Vice-presidente de futebol do Flamengo, Marcos Braz concedeu entrevista coletiva nesta quinta-feira, no Ninho do Urubu. Dentre diversos temas, o dirigente cutucou aConfederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) pelo fato de o São Paulo ter jogos atrasados, com mais folga no calendário em relação ao Rubro-Negro nos últimos dias, por exemplo.
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– Está na hora da CBF marcar uns joguinhos do São Paulo.Vão esperar o quê? Não estou reclamando de ter jogado, mas só queria saber quando o São Paulo vai fazer os jogos (atrasados no Brasileiro) dele – disse, emendando:
– É o meu direito. O Flamengo teve jogos em menos de 72h. Não estou reclamando. Apenas quero saber quando será marcado. Depois o Landim vai puxar minha orelha, mas…
O São Paulo, hoje com 30 pontos e na 5ª colocação, está com três jogos a menos na tabela do Brasileirão, que encerrou o seu turno no último fim de semana. O Flamengo, por sua vez, está com 35 e na vice-liderança, com todos os 19 jogos da primeira parte da competição.
The former New Zealand has asthma and needed more than the usual dose of his medicine while playing in Delhi during IPL 2016, which had triggered scrutiny
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2018Brendon McCullum has cleared the air about a positive drug test during his time with Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016.The former New Zealand captain has asthma and, in light of heavy pollution in Delhi at the time, he needed more than the usual dose of his medicine. As a result, McCullum’s urine sample was found to have exceeded the allowable limit for salbutamol, a drug that is part of inhalers used to treat asthma. The BCCI approached McCullum with these findings following which he secured a retroactive therapeutic use exemption from a panel of independent medical experts in Sweden to close the matter and clear his name.”There was a bit of a process to go through to make sure they had all the information and ticked off the areas they wanted to see, but we went through it all and [the BCCI] were actually pretty good to work with in the end,” McCullum told .”I certainly don’t see it as a failed drug test. It was just a case of we just need to seek clarification and apply for this. I have no ill-feeling about [the process] and I also have no guilt or remorse about it because I needed a puff of my inhaler at that time.”McCullum hit 60 off 36 at the top of the order in a one-run win for the Lions against Delhi Daredevils in the game that day. But a test after the game resulted in an “adverse analytical finding” because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules state any dosage that is not consistent with therapeutic use will be considered a violation.McCullum’s doctors and legal team then prepared his defence, which had proven successful last January itself, but he chose to go public with the information now because he wanted to quash the rumours.”I’ve heard this sort of rumbling around in the background for a while and I actually said to my wife, ‘I don’t know why we don’t just deal with this now, I’ve got nothing to hide and it is better off just talking about stuff rather than having other people talking about it’. Otherwise it just grows and festers.”As far as I am concerned it was just a matter of making sure we got everything signed off properly, rather than it being a failed drug test.”McCullum, who has had asthma since childhood, found the going particularly tough in Delhi whose pollution levels have touched dangerous levels in recent years. In November 2016, a first-class match between Gujarat and Bengal had to be abandoned due to smog, and in December 2017, a Test between India and Sri Lanka was severely affected by pollution, with several Sri Lankan players taking ill.
Ronaldo has heaped praise on Jude Bellingham after the English midfielder's emphatic start to his Real Madrid career.
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Legendary striker compares Bellingham to Zinedine ZidaneEnglishman leads La Liga scoring charts with 16 goalsZidane "surprised" by Bellingham's startWHAT HAPPENED?
Ronaldo gave a wide-ranging interview to discussing Los Blancos' season, highlighting their improvement as a side and touching on Kylian Mbappe's potential arrival. But he admitted Bellingham has been the most apparent positive from the campaign so far.
