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With less than two weeks to go until Southampton's return to the Premier League is marked by a trip to Newcastle United, the higher ups at St Mary's are still looking to add to Russell Martin's squad.

Saints continue their search for new signings

The latest news out of St Mary's has suggested that Southampton's summer spending spree is anything but over. Having already brought the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz, Flynn Downes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to the club this summer, the Saints are still looking to open their chequebook and bring some big names to the South Coast.

Southampton ready formal bid to sign "excellent" England U-20 international

The Saints are still on the lookout for new signings.

ByTom Coates Aug 1, 2024

The name that has been inescapable around St Mary's as of recent has been that of Matt O'Riley. Celtic's midfield star has been linked with a move to Southampton for some time now with the two parties struggling to agree on a fee for the Dane. Whilst the Saints are yet to give up on the deal, the Scottish giant's stubbornness may push them in the direction of other targets.

Whilst the saga around O'Riley's next move continues to unfold, Saints look like they have found themselves in another tough transfer battle as they make a new bid to sign a highly-rated attacking midfielder.

Southampton making new bid for Carvalho

As first reported by Football Insider's Wayne Veysey, Southampton are preparing a new and improved bid for Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho. This news comes after the Saints saw their initial £15million offer for the Portuguese midfielder rejected by the Anfield outfit.

This latest development from Football Insider suggests that Southampton have upped their bid to around £20million with the potential for additional add-ons. The higher ups at St Mary's are hoping that this improved offer will be enough to tempt the 21-year-old to the South Coast.

Carvalho spent the previous campaign on two seperate loan spells with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Championship side Hull City. Whilst the midfielder's time in Germany did not go to plan, Carvalho excelled during his latter spell at the MKM Stadium.

Under the tutelage of former Tigers' boss Liam Rosenior, Carvalho hit the ground running, scoring nine times during his twenty appearances in black and amber. Some of the Saints' faithful may have unhappy memories of the 21-year-old's time at Hull after the player found the back of the net during Southampton's 2-1 loss to the Tigers back in February.

Speaking shortly after Carvalho's arrival in East Yorkshire, Rosenior spoke on the midfielder's obvious talents: “He brings a level of quality and consistency, his game intelligence is outstanding and coupled with his technical ability, his ability to see passes and finish actions, he is unselfish, he likes to link with players, he is what a perfect No 10 is for me as a manager.”

With the Saints still looking to add to Martin's squad before the August 30th deadline, bringing Carvalho to the South Coast could end up being their best bit of business this summer.

“I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better than what I did today.”

Mohammad Isam26-Mar-2021For newcomers Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell, the Wellington ODI turned out to be a dream outing as they both struck maiden ODI centuries. Mitchell reached the personal landmark off the last ball of the New Zealand innings, as he scampered for the second and managed to reach the crease while Mushfiqur Rahim fumbled the return from midwicket.Related

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Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell maiden centuries highlight massive New Zealand win

