Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is now willing to sell a “superb” player to fund a summer move for a big-name defender, according to a report.

Financial issues at Old Trafford

Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival as a minority owner, there have been widescale staff cut-backs as a means of cost-cutting, amid what is said to be a “challenging long-term financial picture”.

250 employees were made redundant last summer, and the possibility of sacking even more staff is now under consideration, highlighting the scale of the financial issues at Old Trafford.

The issue of making a loss of £300m over the past three years has also been compounded by Man United’s absence from the Champions League, with the lucrative European competition earning rivals Liverpool at least £83.8m already this season.

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With Ruben Amorim’s side underperforming once again this season, the new manager may have to be creative if he is going to bring in the players he wants this summer, and a report has revealed he could sanction the departure of a forward.

According to GiveMeSport, Amorim could be willing to green-light Alejandro Garnacho’s departure in an attempt to raise the funds required to pursue a move for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, amongst other big-name targets.

Marcus Rashford’s departure is evidence the United boss is unafraid to get rid of big-name players, and Garnacho may also be shown the exit door in the summer.

The winger attracted interest from Napoli and Chelsea last month, at which point the Red Devils were holding out for a fee of £70m, so a sale this winter could raise more than enough funds to pursue a move for Balde.

Back in January, it was reported Barcelona would consider offers of around €55m (£46m) for the left-back.

Garnacho praised for "superb" Europa League display

Although there was a lot of speculation surrounding the 20-year-old’s future in January, he put in a solid performance against FCSB in the Europa League at the end of last month, picking up an assist and receiving praise from content creator Mark Goldbridge.

Goldbridge makes his thoughts about selling the youngster quite clear, and it is difficult to disagree that selling him for the sole purpose of paying off debt would be extremely disappointing.

Not only that, but the idea of sanctioning the Madrid-born winger’s departure to fund a move for Balde is also a little odd, given that United already brought in a left-back in January, with Patrick Dorgu arriving from Lecce.

That said, Garnacho’s performances have been by and large unimpressive this season, failing to score in the Premier League since November, so he definitely needs to show signs of improvement between now and the end of the campaign.

The wheels may have fallen off in somewhat spectacular fashion on Saturday, but Arsenal need to get back up and dust themselves off ahead of this evening’s visit to Nottingham Forest.

The Tricky Trees might’ve lost their last two games, but they currently sit in third place and just six points off the Gunners in the Premier League.

Moreover, with Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur all dropping points at the City Ground this season, the visitors cannot go into the match feeling sorry for themselves.

To ensure that doesn’t happen and that his team can return to winning ways, Mikel Arteta must unleash the Gunners’ chief instigator from the first minute.

Arsenal's record vs Forest

Since their first meeting back in October 1904, when they were under the name Woolwich Arsenal, the Gunners have played Nottingham Forest 106 times across all competitions, winning 55, drawing 22 and losing 29.

Unsurprisingly, on top of their overall record against the Tricky Trees being rather excellent, the North Londoners’ form against them over their last five encounters has been even better, with four wins and just a single loss to their name.

Arteta’s side comfortably beat the Garibaldis home and away last season, and earlier this year at the Emirates, they put three past them to no reply, courtesy of goals from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri.

However, the Gunners tasted defeat at the City Ground in May 2023, when one goal from Taiwo Awoniyi put the final nail in their title challenge that season and saw Manchester City crowned champions.

So, the North Londoners will need to be on top form to make sure that doesn’t happen again and to give his side a better chance of doing so, Arteta must unleash one of his most consistent players from the start.

Chalkboard

The Arsenal star Arteta must unleash against Forest

The unfortunate reality is that, thanks to injuries, poor form and suspensions, there really aren’t too many changes that Arteta can make to his team ahead of tonight’s game that could potentially make them stronger, well, apart from one.

Ben White made his long-awaited return to the first team on Saturday afternoon after spending just over three months out of action due to a knee injury and then surgery, but due to the circumstances, he couldn’t make much of an impact on proceedings.

However, now we know he’s fit enough to play, the manager should put him in from the very start, as while Jurrien Timber has done very well in his absence, he needs his minutes managed, and the Englishman offers something a little different at full-back.

