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Liverpool’s rotated side emerged victorious in midweek, holding off managerless Southampton to advance to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, where Tottenham Hotspur await.

Well, not yet they don’t. That’s because the north Londoners are currently readying themselves for Sunday’s Premier League showdown against Arne Slot’s high fliers.

Liverpool are top of the table but have drawn successive matches against Newcastle United and Fulham to put Chelsea within touching distance – the Reds do have a game in hand due to the Merseyside derby being called off earlier this month, however.

Ceding ground for a third game in a row, however, would be frustrating, and Slot will be determined to field the perfect line-up to defeat Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Liverpool team news

In his pre-match press conference, Slot revealed that Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley are still absent after picking up injuries around three weeks ago.

Federico Chiesa is getting stronger and stronger after returning against Saints, but it’s unlikely that the Italian will be handed a starting berth against Spurs.

Alisson Becker, Ryan Gravenberch, Virgil van Dijk, Dominijk Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were among the Premier League mainstays to be afforded a break in midweek, but all are sure to now be restive and determined to defeat their opponents this weekend.

Salah’s return will be crucial, but of course will see one of Slot’s stars placed back on the bench. Harvey Elliott scored but won’t be in the starting line-up this evening, and the same can be said for Darwin Nunez, whose goal allowed for a collective breath of relief across Merseyside.

However, the Uruguayan’s performance against Saints still left plenty to be desired, as he lost three of four attempted dribbles and failed to make a key pass in a mixed effort, as per Sofascore.

Instead, most Redmen would hope to see Diogo Jota posted at number nine, for the Portuguese scored off the bench last weekend and impressed once again in midweek, creating three chances in less than a half-hour of action.

Nunez isn’t the only star who may face the chop, with Slot perhaps interested in boldly placing Alexis Mac Allister on the bench after he started against Southampton.

Why Slot could boldly drop Mac Allister

A much-changed Liverpool weathered the adverse weather conditions to see off Southampton, sure, with Slot’s line-up populated by younger members.

Mac Allister was something like the nucleus in the middle though, and even if he didn’t enjoy his finest game in a Liverpool shirt, the Argentinian World Cup winner’s crisp passing and combative approach served the visitors well – especially in the first half as they assumed total control.

But Mac Allister lacked his usual bite, with the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle giving him a 6/10 score and writing that he was ‘not involved as much as he would have liked on his return from suspension.’

Minutes played

63′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

34

Shots (on target)

1 (1)

Accurate passes

24/27 (89%)

Key passes

1

Dribbles (completed)

0 (0)

Tackles + interceptions

0

Total duels (won)

2 (0)

Mac Allister seemed a little rusty, and so perhaps it might be worth replacing him with Curtis Jones on Sunday, with Szoboszlai and Gravenberch both sure to be eyeing roles from the outset after being rested.

Liverpool will need to maximise their fluency at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Jones in particular could be vital in achieving that.

The Scouse ace ranks among the top 1% of Premier League midfielders this season for pass completion, as per FBref, with his technical skill and composure to facets that could serve as a counterpoint to the tireless Szoboszlai.

It’s more of a compliment toward Liverpool’s midfield depth that Mac Allister might find himself on the bench. It would definitely be a bold call, but Slot will be sure to see the value in making a tweak ahead of a crunch display.

He plays like Saka: Liverpool want to sign "monster" £57m Nunez upgrade

Liverpool might need to strengthen their frontline in 2025.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 19, 2024

The Capitals head coach’s family has been shifted to a facility outside the team hotel

