This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
At times it looked like it would be a difficult night for Liverpool, but in the end, they got the job done.
In a match in which they needed at least a draw, they beat RB Salzburg 2-0. By picking up all three points, they put themselves top of the group, meaning that they will be amongst the top seeds going into the next round. After the break, in particular, the Reds were able to limit the attacking threat of their opponents following a first 45 minutes during which they faced six shots on target.
The goals were scored by Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah. Both have now bagged in the last two matches, but the latter should have had an awful lot more.
A lot about the Egypt international’s play was positive. He made two key passes, for example, whilst he also won three out of the six duels he took part in. On top of that, he lost possession of the ball on just seven occasions, which was actually the least of any Liverpool starter.
In front of goal for most of the 90 minutes, though, he struggled. All in all, he had nine efforts at goal – three on target, five off and one blocked. It started off with an attempt from inside the box which was well saved by Cican Stankovic in the Salzburg goal. He then had another effort from the same sort of area, but he somehow contrived to put it well past the target. A blazed free-kick followed that, whilst another shot went well over the bar.
Many players would have been scared to continue striking at goal, but not the 27-year-old. Within 100 seconds of Keita’s opener, £135m-valued Salah – as per Transfermarkt – scored from what seemed an impossible angle, scarcely believable considering the far easier chances he had missed previously. In this case, his perseverance paid off.
Real Reds will get full marks: Take the ultimate Liverpool quiz below…
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There has been talk about Liverpool’s mentality monsters, and Salah’s display was another example of that. It takes a strong team and incredible self-belief to carry on when things haven’t gone your way, just like the former Chelsea man did here. Whilst Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his winger is more clinical in future matches, he will be pleased with the way he performed here.
In other news, this 34-year-old has said he almost signed for Liverpool before moving to Manchester United.
Everton caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson will look to go out with a bang in what could be his final match in charge when the Toffees host Leicester City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
The Scot has overseen a victory and a draw against Chelsea and Manchester United respectively in his two matches at the helm following the sacking of Marco Silva, although a report in The Telegraph suggests Carlo Ancelotti could be appointed and in place for the visit of Arsenal to Merseyside at the weekend.
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First up is the visit of the Foxes to Goodison Park though, and it is another tough opponent for the Scot given they currently lie second in the Premier League standings.
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This is the starting XI we think the 47-year-old should pick vs Brendan Rodgers’ men…
Even when Lucas Digne went off injured at Old Trafford on Sunday, the Everton back five – including Leighton Baines who replaced the Frenchman in the first half – were committed and stood up and were counted at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.
That quintet certainly deserves to start against Leicester on Wednesday, and of course they will need to watch out for the Premier League’s top goalscorer in Jamie Vardy, who is in sensational form right now with 16 goals in 18 appearances in 2019/20.
Ahead of them, Tom Davies and Mason Holgate should keep their spots in central midfield, with the latter particularly impressing the fans against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side despite being a defender by trade. Ferguson may not have too many options there either, considering Andre Gomes, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Morgan Schneiderlin and Fabian Delph were all unavailable at the weekend.
On the wings we have Richarlison – who drops back from his centre-forward role – on the left and Alex Iwobi on the right, and they will be tasked with making a difference in the final third as well as providing defensive support for Baines and Coleman as Bernard drops out.
How much do you really know about the Farhad Moshiri era? Answer 25 simple questions below…
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Sticking with the 4-4-2 formation that has served Ferguson so well thus far, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a shoo-in for a spot right now following his impressive displays. The big Scot should also make the right call by starting Moise Kean alongside him.
The 47-year-old of course humiliated the Italian by taking him off 18 minutes after he was introduced at Old Trafford, and rather than letting the situation drag on he should provide him with an instant chance to prove a point in a partnership rather than playing in a lone role.
In other Everton news, Guillem Balague has made an extraordinary claim about what the Toffees have offered Carlo Ancelotti…
West Bromwich Albion’s chances of clinching Jarrod Bowen in January may have just taken a crushing blow, at least in the eyes of The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.
