O Corinthians fará uma sequência de atividades no período da manhã até domingo (7), quando entra em campo às 11h, na Neo Química Arena, para enfrentar a Ponte Preta pela terceira rodada do Campeonato Paulista.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansAnálise: Mancini tenta deixar Corinthians mais ‘intenso’ e ‘aguerrido’Corinthians03/03/2021CorinthiansMancini diz que chuva foi importante ao Corinthians e valoriza ‘superação’Corinthians03/03/2021
A série já se inicia nesta quinta-feira (4), poucas horas após o Timão empatar em 2 a 2 contra o Palmeiras, pela segunda rodada do Paulistão, em Itaquera. Geralmente, quando o time entra em campo no dia anterior, as atividades costumam ser a tarde, mas dessa vez a programação corintiana aponta reapresentação logo no período matutino.
Seguindo a tendência, os titulares no Dérbi devem fazer atividade de recuperação física na parte interna no CT Joaquim Grava, enquanto reservas, até mesmo que entraram no decorrer do jogo, e não relacionados devem trabalhar com bola no gramado do Centro de Treinamentos, comandados pelo técnico Vagner Mancini.
A atividade desta quinta-feira (14) será uma boa oportunidade para ver se os atacantes Léo Natel e Gustavo Mosquito, que ficaram de fora do clássico por conta de dores na perna e joelho respectivamente voltarão a treinar com bola e acenar disposição para o duelo contra a equipe de Campinas, no fim de semana.
Contaminados com Covid-19, os goleiros Cássio e Guilherme, os laterais Fagner e Fábio Santos, o zagueiro Raul Gustavo, os meias Gabriel, Ramiro e Vitinho e o atacante Cauê são desfalques garantidos para a partida contra a Macaca. O volante Camacho, que sentiu febres no início desta quarta-feira (3) e foi dispensado da concentração para o jogo diante o Palmeiras, deve se unir a estatística, já que apresenta sintomas da doença. Danilo Avelar, Mantuan e Ruan Oliveira se recuperam de lesões e não têm previsão de retorno.
Treino com a participação de todo o elenco que está á disposição para o próximo compromisso deverá acontecer apenas na sexta-feira (5) e sábado (7).
>> Confira a tabela do Paulistão e simule os próximos jogos
Sunrisers’ ever-reliable bowling attack that has orchestrated so many wins in the past seems to have gone off the rails somewhat
The Preview by Hemant Brar 30-Mar-2019
Virat Kohli sports a look of introspection•BCCI
Big pictureIt might be a bit too early, but with two contrasting defeats in the first two games, it’s easy to wonder if Royal Challengers Bangalore are headed for yet another forgettable season. In the tournament opener, they were spun out for 70 by Chennai Super Kings on what looked like a typical fifth-day subcontinent track. In the next match, chasing 188 against Mumbai Indians, they were denied victory by a combination of Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga, and a missed no-ball.One thing Royal Challengers seem to have figured out early this time is their best combination. When they face Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, the challenge will be to make that combination work.Sunrisers, on the other hand, are facing a new problem. Their ever-reliable bowling attack that has orchestrated so many wins in the past seems to have gone off the rails a bit, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar having bowled two 20-run overs at the death in as many games. If the Royal Challengers openers can provide their side with a good start, the home side’s bowling attack could once again be in for a stern test.David Warner’s impressive show with that bat has been a big positive for Sunrisers. While the opener’s 85 in the first match against Kolkata Knight Riders couldn’t fetch Sunrisers a win, his 37-ball 69 against Rajasthan Royals on Friday steered the side to their highest successful chase in the IPL. So far, Sunrisers’ top order has made up for the middle-order muddle, and with a 5-1 head-to-head record at this venue, they would be hoping to carrying forward the momentum.Likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Shahbaz Nadeem, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Siddarth Kaul, 11 Sandeep SharmaRoyal Challengers Bangalore 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Moeen Ali, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 AB de Villiers, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Umesh Yadav, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Navdeep Saini, 11 Mohammed SirajSandeep Sharma is congratulated upon dismissing Faf du Plessis•BCCI
Strategy punt Sandeep Sharma has got Kohli out five times in nine T20 innings. While Kohli scores against him at a strike rate of almost 170, on three instances, the seamer has got Kohli out in single digits. If Kohli decides to open the batting, it might not be a bad idea to give Sandeep the first over of the innings. Royal Challengers might have lost both their matches, but they have maintained the same XI so far. While this looks like their perfect combination, a little permutation may fetch them better rewards. Shimron Hetmyer’s T20 batting average and strike rate are the highest when he is batting at No. 3. In 16 innings at one-down, Hetmyer has scored 482 runs at 32.13 at a strike rate of 144.7. Moreover, since 2017 Moeen Ali has struck at a rate of 211.4 in the last ten overs – the best among the current Royal Challengers players. So a better recipe would be Kohli opening the batting with Parthiv, followed by Hetmyer, de Villiers and Moeen in that order.Stats that matter Since IPL 2018, Sunrisers have conceded 180-plus on eight occasions in 19 matches. In the previous two seasons before that, opposition teams had managed that many only on four occasions in 31 games. From 2014 till 2017, Bhuvneshwar had an economy of 8.7 in the last five overs. Since 2017, his economy has swelled to 11.8. Royal Challengers have won only two out their nine matches at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The win percentage of 22.2 is their joint-worst for the current away venues. They have the same record at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Kohli is 43 away from 8000 T20 runs, while de Villiers needs one more fifty to reach 50 fifties in T20s.