AdvertisementWHAT RONALDO SAID ABOUT BELLINGHAM
The former Brazil and Real Madrid man heaped praise on Bellingham: "I love the way Jude Bellingham plays. The way he is playing at Madrid, scoring goals in almost every match, I love to watch him play. He goes forward all the time. I was watching a few matches in the Bernabeu stadium and I was looking for Bellingham. He surprised me a lot with his quality. The speed at which he runs into the area, you can see he wants to score goals all the time. He reminds me a little bit of Zinedine Zidane with his quality."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Madrid spent big on Bellingham last summer, bringing the Englishman to the Santiago Bernabeu for an initial €103m (£88m/$110m.) Thus far, he has been well worth the investment, leading the line as part of Carlo Ancelotti's unique 4-4-2 diamond setup.
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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?
Bellingham is in the midst of a two-game suspension in the Spanish top flight. He was shown a red card at the end of Los Blancos' La Liga clash with Valencia after confronting the referee over a controversial decision that denied his side of a last-second winner. He will return to the fold for his club on March 31 – but is expected to appear for England before then.
Were you shocked by Australia’s recent performances in ODIs or did you see it coming? Well, I thought it was going to be tough for the Australians in England but I didn’t see it as bad as it has been. Obviously, the 481… that was a disastrous day and I expected that the bowling will struggle because you lost your three frontline bowlers. That was always going to be tough. But I didn’t think it would be as one-sided as it has been.Has the bowling been an issue in the absence of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins? The bowling has been a problem but the batting hasn’t held up its end of the bargain either. I think what’s pretty concerning for Australia is their on-going problem with their spin bowling. They get away to some good starts but the opposition always seems to pull things back by using spin bowlers in the middle overs and Australia lose wickets or get bogged down. And that’s an on-going problem. So that’s a concern for Australia.How will Australia overcome their weakness against wristspin? In the World Cup, the problem will be relieved a little bit with Smith and Warner back. Smith, in particular, is a very good player of spin bowling. So that will give them a bit more strength in the middle order but once you show this weakness, the opposition sides are going to play on it and there are a lot of good spin bowlers at the moment.Wristspinners, particularly in the short versions of the game, are having a lot of success. So, the Australians will have to address the problem and a lot of the players who have played recently have struggled with spin bowling. Maybe, they’ve got to start looking at different players.Do you see Steven Smith and David Warner walking back to the team? I’ll be very surprised if Smith and Warner don’t walk straight back into the Australian side. They’re far away the two best batsmen. It doesn’t matter virtually what version of the game you’re playing, they’re the two best players. And with their class – 12 months is a long time out of the game but they’re going to be playing different types of cricket. So I’d expect them to walk straight back into the side for the World Cup, unless they’re injured.Why aren’t Australia looking at Lyon in the shorter formats? Lyon hasn’t played [limited-overs cricket] a lot in the last couple of years but he was reasonably successful in the last game [at Chester-le-Street]. I think one of the problems is, in the shorter versions of the game, they’re looking for players who can do everything. Therefore, Ashton Agar has been preferred because he’s a pretty useful batsman and that’s probably keeping Lyon out of the side. You need to get wickets in those middle overs from whatever bowler you’re using. Nathan Lyon is a wicket-taker and I think he will probably get more opportunities in the short term.1:37
Australia’s new ODI low
Australia have lost to New Zealand, England (both home and away) and India recently in addition to having a poor run in the Champions Trophy in 2017. How can they cope with this? The Australians have been struggling of late and that will be a concern to them. But I think the England side have played so well against Australia in this current series and also back in Australia and I think they have dented Australia’s confidence a bit. So, Australia will have to work on getting their confidence back. And the problem is, this close to the World Cup you want to have your side pretty well settled. Well, the Australians are far from settled and that will be a major concern.What are the challenges for the captain Tim Paine and the coach Justin Langer leading up to the World Cup At that time, Tim Paine was the right choice as captain and the problem for Australia is I’m not sure if they have other alternatives. So, if Tim Paine isn’t able to hold his place in the ODI side, that’s going to create a lot more uncertainty in this Australian team. So, they’ve got plenty of things to work on at the moment. And they have to start things working right for them in the next few months coming into the World Cup with so many uncertainties.Are the challenges for Langer stiffer? The challenge is for the players and the captain. The coach can’t do much. You know he can talk and give a whole lot of advice but when you’re out in the middle it’s down to the captain and the other 10 players. So, what Langer does is not going to make much of a difference. The big difference is going to come from the captain and the players.Should Aaron Finch be batting at the top or in the middle order? I don’t think it’s ever a good idea to weaken a strength