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The brevity of success in football is a puzzle that all teams are aware of, notably Liverpool, with efforts made year after year to effectively equip for the season during the summer, and then instil a philosophy fit for illustrious success across the campaign.

The Reds' seasonal demise last year punctuated this point, with Jurgen Klopp's dynasty teetering on the cusp of its culmination as dreadful form and a loss of life unravelled the years of hard work at Anfield.

There's optimism anew now and the Reds are back fighting for a place at the forefront of the Premier League, with Saturday's fixture of the utmost importance: a clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

For Pep Guardiola's side, silverware certainly hasn't been in short supply over recent years, with Manchester City winning 14 major honours in just seven seasons since the sagacious Spaniard's appointment; Klopp has won six major honours on Merseyside.

On Saturday, Liverpool have a glorious opportunity to leapfrog their rivals to first place by defeating them in their own backyard, with the stakes high in one of the global game's most compelling and eagerly-anticipated fixtures.

Liverpool team news vs Manchester City

Liverpool are boosted by the return of multiple first-team stars, with the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle allaying fears of respective issues and additionally revealing that the South American players are fit and raring to go for the trip to Manchester.

Andy Robertson is taking his recovery from a shoulder injury "week by week", with the Scotland captain not expected to return to match action for the foreseeable future.

Likewise, Spanish midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara remain out and may well be shackled to the medical room until after the new year.

It is galvanising that so many players are in contention to start against the Sky Blues, but nothing surpasses the importance of having Virgil van Dijk in top form to stifle the threat of one of the greatest offensive squads in modern history.

Virgil van Dijk's season in numbers

The Athletic's James Pearce recently remarked that the Dutchman is "back to his brilliant best", having flattered to deceive as Liverpool toiled last year.

Liverpool signed Van Dijk from Southampton for a staggering £75m back in December 2017, with the 32-year-old since making 233 appearances for the club, scoring 19 goals, supplying 14 assists and winning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's wing.

The club captain will be crucial in preventing the hosts from gaining a foothold, and the best way to do this is to negate the threat of Erling Haaland, who is a seemingly indomitable force in front of goal.

Erling Haaland's season in numbers

Some would argue that Haaland, aged 23, deserved to win the Ballon d'Or over Lionel Messi this year, having plundered 52 goals and nine assists from just 53 matches as his remarkable side soared toward an incredible treble.

This season, he has been as imperious as ever and has already scored 17 times from just 18 matches across all competitions – including 13 strikes from 12 matches in the Premier League.

As per FBref, the Norwegian machine ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 10% for assists and the top 11% for touches in the attacking box per 90, which is rather remarkable considering the amount of football that he has played.

Dubbed a "generational talent" by pundit Rory Smith, Haaland has been the ultimate centre-forward under Guardiola's guidance, an arrowhead with sharpness unseen on English soil, finishing off City's slick passing play with the deadliest of final touches.

Interestingly, he doesn't have a very good record against Liverpool, scoring twice from five matches but losing on four occasions, with his only victory coming in the Carabao Cup fourth round last December, where he scored as his side progressed.

Guardiola is a master strategist and he will know that to maximise his talisman's efficacy he must be channelled away from Van Dijk, whose masterful blend of qualities makes for a pretty good chance of diminishing the threat

As such, it's likely that he will be angled toward the other side of the central defence, and because of this, Joe Gomez must receive the nod ahead of Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate.

How Joe Gomez can stop Haaland tomorrow

Having been branded a "footballing nightmare" by journalist Uri Levy last season – very much at the epicentre of Liverpool's struggles – the £85k-per-week Gomez has been enjoying an almighty revival since the summer.

Frankly, bullying the £375k-per-week goalscoring monster into submission is not going to be an easy task, but the 26-year-old has been noted for his "brilliant" renaissance this term by the likes of reporter Neil Jones – an apt remark.

The dynamic defender ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 13% for tackles, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90.

