The noise and, from many, joy from Liverpool’s wretched run of form of late is perhaps a marker of just how mighty Anfield has become over the past decade.

It is ten years since Jurgen Klopp took the reins from Brendan Rodgers, the last Reds boss before Arne Slot to succumb to a four-game losing run.

But Liverpool are vastly different to that long-forgotten iteration, and Slot has within his grasp some of the best players in world football. The 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League served as a reminder that this is a team capable of winning all the biggest prizes – again.

However, some individuals are struggling, and the team as a unit has struggled to find fluent form. One of the biggest culprits would be Alexis Mac Allister, whose grace ability and determination in the engine room is crucial for the performance of the Slot machine.

Mac Allister's form for Liverpool

Mac Allister is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. Certainly, he is among the most complete, the most spirited, the most inventive.

But he hasn’t been quite right this year, with Sofascore recording he has lost 57% of his ground duels in the league thus far, only making one tackle per match.

Whereas the Argentine has been virtually undroppable across his first two years in a Liverpool shirt, he now looks more vulnerable in the starting line-up, and the midweek win over Frankfurt emphasised this, for he was left on the bench after lasting only an hour against Manchester United.

Mac Allister’s form has been a concern this season, but he is an elite player and crucial to Liverpool’s success. The 26-year-old has, in some ways, given Slot his own version of Thiago Alcantara, whose career was cut short right before the Dutchman’s arrival. But, as with Thiago, Liverpool seem to be finding a way to perform without the star in the mix.

The tempo-setting, line-breaking maestro offered something unique in the Liverpool engine room, and in this, Liverpool evolved in that later Klopp team.

The problem, of course, is that the retired 34-year-old was rarely fit. Across four campaigns on Merseyside, the Spain star managed only 98 appearances across all competitions.

But his technical quality, vision and awareness were faculties unlike anything else Liverpool had. In Mac Allister, the Reds have a midfielder with stylistic similarities, but there’s actually another man in Slot’s first team who could be Liverpool’s new version of their former superstar.

Liverpool's new version of Thiago

Sometimes in football, the timings just don’t work out. Steven Gerrard missed the Klopp era by a whisker, leaving for LA Galaxy only months before the German’s historic appointment.

Likewise, Thiago would retire from football prematurely at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, having made only one appearance that year due to non-stop injury setbacks. He was 33 years old.

Thus, he missed the incipient Slot era and the Premier League title that would arrive at Anfield’s doorstep just one year after he hung up the boots.

The greatest travesty of it all is that the stylish Spaniard boasted a playing style which is tailor-made for the calculated, composed build-up Liverpool have developed since Klopp’s departure. Gone (last season, at least) is the frenetic, out-of-control football that Slot’s predecessor employed – emphatically and to silver-laden success.

Thiago is one of the greatest technicians of his generation. He would have been the linchpin for this version of Liverpool. But Slot may have an heir in Curtis Jones.

Yes, you read that right. No, this argument does not centre around the basis that Jones is on the same level as the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich sensation in his prime.

But the Liverpool-born star shares certain qualities with his one-time teammate, with both among the squad’s most reliable players on the ball and bearing combative sides, emphasised through robustness in the challenge and tough-tackling defensive contributions.

Jones graduated from Liverpool’s academy and has been with his boyhood outfit ever since, and though he played a role under Klopp’s wing, Slot’s tactics have given rise to his skillset and seen him become “one of the most underrated players in England”, as said by one Premier League analyst.

Jones is an effortless passer. He’s intelligent with his decision-making, and he is tactically disciplined. As per FBref, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for assists, the top 8% for goal-creating actions, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90.

He’s also well-seasoned within this Liverpool team, and when the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk depart, both into their penultimate years on Merseyside, he will be among the leading figures at the club.

Mohamed Salah

33

413

Andy Robertson

31

349

Virgil van Dijk

34

331

Alisson

33

307

Joe Gomez

28

245

Curtis Jones

24

190

Thiago joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich for £20m in 2020 and would ebb and flow. Never in doubt was his technical quality, nor the fact that he could have been a divisional great with better luck on the injury front.

There’s no question that he would have been a sublime component in Slot’s system, but in Jones, the Netherlands native has found a like-styled player who could now take the next step in his development and play a crucial deep-lying role to promote Liverpool’s ball-playing abilities.

At Frankfurt, Jones took a staggering 139 touches of the ball, linking play together and completing 122 of 127 attempted passes. This is his strength, and Slot must give him free rein from the outset to rise to the next level and take Liverpool with him.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 24, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

De ressaca da eliminação da Libertadores para o Boca Juniors, o Palmeiras enfrenta o Santos neste domingo (8), na Arena Barueri, pelo Brasileirão 2023.

