All posts by z3u9t.icu

Defending champions Liverpool moved up to eighth in the Premier League table after a 2-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

Goals from Alexander Isak, who netted his first league goal for the club, and Cody Gakpo secured all three points for the Reds for the first time since the 1st November against Aston Villa.

Arne Slot will surely be pleased with the win and the clean sheet to end a run of three successive losses in all competitions, whilst the Dutch boss will also be buzzing with the performances of several of his players.

Ranking Liverpool's top performers against West Ham

When ranking the team’s top performers against the Hammers, it is hard to look past Gakpo as the standout star because he was directly involved in both of the goals, with a goal and an assist.

Ibrahima Konate also deserves credit for his colossal display at the heart of the defence, winning 100% (5/5) of his aerial duels and making a team-high ten clearances, per Sofascore.

Both the France international and captain Virgil van Dijk kept Alisson quiet with their dominant performances, but Konate was the standout centre-back with four more clearances and three more aerial duels won than his skipper.

1

Cody Gakpo

2

Florian Wirtz

3

Ibrahima Konate

4

Virgil van Dijk

5

Alexander Isak

As you can see in the table above, Isak also has to be in the top five performers on the pitch for the Premier League champions, as he netted his first league goal for the club with a brilliant first-time finish into the bottom corner.

You will also notice that £115m signing Florian Wirtz ranks in second place, just behind Gakpo, after he caught the eye whilst playing in a central position for the Reds.

The Liverpool star who could be their new Thiago Alcantara

Recruitment analyst Jan Riha stated that the “incredible” Wirtz made him “feel about football the same way Thiago Alcantara” did at Liverpool, after his performance against the Hammers.

It is hard to argue with that assessment because his metronomic display at the London Stadium was incredibly impressive, even if it lacked the punch of a goal or an assist to add some extra flavour to his season.

Thiago ended his playing days with a 90% pass accuracy, per WhoScored, and Reds supporters got to enjoy his midfield majesty for three seasons, with plenty of exceptional raking passes and cultured through balls, as shown in the clips below against Man United in 2022.

Wirtz may not play in a deep-lying midfield role like Thiago did, but his technical ability is comparable to the Spaniard’s, and he showed it off plenty of times in the win over West Ham.

The Germany international has failed to deliver a goal or an assist in the Premier League this season since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen, but his display on Sunday was a step in the right direction because it was his best of the campaign.

Sofascore rating

6.51

6.9

Passes completed

25

42

Pass accuracy

82%

93%

Passes completed in oppo half

18

32

Passes accuracy in oppo half

76%

91%

Passes accuracy in own half

86%

100%

As you can see in the statistics above, Wirtz’s use of the ball on Sunday was on another level to what he has previously shown in the top-flight for Liverpool.

Playing centrally, rather than being out wide on the left or the right, allowed him to float around and knit play together with his technical brilliance, much like Thiago used to do further back on the pitch during his time at Anfield.

Slot must continue to play the German star in the middle of the park, rather than out wide, because he could flourish as a metronomic number ten who is able to buzz around the pitch and control the tempo of the match.

The hope, then, would be that the goals and assists naturally follow as he becomes more comfortable and confident on the pitch in the Premier League.

Big Konate upgrade: Liverpool have "one of the best young CBs in the world"

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

Whilst there will be understandable disappointment that a £115m attacking midfielder is yet to provide a direct goal contribution in the top-flight, Wirtz’s performance against the Hammers was his best of the season and he appears to be on the right track to become a success at Anfield.

Chelsea are now “crazy” about signing RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouedraogo, but they will have to do battle for his signature with one of their Premier League rivals.

Courtesy of a 2-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday, the Blues have now moved up to second in the Premier League table, but Gary Neville believes they are still some way off being genuine contenders for the title.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “They’ve got a lot of young players, spent a fortune, it’s probably not happening as quickly as they want,(and) I don’t think they’re anywhere near a team that can win the league to be honest. When I look at them, they look well short in a number of areas.”

