سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Rob Dawson, CorrespondentMar 17, 2024, 07:58 PM
Erik ten Hag has urged Manchester United to make the thrilling FA Cup win over Liverpool “the moment” they turn their season around.
Substitute Amad Diallo scored the winner in the 121st minute to seal an incredible 4-3 victory after extra time to earn United a semifinal against EFL Championship side Coventry at Wembley next month.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
Ten Hag’s team have endured a disappointing season, but could still end the campaign with a trophy and a place in the Champions League.
“This could be the moment,” Ten Hag said after the win. “The team has the belief and energy to do amazing things. When you beat Liverpool you can beat any opponent.”
Ten Hag faces questions about his future following the arrival of new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but the Dutchman says his players showed why he is the right man for the job with their performance against Jurgen Klopp’s side.
“The first 35 minutes, we showed again that the future of this team is very bright,” he said. “There is huge potential. We have to get it out and get consistency. The first 35 minutes was very pleasing. They are great characters and the determination we see again.
“This season we have so many setbacks and every time we have to adapt.”
Ten Hag also hailed match winner Amad, who was sent off during his goal celebrations after picking up a second booking for removing his shirt. The 21-year-old, who was linked with a loan move in January, has played only 88 minutes of football this season, but made a crucial impact as a late substitute against Liverpool.
“I am so happy for him,” Ten Hag said. “He is one of the players who had huge setbacks. He returned but there is a lot of competition in his position and he doesn’t always get the time he deserves to play.
“It shows his contribution in scoring a goal, but we know he can do it. I am very pleased he can do it.”
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Rob Dawson, CorrespondentMar 9, 2024, 04:00 PM
MANCHESTER, England — As the Manchester United players walked off at half-time, 2-0 up against Everton, they disappeared down the Old Trafford tunnel to a chorus of “Viva Garnacho” coming from the fans in the Stretford End. Manager Erik ten Hag followed wearing his usual stony-faced expression, but it would have been no surprise if he was singing along in his head.
After a week that has seen pressure mount on the Dutch manager, Alejandro Garnacho won two first-half penalties — converted by Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford — after luring James Tarkowski and then Ben Godfrey into clumsy challenges to help United to a much-needed win in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
“I think the lads did a very good transfer of the game plan,” Ten Hag said afterwards. “By dropping [deeper] Bruno and Scott [McTominay] and then get in the runs in behind from Garnacho and Rashford. We expect the high press from Everton, with their double six goes to our double six and then we created the spaces in behind. I was pleased with that and from there we scored the goals, the penalties.”
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
Ten Hag is still walking a tightrope as United manager, having landed his first Premier League victory in three games, but if he survives the summer it will be partly down to Garnacho. Not only is the 19-year-old his most productive attacking player, he can also point to the emergence of the Argentina winger as one of the major successes of his time at Old Trafford.
After a largely disappointing campaign that sees United sit sixth in the table, Ten Hag needs to finish the season strongly while also convincing new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that he’s the right man for the job in the long term. Garnacho is key to both those things. His contribution against Everton saved United from another awkward afternoon and — possibly — saved Ten Hag from having another awkward conversation with Ratcliffe.
“He’s progressing very well and we are very pleased with this,” Ten Hag said. “His contribution today was huge, his runs, his dribbles. It’s attractive as well for the audience, obviously we want to show something. I think well-deserved penalties. If he can keep the focus and if he puts the right effort in — sometimes for young players it is difficult. We have their job to do. When he keeps this focus he will improve from game to game. In the week you win your game, you have to be spot on.”
Garnacho, though, can’t paper over all the cracks in this United team and despite Everton arriving on the back of a winless run in the Premier League stretching 10 games, they still managed to expose some familiar frailties.
One criticism of United this season is that they concede too many shots, and after the first 45 minutes, Everton had managed 11. Dwight McNeil twice flashed efforts past the post, and the half-time score would have been 2-1 rather than 2-0 if Raphaël Varane hadn’t blocked his third effort of the half just before the break.
United’s poor start — which saw them gift a chance to Amadou Onana just two minutes after kick-off — was characterised by midfielder Casemiro, who surrendered possession eight times in the first 25 minutes alone. You can get away with that against an Everton side who are among the league’s lowest scorers, but probably not against Liverpool, who come to Old Trafford next weekend. By the end, Everton had registered 23 shots on goal to make it 134 that United have faced in just their past six league games.
“If you see their xG [expected goals] is not that high [1.51] and ours is much higher [3.12],” said Ten Hag, when asked whether it is sustainable to face more than 20 shots every game (though two penalties helped United’s figure somewhat). “We have players who feel comfortable to defend low. But you have to be disciplined and you have to incorporate it very well.
