Liverpool supporters have praised Brazilian midfielder Fabinho, as he has maintained an impressive record after his side’s 3-1 victory against Manchester City.
The 26-year-old scored the important first goal as the Reds secured three points over their title rivals and increased their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points, nine over the Citizens.
Fabinho, who joined from Monaco for £43.7m in 2018, was a key element to Liverpool’s successes on Sunday as the Brazil international was equally as threatening from an attacking perspective as well as resilient defensively (as stats on WhoScored show).
After his side won their 11th game of the season after 12 matches played, Fabinho remains unbeaten as a Liverpool player in the league and has only been involved with the team that has dropped points on five occasions.
Supporters were delighted with his showing and made their feelings clear on social media. One fan described him as a “beast of a man”.
Here you will find some of the best comments from Liverpool fans:
Graeme Murty’s Sunderland U-21s had until last week endured a difficult start to the season. In their first five games in the Premier League 2, the Black Cats picked up just four points and were left dangling dangerously near the bottom of the table.
Things, however, have been looking up in recent weeks, with Murty’s side having won all of their last three games in all competitions. First, they beat Lyon Reserves in the Premier League International Cup, before they then thrashed Derby 6-0 in the league. Earlier this week, they then made it three wins on the trot with an impressive 3-2 victory over Huddersfield U-21s in the Premier League Cup.
One man who has been integral to Sunderland’s change in fortunes has been striker Aaron Connolly, who joined the club in late September on a one-year deal. He bagged a goal against Derby on his debut and then scored twice in the win over Huddersfield. Speaking after the victory at the John Smith’s Stadium, Murty expressed his delight at Connolly’s impact.
“He’s a very good finisher, you see that in training all the time, but for him to do that today and last week, as you said, it shows that he’s going to be a threat,” said the Scot. “He was supposed to come off at sixty [minutes], but he wanted to stay on which is brilliant for us and it’s a great example for the young players.”
Murty could leave soon
Earlier this week, National League side Hartepool United sacked manager Darren Sarll after just 15 games in charge. Under Sarll, the Pools had won just four of their 13 league games this season. The club currently sit 16th in the league as a result of their poor form.
After Sarll’s departure, it was suggested on social media that Hartlepool United were taking an interest in Murty. Those reports have now been addressed by BBC journalist Rob Law, who has shared an update on the chances of Murty filling the vacant position.
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Sunderland are currently top of the Championship after nine games.
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“Understand the 49-year-old, who was born in Saltburn, has a desire to step back into a first team role & would be interested,” Law wrote in a post on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. Law added, however, that Murty “is just one name under consideration by the club”.
Murty’s managerial story
Murty, who spent most of his playing days with York City and Reading, moved into management in 2016 when he was appointed as the head coach of Scottish Premiership club Rangers’ development squad.
The following year, he stepped in twice as the first-team’s caretaker boss after the sackings of first Mark Warburton and David Weir then later Pedro Caixinha. After an impressive second spell as caretaker, he was then handed the role permanently until the end of the season. The former Scotland international was sacked before the campaign concluded, however, shortly after his side suffered an embarrassing 5-0 defeat at the hands of their biggest rivals, Celtic.
He later returned to his role in Rangers’ development squad before eventually leaving for Sunderland in 2022, where he’s since earned plaudits for his work with the U-21s.
Tottenham slumped to a shock comeback defeat at the hands of Brighton on Sunday, throwing away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at The Amex.
The visitors had led at half-time thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison, but then conceded three within just 21 second-half minutes directly after the break, with Danny Welbeck scoring what proved to be the winning goal. Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou described the defeat as “unacceptable”.
Ange let Spurs star leave in 2023, now he's massively outperforming Johnson
He’d be a treat at the heart of this Lilywhites squad…
ByAngus Sinclair Oct 5, 2024
“Disappointing, frustrated and absolutely gutted with that. Worst defeat since I’ve been here,” the 59 year-old, who took over as Tottenham manager in June 2023, said after the match. “Nowhere near where we should be.”
