يخوض منتخب مصر للناشئين مباراة قوية اليوم الجمعة، ضد نظيره فنزويلا، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا المقامة في قطر.
وتقام مواجهة مصر وفنزويلا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الثانية من عمر مباريات المجموعة الخامسة لبطولة كأس العالم للناشئين.
منتخب مصر يتواجد في المجموعة الخامسة من بطولة كأس العالم بجانب منتخبات فنزويلا وهايتي وإنجلترا.
وافتتح منتخب مصر مشواره في بطولة كأس العالم، يوم الثلاثاء الماضي أمام منتخب هايتي، وحقق الفوز بنتيجة 4-1.
طالع.. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة مصر وفنزويلا اليوم في كأس العالم للناشئين
ويتصدر منتخب مصر، ترتيب المجموعة من بطولة كأس العالم، برصيد 3 نقاط، يأتي منتخب فنزويلا في الوصافة بنفس عدد النقاط، يأتي منتخبا إنجلترا وهايتي في المركزين الثالث والرابع بدون نقاط. موعد مباراة مصر وفنزويلا اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا
تقام مباراة مصر وفنزويلا، اليوم الجمعة 7 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة 3:30 بتوقيت مصر، 4:30 بتوقيت السعودية.
For the first time since clinching a second successive European Championship title back in July, England's Lionesses return to action this week, beginning their 'homecoming series' which will take the team around the country as they celebrate the summer's incredible triumph with as many fans as possible. It starts in Manchester on Saturday against Brazil, the South American champions, and moves onto Derby three days later, where Australia will be the visitors, before resuming in November with two more friendlies.
These final two international camps of 2025 are not just an opportunity for the Lionesses to show off that Euros trophy, though. Ahead of qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup beginning in the New Year, Sarina Wiegman can use these four friendlies to experiment a little and see some new players, with there three names in this month's squad who have accepted senior call-ups for England for the first time.
To an extent, there is a need to experiment, too, as Wiegman is missing a number of key players this month. That's particularly the case at centre-back, as Leah Williamson is still sidelined with a knee issue picked up during Euro 2025 and Millie Bright has just this month called time on her international career, and in the forward line, with Lauren James also still working her way back from an injury sustained during the Euros title run, Lauren Hemp having suffered a knock to her ankle last month that rules her out of this camp and the in-form Jess Park, who looked set to provide a solution amid those absentees, a late withdrawal from the squad.
So, what should England fans be looking out for this month? GOAL picks out six things to keep an eye on as the Lionesses return to action:
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Centre-forward pecking order
Going into Euro 2025, the centre-forward pecking order felt quite clear. Alessia Russo was England's starting No.9, with Aggie Beever-Jones second in line and Michelle Agyemang, something of a wildcard inclusion by Wiegman, adding to the options. However, Agyemang's impressive impact in the Lionesses' first group-stage game changed everything, with the teenager able to leapfrog Beever-Jones in the depth chart over the course of the tournament, something she justified by scoring in the quarter- and semi-finals.
How, then, does that look as England return to action for the first time since the Euros? Russo's position will not change but, with Wiegman likely to use the friendlies to rotate and experiment, both Beever-Jones and Agyemang will be out to show what they can do and why they should be the manager's first port of call from the bench. The latter may feel like she has the edge after the Euros, but Beever-Jones is in electric form as the top-scoring Englishwoman in the Women's Super League so far this season.
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Le Tissier's much-debated role
Maya Le Tissier has been an unused sub in 12 of England's 13 games in 2025, and yet she comes into this camp as one of the main talking points. That's because, upon unveiling her squad for October, Wiegman once again reiterated that she sees the Manchester United captain as a right-back, not at centre-back, despite her only playing the former position once since joining the Red Devils back in 2022, as the club's social media admin, somewhat incredibly, was keen to point out shortly after those comments were made.
That United employee is not alone in thinking Wiegman's perspective is strange, though. Arsenal icon Ian Wright, a regular pundit in the women's game, described Le Tissier as the "most consistent English [centre-back] in the league" after seeing the Lionesses' boss' quotes. "I don't understand," he added.
