Manchester City have received a positive update on the injury incurred by Angelino in midweek.

The Spaniard was forced off during the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton, but The Sun reported that the injury is not as serious as first feared. They claimed that the 22-year-old was suffering from cramp, which was why he duly left the field.

The full-back impressed during the win, highlighting why Manchester City signed him back from PSV Eindhoven after a stellar season in the Eredivisie. As per WhoScored, he had more touches of the ball (133) than anyone else in the game and completed 88 of his 101 passes, as well as playing one key pass.

Pep Guardiola’s left-back position has been somewhat of a gaping hole since his arrival at the Etihad – with Benjamin Mendy suffering repeated injuries, the likes of Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko have had to improvise in that position over the last couple of seasons.

In response, ahead of another close title-chase on the horizon, Guardiola triggered a buy-back clause which allowed City to re-sign Angelino from PSV for a reduced £5.3m sum.

Angelino originally departed the club in a bid to get more game-time, with the full-back’s main spells of action beforehand coming in the form of loan spells to various clubs throughout Europe, most recently with NAC Breda in 2018.

However, after an impressive season in the Eredivisie, Guardiola opted to re-sign his compatriot and slot him in as a back-up defensive option.

The Premier League champions have been plagued with a string of injury problems ahead of an imminent trip to Anfield, with Aymeric Laporte, Leroy Sane, Rodrigo and Zinchenko all on the treatment table.

With the news coming in that Angelino won’t be joining them, Guardiola can now debate whether the youngster plays the next couple of matches in a bid to rest Mendy for their trip to Liverpool.

Indeed, judging by City’s injury record in the left-back position, the fact it was just a cramp and not something more serious will likely come as a great relief to Guardiola.

Manchester City fans, how relieved are you that Angelino’s injury is not as serious as first feared? Comment below with your views!

رفض فابيو باراتيتشي، المدير الرياضي لنادي يوفنتوس الإيطالي، الإفصاح عما إذا كان حارس مرمى ميلان جيانلويجي دوناروما هدفًا لليوفي.

ويلاقي يوفنتوس نظيره ميلان بعد قليل في منافسات الدوري الإيطالي، في تمام التاسعة إلا ربع مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

هذه ليست مجرد مواجهة بين الأربعة الأوائل، ولكن أيضًا مواجهة هامة في التأهل لمنافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال باراتيتشي عن حفاظ يوفنتوس على التتويج باللقب لتسع سنوات متتالية في الأعوام الماضية: “العقد هو خلود في كرة القدم، هذه مباراة مهمة، وهناك مباراتان آخرتان بعد ذلك، لذلك لن يتم تحديد أي شيء الليلة بطريقة أو بأخرى، لكنها مهمة”.

وأضاف في تصريحات لـ”سكاي إيطاليا” بشأن الشائعات حول دوناروما: “الشائعات ليست فقط على دوناروما، سوق الانتقالات يستمر على مدار السنة الآن، خاصة بالنسبة لوسائل الإعلام، لقد اعتدنا على الثرثرة المستمرة حول العديد من اللاعبين المختلفين، والآن دوناروما”.

طالع تشكيل يوفنتوس وميلان في قمة الدوري الإيطالي

سُئل باراتيتشي بشكل مباشر عما إذا كان دوناروما هدفًا ليوفنتوس، وأجاب: “دوناروما لاعب جيد للغاية، إنه ينتمي إلى ميلان والليلة نحن نركز على المباراة”.

وواصل: “لقد اتخذنا القرارات دائمًا جنبًا إلى جنب مع الرئيس، مع بافل نيدفيد، نناقش الأمر بيننا وعندما يتم اتخاذ قرار، يتشاركه الجميع”.

كانت هناك أيضًا اقتراحات بأن باراتيتشي قد يكون في طريقه للخروج من يوفنتوس، وعلّق: “كلنا نركز بشدة على مباراة الليلة، نطلب من لاعبينا تجاهل ثرثرة الانتقالات وعلينا أن نفعل الشيء نفسه بأنفسنا، لم تكن هذه مشكلة ولن تكون مشكلة على الإطلاق بشأن عقدي”.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Star, Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Cameron Dawson is attracting interest from a host of Championship clubs as well as Scottish Premier League side Rangers.

