Arne Slot hit back at Michael Owen’s remarks that lifting the Premier League trophy alone wouldn’t be enough to call Liverpool's season a success.

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• Liverpool on course to win their 20th PL crown
• Crashed out of cup competitions in quick succession
• Owen expected more from the Reds after a fiery start to the season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Owen made headlines after suggesting that although winning the league would be “special,” the sting of exiting the Champions League and falling short in the Carabao Cup final could overshadow the triumph. This opinion did not sit well with Slot – or with team captain Virgil van Dijk, who previously clashed with Owen after the Merseyside derby.

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  Slot made it clear that securing domestic league glory remains the highest priority, particularly for a club that has struggled to consistently win the English title in recent decades. Moreover, it would be Liverpool's 20th Premier League crown, an incredible feat that would see them match Manchester United's tally.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  “Let me understand it right, Virgil was a bit frustrated because it came across as it’s not enough to only win the Premier League?” asked the Liverpool head coach.

  “Michael did play for us, didn’t he? So he is aware of the fact that in 35 years we won the league once? There is your answer. If you can win the league with this club then, phew, nothing else matters I would say. If you do it 10 times in a row then I could understand that people say: ‘Oh but you only win the Premier League.’

  "If [Manchester] City only won the Premier League then I could understand people saying: ‘It’s not a good season for City.’ But if, at this club, you can compete for it and let alone win it, then it is a strange question to ask in my opinion. If Virgil has this opinion as well then I agree with him.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Liverpool boss also addressed a growing narrative suggesting this season’s league might be less competitive due to Manchester City’s inconsistency and Arsenal’s inability to stay in contention. Slot argued the opposite, stating the Premier League has become more balanced than ever.

  “I think the league is better than it ever was,” Slot said. “That’s what I hear a lot because the strength overall is getting better. I think even Pep [Guardiola] said there will not be a team again as long as he lives that gets more than 100 points and wins the league four times in a row because so many more teams are having so many more good players.

  “I think he even said what I have said the whole year, that all clubs, even some who are fighting against relegation, have some players who can play for City, for Arsenal, for us, for Chelsea and for these type of teams. The reason why teams you might expect to have more points don’t have them is because the league has become stronger. That is probably why it is such a compliment for us that we do have those points at the moment.”

Lancashire fast bowler faced possibility of retirement due to injury before maiden call-up

Matt Roller01-Jul-2022On Thursday afternoon, Richard Gleeson saw a WhatsApp notification pop up on his phone. Matthew Mott, England’s white-ball coach, had sent him a message saying, “I’m going to give you a ring.” Gleeson turned to his wife, Laura, and said, in a state of shock: “I think I’m about to get picked for England.”He was right. Gleeson, an uncapped 34-year-old seamer, has been named in England’s 14-man T20I squad to play India next week and with three games in four days putting heavy demands on their seamers, he is highly likely to make his debut. It would be the crowning moment of an improbable comeback story: only eight months ago, he wondered if he would ever play professionally again.Gleeson is one of the game’s late developers. For most of his adult life, he played club cricket for Blackpool and minor counties for Cumberland and became a coach at the Lancashire Cricket Board after a series of unglamorous jobs. At 27, he was trialling with Northamptonshire and earned a first-class debut against the touring Australians; the following year, on a pay-as-you-play deal, he was a key man in their T20 Blast title-winning side.Related