It's even more of a talking point this month, given the absence of Williamson and Bright's retirement. With Alex Greenwood seemingly, and deservedly, England's first-choice left-sided centre-back, there is a gap on the right to be filled in this camp, if not also in the next, depending on Williamson's recovery. Many believe Le Tissier should get the chance to play there, but it seems more likely that she adds to her eight England appearances by playing the same position she did for her sole cap in 2025, at right-back.
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Goalkeeping inexperience
When Mary Earps made the surprise decision to call time on her England career just a few weeks before Euro 2025 began, many wondered – and some even expected – Wiegman to give a shot-stopper other than Hannah Hampton a run out before the Lionesses headed to Switzerland. After all, neither Khiara Keating nor Anna Moorhouse, who completed the goalkeeping unit in the Euros squad, had a cap to their name. However, despite having three opportunities to do so, Wiegman didn't, with both still awaiting their senior England debuts at this point.
It was understandable in two of those pre-tournament fixtures, as the Lionesses took on Portugal and Spain in the Nations League. The clash with the former ended 6-0, making it seem like a good chance to play Keating or Moorhouse in hindsight, but the reverse fixture saw England held to a frustrating 1-1 draw, so it was not expected to play out like that, while the latter was a meeting with the world champions. That Wiegman stuck with Hampton for the Lionesses' friendly against Jamaica at the end of June was more surprising, though it did also make some sense for consistency going into the Euros.
These next two camps, then, really feel like the chance for Keating or Moorhouse to get out on the pitch. England have two years to build up to the next World Cup and they will not want to be in a situation for that tournament where only one of their goalkeepers is capped. The Lionesses' November fixtures are a little more favourable in terms of easing a shot-stopper in, as China and Ghana are weaker opponents than Brazil and Australia, but at the end of the day, all of these games are friendlies and Wiegman has to give games to other goalkeepers sooner rather than later.
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Kelly's minutes
Despite being the hero of Euro 2025 (and Euro 2022), Chloe Kelly is still trying to force her way into Wiegman's first-choice XI. Yet, it doesn't feel like she comes into this camp primed to make a statement in her quest to do so.
Kelly ended the 2024-25 season in flying form on loan at Arsenal and looked set to continue that when she made her move to the Gunners permanent over the summer, especially after such a special Euros. However, the forward has only accumulated 234 minutes across the club's first eight games of the season.
It appears part of the reason why could be fitness related, as Kelly has had noticeable strapping on her knee a few times in recent weeks, with her also not in the squad for Arsenal's second game of the season due to a knock. But her ability to impact games remains evident, with her providing a fantastic assist for the Gunners' last goal before the international break after a quick and clever free-kick teed up Russo against Benfica.
Is she able to build on that during this camp? Kelly could really use the minutes, as she looks to properly get her 2025-26 season up and running, and the absences of all of James, Hemp, Park and even Grace Clinton, another player who can play out wide but withdrew after the squad announcement with injury, could pave the way for her to get quite a few.
O Botafogo anunciou neste domingo (1) que os ingressos para a partida contra o Goiás estão esgotados. O jogo, válido pela vigésima quinta rodada do Brasileirão, será nesta segunda (2), às 20h, no Nilton Santos, casa do Alvinegro.
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No último sábado (30), torcedores foram ao estádio para acompanhar o Botafogo em um treino aberto do time. Apesar da má fase recente, a torcida compareceu em peso e cantou em apoio aos jogadores e ao treinador Bruno Lage durante o treinamento.
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O duelo contra o Goiás é crucial para o Botafogo recuperar a confiança no campeonato. O time de Lage vem de três derrotas seguidas e o fator casa será um importante aliado nesta segunda para reverter o cenário atual.
