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Ipswich Town welcome Leicester City to Portman Road this weekend in what is a huge fixture for Kieran McKenna’s side. The Tractor Boys are still without a win in nine Premier League games and currently 18th in the table, just three points ahead of bottom club Southampton.

Leicester, meanwhile, though they endured a slow start to the campaign, have picked up in recent weeks. The Foxes have won two of their last three Premier League games, beating both Bournemouth and Southampton – the type of wins against teams around you that can get you out of trouble.

Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk’s Final Whistle earlier this week, former Ipswich defender Mick Mills said he believes McKenna’s side “need to win” against Leicester, who, like Ipswich, were in the Championship last year.

“I would put Leicester as one of the possible ones we could maybe finish above. If we get it right and get the win we need, we move within two points of Leicester – that’s touching distance, and where we have to be,” he said.

“There’s eight or nine teams now that won’t be in the relegation fight – they’re in a different world But there are teams that are going to be down there, and Leicester are one of them – that is why that is important.”

Ipswich given big boost in early team news before Leicester clash

Fortunately for McKenna, the Northern Irishman could see a number of his injured stars return this weekend for the game against Leicester. According to 3 Added Minutes, all of Omari Hutchinson, Sam Morsy, Ben Johnson, and Jacob Greaves could all return after spells on the sidelines.

Greaves and Johnson haven’t featured in either of Ipswich’s last two games against Everton and Brentford, while both Morsy and Hutchinson missed the game against the Bees – Morsy with a muscle injury and Hutchinson with illness.

Speaking about Johnson last week, McKenna said: “Ben is still out with a small thigh injury. There was a possibility he could have made it for this weekend, but he’s not been able to. We’ll have to see how he is next week.”

Tuanzebe still out with bizarre injury

One man McKenna will still have to make do without against Leicester, however, is Axel Tuanzebe. The 26-year-old defender, who formerly played for Manchester United and earns £40,000-per-week at Portman Road, is currently sidelined with a cut to his hand, which he sustained from breaking a glass while washing up.

He is not expected to return until at least the end of November. Speaking about Tuanzebe’s injury earlier this month, McKenna said: “It’s a household accident, very, very unfortunate and very, very serious. He was very close to losing his thumb. He’s had surgery to repair the tendons in the thumb that was damaged, I think the recovery is going pretty well, but it’s a long-term injury.”

Prior to his injury, the DR Congo international had been a key player for Ipswich this term, starting all six of the club’s first six Premier League games.

Despite finally picking up their first Premier League win to start November, Southampton still find themselves submerged in an almighty relegation mess in the top flight, with the Saints sat at the very foot of the unforgiving division.

Southampton’s lowly predicament hasn’t been helped by their most recent result in the league, losing out 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers directly placed above them, as Russell Martin continues to feel weighed down by the tricky task of keeping the South Coast side afloat.

Consistently being let down by the first-teamers at his disposal, Martin could be tempted to utilise the likes of Tyler Dibling more often to ignite a spark in his downbeat group, knowing that Southampton have uncovered so many gems from their esteemed youth set-up over the years.

Best academy players at Southampton

There are some obvious examples when it comes to discussing those who have gone on to be exceptional talents after once calling Southampton home, with the likes of Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and so many more springing to mind.

Bale would go on to play for Spanish giants Real Madrid – with the Saints setting him on his way to eventual stardom – before a spell with Tottenham Hotspur saw him fully explode into life and warrant a major move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Walcott would also play for the South Coast side before Arsenal swooped in, with the speedster going on to score 108 times for the Gunners until a reunion with his boyhood club took place before retirement could get a hold of him.

Oxlade-Chamberlain also made a name for himself in North London, away from starting his footballing education at St. Mary’s, with Luke Shaw another face who has a lot to thank Southampton for.

Shaw is now a household name for club and country, even if his playing time has been very infrequent recently for Manchester United owing to injury, with this goal for England a major highlight of his career to date.

Southampton must have thought they’d won themselves their next Shaw with one purchase in 2021, only for the move to go rather pear-shaped.

