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Liverpool are edging ever closer to being crowned Premier League champions, but they could now have an intriguing proposal on the table from one of their elite competitors on the continent, per reports.

Liverpool prepare for Premier League title party and summer window

The champagne remains on ice for Liverpool as they need three points and an Arsenal loss at Ipswich Town to officially claim the top-flight crown at Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.

Arne Slot has done a magnificent job at Anfield and has been the subject of adulation from all quarters across the season, though the Dutchman has admitted he doesn’t care where the Reds win the title as their campaign reaches a sweet conclusion.

Undoubtedly, sealing a second Premier League of the modern era will fuel the appetite for more silverware on the red half of Merseyside. With rivals set to come back stronger next term, a positive summer window is a must to ward off any potential threat.

Tapping into that mindset, Liverpool are willing to break their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle after preparing an offer of roughly £130 million for the Sweden international.

Planning for the future, the Reds are also interested in Sheffield United youngster Ryan One, and there may be scope for a push to sign the Scotland Under-21 international to continue his path on an upward trajectory.

Related Liverpool in talks over new deal for £15k-p/w ace with Van Dijk and Konate

Talks have reportedly opened over an extension at Anfield.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Apr 14, 2025

Presumably, the likes of Diogo Jota or Darwin Nunez could make way for new arrivals. However, plenty of movement is expected in both directions as Slot shapes his squad for the coming years.

Nevertheless, the Liverpool boss may now have to make a decision regarding a surprise swap proposal involving one of their key men and a global star.

Liverpool offered Arda Guler in surprise Alexis Mac Allister swap proposal

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are set to be offered Arda Guler plus a significant fee for Alexis Mac Allister in a surprise swap deal involving Slot’s side and European competitors Real Madrid.

The outlet claim Carlo Ancelotti and company have been won over by the Argentina international’s attributes, creating a scenario where they are willing to include players in exchange to seal an agreement.

Alexis Mac Allister vs Arda Guler – how do both players compare this season?

Alexis Mac Allister – Premier League statistics

Goals

4

Assists

4

Chances created

38

Successful dribbles

15

Duels won

156

Arda Guler – La Liga statistics

Goals

1

Assists

3

Chances created

23

Successful dribbles

12

Duels won

64

Labelled “exceptional” by Jose Mourinho, Guler’s tally of three goals and seven assists in 35 appearances across all competitions is a fairer reflection of his contribution in the Spanish capital.

Valued at £35 million, per various outlets, his scope to develop into one of the world’s finest playmakers is clear for all to stay. That said, should his arrival come at the price of losing Mac Allister? Only time will tell on that front.

What do the six PSL 2025 squads look like after the disruption, and where do their campaigns stand at this stage?

