Out-on-loan Southampton man Sofiane Boufal scored a stunning solo goal for Celta Vigo during their 2-1 La Liga defeat to Sevilla on Sunday, and Saints fans were quick to react on Twitter.
Just hours after they had been convincingly beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at St Mary’s, the Morocco international made a big impact from the substitutes’ bench for the Spanish outfit, whom he joined on a temporary basis during the summer transfer window having fallen out of favour under Mark Hughes last term following a disagreement between the two.
Much like his brilliant strike against West Bromwich Albion last term, the 25-year-old picked the ball up in his own half, raced forwards beating plenty of opposition players before producing a fine curling finish.
Southampton supporters, 46% of whom who voted on our poll want Hughes to make an unthinkable change to his starting XI, took to social media to give their thoughts on the wonder-goal, and while one said “bring back Boufal now”, another said “I’d be more than happy to see him come back”.
The Fulham fans cannot wait for the new Premier League season to start as their team got through the play-offs to secure their top flight dream once more.
In what was a rollercoaster season for the London club, their four-year wait for Premier League football will be shortly over when they start their season against Crystal Palace. Already the club have brought two big names to Craven Cottage in the form of Jean Michael Seri and Maxime Le Marchand, which alone could have a decisive say in their survival hopes but if those hopes want to be cemented even more, the Cottagers should look at bringing Yannick Bolasie, (who is valued at £16.2 million on Transfermarkt) to the club.
The Everton man has struggled to make a positive impact at Goodison Park, largely due to injury which is why he was limited to just 11 league starts last season. The 29-year-old should be reaching his peak years and Fulham could massively benefit from just that if the Toffees’ new boss Marco Silva deems Bolasie un-needed.
His best football years were played in London with Crystal Palace and Fulham would be hoping that he could recreate that scintillating form in the Premier League once more to boost the likelihood of staying up.
Yannick Bolasie can play on either side and up-front as a forward and that versatility, as well as his explosive pace and trickery, could allow him to find his best form with Fulham next season.
Aston Villa are considering a move for Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, according to The Mirror.
What’s the story?
The long-term future of the 25-year-old has been a talking point throughout the summer considering that he has one year left on his current contract at the Emirates.
Injuries have hampered Wilshere’s career over the years, restricting him to just 10 Premier League starts for the Gunners in the past three seasons.
In the 2016-17 campaign, the midfielder spent a loan spell at Bournemouth and had a decent run, racking up 27 appearances in the top flight, but it ended on a disappointing note when he suffered a leg fracture.
With his chances of regular football at Arsenal this season looking slim, Villa have made a move, according to The Mirror.
Manager Steve Bruce reportedly hopes that the offer of a big contract and bonuses will convince Wilshere to drop into the Championship.
Is this a good move for both parties?
There are various factors to consider. For Villa, signing Wilshere could potentially bolster their chances of promotion significantly.
After picking up just one point from their first two league games this season, bringing in a signing of Wilshere’s stature would boost the mood of the fans.
However, the midfielder’s injury record cannot be ignored, and there is a risk that Villa will pay over the odds for a player that could miss the majority of the season.
From Wilshere’s point of view, he will have one eye on next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
The England international will need to be playing regularly in order to attract Gareth Southgate’s attention, but even if he is out on the field every week, it will be difficult to be selected ahead of players who are performing in the Premier League.
Manchester City built upon their fine FA Cup win away to Crystal Palace last week with another excellent performance and result against West Ham United on Wednesday night at the London Stadium.It was a vital victory given that the teams above them all dropped points on Tuesday. The 4-0 victory is a massive boost to their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and David Silva put the Citizens well in control of the fixture before legendary midfielder Yaya Toure capped it all off with a penalty.The Ivorian midfielder is finally getting back to his best form for City and has now scored four goals in his last eight appearances.As this stat from Squawka shows, goalscoring is something he has done consistently in his time at the Etihad Stadium.
No other midfielder in the entire league has scored more since he moved to the club from from Barcelona in 2010. It’s an incredible contribution and highlights just how important he’s been to the club over the last seven years.
Can he now capture the best of his form and proper Guardiola’s side into the top 4? We wouldn’t bet against it.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino says his side deserved to win against Watford, while also praising his players for adapting to a new system at Vicarage Road.
