تحدث إيرلينج هالاند مهاجم مانشستر سيتي بعد تأهل منتخب بلاده النرويج إلى كأس العالم 2026، حيث قاد فريقه لفوز عريض أمام إيطاليا.
وحل المنتخب النرويجي ضيفًا على إيطاليا ضمن مباريات التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026، وحققوا الفوز برباعية لهدف.
وسجّل هالاند هدفين، لينهي تصفيات كأس العالم برصيد 16 هدفًا، وأنهت النرويج التصفيات دون أي هزيمة، وستشارك في بطولة كبرى للمرة الأولى منذ 26 عامًا.
وقال المهاجم النرويجي لقناة TV 2 بعد المباراة: “ربما يكون هذا أحد أجنّ النتائج على الإطلاق، أن نأتي إلى هنا ونفوز 4-1 هو أمر جنوني تمامًا، ويُظهر أننا فريق غير متوقع إلى حد ما”.
اقرأ أيضًا | هالاند يكشف عن تصرف غير لائق من مدافع إيطاليا ورد فعله
وأضاف هالاند: “أنا سعيد، لكن بصراحة أشعر براحة أكبر من أي شيء آخر، هناك ضغط كبير وأشعر به، لكنه ممتع أيضًا، سجّلت هدفين، وفزنا 4-1، وهذا رائع”.
وبشأن إمكانية الحديث عن كأس العالم بعد حسم التأهل، علّق هالاند مبتسمًا: “كنت أرغب في الحديث عن هذا منذ أسابيع، لكن لم أستطع، الآن يمكننا أخيرًا البدء في التفكير في كأس العالم بعدما ضمنّا التأهل”.
وسُئل هالاند عن الاحتفالات، ورد مبتسمًا: “سنرى إن كان أحد أفراد فريق القيادة قد خطّط لشيء ما”.
تأجل حسم منتخب البرتغال لبطاقة صعوده إلى كأس العالم بعد الخسارة أمام منتخب أيرلندا على ملعبه بثنائية نظيفة، في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.
وكان هدفا منتخب أيرلندا قد سجلا عن طريق تروي باروت في الدقيقتين 17 بعد متابعة ركلة ركنية و45 من تسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، ونجح المنتخب المضيف على أرضه ووسط جماهيره في الحفاظ على نتيجة المباراة.
وكانت مباراة منتخب البرتغال وأيرلندا قد شهدت واقعة طرد من نصيب الأسطورة البرتغالية كريستيانو رونالدو بعد أن قام بضرب أحد لاعبي منتخب أيرلندا، وعقب عودة الحكم للفار تم طرد مهاجم النصر السعودي بشكل مباشر.
أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | طرد رونالدو في مباراة البرتغال وأيرلندا.. ورد فعل ساخر من الجماهير
وقامت جماهير أيرلندا بإطلاق صافرات الاستهجان على كريستيانو رونالدو لحظة خروجه من الملعب والذي قام بالتصفيق لهم رداً على إشارة البكاء ضده.
وكان فرناندو سانتوس مدرب منتخب البرتغال قد دخل اللقاء بتشكيل مكون من: كوستا، دالوت، روبن دياز، إيناسيو، كانسيلو، روبن نيفيز، فيتينيا، جواو نيفيز، برناردو سيلفا، كريستيانو رونالدو، جواو فليكس.
بهذه النتيجة يرتفع رصيد منتخب أيرلندا للنقطة السابعة في المركز الثالث، ويتجمد رصيد منتخب البرتغال عند النقطة 10 في المركز الأول.
Liverpool ended their torrid losing streak as Mohamed Salah scored his 250th goal for the club and Ryan Gravenberch netted on his return from injury in a comfortable 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield. The Reds were well worth the three points but had a slice of luck to thank as Emiliano Martinez presented Salah with an open goal to break the deadlock, before Gravenberch's deflected strike sealed the points for a Arne Slot's dominant side.
After six defeats in seven matches and four in a row in the league, nothing but their best was demanded of Liverpool and they showed great strides towards rediscovering just that. It was Villa who looked the more threatening in the opening quarter of an hour, though, as Morgan Rogers struck the base of the post with a fifth-minute curling drive before Giorgi Mamardashvili diverted a deflected Matty Cash cross onto the crossbar before thwarting Rogers from range.
