All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers return to competitive action again on Wednesday night when they travel to Greece to take on Panathinaikos in the second leg of their second round Champions League qualifier.

The Light Blues head to Greece with a 2-0 lead on aggregate after they beat them at Ibrox last week in Russell Martin’s first official match in charge of the club.

Goals from Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama in the second half wrapped up the win for the Gers, as both wingers cut inside from the left to fire the ball into the back of the net from distance.

It was a first chance for Ibrox supporters to watch Gassama in action after his move from English Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, and he showed what he is about with his strike.

The French winger produced eight goals and one assist in all competitions for the Owls last season, which suggests that Rangers fans can expect him to provide more quality as a goalscorer this term.

However, the Light Blues may be in the market for further additions in the wide areas because they still lack creativity in those positions, as they look to find their new Ryan Kent.

Why Rangers need to find their next Ryan Kent

In the 2024/25 campaign, no Rangers attacking midfielder or winger provided more than five assists in the Scottish Premiership, and no player in any position racked up more than James Tavernier’s tally of seven assists.

This suggests that the Light Blues are in need of a winger who can consistently open up the opposition’s defence with passes and crosses to create high-quality chances for their teammates to find the back of the net.

The Gers did have a winger who had the quality to consistently provide assists from the flanks when they had Kent on their books between 2018 and 2023, particularly in his final few seasons at Ibrox.

22/23

44

3

10

21/22

46

3

19

20/21

52

13

14

19/20

33

8

4

18/19

43

6

9

As you can see in the table above, the English forward hit double figures for assists in his last three seasons with the club, and produced at least nine assists in four of his five years in Glasgow.

These statistics show that he was a consistent creative threat down the left wing for the Gers, although they also show that he was inconsistent as a goalscorer.

Rangers are now looking to add more creativity to their squad to improve the team, and a fresh report suggests that they are on the verge of landing their next version of Ryan Kent.

Rangers set to sign new winger

According to the Daily Record, the Premiership giants have agreed a deal with Go Ahead Eagles to sign winger Oliver Antman to bolster their squad.

The report claims that the Finland international is poised to become the latest addition to Martin’s team within the next 24 to 48 hours, with a possible debut to come against Motherwell in the Premiership on Saturday.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that a fee of around £5m has been mentioned for the 23-year-old right-sided attacker, who is now set to agree personal terms before completing a medical and officially signing for the club.

The Daily Record explains that the two teams have made progress on a deal for the forward in recent days, and a fee has now been agreed to bring the Finnish whiz to Ibrox this summer.

It now appears to be only the finer details, including a medical and media duties, that need to be finalised before the Gers can officially announce Antman as their new hero.

Why Oliver Antman could be the new Ryan Kent for Rangers

Rangers could finally have their new Ryan Kent in the building once they get this deal over the line in the coming hours or days, as he is an incredibly creative forward.

Antman is not a like-for-like in comparison to the English forward, because he predominantly plays on the right rather than the left, but they share the same creative qualities.

The Finland international, who assisted a goal for his country against Scotland last year, enjoyed a stunning season with Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie in the 2024/25 campaign, as he showcased his ability to create goals on a regular basis.

Like Kent, Antman struggled at times as a goalscorer. He only scored six goals from 6.99 xG in the Dutch top-flight, which shows that the winger was too wasteful in front of goal, but the £5m-rated star made up for that with his assists.

Starts

28

Goals

6

Key passes per game

1.6

Big chances created

16

xA

6.54

Assists

15

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old talent created a whopping 16 ‘big chances’ in 28 starts in the Eredivisie, which landed him 15 assists.

His tally of 15 assists in the league meant that he created more than double as many league goals for his side in comparison to Tavernier, who was the top creator for Rangers in the Premiership last term with seven.

This suggests that Antman, who was aptly described as a “creative” winger by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the potential to be a Kent-esque figure on the flank for Rangers due to his ability to consistently create ‘big chances’ for his teammates to find the back of the net.