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His ability to bowl yorkers at good pace made him stand out and his upwards trajectory continued. He played for the England Lions in early 2018, moved to Lancashire at the end of that season and appeared in the Bangladesh Premier League, the Big Bash and the Abu Dhabi T10. When England needed standby bowlers for their white-ball squads in the Covid summer of 2020, he travelled to the Ageas Bowl as a reserve.But when he returned to Lancashire, things started to unravel. On the morning before a four-day game, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back – “absolute agony, like being stabbed repeatedly” – and scans diagnosed a stress fracture, caused in no small part by the first lockdown of the pandemic which had left him unable to train.His back was effectively being held together by a single piece of cartilage and he spent the whole winter in rehab, working his way back to fitness. The following summer, he played the first game of the Blast, conceded 21 runs in his only over, and could barely move the next day due to the pain of bowling. He returned for the quarter-final defeat against Somerset but was only “around 70% healed” and was again expensive.Gleeson went for another scan in December, knowing that bad news would probably prove terminal for his career. After all, his contract with Lancashire had already expired: “I was basically unemployed for two months,” he recalls. “I didn’t know what was going to happen – or if I was going to play cricket again. That thought had definitely crept into my mind.”But when I had the scan, the fracture was 100% united, which the specialists had said was the best-case scenario.” Lancashire offered him another contract, initially just for the T20 Blast. “There were no guarantees that I’d get back out on the park and it could be that if I bowled again it would flare up, so it was almost like a suck-it and-see-contract.”In fact, that contract expires in two weeks’ time – but there are no longer the same concerns about whether another will follow. After taking 20 wickets in 12 games in the Blast this year, the joint-most by an England-qualified bowler, Gleeson hopes to win a contract in next week’s wildcard draft for the Hundred, and will soon sit down with Lancashire to discuss his future. But first, he has an England series to think about.England have generally used slower-ball bowlers at the death in short-form cricket of late, but are looking at Gleeson as an old-school, yorker option who can hit the blockhole more often than not. “The one area in our white-ball stuff where we’re looking for options is at the death,” Jos Buttler, England’s new captain, said on Friday.Gleeson is the joint-leading wicket-taker in the Blast this summer•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images”He bowls some excellent yorkers and watching him in the Blast this year, he’s bowled brilliantly. It was quite an easy selection… everyone was unanimous on that. We certainly see that death-bowling area as somewhere he can use his expertise.”Gleeson has thrived at the death in the Blast, closing out a tie and a one-run win in the two televised Roses games, while against Durham he took a superb 4 for 19, with all four wickets clean bowled.”Obviously if you do things on TV, it gets people talking,” he says. “I’ve had the responsibility of bowling in the powerplay and at the death and I relish the big moments. Dane [Vilas] has entrusted me with that responsibility with Saqib [Mahmood] being out.”I think I’ve done quite well and stepped up to it. If I’m nailing my yorker, it’s obviously a difficult ball to get away, no matter what time of the game. That’s been a big part of it, but you have to be clever with it as well and use it at the right time.”And he has thrived this season while juggling his new commitments at Myerscough College in Preston, where he has been teaching a BTEC cricket course. He has even had to ask for “a little bit of leave” after his England call-up to miss a CPD (Continuing Professional Development) training day which clashes with the India series.He has taken an unusual route but next week, Gleeson will find himself bowling to some of the biggest names in cricket in Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya. His outlook is simple: “They’re all human, at the end of the day. I’ll just go out there, relish it and do the same thing I have all season. If it’s good enough, it’s good enough.”

Manchester City may have to brace for a departure this January, as former scout Mick Brown believes an “outstanding” player wants to leave.

Changes needed at Man City

Man City are at serious risk of missing out on Champions League football next season, amid their terrible run of form in the Premier League, meaning major changes could be needed at the Etihad Stadium.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes City’s failures in the transfer market are the main reason for their incredible dip in form, alongside the loss of Rodri, saying:

“Rodri is a huge miss, but the player profile of who they have brought in – people say they have brought older players in like Kovacic and Gundogan, but the younger players they brought in didn’t work.”

One younger option at Pep Guardiola’s disposal is academy graduate James McAtee, however the 22-year-old has failed to force his way into the starting line-up, despite their struggles.

McAtee has made just two appearances in the Premier League this season, both of which came as very short cameo appearances from the bench, and there are now signs he is thinking of leaving in search of more game time.

In an interview with Football Insider, Brown has stated he believes the midfielder could push to leave this winter, amid widespread interest in his signature:

“There are a lot of interested clubs after his loan spell at Sheffield United. He benefited a lot from that move, and then training with the top players at City will have helped develop his game even without playing.

“But now he’s going to look to leave City in January, because he needs to play regular football. That’s the next stage for his growth as a player, to make that move away and test himself.

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“From City’s point of view, they might be worried because of what the likes of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers have done since they left.

“So I understand they’ve been reluctant to let him go, but if he’s not going to play, he could push for the move because he has got to play football.“

Understandable decision for McAtee to leave Man City

It is always sad to see an academy graduate leave the club, but it would be understandable if the Salford-born ace tries to engineer a move this January, given his lack of game time.

Although the Englishman is still young, he is now at an age where he needs to be given regular minutes to aid his development, and it is clear he may not get that under Guardiola, given that he can’t get into what is a poor City side at the moment.

