OptiNews - Friday 17 to Thursday 23 November 2017

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Southampton star Sofiane Boufal wins October Goal of the Month award

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Sofiane Boufal has claimed the October Goal of the Month award for his incredible solo goal in Southampton’s 1-0 win over West Brom.

The Morocco international struck an 85th minute winner at St Mary’s with a moment of individual brilliance to sink Tony Pulis’ side.

Boufal took the ball round six opposing players after starting in his own half before finishing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Reminiscent of Diego Maradona’s infamous goal against England - not the Hand of God - the Moroccan picked the ball up inside his own half facing his own goal.

Quick feet and a deft turn helped him spin away from two markers before a burst of pace took him past a labouring Jake Livermore and into the opposition half.

With room to race into he skipped round Craig Dawson easily, before a back-tracking Allon Nyom crashed straight into the West Brom centre-back, taking him out of the game.

Suddenly he was approaching the penalty area and Southampton have a four on three situation. But he didn’t need any assistance.

He stood up Craig McAuley, quickly shifted the ball from his left foot to his right, opening up the space in the process before finding the bottom corner with a precise finish beyond the despairing Ben Foster.

It was the 24-year-old’s first, and only, goal of the season so far, and perhaps most impressively came just five minutes after his introduction from the bench.

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Sourced from Sky Sports article

Sofiane Boufal shows off his skills in Southampton training ground challenge

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Sofiane Boufal shows off his skills in Southampton training ground challenge

Southampton’s attacking midfielder Sofiane Boufal has shown off his skills in a training ground challenge alongside some of the Saints’ youth talent.

The 24-year old, who won October’s Goal of the Month for his outstanding individual effort against West Brom, joined up with players from Southampton’s Under-15 and Under-16 teams before training on Thursday.

The group attempted to keep the ball in the air as Boufal moved down the line in a test of the Morocco international’s close control.

Each youth player has the opportunity to showcase their own skills against one of Southampton’s standout stars with all of them using the chance in their favour.

Boufal will be hoping to put his practice to good test this weekend when Southampton travel to Liverpool in the Premier League.

Watch the video above to see Boufal take the challenge at Southampton’s Staplewood Campus.

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Sourced from BBC article

Liverpool v Southampton

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who returned to work on Thursday after a health scare, can select from a near full-strength squad.

Sadio Mane aggravated a hamstring problem on international duty and will be monitored, while Jordan Henderson and long-term absentee Adam Lallana are fit after thigh injuries.

Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina is not yet ready to return from an ankle injury suffered in training.

Simon Brotherton: "This is an occasion Southampton’s manager Mauricio Pellegrino is clearly relishing. He had spells at Liverpool as both a player and a coach under Rafa Benitez and has good memories of his time on Merseyside.

"His return to Anfield is one of several links between the two clubs this weekend. Liverpool could include two former Saints; Sadio Mane has recovered from a minor hamstring issue, and there’s the possibility of Adam Lallana making his first appearance of the season after injury against his old club.

“We’ll also get to see Virgil van Dijk playing at Anfield, which is something he fancied doing on a regular basis when Liverpool unsuccessfully bid for him in the summer. That might still come to pass, with renewed speculation of a move away from St Mary’s in January.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "I feel really good. I am 50 now - maybe I need to get used to it but I’ve been twice already in a British hospital.

"The NHS is not as bad as you think. I am not ill, which is kind of good news.

“You should not experience as a person in public to go to a hospital - it was not a marketing thing. I had people shouting 'Klopp is in hospital, did you see him?”

Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino on returning to Anfield: "It will be a nice experience for me. I had a really happy time in my career as a player and as a coach at Liverpool.

“But on Saturday it is a nice opportunity to represent Southampton, and we will try to play well, play a good game and create problems for Liverpool.”

I am going for Liverpool to win it. Even if Sadio Mane is not fully fit, and even if manager Jurgen Klopp is not well enough to be there, Liverpool should have too much for Saints.

SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Liverpool that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

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Sourced from Sky Sports article

WATCH: Sofiane Boufal’s Premier League Goal of the Month winner for October

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Sofiane Boufal has won the Premier League Goal of the Month for October for his strike against West Brom.