With a lead of 43 and eight wickets still in hand, the hosts have a chance to dictate how the remainder of this game goes
Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Jun-2025Sri Lanka are only two wickets down but are 43 runs ahead at the SSC. Another 150-ish runs will help them dominate the match, says Kusal Mendis. He is yet to bat, and in fact three further wickets likely have to fall before he is required to.But having kept wickets for 79.3 overs, and having played plenty of his cricket at the SSC, Mendis has some idea of how the pitch is behaving. The plan, he said, is to go big in the second innings, and put as little pressure on their batting in the second dig as possible.”What we’re trying to do is to bat long enough now that we don’t have to bat in a fourth innings, and to give them a good target from here,” Kusal said. “Tomorrow we are trying to bat as long as possible and put 150-200 runs on the scoreboard.”Related
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The aversion for batting last is down to the expectation that this pitch will dry substantially from here. On day two, there was some turn for the spinners, but that turn is expected to get faster and more pronounced if the pitch continues to dry out through the course of the Test.”We think it’s going to turn on day four and five, so we need to make the most of this batting opportunity,” Kusal said. “Even the grass that was quite green is dry now, so we expect it will get better for spin. If we can get to those runs quickly, that will give us options.”Driving Sri Lanka forward again is Pathum Nissanka, who is not out on 146 off 238 balls overnight. This was his fourth Test hundred, having also made 187 in the first innings of the last match.”Pathum’s been among the runs for a while,” Kusal said. “He missed his 200 in the last match, but I think he’ll get there in the next innings. In recent times he’s the only opener who has been scoring runs. He’s scoring across formats. He puts a lot of effort in.”
Josh Tongue says that there has been no mention of the word “draw” in the home dressing-room at Headingley, a state of affairs that KL Rahul believes will play into India’s hands as England seek to hunt down a target of 371 on the final day of the first Test.England have drawn only once in their 36 Tests since Ben Stokes took over as captain, when rain washed away the prospect of a result at Old Trafford in the 2023 Ashes. There is a chance that the weather will play a role on the final day in Leeds, too, but the equation otherwise stands at 350 more runs – or ten wickets – required in 90 overs for a positive result.Tongue said that there was no situation in which England would consider a draw to be a good result, saying, “[We will] just go for the win. That’s the clear message in the changing room. It’s just [about] being as positive as we can. They’re going to bowl well at times tomorrow. It’s just crucial we soak up that bit of pressure and reapply it. I don’t see why we can’t chase that down.”Related
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Pant, Rahul centuries set England 371 to win at Headingley
Rahul, who top-scored with 137 in the third innings, echoed Tongue’s sentiments, and said that England’s attacking approach would suit India’s bowlers. “There’s definitely going to be a result,” he said. “That’s what England have said very openly, and their style of cricket suggests that as well. It gives us a good opportunity to pick up ten wickets. We know how they’re going to come out and bat on day five.”The wicket today was a very tricky wicket: I spent a lot of time batting there and I didn’t feel set at all at any given stage. The wicket’s taken a beating, and tomorrow might break even more… We know their style of cricket, so [we’ll] try to keep that in the back of our heads and try to see what lines and lengths we can bowl and how we can get them out.”Rahul also revealed that India had fallen short of the target they were hoping to set, after collapsing from 333 for 4 to 364 all out. “There was a little bit of discussion about how many runs we need on the board or… maybe giving them a few overs to bat in the evening today and see if we can pick up a wicket or two,” Rahul said. “Ideally, from the position we were in, we would have wanted at least 40 or 50 runs more.”Tongue said England were “really confident” after seeing out the final six overs of the day. “If you look at our batting line-up, it’s very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket. Chasing 371 is going to be a good thing for us to do tomorrow. Getting through that first 30-45 minutes tomorrow is going to be crucial, and then hopefully [we will] get the winning runs.”
Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has defended Nicolas Jackson against criticism, calling his impact "outstanding" despite his wait for a first Bundesliga goal. The Bayern boss insists the Chelsea loanee is "where he needs to be" and has interpreted his tactical role perfectly, even as club legend Lothar Matthaus claims he looks "out of place."
Kompany's 'objective' praise for under-fire Jackson
Jackson, 24, joined the German champions on a season-long loan from Chelsea for a reported €16.5 million (£14m/$19m) fee, which includes a €65m (£54m/$71m) purchase option. However, the Senegalese international has failed to score in his first six Bundesliga appearances, leading to questions over his suitability.
Despite the mounting external pressure, Kompany was unequivocal in his support, stating he has a "completely different opinion" to the public and explaining his reasoning.
