Lancashire have been relegated to Specsavers County Championship Division Two after they failed to secure a third batting bonus point against Hampshire
ECB Reporters Network25-Sep-2018
Rob Jones bats for Lancashire•Getty Images
ScorecardLancashire have been relegated to Specsavers County Championship Division Two after they failed to secure a third batting bonus point against Hampshire, although they remain on course for victory.Lancashire needed to reach a minimum of 300 and beat Hampshire, while elsewhere requiring Nottinghamshire to fall short 200 – which they did – and then lose to Somerset at Trent Bridge. But after Fidel Edwards blasted through the tail with the second new ball they fell 27 runs short of the 300 mark and their demotion to the second tier was confirmed.Next season will therefore be the first time since 2015 that Lancashire will play their cricket in Division Two. On that occasion they only spent one year in the second before they were immediately promoted back to Division One.They join Worcestershire in dropping down this season, although they remain on top of their clash at the Ageas Bowl, restricting Hampshire to 178 for 8 – a lead of just 92.Rob Jones had brilliantly batted Lancashire in the right direction to stay up with a morning half-century. Jones, who had come into the game with an average of less than 10 in seven Championship innings this season, added 84 runs with Dane Villas for the sixth wicket, after Liam Livingstone had been yorked by Edwards, his 50th scalp of the season, in the second over of the day.But after a classy, attacking fifty, Jones departed two overs after lunch when Ian Holland had him lbw – the Australian’s third wicket in figures of 3 for 48.That left Lancashire needing 59 from the last three wickets, and Josh Bohannon and Tom Bailey kept the score ticking until the second new ball. But on 273, Kyle Abbott and Edwards reconvened and took three wickets between them to send the visitors down.Abbott needed just three deliveries to find Bohannon’s outside edge, with Joe Weatherley taking a good catch at third slip. Former West Indies fast bowler Edwards then sealed Lancashire’s fate by bowling Bailey with a fierce full ball before Saqib Mahmood was lbw two balls later.The difficulties of batting on a bowler-friendly pitch, despite blue skies above, were proven by Hampshire’s upper order. With a first-innings deficit of 86, Hampshire lost Oli Soames to a fine head-high catch by Vilas at second slip, before Joe Weatherley was caught behind – both off the bowling off Richard Gleeson.That brought Jimmy Adams to the crease for his final innings in first-class cricket, accompanied by warm applause from the crowd and away team players. He rode his luck when he was dropped by Jones at second slip on 2, before departing lbw for 13, and ending on 14,145 first-class runs.Adams was given a guard of honour by his Hampshire team-mates before hugging his father on his way to the dressing room for the last time as a professional batsman.Bohannon then took three wickets to leave the hosts 88 for 6. The bowler had Sam Northeast lbw to the fifth ball after tea, James Vince caught behind and then, a ball later, Holland bowled.Liam Dawson and Lewis McManus added 43 for the seventh wicket to start a recovery, before the former was strangled down the leg side.Gareth Berg was caught at second slip but Kyle Abbott and McManus guided Hampshire to the close eight down.
No meio de semana, durante o confronto entre Palmeiras e Libertad, pela Copa Libertadores da América, muitos torcedores do Vasco se manifestaram nas redes sociais por conta da grande atuação de Martín Silva, ex-goleiro do clube. Com boas defesas, o arqueiro uruguaio foi um dos destaques do jogo, apesar da vitória paulista por 3 a 0. Nesse fim de semana, porém, Fernando Miguel, atual titular da meta vascaína, fez questão de reduzir essa saudade da torcida.
Contra o Santos, o camisa 1 cruz-maltino foi um dos principais nomes no triunfo carioca por 1 a 0, em São Januário. Miguel precisou realizar cinco defesas na partida, sendo quatro delas em finalizações de dentro da área. Em uma delas, ainda no 1º tempo, impediu o empate indo buscar uma cabeçada de Alex no seu canto direito.
