Barcelona fans cannot attend their side's Champions League game at Red Star Belgrade after being charged for the "racist behaviour of its supporters".
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Leeds United face one of their biggest matches of the season so far as they prepare to travel away to play Norwich City at Carrow Road on Sunday.
The Whites come up against David Wagner's side in Norfolk in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals before welcoming them to Elland Road next Thursday.
Daniel Farke's men come into this double header in poor form after they missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League, finishing third in the Championship after four losses in their last six games.
They were beaten 2-1 by Southampton, who they could potentially face at Wembley in the final of the play-offs, at Elland Road on the final day of the league season last weekend.
The German head coach may now look to make changes to his starting XI from that game to give his side the best possible chance of securing a first leg victory against his former side.
Illan Meslier
Farke has backed Illan Meslier throughout the season, starting him in 44 of the 46 league matches, and it seems unlikely that he will now decide to switch him out for Karl Darlow.
The French goalkeeper has conceded 4.49 more goals than expected based on the xG (Expected Goals) against him, which suggests that he has let his team down with weak shot-stopping this term.
Connor Roberts
The first change to the starting XI could come at right-back as Burnley loanee Connor Roberts could slot into the back four in place of Sam Byram.
LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross claimed that he could wake the team up by starting on Sunday, as he "loves a scrap" and "cracks skulls" on the pitch.
He could inject the team with some fresh determination and drive to get the job done against the Canaries, whilst Byram could drop to the bench to offer depth at left-back and right-back.
Joe Rodon
Joe Rodon should keep his place at the heart of the defence and could have a good battle with Norwich centre-forward Josh Sargent, who has been in lethal form this season.
The USA international has plundered 16 goals in 24 Championship starts this term and the Welsh colossus could relish having a fight with the striker this weekend.
Ethan Ampadu
Alongside Rodon, Ethan Ampadu should continue on the left side of the defensive pairing as he continues to fill in away from his natural defensive midfield role.
Pascal Struijk has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a groin injury and this has left Ampadu as the main partner for his compatriot at the back.
Junior Firpo
Junior Firpo is the club's only left-footed option at left-back and should keep his place to offer a natural balance down the left flank, as he can open out onto his favoured foot.
The former Barcelona full-back could be up against the likes of Jonathan Rowe and Jack Stacey down Norwich's right-hand side, and will need to be switched on to avoid being caught too high up the pitch when the Canaries wide men bomb on.
Archie Gray
The second alternation to the starting XI could come in the middle of the park as Farke could ruthlessly drop Ilia Gruev from the team to unleash Archie Gray from the start.
FFC published an article after the 2-1 defeat to Southampton urging the manager to move the Bulgaria international to the bench due to his recent poor form.
Gruev has lost nine of his ten ground duels in his last two appearances and Gray, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has "phenomenal" stamina, could be brought in to take his place in midfield for this clash in Norfolk.
Glen Kamara
Alongside the England U21 international, Glen Kamara could retain his position at the base of the midfield to provide a metronomic presence.
The Finnish maestro has completed 93% of his attempted passes in the Championship so far this season, which shows how efficient he is with the ball at his feet.
Wilfried Gnonto
On the right side of the attack, Wilfried Gnonto should keep his place and will hope to provide strength, pace, and attacking thrust down the flank.
It has been reported that Dan James may be fit enough to feature but will not be able to play the full 90, which could make him an ideal super substitute at this point, leaving the Italian whiz as the starter.
Joel Piroe
In the number ten role, Farke must ruthlessly drop Georginio Rutter from the starting XI and move Joel Piroe back into a deeper role, which he played in the first half of the campaign.
Rutter has failed to register a single goal or assist in his last eight league matches for Leeds and dropping him for this clash could motivate him to return to his best at Elland Road for the second leg.
Crysencio Summerville
There is little to no doubt that Crysencio Summerville will start on the left of the attack if he is fit enough to feature, given his sensational form this season.
The Dutch wizard has racked up 19 goals, nine assists, and 17 'big chances' created in 41 Championship starts for the Yorkshire-based outfit, which shows that he can make a big impact as both as scorer and a creator of goals.
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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has revealed that new summer signing Manuel Ugarte is ready to make his Red Devils debut this weekend.
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A significant update has emerged regarding Manchester United's interest in Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, courtesy of journalist Pete O'Rourke.
