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Casemiro Boosts Manchester United: Returns to Training for Bayern Clash

11 December 2023 by Cric Habit

The midfielder for Manchester United, Casemiro, has resumed training in advance of Tuesday’s Champions League match at Old Trafford against Bayern Munich.

Ever since he was substituted during an EFL Cup match against Newcastle United on November 1, Casemiro has not participated in a competitive match.

The Brazilian was returning from an ankle injury sustained during the October international break when he was forced off the field at halftime of the cup loss because of a hamstring problem.

The former Real Madrid player has missed the last eight games for Manchester United, including the depressing 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.

The Brazil international’s expected return date for Man United is the new year, according to a statement made by manager Erik ten Hag earlier.

However, after being posted on the club’s social media pages during a training session, Casemiro seems to be making good recovery progress.

Man United said that Casemiro has increased the intensity of his rehabilitation sessions by using the Carrington training complex’s grass surface.

After Saturday’s defeat by the Cherries, the Brazil international worked on his own plan while the rest of his colleagues engaged in a rehabilitation session.

Although Casemiro’s return to the training field will be encouraging, it doesn’t seem likely that he will be ready for Tuesday’s pivotal Champions League match.

Before the last round of games, the Red Devils are now at the bottom of the group, having only managed four points from their five games played in Europe.

Ten Hag’s team needs to win all three points and hope that the other match in the group ends in a draw in order to advance to the Champions League round of 16. They are only one point behind Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

Ten Hag won’t be able to use Christian Eriksen, Amad Diallo, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, or Victor Lindelof, and Mason Mount’s availability is uncertain.

In addition to Man United’s injury issues, Serge Gnabry will not be playing for Bayern because he was substituted during Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

FFP Threat: Newcastle United’s Bid for Kalvin Phillips Hangs in the Balance

11 December 2023 by Cric Habit

Financial Fair Play restrictions may make it difficult for Newcastle United to recruit Kalvin Phillips, a midfielder for Manchester City.

Following his summer 2022 transfer from Leeds United, Phillips has found it difficult to make a name for himself in the Man City lineup.

The England international’s debut season with the Premier League winners saw just four stars out of 21 competitive outings.

Even though Phillips has been with the team for the first half of the 2023–24 season, he has only started one competitive game during that time and has struggled to get playing time.

Although Pep Guardiola recently expressed regret to Phillips for leaving him off the team, he stated he finds it difficult to include him in his lineup.

Phillips is now expected to depart the team in January in an effort to get regular playing time before Euro 2024 takes place the following summer, as he was not included in Guardiola’s plans.

In an attempt to bolster a thin midfield, Newcastle is rumoured to be one of the teams investigating a possible transfer.

While Joe Willock and Elliot Anderson are sidelined, Sandro Tonali is serving a 10-month penalty for breaking betting regulations.

Although The Mirror reports that Phillips may have admirers in Newcastle, funding a loan deal may prove to be challenging.

Man City is eager for any prospective buyer to foot the bill for a loan charge over £5 million in addition to a sizable chunk of Phillips’ weekly wage of £135,000.

According to the article, Financial Fair Play rules may make it tough for the Magpies to satisfy Man City’s demands.

Because Eddie Howe wants to keep his options open for the summer transfer window, Newcastle is likewise hesitant to consent to a buy clause in the planned loan deal.

Juventus, an Italian powerhouse, has expressed interest in Phillips, a midfield player, but like the Magpies, they are unwilling to cover the majority of his salary.

Local rivals of Man City, Manchester United, have apparently made the Englishman a major target for January, and Phillips has also been linked to them.

Inter Milan vs. Real Sociedad Match Predictions, Fantasy Football Tips, Line-ups and Team News

10 December 202310 December 2023 by Cric Habit

Tuesday night’s Champions League matchup between Inter Milan and Real Sociedad at San Siro is a straight-up battle for first place in Group D.

After a 1-1 draw in their September rematch, the two clubs have advanced to the round of 16 without suffering a setback and will be determined to end their group stage campaign on a high note.

In Serie A’s Saturday night kickoff, inter easily defeated Udinese 4-0 to reclaim top spot in Italy, their 15th wins of the season coming after a 3-0 loss to reigning champions Napoli the previous week.

