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‘Surprising’: Alan Shearer delivers honest verdict on Leeds after defeat vs Villa
Leeds United lost 1-0 against Aston Villa in the Premier League at Elland Road on Saturday. Anwar El Ghazi scored an early goal for Villa and Dean Smith’s side maintained the lead throughout. Villa were resolute at the back and Leeds failed to find a way to break them down. Once again, Leeds enjoyed loads of possession but surprisingly they failed to create enough clear-cut opportunities. Speaking to Premier League productions post-match (h/t Leeds Live), popular football pundit Alan Shearer has suggested what has surprised him about Leeds. “They had a gameplan, kicked it long and then played one or two-touch football in the final third and they never gave Leeds a chance to settle or get into the game,” he said. “Leeds were very flat, low on energy, which is surprising. “You have to say we...
Bielsa reveals what he told £20m Villa player after the match
Leeds United lost 1-0 against Aston Villa in the Premier League at Elland Road on Saturday. Before the match started, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa was seen chatting with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. In the post-match press conference, when Bielsa was asked to comment what he said to Martinez, the Leeds boss replied (h/t Leeds Live): “We just said hello. We’re compatriots.” Martinez, who joined in the summer transfer window from Arsenal for a fee in the region of £20 million, has been simply outstanding for Villa this season. The Argentine wasn’t forced to make enough saves during the game against Leeds, but he did well enough to make his presence felt. SL View – Different view from Bielsa Leeds didn’t create enough clear-cut chances, while Villa did well to frustrate them after ta...
Brendan Rodgers confirms knee injury for Harvey Barnes, out for at least six weeks
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has provided a worrying injury update on Harvey Barnes following the club’s 3-1 Premier League defeat to Arsenal this afternoon. The 23-year-old has been one of the Foxes’ leading performers this term, but they will be without him for several weeks after he sustained a knee injury. The attacker picked up the setback during the opening minutes of the second half. It initially appeared a muscular injury, but he was later stretchered off with a protective boot on his left leg. Following the game, Rodgers spoke to BBC Radio Leicester where he revealed that the attacker will need an operation with a bone splitting from his left knee. The forward was already carrying a minor concern with his knee and has now suffered a significant injury which will keep him...
Paper Talk: Liverpool eye Gerrard, pundit warns Chelsea boss, United target ‘open to move’
Our Paper Talk feature takes a look at the latest news and rumours from some of the top media outlets in the business. Keep up-to-speed with what is happening around football right here at Sportslens. Liverpool and Steven Gerrard appear to be on an inevitable path towards unification. According to the Mirror, current Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp is being lined up to succeed Joachim Low as Germany’s international manager. Klopp has done an excellent job at Liverpool, guiding the club to successes in the Champions League and the Premier League over the past couple of seasons. However, the wheels have fallen off during the current campaign, sparking talk that Klopp could quit the club. Gerrard is an obvious candidate given his previous connection with Liverpool as a player. The 40-year-old has don...
Bielsa says he wishes all Leeds players were like 24y/o due to one reason
Leeds United lost 1-0 at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday, suffering their 13th Premier League defeat of the campaign. Having picked up 35 points from 26 league games, the Elland Road have done fairly well this term and will look to improve next season and going forward. Leeds are looking at up to five new recruits in the summer transfer window, and they will be hoping to land players that can hit the ground running like Raphinha has done. The Brazilian joined the Whites from Rennes for £17 million last summer, and has scored five goals and assisted another five in 21 Premier League games thus far. Raphinha is already attracting the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United barely six months since he moved to England, and more suitors from Europe are expected to emerge in the coming mon...
Injuries galore as Real Madrid face Real Sociedad
Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium is the venue, as in-form Real Madrid face Real Sociedad in a battle of two injury-hit La Liga teams on Monday. The encounter in Madrid wraps up a momentous Matchday 25 that paired the top six sides against each other. Barcelona eased past Sevilla 2-0 in Andalusia to leapfrog Madrid to second and pile more pressure on Zinedine Zidane’s men. If Villarreal do manage to stand their ground against Atletico Madrid on Sunday night, a three-horse title race will return to fashion. The Santiago Bernabeu outfit could tighten the noose on their cross-town rivals who have stumbled lately. In the meantime, despite having a rollercoaster season, Sociedad are still in contention for a top-four finish. They sit fifth, seven points behind fourth-placed Sevilla. With the Anda...