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+ Palmeiras x Santos: onde assistir ao vivo, escalações e horário do jogo pelo Brasileirão

Pressionado para mudar o setor ofensivo do Verdão, Abel Ferreira vai reencontrar o rival que jamais perdeu desde que assumiu o Palmeiras, em novembro de 2020.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Campeão da Libertadores de 2020 diante do Peixe, o português disputou doze partidas diante do Santos, e possui um retrospecto muito positivo: nove vitórias e três empates.

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A última derrota do Palmeiras para o Santos foi pelo segundo turno do Brasileirão de 2019, quando o Verdão era comandado por Mano Menezes e saiu derrotado da Vila Belmiro, por 2 a 1.

Após duas derrotas consecutivas no Campeonato Brasileiro e há quatro jogos sem vencer, o Palmeiras precisa da vitória para seguir no pelotão de frente da competição nacional.

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+ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro 2023 clicando aqui

Palmeiras e Santos se enfrentam na Arena Barueri neste domingo (8), a partir das 16h (horário de Brasília), com transmissão da Rede Globo e do Premiere.

Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraBrasileirãoPalmeirasSantos

أكد الدنماركي ييس توروب، المدير الفني لـ فريق الكرة بالنادي الأهلي، على سعادته بأداء لاعبي القلعة الحمراء خلال مباراة اليوم أمام الزمالك، موضحًا رأيه في مواجهة الصعوبات والتحديات مع النادي بالفترة المقبلة.

وفاز الأهلي على الزمالك، بنتيجة 2-0، في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري، ليحصد اللقب للمرة الـ16 في تاريخ القلعة الحمراء والخامسة على التوالي.

وقال توروب في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي عقب المباراة: “قلت للاعبين إنني جئت إلى هنا من أجل تحقيق هدف واحد وهو الفوز، كنا نعلم أن المباراة ستكون صعبة، ومع ذلك استحقينا الفوز نظرًا للأداء الذي قدمناه طوال التسعين دقيقة”.

وأكمل: “يجب ألا نقلل من حجم الثقة التي يمنحنا إياها هذا الانتصار، كانت مباراة جميلة جدًا بعد أربعة أسابيع من قدومي، وأحقق هذا اللقب”.

وزاد: “أشكر اللاعبين على استغلال كل يوم لتنفيذ الأفكار التي أردت تطبيقها في الملعب، وبذلوا مجهودًا كبيرًا للتحسن”.

وواصل: “الفوز أمام الزمالك وعلى غريم مثل هذا أمرًا مهمًا جدًا لنا، جئت إلى الأهلي لاستكمال مسيرة تحقيق البطولات، وطموحي أن أبني أساسًا قويًا”.

طالع | ماذا قال ييس توروب بعد تتويجه بأول لقب مع الأهلي على حساب الزمالك؟

وأتم: “فرصة ممتازة أنني فزت بأول ألقابي، لكن الطريق ما زال طويلًا، أحاول تطوير أفكاري لتتماشى مع طريقة اللعب المصرية، ونحقق مزيدًا من التقدم في طريقة اللعب”.

وبسؤاله أن إخفاقًا وحيدًا قد يتسبب في رحيله مهما حقق من ألقاب، وهل هو جاهز لهذا التحدي؟، أجاب: “جئت لـ الأهلي من أجل مساعدته على تحقيق الألقاب، وأعلم أن مصر فيها 120 مليون مدرب يعتقدون أنهم يفهمون الكرة أكثر مني”.

وأردف: “لكنني أحاول دائمًا الحصول على أكبر قدر من الدعم من جماهيرنا، أنا أحتاجه والنادي كذلك، وكلما كنا معًا، ستكون لدينا فرصة أكبر لتحقيق العديد من الألقاب معًا”.

وبسؤاله كيف ستستغل فترة التوقف المقبلة؟، أوضح: “الفوز يمنحنا ثقة، ونعلم أننا أمام فترة توقف دولية، وهناك لاعبون سينضمون للمنتخب، أمامنا فرصة لبناء العمل الذي نرغب فيه خلال فترة التوقف، والمكسب سيزيدنا ثقة”.

وعن إصابة تريزيجيه، أجاب: “تحدثت مع الطبيب للاطلاع على حالة تريزيجيه، وبناءً على ذلك سنقرر ما الذي سنفعله”.

Nottingham Forest are believed to be making contingency plans if they decide to sack manager Ange Postecoglou, which is still rumoured to be a possibility as Evangelos Marinakis weighs up his next move.