A number of Tottenham’s players have come under scrutiny for their role in the loss, including both Destiny Udogie and Rodrigo Bentacur, the latter of whom was spotted “jogging back” for Brighton’s equalizer. Striker Dominic Solanke was also criticised, despite providing the assist for Johnson’s opener.
Solanke blasted after England call-up
Last week, Solanke was named in Lee Carsley’s England squad for the Three Lions’ upcoming Nations League fixtures against Greece and Finland on October 10 and 13. The last time the Spurs striker played for England was back in November 2017 while he was at Liverpool. Reacting to Solanke’s international recall, former Tottenham scout Bryan King said he was surprised.
“To be honest, I couldn’t really work it out,” King told Tottenham News. “He cost a lot of money and scored some goals. However, they weren’t exactly spectacular goals, and his work has been nothing spectacular either.
“Obviously, Carsley has seen something which I haven’t seen,” he said. “We have to assume that he knows him from Bournemouth. Playing Greece and Finland, they aren’t exactly the biggest nations in the world either.”
Carsley, who is currently standing in as England’s interim boss, told the press that he recalled Solanke because he is “extremely talented”.
“Dom’s a player I’m fully aware of having worked with him in the past. He was really close to being in the last squad but got injured just before selection,” he said. “He did so well at Bournemouth and now he’s taken that form into Spurs. He’s got a lot of really good attributes that I really like, as well as being a really nice person.”
A stellar start for Solanke
Solanke joined Tottenham from Bournemouth this summer in a deal worth £55 million, signing a £90k-a-week contract. Having scored 19 Premier League goals for the Cherries last term, fans were hoping he would be able to fill the void left by club record scorer Harry Kane, who had joined Bayern Munich the previous year.
Harry Kane and Dom Solanke
After an injury-hampered start to his career in North London, however, the Englishman has found his feet in recent weeks, scoring three and assisting one in his last four games. His most recent goal came in Tottenham’s resounding 3-0 victory over Manchester United on September 29.
Speaking late last month about Solanke’s start to life at Spurs, Postecoglou said: “He’s settled in really well. There’s plenty more to come from him.”
A former West Ham United recruitment chief, who only left the club in June, has shared why manager Julen Lopetegui could “definitely” be at risk of the sack in east London.
West Ham rescue 1-1 draw at Brentford
The Irons haven’t won a game in all competitions since late August, with their last victory coming in a 1-0 EFL Cup second-round win against Bournemouth.
West Ham prepared to bid £25m for player who Lopetegui has closely watched
He’s a highly talented forward.
ByEmilio Galantini Sep 29, 2024
Since then, West Ham have been knocked out of the EFL Cup – following a 5-1 battering to Liverpool at Anfield – and have suffered resounding defeats against Premier League heavyweights Man City and Chelsea.
They very nearly lost to London rivals Fulham as well – were it not for a dramatic late equaliser from striker Danny Ings – and it took a bundled equaliser from midfielder Tomas Soucek to rescue a point at Brentford on Saturday.
Match
Date
Opponent
Competition
Result
#8
28/09/2024
Brentford (A)
Premier League
1-1 draw
#7
25/09/2024
Liverpool (A)
Carabao Cup
5-1 loss
#6
21/09/2024
Chelsea (H)
Premier League
3-0 loss
#5
14/09/2024
Fulham (A)
Premier League
1-1 draw
#4
31/08/2024
Man City (H)
Premier League
3-1 loss
#3
28/08/2024
Bournemouth (H)
Carabao Cup
1-0 win
#2
24/08/2024
Crystal Palace (A)
Premier League
2-0 win
#1
17/08/2024
Aston Villa (H)
Premier League
2-1 loss
Bryan Mbeumo’s first-minute strike gave Lopetegui’s visitors a real scare, and despite getting a result at the G-tech Community Stadium, West Ham have been criticised for their performance at Brentford.
“When you’re in a bad run of form and you concede with 41 seconds on the clock, you fear the worst. In that context, the way West Ham bounced back to earn a point at Brentford is a positive,” said Sky journalist Ron Walker.
“But that’s still as good as it gets. For a team with the depth and quality of this Hammers side, the lack of memorable moments they produced is still a concern.
“The Hammers’ defending has been a major cause for concern but their attacking return is an even greater worry when Julen Lopetegui was tasked with delivering a more expansive style.
