Wrexham have been described as the "Harlem Globetrotters of League One" by Rotherham manager Steve Evans.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Wrexham & Birmingham have American ownersTeams competing for League One titleRotherham coach has his say on rivalsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Welsh club sit in second place in League One following their second consecutive promotion last season. The Red Dragons have experienced an incredible rise up the leagues as well as an increase in popularity, attracting fans from around the world after Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became owners of the club.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham will next be in action against Rotherham on October 19 and will be eager to make it three straight wins to ensure they maintain pressure on title contenders Birmingham, who also have American ownership, with Tom Brady owning a stake in the club.

WHAT EVANS SAID

Looking ahead to the clash with Phil Parkinson's team, Rotherham boss Evans revealed his nickname for the club.

"I've described them as the Harlem Globetrotters of League One," he told reporters.

Evans then revealed the key difference between the two clubs, adding: "Birmingham are the boys with the big money. Wrexham have also got money, but they've got the movie stars as well."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

After beating Wolves Under 21s in the EFL Trophy during the week, Wrexham will have the weekend off and will take on Rotherham on October 19, followed by a match against Huddersfield three days later.

Liverpool recovered under Jurgen Klopp last season and clinched a Champions League-qualifying place in the Premier League, also winning the Carabao Cup with a last-gasp Virgil van Dijk goal against Chelsea.

But they were a day late and a dollar short in the top-flight title race, also falling in the FA Cup and Europa League against eventual winners Manchester United and Atalanta.

Klopp's departure after nearly nine years of unforgettable football heightened expectations but, all in all, Liverpool enjoyed an excellent campaign, but now, under Arne Slot, Anfield must make further improvements to raise their game next term.

While concrete news is thin at this early stage, The Athletic's James Pearce has stated that signing a centre-back and a defensive midfielder should be among Liverpool's chief concerns this summer.

Liverpool lining up new midfielder

According to Sport Zone, Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal in principle with Atalanta hero Ederson, having scouted the Brazilian all season.

However, Pearce has quashed such claims by revealing that French sources are wide of the mark. This might come as a negative for Liverpool supporters but it does suggest that securing an upgrade on Wataru Endo is being explored.

And given that Tutto Juve have revealed this week that Liverpool pose the biggest threat to Juventus in their bid to sign Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa, who is valued at €70m (roughly £59m), it's perhaps understandable that Slot and Co are pushing for an alternative to the Atalanta man.

Why Liverpool should sign Douglas Luiz over Ederson

Liverpool completed a sharp deal in signing Endo from Stuttgart for £16m last summer, having failed rather bleakly in bids to sign Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, both of whom wound up at Chelsea.

But FSG still sanctioned a £111m outlay for Caicedo, who "has the potential to become one of the best" midfielders, according to Mauricio Pochettino. This denotes the ambition that could see a big name greeted on Merseyside.

And that signature may well belong to Luiz, who was described as "one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders" throughout the 2023/24 campaign by Villa reporter Jacob Tanswell, instrumental in Unai Emery's side's top-four finish.

The 26-year-old scored ten goals and supplied ten assists in all competitions but don't let this deceive you: the Brazil international is a first-rate holding midfielder and his attacking strength simply demonstrates how dynamic and far-reaching his skill set really is.

Ederson is also a high-class midfielder and he showcased this in Piero Gian Gasperini's team this season, but he's not "one of the best 6s", unlike Luiz, who was described as such by football content consultant Adam Gilks.

Matches played

35

36

Matches started

35

32

Goals

9

6

Assists

5

1

Pass completion

89%

84%

Big chances created

10

2

Key passes

1.5

0.5

Ball recoveries

5.3

5.2

Tackles

1.7

2.3

Duels won

4.2 (51%)

4.8 (55%)

Dribble attempts

0.7 (60%)

0.6 (55%)

While Atalanta's tough-tackling titan appears to be ahead of his countryman in pure defensive metrics, this is not a long shot and the more complete style of Luiz could work far better for a team such as Liverpool, who will focus on ball-playing dominance and fast transitions under Slot's philosophy.

Luiz can hold his own against the best at the base of the engine room but his elite passing game and creative flair make for a much better fit, and Liverpool must invest time and energy into beating Juventus and securing the signature of a top-class Premier League star, proven at the highest level of the English game.

Liverpool make first move for "excellent" £100m+ star; same agent as Nunez

Contact has been made.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 7, 2024

تواصلت الإثارة في منافسات بطولة الدوري الإيطالي، لهذا الموسم 2024/25، حيث حقق إنتر ميلان فوزًا ثمينًا على خصمه كومو مساء يوم الإثنين.

وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة السابعة عشر من السيري آ، لقاء الختام، حيث فاز إنتر ميلان بهدفين دون رد. أهداف مباراة إنتر ميلان وكومو في الدوري الإيطالي

كان التعادل السلبي قد سيطر على أجواء الشوط الأول بين الفريقين، حيث لم يتمكن أي منهما من التسجيل طوال الدقائق الـ45 الأولى.

وتغير الوضع مع بداية الشوط الثاني، وتحديدًا في الدقيقة 48، بعدما سجل كارلوس أوقستو هدف التقدم لصالح إنتر ميلان.

وانتهت آمال كومو في إمكانية العودة بعدما سجل ماركوس تورام الهدف الثاني لصالح إنتر ميلان، في الدقيقة الثانية من الوقت المحتسب بدلَا من الضائع.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد إنتر ميلان إلى 37 نقطة في المركز الثالث، بينما تجمد رصيد كومو عند 15 نقطة في المركز السادس عشر.

Enzo Maresca has been tasked with the job of returning Chelsea to the top of the Premier League following his appointment from Leicester City earlier this month.

The Italian comes in to replace Mauricio Pochettino who was relieved of his duties despite leading the Blues to automatic qualification for the Europa League ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Maresca arrives at Stamford Bridge with a talented young squad following huge investment from owner Todd Boehly who has splashed over £1bn on new transfers since his takeover of the club back in 2022.

However, despite the huge influx of incomings, the new Chelsea boss will undoubtedly want to bolster the squad, looking to make more new additions following the arrival of Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham upon the conclusion of his current deal at Craven Cottage.

As a result, numerous players currently playing their trade at the club will have to make way to allow for more investment, with a plethora of players being linked with an exit.

One player in particular has been subject to huge interest, potentially ending his longstanding affiliation with the Blues this summer.

Chelsea could sell £20m star this summer

Chelsea forward Armando Broja has recently been linked with a big-money move away from Stamford Bridge in the hopes of reigniting his once-promising career at the club.

The Albanian striker suffered an ACL injury in a friendly against Aston Villa during the break for the World Cup in 2022, looking a shadow of his former self upon his return to action.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at fellow Premier League side Fulham, failing to score a single goal and only featuring eight times in a disappointing move for the 22-year-old.

However, despite his dismal spell under Marco Silva, he’s been subject to £20m interest from the likes of Wolves, Crystal Palace and Everton – with all three battling to win the race for his signature ahead of next season.

Broja is currently representing his nation at Euro 2024, and after his display against current holders Italy on Saturday night, the club should look to cash in on him as soon as possible.

Armando Broja’s stats against Italy

Undoubtedly, Albania were underdogs going into the clash against the Italians this weekend, but Broja failed to have any real impact on the game, subsequently being replaced with just under 15 minutes remaining.

The 22-year-old forward failed to register a single shot during the entirety of the encounter, only managing 22 touches – an average of one touch every three and a half minutes.

He also only completed six passes, giving possession away six times and committing two fouls, picking up a yellow card for his troubles during the 2-1 defeat.

Armando Broja's stats against Italy (Euro 2024)

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

77'

Shots

0

Passes completed

6

Touches

22

Possession lost

6

Fouls committed

2

Dribbles completed

1/2 (50%)

Stats via Sofascore

Broja only managed to complete 50% of his attempted dribbles in Dortmund, with his display unable to catapult Albania to a shock victory despite taking the lead in the first minute of the game.

Saturday's display was further evidence of his huge decline since his horrific injury, with Broja unable to match his previous from before his extended spell on the sidelines which saw him score nine times on loan at Southampton during the 2021/22 season.

The club and player desperately need to part ways, with Chelsea receiving a hefty sum to reinvest in their battle to return to Premier League glory, with the striker presented with a fresh start to reignite his career away from Stamford Bridge.

Related Enquiry made: Chelsea could repeat Lukaku mess by signing £65m star

The Chelsea target can be bought for £65m this summer.

