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Thomas Frank has reacted to Manchester United's sacking of Erik ten Hag as the Brentford boss opens up on reports linking him with the Red Devils.

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Man Utd part ways with Erik ten HagThomas Frank linked with vacant jobBrentford boss opens up on rumoursFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester United and INEOS finally made the decision to part ways with Ten Hag after months of speculation as the Red Devils struggled to find their footing since the start of the season. The Red Devils have a number of names on their shortlist to take over at Old Trafford, including Brentford boss Frank. The Bees' head coach has now reacted to Ten Hag's sacking and opened up on reports linking him with the vacant role at United.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWHAT FRANK SAID

Speaking to the media, Frank responded when asked about the Manchester United job: “It’s a very delicate question. I’ve got a big responsibility to Brentford, the fans, [owner] Matthew [Denham], the leadership, the staff, and I’ve got one focus and that’s to do our best and beat Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

“I’ve said many, many times but I’m very happy here. It’s one of the best clubs in the world. What happens in the future, who knows? But I’m very, very happy here."

When asked if he had the right to talk with other clubs after six year with Brentford, he said: “It’s difficult for me to say – that’s a hypothetical situation. I always try to be as transparent as possible. I’ll repeat myself. I’m very happy here and I can see myself being here for a long, long time in the future.

“Of course, I’ve also said that maybe if something comes up and I think, ‘That’s an opportunity I’d like to try’, okay let’s see. But for now, no, I’m very, very happy here.

"It’s more difficult [to focus] when you guys keep asking questions. I just want to focus on Sheffield Wednesday and focus on winning the game. But I get it’s a part of it.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Frank was also questioned about how he felt for Ten Hag after being sacked by Manchester United this early in the season, to which the Danish coach responded: “Of course, I feel for Erik. He is a great coach and has a great career. He did a good job at Manchester United, two trophies in two years.

“It’s a non-stop developing football world and that is more than acceptable. At these big clubs, there are massive expectations but there has to be a reality check. There are three teams in Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool who look to be above everyone.

“When you are head coach you always feel for guys who lose their jobs. It’s life. It happens. There are better people to judge that (improvement). He had a very good first season and had more than a few injury problems.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

The Manchester United top brass will be hard at work finding a potential replacement for Ten Hag. For the moment Ruud van Nistelrooy will serve as the interim coach till a decision can be reached.

After failing in their first approach, Aston Villa have reportedly made a second attempt to convince one of their summer targets into a Premier League switch ahead of next season.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans have been one of the busiest sides in the transfer market so far this summer, especially in the Premier League. In total, they've welcomed five fresh faces with Amadou Onana reportedly on his way to make it a sixth. The Belgian's arrrival, alongside Ian Maatsen's, stands out amongst the crowd as the most impressive business that Villa have so far completed.

Aston Villa now "closing in" on swoop to sign "highly rated" gem for Emery

He’s one for the future.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 13, 2024

With so many incomings, however, departures always seemed likely as those in the Midlands have already seen with the exit of Douglas Luiz to Juventus and as they may see with Moussa Diaby. The former Bayer Leverkusen star has reportedly agreed personal terms with Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad and could now be on his way out of Villa Park just one year on from arriving.

The winger's exit would undoubtedly deal Unai Emery a frustrating blow this summer, but Villa could at least make up for Diaby's potential departure by reversing the trend of Saudi clubs signing European stars.

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa have made a new approach to sign Saud Abdulhamid from Al-Hilal, having already made an initial approach at the start of the transfer window. The right-back reportedly believes that now is the best time to move into European football after impressing in Saudi as a standout defender. Despite approaching Abdulhamid's representatives though, Villa are yet to open negotiations with Al-Hilal.

It could be quite the way to break the trend by luring a player who is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the Saudi Pro League to English football after the likes of Ruben Neves and now perhaps even Diaby chose to move in the opposite direction.

