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An “outstanding” Liverpool player was “on crutches” after the victory over Manchester City on Sunday, according to reliable journalist Lewis Steele.

Liverpool secure priceless win over Man City

The Reds faced their most significant game of the season to date at Anfield, taking on a City side low on confidence, knowing that victory would take them 11 points clear of their rivals in the Premier League.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool side produced an emphatic performance against Pep Guardiola’s men, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah. Had it not been for some glaring misses, the hosts could easily have thumped the reigning champions.

The Reds’ win means they are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea, with supporters beginning to truly believe that a second title in the competition’s history could be on the cards.

Slot has plenty of injury problems to contend with at the moment, however, with the likes of Alisson, Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota all missing for Sunday’s match. Now, a worrying fitness update has emerged regarding one key player.

Liverpool hero "on crutches" after Man City game

Taking to X after the City game, Steele shared brief and concerning footage of Liverpool defender Konate walking through the tunnel on crutches.

This will be a massive worry for Liverpool supporters, with Konate injured in the dying seconds of the Champions League win at home to Real Madrid last week. The Frenchman confirmed on social media on Friday that he would be out of the City clash, but the fact that he has now been seen on crutches suggests he could be set for a lengthy spell absent from the team.

Slot himself has said that Konate and Bradley will likely be missing for a “few weeks”, but whether that’s a couple or more like four or five remains to be seen.

Liverpool will be desperate to have him back as soon as possible, with Virgil van Dijk saying of him earlier this season: “He is a fantastic player who still can be better. As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion.

“He is learning, growing, getting better and looking after himself much better in order to be ready every three days as that’s what asked.”

On the plus side for Liverpool, Joe Gomez came in and did a superb job in the absence of Konate, winning 100% of his duels at Anfield, suggesting that he is going to be an able deputy in the coming weeks.

100% duels won: 8/10 Liverpool star just outshone Gakpo & Salah

Liverpool thrashed Manchester City in the Premier League to claim a nine-point advantage at the summit.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 1, 2024

The 25-year-old is still Van Dijk’s strongest partner, however, so the hope is that he returns before the New Year, enhancing the Reds’ hopes of title glory in the process.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will be relieved to have his captain, Ethan Ampadu, back available after a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

The German boss now has Joe Rothwell, Ampadu, and Ao Tanaka as frontline midfield options, with Ilia Gruev still to return from his knee injury.

Marcelo Bielsa, the last Leeds manager to win promotion from the Championship, was also blessed with an array of quality midfield players in the second tier.

When the West Yorkshire outfit won the second tier title in the 2019/20 campaign, the Argentine tactician’s stars in the middle of the park were crucial to the club’s success.

Bielsa's brilliant Leeds midfielders

In that title-winning season, the two central midfielders with the most starts for Leeds in the Championship were Mateusz Klich (45) and Kalvin Phillips (37), as they combined to provide steel and quality for Bielsa.

The Polish ace provided quality on the ball in the final third, with goals and assists, whilst the English brute was a defensive presence at the base of the midfield, as you can see in the table below.

They remained key figures in the Premier League but Adam Forshaw, who had only started six times in the Championship, emerged as a key player in the top-flight in the 2021/22 campaign, after missing the first year in the division with a broken kneecap.

The English midfielder started 17 of his 22 appearances in the league and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst also completing 84% of his attempted passes. This shows that he was composed in possession whilst also being a combative presence in midfield.

He was loved by Marcelo Bielsa, who appreciated the uniqueness of Forshaw’s profile in midfield. The Argentine boss once said:

Despite being similar to Phillips and Klich and impressing in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign when called upon, Forshaw was unable to kick on in a Leeds shirt.

Where Adam Forshaw is now

The English maestro only started five of his 12 appearances in the top flight under Jesse Marsch in the 2022/23 season and missed out on 22 matchday squads.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Unfortunately, his injury issues limited his career at Leeds and the club opted to release him, aged 31, in the summer of 2023, before Farke’s arrival at Elland Road.

Forshaw then made the move to Norwich City on a free transfer and only made nine appearances for the Canaries in all competitions, before joining Plymouth in January of this year on a free transfer.

