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Manchester United are interested in signing RB Leipzig's in-demand striker Benjamin Sesko next summer, though one condition is working against them.

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• Man Utd want Leipzig's Sesko
• Red Devils could have major problem
• Striker keen to play Champions League football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United are among the clubs who have a long-standing interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. The 21-year-old was linked with a move to a number of top European sides during the summer 2024 window, including Arsenal and the Red Devils, but ended up staying in Germany.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Red Bull recently announced that former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will be joining as their Head of Global Football, overseeing clubs in their network such as Leipzig and Salzburg. Upon starting on January 1, 2025, he could already have an almighty task on his hands trying to fend off interest for Sesko.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The striker is expected to leave Leipzig next summer as he looks to make a move to further his career, as per the Daily Mail. However, the report states that Sesko ideally wants to play Champions League football next season, and United's performances so far this term have done little to suggest they will qualify for Europe's elite club competition.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR SESKO?

  Sesko has had an impressive start to the season for Leipzig as he has four goal contributions in the Bundesliga after six rounds of fixtures. However, his best form has come in the Champions League as he has scored three times in two games against big-name clubs in the form of Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

  The Slovenian striker will be back in action when Leipzig take on Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Bukayo Saka has been ruled out of England's Nations League game against Finland on Sunday due to injury.

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• Saka out of England squad
• Will return to Arsenal for further assessment
• Curtin Jones did not travel to Finland

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Three Lions have confirmed that Saka has been omitted from their travelling squad for the trip to Helsinki. The winger will return to Arsenal's set-up to recover from the hamstring injury that he suffered during the team's 2-1 loss to Greece earlier this week. It was also confirmed that Liverpool's Curtis Jones has stayed back in England due to a personal commitment.

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  WHAT ENGLAND SAID

  A statement on the England men's team's official website read: "Curtis Jones and Bukayo Saka will not travel to Finland. Saka has returned to Arsenal for further assessment having been substituted during the second-half of Thursday night’s match against Greece.

  "Liverpool’s Jones remains in England owing to a personal commitment. A squad of 22 will now fly to Helsinki on Saturday afternoon ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Nations League fixture."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saka's injury comes as a huge blow for the Gunners, who have made a strong start to the new season and currently find themselves third in the Premier League table tied on points with Manchester City and one point behind leaders Liverpool.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Arsenal will now further assess their star player's condition and start working on his recovery. They will be next seen in action on October 19 as they face Bournemouth away from home.

Leeds United are ready to make sweeping changes to their squad this summer as they come to terms with another season in the Championship.

Financial pressures mount at Elland Road

Defeat for Daniel Farke's side in the play-off final brought with it concerns over finances at Elland Road, with the club now braced for a fire sale as they race to raise over £100m through player departures before they can begin to spend this summer.

New concern for Leeds as £3.5m per year ace the latest name who could leave

He could be the latest victim of the failure to be promoted.

By
Ben Browning

May 31, 2024

Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray appear the most likely high-profile departures, though Leeds will be hoping to keep hold of the latter. Meanwhile, Wilfried Gnonto has also been linked with a move away 12 months on from his failed attempt, and Georginio Rutter is a wanted man too. But it will not just be first team players that depart.

Leeds trio set to leave this summer

Now, a whole host of players may have already played their last games for the club. That is according to Leeds Live, who dissected the futures of Leeds' fringe players unwanted by Farke and revealed the likely fates awaiting them.

And, they claim that three are unlikely to ever feature again. First, it is reported that Ian Poveda "has almost certainly played his last game for Leeds", with the former Manchester City academy man failing to show any consistent promise during his stint at Elland Road.

Poveda moved to Leeds on a free transfer in 2020, but after failed loan spells at Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday, the winger's £8,250 a week deal will be shifted ahead of the new season, with the report adding that "it would be a major surprise for Farke to offer him another chance before June 30".

Another player whose promise has remained undelivered is young defender Cody Drameh, with the 22-year-old having spent the season on loan with Birmingham City after making a sole appearance for Farke's side in August.

The Dutchman could not prevent his side from being relegated, and like Poveda will be out of contract this summer, with no plans to elongate his £2.5k per week deal, and he looks "likely" to leave the club as a free agent.

Finally, there is also set to be a departure for Lewis Bate, who spent the second half of the season in midfield for MK Dons after failing to break into the Leeds senior side.

