Everton have been handed a huge boost with regard to the fitness of Abdoulaye Doucoure in the wake of their Premier League clash against West Ham United.
What’s the latest?
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Frank Lampard issued the following update on the 29-year-old’s health and his potential return to the starting XI.
When asked about when the midfielder could be back, the 44-year-old stated: “Yeah Doucs is fine, Doucs is fit to be in the squad”.
The question which may arise is whether Doucoure starts over Idrissa Gueye, who re-signed for the Toffees on deadline day.
Lampard has missed him
Lampard has been vocal in his admiration for the Malian, with his power and relentlessness making his absence so much more pronounced.
In fact, in their opening day defeat to Chelsea, the Everton boss praised Doucoure’s combinations with Alex Iwobi, who has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in recent weeks.
After that game, the Toffees manager noted: “I thought him and Abdoulaye Doucoure played very well in midfield today.
“We gave Alex and Doucs some particular instruction today, because of the threat of Chelsea playing through the lines – and their energy and their quality – and they dealt with that brilliantly.”
The 29-year-old has made 70 appearances in total for the Toffees, scoring five goals and setting up seven. He has often struggled to play in a midfield two due to his lack of defensive awareness, outlined in the fact that last season he only won possession 0.4 times per match.
However, with Lampard opting for a midfield three against Liverpool, it could be time for Doucoure to recapture his best form.
In his best goalscoring season for Watford in 2017/18, he managed four assists, crucially playing in a midfield three.
Alongside the mercurial Nigerian Iwobi, and with the defensive security offered by Amadou Onana (Everton’s second-best tackler with 2.8 per game), the former Watford gem could be given all the freedom to flex his creative muscles against West Ham, and truly kickstart his career at Goodison Park.
He has been missed by Everton, who are yet to pick up a win in this Premier League campaign. The news of his return from injury will be welcomed with open arms, as he could be integral to their chances of victory this Sunday.
Arsenal youngster Emile Smith Rowe’s persistent groin problem has worsened in the last couple of months, injury expert Ben Dinnery has claimed.
The Lowdown: Smith Rowe out injured again
The 22-year-old is a hugely impressive young talent but his career has been dogged by fitness issues, a worrying trend at such a young age.
Smith Rowe is once again sidelined by a groin issue after he hobbled off after the warm-down away to Manchester United earlier this month, as he struggles to rid himself of the injury.
A concerning update has emerged regarding the midfielder, amplifying Arsenal’s woes on that front following Martin Odegaard’s training ground injury.
The Latest: Smith Rowe’s injury woes
Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery claimed that Smith Rowe’s injury has worsened and that it is a complex issue to tackle.
The expert – who runs the Premier Injuries website and has a background in injury and data analysis – said:
“This is difficult. Calvin Ramsay has had similar issues, but he is a bit younger. Smith Rowe is 22, so this is a bit more rare as you aren’t going to see a significant growth spurt with him.
“They are pointing to issues he had during his time with RB Leipzig back in 2018-19. This is a very complex area of the body. It’s sometimes called spaghetti junction because of how much is going on in there.
“They have been aware of this for the last three or four years. In the last nine to 10 months, things have gotten worse. Conservative treatment and rest are typically the best courses of action.
“In terms of peak muscle mass, you can still be developing into your mid to late-20s. If there has been a weakening because of those issues, that’s where the problems may stem from.
“It’s difficult to give a specific diagnosis or timeframe because, with overuse issues, there are problems. You have to ease back until the problems subside and gradually increase your load and see how the body responds to those triggers.
“If it is favourable, you will continue to develop. But when you have that pain response, you have to go back to previous activity levels. It could be something that Smith Rowe has to deal with for quite a bit longer yet.”
The Verdict: Concerning issue
There is no doubt that Smith Rowe’s injury-prone nature is a concern, with the midfielder limited to 86 Arsenal appearances so far, compared to 139 for the younger Bukayo Saka.
The longer that the 22-year-old’s problems persist, the more of a worry it will become his long-term progress, with injuries having the power to hamper footballers in a recurring manner (take Daniel Sturridge, for example).
The hope is that this is still a young player dealing with growing issues, but at 22, the likelihood of that being the case is starting to feel less likely.
Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham, who breaks news on his Lilywhite Rose accounts, has made a claim on ‘serious’ youngster Dane Scarlett.
The Lowdown: Scarlett shining…
The 18-year-old has come on leaps and bounds since making his Spurs debut under former boss Jose Mourinho, who himself was left dazzled by Scarlett and drew comparisons to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.
