Leah Williamson and Mary Earps posted heartfelt tributes to Rachel Daly on social media after the striker announced her shock Lionesses retirement.
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Mary Earps pulled off a stunning acrobatic save to deny England team-mate Lauren James during Manchester United’s FA Cup clash with Chelsea.
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Erin Cuthbert's goal gave the Blues a 1-0 win in Catalunya and if they avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge next week, they'll be in the UWCL final
Chelsea caused an incredible shock on Saturday afternoon when their 1-0 win in Catalunya ended Barcelona's incredible unbeaten streak at home, one which stretched back to February 2019. There is still a second leg at Stamford Bridge to come, one in which Barca will no doubt be better and throw everything at their hosts, but the Blues are now just one game away from the Women's Champions League final.
Erin Cuthbert's goal decided the game, Sjoeke Nusken doing some fantastic work in the Barca box before teeing the Scot up to strike into the top corner before half-time. It felt like Chelsea would have to do some backs-to-the-wall defending to see the game out but that wasn't really the case. The Catalans dominated possession, yes, but their biggest chances didn't come until the final minutes of the game and England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton didn't have a single save to make in the opposing goal.
Barca did think they had a penalty just after half-time but VAR intervened as Salma Paralluelo was adjudged to have been interfering with play from an offside position at the same time that Kadeisha Buchanan handled the ball. If anyone thought that was controversial, it was probably evened out by Irene Paredes getting away with a kick on Mayra Ramirez in the other box a little later on.
Despite the reigning European champions being nowhere near their best, they will still feel they should not have lost this game after carving out two huge opportunities to get at least a draw. First, Paralluelo could only connect with Caroline Graham Hansen's cross with her shin, thus sending it well wide, then Alexia Putellas had a golden chance with the last kick of the game, only to miss the target from close range.
Chelsea had to ride their luck a little bit in the closing moments but it would be harsh to say they didn't deserve a positive result. After all, their game plan was perfect and the players executed it brilliantly. Do that one more time, back in London on April 27, and they will be in a second Women's Champions League final.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys…
West Ham United are taking some time away from the field as their players embark on international duty; however, one of their star men has now been involved in a strange development, according to reporter Paul Brown.
West Ham have struggled to get into a rhythm of consistency from game to game this season as they juggle both domestic and European footballing endeavours; nevertheless, David Moyes has managed to guide the Hammers to ninth in the Premier League table, with 17 points taken from their first 12 fixtures.
Following a run of just one win in six matches across all competitions prior to their last two encounters, West Ham have since defeated Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest to restore some stability at the London Stadium in light of recent questions over Moyes' future at the club.
Daily Mail reporter Sami Mokbel has explained that Moyes could depart West Ham at the end of the campaign, stating on the It's All Kicking Off podcast: "That question [over his position] will linger until David Moyes finally departs. I think he's going to depart."
He then went on to add: "'All the information that we have indicates that he will depart at the end of this season. I think there was a plan to do that last summer, at the end of last season, for him to move on. But obviously, then winning the European trophy, the Conference League kind of spun that direction on its head a little bit because how can you sort of open the door for your head coach to leave when he's just landed you your first trophy in decades?"
Undoubtedly, Moyes finds himself between a rock and a hard place at West Ham. Last term, he led the Irons to unprecedented success across their recent history by winning the Europa Conference League; however, speculation continues to persist surrounding his future, which will have been exacerbated by supposed tension between the Scot and technical director Tim Steidten during the summer window.
Now, reporter Brown claims that one of Moyes' arrivals during the same period is now caught up in a strange situation at the London Stadium.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Brown has declared his surprise that James Ward-Prowse has once again been snubbed by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate for England's double-header against Malta and North Macedonia in EURO 2024 qualifying.
