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Liverpool have since recovered from their prolonged malaise earlier in the campaign and have now given themselves an unexpected shot at Champions League football, albeit they may have to rely on other results elsewhere.

Nevertheless, injury problems have dashed their chances of making progress as 2022/23 has rolled on, with central defensive options being squeezed to the limit this term.

Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate have all spent time on the sidelines in what has proved to be a rollercoaster year for the red half of Merseyside, signifying that positional reinforcements may be needed in the forthcoming transfer window to combat these issues moving forward.

One man that has been linked with a summer move to Anfield and could help to bolster squad depth is Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, as reported by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, who said: "Understand Newcastle, Manchester Utd and Liverpool scouts were in attendance at Nice-Rennes game to monitor Jean Clair Todibo. French centre back could get top club move in the summer — with price tag understood to be around €45m (£39m)."

Why is Jean-Clair Todibo so highly rated?

Speaking to Football FanCast in a recent interview, journalist Dean Jones has explained why Liverpool may elect to move for Todibo this summer, saying: "It's increasing level of competition as well, isn't it? It's not saying that you don't rate the guys you've already got in your squad, but it's important that no one in that backline ever feels too safe because that has also been one of their problems this season, is that due to injuries as much as anything else, they've not had big competition for places that the back next season, they have to be able to deal better with emergency situations and I think that that's probably why they're scouting the area."

In total, the Frenchman has made 44 appearances for Nice this season, as per Transfermarkt, and has a contract at the Allianz Riviera until the summer of 2027.

WhoScored notes that the 23-year-old is a great commander of the back line despite still being yet to come into the prime of his career, as Todibo has averaged 3.3 clearances and 2.2 tackles per match in Ligue 1 this campaign.

FBRef also indicate that the Cayenne-born defender is also a competent figure in possession. Todibo fares well in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions regarding progressive passing, as he ranks in the top 15% for this metric over the last 365 days, having made 4.63 per 90 minutes for Nice.

As per Tribuna, German football legend Lothar Matthaus labelled Todibo as 'the best centre-back I've seen in a long time' back in 2020, which is some statement to make from someone who has seen and done it all in the elite game.

Who could Jean-Clair Todibo replace or compete with at Liverpool?

The defender has received massive praise from German legend Lothar Matthaus, who stated: "Todibo is the best centre back I’ve seen in a long time.”

Immediately, Konate, Gomez and Matip come to mind, seeing as they have all had their struggles with injuries and form this season.

Football Insider report that Liverpool would be willing to listen to offers for Matip this summer, with a fee of £10-15 million being targeted by Anfield chiefs as they seek to be fairly compensated for his services.

Gomez may also be moved over to right-back on a more frequent basis next term to allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to function in advanced areas more regularly, something he has partaken in recently to great effect in a free midfield role in possession.

That leaves Konate, who lags slightly behind Todibo in both clearance and tackle completion, making three clearances and 2.1 successful challenges per Premier League match in 2022/23, as per WhoScored.

The pair are both talented defensive options of similar age and similar calibre, all told. However, it does seem about time that Jurgen Klopp phases some younger blood into a backline comprised mainly of experience.

Todibo could help to push Konate and vice versa for their place in the side at Liverpool that would likely be as partner to Van Dijk at the heart of the defence. Liverpool haven't had suitable cover over the last few years and now could be the chance to rectify that.

