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Liverpool extended their unbeaten start to the new Premier League campaign after seeing off Leeds United 3-0 at Elland Road.

The Reds took control of proceedings on the 20th minute after a frantic and open start to the game when Mohamed Salah scored the 100th Premier League goal of his career.

Brazilian international Fabinho then poked home a close-range finish following a Virgil van Dijk flick-on from a corner, putting the 19-time English champions firmly in the driving seat just five minutes after the half-time interval.

However, a serious-looking injury to 18-year-old midfielder Harvey Elliott tarnished the game soon after.

What appeared to be an innocuous-looking challenge from Pascal Struijk saw the teenager leave the field on a stretcher, with several teammates looking on in horror.

The incident led to Struijk receiving a red card from referee Craig Pawson, and Liverpool saw the remaining half an hour out with ease against the 10-men of Leeds.

An injury-time goal for Sadio Mane rounded off a convincing 3-0 win for the Anfield outfit as they kept pace with Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the Premier League standings, capping an afternoon full of mixed emotions for Klopp.

And despite Salah’s landmark strike, the German tactician will have been especially pleased with the performance of Thiago in the Liverpool engine room.

As per SofaScore, the Spain international received a match rating of 7.9 out of 10, the joint-highest total for any player on the pitch in south Yorkshire.

The 30-year-old had a stellar afternoon for the Reds, providing one assist and two key passes for his colleagues as he controlled proceedings in the middle of the park.

Thiago also achieved a passing accuracy of 90%, pulling off all of the four long balls he attempted during his time on the pitch and only losing possession nine times, highlighting his influence over Liverpool’s play.

But the technically gifted maestro also put in a solid defensive shift as well, winning six of his seven duels while making four tackles and two interceptions.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich ace put in a fantastic display on his first start of the season, and he’ll be hoping to feature from the off on a regular basis in the weeks and months to come.

And, in other news…Konate starts, £13.5m-rated gem axed as Klopp makes three changes: Predicted LFC XI 

Former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he doesn’t think Tottenham’s Harry Winks is a Marcelo Bielsa type of player.

According to The Athletic’s Leeds reporter Phil Hay, the Yorkshire giants were offered the opportunity to sign the 25-year-old but turned down the chance to bring him to Elland Road on a loan deal.

Despite coming through the ranks in north London, Winks seemingly has little future under Nuno Espirito Santo if the early weeks of the 2021/22 season are anything to go buy, with him having played just one minute in Spurs’ opening three Premier League matches, including being an unused substitute in the 1-0 win against Watford on Sunday.

He did start the recent Conference League victory over Pacos de Ferreira, but the midfielder’s chances of playing regularly are likely to rely on those ahead of him getting injured or being suspended.

And whilst Leeds are lacking depth in Kalvin Phillips’ position, Palmer doesn’t reckon the £18m-rated Englishman’s attributes would see him fit in at Leeds.

He exclusively told TT:

“I don’t think he’s a Bielsa type player. He likes to play an expansive game from back to front and I don’t think Winks would fit into that style of play. He’s not all over the pitch, nor is he a high-energy player.”

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge expects James Rodriguez to leave Everton before the transfer window slams shut next week.

Rodriguez made the move to Goodison Park last summer, with the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner joining after falling out of favour with Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The Colombia international went on to score six goals and register nine assists during his debut campaign on the Toffees’ books, but injuries resulted in the winger being restricted to just 26 appearances.

It appears the 30-year-old is surplus to requirements following a summer of change which saw Rafa Benitez replace Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout.

Rodriguez has yet to be included in a matchday squad this season and even went as far as to admit he did not realise Everton were set to play Leeds United at the weekend.

Bridge believes the former Bayern Munich loanee is set to depart the club less than 12 months after walking through the door.

He told Football FanCast: “Rafa Benitez doesn’t want James Rodriguez there.

“What a fall from grace that is. A year ago he was Everton’s best player and in everyone’s fantasy teams but now he doesn’t want to play for Everton. They’ve got a big problem.”

Southampton have recently been linked with a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, but there is little to suggest that he would be a worthwhile addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the Saints and Everton are both interested in signing the 23-year-old, who is entering the final year of his contract at St James’ Park.

