كشف محمد الأسيوطي المستشار القانوني للجنة الأولمبية المصرية، حقيقة إدراج نادي الزمالك، اسم اللاعب أحمد فتوح في قائمة اللاعبين المتجهة إلى المملكة العربية السعودية لخوض مباراة السوبر الإفريقي.

ويستعد الزمالك للسفر عصر الثلاثاء إلى السعودية لمواجهة الأهلي يوم الجمعة المقبل على ملعب الممكلة أرينا لحسم الفائز بلقب كأس السوبر الإفريقي.

أشرف عبد العزيز: هذه مستجدات قضية فتوح.. والتوأم يرحبان بالتفاوض مع المصري

يأتي ذلك في الوقت الذي يشهد معاناة الظهير الأيسر بنادي الزمالك أحمد فتوح من أزمة بسبب قضية قتل خطأ وتعاطي المخدرات، والتي صدر الحكم الأخير فيها بإخلاء سبيل اللاعب على ذمة القضية.

وقال الأسيوطي في تصريحات تلفزيونية لفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس”: “نحمل على عاتقنا متابعة كافة الإجراءات القانونية الخاصة بسفر البعثات المصرية للخارج، سواء كانت تابعة للمنتخبات أو الأندية”.

وأضاف: “كلفنا المهندس ياسر إدريس بمتابعة كل الإجراءات القانونية الخاصة بسفر البعثات، وعُرض علينا سفر بعثة الزمالك للسعودية للمشاركة في مباراة السوبر”.

وأردف: “وعندما اطلعنا على الأوراق وجدنا اسم اللاعب أحمد فتوح، فطلبنا من نادي الزمالك إفادة عن موقف اللاعب قانونيًا، وأن النادي مسؤول مسؤولية قانونية عن سفره خارج البلاد”.

جوميز يستبعد الصفقة الجديدة من مباراة السوبر الإفريقي أمام الأهلي

وأشار: “بالأمس تم عرض الملف بالكامل ووضعنا فيه بعض البنود والتعليمات بالنسبة للنادي”.

واستأنف: “أما اليوم أرسل نادي الزمالك قائمة جديدة خالية من اسم أحمد فتوح، وهذا كل ما تم بخصوص اللاعب في الفترة الأخيرة”.

وأتم: “سنستخدم الخطاب الثاني الذي أرسله الزمالك والموافقة ستصدر عليه، والموافقة التي تصدر من اللجنة الأولمبية تكون مقترنة بـ 7 قيود، وهذا أمر يسري على لكل الأندية وللاتحادات التي تطلب السفر خارج مصر”.

Glasgow Rangers return to competitive action this Saturday as their quest to win a 35th Scottish Cup title gets underway against Dumbarton.

This should be a relatively easy tie to negotiate, and perhaps Philippe Clement will give some fringe players or even an academy gem or two a run out against the League Two side.

What is clear heading into the second half of the season, however, is that the Gers need to add a few more bodies to their first-team squad if they are to fight on both domestic and European fronts over the coming months.

One main area which needs bolstering is at left-back, and the 49-year-old tactician is scouring the market to find someone who could come in and make a difference.

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ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024 Rangers’ search for a new left-back

The first choice in the left-back position, Borna Barisic, is out of contract come the end of the season and with reported interest from Dinamo Zagreb, he could be close to leaving the Ibrox side in the next few months.

Clement’s other option on the left side of defence, Ridvan Yilmaz, is also attracting attention, and he could move away from the Gers as early as this month if the right deal presents itself.

Indeed, the Light Blues have recently rejected a loan-to-buy deal from Galatasaray, according to Sky Sports (via Glasgow World), as the £3.4m fee is clearly lower than what Clement feels the youngster is worth.

There is still time for him to depart and the need for another option in this area has heightened significantly since the start of the transfer window.

One of the latest names to be linked with a move is Benfica defender David Jurasek, who, according to Football Scotland, is someone that Clement could potentially lure to the club on a loan deal until the end of the season.

A temporary deal could be an ideal way of bringing someone else in without having to spend a lavish sum on a transfer fee, and it could certainly be a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Rangers could sign dream Barisic replacement in 6 ft 1 "unit"

Rangers are currently searching for a new left-back this January

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 15, 2024

Yilmaz has struggled to settle properly at Rangers and aside from a few glimpses of his talent, moving him on might be the best option for the Belgian coach.