As you can see in the table above, the veteran midfielder has offered very little to Wayne Rooney’s side, with more red cards than goal contributions and fewer than two tackles and interceptions combined per game.

These statistics, and his short-lived stint at Carrow Road, suggest that Leeds made the right decision to part ways with him in the summer of 2023, as he has not recaptured the form that led to love from Bielsa in the past.

Imagine him & Tanaka: Leeds plot bid for £6m star who's a "one-man army"

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a January swoop for the young midfielder.

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By
Dan Emery

Dec 16, 2024

Everything you need to know about Riqui Puig's salary at LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy's highly-rated midfielder Riqui Puig is one of many gems produced by Barcelona's youth academy La Masia.

Coming through the ranks at the Blaugrana club, Puig was destined to become a top midfielder at Barcelona. However, after spending four seasons with the first team at Barcelona, the then 23-year-old made a surprising decision to embark on a new journey in MLS.

Since his arrival at the club, Puig has become an integral part of the dressing room, even leading the Los Angeles-based club to the MLS Cup title in 2024.

Apart from being a top player, Puig is also one of the highest earners at the club.

GOAL delved into the numbers with the MLS salary guide and found out just how much the Spaniard is on!

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• Riqui Puig's wages at LA Galaxy in numbers

  Under his current contract at LA Galaxy, Puig earns $89,272 (£68,741) on a weekly basis.

  Meanwhile, his numbers annually scale up to $4.6 million (£3.5m) making him the highest-paid player at the club.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in USD	Weekly wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP
  Riqui Puig	Spanish	$89,272	£68,741	$4,642,188	£3,574,543

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  Top earners at LA Galaxy

  As we just saw, Puig is the highest earner at LA Galaxy. Following him on the list is Ghanaian winger Joseph Paintsil, whose salary numbers are not very dissimilar to Puig's.

  Meanwhile, at numbers three and four are South American stars Gabriel Fortes Chaves and Diego Fagundez, respectively.

  Finally, rounding off the top five list in the fifth spot is German forward Marco Reus, who joined the club in 2024.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in USD	Weekly wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP
  Riqui Puig	Spanish	$89,272	£68,741	$4,642,188	£3,574,543
  Joseph Paintsil	Ghanaian	$80,423	£61,926	$4,182,000	£3,220,192
  Gabriel Fortes Chaves	Brazilian	$47,288	£36,413	$2,459,000	£1,893,460
  Diego Fagundez	Uruguayan	$27,096	£20,864	$1,409,000	£1,084,947
  Marco Reus	German	$25,192	£19,398	$1,310,000	£1,008,716

• Top 5 earners in MLS

  Despite being the top earner at LA Galaxy, Puig fails to make the top five across the league. The crown currently belongs to his former team-mate, Argentine maestro Lionel Messi.

  Meanwhile, Insigne follows in second place, followed by another former Barcelona star in Sergio Busquets.

  Federico Bernardeschi comes in fourth, while Emil Forsberg appears at number five on the list.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in USD	Weekly wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP
  Lionel Messi	Inter Miami	$393,205	£302,772	$20,446,667	£15,744,191
  Lorenzo Insigne	Toronto FC	$296,153	£228,042	$15,400,000	£11,858,194
  Sergio Busquets	Inter Miami	$168,749	£129,938	$8,774,996	£6,756,857
  Federico Bernardeschi	Toronto FC	$121,065	£93,221	$6,295,381	£4,847,522
  Emil Forsberg	New York Red Bulls	$116,070	£89,540	$6,035,625	£4,660,000

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  Although MLS players earn substantial wages, their salaries appear modest compared to the world's top earners, with none making the top five list.

  At the top is the ageless Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr. In second place is Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema, while Riyad Mahrez of Al Ahli secures the third spot.

  Meanwhile, Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly round off the list at third and fourth position, repectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages USD	Weekly wages GBP	Annual wages USD	Annual wages GBP
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	$4,166,513	£3,224,935	$215,658,680	£167,696,622
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	$2,083,257	£1,612,468	$108,329,340	£83,848,311
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	$1,087,460	£841,708	$56,547,915	£43,768,818
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	$833,033	£644,987	$43,331,736	£33,539,324
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	$722,890	£559,526	$37,590,281	£29,095,364

After Fraser Forster’s midweek mistakes left Tottenham Hotspur clinging onto a 4-3 victory over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup, Ange Postecoglou has reportedly been given the green light to sign a £20m star in January.