As pointed out by Neville, the Blues have relied on youngsters a lot in the BlueCo era, breaking the record for the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League last season.

However, the west Londoners are yet to alter their recruitment policy, and they have now joined the race for another young midfielder.

Chelsea "crazy" about signing Assan Ouedraogo

In a new update from Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X, it has been revealed that Chelsea are one of the Premier League clubs “crazy” about signing RB Leipzig midfielder Ouedraogo, alongside Man United.

Both English sides are now scouting the 19-year-old, who remains under contract at the Bundesliga club until 2029, and his main ambition is to secure a place in Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.

The central midfielder remains under contract until 2029, and there is no release clause, meaning it is unclear how much the Blues will have to pay for the youngster, who is being targeted for next summer.

The German starlet may stand a chance of going to the World Cup next year, considering he impressed on his debut for his country, scoring in a 6-0 victory against Slovakia in the recent international break.

Not only that, but the Leipzig star would be a versatile option for Julian Nagelsmann, given that he is capable of playing in five positions, namely on both wings, central midfield, attacking midfield and even centre-forward.

The former Schalke man is off to an impressive start to the season in the Bundesliga, chipping in with three goals and three assists in 11 outings, and he has performed very well on some key attacking metrics over the past year.

Assan Ouedraogo’s key statistics (past year)

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.48 (99th percentile)

Assists

0.48 (99th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.58 (94th percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.77 (99th percentile)

As such, Ouedraogo could be an excellent addition for Chelsea next summer, and they should continue to monitor his development between now and the end of the season.

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ByDan Emery Nov 17, 2025

Manchester United drew 2-2 away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime. It took a late Matthijs de Ligt goal to secure a point, after being 1-0 up at half-time. Not only did United let the three points slip out of their grasp, but striker Benjamin Sesko picked up an injury.

The Slovenian didn’t start the game in North London, coming on in the second half. He suffered a knee problem late in the clash after a tackle by Mickey van de Ven prevented him from getting a shot off.

Ruben Amorim said after the game that he is “concerned” about the striker’s issue.

It is currently unclear how long the 22-year-old will be out injured for, but Amorim has three different options to replace him.

1 The logical option

There is only one other number 9 in the United squad: Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is a superb technical player who is brilliant at bringing his teammates into the game with holdup play and silky footwork.

He ended his debut campaign at United strongly, with ten goals and assists, including a crucial header in the Europa League away from home against Lyon. However, he’s fallen out of favour under the Portuguese manager this term.

It certainly hasn’t been easy for the Dutchman in 2025/26. He’s only made five appearances across all competitions, playing 90 minutes in total and not starting a game. He hasn’t even had a chance to prove himself this term.

However, with his ability to link play together and facilitate the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, the 24-year-old could be a game-changer for United. He’s their only other senior number striker and has shown great promise when given a chance.

2 The wildcard option

The suggested wildcard shout is, ironically, something Amorim has done more often this season than the logical option. That consists of bringing Mason Mount into the starting lineup and playing a flexible front three consisting of the Englishman, Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Although he has been struck down with injury a lot for United, the 26-year-old clearly has an abundance of quality. When fit, he has been a trusted lieutenant under Amorim, playing 29 games for the Red Devils boss, scoring four times and assisting one.

In fact, those strikes certainly highlight the quality the number seven brings to United’s side. Look at his finish against Athletic Club in the Europa League last season, taking the ball on the half turn and curling his effort home. That is classic Mount.

This solution would offer Amorim lots of energy up front, with all three players excellent pressers. United fans would also witness fluid rotations in possession, although the lack of a natural number 9 might make them less of a threat in the box.

3 The academy option

Using players from the academy has always been a huge part of the DNA at Old Trafford. Well, in light of Sesko’s injury, Amorim could turn to 17-year-old Chido Obi to help fill the void left at centre-forward.

