Louis van Gaal has offered a brutal assessment of the state of his former club Manchester United and urged the owners to make drastic changes.
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Van Gaal tears into UnitedTells old club to follow the Liverpool blueprintVan Gaal not managed club side since UnitedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Van Gaal slammed the way United have been run and argued that he no longer sees them as a football club. The former Red Devils boss spent two seasons at Old Trafford, winning one FA Cup in his time at the club, and believes it is moving yet further away from how it once was. Van Gaal argued that United were too driven by commercial success and that's why they have fallen well short of league contention. To add yet further insult, he suggested that in order for United to return to an elite level, the ownership should follow the blueprint of bitter rivals Liverpool.
AdvertisementAFPWHAT VAN GAAL SAID
Speaking to, Van Gaal said: "It is still a commercial club. It is not a football club. I have said that before – and that's always difficult.
"When [it is] not the manager deciding which player has to come, it's very difficult.
"Then you can fire the manager because he's not getting results. When other people buy the players, then you have a problem. You need to have the knowledge and orientation [of the manager] because he has to train them.
"[At Liverpool] Arne Slot is the man who says to his technical manager, you need to buy this player. Pay attention to it."
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Sine departing Old Trafford, Van Gaal has often spoken critically of United. He actively discouraged Erik Ten Hag from joining the club, stating: "Erik ten Hag is a great coach and that is always good for Manchester United, but Manchester United is a commercial club, which is a difficult choice for a coach. He would be better going to a football club."
The similarity of language used suggests Van Gaal believes United have not shifted their stance or culture in years, despite the injection of the new voice of Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the club's hierarchy. It is also possible Van Gaal sees Ratcliffe as another figure to take United yet further into a more commercial direction.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR VAN GAAL?
Despite being linked with jobs at both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in recent years, Van Gaal has not returned to club management since leaving United. He has only been in charge of the Netherlands, his third spell overseeing the national team, since being shown the exit door in Manchester. A return to football is unlikely as he continues to battle and recover from illness.
One Chelsea player has failed to win over manager Enzo Maresca behind-the-scenes, and he’s open to the idea of signing for an elite club indefinitely for next season.
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The west Londoners kicked off an excellent start to their Europa Conference League knockout campaign with a 2-1 victory at FC Copenhagen in their first leg of their last 16 tie, with goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernández handing the Blues a one-goal advantage heading into their second leg clash at Stamford Bridge.
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It was Chelsea’s first away win in all competitions since their 3-1 victory at Kazakhstani minnows Astana all the way back in December, and while this tie still hangs in the balance, Maresca was relieved to finally clinch a win on the road.
“A long time [laughs]! Yeah, very important for many reasons,” said Maresca on the long-awaited Chelsea away win. “For sure because it’s away, for sure because it’s a knockout game now so you need that. And also for the performance.
Leicester City (home)
March 9th
Arsenal (away)
March 16th
Tottenham (home)
April 2nd
Brentford (away)
April 5th
Ipswich Town (home)
April 12th
“They surprised us because in the last almost three years with this manager, they played two games with a line of five, so we didn’t expect that. In the first-half, we controlled the game, we didn’t create chances. Also, when we planned the game, we also expected not to create many chances when we have Shim [Mheuka], who is 17-years-old, Ty [George] is 17-years-old; we knew we would struggle a little bit.
Chelsea manager EnzoMarescabefore the match
“Overall, we deserved to win the game, and it’s good because we gave chances to all of them to get minutes.”
Chelsea let a host of B team players leave during the January transfer window, which contributed towards Maresca handing a few academy teenagers some minutes in Denmark last night. One of the winter departees, João Félix, left west London to join Serie A heavyweights AC Milan on a temporary deal.
The Portugal international impressed during the early stages of his Milan loan, but he’s since failed to recapture that initially promising run of form, with the San Siro outfit’s stance on a permanent move now emerging.
João Félix open to joining AC Milan from Chelsea this summer
As things stand, Milan are not inclined to negotiate an extended stay for the £130,000-per-week attacking midfielder, even if the player himself would be keen on the idea.
