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Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement and head of recruitment Nils Koppen were both busy men during the recent summer transfer window.

The Gers duo made plenty of changes to the squad at Ibrox in an attempt to build a squad that can develop into one capable of competing for major trophies in the years to come.

Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe, John Lundstram, Scott Wright, Todd Cantwell, and Connor Goldson were just a few of the many players who were moved on from Glasgow, either on free transfers or permanent deals, over the summer.

Those exits opened the door for Rangers to dip into the market to bolster their own squad, with the likes of Vaclav Cerny, Jefte, Robin Propper, Hamza Igamane, Connor Barron, and Mohammed Diomande, among others, coming in.

All of these moves came 12 months after former Light Blues head coach Michael Beale had made his own splash in the summer transfer window of 2023.

The English boss also had to move a number of players on in order to make room for his own signings and one sale Rangers hit gold with was Antonio Colak.

Antonio Colak's Rangers career

In the summer of 2022, Giovanni van Bronckhorst looked to improve his options at the top end of the pitch and signed the Croatian striker from Greek giants PAOK.

It was reported that the Light Blues had agreed an initial fee of £1.8m to sign the centre-forward, shortly after Rangers had lost in the Europa League final.

Colak hit the ground running at Ibrox and looked to be well on his way to becoming a hero in Glasgow, particularly after his return of three goals in four Champions League qualifiers to help the side progress to the group stages of the competition.

As you can see in the table above, the 30-year-old star enjoyed a terrific start to this Scottish Premiership career with a return of ten goals and two assists in his first ten appearances.

This means that the Croatian marksman started the season with 13 goals in 14 matches in the Premiership and Champions League qualifiers combined.

However, he suffered a calf injury in November and Beale had replaced van Bronckhorst by the time he was back fit in January, and things were never the same for him after that.

After scoring 14 goals in all competitions under the Dutchman in the first half of the season, Colak ended the 2022/23 campaign with just 18 goals in 39 appearances, having managed four strikes in 15 outings under Beale.

The English manager could not get the best out of the forward, as van Bronckhorst did, and that eventually led to his sale in the summer of 2023.

Rangers hit gold with Antonio Colak

Rangers opted to cash in on the Croatia international after just one season at Ibrox, following his struggles under Beale, and Italian side Parma swooped in to sign him.

It was reported that the Serie B outfit paid a fee of £2.5m to secure his services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, which meant that the Gers made a profit of around £700k on the striker – having paid £1.8m for him the previous summer.

Not only did Rangers strike gold financially with that sale, the Scottish giants also hit the jackpot because Colak’s form since moving on from the club has continued to decline.

As you can see in the table above, the 30-year-old striker endured a difficult year in the second division in Italy, with three goal contributions in 22 matches.

Colak, who did not feature in any other competitions for Parma, was also a liability out of possession for his side, as opposition defenders won 74% of their physical duels with him throughout the season.

This shows that Rangers hit gold by selling him at the perfect time because his form in front of goal since leaving Ibrox proves that they were right to cash in on him, particularly when you consider the players who outscored him last season.

Rangers players who outscored Colak last season

The Scottish giants needed to bolster their attacking options after Colak was sold last summer and Beale moved to sign Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima, Danilo, and Cyriel Dessers in the forward areas.

By the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Sima (11) and Dessers (16) both hit double figures for goals in the Premiership and Danilo managed four in just 12 appearances.

The Brazilian striker missed a staggering 41 matches through injury in his first season with Rangers and still outscored Colak at league level.

Another player who outscored the Croatian marksman in the 2023/24 campaign was Scott Wright, who produced four goals and zero assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.

The Scottish winger joined League One side Birmingham City for a reported fee of £300k, at the age of 27, this summer, which further emphasises how much of a blinder Rangers played by raking in £2.5m for Colak.

Overall, the Light Blues can look back on their deal to sell the striker to Parma with pleasure, as they made a profit on a player who had underperformed under the manager – Beale – at the time.

The players who were brought in to replace him – Dessers, Sima, and Danilo – also all outperformed him in front of goal during the 2023/24 campaign.

