'Dangerous' Liverpool ace proves Arne Slot wrong

'Dangerous' Liverpool ace proves Arne Slot wrong: 'Dangerous' Liverpool ace proves Arne Slot wrong

Liverpool put in another disastrous performance in their Premier League clash against Tottenham on Sunday.

The game ended 1-1 with both sides sharing the spoils despite Igor Tudor's men being one of the worst-performing teams in the top flight at the moment.

Most fans thought that Sunday's game against Spurs would just be a confidence booster for Arne Slot's men ahead of their Champions League tie against Galatasaray but, that wasn't the case at all.

However, there was one Liverpool player who's performance stood out among the rest of his teammates and, by doing this, he actually proved his manager wrong.

Rio Ngumoha was the star of the show for Liverpool

During Sunday's game, Slot decided to give Rio Ngumoha yet another start.

The winger offers something completely different to Cody Gakpo and, with how poor the Dutchman has been this season, it's hardly surprising to see Ngumoha being used.

However, even though it's blindingly obvious to fans how talented Ngumoha is, it's taken almost two thirds of the season for Slot to give him his chance.

In fact, Slot even questioned that, if Ngumoha was as good as fans thought he was then why wasn't he playing at a higher level for England.

"Let’s be clear, he’s a special player that will have more playing time," he said in quotes relayed by The Mail.

"But for a player playing for the Under-19 team of England, if everyone thinks he is so good, then he should be in a higher international team.”

Granted, the winger is still fairly young to be a regular starter for Liverpool but, if his performance against Spurs proved anything its that he can hold his own, even though the club are under severe pressure.

How Rio Ngumoha proved Arne Slot wrong against Tottenham

Slot may have taken Ngumoha off in the 64th minute on Sunday but it's clear that the attacker left his mark.

None of Liverpool's first-team squad aside from Ngumoha and Dominik Szoboszlai received any sort of praise from commentators with Jamie Carragher even dubbing the 17-year-old Liverpool's most "dangerous" player.

"Coming off the bench and starting a game is a completely different kettle of fish, but Rio Ngumoha has still looked to be Liverpool's most dangerous player in the attacking third," he said on Sky Sports.

Not only does this prove how impressive he was on the day but it also outlines how important the youngster was to the Reds' gameplan against Tottenham.

Ngumoha didn't just manage to create most of Liverpool's chances in the first half but he was one of the only players who tried to attack Spurs' defensive line.

As per Sofascore, the winger maintained a pass accuracy of 90 per cent and he also completed 100 per cent of the seven dribbles he attempted in the game.

The Englishman may be young and, to be honest, he shouldn't be playing 90 minutes of football twice per week.

But, now that he's proven Slot wrong and has shown that he can actually hold his own against some of the world's biggest teams, it feels like he deserves a much more regular role in Liverpool's plans.

His energy and ability to beat a man in a split second could end up being crucial to the Reds' future performances.

That is, if his manager sets him free and includes him in his future plans.

Neymar fails to shine: Santos and Corinthians draw at Vila Belmiro 🎥

Neymar fails to shine: Santos and Corinthians draw at Vila Belmiro 🎥: Neymar fails to shine: Santos and Corinthians draw at Vila Belmiro 🎥

Santos and Corinthians drew 1-1 in the black-and-white derby this Sunday (15th) in the sixth round of the Brasileirão.

The clash at Vila Belmiro saw two goals in the first half, with Memphis Depay opening the scoring and Gabigol equalizing shortly after.

On the eve of another call-up for the Brazilian National Team, Neymar had a discreet performance for most of the match.

He was involved in the play that led to Santos' goal, deflecting the ball to get it to Gabigol.

But the number 10 for Santos only had two shots. The first was a header in the 36th minute of the second half that went just to the right of the goal.

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The other came in stoppage time, from a free kick that was deflected and went out over the end line.

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The Match

The game started at a fast pace, with Santos reaching the attacking third more often and threatening their rival.

But it was Corinthians who opened the scoring, on a counterattack 17 minutes into the game.

Memphis Depay was sent through on goal, cut past the defender, and finished with style to put his team ahead.

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The Corinthians' lead didn't last long.

Gabriel Paulista made a mistake trying to play out from midfield, and the ball fell to Gabigol's feet.