Tottenham transfer news

A side capable of defeating Manchester City and Manchester United but also the first side that Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace took three points from in the current campaign, Spurs have become impossible to predict, and in no positive way. Postecoglou – sticking to his ways in what could be construed as honourable or far too stubborn – has a guessing game on his hands almost every week as to which version of his side will be on display.

Tottenham hope potential £30m centre-back talks can replicate summer deal

Daniel Levy and co have their eyes on a new defensive target.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 21, 2024

In midweek, it was a mix of the very vest version and the version which has become prone to switching off and making room for shock results as the Lilywhites defeated Manchester United 4-3 in the Carabao Cup. Having raced into an impressive 3-0 lead, Forster’s two mistakes followed to allow United back into the game, before Spurs found a fourth and the Red Devils could only net a late consolation.

The goalkeeper’s mistakes have seemingly forced the Lilywhites to turn their attention back towards the transfer market too. According to The Mirror, Postecoglou has now been given the green light to sign a goalkeeper from the EFL, with James Trafford, who Burnley value at £20m ahead of 2025, a target.

The England international stayed put at the Clarets despite several exit rumours last summer and could now earn a reward for his patience in the form of a January move to North London. More than capable with the ball at his feet, Trafford could be an instant upgrade on Forster in the role of number two behind Guglielmo Vicario.

"Athletic" Trafford could replace Forster

Whilst Vicario is the undisputed number one at Spurs, his recent injury suggests that Trafford would get ample opportunity to impress and offer Postecoglou an instant upgrade on the struggling Forster. At just 22 years old too, it’s not absurd to suggest that the England international could one day take over from 28-year-old Vicario and become a starting shot-stopper within a top-six side.

It’s a rise that Bolton goalkeeper coach Matt Gilks saw coming during Trafford’s loan spell at the club, telling Sky Sports in 2023: “When you’ve been in the game for 25 years, like I have, you come across hundreds of goalkeepers and there are very few that really stand out, but James is definitely one of them.

“His athletic profile, the power he produces when he takes off, his reflexes. All the little details we look at are up there.”

Crucially, Trafford has maintained an impressive save percentage similar to Forster but stands out when asked to play with the ball at his feet in a trait that Postecoglou desperately needs his goalkeepers to have in abundance.

Former Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling thinks the presence of Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney could intimidate referees.

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• Wrexham owners accused of intimidating referees
• Questions raised about match officials
• Welsh side face Wigan on Saturday

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham extended their lead over third-placed Wycombe to six points after registering a convincing 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Burton last weekend. The Brewers went a man down early in the game after Charlie Webster was shown a direct red card for a high tackle on George Dobson. Despite playing with 10 men, Burton successfully managed to keep a clean sheet until the 71st minute when Sam Smith was brought down by Burton goalkeeper Max Crocombe. Steven Fletcher converted the resulting spot-kick before Smith and Jack Marriott increased the team's tally.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ex-Soccer Saturday presenter Stelling, however, was not satisfied with the refereeing calls as he claimed that the match official might have been intimidated by the presence of Deadpool star and Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds at the stadium.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Speaking on his show on , Stelling said: "Wrexham have strengthened their hold on second place, but I have to say, I wonder if when referees go to the Racecourse Ground, they are intimidated by the crowd and the fact that there are Hollywood stars everywhere.

  "Burton Albion went there at the weekend, and Seb Stockbridge was the referee. He gave an early straight red to a Burton player that was never a red card. But worse, Burton then held on for 70 minutes, and he gave a penalty when the goalkeeper was collecting the ball, and a Wrexham forward clattered into him."

  He added: "It was laughable and one of the worst decisions I've ever seen in football. I just wonder whether they get carried away with the whole environment."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  The Welsh club will be back in action in League One on Saturday as they take on Wigan Athletic in a crucial away fixture.

Visitors labour to goalless point in a dour game at Old Trafford

Manchester City drew 0-0 with Manchester United in a dour stalemate at Old Trafford.

