List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer has stated the club have little interest in selling Alphonso Davies amid transfer interest from European rivals Real Madrid.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is on course to return to action for the Gunners later this month after the November international break.

The international break could hardly have been better timed for Newcastle with the rigours of competing on multiple fronts having taken a devastating toll on their playing resources. On Saturday, the Magpies arrived at Bournemouth without 11 senior players as a result of injury and suspension. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the issues facing a club which has enjoyed a swift rise under its new owners amid stiff opposition on and off the pitch. How extensive are Newcastle’s selection problems? Very. Head coach Eddie Howe was unable to call upon Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Matt Targett, Javier Manquillo, Elliot Anderson, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson through injury, as well as suspended duo Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, at the Vitality Stadium. The Magpies then saw Miguel Almiron added to the list when he limped off after just 31 minutes. Burn, Barnes and Anderson are facing months on the sidelines, while £55million summer signing Tonali will not be able to play again until August next year after admitting breaches of betting regulations. How much toll have the injuries taken on the pitch? Until last week, very little, but chickens have started to come home to roost. Howe, who favours a high-pressing game, gambled on leaving Almiron and the in-form Anthony Gordon out of his starting line-up for Tuesday night’s Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund in the hope they would be able to come off the bench and affect the game late on. In the event, he was forced to introduce them at half-time with Dortmund already leading, and his side was unable to stave off a 2-0 defeat. So depleted were Newcastle’s resources on the south coast four days later that 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley was handed a first Premier League start, while 18-year-old striker Ben Parkinson was used as a substitute and Alex Murphy, 19, and Amadou Diallo, 20, were also named on the bench. However, tired legs and minds contributed to a second successive 2-0 loss. What lies ahead? If the opening three months of the season have been gruelling, the final two months of 2023 promise to be no less taxing. The Magpies head for Paris St Germain on November 28 and entertain AC Milan on December 13 knowing they may have to win both games to keep alive their first Champions League campaign for 20 years, and having accounted for both Manchester clubs in the Carabao Cup, now travel to Chelsea in the quarter-finals next month. In addition, they face league clashes with improving Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham before they head for Liverpool on New Year’s Day as they attempt to fight their way to another top-four finish. Will they attempt to address the situation in January? They were always likely to bolster their squad during the winter transfer window, but Tonali’s unexpected absence has made that imperative. However, they also remain short in central defence and attacking roles and all three areas are likely to be focuses. How might their options be limited? The club was close to its Financial Fair Play limit at the end of its summer spending spree and sporting director Dan Ashworth has indicated a “creative” approach may be needed, and that could mean loan deals with options to buy. In addition, Premier League shareholders will later this month vote on a proposal to ban loan deals between ‘associated clubs’ – those whose owners hold stakes in other clubs – on an interim basis. Newcastle are 80 per cent-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which also has controlling interests in Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. Agreement would prevent the Magpies from pursuing a long-held interest in Al-Hilal’s former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, with whom they have been linked repeatedly in recent weeks. Is there a need for perspective? There is. The club sat just one place off the foot of the table when Howe replaced Steve Bruce at the helm in November 2021. They finished fourth last season to secure a place at European football’s top table for the first time in two decades and also reached the Carabao Cup final. They currently lie fourth in Champions League Group F, but have a mathematical chance of making the knockout stage, and are seventh in the Premier League table with another domestic cup run well under way. Read More Ben Davies keen to prove doubters wrong as Wales target another major tournament Britain’s Katie Boulter eager to build on her successful season in 2024 On this day in 2006: Gold Cup winning Desert Orchid dies at the age of 27 The sporting weekend in pictures Football to bid farewell to Sir Bobby Charlton on Monday San Francisco 49ers return to winning ways against Jacksonville Jaguars