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James Ward-Prowse's excellent form in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt) |
|
|
Appearances |
17 |
|
Goals |
2 |
|
Assists |
10 |
Brown told the outlet: "I honestly find it very strange that Ward-Prowse is suddenly out of the England picture completely. He was being picked regularly ahead of some very strong candidates for a very long time when you could argue that he was in nowhere near the kind of form that he is now. I really don't think that it's a wise move by the England manager.
"I think he's in the best form I've seen him in for some time, and it doesn't strike me as terribly fair that he's no longer getting a look in. I think it's definitely one that Gareth Southgate should be questioned on."
Taking the positives, Ward-Prowse should be fresh to play a major part for West Ham upon the resumption of Premier League football after the international break.
An "amazing" Southampton player who Russell Martin admires could now leave the club, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.
Saints are back in Championship action this weekend after the international break, with Martin's side making the trip to Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon. Southampton look nicely poised for a genuine promotion push between now and May, sitting fourth in the table currently and nine points behind Ipswich Town in the second automatic promotion spot.
The January transfer window will allow Martin the opportunity to boost his squad options, giving it that little bit of extra magic that could make all the difference come the end of the campaign, as the south coast club look to make it back into the Premier League at the first attempt.
Southampton have been linked with a a permanent move for Newcastle United winger Ryan Fraser, with the Scot on loan at St Mary's currently, and West Brom midfielder Tom Fellows is another transfer target.
There is also a chance that current players will move on to pastures new, however, and it could be that a high-profile figure is on his way out of the exit door.
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Che Adams could leave Southampton, with a January move to a Premier League club not out of the question.
"This has all the hallmarks of a player that needs a transfer now. Premier League clubs will be looking to see whether they could take a chance on him in the January transfer window.
"He just hasn't seemed right since the summer window when there was a lot of talk around him and what would happen to him. It's got to be difficult when you end up staying at the club you thought you were leaving, but he hasn't done a great job of getting himself back on track there.
"So, I think it might be a case that he's got to leave, and it might be a bit of a surprise that he ends up back in the Premier League, to be honest."
While Adams' statistics of only six Championship starts to date show he hasn't necessarily been a guaranteed starter, losing him midway through the campaign would be a massive blow to their promotion hopes. The Scotland international has so much experience, with Adams scoring 25 goals in 124 Premier League appearances, and he is someone whose big-game mentality could come to the fore when the business end of the season arrives.
Martin himself is clearly a big admirer of the 27-year-old, calling him "amazing" back in August, and losing him would only make Southampton weaker, in terms of squad depth.
That being said, should Adams want to move on in January due to a lack of playing time, it could be hard to keep hold of him – if that does happen, Saints must bring in a tailor-made replacement who can fill the void left by him.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will miss the match with Brighton on Thursday as he remains injured.
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Leicester City could offer star forward Jamie Vardy a new deal, with his current contract set to expire in the summer.
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Everything was going smoothly for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, as if it was almost going too well. And that proved to be exactly the case, with the Lilywhites going from an unbeaten start to three consecutive losses and a growing injury list in the Premier League. Postecoglou is finally seeing the issues that previous managers had, as Spurs' lack of squad depth continues to be exposed.
Defeats against Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa – in a game that saw Spurs line-up without a true centre-back – have left the North London club out of the top four. It's no surprise that recent results have shocked Spurs into transfer action, with reports suggesting that the Lilywhites are targeting one position in particular.
After losing Harry Kane in the summer window, Spurs did well to recoup and go again, splashing the cash to welcome the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario, who have all enjoyed excellent starts under Postecoglou. What they failed to do, however, was add some depth in their backline, even after losing Davidson Sanchez late on in the window. And that has left them without an out-and-out senior centre-back after just two absences.
According to reports in Spain, Spurs are one of the main contenders in the race to sign Antonio Silva, who reportedly has a release clause of €100m (£86m) at current club Benfica. The North London side are reportedly joined in the race by Manchester United and Barcelona in what will be a tight battle to land the defender's signature in the summer window next year. Those at Spurs reportedly see Silva as a player with impressive potential, who can add competition to Postecoglou's backline both in the short-term and long-term.
