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Tottenham are believed to be in talks with a three-player swap deal involving Giovani Lo Celso and a £50 million ace, coming after making a "new proposal" behind the scenes.

Spurs targeting new midfield No 6 for Postecoglou

Uncertainty surrounds the futures of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Lo Celso, with both midfield men tipped by some reports to leave N17 in the coming weeks.

Real Madrid eye another "special" Tottenham gem alongside Cristian Romero

The Galacticos have cast their eyes to N17 again.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2024

Hojbjerg is believed to be keen on departing Tottenham, after a Premier League campaign where he was largely relegated to Ange Postecoglou's substitutes' bench. The Denmark international started just eight out of his 36 top-flight matches, and could seek to move on as a result with his contract also expiring next year.

Lo Celso is also rumoured to be unhappy with his game time at Spurs, which may result in the Argentine pushing to quit this summer. Some reports have even claimed Tottenham would be open to selling Yves Bissouma for the right offer, so Postecoglou's midfield could look pretty different next season, depending on developments.

Son Heung-min

7.30

James Maddison

7.17

Pedro Porro

7.05

Cristian Romero

7.04

Dejan Kulusevski

7.03

Ratings via WhoScored

In any case, it's been claimed that Spurs are targeting a midfield No 6 to potentially replace one of the outgoing men, but also to hand Postecoglou a new option more tailor-made to the Australian's system.

Tottenham have long been linked with a move for Conor Gallagher, as pressure grows on Chelsea to sell the Englishman before his contract expires next year. Another midfielder Spurs like is Atalanta star Ederson, with ex-managing director and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici recommending him.

As has been widely reported by reliable media sources, Aston Villa starlet Jacob Ramsey is also a candidate for the Lilywhites midfield. Ramsey, who made 16 top-flight appearances under Unai Emery last term, is liked by Postecoglou and technical director Johan Lange is said to be pushing for the north Londoners to strike a deal (Alasdair Gold).

It will be a difficult move to pull off, though, as Villa are holding firm on their not-for-sale stance as things stand after Tottenham had an opening player-plus-cash bid of £20 million and Lo Celso rejected.

That isn't to stop Spurs from trying, as an update emerges on their pursuit of Ramsey this week.

Tottenham in talks over three-player swap deal for Ramsey

According to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, Tottenham are in talks over a three-player swap deal involving Ramsey and another unnamed Villa player.

This "new proposal" apparently still includes Lo Celso going in the opposite direction, but as of yet, it is unclear who the other player is who would be making the move to Tottenham with Ramsey.

Emery's side value the 23-year-old at around £50 million, with chairman Daniel Levy opting to try and include players like Lo Celso to drive down Ramsey's price

MatériaMais Notícias

Recuperação relâmpago. Diego Gonçalves respondeu bem aos tratamentos após uma lesão sofrida no quadril no fim de agosto e pode retornar aos gramados antes do tempo previsto. Nesta quinta-feira, o atacante treinou normalmente com o grupo do Botafogo no Estádio Nilton Santos.

+ CEO do Botafogo prevê melhora no orçamento do clube: ‘Vamos entregar resultado R$ 70 milhões melhor’

Inicialmente, a previsão era de que o atacante perdesse até dez jogos da Série B do Brasileirão, ficando fora fora de combate por mais de um mês. O camisa 11, porém, evoluiu de forma positiva aos tratamentos e já retornou ao campo.

A resposta foi tão boa que existe a possibilidade de Diego Gonçalves ser relacionado e ficar no banco para a partida contra o Londrina, neste sábado, no Estádio Nilton Santos, pela 23ª rodada da Série B. A comissão técnica ainda avalia essa questão internamente.

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O atacante iniciou a transição aos gramados apenas uma semana de o clube ter divulgado a lesão. Duas semanas depois do problema muscular, o clube até cogita levá-lo a um jogo novamente – ou seja, o atleta se recuperou na metade do tempo previsto inicialmente pelo Glorioso.

Nesta quinta-feira, ele participou normalmente das atividades do grupo com o treinador Enderson Moreira. Caberá ao comandante levar o atleta ou não ao banco de reservas na próxima partida.

Celtic could use the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business last Friday, to make additions to bolster their playing squad.