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Apr-2022Ricky Ponting, the Delhi Capitals head coach, will isolate in his hotel room for five days after a family member tested positive for Covid-19. He will therefore not be present at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for Capitals’ match against Rajasthan Royals later today. The match is expected to go ahead as scheduled.Ponting has twice tested negative since his family member’s positive test, but a statement from the franchise said that “in the best interest of the team, the management and medical team has decided that he will remain in isolation for five days”. For the time being, Ponting’s absence is likely to only be for Friday’s game. With the Capitals’ next fixture only on April 28, against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede, Ponting is expected to join his support staff of Pravin Amre, James Hopes, Ajit Agarkar, Shane Watson and others in time.Though none of the other teams have had any positive Covid-19 cases since the start of the tournament on March 26, the Capitals have had a number of positive results. On Wednesday, Tim Seifert, the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, became the sixth member of the Capitals contingent to test positive after Australia allrounder Mitchell Marsh, physio Patrick Farhart, sports massage therapist Chetan Kumar, team doctor Abhijit Salvi, and social media content team member Akash Mane.Their previous fixture was moved from Pune to Mumbai, where the teams are based, to avoid inter-city travel, and during that game, against Punjab Kings, none of the Capitals players shook hands with the opposition after the game. Ponting and other members of the coaching staff were spotted wearing masks in the dugout. The Friday fixture against Royals, too, was shifted from Pune to Mumbai.The first Covid-19 case in the Capitals camp emerged on April 15, when Farhart tested positive, and the next day, Chetan tested positive too. On April 18, team doctor Abhijit Salvi, a member of Capitals’ social media team, and Marsh tested positive. The following day, Seifert also returned positive results, and has since been shifted to a facility outside the team hotel.It was only after all the players and support staff returned negative results that the game against Kings went ahead.From the IPL 2022 playing conditions…What happens if a player or squad member tests positive for Covid-19 during the IPL?
The participant who tests positive will have to isolate for a minimum of seven days, and during that period, he will be tested on the sixth and seventh days. For him to re-enter the team’s bio-secure environment, he will have to provide two consecutive negative RT-PCR tests taken 24 hours apart, full resolution of symptoms, see that there are no fresh symptoms for more than 24 hours, and that there have been no use of medications for more than 24 hours.What happens if a team is affected by multiple Covid-19 infections and many of their players are unavailable?
A franchise can field a team if there are a minimum of 12 players available for them, including at least seven Indians and one substitute. If a team has fewer than 12, the BCCI will attempt to reschedule the match for later in the season. If, for some reason, that is not possible, the matter will be referred to the technical committee of the IPL, and the decision of the committee will be “final and binding”.Earlier, when the rescheduling of a match was not possible, the franchise unable to field a team would lose the points to the opponent.

Newcastle are on course to trump Real Madrid and Barcelona in the race to sign budding Malaga sensation Antonio Cordero for free this summer.

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Newcastle favourites to sign CorderoBarca and Madrid also linked with the wingerMalaga sensation's contract set to expireFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report from MARCA, Carabao Cup winners Newcastle are leading the race to sign Malaga's Spanish sensation Cordero, better known as Antonito, leapfrogging the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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Antonito has been one of the stars of the Segunda Division this season, taking rapid strides with Malaga. The 18-year-old winger has five goals and six assists in 30 games, and his performances have caught the eye of La Liga's biggest sides in Barca and Real Madrid.

In November, reports revealed Barca's urgent pursuit of the Cadiz-born talent on a free transfer this summer, hoping to leverage agent Pini Zahavi's association with Robert Lewandowski and Hansi Flick.

Now, though, reports from England mention that the Magpies are the frontrunners to acquire Antonito's signing, who have offered the player a better financial package as well as an easier route into the first team.

DID YOU KNOW?

Malaga's desire is to keep hold of their star man. "I still have the feeling that we can reach an agreement. We will make an effort to keep Antonito here, within the parameters," Malaga sporting director Loren Juarros said in September.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE UNITED?

Riding on the high of their Carabao Cup victory on Sunday, where they beat Liverpool 2-1 to clinch their first domestic trophy since 1955, Newcastle's aim for the remainder of the season is to finish in one of the Champions League spots. Currently, they sit in sixth position in the Premier League with 47 points. They are two points behind Chelsea (fourth) and one point behind Manchester City (fifth), with a game in hand. Their next encounter is a home game against Brentford on April 3, following the international break.

Celtic continued their strong start to the new-look edition of the Champions League format with a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night.

The Scottish giants have only lost one of their six matches in the league phase and are unbeaten in their last four matches in the competition, with one win and three draws.

This has left the Hoops in 19th place in the league and they are on course to make it through the play-off round, as the cut-off to be knocked out is 25th and below.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have also been fantastic domestically and have a League Cup final clash with Rangers at Hampden Park to look forward to.

The Bhoys are currently nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table and have won an incredible 14 of their 15 matches in the division, conceding four goals and scoring a whopping 44 – beating Hibernian 3-0 most recently.

