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Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina will play no part in Gabon’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Mali on Saturday because of an injury issue, which could potentially keep him on the sidelines for his club’s crucial Premier League clash against Fulham at Craven Cottage next weekend.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 25-year-old travelled to his home country for the international break, but according to Gaboneco his international manager Daniel Cousin has ruled him out of the game after he suffered a muscle injury after training on Wednesday.

According to Gaboneco, the 41-year-old said:

“I honestly cannot count on players who are not 100%, it is difficult. I need those that are in good shape.

“I cannot trust him [Lemina], because Saturday’s game will be physically demanding.

“So there is no question of taking risks, Mario is going to look after himself quietly. I do not know if he will attend the game for the spirit of the group or will he return to his club. The most important thing is that he takes care of himself.”

The former Juventus man has once again been a regular starter in Southampton’s midfield this season having played all but 24 minutes of their Premier League campaign, and he has formed a successful partnership with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with Oriol Romeu often having to settle for a spot on the substitutes’ bench.

Could he miss the Fulham clash?

Essentially, we don’t know the extent of the problem yet, but Hughes will hope that it isn’t a recurrence of the thigh issue that meant that he was also doubtful for the clash against Watford at St Mary’s last Saturday.

The Welshman will certainly be sweating on the 25-year-old’s fitness given the quality that he has in his locker, and should he miss out then either Romeu or club captain Steven Davis – both of whom failed to make the 18-man squad against the Hornets – could be handed a rare reprieve with the latter in particular something of a forgotten man this term.

Check out Playmaker FC’s Tom Skinner’s unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney’s England legacy in the video below…

Lemina would certainly be a major absentee for the visitors when the Premier League strugglers come up against each other, as he won the man of the match award against Javi Gracia’s men by covering more ground and winning more duels than any of his teammates.

Loads of Newcastle fans are calling for Jamie Sterry to get a run in the first team after Javier Manquillo had a nightmare first game of the season against Cardiff.While the injury to Newcastle’s DeAndre Yedlin is nowhere near as bad as first feared, it did remind fans of just how thin the squad is, particularly in defence.Rafael Benitez was forced to deploy Manquillo at right back in the 0-0 draw at Cardiff, and the Spaniard had a pretty poor afternoon.22 year-old Jamie Sterry has been impressing in the youth sides, and the local lad spoke this week about his desire to play for the first team.“I feel like I’m good enough and last weekend I felt like I could have had a chance, so it was a bit disappointing. But you’ve got to keep your mental strength really high and try to be positive about it,†the youngster said after an impressive performance in the U-23s 5-0 win over Sunderland.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”280645″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Dodgy De Gea & Arsenal’s MiniRevolution”]“All I can do is give 100 per cent, and I asked to play in the game because I want to play football and show everyone what I can do.â€The Magpies welcome Chelsea to St. James’ this weekend in the next instalment in their brutal run of fixtures and fans all agree that Sterry should be ahead of Manquillo in the pecking order.The Magpies have conceded just two goals so far, and the defence was one of the big reasons they were able to surge up the table last season.[ad_pod ]You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Goals are always a release, no matter how they go in. Everyone knows the satisfaction of a ball fizzing into the back of the net, or the excitement of the thud of a ball going in off the crossbar.

But the finality of a ball crossing a line is enough by itself to create that moment: it doesn’t always need to career into the netting at full speed.

But however the goal goes in, there’s an even more heightened sense of satisfaction when the goal is scored by a goalkeeper. Whether it’s a last-minute equaliser bundled home by a towering beast who’s come up for a corner, or whether it’s a clearance caught by the wind, there’s something so ungainly and rare about the sight of a keeper, looking gangly with massive gloved hands dangling by his sides, burst into celebration at a goal that’s been created under his own auspices. The rarest birds aren’t always the prettiest, but their appearance is always special.

Not many goalkeepers have the distinction of having scored a goal. They are like albatrosses. But of all the keepers lucky enough to have scored one in a competitive game, Paul Robinson is among a very special elite: goalkeepers who have scored twice.

Hans-Jorg Butt and Jose Luis Chilavert scored plenty of goals, but they took penalties and free kicks, and we’re very much the exceptions to the rule.

Normally, there are two kinds of keeper goals. They can be long lobs, swirling in the air and bouncing unexpectedly. Or they can be set-piece finishes: towering headers or goalmouth scrambles, usually late in games from do or die set-plays with the goalkeeper playing spoiler and there to disrupt.

The latter always the most satisfying: a last minute release, it’s always dramatic. But more importantly, it’s always meaningful. Goalkeeper’s don’t come up for corners for no reason.