Ange Postecoglou's disastrous start at Nottingham Forest

Postecoglou’s tenure at Forest has been marked by a disastrous start, casting a shadow over the club’s hopes for progress this season.

Since taking the reins after Nuno Espírito Santo’s unceremonious departure, Postecoglou has struggled to find form, becoming the first permanent Forest manager in a century to fail to win any of his first six matches.

Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Nottingham Forest so far	Competition
Arsenal 3-0 Forest	Premier League
Swansea 3-2 Forest	Carabao Cup
Burnley 1-1 Forest	Premier League
Real Betis 2-2 Forest	Europa League
Forest 0-1 Sunderland	Premier League
Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland	Europa League
Newcastle 2-0 Forest	Premier League

His attempts to implement a new playing philosophy — characterized by high-intensity pressing and open attacking football — have yet to yield any results, leaving the squad visibly unsettled and fans frustrated.

Chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ rang around the City Ground during Forest’s shock 3-2 defeat to Danish minnows FC Midtjylland in the Europa League, and discontent from supporters will only be piling pressure on Marinakis after his controversial decision to sack Nuno.

Reports suggest that Marinakis is furious with Forest’s current state behind-the-scenes and holds personal accountability for his role (TEAMtalk), and if results don’t improve soon, the Greek billionaire isn’t afraid to be ruthless and make another immediate managerial change (Sky Sports).

Should Forest decide to part ways with Postecoglou, several candidates have emerged as potential replacements.

Fulham’s Marco Silva is considered a leading contender, especially given his relationship with Marinakis following the pair’s time at Olympiacos together (talkSPORT).

Silva’s contract situation and success on a shoe-string budget at Craven Cottage makes him an attractive long-term target, while other names linked include Rafa Benitez and Oliver Glasner, both of whom bring proven experience managing in the Premier League.

Benitez was spotted close to Marinakis during a recent Olympiacos clash against Arsenal in the Champions League, whilst Glasner is reportedly emerging as a “prime candidate” for the Forest job if Postecoglou does leave.

Marco Silva expected to leave Fulham amid Nottingham Forest interest

Sharing an update on the prospect of Silva’s potential appointment, talkSPORT’s Alex Crook has urged Tricky Trees supporters to “keep an eye” on the Portuguese with his deal — said to include an £8 million release clause — due to expire in 2026.

Crook also says that he expects Silva to depart Fulham at the end of his contract amid Forest’s interest, but also states it’ll be tricky to convince the tactician to swap jobs immediately.

The 48-year-old, who guided Fulham to Premier League promotion from the Championship, has since kept them afloat with solid mid-table finishes, and they briefly contended for Europe last season — despite underspending in comparison to their top flight rivals.

Ex-Hull City striker Evandro, who worked with Silva at the MKM Stadium, has branded Silva a “master” tactician.

ESPNcricinfo understands he suffered the injury while training in the gym on Sunday

Nagraj Gollapudi and Shashank Kishore20-Jul-20251:12

Manjrekar: Reddy looked like India’s best seamer

India allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the tour of England after suffering an injury in his left knee. ESPNcricinfo had reported on Sunday that Reddy had picked up the injury while training in the gym, and a BCCI update on Monday morning confirmed he was out of the series and would fly back home.*The same BCCI release also stated left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh had been ruled out of the fourth Test after sustaining an impact injury to his left thumb while bowling in the nets in Beckenham. He is being monitored by the BCCI medical team and the selectors have added Haryana seam bowler Anshul Kamboj to the squad.The development is another blow to India’s preparations for the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Manchester, which starts on July 23, with fast bowler Akash Deep also nursing an injury that could keep him out of the match.Related

Injured Akash Deep ruled out of Manchester Test

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India 'leaning towards' playing Bumrah at Old Trafford

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All this comes in addition to workload-management concerns limiting Jasprit Bumrah to just three out of the five Tests of the series. Bumrah played the first and third Tests, and India have indicated that they are “leaning towards” including him at Old Trafford, with the players getting an eight-day break between the third and fourth Tests.After sitting out the series-opener in Leeds, Reddy played the second and third Tests. He did not make much of an impact in Birmingham, with just two runs and six wicketless overs. He, however, took crucial top-order wickets at Lord’s, sending back openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in the same over in the first innings, and dismissing Crawley again in the second, while scoring 30 and 13 with the bat.Reddy would have fancied his chances of playing the fourth Test, though he may have potentially contested for a spot with Dhruv Jurel, who could be in contention to play as wicketkeeper at Old Trafford in case Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a finger injury, has to play as a specialist batter.India have played a seam-bowling allrounder in all three Tests so far, with Shardul Thakur playing the first Test before Reddy replaced him in Birmingham. Thakur could return at Old Trafford if India want to keep the same combination as Reddy is now unavailable.England lead the series 2-1 going into the fourth Test.*0630 GMT: The story was updated after the BCCI issued a release

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is aiming to win back-to-back matches in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since arriving at Ibrox in the summer.

