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More points. Yet more points have gone begging in what is turning out to be a rather trying Premier League campaign for Arsenal so far.

A couple of weeks ago it looked like the Gunners had their mojo back, putting 12 goals past Nottingham Forest, Sporting and West Ham.

However, since then, they’ve not had things all their own way. Arsenal drew with Fulham a week ago and were left to rue more dropped points, this time against relegation-threatened Everton.

You won’t find many games that Mikel Arteta’s men fail to get going but this was a real abject performance at home.

In truth, nothing seemed to click and when Bukayo Saka had a goalbound effort phenomenally denied by Jordan Pickford at the near post in the second half, you perhaps knew it wasn’t going to be the hosts’ afternoon.

So, where did all go wrong on Saturday afternoon?

Why Arsenal drew with Everton

Arsenal have not found it difficult holding onto the ball in recent weeks. Against Everton this weekend, they left the field having had 77% of possession but ultimately, they only ever created one big chance.

That really told the story of a lacklustre attack that only really saw Saka generate much of note in red and white.

That’s a familiar tale, really. Give the ball to Saka and hope. If something isn’t created by him then they’ll probably have to rely on a corner. Neither worked on this occasion.

You could put a lot of the blame on a dysfunctioning left-hand side again. What Raheem Sterling or even Gabriel Jesus have to do to potentially start on that left-hand side remains to be seen.

Arsenal vs Everton: Stat leaders

Passes

William Saliba – 103

Touches

Gabriel – 118

Key passes

Bukayo Saka – 3

Crosses

Saka – 10

xG

Martin Odegaard – 0.59

Defensive actions

Ashley Young – 14

Blocked shots

James Tarkowski – 3

Interceptions

Young – 3

Tackles

Young – 7

Duels won

Gabriel & Gueye – 9

Stats via Sofascore.

It appears as though the issue stems from the day Granit Xhaka left the club. Let’s cast our minds back to the 2022/23 season. Arsenal may have finished the season five points behind Manchester City but it was some of the best football we’ve witnessed at the Emirates in years.

That was helped by a flexible structure across the pitch and one that wasn’t solely reliant on things happening from one side of the pitch.

There is no doubt that the combination of Saka and Martin Odegaard has worked a treat on the right but since Xhaka left, they’ve not had the same combination play on the left.

During that aforementioned season, Xhaka was involved in 16 goals while Gabriel Martinelli, who seemed to love playing on that left flank, had a hand in 21 goals.

Arsenal looked to have semi-fixed that in midweek with Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly featuring on the left with Trossard in behind.

In fact, it was a combination on the left that led to the opening goal, scored by Saka. Lewis-Skelly retained the ball brilliantly before feeding not Trossard, but Jesus, who swept a cross towards the back post.

There was no such luck this time with a “dull and inspiring” Martinelli – in the words of European football expert Zach Lowy – not at the races once more.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Expand Collapse Gabriel Martinelli's performance in numbers

Martinelli starts one game. Trossard starts the next one. And repeat. That’s been the story of Arsenal’s season as far as their left flank is concerned and it’s now becoming quite the problem that neither of them can find much form.

Trossard did score in back-to-back games against Sporting and West Ham but his performance a week ago against Fulham didn’t amount to much, producing just a solitary key pass.

Martinelli replaced him late on and looked to have produced the game-winning moment, crossing to Saka at the back stick only for the Brazilian to be deemed offside in the build-up.

That painful moment didn’t impact Arteta’s judgement too much as the former Ituano winger has now started the last two matches.

His lack of impact, though, was alarming, particularly when you consider he was up against 39-year-old Ashley Young. In total, he attempted four dribbles but didn’t complete a single one. As it happens, Young wasn’t dribbled past once and won seven of his nine duels. Martinelli’s numbers in comparison were damning, winning just one of his eight duels.

Martinelli vs Everton

Minutes played

74

Accurate passes

23/26 (88%)

Key passes

2

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

0

Dribble success

0/4

Cross success

1/3

Duels won

1/8

Offsides

1

Possession lost

14x

Stats via Sofascore.

To make matters worse, the 23-year-old gave away the ball 14 times and produced just two key passes, while having a solitary effort on target.

Handed a 5/10 match rating by Football.London’s Kaya Kaynak, the reporter noted that the attacker’s ‘end product remains an issue’. Indeed, the Brazil star has only scored three times in the league this term and assisted two goals.