Com a boa atuação frente ao Peixe, Fernando Miguel se tornou o terceiro goleiro com mais defesas em conclusões de dentro da área. Segundo dados do Sofascore, são 49 intervenções do arqueiro vascaíno, superando Tiago Volpi, do São Paulo, que totaliza 48 – fez apenas uma no duelo com o Atlético Mineiro. Tadeu, do Goiás, e Wilson, do Coritiba, ocupam as primeiras posições.
GOLEIROS COM MAIS DEFESAS EM FINALIZAÇÕES DE DENTRO DA ÁREA – Dados do Sofascore
1º – Tadeu – Goiás – 62 2º – Wilson – Coritiba – 51 3º – Fernando Miguel – Vasco – 49 4º – Tiago Volpi – São Paulo – 48 5º – Cássio – Corinthians – 44
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The increase in fixtures for Associates approved at the ICC meeting in Singapore may help players get regular time on the field and against good-quality opponents
Peter Della Penna20-Oct-2018
Paras Khadka gives the traveling Nepal fans a champagne shower to celebrate a famous win•Peter Della Penna
The ICC announced on Saturday that the diet of 50-over fixtures for Associate teams will undergo a significant transformation from 2019 as part of a redesigned qualification pathway leading into the 2023 Men’s World Cup in India.The number of countries playing in the tournament will remain at 10 for 2023. The top eight will automatically qualify based on their performance in the 13-team ODI League, or as it is now known, the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) Super League. This means that 24 teams – the bottom five in the Super League plus 19 Associates from the rest of the old World Cricket League structure – will compete for the final two spots in the 2023 Men’s World Cup.2023 Men’s World Cup Qualifying Structure
13-team 2020-2022 ODI Super League Top 8 teams: Qualify for World Cup Bottom 5 teams: Placed in 2022 World Cup Qualifier Seven-team 2019-2021 CWC League 2 (ODI Status) Top 3 teams: Advance to 2022 World Cup Qualifier Bottom 4 teams: Placed in 2022 WCQ Playoff Dual six-team 2019-2021 CWC Challenge League A & B (List A Status) 1st Place in League A or B: Advance to 2022 WCQ Playoff Bottom 5 teams in League A or B: Eliminated Six-team 2022 World Cup Qualifier Playoff Top 2 teams: Advance to 2022 World Cup Qualifier Botttom 4 teams: Eliminated 10-team 2022 Men’s World Cup Qualifier Top 2 teams: Qualify for World Cup Bottom 8 teams: Eliminated
It will remain a frustration to many considering the competitiveness of not just Ireland and Zimbabwe but also Scotland and Netherlands at this year’s World Cup Qualifier in March. In the long term though, the broad increase in fixtures for Associates approved at the ICC meeting in Singapore may help players get desperately needed time on the field and build a case for expanding the number of teams at future World Cups.Here’s a rundown of what has changed in terms of the Men’s World Cup pathway from Full Member level down to the Division Five of the World Cricket League:The 13-team ODI League rebranded “ICC CWC Super League”Before: Eight teams, including hosts England, automatically qualified for the 2019 World Cup based on their ICC rankings. There was no obligation to play against other teams at the bottom of the table, leaving scheduling of fixtures and rankings points open to manipulation.For example, right now, India have 53 matches counting towards their No. 2 ODI ranking. The corresponding figure for 12th ranked Ireland is 23 and it is a mere 16 matches for 13th ranked Scotland, who beat top-ranked England in June. With teams at the top end of the table not playing those at the bottom, it was virtually impossible for the Associates to improve their positions.After: The prize that Netherlands won for finishing first in the three-year WCL Championship from 2015-17 is being grouped with the 12 Full Members in a two-year long ODI tournament beginning in May 2020. Each team will play eight of the other 12 possible opponents – four series home and four series away – with three matches in each series for a total of 24 matches.Since everyone plays an equal number of fixtures, qualification will now be based on the points table rather than a rankings calculation. The top eight teams at the end of the Super League will automatically go through to the 2023 Men’s World Cup. The bottom five teams will fall back into the World Cup Qualifier for a second chance at taking one of the final two spots in India.Safyaan Sharif after claiming the final wicket•Getty Images
