Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni won't hesitate to play Lionel Messi against Canada in Copa America semi-final despite fitness concerns.
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Argentina coach defiant over MessiVeteran star subject of fitness concernsPreviously missed Peru clashWHAT HAPPENED?
At a pre-match press conference, Scaloni said there is "no doubt" about Messi's availability to face Canada, insisting that he will always pick the 37-year-old, even when not quite fully fit.
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Messi was an injury doubt for the quarter-final against Ecuador due to a thigh complaint that ruled him out of the last group stage fixture against Peru. He ultimately made the game and completed 90 minutes, although did miss from the spot in the penalty shootout. Scaloni has no concerns about his availability now.
WHAT LIONEL SCALONI SAID
Scaloni said: "99% of the time, [Messi] is fit to play. It's never happened to me that he's not fit to play. Every time he's come out on the pitch, he's fit to play. For [Canada], he's fit to play, without a doubt. It's a very easy decision for me, because it's a very frank decision, that if he's fine, he plays; and if he's not fine, he plays the last 30 minutes. It's that easy.
"When he's fit, he always plays. There are no doubts. Who would have any doubts? I'm the coach, so I have no doubts. I'm the one who decides and when I see that he's fit to play, even if he's not 100% fit, he's going to play. I take responsibility for that but I have no doubts. It's true that that won't ever weigh on me, I know what he can give us even if he's not in optimal condition, I wouldn't make the grave mistake of not putting him on the pitch knowing that he gives us a lot, so that's indisputable."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & ARGENTINA?
Argentina are just one game away from reaching a fourth Copa America final in the space of five tournaments in the last decade. For Messi, who will be 39 by the time of the next World Cup in 2026, this could even be his last international competition. But with a third place play-off included, Argentina are guaranteed at least one extra game regardless of the Canada semi-final result.
Manchester United's pursuit of a Lionel Messi-like star could have been given a recent boost, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Man Utd transfer news
This season has once again highlighted the improvements that need to be made to United's squad this summer, with Erik ten Hag's side falling well behind the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. It seems clear that Sir Jim Ratcliffe seems keen to address the transfer situation as quickly as possible in the summer as he looks to make his presence felt while in charge of football-related activity.
Girona left-back Miguel Gutierrez is among those linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford, perhaps with him being seen as a long-term replacement for Luke Shaw, who turns 29 years of age later this year having struggled with injury problems in the past.
Ten Hag could feel that defensive additions are also needed, with the likes of Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire past their best, and Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva is believed to be one primary target for the Red Devils. Still only 20, he has become a fixture of his current side's starting XI, making 21 Primeira Liga starts this season.
Sporting CP favourite Goncalo Inacio is another potential target, with the 22-year-old one of Portuguese football's brightest young prospects, having already racked up 157 appearances for his current club. This season, he has enjoyed an 88.3% pass completion rate in the league, as well as winning an average of two aerial duels per game across eight Europa League appearances.
Man Utd have scouted Roony Bardghji
Speaking to CaughtOffside, Romano admitted that Manchester United have scouted Roony Bardghji extensively, with the 18-year-old a huge talent at FC Copenhagen.
Kobenhavn forward Roony Bardghji.
However, while he started well this season, he has not featured for the club in recent weeks. Romano provided some insight into why this is – and it could hand United a helping hand in their potential transfer pursuit:
"According to my information, it’s because the player has no intention of signing a new deal at Copenhagen. This is the situation as of now, his current contract expires in December 2025. So it means that if nothing changes in the summer, he will be available with 18 months left on his contract. Already clubs like Tottenham for sure, but also Manchester United and Barcelona, have sent scouts multiple times to follow the player’s progress."
United know all about Bardghji from earlier this season, with his late winner against them for Copenhagen in the Champions League proving to be hugely damaging to Ten Hag's side's hopes of getting out of their group.
