Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has dropped an important injury claim regarding one of his teammates ahead of the Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid.

Van Dik excited about "fantastic" Isak

The Premier League champions won 1-0 at Burnley on Sunday afternoon, being frustrated for large periods but winning it through a last-gasp Mohamed Salah penalty.

Liverpool could have done with new signing Alexander Isak’s ruthlessness at times, and speaking after the game, captain Virgil van Dijk waxed lyrical over the Swede, having trained with him last week.

“Very good! Listen, he is going to be very important for the football club. Obviously he is a fantastic player and he has to realise that this is another step up, there’s more things to be asked from him on and off the pitch, but I’m not worried whatsoever.

“He is going to do pretty well, like the other new boys as well. It’s time for him now to get as fit as possible as quickly as possible and be important with goals, with link-up play – like Hugo [Ekitike] is already as well. It’s good to have competition. We have to push each other to be successful and I’m confident that will be the case.”

Alisson drops injury update regarding teammate

Speaking to ESPN after the Burnley game [via Sport Witness], Alisson claimed that Alexis Mac Allister should be fine after being on the end of a bad tackle at Turf Moor, suggesting he should be fit for Liverpool’s visit of Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, also praising the Reds’ new signings.

“He’s a very strong man. Nothing’s wrong with him, he was just in a bit of pain. I think he’s fine.

“All the players who left were important. Lucho, Darwin, they all made a difference for us with goals or their playing, fighting, defending. They had good energy, and we miss them. The ones who arrived are stars, they’re doing very well with their contributions, they have a lot of quality. It’s clear we want to improve because we need to; we have many competitions to play.”

Mac Allister hasn’t quite got going this season, having been injured at one point, and he was off the pace at Burnley, perhaps due to his exploits for Argentina during the international break.

That said, the 26-year-old still has a strong claim for being Liverpool’s most important midfielder, with his blend of quality, work rate, intelligence and leadership making him one of the first names on the team sheet.

It will be interesting to see if Arne Slot starts Mac Allister against Atlético, though, perhaps deciding to give him a breather, partnering Ryan Gravenberch with Dominik Szoboszlai.

Big-money Liverpool star is now in danger of becoming Slot's new Nunez

Arne Slot will already be concerned that this expensive Liverpool attacker is turning into his next Darwin Nunez.

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That would then allow Mac Allister to be fresh for Saturday’s Merseyside derby clash with Everton at Anfield, which is the more important game at this stage of the season.

Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya shared a 109-run stand for the second wicket to help PBKS chase down 185 with ease

Shashank Kishore26-May-20251:48

Moody: Inglis taking on MI’s threats was a real positive

Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis were at the heart of a statement win for Punjab Kings (PBKS), a seven-wicket demolition of Mumbai Indians (MI) that sealed a top-two finish and gave them a shot at a direct entry into the IPL 2025 final.Chasing a potentially tricky target, the pair added 109 for the second wicket en route stunning half-centuries each to turn what could have been a tense contest into a canter. It meant Suryakumar Yadav’s 57 – a record consecutive 14th score of 25 or more in T20s – wasn’t anywhere near enough.MI will now play in the Eliminator, with the final playoffs line-up to be decided after Tuesday night’s fixture. A Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will set up their clash with PBKS in Qualifier 1. A defeat will see them meet MI in the Eliminator on May 30.Related

Shashank Singh: 'I'll tell you we are at the top of the world on June 3'

Arya and Inglis – contrasting methods, near-identical results

PBKS 'haven't achieved anything yet' – Ponting keeps it real

The Arya-Inglis knockout blowArya, known as a powerplay dasher, began by hitting Trent Boult for three fours off his first four deliveries, but quickly showcased a new gear to his rapidly evolving game. Coming off three single-digit scores, he allowed Inglis to dictate the early tempo when PBKS needed momentum after the loss of Prabhsimran Singh had them 35 for 1 in five overs.Once settled, Arya stamped his authority – none of his shots more emphatic than a short-arm jab off Hardik Pandya for six over wide long-on to raise a 27-ball half-century. That wasn’t it. He also hooked Jasprit Bumrah over fine leg for six at a time when he could have so easily afforded to play him out.Inglis, for his part, was equally enterprising, marrying brute force with audacity. He countered Mitchell Santner’s threat early, by pulling him to the short leg-side boundary for six – his first two overs cost 23.1:33