Mitchell pumped his fist as the nearly full-house roared in delight. Conway, who had shortly before left the crease with a superb 126 under his belt, saw him from the foot of the pavilion. The pair had earlier added 159 runs for the fifth wicket, breaking a 38-year-old partnership record at the Basin Reserve. It helped New Zealand recover to 318-run total when at 57 for 3, they might have settled for a middling total.”I remember the ground announcer talking about my partnership with Daryl (Mitchell),” Conway said. “When they said it was the highest partnership, it was a cool moment. Him (Daryl Mitchell) coming over to congratulate me for the hundred was a pretty special feeling. Unfortunately I wasn’t at the other end to see him reach his hundred, but watching him from the tunnel, come back for that two, I will remember this for a long time.”For Conway the century topped off an impressive first international season. In a match that included another century, a five-wicket haul and a four-for, his contribution won his second Player-of-the-Match award. His 225 runs in the ODI series also earned him the Player-of-the-Series honour.Conway, who moved to New Zealand from his native South Africa in 2017, said that his first international match at his adopted home ground, the Basin Reserve, added to the overall occasion of Bangladesh’s 50th Independence Day. Conway had recently scored an unbeaten 93 in the Super Smash final at this ground to lead Wellington to victory.He said that this match reminded him of his first match at the venue just over three years ago. Conway plays for the Victoria University of Wellington Cricket Club, who play their matches at the nearby Kelburn Park.”It was a pretty special feeling out there. I woke up and I was like, ‘wow I am going to play at the Basin Reserve today for the Black Caps’. Singing the national anthems and commemorating Bangladesh’s 50th Independence Day, it was a special feeling. I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better than what I did today.”When I was out there ticking along the nineties, I had a little feeling of how it all started. I remember playing a little internal game here at the Basin over three years ago,” he said.Conway revealed that despite playing 11 T20Is for New Zealand in the past four months, he made a nervous start on his ODI debut in Dunedin last week. He said that he felt better speaking to Ross Taylor, and following Tom Latham during their match-winning partnership in Christchurch.”I think naturally there was a bit of pressure that I put on myself in the first game. It was about just trying to focus on things that I can control. Take it slowly, watch each ball and play it on its merit. It is key for my batting. I tried to continue on a positive mindset throughout.”I had good conversations with some of the guys who have been around. Ross Taylor was with us throughout the series, so it was good to lean on him a few times. During the partnership with Tommy Latham in Christchurch, saw how he went about his business,” he said.Conway is part of New Zealand’s T20I side that takes on Bangladesh in the three-match series starting in Hamilton on Sunday.

If the Miami job is about keeping stars happy, Mascherano may be a fit – yet his tactical limitations could be costly

Well, that was quick. It was widely reported a week ago that Inter Miami manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino would leave the club with immediate effect. Within three days, he had officially left. And now, a week on from Martino leaving, Miami officially has a new manager in Javier Mascherano.

"This job requires somebody with the experience to be able to maximize our unique collection of talent – from our global superstars, to our burgeoning Homegrown players, to our young international prospects, and everything in between. Javier has amassed unmatched experience in his career, from playing on the world’s biggest stages, to coaching at the youth international level," owner Jorge Mas said in a statement Tuesday.

Needless to say, it's an interesting choice.

Mascherano's managerial CV is hardly glittering – although he was immensely successful as a player. He has shared the pitch with Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. If the majority of this Miami job is about man management and keeping the stars happy – and it most certainly is – then he's a shrewd appointment. Mas admitted that there's a lot of work to do, with roster changes on the way in the coming months. Miami, he promised Friday, will be competing for MLS Cup next season.

But have they got the right manager to do it all? While Inter Miami is hopeful to extend Messi's contract beyond 2025, that is no guarantee. And if this Messi's last MLS go-around, is Mascherano the man to ensure that he departs on a high?

GOAL looks at Mascherano, why he could be the manager Miami needs, and where it could also all go wrong.

(C)Getty ImagesWho is Javier Mascherano?

Soccer fans will know the name. A stout defensive midfielder-turned solid center back, Mascherano is one of the greats for both Argentina and Barcelona. He was a serial winner for the Blaugrana, with five La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues to his name. The only forum in which he never had title success was at the national team level. Only Messi has more caps for Argentina, and Mascherano was named to the Copa America Team of the Tournament four times.

Coaching always seemed likely to be in his future – especially given the glittering list of his mentors at the top level. Mascherano has played under some of the game's most acclaimed managers: Rafa Benitez, Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.

But his managerial success has been admittedly limited. Mascherano took over the Argentina U20 team in January 2022, and oversaw a mixed record – especially at major tournaments. He failed to carry La Albiceleste past the Group Stage of the 2023 U20 South American Championship, and lost in the last 16 of the 2023 U20 World Cup. His Argentina side also lost in the last eight of the 2024 Olympics.