"Incredible" Abdulhamid has earned Aston Villa interest

A Saudi champion and one of the best defenders in the country, Abdulhamid has more than earned the interest of Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, AS Roma and others in a busy race for his signature. Villa, of course, after their new approach, will be hoping to take the lead in that race, but it remains to be seen whether they can reach an agreement on both personal terms and on a fee with Al-Hilal.

The 24-year-old ended last season with four goals and nine assists – eclipsing Matty Cash's five goals and three assists in the process – and could now make his biggest move yet to Villa Park. Dubbed "incredible" by Arab News, Abdulhamid could be a shrewd coup by those in the Midlands this summer.

Strength in depth could be key for Villa if they want to repeat last season's success in the Premier League whilst causing even greater upsets in the Champions League, and adding Abdulhamid to compete with Cash would bring exactly that.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Pulisic's scoring streak and Adams' return

This much is true for the U.S. men's national team: this roster is pretty beat up right now. Mauricio Pochettino's first camp in charge saw his side limited by injuries. He was missing up to six starters by the time the U.S. lost 2-0 in Mexico, and as a result, there are still many unknowns under the new coach.

All of that extended into this weekend's European club matches, as well. The USMNT storylines were focused on those who are injured and, as important, those who were able to return to the lineup.

There were several key comebacks, which will be good news for Pochettino and his staff. And aside from those injuries, the USMNT headliner continues to be Christian Pulisic, who contributed to another goal for the seventh consecutive game for AC Milan. Who could have seen that coming?

From key returns to more Pulisic heroics, GOAL assesses the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

Pulisic's run continues

Once again, it all starts with Pulisic, who continues to deliver major moments week in, week out.

Pulisic was the subject of some recent criticism, despite his incredible form. The decision to have him leave USMNT camp early and return to Milan rubbed some critics, such as former USMNT player Tim Howard, the wrong way. Pulisic assisted on a goal in the USMNT's win over Panama, but then – along with Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi and two other players – were released back to their clubs before the U.S. played in Mexico.

"I did find it strange what (Pochettino) did in the game against Mexico, in terms of sending players back and not keeping those players together," pundit Jamie Carragher told GOAL. "They got beat 2-0, so I don't quite understand that. I understand we might say, ‘Oh, we're managing the minutes.’ But I think sometimes as an international manager you’ve got to be a little bit selfish, because the clubs are being selfish and you’ve got to look after your own situation."

That was a common theme: How could Pulisic miss the Mexico game? Why should load management take precedence over a match against a rival?

Well, this is why. Pulisic started and played all 90 minutes in 10-man Milan's win over Udinese Saturday, assisting on Samuel Chukwueze's winning goal. That marked seven straight games with a goal contribution for the American, making him the first player across Europe’s top five divisions to do so in seven straight this season, bettering top performers from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga.

He's been the best player in Serie A of late, and it doesn't feel particularly close.

Milan are going to embrace that fact, too. They're going to ride with Pulisic, both in the league and the Champions League. Last season, the world was wondering if Pulisic could hold down a starting spot. Now, the world is wondering what Milan can do to continue building their team around him.

That's why he was allowed to leave pre-Mexico. He had nothing to prove. For now, the most important thing is keeping Pulisic fit and confident in Milan.

AdvertisementGettyAdams inches closer

This wasn't THE breakthrough for Adams, but it was at least a major moment. You can't accomplish everything all at once.

For the first time this season, Adams was named to the Bournemouth bench for Saturday's 2-0 upset of Arsenal. The American midfielder didn't play, remaining among the substitutes, but the fact that he even sat there with his training bib on can be seen as a sign of progress.

We haven't seen him on the field since the Copa America, when he was clearly less than 100 percent. Bournemouth haven't put him on the field since March, when he made his only three appearances of the 2023-24 season. Since March 2023, Adams has played a whopping 118 Premier League minutes and, because of that, it is somewhat easy to forget how good he is.

For both the USMNT and Bournemouth, getting Adams back is crucial. Staff on both sides of the Atlanta will have to manage him and his minutes as they look to build him back up to the monster the world saw at the 2022 World Cup. The two years since then have largely been derailed by injuries, but all involved will hope that Adams can put that behind him.