Substitute Boufal left six players in his wake, three of them on their backsides, before sliding the ball home for a truly memorable strike to secure a 1-0 victory.

“I think it was a beautiful goal, one of the most beautiful goals of this season,” said Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino.

Boufal, who had only started one game up until that point, and had only come on four minutes earlier, spun away from two West Brom players deep inside his own half.

He then skipped past Jake Livermore, slipped between Allan Nyom and Craig Dawson as the duo ran into each other - then stepped around Gareth McAuley and curled the ball past Ahmed Hegazi inside the far post.

Up against some tough competition, including Leroy Sane’s finish against Stoke, Philippe Coutinho’s strike against Newcastle and Andre Ayew’s thunderbold, Boufal emerged victorious.

Hit the video above to re-live Boufal’s sensational strike.

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

hours to go!

Get ready for the trip to Anfield with our in-depth match preview, as #SaintsFC prepare to fac… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/931537424504598528

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 17/11/2017 15:10:49

| | Southampton have admitted that Virgil Van Dijk may go to Liverpool in JanuaryJOECOUK |
| | The Saints Walking Wounded Injury News 16/11/2017VITALFOOTBALL |
|

| Van Dijk to Liverpool is back on the cards after huge developmentNEWSLADBROKES |
| | PARADISE WINDFALL AS LIVERPOOL GET GREEN LIGHT FOR VAN DIJKCELTICQUICKNEWS |

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Boufal’s stunning strike wins Premier League award

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SOFIANE Boufal’s stunning solo goal against West Bromwich Albion has won the Premier League’s Goal of the Month competition.

The Moroccan climbed off the bench during the turgid match, replacing Dusan Tadic on 81 minutes before hitting a glorious winner four minutes later.

Boufal started deep in the Saints half, rode several challenges - including a quick turn which sent Allan Nyom and Craig Dawson crashing in to each other - before curling into the bottom corner.

“I think it was a beautiful goal, one of the most beautiful goals of this season,” said Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino after the 1-0 win.

“I am happy for Sofiane. I am happy for my players because we needed this three points. Hopefully this action can change more or less and have more minutes.”

After winning the award, Boufal said: “It’s a big honour for me. It was a good goal and I am so happy to win this trophy.”

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

hours to go!

Get ready for the trip to Anfield with our in-depth match preview, as #SaintsFC prepare to fac… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/931542792173686785

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 0

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 17/11/2017 16:11:03

| | Midfielder to miss outCLUBCALL |
| | Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino to go on the offensive at AnfieldBELFASTTELE |
| | Claude Puel makes astonishing comment about reported Liverpool January targetTHISISFUTBOLCOM |
|

| Southampton Admit van Dijk Could Be Sold in JanuarySBNATIONTHELIVERPOOLOFFSIDE |

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Sourced from talkSPORT article

Liverpool team news: Predicted line-up for Premier League clash against Southampton

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Liverpool go into their clash at Southampton having won their last two league matches by three goals.

Their opponents have had a stop-start campaign so far under the management of former Reds player Mauricio Pellegrino.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s side will be wary of their recent record against the Saints, having failed to score in their previous four attempts against the south coast side.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO FULL RADIO COMMENTARY OF LIVERPOOL V SOUTHAMPTON ON TALKSPORT 2. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE ONLINE

So how will Liverpool line up as they look to end the hoodoo?

Scroll through the gallery above to see talkSPORT.com’s predicted starting XI.

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Sourced from talkSPORT article

Transfer rumours: The players who could leave every Premier League club in January

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The January transfer window is not only an exciting period that can see new faces enter a team in need of strengthening, but it offers plenty of worry for managers who could lose players.

With this in mind, talkSPORT.com has taken a look at who could be leaving each Premier League club in a few months’ time.

Scroll through the gallery above to get up to date on the latest transfer rumours…

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Pellegrino: Keys to the game

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The Saints boss has seen his team face a number of sides who have sat deep and set out to be tough to break down, but he feels his players could be up against a more attack-minded Reds outfit this weekend.

Pellegrino is hopeful, therefore, of taking advantage of some potential additional space on offer, but says they must control the ball in order to do so.