A late Son Heung-min goal gave the North Londoners all three points against the Hornets, securing a last-gasp 2-1 victory when a draw looked like the fairest result.
Watford had come from a goal down to equalise, but saw Nathan Ake given a straight red card with 20 minutes remaining.
Despite Tottenham being far from their best, Pochettino has stated that his men deserved to win the clash.
“It’s always emotional when you get a winner in the last minute,” he told the club’s official website.
“I thought it was fantastic how we managed the game and how we conceded the goal was a little unlucky but at the end, we fully deserved the victory.
“We played against a tough, tough side like Watford and two weeks ago, Liverpool had big, big problems here. We managed the first half and we were unlucky in how we conceded the goal. Okay, maybe in the end it was a late victory but we fully deserved to win.”
The Argentine trainer opted to play Eric Dier in a deeper role at Vicarage Road, changing to three at the back in an effort to blunt the impact of Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney.
Pochettino stated that the system worked well and the players took to it as he hoped.
“Sometimes you analyse an opponent and how they create problems to other teams,” he continued.
“Liverpool play possession of the ball but the way Watford play is to always find a striker and create problems from there. They don’t elaborate too much or play from the back, they play forward and they are very strong. We worked on how to stop that.”
Tottenham’s top-four hopes have been boosted by the victory, with the White Hart Lane side moving into third after the result.
The San Antonio Spurs power forward, who was born just outside Paris, has admitted he supports the reigning Ligue 1 champions.
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Victor Wembanyama revealed football fandomHas been pictured with Kylian Mbappe in the pastWas No.1 overall pick in 2023 NBA draftWHAT HAPPENED?
Wembanyama has been vocal about his football fandom, and has consistently been caught spending time with Parisian star Mbappe. And on Thursday, he confirmed what many suspected: he is a devout PSG fan.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
"Wemby" has taken the NBA by storm in his rookie season, averaging 18.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in his inaugural season in the league. But he has admitted to being a long-time football fan, and Mbappe is one of his most ardent supporters:
"You don't have to be a top athlete to know that this guy is special. What we can do is accompany him, support him, admire what he has already done and what he will do in the future," Mbappe told in May.
WHAT VICTOR WEMBAYAMA SAID
Quizzed about his football allegiance, Wemby acknowledged that he sticks close to his Parisian roots: "We do talk football from time to time. My team is PSG, of course."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Wembanyama will continue his impressive rookie season with the Spurs. PSG, meanwhile, face off against Reims on Saturday afternoon.
Nesta sexta-feira, a TV oficial do Palmeiras publicou em seu canal no Youtube mais um vídeo com o Top 5 de gols de um dos jogadores do elenco. Desta vez o escolhido foi Bruno Henrique, que viveu fase artilheira nas duas últimas temporadas e se tornou um dos principais atletas do elenco alviverde.
O volante, que chegou ao clube no meio de 2017, e lá para cá foram 147 jogos oficiais e um leque de 26 gols para serem escolhidos. Desde 2010, Bruno é oitavo atleta palmeirense que mais balançou a rede, à frente de muitos atacantes que passaram pelo time nesses últimos anos.
Embora não tenha anotado tentos em 2020, Bruno Henrique ficou em terceiro lugar no ranking de artilharia do elenco nas últimas duas temporadas: 10 gols em 2019 e 14 gols em 2018, ano do título brasileiro em que foi umas das peças mais importantes para a conquista sob o comando do técnico Felipão.
Na lista escolhida para o vídeo, estão três gols da campanha do Brasileirão-2018, um contra o Atlético-MG, um contra o Ceará e um contra o Vitória, todos no Allianz Parque. Além disso, estão mais dois do Brasileirão-2019, novamente contra o Atlético-MG, porém dessa vez no Mineirão, e contra o Avaí, na casa palmeirense. Ambos em uma fase que o Verdão sobrava na competição.