Liverpool put the visitors under significant pressure at the other end, pressing Villa's defence effectively and forcing mistakes, and Dominik Szoboszlai should have opened the scoring after Boubacar Kamara lost possession, but his tame strike was straight at Martinez. This would be a warning sign which Villa did not learn from, as Martinez himself presented Salah with the ball and the Egyptian accepted his gift.
Another piece of luck would see Liverpool double their lead in the second half, as Gravenberch drove into space on the edge of the box and saw his low strike deflected beyond Martinez and into the net. When the visitors did look to attack at the other end, they found a well-organised defensive unit in their way and often resorted to wayward finishing from outside the box. Unai Emery's side were also fortunate to end the match with all 11 men after Amadou Onana appeared to grab Alexis Mac Allister by the neck during an altercation at a corner.
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…
Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence
Giorgi Mamardashvili (7/10):
His saves at 0-0 should not be underestimated, particularly the one from Cash's deflected cross. Showed why he is believed to be the perfect long-term successor to Alisson.
Conor Bradley (8/10):
His energy and ambition in the final third was exactly what was needed, while the Northern Ireland international barely put a foot wrong in defence and limited Villa to very little down his side.
Ibrahima Konate (7/10):
Has struggled at times so far this season, but was far more solid and imposing at the back as Watkins went missing.
Virgil van Dijk (7/10):
Marshalled the defence well as the Reds' struggling back-line returned to somewhere near its best. Made key blocks when he was needed.
Andy Robertson (7/10):
Justified his selection over Kerkez with some lung-busting play at both ends. He at times found himself in the striking position alongside Ekitike, though also made an important tackle to deny Guessand in his own box.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield
Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):
Showed an improvement from recent weeks with a composed performance in midfield. Could have scored late in the first half had it not been for a brilliant block by Konsa, while the Argentine spotted the run of Gravenberch to assist the second goal.
Ryan Gravenberch (8/10):
The Dutchman was a big miss in three matches out with an ankle injury, and showed exactly why as he was dominant in midfield, continuing to add a goal-scoring touch to his game with his deflected second-half strike after breaking into space.
Dominik Szoboszlai (8/10):
Another stand-out performance by the Hungarian, who played a key role in Liverpool's highly-effective press and continued to be the Reds' chief creator. His inch-perfect delivery was headed home by a marginally-offside Ekitike, while the Reds' No.8 won the ball off Villa's defence on several occasions.
Getty Images SportAttack
Mohamed Salah (8/10):
Put his name up in lights with his 250th Reds goal, in what was a relatively simple finish but an important one. Created chances for Gakpo and Ekitike and looked closer to his determined best, causing Digne a torrid time for periods of the match.
Hugo Ekitike (7/10):
Scored in the first half with a well-taken header but had just gone too early to have the goal disallowed for offside. With Isak out injured, the France international continues to stake his claim to being the Reds' best striking option.
Cody Gakpo (6/10):
At times appeared too predictable cutting in onto his right foot, while he mis-controlled a Salah cross with the goal at his mercy and will have been relieved to see the offside flag go up.
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Florian Wirtz (6/10):
Replaced Ekitike as a make-shift striker and had little impact in his late cameo, as the only substitute Slot introduced in the match.
Arne Slot (8/10):
Made the right selection choices in dropping Wirtz and Kerkez to the bench, and his side's high press was a key factor in a crucial victory. Players stepped up across all areas of the pitch, and fan chants of Slot's name in the second half indicated a warm appreciation of the performance.
Após a vitória por 2 a 0 diante do Cuiabá neste sábado (19), na Arena Pantanal, pelo Brasileirão, o Palmeiras se reapresentou e treinou na manhã deste domingo (20). A delegação do Verdão retornou da capital mato-grossense durante a madrugada e já iniciou a preparação para o duelo contra o Deportivo Pereira, válido pela ida das quartas de final da Libertadores. A bola rola nesta quarta-feira (23), às 21h30, em Pereira, na Colômbia. As novidades foram Dudu e Gabriel Menino, que participaram do treinamento no gramado.
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+ ANÁLISE: Mesmo sem ‘força máxima’, Palmeiras mostra consistência em meio à semana decisiva na Libertadores
Os jogadores que atuaram por mais de 45 minutos diante do Dourado seguiram o cronograma de trabalhos regenerativos na parte interna do centro de excelência. Em campo reduzido, o restante do grupo realizou atividades técnicas de troca de passes, marcação no curto espaço e enfrentamentos de sete contra sete com a participação dos goleiros.
