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Rangers’ Ryan Jack has been sent home from international duty due to injury.

What’s the word?

The negativity surrounding Scotland right now is palpable, with plenty of players getting absolutely crucified on social media after last week’s defeat to Russia.

Steve Clarke’s side threw away their lead against the 2018 World Cup hosts, losing 2-1, and have an almighty task facing them on Monday as well when they take on Belgium, who finished third in that tournament.

And the boss has revealed why Jack has been sent home, per The Scottish Sun: “Ryan has gone back to Rangers. He had a little bit of swelling on his knee on Friday and was prepared to sit on the bench.

“But on Saturday there was more swelling and Rangers decided to go safety first.”

Watch Rangers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Blow for Gerrard

Rangers fans better be praying to whatever entity they believe in right now that this injury isn’t serious.

The Gers have plenty of midfield options, with the likes of Andy King, Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo, Scott Arfield and Steve Davies all fighting for a spot in Steven Gerrard’s side, but Jack might just be the best of the bunch.

Fans have constantly praised the 27 year-old for his performances in recent times, and he is clearly one of Gerrard’s most trusted lieutenants – he played the third-most minutes of any outfield player in the squad last term, and the most for a midfielder.

And after grabbing four goals and five assists in a whopping 46 showings last term, he has already featured 11 times this campaign, scoring once.

Aforementioned, central midfield is perhaps the position Gerrard has the most depth in, but if the swelling goes down and reveals a more serious issue for Jack, there’s no question it will be a big blow for the gaffer.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Rafa Benitez has made a humble admission in comparing the current Liverpool side to his 2005 Champions League winning team.

What did he say?

There are similarities between the Liverpool sides managed by Jurgen Klopp and Benitez.

Like in 2005, there is a great team spirit in the current camp and a connection to the fans which makes the team seem unbeatable, particularly on European nights, and both have produced similar results.

Both sides were crowned European champions and did so by performing some of the greatest comebacks ever witnessed in the Champions League – the final in 2005 and Liverpool’s semi-final tie against Barcelona in the last campaign.

It is arguable that Liverpool winning the Champions League in 2005 was the more surprising achievement of the two, so when asked which Liverpool edition was better – 2005 or 2019 – Benitez could be forgiven for favouring his own side.

However, in a Q&A for The Athletic, he answered: “I’m really proud of what we achieved in 2005, but I have to say that the 2019 team is stronger already.

“What we had at that time was great team effort and a lot of character, as well as commitment on the pitch. This team have the intensity and the quality that can make the difference in games.”

Check out fan reaction to Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal in the video below…

The statistics would support his response, too. Liverpool scored 89 goals on their way to gathering 97 Premier League points last season, whereas in 2005 Benitez had to settle for fifth-place, some 37 points off Chelsea in first, which shows they couldn’t compete on multiple fronts like Liverpool did last season.

What’s the difference?

The English game has moved on remarkably in the past fourteen years, and it is now quicker and more intense than ever before.

Liverpool in many ways encapsulate what the Premier League is about now, and that is why they are so effective. Their hugely successful high-pressing style is a far cry from the more balanced football Benitez deployed and the fact they finished second-highest in terms of shots on target last season shows their attacking quality.

What the 2005 Liverpool team lacked in ability they made up for in spirit and determination, but the current Liverpool team possesses both.

In Sadio Mane and Mo Salah they have two of the best attacking players in Europe, whilst Virgil van Dijk is considered to have a genuine chance of winning the Ballon d’Or.

By contrast, Steven Gerrard was named the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for his exploits that season, but no other player in the squad was shortlisted for an award.

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يلتقي فريق الأهلي نظيره الفيصلي، مساء اليوم السبت، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري السعودي.

وتُقام مباراة الأهلي نظيره الفيصلي، على ملعب مدينة المجمعة الرياضية، في إطار منافسات الجولة الحادية والعشرون من المسابقة السعودية.

