Category Uncategorized

da betano casino： Birmingham City are finally underway in the Championship as the many twists and turns of the 2025/26 season now lie ahead.

da dobrowin： The Blues will ambitiously be aiming for back-to-back promotions all the way up to the Premier League, after making League One look like a breeze when clinching the third-tier title with a record-breaking 111 points.

Marvin Ducksch will be hoping he can play a pivotal role in Birmingham achieving this unthinkable feat, as the German attempts to acclimatise to his new English surroundings swiftly, having been a prolific performer in his native Bundesliga for some time now.

What Ducksch can offer Birmingham

Birmingham often gets their own way in the chaotic transfer window, having previously flexed their muscles by picking up ex-Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi for a whopping £10m earlier this summer.

However, that wasn’t the case, unfortunately, when it came to chasing after the coveted signature of Chuba Akpom, as Ipswich Town stole the signature of the ex-Arsenal striker off Birmingham at the final hour.

Thankfully, the reigning League One champions had the now ex-Werder Bremen attacker up their sleeve as a back-up plan, having snapped up the shot-heavy 31-year-old following his £1.7m move.

He should be a hit in the English game with his imposing 6-foot-2 frame and his clinical eye for goal, as seen in Ducksch tallying up a lethal 54 strikes for Bremen across 134 games, on top of chipping in with a high 40 assists.

Fellow new faces such as Demarai Gray will surely love linking up with the unselfish forward, therefore, with the 31-year-old just fresh off a Bundesliga campaign that saw him create a stunning 17 big chances in total.

But, if the Dortmund-born striker fancies elevating his output in terms of goals in the West Midlands, he will want some inch-perfect service, which could come his way if Chris Davies’ men can seal a deal for this playmaker to also join the building.

The "quality" talent who is perfect for Ducksch

After all, if there is a move out there that can take the Bundesliga goal machine’s game to that next level in England, Birmingham should go all out to try and seal the deal.

Ducksch’s perfect partner in attack could well be Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell, as Birmingham have been tipped to go back in for their former loanee multiple times across this hectic window to date.

No such move has whirred into motion yet, unfortunately, but after a lacklustre opening day performance under Russell Martin in Scotland, with possession haphazardly given away 12 times versus Motherwell, the ex-Southampton boss might now be more willing to listen to the Blues’ advances.

Whilst the £16k-per-week ace has been regularly hit-and-miss at Ibrox, Dowell has proven himself to be a classy performer in the EFL in the past, particularly when carving out consistent opportunities for his attacking teammates to latch onto.

Dowell’s career numbers in the Championship

Stat

Dowell

Games played

123

Goals scored

26

Assists

12

Big chances created

25

Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, it’s clear from the table above that Dowell’s strengths – when previously playing in the Championship – lie in his ability to fashion chances for his charitable teammates, with a standout 25 big chances created on his end from 123 career encounters in the tough division.

He also has a promising 26 goals next to his name, meaning he could step into the goalscoring limelight if Ducksch was suffering from an off-day, having also been branded as a “high-quality” star last season by Davies when amassing five goals and five assists from just 23 Blues appearances on loan.

Having such a creative force by his side will be music to the ears of Ducksch, who has also been showered with similarly high praise when being labelled as a talent capable of making “special moments” happen by former Bremen boss Ole Werner.

This really could be a devastating combo in the Championship, with their efforts combined potentially pulling the Blues into the promotion spots.

Related Bigger talent than Akpom: Birmingham City plot move for "fearless" PL ace

Birmingham City could sign a bigger talent than Chuba Akpom by winning the services of this Premier League starlet.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Aug 4, 2025

Julio Cesar has suggested Bayern Munich look to Brazil for Manuel Neuer’s long-term successor. The Inter legend highlighted Santos goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao as a “wonderful” option, even though the 24-year-old remains largely unknown in Europe. With Neuer nearing 40, Bayern face growing questions about their next No.1.

Cesar tips Brazil’s Brazao as Neuer successor

Former Brazil international Cesar has thrown a surprising name into the mix as Bayern weigh up the long-term future of Neuer. The 39-year-old captain remains first-choice at the Allianz Arena but, with his contract nearing its final stretch, attention is turning to potential successors. Cesar, who won the Champions League with Inter in 2010, has endorsed Brazao, currently impressing with Santos in Brazil.