The former, however, is imbued with a meaning of it’s own, but a different one altogether: it’s not usually the scoring goalkeeper who gets the praise, but the beaten one who gets the blame. It is almost always a humiliation, not a celebration. Often, the humiliation is so strong as to make you wonder whether or not the scoring keeper would rather not have put his opposite number through the agony of having been beaten – usually by a bounce – from the guts of 100 yards; call it professional sympathy.

But seeing your name on the scoresheet is a strange sight for a keeper. In the end, probably worth it. And since we’re talking about Paul Robinson on the basis that he has the honour of a Premier League goal to his name, that might suggest he’ll take it.

Ben Foster was the unlucky man on the receiving end. And indeed, the time, when the ball endednup in the net, Robinson did not get the immediate credit. Instead, the camera focused on Foster’s rye smile and his attempts to make his outward appearance contrast completely with the utter devastation he felt on the inside. That is almost impossible to achieve.

Eventually, the camera pans to the goalscorer, disbelieving and completely unsure how to act in the moment, but helpfully mobbed by his teammates to compensate.

It was an odd moment, but perhaps the context was even stranger. Unlike the other category of keeper strikes which usually come in injury time, Robinson’s goal came just after the hour mark, well into the second half but a long time before things could have seemed desperate,. And yet, it was still a meaningful goal in the context of the game.

This was a crucial goal at a crucial time. Martin Jol’s side were drawing 1-1 against a struggling Watford who would be relegated at the end of the season. They had dominated the game, but the second goal had eluded them thus far. The longer such games go on without a goal from the dominant, home team, the more nervous the stadium starts to become, especially when one mistake can cost you all the points.

It would take Robinson’s strike – and possibly one mistake at the other end – for Spurs to impose their dominance on the game, one they ended up winning 3-1 in the end.

It wasn’t Robinson’s only goal in competitive football, nor even his first. He also scored in the last minute of a League Cup tie against Swindon for Leeds at Elland Road, equalising right at the death and forcing extra time, before saving the vital penalty in the shootout in the end to send Leeds through. That was, perhaps, more dramatic, but it was also fairly irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Leeds would be knocked out by Manchester United in the next round and relegated from the Premier League.

It’s rare indeed, but Robinson is the perfect example of goalkeepers scoring goals, having scored with both types. The last-minute towering header against Swindon and the long, lucky lob against Watford. He’ll always have that to look back on.

Leeds United suffered a second successive Championship defeat on Tuesday night, and fans are concerned that the club is going to throw away their play-off chances.

The Whites were beaten 2-0 by Brentford – a result that followed up a 1-0 loss against fellow top six side Reading on Saturday – which has left them just five points above seventh-placed Fulham with six matches of the season remaining.

Garry Monk’s side looked odds-on to secure their play-off spot just a few weeks ago as they beat current leaders Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 at Elland Road, but they have failed to find the back of the net since.

Despite their manager’s comments after the fixture at Griffin Park that his players won’t let their hard work this term “go to waste”, the supporters don’t seem to be convinced.

The Yorkshire outfit host eighth-placed Preston North End – who thrashed Bristol City 5-0 on Tuesday – this weekend.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction to Leeds’ latest setback…

Manchester United’s Paul Pogba hopes appear to have been handed a serious boost, with the Telegraph reporting that Real Madrid are set to up their interest in Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko.

The 26-year-old was a part of the Magpies’ disappointing relegation campaign last term and has been roundly criticised for his lethargic displays as the North East club slipped into the Championship and subsequent vocalisation of his desire to leave St James’ Park.

WANT MORE? >> Manchester United transfer news | Latest transfer news

Although his Newcastle performances attracted much negativity, Sissoko still won a spot in France’s EURO 2016 squad and started for Les Bleus in the final in Paris – a game they lost to Portugal.

Subsequently a host of teams from across Europe have been aligned with the rangy midfielder, and reports claim that Real have highlighted the ex-Toulouse man as the player they will chase if the miss out on Pogba.

ESPN believe that the La Liga side have not yet given up on the 23-year-old, but with The Sun reporting that a £92m transfer to Man United has been agreed, it appears a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ in terms of the Juventus ace joining Jose Mourinho’s side.

Should Pogba move to Old Trafford, Real will launch a bid for Sissoko, who is, in terms of playing position and physicality, a like-for-like alternative.

Newcastle value their man at £35m, which is a huge sum considering their divisional status, but the Spaniards are hopeful a fee of closer to £30m will be enough.

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Inter Miami may be forced to sell players in the next week to fall in line with roster compliance ahead of the 2024 MLS season deadline.