“They are low-quality chances. You see the chances, they had some, also I think the way we defended set plays was very good. We were really organised and we were focused, everyone did their job. There was one or two second phases where they had some opportunities, but overall we did quite well.”
For all Ten Hag’s insistence that it doesn’t matter how many shots the opposition have, Liverpool will be delighted to see how many chances Everton created ahead of their FA Cup quarterfinal.
United are hoping to have striker Rasmus Højlund available to face Jurgen Klopp’s side, but his potential return won’t be at the expense of Garnacho. The winger hasn’t missed a game since the derby defeat to Manchester City in October and with the game against Everton finally won, he was substituted with seven minutes to go. Any rest is valuable for one of Ten Hag’s most important players ahead of a run of games between now and the end of the season that will play a big part in deciding Ten Hag’s future.
Named Man of the Match, Garnacho had to remain on the pitch after the final whistle to fulfil his media duties. When he finally departed, he left to a standing ovation from the supporters who had stayed behind and more chants of “Viva Garnacho.”
The teenager is keeping alive United’s Champions League hopes, and also Ten Hag’s hopes of being allowed to stay on as manager.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Two leagues will be rewarded with an extra place in next season’s Champions League based on performance in Europe this season, all part of the revamp to expand it to a 36-team competition — but who is likely to benefit?
With the knockout stages of the Champions League (UCL), Europa League (UEL) and Europa Conference League (UECL) in the round-of-16 stage, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of which leagues could get the two places.
That said, we’re still a long way from finding out who is going to get an extra spot — and it could yet go down to the wire.
This article will be updated throughout the season to track the race for the extra spots.
It’s about the best average coefficient of all teams taking part in Europe for each country. The two leagues with the best score get an extra place.
Each win is worth two coefficient points, a draw gets you one, and you get nothing for a defeat.
If a match goes to extra time, the score after 120 minutes is used. Penalties are not taken into account if the game is drawn, as they are used to determine the tie rather than the individual match.
There are also bonus points for getting to certain stages, which help give extra prominence to those teams who do well in the higher-profile competitions.
Champions League bonus points 4 – Group stage participation 5 – Round of 16 1 – QF, SF, final
Europa League bonus points 4 – Group winners 2 – Group runners-up 1 – Round of 16, QF, SF, final
Europa Conference League bonus points 2 – Group winners 1 – Group runners-up 1 – SF, final
The points gained by all clubs are added together, and that total score is divided by the number of clubs a country has in Europe in the season. That gives the coefficient average.
For example, if a country has 35 coefficient points and seven teams in Europe, its score is 5.00 for the table (35 / 7 = 5.00.)
So wins aren’t worth more in the Champions League?
No, the coefficient system is designed to assess the overall strength of leagues. Wins are the same in all competitions, otherwise it would be impossible for those leagues with few or no teams in the UCL group stage to move up the coefficient ranking.
The bonus points serve two purposes: firstly, to give weight to the strength of the competitions on a sliding scale, and second to provide points to those teams taking part in the UCL who might get few positive results.
In fact, it’s better for leagues to have some teams drop down into the UEL for the knockout rounds. Bonus points might be lower in the UEL, but each two-legged tie has five points up for grabs (four for the result and one for progressing to the next round). If a team stays in the UCL, they might not get past the round of 16 and have little chance of adding to the country’s coefficient through wins.
Won’t this just turn out to be extra places for two top leagues?
If we look back at the previous five seasons, England and Spain take seven of the 10 slots, with Italy and Germany one each. Only in 2021-22 did one of the countries with fewer than four teams in the Champions League (the Netherlands) finish in the top two of average coefficient.
So yes, history tells us that it’s highly likely two of the top leagues will have five places in next season’s Champions League.
2022-23: England and Italy 2021-22: England and the Netherlands 2020-21: England and Spain 2019-20: Spain and Germany 2018-19: England and Spain
Is it a three-horse race between Italy, Germany and England?
Italy is out in front and with six teams still active, a top two place is its to lose.
Germany looks like it is in a strong position, but England still has six teams active in the round of 16 and most of them are in the lower-tier competitions. The Premier League is more likely for the top two.
France has only three teams active, and while Spain has five it will find it difficult with four of them in the UCL.
Czechia are the outliers, and it will take their three teams to go deep into the knockout rounds to cause a shock.
OK, so what’s the state of play for the leagues?
A league needs to keep as many teams as possible still active deep into the knockout rounds. The fewer teams in European competition, the less chance there is to score coefficient points to compete for the top two.
