OCoritiba recebe oRed Bull Bragantino neste domingo, às 18h30 (horário de Brasília), pela 18ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Os times estão em situações opostas na tabela, já que o Coxa está em 18º e busca fugir da degola, enquanto o Massa Bruta iniciou a rodada na 6ª posição e quer vaga na próxima Libertadores.
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+ Brasileirão: dicas e odds para apostar na 18ª rodada
Os donos da casa vêm de derrota para o líder Botafogo, que interrompeu uma sequência de quatro jogos sem perder da equipe curitibana. Já o Bragantino venceu fora de casa na última rodada, com um 3 a 0 sobre o Fortaleza, mas empatou em 1 a 1 com o América, também fora, pela Copa Sul-Americana no meio de semana.
Desfalque no ataque e novas opções disponíveis
O Coritiba não terá o atacante Robson para a partida. Artilheiro da equipe no Brasileirão com cinco gols, o jogador recebeu o terceiro cartão amarelo no último jogo e cumpre suspensão automática. Entretanto, o treinador Thiago Kosloski pode promover a estreia dos recém-chegados Reynaldo (zagueiro), Hayner (lateral-direito) e Sebastián Gomez (volante).
+ Os clubes que nunca foram campeões no Brasileirão de pontos corridos; veja lista
Zagueiro rumo à Europa
O Red Bull Bragantino, por sua vez, não contará com Nathan. O zagueiro foi liberado para tratar de sua transferência ao Napoli, da Itália, que deve ser confirmada nos próximos dias. A negociação gira em torno de 10 milhões de euros, segundo informações do jornalista italiano Fabrizio Romano e do GE. Além disso, o Massa Bruta tem os desfalques do volante Raúl e dos zagueiro Lucas Cunha e Eduardo Santos, todos lesionados.
CORITIBA X RED BULL BRAGANTINO
Data e hora:6 de agosto de 2023, às 18h30 (de Brasília) Estádio:Couto Pereira, Curitiba (PR) Árbitro:Yuri Elino Ferreira da Cruz (RJ) Assistentes:Kleber Lucio Gil (SC) e Luiz Claudio Regazone (RJ) VAR:Carlos Eduardo Nunes Braga (RJ) Onde assistir:Premiere.
CORITIBA (Técnico: Thiago Kosloski) Gabriel; Natanael, Kuscevic, Henrique e Jamerson; Andrey, Matheus Bianqui (Sebastián Gomez) e Bruno Gomes; Mauricio Garcez (Kaio ou Lucas Barbosa), Diogo Oliveira e Marcelino Moreno.
Suspenso: Robson Desfalques: –
RED BULL BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Pedro Caixinha) Cleiton; Luan Cândido (Hurtado), Léo Ortiz, Luan Patrick e Juninho Capixaba; Vitinho, Lucas Evangelista, Matheus Fernandes e Ramires; Sasha e Thiago Borbas (Sorriso).
Suspenso:- Desfalques: Raúl, Lucas Cunha e Eduardo Santos (lesionados); Nathan (liberado para acertar transferência ao Napoli-ITA)
+ De quantos pontos o Vasco precisa para não ser rebaixado?
Under past tenures, Everton weren’t exactly known as the most easy-on-the-eye watch.
Indeed, under Sean Dyche, the football was often a struggle to be entertained by, with just 21 goals finding the back of the net under the unpopular 54-year-old’s reign.
Now, however, with the likes of Jack Grealish leading the way under David Moyes, the Premier League side are a far more captivating sight to behold, with several striker options also available to the Scotsman that should see the goals continue to flow.
Moyes' striker conundrum in 2025/26
There was a drastic change in attack during the off-season.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin didn’t pen a new deal at the club after an injury-ravaged few years on Merseyside, culminating in the long-serving Toffees servant swapping the blue half of Liverpool for Leeds United on a free transfer.
To fill this huge void, Moyes and Co would swoop in for rising Villarreal star Thierno Barry, with the Frenchman costing a weighty £27.6m to get through the door.