AdvertisementGettyCesar: “Neuer is an idol, but Bayern must plan ahead”

In an interview with , Cesar was asked who he would recommend to Bayern and replied: "Neuer is an idol at FC Bayern, but he's almost 40, and Bayern have to think about the future. We have a wonderful goalkeeper in Brazil: Gabriel Brazao."

The former Inter goalkeeper then praised Neuer further, adding: "He's a wonderful goalkeeper, I like him very much. He's almost 40 years old and he's still playing at the highest level. He's one of the best goalkeepers in the world."

GettyBrazao’s rise in Brazil fuels Bayern succession talk

Brazao has had a winding career since leaving Cruzeiro for Europe in 2019, including spells at Parma and Inter, though he never made a competitive appearance in Italy. Now settled at Santos, where Neymar has strong ties the 24-year-old has impressed with consistent performances, earning praise back home. His contract runs until 2028, which could make any European move costly. For the Bavarians, Jonas Urbig is the current understudy, but the club are yet to confirm their long-term succession plan as Neuer continues to start every Bundesliga fixture.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportNeuer stays No.1 but pressure to find heir grows

Neuer has ruled out an international return with Germany, despite calls for him to feature at the 2026 World Cup, but he is expected to remain Bayern’s No.1 for now. The German champions face Werder Bremen next, with questions over whether the board will eventually look abroad, and perhaps to Brazao, when they prepare for life after their iconic captain.

تفاعلت جماهير فريق ليفربول مع أداء النجم المصري محمد صلاح، بعدما سجل هدف الفوز في مباراة اليوم ضد برايتون في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي.

وتلاقى الفريقان على ملعب “الأنفيلد” في الجولة العاشرة من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث فاز ليفربول بهدفين لهدف.

وتمكن محمد صلاح من تسجيل هدف فوز ليفربول، في الدقيقة 72. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون

وكتب أحد مشجعي ليفربول عبر موقع إكس: “إنه لا يخيب آمالنا أبدًا، محمد صلاح”.

He never disappoint 😍😍😍👌, Mo salah pic.twitter.com/PZ4g6AYBit — Ssaga (@SsagalaBrian) November 2, 2024

وأضاف ثانِ: “الملك المصري له اليد العليا”.

The Egyptian King reigns supreme! — Beet (@babybeetroot) November 2, 2024

وواصل ثالث: “الملك المصري ينقذ ليفربول مرة أخرى”.

Egyptian king saves Liverpool again — Captain Reno (@TheCaptainReno) November 2, 2024

وأردف رابع: “صلاح هو ستيفن جيرارد هذا الجيل”.

Salah is him. This generations Steven Gerrard. — Darian (@tweetsbydarian) November 2, 2024

وكتبت مشجعة: “الساحر، مهارات محمد صلاح مبهرة هذا الموسم”.

MAGICIAN 🎩 MO Salah’s skills are spellbinding this season ⚽️🔥 — Dr Sara Qureshi (@sara_qureshi87) November 2, 2024

وكتبت أخرى: “أحد أعظم اللاعبين على مر العصور.. محمد صلاح يتقدم أكثر في ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز!”.

One of the all-time greats. Mohamed Salah moves further up the Premier League goalscoring charts 🇪🇬👑🤝❤️ pic.twitter.com/RuXkj8WJ8B — Sarah (@JATTSOPRANO316) November 2, 2024

وأصبح محمد صلاح الثامن في جدول هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي على مر التاريخ، برصيد 164 هدفًا، متجاوزًا روبي فاولر.

في حين رأى آخر: “امنحوه الكرة الذهبية”.

Give him the balon dor already 😭😭🙌🙌 — ᗩl wᗩdᑌd_tᕼe sIᗰᑭ (@_MakdShelby) November 2, 2024

بينما تسائل مشجع: “ماذا سنفعل بدون هذا الرجل؟”.

what are we going to do without this guy?? — Captain Reno (@TheCaptainReno) November 2, 2024

وأكد مشجع: “إذا استمر على هذا المستوى، فمن المؤكد أنه سيفوز بالكرة الذهبية”.

واتفق آخر قائلًا: “نعم، امنحوه الكرة الذهبية، إنه يستحقها بكل تأكيد”.

– Give him the Ballon d’Or already! 😭😭🙌🙌
– He deserves it for sure! — Anuj Gupta (@financeanuj) November 2, 2024

وكتب مشجع: “صلاح يقلب المباراة وكأنه يعيد كتابة السيناريو”.