As a result, Steve Bruce’s side have set a £10m asking price on the young midfielder in their hopes of selling him this summer before his contract expires at the end of the season.

Should Southampton sign Longstaff?

Although Longstaff looked to be a bright prospect when he first burst onto the scene with the Toon, his performances since then have been largely disappointing, and he has struggled to keep his regular starting spot in Bruce’s side.

In total, the Newcastle academy graduate has made 70 appearances for the first team, in which he has contributed four goals and four assists, scoring just once in the last two Premier League seasons.

Given that Hasenhuttl already has the likes of James Ward-Prowse, Oriol Romeu, Ibrahima Diallo and Stuart Armstrong available to him in central midfield, it is difficult to see where Longstaff fits in, especially if the Austrian sticks with his 4-2-2-2 formation again this season.

Last season saw the Newcastle man contribute no goals and just one assist in 22 Premier League appearances, averaging a very disappointing 6.36 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which emphasises that he should be nowhere near the starting team at Southampton on current form.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431”]

Hasenhuttl has stressed recently that the club’s priority for the rest of the window is signing a centre-back who can also play in defensive midfield, and they appear to be getting that in Torino’s Lyanco, so it seems clear that he simply doesn’t need a player such as Longstaff at St Mary’s.

In other news… Hasenhuttl handed huge Saints boost with “complete package”

A round-up of the latest matches in South Africa’s domestic one-day competition

Cricinfo staff15-Dec-2008Jon Kent’s excellent allround performance sent Cape Cobras tumbling, handing Dolphins their first win of the Championship in Cape Town. Kent cracked an unbeaten 64 from 58 balls after Imraan Khan glided 91 from 109, as Dolphins set the Cobras a testing 233 to win. However, they stumbled to 72 for 5 and Kent was in the action again, picking up 3 for 30 to dismiss Cape Cobras for a paltry 179 as Dolphins wrapped up a 53-run win with time to spare.A superb 115 from Gulam Bodi from just 111 balls anchored Titans’ thrilling run-chase in Centurion to beat Lions by four wickets off the last ball of the match. Chasing 257 Titans lost Bodi in the 39th over, and two more wickets fell in quick succession as Lions tightened the noose. With five needed off the final over, Werner Coetsee trapped Heino Kuhn leg-before with the first ball but Pierre Joubert edged them over the line with a quick single off the last delivery. Joubert’s heroics followed his fine spell earlier in the day when he picked up 3 for 44, restricting Lions after a useful 100-run stand between Dane Vilas and Vaughn van Jaarsveld.Warriors’ bowlers held their nerve to record a tight four-run win over Eagles in a rain-affected match in Kimberley. Jon-Jon Smuts stroked a well-crafted 104 in Warriors’ 227 for 3, moving to his maiden one-day hundred with a classical straight drive down the ground. Morne van Wyk (88) and Rilee Rossouw (48 from 69) appeared to be putting Eagles on course, chasing a Duckworth-Lewis revised 234 from 43 overs before Rossouw lost his wicket attempting a reverse sweep. With 13 runs needed from Lyall Meyer’s final over, CJ de Villiers took Eagles close with an edged four but Meyer was too accurate as Warriors completed their second win of the season.Player of the week – Jon Kent
Kent’s allround performance this week for Dolphins gave a reminder of his talent; six years ago he was called up to make his debut against Australia, but has only played two ODIs so far in his career. He took his 100th one-day wicket, removing Vernon Philander whose partnership with Ryan Canning was beginning to threaten. He was no less impressive with the bat, the highlight of his fifty a huge six over long-on.