Of course, the young attacker is unproven in the Premiership and needs to show that he can do it in Scottish football, but his form for Go Ahead Eagles shows that the potential is there for him to be an incredibly creative presence out wide for Martin.

He's as bad as Propper: £5m Rangers flop "edging closer" to an Ibrox exit

This Rangers flop who was as bad as Robin Propper is now closing in on an Ibrox exit.

ByDan Emery Jul 27, 2025

Hopefully, Rangers will wrap this deal up sooner rather than later and supporters will get the opportunity to see him in action for the first time on Saturday against Motherwell.

Whilst they have since secured several reinforcements, Leeds United reportedly made an approach to sign an attacking addition who has scored in the Europa League earlier this summer.

Farke: Leeds not "ready for Premier League level"

Like Sunderland, Leeds have returned to the Premier League with plenty of intent. The Whites instantly turned towards the transfer window this summer, welcoming the likes of Sean Longstaff, Jaka Bijol, Lucas Perri and four others in an attempt to build a side ready to avoid instant relegation.

That task will be easier said than done, however, and Daniel Farke has already admitted that his frontline is still short on Premier League quality following a friendly draw against Villarreal.

When it comes to attacking additions, it’s been a frustrating summer for those at Elland Road thus far. The likes of Beto and Rodrigo Muniz have threatened to steal the headlines, but deals for the two impressive forwards are unlikely at this stage. Meanwhile, Leeds and the 49ers also made an early approach to sign a former Premier League winger.

Leeds approached Moussa Djenepo

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds approached Moussa Djenepo earlier this summer as they looked to swoop in and sign the Standard Liege winger, who earns around £18,000-a-week.

Ultimately, however, that approach proved unsuccessful and the former Southampton man remained a Standard Liege player. Whether that changes as the Whites become more desperate to bolster their attack will be interesting to see, but it’s then that they’ll potentially have to compete against clubs in Saudi Arabia and Iran for Djenepo’s signature.

Djenepo would certainly tick the box for Premier League experience, having previously enjoyed a four-year spell at Southampton and has even impressed on the Europa League stage with Standard Liege in the past – scoring three goals in five games.

Leeds now offered chance to sign "sensation" who has scored 38 PL goals

The Whites could finally add to their striking department.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 5, 2025

As things stand, however, the 27-year-old is seemingly set to go down as a missed target at Elland Road, as Farke and the 49ers aim to transform Leeds’ attack into one of Premier League quality.

How many more signings will West Ham United get through the door before their Premier League opener against Sunderland?

So far, the Hammers have brought in Callum Wilson on a free transfer from Newcastle United, while full-backs El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters have also arrived.

Meantime, they also appear set to bolster their goalkeeping options, having reportedly agreed a £9m deal to sign Botafogo shot-stopper John Victor.

Now though, the Irons have their sights set on a midfielder, one who would belatedly replace Declan Rice, two years on from his departure for Arsenal.

West Ham United targeting a new midfielder

Fair to say, neither Graham Potter, nor his predecessor Julen Lopetegui, settled on a reliable, first-choice midfield combination last season, as the table below illustrates.

Tomáš Souček

35

30

2,567

Lucas Paquetá

35

27

2,380

Edson Álvarez

28

20

1,772

Carlos Soler

31

14

1,409

Guido Rodríguez

23

16

1,149

James Ward-Prowse

15

12

1,039

Andy Irving

10

1

166

As the table documents, aside from Tomáš Souček and wantaway Lucas Paquetá, none of West Ham’s midfielders were ever able to establish themselves as nailed-on starters, with both managers in charge chopping and changing their options.

As they seek to bolster that area of the pitch, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider is reporting that West Ham have made a formal move to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus on loan, amid interest from Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.