Saints could have had their next Luke Shaw

Already, labels such as these put an unnecessary amount of pressure on the youngster in question, but they were going to be inevitable considering Thierry Small also plays as a left-back eager to involve himself in attacking play.

Snapped up from Everton in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £5m, there would have been a lot of hope in the air that the England U20 international would go on to make waves in the Saints senior set-up, only for that never to occur.

Indeed, the year before his move, he was incredibly hotly tipped with the left-back having been praised by four-time Champions League-winning manager Carlo Ancelotti, who described him as being “one of the best players in the [Everton] academy”.

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Small would impress those at St. Mary’s in the B Team set-up, with five goals and four assists tallied up from 22 games as an attack-minded defender, but he would only go on to make one first team appearance for the Saints during his entire stay.

Whereas, Shaw would be fast-tracked up to the senior team after just three U23 games, with the rest then history when he went on to make 67 appearances before Man United’s interest was piqued.

On the contrary, whilst Shaw has basked in the limelight at Old Trafford when fit, Small has had to rebuild his reputation in the game after having his Saints contract terminated earlier this year, with the 20-year-old now on the books of Charlton Athletic in League One.

With two assists next to his name this campaign to date, Small still has adequate time to turn around his career, as do Southampton in the here and now when it comes to staying up in the Premier League.

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Everything you need to know about Kylian Mbappe's wages playing for Real Madrid

The transfer saga between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain regarding French star Kylian Mbappe finally ended in 2024 as the fifteen-time Champions League winners got their hands on the French forward after being their top transfer target for quite a few seasons.

After staying at PSG for seven seasons, Mbappe left the Ligue 1 side on a free transfer with 256 goals in 308 games to his name, making him their all-time top-scorer.

Although Mbappe didn’t cost Los Blancos a dime in terms of transfer fees, his signing bonus along with his wages easily make him the one of the highest earners in La Liga.

But just how much does Mbappe earn playing for Madrid?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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• Kylian Mbappe’s wages at Real Madrid in numbers

  Signing for the Spanish giants on a five-year long contract, Mbappe became the highest earning player at Real Madrid earning just under £500,000 ($629,000) on a weekly basis, putting him on a salary well over £25 million ($32m) in a year.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Kylian Mbappe	French	£498,248	$629,355	£25,908,917	$32,726,459

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  Top earners at Real Madrid

  It doesn’t come as a surprise that the French international is the highest player in Real Madrid, but the second-highest earner at the club does perhaps come as a surprise.

  David Alaba earns around £18 million ($21m), followed by the charismatic Jude Bellingham at third spot and Vinicius Jr. at fourth, both earning equivalent wages.

  Completing the top five earners list is Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde, who is also considered as a future captain of the prestigious club.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Kylian Mbappe	French	£498,248	$629,355	£25,908,917	$32,726,459
  David Alaba	Austrian	£356,659	455,608	£18,546,242	$ 23,691,627
  Jude Bellingham	English	£330,187	$ 421,792	£17,169,698	$ 21,933,182
  Vinicius Jr.	Brazilian	£330,187	$ 421,792	£17,169,698	$ 21,933,182
  Fede Valverde	Uruguayan	£264,244	$337,555	£ 13,740,704	$17,552,863

• Top 5 earners in La Liga

  Although Mbappe stands as the highest paid player at Real Madrid, leading the charts in La Liga both in terms of goals as well as salary is Barcelona’s star striker Robert Lewandowski.

  However, three of the top five earners in La Liga are Madrid players, with Mbappe, Alaba and Bellingham making the list at the second, third and fifth spot respectively.

  The only remaining player is experienced Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, making it to fourth spot in the list.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual  wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Robert Lewandowski	Polish	£528,330	$ 674,908	£27,473,166	$35,095,197
  Kylian Mbappe	French	£498,248	$629,355	£25,908,917	$32,726,459
  David Alaba	Austrian	£356,659	£455,608	£18,546,242	$23,691,627
  Jan Oblak	Slovenian	£330,187	$421,792	£17,169,698	$21,933,182
  Jude Bellingham	English	£330,187	$421,792	£17,169,698	$21,933,182

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  Highest paid players in the world

  Although Mbappe is one of the top earners in La Liga, he is not even in the top five when it comes to the top earners across the world football.

