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Leeds United have been without Gaetano Berardi for several months due to injury and Phil Hay has discussed when he could be likely to return.

Phil Hay reveals potential Berardi return

The Athletic journalist was discussing Berardi’s first team return after he made his first start for the under-23s on Monday and said: “My mayhem radar is saying Berardi v Foden, April 10.”

Berardi could find it tricky to come back

It will be good to have the right-back available for selection again in the near future as Leeds have had multiple injury issues this season, and so it is a boost for another defender to be nearing availability for first team selection. However, you can see why Hay is perhaps a little tentative on the mooted return date as the 32-year-old has not played a professional game since July (Transfermarkt). Clearly Marcelo Bielsa does rate him, howerver, as he has previously said: “Berardi is a loyal player and he gives everything on the pitch.”

To come up against a rampant Manchester City is hard for any player, let alone one returning from long-term injury, so despite it being very unlikely that Bielsa will utilise him against the Premier League leaders, it is at least encouraging to hear a mid-April return date being hinted at by Hay.

With the right-back playing for Leeds’ under-23s, it would be good to use him in the academy side for a few weeks until he gets back to full fitness and Bielsa can reassess him then.

In other news, Phil Hay discussed one Leeds star and his current contract!

During pre-season, Jack Diamond looked in fabulous form, albeit in a new position.

The Sunderland youngster was afforded an opportunity at left wing-back and looked convincing, quickly sparking claims that the Black Cats had solved a problem area.

Of course, Denver Hume has been capable in that third this season but supporters were right to be worried. Moves for both Declan John and Laurens De Bock failed to work out last season.

Yet, Phil Parkinson neglected Diamond and handed the young attacker very few opportunities.

He did score in the Papa John’s trophy but it has taken a change of management for the 20-year-old from Gateshead to finally thrive at the Stadium of Light.

Since Lee Johnson walked through the door he has been exceptional, proving a livewire in attack and offering Sunderland something they didn’t previously have – pace and direct running.

“We have to be careful with Jack and make sure he doesn’t get ahead of himself, but what he gives us an attribute that we haven’t otherwise got and that is the ability to stretch the play,” Johnson said at the weekend.

Indeed, he frightened the life out of the Lincoln defence and scored in the process. Diamond completed two dribbles and was also fouled on two occasions, building on a display where he played two key passes and managed four dribbles against Oldham.

In his last two matches, the prodigy has been a breath of fresh air to a Sunderland side who needed reinvigorating in attack.

Johnson commented last week: “He’s got mega-bucks of work to do, and he’s got to sleep with a futsal ball under his pillow because he needs to learn how to master the ball, but wow, he’s so powerful, direct and dynamic, and we need that in our team.”

Leaving the head coach wowed after just a week in charge is quite special and it speaks volumes about the player they have on their hands. Sunderland have seen a number of academy players break through in recent years and in terms of his direct nature and confidence, Diamond has similarities to a certain Josh Maja.

Another forward who scared defenders and scored goals, he eventually left, but the academy product very quickly became the centre of everything good the Black Cats did.

It looks as though Sunderland may well have another case here. After all, he’s starting ahead of last season’s top scorer Chris Maguire, someone who has only scored three times this season.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Diamond surpassed that over the festive period.

In other news, Forget Wyke: “League One cheat code” with 97 touches was Johnson’s real hero last weekend…

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Sem saber se seguiria no clube e envolvido em algumas especulações, Gum começou a temporada como titular do Fluminense. Mas, com a regularização dos reforços do Tricolor, o zagueiro perdeu espaço e, já na goleada sobre o Bonsucesso, por 4 a 0, ficou no banco de reservas. Naquele confronto, a zaga escolhida por Eduardo Baptista foi composta pelo estreante Renato Chaves, que se lesionou durante o jogo, e Marlon, recuperado de infecção urinária. Por tomar uma decisão desfavorável ao experiente atleta, o treinador entendeu que precisava conversar com o camisa 3.

– Procuro sempre ter uma conversa. Quando você tira um atleta que vem de uma sequência, e, especialmente com o caráter do Gum, você tem que explicar os motivos. Sentei com ele e expliquei. O Nogueira vem muito bem. Estamos com zagueiros de alta qualidade. O próprio Renato (Chaves) foi muito bem, mas se lesionou – disse.

Baptista terá Diego Souza contra o Madureira, nesta quinta-feira, às 17h, no Moacyrzão, em Macaé. Regularizado, ele fará sua reestreia no time após dez anos. Mesmo que não consiga ir até o fim da partida, o meia terá participação importante no Tricolor.