Team Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR For Against

Titans 6 5 1 0 0 21 +0.041 1210/232.2 1302/252.0 Eagles 7 4 2 0 1 21 +0.877 1458/231.3 1359/250.4 Cape Cobras 4 2 1 0 1 11 +0.533 607/135.0 535/135.0 Warriors 5 2 3 0 0 9 -0.439 1025/205.0 1057/194.2 Lions 6 1 5 0 0 5 -0.265 1379/257.0 1358/241.1 Dolphins 4 1 3 0 0 5 -0.726 784/180.0 852/167.4

Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies captain and ICC cricket committee chairman, is hopeful the ICL and IPL can co-exist and believes similar leagues in the West Indies will boost the game in the region

Cricinfo staff20-Nov-2008
Clive Lloyd’s suggestion would be welcomed by Kapil Dev, the ICL’s executive board chairman © Getty Images
Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies captain and ICC cricket committee chairman, is hopeful the ICL and IPL can co-exist and believes similar leagues in the West Indies will boost the game in the region.”There’s nothing like having a discussion to break the ice,” Lloyd told the . “Just like the United States president Barack Obama said ‘you have to speak to people’. They [IPL and ICL] both need to understand their agendas and work accordingly.” At present, the ICC and the Indian board have not recognised the ICL, and most national bodies have banned players contracted with the league from playing international or domestic cricket.Lloyd felt it will take some time for administrators to find a window for the Twenty20 leagues. “It will be ideal if they have a period where they can go and earn money and go back to Tests. It’s some time before the FTP [Future Tours Programme] can find the right slots for IPL and other similar tournaments so that players representing their countries are not forced to make a choice.”The players are now hoping that they don’t have to choose between Tests, ODIs and Twenty20s.With contracts worth millions on offer in the Twenty20 leagues, and a million dollars on grabs for each of the winning XI in the Stanford 20/20 for 20 in Antigua, Lloyd felt upcoming players needed to be given proper advice. “We need to get to make young players to understand that it’s just not about money. Money is there to be earned, but they need to learn the rudimentary elements of the game.”Lloyd said the West Indies needed leagues like the IPL and ICL to help revive the falling fortunes of the country in the sport; the region has the Stanford 20/20 as its premier domestic tournament currently, with 20 teams participating. “Leagues similar to the IPL and ICL will not only bring young talented players in the national team but will also make their basics clear,” Lloyd said. “The standard of domestic cricket is poor in the Caribbean and hence there is a need to bring in leagues like these. They would not only improve the standard of the game but will also help players become experienced at a young age.”After the success of the Stanford Superstars, Lloyd is backing the players to win a World Cup soon. Lloyd had led West Indies to wins in 1975 and 1979. “The team has not won any major trophy for a long time and lacks consistency. But I am sure they will be back in form and will bring the [World] Cup home in the Caribbean soon,” he said. “Apart from the money, players will gain experience with the right people to guide them from Standford Twenty20 Super Series.”

Sean Williams has ended weeks of speculation by confirming he does not intend making himself available for Zimbabwe

Steven Price in Harare29-Oct-2008Sean Williams has ended weeks of speculation by confirming he does not intend making himself available for Zimbabwe. There had been rumours that he was considering his future after he declined to join the recent tours of Canada and Kenya.Williams, the former Under-19 captain who is now playing his cricket in Johannesburg, told local media sources that he had quit the team altogether. He is said to have been frustrated by “practice without matches”, blaming the Zimbabwe board for the inactivity.The news will be a massive blow to Zimbabwe on the eve of their home ODI series against Sri Lanka. In the last fortnight they have suffered defeats at the hands of Kenya and Uganda and tied with Canada in one-day games.The news comes hot on the heels of the recent loss of Brendan Taylor, one of their leading players, who has chosen to play club cricket in Australia after one too many disagreements with the Zimbabwe board.There is also uncertainty over the position of Tatenda Taibu who only joined the recent tour at the 11th hour after a major row with the board. While he did play, he was believed to be deeply frustrated at the way he had been treated.