Colak, who joined Parma for £2.5m 12 months ago, moved on yet again after just one year at a club, with a switch to fellow Serie B side Spezia this summer, and it remains to be seen how well this latest move will go for him.

Rangers could forget Ezodie by signing "unbelievable" free agent at Ibrox

The Light Blues missed out on the Premier League attacker on deadline day.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 3, 2024

Everton’s prospective new owners have an exciting plan for the club in 2025, and are ready to make an immediate splash in the transfer market.

Everton finally braced for takeover

After several failed attempts, it seems that Everton may finally be on the cusp of new ownership. American businessman John Textor, who co-owns Crystal Palace and also owns French side Lyon, is in talks to take charge of the Merseyside club, and has been set a deadline of November 30th to complete a deal for the Premier League outfit.

Any move is contingent on selling his stake in Crystal Palace, though Textor revealed that he has had two “good bids” for his stake in the Eagles, suggesting that it won’t be too difficult to give up his part of the south London outfit.

Everton could replace Coleman by unleashing star in totally different role

Sean Dyche has some issues to contend with…

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 14, 2024

Speaking to the BBC, Textor explained: “If you decide football is what you want in your life, and then somebody comes along and asks you if you want to become the owner of Everton, it’s like someone asking you if you want to be President of the United States. Of course you do. Right now, this seems to be our opportunity and we hope to close.”

His suggestion it was close was refuted by Everton: “The club is aware of the comments made by John Textor in relation to a potential purchase of the club.

“While positive conversations and progress continues to be made with Mr Textor to formalise any deal with him, there remains some work to be done to complete the transaction.”

However, a takeover does appear to be heading in the right direction, and now one report has detailed exactly what Textor intends to do if and when he takes charge.

January spending planned at Everton

Now, Football Insider report that, should the takeover be successful, the new owners at Everton will be keen to spend heavily in January.

The club ended the summer transfer window with a positive net spend, having taken £28m more than they shelled out largely thanks to the £50m sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa, while they kept hold of fellow high-value asset Jarrad Branthwaite.

As a result of that plus the newfound investment, it is reported that the “expectation is that Textor will provide funds for Sean Dyche to invest in his squad”, while reporter Pete O’Rourke adds that there is optimism that Textor will “put his hand in his pocket”.

Whether or not financial fair play will allow them to is another matter, with the club still under scrutiny after two points deductions last season for failing to comply with the Premier League’s rules and regulations around spending. However, having made money over the summer, the purse strings could well be loosened under the new owners, should they arrive.

The right-back was brilliant as the Reds cantered into the next round with a 4-0 win, but Nunez remains a passenger for Arne Slot's side.

Liverpool will have expected a routine win over Accrington Stanley when the two sides were drawn together in the third round of the FA Cup, and that is exactly what they got, despite a spirited display from their League Two visitors.

After an initial period of frustration, the hosts had the lead after 28 minutes, as Darwin Nunez took on Trent Alexander-Arnold's clever pass, drove into the box and found Diogo Jota, who tapped home from close-range.

On the stroke of half-time, the Reds added a second in superb fashion as Alexander-Arnold found the top corner from the edge of the box, in what is a timely reminder of his quality.

Early in the second half, Accrington rattled the crossbar, but it was the closest they came, as the Reds saw out the game with a minimum of fuss, making a variety of changes and adding a third with 15 minutes to go, as substitute Jayden Danns finished in front of the Kop.

Federico Chiesa had time to add some gloss with a long-range drive that kissed the post on its way in, with the Reds safely through to the fourth round.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Caoimhin Kelleher (6/10):

  Had a nervy moment when Accrington hit the crossbar but he couldn't have had a quieter day otherwise.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (9/10):

  Forced a good early save and netted a superb goal on the stroke of half-time, arrowing the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box. Subbed in the second half after an excellent performance as Liverpool's quarterback. They can't afford to lose him, surely?

  Jarell Quansah (7/10):

  Elegant on the ball and strong without it, Quansah has taken a few notes from Virgil van Dijk. Looked somewhat uncertain when Accrington ran straight at him but that was a rarity. A fine display.

