Jarrod Bowen had a highly successful full debut for West Ham United on Saturday, scoring the opener in a 3-1 win against Southampton.
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The 23-year-old came off the bench against Manchester City and Liverpool, but this was his first start in claret and blue, and his well-taken goal has made a lasting impression.
His comment after the game, which was published by West Ham’s official channels, has further enthused fans.
He showed that clinical mindset with his goal, as shooting was the only thing on his mind when he touched Pablo Fornals’ pass out of his feet with his right foot, before dinking it away from Alex McCarthy’s reach with his left.
One fan has claimed that “he reminds me of Robbie Fowler”, while another said that he has a “superb attitude” after seeing the comment.
Is life under Gold and Sullivan really that bad? Maybe this quiz will change your minds, West Ham fans…
The hope is that he will be able to maintain that same prolificacy and mindset during his time at London Stadium.
There is also the feeling that this willingness to get shots off “is exactly what we’ve needed” in the club’s effort to get up the table.
Before joining the Hammers, Bowen scored 16 goals in 29 Championship games this season, highlighting the dividends his attitude and ability have paid out.
West Ham’s top scorer this season is Sebastien Haller with seven, but he did go six games without a goal before the Southampton match, so fans will be hoping Bowen can help him out regularly.
Meanwhile, a West Ham fan favourite has been receiving plenty of love.
Rafa Benitez’s successfully managed to turn things around for Newcastle United this year.
Not only are the Magpies save from relegation, but they’re also playing good football again despite criticism of the Spaniard’s style of play in the past. However, their parties have been spoiled in the last two matches due to the disastrous showing from goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
The Slovenian keeper isn’t really horrendous all the time, but his error-prone manner’s haunted both him and the Magpies as a whole in the last couple of weeks.
First, it was at Wembley, where Newcastle look set to steal a point from Tottenham Hotspur. Yet, Dubravka’s couldn’t keep Son Heung Min’s powerful shot at bay and let it glide past him too easily.
The horror show wouldn’t end there. The Magpies were cruising to a crucial 1-0 away win against Wolves when disaster struck in stoppage time. A floating cross should’ve easily been latched onto by Dubravka, but the Slovenian almost amateurishly let Willy Boly head it from the cusp of his arms.
Rafa Benitez’s side were left frustrated, as their commendable efforts were undone by two forgettable errors. Ironically, he was actually pretty good against Wolves, making five saves! While he’s a decent shot-stopper and has kept seven clean sheets this season, Dubravka’s error-prone manner cost Newcastle four points, which could’ve seen them move up to 13th place.
With Rob Elliot out and youngster Freddie Woodman as the only cover, Benitez doesn’t have many options to replace him with.
However, if Newcastle wants to maintain consistency, they need to phase out Dubravka from their team soon.
Both England and Croatia have it all to play for when they meet in their Nations League encounter at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. For either side, victory will mean topping the group and progression to the knockout stages, whilst defeat would lead to relegation.
Can Southgate’s boys triumph or will it be another case of so near yet so far for England? We will find out the answer to that on Sunday, but before then, here’s everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s winner-takes-all clash at Wembley…
What History Tells Us
England’s recent history with Croatia isn’t pretty. In their last Nations League meeting, the sides played out a dull, behind-closed-doors 0-0 draw. Before that, Croatia were the architects of the Three Lions’ heartbreak when they eliminated Gareth Southgate’s side in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Back in 2007, it was the Balkan nation who ended England’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008. Croatia’s victory then, now over a decade ago, led to Steve McClaren’s dismissal from his post as England manager.
Victory for England on Sunday would provide a measure of revenge and would also indicate that their wonderful World Cup campaign was no flash in the pan.
Battle of the Strikers
Whilst Croatia have a most enviable midfield contingent, England can boast having one of the finest goalscorers in world football amongst their ranks. The Three Lions’ captain and talismanic No. 9, Harry Kane, won the Golden Boot in Russia but could not put Croatia to the sword then.
Kane will want to set the record straight on Sunday and will be comfortable with the knowledge that much of England’s attacking hopes rest upon his shoulders.
