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Tag: Goodison Park

  • Liverpool ready for last battle at Goodison Park, says Slot

    Liverpool ready for last battle at Goodison Park, says Slot

    Liverpool are ready for their 122nd  and final battle at local rival Everton’s Goodison Park, manager Arne Slot said, adding that his side are eager to bounce back from their shock FA Cup defeat by Plymouth Argyle.

    Today’s Premier League match, originally scheduled for December 7, was postponed due to Storm Darragh. Everton will bid farewell to Goodison Park, first opened in 1892, at the end of this season and move to the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

    Liverpool lead the league standings on 56 points, six ahead of second-placed Arsenal while Everton are 16th  with 26.

    “I think it’s an extra reason why the atmosphere will be even better than all the ones before. I haven’t been to one before but people tell me at Goodison Park, as at Anfield, it is always a fantastic atmosphere,” Slot told reporters.

    “I assume our players are ready for another battle tomorrow for the simple reason that they have been ready for the whole season and many of them are experienced in this tie.

    Read Also: NFF to announce new foreign coach for Super Eagles next week

    “We have to show a different side of us tomorrow because (losing at Plymouth) was not acceptable and not just that but the performance was far from what Liverpool standards are as well.”

    Liverpool were defeated 2-0 at Everton in their last trip under their former managers Juergen Klopp and Sean Dyche. David Moyes, who took over at Everton last month in his second spell in charge, has won three of his last four league matches.

    “David did incredibly well (in his first term there) but in the last few seasons, Everton were not competing for top four anymore. They are definitely in a better place than a few months ago,” Slot said.

    Everton won 1-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion and 4-0 at home against Leicester City in their last two league games. They have kept nine clean sheets in the league this season, trailing only Liverpool and Nottingham Forest (who have 10 each).

    Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been ruled out of the match, and right back Trent Alexander-Arnold is a doubt, Slot said.

    Alexander-Arnold has missed Liverpool’s last two games with a thigh injury and Gomez was forced off in the early stages of Sunday’s loss at Plymouth.

    “Trent has done parts of a training session with us yesterday, not ‘sessions’. So, let’s see how he is today. He will train, hopefully, with us again and we will decide if we can take him to the game,” Slot said.

  • BREAKING! Everton ready to dole out N13.2billion for Alex Iwobi

     

    Will Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi be interested in moving over to Goodison Park, and will Arsenal indeed be ready to let go of their boyhood player? That is debate among teeming Gunners fans after Everton tabled £30million (about (N13.2billion) , for his services.

    Everton who finished 8th on the log last season are desirous of fighting for a place in the top four and reportedly believe that the Nigeria international who was impressive at the last Nations cup in Egypt despite Super Eagles’ third place finish can help them achieve the dream.

    The Marco Silva tutored side have prior to this time been pursuing Ivorian

    international and Crystal Palace ace Wilfred Zaha but received a capital no from Palace who are not interested in losing any of their star players ahead of the new season, forcing The Toffees to shift attention to Iwobi.

    Iwobi netted six goals last season and provided nine assists and there is no indication that the Gunners are not enjoying his contributions.

    The Emirate landlords have never at any time indicated that they are ready to show escort their man to the exit door but some fans worry that the cash on the table may force a reconsideration especially with Arsenal coach Unai Emery reportedly seeking funds  to  beef up in defence.

    No official response has been dished out by the Gunners neither has 23 year old Iwobi who is successfully flying what could pass for a family flag in football  after the exploits of his uncle and former Nigeria midfield maestro Jay jay Okocha reacted to the development.

    Some fans who reacted following the news break say it will pay the Nigerian to remain at Arsenal in their own words “With a club that is sure to play either in Europa or Champions league every year and not one that has taken permanent position in the middle of the log”

  • Liverpool face anxious wait over Salah injury

    Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has assured club manager Juergen Klopp he’s “all fine, all good’’ after picking up an injury during the club’s UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday.

    But Klopp admits he is concerned over the fitness of his leading goalscorer after he limped off seven minutes after the interval at Anfield on Wednesday.

    This was after the Egyptian had scored the opening goal in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s side in the first leg of the quarter-final.

    Klopp confirmed the 25-year-old, who has scored 38 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this season, will be assessed in the coming days.

    Read Also: Liverpool stun Manchester City with 3-0 win at Anfield

    This is ahead of their English Premier League clash against local rivals Everton at Goodison Park.

    “About Mo, I don’t know at the moment,” Klopp told reporters. “He came to the sideline and said he feels sometimes, something. That was enough for me to not even ask the doctor how he was. So, we immediately took him off the pitch.

    “After the game I asked him and he said, ‘I will be good, it will be fine’. But now we have to wait for the real diagnosis, not Mo’s self-diagnosis.”

    Liverpool will defend their three-goal advantage against Manchester City in the return leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

    NAN

  • Rooney takes Everton No. 10 shirt from Lukaku

    Rooney takes Everton No. 10 shirt from Lukaku

    Everton have confirmed Wayne Rooney will take up the No. 10 shirt from Romelu Lukaku, having made way for the Belgian at Manchester United.

    Rooney’s return to Goodison Park on a two-year deal was confirmed on Sunday and the former united captain was presented with his new shirt by Ronald Koeman on Monday.

    Having worn No. 10 for a decade at Old Trafford, Rooney will do so again at Goodison Park, having previously worn the No. 18 when he burst onto the scene with the Toffees.

    Jordan Pickford’s arrival as first-choice goalkeeper sees him take the No. 1 shirt from Joel Robles, while new signings Michael Keane and Davy Klaassen will wear No. 4 and No. 20 respectively.

