England took a huge step toward Uefa Nations League promotion with a resounding 3-0 win away in Greece on Thursday.

Avenging their shock defeat at Wembley, the Three Lions put their hosts to the sword with goals from Ollie Watkins and debutant Curtis Jones, either side of an Odisseas Vlachodimos own goal forced by a Jude Bellingham shot that hit the post.

The result takes England top of the group, level on points with Greece but now boasting a better goal difference and head-to-head record.

Any sort of win against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday will return England to League A at the first time of asking.

For now, read on for full England player ratings from a huge win in Athens.

England player ratings vs Greece: Curtis Jones ‘outstanding’ on debut

Jordan Pickford – 9/10 – Made some vital saves to preserve the win and clean sheet, while reminding everyone how important he is for England.

Kyle Walker – 6/10 – A little negative with his play, going backwards when he’d taken up some great positions. Slotted in well enough at centre-back in the second half.

Ezri Konsa – 7/10 – A solid performance, completing 100% of his passes and winning both of his contested ground duels. Brought off at half-time, presumably with an injury.

Marc Guehi – 8/10 – Tidy with the ball and made a couple of important interceptions and tackles to keep the Greeks at bay.

Rico Lewis – 8/10 – Used the ball brilliantly and popped up in some dangerous positions. Perhaps should have got himself on the scoresheet in the second half but was denied by a good save.

Conor Gallagher – 8/10 – Got through plenty of defensive work and did his best to drive England forward once he turned the ball over.

Curtis Jones – 9/10 – Absolute class on the ball and alert to any Greek counter-attacks. Misplaced just three of 68 attempted passes. Capped off an outstanding England debut with a beautifully taken goal. ‘Outstanding’ according to former England and Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie.

Noni Madueke – 8/10 – Set up Watkins’ goal with a great run and cut-back and was a menace all game, creating a match-high three chances and having five touches in the opposition box.

Jude Bellingham – 9/10 – The Greeks couldn’t handle Bellingham once he got into full flow, powering through midfield with immense force. Hit the post twice, first with a header, then with a shot from the edge of the box which hit Vlachodimos and went in. Unlucky not to be credited with a goal but did the damage.

Anthony Gordon – 6/10 – A few dangerous flashes but was more subdued than Madueke.

Ollie Watkins – 8/10 – Took his goal well and provided England with a good focal point, even if he was a little isolated at times.

Substitutes:

Lewis Hall (46′, for Konsa) – 7/10 – A solid England debut from a youngster with the potential to be his nation’s left-back for years to come.

Harry Kane (67′, for Watkins) – 7/10 – Did a lot of work off the ball, including his run to create the space for Bellingham’s shot on the second goal.

Morgan Rogers (67′, for Gordon) – 7/10 – Won’t be credited with an assist on the second goal but it was his smart pass inside to Bellingham that set England away.

Jarrod Bown (67′, for Madueke) – 7/10 – Did well in the build-up for the third goal.

Morgan Gibbs-White (79′, for Gallagher) – 7/10 – Set up Jones as England finished the job.

The post Greece 0-3 England: Player ratings as ‘outstanding’ Liverpool star enjoys perfect debut appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham defender Pedro Porro has admitted to being happy with the rumours linking him to some of “the best clubs in the world” as uncertainty continues to grow around his future in North London.

The full-back arrived at Spurs in 2023 as part of €45m deal with Sporting CP and has grown to become a fan favourite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium due to his very attacking style of play.

The Spanish star has proven to be one of the most dangerous full-backs in Europe going forward and across the 67 appearances he has made for Tottenham, the 25-year-old has contributed eight goals and 12 assists.

Porro has a contract in North London until 2028 but that has not stopped the right-back from being linked with a move away next summer.

Real Madrid are in the market to strengthen the right side of their defence and following the long-term injury to Dani Carvajal, Porro is one of the names being linked to the La Liga champions – although Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold tops Los Blancos‘ list.

Man City are another interested in the 25-year-old as they look for a successor to Kyle Walker at the Etihad Stadium.

In a recent interview, Porro has acknowledged these rumours and his words don’t bode well for his future at Tottenham.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

Tottenham star Pedro Porro acknowledges exit rumours

Speaking in an interview with El Desmarque, Porro admitted to being aware of the rumours linking him away from Tottenham and essentially stated that he is happy to be associated with “the best clubs in the world.”

“My friends send me the rumours, it is a compliment… but I am focused on Spurs and the national team,” the defender said via Fabrizio Romano. “It is the result of a job well done if one of the best clubs in the world is taking notice of me.”