The Light Blues manager seems to be under constant pressure and recent performances and results have not done much to get any supporters who are not pleased with the direction of travel back onside.

The highlights above illustrate why there is a section of the fanbase that is less-than-pleased with the performances, because the manner of the goals that they conceded against Sturm Graz in the Europa League was not good enough.

Martin needed a stoppage-time winner from substitute Max Aarons to claim his first league win for the Light Blues last week against Livingston, as they were on the verge of failing to win a sixth successive Premiership game.

However, that win over Livingston does mean that the Gers can string back-to-back league wins together by coming out with all three points against Falkirk this afternoon.

What is the state of play of the Rangers squad heading into their last match before the international break?

The latest Rangers team news

Mohamed Diomande is back and available for selection after he was suspended for the 2-1 defeat to Sturm Graz because of his red card against Genk last week.

The Ivorian midfielder was an unused substitute in the 2-1 win over Livingston in the Premiership last weekend, though, so he may have to settle for a place on the bench again today.

Another player who may return to the squad is Lyall Cameron. He came back from injury to take his place on the bench against Sturm Graz after missing the win over Livingston, and could be among the substitutes for the clash this afternoon.

Three players who may miss out, though, are Kieran Dowell, who has not featured in a squad since August, Dujon Sterling, who is out with a long-term Achilles injury, and Rabbi Matondo, who has yet to make an appearance this season.

This means that Martin should have plenty of options to pick from across the park to put a team out on the pitch that is capable of delivering a performance that results in all three points coming back to Glasgow.

GK

Jack Butland

RB

James Tavernier

CB

John Souttar

CB

Derek Cornelius

LB

Jayden Meghoma

CM

Connor Barron

CM

Nicolas Raskin

CM

Thelo Aasgaard

RW

Oliver Antman

ST

Youssef Chermiti

LW

Djeidi Gassama

The Light Blues head coach may want to make some alterations to the starting line-up, as shown in the table above, from the 2-1 loss in Austria on Thursday night.

Martin’s side gave up three ‘big chances’ to the hosts, per Sofascore, and only created one of their own in the 90 minutes, which shows that they struggled defensively and offensively.

With this in mind, we have taken a look at some of the changes that the former Southampton boss could make to the XI for this clash with Falkirk, as Rangers look to head into the international break off the back of a win.

The Rangers changes Martin should make to face Falkirk

Starting off between the sticks, Jack Butland should keep his place in spite of an error for Sturm Graz’s opening goal. The former England international made a series of impressive saves that kept the scoreline down in Austria.

Martin may also stick with the exact same defensive line of James Tavernier, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, and Jayden Meghoma, because there are not many suitable alternatives.

Tavernier, as captain, should keep his place. Meghoma is the only natural left-back in the squad, Cornelius is the only natural left-sided centre-back, and Nasser Djiga has not done enough in his performances this season to suggest that he can outperform Souttar.

However, the Rangers head coach may make three changes to his starting line-up further up the field in the midfield and the attack, starting with the middle of the park.

Thelo Aasgaard could finally be dropped from the starting XI after starting the last seven matches in the Premiership and the Europa League combined without delivering a single goal or assist.

His lack of contributions at the top end of the pitch should see him removed from the line-up, which could open the door for Nedim Bajrami to start in the left-sided central midfield position.

The Albania international scored against Alloa Athletic in his only start of the season in the League Cup, curling the ball into the top corner with a brilliant finish.

This suggests that the former Sassuolo star could offer more of a threat in the final third than Aasgaard has, as the summer signing from Luton is yet to score or assist a goal for the club.

Nicolas Raskin and Connor Barron could keep their places in the starting line-up in midfield next to Bajrami, but there could be two alterations to the front three.

Gassama, after scoring against Sturm Graz on Thursday, could keep his place in the starting XI, but the last game before the break could see Martin hand youngster Findlay Curtis a rare chance to impress.

The Scotland U21 international has scored three goals in all competitions this season, a return only Gassama has bettered out of the attackers, and could replace Oliver Antman to provide the Finnish winger with a rest before international duty.

Martin’s third and final change to the starting line-up could come in the centre-forward position, after Youssef Chermiti failed to impress from the start against Sturm Graz.