Posts ByTom Lever Jun 13, 2024

The last time Kings XI Punjab took on the Kolkata Knight Riders, a little over two weeks ago, KL Rahul’s side seemed to have plumbed the depths in the IPL. They had slumped to a sixth loss in seven games, this one particularly galling after having the match well in hand for about 90 percent of the chase. By the time the return fixture against the Knight Riders came about, the Kings XI were a team transformed – or at least a team with fortunes transformed.There was no mucking about with last-over finishes, just a good bowling performance backed up by a efficient chase, and a fifth win on the trot. That the victory came against the Knight Riders – their closest competitors for a playoff spot – made this particularly significant. The Kings XI now have 12 points and moved to the top half of the points table.The bowlers had kept the Knight Riders to 149 for 9, having successfully weathered an 81-run stand between Shubman Gill and Eoin Morgan. Mohammed Shami struck upfront and the legspin pair of Ravi Bishnoi and M Ashwin applied the choke in the second half.The chase was clinical. Mandeep Singh partnered Rahul again at the top and shrugged off initial struggles to hit an emotionally charged half-century, batting till the end when the winning runs were hit. Chris Gayle came in at No.3 and bossed the bowlers around in a way only he can, out for 51 off 29 when only three runs were needed to create some artificial jitters, but Kings XI were not to be denied on Monday.The Shami burst at the top
In what has been a regular occurrence this IPL, Shami struck early, bowling beautiful lines. Rahul Tripathi pushed at one that seamed away after pitching on off to be caught behind. Two balls later, Shami did it again, only with even more impressive movement to send back Dinesh Karthik. The batsman reviewed, because his bat had hit pad too, but the ball was too close to the bat for the decision to be overturned. This was after Glenn Maxwell had already snared Nitish Rana in the first over of the match, and at 10 for 3 in two overs, the Knight Riders were in a bit of a hole.Morgan, Gill counter-attack
It was breathtaking to watch while it was on. Morgan was into his stride straightaway, and both men exploded when Shami was given a third over in the powerplay, taking him for 21 runs after he had given up just six in his first two overs. Both men continued in that vein even after the powerplay was done, punishing anything that was wide or full. Gill, who had been more circumspect at the start in earlier games, matched Morgan stroke for stroke as the Knight Riders made light of the early wickets. It was especially impressive given their long tail, and the pair of Gill and Morgan were the last proper batsmen they had.Bishnoi, Ashwin rein the batsmen in
Ashwin gave up 14 runs in his first over, both Morgan and Gill hitting a six each. Bishnoi was hit for a six off his third ball, but off his fifth, he had Morgan slog-sweeping one of his googlies for his leg-spin twin to gobble the catch at deep square leg. Morgan had made 40 off 25 and taken the Knight Riders to 91 for 3 in the tenth over alongside Gill, but as soon as he fell, the team started to feel the effects of a lengthy tail.Gill had faced 28 balls in the first ten overs, but in the next six overs, he was on strike for just nine deliveries. Sunil Narine, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Pat Cummins were unable to get the leggies away, even to just turn the strike over to Gill, and the Knight Riders innings sputtered. Gill was eventually out for a 45-ball 57 in the 19th over, having to farm the strike and manufacture big shots.Mandeep starts cautiously, Gayle blasts off
Kings XI were missing Mayank Agarwal for a second game, but they stuck to the previous match’s opening combination of KL Rahul and Singh. Although Singh took his time at the start, being on 3 off 11 at one point, Rahul was timing the ball with his usual fluency. With not a steep target to chase, the Kings XI could absorb some quiet overs, and once Singh had got his eye in, he began scoring more briskly.The opening partnership ended at 47 in eight overs when Rahul was trapped lbw by Varun Chakravarthy, but Gayle’s arrival turned the tide decisively in the way of the Kings XI. Gayle stuck to his time-tested method of taking the fielders out of the equation when the ball was in his hitting zone, smashing Chakravarthy for sixes off the fourth and fifth balls he faced. He had been troubled by Narine in the past, but on the day, he took 17 from the 11 balls he faced off Narine, smiting two dismissive sixes straight past him too. Anything full was met by the swinging arc of Gayle’s bat with considerable force.With a low total to defend, the Gayle onslaught meant the Knight Riders ran out of options quickly. Even though he fell for 51 off 29 after a stand worth exactly 100, there was to be no great escape for the Knight Riders this time.

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund says his body "feels good again" after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injury.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Hojlund injured in pre-season
• Says he now "feels good again"
• Admits to "fluctuating" weight

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 21-year-old missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury but now he is back fit for the Red Devils. The Denmark international is content to be eased back into first-team action as he says there is "no point" rushing things and risking another injury. The former Atalanta star also spoke about he is now carrying a bit less weight after hitting the gym.

Advertisement

• getty images
  

  WHAT RASMUS HOJLUND SAID

  He told reporters: "There is no point in rushing things and risking another injury. My body feels good again. I might be ready to play 90 minutes, but if I also use my brain a little bit, I don’t think 90 minutes on Saturday against Spain is a good idea.