Tottenham Hotspur are said to have entered "intense" negotiations over the signing of a club's "rising star" after transfer news this week.
Posetecoglou requests new centre-back at Spurs
The north Londoners are beginning to turn a corner, despite still missing star summer signing Micky van de Ven through injury. His hamstring problem, coupled with Cristian Romero's recent suspension, really hampered Spurs' form last month – but manager Ange Postecoglou now appears to be finding a winning formula.
Spurs hold "open" agent talks to sign "untouchable" player for bargain fee
He’s a star for his country.
ByEmilio Galantini Dec 14, 2023
Romero's back on the pitch and is partnering the makeshift Ben Davies, with Tottenham now winning two consecutive Premier League games for the first time since October. Their 2-0 victory away to Nottingham Forest and 4-1 drubbing of Newcastle last weekend has given them something to build upon in the absence of key players like van de Ven.
However, Postecoglou is still publicly adamant that Spurs need to sign a new defender.
"He’s done remarkably well," said Postecoglou on Davies, later pleading for a fresh option at centre-half (via football.london).
"Centre-back is still a position where, especially in our structure, it is one of the few positions where you need guys with outstanding attributes in there. We’ve been very fortunate that he’s been able to fill in for us there. He’s really good at taking in information, he really understands the game, not just his own role but how we want to play and that’s helped him.
"Having Romero next to him helps in that sense and Vic because he’s taken a bit of a leadership role back there as well. Ultimately, we still need to sign another centre-back because at the moment we are a little bit on tenterhooks because if something happens again we are short and we are already short."
Ange Postecoglou.
There have been many defenders linked with moves to Spurs recently, but perhaps the most regularly mentioned name this week is Genoa star Radu Dragusin.
The Romanian's agent, Florin Manea, even confirmed approaches from Tottenham recently. Manea says Spurs are one of the sides interested in Dragusin, with a report by Fanatik sharing a very promising update.
Tottenham enter "intense" Dragusin talks
As per their information, relayed by Cristi Conte, Tottenham are in "intense" negotiations for Dragusin who is also "very close" to making a Premier League move.
The transfer would come in at around £26 million, with Conte sharing "important information" on the matter.
"We have important information regarding national team players," said the correspondent on Fanatik.
"Let's try to clarify. Radu Drăgușin is very close to a transfer to the Premier League, 30 million transfer to Tottenham. The Spurs really need a central defender, the negotiations are intense. Radu Drăgușin to Tottenham, 30 million euros."
The 21-year-old has been a mainstay under Genoa boss Alberto Gilardino, and arguably comes as one of the most exciting defenders in Serie A right now.
Dragusin's standout stats for Genoa – 2023/2024 (via SofaScore)
Clearances per game – 4.5
Balls recovered per game – 3.3
Percentage of duels won – 69%
Percentage of aerial battles won – 70%
£26m is also a very affordable fee from Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's perspective, with journalist Mazhar Abbas describing Dragusin as a "rising star".