Results will be harder to come by with the fixtures becoming increasingly difficult.
It’s even more important for England and Spain, who started with eight teams in Europe; each win is worth slightly less to the coefficient (as the score is divided by eight rather than seven for Germany and Italy.)
1. ITALY, 15.571
Internazionale and Napoli are in the UCL round of 16, but the draw didn’t look too promising, having been unseeded. Inter secured a 1-0 first-leg home win over Atletico Madrid, but Napoli could only draw 1-1 at home to Barcelona.
AC Milan (vs. Sparta Prague), AS Roma (vs. Brighton) and Atalanta (vs. Sporting CP) are in the round of 16 of the UEL.
Fiorentina take on Maccabi Haifa in the UECL.
Lazio were knocked out of the UCL in the round of 16.
Taking part in the round of 16: 6 Out: 1
Serie A is sitting pretty despite a tough UCL draw. It would be a surprise if Italy was to miss out on an extra place from this position. But nothing is guaranteed/
2. GERMANY, 14.928
Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig continue in the UCL. Bayern eliminated Lazio to reach the quarterfinals. Dortmund (drew 1-1 at PSV) may progress, but Leipzig were drawn against Real Madrid and lost the first leg at home.
SC Freiburg take on West Ham again in the round of 16 of the UEL, with Bayer Leverkusen meeting Qarabag.
Union Berlin were eliminated from Europe at the bottom of their UCL group and Eintracht Frankfurt are out of the UECL.
Through to quarterfinals: 1 Taking part in the round of 16: 4 Out: 2
Germany might sit in second place, but it is far from secure with three of its five teams in the UCL. That said, if Freiburg can eliminate an English club and with Leverkusen having what looks to be a favourable draw, watch this space.
3. ENGLAND, 13.875
Arsenal and Manchester City went through as group winners in the UCL. Man City added to the coefficient score with their first-leg win at FC Copenhagen, and while Arsenal lost 1-0 at FC Porto they will be favourites to go through.
Brighton & Hove Albion (vs. AS Roma), Liverpool (vs. Sparta Prague) and West Ham United (vs. Freiburg) are all through to the UEL round of 16.
Aston Villa take on Ajax in the UECL.
Manchester United and Newcastle United were knocked out after finishing bottom of their UCL groups.
Taking part in the round of 16: 6 Out: 2
The Premier League is in third place after two of its teams failed in the Champions League. It makes it much harder to make the top two — but deep runs from multiple teams would seal it.
With four teams in the round of 16 for the UEL and UECL, and both UCL teams in a good position to advance, England must be seen as the favourites to finish in the top two ahead of Germany.
4. FRANCE, 13.750
Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Sociedad to each the UCL quarterfinals.
Marseille face Villarreal in the UEL round of 16, but Lens, Stade Rennais and Toulouse are now out.
In the UECL, Lille will face Austrian club Sturm Graz.
Taking part in the round of 16: 3 Out: 3
With only three teams left in Europe, France’s chances of making the top two are low.
5. SPAIN, 13.187
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid continue in the UCL. Real Madrid will be expected to advance against RB Leipzig after winning the first leg 1-0 in Germany, while Barcelona will take a 1-1 draw with Napoli back to Camp Nou. However, Atletico lost 1-0 away to Inter.
Villarreal take on Marseille in the UEL.
Osasuna failed to qualify for the UECL, while Sevilla were knockout out in the UCL and Real Betis were eliminated in the knockout playoff round of the UECL.
Real Sociedad fell to PSG in the UCL round of 16.
Taking part in the round of 16: 4 Out: 4
Osasuna’s failure in UECL qualifying severely affected Spain’s chances of making the top two. The loss of Sevilla, who finished bottom of their UCL group, and Real Betis was also damaging.
With Spain having three of its four remaining clubs in the Champions League it will be exceptionally difficult to challenge for the top two from here — but not impossible.
6. CZECHIA, 12.750
Sparta Prague will play Liverpool in the UEL, while Slavia Prague take on AC Milan.
Viktoria Plzen face Swiss side Servette in the UECL.
Bohemians failed to qualify for the group stage.
Taking part in the round of 16: 3 Out: 1
The surprise league to appear in the race for the extra Champions League places, especially as only three teams made the group stages.
With just four teams in Europe, wins for Czechia’s clubs are worth 0.5 coefficient points to the average, compared to 0.25 for England and Spain.
However, the two Prague sides were given very difficult draws in the UEL and it would take a couple of shocks to keep Czechia in the hunt.
