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Takumi Minamino is still waiting for his grand debut for Liverpool.

The Reds officially confirmed his transfer from RB Salzburg last month and their new player will soon don the kit of the champions of Europe and current Premier League leaders. He could even feature on Sunday when Liverpool face Everton in the FA Cup.

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But football journalist Dave O’Connell was wondering what might’ve been going through his head as he watched his new teammates play from the stands during the Anfield clash against Sheffield United on Thursday night, as Liverpool won 2-0 with an incredibly dominant performance.

Many responding Reds fans were quite creative in that department and have promptly come up with a variety of replies.

Some of them simply think Minamino is well aware of the fact that he has joined the greatest team in the world…

But that’s also a part of the problem – the greatest team in the world has some phenomenal players and Minamino could very well be thinking about how could he possibly get a spot in a starting XI already performing so well.

After all, Liverpool not only dispensed of a team that had previously lost just once on the road in the Premier League, but also did it with 74.8% possession, 19 shots to the visitors’ three and a Premier League record 874 passes completed.

Accordingly, some think Minamino will be hoping he can be good enough to play at Liverpool’s standard, maybe even wondering what exactly Jurgen Klopp wants from him in the first place when he already has such a dominant side at his disposal.

Of course, that’s the trickier part of the equation but there’s also the shiny side, quite literally.

Much harder than you’d think… Can you name Liverpool’s top scorers for each of these 25 seasons?

Since Liverpool are currently firing on all cylinders in the Premier League with just two points dropped so far this season – and are also through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League – it seems that many fans are hugely optimistic about the future and believe Minamino might be thinking about all the medals he could win now that he’s one of the Reds.

Elsewhere, one of Liverpool’s players has been labelled as the most underrated player in the history of the Premier League…

After a dreadful start to the season, Newcastle United made it three Premier League wins on the bounce on Monday following their 2-1 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Magpies now sit on 12 points in 13th place and undoubtedly have both the manager and players to climb further up the table in the coming weeks.

And one player in particular who could bring even more smiles to the faces of Newcastle supporters is Kenedy.

After a success loan spell at St. James’ Park during the second half of last season, £9m-rated (via Transfermarkt) Kenedy rejoined the Tyneside club back in the summer from Chelsea for the campaign in a deal Rafael Benitez was desperate to see happen.

The Brazilian, however, has yet to produce much considering all of his talent with just a sole goal accompanied with some very sub-par performances to his name.

At just 22 years of age, though, some inconsistency is expected, while Newcastle’s poor form as a whole earlier in the campaign did not do him any favours.

With the team now playing much better, however, and with the ability he possesses, Kenedy will only get better as the season progresses — which would obviously bode well for Newcastle.

The Chelsea loanee’s skill when it comes to beating a defender is world-class at times. If he can start to play the right ball after that, he could end up giving Newcastle so much more when going forward.

And under a coach like Benitez, there is no reason why Kenedy cannot develop into a winger capable of doing such on a regular basis.

The Daily Mirror recently reported that Aston Villa were keen on signing free-agent Robert Huth after missing out on former centre-back John Terry, who looks set to sign for Spartak Moscow.

Huth left Leicester this summer after spending three years at the club where he won his third Premier League title, adding to the two that he won over 10 years previously while at Chelsea, and Villa fans were clearly keen to see the former Germany international come to Villa Park.

Boss Steve Bruce made seven signings during the summer transfer window but failed to bring in a centre-back and even sanctioned the loan of Tommy Elphick to Hull, leaving just James Chester and Manchester United loanee Axel Tuanzebe as the only recognised central defenders in the squad.

Bruce has recently been playing Tuanzebe at right-back and has stuck with defensive midfielder Mile Jedinak partnering Chester at the back, but the Villians have conceded 11 goals in just six league games and must make defensive additions.

A whopping 83 per cent of Villa fans that voted in our poll would back a move for Huth on a free transfer. Check out the full results below.

These are exciting times for Tottenham Hotspur as they aim to match their rising status in Premier League football with a new state-of-the-art stadium.

Construction on the club’s new home is expected to be finalised in time for the 2018-19 season.

Tottenham have been keeping fans regularly updated on the progress of the ground, but the recent images did not welcome positive responses from the entire fanbase.

At the moment, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are struggling on the pitch and have not won a league game in their last three attempts.

The negativity began in the North London derby, when Spurs were beaten 2-0 by arch rivals Arsenal at the Emirates.

The team could only muster a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion in the following game, and on Tuesday they were beaten 2-1 by Leicester City.

