Last week has left Arsenal with a bit of a hurdle to jump, hasn’t it? It’s certainly not a mountain to climb, because they could progress with a 2-0 win, but it’s still an annoying distraction from the top four race, and the team are now at a crossroads.

The win against United has meant they’re now in a brilliant position to finish in the top four, or even come third, in this season’s Premier League. So priority has shifted from perhaps a Europa League win being their key into the Champions League, to the domestic league holding a great chance too.

It seems sensible now to prioritise the league and field a side in the Europa League that wouldn’t hamper the squad’s fitness for the weekend. If they progress through the competition with that mentality, then great. In the final, they could then go all-out.

However, if they get knocked out, it wouldn’t be such a blow as it would have been if Spurs had maintained such strong form and United would have beaten them at the weekend. There’s belief that Unai Emery and his side deserve to play in the Champions League next season, and it’s hard to argue with that, so it’s important they don’t burn themselves out trying to succeed in both.

Worst case scenario, Emery makes his key men play too many minutes and their performances in both the Europa League and Premier League drop so they don’t earn Champions League through either. That would then hinder the club’s ability to attract the players Emery wants to create a team capable of fighting for the title.

The Premier League should now be the focus, despite Emery’s success in the continent’s second-tier competition.

Arsenal fans, how do you think Unai Emery should approach team selection in the Europa League? Join the discussion by commenting below…

It’s reaching that time of year again, isn’t it? Where nails are bitten, nerves are high and every result counts in the race for promotion. Leeds are in their strongest position for years, but the next two games before they face Sheffield United can make or break their chances.

Yes, to earn automatic promotion it’s important to win those ‘six-pointers’ against your rivals who are fighting it out for the same two spots, but without the points against teams further down, those big games are pointless. The Whites now head to sixth-placed Bristol City and 21st placed Reading before returning to Elland Road to play United.

They’re now two points clear of the Blades, who sit in third place and two points behind leaders Norwich City. They must keep the pressure on the teams around them by winning these next two games and proving they’re not going to flake away like they have so often in recent years.

Their 4-0 win at home to West Brom on Friday made a statement to say they weren’t shaken after the 1-0 defeat at the hands of QPR just three days earlier. Picking up from a setback is key to any promotion race and they must continue this against Bristol on Saturday.

Winning that and the game at Reading would give them the momentum to take back home and use against Sheffield United who may also have their own noses up after two home games against Brentford and Rotherham.

It’s so tight at the top right now that goal difference may be the difference between automatic promotion to the Premier League and being thrown into the play-offs.

Norwich have +26, Leeds +21 and the Blades +25, so it’s going to be tight to say the least. It’s in games like the one against Reading where Leeds have to make more use of the chances they will create to push up their goal difference.

The next two games leading up to that crunch game at Elland Road can decide Leeds’ promotion chances and they must get it right. If they don’t beat the teams who aren’t even challenging for automatic promotion, they don’t deserve to be in the top two at all.

Leeds fans, tell us how nervous you are. Is there a more horrible feeling? Join the discussion by commenting below…

أعلن السويسري رينيه فايلر المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي تشكيل فريقه أمام الترسانة اليوم في المباراة التي ستقام ضمن منافسات كأس مصر.

ويلعب الأهلي ضد الترسانة في إطار مواجهات دور الـ16 ببطولة الكأس.

وشهد تشكيل الأهلي اليوم عودة بادجي أساسيًا والاعتماد على مصطفى شوبير في حراسة المرمى وحسين الشحات، كجناح. تشكيل الأهلي أمام الترسانة

حراسة المرمى: مصطفى شوبير

خط الدفاع: أحمد فتحي – حمدي فتحي – ياسر إبراهيم – محمود وحيد.

خط الوسط: أليو ديانج – محمد مجدي “أفشة” – جونيور أجاي – حسين الشحات.

خط الهجوم: مروان محسن – أليو بادجي.

طالع أيضًا.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الأهلي والترسانة في كأس مصر

طالع أيضًا.. بدلاء الاهلي الرسمي امام الترسانة في كاس مصر

وكان الأهلي قد انتصر على بني سويف في دور الـ32 بنتيجة 3-1، بينما نجح الترسانة في إقصاء إنبي بركلات الجزاء الترجيحية.

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Brendan Rodgers has one very important decision to make in defence for the return leg with Valencia.

It doesn’t involve the full-back positions – Jeremy Toljan and Jonny Hayes seem certain to start – but in central defence the Celtic boss has to decide who plays alongside Dedryck Boyata.

In the first leg Jozo Simunovic was pulled all over the place with Valencia’s second goal delivered by an unmarked Ruben Sobrino shooting home from seven yards out. At that moment the odds on Celtic progressing became ridiculous.

On Sunday at Kilmarnock Kris Ajer replaced Simunovic, who has made just one appearance on a plastic pitch since joining Celtic in 2015.

The former Dinamo Zagreb defender has never quite convinced the Celtic support that he is the real deal. Apart from one memorable challenge on Kenny Miller there have been few domineering performances in between regular spells out injured. According to Transfermarkt he has had eight absences due to injury.