This weekend was a step towards that. It was a small step, but it was nonetheless a step.

GettyWeah's significant cameo

Yunus Musah ran things from the right-wingback position for the USMNT's 2-0 win over Panama last week – could Tim Weah play there when healthy?

Weah was an injury absence for the USMNT, but he made his return over the weekend for Juventus after nearly a month on the sidelines. He came into the game in the second half of a 1-0 win for the Old Lady, who needed a late own goal despite being up a man for about 65 minutes.

The American completed 21 of his 23 passes and created two chances, helping Juve pile on the pressure. He had some decent moments defensively, too, during the few sequences Lazio was able to get forward.

The USMNT does not have a player like Weah anywhere in the pool. His ability to stretch defenses and make teams uncomfortable opens up space for everyone. After scoring in Juve's season opener, it seemed like this could be a breakout year for Weah, who looked set to add more goals to his game.

The hope is that'll happen but, for now, it's all about Weah getting his legs back under him after missing signficant time to start the campaign.

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Getty Images SportSargent's hysterical assist

Sometimes, things just don't go your way. Josh Sargent felt that with the USMNT this past week. That said, sometimes things do end up going your way, even in hilarious fashion. Sargent felt that side of the phenomenon this weekend.

The American striker was credited with an assist in Norwich City's 1-1 draw with Stoke. History will say he set up Ante Crnac's goal. Anyone who watched, though, will know that the actual story is much more humorous.

Sargent knew nothing about his "assist." His contribution was a clearance smashing off his head and falling right into the path of Crnac. Sargent was as surprised as anyone in the stadium when the ball was in the back of the net, but the record will show that he'd earned an assist, and perhaps an assist bonus, for his role in it all.

It was exactly the type of bounce Sargent didn't get during the international break. Maybe it's a sign that his luck has turned as he continues the grueling run through the Championship.

Arne Slot will have already created a grandiose plan to start his Liverpool tenure without a hitch, taking the high-class squad that Jurgen Klopp created and cemented and placing his stamp on it.

Liverpool, there is no doubt, is entering the unknown, preparing to charge toward the goals of a campaign with a first-team squad led by a new figure. Frissons of excitement are flying but so too is there a measure of trepidation that Klopp's Herculean efforts will fade into the poignant memory of better times.

But FSG have installed a new structure, enticed Michael Edwards back to the fold in a bigger, all-seeing role as their CEO of Football, and while several pressing concerns require attention – namely, the 12-month contract quandaries of Virgil van Dijk (captain), Trent Alexander-Arnold (vice-captain) and Mohamed Salah (attacking talisman).

Keeping hold of such players, it should be clear, is paramount for the fluency and success of Slot's early-stage Liverpool tenure, not least because they are three of the most influential and experienced members of the crop. But not all of the Reds' most profitable players are untouchable.

Indeed, Darwin Nunez is among those to have been linked with a move away in recent weeks, and while flawed he may be, the Uruguayan has a lofty ceiling. However, one of his closest peers must be quite ruthlessly sold.

Liverpool considering big summer sale

Spanish reports have persisted quite frequently in recent weeks that Barcelona are pushing for the signing of Luis Diaz, who had been one of Klopp's most important players last season, starting every one of Liverpool's Premier League fixtures in 2024.

Recently, as per Diario AS, Liverpool have responded to La Blaugrana's advancements by slapping a €75m (£63m) price tag on the Colombia star, something that might prove a stumbling block for the La Liga outfit, racked with financial worry.

Diaz is unquestionably Liverpool's star left winger, and while he has much to offer for Slot and his soon-to-be-instilled system on Merseyside, it may well be worth cashing in and reinvesting.

Why Luis Diaz should be sold

Indefatigable. Unceasing. Relentless. Robust. Pick your athletic-based superlative; Diaz is certain to fall somewhere within the broad parameters of such praise.