21/22

37

0

0

22/23

46

2

5

23/24

51

4

5

24/25

13

0

1

Primarily, the Poole-born monster is exceptional at overlapping with Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka off the right, and while the Hale End icon is out of action, the incredibly gifted Nwaneri plays in a similar enough way there – cutting inside – that it shouldn’t be a problem.

However, not only does the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace offer much more width to the team, he’s also the Gunners’ “master of the dark arts,” as described by journalist Charles Watts.

Now, while some purists might not consider that to be a good thing, it really, really is.

Last season alone, there were countless times that the versatile defender disrupted opposition defenders and goalkeepers during corners and, in turn, helped his teammates add to their already impressive record of scoring from set pieces.

Finally, the fact that he tends to maraud up and down the touchline in a way Timber does not means that the manager can make tactical changes throughout the game, which is something he’s not been able to do with his right-back options while the 27-year-old has been out of action.

Ultimately, White is a sensationally gifted full-back who can defend and attack as well as wind up opposition players to his team’s advantage, so if he’s fit enough, he should start tonight’s game.

Arsenal must rue selling amazing striker who's now similar to a £172m star

The incredible goalscorer would be perfect for Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 25, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de vencer o Atlético-GO por 2 a 1 no último domingo (4), primeiro êxito em quase um ano, o São Paulo concedeu folga a seu elenco nesta segunda-feira (4) antes do duelo de volta das oitavas de final da Copa Sul-Americana, às 21h30 (de Brasília) de quinta-feira (7), no Morumbi.

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GALERIA
+O vai-vem do São Paulo para a abertura da janela de transferências

O plantel tricolor só volta a trabalhar durante a manhã desta terça-feira (5), no CT da Barra Funda.

Um respiro ao time antes de uma das sequências de partidas mais difíceis do ano. Após a Católica, o São Paulo encara o Atlético-MG, fora de casa, pelo Brasileirão, no domingo (10). Depois faz o duelo de volta com o Palmeiras pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, no Allianz Parque, no dia 14.

Na avaliação de Rogério Ceni e sua comissão técnica, esses duelos serão fundamentais para traçar o planejamento para o restante da temporada.

No caso do clássico com o rival paulista, por exemplo, a meta é abocanhar as gordas verbas dadas pelo avanço de fases no maior mata-mata nacional.

Já uma vitória sobre o Galo pode colocar o São Paulo de novo na zona de classificação para a próxima edição da Copa Libertadores, principal objetivo do ano.

Para esta quinta, o Tricolor pode até perder por 1 a 0 que ainda assim avançará de fase, já que venceu o duelo de ida por 4 a 2. Caso perca por dois gols a disputa vai para os pênaltis. Além de oito atletas contundidos – Moreira voltou no domingo -, Ceni não contará com Calleri, Nestor e Igor Vinícius, expulsos em Santiago.

TABELA
> Confira classificação, jogos e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22
> Confira todos os jogos da Sul-Americana-22
> Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Australia legspinner didn’t quite know the Law while Sydney Thunder secured a big win out west

Tristan Lavalette08-Jan-2023Zampa’s contentious run out attemptThey say any publicity is good publicity and the BBL has not been short of controversial moments this season that have stirred global debate. Just two days after Michael Neser’s contentious juggling catch on the boundary, chaos ensued when Stars skipper Adam Zampa attempted to run out Renegades batter Tom Rogers at the non-striker’s end. Zampa had been left frustrated moments earlier after he believed Rogers was running out of the non-striker’s crease to gain an advantage.After Rogers again left his crease early, Zampa quickly whipped off the bails and appealed for the wicket but it was given not out after replays showed that his bowling arm was past vertical. Zampa, who was jeered by some of the 38,500 crowd, later doubled down although admitted he didn’t totally understand the laws.”I was well within my rights to do it, it’s in the rule book,” he said. “I didn’t know the [vertical] rule, I thought you actually had to let the ball go.”Amid the furore, Cricket NSW voiced its support of the polarising mode of dismissal with chief executive Lee Germon saying it needs “to be supported in upholding the relevant laws of the game”.Related