Suresh Raina’s 46-ball 84 helped Gujarat Lions ace a potentially tough chase of 188 with 10 balls to spare

The Report by Shashank Kishore21-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:51

Agarkar: Knight Riders didn’t get enough runs

Suresh Raina displayed all the elements that have made him a T20 stalwart – strong bottom hand, powerful wrists, tactful strike-rotation, fierce ball-striking and handy offspin – to eke out a four-wicket win that breathed life into Gujarat Lions’ campaign. Their second win in six games temporarily lifted them off the bottom of the table. But this was no walk in the park as the scorecard suggests.Walking in at No. 3, he watched Brendon McCullum, Dinesh Karthik, Dwayne Smith and Ishan Kishan fall. The Yadavs – Kuldeep and Umesh – had the batsmen tied in knots with flight and reverse swing respectively. At 115 for 5, Lions were far from ahead in a chase of 188. But Raina, reprieved on 1 by Robin Uthappa off Sunil Narine, held his shape, backed himself to bring out the big hits on demand and single-handedly razed down the target. He fell with Lions needing eight, and Ravindra Jadeja and James Faulkner did the rest with 10 balls to spare.Narine gamble pays off
Narine proved his promotion up the order was a calculated gamble that paid off. Swinging through the line to length deliveries from Praveen Kumar and Faulkner, he smashed seven boundaries in 12 deliveries. Then in the third over, Basil Thampi came in for similar treatment off length deliveries as Kolkata Knight Riders raced to 44 without loss in three overs. It needed Raina’s introduction that took the pace off to break the stand as Narine toe-ended a slog to wide mid-on. By making 42 off 17 deliveries – his highest T20 score and most runs made by a batsman with boundaries in percentage terms at the IPL – he had left a platform for the in-form Uthappa and Manish Pandey to build on.Uthappa-Gambhir consolidateMixing brute force – particularly on the pull – and fineness to ride the bounce and bring his deft touches to the fore against spin, Uthappa ensured the momentum given by Narine was sustained beyond the halfway mark. He was ably assisted by Gautam Gambhir as the pair turned focus on strike rotation.Their game awareness against the slower bowlers – their 11 singles in 12 deliveries off Jadeja and Dwayne Smith – stood out. But the moment Jadeja erred by bowling flat, Gambhir swung through to hit his first six this season. It was the lack of pace that eventually got Gambhir, who top-edged a pull to Raina at midwicket. At 114 for 2 in the 12th over, Lions were staring at 200 plus. Uthappa’s half-century made it tougher for Lions, but they found a way through.ESPNcricinfo LtdThampi’s toe-crushersAgainst Uthappa and a batsman in top form, the kind Pandey has been in, and striking at close to 150, Lions needed a mighty effort to restrict Knight Riders to under 200. By conceding just four boundaries in five overs after Gambhir’s dismissal, Lions had done well to pull things back. Knight Riders were still handily placed at 154 for 2 after 17 overs. Faulkner had bowled out, and it was more than likely one of Praveen or Thampi had to complete their quota. Raina went with the bowler who has pace.The first two deliveries were smashed for 10, but Thampi held his own and speared in a yorker from wide of the crease. He nailed Uthappa in front of middle, but wasn’t given by umpire Nitin Menon. He came back in to bowl three more yorkers, the last one angling into Pandey’s toes as he backed away to swing. It shaved past leg stump. Having been unlucky in three tries, he finally had luck smiling on him as he rattled all three stumps against Pandey in his next over with an inswinging yorker. He finished with 4-0-44-1, but his ability to bowl yorkers almost at will stood out.Finch-McCullum charge puts Lions ahead
McCullum had been dismissed 20 times by left-arm spinners, the most for an IPL batsman. Knight Riders perhaps picked Shakib Al Hasan precisely for this and opened with him. But McCullum turbocharged to a 17-ball 33, while Finch swung his way to 31 as Lions raced to 62 for 1, ahead by 21 ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis method when a steady downpour halted play. When the match resumed, Knight Riders didn’t just have to contend with the in-form McCullum but also a greasy outfield, and had two big strikes in successive overs. McCullum flayed a length ball to deep cover in the sixth over, while Dinesh Karthik was deceived by a Chris Woakes delivery that gripped to take the leading edge to Gambhir at cover.Yadavs pull things backKuldeep is a brave spinner. Not even the threat of two muscular batsmen looking to give him the charge deters him from tossing up the ball. He relies on dip and revs on the ball, and strangled Ishan Kishan with a string of dot balls. Ten deliveries had fetched four. Raina was fluent, but by blocking one end and escalating the asking rate, the onus was on Kishan to see it through. Instead, he tried a slog sweep and holed out to deep square leg . Then off the next, Umesh Yadav, held back until the 13th over, got a full delivery to tail back and sneak through Dwayne Smith’s defense. At 122 for 5, Lions needed a lower-order coup.Raina in top gearRaina has captained Kuldeep at Uttar Pradesh. But that the 22-year old found a way to nearly fox his captain was noteworthy. Luck was on Raina’s side as he played for the turn to a delivery that skidded back in to get a thick inside edge that shaved past leg stump. Up on 45 then, he went on to add 39 more to effectively close out the chase.

