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LaLiga, BundesLiga, Serie A do Calcio, EFL Championship, Premier Legue, Brasileirão e Brasileirão – Série B são os principais destaques desta sábado (4) de futebol. Confira com o Lance! onde assistir ao vivo e os horários das partidas.

نجح منتخب نيجيريا في تحقيق فوز كبير على الجابون، بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، في لقاء أقيم مساء الخميس، في الملحق العالمي المؤهل لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

والتقى منتخب نيجيريا نظيره الجابوني على ملعب مولاي الحسن بالعاصمة المغربية الرباط، في نصف نهائي الملحق الإفريقي المؤهل للملحق العالمي المؤهل لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

طالع|فيفا يعلن تصنيف شهر أكتوبر 2025.. منتخب مصر يتقدم 3 مراكز

وجاء الهدف الاول في الدقيقة 77 بعد تمريرة خاطئة من المدافع يستغلها آدامز ويراوغ الحارس ويسجل في الشباك، وتعادل منتخب الجابون في الدقيقة 89 عن طريق ماريو ليمينا من تسديدة ترتطم بالمدافع وتسكن الشباك.

وفي الدقيقة 97 من الشوط الإضافي الأول، سجل منتخب نيجيريا الهدف الثاني عن طريق سيدرا إدجوكيه، وجاء الهدف الثالث عن طريق أوسيمين في الدقيقة 102، بعدما سدد كرة قوية من داخل منطقة الجزاء تسكن الشباك، وعاد نفس اللاعب ليسجل الرابع في الدقيقة 110، ليحسم المباراة على حساب الجابون.

ويشمل الملحق أفضل 4 منتخبات احتلت المركز الثاني للمجموعات التسعة خلال مرحلة التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، وهي، “نيجيريا والجابون والكاميرون والكونغو الديموقراطية”.

وسيلتقي منتخب نيجيريا مع الفائز من الكاميرون ضد الكونغو الديمقراطية في نهائي الملحق الإفريقي.

وسيتأهل بطل الملحق الإفريقي إلى الملحق العالمي في مارس 2026 لخطف مقعد في نهائيات المونديال. أهداف مباراة نيجيريا والجابون في ملحق كأس العالم

Teams to play three T20Is and three ODIs, starting four days after the Asia Cup final

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2025Afghanistan will host Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in the UAE in October, shortly after the conclusion of the Asia Cup on September 28.The T20Is are on October 2, 3 and 5 in Sharjah while the ODIs are on October 8, 11 and 14 in Abu Dhabi.ESPNcricinfo understands the Bangladesh squad could stay back in the UAE after the Asia Cup to play the bilateral series. Both teams are part of Group B in the Asia Cup, along with Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, and play each other on September 16 in Abu Dhabi. Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Fours stage of the tournament. India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE are in Group A.The Afghanistan-Bangladesh bilateral series is the second part of what was supposed to be an all-format tour in July 2024, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule was revised to include only white-ball matches while that series, due to be played in Greater Noida in India, was postponed due to weather conditions and Bangladesh’s packed schedule.The two teams have a rivalry brewing. Bangladesh and Afghanistan have played four bilateral ODI series, with the head-to-head record level at 2-2. Bangladesh won in 2016 and 2022, while Afghanistan won the two most recent series in 2023 and 2024. It’s level in bilateral T20I series too, with Afghanistan winning in 2018, Bangladesh in 2023, and a tied series in 2022.

With the USMNT set to kick off their first match of the November break this Saturday, GOAL's writers discuss the biggest storylines revolving around the team.

It’s camp time. The USMNT have reported for training, leaving their clubs behind to strut their stuff for the national team. And because this is the USMNT, there’s always a bit of drama. Injuries have hit hard, with Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Chris Richards all out – and Malik Tillman missing as well. If this window ever felt like “must win,” that mood feels even further away now.

So, what can we make of all of this? Paraguay and Uruguay are good teams – certainly better than Australia and Ecuador. This will be a very difficult pair of fixtures.

Perhaps it’s all down to individual performances. There are a few players fighting for a spot on the World Cup roster. Some of the chosen absentees – looking at you, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah – also speak volumes. And then there’s the Gio Reyna conversation, with the attacking midfielder brought into the fray unexpectedly. There are plenty of storylines here, and GOAL US’s writers break them all down in the USMNT edition of… The Rondo.