The former Arsenal youngster has played first-team football in the red of United since his move to Manchester last summer. He’s featured eight times under Amorim, even starting away to Brentford in the Premier League.

It is at academy level that the former Gunners star has made a real impression. Obi has scored six goals for United’s U21 side and has bagged 12 times in ten games for the U18s. It is no surprise that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previously described him as a “massive goal threat.” Gunners podcaster Will Balsam once even described the prodigy as a “homegrown Osimhen”.

Obi has played against senior sides in the EFL Trophy this season and has made a real impression, grabbing three goal involvements in as many games. Against Barnsley, he got a goal and an assist, having two shots on target, creating one chance and winning three duels.

Touches

20

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Ground duels won

3

Key passes

1

Goals

1

Assists

1

Picking the Denmark U20 striker to replace Sesko could be seen as a risk from Amorim. Yet, the Red Devils boss clearly trusts and rates the striker, having given him regular minutes in the top flight last season.

There are a few options for the United boss, and it will be fascinating to see which route he takes if Sesko is sidelined for a long period.

Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

If Rome wasn’t built in a day, it couldn’t be fixed in one either. In the case of Manchester United, who over so many years were shaped by Sir Alex Ferguson into a superpower, it’s understandable that this budding resurgence under Ruben Amorim’s wing might take a while.

And though the weekend draw at Nottingham Forest cut the Red Devils’ three-match winning streak in the Premier League, the squad look physically and mentally stronger, more receptive to the intricacies of the manager’s vision.

Amorim recently revealed he does not have an issue with any of the United stars pushed out of the Old Trafford gates in recent months, even though the manager felt strongly about such players leaving the club for the greater good of his project.

There is undoubtedly a ruthlessness about the 40-year-old, which will have charmed INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe as they ploughed through the recruitment process. And that may need to come into play once again here, with certain first-teamers surely at risk of being sold in 2026.

The Man United players INEOS need to sell

The jury is still out for many of these Manchester United players, and the recent upswings in form from veterans such as Luke Shaw and Casemiro suggest that they will keep their places at Old Trafford, having only last season been unanimously viewed as must-sells.

Manuel Ugarte is struggling to impose himself in the middle of the park, though, and Joshua Zirkzee has recently been reported to be frustrated on the fringe, looking to leave the outfit in January.

However, the revamp of the frontline suggests that Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford, both out on loan, will be sold next summer.

For Rashford, it’s clear the England international wishes to stay with Barcelona, having rediscovered his form out in Spain this season, scoring six goals and supplying seven assists from 14 matches in all competitions so far.

His relationship with his long-time club broke down last season and he left on loan for Aston Villa shortly after Amorim’s arrival. The general consensus is that the 28-year-old will not return in a professional capacity.

Amorim was right in parting ways with a player who wasn’t right within his system, and while things are now improving, he may need to apply a similar exit strategy toward another star who is failing to impress this season.

Amorim's new version of Rashford

Rashford’s future is unlikely to fall back into the Theatre of Dreams, plying his craft down the left for Amorim at Manchester United. The Three Lions star is abundantly talented, though he was at odds with the boss and appears to have divorced from his boyhood club.

In a similar way to Rashford, Diogo Dalot is becoming something of a scapegoat at the club, and as with Rashford, there is good reason for the frustration around him.

After the result at the City Ground, content creator Liam Canning said that the Portuguese defender is “becoming a worry long term”, given that he “doesn’t look like he suits the wing back role”.

His performance certainly corroborated that claim, with the Manchester Evening News branding him with a dismal 3/10 match rating after another unsuccessful venture on the left-hand side, having been ‘exposed at various stages of the contest’.

Concerning. Amorim simply doesn’t employ a four-man backline, and as Dalot’s outings on the left become more frequent, so too is it underlined that he does nnot cut the mustard in the system, and will surely be replaced next year.