to try and strengthen a weakness. And that’s what Australia are doing by moving Finch down to the middle order. Finch is a very successful opener; he and Warner are a terrific combination. At the moment, he hasn’t got Warner down at the other end, which is probably the more reason why he shouldn’t have been moved out of the opening position in the first place. I see Finch as an opener, a very good opener, and that’s where he got to stay.Are Australia’s batting plans more conservative compared to sides like England, India? I wouldn’t be saying Australia are making conservative starts. Travis Head got going pretty quickly the other day. It’s never going to be a conservative start when Finch is at the top of the order and that’s another reason why he shouldn’t be moved out of the opening position. But when Australia are playing confidently and they have their full side together, they like to have a long batting line-up so that they can go hard right from the start and continue that right through the innings. But the problem they’ve had of late is the opposition has been able to check their progress in those middle overs with spin bowling and that’s a major problem.Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood pose for photos•Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
How strong will the side be when Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins return? The batsmen will be expecting they will not have to chase that many even against the better sides like England. With Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood in the side, the scoring is going to be restricted, which immediately will take the pressure off batsmen who don’t feel like they have to make 350-plus every time they go out. So, apart from the fact that those three bowlers are wicket-takers, restricting the opposition is going to relieve a bit of pressure for the batsmen.How can Australia address various issues like spin, batting and captaincy? It is very difficult to learn to play spin bowling at the age of 25-26. You’ve got to learn to play spin bowling when you’re very young. And this has not just been a problem for Australia in the short versions of the game but, when they have toured India and Sri Lanka, they’ve had these problems in Test cricket as well. So it’s something that needs to be addressed; it needs to be addressed at the lower levels. You have to have young guys coming through who’ve learnt to play spin bowling properly when they are at school and up through the club system. It’s no good expecting guys to get through first-class and international cricket and they learn how to play spin bowling. It doesn’t work that way.Has the JLT Cup, the domestic 50-over tournament in Australia, contributed to these problems? The problem with the Australian system at the moment is not all created by Australia. The international scheduling makes life difficult. It has been hard to get the international players playing at the domestic level – whether in the 50-over competition or the Big Bash or in the Sheffield Shield. They don’t get to play too many of those games and the young players coming through are missing, one, the challenge, and two, the opportunity to play against those internationals and that’s how you get better as a young player; playing against guys who’re better than you.Do you think Finch can lead the limited-overs sides? Finch is one of the options for captaincy, if Paine isn’t up to holding his place in the 50-overs side. He is probably one of the few options Australia have got at the moment. Travis Head has done a bit of leadership for South Australia. He would perhaps be another option but I would think Finch is probably the No.1 option at the moment.Wristspinners have had plenty of success of late. So, why isn’t Adam Zampa in Australia’s plans? I am a little surprised that Zampa has disappeared from the side but there are a lot of different theories. Smaller English grounds, whereas in Australia they tend to play on the larger grounds. Wristpinners have been very, very successful, particularly in the 20-over game but also in the 50-over game. It has always been an important part of Australian cricket and they have to be look at one in this combination.Tim Paine chats with Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer•Getty Images
Billy Stanlake has been one of the positives for Australia in England? The encouraging thing for Australia in this series is the fact Billy Stanlake has shown something as a pace bowler and also Jhye Richardson – I think he has got some potential as well. So with the amount of injuries, not just in Australia but in all countries, it’s always nice to have a couple of guys coming in and fill the spots. That would be two of the positives: Stanlake and Richardson.What’s your XI for the World Cup next year? You have five automatic changes straightaway. Warner and Smith come back in and three quick bowlers [Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins]. So, it’s not hard to find blokes to drop when you have players of that quality coming back in. I expect Australia to be hard to beat in the World Cup. But they need to start picking their form up pretty quickly.Confidence is down at the moment but it doesn’t take much, particularly when you’re an experienced international player, it doesn’t take much success to get that confidence back. A victory in the last game will be a nice way to finish off this series. I’m not sure I see it coming at the moment but cricket is full of surprises.Will the ball-tampering row in South Africa affect the Test side too? Australia will have their work cut out to beat India at home. I have said a couple of times that this is India’s best chance to beat Australia in Australia. And India probably have the best chance ever to beat England and Australia in successive series. So, Australia will have to play pretty well to beat India at home.
