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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

At just 22 years of age, there are presumably players of a similar age in football who would potentially be feeling pretty down on themselves if they were left on the bench for a huge international final, especially having started two games already.

However, this wasn’t the case for Richarlison in the Copa America final on Sunday.

The 5 foot 10 Everton star had been involved in Tite’s starting XI on two occasions before the final, but found himself sat on the bench as Roberto Firmino was preferred in the latter stages of the tournament.

Thogden challenged himself to DM 100 footballers on Instagram. Find out who replied in the video below…

Defying his years, the former Watford man showed real maturity to come off the bench against Peru in the final and show Tite why he should’ve started instead with an all-action cameo.

Richarlison’s display showed just how far he has come on as a professional. Let’s not forget that the 5 foot 10 forward cried after being substituted by Javi Gracia in Watford’s 4-1 win over Chelsea back in 2017/18, as he wanted to help the team seal the win – he was withdrawn with the Hornets leading 1-0.

For the urge to help his side win a league game to be so strong that he became tearful over it, imagine how that same player would’ve felt having been unable to contribute in a final for his country. That was the old Richarlison, however.

The new Richarlison calmly stepped off the bench for the last 15 minutes and got involved to good effect – he also became an Everton record holder in the process after becoming the first Toffees player to score in a major international final.

He won his side a free-kick, won an aerial duel, and also committed four fouls as Brazil looked to see the game out.

The former Fluminense striker also managed to get himself on the scoresheet with a confidently struck penalty, which saw him mobbed by his teammates as it all but sealed the win.

A laughing, joking Richarlison was seen after the final whistle, his emotions summed up by a bizarre moment in which he dedicated the win to his great-grandmother before forgetting her name (yes, really), and it is becoming strikingly evident that the Brazilian is becoming more mature on the football pitch.

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Liverpool fans have once again lauded goalkeeper Alisson Becker after he kept a clean sheet in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Argentina in the Copa America.

The stopper has now gone nine games without seeing his own net ripple, having kept out Barcelona, Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur, Honduras, Bolivia, Venezuela, Peru, Paraguay and Argentina in succession.

Indeed, Alisson kept a clean sheet as Spurs were beaten in the Champions League final and he will be out to add even more silverware this summer, with Brazil set to face Peru in the Copa America final.

The former Roma stopper has been ever-present since joining the club from the Serie A outfit, making 51 appearances in all competitions last season.

He conceded just 22 goals in the Premier League and kept 21 clean sheets.

And fans are in awe of the stopper after his latest exceptional performance.

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Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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Crystal Palace fans on Twitter have been reacting to a rumour connecting their club to West Bromwich Albion striker Jay Rodriguez.

A fan account posted speculation that came from a report from The Burnley Express stating that the Eagles had been put on alert by the availability of the former England international.

If the deal is done before the middle of July, the 29-year-old can be signed for just £5m plus £5m adds-ons according to a clause inserted in his contract when the Baggies were relegated to the Championship in 2017/2018.

Are Crystal Palace right to slap a £100m valuation on Wilfried Zaha’s head? Check out the video below to see why they are…

Rodriguez lit up the second tier last season with 22 goals and six assists, however his highly commendable efforts were not enough to earn the club promotion.

Despite his heroics in 2018/2019 and Premier League pedigree, Palace supporters were split on the idea of the centre-forward arriving at Selhurst Park.

Check out the best of their reactive Tweets, below…

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Leeds United were dumped out of the play-offs by Derby County on Wednesday night in a pulsating evening of football at Elland Road.

The result was tough to take for the Whites faithful as the curtain was drawn on the season in a dramatic fashion befitting of Marcelo Bielsa’s maiden campaign.

Supporters, journalists and pundits will now seek to dissect what has been a notable downturn in form in recent months both collectively and individually.

Pablo Hernandez, in particular, has seen his influence diminish and that in turn has had a knock on effect on the quality of Leeds’ attacking endeavours.

Another abject performance from the Spaniard was vehemently criticised on Twitter last night, with supporters claiming that his best form has been absent for a considerable length of time.

Perhaps his failure to summon his creative best form can be explained by the club’s reliance on the 34-year-old veteran. One cannot help but wonder if he has fallen victim to the gruelling nature of the Championship season at just the wrong time.

Supporters rather unanimously claimed that he was missing throughout proceedings and one disgruntled fan even suggested that he should be released this summer, despite the fact his contract isn’t due to expire until June 2020.

Here’s what the Leeds fans had to say about Hernandez last night…

Atletico Madrid defensive midfielder Thomas Partey has refused to rule out a move away from the Spanish capital with Arsenal said to be keen, according to Goal.

What’s the word?

