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Arsenal came into their Champions League clash with Monaco on Wednesday evening amidst some injury chaos that had engulfed the squad.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that the likes of Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber had all missed training.

Gabriel and Calafiori have missed the last three matches now, ultimately sitting out of the 3-0 win against the Ligue 1 outfit in midweek too.

That being said, Partey and Timber were both in the squad, although only one of them started; a certain Mr Partey.

The Ghanaian has been used as a makeshift right-back at times this season to cover for injured players while Timber has had to do so on the opposite side at left-back.

It’s rather remarkable that even has to be done. This Arsenal side has huge depth at full-back but not many of them can stay fit. Presently, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White both find themselves on the sidelines too.

As a result, it allowed 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly to start on Wednesday and boy did he do well.

Myles Lewis-Skelly's first Champions League start

What a performance this was from the teenager. Handed a first Champions League start by Mikel Arteta, the young Englishman took to the field at the Emirates Stadium as an inverted left-back.

He has played there before this term, notably coming off the bench in games against Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League, as well as PSG and Shakhtar Donestk.

The fact he was trusted against some of the biggest clubs across the continent speaks volumes of how highly the coaching staff rate the Hale End gem.

Speaking at full-time, Arteta waxed lyrical over the academy graduate and was in awe of the quality of performance he’d just seen from someone with just six senior appearances to their name.

That praise, however, was justified, even if he did only last just over an hour on a cold north London night. He left the field having played a pivotal part, though.

Minutes played

64

Touches

53

Accurate passes

45/47 (96%)

Key passes

0

Tackles

1

Ground duels won

4/5

Possession lost

2x

Dribble success

2/2

The teen’s best moment came in the build-up to the opening goal of the match. Lewis-Skelly was fed the ball in midfield and he was hounded quickly by a Monaco player.

Rather than getting flustered and panicking, he evaded the press in beautiful fashion before playing a pass with surgical precision into Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian was guilty of missing two gilt-edged opportunities before this but made amends on this occasion, sweeping the ball into Bukayo Saka who scored the first of his two goals on the night.

A host of Arsenal players immediately rushed towards Lewis-Skelly for his genius piece of play and rightfully so.

After this performance, Arteta will no doubt have been given a healthy selection dilemma. As we’ve seen with fellow teenager Ethan Nwaneri, these Hale End stars are almost showing that they’re too good to miss out.

Injuries dependant, we could well see Lewis-Skelly back in that inverted role against Everton on Saturday but that doesn’t particularly bode well for a couple of players.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Lewis-Skelly's emergence is bad news for £25m Arsenal man

Having been selected at left-back against Man United a week ago, Zinchenko was primed for another start against Fulham and Monaco but didn’t make the squads due to injury.

We knew the Ukranian was unlikely to be fit over 24 hours before this match which sparked a debate, would the lesser-spotted Kieran Tierney play?

Arteta hinted he could well get minutes in his pre-match press conference, saying that he’d earned an opportunity.

Sadly for the Scot, he didn’t see a single minute of action against Monaco and was left to rue a night where he would have featured for the first time in 16 months in Arsenal colours.

Tierney spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad and then picked up an injury during Euro 2024 when he was in action for Scotland.

Since then it’s been a case of rehab for the £25m signing and he’s appeared in a few squads since returning to the grass for full training at London Colney.

Signed for

£25m

Games

124

Goals

5

Assists

13

That said, you do now have to question the defender’s future at the club even more. This looked like a time for the former Celtic man to revive his career in London but in spite of several defensive injuries, it was an 18-year-old who was picked ahead of him.

Now, had the night gone awfully for Lewis-Skelly then Tierney’s worries over game time may not be so big. Unfortunately for him, the teenager had a mighty fine night that has bumped the Scotland international even further down the pecking order at left-back.

To put it simply, it would be a surprise if we ever saw the 27-year-old play another minute for Arsenal.

It’s a sad eventuality, it really is. 124 appearances have fallen his way since moving from north of the border. So good were his displays throughout most of that time that he was described as the Gunners’ “future captain” by his fellow Scot and pundit, Ally McCoist.