– Na parte física crua está bem. Eu peço principalmente para os jogadores de meio de campo: “não precisa jogar 90 minutos. Jogue intensamente 60, 70” – frisou Baptista, que explicou o fato de optar por um treino mais leve nesta quarta.

– A gente sempre procura trabalhar. E hoje alguns reclamaram de cansaço. É um grupo que não pede à toa. Achei prudente ter um treino mais tranquilo – afirmou.

O Fluminense deve ir a campo para o confronto contra o Tricolor Suburbano com: Diego Cavalieri, Wellington Silva, Henrique, Marlon e Giovannni; Pierre, Cícero, Danielzinho, Gustavo Scarpa e Diego Souza; Fred.

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Leeds have opted to reward Bryce Hosannah with a new two-year contract. The 21-year-old defender is currently on loan with Bradford City, where he will play out a season-long deal until he returns to Elland Road.

Opting to put an extra year on his contract is likely part of a mastermind Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa plan to see if he has what it takes to become Luke Ayling’s understudy. Indeed, the 21-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for Leeds, but it could be on the cards once he returns from his loan spell. Should he impress, a lucrative long-term deal will surely be on the cards.

Hosannah could be crucial for Leeds

The Whites are struggling in the Premier League at the moment after being dealt back-to-back 4-1 defeats by Leicester and Crystal Palace respectively. Bielsa has a few issues to deal with in his squad, but the biggest is arguably his inconsistent defence.

Leeds started the season strongly but have now slipped down into 15th place in the league table. If things continue as they are, the long 16-year wait to return to England’s top flight will be soured by a disappointing drop back down to the Championship. The Whites have conceded the joint most amount of goals so far this season with 17. Only West Brom – who are currently in the bottom three – have shipped the same number.

Bielsa currently has three young defenders waiting in the wings to be called upon for first team action. Leif Davis, Pascal Struijk and Oliver Casey are all named senior players for this season, with only Struijk getting a major sniff of the action so far.

By putting trust into Hosannah once he returns to Leeds, Bielsa could place him under the wing of Luke Ayling, who has become one of the team’s key players. Not only will the youngster flourish rapidly under the 29-year-old’s guidance, but he will serve as injury covers as and when called upon.

Hosannah has already impressed at Bradford, with manager Stuart McCall branding him a “big attacking threat”. Not only could he become another body in defence, but he could help contribute to Leeds’ struggling attack too.

The club’s only other recognised senior right-back is the injured Gaetano Berardi, who is out of contract next summer. Putting big responsibility in the hands of Hosannah could be the making of him, and it could prove to be a crucial decision if Leeds survive their first season back in the Premier League.

In other news, Leeds handed huge boost as Rodrigo is expected to return against Arsenal…

Much has been made of Manchester United’s failure to sign Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window. Whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was let down by Ed Woodward, or the Red Devils simply could not afford to meet Borussia Dortmund’s colossal demands, we will probably never know for sure.

But United still signed five players in the summer. Five holes were filled, although Amad Diallo is set to arrive at Old Trafford in January, so Solskjaer will still have to wait a while before he can bring him into the fold. As we’ve already discussed, the Red Devils were really only a couple of signings, or a centre-back, away from having a good summer window.

Despite bringing in Donny van de Beek from Ajax, as well as Alex Telles from Porto and Facundo Pellistri from Uruguayan outfit Penarol on deadline day, United’s surprise of the summer was the signing of former Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani.

The 33-year-old is currently unavailable for selection as he quarentines but he could be back involved shortly after the international break, which bodes well for Solskjaer when his side take on PSG in the Champions League group stages. Having someone like Cavani, who has bags of European experience, as a backup option could be a game-changer for the club legend. Don’t forget, Solskjaer was in charge of United’s famous Champions League comeback against PSG.

But Solskjaer’s side are struggling for form, with questions remaining over the manager’s long-term future at the club. Could he perhaps turn to another senior player in the squad for guidance?

Solskjaer was involved in a half-time bust-up with Bruno Fernandes during the humiliating defeat to Tottenham Hotspur if recent reports are to be believed. Fernandes was frustrated with Solskjaer over his tactics with United trailing Spurs 4-1 at half-time despite the fact he had given the home side an early lead with a penalty.