Federico Dimarco, Marcus Thuram, and Hakan Calhanoglu—who had earlier scored an incredible goal against the Scudetto holders—all scored in the first half, and late in the game, captain Lautaro Martinez scored his 14th league goal of the year.

With just one loss so far this season—a shocking defeat to Sassuolo in September—the Nerazzurri are tied for first place with longtime rivals Juventus. With a two-point lead through 15 games, most experts believe they will win the championship.

After a thrilling 3–3 tie with Benfica in their most recent European match, Simone Inzaghi’s team has already advanced to the Champions League knockout stages, sitting with 11 points in Group D with Tuesday’s visitors.

Even though Inzaghi’s drastically altered squad was only able to tie the game in the end thanks to goals from Davide Frattesi, Alexis Sanchez, and Marko Arnautovic after falling behind by three goals, they have only lost once in their previous 12 games in UEFA’s premier club competition, that being against Manchester City in the previous year’s championship.

They now wrap off their fruitful group stage campaign in Milan, where they have won six of their previous seven home matches in the Champions League, including both of this season’s games.

By the way, Inter last won all three group games at home against reigning champions Real Sociedad in 2010. This week, they may match that record by defeating Real Sociedad, whom they will host for the first time since a UEFA Cup tie around 44 years ago.

In contrast, La Real’s goal differential is greater than Inter’s after five games, meaning they only need one point from their final encounter to take first place in Group D and, with it, a favourable draw in the round of 16.

The San Sebastian team had already won both of their away Champions League matches this season, as many as they had in the previous 12 games, of which they had lost no fewer than nine. However, they were held to a goalless draw by RB Salzburg last month.

After a rocky start to the season, head coach Imanol Alguacil has received praise for his team’s remarkable recent success, which has placed them inside La Liga’s top six.

Last Wednesday, the Basque club participated in the Copa del Rey. They defeated Andratx 1-0 to guarantee their place in the third round. Later, they defeated Villarreal 3-0 in the league; goals from Take Kubo, Martin Zubimendi, and Mikel Merino essentially sealed the victory in the first half at El Madrigal.

Real Sociedad went into their trip to Italy with just one win from their first six games this season. Since then, they have won 12 of their past 17 games and are currently seven games undefeated.

The majority of La Real’s match versus Inter in September at the Anoeta saw Brais Mendez’s early goal cancelled out by a late Lautaro Martinez equaliser: If they achieved the same outcome midweek, Imanol’s men would win the group.

Inter Milan Champions League form:

D W W W D

Inter Milan form (all competitions):

W W D D W W

Real Sociedad Champions League form:

D W W W D

Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

W W D D W W

With qualification already assured and a demanding journey to play old team Lazio on Sunday, Simone Inzaghi might alter his starting lineup slightly against Real Sociedad.

When Inter played Benfica last month, the team was essentially unrecognisable. Emil Audero took the starting goalie position, Emil Sommer, who had preserved 10 clean sheets in 15 league games since joining the team in the summer, and first-choice forwards Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez were rested.

Although the latter has contributed to the greatest percentage of the Nerazzurri’s Champions League shots this season (29%), Marko Arnautovic and Alexis Sanchez might be used once more.

Given the recent injuries to Stefan de Vrij, Denzel Dumfries, and Benjamin Pavard, Inzaghi will most likely shift his defence-related resources.

Important defender Robin Le Normand, a Spain international, will help Real Sociedad at San Siro after serving a domestic suspension over the weekend. Although Ander Barrenetxea and Mohamed Ali-Cho are still out, Mikel Oyarzabal ought to be ready as well.

Andre Silva may play up front, thus Imanol Alguacil may be tempted to rotate his lineup on Tuesday. However, the visitors should still use both of their key midfield players.

Brais Mendez has scored on both of his European road trips this season; no Spaniard has ever scored in his first three Champions League away appearances. Mikel Merino has won more duels (51) and aerial duels (28) than any other player in the Champions League. Merino also assisted and scored in the 3-1 victory over Benfica.

