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    Struggling Hojlund has better conversion rate than Haaland and Salah but Man Utd boss Amorim must fix dilemma

    RASMUS HOJLUND has a better chance conversion rate than Erling Haaland and Mo Salah since debuting for Manchester United last year.The forward, still only 21, joined the Red Devils for £72million in the summer of 2023, following a solitary season at Atalanta.Rasmus Hojlund has scored one Premier League goal this seasonCredit: GettyHojlund, 21, actually ranks as one of the Prem’s most accurate shootersCredit: ReutersHojlund arrived at Old Trafford with United desperate for a prolific striker.And while he has shown signs of promise, he has only scored 18 goals in 55 appearances for the Red Devils, 11 coming in the Premier League.Statistics show, however, that Hojlund is nowhere near solely to blame for his lack of goals.In fact, since making his United debut, he is among the Premier League’s deadliest finishers.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHojlund has a conversion rate of 25.5 per cent, which puts him fourth in the Premier League over this period.Only Chris Wood (30.9), Jean-Philippe Mateta (28.8) and Hwang Hee-chan (27.5) have better conversion rates in that time.Manchester City goal-machine Erling Haaland is at 21.2 per cent, albeit on far higher volume.While Liverpool’s Mo Salah is on 18.3 per cent, again on far more attempts.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSErling Haaland receives far better service at Man City than Hojlund does at UnitedCredit: GettyHojlund’s chance conversion at United has been better than Mo Salah’s in the same periodCredit: GettySunSport revealed last weekend that Man Utd scouts were in attendance to watch Ruben Amorim’s former Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres in action for Sweden.But with Amorim set to have to work with a reduced budget compared to his predecessor Erik ten Hag, he may have to prioritise getting more out of his current crop.Top 10 highest-paid Premier League starsSpeaking to the Telegraph, former Man Utd forward Dion Dublin pointed out that his old side don’t put in enough quality crosses for Hojlund.He said: “I still don’t agree with right-footers on the left and left-footers on the right.”If you’re (Alejandro) Garnacho on the left or Antony playing on the right, all your crosses are going into the keeper – if you’re on the other side they’re coming away from the keeper and you have more room then to adjust as a centre-forward.””You also get that reluctance to beat the man on the outside and if you are playing inverted you have an excuse to keep chopping back on to your good foot all the time, but there shouldn’t be any excuse to deliver end product.”The Telegraph also point out that Hojlund receives just 4.1 touches in the opposition box and 1.5 shots per game, compared to Haaland’s tallies of 7.1 and 4.5.Where United fans can hold hope, however, is with the work Amorim did with Gyokeres in Portugal.The striker was already a good player ahead of the move, having banged goals in for Coventry.But things went up another notch in Lisbon, with Gyokeres having netted an astonishing 66 times in 68 matches for Sporting.READ MORE SUN STORIESIrrespective of United’s transfer budget in upcoming windows, Hojlund will have an opportunity to prove that he can be the club’s prolific No9, and that they don’t need to fork out on Gyokeres or another star forward.And United fans will hope that he can now embark on a rich vein of form, starting this Sunday as Amorim takes charge of his first game away at Ipswich.Ruben Amorim did brilliant work with Viktor GyokeresCredit: PA More

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    Liverpool drop worrying transfer hint over three key players as 2025 calendar is released

    LIVERPOOL have dropped a big hint over the futures of Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.The trio are all out of contract in the summer and have been linked with moves away from Anfield.Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold could both be set to leave in the summerCredit: GettyVirgil van Dijk is also out of contract at the end of the seasonCredit: ReutersRight-back Alexander-Arnold, 26, is being closely monitored by European champions Real Madrid.Forward Salah, 32, has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia for more than a year, with Paris Saint-Germain also in the frame.And centre-back Van Dijk, 33, was linked with a switch to Barcelona back in January.All three will be able to sign pre-contract agreements elsewhere from January if they wish to leave.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLNow Reds fans’ fears over losing all three have been exacerbated following the release of the club’s 2025 calendar.Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk are on the months of February, March and April.This could be construed as Liverpool preparing for their summer departures by putting them at the start of the year.Earlier this month, SunSport revealed contract talks with Alexander-Arnold are stalling as the club are not willing to offer him higher wages than Salah and Van Dijk.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSFollowing Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Manchester United back in September, Salah hinted at his imminent exit by saying he wanted to “enjoy the last year” at Anfield.But Van Dijk has offered more optimism surrounding his future after revealing last month that he is speaking to the “right people” about a new deal.Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister ‘being sued for compensation by ex’ two years after he ‘dumped her for her friend’ He said: “I can say obviously discussions are ongoing, but I don’t know, we will see what happens in the future.”What the future will bring I have no idea at the moment. I can only tell you that discussions have been started up and we will see.”Despite uncertainty surrounding the futures of key players, Liverpool have not been impacted on the pitch under new manager Arne Slot.The Reds sit top of the Premier League table, five points clear of Manchester City having won nine of their opening 11 matches.They also sit first in the Champions League and are the only team to boast a 100 per cent record after four games. More