The Brazilian only moved to Turin from Aston Villa, for a reported fee of £42.3m as recently as last summer, but O’Rourke notes that la Vecchia Signora are eager to move him on following, as former-Juve player Alessio Tacchinardi puts it, a “disaster” of a campaign.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Luiz featured in only 17% of I Bianconeri’s minutes across all competitions last season, not winning over either Thiago Motta or current manager Igor Tudor, hence why O’Rourke asserts that it is ‘inevitable’ he will return to the Premier League, so could this be in East London?

How Douglas Luiz would improve West Ham

While Luiz did endure a nightmare campaign in Italy, it’s worth remembering that the reason Juventus spent big to sign him in the first place is because he was amongst the Premier League’s best midfielders during his last couple of seasons at Aston Villa.

Statman Dave heralded his “exceptional performances”, while his then-manager Unai Emery stated that he was “progressing a lot as a midfielder… adding goals and… being demanding”.

Meantime, Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines praises his ‘duel-winning capacity’ and ‘press resistance’ in possession, describing these as his greatest strengths, concluding that he would be a ‘valuable addition’ to any Premier League squad.

Adam Bate of Sky Sports agrees, noting that Luiz added goals to his game, starting to ‘showcase his creative qualities​​​​​​​’ during his final campaign in the Midlands, ‘often operating in more advanced areas’ and flourishing when utilised with a more solid midfield base behind him, namely provided by Boubacar Kamara.

This is similar to the transformation undergone by Rice following his move to Arsenal; Mikel Arteta thought he was buying the best number six in the Premier League but, as outlined by Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, he thrives as a number eight, set to be given even more attacking license this forthcoming campaign, following Martín Zubimendi’s arrival in North London.

Over in the east side of the capital, Luiz could do something similar because, if there’s one thing West Ham do boast, it is an array of defensively astute midfielders, namely Souček, Guido Rodríguez, Edson Álvarez and others.

So, let’s put that hypothesis to the test by comparing where these midfielders take their touches.

Douglas Luiz

2,373

22%

53%

25%

Lucas Paquetá

1,810

20%

55%

25%

Tomáš Souček

1,284

28%

49%

23%

Edson Álvarez

1,248

29%

55%

16%

James Ward-Prowse

851

21%

60%

19%

Guido Rodríguez

710

31%

60%

9%

As the table notes, when compared to the vast majority West Ham’s midfielders last season, Luiz took an exponentially higher proportion of his touches during his most recent Premier League season, in the final third, with only Paquetá’s figures comparable, and he will purportedly be on the move this month.

Álvarez, Rodríguez and James Ward-Prowse in particular do the vast majority of their work in the defensive or middle third of the pitch, which could be exactly what Luiz needs to thrive in a more attacking role.

Thus, all the available evidence suggests a move to the London Stadium could be the perfect fit for Luiz, where he could become the talismanic midfielder Hammers everywhere have been craving, ever since Rice waved goodbye.

Better deal than Wilson: West Ham reach verbal agreement for £9m "warrior"

After securing the signing of Callum Wilson on a free, West Ham might have a better deal on the cards…

Aug 5, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur fans had the first opportunity to see new signing Mohammed Kudus in competitive action during the UEFA Super Cup final against PSG on Wednesday night.

The Ghanaian, who joined the Lilywhites in a £55m deal from West Ham United, featured for 79 minutes, arguably being one of the shining lights despite the penalty defeat.

At just 24, he has the ability to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London, looking to be a key player in any success endured under new boss Thomas Frank.

However, despite the big-money addition made for the former Hammers star’s signature, other key attackers are still being targeted by the Dane ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

Numerous names have been mentioned in recent days, which has seen huge progress being made in an attempt to further bolster the club’s attacking department.

Spurs preparing bid for Mohammed Kudus upgrade

Eberechi Eze has been one of the names hugely mentionedwith Spurs in recent days, even preparing a bid for the Crystal Palace star after their demotion to the Europa Conference League.