AdvertisementIMAGNThe challenge in Miami

The remit for any Miami coach – or for anyone who works with Messi – is to win. No matter which way you spin it, Mascherano is expected to end the season hoisting MLS Cup (a Leagues Cup title or CONCACAF Champions League trophy wouldn't go amiss, either.) Controlling that expectation, navigating the season, and having to deal with the circus around this brand will be a struggle.

There is also the management aspect of this all – the actual soccer played out on the pitch. Mascherano has neither played nor coached in MLS, and as Martino discovered in the playoffs, this is a very unique league. Inter Miami, as an organization, cannot set up as "Messi plus 10 others." And neither can Mascherano.

He will have to build a cohesive system, concede that his older heads might need the occasional game off, and piece together a team that can win in both the regular season and playoffs. Miami made the former look easy, but fell apart when it came to the bits that really counted.

GettyWhy this makes sense

Like most things for Miami, it starts and ends with Messi. Mascherano and Messi are friends, and former teammates. They lined up 298 times together for Barcelona, 111 for Argentina, and have retained a good relationship. The new manager was always going to be someone who had a connection to the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner – and Mascherano checks that box emphatically.

A cynic might argue that this needs to be someone with MLS experience. But this is a big club, a big brand, controlled by a star player. No one is bigger than Messi, so the best Miami can do is hire someone he both likes and trusts. This is, in effect, about keeping their star man happy so he can see out his days in full.

There are also other recognizable touchpoints. Mascherano's extensive experience coaching at youth levels could help some of Miami's younger prospects such as federico Redondo and Benja Cremaschi – something Mas highlighted in his statement. He will also certainly have the respect of Busquets, Alba and Suarez. If the goal here is to create a harmonious environment – and hope that everything else falls into place – then it's a job very well done.

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Getty Images SportWhy it doesn't work

Tactics, tactics and more tactics. Miami showed expertly how to not construct and MLS roster against Atlanta United in their round one playoff loss. It was all a bit of a mess, top to bottom. The ownership and management spent too much on too many big names, and forgot to account for the kind of role players needed to win in this league. Martino, usually a shrewd tactician, set up his team in the wrong way. There was, for all three games against Atlanta, a massive gaping hole in Miami's midfield.

That can be attributed to a number of things. Injuries played their part, for sure. But it is also the job of a head coach to tweak, adjust and respond. Mascherano has to be able to do that. The harsh reality is that having Messi alone isn't enough to win matches. He will have to adapt to this league, and do so quickly. The finesse and "Pausa" of Spain or South American football won't work here. MLS is about power, pace and athleticism. Messi, then, needs to be the cutting edge of a well-balanced side.

Mascherano has not shown, to date, that he has that kind of tactical nous. His Argentina record in the big games is patchy at best, while his preference for a more standard attacking 4-3-3 system – used in over half of his Albiceleste games – might not be the kind of thing that works with Miami's roster. He would have to reinvent himself, and fast.

Ipswich Town look to be edging closer and closer to picking up Kalvin Phillips, in what could be seen as a statement loan deal by the Tractor Boys, if he settles in well.

Of course, Kieran McKenna and Co will need to get the out-of-sorts midfielder back to the heights he has shown he can be capable of, having really struggled out on loan last season with West Ham United away from parent employers Manchester City.

This is arguably make-or-break time for the ex-Leeds United hero, therefore, who could be joined through the door at Portman Road with another exciting midfield teammate soon, if everything develops swimmingly on the transfer front.

Ipswich closing in on another loan deal

As per Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, and further backed up the East Anglian Daily Times, Ipswich are closing in on another deal involving a brand-new midfield option, in the form of Napoli gem Jens Cajuste.

This would also involve Cajuste arriving on loan for the season, with Ipswich snapping up the Sweden international on a temporary basis at the expense of fellow Premier League outfit Brentford, who were reportedly once in advanced talks for the Scandinavian star.

How Phillips and Cajuste could fit in at Ipswich

Potentially arriving in Suffolk with a similar pedigree to that of Phillips – with both potential loan captures even experiencing Champions League across their varied careers to date – these signings could really boost the Tractor Boys in terms of options in the middle of the park, away from over-relying on first-team stalwarts Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo.