Salah turning the game around like he’s rewriting the script! 👑🔥 — Beet (@babybeetroot) November 2, 2024

Marc Skinner claimed that it "feels like one club again" at Manchester United as the women's team boss hailed the impact of Sir Jim Ratcliffe & INEOS.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ratcliffe in charge of sporting affairs at Man UtdWomen's team moved into temporary buildings at CarringtonSkinner believes it is an upgrade for his sideWHAT HAPPENED?

The British billionaire shelled out £1.3bn for a 25 per cent stake in United, which gives him full control of the footballing operations of the club. Since Ratcliffe and INEOS completed the minority takeover, there has been talk of a major infrastructure upgrade which will see Old Trafford undergoing a major renovation and the training facilities at Carrington also boosted.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The £50 million overhaul of Carrington’s facilities has led to some logistical challenges for the women’s side, who, instead of being shifted to another permanent location, had to spend time at the prestigious St. George’s Park before being relocated into temporary establishments within Carrington. However, Skinner emphasised that the current arrangement is not a downgrade and brushed aside rumours that the women's team was suffering due to their temporary housing.

WHAT SKINNER SAID

"What is reported on the outside honestly could not be further from the truth. Everyone in our club has moved. They have all moved to incorporate the growth of Carrington," he said.

"We went to St. George's Park which was a brilliant experience as we got to gel together. But our training pitches that we will have every day are better than St. George's Park. Ours are newer. You would eat your breakfast off our pitches — they are incredible.

"[People say] 'We're training in barracks,' we're not training in barracks. We are training in a facility that has been built on site for our players. It has all been branded up today and the girls will move into it tomorrow.

"I didn't know what it would be like at first but knowing we're not downgrading any facilities — we've actually had an upgrade — and we would be seeing all of the teams, it feels like one club again. That's a really strong movement I think we needed and we've got it now."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

Ahead of the 2024-25 season, United appointed Omar Berrada from Manchester City as their new CEO and Dan Ashworth as sporting director after prising him way from Newcastle United. Skinner has lavished praise on both Berrada and Ashworth for their dedication to the women’s team in their first few months at the club.

"When Dan [Ashworth] first came in, I met him in the dinner hall with all the other members of the staff from men's first team and we spoke for an hour," Skinner said. "Nobody interrupted him in our conversation. When you've had a year of that relationship, it's hard to stop that. They all say hello and relationships are built by seeing each other more often. I hope that continues. Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada have been fantastic and have both come in with real energy to speak to the group. I cannot tell you how personable and authentic those conversations were. They genuinely love women's football and have a real burning ambition for it to be at the forefront of their direction. That will only improve."

MatériaMais Notícias

da premier bet： Nomes fortes do futebol do Flamengo, Marcos Braz e Bruno Spindel foram à Europa e fecharam três reforços para o clube vindo da Inglaterra: Kenedy e Andreas Pereira, emprestados por Chelsea e Manchester United, e David Luiz, que deixou o Arsenal em julho e foi apresentado nesta segunda. Assim, o Rubro-Negro fechou as três possíveis alterações na lista de inscritos para as fases finais da Libertadores. Na semi, o Flamengo encara o Barcelona (EQU).

RelacionadasFlamengoEntenda como Michael foi essencial para o Flamengo engrenar uma sequência de três vitórias seguidasFlamengo13/09/2021SantosSantos vai protestar na CBF por escalação de Andreas Pereira pelo o Flamengo em jogo do BrasileirãoSantos13/09/2021FlamengoDavid Luiz realiza primeiro treino no Ninho do Urubu como jogador do FlamengoFlamengo13/09/2021

da bet vitoria： Como previsto no regulamento da Copa Libertadores de 2021, a Conmebol permite até três trocas na lista de 50 jogadores inscritos para os semifinalistas. As alterações devem ser enviadas pelos clubes até 72h antes do início da fase. Ou seja, o Flamengo tem até sexta-feira para oficializar as mudanças no grupo.

Assim, o clube aguarda a regularização de David Luiz junto à CBF. O atacante Kenedy e o meia Andreas Pereira estão regularizados e em condições de jogo.

+ Confira as chaves e as datas das semifinais da Copa Libertadores 2021!