The Hoops won two trophies during the 2023/24 campaign as they lifted the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup in May, beating their local rivals to both.

Brendan Rodgers, however, may want to go in search of a domestic treble, which was achieved by Ange Postecoglou the season before, next term.

In order to do that, the Northern Irish manager could need to improve his options across the park by dipping into the market before the window slams shut at the end of August.

Whilst that could involve new additions coming through the door at Parkhead, Celtic are also looking to bring back at least one of their loan stars from last season.

Celtic's pursuit of Portuguese wizard

Portuguese outlet Record, via the Daily Record, recently reported that the Scottish giants are struggling to secure a deal to sign central midfielder Paulo Bernardo on a permanent deal this summer.

The Benfica maestro spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Paradise and the club had an option to make it permanent for a fee of £6m, but decided to attempt to negotiate a lower fee with the Liga Portugal giants.

It was stated that the Bhoys were able to clear that hurdle and, yet, a deal does not appear to be close as they have not been able to agree personal terms with the young magician.

The report claimed that Bernardo is on a substantial wage and is unwilling to take a pay cut to make the move to Scotland on a permanent basis, and the Hoops 'having difficulty' meeting his demands at this moment in time.

Record did not reveal how much the right-footed whiz is on per-week at Benfica but noted that it is a contract that he signed as a teenager when he was viewed as a player with similar potential to Joao Felix, which is why it is a substantial package for the Bhoys to take on.

Rodgers and Celtic could, however, ditch their pursuit of the expensive midfielder by pushing ahead with a deal for reported target Luke McCowan.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph recently reported that the Scottish giants have been keeping tabs on the SPFL central midfielder, whose current deal with Dundee is set to expire next summer.

The journalist added that teams in the MLS and the English Championship are also interested in the left-footed dynamo, which suggests that the Hoops are facing plenty of competition to secure his signature before the end of the window.

It remains to be revealed, however, how much Dundee would demand for their star midfielder, as his contract expiring next year means that they run the risk of losing him for nothing if they do not cash in on him ahead of next season.

Celtic can now abandon their pursuit of Bernardo and swoop to sign McCowan instead to bolster Rodgers' midfield for the 2024/25 campaign.

Paulo Bernardo's season at Celtic in numbers

The 22-year-old talent joined the club on a season-long loan from Benfica last summer and enjoyed a solid, but unspectacular, first year in Scottish football.

Bernardo failed to nail down a regular place in the starting XI, with just 11 starts to his name in the Premiership, but did show glimpses of his quality when given an opportunity to shine.

The likes of Matt O'Riley, Reo Hatate, Tomoki Iwata, and Callum McGregor being on the books provide strong competition for minutes in the middle of the park, which is why the young talent did not rack up starts week-in-week-out.

In his relatively limited time on the pitch for the Premiership champions, though, the Benfica loanee did showcase his ability to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

22

Starts

11

Goals

3

Assists

3

Big chances created

4

Duel success rate

48%

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal youth international was directly involved in six goals in 11 starts – more than one every other start on average.

However, he also lost more duels than he won and this suggests that the young gem struggled with the physicality of Scottish football in his first, and possibly last, year with the Hoops.

Why Celtic should sign Luke McCowan

The Bhoys could forget all about their pursuit of Bernardo, though, with a swoop to sign McCowan due to his proven quality in the Premiership.

At the age of 26, he would not arrive with as much potential as the 22-year-old Portuguese starlet but is also not an over-the-hill veteran with no room to grow.

The left-footed ace should be heading into the prime years of his career and this means that the Hoops could get plenty of seasons of quality out of him, if he can adapt to playing for Rodgers at Parkhead.

His form for Dundee last season suggests that the potential is there for him to come in and offer more than Bernardo as competition for the likes of Hatate, O'Riley, and McGregor for a starting spot in midfield.

Appearances

37

22

Goals

10

3

Assists

5

3

Big chances created

9

4

Key passes per game

1.6

0.5

Duel success rate

45%

48%

As you can see in the table above, both players struggle with physical duels against opposition players but excel when it comes to scoring and creating goals.

McCowan has proven his ability to score and assist goals at an impressive rate from a midfield position at Premiership level, with more than three times as many goals as Bernardo and 1.1 more key passes per game on average.