The maestro’s talent was on show for all to see during his time with Sheffield United, being lauded after scoring a remarkable solo goal against Blackpool:

As such, it will be no surprise if McAtee pushes to leave this January, but Guardiola may be wary of letting him leave and reducing the depth in the squad.

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، عن آخر التطورات المتعلقة بملف تعاقدات وتجديدات لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأحد: “نعم، هناك مشكلة بشأن تجديد عقد رامي ربيعة مع الأهلي بسبب الأمور المالية، ياسر إبراهيم ومحمد الشناوي كانا متجاوبين في التجديد، ولا تسمعوا لما يتردد بشأن قيمة التجديد لكل منهما، لأن ما يتردد مُبالغ فيه بشكل كبير”.

وتابع: “علي معلول عقده ينتهي بنهاية الموسم، ومن الوارد أن يشارك في المباريات المقبلة ويثبت وجوده، بالنسبة ليحيى عطية الله، فإن حظه سيئ، تعرض لإصابات كثيرة، ولم يستفد منه الأهلي كما ينبغي، وقد لا يكون له وجود في الموسم المقبل بعد انتهاء مدة إعارته”.

طالع أيضًا | شوبير يرد على أنباء تلقي مصطفى شوبير عرضًا بـ7 ملايين دولار

وأضاف شوبير: “هناك مشكلة بشأن رضا سليم، لأنه مصاب، ومعلوماتي أن عمرو السولية لديه عرض من الدوري الليبي، هذا هو موقف اللاعبين”.

واستكمل قائلًا: “الجميع يتمنى تواجد أليو ديانج مع الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية، بينما أحمد عبد القادر لن يكون مع الفريق في المونديال بسبب الإصابة، ومحمد الضاوي كريستو اعتبروه خارج الأهلي، وسيتم عمل تسوية معه، ومصطفى العش لم يُحسم موقفه بعد، وقد يتم إعارة عدد من اللاعبين خلال الفترة المقبلة”.

واختتم حديثه: “تردد كلام عن اقتراب الأهلي من التعاقد مع المدافع الجزائري زين الدين بلعيد، والذي كان قريبًا من الانضمام للفريق في الموسم الماضي، لكن كل شيء وارد هذا الموسم”.

Captain hits 77 not out after taking 4 for 31 as Somerset slip to defeat

ECB Reporters Network07-Aug-2022Jack Taylor made match-winning contributions with bat and ball as Gloucestershire carved out a hard-earned five-wicket win over arch rivals Somerset in a low-scoring Royal London One-Day encounter at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.Gloucestershire’s captain returned figures of 4 for 31 with his legbreaks and then made an unbeaten 77 as the home side chased down a victory target of 200 with 7.1 overs to spare in front of a modest but enthusiastic derby crowd.Somerset won the toss, posted 57 without loss in 10 overs and then inexplicably slumped to 112 for 7, one batter after another giving their wicket away cheaply. Lewis Goldsworthy mustered a defiant 66, hewn from 103 balls with two fours, but the visitors were bowled out for 199 in 47.4 overs, with slow left-armer Tom Smith taking 2 for 29 in support of Taylor.Related