Player
Appearances
Goals
Roony Bardghji
18
7
Bruno Fernandes
25
3
Scott McTominay
23
7
Casemiro
13
1
Kobbie Mainoo
12
1
Christian Eriksen
16
1
Mason Mount
8
0
The teenage maestro has even been dubbed the "Swedish Messi", which says so much about his natural ability, and a huge future looks to be ahead of him. If United could snap him up over others, it could be a masterstroke over time, as they look to acquire the best young European talent around.
Liverpool have been handed a huge boost regarding the future of one of the stars of their Carabao Cup triumph, with journalist Fabrizio Romano relaying comments made by Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool win EFL Cup at Wembley
The Reds enjoyed a day to treasure at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, as they sealed their first trophy win of the season in unforgettable fashion. An injury-ravaged Liverpool side took Chelsea to extra-time, by which point a number of teenagers had needed to be introduced to aid tired legs, but Virgil van Dijk's late header sealed glory for Klopp's men.
It was an astonishing effort from all involved, considering the likes of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota were all missing for the Reds, and it goes down as one of the best triumphs of the Klopp era.
It was a game that saw so many Liverpool players perform heroically, with Caoimhin Kelleher a brick wall in goal, Van Dijk imperious at the back and Wataru Endo superb in midfield, and there were simply too many outstanding players to mention.
Now, a key claim has emerged regarding the future of one of the Merseysiders' EFL Cup heroes, following a big update over his future.
Wataru Endo likely to sign new Liverpool deal
According to Romano on X, who shared comments made by Klopp after the Chelsea game, a contract extension for Endo at Liverpool is on the cards.
"Jurgen Klopp: 'I'm pretty sure that Wataru Endo will sign another long term contract at Liverpool. He might be 31 on the passport but… he's a machine!'."
Liverpool's Wataru Endo.
Extending Endo's stay at Liverpool has to be considered a complete no-brainer for the club, with the Japan stalwart overcoming a slow start to become a hugely influential player this season.
Minutes played
120
Pass completion rate
91%
Ground duels won
11
Tackles
6
Clearances
3
Key passes
1
While he may not be as explosive or talented as Alexis Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Jones, the 31-year-old has been so important sitting in front of the defence, especially with injuries affecting the Reds so much. Klopp clearly had no doubt about him having a big impact, too, recently saying of him:
“You need a bit of time, that’s all. We see him every day in training and he is one of the hardest-working people I ever met. It was always clear that it will be good, but I’m happy obviously for him that the public could see it now as well, because that’s pretty helpful in our job."
There is an element of cult hero status about Endo that has seen him become a very important popular figure among the Liverpool fanbase, and while he doesn't represent the long-term future, giving him a new deal would be both richly deserved and positively received.
FSG chiefs have “strong relationship” with “unbelievable” Liverpool target
The Reds are reportedly interested in signing him.
ByHenry Jackson Feb 26, 2024
When everyone is fit, the Japan international is probably a squad player, but he can continue to be a key man for the foreseeable future, and on current form, there is no reason why he should lose his place.