حقق نجم فريق مانشستر سيتي، إيرلينج هالاند، عدة أرقام مميزة بعدما سجل هدفًا في المباراة الجارية حاليًا ضد نظيره تشيلسي.
ويستضيف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة الفريقين في قمة منافسات الجولة الأولى من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ونجح إيرلينج هالاند في تسجيل هدف مانشستر سيتي الأول، في الدقيقة 18 من عمر الشوط الأول. هدف هالاند أمام تشيلسي
وحسبما ذكرت شبكة “أوبتا” العالمية، فإن هالاند ساهم بشكل مباشر في 106 أهداف في 100 مباراة مع مانشستر سيتي.
وكان هدف هالاند في مباراة اليوم ضد تشيلسي، رقم 91 مع مانشستر سيتي، مع العلم إنه صنع 15 هدفًا.
كما أوضحت إنه منذ موسم 2022-2023، سجل هالاند أهدافًا في الدوري الإنجليزي في أغسطس (13) أكثر مما سجله تشيلسي كفريق (11)، متفوقًا كذلك على مانشستر يونايتد (9 أهداف).
وأشارت شبكة “سكواكا” العالمية إلى أن هالاند ساهم في 22 هدفًا في 20 مباراة فقط في الدوري الإنجليزي أمام الفرق الست الكبار، حيث سجل 15 هدفًا وصنع 7.
December is upon us, and the football continues at breakneck speed as the winter period kicks off, with Liverpool returning to Premier League action to face bottom-placed side Sheffield United.
Travelling to Bramall Lane, the second-placed Reds come off the back of an extraordinary late turnaround that saw two late thumpers – courtesy of Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold – hand the Anfield outfit a 4-3 victory over Fulham.
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Jurgen Klopp's side have not been perfect this season and still face questions over their defensive strength and ability to stifle opponents' transitions, but the resilience that has restored a standing among the division's heavy-hitters in Arsenal and Manchester City has been brilliant.
The hosts have just sacked Paul Heckingbottom after losing 5-0 to Burnley and will be hoping to wreak havoc on Liverpool's resurgence, with the returning figure of Chris Wilder now back at the helm.
Liverpool team news vs Sheffield United
The extent of the knee injury that Joel Matip picked up on Sunday afternoon has not yet been revealed, though Klopp grudgingly admitted that it "doesn't look good" for the Cameroonian defender.
On a positive slant, however, Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker are both expected back early after sustaining injuries against Manchester City last month, though neither will be available on Wednesday night.
Spanish midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic remain long-term absentees, while Andy Robertson continues his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery after picking up an injury with Scotland in October.
With a 12:30 trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, Klopp will be expected to unleash multiple changes against the Blades.
Ryan Gravenberch must start vs Sheffield United
Klopp's style requires high energy and suffocating pressure. Liverpool penetrate their opposition with incisive breaks and a multiplexity of attacking talent.
Everything became rather stodgy last season, however, with a malfunctioning engine room failing to charge the squad's efforts, and the summer transfer activity saw a mass midfield exodus and the additions of several top-class midfield talents.
Among those was Ryan Gravenberch, who signed for Liverpool in a £34m transfer from Bayern Munich after failing to really make his mark in Germany, starting just three times in the Bundesliga last season.
Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.
Once proclaimed to be the "greatest talent" in the Netherlands by former Ajax striker Wim Kieft, Gravenberch has been excellent across the early days of his Anfield career, provided with a license to strut his stuff in the centre and entrusted with a role that simply didn't materialise at the Allianz Arena.
Across 15 outings for Liverpool, Gravenberch has scored two goals and supplied two more, though the Fulham match was his first league start in three fixtures and he will be eager to make his mark against the beleaguered Blades.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for blocks per 90.
This punctuates his multi-functionality and willingness to drive forward and influence attacking sequences, something Klopp has clearly been left enamoured by.
Ryan Gravenberch: Similar Players
#
Player
Club
1
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
2
Khephren Thuram
OGC Nice
3
Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool
4
Conor Gallagher
Chelsea
5
Joelinton
Newcastle United
*Sourced via FBref
The £150k-per-week star will feel that there is much more to come yet but has proved that he can be the difference-maker in midfield, and while he produced one of his more ineffective performances against Fulham, the 6 foot 3 midfielder would bring the progressive presence to sink Wilder and co.