After initially joining Atletico’s youth system in 2012, Thomas excelled on loan at Real Mallorca and Almeria before returning to Madrid in 2015.

The 2017/2018 season saw Thomas break into Diego Simeone’s side before he made 32 La Liga appearances this season as a crucial component of the La Liga runners-up.

With a €50m (£44m) minimum release clause, Atletico will be powerless to stop the midfielder’s departure as numerous sides circle.

Get it done

There are many reasons why Arsenal might not back up their interest in Thomas with a concrete offer.

With a projected budget of just £40m, should the Gunners miss out on Champions League football, Thomas might be seen as a superfluous expenditure, especially considering the presence of Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka, and Matteo Guendouzi already in his position.

However, Arsenal should ignore these reasons and do everything in their power to bring in the influential Atletico number five.

Since the departure of Patrick Vieira, Arsenal have struggled to assert themselves in midfield battles and despite the signing of Torreira last summer, that trend didn’t noticeably change as the Gunners were torn asunder by counter-attacking sides late in the season.

Xhaka and Guendouzi are both talented players, with the latter especially having room for improvement, but neither is likely to reach the heights of Thomas or offer the same array of skills.

Guendouzi lacks the discipline of an elite center-midfielder while also missing the ability to drive past opposition players. Xhaka is a terrific passer of the ball, but also lacks discipline and tends to go missing for large periods of time.

Thomas is an ultimate all-action midfielder. He can tackle, dribble, and shoot, and is known for his discipline and concentration, no doubt aided by his Simeone education.

The 25-year old is still relatively young and inexperienced in football terms, but he has already displayed elite talent flashes and the drive to improve.

With a base of Torreira and Thomas, Arsenal could finally control the midfield, allowing the Gunners attacking players including Mesut Ozil, the freedom to excel. For £44m in the current market, Thomas is a worthwhile risk as someone who could genuinely help establish Arsenal as a dominant force in English football again.

Oh dear Liverpool: when Divock Origi is your backup for the Champions League you know it is time to invest.

Look away now Liverpool fans: Roberto Firmino is a doubt for the Champions League clash against Barcelona after suffering a small muscle tear in training last week.

The Belgium forward has been tipped to step in if Roberto Firmino misses Liverpool’s huge trip to Camp Nou to face Barcelona on Wednesday.

The Brazilian was rested during last week’s 5-0 battering of Huddersfield Town after suffering what manager Jurgen Klopp called a “small muscle tear”.

Understandably the Liverpool boss is hopeful that the star forward will be available to play in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final in Catalonia, for what might be their best shot at European glory, despite reaching the final last year.

In the disastrous case of Firmino’s absence though, Origi has been nominated as the man to replace him, according to Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson.

“No Roberto Firmino would be a massive miss for Liverpool , he is the common denominator in the front three,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

“He just dovetails brilliantly with the other two [Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah] and he’s such a clever player, too.

“…Origi gives Liverpool something different to what Firmino does. He has great pace does Divock and can play alongside that frontline. He can even drift off to the left if he’s asked too and we’ve seen that this season.

“I wouldn’t say missing Firmino ‘weakens’ Liverpool as Origi just offers something a bit different, but I’d like them to go to Barcelona with Roberto Firmino in the squad.”

Unfortunately, we would have to disagree with this hopeful statement. Missing Firmino seriously weakens the Liverpool attacking line-up, and it brings to light just how necessary it is for Klopp to invest in the summer to bring in a suitable replacement. Someone, maybe, more like-minded and with similar qualities as the Brazilian. Someone that isn’t Divock Origi.

It is not that Origi is a necessarily bad player. He is not particularly good, no – but he does a job off the bench. However, when you are asking him to start in a Champions League semi-final then you are setting yourself up for a fall.

Liverpool fans, do you think you need to sign a new striker in the summer? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

أجرى عمرو الجنايني رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم اتصالًا هاتفيًا مع أحمد أحمد رئيس الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”.

واطمأن الجنايني على حالة رئيس كاف الصحية عقب إصابته بفيروس كورونا في ظل تواجده حاليا بالقاهرة وتلقيه العلاج بأحد المستشفيات المصرية.

وكان أحمد أحمد قد أعلن إصابته بفيروس كورونا ودخوله الحجر الصحي وتلقيه العلاج.

وأكد الجنايني أن أحمد أحمد يتمتع بروح معنوية عالية وبحالة صحية مطمئنة.

يذكر أن أحمد أحمد، رئيس الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم أعلن ترشحة لفترة جديدة في رئاسة الكاف.

The EFL Checkatrade Trophy final might not be on the same level as an FA Cup or Champion’s League Final, but it is a big occasion nonetheless, especially to the 40,000 or so fans that are descending on the Capital this weekend.