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    I’m A Celeb fans in tears at Dean McCullough’s wildly wrong answer to football question during Bushtucker Trial

    I’M A CELEB fans were left in hysterics after Dean McCullough embarrassingly got a football question wrong during a Bushtucker Trial.The latest episode of the hit ITV show featured McCullough facing the Sinister Sarcophagus trial to win luxury meals for himself and his campmates.Dean McCullough was asked to name the famous Egyptian footballer who plays for LiverpoolCredit: ITVThe radio DJ hilariously said Jose Mourinho instead of Kop star Mohamed SalahCredit: AFPIn order to earn the meals, the Radio One DJ had to answer questions about Egypt while locked in a Sarcophagus – all while it slowly filled up with insects.But he couldn’t hack the challenge and shouted, “I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!” to end it.Presenters Ant & Dec proceeded to ask the 32-year-old some of the questions he would have faced had he not quit.And one of them was an absolute doozy.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThey asked him: “Name the footballer who is originally from Egypt and plays for Liverpool?”And McCullough showed he’s not a football fan by answering “Jose Mourinho” instead of Mohamed Salah.Footie fans watching the show had a field day and took to social media to have a chuckle at his response.One wrote on X: “Ah yes the famous Egyptian Liverpool player Jose Mourinho.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFive Mo Salah strops at LiverpoolFive times things have got heated during Mo Salah’s Liverpool career.West Ham 2 Liverpool 2 – April 28, 2024Salah gets into a heated argument with Klopp as he refuses to shake the manager’s hand before coming on at the London Stadium.Liverpool 3 Sheffield United 1 – April 4, 2024Salah shakes his head as he is subbed off during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over the basement club.Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1 – August 13, 2023Salah storms off the pitch after being replaced on 77 minutes on the first day of the season.Brighton 1 Liverpool 1 – November 28, 2020Salah throws his arms up in the air and barely looks at Klopp after being subbed off. Brighton go on to equalise with a last minute penalty.Burnley 0 Liverpool 3 – August 31, 2019Salah gets in a public spat with Sadio Mane after failing to pass to the winger. Team-mate Roberto Firmino says the row had been brewing for some time.Read the full article from Jack RosserAnother said: “‘Egyptian footballer plays for Liverpool….Jose Mourinho.'”Send him home just for that.”Mo Salah appears to confirm Liverpool transfer exit live on Sky Sports after ripping Man Utd to shredsOne chimed in with a photo of Salah celebrating and said: “I am Jose Mourinho.”Another posted a photoshopped version of Salah celebrating with Mourinho’s face superimposed on his.Salah has had a stellar season so far for Premier League table toppers Liverpool, scoring ten goals and bagging ten assists in all competitions.The Egypt international and his Reds team-mates will be back in action on Sunday afternoon, travelling to St Mary’s to take on Southampton.I’m A Celebrity 2024i’m A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun’s Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year..Coleen Rooney – Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney, has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever.Tulisa – The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year’s I’m A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal.Alan Halsall – The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities.Melvin Odoom – The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet – the Aussie jungle.GK Barry – The UK’s biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers.Dean McCullough – A rising star amongst this year’s bunch of celebs, Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live.Oti Mabuse – The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.Danny Jones – The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle, after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he’s now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice, along with bandmate Tom Fletcher.Jane Moore – The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge – having recently split from her husband. It will be Jane’s first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past.Barry McGuigan – Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer. He told The Late Late Show in 2021: “She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache.”Maura Higgins – The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard. Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year.Rev. Richard Coles – Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity, and he’s ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star, said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.” More

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    Sliding doors moment saw Antony join Man Utd instead of Liverpool after Klopp looked to sign him as Salah replacement

    LIVERPOOL almost moved to sign Manchester United flop Antony as a replacement for Mo Salah.The pair both play in the same position at two of the country’s biggest teams.Liverpool almost signed Antony before he joined Man UtdCredit: GettyThe Brazilian was lined up by Jurgen Klopp as a replacement for Mo SalahCredit: RexBut while one cost an eye-watering amount of money, the other has bagged an incredible amount of goals.Salah was deemed pricey at £36million when he joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017.The Egyptian had previously struggled in England with Chelsea.But an amazing debut season saw Salah immediately silence the doubters with 44 goals in all competitions.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe has since gone on to net 221 goals in 366 games for Liverpool.But The Times claims Salah nearly left Anfield two summers ago.The forward’s contract was nearing its end and Liverpool were struggling to meet his demands.It’s reckoned then-Reds boss Jurgen Klopp sounded out Ajax’s Brazilian winger Antony as Salah’s replacement.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSYet a move never occurred after Liverpool eventually stumped up the cash required to extend their star man’s deal.The decision, taken by Fenway Sports Group’s president Mike Gordon, proved to be an extremely astute one.Ruben Amorim takes charge of first Man Utd training sessionSalah has netted an incredible 65 goals since penning his new contract.While in the same time, Antony has managed a return of just 12.He entered the world of English football the same summer Salah signed on after Man United came calling.Erik ten Hag paid £88m to be reunited with his old Ajax star.But Antony’s time in the Premier League has been full of struggles.He has featured in just two of United’s 11 league games this season.And Antony’s future is likely to become even less clear under new manager Ruben Amorim, who does not play with natural wingers in his 3-4-3 system. More

