Incumbent Josh Cobb ‘shocked and disappointed’ at demotion with opening rounds looming

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2023David Willey will be Northamptonshire’s captain in this year’s Vitality Blast, following his return to the club after seven years at Yorkshire, although it is a move that has left his predecessor Josh Cobb “shocked and disappointed” at his demotion.Willey, who recently completed a four-match stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, has been handed the role by Northamptonshire’s Head Coach, John Sadler, now that his early return from the tournament has confirmed his full availability for the Blast campaign.”This opportunity only really presented itself when we heard about him coming back a bit earlier from the IPL. He’ll now be fully present for the build-up into the T20 and the full campaign as well.” Sadler said.”As a club we need to maximise all of his expertise. He’s played in all the tournaments around the world, he’s playing international cricket, he’s played with the best players and coaches and now he’s bringing that into our dressing room.”Cobb, however, made it clear in an Instagram post that the news had taken him by surprise.”Having been blindsided by the news, I am both shocked and disappointed to be relieved of my captaincy duties so close to the Blast starting,” he wrote. “Spending the winter planning and preparing the squad I felt we were in a good position to challenge again this year and we still absolutely are!!”It has been a honour and privilege to lead Northants over the last 4/5 years and I have enjoyed it all. Thanks to David Ripley for entrusting me with the opportunity and all the players and fans for their support. I would also like to wish David Willey all the best for his tenure as captain.”Willey first played for Northamptonshire’s Blast line-up in 2009, and went on to make 83 T20 appearances in his first stint with the club, including a key role in their first title in 2013. He announced his return to the county on a four-year deal last summer.”Northamptonshire is a special place for me, I grew up here, my dad played here, it’s great to be back.” Willey said.”With my experience and what I’ve done over the last seven years, hopefully I can add value to everyone in the dressing room and the club as a whole. I’m keen to give something back to a club and community that’s given me so much over the years.”In spite of his disappointment, Sadler believes that Cobb will remain a key presence on and off the field.”Josh has led the side well in recent years, he’s got a good cricket brain and is tactically astute,” he said. “I’ve got full respect for Cobby, he’s a crucial part of this side and when he’s firing he’s one of the best around.”After his lengthy time away from Northamptonshire, Willey added that he looking forward to representing his home club again.”I’m really looking forward to playing back in front of a home crowd at Wantage Road,” he said. “The support and atmosphere here has always been exceptional over the years so I’m really excited to be back out there as a Steelback.”

Liverpool are rather good when it comes to transfers.

While no club is perfect, the Reds’ composed and clinical nature when the market swings open has seen a stratospheric resurgence over the past decade, with Jurgen Klopp replacing Brendan Rodgers in 2015 and going on to win the full gamut.

However, there have been some stinkers. Let’s take a look at the worst over the past 15 years, the few howlers that sparsely punctuated Klopp’s tenure and a few of the misfires from before.

Liverpool's worst modern signings

Dreadful deals were few and far between across the span of the Klopp era, but Naby Keita’s stands out as the worst. The Guinea international arrived from RB Leipzig with a weight of expectation, but injury upon injury ruined the £53m man’s chances of becoming a superstar. Still, he bagged Premier League and Champions League titles.

Klopp has earned widespread plaudits for both his illustrious Liverpool tenure and indeed leaving the club in a great position for successor Arne Slot, whose squad are runaway leaders at the top of the 2024/25 Premier League table.

However, he didn’t get everything on the money. Indeed, Klopp oversaw the signing of Darwin Nunez from Benfica in July 2022, for a club-record £85m figure.

From a financial standpoint, Nunez’s arrival might be the worst of the past few decades, though he’s still posted 61 goal involvements from 132 appearances and his woes have been mitigated by Liverpool’s overarching successes.

Despite his big-money tag, Nunez has paled in comparison to Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo this season, and a summer exit looks to be on the cards.

Mohamed Salah

39 (37)

30

22

Cody Gakpo

38 (25)

16

5

Luis Diaz

38 (28)

13

4

Diogo Jota

25 (15)

8

3

Darwin Nunez

36 (16)

6

5

Federico Chiesa

10 (3)

1

2

Before that, though, stood a litany of arrivals who proved to flatter to deceive. The money banked from Luis Suarez’s sale in 2014, for example, was redirected toward the likes of Lazar Markovic, Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli, all of whom fell heavily by the wayside.

