PSG player ratings: History makers Lionel Messi & Kylian Mbappe inspire season's best display vs Marseille

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi starred in the absence of Neymar, leading Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-0 win over Ligue 1 rivals Marseille.

PSG broke the deadlock after 25 minutes, as Mbappe ran in behind and met Lionel Messi's pass with a driven finish. He returned the favour 10 minutes later, threading a cross through a defender's legs for an easy tap in for Messi.

The duo only continued to dazzle, with Messi finding Mbappe again with a delicate chip — which the French international swept into the bottom corner on the volley.

Marseille had their moments, but PSG defended dutifully and kept a valuable clean sheet, while extending their Ligue 1 lead to eight points.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Stade Velodrome…

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    Goalkeeper & Defence

    Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10):

    Made a couple of neat saves, kept a clean sheet. A good day.

    Nordi Mukiele (7/10):

    The more conservative of the wing-backs. Didn't do much wrong defensively.

    Sergio Ramos (7/10):

    Dominant in the air and tidy on the ball. Not the centre-back he once was, but Ramos can still perform at this level.

    Marquinhos (8/10):

    Threw himself in front of shots, made some key blocks. Crucial in keeping a clean sheet as the game wound down.

    Presnel Kimpembe (5/10):

    Substituted early after sustaining another leg injury. It's been a spell of rotten luck for the France international.

    Nuno Mendes (7/10)

    Recovered well to prevent Tavares from scoring. Made some excellent forward runs.

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  • Midfield

    Vitinha (7/10):

    Better defensively, and more convincing driving forward. Only lost the ball once, which was crucial against an aggressive Marseille midfield.

    Marco Verratti (8/10):

    Active off the ball, reliable on it. Makes this team so much better.

    Fabian Ruiz (7/10):

    Made the most tackles in the match, got forward often, and found Messi and Mbappe with regularity.

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    Attack

    Lionel Messi (9/10):

    Assisted the first and third, scored the second. Still massive in big moments. Scored his 700th club goal. The best ever.

    Kylian Mbappe (9/10):

    Scored the opener with a lovely diagonal run and finish. Assisted the second with a nutmeg pass. Buried the third with a controlled volley. Now PSG's joint all-time top scorer with 200 goals. Magic.

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    Subs & Manager

    Danilo Pereira (6/10):

    Brought on early to replace the injured Kimpembe and slotted into the right side of a back three. At times uncomfortable, but positionally solid.

    Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

    Entrusted with a shift at right-wing-back and did well.

    Juan Bernat (6/10):

    Extra legs for a tiring Nuno Mendes.

    Christophe Galtier (8/10):

    Started with his preferred three centre-back formation. Got his midfield configuration right, and let his stars do their thing. Eight points clear atop Ligue 1 after a rocky spell.

Lucky 13 for Arsenal! Women's Super League winners and losers as the Gunners make history and Spurs score eight

Arsenal set a new WSL record with victory over West Ham on what was a good weekend for north London as Tottenham went goal crazy against Brighton.

It took Tottenham six games to score eight goals in the Women's Super League last season. On Sunday, they scored eight in a single match. Have they got the firepower this year to be a force?

That incredible win over Brighton was the headline result from a huge weekend in England's top flight, with the biggest story concerning the red side of north London, with Arsenal setting a new record for successive wins in the league as they beat West Ham to record their 13th victory in a row.

Elsewhere, an early season six-pointer between the division's two bottom sides, Reading and Leicester, provided the drama, with the Royals scoring twice at the death to turn the game around and clinch their first points of the campaign.

With plenty to digest across the WSL, here are GOAL's winners and losers from the latest round of fixtures…

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    WINNER: UWCL representatives

    It was a difficult weekend for Europe's top clubs as many struggled in their domestic fixtures after Women's Champions League action in midweek.

    Lyon, eight-time champions on the continent, needed a stoppage-time winner to beat a Fleury side that were down to 10 from the 25th minute.

    Bayern Munich didn't break the deadlock against newly-promoted Meppen until the 71st minute, while two former champions, Barcelona and Wolfsburg, were under pressure until the final whistle in narrow one-goal wins over Levante and Werder Bremen, respectively.

    It was the same in England, where Chelsea were pegged back at 1-1 against Aston Villa, while a sloppy bit of defensive play saw Arsenal fall behind at home to West Ham. That goal also denied them an 11th clean sheet in succession that would have extended their WSL record.