“That will take time but with an expected goals tally lower than Southampton despite Lucas Paqueta, Mohamed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen featuring in every game, even their individual quality should be enough to produce more than this.”
West Ham spent nearly £120 million on nine summer signings before transfer deadline day, and there is certainly a real case to be made that they should be performing at a much higher level than this.
Former West Ham chief shares why Lopetegui is at risk of sack
Speaking to Football Insider, ex-West Ham recruitment chief Mick Brown says Lopetegui is “definitely” at risk of getting sacked, and he goes on to state that the club’s owners and directors’ knowledge of football is seriously lacking.
“I think there’s more pressure on him after what David Moyes managed to do,” said Brown.
“When 60,000 people are saying they don’t want this and they want a different type of football, the board have had to be careful with their decision.
“It’s always difficult trying to judge what the owners and directors will do. Their knowledge of the game is not great and they’ve made many mistakes in the past. They were warned to be careful what they wished for, but having made that decision [replacing Moyes with Lopetegui], they’re wary of making another mistake.
“I don’t know Lopetegui and I don’t know how he works, but if we’re looking at the results he’s had so far, which is what the game is about, he’s definitely at risk.
“Results will need to improve because one win in six games isn’t good enough after what David Moyes has done.”
Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has been a busy man throughout the summer transfer window as he has attempted to improve his squad.
The English tactician is still searching for his first trophy in charge of the club after the failure to secure a piece of silverware during the 2022/23 campaign.
Who have Rangers signed this summer?
Beale has reacted to last season’s disappointing by swooping for seven new signings to date; including Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima, Kieran Dowell, Cyriel Dessers, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland.
That may not be the end of the club’s business, however, as they still have over a month to make further additions to the team before the deadline passes.
The Light Blues have been linked with a number of centre-forward options to improve their arsenal of weapons in the final third and one name that has emerged this summer is Brandon Vazquez.
How good is Brandon Vazquez?
The USA international, who currently plays for FC Cincinnati, is a promising striker whose form at MLS level suggests he has the potential to be an excellent player by Beale.
His ability to score goals as well as create them could make him the ideal partner for new signing Dowell at Ibrox next term, as the former Norwich ace is a midfielder who can get on the end of an incisive pass or provide one.
Former Norwich midfielder Kieran Dowell with Josh Sargent.
Vazquez – once lauded as a "ruthless" machine by football agent Chris Smith – has scored six goals in 21 appearances throughout 2023 but his form throughout 2022 indicates that the quality is there for him to be an outstanding signing and lethal striker.
The talented gem, who has reportedly been valued at up to €10m (£8.7m), plundered 20 goals and eight assists across 37 matches last year, which included 18 strikes in 33 MLS outings.
Whereas, no Rangers striker managed more than 14 goals or five assists throughout the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership campaign, which suggests that the USNMT star could provide a greater threat at the top end of the pitch.
His creativity, in particular, could allow him to thrive alongside Dowell. The ex-Everton prospect scored ten goals in 26 Championship starts across two separate seasons during his time at Carrow Road, whilst Malik Tillman (ten) was the only Gers midfielder to hit double figures last term.
He also created 11 'big chances' for his Canaries teammates at that level, which is more than any Rangers midfielder other than Tillman (12) – who has since returned to Bayern Munich – produced during the 2022/23 league season.
This suggests that Dowell and Vazquez could form an exceptional frontline at Ibrox as they are both capable of being outstanding scorers and creators within their respective positions if they can adapt to Scottish football, which indicates that they could set each other up in the final third.
At the age of 24, the eight-cap sensation would also be the youngest, by two years, striker within the squad and this means that he could be a superb long-term investment by Beale, whilst also having the quality to possibly make an immediate impact in Scotland.
The departure of Mason Mount to Manchester United is a topic that has rocked the Chelsea fanbase and has left many to question the judgement of the new ownership.
On one side, the Englishman is a two-time Chelsea Player of the Year, who also provided the Champions League-winning assist for Kai Havertz in 2021.
However, those against Mount have questioned his quality and commitment to the club, with suggestions that he had rejected contract proposals, which left no option but his unwanted sale.
