Kelly Crull's Blog

MLS Goals of the Week: Surridge’s Linkup, Messi’s Chip and More. Hany Mukhtar provided an outrageous assist for Sam Surridge, Lionel Messi bags two goals and more in the latest MLS Goals of the Week.

A double matchweek in MLS always brings another level to the MLS Goals of the Week selection and this week didn’t disappoint.

While Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez crack the list from Inter Miami’s 5–1 win against Columbus Crew SC.

There’s a good mix of lesser-known players who carved their way into the spotlight over Matchday 16 and Matchday 17.

Although some teams played twice this week, several also only took part once in MLS play. Impacted by the FIFA Club World Cup duties of LAFC and Concacaf Champions Cup final for Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Sports Illustrated takes a look back at the week that was and some of the outstanding goals scored throughout.

5. Messi Loops Hagen for the Herons

Lionel Messi had himself a week to remember, scoring in three straight games, topped with a two-goal, three-assist showing in Inter Miami CF’s dominant 5–1 win over Columbus Crew SC. His chipped finish from Saturday cracks the Goals of the Week.

4. Sofo’s Swift Flick for the Red Bulls

Mohammed Sofo has been one of the most exciting breakout players in MLS this เล่นเกมคาสิโน UFABET ทันสมัย ฝากถอนง่าย season, and his exquisite backheel flick to score against Charlotte FC midweek stands out as one of his best goals yet for the New York Red Bulls.

3. Suárez Slots Home Miami’s Perfect Buildup

A Luis Suárez finish for his third goal in two games in the 5–1 win over Columbus, combined with some tantalizing midfield buildup from Inter Miami, which brought back memories of Suárez, Messi and Sergio Busquets with FC Barcelona.

2. Mukhtar’s Flick and Surridge’s Finish for Nashville

Nashville SC picked up a pair of draws this week, but Hanky Mukhtar’s backheel flick to set up Sam Surridge in their Saturday 2–2 match with NYCFC stood out among other goals from across the league.

1. Kowalczyk Curls a Screamer for Houston

Houston Dynamo midfielder Sebastian Kowalczyk hadn’t found the back of the net through the first 15 games of the season, but scored a stunning curled strike from just inside the box in their clash with Sporting Kansas City.

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Arsenal Threatened by ‘Rival Interest’ in Viktor Gyokeres. Interest from two European giants has complicated Arsenal’s efforts to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres.

Arsenal’s bid to sign Sporting CP’s superstar striker Viktor Gyökeres has been complicated by reported transfer interest from both Atlético Madrid and Napoli.

Gyökeres has long been considered a leading target for the Gunners thanks to a staggering goal record in the Portuguese top flight. The Swedish forward has found the net 97 times in just 102 matches for Sporting. Despite being penalised by the supposedly inferior quality of his league. Gyökeres came desperately close to winning this season’s European Golden Boot ahead of Kylian Mbappé.

Naturally, these video-game statistics have prompted admiring glances from clubs beyond the confines of north London. With Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Chelsea thought to be monitoring the 26-year-old striker. Barcelona have publicly dropped out of the race but The Mirror name Napoli as potential suitors for Gyökeres.

Manager Antonio Conte is looking for more competition. For Romelu Lukaku who turned 32 last month and netted 14 goals in Serie A last season.

Record continue to report on rival interest from Atlético who, unlike Arsenal, are not short of attacking firepower. Diego Simeone has the luxury of starting Julián Álvarez while Alexander Sørloth provides a potent option off the bench. Both players amassed more than 24 goals across all competitions in the season just gone. Kai Havertz was Arsenal’s most prolific player with 15.

Atlético are said to be in no rush to strike a deal for Gyökeres. With the report speculating that Simeone could wait until after this คาสิโนออนไลน์ UFABET ฝากถอนรวดเร็ว เริ่มต้นเล่นง่าย summer’s Club World Cup before pushing forward with a move for another striker. The Spanish capital may become a more appealing destination for Gyökeres by the time July rolls around.

Álvarez has been persistently linked with a summer exit. Barcelona are thought to retain a long-standing interest in the World Cup winner. While Liverpool and even Arsenal have also been touted as potential destinations.