  Wataru Endo (6/10):

  Looked uncertain under a couple of high balls but a strong display overall. Replaced by Trey Nyoni.

  Kostas Tsimikas (7/10):

  Played most of the game in Accrington's half, clipping balls into the box from deep. Not really tested defensively.

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  Midfield

  Tyler Morton (6/10):

  Busy in midfield, even if he did lack a bit of quality. Did plenty of running regardless, in an industrious performance.

  Dominik Szoboszlai (7/10):

  Lovely pass to kick-start the move that led to Jota's goal. Nobody got near him in midfield before he was substituted at half-time.

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  Attack

  Harvey Elliott (6/10):

  Shook off a nasty-looking knock in the second half. Always willing to dribble at Stanley but couldn't turn it into anything tangible.

  Diogo Jota (7/10):

  Tapped in Liverpool's first. Always showing for the ball, and made himself a typical nuisance throughout.

  Darwin Nunez (3/10):

  Rampaged down the flank before finding Jota to make it 1-0 but struggled continuously. He missed two glaring opportunities and looked overawed against a physical Accrington backline. Given that he is a Premier League striker, this was embarrassing at times.

  Rio Ngumoha (7/10):

  Became Liverpool's youngest-ever starter and was desperate to show his worth. Some lovely touches and flicks and was subbed in the second half to a standing ovation. Replaced by Jayden Danns.

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  Subs & Manager

  Federico Chiesa (7/10):

  On for Szoboszlai at half-time. Got on the ball regularly and scored a belter from range to make it 4-0, after hitting the post. A lively, energetic display.

  Conor Bradley (6/10):

  Came on for Alexander-Arnold as the right-back was given a rest.

  James McConnell (6/10):

  Replaced Morton. Slotted well into midfield.

  Jayden Danns (7/10):

  On for the sparkling Ngumoha. Scored within two minutes, finishing powerfully in front of the Kop.

  Trent Nyoni (N/A):

  Came on late.

  Arne Slot (7/10):

  Able to make a number of changes, which included giving a professional debut to Ngumoha, and still saw his side produce a fine team performance. Liverpool are through, with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk afforded a rest. Not a bad start to the weekend.

Marcus Rashford reportedly 'favours' a move to Barcelona, who can afford to register the Manchester United star after activating a new Camp Nou lever.

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• Rashford wants Barcelona transfer
• Catalan side can afford to sign him
• Activated another economic lever

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford has fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim after announcing his desire to seek a new challenge away from Old Trafford, having not played for Manchester United since their clash with Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on December 12. While the Red Devils have not confirmed that they want Rashford out, the England international is expected to exit the club if the right offer arrives.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona are among the clubs who have reportedly expressed an interest in signing Rashford in the January window. However, there have been doubts over the Catalan giants' ability to sign a new player without selling existing squad members due to their poor financial health.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Per , Barcelona have reportedly activated another lever which involves the sale of VIP seating at the redeveloped Camp Nou. The money that will come in from the latest deal will satisfy La Liga's 1:1 rule, thereby allowing them to register Rashford if they can agree a deal with United. The report also claims that Rashford 'favours' Barca as his top transfer destination ahead of the likes of Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MARCUS RASHFORD?

  Borussia Dortmund are still keen on signing Rashford on loan, though, and have the money to cover his massive £325,000 per week wages after selling Donyell Malen to Aston Villa. For now, Rashford is expected to remain on the sidelines at United, who are back in Europa League action against Rangers on Thursday.

Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has endured a difficult start to life in Norfolk, with one win in five Championship matches and several of his key players being sold during the summer transfer window.

The Danish boss lost Adam Idah, Abu Kamara, Jonathan Rowe, and Gabriel Sara in August, with the sale of the Brazilian midfielder, arguably, the biggest blow.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the former São Paulo man produced 13 goals and 12 assists in 46 outings in the second tier during the regular season under David Wagner. Galatasaray then swooped in to secure his services for a fee of £20m, which could rise to £22.5m including add-ons.

Norwich do, however, have an asset at the club who is reportedly worth even more than Sara, as his value has soared over the last three seasons.