Em processo de transição física, Dudu e Gabriel Menino participaram de parte da atividade de campo integrados ao elenco. O meia se recupera de dores na coxa direita e o atacante de uma lesão na panturrilha direita. Ambos não jogaram contra o Cuiabá e a expectativa é que eles estejam disponíveis para Abel Ferreira para o duelo de quarta.
continua após a publicidade
+ Próximos jogos do Palmeiras: onde assistir ao vivo, datas, horários e calendário
Com a vitória deste sábado, o Palmeiras se manteve na vice-liderança do Brasileirão, com 37 pontos, 11 a menos que o líder Botafogo, que empatou na rodada e viu a distância diminuir em dois pontos. Na próxima rodada do campeonato nacional, o Verdão recebe o Vasco no domingo (27), às 18h30, no Allianz Parque.
It’s been a miserable start to the season for West Ham United.
Graham Potter’s side would have been happy with an opening day fixture against one of the newly promoted sides, but instead of being eased into the Premier League campaign with an easy win, they were trounced 3-0.
Things have only gotten worse since, with heavy home defeats to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur and a 3-2 loss in the League Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In all, Potter’s position now looks untenable and, as a result, the club have been linked with a host of potential replacements, including one who was in the league last season.
The coaches linked with West Ham
As a result of West Ham’s diabolical form this season, the club have been linked with a host of potential Potter replacements in recent weeks.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
One coach who’d surely do a much better job than the Englishman is recently fired Nuno Espírito Santo, who might have struggled in North London, but did a brilliant job with Nottingham Forest, leading them back into European football for the first time in several generations.
On the other side of the coin is Frank Lampard, who might be doing a good enough job with Coventry City this season, but was never convincing during his time with Chelsea or Everton in the Premier League, getting sacked from both clubs.
However, there is now a third manager in the mix, someone who would still be an upgrade on Potter, and an exciting one at that: Kieran McKenna.
Yes, according to a recent report from Hammer News, the Ipswich Town boss is now in the mix to replace the Irons manager.
In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that a source has told them that the Northern Irishman would take the job if offered.
It might be seen as a risk by some, but McKenna performed well last season, and there is every chance he will end up being an upgrade on Potter.
Why McKenna would be an upgrade on Potter
Well, first and foremost, McKenna has a better record at his current side than Potter, and it is not even close.
For example, despite battling relegation all of last season with a squad that still had plenty of League One-level players in it, the “sensational” Ipswich boss, as John Barnes dubbed him, has an impressive record of 83 wins, 48 losses, and 48 draws with the Tractor Boys, which comes out to an average of 1.66 points per game.
In stark contrast, the Irons boss has won just six games since taking the job in January, losing 13 and drawing the other five, which comes out to a paltry average of 0.96 points per game.
McKenna vs Potter (Current Jobs)
Manager
McKenna
Potter
Games
179
24
Wins
83
6
Draws
48
5
Losses
48
13
Points per Game
1.66
0.96
All Stats via Sofascore
In fact, the only team in which he has had a points per game average of more than 1.50 is Ostersunds, as he averaged 1.45 with Swansea City, 1.28 with Brighton & Hove Albion and just 1.42 with Chelsea, who won the Champions League just a year before he was appointed.
Another big tick in the Coa-born coaches’ favour is that he has a real proven track record of dragging a team out of the depths and pushing them to success in the English game.
When he took charge of the Suffolk side, they were languishing down in the third tier, and within a few years, he led them on successive promotions back to the Premier League for the first time in over two decades.
Potter might have helped to stabilise Brighton, but the Seagulls have actually enjoyed greater success since he left in September 2022.
Ultimately, while there is some element of risk in hiring McKenna, he appears to be a better manager than Potter, both statistically and in terms of project building.
How West Ham's board are now feeling about Graham Potter after Tottenham defeat
The Hammers have been repeatedly linked with new managers.
حقق فريق الأهلي السعودي، فوزًا صعبًا على النجمة بهدف نظيف، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري السعودي للمحترفين.
والتقى الأهلي، مع النجمة على ملعب نادي النجمة، ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من مسابقة الدوري السعودي للمحترفين موسم 2025-2026.