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Rogers fired-up after Zampa incident While the attempted run out hogged the headlines, it did fire up Rogers who was visibly unhappy with the incident and traded words with Zampa. He roused his best efforts with the ball as the quick led Renegades’ superb defence of a modest 141 for 7 in the Melbourne derby.With his first legal delivery, Rogers bowled opener Joe Clarke and he was just getting started. Conjuring menacing movement, Rogers was almost unplayable to finish with 5 for 16 in the best figures in Renegades’ history. Only Strikers quick Henry Thornton’s remarkable 5 for 3 in Thunder’s capitulation for 15 bettered Rogers’ figures this season.There were flashier off-season signings, but the recruitment of Rogers has been key in Renegades’ revival. The 28-year-old, who holds down a day job as a high school teacher, enjoyed a breakout last season with Hobart Hurricanes, where he claimed 20 wickets, and he’s gone up another level. Right now, Rogers is the leading wicket-taker in the BBL with 17 wickets in nine games at an average of 16.35.

Adam Zampa's attempt at a run out was deemed by the Third Umpire as not out#BBL12 pic.twitter.com/cvhlLBwig5

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 3, 2023

Thunder’s rejuvenation complete at Scorchers’ fortressAn improved Sydney Thunder faced a litmus test against Perth Scorchers, who were riding an eight-game winning streak at Optus Stadium stretching three years. Scorchers made a modest 142 for 9 batting first but that type of total is usually enough for their strong attack to defend. The usual script appeared set when Alex Hales and Rilee Rossouw fell early as Thunder slumped to 10 for 2.But Ollie Davies continued his eye-catching form with 58 before Alex Ross’ blistering 18-ball 41 in Thunder’s confident chase down with three overs to spare. It was their fourth straight victory – and their best this season – after three straight losses marked by the embarrassing 15 all out which appears to have galvanised them.Ollie Davies has fired in Thunder’s middle order•Getty ImagesRichardson’s untimely injuryTo further compound Scorchers’ defeat to Thunder, quick Jhye Richardson suffered a hamstring injury to continue his injury-plagued season. Fortunately it was on the lower end of the scale but Richardson is likely to miss the rest of the regular season. His latest setback comes on the back of a nagging heel injury which saw on the sidelines for an extended period ahead of the BBL season.Richardson had been in hot form with 15 wickets in seven games marked by rapid bowling nudging 150kph. He was issuing a reminder to national selectors having slid down Australia’s crowded pace pecking order, but his latest injury casts fresh doubt on his ability to stay on the field.Turner is proving the ultimate finisherJust when his shorthanded batting order needed it, Scorchers skipper Ashton Turner has wound back the clock this season. After a couple of lean seasons, which has seen him on the fringes of Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield team, Turner has rediscovered his big-hitting ability. He’s been in superb touch all season and this week was the only Scorchers’ batter to fire against Thunder with a 37-ball 60.A composed Turner has been at his best finishing a match and he did so again against Brisbane Heat with 23 not out from 12 balls to ensure Scorchers ran down the target of 172 with ease. Turner, who played nine ODIs and 18 T20Is for Australia from 2017-21, is highly regarded for his tactical nous and is seen as arguably the best skipper in the BBL. He could well be coming under consideration for a return to international cricket with Australia currently experiencing a dearth of leadership options in the shorter formats.

The @StrikersBBL chase down 230 to win! WOW

Matt Short take a bow!#BBL12 pic.twitter.com/y5uAktZneq

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 5, 2023

Harper ends droughtRenegades have noticeably struggled in recent years but have put a lot of work into their younger players. Wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper has benefited with a sustained run but badly struggled this season with the bat. He scored just six runs in four innings, including three ducks, heading into the match against Hobart Hurricanes. Chasing 163 at Marvel Stadium, Harper rediscovered his best with 89 off 48 balls, which included seven sixes. Harper was particularly devastating at the finish against quick Joel Paris before narrowly falling short of a maiden BBL century in a confidence boosting innings.Performance of the week: Short fuels Strikers’ record chaseThere have been some remarkable feats this season and Adelaide Strikers added to the list after their record chase against Hobart Hurricanes at home. Chasing 230, Matt Short and Chris Lynn smashed a blistering partnership worth 124 runs off 58 balls as Strikers produced the greatest run chase in BBL history.Short capped his captaincy debut with a 59-ball century to end a frustrating rut for the allrounder who enjoyed a breakout last season. But he’s generally having some type of impact with Short’s handy offspin often used in the powerplay. Amid a likely transition of Australia’s T20 team, Short looms as an intriguing option with his allround skill marked by hard-hitting batting he memorably unleashed against Hurricanes.

