That's what you call rock bottom! Chelsea winners, losers & ratings as Felix debacle only part of Blues' sob story vs Fulham

Chelsea hit rock bottom as they slipped to another Premier League defeat against Fulham, with new signing Joao Felix seeing red on his debut.

Life, death, taxes – and Chelsea beating Fulham in the Premier League. That's the way it's supposed to be. That's the way it's been ever since the Cottagers last avoided defeat against their dominant, less sophisticated neighbours all the way back in 2012.

But this isn't the Chelsea of old. This Blues team has a soft underbelly, don't know how to finish their chances and now look at their lowest ebb in recent history.

The 2-1 loss didn't always feel inevitable. The inclusion of new signing Joao Felix gave Graham Potter's team something resembling a fresh impetus in the opening exchanges, and even with Fulham entering half-time 1-0 up – thanks to a goal from former Stamford Bridge hero Willian – it felt like they could recover.

Those hopes increased when Kalidou Koulibaly bundled home, but things went very wrong very quickly after that. Clearly infected by the virus that is Chelsea's recent malaise, Felix left his brain in the dressing room and flew into a studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete. It resulted in him becoming the first Chelsea player to be sent off on his Premier League debut.

It was Fulham's game to win from there and they delivered – with Aleksandar Mitrovic stand-in Carlos Vinicius losing his man and powering a header home.

Defeat for Chelsea then. Just their eighth ever against Fulham, and their second in the Premier League era. We think you call that rock bottom.

Below, GOAL takes a look at the Chelsea winners and losers from a damaging night at Craven Cottage.

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    The Winners

    Willian:

    In the early exchanges of the derby a packed-out away end serenaded the former Blue, who won a pair of Premier League titles during his time at Stamford Bridge, but the affection they still hold for the Brazilian did little to soften the blow of him opening the scoring for Chelsea fans. After becoming a bit of a punchline during his Arsenal spell, Willian has enjoyed a wonderful renaissance by the River Thames, with the strike bringing his goal involvement tally up to five for the season.

    Benoit Badiashile:

    If Chelsea's new £34m signing from Monaco can't get in defence he may as well hang up his boots. Again, the Blues looked mightily uncomfortable whenever they were put under any form of pressure, while Chalobah and Koulibaly seemed to be competing to see who could make more individual errors in the first half. Whether Potter sticks with a back three or reverts to a back four, you'd have to expect Badiashile to feature in some capacity against Crystal Palace.

    Liverpool, West Ham & Everton:

    There always has to be at least one crisis club in the Premier League. That's just the way it works. And right now, Liverpool, West Ham and Everton will be delighted that the Blues are stealing that honour away from them. Another disastrous evening ensures Chelsea will be dominating the back pages once again and incredibly leaves them in an even weaker position than when they entered the game. It'll take some disasterclass to take the crisis-club crown away from them.

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    The Losers

    Joao Felix:

    Goodness gracious me, that was quite the eventful debut. A surprise inclusion in the starting XI before he'd even had time to drop his wash bag at Cobham meant all eyes were on Felix on Thursday night. And after a spritely but wasteful start to his Chelsea career, Felix's Premier League bow descended into farce. The forward's wild flying lash out was ironically a challenge that his arch-nemesis, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, would have been proud of. His current manager will be less pleased. Felix has just given Potter yet another selection headache to deal with.

    Graham Potter:

    Fulham fans revelled in informing Potter that he was "being sacked in the morning" throughout proceedings. While that is probably not true, there is now a genuine argument that he has guided Chelsea to their post-Abramovic nadir. This defeat leaves them a humiliating 10 points shy of fourth-placed Manchester United, with their Champions League prospects now fanciful. A battered and bruised Crystal Palace are next up for Potter and Co. Lose that, and parroting lines about the club being in transition simply aren't going to cut it.

    Kepa Arrizabalaga:

    Another Chelsea game, another appearance in the losers section for the most expensive goalkeeper in the world. My oh my Kepa, we thought you were past this? It would appear not. A second piece of game-changing goalkeeping – and not in a good way – on the bounce will have fans yearning for the return of Edouard Mendy between the sticks, but the Senegal international was in similarly shaky form pre-injury. Whatever way you spin it, it's not good news for Chelsea.

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    Chelsea Ratings: Defence

    Kepa Arrizabalaga (5/10):

    Made a few good stops, but spilled one on the stroke of half-time and might have been punished. All at sea as Fulham took the lead.