The 26-year-old ace, who writer Kai Watson dubbed "tenacious", could, therefore, provide more than the Benfica youngster in the middle of the park, due to his superior quality in the final third.

Kelleher signs, £8m star bought: What Rodgers' dream Celtic XI could be

A look at what the Hoops team could be next season if they have a successful summer transfer window.

ByDan Emery Jun 15, 2024

This is why Celtic should ditch their pursuit of Bernardo and, instead, push ahead with a deal to sign the Dundee wizard ahead of the MLS and Championship clubs before the window slams shut later this summer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na noite deste sábado (21), o Grêmio recebeu o Bahia em Porto Alegre e venceu por 2 a 0, em partida válida pela 17ª rodada do Brasileirão Série A. Os gols do duelo foram anotados por Borja e Diego Souza. Assim, a equipe de Felipão fica a apenas um ponto do Cuiabá, primeiro time fora do Z4. Enquanto isso, o Tricolor Baiano continua em má fase.

Agora, os dois times voltam a campo em jogos de competições diferentes. Na quarta-feira (25), o Grêmio recebe o Flamengo na partida de ida das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, às 21h30. Por outro lado, o Bahia tem como próximo compromisso o Fluminense, fora de casa, no domingo (29), às 18h15.

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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

Passaram perto
A partida na Arena do Grêmio demorou pouco tempo para ganhar o primeiro lance de perigo. Logo no minuto inicial, Rossi recebeu pela direita, levou para o meio e tabelou com Rodriguinho. O camisa 7, mesmo sem ângulo, tentou o gol, mas errou o alvo.

Mesmo fora de casa, o Bahia não se acanhou e tentou impor o seu jogo diante do Grêmio, que encontrava dificuldades para criar. Assim, aos oito minutos, Nino Paraíba encontrou Rodriguinho, que avançou pelo meio e finalizou. A bola passou à esquerda de Gabriel Chapecó.

Grêmio cresce no jogo
Depois dos 15 minutos inicias que contaram com domínio do Bahia, o Grêmio passou a se impor jogando em casa. Desse modo, o Tricolor Gaúcho subiu suas linhas de marcação e trocou passes para conseguir arrumar espaço na compacta defesa adversária.

Sem conseguir invadir a área adversária, o plantel comandado pelo técnico Felipão arriscou algumas vezes de longe, mas quando a bola não saiu longe do alvo, os defensores do Bahia conseguiram bloquear as finalizações.

Depois do sumiço…
​Até os acréscimos, o jogo continuou sendo controlado pelo Grêmio, que seguia com a bola e buscando espaços. Aos 42 minutos, Rafinha apareceu de surpresa pelo meio, recebeu de Douglas Costa e finalizou. Matheus Teixeira caiu no canto direito e evitou o gol na melhor oportunidade dos donos da casa.

Por outro lado, o Bahia seguiu apagado no duelo, ficando pouco com a bola e desperdiçando a posse quando teve. Contudo, foi do Tricolor de Aço o lance mais perigoso da etapa. Nos acréscimos, Rodriguinho apareceu na primeira trave e cabeceou o cruzamento vindo da esquerda. A bola bateu na trave esquerda de Gabriel Chapecó e não entrou. Assim, o placar foi em 0 a 0 para o intervalo.

Chegou voando
A volta para o 2° tempo continuou refletindo o domínio do Grêmio com a bola, mas, diferentemente do que aconteceu na etapa inicial, a equipe gaúcha conseguiu chegar com perigo e logo foi às redes.

Aos três minutos, Rafinha foi acionado pela direita e cruzou de primeira, mirando a segunda trave. Na disputa com Nino Paraíba, Borja chegou na frente e não deu chances para Matheus Teixeira, fazendo 1 a 0 para a equipe da casa na Arena.

Grêmio em busca de mais
Mesmo depois do gol, o Grêmio continuou criando as principais oportunidades. Lucas Silva e Alisson tentaram ampliar o marcador. O primeiro aproveitou contra-ataque rápido e finalizou para defesa firme de Matheus Teixeira. O segundo tentou emendar uma sobra de bola, mas errou o alvo.

Com o tempo, o Tricolor Gaúcho diminuiu o ritmo e ficou à espreita para tentar aproveitar os contra-ataques. Em um deles, Borja tentou o chute, mas escorregou.