    However, both went on to record 3-1 wins that were eventually comfortable.

    How these two handle their post-UWCL games may well decide the title race this season, but neither were caught out this time despite early scares. Their performances weren't perfect, but it was the results that were important here.

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    LOSER: Leicester

    As the clock ticked into the 90th minute on Sunday, Leicester were 1-0 up away at Reading, the only other team in the WSL without a point yet this season. After scoring against the run of play in the first half, it looked like they were going to hang on for an absolutely massive three points.

    But it all changed incredibly quickly. Rachel Rowe swung in a corner and it was defended in inexplicable fashion given the circumstances, flying into the back of the net to level things up.

    Two minutes later, Rowe produced something even more spectacular, dancing past several Leicester challenges before unleashing a powerful strike from range that sailed into the bottom corner. It sent the Royals into raptures and secured all three points in sensational style.

    It was a big defeat for the Foxes given the opposition – and an even bigger one given how it happened. Now, they need to pick themselves up and go again, which won't be easy, and not only in terms of morale. Leicester must host high-flying Arsenal next week…

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    WINNER: Tottenham

    Tottenham scored eight goals on Sunday. Eight goals – a number that accounts for a third of the league goals they scored all of last season.

    It was a fantastic performance against Brighton, with a clean sheet adding to head coach Rehanne Skinner's delight.

    Spurs have always been a defensively astute side, with the questions surrounding their attacking output in terms of who is going to score the goals but also in who is going to create the chances.

    This season, it looks like things are clicking. Ashleigh Neville appears unstoppable going forward, scoring twice this past weekend and producing two assists – one of those a sublime backheel to send Drew Spence through on goal.

    Spence, signed from Chelsea this summer, has been brilliant, too, playing in a more attacking role and currently sitting just one goal off her best-ever total in an WSL season – with just five games played.

    With forwards Jessica Naz and new arrival Nikola Karczewska also recording their first strikes of the campaign on Sunday, Spurs look primed to become a really dangerous attacking force in the league.

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    LOSER: Brighton

    The other side of that 8-0 story on Sunday was a biggest ever defeat in the WSL for a Brighton team that have won plenty of plaudits since promotion to the top flight back in 2019.

    They've been Chelsea's bogey team and made great progress off the pitch, securing some super signings over the years as a result. Things don't look so rosy at the moment, though.

    Brighton lost two huge players this past summer, with young defender Maya Le Tissier joining Manchester United, while Inessa Kaagman, their top goal-scorer last term, returned to the Netherlands. They brought in some interesting replacements but it hasn't come together yet.

    Right now, they look like a relegation candidate. Only Leicester are keeping them off of the foot of the table and if they are dragged into a battle for survival, this huge hit to their goal difference won't help their chances in a race regularly decided by the finest of margins.

Ten games, nine wins! Inside Arsenal's record-breaking Premier League start

The Gunners have opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table, with an unlikely title challenge now a real possibility

Ten games, nine wins, 27 points. Arsenal have enjoyed their best-ever start to a Premier League season.

Never before have the Gunners amassed this many points at this stage of a campaign. Even Arsene Wenger’s great sides couldn’t manage it.

Mikel Arteta’s team are now four points clear at the top of the table following Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road, coupled with Manchester City's loss at Liverpool later the same day.

So how have Arsenal done it? What are the reasons behind their record-breaking start? GOAL takes a look…

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    Jesus' arrival

    It’s impossible to downplay the impact Gabriel Jesus has had on Arsenal. His arrival from Manchester City in the summer has completely transformed the way Mikel Arteta’s side attack.

    It was clear last season that a new focal point was needed to spearhead the forward line. With Alexandre Lacazette in the centre, Arsenal lacked any sort of mobility or penalty-box threat. That left the Gunners almost totally reliant on Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe to get their goals.

    But that has changed completely with Jesus in the side. The Brazilian has scored five goals in 10 Premier league games, more than Lacazette managed in the whole of last season, while he also has three assists.

    But Jesus’ impact has not just been about goal contributions. His work rate and pressing ability sets the tone from the front. He is a constant handful for defences with his movement.

    He has also brought a winning mentality to a young squad and has taken on a key leadership role along with captain Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka.

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    The vibrancy of youth

    Arsenal have the second-youngest side in the Premier League this season, behind Southampton, and it is that youth has been a key driving force behind the Gunners’ success in the opening 10 games.

