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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

As some of you may have heard, Liverpool’s first-team stars have been hard at work on international duty whilst others in the squad take a well deserved holiday.

After a gruelling 97-point Premier League campaign and a successful Champions League expedition last term, the likes of Joel Matip and Fabinho got to jet off and chill out.

Whilst they and others were letting their hair down, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Alisson Becker embarked on international tournaments – the latter pair went away and won the Copa America, whilst Salah and Mane took part in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“It reminds me of a bus seat!” – Watch a damning verdict on Chelsea’s new kit in the video below…

Out of all of them, it was Mane who finished latest after making the AFCON final with Senegal, which they unfortunately lost to Algeria.

Due to his exploits, the former Southampton man will miss the Community Shield game against Manchester City, and will return to the club just four days before the opening game against Norwich.

Embarking on a season without the Premier League Golden Boot winner may worry some Liverpool fans, and quite understandably – however, they don’t need to worry thanks to Rhian Brewster’s excellent pre-season form.

The teenager has had an enormous amount of trust placed in him by Jurgen Klopp, and has begun to repay that trust with four goals and an assist in pre-season so far.

Brewster’s goals were all impressive, and showed his wide array of striking skills ranging from instinctive follow-ups, confidently struck penalties and sharp aerial instincts.

If he had just been signed for £30m and was performing like this, you can only imagine the hype surrounding his form, so it is only fair that we praise Brewster for his efforts substantially.

It may only be pre-season, but the 19-year-old is in a purple patch and has the wind in his sails after Klopp breathed life into them.

From what we’ve seen, he can capably stand in for Mane for a few early season games at least, and potentially be a key figure alongside the Senegalese forward later on once he regains his fitness.

Liverpool needn’t worry about being without their 22-goal attacker with Brewster around.

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Leeds United’s official Twitter account announced on Tuesday afternoon that the team’s Under-14 side had won the Flint Micasa Cup in Norway.

Indeed, the Whites triumphed courtesy of a 2-1 win over Viking in the final.

And the news led to a number of the club’s supporters taking to social media to lavish praise on the youth side.

There is no getting away from the fact that it was a hugely disappointing end to the 2018-19 campaign for the first team.

Indeed, defeat to Frank Lampard’s Derby County in the Championship playoff semi-finals saw their hopes of earning promotion to the Premier League come to an end.

The future certainly looks bright, though, with a number of players impressing for the club’s Under-23 side last term.

And now the Under-14s have shown their quality by triumphing in Norway.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Leeds fans can be seen below:

حسم فريق برشلونة الإسباني تأهله لدور الـ16 بمنافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا، كثانٍ مجموعة، بعد هزيمته أمام يوفنتوس الإيطالي بثلاثية دون رد على ملعب “كامب نو”.

وينتظر البارسا مواجهات نارية محتملة في دور الـ16 بدوري الأبطال، بعد التأهل كثانٍ مجموعة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا 2021 خصوم برشلونة المحتملين في دور الـ16 حتى الآن:

ليفربول.

بايرن ميونخ.

مانشستر سيتي.

تشيلسي. 

بوروسيا دورتموند.

باريس سان جيرمان.

ريال مدريد تأهل كأول مجموعة لكن لن يواجه برشلونة، وفقًا لقواعد اليويفا، نظرًا لأن الفريقان من إسبانيا.

Although Leeds United’s signing of Kiko Casilla in January created a lot of buzz amongst their supporters, it could be argued that their other acquisition during the transfer window could end up being a fantastic move by director of football Victor Orta.

Having been impressed by Mateusz Bogusz’s performances for Polish side Ruch Chorzow, the Spaniard decided to swoop for the 17-year-old after consulting with Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa.

Since making the switch to West Yorkshire, the midfielder has established himself as a key player for the club’s under-23 side and played a defining role in helping them win the Professional Development League North title in March.

Despite being made to wait for his first-team debut by Bielsa, it is surely only a matter of time before Bogusz is given the opportunity to prove himself for Leeds having been included in all four of their previous match-day squads.

An outstanding talent, the fact that Premier League champions Manchester City were reportedly interested in bringing the midfielder to the Etihad Stadium (via HITC) suggests that he has all the ingredients needed to become a superstar for Leeds in the future.