"He's working very well," Kompany said. "We talked about his integration last week, and it's gone very quickly for him. I know why the question comes up, but I have no problem having a completely different opinion. I'll explain why objectively."
"In the first half against Dortmund, for example, he played an outstanding role, and the same against Pafos. He interpreted the game very quickly, understood what we wanted from him, and also got off to a good start against Club Brugge."
Kompany dismissed the goal-centric criticism as simplistic: "He's a striker; when he scores, we say he's the best. When he doesn't score, we say maybe he's not good enough. I'm happy that we have Jackson here; he'll be important for us this season. In terms of his playing ability, he's already where he needs to be, if only the goals would come."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMatthaus criticises Jackson amid wait for league goal
The public debate Kompany referenced is fuelled by Jackson's unconvincing statistics. In 13 appearances across all competitions, he has clocked just 457 minutes of action.
His two goals have come in the Champions League, against Pafos and Club Brugge. In the Bundesliga, he has not had a direct goal contribution in 244 minutes of playing time, a stark contrast to his attacking teammates Harry Kane (20 goals), Michael Olise (seven), and Luis Diaz (eight).
The striker's form has drawn sharp criticism from club legend Lothar Matthaus, who claimed Jackson looks "out of place".
"He gets little playing time and when he has played, he still seems a bit out of place," Matthaus said. "With Olise, Kane, Diaz, [Joshua] Kimmich, [Aleksandar] Pavlovic, the ball moves well. With him, it always gets a little stuck, or rather, his passing isn't quite sharp enough yet."
Matthaus also warned that Jackson's minutes could "decrease even further" when Jamal Musiala returns from injury.
Jackson 'happy' in Bavaria after summer transfer
For his part, Jackson maintains he is settling well in Bavaria. Speaking to the club's official website earlier in the week, the 24-year-old expressed his happiness.
"I'm really happy to be here and to be playing alongside such big names," Jackson said. "Oktoberfest was something very special… It gave me the chance to get to know an important part of Bavarian culture. Everything has been fantastic so far. I already feel very much at home here.”
The former Villarreal forward also spoke glowingly of his partnership with Kane, who has often played in a deeper No.10 role to accommodate Jackson as the central striker.
"It's incredible. I looked up to Harry even as a child," he added. "Now playing in the same team as him makes me very proud. I learn from him every day and try to pick up a few things from him."
Jackson's stated aim is to "make our fans happy and repay the trust my teammates and the coach have placed in me."
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(C)Getty ImagesWhat comes next?
Kompany's support for his striker comes ahead of a crucial fixture. Bayern host Bayer Leverkusen this Saturday, taking on a side they have not beaten in the last five Bundesliga meetings. The manager acknowledged the "rivalry" is "still there" and that Leverkusen, who have 16 from a possible 18 points under new coach Kasper Hjulmand, remain a "dangerous attacking team".
While Kompany insists "nobody is assured of their place," his public backing suggests Jackson remains a key part of his tactical plan as he awaits his first, and badly needed, Bundesliga goal.
Everton were beaten 3-0 at home to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday as David Moyes’ striker problems were laid bare once again.
Blunt Everton attack leaves Moyes frustrated
It was a sobering afternoon for David Moyes’ side, who lost in the league for the first time at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, despite having plenty of chances to get back into the game.
Speaking after the match, Moyes said that Everton didn’t deserve to be on the end of a 3-0 defeat, but accepted that improvements are needed in certain areas.
“I don’t think that we deserved to lose 3-0 but if you don’t defend set pieces well enough, then you’re always liable to lose the game. It’s not something that’s been a big problem with us but it was today, whether that was because of the quality Spurs had or whether it was down to how poor we were defending it, then that could be argued.
“Some good things and, obviously, I’m annoyed because we don’t defend our set pieces as poorly as that normally, so we’ll need to try to improve on it. We’ve been pretty good at it. Overall, the play was good enough to earn more than we did today, we’ve just got to try to tighten up and finish off some of the good play and the chances we have.”
Everton’s goal threat has been lacking all season, with another blank coming their way on Sunday, and one attacking player is really struggling at the moment.