Appearances

2

2

Starts

0

2

Goals

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Assists

0

0

Ground duel success rate

14%

33%

Aerial duel success rate

0%

38%

As you can see in the table above, the £8m signing from Everton has struggled in and out of possession for the Light Blues in the Premiership and the Europa League since his move in the summer.

This is why Bojan Miovski should be brought back into the XI, because the Macedonia international is a proven Premiership performer who may just need something to go his way to start hitting form.

The left-footed star, as shown in the graphic above, proved his quality in Scottish football during his time with Aberdeen, but it is now down to him to show it for the Gers.

Miovski’s only goal for Rangers to date came against Hibernian in the League Cup, whilst Chermiti is yet to score for the club, and he will be hoping to add his first league goal this afternoon.

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Predicted Rangers XI to face Falkirk: Jack Butland; James Tavernier (C), John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Jayden Meghoma; Connor Barron, Nicolas Raskin, Nedim Bajrami; Findlay Curtis, Bojan Miovski, Djeidi Gassama

Let’s make no mistake about it: Liverpool were outfought and outthought against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. That’s four Premier League defeats in a row for Arne Slot’s side, and the crisis has very much deepened.

Will it get worse? Here is a team so well equipped for the trials and tribulations of the campaign, having won the Premier League at a canter last year and only improving, ostensibly, across the summer transfer window.

But this has not been the case. Barring Hugo Ekitike, practically all of Liverpool’s summer additions have fallen by the wayside under Slot’s wing. However, the likes of Mohamed Salah have failed to lead by example.

Salah did score late on, a fine goal after being dropped in midweek. But it was too little too late, with so many Redman flattering to deceive.

Liverpool's worst performers vs Brentford

Salah has been among the most heavily criticised Liverpool players this season. And the rebuke has been justifiable. But the 33-year-old returned to goalscoring form and will now build on that.

However, Florian Wirtz still leaves so much to be desired in the Premier League. The £116m summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen racked up two assists on Wednesday evening against Eintracht Frankfurt, but he still looks a shadow of the world-class prospect under Xabi Alonso’s wing in Germany.

He just doesn’t look right in his playmaking berth. Mismanaged and misutilised? Certainly so. However, Wirtz has been abject in the Premier League and he squandered a glorious chance to break his duck in west London.

Milos Kerkez might be the pick of a bad bunch. Signed from Bournemouth for £45m in July, the 21-year-old has been woeful all season, unable to demonstrate any of the athletic qualities that earned him such esteem last year.

There’s another senior star who has been inexcusably bad of late, and he is threatening to become the club’s new version of Jordan Henderson.

Liverpool's new version of Jordan Henderson

For so many years, Virgil van Dijk has been an indomitable force in defence for Liverpool. But he’s the captain, and he’s on a sinking ship right now.

Questionable decision-making and bereft of confidence, the Dutchman is in danger of becoming the next Henderson, who led Liverpool to so much glory in his time but ended his time at Anfield with a whimper.

Henderson, 35, was part of the Brentford side who defeated Slot’s team on Saturday, and he showcased his leadership and experience to steer his side to a priceless win. Van Dijk was the polar opposite as he failed to manage his troops.

The Liverpool Echo gave the skipper a 5/10 match rating, but in truth, that’s almost generous. Van Dijk has not even a semblance of coherence on the left side with the struggling Milos Kerkez, and Liverpool are altogether spinning out of control, with their most experienced and unflappable defender at the epicentre.

Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Penalties conceded

1

Touches

95

Accurate passes

69/76 (91%)

Chances created

1

Tackles won

1/2

Recoveries

3

Interceptions

0

Clearances

14

Ground duels won

3/4

Aerial duels won

7/9

You might say Van Dijk was unlucky to have conceded a soft, and ultimately damning, penalty on the hour mark, swinging his leg out to meet Dango Ouattara’s own and falling victim to a tight VAR call.

But then you might also point toward the longer stretch of dismal form from the esteemed Dutchman, who, aged 34, will start facing questions over whether he has lost something crucial to his game, and whether that special something is now irretrievable.

This is what happened to Henderson during those final days. Sold to Al-Ettifaq in 2023, the England international was among the biggest scapegoats as Liverpool toiled throughout 2022/23, missing out on Champions League qualification. Might history be repeating itself here?

Perhaps most concerning of all is the sense that Liverpool need to spend big money on new defenders, having just emerged from a record-breaking summer transfer window with a wealth of elite recruits and having smashed the British transfer record not once but twice.

Liverpool are being consistently outplayed in the Premier League. Slot needs to change things fast, else this calamitous situation will devolve into something far graver for the Dutch tactician.

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