BBC pundit Glenn Murray has shared one caveat from Tottenham Hotspur’s crucial 1-0 victory over Man City on Sunday.
The Lowdown: Spurs beat Man City…
Even despite Antonio Conte being absent due to gallbladder removal surgery, Spurs secured a vital win over the Premier League champions to move within one point of the Champions League qualification places.
Assistant manager Cristian Stellini took charge after Conte’s operation and it was the dream outcome, with star striker Harry Kane grabbing Tottenham’s only goal of the game to claim all three points.
The England international surpassed Jimmy Greaves to become the club’s all-time record scorer with 267, putting the icing on the cake of Spurs’ hard-fought result.
The Latest: BBC pundit highlights one caveat…
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live (via BBC Sport), however, Murray highlighted one caveat from a memorable afternoon.
The former Crystal Palace striker reminded supporters that Spurs’ win hugely benefits north London arch-rivals Arsenal, who maintain their five-point lead over City at the summit of the Premier League with a game in hand.
Murray claimed: “I’m not sure Spurs fans will be happy how much this result benefits Arsenal.”
The Verdict: Conte joy…
Tottenham supporters may be slightly miffed at their neighbours seemingly putting one hand on the title after Sunday’s result. However, the win could be a crucial one for Spurs and Conte given their own push for a second successive top-four finish.
There will be little denying Conte’s joy at the result, not to mention the confidence that it could instil in a Spurs squad who are beginning to plug their previously leaky defence.
Tottenham have now shut out the opposition in three of their last five league games, having conceded 25 in 17 before that, and managing to tame the division’s most prolific team is arguably most impressive of them all.
The north Londoners will now be looking to build upon this result and ensure a dream end to the 2022/23 season.
Everton succumbed to a disappointing derby day defeat last night as Liverpool cruised to victory at Anfield.
Sean Dyche struggled to inspire the same workmanlike attitude from the Arsenal game, as the midfield looked sluggish in comparison to their all-action display from earlier in the month.
Meanwhile, it marks an important victory for Jurgen Klopp, who will look to use this game as a springboard to kickstart his team’s season.
Games like last night’s will not be integral in the Toffees’ bid for Premier League survival, but the way in which they whimpered to defeat will frustrate both fans and the former Burnley boss alike.
With plenty to pick out for scorn, it is hard to look past the man who was blatantly at fault for the all-important opener which relinquished the gameplan and got the Anfield crowd behind their team.
How did Pickford play against Liverpool?
Jordan Pickford has been prone to some erratic moments since moving to Goodison Park, with his infamous 2018 blunder to palm the ball from the crossbar onto Divock Origi’s head arguably the most painful.
However, he offered another to add to this miserable highlight reel with his rash decision to rush out of goal whilst the Reds countered from an Everton corner.
Darwin Nunez raced down the left flank and his left-footed ball seemed destined for Cody Gakpo – or so the England shot-stopper thought. In attempting to anticipate the flight of the ball, he left his goal wide open, allowing Mohamed Salah to steal in and poke into an empty net.
Journalist Rob Greenwood even took to Twitter to brand the move “comical from Pickford”.
It was a big error which led to a goal, and it contributed to his abysmal 6.2 Sofascore rating, with only Conor Coady scoring worse among the Everton starters last night.
Combined with Pickford’s poor distribution, this compounded what was a torrid 90 minutes for the 28-year-old. He completed just 57% of his passes, despite boasting 48 touches, and played a large role in the Toffees’ inability to retain possession.
His four saves do little to ease his woes, such is the life of a goalkeeper, as his catastrophic blunder will remain the standout talking point from last night’s clash.
Without threatening the home side, Dyche’s men had been battling towards a solid result until that mistake. It soured what had been a strong opening 36 minutes from the visitors and prevented the 56-year-old from recording his perfect result in his Merseyside derby debut.
Since the national self-exclusion tool, GamStop has become compulsory in the UK-based gambling industry, the non GamStop sports betting sites are growing in number. This new form of competition enables players to enjoy the excitement of boosting real money with no risk to experience stress.
Actually, many operators are not licensed by the British gambling regulatory body so they are not subject to regulation and acquire GamStop. It is worth mentioning that these sportsbooks are under the regulation of other reputable licensing entities, meaning that they are legal and trustworthy. Here are the reasons to consider registering at non GamStop sports betting platforms.