But this alone is not enough to keep Diaz at the club, with his wastefulness and poor return failing Liverpool on several important occasions. A return of 13 goals and five assists over 51 matches in all competitions is certainly not shoddy but nor is it particularly eye-catching.

Anfield welcomed Diaz from Portuguese side FC Porto in a £37m transfer back in January 2022, tasked with replacing the iconic Sadio Mane, who still plied his trade at Liverpool at the time of Diaz's arrival but was heading toward his contract expiry at the end of the campaign.

Diaz is contracted until 2027 and this is largely why FSG and Edwards believe that he could fetch a pretty penny. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

Fleet-footed and fearsome in his electric-charged runs up and down the flank, Diaz has been hailed as a "livewire" by journalist Peter Hall for this very reason.

However, he's not the cream of the crop at Anfield and, one would think, collecting a fee in the £60m ballpark would give Liverpool ample ammunition to redirect toward a fresh face.

23/24

51

13

5

0.35

22/23

21

5

2

0.33

21/22

26

6

5

0.42

Compare that to Mane's final three-year average, and it becomes patent that the Colombian has failed to emulate his predecessor regarding prolificness, which admittedly does not exactly mean he has failed, such was Mane's quality.

21/22

51

23

4

0.53

20/21

48

16

8

0.50

19/20

47

22

10

0.68

But £63m is a lot of money; it would mark the third-highest sale in Anfield's history, behind only Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez.

Liverpool simply have to consider selling Diaz and turning their gaze to summer transfer targets with the added gleam of recouped funds.

1.

Philippe Coutinho

£142m

2.

Luis Suarez

£75m

3.

Fernando Torres

£50m

4.

Raheem Sterling

£49m

5.

Fabinho

£40m

Who knows, it might even prove to be a masterstroke for Slot, his very own Coutinho moment.

Diaz sale could be Coutinho 2.0

When Liverpool sold Coutinho to Barcelona in January 2018 for a staggering fee of £142m, supporters mourned the loss of a truly special star who, it felt, could not be replaced.

Liverpool had clicked into gear under Klopp and were scoring goals for fun, but the money collected was thrown back out into the market over the coming months, with the £75m deal to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton and the £67m signing of Alisson Becker from AS Roma revolutionising the squad and transcending the ambitions of regular top-four finishes and trophy runs.

Instead, Liverpool conquered it all. In 2018/19, Tottenham Hotspur were vanquished in the Champions League final, one year later, Liverpool toppled Manchester City to win their maiden Premier League title in its modern format.

Barcelona might have overpaid quite considerably but Liverpool certainly aren’t complaining, albeit waiting for several interminable years for payment packages from the financially-stricken club, who funded the venture via an intermediary.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are still in pursuit of Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville, having scouted him for months. The 22-year-old would continue the Dutch theme at Anfield and would arrive with plenty of promise after being crowned the Championship MVP, posting 21 goals and ten assists in all competitions.

The knock-on, long-term effect of such a deal, with plenty of money still to burn after Diaz's sale, could be truly remarkable for a Liverpool team in transition.

In hindsight, Liverpool selling Coutinho proved to be a watershed moment that opened the flood of success, eternalising Klopp and his reign on Merseyside.

Diaz would not be sold for quite the same dizzying sum but there's little question that it could have something of a similar effect, especially if Slot was to target a player like Summerville.

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Arne Slot would score a major win by landing this talented midfielder.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 4, 2024

Real Madrid ace Endrick reportedly accepts he should have been sent off for fouling an Alaves player and has vowed to apologise to his team-mates.

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Endrick escapes red card against AlavesBooked for kneeing opponent in the groinTeen to apologise to Madrid team-mates WHAT HAPPENED?