Sunderland have now suffered another injury blow regarding a “brilliant” player alongside the recent issues for Enzo Le Fee and Dan Ballard.

Latest Sunderland news

The Black Cats are preparing for another important Championship assignment later this week, with Regis Le Bris’ side making the trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Friday evening.

Sunderland are arguably playing the Owls at a good time, however, following back-to-back defeats to Coventry City and Burnley, and the visitors will know that only a win will do, in terms of keeping their fading hopes of automatic promotion alive this season.

Injuries are proving to be an issue for the Black Cats currently, with key figures such as Le Fee and Ballard among those who are unavailable, as well as long-term absentee Alan Browne, who suffered a broken leg last year.

When it comes to recent transfer news, Ahmet Gurleyen has been linked with a summer move to the Stadium of Light, with the centre-back plying his trade at Hansa Rostock. On the flip side, Leeds United are thought to be eyeing a move for Wilson Isidor at the end of the season, which would be a blow for Le Bris.

Big injury setback for Sunderland

According to the Roker Report, Sunderland loanee Jayden Danns may not play at all between now and the end of the season because of injury.

The update claims that “sources inside” the Black Cats’ academy believed the 19-year-old’s campaign could be over, due to the back problem that has seen him return to Liverpool to undergo rehabilitation.

This would be an enormous blow for everyone concerned, not least Danns, who left Anfield during the January transfer window in order to pick up some invaluable experience.

Instead, the young striker is yet to make a single appearance for Sunderland, robbing the Black Cats of a talented player who Marc Albrighton hailed earlier this year, following a goal for the Reds against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round: “Jayden Danns loves a goal and getting in those positions.

“That was brilliant from start to finish. He expected the rebound and he finished it well first time. You can see how much it means to him – a great moment for the young lad.”

For Sunderland, it is a major setback, considering Danns was brought in as a player who could add precious firepower to Le Bris’ squad between now and May, having scored 24 goals in 33 appearances for Liverpool’s Under-18s.

Instead, it now looks like the teenager may end up not playing a single minute for the Black Cats, instead staying put on Merseyside and potentially earning a loan move elsewhere in the summer when he is fully fit again.

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While Sunderland could arguably again try to snap him up at that point, this current situation may act as a word of warning to them, meaning they look elsewhere at loan options.

Ipswich Town have the distraction of the FA Cup to overcome on Monday when facing off against Nottingham Forest, with a surprise win at the City Ground no doubt boosting the Suffolk side’s bruised confidence.

Indeed, last time out in the Premier League saw the Tractor Boys lose dramatically to a Manchester United team reduced to ten men for all of the second half, leaving Kieran McKenna’s men deep in relegation trouble.

His lowly team’s defensive fragilities have been their undoing all campaign long – even when his team have looked competent in forward areas – with January loanee Ben Godfrey failing to add any needed stability when thrown into action at the back.

Ben Godfrey's poor displays for Ipswich

Of course, it’s not all down to the Atalanta loanee as to why Ipswich have leaked so many goals this season, with the Tractor Boys shipping a concerning 57 strikes.

To add context, only Leicester City and Southampton occupying the bottom two spaces have given up more goals, but Godfrey has been responsible for ten of those hitting the back of the net from his limited game-time.

The ex-Everton defender had a hellish debut back on English shores versus Manchester City, with his relegation-threatened side losing 6-0 to the reigning top-flight champions.

Godfrey would last 64 minutes, but in that time he was on the pitch, he failed to register a single tackle, interception or block, with the Man City attackers surging forward with a certain swagger knowing the 27-year-old was way off the pace.

He was equally run ragged last time out at Portman Road when Ange Postecoglou’s rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur came to town, with both of Spurs’ opening strikes in the mainly one-sided affair coming from Heung-min Son twisting and turning the ropey number 44 for fun, who only lasted one half of football this time around.

Ipswich must wish they could turn back the clocks to when they had this other loanee in defence, who has since gone on to cement himself as a staunch option for his current club on Europe’s biggest stage.

Former Ipswich loanee now one of the best in Europe

Ipswich has been home to a number of top loanees over the years, with the likes of Omari Hutchinson calling the club a temporary sanctuary last season, before then penning a permanent deal before the 2024/25 campaign got underway.