Some might feel that Curtis Jones should start, and it would certainly be a good shout, but while the Englishman offers remarkable crispness in his distribution, Liverpool will be expected to retain the lion's share of possession regardless, and Gravenberch could engineer openings with greater regularity and efficacy.
While Gravenberch may well start again, Darwin Nunez might be among those demoted to the bench after several weeks of poor finishing now, with Cody Gakpo offered the opportunity to lead the line in the English top-flight.
Cody Gakpo's season in numbers
Nunez was plagued by profligacy last season and while that middling trait has not quite been wiped away, the Uruguayan – who has missed 13 'big chances' in the league this season – is still some way away from boasting the clinicalness to rival the likes of, say, Erling Haaland (though, in fairness, that's not an easy task).
Gakpo neither is the raw goalscorer to break records in the Premier League, but he is an incredibly effective and dynamic option and has not started at centre-forward in the Premier League since Liverpool's controversial loss against Tottenham Hotspur in September, where he scored right after picking up an injury that ruled him out for a few weeks.
Across all competitions, the Dutchman has posted six goals and two assists from 17 appearances this season – including just ten starts – and was praised for his "standout" two-goal performance in the Europa League against LASK last week by Liverpool correspondent Neil Jones.
Ranking among the top 8% of forwards for progressive passes, the top 16% for progressive carries, the top 20% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles and the top 7% for blocks per 90, the argument of his flexibility is strengthened.
Cody Gakpo: Key Strengths
Very Strong
Strong
Crossing
Finishing
Taking set-pieces
Key passes
Passing
Aerial duels
Defensive contribution
*Sourced via WhoScored
Once proclaimed to possess a "special skill set" by Reds assistant manager Pep Lijnders, the £120k-per-week Gakpo could be emboldened by his destructive display on the continental scene last week and indeed his rasping effort that was well-saved by Bernd Leno in the dying embers on Sunday, directly leading toward Alexander-Arnold's winner.
As per Sofascore, he took six shots against the Austrian opposition on Thursday, also completing one key pass, 88% of his total passes, winning Liverpool's penalty and hitting the woodwork.
He'll be fired up and convinced that his technical prowess will pick Sheffield United apart and facilitate the success of the likes of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz on the flanks.
While Nunez is a fierce forward, December has arrived and Klopp would be wise to make some changes, and with Gakpo hoping to add to his seasonal tally, a fine replacement could ensure Liverpool continue their purple patch in the Premier League.
It could help to spoil Wilder's Bramall Lane homecoming in the process…
A win against Luton Town on Saturday means Manchester United have now picked up more points than any other side in the Premier League over the past five games, although performances on the pitch still leave a lot to be desired.
The Red Devils are struggling for consistency at the moment and a growing injury list certainly hasn't aided manager Erik ten Hag as he attempts to find the right balance within his side, particularly in the middle of the park.
However, injuries keep piling up at Old Trafford and Christian Eriksen is the latest to be added to the list, having limped off against Luton early in the first half.
Nevertheless, Eriksen's potential absence has a silver lining as Ten Hag may finally have to turn to one star whose game-time has been limited this term.
Mason Mount's stats this season
Mason Mount made a surprise move to Man United during the summer, leaving Stamford Bridge for the Theatre of Dreams and being handed the infamous number '7' shirt, previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
United were said to have paid a fee in the region of £55m, although this could rise to £60m with add-ons. The England international signed a five-year deal, with the option to extend his stay by a further year, worth a whopping £250k-per-week.
Mount was vital for Chelsea over the past four years when he played in London, with former Blues winger Joe Cole even labelling him as a "top, top, outstanding" player. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old has yet to really make an impact in a red shirt despite sporting the club's most iconic number on his back.
The midfielder has played just 577 minutes in all competitions for Manchester United this term, including merely 351 minutes in the top flight according to Transfermarkt. Content creator and United fan Casey Evans even claimed that Mount could be the "new Donny van de Beek". Damning words indeed.
First season at Manchester United – Premier League stats
Donny van de Beek (2020/21)
Mason Mount (so far)
Games
19
8
Starts
4
4
Goals
1
0
Assists
1
0
Key passes per game
0.2
0.6
Big chances created
1
0
Average pass accuracy rate
86%
85%
Tackles and interceptions per game
1.1
2.1
Average match rating
6.67
6.80
Stats via Sofascore
This season alone, the Englishman's only goal contribution for the Red Devils across 11 appearances was an assist in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup back in September. Furthermore, his last start for the club came in a 2-1 win over Brentford prior to the international break.