After the round of midweek fixtures, Tottenham have dropped to seventh in the table and are now 16 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.

The remainder of the so-called ‘top six’, including City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all reside above Spurs at the moment.

Due to their current run of bad form, some fans were not overly excited by the stadium photos.

Chelsea supporters are on a high after sealing the Premier League title last Friday with a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, so it is no shock that they are looking down on their rivals.

On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur, whose title campaign crumbled when they were beaten by West Ham United, had their own celebrations but for a very different reason.

The North London club waved goodbye to their home of 118 years, White Hart Lane, after the team earned a 2-1 triumph over Manchester United.

After the final whistle, fans invaded the pitch to celebrate, while the club welcomed numerous former players onto the field for a farewell ceremony.

It was a big moment in Tottenham’s history, but Chelsea fans took the opportunity to mock their London rivals, with some drawing on the flag-waving antics..,

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have now fallen at the final hurdle two years in a row.

Last season, they handed the crown to Leicester City with two games left to play following a 2-2 draw with Chelsea.

Celtic are looking good for another title this season, even if it is only October.

The Bhoys are four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a game in hand over their nearest rivals and are unbeaten, having won six of their seven games.

After an embarrassing competitive start under Brendan Rodgers with a 1-0 loss to Gibraltar side Lincoln Red Imps, the club overcame it to reach the Champions League group stages and, despite a hammering by Barcelona, they are looking in pretty good shape this season.

They have an exciting squad that showed they can compete with the likes Manchester City and transfermarkt.co.uk certainly backs this up with their valuations of the Bhoys players.

Here are the top ten according to the website…

10. Efe Ambrose – £2.13m

The Nigerian international splits opinion in the Celtic fan base. To some he is a really strong presence in midfield that isn’t scared to battle whilst others see him as too limited to play for the club. He seems to be struggling for starts under Brendan Rodgers so his time may be coming to an end in Glasgow.

9. Erik Sviatchenko – £2.13m

Sviatchenko is a dominant force at the back and looks to be forging a decent partnership with veteran Kolo Toure at the back this season. Very few strikers get the better of him in the Scottish top flight and that is why he makes this top ten list.

8. Moussa Dembele – £2.55m

The only surprise here is that Dembele isn’t higher on the list after his start to the season. A hat-trick against Rangers and a brace against Manchester City have endeared him instantly to the Bhoys fans and the fact they signed him on a free from Fulham makes things all the more sweeter.

7. Jozo Simunovic – £2.55m

The young Croatian doesn’t seem to be figuring in Brendan Rodgers’ plans right now but his potential is what ensures he is in this list. With a run of games he could be a real star for a team but whether or not that is in fact at Celtic remains to be seen.

6. Emilio Izaguirre – £2.55m

The defender has made very few appearances this season and must be considering his future right now. Although the two games he’s played in have both seen Celtic keep clean sheets, they have not come in the league and it looks as though he’s not going to get ahead of Kolo Toure and Erik Sviatchenko for a while.

5. Kris Commons – £2.55m

The former Nottingham Forest player is yet to feature this season but his value hasn’t taken too much of a hit because of it. A good player on his day, Commons is coming to the end of his career and may decide to see out the remainder of it somewhere else.

4. Mikael Lustig – £2.98m

Lustig has been a key player for Celtic this season and Brendan Rodgers clearly likes him. The right-back is one of the senior figures in the squad now at the age of 29 and knows what it means to represent the club at the highest level. His high placing on this list does justice to how good he can be.

3. Scott Sinclair – £2.98m

Sinclair has made a good impression at the club so far this season after his £3.49 million move in the summer from Aston Villa. He’s shown some of the form that made him such an exciting prospect at Swansea and that could be down to linking up with Brendan Rodgers again.

2. Scott Brown – £3.83m

The captain leads by example for Celtic and  epitomises everything about the Glasgow club. You’re guaranteed effort with him and when he’s on form he gives Celtic some great bite and drive in midfield.

He kept Joey Barton famously quiet in the Old Firm and just got on with his business as usual.

1. Patrick Roberts – £4.25m

The man on loan from Manchester City is a very exciting prospect and rightly deserves to be at the top of this list.

The 19-year-old can play down the left or mainly down the right whilst he also offers the option to play through the middle and wherever he ends up after this season, he’s surely going to be a continued hit.