Alas, that dream will never become a reality. In January, an exit surely looms for Tierney.

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أرسل اتحاد الكرة، خطابًا إلى أندية الدوري المصري من أجل استكمال الشروط الخاصة للحصول على رخصة الأندية للموسم الجديد 2025-2026.

ونص خطاب الاتحاد على أن الأندية يجب عليها تسديد وتسوية المديونيات المستحقة عليها قبل يوم 31 مايو المقبل، وإثبات عدم وجود أي مستحقات مالية على أي ناد لصالح نادي آخر أو اللاعبين أو اتحاد الكرة أو الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”.

وجاء خطاب اتحاد الكرة كالآتي: “نود التأكيد على استيفاء جميع الاشتراطات والمعايير المذكورة بلائحة تراخيص الأندية وخاصة المعيار المالي بحيث يجب على النادي أن يثبت أنه لا يوجد مستحقات مالية مقررة على النادي (مرتبطة بكرة القدم بناديكم) سواء مستحقة لأندية أخرى أو لاعبين أو عاملين بالنادي أو للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم أو الكاف حتى 2025/3/31 وفقاً للائحة تراخيص الأندية، وفي حالة وجود مديونيات مستحقة قبل هذا التاريخ فيجب على ناديكم الموقر تسويتها أو جدولتها بموجب اتفاق مع الدائن وذلك بحد اقصى 2025/5/31 وفقاً للائحة تراخيص الأندية”.

طالع.. خاص | استقالة رئيس لجنة الانضباط بـ اتحاد الكرة

وأكمل: “علماً بأنه في حالة عدم استيفاء تلك المتطلبات سيؤدي ذلك إلى عدم منح الرخصة وبالتالي عدم المشاركة في البطولات المحلية أو القارية للموسم 2026/2025”.

وتابع: “وتستكمل دراسة وإصدار الترخيص بسداد رسم وقدره 10.000 جنيه عشرة ألاف جنيه مصري لا غير) بخزينة الاتحاد أو بتحويل بنكي يرفق بالطلب من قبل كل نادي عند التقديم للحصول على رخصة الأندية هذا الموسم”.

واختتم: “وفي حالة استئناف قرار رفض الحصول على الرخصة من قبل ناديكم يُسدد رسم قدره 5000 جنيه (خمسة آلاف جنيه مصري لا غير) يسترد في حالة قبول الاستئناف موضوعاً من قبل لجنة استئناف التراخيص”.

Committee accused of pressurising ECB into suspending club from Test hosting

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2022Julian Knight MP, the chair of the parliamentary select committee investigating claims of institutional racism in English cricket, has weighed into the feud that threatens Yorkshire’s future as an international venue, by calling on the club’s former chair, Robin Smith, to retract his claims that the committee has brought “unlawful pressure” to bear on the ECB.Knight, who heads up the Department of Digital, Cultural, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee, has intervened after Yorkshire’s incumbent chair, Lord Kamlesh Patel, warned that he may have no option but to resign following two failed attempts to meet the ECB’s criteria for Headingley’s reinstatement as an international venue this summer.The club was stripped of its major-match status in November, having lost all of its major sponsors including Emerald, Nike and Yorkshire Tea, following Azeem Rafiq’s emotional testimony to the DCMS committee, in which he laid bare his experiences at Yorkshire and claimed that he had “lost his career to racism”.With the ECB’s deadline looming at the end of March, Yorkshire have one last opportunity to rubber-stamp the necessary governance reforms, including the removal of the influence of the family trust run by the former chairman, Colin Graves, which bailed out the club to the tune of approximately £15 million in the early 2000s.However, Smith – whose supporters Patel recently accused of trying to “delay and derail” the process – remains implacably opposed to the proposals, and told the Mail on Sunday that the club’s suspension only came about after the ECB had been pressurised by the DCMS select committee to take firm action.Related