After finding game-time difficult to come by under Antonio Conte last season, the forward has since completed a move to Portsmouth on loan for the rest of the 2022/23 campaign.
Scarlett has dazzled since making the move to the south coast, scoring three goals and grabbing an assist already in just four League One starts.
The Latest: Wenham blown away…
Speaking to Football Insider, the Spurs ‘insider’ has absolutely raved over the ‘very, very young’ prodigy and has called Scarlett a ‘serious’ player.
Wenham explained: “The fans love him already and he seems to be thriving off the confidence of that. This is looking really, really good and really promising.
“That’s four goals in his last three games, if he can go on a run now, which I heavily back him to do, we are going to see something special.
“He got get 25 goals. It could be like Defoe’s loan at Bournemouth, it could really set him on his way. I am a big fan of continuity.
“If he keeps scoring goals for Portsmouth and they do go up, I would 100% keep him on loan there in the Championship next season.
“He has a contract at Tottenham, let him develop, People wrongly demand that he come back if he is scoring loads of goals.
“He is very, very young. We are in no rush. Let’s have him develop and we will have a serious player on our hands.”
The Verdict: Very exciting…
It is indeed a very good sign just how quickly Scarlett has taken to life at Fratton Park.
Still only a teenager, it’s clear that the winger is playing with a real swagger and confidence, so it isn’t entirely beyond the realms of possibility that he could even notch more than 20 goals this season.
If the homegrown ace continues his fine form, the next few seasons could see the rise of a future superstar.
West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh has shared an interesting update on the future of exciting defender Harrison Ashby.
The Lowdown: Ashby a wanted man…
Over the course of deadline day, it was reported that Premier League clubs like Newcastle United held a serious interest in poaching the Irons starlet.
Indeed, Ashby apparently attracted the attention of the Magpies, who were attempting to prise away the West Ham talent in the final stretch of the summer transfer window.
That move didn’t come to fruition, with the defender instead remaining in east London.
The Latest: West Ham ready to offer Ashby new deal…
According to Claret & Hugh, there has been an update on the situation, with West Ham owners GSBK (Gold, Sullivan, Brady and Kretinsky) ready to offer Ashby a new deal.
However, there’s some ‘bad news’, with sources from within the club believing there is ‘little chance’ that he puts pen to paper, and Ashby could well move to St. James’ Park upon the expiry of his current contract in 2023.
The Verdict: Blow for Moyes…
Hailed as a ‘top player’ already by West Ham’s under-23 head coach Mark Robson, it appears that the club could be resigned to losing a real talent in the making.
Full-back options like Vladimir Coufal are entering the twilight phase of their careers, with exciting right-back Ben Johnson needing an alternative for when he is unavailable.
Ashby could well have fitted this mould, but given that the 20-year-old seems likely to leave east London, Moyes and co may need to assess their full-back options in January.
كشفت تقارير صحفية، عن كواليس قرار المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، باستبعاد النجم المصري محمد صلاح من مباراة يوم الثلاثاء ضد إنتر ميلان، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.
ويتجه ليفربول إلى إيطاليا لخوض مباراة ضد إنتر ميلان، مساء الغد، في الجولة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري 2025/26.
وأعلن ليفربول قائمته المستدعاة من جانب المدرب آرني سلوت لخوض مباراة الثلاثاء والتي شهدت غياب محمد صلاح، إثر تصريحاته النارية التي أدلى بها يوم السبت الماضي.
وذكرت شبكة “ذا أثلتيك” العالمية أن المدير الرياضي لنادي ليفربول، ريتشارد هيوز، هو من اتخذ قرار استبعاد محمد صلاح من قائمة الفريق لمباراة الغد، بالتعاون مع مالكي النادي والمدرب آرني سلوت، مما يؤكد دعمهم للهولندي.
اقرأ أيضا.. ردود أفعال جماهير ليفربول على استبعاد محمد صلاح من مباراة إنتر ميلان: الأصلع يخرب النادي
وأوضحت أنه لا يعتبر قرار ليفربول باستبعاد الدولي المصري من مباراة إنتر ميلان إجراءً تأديبيًا، وينظر إلى هذه الخطوة بمعزل عن تأثيرها على إمكانية اختياره مستقبلًا، بما في ذلك مباراة السبت في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على أرضه ضد برايتون.