Why Betting Sites Without GamStop Are Good for UK Gamblers
There are several reasons why non GamStop betting keeps attracting British gamblers. Whereas listing all of them in one article is hardly possible, we have still come up with some of the main factors causing UK gamblers to switch to non-GamStop sports betting.
Easy Registration and Verification
When opening an account, the common worry of punters is to disclose their personal information through various copies of ID documents. Signing up can get more complicated in GamStop betting brands. One of the policies that these licensed sites apply is the Know Your Customer or KYC regulation to safeguard customers from fraud and illegal transactions. This long procedure requires newcomers to submit personal documents including a copy of their Identity cards, copies of bills that must include their names and addresses, and more. Thankfully, the innovative non GamStop sites suit the players perfectly because they optimize the registration as well as the verification to be quickest and smoothest. Nonetheless, it doesn’t mean that non Gamstop websites are illegal and untrustworthy. On the contrary, these sites are reliable and provide straightforward registration and verification.
Better Bonus Deals
If you have imprudently signed up with GamStop and now cannot bet, you need to register at the non GamStop sites. This means that you don’t have to quit your beloved hobby as you have a large choice regarding renowned gambling websites. Though these sites operate without the regulations imposed by the gambling British watchdog, they hold licences from other foreign regulatory bodies.
Hence, you can claim the bonuses that you feel to take your online betting experience to the next level. The reliable offers are not measured just by the amount of cash but also by the wagering requirements, maximum stake, and expiry date. The most common bonus in online sportsbooks is the risk-free bet, a bonus with no need to meet the playthrough requirement. The sign-up bonus is also an interesting offer rewarded to the newbies, which can be up to the value of their first deposits.
Betting With Credit Cards Is Possible
One of the most popular ways to bet on sports is gambling with a credit card. However, this payment method is not always available for gamblers. Before picking a betting platform, the first and foremost step is to check whether it provides a large selection of payment options or not. However, on 14 April 2020, the UK Gambling Commission launched a new regulation to prohibit the use of credit cards as banking methods in the British gambling industry. Therefore, credit card users are no longer able to use these popular payment solutions on sports betting sites.
Fortunately, there is an effective option to bypass the credit card gambling ban; joining the sites that still accept credit cards. These websites are not regulated by the UKGC but acquire UK-based bettors. They hold licences from other respected gambling jurisdictions that have built a good reputation among punters across the world. Visa and Mastercard are most widely accepted at online Sportsbooks but some gamblers are used to betting with other types of cards. As you just do is to make research on non-UK betting sites and choose the bookmaker that accepts credit cards.
Conclusion
Self-exclusion from betting is a necessary measure for many sports fans, and there are many football clubs that support GamStop scheme. The popularity of this software is so great that many gamblers think that the lincesed sportsbooks regulated and supervised by the UKGC are the only legal sites. However, there are many leading operators who are not subject to the UK gambling regulation but follow the rules applied by other regulatory authorities. The advantages to playing at non GamStop sports betting sites are significant because you are able to bet in a flexible and hassle-free way.
These platforms often offer bigger bonuses and promotions to their customers, permitting them to experience the thrill of winning real cash without investing. In addition, the registration process is very simple and best suits newcomers and those who are tired of complicated verifications. They have more options when it comes to banking methods including credit cards, which are banned from being used in the UK-based gambling market.
If you asked for the top 10 Liverpool players of the Premier League era a decade ago, the answers would have been far easier. But then Jurgen Klopp arrived, alongside what are now club legends at Anfield, making a top 10 far more difficult to decide.
Of course, there are still some obvious names who simply must get a place in this list. Yet, it must be said, some will be unlucky to miss out on a place. The fact is, Klopp’s arrival signalled the introduction of the most talented Liverpool squad that fans have seen in the Premier League era.
With that said, despite the depth of talent created thanks to Klopp, we’ve had a go of ranking Liverpool’s greatest players of the Premier League era.
10) Thiago Alcantara
Soccer Football – Premier League – Liverpool v Manchester United – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – April 19, 2022 Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes in action with Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representat
In truth, if Thiago Alcantara had been at Liverpool longer by now, he would have been in the top five of this list, at the very least.