Danyal Rasool16-May-2025Quetta GladiatorsGladiators are arguably best placed. Having already secured a top-two berth for the playoffs, they know precisely the path they will need to tread if they are to replicate their heroics from 2019, when they won the title. The one game they have left in the league phase comes against the already-eliminated Multan Sultans, giving them an opportunity to test out a fresh team composition.And on that note, too, they have perhaps done better than most.Rilee Rossouw, their greatest ever overseas player and an architect of their 2019 triumph, has opted to return for what remains of the league. As has Finn Allen, maintaining to a large extent their top order composition. While significant overseas names like Kusal Mendis, Sean Abbott and Mark Chapman do not make the trip back, Gladiators have bolstered their ranks with Dinesh Chandimal, Gulbadin Naib and Avishka Fernando.Karachi Kings’ superstar captain David Warner will continue to lead the side•PCBKarachi KingsAmid all the uncertainty over the league’s postponement, the one thing everyone seemed to be sure of was that Kings’ superstar captain had no qualms about returning. David Warner will continue to lead a side that has seen a transformation from the last three seasons, when they missed the playoffs, to sitting on the cusp of finishing inside the top two. They have two games left, coming against sides that would be desperate for the points: Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United, who are both fighting to finish inside the top four.Aside from Warner, Kings have Mohammad Nabi. Tim Seifert and James Vince returning too. The quartet formed the core of Kings’ playing overseas roster for much of the earlier part of the season. Kane Williamson will not return, but Kings have been strengthened by bringing in Scotland top-order batter George Munsey, described eye-catchingly on his ESPNcricinfo profile as “the reverse-sweeping demon of the Associate world”.Ben Dwarshuis is one of the key players who have returned to Islamabad United’s ranks•PCBIslamabad UnitedWhat’s happened to the best side in PSL history? Having stormed to the title last year, they began 2025 in the same vein, winning the first five matches to register a ten-game winning streak across seasons, the best in the league’s history. They rested five players for the next game, and suddenly, they couldn’t buy a point. The last four games have been relatively comprehensive defeats, leaving them on a precarious ten points with the third-worst net run-rate and just one game to go – against Kings.However, United have built a reputation as a side that is well managed, and, just as importantly, one that drafts exceptionally well. They have perhaps been the best of all six sides at bringing in the players they require. Ben Dwarshuis returns, while Rassie van der Dussen, unavailable for the first part of the season, will now be a part of their squad. Alex Hales returns, while allrounder James Neesham and fast bowler Tymal Mills also come into the roster.Lahore Qalandars need to win their game against Peshawar Zalmi•PCBLahore QalandarsQalandars, much like United, found themselves relatively comfortable until two-thirds of the way into the season, but two rain-affected games, one of which ended in a no-result even as they lost the other, now leave them in a virtual must-win knockout before the playoffs. Nine points from nine games mean they need to win their game against Zalmi on Sunday, or they will not be a part of the playoffs – which take place in Lahore – for an unprecedented seventh time in ten seasons.They pulled out all the stops to ensure Sikandar Raza came back to join them for that one game on Sunday. He has a Test match to play against England at Trent Bridge that starts just four days later, so he will not be a part of the playoffs, even if Qalandars make it. With David Wiese and Sam Billings also not returning, Qalandars have turned to Shakib al Hasan – who has not played competitively since November last year – and Bhanuka Rajapaksa – who has not played competitive cricket since January.Mitchell Owen will not return to the PSL and instead play in the PSL•Getty ImagesPeshawar ZalmiZalmi’s record of making every single playoff in the league’s history is under threat. For the first half of the league, they looked like they would have fallen out of contention by this stage, but three wins in the last four have helped them cling on. Sitting fifth, one point behind Qalandars, they have the advantage of a game in hand. Victory against Qalandars will guarantee them passage to the playoffs, but they also have a game against Kings, which offers them a slightly more circuitous route, with net run-rate potentially entering the mix.They have not managed to hold on to Mitchell Owen amid interest from the IPL, but do bring back Tom Kohler-Cadmore, one of Zalmi’s mainstays over the years. Luke Wood, the second-most economical fast bowler this year, will also be part of what remains of their campaign, as will big-hitting Australian Max Bryant. While Alzarri Joseph and Nahid Rana will be absent, Afghanistan top-order batter Najibullah Zadran returns.Dilshan Madushanka is one of the new recruits for Multan Sultans•ICC/Getty ImagesMultan SultansWhat Sultans really care about is the end of this season. Already eliminated with one of the worst campaigns in the history of the PSL, they sit rock bottom, having lost eight of their nine games. At one stage, it appeared they would bring in no overseas player at all and, indeed, none of their overseas players from their original roster will come back.However, with the league requiring a minimum of three overseas players per game, they brought in Australian batter Josh Brown and spinner Peter Hatzoglou. In keeping with the season they have had, Brown has pulled up injured, and will be replaced by Sri Lanka fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka. ESPNcricinfo understands Sultans will also bring in a batter, though they are yet to confirm the name.