Bahia assusta, mas quem faz é o Grêmio
​Com as linhas do Grêmio baixas e precisando do resultado, o Bahia se lançou ao ataque buscando o empate. O Tricolor Baiano ficou no quase aos 26 minutos. Após sobra na área, Raí ficou com a bola à sua frente para finalizar. Contudo, o jovem pegou firme na bola e acabou mandando por cima do gol.

Sem muita criatividade, o Bahia abusou dos erros e se entregou ao desespero. Como resultado, deixou espaços no seu campo defensivo. Aos 49 minutos, o Grêmio conseguiu encaixar o contra-ataque mortal em arrancada de Lucas Silva, que serviu Diego Souza. Ao trancos e barrancos, o centroavante saiu na cara de Matheus Teixeira e fechou o placar em 2 a 0.

FICHA TÉCNICA
GRÊMIO 2 X 0 BAHIA
​​Local: Arena do Grêmio, em Porto Alegre-RS
Data/Horário: 21 de agosto de 2021 (sábado), às 19h
Árbitro:Caio Max Augusto Vieira (RN)
Assistentes:Jean Marcio dos Santos (RN) e Lorival Candido das Flores (RN)
Gol: Borja (3’/2°T) (1-0), Diego Souza (49’/2°T) (2-0)
Cartões amarelos: Gilberto (Bahia), Lucas Silva (Grêmio)

GRÊMIO: Gabriel Chapecó; Rafinha, Ruan, Rodrigues e Bruno Cortez; Lucas Silva, Villasanti e Léo Pereira (Luiz Fernando, aos 0’/2°T); Alisson (Fernando Henrique, aos 38’/2°T), Borja (Diego Souza, aos 38’/2°T) e Douglas Costa (Jhonata Robert, aos 43’/2°T). Técnico: Felipão.

BAHIA: Matheus Teixeira; Nino Paraíba, Conti, Luiz Otávio e Matheus Bahia; Raniele (Jonas, aos 43’/2°T), Patrick de Lucca (Raí, aos 9’/2°T), Daniel (Maycon Douglas, aos 35’/2°T) e Lucas Mugni; Rodriguinho (Gilberto, aos 9’/2°T) e Rossi (Rodallega, aos 43’/2°T). Técnico: Bruno Lopes.

Rain forced the match to be abandoned with the points shared after Lancashire had restricted Leicestershire to 150-9 in the North Group Vitality Blast match at Grace Road.It was particularly frustrating for the visitors, who played some fine out-cricket after captain Dane Vilas won the toss and put the Foxes in.Vilas himself led the way with a hat-trick of catches, including a brilliant one-handed effort leaping backwards to dismiss Leicestershire danger man Arron Lilley, and a diving two-handed take after a sprint along along the boundary from long-off to end Ben Mike’s innings and secure Lightning seamer Tom Bailey his best T20 return of 5-17. Lancashire had arrived at Grace Road with confidence taken from the manner in which they beat Durham by a comfortable 27 runs on Thursday. Understandably, they made no changes to the side which started at the Emirates Riverside, 22-year-old left-arm spinner Tom Hartley retaining his place, while Leicestershire gave T20 county debuts to Tom Taylor, George Rhodes and Ireland international Gareth Delany, signed at short notice last week after it was confirmed South African batsman Janneman Malan would be unable to travel due to pandemic restrictions.Delany, opening the innings, did not last long, losing his off stump to Bailey in the second over, but Lilley hit both Hartley and Liam Hurt for straight sixes in going to 26 before Vilas’ athletic leap as he tried to chip a Danny Lamb full-toss over mid-on brought his downfall.It set a pattern for the innings. In the 12th over Bailey took an equally brilliant catch, one-handed low to his left at extra cover, to catch Rhodes off Hurt, and wickets continued to fall as Leicestershire tried to pick up the scoring rate, though Mike hit Lamb for consecutive sixes in the penultimate over.The rain had already begun to fall, however, and after 90 minutes umpires Nick Cook and Rob White decided there was no prospect of play resuming.”I’ve not played white ball cricket in three years, and I didn’t think I was going to play this year either, so it’s nice to have an opportunity and I’ve taken it with both hands,” Bailey said. “We’re such a strong white ball side it’s always going to be tough to get in and I’ve had to wait in the wings.”We were good in the field in our first game but we fielded so well today as a group. My catch was an absolute worldie – I’ll never take one like that again. It was the highlight of my day, better than taking five wickets. And for a 35-year-old [Vilas] to throw himself around the field like that, it’s great to see.”Leicestershire captain Colin Ackermann said: “You want to get on a roll in this format, especially when there’s only ten games, so to lose the first two to the weather is frustrating. Saying that, I thought we were about 15 runs short. They were exceptional in the field and took four outstanding catches and saved 20 runs.”It’s our first chance to bat in the comp, we’ll learn from that display and come back strong against Durham at Headingley on Monday.”