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Furthermore, Patel now fears he may be held personally liable for millions of pounds in compensation, following the controversial removal of 16 members of Yorkshire’s coaching and medical staff last year.”Without firm formal support from ECB I am left wide open legally to be sued. I cannot carry on in this position,” Patel told Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, in a letter seen by the The Cricketer.”I have now told YCCC that I will step down working seven days a week and simply do what I can pro bono (as hopefully the team can get on with the work needed). But the issue of Robin and his colleagues still remains and it feels like no one is prepared to tackle him?”I believe that all his demands will not fulfil ECB conditions? However, if it allows the club to move forward properly I am more than happy to step away.”Writing on behalf of the DCMS committee, Knight urged Smith to retract his “serious and unfounded accusations”, and called on him to make his own appearance before the committee. To date, the only Yorkshire representative aside from Patel to appear at the parliamentary hearings is Roger Hutton, shortly after his resignation in November.”I was astounded to read in the Daily Mail [sic] yesterday that you have accused my Committee of putting ‘unlawful pressure’ on the England and Wales Cricket Board to sanction Yorkshire County Cricket Club for failing to address issues of racism at the club,” Knight wrote.”You were also reported as accusing us of an abuse of power. We considered it unbelievable that Azim [sic] Rafiq should have suffered racist abuse while playing at Yorkshire and were shocked by the reluctance of the club to acknowledge its responsibility in how this happened.”We now find it inconceivable that anyone should be looking to use technical points of law to challenge efforts to restore the reputation of the club and to risk the financial future of the club while threatening Lord Patel with financial ruin.”My Committee would like you to explain what you think we have done that was unlawful or an abuse of power. These are serious and unfounded accusations to be made against a Parliamentary Select Committee and we think you should seriously consider publicly retracting them.”Yorkshire are currently due to hold an Emergency General Meeting on March 31 – the final day before an agreed deadline to secure Headingley’s international fixtures – where the proposed changes to the club’s working will be voted on.

The offspinner ended a 156-run stand at a time when the Australia opener offered no real chances

Danyal Rasool in Rawalpindi06-Mar-2022It’s hard to put any spin on it. Not the ball (though that, too), but the fact this Test won’t rank among Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium’s finest moments. The cricket hasn’t been especially engaging – even if the batters might disagree; 747 runs have been scored, with six wickets falling across three days.On a day when Australia raced away to 271 – hovering around four an over for much of the day – there was limited respite for bowling. The day started brightly enough for Pakistan with Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah comfortably outperforming their Australian counterparts with the new ball. Both Usman Khawaja and David Warner were cagey against the new ball. A few edges flew through the slips, one from Khawaja went straight to Fawad Alam at gully, who put down a bit of a sitter. In a game where wickets have been as scarce as hen’s teeth, it was an unforgivable error. The pressure bubble popped, and Australia’s openers took over.Related

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So it was perhaps understandable, with just two wickets falling until bad light put a halt to play about 20 overs early, that Pakistan offspinner Sajid Khan dedicated much of his brief post-match presser gushing about how he’d set up Warner. With the batter on 68 and having offered no real chances, Warner went back to a full one and saw it sneak through the gate, ending a 156-run stand.”The wicket is slow,” Sajid said. “I’ve used some variations but I try and set the batter up before deploying them. I bowled 27 overs, and the shot Warner played was one of impatience. I set Warner up and he kept playing back foot to full balls. So I went even fuller, and he made one mistake and I got a wicket there. David Warner’s wicket is big, and he’s a very good player.”It’s standard enough, the game of cat and mouse between spinner and batter. But curiously enough, it was the slowness of the wicket that got Sajid that wicket. With the batters having enough time to go back foot to everything, Warner began to push his limits, just as Sajid tested his. By the time he was dismissed, he was playing back to a ball that, had he stepped out of his crease, could almost have been a half-volley, and eventually paid the price.

