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When the Premier League campaign kicked off, most watching Arne Slot away from a Liverpool prism harboured major doubts that he would be able to pick up where Jurgen Klopp left off.

It was the undoable task, the insurmountable obstacle, taking a long-held dynasty to another level. Both Arsenal and Manchester United slumped after their historic managers departed, but Liverpool have bucked the trend and then some.

Most harboured doubts, but Slot and his squad beavered away and built atop the firm foundations Klopp left. Now they are Premier League champions, and dominant winners at that.

Liverpool are now ahead, but they aren’t going to quit, rather build on Klopp’s crafted squad and go again next season. Attacking additions feel the most necessary, with Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa all reportedly at risk of being sold this summer.

However, the Reds will know that strengthening in the offensive third is something which could be achieved through different routes, and challenging Dominik Szoboszlai for a higher output is one of them.

Why Dominik Szoboszlai needs competition

Szoboszlai is the first Hungarian to win the Premier League, with his running power and energy so important to a Liverpool team that relies on transitions and overwhelming opponents.

However, in spite of his brace of assists as the title was clinched against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, he’s only posted 14 goals and 13 assists across 90 Liverpool appearances.

Liverpool need a more prolific attacking midfielder. That could be Szoboszlai, but he needs to up the ante in front of goal, perhaps taking a leaf from Philippe Coutinho’s book.

Coutinho was the harbinger of a new era of success at Anfield, the shining light during those few dreary post-Luis Suarez years before signing for Barcelona in January 2018 in a £142m deal. It sparked new levels of success, but Liverpool did lose an incredible attacking midfielder.

Coutinho was playing like a man possessed during that half-season, playing, admittedly, like a footballer hoping to transfer to Barcelona. In any case, he staked his claim as one of the Premier League’s most iconic playmakers.

There’s no doubt that Slot has taken Szoboszlai’s game to the next level, but it needs to rise higher still if he’s to solidify his status as a superstar at Liverpool.

Maybe he needs some fresh competition in attacking midfield, a Coutinho-esque player who could add that X-factor to the ranks. FSG appear to be keen on following that train of thought.

Liverpool chasing Premier League star

As per Football Insider, Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is ready to reject a move to Manchester United in favour of a move to either Liverpool or Arsenal this summer.

The 26-year-old doesn’t feel that a move to Old Trafford, which Gary Neville recently called a “graveyard for players and coaches,” would be in the best interest of his career trajectory.

Valued at £50m, Eze would mark a significant outlay and FSG have some doubts regarding his consistency in front of goal, but Slot’s coaching acumen would be sure to take the England international’s game to the next level.

Why Eberechi Eze could be perfect for Slot

While the right-footed Eze’s fleet-footedness lends itself to a place on the left flank, he’s played plenty of football in a more central berth under Oliver Glasner and could be utilised across two areas at Liverpool.

Slot, shrewd tactical mind that he is, would be sure to raise Eze’s game to the next level, having proved himself across a number of years as one of the Premier League’s finest.

Fulham manager Marco Silva even waxed lyrical about the player’s quality earlier in the season, saying: “Everyone who loves football should enjoy seeing Eze on the pitch.”

He’s certainly backed up that praise with high-level performances in the Eagles regime, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists across all competitions in 2024/25.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 18% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 8% for ball recoveries and the top 15% for successful take-ons per 90.

This effectively underscores the creativity and athletic approach that Eze brings to the table. It’s a blend which could even see the talent become Liverpool’s next version of Coutinho.

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The Palace man is certainly capable of producing show-stopping moments, rifling a stunning strike past Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez last weekend to send his side to the FA Cup final, where Manchester City now await.

Respected journalist Henry Winter hailed the midfielder for his “magnificent goal and display,” proving to the world that he has that fizzling quality which could see him slot right into Liverpool’s system as the new version of Coutinho.

Of course, Eze has also been described as a “magician” by pundit Micah Richards in the past, with that unique take on the game to remind Liverpool fans of the thrill of having such a silky attacking midfielder in their mix.

Like Coutinho back in his Liverpool heyday, Eze is also willing to get stuck in, averaging 1.2 tackles and winning five successful duels per Premier League fixture, as per Sofascore, something, if you refer back to the table from earlier, Coutinho excelled at.

With ten big chances created across 28 top-flight starts this term too, Liverpool truly could get their hands on one of the most exciting players below the top rung of the divisional ladder.

His playmaking skill could be doubly important given Liverpool are set to lose Trent Alexander-Arnold this summer, but whichever way you swing it, Eze is an exciting talent capable of seat-raising stuff, just like Coutinho.

Liverpool struck gold on "world-class" star who was worth more than Palmer

This Liverpool star has immortalised his name after his years of service.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 28, 2025

Everton’s winless run against Manchester City continues as Pep Guardiola’s side scored twice in the final ten minutes to secure victory.