The 18-year-old was fortunate not to see red on Tuesday in Madrid's 3-2 win over Alaves after kneeing Santiago Mourino in the groin. Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza was furious the Brazilian was not sent off and that VAR did not intervene. Now, Marca claims Endrick is aware he was lucky not to be red-carded and that he will hold his hands up and assure it won't happen again to his teammates and manager Ancelotti.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Endrick came off the bench with 20 minutes to go, when Madrid were 3-0 up. If he had been sent off, he could have cost his side the victory; as Alaves scored two late goals to reduce their arrears. However, the teenager has scored two goals for the club so far in an otherwise bright start for Los Blancos.

DID YOU KNOW?

With Kylian Mbappe out of Sunday's trip to local rivals Atletico Madrid with a thigh injury, Endrick could play a more prominent role against Diego Simeone's men. After multiple substitute appearances, this may be his chance to shine in the starting XI.

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

After facing off against Atletico on Sunday night, Endrick's Madrid travel to Lille in their second Champions League match of the new campaign on Wednesday night, before hosting Villarreal in La Liga just three days later.

It’s so rare that a partnership on its way to 359 needs breaking – for an inexperienced attack, even more so

Danyal Rasool22-Aug-2020

Zak Crawley gets a pat on the back after being dismissed for 267•AFP

If you saw Pakistan’s pace bowlers reduce England to 12 for 3 in five overs earlier this month, and wondered how it was possible that very attack appeared so comprehensively helpless against a 22-year-old and a supposed imposter in Test cricket for the best part of a hundred overs, a stat about Babar Azam might shed some light.Before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down all cricket, Babar was the world’s most in-form Test batsman, and had scored five hundreds and six half-centuries in 10 Tests. The centuries had come in Pakistan and the UAE, as well as Brisbane, with a 97 in Adelaide. That was to say nothing of the demolition Dale Steyn suffered at his hands at Supersport Park in a Test series in 2018-19 where the pitches were, even by South African standards, exceptionally spicy. He smashed 10 boundaries in a 24-ball burst against Steyn, scoring a breezy 79-ball 71. Around him, 15 wickets fell on the first day, and the game was done before tea on the third.While he seems to have found the keys to Test batting, the same player has managed just three hundreds in 36 first-class games in Pakistan. He averages four runs fewer in first-class cricket than Test cricket – where his average is already depressed by a surprisingly slow start to his career. And none of this is unusual.ALSO READ: Anderson closes in on 600 after Crawley, Buttler ice their inningsBatting in domestic cricket in Pakistan is hard. Domestic pitches have been increasingly tweaked to favour fast bowlers, with a year-on-year decrease in average first innings totals in recent times, and a corresponding decrease in the number of spinners featuring in the top wickets charts (not since 2014 have more than two spinners featured among the top 30 wicket-takers).In the 2018-19 Quaid-e-Azam trophy, more than half the teams batting first failed to reach 250. In 2017, four of the XI, including Mohammad Abbas, taking part in this Test were part of a game that didn’t see three figures reached in any of the four innings. Not a single wicket fell to a spinner.There is little about that which suggests bowlers frequently find themselves in situations that require 359-run partnerships to be broken. Two of Pakistan’s trio of fast bowlers lack much experience anyway, and most of what they do have is geared towards running through an opposition quickly. It may explain why they fell away somewhat spectacularly after Jos Buttler and Zak Crawley settled on a somewhat lifeless wicket, but also shed light on their torpidity with a second new ball that looked like it might have been ready to cooperate had someone known what to do with it.Shaheen Shah Afridi in his delivery stride•Getty Images