However, the Spurs striker hasn’t found the back of the net for his country in his last seven games, last netting in the World Cup round of 16 triumph over Colombia.
Check out the harsh words the Playmaker FC squad had to say about Wayne Rooney’s England career in the video above…
Andrej Kramaric, meanwhile, boasts a far inferior career strike rate to Kane’s, but is currently in blistering form. At club level, the 27-year-old has already racked up six goals for Hoffenheim this season. On the international stage, he produced a fine finish to set Croatia on their way to a hard-fought win over Spain last time out.
Southgate will ensure his players are well aware of the threat that Kramaric poses, whilst he’ll also be hoping that Kane rediscovers his shooting boots this weekend.
Team News
Southgate is likely to rotate heavily following Thursday night’s friendly victory over the USA. Obviously, Wayne Rooney has withdrawn from the squad following his farewell fixture. Meanwhile, Spurs’ Kieran Trippier and Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck have also been ruled out through injury.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will retain his starting berth between the sticks, but ahead of him there’s likely to be a complete change around of the back four. Though, Leicester’s Ben Chilwell and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold – who produced a man of the match display against the USA – may feel they have done enough in recent fixtures to earn an extended run in their respective full-back positions.
Soccer Football – UEFA Nations League – League A – Group 4 – Croatia v England – Stadion HNK Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia – October 12, 2018 England’s Ross Barkley reacts Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine
One surprise inclusion in the starting XI could be Ross Barkley, who has impressed recently for Chelsea and would add dynamism and forward thrust to England’s midfield.
Given that this is a must-win game, Southgate has to be positive, which may well allow for exciting youngster Jadon Sancho to be introduced from the bench if England find themselves in need of a game-changer.
Croatia arrive in England with a vastly experienced squad – Luka Modric alone has amassed far more caps than England’s two most senior current stars (Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling) combined.
However, the recent retirement of Mario Mandzukic has left them lacking their second highest all-time goalscorer. In spite of the attacking quality of Ivan Perisic, Ante Rebic and Kramaric, the Juventus veteran remains a major miss.
They are, of course, supremely strong in the middle of the park though. In Modric, Rakitic, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic (likely to start on the bench), Croatia boast an embarrassment of midfield riches, any one of which has the quality to dominate a game and carve out numerous goalscoring opportunities for the visitors.
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Nottingham Forest’s young striker Ben Brereton in recent weeks.
Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers have shown the most interest in the 19-year-old, launching an £8m bid. But it has recently been reported that a Premier League club made a bid for the youngster on deadline day, according to The Nottingham Post, by way of Vital Football.
This would have been a fantastic signing for Tottenham, at the end of a very barren summer for the north London club. According to Goal, The Lilywhites made a £25m deadline day move for Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham, which was declined, but shows that Mauricio Pochettino was hellbent on recruiting a striker.
This is why Brereton would have been such a good option for Tottenham, and one they may have missed their opportunity with. Although the former England under-19 player (valued at £4.5m on Transfermarkt.co.uk) has not featured under Aitor Karanka in the Championship yet this season, he has a lot of potential. But Tottenham would have been able to buy him for a relatively cheap price, certainly less than what they would have expected to pay for Abraham.
But Brereton’s price will continue to increase, particularly if he gets game time at Nottingham Forest or if he is loaned to another club. This is why The Reds would have been reluctant to sell him without witnessing his full potential, and therefore getting the best price for him.
Tottenham’s struggles in backing up Harry Kane have been well documented over the past few seasons, with Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente failing to make an impression. As these players are made in a similar mould to Kane, they’ve failed to live up to the standard the England captain has set and therefore get criticised.
The benefit of buying Brereton is that he would be a completely different player to Kane, bringing something new to the table. He is an energetic dribbler that wants go get behind defenders, playing off their shoulders, with a natural eye for a goal. That is perhaps the only way Tottenham can find an able deputy to Kane; someone that is not trying to play like him.
