13/12/2025

SPORTS SATURDAY | DEC 13, 2025

30

Ű BY MARK WALKER

Forest worthy winners: Dyche

Five possible Salah replacements

N OTTI N GHAM FO R E S T boss Sean Dyche said his side’s 2-1 win in Utrecht was fully deserved after they gave their hopes of a top-eight Europa League group phase finish a big lift. Utrecht substitute Mike van der Hoorn’s header cancelled out Arnaud Kalimuendo’s second half opener for Forest before Igor Jesus stepped off the bench to fire the visitors’ late winner. Forest bounced back from last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Everton to clinch their first win on the road in Europe since 1995 and their third in this season’s competition to move on to 11 points after six matches. “We dominated the early

The English winger said: “Everybody knows everybody and knows how each other plays. The most important thing in football is connections and building links all around the pitch and getting the best out of each other. Everybody knows their game and what the others can bring to the team. “You can see the mentality of the team we have. Everybody is ready to push to the final whistle and give their all in every game. In training we work hard; we work our socks off. And it proves it when we win games like that.”– The Independent

Dyche, who has taken seven points from three Europa League games since replacing Ange Postecoglou in October, added: “We started very, very well with the ball, had a real control of it, had two or three chances and could have been one or two up. “Then they came back into it, tested our keeper a couple of times, used the energy of their crowd, got the ball forward and asked questions.” Callum Hudson-Odoi made light of the nine changes Dyche made at Stadion Galgenwaard after Saturday’s defeat against the manager’s former club.

periods of the second half. We conceded from a free-kick. But then the reaction was fantastic, with the subs coming onto the pitch and affecting the game,” Dyche told uefa.com . “And of course Igor getting a goal, and I’m very pleased for Kali too. Overall, we were worthy of the win.” Forest made an impressive start to the first competitive meeting between the two teams, but spurned several first-half chances before allowing Utrecht, backed by a partisan home crowd, to gain a foothold in the game.

Ű BY CHRIS WILSON

LIVE R POOL’ S Mohamed Salah has thrown his future into doubt after an explosive rant in which he spoke of a breakdown in his relationship with Arne Slot while accusing the club of throwing him under the bus. The forward has been the subject of interest from abroad, and would surely still have suitors. Here are five possible options that Liverpool could look to replace Salah with if they do move on. Antoine S emenyo One name that has consistently been linked to Anfield is Antoine Semenyo, with the Bournemouth man having emerged as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards over the last season or so. Despite Liverpool’s large summer spending on attackers, reports have continued to link the Ghanaian with a move to the Reds, with suggestions that the forward has a £65m (RM377m) release clause that is active in January. Semenyo has proven himself capable of playing on either wing and providing threat from both sides, and with six goals and three assists in the Premier League already this season, he may be the best option for replacing the attacking contribution previously offered by Salah. Michael Olise Bayern Munich forward Michael Olise has established himself as one of the finest wingers in Europe, with the Frenchman having notched up 29 goals and 36 assists since arriving in Bavaria from Crystal Palace. Olise is likely to emerge as a target for any top club targeting a winger, with rumours recently linking him with a move to Manchester City and Arsenal as well as Liverpool. While it is not known for sure what sort of price Bayern would demand – and they may not even be willing to consider the move – his previous Premier League pedigree would be seen as a huge positive, if Liverpool are willing to pay another large fee. Anthony Gordon Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon is an interesting option for Liverpool, not least because he was previously a target for the Reds as recently as the summer of 2024. A much-publicised pursuit of the England man saw Liverpool turn down a part exchange deal also featuring Jarell Quansah, and Gordon subsequently signed a new contract at St. James’ Park. Liverpool never re-ignited their interest for the boyhood Reds fan last summer though – perhaps due to that new contract – and while Gordon fits the bill for the type of winger who has succeeded at Anfield in recent years, is likely that Newcastle would demand a vast sum for the 24-year-old. Yan Diomande At the opposite end of the spectrum to Olise or Gordon, Liverpool could choose to go for an as-yet unproven talent as their next wing option. RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande only joined the club earlier this year but he has a developing reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting up-and-coming forward talents, with the 19-year-old’s recent hattrick against Eintracht Frankfurt showing an impressive range of finishing and attacking prowess. While a promising talent who could be available for far less than other wing options, it feels unlikely that Liverpool would directly replace someone as important as Salah with a youngster who has featured for Leipzig just 15 times since joining. Hugo Ekitike & Cody Gakpo Could the answer to the replacement question already be sitting in the Liverpool squad? Recent matches have seen Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai feature on the right for the Reds, with each scoring in respective games against West Ham and Leeds. Summer signing Hugo Ekitike could arguably feature there despite previously playing mainly as a striker and occasionally on the left. While none of those three options feels like a longer-term solution on the right, it could well be enough to help Slot deal with the problem until the summer if Salah does indeed depart Anfield sooner rather than later. The Independent