Jaffer: Arya showed a lot of maturity after low scores

Along the way, Inglis also exhibited his flair for innovation. The knock featured a pair of audacious reverse scoops off Ashwani Kumar, including one against a slower ball, underlining his confidence and clarity.It wasn’t just the rookie he was after. Inglis ramped Hardik for six, and was equally authoritative against Bumrah, who he drove on the up through the line fearlessly, at no point showing any willingness to back down against MI’s trump card. The effect of the second-wicket partnership meant Bumrah had bowled out by the 17th, with PBKS needing just 20 off 18.Arya and Inglis fell with the target within touching distance, but Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera, formerly MI, saw PBKS home without any flutters.MI’s misery was compounded by potential injuries to Deepak Chahar and Tilak Varma. Chahar had his right hamstring heavily taped one ball into his opening burst in the powerplay. He bowled three overs in all but was seemingly low on pace. Tilak, meanwhile, jarred his knee onto the turf while trying to stop the ball on the boundary rope and spent the remainder of PBKS’ chase off the park.1:41

‘SKY adjusted quickly and knew which shots he could play’

SKY sets the toneSuryakumar came in at No. 3 in the sixth over after MI were put into bat. He batted right through until the final over, helping ride through a wobbly middle phase, before accelerating towards the end with Naman Dhir.The penultimate over, Vijaykumar Vyshak’s fourth, went for 23 to raise hopes of a grandstand finish. But Arshdeep Singh then nailed his yorkers in a gun final over that went for just three runs as PBKS closed out the innings well.Suryakumar and Dhir aside, there was a key lower-middle-order contribution from Hardik (26 off 15). This injected momentum before the final lift-off gave them a total to bowl at.2:22

Is this finally PBKS’ year?

Rohit sparkles brieflyPlaying his final game of the season before he leaves for national duties, South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton did the early running until Rohit Sharma caught up. Rohit, who had been dismissed by left-arm seamers four times this season, struggled a touch early on against Arshdeep and Marco Jansen but seemed to get into his groove as he took the attack to Harpreet Brar in the powerplay.He first stepped out imperiously to hit him over long-on and then lofting him inside-out over cover. It needed Wadhera’s stunner at long-on to send him back for 24.Rohit’s dismissal followed a choppy middle phase where they lost two wickets in quick succession, before Hardik, who had batted just 39 balls in the last six games, injected momentum along with Suryakumar, who brought up his half-century off 34 balls.Vyshak, playing only his third game of the season, was on track to be the pick of the bowlers until he leaked two fours and two sixes in his final one to finish with 2 for 44. Arshdeep and Jansen, too, picked up two wickets apiece.While MI made 53 off the last five, there was a sense that they may have missed out on a few extra runs. Inglis and Arya proved that.

Tension is brewing in Spanish women’s football after Real Madrid reportedly blocked plans to hold the Women’s Super Cup in Miami. Several clubs have expressed frustration, accusing Los Blancos of halting a major financial and branding opportunity. Some even believe Madrid’s refusal stems from fear of facing Barcelona on American soil.

• Real Madrid block Miami move for Women's Super Cup

  According to a report by , Spanish women’s football clubs have been left furious after Real Madrid opposed the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) proposal to host the Supercopa de Espana Femenina in Miami. The plan, which aimed to expand the competition’s global profile, would have seen participating clubs earn guaranteed income of around €150,000 each. Madrid’s veto has now halted what could have been a landmark event for the women’s game in Spain.