Esta será a última chance para quem quiser realizar alterações entre os inscritos, uma vez que não são permitidas trocas para a final da Libertadores, que será disputada em partida única em Montevidéu, em 27 de novembro.

Na lista de 50 nomes do Flamengo, há atletas que já foram negociados pelo clube – como Rodrigo Muniz, atacante vendido ao Fulham (ING) – e uma série de atletas da base. Caberá a Renato Gaúcho escolher quais serão retirados.

A primeira partida entre Flamengo e Barcelona de Guayaquil pela semifinal da Libertadores será no Maracanã, no dia 22 de setembro. O duelo no Equador, que definirá um finalista da Copa, será em 29 de setembro, no Monumental.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly says coaches’ term expired, but they can reapply when positions are advertised

Shamya Dasgupta23-Sep-2020

A senior BCCI functionary hoped the coaches will be re-hired when work resumes at NCA•Cricket Australia

The BCCI has decided not to renew the contracts of 11 National Cricket Academy (NCA) coaches, four of them former India players, in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, because of which there has been no activity at the academy in Bengaluru for the past few months and no plans for a restart in the foreseeable future. The BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said the board would advertise for the positions and the people not retained can also apply again.These coaches – former players Subroto Banerjee, Shiv Sunder Das, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Ramesh Powar, Mansur Ali Khan and Sitanshu Kotak among them – were on one-year contracts for salaries ranging from INR 30 lakh to INR 50 lakh [$40,750 to $67,900 approx.]. They were informed by Rahul Dravid, the NCA boss, that they would not be needed after the deals end on September 30. The other members of the coaching staff to lose their jobs are Rajiv Dutta, Apurva Desai, Atul Gaikwad, Subhadeep Ghosh, and T Dilip.According to Ganguly, the board was simply following the rules laid out in the BCCI constitution. “Their (the coaches’) term has expired,” Ganguly told ESPNcricinfo. “As per constitution, new advertisement has to be given and they can apply again. That’s the rule.”*On their part the coaches remarked there was no clear reason conveyed to them.”It came as a shock, because there was no warning, when Rahul called me and said he had some bad news for me,” one of the coaches told ESPNcricinfo on condition of anonymity. “There is no cricket (because of Covid-19), so they probably don’t want to continue with us. The people who were on long-term contracts are still there, but we have been told to go.””It is unfortunate, but the contracts have not been renewed,” a senior BCCI functionary told ESPNcricinfo. “The idea was to engage them for a whole year, and not on a piecemeal basis, when the NCA got them to work when they were free. So they worked with the national teams – India women, India Under-19, India A, Women’s Under-19s, Women’s A team – and for our national camps, across age groups, for women and men, which are conducted at NCA throughout the year.”A lot of good work was going on, with these coaches and all the other people, in the educational wing, where (former India cricketer) Sujith Somasundar is in charge. I hope we consider re-employing them when work resumes at NCA again.”While Dravid was unavailable for comment, one of the coaches we spoke to explained how closely the former India captain had worked with the coaching staff to “try and take Indian cricket to the next level”.”Rahul had handpicked all of us (coaches), and it was done with a plan in place. We have made plans and programmes together, to try and take Indian cricket to the next level, become the best in the world for a long period,” one of the coaches said. “We have had meetings twice every week through the pandemic too. Work has been going on.”Maybe we will be taken back later, but there are no guarantees.”The coaches in question were hired around a year ago by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, who were in charge of helming the affairs of the BCCI till October last year, on Dravid’s recommendation, with an agreement to work 120 days during the course of the year.In the past, before Dravid took charge, the BCCI would appoint coaches on an ad-hoc basis, mostly as consultants. Former cricketers would be roped in for short stints to guide all age-groups. However, once Dravid was appointed as NCA’s director of cricket, he put out a roadmap part of which his vision to provide exposure and growth to Indian domestic coaches.Along with Saba Karim, Dravid shortlisted candidates they thought could serve in different positions. These coaches were then rotated at India A, women’s cricket and Under-19 levels in addition to their responsibilities at the NCA to help them gain the experience of being on the road and understanding the wider challenges of coaching.

“It feels strange,” Kieron Pollard said at the toss as West Indies played New Zealand in the first T20I and he stood in the middle of Eden Park surrounded by a crowd. Covid-19 had changed cricket, but the first signs of the game starting to heal and move on were evident in Auckland as the people in the ground reveled in some sensational – and at times unbelievable – cricket.