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    Chelsea boost as Liverpool boss Klopp admits he’s not sure if Mane and Salah can play in title fight clash at Bridge

    CHELSEA may have been given an early advantage in their New Year title clash with Liverpool with news lethal Reds duo Mo Salah and Sadio Mane might be unavailable to play. The two strikers along with midfield lynchpin Naby Keita might be on Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) duty during the heavyweight Prem clash at Stamford Bridge on January 2.
    Salah is a hero for Egypt as well as LiverpoolCredit: EPA
    Mane has scored 26 goals for SenegalCredit: Getty
    Liverpool boss Klopp might lose three of his best players because of Africa Cup of Nations call-upsCredit: Getty
    Egypt talisman Salah has already bagged an astonishing 17 goals and eight assists for the second-placed Reds so far this season.
    Senegal hero Mane has nine goals and one assist from 18 appearances for the club in this campaign.
    And Guinea superstar Keita has chipped in with three goals and an assist while marshalling the Reds’ midfield with a number of man-of-the-match displays.
    AFCON will run from January 9 to February 6, with 40 Prem stars potentially being called up to play in Cameroon.
    At this stage it is unclear exactly when in early January Prem teams will need to release their players for the tournament.
    When asked if he knew whether his trio of stars would be available to face the Blues, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told Anfield Watch: “Not really – it is still too early for that, but we are still talking about it.”

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    Klopp’s side moved to within a point of leaders Chelsea with a 4-0 dismissal of Southampton yesterday.
    Salah and Mane started but did not score, with fellow front-man Diogo Jota carrying the scoring burden with two first-half goals.
    The Blues have a game in hand on the Reds and could move four points clear at the top of the table with a win against manageress Manchester United this afternoon.
    And Chelsea could lose players to AFCON too, with potential selections for Senegal’s Edouard Mendy and Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech.
    Liverpool boss Klopp is confronted by fuming reporter after calling AFCON a ‘little tournament’ More

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    Mohamed Salah ‘wants £400,000-a-week to sign new Liverpool contract’ with striker and agent locked in talks

    MOHAMED SALAH is reportedly after a megabucks wage rise as part of a huge new agreement with Liverpool. The Egypt international is thought to be after a club-record deal of around £400,000-a-week, according to Telegraph Sport. 
    Mohamed Salah’s agent is thought to be in talks over a new deal that could see him become Liverpool’s highest-paid playerCredit: Getty
    It is suggested the striker, whose current contract expires in 2023, could be offered new terms from the club, who play Atletico Madrid later, worth around £82million over three years.
    This is despite the Anfield giants’ wage spend reportedly rising to £325million. 
    However, some pundits and commentators believe Salah’s prolific form since his 2017 arrival from Roma make him worth every penny. 
    The player is currently thought to be earning around £200,000-a-week according to Spotrac.
    Salah, 29, has netted 135 goals in 213 games for Jurgen Klopp’s side following his £34million from the Serie A outfit. 
    Reports claim the Reds owners FSG are eager to tie the forward down to a deal by January 1
    And the former Roma ace’s Dubai-based agent Ramy Abbas Issa is rumoured to have arrived in England on Saturday to oversee contract discussions. 

    It is thought the offer of £82million over three years from the Anfield giants would make Salah the club’s highest-paid player ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara. 
    And some have likened the situation to the contract drama Liverpool faced with Luis Suarez back in 2014 prior to his departure for Barcelona
    The former Reds idol could be set to face his old side with his new team Atletico with the rivals set to go head-to-head at Anfield tonight.
    Salah and his team-mates will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
    Salah, who began his senior playing career at 18 at Egyptian club Al-Mokawloon, has emerged as one of Europe’s most feared strikers following his move to Merseyside.
    This season he has netted ten goals in ten games across all competitions including a stunning effort in his side’s 5-0 demolition of Watford last time out. 
    And the winger scored 50 goals in 100 Liverpool games in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, helping them to a Champions League title in 2019 and a Prem crown a year later.

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    Klopp praises Mo Salah after Liverpool’s smashing 5-0 defeat of Watford More