  The decision came after meetings between the RFEF and the four participating teams, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid, where Madrid stood alone in rejecting the idea. Clubs view the refusal as a major setback to the league’s long-term growth, given the financial and promotional potential of the American market.

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  Clubs accuse Madrid of blocking growth for women’s football

  The refusal has not gone down well among other Liga F teams, with clubs across Spain expressing their discontent. As per the report which revealed that “an option for significant revenue both this season and in the future has been closed,” highlighting frustration over missed financial gains and brand exposure.

  Officials from rival clubs reportedly can’t comprehend why Real Madrid agreed to the men’s Super Cup being played in Saudi Arabia but opposed the women’s version abroad. Many see it as a contradiction that undermines efforts to raise the women’s game to the same international level as the men’s.

• Fear of Barcelona humiliation in Miami?

  Beyond financial concerns, whispers within Spanish football suggest Real Madrid’s decision may have been driven by sporting fear rather than logistics. The insider report believe Los Blancos were wary of a potential heavy defeat to Pere Romeu’s dominant Barcelona side in a high-profile setting like Miami.

  As the report put it, “behind this refusal is the fear of being thrashed by Pere Romeu’s Barca in Miami.” Barcelona’s women’s team, European champions and serial domestic winners, have been nearly unbeatable in recent seasons, and a public defeat on American soil could have dealt Madrid a serious image blow.

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  RFEF searching for new options after Miami setback

  With Real Madrid’s opposition putting an end to the Miami plans, the RFEF is now exploring domestic alternatives to host the Supercopa. The federation had considered several foreign venues, but the focus has shifted back to Spain, where it hopes to find new sponsors to secure financial stability for the tournament.

  Despite the setback, discussions remain ongoing about expanding the competition internationally in future editions. The RFEF and participating clubs still view overseas exposure as key to the long-term success and global recognition of Spanish women’s football.

Rohit Sharma confirmed that he would continue to play ODI cricket, where he is India’s captain

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-20252:16

Kumble: Straight from the heart, that’s Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect, meaning India will need to name a new full-time captain almost immediately after the end of IPL 2025, with India’s five-Test series in England scheduled to begin on June 20 at Headingley.”Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format,” Rohit, who had retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup last year with him as captain, said in a post on social media on Wednesday evening.Rohit retires with 4301 runs in 67 Test matches, averaging 40.57 despite the poor recent run. He scored 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries over the years, with a best of 212, against South Africa in Ranchi in October 2019.Related

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Gambhir: India should not play Pakistan at all

Roger Binny, the former India allrounder and current BCCI president, paid tribute to Rohit.”Mr Rohit Sharma’s impact on Indian cricket transcends records and statistics,” Binny said in a statement. “He brought a sense of calm and assurance to the team – both as a player and as a captain. His ability to stay composed under pressure and to consistently put the team’s needs above his own made him a truly special player and leader. Indian cricket has been fortunate to have a figure like Rohit – someone who upheld the highest standards of professionalism and sportsmanship. He leaves behind not just a remarkable playing record, but a culture of discipline and selflessness that will inspire future generations.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

As recently as Tuesday, Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach across the three international formats, had said in response to a question on the future of senior pros Rohit and Virat Kohli that “Till the time they are performing, they should be a part of the team. When you start and when you end is your individual decision. No coach, no selector, no BCCI can tell you when you should call it quits. If you perform, then why 40, you can jolly well play till 45, who’s stopping you?”Rohit’s decision comes after poor home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand late last year and then a horror tour of Australia across December 2024 and January 2025, where he crossed 50 just once and averaged 10.93 from eight Test matches. India won both the Tests against Bangladesh, but were swept 3-0 by New Zealand under Rohit’s captaincy, and then lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia 3-1.Rohit missed the first and last Tests on that tour of Australia, the first to be at home in India for the birth of his child, and the last, in Sydney, where he “stood down”. At the time, he had stressed that it was just that, a reaction to his poor batting form, not a “retirement decision”, and that he was not “going to take myself out of the game”. Jasprit Bumrah is currently India’s designated vice-captain and led in the first and last Tests in Australia in Rohit’s absence.Speaking to ” during the Test match, Rohit had said, “I sat out of this match because runs are not coming off my bat. There is no guarantee runs won’t come five or two months down the line. I have seen a lot in cricket that life changes every second, every minute, every day.”I have confidence in me that things can change, but at the same time I have to be realistic as well. So life won’t change by what people with a mic, pen or laptop write or say. They can’t decide when we should retire, when we should sit out, when we should captain. I am a sensible man, mature man, father of two kids. So I know what I need in life.”5:13