Watch cricket on ESPN+

New Zealand vs West Indies is available in the USA on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the series

There was Lockie Ferguson, insisting that he won’t bowl a click slower than 150. He picked up his first five-wicket haul in T20Is and while that is memorable on its own, the spell that he bowled – the way he had the world champions ducking and weaving and wearing the ball because they were too slow to react – was the more riveting spectacle. Ferguson finished with figures of 4-0-21-5, with West Indies not in control of 18 of the 24 balls he delivered on Friday evening.Pollard vs Ferguson was only a two-ball event – “Didn’t face him. Smart boy.”, the West Indies captain said with a chuckle at the post-match press conference – but the rest of the New Zealand bowlers took a pasting. From 59 for 5 in the sixth over, Pollard took his team to 180 for 7 in a rain-reduced 16-overs-a-side game.”For me, when the bowlers have their tails up, you have to try something as a batter,” he said. “Sometimes you just have to make one mistake. The rain and the nature of the pitch sort of helped us, with the ball coming through. The opening bowlers were a bit short. But he (Ferguson) changed his length and bowled a bit fuller, and that’s why he was successful. Again, daunting task, but these are the situations you train for as individuals, when you’re team is in trouble you try to get them out.”

‘Special having a good day with nan watching over us’ – Ferguson

Lockie Ferguson’s best performance in a T20I came on the back of a personal tragedy.
“My nan, who I was pretty close with, passed away about a month ago which was a shame. I couldn’t be back for her funeral which was a shame. So pretty special having a good day out with her watching over us.”

Ferguson knew – even though he was ripping them apart – that West Indies would be able to recover if their captain stayed at the crease long enough.”When you face these guys – especially Kieron, who has been very successful – over the last few months, winning every competition there is, you’re under the pump [as] Eden Park gets even smaller,” Ferguson said.ALSO READ – Ferguson, Neesham, Conway star in topsy-turvy win“I thought we bowled a couple of yorkers that only missed by a little bit and they went a long way into the boundary. Once again, we have to look at our plans and execute them better going forward. That’s pretty cliché in T20 cricket. You have good days and you have bad [days]. If we continue to improve, we’ll be better for it. But you’ve got to tip your hat when a guy plays an innings like that, especially after we got quick wickets but he settled himself and had a quick burst in the end.”Pollard made 75 off only 37 balls, and if that sounds like he walked in and went berserk, think again. He took care to get himself in. He respected New Zealand’s momentum when they took five wickets for one run. He fought against it, bit by bit, until the umpire mistakenly ruled him out lbw in the ninth over. The review was emphatic. The next ball went for six. The sleeping giant had awakened.When asked about the official’s decision and his animated response to it, Pollard said, “You take it in whatever perception you want. I’m not gonna say anything. Just wanted it to be consistent. Asking for consistency. Being a visiting team, there are some things you expect but we’ll continue to fight.”Lockie Ferguson celebrates the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer•Getty Images

A grand spell of fast bowling. A back-to-the-wall batting masterclass from a T20 legend. A hint of controversy. This riveting game turned in the end due to some rusty cricket from West Indies, who had only come out of quarantine yesterday.Keemo Paul then bowled four no-balls in the 14th over of the chase – one overstep and three high full-tosses. New Zealand had slowly been whittling down a frightful asking rate. From 115 required off 60, to 82 off 42 and then to 39 off 24, but at the end of that ten-ball over, they needed only 15 off 12.”In terms of our disciplines, in the bowling aspect, I thought we were a bit erratic,” Pollard summed up. “And in international cricket, if you bowl so many no-balls and if you’re so inconsistent, you are definitely going to end up on the losing side. But it was an entertaining game of cricket for the fans and the general public, something they haven’t got to see in a very long time.”West Indies’ waywardness was the result of their search for yorkers and they were forced into a place with so little margin of error by Jimmy Neesham. He came in after a run-out sent Ross Taylor back for a duck in the seventh over, but instead of that breakthrough proving a turning point for West Indies, it ended up one for New Zealand, as the left-hander carved up 48 match-winning runs in only 24 balls.”Jimmy was a bit of a big brother to me in high school and we played a lot of age groups together,” Ferguson said. “But to be fair, the Black Caps are a pretty tight bunch of mates and when anyone does well and wins the game for us, then of course we get around them.””I think that’s a big part of our culture. We try to drive that. Obviously pumped that Sants (Mitchell Santner) and Neesh could get some runs and bat well at the end there. Certainly, we’ll celebrate tonight. It was one of the craziest games I’ve ever been part of. I was in the changing room for our whole batting innings not sure what to do!”

