A recent comment from Eddie Howe made in a meeting with Yasir Al-Rumayyan has now made the Newcastle United chairman and board ready to spend big this summer, according to a new report.

Newcastle chasing new centre-back and forwards

The Magpies are firmly in the fight to finish in the top four this season, and returning to Europe’s biggest club competition could mean Newcastle have more money to spend and a better ability to attract top players in the transfer market this summer.

Newcastle’s next five fixtures

Brighton (FA Cup)

Home

West Ham

Away

Liverpool (League Cup)

n/a

Brentford

Home

Leicester City

Away

Despite still having a lot to play for this season, plans have already started for the summer, with Howe keen on adding in numerous positions to his squad. One position they want to strengthen is defence, and they have been linked with a move for former Chelsea man Kalidou Koulibaly – PIF are said to be considering using their Saudi Arabia links to their advantage.

As well as a defender, the Magpies are also looking at adding to their forward line. It was reported last week that Newcastle have joined the race to sign Tammy Abraham from Roma. The striker is currently on loan at AC Milan but has failed to earn a regular starting role. As a result, he could soon be leaving Italy, and the Magpies are among the Premier League teams interested in a possible deal.

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But Abraham is not the only forward that is on their radar, as according to TEAMtalk, Newcastle are considering a move to sign Ademola Lookman from Atalanta. Paul Mitchell has sent officials to keep a close eye on the player, with the Italian side open to doing business for around £54 million. However, the Magpies face competition to secure Lookman’s signature, as Manchester United are also interested in a deal.

Howe pushes Newcastle board to green-light spending

The Magpies may not need to choose between Abraham or Lookman, as according to The Chronicle, Howe and Newcastle have been given the go-ahead by PIF to spend big in the summer transfer window.

The report states that Howe spoke to Al-Rumayyan, Mitchell, and CEO Darren Eales this week to discuss plans for the summer. Howe raised concerns about the current Newcastle squad, stating it had gone “stale”, and that has led to a green light to spend money this summer.

It is unclear how much Howe will be given to spend, but some observations have been made that he could get between £80-100 million, though that number would presumably rise with any sales.

The Magpies have players such as Matt Targett, Jamaal Lascelles and Callum Wilson coming to the end of their contracts, meaning they will need to be replaced first of all, and Miguel Almirón’s exit leaves the right-hand side of attack short, with Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz thought to be a target there.

With the centre-back, right-wing and striker positions all in need of additional youth, depth and quality, Howe being given the permission to spend big this summer – with the possibilty of elite European football to offer as well – will lead to an exciting window for Magpies fans.

Pep Guardiola was not happy with how his side lost the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, giving little away in his post-match conference.

Article continues below

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• City lose 1-0 to Palace in FA Cup Final
• Guardiola unhappy with key decisions
• Palace lift first major trophy

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A single goal from Eberechi Eze was enough to win the game for Crystal Palace, despite Manchester City dominating possession for large periods of the game. The Eagles withstood the City attacks, but were perhaps fortunate to still have 11 players on the pitch at the end of the game after Dean Henderson looked to have denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity for Erling Haaland. The Palace keeper was in the spotlight again shortly after, making a crucial stop to deny Omar Marmoush from the penalty spot – the Egyptian a surprise taker given Haaland's success from the spot. After the game, Guardiola refused to address either moment with much thought.

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  WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID ABOUT THE RED CARD

  On Henderson's handball and potential red card, Guardiola said: "Ask the referee."

  The City boss had angrily confronted Henderson after the game, but refused to say anything about the incident.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID ABOUT THE PENALTY

  On why Marmoush took the penalty over Haaland, Guardiola said: "I don't know, I didn't speak to them. They made a decision. They decide."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The moods in the two camps could not be more different. Whilst Guardiola gripes, the Palace players and staff were celebrating the club's first ever major honour after being FA Cup runners-up twice.