Kumble on Rohit’s Test retirement: ‘You know when it’s time and you don’t regret it’

Immediately after returning from Australia, Rohit played a one-off match for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in January after the selectors in coordination with BCCI made it mandatory for contracted players to feature in domestic cricket. Rohit’s batting woes continued as he made 3 and 28 against Jammu & Kashmir.While the selectors decided to keep him as India’s captain for the Champions Trophy, Rohit was aware success in the ICC event wouldn’t guarantee his spot in the Test format. And, so, despite his leading India to the title in March, Rohit decided to bring the curtains down on his Test career.The development comes with little over a month to go for the start of India’s five-Test tour of England on June 20. The selectors are expected to finalise the Test squad in the coming weeks, but with Rohit retiring, the biggest question for the Ajit Agarkar-led panel would be naming the next Test captain.Bumrah is an option but putting that responsibility on a fast bowler, particularly one who has just returned from injury might not be easy. He shouldered a heavy workload during the Australia tour and was diagnosed with a stress reaction on his lower back, resulting in his being unable to bowl in the second innings of the final Test in Sydney. Bumrah missed the Champions Trophy thereafter and only resumed playing since April in the IPL where he represents Mumbai Indians.

تحدث ميكيل أرتيتا مدرب أرسنال عن موقف جابرييل مارتينيلي وويليام ساليبا قبل مباراة بيرنلي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويملك أرسنال فرصة لزيادة سلسلة انتصاراته إلى تسع مباريات، ويطمح الجانرز لتعزيز صدارته للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز في ملعب تيرف مور غداً السبت.

وحقق آرسنال الفوز على كريستال بالاس على ملعب الإمارات الأسبوع الماضي، ويتقدم الفريق بأربع نقاط على بورنموث صاحب المركز الثاني.

ويقدم بيرنلي مستوى جيدًا حيث حقق الفوز في آخر مباراتين ليبتعد بخمس نقاط عن منطقة الهبوط.

وقال أرتيتا في مؤتمر صحفي قبل مباراة بيرنلي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “مترو” البريطانية :”لا إصابات جديدة، أعتقد أننا نعاني من نفس الإصابات”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ماريسكا يكشف عن حديثه مع كول بالمر بشأن موعد عودته

وأضاف: “لايزال مارتينيلي غائباً ولا نعرف مدة غيابه بعد، لكنني أعتقد أن هذه المباراة ستقام مبكراً جداً لعودته”.

وسئل أرتيتا عن ساليبا: “علينا الانتظار لنرى، لدينا جلسة تدريبية أخرى بعد ظهر اليوم”.

وكان أرتيتا قد اعتمد على مارتينيلي من مقاعد البدلاء هذا الموسم، وسجل أربعة أهداف وصنع هدفًا واحدًا منها هدف التعادل ضد مانشستر سيتي في الوقت بدل الضائع في سبتمبر الماضي.

وتحدث أرتيتا عن أنباء إيجابية بشأن إصابات آرسنال طويلة الأمد: “اللاعبون الآخرون مازالوا يقتربون من المشاركة، أعتقد أنهم في الاتجاه الصحيح لكنهم غير متاحين بعد”.

وأكمل :”أعتقد أن الأمر سيستغرق أسابيع، وإذا استمروا في التطور بنفس الطريقة، من الصعب تحديد مباراة كما تعلمون لدينا فترة توقف دولي لمدة أسبوعين”.