While he is yet to get off the mark for his new Premier League side from his first three league clashes, the hope will be that the “menacing” forward, as he was labelled by U23 scout Antonio Mango, can grow into becoming a lethal finisher on English shores with time.
Indeed, he tallied up a standout 61 goals previously playing in Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland.
After all, Beto would regularly spurn chances towards the start of his up-and-down spell. Now, however, he’s the main man Moyes relies on up top, with two goals already next to his name this season.
Still, it could be deemed a risk to just rely solely on these two attackers to deliver the goods, with a homegrown Barry already up Everton’s sleeve. He’s now potentially ready for senior opportunities to boost their options.
Everton's "prolific" homegrown Barry
The high-flying Toffees do have a distinguished reputation for unearthing top gems through their academy in attack, with Moyes the manager who first handed Wayne Rooney a senior shot on Merseyside way back in 2002.
He also had a part to play in Ross Barkley’s rise up the ranks to senior stardom, with Omari Benjamin hopeful he can be the next in line for some first-team chances up top, having lit up the youth pitches at Everton for some time now.
Initially scoring goals by the bucket load at Arsenal in the U18 fold – with 18 strikes next to his name from 33 clashes – the 19-year-old Welshman has since made the switch to Everton and been equally as lethal.
Barry would very much be seen in the same clinical light when firing home ten goals in total for the Sochaux B team, with Benjamin even going as far as to be labelled a “prolific” threat by Arsenal youth reporter Jeorge Bird, before settling into life on Merseyside swimmingly.
Benjamin’s for Everton by position
Position
Games
Goals
CF
12
7
LW
4
1
LM
2
0
RM
2
1
RW
1
1
AM
1
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
As can be seen glancing at the table above, the 19-year-old has slotted into many different roles for the U21s and excelled, with the centre-forward spot his obvious preference overall, as seen in him bagging seven of his ten efforts to date from this position.
However, he can also line up down the left or right wing if needed, much like Barry, who has a sterling record of 14 career goals down either of these flanks.
Moyes might boldly want to insert Benjamin into his first team plans shortly; therefore, with this versatility, a standout attribute of his varied game, away from his red-hot goalscoring ability.
Yet, it could also be seen as a huge gamble to throw another raw and inexperienced striker into the mix, with Barry already very much a work in progress.
The former Villarreal number 15 will just need to shake off that first goal burden sooner rather than later, with Benjamin perhaps offering competition down the line as the revamped Everton attack aims to entertain supporters all season long.
Imagine him & Grealish: Everton may have Baines 2.0 in 19-year-old starlet
Everton’s next Leighton Baines could be a perfect partner to Jack Grealish down the left flank
The clock is ticking and Celtic have minutes rather than hours to rescue their summer transfer window by landing the attacking reinforcements that they need.
Adam Idah was allowed to complete a permanent transfer to Swansea City earlier today, leaving Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny as the only ‘senior’ strikers in the building.
Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that Chelsea forward David Datro Fofana has turned down the chance to join the Hoops in order to sign for English side Charlton Athletic in the Championship on loan.
Celtic make late bid for new striker
The Scottish Premiership champions are still pushing to the wire to bring in a new forward before the deadline passes to improve their options up front.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to the Scottish Sun, Celtic have made a last-gasp bid to sign Sevilla centre-forward Kelechi Iheanacho to reunite him with Brendan Rodgers.
The report claims that the Nigeria international has emerged as a deadline-busting transfer target for the Hoops, after they failed to land Kasper Dolberg and Datro Fofana.
Kelechi Iheanacho warming up for Leicester City.
It adds that Sevilla will not stand in his way if he wishes to make the move to Scotland before the deadline, but it remains to be seen what the £52k-per-week marksman wants to do.
What Kelechi Iheanacho could bring to Celtic
The left-footed forward is a vastly experienced number nine who could come in as an even better option than Datro Fofana in the number nine position for the Scottish giants.
Leicester City strikerKelechi Iheanacho.
Datro Fofana has only scored five goals in Europe’s top five leagues in his playing career and has not scored more than four league goals for a club in a season since the 2022 campaign for Molde, per Sofascore.
