Barcelona sporting director Deco has denied Jorge Mendes' claims that Lamine Yamal's renewal discussions took place during a recent meeting in Lisbon.

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• Conflicting claims over Yamal's new deal
• Mendes says talks were held in Lisbon
• Teenager is tied to Catalans until 2026

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Yamal's future at Barcelona has been a hot topic in recent weeks, with his agent Mendes revealing on Tuesday that he held talks with the club's hierarchy over the youngster's long-term future. Barca's sporting director Deco, however, refuted those claims and added that Yamal's contract situation wasn't one of the items discussed during their meeting in Lisbon earlier this week.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal signed his first professional contract with Barcelona in 2023, aged just 16. The contract could be signed only until 2026, given that he was under the age of 18. While Deco's claims could leave fans worried, the Catalans will, in all likelihood, tie the Spain international down to a new long-term contract during or before the summer.

• WHAT DECO SAID

  “Yesterday at dinner we didn’t talk about Lamine’s renewal," Deco confirmed at the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday (h/t Football Espana). "We are not going to talk about a renewal of Lamine with 20 people at the table. We will talk when it is time. He doesn’t have a better place to be. He enjoys himself and is happy and content.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

  Yamal has already reiterated his desire to mark an era at Camp Nou, which means that a departure from the Blaugrana seems improbable, at least for now. After featuring for 55 minutes against Benfica in the Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash on Wednesday, the 17-year-old will be eager to make his mark when Barca face Osasuna on Saturday.

West Ham United shared the spoils with Everton on Saturday afternoon, drawing 0-0 at the London Stadium in their 11th Premier League game of the season.

The Hammers held slightly less of the ball (49% possession), created two “big chances” and generated just 0.83 xG from 11 shots. Everton had 51% possession, and despite not creating any big chances, their 18 shots taken in the game generated 1.11xG.

This result leaves West Ham in 14th place in the Premier League, with just 12 points after 11 games played. And if they want to start climbing the table, they are going to need a few of their key stars to take it up a notch. That includes Jarrod Bowen.

Jarrod Bowen's form this season

New club captain, Bowen, has made 13 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring four goals, providing two assists, and totaling 1,137 minutes played.

Despite this not being a bad return, the 27-year-old is at the pinnacle of many West Ham attacks, and if he can finally produce a run of red-hot form, it would go a long way towards dragging the Irons out of their rut.

The metrics analysed above from Bowen’s 2023/24 campaign, and the start of the 2024/25 campaign, show that Lopetegui has tasked him with more playmaking duties, with huge progressive metric increases, but a lower shot volume, and output ratio.

As a result, it’s actually been bad news for his overall output, specifically when it comes to goal involvements per 90 minutes.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

So, getting a tune out of the winger will certainly be important but he’s not the only person in this Hammers squad capable of producing the goods to potentially keep their current manager in the London Stadium hot seat.

The man to help save Lopetegui's job

Lopetegui seems to have turned to Lukasz Fabianski to Alphonse Areola between the sticks. The 39-year-old has made six appearances this season, conceding ten goals and keeping two clean sheets so far.

Areola was signed on loan in 2021 by the Hammers and then completed a permanent move from PSG to West Ham for a fee of around £7.75m.

The Frenchman found himself the Hammers number one between the sticks, with Fabianski taking up more of a backup role, playing in cup competitions, whilst Areola started Premier League games.

But Lopetegui has reinstated the veteran in a bid to save his job. The Polish shot-stopper has made 205 appearances for the club, conceding 272 goals and keeping 53 clean sheets.

Fabianski started the game against Everton, making four big saves inside his box, also making two high claims in the game, and stopping 0.53 of Everton’s xG.

Whilst his passing accuracy wasn’t great, making just 11/22 passes (50% completion), and only five of his 16 long balls attempts, the shot stopping was key to keeping a clean sheet and earning the Hammers a crucial point.