The Englishman is said to have a £60m release clause in his current deal at Selhurst Park which could make a deal a formality – potentially avoiding a repeat of the Morgan Gibbs-White saga.

However, he’s not the only Premier League star currently in their sights, with Manchester City forward Savinho a player they’re targeting, according to the Daily Mail.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites are preparing an offer to sign the 21-year-old, who only moved to the Etihad from Girona less than 12 months ago.

It’s also been reported that the Brazilian would be open to a move to join Frank’s side before the current deadline, with Pep Guardiola’s side demanding £60m to offload him this window.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a better signing than Kudus

A deal for Kudus was always going to be excellent business, but his showing against the Champions League winners has handed the fanbase another reason to be positive.

His tally of 100% crosses completed, and three chances created – the most of any player on the pitch – highlights the threat he possesses when in attacking areas.

He also holds a versatile skillset that could allow him to operate in the number ten role, off either flank or even as a centre-forward – as seen in his first competitive outing.

If he can add further goal contributions to his game, it would be a great addition, adding the quality the side have craved in forward areas in recent months.

However, despite his impressive start to life in North London, he could be trumped by Savinho, that’s if the Brazilian completes his own move to North London this summer.

He managed to notch more combined goals and assists last campaign, but his underlying stats were also just as impressive, managing to outperform Kudus in various key areas.

Savinho, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by journalist Adam Keys, achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate, subsequently being able to finish more of the chances he’s presented with in front of goal.

Games played

29

32

Goals & assists

9

8

Shot on target accuracy

38%

28%

Progressive carries

7.1

3.4

Progressive passes

3.4

2.7

Key passes made

2.4

1.1

Take-ons completed

46%

44%

Carries into the 18-yard box

3.8

1.4

Crosses completed

4.3

2.8

Passes into the 18-yard box

2.4

1.1

However, when driving with the ball, the City ace also dominated, completing more of the take-ons he attempted, with more being made into the opposition box – which would hand the side the added presence they’ve crave in the final third.

Besides scoring, the youngster has also been able to provide for others in the opposition’s defensive area, picking out a teammate from more crosses per 90 than Kudus – able to offer a more all-rounded talent for Frank in 2025/26.

After already spending £55m on the Ghanaian, there’s no denying that a £60m move for Savinho would be another mammoth investment from the board in the hunt for Premier League glory.

However, if they are to stand any chance of rising up the table and ending their years of disappointment in England’s top-flight, it’s a move that needs to be made before the September 1st deadline.

Dream Maddison replacement: Spurs chasing incredible £30m Eze alternative

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be eyeing up another Premier League star instead of Eberechi Eze.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 13, 2025

Manchester United have endured somewhat of an overhaul of the squad this summer, with Ruben Amorim splashing the cash during his first summer window at Old Trafford.

With less than a week remaining until the market slams shut, the 40-year-old has already spent around £200m – all on players within the final third of the pitch.

Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have all made the move to the Theatre of Dreams, but none of the stars have yet netted their first goal in any of the first two Premier League outings.

Players such as Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans were released at the start of the summer, freeing up some of the funds to land the aforementioned trio.

However, further players are likely to be offloaded before Monday’s deadline, with numerous players touted with big-money moves away from Amorim’s side.

The latest on United’s potential departures this summer

Kobbie Mainoo has emerged as a surprise option to depart United in the coming days, after being an unused substitute in each of the club’s two opening league outings.

The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro have all been preferred over the academy graduate in recent days – casting doubt over his long-term future at Old Trafford.

As a result, the 20-year-old is now said to be open to a departure before the deadline, with the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea monitoring his current situation – with a £45m transfer fee being mooted.

The Englishman is not the only player touted with an exit, with bomb squad member Alejandro Garnacho edging ever closer to a departure, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The journalist claims that the Argentine’s move to join Chelsea is now “very advanced” after the player rejected a proposal from Saudi Arabia – stating he only wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

It’s also been reported that a fee in the region of £50m with future add-ons has been agreed, with only minor details remaining before the 21-year-old departs Amorim’s side.