“It was not an even contest between bat and ball,” says Richie Richardson, the match referee for the Test

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2022

The Gabba pitch has been given a “below average” rating and handed one demerit point from the ICC after the first Test between Australia and South Africa ended inside two days.In total, only 866 balls were bowled in the match, which makes it the second-shortest Test ever played in Australia, and 34 wickets fell in that time. Bowlers took a wicket every 25.5 balls, the second-best strike rate in a Test match ever (with a minimum of 30 wickets), and South Africa captain Dean Elgar said afterwards that the surface did not facilitate a “fair contest,” between bat and ball. The ICC agreed.Related

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“Overall, the Gabba pitch for this Test match was too much in favour of the bowlers,” Richie Richardson, the match referee for the Test, said. “There was extra bounce and occasional excessive seam movement. The odd delivery also kept low on the second day, making it very difficult for batters to build partnerships.”I found the pitch to be ‘below average’ as per the ICC guidelines since it was not an even contest between bat and ball.”Richardson, however, did not go as far as Elgar and suggest the surface could have posed a danger to batters.Elgar had posed the question to Chris Gaffney and Rod Tucker, the on-field umpires, during Australia’s second innings when “KG [Kagiso Rabada] got [Travis] Head out down leg… and then [Anrich] Nortje was bowling those short ones that were flying over our heads”. But he did not receive an answer on-field.Australia captain Pat Cummins said there was “no way” the surface was dangerous but acknowledged it was “tricky” to bat on. “Two days probably isn’t ideal… personally, I don’t mind it if the groundsman err on the greener side occasionally; [I’ve] played a lot of Tests where they’ve erred on the flatter side. Think it was the same for both teams,” he said after the game.This is the second time that an Australian pitch has been given a negative rating by the ICC in the last four years. In January 2018, the MCG pitch was rated poor after a draw between Australia and England, in which only 24 wickets fell in five days.The next Test between Australia and South Africa will start at the MCG on Boxing Day.

Chelsea have put pen to paper on the signing of a starlet striker, which also comes as his division’s “record transfer” to date, as Todd Boehly and BlueCo once again show they’re not shy about recruiting world football’s brightest young talent.

Chelsea knocked out of FA Cup fourth round by Brighton

It was a weekend to forget for manager Enzo Maresca and his squad, who squandered their only remaining opportunity to win a domestic trophy this season.

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Strikes from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma cancelled out Bart Verbruggen’s early own goal to hand the Seagulls a deserved 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Amex, meaning the west Londoners are reliant on their participation in the Europa Conference League for any form of silverware.

It was a deeply disappointing afternoon, with Chelsea managing just one shot on target all game – perhaps bringing into question why BlueCo didn’t sign a prolific striker while they had the chance in January.

Chelsea held talks with Ipswich over Liam Delap (Simon Phillips), and were linked with a host of other high-profile centre-forwards. However, Maresca will have to wait until the summer to bring in an alternative to Nicolas Jackson, with Christopher Nkunku failing to make an impact at Brighton on Saturday.

“Sometimes I think you need to play games without players to realise how important they are,” said Maresca on Jackson’s absence for Brighton.

“We said many times about Nico: he is important on and off the ball. Off the ball, his intensity is very good and on the ball, he is always a threat. Overall, even without Nico, the game was both.

“We started the game very good. In the first-half, probably the only shot on goal they had was the goal. We controlled, we created some chances and the second-half, more or less it happened the same – probably the only shot on goal was the second goal.

“We had a few chances to draw and we missed. Now, if there is something good after a defeat, it is now we can be focused on the Premier League and Conference [League].”

Chelsea seal Kazakhstan league "record transfer" for Satpaev

For the long-term, it has now been confirmed that Chelsea envisage a very bright future for 16-year-old striker Dastan Satpaev.

Kazakhstani first division side FC Kairat announced that Satpaev will be joining Chelsea, after both clubs agreed a league-record deal over the teenager, with the west Londoners paying around £3 million plus add-ons for his signature.

He’s also put pen to paper on a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and will join Maresca’s side when he turns 18 in the summer of 2026.