Kelechi, who was once hailed as “incredible” by Rodgers, scored a respectable 43 goals in 143 matches for the Celtic manager during their time together at Leicester, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the Northern Irish boss can get the best out of him.
22/23 (28)
5
5
21/22 (26)
4
5
20/21 (25)
12
2
19/20 (20)
5
5
18/19 (30)
1
3
17/18 (21)
3
3
16/17 (20)
4
3
15/16 (26)
8
1
As you can see in the table above, Kelechi has plenty of experience in the Premier League and consistently showed that he could deliver goals and assists, at a decent, if not spectacular, rate.
His best season, with 12 goals in the 2020/21 campaign, also came with Rodgers in the Foxes dugout, which, again, shows that they have a relationship that could bring him success at Parkhead.
Kelechi has significantly more experience and more goals in a major European league than Datro Fofana has and outscored (four) the Chelsea youngster (two) in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.
This suggests that the 28-year-old marksman, who still has plenty left to give at that age, could be a shrewd addition to the squad when you consider his relationship with Rodgers and his goal return at Premier League level under the current Hoops boss.
Worse than Nygren: Rodgers must drop Celtic flop who "offered little"
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ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025
It may not be a glamorous, big-money, signing that supporters may have wanted, but if they can get this deadline-busting move over the line, Celtic will have a potentially lethal striker on their hands.
Arsenal have already had to cope with several injuries in attack this season. Most recently, it is Noni Madueke who has suffered from a fitness problem. The England winger will miss the next couple of months due to a knee issue. He joins Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines.
However, the Gunners are bolstered in attack ahead of the weekend’s trip to Newcastle United. Mikel Arteta confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Martin Odegaard could return to the squad after injury. Bukayo Saka is also confirmed to be fit after playing an hour in the Carabao Cup win over Port Vale.
Arsenal’s injury issues in attack have meant Arteta has needed the full depth of his squad. Leandro Trossard got the nod to start against Manchester City last weekend.
Trossard’s performance against Man City
It has been a strange season so far for Belgium international Trossard. He’s very much been on the periphery of Arteta’s squad, playing just 166 minutes in five games. He was also an unused substitute in two Premier League games.
Yet, his impact has been notable when given the opportunity. He has two goals and two assists, which include one of each in the Champions League against Athletic Club. From the start, however, he has struggled to have an impact.
The former Brighton winger has only started once this season, in their recent 1-1 draw against Man City. It certainly wasn’t the best performance, with The Standard journalist Simon Collings rating his efforts a 5/10. Collings said it was ‘frustrating’ watching Trossard against City.
Indeed, the stats show just how much of a disappointing performance the 30-year-old forward put in from the left wing. He lost the ball 14 times, failed to create a chance, and didn’t complete any of his three crosses, per Sofascore.
With that poor performance in mind, it might not be a surprise to see Trossard ruthlessly dropped out of the lineup against Newcastle. Arteta could have the perfect replacement lined up.
Who Arteta could replace Trossard with
The Gunners are certainly short of attacking options ahead of their tough trip to St James’ Park. Madueke would surely have been a lock to start against Eddie Howe’s side, but he is, of course, sidelined. Eberechi Eze could operate out wide, but he shone in midfield against Port Vale.
Instead, Gunners boss Arteta could turn to 18-year-old attacker Ethan Nwaneri to start out wide against the Magpies. The Hale End graduate has played four times this season, and whilst all those appearances have come from central areas, he can certainly play on the wing.
Arsenal’s Spanish gaffer has shown adaptability this season when it comes to playing left-footed wingers on the left flank, which would be the case with Nwaneri. It is a role Madueke has filled already, with Saka operating on his favoured right-hand side.
Nwaneri certainly has the technical ability to operate out on the left and help break down the low block that Newcastle could well employ. This is something they have done in the past, as noted by analyst Adrian Clarke on the Premier League website.
Described as a “special talent” by Statman Dave, the 18-year-old created an average of 1.3 key passes last season for the Gunners. He could be crucial to unlocking the Magpies’ defence, who will no doubt be resolute.