Pakistan took the new ball immediately yesterday, and conceded 15 runs off the first two deliveries, including three no-balls and four leg byes; with the first new ball, it wasn’t until the 51st over that Pakistan leaked an extra. It was more harbinger than anomaly; Shaheen in particular would struggle throughout the rest of the England innings, bowling full and wide begging to be cover driven, only to over-correct for England to clip him into the onside. Fourteen such balls produced 24 runs, epitomised by conceding three boundaries in an over to Chris Woakes off the same line and length he had plundered for so many in that match-winning – potentially series winning – 84 at Old Trafford.It is unfair, perhaps, to single out Shaheen, whose poor games are impressively widely spaced out for someone of his age, but Pakistan found themselves in a nearly identical situation in Adelaide last year. After an opener called Burns (Joe on that occasion) nicked off early, Australia piled on a 361-run stand, the bowling attack – three of the four part of this game – becoming progressively toothless as the runs accumulated. As here, the batsmen taking the attack to Pakistan caused them to go into their shell bowling and in the field, and Shaheen aside, no bowler managed a single wicket in 127 overs.Naseem didn’t play that Test and was supremely unlucky not to have a wicket to show for the sheer number of times he beat both Buttler and Crawley’s outside edge. That he stuck to that plan is a sign of the speed with which he is demonstrating the sort of patience usually accompanied by several years more experience than he has. It will be one of the more encouraging sights for fast bowling coach Waqar Younis as Naseem looks to transform into a consistently brilliant bowler, and not simply a bowler of brilliant deliveries.It is on days like these, though, that the extreme youth of the two thirds of this bowling attack, begin to show. Naseem’s visible frustration – it appeared at times he was on the verge of tears – is best concealed from an opposition, and though Shaheen might be the anointed leader of the attack, this won’t be the last difficult day he endures as he continues to develop. Abbas arguably got the greatest use out of the second new ball, wicketless though he might have been, but movement once it gets softer, a necessary tool for someone who bowls at that pace, remains elusive.Naseem Shah has a wry smile•Getty Images

The fast-bowling trio may have left no doubt they have the ability to prosper at this level, and have given a decent enough account of themselves over the three Tests, but they only combined for 12 of the 26 English wickets that fell. In England, of all places, that ratio simply isn’t good enough for an attack Pakistan will look to get the most out of for the best part of the next decade. England’s pace attack, for comparison, is responsible for 27 of the 28 wickets that have fallen to bowlers thus far.It’s also worth reflecting on the crucially sensitive role Waqar Younis, in his third stint as head or bowling coach, has been entrusted with. Pakistan continue to produce wonders of fast bowling season upon season, but no pair has managed to match combine quality with longevity since arguably he, alongside Wasim Akram, called it a day. There is no Pakistan fast bowler among the top 26 most prolific pacers since September 2010, when the spot-fixing scandal broke out.Naseem Shah bowls under the watchful eye of Waqar Younis•Getty Images

And while Waqar, who alongside head coach Misbah-ul-Haq was appointed a year ago, has had enough time to get his feet under the table, it is not yet obvious that he’s been able to instil some of the same qualities in his charges as he was so obviously blessed with. Naseem’s gather is reminiscent of Waqar’s, but not yet the reverse swing with the old ball that came so naturally to the coach.There hasn’t been that learning curve Pakistan promised following that wretched Test series in Australia; the impotence of the pacers with the softer ball remains just as poignant. The strategic lapses as recently as Old Trafford were repeated regularly through the day; Woakes wasn’t tied up or pushed back, and Crawley was spoonfed the half-volley for the cover drive far too regularly. There may well be a longer-term plan, but Pakistan aren’t historically renowned for showing patience with either player or coach.Of course, it doesn’t help when it turns out that 22-year-old is really rather good, and the supposed imposter might be the real deal after all.

Chelsea have been called the "only possible option" for an in-work manager to leave his club this summer, and Man City boss Pep Guardiola holds him in very high esteem.

Chelsea linked with Pochettino replacement

The calls for Mauricio Pochettino's sacking have died down somewhat recently, with Chelsea not recording a single league defeat since their dismal 4-2 loss at home to Wolves in early February.

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Emilio Galantini

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While Chelsea have suffered poor results since then, most notably losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool and drawing at home to relegation battlers Burnley, the signs have been far more positive in recent weeks.

The Blues, thanks to yet another stunning display from Cole Palmer, battered Everton 6-0 at Stamford Bridge. Before that, Chelsea were involved in the game of the season with their dramatic 4-3 win over Man United, and these are encouraging results to build upon from Pochettino's perspective.