The ECB has invited Graeme Swann to work with England’s best young spinners

George Dobell10-Aug-2016The ECB has invited Graeme Swann to work with England’s best young spinners.Swann, who claimed 255 wickets in his 60 Tests and was arguably England’s best offspinner since Jim Laker, has been contacted by Peter Such, the ECB’s lead spin bowling coach, and asked to work with England Under-19s and those in contention for a Lions place. It is understood Swann will undertake several sessions at Loughborough, not far from his Nottingham home, ahead of the winter tours.Alastair Cook recently brushed off questions about Swann’s involvement as a coach, suggesting he was too busy with his media commitments. Swann works for the both the BBC and BT Sport, but he has often expressed an interest in helping where he can and frequently bemoaned the fact that, while England’s batsmen and seam bowlers have specialist coaches with them throughout series home and away, spin bowlers receive less help.The ECB recently hired Saqlain Mushtaq to work with the Test squad’s spinners, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, for a few days ahead of the Old Trafford Test and hopes to use him again in the near future. In the past, Daniel Vettori, the former New Zealand spinner, has been used in a similar role, while Mushtaq Ahmed worked with the England team on a consultancy basis for a couple of years.While Saqlain is expected to work with England’s Test spinners at the start of their winter tours – potentially travelling to Bangladesh if that tour goes ahead – it is thought he may struggle to gain a visa to India.The involvement of Swann would be the latest in a raft of measures the ECB has implemented in an attempt to encourage the development of spin bowlers in England. As well as allowing opposition captains the opportunity to bowl first in the County Championship in 2016, a move designed to disincentive counties preparing pitches providing extravagant assistance to seam bowlers, it has been noticeable that young spinners have been invited to bowl at England’s Test players in the nets ahead of each Test of the summer. Mason Crane, the 19-year-old Hampshire legspinner, has been in the nets at the Kia Oval this week.The issue is likely to become more contentious in the coming months as England face seven Tests in Asia. While England’s two main spinners, Swann and Monty Panesar, claimed 37 wickets between them as England defeated India in India in 2012 (nobody on either side took more than Swann’s 20 wickets in the series), when they return to the country in November it will be Moeen and Rashid who are relied upon to provide the bulk of the spin bowling.

Australia captain Steven Smith singled out a good opening partnership as the key to Australia’s success in the Caribbean ahead of their tri-series opener against West Indies on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2016

Australia captain Steven Smith has singled out a good opening partnership as the key to success in the Caribbean ahead of their tri-series opener against West Indies on Sunday.Davison has been massive for me – Lyon

Nathan Lyon has credited mentor and Cricket Australia spin coach John Davison for being a huge influence on his game. Lyon praised the former Canada allrounder for being approachable and was sure that he would be able to use his guidance to good effect during his time in the Caribbean. “For me, John Davison has been a massive player. He’s someone that I can pick up the phone anytime and anywhere and give a call and throw back ideas,” Lyon said.
“I’m lucky enough to have some really good mates in and around the squad here who have played in a lot of spinning conditions and they give me a fair amount of feedback here and there, but Davis is probably the one I can pick up and call just about any time. And I know he’ll be at home watching closely and if he sees anything, he’ll send me a text or give me a call the next day.”