طالع.. نجل كريستيانو رونالدو ينضم لمنتخب بلاده
وسجل فراس البريكان هدف المباراة الوحيد في الدقيقة 35 بعد ارتباك داخل منطقة جزاء أصحاب الأرض، ليمنح فريقه التقدم والسيطرة على مجريات اللعب.
وفي الشوط الثاني، ألغى الحكم هدفا ثانيا للأهلي وقعه فرانك كيسيه عند الدقيقة 50، بداعي وجود مخالفة ارتكبها أحد لاعبي “الراقي” قبل تسجيل الهدف.
وبهذا الانتصار، رفع الأهلي رصيده إلى 12 نقطة ليتقدم إلى المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب الدوري، مستعيدا نغمة الفوز بعد تعادله في الجولة الماضية أمام الشباب بنتيجة 1-1. في المقابل، واصل النجمة معاناته هذا الموسم، بعدما ظل بلا أي نقاط في رصيده متذيلا الترتيب. هدف فوز الأهلي على النجمة
هدف! ⚽️ فراس البريكان يمنح الأهلي التقدم على النجمة 🔥#النجمة_الأهلي pic.twitter.com/bHA9gqcOsY — رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) October 23, 2025
Tottenham could soon wave goodbye to midfielder Yves Bissouma with a host of windows outside the UK still open for business, but he isn’t the only Spurs squad member potentially available.
Bissouma, who was left out of Spurs’ UEFA Super Cup side, has now also been omitted from their final 22-man Champions League A-list squad.
Frank has already criticised the African for his punctuality and discipline since taking over from Ange Postecoglou, explaining exactly why Bissouma, who’s currently out injured, didn’t travel with the squad for their Super Cup clash in August.
The writing appears on the wall for a potential out-of-window exit, amid reports that Tottenham are expecting proposals from Saudi Arabia and Turkey for Bissouma, with the 29-year-old likely to leave in the coming days as a result (GiveMeSport).
Villarreal (home)
September 16
Bodo/Glimt (away)
September 30
Monaco (away)
October 22
FC Copenhagen (home)
November 4
PSG (away)
November 26
Slavia Prague (home)
December 9
Borussia Dortmund (home)
January 20
Eintracht Frankfurt (away)
January 28
This is somewhat backed up by Sky Sports correspondent Micheal Bridge, who reported earlier this week that Bissouma’s exit is indeed a serious possibility after the UK transfer deadline passed at 7pm on Monday.
Bissouma could leave as a free agent next summer with his contract set to expire in 2026, meaning Daniel Levy, CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici need to find a new home for him quite quickly.
Clubs in Saudi can make new signings until September 23, whilst Portuguese sides have until September 15 and Turkish teams until September 12.
Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma
A move to any one of those divisions could be a good option for Bissouma, as it could also be for young forward Dane Scarlett.
Dane Scarlett could seal out-of-window Tottenham move with Bissouma
As per reliable football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, Scarlett could leave Tottenham in an out-of-window move with Bissouma, after failing to secure an exit before the deadline on Monday.
The 21-year-old was recalled to the senior side by Postecoglou during Spurs’ injury crisis last season, bagging an assist during their 4-1 win at Ipswich, and got on the scoresheet in Tottenham’s 3-0 victory over Elfsborg in the Europa League.
Scarlett missed the remainder of the season after picking up a groin problem which required surgery — an extremely unfortunate bit of bad luck for the attacker — but his form prior to that is perhaps a sign of things to come.
José Mourinho called the Englishman a “diamond” during his spell in charge of Spurs, likening Scarlett to Marcus Rashford, but the introduction of Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani this summer means he’ll be hard-pressed to battle his way into the squad.
West Ham United have experienced a nightmare start to life back in the Premier League.
Graham Potter’s job security is already on thin ice at the Hammers a mere two games into the brand new season, having had to watch his hopeless team lose 3-0 away at Sunderland on the opening day, only to then be humiliated back on their patch 5-1 by near London rivals Chelsea.
West Ham United managerGrahamPotterbefore the match
It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, however, with West Ham potentially able to restore some of their damaged pride by picking up some last-minute purchases in the transfer window to try and push them out of their malaise.
West Ham keep tabs on £20m star
Potter will look to be busy between now and September’s approaching deadline, knowing this could be make or break for his job in the long run.
Reports from Spain are indicating that the basement club are in talks over landing Barcelona youngster Hector Fort on loan, on top of AS Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa also being on their radar, albeit with Nottingham Forest and Atalanta being placed alongside them in the race for the £15m midfielder.