    Bukayo Saka’s match winner at Leeds on Sunday was the 24th league goal Arsenal have scored this season, with nine of those having been scored by players aged 21 or under. 

    It was also Arsenal’s 55th goal scored by a player 21 or under during Mikel Arteta’s time in charge; that’s 23 more than any other side during his tenure.

    Having such a young team may have its drawbacks when you get to the business end of the season, as was evident towards the end of the 2021-22 campaign when Arsenal couldn’t manage to get themselves over the line in the race for the top four.

    But for now, that youthful energy is playing a huge part in the Gunners’ superb start to the new season.

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    Arteta's leadership

    The manager deserves a lot of credit for Arsenal’s start. He’s made a number of big calls and so far they are paying off.

    The decision to name Martin Odegaard captain has worked well, as has unwavering backing of Granit Xhaka – who is now looking like a totally new player under the Spaniard.

    Defensively, Arteta had to work out how to fit certain players into his system. He opted to pair William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back and shift Ben White out to right-back instead of the reliable Takehiro Tomiyasu.

    Many questioned whether White could perform that role, but so far he has been one of the stars of Arsenal’s season.

    Arteta’s decision to start Tomiyasu at left-back in the win against Liverpool was another inspired piece of thinking. It was a call that looked questionable, with Kieran Tierney sitting on the bench, but the right footed Tomiyasu marked Mohamed Salah out of the game, so much so that the Egyptian star was hauled off with 20 minutes remaining.

    Like his team, Arteta is still relatively young and inexperienced. He’s learning on the job, but so far this season, the majority of the decisions have proved to be correct ones.

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  • A perfect pre-season

    This was a massive thing for Arsenal. Arteta was able to have a proper pre-season with his squad for the first time since he was appointed and he took full advantage.

    New signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko were bedded in early, as was William Saliba – who was finally integrated into the squad after three loan spells away for the club.

    The pre-season tour to the United States was a major success, with Arsenal winning both games – including beating Chelsea 4-0 in Orlando.

    Jesus was an instant hit and the team spirit was clearly strong, something that was highlighted by everyone who went away on the tour.

    Arsenal ended pre-season by beating Sevilla 6-0 to win the Emirates Cup. That meant they had won every single one of their summer friendlies.

    Arteta’s side looked ready to hit the ground running in the Premier League, which they duly did.

Yves Bissouma: West Ham’s Rice successor?

West Ham United are said to be one of the teams keen on signing Yves Bissouma ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Daily Star, who have claimed that the Irons have made inquiries to Brighton and Hove Albion over the potential of signing their star midfielder.

However, it is thought that Premier League rivals Arsenal are leading the race to secure his signature, whilst Everon and Spurs are also mooted with interest.

The 24-year-old has two years still to run on his Seagulls contract and is thought to be valued at around £30m.

Dream Rice replacement

A new central midfielder likely won’t be top of David Moyes’ priorities given that he so desperately needs attacking options, in particular an alternative to the injury-prone Michail Antonio, but things could quickly change.

The Hammers are on the verge of achieving something extraordinary in qualifying for the Champions League but even despite that, Declan Rice’s future continues to be shrouded in mystery.

According to the Mirror, Manchester United are eyeing him up as a potential replacement for Paul Pogba at Old Trafford, whilst Moyes did reveal that he would consider any huge bids that come forward for his talismanic midfielder.

Bissouma would be an ideal successor, should West Ham lose out on the 22-year-old, who has been hailed as the “future captain” of the club. Rice would evidently leave some pretty big boots to fill but the Mali international has been a rare bright spark in Brighton’s poor campaign.

In terms of reading the game and possessing the ability to thwart the opposition, the former Lille man stacks up well to Moyes’ current options, averaging more tackles per game (2.8) than Rice (1.9) and Tomas Soucek (1.9).

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Whilst in terms of interceptions, Bissouma (1.7 per game) is ahead of the Czech midfielder (1.6) and only just behind Rice (two). He also offers a little more going forward than the England international too.

As per WhoScored, the Seagulls powerhouse likes to drift forward with the ball, averaging 1.5 dribbles (vs Rice’s 0.9) and also likes to have a pop at goal, just like Soucek (1.6), having averaged 1.2 attempts per game this term.