Now that the Norwegian has finally got a right winger in Pellistri, he surely can’t have much to complain about. Pellistri’s former boss Diego Forlan gave Solskjaer a glowing scouting report and Cavani believes that he can be an instant success at Old Trafford with his exciting style of play. The new recruit was hailed by his fellow countryman as a “mischievous” attacking option.

At such a young age, the 18-year-old cannot be expected to hit the ground running, but he will want to give a good impression whenever he makes his first-team debut, which is something that will resonate well with Fernandes, as he has built a reputation amongst the United fanbase for doing exactly just that. After all, the Portuguese midfielder knows a thing or two about making an instant impact at Old Trafford and having Fernandes around to learn from will hopefully take his game to the next level. Once again, one of the new arrivals will have to try their best to revive a struggling team.

AND in other news, Man United must secure loan deal for Brandon Williams…

One thing Leeds needed this summer was centre-backs.

At the beginning of the summer, the Whites had just one fit senior player in that position after Gaetano Berardi’s ACL injury ruled him out for a number of months and Ben White returned to Brighton.

Fortunately, Victor Orta wasn’t blind to this fact and he has plugged that area by bringing in Diego Llorente and Robin Koch.

However, there is an argument to be made that Leeds actually need another centre-half through the door.

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As things stand, the Yorkshire outfit only have three fit senior centre-backs, with youngsters Pascal Struijk and Oliver Casey making up the numbers as reserves, but when you consider one of Marcelo Bielsa’s tactical quirks, it becomes clear that three may not be enough.

Indeed, when the Argentine comes up against a team playing in a two-striker formation, he often likes to deploy his famed 3-3-1-3 formation, so that his defenders maintain their numbers advantage over the opposition’s centre-forwards, and with just three senior centre-halves in the side, injuries and suspensions may leave them light at the back.

Yes, Luke Ayling and Kalvin Phillips can do a job there as well, but in the Premier League their limited experience in that role may leave them exposed, and every point counts when you’re battling in this division.

Now, we’re not suggesting that Leeds go out and spend anything close to the £18m they spent on Llorente, or even the £13m they spent on Koch, but a cheap deal or a loan certainly wouldn’t go amiss.

United have already spent £31m on new centre-backs, which is exactly what they needed to do ahead of this season, but to be as safe as possible, their best bet may be to throw a little bit more cash at that area.

Diogo Jota had an unbelievable game for his country last night after enjoying a 3-0 win over Sweden. The newest Jurgen Klopp signing was unstoppable in Portugal’s attack, contributing two goals and an assist to see them victorious in the UEFA Nations League.

After earning an impressive 9.5 rating for being involved in 100% of his side’s goals, the attacker could become a complete game-changer for Liverpool.

Diogo Jota stats for Portugal

Jota was unstoppable in the Portuguese attack, operating on the left side of target man Joao Felix who struggled to get involved in any of the action. The 23-year-old teamed up with Premier League rival Bernardo Silva, who ran the show from the wings.

According to SofaScore, Jota created another goalscoring opportunity on top of his goals and assist, whilst also completing four out of an attempted five dribbles. FotMob report that this was the highest dribbling success in the game, highlighting how much Sweden struggled to contain the fiery winger.

Although it’s not exactly a surprise that Jota has pulled off an international masterclass. After he left Wolves for new club Liverpool, Nuno Espirito Santo lauded the player’s contribution to the Midlands side and described him as an “amazing” player (via The Mirror).

A new era of attack for Liverpool

With Jota now off the mark for his new side, there’s no limit to just how much he could flourish on Merseyside. His one-goal return from two Premier League matches is a very promising statistic and one that could start to be utilised more by Klopp and his staff.

“I said last week he is at the same level technically as our front three and the one thing I found really difficult to coach is the intuition in the box, being in the right position to score like the pure instinct of a striker,” assistant manager Pep Lijnders recently told the club’s website.

Indeed, Jota needed just ten minutes in action with the Reds before finding the back of the net against Arsenal. The attacker came off the bench and immediately posed a threat, getting into dangerous positions inside the opposition box. Surely enough, his sharp position paid off and it could be something the club decide to play around with moving forwards.

Roberto Firmino has become less of a goalscorer and more of a playmaker recently, which could make for an interesting switch up in the Liverpool focal point. If Jota is confident operating as a No.9, the Brazilian could play just behind him and unearth a new era of blistering attack for the Reds.