It is unlikely that Tottenham will allow one of their best players to leave next summer as the North London club continues to try and close the gap to the top of the Premier League and if they do, it will not come cheap for the Spaniard’s suitors.

The post €45m Tottenham star happy to be linked with “best clubs in the world” casting doubt over future appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea may reportedly have been given a huge opportunity in the transfer market as Alexander Isak’s Newcastle United future looks in real doubt.

Isak has been in superb form for the Magpies as usual this season, contributing ten goals and assists in his first 13 appearances in all competitions this term.

The Sweden international has been a joy to watch for much of his time at St James’ Park, and he’d surely fit in well at a number of top clubs around Europe.

“I’m ready to leave” – HUGE transfer bombshell for Liverpool!

TBR Football now report that Isak’s contract talks with Newcastle have not been going well, and Graeme Bailey added on X, formerly Twitter, that the expectation is now that the 25-year-old will leave the club in 2025…

Alexander Isak's camp left 'shocked' by Newcastle stance over contract.

Expectation will be that Isak leaves in 2025, especially if they don't seal Champions League qualification.https://t.co/gh46Ob8UMy

— Graeme Bailey (@GraemeBailey) November 12, 2024

The report states that Arsenal and Chelsea are long-term admirers of Isak, though they suggest that Liverpool may have the stronger interest for the moment, along with other big names like Manchester City and Barcelona.

All in all, it’s hard not to see Isak having his pick of Europe’s elite if he does decide to leave Newcastle, and if the Premier League giants are prepared to sell.

Alexander Isak transfer could be just what Arsenal need

Of all the clubs mentioned, it’s arguably Arsenal who need Isak most right now, as Mikel Arteta is really lacking some spark in his attack.

The Gunners have been overly reliant on Bukayo Saka, and although Kai Havertz has performed well, he’s not really a 20-25-goal-a-season centre-forward.

Isak can also fill in on the left of a front three if required, and that could be useful as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have both suffered dips in form in recent times.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

Still, Isak would also do an important job for Chelsea, who arguably need an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson, while Christopher Nkunku seems to be facing an uncertain future, according to L’Equipe.

Liverpool would also surely do well to bring in Isak as an upgrade on Darwin Nunez, while the former Real Sociedad man could also help replace Mohamed Salah if he ends up leaving at the end of his contract next summer.

The post 10 G/A in 13 games: Liverpool, Arsenal & Chelsea given opportunity to land dream attacker transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The opening phase of the 2024/25 campaign has not gone to plan for Man City but one occasion that was celebrated by the Premier League champions was Rodri being crowned as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner – an award Erling Haaland has now been tipped to win.

The Spaniard pipped Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior to the award in Paris after an exceptional campaign for both club and country.

The midfielder was pivotal in Man City winning another Premier League title while helping Spain win their fourth European Championship in Germany over the summer. The 28-year-old’s importance to the Manchester club can be seen now more than ever as Pep Guardiola’s side have lost four games in a row in the Spanish star’s absence.

Rodri was a deserving winner of the Ballon d’Or this year but two years ago, if people were to pick the first winner of the award from Man City, the logical answer would have been Erling Haaland.

Then Norway international just missed out on the 2023 Ballon d’Or after finishing second to Lionel Messi, while fifth was his position this year.

While speaking about the 2024 version of the award, transfer expert Ben Jacobs admitted that he believes Haaland will win the Ballon d’Or very soon.

Man City star Erling Haaland needs to “stay consistent” to win a Ballon d’Or

Haaland’s numbers have been frightening ever since moving to Man City in 2022 with the striker scoring 105 goals and assisting a further 14 across 114 appearances for the Premier League champions.

The 24-year-old is in a bit of a slump a present but the Norwegian’s numbers are not expected to dry up dramatically throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

Speaking on the latest edition of CaughtOffside’s The Debrief Podcast, transfer journalist Ben Jacobs is confident that Haaland will win a Ballon d’Or should he “stay consistent” over the coming years at the Etihad Stadium.

“Haaland will win a Ballon d’Or in my opinion, eventually,” Jacobs said. “His goal-scoring is only going to continue to wow us but also stay consistent for four, five, six years still to come and therefore his day holding that Ballon d’Or trophy will be there.”

The post Exclusive: Transfer journalist makes big prediction for the future of Erling Haaland at Man City appeared first on CaughtOffside.

When Rodri got injured for Man City earlier in the season, it was immediately apparent that the combative midfielder was going to be out of action for some time.

A hush descended over the Etihad Stadium when the Spaniard stayed down after a challenge during the Arsenal game.

Coming as it did soon after Rodri had hinted that players could go on strike in protest at too many games being played – which could potentially lead to fatigue and injury – wasn’t the best timing.