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Australian Test batter Marcus Harris proved the mainstay of Gloucestershire’s reply, raising 59 from 90 balls on a typically slow Bristol pitch, before Taylor and Zafar Gohar finished the job off. Kasey Aldridge was the pick of the Somerset bowlers, claiming 2 for 43.Following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Warwickshire and Sussex, Gloucestershire will be relieved to have finally broken their duck, even though the contest will scarcely live long in the memory of those who witnessed it. As for Somerset, they will go into Wednesday’s home game against Durham seeking a first win in three attempts after another disappointing batting display.There was no sign of the trouble that lay ahead as Matt Renshaw and Steve Davies staged a productive opening stand of 57 in 10.2 overs, justifying the decision to bat first. Aggressive from the outset, Renshaw cut and pulled to good effect in making 38 from 45 balls, including five fours and a six, smashed high over long-on at the expense of Zafar. But the Australian flirted with danger outside off stump and twice survived confident caught behind appeals before eventually edging Jared Warner to James Bracey.The introduction of spin from both ends yielded instant dividends thereafter, experienced campaigners Davies and James Hildreth both falling to poor shots in successive overs as the visitors lurched from 72 for 1 to 75 for 3 in the space of seven deliveries. Taylor and Smith both struck with their first balls, the former inducing Davies to hit a full toss to Oli Price at cover for 18 and the latter bowling Hildreth for 1, the batter guilty of an airy shot outside off stump.Somerset contributed further to their own downfall, new batter George Bartlett being comprehensively run out by Chris Dent for seven after being sent back by Goldsworthy in pursuit of a notional single. Having made such a promising start, the cider county had lost four wickets for the addition of 34 runs in 10 overs, in the process offering Gloucestershire a way back into the contest.Academy product James Rew then attempted to sweep Taylor and was caught by Bracey down the leg side, while Ben Green played an ill-advised forcing shot and was held by the diving Price at mid-on as Somerset subsided 111 for 6 in the 27th over.Worse followed when Aldridge missed a straight ball on off stump and was bowled by Pakistani slow left-armer Zafar, at which point Goldsworthy represented Somerset’s last realistic hope of posting a competitive score. In danger of running out of partners and forced by the parlous situation in which he found himself to be circumspect, the 21-year-old Cornishman played responsibly to chisel 50 from 81 balls.He found a willing ally in Siddle, the eighth wicket pair adding 67 in 16 overs to at least partially rebuild the innings. The sole contributor of boundaries during his sojourn in the middle, Siddle struck a straight six and a brace of fours before playing across the line and being bowled by Taylor for 29.Taylor completed his stint by bowling Goldsworthy in the 46th over and Paul van Meekeren accounted for Jack Brooks as Somerset were dismissed with 14 balls unused.Somerset had no option but to press hard for early wickets and new ball bowlers Aldridge and Brooks obliged, sweeping aside openers Chris Dent (3) and Ben Wells (15) respectively inside six overs. Siddle produced late swing to bowl Bracey for 15 and, when Price suffered a rush of blood to the head and hoisted Goldsworthy’s slow left-arm straight to deep mid-wicket, Gloucestershire were 69 for 4 and experiencing a degree of discomfiture.A calming influence in the middle, overseas star Harris offered reassurance, staging a restorative stand of 75 in 18 overs for the fifth wicket with skipper Taylor, who initially suppressed his naturally attacking instincts to play the supporting role that was the order of the day. Harris registered 50 from 82 deliveries, only to then spoon a slower ball from Aldridge to backward point with Gloucestershire in need of 56 more runs from 15.3 overs and the result still in doubt.Dropped on 10 by Renshaw at slip off the bowling of Green, Zafar made good his escape to score 18 not out, while Taylor went to an 83-ball 50 with a huge six over long-on off the same bowler to calm any lingering nerves.

Just as Ruben Amorim had thought his Manchester United team had finally turned a corner, their Jekyll-and-Hyde tendencies were there for all to see again in a crushing 3-1 Premier League defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.

Indeed, as much as Red Devils supporters would have been overjoyed with their win at Arsenal in the FA Cup and with their 2-2 draw versus Liverpool in January, Amorim’s topsy-turvy side were way off the pace throughout against Fabian Hurzeler’s ruthless Seagulls to remind the Portuguese manager there’s plenty to still fix.

The former Sporting boss will surely regret keeping his faith in shot-stopper Andre Onana for this one, with the shaky 28-year-old struggling once more after conceding to basement club Southampton the match prior.

Andre Onana's performance against Brighton

There were at least some redeeming qualities to his showing against the Saints, with five strong saves tallied up in the 3-1 win, with this performance lacking any obvious positives on the contrary.

The Cameroonian didn’t make a single save during this nightmare showing, as Yankuba Minteh’s early effort beat him despite the United goalkeeper initially getting a glove on the shot, whilst the other two strikes from the Seagulls saw Onana rooted to his goalline and then fumble into the path of Georginio Rutter who made it 3-1.

With Altay Bayındır standing out in the Cup when Amorim’s side surprised Arsenal, as the reserve shot-stopper tallied up an impressive six saves across the 120-minute affair, it could be worth reinstating the Turkish goalkeeper for United’s next Premier League test over the ex-Ajax star.

He is unlikely to be the only casualty, with Noussair Mazraoui’s head also potentially on the chopping block after a fatigued showing against a full-throttle Brighton team.