The Peixe striker took advantage of the open space to advance and carried the ball before finishing past Hugo Souza.

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After the electrifying start, the black-and-white derby slowed down and saw few goal-scoring chances.

The match opened up again in the final stretch, especially after Luan Peres was sent off, receiving two yellow cards within a few minutes.

Soon after, young Vinicius Lira left the field injured after Santos had already made five substitutions, leaving the team with nine players on the pitch.

Corinthians couldn't take advantage of the numerical superiority in the final minutes, and the score ended 1-1.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Rooney calls for Carrick to get permanent Man Utd job

Rooney calls for Carrick to get permanent Man Utd job: Michael Carrick has taken Manchester United up to third in the Premier League [Getty Images]

Wayne Rooney has called on Manchester United to give Michael Carrick the manager's job permanently.

The 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday took United clear in third place in the Premier League.

Since he was named head coach for the remainder of the season in January, Carrick has guided his side to seven wins in nine games.

Across his two spells in charge, only Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini have eclipsed his record of six straight home wins at the start of their first Premier League job.

United chiefs want to assess all options before making a decision in the summer and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused to be drawn on Carrick's future when he was asked about it in Shanghai before this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

Ratcliffe did say Carrick was doing a good job and Rooney - who was on holiday with his former United and England team-mate when Ruben Amorim was sacked - has no doubts what should happen next.

"100% he should [get the job]," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I knew this was going to happen with Michael Carrick. I know him very well. I know his character and his personality.

"It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place. The players needed some love, and he has given them that.

"We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team. Why would you change?"

Typically, Carrick would not be drawn on Rooney's comments. Neither is he getting distracted by the "noise" around his time in charge.

"There's not that much noise, is there?" he said. "I don't mean Wayne. I just mean in general.

"It's only noise if you listen to it. It doesn't affect me one bit, to be honest."

Carrick confirmed he had spoken to chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox after the Villa win, but says his sole focus is Friday's trip to Bournemouth.

"I'm in this position at the moment, doing the best I can, and I'm loving it, obviously," Carrick said.

"But whatever's going to happen is going happen. It's all pretty calm.

"We can definitely enjoy the win and look forward to Friday night. But other than that, that's all I'm thinking about really."

Fernandes sets Man Utd assists record

Captain Bruno Fernandes created United's first two goals against Villa.

The Portugal playmaker's near-post corner was headed in by Casemiro to give United the lead.

Then, after Ross Barkley equalised, Fernandes threaded a pass through the Villa defence for Matheus Cunha who slotted home to give United a lead they would not lose.

Fernandes now has 100 assists in all competitions for United, becoming only the fourth player - after Rooney, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham - to achieve that in the Premier League era.

In addition, his 16 league assists this term have eclipsed Beckham's tally of 15 from 1999-2000 as the most by any United player in a single campaign.

"Bruno has done it for a long period of time now, making the difference in big moments, whether he's scoring or creating," said Carrick.

"He's got a great connection with Casemiro, which is the bit you can't coach."

There has been talk about Fernandes leaving United in the summer, when his contract will have one year left to run.

The 31-year-old is keen to compete at the highest level, so Champions League qualification could prove crucial.

"Bruno's definitely not someone we'd want to lose," said Carrick. "It's difficult for me to kind of go too far with that, but certainly he's important for us."

Old Trafford crowd wants 'one more year' from Casemiro

The same is also true of veteran Casemiro, who has now scored seven goals this season, including six headers - at least two more than anyone else in the league.

The 34-year-old repeatedly pointed to his badge as he celebrated his second-half goal in front of the Stretford End.

In response, they sang "one more year", something that echoed around Old Trafford at the final whistle.

Casemiro has already confirmed he will leave United in the summer, when his huge contract expires.

Ratcliffe has vowed to drive down salaries, and it is likely the former Real Madrid man will leave for either the Saudi Pro League or Major League Soccer after the World Cup, when he is due to captain Brazil.

Although some fans want him to stay at the club, Carrick cast doubt on that happening.

"The fact it was decided makes things a little bit easier," he said. "Everyone understands the situation.

"It was a nice moment at the end there with the supporters and having that connection and the respect. He'll enjoy that one.

"No disrespect to Casemiro, he's been fantastic. He's been a big, big, big player for us and been important in the dressing room.