Ridvan Yilmaz's Rangers career in numbers

The Turkish defender cost the club a staggering £5m back in the summer of 2022 and with Giovanni van Bronckhorst looking at building the blocks of a successful, yet youthful team, the signing was seen as an exciting one.

Former sporting director Ross Wilson hailed the youngster, saying: "He's a talented young player who has been coveted throughout Europe following outstanding performances for Besiktas. We also know how highly regarded he is in the Turkish National Team. This is another exciting young player to join our squad, and we are delighted to bring Ridvan to Rangers."

Yilmaz missed 29 games in his maiden season in Scotland due to injury, playing just 15 times in all competitions in what was an underwhelming 2022/23 campaign for the club.

Following a solid pre-season, much was expected of the defender, yet Michael Beale left him out of his Europa League squad and during the first half of the season, the 22-year-old started only ten matches.

He did score his first goal for the club against Livingston with a storming solo effort, but these glimpses of his ability clearly haven’t been enough to convince Clement that he is the long-term option at left-back.

With a transfer away from Glasgow looking increasingly likely, could Jurasek make Clement forget all about Yilmaz should he join this month?

How David Jurasek compares to Yilmaz

The Czech Republic international has endured a similar sort of season to Yilmaz, playing only 12 matches across all competitions for Benfica, as he has failed to secure a consistent run of matches.

Despite this, he does currently rank in the top ten among the squad for key passes per game (1.2) and for successful dribbles per game (0.7) in the Portuguese top flight, giving supporters flashes of his attacking ability.

With Benfica reaching an agreement to sign Alvaro Fernandez from Manchester United, this could force Jurasek out of the club and the Gers could be ready to make an offer.

Although fairly low-key this season, the 23-year-old shone for Slavia Prague during the 2022/23 campaign and if he could replicate these performances upon joining Rangers, they would have a solid option to depend on.

Jurasek played a total of 45 games for the Czech side last term, scoring twice and chipping in with 12 assists, and these 14 goal contributions would have ranked him seventh for the Scottish club in 2022/23, demonstrating just how impressive an attacking outlet he can be when on form.

Indeed, for his club side, the defender ranked third for key passes per game in the Czech top flight (1.1) along with ranking sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.5) and fifth for tackles per game (1.5), indicating that he contributed at both ends of the pitch.

The defender was praised for his impressive season in his homeland by Kai Watson, who said when analysing the player for the Rangers Review:

“He’s a modern-day forward thinking full-back that also has a few tricks in his locker. He’s willing to take on and commit defenders while driving forward. He’s definitely a more direct and attacking full back than Borna Barisic and looks more solid on the defensive end.”

High praise indeed, and it looks as though if he can put his spell in Portugal behind him and remain focussed, the Gers could see a player who will possess an attacking threat at one end of the pitch while being reliable at stopping attacks at the other end.

Accurate passes per game

25.2

19.2

Big chances created

3

1

Key passes per game

1.1

1.2

Tackles made per game

1.4

1.5

Total duels won per game

3.6

2.8

It is evident that this is an area which urgently needs bolstering sooner rather than later, even if a loan move for someone like Jurasek is sorted this month.

When the summer transfer window rolls around, Clement will have more time to assess the situation, but at this present moment in time, he should be bringing in the current Benfica defender, even if it is just for a few months.

It is believed that a Chelsea player is ready to quit the club in January despite his love for the west Londoners, and two sides have been offered his signing.

Chelsea undergoing quiet January

Despite reports indicating that Maurico Pochettino is very keen to add a striker to his ranks, there has been little in the way of genuine activity as we go over the half halfway point of this January transfer window.

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David Comerford

Jan 15, 2024

So far, the only business Chelsea have conducted is allowing both left-back Ian Maatsen and striker David Datro Fofana go out on loan in search of more game time – with time running out for the club to make necessary additions.

A new forward is particularly needed at the club, with Pochettino's side still among the Premier League top ten's lowest goalscoring sides.

Chelsea have been heavily linked to signing Napoli star Victor Osimhen, though that potential swoop is more likely to gather pace in the summer. They do have alternatives to the Nigerian, with red-hot AZ Alkmaar striker Vangelis Pavlidis among the names offered to Chelsea this month.

