تعرض عمر جابر مدافع فريق بيراميدز، لشرخ في شظية القدم، بعدما خرج مصابا في مباراة نهضة بركان في نهائي كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

وخرج عمر جابر مستبدلا في نهاية الشوط الثاني من اللقاء بسبب تدخل عنيف من جانب لاعب نهضة بركان بكر الهلالي ورغم عنف اللقطة لم يرها الحكم، قبل أن يراجعه “الفار” ويؤكد ضرورة طرده من اللقاء.

وأكد الجهاز الطبي خلال تصريحات عبر المركز الإعلامي لنادي بيراميدز، أنه تم وضع قدم عمر جابر في جبيرة بسبب شرخ في شظية القدم، على أن يخضع لآشعة في القاهرة.

طالع | طرد بكر الهلالي بعد تدخل عنيف علي عمر جابر في مباراة بيراميدز ونهضة بركان

وخسر بيراميدز من نهضة بركان بهدف دون رد، في المباراة النهائية لكأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، التي أقيمت اليوم الأحد بالمغرب.

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Outspoken Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has made a prediction about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of Manchester United vs Manchester City in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

What’s he said, then?

The Red Devils face the might of their bitter rivals off the back of a humiliating defeat at Everton on Sunday afternoon and four losses in their last six in all competitions.

Meanwhile, their opponents at Old Trafford under Pep Guardiola can go back to the top of the Premier League with three points and into the driving seat in their bid for back-to-back titles with a trio of matches remaining.

And Merson had this to say to Sky Sports on what kind of performance he expects from United:

“They will park the bus.

“You will be watching a Jose Mourinho team. After he has gone, it’s one massive swing around, it’s taken six months to swing it all the way round to see them play the way that Mourinho got hammered for.”

Well wide of the mark, Paul – completely wrong

The former England international couldn’t be further wide of the mark or more completely wrong with these pre-match comments – this really is poor punditry.

You won’t believe who Flying Pig United has named as Man Utd’s player of the season in the video below…

You have to question whether at all Merson has watched Man United under Solskjaer in any great detail if he’s saying stuff like that.

The former Red Devil has injected the kind of football fans have been wanting to see for a long time into the club, a free-flowing and attacking style, and he’s not going to abandon that for the methods of Jose Mourinho even if the going has gotten a little tough of late in Manchester. Never in a million years.

Since Simon Grayson left in 2012 Leeds United have gorged through ten different managers. Some were average, some were downright awful. Uwe Rosler falls neatly in the latter of the two.

Uwe Rosler learned his trade in the Norwegian first division. Not exactly the most prestigious of competitions, but a fairly firm basis from which he could build a career in the lower tiers of English football. Brentford came calling first, and after two prosperous years, the German managed to haul them into the Championship. Rumours were spreading: Uwe Rosler was ‘the man’.

Wigan were the next to enjoy the fruits of his tactical ‘genius’. After dropping from the Premier League the year before with an FA Cup title in the bag – thanks to Ben Watson, hopes were high that Rosler could swoop in and guide them to European and domestic glory. But it was not to be. The Tics were dumped out of Europe by Slovenian powerhouses NK Maribor and failed secure promotion later that year. He was sacked the following season. Cracks were showing.

So, how you might ask, did he land the Leeds United job? One of the most iconic clubs in the land, who were in desperate need of someone really special to lift them from their doldrums. Indeed, anyone with a brain may have looked at Rosler’s record and thought better of it. But that is the thing. Massimo Cellino did not have one of those.

The Italian made Rosler his fifth head coach appointment in a year when he recruited him in July 2015, replacing the outbound Neil Redfearn. Bizarre numbers, they really are.

It did not take long for Rosler to sprinkle some of his trademark mediocrity on the side. A draw against Burnley on matchday one was quickly followed by a 5-3 pasting at the hands of Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup. Leeds United managed just one win in the proceeding five matches, losing three and drawing another. They needed a boost. Anything to get them playing again. Rosler sprung into action, and in one huge morale-crushing blow he announced to the world that promotion was not on his agenda and he did not see any chance of securing it that season – he simply wanted top ten (as per BBC Sport).

Rosler was sacked a game later.

Uwe Rosler spent time managing Fleetwood after his time in West Yorkshire, and though things improved (they were hard not to) he met the same sticky end in February 2018 after leading the club on a seven-game losing streak.