After a frustrating 1-1 draw with New Zealand, members of the U.S. team reflected on Tuesday's big news

All week long, the U.S. men's national team's players danced around the subject. They had no doubt been instructed to do so. The deal to sign Mauricio Pochettino had yet to be finalized and there were still hurdles to clear. He wasn't the coach yet.

That all changed on Tuesday night shortly before kickoff, when U.S. Soccer confirmed that the Argentinian manager had officially signed on. A month-long wait is now over. Pochettino has arrived.

The players, of course, found that news out on Tuesday as well. They were briefed on the upcoming announcement, having spent the last few weeks like the rest of the world: watching and waiting. They were also free to talk about Pochettino's hiring and what it means for the team.

Largely, there was a message of excitement. The slate is clean and chances will be there. Everything is about to change.

There was also a message about that change, with many, including the team's biggest star, calling it necessary. Pochettino has his work cut out for him, particularly after two rough September performances. The USMNT's players know that things will be different from this point forward, and that's a good thing.

Here's what the USMNT had to say about Pochettino's hiring after Tuesday night's draw with New Zealand:

• Getty
  

  Christian Pulisic – 'We need that winning mentality'

  "He's hopefully someone that's going to come in and really change the culture around here," Pulisic said. "It's time. We have to take a big step up. I think we have the quality, and now it's time to compete and try to win. That's the next thing.

  "I mean just that winning mentality just in every moment on the field. We obviously were missing it again today. Just something is missing. I can't exactly explain it to you, I wish I could, but, just that winning mentality. His teams are known for that."

  He continued: "Speaking with some of the guys at Chelsea, they really enjoyed playing under him as well. To be honest, I've only heard good things, and I'm not just saying that, so I'm looking forward to it."

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• Getty Images
  

  Ricardo Pepi – 'Great for those that live and breathe Latino culture'

  "I think it's great, of course," Pepi said when asked what it will be like having Pochettino as the USMNT's first Spanish-speaking head coach. "We have some players who speak Spanish, of course, players like me. Just in terms of culture, it's going to be great for the team and for the people living and breathing the Latino culture. It's going to be, it's going to be a gain, for sure.

  He added: "I'm just ready, of course. I'm a learner and I'm ready to learn. Whatever the team needs from me, then I'm going be able to do it."

• Getty
  

  Mark McKenzie – 'There are no guarantees'

  "It's a new chapter," McKenzie told GOAL, "and that's the biggest thing: everybody's got to make sure that we make the most of the opportunities because there are no guarantees. He's stepping in and has the opportunity to assess the game, assess the team, and figure out ways he wants to implement his style.

  "Most importantly for me, it's about making the most of each opportunity I get, performing on a week-to-week basis with my club team. I think that's the foundation that'll carry the confidence into the national team. If I get the opportunity to come into October camp, it'll only be off of a good string of performances with Toulouse. I'll be coming into camp with the mentality of competing."

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• Getty
  

  Marlon Fossey – 'He's hard on his players'

  "I was at Fulham during my younger years, so I heard a lot of stories about him, about how he likes fitness a lot," Fossey said. "But I think, yeah, it'll be different for us to have a coach of that caliber, a coach of that experience. These are exciting times.

  "He's very hard on the players. He likes the fitness element, but also, I've heard that he's a very good man-manager, very good from a player-to-player perspective. It should be fun."

  "I think every time I step out there, I try and make a good account of myself," Fossey added, "because as the saying goes, you never know who's watching. I don't think I upped the intensity. I just played my game, because I treat every game like anyone could be watching."