According to GiveMeSport, Felix is interested in joining Milan from Chelsea this summer for the 2025/2026 season, but the 25-year-old would need to improve his overall displays to convince the Rossoneri to negotiate a deal.
Right now, Milan are not even entertaining the thought of discussing an extended loan, so Felix will need to put in a real shift from now until the end of this campaign.
GMS add that Felix has failed to impress Maresca or win him over back in London, so there is every reason for the ex-Benfica and Barcelona star to work his socks off in Italy.
Se individualmente o momento é bom, coletivamente também. O Iporá não perde há sete rodadas e segue firme pela classificação aos mata-matas da Série D. No último domingo (26), empatou em 1 a 1 com o Anápolis. Ramon foi o autor do gol que garantiu a igualdade, já no final da partida.
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– Feliz por ajudar o time com esse gol. Enfrentamos um dos líderes do grupo e conseguimos somar um ponto importante. Mérito da equipe, que teve mais uma atuação consistente e segue evoluindo a cada rodada – avaliou o jovem atleta.
+ Confira e simule a tabela da Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro
O Iporá ocupa a quinta posição do grupo 5 da Série D, com 14 pontos – apenas um a menos que o Operário-MT, quarto colocado. A três rodadas do fim, o Lobo Guará busca uma vaga no G4 da chave para avançar no torneio, como destaca Ramon.
– Serão três finais, contra times que hoje ocupam o G4 do grupo. Vamos pensar jogo a jogo, como tem sido até aqui. O time está focado e trabalhando bastante para conquistar essa classificação – concluiu.
+Rafael Moura cobra dívidas do Botafogo em rede social: ‘Vamos resolver a situação do ano passado’
No próximo domingo, o Iporá visita o Costa Rica-MS. As duas equipes se enfrentam a partir das 16h30 (horário de Brasília), pela 12ª rodada da Série D.
Liverpool are believed to have made a £50m offer for an “exceptional” defender ahead of the next transfer window, as the Reds look to strengthen in a key area.
Latest Liverpool news
The Merseysiders picked up a vital 2-1 win at home to Wolves on Sunday afternoon, taking them seven points clear at the top of the Premier League again. It was never the most convincing of performances by the leaders, but at this point, only victories matter up against Arsenal in the title race.
Regardless of what happens this season, Liverpool will need new signings this summer, in order to add a freshness to Arne Slot’s squad. Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven has been linked with a move to Anfield, with the Dutchman representing a potentially excellent option as Virgil van Dijk’s long-term heir at the heart of the defence.
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has also been backed to seal a stunning move to Anfield this summer, seeing him as a big upgrade on their current options. The Swede is among the best in Europe in his position currently, and for that reason, the Magpies are going to do all they can to keep hold of him.
There has been a big rumour regarding outgoing business at Liverpool, however, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly targeting a move for Ibrahima Konate at the end of the season. They see the Frenchman as an ideal centre-back partner for Marquinhos moving forward.
Liverpool make £50m offer for "exceptional" ace
According to a report from Spain, Liverpool have submitted a £50m bid for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, seeing him as an alternative option to the more injury prone Van de Ven.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs are all in the same boat, however, with the England international a wanted man, following some eye-catching performances at Euro 2024 last summer.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehiin action
It is easy to see why Guehi is considered a standout choice to come in, especially considering his rather modest wages – in Premier League terms anyway – of £50,000 a week, which for comparison at Liverpool puts him level with Wataru Endo and below Kostas Tsimikas.
The 24-year-old has continued to be a consistent performer for Palace this season, starting 24 matches in the Premier League and averaging 4.6 clearances per game, as well as 2.6 aerial duel wins.
As mentioned, Guehi shone at the Euros, and his performances weren’t lost on then manager Gareth Southgate, who said of him: “He’s been exceptional. We obviously lose him now for the next game, but he’s a young defender that we’ve had enormous belief in and he’s justified that with his performances in this tournament.”