“The new ball is coming, we’re in the game and we’ll try and get a result.”Sajid Khan

It was perhaps just a small footnote to a Test that would have been a footnote in itself were it not for the historic nature of the occasion. With inclement weather set to have a final say – it began raining heavily shortly after stumps were called, with puddles forming across the ground.The prospect of a result is remote in the extreme, though Sajid insisted Pakistan were still in with a shot. “There are very few overs to the new ball,” he said. “It’ll grip and there are some footmarks. If any of these got out, [Travis] Head and [Alex] Carey come in; both are left-handers so we should find it easier to get them out. We’re in this game because a lot of runs are left. Nauman is turning the ball now, too.”The clue, though, lay perhaps in some of the things he didn’t say, or didn’t mean to say. The Test has been so devoid of incident Sajid briefly got his days confused, believing tomorrow was day three. (If that were the case, the smart money would still be on a draw, for what it’s worth). But Sajid also said, three times in five minutes, that the new ball was due, suggesting perhaps best Pakistan’s hopes lie in a quick, explosive burst from Shaheen and Naseem.”The wicket is such that they played well. The wicket was a bit suitable to spin but it’s good for batting. The new ball is coming, we’re in the game and we’ll try and get a result. It’s a bit more suitable for spinners, and the new ball is coming soon, too. If we get spin on one end and pace on the other, that could work.”It’s hard to lay any blame upon Sajid, who will bowl worse and get more wickets – he arguably bowled no better than he did today in Mirpur, where he walked away with 12 wickets and the Player of the Match award. But on a day that even the most ardent fan would struggle to recall by the time the series is done, Sajid sounds like he’s going home playing the Warner wicket in his mind’s eye on a loop. He’ll get many more such scalps if he can maintain this level. Just don’t expect too many to come in the next couple of days.

Glasgow Rangers have a two-week break in the last international window of the year to reflect on the season so far and how they can improve in the months to come.

Philippe Clement will surely have mixed feelings about how his side have performed throughout the 2024/25 campaign, as the Light Blues have been miles off the pace in the Scottish Premiership.

The Gers have already lost three games and dropped points in four of their ten games, which has left them in third place and nine points behind Aberdeen and Celtic in the table.

They also failed to qualify for the Champions League, losing to Dynamo Kyiv, and are currently competing in the league phase of the Europa League.

The Scottish giants have had success in the League Cup, however, as they secured their place in the final with a 2-1 win over Motherwell in the semi-finals at Hampden Park.

Clement and head of recruitment Nils Koppen have less than two months to prepare for the upcoming January transfer window, and could use it to bolster the squad and improve the team’s chances of having a successful second half of the season.

Rangers eyeing wing wizard

In fact, the Ibrox chiefs are already reportedly looking at new players who could come in to add to the manager’s options across the pitch in January.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Rangers are interested in Peterborough’s Kwame Poku and are one of a number of clubs in the race to land his signature.

The report claims that the Scottish giants have sent scouts to watch the Ghana international in action in League One in England this season, but they are far from the only team to have done so.

It states that Premier League duo Southampton and Ipswich Town, who are both battling relegation this season, and Championship side Burnley have also been keeping tabs on the forward ahead of a potential swoop for his services in the January window.

The Boot Room adds that the 23-year-old winger is also out of contract at the end of the season, which means that Peterborough are in a difficult position where they cannot demand a huge sum of money for his signature, as he could leave for nothing next summer.

Rangers also have an advantage over Southampton, Ipswich, and Burnley as – due to being a team outside of England – they can agree a pre-contract agreement with Poku from January onwards, whereas the English sides have to wait until the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Transfer Focus

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

Clement and Koppen must, now, take advantage of this and strike a deal for the young whiz, whether that is in January or next summer, as he could arrive at Ibrox as an upgrade on current right-sided flanker Vaclav Cerny.

Vaclav Cerny's form this season

The Light Blues swooped to sign the Czechia international on a season-long loan from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg during the summer transfer window.

Cerny has enjoyed a relatively strong start to life at Ibrox, despite reacting emotionally to supporter frustration against Hibernian earlier this term, and has contributed with six goals and five assists in 18 appearances across all competitions.

His form in the league phase of the Europa League has been particularly impressive. The left-footed winger has produced two goals and two assists in four starts in the competition, including two goals and an assist in the 4-0 win over FCSB.

Cerny has, however, had mixed success with his performances in the Premiership for the Light Blues, with struggles out of possession and moments of quality on the ball.

Appearances

9

Goals

4

Big chances created

2

Assists

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.8

Duel success rate

28%

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old ace has contributed with five direct goal involvements in nine appearances, which is more than one every other game on average.