Bissouma’s ex-teammate at the Amex Stadium, Dale Stephens, waxed lyrical about his ability to local reporters in 2019. He said: “He’s got the ability of perhaps a winger playing in central midfield with the way he can go past players. His feet are incredible and I’m sure he’s going to get better and better. He’s got everything you need to be a top player.”

Whilst his former manager Chris Hughton, now in charge of Nottingham Forest, dubbed him a “wonderful talent” to The Argus (via Goal). Gary Lineker lauded him as an “exceptional footballer” and Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher believes teams will be queueing up to bid for him this summer.

The praise is endless.

With a similar playing style to Yaya Toure, there are certainly comparisons to be had with Rice and if Moyes were to lose such a big talent, then GSB should look no further than Bissouma as the man to replace him.

If they do choose to sell Rice this summer, GSB must look to beat Arsenal to Bissouma’s signature and provide Moyes with a suitable successor.

AND in other news, 5 key passes, 4 shots: West Ham’s £18m-rated “team player” fired Moyes a huge message…

From Ronaldo to Lampard – Stars who signed for top English clubs in their late thirties!

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 after 12 years at the age of 36…

Manchester United welcomed 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2021 with open arms as the superstar footballer returned to Old Trafford after 12 years.

While it is not a common practice for top Premier League clubs to sign older stars, players like Cristiano Ronaldo are an exception to that practice as they are assets for their teams at any point in their careers.

In 2020, Chelsea had signed veteran Brazilian defender Thiago Silva after his contract ended with PSG. Silva too proved to be an asset as he played a pivotal role in the Blues backline that won the Champions League in the 2020/21 campaign.

In the past, players like Didier Drogba, Laurent Blanc and Henrik Larsson have signed for top English sides in their mid-thirties.

Here are 10 players who have joined Premier League clubs after turning 35.

It has to be noted that signing goalkeepers above 35 are a common practice for clubs hence they have not been considered in this list.

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    Cristiano Ronaldo

    Club: Manchester United

    Age: 36

    Year: 2021

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    Didier Drogba

    Club: Chelsea

    Age: 36

    Year: 2014

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    Thiago Silva

    Club: Chelsea

    Age: 36

    Year: 2020

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    Frank Lampard

    Club: Manchester City

    Age: 37

    Year: 2014

Celtic: Maguire give financial views on possible British League

Financial expert Kieran Maguire has been reacting to Celtic’s significant share price rise in line with talks of an all-British League.

Reports from The Sun on April 22 suggested that both the Hoops and rivals Rangers were wanted as part of a new British division after the fall out of a European Super League, with both clubs thought to be keen on a possible switch.

It didn’t take long for the news to have an effect on the club, with Celtic Plc‘s stock shooting up the same day, as reported by Football Insider.

Maguire, talking to Football Insider, explained it was no coincidence that the club’s share price increased following proposals of a British League, labelling a potential deal as ‘massive’.

He also added that the arrival of new CEO Dominic McKay, who arrived three days earlier, wouldn’t have had an impact on the figures.

“I think it is down to speculation going forward.

“I don’t think the new chief exec’s arrival would have had any impact, as has been suggested.

“Potential additional revenues for the club would be the main driver, I suspect.

“There is a lot of talk about this British league, of course. Whether or not it will actually happen is a different question for another day.

“But it would have a massive impact on Celtic’s finances. That might make the shares potentially look undervalued at their current rate.”

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Transfer Tavern take

Financially, a potential move to an all-British League could have a major positive impact on the Hoops, as Maguire suggests.

You just have to look at the TV money on offer in the Scottish Premiership compared to the Premier League to see that.

Celtic, when participating in the Champions League group stage, used to pocket around £30m a season. Compare that to Huddersfield Town, who netted over £100m in their first season as a Premier League club during the 2017/18 season.

However, even though the financial aspect would more than likely be a major plus, the Hoops may struggle to win silverware and qualify for Europe after competing domestically with the biggest sides in England.

Winning trophies on a regular basis has been a major part of the club’s history, so it’ll be interesting to see what the club would do if plans gathered pace.

In other news: Hoops source shares Eddie Howe update, find out more here. 