Still just 21-years-old, the ex-Chelsea man "seems to have also played his last game in Leeds white" in a trio of deals that will see Leeds free up around £750,000 per year from the wage bill.

Another player who "seems set to depart" although it is less certain is Jamie Shackleton, with the fullback starved of gametime at Elland Road, while the future of club captain Liam Cooper remains unclear as he reaches the end of his contract too.

Irrespective of what the Scot intends to do, the departure of at least three fringe players that Farke has consistently overlooked will help the club trim down their squad as they look to stage another promotion charge next season.

Luis Enrique refused to disclose his tactics after Paris Saint-Germain's defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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• Luis Enrique behaved rudely after Champions League defeat
• Refused to disclose his tactics
• Arsenal beat PSG 2-0

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The reigning Ligue 1 champions went down 2-0 against Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday as Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were on target. After the disappointing outing in England, manager Luis Enrique came up with a bizarre and rude rant when asked to explain his tactics.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Luis Enrique took a bold call by removing Ousmane Dembele from the Champions League matchday squad as he had earlier mentioned that the player refused to comply with his instructions. The French attacker's absence was felt on the ground as Les Parisiens failed to find the back of the net even once.

• WHAT LUIS ENRIQUE SAID

  Speaking to Canal+ after the game, the former Barcelona and Spain boss said, "No, I have no intention of explaining my tactics because you wouldn't understand. A lot of things will have to be corrected, but I have no intention of explaining that."

  In his post-match press conference, the 54-year-old added, "It is impossible to have a result that suits us when we cannot win the duels on the pitch, the defenders anticipated our attacks and our attackers never managed to beat the defenders."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  The French giants, who are unbeaten in the league, will be next seen in action on Sunday night as they take on Nice in a Ligue 1 clash.

Jurgen Klopp's departure marks a significant step in Liverpool's history. Away from the poignancy, the pathos and the raw pain of losing the man who transformed an outfit that had fallen by the wayside, the pendulum has swung with far more dramatic and long-lasting overtones.

Michael Edwards, FSG's CEO of Football, heads a new infrastructure that has recently seen a manager leave and a head coach take his place.

The terming of this switch is key: Arne Slot will control the first team and Liverpool's football, its on-pitch performance and progress, but there is little doubt that Klopp's exit has seen the metaphorical flight of managerial power at Anfield.

But that's okay, Liverpool are in good, intelligent hands and there's a tentatively optimistic sense that all the newly-formed facets will dovetail to unleash an institution of lasting synergy and success.

Especially when Edwards appears to be engineering a move for an exciting young defender – who could potentially solve Slot's most pressing early concern.

Liverpool lining up exciting defender

According to French outlet Le Parisien, Liverpool have entered the race for coveted Lille defender Leny Yoro, who may cost as much as €100m (£85m).

The 18-year-old is regarded as one of Europe's foremost young talents and is also attracting interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, with the former having long been admirers.

But Carlo Ancelotti's side are set to welcome Kylian Mbappe and Endrick to the Santiago Bernabeu and might not have the means to launch a bid this summer, suggesting that Edwards and co might find success in an incisive swoop for Yoro's signature.

Leny Yoro's season in numbers

Last year, Yoro's high-class performances in Lille's academy saw him prematurely promoted to the senior set-up, completing eight starting appearances in Ligue 1 and leading journalist Zach Lowy to pronounce him as the latest in a "treasure trove of ballers" emerging from Les Dogues' youth ranks.

Tentative steps into the big league saw Yoro earn the confidence and admiration of manager Paulo Fonseca and he is now an essential part of the team's backline, starting 30 times in the French top flight and playing 44 matches in all competitions, scoring three goals.

As per Sofascore, the French teenager featured 32 times in the league this season, bagging twice, keeping 13 clean sheets, completing 92% of his passes, averaging 3.9 ball recoveries and three clearances per game while winning 63% of his contested duels.

His ability is reflected in the quality of his performance against Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League. Lille were defeated on penalties in the quarter-finals but only on penalties, losing 2-1 in England before securing an impressive 2-1 victory at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in the second leg.

Sure, Lille crashed out against one of Europe's most exciting, fast-rising teams in Unai Emery's Villa, but if Yoro's two-legged performance was an audition, he passed with flying colours, winning every single one of his duels across the tie and maintaining superlative control and composure.