It will be interesting to see if Pochettino does get his desired new number nine before January 31, but for now, Chelsea could be looking to trim more unwanted players off his squad to raise funds and make room. The west Londoners, according to recent reports, have even been considering a shock sale of star midfielder Conor Gallagher in an attempt to bolster Pochettino's transfer kitty.

One player they'll be more happy to part company with, though, is midfielder Trevoh Chalobah.

Chalobah ready to quit and offered to Serie A

The versatile ace, who is said to "love" Chelsea (Fabrizio Romano), will also cast emotions aside in search of more minutes on the field.

He is now surplus to requirement under Pochettino, and as a result, Chalobah is ready to quit Chelsea this month. That is according to an Italian journalist, who claims the Englishman has been offered out to both AC Milan and Napoli by intermediaries.

Milan in particular are in desperate need of another central defender, so it will be interesting to see if they advance any further in pursuit of Chalobah. The 24-year-old was a regular under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, with the former singing his praises as an "impressive" character.

"Very professional, very determined. He’s an impressive character, very focused on his football," said Potter last year to the Chelsea website.

"He’s a bit of a soldier. He’s played in all the games, we’re having some problems in terms of availability for players, but he’s stood up, stood in and he’s performing at a really good level."

Meanwhile, Lampard has said Chalobah is actually a "delight" in training: “He’s a delight to train with every day because he comes in with an enthusiasm, low maintenance, and when you talk about the things you want, he tries to do them on the pitch, which is a great thing."

On Sunday, Manchester United beat West Ham 3-0 at Old Trafford, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring for the third Premier League match in a row and Alejandro Garnacho netting a double in the second half. United, who scored in stoppage time to beat Wolves 4-3 last Thursday, have now moved up to sixth place in the table and closed to within eight points off the top four.

However, the victory was marred by another injury for centre-back Lisandro Martinez, who was making just his second league start since September after missing 105 days and 22 games with a foot injury. The Argentine initially tried to play on after hurting his knee, but he ultimately had to go off on 71 minutes, and Erik ten Hag expressed immediate concern post-match.

He said: "I can't say but it doesn't look good. There is a bad concern. We have to wait for a few days for the diagnosis. We do everything to get the right diagnosis and see what is the damage.

"He is very sad, very disappointed. We all feel really with him. First of all, it is a personal disaster when it is really bad, but also for the team it is really bad because he definitely brings us a lot."

Martinez faces two months out

Ten Hag's fears have now been confirmed, with Sky Sports breaking the news out of Carrington that Martinez is set to be out until April after suffering a "serious" injury in a significant blow to their slim hopes of Champions League qualification.

The on-air update went as follows: “We’ve got breaking news from Manchester United, and if you’re a United fan it’s really bad news. It’s been confirmed that Lisandro Martinez suffered a serious knee injury during that win over West Ham yesterday and he’s expected to be out for at least two months.”

Fan favourite Martinez to miss Manchester derby

This is an almighty setback for Ten Hag and United, just as they were starting to build some momentum. When Martinez is on the field, United outscore their opponent on xG by an average of 0.56 per 90 minutes, which statistically makes him the third-most impactful player in the squad.

Striker Man Utd are in pole position for will change clubs this summer

He could be such an exciting addition at Old Trafford.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 6, 2024

Martinez is a favourite at Old Trafford, having been named Fans' Footballer of the Year in 2022 and then finished third in the Player of the Season voting behind Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes.

Lisandro Martinez

Knee

Early April

Anthony Martial

Groin

Late March

Tyrell Malacia

Knee

Mid-February

Mason Mount

Calf

Mid-February

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Unknown

Mid-February

A two-month absence will see him miss games against rivals like Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and potentially Liverpool too. Time will tell whether United are even in contention for a top-four finish by the time he returns, or if they've made any movement on possible new centre-backs by then, like the heavily linked Jarrad Branthwaite.

MatériaMais Notícias

A chegada de Abel Ferreira no Brasil está marcada para quinta-feira (1). O treinador volta ao trabalho após quase três semanas de descanso ao lado da família, em Portugal, e vai dar sequência ao que tem sido feito pelos auxiliares João Martins e Vitor Castanheira.

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No período em que esteve ausente, o comandante viu o time se manter invicto, uma vez que foram três jogos com duas vitórias sobre São Caetano e Ferroviária, além do empate contra o São Bento. O mês de março terminará com cinco jogos, o menor número do Verdão desde o retorno do futebol, em julho passado.