يحتل الأهلي المركز الثالث بجدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، برصيد 35 نقطة، فيما يحتل الفيصلي المركز العاشر بجدول الترتيب برصيد 26 نقطة. موعد مباراة الأهلي والفيصلي اليوم

تُقام مباراة الأهلي والفيصلي في السابعة والنصف من مساء اليوم السبت، بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي والفيصلي في الدوري السعودي

تُذاع مباراة الأهلي والفيصلي عبر قناة KSA Sports 1 HD، بتعليق المعلق عيسى الحربين.

يمكنك مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking to The Yorkshire Evening Post, pundit David Prutton has hinted that Leeds could struggle to achieve promotion in the upcoming season.

What’s he said?

Leeds fell desperately short last term, being beaten to a second-place finish and automatic promotion by Sheffield United before then collapsing in the play-offs.

Against Derby, they fell apart as Frank Lampard’s men secured the victory over two legs and progressed to the final.

Given injuries to the likes of Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford throughout the campaign, it was some effort to get to where they were under Marcelo Bielsa.

However, Prutton has told YEP that it will again be a monumental endeavour, especially with the same set of players, hinting that they may well struggle unless things change. He said:

“I think it’s going to take another superhuman effort from a group of players that unless they are working off something vastly different in pre-season are going to have to try and repeat the same trick but with the opposition knowing what goes on behind the curtain.

“It will be a phenomenal achievement if they manage to do it with a very similar set of players.”

Further fuel to the fire

Prutton’s comments are rather indicative of the poor summer Leeds have had and arguably he is right to suggest that it will be some achievement if they find themselves in a similar position.

The fact is that Leeds’ squad hasn’t really improved since last term.

One of their defensive mainstays in Pontus Jansson has left whilst it remains to be seen how Ben White copes with stepping up a level.

Liam Cooper, of course, was named in the PFA Team of the Year but at times has looked suspect alongside Gaetano Berardi in pre-season.

In attack, they’ve done little to strengthen either with Jack Harrison returning and Helder Costa walking through the doors but they’ll go into the campaign with Bamford and Roofe as their only viable options up top, and the latter has already been ruled out for four weeks.

But what is most concerning, however, is that the core of this squad is still very much the same one that finished 13th only two years ago.

It would be harsh to say that last year was a fluke, but Bielsa and Andrea Radrizzani could and maybe should have done more in this window.

If they’d made improvements to their personnel more, the size of the task on their hands may have been smaller.

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According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace have had a bid rejected for Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Remi Matthews, and Eagles fans on Twitter are not impressed with the club as a result.

Football Insider report that the south London outfit are looking to strengthen in the goalkeeping ranks during the summer transfer window, as they look to provide competition for Vicente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey.

However, they have failed with an offer to bring the 25-year-old Championship stopper to Selhurst Park, even though Wanderers are described as being “cash-strapped”.

Watch Crystal Palace Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Palace are still yet to sign a new player with only five weeks left until the window slams shut, having already lost Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United for an initial £45m fee.

Matthews made 18 Championship appearances for Bolton in 2018/19 as the Lancashire-based outfit were relegated to League One, conceding 34 goals and keeping two clean sheets in the league.

Are Crystal Palace right to slap a £100m valuation on Wilfried Zaha’s head? Check out the video below to see why they are…

Many Eagles supporters on social media are clearly not impressed however, with one asking “what is wrong with our club?”

Another accused them of shopping in the “bargain bin”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Friday’s Premier League transfer roundup brought you an enquiry made for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, West Ham’s offer for Sebastien Haller and Manchester United’s prepared bid for Yusuf Yazici. Today’s edition includes Arsenal’s rejected attempt to bring in a Celtic full-back, Tottenham’s offer for a Serie A youngster and Liverpool’s eyes on a former Anfield star.

Arsenal’s Tierney bid rejected

Unai Emery has a relatively slim budget to work with this summer at the Emirates Stadium, so you can forgive him for attempting to stretch it as far as possible. However, other clubs who are having their players targeted are unlikely to be so understanding. That is the case with Celtic, who have rejected a bid from the Gunners for left-back Kieran Tierney. The London outfit offered £25m for the 22-year-old, but that was not good enough for the Scottish Premier League champions. For them, Arsenal wanted to pay too much of the sum in add-ons, with the Bhoys instead looking to receive a bigger portion upfront.