Unlike the faster pitches at home, the surfaces in the Caribbean are expected to become slower as the innings progresses, and how Australia handle the new ball could determine how they fare in the tournament. The Providence Stadium in Guyana stayed true to reputation during West Indies’ four-wicket triumph over South Africa on Friday, with both sides finding run-scoring difficult.”My thoughts before yesterday’s game was that it wasn’t going to be a high-scoring game,” Smith said on the eve of the match. “It’s about being smart, particularly through the middle overs against the spinners, making sure we’re able to rotate the strike, and if we get a bad ball, put it away. Whereas in Australia, the bounce is consistent, the ball doesn’t spin a great deal, so you can hit through the line and take the game on a little bit more.”I don’t think you need to tell Davey Warner or Aaron Finch how to play too much. I think that’s just their natural instinct, to play their shots, which hopefully will get us into a good position. It looks as though it might be one of those wickets where the new ball is the easiest time to bat and then the wicket slows down, making it harder to score. If we try and make the most of those first six to ten overs, hopefully we can hold ourselves in good stead for the rest of the innings.”Smith’s observations were along the lines of how South Africa’s innings panned out. They made a solid start after choosing to bat and were 52 for 1 in the 10th over. By the time AB de Villiers fell in the 31st, they were scoring at less than 4.5 runs an over. Sunil Narine, on international comeback, then wrecked the middle order to finish with career-best figures of 6 for 27 as South Africa lost eight wickets for 58 runs.”I think it’s about each individual batter having a plan against him,” Smith said about facing Narine. “Obviously, he’s a quality bowler with a different set of skills than we’re used to seeing. I think most of our guys have seen him play in the IPL or for the West Indies and know what he brings to the table. It’s just about going out and executing our skills against him.”As for Australia, Adam Zampa will likely have a big role to play, although with Glenn Maxwell’s offbreaks and the presence of a senior spinner in Nathan Lyon, a final call will only be taken after pitch inspection on match day. Smith had words of praise for the young legspinner.”He has a lot of confidence. I think he’s come a long way in the last couple of years. He’s confident in his skill set and what he brings to the table,” Smith said. “He knows what he’s trying to do, reads the batsman very well, and I think his control has improved a lot as well.”I was really impressed with how he bowled in New Zealand in the one-dayers, and throughout the T20 World Cup and the IPL in India. He’s come on a long way, and hopefully can continue to improve and get better as well.”Lyon felt it was the confidence in his ability and the knowledge of what he’s trying to do that has elevated Zampa to the next level. “I’m not sure if I’m the senior spinner. We (he and Zampa) are really good mates, that helps,” Lyon said. “I’ve known him for a fair few years now, he’s developing into a great spinner. It’s been a privilege to work with him in the nets, and hopefully, if we get the chance to play together, we can win a couple of games for Australia.”I think he’s backed himself. He understands where his game is at the moment. He trusts his spinning ability. It’s exciting to see an upcoming legspinner, especially in the one-day format.”Maxwell has spoken in the past of the difficulty of him and Lyon playing in the same Test XI as both spin the ball the same way. But this tri-series could well see the two of them playing together and Lyon didn’t believe it was impossible. “Maxi bats in the top-five, doesn’t he? He’s a batter who can bowl offspin pretty well, so there’s definitely room for two spinners, especially given Maxi’s skill with the bat. So I don’t see a problem playing with Maxi.”A regular feature of the Test team, Lyon has made only sporadic appearances in the shorter format – he has played 10 ODIs and one T20I – and he felt every opportunity would be a chance to make the spot his own. Having made two trips to the country also helped his case as he has knowledge of the conditions. “It (the Providence pitch) looks like a typical Caribbean wicket. I’ve been fortunate enough to be over here a couple of times now, so hopefully understand the wicket here. But it looks like it’s going to be a tough one-day series. Every bowler is going to be a threat, it’s just about bowling in partnerships and attacking and defending at the right time.”Lyon also dismissed notions that bowling in the shorter format may affect his performance in Test cricket. “It’s definitely not going to damage my bowling. I’m confident in my skills to get the job done in any format. It’s just about being able to adapt – the best players in the world adapt – and that’s one of my goals.”

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal could try and use Eddie Nketiah, Folarin Balogun, or Emile Smith Rowe to help Arsenal sign West Ham United captain Declan Rice.

What are the latest West Ham rumours?

A number of top Premier League teams seem very keen on landing the England international but he won't come for cheap.

Indeed, as per a recent report in Sky Sports, Rice could cost around £120m if a Champions League club such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool or the Gunners want to get a deal done.

In that same article, it's also claimed that the Irons could potentially be open to a transfer which would see the £60k-per-week midfielder sold for £100m with another player coming in as part of a swap deal.

And while talking about this possibility on his YouTube channel, Watts suggested three names that could be used by Arsenal as a way of completing a move for Rice.

He said (11:07): “It'll be interesting when you look if they are willing to accept a player, potentially someone like Eddie Nketiah.

"£100m plus Eddie Nketiah, Folarin Balogun even. You know, West Ham need a striker – might be looking at either of those two.

"Emile Smith Rowe, his future is potentially unclear going into the summer. Could you throw him into the mix as well? So there's, there's potential for Arsenal.”

Will Rice be sold as part of a swap deal?

There can be no doubt, Rice is going to cost a pretty penny if he does leave this simmer. After the recent win against Manchester United, manager David Moyes emphasised that point.