Quando pisar no gramado da Academia de Futebol, Abel também reencontrará uma equipe mais leve mentalmente e fisicamente. Logo após o título da Copa do Brasil, um grupo de atletas, assim como o treinador, tirou alguns dias de descanso. A segunda leva volta com o comandante, na quinta-feira (1). Juntos, vão voltar às atenções para as duas decisões de abril: Recopa Sul-Americana e Supercopa do Brasil.

Os compromissos diante o Defensa y Justicia serão disputados nos dias 7 e 14, enquanto o jogo contra o Flamengo está marcado para 11, no Mané Garrincha, em Brasília. Vale lembrar que quando teve tempo para treinar o Alviverde conseguiu bons resultados. Foi assim diante do River Plate, na Argentina, e nas duas partidas contra o Grêmio.

Uma cara nova estará na Academia na quinta. Danilo Barbosa, velho conhecido de Abel Ferreira, foi contratado por empréstimo até o fim do ano e vai suprir uma das necessidades pedidas pelo comandante. A diretoria trabalha para encorpar o elenco campeão da América.

Abel sai da cidade do Porto na quarta-feira (31) no avião da conselheira Leila Pereira e tem chegada prevista para a manhã do dia seguinte, no Brasil.

continua após a publicidade

According to the England allrounder, friendly competition to score the quickest centuries and hit the biggest sixes is driving the team during the World Cup

George Dobell in Headingley20-Jun-20193:04

Swann: England truly believe that 500 is possible

Friendly competition to score the quickest centuries and hit the biggest sixes is driving England’s batsmen during the World Cup, according to Moeen Ali.Furthest six-hitting distances from England at World Cup

Jason Roy, 97m against Bangladesh
Moeen Ali, 93m against Afghanistan
Eoin Morgan, 92m against Afghanistan
Joe Root, 91m against Afghanistan
Jonny Bairstow, 86m against Pakistan
Jos Buttler, 85m against Bangladesh
Chris Woakes, 84m against Bangladesh
Liam Plunkett, 79m against Bangladesh

Eoin Morgan set a new ODI record by hitting 17 sixes in his innings in Manchester last week. But while he may have hit the most, his team-mates left him in no doubt that theirs were bigger and that his 57-ball century was “a bit slow” by comparison to their own. Three men in England’s top seven – Moeen, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler – have hit quicker ODI centuries.And that competition – combined with plenty of hard work – is rendering England “almost unstoppable” according to Moeen.”We were a bit surprised by the numbers the other day,” Moeen, who once made a 53-ball century against West Indies, said. “We were like ‘that’s a lot of sixes’. But I told him I hit the biggest. The first one off Rashid Khan was the biggest.”When players go past 53 balls then I can always say ‘yeah, it’s a great knock but still a bit slow for my liking.’ I’m always hoping they don’t push me further down the list.Moeen Ali steers one through the off side•Getty Images

“We always talk about stuff like that. Jos came back after scoring 120 and I told him I’d hit the shot of the day. We have a bit of banter about it.”We’re just having a lot of fun and ripping each other all the time. We get stuck into each other about everything: about the football or about Fifa. Anything. It’s all part of team bonding. It’s all very natural.”While the team may good-naturedly compete for such accolades there is, according to Moeen, an acceptance that one man stands out.”Buttler is the biggest hitter,” Moeen says. “With ease. Some guys – like Jonny Bairstow – are brutal. Jason Roy is absolutely about power and Morgan does hit big sixes.”In the nets, Joe Root hits the most sixes. He tries to take us down all the time. I think everyone is capable of hitting big sixes and I think I’m the best of all of them. But Jos is the one guy that everyone knows is out front. Jos is power with timing.”But the serious side is that we work hard on it. You can’t just rock up and start hitting sixes for fun, you have to practice it and work on it.”As a team, once we get going, I’m sure everybody thinks that we’re almost unstoppable. When Jos, Morgs, Jason… we have some many players, almost everybody in the top eight. Who can do it. Once they get going, it’s almost unstoppable. That’s the great thing about the team.”

Netherlands signed off before Euro 2024 with a comprehensive friendly win over Iceland in Rotterdam.