Rodri replacement could see Liverpool seething

With City now having lost four games on the trot, there’s a clear need for the powers that be to authorise a move for a mid-season replacement.

According to CaughtOffside sources with knowledge of City’s transfer plans, the reigning Premier League champions are targeting a player Liverpool tried hard to acquire during the summer window.

Ultimately, the Reds were unable to get a deal for Martin Zubimendi over the line, but it’s understood that won’t stop Pep Guardiola ensuring that his club focus on the Real Sociedad talisman.

Were La Real able to resist further overtures from England, or indeed if Zubimendi again decides that he’d prefer to continue his footballing education in Spain, sources have indicated that City have other targets in mind.

Real Madrid’s hardworking and talented Federico Valverde, Atletico Madrid’s young star, Pablo Barrios, and Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson are all understood to be potential candidates who could add depth and quality to City’s midfield.

Clearly, the January transfer window can’t come soon enough for Guardiola.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

The recent run of poor form has seen City slip to five points behind Arne Slot’s Liverpool side, with the Reds taking on all comers at present.

Guardiola will know that any more slip ups will likely be fatal to City’s chances of retaining their English top-flight title too.

The post Exclusive: Liverpool’s failure to land world-class talent is set to benefit Premier League title rivals in January appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC’s iconic show Match of the Day at the end of the season after 26 years of hosting the football highlights programme. 

The former Everton striker has been the host of MOTD since 1999 and has become one of the United Kingdom’s most beloved figures having been the face of the BBC’s football coverage for over two decades.

According to the Daily Mail, Lineker’s time as host of MOTD will come to an end upon the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.

The 63-year-old will also put an end to his time with the BBC entirely after presenting the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the 2025/26 edition of the FA Cup. This will be a major change for the broadcaster as there is a generation of football fans that do not know their coverage without the former Tottenham star.

Lineker is the BBC’s highest-paid presenter with a reported salary of around £1.35million and his exit will free up these funds to spend on production.

This news follows the departure of another key MOTD figure at the end of last season as Ian Wright ended his time as a pundit on the football highlights programme. Both men’s exits could have a major impact on the show and it will be interesting to see if it will affect viewing figures.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

Who will replace Gary Lineker as the host of Match of the Day?

Whoever follows Lineker has the host of Match of the Day as big shoes to fill as that person could define the show over the next decade.

According to the Daily Mail, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan are viewed as the favourites to replace the former England striker, with the former receiving a glowing endorsement from Henry Winter.

“Mark Chapman is the best successor to Gary Lineker as MOTD host imho. Good journalist and presenter + rapport with pundits,” the journalist said. 

The 51-year-old already hosts Match of the Day 2 following the Premier League’s Sunday matches and it seems like a natural step for the presenter to be promoted to the main show on a Saturday night. Although Logan presents tough competition having been given the role of hosting the BBC’s new Champions League highlights programme.

The post MOTD to lose second key man in two years with £1.3m star to leave BBC entirely in 2026 appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester City have just lost four games in a row for the first time in the Pep Guardiola era and it seems pretty clear something needs to change as quickly as possible.

We all knew Rodri was important to this Man City side, but the impact his absence through injury has had will have taken even the Spanish midfielder’s biggest admirers by surprise.

Sources have now informed CaughtOffside that City are ready to enter the market for a major midfield signing to replace Rodri this January, with Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde lined up by the Premier League champions.

City’s latest defeat to Brighton has seen them fall five points behind league leaders Liverpool, so it’s perhaps not too surprising that the club are now prepared to pay big to try to turn their season around.

Real Madrid won’t want to let Valverde go, but CaughtOffside understands City could try offering as much as €70m for the Uruguay international this January.

MAJOR Real Madrid deal in the works! Click here to find out more!

Can Manchester City convince Real Madrid to sell Federico Valverde?

Valverde, however, has a release clause of €1bn, so it could take a lot more than €70m to convince the Spanish giants to let such an important player go.

The 26-year-old remains a key part of Carlo Ancelotti’s side, and given that Los Blancos are having a challenging season themselves, it seems highly unlikely they’d be willing to sell anyone as important as this in the middle of the season.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

City may need to look elsewhere for Rodri replacements, but it does seem like they’re going to have to find someone, as the 28-year-old, who recently won the prestigious Ballon d’Or prize, is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Liverpool might not be able to maintain their fast start under Arne Slot, but for now they have a pretty comfortable lead over City, and so that could require urgent action at the Etihad Stadium.

It’s unlikely there’ll be anyone out there who can fully replace what Rodri brings to Guardiola’s side, but City need someone of that ilk to come in or else they’re surely going to be out of the title race completely before too long.