The Spanish midfielder is the pure definition of elegance, with his technical ability amongst the best to ever be on show in front of the Kop.
The elegance that he brings to the centre of midfield helps Liverpool move the ball forward and create chances.
They’d be so much worse off without him.
9) Sadio Mane
Soccer Football – Champions League – Semi Final – Second Leg – Villarreal v Liverpool – Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal, Spain – May 3, 2022 Liverpool’s Sadio Mane celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Pablo Morano
It feels incredibly controversial to place Sadio Mane so low in this list, but it just sums up Liverpool’s lengthy list of world class stars to perfection.
The Senegal international bowed out of the Premier League in the summer, moving to Bayern Munich.
The winger left having scored 90 Premier League goals in 196 games for the club.
Not bad for a punt on a player who was shining at Southampton.
8) Trent Alexander-Arnold
Come the end of his Liverpool career, Trent Alexander-Arnold may just find himself top of this list, he’s simply that good.
At just 23-years-old, the academy graduate has won everything there is to win in club football.
What were you doing at 23? In fact, it’s probably worth asking what most footballers managed to have achieved by the time they reached Alexander-Arnold’s age.
The answer? Likely not nearly as much.
7) Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino has a unique place in Liverpool history.
If you search the constantly-growing book of Liverpool history, you won’t find a player even remotely similar to the Brazilian.
He may just go down as the best false nine in Premier League history. Now edging past his peak, it’s worth remembering just how good Firmino was at his best, with a total of 78 goals and 54 assists in the league.
6) Fernando Torres
Football – Manchester United v Liverpool Barclays Premier League – Old Trafford – 09/10 – 21/3/10 Fernando Torres (C) scores Liverpool’s first goal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine Livepic NO ONLINE/INTERNET USE WITHOUT A LICENCE FROM THE FOOTBALL DATA CO LTD. FOR LICENCE ENQUIRIES PLEASE TELEPHONE +44 (0) 207 864 9000.
Remember when I said this list would have been far easier a decade ago?
Well, Fernando Torres wishes this was a decade ago, because, if it was, a place in the top three would have been his.
As it is, however, the Spaniard has to settle for a lower, but respectable place to match his ranking as one of the best strikers to play for Liverpool.
Scoring 64 goals in 101 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, Torres was a goal machine at Anfield.
5) Robbie Fowler
The earliest Liverpool star of the Premier League era to feature on this list, Robbie Fowler is a true Anfield legend, having scored the sixth most goals in all competitions in Liverpool’s all time list, with 182.
Of those 182, 127 came in the Premier League for the Reds.
Of course, Fowler came through the Liverpool academy and made his first-team breakthrough in 1993; he would stay with the club until 2001, when he joined Leeds United.
He would return to the Reds for a swansong in the 2006/07 season.
4) Mohamed Salah
Speaking of goalscorers, Mohamed Salah is one of the best that the Premier League has ever seen, with three Golden Boots to his name – including one record-breaking 32-goal campaign.
By the time he calls it a day at Anfield, the Egyptian King will likely go down as the top scorer in Premier League history for Liverpool.
As things stand, he’s just two goals away from first-placed Fowler’s tally of 128.
It’ll only take one more hat-trick for Salah to become the record-holder.
3) Luis Suarez
If it wasn’t for Luis Suarez’s wrongdoings, there’s a high chance that he’d be remembered as one of the greatest strikers in the history of world football by the time he retires; he’s had that good of a career.
For longevity reasons, Suarez can’t place higher than third on this list, but, in truth, he is arguably the most talented player to feature for the Reds in Premier League history, scoring 69 goals in 110 league games.
Having been snapped up from Ajax, he went on to spearhead a charge at the Premier League title under Brendan Rodgers’ management, before eventually leaving for Barcelona.
He has continued scoring goals ever since.
2) Virgil van Dijk
Has there ever been a player as impactful as Virgil van Dijk on a side?
The Dutchman arrived for £75 million in January of 2018, before transforming the Liverpool backline – helping to turn what were nearly men into Champions League winners and Premier League champions.
Nostalgia won’t place him top of the all time Premier League defenders list for now, but, come his retirement, Liverpool’s dominant centre-back will likely sit comfortably atop.