City had plenty of the ball but little to show for it, with Omar Marmoush going closest when he crashed an effort straight at Andre Onana in the second half.

The results leaves Pep Guardiola's side fifth in the Premier League with seven matches to play.

GOAL rates City's players from Old Trafford…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (6/10):

  Had virtually nothing to do but dealt with anything that came his way perfectly well.

  Matheus Nunes (6/10):

  Did a decent job out of position, providing City with plenty of energy from right-back, but lacked the quality to make a real difference going forwards.

  Ruben Dias (5/10):

  Picked up a booking inside 60 minutes of the match and had to tread carefully from there but managed to escape any further scares.

  Josko Gvardiol (6/10):

  Looks accomplished in a central role and played a good part in a comfortable team display, from a defensive point of view.

  Nico O'Reilly (6/10):

  A midfielder by trade, O'Reilly looks confident at left-back and provides City with the legs they lack elsewhere. Rarely used his pace in the wide areas but still an accomplished performance.

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  Midfield

  Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

  Kept possession well enough but was one of those guilty of playing the match at too slow a pace.

  Ilkay Gundogan (5/10):

  Another who did not catch the eye as City's slow midfield play and lack of progressive quality caused a stalemate.

  Bernardo Silva (6/10):

  Tried his best to influence the game despite lacking the dynamism he has showed over the years. Booked inside the first minute of the second half still does a good tactical job for the team, picking and choosing the opportunities to drift wide or tuck inside.

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  Attack

  Phil Foden (4/10):

  Subbed off before the hour mark having failed to make any kind of impact on the game. Lacks all of the confidence that saw him win Premier League player of the season a year ago, with his twinkle toes generally taking him down blind alleys rather than creating.

  Kevin De Bruyne (4/10):

  Not a memorable final Manchester derby appearance for De Bruyne, who could not find his usual quality to create as a false nine.

  Omar Marmoush (6/10):

  Was at least willing and able to try and make things happen, forcing Onana into a good save from a ferocious strike and looking to be dynamic. The game was too poor to give him a chance of really making anything happen from his inside left position, though.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jeremy Doku (5/10):

  The game seemed to be crying out for some pace and width but Doku struggled to make any impact.

  Jack Grealish (5/10):

  Also had minimal influence after getting another run out in a central position.

  Rico Lewis (5/10):

  Did fine after slotting in at left-back.

  Pep Guardiola (4/10):

  Fielded a team full of players who prefer the ball to feet and lack pace, resulting in a laboured performance. Is still showing lots of faith in his heroes from the last few years who have had disappointing campaigns.

Hoping to extend an extraordinary season into the second-half of the campaign, Nottingham Forest have reportedly set their sights on their first January arrival in the form of a versatile midfield reinforcement.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Those at the City Ground rarely get things wrong on the transfer front these days and have been reaping the rewards as a result, with the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga proving to be shrewd acquisitions. They will not want to simply be a flash in the pan, however. Instead, now that they find themselves competing for a place in the Premier League’s top four, they’ll be desperate to seal shock Champions League qualification.

Nottingham Forest and Marinakis now tracking £50m star with PSG and Bayern

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing a winger but face a transfer battle to secure his signature.

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By
Brett Worthington

Dec 17, 2024

The January transfer window could yet solidify their attempts to achieve exactly that too. Reports have already mentioned names such as Manfred Ugalde ahead of the winter window in what would see yet another goalscorer join up with Nuno Espirito Santo’s free-scoring side.

Perhaps thinking about long-term replacements for the ageing Chris Wood, Ugalde could be an ideal candidate. But before they can focus on the future of their frontline, another potential reinforcement is threatening to steal the headlines.

According to Africa Foot via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are now racing to sign El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague in January. The 20-year-old left midfielder can also play at left-back and at centre-back in a trait that could see Forest kill two birds with one stone when it comes to adding crucial depth to Espirito Santo’s side.

Facing competition from Premier League rivals Brentford, it remains to be seen just how much it will take for Forest or, indeed, the Bees to lure Slavia Prague into a sale in either the January transfer window or this coming summer. At such a young age though, Diouf is one to watch no matter who secures his signature in 2025.