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• Netherlands play final Euro 2024 warm-up
• Simons, Van Dijk, Malen & Weghorst score
• Face Poland in Group D on June 16

• Getty
  

  TELL ME MORE

  With the Dutch ranked seventh in the world and Iceland ranked 72nd, the mismatch was pretty clear from the early stages. Xavi Simons put Oranje into a deserved lead midway through the first half, turning in from close-range after Denzel Dumfries headed the ball across the face of goal. It was clear that Iceland had little left in the tank after inflicting a shock defeat on England and Virgil van Dijk scored the second from a corner straight after half-time, although the visitors wound up hitting the post from distance via the fingertips of Bart Verbruggen. There was no danger of any sort if comeback when Memphis brilliantly found substitute Donyell Malen with a pass over the top, while Memphis had a would-be fourth ruled out by VAR for a handball earlier in the move. Wout Weghorst had the ball in the net in stoppage time that was initially flagged offside, but VAR came to the rescue this time and overturned the decision in favour of a goal.

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• THE MVP

  Memphis Depay didn't have a great end to the club season with Atletico Madrid, playing only sparingly after a muscle injury ruled him out for several games across April and into May. There was a big hope that he'd be able to get a full 90 minutes in his legs before the Euros, after an hour against Canada last time out. And while that wasn't quite the case, he still played 84 minutes and looked the most consistent source of danger, well worth his assist and probably deserved a goal.

• Getty
  

  THE BIG LOSER

  Teun Koopmeiners is coming into the Euros off the back of an outstanding club season with Atalanta, finally primed to play a significant role after not getting off the bench at the last continental championship and limited to bit-part status at the 2022 World Cup. But a groin injury suffered during the warm-up here, forcing him to drop out of the lineup before kick-off, was not the way he would have wanted to prepare.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Keen to improve on a disappointing last 16 exit at Euro 2020, failing to qualify for Euro 2016 and going home at the Euro 2012 group stage, the Dutch begin their 2024 campaign against Poland in just six days' time. The lineup Ronald Koeman chose on Monday was probably just two players shy of his strongest team, bearing in mind Koopmeiners' late withdrawal and Frenkie de Jong's ongoing battle to be fit.

Joe Burns provided Australia’s selectors with a conundrum after matching Marcus Harris with a century for Australia A before the bowlers ripped through Sussex to put the tourists on the brink of victory on day three at Arundel.Burns was a late inclusion in the Australia A squad, after suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, and the team for this match after Matthew Wade was called up to Australia’s World Cup squad.Burns and Harris added just 11 to the 203-run opening stand they produced on day two before Harris fell caught behind for 109 but Burns kicked on to reach his century. Kurtis Patterson fell cheaply before Burns and Travis Head shared a 61-run stand until Head was given out lbw sweeping Luke Wells for 34.Burns was eventually dismissed by a beauty from Mir Hamza, edging him to slip for 133 from 241 balls.”My goal coming into the game was just to try and face as many balls as possible, so I’m satisfied with the performance,” Burns said.He added he benefitted from a more relaxed approach to his preparation following his time out with post viral fatigue issues.”I’ve probably listened to my body a lot more,” Burns said. “During the summer I was really pushing hard all the time trying to prepare as best as you can and every time I felt fatigued I just thought I had to work harder and do more. I probably just have a better understanding of where my body is at. I’m listening to it a little bit more now.”Coming into the game, I was just trying to focus on being as fresh as possible. It’s actually quite relaxing mentally coming into the game, again getting called in at the last minute probably helped with that and it just makes you relax when you get out into the middle.”Burns and Harris appear to be in a battle to partner David Warner in the opening Ashes Test but Burns said they were not worried about that against Sussex.”As openers you’re always working as a partnership, trying to get through the partnership and helping each other out in the middle,” Burns said. “[Harris] has had a tremendous season and done extremely well and made plenty of runs. You saw in this game he walks out there, whacks them from ball one.”There’s a lot of players making a lot of runs. It’s great signs for Australian cricket and honestly, as players, you just get out there in the middle and work with your partner to try and overcome the opposition. You don’t really look at each other competing for spots. I’ve always thought that if everyone’s making runs, there’s a spot for everyone.”Usman Khawaja’s hamstring injury may provide another spot in the Australia Test top order although Steve Smith is also set to return. Burns said he was bitterly disappointed to see his Queensland team-mate get injured, but would bat anywhere if required.”I was shattered for him,” Burns said. “Hopefully it’s not too bad. It’s a cruel game sometimes. I feel comfortable anywhere. I’ve batted in a lot of different positions in the order in the past. Hopefully Uzzie [Khawaja] is there though. He’s made that No.3 spot his own and is a really integral part of the Test team. As a team-mate you don’t really want to think like that, you just hope he can get back playing and recover as quickly as possible.”Australia A collapsed against the second new ball following Burns’ dismissal falling from 313 for 3 to 373 all out, but their bowlers tore through Sussex’s batting line-up in the afternoon.Jackson Bird, James Pattinson and Jon Holland each took three wickets as Sussex were bundled out for 120 right on stumps.Bird got the ball to swing and nip as he claimed three top-order scalps in two overs before Holland found some purchase to give Patterson two catches at slip. Pattinson blasted out the tail with pace to leave Australia A with just 11 runs to win on the final day.