A year after a pulsating finish at the Asia Cup, the same protagonists delivered another blockbuster climax

Danyal Rasool25-Aug-2023It’s often said that all current mainstream cinema is the same superhero storyline with a superficially rehashed script. If cricket classifies as theatre, the second Afghanistan-Pakistan ODI stretched that concept to an almost parodic degree.Hostility between the sides had nearly spilled over into physical aggression during their dramatic T20 fixture at last year’s Asia Cup, before Naseem Shah pulled off a victory a scriptwriter would have dismissed as too corny. With one wicket remaining and 11 still needed, Pakistan’s golden boy swung hard twice against Fazalhaq Farooqi, and struck gold both times. Throwing down his gloves and helmet, he set off on an in-your-face victory lap as exhilarating as it was provocative.Related

• Broken heart, broken body: Naseem Shah's trysts with loss and injury

• Gurbaz 151 in vain as Pakistan hold nerve in last-over thriller

In the time since, Naseem has made little effort and shown little desire to get himself out of the way of Afghanistan’s firing line. Earlier this month at the Lankan Premier League, he directed an especially boisterous send-off the way of Rahmanullah Gurbaz; any half-decent Pashtun lipreader would have told you what he said wasn’t family-friendly.On Tuesday, after Afghanistan were bowled out for 59 – the lowest total anyone has scored against Pakistan in an ODI – Naseem was interviewed by the PCB’s in-house media unit. His team-mate Mohammad Haris was the interviewer, with Naseem flanked by Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi. It was supposed to be gentle, wholesome content. Until that game, Naseem had scored just three ODI runs; on the day, he’d managed an unbeaten 18. When asked what he put his improved batting down to, Naseem went for a mischievous jab. “The Afghan bowlers,” he couldn’t resist saying, before breaking into peals of laughter.In the year since the Asia Cup drama, Afghanistan had landed a blow of their own, beating Pakistan 2-1 in a T20I series in March. Gulbadin Naib at the time remarked that his side had specifically targeted Naseem. But Naseem is a unique phenomenon, a boy who still possesses the charmed optimism of youth as well as a man with the grit and raw ability to bring those dreams to fruition.Last year’s Asia Cup was the setting for the first iteration of Naseem vs Farooqi•AFP/Getty ImagesAnd as this year’s sequel plays out, Naseem is the first to realise he’s seen this movie before.Afghanistan have worked themselves into a position of dominance, but if you know your Afghanistan-Pakistan history, that really doesn’t mean much until the final ball is bowled. Shadab Khan may bleed Islamabad United red but he knows when to shelve blanket all-out attack in favour of taking the game deep. The conditions are slow, and Afghanistan take pace off the ball. So instead of galloping, Shadab inches.”When you’re a senior player, you go through these stages again and again,” he says. “Sometimes you fail, sometimes you succeed. I try to be as calm as possible. Their team has world-class spinners so I wanted to see their overs off and accelerate against their fast bowlers. The boundaries are long so there are easy twos, so when Shaheen and Naseem came our plans were to go for twos.”Shadab wants to run at every possible opportunity, and he doesn’t care who knows. And with fate conspiring to have Farooqi bowling the final over of a humdinger to Naseem once again, Afghanistan know. There’s a team huddle before the start of an over Shadab desperately wants to be on strike for, and he sneaks out furtively with Farooqi enters his delivery stride, which begins well behind the wicket.Farooqi has his eyes on Shadab, and has no qualms about whipping off the bails. There’s little love lost between the two sides; Afghanistan don’t need to think twice about effecting that dismissal, and Shadab doesn’t even look back to know there will be no reprieve. When Naseem’s penultimate partner Asif Ali was dismissed in the Asia Cup, the contretemps that followed nearly overshadowed the game. There’s no such drama here.Naseem followed his career-best 18* in the first ODI with a provocative line about Afghanistan’s bowling•AFP/Getty ImagesThis should, really, be a no-contest between a young man who has trained to bowl fast all his life against an even younger man whose approach to batting constitutes little more than casual fun. The numbers would write off last year as an aberration, and the odds would favour a reversion to the mean.But there’s a certain state of mind a few sportspersons are able to call up, when the mere desire to win allows them to see a way against bookmakers’ odds or conventional wisdom. Ben Stokes famously possesses it, but at least he knows how to bat. Naseem? He just doesn’t want to lose, especially not against Afghanistan, and especially not against Fazalhaq Farooqi.A remarkable inside out-drive brings him four first ball after Shadab’s exit. As Afghan nerves fray, confusion on the boundary allows Pakistan a third run that brings him back on strike for the denouement, with three needed off two balls. Naseem has a slog that reminds everyone he’s really not a batter, but no legendary sporting tale develops without fortune. There’s an outside edge, a desperate look back. The man at short third has no chance, and from there, it’s clear green grass all the way to the rope.Naseem reprises the frenzied tossing of the helmet and gloves, but this time he doesn’t get far before his team-mates are all over him. It’s almost like they expect him, the youngest man in the side, to lead them out of trouble each time. The context of the win from last year, the acrimony that followed, and the spice that tinges each encounter between these sides only makes this win sweeter.The targeting of Naseem will invariably become even more laser-focused. And Naseem will simply spread his chest out and walk towards it every time. Perhaps there is a reason, after all, that superhero films continue to be box-office.

