Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has heaped praise on young defender Conor Bradley for his performance in the 1-0 win over Real Madrid.
The Reds hosted the 15-time European champions at Anfield on Tuesday night and earned a hard-fought 1-0 win thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half header, giving them consecutive wins following their 2-0 win over Aston Villa at the weekend.
But while the Argentina midfielder will undoubtedly get all the headlines following his performance on the night, former striker Fowler was quick to hand out praise for one of the unsung heroes of the team at full-time.
Robbie Fowler: Bradley Was ‘Unbelievable’
Bradley was handed the starting role at right-back in the absence of summer signing Jeremie Frimpong, and was tasked with taking on Brazil superstar Vinicius Jr in a personal duel throughout the game.
The Northern Irishman stepped up to the task with complete ease, however, silencing the former Ballon d’Or contender throughout the game and playing a huge role in his side’s victory.
According to Sofascore, the 22-year-old successfully completed 100% of his tackles on the night (3/3), made one interception, won seven ground duels, made seven recoveries and made two clearances in the game.
That performance was enough to earn huge praise from the man the Kop End have nicknamed ‘God’, with Fowler telling Amazon Prime TV that Vinicius may not be able to go to bed tonight because Bradley will likely stop him.
“Conor Bradley, wow, he put in an unbelievable performance and if Vinicius Junior gets to his bedroom tonight I’ll be amazed because I think Conor Bradley might be stopping him getting in there.”
The Reds have been going through a difficult run of form recently, losing six of seven games before taking on Aston Villa at the weekend and claiming a 2-0 win. But the win over Real Madrid was a real momentum swinger, and Bradley has surely secured himself a starting spot going forward in the coming games.
Slot’s side now travel to the Etihad Stadium this weekend to take on title rivals Manchester City, and Bradley will likely be tasked with keeping the likes of Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki quiet, as the team look to make it three consecutive wins heading into the international break.
Manchester United’s move to sign Atalanta star Ederson has collapsed, according to insider Djameel.
The Red Devils had agreed a deal with the Serie A club worth £38m including add-ons for the Brazil international, who is representing his nation at the World Cup this summer.
Ederson had agreed a five-year deal at Old Trafford, and was expected to complete a medical and the formalities of his contract once the World Cup was over later this month. However, it has now been claimed that a deal has fallen through.
Ederson Will Not Sign for Man Utd
According to a report on X by Djameel, who is followed by reliable journalists Fabrizio Romano and Santi Aouna and has previous for breaking stories, the deal has now collapsed despite an agreement on all fronts.
It’s stated that Ederson will not be signing for Manchester United anymore, in a huge blow for the Red Devils, who have already missed out on a number of midfield targets in the current window.
United had made Elliot Anderson their top target for the window, but the England star has since joined local rivals Man City from Nottingham Forest in a record £116m deal.
The club were also keen on a deal for Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham, but they were gazumped by Tottenham Hotspur, who agreed to pay a fixed fee of £85m for the 21-year-old despite him being relegated to the Championship.
⚽
World Cup History Quiz
You scored
out of 20
Man Utd Pivoting Strategy?
via Reuters
GIVEMESPORT correspondent Sam Cohen reports that Man Utd’s official line is that they still intend to go ahead with the deal, but should they change their mind then it could point towards a change of strategy.
The club had been keen to add up to three midfielders to their squad this summer following Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee injury, but having missed out on a number of targets, they may have to pivot and find a way to bring in less midfielders for the same money, with the market demanding bigger fees.
For now, United say the deal is still on, but it’s something to keep a very close eye on in the coming weeks.
The Red Devils have made upgrading their midfield a priority in the transfer window, but a new forward and left-back have also been shortlisted if the budget can stretch that far, while the goalkeeper department is set for an overhaul too, with Altay Bayindir expected to move on.
The winger position is expected to be one that the club keep a close eye on, depending on what happens with the future of Marcus Rashford following the World Cup, and it has now emerged that they are closely monitoring a Brazilian sensation.
Man Utd Eyeing Rayan Deal
Action Images/REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
According to AS journalist Edu Burgos, Man Utd are among the clubs showing a very strong interest in Bournemouth star Rayan.
The Brazil winger, who has been described as ‘deadly’, joined the Cherries in the January transfer window for £35m and excelled immediately as Antoine Semenyo’s replacement, netting five goals and registering two assists in 15 appearances.
Those performances earned him a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad, and he has started on the right-wing ahead of Neymar, Luiz Henrique, and Gabriel Martinelli since Raphinha suffered an injury in the win over Haiti.
His performances have seen United hold internal discussions about making a move for his services, although Bournemouth are adamant that he will spend the 2026/27 season at the Vitality Stadium.
However, the 19-year-old has a €100m (£87m) release clause in his contract that becomes active in the summer of 2027, and it now seems inevitable that he could be on the move next summer at the very latest.
⚽
World Cup History Quiz
You scored
out of 20
Man Utd Could Skip the Queue With Big Rayan Bid
Rayan is someone who has had eyes on him since he was tearing it up in Brazil, and it was somewhat a surprise when Bournemouth won the race for his signature in January.
But with his performances showing he is ready for the top level, a number of clubs are circling and waiting in anticipation for that release clause to come into effect.
Man Utd could skip the queue by making a mega offer this summer and getting a deal done early, but it won’t be easy to convince Bournemouth to sell early. It’s one to keep an eye on as the summer goes on, regardless of how unlikely it seems at this stage.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Former WWE Champion Sheamus is set to depart the company.
Per a report from Fightful Select, the 48-year-old’s contract is due to expire imminently. He is said to have rejected the chance to sign an extension under restructured terms.
In the hours before the news was announced, the Irish Superstar changed his social media handle to his real name, hinting at the end of his relationship with WWE.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