Contrast that with the right-hand side where Saka has contributed five league goals and ten assists and the difference is stark.

In all honesty, if Arsenal are going to win a Premier League title anytime soon, they need a high-functioning left-hand side. That feels unlikely until they sign another winger with end product.

Related Arsenal want to sign "blistering" £57m star who's like a right-footed Saka

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 10, 2024

No press accreditation, interviews with registered players or access to cricket facilities owned by BCCI or its member associations

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2022

Wriddhiman Saha had tweeted screenshots of messages he had received from Majumdar in February•BCCI

The BCCI has banned Boria Majumdar, the Kolkata-based journalist Wriddhiman Saha had pointed at for “threat and intimidation”, for two years. Majumdar will not get press accreditation for domestic or international matches in India, interviews with any “registered players”, and access to cricket facilities owned by the BCCI or the state/member associations.In a missive sent to its members, the BCCI said that a three-member committee comprising vice-president Rajeev Shukla, treasurer Arun Dhumal and councillor Prabhtej Singh Bhatia had spoken to both Saha and Majumdar and concluded that Majumdar’s actions “were indeed in the nature of threat and intimidation”. They recommended the sanctions to the BCCI’s Apex Council, which agreed and imposed the ban.In February, Saha, who had been dropped from India’s Test team for the home series against Sri Lanka, had taken to Twitter to publish a screenshot of messages that a journalist had sent him on WhatsApp. The screenshot showed the sender requesting Saha “to do an interview with me”, to which Saha did not respond. The messages eventually took a more aggressive tone: “You did not call. Never again will I interview you. I don’t take insults kindly. And I will remember this. This wasn’t something ypu [sic] should have done.”Though Saha hadn’t named the journalist in question, Majumdar responded on March 5, saying he would serve a legal notice to Saha for defamation. Majumdar, in a video he put out on social media, said the screenshot Saha had put out was a doctored version of an exchange between the two.The BCCI, as it says in the message to the member associations, “had taken congnizance of this incident and deemed it necessary to investigate and probe the matter to avoid the recurrence of such instances with other players”, and formed the three-member committee. The committee subsequently “considered the submissions” of Saha and Majumdar before arriving at their decision.

كشف أحمد شوبير الإعلامي بقناة النادي الأهلي، عن موعد المباراة الودية التي تقام ضد باتشوكا المكسيكي، قبل المشاركة الرسمية في كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الأهلي مع باتشوكا، في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية التي تستضيف بطولة كأس العالم للأندية خلال شهر يونيو المقبل.

ويشارك النادي الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية، بشكلها الجديد، وسيلعب في المجموعة الأولى مع إنتر ميامي الأمريكي وبالميراس البرازيلي وبورتو البرتغالي. موعد مباراة الأهلي وباتشوكا الودية

وقال شوبير خلال تصريحات في برنامج “حارس الأهلي” المذاع على قناة الأهلي: “الأهلي سيلعب مع باتشوكا المكسيكي وديًا يوم 8 يونيو، بدلًا من ليون بعد عدم مشاركته في البطولة، وتحدثنا مع المدير الرياضي لنادي باتشوكا وأكد هذا الأمر”.

طالع | فيفا يُشيد بأداء وأرقام لاعب الأهلي قبل انطلاق كأس العالم للأندية

ومن جانب آخر، أكد أن الأهلي سوف يستلم مكافأة المشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية، بنهاية شهر أبريل وهي 9 ونصف مليون دولار”.

وأضاف: “من الأنباء السعيدة إن الأهلي حصل على 2 ونصف مليون دولار عن تتويجه بكأس القارات الثلاث في المباراة التي فاز بها أمام العين الإماراتي”.

ومن المنتظر أن يلعب الأهلي المباراة الافتتاحية لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية أمام فريق إنتر ميامي، ذلك يوم 15 يونيو 2025.

Celtic will head into 2025 at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, just as they did in 2024, after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Motherwell on Boxing Day.

The Hoops would, of course, have gone into next year at the top of the division irrespective of their result on Thursday, though, because they have built a healthy lead at the top of the division.

Brendan Rodgers’ side are a whopping 12 points clear of Rangers in second place and appear to be on course for a fourth straight title in the league.