West Ham United are back in action in the Europa League tonight, as the Hammers embark on the second game of the group stage against SC Freiburg.
David Moyes’ side will hope to replicate the highs that they achieved on the continent last season, as they claimed their first European prize since 1965 by winning the Europa Conference League.
The Irons got their Europa League campaign off to a strong start last time out in the competition, coming from behind at the London Stadium to beat Serbian outfit Backa Topola 3-1.
What is the latest West Ham United team news?
With four wins from their opening seven league games, the east Londoners have started the season in fine fashion on the back of their relegation-threatening form throughout the last term.
In terms of team news, Aaron Cresswell is expected to be the only player definitely absent from the action due to injury.
As relayed by the Evening Standard, Moyes’ star man Jarrod Bowen is suspected to have suffered a knock during the Hammers’ Premier League win against Sheffield United last weekend.
West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen.
The manager is yet to confirm the extent of the reported injury, with the hope that it’s a case of a minor niggle rather than a pending absence.
The hero last time out in the competition was summer signing Mohammed Kudus, who scored his first goal for the club against Backa to inspire the hosts’ comeback to begin their European campaign with three points.
Should Mohammed Kudus start against Freiburg?
While the Ghanaian was signed for £38m from Ajax in the summer, he’s had a slow start to life with the Irons, with him yet to start a Premier League match from his opening four appearances.
The 2023/24 campaign has been encouraging for the 23-year-old so far, with him already netting five goals in nine appearances in all competitions, representing both West Ham and his former club.
Once lauded as “electric” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the versatile forward could once again be the difference maker for Moyes’ side in the Europa League, with the opportunity there for him to add to his tally in the tournament.
Last time out in the Premier League, the Ghana international replaced Michail Antonio to lead the line for the Irons, a position that he could occupy this evening to add to the threat going forward to damage Freiburg.
The danger that Kudus can exert on the opposition is highlighted by his numbers over the past year, with FBref ranking him in the top 1% of those in his position in competitions comparable to Eredivisie for his rate of expected goals (xG) and successful take-ons.
West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus.
Averaging 0.48 non-penalty xG and 4.56 successful take-ons per 90, the £90k-per-week forward poses a far higher threat going forward than Antonio, who averaged 0.29 non penalty xG and 1.56 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year.
Moyes could give his progressing side a big advantage by getting another win on the board, in a match that could be testing considering that Freiburg also won their group opener.
Tonight is the ideal opportunity for the manager to test the waters to discover Kudus’ best position in claret and blue, in a match that could allow him to showcase his talents to the benefit of all but Freiburg.