Thoughts on the squad overall

Tom Hindle: Well, it’s about as full-strength as possible, given who Pochettino rates and the injuries he has. Sure, he’d love to have Pulisic, Adams, Tillman, and Richards, but if none are fully fit, there isn’t much that can be done. It’s good to see Christian Roldán back, and Ricardo Pepi certainly deserves another shot to prove he can be either the main man or the No. 2 behind Folarin Balogun. Honestly? Also, welcome back, Reyna.

Ryan Tolmich: It's fine, given the situation. There’s no navigating injuries at the moment, so Pochettino was forced to confront the reality that this team, despite all intentions, was never going to be as strong as it could be. In that sense, yes, it makes sense to take a look at Reyna and Scally to see if they've learned anything. Yes, it makes sense to sort out the center-back pool without Richards to see what that looks like. And yes, it makes sense to take a different path with McKennie, who always plays his best when he’s in that sweet spot of being under pressure and playing at Juventus. For all of those reasons, the squad is fine – even if there are a few things many of us would have done differently.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWho are you must looking forward to seeing this camp?

TH: Pepi. Haji Wright and Balogun are known quantities at this point. Where does Pepi fit? Sure, the U.S. will take three strikers to the World Cup; Pepi isn't going to lose his spot. But is he the No. 1 guy? Or the backup’s backup? This camp could offer a few clues as to where exactly he stands in this setup.

RT: The center backs, for sure. We know one of the three World Cup starters will be Richards. The other two? Pretty up in the air. With no Richards in camp, it’s up to everyone else to brawl for those spots. Will it be a familiar face like Tim Ream? Can Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson convince? Will Auston Trusty make a late push? With so many positions accounted for, center back is still a question mark. Maybe we'll get some answers this camp.

GettyWho is under the most pressure to perform?

TH: It’ll have to be one of the center backs. Any errors at the back can prove costly – not only to results, but to reputation. Trusty is very much on the bubble and will need a solid camp to prove he deserves a spot.

RT: All eyes are on the strikers, right? For the first time post-Copa America, the U.S. have what seems to be the top three strikers in the pool all in camp together. Now that that’s happening, the race for the starting job can truly begin. Balogun, Pepi and Wright are all directly competing – may the best man win!

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GettyWho could make a case to start with a good couple of performances?

TH: Gio flipping Reyna. Do it, Mauricio.

RT: Tanner Tessmann is in a spot where he could really convince. The U.S. are seemingly still searching for an Adams partner and, at the moment, Tessmann seems to be in pole position. If he can perform – especially without Adams next to him as a safety blanket – he could do a whole lot to convince Pochettino that he can be the guy in midfield.

Wolverhampton Wanderers fans will already be contemplating the return of Championship football to Molineux next season.

Indeed, the miserable Old Gold are currently sat at the bottom of the Premier League pile on a pitiful two points, which culminated in the dismissal of Vitor Pereira, who had managed to turn around Wolves’ fortunes when coming in mid-way through the 2024/25 season.

Unfortunately, in the here and now, Pereira couldn’t arrest the worrying slide, with the West Midlands outfit now on the hunt for a successor who can somehow lift the downbeat side off the very foot of the top-flight.

Gary O’Neil has already turned down the opportunity to come back to his old stomping ground as a dramatic saviour, with Wolves now having to look at alternative targets.

Wolves' ongoing hunt for a new manager

There have been several different names linked to the Molineux vacancy since Pereira was put out of his misery after a 3-0 defeat away at Fulham.

Rob Edwards has consistently been tipped to leave promotion-chasing Middlesbrough behind in the Championship to return to the side he lined up for as a player. At the same time, Wolves have also utilised their well-known Portuguese connections, with ex-Benfica boss Rui Vitoria allegedly on their radar.

Sky Sports News’ Lyall Thomas has fired back, though, to state that either Edwards or Vitoria replacing Pereira is considered “unlikely”, with Erik ten Hag also a shout that has been dismissed, as Wolves head into their next league encounter with youth team duo James Collins and Richard Walker at the helm.

A decision will soon have to be made, as Wolves fight a losing battle against the drop, with one name that Thomas hasn’t dismissed, still perhaps in the running as a clear upgrade on the Boro boss.