The Polish striker only managed one shot as the Blaugrana were made to wait to secure qualification for the knockout rounds

Robert Lewandowski failed to score for the sixth straight game, and Barcelona seldom carved out any clear chances in a shock 1-0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Poland striker, Barca's most obvious attacking threat, was rendered anonymous by a dogged defence, as his side saw their hopes of getting out of their group delayed.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was forced into a save early, denying a driven effort at his near post. He could do little about the game's next big chance, though, as. Shakhtar worked the ball down the right, before Giorgi Gocholeishvili whipped a ball into the area for Danylo Sikan. His finish was a wonderful one, the big striker falling away from goal yet still managing to divert a looping header into the far corner.

Barca created little else at the start of the second half, and could have easily conceded more, had Ter Stegen not provided two more handy stops.

And Blaugrana frustrations only multiplied throughout the half. Shakhtar dropped deep, happy to sit on a 1-0 lead — a decision that proved prudent as Xavi's side repeatedly failed to find space in a crowded final third. Lewandowski, the theoretical answer to such woes, barely had a kick as Barca failed to find a groove in a shock defeat.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Volksparkstadion in Hamburg…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (7/10):

Made a good save early on. Could do nothing about the goal. A few more stops in the second half kept his team in it.

Joao Cancelo (5/10):

Did the whole inverted full-back thing effectively, but didn't always have the killer ball in him. He's slowed down after a promising start.

Ronald Araujo (8/10):

Gargantuan at the back. Always up for a tackle and calm on the ball. Barca would have conceded a couple more without him. One of the best in the world at his position.

Andreas Christensen (5/10):

Given real problems by Sikan, losing track of him on the goal. A few knocks have seen him fail to reach the heights of last season.

Marcos Alonso (5/10):

Nowhere to be found when Shakhtar broke for Sikan's opener. Removed after an hour following a miserable showing.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Oriol Romeu (4/10):

Back in the side after a duo of poor performances. Didn't offer much on either side of the ball, lacking in legs when Barca were hit on the break, and immobile in attack.

Ilkay Gundogan (7/10):

Certainly Barca's best midfielder on the night, full of energy and quality. Some of his driving runs were a delight to watch.

Gavi (6/10):

A mixed showing. His work rate can't be questioned, but he lacked quality on the ball. Much better when playing alongside the now-fit Pedri.

Getty ImagesAttack

Raphinha (4/10):

Got into good areas, looked dangerous on the ball, but was lacking in key moments. Yamal was far more effective in his position.

Robert Lewandowski (4/10):

Failed to get involved and often dropped back into his own half to get some touches in. Pretty much anonymous in key areas. Looks frustrated, at the moment.

Ferran Torres (5/10):

Preferred to Felix. Afforded a few half chances, and squandered all of them. He's better used as an impact substitute, it seems.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Pedri (6/10):

On the ball regularly, but couldn't break down a fearsome Shakhtar low block. Yet to find a groove after his injury lay-off.

Joao Felix (5/10):

Doubled up pretty much every time he touched the ball, and didn't have room to offer his usual creativity.

Alejandro Balde (5/10):

His recovery pace was vital as Barca pushed men forward in search of a goal. Didn't provide much in the final third, though.

Lamine Yamal (6/10):

Offered a real spark off the bench with his dribbling ability.

Fermin Lopez (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Xavi (4/10):

Made some key alterations, dropping Felix and Balde, while also leaving Pedri out. His changes didn't work. Barca were poor throughout, and had very few ideas against a low block. Could the ghosts of Champions Leagues past be back?!

MatériaMais Notícias

Enquanto as férias são um período não apenas aguardado como extremamente necessário para os atletas, o excessivo tempo ocioso que esses profissionais passaram a ter nas últimas semanas por conta da pandemia de coronavírus tornou-se uma lacuna relevante a ser preenchida. Focado em aproveitar as horas de sobra produtivamente, o volante Auremir, do Cuiabá, optou por fazer cursos online de gestão e marketing esportivo.

– Resolvi utilizar essa paralisação da melhor maneira possível. Ainda jogarei por muitos anos, mas não defini o que farei quando deixar os campos. Não descarto seguir no mundo do futebol e caso isso ocorra, estar preparado será fundamental. Já concluí o primeiro módulo e estou iniciando o segundo. É um investimento no meu futuro – explicou o jogador.

São inúmeros os casos de atletas que ao se aposentarem acabam por se sentir sem um norte profissional. Paulo Roberto Falcão afirmou que o jogador de futebol é o único tipo de pessoa que morre duas vezes, ao pendurar as chuteiras e quando falece de fato. Auremir reforça a importância de não se deixar de lado o desenvolvimento intelectual mesmo durante a carreira.