7. BELGIUM, 12.400
Club Brugge (vs. Molde) and Union St.-Gilloise (vs. Fenerbache) are still in the UECL, but Genk and Gent were eliminated.
Antwerp finished bottom of their UCL group and are out.
Taking part in the round of 16: 2 Out: 3
With just two of their five teams left, it would be a miracle if Belgium mounted a serious challenge now.
What to look out for in March
Champions League
It’s the four ties involving teams from Germany, Italy and Spain which will prove crucial — and could play into England’s hands. Could England emerge with two teams through to the quarterfinals, while other leagues lose multiple teams?
With four teams still in contention, Spain could make real ground and pull themselves into contention. But only Real Madrid (vs. RB Leipzig) won their first leg tie, with Barcelona drawing away to Napoli. While Atletico Madrid lost to Lazio they will be favourites on home turf, but Real Sociedad failed to overturn a first-leg deficit at home to Paris Saint-Germain. If Spain are going to have a chance, they will need more than just Real Madrid to advance — otherwise rivals from Italy will continue on.
Bayern Munich knocked out Lazio, which keeps the Bundesliga in the hunt. Its teams also take on the Netherlands (PSV Eindhoven vs. Borussia Dortmund) and Spain. RB Leipzig have the chance to knock out a rival club, though that appears unlikely.
Italy has two teams left, but both must be away from home in the second leg against opposition from Spain. If most of its teams can go through, one of the extra slots will start to look secure as it will be at the expense of rivals.
England, meanwhile, faces teams from Portugal (FC Porto vs. Arsenal) and Denmark (FC Copenhagen vs Man City), no direct battle.
Europa League
Italian clubs have only one direct head to head, with Roma taking on Brighton. If Roma go through, that will go a long way to sealing a top-two place. Their other ties are against teams from Czechia and Portugal.
The tie between Freiburg and West Ham — the clubs also met in the group stage — is crucial for the Bundesliga; Freiburg surely have to go through to keep Germany in contention. That said, Leverkusen have a winnable game against a team from Azerbaijan.
As well as the Roma and Freiburg ties, the third for an English club is Liverpool against Czechia’s Sparta Prague. All England’s games are against rivals for the top two. A full house through to the quarterfinals would likely secure an extra UCL place.
France and Spain have only one team left, and Marseille take on Villarreal.
Czechia already looked an outside bet before the draw, so its teams taking on Liverpool and AC Milan have greatly reduced its chances.
Europa Conference League
There are no direct head to heads between the competing leagues in the round of 16
Why the knockout playoff round was so important in February
A quirk of the coefficient system is that results in the knockout playoff round, essentially the round of 32, of the UEL and UECL added points to the national association score, but not a club’s. So results counted in the race to be one of the two top leagues.
While there are higher bonus points for winning a group compared to finishing second, the runners-up were capable of adding more points overall than the group winners by advancing from the knockout playoff round.
For instance, the UEL group winners get four bonus points, and the runners-up get two bonus points. But the runners-up play in the knockout playoff round with an additional four points available through the results of each leg, if they won both matches — a total of six points.
It means leagues with multiple clubs in the knockout playoff round could add to their score.
The bad news for the Premier League was all its teams in the UEL and UECL won their groups, so the league couldn’t pick up any points whereas all its rivals could.
When will we find out who gets the extra places?
In many seasons it may be obvious in March, once we know which leagues have teams through to the quarterfinals of the three European competitions.
However, the 2019-20 season shows that it can go right down to the wire. Germany didn’t overtake the Premier League for second place until Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the final of the Champions League. If that’s repeated this season, we wouldn’t know which league gets the second additional spot until the UCL final takes place June 1.
It would leave two clubs in the domestic leagues praying for the right result in the final. In 2019-20, Bayer Leverkusen and Leicester City finished fifth in Germany and England respectively. Leverkusen would have needed Bayern to win the UCL final to get the place, while Leicester required Bayern to lose the match.
We could also hypothetically see a situation where, for instance, Arsenal winning the Champions League could hand fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur a place in the Champions League.
What’s the maximum number of places in the UCL and in Europe?
Under the old system, a maximum of five clubs from one association could play in the Champions League. It meant that in the unlikely event teams from the same league won the Champions League and Europa League, yet both finished outside the UCL places domestically, then fourth would have to surrender their place and drop into the UEL.
But from 2024-25 it will be possible for seven Premier League teams to get a place in the UCL: The top four, fifth through league performance in Europe, and the winners of the UCL and the UEL.