Rather than Álvarez or Gyökeres, Arsenal appear to be inching ever closer to a deal for RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Šeško. There have supposedly been “secret” discussions regarding an agreement with the gangly Slovenian who is four years younger than Gyökeres, yet boasts a far inferior goal record.

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Vancouver Whitecaps’ Champions Cup Heartbreak Must Fuel Desire for MLS Glory. Vancouver Whitecaps FC fell 5–0 to Cruz Azul in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup final Sunday night in Mexico City.

MEXICO CITY — Lined by riot police and barely sheltered from the slow, warm downpour in their first Concacaf Champions Cup final, it was no ordinary matchday for nearly 1,000 traveling Vancouver Whitecaps supporters in Mexico City. 

Yet, the 5–0 loss to Cruz Azul—a devastating result in a disheartening effort—left many feeling a familiar sense of disappointment. It was once again an opportunity that passed Vancouver by, like so many since the เว็บพนันออนไลน์ UFABET สมัครง่าย โปรโมชั่นมากมาย club last won a significant trophy in 1979.

It wasn’t much different for those on the pitch and touchline, either. 

“We came here with hopes and aspiration and ambition … now we leave with devastation,” first-year manager Jesper Sørensen said after the match. “Sports and football at this level are brutal, and when you cannot put out your best performance, when it’s needed, it’s going to be difficult.”

This time was supposed to be different. 

Vancouver had enjoyed a tremendous run, eliminating Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa, Liga MX’s Pumas, CF Monterrey and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, setting them up for Sunday’s final at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario. 

The run had convinced many across Vancouver and MLS that they could walk into a final in Mexico and pull out a result against an elite opponent. At every level, there was a palpable belief in what the Whitecaps could bring against Cruz Azul and the windfalls that would come from it. 

Yet, it took less than 45 minutes for those hopes to wash away.

Ignacio Rivero, Lorenzo Faravelli, Angel Sepúlveda, and Mateus Bogusz led Cruz Azul to a 5–0 win after the club opened the scoring in the eighth minute. The Whitecaps, meanwhile, failed to muster a single shot or get a touch in Cruz Azul’s penalty area, offering little fight in the most important match in club history. 

Even as magical and needed as their run was, all fairytales come to an end. And although the Whitecaps rekindled Vancouver’s soccer fan base, with thousands attending a watch party outside their home stadium and across the city, they missed out on their happy ending. 

“Cruz Azul showed their quality, and there’s no real excuses,” defender Tristan Blackmon said. “They were the better team on the day, and we have to look at ourselves and see how we can get better, especially in a moment like this, you try to put your best foot forward, and we couldn’t do that today.”

For Vancouver fans, Sunday’s loss joins the lore of the Vancouver Canucks and their 4–0 Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. It’s the latest chapter in the book of Vancouver’s sporting heartbreaks, a city that has not seen a major championship in the modern era. 

Still, there’s hope within the club, which has games in hand and remains atop the MLS Western Conference, while having reestablished a strong relationship with the city’s sports fans despite the current ownership’s search for new owners. 

Their Concacaf journey may be over, but dreams of what a future MLS Cup run or return to the Champions Cup could look like in the near and long-term futures are already taking shape, especially with the rise in support. 

“It was incredible to walk out in this stadium and feel [Whitecaps fans’] presence,” Blackmon added. “I’ve been in the club for four years now, I feel like the fan base is getting more and more involved, and we feel their presence every time that they show up for us.”

A Bad Day for a Bad Day

While a few Whitecaps have enjoyed their best run of play since joining MLS in 2011, they chose a bad day to have their worst performance of the 2025 season. 

From kickoff, Vancouver appeared nervous and tentative while working the ball out of the back, and Designated Player defensive midfielder Andrés Cubas had a rare off night, turning the ball over regularly, allowing the Cruz Azul press to toy with the Whitecaps’ defense. 

In attack, they couldn’t rely on the tactics that had brought them success this season. Brian White wasn’t able to maintain possession or hold-up play, and the right-side trio of Pedro Vite, Ali Ahmed and Édier Ocampo fell short of their usual levels.  