Owls boss Garry Monk may have to act quickly or else he will be staring down the barrel at a huge mistake.

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What’s the word?

The report suggests that Derby County, Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End are all monitoring the 24-year-old’s situation ahead of a potential divisional switch.

Dawson’s contract runs out at the end of the season, so these clubs may be able to get him on a cut-rate deal in January or on a free transfer in the summer.

The boyhood Wednesday fan could be torn over a decision in the near future, but his hand may well be forced if he wants to progress his career as he is currently only number two behind Keiren Westwood.

He made his debut back in 2016 when coming on as a substitute against Brighton in the Championship and has since featured 44 times for the Owls, keeping 15 clean sheets, per Transfermarkt.

Former manager Jos Luhukay named him first-choice shot-stopper over Westwood last season before the Dutchman was sacked in December.

Big mistake

Monk may well be caught in two minds about this situation as it is only his backup goalkeeper after all.

However, when called upon, Dawson has more than stepped up to the mark, so much so that it was probably unfair to drop him on Westwood’s return to the side.

This season, the 6 foot 4 colossus has managed to keep four clean sheets in five appearances, three of which coming in the Championship.

It is reasonable to suggest that Dawson is good enough to be a first-choice in the English second-tier, and if Monk doesn’t give him the game time he needs at this stage of his career, then he will have to look elsewhere.

And that would be a significant error because their Irish number one isn’t getting any younger at 35.

Dawson is primed to be his replacement, so maybe it is time to start putting that plan in motion by offering him a new contract and some more time between the sticks.

The Owls can’t afford to risk not to.

Liverpool fans loved a social media post that was made by Andy Robertson about his fullback counterpart Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The duo have formed a strong bond within Jurgen Klopp’s side since their respective introductions into the team, with the Scotsman joining in 2017 for £8m from Hull City and the Englishman coming through the ranks at Melwood.

Both players were in active competition with each other last season to score the most assists in the Premier League last season and were always making comments to each other in the media about their personal goals within the side.

Alexander-Arnold had the last laugh during the 2018/19 campaign with 12 assists, both players combined 23 assists which were unprecedented levels for defenders in terms of creating goals.

Their relationship shows how close they are on and off the pitch after what Robertson said on Twitter.

Supporters loved the post from Robertson and made their feeling clear about it on social media.

Here you will find some of the best comments from Liverpool fans:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish has been speaking out in praise of a current Scottish Premiership player, suggesting that the Celtic man would be more than capable of being a success in the Premier League.

What did he say?

Speaking to the Daily Record regarding Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor, Grealish said:

“If he ever did come to the Premier League, 100 per cent he’d be a success. He is playing Champions League or Europa League every season, he plays in the Scotland team every single time, so I can’t see why he’d want to leave.

“But the Premier League is regarded by most as the best league in the world, so you never know. But if he comes here, he will be a success”.

Premier League calling?

McGregor, 26, played with Villa’s skipper Grealish whilst on loan at Notts County during the 2013/14 campaign, where he shone in League One, scoring 14 goals in 41 appearances.

The academy product has become an extremely important part of Neil Lennon’s side, having made 250 appearances for the Hoops since coming through the youth system.

The midfielder had been linked with a move to Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City, and on the basis of his domestic and European experience having played in both the Champions League and the Europa League, a move to the English top-flight could be the next step in McGregor’s career.

Despite signing a new Celtic deal since the rumoured summer interest, McGregor would represent a player with proven experience who has played in England before, albeit in League One.

Having amassed six goals and 16 assists across all competitions last season, he could well be worth the punt for a club in the English top flight seeking to add output to their midfield. 

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

As quoted by The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United winger Daniel James has pinpointed exactly how they beat Brighton on Sunday afternoon.

What did he say?