Minutes
38.8
1436
Goals and assists
0.7
11
Key passes
1.3
20
Dribbles completed
2.9
47
Tackles and interceptions
1.5
24
Expected goal involvements
0.29xGI
4.67xGI
The youngster is excellent when carrying the ball in tight spaces. Again, this could be important in breaking down the potential low block Howe will use. There won’t be much space to run with the ball, so having a player who is excellent at keeping possession in tight areas could be key.
This goal for England under-21s is a prime example.
Given how Newcastle deep might play against the Gunners on Sunday afternoon, Nwaneri could be a vital part of Arteta’s plan. His impressive technical ability to both pick an incisive pass and keep the ball in tight spaces could be key if the Magpies do play with a low block.
Arteta certainly trusts the 18-year-old, and giving him a chance out on the left would further show just how highly he rates him.
Arsenal have an "insane" Hale Ender brewing who'll one day take Eze's #10
The incredibly exciting talent will become a superstar for Arsenal.
The 16 teams with ODI status include five Associate members: Thailand, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and UAE
ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2025UAE have replaced USA in the list of 16 women’s teams with ICC ODI status for the 2025-29 cycle, which will come into effect on May 12. The 16 teams include five Associate members: Thailand, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Scotland, who have all retained their status, apart from UAE.Thailand and Scotland made sure of their ODI status after getting to the women’s ODI World Cup qualifier, held recently, while PNG and Netherlands retained their status based on their T20I rankings. PNG are at 13th and Netherlands 15th on the T20I rankings. Thailand and Scotland are at 11th and 12th place on the same rankings respectively.At the World Cup qualifiers held in Pakistan earlier this month, Scotland beat West Indies and Thailand to finish fourth out of six teams, with Thailand placed bottom after losing all their five games. Pakistan and Bangladesh made the cut for the World Cup, to be hosted later this year by India, from the tournament, though Pakistan are expected to not travel to India and will play their matches elsewhere.UAE confirmed their ODI status as the next-highest-ranked Associate team – at No. 16 on the T20I table – at the time of the annual rankings update. Teams with ODI status are required to play at least eight ODIs over a three-to-four-year period to achieve or maintain a ranking.Australia maintained their stronghold on the No.1 ranking with 299 rating points and even extended their lead over second-placed England (279) from 18 points to 20 after the update.USA are currently playing a bilateral series against Zimbabwe, where they lost the T20I series 2-1 and won the first ODI by seven wickets on Thursday. The second and final ODI will be played on Saturday. UAE, meanwhile, are currently in Bangkok, taking part in a quadrangular T20I series also involving hosts Thailand, Hong Kong and Kuwait.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has teased international team-mate William Saliba about Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes, with two French defenders locking horns again in a bid to establish domestic dominance in the English top-flight. That crown currently resides at Anfield, but a thrilling start to the 2025-26 campaign suggests that north London heavyweights are ready to compete for major honours once again.
Liverpool have stumbled after flying start to the season
Liverpool burst out of the blocks again this term, with a flurry of late goals seeing them rewrite the history books while collecting five successive wins in Premier League competition. Said success came on the back of an elaborate spending spree in the summer transfer window that saw deals for the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak smash records.
The wheels have come off slightly since then, with Liverpool suffering three straight defeats in all competitions. Those setbacks have come against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea across domestic and Champions League action. Arne Slot’s side have been knocked from the loftiest of perches as a result.
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Arsenal have moved ahead of defending champions
Arsenal, who have finished as Premier League runners-up in each of the last three seasons, have moved to the summit. They are only one point clear of the chasing pack, having picked up 16 through seven matches, but are daring to dream of securing a first title since the fabled ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-24.
Saliba will have an important role to play for the Gunners if they are to sustain a bid for ultimate glory, with the classy centre-half integral to Mikel Arteta’s plans. He is, however, happy to play down expectations for now – especially when indulging in playful banter with an international team-mate.
When signing autographs for fans at France’s international squad base at Clairefontaine, Konate was handed a picture of him holding the Premier League trophy. With Saliba by his side, the Liverpool defender quipped: “Hey Wilo, it's you, right?” Saliba responded with: “No, no, it's you for this year. Konate added: “It's for you this year.” Saliba hit back again with: “No, it's Liverpool again! We have to put pressure on them.”