Beto criticised as Blues striker without a goal since August
According to Sky Sports reporter Alan Myers for Everton News, Beto was on the receiving end of some criticism from one Everton fan after the Spurs defeat.
He claims he overheard one supporter “describe Beto as that riderless horse in the Grand National that keeps going even though he’s never going to win the race,” in a brutal assessment of the striker.
Myers adds that “maybe that’s a bit harsh, but as I’ve said often his endeavor and hard work cannot be criticised but as a striker, you will be judged on goals and he just isn’t scoring enough of them”, with the 27-year-old labelled “absolutely hopeless” by Toffees podcaster Paul Brown.
Beto arguably needs to be taken out of the firing line at this point, with the striker’s effort levels strong, but his quality simply not there week in, week out.
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The Portuguese target man has still only scored once in the Premier League in nine appearances so far this season, but the issue for Moyes is that outside of an inexperienced Thierno Barry, he doesn’t really have anyone else to turn to.
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Manchester City fell by the wayside last season. An upswing in form toward the end of the campaign saw Pep Guardiola’s side salvage Champions League football.
It was a great shock for the four-in-a-row Premier League champions, and some even clamoured for Guardiola to step down. But the legendary manager has picked his outfit back up, refashioning them into title challengers once again.
Kevin De Bruyne left at the end of his contract, but the likes of Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders have joined winter recruits such as Omar Marmoush in defining a new age at the Etihad.
Man City’s tactical brand has changed, and no mistake. While an averseness to dribbling was never an accurate description of Pep’s vision, there’s no doubt a fresh emphasis has been placed on his side’s dribbling.
Pep's dribbling renaissance at Man City
Often has Guardiola been criticised for numbing the pulse of his ball carriers, Jack Grealish being a case in point. While it’s true that the sum of the Spaniard’s system is greater than its individual parts, it is a machine of many different dimensions, and fleet-footed brilliance has always been a part of that.
In the past, wingers such as Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane played instrumental roles in establishing City’s early meteoric success, the bedrock of a dynasty that rivals any across English football history.
Sane, in particular, was an incredible dribbler with searing speed, especially before an ACL injury suffered in 2019, which forced the German to reinvent himself somewhat.
Praised by Guardiola for his athleticism and “incredible quality”, Sane, now at Bayern Munich, is fondly remembered by the Sky Blues, with that particular brand of electric-paced dribbling hard to replicate.
Signing stars like Rayan Ait-Nouri and Cherki this summer underscores Pep’s desire for a faster brand of dribbling in his Citizen side once again.
Sane might be a one-of-a-kind type of attacker, but there are similar variations with skillsets perfect for Guardiola’s teachings. Pep knows his stuff, and he might have found not just a belated superstar replacement, but someone who might actually be even better than the former City winger.
Man City's ball-carrying superstar
There’s only one man in question here: Jeremy Doku. The Belgian winger has been in fine fettle indeed across the opening weeks of the campaign, with talent scout Jacek Kulig noting he has “taken his game to a whole new level”.
Man City signed the dynamic wideman from French club Rennes for about £55m in 2023, but his first two terms in the Premier League have been characterised by an ebb and flow in the final third, scoring three times each year.
However, creativity has always been one of the 23-year-old’s strongest suits, and he’s married that with a new level of completeness and gusto with has borne dividends across these early weeks.
Three assists from six Premier League matches is good going, but Doku’s skill and explosiveness on the ball have been things to behold; now, there’s a new confidence and clarity about his performances.
It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Doku ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 (data courtesy of FBref), but he’s also in the top percentile for shot-creating actions, underlining his effectiveness when entering the danger area.
And this season, he leads the way in the Premier League, more accurate when progressing the ball than his attacking rivals.
Premier League 25/26 – Top Dribblers
Player
Success rate
Per 90
Jeremy Doku
54.5%
4.3
Mohammed Kudus
48.0%
4.1
Estavao
47.8%
4.0
Noah Okafor
43.5%
3.9
Rico Henry
77.8%
3.7
Data via FotMob
Might City have one of the finest dribblers in Europe? Undoubtedly. In fact, pundit Adrian Clarke has even gone as far as to claim that Doku is “one of the best dribblers in Premier League history”.