He now manages Malmo in Sweden. Though, with the club winless in 2019, we doubt he will be there for long.

Leeds fans, what are some of your standout memories? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

Celtic are in an unusual position going into this weekend’s Old Firm clash, having lost the last game between the pair — their first defeat in the fixture since March 2012, a run of 15 games.

With one hand already on the title trophy — a win this weekend will see them have a 13 point lead with only 21 available — so beating Rangers is, in many ways, the only unfinished business remaining in the league this season.

Rangers have enjoyed their December victory for the last few weeks, and Celtic will be looking to set the record straight against the blue half of Glasgow on Sunday.

Revenge will be uppermost in the minds of Neil Lennon’s side, according to former Celtic striker, Charlie Nicholas, as they try to expel the hurt they feel from losing the last one.

He told Sky Sports: “This is a very special football match.

“Celtic are hurting after Rangers finally got that win over them but it was the manner of the win. Rangers looked like challengers then. Unfortunately for Rangers, that’s disappeared and it’s falling apart.

“Celtic will be hurting from the defeat. The way that Rangers celebrated after waiting so long to get a victory – I can understand that. But revenge is in the air. Celtic will want to cement this title. The gap and the merit is there, Celtic have earned the right to go and bully Rangers a little bit.”

Nicholas, no stranger to big derby matches, having played in both the Old Firm and North London varieties, believes that a win will “go a long way” towards Lennon being given the Celtic hot-seat on a permanent basis for a second time.

“They haven’t done spectacularly well but they’ve been winning games

“Neil [Lennon] is a bright guy – he won’t panic. People are jumping on his case for his over the top celebrations but why wouldn’t he react like that? He wants the Celtic job and this game on Sunday – if he wins it – will go a long way on him getting the job.”

It promises to be an exciting game at Celtic Park on Sunday. The added ingredient of Rangers having won the previous meeting will ramp the atmosphere up, and is likely to spice things up on the pitch too, if it needed anything extra anyway.

Celtic will go into the game as odds-on favourites, and rightly so.

Rangers still have to cast a cautious eye behind them, while Celtic’s dominant position atop the table means they will be playing with less pressure looming over them than Steven Gerrard’s team.

Three points will see the title retained for Celtic — realistically, even if not mathematically — and that incentive, along with the revenge factor will lead to a comfortbale win for Lennon and Co.

What are your thoughts ahead of the Old Firm game this weekend, Celtic fans? Do you see any way your team can slip up? Let us know below…

It has been quite a few weeks for Sheffield Wednesday supporters hasn’t it?

The Owls moved within just three points of the play-off positions following their 4-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers as Steve Bruce’s side allowed the Hillsborough faithful to dream of a top-six finish.

However, after drawing 0-0 at Stoke City last week, Wednesday fell to 11th in the Championship and knew that they would have to pick up all three points against Aston Villa on Saturday to remain in contention this season.

Despite taking the lead in the first-half of their clash with the Lions, the Yorkshire-based outfit were pegged back by a strike by Lions midfielder John McGinn. Steven Fletcher then spurned a great chance to put his side back ahead by missing a penalty and was made to suffer by Albert Adomah and Tammy Abraham who both scored in second-half injury time for Villa to break Wednesday’s hearts.

Although they now find themselves six points behind the play-off positions and in need of a miracle to extend their season beyond the usual 46 game mark in the Championship, it is overwhelmingly clear that Bruce is the right man for the job at Hillsborough.

The 58-year-old has transformed the club’s fortunes since taking over in February and could very easily lead them to an immensely successful season next year if given the chance to bring in his own players in the transfer window. With no fewer than four promotions from the second tier on his resume already, Bruce will be confident that he can be the man to secure a top-flight return for the Owls.

If Wednesday can replicate the form that they have produced under their new manager over an entire campaign, they should emerge as one of the favourites to secure promotion in 2019/20, especially if they can keep a hold of their best players in the summer.

Whereas there have been periods of uncertainty at the club in the previous decade, the future suddenly looks a lot brighter for the Owls under the management of Bruce.

What do you think Wednesday fans? Are your hopes of reaching the play-offs all-but over for this season? How impressed have you been with Bruce since he took over at the club? Get in touch below.