This shows that, even though he has not been an outstanding creative threat, the Wolfsburg loanee has made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

However, his duel success rate of 28% and his failure to average even one tackle and interception combined per game shows that the winger has struggled badly out of possession, as he has not offered much defensively and has been dominated by opposition players in physical battles.

Why Kwame Poku would be an upgrade on Vaclav Cerny

The Light Blues must now swoop to sign Poku from Peterborough as the 23-year-old star has the potential to offer more in and out of possession in comparison to Cerny.

Journalist Josh Bunting once hailed his work rate as “immense” and that is backed up by his 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game in League One this season, more than twice as many as Cerny’s per match.

The Ghana international has also won 47% of his duels, winning 5.7 duels per game, which shows that he fares far better than the Rangers man in physical contests, and these statistics suggest that the youngster would be a significant upgrade on the wing from a physical and defensive perspective.

Poku’s attacking displays for Peterborough in the 2024/25 campaign also suggest that the potential is there for him to be an upgrade on Cerny in the final third for the Scottish giants.

Appearances

15

9

Goals

10

4

Big chances missed

1

1

Big chances created

5

2

Assists

5

1

Dribbles completed per game

2.0

1.2

As you can see in the table above, the current Rangers forward would need to score six goals and provide four assists in his next six Premiership games to equal Poku’s return for the Posh.

The Peterborough star, who scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in the 2023/24 campaign, has also produced two assists in two games in the FA Cup and EFL Trophy combined, taking his tally to ten goals and seven assists in 17 games.

If he can carry that kind of form over to Scotland then Clement could have a ready-made upgrade on Cerny to take over from the loanee when he returns to Wolfsburg at the end of the season.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s momentum was curbed before the October international break, with Ange Postecoglou’s side squandering a two-goal lead on the South Coast and falling against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The patchy start to the Premier League term looked to have been cast into the background but it’s clear that Spurs have plenty of work to do if they are to battle their way back into the Champions League.

Postecoglou has a talented squad at his disposal, but the most exciting part about the project might be the rich spring of youth talent that suggests the club is set for a prosperous new era.

Spurs' biggest talents

There has been a concerted effort toward strengthening the younger generation emerging from N17 over the past few years, with Postecoglou’s willingness to work with youth bearing dividends for Tottenham’s talented teenagers.

This summer, Lucas Bergvall was welcomed from Sweden, a talented midfielder with a range of passing and maturity that belies his age. Archie Gray, 2023/24 Championship Young Player of the Year with Leeds United, joined in a £30m transfer.

Moreover, there’s a whole host of talent out on loan – such as Jamie Donley, Alejo Veliz, Ashley Phillips and Dane Scarlett – while an existing crop of potential continues to make headway in the youth scene. Indeed, Spurs won the Premier League 2 last term.

Postecoglou is relishing his younger crop and promoting them this season, which makes a telling comment on the calibre of quality that sits beneath the surface at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham XI vs Ferencvaros (UEL: 03/10/24)
Starting XI	Age
(GK) Guglielmo Vicario	27
(RB) Pedro Porro	25
(CB) Cristian Romero	26
(CB) Archie Gray	18
(LB) Ben Davies	31
(DM) Yves Bissouma	28
(CM) Pape Matar Sarr	22
(CM) Lucas Bergvall	18
(RW) Mikey Moore	17
(LW) Timo Werner	28
(CF) Will Lankshear	19

As you can see, the Australian unleashed four full debutants against Ferencvaros in the Europa League, with all four yet to reach their 20th year.

There’s some real quality there, but Mikey Moore is surely the cream of the crop. He’s earning quite the reputation and might even prove to be the latest prodigy to emerge from north London.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Spurs' very own Bukayo Saka

Sometimes, you just know. Those at Tottenham certainly know that they’ve got a potential gem on their hands, but it is oh-so-important that he is managed deftly and not thrust into a starring role

Moore, after all, is still a 17-year-old, earning action for the first team simply because he carries the trappings of a world-class “superstar”, something that he has already been called by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Last season, the winger burst onto the stage and obliterated the competition at youth level, posting 14 goals and eight assists across just 12 matches in the U18 Premier League and also scoring two goals and adding an assist across two matches in the FA Youth Cup.