Whether the former Arsenal and Swansea man keeps his spot in the long term remains to be seen, but he could just provide the leadership and reliability needed to keep a few more clean sheets and relieve the pressure on his manager’s job.

Fewer touches than Fabianski: Lopetegui must now axe 5/10 West Ham star

West Ham United had to settle for a draw during their Premier League clash against Everton

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By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 9, 2024

Mohamed Salah recorded a worst-ever Liverpool stat in the Carabao Cup final as the Reds were downed by Newcastle United.

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• Salah's nightmare outing against Newcastle
• Recorded worst-ever Liverpool stat in Carabao Cup final
• Magpies ended 70-year trophy drought

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool failed to win their first silverware of the 2024-25 campaign on Sunday as were defeated 2-1 by Newcastle at Wembley. Dan Burn and Alexander Isak were on target as the Magpies ended their 70-year trophy drought. The match turned out to be a nightmare for Reds star Salah, who neither attempted a shot nor created a chance in the entire 90 minutes. This was the first time in his Reds career that the Egyptian drew a blank on both fronts.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Merseyside club, who were dreaming of winning three titles this season until the start of last week, suffered back-to-back heartbreaks at Anfield and Wembley. Last Tuesday, Arne Slot's side crashed out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties and then went down 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final. The club, however, remain firm favourites to win the Premier League title for a record-equalling 20 times as they continue to enjoy a healthy 12-point lead at the summit.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  After consecutive losses against PSG and Newcastle, questions have been raised over the Liverpool players' fitness, however, Slot has batted away that scepticism as he believed the defeat on Sunday had nothing to do with stamina.

• WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Slot will enjoy a much-needed break during the international break to recover from the double blow. His team will be back in action on April 2 as they take on arch-rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby.

Leeds United have had mixed success with loan signings from the Premier League over the years, which was perfectly illustrated in the 2023/24 campaign.

Whilst Joe Rodon started 42 Championship matches and then joined on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur, Jaidon Anthony started two of his 32 appearances and went straight back to Bournemouth.

This season, Daniel Farke swooped to bring in Manor Solomon and Joe Rothwell on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth respectively.

Solomon joined on loan from the Premier League in the summer and is in danger of going the way of Anthony’s loan, as he has struggled to produce much in a Whites jersey thus far.

Manor Solomon's form this season

The Israel international came in from the top-flight with a degree of expectation from supporters, as he had scored four goals in 19 league games for Fulham and provided two assists in five matches for Spurs.

However, Solomon has not been able to step up and show off the quality that allowed him to produce in the Premier League for the Cottagers and the Lilywhites, albeit he is still in the early stages of his career in Yorkshire.

The 25-year-old forward made a promising start to life at the club with a fantastic assist on his debut against Hull, bursting down the left flank before producing a great cross for Mateo Joseph to find the back of the net.

Since that match, however, the Tottenham loanee has struggled badly and failed to nail down a starting berth in the team on a regular basis in the second tier.

As you can see in the table above, the former Fulham star has only started two of his seven appearances since his debut and is yet to contribute with anything meaningful at the top end of the pitch.

Leeds and Farke will now be hoping that he can turn his fortunes around and go on to be a success before the end of his loan, but there are plenty of examples of loanees who were never able or never got the chance to do that.

The tale of Solomon and Antony has been a familiar one for those at Elland Road, with another former Premier League loanee having struggled in West Yorkshire…

Leeds' Premier League loan flop

Another example of a flop from the top-flight is centre-forward Eddie Nketiah, who joined on a temporary basis from Arsenal at the start of the 2019/20 campaign and was the original Solomon.

The England U21 international, who scored 16 goals in 17 games at that level, joined to bolster Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking options but was unable to oust Patrick Bamford from the starting line-up at Championship level.

That was despite being compared to Arsenal and Premier League legend Thierry Henry by pundit Noel Whelan, who said that the Gunners youngster liked to operate in a ‘Henry role’, drifting out to the left to come inside on his right foot.