“It was our ambition to win and play our best game of the season so far, and I’d say we did the opposite,” Sørensen said. “Cruz Azul was better in every department on the pitch today.”

Deep into the second half, the over 32,000 Cruz Azul supporters jeered “olé” at their team’s moves. At the same time, Vancouver continuously adjusted, but struggled with turnovers and failed to launch any resemblance of the possession-based game that has defined them under Sørensen. 

“It was a very challenging match, and they were all over us; they came out flying,” Captain and center back Ranko Vesilinović said. “They showed why they’re one of the best teams in Mexico … we couldn’t do anything that we used to do all season, and that goes to them, because they’re the ones who didn’t allow it.”

Keeping Hope Heading Into MLS

When Blackmon stepped up to the podium after the match, he got his hands on a second Champions Cup silver medal in his career, having also lost the 2020 final with LAFC. 

As much as he appreciates the runs he had and the experiences that have come with them, the glimmer of the silver medal comes nowhere close to what a major trophy, whether in Concacaf or MLS, would mean. 

“That’s fueling the fire, for sure,” he told reporters after the match. “I now have two runner-up medals, and it’s not the best feeling when you look down and see a silver medal. You want to end up with that first-place medal. So definitely added fuel to the fire.”

The Whitecaps will have a chance to continue chasing that fire through their remaining 20 MLS regular season games, with the hope that they can translate their Champions Cup intensity and popularity into the rest of the regular season and the MLS Cup. 

June, though, could be rough. Six key players are set to miss games while representing their nations at the Concacaf Gold Cup, leaving Sørensen to draw on inexperienced talent to maintain a table-topping level. 

After that, they can hope to peak at the right time heading into the playoffs, with Sunday’s loss potentially teaching them the painful lesson of what it takes to win when the pressure and attention reach unparalleled levels. 

“We have a huge task ahead of us because we have to pick ourselves up after a huge disappointment,” added Sørensen.

“We have to do that, it’s one thing to be champions in football, another thing to be champions of life. That’s about your behavior, and it’s about how you react when you meet adversity, and it’s about how you show resilience when things are tough.”

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Man Utd ‘Take Firm Stance’ Over Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford Interest. Rashford is towards the top of Barcelona’s shortlist of attacking targets.

Manchester United have reportedly warned Barcelona they will not lower their demands to sell forward Marcus Rashford this summer.

Rashford spent the second half of last season impressing on loan with Aston Villa, who have the option to sign him permanently for £40 million (€47.5 million, $53.9 million). While the Villans’ final decision has not yet been confirmed, they are not expected to take up that option.

A return to United is highly unlikely, meaning Rashford is expected to depart for pastures new in the coming weeks. Barcelona are long-term admirers and have not hidden their interest in a possible summer transfer.

United’s financial demands are thought to be a problem. For Barcelona, who are looking at possible alternatives if they fail to convince the Red Devils to soften their stance. A loan move would be Barcelona’s preferred avenue to explore.

SPORT, however, claim United are not prepared to budge and have warned Barcelona. That Rashford will not be sold unless a เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา team meets their demands, reported as €40 million (£33.7 million, $45.4 million) in this latest update.

So far, Barcelona have not reached that figure. They have reportedly proposed a loan with an option to buy, even offering a mandatory purchase clause at a lower fee. But United have not yet shown any willingness to negotiate.

Rashford, for his part, is said to be willing to lower his salary demands to help force through a move to Barcelona, but little progress has been made due to the slow negotiations with United.

Sky Sports Switzerland state Barcelona are looking to “accelerate” their push for Rashford, with this latest report even dropping the asking price as low as €35 million (£29.5 million, $39.7 million).

Also under consideration at Barcelona are Liverpool’s Luis Díaz—previously described as a “priority” target—and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli. There have been speculative suggestions of a move for Rafael Leão of AC Milan. Although the Serie A winger is a leading target for Bayern Munich.