The Kazakhstan Under-17s captain is someone who Chelsea have been attracted to by his serious potential, and he could well become the face of his nation if all goes to plan in future seasons.

It will be the first time the city hosts high-profile cricket since staging its only ODI in 1996

Umar Farooq24-Dec-2022

In an unprecedented move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to include Quetta’s Bugti Stadium among the venues that will host the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The eighth edition of the league, which is set to run from February 13 to March 19, will now be played across five venues: Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Rawalpindi and Quetta.It will be the first time Quetta – the capital of Baluchistan, Pakistan’s least populous province but its largest by area – will host high-profile cricket since it staged its only ODI back in 1996, a three-wicket Pakistan win over ZImbabwe.Related

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The decision to expand the list of PSL venues was taken by the newly constituted 14-member management committee that has taken over from the deposed PCB chairman Ramiz Raja. The plan for the 2023 season had earlier included only four venues.”I am delighted that seven years after launching the Pakistan Super League, I am today announcing our commitment to add Bugti Stadium in Quetta as the fifth venue for our marquee event,” Najam Sethi, head of the PCB’s management committee, said. “Bugti Stadium is the home ground of Quetta Gladiators and we still remember the incredible scenes when the Gladiators visited the city after winning the 2019 tournament.”The passionate cricket fans of Quetta have been waiting for a long to watch high-profile cricket in their backyard and I am pleased that we will now bring HBL PSL 8 matches to their doors. In this relation, I have already spoken with influential officials in the Balochistan province, who have assured me of their complete support from event delivery perspectives.”Quetta has hosted domestic cricket since 1954 but has often been neglected due to a lack of infrastructure and the security situation over the years. Cricket has not been as popular in Balochistan as elsewhere in Pakistan, historically, and only one player from the province, the opening batter Shoaib Khan, has gone on to play for Pakistan – he played four T20Is during a T20 Quadrangular in Canada in 2008.Bugti Stadium is the property of the local government, but was handed over to the PCB in 2001 under an agreement whereby the board would undertake improvements and maintenance of the ground.The stadium has hosted domestic games since 1954, but not on a consistent basis, with the venue ignored for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class competition, for 27 straight years between 1977 and 2004. After a further 12 years of absence from 2007 to 2019, it hosted four first-class games in 2019. One of the main reasons cited for the stadium’s sporadic use has been the weather – Pakistan’s domestic season runs from October to March, and winter temperatures in Quetta range around 4-6 degrees Celsius,The Balochistan government has also announced a festival game on February 5 between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi ahead of the PSL. To ensure Bugti Stadium is ready to host PSL games, the PCB will take the provincial government and local administration on board in a bid to upgrade and renovate the Stadium. The PCB will also open separate discussions with relevant authorities regarding security clearances.

India captain Rohit Sharma defused a potentially controversial situation by withdrawing a run-out appeal against Dasun Shanaka, despite the Sri Lanka skipper being out of his crease at the non-striker’s end in the first ODI in Guwahati.The incident occurred in the final over of the game, when Mohammed Shami ran in to bowl but broke the stumps at the non-striker’s end before delivering the ball. Sri Lanka needed 83 off three balls at the time and Shanaka was batting on 98.

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WATCH the first India vs Sri Lanka ODI full replay

“I had no idea Shami had done that,” Rohit told Star Sports after the game. “When he went up in an appeal… Again, he [Shanaka] is batting on 98. The way he batted was brilliant. We got to give it to him. We cannot get him out like that. We wanted to get him out the way we thought we would get him out. But that was not something that we thought of. But again, hats off to him, he played really well.”Had Rohit not withdrawn Shami’s appeal, Shanaka would have been out, but the Sri Lankan captain was allowed to continue his innings and went on to finish 108 not out off 88 balls. India ended up winning the game by 67 runs, after Virat Kohli’s 113 off 87 balls – his 45th ODI century – had powered the hosts to 373 for 7 in 50 overs.After winning the T20I series 2-1, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The teams now travel to Kolkata for the second ODI at Eden Gardens on January 12.