It would also technically be possible to have 11 Premier League teams in Europe: The usual allocation of seven, plus the extra Champions League place and the titleholders of all three European competitions (if they finished outside a European position.) UEFA has yet to take a decision on a maximum number in Europe from one association, though sources have indicated that it may be capped at 10 if this very unlikely scenario occurs, with a place in the UEL taken away.
Who gets the extra place?
If we assume the extra spots will go to one of the top leagues, it means fifth place will enter the Champions League and it will have eight (rather than seven) places in Europe. Other European berths drop down a place.
If the Premier League gets it, the access will be:
Champions League: 1-5 Europa League: 6, FA Cup winners Europa Conference League: Carabao Cup winners
If the cup winners finish in the top 6, the European places could drop to 7th and 8th in the table.
If LaLiga, the Bundesliga or Serie A gets it, the access will be:
Champions League: 1-5 Europa League: 6, Cup winners Europa Conference League: 7
If a team wins the UEL but doesn’t qualify for the UCL domestically, that league could have six places in the UCL — the five places to the leagues plus the UEL titleholders as an additional.
Which teams would benefit right now?
Right now, RB Leipzig are fifth in the Bundesliga, with Roma holding that spot in Serie A.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerFeb 8, 2024, 12:40 PM
Manchester United have released a special collection of apparel inspired by one of the city’s most famous and revered musical heroes, the Stone Roses.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
With designs inspired by the paint-splattered artwork that adorned the legendary Mancunian band’s eponymous debut album, the retro-infused collection includes various items of pre-match and warm-up kit, T-shirts, tracksuits, and of course, the obligatory bucket hat.
This Is the One 🎵❤️
Introducing the United x @adidasFootball x Stone Roses collection, inspired by the iconic 1989 debut album 🍋
The artwork was originally created by Stone Roses guitarist John Squire, who formed the band along with frontman and vocalist Ian Brown in the early 1980s.
They later became a staple of the “Madchester” scene following the release of their first album in 1989 and have had a major influence on countless bands and artists ever since.
United have also marked the release of its Roses Are Red collection with a short film that features a small cast of fans and Reds past and present including Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, and Gary Neville.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
It was not just about Jordan beating South Korea to reach a maiden AFC Asian Cup final.
It was the fact they completely outplayed their more-illustrious opponents who just happen to be two-time champions, traditional powerhouses of the continent, and ranked 23rd in the world.
While many would have been expecting a smash-and-grab job to be Jordan’s best chance of beating South Korea on Tuesday, this was anything but.
The hunger and endeavour were never going to be in doubt. That comes with the territory of being the underdogs.
But Jordan were far more fluid, composed, incisive and decisive, as they claimed a 2-0 win for the ages — courtesy of second-half goals by Yazan Al-Naimat and Musa Al-Taamari — to keep their fairy tale alive.
Perhaps, in the knowledge that South Korea have made a habit of starting matches tepidly at this tournament, the game plan for Jordan was to bring the heat early on — and it worked a treat as they gained the ascendancy from the opening whistle.
Still, as much as the South Koreans have tended to allow their opponents to fire away first in recent outings, they had not shot themselves in the foot like they did on Tuesday.
Having already been wasteful in possession on numerous occasions in the first half, Park Yong-Woo produced another sloppy piece of play eight minutes after the restart – attempting a medium-range ground pass that just did not have enough pace.
It forced Kim Young-Gwon into having to wait for the ball to arrive.
In a blink of an eye, the ball was long gone as Al-Taamari nipped in to win possession before sliding through an incisive pass for Al-Naimat to run onto and finish over the onrushing Jo Hyeon-woo.
13 minutes later, Al-Taamari would cause damage once again — this time without the need for any assistance, as he embarked on a jinking run from the left to the edge of the box before expertly dispatching a shot past Jo’s despairing dive.
From that point on, Jordan never looked like relinquishing their place in Saturday’s final even in spite of South Korea’s newfound reputation of comeback kings.
In fact, it was a sign of how desperate things were getting for the Taegeuk Warriors when Cho Gue-Sung broke into the opposition area late on but — after having an avenue to goal blocked by some resolute last-ditch defending — attempted to win a penalty with one of the most ridiculous dives ever.
South Korea knew. They were up against — and about to be eliminated — by an opposition that was simply superior.
And, for the most part of their campaign, Jordan have indeed been the superior team in every game.
Yet, their reputation means it is unlikely they will be the favourites come the final regardless of whether it is three-time winners Iran or hosts and defending champions Qatar who they are up against.
Still, either of those two teams only have to look at Tuesday’s display to know that the Jordanians should not be taken lightly.
Having never made it past the quarterfinals previously, this tournament has already served up a dream run for Jordan.