كما أفادت مصادر مطلعة على الوضع، تحدثت شريطة عدم الكشف عن هويتها لأنها غير مخولة بالحديث علنًا، أن محمد صلاح لن يواجه أي إجراءات تأديبية أخرى بسبب تصريحاته، وتعتقد أن اللاعب والنادي سيستفيدان من فترة غياب قصيرة عن التشكيلة.
ويصر ليفربول على التزامه التام تجاه محمد صلاح وعقده الذي يمتد حتى 2027، مع التأكيد على أن الوضع الحالي مؤقت ويمكن تحسينه، كما يُقال إنهم لا يخططون حاليًا لرحيل المهاجم، ولا يخططون لاستغلال فترة انتقالات يناير للبحث عن بدائل محتملة.
هذا، ومن المقرر أن ينضم محمد صلاح إلى معسكر منتخب مصر في المغرب يوم 15 ديسمبر المقبل للمشاركة في كأس الأمم الإفريقية.
Para o duelo diante do São Luiz nesta quarta-feira (24), Eduardo Coudet entende ser necessário poupar alguns titulares, e a escalação do Internacional deve ter algumas diferenças em relação a equipe que estreou no Campeonato Gaúcho.
continua após a publicidade
➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
O técnico argentino pretende rodar o elenco no começo da competição para observar os atletas à disposição. No entanto, Robert Renan, cedido pelo Zenit-RUS ao clube gaúcho até o fim de 2024, e Hyoran, contratado nesta janela de transferências, devem começar a partida.
➡️ Desentendimento entre Flamengo e Internacional emperra negociação de Thiago Maia
CONFIRA A PROVÁVEL ESCALAÇÃO DO INTERNACIONAL
O Colorado deve ir a campo com: Anthoni; Hugo Mallo, Igor Gomes, Robert Renan e Renê; Rômulo, Hyoran, Gustavo Campanharo e Gabriel Barros; Pedro Henrique e Luiz Adriano.
continua após a publicidade
Coudet não terá à disposição Rochet, Ivan e Matheus Dias (lesionados); Alan Patrick e Mercado (suspensos); Maurício (convocado para a Seleção Brasileira Sub-23); e Thauan e Lara (afastados).
O Internacional encara o São Luiz nesta quarta-feira (24), às 19h (de Brasília), no Estádio 19 de outubro, em Itajaí, pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Gaúcho.
Neste sábado (23), a Chapecoense recebe o Ceará na Arena Condá, às 17h (Brasília), pela 29ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B 2023. A Chape tenta sair da zona de rebaixamento, enquanto os cearenses brigam para encostar no G4.
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+ Veja a tabela e simule os resultados do Brasileirão Série B
Brigando para não cair para a Série C, o Furacão do Oeste está em 17º no campeonato. Com duas derrotas seguidas e na zona de rebaixamento, o clube precisa vencer para que o seu rival, Avaí, não se distancie na briga contra a degola.
Depois de estrear com duas vitórias seguidas, o técnico Vagner Mancini conheceu a derrota, perdendo por 4 a 1 contra o Novorizontino. Para reabilitar no campeonato e não deixar o G4 abrir mais vantagem.
+ Assista aos jogos do seu clube do coração com aquela gelada! Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00
CHAPECOENSE X CEARÁ 29ª RODADA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO SÉRIE B
Local: Arena Condá – em Chapecó-SC Data e Hora: 23/09/2023, às 17h (horário de Brasília) Árbitro: Leandro Pedro Vuaden (RS) Assistentes: Mauricio Coelho Silva Penna (RS) e Lucio Beiersdorf Flor (RS) VAR: Mauricio Aurélio Augusto Fazekas Ferreira (MG) Onde Assistir: Band e Premiere
CHAPECOENSE
Airton, Bruno Leonardo, Victor Ferraz, Lucas Freitas, Tomas Bastos e Fabiano; Marcinho, Gustavo Cazonatti e Marco Antônio; Kayke Rodrigues e Giovanni Confreste. Técnico: Claudinei Oliveira
CEARÁ
Bruno Ferreira, Warley, Luiz Otávio, David Ricardo e Danilo Barcelos; Jean Carlos, Léo Santos e Guilherme Castilho; Chrystian Barletta, Erick e Saulo Mineiro. Técnico: Vágner Mancini
يستعد منتخب تونس للناشئين، لمواجهة قوية أمام نظيره الأرجنتيني، اليوم الخميس، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا والمقامة في قطر.
ويلتقي منتخب تونس أمام الأرجنتين في إطار لقاءات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات في بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، وتقام المباراة على ملعب أسباير 7 في الدوحة.