This new pairing might well even ruffle a few feathers and pip the usual Ipswich suspects to a first-team spot over time, especially if they're both at their A-Games and help their new loan side to amazingly stay put in the Premier League.

Cajuste, away from Phillips who will be more than content at just being a steady presence as a holding midfielder for his new loan side, will be seen as the more daring and "exciting" presence out of the duo, as he was labelled previously by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Alongside doing a job lining up in a traditional central midfield role, where he has dazzled in the past with former employers Stade Reims with six goals and one assist from 33 games, the promising 25-year-old is also capable of playing down either flank if necessary, which could come in handy if injuries start to get the better of Ipswich and McKenna's options become worryingly thin.

Games played

29

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

65.0

Big chances created

5

Accurate passes*

41.0 (85%)

Interceptions*

1.6

Tackles*

2.6

Total duels won*

5.3

Cajuste will have a point to prove moving to England, however, having found first-team minutes hard to come by at Napoli of late, much like how his potential new teammate in Phillips will also be hungry to silence his own doubters and get back to his Leeds best from the season above.

Phillips' standout performances that campaign, right after his boyhood club's triumphant promotion, helped Marcelo Bielsa's men return to the Premier League in style by finishing all the way up in the ninth spot, before everything unfortunately unravelled for the Whites and their homegrown gem.

He would even be dubbed the 'Yorkshire Pirlo' by the Leeds masses as a result of this unbelievable campaign, but McKenna will just want him to be another dependable body he can rely on in the midst of a relegation dogfight, away from being a superhuman figure.

If any manager can get the best out of Phillips again, it could well be the ex-Manchester United coach, however, who is an adored figure in Suffolk for putting the Tractor Boys back on the footballing map, and transforming once unremarkable EFL players into top performers now about to taste Premier League action.

Ipswich will go into the top flight hoping to catch some elite teams off-guard as major underdogs, and with new buys such as Phillips and Cajuste potentially entering the fray soon, more and more quality could soon be added to help.

Imagine him & Davis: Ipswich keen on signing "great" new defender

This potential new Ipswich Town signing could shine next to Leif Davis.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 15, 2024

Mary Earps pleased to see Ellie Roebuck back after suffering a stroke, telling her fellow Lionesses keeper “tough times don’t last, tough people do”.

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Keeper fully recovered from illnessMade debut for BarcelonaSupport from international colleagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In March 2024, Roebuck revealed that she was recovering from a left occipital infarct, following a period of illness in which she had felt unwell for some time. The 24-year-old, who has 11 England caps to her name and formed part of a European Championship-winning squad in 2022, suffered no lasting damage to her brain or vision.

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That has allowed her to shelve any retirement plans, with the decision taken to continue her professional career. Despite the issues that she has endured off the field, Roebuck linked up with Champions League winners Barcelona over the summer.

WHAT EARPS SAID

She had to wait until December 7 before making her debut for Barca – 19 months after her last appearance for WSL side Manchester City – but was delighted to be back on the field in a 4-1 win over Real Betis. Messages of support have flooded in for Roebuck, including from Earps who has posted on social media: “So happy for you my friend! So deserved. Tough times don’t last, tough people do.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Roebuck will be hoping to see more minutes in the weeks to come, while competing with Earps – who is now on the books of French giants Paris Saint-Germain – for further recognition with England heading towards another Euros in 2025.