By contrast Ajer has always made himself available – away to Astana in the 2017 Champions League qualifier he learned some punishing lessons as Celtic leaked goals but just managed to hang on to claim a place in the group phase.

Ajer is effectively in his second season at Celtic, deputising behind Boyata and Filip Benkovic who are the first choice pairing but about to leave the Hoops in the summer.

The young Norwegian has had some testing times but 90 minutes against Valencia will have him fully prepared for next season’s Champions League qualifiers – assuming Celtic clinch the title.

None of next season’s Champions League opponents will be on a par with the Spanish side. This season Celtic would have faced qualifiers against the champions of Greece and Hungary to reach the group phase.

Rodgers has spoken recently about age not being a barrier – giving Ajer the jersey to face Valencia is a sound decision for the clash in the Mestalla with plenty of dividends down the line for the player and club.

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Loads of Liverpool fans have been reflecting on the weekend’s action, and they’re not too happy with the form of James Milner.

Liverpool returned to the summit of the Premier League on Sunday, drawing 0-0 at Old Trafford in a rather drab affair.

The Reds have now drawn four of their last five games in all competitions, and the front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have combined for just two goals across those four draws.

Who has the loudest fans in Europe? PSG certainly state their claim in the video below…

All three were ineffective again on Sunday, but the real problems are further back in the team, where the lack of creativity in midfield is a huge problem.

Milner filled in at right-back at Old Trafford, and the versatile ace had by far the most chances to create dangerous situations for the Reds, yet he couldn’t produce a single good cross. When he plays in midfield, his crosses and forward play are equally ineffective.

The 33 year-old has said in the past that he would like to move back to Leeds United after his time at Anfield ends, and fans are now discussing the prospect of axing him this summer.

Milner is a Jurgen Klopp favourite and for good reason, but the Twitter reactions down below suggest his time at the club is nearing its end…

It’s been a drastic past few days at Leicester City.

After parting ways with Claude Puel, the Foxes successfully managed to tap Brendan Rodgers as their new manager (via Leicester City), relying on the Northern Irishman to turn things around in this disappointing season and beyond.

At the risk of incurring the Celtic fans’ wrath, Rodgers has the opportunity to become a new hero at Leicester. After enduring some difficult few months under Puel, the Foxes faithful will be looking for him to bring back life in their gameplay. Having already played his trade at Liverpool, Rodgers knows what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.

He was extremely successful at Celtic, winning the treble not once, but twice! However, the smell of competition and fame couldn’t allow him to say no to a return. Having a 50.30% win-rate with Liverpool and 44.79% win rate with Swansea (stats via ManagerStats), he definitely knows what it takes to win games at England’s top flight.

Rodgers’ attacking philosophy and renowned man-management skills are exciting prospects for Leicester. While his immediate job will be to bring back joy to their game, Rodgers will slowly integrate his possession-based, sleek style which was so devastating at Liverpool.

He’ll relish the prospect of working with such a vibrant, youthful unit. With experienced candidates like Jamie Vardy, Kasper Schmeichel to help him and brilliant talents like James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Demarai Gray, Rodgers can get the Foxes playing beautiful football to rise up the Premier League ranks once again.

Leicester City won’t win the title again but, at last, their fans are about to go on their best ride since.

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Nacho Novo has opened up about his friend Alfredo Morelos this week in light of his most recent showing against Kilmarnock, which saw him make the headlines in typically controversial fashion.

What’s the word?

The Colombian goal machine simply cannot stay out of the limelight. Whether he is scoring goals, getting into disputes with the opposition or, as is so often the case, a bit of both, Morelos is a man who is never too far away from the headlines.

Kirk Broadfoot, a former Rangers player, managed to provoke the volatile attacker on Saturday, but the incident did not see either player go into the referee’s book.

In an interview with Evening Times, Novo gave his verdict on the confrontation and suggested that Broadfoot’s decision to trod on Morelos’ heel was premeditated.

“That’s been planned. Kirk knows how to wind people up and that’s what it’s all about.

“Players are going to target strong personalities and wait for a reaction. Everybody wants to win a game and if you can get rid of the other team’s top goalscorer it’s a big help.”

Hot-headed reputation will cause problems – time to cash in?

While Novo is not directly suggesting that the Kilmarnock man’s premeditated attempt to rattle Morelos is part of a wider problem, there is no doubt that every defender in the division will be inclined to rile him up.

Does Steven Gerrard want Rangers to be defined by recurring stories over Morelos and his ability to keep a cool head? The damage has already been done to his reputation and defenders will actively look to exploit his weak spot in any way possible, as Novo has alluded to.

Interest from across Europe is likely to emerge in the summer months and Gerrard will be faced with a huge dilemma if and when it comes around, with the Rangers chief likely to be torn over the 22-year-old’s future.

An acute awareness of how his star striker will be targeted by SPFL defenders may well force him to cash in if a substantial offer arrives.

When the announcement came that Max Meyer would be joining Crystal Palace, the world of football was shocked.

Meyer, once the heir to the throne of German football and a player many considered to be at the heart of the Germany national team for years to come, was swapping the working class area of the Ruhr Valley for Croydon.