Why Wolves target would be an Edwards upgrade

Before delving deeper into why this alternative target would be an upgrade on Edwards, it does have to be said that the 42-year-old did a commendable job the last time he was in the top-flight with Luton Town.

Indeed, Edwards did make the Hatters a “difficult” team to beat, as were the words of Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta.

But, away from initial admiration, the Championship promotion-winning manager did still take Luton down, with 47 defeats from 103 games in charge of the Kenilworth Road outfit, not exactly music to the ears of those at Molineux who crave a transformative clean slate.

This is where the reappointment of Bruno Lage could be a masterstroke, with reports from Portugal – via Sport Witness – indicating that the 49-year-old is weighing up the possibility of a return to the Black Country, having been on Wolves’ manager shortlist.

Wolves have arguably been on a decline since the one-time Liga Portugal champion left the building, with Lage’s tenth-place finish during the 2021/22 season yet to be bettered by the litany of managers that have come into the Old Gold dug-out since.

2024/25

16th

Pereira

2023/24

14th

O’Neil

2022/23

13th

Lopetegui

2021/22

10th

Lage

Lage also turned the Old Gold into a well-oiled machine when he was at the helm, which they are in dire need of right now, as only 43 goals were leaked across 38 league contests.

His fellow compatriot and ex-Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal would even label his one full campaign in the dug-out as “the best success story in the Premier League”, with Lage even taking the West Midlands titans to the brink of a Champions League spot at one point, having masterminded a 1-0 away win at Manchester United in early 2022.

19 Premier League wins would come his way, subsequently, with Edwards stuck on just six, in stark contrast, from his time at Kenilworth Road.

With Lage favouring a 4-3-3 set-up, too, much like Pereira, the hope will be that Setubal-born boss can get the ball rolling again immediately on his return, having been described as “one of the best men I have met in football” by ex-Wolves skipper Conor Coady.

After all, he fared well last time out when the pressure was on him, having had to replace a modern Molineux great in Nuno Espirito Santo, as the “excellent” head coach – as he was once labelled by rival Premier League manager Thomas Frank – now tries to steer the ship back on course again.

Wolves in contact for new manager Abel Ferreira as Jeff Shi receives reply

A new name on the Molineux radar.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 6, 2025

Durham allrounder hits 100 and takes three wickets but ends up on losing side

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Aug-2025

Alfie Ogborne took his first Somerset five-for as Somerset carved out a four-wicket victory over Durham at Taunton to extend their winning start to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.Playing in front of a near-sell-out crowd at Taunton, the 22-year-old left arm seamer claimed 5 for 41 as Durham were restricted to 255 for 9 after winning the toss. Will Rhodes kept the visitors afloat, staging an assured knock of 100 from 120 balls with 10 fours and sharing in stands of 78 with Haydon Mustard and 58 with Paul Coughlin for the fifth and seventh wickets respectively. Mustard contributed 38 and Coughlin, the only Durham batter to score at better than a run-a-ball, raised 38 from 30 balls and accrued two fours and a six.Teenage prospect Thomas Rew then anchored Somerset’s run chase, top-scoring with 84 not out from 81 deliveries and striking eight fours and two sixes as the home side reached their target with 22 balls to spare. He shared in a crucial partnership of 95 for the fourth wicket with his brother, James, who posted 39, while opener Archie Vaughan weighed in with 37 and Ben Green scored 34 not out at the death. The pick of the Durham bowlers, Rhodes capped a fine all-round performance by taking 3 for 42 in a losing cause.Will Rhodes impressed with bat and ball•Getty Images