Appearances
24
9
Starts
24
9
Minutes played
2160
790
Goals
3
0
Assists
2
2
Clearances per game
4.7
3.1
Aerial duel wins per game
2.6
1.8
Pass completion rate
83%
91.4%
Liverpool supporters would likely be split on who would be the better option out of him and Van de Ven, but the fact that both are left-sided centre-backs with many years ahead of them means they are both great choices to be an eventual successor to Van Dijk.
Everything you need to know about Rafael Leao's salary details playing for AC Milan
Rising through the ranks at Sporting CP, Rafael Leao made headlines during his debut season with Lille in the 2018-19 campaign. It didn’t take long before AC Milan swooped in and brought the young Portuguese talent to San Siro.
Since his arrival in Milan, Leao has established himself as one of the club’s undisputed stars and one of the best players in the league.
The Portuguese winger played a pivotal role in leading Milan to a Scudetto win in the 2022-23 season — their first league title in over a decade.
Leao is well compensated for his contributions to the Rossoneri’s success and his status as the team's main man. He signed a contract in 2022, keeping him at the San Siro until 2028, and is among the highest earners in the squad.
But exactly how much does he earn?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
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Rafael Leao's wages at AC Milan in numbers
Rafael Leao, under his current Milan contract, stands as the top earner in the AC Milan squad, drawing a weekly salary of £105,960 ($139,998). His impressive annual earnings reach £5.5 million ($7.2m).
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Rafael Leao
Portuguese
£105,960
$139,998
£5,509,933
$7,279,913
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at AC Milan
As highlighted earlier, Rafael Leao stands as AC Milan's highest-paid player, leading the earnings chart.
Trailing closely behind is Tammy Abraham, the former Chelsea and AS Roma striker, with seasoned fullback and ex-Roma star Alessandro Florenzi securing the third position.
In fourth place is the recent addition, Youssouf Fofana, while American international Christian Pulisic completes the top five earners.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Rafael Leao
Portuguese
£105,960
$139,998
£5,509,933
$7,279,913
Tammy Abraham
English
£95,381
$126,020
£4,959,800
$6,553,057
Alessandro Florenzi
Italian
£91,909
$121,434
£4,779,827
$6,314,558
Youssouf Fofana
French
£91,909
$121,434
£4,779,827
$6,314,558
Christian Pulisic
USA
£84,801
$112,042
£4,409,666
$5,826,022
Top earners in Serie A
While Milan players enjoy lucrative salaries at the San Siro, led by Rafael Leao, they still trail behind the league's top earners. Not a single Milan player makes it to the highest-paid list, unlike their fierce competitors Juventus and Inter, who boast players with significantly higher earnings.
Leading the pack is Juventus' Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic, with Argentines Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala securing the second and third spots.
Italian midfielder Nicolo Barella ranks fourth, while Hakan Calhanoglu completes the top five.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Dusan Vlahovic
Serbian
£321,352
$424,581
£16,710,313
$22,078,237
Lautaro Martinez
Argentine
£275,563
$364,083
£14,329,265
$18,932,316
Paulo Dybala
Argentine
£214,235
$283,054
£11,140,208
$14,718,825
Nicolo Barella
Italian
£199,027
$262,961
£10,349,391
$13,673,970
Hakan Calhanoglu
Turkish
£183,653
$242,649
£9,549,978
$12,617,758
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AFPHighest paid players in the world
Serie A players, despite their high earnings, are not among the top five highest-paid footballers globally.
The top five are all from the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr earning the most.
Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is second, and Riyad Mahrez, now with Al-Ahli, is third.
Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are fourth and fifth, respectively.
The RSL star had an extraordinary day, first meeting Travis Scott in LA and then "Andor" actor Diego Luna
Luna meets rapper Travis Scott in Los Angeles
Also met namesake actor Diego Luna at "Andor" premiere
Young midfielder's rising profile attracts celebrity attention
Getty Images Sport
WHAT HAPPENED
Real Salt Lake’s starlet Diego Luna has been in fine form this season for the club, contributing to three goals in seven league games. The 21-year-old, who also made a splash for Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT this year, has been a big reason why the club sit 10th on the league table.