What’s he said?
The Baggies are currently flying high at the top of the Championship, holding a 12-point gap to those outside of the automatic playoff positions.
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Slaven Bilic has steered his side to a massive 49 points from 22 matches, losing just once and becoming the league’s highest scorers by quite some margin with 45 goals to their name.
But the club have been linked to several additions next month, including the Hull City talisman.
The Athletic ruled Leeds United out of the running as they reported that they were after a fee of £20m, and it appears the same could be likely for West Brom too.
When asked on Twitter about the possibility of Albion clinching him, Nixon said:
Over an hour later, he was then asked about Newcastle United’s chances, to which he added:
Big blow
This comes as a potentially devastating piece of news as the presence of a player that has scored 16 goals and assisted three in the Championship this season would undoubtedly prepare West Brom for life in the top-flight.
Bowen can play on the right-hand side of midfield or as a number ten, so he would offer valuable depth with Matty Phillips and Matheus Pereira being the Baggies’ key protagonists.
Albion were ruled out of sealing a return for Dwight Gayle in the summer due to his high wage demands, thus, splashing out a total of £20m in January has always seemed a little far-fetched.
Whose Line Is It Anyway: Michael Owen, Garth Crooks or Mark Lawrenson?
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They simply can’t break the bank for him in case their promotion push takes a turn for the worst, even if that seems rather unlikely at the minute.
Peterborough’s Marcus Maddison would offer a cheaper alternative as outlined by us just a few days ago.
And in other Baggies news, Slaven Bilic faces one huge team selection dilemma this weekend…
Jose Mourinho set up his team against Chelsea in such a way that it would have taken a minor miracle for them to overcome a team packed with youthful energy and genuine pace.
Spurs had a flat back four, with Jan Vertonghen at left-back and Serge Aurier at right-back against the brilliant Willian. Eric Dier partnered Moussa Sissoko in midfield.
There were problems immediately.
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Neither Dier nor Sissoko are good forward passers of the ball and neither have the ability to break a press and pick the lock with a fine through ball. Dele Alli can but he was forced to retreat from his No.10 position and essentially muck in alongside the pair, who were drowning under Chelsea’s pressure.
Vertonghen got nowhere near Mount or Willian throughout the game, making just two tackles, while Aurier was directly at fault for the first goal, needlessly heading a hopeful ball forward out for a corner and then switching off when it was taken, allowing the Brazilian to drift into the box and curl an effort past Paulo Gazzaniga.
Speaking of the goalkeeper, he had a moment that can best be described as the sheer zenith of stupidity. Marcos Alonso chased another ball over the top and the ex-Southampton man decided that, instead of using his hands, he should attempt to kung-fu the ball out of play and ended up kicking Alonso in a move that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Wrestlemania main event.
Anthony Taylor, the referee, initially tried to give the decision as a Spurs free-kick – answers on a postcard, please – but VAR rightly intervened and Willian dispatched the penalty.
Then we had Son Heung-min taking leave of his senses too, deciding to kick out at Antonio Rudiger after being fouled. He was shown a straight red card.
No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?
This was a cocktail of atrociousness from Spurs, who set up in a manner that did not allow them to exert any control on the game and then decided to throw it away just because they could.
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A win would have taken them into the top four at Christmas. Instead, they sit six points off the fourth-placed Blues.
It felt at times as though they hadn’t merely been punished with coal in their stocking but had, in fact, put it at the top of their list.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans have reacted to some massive news from the club’s official account.
In the never-ending, constantly refreshing soap opera that is football we can reasonably expect an entire decade to have thrown up all manner of controversies and memorable moments and sure enough these past ten years haven’t disappointed. In fact, when reminiscing through approximately 3800 Premier League matches – not to mention an untold number of off-the-pitch incidents – it’s difficult to know what to leave out.
In recent times we’ve been treated to our very own Cantona-esque rumpus when Luis Suarez got peckish and mistook Branislav Ivanovic for a shoulder of lamb. We’ve cringed at a manager meltdown not nearly as iconic as Kevin Keegan’s ‘love it’ rant but just as hilarious, such as when Nigel Pearson claimed he could impersonate an ostrich.