    There will be a sense of tradition in attack under Koeman next term, with Sandro Ramirez given the No. 9 shirt after joining from Malaga.

  • Swansea to Everton: Table £50m for Sigurdsson

    Swansea to Everton: Table £50m for Sigurdsson

     

    Swansea are yet to receive any official approaches from Everton and are frustrated by reports that the Merseyside club are about to launch a second bid of £35m.

    After landing Wayne Rooney, their sixth signing of the summer so far, Everton are looking at a further three acquisitions, with the Iceland international understood to be top of that list.

    Swansea are desperate to keep their player of the year and are frustrated by reports they feel are being used to unsettle him.

    Swansea will not let Sigurdsson go on the cheap with one source close to the Swansea board telling Sky Sports News HQ: “Swansea will not be pushed around and are not looking to sell.

    “They have a figure in mind that they feel represents Sigurdsson’s worth in the market and if nobody reaches that they are very comfortable about keeping him.”

    Sigurdsson scored nine goals and provided 13 assists last season as Swansea retained their Premier League status.

    In comparison to Sigurdsson, Everton midfielder Ross Barkley registered just three goals with six assists, while

    Kevin Mirallas scored just three goals with two assists.

    Sigurdsson was third overall in the Premier League in terms of goals and assists, behind only Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Eriksen.

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    He was also the only player from a team in the bottom half of the Premier League who had more than 20 goals and assists.

    In May, Swansea’s co-owner Steve Kaplan said: “We all know how important Gylfi is, just as he knows how much he’s valued and loved here.

    “There’s been interest in him before – there were some pretty big enquiries about him last summer and in the January window – but we didn’t want to sell him then and we don’t want to sell him now.

    “And neither do we need to sell him. He has three years on his contract and he’s part of our plans going forward under Paul Clement.

    “Our aims are to make sure that we build on the successful end to the season and that doesn’t include selling our best players.”

    Meanwhile Everton returnee Wayne Rooney hit Finch Farm on Monday morning for his first day of pre-season training following his move from Manchester United.

    The 31-year-old, who will wear the No 10 jersey for his second stint at Goodison Park, greeted his new team-mates before taking part in a training session with the rest of the squad.

    The forward will be unveiled to the media at a press conference at 3pm, which you can watch live on Sky Sports News HQ or follow it on our live blog on SkySports.com and the Sky Sports mobile app.

    Rooney made his Everton debut in 2002 at the age of 16, making his mark with a winning goal against Arsenal, and went onto play 77 games.

    After being signed by Sir Alex Ferguson, he won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United and was named club captain in 2014.

    He made 559 appearances and broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal-scoring record with 253 goals.

  • Everton announce £5.25m signing of Sandro Ramirez

    Everton announce £5.25m signing of Sandro Ramirez

     

    Everton have officially confirmed the signing of Spanish striker Sandro Ramirez from La Liga outfit Malaga.

    The 21-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Toffees and arrives amid a flurry of transfer activity at Goodison Park.

    The Toffees are believed to have met the 21-year-old’s buy-out clause of £5.25m and unveiled the player via their official website and social media channels on Monday.

    To mark the signing Everton released a short video titled ‘It’s that time again,’ in which the camera could be seen panning across the club’s Finch Farm training base before making a journey over to Sandro.

    Speaking to the club website upon signing his contract, Sandro said: ‘I’m very happy, this is a big step in my career.

    ‘I know I’m signing for a massive club in England. Everton is the ideal place for me, I’ve got the ideal manager who is going to keep giving me the confidence to improve my game.

    ‘I cannot wait to wear the blue shirt in front of the Everton fans at Goodison Park. It’s a big jump in my career coming to the Premier League and for a club like Everton which is really on the up.

    ‘They have got big plans and want to succeed and keep developing. I’m hoping I can get to know my teammates as soon as possible, and want to adapt to the football and the way of life in the city,’ he added.

    Sandro will now join Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen and Henry Onyekuru as summer  newcomers at Goodison Park.

    The spending isn’t expected to stop there for the Toffees however, with a £25m move for Burnley defender and England international Michael Keane in the final stages of completion.

    Everton have also been strongly linked with a move for their former golden boy Wayne Rooney, who looks set to leave Manchester United this summer.

     

     

     

     

  • Everton fan lists Lukaku for sale for just £85

    Everton fan lists Lukaku for sale for just £85

     

    Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has made a habit of dividing opinion among the Goodison Park faithful and one supporter appears to have finally run out of patience with the wantaway star.

    Lukaku has irked fans after refusing to commit his future to the club and has made no secret of his desire to leave Everton during the summer window, after scoring 26 goals in 39 games last season.

    Lukaku’s former club Chelsea are thought to be weighing up a move for the Belgium international, although Everton have slapped a £100million price-tag on the striker.

    However, one unhappy Toffees supporters is seemingly willing to allow Lukaku leave Goodison Park for a significantly smaller fee – just £85.

    The fan voiced his frustration at Lukaku’s lack of loyalty in the form of advert, placed in the second-hand section of a local newspaper, the Liverpool Echo.

    The advert read: ‘ROMELU LUKAKU. Top class player unwanted at Everton. Very good price. International!!!

    ‘£85 @ Everton or call Uncle Bill, or Fahrad Moshiri will also take the call.’

    It is likely the fan was referring to club chairman Bill Kenwright, as well as Everton’s majority investor, Farhad Moshiri.

    While the Toffees could end up losing Lukaku this summer, they have moved swiftly to bring in a number of new faces as Ronald Koeman look to build a squad capable of challenging for the Champions League places.

    Jordan Pickford and Davy Klaassen have already arrived in big-money moves, while Nathangelo Markelo and Henry Onyekuru have also joined the club.