The WTC mace may have gone to the deserving victors, but only one man was really competing for the other crown

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jul-2021True love
Through the course of its life so far, the World Test Championship has been kicked at, spit on, and abused. Back in November, the ICC’s chairman claimed he wasn’t sure if the Test Championship had “achieved what it intended to do”. As recently as March, Virat Kohli said it didn’t really motivate his team any more than usual. More recently, Stuart Broad asked why the Ashes couldn’t be worth more points than a two-match Test series (the old “our series should count double” argument). All this while the competition survived a global pandemic, which threatened seriously to end it.In the end, though, Test cricket’s biggest prize found its way to a team that truly adored it – New Zealand, who have invested heavily in red-ball cricket, frequently treated the format with the dignity it deserves, and never spoken ill about the league. After everything the World Test Championship has been through, the mace is currently where it deserves to be, cradled in the ultra-soft hands of BJ Watling, like Jenny at the end of .Bad-behaviour bros
Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka have been sent home from the tour of England after having gone out towards the city centre in Durham, despite being told explicitly that such an excursion would violate the team’s biosecure bubble. They were discovered after videos were posted on social media of them out in public.The whole thing didn’t even seem to be worth it – they were merely snapped looking around the city’s market square, with Mendis fiddling with what appeared to be cigarettes (though this has not been confirmed). If you’re going to be sent home from a tour, you should at least have been at a raging party, right?The most embarrassing thing, though, was that despite clearly being on the lookout, these players didn’t spot the person who was recording from just metres away – practically from short leg – which, uh, should probably be handed over to the team analyst as footage that might explain some batting averages.Bad-behaviour king
But in the grand scheme of bad behaviour, Sri Lankan bubble poppers are probably small fry. They thought they could get away with it until someone recorded them. Shakib Al Hasan, meanwhile, knew for sure cameras were rolling and media were in attendance when he let his temper explode at a Dhaka Premier League game, first kicking the stumps when he had an appeal turned down, then uprooting them and throwing them into the pitch when the umpire dared to take the teams off the field for rain.It’s hasn’t even been two years since Shakib was banned for failing to report a corrupt approach, on top of which he has angrily threatened walkouts, cussed out umpires, allegedly beaten up a fan, and more, in a rap sheet that is truly something to behold. If there was a World Bad Behaviour Championship, this is the winner. Just race out of the room as soon as you award him the trophy, because of course he will throw it.The long wait
The Hundred is finally set to begin in July. It’s been so long since the tournament was announced, everybody seems to have by now run out of comic material to throw at it. Kudos marketing geniuses who foresaw this.Next month on The Briefing:
– As punishment for the bubble-popping trio, SLC invites Shakib to gruffly pluck each of them up and fling them to the ground.- The Hundred matches attract tens of thousands people in their 40s, with the kids the tournament had set out to attract at its inception having by now become middle-aged slobs with beer guts.

The U.S. men's national team has learned their World Cup group as Mauricio Pochettino's side was paired with Paraguay, Australia and a yet-to-be-determined European foe to start next summer's tournament. The USMNT's fourth opponent will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo, who will face off in March's playoff.