Not since a 4-0 victory during the 2016/17 season have the Toffees tasted success against the Etihad side, although they did come close to sealing a draw at Goodison this afternoon.

David Moyes’ men held out resolutely throughout the match, but in the end, City’s quality shone through as goals from Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic stole the three points.

With Premier League survival sealed, Moyes can now experiment over the final few matches of the campaign.

Against City, several players starred, whereas others struggled to make much of an impact.

Everton’s best and worst players against Man City

Before coming off with an injury, James Tarkowski enjoyed a solid display. He won 100% of his total duels contested, along with losing possession just four times. Would Everton have lost if he had still been on the pitch? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Elsewhere, Abdoulaye Doucoure looked solid after netting a late winner last week. He succeeded with all four of his dribble attempts while winning 50% of his total duels during the game.

These two were the standouts, but a few of the starting XI struggled to contribute much. Jack Harrison delivered yet another poor performance on the right wing. He failed to deliver a single accurate cross from five attempts, lost possession 13 times and made just one key pass.

Armando Broja was by far the worst performer in an Everton shirt at Goodison today, however, that’s for sure.

Why Armando Broja must be axed by David Moyes

The on-loan striker had made just nine Premier League appearances prior to the City clash as he has been hampered by injury issues.

Indeed, he was making only his third start for the Toffees at Goodison today, but he failed to offer much threat in the final third.

Throughout his 63 minutes on the pitch, Broja completed just four passes while taking 22 touches, 30 fewer than Jordan Pickford in goal. The Albanian even failed to register a single shot at goal while winning just a single ground duel and losing the ball 14 times.

Moyes must axe the striker, as he offers no major threat when chosen to start as a centre-forward.

Journalist Chris Beesley of the Liverpool Echo gave the striker a match rating of 5/10, stating that he ‘worked hard to try and make an impression but needed to be stronger as little stuck before he was hooked again’, yet this simply wasn’t good enough for Moyes.

His loan deal expires at the end of the current season, and given his current form, he will return to Chelsea ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Beto replaced him during the City clash, and going forward, he should be the one to start games under Moyes. That’s a certainty.

Moyes tells Everton to sign both Delap and a new "superstar" top target

Moyes wants both in the door.

2

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Apr 18, 2025

There was certainly no shortage of drama as Manchester United played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with Lyon on Thursday night, with the Europa League first-leg tussle living up to the billing following some notable pre-match jibes.

Much of the talk heading into the trip to France, of course, was centred around the war of words between Andre Onana and former United man, Nemanja Matic, with the Serbian giant branding the current Red Devils star “one of the worst keepers in Man Utd history” during the pre-match press conference.

Onana – who had ignited such criticism after stating that Ruben Amorim’s side are “way better” than their opponents – proceeded to hit back with a reference to the lack of silverware that Matic was able to achieve at Old Trafford, with the Cameroonian posting an image of him holding the FA Cup trophy aloft on his social media accounts.

That trading of verbal blows set things up nicely for the game itself, although while Lyon’s veteran midfielder watched on from the from the bench, United’s first-choice goalkeeper continued to dominate the headlines, having been arguably at fault for both of the hosts’ goals.

Talk is now rife regarding the 28-year-old’s future at Old Trafford – amid claims he could be dropped for Sunday’s clash away at Newcastle United – with it looking as if the former Inter star could even be on his way this summer, after just two years in Manchester.

Matic, meanwhile, may be hoping to be involved in Thursday’s reverse fixture, with the 36-year-old seeking to get one over on his former employers.

Nemanja Matic's Man Utd record

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Juan Mata before him, the towering midfielder was plucked from rivals Chelsea on a £40m deal in the summer of 2017, with the one-time Benfica star having just played his part in claiming Premier League title glory under Antonio Conte.

The ability to snap up a then-28-year-old Matic appeared to be a real coup for Jose Mourinho and co, not least with the aforementioned Conte seemingly displeased at the nature of the sale, having described the exit as a “great loss” for the Blues.

Having ultimately decided to reunite with Mourinho, the left-footer – who ranks fifth with regard to appearances made under the Portuguese coach in his managerial career – went on to rack up 189 appearances in all competitions for United over the next five years, while scoring four goals and registering 11 assists.

A pillar in the United midfield in those early years, he was even dubbed an “island of personality and desire and control” by his manager following a narrow FA Cup win over Brighton in 2018, with Mourinho singling him out in relation to his underwhelming colleagues.

As stated, such displays could not inspire the Red Devils to any form of silverware, although Matic certainly had his moments, including netting a stunning long-range volley to seal a 3-2 win away at Crystal Palace in 2018.