Rangers and Celtic want 19-yr-old attacker who is being monitored by Premier League clubs
Wigan Athletic striker Kyle Joseph has been linked with a move to Rangers and Celtic. According to Daily Mirror, Premier League side Arsenal are thought to be keen on the 19-year-old as well. Joseph has scored five goals in 14 appearances at the League One club so far this season and he will be a free agent in the summer. The 19-year-old could prove to be a solid long term signing especially on a free transfer and it will be interesting to see where he ends up. A move to Rangers or Celtic could be ideal for his development and he’s likely to get more first-team action in Scotland as compared to the Premier League. However, Arsenal are a massive club and the youngster could find it difficult to turn them down if their interest is genuine. The youngster has represented Scotland at the youth ...
Hammers chief now wishes he’d signed 24-goal striker last summer
According to the chairman of League One outfit Peterborough United Darragh MacAnthony, West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan wishes he had signed Ivan Toney during the last summer transfer window. Sportslens View The 24-year-old joined Championship club Brentford on a five-year deal in the summer after ending his two seasons with Peterborough with 49 goals. Toney has hit the ground running in the Championship, scoring 24 goals and assisting nine others this season. While West Ham are not doing badly themselves and are currently fourth in the table after 25 Premier League games, having a finisher in the mould of the Brentford star in their squad would have definitely come in handy. “Tell a quick story – David Sullivan rang Barry Fry today, he said ‘I wished I’d listen to you in the summer...
Paper Talk: Fatigue worry for Arsenal boss, Tottenham star tipped to stay, Spaniard linked with Magpies
Our Paper Talk feature takes a look at the latest news and rumours from some of the top media outlets in the business. Keep up-to-speed with what is happening around football right here at Sportslens. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hinted that Bukayo Saka could be rested against Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday. The 19-year-old produced another excellent display against Benfica in the Europa League in midweek but may not start against the Foxes. According to football.london, Arteta is keen to ensure that Saka doesn’t suffer from burnout during the rest of the season. “He’s really fatigued,” said Arteta. “He’s played a lot of minutes. He hasn’t had much rest. “We asked him to go again and produce these moments, and the boy’s done it against a really difficult formation, the ...
Sokratis reacts after Olympiacos are drawn with Arsenal in the Europa League last 16
Olympiacos defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos has said that he is looking forward to a ‘difficult game’ against former club Arsenal in the round of 16 of the Europa League. The Greek centre-back spent two-and-a-half years with the Gunners but his contract was terminated last month such that he could join Olympiacos on a free transfer. He will now come face-to-face with his former employers in the last 16 of the Europa League and anticipates a special but difficult game against the north London giants. “This game is something special [for me]. I believe it will be a difficult game. Arsenal is a very big team,” He told Olympiacos TV, as translated by journalist Chris Wheatley. “[Since last year’s clash] they have the same coach with two or three new players, it’s a team with very h...
‘I don’t know’: Everton star reveals what Ancelotti told him the day before the Leicester game
Richarlison has shared his admiration for Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti during an interview with the club’s official website. It was a long interview (and a fascinating one) where he spoke about a lot of topics including his relationship with Ancelotti, his early years, the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton’s top-four ambitions and more. Richarlison talks about how he jokes with Ancelotti regarding how many Champions League titles the Italian has won. “The manager’s arrival was really important for the Club,” said Richarlison. “He’s a winner, he instils into the players a strong mentality to win games and that’s what’s happening. “It is five. Five Champions Leagues: two as a player and three as a manager. “I even joke with him about it and he says it was five not three. Ancelot...
Key players miss out for Roma, important pair sidelined for title-chasing AC Milan
The Serie A action concludes on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico, as Roma and AC Milan come face-to-face in a real clash of titans. A disappointing dip in form in 2021 has hampered Milan’s pursuit of their first Serie A title since 2010/11, allowing Inter Milan to build a four-point cushion at the summit. Roma are in contention for a top-four finish, but they have a fragile one-point advantage on fifth-placed Atalanta. It will go down to who wants to win it more, as neither team would benefit too much from a draw. Roma Preview Coming into this matchday, the Giallorossi have not surrendered the three points in 16 successive Serie A home matches (W13, D3) and remain one of only four sides in Europe’s top-five divisions yet to lose at home this league season. Only top-placed Inter (32) have nett...