Goals from Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn, and Reo Hatate secured all three points for the Hoops at Parkhead, whilst Kasper Schmeichel did not have a single save to make between the sticks.

It was a dominant performance and a deserved victory for Celtic, who remain unbeaten in the Premiership after 17 matches, and Rodgers will surely be delighted with how his team is performing.

However, the January transfer window is around the corner and the Northern Irishman is reportedly in the market to add a left-winger to the group, which could put Maeda’s place in danger.

Daizen Maeda's performances this season

The Japan international scored his third goal of the season in the Premiership against Motherwell on Thursday, heading in from point-blank range into an empty net in the second half.

It was far from an effective performance from the winger, however, as he had missed two ‘big chances’ prior to that and lost four of his five ground duels, which shows that the forward was wasteful in front of goal and weak in battles with opposition players.

Being wasteful at the top end of the pitch has, unfortunately, become a theme for Maeda in the Premiership, as he has missed nine ‘big chances’ – scoring three times – in 14 starts in the division.

This shows that the 27-year-old attacker has let his teammates down by failing to make the most of the high-quality chances that they have created for him consistently in the top-flight.

Maeda, who has assisted three goals in his 14 league starts, also failed to provide consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership in the 2023/24 campaign for the Scottish giants.

23/24 Premiership

Daizen Maeda

Appearances

28

Goals

6

Big chances missed

12

Key passes per game

0.5

Assists

3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese forward missed twice as many ‘big chances’ as he managed goals scored, and rarely offered much in the way of creativity, with one chance created every other game on average.

This means that Maeda has scored nine goals and missed 21 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership since the start of last season, whilst failing to create much in that time, and that is why there is the potential for the Hoops to land an upgrade in his position.

Rodgers could find that upgrade by swooping for one of the club’s reported transfer targets when the January transfer window opens for business next month.

Celtic's interest in £5m forward

Earlier this month, Norwegian sports outlet Nettavisen reported that Celtic are one of the teams interested in a swoop for Sarpsborg forward Sondre Orjasaeter.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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As mentioned earlier, Rodgers wants to bring in another left-sided attacker to come in and compete for a starting spot in the team in the second half of the campaign, to improve the depth of his options in that area of the pitch.

The Sarpsborg dynamo is a right-footed left winger, like Maeda, and would, therefore, fit the bill in terms of what the manager is looking for in the market next month.

It was not reported how much the Norwegian side would want for the 21-year-old star, though, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to make an official offer for his services.

The Norway U21 international is currently valued at £5m by Transfermarkt and that, perhaps, could provide an insight into the kind of fee that Sarpsborg would demand for his signature.

Rodgers must, however, push for the board to secure a deal to sign the exciting young talent in January, because he could come in as a big upgrade on Maeda.

Why Orjasaeter could be an upgrade on Maeda

Orjasaeter’s form in the 2024 Eliteserien season for his club suggests that the potential is there for him to come in and offer more than the current Hoops man at the top end of the pitch.

The 21-year-old gem spent the 2023 season in the second tier with Sogndal and produced six goals and four assists in 30 appearances, along with a staggering 6.4 completed dribbles per game.

That impressive form earned him a move to Sarpsborg in the January transfer window at the start of this year, and he hit the ground running in the Norwegian top-flight.

In 2024, Orjasaeter racked up five goals, five assists, and 12 ‘big chances’ created in 28 league appearances in his debut season with the club, which shows that he is a productive winger who can make the difference in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Stats

Orjasaeter (2024 Eliteserien)

Maeda (23/24 Premiership)

Appearances

28

28

Goals

5

6

Big chances missed

5

12

Assists

5

3

Big chances created

12

5

Dribbles completed per game

2.4

1.1

As you can see in the table above, the Norway U21 international has the potential to offer more than Maeda as an attacking force, with more ‘big chances’ created, more assists, and a better ratio of goals to ‘big chances’ missed.

Orjasaeter, despite his inexperience, also offers plenty to the team out of possession, with 4.2 ball recoveries per game – compared to Maeda’s 2.9 per match last term and 1.9 per game this season.

This suggests that the exciting youngster puts the hard work in off the ball to help his team out defensively, which means that he could slot in perfectly on the left flank for Celtic – as he is a well-rounded attacker who provides quality on both sides of the game.