وأتم: “بعد ذلك، أعتقد أننا سنستعيد بعض اللاعبين، لا أعرف إن كانوا جميعهم أو بعضهم لكننا سنكون قريبين جداً من العودة بحلول ذلك الوقت”.

واختتم أرتيتا عن مشاركة اللاعبين في لقاء آرسنال ضد توتنهام على ملعب الإمارات بعد فترة التوقف الدولي: “أنا متحمس لأنهم لاعبون رائعون، أراهم يعملون بجد كل يوم وأرى مدى حرصهم على الانضمام للفريق، ستكون عودة هؤلاء اللاعبين دفعة قوية للفريق، بعد فترة طويلة جداً وأنا سعيد جداً لأنني أعتقد أنها ستكون قريباً جداً”.

West Ham United officially confirmed that Graham Potter had been relieved of his duties at the London Stadium on Saturday, less than 24 hours after his pre-match press conference ahead of the Everton match.

The Hammers did not waste much time in finding a replacement for the English head coach, though, as Nuno Espirito Santo was unveiled later on in the day.

Sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier this season, after a breakdown in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis, the Portuguese boss steps straight in for the game against the Toffees on Monday night.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Forest boss will be hoping to instantly win the supporters over in his first game, and he should drop Max Kilman from the side in order to do that.

Why Max Kilman should be dropped

West Ham splashed a whopping £40m fee to sign the English central defender from Premier League rivals Wolves in the summer of 2024, hoping to improve their backline.

Unfortunately, the Hammers ended the season with 62 goals conceded in 38 league games. Kilman, per Sofascore, ended the campaign with a worrying four errors that led to shots and two errors that led to goals for the opposition, which shows that he was prone to making mistakes at the back.

So far this season, Kilman has started all five games in the league and West Ham had conceded the most goals in the division (13) before Saturday’s matches.

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The left-footed defender has lost 56% of his ground duels in the top-flight this season, per Sofascore, and has not looked assured at all in the heart of the defence, which is why Nuno must drop him from the XI for the trip to the Hill Dickinson.

Such has been the nature of his poor performances, West Ham Transfers – a fan account with over 77k followers – posted on X that Kilman is “worse than Roger Johnson”, which led to many supporters replying in agreement, illustrating how a section of the fanbase feel about the defender.

The West Ham player who should replace Max Kilman

In order to keep the balance of the team, the new West Ham boss should bring Igor Julio into the starting line-up for his debut for the club in the left-sided centre-back role.

Whether Nuno goes with a back three or a back four, a left-footed centre-back will be needed for balance when playing out from the back, which is why the Brighton loanee could slot in as a replacement for Kilman.

The Brazilian star, who was hailed as an “animal” by former coach Inigo Calderón, played for Brighton in the League Cup against Oxford earlier this season and showcased his aggressive defending.

Vs Oxford

Igor Julio

Minutes

90

Clearances

6

Blocks

1

Tackles won

4

Dribbled past

0x

Ground duels won

6/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Igor won seven of his nine duels, including six of his seven ground duels, and this suggests that he could be much stronger than Kilman, who has been dominated on the deck this season, at the back for the Hammers.

The left-footed defender was also unbeaten in all three of the Premier League matches that he featured in for Brighton in the second half of last season, including a win against Spurs and draws with Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Igor, who started ten times in the top-flight last term, is a dominant defender who has Premier League experience under his belt, which is why Nuno should not have any concerns about throwing him straight into the action against West Ham.

Given how bad the defence has been this season, and how some supporters have viewed Kilman’s performances, bringing the Brazilian titan into the team to lead the Hammers to a defensive masterclass against Everton could instantly get fans onside for Nuno.