Chelsea have asked Premier League rivals Aston Villa about signing a player of theirs in the January transfer window, with manager Enzo Maresca told what is required to potentially strike a mid-season deal.

Chelsea could sign new striker this month if Christopher Nkunku leaves

After missing out on Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who eventually sealed a season-long loan move to Galatasaray, it was believed that the west Londoners’ potential move for a new striker would likely have to wait until the summer, rather than January.

£42 million former Man City player now considering move to Chelsea

He’s open to a Stamford Bridge switch.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 10, 2025

That is according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, but in a fresh twist this week, that same source reports that this could change if Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku opts to seriously pursue an exit before February 3.

The Frenchman is one of Maresca’s top scorers in all competitions, making a serious impact off the bench and in the Europa Conference League, but he’s not exactly a mainstay in Chelsea’s ‘A team’ – having started just three Premier League games out of his 15 top flight appearances this term.

Bournemouth (home)

January 14

Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)

January 20

Man City (away)

January 25

West Ham (away)

February 3

Brighton (away)

February 14

This has apparently “frustrated” Nkunku behind-the-scenes, and while he’s not exactly forcing a move at this stage, he is open to departing Stamford Bridge in the winter (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea have been contacted by a host of sides over the 26-year-old’s availability, and if his transfer were to materialise, then co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley would seriously pursue a replacement for him (Simon Phillips).

The versatile attacker is currently on £195,000-per-week at Cobham, so Chelsea would be cutting a seismic amount off the salary bill and saving cash on a player whio’s been used sparingly by Maresca in the Premier League.

In terms of who Chelsea could replace Nkunku with, it is believed that Maresca still holds a very keen interest in signing Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, and the club are serious contenders to tempt the England Under-21 international away from Portman Road.

Chelsea approach Aston Villa over signing Jhon Duran in January

As per CaughtOffside this week, another potential Nkunku replacement comes in the form of Aston Villa starlet Jhon Duran.

The Colombian’s 12 goals in all competitions mark him out as a key player for Unai Emery, and he’s seemingly rejuvenated his career in the Midlands after reportedly coming very close to leaving last summer.

He was awarded with a brand-new £75,000-per-week contract earlier this season for his excellent 24/25 thus far, with Chelsea officials taking real note of the 21-year-old’s exploits.

CO claim that Chelsea have approached Villa over signing Duran in January, to gauge the conditions of a potential deal. Emery’s side apparently won’t sell for a penny less than £60 million, and this could actually seem like good value on paper considering Duran’s sky-high potential, young age and return this term.

However, PSG are apparently considering a big in the region of Villa’s asking price, so Chelsea may have to make a decision on the “special” striker very soon.

Arsenal have been given a significant boost as star winger Bukayo Saka returned to training on Thursday.

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Saka out since December with hamstring injuryMade his return to Arsenal training this weekGunners hope to have him back for Madrid tieFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 23-year-old has been out injured since sustaining a hamstring injury in the first half of his team's 5-1 win against Crystal Palace in December, resulting in surgery.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The north London side hope Saka will be fit for the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid next month, and England international appears on track to make his return soon as he shared a picture of himself giving a thumbs up in training.

"Hello again", he wrote in the caption.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite his lengthy absence, Saka remains Arsenal's most productive player in the Premier League, having scored five goals and made 10 assists in 16 games. He has also netted four times and set up two more in the Champions League.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Mikel Arteta's team are preparing for next week's Premier League clash against Fulham, followed by a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on April 5.