The final metric there is less important when discussing how he can disrupt Haaland's goal-grabbing flow, but it is indicative of his playmaking ability and ease in progressing the play, keeping it away from the danger area.

Gomez also found success in the Premier League last season against Haaland, with his performance against the 6 foot 3 force at Anfield last season more than catching the eye.

With a struggling Liverpool emerging 1-0 victors, Gomez's defensive display was imperative, not dribbled past once and winning possession ten times, negating Haaland's attacking weapons considerably.

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but the Englishman will feel that he can subdue Haaland alongside an in-form Van Dijk, offering pace, precision and composure to produce a statement victory for the Reds.

Despite insisting that he would be leaving at the end of the season, it has now been confirmed that the Blaugrana's manager will remain until 2025

So, it's confirmed: Se queda. Xavi announced defiantly in late January that he would be leaving Barcelona at the end of the campaign, and asserted that there would be no circumstances in which he might return. A Champions League win wouldn't be enough, nor would a miraculous La Liga turnaround. His decision, he insisted, was made.

Except, it wasn't. Barca, after months of trying, have convinced their manager who seemed so certain to depart to stick around. Quite why they have been so desperate to change the legendary midfielder's mind isn't wholly clear, though. Xavi hasn't necessarily done poorly in Catalunya, but there is a sense that he has taken the club as far as he can.

The Blaugrana, really, need a fresh face in the dugout, but Barca have convinced him to stay all the same, with the coach set to see out the rest of his contract, which expires in 2025. It all sets up an interesting season ahead, as Barca face the reality of trying to compete with a surging Real Madrid with a largely similar set-up to the one that has struggled so much at times in 2023-24. Either way, it should make for interesting viewing.

GOAL takes a look at the winners and losers of Xavi's decision to remain at Barcelona…

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  WINNER: Joan Laporta

  Well, the big man got his wish. For months, Barca president Joan Laporta had floated in the press that he might try to convince Xavi to stay. It was clear that Laporta wanted his manager to stick around, dubbing him a "club legend", and claiming that Xavi had earned the right to remain in Catalunya until at least the end of the season amid calls for him to be sacked.

  Laporta wins in enumerate ways here. First of all, he gets to keep his preferred candidate for the job. He has always had a good relationship with Xavi, while the long time 'Cule' has undoubtedly benefitted from having someone with an unconditional love of the club as the figurehead of the team.

  But perhaps more importantly, from a practical standpoint, this makes sense for the Barca's flailing finances. it is no secret that the Spanish giants remain in massive financial trouble, and will be forced to sell this summer in order to refresh the squad. A new manager search would also, then, have added to the potential expenses, and in a crowded market place, Barca might have simply been outbid for some of their top options.

  Laporta, then, gets to keep his favourite, and also save some cash.

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  LOSER: Xavi's happiness

  Yes, seriously. Xavi repeatedly claimed that the media circus that came with coaching Barcelona made him fall out of love with the job. He mentioned that it had taken a toll on his mental health, and went as far to discourage others from inheriting the role for fear that they may have the same struggles.

  And that's not any more likely to change now he's sticking around. The Catalan media will remain ruthless, while the press will continue to circle every time Barca drop points, or the manager makes a mistake. He will still be pestered about his tactical decisions, Barca's finances, and the presumptive dominance of Madrid in La Liga.

  If anything, it might all get worse. Xavi may love this job, and love his club, but by opting to stay, he has opened himself up to further criticism. Should he leave again – for real this time – it may not be on his own terms. And the chances are, it won't be amid much understanding from those who cover the club.

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  WINNER: La Masia's top talents

  Xavi has received criticism from a number of angles for the way he has handled the Barcelona job, and rightly so in some cases. His tactical decision-making has been poor on a number of occasions, while his system undoubtedly grew stale throughout the 2023-24 season.

  However, he cannot be called into question for his usage of youth. Xavi has handed out 15 debuts to La Masia products in his two-and-a-half years at the helm, and worked a number of top talents into the first team. Under his tutelage, Lamine Yamal has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in the game, while, Pau Cubarsi and Fermin Lopez have both become regulars. It was also Xavi's decision to make Gavi an indispensable part of the team during his early days at the club, while he kept faith in Ansu Fati to a point, despite a series of injuries rattling his career.