Durham’s decision to bat first backfired when they slumped to 67 for 4 inside 15 overs. Jake Ball had Emilio Gay caught at the wicket for seven, while the impressive Ogborne persuaded Scott Borthwick to top-edge a pull shot to mid-wicket and then produced a startling yorker to remove Colin Ackermann without scoring. When Ben Green located Ollie Robinson’s outside edge and James Rew again demonstrated sound glovework, Somerset were on top.Charged with the task of rebuilding the innings, Rhodes and Mustard played responsibly, adding 50 in 83 balls to redress the balance.Somerset needed a wicket and skipper James Rew recalled Ogborne at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion end, the left-armer having Mustard caught by Green at point with the score 145 for 5 in the 34th. When Kasey Aldridge came on at the same end and had George Drissell caught at backward point, the visitors were 170 for 6.That was the cue for Coughlin to seize the initiative, relegating Rhodes to a supporting role in a seventh-wicket stand of 58 in 7.2 overs. Rhodes still saw enough of the strike to post his second List A hundred from 118 balls, clipping Ogborne into the leg side to attain that milestone in the 46th. He was out later in the same over, hoisting Ogborne to square leg.Ogborne then completed his first senior five-wicket haul, inducing Coughlin to hit straight to long-on with the score 237 for 8 in the 48th. Somerset’s chase was afforded a super-charged start, Vaughan and Lammonby assuming T20 mode in harvesting nine boundaries between them in an opening stand of 51 in 8.1 overs as Durham’s seamers struggled with their lengths.Thomas Rew bats under the floodlights•Harry Trump/Getty Images

But the home side did not have things entirely their own way, Mitchell Killeen affording the visitors much-needed relief by bowling Lammonby for 24. Vaughan was then dismissed for 37 in near-identical fashion by Rhodes with the score 78 for 2 in the 16th. That soon became 78 for 3, Goldsworthy shuffling in front of a straight one from Drissell as Durham roared right back into contention.Just as they did when defeating Middlesex at Radlett a few days earlier, Somerset looked to the Rew brothers to steady the ship. Both oozed calm confidence, going about their business in workmanlike fashion to keep the reply on track, James initially proving the more aggressive and Thomas dropping into a supporting role.Elder sibling James timed the ball from the outset, playing a superb back-foot force for four off the bowling of Rhodes as Somerset advanced to 124-3 at halfway, requiring a further 133 at 5.2 an over. The 50 partnership arrived via 59 balls, 17-year-old Thomas raising that landmark with a wristy cut for four off Luke Robinson.Warming to his task, the teenager fine cut Killeen for four through third man and then whipped him over midwicket for six before pulling and cutting Robinson for successive boundaries to overtake his brother. The partnership was worth 95 when Rhodes fooled James Rew into mistiming a drive and holing out to mid-on for 39.Undeterred by events at the other end, Rew junior went to his second successive 50 from 45 deliveries. But Rhodes accounted for Josh Thomas, held at long-on, and Fin Hill was run out for a duck with the score 189 for 6. Calm in the face of pressure, Green offered Rew staunch support thereafter, contributing 34 not out to an unbroken stand of 69 for the seventh wicket.

Manchester United are a club who have been known to possess one of the best academies in world football – often producing a conveyor belt of elite-level talent.

Arguably one of the best to ever come out of the Red Devils youth ranks is winger Ryan Giggs, with the winger coming out of the academy and making an immediate impression within the first-team.

The Welshman spent 23 years at Old Trafford, subsequently becoming a one-club legend, whilst also racking up 632 Premier League appearances – the most of any Welshman in the division’s history.

Giggs also won 13 Premier League titles during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, forever cementing himself as one of the best ever players to operate in England’s top-flight.

However, in the present day, Ruben Amorim has his own crop of talented teens who could emulate the attacker’s success should he hand them the chance to thrive at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd’s most promising youngsters in 2025/26

Numerous youth players have constantly been on the fringes of United’s first-team squad over the last couple of years, but none more so than centre-forward Chido Obi.

The Dane joined the Red Devils from Arsenal last year and made an immediate impact at youth level, subsequently scoring 17 goals in just 21 appearances across various age categories.

He was rewarded with eight senior outings under Amorim at the back end of last season, but is yet to score his first senior goal – something which will no doubt come in time given his tender age of just 17.

However, Obi isn’t the only youngster who could make the jump in the next few months, with winger Shea Lacey undoubtedly champing at the bit to become a first-team regular.

The 18-year-old made 13 appearances across all competitions last campaign, netting just twice, but he’s already matched such a tally in his first three outings of 2025/26.

Like Giggs, Lacey is a left-footed forward who loves to drive at the opposition and cause carnage within the final third – potentially emulating such success at Old Trafford in the years ahead.

However, despite the promise generated by the aforementioned duo, the club could well have another gem on their hands in the form of one other academy prospect.

The United star who could become the next Giggs

Youngsters making the jump into the senior ranks at United hasn’t been alien to fans over the last few years, with numerous players making an impression on the fanbase.