Frustratingly, however, the subsequent arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw the oft-maligned Fred and Scott McTominay partnership take precedence, with the ageing Matic becoming ‘something of an issue”, as per The Athletic’s Carl Anka, due to his lack of mobility.

There were still moments of quality, prior to his exit on a free transfer in 2022, with the 48-cap international memorably teeing up Cristiano Ronaldo with a delightful dink in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in that final campaign.

As Anka noted, while he may have been a ‘flawed signing’, when the now-veteran ‘was good, he was very good’, with his experience and quality shining through, even as his athletic qualities began to fade.

Could history be repeating itself with Casemiro?

Man Utd have now unlocked the new Nemanja Matic

In many ways, the capture of the Brazilian mirrors the signing of Matic, with United – then managed by Erik ten Hag – moving to land the Real Madrid man on a £70m deal in 2022, having been in need of a short-term, instant fix at the base of the midfield.

Again, like Matic, Casemiro did enjoy a fruitful first season at the Theatre of Dreams, as the Red Devils finished third and claimed Carabao Cup glory, with the serial-winning star even scoring the opener in that Wembley showpiece.

As the £350k-per-week star has since admitted himself, that 2022/23 campaign was individually the “best season” of his entire career, with Ten Hag dubbing him the “cement” in the side due to the influential nature of his displays.

Frustratingly for all concerned, the 33-year-old has been unable to build on that early promise amid United’s collective woes since then, with pundit Jamie Redknapp even suggesting last season that Casemiro looked like “he’s in Soccer Aid”, amid the dire nature of his displays.

Former Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher also famously suggested that the ex-Madrid man should “leave the football before the football leaves you”, with Casemiro going on to play a bit-part role in the early knockings of the current campaign.

Speculation continues to link the ageing talent with a move away from Old Trafford, despite his public desire to see out his contract, although in recent weeks, he has begun to find his groove again under Amorim.

Like Matic, the mobility may no longer be there, although Casemiro continues to show his class when utilised correctly, having notably put in a “monster shift” in the recent Manchester derby, as per Statman Dave, after winning 11 tackles on the day.

Even despite his age, the one-time Porto man appears to have ousted Manuel Ugarte as Amorim’s go-to figure in the midfield two, with the United boss admitting that he is now “learning how to use” the Selecao star.

The old cliche of ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ certainly applies in the case of Casemiro, much like Matic before him, with Amorim wise to be maximising everything he can out of a player who has enjoyed such a storied, successful career to date.

Yes, the legs may have gone, but as that derby display, in particular, showcased, the fight remains. There’s life in the old dog yet…

Huge Onana upgrade: Man Utd make contact to sign "unbelievable" PL star

Manchester United appear to making stride to landing a deal to replace Andre Onana.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 11, 2025

Everton had a busy summer in 2024. The Toffees brought in seven new players, looking to strengthen right across the board to help keep them in the Premier League. Well, whilst that has been all but achieved this season for the Toffees, it was at the expense of their former manager, Sean Dyche.

One could certainly argue that this summer is even more important. Everton are in their new era under David Moyes and are about to move to Bramley Moore Dock, their new stadium. Getting this summer right is imperative to starting life strong at the new ground.

Already, they have been linked with one new addition for the summer, Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff.

The latest on Everton's move for Longstaff

It would be an ambitious move to bring Longstaff in from high-flying Newcastle. He has been an important player under Eddie Howe throughout the duration of his tenure and played a role in the club’s Carabao Cup campaign, a competition in which they tasted success last month.

According to a report from Joe Thomas, a journalist for the Liverpool Echo, a move for Longstaff ‘was explored by Everton in January’ and it seems like he could ‘come under consideration again in the summer’, with the Toffees considering a move.

With the Newcastle-born midfielder’s contract up in just over 12 months’ time, a transfer this summer is a possibility. Howe explained in a recent press conference that his “long-term future is slightly more unclear”, suggesting a move is on the cards.

A price for the 27-year-old is unclear at this stage. However, he is valued at £18.7m by Transfermarkt, so it is safe to assume that he could cost anywhere in that region if the Toffees wanted to do a deal.

Interestingly, Everton actually have a player who is actually worth more than Longstaff who could be equally important as they enter their new era next season.

The Everton player worth more than Longstaff

Although signing Longstaff might not be the most glamorous of deals on the face of things, there is no doubt about his quality and work ethic that he will bring to this Everton side. Well, perhaps the same could have been said about Dwight McNeil when he first joined the club.

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The 25-year-old, who was born in Rochdale, made the move from Burnley to Everton back in 2022. He cost them £20m at the time, but that value has since risen up to £21.2m, even more than Longstaff is worth.

