Sports
Liverpool Send Scouts to Watch Watford Star Othmane Maamma
Liverpool were at Vicarage Road scouting Watford starlet Othmane Maamma, according to reports from TeamTalk.
The Reds are looking at potential signings with the future in mind and are looking to prioritise signings in the final third as a result of uncertainty over the future of Mohamed Salah.
Arne Slot’s side have endured a disappointing season by their own standards and currently sit fourth in the Premier League and 12 points behind league leaders Arsenal.
Looking to ensure that the future is brighter than what this season has offered, the Reds are looking to move quickly.
Liverpool Scout Othmane Maamma
Liverpool are among a number of clubs to have cast their eye over Othmane Maamma. As per reports from TeamTalk, the Reds were present at Vicarage Road to watch the 20-year-old winger in action during the 3-0 win over Birmingham City.
Manchester United and Newcastle were also in attendance to watching. Brighton, Brentford and Sunderland have also been casting an eye over his progress since joining the club.
Described as being ‘absolutely insane’, Maamma joined Watford from Montpellier for a fee of £1million in the summer. A right winger who can play with both feet, the 20-year-old was named as the Golden Ball winner for best player.at the U20 World Cup which has led to a number of clubs tracking his progress.
Liverpool Must Look To Replace Salah
Given recent events, there is no question that Liverpool are under pressure to find a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian forward in the third-top goalscorer in the club’s history but with just 18 months left on his contract, it feels like he could move on sooner rather than later.
His outburst following the 3-3 draw with Leeds United last month appears to have been swept under the rug for now, but there’s no doubting that it is a situation that will need resolving before long.
Arne Slot clearly has reservations about Salah and that is what led to the outburst after he was excluded from the starting line up for three matches in a row. Will he be happy being a squad player when he gets back from AFCON, or will his noise be put out of joint as Slot looks to other players to be matchwinners?
It feels like it’s the beginning of the end for Salah on Merseyside and with the club pursuing players such as Maamma, it’s clear to see where the club are focusing their transfer efforts moving forward.
Sports
Boxing Fans Stunned By AJ’s Current Physique
Anthony Joshua has revealed his physique ahead of his return to the boxing ring, which is now just weeks away. He takes on Albanian Kristian Prenga in his first bout since December.
Following the win over Jake Paul, Joshua was involved in a fatal car crash, which claimed the lives of two of his friends. It left many doubts and questions over his future in the sport.
However, he is now set to return in a warm-up bout ahead of the highly anticipated Tyson Fury fight, which is still in the pipeline. It’s the fight the fans want to see, and with both fighters set to be back in the ring this month, it seems like the wait could finally be over at the end of the year.
Following a tough few years, Joshua opted to work with former rival Oleksandr Usyk‘s team. They linked up before the Paul fight, where he finished the former YouTuber and left him needing jaw surgery.
While it’s still early days for this new relationship, more questions will be answered after the Prenga fight. The Albanian comes into the clash with just one defeat on his record, and of his 20 fights, all have ended before the final bell, though, it’s hard to determine his level due to the gulf in skill level.
The Joshua fight will be far and away his biggest test yet, especially as he will also have to navigate the increased media attention and the bright lights that come with taking on a superstar.
Anthony Joshua’s Physique Stuns Boxing Fans
The preparations for the fight seem to be going perfectly, with Joshua taking to social media to post some pictures from within camp, captioning it: “Skills pay the bills.”
As expected, he is in tremendous shape, looking more than ready for this return.
All the work and preparation going into this is with the Fury fight in mind. His fellow countryman takes to the ring that same week, the night before, in fact, with The Gypsy King facing Poland’s Mariusz Wach in Thailand as he also looks to prepare for their blockbuster clash.
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury
The details of the fight still haven’t been confirmed with some issues over the location, and what time the fight will take place at. With the long-standing rivalry, and both fighters being from the UK, it only makes sense that Wembley would play host.
However, it may come at a cost of the time zones. Turki Alalshikh is looking for the spectacle to take place at a suitable time for the US audience, which would mean it would be in the early hours for the UK fans, or it may even be scheduled for somewhere else.
This wouldn’t be the first time this has happened, with UFC 304 taking place in the early hours of the morning. This was despite the event taking place in Manchester, and largely centring around British fighters.
Regardless of all the behind the scenes politics, the focus for Joshua remains on Prenga. Getting the job done on the 25th of July is the aim, and it looks like he’s putting in all the necessary work to be ready for both that fight, and the eventual Fury challenge.
Sports
Supercomputer Predicts Wimbledon Semi-Final Between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner
Following Wimbledon‘s quarter-finals, where both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic came out victorious, a blockbuster semi-final between the pair has been set up. It’s a repeat of the clash one year ago, where the former came out on top and advanced to the final, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz.
In terms of their pathway to this year’s match-up, Djokovic has been in fine form. He got the better of Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-final, which was quite the moment when you consider the adversity he had to face, and the fact it went for over five hours, the Serb’s longest-ever game at SW19.
Meanwhile, Sinner advanced thanks to a win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff. He is looking to make it back-to-back triumphs at Wimbledon, though, it won’t be a simple task.