Zimbabwe Cricket has named two 15-man squads, including most of their national players, to feature in a three-team 20-over tournament, including Kenya
Firdose Moonda08-Jun-2018
Lalchand Rajput has a chat with Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai•Getty Images
Zimbabwe Cricket has named two 15-man squads, including most of their national players, to feature in a three-team 20-over tournament, including Kenya, as part of the build-up to next month’s T20 triangular series. Zimbabwe are due to host Australia and Pakistan but player threats to strike over unpaid salaries have put the matches in doubt, though it now seems ZC is taking action to ensure the games go ahead.ZC has paid one month’s worth of salaries after the cricketers gave the board an ultimatum to pay all outstanding monies by June 25 or face a player boycott. At the time of their demand, players were owed three months of salaries and match fees from last July’s tour to Sri Lanka and it remains to be seen if the part-payment is enough to cancel their protest.Sources have confirmed that players are assembling in Harare over the next two days, and will consult with their lawyer Gerald Mlotchwa, to decide their next steps. The players have engaged the services of a lawyer in a bid to resurrect their player association, which ceased to exist since 2015. At the same time, Zimbabwe’s interim coach Lalchand Rajput is also expected to arrive in the country at the weekend and the practice matches have been planned in order to for Rajput to get a first look at the players at his disposal.Despite ZC sacking all the coaching staff following their failure to qualify for the World Cup, it has re-engaged with some of them. Former national bowling coach Douglas Hondo will coach one of the teams, Zimbabwe Select, in the warm-up T20 matches. The other team, a Board XI, will be coached by Shepherd Makunura, a former A-team coach. Anesu Mupotaringa and Stanley Chioza, who worked as physiotherapist and analyst respectively for the national team, are back in those roles.The tournament consists of ten matches, two per day, from Monday until June 18. “This is a training squad which will, eventually, be trimmed before the final squad for the T20I series is announced,” Walter Chawaguta, convener of national selectors said. “The tournament involving Kenya will effectively allow the new coach an opportunity to get a glimpse of the players in action.”Some players, notably former captain Graeme Cremer, allrounder Sikandar Raza and fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani have not been named in either of the two squads. Raza and Muzarabani are playing at clubs overseas but there was no reason given for Cremer’s omission.Zimbabwe Select: Donald Tiripano, Kevin Kasuza, Brian Chari, Christopher Mpofu, Sean Williams, Ernest Masuku, Tarisai Musakanda, Kyle Jarvis, Brendan Taylor, Ryan Burl, Rugare Magarira, Liam Roche, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Wellington Masakadza, Tendai ChisoroBoard XI: Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Prince Masvaure, Peter Moor, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Ryan Murray, Brandon Mavuta, John Nyumbu, Nyasha Mayavo, Mohammad Faraz Akram, Natsai M’shangwe
West Ham United might have fallen to defeat across the past two Premier League matches – against Manchester City and Liverpool – but the feel-good factor is very much intact in east London.
David Moyes' side have ostensibly faced the toughest two teams in the division, and while it still comes as a blow, the Hammers perch in seventh place with ten points after six matches, and are in a fine position to return to winning ways with victory over Sheffield United at the London Stadium this afternoon.
The Blades were felled 8-0 at Bramall Lane by Newcastle United last Sunday, and while the ignominious result has left them reeling, they will now look to bounce back with a big upset in the capital.
What's the latest West Ham team news?
Aaron Cresswell is the only absentee for West Ham, who boast a refreshed squad after ten changes were made for the midweek Carabao Cup tie against Lincoln City.
West Ham United managerDavidMoyesbefore the match
Moyes is believed to be mulling over whether to hand Mohammed Kudus a first league start since his £38m transfer from Ajax in the summer, and may well do so to bypass the Blades, who will defend ferociously to avenge last week's loss.
With the onus on returning to winning ways after the current blip, Moyes will likely field a strong line-up, and given that midfielder Thomas Soucek has been in stunning form of late, he should be deployed in the centre to assert dominance over Paul Heckingbottom's newly-promoted outfit.
How has Thomas Soucek performed this season?
Signed from Serbian giants Slavia Prague for around £15m in July 2020 after impressing on loan since the previous January – which cost an additional £4m – Soucek has been a "sensational” – as hailed by Moyes – member of the Hammers team as they have risen to the fore over the past few years.
The 28-year-old has made 162 appearances since arriving, scoring 24 goals and supplying nine assists, and started five of the last six matches in the Europa Conference League final last year as the Hammers triumphed over Italian side Fiorentina.