It is an endless debate, steeped in speculation and controversy, but the 24-year-old has gone and Mauricio Pochettino must pinpoint a suitable replacement to fill the void he has left in the squad.
Such is the nature of the chaotic and headline-addicted regime of Todd Boehly, an array of names have been linked, and one of the latest to add to the list is Paolo Dybala.
Is Paolo Dybala joining Chelsea?
According to Matteo De Santis, the Roma star is attracting the attention of Pochettino, who could be available for £10m, a deal which is valid until 30 July.
Back in March, the 29-year-old spoke on his release clause and the interest being shown in him: “Surely, we’ll talk about this later on. My future is here, I want to bring Roma as high as possible and I think we can do it. I don’t know what will happen in the future.”
However, the tweet details that Roma is not currently not worried, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on.
How many goals has Paolo Dybala scored?
The Argentine is a jewel of Italian football. He has played in southern Italy since 2012 and has recorded 168 goal involvements in 296 appearances in Serie A appearances.
This ridiculous record included netting 115 times for Juventus and ranks as the ninth-highest scorer in the club’s history.
The 38-cap international moved to the Giallorossi last year and has continued his dazzling reputation as the magisterial nucleus of the side, recapturing the mesmerising form that endeared him to the hearts of all Old Lady supporters.
For Jose Mourinho’s side last term, he was the top-scorer (12) and best assister (6), also registering the best average rating (7.2) within the squad, as per WhoScored.
In contrast, Mount endured his most troubled campaign at Stamford Bridge, scoring just three times and missing 11 league games through injury.
Mason Mount
Described as a “magician” by reporter Alex Seixiero, the former Palermo star has displayed that he can be a more prominent creative spark than Man United's new man.
Indeed, this is best demonstrated by the fact that Dybala outperforms Mount for shot-creating actions per 90 (5.39 vs 3.58), shots per 90 (3.22 vs 2.02), successful take-ons per 90 (1.53 vs 0.86), and progressive carries per 90 (2.7 vs 2.41) throughout the last year of football.
The signing of a player with the experience, technical impudence, and glittering repertoire of Dybala would be a huge boost to a side in desperate need, and it would also help the recovery from the damaging departure of ‘one of their own.’
The ultimate dream as an academy player must be reaching the first team with your closest friends, your teammates for years – those who have had the exact same journey.Mason Mount and Trevoh Chalobah lived that dream at Chelsea.It was not one with a fairytale ending, however, with Mount reportedly set to complete a move to Old Trafford, ending 18 years at the London club, where he became the player that managed to attract interest from Manchester United in the first place.With the news of his pending exit, Chalobah shared his emotional goodbye on social media.
What’s the latest on Mason Mount?
Amid a disappointing Premier League season last time out, finishing in the bottom half at Chelsea, Mount reportedly rejected the Blues’ contract offers and looked set to leave on a free next summer. And that’s when United swooped in.
Despite negotiations going back and forth, the Red Devils finally reached an agreement with the London club on a deal worth £60m, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Fans won’t like to admit it, but Chelsea will likely miss Mount next season. As per Opta, since the 2019/20 campaign, he has arguably been their best player, leading the way in appearances, chances created, goals and assists. The fact is, he was a crucial part of the squad at Stamford Bridge.
It’s a shame for the academy, too, having seen Mount make it all the way to the first team, before becoming a central figure for the Blues. With the potential to replicate the likes of Frank Lampard as a club icon, however, the England international moves on to the Red Devils.
For context of how unlikely an exit once seemed, if you told us that Mount would be heading to Manchester United a year ago, we’d have assumed a late-season fixture was taking place, rather than a transfer…
What did Trevoh Chalobah say to Mason Mount?
An emotional Chalobah seemed to issue a heartfelt goodbye to Mount – who he came through the academy with – saying on Twitter: “My boy.” – he also added a crying emoji and a broken heart.
Reaching the first-team, like Mount, the defender has since enjoyed many moments to remember, and will only be looking to add to his memories under new manager Mauricio Pochettino next season.
A fresh start under a new boss could see 23-year-old Chalobah establish a starting place for the Blues once more, amid the usual competition for places.