Leeds United want to sign a £60,000-a-week star who has scored four goals at Elland Road, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Leeds looking good for promotion after Sunderland and Sheff Utd wins

The Whites are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship table after two huge come-from-behind wins over promotion rivals Sunderland and Sheffield United in recent weeks.

Daniel Farke’s side have left it late to extend their lead at the top, with Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe repeating Pascal Struijk’s late masterclass last time out at Bramall Lane.

As a result, attention already appears to be on the summer and possible reinforcements for Farke. Leeds have two loanees on the books who have impressed in Joe Rothwell and Manor Solomon, with Farke being asked about both before the game against West Brom.

“I always like to be in the driver seat as a club but if you have a loan agreement you’re not in the driver seat, there are more or less three parties.

“It’s not our players, you have to totally respect they are with us, that’s great, we enjoy the time and then there is a time to speak about what the future might bring. It’s not during the season, especially during a crucial time. You sometimes start talks behind the scenes before the end of the season.

“It will be crucial for them and their mother clubs, where we will be next season. Before it’s confirmed it doesn’t make sense to make decisions. It will only be made when it’s confirmed in which league we will play.”

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However, a new update has emerged on Solomon and a permanent Leeds move.

Leeds keen on permanent Solomon deal – Romano

Talking to Give Me Sport, transfer expert Romano was asked about Leeds and a potential permanent move for Solomon.

He said Leeds “will try” to keep Solomon, although there are other Premier League clubs keen on the Israel international.

“Leeds want to try to keep the player, but they will need to get promoted. There will be more clubs interested from the Premier League. At the moment, it’s not something advanced. The player is focused on events on the pitch, so there’s nothing really concrete, but the interest from Leeds to make this deal is absolutely there. There was also interest from Italy before he joined Leeds, but for sure Leeds will try.”

Solomon has become first choice under Farke on the left-hand side, striking up a positive relationship with Junior Firpo.

The £60,000-a-week star has scored seven goals and registered seven assists for the Whites, with four of his goals coming at Elland Road.

If Leeds get their way, it looks as if he will stay in Yorkshire beyond the summer, but the focus will be on securing promotion first.

Nottingham Forest travel to face Newcastle United this afternoon looking to return to winning ways after their defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s men will face a huge challenge against another side who are fighting it out for a Champions League spot come the end of the season – with just six points separating the two teams in the Premier League.

However, the Reds have previous for defeating the Magpies on home soil, claiming a 3-1 win at St James’ Park on Boxing Day last season in what was Nuno’s second game at the helm.

This afternoon’s game will undoubtedly produce another big test for the club, needing to keep star man Alexander Isak quiet if they are to claim three vital points.

On the other hand, the supporters will be hoping one player can continue his tremendous form and catapult the side to another magnificent performance in the North East.

Chris Wood’s stats for Forest in 2024/25

Striker Chris Wood previously plied his trade for Newcastle, failing to impress under Eddie Howe, leading to his £15m transfer to the City Ground back in the summer of 2023.

He showcased what his former employers were missing in the last meeting at St James’, scoring a hat-trick, which proved to be the start of his superb goalscoring form in the East Midlands.

The 33-year-old ended last season with 14 Premier League goals, taking his performance levels up a notch this campaign, registering 18 goals in his 25 outings – playing a vital role in the Reds’ recent success.

Once again, the New Zealand international will be hoping to add to his tally this afternoon, inflicting yet more pain on the Magpies and bolstering Forest’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

However, if Wood is to find the back of the net once more today, Nuno may need to recall one player to the starting line-up to aid his attempts in the final third.

The player who Nuno needs to unleash alongside Wood

The last outing in West London saw the Reds boss stick with the back three that saw them claim a 7-0 win against Brighton but failed to have the same effect.

As a result, the 51-year-old needs to switch to a back four, allowing for another player in attacking areas, improving their threat on the counter-attack – with his side likely to have less of the ball against the Toon.

Callum Hudson-Odoi hasn’t started a game since the 3-2 triumph against Southampton over a month ago, spending some time on the sidelines with a groin issue.