Elsewhere there has been a cornucopia of sensational giant-killings and extravagant goals and Mario Balotelli.
The five incidents below however have been chosen because they fit a key criteria. There we were just plodding through life when, from out of nowhere, we are transported to a land of unifying, stupefied wonder. Or Twitter. Usually it was Twitter.
A Bridge over troubled water
You just know we’re in for a tremendous decade when it begins with what The Guardian called a ‘sex caper’ that involves two England internationals and recent club team-mates.
In January 2010 Chelsea’s John Terry’s submission for a gagging order was refused in court and suddenly the word was publicly out that he had allegedly enjoyed an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the long-term girlfriend of Wayne Bridge, a player who regarded his captain at the Bridge to be his ‘best friend’.
Understandably this startling development led to the British media having a field day while a nation recoiled in shock that the previously upstanding and angelic Terry could do such a thing, but if the bare facts were salacious enough football then intervened to spice the situation up further.
Having departed Chelsea a year earlier, Bridge’s Manchester City travelled to the capital soon after the scandal broke leaving everyone on tenterhooks as to whether the two would shake hands prior to the game. Terry for his part gingerly extended out an arm only to be brilliantly rebuffed. A nation – no longer shocked – cheered to the rafters.
Leicester and Aguero shake up the world
It is impossible to split these two truly seismic events because despite their considerable differences both entailed winning the league in exceptional circumstances. Both still catch the breath even now.
The Foxes were famously 5000-1 to win the Premier League at the beginning of 2015/16, the same return for Elvis being found alive or Barack Obama playing cricket for England on leaving the White House.
The season earlier Leicester had pulled off a ‘great escape’ from relegation’s clutches before appointing Claudio Ranieri, the ‘wrong man’ according to many.
What came next still doesn’t make sense. It defies all logic. It scoffs at reason and a lifetime of empirical knowledge. Yup, Gary Lineker presented Match of the Day in just his pants.
As for Manchester City’s late, late miracle, it was a title-deciding goal that wobbled the planet briefly off its axis. We will never see anything like this ever again. We drank it in.
Slippy G
“This does not slip,” Liverpool’s captain, leader and all-round legend Stevie Gerrard urged to a huddle of team-mates following a victory at Norwich that put Liverpool in pole position to win their first ever Premier League crown.
One week later Chelsea came to town with arch party pooper Jose Mourinho in tow and in first half stoppage time the ball is played across to Gerrard sitting deep as the last man. We all know what happened next. The mis-touch. The panicked clamour to re-address balance. We all know because it has subsequently been memed to kingdom come. We all know too what it ultimately meant.
Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?
If a Hollywood script-writer had penned the fate and fortune of Stevie G throughout the spring of 2014 they would have been laughed out of every studio. It was all too apt; too perfectly cruel for even a screen villain to endure, never mind a legend.
Marriner all at sea
We’ve all had bad days at the office but only the very rare few can admit to dropping a clanger so mind-boggling it leads to a social media meltdown and accusations of racism.
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When Marriner mistakenly sent off Kieren Gibbs for the offence of being in the same team as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Arsenal meekly surrendered to Chelsea, he surpassed Graham Poll’s three bookings dished out to Josip Simunic in 2006 and claimed the unwanted prize for the worst reffing blunder in recent times.
At least we think it was Marriner. It may have been Clattenburg. All officials look the same to us.
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Jose hands out rough treatment
Former Chelsea Football Club doctor Eva Carneiro arrives with her husband Jason De Carteret to attend a hearing for her constructive dismissal case against the club, at London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon, London, Britain March 7, 2016. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth Picture Supplied by Action Images
Jose Mourinho prowled the touchline during the two previous bombshells, no doubt smirking in that smirky manner that passes for a smile. Here though – on the opening day of 2015/16 – he very much took centre stage as Chelsea medic Eva Carneiro raced onto the pitch to treat an injured Eden Hazard.