Speaking about Bogusz’s qualities to Polish news outlet Przeglad Sportowy, Citizens’ scout Jakub Bokiej admitted: “Mateusz, despite his young age, is so intelligent and technically developed that he often avoids contact with his opponent without losing the ball thanks to good ball control or directional admission.

You can also see that he has made enormous physical progress in the last 3-4 months,”

“Leeds United is currently the perfect place to grow.

“A great training centre, a coach with whom many players from the world leaders and two Poles would like to work – Mateusz Klich and Kamil Miazek, thanks to whom Bogusz’ acclimatisation has been optimal.

I can only regret that he did not go to Manchester City.”

With the likes of Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton benefitting significantly over the past 10 months from Bielsa’s willingness to place his trust in Leeds’ younger players, Bogusz will be looking to follow in their footsteps next season.

Already capped at under-19 level by Poland, the midfielder could end up outshining his team-mates over the coming years if he manages to stay on the right path for the Whites.

What do you think Leeds fans? Does Bogusz deserve the chance to impress next season? Or will he benefit more from playing under-23 football in the upcoming campaign? Let us know below.

When Sheffield United announced their retained list earlier this week, the decision not to offer a deal for one player in particular would have come as a shock to many of the club’s supporters.

Having joined the Blades last summer following a brief spell with Middlesbrough, Martin Cranie had to wait until November to make his debut for the club in a clash with Nottingham Forest.

Although his side would go on to lose 1-0 at the City Ground, the central-defender’s impressive individual performance saw him grab the attention of boss Chris Wilder who chose to include him as part of United’s team rotation policy in the second-half of the season.

With the Blades fighting for automatic promotion in the Championship, Cranie used all his experience to help the club overcome the challenge of Leeds United as he played a prominent role in the run-in by featuring in seven of the final ten games of the year.

Therefore, by producing key contributions to the club’s success during the 2018/19 campaign, the defender must have thought that he had done enough to earn a new contract at Bramall Lane. Yet along with Conor Washington, Daniel Lafferty, Paul Coutts and Caolan Lavery, Cranie was released by United on Wednesday (via BBC Sport).

Although Wilder would argue that in the form of Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O’Connell the Blades already have better options for next season in comparison to the 32-year-old, it may turn out to be a mistake letting him leave.

Having already played at Premier League level before for Huddersfield Town and Southampton, Cranie could have used his experience to help his team-mates make the necessary adjustments needed in order to compete at a higher level.

However, with the club deciding to cut ties with the defender, it would not be at all surprising if they face a season of struggle in the top flight in his absence.

What do you think Blades fans? Was it the right call by Wilder to not offer a new deal for Cranie? Are you confident that your side survive in the Premier League next year? Let us know below.

Tottenham have been remarkably inactive in the previous two transfer windows, but with the stadium finally built, there are surely now funds available to them. 

Wilfred Zaha has been a long-term target for the North London club, but have rather bulked at the astronomical transfer fee demanded by Palace.

The forward has thrived in recent years, taking full responsibility as the Crystal Palace talisman. He has scored an impressive nine goals in 31 goals this campaign, including a crucially important goal away at Arsenal last weekend.

Palace manager Roy Hodgson has claimed Zaha is ‘happy’ at Palace and is to stay for ‘years to come’. But Zaha must surely be looking for Champions League football. The forward is now 26 and approaching the pinnacle of his career. A player of that quality simply must be playing at a higher level.

Indeed, both the Daily Mail and the Daily Express have talked about Spurs’ long-term interest in the Ivorian.

Zaha did make the move to the elite in a £25m transfer to Manchester United in 2012. The move arguably came when he was too young, however. His performances have significantly matured in recent years, adding goals and assists to the natural talent that he possesses.

A team where Zaha would most likely thrive is Tottenham. He would provide a serious injection of quality to the squad. Where Lucas has shone in patches, Lamela has never reached his potential at Tottenham. Arguably the only winger that regularly performs is Heung-min Son – and he’s currently performing best as a striker.

Similarly to Son, Zaha would be able to play either on the wing or as a striker for Tottenham. Essentially, they would be fixing two positions with one purchase. Despite the impressive stats Fernando Llorente has produced this season, the attacker is 34-years-old. Yes, he’s been competent, but no, he cannot be a long-term back up to Harry Kane.