  Barca won't be able to invest heavily in the coming months, and Xavi probably knows this. Working the kids into the fold, then, will be crucial if Barca are to remain competitive in La Liga.

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  LOSER: The old guard

  Although there's continuity at the top, change seems to be afoot in Barca. Xavi has already hinted at it, ushering a new wave of young players into the side. Add the exciting Vitor Roque to play up front, and this could be a very young, very good team before too long.

  That would seem to be bad news for the old guard. Barca already started the rebuilding process when Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba left last summer, and the presumed departures of Marcos Alonso and Sergi Roberto will only continue it.

  Among the other veterans, Robert Lewandowski, in particular, faces a tricky summer. The legendary Polish striker has been a shadow of his usual self this campaign, and is now well into his mid 30s. As such, he doesn't seem to have very long left in Barcelona, and should a big-money offer come in from Saudi Arabia or MLS, he too could be set for a departure.

Leeds United could now be set for an off-field boost that will enable them to upgrade some financially rewarding areas at Elland Road, according to Sky's football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

Leeds United prepare for Swansea City…

Leeds were held to a draw against lowly Rotherham United in the Championship on Friday, which has left Daniel Farke's men third in the league standings with 32 points gained from 17 fixtures played. Producing a small silver lining, the Whites actually gained some ground on Ipswich Town, who lost out 2-0 to West Bromwich Albion the following day, leaving a seven-point buffer between the Tractor Boys and Leeds United heading into a midweek round of fixtures.

On Wednesday night, Farke will have to prepare his men for the challenge of facing Swansea City, who lie 17th in the Championship and have not won any of their last three matches. As cited by Leeds Live, Whites defender Liam Cooper hobbled off in the final minutes of their tie against Rotherham and will undergo further assessment to determine his availability ahead of Swansea City's visit.

Farke added on his knock: "Liam Cooper, there was a cramp he also felt a bit in his hamstring. We have to assess him but it could be there's a slight injury. I hope to have him available on Wednesday but we need to wait for further assessment."

Stuart Dallas, Djed Spence and Jamie Shackleton could also miss proceedings; however, Leeds United will have a strong squad to choose from as they look to get back to winning ways on home soil.

Away from the field, football finance expert Maguire has now revealed that the Yorkshire outfit could now be set to make some upgrades at the club.

Leeds owners now likely to invest in Elland Road

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire has claimed that Leeds and the 49ers could look to expand Elland Road to over 50,000 after a report from the outlet claimed that the Whites are set to open talks with US investors over another minority sale.

He now believes that 49ers Enterprises will look to put money gained from this into expanding Elland Road and improving certain aspects of the matchday experience, as he stated: "There should be no concerns over this. The 49ers Enterprise have had a strategy since acquiring control of the club."

"They are looking to diversify the ownership portfolio to either bring in more money to recover what they paid to Radrizzani or alternatively, to provide funding for infrastructure costs. Leeds have a huge fan base and they ideally need a 50,000-plus capacity stadium which is fit for the 21st century."

"While Elland Road is a fantastic stadium with a fantastic atmosphere, in terms of the prawn sandwich perspective, they need an upgrade to hospitality sectors. That’s where the money is in football these days."

Despite their relegation to the Championship, Leeds look to finally be heading in a stable direction both on and off the field and their loyal supporters will be excited to see what the future holds, especially if they can turn some of the upgrades Maguire mentions into funds for the manager in the transfer market.

Leeds United predictions & previews for upcoming fixtures

Football FanCast looks ahead to Leeds United’s next 6 fixtures as they aim to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt.