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Therefore, Rodgers should push for the club to sign the £5m-rated star in January, who has the potential to be a big upgrade on Maeda if he can translate his performances over to Scottish football.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com uma semana cheia de trabalhos em Salvador, a equipe do Bahia se prepara para estrear no Campeonato Brasileiro. Uma das novidades na equipe poderá ser o retorno do goleiro Danilo Fernandes, que vinha atuando como titular, antes do atentado ao ônibus do clube ocorrido no mês passado. O experiente jogador está 100% recuperado e trabalhando forte para defender a meta do Esquadrão em busca do acesso à Série A do ano que vem.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

Na atual temporada, o goleiro de 34 anos esteve em campo em oito oportunidades com a camisa do tricolor de aço. As partidas aconteceram pelo campeonato estadual e pela Copa do Nordeste. Nesses jogos foram três vitórias, dois empates e três derrotas. Com rodagem e experiência, Danilo chegou e se tornou um dos líderes do vestiário e suas atuações pelo Bahia foram elogiadas por suas defesas seguras e importantes. Recentemente, o arqueiro disputou a Série B pelo Internacional e foi peça fundamental no acesso do time gaúcho à elite do futebol brasileiro.

‘Feliz em poder voltar e seguir trabalhando forte diariamente e estou pronto para voltar a jogar. Sabemos que o caminho em busca dos objetivos é longo, mas temos que estar preparados fisicamente e mentalmente para fazer nosso melhor e defender as cores do Bahia. Contamos com o apoio de toda a torcida do Bahia em busca dos triunfos que nos levarão de volta ao lugar de onde nunca deveríamos ter saído’. afirma o camisa 1.

Destaque na história do Brasileiro de pontos corridos, o goleiro tem uma das menores médias de gols sofridos atuando na competição. A estreia do Esquadrão de Aço acontece na próxima sexta, 8, na Arena Fonte Nova e o adversário será o Cruzeiro.

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With a tough test at home to a resurgent Newcastle United side on the horizon, Ruben Amorim’s already waning attacking options at Manchester United look set to be even more depleted.

The former Sporting CP boss will be without his captain, Bruno Fernandes, for the visit of the Magpies, following his compatriot’s red card at Molineux, while it would appear likely that Marcus Rashford’s exile will continue amid a four-game absence for the Englishman.

With Mason Mount having also broken down with injury in the Manchester Derby, Amorim will be left to pick between Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Amad Diallo to operate in those two number ten berths.

It was only a few weeks ago, however, that Garnacho was left out of the trip to the Etihad – having scored just once under the new boss against Bodo Glimt – while Antony, meanwhile, has only netted once all season.

The burden then falls on Amad to create some magic for the Red Devils, although the Ivorian wizard could certainly do with some help in the January window.

Amad's rise at Man Utd

Eyebrows were raised back in October 2020 as reports emerged that United were set to fork out a fee of as much as £37m to sign a raw teenager from Atalanta. This was a player who, at the time, had chalked up just five senior appearances for the Serie A side.

Upon his eventual arrival in Manchester in January 2021, it’s fair to say that it took time for Amad to make his mark, albeit while scoring his first goal for the club with a deft, flicked header against AC Milan toward the end of that campaign.

Comparisons to a certain Lionel Messi hung in the air from his days in Bergamo, although United pleaded patience, ultimately sending the winger out on loan to Rangers in January 2022, before a further temporary stint was secured at Sunderland the following season.

With injury then impacting much of the 2023/24 campaign for the 22-year-old under Erik ten Hag – aside from his notable FA Cup strike against Liverpool – it looked like it would simply never happen for Amad at Old Trafford. Fast forward a few months, however, and the diminutive talent is now the man of the moment.

A strong pre-season was followed by a rare run of games under Ten Hag, resulting in notable highs such as the opener against Brighton and Hove Albion, although it wasn’t until Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim appointment that Amad began to flourish, having scored twice and registered one assist in just four games under the Dutchman.

Amad’s Man Utd record by coach

Manager

Games

Goals

Assists

Minutes played

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

329

Michael Carrick

0

0

0

0

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

68

Erik ten Hag

24

3

2

1058

Ruud van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

217

Ruben Amorim

10

2

5

731

Total

47

8

9

2403

Stats via Transfermarkt

Such momentum has been maintained under Amorim’s watch, with it taking just over a minute for the silky left-footer to make his mark at Ipswich Town, surging down the right flank before picking out Rashford with a somewhat wayward cross. When your lucks in.