In 19 appearances across the second tier and the EFL Cup during the 2019/20 campaign, Nketiah scored five goals and missed six ‘big chances’, whilst starting just two of his 17 outings in the Championship.

That was not exactly befitting of a comparison with Henry, who scored 228 goals in 377 matches in all competitions during his time with Arsenal, as he failed to nail down a regular place in the team to score week-in-week-out.

He was incredibly clinical in comparison to Bamford, who missed a whopping 33 ‘big chances’ and scored 16 goals in the Championship that term. However, that was not enough to convince Bielsa to start him over the former Chelsea man.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Arsenal then decided to recall him from his loan at Elland Road in January 2020, possibly due to his lack of game time, and this meant that the Whites never got to see the best of the young marksman.

After being compared to Henry in the early stages of his loan, due to the Arsenal connection, his style of play, and prolific scoring rate at youth level, the forward simply flopped and did not make a success of his time at the club.

Eddie Nketiah's soaring market value

At the time of his spell with Leeds, Transfermarkt valued Nketiah at €8m (£6.6m) and that value has soared in the four years since his time in the second tier.

After a return of 38 goals and seven assists in 168 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions, including five goals in 27 Premier League games last term, the 25-year-old forward completed a permanent exit from The Emirates this year.

Crystal Palace swooped in to sign the striker in a deal reported to be worth up to £30m and this means that he is currently worth 354% more than he was at Elland Road (£6.6m).

Nketiah, who Athletic Development Club director Chris Varnavas described as being “on another level” as an athlete, has not enjoyed the best start to life at Selhurst Park, though.

As you can see in the table above, the one-time England international has failed to contribute with a goal or an assist in six starts in the Premier League for his new club.

His only goal for Palace so far came against Championship side Queens Park Rangers in the EFL Cup in September, and the Eagles will surely be hoping that there is far more to come from their £30m signing throughout the remainder of the campaign.

Better than Joseph: Leeds missed out on a "world-class" star in the making

Leeds United were once interested in a deal to sign the teenage sensation.

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By
Dan Emery

Nov 20, 2024

Leeds may not have seen the best of Nketiah, and had him way before his value soared, but the striker is now 25 and still searching for consistency in the final third at the top level, which suggests that it may not have been the club’s fault that he struggled to play consistently in West Yorkshire.

The Whites will now be hoping that Solomon does not return to Tottenham in January, or in the summer, and follow in the footsteps of Nketiah by going on to soar in value and thrive after a spell at Elland Road.

Liverpool are believed to be working on a deal to sign an “exceptional” youngster with a similar playing style to Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, according to a fresh transfer update.

Liverpool contract & transfer latest

The futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Salah continue to dominate the headlines at Anfield, with all three out of contract at the end of the season.

It arguably looks like Van Dijk is the most likely to extend his stay at Liverpool currently, with the 33-year-old reportedly reaching a breakthrough in talks. He was again outstanding in his side’s 2-0 win at home to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, highlighting why retaining his services is so important.

In terms of possible new signings for the Reds, Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov has been linked with a move to the club, with scouts sent to watch him in action.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s interest in Takefusa Kubo still isn’t going away, with the Real Sociedad winger potentially seen as an option to replace Salah on the right-hand side, should the Egyptian King depart in 2025.

Liverpool working on move for "explosive" ace

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Liverpool are interested in signing Gent winger Momodou Sonko, as Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes eye top young talent moving forward. The Reds are said to be “working on a deal” for the 19-year-old, who has been likened to Bukayo Saka.

The teenager is a player with so much long-term potential, scoring three goals in 24 appearances for Gent at senior level. He also bagged 22 goal contributions (14 goals and eight assists) in 44 appearances for Hacken, showing how he is already capable of producing a consistent stream of end product.

Scout/writer Jacek Kulig believes Vinicius is a better likeness than Saka for the young winger, given the pair’s quick feet, bravery and directness in one-on-one situations.

