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Liverpool are one of the two best teams in European football right now, having built up a rather commanding lead at the top of the Premier League table as they get prepared to exit the November international break. The Reds have not missed a beat without Jurgen Klopp. Far from it. In fact, as Klopp may have predicted when he noted that his time had come to move on so that the club could progress, Liverpool have looked significantly better under the tactical innovation of Arne Slot. He's proven that he is an elite coach in world football already, and for those fans who clamored for Xabi Alonso or Ruben Amorim, there are certainly no regrets about the Slot decision now. Slot deserves credit for helping several key players at Liverpool show their true levels, as the left winger duo o...

Juventus may sit sixth in the table, but they are just two points behind Serie A leaders Napoli in what has become the most wide open title race in the Italian top flight in ages. Defending champions Inter Milan are still seen as the de facto favorites after running away with the Scudetto last season by nearly 20 points, but Juventus are just as much in the hunt as the Nerazzurri to finally win the crown after going nearly five years without a title they used to be guaranteed to win every season for a decade. Juventus have improved their attack under new manager Thiago Motta, but their real calling card coming into the season was a steady defense bookended by the center back trio of Danilo, Federico Gatti, and, of course, former Serie A Defender of the Year Gleison Bremer. Injurie...

Manchester United attacker Alejandro Garnacho is one of the gems of the squad and someone whom incoming manager Ruben Amorim should undoubtedly want to build his team around. In Garnacho, Amad Diallo, and Rasmus Hojlund, there is a great deal of hope in the future at Old Trafford, and despite the fact that Man United are in the bottom half of the Premier League table after more disastrous coaching from Erik ten Hag, the witch is gone. Moreover, Garnacho and friends have given Manchester United fans plenty to be happy about this season, with the 20-year-old already providing seven goals and four assists in all competitions in just his second season as a regular starter at the club. Yet Garnacho hasn't felt welcomed by all sections of the fanbase, and while captain Bruno Fernandes d...

Although the conclusion itself comes as absolutely no surprise, the resolution of the Paul Pogba saga at Juventus is noteworthy in both the peace it brings and in the utility it will provide the Bianconeri going forward. Pogba signed with Juventus in 2022 with plenty of optimism in the air, as he was a low-risk free agent signing from Manchester United. The more romantic Juventini had hoped a return to Turin would bring the best out of Pogba, who looked, in glimpses for the French national team, like the world-class superstar he was at the beginning of his career. But the 2018 World Cup winner barely played for Juventus. Injuries, once again, hobbled the center midfielder, and it seemed as though only minutes after he would return, another soft-tissue ailment would claim the increasi...

The two best teams in the FA WSL after seven (or six, in the Blues' case) league matches played will square off on Saturday with the whole world watching, as Manchester City and Chelsea Women are set to do battle in a match that could very well be seen as a title-decider when the season closes. Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor is already hyping up this weekend's bout as such, and he absolutely should. Chelsea have been a powerhouse in women's football for years under Emma Hayes and now have another legendary manager at the helm in Sonia Bompastor. Both squads are littered with stars - new and old - and both are the top two teams in the league, with Chelsea only a point behind by virtue of the fact that they have played one fewer game than the Citizens. Let's take a closer loo...

Tottenham star center back Cristian Romero has been hampered by injuries recently. The Argentinian international suffered a right foot injury at the beginning of the month about an hour into a 4-1 blowout win over Aston Villa. Romero was able to return against Ipswich Town, so his second injury in the calendar year 2024 was even briefer than the first - a hamstring ailment that cost the 26-year-old three matches. Nobody would call Romero an injury prone player, as his most extensive absences have been due to the usual soft issue stuff in this era of overplaying, specifically hamstring injuries that take him out of action for a couple of games here and there. So while Tottenham clearly don't have to treat Romero with the kid gloves, they should approach his latest injury with cauti...

Liverpool have the best winger duo in world football right now between Mohamed Salah, the best player in the Premier League, and left winger Luis Diaz, who has returned his world-class form under new manager Arne Slot. And even when Diaz isn't starting, Liverpool still arguably have the best partnership on the wings in European football because 1) Salah is that good and 2) Cody Gakpo is also having an outstanding breakout 2024, further improved by the appointment of Slot as manager. Yet in the middle of the wingers, Liverpool have a question mark in their front three, as neither Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez have been able to force the issue of who is the true heir to Liverpool legend Roberto Firmino. Both players have their strengths, as Jota is highly intelligent off the ball and ...