Luna had an extraordinary day of celebrity encounters, meeting rapper Travis Scott in Los Angeles. Then, as posted on social media, the RSL attacker met his namesake, actor Diego Luna, during the premiere for "Andor" season 2.
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WHAT WAS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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Luna has quickly become one of MLS's rising stars. In 2024, he was named MLS Young Player of the Year after recording 20 goal contributions. Luna is only the second player in league history to achieve this feat before turning 21.
He earned his first MLS All-Star Team selection in 2024 and was named to the Team of the Matchday multiple times. Luna's performances have also earned him call-ups to the USMNT.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Following their 2-1 loss to Nashville SC over the weekend, Real Salt Lake slipped to 10th place. They face Toronto FC next on April 19 in the MLS at America First Field which is followed by a clash against San Diego FC on the road on April 26.
Following a mixed start to the 2024/25 season, Eddie Howe now has Newcastle United playing well as they seek a return to the Champions League after missing out this term.
Howe will also be hoping to lead the Magpies to their first major trophy in over half a century. Signs are good, as the club recently secured a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final tie.
Newcastle United’s previous five January signings
Player
Club signed from
Year
Anthony Gordon
Everton
2023
Harrison Ashby
West Ham United
2023
Bruno Guimaraes
Lyon
2022
Chris Wood
Burnley
2022
Dan Burn
Brighton and Hove Albion
2022
Via Transfermarkt
Despite this good form of late, it is evident that reinforcements are needed if they are expected to maintain it, especially with a top-four finish in the Premier League table more than achievable this season.
Naturally, there have been plenty of rumours regarding arrivals and departures at the Toon, but which players could Howe bring into the club, and who will he be able to sell to fund such purchases?
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Stephan Georgiou
Feb 3, 2025
Potential Newcastle United incomings
Vitor Roque (Barcelona)
According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle are closely monitoring the situation of Barcelona striker Vitor Roque, who has struggled to make much of an impact for the La Liga giants since his €40m (£33m) move from Brazilian side Athletic-PR in 2023.
The teenager scored just two goals for the club last term and is currently on loan at Real Betis, where he has netted six goals in 24 appearances for the club, which could aid a move out of Barcelona.
Alexander Isak is enjoying a wonderful campaign so far, but if he suffers an injury, Howe only has Callum Wilson as backup, which suggests a move for another striker is a potential priority this month.
Barcelona are now willing to sell Roque, with Newcastle one of the teams who are showing plenty of interest in making a deal happen.
Much will depend on the transfer fee, but if it is within Howe’s budget, he should consider tabling a bid for the Brazilian.
James McAtee (Manchester City)
Manchester City'sJamesMcAteecelebrates after the match
It isn’t just a centre-forward Newcastle are after, as Howe appears keen on bringing Manchester City starlet James McAtee to the club this month.
A loan deal has been mooted amid concerns that the Magpies might not spend too much in the transfer window, but a temporary deal could work wonders for all parties involved.
The attacking midfielder has played just ten times for City this term, scoring a single goal in the process, and it is clear that he needs more game time to fulfil his incredible potential.
Howe would surely be able to get more from McAtee than what Guardiola has done this season by giving him a regular platform to shine in the Premier League, making a loan move a no-brainer.
Jonathan David (Lille)
Jonathan David is a player who is admired by Newcastle, but a move this month might be out of the question. Howe may look to sign him on a pre-contract which would see the Canadian sign in the summer.
According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, four Premier League clubs have made offers to sign David on a pre-contract deal, but it remains to be seen whether Newcastle are one of them.
The centre-forward has scored 101 goals and recorded 23 assists for the French side across 210 games. This works out at a goal involvement every 1.7 games – a strike rate Howe would love to have in his side.
Considering how many clubs are reportedly after the 24-year-old, the Magpies have plenty of competition. With the club having a chance to secure Champions League football next term, this could perhaps be a deciding factor in where David ends up following the 2024/25 campaign.