Another scout, Mateusz Belza, has also lauded the “explosive and flamboyant winger traits” that Sonko possesses, and if Liverpool could snap him up, they could solve their post-Salah right wing issue for many years to come.

9/10 Liverpool star proved he's a £100m player in the making vs City

Arne Slot’s Liverpool bulldozed past Manchester City to extend their margin to nine points at the top of the table.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 2, 2024

Ideally, their current attacking superstar will sign a new deal that keeps him at Anfield for another two or three years, allowing Sonko to come in and learn from him, maturing as a player at the same time.

The Three Lions aren't short of talented young players but the conveyor belt is showing no signs of slowing down as a new generation emerges

Being an England football fan has rarely felt so good. While the Three Lions' search for a first tournament win since 1966 goes on, the way in which Sir Gareth Southgate was able to lead a young group of players to two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final highlighted the level of talent that is now being produced by one of world football's perennial underachievers.

From Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka, England now have a core group of players who still have their best years ahead of them, and with Thomas Tuchel about to take charge of his first games since replacing Southgate, hopes are high that 50 years of hurt will be ended at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The cupboard isn't about to run dry, either. GOAL's annual countdown of the top teenage footballers in the world, NXGN, featured nine English players in 2025 – more than any other country – and there were plenty of others under consideration too.

Here, then, are the 20 best English players born on or after January 1, 2006 to keep an eye out for in future England squads…

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  Josh Acheampong (Chelsea)

  Back in late 2024, there was a very real fear around Chelsea that they were about to lose Josh Acheampong. The talented right-back was refusing to sign a new contract and with the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich circling, it felt like the departure of yet another homegrown starlet was inevitable for the big-spending Blues.

  However, it was announced in December that the 18-year-old had agreed a new long-term deal to remain at Stamford Bridge, and he has since begun forcing his way into Enzo Maresca's first-team plans while showcasing impressive versatility by slotting in at centre-back with relative ease.

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  Harrison Armstrong (Everton)

  Good news has been in short supply for Everton fans in recent years, but as the Toffees prepare to move into their new stadium at Bramley Moore with their Premier League status secured, the signs are that they will have a homegrown midfielder to build a team around over the next decade in the shape of Harrison Armstrong.

  The 17-year-old made his first-team debut for the Merseysiders at the start of the 2024-25 campaign before earning a handful of Premier League appearances under Sean Dyche. In a bid to gain further experience, Armstrong was then loaned out to Derby County in January and he is earning rave reviews after some excellent performances for the Rams as they bid to avoid relegation from the Championship.

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  Tyler Dibling (Southampton)

  Southampton almost certainly won't be sticking around in the Premier League as they edge ever closer to relegation, but at least one of the Saints' players will be remaining in the top flight, with Tyler Dibling set to be the subject of a bidding war this summer having established himself as one of the best prospects in English football.

  The 19-year-old, who briefly spent time at Chelsea in the summer of 2022 before returning to St. Mary's, has oozed confidence since becoming a regular on the south coast, while Dibling's versatility in attacking areas has also likely played a part in the likes of Tottenham and Newcastle considering moves for him, though they could yet face competition from Bayern Munich if reports are to be believed.

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  Max Dowman (Arsenal)

  Arsenal became the first team to give a Premier League debut to a 15-year-old when Ethan Nwaneri made his Gunners bow at Brentford back in 2022 and, if Mikel Arteta had his way, he likely would have followed suit in handing Max Dowman his first taste of top-flight football before he turns 16 in December.

  As it is, the attacking midfielder is being made to wait due to Premier League rules, but Dowman has already trained with Arteta's senior squad on a number of occasions having shown he can mix it with players who are years ahead of him after becoming the youngest player to ever score in the prestigious UEFA Youth League earlier this season.

Enzo Maresca may be ruling his side out of the title race, but make no mistake, his Chelsea side are very much in the mix.

Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Brentford moved them to within just two points of league leaders Liverpool in the Premier League table and the Blues are currently top of the form guide.

A huge part of their success this season has been their fluidity in attack, and they are currently the Premier League’s top scorers with an impressive 37, averaging 2.31 goals per match and failing to score in only 6% of their games.

Players such as Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernández have been earning plaudits for their displays this season. However, it seems one forward’s days could be numbered at the club, with owner Todd Boehly looking to splash the cash once again in a bid to push for honours.

Chelsea lining up Mykhaylo Mudryk replacement

Mykhaylo Mudryk has endured a difficult time since arriving at Stamford Bridge and this season the Ukrainian winger in particular has struggled for form and minutes under manager Maresca.

Mudryk has made just seven appearances for Chelsea in the league and is yet to register a goal or assist, despite scoring three times in the Conference League.

It’s only gone from bad to worse for him too, as according to Sky Sports, Mudryk has also been ‘provisionally suspended’ by the FA due to ‘an adverse finding’ in a urine sample.

It seems that Maresca and Boehly may finally be running out of patience with the winger and according to Spanish reports in recent days, Chelsea are said to be lining up Barcelona winger Raphinha as Mudryk’s replacement.

Raphinha has been in scintillating form for Barcelona this season and has been described by journalist Dougie Critchley as ‘Europe’s best player in 24/25.’

A deal for the Brazilian winger would not be easy for the Blues with Barcelona expected to demand around the £85m mark. Raphinha would certainly give Chelsea yet another attacking option and already has Premier League experience from his time with Leeds.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Raphinha would present a Mudryk upgrade

Brazilian winger Raphina has lit up La Liga and Europe this season, scoring 11 times in 18 appearances in the league and adding a further eight goal contributions in just six Champions League games.

Should Chelsea be able to strike a deal with his current club Barcelona, Raphinha would certainly present as an upgrade on current failing winger Mudryk.

Raphinha clearly leads the way in terms of goal contributions with 11 goals and six assists compared to Mudryk failing to get off the mark in either. It seems the Brazilian is more proactive in the final third too, with 94 more crosses provided and 0.9 goal-creating actions compared to the Ukranian’s 0.

Furthermore, Raphinha’s all-round game would be more refined with a higher pass completion and progressive passes metric, something that would suit Maresca’s possession-based build-up play.

If Chelsea can secure the signing of one of Europe’s most in-form players, it may just be that something extra needed to propel them to their first league title since 2017.

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Chelsea can sign their very own Gyokeres with “true monster”

By
Connor Holden

Dec 18, 2024

Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Tom Brady may soon have added competition, with Leyton Orient's takeover plan including an American football team.

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• Hollywood co-owners in North Wales
• NFL legend involved with the Blues
• Orient drawing up ambitious project

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The O’s are currently competing alongside Wrexham and Birmingham in League One. They have seen famous investors at SToK Racecourse and St Andrew’s enjoy considerable success, while attracting a global audience to EFL action.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Orient plan to jump aboard that bandwagon, with reporting that a US-based consortium are closing in on an £18 million ($23m) takeover. It has already been announced that exclusive negotiations have been opened regarding a potential change of ownership in east London.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  It is claimed that said proposal includes the option for an American football franchise to be formed, which would operate in the European League of Football. That 16-team competition does not yet include a side from Great Britain.

• TELL ME MORE

  Ambitious blueprints are being drawn up by TV executive David Gandler, a former Warner Bros executive and founder of fuboTV. Tech and sports entrepreneur Kit Hawkins, who owns a stake in the TMRW Golf League formed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, is also involved. As is Neil Leibman, an executive at the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball franchise.

Glasgow Rangers are in festive action this evening as they return to Scottish Premiership action with a trip to face St Mirren away from Ibrox.

The Gers went into Christmas Day off the back of a 1-0 win over Dundee last weekend, thanks to a goal from Vaclav Cerny, and cut the gap to Celtic at the top of the table down to nine points.