By
Mark Marston

Nov 23, 2023

Many Three Lions stars who might have given up hope of going to Germany are now in with a real shout of making the cut

The news that squad sizes for this summer's European Championship are set to be expanded from 23 to 26 players will be music to the ears of those on the fringes of the England squad. Rarely has the battle for selection been so fierce and competitive, with manager Gareth Southgate blessed with a plethora of options in every position.

Such is the depth of the talent pool, a whole host of big names are already guaranteed to miss out, but the expansion will provide hope to those who are not currently part of that core of Three Lions stars such as Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane, who are already guaranteed their seat on the plane to Germany in June.

But who has been given extra motivation to finish the season as strongly as possible? GOAL looks at the 20 England players who find themselves in with a chance…

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  Kobbie Mainoo

  Mainoo is more in than out as things stand after an outstanding breakout season at Manchester United, with his emergence one of few things Erik ten Hag has gotten right.

  The midfielder has only just turned 19, but impressed after being promoted to the senior England squad for the March international break, and the expansion should guarantee him a place.

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  Marcus Rashford

  Even with three extra spots available, Rashford may have his work cut out to convince Southgate of his worth after a mightily underwhelming campaign at Manchester United.

  There are others ahead of him in the pecking order as England are blessed with plenty of attacking options, but he should see this as motivation between now and the end of the season. A strong finish may well be a non-negotiable at this stage.

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  Jack Grealish

  A player who could well be in direct competition with Rashford for one of the extra places on the plane. After being overlooked for the last England squad following an injury, Grealish is enjoying a timely return to form at Man City.

  Pep Guardiola has trusted him in some key scenarios, including the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, and he has been rewarded. If he continues on his current trajectory, expect him to be on that plane. He has the mentality for the big occasion.

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  Ezri Konsa

  Konsa continues to be a key figure in an Aston Villa side pushing for Champions League qualification, and he will fancy himself as the first-choice replacement for John Stones with the tournament on the horizon.

  It was telling that he appeared in both of England's friendlies in the March international break, and with the news of the expansion to 26-man squads, he can probably feel quite secure in Southgate's plans.

Ollie Palmer appears to be taking lessons from Ryan Reynolds, with the Wrexham star living the A-list lifestyle by attending the Met Gala in New York.

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• Red Dragons headed to Sin City
• Frontman now in the Big Apple
• Enjoying break from football

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons striker has swapped a promotion party in Las Vegas, alongside the likes of Paul Mullin and James McClean, for a swanky showbiz bash in the Big Apple. Palmer now boasts his own fashion label, WXM Clothing, and is making a name for himself on and off the field.

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• THE GOSSIP

  He has been taking full advantage of that by rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. Palmer is accustomed to doing that in North Wales, with Wrexham’s Hollywood co-owners – Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – often bringing celebrity friends along with them to SToK Racecourse.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Palmer has now been attending the same event as Kim Kardashian, Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez, with the most glamorous of superstars hitting the red carpet at the Met Gala. Palmer attended alongside his wife, Caitlin, and rubbed shoulders with Brit Award-winning musician Raye at an after-show party.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  After making the most of a break in professional duties, Palmer will form part of Wrexham’s plans for the 2024-25 campaign. They are readying themselves for a step up into League One, with another trip to North America – for a pre-season tour – set to be taken in before competitive action resumes.

On the surface, it's easy to assume that everything has been plain sailing for Newcastle United this season. They smashed Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 at St James' Park, before drawing at the death in the reverse fixture, whilst also defeating champions-elect Arsenal and thrashing Chelsea. That said, go beneath the surface, and this is also a side who have struggled to balance Premier League action with their Champions League campaign, suffering a number of injuries along the way.

This means that the January transfer window could be more important than ever for Eddie Howe at St James' Park, as he looks to guide the Magpies back into the top four and add some crucial squad depth. And that could result in the arrival of one particular player.

Newcastle transfer news

When considering the sheer amount of football that Newcastle have played or will go on to play this season, their summer transfer window wasn't exactly perfect. They welcomed Sandro Tonali, who is now serving a 10-month ban, Harvey Barnes, who has suffered with injuries, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall – who have at least made their mark. Meanwhile, others arrived as options for the future, rather than the here and now. Tonali's ban has left Newcastle particularly short in midfield, which has seen their attention turn elsewhere ahead of January.