• Getty Images
  

  Group stage opponents: Austrailia, Paraguay and TBD

  The U.S. were handed a fortunate draw with their Pot 2 team as they were matched up with a familiar opponent: Australia, who are ranked 26th in the world. That matchup comes on the heels of an October friendly that saw the U.S. defeat Australia, 2-1, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

  From Pot 3, the U.S. were given another familiar opponent: Paraguay, the 39th-ranked team. Like Australia, the U.S. played Paraguay in the fall, defeating the South American side, 2-1, in Philadelphia.

  And then finally, from Pot 4, after navigating some conditions, the USMNT were finally paired with one of the winners of the European Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo. 

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• AFP
  

  Must-watch TV: Australia

  The USMNT's battle with Australia will be a fun one, largely because will no doubt show up. With the game being played in Seattle, Australia's fans should have a presence, as the West Coast is easier to travel to. 

  There's also some added juice from the fall, when the U.S. saw star Christian Pulisic injured after a series of hard fouls from Australia in their friendly match in Colorado. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Dangerous matchup: Paraguay

  The game against Paraguay will be dangerous – and, if last month’s clash is any indication, perhaps quite literally. The two teams squared up just before the final whistle after a tense match, and you wouldn’t expect anything less once the World Cup starts.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Key opposition player: Arda Guler or Miguel Almiron

  This will surely depend on who gets in as that Pot 4 team. Should Turkey qualify, the U.S. would face off with their world-class young stars: Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. Should Turkey not advance, the main man to stop would be Paraguay's Miguel Almiron, a familiar face for fans of Major League Soccer as he stars for Atlanta United. 

Wilfried Zaha is returning to the Ivory Coast fold after a prolonged spell away, with the 33-year-old earning a surprise recall for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. The Charlotte FC winger had been absent from the national team squad for two years, having initially slipped out of contention following disagreements with former coach Patrice Beaumelle. As a consequence, Zaha missed Les Éléphants' triumphant campaign on home soil in 2023.

• Getty Images
  

  Zaha backed to shine with Ivory Coast

  Zaha's omission ahead of the previous continental tournament had seemed to signal a permanent break. Yet, Emerse Fae, now steering the champions into their title defence, revealed on Tuesday that he had spent months rebuilding a relationship with the winger as he sought fresh impetus in attack. The former Crystal Palace star, now on loan at MLS side Charlotte from Galatasaray, has impressed the national team staff sufficiently to convince them that his creativity remains an asset. After the conclusion of the 2025 MLS campaign, Zaha started training with English non-league side Croydon Athletic earlier this week. Fae, speaking on national television as he named a 26-man squad, explained that Zaha’s return was grounded in his capacity to unpick stubborn defences.

  "We saw that we need experienced players. In Zaha's case, his ability to beat defenders and his current form worked in his favour," Fae said. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Major absentees: Pepe and Adingra miss out

  While Zaha’s name returns to the squad list, two other superstars have been left out. Nicolas Pepe, once Arsenal’s record signing and now at Villarreal, will not be travelling to Morocco. The 30-year-old has featured regularly in La Liga this term but missed international camps in November, and Fae has opted to move forward without him.

  Meanwhile, Simon Adingra, whose assists in the 2023 AFCON final inspired the Ivory Coast to victory over Nigeria, is another notable omission. The 23-year-old has endured a frustrating start to the season with Sunderland, managing only nine appearances and four starts. Fae admitted that fierce competition for wide roles had left the Brighton academy graduate out of contention.

  "Simon has faced fierce competition for his position," Fae said. "He's struggling to earn a starting spot (at his club, Sunderland). We had to do without his qualities when making our selection."

  However, Manchester United star Amad Diallo is part of the 26-man squad. Amad is a regular starter under manager Ruben Amorim, and the forward has been rewarded for his consistency at Old Trafford. He has already made 14 appearances in the Premier League this season, including 13 starts, and has one goal and three assists to show for his efforts. The fixture against Bournemouth next Monday should be his last for the Red Devils before he joins his national team-mates for the AFCON. He could miss up to seven games for United, including one FA Cup fixture against Brighton and the Manchester derby on January 17, if the Ivory Coast compete in the final, scheduled a day later. 

  Meanwhile, Sebastien Haller, the match-winner in the 2024 final against Nigeria, is again part of the squad. The squad announcement also confirmed that defender Wilfried Singo will miss the tournament through injury, depriving Fae of another experienced option.