أعلن الجهاز الفني لنادي بيراميدز، قائمة الفريق التي تخوض مباراة المقاولون العرب في ختام منافسات الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويحل المقاولون العرب ضيفًا على بيراميدز في الخامسة والنصف من مساء السبت على استاد الدفاع الجوي في إطار الجولة ٣٤ والأخيرة للمسابقة المحلية.

ومن المقرر أن يقود بيراميدز أمام المقاولون العرب، الثلاثي محمود فتح لله وعمرو مختار وهاني سعيد، بعد إقالة الكرواتي أنتي تشاتشيتش.

طالع | إقالة تشاتشيتش من تدريب بيراميدز

وشهدت قائمة بيراميدز غياب الحارس مهدي سليمان وإبراهيم عادل وعمر جابر وعبد الله السعيد وجون أنطوي ونبيل دونجا. قائمة بيراميدز لمباراة المقاولون

حراسة المرمى: أحمد الشناوي – أحمد دعدور.

خط الدفاع: محمد حمدي – طارق طه – عبد الله بكري – ولفريد كانون – محمد عطوة – أحمد أيمن منصور.

خط الوسط: محمد فتحي – أحمد توفيق – إبراهيم حسن – إسلام عيسى – عمر العيوني – محمود حمادة.

خط الهجوم: حسام غانم.

ويحتل بيراميدز المركز الثالث في ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 64 نقطة.

What a superb run of form. Aston Villa have stormed up the table and now look set to embed themselves within the play-off places come the end of the season. Thankfully, the Dean Smith project now looks like working and those in the Midlands will be desperate for a return to the top tier at last. 

Although a lot can still change in a short space of time, the Villans will be hoping to put the disappointment of their play-off final loss last season by going up this time around. Clearly, to do that, Dean Smith and his team need to continue their high spirits and do all they can to give themselves the best possible chance.

It’s going to be a hard task but Villa could massively reap the rewards if they do go up.

Regardless of how they may end the season though, recruitment over the summer will make or break their next campaign.

The right signings are absolutely crucial and having worked with Dean Smith before, the capture of Romaine Sawyers would be heavily advisable.

Sawyers, (who is valued at £2.7 million on Transfermarkt) is a player that Aston Villa have held an interest (as per the Daily Mail) in Romaine Sawyers before, in the aim of re-uniting him with his former manager Dean Smith.

The pair formed a good relationship and one which allowed Sawyers to thrive on the pitch and, alongside the excellent John McGinn, the two could give Aston Villa their best midfield duo in absolute years. Brentford’s captain has surprisingly not scored a goal this season but has provided seven assists, which has gone some way to show his creative capabilities.

Imagine him feeding the likes of Jack Grealish and the attacking frontline, buzzing around the midfield and helping create chaos for the opposition.

Not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well, Romaine Sawyers is a great person to have around the changing rooms as he’s blessed with top leadership qualities that could make a real difference at Aston Villa, who have often let their heads drop when things weren’t going well.

There are no guarantees that Aston Villa will gain promotion into the Premier League but with or without a top-flight return, the need for reinforcements is evident.

Aston Villa fans, would you like to see Sawyers brought in? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham United venture to the new White Hart Lane for the first time on Saturday to face the daunting task of trying to cause a shock against an in-form Tottenham Hotspur under Mauricio Pochettino, but there’s four key starting Xl changes the Hammers should make to give themselves some hope.

What are they?

The quartet of alterations would mean changes in the defence, midfield and attack from last weekend’s disappointing Premier League home draw with Leicester City at the London Stadium.

At the back, it’s time for summer signing Ryan Fredericks to return at right-back in place of veteran Pablo Zabaleta and to the left of him at left centre-back, Issa Diop to do the same by replacing Angelo Ogbonna.

Looking further forward into the left centre of midfield, a rethink is also a must for Pellegrini here, giving Jack Wilshere his first start since early September 2018 by ousting Robert Snodgrass.

And finally, up front, lone striker Marko Arnautovic needs to be replaced by Lucas Perez.

How will they give West Ham a chance of pulling off an upset?

Suggesting these changes to the starting team is all well and good but how exactly are they going to give the Irons a chance of pulling off an upset in north London?

Well, Fredericks at right-back rather than his mentor Zabaleta will give West Ham that much-needed pace to be able to cope with Heung-min Son.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the back four, centre-half performances have really let the side down in recent weeks. Pellegrini’s tried to make Ogbonna alongside Balbuena or Diop work and but it just hasn’t with at least two goals conceded in each of the last six matches.