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Mazraoui's performance in numbers vs Brighton

Mazraoui did have a daunting task on his hands trying to keep a slick Kaoru Mitoma quiet all afternoon, but it was still a below-par showing from the Moroccan that would have worried Amorim a lot.

Indeed, the early opener saw the Brighton number 22 completely beat his marker for pace after a long ball over the top, with Minteh then left with a simple tap-in after Mazaroui let Mitoma lay it off to his eager teammate.

Minutes played

84

Touches

45

Accurate passes

25/30 (83%)

Key pass

1

Interceptions

2

Tackles

1

Dribbled past

2

Total duels won

1/7

All-in-all, it was a dreadful day at the office for the former Bayern Munich man, who was dribbled past two times as an easy target for the Brighton attackers to exploit, alongside only winning one of his seven duels as the far brighter and switched-on visitors showed no mercy.

His creative game was also way off with just one key pass managed – after becoming known at Ajax and at the Allianz Arena for being an expansive option out from the back.

Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst voice his dissatisfaction at Mazraoui’s performance at the full-time whistle, with a 3/10 rating handed to the 27-year-old who was singled out for how much he struggled up against Mitoma.

It will now be up to Amorim to attempt to get a tune out of his worst underperformers, but in the case of both Onana and Mazraoui, their first team spots could be up for grabs now as Rangers travel to Old Trafford next in the Europa League, before a tricky away day at Craven Cottage comes into view back in the unforgiving league.

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Tymal Mills will miss the rest of the Hundred through injury but remains hopeful that he could squeeze his way into England’s T20 World Cup squad.Mills’ impressive form for Sussex and Southern Brave last year earned him a starting berth for England in the UAE but he suffered a thigh injury against Sri Lanka which ruled him out of the rest of the World Cup.His form has dipped this year, and a toe injury saw him miss all but one of England’s six home T20 internationals this summer. When he did play, he took 1 for 35 in three overs against India at the Ageas Bowl.Mills missed the first game of the Hundred to give his toe time to heal and played for Southern Brave against Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston on Wednesday night, returning figures of 0 for 33 from 20 balls.But his toe flared up again after that game and he had surgery on Friday morning, which will be followed by another procedure on Wednesday, ruling him out of the rest of the tournament.He retains some hope of playing in the World Cup given England’s fast-bowling injury crisis, and is aiming to be fit in time to tour Pakistan in September, where England play seven T20Is.Brave will be able to sign a replacement for Mills but are struggling with an availability crisis among their fast bowlers. After two defeats in their first three games, they may have to win all five of their remaining group games to qualify for the knockout stages.Craig Overton was due to play against Oval Invincibles on Sunday but is unlikely to be risked after experiencing stiffness in his back while playing for England Lions. Meanwhile, Chris Jordan took a blow on his finger in their defeat to London Spirit on Friday night and George Garton is being managed carefully after Long Covid.

Mandhana’s 46 helped Brave to 153 for 8, and Invincibles never got going in the chase

Matt Roller14-Aug-2022

Oval Invincibles are defending champions in the Hundred and eased to a nine-wicket win on the opening night of the women’s competition on Wednesday. But three days later, their season is in turmoil after they made a shock call to omit captain Dane van Niekerk from their side, then slipped to a 12-run defeat against Southern Brave in a rematch of last year’s final in the south London sunshine.Marizanne Kapp was fit to return after missing the opening game through illness and her return demanded a tough call, with four top-class overseas players in the squad and only three permitted in the playing XI. Jonathan Batty, Invincibles’ head coach, was expected to leave out Suzie Bates, but her innings of 46 off 34 against Northern Superchargers saw her keep her place.Instead, van Niekerk made way, and Invincibles never got going in her absence. Smriti Mandhana hit the first two balls of the innings for four after Bates, deputising as captain, chose to bowl, and her innings of 46 led Brave to 153 for 8, the highest women’s Hundred total at The Oval. In the chase, Kapp, Bates and Lauren Winfield-Hill made bright starts, but failed to turn their cameos into innings of substance as Brave’s spinners closed out a comfortable win in front of a 14,525 crowd.Mandhana magic
Mandhana missed the final week of the Hundred last year, returning home to see her family before flying to Australia for India’s tour, and their batting wasn’t the same without her: in the final, they folded to 73 all out – which represented something of a recovery from 14 for 6. While there is no guarantee she would have kept out Kapp’s high-class opening spell on that day, this was a reminder of what Brave had missed.She was up and running immediately, creaming her first ball – from Kapp, no less – through the covers for four and hit six fours in her first 13 deliveries, punishing Kapp and Shabnim Ismail when they missed their lengths. When she slog-swept Mady Villiers for four at the start of the ninth, she was a hit away from a half-century after just 24 balls, but was beaten in the flight by her 25th and stumped by Winfield-Hill.”I was timing the ball well,” Mandhana told Sky Sports at the interval. “When you get a first-ball boundary, that gives you a lot of confidence. I was really disappointed to get out – I think it’s a crime to get out in the 40s after batting so well – and really disappointed that I couldn’t play at least until the 90th ball.”Sophia Smale had the wickets of Danni Wyatt and Tahlia McGrath to show•ECB/Getty Images