  "I've lost a little weight, but it doesn’t matter. I know there are some benefits to being a little lighter and some benefits to being a little heavier. I’m not focused on the scales. I’ve gotten used to the fact that my weight fluctuates a little bit."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Hojlund has a big responsibility for United this season – to provide the goals in attack they need to challenge for trophies again. However, the Red Devils have had a poor start to the season and sit 14th in the Premier League. The Dane will hope he can hit form, stay fit, and deliver on the pitch.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The forward could start for Denmark in their Nations League clash away at Spain on Saturday and then again against Switzerland on Tuesday. He will then return to Erik ten Hag's team next week.

KKR have several bowling options, but Kuldeep’s form may be a cause for concern

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-20206:38

Spotlight on Kuldeep Yadav, should KKR change their winning combination?

Big pictureIt was last in 2015, the year before their two-year ban, that Rajasthan Royals won their first three games in a season. Having started the 2020 season with two wins, including a record-breaking highest successful IPL chase on Sunday courtesy Rahul Tewatia and Sanju Samson, they go in to Wednesday’s clash with a chance to emulate this.Having played their opening two games in Sharjah, where they made scores of 216 and 226, they will now play on a bigger ground and on perhaps a more challenging surface in Dubai. This could mean a slight recaliberation of their plans. Their spinners will come into play a lot more and their batsmen may not find hitting through the line as effortless as they may have in Sharjah.Royals, however, have concerns in their bowling even though Sharjah may not be an ideal barometer to base their performance on. Jaydev Unadkat, their lead Indian bowler, has proved expensive in both his outings. The highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy season is yet to strike. He also didn’t complete his quota of overs against Kings XI Punjab. His potential replacement Varun Aaron has also been expensive in the past. They have two rookies in Kartik Tyagi and Akash Singh waiting on the bench. Should they call up one of them on a bigger ground?Knight Riders, meanwhile, rebounded strongly after a pounding at the hands of Mumbai Indians in their opener. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Eoin Morgan, their finisher, sewed up a regulation chase. Shubman Gill, who they see as a future star, set it up for them upfront along with Nitish Rana, another talent they’ve invested heavily in. Questions over Sunil Narine’s form and his effectiveness against the short ball continue to persist, but the upside to his patchy form is that he doesn’t eat up too many balls in the powerplay.Kuldeep Yadav’s form, however, continues to be a real concern. The team’s strike bowler until 2018, Kuldeep averages a wicket every 55 balls since IPL 2018. Last season, nine games yielded a mere four wickets. In their second game, after going for 39 runs in four wicketless overs, he didn’t even bowl his full quota of overs.Varun Chakravarthy, their second spinner – more in the Narine mould – helped get through the middle overs economically on his debut for the franchise. Over the years, Knight Riders have had the reputation of backing their players – both Indian and overseas. Russell, who had to serve a year-long doping ban, and Narine, whose action had been under scrutiny on and off, being prime examples. Can Kuldeep repay that faith?In the news Royals don’t yet have the services of Ben Stokes, who is with family in New Zealand. However, he has started training and could return from compassionate leave early October. Over the last couple of seasons, Knight Riders have had to furiously seek replacements in the first half of the tournament because of injuries. This year, they look settled on that count and have all players available for selection.BCCI

Likely XIs Rajasthan Royals: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Steven Smith (capt), 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Robin Uthappa, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Shreyas Gopal, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Ankit Rajpoot/Varun Aaron, 11 Jaydev Unadkat Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Shivam Mavi, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Varun ChakravarthyStrategy punts Sunil Narine has an excellent record against the Royals’ top three – Jos Buttler, Steven Smith and Sanju Samson. Narine has dismissed Samson thrice while ensuring he has only managed to strike at 87 off the 45 deliveries he has bowled. Smith, who has been out twice to Narine, only strikes at 115. Perhaps, there’s a case for Narine to bowl out with the new ball, given Knight Riders’ bowling depth. Dinesh Karthik has opted to bat at No. 3 in the first two games. Since IPL 2019, he’s been dismissed thrice by googlies, the most for a batsman. He’s been out to the delivery in each of his two previous knocks this season too – lbw to Rahul Chahar and Rashid Khan respectively. Royals could perhaps look to attack him with Shreyas Gopal, who has an excellent googly, and Rahul Tewatia.Stats that matter Pat Cummins is two short of 100 T20 wickets. The last time these two sides played in the UAE, Royals beat Knight Riders on boundary count after the Super Over also ended in a tie. It was the second tied game between the two sides in IPL history. The first one happened at Cape Town in 2009, when Yusuf Pathan won the Super Over for the Royals. Buttler averages 57.2 as an opener since IPL 2018, the third best after David Warner and KL Rahul among all batsmen with 200-plus runs. In the 16 innings he has opened, he has just dismissed five times inside the powerplay. His strike rate of 160 in this period is second best in the IPL in this qualifying period. Prior to this season, Samson had managed just four half-centuries in 27 IPL innings; his form tailing away after strong starts somewhat becoming a trend. He’s so far managed 159 runs, including two half-centuries in his first two outings. Can he sustain his good run of form?

