Manchester United are now fighting one of their Premier League rivals for the signature of Christian Pulisic, who has recently entered talks over a new contract at AC Milan.
Ruben Amorim is keen to bring in a new forward, despite both Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo making encouraging starts to life at Old Trafford, being praised by Gary Neville, who said: “With Cunha and Mbeumo, the risk of those signings was removed because in the sense they had played in the Premier League before and they had the hunger to deliver at a different level.
“Mbeumo looks like he belongs. He looks hungry and that he wants to score goals.
“Cunha and Mbeumo will win a lot of matches for Manchester United.”
Indeed, the two summer signings had already proven themselves in the Premier League, which meant they were low-risk additions, unlike Jadon Sancho, who flattered to deceive despite tearing it up with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
However, it has now been revealed that United are in the race for a forward who didn’t exactly set the world alight during his previous stint in England.
Man Utd fighting Aston Villa for AC Milan star Christian Pulisic
According to a report from Spain, Man United are now fighting Aston Villa for the signature of Pulisic, despite the forward recently entering talks with AC Milan over a new deal to extend his stay at the San Siro.
The Red Devils are keen to improve their forward options even further, despite adding Mbeumo, Cunha and Benjamin Sesko in the summer transfer window, and there is a belief the American could help them in their push for Europe for this season.
The 27-year-old’s contract situation is the ‘biggest obstacle’ for Amorim’s side to overcome, given that he is currently tied down until 2027, with an option to extend, and the Italian club are eager to keep hold of one of their key players.
The 82-time USA international was unable to establish himself as a Premier League star during his stint with Chelsea, registering just three goal contributions in all competitions during his final season at Stamford Bridge, but he has since taken his game to the next level.
Former USA defender Alexi Lalas has been left particularly impressed by the winger’s performances since moving to AC Milan, saying: “What is world class? Well, you’ve got your definition, I have my definition. But if you want to know what world class is, it’s Christian Pulisic.
“I think he’s playing his best soccer of his career. And I’m telling you right now, Christian Pulisic at this moment is one of the top 25 players in the world. He just happens to be American.”
Having already picked up eight goal contributions in all competitions this season, Pulisic could be ready for another crack at the Premier League, and he could be a real difference-maker for Man United in their push for Europe.
Man Utd set to make £52m bid for "the best winger in the country" An Mbeumo repeat: Man Utd to make £52m bid for "best winger in the country"
Manchester United look set to make another huge bid for a new attacker for Ruben Amorim.
Liverpool look more and more unlikely by the game that they will retain the Premier League title.
Of course, collecting the top-flight trophy two seasons on the trot is a difficult feat even when you’re all guns blazing.
But, it’s definitely made more tricky when you assess how quickly the wheels are falling off Arne Slot’s title defence right now.
The Reds are already up to five defeats in league action this season, with newly promoted Sunderland only on two losses, in stark contrast.
Slot was also significantly backed in the summer, with the summer transfer business at Anfield no doubt catching the eye, when you consider a jaw-dropping £415m was splashed out by the Merseyside giants.
The likes of Alexander Isak and Milos Kerkez have really struggled to get going, having cost a substantial £165m alone to get through the door.
But, there is one high-profile name that is in very real danger of becoming Slot’s own Naby Keita. Yes, things really do look that bad at the moment.
The numbers behind Keita's Liverpool disaster
When Keita arrived at Anfield in 2018, there was a lot of fanfare surrounding his high-profile signing.
After all, Jurgen Klopp boldly announcde that the Guinean was the “best player in the league” in the Bundesliga when leaving behind RB Leipzig for a shot in England for a whopping a whopping £48m.
In Klopp’s defence, Keita had collected 16 goals and assists combined across all competitions for Leipzig during his swansong campaign and the former Reds number 8 did score some beautifully taken goals during his stint on Merseyside, as can be seen watching the entertaining highlight reel above.
But, with all the hype that had surrounded the capture at the time, it would have been Keita’s constant in-and-out presence in the treatment room that would have irritated Liverpool fans the most, with a staggering 122 games missed through injury for club and country across his five seasons in England.
In the end, he was let go at the expiry of his contract with Werder Bremen, with just 11 goals and seven assists to shout about.
Slot will pray he doesn’t have another Keita-like situation unfolding right now as Liverpool struggle for consistency, with another mega-money signing at risk of fading into the background.
Liverpool's Naby Keita repeat
The failed signing of Keita still stands as Liverpool’s eighth most expensive signing of all time.
Thankfully, above the hot-and-cold 30-year-old’s name in the rankings are the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson, and Virgil Van Dijk, who are all figures Slot knows he can rely on.
Unfortunately, the same is yet to be applied to Florian Wirtz, who comes in as the Reds’ second most expensive capture at an astronomical £115m fee.