A further four assists and two goals have since followed – including that winner in the Derby – with Amad’s rising stock epitomised by his status in the pecking order ahead of both Rashford and Garnacho.

Seemingly a perfect fit for one of the two roles behind the striker, the 5 foot 8 sensation could do with a suitable partner next to him. Cue the January window.

Man Utd's search for a playmaker

Funds, it must be said, are likely to be tight at Old Trafford in the New Year, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s succession of rather miserly budget cuts pointing to a quiet window as far as incomings are concerned.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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That said, a potential bargain opportunity could arise before too long, with The Times reporting earlier this week that United are among the clubs on ‘red alert’ should Barcelona’s Dani Olmo become available.

The Catalan side’s own financial constraints mean that there is a chance the Spain international could depart on a free transfer in January, should the club prove unable to register him. Any exit would represent a swift one, considering the 26-year-old, La Masia product only returned to Camp Nou on a £51m deal over the summer.

With Manchester City and Arsenal also in the frame, getting a deal over the line for the ex-RB Leipzig man may be tricky, yet there’s every reason to suggest it would prove a worthwhile investment.

What Dani Olmo would bring to Man Utd

While injury and eligibility has been a factor in an at-times stop-start season for Olmo, the playmaker has still managed to make his mark for Hansi Flick’s side, scoring five goals in just 11 La Liga outings.

Dani Olmo at Euro 2024

In the Champions League, the one-time Dinamo Zagreb star has also chipped in with one goal and one assist in four appearances, with such fine form following his standout Euro 2024 campaign, in which he contributed three goals and two assists en route to La Roja’s glorious triumph.

Capable of operating in a number ten berth, or on the flanks, Olmo appears ready-made for Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up, not least having also played in that system during his days in Germany under Julian Nagelsmann.

It could be said then that the Red Devils missed a trick by not snapping him up sooner, with former United star Louis Saha suggesting as much back in September, while insisting that the Barca man is in a “similar bracket to Bruno Fernandes”.

A playmaking, goalscoring presence like Fernandes – as shown by his 63 goals and assists in 148 games for Leipzig – Olmo could represent the perfect replacement or successor to the Portuguese, with the chance for United’s skipper to also drop deeper into the midfield two.

In essence, having Olmo operating behind the striker would be akin to utilising a right-footed Amad, with the pair deemed to be statistically similar players among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, according to FBref.

Indeed, Olmo averages 0.72 goals and assists per game in 2024/25 so far, while Amad is just behind, having averaged 0.68 in that regard. Equally, the pair are also alike in their work off the ball, with Olmo ranking in the top 17% across Europe for tackles made across the last 365 days, while his United counterpart is just ahead as he ranks in the top 3% in that regard.

That likeness can also be seen in their ability to beat a man down the flank, with Olmo averaging 1.4 successful dribbles per game in La Liga this season, while Amad averages 1.5 for that same metric in the Premier League. It certainly bodes well for what the Barcelona man could bring to the Theatre of Dreams to help bolster Amorim’s creative, attacking options.

Having previously snapped up that man Fernandes in the January window back in 2020, the Red Devils could repeat that trick with another statement signing in 2025.

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Four wickets from Muzarabani and a fighting 67 from Raza couldn’t prevent Zimbabwe from sinking to a 60-run defeat

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2022

Rahmat Shah’s 94 won him the Player-of-the-Match award•AFP/Getty Images

Four senior players made defining contributions as Afghanistan began the ODI leg of their Zimbabwe tour with a 60-run victory in Harare.Sent in, Afghanistan overcame a poor start to post a solid 276, with Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi putting on 181 to lay the platform and Rashid Khan adding the finishing touches with an unbeaten 39 off 17 balls.Zimbabwe made a reasonable start to their chase, with the debutant opener Innocent Kaia and captain, Craig Ervine, putting on 61 to steer them to 66 for 1 in the 15th over. Afghanistan’s spinners, however, dictated terms thereafter, as Rashid and Mohammad Nabi led a relentless middle-overs strangle. From the start of the 17th over to the end of the 40th, Zimbabwe scored just 93 runs at a rate of 3.8 per over, while losing four wickets – all to the offspin of Nabi. Their required rate ballooned from 6.09 to 11.10 in this period, and though Sikandar Raza (67 off 78) extended Zimbabwe’s fight, their chances of victory had all but vanished. Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out off the last ball of their innings.That Afghanistan would end the match as comfortable winners was hardly a given when they limped to 38 for 2. Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara made tidy starts with the new ball, with the former dismissing Ibrahim Zadran in the seventh over, before the debutant Tanaka Chivanga came on as first change in the 11th over and struck with his fifth ball, having Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught at second slip.Blessing Muzarabani picked up four wickets•AFP/Getty Images