    Trevoh Chalobah (4/10):

    A slip, which allowed Bobby Decordova-Reid to rattle the crossbar, sent the tone for a nightmarish first half. Lost Vinicius for the goal.

    Thiago Silva (6/10):

    Emerged with some credit. Chelsea could really do with finding the fountain of youth so he can play for another five years.

    Kalidou Koulibaly (5/10):

    Guilty of some seriously sloppy moments in the opening exchanges. Partially redeemed himself by bundling Chelsea's equaliser over the line.

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    Midfield

    Cesar Azpilicueta (5/10):

    Had a few uncomfortable moments against the more athletic Antonee Robinson. Offered very little going forward.

    Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

    Usually one of the most accurate passers in world football, but tonight more than a few of his attempts failed to find their man. .

    Denis Zakaria (6/10):

    Fired up. He wasn't perfect, but it's that sort of intensity that'll help Chelsea out of their current funk. His injury is another big blow.

    Lewis Hall (4/10):

    Should have scored inside three minutes. Never looked comfortable and a tricky situation risks killing his confidence.

Man City and Liverpool's Christmas cracker! Winners and losers as Haaland & De Bruyne punish Nunez's profligacy

Manchester City knocked defending champions Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup but James Milner's injury will be of greater concern to Jurgen Klopp.

Never mind the World Cup, the Carabao Cup is where it's really at.

After a break of 40 days, domestic football returned with a bang at the Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City edged out Liverpool, their great rivals, 3-2 to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

Nathan Ake's header tipped a thrilling contest the way of Pep Guardiola's men, on a night when Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne all shone.

Haaland fired City into an early lead with his 24th goal of the season, only for Fabio Carvalho to draw Liverpool level.

Riyad Mahrez restored the home side's advantage early in the second half, but Salah equalised within a minute for 2-2.

City, though, would have the final say, De Bruyne picking out Ake to secure a rousing win for the Premier League champions, although the Reds were left to rue a trio of missed chances from Darwin Nunez, as their defence of the trophy came to an end.

Here, GOAL runs through the winners and losers from a pulsating night in Manchester…

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    Winner: Erling Haaland

    It’s terrible when you come back rusty after a break, isn’t it?

    It didn’t take long for City’s main man to pick up where he left off prior to the World Cup. Less than 10 minutes, in fact, as Haaland collected his 24th goal of a remarkable campaign in familiarly clinical fashion to open the scoring.

    You’ve seen this goal before, I’m sure. A bit of space for De Bruyne out wide and a dangerous delivery, a bit of front-post movement from Haaland and a devastatingly effective finish, as the visiting defenders stand and wonder how it all happened.

    If the hope from City’s rivals was that the mid-season pause might check some of their No.9’s momentum, then it looks like it was misplaced. Haaland’s first chance here arrived inside 20 seconds, and though he skewed that one wildly off target, it was no surprise to see him on the scoresheet soon after. 

    It was more surprising when Nat Phillips, a first-half substitute for Liverpool, stopped his advances with a supremely-timed tackle before half-time, but then you can’t score every chance. 

    It’s just that Haaland makes you feel as though he might…

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    Loser: James Milner

    Club football is back, and so are Liverpool’s injury woes.

    Less than 45 minutes into the Reds’ return to action, Jurgen Klopp was grinding his teeth and looking to the heavens. Down was James Milner, captain for the night and his makeshift right-back. Not another one, surely?

    Yes, another one. Liverpool, already without Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Arthur Melo and Curtis Jones, had lost Roberto Firmino to a calf issue suffered in training on Tuesday too. Not that serious, said club sources. Serious enough at this time of year, pointed out Klopp.

    This just looks a fragile squad, and a fragile squad is the last thing Liverpool need when they are already playing catch up after a poor start to the season. However talented their young players are, they need their senior men to stay fit.

    Here, they lost the most senior of them all. Still, at least Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are back.

    For now.

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    Winner: Kevin De Bruyne

    He might have flopped in Qatar, but stick a sky blue shirt on him and there are few who can touch City’s creator-in-chief.

    De Bruyne, as ever, was instrumental in everything good that Pep Guardiola’s side did here. It was his cross that set up the opening goal for Haaland, and an even better delivery from the left which allowed Ake to settle the game once and for all at the back post.

