Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez scored a NINTH Uruguay goal in only his last SIX international games as Marcelo Bielsa’s side defeated Panama in their opening match of the 2024 Copa America.
Nunez, who turns 25 today, is on an amazing run of form under Bielsa for the national team and will be hoping to take his strong recent goalscoring run back to the Premier League for his club side next season.
The Liverpool frontman, sporting a bold new look, missed a couple of earlier, more achievable chances at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami but was on target with five minutes of the second half to go.
He was on hand to double Uruguay’s lead, after Ronald Araujo had earlier put la Celeste ahead, volleying home from inside the area.
Nunez capitalised on a loose ball in the box after a Maximiliano Araujo header ricocheted off a Panama defender.
England v Iceland – International Friendly, Länderspiel, Nationalmannschaft Trent Alexander-Arnold of England on the ball during the international friendly match between England and Iceland at Wembley Stadium on June 7, 2024 in London, England. London Wembley Stadium England United Kingdom PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xNigelxFrench/Sportsphoto/APLx 14040447
The Three Lions boss has started Alexander-Arnold in midfield during the first two games of the tournament, with the Liverpool right-back coming under fire from certain sections of the media for his performances.
While Alexander-Arnold has not been flawless in a position he has seldom played, Liverpool’s No.66 leads the England squad for chances created, accurate long balls, blocks and interceptions per 90 in Germany.
However, Southgate has seemingly taken the easy way out by dropping Alexander-Arnold for England’s final group game against Slovenia on Tuesday, according to The Athletic.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher will come in to replace Alexander-Arnold and partner Arsenal’s Declan Rice.
DECLAN RICE DEFENDS TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD
England star Declan Rice has delivered a stirring defence of his midfield colleague Trent Alexander-Arnold amid ongoing criticism of the Three Lions at Euro 2024.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Rice was interviewed by ITV ahead of England’s final group stage match against Slovenia with Gabriel Clarke asking the Arsenal man whether major tournaments were the right time for such experimentation.
“It’s funny because people were calling for Trent to play in midfield,” Rice told ITV. “Half the country are calling for Trent to play in midfield.
“And then you play him in midfield and then you want to bring him down. I don’t get it. I don’t get it at all.
“I’ll defend all of my boys until the day I never put on an England shirt. Trent is one of the best players I’ve ever seen.
“I’ll tell you now, Trent can play in midfield. I’ve seen it at England. I’ve seen it for Liverpool. He’s unbelievable.”
DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI REVEALS TRAUMA OF BARNABAS VARGA INJURY
Liverpool playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai rushed to the aid of his Hungary teammate Barnabas Varga after he suffered a horror injury at Euro 2024.
Dominik Szoboszlai Hungary
The 29-year-old striker was caught by a high Angus Gunn challenge while attempting to head the ball during the second half of Hungary’s final group stage game against Scotland on Sunday night.
Play was halted for seven minutes as Varga received treatment on the field with curtains being erected around the frontman as he lay prone on the turf.
Fans and players alike feared the worst as Varga was left unconscious by the challenge, with Szoboszlai left unhappy at the speed with which the stretcher was being brought to the field.
The 23-year-old Liverpool man joined the paramedics, pushing the stretcher towards his colleague in an attempt to get him treated faster.
The Ferencvaros forward was taken straight to hospital in Stuttgart with the Hungarian football authorities later putting out information which revealed that Varga was conscious and stable.
“I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Szoboszlai is reported to have said by Sportal.hu “I was one of the first to be there. It was also startling to see, burned into my retina.”