His form may have fallen off somewhat but, at his best, Van Dijk is one of the best centre-backs we’ve ever seen.
1) Steven Gerrard
Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard (L) shoots to score his second goal during the English FA Cup Final soccer match against West Ham United at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff, Wales May 13, 2006. REUTERS/Phil Noble
There was never going to be any other player at the top of this list, let’s face it.
Steven Gerrard, no matter who has featured for Liverpool since, remains the greatest that Anfield has seen in the Premier League, and perhaps even all time.
He may not have won the Premier League, but, simply put, he dragged the Reds through times to forget, picking up silverware along the way.
He was central to their Champions League triumph in 2005, and their FA Cup win over West Ham United. What a player.
A special mention goes to the likes of Alisson Becker and Xabi Alonso, who were unlucky to miss out, but we did warn you, our top 10 was always going to be difficult to choose. It’s only gonna get more competitive, too, as long as Klopp is in charge. Every season, we see more players make their case for ranking so highly at Anfield.
It would take quite something to displace Gerrard as the greatest to feature in the Premier League for Liverpool, but, something tells us that a certain Scouse right-back may have a chance of doing so come the end of his career.
Leeds United manager Javi Gracia is planning to bring his own backroom staff to Yorkshire, according to Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Flexible deal
Gracia was officially confirmed as the new Whites head coach on Tuesday, over two weeks after the club parted ways with Jesse Marsch.
The 52-year-old has signed ‘a flexible contract at Elland Road’ and will hopefully be in charge against Southampton on Saturday, provided he obtains a work permit in time.
Former caretaker Michael Skubala looks set to remain involved under Gracia, but it appears as if the Spaniard has further coaching staff plans.
The Latest: Hay’s claim
Hay shared a story for The Athletic on Tuesday following the announcement regarding Gracia.
The reliable reporter stated that Gracia plans to bring in staff from his native Spain, but didn’t name who they could be.
The Verdict: Good move
Allowing Gracia to add his own backroom staff makes sense, and hopefully, moves for a number of coaches can be wrapped up relatively quickly.
Keeping Skubala around the first team also appears to be a wise call, especially as he will be able to pass knowledge on to Gracia regarding a number of players in a short space of time.
Gracia doesn’t have long to work with the team before Saturday’s must-win meeting with Southampton at Elland Road, and it looks as if there could be a whole new look to the home dugout following Hay’s update.
Former Glasgow Rangers chairman Dave King managed to bring the good times back to the Ibrox side, managing to lure Steven Gerrard to the club while overseeing league title number 55 being won in the 2020/21 campaign.
The club’s business in the transfer market hasn’t been the greatest over the previous few years yet signing James Tavernier in 2015 for a fee of just £220k must surely go down as one of the best signings the club has made in its recent history.
How much is James Tavernier worth now?
The defender was playing for Wigan Athletic before joining the Gers and after a debut season that saw the club promoted back to the Premiership after a four-year absence and reaching the Scottish Cup final, things would soon turn pear-shaped.
The first few seasons back in the top flight were tough, with Mark Warburton, Graeme Murty, and Pedro Caixinha all taking charge of a side that would regularly be thumped by Celtic and even finishing third in 2016/2017, but individually, Tavernier was making his mark on the team.
Before Steven Gerrard took over, the right-back had registered 65 goal contributions, stamping his mark on the team and becoming one of the first names in the starting XI, but success alluded him.
Since the start of the 2018/2019 campaign, the defender has ramped up his attacking input, racking up a staggering 145 goals and assists, while leading the team to a Premiership title, a Scottish Cup win, and a Europa League final appearance while making nearly 400 appearances for the club in total.
The 31-year-old was dubbed “unstoppable” by Gerrard previously and his recent induction into the Rangers Hall of Fame proves that he has graduated from rough diamond to club hero and his value has increased massively from the £220k the club spent to sign him.
FootballTransfers now value the player at £4m (€4.5m) and this represents a staggering increase of 1900%, meaning the club could make a serious profit on the defender if they wanted to cash in on him.
This is highly unlikely, with the captain having unfinished business at the club and with some of the Ibrox support claiming he has underachieved, the next step is to win more trophies and cement his legacy on the pitch even further.
Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham United winger Maxwel Cornet will not feature in the squad this weekend despite nearing a return from injury.