Yoro is contracted at Lille for 12 more months and his team will be desperate to ascertain whether he would consider agreeing to fresh terms in the coming months. If not, Yoro's market value would suggest that cashing in this summer would be the prudent move.

How Leny Yoro would fit in at Liverpool

Said to be "world-class material" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, it's easy to forget that Yoro spent the opening few months of the 2023/24 season as a 17-year-old, and spent some time observing him in action, his youthfulness becomes all the more perplexing.

How is the future France star performing with the guileful swagger of a seasoned veteran, tried and tested and draped in illustrious praise? Yoro is simply destined for greatness, and he would be the perfect successor to Van Dijk's throne in the Liverpool defence.

As per FBref, Yoro ranks among the top 7% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, speaking of his technical prowess and composure in the rearguard. He's not, at this primitive stage, very creative, but that's okay, especially given he still has striking similarities to Van Dijk – journalist Antonio Mango noting that he sees "Virgil van Dijk in him"…

Van Dijk, aged 32, is out of contract in 12 months but Liverpool will address this in due course, hopeful to tie their captain down to fresh terms.

He has been utterly imperious throughout the campaign, leading Liverpool's resurgence and holding the backline together despite the incessant injury issues.

In the Premier League, the Netherlands phenom completed 91% of his passes, averaging 4.7 recoveries and 3.9 clearances per game while incredibly winning 76% of his duels.

Liverpool have already made first move for £48,000-p/w man who loves Slot

They’ve already scouted the 26 year-old before Slot’s arrival.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 23, 2024

Yoro's finely wrought array of abilities makes him a real contender for Europe's finest centre-half down the line, and while he would be the perfect player to adopt Van Dijk's presence at Liverpool, signing him this summer could give Slot's system the security it needs to flourish, augmenting a crop containing Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah, but not much else.

Moreover, he could absorb the fruits of the Dutchman's prowess over the next year or two to put him in a brilliant position to forge a career that will live long beyond the day he decides to hang up his boots.

Cristiano Ronaldo added a new section to his famous goal celebration after netting again for Al-Nassr, with three fingers being held up to the crowd.

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• Portuguese superstar on target once again
• Son was in attendance to see penalty strike
• He had netted twice himself earlier in the day

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Portuguese superstar was on target once again when lining up against Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League. He put Al-Nassr on their way to a 3-0 win, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner converting from the penalty spot.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ronaldo went through his usual ‘Siuuu’ routine after crashing the ball into the back of the net, but the celebrations did not stop there. The evergreen 39-year-old went on to direct a hand signal in the direction of son Cristiano Jr, who was sat in the stands.

• THE EXPLANATION

  According to , Ronaldo was referencing the fact that the Ronaldo boys had scored three goals between them on the day – with Cristiano Jr having earlier bagged a brace for Al-Nassr’s U15 side in a 4-0 victory over Al Qadsiah.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  Cristiano Jr, who is 14 years of age, is hoping to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his famous father by one day becoming a professional superstar himself. He has the best possible mentor in that quest, with the art of goalscoring seemingly coming naturally to the Ronaldo family.

After an excellent first season under Gary O'Neil, Wolverhampton Wanderers have shifted their focus towards the summer transfer window and handing their manager his first signing of the summer.

Wolves transfer news

The main focus at Wolves this summer should be keeping hold of star players. The last thing they'll want to become is the victim of their own success, with the likes of Pedro Neto and Rayan Ait-Nouri already linked with summer moves away. The former has enjoyed a particularly impressive season even amid his injury struggles, earning links to Arsenal as a result.

That said, there's still room for reinforcements this summer amid doubts over the future of key players. According to Football Transfers, Wolves are now in advanced talks to sign Che Adams upon the expiry of his current Southampton contract at the end of the season.

Wolves could make Cunha unplayable by signing £35m "monster"

This would be a real statement of intent as Wolves look to build on a good season under Gary O’Neil.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 15, 2024

A player with plenty of top flight and international experience, Wolves could look back on their deal as one of the bargains of the summer in English football, especially since Adams' current salary sits at a reported £30k-a-week, which hardly smashes the wage structure at Molineux.

They would also be dealing a potential Premier League side a frustrating blow with the Saints currently battling against West Bromwich Albion in the play-off semi-finals and looking to earn promotion if they get to Wembley.