It’s time to reunite Balbuena and Diop in the partnership that was working so well up until the former’s injury prior to Christmas.

Snodgrass started the term well in Claret & Blue but has since faded away and offered little more than the odd deadly set-piece. With Wilshere back, the 27-year-old desperately needs starts and the Scot will have to be the unlucky one to drop out in the centre – the weakest link.

Another incentive for Wilshere’s inclusion is his willingness to beat Spurs, bitter rivals of his former club Arsenal, and the same will apply for Perez, who should replace an out-of-sorts Arnautovic and bring form to the table after what should have been two goals against the Foxes.

Despite four alterations, Pellegrini shouldn’t waver from the 4-1-4-1 that was effective on home soil last time out as these are like-for-like changes, ones that will give his team the best possible chance of taking something back to east London.

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Manchester City are a side famed for their unparalleled riches and domination in the transfer market, but a revolutionary change could be on the horizon after years of extravagant and often gratuitous spending.

Phil Foden’s inclusion in the starting XI to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday caught most people by surprise. Pep Guardiola has often been scrutinised for a perceived reluctance to fully trust in the prodigious teenager, provoking a tidal wave of bemused journalists to paint a bleak outlook for the future of youth at the club.

But his decision to entrust the 18-year-old in a fixture of paramount importance to City’s season was the most telling sign of what the future holds for Foden and the rest of an academy which has been criminally short of world class talent since Sheikh Mansour took charge in 2008.

This was a game against a side who were considered genuine title contenders just a few weeks ago and had just beaten City over two legs; the title was and is still on the line; the stakes couldn’t have been much higher – yet Guardiola included him from the start in place of David Silva, potentially the most talented player in the history of the club.

Plenty has been made of his match-winning display and rightly so. But the implications of his impact transcend beyond how it influenced the club in the immediate term.

Since City’s sugar-daddy owners rolled into the club and transformed the expectations not a single player has risen into the first team from the academy.

A club who once prided themselves on their ability to embed the next generation of talent into the senior squad – and successfully brought through the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Joey Barton – have effectively turned the academy into a money-making machine.

Players have been brought through, loaned out and then sold on for a healthy profit in order to fund multi-million pound deals for established stars. But murmurs of City’s potential breach of Financial Fair Play rules and the solitary addition of Riyad Mahrez last summer hint that perhaps winds of change are beginning to blow towards the Etihad Stadium.

Naturally the players residing within the youth ranks must be genuinely exceptional to make the step up in class but with a £200 million academy system already in place there is simply no excuse for the toxic and unsustainable trend of obscene investment to continue.

Guardiola has set the wheels in motion for a shift in strategy by slowly embedding Foden into the side, allowing him the time to adjust to the speed of play his team are expected to play at by training with the senior squad on a regular basis and affording him cameo appearances on a semi-regular basis, and now it seems the final stage of the process is beginning to take place.

Foden is unlikely to keep his place in the side for the trip to Old Trafford on Wednesday but his inclusion against a talented side on Saturday proves that he could be a big part of the squad next season.

There is now a glimpse of tangible proof that the £200 million investment has produced a player who could one day be worth a huge fraction of that cost, and Eric Garcia’s handful of quietly impressive displays this season point towards another imminent graduation.

After all these years of neglecting the academy system there are some trophy-worthy fruits beginning to grow, and Guardiola’s cautious but ultimately cunning approach to embedding them into the side could represent the advent of a new philosophical approach to long-term development at City.

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Crystal Palace fans on Twitter have been busy discussing Scott Dann’s performance against Huddersfield, with the majority under the impression that the centre-back is not what he used to be – some have even suggested that he is finished at this level.

The former Blackburn man was making just his third Premier League start of the season in the absence of Mamadou Sakho, who looks set to miss the rest of the season.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

The 6 foot 2 defender himself had only just returned to full fitness towards the end of 2018 after suffering a serious injury of his own, and his time on the sidelines seems to have affected his game slightly.

The 32-year-old looks to have lost a yard of pace, and as a result, appears to be a weak link in the Eagles’ backline.

His passing also used to be one of his best features, but even that looked wayward against the Terriers, leading many Palace supporters on Twitter to criticise the Englishman…