The Red Devils clearly need to make a lot of signings once the summer transfer window arrives, with additions needed all over the pitch. Erik ten Hag's side have been consistently unconvincing all season long and only new faces will help them become more of a force moving forward.
One player who has emerged as a primary transfer option for United is Branthwaite, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe pushing to sign the "top target" in a potential £80m move.
The Englishman has enjoyed such an impressive season in an Everton shirt, standing out for a struggling side, not to mention scoring the opening goal in his side's 2-0 win over Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday night, making himself even more of a Goodison hero.
Branthwaite has been excellent all season long, however, starting 31 of the Blues' league games, averaging 4.5 clearances and 2.7 aerial duel wins per game. The 21-year-old has put himself in contention to make England's Euro 2024 squad this summer and a move to United could only see his reputation grow more in the coming years.
Now, a significant update has now dropped regarding the Red Devils' summer move for the Everton man, in what acts as a big boost for Ratcliffe and everyone associated with the club.
According to Football Insider's O'Rourke, Manchester United are now confident of completing the signing of Branthwaite before Everton's next financial deadline of June 30, for a fee between £60m-70m.
Branthwaite is exactly the kind of profile that United need to be looking at this summer, considering he is a young player who is already a key starter for a Premier League side, and should only get better with age.
|
Jarrad Branthwaite's Premier League stats this season |
Total |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
31 |
|
Starts |
31 |
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Clearances per game |
4.5 |
|
Aerial duel wins per game |
2.7 |
|
Tackles per game |
1.9 |
The England international hasn't looked remotely out of place alongside the far more experienced James Tarkowski this season, and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has lauded him: "Branthwaite has been outstanding. I think this lad is pretty special. He's a big part of why Everton in my eyes have a good chance of staying up, him and his partnership with [James] Tarkowski."
That further outlines what a talent Branthwaite is, and it could be that Ratcliffe sees him as the perfect long-term option alongside Lisandro Martinez at the heart of United's defence.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers are now winless across their previous six matches, failing to secure victory in a Premier League game since 9 March against Fulham.
This run of form has derailed their chances of securing a top-half finish in the Premier League, yet it shouldn’t detract from how solid a job Gary O’Neil has done in his maiden year at Molineux.
Recent weeks have seen the Old Gold hit with various injuries which have caused plenty of disruption. O’Neil was missing Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan for a while there before both returned to action. Craig Dawson is another key player who could miss the rest of the campaign, having shone at the heart of the defence.
It is perhaps the injury suffered by Pedro Neto which could prove to be the most detrimental to where they eventually end up in the top flight, especially as he was impressive during long spells this season.
The 2022/23 campaign was one to forget for the former Lazio winger. In October, he suffered a serious ankle injury which not only kept him out for 20 matches but also the 2022 World Cup, as he had a decent chance of securing a place in the Portugal squad for the tournament.
This meant he played just 21 matches, scoring only once in the process, and it looked like a solid pre-season was vital if he was to fulfil his potential.
|
Neto – 2023/24 Premier League |
|
|---|---|
|
Goals |
2 |
|
Assists |
9 |
|
Big chances created |
7 |
|
Key passes per game |
2 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.9 |
|
Via Sofascore |
|
It clearly worked, as during the first ten matches of the Premier League, Neto registered seven assists while finding the back of the net once as the Old Gold enjoyed a decent enough start to life under O’Neil.
He did miss nine games through a hamstring injury but returned to score once and grab two assists in the next nine games, with all these goal contributions coming against Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
The winger was subbed off at half-time against Newcastle last month with a hamstring injury and hasn’t featured since, with his season potentially over.
It is perhaps no coincidence that Wolves have failed to win since then, missing Neto’s creativity and the volume of chances he creates for others.
Indeed, among his teammates, the Portuguese gem currently ranks first for assists (nine) in the Premier League, while also ranking second for shots per game (1.8), third for big chances created (seven) and first for key passes per match (2), showcasing his skills to wonderful effect.
Although Neto has been impressive, injuries have had a catastrophic impact on his market which now stands at just £18.5m, as per Football Transfers. That said, once back fit again that valuation should increase astronomically in the coming months.
O’Neil could certainly cash in on the winger during the summer and make a wonderful profit, however which could bolster his playing squad.
Despite this decent valuation, Wolves sold a player back in 2001 for a fee which, adjusted for inflation, is currently nearly £10m more than what Neto is worth at the time of writing; Robbie Keane.