WCL Championship rebranded “CWC League Two” with expanded fixtures and ODI statusBefore: Netherlands only had 14 one-day fixtures from 2015 to 2017 as part of the WCL Championship, and they wound up playing only 12 with two matches washed out. The eight-team competition was played across seven rounds – three home and three away with a final neutral round in the UAE – with two matches per round. Only teams with ODI status (Scotland, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, UAE) could have matches against each other counted as ODIs.After: Netherlands promotion to the Super League means the next edition will have seven teams – Nepal, UAE, Scotland plus the top four finishers in WCL Division Two to be played in early 2019. However, all of them will play each other on a home and away basis – three matches home and three away per opponent – for a total of 36 matches per team from July 2019 through to the end of 2021. Unlike the WCL Championship, all teams and matches in CWC League Two will have ODI status.The top three teams on the points table at the end of the competition advance to the World Cup Qualifier. The bottom four teams fall back into a repechage event dubbed the CWC Qualifier Playoff, or what was formerly known as WCL Division Two.WCL Divisions Three, Four and Five rebranded “CWC Challenge League A & B” with expanded fixtures and List A statusBefore: If a team failed to gain promotion through the WCL Division structure – six-team round-robin tournaments where only the top two finishers were promoted into the next division – their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were effectively dashed.For example, Division Three only took place once every 18-24 months. If a country failed to secure promotion during the five round-robin matches, it might have no more 50-over cricket for two years – until the next Division Three, or Division Four if they suffered relegation by finishing in the bottom two – for another chance at promotion.Prior to this week’s ICC meeting in Singapore, List A status was only given to matches starting in WCL Division Two or higher including the WCL Championship. WCL Divisions Three, Four and Five were classified as “other 50-over cricket”.UAE captain Rohan Mustafa lets out a victory scream after winning WCL Division Two•Peter Della Penna
After: Following the conclusion of WCL Division Three in Oman next month – where the top two of six teams will be promoted to WCL Division Two – and WCL Division Two in early 2019, Divisions Three through Five will be bunched together and divided into two groups of six teams each. These two groups of six will be rebranded as “CWC Challenge League A & League B.”Instead of having possibly just five matches every two years, all teams in League A & League B will be guaranteed 15 fixtures across 27 months from August 2019. Also, they won’t suffer the drastic consequence of relegation for one bad week at a WCL Division tournament. They will be judged on their form across more than two years of competition and all matches in this competition will have List A status, putting it on par with domestic one-day leagues in all Test nations.The respective winners of League A & League B will join the bottom four finishers from CWC League Two in the CWC Qualifier Playoff, effectively the former WCL Division Two. The top two finishers in the CWC Qualifier Playoff will then join the other eight teams in the World Cup Qualifier. The most recent version of WCL Division Two/CWC Qualifier Playoff took place at Namibia in February. Nepal and UAE finished in the top two after a wild final day of drama to advance to the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.The most significant aspect of the WCL restructure is that it still leaves the door open to 2023 Men’s World Cup qualification for a team who begins 2019 ranked as low as No. 32, which would have placed them in WCL Division Five. That team would need to finish at the top of CWC Challenge League A or League B, then finish in the top two of the six-team CWC Qualifier Playoff, and then finish in the top two of the ten-team World Cup Qualifier to reach the World Cup. But as Afghanistan showed by starting off in WCL Division Five in 2008, there’s hope for every Associate.
Arsenal are reportedly ready to make their presence known in the upcoming January transfer window, with the Gunners already linked to a host of star talent in the bid to bolster the squad at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta and Edu enjoyed a successful summer of business, spending over £200m on new signings, however there appears to be a lot of work left to do to strengthen the depth of the team in preparation for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.
Injuries have once again left the north Londoners short of options in their quest to field their best XI week in week out, with the cracks from last season's shortcomings in the title race already beginning to show.
That being said, the January window now provides Arteta with the chance to welcome additional reinforcements to his squad to avoid such patterns repeating themselves.
Arsenal transfer targets – forwards
A report from The Mirror claimed that the midfield is where the manager will hope to rejuvenate in January, although it’s not the only area that is said to be targeted at the Emirates.
Recently, a report from SunSport speculated that Arsenal are ahead of Real Madrid in their rumoured pursuit of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who has a CIES Football Observatory market value of €80m (£70m).