Celtic have been lethal at the top end of the pitch in the top-flight and one of the main reasons why they have been so impressive in the final third has been the form of German forward Nicolas Kuhn.

Nicolas Kuhn's form this season

The January signing from Rapid Vienna only managed two goals and two assists in 14 appearances in the Premiership during the second half of last season.

That five months allowed him to slowly settle into life in Glasgow and in the Scottish top-flight, though, and he used that experience to hit the ground running in the current campaign.

The left-footed wizard has already hit double figures for both goals and assists in all competitions, with an eye-catching 11 goals and 11 assists in 22 matches.

Kuhn is unfortunate not to have more assists in the Champions League, though, as the winger has created four ‘big chances’ and racked up 1.99 xA to only be rewarded with one assist, which suggests that his teammates have let him down with their wasteful finishing at times.

The 24-year-old star has also scored two goals from 0.65 xG in Europe and this illustrates the ruthless nature that he has displayed in front of goal this season for the Hoops.

As well as being a key performer in the Champions League, Kuhn has also been a major contributor for Rodgers as an attacking presence down the right flank in the Premiership.

Appearances

13

Starts

11

Goals

5

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

2.3

Assists

6

As you can see in the table above, the former Bayern Munich and Ajax youngster has offered plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, Kuhn is currently going through a quiet spell, by his standards, with no goals or assists in his last four appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys.

Whilst the German forward is slowing down, another Celtic player is becoming the star man for Rodgers with his performances at the heart of the defence – Auston Trusty.

Auston Trusty's performance against Dinamo Zagreb

The USA international was selected ahead of Liam Scales to play on the left side of the centre-back pairing in the Champions League clash on Tuesday night and caught the eye with his superb display.

Celtic had 69% of the possession on the night and needed their defenders to be switched on and ready to defend in transition when the home side won the ball back and broke quickly.

Trusty was sharp throughout the match and showcased his qualities both in and out of possession, with three tackles, two blocks, and three clearances to help his team out defensively.

Ground duels won

3/4

0/0

Aerial duels won

5/9

2/4

Touches

123

110

Passes completed

106

99

Clearances

3

0

Blocks

2

0

As you can see in the table above, the summer signing from Sheffield United outperformed his centre-back partner with his play on both sides of the game.

Trusty was dominant in his duels, both on the deck and in the air, and was constantly looking to get on the ball to progress play with his passes, having more touches and completing more passes than Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Chalkboard

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

It was a performance in keeping with his outstanding form over the last couple of months, as the defender is quickly becoming the star man for Rodgers.

Auston Trusty's form this season

Starting from the 0-0 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League in October, Celtic have conceded three goals in Trusty’s last 11 appearances in all competitions.

Whilst defending and keeping clean sheets is a team game, Trusty – as shown by his outstanding display on Tuesday night – has played a major role in the club’s impressive clean sheet record.

The Scottish giants have kept six clean sheets in his nine starts in the Premiership and two clean sheets in his five starts in the Champions League, which shows that he has been an integral part of a rock solid defence.

Whilst Kuhn’s has had a minor blip, with his lack of contributions in the final third in recent weeks, Trusty appears to have found his top gear in a Celtic shirt, making himself undroppable at the back.

Goals conceded

0

0

0

Tackles made

3

2

3

Ground duels won

4/5

2/3

3/4

Aerial duels won

3/5

2/3

5/9

Touches

124

146

123

Possession lost

14x

5x

7x

As you can see in the table above, the American defender has only lost possession 26 times from a staggering 393 touches of the ball so far this month, which speaks to how incredibly reliable he has been, particularly this month.

He has also won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air to keep three clean sheets in three matches in December, domestically and in Europe.

These statistics illustrate how influential Trusty has been in and out of possession for Celtic this month, and this season, and that is why he is becoming the star man for Rodgers with his sublime performances week-in-week-out.

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The former Celtic starlet has been compared to Jude Bellingham since moving on from the club.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 9, 2024

Jesse Lingard is enjoying life in South Korea as the former Manchester United star travelled around Hanbok after scoring his first goal of the season.