    He really is some player, some sight in full flow. His ability to find space, usually on the right, is unmatched, and the way he strides with the ball through midfield leaves opponents terrified, for they know he will invariably, and inevitably, find the right pass when he does.

    He did so here. Twice. For City, it was enough to secure them the win.

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    Loser: Darwin Nunez

    On another night, Nunez would have been the hero, but you have to take your chances in a game like this, against opponents like this, and unfortunately for Liverpool, their big-money summer signing failed to do so here.

    The Uruguayan finished with an assist, and a fine one at that for Mo Salah, but he should really have had a hat-trick. Once, twice, three times he found himself in front of goal, just to the right. Once, twice, three times he failed to hit the target, dragging his effort wide of the far post.

    At 23, it’s hard to fault Nunez in most areas of his game. His movement and anticipation is first-class, and he works as hard as just about any centre-forward in the business. He is strong, quick and continuously gets himself into scoring positions.

    And in fairness, before the World Cup he was starting to capitalise on those positions. He had seven goals in 10 games prior to the break, but he drew a blank here. 

    It wasn’t for the want of trying, but it was costly, as far as Liverpool were concerned.

Man Utd should sell Martial

Former Premier League midfielder Rob Lee has suggested that Anthony Martial does not have the correct attitude to be a starter for Manchester United.

Speaking exclusively to Football Fan Cast, he said that it appears that the Frenchman “can’t be bothered” to play for the Red Devils.

That lack of motivation, combined with his ever-decreasing output at Old Trafford, should see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ed Woodward cut ties with the forward.

Martial initially burst onto the scene in his debut season following a big-money move from AS Monaco. He scored 17 goals during 2015/16 but since then has only bettered those numbers once.

He scored eight in 2016/17, 11 in 2017/18, 12 in 2018/19, with his highest-scoring season coming last term with a fantastic 23 in all competitions.

The Frenchman has not managed to keep that up though, with the current campaign looking like his worst with the Red Devils, having found the net just seven times so far.

That lack of importance to the Red Devils is highlighted when considering that Martial’s four league goals contribute to just 7% of the team’s total haul this season.

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That is easily bettered by the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani, whilst being equalled by midfielder Scott McTominay.

The lesser-played Daniel James and Paul Pogba are only just behind Martial, with the duo contributing just over 5% of the Red Devils’ goals.

For all of his promise and potential, Martial is really yet to really kick-on and establish himself as a star in the Premier League, mainly due to his inconsistencies.

That could be used as an argument to suggest that the £45m-rated Frenchman is the most disposable of United’s current striking options.

Couple that with his lack of attitude, and there are plenty of reasons as to why Woodward should consider cashing in on Martial sooner rather than later.

AND in more news, the Red Devils must avoid signing a Premier League stalwart this summer…

Revealed: Egypt XI to face Cameroon – Queiroz rings changes as Salah leads Pharaohs

The North Africans face-off with the five-time champions who have progressed from seven of their nine Afcon semi-final matches 

Egypt's head coach, Carlos Queiroz, has revealed his starting XI to face Cameroon in an Africa Cup of Nations semi-final game on Thursday at the Paul Biya Stadium in Yaounde.

Here is how they line up:

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    Goalkeeper: Mohamed Abou Gabal 

    After he was injured during the Morocco game, Gabal returns as Mohamed Sobhy drops to the bench.

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  • Right-back – Omar Kamal

    Kamal has been a solid figure for Egypt at the back and his ability to add numbers upfront when they are in attacking mode should give the record giants an added advantage.

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    Centre-back – Mohamed Abdelmonem

    Abdelmonem keeps his place as the Pharaohs face Cameroon for what will be the 11th Afcon encounter between them.

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    Centre-back – Mahmoud Hamdy

    Hamdy replaces Ayman Ashraf, who has a yellow card from the Morocco quarter-final game.

    Together with Abdelmonem, they need to be careful enough when dealing with in-form Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi.

Spurs: Why Alli must start vs Zagreb

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to make it into the quarter-finals of the Europa League this evening when they head to the Croatian capital with a two-goal advantage over league champions Dinamo Zagreb.

But Jose Mourinho will surely be wary of the dangerous and cliched 2-0 scoreline, so there will certainly be a temptation to stick with a strong starting XI.

Though, given Spurs’ quality, the Portuguese boss should be able to rotate adequately and still put up a resounding display.