There is no doubt that the 23-year-old would bring a goal scoring presence to the Gunners’ attack, however the Serbian is not the only player linked that could bolster the front line.
A report from TEAMtalk has now suggested that Arteta’s side are one of the teams in the running for Wolves winger Pedro Neto, who is also said to be admired by Manchester United and clubs in Saudi Arabia.
It’s reported that the north Londoners would have to pay a fee in the region of £60m to those at Molineux, a fair price considering the form that the Portuguese forward has showcased so far in 2023/24.
TEAMtalk added that Arteta is keen to welcome another winger to the fold to add to the depth of the squad, with Neto’s proven ability to play in the Premier League making him an exciting prospect to follow.
Pedro Neto’s career in numbers
In 2019, the dynamic wide player arrived at Molineux from Lazio as a hopeful starlet, but unfortunately his time in Wolverhampton has been far from easy.
Every season since his arrival, Neto has missed game time due to injury, with two long-term blows seeing him miss over a year of his career between 2020/21 and 2022/23.
The Portugal international’s misfortune began in April 2021 when he sustained a serious injury to his knee cap, resulting in him missing the remainder of the 2020/21 campaign, and seven months of the 2021/22 calendar.
Pedro Neto Wolves career & injury statistics
Season
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Injury absences
2019/20
44
5
5
21 days – calf
2020/21
35
5
6
297 days – knee
2021/22
13
1
1
Missed opening 7 months
2022/23
21
1
1
127 days – ankle
2023/24
10
1
7
Current – hamstring
All figures via Transfermarkt
It was only eight months after his return that the 23-year-old was forced to sit on the sidelines once more, picking up an ankle injury in October 2022 that saw him miss not only 127 days of action, but agonisingly the 2022 World Cup as well.
As highlighted in the table above, it was difficult for the young forward to properly get going at Wolves due to injury and squad competition, however this season has seen the former Lazio starlet break out of the chains that restricted his form prior.
Wolves winger Pedro Neto.
In only ten games played, Neto has recorded his best assists tally throughout his career at Molineux, topping the Premier League charts as the best creator with seven assists, despite missing the previous three fixtures to a hamstring injury.
Lauded as “incredible” earlier in the campaign by manager Gary O’Neil, the winger has caused havoc this term to defenders in the league because of his ruthless streak when in possession, with his return from injury eagerly awaited in the Midlands.
Why Pedro Neto would be a good signing for Arsenal
The 23-year-old's injury woes haven’t deterred other clubs from interest, with Neto proving to be a potentially difference-making asset to Arsenal, if the Gunners are serious in their pursuit of the right-winger.
It’s imperative that in the near future, Arteta seeks a right forward of first-team calibre to rival Bukayo Saka on the flank, as the Englishman has dominated the area with little support, cover or competition throughout his rise to prominence at the Emirates.
In both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 Premier League seasons, the 22-year-old played every game for Arsenal, testament to his fitness and consistency, but rest and other options are integral going forward to ensure the Hale End graduate doesn’t burn out or sustain injury.
Aside from Neto’s potential introduction giving room for Saka to be rotated and covered sufficiently when unavailable, the Wolves gem is far too impressive to settle for second in the pecking order.
With eight goal contributions in ten appearances this term in the league, the Portuguese dynamo has the same number of contributions in the Premier League as Saka, who has scored four and assisted four in 11 appearances.
Based on their form in the 2023/24 campaign, it’s fair to brand Neto as being of a similar calibre to Arsenal’s prized forward, making his potential arrival an interesting dynamic when it comes to selection on the right side.
Neto vs Saka 2023/24 Premier League per 90 stats
Statistic
Pedro Neto
Bukayo Saka
Progressive Carries
5.18
4.67
Successful take-ons
2.34
1.62
Successful take-on %
50.0%
45.9%
Assists
0.71
0.38
Goal creating actions
0.91
0.67
Key passes
2.54
2.57
Figures via FBref
Competition should be welcomed in squads to up the stakes for selection in the XI, which only induces a higher level of performance, with the Wolves gem’s statistics relating to ball carrying actually better than the England international’s this term.