ويأمل المنتخب التونسي في مواصلة نتائجه الجيدة وتأكيد انطلاقته بعد الفوز في الجولة الأولى على فيجي بسداسية نظيفة.
طالع | ترتيب مجموعة تونس في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا بعد الفوز على فيجي
بينما يسعى المنتخب الأرجنتيني لتحقيق الانتصار الثاني من أجل الاقتراب من التأهل لدور الـ16، بعد الفوز أمام بلجيكا بالجولة الأولى بنتيجة 3-2. موعد مباراة تونس والأرجنتين اليوم في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا
وتنطلق المباراة بين تونس والأرجنتين اليوم الخميس في تمام الساعة الثالثة والنصف عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، والرابعة والنصف عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، الثانية والنصف ظهرًا بتوقيت تونس. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة تونس والأرجنتين في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا
تُنقل المباراة بين تونس والأرجنتين، عبر قناة beIN Sports المفتوحة، وقناة الكأس 1.
ويمكنك متابعة مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من خلال مركز المباريات من هنا.
Andre Fletcher’s century in vain for Knight Riders
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2025
Glenn Phillips played a blinder to close out the match•Sportzpics for MLC
It took the combined might of Mitchell Owen, Andries Gous, Glenn Maxwell and Glenn Phillips – not without help from Rachin Ravindra and Obus Pienaar – to match, and eventually top, Andre Fletcher on Thursday night at MLC 2025. Even then, it took till the last ball, and a dropped catch on that ball, to do it.Los Angeles Knight Riders, down on their luck and in the points table in, put up 213 for 4 against Washington Freedom, riding on Fletcher’s 60-ball 104. But it wasn’t enough – though it went down to the wire thanks to an almost-fantastic last over of the chase from Andre Russell. But Freedom got over the line in the end when Jason Holder dropped Phillips at mid-on off a spooned-out yorker, and climbed up to second place on the table, while Knight Riders remained at No. 5.A chase as big as this one needed a big start, but Freedom knew what to do, having pulled off the biggest chase in MLC just the other day. This made it a one-two for them.Owen set the ball rolling, smashing three fours and four sixes in his 16-ball 43, his contribution to a 51-run opening stand with Ravindra, who wasn’t shabby either, scoring 18 off 12. Gous got in then and kept the scoreboard moving, and all of that meant a powerplay score of 73 for 1. Marginally better than Knight Riders’ 67 for no loss.But the runs needed to keep coming, and keep coming at a rate of around 10-11. That happened too. Gous fell for 31 off 27, but Maxwell got going right then, smashing 42 off 23 balls with two fours and three sixes.Andre Fletcher brought up a 59-ball century•Sportzpics for MLC
Then came the next twist – Tanveer Sangha, bowling the 14th over, got rid of both Jack Edwards and Maxwell, and suddenly, it was looking loaded in Knight Riders’ favour. No fear – Phillips rocked up, and hit an unbeaten 23-ball 33 to put Freedom back on top, and when the last over started, only seven runs were needed.Russell had the ball, and started with a wide. And then Pienaar hit a four. Two needed from five. Not over. Three dot balls followed, and suddenly it was two from two. Super Over? But singles from Pienaar and Phillips off the last two balls finished the game off.On most days, Fletcher’s 104 from 60 balls – he retired out at that point – would have been on the winning side. Add to that Unmukt Chand’s 41 from 30 balls in an opening stand of 130 in 12.2 overs, Sherfane Rutherford’s 11-ball 20, and Russell’s unbeaten 13-ball 30, and Knight Riders pretty much had the perfect batting innings, having come into the game on the back of four losses in five games.Chand was slow – managing three fours and six and a strike rate of 136.66 in a game where runs were scored at well upwards ten an over across the two innings aren’t great numbers. But with Fletcher turning it on, Knight Riders stayed above that ten-an-over mark despite Chand’s lack of intent.But his fall, in the 13th over with Fletcher 83 off 45 balls at that stage, was perhaps good from Knight Riders’ point of view. It brought in Rutherford first, and after he fell after a cameo, Russell got in and got going big time right away. Fletcher’s century came up in the 18th over, and he retired one ball after, his knock including seven fours and six sixes.Russell then did his bit with bat and ball, but it was not enough for Knight Riders.
Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will surely be pleased with how his side has adapted to Premier League football after their promotion from the Championship.
The last six teams to have come up from the second tier have all been relegated at the first time of asking, and the Whites, Sunderland, and Burnley are hoping to avoid making it nine from nine.