What's more, by landing Adams, Wolves would be handing Hwang Hee-chan an ideal strike partner, who can not only step up in his absence but also work alongside him to help those in the Midlands maintain their place in the Premier League's mid-table. Everything is pointing towards a return to England's top-flight for Adams this summer even if Southampton fail to earn promotion.

"Fantastic" Adams can partner Hwang

Whilst swapping Neto for Adams would hardly be like-for-like, the forward's arrival would add a new element and perhaps result in a tweak in O'Neil's system to accommodate two forwards at Molineux next season. Given that he'd be arriving on a free deal too, if Wolves can ease any potential Neto blow with Adams this summer, then they'd be making plenty of profit.

What's most impressive is how clinical both Hwang and Adams have been this season. Both have outperformed their expected goals tally in what is a sign of just how ruthless a partnership they could form if Wolves complete the signing of the Southampton man this summer, while Matheus Cunha would provide plenty of versatility and depth as well.

The forward has earned plenty of praise in the past, including from Ralph Hasenhuttl when Southampton were in the Premier League. The Austrian said via the Daily Echo: "He is a guy who is one day a little bit frustrated when he sees he doesn’t play but then when the game comes, he shows up immediately and this is fantastic. That’s why we brought him here.”

The world champions dominated Thursday's game, with the Atletico Madrid new boy showing just why the Rojiblancos paid so much for him

Argentina avoided a Copa America hangover in their first match since claiming the 2024 trophy, defeating Chile 3-0 in World Cup qualifying on Thursday. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez and Paulo Dybala sealed all three points in an emphatic victory.

Ahead of the contest, La Albiceleste, all the fans in attendance and those around the world watched as Argentina paid tribute and goodbye to legend Angel Di Maria. The dynamic winger announced his international retirement after winning the Copa, and with his family by his side, he gave a emotional speech in front of a sold-out crowd, with flashlights from cell phones beaming from the stands and cheers echoing from around the ground.

After a dynamic and contentious first 45 minutes, the two sides went into half-time scoreless. However, Argentina came out of the break with intensity, and just three minutes into the second half, Mac Allister fired home to give them a 1-0 lead off an Alvarez assist.

The story of the final 45 wasn't the Liverpool midfielder, rather it was Alvarez, who energised the big stage in the absence of the injured Lionel Messi. The Atletico Madrid striker looked comfortable in a front-two, and his moment arrived in the 84th minute. He received the ball on the edge of the box, hit a lovely turn and fired in a rocket of an effort that bounced in off the crossbar.

A third goal came in stoppage-time, with Roma star Dybala coming off the bench and launching a a strike into the back of the net.

With the victory, Lionel Scaloni's side stayed atop the CONMEBOL standings in World Cup qualifying, with 18 points out of 21. They hold a five-point lead over second place Uruguay, with Colombia – Argentina's next opponents on Tuesday – in third.

GOAL rates Argentina's players from Estadio Mas Monumental.

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Emiliano Martinez (8/10):

  Made an outstanding save in the first half, and was a rock when called upon in the late stages. Another top display.

  Lisandro Martinez (7/10):

  Was a threat in attack from set-pieces, including one chance on target. A well-rounded performance from the Manchester United defender.

  Cristian Romero (7/10):

  Composed out of the back. A few dodgy moments, but he recovered well.

  Nicolas Otamendi (8/10):

  A passing clinic from the veteran of the defensive trio. Still brilliant at 36, completing 96 percent of his 84 total passes.

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  Midfield

  Nahuel Molina (7/10):

  Composed as a wing-back, operated down the right flank well.

  Rodrigo De Paul (8/10):

  Class as always in the middle of the park. Was composed on and off the ball and led as a veteran should with a youthful midfield around him.

  Alexis Mac Allister (8/10):

  Sensational in the middle of pitch, and scored the crucial opener. Linked with the striker tandem well.

  Enzo Fernandez (7/10):

  Not his most influential performance, but didn't put a foot wrong, either.

  Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

  Subbed off with an injury minutes into the second half. Employed as a wing-back, he kept Chile quiet when called upon, but didn't influence the attack much.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Lautaro Martinez (6/10):

  Not his best evening. Struggled to find space, but did play a decent decoy to help Mac Allister bag his effort. No shots on the night.

  Julian Alvarez (9/10):

  A nice assist on Mac Allister's opener, but his moment came in the 84th minute, when he bagged his long-range stunner from 20 yards out. Brilliant showing.