It was a match in which 1289 runs were scored for 17 wickets, the combined bowling average a whopping 75.82

Mohammad Isam25-Apr-2021It was always the likeliest result, and rain ensured that the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Pallekele ended as a high-scoring draw. No play was possible after tea on the final day, leaving Bangladesh on 100 for 2 in their second innings, but that was only of academic interest as the two huge first-innings totals made sure there was little drama anticipated.There were flutters for Bangladesh after Sri Lanka declared 107 runs in front, as they lost two early wickets, but these were dispelled by Tamim Iqbal’s second attacking half-century in the game. Iqbal started with three fours and two sixes, off Dhananjaya de Silva, even as Saif Hassan and Najmul Hossain Shanto fell in the space of 15 deliveries. Afterwards, he hit three fours off Vishwa Fernando, which took him from 38 to 50.Iqbal was unbeaten on 74 off 98 balls with ten fours and three sixes, out of Bangladesh’s 100 for 2. Mominul Haque, who made his first overseas Test century in the first innings, was not out on 23 at the other end.Sri Lanka had earlier declared their innings during the lunch break, having reached 648 for 8. Dimuth Karunaratne and de Silva were both dismissed on the fifth morning, Taskin Ahmed striking in successive overs. They added 345 runs, the highest fourth-wicket partnership in Sri Lanka, and against Bangladesh.Karunaratne made 244 off 437 balls with 26 fours, his highest Test score and maiden double-hundred, while de Silva scored 166 off 291 balls with 22 fours, his second highest Test score. Wanindu Hasaranga’s breezy 43 helped them take the lead past 100 runs within the first session.For Bangladesh, Ahmed’s 3 for 112 was the best bowling effort – and the bowler’s best in a short Test career – while Taijul Islam took two wickets. It was however a match to forget for the bowlers from either side, as they went for a combined average of 75.82 for their 17 wickets, the most in a Test in Sri Lanka in seven years.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca heaped praise on debutants Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George and Samuel Rak-Sakyi as the Blues comfortably beat Astana.

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Maresca praised Blues' young starsChelsea beat Astana 3-1Extend winning streak to six gamesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Maresca made 10 changes in the Blues' starting lineup in the Conference League clash as Pedro Neto was the only player to have also featured against Tottenham last weekend. Under extreme weather conditions in Kazakhstan, a young Chelsea team performed well as they thrashed Astana 3-1.

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The Chelsea boss was particularly impressed by young English defender Acheampong, making his first start for the senior team, as well as George and Rak-Sakyi. The Italian coach was extremely happy to see the youngsters flourish under difficult circumstances.

WHAT ENZO MARESCA SAID

Speaking to reporters after the match, the 44-year-old head coach said: "I was impressed by all of them. The ones that started – Tyrique, Sam and Josh – they all have done very good. Very happy for them. Also, the ones that came on in the second half. So I’m pleased for them."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The London side, who extended their winning streak to six matches across all competitions, will next face Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

England legend hasn’t played competitively for nearly two years

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2021Sarah Taylor, the former England Women’s wicketkeeper, has come out of retirement a month ahead of schedule, and will make her competitive comeback for Northern Diamonds at Emerald Headingley on Saturday, in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.Taylor, 32, has not played professionally since retiring at the end of the 2019 season due to her long-term struggle with anxiety issues. But, having returned to the sport as a wicketkeeping consultant for Sussex this season, she was due to resume her playing career for Welsh Fire in the augural season of the Hundred.However, she has now answered a call from her former England team-mate, Dani Hazell, Northern Diamonds’ coach, following the loss of both of the team’s designated wicketkeepers. Bess Heath is injured and Lauren Winfield-Hill is away on England duty, so Taylor will slot straight into the side against South East Stars this weekend.”Dani gave me a call and told me that Lauren was going off with England and Bess is injured so they were after a keeper,” Taylor said. “It’s good for me to play in a good competition in preparation for my Hundred stint. It’s kind of a win-win for everyone really, but it was really nice of Dani to think of me.”In the course of an England career that spanned 13 years and 226 matches across formats, Taylor forged herself a reputation as one of the outstanding wicketkeepers – male or female – in world cricket.She still holds the record of 51 stumpings in both the ODI and T20I formats, while some of her dismissals, including a pre-emptive diving catch to dismiss Jodie Fields in the 2013 Ashes – off Hazell’s bowling, no less – have entered folklore.Related

