Kasper Dolberg was one of the top strikers in Europe only a few years ago. A top prospect coming from Ajax academy, the Danish international came out of nowhere to lead the Eredivisie giants’ attacking line during the 2015-16 season. Many experts expected big things out of him.
Fast forward to the start of the 2019-20 season, and Dolberg was an afterthought in Ajax. He lost the starting role and barely played in the 2018-19 season, as Erik Ten Hag opted to deploy a front-three line healined by David Neres, Dusan Tadic and Hakim Ziyech. Dolberg was the third-best alternative for the striker role, as veteran Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was also ahead of him in the pecking order.
As a result, Dolberg decided to leave and joined Nice on a permanent basis. The Ligue 1 outfit paid …
Mohamed Salah s incredible long-range rocket helped Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League with a crucial 2-0 win over Chelsea.
Manchester City s 3-1 win at Crystal Palace earlier on Saturday piled pressure on the Reds and they passed the test thanks to two second-half goals in almost as many minutes.
Star man Salah rose to an emotionally charged occasion with a thumping 25-yard effort that whistled into the top-left corner and doubled the home side s lead following Sadio Mane s headed opener.
The victory, Liverpool s first against Chelsea at Anfield in seven Premier League meetings, restored a two-point lead at the top for Jurgen Klopp s men and exorcised the demons of the infamous 2-0 loss in this fixture that shattered their 2013-14 title hopes.
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Everton fans must get behind boss Roberto Martinez, even if only for today
Everton fans are accustomed to highs and lows in recent years, as following the Blues is a bit like being on a rollercoaster at times.
In recent years the Toffees position in the Premier League table has been stable and gone are the horrible 1990’s and early 2000’s relegation battles.
This season Toffees fans have turned against Spanish boss Roberto Martinez and rightly so.
However, all those opinions about Martinez need to be forgotten for later today Everton face Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Problems mounting for Roberto Martinez
There is no getting away from Everton’s problems. The Toffees have struggled to fulfil their potential …
Danny Rose said Mauricio Pochettino used Liverpool s turnaround against Barcelona to inspire his Tottenham players to a thrilling Champions League comeback victory over Ajax.
Tottenham booked their place in the final against Liverpool after Lucas Moura s second-half hat-trick brought them back from the brink at Johan Cruijff ArenA, where Ajax led their semi-final 3-0 on aggregate at half-time in the second leg only to go out on away goals.
Full-back Rose said the Spurs players watched Liverpool s 4-0 second-leg victory over Barcelona 24 hours before the game and that Pochettino pointed to the Reds attitude as something to aspire to.
We saw Liverpool last night, Rose told BT Sport. It goes to show it s not over until it s over.
There were a few wor…
One of English football s greatest midfielders, Frank Lampard announced his retirement on Thursday, ending a 21-year career in which he fulfilled his potential and experienced much success.
The Chelsea and England
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legend brings the curtain down on a career that saw him win the Premier League three times and the Champions League in 2011-12.
Lampard tasted success in the FA Cup four times, the League Cup twice as well as lifting the Europa League in 2012-13.
He never managed international glory, but with 177 goals and 102 assists in 609 Premier League appearances and 29 goals from 106 England caps, Lampard has much to look back on with fondness.
Here we reflect on some of the highs – and lows – from his glittering career.
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Arsenal have decided to trigger the buy option included in the deal which saw David Raya join the Gunners on loan from Brentford for this season, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The news hardly comes as a surprise, given that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made the Spaniard his No. 1 goalkeeper ahead of Aaron Ramsdale this term. The development prompted some strong words from Ramsdale s camp, most notably his father, but even he insisted that Raya should get their full support. However, Ramsdale is expected to stand between the posts when Arsenal face Brentford at the Community Stadium on Saturday, as Raya cannot play against his parent club.
The clause apparently says Arsenal will have to pay a fee of £27 million for Raya s services, and the 28-year-old has already accep…
Gripes with Guardiola and barbs aimed at Benitez – Mourinho´s five most remarkable media conferences
The smiling special one that was presented to the media as Chelsea s new manager in 2004 has become an unpredictable figure over the ensuing 14 years.
Now in charge of Manchester United, Jose Mourinho continued a trend of unique news conferences on Monday when he reminded the press of his achievements and chanted the word respect after losing 3-0 at home Tottenham.
Quick quips, defensive answers and pointed words for rivals have become the hallmarks of Mourinho s colourful meetings with the media, with the occasional head-scratcher dotted throughout his tenures in England, Italy and Spain.
Here are just some of the occasions in which the Portuguese has left journalists bewildered.
3 s win tonight marks Jose Mourinho s biggest ever home defeat as a man…
Where did it all go wrong for Adebayor? / Image via senenews.com
He could have been an Arsenal legend, sitting side by side with Gunners who carved their name in gold letters at the Emirates, but Emmanuel Adebayor chose a different path, one which made him a Premier League villain, a tag he never quite got rid of.
As we await fresh news about the next chapter in his colourful career, let us all take a moment to take a deeper insight in Emmanuel Adebayor’s life as a professional football player, a kind and charitable philanthropist and a child in heart living in luxury he is never too shy to boast with.
Premier League Legacy
Brought in the winter of 2006, Emmanuel Adebayor was given the nickname “Baby Kanu”, the player Adebayor idolised as a youth.
Fielding an inexperienced side, Didier Deschamps insisted he will continue his search for optimal balance following France s 1-1 draw away to Croatia on Monday.
Following their opening Nations League defeat at home to Denmark, Les Bleus could only manage a point at the Poljud, with Andrej Kramaric equalising from the penalty spot following Adrien Rabiot s opening goal.
Deschamps went back to 4-4-2 after the opting for a 3-5-2 against Denmark, with several starting players under 10 caps including Moussa Diaby, Matteo Guendouzi, Christopher Nkunku and William Saliba.
With that relative lack of experience in mind, Deschamps was buoyant following his side s performance against the other 2018 World Cup finalist.
We had overall control with two chances for 2-…
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Two sides who will be looking to extend on their Champions League qualifying adventure on Wednesday evening, Genk will welcome Servette to the Cegeka Arena.
Starting with the hosts, while Genk might have been disappointed after eventually settling for a 1-1 draw away at Switzerland last week, the Smurfs will feel that they are sat firmly in pole position to extend on their qualifying adventure here. Although Wouter Vrancken’s men might have signed off the 2022/23 campaign by mustering just a single win from any of their final five Juliper Pro appearances, the former Mechelen boss saw his squad lay down an early marker last weekend. Opening their new domestic campaign with a thumping 4-0 win away at RWDM, Genk certainly picked up some …