Philippe Clement will be hoping that their rivals drop more points this afternoon and open up the door for the Light Blues to win again and cut the lead further.

The Belgian head coach is set to be without a few players for this clash with St Mirren, though, with a few injury issues in the camp for the Scottish giants.

The latest Rangers transfer news

Jack Butland was a late withdrawal from the starting XI against Dundee, with Liam Kelly stepping in to keep a clean sheet, to attend the birth of his daughter and could return between the sticks for this clash.

There are three players who certainly will not be involved, however, as Neraysho Kasanwirjo, John Souttar, and Tom Lawrence are all longer-term absentees and will not be available for selection today.

Wales international Rabbi Matondo, whose last appearance came against Celtic in September, has been back in training recently but has not been named in a matchday squad, and it remains to be seen whether or not today will be the day for his return.

With these pieces of team news in mind, and the performances against Dundee last time out, here is Football FanCast’s predicted Rangers line-up to take to the field against St Mirren this evening.

Predicted Rangers XI to face St Mirren

Firstly, vice-captain Butland should return to start in goal after he only missed the 1-0 win last weekend for the birth of his daughter, with Kelly dropping back down to the bench.

With Souttar still out through injury, Clement should keep the back four that kept a clean sheet, with James Tavernier, Dujon Sterling, Robin Propper, and Jefte making up the defence in front of the former England international.

The Belgian head coach should also keep the midfield dynamic the same, as Mohamed Diomande, Nicolas Raskin, and Ianis Hagi provide a strong blend of combative play out of possession and forward-thinking, creative, play on the ball.

As you can see in the table above, Hamza Igamane struggled on the left flank last time out, missing the high-quality chances that came his way and losing possession far too often.

Clement should drop the Moroccan starlet off the back of that performance and unleash Nedim Bajrami, who Willie Miller claimed has “magnificent footwork”, in his place as part of the front three alongside Danilo and Cerny.

The Albania international has created four ‘big chances’ in seven league starts for the Gers and could provide a creative spark out wide, whilst dropping Igamane could be a good learning experience for the youngster and motivate him to push harder to win his place back.

Rangers struck gold on Ibrox star who is worth 2x more than Igamane

Rangers have hit the jackpot on a player who has increased their valuation…

By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 24, 2024

Full starting line-up: Jack Butland; James Tavernier, Dujon Sterling, Robin Propper, Jefte; Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande, Ianis Hagi; Vaclav Cerny, Danilo, Nedim Bajrami

Harry Kane admits he was lucky not to pick up an injury from a 'dangerous' tackle during Bayern Munich's win over Augsburg on Friday night.

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• Kane led Bayern win over Augsburg
• Was on end of nasty tackle during game
• Admits he could have rolled his ankle

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bayern extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to nine points with their win on the road at Augsburg, but fans had their hands on their heads when Kane was the recipient of a strong challenge in the 58th minute that left the England captain on the floor and defender Cedric Zesiger marching down the tunnel and into the dressing room.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane had managed to get goal side of the Augsburg defender and was powering in on goal before being swiped from behind. The ex-Tottenham man let out an audible bellow of pain before the referee waved a second yellow card in the direction of the Swiss international. Many inside the stadium were left confused after it appeared Zesiger touched the ball before the 31-year-old's ankle.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  But Kane was adamant that the tackle was "dangerous" and added Cedric Zesiger "almost destroyed my ankle." He said: "It was a clear [second] yellow. He tackled me from behind on the counter. It was dangerous and I could've rolled my ankle. We also should've had a penalty after that. It's a bit swollen, but I'm used to that. I'm not worried. It's fine, it hurts a bit, but it should be fine for Tuesday."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE AND BAYERN?

  Bayern's leading scorer looks more determined than ever to break his trophy duck and with six games remaining can breathe a little easier knowing that his side have a healthy margin to rivals Bayer Leverkusen.