How much Norwich paid for Josh Sargent

Back in the summer of 2021, as the Canaries prepared for a season in the Premier League, Daniel Farke and Stuart Webber snapped up USA international Josh Sargent from Werder Bremen.

The club reportedly splashed out a fee of £8m to sign the 2. Bundesliga centre-forward, who had just been relegated from the top-flight in Germany, and he endured a rough debut year in England.

Norwich were relegated from the Premier League, Dean Smith replaced Farke at the helm, and Sargent only scored two goals in 26 appearances, both of which came against Watford in the same game.

That relegation to the Championship was a blessing in disguise for the American striker, however, as he has thrived in the second tier with the Yellows.

Josh Sargent's current market value

It was reported during the summer transfer window that Norwich were looking for a staggering fee of £30m for their star striker, which means that his value has soared by a whopping £22m since the summer of 2021.

The right-footed marksman racked up 13 goals and two assists in 40 appearances during the 2022/23 campaign, under Smith and David

Wagner, but only featured as a striker on 19 occasions – often deployed on the wing or in an attacking midfield role instead.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, though, Sargent has exclusively operated through the middle as a centre-forward, and his record in front of goal reflects that.

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old striker has fired in 18 goals in his last 31 appearances in the Championship for Norwich, from an xG of just 13.97.

These statistics show that Sargent has been a reliable source of goals for the Canaries in the second tier, and his return of 18 goals from 13.97 xG shows that he ruthlessly puts away the chances that come his way.

His terrific goalscoring record may be why the club value him at a staggering £30m, more than the £22.5m they raked in for Sara, and shows that Farke and Webber hit the jackpot when they landed him for just £8m in the summer of 2021.

Despite getting back to winning ways against Derby County, Regis Le Bris wasn’t able to offer Sunderland fans any positive news on the injury front when it comes to one particular summer signing.

Sunderland injury news

Le Bris couldn’t have asked for a much better start to life at the Stadium of Light, with his Sunderland side sitting top of the Championship after eight games to shock the rest of the league. The Black Cats took their time when it came to hiring their new manager, but look to have got things spot on after such a disappointing campaign stemmed from Michael Beale’s appointment.

Returning to winning ways after what proved to be a blip against Watford last weekend, Sunderland battled past Derby County in a game that saw Jobe Bellingham’s stunning strike steal the show.

The task for the Championship leaders is to now continue their fine form up against one of the best sides in the league when they play host to Leeds United this Friday, but they’ll have to do so without one injured summer signing.

As confirmed by Le Bris, Ian Poveda is set to miss this weekend’s game against Leeds and the chance to make an impact against his former side after suffering his second injury in eight league games.

Just 17 touches: 7/10 Sunderland star was as good as Bellingham vs Derby

Sunderland got back to winning ways in the league with a routine 2-0 victory over Derby County.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 2, 2024

Le Bris confirmed the news, telling reporters via the Sunderland Echo: “Yes, I think he will be injured for a couple of weeks – I don’t know exactly yet. It will be difficult for him. Tommy (Watson) did well when he went on the pitch so it is like that, we know that we have a strong team with many talented players and young players as well. It will be an opportunity for Tommy to play and to give his energy and his talent to the team.”

"Strong" Poveda's slow Sunderland start

Although Poveda’s arrival on a free transfer was a relatively risk-free deal for Sunderland to complete, those at the Stadium of Light will still be desperate to see the winger’s best form under Le Bris. So far, however, he has been forced to endure a stop-start opening to his Sunderland career, with two injuries in eight Championship games summing up his recent struggles.

The Black Cats will be well aware of just how unfortunate Poveda has been on the injury front, however, and if Kristjaan Speakman’s praise is anything to go by, Sunderland believe they’ve signed a player ready to make an impact on Le Bris’ side.

Speakman told the club’s official website after Poveda officially put pen to paper: “We have tracked his experiences in the Championship throughout recent seasons and are delighted. He’s strong in one-on-one situations and has the acceleration to change the tempo of our play, whilst offering the flexibility to play in several attacking positions.

“We feel these are qualities that can improve our team and equally, he requires the foundations to develop the next stage of his career. We are confident we can provide that platform and we are delighted to welcome Ian to the Club.”