  The list is dominated by former Real Madrid players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, who are currently plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,846,154	$4,027,872	£200,000,000	$209,449,340
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,923,077	$2,013,936	£100,000,000	$104,724,670
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£1,003,846	$1,051,275	£52,200,000	$54,666,278
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£769,231	$805,574	£40,000,000	$41,889,868
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£667,308	$698,836	£34,000,000	$36,339,460

Despite Wolverhampton Wanderers’ poor start to the 2024/25 campaign, it has been an impressive individual season for a couple of their stars.

One of the players who is performing well is Rayan Ait-Nouri. The Algerian left wing-back is flying this season and has five goal involvements in 12 Premier League games already.

Summer signing Jorgen Strand Larsen has also performed well this term. The centre-forward is at the club on loan, although the deal could become a permanent move next summer. He has scored four goals and has three assists in 13 games in all competitions so far this season.

However, the star of the show for the Old Gold this term is undoubtedly Matheus Cunha.

Cunha’s stats in 2024/25

There is no denying the fact that, for the most part, it has been a dire season for Gary O’Neil’s side this term. They were without a win in the first ten games of the campaign, although have since notched up two victories. A large reason for that is Cunha’s exemplary form.

The Brazilian forward has played 12 times in the Premier League this term for the Old Gold. He already has seven goals and three assists to his name.

He grabbed one goal and one assist against Southampton on gameweek 11 to win the game, before scoring twice and registering an assist in Wolves’ most recent win, a 4-1 thrashing of Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The versatile forward is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League this season. As per FBref, his ten goal involvements place him equal third along with Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson for the most goals and assists in the English top flight.

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The only players ahead of him are Mohamed Salah with 16, and Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka, who all have 12. It is fair to say that Cunha is in exceptional company.

One of the best things about the 25-year-old is his versatility. This term, he has played right across the front three and in a deeper role, and whilst his best football arguably comes as a number ten, he has still contributed to goals when playing other positions this season.

Frustratingly for the Old Gold, Cunha could soon be set to leave Molineux. Football Insider recently reported that Manchester United ‘are plotting a move to sign’ the Brazilian next summer. Whilst this would be a big blow for the club, they might have an on-loan star ready to step up.

The academy star who can replace Cunha

The player in question here is 21-year-old Welsh attacking midfielder Chem Campbell. The youngster is currently out on loan at League 1 side Reading, where he has put in some standout performances.

This term, the youngster has played 14 times in all competitions, scoring three goals and registering four assists so far. He has predominantly played as a winger, although is also able to play as a number ten.

The Welshman has already experienced first-team football at Molineux. The Old Gold academy star has played eight games so far for Wolves, featuring for 172 minutes. He made his first team debut in the Carabao Cup in 2019.

Since then, Campbell has had three loans, in order to better prepare him for a potential first-team role at Molineux in the future. As well as his time at Reading this term, the young attacker has spent time at Charlton Athletic and Wycombe Wanderers.

He is someone highly rated at the Midlands club. Wolves pathways manager Steve Davis was full of praise for Campbell, explaining that he can “unlock a defence”, noting he has “an ability to see passes and create chances” for his teammates with ease.

Should Cunha depart the club, Campbell could certainly prove to be a good option to replace Wolves’ star man. Whilst he might need time to bed into the first team fold at first, there is no reason why he cannot eventually make that spot his own and become a prominent member of Gary O’Neil’s side.

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The former Wolves man is flourishing this season

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 28, 2024

Ange Postecoglou remains firm on his trophy comments as Tottenham face an uphill battle to secure Europa League crown.