The German’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen met with the same Keita-level hysteria, having been dubbed a “generational” talent by sports media professional Christian Nyari just last season.
With 57 goals and 65 assists under his belt for Leverkusen, it can be rationalised as to why Liverpool blew such a large chunk of their budget on Wirtz instantly coming good.
Indeed, Reds journalist Bence Boscak pleaded in the summer that Slot and Co needed to land his signature “whatever” the price may be.
Games played
16
Minutes played
1119 mins
Goals scored
0
Assists
3
Yet, much like they found out with Keita, blistering form in the Bundesliga doesn’t necessarily mean they will instantly hit the ground running on English shores, with Wirtz still yet to collect a single goal or assist in Premier League action.
Wirtz was particularly ineffective last time out as Liverpool were reminded of how far they’ve fallen in such a short space of time against Manchester City, with an unmemorable 39 touches of the ball seeing the German fail to amass one single key pass.
It’s even clearer from the graphic above how much the number 7 has been “struggling” – as journalist Mark Ogden has noted – in his new surroundings, with both his take-on success percentage rate and duels being won per ninety minutes success rate taking a significant hit.
Analyst Darnish Iqbal has even branded the deal as a “disaster”, with it not being a stretch to state that it is Liverpool’s biggest disappointment in the transfer window since Keita joined way back in 2018. Perhaps the Reds should avoid the Bundesliga for now?
Wirtz, hopefully, won’t fall victim to Keita’s same fate in leaving for cheap though, with glimmers of his quality here and there – as seen in the playmaker amassing five key passes against Real Madrid – meaning Liverpool will hold onto him for the time being, praying he hits his Leverkusen heights on a consistent basis down the line.
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After winning three games in a row, Manchester United’s run came to an end against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday with the Red Devils held by Sean Dyche’s side, made to settle for a 2-2 draw on the road.
Despite taking a first-half lead through Casemiro, Ruben Amorim’s side were behind five minutes into the second 45, after goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona. However, a sensational 81st-minute strike from Amad on the volley was enough for United to secure a point in the East Midlands.
Despite having the majority of possession, United struggled to break down the low block deployed by Dyche. The Red Devils managed 18 shots at the Forest goal, but, concerningly, ten of those were from outside of the penalty area.
Another concern for United is the fact that they didn’t create one big chance in the game. Forest did, and scored from it, but it did feel like Amorim’s side struggled to create chances against the deep block of Forest.
Someone who was directly affected by that was Benjamin Sesko, who struggled against the men in Garibaldi Red.
Why Benjamin Sesko struggled against Forest
It is certainly not ideal for your number nine to be so isolated when you are trying to break down a side that played as Forest did. After a run of good form, Sesko could barely get into the game at the City Ground.
Incredibly, the Slovenian striker has just 21 touches of the ball, fewer than any other starter for either side. He was incredibly isolated, which must have frustrated Amorim. Their summer signing has shown great instinct in the penalty box and excellent link-up play, so he needs to be in the game more.
Yet, Sesko did try and have an impact in front of goal. The 22-year-old had three shots, and whilst two of them were from inside the area, none of them found the target and tested Matz Sels.
After what was a largely anonymous performance from United’s number 30, he was given a 5/10 for his performance by Steven Railston of the Manchester Evening News.
He did praise the striker for the fact that he “provided a focal point” for United, although they didn’t use him much.
As tough a night as it was for Sesko, there was a United player who was certainly worse.
Worse than Sesko: Man United's biggest underperformer vs Forest
United’s struggles with breaking down the Forest low block were perhaps emphasised in Sesko’s performance, with the Slovenian barely involved. However, he was not the only person who struggled at the City Ground.
The Red Devils certainly lacked going forward, and one of those players was Diogo Dalot. The Portuguese full-back once again operated at left wing-back, but didn’t offer much going forward, and struggled defensively, notably making fewer passes than Senne Lammens.
Of course, with a 6-foot-5 striker in the box like Sesko, it is ideal for the United wingbacks to find him with crosses into the box.
Dalot, however, failed to complete a cross from two chances, and defensively, he only won three out of eight duels.
Touches
43
Passes completed
21/24
Possession lost
12
Ground duels won
2/5
Aerial duels won
1/3
Crosses completed
0/2
Key passes
0
Railston was certainly critical of the former FC Porto defender. He gave Dalot a 3/10 for his performance and said the Portugal international was “exposed at various stages of the contest” against Forest.
Well, he was certainly not the only person to feel frustrated with Dalot’s performance. United content creator Dev Bajwa said their number two has “got to be dropped” by Amorim ahead of their next game, a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to face Thomas Frank’s Spurs.