"But I think this is a club where players come and go - some bigger and some are maybe more important than others at different times.

"But I don't think it's ever really about replacing like for like. You can go in different directions."

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Josep Maria Bartomeu defends his Barcelona legacy and calls for generational change: ‘We need new ideas’

Josep Maria Bartomeu defends his Barcelona legacy and calls for generational change: ‘We need new ideas’: Josep Maria Bartomeu defends his Barcelona legacy and calls for generational change: ‘We need new ideas’

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has spoken about the club’s current situation and the upcoming presidential elections, offering his perspective on the criticism directed at his time in charge.

In an interview with EFE (h/t SPORT), Bartomeu addressed the constant references to what many call the financial “legacy” he left behind at Barcelona. 

The former president has often been criticised by current president Joan Laporta, who has repeatedly described the club’s situation when he took office as extremely difficult.

Laporta has argued that Barcelona were technically bankrupt at the time and struggling to cover wages due to a huge sporting payroll.

Responding to those accusations, Bartomeu said the story surrounding his presidency has been repeated too often in recent years.

“I have heard about Bartomeu’s legacy constantly in recent years, not just during the campaign. 

“It is tiring to see how they always use it as an excuse, because they have had five and a half years to solve the problems caused by Covid, and it seems that they have not solved them completely.

“The legacy was bad, I admit, but it was caused by the pandemic. When I took over as club president, the balance sheet for my first five years showed a cumulative profit of €109 million and 13 titles.

“With the pandemic, we don’t have the stadium open, there’s no ticketing, no season tickets, the shop is closed, there’s no museum, no football schools, and that reduction in income obviously causes a cash flow problem that is solved by borrowing. 

“That’s what happened to the vast majority of clubs in Europe.”

Lionel Messi’s exit

Josep Maria Bartomeu has talked about Lionel Messi’s departure. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The financial debate became even more intense when Barcelona announced major losses for the 2020–21 financial year, the first set of accounts published under Laporta’s leadership. 

The club reported losses of €555 million, although Bartomeu had previously suggested the figure would be closer to €225 million.

The former president pointed to the wider financial impact of the pandemic on football clubs, citing figures published by La Liga.

“The Professional Football League itself issued a report in October 2021 estimating the impact of COVID-19 on Barça’s finances at €500 million.

“The most painful one is the departure of Lionel Messi. 

“It is very sad to have to say goodbye to the best player in history, who still had a lot of football left in him with us and who would also have coincided with this generation of young players from La Masia that we have now, which has been so successful.”

Bartomeu also questioned the decision that ultimately led to Messi leaving the club, suggesting that the consequences of that move were not fully considered at the time.

“That’s the big question that many people who have been at the club are asking themselves. I don’t know why they did it, but it’s a huge own goal by this board. 

“I think that in 2021, they didn’t think about the consequences that this could have, they didn’t think about Barça, and they were naive, not knowing how the world of football works.”

Barcelona’s reputation

Bartomeu also defended the overall reputation of Barcelona during his presidency. He pointed out that in 2021, the club was ranked as the most valuable football team in the world by Forbes.

“In early 2021, Forbes magazine said that Barça was the most valuable club in the world, based on data from 2020, the year of the pandemic, for which I have been so criticised by Laporta for the disastrous legacy I supposedly left him.

“For the first time in history, Forbes said that Barça was the number one club, ahead of other clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

“I don’t think the work we did was so bad when we were given that award, which we no longer have.”

Presidential election

Josep Maria Bartomeu has hit back at Laporta. (Photo credit: JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)

As the presidential election approaches, Bartomeu also commented on the current campaign between Laporta and candidate Victor Font.

“Yes, I am following it, and the truth is that I don’t see much talk about projects. There is a lot of recrimination between the two sides, and I would like to see an election campaign like the one in 2015, where projects were debated.”

Finally, Bartomeu confirmed that he will vote and believes the club may benefit from fresh leadership and new ideas moving forward.

“Yes, I will be voting. And I think Barça needs to consider a generational change.

“Sometimes, it is necessary to clean house, open the windows and let new generations with new ideas come in.

“We have had Laporta as president for five and a half years, and the economic situation has not been fully restored. 

“This last term of office has had some gaps, strange things have happened, and the members have also been told many lies, and that is not good for the health of the club,” he added.