Valued at around £58m by Football Transfers, Manchester City haven’t quite got bang for their buck from a financial standpoint yet, but Doku is only 23, remember, and is showing all the signs of incremental growth which has not yet reached full bloom.
He’s the real deal, and if he maintains this level, he might even eclipse Sane and the like as the best dribbler across the entire Guardiola era at Manchester City.
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أجرى كارلو أنشيلوتي مدرب ريال مدريد السابق والذي حفر اسمه في تاريخ النادي بالعديد من الإنجازات، مقابلة مع صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية.
ويعد المدرب الإيطالي هو صاحب أكبر عدد من الألقاب في تاريخ ريال مدريد بـ15 لقبًا.
ونشرت الصحيفة الإسبانية مقتطفات من مقابلة المدرب الإيطالي المخضرم والذي يتولى حاليًا مسؤولية تدريب منتخب البرازيل، حيث تحدث عن لاعبيه السابقين في ريال مدريد.
ويتولى أنشيلوتي حالياً قيادة هؤلاء اللاعبين في منتخب البرازيل وهم، إندريك الذي يحظى حالياً بوقت لعب محدود مع الفريق وفينيسيوس جونيور الذي يعد محط الأنظار، ورودريجو الذي ساعده أنشيلوتي على تجاوز فترة ركوده.
وقال أنشيلوتي عن رودريجو الذي يمر بفترة صعبة في ريال مدريد ولم يسجل أي هدف بعد ثمانية أشهر: “لم أقم بفعل شيء مميز، لقد فهمت فقط مشكلة رودريجو وساعدته”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. مبابي يلمح لانتقال أوباميكانو إلى ريال مدريد.. ويشيد بلاعب مانشستر سيتي: موهبة مذهلة
وكان أنشيلوتي قد رحل عن ريال مدريد، وترك منصبه لخليفته تشابي ألونسو بعد أن حقق إرثاً رائعاً وتوج بالعديد من الألقاب منها ثلاثة ألقاب دوري أبطال أوروبا وكأس عالم أندية وكأس سوبر أوروبي وثنائية لكل من الليجا وكأس الملك والسوبر الإسباني.
وحقق أنشيلوتي 250 انتصارًا، منها 162 في الدوري الاسباني و53 في دوري أبطال أوروبا و22 في كأس ملك إسبانيا و5 سوبر إسباني و5 كأس عالم للأندية و3 في كأس السوبر الأوروبي.
ورد أنشيلوتي على الانتقادات حول أنه يعد مجرد مدير فقط وليس مدرب كرة قدم: “إن القول بأنني كنت مجرد مدرب هو كذبة”.
ودافع أنشيلوتي عن تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد والذي تعرض لهزيمتين ضد أتلتيكو وليفربول وتعادل ضد رايو فاليكانو: “التعادل في ريال مدريد هو مقدمة لأزمة، نتائج الفريق مذهلة حتى الآن، وماذا يمكن أن نطلب أكثر من ذلك”.
Crisis over? Not quite yet. Sure, Liverpool put five past woeful Eintracht Frankfurt to get their Champions League campaign back on track, but fans will now expect a continuation of that performance carried into the weekend.
Liverpool travel to Brentford on Saturday evening, having lost three on the bounce in the Premier League. Last week’s Anfield defeat at the hands of Manchester United was a low ebb, and Arne Slot will no doubt have been chagrinned by this polarising level of performance.
Last season, of course, the Reds romped their way to the Premier League title. Few, if any, anticipated a title battle after Jurgen Klopp up and left, but this football club has a funny way of disproving doubt, and the charge was ultimately processional.
Frankly, Frankfurt were shocking defensively, inviting 18 shots and 14 on target. Liverpool amassed an xG (expected goals) total of 3.26.
The club-record signing, Alexander Isak, might have been withdrawn at half-time, having still not hit his stride after that contentious summer move, but Hugo Ekitike continues to show why he has been one of the signings of the season – and that’s accounting for all teams across Europe.