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“It’s going to be a good test for me,” Taylor said. “I might be a little bit rusty but part of the reason for me playing is to get rid of that. Hopefully, I will perform well and can carry on where I left off. If I don’t then it’s okay, it’s just me getting back into the swing of things and remembering what it’s like to keep for 50 overs.”I know the Diamonds squad is a good one and I’m looking forward to joining them at training tomorrow.”Northern Diamonds have won two and lost one of their three matches in the RHFT so far – that defeat coming in a thrilling opening game at Headingley that showcased the best of women’s cricket, as Central Sparks chased a stiff target of 280 to win by two wickets.”You look at the games that have happened so far in the competition and you can really see the development of the women’s game,” Taylor said . “We’re playing on good pitches at good grounds and that is testament to the way the standard is going. Every year it is getting better and better. I’ve got a couple of years to catch up. Hopefully I can do that and we can go well.”I have played at Headingley before, it’s a great ground and I’ve loved playing there in the past when we’ve had the chance. Playing against the South East Stars, there’s a student of mine from my school playing for them so that will be good fun.”Reflecting on her return to the sport, both through her Hundred signing and her consultant work at Sussex, Taylor said: “I had to take some time out of the game to gain a little bit of perspective on it, but after everything had settled down, life got back to normal. It was nice to then have the opportunity to look at the game and throw myself into it.”Once the opportunity came around with Sussex and then the Welsh Fire, it was a really easy decision to come back. Now with the Northern Diamonds, I think I’d be stupid to turn these opportunities down.”

Liverpool return to action in the Premier League this evening as they prepare to travel away to face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the third game of the season.

The Reds have the opportunity to be the only team other than Manchester City to enjoy a perfect start to the campaign, as they won their first two matches.

Arne Slot has enjoyed a dream opening to his first Premier League season in the dugout with 2-0 wins over both Ipswich Town and Brentford, since he arrived to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer.

This, however, is the biggest test he has faced so far, as Liverpool are away from home against one of the biggest clubs in England, which provides the Dutchman with a chance to show everyone that his team can compete against the top sides.

Prior to this weekend, there had been some focus on the work that was, or was not, going on in the summer transfer window before the deadline on Friday.

In the end, Liverpool only made one senior addition to their first-team squad with a swoop for Italy international Federico Chiesa from Juventus on a permanent deal.

This game may come too soon for the Euro 2020 (2021) winner to make his full debut for the club but there could be another change to the frontline.

Diogo Jota could be dropped

The Portugal international, Diogo Jota, was selected to lead the line for Slot against Ipswich and Brentford in the first two matches of the season and did not disgrace himself at all.

In fact, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man registered an assist for the opening goal against the Bees, as his pass set Luis Diaz away on the counter.

However, the rest of his performance against Thomas Frank’s side left a little bit to be desired with his work in front of goal and out of possession.

Minutes played

72

xG

0.62

Shots

4

Big chances missed

1

Goals

0

Duels won

2/7

Dribbles completed

0/1

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old attacker let himself down slightly in his physical duels with Brentford defenders, who came out on top in five of their seven contests with him.

The Portuguese ace, who scored ten goals in 21 Premier League matches last season, also missed the ‘big chance’ that his fell his way and failed in his only dribble attempt.

That is not to say Jota has had a poor start to the campaign, though, as he has produced one goal and one assist in his first two league outings.

However, his slightly concerning all-round display against Brentford and Liverpool being the away team in a big game at Old Trafford, where there may be more space to run in-behind the defence if the home team wants to play high and attempt to dominate the ball may mean that there is a better alternative available to Slot.

The player Slot should replace Jota with

The Dutch head coach must brutally bin the £140k-per-week star by unleashing Darwin Nunez from the start for the first time in the Premier League this season.

He was an unused substitute on the opening day at Portman Road and then came on for just 18 minutes of action in the 2-0 win over Brentford last week.

However, this could be the perfect game to hand the Uruguay international a start in because of his ability to run beyond the defence and into space.