Cristiano Ronaldo is a “very angry guy” and “doesn’t really believe” that he is better than Lionel Messi, claims a body language expert.

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• Portuguese has billed himself as the GOAT
• Locked in battle with eternal rival Messi
• Frustrated that career is coming to a close

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Portuguese superstar, who has five Ballons d’Or to his name, has told that he considers himself to be the greatest player of all-time. He boats the numbers – in terms of trophy and goal counts – to back up those claims, but is considered to be lying to himself when making bold public declarations.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT HUMAN LIE DETECTOR SAID

  Darren Stanton, a human lie detector and body language expert, has told after watching CR7’s latest interview: “Ronaldo is really mixed up. We see a mixture of anger — he is a very angry guy in this moment. I think he doesn’t seem to feel he is getting the respect he’s due. We see what we call a horseshoe smile, which lasts for less than a fifth of a second, which is an expression of anger. That is the reverse of a happy smile. His eyebrows are pulled together and his eyes are squinting. I don’t think he thinks he’s being held up by others to the legendary status he thinks he deserves but the irony is that he looks like a person who actually does lack confidence in himself in certain areas.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Stanton added on Ronaldo’s claims that he tops Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele in any discussion regarding the most “complete” player to lace up a pair of boots: “His body language betrays the verbal content of what he’s saying. I don’t believe that he believes he is the greatest player. I think it’s all front. We see that increase in blink rate which is linked to anxiety, the shoulder shrug, the horseshoe smile, and he’s not actually a very good person at masking his emotions. He’s a guy that cannot help but wear his heart on his sleeve, regardless of what he’s trying to say with the words out of his mouth. It may all come down to insecurities in certain aspects of his personality and character and how he perceives how he is perceived.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Ronaldo is considered to have been telling the truth when saying that he does not hate Inter Miami star Messi, but Stanton says that rivalry has taken its toll. He added: “Humility is something that Ronaldo would benefit from because he doesn’t actually pull off arrogance very well. Earlier in the interview, there’s even an expression from the interviewer that shows disbelief at the arrogance of Ronaldo’s claims. He can put people’s backs up despite his success.

  “I don’t think he is going to be growing old very gracefully. Some players will become pundits or managers or even go into other ventures. Ronaldo is in danger of becoming bitter and twisted as he loses his relevancy on the pitch. Everybody has their day, and you have to accept that. Ronaldo is struggling to accept the fact that he is going to become less and less relevant in the game as the next generation emerge and become stars so we are likely to see more and more statements from him that he doesn’t actually believe but causes controversy to at least keep him relevant in the press.”

  Stanton concluded: "Despite what Ronaldo says, it does seem that Messi is where he draws his aspirations from – that is measured against Messi, how he performs and what he does. I don’t think he dislikes or hates him but Ronaldo seems very frustrated that the game, the pundits and many of the fans don’t hold Ronaldo up as the clear number one. That frustrates him."

Arsenal are reportedly interested in yet another defender for Mikel Arteta – and it is someone who has grim memories of Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal rescue win late on

After seemingly being in control at 2-0 up midway through their clash with Leicester City, Arsenal needed two stoppage-time goals to go level on points with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard put them in the driving seat, but a complacent second half saw them pegged back to 2-2 thanks to two goals from Leicester defender James Justin.

Heroics from Mads Hermansen threatened to deny Arsenal, with the Foxes goalkeeper making 13 saves to keep his side in the game.

However, he was eventually beaten as a set-piece took a deflection off Wilfred Ndidi deep in stoppage time, before Kai Havertz added a fourth with the last kick of the game to ensure all three points for Arsenal, which moved them within a point behind league leaders Liverpool after six games.

“It got nasty, it got difficult, it was emotionally difficult to accept with the amount of situations that we created and the amount of goals that we should have scored,” Mikel Arteta explained after the game.

“They scored two goals. But I’m really happy with how we dealt with that situation after. Emotionally super controlled, doing what we had to do, how consistently we attacked the spaces. I think we deserved to win the game,” the Gunners boss added.