Pre-season will certainly be an important one, as Chelsea look to turn things around, even without Mount, to make a return to the Champions League places in the coming campaign.
James Ward-Prowse and Amadou Onana would make "a really interesting combination" in West Ham United's midfield next season as potential replacements for the departing Declan Rice, believes journalist Paul Brown.
West Ham United transfer news – what's the latest on James Ward-Prowse and Amadou Onana?
West Ham are set to cash in on club captain Rice, with chairman David Sullivan confirming earlier this month that the player would be allowed to leave the London Stadium in the summer.
Arsenal look set to sign the midfielder having agreed a fee, it's just the structure of the deal that has been causing issues.
That kind of money will be necessary to help the Hammers rebuild their midfield for next season as one of their potential targets, Southampton captain Ward-Prowse, is reportedly valued at €60m (£52m) by his club, per transfer expert Ekrem Konur.
Another target, Everton's Onana, is reportedly worth £55m, according to Belgian newspaper Le Soir.
However, the publication has also reported that the 6 foot 4 monster has made his desire to leave clear, telling the club he 'absolutely wants to leave', which could help bring the price down somewhat.
What did journalist Paul Brown say about Amadou Onana and James Ward-Prowse to West Ham United?
Brown explained that the club would be looking for a replacement for the departing Rice and that the possible combination of Ward-Prowse and Onana was particularly interesting to him.
Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I don't think he's high on their list as a midfield replacement for Declan Rice, but they are looking for two midfielders, and if they were to get Ward-Prowse and someone like Onana, that would be really interesting as a little combination."
Who is the better player out of James Ward-Prowse and Amadou Onana?
While both players have demonstrated their ability to play in the Premier League this season and would undoubtedly add something to West Ham's midfield, which one edges it in terms of quality?
According to WhoScored, the Englishman had a better overall season last year, averaging an impressive 6.95 across his 38 games, whereas the Belgian fell just short, averaging 6.71 across 33 games.
However, the 21-year-old shines far brighter than the competition in the defensive side of the game.
According to FBref, the Dakar-born machine makes 2.61 tackles per 90, winning 1.56 of them, compared to Ward-Prowse's 0.99 tackles won per 90, making it clear that in the defensive side of the game anyway, Onana is streets ahead.
Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.
That said, there are some, such as football scout Jacek Kulig that see the player as so much more than just a great defensive player, calling him a "one man army" for his impressive "work rate & determination" and "above-average technical skills."
Add to all that the seven-year age difference between the two players, and Onana certainly starts to look like a player with an awful lot of upside going forward.
However, with the sale of Rice looking certain, a summer window that sees a double swoop for both players would be a great way to start a midfield rebuild.
Aston Villa were linked to La Liga star Gabri Veiga towards the closing stage of the 2022/23 season, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his squad with the assistance of former Sevilla colleague Monchi this summer.
The Villans enjoyed a strong first season under the Spaniard, who will hope to take his side to the next level this transfer window as the club prepare to feature in Europe next campaign.
What’s the latest on Gabri Veiga to Aston Villa?
Back in April it was claimed by The Daily Mail that Villa were one of the teams that Veiga had attracted interest from.
However, as we've found out in the early exchanges of the transfer window, the Spaniard has plenty of other suitors lurking.
Indeed, the previous report stated that the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool from the Premier League were interested in his services.
The midfielder has a release clause of €40m (£34m), as relayed by The Guardian.
What could Gabri Veiga offer to Aston Villa?
Lauded as “highly talented” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Veiga could be a significant upgrade to Emery’s setup at Villa Park.
Deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, the 21-year-old lit up La Liga this term, scoring 11 goals and registering four assists in 36 appearances in what has marked his first full senior campaign in football, via FBref.
The youngster is a wanted man this summer, and would undoubtedly be a strong addition to Emery’s side in a midfield that prides itself in being free-flowing and attack-minded.
While the Spaniard has a number of attractive options to deploy in his midfield, the 21-year-old could be an upgrade, particularly to a star that has failed to live up to expectations since his arrival in 2022.