In other news, Marcelo Pitaluga impresses Liverpool staff in training and could give huge boost moving forwards…

علق عبد الشفيع حسين الجويفي، وزير الرياضة بحكومة الوحدة الوطنية الليبية، على الخسارة التي لحقت بمنتخب بلده أمام مصر، ضمن منافسات تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم، 2022 بقطر.

ونجح منتخب مصر في الفوز على ليبيا أمس الجمعة بهدف دون رد، أحرزه اللاعب عمر مرموش، ليقتنص الفراعنة صدارة المجموعة السادسة من التصفيات.

وقال الجويفي عبر صفحته بموقع التواصل الإجتماعي “فيس بوك”: “خسرنا مباراة، ولكننا لم نخسر الترشح، فقدنا 3 نقاط ثمينة، ولكننا كسبنا الإرادة والعزيمة إلى آخر دقيقة، والمنافسة ما زالت مستمرة”.

وأضاف: “الشكر والتقدير لكل الرياضيين على هذا الأداء الرائع، كل التوفيق لفرسان المتوسط في قادم المواعيد”.

طالع أيضًا.. كيروش مشيدًا بلاعبي منتخب مصر: تأتي العظمة مع شخصية الفريق

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي منتخب مصر مع ليبيا يوم الإثنين المقبل، في إطار الجولة الرابعة من التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لكأس العالم.

ويتصدر منتخب مصر ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 7 نقاط، وتأتي في الوصافة ليبيا بـ6 نقاط، وفي المركز الثالث أنجولا بـ3 نقاط، ويتذيل الترتيب الجابون بنقطة واحدة.

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Líder isolado da Série B, com 65 pontos, Botafogo precisa apenas de uma vitória para carimbar o passaporte para a Primeira Divisão do próximo ano. Neste sábado, o Glorioso volta a campo, contra o Criciúma, na casa do adversário, num jogo que promete. Para voltar com os três pontos e o acesso garantido, o técnico Ricardo Gomes aposta numa dupla de ataque formada por dois jovens: Neilton, de 21 anos, e Ronaldo, de 24.

Ronaldo ganhou uma vaga no time titular porque Navarro e Sassá estão machucados. O uruguaio tem uma lesão na coxa direita e só volta contra o Santa Cruz, no dia 14. Já o segundo sofreu uma grave lesão e só voltará a jogar em seis meses.

Neilton vive boa fase. Ele tem seis gols em 13 partidas com a camisa alvinegra e foi o autor do gol da vitória sobre o Bahia, por 1 a 0, no sábado passado, no Estádio Nilton Santos.

O jovem Luis Henrique, de 17 anos, ficará como opção no banco de reservas contra o Tigre. Ele voltou recentemente da disputa do Mundial Sub-17 e está à disposição do técnico Ricardo Gomes.

وصف المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي آرسنال، ميكل أرتيتا، الفوز الذي حققه الجانرز على حساب بيرنلي بالصعب بنتيجة 1-0 في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ونجح آرسنال في الفوز على ملعب “تيرف مور” الصعب بهدف أحرزه، مارتن أوديجارد، في الدقيقة 30 من زمن الشوط الأول.

اقرأ أيضًا | محمد النني يسترجع ذكريات مجزرة بورسعيد.. والمباراة الأولى مع الأهلي وآرسنال

وتحدث أرتيتا عن رأيه في المباراة في تصريحات لشبكة “بي بي سي” البريطانية بعد صافرة النهاية، وقال: “لقد كان فوزًا صعبًا في ملعب صعب للغاية”.

وتابع: “لكن يجب عليك أن تجهز الفريق وتكون مستعدًا للقتال، في الشوط الأول، مررنا ببعض الفترات الجيدة وكنا مسيطرين على المباراة وكان يجب أن نسجل المزيد من الأهداف، في الشوط الثاني، فقدنا الكرة في العديد من المرات بسهولة”.

وأضاف: “لقد حققنا فوزين متتاليين وحافظنا على شباكنا نظيفة، لنعد مرة أخرى للمنافسة بقوة ولدينا الوقت من أجل تصحيح الأخطاء”.

وعن ركلة جزاء بيرنلي الملغية بتقنية الـ VAR، قال: “المساعد حسم الأمر مبكرًا وقال إنها ليست ركلة جزاء، كان على الحكم أن يلغيها من البداية”.

واختتم أرتيتا حديثه عن أوديجارد: “مارتن لديه إمكانيات رائعة، سجل هدفنا للفوز بالمباراة، لكنه يعمل بجد من أجل الفريق وأصبح قائدًا حقيقيًا لآرسنال”.