However, he returned to action last weekend as a second-half substitute, more than deserving of a recall with his skill set aiding Wood in attacking areas this afternoon.

The 24-year-old, who’s previously been dubbed a “monster” by one analyst, has registered three goals and two assists throughout 2024/25 – often being the go-to man in terms of creativity.

His underlying stats showcase how impressive he’s been with the ball at his feet, having the tools to provide Wood with the ammunition to add to his already impressive goalscoring tally.

Games played

21

Goals & assists

5

Chances created

34

Big chances created

3

Successful dribbles per 90

1.6

Dribble success

68%

Pass accuracy

90%

Forest have appeared to be more comfortable when utilising the 4-2-3-1 system this season, with Nuno desperately needing to revert to such a formation if they are to claim another win today.

Morato would likely be the man to make way for Hudson-Odoi, with the former Chelsea talent needing to pick up where he left off before his setback to link up with Wood once again – potentially handing the fanbase another memorable day on Tyneside.

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The transfer window may be closed but that hasn’t stood in the way of more frustrating exit news for Celtic, who are now reportedly set to lose one of their rising stars to the Premier League.

Celtic transfer news

The Bhoys ended the January transfer window in a fairly positive mood despite losing Kyogo Furuhashi to Ligue 1 side Rennes, having welcomed the return of Jota before also signing Jeffrey Schlupp on loan from Crystal Palace.

They’ve also since proved that even without Kyogo, they’re still more than capable of maintaining their dominance in Scotland and even handed Bayern Munich quite the test in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie. Ultimately falling to a 2-1 defeat, Celtic at least gave themselves a late lifeline courtesy of Daizen Maeda’s effort to halve Bayern’s lead.

Whilst they continue to perform on the pitch though, the Scottish Premiership champions look destined to suffer yet another exit blow away from the action.

According to ExWHUEmployee, West Ham United are now on the verge of signing Daniel Cummings in a pre-contract deal which will, of course, see Celtic fail to make any profit on their talented youngster.

Just 18 years old, the young Scot has been stealing the headlines at youth level this season – scoring 18 goals in 19 games – but has still not done enough to break into Brendan Rodgers’ first team.

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Simply put, there’s not a lot more that Cummings could be doing. The teenager hasn’t just been knocking on the door of first-team football, he’s been threatening to destroy it altogether. With that opportunity not coming at Celtic Park, an exit always seemed on the cards.

Celtic will regret losing "impressive" Cummings

Although every young player must remain patient, the first-team chance that Cummings has been craving has never quite looked on the cards at Celtic. And the Scottish giants will regret that from both a football and business standpoint.

Had Rodgers given Cummings the opportunity that he has earned throughout the current campaign, then a contract agreement would have been far simpler to execute, as would then a profitable exit. After choosing to leave the forward out of contention, however, the Bhoys are set to lose a rising star for free this summer.

Among those described as “impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Celtic could live to regret how they’ve handled their young striker, especially if he translates his goals at youth level into moments to remember in the Premier League.

Liverpool are almost Champions Elect.

It’s a bold claim to make in February, no doubt, but Arne Slot’s side are 13 points clear of second-place Arsenal with ten Premier League games to play.

The ever-tightening grip on the trophy is a product of Slot’s genius, Jurgen Klopp’s craftmanship and the overarching squad’s assimilation of tactical ideas.

Rivals needed Liverpool to drop points against Newcastle United at Anfield on Wednesday evening, but they were sorely disappointed, with Virgil van Dijk leading his team to a professional and cultured 2-0 victory.

Goals from the in-form Dominik Szoboszlai and industrious midfield general Alexis Mac Allister did the trick, with Merseyside erupting in elated fanfare as they stepped ever closer to glory.

How Liverpool beat Newcastle

If this contest served as an overture for next month’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley, Liverpool will feel pretty confident. Newcastle struggled to find an answer to the Slot machine, albeit without Alexander Isak, who suffered a groin injury pre-match but is slated to return well in time for the March meeting.