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The league table is taking on an eerily familiar look for Liverpool. The identity of the one team above them is typical, the gap a bittersweet reminder of brushes with greatness, of the unique achievement of taking first 97 and then 92 points in Premier League seasons without becoming champions in either. Manchester City are first, Liverpool second. There is one point between them, just as there was in the 2018-19 season and again in the 2021-22 campaign. Liverpool 2.0, Jurgen Klopp’s new-look side, find themselves in the precise position their predecessors twice finished. Perhaps they are fated to forever be on City’s shoulder, the Jan Ullrich to Pep Guardiola’s Lance Armstrong, the closest challengers to the serial champions. But victory at home to Brentford means they have fashioned another top-of-the-table showdown; the Etihad Stadium will host the top two on 25 November. It feels an early-season achievement for a revamped side. Their initial aim was to return to the top four, not title contention; beat City, though, and they will be top. Liverpool may be ahead of schedule. “It’s possible,” Klopp accepted. “I didn’t think about it but it feels good. It is only November. But it’s really important we have the same points as other teams.” In itself, it marks a difference from a year ago. After a dozen games then, Liverpool were 13 points behind City. As they have procured 11 points from losing positions already, there could be a similar gulf now. Klopp has found much to enjoy from a team in transition, the unknown quantity who may assume the recognisable role of City’s major rivals, their powers of recovery offering a metaphor for a broader project. “We have to keep going with all the other teams until maybe March or April and if you are still there, we can start talking,” Klopp reflected. It may be too easy to talk of a title decider, then, but he has proved that his teams can sustain form from winter into spring. “Until then, fight your way through the most difficult league in the world and be ready on Thursday and on Sunday and Thursday.” That readiness has been tested. “We didn’t play perfect football yet, not even close. But we fight our way through in moments and it is all fine,” Klopp said. Liverpool have conceded first in five league games and lost none of them. They have had four red cards, three of which Klopp believes were wrong. They lost their defensive midfield in the summer and had to rebuild an entire department of the team. But their only defeat came from an own goal in the 96th minute for their nine remaining men at Tottenham. Perhaps it was a sign of standards Klopp’s best teams have set that his verdict on Liverpool’s opening 12 games concentrated on the setbacks. “Football is strange,” he said. “If you would have asked me three days [ago, after losing against Toulouse] just about the feeling, not about what I know, I am not sure I would talk about the start. A point at Luton didn’t feel great, Tottenham, in the circumstances, obviously didn’t feel great and I don’t know [about] the other games.” Perhaps they can be divided into two fairly obvious categories: home and away. Liverpool have an extraordinary record at Anfield under Klopp, with one loss in their last 48 home league games and just one in front of a crowd in six-and-a-half years. Now they have six wins from six, albeit with the caveat that only one of this season’s victims are in the top eight. Get as close to the maximum of 57 points at home – and they mustered 53 in 18/19 and 55 in their title-winning campaign of 19/20 – and it would underpin a title tilt. Their fixture list has been tougher on the road – and will get harder again at the Etihad – and dropping nine points indicates such games could prove their undoing. But the fight Klopp referenced and cherishes has been evident away from home. It may be where Liverpool’s most glaring shortcoming has threatened to be exposed: the absence of a specialist nullifier at the base of the midfield. They have the joint best defensive record, but it owes much to Alisson; only eight teams have benefited from more saves. This team is less solid than Klopp’s greatest side. But, as Brentford were dismissed 3-0, Virgil van Dijk again offered signs he is back to his commanding best. In Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool have – at least as long as Kevin De Bruyne is sidelined – the outstanding passer in the Premier League. Their attack is sufficiently menacing that no one has had more shots. It is partly a product of Darwin Nunez’s inimitable threat, but also of Mohamed Salah’s continued brilliance. He has 10 goals and four assists already and a generous tribute from an impartial observer, the beaten Brentford manager, suggested the Egyptian could be decisive. “Off the top of my head, he is the best player in the league,” Thomas Frank said. “What a level. He must be one of the best offensive players in the world. Not top 10, top three.” All of which gives Liverpool a chance. So does their record against City: famously, no manager has beaten Guardiola more than Klopp and it seems impossible to dethrone the champions without defeating them at least once. And if the players change in these summit clashes, there will be the same sights on the touchlines. Guardiola and Klopp, separated by a few yards and a solitary point once more. A German thinker of a rather earlier era than Klopp, Karl Marx, argued that history repeated itself first as tragedy and then as farce. For Klopp and Guardiola, however, it may be repeating itself for a third time in an epic duel. Read More From Aguero winner to Keegan dismay, Chelsea-City joins Premier League classics Jurgen Klopp reignites early kick-off row ahead of Man City vs Liverpool clash Liverpool vs Brentford LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Jurgen Klopp admits Trent Alexander-Arnold may be the middle man Liverpool need Jurgen Klopp reacts to release of Luis Diaz’s kidnapped father: ‘Really happy’ Jurgen Klopp reveals his ‘main issue’ after VAR denies Liverpool in Toulouse

Sydney Sweeney is back filming in Australia, Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher, the Cowboys stomped the Giants and more in the Roundup.

