NO CHELSEA, LIVERPOOL OR MANCHESTER UNITED DEALS IN THE TOP TEN PREMIER LEAGUE SIGNINGS OF 2023

 A true Todd Boehly special

More than £1bn was spent by Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United this year but not a single one of their signings rank among the ten best made in 2023.

10) Craig Dawson The list of permanent managers Dawson has played for in the Premier League, presented in chronological order, is a thing of beauty: Hodgson, Clarke, Mel, Irvine, Pulis, Pardew, Gracia, Pearson, Sanchez Flores, Moyes, Lopetegui and O’Neil.

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The penultimate and perhaps most incongruous name had apparently been so affected by Dawson’s inspirational turn during West Ham’s run to the 2022 Europa League semi-finals, in which Lopetegui’s Sevilla were dumped out by the Hammers in the round of 16, that he immediately sought to sign the centre-half when the opportunity first presented itself.

Dawson helped keep Wolves – out of the relegation zone on goal difference alone – clear of the drop by seven points, with a debut goal in a thrashing of Liverpool particularly memorable. This season has brought more quietly consummate excellence, as Erling Haaland can attest. And all for little over £3m.

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Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/no-chelsea-liverpool-or-manchester-united-deals-in-the-top-ten-premier-league-signings-of-2023-38749170

TRANSFER GOSSIP: MAN UTD SEEK TO SELL FOUR TO SAUDI, LIVERPOOL OUT OF MIDFIELDER RACE

 Manchester United are seeking buyers for Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial and Casemiro.

John Murtough is trying to prove his worth by finding Saudi buyers for four Man Utd players, while Liverpool have backed out of the race for a Prem midfielder…

MAN UTD CHIEF SENT TO SAUDI TO SELL With Sir Jim Ratcliffe hoping to lure Dan Ashworth to Manchester United from Newcastle, John Murtough knows he’s potentially on borrowed time. So the current football director has been trying to prove his worth by selling some of the players the Red Devils want rid of.

According to the Daily Mail, Murtough went to Saudi Arabia earlier this month in an effort to sell four stars: Casemiro, Raphael Varance, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial.

Apparently, Murtough left Saudi without an agreement to sell any of that quartet but ‘established some important new relationships’ and ‘further talks are planned’.

Shifting Sancho next month is United’s clear priority, while the Manchester Evening News says Varane is hopeful the club will take up their one-year option to extend his deal which expires next summer. His performance against Liverpool certainly lends credence to that report, while the same publication suggests United remain open to retaining Murtough’s services despite the links with Ashworth.

RED DEVILS WATCH GUIRASSY IN KANE SHOWDOWN United could certainly use a striker next month and there is an opportunity with Serhou Guirassy…

The Stuttgart striker has been on fire this season, scoring 16 goals in the Bundesliga. In Europe’s top five leagues, only Harry Kane has scored more.

That and the release clause in his Stuttgart contract – around £15.2million – makes the 27-year-old an attractive proposition in January.

Which is why a host of scouts were in Munich on Sunday to watch Guirassy take on Bayern. Though the striker struggled to make an impression, United, West Ham, Fulham and AC Milan all had representatives checking on the Guinea centre-forward.

BAYERN WARY, LIVERPOOL OUT OF PALHINHA RACE Bayern are on the hunt for a midfielder next month and it was thought that Joao Palhinha might be their man. A deal was close enough at the end of the summer window that the Portugal international was allowed to fly to Bavaria for a medical but Fulham refused to sign off because they couldn’t recruit a replacement.

Palhinha has since been outstanding for the Cottagers, perhaps motivated by the thought of his big move – but it might not be to Bayern. And it definitely won’t be to Liverpool.

That’s the latest according to Sky Germany. Liverpool are no longer in the running – if they ever really were – while Bayern reckon Palhinha is too expensive right now.

Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/transfer-gossip-man-utd-seek-to-sell-four-to-saudi-liverpool-out-of-midfielder-race-38749301

THE DEBRIEF AS ARSENAL GO TOP AND CHELSEA FALL ONCE AGAIN

 As always, Saturday’s Premier League fixtures did not disappoint.

Here is the scoop on what you may have missed from across the grounds.

In the early window, first met second as Manchester City and Liverpool shared the points at the Etihad Stadium to allow Arsenal a chance to reclaim the top spot.

Mikel Arteta’s side pulled off a dramatic victory away to Brentford, with Kai Havertz scoring in the dying minutes to send them to the top of the league.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s apparent turnaround seems to have been a flash in the pan as Newcastle put four past the Blues in an almighty thumping at St. James’s Park.

You can read through all of the results here.

Brighton just seem to pluck these young stars from nowhere don’t they?

João Pedro is just the latest member of Roberto De Zerbi’s side to begin his launch towards stardom in the Premier League, and a brace against Nottingham Forest will help his cause.

The Brazilian now has five goal contributions in 13 Premier League games, but has really made his mark in the Europa League, where he has a staggering four goals in four games in Brighton’s first ever European campaign.

Is he the next Seagull to be hunted by one of the big boys?

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Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/the-debrief-as-arsenal-go-top-and-chelsea-fall-once-again-38620443

16 CONCLUSIONS ON MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 LIVERPOOL: ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, DOKU, ALISSON, NUNEZ, SILVA

 Will Virgil van Dijk or Pep Guardiola be happier with the result?

Jeremy Doku and Trent Alexander-Arnold were both somehow excellent, Liverpool finally returned the favour to Alisson and Bernardo Silva is something special.

handy post-international break trail to a gargantuan Saturday lunchtime clash between first and second in the Premier League, it was fitting to see Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp call it even again after 100 more minutes of battle. Both can lay a claim to being among the very best the sport has ever produced but after a 1-1 draw between the country’s two best teams of the past few years, Lightning McQueen remains the clear GOAT.

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2) It was a curious game perhaps best summed up by the man of the match being announced as Jeremy Doku over the Etihad stadium tannoy, shortly before Gary Neville anointed Trent Alexander-Arnold – there is not enough time to get into the ‘opposite number’ debate – as his pick.

And both were fair choices. Doku was the match’s persistent threat, electric on the left with more chances created than anyone, more dribbles completed (11) than the other 26 players combined (10) and more tackles made than any player bar Bernardo Silva; Alexander-Arnold scored a sublime equaliser, led the game for interceptions and held his own in that one-on-one after some shaky early moments.

That contrast between opinions suited a match in which perspective will be the king when examining the result. Both Manchester City and Liverpool have as much cause to see this as one point gained as they do two points dropped, depending on their chosen agenda.

Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Man City.

3) Doku, though. Honestly. He is such a ridiculously effective footballer that it is easy to forget he has replaced a five-season veteran in Riyad Mahrez so seamlessly. The recent desperation to paint Manchester City and Guardiola as foolish in letting Cole Palmer go are best-advised to watch Doku in action again, because the Chelsea forward would have had a restricted diet of minutes up against the Belgian this season, and no argument to change that situation. 

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Source: https://onefootball.com/en/news/16-conclusions-on-manchester-city-1-1-liverpool-alexander-arnold-doku-alisson-nunez-silva-38619755

5️⃣0️⃣ ERLING HAALAND BREAKS A REMARKABLE PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD

 Erling Haaland has become the fastest player in Premier League history to reach 50 goals.

The Norwegian goal machine did it after 27 minutes of Manchester City’s clash with Liverpool on Saturday, in his 48th game.

Manchester City -01

Liverpool  -01

The Norwegian goal machine did it after 27 minutes of Manchester City’s clash with Liverpool on Saturday, in his 48th game.

Haaland found space between two defenders and finished with aplomb past Alisson.

It means that the City sensation has reached a half century faster than the previous record-holder, Andy Cole.

Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/50-erling-haaland-breaks-a-remarkable-premier-league-record-38618060