Liverpool's tepid performance at the Emirates Stadium handed Arsenal the flame to reignite the Premier League title race, Jurgen Klopp's side engineering their own demise in an error-laden display.

Still top of the table after 23 matches (though this will change if Manchester City win their game in hand), Liverpool are firing on all cylinders and in good positions across the three cup competitions too.

Klopp has rebuilt the Anfield side after last year's struggles and the new manager, whoever they will be, has the instruments to fashion illustrious success, but securing the right name is, of course, paramount.

Liverpool's search to replace Jurgen Klopp

Numerous names have entered circulation but there's little question that Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner, with Fabrizio Romano hinting that the Spaniard is in pole position to succeed Klopp's legacy.

However, FSG are not alone in their interest, with struggling Chelsea losing patience with Mauricio Pochettino and seeking to replace him with Alonso, according to French outlet Sports Zone; Liverpool and Bayern Munich are also named suitors.

Why Xabi Alonso is perfect for Conor Bradley

Liverpool will fight fiercely to give Klopp the glittering swansong he deserves but more important is the replacement to sustain the fluency built over many years.

Alonso is working wonders over in Germany and has created a truly special team at the BayArena, with Leverkusen currently first-placed in the Bundesliga – though Bayern Munich lurk ominously behind by two points – and undefeated across all competitions.

Stylistically, he does differ from Klopp while still maintaining an attractive and enterprising approach. Liverpool's heavy-metal, counter-pressing trademark has blown opponents away on countless occasions, but Alonso – who won the Champions League and completed 210 appearances for Liverpool as a player – focuses on controlled, short passing, favouring a three-man central defence.

While Liverpool would need to adapt, undergoing a liminal process of sorts in the 42-year-old's maiden days at the helm, the squad as tactically astute and brimming with first-class talent and there is no reason why Alonso could not implement his ideology, having been praised for his "extraordinary" work with Die Werkself by Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Should he stick with three at the back, the style could bring the best out of Conor Bradley, who has enjoyed something of a meteoric rise over the past month.

Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a knee injury just shy of one month ago in what handed Bradley the keys to the right-back position, and having now scored one goal and supplied five assists during January, he has been heralded for his "superhuman" start by The Redmen TV's Jack Gill.

1.

Darwin Nunez

35

11

2.

Mohamed Salah

27

8

2.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

28

8

4.

Conor Bradley

9

5

Source: BBC Sport

With such blistering pace, dribbling prowess and an innate ability to wreak devastation on opposition defences, Bradley could slot into an Alonso system without seam, buttressed by the extra man in defence.

Given that Alexander-Arnold is destined for a future in the centre of the park, Bradley may well find that the right channel becomes his own in the years to come and it is now vital that Alonso is secured to take hold of this talented squad and continue the illustrious success.

Southampton powered on to yet another win in the Championship win last match away at lowly Rotherham United, comfortably beating the basement side 2-0 to move back up to second spot in the division.

Leeds United had momentarily unsettled the status quo in the automatic promotion places with a win away at Bristol City, but Russell Martin's Saints were calm and measured versus the Millers and strolled to their 18th win of the season to date regardless of any outside pressure.

It's a break from the grind of the second tier this mid-week for the high-flying Saints however, playing against fellow Championship side Watford in an FA Cup replay.

This could well be a good opportunity for Martin to rest certain individuals with fixtures coming thick and fast in the league away from this one-off tie, with Stuart Armstrong dropping out in four potential changes…

1 GK – Joe Lumley

Gavin Bazunu might well be rested for the FA Cup replay at St Mary's tonight, with Joe Lumley coming back into the team after playing in the 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road last month.