Markovic, in particular, proved a dismal deal to have engineered. The young winger arrived from Benfica for £20m but failed to provide any semblance of skill or suitability within the Anfield system.

Talking of Suarez, though, there was another striker who arrived alongside the Uruguay star, one of the distinguished forwards of his generation, for a heftier price.

Despite that, he endured a bleak ride on Merseyside.

Andy Carroll's Liverpool career in numbers

Fernando Torres had forced his way out to Chelsea in a £50m deal, breaking the British transfer record. It was late January, 2011. Liverpool needed to act.

Andy Carroll was the man for the job, signed from Newcastle United for a £35m fee. He was touted for big things, and that was a club-record figure for Liverpool.

Suarez had joined from Ajax for around £23m a few weeks earlier, a smart fee that looks amusing when presently viewing Liverpool’s long list of transfer activity in 2025.

Though he started strong with a debut goal against Manchester City, Carroll quickly found his time at Anfield to be a struggle, netting only 11 goals across 58 appearances in all competitions as he struggled to acclimatise to the way of things in a pre-Klopp Liverpool world.

Carroll was signed in the same monetary ballpark as Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, further illustrating the disappointing nature of the deal. It’s one to forget.

BBC’s Gary Lineker noted it to be a “lonely” chapter in the English centre-forward’s career, and though he went on to find some measure of success with West Ham United, who ended his Liverpool nightmare in 2013, paying the Reds £15m, it’s a blot on the copybook to be sure.

Andy Carroll's happy ending

Carroll’s nomadic career saw him achieve comparative levels of success with the Hammers before moving back to Newcastle, where injuries at the highest level began to envelop him.

Venturing off to the French second division with Amiens in 2023, the prominent figure scored just four goals across 35 matches before making the curious switch to Bordeaux last summer, the 35-year-old joining the financially-stricken club in an effort to help them restore their place at the top of the French pyramid.

Bordeaux, six-time French champions, last lifting the trophy in 2009, relinquished their professional status last year after declaring bankruptcy and were thus relegated all the way down to Championnat National 2, the fourth tier.

Well, the 6-foot veteran might not be playing at the highest level but his love for the game is very much intact – and so too is his impact on the field for an outfit looking for a resurgence.

Earning around £3k per week, Carroll remarked “it’s costing me money” to play for Les Girondins but that he wants to be a part of the club’s history.

He’s doing alright too. Indeed, Carroll has posted eight goals and an assist across 11 fixtures for his current club in the league this season, which, ironically, is more than Nunez has bagged for Liverpool in 2024/25 – four goals from 22 Premier League appearances.

One Spanish journalist has even hailed the former Liverpool flop as being “unstoppable” in France this season.

There’s no way around viewing Carroll’s time on Merseyside without a shake of the head, but he’s enjoying a happy ending to his career. With Nunez heading for the exit this summer, let’s hope he too can forge a successful career elsewhere.

Liverpool sold the next Coutinho for 450% profit, now he's worse than Nunez

It’s turning out to have been a well-worked deal by sporting director Richard Hughes.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 4, 2025

أفادت تقارير صحفية إيطالية أن نادي ليفربول الإنجليزي قد اقترح على نابولي إجراء صفقة تبادلية وذلك خلال الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

وكان ليفربول تمكن من التعاقد مع ثنائي باير ليفركوزن، فلوريان فيرتز وجيريمي فريمبونج هذا الصيف، بالإضافة إلى ضم الحارس المجري الشاب، أرمين بيتشي.

ويسعى الريدز إلى إجراء تعزيزات في صفوف فريقه استعدادًا للموسم المقبل، من أجل المنافسة على لقبي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضاً.. لاعب ليفربول يوافق على الرحيل في انتقالات الصيف

وأكد موقع “توتو ميركاتو” أن ليفربول قد اقترح على إدارة نابولي إجراء صفقة تبادلية مشتركة بالتعاقد مع فيكتور أوسيمين، مقابل الموافقة على رحيل فيديريكو كييزا وداروين نونيز إلى النادي الإيطالي.

ويحظى ثنائي ليفربول باهتمام كبير من قبل بطل الدوري الإيطالي بقيادة مدربه أنطونيو كونتي، فيما يعد فيكتور أوسيمين أحد أهداف ليفربول لتعزيز مركز قلب الهجوم بجانب مهاجم نيوكاسل يونايتد، ألكسندر إيزاك.