"Quick" Diouf could compete with Ola Aina

Whilst Diouf may struggle to instantly earn a place in Espirito Santo’s impressive starting side, he would at least provide depth and competition behind Ola Aina at left-back as well as Hudson-Odoi further ahead and behind Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic in central defence should Forest fall short on options in that department.

Just where Diouf’s best position is the key question that remains. The numbers would suggest that, even if he is to feature at left-back, Forest would have to expect a modern-day full-back capable of making an attacking impact, given that the 20-year-old has scored six goals and assisted a further three for Slavia Prague so far this season.

An interesting player, it’s no surprise that Crystal Palace fan account Eagle-Eyed Football were quick to praise Diouf when those at Selhurst Park were linked to the versatile star in November. Praising Diouf for his “solid” defensive ability, it could now be Forest who benefit the most.

Sheffield United have now made an enquiry over the potential signing of a “fantastic finisher” who has been impressing in the Championship this season, according to a report.

Blades vying for promotion

The Blades are in a strong position to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, currently sitting third in the Championship, but they may feel some reinforcements will be necessary if they are to secure automatic promotion.

Chris Wilder is clearly keen to strengthen his squad in attacking areas, having now submitted a £2.9m bid for NEC forward Sontje Hansen, although there will be competition for his signature from Ligue 1 side Lens.

Ben Brereton Diaz is also set to move to Bramall Lane, as a loan deal has now been verbally agreed with Premier League strugglers Southampton, and there is set to be an option to make the move permanent in the summer.

Sheffield United looking at signing "first-class" Hamer replacement

Chris Wilder will hope this potential new signing can be an adequate replacement for Gustavo Hamer.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 7, 2025

Wilder is personally driving the move for the striker, but there are signs the 57-year-old may be keen to bring in more than one new forward this month, as The Daily Mail report Sheffield United have now made contact over a deal for Lewis Koumas.

Koumas signed a long-term contract with Liverpool before going on to join Stoke City on loan in the summer, and he has been a regular starter for the Championship club this season, attracting the attention of some of the top sides in England’s second tier.

Watford and West Bromwich Albion are also named as potential suitors for the 19-year-old, with the Blades’ Championship rivals also of the belief he could give them a boost in their bids to gain promotion to the Premier League.

However, the Potters believe they will be able to keep hold of the youngster, as they look to improve their league standing in the second half of the campaign.

Koumas could boost the Blades' promotion push

The Welshman is a natural-born goalscorer, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp describing him as a “fantastic finisher”, and he has been on the scoresheet for Stoke four times this season in all competitions, despite often playing out wide.

The 19-year-old’s attacking talents were also on show at Anfield last season, scoring the only goal of the game in the FA Cup fifth round as the Reds edged past Southampton 1-0 with a youthful starting XI.

Given the starlet’s age, there are aspects of his game he needs to improve, as pointed out by former Stoke boss Narcis Pelach, who said: “He needs to improve his defensive game and we’re trying to work on the details because he doesn’t control his steps very well, so his defensive position is not great, but his energy and speed and the willpower is impressive.

Koumas clearly has bags of potential, and his experience in the Championship this season stands him in good stead to make an instant impact at Bramall Lane.

Fernando Morientes has suggested Sergio Ramos join Wrexham as the former Real Madrid centre back is looking for a way back into European football.

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• 39-year-old joined Monterrey in February
• Already looking for move back to Europe
• Morientes suggests Wrexham

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Real Madrid striker was speaking to , and was asked about the possibility of Ramos finding a move back to the continent. Morientes intimated that North Wales could make a great fit for the 39-year-old, as it would allow him to explore different experiences in his last years in the game while working under Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The speculation around the former Los Blancos captain's future may come as a surprise to some. Ramos made the move to Monterrey in February, but its believed he's open to a move when the summer transfer window opens. The Spaniard has scored three goals in six appearances for the Liga MX side.

• WHAT FERNANDO MORIENTES SAID

  Morientes said: "Could we see Sergio Ramos at Wrexham? Well, once you leave Real Madrid and that top media spotlight, you have a lot of choice.