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  Subs & Manager

  Giovani Lo Celso (8/10):

  Subbed on for an injured Gonzalez early in the second half and bagged an assist for Alvarez's stunner. Great cameo.

  Marcos Acuna (6/10):

  Subbed on with 11 minutes to spare. Helped close out match.

  Paulo Dybala (8/10):

  Subbed on in 79th minute and capitalised on the moment, scoring the third goal. Perfect performance off the bench.

  Alejandro Garnacho (7/10):

  Assisted on Dybala's third, was lively off the bench in his 11 minutes, plus stoppages.

  Valentin Castellanos (N/A):

  Subbed on in the 89th.

  Lionel Scaloni (8/10):

  A brilliant second half. Whatever he said at half-time inspired his players, and they turned up for the final 45 as a different team. The attack was blistering, and Alvarez looked the best he's been in a shirt for La Albiceleste. Should be thrilled.

Liverpool is braced for a summer of upheaval, with Jurgen Klopp's illustrious tenure drawing to a close after nearly nine full campaigns. It's been a wild ride.

Klopp will stand down, as is his wish, and assistants such as Pep Lijnders will leave too. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract in 2025 and there's a good chance at least one will be sold this summer.

But that's not all. Deeper below the surface, the whispers are rising in volume. Darwin Nunez's future at the club suddenly seems uncertain. It's a noise that, as yet, has not reached voluble levels but might just given the 24-year-old's regression in recent fixtures, his wastefulness in front of goal not suggestive of a world-class goalscorer.

At his best, Nunez is a top-class forward, so influential, so electric, but at his worst, he's erratic and frustrating, missing 46 big chances in the Premier League since arriving as Liverpool's club-record signing in 2022 – only Erling Haaland, who can be forgiven, circumstantially, has squandered more chances.

Might it be that Arne Slot, now a shoo-in for the manager's job at Anfield, seeks to sign a new, more clinical No. 9? Could Nunez be in danger?

Liverpool could move for Nunez replacement

Slot's rebrand at Anfield may well call for a new centre-forward, and given that the Dutchman boasts one of the finest rising strikers in Europe at Feyenoord in Santiago Gimenez, Liverpool could be tempted to forge ahead with a move.

While Gimenez hasn't strictly been linked with a move to Merseyside, he has attracted attention from Premier League rivals such as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United following his prolific exploits over in the Netherlands.

The 23-year-old might even be available for as little as £30m, if reports from January are to be believed, which could suit the Reds just fine as they seek to reinforce the squad across several departments – central defence and midfield both in need of a fresh face or two.

And Premier League managers have often sought to start their reigns with what they know, to varying degrees of success, admittedly: Erik ten Hag dipped back into the Dutch Eredivisie after joining Manchester United from Ajax in 2022, while Klopp's first port of call in the transfer market for Liverpool was to sign Joel Matip from Germany, soon after landing Lloris Karius from Mainz.

The jury is still out for Gimenez in regard to his suitability as a top outfit such as Liverpool, but he's shown that he knows where the back of the net is and he might be a fantastic addition.

Santiago Gimenez's stats under Arne Slot

Feyenoord signed Gimenez from Mexican side Cruz Azul back in 2022 when he was a 21-year-old, with the Argentina-born marksman winning the Eredivisie title, under Slot, and enjoying vast riches on a personal level, in front of goal.

Indeed, last term Gimenez scored 28 goals and supplied three assists from 50 appearances in all competitions, with his displays leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to dub him "the Mexican machine".

Gimenez's Eredivisie statistics across his two campaigns with Feyenoord speak of growth and an increase in output across the park, with the rising star sharpening his tools but also deepening his understanding of what it takes to be a top-level striker on the European scene.

As per FBref, Gimenez ranks among the top 2% of centre-forwards across divisions similar to the Dutch top flight for goals scored, the top 4% for shots taken, the top 20% for successful take-ons and the top 21% for progressive carries per 90.

This highlights both the 5 foot 11 ace's natural goalscoring prowess and his eagerness to progress the play forward, with such a ball-carrying ability leading to some high praise from eagle-eyed viewers in Holland.

How Santiago Gimenez could slot in at Liverpool

Gimenez would certainly offer something different at Anfield, providing Slot with Liverpool's closest thing to a pure No. 9 (Jayden Danns notwithstanding).