Minutes played

68′

Goals conceded

2

Touches

43

Accurate passes

21/24

Possession lost

12x

Crosses

0/2

Key passes

0

Dribbles

0/2

Ground duels won

2/5

Aerial duels won

1/3

Man United content creator Dev Bajwa even said that the Portugal international “has got to be dropped” ahead of this weekend’s away trip to Tottenham Hotspur, a day which could underline the recent revival of Amorim’s side.

Amad Diallo’s impactful performance on the right stood as a dichotomy of tactical understanding in Amorim’s system. The wing-backs are among the most essential cogs for a team built on zonal rigidity. Dalot, to put that another way, isn’t effective in his unnatural placement, not least because he’s on his unfavoured side.

The 26-year-old has been a dependable servant for United over the years, arriving from Porto aged 19 in June 2018, for a £19m fee. In total, he has featured 219 times for the Old Trafford side, scoring nine goals and providing 18 assists.

It’s time for a change. The Braga-born star still has two-and-a-half years remaining on his £85k-per-week contract, but this suggests United could bank a sizeable fee were they to cash in on the stalwart next year.

His struggle to perform to his maximum in Amorim’s world is no new thing. Ten months ago, Dalot was singled out by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher as bearing tactical differences to the new manager, and, as we reflect on the recent draw to Forest, it’s clear that not all that much has changed.

With Patrick Dorgu waiting in the wings, United have options to shuffle the pack. Moreover, Lisandro Martinez’s imminent return from injury could even see Luke Shaw deployed in a more advanced and wider berth.

This is all to say that Dalot isn’t cutting it, and when transfer season comes around once again, there’s little question that the Red Devils must prioritise a new robust option to perform down that left channel.

Keane said Man Utd ace was "getting away with murder", now he's undroppable

Manchester United are finding their feet under Ruben Amorim’s wing this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 3, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared what’s impressed him most about teenager Andre Harriman-Annous after the Hale End graduate’s senior debut against Brighton on Wednesday.

The Gunners extended their unbeaten run to 11 in all competitions whilst booking a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after their victory over Brighton.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Goals from fellow youngster Ethan Nwaneri and star winger Bukayo Saka handed Arsenal a routine win at the Emirates Stadium, despite summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga being forced into a string of early saves to deny the Seagulls, who threatened to break through first.

The headlines initially belonged to Max Dowman, after the 15-year-old became Arsenal’s youngest ever starter.

Dowman showed flashes of brilliance on the right-hand side in place of Saka and the injured Noni Madueke, who’s believed to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his recovery from a knee injury.

However, once the teenager was hauled off Saka, and Harriman-Annouss replaced Declan Rice, attention turned towards the latest in a long queue of star-studded talents from the Hale End production line.

Harriman-Annous, who bagged 18 goals in 37 games for the Under-21s last season, has been a regular in first-team training at London Colney with Arteta taking note.

The England Under-18 international can feel hard done by that he didn’t mark his first senior appearance for the club with a goal too, having watched Jason Steele save his one-v-one effort before Saka dispatched the rebound.

Arteta shares what's impressed him about Harriman-Annous after Arsenal debut

It was a night to remember for Harriman-Annous, with Arteta explaining in a post-match press conference why he finally gave the youngster a chance to shine at N5.

Arsenal’s boss explains that Harriman-Annous has impressed him with a fierce mentality and work ethic behind-the-scenes, with the versatile centre-forward desperate to make an impact.

Arsenal supporters have plenty of reasons to feel excited about Harriman-Annous after his debut against Brighton.

Stepping onto the pitch in a high-stakes cup match is no small feat, and the teen showed glimpses of the potential that has impressed coaches throughout his development.

His composure and confidence stood out. He demonstrated good technical skills and an understanding of the game that belies his age. For a young player making his first senior appearance, showing such calmness under pressure is a promising sign of future growth.

Harriman-Annous made the bench against Liverpool in August, and if he continues to seize his opportunities like he did against Brighton, it’s only a matter of time before he makes his first Premier League outing.