“I think to keep the possession and to manage the ball will be key in this game, because Southampton and Liverpool are teams that both are more comfortable with the ball, so this will be the key moment,” he said.

On the importance of getting three points, Pellegrino added: "For us it would be massive, because we have to try to get away the points that we lose at home.

"This is an opportunity to try to show how we are, to try to do the same that we did at home the other day. Maybe we will find more space than normal.

“In the last four games maybe we played against teams that most of them were deep, without space. Maybe now we will find more spaces. I can’t say that it will be easier, but maybe it will be a different game.”

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Mauricio Pellegrino insists Southampton will attack at Anfield

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Mauricio Pellegrino believes attack will be the best form of defence when he takes his misfiring Southampton to Liverpool in search of a morale-boosting victory.

Pellegrino, a former Argentina international, has faced a difficult start to his tenure at St Mary’s Stadium with his side struggling for both goals and points.

The Saints will head to Anfield - a former home for Pellegrino who played and coached at Liverpool - 13th in the Premier League table, just four points above the relegation zone, and with one victory from their last six matches.

Southampton have found the back of the next nine times in 11 matches this year, and three of those have been converted from the penalty spot. Indeed only Huddersfield, Bournemouth, Swansea and Crystal Palace have scored fewer goals than the Saints this season.

But Pellegrino, who played 13 games for Liverpool under Rafael Benitez at Liverpool in 2005 before joining the Spaniard’s coaching team, insists the Saints will head to Anfield in search of three points.

Asked if he intends to go on the attack against Jurgen Klopp’s side, Pellegrino replied: 'Yes, for sure. Liverpool and Southampton are two sides who are both comfortable with the ball, but we will try to be there and to manage the ball because this will be the key to the game.

'They will try to press high to make us feel uncomfortable and we will try to be aggressive. When you are high up it is an opportunity for us to try to create pressure and problems.

‘It will be really tough because they are a good team, but maybe against those teams which are more offensive we can find more space.’

Claude Puel, who was axed as Southampton manager last summer, courted criticism from the St Mary’s faithful for his perceived negative approach to matches.

And despite Pellegrino’s arrival from Spanish side Alaves for the new campaign, it is a hangover which has seemingly carried over into his regime.

‘To build a team is something that is really difficult to finish,’ Pellegrino added. 'It is a long transition and a process because the connection between the players does not have any limit. Even when you are winning, you will always have something to improve on.

'The best thing about the Premier League is that it is really tight and every single week you are surprised about two or three results, and that is something which doesn’t happen in other countries.

‘In the last match against Burnley we played well but we lost. We have to take the best moment from that game as a reference to keep going to try and do the same when we travel away to difficult places like Anfield on Saturday.’

Pellegrino will be without midfielder Mario Lemina, who is nursing an ankle injury, but Virgil van Dijk will line up against the Reds for the first time since they failed in their summer approach to lure the wantaway defender to Anfield.

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Sourced from A tweet by OriolRomeu tweet

@OriolRomeu - Oriol Romeu

#SaintsFC Airlines!

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

Jurgen Klopp hints he’s found a Virgil van Dijk replacement

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Jurgen Klopp was in no mood to answer questions about Liverpool’s failed pursuit of Virgil van Dijk in his press conference on Friday.

The Reds boss shot down reporters who asked him to elaborate on the mooted deal ahead of his side’s clash with the Saints.

“You really expect an answer? What happened in the summer? I have nothing to say about that,” said Klopp, refusing to comment on the centre-back.

He added: “Hopefully [it will be difficult for him coming to Anfield on Saturday]. It should be difficult for every player coming to Anfield.”

Liverpool were disappointed to miss out on the Dutch centre-back, who even handed in a transfer request at Southampton in a bid to push through a move.

But Klopp suggested he may have found a defensive replacement already at the club in the form of Joe Gomez.

“He’s still a young lad but of course he’s ready [to play centre-back in the Premier League,” he said.

“We want to have him for the next 15 years. He can play centre-back or full-back.”