Liverpool are proving to be box-office super-sellers under Slot’s wing, capable of winning in so many different ways. Against Manchester City at the Etihad last weekend, the Reds only had 34% of the ball, but confidently won 2-0.

This time, they thwarted the Magpies with controlled play, limiting their attacking scope. Indeed, Newcastle only took three shots on the evening, none of which tested Alisson, whose sole defensive involvement was to parry a deflected cross.

As per Sofascore, the home side also won 55% of the match duels and made more tackles, clearances, interceptions and ball recoveries than their guests.

It was a complete display, with reporter David Lynch noting: “They controlled this one from start to finish.”

However, one or two Redmen failed to assert themselves as they’d have liked. Diogo Jota, for one, struggled to rediscover that clinical and dynamic quality that has been a staple of his time at the club.

Diogo Jota's performance vs Newcastle

With Darwin Nunez out of favour and slated for a summer sale, this was an opportunity for Jota to stake his claim as Liverpool’s first-choice number nine for the business months of the campaign.

But he struggled to produce the convincing performance that he needed, having now gone six matches without scoring. It wasn’t a dismal display, but it did leave plenty to be desired, with GOAL giving the Portugal star a 5/10 match rating and writing: ‘Offered nothing as a direct threat and was quiet before he went off after the hour mark.’

It’s an understandable, if unforgiving, assessment. Jota was reduced to a bit-part role for much of the contest, taking fewer touches than his goalkeeper Alisson (36), who indeed wasn’t called upon to make a direct save as Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate marshalled the Isak-less Newcastle frontline.

Diogo Jota’s Performance vs Newcastle

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

62′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

23

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

11/13 (85%)

Key passes

1

Dribbles

0/1

Ground duels

1/6

Aerial duels

1/1

Stats via Sofascore

The fact the 28-year-old – who also lost 71% of his total duels – was unable to get a shot away typified his struggles right now. For sure, Jota demonstrated some neat and intelligent movement, found Szoboszlai with one clever pass, but he’s not exactly playing at full throttle right now, lacking the killer instinct that has been expected of him across many prolific years on Merseyside.

Liverpool don’t play this weekend given they are out of the FA Cup, but a double Champions League header against Paris Saint-Germain begins next week. Slot will have one or two bold decisions to make, one of which could be demoting Jota to the bench.

Why Diogo Jota should be benched

Jota has suffered yet another injury-disrupted campaign, missing 15 matches across all competitions between October and January, returning for the festive period but picking up another muscular twinge last month.

He’s since started three of Liverpool’s past four Premier League matches but has failed to find the back of the net, also playing from the outset in a drab first-leg defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-final and again during the embarrassing FA Cup exit against second-tier Plymouth Argyle.

It’s clear that he lacks confidence right now, so maybe putting him back on the bench could be a good thing. After all, the £140k-per-week talent’s last three top-flight goals have come during off-the-bench appearances.

Luis Diaz has moonlit as a mobile centre-forward on many occasions this season to combat Liverpool’s struggles with an effective out-and-out striker, be that because of Nunez’s on-pitch struggles or Jota’s injury issues. However, the Colombian is at his rip-roaring best when peeling off the left flank.

However, Szoboszlai played excellently at the Etihad when operating in a quasi-striker role, proving his relentless running and ability to close down his opponents is something that can work effectively for Liverpool.

Given PSG will look to bring fire to their contest against Liverpool, it might be worth deploying such an in-form player, especially since Cody Gakpo will be looking to start after returning from injury.

Moreover, Liverpool’s Hungarian engine has scored four times in little over a month of football, denoting a new and improved version who has listened to the comments about his lack of goals to complement a robust and gifted skill set.

Gakpo and Salah are Liverpool’s two most prolific players this year, so it might be worth using a more balanced focal point to act as a gravity centre, allowing them to arc inward and fire at the Parisiens in a three-pronged cannonade.

Jota, as stated, knows where the back of the net is, but this is a skill that seems well suited to off-the-bench action, and Slot may want to act accordingly.

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