With the Blues already a man down and protecting a draw against an up-for-it Swansea the sight of an eager club employee keeping a further player out of action for a short spell visibly incensed the Portuguese boss, so much so that he unleashed an unsavoury tirade in Carneiro’s direction on her return to the dug-out.
It was a public rebuking that drew widespread criticism at the time especially as Carnerio was simply doing her job and it only got worse during a consequent tribunal hearing. There it was revealed that Mourinho had called the medic a ‘daughter of a w****’. And they say the age of chivalry is dead.
Plenty of West Ham United supporters aren’t happy with the club’s board after it was revealed that Chelsea have made a rival offer for Benfica midfielder Gedson Fernandes (Sky Sports).
The Hammers had reportedly made a bid for the player before the Blues came in for him, offering an 18-month loan with an obligation to buy. However, according to Sky Sports, they were struggling to come to an agreement with Benfica about some conditions of the deal.
Because West Ham have taken their time in agreeing terms with the Liga NOS outfit it means that it has left the door open for Chelsea to make an approach and therefore the Irons may well end up missing out on him.
After seeing that their London rivals were now in the race to sign Fernandes, several Hammers fans were left fuming that they had dawdled with the deal, allowing other clubs to potentially steal the player from under their noses.
Indeed many took to Twitter to express their anger towards the board for failing to get a deal done quickly. Here is what some had to say…
West Ham fans, how frustrated would you be to miss out on signing Gedson Fernandes? Let us know in the comments below…
The sale of Scott Sinclair to Preston North End marked the end of a romanticised journey into Scottish football for the Bristol Rovers academy graduate.
Leaving with an iconic chant which will be immortalised on the Paradise terraces, a return of 62 goals in 167 games and three SPFL titles, Sinclair will be remembered as a genuine success story.
His failure to build on the form he displayed at Swansea City during the early stages of his Premier League career ultimately forced him north of the border, a decision others have also made in recent years.
Like Sinclair, Oliver Nthcam moved from Manchester City to Celtic, while last summer both Mohamed Elyounoussi and Fraser Forster joined the champions in search of the regular opportunities that eluded them at Southampton.
The former has been absent with injury in recent weeks but the form he showcased during the early stages of the season lends reason to believe he could become another Sinclair-esque success story.
Seven goals and six assists in 13 appearances across all competitions prove Neil Lennon has temporarily secured the services of a talented playmaker.
Discussion of whether he could become a permanent signing has already arisen in light of his electric form, with one fan asking Kieran Devlin, The Athletic’s Celtic correspondent, whether he believes Elyounoussi would be willing to take a wage cut to join the club.
According to Spotrac, the Norway international is currently earning a whopping £60,000 per week, which equates to roughly £3.1m per year. That may well be lower than Peter Lawwell’s reported £3.5m salary last season but there is no doubt the flying winger could be a significant drain on the club’s resources.
In response to the question, Devlin suggested Celtic may have to choose between Forster and Elyounoussi, who represents something of a pipe dream.
“I think Forster’s more likely to drop in wage than Elyounoussi – which I think, as highly as I rate him, might be a bit of a pipe dream. Might come to a point where Celtic have to decide on whether to splurge on Forster or Elyounoussi given the size of outlays they’ll likely command.”
Given Southampton paid £16m to sign him, his Champions League experience and a statistically tangible upsurge in form this season, it’s fair to assume he won’t be available for anything less than a premium price.
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That Devlin has suggested the potential move is an unrealistic ambition isn’t good news for the Hoops faithful, but Sinclair’s career proves that the home of the Scottish champions is a perfect environment for a failed Premier League player to reinvent themselves.
Perhaps that success story will resonate with Elyounoussi should an offer arrive come the end of the season.
Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri has offered an update on Everton’s reported interest in Inter Milan midfielder Matias Vecino on Twitter.
What’s the latest?
Palmeri didn’t give too much away as he simply said that the Toffees have made contact with the Serie A outfit over a move, nevertheless the fact they have done it may suggest that the Merseyside outfit could be keen on bringing the 28-year-old to Goodison Park sooner rather than later.