Here is how the Supercomputer envisages the tie, with paths to victory and how they have looked during the early rounds.
Supercomputer’s Key Factors
The Supercomputer acknowledged some of the major factors heading into the semi-final. Sinner, the fresher and younger player, has conserved energy with mostly straight-set wins. His serve and his backhand have been outstanding so far, and have given him the perfect platform for these victories.
On the other hand, Djokovic has shown incredible resilience to reach another semi-final, but it has certainly taken a lot out of him. The quarter-final was draining, and he even admitted there were concerns over recovery after spending more than five hours on court.There is also their head-to-head momentum, with Sinner having the upper hand in recent meetings. However, this isn’t to say it hasn’t been close, with Djokovic able to disrupt the Italian’s rhythm with his return game. The 39-year-old even came out victorious earlier this year at the Australian Open.
Supercomputer’s Advice For Both Players
For Djokovic, the Supercomputer thinks he needs to land a very high first-serve percentage, and extend rallies to test Sinner’s patience rather than trying to overpower him. Furthermore, winning the big points will be crucial. Tiebreaks will be especially key, an area where he’s been historically exceptional.
In contrast, Sinner needs to keep the rallies aggressive from the baseline, trying to overwhelm Djokovic with that pressure. In addition to this, attacking his second serve will be key, while also preventing the veteran from dictating the tempo with his return game.
Supercomputer’s Final Prediction
Overall, the Supercomputer sees Sinner as a moderate favourite, and it thinks it will end with victory for the Italian in four sets: 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3.
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While it can see Djokovic producing periods of vintage tennis and probably stealing a set, it also thinks Sinner’s superior physical condition, current confidence, and relentless baseline consistency should prove decisive over four sets.
However, it does give Djokovic a better chance if the match extends beyond four hours, especially due to his experience of those situations in big Grand Slam tournaments. Though, overall, and based on how both players have arrived at this semi-final, Sinner has the edge in the view of the Supercomputer.
Sports
Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas in Awkward Exchange Over FIFA’s Balogun Decision
Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas were involved in an awkward exchange over FIFA’s hugely controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban ahead of the USMNT’s World Cup last 16 clash against Belgium.
Balogun was cleared to play by FIFA after US President Donald Trump intervened. UEFA described it as an “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” decision, while Belgium reportedly threatened to take legal action.
In the end, Balogun’s involvement failed to have the desired effect for the United States as Belgium secured an emphatic 4-1 victory at the Seattle Stadium.
Belgium couldn’t resist having a dig at the USA on Twitter in the aftermath of their last 16 triumph, while the players mocked Trump by copying his infamous dance moves shortly before full-time.
However, the fallout over FIFA’s decision rumbles on, with other competing national teams now considering similar appeals. England, for example, considered launching an appeal over Jarell Quansah’s red card against Mexico.
Henry and Lalas’ Tense Exchange Over Balogun Situation
On FOX Sports, Henry and Lalas exchanged their views on the Balogun situation, and it resulted in a tense live TV stand-off.
Henry said: “What I said, I don’t think people understood, when I raised Article 27, that was sarcasm, I thought people would understand that, but they didn’t, so I’ll say it again: I do agree with the fact that it wasn’t a red, because if I was a player I wouldn’t have accepted that, I don’t agree with how they rescinded the red.
“What FIFA did wasn’t right, it was the right thing in terms of not giving the red. That should have been a decision on the field, not after three or four days, I didn’t agree with that at all.”
Lalas, who has been involved in several tense exchanges with fellow pundits Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer, then interjected: “Why wasn’t it right?”
Henry replied: “Because it is not right. Article 27 doesn’t say that, that’s my opinion, what FIFA did, wasn’t right, it wasn’t a red, but what FIFA did, wasn’t right. It fired up Belgium. Look at the celebration, the dancing at the end, everything that was there. It wasn’t right.”
Lalas then brought up Cristiano Ronaldo’s suspension being overturned ahead of the World Cup finals: “So Ronaldo shouldn’t have played in the World Cup, either?”
Henry said: “No, you say whatever you want to say, I’m talking about the Balogun situation, let’s talk about Cristiano Ronaldo [after Portugal were eliminated from the World Cup by Spain].”
Lalas, who earned 96 caps for the United States between 1991-1998, wasn’t finished. He said: “Hold on, what’s not right about it?”
Henry maintained: “That’s my opinion.”
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Lalas argued FIFA “didn’t break any rules or regulations” but Henry was beginning to lose his patience by this point. The legendary French forward added: “I said it, and I’ll say it again, the way it happened afterwards, I didn’t agree with it, that’s about it.”
The outspoken Lalas then added: “So, the right decision was come to by the wrong way also when it comes to Cristiano Ronaldo?”
Henry finished: “That’s on you to talk about. I’m talking about Balogun.”
Lalas, determined to have the final word, said: “My team’s out of the World Cup now, so it’s a completely different story.” Watch the awkward clip in full below:
Belgium will face Spain at the Los Angeles Stadium in the quarter-finals on Friday. If they pass that test, they will then face either France or Morocco in the semi-finals.
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