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Football transfer rumours: Onana set for Man Utd exit; Liverpool hijack Arsenal’s Nico Williams move

Arsenal & Man Utd ramp up interest in Lille striker Jonathan DavidReal Madrid make final decision on Chelsea’s Enzo FernandezPlus updates on Raphinha, Rasmus Hojlund, Ademola Lookman, Christopher Nkunku & more Manchester United  are looking to sell goalkeeper Andre Onana to Saudi Arabia and replace. The stopper with either Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens or Lille’s Lucas Chevalier is also wanted by Manchester City. (The Sun)

Liverpool will have to pay at least £60m to sign Inter centre-back Alessandro Bastoni this summer. (Football Insider)

Amid competition from Man Utd, Newcastle United are ready to meet Brentford’s asking price over Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo. (CaughtOffside)

Lyon have decided to sell France Under-21 star Rayan Cherki this หากคุณสนใจเล่นพนันออนไลน์ที่ดีที่สุด สามารถสมัครสมาชิก UFABET ได้ที่นี่ พร้อมรับโปรโมชั่นพิเศษสำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ summer. Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will all compete for his signature. (The Sun)

Man Utd‘s chances of selling striker Rasmus Hojlund this summer are below 50%. (GIVEMESPORT)

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur are all looking to sign Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman, who is also on the radars of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Juventus. (CaughtOffside)

Chelsea and Liverpool are ready to offer up to €75m (£63.2m) to sign Lookman. (Fichajes – Spain)

Nottingham Forest will reignite their pursuit of Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz at the end of the season. (Tuttosport – Italy)

Barcelona will look to sell centre-back Andreas Christensen this summer before his contract expires in 2026. (MARCA – Spain)

The representatives of Lille striker Jonathan David are in “concrete talks” with Arsenal, Man Utd and Tottenham over a free transfer in the summer. (Le10Sport – France)

Liverpool are determined to beat Arsenal, Aston Villa, Paris Saint-Germain and Man Utd to the signature. Of Athletic Club winger Nico Williams and have jumped to the front of the queue by triggering his €60m (£50.5m) release clause. (TodoFichajes – Spain)

Chelsea are prepared to part ways with forward Christopher Nkunku this summer. After being underwhelmed by his form in the absence of injured striker Nicolas Jackson. (GIVEMESPORT)

Also linked with a move away from Chelsea is winger Noni Madueke. The Blues are not keen to sell. (TodoFichajes – Spain)

Milan are also chasing Manchester City winger Jack Grealish. A loan would be the Serie A side’s preference but they would accept a permanent deal worth £40m. (The Mirror)

Real Madrid are ready to end their interest in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez in favour of pursuing Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller. (Fichajes – Spain)

Barcelona have set an asking price of €120m (£101m) to part ways with in-form forward Raphinha. (Fichajes – Spain)

Tottenham have done plenty of work on a deal for Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling and could fund a move by cashing in on midfielder Yves Bissouma, who is of interest to Aston Villa. (GIVEMESPORT)

RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons is the subject of a €110m (£92.6m) bid from Man City have identified the Dutch playmaker. As the long-term replacement for Kevin De Bruyne. (Fichajes – Spain)

Sevilla have expressed an interest in signing Aston Villa midfielder Lamare Bogarde. As part of a deal to take centre-back Loic Bade in the opposite direction. (Estadio Deportivo – Spain)

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England vs Latvia: Preview, predictions and lineups

England host Latvia in second game of 2026 World Cup qualifyingThomas Tuchel era started with 2-0 win over AlbaniaLatvia beat Andorra 1-0 to kick-off qualifying campaign

England’s second game of 2026 World Cup qualifying takes place on Monday night as they face off against Latvia for the very first time.

The Thomas Tuchel era started off with an impressively controlled 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday night, although the German noted that there’s plenty more to come from his side post-match. While the Three Lions didn’t exactly thrill against a deep-lying defence, they performed with the synergy and cohesiveness of a แทงบอล UFABET ราคาดีที่สุด ไม่มีขั้นต่ำ club side.

The signs were doubtlessly positive, and Tuchel’s side are bound to enjoy themselves on Monday night.