Hugo Ekitike's prolific start to the season
Ekitike, 23, joined Liverpool from Frankfurt this summer, choosing the Reds over Newcastle United. An initial fee of £69m was chequed over to the Germans, with a further £10m payable through add-ons.
Liverpool have been freighted with tactical imbalances and new crises of confidence, but Ekitike has been cool and calm and clinical in the final third, with his well-taken strike against his former club, respectably not celebrating, taking his tally to six goals and one assist this year.
As per Sofascore, the France international also won five of seven contested duels at the Deutsche Bank Park, emphasising a wider level of quality. Not just a sharpshooter, he links up play, fights for loose balls, drops deep and carves openings for teammates. Ekitike is the real deal.
Right you are, Asim. But Ekitike isn’t the only one, with one of the club’s longest-serving stars proving he’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve.
Liverpool veteran is now as undroppable as Ekitike
In his post-match interview, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk baulked at the suggestion he was relieved after turning around this tough run of losses. He has, after all, been in this game a long time.
And so has Andy Robertson, who for many years ran up Liverpool’s left line as a turbo-charged creative force, whipping in crosses and beating his man with blistering speed and neat dribbling.
Robertson has known criticism, these past 14 months or so. The 31-year-old no longer brings such energy and snap to his game, and has been somewhat remodelled into a less mobile full-back. His technical quality remains, though.
And against Frankfurt, this was on full show. You will have seen Ekitike’s opening goal, the deftness and composure to angle inward when played through and dispatch into the net. It was Robertson, though, who saw the opening and played a weighted pass through.
This is what he brings to the table. Sofascore also record that the Scotsman took 114 touches, attempting five crosses, making five ball recoveries, winning his one attempted tackle and making three interceptions.
Die Roten fell apart, and tougher tests will come for Slot’s side, but Robertson brings the balance, and it may well be that he has proved he is every bit as undroppable as Ekitike right now.
FFC’S Liverpool Ratings vs Frankfurt
Player
Rating
(GK) Giorgi Mamardashvili
6/10
(RB) Jeremie Frimpong
5/10
(CB) Ibrahima Konate
8/10
(CB) Virgil van Dijk
8/10
(LB) Andy Robertson
8/10
(CM) Dominik Szoboszlai
9/10
(CM) Curtis Jones
8/10
(RM) Florian Wirtz
9/10
(LM) Cody Gakpo
8/10
(CF) Alexander Isak
6/10
(CF) Hugo Ekitike
9/10
Milos Kerkez, of course, would have something to say about that, but Kerkez has flattered to deceive at Liverpool so far this season, and he does not look at home in the boss’s tactical system.
While the 21-year-old joined from Bournemouth for £45m and was named in the Premier League Team of the Season for 2024/25, he has not yet found his feet on Merseyside, where the spotlight shines much brighter and the calendar is more unforgiving.
He simply isn’t quite right – yet. Robertson started his first game in a month this week, and he must now retain his role. Less pacy he may be, the £160k-per-week veteran is one of the most distinguished creators in the Premier League, with his assist tally in the competition a testament to that.
The problem with Kerkez is that he’s not a natural ball technician. That is to say, to move him into a principally ball-playing role would be an erroneous move.
Correspondent David Lynch noted he is perceived to be “getting torn to shreds every week”, but that this isn’t actually the case, with the Hungarian simply misused across these opening months of the term.
Kerkez is more of a touchline full-back. He has pace and power and incisiveness, and these are faculties sure to work in his favour down the line.
But we are not yet down the line. Liverpool are at the beginning of a transition, and Slot, for all his brilliance, has yet to crack the wider tactical nut.
Wednesday’s win was a step in the right direction, but Robertson dangled among the bunch of keys to victory; he added balance and coherence and stability down Liverpool’s left side.
The vice-captain simply “has to be in the line-up at Brentford”, according to The Athletic’s James Pearce, and this is a sentiment many would share after the events of recent weeks.
If Liverpool fail to pass the Gtech test – a stadium they have won at twice in a row – questions will be thrown back at Slot’s presser table. If the elusive synergy is to be captured and contained within Liverpool’s tactical make-up, players like Robertson and Ekitike have to reprise their starting roles.
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