Confira os gols eleitos para o Top 5 de Bruno Henrique no Palmeiras:
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasLuxemburgo publica vídeo batendo palmas para profissionais da saúdePalmeiras16/04/2020PalmeirasLuxa cumpre promessa: Palmeiras é o clube que mais dribla no PaulistaPalmeiras16/04/2020PalmeirasPrass contesta conduta de Mattos: ‘Eu recebia menos do que na Série B’Palmeiras16/04/2020
One of the Premier League's biggest rivalries takes place again on Sunday evening as Manchester United travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool
Manchester United Utd and Liverpool is one of the fiercest rivalries English football has ever seen.
They have consistently challenged for silverware throughout history, so we take a look at how a combined Liverpool and Man Utd XI would shape up ahead of this Sunday's showdown on Merseyside and who makes the cut – and who misses out.
Getty ImagesGK | Alisson | Liverpool
In previous years it would have been impossible to leave David de Gea out of any team, but Liverpool's new £67m goalkeeper has been immense since stepping in between the sticks at Anfield.
De Gea has conceded 20 more goals than Alisson in the league this season including a howler against Arsenal, so the Brazillian gets the nod for this team. Not to mention Alisson's incredible stoppage-time save against Napoli in the final Champions League group stage game that secured Liverpool's spot in the last 16 of the competition.
AdvertisementGettyDEF | Andrew Robertson | Liverpool
Andrew Robertson is considered one of the best left-backs in the Premier League. His defensive awareness is perfect and he has all the attacking capabilities that a modern full-back needs – a skilled crosser of the ball and a constant threat in the final third.
Despite Luke Shaw's improvement in recent months, it was impossible to leave Robertson out of this team.
Getty ImagesDEF | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool
Van Dijk has been the difference between Liverpool being top-four contenders to title challengers. Liverpool have the best defensive record in the league this season, and the Netherlands international is the commander of that back-line.
The centre-back has proved that his record-breaking transfer fee for a defender at £75m when he signed for the Reds last December has been worth every penny.
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Getty ImagesDEF | Eric Bailly | Man Utd
Bailly's inclusion is merely in the absence of Liverpool defenders Joe Gomez and Trent-Alexander Arnold, who have played a huge part in Liverpool's defensive strengths this season but will unfortunately miss the big showdown on Sunday due to injury.
The Ivory Coast defender is Man Utd's best centre-back and is superior than Chris Smalling, but wouldn't make a combined XI that consisted of fully-fit players.
A quinta-feira acabou de maneira frustrante para o Internacional. Na Arena Castelão, o Colorado não mostrou resistência diante do Ceará e acabou derrotado por 2 a 0, resultado que deixou a equipe fora do G6 do Brasileirão.
RelacionadasInternacionalApós nova derrota, Rafael Sobis reconhece fase ruim do InternacionalInternacional07/11/2019InternacionalInter chega a marca de três jogos sem vencer em momento crucial da temporadaInternacional07/11/2019BrasileirãoEfetivo, Ceará afunda o Internacional na crise e respira na luta contra o Z4Brasileirão07/11/2019
Nos vestiários, o técnico Zé Ricardo foi direto na explicação e admitiu que o time atravessa um momento bem abaixo no momento crucial da competição.
‘Não temos que arrumar desculpa. Deixamos a desejar. Em só alguns momentos conseguimos cumprir o plano de jogo, mas, de maneira geral, não fizemos. É um momento sensível, mas precisamos levantar e olhar para cima. O campeonato continua. Todos estão chateados, mas não podemos inventar desculpas’, analisou.
Sem vencer nas últimas três rodadas, o Internacional tenta a sua reabilitação no próximo domingo, quando encara o Fluminense, no Beira-Rio.