Against Ferencvaros, Moore’s first start as a senior, he showcased some impressive qualities, winning six duels and attempting seven dribbles, as per Sofascore. It was an imperfect display but one that highlighted the giddy potential, with football.london awarding the youngster an 8/10 match rating and hailing the ‘thrilling’ debut.

With such glittering potential discernible from the offing, Moore might prove to be Hotspur Way’s answer to Bukayo Saka, with the Arsenal sensation proving himself to be one of the Premier League’s superstars over the past few seasons.

Like Moore, the homegrown Gunners star was handed his Premier League debut as a teenager and made impressive early strides, although initially at full-back before bursting into life in forward areas.

Saka: PL Stats by Season
Season	Apps	Goals	Assists	G/A Rate
2024/25	7 (7)	2	7	1.28
2023/24	35 (35)	16	9	0.71
2022/23	38 (37)	14	11	0.66
2021/22	38 (36)	11	7	0.47
2020/21	32 (30)	5	3	0.25
2019/20	26 (19)	1	5	0.23
2018/19	1 (0)	0	0	0.00
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see, Saka’s getting better with age – naturally. The England international has been praised as the Gunners’ “living legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, despite the fact that he’s still only 23.

With Harry Kane plying his trade over in Germany with Bayern Munich and Heung-min Son out injured, the timing has never been more apt for a precocious youngster to stake their claim for a starring place in the Tottenham senior squad.

Moore has the athleticism and natural potency to make significant headway under Postecoglou’s wing over the next several years, and he might just rise to rival a player of Saka’s stature for the crown in north London.

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Oct 13, 2024

Since earning promotion to the Premier League in the 2012/13 season, Crystal Palace are now in their 12th successive season in the English top flight.

In the 11 successive seasons the Eagles have played in the Premier League, their worst finish was 15th back in 2015/16 where they finished on 42 points, and their best finish was last term, securing tenth place with 49 points after Oliver Glasner joined in February 2024.

Crystal Palace Premier League finishes

Year

Points Total

League Position

2013/14

45

11th

2014/15

48

10th

2015/16

42

15th

2016/17

41

14th

2017/18

44

11th

2018/19

49

12th

2019/20

43

14th

2020/21

44

14th

2021/22

48

12th

2022/23

45

11th

2023/24

49

10th

Palace now sit 18th in the league after the first eight games of the season, earning just three points, drawing three games, and losing their other five. If Glasner isn’t able to fix things fast, his job could be in trouble, with the club obviously wanting to avoid any relegation battle, something they haven’t really had to endure in their time in the top flight.

Glasner's time at Palace

The Austrian manager took charge of Crystal Palace in February 2024, taking over from Roy Hodgson after he stepped down with the Eagles sat 15th in the Premier League. Since that point, Glasner has taken charge of 23 games, having a points per match ratio of 1.43.

The 50-year-old is known for his 3-4-2-1 formation, looking to be solid defensively and attack with a narrow front three, supported by the wing-backs to provide width going forward for the side.

Whilst this more defensive approach has only seen Palace concede 11 goals so far this campaign, averaging just 13.5 shots against them – the tenth fewest in the division – their attacking play has suffered, only scoring five goals, and averaging 14 shots per match.

Their attacking numbers aren’t helped after losing one of their best players this summer, as Michael Olise joined Bayern Munich for £50.8m, the 22-year-old who provided ten goals and assists for the Eagles last season in just 19 games. Eberechi Eze has also struggled to start the new campaign without his partner in crime, scoring three goals and providing one assist in ten outings.

But a change in the dugout could revitalise some of the Palace attackers, changing to a four at the back coach, allowing an extra forward on the pitch, and bringing more creativity and goal threat to the side.

Names are already starting to circulate, as Glasner’s future is at risk after his poor start to this new season.

Former Premier League boss open to Palace move

According to reports from Football Insider, David Moyes would be open to a return to management with Crystal Palace, and the report states he would “certainly” listen to offers from the South London club.