Which is why we’re backing Dele Alli to start tonight…

On the Chalkboard

The 24-year-old is still heavily out-of-favour in north London but has featured more frequently since his collapsed move to Paris Saint-Germain in January.

Alli has featured in five of their last six league outings, though just one of those has seen him start from the off. Whilst in Europe, the £26m-rated gem has started all three of their knockout matches, including a masterclass against Wolfsberger AC in the last round which saw him deliver one goal and two assists, via Transfermarkt.

“To have Dele back at this level is amazing,” said Mourinho after the match.

It’s often easy to forget that the attacking midfield still has a lot to give as he’s seemingly been around forever – he joined from MK Dons for just £5m in 2015 as an 18-year-old.

Throughout his career, he’s been likened to many a Premier League and England great, ranging from Steven Gerrard to Frank Lampard.

Spurs legend Darren Anderton dubbed Alli a “freak of a talent” in quotes, via Goal, whilst Roberto Carlos once claimed he was good enough to play for Real Madrid, as per The Sun (via Eurosport).

One player who did the reverse of that switch was Rafael van der Vaart, when joining Spurs from the La Liga giants in 2010 and he agreed with the aforementioned statement.

“He is still so young and already so eager, I like that a lot. He is fast, fluid and has a great skill set. He is special and if he keeps enjoying himself and the game, he may become a true great.”

Despite his lack of game time, Alli is putting up some good attacking returns with two goals and three assists in the Europa League alone, whilst his 1.4 key passes per game in the competition is only bettered by Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in the Premier League, so maybe Mourinho could do with utilising such creativity in the league more often.

Especially considering that was something they severely lacked during the north London derby on Sunday. Spurs managed only three shots on target and failed to create a big chance – Tanguy Ndombele was hooked just after an hour, having failed to make a key pass, via SofaScore.

Tonight’s encounter gives Mourinho a chance to rest the Frenchman, who has had fitness troubles in the past, and similarly, Lucas Moura could probably do with a rest after featuring as a no.10 in his last three appearances.

It also hands a rare opportunity to Alli to prove he can still be a major game-changer for Spurs.

AND in other news, why Mourinho must axe “very poor” Spurs calamity tonight…

Manchester United next manager: Pochettino, Zidane, Solskjaer & the top candidates for Old Trafford job

As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rebuilds from the ruins left behind by Jose Mourinho, Goal takes a look at some of the candidates in the running for the job

The cloud has lifted over Old Trafford since Jose Mourinho's departure and the appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker boss until the end of the season was an inspired move.

It was an unusual move by the Manchester United hierarchy, but one which has already paid off with Paul Pogba, in particular, thriving in the new atmosphere fostered by the Norwegian.

Solskjaer's brief takes him up to the end of the 2018-19 season, with United set to appoint a permanent successor to Mourinho after that.

So who will take the reins? Goal takes a look at the top candidates – as well as a few outsiders – and their odds for the Manchester United job.

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    1Marco Rose

    A left-field candidate for the Manchester United job emerged when the reported that Red Bull Salzburg boss Marco Rose was in contention. According to the paper, the German coach is part of a five-man shortlist drawn up by the United board, alongside firmly established names such as Zidane, Blanc and Pochettino.

    Rose's performance with Salzburg in continental competitions in particular is reported to have played a big part in the club's admiration for his abilities. However, given his relative inexperience, the 42-year-old seems like an unlikely appointment.

    Odds: N/A

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    2Ryan Giggs

    Some Manchester United fans may recoil at the thought of Ryan Giggs taking the reins of at Old Trafford after footage of a team-talk from his temporary 2014 tenure as manager went viral early last year. However, like Solskjaer, his achievements as a player ensure that he remains admired.

    Giggs is now managing Wales though and he has a European Championship qualifying campaign to gear up for this year so it seems unlikely. Indeed, when asked in the summer about whether or not he might take over from Mourinho, the Welshman told reporters: "No, I would keep my money in my pocket if I were you."

    Odds: 50/1

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    3Didier Deschamps

    Having steered France to World Cup glory in 2018, Didier Deschamps is among a number of potential top-level candidates for the United job. The 50-year-old boasts vast experience and may be open to a new adventure after nearly seven years at the helm of Les Bleus.

    He led Monaco to the final of the Champions League in 2004 – where they were beaten by Mourinho's Porto – and has enjoyed spells at Juventus and Marseille, winning Ligue 1 in 2010 with the latter.