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Lingard enjoying life in South Korea Scores his first goal of the season for FC Seoul Turns tourist at Gyeongbokgung PalaceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Lingard has wholly failed to live up to the potential he had shown as he came up through the ranks at Manchester United. After leaving the Red Devils and a failed stint with Nottingham Forest, the England international joined FC Seoul in South Korea following a short hiatus from the sport. Lingard has now released a video of him touring the Gyeongbokgung Palace in a traditional hanbok outfit.

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Lingard has slowly been finding his feet at FC Seoul after a very difficult start to life that saw him get dropped from the squad. However, the former wonderkid has now started in all of his side's games and even went on to score his first goal of the season against FC Anyang in a 2-1 win last month, right before his tour to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR LINGARD?

The former Manchester United star picked up an injury earlier this week and is unlikely to be available for FC Seoul's away clash against Suwon FC on Saturday, March 8.

Nottingham Forest’s development over the last few years under the ownership of Evangelos Marinakis has been nothing short of sensational, ending their 23-year exile from the Premier League.

The Greek shipping magnate has transformed the club on and off the pitch, looking unrecognisable from when he took the reins back in the summer of 2017.

Even in recent years, after the Reds secured promotion under Steve Cooper, he’s invested over £250m into new players giving the club every chance of being competitive in England’s top flight.

The City Ground is now home to numerous international stars, including £25m signing Morgan Gibbs-White who has taken his career to the next level in the East Midlands, leading to an England call-up, making him the first player since Stuart Peace to achieve the feat.

It’s a stark contrast from life under the previous ownership, with the club often posing as a laughing stock to many around the country after years of awful decisions conducted by the hierarchy.

Fawaz Al-Hasawi’s time as Nottingham Forest owner

Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz Al-Hasawi was seen as a saviour by many on Trentside after taking over the club following the tragic death of Nigel Doughty back in 2012.

The 56-year-old arrived with huge ambitions to take the club back to the Premier League within five years, but his time at the helm was a disaster, creating more problems than he solved.

He sacked manager Sean O’Driscoll during his first year in charge despite being a couple of points outside the play-offs, before appointing Alex McLeish, who would only last 40 days in the role.

Al-Hasawi would also spend big upon the appointment of club legend Pearce in 2014, but doing so in an erratic manner which broke FFP rules, with Forest enduring numerous windows under a transfer ban.

Such a period resulted in the loss of key players, dropping the Reds closer and closer to the relegation zone, with attendances dropping as low as 17,000 for some fixtures after his dismal running of the club.

The former owner had seven different managers during his five years in charge of the club, often leading to a revolving door at the City Ground – with no structure of continuity in place, leading to their decline.

His final boss during his time as owner was Mark Warburton, with the former Brentford and Rangers boss securing survival on the final day against Ipswich Town – saving the Reds from dropping into League One – potentially allowing for the success that has occurred in recent times.

Fawaz eventually sold up to now owner Marinakis in 2017, with the Greek doing unbelievable work in turning the club around into an established top-flight outfit in just a handful of years.

It’s safe to say the club conducted excellent business in offloading one talent who arrived during the ownership of Fawaz – especially considering his drop in stock over the last couple of seasons.

The player who Nottingham Forest struck gold offloading

Striker Britt Assombalonga arrived in a £5.5m deal from Peterborough in the summer of 2014, a then club-record transfer, forming an excellent partnership with Michail Antonio during that campaign.

The aforementioned pair combined for 42 goals in that Championship campaign, a year cut short for the big-money addition after his serious knee injury that kept him out for over a year.

However, the former DR Congo international would return for the 2016/17 season, which would be his final one at the City Ground, scoring 14 times and helping fend off any final-day relegation worries.

He scored two against Ipswich Town on the final day, securing a 3-0 win before departing in a £15m deal to join fellow second-tier outfit Middlesbrough – a then club-record departure.

However, his career has failed to kick on as many anticipated since his transfer to the Riverside, scoring 47 times in 161 appearances, before leaving on a free transfer at the end of his contract in 2021.

Player

Season

Fee

1) Brennan Johnson

2023/24

£47.5m

2) Orel Mangala

2024/25

£30m

3) Moussa Niakhate

2024/25

£27m

4) Odysseas Vlachodimos

2024/25

£20m

5) Britt Assombalonga

2017/18

£15m

He’s since mainly featured in Turkey for various clubs, now plying his trade for second-tier side Amed SK, who joined this summer, scoring twice in his first 11 games for his new club.