Why United selling £50m star would be a bigger blow than Mainoo

Mainoo has endured somewhat of a rapid rise over the last couple of years, with no supporter able to envisage the impact he would’ve had on the first-team squad.

There’s no denying that the Red Devils have fallen way below the expectations set by the fanbase, but the 20-year-old midfielder has often been a shining light – often popping up in crucial moments.

He announced himself to the supporters with a last-minute strike against Wolves back in February 2024, with his effort securing a 4-3 win for the club at Molineux.

Goals in the FA Cup and against Lyon in the Europa League have further highlighted the impact he’s made within the first-team, with the hierarchy potentially living to regret any deal that would see him depart the Theatre of Dreams.

However, a deal for Garnacho to depart could arguably be a bigger blow, losing another top youth prospect who could develop into an elite-level forward.

The Argentine made his debut for the Red Devils back in April 2022 – going on to rack up just shy of 150 appearances, and looking like the future of the club at one stage.

Despite scoring 11 times and producing 10 assists across all competitions throughout 2024/25, he was left on the bench for the Europa League final – prompting a fall-out with the manager after comments on social media.

He’s since been placed in the bomb squad at Old Trafford, but it could prove to be a decision that comes back to bite them – especially if he moves to a divisional rival.

Garnacho’s tally of 21 goal contributions last season showcases the talent he possesses within forward areas, something which the Red Devils have lacked already this campaign.

Games played

36

Minutes played

2195

Goals & assists

8

Shots on target

1.2

Pass accuracy

83%

Chances created

1.5

Successful dribbles

1.1

Touches in opposition box

7.6

Fouls won

1.8

Amorim’s side have only netted one goal in the opening two league outings, with the youngster able to help the side in their quest should they keep hold of him beyond the summer.

However, it appears as though he’s set to leave in favour of a move to Chelsea, with the Blues potentially getting themselves a bargain given his output and tender age – having the potential to explode in the capital.

There’s no denying that Amorim wants to make his own stamp on the squad – but selling star youngsters like Mainoo and Garnacho could turn ugly, especially if they can fulfil their potential away from Old Trafford in the years ahead.

He'd revive Fernandes: Man Utd chasing the "best English CM since Scholes"

Manchester United want to sign a midfielder before the end of the transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 27, 2025

It would be fair to say that it’s been a reasonably successful transfer window for Manchester United so far this summer.

On top of shipping off a few unwanted stars, like Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund, they’ve massively improved Ruben Amorim’s attack.

The triumvirate of Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Bryan Mbeumo has the potential to be one of the very best in the Premier League, although even with them in the side, there are a couple of areas that still need addressing.

Fortunately, it looks like the Red Devils are closing in on another signing who has been compared to Eric Cantona and could be viewed as a Mbuemo repeat.

Manchester United target their new Catona

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United remain interested in signing Emiliano Martínez.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

In fact, the Italian journalist goes further, revealing that personal terms have now been agreed and that the Argentinian shot-stopper now “wants to join” the Red Devils.

Romano does not state just how much Aston Villa might want for their £150k-per-week star, but reports from earlier in the summer claimed that the Aston Villa ace may cost around £40m.

Even then, for a player of his quality, that may well be a price worth paying, especially as he has been compared to Cantona and could be seen in a similar light to Mbeumo.

How Martínez compares to Catona and Mbeumo

Before examining the reasons Martinez could be considered another Mbeumo for Manchester United, it’s worth looking into this comparison to Cantona, as the retired goalscorer is a legend of the club and English football.

In this instance, it stems from Sky Sports analyst Dougie Critchley, who boldly described the Argentine as the “Cantona of his generation.”

It might sound like a wild take, especially as the two internationals play, or played, in totally different positions, but when you take where they played out of the equation, it starts to make a lot more sense.