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Audero; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Cuadrado, Frattesi, Asllani, Sensi, Augusto; Sanchez, Arnautovic

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Odriozola, Zubeldia, Pacheco, Tierney; Mendez, Zubimendi, Merino; Kubo, Silva, Oyarzabal

Our Prediction 2-1 or 3-2 win by Inter Milan

Champions League: Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich Match Predictions, Fantasy Football Tips, Lineups and Team News

10 December 202310 December 2023 by Cric Habit

Champions League: Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich Match Prediction, Fantasy Football Tips, Lineups and Team News

In their last Group A match on Tuesday, Manchester United hosted Bayern Munich, who have already qualified for the Champions League, at Old Trafford with just ninety minutes remaining to preserve their Champions League status.

Over the weekend, both teams were humiliated at home by Bournemouth in the Premier League, where the Red Devils lost 3-0, while Thomas Tuchel’s team unexpectedly lost 5-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

Worst hosts first in an exciting Champions League match on Tuesday. Man United needs a specific sequence of events to happen in order to slip into second place behind Bayern, who have already been officially declared the group champions.

Champions League: Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich Match Predictions, Fantasy Football Tips, Lineups and Team News

This season’s European Cup has been filled with high-scoring matches for the unstoppable Red Devils, and their journey to Galatasaray on November 29 was no exception.

However, Erik ten Hag’s team suffered a catastrophic collapse, letting go of leads of 2-0 and 3-1 to draw 3-3 with the Turkish powerhouse.

When Kerem Akturkoglu’s thunderbolt rocketed into the goal, Man United found themselves bottom of their division with four points, and they knew that a win on Tuesday would be necessary to extend their journey in Europe’s top tournament. A familiar sensation of doom and gloom descended.

In order to avoid a demotion to the Europa League or elimination from continental football, which would further sour the festive mood, the Red Devils would need Copenhagen and Galatasaray—both of whom are one point better off—to play out a stalemate in their match.

While Man United was temporarily living in a winter wonderland against Chelsea, Bournemouth was living the dream at the Theatre of Dreams this past weekend.

They humiliated Ten Hag’s team 3-0 in the Premier League, forcing the Dutchman to publicly acknowledge that his team was “not good enough” to compete regularly at the highest level.

When it comes to recent home embarrassments, Ten Hag and his opposite number Thomas Tuchel can at least relate to one another. The German champions lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday in bizarre circumstances, marking their first Bundesliga loss of the season.

Joshua Kimmich’s magnificent finish offered little comfort to the Bavarians, who had already conceded three goals before the Germany international curled home from the area’s edge, and Manuel Neuer’s goal was breached twice more in a crushing defeat at Commerzbank Arena.

After being held to a lacklustre goalless draw by Copenhagen in Group A, Bayern’s 5-1 thumping was their first match since.

However, with 12 points from their first four games in the section, this week’s visitors to Old Trafford are merely trying to instil a much-needed sense of pride in Manchester.

History indicates that an instant boost may be in store. Bayern is looking to make it 20 games without losing in the Champions League group stage away from home this week.

Of those eight games, eight ended in victory, marking all-time highs in Europe’s top competition.

The only victory Bayern has had against the Red Devils in their previous nine meetings was a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford in April2010. However, an unfortunate 13 years later, Bayern’s victory over Man United (4–3) at the Allianz Arena in September also made it back-to-back victories against the Red Devils.

Manchester United Champions League form:

L L W L D

Manchester United form (all competitions):

W W D L W L

Bayern Munich Champions League form:

W W W W D

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):

W W W W D L

The majority of Man United’s injured players won’t be playing anytime soon. Despite Amad Diallo’s recent return to full training, Lisandro Martinez (foot), Casemiro (thigh), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Christian Eriksen (knee), and Tyrell Malacia (thigh) are all expected to miss this match.

Prior to Bayern’s arrival, Mason Mount (calf) and Victor Lindelof (knock) will both require one-overs. Jadon Sancho’s exclusion from the team is unlikely to end anytime soon, although Marcus Rashford, who has started the month on the bench, is returning from a European ban.

After such a dismal performance over the weekend, Ten Hag should consider a few changes, and Rashford might be called upon. Rasmus Hojlund, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Kobbie Mainoo, and possibly Raphael Varane could all benefit from some much-needed rotation.