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle are keeping tabs on Kenneth Taylor, who Ajax are reportedly considering offloading in 2024 after their disastrous campaign so far. The 21-year-old would reportedly be reluctant to leave the struggling Dutch giants in January, however, with the midfielder more likely to consider his options in the summer transfer window.

If Howe does want to bring Taylor in, meanwhile, he will reportedly face competition from Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion in what could be a busy race for his signature next year.

"Talented" Taylor can replace banned Tonali

After splashing out on Tonali during the summer transfer window, Newcastle have seen their investment fail in disastrous fashion, with the Italian hit with a lengthy ban. It has given them quite the task in January when it comes to finding a replacement too. But Taylor can quickly become the solution to their problem. Even in a struggling Ajax side, Taylor's stats have been impressive when compared to current Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff.

It comes as no surprise, given his recent rise, that Taylor has been at the centre of praise. And that includes from former Ajax boss Aad de Mos, who told VoetbalNieuws via Sport Witness:

"He will stay for another year after this, then it will be Barcelona, Real Madrid or Manchester United. If there are two buses parked in front of him, he knows how to make the right choices towards the strikers or players in his area. And he is two-footed. If the team is compact, you don’t have to be afraid. He has an iron will to defend and has a good head. A very talented player.”

Glasgow Rangers paid the price for some poor transfer business under Michael Beale as the Englishman was sacked after a woeful 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen at Ibrox.

The defeat proved to be the final straw for the board as they relieved Beale of his duties after only seven Premiership matches, with the Gers losing three times in that spell.

He promised a summer rebuild and that is what the supporters got. However, it wasn’t exactly to their liking.

Rangers summer transfer business

With the likes of Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Scott Arfield leaving the Light Blues at the end of the 2022/23 season due to their contracts expiring, it was clear Beale needed to act smartly in the transfer window in order to replace them.

Rangers' 8/10 maestro was the real hero alongside Roofe vs Betis

Rangers secured a stunning victory in Spain over Real Betis on Thursday evening

By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 15, 2023

Summer arrivals included names such as Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers, Danilo, and Jack Butland. The latter two have proved their worth throughout the season, yet Dessers and Lammers have been poor so far – the latter pair scoring just seven league goals between them.

These disappointing signings failed to kick Rangers into gear over the first few months of the season, and it has taken Philippe Clement to come in and steady the ship.

Beale’s success in the January transfer window looked as though the club were finally on the right path with regard to building a successful player-trading model, as Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell have both shone for the Gers.

Raskin in particular has seen his market value rise significantly since joining the Glasgow side at the start of the year.

Nico Raskin has been a bargain signing for Rangers

Following a decent start to life at the club, the former QPR manager delved into the transfer market in January in order to improve his squad.

Cantwell and Raskin were his only two signings, but they made all the difference at the heart of the Rangers midfield.

The Belgian cost the Gers just €1.5m (£1.3m) and considering his age combined with potential ability, it looked as though the former Standard Liege starlet could turn into a wonderful investment.

During the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, the midfielder made 16 appearances in all competitions and began to give the Light Blues that bit of bite into the heart of their midfield that was sorely missing during the first half of the season.

Despite only featuring between February and May, Raskin ranked sixth across the squad for successful dribbles per game (0.9) along with ranking third for tackles per game (1.8) and it proved that he was already beginning to make a positive impact in the team.

Nico Raskin’s statistics at Rangers this season

The Light Blues finished last season without a trophy for the first time since 2020 and, following the mass rebuild that Beale went through, hopes were high that this could be the year in which another Premiership title was secured.

Early optimism soon descended into chaos. Beale failed to motivate his side for a crunch Champions League clash against PSV (eventually losing 5-1 in Eindhoven) while they suffered a woeful 1-0 defeat at home to Celtic, and it was clear the Englishman wasn’t cut out for a role of this calibre.