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Oct 17, 2024
Potential Newcastle United departures
Miguel Almiron (Crystal Palace, Wolves & others)
Newcastle United's MiguelAlmironbefore the match
Miguel Almiron looks like he will leave Newcastle sooner rather than later, as the club have reportedly offered him to Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leicester City.
The Paraguay international was once a key player at St James’ Park, but it looks as though his future appears away from the north-east. The Magpies have placed a price tag of €20-25m (£17-21m) for the player, which could tempt a few clubs to make a move this month.
Charlotte FC, Santos, Botafogo, Sao Paulo and Palmeiras are also interested in the 30-year-old, and his sale could free up funds for future arrivals this winter.
Callum Wilson (contract expires this summer)
Callum Wilson
Callum Wilson looks set to leave Newcastle. The question is whether he will spend the next six months at the Toon before departing on a free transfer, or if Howe will look to offload him to secure a transfer fee this month.
Before Christmas, Football Insider claimed that Wilson would be departing Newcastle upon the expiration of his contract after an injury-plagued season that had seen him feature in just four league games, failing to score or assist.
If a club comes in with an offer this month, Howe will surely be keen on accepting to move him on.
Martin Dubravka (linked with Al-Shabab)
It already appears as though Martin Dubravka is destined to leave Newcastle, with Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab closing in on bringing the goalkeeper to the Middle East.
The transfer has been approved by the Saudi Pro League’s Financial Sustainability Committee, although it still needs to be approved by Newcastle. Howe will be eyeing up a replacement for the Slovakian, who has been the first-choice goalkeeper at the club in recent times amid Nick Pope’s injury issues.
The 35-year-old has made 171 appearances for the Magpies since joining in 2017. With his contract expiring this summer, getting a fee for him in January makes plenty of sense.
Howe will be looking to replace the veteran ‘keeper, especially if he needs cover for Pope in the future. Whether he finds someone this month or in the summer remains unclear.
Liverpool are now preparing a bid worth £97.5m for a “world-class” forward, and Darwin Nunez could be used as a makeweight in a swap deal, according to a report.
Nunez could be set for Anfield exit
Nunez has had plenty of chances to prove himself at Anfield, and while there have been promising signs from time to time, he has struggled to justify his huge price tag.
As such, it appears as though the Uruguayan’s time on Merseyside could be coming to an end, with FSG now reportedly willing to accept a £60m offer.
The Reds have also started looking at replacements for the 25-year-old, with it recently being revealed that Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is high up the list of targets.
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Robertson has struggled in the current campaign…
ByTom Cunningham Jan 12, 2025
During the January transfer window, Arne Slot has been looking at different ways to get unwanted players off the books, with Federico Chiesa’s future at Anfield also in doubt. It has been reported that Chiesa could be used as part of a swap deal to sign Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, following the Italian’s poor start to life in the Premier League.
However, according to new reports from Spain, Liverpool are now preparing a bid worth £97.5m for Kvaratskhelia, combining a transfer fee with a player swap, with Nunez potentially being sent to Napoli as part of the deal.
Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
At the moment, Paris Saint-Germain are leading the race for the forward’s signature and have agreed terms with the player, but the Reds’ proposal could put them in a good position to get a deal done.
Napoli have stalled in negotiations over a new deal for the 23-year-old, meaning he could be on the move in the summer transfer window, and there is no shortage of interest, with Manchester United and Chelsea also keen.
Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Brentford (a)
January 18th
Ipswich (h)
January 25th
AFC Bournemouth (a)
February 1st
Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
February 16th
Manchester City (a)
February 23rd
Kvaratskhelia performing at the highest level
The Georgia international has been a key player for Napoli over the course of a number of seasons, and he has continued to play an important role in his side’s title pursuit this season.
In 17 Serie A outings, the winger has bagged five goals and three assists, and he is ranked as the Italian side’s second-best performing player, with an average WhoScored match rating of 7.12.