Regarding Bayern, their Bundesliga thrashing at Frankfurt was particularly unpleasant for Serge Gnabry, who was substituted in and out of the game after just five minutes due to a “major strain” that will keep him out for some time.

With Matthijs de Ligt (knee), Bouna Sarr (knee), Gabriel Marusic (knee), and Tarek Buchmann (hamstring) out due to injury, Gnabry will be out. However, Man United supporters can’t relax too much, as the former Arsenal winger’s injury allows Jamal Musiala to rejoin the starting lineup.

Amidst rumours of a surprise move to Manchester United in 2024, Thomas Muller might also make an appearance for Tuchel’s team at Old Trafford. With first place already certain, Tuchel’s team is likely to make some adjustments.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Varane, Shaw; McTominay, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Goretzka, Kimmich; Musiala, Muller, Sane; Kane

Our Predict for this Match 3-1 win or 3-0 win by Bayern Munich

Erik ten Hag Take on Jadon Sancho’s Return Decision

10 December 20239 December 2023 by Cric Habit

Jadon Sancho “knows what he has to do” to get back into the first squad at Old Trafford, according to Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag.

Due to a falling out with Ten Hag over being left out against Arsenal at the beginning of September, the 23-year-old has not played for the Red Devils since the end of August.

Ten Hag claimed that Sancho’s lack of playing time was because of his subpar training performances, but the England international called his boss a liar by insisting that was not the case.

Sancho has completely disappeared from the first team roster, and it is generally anticipated that he will depart the squad in the January transfer window, with Juventus said to be the front-runners to sign him.

Sancho, nevertheless, is reportedly adamant that he wants to go back to Borussia Dortmund; the two teams are rumoured to have met on Friday to discuss a potential transfer.

During his press conference to promote Saturday’s Premier League matchup with Bournemouth, Ten Hag was questioned about the Englishman.

Regarding a potential comeback, the Dutchman stated that the player has the responsibility; Sancho is purportedly required to apologise to his manager prior to being allowed to rejoin the team.

“He is aware of his obligations. That’s his decision,” Ten Hag informed the press.

“So, it was about that. It’s about culture, and each participant had to meet specific requirements. Thus, he is aware of what needs to be done in order for him to go back. Thus, the choice is his.”

When asked later if Sancho was receiving full compensation at Old Trafford, Ten Hag said, “I think that is an internal matter,” indicating that he was not ready to go into specifics.

The former Manchester City young player is expected to have played his last game for the team as he will be absent against Bournemouth on Saturday.

After joining Man United from Dortmund in the summer of 2021, Sancho has struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford, totaling just 12 goals and 6 assists in 82 games.

The forward made three appearances off the bench for his team in the 2023–24 campaign, with his final game coming at the end of August against Nottingham Forest.

Although Sancho has been linked to Barcelona as well, it’s currently thought that Dortmund and Juventus are the front-runners to sign him in the winter transfer window.

Serie A: Empoli vs. Lecce Match Predictions, Fantasy Football Tips, Team Updates and Lineup

10 December 20239 December 2023 by Cric Habit

When Empoli hosts Lecce at Stadio Carlo Castellani on Monday, they will be looking to avoid finishing in the bottom three at the end of Serie A round 15.

The team in 17th place has only gained one point from its past two games, but their opponents have not fared any better, having won two of their last eight games.

While Empoli is in free decline, their situation has been made easier by the miserable performances of teams surrounding them, which have kept them out of the bottom three spots in the league.

Even though the Azzurri have only won three games this season, they are still in danger of dropping out because Aurelio Andreazzoli took Paolo Zanetti’s seat at the team in September.

Though Empoli has won stunning victories against Fiorentina and struggling Napoli, they have not performed at the same level against other teams, as evidenced by their shocking 2-1 loss to Frosinone and 4-3 loss to Sassuolo.

The 1-1 draw with Genoa last Saturday was encouraging because Andreazzoli’s team overcame a first-half goal by Ruslan Malinovskyi to tie the score through Matteo Cancellieri.

Even though Empoli only received a point, it was a respectable result, and they need to improve if they want to move up the standings.

With Lecce playing out two draws in 270 minutes of action, it is unclear if Andreazzoli’s team can defeat them on Monday.