The Irishman began his senior career at Wolves, going on to score 25 goals in 77 matches for the Midlands side between 1997 and 1999, emerging as one of their finest talents in the process.
It was clear the striker had a wonderful future ahead of him, but they didn’t expect Coventry to table an offer of £8.1m to secure his signature during the summer of 1999.
This was a decent transfer fee in the late 1990s, never mind today, for a young player who had yet to experience the Premier League, but it appeared as though Wolves struck gold by selling Keane.
In 2024 – with Totally Money adjusted for inflation over the years – the £8.1m transfer fee that Wolves received from the Sky Blues in 1999 would now be worth a staggering £27.9m.
This fee is just under £10m more than what Neto is currently valued at in 2024. Considering his impact for the Molineux outfit this term, it proves that the club were doing excellent business in the transfer market 25 years ago.
His spell at the Sky Blues lasted just a single season before the glitz and glamour of Milan came calling. Inter Milan signed him ahead of the 2000/01 campaign, but he scored only three goals for the club before returning to England, this time signing for Leeds United.
This spell saw him mature as a player, netting 18 goals in 18 months before Spurs came calling, and it would become a move which turned him from a talented hitman into a Premier League icon.
Indeed, following a nine-year spell at the north Londoners, plus a couple of seasons with West Ham United and Aston Villa, Keane moved to the MLS. In the Premier League, the striker had scored 126 goals during his career, which is good enough to rank him 17th among the all-time scorers since its inception in 1992.
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Of course, if Wolves knew how good he was going to turn out, it's likely they might have kept Keane in the summer of 1999 rather than moving him on.
At the time, however, it was a decent deal on paper for a youngster who could either sink or swim in the bright lights of the Premier League.
Across his full career, the Irishman found the back of the net 320 times at club level, while also netting 68 goals in 146 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, which included three goals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Keane had a tremendous career, but at the time, selling him for £8.1m surely would have constituted good transfer business for a club who were looking to get out of the first division and return to the top flight.
The fact that his value in 1999 was more than Neto’s in 2024 just showcases how good the former Wolves frontman really was.
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Liverpool turn their attention back to the Premier League this weekend as they travel away from Anfield to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The Reds have the chance to move level on points with Arsenal at the top of the division, although they would need a big ten-goal swing in goal difference to go ahead of them, if they pick up all three points against Marco Silva's side.
Jurgen Klopp's men, despite winning the second leg 1-0, were knocked out of the Europa League by Serie A side Atalanta on Thursday night, and must quickly move on from that disappointment to bounce back in the Premier League.
Liverpool have also failed to win in their last two domestic outings, with a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace and a 2-2 draw with Manchester United, which is why it is so important that they return to winning ways today.
Klopp may look to make some changes to the starting XI that lined up against Atalanta last time out. With this in mind, the boss must unleash Diogo Jota over Cody Gakpo.
The Netherlands international was selected to lead the line, with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah either side of him, but he failed to register a single effort on goal.
He has only scored one goal, which came in a 3-1 win over Sheffield United, in his last seven matches for the club in all competitions, which speaks to his lack of goal threat.
The 24-year-old forward, who was signed from PSV in January of last year, has scored 21 goals in 74 appearances for Liverpool so far, but has only managed six strikes in 30 games in the Premier League this term.
|
23/24 Premier League |
Cody Gakpo |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
30 |
|
xG |
6.33 |
|
Goals |
6 |
|
Big chances missed |
5 |
|
xA |
1.6 |
|
Assists |
3 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, Gakpo is almost underperforming his xG and has been helped out by his teammates, who have scored three goals from 1.6 xA created by the former PSV star.
Quite simply, the right-footed attacker has not provided a consistent threat in the final third as either a scorer or creator of goals, whether that is down the left as a winger or through the middle as a centre-forward, in the Premier League.
The Dutch gem has not done enough to prove that he deserves to be a regular starter for the Reds through the middle of the pitch, and that is why the manager should drop him down to the bench for this clash with Fulham.
Jota must now be unleashed in his place as the Portugal international has the finishing quality to put Fulham to the sword this afternoon.
In fact, former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher claimed in January that the forward is "clinical" in the final third and a better finisher than Salah, as well as legends Luis Suarez and Robbie Fowler.