هذا الاقتراح يمثل عقبة كبيرة للنادي الإيطالي يوفنتوس، الذي يطمح بشدة في التوقيع مع أوسيمين هذا الصيف.

ومن المقرر أن تشهد الفترة القادمة تطورات جديدة حول مستقبل ثنائي ليفربول بالإضافة إلى المهاجم النيجيري، بعد ارتباطهم بالرحيل عن ليفربول ونابولي.

Chris Rushworth decimated Hampshire to send Warwickshire top of the LV=Insurance County Championship Division One table with an innings and 84-run victory. Fast bowler Rushworth, who arrived from Durham in the winter, claimed a devastating 7 for 38, with match figures of 10 for 76.Rushworth produced high-quality movement to slice up Hampshire’s batting line-up for 97 – having been 35 for 9 – and set up Warwickshire’s first victory at the Ageas Bowl since 2010, completed with room to spare despite the entire third day being lost to rain. The only thing that held up the win was a solo rearguard from James Vince – who scored 52 not out, including the majority of a 62-run last wicket stand with Mohammad Abbas.Only Middlesex seamer Tim Murtagh has taken more Championship wickets than Rushworth since 2010 – but he had only taken seven or more wickets in an innings three times before.The hapless Felix Organ was lbw second ball – his average now tanking to 8.42 this season – to leave Hampshire 0 for 1.Nick Gubbins showed intent with 21 off 29 balls, Hampshire clearly keen to wipe off their 181-run deficit and make the game safe. But the former Middlesex batter nicked Rushworth behind before Chris Woakes joined the party to trap Fletcha Middleton plumb in front.The mitigation for the first half of Hampshire’s collapse was a pitch that had spent a long time under covers, allied to murky conditions with the lights on which helped swing bowling. That excuse couldn’t be given as the innings progressed as the clouds blew away and blue skies appeared and the pitch trended back towards the one which had become easier to bat on before the washed out day three.Tom Prest dangled a bat to give Michael Burgess a sprawling catch and Ben Brown pushed one which bounced on him to first slip. Liam Dawson scored an all-run four then lost his middle stump to a hooping inswinger and Ian Holland was leg before when the ball stayed low.Woakes then struck with the second ball after lunch as Hampshire slumped to 34 for 8, as James Fuller edged off the shoulder of his bat to first slip.Rushworth has history at the Ageas Bowl – in 2015 he took a hat-trick across three overs – and he returned from the interval to notch his 10th wicket of the match, Kyle Abbott edging behind as Hampshire lost eight wickets for just nine runs.Captain Vince, who scored an unbeaten 75 in the first innings, had watched aghast at his team’s capitulation. He proved it was possible to survive and score runs.He blocked with grit, while occasionally angrily slapping through the covers or swatting a pull to the boundary. His half-century came in 83 balls as he totted up 53.6 per cent of his team’s second innings runs. At the other end, Abbas claimed his first runs of 2023 and crept past his previous Hampshire best of 8.The fact Abbas faced more balls (48) than anyone other than Vince summed up how badly his team-mates had failed – the Pakistani was eventually extracted when he had a wild swing at Danny Briggs to be stumped.Earlier, Warwickshire declared on 410 for 8 having added 46 runs in just under 40 minutes – with Abbas taking all three wickets to fall. Ed Barnard only added four runs having been stuck on 91 for over 40 hours due to Saturday’s rain. He returned to the dressing room having been caught behind attempting to turn the ball into the leg side.Woakes drove to mid off and Michael Burgess fell off 88 when he edged behind, as Warwickshire scored quickly and gave themselves plenty of time to bowl out Hampshire. It proved plenty, having seen off the hosts by 3.05pm.Adi Birrell, Hampshire’s coach, recognised a disturbing pattern. “It isn’t the first time we have collapsed like that,” he said. “It happened a few times last year. We are addressing it and speaking hard and looking at ourselves in the mirror to come up with a solution. There is no point screaming and shouting about it but we need to find a way in a calm manner – but we will be addressing it.”The reality of the season is that we have played four and won two and lost two. The hope is that there are very strong teams and beat each other but in a usual season if you lose two games then you don’t win the Championship.”