USMNT Gold Cup grades: Pulisic, Long stand out, while Zardes, Morris disappoint

The young stars showed why they are considered the future, while some new faces emerged to give USMNT fans reasons to feel optimistic

It was a bittersweet 2019 Gold Cup for the U.S. national team, which took major steps in its first tournament with Gregg Berhalter in charge, but left the competition disappointed after a frustrating 1-0 loss to Mexico in the final.

That defeat has left the Gold Cup feeling like bit of a failure for the Americans, but that would ignore the many positives that emerged from the tournament. We saw Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie step up as leaders, Aaron Long emerge as a defensive force, and youngster Reggie Cannon go from being the last player added to the roster to being one of the team's biggest surprises.

How did individual USMNT players fare at this summer's Gold Cup? Here is a closer look at how all of the team's tournament contributors performed: 

  • John Dorton

    1F – Gyasi Zardes – C

    The best way to describe Zardes' Gold Cup is he aced the early quizzes, but absolutely bombed the midterm and final. Zardes was very good in the group stage, leading to a belief that this could be his breakout tournament, but he was terrible against Curacao in the quarterfinals, and comically ineffective off the bench in the semifinal and final. His teammates love him though, and it's hard to argue with the work rate and defensive effort, but his struggles in the final third are hard to overlook.

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  • Jamie Squire

    2F – Jozy Altidore – B

    Considering his contributions in three of the USMNT's final four Gold Cup matches, you could make an argument for Altidore deserving a better grade, but his miss in the final against Mexico strikes a big blow to his rating. His performance in the semifinal win against Jamaica can't be overstated, and you can argue he was a handful in the first half of the final, but by missing his best chance of the tournament, Altidore helped doom the Americans to defeat. That being said, the miss doesn't take away the rest of his contributions, which were considerable.

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    3RW – Jordan Morris – C-

    After starting just one of the team's first four matches, Morris became Berhalter's right winger of choice for the semifinals and final. Morris failed to offer much of an attacking threat in either of those matches, leaving many to wonder why we didn't see Tyler Boyd after his impressive group stage efforts. There's no denying Morris put in honest shifts defensively, but he simply didn't contribute enough to the offense to give him a better grade.

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  • KEREM YUCEL

    4RW – Tyler Boyd – B-

    Few players were as impressive in the early part of the tournament as Boyd, who looked right at home in Gregg Berhalter's system. The winger's attacking skill was clear to see, and it was expected he would play a major role in the knockout rounds. He endured a terrible showing in the quarterfinal win against Curacao though, and didn't play another match after that, which was surprising to say the least.

Goal's MLS power rankings: Toronto FC tops the field

Heading into the new MLS season, it's no surprise to see last year's MLS Cup champions sitting atop the pile

The race for dominance in Major League Soccer is being led by one team, with 22 other teams try to figure out how to keep up with the Toronto FC juggernaut.

The reigning MLS Cup champions finished 2017 as a team widely regarded as the best in league history, but enter the 2018 season with an even stronger and deeper team than last year. Coach Greg Vanney and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko made full use of the league's increased allocation money resources to make improvements to an already stacked squad.

TFC wasn't alone in revamping. New York City FC made some good moves as well, while Atlanta United put together some of the biggest deals of the winter. There were considerable reconstruction projects as well, with Orlando City and the LA Galaxy looking like serious contenders after massive overhauls.

The Portland Timbers will be a top team to watch in the West, with new coach Giovanni Savarese inheriting a strong team as he looks to build on the foundation laid by Caleb Porter.

Then there is league newcomer LAFC, which is poised to challenge the league's best in year one. Bob Bradley's team is set to make a big splash in its debut season, led by Mexican star Carlos Vela.

Which of these teams, if any, will be able to dethrone Toronto FC? Here is a look at how sees the league's 23 teams stacking up at the start of the 2018 season.

  • Tim Heitman

    23Colorado Rapids

    The Anthony Hudson era has begun in Colorado, and it’s tough to know for sure what the former New Zealand boss will bring to the table given his lack of top-level club experience. The Rapids were busy retooling their roster in the offseason, and while the team should be better than in 2018, it’s tough to get too excited about the group the Rapids have put together

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  • Jean-Yves Ahern/USA Today

    22Montreal Impact

    French coach Remi Garde could be in for a rough ride as he takes over a Montreal team that saw some key players leave from a team that didn't have much talent to spare. Gone are Blerim Dzemaili and Laurent Ciman, with Saphir Taider brought in to try and offset Dzemaili's departure. Replacing Ciman is a tougher proposition, especially with newly acquired Zakaria Diallo already lost for the season due to injury.