Alejandro Garnacho ended up making 144 appearances for the Red Devils over a three-year period at Old Trafford – scoring 26 times and registering 19 assists.

However, his attitude often came into question under various managers, which resulted in the Argentine forward departing in a £40m deal to join Chelsea this summer.

Marcus Rashford matched Garnacho in making the jump up from the youth ranks, even scoring a double on his debut in the Europa League against Midtjylland back in February 2016.

Like the aforementioned star, he’s been out of favour under Amorim, subsequently leaving on loan during the off-season to join Barcelona until the summer of 2026.

However, the supporters may have another young star to back in the coming years, with forward JJ Gabriel, a player who has been touted with a huge future at Old Trafford.

He may be just 15 years of age, but he’s already a regular within the club’s U18 ranks – taking to the age group like a duck to water over the last couple of months.

Gabriel has scored seven goals in just six outings, a run of form that has allowed him to be called up to the England U15 setup – highlighting his rapid development at Carrington.

Given his tender age, expectations will no doubt need to be managed, but one insider has already claimed that the teenager is “already better than Premier League players”.

It’s unclear how close to the first-team Gabriel is, but it’s rapidly become apparent that boss Amorim is a huge admirer of the youngster and sees him as a future gem for the Red Devils.

In recent days, the 40-year-old boss has included Gabriel in his first-team training sessions – something which is often unheard of for a player of his youthful years.

Generational talents very rarely come around in the modern game, but the club already have a star on their hands, but the staff behind the scenes desperately need to keep his feet on the ground.

His early form in 2025/26 is nothing short of remarkable, with Gabriel having the chance to emulate the success of former academy star Giggs if given the chance in the not-too-distant future.

It's not Mainoo: Man Utd may have found the new Pogba in "phenomenal" star

Manchester United already have another talent who is on a similar trajectory to Paul Pogba.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 24, 2025

After slipping on his new threads as an official member of the New York Mets, Juan Soto, after being asked if signing a record $765 million contract with the Mets makes New York a Mets town, uttered nine words that were sure to ruffle feathers on the other side of town:

"It's been a Mets town for a long time."

Soto added that "championships" would ultimately tell which town rules the roost, but in declaring New York a "Mets town," the slugger invited pressure, as well as elevated animosity from Bronx Bombers fans.

Fast forward to Sunday, and Soto, who spent the 2024 season with the New York Yankees, whom he helped reach the franchise's first World Series since '09, arrived at the Mets' spring training site in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and was asked how he plans to deal with the building pressure as well as "hate" from Yankees fans that comes with making such a confident statement.

"Winning games," Soto said. "That's all you gotta do. You don't have to talk too much. You just gotta go out there and get the job done."

The Yankees have advanced to the postseason in seven of the last eight seasons, compared to two times for the Mets in that same span. But the Mets snuck into the postseason as a wild card team last year, defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, then upset the Philadelphia Phillies before falling short to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

Powered by young players, such as Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos, as well as proven veterans like Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, the Mets boasted a core ready to win, as well as an owner committed to doing so.

The Mets' vision for the future, as well as a record contract, ultimately sold Soto to spurn the Yankees for the Mets. And he'll hear it from Yankees fans when the Mets travel to the Bronx for a three-game series in May.

But Soto made it clear how he plans to deal with such animosity.

About five months after his death, MLB appears to be considering former first baseman, third baseman and outfielder Pete Rose's reinstatement.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has received a petition from Rose's family to remove him from MLB's permanently ineligible list, according to a Saturday evening report from Don Van Natta of ESPN. Rose, who was banned from baseball amid allegations that he bet on the Cincinnati Reds while managing them, died at the age of 83 on Sept. 30.

"The commissioner was respectful, gracious, and actively participated in productive discussions regarding removing Rose from the ineligible list," family lawyer Jeffrey Lenkov told Van Natta.

Rose has been banned from baseball since 1989, when he cut a deal with commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti to avoid further punishment by voluntarily joining baseball's permanently ineligible list.

News of the petition's reported delivery comes a day after President Donald Trump suggested he would pardon Rose for non-specific offenses (Rose served five months in prison in 1990 for tax evasion).

Rose played 24 years for the Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos—collecting an MLB-best 4,256 hits.

Have we been given a glimpse into the real Liverpool? The win over Real Madrid in the Champions League this week certainly felt like a throwback to last season.