Latvia entered World Cup qualifying as the 140th-ranked nation in the world, sitting in between Burundi and the Dominican Republic, but their campaign started with a 1-0 win away at Andorra (171st-ranked).

The visitors are led by former Italy U21 coach Paolo Nicolato, and they’ll relish the occasion no matter the scoreline.

What time does England vs Latvia kick-off?Location: London, EnglandStadium: Wembley StadiumDate: Monday 24 MarchKick-off Time: 19:45 GMT / 14:45 ET / 11:45 PTReferee: Orel Grinfeld (ISR)VAR: Ziv Adler (ISR)England vs Latvia H2H Record (last five games)

This is the first meeting between England and Latvia.

Current form (all competitions)EnglandLatviaEngland 2-0 Albania – 21/03/25Andorra 0-1 Latvia – 21/03/25England 5-0 Ireland – 17/11/24Latvia 1-2 Armenia – 17/11/24Greece 0-3 England – 14/11/24North Macedonia 1-0 Latvia – 14/11/24Finland 1-3 England – 13/10/2Faroe Islands 1-1 Latvia – 13/10/24England 1-2 Greece – 10/10/24Latvia 0-3 North Macedonia – 10/10/24How to watch England vs Latvia on TV and live streamCountryTV channel/live streamUnited KingdomITV 1, ITVX, STV, STV Player, UTVUnited StatesfuboTV, Foxsports.com, ViX, FOX Sports App, Fox Sports 2CanadaDAZN CanadaEngland team news

Tuchel singled out England’s two starting wingers for criticism on Friday night, but the new England boss has been hamstrung by the hip injury Anthony Gordon suffered late on against Albania. With Gordon withdrawing from the squad, Marcus Rashford could retain his place down the left, but there’s likely to be a change on the opposite flank.

Jarrod Bowen is in contention to start in place of Phil Foden.

There should be more changes from Friday night’s XI with Tuchel keen to see as much of his squad as possible. Dean Henderson, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill and Dominic Solanke are among those who didn’t feature on Tuchel’s debut but should either start or appear off the bench against Latvia.

England predicted lineup vs Latvia

England predicted lineup vs Latvia (4-2-3-1): Henderson; James, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Jones, Rice; Bowen, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.

Latvia team news

The Latvian squad is laden with unfamiliar names, with the bulk of those visiting Wembley on Monday night plying their trade in second and third tiers across Europe.

They have no fresh injury concerns from their slender victory over Andorra on Friday. Deniss Melniks was withdrawn at half-time but for tactical reasons.

Latvia predicted lineup vs England

Latvia predicted lineup vs England (4-3-3): Zviedris; Jurkovskis, Balodis, Cernomordijs; Savalnieks, Melniks, Savaljevs, Ciganiks; Zelenkovs, Ikaunieks; Gutkovskis.

England vs Latvia score prediction

We can expect the visitors to at least attempt to contain Tuchel’s side with a compact, deep defence, but England showed against Albania that they’ve got the tools to penetrate.

Latvia, in short, aren’t particularly good, and we shouldn’t expect them to put up much resistance against a star-studded England team now led by one of the world’s best managers. Friday was about controlled efficiency, and the hosts should be similarly measured while racking up the score.

Prediction: England 5-0 Latvia

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Liverpool legend fires warning over Mohamed Salah & Virgil van Dijk contracts

Salah & Van Dijk approaching end of respective contracts at AnfieldLiverpool reportedly confident of extensionsDirk Kuyt urges Reds to get deals done soonLiverpool hero Dirk Kuyt has urged the Reds to end the uncertainty surrounding Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s futures by securing the superstar duo to new contracts.

The pair are both approaching the final weeks of their respective deals and, despite supposed confidence behind the scenes that extensions will be agreed, fans are growing increasingly concerned at the prospect of losing two of their most influential players for nothing this summer.

Salah and Van Dijk have both publicly admitted that their futures are incredibly uncertain. But for Kuyt, there should be no second thoughts from Liverpool to tie both players down to extensions.

“Virgil leads in such a great way and he’s playing at his best level,” Kuyt told The Athletic. “He takes care of his own performances and he’s also there for others on and off the pitch.