At just 20-years-old, Silva could be set to have the world at his feet with a number of options to choose from in the summer window. Spurs will hope that he chooses North London over Manchester, however, if they decide to push on and secure a deal. Silva's stats prove that he'd be more than capable of stepping into Postecoglou's side and keeping up with the likes of Van de Ven and Romero.
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Player |
Progressive Carries |
Progressive Passes |
Tackles Won |
Blocks |
|
Antonio Silva |
10 |
43 |
18 |
23 |
|
Cristian Romero |
11 |
60 |
15 |
13 |
|
Micky van de Ven |
9 |
34 |
12 |
7 |
Given the numbers, it's little shock that Silva has been at the centre of praise from Benfica manager Rodger Schmidt, who said, via TalkSPORT: "Antonio is 18, but when you see him on the pitch, he doesn't look that age.
"It was obvious in pre-season that he is a talented player and that he is already a professional player who is able to withstand the pressure playing for the Benfica first team, and he has shown it many times this season."
Manchester United was once a club that dominated English football. However, they have seen a massive decrease in performance levels and standards over the last decade. The second-most decorated club in England are now sixth in the Premier League and dumped out of Europe.
Furthermore, Erik ten Hag has picked up an unwanted record this week, as his side now has the worst defensive record ever by an English team in the Champions League group stages.
Therefore, the Red Devils will turn to the transfer market in January in an attempt to reinforce their defensive department.
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are interested in signing Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton this January after keeping a close eye on the defender for over a year.
The Toffees view Branthwaite as one of the best defenders in the English top flight, and they will hope to secure £75m for him.
Sean Dyche’s side is willing to let him go in order to collect funds, which will help bolster their squad and improve the financial fair play situation.
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Tom Lever
Dec 15, 2023
The Manchester United faithful have previously witnessed a top young centre-back joining from another English club, and Ten Hag will be hoping that Branthwaite will become his left-footed version of Rio Ferdinand.
Since returning to the Toffees after a loan spell at PSV, the England U21 international has simply been phenomenal, playing a huge role in a rather impressive Everton side. He has started every game that he’s been available for, making 14 appearances, keeping five clean sheets, and forming a formidable partnership alongside James Tarkowski.
The 21-year-old is an extremely composed defender who provides a sense of calmness to the rest of the backline, whether that is in or out of possession. However, he plays with controlled aggression and intensity, which allows him to enter duels with attackers while rarely making a mistake. A close match to the aforementioned Ferdinand who was a composed but monstrous presence at the back.
The Everton man has been described as a “wall” by scout Jacek Kulig, which is rather appropriate considering he stands at 6 foot 5. A player of such size usually has issues with mobility, but Branthwaite is deceivingly fast and dynamic, using his long legs to catch up to even the quickest players in the Premier League and come out on top in 1v1 situations.
He displays maturity and takes a proactive approach to defending, anticipating forward passes and stealing the ball off the targeted striker, which would suit Manchester United brilliantly. Below are some key statistics from this season that underline his importance.
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Branthwaite stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
Branthwaite |
PL Percentile |
|
Tackles |
2.14 |
Top 15% |
|
Dribblers tackled |
1.43 |
Top 3% |
|
Interceptions |
1.79 |
Top 8% |
|
Clearances |
5.07 |
Top 20% |
|
Ball recoveries |
6.93 |
Top 6% |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
It is clear that Branthwaite is a player who loves to defend and enjoys the physical side of the game just as much as the beautiful side.
The youngster would walk into United’s team, where he would be able to display his progressive on-the-ball ability much more than he does at Everton. It is no wonder United Legend and ex-PSV manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy loves him, hailing his "great talent" and "two-footed" abilities.
Juventus and Atletico Madrid will reportedly face competition from Napoli in the congested transfer race for Manchester United-owned Mason Greenwood.
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