The New Zealand captain also praised Kyle Jamieson for his all-round effort on Test debut
Karthik Krishnaswamy in Wellington24-Feb-20202:15
The performance across the board was very good – Williamson
Lost by 296 runs. Lost by 247 runs. Lost by 279 runs.Those were New Zealand’s results on their 2019-20 tour of Australia, their last Test assignment before coming back home for the ongoing series against India. Bruising defeats, back-to-back-to-back.They were back in their own conditions, sure, unique conditions they are absolute masters of, but New Zealand’s confidence must have surely been shaken by their experience in Australia. To go from there to dominating the world’s No. 1 Test team from start to finish and almost beat them by an innings must have felt like a reaffirmation of their own quality as a cricket team. A proper bounceback.Except, New Zealand don’t think about it that way.”Bouncing back isn’t a term that we use or one we use within our group,” Kane Williamson, their captain, said at his post-match presentation at the Basin Reserve. “It’s just about stripping things back a little bit. You can get carried away thinking about results [especially] when you have a number of poor ones and sometimes the want for a good one can be a distraction to getting it.”So it’s about focusing on the things that are important, the roles that give us the best chance of success, and if we do that the result manifests, and I think that’s what we saw in this game, and that was what was pleasing. Guys were really committed to their roles on a surface that offered enough to create a good balance between bat and ball. It’s a really important lesson moving forward to Christchurch.”Any time you play India it’s always a tough challenge and we know it will be again.”Williamson reserved special praise for his team’s fast-bowling trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and debutant Kyle Jamieson, who took 18 of the 19 wickets taken by the home bowlers in the Test, not allowing India to touch 200 in either innings. They even contributed 88 runs with the bat in New Zealand’s first innings, helping build a 183-run lead.”Kyle Jamieson was brilliant,” Williamson said. “Through the summer… In white-ball cricket, he’s come in and made valuable contributions. A great debut for Kyle, contributed in a number of ways [four-for in the first innings and 44 with the bat]. A great experience for him to come into a somewhat established bowling unit.”Southee’s mindset wasn’t of one with a point to prove [he was dropped in Sydney, New Zealand’s last Test before Wellington]. He just wanted to operate the best way he does. Having his good mate Boult at the other end would’ve been a nice thing for him too. The left-arm, right-arm combination has been so successful for us for a long time. They showed it today, especially with the older ball. We know India can bat for days, so the patience and energy they both showed was great.”
“To be honest I don’t think it was overly effective out there. It was when we changed back to our original plan to put the ball in the right area whilst using the change of length… is when we were creating more opportunities.”Kane Williamson on New Zealand’s short-ball tactics
Jamieson’s performance has left New Zealand with a bit of a selection headache ahead of the second Test in Christchurch, where Neil Wagner, their regular third seamer, will be available again after missing the first Test on paternity leave.”Kyle was brilliant in his debut and I think we saw in the white-ball format how he is able to contribute in so many different areas,” Williamson said at his press conference. “Obviously that slightly unique part to his game with his height where he creates quite a different bounce.”Neil will be pretty excited to get back to the team as well so it’s really handy. Obviously we have Matt Henry with us as well and he has been a really good performer for the team as well. I guess when you reflect back over the last few weeks, when we had so many fast bowlers with injuries, they’re all fit and coming back into the fold, and you feel there is that element of depth with fast bowlers that we always thought we had until we had four or five injuries.”Plenty was made of New Zealand’s use of the short ball as a defensive strategy, but Williamson felt it hadn’t worked all that well in this game – on day four, it was with traditional swing and seam from good lengths that Southee and Boult ran through India’s middle and lower order.”To be honest I don’t think [the short-ball strategy] was overly effective out there,” Williamson said. “It was when we changed back to our original plan to put the ball in the right area whilst using the change of length, as the wicket improved a little bit from a batting perspective, is when we were creating more opportunities.”We tried doing things a little bit differently but the best part of the bowling performance was their ability to put the ball into an area that creates the most opportunity for dismissals like lbws, bowled or caught behind, and we saw that today with the change of lengths to create that.”Naturally you’re always trying to come up with creative ideas if the wicket does flatten out, but as we saw throughout the whole match, there was enough there to keep you interested. And there wasn’t as much wind as we are used to, so maybe the ball was able to perhaps straighten and make things a little bit challenging.”In a lot of ways it was really pleasing with the execution in a good area that was most effective part of the bowling performance.”India