Fellow Premier League manager, Eddie Howe, has described Moyes as an “outstanding manager” in the past, and he could be a welcome change for Palace in order to steady the ship.

The Scottish coach predominantly sets up in a 4-2-3-1, which was seen from his time at West Ham, in which he took charge of 261 games in total for the Hammers, having a 1.19 points per match value in his first stint at the club between 2017/18 (31 games), and a 1.53 points per match in his second stint at the club, between 2019-2024 (230 games).

Moyes has also managed Everton (518 games in charge) and Manchester United (51 games in charge) in the past, before his West Ham stints, and his biggest achievement was winning the UEFA Conference League with West Ham in the 2022/23 season.

Having such a high level of experience in the Premier League already, Moyes could be the perfect man to steady the Palace ship, help them find their feet, and avoid being dragged into a relegation fight. The changes he would make could also benefit a few of their attack-minded players, which in turn would help their dry spell in front of goal, and allow them to start finding the net again.

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Expand Collapse Players Moyes could unlock

The first player Moyes could really unlock for Palace, would be new summer signing, Ismaila Sarr. The 26-year-old joined from Marseille for a fee of around £12.5m, and has only managed to play 279 minutes under Glasner so far, with his only start coming against Liverpool.

Moyes could see Sarr as his new Mohammed Kudus-type dynamic winger, who can travel with the ball at speed, beat defenders 1v1, get shots off and threaten in and around the box. In Kudus’s first season at West Ham under the Scottish boss, he managed to net 14 goals and provide six assists, something Palace fans would love from their new right-winger.

Sarr (23/24) vs Kudus (23/24) comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Sarr

Kudus

Goals

0.24

0.37

Assists

0.19

0.17

xG

0.27

0.25

xAG

0.14

0.15

Progressive Carries

3.01

4.07

Progressive Passes

2.39

2.94

Shots Total

1.77

2.52

Shots on Target

0.81

0.76

Key Passes

1.20

1.18

Shot-Creating Actions

2.87

3.62

Stats taken from FBref

Whilst both wingers aren’t identical in play style, Moyes could certainly use Sarr similarly as a direct threat in transition and therefore add more spark and creativity into this Palace side, with an attacker that can create for himself and others.

One other player this could benefit is Eze, who, as we previously mentioned, hasn’t looked as comfortable without Olise in the side. By adding a player like Sarr, the England international would have more forward runners to pick out, giving him more passing options in attack, and also creating more space for him to operate in.

Moyes isn’t seen as the most attacking coach, but his ability to simplify the game, get players in their best positions, and provide the players with a platform to get some results on the board and gain confidence, could be exactly what Palace need.

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Posts ByConnor Holden Oct 22, 2024

Liverpool are believed to be interested in signing a “commanding” young star who is also wanted by Real Madrid, according to a new transfer update.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds continue to be linked with possible new signings, having had a quiet summer transfer window, with Cristhian Mosquera emerging as a rumoured target for Arne Slot. The Valencia centre-back is also thought to be wanted by Atletico Madrid, having represented Spain at the 2024 Olympics earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar has been backed to move to Liverpool, as the Merseysiders potentially look to completely change their goalkeeping setup, amid concerns surrounding Alisson’s injuries and Caoimhin Kelleher’s long-term future at Anfield.

Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush is arguably one of the best players in the Bundesliga currently, having scored eight goals in just six appearances in the competition this season, and the Reds reportedly see him as a strong attacking target. He could even be seen as a replacement for compatriot Mohamed Salah, should the Egyptian legend fail to agree a new deal.

It looks as though Liverpool are continuing to look at attacking reinforcements, despite the wealth of talent already at Slot’s disposal, and Borussia Dortmund ace Karim Adeyemi is seen as another possible addition at Anfield, too.

Liverpool interested in "commanding" £84m gem

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are keen on signing highly-rated Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis, with the Reds doing their “due diligence” with him, showing that Michael Edwards isn’t messing around.

The 18-year-old has an £84m release clause at the Brazilian club, with his current deal not expiring until December 2028, and the report states that Real Madrid and Arsenal have “joined” the Reds in the race to snap him up.