Roberto D’Aversa’s team has scored goals in each of their three matches against Milan, Hellas Verona, and Bologna, but those have not been routine encounters.

They battled back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2, but a late winning goal was disallowed due to a VAR intervention. It was unfortunate that they were unable to upset Stefan Pioli’s Rossoneri before the international break in November.

The Puglia-based team might believe they deserve a victory because they haven’t added to their three wins since overcoming Genoa 1-0 in September.

After that game, Lecce had gone five games without a loss (three victories); however, their September 26 loss to Juventus had sparked an unwelcome run of ten games without a victory (nine in Serie A), a trend they are eager to break at the Castellani.

Empoli Serie A form:

W L L W L D

Lecce Serie A form:

D L L D D D

Lecce form (all competitions):

L L L D D D

Giuseppe Pezzella’s back injury puts out the defender on Monday, and Tommaso Baldanzi’s ankle ailment keeps him out of action this weekend.

Usually an unutilized replacement, Gabriele Guarino, an Italy U20 World Cup defender, has been a member of the Empoli squad; nevertheless, his injury prevents him from playing for the first team.

Regarding Lecce, Mohamed Kaba is questionable for the match on Monday, and Jeppe Corfitzen is not anticipated to play due to a shoulder ailment.

In their last three ties, the opposition has had five different goal scorers, indicating that D’Aversa team can score from wherever on the field.

Empoli possible starting lineup:

Berisha; Bereszynski, Ismajli, Luperto, Cacace; Fazzini, Ranocchia, Maleh; Cancellieri, Caputo, Cambiaghi

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Gendrey, Pongracic, Baschiroto, Dorgu; Gonzalez, Ramadani; Strefezza, Oudin, Banda; Krstovic

Our prediction 0-0 draw or 1-1 draw

Tottenham vs. Newcastle Match Predictions, Fantasy Football Tips, Lineups, Team News

10 December 20238 December 2023 by Cric Habit

In their Premier League match on Sunday in North London, Champions League outsiders Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United will both be looking to make up for their blunders from midweek.

On Thursday night, the Lilywhites created unwelcome Premier League history when they lost 2-1 at home to West Ham United, while Everton, who are fighting for relegation, shocked their guests 3-0.

How quickly things can change in Premier League football – Ange Postecoglou’s fall from grace saw him set two unwanted competition records during Thursday’s London derby versus West Ham, despite having taken more points than any previous manager in his first 10 games.

Tottenham’s quick start would be rewarded with a looping header from Cristian Romero, but Jarrod Bowen would equalise the score in the second half after two unfortunate ricochets.

Then, Destiny Udogie would be held accountable for a poor back pass to Guglielmo Vicario, which would have allowed James Ward-Prowse to finish the comeback at the second attempt.

Not only have fifth-place Tottenham failed to close the gap on the Champions League spots, but they have also lost three straight home games after breaking the deadlock and are now the only team in Premier League history to go ahead 1-0 in five straight games without winning any of them.

Postecoglou bluntly dismissed the notion that his team is playing “good football” after they were penalised for failing to finish the game against West Ham.

Since the beginning of November, the Lilywhites’ only noteworthy result has been a draw against Manchester City. As a result, they are currently nine points behind Arsenal at the top of the competition.

The loss on Thursday was also the first for Tottenham to lose three straight Premier League home games since September 2008.

Spurs supporters have to go all the way back to November 2004 to find the last time their team lost four straight games at White Hart Lane in the top flight. However, Newcastle has their own mistakes to make this weekend.

When it comes to injury crises, Magpies manager Eddie Howe can relate to Postecoglou’s suffering.

However, in recent weeks, Newcastle has defeated Chelsea and Manchester United in addition to an unfair draw with Paris Saint-Germain, and the club has frequently emerged from games with a positive attitude.

But in the end, the loss of starting goalkeeper Nick Pope proved to be the final straw for the Magpies against Everton, who defeated Howe’s team on Thursday with three goals from Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure, and Beto starting in the 79th minute.

With the exception of their 8-0 demolition of Sheffield United, Newcastle has found it extremely difficult to pick up points away from home in the top division.

They have only seized two of the last 12 opportunities to do so, losing back-to-back games to Bournemouth and now Everton.