The post Exclusive: Man City considering €70m transfer to save their season after falling 5 points behind Liverpool appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester City’s disappointing form continued on Saturday after they let a one-goal lead slip against Brighton and Hove Albion, eventually going on to lose 2-1 at the AMEX Stadium after second half goals from Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener on 23 minutes.

It is another damaging result for Manchester City, who would find themselves five points behind Liverpool if Arne Slot’s side defeat Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday night. Not only that, fellow title challengers Arsenal could lose to within two points if they were to defeat Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Matt O'Riley on his Premier League DEBUT! ?

What a turnaround from Brighton! ? pic.twitter.com/oJolKvtfOS

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 9, 2024

Brighton defeats means Manchester City have lost four in a row

The defeat on the south coast means that Manchester City have lost each of their last four matches across all competitions. The streak started with the Carabao Cup loss at Tottenham, before another 2-1 defeat in the Premier League against AFC Bournemouth. Pep Guardiola’s side were thumped 4-1 by a Viktor Gyokeres-inspired Sporting CP side in midweek, meaning that the collapse at Brighton makes it four defeats in a row.

For Guardiola, this is a piece of unwanted history. Since starting his senior managerial career at Barcelona in 2008, he had only ever lost four competitive matches in a row once (with Bayern Munich) – now, it’s twice.

Manchester City had initially coped well with the absence of Rodri Hernandez, having won six of the first seven matches that he missed after suffering a serious knee injury against Arsenal in September. However, it’s becoming clear that he is a huge miss for Guardiola, which is probably why a replacement is to be sought in January.

The post Pep Guardiola achieves unwanted feat for only second time in managerial career as Manchester City lose at Brighton appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester City are stepping up their efforts to sign a replacement for Rodri Hernandez in January, and their attention is on Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who will be replacing the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner in Spain’s squad for the foreseeable future.

Zubimendi has been a target for several Premier League clubs over the last 2-3 years, and during the summer, Liverpool came agonising close to signing him – in the end, the 25-year-old pivot opting to remain with Real Sociedad, who are his boyhood club.

Manchester City are undeterred by Zubimendi’s supreme loyalty to the La Liga club, as they aim to secure the services of a suitable Rodri replacement for the second half of this season.

Zubimendi has a considerable chance to join Manchester City in 2025

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are to prioritise the signing of a central midfielder in January. They have been linked with Torino’s Samuele Ricci, but Zubimendi is also a player that is well-liked at the Etihad Stadium – as such, serious consideration is being put towards a potential offer.

Manchester City will believe that the lure of being managed by Pep Guardiola could play in their advantage when considering their interest in Zubimendi, who would fit perfectly into the style of play that is utilised by the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach. The reigning Premier League champions will also believe that they are a more attractive proposition than Liverpool, whose interest in the Euro 2024 winner has not gone down despite their summer rejection.

The post Manchester City considering January approach for Liverpool target with €60m asking price appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a surprise move for the Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish. 

The 29-year-old has struggled for game time at Manchester City this season and he has been linked with a move away from the club. According to football transfers, Tottenham director Johan Lange has held talks regarding a potential move for the England international.

He has been linked with a return to Aston Villa as well.

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham decide to make a move for him in the coming weeks. The 29-year-old could be a quality player for them if he manages to regain his confidence and sharpness. However, Tottenham already have players like James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Son Heung-min, who are capable of operating in a role similar to that of him. Jack Grealish might struggle for regular game time at the North London club as well.

The 29-year-old needs to join a club where he will play regularly. He is at the peak of his powers and regular football could bring out the best in him once again. He was highly rated in the Premier League during his time at Aston Villa. However, he has not managed to reach that level in recent seasons.

More Stories / Latest News

Man United a serious option for two-time Premier League winner, Arsenal linked as well

Nov 15 2024, 9:32

How Harry Kane could help Man Utd sign 66-goal demon who’s ‘scoring for fun’

Nov 15 2024, 9:18

Liverpool make enquiry for €25m-rated utility man who dreams of Real Madrid move

Nov 15 2024, 9:07

Man City must accept a substantial loss

Manchester City paid around £100 million to sign the player from Aston Villa and it will be interesting to see if they are prepared to sanction his departure in the coming months. Spurs will not want to pay a premium for him, and the Premier League champions might have to cut their losses on the player and sanction his departure for a knockdown price.

Johan Lange was the director at Aston Villa when Grealish joined Manchester City and it remains to be seen whether he can play a crucial role in bringing the player to Tottenham now. It will be interesting to see how the situation develops.

The post Tottenham keen on 29-year-old England, international, Johan Lange could play a key role appeared first on CaughtOffside.