Centuries from Emilio Gay, Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark put Durham in a strong position on a record-breaking day in their Rothesay County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire.Gay and Robinson dominated the morning session as they pushed Durham beyond Nottinghamshire’s total, with Gay notching up a second consecutive home century. Robinson was then joined by Clark in the afternoon and the pair took the game to the Nottinghamshire bowling attack, with Clark picking up a second consecutive century and Robinson looked back to his best as he got his first hundred of the season.The hosts kept on going into the evening and broke the county’s record for the highest first-class total, but there was a bright spot for Nottinghamshire as Liam Patterson-White picked up his fifth first-class five-wicket haul and they eventually bowled Durham out for 664. Nottinghamshire reached close on 67 for 1, 190 runs behind the hosts.Clark has been a consistent performer for Durham this season, impressing with the bat on several occasions already. On the other hand, Gay and Robinson both had tricky starts, but their class showed to give their side a chance of a vital win on day four.Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire will be thinking about what could have been as Joe Clarke dropped both Gay and Robinson in the slip cordon in the early stages of their knocks.Resuming on 320 for 4, Gay and Robinson were the unbeaten pair in place and they were looking to get Durham into a lead as soon as possible. Robinson picked up where he left off as he played a lovely punch for four early on, but he was dropped by Clarke on 35 as the Durham man edged a Mohammad Abbas delivery but the slip fielder dropped one for the second time in the innings.Gay played a beautiful shot through midwicket for four, while Robinson reached his half-century from 75 balls.Gay brought up his second century of the season in style as he cut a Rob Lord delivery to the boundary, while Robinson smashed a Patterson-White delivery down the ground for six.Gay’s excellent innings came to an end as Patterson-White bowled him for 104 while attempting a reverse sweep, but that brought the in-form Clark to the crease and he smashed Lyndon James for two boundaries in an over to take his side into the lead. Clark passed fifty in quick time, with it coming from 56 deliveries, and another milestone came soon after as Robinson got his century from 141 balls with a lovely boundary through third.Robinson then made the most of a short ball from Patterson-White as he heaved one over the leg-side boundary for six, but the Durham keeper’s fabulous innings came to an end at 141 when a leading edge from a James delivery was caught by Freddie McCann at backward point.Wickets came like buses for the visitors as England’s Brydon Carse was bowled by the resilient Patterson-White without troubling the scorers.Clark was agonisingly left on 99 not out at tea, but he reached his second century of the season in the first over after tea and he took his side over the 600 mark. The runs continued to flow for Clark and George Drissell, but Clark handed Patterson-White a fourth wicket of the day as he chopped on for 121.But they kept on going, with Ben Raine getting the single that gave Durham their record first-class total, but he became Patterson-White’s fifth victim when he departed for 10. Drissell smashed one down the ground for six as the lead stretched past 250, but the Durham innings came to an end when Codi Yusuf was run out, with the lead at 257.First innings double centurion Haseeb Hameed picked up an early boundary as the league leaders kicked off their second innings, while Ben Slater got off the mark with a nice shot through the covers. Just before close, Carse got the vital wicket of Hameed for 13 with a beauty which dismantled the Nottinghamshire captain’s off stump, but Slater, who has looked in good touch, and nightwatcher Rob Lord saw Nottinghamshire to close without further loss.

Manchester City have been advised to prepare for a decision to finally be made on their 115 charges of alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules imminently. The Cityzens were first hit with the charges back in February 2023 and a legal expert has now spoken about the eagerly-anticipated verdict and claimed there is "no real excuse for a further delay."

Verdict on Man City case overdue

A verdict on Manchester City's 115 charges was initially expected earlier this year but is now expected shortly. There has been frustration at the length of time the whole process has taken but the club may not have too much longer to wait to discover their fate. Speculation has raged over possible punishments if City are found guilty, ranging from points deductions to titles being stripped, but the club are thought to be confident they will avoid the harshest sanctions and have maintained their innocence throughout the process.