Despite their recent poor performance on the road, the seventh-placed visitors are still very much in the running for the continental title.

If they can subject the Lilywhites to a fourth straight home loss, they would surpass Tottenham.

In fact, the only clean sheet Newcastle has kept in their previous 16 away top-flight games has come against Sheffield United.

However, the Magpies defeated Tottenham in the 2022–2023 campaign, including that memorable 6–1 thumping at St. James’ Park that took place during Cristian Stellini’s dreadful tenure.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

W L L L D L

Newcastle United Premier League form:

D W L W W L

Newcastle United form (all competitions):

L L W D W L

Son Heung-min appeared to be in discomfort in the dying stages of Tottenham’s match against West Ham, adding more anguish to the team’s already terrible situation.

Although Postecoglou was unable to provide an update, the Spurs captain downplayed the seriousness of his problem.

Although Postecoglou has refused to use his team’s injury crisis as an excuse for their poor form, none of the injured players—Ivan Perisic (knee), Manor Solomon (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), James Maddison (ankle), Micky van de Ven (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (ankle), Ashley Phillips (ankle), Eric Dier (groin), or Alfie Whiteman (ankle)—will soon return. Son, however, is expected to be fit.

Pape Sarr, who is now in line to replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after recovering from a knock, was one player the Lilywhites welcomed back from the infirmary for the match against West Ham.

Additionally, Richarlison may pose a threat to Brennan Johnson’s starting spot in the starting lineup.

Since it became known that Pope would need surgery for the dislocated shoulder he suffered against Manchester United, there have been a lot of rumours floating around about a possible goalkeeper coming for Newcastle in January. Martin Dubravka will continue to fill in for Pope for the time being.

The visitors still have double figures of absentees for their trip south, even if Howe does not think his captain is dealing with anything more serious than a dead leg. Jamaal Lascelles was unable to finish the entire ninety at Goodison Park.

In addition to Sandro Tonali’s permanent suspension, the following players are still sidelined: Sven Botman (knee), Callum Wilson (thigh), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Dan Burn (back), Elliot Anderson (back), Joe Willock (calf), Sean Longstaff (ankle), Harvey Barnes (toe), Matt Targett (thigh), and Javi Manquillo (groin).

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma; Kulusevski, Lo Celso, Richarlison; Son

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Dubravka; Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Livramento; Joelinton, Guimaraes, Miley; Almiron, Isak, Gordon

Our Prediction for this match 3-1 won by Tottenham or 2-0 won by Tottenham

Son Heung-min Calm Amid Tottenham Injury Speculation

8 December 2023 by Cric Habit

Son Heung-min, a forward for Tottenham Hotspur, appears to be optimistic that he did not sustain a serious injury on Thursday night against West Ham United.

Under Ange Postecoglou, the 31-year-old has been a constant in the starting lineup for Premier League games, making 15 appearances and dishing out two assists and nine goals.

The South Korea international, though, has only scored once in his previous five outings and failed to score in a 2-1 loss to the Hammers.

At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse goals allowed West Ham to overcome a lead held by Spurs thanks to headers from Cristian Romero.

Postecoglou would have needed to rely on Son sparking a comeback in the last minutes, but his star player had to be substituted in the 87th.

Son looked to be in discomfort when he sat down on the substitutes’ bench while receiving treatment from the team’s medical personnel.

Son has nevertheless provided two updates on his health. The first was delivered to the Spurs media team, when he said, “We’ll see. I had a big kick on my back, at the back of the bone. We’ll see what transpires because I haven’t had time to evaluate it.

Later, Son tried to soothe Spurs supporters by declaring, “No, I’m okay,” in an interview with The Express. I’m doing fine. See you later.”

Spurs’ next Premier League match is against Newcastle United on Sunday night; that’s just a three-day turnaround.

Postecoglou will be anxious for Son to be available as Spurs prepare for what might be a season-defining game, given they have now lost five straight games.

Spurs are currently nine points behind leaders Arsenal and only three points ahead of West Ham in ninth position in the Premier League, despite having formerly led the standings.

Additionally, their advantage over their upcoming opponents is just one point; they were defeated 3-0 at Everton on Thursday night.