Ben Davies insists Wales are determined to prove the doubters wrong by making Euro 2024 and reaching a fourth major tournament in five attempts. Wales are preparing for decisive Euro 2024 ties against Armenia and Turkey knowing qualification for next summer’s finals is in their own hands. Last month’s stunning 2-1 upset win over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia has set Rob Page’s side up for what could be another momentous week in Welsh football. Tottenham defender Davies, stand-in skipper for the injured Aaron Ramsey on the night and again this week, gave a rousing ‘huddle’ speech after the Croatia game that was caught on camera. Evoking the words of Dafydd Iwan’s Yma O Hyd – the 1980s folk protest song which has been adopted by the Football Association of Wales as an anthem and translates as “Still Here” – Davies declared that the Dragons never give in. “It was just a case of showing the reason why we’re here,” Davies said of a speech which came during a campaign in which Wales have had to adapt to life without the match-winning exploits of the retired Gareth Bale. “It was backs against the walls stuff, it was showing that people doubted us again but we’re still standing. “We’re standing up against the challenges and here we are with two games to go still in the fight. “We never stopped believing in this group. The mindset we’ve got is we can get a result against anyone. We’ve shown that.” If they fail to qualify automatically – dropped points will leave them relying on other results for a top-two place – Wales are guaranteed a play-off place through their elite status in the last edition of the Nations League. But overcoming Armenia and already-qualified Turkey might be an easier proposition than beating the likes of Norway, Poland and Ukraine in March. Automatic qualification, however, looked improbable after June’s 4-2 defeat to Armenia in Cardiff, and the subsequent 2-0 away loss in Turkey three days later. Davies said: “It was obviously disappointing to lose to Armenia at home in the summer. The mindset we've got is we can get a result against anyone. We've shown that Wales captain Ben Davies “In these groups your home record usually has to be very good, but we’ve been here before. “We’ve had our backs against the wall and we’ve given ourselves a chance. It’s exactly the same now. “It’s quite clear the second game doesn’t matter if the first one doesn’t go our way. “This week it’s full focus on Armenia. We had a tough result against them at home, it was a real wake-up call. “They’re a good side and showed that against us, and it’s important we go there knowing we’ve got a big job to do.” Davies, Ramsey and goalkeepers Danny Ward and Wayne Hennessey are the four survivors remaining from the squad that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016. Wales went 58 years before their first major tournament – the 1958 World Cup – and their second in France. But playing in Germany next summer would see them making four tournaments out of five – three successive European Championships and the 2022 World Cup. “Growing up it was a dream of Welsh football to be going to these major tournaments,” Davies said. “That dream still exists and this is another huge chance we’ve got. “We don’t want to sit on the success and say: ‘OK, we’ve been there and had a nice time’. “Once you get a taste of it you want to do it again. That’s exactly where we are as a group this time.” Wales qualified for Euro 2020 by winning their final two games, away to Azerbaijan and at home to Hungary, and obvious parallels exist with a far-flung trip to Eastern Europe followed by a sell-out clash at the Cardiff City Stadium. Davies said: “Of course there are similarities from the last time we qualified (for the European Championship). “It’s a tight group and they’re always going to come down to it (last games), whatever happens. Most of us have been in this situation before and it’s an opportunity for us to do it again.” Read More Britain’s Katie Boulter eager to build on her successful season in 2024 On this day in 2006: Gold Cup winning Desert Orchid dies at the age of 27 The sporting weekend in pictures Football to bid farewell to Sir Bobby Charlton on Monday San Francisco 49ers return to winning ways against Jacksonville Jaguars Oleksandr Zinchenko says Ukraine ready for ‘game of their lives’ against Italy

Joao Neves was being watched by Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal as he scored for Benfica.

Albert Rusnak received high praise from Sounders boss Brian Schmetzer.

Tottenham Hotspur representatives were present at the Estadio da Luz to watch Benfica beat Sporting CP 2-1 in the Lisbon derby. Spurs are believed to have been keeping a close eye on Pedro Goncalves and academy graduate Marcus Edwards.

Reece James' focus remains solely on helping Chelsea re-establish themselves as Premier League title contenders despite the interest in his services from Manchester City and Real Madrid, 90min understands.