Being so young, he would not expect a huge amount of game time, and would be comfortable getting odd appearances here and there. A January transfer would offer the chance for a few FA Cup appearances, particularly as Tottenham will want to rest players if they are competing on all fronts. It would be a perfect match.
Unfortunately for fans in north London is that they may have missed their chance to buy Brereton cheaply this summer. But the January transfer window may still be a glimmer of hope to still buy a player that could grow into a great at White Hart Lane.
As if Alexis Sanchez needed to make any more enemies at Arsenal, it seems as if a bizarre event during the Gunners training earlier in the week has set off more debate around the Chilean and his relationship with Arsene Wenger.
Video footage shows Alexis walking onto the training field with a number of his Arsenal teammates. As they approach Wenger, the experienced manager shakes the hands of two Gunners before heading toward Sanchez. Whether intentional or not, the Chilean doesn’t notice his bosses offer of a handshake, culminating in an awkward moment caught on camera.
While the video has been used by a number of media outlets as a divisive move, initiating more speculation about Sanchez’s future, the truth is that we do not know if the 28-year-old’s actions were intentional or not.
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Regardless, the footage has given Arsenal fans plenty of debate and the ones who clearly felt Sanchez meant to ignore Wenger took to Twitter to vent their frustrations…
According to reports in The Sun, Everton have been joined by West Ham United in the race to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The 23-year-old has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs – including the Toffees, Arsenal and Manchester City – after some outstanding performances for the Black Cats this season, and now the Irons have joined the battle for his signature.
Despite the fact that they are bottom of the table and look to be heading towards the Championship, Pickford has quickly become one of the most coveted players in the top flight after making a string of brilliant saves for David Moyes’ men this term, and could be available for around £15m if the Mackems do go down.
The stopper received a first call up to the senior England squad in October, and he has been tipped to go on to become a regular for the Three Lions in the future.
Here are three reasons Everton must win the race for the highly-rated goalkeeper…
Koeman needs a goalkeeper
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With neither Maarten Stekelenburg nor Joel Robles looking particularly comfortable between the sticks for Everton this season, Koeman will be looking for a new number one this summer.
The latter was at fault for Marc Albrighton’s free-kick in his side’s 4-2 win against Leicester City after misjudging the flight of the ball, while he also came under scrutiny from supporters for his performance in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool.
Koeman will want a more reliable number one next term if the club are to push on to the next level, and Pickford has the potential to be the long-term answer to the issue.
He commands his area
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While both Joel Robles and Maarten Stekelenburg have looked shaky at times and have struggled to have a real command of their area – as shown by the Marc Albrighton goal the former conceded against Leicester City on Sunday – Pickford is the opposite.
The Sunderland stopper will come out and collect or the punch the ball if needed, while he has showed his awareness to danger on a number of occasions – including when he beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic to clear the ball during his side’s defeat to Manchester United at the weekend.
Price tag
Britain Football Soccer – Everton v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League – Goodison Park – 13/8/16Everton owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright in the stands before the matchAction Images via Reuters / Jason CairnduffLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please con
While they have more money to spend in the transfer market following the arrival of Farhad Moshiri, Everton still pride themselves on being a club that like to get value for money when they buy players.
The fact that Pickford would be available for £15m would certainly mean that he is an attractive proposition for the Merseyside outfit, who know that the 23-year-old could be their first choice goalkeeper for a number of years to come.
It is undeniabley going to be a massive season for Manchester United.
With their new man Jose Mourinho in charge they will look to really mount a title challenge once again after two and a half seasons of mediocrity under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.
With this we will see the return of one of the great manager rivalries in world football; Guardiola vs Mourinho. In what will be a hotly contested Manchester Derby, with both sides gunning for the Premier League trophy, Mourinho will definitely have one eye on the Man City game.
Jose will also see a return to his old stomping ground, Stamford Bridge. In what promises to be a controversial affair, Jose will want to get one of over on his previous employers.
The Liverpool game is also a big one for the Red Devils, and Mourinho will be meticulously planning to make sure they walk away with the bragging rights.