Nevertheless, with Eriksen now injured, Mount could potentially be the man to fill the Dane's shoes on the Old Trafford turf.
Mount vs Eriksen stats comparison
Statistically, Mount and Eriksen are not too dissimilar this season. The latter has been more of a goal threat, perhaps surprisingly, and is averaging 0.15 goals per 90 and 0.15 assists per 90 while Mount is averaging 0.16 assists per 90, although he has yet to register a goal for United. Eriksen's xG per 90 (expected goals) of 0.06 and expected assists per 90 of 0.16 are much higher than Mount's 0.05 xG per 90 and 0.04 expected assists per 90, according to FBref.
The Denmark international is boasting 2.09 progressive carries per 90 this season and 4.78 progressive passes per 90 while his counterpart is averaging 1.36 progressive carries per 90 and 3.41 progressive passes per 90.
However, Mount does look for the ball in more advanced positions, averaging 5.91 progressive passes received per 90 this term to Eriksen's lowly 2.24. Mount also makes 1.19 passes to the penalty area per 90 to Eriksen's 1.14.
Where Mount has an edge over the former Tottenham Hotspur man is in the defensive phases, bringing a lot of energy to the team in comparison to his midfield competitor who can be quite sluggish at times.
Mount is attempting 3.64 tackles per 90 this season for Manchester United, while Eriksen has averaged just 1.49 per 90 in the middle of the park. In addition, Mount is averaging 2.73 tackles in the middle and final third per 90. Eriksen is managing just 1.2 per 90 in the same areas.
Mount can't replicate Eriksen's calmness on the ball but can offer a lot of quality and fresher legs in United's midfield should Ten Hag bring him back into the frame in the latter's absence.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers wouldn't close himself off to the prospect of landing one of his former players from his first spell at Parkhead, according to one pundit.
Celtic transfer news…
Last weekend, the Hoops laboured to a disappointing 0-0 draw away to Hibernian at Easter Road in the Scottish Premiership, which enabled their arch-rivals Rangers to cut the gap at the top of the table from eight points to five points after they defeated Heart of Midlothian on Sunday.
Despite Rodgers bringing in nine signings during the summer, only Luis Palma and Paulo Bernardo featured against Hibernian in Edinburgh. Celtic outcast Mikey Johnston was preferred to new arrival South Korean winger Yang Hyun-jun from the substitutes bench in the closing stages of the affair despite Celtic shelling out around £2 million on the latter back in late July.
Marco Tilio and Kwon Hyeok-kyu are yet to play in a competitive fixture for Celtic, whereas Odin Thiago Holm and Gustaf Lagerbielke now seem to be on the periphery of Rodgers' plans after initially being utilised in the early portion of the campaign. Maik Nawrocki is still recovering from an injury problem and Nathaniel Phillips has been a rotational option since joining on loan from Liverpool.
Celtic have still made a strong start to life in the Scottish Premiership and are unbeaten in their first ten league matches. However, there is a growing consensus among some supporters that although the first-team squad is numerically strong, there is a noticeable drop-off between the predominant starting players and those who replace them from the bench.
In the summer, Rodgers commented on Celtic's transfer activity and expressed his desire to bring more quality into his squad. As per Sky Sports, the Northern Irishman stated when asked if he was content with the business they had conducted: "I think every manager will tell you they maybe wished they could have done one or two more signings."
Celtic's summer signings
Player
Previous club
Fee
Yang Hyun-jun
Gangwon FC
£2 million
Maik Nawrocki
Legia Warsaw
£4.3 million
Paulo Bernardo
Benfica
Loan
Luis Palma
Aris Thessaloniki
£3.5 million
Gustaf Lagerbielke
Elfsborg
£3 million
Nathaniel Phillips
Liverpool
Loan
Kwon Hyeok-kyu
Busan IPark
£1 million
Marco Tilio
Melbourne City
£1.5 million
Odin Thiago Holm
Valerenga
Undisclosed
Tomoki Iwata (obligation to buy activated)
Yokohama F. Marinos
Undisclosed
Ryan Christie to Celtic verdict
Earlier this month, TEAMtalk reported that Celtic were interested in bringing Ryan Christie back to Parkhead in light of his contractual situation at Bournemouth, which could see him leave the Vitality Stadium on a free transfer in 2024 when his deal is set to expire.