Indeed, he told the press: “Again, he was outstanding tonight but I thought we had some really big performers. No surprising me, he has got a great talent of regaining the ball.

“You’ve seen him play for England, you’ve seen the abilities he uses in recovering the ball and getting around people. He’s great across the ground, very quick. I’m pleased, but not surprised.

“That’s why he is probably the best English midfield player around and that is why he is going to be extremely expensive if anybody comes calling.”

And while a swap deal would help soften the blow of a potential departure, it remains unclear if West Ham would be keen on any of the names suggested by Watts.

After all, Nketiah, Balogun and Smith Rowe are all more attack-minded players. Still, there has been talk that Gianluca Scamacca could be off this summer, which could open the door for one of those Arsenal strikers to arrive.

With Rice undoubtedly of interest to many clubs, it will be interesting to see who can offer West Ham the most enticing proposition this summer.

Liverpool will host Arsenal in their Premier League clash at Anfield this afternoon and manager Jurgen Klopp will be keen to prove that his team are still capable of competing with the very best in front of the home support.

The Reds have had a tumultuous season, but their impeccable record against the current league leaders speaks for itself as Arsenal have failed to take a victory away from Anfield since 2012, which Klopp will be hoping extends when the final whistle is blown later today.

Indeed, Mikel Arteta's side will be heading to Merseyside with an important mission to keep the gap as wide as possible with their title challengers Manchester City, however, a victory for Liverpool will be absolutely vital to their outside chance of qualifying for the Champions League as they are currently 13 points adrift of the top four.

The Liverpool boss made a number of changes to his team against Chelsea earlier this week, with key players like Mohammed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson all missing from the starting eleven, however, it is incredibly unlikely that Klopp will be so heavy in the rotation as his most experienced players will be his most valuable assets against the Gunners.

As a result, there is no doubt that Robertson must be unleashed in the starting eleven as Kostas Tsimikas proved he was not up to scratch during his display at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Will Robertson start vs Arsenal?

The Scotland captain has played an important role in Liverpool's successes over the years and will surely be one of the first names on the teamsheet when it comes to challenging an incredibly on-form Arsenal side.

His positional peer, Tsimikas was dubbed "absolutely useless" for his performance against Chelsea by journalist Carl Kinsella after he lost possession of the ball 17 times, committed three fouls, lost five duels, whilst he was also dribbled past once before being hooked by Klopp in the 66th minute.

Despite the team's troubles this season, the £31m-rated unsung hero – once hailed "unbelievable" by Gary Neville – has delivered six assists and created eight big chances from his left-back position, as well as averaging 69.5 touches, 1.6 key passes and 40.3 accurate passes per game, proving that he is a huge presence in the side's attacking threat.

Not only that, Robertson has a fantastic record when facing today's opponents, with one goal scored and two assists over 16 meetings, taking points from ten of those clashes with six victories and four draws, so it is unfathomable that the Scotsman doesn't start this afternoon.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Klopp to bring back some of his most relied-upon starters when the North London club pay a visit to Anfield later, as there will be no room for error if they are to have any hope of a chance at Champions League qualification at the end of the season.

Football content creator and Newcastle United supporter Kendall Rowan has claimed that it would be ‘stupid’ of PIF to sign Scott McTominay this summer.

The Lowdown: Newcastle to make McTominay move

As per The Daily Telegraph, Newcastle are set to make a move for McTominay this summer, after already expressing an interest in him in the January transfer window.

Eddie Howe reportedly feels that McTominay has the physical attributes to succeed in his system, and McTominay is worried about his lack of game time at Old Trafford.

Indeed, the central midfielder has been limited to just Premier League, as he has seemingly fallen down the pecking order behind new signings Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bayern Munich loanee Marcel Sabitzer under new manager Erik ten Hag.

The Latest: McTominay move would be ‘stupid’

Taking to Twitter, Rowan, who has featured on Sky Sports’ The Overlap, has claimed that the St. James’ Park outfit would be ‘stupid’ to sign McTominay after hearing the news:

“I trust that my club isn’t stupid enough to sign Scott McTominay and that’s all I’ll say.”