Conference League champions Chelsea are reportedly closing in on signing Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.

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• Delap makes choice on next club
• Turned down rivals in favour of Chelsea
• Set to join for £30m

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea have been looking at striker options ahead of the summer transfer window, with the Blues keen on adding more options to challenge Nicolas Jackson. The Conference League champions have been linked to a number of forwards over the last two months, including Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike and Ipswich’s Delap.

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  Delap has had a wonderful campaign in the 2024-25 season despite Ipswich Town struggling in the Premier League and ultimately being relegated back to the Championship. As such, Premier League giants had been on alert to sign Delap with Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United being some of the clubs interested in the former Manchester City striker.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Athletic’s David Ornstein has now reported that Delap is interested and prioritising a move to Chelsea this summer. talkSPORT has also reported that Chelsea want to sign the 22-year-old before the start of the Club World Cup, and are confident that the move will go through soon, subject to the agreement of personal terms.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Delap had reportedly been leaning toward a move to United this summer, however, Chelsea’s qualification to the Champions League and the Red Devils’ horror season may have tilted the odds in the West London side’s favour.

It is fair to say that this season has not gone to plan for Manchester United after yet another crushing defeat, this time at the hands of Fulham in the FA Cup.

The Red Devils were beaten on penalties by the Cottagers after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, as Andre Onana failed to save any penalties and Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee both missed from the spot.

Ruben Amorim has now lost ten of his 24 matches in charge of the club since he came in to replace Erik Ten Hag earlier this term, and the Europa League is the last available trophy for him to win to avoid a trophyless debut campaign.

As club legend Wayne Rooney said in the clip above, it was yet another disappointing result against Fulham when they had a great opportunity to progress.

Questions will be asked and fingers will be pointed when assigning blame over this season, but the recruitment department should be looked at.

United allowed a number of players to move on from Old Trafford and one star they may, now, regret cashing in on is central midfielder Scott McTominay.

Scott McTominay's form since leaving Man Utd

The Scotland international made the move to the Serie A and has not looked back, as he has caught the eye for Antonio Conte’s side in Italy this season.

McTominay has found the back of the net six times from an xG of 5.16 in 24 appearances in the Italian top-flight, whilst he has also created two ‘big chances’ and registered two assists for his team.

Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes (six) is the only central midfielder who has scored more than one goal for United in the Premier League, and the only one to manage more than one assist (two).

This suggests that the Red Devils are lacking another midfielder, alongside Bruno, who can chip in with goal contributions from the middle of the park, as McTominay has done for Napoli in the current campaign.

However, the Scottish star’s troubles out of possession remain an issue. He has lost 52% of his duels and only averaged 1.3 tackles per game, whilst five United central midfielders averaged more than 1.3 tackles per match in the top-flight.

There are, therefore, positives and negatives to his performances, but United could certainly have done with another player who could pop up with a goal against Fulham, as they scored once in 120 minutes at home.

Where Are They Now

Allowing the midfield academy graduate to move on from Old Trafford is far from the only recruitment mistake the club have made in recent seasons, as they may regret allowing long-serving goalkeeper David De Gea to walk away for nothing even more.

David De Gea's improved form

The Spanish shot-stopper was released on a free transfer in the summer of 2023 after he endured a frustrating final season in the Premier League with the Red Devils.

There is no hiding away from the fact that the experienced titan was not at his best that season. De Gea ended the top-flight campaign with -1.55 goals prevented and three errors that led to shots or goals in 38 appearances in the division.

This suggests that he conceded more goals than the average goalkeeper would be expected to based on the quality of shots that he faced, whilst the Spaniard also made too many unforced errors.

De Gea took a year away from the game in the 2023/24 campaign before signing for Italian side Fiorentina last summer, and he has thrived since his move to the Serie A.

As you can see in the table above, the 34-year-old colossus has performed far better in the Italian top-flight this season than he did in his last year at United.

This is why the Red Devils may regret allowing De Gea, who was once dubbed “phenomenal” by Rio Ferdinand, to walk away for nothing in 2023, particularly when you compare his form to Onana’s.

Why Man United should regret releasing De Gea

United swooped to sign the Cameroon international from Inter ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and it is fair to say that the shot-stopper has had his fair share of struggles in 18 months or so at Old Trafford to date.

Onana made one error that led to a goal and one that led to a shot in the Premier League last term and two errors that led to goals and two that led to shots in the Champions League.