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• Miami must sell players before Feb 20
• Should increase allocation money or shed salary
• Several players have been put on the market

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the Herons urgently need to secure more allocation money and/or reduce salary expenditures to ensure compliance with MLS roster regulations. Key players such as Gregore, Jean Mota, DeAndre Yedlin, Robert Taylor, and Sergii Kryvstov are reportedly available for transfer or trade, as Inter Miami aims to make the necessary outgoing moves to meet MLS roster requirements. Additionally, it is expected that the club will part ways with Coco Jean, potentially through a transfer, trade, or contract termination.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While MLS has not yet announced specific roster rules and regulations for the 2024 season, it is known that in 2023, the salary budget for the senior roster was a base of $5.21 million (£4m). Designated players (DPs) impact the salary cap differently, with a fixed maximum budget charge. Allocation money, including General Allocation Money (GAM) and Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), plays a crucial role in managing player contracts and salary expenditures.

  The exact amount of allocation money required by Inter Miami remains undisclosed, and it is uncertain how much the club has left from previous years or borrowed from the future.

  A senior-ranked official told The Athletic: "They are screwed. Trust me.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Inter Miami have made notable signings in the offseason, including legendary striker Luis Suarez, Julian Gressel, Nicolas Freire on loan from Pumas, and highly-rated Argentine youth international midfielder Federico Redondo. However, the club also made moves to generate allocation money, such as trading Kamal Miller to Portland and Chris McVey to D.C. United, and transferring Nicolas Stefanelli abroad.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Inter Miami may explore transferring players abroad, such as Gregore or Mota to the Brazilian league, who could potentially fetch significant fees to be converted into allocation money. As the season opener approaches against Real Salt Lake on February 21, Inter Miami's management faces a race against time to navigate the complexities of MLS roster regulations and ensure the team's compliance for a successful campaign. Needless to say, the club's strategic decisions in the coming days will have significant implications for the new season.

Everything you need to know about Manchester City's academy starlet Phil Foden.

Phil Foden is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Manchester City and the England national team. He was born on May 28, 2000, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England.

Foden joined the Manchester City youth academy at the age of eight and progressed through the ranks, impressing coaches with his technical skills and vision on the field. He made his first-team debut in November 2017, coming on as a late substitute in a Champions League game against Feyenoord.

Foden's breakthrough season came in 2019-20, when he made 38 appearances in all competitions and scored eight goals, helping Manchester City win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.

Foden has also represented England at various youth levels, winning the Under-17 World Cup in 2017 and the Under-19 European Championship in 2018. He made his senior debut for England in September 2020 and has since become a regular member of the England squad.

Here are 13 interesting facts about Foden that you absolutely need to know.

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  Creating waves at youth level

  Foden's talents were clear since his early youth days with England. He first made waves on the youth circuit during the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup. England were crowned champions and Foden was named the tournament's best player. The following year, he helped England win the Under-19 European Championship.

  His Golden Ball at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017 helped him gain some widespread coverage in the media.

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  Nicknamed Ronnie by his family

  Foden has multiple nicknames but has always been referred to as ‘Ronnie’ by his family. It was the nickname his nan suggested to avoid the confusion of sharing his dad’s name.

  Manchester City teammate Benjamin Mendy has referred to Foden as ‘The Baby Shark’ many times on social media.

• £2 million home at 18 years of age

  His breakout brought him stardom and wealth but the youngster has always prioritised his family. At the age of just 18, Foden bought a £2 million home for himself and his family because he was determined to keep his close-knit family together, the Daily Mail reported in October 2018.

  Foden moved his family from Edgeley in Stockport to Bramhall in south Manchester.

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  A Citizen since the age of four

  Foden joined the club at the age of four and signed his academy scholarship in July 2016. He progressed through the ranks at City and is now an important part of Pep Guardiola's side.

  "I was at primary school and I heard there was a City coach coming in to train the year six kids, I was several years below them, but they didn’t see any potential in that age group so they asked, ‘Have you got any other players that might interest us?’ Our PE teacher told them about me, and the coach brought me to train on my own outside. He said he liked me, gave me his card to give to my parents and asked them to give him a call. Ever since that day, I’ve been at City," said Foden on how he got picked up by City (via FourFourTwo)

Who did Tunisia boss Jalel Kadri pick for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?

Tunisia will be at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the second consecutive edition and they will be desperate to improve on their performance from 2018.

They were grouped alongside Belgium, England and Panama at the tournament in Russia and had to settle for third spot, losing their opening two matches before recording a win against Panama in their final game.

Now, they have another crack at the World Cup and this time they will be up against France, Australia and Denmark in Group D.

Here are the 26 players tasked with doing the business.