AdvertisementAFPMan City told decision is imminent

Manchester City have been told to expect a decision soon. Legal expert Stefan Borson told talkSPORT: "It's very very simple. They have not had the decision of the panel as of yet. I do think now there's no real excuse for a further delay. Even if they were busy on other matters, and they would have been, then I think it would be really quite extraordinary that there's been no timetable set with them and no arrangement set with them in terms of the payment of their time over these last ten months to produce the decision.

"I think on any basis ten months is enough to produce even a very very detailed 400 or 500 page decision on this case, and I think it is imminent. I know I have said that before multiple times in this room but I did think that there was a very good chance that it would have come out for this international window. I think there's a very good chance it will come out in the next international window and I really can't see it going into 2026. I just cannot see it extending beyond the year. I think it is almost out."

Guardiola will accept decision

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has vowed to accept any decision that is handed down to his club when the verdict finally arrives. He told reporters last summer: "I am happy that it starts soon and hopefully it will finish soon, for the benefit of all of us, especially the club but also other Premier League clubs and all the people who don’t wait for the sentence. I wish, from the deep in my heart, go to the trial, the independent panel – and I say again, independent panel – and as soon as possible, release what happened and we will accept like always we have done."

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Man City & Haaland enjoying bright start

Manchester City are currently in the midst of a strong start to the season after a disappointing campaign last year. Guardiola's side sit just three points off top spot and have four points from their opening two Champions League matches. Star striker Erling Haaland has started the season in fine form, banging in 12 goals in nine Premier League and Champions League matches, and has been hailed as the top flight's greatest striker by Jamie Carragher.

He said: "I think we're watching the greatest goal-scorer to ever play in English football. I honestly can't remember Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean and all those players from years ago. But I think of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Harry Kane and Ian Rush for my club Liverpool. There's a difference for me between a great centre-forward or striker and a goal-scorer. I think what we're witnessing now is something we've never seen before in our game and don't forget, this is a club where the goal-scorer beforehand was Sergio Aguero, one of the greatest we'll ever see. This is on a completely different level to Aguero. He's the best.”

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O Palmeiras pode ter um reforço para o elenco nesta reta final de temporada. Trata-se de Atuesta, meio-campista colombiano que sofreu uma lesão no joelho e precisou passar por cirurgia ainda no início do ano. Seis meses depois do ocorrido, ele inicia seu retorno gradativo às atividades de campo para poder retornar o mais breve possível em 2023.

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Atuesta se lesionou no dia 26 de fevereiro, quando os atletas que não atuaram na vitória do Verdão sobre a Ferroviária, pelo Paulistão, permaneceram no gramado do Allianz Parque para um treinamento. Dois dias depois, o jogador passou por exames que constataram a lesão no ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho direito.

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Na quinta-feira (7), o clube informou que Atuesta segue um cronograma na parte interna do centro de excelência, além de fazer atividades no campo. de forma separada do elenco. Tudo isso tem sido monitorado pelo Núcleo de Saúde e Performance. Ou seja, o colombiano está em fase de recondicionamento físico, o que o aproxima do retorno aos gramados.

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+ Palmeiras fica longe de Roberto Pereyra, que já tem destino definido

O Alviverde, porém, não dá prazos para essa volta, que deve ocorrer ainda este ano. Normalmente, esse tipo de lesão leva de seis a oito meses de recuperação, sendo que a reta final desse processo tem como objetivo o fortalecimento muscular e a readaptação ao ritmo competitivo.

Contratado pelo Verdão no fim de 2021, por 3,7 milhões de dólares (R$ 20,7 mi, na cotação da época), por 70% dos direitos econômicos, o camisa 20 nunca foi titular, mas nesta temporada vinha ganhando chances no decorrer das partidas. Foram seis jogos disputados em 2023, sendo quatro saindo do banco de reservas.