If they play like they did against the South Koreans, there is no reason why there cannot still be one final chapter to be written — to complete the biggest fairy tale in Asian Cup history.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Rob Dawson, CorrespondentJan 29, 2024, 10:20 AM
Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is attracting interest from a number of clubs in Europe and the Saudi Pro League, including Al Shabab, a source has told ESPN.
De Gea has been without a club since leaving Old Trafford last summer and despite receiving a host of offers over seven months, he remains a free agent.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
The Spain international, according to a source, rejected an approach from the Saudi Pro League (SPL) in the summer but has since held talks with Al Shabab.
The 33-year-old left United after 12 years after failing to agree a new contract. United were keen to agree a deal which would have seen De Gea taking a cut in wages following Erik ten Hag’s decision to pursue the signing of André Onana as his new No. 1.
Al-Shabab, 11th in the SPL table, have shown ambition this month with attempts to hire Jose Mourinho as their manager and sign Miguel Almirón from Newcastle United.
De Gea, according to a source, would prefer to resume his career in Europe but has not ruled out joining an SPL team.
Meanwhile, a source has told ESPN that SPL clubs are showing interest in Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira.
The Brazil international has impressed in his 18 months at Craven Cottage following a £10 million ($12.7m) move from United in 2022. He has registered four Premier League assists this season after getting six last term.
Pereira has a contract at Fulham until 2026 with the option of another year and Fulham would expect a significant fee before the 28-year-old was allowed to leave.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterJan 21, 2024, 07:18 PM
Close
• Joined ESPN in 2011 • Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours • Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018
BOURNEMOUTH, England — Liverpool’s comprehensive 4-0 victory at Bournemouth saw Jurgen Klopp’s side send out a warning to the chasing pack as they extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, thanks to braces from Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota.
All the talk coming into the match on Sunday was of Liverpool’s absentees and how they’d have to cope without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, among others, but the team managed this tricky trip to in-form Bournemouth brilliantly with four second-half goals.
Pressure? What pressure. Even with Manchester City breathing down their necks, makeshift full-backs and a star cast all missing either on international duty or because of injury, Liverpool showed their title credentials in the way they came through.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
This was no day out on the south coast. Bournemouth were undefeated in their past eight league matches, boasting one of the most prolific strikers in the league in Dominic Solanke, who had six goals from six games. Still, Liverpool restricted the hosts to one clear-cut chance and bypassed the impressive Bournemouth press with a series of pinpoint cross-field balls and by winning the small 50-50s when they mattered.
Núñez and Jota will get the headlines but this was a collective effort. From the brilliant manner in which Alexis Mac Allister dictated the tempo in the middle of the pitch, the outstanding performance debutant right-back Conor Bradley put in, and all the rest of their teammates, this was an exercise in control. Virgil van Dijk completely marked Solanke out of the game and nullified one of the league’s most lethal finishers.
Bournemouth threw everything at Liverpool in the first half with their high press causing Liverpool the odd nervous moment, and had the best chance of the half with Ryan Christie unable to convert at the near post a minute before the break. Liverpool’s efforts were restricted to long-range shots in the first half, but at the break Klopp switched Núñez to the left wing, played Jota through the middle (just like they did in the FA Cup match at Arsenal) and from there they dominated the match.
Núñez’s physicality caused Bournemouth all sorts of trouble. He has been at times a bemusing player to watch, someone who misses chances he should take and then strokes home occasional wonder goals he has no right to score. After one mishit in the first half, the Bournemouth fans serenaded him with a version of “you’re just a s–t Andy Carroll,” but Núñez was unbowed and unflustered, and when he had his first real sniff of a chance he converted it. It was a brilliant goal in the 49th minute.
Joe Gomez’s looping crossfield kick found Curtis Jones and with Bournemouth’s defence disoriented, his pass found Jota in space, who put in Núñez, and his first-time finish capped a wonderful move. He scored his second late in the match, three minutes into injury time, converting an outstanding Gomez cross at the far post to bring up Liverpool’s fourth. Núñez’s double sandwiched Jota’s brace. He took both brilliantly, firing the first through Neto’s near post after 70 minutes and the second into the far corner after 79 minutes. With that, Bournemouth’s hopes were extinguished.
There were question marks over Liverpool coming into this over how they’d cope — the list of absentees was such that 24-year-old Cody Gakpo was the oldest outfield player on their bench. But the versatility and adaptability of the squad has seen them cope brilliantly. Gomez at left-back had a tough first few minutes against Marcus Tavernier but adjusted and was dominant from there, while Bradley was superb on the opposite flank, having featured for Liverpool sporadically in the cups this season but not yet in the top flight. The constant movement and positional switches of the front three must be a nightmare to play against while Harvey Elliott’s puppy-like energy complements the calmness of both Jones and Mac Allister in midfield.