Philippe Coutinho was once one of the Premier League’s most dangerous stars when adorning the red of Liverpool, however, things haven’t ticked for the Brazilian in the Midlands, contributing just nine G/A in 39 league appearances.
The rise in form of those around him have forced the 31-year-old further away from the starting XI – something that the potential arrival of Veiga would not ease.
Philippe-Coutinho
The most prominent area in Veiga’s game is his ability in front of goal, seeing him excel in comparison to fellow midfielders in Europe, ranking in the top 1% in terms of average number of non-penalty goals, recording 0.43 per 90, via FBref.
Coutinho ranks far behind the Spaniard in this area, registering just 0.11 non-penalty goals per 90, to show the difference between the two in front of goal in the past year.
Veiga also averages better in terms of progressive play when getting the ball upfield, recording 2.67 progressive carries to the Brazilian’s 2.06, as well as the 21-year-old creating more chances, registering six big chances in La Liga with Coutinho failing to register one. It's perhaps no surprise with ball-carrying skills such as those that he's been dubbed a "Baby Kaka" by one Copa90 writer.
Taking £125k per week from the Villans, it’s imperative that Villa offload the 31-year-old, which they could finally achieve by securing the signing of one of the continent’s hottest prospects in Veiga.
West Ham United are interested in making a move for Geoffrey Kondogbia, with the Hammers pushing hard for a move, according to reports…
West Ham transfer news – are they signing Geoffrey Kondogbia?
West Ham are pushing hard to sign the Atletico Madrid midfielder, as per journalist Aaron Dominguez, who also reported offers from both Olympique Lyonnais and Besiktas.
The news that the Hammers are targeting such a move comes as little surprise, given that Declan Rice is set to leave the club this summer with both Arsenal and Manchester City pursuing a deal for the England international.
As things stand, Kondogbia's contract is set to come to an end next summer, meaning that, if Atletico do want to cash in, it will need to be during the current transfer window, or in January.
The Central African Republic international's current valuation, according to Transfermarkt, sits at €14m (£12m), though it remains to be seen exactly how much the 30-year-old would command this summer.
What role would Kondogbia play at West Ham?
Geoffery Kondogbia plays for Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
With Rice seemingly on the move, Kondogbia would come straight into David Moyes' side, almost mirroring the genius of Brighton & Hove Albion replacing Yves Bissouma with Moises Caicedo last summer.
The Atletico Madrid man holds similar traits to Caicedo, too, with the added benefit of a much lower valuation. FBref have ranked the Seagulls sensation as the sixth most statistically comparable player to Kondogbia.
As per the same site, it is Kondogbia who stands strong defensively when compared to the Brighton midfielder, making more tackles and interceptions per 90 in 2022/23.
An interesting difference, however, is how Caicedo, in Roberto De Zerbi's system, wins more tackles in the final third. Moyes, in contrast, would be getting himself a more defensive-minded player in his transfer target, which may suit his system at the London Stadium better.
Kondogbia has certainly attracted plenty of praise throughout his career, too, with his Central African Republic teammate Wilfried Zahibo telling BBC Sport back in 2021:
"I think he can be in the discussion even now for sure.
"Obviously we have some guys like Mahrez who are in a special dimension but we should definitely talk about Geoffrey too. For me, he's one of the best midfielders in Africa and maybe the world."
"We have had a good relationship for some time, and he is a great guy to be around. He helps everybody and is the leader of the team, on and off the pitch."
At 30 years old, the former Valencia midfielder would bring with him veteran experience at the London Stadium, having also featured for the likes of Inter Milan, Sevilla, and Monaco.
A safe option in the middle of the park, whose defensive ability bettered that of the highly-rated Caicedo in some areas last season, the £114k-per-week "monster" – as once lauded by A-League creative producer James Todd – also loses the ball less than his potential midfield counterpart.
The more that you look at West Ham's potential deal with Atletico, the more it looks as though they could be performing a piece of transfer genius, comparable to Brighton's upgrade on Bissouma through Caicedo last summer.
As the transfer window goes on, and Rice's exit edges closer and closer, it will certainly be a deal to keep an eye on as the Irons could well hand Moyes his very own version of the Seagulls machine.