At the end of the game, Amorim pointed out that Dalot can struggle to find crosses because “he’s a right-footer.” Well, factoring that in on top of this tough performance against Forest, it makes sense that the Portugal star might be dropped.
Amorim has options, too. Patrick Dorgu could operate as a left wing-back, a role for which he was signed by Amorim. Alternatively, Luke Shaw could play higher up with Ayden Heaven or Harry Maguire coming into the side, although this seems less likely.
All things considered, it is clear to see why Dalot might be rotated out of the side to face Spurs next week. Having a left footer in the side would surely be a benefit for the Red Devils, as they look to get back on track with a win.
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Newcastle United will be looking to win their fourth game in succession across all competitions, with the Magpies set to travel down to London to face West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.
Eddie Howe’s men go into the game in excellent form, having beaten Fulham, Benfica and, most recently, Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup.
There is not really a better time to be playing the Hammers than this week. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are in abysmal form, not winning since the 31st of August. They’ve lost six on the bounce, with little sign of their form improving.
Anthony Gordon, who was rested in midweek, could pose a huge threat to the Hammers.
How Newcastle can hurt West Ham
It seems almost guaranteed that Gordon will come straight back into the Newcastle starting lineup for their game against the East Londoners. He has been in strong form this season, dominating in the Champions League and could reall pose a big threat to the Irons.
Amongst Europe’s elite, the former Everton star has four goals and one assist in just three games. One of those strikes came against Barcelona, attacking the ball at the back post to fire home a cross from Jacob Murphy.
Incredibly, Gordon is yet to score or assist in the Premier League. He’s played six games and accumulated an expected goal involvement tally of 0.42 xGI. However, he has yet to chip in with a goal or assist.
The game against the Hammers could be the ideal opportunity for the England international to break his Premier League duck this season. His pace and direct nature could prove to be a huge threat against Nuno’s side, which has looked incohesive at the back this season, to say the least.
However, it is not only the final third threat of Gordon that could trouble West Ham. Howe has some dangerous options in midfield, too.
Howe's midfield star could terrify West Ham
Against Spurs in midweek, the Magpies rotated their midfield. Sandro Tonali was the only first-choice player who started, with Jacob Ramsey and Joe Willock operating either side of the Italian.
Bruno Guimaraes was on the bench, as was a man who could be hugely important against West Ham; Joelinton.
The Brazilian has played an important role in the middle of the park alongside Tonali and Guimaraes, and he could well slot back into the side against the Hammers.
The Brazil international is not enjoying his finest campaign, with Toon blogger Thomas Hammond even suggesting it’s the “start of the end” for the 29-year-old, who has been “honking” for some time.
That said, the number of minutes he has played shows just how important he is to Howe’s side. He’s featured 12 times across all competitions, with seven of those appearances coming in the Premier League.
One of the key reasons why the former Hoffenheim star could be pivotal against West Ham is his physicality. One described as a “dominant” midfielder by Statman Dave, Joelinton is notorious for his crunching tackles and his aerial prowess.
An excellent example of this strength came against Manchester United in the top flight last season. The Brazilian got himself on the scoresheet, outjumping and physically dominating Lisandro Martinez at the back post to head home a cross from Gordon.
This is particularly important against Nuno’s side. After their 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford a couple of weeks ago, Jamie Carragher said he can’t remember a “less athletic team I’ve seen for a very, very long time in the Premier League.”
It is easy to see why someone with the physicality of Joelinton can bully the Hammers side. However, he also offers quality on the ball. This term, the midfielder averages 0.9 chances created per game, and played an average of 11.1 forward passes per 90 minutes last season.
Chances created
0.8
0.9
Opposition half passes completed
19.3
17
Forward passes
11.1
7.8
Duels won
6.3
5.9
Ball recoveries
5.6
4.6
Joelinton could quite easily slot into the Magpies’ side as a replacement for Ramsey. His physicality will be important against what is a weak Hammers side, according to Carragher. However, you don’t lose the creative influence of Ramsey, given what the Brazilian can offer in the final third.
If this is a decision Howe makes at the London Stadium weekend, it could be crucial to helping his side secure their fourth win in a row.
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Arne Slot saw much-changed Liverpool fell to a sixth loss in seven matches as Ismaila Sarr’s clinical brace helped Crystal Palace reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Oliver Glasner’s Eagles got the better of the Reds for the third time this season as they followed their Community Shield shoot-out triumph and last month’s Premier League victory at Selhurst Park with an Anfield win.
Sarr’s first-half brace and a late Yeremy Pino strike secured FA Cup holders Palace a 3-0 fourth round victory as increasingly scrutinised Liverpool boss Slot’s bold decision to make 10 changes backfired in front of a full house.
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Slot’s men had started Wednesday’s tie brightly, only for familiar foe Sarr to score twice at the end of the opening period to make it seven goals in nine matches against Liverpool.