The former Reading goalkeeper is a competent backup Martin can rely on, with the 28-year-old making three saves in total in the Watford draw to help the Saints seal a replay late on via a last-gasp Stuart Armstrong goal.

2 RB – Kyle Walker-Peters

Martin might well not have the same luxury afforded to him in resting Kyle Walker-Peters however, having started Mason Holgate in this spot in the tie at Vicarage Road.

But, the now former Southampton number six ended up being recalled to Everton on Deadline Day to move elsewhere and so Walker-Peters could be retained for the FA Cup clash tonight.

The 26-year-old was solid enough in the straightforward Rotherham win last time out, not having to overly exert himself to help his side pick up a routine three points.

3 CB – Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Lethargy potentially setting in won't be an issue for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, the 22-year-old loving life on loan at the Saints at the moment.

Only missing two games all season long in all competitions, Martin won't be hesitant in the slightest at keeping the Manchester City loanee in his starting eleven tonight.

4 CB – Jan Bednarek

Martin will be a little wary at the prospect of overplaying Harwood-Bellis' centre-back partner in Jan Bednarek however, resting his Polish defender in the original tie away at Watford.

Yet, Bednarek's early headed goal in the Rotherham clash at the weekend could mean he's kept in the side after such an impactful display – the 27-year-old a standout performer at the New York Stadium.

Amassing a ridiculous 135 touches of the ball versus the relegation-threatened Millers, Bednarek's soothing presence on the pitch could see Southampton sail into the next round of the FA Cup with ease.

5 LB – Jayden Meghoma

Jayden Meghoma will be clamouring for another senior start at left-back, with Martin willing to give the young Saints prodigy another go versus Watford after gifting him a start in the previous Cup match.

It would be a great learning curve for the 17-year-old to play alongside the likes of Bednarek and Walker-Peters, with the teenager impressing versus the Hornets last month by amassing two key passes when playing out from defence.

6 CM – Will Smallbone

Will Smallbone could well be retained for tonight's game under the St Mary's floodlights, the 23-year-old putting in another solid display from the centre of the park against Leam Richardson's Millers last match.

Smallbone was involved in the thick of the action throughout the game, missing one big chance in the one-sided affair whilst also constantly creating chances for his teammates at the New York Stadium with two key passes notched up.

7 CM – Flynn Downes

West Ham United loanee Flynn Downes will also stay in Martin's first-team plans tonight, despite having a quiet afternoon in truth against Rotherham.

Downes wasn't quite at his measured best on the ball – coming in at an 85% passing accuracy when his average for the season is usually higher at 94% – but his other performances this campaign means Martin is unlikely to axe him off the back of one sub-par showing.

The silky 25-year-old was at his best in the game just before the Rotherham away day, bagging a rare goal against his former club Swansea City on the way to the high-flying Saints securing a classy 3-1 victory after dominating.

8 CM – Joe Rothwell

Stuart Armstrong could be the only casualty from the central midfield trio for tonight's game against the Hornets therefore, with January purchase Joe Rothwell coming in to fill in for the absent Scotsman.

Armstrong was uncharacteristically poor on the ball versus Rotherham, giving away possession 23 times in South Yorkshire.

As a direct consequence, Martin could see this game with Watford as grounds to give Armstrong a breather and to utilise Rothwell instead.

The AFC Bournemouth loanee – who was once described as a "super talent" by one of his former managers in Tony Mowbray when the pair were at Blackburn Rovers – stood out in the 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road when selected, only giving the ball up four times before being hauled off just shy of the hour mark.

9 RW – Adam Armstrong

Adam Armstrong being selected at right wing might raise a few eyebrows from an outsider's perspective, but it's a spot the lethal attacker has made his own in recent weeks for the Championship promotion hopefuls.

It's seen Armstrong become an assist machine as well as a goalscoring hero, showcased in the Saints beating Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 in the middle of January.

The former Newcastle United man helped himself to a solitary goal in the emphatic win as expected, but also set his teammates up to get in on the act with him by registering two assists.

10 ST – Che Adams

This clever masterstroke has allowed Martin the freedom to play both Armstrong and Che Adams in the same lineup, a terrifying attacking combination for second-tier defences to attempt to thwart.

Onto nine goals for the season from 25 appearances, Adams will hope to get to double digits by scoring against Watford tonight.