Klopp has continued that praise towards the Argentine as such a vital player in midfield. “Absolutely exceptional performance,” Klopp said in his post-game news conference. I’m so happy for us but for him as well. He’s a really good footballer and defensively did a job and offensively he’s super important player for us. He’s calm on the ball and the good things in the first half were him.”
The good news for Liverpool fans is that Alexander-Arnold should be back by the end of the month, Robertson is returning to full training soon and Dominik Szoboszlai’s hamstring injury is progressing well. But in the meantime, those out on the pitch are keeping the ship on track. This victory was the first challenge of what could be a key fortnight for Liverpool with their second leg in the Carabao Cup semifinal at Fulham on Wednesday, their fourth round FA Cup match against Norwich City on Sunday, and then matches against Chelsea at Anfield and Arsenal at the Emirates.
All eyes will be on Salah however, as Klopp in his post-match conference that he will continue his rehab in Liverpool following an injury to the Egypt star at the Africa Cup of Nations and will only mostly likely go back to the tournament if his country makes the final.
“We should start the games better but it’s about 98 minutes, it’s about winning the games in the end,” said Klopp. As long as you stay in the game, and today step by step we found a way and we won.”
Their squad will be stretched and Klopp will need to manage it carefully. But even without their absent superstars, when it mattered, they were composed and got the job done with Núñez and Jota’s goals an exercise in composure in the face of immense pressure. At the full-time whistle, the away fans chanted “Liverpool, top of the league” and those who have eyes on the title will have taken notice of this performance.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
A physical Australia side dominated India to win their Asian Cup Group B opener 2-0 on Saturday in front of a crowd largely made up of Indian fans at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
After a cagey opening 45 minutes, Australia got on the board through Jackson Irvine before Jordan Bos made it 2-0 seconds after coming on as a substitute.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
The encounter felt almost like a home game for India with the crowd at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium largely made up of fans from the Indian diaspora in Doha and they made their presence felt, roaring the team on despite Australia’s early dominance.
But after being shut out in the first half, Australia silenced the crowd with the opening goal soon after the break. Their second deflated both the Indian team and the arena.
“The excitement of the first game [of the Asian Cup] got to the players in the first half,” Australia’s coach Graham Arnold said.
“At half-time, we discussed where we could hurt India and calmed them down. We told them, ‘Just be patient and it will come.'”
The match also saw Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita become the first woman referee to officiate a men’s Asian Cup encounter, with assistant referees Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi making it an all-female trio.
Spurred on by the crowd, Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri missed a golden opportunity when he sent a header wide, but Australia turned the screws thereafter and controlled possession as India rarely managed to venture out of their own half.
It soon became apparent that India were no match for Australia’s physicality across the pitch as the 2015 champions regularly won duels to prevent Igor Stimac’s side from progressing the ball.
“[It was] very difficult match for us with the physicality of Australia, we suffered from their corners,” Stimac said.
“We couldn’t get out of the zone and were unable to make that second pass to move past the half line… Australia are more experienced, they read situations better.”
India held firm until the break, but five minutes after the restart Australia found the breakthrough.
Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh failed to deal with a cross and his tame effort to palm it away fell to Irvine, who needed no second invitation to score.
Jackson Irvine celebrates his goal for Australia in their victory over India.
Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
“We had to be patient. These games are cagey when teams play deep,” Irvine said.
“We created some really good moments but maybe rushed things in the first half.”
The goal took the wind out of India’s sails and Australia capitalised with a second in the 73rd minute when Riley McGree dribbled into the box and cut a pass back for Bos to score.
Although Australia took all three points, Arnold said there was still room for improvement.
“One disappointment was our set pieces. You’ve got to credit India for how they set up against that,” Arnold said.
“Full credit to India for their determination and their fight, they put their bodies on the line a lot of times when we had opportunities… They’re very well-coached.”
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
The winter transfer window hasn’t re-opened in Europe yet, but there are moves in the works and plenty of gossip swirling around.Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Gunners mull moves for Solanke, Toney
Arsenal have identified AFC Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke and Brentford star Ivan Toney as potential targets in January, according to Calciomercato.
The Gunners have their eyes firmly set on the title this season and are currently sitting one point ahead of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, with manager Mikel Arteta reportedly eager to bolster his forward options ahead of what will be a busy second half of the season.
Gabriel Jesus has netted seven goals in all competitions for Arsenal this campaign; however, should the Brazil international suffer an injury, Arteta would be light on attacking replacements with Eddie Nketiah the only other recognised striker in the first-team setup.