But Rahmat and Shahidi wrested the momentum away from the home team with the highest partnership by an Afghanistan pair against Zimbabwe, and the fourth-highest in Afghanistan’s ODI history. They didn’t force the pace too much early on, with the innings run rate still below four an over by the end of the 38th – by which time Wessley Madhevere had given Rahmat a life, dropping him off Ryan Burl’s legspin when he was batting on 42.Then came a burst of scoring, as Rahmat and Shahidi clattered 69 runs in 6.2 overs before Muzarabani broke the partnership in the 45th over, having Rahmat caught behind six short of what would have been his sixth ODI hundred.Then, in his next over, Muzarabani denied Shahidi what would have been his maiden ODI hundred, getting him to top-edge a slog to third man when he was on 88. When Nabi fell two balls later, Afghanistan may have feared that their end-overs charge was deflating.But they would have their flourish at the finish, as Rashid dominated an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 42 off 21 balls, smashing four sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 17-ball 39*, while Najibullah Zadran at the other end only got to face only four balls.

وجه التونسي علي معلول، ظهير أيسر الأهلي، رساله إلى مدربه السابق السويسري مارسيل كولر، بعد إعلان رحيله.

وكان الأهلي قد أعلن مساء أمس السبت انتهاء رحلة كولر مع الفريق، عقب التعادل الإيجابي 1-1 أمام ماميلودي صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي في إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، ليودع البطولة القارية.

الأهلي ينهي اتفاقه مع خليفة كولر.. ومحمد يوسف في منصب جديد

ونشر معلول عبر حسابه الرسمي على “إنستجرام” صورة تجمعه بكولر، معلقًا عليها: “حظ سعيد وكل التوفيق”، في رسالة وداع لمدربه السابق.

وغاب علي معلول عن المشاركة مع الأهلي خلال الفترة الأخيرة تحت قيادة كولر، بسبب إصابته بقطع في وتر أكيلس خلال ذهاب نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا الموسم الماضي أمام الترجي التونسي.

وبالرغم من تعافي معلول من الإصابة قبل أسابيع، إلا أنه غاب عن الملاعب تحت قيادة كولر، واستمر بعيدًا عن التشكيل الأساسي في جميع المباريات وقائمة الاحتياطي في كثير منها.

واقتصرت مشاركات النجم التونسي مع الأهلي هذا الموسم (2024-2025) على مباراتين فقط في بطولة كأس الرابطة، خاض خلالهما 163 دقيقة، ونجح في صناعة هدف وحيد.

ويواصل الأهلي استعداداته حاليًا لمواجهة بتروجيت مساء الأربعاء المقبل، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثالثة من المرحلة النهائية للدوري المصري الممتاز.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nas primeiras horas desta quarta-feira (13), mais precisamente às 3h (de Brasília), o técnico do Bahia, Guto Ferreira, precisou comparecer ao Hospital da Bahia sentindo fortes dores no peito e com sinais de ansiedade, indicativos para uma suspeita de infarto.

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A informação, divulgada inicialmente pelo jornalista Márcio Martins, dava conta de que o treinador de 56 anos de idade passou por uma bateria de exames onde, por volta das 7h, foi liberado para seguir a observação de seu quadro em casa.

Através de seus canais oficiais, o Bahia confirmou a informação de que o treinador havia sentido o que foi relatado como “um desconforto no tórax”. Porém, agregou que, como “nada foi diagnosticado”, Guto está “pronto para a batalha de sexta no Recife”.

Além disso, um vídeo foi divulgado onde o próprio Guto declara, em meio a uma das atividades preparatórias visando o confronto com o Náutico, pela Série B, que está tudo bem com ele.

Essa não é a primeira oportunidade em que Guto Ferreira passa por uma situação de dores na região do coração e precisa ser internado. Em 2018, quando também dirigia o Tricolor, ele teve diagnosticada uma arritmia onde precisou ser medicado antes da liberação no mesmo dia.