Chelsea's next league fixtures	Date
Arsenal (away)	April 23rd
Aston Villa (away)	April 27th
Tottenham (home)	May 2nd
West Ham (home)	May 5th
Nottingham Forest (away)	May 11th

Nevertheless, supporters have still been far from impressed overall with Chelsea's style of play under Pochettino, and it is believed that the club have a shortlist of potential replacements – should they part company with the Argentine.

Simon Phillips revealed this week that Barcelona boss Xavi is now under consideration, and there have been some rumours that Jose Mourinho is keen to make a return to Chelsea after leaving Roma.

Another potential option for Chelsea is Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian, who's been praised for his job on the south coast after replacing Graham Potter in 2022, is attracting interest from elsewhere and could well leave the Amex.

Chelsea named as "only possible destination" for De Zerbi

If the former Sassuolo boss does depart at the end of this season, journalist Rudy Galetti has written for Tribal Football that Chelsea are the only possible option for De Zerbi, who is among the names in the race to be appointed as Pochettino's replacement, as other elite English sides like Liverpool will have different choices.

This could benefit Chelsea if they're that eager to hire another manager from Brighton, but what's most intriguing is the real praise De Zerbi has received from City boss Guardiola – who called him "one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years".

"There is no team playing the way they play – it's unique,” Guardiola also said of De Zerbi.

"I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn't expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn't been for a long time.

"They deserve completely the success they have. If you don’t play at a high level, he can do whatever he wants against you."

Glasgow Rangers hosted their end-of-season awards evening on Sunday night and, unsurprisingly, it was a busy event for goalkeeper Jack Butland.

The Light Blues star collected the Men's Players' Player of the Year and the Men's Player of the Year awards for his outstanding contributions at Ibrox over the course of the campaign so far.

Signed on a free transfer last summer, the titan has been a colossus for the Gers and looks set to be Philippe Clement's number one for many more years to come.

Whilst Rangers will be delighted with their current shot-stopper, the club did once have a howler when they released a goalkeeper who is now playing in the Premier League – Wes Foderingham.

Wes Foderingham's Rangers career

The English giant joined the Scottish giants on a free transfer from Swindon Town in the summer of 2015 and made 143 appearances across five years at Ibrox.

He helped the club to secure promotion out of the Championship in his first season, with 15 clean sheets in 36 league games, and was the first-choice goalkeeper for the next two campaigns in the Scottish Premiership.

Foderingham kept 12 shutouts in 37 games in his first top-flight term in goal for Rangers, before a return of ten in 33 during the following season.

However, Foderingham only played eight games under Steven Gerrard in the 2018/19 campaign and five the following term, which led to the former Liverpool midfielder opting to release him in the summer of 2020.

This allowed Sheffield United to swoop in to sign him for nothing ahead of the 2020/21 season, and he has gone on to enjoy a fantastic career with the Blades to date.

Where Wes Foderingham is now

The 33-year-old did not make a single appearance for Sheffield United in the Premier League in his first season at the club as Manchester United loanee Dean Henderson was the number one ahead of him.

His compatriot's exit in the summer of 2021 opened up a spot for Foderingham to swoop in and take as the number one for them in the Championship, and he kept 36 clean sheets in 72 league games over the subsequent two years.

The ex-Gers titan helped the Blades to win promotion last year and he has been playing Premier League football, for the first time in his career, this term.

Appearances

27

Save percentage

63%

Saves made

120

Goals prevented

-5.10

Duel success rate

86%

Whilst, as you can see in the table above, Foderingham has not been in the best of form in the English top-flight, the shot-stopper did leave Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp amazed earlier this season.

The German boss hailed an "incredible" stop by the Blades star as the Reds chief claimed that he did not know how Mohamed Salah's effort was kept out of the goal.

Sheffield United's relegation to the Championship was confirmed with their 5-1 loss to Newcastle United last weekend, though, and Foderingham may not have the title of Premier League goalkeeper for much longer, unless he can secure a transfer back to the division this summer.