“It wasn’t easy for him coming back from a bad injury and he had some criticism. But this season he’s been immense and I’m enjoying every minute of watching him play for Liverpool.

“He is turning 34 soon but players now can go on longer than those of my generation. It’s the same with Mo, who turns 33 in June. Everyone who likes Liverpool wants these players to sign new contracts tomorrow but we don’t know the details. All I can say is I hope that soon we get the green light that they will be staying at Liverpool as they’re still among the best players in the เว็บพนันออนไลน์ UFABET สมัครง่าย โปรโมชั่นมากมาย world.”

Talks remain ongoing with both Salah and Van Dijk, but there are significant concerns about right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has reportedly rejected another offer of fresh terms in favour of joining Real Madrid on a free transfer.

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Man Utd receive new Antony transfer bid

Antony joined Real Betis on loan during January transfer windowWinger has enjoyed bright start to life in SpainBetis keen to keep Antony beyond this summerReal Betis have opened talks with Manchester United over another loan for winger Antony, a report has revealed.

Antony joined Betis on loan in January and wasted little time catching the eye in Spain, racking up four goals and four assists in 11 outings for his new side, who do not have the option to buy him permanently.

As it stands, he is due back at United this summer, but ABC state Betis are exploring a way to keep Antony beyond this season.

It is claimed that Betis first approached United over an 18-month loan deal for Antony. But after financial issues threatened to see the move collapse, ultimately agreed to a six-month contract to sign the Brazilian temporarily.

Now, with both Betis and Antony delighted with how things are going, formal talks over extending Antony’s loan for the 2025/26 season are due to be held in the coming weeks.

The new agreement with United could include a potential option to make the move permanent. But may also require Antony to sign a new contract with United first. The winger’s current deal expires in 2027 and United would likely be reluctant to agree to a loan. Which could see him return with just 12 months remaining on his contract.

Much could hinge on Betis’ prospects of playing European football. United want to find a genuine buyer who can pay a significant fee for the 25-year-old – the Red Devils recognise they will make a huge loss on the £81.3m paid to sign him – and so any prospective buyers will likely need the income that comes with playing in at least the สมัคร ufabet กับเรา รับโบนัสทันที Europa League

As it stands, Betis sit sixth in La Liga, well on track to qualify for European competition.

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Premier League’s slowest players in 2024/25

Opta has revealed the fastest and slowest Premier League players this season7.7 km/h separate fastest and slowest top speedFour of top five slowest players are 30 or olderSpeed is regarded as desirable in most top-level sports, but history has shown that a Usain Bolt-like ability to move isn’t a pre-requisite for footballers.

If that was the case, then Bolt himself may have enjoyed a more dashing career than the one he briefly embarked on after conquering the sprinting world.

Some of the sport’s all-time greats were undeniably quick, with plenty making up for physical deficiencies with their ability to process information and make decisions without missing a beat. However, sometimes, slowing down is necessary.

English football has long been revered for its rugged intensity all the way back to the days of kick-and-rush, but foreign influence in contemporary times has allowed for an amalgamation of cultures to make up the country’s footballing identity.

Running a lot and doing it fast is no longer celebrated as it once was on English shores. Slow and steady may not win you the race, but you can certainly survive in the Premier League without possessing lightning-quick speed.

Here are the 2024/25 Premier League’s five slowest players based on their top speeds recorded by Opta.

5 slowest Premier League players in 2024/25 seasonPlayerTeamTop speed (km/h)Bernardo SilvaMan City29.4Craig DawsonWolves29.6Mikel MerinoArsenal29.8CasemiroMan Utd30.2Tomas SoucekWest Ham30.2

Opta define 25 km/h as a ‘sprint’, and the slowest recorded player in the เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา Premier League this season. Bernd Leno has only reached a top speed of 23.6 km/h despite playing every single minute between the sticks for Fulham. The German only saunters when he races off his line.

If we exclude goalkeepers, Bernardo Silva, perennial Premier League winner and so often a man lauded for his work rate, has the slowest recorded top speed in the division. His peak of 29.4 km/h is 7.7 km/h slower than the top speed of the fastest man in the Premier League, Micky van de Ven.

