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For years, the U.S. team has been crying out for a goalscorer. Now, after a long tug-of-war with England, they have one.

It's fun to remember that one of the great U.S. men's national team sagas of modern times truly began with four words: "Here to chase tail". From the moment those words were spotted in the background of Folarin Balogun's Instagram, and from the moment USMNT Twitter sleuths pinpointed those words to a bar in Orlando, the great race was on.

That race ended on Tuesday, months after that Orlando recruiting visit that may well be remembered as a pivotal moment in American soccer history. Balogun has arrived. England have missed out. The USMNT has won.

FIFA have confirmed that Balogun's switch from England to the U.S. has been approved, paving the way for the USMNT's next star striker to officially become the USMNT's new star striker. Balogun himself confirmed his allegiance shortly after, taking to social media with a simple announcement: "I'm coming home. Let's make history."

Balogun could be called up as soon as this summer for the Nations League or Gold Cup. The road to the World Cup in 2026 now has a new star striker to lead the way.

Over the last few years, the USMNT has won several key recruiting battles, and Balogun is the latest in a long line of success on that front. But this one feels different. This feels like the player and the moment that could take the USMNT to another level.

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  The recruitment

  When Balogun was spotted in Orlando, things truly started to heat up. The striker's arrival in Florida came ahead of the USMNT's Nations League return, and it signaled that there was at least some interest coming from the striker's side. In the midst of a breakout season in Ligue 1, Balogun had been ignored by England's senior squad in March and, as a result, was seemingly assessing his options.

  That first photo sent USMNT fans into a frenzy, as Twitter quickly pinpointed his location in Orlando. From there, the striker went on a true U.S. tour, taking in NBA and MLB games while meeting with his potential new team-mates. Fans, meanwhile, showed their love for the striker in the stands, carrying banners bearing his name before and during the match against El Salvador.

  “He’s out here having a little bit of a break, and some training, and we’ve had some discussions. Now it’s about him just enjoying the rest of his trip,” USMNT interim boss Anthony Hudson said at the time. “I think it’s good because it’s been an opportunity for us just to share about our program and who we are, and what we do. And again, hope we get the chance to speak with him again. It’s been good for me, and I know a few of the guys have spoken to him as well."

  It's a tactic that the U.S. used when recruiting Yunus Musah, who, coincidentally, may have been key to all of this. Balogun's former Arsenal team-mate, who committed to the USMNT last cycle, was invited to camp for an introduction and shown how the U.S. does things. He met his team-mates, trained with the team, was invited into the brotherhood and it worked. Musah switched from England shortly after.

  And now Balogun has followed suit, becoming the latest dual national star to become a member of that brotherhood on the road to 2026.

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  The missing piece

  What makes this commitment so massive is just how necessary it is. For years, the USMNT has struggled at the No.9 position. Not since Jozy Altidore has the U.S. had a central striker that could truly be defined as "the guy". And, as players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna have made impacts at Europe's big clubs, there has not been a bonafide goalscorer to do the same.

  In this sport, especially at the international level, a true No.9 can paper over many cracks. You can get away with not having a top left-back or a top goalkeeper, but you cannot hide a lack of goalscorer up top. A top striker can carry a national team on their back, and a lack of one can doom a national team to defeat.

  It was a lesson the U.S. learned in Qatar, as they struggled to find someone to put the ball into the back of the net. Draws against both England and Wales were there for the taking and easily could have been wins if the U.S. had that goalscoring touch. Balogun, by all accounts, has just that. The Arsenal product has 19 Ligue 1 goals this season. Only four players in the French top-flight have more.

  For the U.S., Balogun very much feels like the missing piece, the one thing they need to complement their young, star-studded core. And now they have him, for the 2026 World Cup and, hopefully, for years to come.

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  The striker pool

  While Balogun is very much expected to be the USMNT starter going forward, that doesn't mean he will simply be handed the role. The U.S. does have a number of talented strikers, all of whom will certainly have a fire lit under them by this news.

  Ricardo Pepi, who just a year-and-a-half ago was in the same position Balogun finds himself in now as the striker of the future, is just 19 years old and having a fine season at Groningen. After his disastrous move to Augsburg, Pepi has totally rebuilt himself and is expected to make a big move at club level this summer.

  Jesus Ferreira looks poised for a big move of his own, with Napoli reportedly lurking, while Daryl Dike and Josh Sargent could still prove themselves in English soccer. Add in the likes of Haji Wright, who has been tearing it up in Turkey, and you have plenty of potential candidates to push Balogun for that starting spot.