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+ Joia se aproxima do retorno aos gramados, e Palmeiras segue treinamentos na Data Fifa

Atuesta conta com a admiração da comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira, não apenas por ter sido um reforço aprovado por ela, mas também por poder fazer mais de duas funções no meio-campo, setor carente do elenco. Com contrato até 31 de dezembro de 2026, ele é peça que faz parte dos planos não apenas para esta reta final de 2023, mas também para 2024, último ano de vínculo com o treinador português.

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Palmeiras

Sunderland are yet to look fazed by the intense challenges of the Premier League.

Minus a disappointing loss away at Burnley on the second matchday of the season, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have collected two wins and two draws, with another encouraging display from the Wearside outfit against Aston Villa handing the hosts a 1-1 draw.

It wasn’t the prettiest overall display, as Sunderland had to dig deep after being reduced to ten men early on, but there was just enough in the Black Cats’ tank to steal a share of the points.

Again, Wilson Isidor would come to the rescue with a well-taken strike towards the dying stages of the tense contest, with both the Frenchman and his battling compatriot at the back in Nordi Mukiele key to the late draw being sealed.

Isidor & Mukiele's standout performances

Amazingly, Sunderland – at this point – boasts a sterner defensive record in the Premier League than that of Arne Slot’s table-topping Liverpool, and it’s clear to see why after Mukiele put in another combative display.

Leaking just four goals from six games, Mukiele has only given up two of those strikes since entering Le Bris’ first team plans after a summer move from Paris St. Germain.

The commanding 27-year-old would ensure the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers were kept quiet throughout, despite the Villans’ man advantage, as seen in him winning seven duels and registering 12 clearances to ensure the basics were done valiantly, as per Sofascore.

Picked up for just £12m, it really does feel as if Sunderland have hit gold on an unbelievable bargain already in tempting Mukiele to Wearside.

Isidor is also proving to be a shrewd buy at the moment for just £5m, considering the ex-Zenit St. Petersburg striker is now in the Stadium of Light record books for his three strikes this season on home soil.

But, despite both the defender and the attacker sticking out once more, there is a different star buried in the senior ranks that is worth even more than both Isidor and Mukiele, who represents an even better bargain.

How Isidor & Mukiele's market values compare

Various Sunderland stars who were purchased just this summer have instantly settled into their new environment, away from just focusing on Mukiele, with Noah Sadiki running himself into the ground for the cause on Sunday, as seen in him winning three ground duels.

But, there is also the old guard that has been there since the beginning of Sunderland’s ascent, all the way from the lower reaches of the EFL to the promised land of the Premier League, that deserve equal praise, with Trai Hume being one figure still beloved by the Stadium of Light masses, despite all these flashy new buys taking over.

Le Bris’ past comments about Hume being a “warrior” were spot on when assessing his gritty performance against Villa, with three tackles amassed – which included this mistimed lunge on the aforementioned Rogers – on top of eight duels being won, generating lots of cheers from the home faithful.

Yet, it’s also his attacking flair that has turned him into a major fan favourite since he sealed a switch from his native Northern Ireland to England back in 2022, with nine goal contributions last campaign very much helping Sunderland steer themselves to promotion glory.

He is yet to get up and running with any goals or assists in the top-flight, but that will hopefully come with time, with Hume once making the jump from Linfield to the bruising nature of the EFL look straightforward.

Subsequently, the “outstanding” full-back – as he has been glowingly labelled by journalist Josh Bunting – is now worth way more than his original measly £200k price tag, with Football Transfers now estimating that the tough Northern Irishman has a bumped up value of £15.5m.

That’s even more than both Mukiele and Isidor’s valuations on the site, with the determined centre-back worth a lesser £10.6m, while the lofty attacker comes in at £13.6m, which is a huge increase from his modest £5m price tag in January.

Still, he pales somewhat in comparison to Hume, with Le Bris hopeful he can continue to get a tune out of his full camp to keep up their fantastic early return to the top-flight.

70% duels won: 9/10 Sunderland star is now as undroppable as Isidor

Sunderland battled to a well-earned 1-1 draw against Aston Villa as this brave star shone throughout.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 21, 2025