Villans impress Emery Tielemans cames off bench to hit winner as Aston Villa show desire for victory

Ű BY SUNNY BADWAL

A STON VILLA boss Unai Emery was impressed with the way his side fought to earn a crucial 2-1 win at Basel in the Europa League. Evann Guessand netted his second goal of the European campaign to put Villa in front but the hosts fought back and saw Leo Leroy’s effort ruled out for offside before Flavius Daniliuc got them on level terms a few moments later. Youri Tielemans came on for Matty Cash at the start of the second half and fired Villa in front once against eight minutes later which was enough to earn Emery’s side their eighth straight win in all competitions. Victory for Villa ensured them of a playoff spot and they are three points clear in the automatic qualification places with two games to go. Emery knew the match was not going to be easy against a side that had won seven Europa League games at home on the bounce. “We knew before the match the difficulties we were facing. After we did the last match, a lot of words after our victory against Arsenal it is not easy to recover, the structure in our mentality to keep the same hard work we did,” he told TNT Sport . “We struggled today and the last 10 minutes they were close to draw but I am happy how we played more or less 90 minutes and how we got this victory. I know it’s difficult to beat them here because the last seven matches they were winning. “Our idea when we started the season was try to manage every player, giving them chances to play, help us, use them feeling comfortable in our structure and how we

Villa’s Morgan Rogers (centre)

battles Basel’s Koba Koindredi (right) in yesterday’s Europa League at St. Jakob-Park. – AFPPIC

could see in our game it wasn’t as fluent as we could have been. We could have done better in certain phases but to go home with a win is really good,” he said. “The space was there for me to shoot at the first post so I tried to place it and keep it as low as possible. The first goal they conceded it was on that side so I thought if I hit it that side it would help because he had an injury I saw. “Where we are now is very good. We have two more games to go, away at Fenerbahce and home to Salzburg. “It’s going to be difficult but we want to win both and see were we are at.” – The Independent

are managing it. I like how they are responding and how we are building the players in our structure. “Today the last 15 minutes they were pushing a lot and fighting in the duels and we needed our players fighting like they did.” Tielemans had a disruptive start to the season with a calf injury but was able to come off the bench and open his account for the season following a string of high quality performances on his return. The 28-year-old admits the performance was not the best but three points was the most important thing. “The pitch was not the best and you

Palace hammer Shelbourne to boost Conference League bid I N -FO R M Crystal Palace eased past Shelbourne 3-0 yesterday to maintain their chances of an automatic qualifying spot for the Conference League last 16. Christantus Uche, Eddie “We have faced this a few times together, and we were always struggling in creating many chances. Today, I think it was the best performance against the team that defended deeper.” “We were efficient. Even with a team who wants to show up, and I think we played well in the first half.” With leading forward Jean one swallow doesn’t make a summer. It is up to him,” Glasner said. “We need every single one,

maybe for three minutes, maybe for 90 like it was today, and then you have to be ready to help the team win the games. That is what we are here for. “And it is always to go out to every single one, and not playing for himself, always playing for a team and doing your job.” Irish outfit Shelbourne are third from bottom in the table after taking just one point from five matches. – AFP/Agencies

Philippe Mateta rested, Uche made the most of his opportunity, scoring a first goal since his season-long loan move from Getafe. Uche has not been selected for the final Nigeria squad at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, so the 22-year-old could be given more chances to stake his claim for a regular place in Glasner’s side over the hectic Christmas schedule. “It is a nice German quote –

Nketiah and Yeremy Pino scored in Dublin to send Palace to within a point of eighth-placed Mainz. Palace end their league phase campaign by welcoming Finnish side KuPS next Thursday. “Credit to the players and the team for their attitude,” Palace coach Oliver Glasner told TNT Sports .

these three chances (that we scored in the first half), we missed two or three more and it was really nice to watch. “At half-time we spoke about it, to keep the pace high, the intensity high, and so that is how we how we wanted to play. “The pitch wasn’t really in the best condition, playing against