As a result, his market value has plummeted to just £625k, a figure lower than current squad member Willy Boly who’s now only valued at £2m despite his run-in as a regular starter in 2023/24, which saw him make 20 Premier League appearances.

Given the finances at the time, it was a tough call to part ways with a proven goalscorer, undoubtedly taking away one of the biggest assets within the first team.

However, given his steady decline in recent years, Forest certainly made the right call in allowing him to leave, with the club in a much better place than Assombalonga in 2024.

Nottingham Forest loan flop is now "world-class" & worth £50m after leaving

Nottingham Forest made a huge mistake in allowing the talent to leave.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2024

Australia opt to manage Smith’s ongoing elbow problem with rest. Meanwhile, legspinner Mitchell Swepson called into the squad to bolster the bowling stocks

Alex Malcolm26-Mar-2022Steven Smith has been ruled out of Australia’s upcoming limited-overs matches with Pakistan due to discomfort in his previously troubled left elbow.Australia’s selectors believe they have enough batting in the squad to cover Smith’s absence but have opted to add legspinner Mitchell Swepson to the squad as another bowling option.Smith will fly home from Pakistan alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and David Warner with all four resting following the 1-0 Test series victory. Glenn Maxwell is also absent from Australia’s white-ball squad after getting married last week.Smith, who became the fastest player to score 8000 Test runs during the Test series, has been managing his elbow over a lengthy period of time and Australia have opted for a cautious approach.”It’s disappointing to miss these matches against Pakistan but after chatting with the medical staff I can see the need to take a break at this time,” Smith said.”I do not regard this as a major issue but by staying on top of things now, we can ensure that it doesn’t become something more significant further down the line.”Smith was not bought in the IPL auction and will get a chance to rest for over two months as Australia’s next assignment is a three-format tour of Sri Lanka starting on June 7.Related

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Chairman of selectors George Bailey said there was no need to risk Smith in the next four matches given the amount of cricket Australia is set to play from June onwards.”With the significant amount of cricket to come over the next 18 months, and the fact he has had an issue with the same elbow previously, it is appropriate for Steve to return home at the end of the Test series in Pakistan,” Bailey said.”We have opted not to name a replacement batter as we feel we have options within the existing squad, and Steve’s absence offers up additional opportunities to players within the group.”We are excited because with a T20 World Cup later this year and a 50-over Cricket World Cup in Asia next year, these four matches against a quality Pakistan team are a great chance for players to stake their claims for places in those tournaments.”We have decided to include Mitchell Swepson in the white ball squad because it will offer us additional options in the bowling department on surfaces that may well assist spinners.”Mitchell was part of our Twenty20 International squads in both the West Indies and Bangladesh last year, as well as at the T20 World Cup, and having been in Pakistan for the past month he is familiar with conditions. We know if called upon he will do an excellent job.”The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia starts on Tuesday with the only T20I to be played on April 5. All four matches have been moved from Rawalpindi to Lahore due to political issues.Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa

The tournament will take place against steeply rising Covid cases in New Zealand

AAP25-Feb-2022Meg Lanning has labelled the ICC’s emergency World Cup rules as “interesting” but stopped short of criticising the governing body as the tournament nears.Australia face England on February 5 to begin their quest to reclaim the 50-over ODI World Cup, lost to the English five years ago.As host nation New Zealand grapples with its worst Covid-19 outbreak of the pandemic, organisers have scrambled to put in place rules that will allow the tournament to continue should players get infections.The most eye-catching is a regulation that teams can take to the field with just nine players and utilise up to two staff in fielding roles to ensure matches get played.Related

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“I’ve asked our physio and media manager what their preferred fielding position was if they were to take the field,” Lanning said, only half-joking. “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that for any team. It’s an interesting way to go about it.”If that did occur I think it’d be a pretty interesting situation. Hopefully for everyone in the tournament we don’t get to that point.”New Zealand reported 12,011 community Covid-19 cases on Friday, double the previous day’s count, ahead of an expected outbreak peak during the event. The government and ICC have issued strict biosecurity rules in an attempt to shield players from catching the virus.Asked whether the tournament should have been moved from New Zealand, Lanning said she “hadn’t thought about that at all”, offering her sympathy to the hosts. The ICC have also confirmed they will look to re-schedule fixtures in the event of Covid-19 outbreaks affecting squads.”It would be a nightmare trying to organise these tournaments,” she said. “We want to get cricket in. That’s the most important thing. Teams are going to have to be very flexible and understanding of things that are happening at really short notice.”Hopefully if this or that does happen, you can have a bit of a conversation around things and discuss what the options are and I’m sure that the the ICC will be making the best decision for the World Cup and making sure the games can continue on.”