Tottenham have received a "formal" out-of-window proposal for a "fast" member of Ange Postecoglou's squad, and if they accept, he could join them on July 1.

Spurs players who could leave this summer

Technical director Johan Lange and chief football officer Scott Munn have some serious thinking to do in regard to the futures of certain players, as there are a fair few players on the books with uncertain futures.

Meeting set for this week as Tottenham signal they'll bid for £30m striker

A “summit” is to be held.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 11, 2024

Tottenham's contingent of senior players out on loan include club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele, who isn't exactly making waves at Galatasaray, and young right-back Djed Spence. Both have endured very difficult spells at N17 despite arriving with a lot of promise, and reports indicate they're firm candidates for the chopping block this summer.

Spence is apparently not part of Postecoglou's future plans and will be put up for sale (Alasdair Gold), and the same can be said of left-back Sergio Reguilon following his two loan spells this season at both Man United and Brentford.

Troy Parrott

Excelsior

Sergio Reguilon

Brentford

Japhet Tanganga

Millwall

Djed Spence

Genoa

Joe Rodon

Leeds United

Tanguy Ndombele

Galatasaray

Ashley Phillips

Plymouth

Alejo Veliz

Sevilla

Japhet Tanganga is likely to depart after his temporary stint at Millwall, while Leeds United are believed to be very interested in signing Joe Rodon permanently – regardless of whether they're promoted back to the Premier League.

Members of Postecoglou's current squad are also in danger of the axe. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is being widely tipped to depart after he changed agents, with just a year left remaining on his contract. Giovani Lo Celso and Bryan Gil have also been linked with Spurs exits as we approach the summer window, alongside striker Richarlison.

Tottenham receive "formal" proposal for Gil from Feyenoord

This week, a report from the Netherlands has shared an interesting update on the future of Gil. According to 1908.nl, Feyenoord have made a "formal" proposal to sign Gil this month ahead of the summer, and if they accept, he could become an official player of theirs on July 1.

It is unclear what the nature of this offer is, though, and if it's a loan, the Spaniard is very unlikely to accept – as he is only keen to leave if a solid, permanent project is on the table elsewhere. Gil actually had interest from Feyenoord, Brighton and Real Sociedad in the January window, but elected to stay and fight for his place under Postecoglou.

However, he hasn't exactly been rewarded for that show of faith, and it appears his future hangs in the balance as we slowly approach the next transfer window.

“It was really important, you know about Bryan Gil we are talking about a player who was born to play football," said Antonio Conte in 2023.

"He understands football quickly. He’s so clever, so intelligent to understand the situation. Then you know this league is difficult, because you have to be good in quality and be fast and to have good endurance, and he has this type of quality."

Wolverhampton Wanderers saw yet another Premier League game go by without securing all three points as they drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest.

The only real positive for Gary O’Neil was the return to the starting XI of Matheus Cunha, who was making his first start since February 10th, grabbing two goals in the process.

This could give the Old Gold a boost heading into the final few games, while it looks like the manager is eyeing up a potential partner for the Brazilian next season…

Wolves transfer news

Last season, the Molineux side scored the fewest goals in the Premier League, registering just 31. Although they have improved massively this term, it is clear O’Neil is aiming to add some more attacking prowess to his squad during the summer transfer window.

According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Wolves are currently keeping an eye on striker Mohamed Amoura ahead of making a potential swoop when the season comes to an end.

They face some competition from Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, however, and if Spurs qualify for the Champions League next season, they will likely be the frontrunners for his signature.

O’Neil may have to move a few players out of the club in the transfer window in order to make a deal happen, especially considering Amoura has a contract at his current side, Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) until 2027.

Adding someone with his talent to the manager's attacking lineup could certainly give the club a major boost, while also being a dream signing for Cunha in the process, who could link up well with the Algerian.

Why Mohamed Amoura would benefit Cunha

Cunha is currently the top scorer at the club this season, netting 13 goals across all competitions. The former Atlético Madrid forward has been deployed as a number ten throughout the campaign to devastating effect and this could see him work well with Amoura.