Outside of scoring for fun, what was the Frenchman known for? Arrogance and bravado.

Now, that might sound like a bad thing, and outside of football it may well be, but in the context of the beautiful game, it is most certainly a positive, and a massive one at that.

The former United magician was a natural-born entertainer and someone who thrived on the biggest stage, which is exactly how you would describe the World Cup-winning Villa man.

On top of pulling out world-class save after world-class save in the biggest games, he is a natural entertainer, someone rival fans love to hate, but would love to have at their club.

With that cleared up, why could he then also be another Mbeumo for Amorim and Co?

Well, this comparison is all down to the club signing a ready-made Premier League-proven superstar who could come right into the starting line-up for the next game.

Appearances

213

Goals Conceded

257

Clean Sheets

70

Points per Game

1.63

After all, the former Arsenal ace has won two of the last two Yashin Trophies and won two of the last three FIFA Best Goalkeeper awards.

As if that wasn’t enough, he also won last 24/25’s Premier League Save of the Season for his magnificent stop against Nottingham Forest.

Ultimately, Martinez possesses the same swagger and confidence as Cantona, and the proven track record of Mbuemo, so even if his price tag is a little high, Man United should do everything in their power to bring him to Old Trafford before 7pm.

West Ham in shock talks for "one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United's history"

Potter is in a desperate situation.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 27, 2025

Rangers have been linked with a move for a Premier League champion and free agent who “would tick a lot of boxes” for the Scottish Premiership giants.

McCoist sets record straight on Martin hoax

The Gers have made a miserable start to the new season, with Russell Martin making an awful start to life as manager, already seemingly battling to save his job on a weekly basis.

Rangers legend Ally McCoist may have been critical of Martin at times this season, but he has also set the record straight about fake quotes from him laying into the Gers boss.

“Well, I’ve been misquoted on TikTok, Instagram and all that nonsense. They’ve got me quoting things about the Rangers manager and the current state of the club, and it’s absolute nonsense. So, I had to clarify that and clear that.”

For now, reports have suggested that Martin is safe for the time being, with 49 Enterprises not wanting to sack him just yet, and potential new signings would certainly help him.

Rangers told to sign Premier League winner

Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke talked up Rangers signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a free transfer, having been linked with a move for him recently.

“He’s one of the better frees still out there, Oxlade-Chamberlain, there’s no getting away from that. He’d bring a wealth of experience to any new club, having played at the highest level for Arsenal, Liverpool and England and he has a great pedigree.

“He’s now left Besiktas on a free, and with Rangers trying to strengthen in that midfield area, Oxlade-Chamberlain would tick a lot of boxes. His versatility would be an attractive thing to Rangers, because he can play centrally but also play out wide if needed and the fact he’s available for free makes him a very attractive option.

“There have been a few concerns in Rangers’ midfield in the first few weeks of the season and results haven’t been good, so Russell Martin might be keen to add to his options. But there are a number of clubs who are looking at Oxlade-Chamberlain due to his availability.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain would feel like an exciting signing for Rangers, should they be able to beat some big English club to his signature.

The former £40m midfielder is a Premier League and Champions League winner, having tasted title glory with Liverpool back in 2019/20, with Jurgen Klopp describing him as “sensational”.

Jamie Carragher slams "really poor" Liverpool player alongside Kerkez

Is the criticism of the player fair?

ByHenry Jackson Sep 15, 2025

Granted, Oxlade-Chamberlain isn’t the player he was during his pomp, but he may be hungry to prove himself in the autumn of his career, bringing quality and a winning mentality to attacking midfield areas.

After surviving another scare to win late on against Burnley, Liverpool play host to Atletico Madrid in the hope of taking their winning run to five games in all competitions.

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid team news

The big question heading into this one centres around Alexander Isak. Will the Swede make his Liverpool debut? Or will Arne Slot force Anfield to wait slightly longer before seeing their record arrival in action? If there’s a stage to introduce one of the best strikers in the world, it is the Champions League and it is in a game that will desperately need attacking quality.