What’s the latest on Maxwel Cornet and his injury?
The Ivorian has not actually played for the Hammers since before the break for the winter World Cup, with his last senior appearance coming way back in October.
Indeed, a calf injury has kept him sidelined for months now but in great news, Cornet did at least return for the West Ham U21s, playing 45 minutes against the Manchester City youth side in Premier League 2.
Despite that positive injury development, it seems as though he hasn’t recovered sufficiently enough to play any role for David Moyes this weekend against Brighton.
Indeed, when writing about it on The West Ham Way Patreon, Ex revealed: “Maxwel Cornet, as exclusively revealed on Patreon, played 45 minutes for the under 23s yesterday and as a result will not feature in the squad today.”
Planning for the future
Seeing as he’s been out for so long, it makes sense for the club to ease Cornet back into action with a half of football for the U21s and with that game taking place yesterday, it’s no shock to hear that the winger won’t be involved in the Premier League today.
However, with the Irons still struggling down at the bottom end of the table, they could really do with another big performance after picking up a much-needed three points last weekend against Nottingham Forest.
Indeed, a win could potentially take them five points above the bottom three. Still, they will have to get by without Cornet who could possibly be back in the squad for their next league game when they take on Aston Villa.
He is yet to score for the club since his summer transfer from Burnley but five assists in only nine senior outings serve as a reminder of the quality he can bring. No doubt, Moyes will be glad to have the winger back as soon as possible.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have had mixed success in the transfer market over the years as they have landed bargain deals and signed big-money flops since their return to the Premier League.
The likes of Diogo Jota and Jose Sa are excellent examples of superb recruitment work by the club but they have also brought in flops like Fabio Silva and Goncalo Guedes.
One player they should have major regrets over, though, is Portuguese international Pedro Goncalves as Nuno Santo cashed in on the player far too early and missed a potential jackpot.
What happened to Pedro Goncalves?
In the summer of 2017, the U21s brought the attacking midfielder in on a free transfer from Spanish side Valencia and the gem managed nine goals and four assists in 38 appearances for the club's youth side.
After appearing in one first-team game during his first two years in England, Wolves decided to sell him to Portuguese side Famalicão in the summer of 2019. FootballTransfers valued his move at €1.3m (£1.1m) at the time and his value has since soared as the dynamo has gone on to become a star player in his home country.
Seven goals and eight assists in 40 matches led to a move to Sporting CP in the summer of 2020 and the marksman has been phenomenal since that move.
In the last two-and-a-half seasons, Goncalves has scored 53 goals and provided 28 assists in 116 matches for the Portuguese giants – including 23 goals in 32 league games in his first season with the club and talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed his "incredible" form.
The 24-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.50 and registered 12 goals and six assists in 23 appearances for Sporting in Liga Portugal this season, whilst no Wolves player has averaged a score higher than 7.28 or more than five goals or two assists.
These statistics suggest that Julen Lopetegui's side are desperately lacking a player like Goncalves, who can make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch by consistently delivering goals and assists for his side from an attacking midfield position.
His sensational form in recent seasons has been reflected in his market value. FootballTransfers currently has his Expected Transfer Value at a whopping €26m (£23m) and this is an increase of 1,900% from the initial €1.3m he was valued at when the gem departed Wolves.
Therefore, Nuno Santo missed out on a potential jackpot for the club by deciding to sell the gem in 2019. The Portuguese head coach was seemingly unable to see the youngster's ability and the maestro has gone on to prove the boss horribly wrong by thriving in recent years and becoming worth exponentially more than he was in England.
Liverpool are seriously interested in signing RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol during the summer transfer window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
The Lowdown: Gvardiol linked with Liverpool move
The Reds are hopefully set to embark on a busy time of things at the end of the season, as they hopefully bring in a number of players to refresh their ageing squad.
Liverpool have struggled in various areas this season and a new centre-back could be needed if Joel Matip departs, with the 31-year-old’s contract expiring once the 2023/24 campaign concludes.
One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Gvardiol, whose reputation has skyrocketed after a superb 2022 World Cup at the heart of Croatia’s defence.
The 21-year-old started all seven of his country’s matches in Qatar and was arguably as good as anyone in his position throughout the tournament, as Croatia finished third and media members called their defensive colossus “sensational”.