Given that Dutch football expert, Finley Crebolder believes that the 25-cap Mexico star is the finest sharpshooter in the country "since [Luis] Suarez", who closed the door on his Eredivisie journey by signing for Liverpool in a £23m deal (aged 24), perhaps there is value in seeking to emulate the deal.

Suarez is notorious as one of his generation's finest strikers and dismantled the Premier League with Liverpool, scoring 31 goals and supplying 13 assists from 33 matches during an iconic 2013/14 Premier League campaign,

Liverpool could turn 3/10 flop into a 'generational star' by hiring Slot

It’s not just Darwin Nunez who could find a window of opportunity arise from the shifting cogs at Anfield this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 25, 2024

While Salah might leave Liverpool, he may well stay, with the Egyptian's largely stunning season a continuation of the years of potency that has established him as one of the finest forwards of his age. The 31-year-old has created the most big chances in the Premier League this season with 21.

Alexander-Arnold is one of the finest ball-playing specialists in the world, with pundit Jamie Carragher recently remarking that "it's "like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back."

All told, there is so much about this Liverpool side, and while it's started to fall apart at the last hurdle of Klopp's dynasty, there is every chance that a brand-new centre-forward in Gimenez could propel Slot's soon-to-be Liverpool side to the next level, continuing Klopp's work and maintaining Liverpool's position at the forefront of the Premier League.

Wilfried Nancy's Crew were the victims of goalkeeper chaos, Christian Benteke took the lead in the Golden Boot race and more.

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• Seattle thump Columbus 4-0
• LAFC draw Houston 0-0
• DC United defeat Chicago Fire 2-1, Benteke takes lead in Golden Boot race

• USA Today Images
  

  Giroud and LAFC struggle vs. Houston…again

  In the race for first place in the Western Conference, LAFC still trail the LA Galaxy by four points after falling flat in a 0-0 draw on the road against the Houston Dynamo.

  Olivier Giroud, who got his first MLS start, still hasn't fully gelled with his new team. The DP had just 36 touches, completed 64.3 percent of his passes and had three shots — none on target.

  Once again, the Dynamo proved to have LAFC in their web, following a 2-0 win in Los Angeles on Matchday 30.

  LAFC still have two games in-hand over the Galaxy, so the West could still be in grasp, but Steve Cherundolo's men are winless in their four of their last five MLS appearances. They meet the Galaxy next weekend in another edition of – a contest that will likely settle the conference.

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• Goalkeeper chaos for Columbus, Miami's boost

  The Seattle Sounders defeated the Columbus Crew 4-0 on Saturday, but the match was anything but normal.

  The Crew were down to their fourth-string goalkeeper due to international call-ups for Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen and an injury to third-string keeper Evan Bush. Fourth-string goalkeeper Abraham Romero, recently acquired from LAFC, started but was sent off just before halftime for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. With no other goalkeeper available, midfielder Sean Zawadzki was forced to play in net for the remainder of the game. It went as well as one would expect.

  The Sounders took full advantage, scoring four goals and effectively ending the Crew's hopes for the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield. Despite having two games in hand before Saturday, the Crew’s slim chance of contending with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was dashed. Inter Miami now holds a 10-point lead over the Crew, making it unlikely for anyone to catch up as the season nears its end.

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  Gillette Stadium stunner, RBNY teen star salvages point

  The New England Revolution nearly pulled off a remarkable home win over St. Louis CITY SC, but a late Simon Becher goal handed the hosts a second to secure a 2-2 draw. Record-signing Luca Langoni did, however, bag his first Gillette Stadium goal in front of the Revs faithful – a positive sign for a team looking to flip a switch in the Eastern Conference. The Argentine now has two goals and an assist in his first three MLS matches.

  South of Foxborough, MA in Harrison, NJ, the New York Red Bulls salvaged a point late against an Sporting Kansas City side fighting to keep their faint postseason hopes alive. Teen sensation Julian Hall, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea in Europe, scored an 89th minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw. It was the 16-year-old's second goal of the season.

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• The strike of Saturday

  We love a GOLAZO from a defender. This one, from Chicago Fire's Andrew Gutman, is worthy of all the praise. The 27-year-old left back hit this volley so clean in a 2-1 loss to DC United.

  For the winning side, though, star forward and former Belgium international Christian Benteke stayed scoring. The ex-Liverpool man bagged his 18th goal of the season, taking the lead in the race for the 2024 MLS Golden Boot.