Raskin initially struggled to get to grips with Beale’s ever-changing system, yet his statistics during the season have suggested that he hasn’t struggled as badly as many have thought.

The Belgian currently ranks seventh in the squad for accurate passes per game (44.1) in the league, while also ranking sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.9), first for tackles per game (2.8) and seventh for interceptions per game (0.9) and he looked like he was beginning to improve under Clement.

Against Hearts in his compatriot’s third game in charge, the youngster had to go off with an injury after taking a shot and he hasn’t been seen since.

Clement provided an update post-match, saying: “I didn’t see him yet so we need to make a proper assessment about that this evening or tomorrow with the doctors in hospital. I hope that it is now too bad because he has been important in the last couple of weeks and is a player with a lot of potential.”

The 49-year-old coach was expecting him to return following the latest international break, yet a fresh update was given on his condition and Clement claimed “his injury will take a little bit longer than we hoped” at the start of this month.

Lauded as “different class” by journalist Josh Bunting during pre-season, Raskin’s injury blow has been a major blow for the club, yet during his brief spell in Scotland, his performances so far have seen his market value rise significantly.

Nico Raskin’s market value

Having cost just £1.3m just under a year ago, the former Standard Liege midfielder is now currently valued at €8m (£6.9m) and this is a wonderful increase for a player who hasn’t yet played a full season in Scotland.

His potential will see him continue to improve and Clement will surely be hoping his injury recovery will be heading in the right direction over the next few weeks.

With the January transfer market fast approaching, the former Club Brugge coach will have a few targets in mind as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

With Europa League football secured beyond the festive season, the club now have a chance to win the League Cup for the first time since 2011 this afternoon against Aberdeen.

The onus won't just be on the manager strengthening his squad, but to establish a proper trading model which will see the Ibrox side sign talented youngsters, develop them, and move them on for a profit.

Raskin has the potential to make the Gers an excellent profit over the next few years, especially if he can continue his solid form when he returns from injury.

With his value rising by over £5m in just under 12 months, imagine what it could look like next year at this time?

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti got his wish after dancing with Los Blancos star Eduardo Camavinga at their La Liga title parade.

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• Real Madrid win La Liga title
• Club enjoys victory parade
• Ancelotti dances with Camavinga

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ancelotti and his Real players took their La Liga title celebrations to the Spanish capital on Sunday with an open-top bus parade. With the party in full swing, manager Ancelotti wanted to bust some moves with French midfielder Camavinga, who duly obliged in joyous scenes.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Madrid are going from strength to strength at present. They won their 36th La Liga title and they are into the Champions League final, where they will play Borussia Dortmund. Ancelotti is doing a stellar job at Los Blancos and he is clearly very popular among the fans and the players.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Camavinga and his side return to La Liga action on Tuesday at home to Alaves, followed by a trip to Villarreal on May 19. Before facing Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in the Champions League final, they take on Real Betis a week prior in the league.

Al-Nassr needed a late goal to salvage a 2-2 draw against relegation battlers Al-Riyadh after a dismal showing from Cristiano Ronaldo and company.

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• Al-Nassr draw 2-2 with Al-Riyadh
• Ronaldo misses multiple chances
• Laporte sent off for stupid off-the-ball slap

• TELL ME MORE

  Cristiano Ronaldo's side went into the clash as clear favourites to get three points over Al-Riyadh, however, that was not the case as the hosts managed to frustrate the league runners-up in the first half of the game. Otavio's deflected shot opened the scoring on the night as it looked initially like Al-Nassr might run away with the game. Ronaldo was offered a spectacular opportunity to double the lead but his horrendous miss followed a counter from Al-Riyadh that ended with a spectacular goal from Andre Gray. The hosts took the lead via Mohammed Al-Aqel, who scored with a stunning bicycle kick past a helpless David Ospina before Ronaldo fluffed his lines yet again in front of goal having been offered a perfect opportunity to equalize.