The Verdict: Avoid at all costs

It is true that the North East club need to sign a new midfielder in the summer, having let Jonjo Shelvey move on to Nottingham Forest in the January transfer window, while both Matt Ritchie and Matty Longstaff’s contracts run out at the end of the season.

However, McTominay is not the answer, and would struggle to break into their starting line-up for next term.

The Scotland international has been criticised for his performances by Red Devils supporters in the past, while United midfield legend Roy Keane has even gone as far as to claim that he is ‘not good enough’ for the club.

With the Magpies only three points behind United in the Premier League table, having played the same number of games at this stage of the season, this would suggest that McTominay is also not the level-raiser that they would be looking for in order to help bolster their own midfield options.

McTominay ranks among the worst midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for a number of key metrics over the past year, including assists, xAG, shot-creating actions, passes attempted, progressive passes, progressive carries and interceptions made per game.

Nonetheless, United could demand a sizeable transfer fee for him by selling him to a Premier League rival, and so the Toon could be wasting a fair chunk of money if they decide to make the move.

Everton podcaster Ryan Williams was left stunned by the referee giving a foul against James Tarkowski on Renan Lodi against Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Points shared

The points were shared at the City Ground as Everton twice saw their lead pegged back by Brennan Johnson.

Demarai Gray had put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot, and Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a header in the first half, but it was not enough as the Goodison Park outfit had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

The Latest: Williams stunned as foul given

Taking to Twitter, Williams was left stunned at a foul that was given against Tarkowski on Lodi in the second half, leading to the central defender finding himself in the book:

“Wow. Tark never touches him. Second flop by Lodi. Unreal.”

The Verdict: Feisty encounter

The encounter between the two relegation-threatened sides turned into a feisty one, with no fewer than 28 fouls committed between them.

Tarkowski’s yellow card was one of eight handed out in the end, as both sets of players got into a number of scraps between them, with three vital points on the line.

In the end, both teams had to settle for a draw, which does not really help either in terms of their respective battles to avoid the drop come the end of the season.

Nonetheless, the Toffees must put this game behind them, and look forward to the next one.

Liverpool are not planning on loaning out youngster Fabio Carvalho during the summer transfer window, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Frustrating first season

The 20-year-old joined the Reds from Fulham last year, having excelled for the Cottagers in the Championship, with excitement in the air regarding his ability.

However, Carvalho has endured a frustrating first season at Anfield, with the team’s struggles not helping his cause as his playing time has diminished by the month.

The attacker has only started four times in the current Premier League campaign and he hasn’t featured at all in any top-flight match since November.

The Latest: No loan move planned for Carvalho

According to Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey, Liverpool have no intention of loaning out Carvalho next season, despite his obvious lack of game-time in recent months.

The reporter states that the Reds’ plan was ‘always to phase Carvalho in gradually’, suggesting that his current squad role is no major issue.

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The Verdict: Patience is a virtue

There is no doubt that Carvalho’s first year on Merseyside has been an underwhelming one, apart from his dramatic late winner at home to Newcastle United in August.

Liverpool fans need to be patient with the youngster, though, considering that he is a part of a squad playing with no confidence or energy, as Jurgen Klopp goes through his toughest period as manager at Anfield.

[freshpress-quiz id=“419074″]

Carvalho has shown flashes of quality – Roberto Firmino has hailed him as a ‘great player’ – but he is still maturing physically, and it is unfair to expect fireworks from him on a regular basis at just 20.

A loan move wouldn’t be the worst idea, in truth, but it is a show of faith in the £40,000-per-week forward that Liverpool are seemingly intent on retaining his services in 2023/24.

Leeds United must hire a progressive new boss to take them into the future…

What’s the latest?