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Can you identify the players to have represented both #SaintsFC and #LFC? http://sfcne.ws/PreLFCQuiz

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 17/11/2017 17:11:18

|

| Southampton boss unsure of van Dijk’s futureRTE |
|

| Inside Training: The boss returns as Saints prep continuesLIVFCNET |
| | Transfer Rumour: Liverpool give Jurgen Klopp permission to launch bid for Virgil van DijkTHEHARDTACKLE |
| | Liverpool target labelled ‘best in Europe’ in his positionEMPIREOFTHEKOP |

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Liverpool vs Southampton: Team news, kick-off time, odds and stats

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Ahead of this weekend’s Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Liverpool’s home clash with Southampton.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has virtually a fully-fit squad to select from for the visit of Southampton.

Adam Lallana is fit again after a three-month lay off with a thigh injury while fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson has recovered from a similar problem which forced him to miss their last Premier League match and England’s two friendlies.

Forward Sadio Mane has trained after reporting a slight hamstring problem on his return from international duty and Klopp will make a late decision on his availability.

Mario Lemina is set to be Southampton’s only absentee for their Premier League trip to Liverpool.

The former Juventus midfielder remains sidelined with an ankle injury which has kept him out of the last two matches.

Northern Ireland’s Steven Davis, Republic of Ireland’s Shane Long and Italy’s Manolo Gabbiadini are all available following their respective teams’ failures to qualify for next summer’s World Cup.

These two sides met four times in all competitions last season with Liverpool failing to win and score in all four contests (W0 D2 L2). Indeed, it was only the second time in their history that Liverpool had failed to score against a side on four occasions in a single season (also vs Leeds in 1971-72).

Southampton are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions against Liverpool; they have never gone six in a row without defeat (W3 D2 L0).

The Reds haven’t failed to score against a single team in five consecutive meetings in all competitions since 1978 versus Nottingham Forest.

Southampton have won the same number of points after 11 games this season as they did under Claude Puel in 2016-17 (13).

Liverpool have conceded 30 goals via set-pieces in the Premier League since Jurgen Klopp took charge in October 2015 - only Watford (36), Stoke (32) and Crystal Palace (31) have conceded more.

Liverpool have lost only twice in their last 32 Premier League matches at Anfield (W19 D11 L2).

However, only Kenny Dalglish (1.68) has a lower points-per-game ratio for Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League than Jurgen Klopp (1.97).

Jurgen Klopp has yet to beat Southampton in the Premier League, drawing three of his four matches as Liverpool boss (W0 D3 L1) – no side has he faced more without winning (also fourv Man Utd).

No player has scored more goals after their first 11 Premier League games for Liverpool than Mohamed Salah (seven – level with Daniel Sturridge). Only Robbie Fowler scored eight goals in his first 12 Premier League games for Liverpool.

No Premier League player has attempted more shots (including blocks) without scoring this season than Nathan Redmond (27 – level with Tom Ince).

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Quiz: Played for both

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Can you find the 10 players to have featured for both Southampton and Liverpool by using our crossword as a reference?

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

Liverpool squad vs Southampton revealed

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has virtually a fully-fit squad to select from for the visit of Southampton.

Adam Lallana is fit again after a three-month lay off with a thigh injury while fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson has recovered from a similar problem which forced him to miss their last Premier League match and England’s two friendlies.

But even though Lallana is likely to be in the squad, his manager insisted there is NO chance of him starting the game.

“He is a fantastic player but we want to have him for the season. This is the moment the player wants to be back immediately and I have to be the bad guy and say ‘Not today, maybe tomorrow’,” Klopp explained.

“Obviously that is not too nice but I do it for him and for the club. We will see, it depends how the other players are. We will use him for sure but bringing him for 90 minutes is not a good idea and will not happen.

“What he is doing is so different to the other players: he is the ‘jumper’. He loves to do that and of course it is very important for us and will be again and I am already looking forward to when we can use it again.

“But he is also a fantastic football player and he showed that in the first (training) session.

"Unfortunately I was not involved but when I came in they were all really excited about it: ‘OK, Adam was pretty good’ so I know about it and it is good for the player.”

Forward Sadio Mane has trained after reporting a slight hamstring problem on his return from international duty and Klopp will make a late decision on his availability.

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