    Odds: 50/1

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    4Roberto Martinez

    From one team of Red Devils to another? Roberto Martinez steered Belgium to a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and appears to have unfinished business, having only taken up the role in 2016. His current deal takes him up to 2020, but he would surely be tempted to return to club football if an offer from Manchester United came his way.

    With prior experience in the Premier League, Martinez knows English football well and his time at the helm of Belgium, working with some of the world's best players, has established him as one of Europe's top coaches. A particular plus can be found in the fact that the former Everton boss seems to be the man to get the best out of United striker Romelu Lukaku.

    Odds: 50/1

Goal's MLS Preseason Power Rankings

Reigning MLS Cup champions Atlanta United and Supporters' Shield holders New York Red Bulls lead the field as Major League Soccer kicks off this week

The race for the 2019 MLS Cup will go through the Eastern Conference, and if defending champion Atlanta United has anything to say about it, through Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Tata Martino and Miguel Almiron may have moved on, but the Five Stripes remains the favorites, led by MLS goal king Josef Martinez and newly-acquired Argentine midfielder Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez.

The New York Red Bulls fell short in their quest to finally win an MLS Cup title last year, but they bring back most of the same squad that set a new league record for points in a season, so another title challenge is a safe bet. Tyler Adams leaving will make things difficult, but the Red Bulls boast the best defense in the league and the ever-reliable Bradley Wright-Phillips.

There are some clear-cut title contenders in the West, led by Sporting Kansas City and the Seattle Sounders, two teams with balanced veteran lineups, and also with the salary cap space to make big acquisitions this summer, if not sooner. Sporting KC has what may be its deepest team ever, but the search for a big-money striker continues. The Sounders struck gold with last summer's signing of Raul Ruidiaz, but Garth Lagerwey has the resources to add another attacking weapon.

The city of Los Angeles could have a say in the MLS Cup conversation as well, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading a revamped LA Galaxy and Carlos Vela ready to build on last year's impressive debut season for Los Angeles FC.

Several teams underwent significant roster shakeups, particularly in the Western Conference, where Minnesota United and the Colorado Rapids made multiple big-time acquisitions to push themselves into the playoff conversation.

Those are just two of teams who could be this year's surprise turnaround. The San Jose Earthquakes are another candidate, with new head coach Matias Almeyda leading the way. Orlando City is another team that could see a dramatic turnaround after a disappointing 2018. Toronto FC is just a year removed from being considered the best team in MLS history, so a return to the playoffs could take place, assuming TFC succeeds in finding a suitable replacement to fill the void left by Sebastian Giovinco's departure.

Here is how the 24 MLS teams stack up heading into the 2019 season:

  • FC Cincinnati

    1FC Cincinnati

    The expansion team made plenty of moves this winter in an effort to put together a respectable roster, but while there is a good nucleus of veterans, it is still going to be a rough debut season for the league's newest team. Fanendo Adi is a solid striker, and Costa Rican midfielder Allen Cruz is a special talent, but head coach Alan Koch will be hard-pressed to turn FC Cincinnati into a playoff team in year one.

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    2Chicago Fire

    The good news for Fire fans is Bastian Schweinsteiger is back and Djordje Mihailovic is poised for a breakout season. The bad news is the Fire's defense looks very suspect and a lack of depth could prove costly for a team that didn't do enough this winter to close the gap on the playoff teams in the MLS Eastern Conference.

  • Montreal Impact

    3Montreal Impact

    After falling four points short of the playoffs in 2018, the Impact picked up veteran forward Maxi Urruti to try and help Montreal close the gap. The more pressing concern is how the Impact's revamped defense will perform. Urruti should help Montreal generate more goals, but the defense must be stingy if the Impact are going to reach the posteason.

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    4Orlando City

    Gone is Kaka, but in steps Nani to help fill the big-name void. Now Orlando City just needs to sort out the defensive woes that plagued the Lions in 2018. The pressure is on Dom Dwyer to perform, but it will be the back-line head coach James O'Connor puts together that will make or break Orlando City's season.

Celtic: Diego Laxalt stay unlikely

Diego Laxalt is unlikely to extend his temporary stay with Celtic in the summer.

That’s according to the latest reports from Argentina, cited by Sempre Milan who have linked the 28-year-old with a move to Boca Juniors.

Laxalt a big Celtic earner

Laxalt joined the Hoops from AC Milan back in October and has made 23 appearances in all competitions since then.