  "He chose, for example, to go to Sevilla because he's from Seville and he really wanted to go back.

  "Then he left Seville and now he has decided to go to Mexico. I imagine it was a friendship with some of the directors. There's no special connection there before but it's another step in his career, steps with less responsibility, less pressure, more on a personal level.

  "He wanted to live a different experience, and if the experience gives him the chance to be happy on a personal level, more than a sporting one, go for it. If that's the case with Wrexham, too, it'll probably be a good thing."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SERGIO RAMOS?

  For all of the astute and big name signings the Red Dragons have made on their rise up the leagues, Ramos would be the first name of international repute to join Reynolds and McElhenny at the Racecourse Ground. With Wrexham pushing for Championship football, it may be the first of many such transfer sagas over the summer months.

Mikel Arteta's side are through to the semifinals after a historic 5-1 aggregate win against the 15-time European champions

Arsenal enjoyed a historic night at Santiago Bernabeu, beating Real Madrid 2-1 to secure a stunning 5-1 aggregate victory over the 15-time European champions and book their spot in the Champions League semi-finals against Paris Saint Germain.

It was a dream evening for the Gunners, who never looked like surrendering the 3-0 lead they took into the second leg following their convincing win over Carlo Ancelotti's side in north London last week, although they did have to endure a nervy period in the first half after Bukayo Saka had seen an attempted Panenka penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois.

Madrid were awarded a penalty of their own soon after as Declan Rice was adjudged to have pulled down Kylian Mbappe, only for the decision to be reversed after a long VAR check.

Arsenal then saw out the first half relatively comfortably, with the hosts failing to register a single shot on target, and they then looked to have seized control of the game on 65 minutes when Saka raced onto Martin Odegaard's delightful through ball and clipped a superb finish over the advancing Courtois.

But a mistake from William Saliba moments later allowed Vinicius Jr to draw Madrid level on the night and give them some hope with 20 minutes still remaining.

There was to be no famous comeback from the hosts, however, with Arsenal keeping them at bay comfortably before Gabriel Martinelli raced away in the final seconds to put the seal on a special night for the Gunners.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Bernabeu…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Came and gathered the ball so well to relieve the pressure on his defence. Had very little to do in terms of making saves.

  Jurrien Timber (8/10):

  Continued his superb form. Just such an impressive player in all aspects of the game. So strong against Vinicius.

  William Saliba (8/10):

  Colossal performance at the heart of Arsenal's defence until he was caught napping by Vinicius for the equaliser. Poor mistake, but was massive otherwise.

  Jakub Kiwior (8/10):

  As good as he was in the first leg. Has come in for Gabriel and looked right at home.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (8/10):

  Another huge game where the teenager has looked totally unfazed, even against a winger of the quality of Rodrygo.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Thomas Partey (8/10):

  Calm and composed. Moved the ball well and swept up in front of the defence. Excellent display.

  Declan Rice (9/10):

  Outstanding. Just never ever stopped. Another all-action display from Arsenal's star midfielder.

  Martin Odegaard (6/10):

  Really struggled in the first half. Sloppy in possession and was dispossessed too easily at times, causing moves to break down when Arsenal were threatening. Credit to him, though, as he improved a lot after the interval.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (7/10):

  Awful penalty, which seemed to knock him off his game for the rest of the first half. But was very good after the interval, running himself into the ground before scoring a wonderful goal to make it 1-0.

  Mikel Merino (8/10):

  Worked as hard as always and produced a moment of real quality to set up Saka's goal before also releasing Martinelli for the second late on.

  Gabriel Martinelli (7/10):

  Tested Courtoius with an effort just before the break. Found a lot of space at times and finally got clear in the final seconds to score and put the seal on a wonderful night for Arsenal.

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  Subs & Manager

  Leandro Trossard (N/A):

  On for the tiring Saka as the clock ticked down.

  Kieran Tierney (N/A):

  Came on in injury time.

  Ben White (N/A):

  Came on in injury time.

  Oleksandr Zinchenko (N/A):

  Came on in injury time.

  Mikel Arteta (8/10):

  His biggest moment as Arsenal manager. Had his team perfectly drilled to frustrate Madrid and see the tie out.