While age has played a role in Bernardo’s physical decline. As well as Pep Guardiola’s unwillingness to offer him respite during the first half of the season. He’s never been a man reliant on speed despite spending much of his career in a position where a burst of pace is supposedly a job requirement.

Of the five slowest Premier League players this term, all but one are at least 30 years old. Craig Dawson (a top speed of 29.6 km/h) is still going at 34. But hasn’t played much football at all, while Casemiro and Tomas Soucek (both 30.2 km/h) have performed more regularly. Especially the latter. Not only is Soucek the joint-fourth slowest in the division. But he’s also covered the most ground while jogging (140.8 km) and is averaging the second-most distance covered per 90 minutes (12.2 km).

The Czech midfielder gets through a ton of work, but rarely does he think speed is necessary.

The only man yet to breach 30 is Arsenal’s summer arrival Mikel Merino, who boasts a top speed of 29.8 km/h. The Spaniard has been used as a makeshift centre-forward in recent weeks. But Mikel Arteta unsurprisingly doesn’t ask Merino to do much channel running. He performs a target-man function and has proven to be a fairly handy operator in the opposition’s box.

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England predicted lineup vs Latvia – World Cup qualifying

England take on Latvia in second World Cup qualifier on Monday nightThomas Tuchel will want to see the entirety of his squadAnthony Gordon has withdrawn from camp due to hip injuryThe Thomas Tuchel era is up and running, and if the German’s post-match comments on Friday were anything to go by, we can expect to see plenty more from the Three Lions on Monday night.

England were impressive against a modest Albania side on the new manager’s bow, with a 2-0 victory ensuring their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign got off to the best possible start.

A first-ever encounter with the world’s 141st-ranked footballing nation is up next for Tuchel’s Three Lions, with the contest allowing the new boss to test the extremities of his squad.

There are bound to be changes to the starting XI from Friday’s win, and here’s how England could line up for qualifier number two against Latvia.

England predicted lineup vs Latvia (4-2-3-1)

GK: Dean Henderson – Jordan Pickford should remain England’s number one, but Henderson has had an excellent season at Crystal Palace and deserves to earn another cap.

RB: Reece James – We don’t need to see Kyle Walker again on Monday night. James’ injury woes have limited his international career, but there’s a chance for the Chelsea skipper to assert himself under his former boss.

CB: Marc Guehi – Ezri Konsa was brilliant last time out and has stated his case to the manager. Monday should be Guehi’s chance to impress.

CB: Levi Colwill – Dan Burn got his cap, but the 32-year-old defender may join the not-so-illustrious one-cap wonder crew. There should be a complete switch at centre-back for Latvia’s visit, with Colwill poised to partner Guehi.

LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly – The 18-year-old enjoyed the perfect England debut, and Tuchel spoke glowingly of him post-match. Tino Livramento should earn minutes, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lewis-Skelly retained.

CM: Declan Rice – The Arsenal midfielder is expected to remain a lynchpin for the Three Lions, and he could also retain his place.

CM: Curtis Jones – Jones started alongside Rice on Friday. The new เล่นบาคาร่า UFABET เว็บตรง ค่าคอมสูง manager must’ve been pleased with the midfield dynamic. The Liverpool star supplies press resistance and an unrelenting work ethic in the middle of the park.

RW: Jarrod Bowen – Tuchel was critical of England’s wingers against Albania, so we have to expect a switch. With Phil Foden dropping out, Bowen is the obvious replacement.

AM: Jude Bellingham – Friday’s victory provided further proof that Tuchel’s England must be built around Jude Bellingham.

LW: Marcus Rashford – Anthony Gordon surely would’ve made the XI on Monday hadn’t he withdrawn from camp after suffering a hip injury. Tuchel could use Eberechi Eze or Morgan Rogers down the left. But Rashford remains the best option for the role despite his performance on Friday. Eze and Rogers should earn minutes off the bench.

ST: Harry Kane – Kane sealed England’s victory with his 70th international goal, and he’ll be keen to veer closer to 100 against Latvia. The striker so often cashes in on such occasions.

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