15/08/2025

SPORTS FRIDAY | AUG 15, 2025

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Reds lead charge Liverpool splash out to secure status as Premier League’s top dogs F RESH from storming to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title, Liverpool have not held back in transforming Arne Slot’s squad in pursuit of an era of Premier striker Alexander Isak for a British transfer record fee in excess of £115 million (RM667m) that is the transfer saga of the English summer. Liverpool were among the lowest Premier League spenders last year as Slot oversaw a steady transition from Jurgen Klopp in spectacular style.

SHORTS United at Grimsby in Carabao Cup

MANCHESTER UNITED will travel to League Two Grimsby in the Carabao Cup second round as they attempt to bounce back from one of their worst seasons in recent history. The 2023 winners will head for Blundell Park during the week beginning Aug 25 after being paired with the Mariners in yesterday’s draw, in which they were the last team team out of the hat. Elsewhere, there are all-Premier League clashes between Bournemouth and Brentford and Wolves and West Ham, while promoted Leeds face a trip to either Bolton or Sheffield Wednesday and Everton will host League One Mansfield at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. League One Doncaster’s reward for their 4-0 drubbing of Championship side Middlesbrough is a trip to Accrington, while Bromley host League One Wycombe after dumping Ipswich, who spent last season in the Premier League, out on penalties. The nine top-flight sides involved in Europe this season – Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, holders Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace – will enter the competition in the third round. … as Huddersfield shock Leicester GOALKEEPER Lee Nicholls ensured Huddersfield will travel to Premier League Sunderland in the second round of the Carabao Cup after a 3-2 penalty shoot out victory over Leicester. Nicholls saved from Jordan Ayew and Kasey McAteer after Bilal El Khannouss had hit the post to secure victory for the League One side after the game had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes. Hamza Choudhury’s 54th-minute piledriver put the Championship Foxes ahead and although Dan Vost cancelled out his strike within 11 minutes, Harry Winks restored their lead in short order, only for Cameron Ashia to level it up once again with 14 minutes left. Liam Palmer sent club in crisis Sheffield Wednesday through to a home Yorkshire derby against Leeds as they edged past 10-man Bolton on penalties following a six-goal thriller. The visitors led three times through Gui Siqueira, Ike Ugbo and Reece Johnson, but Wanderers, who had San Inwood sent off after just 27 minutes, levelled through Jordi Osei-Tutu, Thierry Gale and, deep into stoppage time, Amario Cozier-Duberry to take it to a shoot-out in which keeper Pierce Charles saved from Aaron Morley and Max Conway. Jay Stansfield came off the bench to fire Birmingham through as they left it late to see off Championship rivals Sheffield United 2-1. CARABAO CUP 2ND ROUND FIXTURES: Fulham vs Bristol City, Norwich vs Southampton, Oxford United vs Brighton, Reading vs Wimbledon, Bournemouth vs Brentford, Millwall vs Coventry, Wolves vs West Ham, Swansea vs Plymouth, Bromley vs Wycombe, Cardiff vs Cheltenham, Cambridge United vs Charlton, Tranmere/Burton vs Lincoln, Accrington Stanley vs Doncaster, Wigan vs Stockport, Stoke vs Bradford, Burnley vs Derby, Sunderland vs Huddersfield, Birmingham vs Port Vale, Preston vs Wrexham, Barnsley vs Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday vs Leeds.

“It doesn’t feel Liverpool-like to me,” said former defender Jamie Carragher at the thought of a new £69 million (RM400m) striker Ekitike playing second fiddle to Isak. After decades in the doldrums prior to Klopp’s arrival, Liverpool are aiming to bring back glory days the club has not since the 1980s. The last time Liverpool won back-to-back titles was in 1984 and doing so this season would come with the added bonus of overtaking Manchester United as English football’s top dogs. To do so, Slot has recognised the need to strike the right balance that still harnesses the best from his side’s extra firepower. A pre-season trend of high-scoring encounters continued in losing the Community Shield to Crystal Palace on penalties after twice blowing the lead. “Now we are better in creating and getting promising situations than we were, in my opinion, throughout the whole of last season,” said Slot. – AFP Premier League gets five Champions League places again, as is expected, Manchester United will also be up there. Relegated: Leeds United, Sunderland, Burnley There are doubts about Brentford but they’re a smart club who will respond to events as the season evolves. As such, it’s hard not to go with the recent trend of the three promoted sides going straight back down. Player of the season: Bukayo Saka Last season’s injury and a quiet summer means he goes into the campaign with the most rest he’s had in some time, and at a prime age. Golden boot: Erling Haaland Sport this is not the case. City’s current No 1, Ederson, fell out of favour last season and has been linked with a move away from the Etihad. While Donnarumma’s saves were crucial in helping the French side to glory in the Champions league as they thrashed Inter Milan 5-0, he has often been criticised for his ability with the ball at his feet. French football journalist Julien Laurens said “without Gianluigi Donnarumma, I don’t think PSG win the Champions League”. Yet he also understood why they went “with someone different” as he told BBC Radio 5 Live : “They have made a call, a brutal call. “Lucas Chevalier is better on the ball, better in the air, better with distribution, but he doesn’t have the experience.” – The Independent/Agencies There are more variables here than usual, from the potential for chaos in City’s season to where Isak plays and how Salah is used. On the basis of the information we have now, though, there’s pretty much one guarantee: Haaland will keep scoring. Signing of the season: Joao Pedro Just one of those players who looks set to go to another level with a move. The Independent