struggled to stitch together lower-order partnerships in both their innings, while New Zealand reached 348 in their first innings despite being reduced to 225 for 7 at one stage. The stands at the back end added a lot of value, Williamson said.”Even the lower-order runs are important to get a bit of a lead because, as we saw, that if you did pick up a wicket, you could take a couple more,” Williamson said in his post-match interview with the broadcasters. “That’s why it’s an all-round team effort. [We] didn’t know what to expect from the pitch on the day before the Test and the morning of [it]. Because it wasn’t as windy this week, there was a bit more swing on offer. The bowlers were brilliant, but overall, a real collective team effort.”Wreckers-in-chief Tim Southee and Trent Boult share a moment amid New Zealand’s celebrations•AFPSouthee, who finished with a nine-wicket haul and collected the Player-of-the-Match award, also mentioned the relative lack of breeze as having an impact on this Test. “To beat a quality India team was very pleasing,” he said while receiving his award. “[After Australia,] we were back to conditions we were familiar with. The effort from everyone was outstanding.”Today morning was a massive time in the game. We were trying to get a couple of wickets before the new ball was available because we knew India were trying to get through that period with the set batsmen [Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari].”To take 20 wickets as a bowling unit was very pleasing. The pitch had a little bit more there than usual. It usually gets pretty good [to bat] as the Test goes on, but when the wind goes down you see more swing.”At the post-match press conference, Southee was asked if it had rankled him to be dropped for the New Year’s Test in Sydney, where New Zealand preferred the less-experienced Matt Henry to him.”Every time you take the field you’re trying to do your role and do your job for the team,” he said. “You want to play as much as you can and chopping and changing formats is the way international cricket is going. If you play all three you’ve got to learn to park one and move on to the other one.”I love playing Test cricket and it’s nice to be back out there in the whites with the guys. It’s about looking forward rather than looking back and being able to move on from previous experiences. Just like this one, we’ll enjoy tonight, and our focus will shift to Christchurch. It’s continuing to learn as a cricketer and enjoying every opportunity you get.”
Harry Kane is chasing down a goal-scoring record set by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland as he continues to make more history with Bayern Munich. The England captain was in fine form on Saturday as he scored a hat-trick in the Bavarian side's 4-1 win over Hoffenheim. This was Kane's ninth hat-trick since moving to Germany in 2023.
Kane rewrites Bundesliga history with latest goals
With a hat-trick against Hoffenheim on Saturday, Kane reached 70 goals in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich in just 67 appearances, which is the quickest any footballer has reached the 70-goal mark in the league's history.
AdvertisementGettyKane aiming to break Ronaldo & Haaland's record
Kane has now scored 98 goals for Bayern in 103 appearances across all competitions. He will be the quickest player to reach the 100-goal mark in a top-five European League if he nets a brace against Werder Bremen next Friday. Right now, that record is jointly held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who achieved the feat in 105 matches for Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively.
German media offer apology to Kane
The English forward has received an apology from a German journalist, who had questioned Bayern's decision to pay €100m to Tottenham for a striker entering his thirties. The journalist took back his words and praised Kane's strict discipline and work ethic.
AFPNeymar's Champions League record also in sight
After facing Werder Bremen on Friday, Vincent Kompany's side will travel to Cyprus for their Champions League fixture against Pafos. If he scores a brace there, Kane will overtake Neymar's Champions League goals tally of 43.
Christian Pulisic says he is "ready to give everything" when the United States take on Uruguay after their shock Panama loss in the Copa America.
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USA lose to Panama in Copa AmericaTournament hosts face in-form Uruguay nextPulisic to 'give everything' in that gameWHAT HAPPENED?
Panama upset the apple cart on Thursday when they came from behind to beat 10-man USA, as goals from Cesar Blackman and Jose Fajardo cancelled out Folarin Balogun's opener. AC Milan star Pulisic admitted Timothy Weah's 18th-minute red card proved costly – but now he wants to right the wrongs against Uruguay on Monday.
AdvertisementWHAT CHRISTIAN PULISIC SAID
The former Chelsea winger wrote in an Instagram story on Friday: "Tough game to take for us. But we are not done just yet. Ready to give everything on Monday," followed by an American flag emoji.
InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Spirits were high in the US camp after their 2-0 win over Bolivia in their Copa America opener but now they face an uphill task to get out of the group after the Panama setback. Uruguay are arguably the most in-form team in the competition after scoring eight goals in two games against Panama and Bolivia. Now, Gregg Berhalter's side could be making an early exit from the tournament they are hosting.