It was a transfer that was met with surprise at first, but then excitement. Here we have a genuinely great player jumping out of his comfort zone for a club that wants to achieve more than just being able to survive the Premier League.

Seven months later, and it looks like all Meyer and Palace will accomplish this season is Premier League survival and a decent FA Cup run.

Palace has always been a club that aims to be ambitious, but when push comes to shove the ending result is always a team that do ‘just enough’, something that Eagles fans will sadly agree with.

Meyer hasn’t failed at the club, the club have failed Meyer. But how?

Since returning to the Premier League, Palace have always played it safe on all areas of the pitch. From lacklustre managerial appointments to just okay signings, the club is yet to truly be stick to an ambitious plan and execute it.

We all remember Frank de Boer’s spell at the club. The former Inter Milan manager was seen as an exciting appointment for Palace and a man who could take the club in a new, bold direction. And what happened? He was gone 10 weeks into his three-year contract and immediately replaced with a safe managerial option.

Whether or not de Boer would have taken Palace down to the Championship is an opinion piece for another day, but the message that sacking showed is something that still sticks with the club. The lack of ambition at the club is as low as you can get for a Premier League side, and Meyer knows this.

The 23-year-old midfielder has been a big underwhelming flop at the club, there are no two ways about it. Here we have a player that the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool were interested in signing when it was announced he will be leaving Schalke at the end of last season, so how has he failed to make an impact at Palace?

For starters, it took a while for Meyer to cement himself as a starter in Hodgson’s team. His first start came at the start of October in a 2-1 loss to Bournemouth, and his only real spell of consecutive starts for the games was between the start of November to the New Year, where he started nine games in a row in the Premier League.

Meyer has never been a player to produce big numbers in goals or assists, but even the most pessimistic of Palace fans would admit that they expected more output from the German this season.

In 29 games this season the 23-year-old midfielder has only mustered two goals and three assists in all competitions, the same number as Cardiff City defender Sol Bamba.

Meyer was an ambitious signing, to begin with. A talented midfielder who had lost the love for his boyhood club and decided to take a different approach to his career. But at what cost? The German is stuck at a club that can only pray for a midtable finish at best and playing under a manager that is more than comfortable to play it safe in most games.

Palace simply lacks the ambition to progress any further as a Premier League side, and if they’re not careful this lack of ambition might come around to haunt them in the future.

Crystal Palace fans, what do you think about the future of your club?

سقط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة على أرضه “كامب نو” في فخ التعادل الإيجابي بنتيجة 1-1 أمام إشبيلية في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وانطلقت المباراة في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”، تحت قيادة الحكم الدولي الإسباني، جيل مانزانو.

افتتح تسجيل الأهداف في المباراة، إشبيلية عن طريق مهاجم الدولي الهولندي، لوك دي يونج، في الدقيقة الثامنة من زمن الشوط الأول.

ولكن بعد دقيقتين فقط، استطاع فيليب كوتينيو إدراك التعادل لصالح برشلونة في الدقيقة العاشرة بعد خطأ دفاعي من إشبيلية.

بهذا التعادل، يرتفع رصيد برشلونة عند النقطة السابعة بعد 3 مباريات وهو نفس الأمر لصالح إشبيلية بعد تأجيل أول مباراتين لهما في الدوري الإسباني. أهداف مباراة برشلونة وإشبيلية في الدوري الإسباني

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Regardless of how Tottenham conclude the current campaign, Mauricio Pochettino is facing an uphill battle to keep one of his best players at the club in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

The signing of a new contract is typically greeted with unanimous enthusiasm and a feeling of assurance regarding a player’s long-term future.

Alderweireld’s decision to pen terms on a new deal shortly after the turn of the year, though, provided a rather antithetical feeling: one defined by insecurity and apprehension over his future in north London.

The inclusion of a £25 million release clause this summer, which will be active until the final two weeks of the transfer window, represents daylight robbery for a player of his quality and experience.

With that in mind, Spurs fans have been wondering whether the Belgium international could be inclined to sign a new deal to deter interest from outside the club, and one fan posed that question to football.london’s Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold on Monday.

The fans asked what it would take for Christian Eriksen and Alderweireld to sign new deals with the club, and his response in regard to the latter pointed towards a summer departure.

‘With Alderweireld it’s a different situation because of that clause in his contract, triggered by the recent extension, which states that he can go for £25m this summer before the final two weeks of the window.

‘For the Belgian it would be a strange move to sign a new deal now when he could have options galore in the summer.’

Alderweireld looking for a new challenge?

As much as it would pain supporters to admit, Gold is spot on his assessment.

At this moment in time the 29-year-old is in an incredibly advantageous position for a player with a genuine desire to leave the club, and his price-tag should draw in a multitude of coveted suitors when the summer window opens for business.

If Alderweireld did not want to weigh up his options and consider other avenues to explore in his career, he would simply sign a new deal without the inclusion of a release clause.

With ‘options galore’ likely to be presented in front of Alderweireld this summer, Pochettino and Tottenham should be preparing for a future without him.

The seeds have been planted for the former Atletico Madrid man to embark on a new challenge this summer.