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• Postecoglou claimed he wins silverware in his second season
• Europa League remains the only viable trophy route this season
• Must beat AZ at home to secure a quarterfinal berth

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With Spurs already eliminated from both domestic cup competitions and currently trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by a massive 36 points, the Europa League represents their only realistic chance at silverware this season. The club’s long trophy drought extends back to 2008, when they lifted the League Cup – a statistic they are desperate to amend.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Postecoglou, who has won trophies in his second season with previous clubs like Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Celtic, is now tasked with delivering on similar expectations at Tottenham. To maintain that streak, Tottenham must first overturn a 1-0 deficit against AZ Alkmaar in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  When asked if he had second thoughts about his comments, Postecoglou was unapologetic, clarifying that he had merely been referencing his past achievements rather than making a bold prediction.

  "I wasn't making anything up, I answered a question. People have used it for their own purposes, suggesting I was making a bold claim," he told reporters. "If that doesn't happen, then I can't say that any more next year, can I?"

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite the significance of the upcoming match, Postecoglou insisted he does not feel additional pressure and remains confident in his team’s ability to turn things around.

  "No, no extra pressure," he asserted. "We were obviously disappointed with our performance in the first leg. The important thing is we didn't make the tie impossible for us to get back into, it's still very tight.

  "They've got the goal advantage but playing at home, if we can play with the intensity and tempo that we did in the weekend [2-2 comeback draw with Bournemouth] then I think we will have an opportunity to progress. Should we progress, we will have another big challenge in the next round. The focus is to put in a strong performance tomorrow night."

World Cup-winning goalkeeper's crucial saves prove decisive as LAFC advances 4-2 on aggregate despite 2-1 loss

• Lloris makes multiple highlight-reel saves to preserve LAFC's aggregate lead
• French veteran's experience shines in high-pressure continental competition
• LAFC progresses with 4-2 aggregate victory despite second-leg defeat

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  Hugo Lloris delivered a masterclass in goalkeeping to ensure LAFC's progression to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals, despite a 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie. The French goalkeeper's crucial saves, particularly in the second half, were instrumental in preserving LAFC's aggregate lead and securing a 4-2 victory over the two legs. The match showcased the best of Lloris' abilities especially a game-changing save in the 62nd minute, clearing Max Arfsten's shot off the line.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, Columbus Crew defeated LAFC 2-1 but fell 4-2 on aggregate. Jacen Russell-Rowe (10') and Diego Rossi (45' pen) scored for Columbus, while Denis Bouanga (90'+6) pulled one back for LAFC. Columbus controlled possession and created several chances, particularly in the first half, but LAFC’s defense, anchored by goalkeeper Lloris, held firm in the second half. Despite Columbus’ strong showing, LAFC’s first-leg advantage ultimately secured their place in the next round.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following their 4-2 win over Columbus Crew, LAFC will either face Inter Miami CF or Cavalier FC in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Their next game, however, takes place on March 15 against Austin FC at the BMO stadium before they go on the road to face Sporting KC.

Nottingham Forest have made an exceptional start to the 2024/25 season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side find themselves fifth in the Premier League, with 19 points to their name so far. They are outside of the Champions League spots on goal difference, which is currently plus five.

Their goal difference is helped by their fantastic defensive record; the Midlands outfit have conceded just ten goals all season, bettered only by Liverpool’s six goals conceded. It has been a key reason for their impressive form in the first 11 games of the season.

Forest have had some standout players all over the pitch which has helped them get off to such a good start this term.

Forest’s standout players this season

Undoubtedly the best player this term in Garibaldi Red has been striker Chris Wood. The New Zealand international has been on fire in front of goal and already has eight goals to his name in the 11 games so far.

Arguably his best performance came in the East Midlands derby against Leicester City. The former Leeds United striker scored twice against the Foxes to ensure his side took all three points from the King Power Stadium.

Unsurprisingly, England international Morgan Gibbs-White has been an influential reason for Forest’s excellent form this term. Although he has just one assist to his name so far in eight appearances, the 24-year-old has still had a real creative influence on his side.

According to Sofascore, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers player has played the most key passes per game on average for Forest, with 1.8 in the top flight. On top of that, he has created two big chances.

The Midlands club largely have centre-back Murillo and goalkeeper Matz Sels for their excellent defensive record. Ever presents under Nuno this term, they have helped keep four clean sheets and have shipped just ten goals to help Forest propel themselves up the table. The pair have been fantastic.