De Gea made two errors that led to goals in his final Premier League campaign at the club, but he seems to have got those mistakes out of his system based on his form for Fiorentina.

Instead of ditching him at the first signs of trouble, United could have kept hold of the veteran and put their faith in him to turn his form around, as he has now done in Italy.

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old stopper has slightly underperformed with the shots against his goal, whilst he has also been far too error prone across the Premier League and the Europa League.

These statistics suggest that it may have been a mistake to let De Gea walk for nothing because the player they signed to replace him is now being outperformed by the veteran Spaniard, who has been in fantastic form for Fiorentina.

Man Utd now eyeing £122m move to sign "world class" playmaker for Amorim

Manchester United mean business in the transfer market.

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Sean Markus Clifford

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Therefore, letting De Gea leave for nothing was an even worse decision than the one to sell McTominay because his current form suggests that he would come in as a big upgrade on Onana, whilst the Scottish midfielder still struggles in some areas that current United midfielders excel in.

Everton are enjoying life under David Moyes and look to have a new priority transfer target on their mind ahead of the upcoming summer window, per a report.

Everton looking to make a mark in the summer window

With the move to Bramley Moore Dock and a solid on-field product making life as an Everton fan rather fun right now, a strong summer window could elevate optimism to peak levels in recent years ahead of next campaign.

David Moyes knows transfer activities in the off-season will take the form of a rebuild, where he also has to decide who will remain from his current crop of stars. However, The Friedkin Group’s promise of financial backing may see some statement new arrivals on Merseyside.

According to reports, West Bromwich Albion man Tom Fellows and Juventus star Federico Gatti have emerged as early Everton targets, which may come as the result of several experienced stars coming to the end of their road at Goodison Park.

Sunderland’s Chris Rigg is also on the Toffees’ radar amid rival interest from Tottenham Hotspur, who are believed to have put a £38 million bid forward for the 17-year-old.

Ultimately, Moyes has plenty to stew over in his long-term pursuit of Premier League stability. There has been little clarity on the future of 13 Everton players with the summer now approaching; that is before you even touch the sides on potential ins and outs.

Everton’s key summer window decisions – who stays and who goes?

Carlos Alcaraz

On loan with mandatory purchase option after set minutes

Armando Broja

On loan with option to buy

Jesper Lindstrom

On loan with option to buy

Jack Harrison

On loan

Orel Mangala

On loan with option to buy

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Out of contract at the end of the season

Abdoulaye Doucoure

Out of contract at the end of the season

Idrissa Gana Gueye

Out of contract at the end of the season

Asmir Begovic

Out of contract at the end of the season

Michael Keane

Out of contract at the end of the season

Joao Virginia

Out of contract at the end of the season

Ashley Young

Out of contract at the end of the season

Seamus Coleman

Out of contract at the end of the season

Now, the Toffees’ transfer path could be about to become a little clearer, with a new priority target identified to bolster the defensive ranks before 2025/26.

Everton view Burnley's Maxime Esteve as priority defensive target

According to Foot Mercato, Burnley’s Maxime Esteve has emerged as a priority target for Everton following his robust defensive displays at Turf Moor this campaign. Jarrad Branthwaite has been heavily linked with a move elsewhere, which could pave the way for Moyes to firm up his initial admiration for the £30-million rated star.

Related Everton must rue losing "special" star worth even more than Branthwaite

The former Everton star left Goodison Park in acrimonious circumstances.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Mar 28, 2025

The Clarets have a fighting chance of claiming promotion and Esteve has played 3337 of their 3420 league minutes in the Sky Bet Championship, equating to 98%. Within his 40 appearances across all competitions, the 23-year-old has scored once. More importantly, he is part of Europe’s most solid backline, conceding on just 11 occasions.

Labelled “unbelievable” by manager Scott Parker, Esteve is also attracting interest from the likes of West Ham United and AC Milan due to his heroic exploits.

Now, Everton face the challenge of convincing the former France Under-21 international to opt for them once the window opens. Should Burnley fail to return to the Premier League, they could be in with a fighting chance of winning the race.

The perks enjoyed by Dani Dyer and Jarrod Bowen during their luxurious £5,000-a-night honeymoon on Lake Como have been revealed.