Palace continued to cruise through the second half. The tie was over by the time teenage Reds substitute Amara Nallo was sent off in the 79th minute, with Pino adding extra gloss late on.
Defenders & goalkeeper
Freddie Woodman – 5
Even Freddie Woodman will be surprised to have received the call from Liverpool in the summer, but here he is and there he was in the starting line-up against Crystal Palace. To his credit, the Englishman was fairly flawless and could do nothing to prevent Sarr’s first-half brace or Pino’s late effort.
Calvin Ramsay – 6
Calvin Ramsay (yes, Calvin Ramsay) was perhaps the most surprising name on the teamsheet in a much-changed Liverpool side. The Reds have had their right-back problems as of late, so why not turn to the forgotten man?
Finally back at Anfield following disappointing loan spells and injury troubles, the Scotsman was one of the brightest sparks for the home side, particularly in the first half. He also gets bonus points for a stunning crossfield pass that Liverpool fans became used to down the right-hand side for several years. Welcome back, Calvin.
Joe Gomez – 3
It was a difficult evening for Joe Gomez, whose loose touch handed Sarr his first before his poor positioning allowed the Palace man a second in the space of four first-half minutes.
It was a frustrating watch for those at Anfield, who saw Gomez get off to a solid, leading start before mistakes crept into his game. Given the recent struggles of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, the last thing Liverpool needed was a poor performance from their other senior centre-back.
Andy Robertson – 4
In an unfamiliar centre-back role, it became clear that Andy Robertson was not in his favoured position from early on. Whilst he deserves credit for slotting in under the circumstances, there’s no denying that he struggled alongside Gomez. In many ways, it was fitting that the Reds played a fullback at centre-back against Marc Guehi as their regret became exposed.
That said, Robertson will be wondering what he has to do to take back his left-back spot as Liverpool’s disastrous defensive form continues.
Milos Kerkez – 4
Speaking of Liverpool left-backs, it was another frustrating evening for Milos Kerkez. He has continued to look rushed in possession and rash when defending. Although he wasn’t tested as much as previous weeks, the Hungary international was wasteful at times and that far from helped the blunt nature of Liverpool’s frontline.
Midfielders
Wataru Endo – 4
When Wataru Endo entered the Anfield turf last season, it often signalled game over for any opposition side. The Japanese international simply closed up for the evening and secured three points time and time again. This season, however, he has struggled to make the same impact.
Suddenly, there’s no hiding his weakness in possession which was shielded by work rate and robustness in the last campaign. Once again, he was loose against Palace and far from helped his side’s attempts to take control.
Trey Nyoni – 4
It was a night of learning for Trey Nyoni. Such a highly-rated player at Liverpool, the young midfielder felt the tempo of Premier League opposition in full and often found his passes misplaced.
Those at Anfield witness his unique composure in the middle of the park in pre-season, but he found out the hard way that time isn’t always a given at senior level.
Alas, it must be said that the senior members of the squad could have done a fair bit more to help the 18-year-old on a night to forget.
Alexis Mac Allister – 3
Alexis Mac Allister was undoubtedly one of Liverpool’s most important players last season’s title win. Alongside Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, he formed an excellent midfield. Like much of Slot’s side as of late, however, he’s lost his way in the current campaign.
Still recovering from a knee injury in the summer, the Argentine once again looked a shadow of his best self against Crystal Palace. His form, or lack of it, hands Slot the worrying dilemma of just how to fix his current problems in the middle of the park.
Forwards
Kieran Morrison – 5
Thrust into the side at 18 years old, Kieran Morrison started well before gradually beginning to struggle against senior opposition. It’s not the first-team debut that he would have been dreaming of, but it is a moment in his career that he should cherish at Anfield nonetheless.
Had he at least enjoyed better service, things may have been different.
Rio Ngumoha – 6
Liverpool’s biggest bright spark, Rio Ngumoha very nearly curled a sensational effort into the top right in the first-half and certainly handed the likes of Jaydee Canvot a tough start to the evening. At 17 years old, his ability to take players on remains extraordinary and may just earn him a fair few more chances in the coming months.
Liverpool star Rio Ngumoha
Whilst Liverpool’s attack is full of big-money signings, Ngumoha’s glimpses of quality have sparked questions about his own game time despite his tender age,
Federico Chiesa – 6
It looked for a moment as though Federico Chiesa would hand Liverpool the lead in the early stages, only for his effort to end high and wide. That was that for the Italian’s chances, in truth, who struggled despite once again putting in the hard yards.
Even in defeat, his work rate should have put Slot on notice. As the Reds’ attack continues to struggle to click, Chiesa may yet provide a solution alongside the rest of his senior teammates.