Alex Greenwood has hit out at the female list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or and has questioned why Keira Walsh has not been recognised.

Article continues below

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• Walsh ignored for Ballon d'Or
• Greenwood questions snub
• Walsh won Champions League

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Ballon d'Or nominees were announced on Wednesday, and one significant snub on the women's side of the game was that of Walsh. The 27-year-old joined Barcelona in 2022 and played a key role as they won the Champions League and Liga F in 2023-24.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Walsh and Greenwood are England team-mates and the latter was stunned to see her pal left out of the voting for the Ballon d'Or. The pair, of course, won the European Championship together in 2022, and were both part of the team that reached the World Cup final the following year.

• WHAT GREENWOOD SAID

  Posting on Instagram, Greenwood wrote: "Some talent on this list but where is Keira Walsh."

  alexgreenwood66

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The pair could meet up when the Lionesses are next in action. They face Germany on October 25 before playing South Africa four days later.

أكد محمد الشناوي، حارس مرمى وقائد فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، على استعداد اللاعبين لخوض أولى مواجهات دور المجموعات لـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام استاد أبيدجان. موعد مباراة الأهلي وستاد أبيدجان في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

يلتقي الأهلي مع ستاد أبيدجان الإيفواري، في المباراة القادمة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، غدًا الثلاثاء الموافق 26 نوفمبر في تمام السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسابعة بتوقيت السعودية.

وقال الشناوي في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “نحن سعداء بأول مباراة في دور المجموعات، ونستعد بشكل جيد، ونتمنى أن يكون التوفيق معنا”.

طالع أيضًا | محمد بركات: الأهلي يُعاني من نفس ظروف مانشستر سيتي.. وخسارة الزمالك ليست مفاجأة

وتابع: “وصلنا للنهائي الخامس، ونُفكر في السادس، وأي بطولة نحصدها نعود في اليوم الثاني للتدريبات ونُركز في البطولة التالية، واعتدنا على خوض بطولات كثيرة في وقت واحد، ونمتلك دائمًا الدوافع، وإن شاء الله نحصد الـ 13”.

وأضاف: “اللاعبون يعرفون نظام النادي الأهلي، هدفنا دائمًا أن نُسعد جماهيرنا، عندما نحصل على بطولة كل الأندية الإفريقية يكون هدفها الفوز على المارد الأحمر”.

واختتم: “نحن كلاعبين نتحدث مع بعض في هذا الأمر، وعقلية لاعبي الأهلي مؤهلة حاليًا للمنافسة على البطولات، والبطولة الحالية ستكون صعبة، لأن الفرق كلها تريد حصد اللقب من الأهلي، لأننا فزنا بالبطولة أخر نسختين وتأهلنا لكأس العالم للأندية، والجميع يريد أن يكون في مكاننا”.

Jurgen Klopp's reign at Liverpool has seen both peaks and valleys, but there is an ominous sense that the lionised manager's final few weeks on Merseyside will be categorised by misery and rueful resignation.

Failing to defeat Manchester United in commanding positions across recent trips to Old Trafford in the FA Cup and Premier League has unravelled Liverpool's thrilling campaign like a loose kite in the wind, with the buffeting struggles of the past few weeks resulting in successive Anfield losses against Atalanta (in the Europa League) and Crystal Palace (in the top-flight).

The Carabao Cup was won in February in what seemed like a galvanising tone-setter for the months to come, with the Reds fighting with such fervour amid persistent injury blows to fire on all cylinders. After overcoming such obstacles, Liverpool have inexplicably collapsed.

At Craven Cottage on Sunday, against Fulham, Klopp simply has to spark his team back into life, with Manchester City starting the weekend two points clear of their two contenders, with Arsenal also falling to an unexpected defeat last weekend.

Liverpool have an unusually near-clean bill of health, though Conor Bradley continues to recover from an ankle injury that will keep him out for a few more weeks.

Klopp has to rebound from the midweek Europa League exit against Atalanta, where the Merseysiders sparked spark and initiative, and might make three changes to the starting XI.

1 GK – Alisson

Alisson's return from injury has come at the perfect time for Liverpool, even if he has not quite had the happiest of returns over the past few games.