With a tough away game against Arsenal coming up later today, the Forest boss may well decide to start another in-form player who can terrorise the Gunners.

The player who should be unleashed vs Arsenal

The player in question here is Elliot Anderson. Since his £35m move from Newcastle United over the summer, the 22-year-old has been “superb”, as football scout Antonio Mango described him.

In 11 Premier League games for the club so far, the Magpies academy graduate has registered three assists. Impressively, these have come in just 633 minutes, the equivalent of seven full 90 minute games.

The England under-21 international has been a standout player for the Midlands club this season from a statistical standpoint. He has the most assists in the squad and has created more big chances with four than any of his teammates. It has been a fantastic move for both club and player so far.

In fact, Anderson could be Forest’s answer to Martin Odegaard ahead of this afternoon’s clash in North London. Arsenal’s captain is a key part of Mikel Arteta’s side and has recently made a return from injury.

The pair both play a similar role, operating as advanced number eights and looking to have a creative influence on the game in the final third. They are statistically similar this season, although the Norwegian has played far fewer games.

As per Squawka, Odegaard averages 2.4 chances created per game compared to Anderson’s two, and averages 0.3 assists per 90, with the Forest man slightly more at 0.5.

It certainly seems like Nuno should unleash Anderson against an Arsenal side looking to find their groove this season. He could terrorise the likes of Declan Rice, who has been playing with a broken toe, and look to dominate the midfield when Forest have the ball.

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That is also rubberstamped by the work that the former Newcastle man does off the ball, having averaged 3.8 recoveries and 1.7 tackles per game in the league this season, ensuring he could look to regularly poach the ball off the likes of Rice and Odegaard in the centre of the park.

It will certainly be a tough test for the men in Garibaldi Red on Saturday lunchtime. With that being said, it certainly feels like starting Anderson will give them a far better chance at leaving North London with all three points.

Nottingham Forest loan flop is now "world-class" & worth £50m after leaving

Nottingham Forest made a huge mistake in allowing the talent to leave.

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By
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Norway boss Stale Solbakken was spotted trying to wrestle Arsenal's Martin Odegaard to the ground after his stellar performance against Israel.

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• Odegaard starred in World Cup qualifier
• Landed three assists against Israel
• Had bizarre moment with manager

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Odegaard and Norway had a productive time during the international break, most recently sweeping Israel aside in a 4-2 win. The Arsenal star stood out for the Scandanavian side, grabbing three assists and helping seal his side's perfect start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

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  Norway boss Stale Solbakken was so delighted with the efforts of his playmaker that he attempted to jokingly wrestle him to the ground when taking him off for a rest in the second half, a move that thankfully brought a smile to the face of Odegaard.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  With a perfect start in the qualifiers ticked off alongside Erling Haaland, Odegaard can return to Arsenal and fully focus on the task at hand. The Gunners are still in the running for the Champions League and have faint hope of securing the Premier League title, having fallen 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

West Ham United have made an offer and held talks with an “incredible” European manager this week as they scour the market for a potential Julen Lopetegui replacement, with the Spaniard’s job hanging by a thread.

Julen Lopetegui battles against West Ham sack with Wolves game crucial

Lopetegui has now been handed the Wolves game on Monday as one last chance to save himself from the Hammers axe, according to multiple reports in the media, and their clash against Gary O’Neil’s side is seen as crucial in determining his immediate future.

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Lopetegui has one last chance against Wolves this weekend.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 6, 2024

The Telegraph claims the Wolves game is seen as a “cup final” to decide Lopetegui’s fate, while it is believed former Chelsea and Brighton head coach Graham Potter is in pole position for the West Ham job if they do decide to part company with the 58-year-old.

In any case, Lopetegui is clinging to his position by a thread, as West Ham reportedly shortlist a number of candidates for their vacant managerial position.

There were reports that Potter was poised to be appointed by West Ham, with Lopetegui “set to be sacked”, but this turned out to be premature. GiveMeSport reporter Ben Jacobs, taking to X, shared the familiar faces on their radar, whilst also lifting the lid on a very young, progressive new name.