Barcelona top attacking target not ruling out summer exit – ‘You never know’

Barcelona top attacking target not ruling out summer exit – ‘You never know’: Barcelona top attacking target not ruling out summer exit – ‘You never know’

Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez has once again fuelled speculation about his future after making an intriguing comment following his team’s Champions League victory.

The Argentine striker spoke to the media after Atletico Madrid secured an impressive 5-2 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. 

However, much of the attention after the match focused on Alvarez’s comments about his future, particularly amid growing links with FC Barcelona.

The striker’s name has recently been mentioned in discussions surrounding Barcelona’s presidential election campaign, with reports suggesting that the Catalan club could consider him as a future attacking option.

Responding to the news

When asked directly about the rumours linking him with Barcelona, Alvarez insisted that many of the claims circulating online were not accurate.

“What do you want me to say? I’ve never said anything. These are things that are said, and then they go viral on social media. 

“You say one thing, and it generates comments, but I’ve never said anything. Obviously, I’m happy at Atletico de Madrid. 

“Very happy, we’re fighting in the competitions, it’s true that we’re further behind in La Liga, but we’re doing well in the Champions League, and then there’s the Copa del Rey final,” said the Argentine striker.

Julian Alvarez has sparked fresh speculation. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Although Alvarez expressed satisfaction with life at Atletico Madrid, journalists pressed him further about his long-term future at the club. 

When asked whether he could guarantee that he would remain at Atletico next season, the striker gave an answer that quickly caught attention.

“I don’t know. Maybe yes, maybe no, you never know. But I’m very happy here. They asked me a question that will be repeated everywhere. 

“I’m happy, I take each day as it comes. I work to improve and to give my best here. 

“I’ve never said anything or spoken badly about the club, I’m very grateful, the fans have also shown me their affection today, so I’m very happy,” replied the striker.

Notably, with Robert Lewandowski approaching the latter stages of his career, the club has started exploring possible long-term replacements for the Polish striker.

And Alvarez, who has already proven himself at the highest level with both club and country, is seen by many as a forward capable of leading Hansi Flick’s attack.

Source: Mundo Deportivo

Report – Inter Milan Eager To Extend German Defender’s Contract Amid Foreign Interest

Report – Inter Milan Eager To Extend German Defender’s Contract Amid Foreign Interest: Report – Inter Milan Eager To Extend German Defender’s Contract Amid Foreign Interest

Serie A giants Inter Milan are reportedly looking to tie star defender Yann Bisseck down to a new long-term contract.

According to Corriere dello Sport via FCInter1908, the Nerazzurri are preparing an improved deal for the German center-back.

Yann Bisseck has become indispensable for Inter after a relatively disappointing start to the season.

Indeed, the former Aarhus man has leapfrogged Stefan de Vrij and Francesco Acerbi in the pecking order.

For context, he has made 11 starts in the last 13 Serie A matches.

Inter Milan Looking to Extend Yann Bisseck Contract

Cristian Chivu has heavily relied on Bisseck in recent months, and the club is ready to reward the 25-year-old with a new deal.

Furthermore, the runaway Serie A leaders are willing to increase Bisseck’s salary.

The German currently earns around €1.5 million net per season.

However, Inter could double his wages to prevent him from leaving San Siro amid growing interest from the Premier League.

Indeed, Crystal Palace had tried to lure Bisseck to Selhurst Park last summer, but to no avail.

In the meantime, several other clubs, including West Ham United, have joined the race for Bisseck’s signature.

Ndicka followed by several European top clubs: Roma set maxi pricetag

Ndicka followed by several European top clubs: Roma set maxi pricetag: Ndicka followed by several European top clubs: Roma set maxi pricetag

Along with Malen, Ndicka has been Roma’s most influential player in recent weeks.

With his three consecutive goals against Cremonese, Juventus, and Genoa, the Ivorian defender is the team’s top scorer after the Dutch striker for the past month.

Keeping him in the capital next summer will be no easy feat.

According to Nicolò Schira, several top European clubs have already been knocking on Roma’s door to sign him.

The Trigoria club’s asking price, however, is said to be quite steep.

The Giallorossi, in fact, don’t seem willing to part with him for less than €50 million.

The teams that have shown interest in the Ivorian center-back so far are Barcelona, ​​Manchester United, and Tottenham.