Manchester United have undoubtedly been one of the most disappointing sides in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, currently occupying 13th place after the first 20 matches of the campaign.

Ruben Amorim’s side have struggled at both ends of the pitch, conceding 28 times in the process, often struggling to deal with set pieces – as seen against Arsenal, with the hosts scoring both their efforts from corners.

As for the forward line, they’ve only managed to register 23 goals, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee only scoring five league goals between them to date.

The latter was replaced after just half an hour in the defeat against Newcastle at Old Trafford at the end of December – highlighting the lack of impact he’s made since his big-money summer transfer.

The Dutchman may be set for an early exit from Manchester in the coming weeks, but one other player looks ever closer to ending his long-term affiliation with his boyhood side.

Marcus Rashford’s Man Utd future

Striker Marcus Rashford first appeared as though he would be a crucial player under the new management team, starting both of the first two Premier League matches of the 39-year-old’s reign.

The 27-year-old scored three times in those two outings against Ipswich Town and Everton but has since struggled for first-team minutes, leading to speculation about his long-term future at Old Trafford.

His representatives have held face-to-face conversations with Serie A outfit AC Milan over a potential move to the San Siro, with Juventus and Borussia Dortmund also monitoring his current situation.

West Ham United have also reportedly emerged as contenders to land the academy graduate after boss Graham Potter was appointed on Thursday following the dismissal of Julen Lopetegui.

It remains unclear at this stage whether any temporary move would include a potential buy option, which could bring his 20-year spell as a United player to a disappointing end.

However, if he were to depart this month, many replacements have already been touted, including one who could prove to be a huge upgrade on the Englishman.

The target who could be a huge upgrade on Rashford for Man United

Despite being just over a week into the transfer window, rumours have already circulated with multiple players already said to be of interest to new boss Amorim.

One name that was thrown into the hat earlier this week was PSG forward Kang-in Lee, who could depart the Ligue 1 side in a quest to gain more first-team minutes.

One Spanish outlet claimed he could be allowed to depart for €40m (£33m) this window, with Kang-in Lee potentially wanting a move and start a new challenge.

The 23-year-old South Korean international moved to the French giants in July 2023 from Spanish side Mallorca but has often been limited to substitute appearances following his move.

He’s started just nine Ligue 1 outings to date in 2024/25, but has still registered six goals and two assists – leading to FBref ranking the attacker as a similar player to Real Madrid superstar Vinícius Júnior, who came second in the Ballon d’Or behind Rodri for 2024,

The pair do possess very similar traits with their excellent ball-carrying ability, plus their capability to beat an opponent and cut inside onto their stronger foot, albeit with Kang-in Lee doing so from the opposite flank.

If the former Valencia youngster could replicate such qualities in Manchester, he would be one hell of a coup, undoubtedly providing a massive upgrade on Rashford and allowing the South Korean to become Amorim’s own version of the Brazilian sensation.

When comparing their respective figures from the ongoing season in FBref, the PSG star has massively outperformed the homegrown talent – with the fee touted for his services an absolute bargain.

How Kang-in Lee compares to Rashford in 2024/25 so far

Statistics (per 90)

Kang-in Lee

Rashford

Games played

16

15

Goals & assists

8

5

Progressive carries

3.4

1.8

Progressive passes

7.7

1.9

Shots on target

1.1

0.8

Pass accuracy

87%

74%

Shot-creating actions

5.9

2.7

Take-on success

54%

23%

Stats via FBref

The South Korean, who’s previously been dubbed a “future legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has produced more combined goals and assists, but has also completed over four times more progressive passes per 90 – showcasing his creative skill set, something United have lacked of late.

He’s also managed more shot-creating actions, putting more efforts on target and completing more take-ons – dominating Rashford in all areas for an attacking player in Amorim’s current 3-4-2-1 system.

Seeing a homegrown talent depart in such a way is undoubtedly frustrating for the fanbase, especially considering the special moments he’s provided them on many dark days on the pitch.

However, Kang-in Lee would prove to be a superb replacement should the Englishman leave in January, slotting perfectly into one of the attacking roles behind the striker – potentially holding the key to ending the Red Devils’ current poor form in attacking areas.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jan 9, 2025