Arne Slot reverted to type. The midfield was comprised of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, that triumvirate whose connection and coherence proved so crucial to last year’s triumphant Premier League campaign.

Things have changed on the red half of Merseyside this season. Sweeping summer changes have reshaped the framework, and a by-product of this has been tactical imbalances and a lack of the fluency and sharpness that propelled the Reds into the ascendancy last year.

One of the issues predates this early-season slump by a long stretch. Six defeats from seven matches in all competitions before the recent upswing is inexcusable, and each corner of the system has been culpable, but there’s undoubtedly been something missing on the left flank, with Luis Diaz now playing elsewhere.

Liverpool miss the Colombian, but not as much as Sadio Mane before him.

Why Liverpool are still missing Sadio Mane

Liverpool are not so much missing Mane directly as his profile. Last season, Diaz scored 17 goals and supplied eight goals as he flitted between the left flank and a central striking berth. The Colombian was sold to Bayern Munich in August, like Mane before him, and now his presence is missed.

Diaz did a strong job in replacing Mane, but the Senegalese sensation will go down in history as one of the most dangerous wingers to have graced the Premier League, with his former international coach Aliou Cisse even describing him as “one of the best” in the world back in 2018.

Devastatingly dynamic and with an unending appetite for goals, Mane thrived across his years under Klopp’s wing, joining from Southampton for £34m in 2016 and forging one of Europe’s most iconic strike forces, alongside Bobby Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

Now, Liverpool have neither player in their mix. Cody Gakpo has most regularly played on the left wing for Liverpool this year, and while the Dutchman is a talented and multi-faceted player, he is not on the same level as Mane in his prime, and neither does he operate with the same electric movement as Diaz.

However, Slot may actually have found his own version of Mane in another Liverpool star, a player who is showing signs of real quality in a red shirt.

Liverpool's new version of Sadio Mane

Liverpool underwent a series of changes in the summer transfer market, and though the Alexander Isak saga dominated the final weeks of the window, much was made of Liverpool’s record-breaking £116m move for Florian Wirtz.

Hailed as a “statistical unicorn” and a “final third freak” by analyst Sam McGuire before first donning the famous Liverpool jersey, Wirtz has not yet proved this is true on English soil, but he’s a work in progress, adapting to a new land, and we have started to see the first shoots of success in recent games.

Real Madrid marked the finest display of his Anfield career so far, and what a game to announce yourself in. Handed an 8/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo, Wirtz was praised for his tireless work ethic and creativity. In the first half, the German created five chances for the hosts, as many as the entire Los Blancos team.

But, whereas Mane impressed across his start to life at Liverpool, posting 13 goals and seven assists across 29 matches in 2016/17, Wirtz is still yet to break his duck after 15 fixtures.

But this man’s underlying quality is indisputable. He is a world-class talent. And, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 5% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive passes and shot-creating actions, as well as the top 11% for chances created per 90.

Understandably, many think the 22-year-old should have offered more so far. In some ways, they are right. But Liverpool have been a curious case this season, and the frosty tactical conditions have made it difficult for such a player to dovetail in and fire on all cylinders from the get-go.

He might not be the same sort of clinical and direct player as Mane, but Wirtz proved on the left flank against Real Madrid that he can play a leading role in a Liverpool team questing for all the biggest prizes.

With Szoboszlai in such jaw-dropping form and Liverpool looking altogether more polished and effective with last season’s blueprint implemented in the engine room, there’s a case to be made that Wirtz could play in Mane’s old role with regularity.

He surely has the robustness and wide-ranging arsenal to fulfil his duties in that area with confidence and clarity. This is one of the most talented footballers in the world, after all.

Now, we must wait for the £195k-per-week talent to find the consistency in his performances that will lead to a country-wide recognition of his quality in a similar fashion to Mane before him. This will take time, of course, but with the Reds starting to look like a well-oiled unit once again now that issues have been ironed out, Wirtz could go from strength to strength.

Sometimes, patience is needed from football fans. Wirtz will come good. So good, in fact, that he might leave a legacy at Anfield that is on a level with Mane, that superstar winger who achieved so much in red.

Slot has just found the new Gini Wijnaldum in "special" Liverpool star

Liverpool produced a show-stopping performance to send Real Madrid packing in the Champions League.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 7, 2025