• Ivory Coast set up for Group F challenge

  With the selections confirmed, Ivory Coast now turn their attention to the defence of their African title. They open their campaign against Mozambique in Marrakech on 24 December, before contests with Cameroon and Gabon in a challenging Group F.

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• Ivory Coast squad in full

  Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Caykur Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)

  Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolves), Willy Boly (Nottingham Forest), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Guela Doue (Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Christopher Operi (Istanbul Basaksehir), Armel Zohouri (Iberia 1999)

  Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Rennes), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Metz), Christ Inao Oulai (Trabzonspor), Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Michael Seri (Maribor)

  Forwards: Vakoun Bayo (Udinese), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Sebastien Haller (Utrecht), Jean-Philippe Krasso (Paris FC), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte)

  Reserves: Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Guiagon Parfait (Royal Charleroi)

علق أحمد حسن مدير منتخب مصر الثاني، على أزمة تصريحات أحمد عاطف مهاجم الفراعنة، بعد استبعاده من القائمة المشاركة ببطولة كأس العرب لصالح زميله مروان حمدي.

وتنطلق بطولة كأس العرب 2025 في الأول من ديسمبر المقبل وتنتهي في الثامن عشر من نفس الشهر بمشاركة 16 منتخبًا.

وقال أحمد حسن في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “الكأس” القطرية: “نحن نحرص على لاعبينا، ودائمًا نكون حريصين لأنهم في الأول والآخر أخواتُنا قبل أن يكونوا لاعبين يمثّلون مصر، ونحرص على أن يَخرج اللاعب بصورة جيدة، لكن يمكن أحمد عاطف أنا تفاجأت بصراحة بكمّ التصريحات التي قيلت، ولم يكن لها أي داع إطلاقًا، لأننا كنّا نرغب في أن يستمر معنا، كنّا نرغب في أن يظل موجودًا”.

طالع.. أحمد عاطف لـ “بطولات”: جهاز المنتخب أجرى فحوصات لإثبات إصابتي دون علمي

وتابع: “نحن بالمناسبة لدينا لاعب آخر اسمه إسلام سمير لاعب الاتحاد السكندري، متواجد معنا، وكان موجودًا لأننا كنّا كذلك في المعسكر، ولا قدّر الله لو حدثت إصابات لأي لاعب، كنا سنُجري استبدالًا آخر، لأن في كرة القدم، قد تحدث أي مشكلات؛ قد يُصاب لاعب بمزق، قد يُستبعد لثلاثة أسابيع، وبالتالي لا يكون حاضرًا في البطولة”.

وواصل: “أنا حزين طبعًا، لأنني تحدثت مع أحمد عاطف، وكابتن حلمي طولان قبّل رأسه اليوم صباحًا وقال له (أنت معنا، وأنت مثل أي لاعب، وهذا موقف فقط)”.

وأردف: “كابتن حلمي أبلغه أن مروان حمدي لاعب معنا منذ ثلاثة أشهر في كل المباريات والمناسبات وكل المعسكرات، ومتواجد معنا، ونعتمد عليه، أقصد أننا لم نُقصّر مع أحمد عاطف”.

وأشار: “لكن فوجئنا بسيل من التصريحات بدون إذن، وبدون أن يرجع إلينا، وأنا أرى أنه إن كان أساء، فهو لم يُسِء لمنتخب مصر، بل أساء لنفسه بهذه التصريحات، لأنه كذلك يؤثّر على زملائه وعلى منتخب مصر بشكل عام”.

وزاد: “سأقول إنها قلة خبرة، وسأقول إنه ربما كان حزينًا، وهذا أمر طبيعي بالمناسبة، وقد جلستُ معه، والحضري جلس معه، وكابتن حلمي جلس معه، لأنه واحد من إخواتنا أيضًا، وكان يجب أن نوضّح له الأمور بشكل جيد، وكان من المفترض أن يكون على علم بهذا الكلام قبل أن يغادر مصر، وهذه هي المشكلة هنا”.

