List of All Articles with Tag 'a'

New Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk understands why some sections of the fanbase are heading into the season apprehensive about what it may bring but he does not share their concerns. There is growing unease over the club’s failure to recruit a defensive midfielder following the sale of Fabinho to Al-Ittihad and manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted he will have to find a quick fix from within the squad for this weekend’s opener at Chelsea. After the departures of Jordan Henderson, also to Saudi Arabia, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain there is little left of the core midfield which helped win the Champions League and Premier League in recent years. It means forward Cody Gakpo could be asked to drop back while £35million summer signing Alexis Mac Allister is likely to be deployed in the deep-lying role – which does not play to the Argentinian World Cup winner’s strengths – with fellow new arrival Dominik Szobozslai expected to make his Premier League debut. The club’s stuttering pursuit of Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, who could fill the Fabinho role despite being only 19 and having made just 29 appearances in one top-flight season, has led to criticism from the likes of former Reds defender Jamie Carragher. But as Van Dijk embarks on his maiden campaign as captain, having inherited the armband from Henderson, he remains confident they can find the improvements necessary to get back into the top four and challenge Manchester City and Arsenal. “I can definitely understand it (fans’ negativity) in some ways but I’m not a very negative person, so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that,” he said. “But obviously when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving, and at the moment there are only two incomings… “And the way we have been playing, in possession really good but defensively when you concede goals it’s not as good I can understand some people having doubts. I can understand some people having doubts... but I’m not a very negative person so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that Virgil van Dijk “Let’s see if more players are coming in and then we have to be ready again for a long season. It will be very tough if we look at the teams around us, but we want to be up there again, we want to be challenging again.” The loss of the majority of their midfield has not only left Liverpool short on numbers but also on experience, with 1,318 appearances in the middle of the park disappearing over the summer. While Mac Allister, 24, has made 98 Premier League appearances for Brighton, the 22-year-old Szobozslai has just 62 Bundesliga games to his name in two seasons with RB Leipzig, although his consistently high numbers were one of the reasons Liverpool made their move. Other realistic midfield options currently available are Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic, who have not featured in pre-season as they continue to recover from injuries sustained last season. There is the 24-year-old Gakpo, with 21 league appearances in four months after joining in January, and academy graduate Curtis Jones, aged 22 with 63 league outings. Van Dijk sees the loss of senior players as an opportunity for others to take up the mantle. “We have to be confident, we should be confident and we should still be learning each and every day,” he added. “There have been characters leaving, players who have played a big part in the success, but others have to step up. “That’s a nice challenge in my opinion. We should be excited. I’m very excited, so let’s give it a go.” Van Dijk himself is typically relaxed about his promotion to captain but knows he is following on from the ultra-successful Henderson, who lifted the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup. “Obviously we won everything together, and I was very sad to see him leave to be honest but that’s football, that’s life, and he has the right to do that in this case,” said the Dutchman. “He made that decision but if I can be as successful as he was as a captain then I would sign (up) for that immediately. “It’s step by step. I’m looking for consistency from our side, winning games, winning them the hard way at times, finding a way and creating a positive atmosphere where we all do it together. “That’s how I want to attack the season and give everyone the assurance that we give everything for one another. Hopefully we will be successful.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Joe Roberts could make Wales debut in next World Cup warm-up clash with England Hull KR captain Shaun Kenny-Dowall hoping to top off career with Wembley win Key questions answered as Robert Helenius steps in to take on Anthony Joshua

Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. and Dodgers' Freddie Freeman are going head to head in the NL MVP race in 2023. Who's coming out on top?As the NL MVP race heats up this season, one current Braves player and one former Braves player could wrestle for the coveted award. The rumored favorit...

Giorgos Giakoumakis signed for Atlanta United in the 2023 winter transfer window, filling the void Josef Martinez left in the attack when moving to Inter Miami.

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the signing of Alejo Veliz from Rosario Central, subject to international clearance and a work permit. He has signed a six-year contract.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans better hope Kenny Pickett becomes more efficient in the red zone.Kenny Pickett is a promising quarterback, but the Pittsburgh Steelers will need him to execute at a higher level in the red zone to help get this middle-of-the-pack AFC team over the top here soon.Mark ...

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be the best team in the NFL when it comes to proper hydration.Make that two southeastern football teams of note that p**s teal, and excellence!When it comes to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, it is about showing pride in one's school. But for the Jackson...

