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Liverpool are operating at a level most teams can only dream of, leading both the Champions League and Premier League. They strengthened their grip on the title race with a commanding 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town. Now sitting six points clear of second-place Arsenal with a game in hand, the Reds appear well-positioned to secure silverware this season.
The Coach was delighted to see Szoboszlai on the scoresheet, with Liverpool’s win at Anfield serving as another clear reminder of why they are favourites to win the Premier League this season given the strength of their squad. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been one of the standout performers, and former Liverpool star Michael Owen was amazed by a moment of brilliance from the England international during the match against Ipswich.
Michael Owen hails TAA ‘Unique’ after Gakpo assist
Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Scouser born and raised in Liverpool, can be said to have dedicated his entire career yet in Anfield, winning every major club trophy and now worked his way up to the role of vice-captain. Despite the unwavering loyalty, there are ongoing concerns about his long-term future with the club no updates have emerged regarding his contract extension.
During a segment on Premier League Productions, Michael Owen praised the Right-Back for his assist on Cody Gakpo’s goal, which brought the score to 4-0 for the Reds. Owen referred to him as a one-of-a-kind talent, emphasizing that there is no one else in his position quite like him anywhere in the world.
While analysing the assist for Cody Gakpo, Wright-Phillips praised the delivery, calling it a striker’s dream. He emphasised that as soon as Alexander-Arnold gets the ball out of his feet, it’s clear exactly where it’s going to land.
Incredible cross
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 25, 2025
Placed header
Gakpo with his second of the afternoon during #LIVIPS pic.twitter.com/ts0Dft2ZzY
With 108 goal contributions in 340 appearances as a right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold has firmly established himself as a modern legend. As pundits continue to praise the Scouser’s exceptional talent, his path to greatness seems undeniable.
While the assist showcased Trent’s exceptional passing ability, a rarity in modern football, his unresolved contract situation remains a lingering concern for the Reds.
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Gyokeres move to Arsenal is linked to a shooting incident
Arsenal’s high-profile acquisition of Viktor Gyökeres has been linked to an alarming off-field incident involving a shooting. The transfer was a significant financial deal, and, as is common in such moves, various intermediaries and agents were involved, each receiving a share of the fees generated. Gyökeres has been brought in to add goals to Arsenal’s attack, with the club hopeful he will meet the high expectations surrounding his arrival. However, the move has been overshadowed by troubling reports connected to one of the agents involved. Incident Linked to Transfer Payments According to ETC, the relative of an agent who helped facilitate the Gyökeres deal became a target for robbery after allegedly boasting about his family connection to the transfer. It is reported that the individual also claimed to have received a portion of the money linked to the deal. This public admission is believed to have drawn the attention of would-be thieves. The report states that the individual was subsequently tracked by the suspects, leading to a shooting incident as they attempted to rob him. While initial indications suggest there were no casualties, the incident prompted a police response and is now the subject of an active investigation. The nature of the attack and its direct connection to the financial aspects of the transfer have raised concerns about the risks surrounding large-scale football transactions. Focus Returns to Football Despite the seriousness of the situation, the priority for Arsenal on the pitch remains ensuring Gyökeres integrates quickly and delivers the performances expected of him. Transfers of this scale are intended to elevate the team’s competitiveness, and the hope will be that off-field events do not distract from the club’s objectives. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and while no severe injuries have been reported, the incident serves as a stark reminder of how the financial rewards in top-level football can sometimes attract unwanted and dangerous attention. For now, Arsenal will be eager to draw focus back to matters on the pitch, with Gyökeres’ success seen as a crucial factor in their campaign ahead. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Tennessee's groundbreaking Adidas deal a game-changer for college sports in NIL era
The Tennessee Volunteers are going back to Adidas as its primary apparel provider after a decade of wearing the Nike swoosh. On Wednesday, Adidas announced a $100M, 10-year deal to be the exclusive apparel provider for the school's sports teams. The deal is set to begin on July 1, 2026, following the expiration of the current agreement with Nike. On the surface, it's just another apparel deal between two popular brands, but in the era of NIL (name, image and likeness) in college sports, it's a game-changing agreement. As part of the agreement, Adidas will establish a fund for NIL deals between the University of Tennessee and student-athletes. The German-based company will provide Tennessee with at least $10 million annually for the NIL deals, which, as of now, is about half of the $20.5 million that schools participating in the revenue-sharing model are allowed to give directly to student-athletes. That figure will almost assuredly increase with each passing year, meaning both current and future Tennessee Volunteers will benefit directly from this deal. Adidas will aim to make top student-athletes brand ambassadors by giving them national marketing campaigns and signature shoe lines. With NIL deals becoming a centerpiece of how college