Two recent additions in Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber played key roles at the back for Arsenal, but now reports claim that the Gunners are looking to add to their options in defence.

Arsenal eye up Sevilla ace

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are one of three Premier League sides keeping tabs on Sevilla defender Juanlu Sanchez.

Arsenal fans may recall the 21-year-old’s previous visit to the club when the two sides met in the Champions League last season, with the defender struggling against the pace of Martinelli.

In fact, the defender was dribbled past eight times – a Champions League record since the 2016 season – and won just 8 of his 19 duels against the Gunners, capping off a tough evening by picking up a yellow card.

But now, he is a man in demand, with the report claiming that Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham are keeping tabs on the youngster, who has played in a variety of positions throughout his career, including across the right flank.

Sanchez is down to the final two years of his £4,000-a-week deal in Seville, and it is claimed that the Spanish outfit would be willing to accept €25m (£20.9m) to part ways with him this year rather than losing him for free the following summer.

It is added that “the Sevilla talent is open to leaving the club ahead of the 2025/26 campaign”, which could make a deal all the more feasible, though it is likely any move from Arsenal would likely need to see one of Takehiro Tomiyasu or Oleksandr Zinchenko depart given the options already at Mikel Arteta’s disposal.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has defended Erling Haaland's 'stay humble' jib at Arsenal as the two sides prepare to butt heads yet again.

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• Guardiola defends Haaland's 'stay humble' jibe
• Says Haaland is generally a very calm player
• Blames Gabriel's aggressive defending for outburst

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal and Manchester City faced off against each other earlier this season as the Gunners looked certain to give the defending Premier League champions their first defeat of the campaign. However, John Stones' 98th-minute header gave City a 2-2 draw and Haaland then threw the ball at Gabriel Magalhaes' head during the celebrations.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After the full-time whistle, Haaland then approached Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and told the Spaniard to 'stay humble'. Manchester City's season has been going wrong as they sit fourth in the Premier League standings, however, Guardiola continues to defend the Norwegian's words and has claimed that Gabriel's style of defending caused the outburst.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: "For Erling it's not easy. Arsenal is a physical team, in a good way, in many aspects.

  "For 90 minutes, the central defender, Gabriel, pushed him, hacked him, hugged him and kissed him. The Premier League is that way.

  "You have to stand up and defend your position. And now I am being asked to adjudicate on what Erling has done? I don't buy it.

  "The end of the game was so emotional. In the end, a human being has to react."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?

  The Norwegian is known for staying calm despite being constantly physically harangued by defenders in the Premier League and Guardiola also went on to praise the striker: "I'm surprised how he controls his emotions. In every action, he's being pulled and the referee plays on. How many times does it happen? And he never complains. He behaves incredibly well."

  Haaland will be in action next when Manchester City travel to London to take on Arsenal on Sunday, February 2.

Apple TV+ to launch eight-part documentary about the 2024 MLS season, featuring Cucho Hernandez, Olivier Giroud and more

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• Apple TV+ docuseries to premiere on Feb. 21
• Eight-episode series produced by creators of "Drive to Survive"
• Numerous MLS stars featured across the episodes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Apple TV+ has partnered with Box to Box Media in the upcoming release of "Onside: Major League Soccer" an eight part series detailing the 2024 MLS season. It will feature exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names around the league, offering detailed insight into some of the biggest moments from the campaign, tracking action from the preseason all the way through to MLS Cup.

  The series features interviews with David Beckham about his journey with Inter Miami and appearances from Lionel Messi. Also included are several interviews with MLS players and coaches, including Matt Miazaga (FC Cincinnati), Pat Hoonan (coach, FC Cincinnati), Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew), Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls), Cavin Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Olivier Giroud (LAFC), and Joseph Paintsil (LA Galaxy).

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 2024 campaign was significant for MLS. It was the first to feature a full season of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, included the return of the LA Galaxy back to winning ways, and featured the debut of then-14-year-old Cavan Sullivan – the youngest athlete to appear in any professional sports league in American history.

  The documentary is set to track all of those storylines in one series.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ONSIDE: MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER?

  The series is set to premiere on Feb. 21, the day before the opening of the 2025 MLS campaign.