Overall, Rangers had a howler with the now-33-year-old as they lost a player who went on to excel in the Championship and catch the eye of Klopp in the Premier League and did not receive a penny for him.

They could have given him more chances to thrive under Gerrard, instead of the 13 games across two seasons in all competitions, to emerge as the long-term number one at Ibrox, or extended his deal to attempt to rake in a fee for his services.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na última sexta-feira (18), o LANCE! realizou uma votação entre os leitores do site para eleger o time ideal composto pelos jogadores do São Paulo e do Santos, que se enfrentam neste domingo (20), pela quinta rodada do Brasileirão. No resultado da enquete, o Tricolor levou a melhor, mas o Peixe conseguiu colocar bons representantes no ‘onze ideal’.

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CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

Para a votação, foram levados em conta os atuais desfalques das equipes, colocando em disputa apenas os jogadores elegíveis. Assim, os dois times foram escalados num 4-3-3, para haver uma comparação mais direta.

Nos resultados dos votos, supremacia do Tricolor. O time do Morumbi teve oito eleitos para o ‘onze ideal’, enquanto o Santos colocou três jogadores na lista.

O time montado pelos internautas ficou da seguinte maneira:
Goleiro: Tiago Volpi (São Paulo) – 58% dos votos;
Lateral direito: Igor Vinicius (São Paulo) – 63% dos votos;
Zagueiro: Bruno Alves (São Paulo) – 68% dos votos;
Zagueiro: Luan Peres (Santos) – 70% dos votos;
Lateral esquerdo: Reinaldo (São Paulo) – 74% dos votos;
Volante: Liziero (São Paulo) – 55% dos votos;
Meia: Gabriel Sara (São Paulo) – 58% dos votos;
Meia: Igor Gomes (São Paulo) – 62% dos votos;
Ponta direita: Marinho (Santos) – 71% dos votos;
Ponta esquerda: Luciano (São Paulo) – 62% dos votos;
Centroavante: Kaio Jorge (Santos) – 54% dos votos.

Diversos Duelos são publicados diariamente pelo LANCE! e você pode votar clicando aqui e escolhendo as enquetes com as quais deseja interagir.

A bola rola para Santos e São Paulo neste domingo (20), às 18h15, na Vila Belmiro. O confronto é válido pela quinta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

AC Milan star Rafael Leao says he prefers Christian Pulisic to play as an attacking midfielder for the Italian side, rather than on the wing.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Pulisic had strong debut season at Milan
• Switched between the wing and central role
• Leao full of praise for United States hero

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international joined the Serie A side from Chelsea last summer and enjoyed a fruitful debut season, scoring 12 goals and setting up a further eight in 36 league appearances as Milan finished second to city rivals Inter.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Portugal winger Leao was not surprised by the impact the 25-year-old had on his arrival at San Siro, revealing that he sent a message to the ex-Borussia Dortmund star before the season started.

  "I knew the quality of Christian [Pulisic]. When he arrived, I sent him a message and I told him ‘bro, let’s kill them’. I needed someone like him," he told

• WHAT PULISIC SAID

  Pulisic played most frequently on the wings under Stefano Pioli, but was often trusted in a more central role, and Leao would prefer to see him continue in the No. 10 position when they get up and running with new coach Paulo Fonseca.

  “I’m very happy to have him as a team-mate, he’s a player who can change the game in a second," he added. "I’m happy with him and I expect him to repeat himself, or rather maybe improve further in the season that is about to begin. I’m not a coach, but I prefer Christian when he plays as a number 10. From the centre he has the ability to occupy space both on the left and on the right. I think he can be very dangerous in that position, but in general he does very well both as an attacking midfielder and on the right. As a 10 he would give me some assists, we could play fast, with one-twos or with a touch in the middle of the field… he can do everything.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN?

  Pulisic, Leao and their Milan co-stars are currently in the United States in preparation for the new Serie A season. They face Real Madrid in their next game, followed by a clash with Barcelona next week. Their domestic campaign kicks off with a meeting with Torino on August 17.