Regardless of the name of the competition, playing in front of a 80,000-plus crowd, with half of them your own supporters, brings an added pressure to perform.

Sunderland’s level-headed boss, Jack Ross, insists that he is not worried him that his players will “handle the occasion”, and they have “shown they are mentally tough” already.

Speaking to the Chronicle Live, Ross said: “There will be those that you know can deal with that either through what you see everyday or what they have already achieved in their career,” he said.

“And others who believe they will handle it but you won’t know until they are out there.

“This group has shown they are mentally tough and have dealt with big crowds and challenges.

“It has never concerned me, their ability to handle the occasion.

“The squad is desperate to be involved, there is extra intensity in training.”

Undoubtedly this is a massive game for the players and fans, and of course they want to win. But promotion must be the Black Cats’ priority this season.

With back to back away games at Accrington and Rochdale in the six days following Sunday’s final, it is arguable that these two are the bigger games for Ross’s side.

It will be interesting to see if the manager makes a huge call to leave a couple of his key players on the bench at Wembley, or if he goes all out to win, and risk injury to any of them.

There may be 40,000 fans travelling down the A1 and M1 this weekend, but surely not many of them would take a win on Sunday over promotion back to the Championship.

Portsmouth, of course, are in a very similar predicament, and it could be that the two sides could face each other at Wembley again in a few weeks, in what would be a much more important tie.

What are your thoughts about the EFL Trophy Final, Sunderland fans? Would you rest players for the league games ahead? Let us know your thoughts…

كشف مصدر بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، النقاب عن قرارات جديد اتخذتها اللجنة الخماسية المكلفة بإدارة الجبلاية.

وأوضح المصدر لـ”بطولات” أنه تقرر عدم السماح لأي ناد بالدوري بقيد لاعبين جُدد إلا بعد تسوية مستحقات اتحاد الكرة.

وتتحمل الأندية الـ١٨ بالدوري مديونات لاتحاد الكرة من نسبة البث التلفزيوني.

طالع أيضًا | الانضباط تغرم أمير مرتضى 50 ألف وتستدعي ممثلي الأهلي والزمالك للتحقيق

كما أن جميع أندية الدوري مديونة بأجور الحكام التي يسددها اتحاد الكرة نيابة عن الأندية ثم يتم تسويتها معهم ماليًا.

وشدد المصدر على أن الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز وجميع أندية الدوري والكأس ممنوعين من القيد لحين تسوية ديون الاتحاد.

وكان اتحاد الكرة قد أعلن عن لائحة القيد الصيفي لهذا الموسم وفتح الباب منذ العاشر من الشهر الجاري، والمنتظر أن يستمر حتى الرابع من نوفمبر باستثناء الأندية المشاركة في بطولتي إفريقيا.

Manchester United are the targets of a £4.2bn takeover bid by a Saudi Prince The Sun have reported and, if the move goes through, it would mean a lot more than just a cash injection.

United fans have been protesting against their owners’ influence since the Glazers’ takeover in 2005, but it’s only been since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure that their presence has affected on-pitch performance. That turning point was the promotion of Ed Woodward from the business side of the club to the football side.

When David Gill retired at the time Ferguson did in 2013, the Glazers repaid a favour to Woodward, one of their most loyal businessmen. He helped the Glazers take control of arguably the biggest football club in the world, and the maths and share statistics involved in the move are complicated, and that’s why Woodward was so appreciated for the job he did.

The issue now is that Woodward is involved in a world he’s not used to – one not related to stocks and share prices, but the everyday running of Manchester United. He’s had some successes in the transfer market such as the acquisition of Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but these have been more successful commercially than on the field.

His outright refusal of Jose Mourinho’s defensive wishlist in the summer reeked of arrogance on the businessman’s part because it made it look like he thought he knew what United needed more than one of the world’s most successful managers. Indeed, he seems to know if United need a new toilet roll partner but doesn’t have a clue about how United can become successful again on the pitch.

Despite his clear failings since taking the position, it seems the Glazers will never sack him from his position because of the favour they have towards him. When personal appreciation is put before the needs of the club, there is clearly an issue, and the only way to solve it would be for the owners to leave the club.

If Saudi prince Mohammad Bin Salman was to take over at the club, Woodward would be out of the door and a director of football implemented immediately. There’s already talk of the role being created in the summer, but if Woodward remains at Old Trafford, he’s certain to be sticking his nose in the new man’s business.

A takeover wouldn’t just mean cash injections from a filthy rich prince, but it would mean a hierarchical refresh that has been required since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Do you think a takeover would alter United’s fortunes?