The relegation candidates must rue not winning the permanent signature of Cameron Carter-Vickers now, however. Indeed, the defender has gone from strength to strength since exiting Suffolk in 2018 after making 17 appearances in blue.

The USA international would show signs of his class during his brief loan stint at the club – with a respectable five clean sheets picked up in league action – but it’s safe to say he’s transformed into a crucial part of the Celtic jigsaw ever since making the switch to Glasgow from Tottenham.

From 23 league appearances this campaign, Carter-Vickers has helped himself to a hefty 13 clean sheets on top of averaging 5.6 duels won on average per contest.

However, it was in the Champions League against an intimidating Bayern Munich attack that he would win the tag of being the “best centre-back outside of the top five leagues” by the Athletic’s Alex Barker.

Carter-Vickers across two legs vs Bayern

Stat

Bayern (H)

Bayern (A)

Minutes played

90

90

Goals conceded

2

1

Touches

79

59

Accurate passes

70/72 (97%)

39/45 (87%)

Clearances

0

9

Blocked shots

0

0

Interceptions

2

1

Tackles

1

1

Total duels won

1/1

1/3

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Carter-Vickers isn’t fazed by the bright lights of the big occasion – unlike Godfrey – with a valiant effort put in by the 27-year-old across both legs, even if Brendan Rodgers’ Bhoys did bow out as 3-2 losers on aggregate.

Previously hailed as “brilliant” for his efforts in Scotland by ex-Rangers player Andy Halliday, Ipswich would love to have Carter-Vickers back in his current pomp to shore up their porous defence.

But, they’ll have to make do with what they already have, hopeful that strong performances will come in their battle to beat the drop.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Em poucas horas, o Palmeiras receberá o São Paulo para definir seu futuro na Copa do Brasil. Para avançar às quartas de final da competição, será preciso reverter uma vantagem de 1 a 0 do rival. Dessa forma, a torcida fez sua parte e lotará o Allianz Parque, uma vez que já compraram 40.250 ingressos até o começo desta tarde. Será o maior público do ano e estará entre os maiores do estádio.

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GALERIA
> Confira os públicos do Palmeiras no Allianz Parque em 2022

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Até aqui, a partida que mais levou torcedores para a arena palmeirense em 2022 foi diante do Atlético-MG, pelo Brasileirão, quando 40.235 pagantes assistiram ao 0 a 0, que também contou com torcida dos mineiros no setor reservado aos visitantes. Diante do São Paulo, já são 15 ingressos vendidos a mais e isso deve aumentar.

O público de 40.250 também já é o maior da história do Choque-Rei no Allianz Parque. Anteriormente, essa marca pertencia ao clássico de 2016, quando o Verdão venceu por 2 a 1, pelo Brasileirão, e levou 39.944 torcedores para impulsionar o time que seria o campeão.

Mas as marcas não param por aí. Esse publico de 40.250 já garantido para o duelo desta noite também já estabeleceu seu lugar entre os cinco maiores públicos da história do Allianz Parque. Por enquanto, é o quinto colocado nesse ranking, com 49 ingressos a menos do que o quarto lugar Palmeiras x Boca Juniors, pela semifinal da Libertadores-2018, que recebeu 40.299 pessoas, o que deve ser superado.

Os sócios-torcedores palmeirenses possuem os descontos previstos em cada plano e tiveram exclusividade na compra dos ingressos via internet (www.ingressospalmeiras.com.br) até o último sábado, às 10h, quando começou a comercialização para o público em geral.

Caso ainda haja disponibilidade de ingressos, a venda física no Allianz Parque acontecerá nesta quinta-feira até o intervalo da partida nas bilheterias dos portões A (Rua Palestra Italia), B e D (Rua Padre Antônio Tomás).

Associados e donos de cadeiras cativas terão à disposição o setor de cobrança, localizado no 1º andar do prédio administrativo do clube social, para adquirir as entradas. O atendimento também será nas mesmas datas e horários de funcionamento das bilheterias.