Now, a new update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s potential quest to sign Gvardiol – one that should be viewed as positive by Reds supporters.
The Latest: FSG “very seriously” in the mix
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs admitted that the Croatian youngster remains very much a summer transfer target for Liverpool:
“Gvardiol is one of the names on Liverpool’s list for sure, and they’ve been tracking him very seriously over the course of the last few months.”
This could be seen as a silver lining to Monday morning’s transfer rumours for Liverpool fans, after the worrying report from The Athletic that a deal for Jude Bellingham may not happen.
The Verdict: Could be a sensational addition
Gvardiol really does look like a spectacular talent, already becoming such an irreplaceable figure for both Croatian and Leipzig, winning 19 caps for the former and making 78 appearances for the latter.
He has been hailed as the ‘best central defender in the world’ by Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic recently and his ceiling is incredibly high, considering how many years he still has ahead of him.
Liverpool’s defence has creaked this season, with even Virgil van Dijk not at his best, and with the Dutchman turning 32 this summer, a long-term term replacement will be needed at some point.
In Gvardiol, the Reds could have the perfect successor and the fact that he can also play at left-back means he could act as strong cover for Andy Robertson, too.
At the World Cup, Gvardiol showed exactly what he is capable of, enjoying an 89.9% pass completion rate and averaging 5.3 clearances per game, with his all-round brilliance hard not to notice. Whoever gets him could be signing a generational defender and Liverpool will surely hope it’s them.
France international and football superstar Paul Pogba has definitely had a poor couple of years based on his own self-set high standards given the titles and accolades the 29-year-old has earned, or been presented with, across his career.
Having initially caused controversy by leaving Le Harve for Manchester United's famed Academy set up despite written agreements having been made, Pogba moved on in 2012 having failed to agree a new contract, and even Sir Alex Ferguson was not happy with the situation, taking to the press to criticise Pogba's behaviour saying as far as he was concerned Pogba had signed for Juventus "a long time ago as far as we're aware."
Ferguson further accused him of a complete lack of respect, stating "It is disappointing. I don't think he showed us any respect at all, to be honest. I'm quite happy that if they (players) carry on that way, they're probably better doing it away from us." Pogba might have been left wondering at that point if his future was better served by playing free slots no deposit UK games rather than football.
Pogba will have felt justified though, he truly made a name for himself when he officially joined the Italian Serie A giants. Trophies and success followed, both on a club and personal level, but equally on an international level for his country – the 2018 FIFA World Cup success being the most notable. Controversy remained a subtle part of his back story however.
In 2016, he returned to his former club as they were convinced to pay a whopping £90 million for their former Academy graduates services and whilst things started brightly enough as he more than made his mark on the Premier League, controversy again was never far behind a man who clearly backs himself over others. He had issues with Jose Mourinho over the captaincy, there was a training ground confrontation on top and ultimately the softly spoken (and self-proclaimed) Special One, branded Pogba a 'virus' on team form and he was subsequently dropped.
Things improved for the Frenchman as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Mourinho in the dugout and the 2018/19 campaign saw him at his most productive on the pitch – albeit not consistent. He was again antsy for a new adventure the following season, and he was not quiet in letting that be known. He did, however, see his contract out and remained at the club until the summer of 2022, wherein, he again returned to Juventus looking to reinvigorate himself.
Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester United v Norwich City – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – April 16, 2022 Manchester United's Paul Pogba reacts REUTERS/Craig Brough EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further deta
It has not been plain sailing again though, and things certainly came to a head this week as Pogba again found himself dropped from first-team duties over a disciplinary breach. In the build-up to their Europa League tie with Freiburg, the BBC reported that the disciplinary issue in question was a failure to turn up on time for a team meeting on Wednesday, and that left coach Max Allegri with no option but to refuse to name him in the squad for Thursday's first leg clash.
If Pogba wanted a fresh start last summer, this is the last thing he needed to restore his reputation as he has only made two substitute appearances for them since his return after suffering a serious knee injury during pre-season. He opted against surgery focusing on not club, but the World Cup instead, and then was left with no option but to go under the knife and fans of the Bianconeri will certainly have their own thoughts about that perceived commitment – as will future potential employees, as fans certainly will.