It has been a good campaign for the former England under-21 international. Despite being sidelined with an injury, McNeil has been exceptional. He has four goals and five assists so far in just 16 games across all competitions.

That includes three different instances this season in which he has scored or assisted multiple times in the same game. He grabbed two assists against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park earlier in the campaign in a brilliant 4-0 win.

Indeed, Everton’s number seven, who has shown excellent versatility so far in a Toffees shirt, has put up some impressive Premier League numbers. In 85 top-flight appearances for the club, he has 13 goals and 14 assists.

Football statistician Statman Dave once described McNeil as a “constant threat”. His contributions in an Everton shirt so far have been impressive, and the money they invested in him has certainly been worth it.

His short spike in value has highlighted his importance to this Everton side, and they will surely be hoping this can only increase over the next few seasons.

Moyes may have found the new Gareth Barry in Everton's £100k-p/w "leader"

Everton went punch for punch with Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 3, 2025

Chase DeLauter is making some history on Wednesday.

The Guardians have decided to call up their No. 2 prospect to make his first MLB start in Game 2 of their wild-card round matchup with the Detroit Tigers. Trailing 1-0 in the series, Cleveland has added DeLauter to the lineup for a do-or-die game.

DeLauter will start in center field and bat seventh in the lineup. The 23-year-old will become the sixth player in MLB history to make his debut in the postseason. It's a huge move in a big spot for the franchise, but after losing Tuesday's series opener 2-1, the team is looking for a spark. Maybe the rookie can provide it.

Everything you should know about Chase DeLauter

The Guardians selected the 6'3" 235-pound DeLauter with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft. He was not a highly recruited prep player, but he crushed pitching at James Madison for three years, including posting a 1.404 OPS as a junior. In that season, he slashed .437/.576/.828 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs.

While his college numbers were huge, DeLauter made a name for himself during the 2021 Cape Cod League, where he led the circuit with nine home runs and a .589 slugging percentage. That boosted his stock entering his draft year and led to his selection. He broke his foot midway through the 2022 season, but it didn't hurt his stock. Cleveland inked him to a $3.75 million signing bonus, but he reinjured his foot, stunting his rise.

After making his minor league debut in 2023, DeLauter absolutely raked, which helped him jump three levels in one season. He slashed .355/.417/.528 with five home runs, 22 doubles, and 39 RBIs, reaching Double-A by the end of the campaign. He re-broke his foot in April 2024, and his hitting fell off, but he did reach Triple-A by the end of the season.

In 2025, he opened the season in Triple-A, but underwent surgery for a right hamate fracture and hasn't played since July 11. So far in 2025, he's hitting .264 with a .379 on-base percentage and a .473 slugging percentage, with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 42 games.

During his three-year career, DeLauter has played only 138 minor league games due to his multiple injuries. Over that time, he's slashing .302/.384/.504 with 20 home runs and 87 RBIs.

MLB Pipeline currently has him ranked as the 54th-best prospect in all of baseball.

It will be quite a jump for DeLauter to go from the injured list to starting an MLB playoff game. The Guardians clearly have faith in him.

Russell will work with new head coach Abhishek Nayar, Southee, Watson and Bravo in the KKR backroom

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2025Andre Russell, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) legend, has decided to call time on his IPL career after not being retained by the franchise ahead of the 2026 season, and announced that he would be joining the team’s support staff as its “power coach”.”I’ve made a decision to retire from the IPL. I’ll still be active playing in various leagues all around the world and all the other KKR franchises,” Russell said in a video message. “I had some amazing time and great memories. hitting sixes, winning games, MVP and all of those things. But sometimes you just have to know when to hang up the boots. When I made this decision, I just felt like ‘yes, this is the best decision’. I don’t want to fade out. I want to leave a legacy and it’s best to retire when fans ask ‘why, you still have some more in you, you still could go for a bit longer’ than say, ‘yeah, you should have done it years back’.”We are part of the Instagram world, so when you’re going through your feed, you keep seeing yourself in different jerseys and, you know, friends, team-mates sending you stuff and, like, ‘you’re looking good in this jersey, what do you think’ and I’m like, ‘hmmm, I look weird in that jersey’. And it’s just those thoughts that’s been going through my head. I had a few sleepless nights. There have been a lot of conversations, between me and Mr Venky Mysore, and also Mr Shah Rukh Khan, about another chapter in my IPL journey, and they have shown me respect and love and they appreciate whatever I have been doing in the field and to be in a set-up where I’m familiar, that matters to me a lot.”Russell, who was part of KKR’s title-winning teams in 2014 and 2024, was also the IPL’s Most Valuable Player in 2019. Russell won 16 Player-of-the-Match awards at KKR, only behind Sunil Narine’s mark. And that long association has been strengthened with a position in the team’s support staff as “power coach”.