With United being the home team, Erik ten Hag may want his backline to push high and attempt to squeeze Liverpool into their own half, in an attempt to dominate the match.

Whilst that could help the Red Devils to control the ball, that tactic would open up space in behind the two United centre-backs for Nunez to exploit on the counter.

Appearances

36

Start

22

xG

16.39

Goals

11

Assists

8

Big chances created

11

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old forward is a constant threat in the final third, with a return of 19 goal contributions in 22 league starts last term.

His finishing was far from perfect, with 11 goals from 16.39 xG, but he creates plenty of chances for himself with his superb movement off the shoulder of the last defender, as shown in the clip below from his match-winning strike against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.

Nunez also has a terrific record against Manchester United. In four appearances against them, the former Benfica star has produced two goals and two assists, which shows that he can make a big impact against the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire.

Therefore, Slot should unleash the striker, who was once described as an “absolute nightmare” for defenders by Gary Neville, ahead of Jota to suit this specific match.

That may be the only change to the starting XI, barring any late injuries that could force the manager’s hand, as the two wingers either side of the striker should stay the same.

Why Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah should start

The two Liverpool wingers, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, have been on fire in the first two matches of the Premier League season and should retain their positions in the side.

They are both blessed with plenty of speed and the ability to make runs in behind full-backs to create chances for themselves, which is why they could both suit this match alongside Nunez.

Diaz and Salah have also been in phenomenal form with their contributions at the top end of the pitch, which means that they could cause huge problems for the United defence.

Appearances

2

2

Goals

1

2

Assists

1

1

Big chances created

2

1

Key passes per game

3.5

1.0

As you can see in the table above, they have combined for three goals and two assists in the first two games and deserve to keep their respective places in the XI.

This means that the front three Slot should select to start against Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening is Salah on the right, Nunez through the middle, and Diaz on the left.

Move over Chiesa: Liverpool could have signed a "monster" Salah heir

Arne Slot missed out on a current Premier League winger

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 31, 2024

Championship’s leading run-scorer makes second consecutive Blast fifty in dominant run chase

ECB Reporters' Network17-Jun-2021A blistering fifty from David Bedingham allowed Durham to get back winning ways in their Vitality Blast campaign, defeating Lancashire Lightning by six wickets at Emirates Riverside.Bedingham operated at the peak of his powers to score his second T20 fifty in a row, allowing the rest of the Durham line-up to chase down a total of 152 with ease. The hosts cantered over the line with 14 balls to spare, securing their third win in four matches in the competition to leapfrog Lancashire into third.Liam Livingstone had scored 65 for the visitors after they opted to bat, but the rest of the Lancashire lineup struggled in their innings, including Jos Buttler who was dismissed for a duck.Durham were rocked by a Covid-19 scare before the start of play, but only one change to their line-up was required from their defeat to Nottinghamshire as Sean Dickson replaced Jack Burnham. Lancashire won the toss and enjoyed a fast start as Finn Allen found his range, clipping Matty Potts over the fence before Livingstone followed suit.Related

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Potts had his revenge on Allen, dismissing the New Zealander for 25. Buttler arrived at the crease in the hope of providing fireworks, but he was caught on the fence for a third-ball duck handing Scott Borthwick his first T20 wicket of the season.Durham dragged the visitors back with tight bowling, especially from the spinners as Alex Davies and Dane Vilas fell cheaply. Lancashire found life tough to find the boundary, enduring a 33-ball drought before Livingstone eased the pressure sending Borthwick to the fence twice and over the rope in the 15th over.Livingstone reached his half-century in the process from 46 deliveries, holding the Lancashire innings together. The opener fell going for the boundary to hand Potts his second wicket. Steven Croft became his third victim in the final over before Danny Lamb and Luke Wood scrambled their side to a total of 151 for 6.

Bedingham goes BIG!@DurhamCricket are off to a flier!#Blast21 https://t.co/YlrUmoqCct pic.twitter.com/qVqGdgWJzF

— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) June 17, 2021