Confira o valor dos ingressos:

Gol Norte – R$ 120
Superior Norte e Sul – R$ 200
Superior Leste e Oeste – R$ 220
Gol Sul – R$ 260
Central Leste – R$ 300
Central Oeste – R$ 350

Veja os 10 maiores públicos da história do Allianz Parque:

2/12/2018 – Palmeiras 3×2 Vitória: 41.256 torcedores
8/4/2018 – Palmeiras 0x1 Corinthians: 41.227 torcedores
27/11/2016 – Palmeiras 1×0 Chapecoense: 40.986 torcedores
31/10/2018 – Palmeiras 2×2 Boca Juniors: 40.299 torcedores
14/7/2022 – Palmeiras x São Paulo: 40.250 torcedores (a ser realizado)
5/6/2022 – Palmeiras 0x0 Atlético-MG: 40.235 torcedores
12/7/2016 – Palmeiras 1×1 Santos: 40.035 torcedores
7/9/2016 – Palmeiras 2×1 São Paulo: 39.944 torcedores
12/6/2016 – Palmeiras 1×0 Corinthians: 39.935 torcedores
7/4/2019 – Palmeiras 0x0 São Paulo: 39.751 torcedores

With Trent Alexander-Arnold still on course to become a free agent at the end of the season, Liverpool are reportedly plotting a summer swoop to sign a potential replacement worth £25m with his club ready to sell.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds took one step closer to Premier League glory at the first time of asking under Arne Slot last weekend, as Arsenal slipped up yet again. With just five wins and a draw needed to secure the silverware, Liverpool look more certain than they have done since their dominant 2019/20 campaign to take their seat on the throne of English football and may even receive a guard of honour from Arsenal to rub salt in the Gunners’ wounds.

It’s not all perfect for those at Anfield, however. On the pitch, they have been ruthless. Away from the pitch, however, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have seemingly lacked conviction in contract talks, with Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Alexander-Arnold all set to depart as free agents as things stand this summer.

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Their departures at the cost of nothing would quickly cut celebrations short, but they’re exits that the Reds must plan for, especially in the case of Alexander-Arnold amid Real Madrid’s reported interest.

With that said, according to The Boot Room, Liverpool are plotting a summer move to sign Wesley Franca after sending scouts to watch the 21-year-old Flamengo right-back in action.

The talented South American is certainly one to watch, and given that he’s reportedly valued at just £25m, there’s a real possibility that he could become one of the bargains of the summer with Flamengo ready to cash in on their full-back.

Replacing Alexander-Arnold will be no easy task for whoever has the job this summer, however, be it Franca or the likes of Conor Bradley. Yet to reach the peak of his powers at 21 years old, whether Liverpool hand that task to the Brazilian remains to be seen.

"Quick" Franca could be handed impossible task

Truth be told, Liverpool will struggle to find a like-for-like replacement for Alexander-Arnold if he departs this summer. There’s arguably not a right-back in world football who has his passing range. It could even be argued that not many midfielders have such range. So, those at Anfield shouldn’t look to find a like-for-like replacement at all.

Instead, as Slot has done at times this season, Liverpool should adjust their system to remove the reliance on their right-back going forward – returning to a more natural full-back rather than the role Alexander-Arnold has excelled in.

If that proves to be the case, then potential tasks handed to Franca would become that much easier. The 21-year-old would, of course, struggle to replicate the Liverpool academy graduate, but that doesn’t mean he lacks the potential to become a Premier League star.

South American football expert Tim Vickery was full of praise for the right-back when it was Aston Villa who were linked with a move for his signature in January, telling Sky Sports News’ Transfer Talk: “They think two things. First of all, they would like to use him for the Club World Cup because it’s very important to them.

“Secondly, they think they can get more. If the idea is around €20m (£16.7m) at the moment, it could be €30m (£25m) after the Club World Cup. He’s a very attacking full-back, very quick, bullet fast but he’s not the greatest defensive full-back.”

Aston Villa were emphatically thrashed 4-1 at the hands of high-flying Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night.

Unai Emery’s side faced the Eagles off the back of an impressive 2-1 comeback win against Chelsea, but collapsed in disappointing fashion in South London.

It was a frustrating first half for the Villans, who went 1-0 behind thanks to a goal from Ismaila Sarr. The Palace winger got on the end of a parry from Emiliano Martinez, who tipped Chris Richards’ header into his path.

Morgan Rogers had a goal ruled out in the first half after Ollie Watkins was offside in the buildup, but he did get on the scoresheet to equalise for Emery’s side. Running onto a flick on from his England teammate Watkins, the former Boro star brought the ball under control superbly with his head, before swivelling and firing home.