Tottenham make Zaniolo offer

Tottenham have already done some good business this summer, with both Jack Clarke and Tanguy Ndombele having joined. And they aren’t about to stop there, it seems. According to journalist Alfredo Pedulla, the Lilywhites have made an offer to AS Roma for their 20-year-old playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lodged a bid of €27m (£24.3m), with Toby Alderweireld also included the deal. That will bring the overall package to €50m (£45m). With the former Southampton defender already being a target for the Giallorossi, it may be enough to convince the Serie A club to part with the Italian international.

Liverpool eye Coutinho return

Philippe Coutinho signed for FC Barcelona for a huge in January of last year after having impressed during his time in the Premier League. However, since then, things have not gone his way. He may even be on the move this summer, and a return to his former club is a possibility. According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, the Reds have made a bid for the Brazilian. Jurgen Klopp and co are looking to take him on an initial two-year loan, with a purchase option of £88m. The 27-year-old has also agreed to the Merseyside’s club’s proposal.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Newcastle United could be about to appoint Steve Bruce as their new manager, and while it may seem like a bit of a disaster for Sheffield Wednesday right now it may actually not turn out to be a really bad thing.

Bruce has undoubtedly done a fantastic job since becoming Wednesday manager. He’s lost just three times while in charge of the Yorkshire outfit and one would think that losing him could only bring negatives for the Steel City outfit.

One fan described the 58-year-old’s departure as a ‘nightmare’ but after recent developments, it could end up being positive for the Championship side.

What’s the story?

A report from The Times (subscription required) states that the Magpies would have to pay the Owls a minimum of £5m in compensation to make Bruce their new manager.

This money could certainly help the Owls, and losing their current boss may be worth it due to the number of replacements that are available at the moment.

Watch Sheffield Wednesday Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

A good thing

Although losing a manager with a record as impressive as Bruce’s is bound to have an impact on the pitch, the money they receive in compensation could do wonders off it.

It’s been no secret that Wednesday have been cutting it fine in terms of financial fair play, and a windfall of £5m would go a long way towards helping them alleviate their struggles – they even had to sell Hillsborough previously before leasing it back.

This also may be the best time for Bruce to go as there are a number of experienced Championship managers who are currently unemployed who the Owls could go for.

Gary Rowett, Aitor Karanka, Tony Pulis, Garry Monk and Chris Hughton are all available without the need to pay any compensation, so the Steel City outfit could pocket the cash they receive for Bruce rather than spend it on a replacement.

Find out which stadiums fans have nominated for the worst atmosphere in football in the video below…

All in all, this trade-off could end up being a positive for Wednesday. They will be receiving £5m for a manager they’ve only had for six months, and there is a long list of bosses proven at this level who could adequately replace him.

أعرب يورجن كلوب مدرب فريق ليفربول عن كامل سعادته بتحقيق الفوز في مباراة الأمس أمام ولفرهامبتون في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وفاز ليفربول بأربعة أهداف دون رد في الجولة الحادية عشر من البطولة، في ملعب الأنفيلد.

وشهدت المباراة تواجد 2000 متفرج بعد السماح بحضور الجماهير جزئيًا في المدرجات.

وقال كلوب، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “كانت ليلة مثالية لنكون صادقين، تخيل أن هناك شخصًا ما قال قبل 10 أشهر إن 2000 متفرج فقط سيتواجدون في المدرجات! ولكن الأمر كان رائعًا، لقد شعرنا جميعًا بالقشعريرة!”.

وأضاف: “اعتدنا على اللعب بدون جمهور ولكن الأمر أكثر إمتاعًا عندما يتواجدون، هذه اللعبة ليست هي نفسها بدونهم”.

واستكمل: “نحن نقدر هذا النوع من الأشياء ونأمل أن نكون أقرب إلى الحياة الطبيعية، نحن لا نقدر تلك الحياة كثيرًا، كان الأمر مؤثرًا للغاية، بمجرد أن سمعت الجماهير تقول (لن تسير لوحدك أبدًا)، كانت الأجواء رائعة”.