Manchester United have been altering their traditional kick-off direction at Old Trafford, reportedly in an attempt to improve performances.

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Man Utd find themselves 14th in PLAmorim making subtle changes to change fortunesSwapping sides after coin toss one of themFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In their last three home matches, United have started attacking the Stretford End – known for housing their most passionate supporters – in the first half, rather than their usual strategy of finishing matches towards that side. This change has been noticed in games against Ipswich Town, Fulham, and Arsenal, with captain Bruno Fernandes opting for his team to switch ends after winning the pre-match coin toss. According to this decision has been the brainchild of Amorim, who is desperate to address United’s slow starts at home.

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Before their clash with Ipswich, the team had scored just one first-half goal in their previous seven home matches – a Fernandes penalty against Brighton on January 19. Their away form was even more alarming, with that same penalty being United’s only first-half goal in a staggering 17 consecutive fixtures across all competitions. Determined to alter this pattern, Amorim introduced the new kick-off approach with the hopes of injecting urgency into United’s early-game performances. The idea was to take control of matches sooner, rather than relying on second-half rallies to secure results.

DID YOU KNOW?

The tweak has yielded mixed results, with minor signs of improvement. Against Ipswich, United fell behind early but responded strongly before the break, scoring twice – first via a Sam Morsy own goal, and the other a Matthijs de Ligt tap-in. However, the strategy did not pay off against Fulham in the FA Cup, as United struggled in the first half and only managed to equalise through Fernandes in the second half. Against Arsenal, though, the move appeared to have some impact, as Fernandes found the net with a free kick just before half-time.

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WHAT AMORIM SAID

Despite speculation that Sir Dave Brailsford, a well-known advocate for marginal gains, might have played a role in the decision, the change has been entirely driven by Amorim and addressed the importance of changing routines when things are not going well. Speaking to , he revealed: "I just give one bottle to my assistant (Carlos Fernandes). But I think I will change that because this is the time when you are not winning too much, you change things. The rest I change all the time."

A journalist has provided an update on Leeds United’s January transfer plans and it’s great news for Daniel Farke. The January transfer window will open in less than a month’s time, and given how desperate the Whites are to return to the Premier League, it could be a perfect time for them to further strengthen their promotion bid.

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ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2024 Leeds transfer news

Defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday put a dent in Leeds’ promotion bid, as they slip three points behind leaders Sheffield United and a point behind second place Burnley. However, there is still a long way to go in the race, and Farke will think a productive January transfer window can help them reach their goals in the second half of the campaign.

One player who could be heading to Elland Road is Lennon Miller, as the 49ers have sent Leeds officials to join the race for the Motherwell player. Miller is very highly rated, and he has been valued at £5 million by the Scottish side, as several Premier League teams also circle with interest.

Apps

13

Goals

2

Assists

4

Exits may also be on the cards for certain Leeds players in January. Striker Joe Gelhardt could be one to leave the club, as he is keen to leave in search of more playing time. Several teams are interested in a possible loan switch in January, given Gelhardt has hardly featured in this current campaign.

January transfer update as Leeds free up funds for Farke

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Leeds United are preparing to make more money available for Daniel Farke in January. The January transfer window is an opportunity for teams across all divisions to make changes they see fit to their squad, and with the Whites fighting for promotion, they are laying the “groundwork” for a winter “spree”.

The Yorkshire side did spend significant money during the summer, as they added Joe Rodon, Largie Ramazani, Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka, and Isaac Schmidt to their ranks. However, they have had several injury concerns throughout this first part of the campaign, which compounded with the exits in the summer have left the manager a little light.

The club received hefty amounts of money from selling the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Glen Kamara in the summer, and this report states that Leeds’ hierarchy are prepared to make a chunk of that money available to Farke this winter.

It is unclear where Farke plans to prioritise strengthening, but given their recent injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, a midfielder purchase may be high on the list.