Kane has been out with two separate ankle injuries this season which must be a worry for Tottenham. They cannot rely on Son being able to step up on each occasion in his absence. Zaha would certainly fill this void. The reported £80m needed to acquire his signature makes it unlikely Tottenham will make a move, but it’s certainly something they should consider.

What do you think Tottenham fans? Is Zaha worth £80m?

تحدث شوقي غريب المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الأولمبي، عن آخر مستجدات ضم محمد صلاح المحترف في صفوف ليفربول الإنجليزي لقائمة الفراعنة بأولمبياد طوكيو بالعام المقبل، وكذلك محمد النني نجم آرسنال.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر الأولمبي أمام كوريا الجنوبية يوم 12 نوفمبر الجاري، ثم البرازيل يوم 17 من الشهر ذاته ضمن خطة الإعداد لأولمبياد طوكيو.

وقال شوقي غريب في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة النهار: “سعيد جدًا بمواجهة منتخب بحجم البرازيل، منتخب كبير وكل عناصرهم محترفة في أوروبا”.

وأكمل: “دائمًا لا نترك شىء للظروف ونرتب أمورنا منذ فترة، نخاطب ليفربول لأنهم أصحاب القرار في الموافقة على ضم محمد صلاح من عدمه”.

وعن موقف صلاح من أجل ضمه، أجاب: “محمد صلاح لاعب كبير وعالمي ويزيد قوة لأي فريق، نيمار انضم لمنتخب البرازيل في أولمبياد 2016، الاستعانة بصلاح لا تقل عن استعانة البرازيل بنيمار في الأولمبياد من قبل”.

وتابع: “محمد صلاح يزيد المنتخب قوة، ونأمل تواجده معنا، الأمر ليس في أيدينا ولكن في يد ليفربول، وسيكون هناك تنسيق مع الفريق الإنجليزي”.

طالع | قائمة منتخب مصر الأولمبي لمباراتي كوريا والبرازيل.. ضم ناصر ماهر وصلاح محسن

واستطرد: “سنرى ظروف ليفربول واللاعب لكي يتواجد معنا في عٌرس كبير مثل أولمبياد طوكيو، وبالنسبة لـ موقف محمد النني فنحن لم نناقش حتى الآن أي شىء يخص الثلاثة الكبار المتبقين”.

وأوضاف : “طاهر محمد طاهر لن ينضم للمنتخب الأوليمبي في المعسكر الحالي”.

وعن فرص محمد محمود وكريم نيدفيد (لاعبا الأهلي)، أجاب: “فرصة الثنائي كبيرة للتواجد معنا في الأولمبياد، وعندما يكون لدي اثنين بأهميتهم ويشاركوا في المباريات الودية والدولية لا أقدر تجاهلهم عنصرين بهذه الكفاءة والمشاركة أهم”.

يذكر، أن الثنائي محمد محمود وكريم نيدفيد يخضعان لتدريبات تأهيلية خلال الفترة الحالية للتخلص من الإصابة في الركبة.

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Watford face Wolves this weekend in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and they will be hoping to reproduce the standard of performance which saw them put four past now-relegated Fulham with ease on Tuesday night.

The mood at Vicarage Road is high and Abdoulaye Doucoure has taken time to praise fellow midweek goalscorer Troy Deeney for his impact both on and off the pitch this season, per Watfordfc.com:

“I love to play with [Deeney] because he gives a lot of energy to us, and the fans as well. He is a strong striker, and he has a lot of quality.

“Against him it is very hard to defend, because when he is in a good mood he can beat anyone. He can fight against everyone. He is very good this season and I am very happy to play with him.

“Troy is the perfect captain for this team. He can be very friendly with you or can be shouting at you if you do something wrong. But you can do it with him as well. He can accept it if you have a good reason and he’s a very good captain.”

Indeed, Deeney is unafraid to make his feelings known during a game, at the training ground or even in post-match interviews – to the astonishment of Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser – and this is why former Granada man Doucoure thinks he is the perfect candidate to both spearhead the Hornets attack and wear the armband.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The 30-year-old has struck up a lethal partnership with Gerard Deulofeu this campaign and has chalked up nine goals and five assists in 29 appearances – his best return since 2016/17 when he bagged 10, with six games still to play.