Konate nursing a knock on World Cup qualifying duty
It remains to be seen whether Konate will be fit enough to line up for France in their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland. He was replaced during the second half of Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Reds boss Slot told reporters afterwards: “I don't know if it's a big injury, but I do know that he limped. And I asked him, and he said, 'I feel my quad a little bit'. But, for me, all alarm bells go off because in another sprint, then you never know if that is going to go good, so it was already a substitution I had in mind for maybe a little bit later, because the right centre-back has a lot of ball possession, and we all know that Ryan (Gravenberch) is good in there. So it might be okay and he went off early enough, but it was clear that I had to take him off because he was limping.”
France boss Didier Deschamps said when waiting for his squad to report for national team duty: “There are still injuries. I don't have any additional information. We'll have an update when the players arrive. The observation is that for the vast majority, they arrive tired. They arrive from one week to three matches. I will have to spread out the playing time more than in September. They are all fit to play.”
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Next up: Premier League tests for Liverpool & Arsenal
France have no need to take fitness gambles as they are fast closing in on qualification for next summer’s World Cup. Club bosses will also be eager to ensure that no risks are taken on players that will be required to slot straight back into the fold when returning to their domestic bases.
Liverpool have a crunch clash against old adversaries Manchester United to come on October 19, with Konate required for that contest, while Arsenal will return to Premier League action after the international break with a short trip to London neighbours Fulham.
تُجرى في الوقت الحالي مباراة بين فريقي ليفربول وبرينتفورد، في إطار منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، لصالح الجولة التاسعة من عمر البطولة المحلية.
ويحل ليفربول ضيفًا على برينتفورد في خضم لقاءات الجولة المذكورة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تأخر الريدز بهدفين لهدف في الشوط الأول.
وتأخر انطلاق الشوط الثاني من عمر المباراة، حيث طالت الاستراحة لأكثر من 15 دقيقة، أي أكثر من الوقت المعتاد.
اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | كيركيز يسجل هدف ليفربول الأول أمام برينتفورد
وتساءل البعض عن السبب وراء ذلك، قبل أن يتم إيضاح الأمر عبر الموقع الرسمي للبطولة، حيث تقرر تغيير الحكم، سيمون هوبر، الذي يبدو أنه عانى من شيء ما جعله غير قادر على استكمال الشوط الثاني.
وبناءً على ذلك، تغيير خروج سيمون هوبر من المباراة، وسيحل محله الحكم الرابع تيم روبنسون، وهو ما تسبب في حدوث إرباك وتأثير على انطلاق الشوط الثاني.
Brighton chief admitted there was interest from Manchester United for Carles Baleba and revealed why the Red Devils missed out on the £100m transfer. United boss Ruben Amorim had made the Cameroon powerhouse his No.1 midfield target as the Red Devils scrambled for reinforcements before the September 1 deadline. But Brighton refused to budge, slamming the door shut on a potential £100m mega deal that could have filled their coffers.
Amorim’s top target blocked cold
Amorim, keen to inject fresh energy into his side’s faltering midfield, saw Baleba as the ideal player to anchor United’s rebuild. Yet, the Seagulls’ hierarchy was steadfast and made it crystal clear that the 21-year-old was going nowhere. Now, in an interview with , Brighton chairman Tony Bloom pulled back the curtain on the transfer saga and didn’t hold back on why United’s efforts failed.
“I don’t think Baleba was a saga," he said. “There was interest from Manchester United, and we said that he wasn't available this summer and they went away. So we've had many bigger sagas in the past. But Carlos Baleba, his improvement has been immense. Massively important player to this football club, and just delighted that he's with us for this season.”
Bloom admitted the club constantly prepares for life after its best players, but for now, Baleba’s exit isn’t on the agenda.
"We always try and make sure that the players coming in, maybe players we've brought in previous seasons, can help with that situation," he said.
“But that's true of almost every club. The best players, unless you're potentially Man City, Liverpool, Madrid, PSG, almost every club's best players do get sold. And it's up to us to make sure that we are prepared as much as we can. We can't always get the timing right, but we are as prepared as much as we can be to make sure that, at the start of every season, we have a really, really competitive squad.”