Away from those named, the forlorn Irons are also in the hunt for an experienced Premier League attacker who could be available for as cheap as £20m.
Indeed, a report from Caught Offside reveals that West Ham are keeping tabs on Raheem Sterling’s developing situation at Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, with Beskitas allegedly in the lead for the 30-year-old’s services, as the Turkish titans plan to send a delegation out to London shortly to seal a deal.
Raheem Sterling for Chelsea
Still, not all hope will be lost, considering Caught Offside also state that the Blues number seven might prefer a London stay over a switch to the Super Lig, with Fulham also keeping an eye on the unfolding situation, alongside Potter and Co.
How Sterling can become the next Antonio
Despite Sterling’s missteps at both Chelsea and Arsenal in recent years, he could be the boost West Ham desire up top, with Potter potentially picking up the Hammers’ next version of Michail Antonio in the process.
The Premier League’s early relegation favourites waved goodbye to a whole host of experienced faces this summer, as the likes of Aaron Cresswell and Lukasz Fabianski departed the London Stadium.
The casualty that looks to have hurt the Hammers instantly is the loss of Antonio, though, with the loyal 35-year-old servant allowed to leave the building on a free transfer this summer.
Off the back of this decision, West Ham have only been able to carve out one big chance during their opening two league defeats, leading to former goalkeeper Robert Green bemoaning the lack of leaders in the dressing room after the sobering Blues loss.
With the Jamaican’s 83-goal tally gone, the Hammers are clearly in dire need of another seasoned head to try and get more out of a limp attack, which is where Sterling could come to the rescue if he can bounce back from disappointing stints elsewhere in London.
It’s clear from the table above that Sterling can be a “world class” star on his day – as he was once lauded by ex-City teammate Frank Lampard – with a mammoth 174 goals up his sleeve playing for some of the Premier League’s elite clubs, with a further 124 assists also catching West Ham’s eye. Incredible, 123 of those goals have come in the top-flight.
The 82-time England international might not lead the line in the same imposing manner as Antonio, but his creativity and efforts down the right wing might just enable the Hammers to get out of some sticky situations and soar up the league, with the likes of Niclas Fullkrug perhaps able to put his shaky start to the campaign behind him, knowing he has the expertise of the 30-year-old by his side.
Further dubbed as “outstanding” by football pundit Paul Merson when showing off flashes of his excellence at Stamford Bridge, Sterling will hope he can show there’s life still in his legs at the London Stadium, much like Antonio did during the 2023/24 season with seven goals next to his name, before his unfortunate Hammers exit.
After all, Sterling’s former Three Lions boss in Gareth Southgate did once herald him as a “fighter”, with a hope he can become a bright spark for West Ham during some testing times, too, leading to a sharp rise up the table imminently.
West Ham submit opening offer to sign "exciting" 6'2 Alvarez replacement
The precociously talented winger has the ability to lead the Red Devils back to the top – if they are lucky enough to keep hold of him
From Lamine Yamal firing Spain to Euro 2024 glory while preparing for school exams, Arsenal's Max Dowman making his Premier League debut at the age of 15 and Rio Ngumoha scoring the winner for Liverpool at Newcastle while still just 16, the world's biggest clubs and international sides are becoming more and more open to the adage that 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'.
And while those players all have the capability to go on and win every prize the game has to offer, there is a belief that Manchester United might just have the very best youth player in the world on their hands and will soon be ready to unleash him into the professional game – if they are lucky enough to keep hold of him, that is.
JJ Gabriel may only be 14 years old but he has been killing it at Under-18 level and it cannot be long before he makes his first senior appearance. The winger – who has been likened to three of the best players of the last 20 years in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo – has been causing a stir since millions of people watched him strut his stuff on a skills video when he was just eight.
Gabriel already boasts a huge online following, but any suggestions he was being over-hyped have been hushed by his mesmerising displays and his ruthless goal record in a frightening start to the season. GOAL has the lowdown on the player who was first known as 'Kid Messi' but who is fast making a name for himself…
Where it all began
Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel was born in London in October, 2010. His father, Joe O'Cearuill, enjoyed a modest playing career as a defender which began at Arsenal but was mostly spent in the lower leagues, although he did earn two caps for Ireland. O'Cearuill would go on to change the family's surname to Gabriel, a reflection of their Catholic heritage but also as a step to make his son more marketable.