Reis looks like a footballer with an immense amount of potential, having already made 15 appearances for Palmeiras at senior level, despite still only being 18 years of age.

He has also been capped a combined 11 times for Brazil at youth level, appearing on eight occasions for the Under-17s and enjoying three outings for the Under-16s. Football analyst Ben Mattinson has also waxed lyrical about his potential, saying:

“Vitor Reis’ rise to global recognition from elite clubs is massively down to his impressive mentality. When watching him, you can see that bravery in every action. He has a commanding, confident presence that’s rare in such a young defender. Many early leadership traits have been shown already and when I first saw him play for Brazil’s U17’s, his leadership shone amongst his peers.”

The lure of Madrid is also great, and Arsenal are an exciting project under Mikel Arteta, but Edwards may still work his magic and make Reis believe Liverpool is the best place to come, in order to aid his development.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 11, 2024

In Virgil van Dijk, he could be working alongside arguably one of the greatest centre-backs of all time, which may help him reach his potential and grow into a world-class player in his own right.

Kyle Walker is said not to have travelled with the Manchester City squad to face Brentford on Tuesday as speculation grows over his future.

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Walker looking to leave Man CityGuardiola chose to keep him out vs BrentfordDefender might make move to Serie AFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to theWalker did not travel with Pep Guardiola’s squad for their match away at Brentford, further intensifying rumours of his impending departure. This decision follows his absence from the weekend's FA Cup fixture against Salford City, where Guardiola disclosed that the player had requested to "explore the option" of continuing his career abroad.

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It has been reported that both AC Milan and Inter are interested in acquiring Walker’s services. The clubs are exploring a loan agreement with the possibility of converting it into a two-year permanent deal. Such an arrangement would offer Walker the chance to continue competing in Europe.

DID YOU KNOW?

In addition to interest from Italian giants, Walker remains a target for several top-spending clubs in Saudi Arabia, including Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli. A move to the Middle East would likely come with a substantial financial package, mirroring the path taken by his former City team-mate Riyad Mahrez, who joined Al-Ahli.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WALKER?

Walker’s time at City has been nothing short of remarkable. Since joining from Tottenham in 2017, he has been instrumental in the club’s success, helping them secure six Premier League titles, multiple domestic cups, and the Champions League.

تلقى فريق النصر خسارة صعبة أمام منافسه الاتفاق بنتيجة 3-2 في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما مساء اليوم ضمن منافسات الدوري السعودي.

وأقيمت مباراة النصر والاتفاق على أرضية استاد الأول بارك في إطار لقاءات الجولة الـ21 من الدوري السعودي.

سجل أيمن يحيى الهدف الأول للنصر في الدقيقة 48، بعد عرضية من ساديو ماني داخل منطقة الجزاء تصدى لها دفاع الاتفاق ثم ارتطمت في رأس يحيى وسكنت الشباك.

وتعادل فينالدوم لصالح الاتفاق بالدقيقة 55، بعد تمريرة بينية حاول مدافع النصر السيطرة عليها ولكنها مرت من تحت قدمه لتصل إلى فينالدوم ويصوبها في المرمى.

وأضاف محمد آل فتيل الهدف الثاني للنصر في الدقيقة 66، من كرة رأسية بعد ركنية أرسلها بروزوفيتش.

وتعادل الاتفاق بعدما أحرز محمد آل فتيل لاعب النصر هدفًا بالخطأ في مرماه بالدقيقة 83.

واختتم فينالدوم الثلاثية لصالح الاتفاق في الدقيقة 89، من تسديدة قوية من داخل منطقة الجزاء سكنت مرمى النصر.

طالع | ترتيب الدوري السعودي بعد خسارة النصر أمام الاتفاق

وبهذه النتيجة وصل رصيد الاتفاق لـ 28 نقطة، بعدما فاز بـ8 مباريات وتعادل في 4 لقاءات وسقط في 9 هزائم، محتلًا المركز الثامن في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري.

بينما تجمد رصيد النصر عند 44 نقطة في المركز الرابع بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، بعدما فاز بـ13 لقاء وتعادل 5 مرات وتلقى 3 هزائم.