Celtic boss Rodgers is believed to be a huge fan of the player and previously worked with Christie during his first spell at Parkhead, where the Scotland international notched 41 goals and 44 assists in 151 appearances (Christie statistics – Transfermarkt).
Former Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie.
Now, former Scotland international Alan Hutton has suggested that Rodgers wouldn't close the door on a potential reunion with Christie, who has previously been labelled "incredible" by former boss Gary O'Neil, at Celtic. Speaking to Football Insider, the pundit said:
"I do not think Brendan Rodgers would close the door to any player that he thinks can make his starting XI better. If there is something to be done there then there is always a possibility. Is coming back always a good thing? I am not so sure.
"I think when you are in the Premier League and doing well, playing games, I think there will be other options as well. Celtic are a huge club going for trophies, playing in European competitions so there is always a draw there."
Aston Villa are in a great place on and off the pitch and now one reporter has made an exciting transfer claim that will undoubtedly enthuse the Villa Park faithful.
Aston Villa transfer updates…
More and more over the last few months, Aston Villa have begun to be associated with pursuits of high-profile individuals to strengthen Unai Emery's side, which is a by-product of their rise to prominence under the Spaniard, who has taken them from relegation candidates to Champions League contenders in the space of a year.
In the summer, the Villans pulled off some eye-catching business, securing the arrivals of Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans and Clement Lenglet, who were all well sought-after players on the market before deciding to commit their futures to the West Midlands side.
Fast forward to late October and Villa have gone from strength to strength on the field, as they sit fifth in the Premier League table alongside holding a strong chance of reaching the next phase of the Europa Conference League. With the January transfer window just around the corner, the abundance of established players being mentioned in connection with Aston Villa continues to grow.
According to a transfer update from Calciomercato, Roma forward Tammy Abraham is now in the sights of Aston Villa; however, Brentford, Newcastle United, Fulham and his former club, Chelsea, also retain an interest in the England international. Widening their appeal due to their recent success in the upper echelons of the Premier League, Sporting Clube de Portugal man Pedro Goncalves is also rumoured to be a target for Emery as he searches for quality reinforcements to complement a squad that is already littered with talented players.
Aston Villa's last five results – all competitions
Competition
Opponent and result
Venue
Premier League
Aston Villa 3-1 Luton Town
Villa Park
Europa Conference League
AZ Alkmaar 1-4 Aston Villa
AFAS Stadion
Premier League
Aston Villa 4-1 West Ham United
Villa Park
Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Aston Villa
Molineux
Europa Conference League
Aston Villa 1-0 Zrinjski Mostar
Villa Park
Dean Jones transfer update on Aston Villa
Speaking in an interview with GiveMeSport, journalist Dean Jones has indicated his belief that Aston Villa are in a good position to sign almost anyone they want at present due to the work Emery has done on the field to transform the outlook of the club completely.
"I think their progress under Unai Emery has given them a great chance of signing whoever they want to sign to be honest. He's been just a breath of fresh air to that club to have such an impact on the team's results and performances in such as short space of time is just unbelievable, considering where this team were at under Steven Gerrard and the direction this club were heading in. He's done a remarkable job to take a group and inflict his own personal style on them."
Undoubtedly, Emery has a lot to do with everything good that is associated with Aston Villa at the moment. Nevertheless, a lot of credit needs to come the way of those who work behind the scenes in recruitment at the club for assembling a squad capable of producing such consistency.
Creating a winning culture anywhere is a difficult task for any manager at any given time, though Emery seems to be having some great success at Villa Park that will be hard to stop in the short term.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has decided one Spurs player is definitely not in his plans after a journalist's "major" update.
Latest Spurs news
The north Londoners are currently gearing up for a highly-anticipated bout at home to Liverpool this afternoon; a clash of two sides boasting absolutely brilliant early-season form. Both Postecolgou and Jurgen Klopp's men come into the contest unbeaten and very confident, with Tottenham tasting victory in four out of their opening six league matches.