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
The United States – who sit second in their group – host Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, hoping to come away with a result in their bid to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.
Australia now need to beat England on Sunday to qualify for the final of the triangular series
The Report by Daniel Brettig08-Feb-2020A stunning innings by the 16-year-old wunderkind Shafali Verma launched India Women on the way to a dramatic victory over the T20 World Cup favourites Australia. In doing so they announced their genuine candidacy for the global tournament and also ensured the hosts need to beat England at the Junction Oval on Sunday to qualify for the final of the triangular series that is proving to be a bruising warm-up for the event.Verma’s 49 off 28 balls, combined with a calming 55 off 48 from her opening partner Smriti Mandhana, were the difference as India ran down Australia’s 5 for 173 with two balls to spare. The hosts had appeared well-placed at the innings break after Ashleigh Gardner’s powerful 93 off 57 balls with support from Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney, but a halting last few overs proved costly as India went on the charge from the very first over of their chase.With Verma batting fearlessly and Mandhana providing key support, there was further support from Jemimah Rodrigues, before captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma helped India to their highest successful chase in the format. With two losses in three T20Is, this is the first time the Australians have struggled to this extent since 2017 when they lost four out of five.Gardner builds after first over dramasLate-comers to the Junction Oval missed a dramatic start to the afternoon as Alyssa Healy’s survival of a missed stumping cost India precisely one ball. Deepti’s offbreak lured Healy down the pitch out of what seemed idle curiosity as much as intent to score, and a lack of turn saw the ball pass the bat. But Taniya Bhatia was unable to collect the ball cleanly, allowing Healy to scramble back into her crease and reset – for a moment.The very next delivery was dragged down short, only to be tugged straight to midwicket by Healy as India celebrated their good fortune. Gardner walked out to join Beth Mooney, and there were a few more nervy moments as a few lofted shots landed just out of reach of the fielders. These near-misses soon gave way to cleaner blows as Gardner unfurled her power game in the fashion that has prompted Australia to use her at No. 3. Mooney was content to rotate the strike, and when she perished to a Harleen Deol full-toss, Meg Lanning offered similar support, albeit speckled with a few more boundaries.Haynes, Perry splutter at the finishIndia’s fielding display was far from the standard required, exemplified by the missed stumping to start with and several other clear missed chances besides. Gardner made merry as a result, piling up 11 boundaries and three sixes while adding 62 in 47 balls with Mooney and then a whip-cracking 79 in 42 balls with Lanning. That stand meant that the Australians looked ready to launch at 2 for 141 with 29 balls remaining, but the exits of Lanning for 37 and then Gardner, much to her chagrin, for 93, signalled a loss of acceleration.Ashleigh Gardner plays a cut•Getty ImagesEllyse Perry and Rachael Haynes added 22 together but took 19 balls to do it, even with one mighty six from Perry in the final over bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. They also survived another Indian fielding muck-up, this time a comedy of errors when it appeared easier to run out one of Perry or Haynes than neither. In the end, Perry was lbw when she moved too far across the stumps on the penultimate ball of the innings.Verma’s shots heard round the worldOn what had dried out into a beautiful batting pitch, the tourists had a chance provided they got a swift start. “Swift” proved to be too mild an adjective for the hurricane that was Verma, who took a hyper-aggressive approach from the very first over of the chase and was rewarded with a series of boundaries. The opening overs read like a list of cricket teams and squads: 11, 12, 11, 14 and 14 meaning the powerplay was to be worth 70 and the target drastically reduced.Verma’s fearlessness and sharp eye were complemented perfectly by Mandhana, who found her own occasional boundary in between plenty of singles and alert running between the wickets. Some formidable Australia bowlers – Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt and Perry – were momentarily humbled by Verma, and captain Lanning was left looking far and wide for bowling options. No fewer than seven bowlers were to be tried, but it was Perry who snared Verma for a breathless 49 from 28 balls to pull Australia back into the contest.Tourists hold nerve for victoryIn Verma’s slipstream, Rodrigues kept scoring at the required tempo with her own sparkling contribution, adding 37 with Mandhana with only a slight dip in the run rate after the opening stand of 85 in 50 balls. When Rodrigues did err, offering a thin edge behind to Healy off Schutt, Harmanpreet provided plenty of experience and poise to the pursuit as Mandhana reached a meritorious half-century.With 16 still required off 12 balls, a tight over from Nicola Carey could have turned the game towards Australia. But although she managed to win an lbw verdict against Mandhana, two fours including one swatted between mid-on and midwicket by Deepti off Carey’s final ball meant only four remained to be collected from the final over. Harmanpreet and Deepti kept their heads for a rousing win. The World Cup race is widening by the day.
Celtic are back in action once again in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon they travel to Fir Park to take on Motherwell in the lunchtime kick-off.
The Hoops moved to five points behind Rangers in the league table after their rivals picked up all three points in their clash with Hearts on Saturday.
That result makes this match against Motherwell all the more important as any dropped points today would extent Philippe Clement's side's two-point lead heading into the weekend.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers applauds the fans.
Brendan Rodgers watched on as his team dropped two points against Kilmarnock last week, which was a result that allowed their rivals to overtake them on the Sunday.
A stoppage time equaliser from David Watson secured a point for the away side on the day and the Hoops boss could now look to make some changes to the starting XI from that match.
With this in mind, Rodgers must drop Adam Idah from the line-up to make way for creative midfielder Paulo Bernardo to return and for Kyogo Furuhashi to play as the lone striker.
Adam Idah's performance against Kilmarnock in numbers
The Ireland international, who joined on loan from English side Norwich City on deadline day at the start of the month, led the line against Kilmarnock.
Idah endured a rough afternoon as a lack of service meant that he was left isolated, which led to a lack of impact from him at the top end of the pitch.
Despite having 71% of the possession, Celtic failed to create a single chance for the Irish marksman, who did not register a single effort on goal in 67 minutes on the pitch.
Kyogo did, however, score the opening goal from the Hoops and had two shots in total after starting the match in the number ten position behind Idah.
Norwich forward Adam Idah.
The Norwich loanee lost six of his ten duels, as the opposition found it too easy to get the better of him at times, and did not create any chances for his teammates before being substituted during the second half.
It was a disappointing performance from the Canaries academy graduate after he had enjoyed an impressive first two Premiership matches with the club.
Idah came off the bench to provide an assist for Nicolas Kuhn's equaliser against Aberdeen earlier this month and then scored both of Celtic's goals, both from the penalty spot, in a 2-1 win away at Hibernian in his first start.
His first two games with the club show that the potential is there for him to provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants.
However, playing him and Kyogo alongside each other may not work in every match, as showcased by Idah's struggles against Kilmarnock.
Therefore, bringing Bernardo in as a number ten to provide more natural creativity for Kyogo, and then bringing the Irish forward off the bench, could be a good change for this game against Motherwell.
Paulo Bernardo's Celtic season in numbers
The Hoops signed the 22-year-old whiz on loan from Portuguese side Benfica last summer and he has shown glimpses of his quality in midfield so far this season.
Bernardo, who has been described as a "baller" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has started nine times in the Premiership for the Scottish giants and contributed with two goals, two assists, and three 'big chances' created in total.
One of the Portugal U21 international's best performances in a Celtic shirt to date came in a 3-0 win away at St Mirren at the start of the year.
Sofascore rating
8.5
Shots
Two
Goals
Zero
Key passes
Three
Big chances created
Two
Assists
Two
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 5 foot 11 magician was on top form in the Premiership clash as he assisted Matt O'Riley and Greg Taylor for goals.
His creativity was also on display in Liga Portugal during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign as he caught the eye on loan with Paços Ferreira.
Bernardo ranked within the top 8% of midfielders in the division for assists (0.24) per 90, whilst also ranking within the top 9% for non-penalty goals (0.24) per 90, as the young gem produced two goals and two assists in nine league starts.