As per FBref, Saka and Neto are statistically comparable based on their per 90 statistics harvested in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, with the 23-year-old averaging 5.18 progressive carries and 2.34 successful take-ons per 90 to Saka’s 4.67 carries and 1.62 take-ons.
gabriel-martinelli-bukayo-saka-arsenal-opinion
While the 2000-born whiz wouldn’t be signed to come in and replace the Hale End product, he would finally hand Arteta and Saka a high-quality right-winger to contend and alternate with throughout the gruelling football calendar.
Pep Guardiola gets the best out of his forwards due to competition, with the likes of Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku consistently interchanging and performing at peak level to support their claim to starting, a feat that Arteta could replicate with Saka and Neto.
That may well be bad news for Saka having been a remarkably consistent presence in the side over the past few years, yet for the benefit of the squad, such a signing could be crucial.
Only time will tell if Wolves will be open to letting their prized winger leave in January, paired with if Arsenal are willing to spend the anticipated high price to obtain his services, although the impact he could have at the Emirates is unquestionable.
تواصل دولة الإمارات منافساتها في أولمبياد باريس 2024، التي تستضيفها فرنسا منذ 24 يوليو حتى يوم 11 أغسطس.
وتشارك الإمارات في أولمبياد باريس 2024 حيث يمثلها 14 لاعبًا في 5 رياضات.
وتخوض الإمارات لعبة واحدة، اليوم الخميس الموافق 1 أغسطس 2024، وهي الجودو للرجال، في دور الـ32 لوزن 100 كجم.
طالع أيضًا | تحديد منافس عمر عصر في دور الـ8 من منافسات تنس الطاولة بأولمبياد باريس.. وموعد المباراة
وخسر الإماراتي نوجزار تاتالاشفيلي ضد البورتوريكي أدريان جانديا، بنتيجة 11/0، في لعبة الجودو رجال، في دور الـ32، 81 كجم.
بينما تأهل الإماراتي أرام جريجوريان إلى ثمن النهائي في منافسات وزن تحت 90 كجم، على حساب بطل أوزبكستان بوبونوف دافلات بالايبون. مواعيد مواجهات الإمارات اليوم في أولمبياد باريس 2024
جودو، رجال، تحت 100 كجم، دور الـ32، ظافر كوستويف ضد البرازيلي ليوناردو جونسالفيس، في تمام الساعة 11:00 ظهر اليوم بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية، 12:00 بتوقيت الإمارات.
ويذكر التقرير أن إيمانول ألجواسيل، مدرب ريال سوسيداد، يقود حملة لإقناع زوبيمندي بالبقاء في الفريق.
اقرأ أيضًا | بوروسيا دورتموند يجهض صفقة هجومية هامة لـ ليفربول
وعقد المدرب عدة اجتماعات مع لاعب الوسط هذا الأسبوع لإغرائه بالبقاء وتجاهل فكرة الانتقال إلى ليفربول.
وأشارت مصادر إلى أن جزءًا من خطة ريال سوسيداد يتضمن تكرار مدى روعة حياة زوبيميندي في سان سيباستيان، ومدى جودة اللاعب مع الفريق، واستقرار حياته في المدينة الإسبانية، بالإضافة لتذكيره برد فعل المشجعين إذا رحل.
ولدى زوبيميندي شرط جزائي بقيمة 60 مليون يورو في عقده، وبينما اعترف بعض المقربين من النادي الإسباني بأنهم راضون عن رحيله هذا الصيف، يُشار إلى أنه لم يتخذ قرارًا نهائيًا بعد بشأن مستقبله.