وأوضح: “وهذا ما أحزنني أنا شخصيًا، وأحزن كابتن حلمي، لأنه كما تعلم قد يحدث استبدال، فلماذا كل هذا القدر من الإثارة والتي قد تؤثر، حتى على زملائه، وليس علينا نحن؟”.

وأردف: “بعد تصريحات اللاعب الأخيرة، بقاؤه حتى وسط زملائه لن يكون أفضل شيء، لأننا حافظنا عليه، ورغبنا في أن نُخرجه بصورة جيدة، وكان ذلك الأفضل”.

وأتم: “لكن ما حدث قد حدث، ونحن على العكس كنا نتعامل على هذا الأساس، لكن في النهاية، كما قلت كل شخص يتصرف تصرّفًا يتحمّل نتيجته”.

Manchester United may have an injury concern on their hands after Matheus Cunha didn't show up at a planned Christmas lights switch-on. The Brazil forward was supposed to flick the switch on in Altrincham but the event organisers said he was unable to attend due to an incident in training. It remains to be seen if he will feature against Everton on Monday.

Cunha settling in at Man Utd

Cunha swapped Wolves for United this summer in a fee worth up to £62.5 million ($85m) and while he hasn't provided many assists or goals, few would say he has not been a valuable recruit so far. A return of one goal in 11 matches is not much to write home about but his work rate and quality on the ball has added an extra dimension to Ruben Amorim's attack. But according to BBC Sport, the 26-year-old may have been hit by a setback.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCunha a no show

Cunha was due to attend the Christmas lights event alongside Sam Aston, who plays Chesney on Coronation Street, on Saturday evening. But two days out from hosting Everton at Old Trafford, the former Atletico Madrid star was not there. Hours before the festive celebration, organisers Visit Altrincham said in a Facebook post that Cunha was absent due to "medical reasons" as he had an "accident in training".

The post reads: "Unfortunately, Matheus Cunha has had an accident in training today and will not be able to attend tonight’s Christmas Lights Switch on in Altrincham due to medical reasons. There’s lots of exciting performances to come including Luzahnn of Livin’ Joy and Sam Aston, winner of Dancing on Ice 2025, who is Chesney in Coronation Street will be switching on the lights!"

GOAL understands that Cunha sustained a knock in training but it is only seen as a minor issue and he remains in contention to play against Everton. 

Injuries mount up for Man Utd

On Friday, head coach Amorim said: "He [Sesko] is going to be a few weeks out. I don’t know how long but it is not that serious, we have to be careful with him. He is going to recover. He is doing the recovery and he is feeling better so we expect in a few weeks to have him back. I think it is going to be more or less he will be back at the same time as Amad [Diallo] and [Bryan] Mbeumo leave for AFCON. I don’t want to say for sure but when they are going to the camp I expect to have Ben back."

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next for Man Utd?

United have some important fixtures coming up, as they aim to rise from 10th in the Premier League. After hosting Everton, they travel to Crystal Palace next Sunday, before entertaining lowly West Ham and then heading to relegation-threatened Wolves in early December. If they win those, they will be right up there in the division.

Mexico and Uruguay played to a scoreless draw in a match that lacked clear scoring chances. Aside from a good opportunity for Gilberto Mora in the second half, neither Javier Aguirre’s side nor Marcelo Bielsa’s looked comfortable at TSM. It was a midfield-heavy, uneventful game that left Mexico fans frustrated – and saw Hirving Lozano exit with an injury.

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  Disappointment in Mexico

  Aguirre started Raúl Rangel ahead of Luis Ángel Malagón and Carlos Acevedo, a decision that drew frustration from many fans at TSM Stadium — home of Santos Laguna, where Acevedo plays. Despite the reaction, Rangel handled the ball well under pressure and contributed to a more fluid buildup for Mexico.

  The first half offered few clear chances for either side, with Mexico holding a slight edge. However, the attacking trio of Hirving Lozano, Roberto Alvarado and Raúl Jiménez struggled to trouble Uruguay goalkeeper Santiago Mele, and the match went into halftime scoreless.

  Mexico’s setback came just before the break, when Lozano was forced off with a muscle issue. With the severity still unknown, his availability for San Diego FC’s conference semifinals remains in doubt. Gilberto Mora replaced him.