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Couple tied the knot at lavish ceremonyJetted off for a child-free vacationSoaked up stunning surroundings in ItalyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With the 2024-25 campaign coming to a close and no place in the latest England squad being secured, West Ham captain Bowen has been freed to tie the knot with his former Love Island contestant partner.

Advertisement@danidyerxx InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

They walked down the aisle at a lavish ceremony attended by family and friends – with Dani’s 'Football Factory' star father Danny helping to fund a stunning £10,000 wedding dress for his daughter.

DID YOU KNOW?

Both Dyer and Bowen headed to Ibiza for raucous stag and hen dos before getting hitched. They then jetted off to Italy for a first child-free break as a married couple. Some inclement weather saw them get rained on there, but that did little to dampen their spirits.

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THE GOSSIP

That is because they were staying at the glamorous Villa d’Este – a new resort on the picturesque shores of Lake Como. According to the , they stumped up for the most expensive suite available.

The elegant rooms at Villa d’Este boast antique furniture and modern facilities, while top-rated cuisine and an award-winning spa are available to guests. Dyer and Bowen were gifted a bottle of champagne upon their arrival.

تمكن فريق مانشستر سيتي من تسجيل هدف التعادل في شباك نظيره الهلال، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، نسخة 2025.

ويلتقي الفريقان في إطار منافسات دور الـ16 من كأس العالم للأندية، البطولة التي تستضيفها أمريكا حتى 13 يوليو الجاري.

ونجح مانشستر سيتي في تسجيل الهدف الثالث في شباك الهلال، في الدقيقة 104، بالشوط الإضافي الأول.

جاء الهدف عن طريق فيل فودين، بعد عرضية من ريان شرقي لتصل إلى الإنجليزي الذي سددها على الفور في شباك ياسين بونو.

MAN CITY ARE STILL IN THIS FIGHT!!

MCI 3-3 HIL

Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #MCIHIL pic.twitter.com/f20EKeIC2a — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 1, 2025

وظهر فودين وهو يعرج خلال احتفاله بالهدف، حيث بدا وهو يعاني من إصابة عضلية، رغم أنه شارك كبديل مع بداية الشوط الإضافي الأول، رفقة عمر مرموش.

وتشير النتيجة في الوقت الحالي إلى التعادل بين الفريقين بثلاثة أهداف لمثلها، حيث سجل برناردو سيلفا، إيرلينج هالاند وفيل فودين أهداف مانشستر سيتي.

بينما سجل كل من ماركوس ليوناردو، مالكوم وخاليدو كوليبالي أهداف الهلال في تلك المباراة المثيرة للغاية.

There are multiple contenders in camp and multiple left out of it, but each will feel that they can be a part of next summer's squad

Plenty of spots are up for grabs ahead of next year’s World Cup, but the goalkeeper position is the one spot that remains in focus. For years, it's been a traditional strength of American soccer, and while there are some talented players in the pool right now, there are still questions over who will be the No. 1 next summer. For years, there has been a clear hierarchy, and while there is a favorite to start, Matt Turner, several players will feel that they have a chance to make their cases before the World Cup kicks off.

“I think now is the moment to, I think, to show – because it’s a fight between them – to show ‘That I am the No. 1,” U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said on the  podcast. “The two friendly games are good because I think we have the opportunity to see different opportunities and different keepers. But I think I am not worried about that because, like you say, we have quality, and also in behind we have another keeper that can perform.”

So, with one more friendly against Switzerland upcoming before the USMNT kicks off the Gold Cup, who are the goalkeepers in the mix and, realistically, where do they stand one year out from the World Cup? GOAL looks at the state of the goalkeeper race and its contenders…

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  Matt Turner

  The favorite at the moment, although he'll have to prove it this summer.

  Turner has been the USMNT's starter since the latter stages of the 2022 World Cup cycle, having used the 2021 Gold Cup as a springboard to become the No. 1 in time for Qatar. However, after featuring just four times this past season while on loan at Crystal Palace, there's a very real discussion centering on how the lack of minutes impacts Turner's starting gig. It's a fair discussion, too. At a position that relies so much on quick decision-making and sharpness, there's rarely ever time for a goalkeeper to work off the rust when they do step back in between the posts.

