0.5

0.3

Ball recoveries*

4.3

3.2

Dribbles*

0.4

0.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.8

Clearances*

4.6

4.0

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

4.4 (66%)

Errors made

2

3

Konate was in fine fettle indeed last season, producing his personal best campaign on Merseyside both in terms of fitness and performance from August to May.

But you could argue Guehi performed at a similar level for a side battling far lower down the divisional ladder, proving more creative with his passing and more active in defensive phases.

Described as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, Guehi’s technical quality is further outlined by his ranking among the top 2% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for through balls and the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90, as revealed by data-led platform FBref.

And if that isn’t enough to sell you on his quality, just take a look for the man himself in action, carrying and controlling the ball with the deftness of a midfield maestro.

Perhaps the most exciting part is that the Eagles defender has yet to make his move to the highest level, and could raise his game several levels by linking up with Slot’s squad, by allowing himself to be inculcated into Slot’s tactical knowledge.

Analyst Ben Mattinson remarked in the past that the £50k-per-week Guehi is “one of those versatile centre-backs who can play both sides equally as comfortably.”

With that in mind, it seems like he could be stepping into Virgil van Dijk’s boots as the indomitable captain creeps closer toward the final stretch of his Liverpool career.

However, when considering how Konate is playing at the moment, it’s more likely that Guehi will be housed on the right side of the central defence, leaving the Frenchman languishing on the bench.

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Australia will be looking to add the Champions Trophy to their collection•ICC/Getty Images

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been named in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy after been ruled out of the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.Cummins, who will captain the team, is on paternity leave for the birth of his second child, but it was also revealed last week that he was to undergo scans on a troublesome ankle he carried through the India Test series. George Bailey, the chair of selectors, said they were awaiting the outcome of the scans but with the ability to freely amend the squad for the next four weeks there was no imminent rush to make a final call.Related

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“I want to give him a little bit of space at the back end of the Border-Gavaskar; obviously baby pending,” Bailey said. “We’ll work through that with Pat and obviously the selection panel and the medical team…but I know he’s very keen.”Hazlewood, meanwhile, hadn’t quite recovered in time from the calf injury that ended his series but should be able to take his place in the one-day side.Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short, the latter who scored a 54-ball 109 for Adelaide Strikers two days ago, have also been included in the 15-player squad.Hardie is not currently bowling for Perth Scorchers in the BBL due to injury while Josh Inglis is also recovering from a calf strain he picked up while sub fielding during the Test series.Nathan Ellis has tipped out the likes of Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett to be the fourth pace bowler behind the big three.”This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” Bailey said. “It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”Alex Carey also finds a spot after making a successful return to the ODI side against England last year with scores of 74 and 77 not out having previously lost his place after one game of the 2023 World Cup. He could play as a specialist batter, as he did once in the England series, but also provides wicketkeeping back-up for Inglis.Adam Zampa is the one frontline spinner but will be supported by Short and Glenn Maxwell.Among younger players who featured against Pakistan earlier in the series, where Australia lost 2-1, Jake Fraser-McGurk has not made the cut amid an extended lean run which has included a top score of 26 in eight innings for Melbourne Renegades. Cooper Connolly, who was selected for the Sri Lanka Test tour, also can’t find a space.Australia will play a one-off ODI against Sri Lanka on February 13 before heading to Pakistan and discussions remain ongoing as to whether there will be another warm-up game. They are grouped with England (February 22), South Africa (February 25) and Afghanistan (February 28).The first semi-final will take place in Dubai on March 4 with the second in Lahore on March 5 following confirmation of the hybrid model due to India not traveling to Pakistan. The final will be on March 9, in either Dubai or Lahore depending on whether India qualify.Australia squad for Champions TrophyPat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa