Manchester United travel to Southampton for their second Premier League game of the season this afternoon, and they’ll be hoping to make it back-to-back victories on the south coast.

The Red Devils began their 2021/22 campaign in emphatic style last weekend, demolishing Leeds United 5-1 in a stunning display at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

United’s thrashing of Leeds was made even more impressive by the fact that they were missing star striker Edinson Cavani from the matchday squad altogether, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that he should be able to call upon the Uruguay international this time around.

“Edinson’s always looked after himself and is lacking in team training, football training; he had different reasons to why he came late,” revealed the manager in Saturday’s press conference.

“There were some personal reasons, and his body can tolerate a lot. It was something required not physically, a different matter, he’s ready to train, ready to go and let’s see how much we can get out of him.”

The return of the Uruguay veteran may not be the only boost to United when they take on the Saints in today’s 2pm kick-off. Solskjaer also provided an update on the fitness levels of summer signing Raphael Varane, stating that the former Real Madrid centre-back could travel with the squad following his £41m move.

The Red Devils boss stated of the Frenchman: “He’s been keeping fit, he’s a naturally fit lad, and he’s had a good week. He’s coming through the last session, and if that goes well, he’ll probably travel.

“Looking at him from afar, you see he’s a professional and humble lad, he’s a winner. He’s still asking questions, he wants to learn about how we want to play, and he’s hard-working. Of course, he wants to do the foundation first before he goes into a very intense season, I’m sure.”

Solskjaer will be delighted

Despite Cavani being well into the twilight of his career, the 34-year-old played a pivotal part in United’s success last season, bagging 17 goals and providing six assists in 39 appearances for the Old Trafford giants.

Therefore, his return to match fitness, coupled with Varane’s potential availability, will surely leave Solskjaer feeling delighted and confident of picking up another three points at St Mary’s.

In other news… Man Utd could finally replace RVP with £141k-p/w “phenomenon”, fans would be buzzing 

Liverpool supporters have been starved of excitement throughout the current transfer window, with Ibrahima Konate the only arrival so far, but that could change before the August 31st deadline.

What’s the story?

According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds have West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen on their watchlist, although it remains to be seen if they’ll make a move for him this summer.

The departure of Xherdan Shaqiri has freed up funds for Jurgen Klopp and director of football Michael Edwards, but the report claims that any incoming may hinge on Divock Origi also departing Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp will love it

Last season was a hugely underwhelming affair for Klopp’s charges. The Anfield outfit surrendered their Premier League crown without a fight, slipping to third in the top-flight standings, ending the season a whopping 17 points behind champions Manchester City.

As a result, the German tactician is thought to be in the market for at least one attacking target before the summer window closes.

The normally dependable duo of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino suffered a severe drop-off in form in 2020/21, scoring 11 and nine goals respectively in the league, while Shaqiri and Origi failed to adequately replace them.

It’s led to Klopp attempting to make significant alterations to his options in the final third of the pitch, although his limited budget has left him playing the waiting game.

However, now Shaqiri has been snapped up by Lyon, and with Origi appearing to be getting nudges towards the Anfield exit door, a move for Bowen could be on the cards.

The 24-year-old impressed in the Championship after rising through the ranks at boyhood club Hull City, scored double figures in consecutive years for the Tigers as they toiled in the second-tier of English football.

And although he’s struggled to replicate the same form in front of goal at the London Stadium, scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists in 55 appearances for the Hammers, Bowen’s overall play has seemingly impressed Liverpool.

His unquestionable work rate, stamina and ability with the ball at his feet make him a good fit for Klopp’s unique gegenpressing style, meaning the former Borussia Dortmund boss would surely love to be able to call upon his services.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool do make a formal offer for Bowen, but his proposed arrival has the potential to have the same impact that Diogo Jota’s had just 12 months ago.

And, in other news…Heir to Shaqiri: LFC eye move for “special” £19.8m-rated wizard, Klopp will love him

Derby County are believed to be interested in signing Brighton goalkeeper Christian Walton this summer, as Wayne Rooney eyes up  some late additions.

The Lowdown: Key week at Pride Park

It has been an up-and-down start to the season for the Rams, with Rooney’s side picking up five points from their opening four Championship matches.

Derby have a week left to sign players, with next Tuesday’s deadline day edging closer all the time and the squad still desperately short of any real semblance of depth.

The Latest: Derby keen on Walton signing

According to Football Insider sources, the Rams are in the race to sign Walton in the coming days, seeing him as someone who could provide more quality competition within the squad.

The 25-year-old’s current deal runs out at the end of this season, meaning Brighton may be willing to let him leave this summer.

Derby are one of a number of clubs keen on acquiring Walton’s signature, with the likes of Norwich City and Nottingham Forest also in the mix.

The Verdict: Solid addition for Rams?

Walton may not necessarily be a big-name signing, but he could be someone who gives Rooney a strong extra option between the sticks.

He has made 156 appearances in the Football League, including 83 games in the Championship, proving his experience and suggesting that he would be a safe pair of hands.

Given Walton’s contract situation, Derby could also get a good deal for him, acting as a further positive if they wish to sell him on for profit in the future.

In other news, one pundit has aimed a dig at Wayne Rooney – find out who it is here.

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos has received criticism from Sky Sports pundit Kevin Phillips over recent comments on a radio interview in his native Colombia.

The Lowdown: Moving away from Rangers

The forward came to Ibrox in 2017 after scoring 46 goals in 62 games for Finish side HJK Helsinki. Since his arrival in Scotland, Morelos has been a consistent scorer for the Gers, netting 97 times in 190 appearances.

The 25-year-old has caused controversy during his time at the club on several occasions, receiving seven red cards since arriving in Glasgow and being called out over some moments of indiscipline by his manager Steven Gerrard.

In a recent interview with Colombian radio station El VBar de Caracol Radio, Morelos claimed that he was “calm” when asked if he wanted to leave Rangers but also said that he hopes to leave “soon”, having been linked with an exit from Ibrox in recent months.

The Latest: Fierce warning from Phillips

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports pundit Phillips has criticised Morelos and urged him not to discuss his future publicly.

The former Sunderland striker said of the Rangers marksman: “He’s just making life more difficult for himself.

“He has to live in that area and we all know what supporters are like. He’ll get away with it if he comes back and scores goals.

“People will turn a blind eye but if he stops scoring and doesn’t look interested, you just leave yourself open.

“Keep your mouth shut and do your job. He needs people around him who will tell him to stop talking and to not answer those questions. Just be positive about Rangers and don’t talk about transfers in public.

“I said at the beginning of the season it would be best for him to move on, I can’t imagine this will go down well with the supporters.”

The Verdict: Morelos needs to stay focused

Despite earning his first Scottish Premiership medal, last season was Morelos’ worst goalscoring campaign for Rangers, with only 12 goals as Kemar Roofe scored two more in his debut campaign at Ibrox.

Speaking about one’s future when linked with a move away never goes down well with a club and its supporters, so Phillips’ comments may well be the thoughts of many Light Blues fans.

Fabio Capello once called the striker ‘an excellent player’ and Morelos must remain focused on the job at hand at Rangers and put his all in retaining the Premiership title, as well as impressing in the Europa League.

In other news, many Rangers fans loved recent update ahead of Europa League tie with Lyon. Find out more here.

MatériaMais Notícias

O meia do Vasco, Nenê, aproveitou a tarde em família. O jogador, que recuperou a vaga de titular, após passar cinco jogos no banco, passeou de bicicleta na orla do Rio de Janeiro com os filhos e a irmã. Em seu Instagram o jogador fez uma publicação sobre o passeio.

Confira!

A report in today’s Daily Telegraph claims the ECB has held talks with a New York-based investment company in a bid to broaden the appeal of its Twenty20 English Premier League which is set to launch in 2010.The newspaper states that Durham chairman Clive Leach met with representatives from Sports Capital Partners Worldwide (SCPW) in the USA this week. It is believed the talks centred on the possibility of a US-based team joining the competition.SCPW is a sports media and entertainment company that owns Major League Soccer and ice hockey franchises, as well as operating as Real Madrid’s North American ventures. It was one of the companies that expressed an interest in getting involved in the aborted nine-franchise EPL earlier this year.The 20-team tournament will include all 18 first-class counties as well as a Stanford XI. The ECB is looking for a high-profile team to full the 20th slot, and this week’s meeting indicate it is keen to get involvement from the USA.The USA is seen as a massive, largely untapped market, and attempts to break into it have foundered mainly because of the presence of the USA Cricket Association, an organisation in such a mess it has twice been suspended by the ICC. Despite fresh elections in March and a new constitution, it remains shambolic.That Leach, who a firm supporter of Clarke, has held talks with SCPW indicates the ECB is prepared to bypass the USACA and go straight to the people with the money and the expertise.

يرغب ماركوس ألونسو ظهير تشيلسي الإنجليزي، العودة إلى إسبانيا ووجهته المختارة لمواصلة لعب كرة القدم هي نادي برشلونة.

بعد 12 عامًا في الخارج، تسعة في إنجلترا (بين بولتون، سندرلاند وتشيلسي) وثلاثة في إيطاليا (فيورنتينا)، لا يفكر ألونسو إلا في العودة إلى الليجا، وبالتالي يكون قادرًا على أن يكون قريبًا من عائلته.

الدولي الإسباني هو اللاعب الذي اختاره تشافي هيرنانديز للتنافس مع جوردي ألبا، الذي لم يجد منذ رحيل لوكاس ديني في 2018 أي شخص يحل محله.

ماركوس ألونسو واضح جدًا بشأن مصيره، لكنه يواجه في الوقت الحالي رفض تشيلسي.

ونظرًا للعقبات التي يواجهها تشيلسي لتسهيل رحيله، عندما يتبقى عام واحد فقط على عقده في ستامفورد بريدج، لا يستبعد ألونسو اللجوء إلى “طلب الانتقال” ليتمكن من مغادرة فريقه بحسب ما أفادت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية. 

على الرغم من حقيقة أن ماركوس ألونسو يفضل ترك تشيلسي بطريقة ودية، لكن العقبات التي يواجهها قد تجعله يعيد التفكير.

اقرأ أيضًا | توتنهام يستعلم عن إمكانية ضم مهاجم برشلونة

“طلب النقل” هو وسيلة الضغط المتاح للاعبي الدوري الإنجليزي الذين يرغبون في مغادرة أنديتهم ومن خلاله يتدخل الاتحاد الإنجليزي للتوسط مع النادي المعني واللاعب لمحاولة وصول الطرفين إلى حالة مرضية.

حتى الآن، في كل مرة يحاول فيها وكيل ألونسو إيجاد مخرج مع تشيلسي، كان يواجه دائمًا رفضًا، لذلك إذا لم يكن هناك تغيير في الأيام القليلة المقبلة – فسيعتمد ذلك أيضًا على الرافعة الاقتصادية الثانية التي يتم تنشيطها في برشلونة. 

Charlton put on a show on Tuesday night as they produced a magnificent display against Crawley in the EFL Trophy, winning 6-1.

The Addicks have had a disappointing start to the 2021/22 campaign and this result could help lift the confidence heading into the rest of the season. Nigel Adkins’ side lost four of their first five competitive fixtures and picked up one solitary point in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day.

Their first League One victory came last weekend with a 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra, with Charlton following that up with an exceptional 6-1 win against Crawley. Josh Davison scored twice, with Corey Taylor, Elliot Lee and Mason Burstow also scoring, along with an own goal from Crawley’s George Francomb.

Davison and the other goalscorers will take the acclaim for finding the back of the net, but there was a player in Charlton’s midfield who was the unsung hero with his performance in the middle of the park – George Dobson.

The 23-year-old, who arrived from Sunderland in the summer, put on a superb display in midfield as he dominated the game. He recorded a SofaScore rating of 7.9 for his showing, the highest out of all the players who failed to get on the scoresheet – with goals, of course, boosting the ratings of the goalscorers.

Per SofaScore, Dobson won the majority of his duels on the pitch – winning seven of his 12 contests, six of 11 on the ground and one out of one in the air. His key defensive stats, however, are where the true excellence of his performance lay. He made three clearances, five tackles, two blocks and eight interceptions over the course of 90 minutes.

To put that into perspective, Ian Maatsen’s average of 4.5 tackles and interceptions per game in League One was the highest in the Charlton squad last season. Dobson managed a combined 13 tackles and interceptions against Crawley, illustrating his dominance in midfield.

Whilst it is easy to be attracted to the players who scored the goals, Dobson was the one winning the ball back and initiating the attacks for Charlton. Without his incredible work in midfield, the rest of the team may not have had the opportunities to go on and score the goals they did, whilst the ex-Black Cats man also registered an assist for his troubles as well.

This is why he was the unsung hero for Adkins on Tuesday night. However, the Addicks boss will now be wanting to see a similar style of display more consistently from the beast in League One going forward.

أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، رقم قميص مُهاجمه النرويجي، إيرلينج هالاند، والذي سيلعب به مع النادي السماوي.

وكان هالاند قد انضم إلى مانشستر سيتي في صيف العام الجاري، قادمًا من بوروسيا دورتموند بعد عامين مع النادي الألماني.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تشيلسي يستعد لتجديد عقد لاعبه بعد اهتمام مانشستر سيتي وريال مدريد

مانشستر سيتي عبر حسابه الرسمي بموقع التواصل الاجتماعي “تويتر”، نشر مقطع فيديو لمُهاجمه النرويجي، وهو يختار القميص رقم 9، وقال النرويجي: “أراكم قريبًا”.

See you soon! 💙 pic.twitter.com/Q4X1zdEnW2 — Manchester City (@ManCity) July 9, 2022

وارتدى هالاند نفس الرقم مع فريق بوروسيا دورتموند السابق وورث القميص من جابرييل جيسوس الذي غادر مؤخرًا وانضم إلى آرسنال.

وأعلن مانشستر سيتي أن قميص هالاند بات متاحًا في المتجر الرسمي للنادي مقابل 110 دولار أمريكي أي ما يُعادل (2000 جنيه مصري).

Umpire Asad Rauf will not be able to stand in the first Test between India andEngland in Chennai because of a delay in obtaining the correct visa toIndia.Pakistani and Indian nationals require city-specific visas to each other’scountries and Rauf had a valid visa for Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bangalore.The first two were for the Tests and the third for a Champions League gamehe was to officiate.But following the terror attacks in Mumbai last week, the Test venues werechanged to Chennai and Mohali, cities for which Rauf had to get visasagain. “The Indian High Commission is shut for the next five days becauseof the weekend and the Eid holidays,” Rauf told Cricinfo.”So I will not be able to get the right visa for the first Test in time.There is still time for the second Test so I hope to be there for that.The BCCI has given instructions to the High Commission to provide theright visa as soon as the application is made.”The ICC has not yet made an official announcement on Rauf’s replacementfor the first Test.