AdvertisementUnited refuse to give up the chase
Despite being rebuffed, United aren’t ready to throw in the towel. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reports that the Red Devils will keep Baleba high on their shortlist heading into 2026 hoping patience might pay off in the long run. However, it won’t come cheap. Sources close to Brighton suggest it would take an eye-watering bid of around £115 million, matching the record-breaking sum Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023, to tempt the Seagulls into doing business.
Getty Images SportEyes on Adam Wharton: United’s plan B
With Baleba off-limits, Amorim and his recruitment team have turned their attention to Crystal Palace sensation Adam Wharton. The 21-year-old playmaker has taken the Premier League by storm since his move from Blackburn in 2024. His smooth passing and fearless ball-carrying have earned rave reviews and drawn interest from Liverpool, Manchester City, and even Real Madrid. But United want to move first. Determined not to repeat the Baleba disappointment, Amorim is reportedly pushing for Wharton to be signed as early as January, hoping to stabilise his underperforming midfield before the season spirals further.
United’s midfield has been the source of endless frustration this season. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, once seen as a world-class duo, have struggled badly to control games, prompting fierce criticism from fans and pundits alike. Casemiro’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign, and the Brazilian is expected to be moved on. Meanwhile, Kobbie Mainoo, the academy graduate once tipped for stardom, is rumoured to be eyeing a January exit to secure regular minutes and keep his slim England 2026 World Cup hopes alive. It’s a midfield in flux, and Amorim’s plans to reshape it have hit a frustrating dead end.
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Getty Images SportShowdown at Anfield: Amorim’s make-or-break moment
The Red Devils currently sit 10th in the Premier League, a far cry from the title-challenging form their supporters once demanded. After a dreadful September that saw United slump as low as 14th, the pressure on Amorim has reached boiling point. But a resounding win over Sunderland before the international break has temporarily eased tensions. Next up, United face Liverpool in what could be a defining clash for Amorim’s tenure. The reigning champions have suffered three straight defeats, setting the stage for a potential upset, and perhaps the perfect opportunity for United to make a statement. For Amorim, it’s simple: beat Liverpool and reignite the fire, or lose and face another storm of criticism.
Win at Turf Moor and Liverpool remain in pole position four matches into the Premier League campaign. While it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, Arne Slot’s side have collected nine points from nine thus far.
Burnley might be newly promoted, but they gave Manchester United a tough game before the international break and won previously against Sunderland on home ground. But Slot’s Redmen are different beasts, and will expect to secure victory once again.
With an opening foray into the Champions League looming on Wednesday evening, when Liverpool will host Atletico Madrid, subtle rotation is to be expected, and Curtis Jones will play no part after picking up an injury in his last outing.
However, Jeremie Frimpong has returned to team training and will hope to challenge Dominik Szoboszlai, the hero two weeks back, for a starting berth at right-back.
There is also, of course, the anticipation of Alexander Isak’s arrival. Isak joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in a record-breaking deal on transfer deadline day, and many across the country will keep an eye on the striker’s potential debut.
However, the 25-year-old is likely to be benched, having played little football for several months. Hugo Ekitike will deputise in his stead, and Florian Wirtz will target the match as one which seems fit to get him up and running after his £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
Why Liverpool should relocate Wirtz
Wirtz has so far played in a central role for Liverpool, standing proud of the deeper-lying midfielders and looking to weave together the different lines for Slot’s side. It’s been a steady start, but not the barnstorming introduction many anticipated after his British record move from Germany.
However, the 22-year-old is clearly one of the most talented footballers in the world. You can see it in the way he deftly touches the ball, you can see it in his snappy, seamless movements, his vision and artistry in creation.
But the opening games of Wirtz’s Premier League career left plenty to be desired, and Liverpool might find that their expensive recruit has more success in a wider berth, taking on defenders and creating and cutting inside and shooting.
Stats via Sofascore
Against Arsenal, improvements were made. Especially in the second half, Wirtz started to loosen up, moving with an ease of gait that gave rise to his fleet-footedness and ability to take on and beat his man.