Barely anything is separating The Lilywhites and Liverpool in terms of attacking flair. Tottenham and the Reds both scored the exact same number of league goals so far this season, with the only difference being Klopp's superior winning record by one game and having conceded slightly less.
It's truly a clash of the titans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and both sets of supporters will be in joyous mood. Postecoglou's side are fresh off the back of a brilliant 2-2 draw at north London rivals Arsenal last weekend, a match which saw captain Son Heung-min equalise twice to come away with a result against their fierce neighbours.
"They’ve come through that, going toe to toe with a top side," said Postecoglou after the match.
"There's a real will and desire to become the team we want to be, which includes making sure that you're disciplined and you're buying into the team ethos and we had a really young team out there. Vic, that's his first derby, Destiny, van de Ven, Pape Matar Sarr, Brennan, they're all in their early twenties, Porro, even Kulusevski is only 23, so it was a young team but just super proud of the experienced players we did have in there.
"Romero was outstanding, Bissouma has been brilliant all year, Maddison, and Sonny was just on a different level, not just his goals, although they were outstanding, but his work rate, his work ethic was incredible."
It's now up to Spurs as they seek to build upon these displays and mount a possible top four challenge, which is surely a very real prospect.
Who could leave Tottenham?
While Postecoglou's stars continue to impress, there are unfortunately regulars from last season who can't quite get a look-in. The Australian's new-look Tottenham system has seen both Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Eric Dier relegated to the bench, with journalist Pete O'Rourke sharing a "major" update on the latter star's future.
Writing for Football Insider, the reporter says that Dier is not in Postecoglou's plans for Spurs moving forward, despite appearing on the bench multiple times recently. The Englishman was named in Tottenham's squad and on the bench for their games against Sheffield United and Arsenal, but his future is still far away from the club.
The 29-year-old is still yet to play a single minute for Postecoglou, despite Conte largely favouring him last campaign. Dier's contract is set to expire in 2024, and Spurs were actually ready to offload him over the summer window. A move away failed to materialise for the player, but it appears it's only a matter of time before he departs.
The players are owed three months’ salary and match fees from their tour of Sri Lanka last July and have already opted not to train ahead of the tri-series with Australia and Pakistan as a first sign of protest
Firdose Moonda04-Jun-2018Zimbabwe’s players have given their board an ultimatum to pay outstanding salaries and match fees by June 25, failing which they will boycott July’s T20 tri-series with Australia and Pakistan.The cricketers are owed three months’ salary and match fees from their tour of Sri Lanka last July and have already opted not to train ahead of the tri-series as a first sign of protest. New interim coach Lalchand Rajput is expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on June 10 but it may be to the sight of empty nets.Zimbabwe are also due to host Pakistan for five ODIs later in the year but the fate of those matches has not come under the spotlight yet.In a bid to revive their union, last seen in 2015, the players have appointed lawyer Gerald Mlotchwa to be their spokesperson. However, several sources have revealed they do not know whom Mlotchwa will be negotiating with since the board has failed to appoint a new managing director following Faisal Hasnain’s depature at the end of April.A ZC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo that a solution to this situation is nearly at hand. “Due to a very difficult financial situation beyond its control, ZC has been unable to meet some of its obligations, including paying player and staff salaries in time. However, because this is a matter of top priority, ZC has been working round the clock to address the challenge and, as promised to the players by our chairman, ZC expects to start processing payments this week.”However, many insiders remain skeptical. ZC is as cash-strapped as ever, with debts in the region of USD 19 million. It is expecting an ICC payout in July but that may come too late to meet the players’ demands.To secure the payout, ZC needed to see the domestic season to a close. The board suspended it in January to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers but it resumed in April – even though several national players chose not to take part over unpaid salaries – so that Zimbabwe could meet its Full Member requirements.”It’s a complete joke at the moment,” one player told ESPNcricinfo. “ZC made out as though some players were injured to save face. They didn’t bother that the big-name players weren’t available, they just needed to get the games out of the way. No-one knows how things will work going forward”Late on Monday afternoon, ZC attempted to provide some direction, announcing the acquisition of Vince van der Bijl, the former South African fast bowler who was the ICC’s umpires and referees manager, as a consultant with immediate effect. In a release, ZC said van der Bijl’s appointment was part of a “major initiative by ZC to restructure its domestic and international cricket.”