The Brazilian is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world and is marginally behind Alphonse Areola in the most reliable shot-stopper in the division, having saved 75.3% of the shots faced this season (Areola has saved 75.8%).

2 RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool might have won at Atalanta on Thursday but the damage was done and it was a bleak performance, lacking the electricity and snap that was needed. Trent Alexander-Arnold's return to the starting line-up was a bright spark though.

The inventive right-back is always looking to make things happen and will provide his profligate forwards with everything they need to rediscover their shooting boots, hailed as a creative "genius" by reporter Neil Jones.

3 CB – Ibrahima Konate

Ibrahima Konate has done a superb job this season after Joel Matip's season was cut short by injury back in December, but the France international has been guilty of some poor performances recently.

He will need to have his wits about him against in-form shooter Rodrigo Muniz.

4 CB – Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk has cut a disconsolate figure over the past few matches but he called for the fans to rally around the squad on Thursday night and, if Liverpool are to turn things around, he will be at the heart of the success.

5 LB – Andy Robertson

Possibly Liverpool's best performer throughout this recent poor patch, Andy Robertson will be crucial against Fulham, pumping energy and creativity into the team.

It's been a bit of a stop-start campaign for the Scotland skipper, but he's returning to his best recently and could be the catalyst on Sunday.

6 DM – Wataru Endo

Wataru Endo signed for Liverpool from German side Stuttgart in a surprise £16m deal last summer, after missing out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, and while he's largely been fantastic, the Japanese's recent showings have left much to be desired.

Still, he must anchor the midfield against the Cottagers, doing the groundwork for a few other midfielders to supply the forwards ahead of him.

7 CM – Harvey Elliott

Dominik Szoboszlai has fallen by the wayside, and while he can pick himself back up, he must be ditched for Harvey Elliott in this one, with the dynamic midfielder more than deserving of a spot in his favoured position.

The 21-year-old is truly a first-class prospect and has started to prove why he can play a lasting role in this Liverpool team, having been described as a "special talent" by The Athletic's James Pearce.

8 CM – Alexis Mac Allister

Alexis Mac Allister has been a monster of a signing for Liverpool and will need to harness the full scope of his world-class ability if he is to lead the club back toward the light.

Matches played

27

Matches started

26

Goals

4

Assists

5

Pass completion

88%

Touches per game

76.3

Shots per game

1.3

Key passes per game

1.4

Tackles per game

3.0

Ball recoveries per game

6.4

Duels won per game

6.0

He's clinched seven goal contributions from his past eight outings in the Premier League and he might just be the difference-maker once again at Fulham.

9 RW – Mohamed Salah

What has happened to Mohamed Salah? The Egyptian talisman has been out of sorts for a while now and has toiled through recent fixtures.

That said, he's one of the deadliest forwards in Europe, having scored 24 goals and supplied 13 assists in all competitions this season.

10 LW – Luis Diaz

With electric pace and deft dribbling, Luis Diaz will be an important presence down the left channel, causing Fulham a host of problems and driving the play into promising positions to ensure Liverpool hit prolific form once again.

Spinner taken unwell while performing 12th man duties on second day

George Dobell30-Nov-2019

Jack Leach celebrates with Ben Stokes after dismissing Jeet Raval•Getty Images

Jack Leach’s tour of New Zealand has reached an unhappy ending after he was admitted to hospital suffering from gastroenteritis.Leach, who was left out of the side for the second Test after England decided to field an extra seamer, reported feeling unwell after the first session of play on the second day in Hamilton. After initial observation from the medical team, it was decided to take him to hospital. He was admitted and is expected to stay there on Saturday night.Leach’s condition may be complicated a little by the fact he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – an inflammatory bowel disorder – as a teenager. He admitted “it’s something I’m always battling a bit” in an interview with the BBC a few months ago.”If I was having a bad day with the ball, it would be nice to be able to blame it on the Crohn’s,” he said, “but I’ve never done that. If there’s a day when I’m struggling, I know how to fight through.”If I was in the middle of a big flare-up, I would feel at a physical disadvantage compared to other players, but I haven’t had one of those since I was about 16.”It’s something I’m always battling with a little bit, even if I am very lucky to not be affected as badly as some people can be.”