Colombia beat Jamaica in their last-16 tie to set up a quarter-final against England, with France then brushing aside Morocco to secure a date with co-hosts Australia at the Women’s World Cup. The matches completed the last-16 fixtures, with attention next turning to the quarter-finals which get under way on Friday. Here, the PA news agency takes a look back at Tuesday. Colombia out to hunt Lionesses Colombia set up a quarter-final clash with England as they edged past Jamaica 1-0 in Melbourne thanks to Catalina Usme’s effort early in the second half. The decisive moment in the battle between two of the tournament’s surprise packages came when Usme beat Rebecca Spencer with a composed finish in the 51st minute. Jamaica, making their maiden appearance in the knockout rounds, hit the post seconds later through Jody Brown, with Colombia’s Leicy Santos then doing the same late on as the South Americans moved into the last eight of the competition for the first time in their history. James apologises to Alozie Lauren James apologised to Michelle Alozie for standing on the back of the Nigeria defender, earning the England forward a red card towards the end of normal time in the Lionesses’ last-16 victory on Monday. In response to a tweet from Alozie, James posted: “All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened. “Also, for our England fans and my team-mates, playing with and for you is my greatest honour and I promise to learn from my experience.” Allez Les Bleues France ended Morocco’s historic campaign by cruising to a 4-0 triumph in Adelaide against Morocco, the lowest-ranked side left in the tournament at 72nd in the world, who had been among the competition debutants this summer. The job was all but done by the interval thanks to a quickfire first-half treble from world number five-ranked France, with Kadidiatou Diani opening the scoring before providing assists for Kenza Dali and Eugenie Le Sommer. Morocco, managed by former France international Reynald Pedros, had a less torrid time of it after the break but conceded again in the 70th minute when Le Sommer headed home. Picture of the day Nigeria’s next fight Having bowed out of the tournament to England on penalties on Monday, Nigeria are now embarking on another fight in the form of a pay dispute with their federation. World players’ union FIFPRO said in a statement on their behalf: “The Super Falcons believe that it is now time for the Nigeria Football Federation to honour their commitments and pay the outstanding amounts. “The team is extremely frustrated that they have had to pursue the NFF for these payments before and during the tournament and may have to continue to do so afterwards. “It is regrettable that players needed to challenge their own federation at such an important time in their careers.” What’s next? Quarter-final: Spain v Netherlands (Friday, 0200)Quarter-final: Japan v Sweden (Friday, 0830)

Ron DeSantis is traveling around the country letting everyone know that he's running for president right now. Every now and then he stops to interact with people and it's always an adventure. During one of this latest stops he was asked about his polling numbers, which one person said were "substantially behind" Donald Trump. Rather than take this one sitting down, DeSantis took control of the narrative, stretched out his face, said, "Not here!" and launched into an animated, maniacal laugh.

The Guardians' Single-A team couldn't resist taking another swing at Tim Anderson. The trolling never stops.White Sox's Tim Anderson will soon get a statue built in his honor in Cleveland. The fallen usually do.In the aftermath of the shocking fist fight between Anderson and G...

After hitting into two double plays on Sunday, struggling Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa provided a surprisingly honest evaluation of his problems.Following the Twins' 5-3 victory over the Diamondbacks on Sunday, Carlos Correa was asked if he knows why he has hit into so many doubl...

Manchester City are increasingly positive that Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva will stay at the Etihad Stadium, despite interest from the European superpowers. The right-back and the midfielder have both been offered new contracts by the Premier League champions and, while neither has signed yet, the feeling is growing that they will. Walker, who has entered the last year of his current deal, has been a target for Bayern Munich and had been expected to join the German champions. The 33-year-old had told teammates on City’s pre-season tour of Asia that he was likely to sign for Bayern but has had a change of heart. City manager Pep Guardiola has done his utmost to convince the England and Portugal internationals to stay, saying on Friday they would “do everything” to persuade them both. Guardiola had dinner with Walker on Friday and has made the defender captain throughout City’s pre-season games, after the departure of former skipper Ilkay Gundogan and when vice-captain Kevin de Bruyne has begun on the bench on his comeback from injury. Silva, who has two years left on his deal in Manchester, has attracted interest from both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona but Guardiola criticised his former club on Friday for forever trying to sign the former Monaco player without submitting a bid that came close to City’s valuation of him. “If we don’t get a proper offer, he’s our player and we want him,” he said. Silva was also wanted in Saudi Arabia, although the 29-year-old has seemed to see his future in Europe. With Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez leaving this summer, his ability to play in the centre of midfield or on the right wing arguably makes him even more important to City this season while Walker is the only senior specialist right-back in Guardiola’s thinking. Silva and Walker joined in 2017 and have gone to make 307 and 255 appearances respectively, winning five Premier League titles each and the treble of the English title, the FA Cup and the Champions League last season. Read More Kevin De Bruyne ‘way ahead’ of schedule on return from hamstring injury Mikel Arteta benefits from new law changes as Arsenal clinch Community Shield Barcelona landed one Man City star for free - now Pep Guardiola won’t allow another

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has explained why he relished going up against Manchester City's Erling Haaland last season. Los Blancos faced the Cityzens in the semi-finals of the Champions League, losing 5-1 on aggregate.