Andrew Hudson indicated that two more teams in the domestic circuit could provide a greater talent pool for South Africa’s next selection panel to choose the national team from
Firdose Moonda01-Jun-2015
Andrew Hudson did not make himself available for reappointment as CSA convener of selectors•Cricket South Africa
South Africa’s next selection panel, which should be finalised at CSA’s board meeting on Tuesday, may need a greater talent pool to choose the national team from, according to outgoing convener Andrew Hudson. South Africa has six franchise teams but Hudson, who spent five years in the job and did not make himself available for reappointment, indicated that two more teams would provide better options, especially in light of the transformation policy.”The guidelines have always been there and we have always adhered to them so that’s not an issue. But what you want is to be giving the selectors a lot of talent, which is as diverse as possible,” Hudson told ESPNcricinfo. “For me, there are too few franchises. We only have 66 players in action every week. I think it would be better to have 88, so we can expose more players to franchise cricket.”Apart from the franchise structure, South Africa has a second-tier of domestic cricket – a semi-professional set-up – which consists of 13 provincial teams that feed into the franchises. As part of CSA’s commitment to transformation, which was reaffirmed when CEO Haroon Lorgat signed an agreement with the South Africa’s sports ministry last week, both the franchise and provincial teams have targets about the number of players of colour they must field in order to get the national team to a state in which it is 50% transformed, although there is no deadline for reaching the national team’s target.For the 2015-16 season, franchises must field at least six players of colour of which three must be black African. That will give the national selectors at least 36 players of colour, of which 18 are black African, to choose from for the national team. In the 2014-15 season, franchises fielded at least five players of colour, of which two were required to be black African, and the results of that process are evident in national selections.Hudson’s final task was to oversee the selection of the South African squad to Bangladesh and the A side to India. South Africa’s Test squad included seven players of colour of which three were black African, the ODI squad also had seven players of colour with two black Africans, while the T20 squad had six players of colour, which included two black Africans. The South Africa A four-day squad had eight players of colour, with three black Africans, and the fifty-over squad had nine players of colour of which five are black African.Analysing squads in those black and white terms, so to speak, creates the danger of labeling some players as quota choices. To guard against that relationship between the selection panel and players is crucial and Hudson hopes his successor will nurture that. “A lot of selection is around managing the players,” Hudson said. “The panel needs to be close to the players and needs to support the team. That’s what the players deserve.”That closeness is something Hudson said he worked on during his tenure, in which he was always willing to explain his choices. He did so for the last time when asked about the squads to Bangladesh, in which South Africa picked four new faces in the Test squad, stuck to a familiar looking 50-over outfit, and had one new player in the T20 side.”The formats are all at different stages which made this an exciting group to pick,” Hudson said. “The Test side is fairly settled but there are a few key changes, the one-day side has a fair amount of time to build for the 2019 World Cup and the T20 squad is eight months away from a World T20, so there’s a lot of focus there.”At Test level, room has been created in the batting line-up with AB de Villiers’ absence on paternity leave creating a temporary gap and Alviro Petersen’s retirement providing the opportunity for someone to stake a more permanent claim. Stiaan van Zyl has been touted for both roles but whether he will cut it as opener is not clear. “Stiaan is not an opener. To play out of position is not easy, especially at the top of the innings,” Hudson said.Instead, Reeza Hendricks has been included despite a lean season ahead of leading run-scorer Stephen Cook and seasoned performer Andrew Puttick. “Reeza has got amazing talent and ability. Both Stephen and Andrew’s domestic form has been great but we have to look to the future.” Cook and Puttick are 32 and 34 respectively, while Hendricks is 25.Age was not a factor in spinner Aaron Phangiso’s case. The 31-year-old has been named in the Test squad, though he is not a regular first-class player, because of conditions in Bangladesh. “It’s from left-field but we thought Phangi, who takes the ball away from the right-hander, could complement someone like JP [Duminy], who takes the ball away from the left-hander,” he said. “Phangi is also a reliable spinner, who can tie up an end while the seamers rotate at the other end.”Phangiso will also feature in the limited-overs matches and legspinner Eddie Leie could make his debut in T20Is, with the selectors planning for the World T20. “Eddie is quite similar to Imran Tahir and we’ve seen how well Imran has done so it will be good to give Eddie an opportunity and see what he can do,” Hudson said. “In time, he may mould himself on Imran.”The only squad with no newcomers is the ODI team, although Ryan McLaren has been welcomed back in an attempt to fill the allrounder’s spot. “That’s something we’ve been looking at for a while,” Hudson said. “Now it will be up to a new convener to find the answer.”Although Hudson is not standing again, the rest of his panel – Hussein Manack, Shafiek Abrahams and Linda Zondi – were all nominated as selectors again. CSA will also decide on a new bowling coach to replace Allan Donald at the meeting on June 2.