Brave keep coming
Invincibles took regular wickets through the middle phase, with 17-year-old left-arm spinner Sophia Smale keeping a lid on the scoring, but Charlotte Edwards has made a point of building a side with a long batting line-up and they continued to attack throughout the innings: Mandhana aside, no batter reached even 25 but their intent dragged them up to a defendable total.Freya Kemp and Georgia Adams’ partnership of 45 off 24 balls for the sixth wicket was particularly crucial, and highlighted the extent to which Brave’s lower-order firepower has emboldened their batters to attack: rather than a major setback, each dismissal resembles one batter handing the baton over to the next.Oval’s overseas dilemma
Batty’s decision to leave out his captain, and the MVP across the tournament’s first season, was a gamble that backfired. “She led them to the trophy last year,” Lydia Greenway said on Sky. “From a coach’s point of view, if you feel like you need to make a big call like that, you have to go for it. The challenge they will have is if they lose today, how will they manage that?”In her absence, Invincibles needed their overseas trio to step up and prove their worth; perhaps inevitably, they struggled to make any impact. Kapp and Ismail were uncharacteristically loose with the new ball and at the death, returning combined figures of 0 for 67 from 40 balls. With the bat, Bates hit 15 off 8 balls and Kapp crunched 19 off 9, but both fell without making a lasting impact.With Alice Capsey sidelined due to the ankle injury she picked up fielding in Invincibles’ opening game, their domestic players were left with too much to do. Ryana Macdonald-Gay’s late hitting put a dent in Amanda-Jade Wellington’s figures but by then, tight spells from part-time offspinners Adams (2 for 16 from 20) and Danni Wyatt (2 for 16 from 10) had seen the asking rate spiral out of control.

Rio Ferdinand believes that Declan Rice "produced a Steven Gerrard moment" with his brace of free-kicks against Real Madrid.

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Rice scored two sensational goalsArsenal won 3-0 against MadridFerdinand compares him to Liverpool legendFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rio Ferdinand has heaped praise on Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice for his brace against Real in the Champions League, describing his display as a "Steven Gerrard moment". The Liverpool legend made his name by scoring outlandish goals in huge games, just as Rice did in midweek.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Rice, a £100 million signing from West Ham in the summer, has impressed since moving across London, and Ferdinand believes that he has now truly arrived as a top player for Arsenal, as they stand just 90 minutes from the Champions League semi-finals.

WHAT FERDINAND SAID

Speaking on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Ferdinand said: "Every top player needs a stand-out moment and you go, 'I remember where I was that day when Declan Rice done that'. He hadn't had that yet in an Arsenal shirt. This was that moment for him. To then see him grab a game like that… I wonder what that does for him moving forward now. He's done it. Confidence-wise, it does a lot."

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

Arsenal play Brentford this weekend before they meet Madrid for the second leg in Spain next week.

MatériaMais Notícias

Sob o comando de Roberto Fernandes, o Náutico visitou o Vila Nova na última sexta-feira e acabou superado por 2 a 0.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

O placar adverso quebrou uma série positiva do Timbu, que rendeu até mesmo o título do campeonato estadual.

Nos últimos quatro jogos, o Náutico obteve três vitórias (Operário-PR, CRB e Retrô) e empatou um jogo, quando ficou na igualdade diante do Guarani.

Agora, a missão do elenco pernambucano é encarar o embalado Cruzeiro, no próximo domingo, nos Aflitos.

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