Pete O’Rourke issued a claim on the Whites’ managerial search that has been ongoing since Jesse Marsch’s dismissal earlier this week.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist offered a glowing endorsement for one of the names mentioned as his successor. He claimed:

“If he [Radrizzani, Leeds owner] sees Andoni [Iraola] as being the right man to take Leeds forward, he looks like an exciting young coach who has huge potential and obviously, it’s a gamble; he’s never managed in English football before.“

Having seemingly been snubbed by Carlos Corberan, who recently extended his contract at West Bromwich Albion, appointing Iraola could actually represent an upgrade on the young Spaniard due to his far greater experience at the top level.

That said, a deal might be tricky to negotiate with Fabrizio Romano claiming that he could in fact be set to stay at his current club, Rayo Vallecano.

He’s better than Corberan

Although the Baggies boss did seem like the natural fit to take the Elland Road hot seat, he must be admired for his commitment to finish what he has started in the Midlands.

Having taken over a side languishing in the relegation zone, he has quickly whipped them into promotion contenders with plenty of the Championship season to go.

Leeds are in need of a similar kickstart, but with no experience managing in any of Europe’s top five leagues, it could represent a large risk.

As a devout follower of Marcelo Bielsa, the closest he has come to such a job was assisting the Argentine in the Premier League before leaving for Huddersfield Town.

Now Victor Orta could turn his sights to another of his disciples, with Iraola boasting plenty of the same philosophies that made the 67-year-old so revered due to his time playing underneath him.

When discussing his journey into coaching, he mentioned the former Leeds boss by noting him as: “a coach, by the way, who I was lucky enough to work with at Athletic. And I say lucky because it was incredible to be with him.”

The Rayo Vallecano man employs an aggressive system which focuses heavily on using speed to counterattack with frightening precision.

But it is his unique pressing style that allows him to stand out, with his team offering a form of organised chaos that perhaps offers more defensive security than Bielsa had done.

Across his 118 games in management for the Spanish outfit, he boasts a 1.53 points per match average, which is remarkable for a team batting way above their average.

For comparison, although he has experienced relative success thus far in the Championship, Corberan can only muster 1.44 points per game from his 152 games in various jobs.

Despite having been around for slightly longer, this, partnered with the fact he is yet to manage in a league of note, suggests he might not have been as perfect as first thought.

It seems that the 40-year-old offers that little bit of extra experience, whilst his philosophy remains far more defined and amicable for the Leeds fans. As such, they must appoint Iraola.

West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has shared some injury news on defender Kyle Bartley ahead of their Championship clash with Coventry City.

The Lowdown: Bartley out…

At the beginning of November, Bartley was just starting to hit a rich vein of form, even scoring two goals in three games with strikes against both Queen’s Park Rangers and Stoke City.

Impressive attacking contributions from a centre-back, the 31-year-old’s season of limited appearances unfortunately continued thereafter when he succumbed to a side-lining injury.

Bartley picked up a knock in a friendly against Elche when West Brom jetted off to their warm weather training camp mid-season and still hasn’t returned.

 The Latest: Corberan shares Bartley news…

According to Baggies boss Corberan, the Englishman also won’t feature against Coventry, but is potentially in line to return next week.

He explained:

“He has made a positive improvement. It’s been a long time where we haven’t had him with the team, on the pitch. We still need him to keep growing his levels to allow him to compete. That’s why he won’t be involved against Coventry but he is starting to arrive at the last point of his injury.

“It’s not this week, but he could be ready for next week. We have one week after this game and it can help him get back to the levels that we need him to reach in order to help the team.”

The Verdict: Mixed news…

Bartley was a regular before the player’s quad injury and the West Brom boss will be happy to have him back soon after this upcoming Coventry encounter.

A veteran, Bartley is arguably the type of experienced head needed in Corberan’s back line as West Brom ascend to contention for Premier League promotion.

Their latest league defeat to frontrunners Burnley comes as Corberan’s sole loss in West Brom’s last five second tier outings – clinching victory in all four matches prior.

The Midlands side are just two points off a play-off place as things stand but players of Bartley’s ilk will be needed if they’re to keep up with the leading pack.

Called ‘quality’ by former caretaker boss Richard Beale, Bartley’s eventual return will be a welcome one.