So here are the big 16/17 fixtures Man United fans need in their diaries…
Opening Four Fixtures
13th August – Bournemouth vs Manchester United (A)
20th August – Manchester United vs Southampton (H)
27th August – Hull City vs Manchester United (A)
10th September – Manchester United vs Manchester City (H)
The Manchester Derby
10th September – Manchester United vs Manchester City (H)
25th February – Manchester City vs Manchester United (A)
The North West Derby
15th October – Liverpool vs Man United (A)
14th January – Manchester United vs Liverpool (H)
The Mourinho Derby
22nd October – Chelsea vs Man United (A)
15th April – Manchester United vs Chelsea (H)
Festive Period
26th December – Manchester United v Sunderland (H)
31st December – Manchester United v Middlesbrough (H)
2nd January – West Ham v Manchester United (A)
Final Four Fixtures
29th April – Manchester United v Swansea City (H)
6th May – Arsenal v Manchester United (A)
13th May – Spurs v Manchester United (A)
21st May – Manchester United vs Crystal Palace (H)
Juventus have been advised to “put Weston McKennie in the midfield, Tim Weah on the wing”, with the father of one USMNT star speaking out.
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Bianconeri have been shuffling their pack
Have two Americans on their books
Duo competing for the same spot at present
WHAT HAPPENED?
There are now two United States internationals on the books at the Allianz Stadium, with McKennie having returned from a forgettable loan spell at Leeds during which he suffered relegation out of the Premier League. He has been joined in Turin by countryman Weah following a €12 million (£10m/$13m) summer transfer deal.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The American duo have found themselves competing against one another for game time under Allegri in 2023-24, with both being asked to fill a right wing-back role. McKennie has been getting the nod when it comes to starting berths, with Weah often being brought on in his place.
WHAT THEY SAID
McKennie has done his best in an unfamiliar role, but the 25-year-old’s father feels the time has come to stop putting square pegs into round holes. John McKennie has responded to a post on social media asking if Allegri should be fired before the end of the season by saying: “Put McKennie in the midfield! Weah on the wing. They have proven they play well together in their respective positions!”
McKennie senior went on to add that: “I have my own opinions, but would never wish anyone to be fired. At the end of the day, the coach has a plan. We don’t have to like it! I am also a fan, but he’s the COACH! Let’s not take my words out of context!”
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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Juve have picked up 14 points from seven games in 2023-24, seeing them sat fourth in the Serie A table, and Allegri is unlikely to tinker too much with a system that has been delivering results even if performances have not been the most exciting.
Entrando na onda de solidariedade para ajudar pessoas mais vulneráveis a superarem todas as dificuldades atreladas a pandemia do novo coronavírus, o atacante Vico apareceu em uma postagem feita nas suas redes sociais na última sobre uma campanha que ele está organizando.
No conteúdo que foi compartilhado pelo Vitória, o jogador que chegou esse ano ao Leão por empréstimo do Grêmio pontuou que está arrecadando doações em dinheiro para a compra de cestas básicas que serão distribuídas na capital baiana.
Além do depósito nas contas bancárias vinculadas a rede de supermercados Assaí, o atleta de 23 anos de idade pede que sejam enviados os comprovantes de depósito para que não haja problemas na retirada dos produtos:
-Fala, galera. Tudo bem? Estou passando aqui para algo muito especial, algo que Deus colocou no meu coração. Todos nós sabemos a real situação que estamos passando, esse momento de crise que o Brasil está passando, e em Salvador não está sendo diferente. Eu e alguns amigos tivemos a ideia brilhante de ajudar essas pessoas que estão precisando, e o Vitória está ajudando a gente nessa.É muito importante enviar o comprovante, porque só com o comprovante a gente vai poder tirar as cestas básicas. Conto com sua ajuda.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVitóriaAtaque do Vitória começa 2020 com números positivosVitória23/04/2020VitóriaVitória adota medida com funcionários para reduzir os custos durante a pandemiaVitória22/04/2020VitóriaVeja um retrospecto das cinco passagens de Geninho pelo VitóriaVitória21/04/2020
Man Utd youngster Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench to score a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Remember the name, Alejandro Garnacho!