وواصل: “كانت هناك بعض التحديات قبل المباراة، يلعب ولفرهامبتون بطرق مختلفة، أعطيت الأولاد معلومات حول كيفية الضغط عليهم، كان الأولاد رائعين في كيفية تعاملهم معهم، إنها أفضل نتيجة لنا ضد ولفرهامبتون”.

وأثنى كلوب على أداء الحارس كيليهر، حيث قال: “قدم مباراة جيدة جدًا وهو حارس جيد جدًا بالنسبة لنا، إنه موهبة خاصة حقًا، وشخصيته هادئة للغاية ويستغلها، من الناحية الفنية هو رائع، من الجيد أن يكون معنا”.

وأردف: “كيليهر ناضج جدًا، جيد جدًا مع الكرة وبدونها، كانت ليلة لا تُنسى بالنسبة له”.

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Celtic are weighing up making a bid for Motherwell midfield prospect David Turnbull, according to The Daily Mail.

What’s the story?

The paper say Celtic could compete with the likes of Brighton for his signature in the upcoming transfer window. Motherwell though are prepared to hold firm, valuing him in the region of £3m, the report states.

Turnbull signed a deal that keeps him at Fir Park until 2021 earlier this year, so the Steelmen certainly hold the cards when it comes to his departure, but with big clubs circling Turnbull could have played his last game for the club.

The Mail reckon Lennon wants to make him one of his first signings when he returns from a close season holiday.

Keith from C’mon the Hoops throws back to a former Celtic and Ireland star in the video below…

Is he good enough?

Turnbull certainly appears to have as much potential as any young player coming out of the Scottish top-flight in recent years.

An incredible debut campaign with ‘Well was punctuated with 15 goals and 6 assists, used as a key central focus point in Stephen Robinson’s team which really hit its stride after the winter break.

That lethal touch in the final third makes him an excellent fit for the Celtic midfield, which needs direct competition to Tom Rogic heading into the new season.

Still just 19 years of age, he could grow into an elite player surrounded by better teammates and coaches at Celtic.

Celtic’s transfer approach

The Hoops should take the lessons of last summer’s failed move for John McGinn that at this stage looks like a serious misstep in transfer policy.

Having pursued the player for a number of months, Celtic eventually lost out to Aston Villa. McGinn has gone on to have a player of the year calibre season with the Villans, their best performer as they gained promotion to the English Premier League.

The Mail claim that Motherwell have named their price for Turnbull, so if Celtic truly want him they should meet that valuation and prevent history repeating itself.

They can’t afford to miss out on another excellent Scottish talent heading to England.

أثبتت اختبارات “رابيد تيست”، التي خضع لها أعضاء منتخب الشباب تحت 20 عامًا، بقيادة ربيع ياسين، أمس الأحد، سلبيتها ليواصل شباب الفراعنة استعدادتهم بشكل مريح، قبل السفر إلى تونس للمشاركة في بطولة شمال إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس الأمم الإفريقية 2021 بموريتاينا.

وأكد دكتور وليد منصور طبيب الفريق أن اللاعبين المتواجدين حاليا جاءت نتيجتهم سلبية، أما اللاعبين المتواجدين مع الأندية، سيقومون بإجراء التحليل بواسطة أنديتهم، وستجري مسحة لجميع أفراد الجهاز الفني والطبي والإداري خلال 24 ساعة.

ويخوض منتخب الشباب، فعاليات بطولة شمال إفريقيا، خلال الفترة من 15 إلى 24 ديسمبر، بمشاركة تونس والجزائر والمغرب وليبيا، وأكد عادل محفوظ المدير الإداري لمنتخب الشباب مد فترة القيد لبطولة شمال إفريقيا لمدة 10 أيام لتصبح في العاشر من ديسمبر بدلا من أول ديسمبر المقبل، لمنح فرصة للمنتخبات لقيد لاعبين في حالة ظهور حالات كورونا قبل السفر مباشرة.

وستقام قرعة تصفيات أمم افريقيا نهاية الشهر الجاري عن طريق تطبيق الزووم لتحديد مواعيد المباريات والاستادات المقام عليها البطولة المؤهلة لكأس أمم إفريقيا بموريتانيا.