Solanke has been in impressive form for Bournemouth this season, notching nine goals in 17 Premier League outings, while Brentford forward Toney has missed the first half of the campaign following an eight-month suspension for betting charges. The 27-year-old, however, will be available to play from Jan. 17 onwards.
Neither option will be cheap for the Gunners, although they have proved willing to splashing the cash over the past six months. Arsenal brought Declan Rice to the Emirates from West Ham United in the summer for £100 million, whilst Kai Havertz also made the move to north London from Chelsea in the same transfer window for £65m.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
PAPER GOSSIP
– Real Madrid have set a valuation of €60m for defender David Alaba amid interest from Manchester United, Juventus and Al Ittihad, according to Sport. However, the Austria international suffered an ACL injury in Los Blancos’ 4-1 win against Villarreal on Sunday, which makes a move unlikely in January. Man United, in particular, are desperate for defensive reinforcements, with Lisandro Martínez missing the majority of the season with injury and Raphaël Varane reportedly keen to leave Old Trafford in the winter.
– Arsenal and Manchester City have identified Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz as a target, reports Football Insider. It is suggested that Villa will not be receptive to any approaches in January, with manager Unai Emery desperate to keep hold of the 25-year-old, who has impressed for the Midlands outfit this season.
– Juventus are keeping tabs on Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface, according to Calciomercato. Boniface has notched an impressive 15 goals and eight assists in all competitions this season, which has led to admirers across Europe. The report reveals that Boniface would currently set Juventus back €40m in January, which means the Italian giants would likely have to facilitate Dusan Vlahovic’s departure in order to match Leverkusen’s valuation.
– Dion Drena Beljo is seeking a move away from Augsburg in January, with several clubs in Europe interested in the forward, says Florian Plettenberg. The Sky Sports Deutschland journalist reports that the 21-year-old is unhappy with his current game time, which has seen him primarily limited to substitute appearances. Alongside other clubs in Germany, it is reported that teams in England and Italy are monitoring the forward, who could depart in the winter.
سایت هات بت
hotbet سایت
site hot bet
سایت هات بت 90
سایت hotbet90
Declan Rice’s header deep in stoppage time sealed an enthralling 4-3 victory for Arsenal over Luton Town to send them five points clear at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday.
Six minutes of stoppage time were almost up when Rice found space to glance a header into the net, sparking joy for the visitors and heartache for an intrepid Luton side.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
“Luton are a top side and they can’t be overlooked in this league for the quality they have,” Rice told Amazon Prime. “To score in the last minute and keep the momentum building, it’s massive for us. Those are the moments you look back on. What a game. To score the winner is an honour.”
There was little to hint at the thriller ahead in a low-key opening 20 minutes on a raw night at Kenilworth Road, but the game exploded into life when Gabriel Martinelli’s scuffed shot from Bukayo Saka’s pass put Arsenal ahead.
Luton responded five minutes later with Gabriel Osho powering a header past David Raya from Alfie Doughty’s corner.
Saka and Martinelli were both denied by saves from Thomas Kaminski, but Arsenal went ahead again just before the break with Gabriel Jesus heading in Ben White’s dinked cross.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice celebrates after scoring a goal against Luton Town in the Premier League.
Arsenal had not won at Luton since 1986 and they were rocked on their heels as first Elijah Adebayo headed in another corner in the 49th minute before Andros Townsend played in fellow former England international Ross Barkley eight minutes later to drill a low shot underneath Raya, who endured a difficult night.
Raya should have done better for Luton’s second and third goals, but his blushes were spared by his teammates.
The old stadium was rocking to its foundations, but Luton’s joy was cut short as Kai Havertz squared it up on the hour from a Jesus pass. Rice then left the hosts in despair as Arsenal again showed their penchant for late goals.
They have now taken nine points this season courtesy of goals in the last five minutes of games.
“Incredible evening. First of all, congratulations to Luton, their players, staff, the atmosphere they created made it a special night to play football and they made it very hard for us,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
“They are so good at set pieces and they made us really fight for the game and at the end it was a beautiful win.”
Luton remain fourth from bottom with nine points and while the defeat stung, manager Rob Edwards was rightly proud of his players, who gave Arsenal a real scare.
“Arsenal wanted a game of order and we made it chaotic at times,” Edwards said. “I don’t think that has ever happened to me, conceding that late to lose a game so I’m flat right now.”
Arsenal have 36 points from 15 games played with Liverpool on 31 and champions Manchester City on 30, with the latter two teams in action on Wednesday.