League dominance. On top of retaining veteran stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah to new contracts, the Reds have splashed out £260 million (RM1.5 billion) and are reportedly far from finished in the transfer market. Two of the Bundesliga’s most promising talents Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike have arrived at Anfield to add extra creativity and goals. Jeremie Frimpong has also made the move from Germany with the daunting task of replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Milos Kerkez joined from Bournemouth as the long term successor to Andy Robertson at left-back. More defensive reinforcements are imminent with the club closing in on deals for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and 18-year-old Italian centreback Giovanni Leoni from Parma. But it is the potential addition of Newcastle THE Premier League is back and just 33 days after Chelsea appeared to bring the curtain down on the 2024/25 season with their thumping win in the Club World Cup final, champions Liverpool kick off their title defence against Bournemouth at Anfield. The transfer window continues to rumble on with plenty of deals yet to materialise, which could shift the trajectory of many teams, notably Arne Slot’s side and Newcastle, with Alexander Isak’s future still in doubt. Arsenal appear closer than ever after near misses in recent years, with Viktor Gyokeres brought in to spearhead Mikel Arteta’s title charge, while Pep Guardiola has rebuilt Man City quickly and Chelsea will hope to ride the momentum of their victory over PSG last month. Manchester United’s lavish outlay has Ű BY MIGUEL DELANEY

A huge investment this time round is also possible because the Reds are among the slickest movers in the market when it comes to sales. The departures of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Alexander Arnold and Tyler Morton have raised around £200 million (RM1.16b). Liverpool’s bold strategy of tearing up a title winning team is a risky and rare experiment. Only once, Manchester City in 2019, have the Premier League champions been the biggest spending English club in the market since 2007. After years of battling against the financial power of Abu Dhabi-backed City, Liverpool are now flexing their muscles thanks to years of commercial growth and prudent ownership. Champions: Arsenal Very hard to pick between Arsenal and Liverpool - and Alexander Isak may change things again - but there’s strangely an element of uncertainty about the champions. At the same time, Arsenal have solved a lot of issues they had last season. Top four: Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United This is on the basis the

Who will win the Premier League?

table stays as it is and the City case doesn’t lead to a points deduction - the club insist on their innocence. If the

enabled them to revamp swiftly, Tottenham begin a new era under Thomas Frank, while

Erling Haaland.

newcomers Burnley, Leeds and Sunderland hope to avoid a quick return to the ever chaotic Championship. Here’s the 2025/26

predictions: Champions, top four, relegation, best signing, top scorer and more:

Donnarumma’s agent slams PSG as EPL giants circle

Ű BY LAWRENCE OSTLERE

whole world”. Donnarumma issued his own statement thanking the fans for their support, adding: “Unfortunately, someone has decided that I can no longer be part of the group and contribute to the team’s success. I am disappointed and disheartened.” And his agent, Enzo Raiola, told Sky Sports that PSG are demanding a transfer fee that leaves any transfer talks at risk of collapse. “We are shocked by PSG, Raiola said. “There’s zero respect by the club after four years together. “We will consider the situation also with our legal team.” French publication L’Equipe reports that City have agreed personal terms with Donnarumma but sources close to Donnarumma told BBC

GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA’S agent has launched a tirade against Paris Saint-Germain and the club’s treatment of the goalkeeper. PSG manager Luis Enrique omitted Donnarumma from his squad for yesterday’s Super League win against Tottenham Hotspur, amid intense speculation over his future. Manchester clubs United and City are both interested in signing the Champions League winner. “Donnarumma is out of the squad as it’s my own decision, I am 100% responsible,” Luis Enrique said. “I want a different kind of goalkeeper and I made this decision. “Gigio is one of the best keepers in the