  With the transfer window approaching, Matt Turner understands the importance of making the right club move to stay in contention for the U.S. men’s national team’s No. 1 goalkeeper role. Fortunately for him, that opportunity appears to have arrived: Turner is reportedly set to join French giants Lyon in an $8 million deal. While the move hasn’t been publicly confirmed, he’s expected to link up with fellow U.S. international Tanner Tessmann at the club next season.

  Heading into the Gold Cup, Turner knows he needs to make the most of his minutes – a strong showing could help him solidify his place atop the depth chart.

  "For me, I don't see myself as the No. 1 all the time," Turner said of the competition. "That's my mindset going into every camp right now: every inch, every opportunity, needs to be fought for. Every opportunity I've had under this current staff, I've earned by my performances in training or the opportunities I've had with Crystal Palace. I never think to myself, 'Oh, I'm going to come in and play' or do this or do that. I think everyone can attest to the work that I put in to earn each opportunity I get.

  "In terms of pecking order, a lot of guys are performing well, especially the guys here in MLS, so it's nice to be around them and to keep pushing myself to get better and hold true to the standards of what we want to build on for this national team."

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  Matt Freese

  A standout with NYCFC this past season, Freese was handed the start against Turkey for his USMNT debut and, while he did concede two goals, it was clear that neither was particularly his fault. In the end, he made three saves and was generally good on the ball even when Turkey pressed high.

  What Freese has going for him is that he has been truly elite at the most important stat in goalkeeping: saves. He was among the league's leaders in save percentage (73.7 percent) and third in saves at 121 last season. His strengths are, in many ways, similar to Turner's: both are more known for their shot-stopping than their ability to dictate a game with their feet.

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  He, like Turner, was also something of a late bloomer, with last season being his true breakout at age 25.

  “Patience has definitely been the story, from 2018 to 2023,” he told MLSSoccer.com last year. “It was kind of my first exposure to it and it was definitely hard. But it's an important attribute for someone who wants to rise through the ranks as a goalkeeper, because it's not like any other position.”

  Can he replicate Turner's path by using a Gold Cup to vault his way into USMNT contention? It's ironic, yes, but Turner may have laid out a real path for Freese to make his own late run towards a World Cup.

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  Chris Brady

  The third goalkeeper on the roster, it seemed that Brady was one for the future but, due to injuries to Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen, he's here in the present.

  At just 21, Chris Brady is already in his third season as the Chicago Fire’s starting goalkeeper, racking up 77 first-team appearances despite his youth. While he has yet to earn a senior cap, Brady brings extensive experience with U.S. youth national teams. He’s played at every level, won the Golden Glove at the 2020 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and featured for the U-23s. Though he was left off the Olympic roster in favor of Patrick Schulte and former Fire standout Gaga Slonina, Brady has worn the U.S. crest plenty of times.

  Now, though, he's with the big team, and he's already impressed.

  "He's a hard worker and he's got quite a bit of talent on him," Turner said. "It's been nice to get to know him, because I think he was the only goalkeeper that I hadn't been in a camp with that was on the 60-man roster. He's young and I think he's got a lot of potential, so it'll be nice to work with him for a while. Hopefully, I can learn from him, and he can learn from me in some ways as well."

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  Patrick Schulte

  Schulte looked set to really push Turner this summer, but an oblique injury just days before camp ruled him out for the USMNT's summer.

  It's a tough break for Schulte, who has been a standout in MLS and done well in his USMNT appearances so far. After starting at the Olympics last summer, Schulte has earned two more caps for the USMNT, taking his total to three after debuting in the January 2024 camp. Although he hasn't played in a senior USMNT tournament, he has proven he can handle the big stage, having earned Best XI and Best Goalkeeper awards for the Crew's run to the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup finale.

  "You have to be Mr. Reliable," Schulte told GOAL in the spring. "You have to be the guy who is going to save points or save wins. Not that it's pressure, but more so a confidence booster. You have to be that guy and, if you're not that guy, it's going to cause questions…That expectation is sometimes different than with your club. When you go [to the USMNT], you have to be that guy. You have to be that standout, that stud, that can go out there and earn the team wins."

  Unfortunately for him, he didn't get a chance to prove it this summer and will now look towards the fall for his next chance in a U.S. shirt.

  "The World Cup is in a year, and there's nothing more that I want than to be on that squad and be able to represent the U.S. at a World Cup," he said in the spring. "I want to be the starter, but at the same time, I'd accept any role. I just want to be a part of that group."