Such skills are transferable, of course, not just limited to a central attacking midfield role. And for that reason, perhaps Liverpool might want to unleash Wirtz from a left-sided position this term, with £45m man, Cody Gakpo, shifting into the number nine spot that will soon become Isak’s.
Slot should unleash Gakpo in the Isak role
With Isak unlikely to start from the beginning at Burnley, Slot might fancy solving his Wirtz problem by fielding Gakpo in a more advanced attacking position, alongside Ekitike.
Then the German playmaker could shift out to the left, with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch working in the middle (should Szoboszlai reprise his right-back role, he could advance to the middle in possession, thus compacting the midfield).
Gakpo scored 18 goals across all competitions last season and is one of the most accurate shooters in the Premier League, with pundit Peter Crouch even remarking last year that he had “gone up a level” in Slot’s system.
Isak rocks the boat somewhat, and Liverpool’s forwards will be dished out varying degrees of match action across the season. Gakpo won’t start every match, but he should start here, against Burnley.
For much of August, Isak wandered across the cold tundra of footballing No Man’s Land, having rebelled at Newcastle and removed himself from Eddie Howe’s pre-season preparations. Many times did it seem that the Sweden international would be kept from his dream move to Merseyside.
But he’s here now, and Liverpool are much better for it. However, the fact that Slot has such strength in depth bears testament to FSG’s determination, and indeed the longer-spanning reach of their quiet tenacity, with Gakpo also a showcase in that regard.
Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in late December 2022 after his exceptional performances with the Netherlands at the Qatar World Cup. Man United thought they were signing him, but Liverpool swooped and landed their man.
And he’s improved by the season, with a goal and two assists from three Premier League appearances this term, further evidence that Slot has created a version of the player who is capable of getting better and better.
Early though the term is, Gakpo has been a menace, with data from Sofascore revealing him to have averaged an absurdly high 9.3 duels across his top-flight fixtures so far, also making six key passes and all the while through a heat map that highlights a deeper starting point than was typical last season.
And what does that mean? Well, Wirtz’s involvement is likely a defining factor. Last year, Szoboszlai played a more industrious role from number ten than the German, working overtime to pack energy and initiative into Slot’s hard-working team.
Wirtz is a more advanced player, flashier and full of flair. Liverpool are recalibrating. Lopsidedness and unfluent motions have been pinpoints of criticism for the Reds across their opening matches, and yet they have nine points from nine. They stand atop the pile and have beaten Arsenal and Newcastle and Bournemouth.
Perhaps moving Wirtz out wide, where he has played and starred before, would help this imperious outfit hit an even stronger stride. Gakpo, after all, is a natural goalscorer and would still be able to work from outside to in in a duel-striking role with Ekitike.
Wirtz – Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals (assists)
Attacking midfield
163
48 (55)
Centre-forward
15
7 (7)
Right winger
11
4 (3)
Left winger
9
2 (3)
Central midfield
5
0 (3)
Data via Transfermarkt
Has Slot envisaged such a scenario? It certainly seems likely, else why would Liverpool have broken the bank for forwards such as Isak and Ekitike?
When fitness permits, Isak will play many matches from the number nine berth, leading the line for Liverpool. There he will score goals in their droves, adding not just goalscoring potency but a unique take on the centre-forward’s craft.
However, with Ekitike firing on all cylinders and Isak in need of soft integration for the time being, Liverpool might want to avoid throwing caution to the wind, especially when someone like Gakpo would be ready to stand in and help shape a new system.
The Dutchman is his own player; he is not Isak. Gakpo would not play Isak’s positional role in mimicry, but offer his own take, thus allowing Slot to create a new style from which multiple players can settle into the same seat and keep it all afloat.
To put it all in a nutshell: Liverpool are rather good, and have so many different ways to achieve their title-winning ambitions.
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Celtic failed to get their first win of the European season on the board when they were beaten 2-0 by Braga at Parkhead in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The Hoops were held to successive 0-0 draws, losing on penalties in the second leg, by Kairat in the Champions League qualifiers, before they were held to a 1-1 draw by Red Star Belgrade in their first match of the league phase in the Europa League last week.