These statistics over the past year or so show that the "tenacious" – as he was described by the aforementioned Mango – dynamo has the quality to split open opposition defences to create chances for attackers when he is at his best.
Why Kyogo could benefit from Bernardo's creativity
Playing Bernardo in a number ten role and getting him closer to Kyogo could benefit the Japan international by getting him into better shooting positions.
The former Vissel Kobe star has already taken 17 shots from outside of the box in 26 league appearances for Celtic this season, having attempted just six in 31 league outings last season.
Kyogo Furuhashi
He racked up a staggering 27 goals in those 31 Premiership games during the 2022/23 campaign but has only plundered nine goals in 26 matches this time around.
It should not be a surprise that his goalscoring numbers are down when you consider that the lack of creativity behind him is resulting in too many long shots being attempted.
Utilising Bernardo's creativity in a number ten position could provide the Japanese marksman with higher-quality opportunities to get his shot off from within the box, rather than from distance, and, therefore, increase his chances of finding the back of the net.
Of course, the Portuguese loanee has not consistently provided high-quality creativity, possibly due to him being deployed as part of a midfield three instead of as a number ten at times, but the potential – as shown by his performance against St Mirren and form in Portugal last term – is there for him to be an excellent option.
Rodgers, therefore, must drop Idah down to the bench to unleash Kyogo as a lone number nine with Bernardo in the hole behind the Japan international.
This would also provide the manager with a fantastic option to change the game as Idah could come on to lead the line and push for a goal if needed in the second half.
Third consecutive fifty for opener after miserly spells from Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah reduce NZ to 132
The Report by Sidharth Monga26-Jan-20203:15
Jadeja, seamers set up comfortable India win
Last weekend India were rescuing a home ODI series against Australia. Their jet lag had not yet receded when they raced to a 2-0 lead in the T20I series in New Zealand on Sunday. It was down to their superior bowling once again as they restricted New Zealand to a mere 132, the third-lowest total at Eden Park. Jasprit Bumrah was sensational once again but he found more heroes in the support cast: Ravindra Jadeja took two middle-order wickets, and Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Shami handcuffed the New Zealand batsmen.On a slow pitch, India didn’t find the chase to be a cakewalk, but KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer absorbed the pressure before finishing off in style. Rahul’s purple patch continued with his second fifty on tour. Had New Zealand run him out – stranded mid-pitch – on 42, the remaining 47 off 38 balls might even have become a challenge. It wasn’t to be as India romped home with 15 balls to spare.Munro slows New Zealand downNew Zealand seemed to have looked at the slowness of the pitch when deciding to bat first, which makes the Powerplay even more important: you want to score your runs against the new ball and with the field up. However, Colin Munro’s struggles put Martin Guptill under pressure to go after the bowling. When Yuzvendra Chahal squeezed in the fifth over for just seven runs, the sixth over – bowled by Shardul Thakur – became really important. New Zealand had just 39 after five overs with Munro struggling at 14 off 13.With teams zero down, the sixth over is usually the most difficult to bowl in a Powerplay. Guptill reinforced the challenge with two boundaries in the first four balls, but when he tried to sign the Powerplay off with a six off the last ball, Thakur managed to keep the ball just wide enough to get a toe-edged skier. New Zealand 48 for 1 after six.Chahal keeps up the pressure, Dube cashes inChahal backed up that over with just five runs in his second over, the eighth of the innings. Having hit Shivam Dube for a ramped six in his first over, Munro now needed to line Dube up when he bowled a second over in a row. At 63 for 1 after eight, with three Bumrah overs left, New Zealand just had to go after Dube. Munro pulled the third ball of this over for a four to finally go past strike rate of 100. Next ball, though, went straight to short cover for a catch with Dube having cramped him up again. New Zealand 68 for 2 in 8.4 overs.Jadeja finds turnAfter one Bumrah over to look for a wicket, Jadeja was introduced in the 11th over. In the last match he bowled just two overs. He and Dube constitute India’s fifth