Can he lead the Hornets to FA Cup glory this season?

أوضح المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، يورجن كلوب، حالة المصابين بالريدز قبل يومين من مباراة أياكس أمستردام في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويحل ليفربول ضيفًا على ملعب “يوهان كرويف” يوم الأربعاء المقبل، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” بقيادة الحكم الألماني الدولي، فيليكس بيريش.

وبدأ كلوب حديثه عن حالة تياجو ألكانتارا الذي تعرض لتدخل قوي من مهاجم إيفرتون، ريتشارلسون، الذي حصل على البطاقة الحمراء في نهاية مباراة السبت ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وقال في تصريحات لموقع ناديه الرسمي: “لقد تعرض لضربة قوية وتعرفون ما حدث بعد ذلك”.

وتابع: “بالطبع هي ليست بحجم إصابة فان دايك، لكن موقفه من المشاركة أمام أياكس لا أعرفه حتى الآن، سنرى ماذا سيحدث خلال الساعات القادمة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كلوب: سنفعل مع فان دايك ما تقوم به المرأة الصالحة تجاه زوجها المسجون!

بينما خضع نابي كيتا لاعب وسط ليفربول لاختبار فيروس كورونا، بعدما استُبعد من معسكر منتخب بلاده غينيا بسبب الإصابة بالعدوى، ولكن النتائج جاءت سلبية.

وقال كلوب عن حالة كيتا: “تدرب بالأمس بشكل طبيعي، هذا أمر إيجابي للغاية، لكنه عندما عاد من المنتخب كان بدون أعراض ولقد ظهر بشكل جيد في التدريبات لكنني لا أعرف إذا ما كان يستطيع المشاركة أم لا”.

وعن تشامبرلين: “يسير برنامجه بشكل جيد للغاية ربما مازال هناك وقت طويل لعودته لنا، لكنه بدأ في ملامسة الكرة من جديد، وفي النهاية، لا نستطيع التسرع والمخاطرة به إلا عندما يتعافى بنسبة 100%”.

وأليسون: “دائمًا ما أهتم بحالته كل يوم، ويبادرني بالتطورات مع ابتسامة كبيرة ويخبرني عن تحسنه لكنني لما أراه اليوم حتى الآن، لذلك سأطلب من الجهاز الطبي تقريرًا عن حالته”.

واختتم تصريحاته عن إذا ما كان سيجري بعض التغييرات في مباراة أياكس لتجنب الإرهاق بعد مواجهة إيفرتون: “هناك دائمًا مخاوف، لكن الوقت ما زال مبكرا جدًا لعملية التدوير رغم قوة المباراة الماضية”.

وأتم: “لقد تعرض الكثير من اللاعبين لكدمات مختلفة، لكن حالتهم جيدة الآن لأننا نستخدم اليوم التالي للمباراة في تحليل المباراة السابق واليوم الثاني للتعافي”.

Everton continued their good run of results with a solid 2-0 win at West Ham United this weekend.

The Toffees saw off the Hammers with relative ease to cement their place just outside the main pack in the Premier League, as well easing the pressure on manager Marco Silva, who has come under pressure from numerous media outlets throughout the season.

Silva was expected to challenge higher up in the Premier League table than the current ninth position is suggesting, although a seventh place finish just outside of the top six is still well on for the club.

And while Silva has been under pressure, the last few weeks have shown that the former Watford man could well be the man to take the Goodison Park club forward and finally lead them back to challenging for the top four, as in previous years under David Moyes.

Money has been spent by the powers that be for the Merseysiders, and with that money being spent comes expectation, something that Silva appeared to not be able to handle early on in his tenure at the club.

However, his tactics and way of setting up his team in recent weeks have shown that he can actually get the Toffees playing to their maximum, something which could well yield results in the coming seasons.

With the players in the ranks at Everton at the moment, success should not be too far off at Goodison Park, and stability will be needed.

It might have taken a good amount of time to start looking right, but Silva is showing he is the man to take the club forward, and Toffees fans can have plenty to look forward too in the 19/20 season if they can continue on this current upward trajectory.