ALSO READ: World Cup 2022 Group D: Fixtures, results, standings, squads & full details

©Ayano MiuraGOALKEEPERS

Bechir Said may have more caps for the Tunisia national team, but Aymen Dahmen has been Tunisia's preferred option between the sticks most recently.

Name

Club

Aymen Dahmen

Sfaxien

Bechir Said

Monastir

Mouez Hassan

Club Africain

Balbouli

Etoile du Sahel

Advertisemental ahly twitterDEFENDERS

Montessar Talbi, Dylan Bronn and Bilel Ifa are getting on the plane to Qatar to face their Group D competitors.

Al Ahly defender Ali Maaloul should also feel optimistic about his chances as one of the most experienced options.

Name

Club

Bilel Ifa

Kuwait

Wajdi Kechrida

Atromitos

Montessar Talbi

Lorient

Ali Abdi

Caen

Nader Ghandri

Club Africain

Dylan Bronn

Salernitana

Yassine Meriah

Esperalace

Ali Maaloul

Al Ahly

Mohamed Drager

Luzern

GettyMIDFIELDERS

Aissa Laidouni, Ferjani Sassi and Ellyes Skhiri will be confident of securing a spot in the midfield.

Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri, who's currently on loan at Birmingham City, will also be hopeful, having impressed in previous appearances for the national team.

Name

Club

Ferjani Sassi

Al-Duhail

Hannibal Mejbri

Manchester United

Ellyes Skhiri

Koln

Ghailene Chaalali

ES Tunis

Anis Ben Slimane

Brondby

Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane

ES Tunis

Aissa Laidouni

Ferencvaros

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caf twitterATTACKERS

Skipper Youssef Msakni and Wahbi Khazri will be the first names on the list in attack, while Taha Khenissi and Saifeddine Jaziri are also a part of the final squad.

Name

Club

Youssef Msakni

Al-Arabi

Wahbi Khazri

Montpellier

Taha Khenissi

Kuwait

Saifeddine Jaziri

Zamalek

Issam Jebali

OB

Naim Sliti

Al-Ettifaq

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians realizou o primeiro treinamento após a volta da equipe dos Estados Unidos, onde disputou a Florida Cup, na manhã desta terça-feira (21), no CT Joaquim Grava. E com uma novidade no meio-campo: Richard deve ser o titular na vaga de Cantillo, que não foi registrado no BID (Boletim Informativo Diário) da CBF a tempo e está fora da estreia.

Na atividade, realizada debaixo de sol forte, o técnico Tiago Nunes realizou um treino em campo reduzido. Na primeira parte do treinamento, a equipe realizou uma espécie de ataque contra defesa, onde os atacantes realizavam finalizações em gols de tamanho normal, enquanto a defesa tinha que finalizar em mini gols.

A segunda parte do treinamento ficou marcada por uma mudança na equipe. Ao realizar jogadas ensaiadas de bola parada, o volante Richard foi colocado na vaga de Cantillo.

CO colombiano está fora da partida por não estar registrado no BID da CBF a tempo da primeira rodada do Paulistão. O prazo de inscrição para a estreia era válido somente até o dia 15 de janeiro.

Danilo Avelar, que nesta temporada estará na posição de zagueiro, fez somente a primeira parte do treinamento e depois foi para a parte interna do CT. Everaldo, que não participou da Florida Cup, realizou transição física.

Vale ressaltar que o elenco corintiano realiza mais uma atividade na tarde desta terça-feira, desta vez na Arena Corinthians, às 15h30.

De resto, a equipe deve ser a mesma que começou a partida contra o Atlético Nacional (COL): Cássio, Fagner, Pedro Henrique, Gil e Lucas Piton; Camacho, Richard e Luan; Ramiro, Janderson e Boselli. O Corinthians estreia nesta quinta-feira (23), contra o Botafogo-SP, na Arena, ás 21h30.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansAdaptação! Corinthians programa treinos na Arena nesta semanaCorinthians20/01/2020CorinthiansHoje no futebol árabe, Eltinho relembra passagem pelo TimãoCorinthians20/01/2020CorinthiansPré-temporada do Timão mostra nova função de Cássio na equipeCorinthians20/01/2020

MatériaMais Notícias

Falar de futebol brasileiro é falar de Romário. Longe dos gramados desde 2008, o eterno camisa 11 bateu um papo exclusivo com a LANCE! TV e falou sobre os projetos na política, a fase atual do futebol nacional e o desejo de retornar para a área esportiva. Entre os temas, duras críticas à CBF, elogios para Flamengo e Gabigol e sinal de alerta para os demais cariocas. Neste domingo, o L!trará mais do especial com o Baixinho.

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