bowler. Dube had already bowled two so the plan must have been to get in two or three quiet overs from Jadeja.KL Rahul steadied the innings after a couple of early wickets•Getty ImagesHowever, the second ball from Jadeja stopped and turned to get a return catch from Colin de Grandhomme. Ross Taylor soon saw the ball turning a lot. They were not going to take any risks against Jadeja now, who bowled quick and found turn, tying them down. When Williamson tried to hit out, he found deep fine leg. Even if New Zealand were looking for something around 160, Jadeja had now readjusted the par score. He ended up bowling all four overs without conceding a boundary.Bumrah, Shami close outThe only time New Zealand found breathing space in the last 10 overs in Chahal’s 16th over when Tim Seifert hit a four and a six. It took New Zealand to 109 for 4, leaving them needing 10 an over if they were to get to the fighting total of 150. Not happening with Bumrah bowling two of those overs. What made it worse for New Zealand was excellent 17th and 19th overs from Jadeja and Shami. Since the ninth over, the only boundaries New Zealand managed were off that Chahal over and the one six in the last over.Southee keeps New Zealand aliveNew Zealand needed early wickets to make a fight of the chase. Southee provided them with an outswinger to send back Rohit Sharma in the first over, and with an edge down the leg side to remove Virat Kohli soon afterwards. Signs were already there that this was not an easy pitch to bat on. India 40 for 2 after six overs.Rahul, Iyer weather the stormOver the next five overs, New Zealand built up the pressure with the spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi conceding just one boundary. The duo, though, knew they had the asking rate in check: 70 required off 54 balls.Iyer opens up, Rahul survivesIn the 12th over, Iyer launched Sodhi down the ground for a dismissive six. The tide had begun to turn. New Zealand had to go back to the quicks. In the 14th over, Tickner had a golden opportunity to run Rahul out, but he missed from three yards. In the next over, the floodgates opened. The last 48 runs came in 21 balls.
Hugo Ekitike has been told to brace for bench duty behind "far better" Liverpool team-mate Alexander Isak once the British record signing regains full fitness. Ekitike and Isak both joined the Reds this summer as the champions spent heavily in the transfer window to bolster their attack. However, Isak only moved on deadline day and didn't get a full pre-season after essentially going on strike at Newcastle.
Isak joined Liverpool for British record transfer fee
The Isak transfer saga lasted throughout the summer window as Newcastle initially refused to sanction his departure. The Sweden international was banished from Eddie Howe's first-team training during pre-season and Isak also accused the club of "broken promises" in a public statement. However, the club eventually sold Isak once the Reds agreed to pay a British record transfer fee of £125 million ($171m).
AdvertisementGetty Images SportIsak yet to make Liverpool debut
Isak was left out of Arne Slot's squad for last weekend's Premier League fixture against Burnley and is still waiting to make his debut for Liverpool. Slot has included the Swede in his plans for the Reds' Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid, but has also confirmed he is not yet ready to play full 90 minute games.
Isak "far better" than Ekitike
Ekitike made a dream start to his campaign at Anfield as he equalled a 12-year-old Daniel Sturridge record by scoring in his first three appearances for the Reds. However, former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen believes that Isak will take the Frenchman's place once he regains full fitness.
Speaking to football betting site, Meulensteen said: "Hugo Ekitike will be replaced by Alexander Isak, who is a far better, more rounded player with more Premier League experience. This also gives Liverpool the option to play with two strikers, as both can play the ball and create in-depth. While I don't think this will happen quickly or often, it is an option. If Isak is fit and ready, I can definitely see him coming in. Given the numerous Premier League, Cup, and Champions League games, you need all your players. I can see Isak coming in for Ekitike, and Ekitike is a good player to bring in from the bench."
Getty Images SportBig week for Liverpool at home & abroad
Arne Slot's side will kick off their 2025-26 Champions League campaign on Wednesday night when they take on Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid at Anfield. Liverpool will then turn their attention to a huge Merseyside derby clash against Everton on Saturday.