The left-back has been battling with Greg Taylor for a starting spot in green and white, with the South American featuring from the off in just two of the club’s last 11 Scottish Premiership fixtures.

Celtic are thought to be paying £22,250 of the Uruguayan’s weekly wage but, despite rumours of a permanent Parkhead move, it now seems as if his days left in Glasgow are numbered.

Transfer Tavern take

The £3.6m-rated ace hasn’t exactly nailed down the left-back spot since the New Year, so, even though a permanent Parkhead switch is unlikely, it may not be a huge transfer blow.

A rebuild both on and off the pitch at Celtic Park looks likely to get the go ahead this summer, so the club could bring in a new left-back to rival Greg Taylor.

Boli Bolingoli could also return to Glasgow from his loan spell with Istanbul Basaksehir, although the Turkish side do have the option to sign the 25-year-old on a permanent basis.

World Cup 2018 Golden Boot: Kane beats Lukaku & Mbappe to top scorer award

The Tottenham striker won the battle for sharpshooting supremacy, which involved some of the best strikers in the world

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    1John Stones | England | 2 goals, 7 games

    Defenders are not usually known for their goalscoring abilities, but England centre-back John Stones has shown himself to be a serious threat from set-pieces in Russia. The Manchester City man may not be likely to challenge his compatriot Kane for the Golden Boot, but he was eager to contribute more goals as the Three Lions went in search of a second world title. Unfortunately for Stones, he had a potential winner in the semi-final against Croatia cleared off the line as England lost in extra-time.

    He, like his team-mates, did not find the net in their 2-0 loss to Belgium in the third-place game.

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  • 2Andreas Granqvist | Sweden | 2 goals, 5 games

    The Sweden captain earned his side an opening-game win in the World Cup when his penalty saw off South Korea. He then struck a superb spot-kick in their final group fixture against Mexico to put Sweden 2-0 up and, in doing so, became the first defender to score two penalties in regular time at the same World Cup since current Spain coach Fernando Hierro in 2002.

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    3Son Heung-Min | South Korea | 2 goals 3 games

    The Tottenham forward scored two of his country's three goals at the World Cup. He scored a late consolation in the 2-1 defeat by Mexico in their second game before putting the seal on a remarkable 2-0 victory over Germany in their final group game. With Germany trailing 1-0 deep into stoppage-time, and with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer high up the pitch, a long ball sent Son clear and he had the simple task of scoring into an empty net.

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    4Mile Jedinak | Australia | 2 goals, 3 games

    Mile Jedinak is part of a very exclusive group as one of Australia's 13 World Cup goalscorers and his strikes in Russia mean that he has now moved behind Tim Cahill as the second-highest Socceroos scorer at the tournament.

Phil Hay’s Bielsa update will delight Leeds fans

Leeds United are enjoying a strong run of form in their returning Premier League campaign. Thanks to numerous solid performances and Marcelo Bielsa’s steady hand on the throttle, the Whites are in a more than respectable 10th place in the table, one point ahead of upcoming opposition Arsenal.

Victor Orta and co didn’t utilise their option to splurge in the January transfer window, but could have some surprises up their sleeve leading into the summer. The future of Jack Harrison still remains unknown, but Leeds have the opportunity to bring him to Elland Road permanently for a fee of £10million.

Phil Hay recently confirmed that the club officials are keen on activating this clause, but if something goes wrong with the deal, Harrison will depart the club in the summer upon the expiry of his loan contract.

This is very similar for the manager himself. Bielsa is into the last six months of his deal with Leeds and no talks as of yet have emerged regarding an extension. However, Hay has one again come up with the goods and has delivered some very telling comments regarding Bielsa’s future.

In the latest episode of The Phil Hay Show, he discusses the Argentine and his role at the club. The Athletic reporter revealed that Bielsa is happy where he is, despite only penning a one-year deal back in September.

For fans, this will be a delightful piece of news. The 65-year-old is hugely respected by the Leeds fanbase and is held in high regard after he took them back to the Premier League following 16 long years away. Whites supporters will not want to see their boss go anywhere any time soon.

Even Andrea Radrizzani recently expressed his desire to see Bielsa stay at the club. He clearly fits the club very well and his results so far have been admirable for a side fresh up from the Championship. The fans, players and club officials would no doubt be elated if Bielsa decided to commit his future to Leeds.

In other news, Raphinha footage shows Leeds struck gold on the transfer market…

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