Former West Ham backroom coach Edin Terzic is a particularly interesting name, not least because he worked under Slaven Bilic at the London Stadium in an assistant capacity.

The German guided Borussia Dortmund to an unlikely Champions League final against Real Madrid last season, and is out of work, but Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg shared that Terzic won’t be West Ham’s new manager after all.

Edin Terzic rejects West Ham offer in talks to replace Julen Lopetegui

German newspaper Bild, via Sport Witness, have now shared exactly why the 42-year-old won’t be enjoying a homecoming to Rush Green.

It is believed West Ham have made an offer to Terzic, during talks on Wednesday, but he flatly turned down their approach with the Hammers’ proposal not to his liking.

Technical director Tim Steidten and co were apparently refuted because Terzic has his sights set on coaching a team higher than 14th in the table, with the tactician apparently making it clear that he wasn’t interested in succeeding Lopetegui.

The coach is very young and has already made some noteworthy accomplishments in the early stages of his managerial career, including two major trophies at Dortmund, so this could be seen as a real disappointment by supporters.

Noted for his “incredible” work at Dortmund, it appears West Ham won’t be able to turn to their ex-employee in search of a resurgence.

Liverpool made it six wins from six Champions League games under Arne Slot thanks to a Mohamed Salah penalty. The Reds overcame Spanish side Girona away from home, securing a 1-0 victory in an important clash to keep their good momentum this season going.

It was a game in which the visitors dominated the ball, with an average of 62% possession, according to Sofascore. Not only that, they created 1.89xG, and perhaps feel hard done by not to have scored more than once. Darwin Nunez was one player who missed a couple of big chances.

Overall, it was a professional performance from the men from Merseyside, and there were some standout players along the way.

Liverpool’s best players vs. Girona

Once again, one of the standout players for Liverpool was Ryan Gravenberch. He has been a key player at the heart of Arne Slot’s midfield this term, and that was certainly the case against the Spanish side.

His stats certainly reflected just how good of a performance it was from the Dutchman. He pulled the strings in his new role at the base of the midfield, completing 95% of his passes and creating one big chance. Gravenberch also won three out of three tackles and five duels.

Another player who performed well against Blanquivermells was returning goalkeeper Alisson. This will be no doubt pleasing to Slot, given the Brazilian has missed a couple of months due to an injury sustained against Crystal Palace.

One person who was full of praise for the Reds number one was Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle. He gave the goalkeeper an 8/10 at full-time, praising him for ‘three solid stops’ in the first half and ‘a great flying save’ to deny Yaser Asprilla.

As good as both Gravenberch and Alisson were against Girona, however, Andy Robertson was arguably the standout player.

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Robertson’s stats vs. Girona

Rumours that Robertson may leave Anfield at some stage in the near future may have been put to bed following his fantastic performance against Girona. He was relentless up and down that left flank against the Spanish side, as the stats showcase.

The Scotland international had a whopping 115 touches, completing 93% of his passes and creating three chances for his teammates, after laying on three key passes. Out of possession, the former Hull City defender won two tackles and two duels.

Doyle agreed with what the stats suggested, and have the Reds number 26 an 8/10 for his performance in Spain. He explained that Robertson ‘offered himself regularly going forward’ and out in a ‘solidly impressive showing’ against the hosts.

Interestingly, Slot’s side were linked with the opposition left-back recently, Miguel Gutierrez. TBR Football have previously reported the Reds consider him a target to succeed Robertson, as replacements for their legendary Scottish defender ‘are examined’.

However, the former Real Madrid man struggled against the Reds, completing just 78% of his passes and losing the ball 14 times, whilst not winning a tackle.

If there were any doubts over Robertson’s long-term suitability for this Liverpool side, and any thought to replace him with Gutierrez, then those may have been forgotten after Tuesday’s game.

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Slot will no doubt be hoping the Scotland international can continue his impressive run of form, as Liverpool tackle a busy festive and New Year period.

Liverpool and Slot interested in £20m "sensation" who "would be happy" to join

The Reds have set their sights on a new defender.

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