Liverpool pushed all of their recent agony to one side by comfortably getting the better of Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday night.

Arne Slot’s Reds do still find themselves seven points shy of Arsenal at the very top of the Premier League tree, with four defeats in a row not exactly helping their cause, but a win was desperately needed all the same, and it was secured in a straightforward fashion versus Unai Emery’s challengers.

Mohamed Salah would have also been relieved, from a personal point of view, that he was back amongst the goals last night as Slot and Co. picked up their first league win since the hotly-contested Merseyside Derby back in September.

The milestone Mo Salah hit vs Aston Villa

It was a milestone night for the Egyptian after all, coming up against the visitors from the West Midlands.

Despite experiencing a shaky start to the season by his lofty standards, Salah would still manage to collect his 250th Premier League goal of his illustrious career on Saturday evening, after he capitalised on a mix-up at the back by Emiliano Martinez to slot a first-half effort home with ease.

That set the reigning champions on their way to an assured three points, with Salah looking lively throughout, away from just adding himself to the Premier League’s record books.

The 33-year-old would very much keep Lucas Digne on his toes throughout, with the Liverpool veteran managing to complete five successful dribbles to look back to his usual rampaging best.

Moreover, Salah also showed plenty of energy and vigour when launching himself into duels, with seven ground duels also impressively won.

Come the end of the contest, Salah would have been pleased with his overall application, away from just stealing the majority of the limelight with his milestone goal.

Still, there is a fresher figure in Slot’s ranks who is seemingly turning into the Dutchman’s new version of the Reds legend, in terms of being a must-have presence on the teamsheet when fit.

Slot's new Salah-type player

Salah is now 33 years of age, meaning his time as a Liverpool regular, week in, week out, could come to a halt soon.

He has, unfortunately, wobbled at points this season, too, with only four goals collected in Premier League action, but class is permanent, as was seen in his encouraging showing against Villa, which showed there’s still life in the ageing winger’s legs at the moment.

It cannot be understated how crucial Salah has been over the years for Liverpool with consistent moments of magic, but Slot could well find he has a new Salah-type figure in his ranks now in Ryan Gravenberch, who is a “vital” figure himself whenever he’s fit in the Liverpool starting XI, as ex-Reds midfielder Steve McManaman labelled him after the important 2-0 victory.

Journalist Henry Winter also stated, after the three points were secured, that the former Ajax sensation is “so important” to how Liverpool tick, with Slot cursing his talisman’s recent injury luck, before he returned to the first-team fold against Villa, with Liverpool coming worryingly unstuck 3-2 away at Brentford with Gravenberch not in the side.

With Gravenberch back in the side, though, on Saturday night, Liverpool never looked in danger of gifting Villa the three points, as the standout number 38 picked up his third Premier League goal of the season already – to show off a killer finishing ability like Salah – when this kind deflection wrongfooted Martinez early in the second half.

Gravenberch also led by example when winning six duels and two tackles, to give Liverpool some needed grit in the middle of the park, on top of also bowing out from the 2-0 win with an 88% pass accuracy intact.

Games played

8

Games started

8

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Touches

74.4

Accurate passes

53.5 (88%)

Tackles*

2.0

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Total duels won*

5.3

The 23-year-old has been equal parts skilful and attritional throughout the season so far, as can be seen looking at the table above, with Salah’s insane 29-goal season last campaign in the Premier League even seeing him win his fair share of duels, when averaging 3.3 successful duels per clash.

The 8/10 midfield star – as was the post-match rating handed to him by journalist Ian Doyle – still has a long way to go before he’s seen in the same glowing light as Salah, who has become a top-flight great at Anfield.

But, if he continues at his current trajectory – with one analyst even branding him as “world-class” for his well-rounded showing against Villa – he will also be fondly remembered in the Liverpool hall-of-fame down the line, long after Salah’s esteemed playing days.

Best game all season: Liverpool star was even better than Salah & Gravenberch

Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield and this player stood out

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 2, 2025