Metric

2022/23

2023/24

Goals

2

11

Assists

0

6

Key passes per game

0.4

1

Shots on target per game

0.4

1.2

Big chances created

1

7

Not only does Cunha have three assists from this position, but he also created seven big chances, and averaged one key pass per game while succeeding with two dribbles per match, showcasing his selfless nature.

Amoura has been on fire for USG throughout 2023/24, scoring a total of 22 goals across 40 matches, while also showing his selfless side by chipping in with six assists.

It is no wonder that the Algeria international was hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for being “incredibly prolific” just before Christmas.

Among his teammates in the Belgian top flight, the 23-year-old currently ranks second for goals and assists (19), first for shots on target per game (1.4), second for big chances created (six) and fourth for successful dribbles per match (1.2), offering the same sort of qualities as Cunha.

This could allow O’Neil to form a deadly partnership which could help Wolves secure a top-half finish in the Premier League next season.

While a current price for the player is unknown, it looks as though the Old Gold will have to splash out a significant fee, but judging by his statistics this season, Amoura could be well worth it.

Today, Liverpool managed to triumph over Chelsea in the 2023/24 edition of the Carabao Cup.

Throughout many points in the game, either side could have taken the lead, however, the ball didn't seem to want to go into the back of the net.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea each had a goal disallowed in the standard 90-minute game, with Virgil van Dijk and Raheem Sterling having their goals chalked off due to an offside call.

It felt as if the clash was destined for yet another penalty shoot-out, much like the previous two times the teams have faced one another in domestic cup finals.

However, after both sides endured a gruelling 118 minutes of football, the deadlock was finally broken by Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk.

His glancing header, which was delivered by Kostas Tsimikas, was enough to allow "Klopp's kids" to triumph over the "billion-pound bottle jobs," as Gary Neville called it post-match.

Virgil van Dijk's performance in numbers

Van Dijk's header was the thing which set Liverpool apart from the West London club but aside from being handed the Man of the Match award for the final and scoring the match-winning goal, the Liverpool captain's overall game was a sight to behold.

Not only did he play the entirety of the 120 minutes, but, he also managed to win 70% of the duels he faced and even managed to achieve a pass accuracy of 91% by the end of the game.

When Van Dijk's statistics are compared to those of Ibrahima Konate, who also had a very solid outing, it shows how well the 32-year-old really played.

The France international won just 58% of the duels he faced and ended the game with a passing accuracy of 85%. Although the pair aren't too far apart, the presence Van Dijk has on the pitch is almost unbelievable.

So much so, that his opponents have even hailed his performances of late: "I think Virgil was the last couple of years and this year also one of the best defenders in the Premier League, for sure," said Tottenham's Micky van de Ven.

"The year they grabbed the title he was unbelievable and showed how important he is for Liverpool. He shows how important he is the last couple of years."

Although the defender put in a stellar performance, Caoimhin Kelleher is another one of Liverpool's players who deserves a special mention.

Caoimhin Kelleher's Carabao Cup final heroics

It goes without saying that it feels as if the Carabao Cup is Kelleher's competition.

Although over the last few seasons he hasn't been afforded many chances to play due to the performances of Alisson, when called upon, the Republic of Ireland international always manages to show the world his talents.

Today's game was no different after the goalkeeper amassed a total of 75 touches and made nine crucial saves throughout the game, one of which was to deny Conor Gallagher tremendously deep into the second half.

The England midfielder was set free but when presented with a chance to score, out raced the Irishman to smother Gallagher and prevent any chance of the ball finding the net. It was so good that one prominent Liverpool content creator suggested it was the Irishman's best ever showing in a Liverpool jersey.

When compared to Chelsea's goalkeeper, Dorde Petrovic, who also had a solid outing between the sticks, it shows just how well Kelleher played.

Petrovic had a total of 11 fewer touches than the 25-year-old and managed an extra save. The number of shots from each side does need to be taken into account. Liverpool had a total of 24 shots with 11 on target, whilst Chelsea only managed 19 with nine on target.

Although Kelleher didn't contest or win any 'duels', he was still put in a miraculous showing between the sticks.

Hence, why, Petrovic ended up with more saves than Kelleher. One thing is for sure, either side could have won it but, thanks to Klopp's "mentality monsters," they managed to come away with the trophy.