  • Winslow Townson

    21New England Revolution

    Brad Friedel has a tough task in his first job as a head coach, taking over a New England side with plenty of issues. Kei Kamara's departure leaves a void at striker that newly acquired Cristian Penilla will need to fill. The defense was overhauled after another disappointing season, but it's not a sure bet the changes will translate into upgrades. Throw in a disgruntled Lee Nguyen having to stick around after a failed attempt to force a trade and you have the recipe for what could be an ugly season in New England.

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  • Brad Rempel

    20Minnesota United

    The Loons weren't very busy in the offseason, which should have their fans worried about just how much better the second-year team will be in 2018. We shouldn't overlook the improvements shown down the stretch last season, but a lack of impact newcomers will make it tough for the Loons to escape the lower end of the West standings.

Ronaldo & Messi lead the line in the Real Madrid-Barcelona combined XI

Alba or Marcelo? Busquets or Casemiro? And is there any place for Bale? Find out who makes the Clasico's best combined starting line-up

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    Marc Andre ter Stegen

    There is little argument possible on the Clasico's best shot-stopper. Ter Stegen has undergone an astonishing transformation over the last 12 months, stepping out of Claudio Bravo's shadow to become one of the most proficient goalkeepers in world football. If the German continues in the same vein Manuel Neuer may have a fight on his hands to keep the No. 1 jersey for the World Cup.

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    Dani Carvajal

    While Barcelona have struggled to find Dani Alves' replacement at right-back, there is no doubt over who controls that flank at the Bernabeu. Carvajal is now one of the first names on the Madrid team-sheet, and his absence has been sorely felt whenever he has been unable to play.

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    Gerard Pique

    A player that only seems to get better with age. Pique may still make the headlines for his flamboyant off-pitch behaviour, but on it he is a consummate professional and the inspiration behind a Barcelona defence that has yielded just seven goals in 16 Liga outings this season. He makes the XI comfortably ahead of Raphael Varane, who is struggling to build on early promise at the Bernabeu.

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    Sergio Ramos

    One of the toughest choices to make in this combined line-up. Samuel Umtiti has taken to life at Barca like a duck to water, forming a formidable partnership with Pique. But it is instead the centre-back's Spain partner who makes the cut, a recognition of his standing as Madrid captain and ability both in defence and as a set-piece weapon.

Salisu was Saints’ bright spark vs Spurs

Whilst Southampton fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening, there was a promising display from young defender Mohammed Salisu in North London, something which will surely delight Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The Ghanaian defender has had limited opportunities in the Austrian’s side so far this season as a result of fitness and injury problems, making just seven appearances in the top-flight.

The partnership of Jannik Vestergaard and Jan Bednarek at centre-back has also undoubtedly been a factor in his lack of appearances this season, although Hasenhuttl seems to have found a potential solution, as he has featured as a left-back on a number of occasions since the turn of the year.

He was selected there again for the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday in the absence of Ryan Bertrand and was tasked with keeping Gareth Bale quiet.

Although the Welshman scored the equalising goal with a quality finish, the 22-year-old defender defended well for large parts of the game and was one of few bright sparks in the defeat.

As per SofaScore, Salisu would earn a solid 6.7/10 rating for his display and was able to keep Bale and Serge Aurier at bay for much of the game.

WhoScored also rated the defender a 6.73/10, which is his best performance in the Premier League for the Saints, so it is clear that he impressed despite the disappointing result.

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During the 90 minutes, the young defender would contribute six clearances and six tackles, which was the most clearances made by any player on the pitch, whilst only Aurier registered more tackles in the game (seven).

Considering he has averaged just 2.9 tackles and 1.7 clearances in the Premier League so far this season, it is clear that produced an impressive display in North London.

Although he was partnered by the inexperienced Nathan Tella on the left-hand side, Salisu did an admirable job with his defending and was also a threat going forward, as only a spectacular save from Hugo Lloris denied him the opening goal.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431″]

Therefore, Salisu, who joined in a £10.9m deal last summer, deserves a lot of credit for his display and hopefully, he will continue to get better ahead of potentially becoming a regular in Hasenhuttl’s side next season.

And, in other news… Forget Djenepo: Saints flop who played 10 passes was Hasenhuttl’s worst vs Spurs

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