Gabriel passed through the academies of Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham before eventually joining United, while a key part of his development came playing futsal, the indoor game which places extra emphasis on technique and control. Such an environment suited Gabriel, who became obsessed with doing tricks. By the age of six, he could do 1,000 kick-ups in a row.
Alfie Brooks, the owner of Ole Futsal Academy in east London, told : "I’ve coached nearly 1,000 academy players over my time and JJ is the best I’ve ever seen. He could go into a Premier League changing room right now and technically he would be better than all of them. It wouldn’t even be close. He’s by far the best player that
AdvertisementThe big break
Gabriel first gained attention courtesy of a video produced by Youtuber SV2 titled 'Eight-year-old Kid Messi is unbelievable (better than the real Lionel Messi)'. The 19-minute clip, which showcased Gabriel pulling off a variety of skills, has been viewed 4.8 million times and has 110,000 likes. His career really took off, however, when he signed for United's academy in 2021 and became friends with a famous team-mate, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.
The hype train continued to roll on, and two months later Gabriel signed a contract with Nike. He penned another deal with the sports manufacturer in March 2025 which is believed to be the most lucrative sponsorship deal ever for a 14-year-old, eclipsing that of Neymar when he was at Santos.
Gabriel's feats for United's youth teams were regularly shared on social media, but he reached a new level of attention earlier this year when he became the youngest player ever to play for United's U18s side, at the age of 14. It was a debut to remember for two reasons: United humiliated rivals Leeds 13-1 and Gabriel scored the final two goals.
Getty How it's going
Gabriel has made a real impression in the U18s this season, having scored five goals in three starts. He netted twice in a 5-0 drubbing of Middlesbrough (team-mate Kai Rooney, son of Wayne, also scored), while in his next game, Gabriel bagged a 22-minute hat-trick against Derby County.
His progress is being carefully monitored by the club's top brass, and Gabriel was invited to watch the opening game of the season against Arsenal from the directors' box while he recently met first-team coach Ruben Amorim, who told the teenager that he will spend time training with the first team later in the season.
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Getty Biggest strengths
Gabriel's mesmeric dribbling is his greatest asset, while his ability to produce deadly strikes with both feet makes him even more dangerous in the final third. He is a high-scoring winger who can open stubborn defences up with his trickery, but Gabriel also has a striker's instinct and often patrols the box waiting for his moment to pounce.
He is also known for his fiercely competitive nature, which has led to him playing through the pain. In one match against Blackburn Rovers, Gabriel dislocated his shoulder following a heavy clash with an opponent, only to calmly pop it back in and subsequently score a hat-trick and while also providing an assist in a 4-0 win.
Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has admitted that leaving Alexander Isak out of Friday’s 2-2 draw against Slovenia was purely down to caution. The striker, who shattered the British transfer record with his £125 million move to Liverpool on deadline day, has barely trained and hasn’t kicked a ball in competitive action since forcing his way out of Newcastle United this summer.
Isak benched by Sweden over fitnessCould come on as a sub against KosovoTomasson not ready to risk his star from the startFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Isak’s switch to Anfield was one of the shocks of the transfer window, completed after weeks of speculation and growing tension in the North East. The 24-year-old effectively sat out Newcastle’s summer fixtures and their opening Premier League games to push the move through, a decision that left a sour taste in the mouths of many Magpies supporters.
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Isak's absence from pre-season has raised concerns about his sharpness. While Liverpool fans are eager to see their blockbuster signing unleashed, Tomasson insisted that Isak is nowhere near peak condition.
WHAT TOMASSON SAID
Speaking to , Tomasson said, "He had only done three training sessions with the team. He had no preseason with the team and of course, no playing time. The risk was probably a bit too great to use him today."
Asked whether the striker could feature in Sweden’s next qualifier against Kosovo on Monday, Tomasson offered a glimmer of hope: “Hopefully, hopefully. He could come in as a game-changer.”
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ISAK?
In the midst of the noise, Isak has gone quiet. The striker has reportedly chosen to snub all media duties during the international break, refusing interviews and public appearances. Instead, he wants to focus solely on rebuilding fitness and letting his football do the talking when the time comes. The international break may serve as a reset for Isak, giving him precious time to gain minutes with Sweden before returning to Merseyside. If his body responds, Liverpool boss Arne Slot could hand him his debut against Burnley on September 14.