Kvaratskhelia also played a key role for his national side in Euro 2024 last summer, with talkSPORT’s David Tanner lauding him as “world-class”, leading Georgia to the round of 16 for the first time.
Nunez’s move to Liverpool has simply not worked out, so it makes sense to include him in a deal for Kvaratskhelia, although it may be wiser to use Chiesa as a makeweight, given that he is showing even fewer encouraging signs than the Uruguayan.
The former Juventus man has made just one appearance in the Premier League, and a goal against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup is unlikely to buy him much time to show further signs of improvement.
After Storm Darragh halted Liverpool’s title bid in its tracks a week ago, Arne Slot’s side will have been wanting a nice easy game to kick off a busy festive period.
While a 1-0 win over Girona a few days ago was relatively routine, there was nothing routine about their 2-2 draw with Fulham. In fact, it was all rather chaotic.
11 minutes in the Cottagers found themselves ahead through Andreas Pereira before Andy Robertson saw a straight red just minutes later having adjudged to be the last line of defence when taking out Harry Wilson.
Liverpool did respond through Cody Gakpo in the second half but Fulham had plans of their own, netting through Rodrigo Muniz. Slot’s men rallied a second time courtesy of the returning Diogo Jota but it was ultimately two vital points dropped in the race for the title.
Liverpool's best performers against Fulham
Ultimately this was an afternoon to forget for the ten men of Liverpool who could rue a rough day at Anfield once the league wraps up in May.
That being said, there were some positives to take for Slot’s side, notably in the final third.
It may not have been a certain Mo Salah’s day in front of goal but the Egyptian still played a pivotal part in Liverpool’s comeback, chiefly suppling Gakpo’s lovely header just after the break.
Salah cut inside as he does from the right and swung in a tantalising ball towards the back post that Gakpo threw himself at.
Another huge plus point was the return after 11 games out injured for Jota. With Darwin Nunez struggling for consistency this term the Portuguese has been a huge miss and he showed as much with his immense trickery when he came on in the second period.
The way he took his goal was delightful, darting towards the box and then sending goalkeeper Bernd Leno the wrong way.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
As we know, it was not a positive day on the whole though.
Liverpool’s worst performers against Fulham
Robertson has been a tremendous servant to the Reds throughout the years but truth be told, the Scot hasn’t quite been at the races this season, showing signs of age.
Although the sending-off was controversial, he forced the officiating team to make a decision with a hopeless first touch. A cross field ball was intercepted by the left-back but he couldn’t bring it under control and allowed Wilson to get in behind before the Welshman was brought to the deck.
Much of the foundation of Slot’s first few months at the helm has been built not just on Salah’s displays but also on an organised backline.
However, since Ibrahima Konate was ruled out with injury, the Merseyside outfit have leaked five goals in three league games.
Joe Gomez was rather error-stricken in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle but has largely been solid. He is only playing because of the performances of Jarell Quansah who hasn’t looked like the promising centre-back we all know he can be so far this term.
He started the season opener with Ipswich but was hauled off at half-time having been weak in his ability to win duels.
Since then, he has played just 137 minutes in the Premier League and on today’s evidence, it is clear to see why.
Minutes played
20
Touches
36
Accurate passes
24/27 (89%)
Clearances
2
Interceptions
1
Tackles
0
Ground duels won
0/1
Aerial duels won
2/4
Possession lost
7x
Dribble success
0/1
Playing in the final 20 minutes, he won just two of his five duels, while failing to complete a single tackle.
Said to be a player who “makes a howler every ten minutes” by one Reds content creator, it was that error-strewn nature that saw Liverpool concede a second.
Quansah – who was handed a 4/10 rating by GOAL for his cameo – was arguably at fault with the academy graduate allowing Antonee Robinson to dart past him by the byline.
The Liverpool defender was all too weak and was somehow outmuscled by a defender far smaller and far more slight than him.
It’s safe to say that if Quansah wants to get back in the team, he’s going to have to improve incredibly swiftly.