Leeds have racked up eight points in seven matches in the Premier League so far this season, lifting them above the relegation zone, in what has been an impressive start to the campaign.
They lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur last time out in the top-flight at Elland Road, but they had a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth and a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which included a stunning goal from Anton Stach, prior to that.
The German central midfielder smashed his free-kick right into the top corner for his first goal for the club after his move from Hoffenheim in the summer window.
Another signing from the summer transfer window who has impressed since his arrival at Elland Road is exciting wide attacker Noah Okafor.
Where Noah Okafor ranks among Leeds United's attackers
It may not be unfair to suggest that the Switzerland international is the best and most effective attacker within Farke’s first-team squad in the Premier League this season.
Okafor, who was signed from AC Milan, has hit the ground running in English football with two goals in four starts in the Premier League, per Sofascore, which is twice as many goals as any other player in the team has managed.
He is the only Leeds player who has scored more than one goal this season in the top-flight, with his strikes against Wolves and Spurs, and that suggests that the forward is, at the very least, the most effective goalscorer in the attacking ranks.
25/26 Premier League
Noah Okafor
Leeds attacker rank
Sofascore rating
7.06
1st
xG
1.16
2nd
Goals
2
1st
Minutes per goal
153
2nd
Big chances created
1
2nd
Dribbles completed per game
2.2
1st
Key passes per game
0.8
2nd
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Okafor ranks either first or second in a host of key attacking metrics for the Whites in the Premier League, which speaks to how influential he has been at the top end of the pitch in the early stages of the campaign.
The Swiss speedster, who scored in the 2-1 defeat to Spurs last time out, is an electric dribbler who can score goals and create chances for his teammates, which makes him an invaluable part of Farke’s attack.
Despite that, Transfermarkt have Okafor as the 13th-most valuable member of the squad, at £11m, and the seventh-most valuable winger or striker, even below Jack Harrison at £12m.
Market Movers
Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?
Another player who is worth even more than the Switzerland international, despite his impressive form in the Premier League, is central defender Pascal Struijk, whom the Whites have hit the jackpot with since his move to the club from Ajax.
Leeds have hit the jackpot with Pascal Struijk
The Dutch central defender joined the club at U21 level on a free transfer at the start of 2018, as his contract with Ajax was due to expire, and he was able to rise through the ranks at Thorp Arch.
Struijk made seven appearances for the U21 team before he emerged as a regular first-team squad member in the 2020/21 Premier League season under Marcelo Bielsa, playing 27 times, per Transfermarkt.
The left-footed star has since racked up 166 appearances for the first-team in all competitions for the West Yorkshire outfit, and has started all seven of the club’s league matches this season.
Struijk was particularly important to the club’s promotion to the Premier League last season, scoring five goals in 35 appearances, as he formed a reliable partnership with Joe Rodon.
The 26-year-old titan, who scored two late goals in a dramatic comeback against Sunderland, kept 14 clean sheets in 31 starts in the second tier last term, per Sofascore, which speaks to how defensively solid the team were with him in it.
Farke has kept his faith in both Rodon and Struijk, despite the signings of Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw, in the Premier League so far this season.
The German boss described him as a “crucial” player back in 2023, and he still relies on the Dutchman, even if his performances this term have not quite been up to scratch.
25/26 Premier League
Pascal Struijk
Percentile rank vs CBs
Tackles
6
Bottom 34%
Duels won
19
Bottom 40%
Duel success rate
43.2%
Bottom 3%
Aerial duel success rate
46.4%
Bottom 13%
Interceptions
2
Bottom 9%
Blocked shots
2
Bottom 34%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, Struijk currently ranks among the worst centre-backs in the division in a host of defensive statistics, which suggests that he needs to improve his performances if he wants to remain in the side.
Despite his slightly concerning form at this moment in time, the Dutch star is valued at a whopping £15.6m by Transfermarkt, which means that he is worth more than Okafor (£11m). He is also the joint-fourth most valuable player at the club, per Transfermarkt.
Considering that the Whites picked him up from Ajax’s academy and he started his career in England at U21 level, it is fair to say that Leeds hit the jackpot when they signed Struijk back in 2018.
He has developed into, at the very least, a Championship promotion-winning central defender, and one of the most valuable players in the squad at £15.6m.
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At the age of 26, Struijk also has plenty of time left ahead of him to increase in value, but he must first turn his Premier League form around and show that he is good enough to start week-in-week-out in a top-flight side that can avoid relegation.