Dale Steyn, the South Africa fast bowler, has confirmed he will join Kandy Tuskers for the Lanka Premier League (LPL), providing a lift for both the team and the league following a difficult week.Over the last six days, Tuskers saw Chris Gayle – their highest profile player – withdraw from the tournament due to injury, before Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving on the island, and entered treatment in isolation, which is expected to keep him out for at least 14 days. Steyn is essentially Tuskers’ replacement for Tanvir, and confirmed his signing on Twitter.With Tuskers due to play the tournament’s first game on November 26, Steyn is almost certain to miss part of the tournament while he undergoes quarantine, team manager and team director Farveez Maharoof said. “We will assess when he can start playing after he arrives,” Maharoof said. “We’ll have to talk to the health authorities before we make a final call.”Steyn, 37, last played a T20 at the end of October, for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. At Tuskers, he joins a pace attack featuring Nuwan Pradeep, Naveen-ul-Haq, Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan. The LPL is set to run from November 26 to December 16, at the Sooriyawewa Stadium near Hambantota.

أثار أحمد سيد زيزو لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، قلق جماهير القلعة البيضاء، وذلك قبل مواجهة المصري البورسعيدي في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع المصري، في رابع جولات دور المجموعات بكأس الكونفدرالية، وذلك يوم الأحد المقبل.

ونشر زيزو منشورًا “ستوري” عبر صفحته الشخصية على موقع التواصل “انستجرام” قال فيه: “إلهي أذهب البأس رب الناس، اشفني وأنت الشافي، لا شفاء إلا شفاؤك، شفاء لا يغادر سقما، أذهب البأس رب الناس، بيدك الشفاء، لا كاشف له إلا أنت يارب العالمين، اللهم إني أسألك من عظيم لطفك وكرمك وسترك الجميل، أن تشفيني وتمدني بالصحة والعافية، لا ملجأ ولا منجا منك إلا إليك، إنك على كل شيء قدير”.

طالع أيضاً.. موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وشباب بلوزداد اليوم في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. والمعلق

ويتواجد فريقا الزمالك والمصري في المجموعة الرابعة بمنافسات بطولة الكونفدرالية، التي تضم إلى جوارهما بلاك بولز الموزمبيقي وإنييمبا النيجيري.

ويحتل الزمالك صدارة ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 7 نقاط، بينما يأتي المصري بالمركز الثالث، ولديه 4 نقاط، بالتساوي مع بلاك بولز صاحب الوصافة.

Paul Mullin admits that the first surgery of his career means that he will not be 100% at Wrexham “for a long time”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Star striker underwent spinal surgeryHas had to be patient in pursuit of startsTaken goal tally in 2024-25 to threeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons striker has become a favourite of Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney after helping to inspire back-to-back promotions – with Mullin collecting three successive Player of the Year awards at SToK Racecourse while passing 100 goals for the club.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He has had to be patient in pursuit of regular game time this season, with just four starts taken in across all competitions. Mullin did, however, net his third goal of the 2024-25 campaign just 16 seconds into his last outing against Rotherham.

WHAT MULLIN SAID

Mullin is starting to feel sharper on the back of a minor spinal operation that was undertaken at the start of the summer, with the 29-year-old frontman telling of where he is at now: “I’ve never had surgery before but I was told it wasn’t easy and, me being me, naively thought ‘nah, I’ll do it quicker than I could’ and I got back really quick in terms of being able to train, but it’s never going to feel 100% for a long time.

“Strangely enough, this week was the time that I started to feel like myself again. We had a couple of days off last week and, for some reason, I came back and all the aches and pains had gone. It was really pleasing. The last 20 minutes was pure adrenalin, with the fans lifting me, but I’m so pleased for it and hopefully it stands me in good stead heading forward.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

A trip to former Premier League outfit Huddersfield is next up for Wrexham on Tuesday, with Mullin adding on why Phil Parkinson’s side will enter that contest full of confidence: “You want to test yourself against the big sides and really enjoy it. These occasions are fantastic but it’s something we expected to happen when we signed for Wrexham. I expected us to get promoted and back-to-back promotions. We demand a lot from ourselves as a group and we all set high standards.”