The reliable Gianluca Di Marzio reported last week that Everton were keen on the Uruguay international, and it now appears as though they have initiated that initial correspondence, as per Palmeri.
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Di Marzio said at the time that Carlo Ancelotti took a liking to the South American star when he came up against him as Napoli manager.
Will he join this month?
It would certainly be a strange move in many ways.
While the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Gylfi Sigurdsson haven’t particularly impressed in the middle of the park with both coming under criticism from supporters on Twitter, the Toffees still have plenty of options there.
Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?
Tom Davies, Fabian Delph and even Mason Holgate can play there with the latter shining in the draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford last month with a higher WhoScored rating than any of his teammates, while Andre Gomes has returned to training after fracturing his ankle against Tottenham in November, and Jean-Philippe Gbamin is also closing in on a return.
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In Ancelotti’s preferred 4-4-2 formation that would leave at least seven players fighting for two positions, and that is overkill to say the least if no-one is leaving before January 31st.
Everton may well want Vecino, but they would be better off waiting until the summer to see where they are at.
In other Everton news, one Toffees transfer target has liked an official Everton club post on Instagram…
As soon as the Championship fixture list was announced last summer, one game jumped right out as a key clash for Leeds United.
Leeds travel to Pride Park to face Derby County in their penultimate game of the season, and a lot could hang in the balance ahead of that match.
Of course, the recent history between the Rams and the Whites has that set up to be a spicy clash after spygate and the playoff semi-finals last season, but another element of intrigue has further fuelled the flames of this rivalry.
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The Athletic reported earlier this week that Leeds aren’t too happy with the EFL about Derby’s signing of Wayne Rooney and the role 32Red had to play in it.
The former Manchester United man’s move was financed by the gambling company who have provided an extra £1.5m of funding for the Rams to spend as they please.
The problem is that Leeds are also sponsored by 32Red, yet they haven’t received the same type of treatment. While that may be seen as a negative, it could also work in the Whites’ favour.
The Yorkshire side don’t have the pleasure of playing against Rooney until late April, and they should have no issues in being motivated for that one.
Alongside the revenge for last season’s playoffs and the spygate issue, Bielsa can gee his players up by asking them to go out there and win the right way, rather than using underhanded financial tactics to land marquee players as Derby have done.
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Leeds may have a history of falling apart late on in seasons, missing out on promotion last term, but it’s impossible to think that the players won’t be giving it their all for this match if Bielsa handles his team talk in the right way.
In other news, Andrea Radrizzani could be about to risk Leeds’ future with one financial gamble.
Christian Eriksen has been a wonderful servant to Tottenham over the years with 69 goals and 89 assists in 305 games for the club, so it is a little sad to see his time in North London end in an unsanctimonious fashion.
The Denmark international has been a shadow of his former self this campaign with six goal contributions in 28 appearances, and his attitude has made him no stranger to criticism from fans.
However, now his time as a Spurs player finally appears to be coming to an end – with the midfielder arriving in Milan ahead of a proposed move to Inter – a number of fans have reacted with sadness.
They have taken the opportunity to send him positive goodwill messages, showing their appreciation for the 27-year-old and what he contributed across a significant period of time, forming part of the teams that made the Champions League final and twice finished second in the Premier League.
It is a shame that Eriksen doesn’t have the silverware to show for his efforts over the years, as he is certainly worthy of it, often producing magnificent assists and goals during his time in North London, such as the countless free-kicks which found the back of the net.
A move to Italy should allow him to reinvigorate a career which has tailed off in recent months, and the opportunity to fight for the Serie A title could be good motivation.
Some supporters believe the move is exactly what he needs, and suggest it won’t take the playmaker long to recapture his previous form, and given he will be playing under a talented manager in Antonio Conte it is likely he will do exactly that.
The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?
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Meanwhile, Spurs fans have also been reacting to the latest transfer target to be linked with a move to the Tottenham Stadium.