There will also be question marks about the fitness of Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones. The former took quite the knock against Burnley and has already endured fitness struggles in the early stages of the campaign. Jones, meanwhile, didn’t make the trip to Turf Moor altogether and is yet to return to training ahead of the Atletico Madrid clash.

The Spanish club also have some frustrating injury concerns. As Fabrizio Romano confirmed, Diego Simeone will be without both Julian Alvarez and Johnny Cardoso for his side’s trip to Anfield. Losing Alvarez is a particular blow for the Argentine manager.

The former Manchester City forward has been the star of the show ever since arriving in Spain and he has continued that form so far this season – scoring once and assisting once in four games.

The task that Simeone now has is finding a similar star within his squad to replace Alvarez ahead of such a challenging test at Anfield.

Liverpool predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Bradley; Konate; Van Dijk; Robertson; Gravenberch; Szoboszlai; Gakpo; Wirtz; Salah; Ekitike

Atletico Madrid predicted line-up (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente; Le Normand; Lenglet; Riggeri; Simeone; Gallagher; Koke; Gonzalez; Griezmann; Sorloth

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid results

The Kop will still be stung by one of Atletico Madrid’s previous Anfield visits, in particular. But since Simeone’s side escaped with a shock 4-2 aggregate victory in extra-time to knock the Reds out of the Champions League in 2020, it has been the Premier League giants that have dominated.

Liverpool 2-0 Atletico Madrid

03/11/2021

Atletico Madrid 2-3 Liverpool

19/10/2021

Liverpool 2-3 Atletico Madrid

11/03/2020

Atletico Madrid 1-0 Liverpool

18/02/2020

Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid

29/04/2010

Wednesday’s clash will be the first time that Slot has squared off against Atletico Madrid as Liverpool manager, but Simeone is still a manager that he knows well.

The last time that they faced each other, intense words were shared as they went back and forth on a disagreement. Given that Slot won round one with a late Feyenoord winner, there’s no doubt that he’ll be hoping for a similar victory in round two this evening.

Liverpool star names the current "problem" that he has with Anfield fans

The Anfield star has responded…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 16, 2025

The history of the fixtures tells us to expect goals, late drama, shock moments and perhaps even another Liverpool victory. Standing in the way of that will, of course, be a stern Atletico side.

It’s a game that the Spaniards could do with winning too, given that they’ve won just once in four La Liga games this season, which came last time out against Villarreal.

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid prediction and odds

Will Liverpool make it five from five in all competitions or will Atletico Madrid cause Anfield misery in a repeat of 2020? According to the bookies, who have priced the Reds at 1/2 to pick up three points, Slot’s side are the favourites here. Atletico, meanwhile, are expected to face an uphill battle at 5/1 to win, and a draw sits at 16/5.

When it comes to results, Liverpool are up and running this season. But we are yet to see a performance that reflects their hefty summer spending spree. As is often the case, however, they may well be saving their most convincing performance for the Champions League and Anfield under the lights.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Atletico Madrid

Following an impressive start to the season, it’s now three games without a win for Everton, who left David Moyes in a frustrated mood following defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup.

Wolves vs Everton: Toffees crash out of Carabao Cup

It’s been a tough week for the Toffees, who narrowly lost out against Liverpool in the Merseyside derby last weekend before travelling to Wolves in hope of getting back to winning ways. Once again, however, they found themselves on the losing side in a game that saw Vitor Pereira’s side outfire a blunt Everton attack.

After Marshall Munetsi opened the scoring in calamitous fashion, it was the turn of new Wolves signing Tolu Arokodare to get in on the act and end Everton’s Carabao Cup campaign before it could truly get started.

For the Toffees, all eyes will now be on a crucial game against West Ham United. If they want to prove that they’re ready to step beyond relegation scraps this season then a convincing display against the Hammers should be at the top of their priority list.