  The second half saw Al-Nassr come out pounding on Al-Riyadh's door, however, Ronaldo's woes in front of goal continued as he failed to convert from Sadio Mane's pass into the six-yard box. Al-Nassr's frustrations started to grow and the tension got to Aymeric Laporte who struck Al-Aqel with an off-the-ball slap which saw the Frenchman given his second red card of the season. Al-Nassr managed to equalize in the seventh minute of injury time via Meshari Al-Nemer.

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• THE MVP

  Al-Riyadh entered the game with very low odds of being able to take anything from the match. After a strong start to the clash, they were unfortunate to concede the opener after a cruel deflection on Otavio's shot. However, the hosts rose to the occasion and beautiful goals from Gray and Al-Aqel saw them take the lead into injury time. However, substitute goalkeeper Abdulrahman Hadal's mistake allowed Al-Nemer to equalize and only gave them a solitary point on a day where the three points would have seen them secure safety.

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  THE BIG LOSERS

  Ronaldo's woeful form from a week ago against Al-Hilal followed him as he wasted multiple chances for Al-Nassr yet again and could have walked away with another hat trick to his name. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was caught offside multiple times and his finishing left a lot to be desired for Al-Nassr fans.

  Laporte's red card diminished Al-Nassr's chances of making a late comeback as he was shown a caution first before the referee overturned his decision and sent him off, leaving Al-Nassr a man down.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Al-Nassr will now end their league season with a final clash against Al-Ittihad on May 27 as they look to begin preparations for the King's Cup final against Al-Hilal.

A "very important" West Brom player could now return from injury during the festive period, according to a key fitness update from journalist Matt Maher.

West Brom transfers & injuries

Anyone of a Baggies persuasion should be feeling relatively positive about on and off-field matters currently, with things heading in the right direction, including with the proposed takeover of the club.

Carlos Corberan's side look right in the promotion mix ahead of the second half of the season, too, sitting in the Championship play-off positions and hope to remain that way up until May. An automatic promotion place isn't out of the question, although there is a fair amount of ground to make up on both Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

New signings in the January transfer window could be perfect for West Brom, giving them extra quality and depth as the fixtures come thick and fast – and they have been linked with plenty of players recently.

The Baggies are believed to be interested in signing Liverpool youngster Conor Bradley on loan, for example, with the right-back seen as someone who can come in and make a difference, earning first-team action rather than not featuring at Anfield.

However, injuries have hampered West Brom, with striker Daryl Dike a long-term absentee, and midfielder John Swift also someone who has been missing of late.

Daryl Dike set for West Brom return

Taking to X on Friday, Maher claimed that Dike could be back in the fold for West Brom before the festive action reaches its conclusion, acting as a major boost for Corberan.

"Finally some good news for Carlos Corberan and #wba on the injury front. John Swift available for Middlesbrough, while Daryl Dike could return before the end of the festive period. Striker, out since April, took part in full training today."

Having Dike available again is a major shot in the arm for Corberan, who will need as much firepower as possible this season if his side are to ensure that they at least have a crack at the play-offs.

The American's time at The Hawthorns has been hugely frustrating to date because of fitness issues, with only 27 appearances and seven goals coming his way. The 23-year-old is someone with so much potential, and he has shown in the past what an impact he can make in the Championship, netting 16 times in 44 matches in the competition.

Corberan has spoken of his admiration for Dike in the past, lauding his importance to the cause earlier this year, saying:

“He had a long-term injury but he’s a very important player for us. “The fitter he is, the better it is for the team. The more he trains, the better condition he’s in to perform."

West Brom could sign £1m-rated "huge talent" to improve Thomas-Asante's fortunes

West Brom could get the best out of Thomas-Asante this winter by signing this £1m-rated “huge talent”.

By
Adam Scully

Dec 20, 2023

The ten-cap and three-goal USA international has had such an unlucky time with injuries in his career, but if he can just enjoy an extended period on the pitch, he could yet flourish for West Brom, hopefully inspiring them back into the Premier League.