Gayle admitted that the constant travel does takes its toll and added, hinting at the resolution of his defamation case, that he was hoping for things to get easier for him personally
Liam Brickhill03-Dec-2018
Chris Gayle goes after the ball•MSL
Chris Gayle said it was “good to be back” in South Africa, having jetted back to the country and into Jozi Stars’ Mzansi Super League squad after missing the last five matches while he was away playing for Kerala Knights in the T10 League.Gayle was in Sharjah in October for the Afghanistan Premier League, and had played in Jozi Stars’ Mzansi Super League opener before leaving for the UAE. Yesterday he flew back from the T10 league, to a T20 tournament in another country, South Africa. Gayle admitted that the constant travel does takes its toll and added, hinting at the resolution of his defamation case, that he was hoping for things to get easier for him personally.”In the future, I’m looking forward to things being a bit more simpler for me, from a personal point of view,” Gayle said. “It’s not so easy, to be honest with you. Especially at this age as well. You jump on a flight, and then you jump on a cricket field. But in a way you manage yourself, and I have a great team that keeps the body ready to perform up to standard and I’ve been doing this for years.”You make the necessary adjustment as quickly as possible, and take it from there. It’s not a big issue. It’s not a big concern for me at this point in time to be honest.”Stars had lost the opener, but have since won three out of five games thanks to Reeza Hendricks’ back-to-back centuries, and are currently in third place on the points table. “I think the Jozi Stars are starting to peak at the right time. It’s good to have a win under our belt last night. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, up against the top guns. Hopefully we can continue the winning ways.””I’d love Hendricks to make it three in a row,” added Gayle. “That would be nice to see. Two centuries back to back is always good, and coming in in such good form as well. He knows the conditions well. I’m looking forward to opening the batting with him.”With his form, maybe he can actually take a bit of pressure off me. You guys keep mentioning my name, but it’s Hendricks you should be wary of. I’ll try and get a good start with him. Just enjoy the moment with him as well.”Stars coach Enoch Nkwe welcomed Gayle back to the squad. “He’s our international marquee player and a very important member of the squad,” said Nkwe. “We’re very happy to have him back. I know the dressing room is very excited. We’re looking forward to having him on the field.”
O Corinthians terá duas baixas importantes para a sua próxima partida pelo Campeonato Brasileiro: o zagueiro Gil e o volante Gabriel, suspensos, não enfrentarão o Sport, nesta quinta-feira (21), às 21h, pela 31ª rodada da competição, na Neo Química Arena.
A dupla corintiana foi punida praticamente no mesmo lance, na derrota por 4 a 0 para o Palmeiras, nesta segunda-feira (18), em jogo atrasado da 28ª rodada do Nacional, no Allianz Parque.
O lance que resultou nas punições iniciou aos 29 minutos do segundo tempo, quando a partida já estava 4 a 0 para o Alviverde. Primeiramente, Gil cometeu falta em Gabriel Menino, mas a situação evoluiu para um bom momento palmeirense, porém Danilo se enrolou com a bola, acabou perdendo a posse e cometeu falta de ataque em Gabriel, que perdeu a cabeça e deixou o braço no rosto do volante palestrino.
> Veja a classificação do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos
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Primeiramente, o árbitro gaúcho Jean Pierre Gonçalves Lima amarelou o defensor corintiano, que estava pendurado para o duelo contra o Leão da Ilha do Retiro. Após isso, foi ao monitor do VAR e, depois de checar, entendeu que a ação de Gabriel configurava agressão, expulsando o atleta, que também não encarará os pernambucanos.
A ausência dos dois jogadores contra o Sport impossibilitará o técnico Vagner Mancini de repetir a escalação pela terceira vez consecutiva neste Campeonato Brasileiro. O Dérbi foi a primeira ocasião onde o Corinthians teve os seus 11 iniciais repetidamente de um jogo para outro, já que iniciou o revés de goleada para o Palmeiras como começou o 5 a 0 feito diante do Fluminense, na última quarta-feira (13), pela 30ª rodada do Brasileirão, em Itaquera.
Liverpool, after securing a last-gasp victory over Fulham last time out, have maintained their Premier League title push in their first season fielding their rebuilt midfield. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have now all scored for the Reds, with two of the summer signings netting in the aforementioned 4-3 victory over Marco Silva's side. But as a busy festive period approaches, it wasn't all good news for the Reds at Anfield.
The worst thing that can happen as the title race intensifies is the pile of injuries. Yet recent news has dealt Jurgen Klopp a major blow when it comes to one particular Liverpool star, who could reportedly miss several months.