Considering the fact that he has been in such good showing of late, it might be wise to unleash Soucek from the start this afternoon, having scored against Backa Topola and Lincoln over the past two weeks.
West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek.
Lauded for his "unbelievable" start to the season by one United writer, the 62-cap Czech Republic captain must be unleashed once again, with his skills apt to nullify the Sheffield United threat.
Indeed, as per FBref, the £65k-per-week star ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for aerial wins and clearances, the top 8% for interceptions and the top 17% for blocks per 90 – while he offers an attacking threat, it is the security he brings to the centre that is most important.
Moyes must maintain this industrious midfielder's vibrant purple patch by providing him with a starting berth once again, and while Sheffield United are struggling, they will be desperate to land their first win of the season, but with Soucek dictating from the middle, they will leave the London Stadium empty-handed.
Sunderland may be flying high in the Championship at the moment, but they are at risk of losing an influential figure in 2024, according to a new update.
Sunderland heading for Championship playoffs
The Black Cats equipped themselves impressively on their return to the Championship last season, arguably faring a lot better than many had expected. Tony Mowbray's side only just missed out on a place in the playoff final, which was a great effort after being in League One the previous year, and big things were again expected this time around.
Sunderland haven't disappointed in 2023/24 to date, sitting fourth in the table after 11 matches and picking up some superb victories, including a memorable 5-0 win at home to Southampton. It hasn't been perfect, not least a shock 4-0 defeat against local rivals Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light earlier this month, but Mowbray's men look in a strong position to finish in the playoffs.
For that to happen, the Black Cats will need to keep all of their most influential players fit and in form for as much of the campaign as possible, and there are key figures everywhere you look, whether it be Dan Neil, Jobe Bellingham or Jack Clarke, to name just a few.
Now, a worrying exit update has emerged regarding one of the first names on Mowbray's team sheet, acting as a possible major setback for Sunderland.
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray.
Sunderland transfer news: Bellingham linked with Real Madrid
A Bellingham to Real Madrid claim has emerged in a report from Spain, with billionaire owner Florentino Perez keen on bringing Jobe to the club to play with his brother Jude, who has made a stunning start to life at the La Liga giants.
It is stated that Perez "asked Juni Calafat to send his scouts to bring a full report of Mark and Denise Bellingham's second son", who "caught the attention of those present" when watching England's Under-19s in action, not least because of his likeness to his brother in terms of style of play.
There is no doubt that this would be a massive blow for Sunderland, with Bellingham already such an important presence in the team, despite only being 18 years of age. Mowbray himself clearly loves him to won't want to read a single sentence of the rumours, once saying of him:
"He is very mature for his age. He acts like a seasoned pro, and demands standards. Even in small-sided games, he wants to win. You can see he has a very focused, driven thought pattern on where he is going and how he is going to get there.
"And that is to try to be excellent in everything you do. It's a great mentality. He is not in the team because of his name, it is football ability and his competitive edge and athleticism and technique."
The lure of joining his brother at Madrid could obviously be great for Bellingham, however, allowing him to settle in easier, not to mention play for arguably the world's biggest team, and Sunderland will just hope that he stays loyal to them for as long as possible.
Bellingham's stats this season speak for themselves when outlining his importance, with starts coming his way in all 11 Championship matches, not to mention scoring twice and averaging 1.7 clearances per game.
The monotonous drag that is the international break is at an end, and Liverpool supporters now await the fiery encounter that is the Merseyside derby, with Everton making the short journey to Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
Jurgen Klopp's side were in the pits last season but have rekindled their former verve and now push for a spot in the Premier League title race, but will need to overcome an in-form Toffees side to get back to winning ways.
Having collected one point from two matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion, the Reds risk falling away from the forefront of the pack if Sean Dyche produces a disciplined display of resilience, but the hosts do have enough quality to secure a resounding victory.
What is the Liverpool team news vs Everton?