The Egypt international's finishing has not been at the peak of his powers in the Premier League for the Reds so far this season, with some wasteful displays from the attacker.
Over his last four league appearances for Liverpool, Salah has had an astonishing 23 shots on goal and scored one from open play and one from the penalty spot.
The experienced star has scored 17 goals from 26 matches in the top-flight, which is a solid return, but it has come from an Expected Goals (xG) of 18.27.
Salah has missed 13 'big chances' in the division and his xG underpeformance suggests that the attacker should have more goals than he has.
|
22/23 Premier League |
Mo Salah |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
38 |
|
xG |
21.68 |
|
Goals |
19 |
|
Big chances created |
15 |
|
Assists |
12 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old whiz also underperformed his xG in the Premier League last season, with 19 goals from an expected tally of between 21 and 22.
These statistics show that Salah's finishing has not been impressively efficient in the league over the last two campaigns, as he has missed 30 'big chances' and scored 36 goals from an xG of 39.95.
Jota, on the other hand, has been ruthless in front of goal for Liverpool and Klopp must unleash his lethal finisher from the start ahead of Gakpo this afternoon.
The Portuguese ace scored seven goals from an xG of 6.5 in 22 appearances and 12 starts in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign.
He made the most of the opportunities that his teammates created for him in front of goal throughout the season, and that has been the case once again this term.
|
23/24 Europa League |
Diogo Jota |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
5 |
|
Starts |
2 |
|
xG |
2.08 |
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Big chances created |
2 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, Jota has been efficient in the Europa League this season, with three goals from 2.08 xG in five outings before the Reds were knocked out of the competition on Thursday night against Atalanta.
His finishing in the Premier League has been even more impressive. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star has fired in nine goals from an xG of 4.91 in just 13 starts, and 20 appearances in total.
Jota, who has also recorded four assists in that time, has two goals and one assist in his last four Premier League starts for Liverpool, and must be brought back into the XI.
His exceptional finishing quality, with 16 goals from 11.41 xG in the league since the start of last season, backs up Carragher's comment on him being a better finisher than Salah, who has been wasteful during the same period.
The Portugal international has proven that he has the ability to be ruthless and effective in front of goal when his teammates create high-quality chances for him, which is something Gakpo is yet to prove.
Therefore, the £140k-per-week star should be selected to lead the line for the Reds against Fulham this afternoon, as his statistics suggest that he is Klopp's best choice to fire his team to the win against the Cottagers.
Alan Brazil has described an off-field update coming out of Leeds United as “incredible” and questioned how it has managed to happen.
On the pitch, the Whites, under Daniel Farke, are pushing for one of two automatic promotion spots in the Championship alongside Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton.
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It promises to be a dramatic run-in, and news recently coming out of Elland Road has highlighted how important promotion back to the Premier League promises to be.
Leeds released their 2022/23 financial accounts, with reporter Joe Donnohue sharing the main takeaways, with the overall loss before tax standing at £33.7m.
Another eye-catching point from the figures is that the club currently owe £190m to clubs in unpaid transfer fees, relating to players Leeds purchased when they were in the Premier League.
Finance expert Kieran Maguire was speaking to talkSPORT, relayed by MOT Leeds News, regarding the numbers coming out of Elland Road and if Leeds could be in trouble further down the line.
Specifically, in regards to the £190m in unpaid transfer fees, Maguire said former owner Andrea Radrizzani was using ‘the Leeds United credit card’.
“Well, possibly [Leeds could be in trouble], and the reason for that is that, under Jesse Marsch, Leeds spent a fortune on players last season. They bought players for £170m and Leeds fans were saying, ‘Well, that’s great, but we thought the owner was looking for a way out, so where’s he getting the money from?’
“It turns out [former chairman Andrea Radrizzani] has effectively used the Leeds United credit card. So Leeds now owe other clubs £190m in unpaid transfer fees. How are they going to do that in the Championship?”
Presenter Brazil couldn’t believe what he was hearing, saying in response: “That is unbelievable! How has that just come out? That is incredible.”
To make matters worse at Elland Road, it has also emerged that Leeds have withdrawn their appeal against FIFA’s award of £24.5m in compensation to Jean-Kevin Augustin, so you’d expect we’ll be seeing these figures in future accounts.
The figures also show what a good job Leeds, now under new owners the 49rs Enterprises, are doing with the club appearing to be on the right side of PSR at this moment in time.