athletic departments attract top recruits, this deal is a bellwether for how apparel deals will be renegotiated across the world of college sports. Of course, at the center of this deal is football, as it remains the most popular sport in the country. According to The Athletic, the Volunteers' football program is estimated to be valued at $1.37B, the ninth-highest valuation in college football. It's only natural, then, that Adidas wants to get its logo back on Tennessee football jerseys. Adidas sponsored the team for 20 years before the university switched to Nike in 2014. While some fans were hoping Tennessee would re-up their partnership with Nike, fans who remember the 1998 National Championship team will probably feel good seeing the Adidas logo on the jersey again. Adidas also sweetened the deal by providing assurances that Tennessee athletics can design its apparel in-house, in collaboration with the company. Aside from nostalgia and big business, Tennessee and Adidas both know that for the school to remain one of the top programs in the country, they'll need star recruits. Before the ascendance of NIL deals, recruiting top talent was a mix of promising top-of-the-line facilities and flaunting the pedigree of the program. NIL money has changed that equation and already impacted Tennessee. In April, star quarterback Nico Iamaleava shocked the school by not reporting to spring practice and transferring to UCLA. Reports suggested part of the disagreements between Iamaleava and the school was over his NIL deal. How Iamaleava plays this season will make Tennessee wonder if it should've allocated more NIL money to keeping him happy. If that's the case, it's safe to wonder if Tennessee will tap into this deal as much as possible to keep future stars away from the transfer portal. This deal with Adidas certainly opens new doors for athletes to maximize their branding and will test the NIL distribution system over the next decade. Expect these types of deals to become the norm, too, as universities seek every competitive advantage against one another.
Green Bay Packers: Tucker Kraft Highlights Glaring Issue Amid Jordan Love’s Absence
The Green Bay Packers got to practice with the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, with many players missing on Matt LaFleur’s side due to injuries. As such, several younger players got to see more action on the field, and while Green Bay had success here and there, the first-team offense, without Jordan Love, reportedly struggled finding its rhythm. For tight end Tucker Kraft, the issues can be attributed to “youth” and lack of experience as a whole. “Some of our youth showed a lot,” Kraft said, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “When we’re out there, the importance is knowing what to do and doing it at a really fast speed at a very consistent level, so our youth showed a little bit in some instances with the injuries that we have on our depth chart.” Still, Kraft is looking forward to the “young guys” making better things happen in the next session with the Colts, whom they will also be facing in a preseason game on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. “You get these young guys in a situation where they might not be as confident in themselves as far as the textbook goes,” Kraft added (h/t Mike Spofford of Packers.com). “So they might not be surging off the rock, working edges, angles in the route game to the best of their ability. They got another shot with these guys, so we’ll just have to see how they do in Part 2.” Injuries have piled up for the Green Bay Packers amid NFL preseason Apart from Love, who went under the knife to repair what appears to be a minor finger issue, the Packers are also dealing with injuries to Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Xavier McKinney, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks. The hope is that at least most of them will be ready to give it a go when the Packers kick off their 2025 NFL regular season against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on September 7.
Flawed NFL arbitration process under scrutiny after Jon Gruden, Brian Flores rulings
It's a good thing for the NFL that it uses a shield as its logo, because this week, the league needed protection. The courts handed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a second defeat since Monday with a ruling in Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' anti-discrimination lawsuit against the league. On Thursday, per ESPN, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld a previous ruling in Flores' case, originally filed on Feb. 1, 2022, allowing it to proceed to trial. In a written statement, the appeals court blasted the NFL's arbitration process, which allows Goodell to make decisions unilaterally, saying "It offends basic presumptions of our arbitration jurisprudence." The judges also argued that the NFL's process equates to "arbitration in name only." It was the second time this week that Goodell's role as chief arbiter has come under scrutiny in U.S. courts. On Monday, the Nevada Supreme Court described the NFL's argument that Jon Gruden's lawsuit should be handled through arbitration led by Goodell as "unconscionable." In his original claim, Gruden alleged the NFL and Goodell leaked emails to the press, which led to his resignation as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021. The dual rulings against the league are the biggest hits its flawed arbitration process has taken. It's never made sense for the commissioner to arbitrate matters he's already decided after handing down punishments. Those situations should be left to an impartial party. Goodell was granted his unlimited authority in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, which positioned him as the NFL's judge, jury and executioner. The Gruden and Flores developments are illustrative of the fact that the league and NFLPA went too far in granting Goodell such wide-sweeping authority. The recent court rulings acknowledge the flaw in the NFL's system. That shield just added a few more dents.
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