Spurs and Newcastle might start Sunday in seventh and eighth place, respectively, because Brighton & Hove Albion played Burnley the day before and Manchester United hosted Bournemouth.

Predicted Manchester City XI vs Luton Town: Starting Lineup Insights

8 December 2023 by Cric Habit

When Manchester City and Luton Town play in the Premier League on Sunday at Kenilworth Road, head coach Pep Guardiola will be pleased to see two important players return from suspension.

Midweek saw the Citizens fall to Aston Villa 1-0 without Rodri or Jack Grealish, who were both serving one-game bans for accumulation of yellow cards.

The two can now travel back south, while Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) will undoubtedly miss the game, and Jeremy Doku’s knock will also need to be evaluated in the next few days.

Ederson, Kyle Walker, and Ruben Dias should all play the same roles in Guardiola’s backline this weekend; however, the Catalan coach might consider replacing Josko Gvardiol with Nathan Ake.

Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes are the visitors’ wildcard midfield possibilities off the bench, but a recall for Rodri and John Stones would also force Manuel Akanji to take a bench position.

If Doku can recover quickly, Grealish should challenge for a spot with Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez, and Phil Foden. Rico Lewis benefited from injuries and suspensions to start the match against Villa.

Erling Haaland, who avoided punishment for his outburst towards Simon Hooper against Spurs, had City’s only two shots on goal at Villa Park, but Emiliano Martinez denied him both times.

Nevertheless, there’s no arguing the Norwegian’s position at the forefront of the assault.

Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Stones, Rodri, Silva, Alvarez, Foden, Grealish, and Haaland might be Manchester City’s starting lineup.

Afghanistan Star’s Ambitious Pledge: Aiming to Propel RCB to Victory in IPL 2024

8 December 2023 by Cric Habit

Afghanistan batsman Najibullah Zadran has shared his IPL objectives ahead of the highly anticipated auction for the upcoming Indian Premier League season.

He has declared that his favourite IPL team is RCB, and he believes Virat Kohli should take home the title. The batsman who is left-handed has put forward his name for the auction, with a starting price of Rs 50 lakh.

Throughout the Indian Premier League’s existence, RCB has been among the unluckiest teams. Despite their constant boasting of having excellent players, RCB has never once been able to win the IPL.

The last time RCB was this close to winning the championship was in 2016, when they fell to SRH in the final. In the IPL, Faf du Plessis will captain RCB.

The 30-year-old played for the Afghanistan team that recently made waves in the cricket world during the ODI World Cup.

Up until the competition’s last stages, the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team had defeated teams like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and was in the semi final race.

They eventually ended ahead of teams like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and England, taking sixth place in the points standings.

And although the majority of the Afghan players made an impression, Najibullah Zadran was not as effective.

He participated in the competition’s first two games but managed just 7 runs before choosing to voluntarily withdraw from the starting lineup.

Even if he did not perform well in Indian circumstances, Najibullah Zadran is still optimistic about signing an IPL deal. In addition, he declared his desire to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore and support Virat Kohli in winning his first IPL championship.

“Playing in the IPL is a dream for every player.” Likewise, mine is. My goal is to be a player for Bangalore’s Royal Challengers.

Hopefully, we win the IPL this time around because Virat Kohli hasn’t won it yet, Najibullah Zadran told Hindustan Times.

Despite having a poor World Cup performance, the left-hander has an outstanding T20I record.

He has scored 1712 runs with a strike rate of nearly 140 and an average of over 31 in 94 games played thus far. In the game’s smallest version, he has eight half-centuries to his credit as well.

Najibullah Zadran continued by discussing his choice to withdraw from the starting eleven following his lacklustre performance in the World Cup’s opening two matches.

The middle-order batsman said he was having trouble with his form and that’s why he opted to give the younger players space.

To be honest, I wasn’t in good form. In the final series before the World Cup (against Pakistan), I too didn’t play to my best.

I therefore went up to the coach and expressed my desire to take a break. Give the young people the chance instead, I urged.

Both the team and I benefit more from it. As I assisted the players on the field, I was giving my bench-side knowledge. The fact that our squad won games was ultimately what mattered most, according to Najibullah Zadran.