Their 2-0 loss to Braga in front of their own supporters, who made their feelings clear at full-time, means that they have failed to win four successive matches in Europe this season.
Celtic may feel hard done by, though, as VAR ruled out Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal with a call that was described by Chris Sutton as “possibly the worst decision of all time”.
Celtic have been dominant domestically, with four successive league title wins, but they have not had much success on the European stage, in any competition, and it is a step up that even some of the club’s best players have struggled with.
Kyogo Furuhashi, for example, struggled in the Champions League last season as he came towards the end of his career with the Scottish giants.
Why Kyogo Furuhashi struggled for Celtic in Europe
Something that can be underestimated about European football is the step up in physicality as well as quality in comparison to some Scottish Premiership matches.
In terms of how players use their strength, how they use their speed, the intensity of their press, it can sometimes feel like a different game in Europe, which is why Kyogo, in particular, had some tough nights in European games.
The Japan international, who scored 85 goals for the Hoops, was never the most physical centre-forward for Celtic, but it appeared to effect his European form more than his domestic form, possibly due to the reasons listed above.
Kyogo (Champions League)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
6
7
Touches
14
13.1
Goals
2
1
Big chances missed
2
3
Duel success rate
33%
39%
Aerial duel success rate
0%
0%
Duels won per game
1.3
1.0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Kyogo lost the majority of his duels, failing to win a single aerial battle in the Champions League in his last two seasons with the club, scoring three goals in 13 matches.
Because of how dominant opposition centre-backs were with the Japanese striker, the experienced marksman failed to provide regular quality at the top end of the pitch.
Moments like the one in the clip above against Atletico Madrid were far and far between, unfortunately, and the increased intensity and physicality of European football may be the reason behind that.
Now, another member of Ange Postecoglou’s treble-winning side appears to be suffering from similar issues in the current team for Brendan Rodgers.
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Callum McGregor captained the Scottish giants once again in the middle of the park, but turned in a worse performance than Benjamin Nygren for Celtic.
Why McGregor is on his way to becoming the next Kyogo
Like Kyogo, the Hoops captain is not the most physical player in terms of his mobility or intensity, which is understandable given that he is a tempo-setting number six in the Premiership.
His composed play on the ball, completing 94% of his passes in the Premiership (Sofascore), helps him to dictate and control matches for the Hoops in domestic action, but the increased physicality and intensity of European football has had an impact on his performances.
Celtic average 73.2% of the ball per game (WhoScored) in the Premiership, which illustrates their total dominance, but they only had 56% of the ball against Braga at Parkhead on Thursday night.
Because Braga had more intensity to their press than a lot of the teams that Celtic face domestically have, McGregor, Nygren, and Paulo Bernardo had more of a fight on their hands than they usually do in a Hoops shirt at Parkhead.
Nygren outperformed the captain with his play in and out of possession, showing greater physicality and intensity, winning three more duels and twice as many tackles in 23 fewer minutes on the pitch.
McGregor lost 80% of his duels on the night. That came after he won four of his nine duels, making one tackle, in 90 minutes against Red Star Belgrade last week, per Sofascore.
The Celtic veteran’s physical struggles in the Europa League should not come as a huge surprise, though, as he has also lost 53% of his ground duels in the Premiership, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been slightly off the pace in his battles on the deck in domestic action.
Kyogo’s exit did not result in an immediate replacement in January, as the Hoops felt that Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda offered enough cover in the centre-forward position, and a similar situation could arise with McGregor.
That is not to say that the left-footed star will be sold by the club he has spent his entire career at, but the Hoops could get to a point where the captain may find himself out of the team to play a more dynamic and physical midfield that is capable of scrapping it out in matches to win duels and fight for points.
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Therefore, McGregor could be in danger of becoming the new Kyogo because of his struggles with the intensity and physicality of European football, based on recent evidence.
Rodgers will be hoping, though, that the 32-year-old star can learn from these last couple of matches and position himself better to avoid duels and take more control of the game in possession in the rest of the league phase.