As well as Diaz: Slot must drop Liverpool man who lost 75% duels
The Liverpool manager must take the central midfielder back out of the starting XI.
Derbyshire were delayed for longer than they might have anticipated before wrapping up an innings victory over rivals Leicestershire in Division Two of the LV= Insurance County Championship.Leicestershire were 172 behind overnight with only four second-innings wickets in hand after trailing by a daunting 318 on first innings, but in familiar territory after mounting last-day rearguards to save a draw in their opening two matches, and they fought doggedly again, even with the odds heavily against them.Louis Kimber made 54 and Callum Parkinson 49 as Leicestershire kept Derbyshire waiting until mid-afternoon before they were all out for 250, finishing 68 short of requiring their opponents to bat again. Offspinner Alex Thomson was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 for 50 from 39 oversDerbyshire also drew their first two fixtures of the new season but after Pakistan international Shan Masood’s second consecutive double century and a maiden first-class hundred by Mattie McKiernan had given them such a handsome advantage at the halfway stage they would have seen this as a wasted opportunity had they failed to win.”I’m immensely proud of the players for the work they have put in and how we have evolved in a team in the short space of time I’ve been here,” Derbyshire’s head coach, Mickey Arthur, said. “We’ve played 12 days of cricket so far and haven’t been outplayed on any of them.”The boys are starting to believe in themselves and once you start believing in yourselves as a team that becomes really powerful and I couldn’t be more happy at the moment.”Shan has been outstanding, of course. He has led from the front and has taken a lot of batsmen with him but as good as he has been I thought Suranga Lakmal in this game has been outstanding. The spell he bowled today was world class and those two have galvanised the team.”We are under no illusions, we have to keep doing it and keep getting better and there will be some worse days but to win a four-day game is a tough thing, it is damn hard and they deserve to enjoy this win.”Kimber picked up six boundaries and passed fifty for the fourth time in only his eighth first-class match and Parkinson battled for more than two hours but these were only a few positives that Leicestershire can take forward from a disappointing four days.Ed Barnes, whose maiden five-wicket haul at the end of the Derbyshire innings was another, stayed with Kimber for the first hour of the final day, but fell four overs after the second new ball was taken, Suranga Lakmal having him caught behind off an inside edge on to pad.Kimber, who had played some attractive shots departed in Lakmal’s next over, leg before playing back, before Parkinson and Beuran Hendicks began a ninth-wicket partnership that would span 27 overs.Parkinson found the boundary three times, flicking Lakmal off his legs and twice driving Thomson, as he and the South African pace bowler negotiated the 12 overs to lunch at 210 for 8. They further survived for the best part of an hour after the interval and had cut the deficit by 57 runs to 80 before Hendricks, having survived the chance of a stumping off Thomson on 11, was caught behind off McKiernan’s legspin for 15.Parkinson moved to within a single of a half-century of his own but when Derbyshire skipper Billy Godleman called on Anuj Dal to bowl for the first time on the day the medium pacer had the Leicestershire vice-captain leg before with his first ball to complete the win.It is only the second time in 58 years that Derbyshire have beaten their East Midlands rivals by an innings and the first time at Grace Road, as the Uptonsteel County Ground is traditionally known, since 1896. Indeed, the win over Leicestershire by an innings and 32 runs at Derby in 2011 was Derbyshire’s last innings victory over any opponent.”I’m bitterly disappointed,” Paul Nixon, Leicestershire’s coach, said. “We didn’t get going in this game at all. In the first innings on that pitch we should have been getting 350-plus but there were too few partnerships, we gave wickets away too easily, our disciplines weren’t good enough, our thinking wasn’t good enough in different situations.”We didn’t do ourselves justice with either the bat or the ball. We are not getting the basics right and that hurts you even more.”We’re not being ruthless, we’re being soft at the moment and in first-class cricket you have to be better than that. Yes, we’ve had a couple of draws but they have been draws where we were hanging on and we’ve got to start leading in games, putting our marker down from day one and being relentless in our batting and our bowling.”