Erik ten Hag's side looked to be heading for a demoralising draw after letting an early lead slip away until the 18-year-old popped up at the death to slide a brilliant winner past goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Christian Eriksen had opened the scoring after just 14 minutes, netting for the first time for the Red Devils since arriving on a free transfer in the summer.
However, Dan James returned to haunt his former team after the break. The Wales international came off the bench and looked set to break visitors' hearts by nipping in and beating David De Gea from close range.
Indeed Fulham looked the stronger team in the closing stages but were undone in the dying minutes. Garnacho swapped passes with Eriksen and then produced a composed finish to snatch all three points.
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Alejandro Garnacho
Man Utd had looked a little toothless in attack throughout the game but the arrival of the Argentine in the second half brought a pace and energy that had been severely lacking. Garnacho wanted a penalty within minutes of his arrival but saw his appeals turned down. However, he still managed to steal all of the headlines by scoring a late winner. Garnacho showed off his pace to start the move, combined well with Eriksen, and then still had the presence of mind to supply a precise finish.
Christian Eriksen:
The Dane scored his first Man Utd goal after 14 minutes to put the Red Devils ahead at Craven Cottage. A good move ended with Bruno Fernandes’ pass taking a nick on its way to the far post where Eriksen slid in to make it 1-0. That’s now 150 career goals for Eriksen, 53 in the Premier League, and he also becomes the first Dane to score for Man Utd since goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel netted against FC Rotor Volgograd in 1995. Eriksen looked a little tired in the second half but had the intelligence to combine with Garnacho for the winner.
Dan James:
The winger scored his first goal of the season in the second half to make it 1-1 almost immediately after coming off the bench. James arrived in the 58th minute and two minutes later he had found the back of the net. The visitors were caught out on the break when Tom Cairney picked out the substitute and he bundled the ball past David De Gea from close range. James chose not to celebrate but you can bet he was thrilled to net against his former club.
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Aaron Wan-Bissaka:
The writing looks to be very much on the wall for Aaron Wan-Bissaka at Man Utd after he was left out of the squad against Fulham. Erik ten Hag was without Diogo Dalot due to suspension but still did not feel the need to turn to Wan-Bissaka. The Dutchman instead used left-back Tyrrell Malacia on the right which seems to suggest Wan-Bissaka really has no place in the manager’s plans at Man Utd.
Tyrell Malacia
The 23-year-old played out of position at right-back and really struggled. Willian had the beating of the youngster throughout the first half, and Fulham repeatedly targeted that flank. He was then nowhere to be seen when Dan James made it 1-1 and it was a surprise to see him last the 90 minutes. Erik ten Hag did have other options on the bench but opted to keep on Malacia at right-back for the whole match.
Harry Maguire:
The centre-back did not see a minute of action at Craven Cottage despite Man Utd being without Dalot and Raphael Varane to injury. Ten Hag instead partnered Lisandro Martinez with Victor Lindelof and opted to put Malacia at right-back. Maguire was spotted warming up in the first half as Malacia struggled but Ten Hag kept faith with the Dutchman. The manager's selection decisions highlight just how far down the pecking order the England international has fallen at Man Utd.
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David de Gea (7/10): Two good saves from Carlos Vinicius and Tim Ream at the start of the second half but couldn't do much about the goal.
Tyrrell Malacia (3/10): The left-back was played out of position on the right and it showed as Fulham targeted his flank. Looked a weak link, really struggled against Willian.
Victor Lindelof (6/10): A better showing from the Swede who had his hands full but coped well.
Lisandro Martinez (8/10): Another excellent showing from the Argentina international.
Luke Shaw (7/10): Did well defensively and put plenty of quality balls into the Fulham penalty area.
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Casemiro (7/10): Won the ball in midfield to set up the goal and looked a cut above in the middle of the park.
Christian Eriksen (8/10): Slid in at the far post to open the scoring but should have added a second just before half-time. Set up Garnacho for the winner.