Moyes will also be hoping to see some improvement on the refereeing front after criticising the officials for the second game running last night. The Everton boss said, when asked about the treatment of Jack Grealish: “I think you might need to ask the referee that, if he thought he was giving them [fouls] because I think there was a couple of free kicks not given.

“Again, five minutes [added on] I thought looked very short on time as well, on the way the game went. We’ve not been getting much going for us, but that’s just the way it is.”

That said, most of his frustration centred around one specific moment caused by his players rather than the officials in the Midlands.

Moyes slams "diabolical" Everton moment

Moyes was particularly critical of the first goal that his side conceded, which saw them lose duels inside their own area and eventually allow Munetsi to convert a simple strike on the rebound of Mark Travers’ initial save.

Taking aim at his side, the Everton boss told reporters: “It was a 0-0 game in the first half. We gave away a diabolical goal. Wolves weren’t better than us in the first half, they were for the first 10 minutes or so, but they weren’t better.

“The game was a 0-0, they probably scored against the run of play in some ways. We gave away a terrible first goal which altered things and made the game a bit more difficult. I thought we probably dominated most of the second half, we just couldn’t find a way of getting a goal.”

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The opening goal, which came just before the half-hour mark, swung the momentum in Wolves’ favour and the hosts did not look back from there.

West Ham United are looking to build some momentum under Nuno Espirito Santo, though they now appear to have suffered an injury blow at the London Stadium.

Nuno Espírito Santo makes early judgements on West Ham squad

Nuno has only been in East London for a matter of weeks. However, the former Nottingham Forest boss is already laying down the law as he aims to secure Premier League survival at a minimum this term.

Coming as a surprise to some, West Ham have put James Ward-Prowse up for sale, with Guido Rodriguez also an apparent target for Saudi Pro League clubs.

Nevertheless, the Argentina star reportedly rejected a switch to the Gulf region despite being offered a £30,000 pay increase, as an unnamed agent delivered the lowdown on his situation, via Claret & Hugh.

They said: “Rodriguez had five interested clubs in the summer but didn’t want to move. One offer from Saudi would have given him an extra £30k per week, but he said no.”

On the other hand, Ward-Prowse has been withdrawn from West Ham’s matchday squads against Arsenal and Everton, signalling that Nuno isn’t willing to offer any chance of redemption to players he doesn’t believe will fit his tactical framework.

Taking decisions for the benefit of his group, Nuno will be keen to add a sense of physicality to his side, who have been too passive this term and easy to cut through, conceding more than anyone else in the top-flight with 16.

The Hammers have also scored the joint-second fewest goals at just six, and they may now be struggling for firepower even more following the latest developments coming out of the international break.

With George Earthy out until November after sustaining a hamstring problem (ExWHUemployee), Nuno has been dealt another injury blow.

West Ham star Niclas Füllkrug suffers injury blow

As relayed by Kicker, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann confirms that West Ham striker Niclas Füllkrug has suffered a “torn muscle bundle in his thigh” on international duty, and will now be out for ‘several weeks’ as he looks to work his way back to fitness.

The 32-year-old has gone through a series of unfortunate absences since arriving in London and will now be out for the foreseeable, leaving Callum Wilson and youngster Callum Marshall as Nuno’s only two available strikers for Brentford.

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Struggling to get his West Ham career off the ground, Fullkrug, on around £90,000 per week at the London Stadium, has netted three times in 27 appearances for the club and is yet to get off the mark this term.

Jarrod Bowen may also be a candidate to feature through the middle in his absence, with Nuno searching for his first win ahead of a potential six-pointer next weekend.

Luck hasn’t been on Fullkrug’s side since joining the Hammers from Borussia Dortmund, albeit everyone connected with the club will hope he can make a speedy recovery as West Ham look to kick on after a poor start to the campaign.