The Red Devils eased past Graham Potter’s side 3-1 in the Premier League, and they looked as menacing going forward as they have been all season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men racked up 21 shots on goal, with 11 of them finding the target. And, according to James, a key part of their victory came down to how the forwards interchanged with one another, and worked hard off the ball to win it back.

He said: “The gaffer at the start of the season… it was about moulding us as a team. As the weeks have gone by, the interplay… We played at Norwich and played at Chelsea, that interplay, creating chances going forward.

“That high press obviously is a big thing for us. Winning the ball high up and going on the counter and that’s how we got our goals (against Brighton). We’ve just got to take every game in our stride and believe we can win every game because we’ve got the ability to do so.”

Playing to your strengths

Make no mistake about it, United have shown that they are a devastating team on the break since Solskjaer took charge. The Marcus Rashford winner against Tottenham last season, or the 4-0 drubbing of Chelsea in the opening game of the Premier League campaign this time around, are just two examples of how the Red Devils are as dangerous as they come when the opposition loses the ball.

Against Brighton on Sunday, United looked fast and decisive going forward, not allowing the Seagulls to even breathe inside their own half. In games where they have looked to dominate the ball and simply try and create chances when teams are defending their own areas, they have looked woefully out of ideas. In that disappointing 1-0 defeat to Newcastle at St James’ Park, Solskjaer’s side had just three shots on target over the course of the 90 minutes.

James’ insight into how they beat Brighton should act as another reminder to the United boss that the club should simply look to play to their strengths.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Despite the fact that Marcelo Bielsa has a rather small first-team squad, Leeds United have a huge amount of players at their disposal.

In fact, it’s easy to forget that some of these players are actually on the books at Elland Road.

However, a couple of these forgotten men may not be at the club for much longer after Phil Hay provided an update on two Leeds outcasts.

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What’s been said then?

During a Q&A session with the Athletic on Thursday, the reporter was asked about a couple of players that haven’t been in Bielsa’s plans since his arrival.

Firstly he was asked whether or not Jay-Roy Grot has a chance of featuring in the future, to which he gave a very blunt reply.

“No, it’s not going to happen for Grot here.” Hay said.

Another fan went on to jokingly ask Hay if Eunan O’Kane is still alive, and Hay give an update on his future.

“Yes and expected to go in January, either on loan or permanently. He had a really bad leg break and it’s taken him a long time to get fit.” He replied.

Right decisions

It should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that Hay has said these two players don’t have a future at the club.

Bielsa has pretty much frozen them both out of the squad as he’s sent Grot out on loan two years in a row, and if it weren’t for O’Kane’s horrific injury you’d have to think he’d already be gone.

Are they a loss? Probably not, Grot has scored just once in 20 league appearances for Leeds, and O’Kane may not be the same after his injury, and Bielsa can’t afford to experiment with that at this point in time.

To ship them on for good in January or next summer would make complete sense.

In other news, Phil Hay has predicted a mass exodus from Leeds if they don’t go up this season.

اكتسح فريق ميلان نظيره تورينو بسبعة أهداف نظيفة في منافسات الدوري الإيطالي، وزاد من الضغط على يوفنتوس في ظل المنافسة على مركز مؤهل لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحل ميلان ضيفًا على تورينو ضمن مباريات الجولة 36 للدوري الإيطالي “سيريا آ”.

وتقدم ثيو هيرنانديز بهدف لميلان في الدقيقة 19، ثم أضاف فرانك كيسي الهدف الثاني من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 26.

الهدف الثالث سجله إبراهيم دياز في الدقيقة 50، ثم أحرز ثيو هيرنانديز هدفًا ثانيًا له ورابعًا لميلان في الدقيقة 62.

وعقب ذلك تمكن أنتي ريبيتش من تسجيل هاتريك، حيث أحرز ثلاثة أهداف في الدقائق 67، و72، و79.

بهذ الفوز يتواجد ميلان في المركز الثالث الآن بـ75 نقطة، متساويًا مع أتالانتا الوصيف، وتورينو يتجمد رصيده عند 35 نقطة في المركز 16.