Things only went downhill for the Villans from that point onwards. Just seven minutes after Rogers’ equalsier, Jean-Philippe Mateta fired home after latching onto a loose ball just inside the penalty box to give his side the lead.

The Eagles added a third in the 71st minute courtesy of Sarr once again, before second-half substitute Eddie Nketiah scored their fourth to put the icing on the cake for Oliver Glasner’s side.

It was a tough night for Villa, and Emery’s decision to switch the system perhaps did them no favours.

Aston Villa’s system change vs. Palace

After playing his esteemed 4-2-2-2 system at Villa Park for the last 18 months or so, it was arguably a surprise when Emery tinkered and played a back three against the Eagles, especially given the centre-back shortage within his squad.

The Spaniard has played a back three or back five just four times in the entirety of his Villa career so far. Perhaps he did it to better match up with Palace’s system. Glasner deploys his side in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Whatever the reason, it did not work for Villa. The Athletic reporter Jacob Tanswell said the West Midlands side “looked sturdy in the new shape” until the Eagles scored, from which point “things became loose” at the back.

In many ways, it was far too easy for Palace. The Eagles carved open Villa’s defence, shown by the stats at full-time, courtesy of Sofascore. The home side had 19 shots and created six big chances, compared to six shots and two big chances created from the visitors.

It was certainly a tough nigh at the office, with two of the back three in paruclar struggling for Emery’s side.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The Aston Villa defenders who struggled most

When your side concede four goals, it is never going to be a night in which you covered yourself in glory as a defender. However, for January arrival Axel Disasi and Lamar Bogarde, it was a particularly tough game.

The centre-backs started on the right and left of Villa’s back three respectivley, but both had their own issues against a deadly Eagles attack. Bogarde had to directly defend Sarr, who was running riot all night, and Disasi came up against Eberechi Eze, who created three chances.

John Townley, journalist for Birmingham Live, gave the pair a 4/10 for their performances. They were two of seven players he gave such a rating to, showing just how tough of a night it was for the visitors.

Indeed, some of their stats from the game reflected the ratings Townley gave the centre-backs. For example, Disasi won a total of just five out of 11 duels, and lost the ball 11 times. As for Bogarde, he lost the ball five times.

Villa’s form has been awful of late, and Emery is now in a precarious position. He must find the right balance, and perhaps that does not include Bogarde and Disasi playing together in a back three again.

It is essential that they get their form back ahed of a big run in, and starting those two defenders at centre-back with ach other might not be ideal in such a key time.

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By
Charlie Smith

Oct 3, 2025

Jude Bellingham has posted a personal message to Carlo Ancelotti on his Instagram, thanking the Italian coach for everything he has learnt.

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Bellingham sends thank you to AncelottiCoach departs to take Brazil jobXabi Alonso set to replace ItalianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The English midfielder was signed by Ancelotti in 2023 and, under the tutelage of the Italian, shot to stardom from a more advanced position. Los Blancos won both La Liga and the Champions League as Bellingham established himself as one of Madrid's most important, and the world's best, players. The 21-year-old played in both in midfield and as the Madrid number nine under Ancelotti and his growth in the Spanish capital was epitomised when he provided the winning assist for Vinicius Junior at Wembley to clinch the European crown.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

In a post dedicated to Ancelotti, Bellingham said: "Mister, thank you for everything. It was a pleasure and great experience to learn from the most successful manager of our club and one of the greatest of all time. What you have taught me about life and football will stick with me always and I will be forever grateful. Good luck on your next journey, I wish you, your staff and your family nothing but happiness!"

DID YOU KNOW?

Ancelotti has agreed to become the boss of Brazil as he suggests his time in domestic football may have come to an end. The Italian explained: "I don't feel like coaching another club, or I didn't, after Madrid. That's what I've said and I maintain. In the future… I don't know. But the most immediate thing is to do well with Brazil."

Xabi Alonso has agreed to take over from the Italian at Real Madrid. The Bayer Leverkusen boss will come in immediately and be in charge of the squad ahead of the Club World Cup.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?

Bellingham will play his final game under Ancelotti on Saturday against Real Sociedad before the Italian departs. The Englishman will feature at this summer's Club World Cup before potentially facing Ancelotti again next year at the World Cup.