– Conhecimento nunca é demais. A nossa profissão tem esse aspecto limitador, você não tem possibilidades de fazer uma faculdade simultaneamente. Porém, sempre há opções viáveis para se informar, especialmente no mundo digital em que vivemos – finalizou.

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Gracing the grandest stage in football should be considered the pinnacle of a playing career, but for many that global dream has become a disaster

Getty ImagesDavid Beckham

A first outing at a major international tournament for the poster boy of English football ended in red card shame following an ill-advised flick of his right foot into the legs of Diego Simeone. Redemption would be achieved by the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend in the years which followed, but only after ‘Golden Balls’ had become the subject of burning effigies and terrace taunts at just about every stadium away from Old Trafford.

AdvertisementZinedine Zidane

A hero on home soil in 1998, one of the all-time greats endured a rather chequered World Cup history from that point. Four years on from his two-goal final heroics, Zidane saw injury restrict him to just one outing in a humbling group stage exit for the holders. It was, however, in 2006 that he would endure the most galling of World Cup moments, with the sight of him headbutting Marco Materazzi one which will live long in the memory for all of the wrong reasons.

Gonzalo Higuain

Without doubt one of the most fearsome frontmen in European football, with his pedigree having been proved at the likes of Real Madrid, Napoli and Juventus. Higuain does, however, have a tendency to fluff his lines when it matters most for Argentina. Missed a penalty in the 2015 Copa America final and squandered a glorious chance in a 2016 repeat with Chile. He had previous by then, with his inability to convert any of the chances which came his way in the 2014 World Cup final costing Argentina dear.

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Getty ImagesDavid Luiz

The flamboyant Brazilian has never been renowned for his defensive prowess, with the Samba flair running through his veins ensuring that he is never too far away from a rush of blood which leads to him making questionable decisions. Forced to prove that he could be relied upon to keep the back door bolted for Brazil at a home finals in 2014, Luiz was left hopelessly exposed without Thiago Silva to carry him in a 7-1 semi-final mauling by Germany.

The ICC match referee Andy Pycroft has reportedly told the Oman team management that the other teams playing the first round of the World T20 in Dharamsala had agreed not to mankad batsmen

Sidharth Monga in Dharamsala08-Mar-2016The ICC match referee Andy Pycroft has reportedly told the Oman team management that the other teams playing the first round of the World T20 in Dharamsala had agreed not to mankad batsmen. Oman, however, stuck to their stance of wanting to mankad, only budging to agree to give the batsman a warning.Mankading – the run-out of a non-striker backing up before the ball is delivered – has become more common in a highly competitive environment and is a hotly debated subject because it is considered not to be within the spirit of the game, though it is a legal form of dismissal.In fact, ESPNcricinfo has learned that before the Asia Cup qualifying round, the Asian Cricket Council met with the four Associate teams and instructed them not to mankad. Oman’s Aamir Kaleem, however, mankaded Hong Kong’s Mark Chapman in the tournament. That dismissal came shortly after West Indies Under-19 bowler Keemo Paul had mankaded the last Zimbabwe wicket to win a knockout match in the World Cup in Bangladesh.The view of the other teams in Dharamsala regarding mankading – as conveyed by Pycroft to Oman – rung true during Ireland pre-match press conference. When asked if they had discussed Oman’s stance on the mankad, Ireland captain William Porterfielsd made it clear that it was not how he wanted to play cricket.”That is not something that we will be doing,” Porterfield said. “That is not something I necessarily agree with. To each their own, I guess. If they feel it is a genuine way of taking a wicket, it is up to them, how they want to play the game. It is not for me [to judge them]. We will make sure we stand the ground. We have just got to accept that is the way they will go about it, if they do about it that way.”Sultan Ahmed, the Oman captain, said he did not see why a bowler should not run out a batsman who is taking unfair advantage. “If they don’t want us to mankad, why is it in the rules then?” he asked. “We saw in the under-19 World Cup that West Indies manakded, and went on to win the cup.”When asked what he made of the debate around the spirit of cricket, Ahmed asked the batsmen to follow the spirit too. “It is not us who are in breach of the spirit,” he said. “It is the batsmen who is violating the spirit by stealing yards even before the bowler has bowled. It is almost cheating.”It is interesting that the ICC felt it necessary to bring up mankading on the eve of the World Twenty20. One of the match referee’s jobs is to anticipate and tackle trouble before it occurs, but what exactly is the trouble in this case is ambiguous. As the game gets increasingly professional and the stakes higher, especially for these teams: only one out of four goes through to the main draw, it is time the ICC formalised its view as opposed to holding unofficial meetings before the start of a tournament.