إنتر ميلان حامل اللقب يتصدر الترتيب بـ 88 نقطة، ونابولي رابعًا بـ 73 نقطة، ويوفنتوس خامسًا بـ 72 مع بقاء جولتين على نهاية الموسم. أهداف مباراة ميلان وتورينو

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Fabian Schar has been Newcastle’s best defender this season so it is testament to Steve Bruce’s abilities that his side picked up a win last week despite the Swiss’ absence through injury – he will also miss the clash with Bournemouth today.

On the chalkboard

The centre-back had been a regular performer in the Newcastle back five prior to sustaining a knee injury, and though the Magpies had to re-jig things with Ciaran Clark coming in, they looked comfortable last weekend.

The Irishman got on the scoresheet, too, but his one tackle meant he fell short of Schar, who has averaged two tackles per game in the 2019/20 Premier League.

In fact, his tackle success rate is one of the best for players outside of the top-six clubs, and he has only been dribbled past 11 times despite coming up against players Son Heung-min, Marcus Rashford and Willian, proving himself worthy of his £40,000-a-week salary.

No Newcastle defender has made more interceptions than the 28-year-old, either, so the defence would have been forgiven for struggling a little more against the Hammers, and the fact they looked as organised and resolute as always – except for the last minute – means Bruce should be commended.

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Strength in depth

Recent matches have shown that the work Bruce is implementing at Newcastle is beginning to pay off, and but for Robert Snodgrass’ last-gasp strike they would have only conceded three goals in the past four games.

That is an impressive return, even more so when you consider the fact that Bruce hasn’t added to his centre-back options, and is therefore making the most of the players brought to the club by Rafa Benitez.

The additions he has made in the full-back areas, Jetro Willems and Emil Krafth, have settled in well and added to the defence, with the former in particular impressing.

He deserves credit for the organisation of the team, and the manner in which they bounced back from the 5-0 defeat at Leicester, as players easily could have lost confidence and morale, but instead defeated Manchester United.

If the Magpies can maintain their resolute defence, with or without Schar in the side, then they have the foundations in place for a successful campaign, and if the front-three can find that extra bit of quality at the other end of the pitch they will have an effective balance in the team.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Anthony Gordon has spoken out about his first-team chances and what it has been like to train with the senior squad.

What did he say?

The 18-year-old has been making a lot of noise down in the youth ranks and fans have regularly been calling for his name on the teamsheet. Gordon made a first-team appearance back when he was 16 in the 2017-18 Europa League campaign.

However, he got just two minutes under his belt against Apollon Limassol that night and has not made another senior appearance since.

The promising youngster told the Liverpool Echo: “Everything has changed since then. I’ve matured a lot, both as a player and as a person and hopefully everyone can recognise that.”

When asked if he chats with Marco Silva on his first-team chances, Gordon replied: “He doesn’t really speak about it.

“He’ll give me things to work on and tell me when I’m doing right or wrong. He just wants me to progress and keep getting better at the things he thinks I should be getting better at and it’s all I want as well and I know my time will come if I keep doing that.”

For his debut, the attacker replaced Kevin Mirallas in late 2017 over in Cyprus.

“It was amazing for me to be around all the players at such a young age.

“I hadn’t trained with them or anything before that, it was literally straight in and so to be training out there with Morgan Schneiderlin, Kevin Mirallas and [Ademola] Lookman was unbelievable and I was just trying to soak it up and learn as much as I could because that’s where I wanted to be.”

Silva needs him

The academy star has scored six times in 10 games this season and provided three assists along the way.

Compare this to the fact that Everton have just 11 goals in the league so far and there is certainly a suggestion to be made that Gordon may deserve a chance in the first team.

Up next for the Toffees is the must-win clashes against Southampton and Norwich City. Silva simply cannot afford to lose these, and perhaps Gordon could help change that.

The injuries to Bernard and Andre Gomes are going to change things for the Blues and now would be a better time than ever for the youngster to step up.

After all, Silva must change something to transform the club’s fortunes.