The shoulder injury sustained by Andy Robertson this week is set to rule him out of contention for the foreseeable future, with Spaniards Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara also confirmed absentees.
With the Scotland star sidelined until around January, Kostas Tsimikas will now deputise at left-back, having played just four minutes of Premier League action so far this season.
Cody Gakpo has been pictured in training after suffering a knee injury against Spurs three weeks ago, and could be in line to start after Darwin Nunez admitted to having felt cramp in South America earlier this week, after playing and scored for Uruguay against Brazil.
Diogo Jota does return from a one-match suspension, however, and could be in line to start against the Blues, having scored four goals from five starting appearances this term.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Curtis Jones, who completes his three-match ban after his contentious dismissal against Tottenham, and while the continuing absence reduces the options at Klopp's disposal, the German manager might be inclined to drop Alexis Mac Allister.
Should Klopp drop Alexis Mac Allister?
Mac Allister has divided opinion somewhat since joining from Brighton in a bargain £35m transfer in the summer, with the dynamic Argentinian midfielder fielded in a deeper-lying role than he perhaps prefers.
However, this is largely due to Liverpool's lack of reliable No. 6 options, and while he has been somewhat unspectacular, the 24-year-old has been something of an unsung hero in recharging a depleted midfield.
Indeed, as per Sofascore, he has completed 89% of his passes in the Premier League so far this term, making 2.8 tackles and ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 67% of his attempted dribbles.
Moreover, according to FBref, the £150k-per-week gem ranks among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for progressive carries and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
Multi-functional and selfless, he is crucial to the fluidity and progression of this Liverpool team, and usually, he would be among the first names on the team sheet for a high-energy match such as the Merseyside derby, but Klopp would be wise to learn from his past mistakes and relegate the midfielder to the bench this afternoon.
Indeed, after the first international break of the season, a depleted Mac Allister returned to England and started against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux during another early Saturday kick-off and was discernibly out of sorts.
Klopp hooked him early and claimed that "he was done", after clearly struggling after travelling across the globe following a relentless international schedule.
A repeat could be detrimental, and, as such, it might be time for Harvey Elliott to truly make his mark this season and dazzle, proving that he can fill in and produce first-class performances in pivotal clashes such as this one.
How good is Harvey Elliott?
Elliott has been a regular member of Klopp's matchday squad over the past few years, and while the Reds languished last season, the precocious youth earned 46 appearances across all competitions.
This season, Elliott has played nine times across all fronts but has only received one start in the Premier League, though was hooked at half-time in the recent draw against Brighton.
In light of the deluge of absences for the Anfield side of late, Klopp will surely be tempted to start his diminutive dynamo, who has recently excelled with England U21s, posting two goals and two assists from two matches.
harvey-elliott-liverpool
His performance against Serbia led Paul Dalglish to dub him an “incredible talent”, which is certainly apt praise for one of England's brightest prospects.
As per FBref, the 20-year-old ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 5% for blocks per 90.
Evidently, the technical ability is there for a long and illustrious career on Merseyside, but having been "outmuscled" by opponents last season – as per writer Leanne Prescott – his physicality probably does still need some work.
The £40k-per-week starlet would be the perfect option to fill in for Mac Allister alongside the always-impressive Dominik Szoboszlai, perhaps with Wataru Endo or Ryan Gravenberch occupying the holding role just behind.
And after such emphatic exploits with England U21s, Klopp will be eager to capture the player's purple patch and channel his recent feats into Liverpool's team.
Elliott's quality has never been in question; right from the off, the rising star's faculty for creative ingenuity has been illuminated in bright light, but he has not quite combined the cogs to cement a starting berth under Klopp's wing so far.
He is improving though, and his promising early-season performances have been eclipsed by his displays as the midfield catalyst during the international break.
With Jones still suspended and Klopp likely to be wary of Mac Allister's fitness levels, it might be the perfect time to unleash Elliott – who could now make his mark at Anfield against Liverpool's acrimonious city rivals.