Liverpool injury news
Liverpool very nearly suffered in the absence of Alisson Becker, shipping three goals against Fulham, before mounting a late comeback courtesy of Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold. As much as Caoimhin Kelleher stepped up, there are not many goalkeepers in the world who can replicate what Alisson does for the Reds. Klopp was also without Diogo Jota in his side's most recent outing to hand him one less option in an otherwise fiery attacking force. In the end, however, it was another injury blow that stole the headlines.
According to Andy Hunter of The Guardian, Joel Matip is now set to be out for several months after suffering a knee ligament injury against Fulham. This means that the central defender may never play for Liverpool again, with his contract set to expire in the summer in what would be a devastating end to a fantastic era at Anfield. Speaking to the press about the injury, Klopp said:
jarell-quansah-joel-matip-liverpool-opinion
"It doesn’t look great’ … but we have to wait for the scans and the scan isn’t here yet. You can imagine it doesn’t look great. It is never good news [when a doctor says that immediately]. I’ve never had that in all my years where someone says: ‘Oh my God, it’s completely wrong and there’s nothing wrong, he can play tomorrow.’ It doesn’t happen.”
Liverpool's title chances dented without "outstanding" Matip
Matip's injury history at Liverpool makes for a frustrating read, but when he is fit, he is one of Klopp's most reliable players next to Virgil van Dijk. In the current campaign, the former Cameroon international has kept Ibrahima Konate out of the side and helped the Reds to rise in the Premier League once more, where they sit second and five points adrift of Arsenal with a game in hand on the Gunners.
Joel Matip
22/23
21/22
20/21
19/20
18/19
17/18
Games Missed Per Season
5
2
18
19
6
17
Klopp has been full of praise for Matip when he has been available, previously telling Liverpool's official website:
“I think it was the Burnley game [in December] when he played for the first time but it was not the Joel we had before he got injured, because when he got injured it was outstanding what he did, especially the Napoli game – where he got the injury. He played a really top-class game."
Arsenal are interested in signing a new striker in January, with a fresh report revealing that chiefs have set their sights on one overseas player in particular.
Arsenal's summer arrivals
The Gunners secured the services of four fresh faces during the previous transfer window in the form of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya, with the first three being on a permanent basis, while the latter joined on loan for the remainder of the season.
Despite having Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, Edu and Mikel Arteta will be aware that they could do with signing another senior centre-forward to increase their options in the final third, and it appears that they have already highlighted a potential candidate.
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With a month remaining in the transfer window, Arsenal are busy lining up their transfer targets.
ByHal Fish Jul 31, 2024
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko only put pen to paper over the summer from RB Salzburg, but having made an impressive start to life under Marco Rose at the Red Bull Arena, he’s already been attracting interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle in the Premier League.
The Slovenia international has also been the subject of internal talks at the Emirates Stadium where chiefs have been discussing whether to make a move for the 20-year-old in the coming weeks, and if the following update is to be believed, they seem to have reached a general consensus.
Edu keen on Benjamin Sesko
According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Arsenal are interested in Sesko ahead of January. The N7 outfit are believed to want to add to their attacking ranks and are looking at the talisman as a serious option. With the opportunity to move to the top-flight likely to be an attractive prospect, this could be a deal to keep a close eye on leading up to the start of next year.
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.
Sesko has been likened to Erling Haaland
Since the start of his career, Sesko has clocked up 85 involvements, 67 goals and 18 assists, in 155 appearances, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, but it’s not just his clinical finishing with the ball at his feet that makes him a useful option to have up top (Transfermarkt – Sesko statistics).
Standing at 6 foot 4, Radece’s native provides a real physical presence with his height and can therefore also be an ideal target man and threat in the air, meaning that he is a handful for an opposition’s defence to deal with.
Arteta’s target has even been recognised for his outstanding performances on an individual level having previously been named Austria’s Player of the Season and Slovenia’s Footballer of the Year, so the fact that he’s being acknowledged for his efforts represents just how much he brings to a side.
For all of the qualities that he possesses, Sesko has been dubbed the “Slovenian Erling Haaland” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so there’s no doubt that he could be a fantastic signing for Arsenal should he decide to move onto new pastures in January.