  Aguirre introduced Obed Vargas in the 64th minute, marking the midfielder’s first senior appearance for Mexico since October 2024.

  Mexico created its best opportunity in the 67th minute, when Mora met a Raúl Jiménez pass inside the box, but his outside-of-the-foot finish curled narrowly wide of Mele’s post.

  The result extends Mexico’s winless streak to five matches dating back to the September FIFA window. The team’s last victory under Aguirre came in the Gold Cup final against the United States, followed by four draws and one loss.

  Mexico will look to halt that run next Tuesday against Paraguay at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

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  The MVP

  The best players for the Mexican national team – despite the difficulty of choosing one in a match that lacked chances from both sides in both halves – were Raúl Rangel in goal and Marcel Ruiz in the midfield for . Both players stood out as key pieces for Aguirre, as Ruiz is a player with great mobility and strong intelligence on the ball, while Rangel looked solid in goal, even though he wasn’t tested much.

  The battle for the starting goalkeeper spot heading into the World Cup remains wide open, and it’s yet to be seen who the coach will choose for the match against Paraguay.

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  The big loser

  The biggest loser of the night was Hirving Lozano, who had only just been brought back into Aguirre’s plans for the September and October international windows, only to suffer yet another muscle injury before he could show anything convincing enough to secure his spot with the Mexican national team. It’s a tough blow for the San Diego FC winger, whose team will face Minnesota on Nov. 24 in the Western Conference semifinals. Mikey Varas’ side could be without one of their top stars, though the severity of the injury is still unknown. For now, the former Napoli player will potentially miss next week’s match against Paraguay at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

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• Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are riding high at the top of the Premier League table, and supporters have been told one player doesn’t get the praise he deserves.

Arsenal's set-piece kings on course to win the Premier League

Their explosive start has not just positioned them as Premier League title favourites, but also as the current kings of set pieces — a deadly weapon that’s wreaking havoc on opposition sides domestically and in Europe.

Arsenal have scored more goals from dead-ball situations than any other top-flight side so far (11), with star defender Gabriel at the heart of it with four contributions to those strikes as the Gunners make their best weapon known.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Corners, free kicks and even throw-ins have become golden scoring opportunities, as Arsenal turn these situations into major results with surgical precision.

Their aerial strength, combined with clever routines, has made them a nightmare for defenders who can’t afford to lose focus for even a moment.

However, at the heart of Arsenal’s success is their impenetrable defence which has conceded the joint-fewest goals, not only in the Premier League, but across Europe’s top leagues (3), with Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma also conceding just three.

The arrival of no-nonsense new backroom coach Gabriel Heinze is viewed as a real contributor to Arsenal’s increasingly water-tight backline, which has somehow become even more solid, despite already leaking the fewest league goals of any Premier League side in each of the last two seasons.

David Raya is in line for this third-successive Golden Glove award, and only a complete disaster in terms of injuries to key defenders would disrupt Arteta’s side right now.

That being said, even when William Saliba was briefly forced out of the side through injury, Cristhian Mosquera performed exceptionally well next to Gabriel at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, and fellow summer signing Piero Hincapie is also on hand to step in.

Given their imperiousness at the back, Viktor Gyokeres has been somewhat overshadowed.

The Swede, who was brought in to take the mantle of Arsenal’s new prolific number nine, got off to a flying start but went seven games without a goal before his much-needed brace against Atlético Madrid last week.

Gyokeres has attracted some criticism for his fairly underwhelming return so far, but journalist Graeme Bailey insists that he’s actually a pretty underrated new member of the team.

Viktor Gyokeres adds extra element to Arsenal that people don't see

Speaking to TBR Football, Bailey says that Gyokeres brings an “extra element” to Arsenal that “people don’t really see”.

Interestingly, this thought is echoed by Arteta, who says that Gyokeres makes Arsenal a much more “unpredictable” side.

His in-game play is there for all to see, and the former Sporting CP star has already proved a handful for defenders since his blockbuster summer switch.

Now, Gyokeres just needs to add more goals, then the critics will soon be silenced.