  Make no mistake, though, Balogun has both the better track record and the highest potential. He's not made this switch to be a guy but guy, and he'll have every chance to be starting this summer.

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  How Balogun fits

  Much can change depending on the next coach and the next system but, as things stand, Balogun seems like the ideal fit for the USMNT as constructed. The U.S. has talented wingers in Pulisic, Reyna, Tim Weah and Brenden Aaronson, all of whom bring a different skillset to the position. Each of those named will benefit from having Balogun playing next to them, and each has aspects of their game that could help get the best of the new USMNT striker.

  Balogun is a natural finisher, a player that makes the most of the chances that fall his way. He's near the top of Ligue 1 goalscoring charts despite playing for a mid-table team in Reims because, when the ball does fall his way, he makes the most of it.

  That will take the burden off of someone like Pulisic, who can play his natural game as a creator with the USMNT. It will open doors for someone like Reyna, who has found his own goalscoring touch with Dortmund off the bench. Balogun's game will benefit from someone like Weah, who gets to the end-line with ease. And the striker could certainly benefit from someone like Aaronson, who presses until his legs fall off and can create opportunities out of nothing.

  They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and having a good striker is the equivalent of a tidal wave. What Balogun brings has a ripple effect, one that should benefit those around him.

Manchester City bounced back from disappointment in the derby with an emphatic 5-2 win against Southampton on Wednesday evening.

Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne both helped themselves to braces, with Ilkay Gundogan also getting on the scoresheet, although Pep Guardiola’s side perhaps could and should have scored more at the Etihad.

Although Mahrez was arguably the star of the show, Guardiola will be delighted to see Gundogan back on the scoresheet after going six games without a goal, and the German midfielder looked back to his best against the Saints.

As per SofaScore, the former Borussia Dortmund man would earn an impressive 8/10 rating for his display, with only Mahrez, De Bruyne and Phil Foden rated higher on the night.

During the 90 minutes, Gundogan would have 93 touches of the ball and impressively complete 74/79 of his passes, resulting in a superb 95% pass accuracy, which was joint with Ruben Dias as the best score of any player who started the game.

As well as his goal, the 30-year-old would contribute three key passes, which is even more than City’s chief creator De Bruyne, who would manage just one.

It is also double the 1.5 key passes Gundogan has averaged in the Premier League so far this season, which emphasises just how good he was against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side on Wednesday.

The midfielder, who joined City for £20 million in 2016, also excelled from a defensive point of view, as he made four interceptions and two tackles during the game, which again is far more than the 0.8 interceptions and 0.8 tackles he has averaged per game in the Premier League this season.

Therefore, it was an all-round display from Gundogan and after some arguably disappointing performances recently, he looked back to his best in the 5-2 win against Southampton, which will surely delight Guardiola.

And, in other news… Txiki disasterclass: City sold 6 ft 5 beast starring in the PL far too easily

More than 100 players have played for both top Milan clubs ahead of their much-anticipated Champions League semi-final clash

The Derby della Madonnina, also known as the Milan Derby, is a feisty encounter played between AC and Inter Milan, two of Italy's most successful clubs. Over the years, this derby has provided fans with memories of a lifetime, not just in their domestic league but also while competing in Europe.

It is on the continental stage where the latest chapter in this rivalry will be written, as the Rossoneri take on the Nerazzurri in the semi-finals of the 2022-23 Champions League, with the prize for the winner a place in the final on June 10 in Istanbul.

Their iconic stadium, San Siro, is shared between the two clubs, and this derby is the only major rivalry in football that has a common stadium. But while the rivalry is quite intense, more than a century of players have featured for both clubs in their careers ever since the early 1900s.

Who are those players? GOAL takes a look:

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  Giuseppe Meazza

  The greatest Inter legend of all time is undoubtedly Giuseppe Meazza. Such is his impact on the club that the San Siro stadium's actually name is named after this legend as the "Stadio Giuseppe Meazza".

  A prolific striker between the 1920s and 1940s, Meazza made 409 appearances for Inter between 1927 and 1940, scoring 284 goals, winning the Serie A title three times and the Coppa Italia once.

  After injury issues in 1938–39 and 1939–40, he moved to cross-town rivals Milan in 1940 and stayed with them for two seasons, scoring 11 goals in 42 games.

  Meazza moved to Juventus, Varese and Atalanta later in his career before returning home to Inter for one last season in 1946-47 as a player-manager. He played 17 games, scoring the last two goals of his career to save his Inter team from relegation that season.

  He then retired from the game. What a story!

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  Giorgio Ghezzi

  One of the all-time Inter greats, goalkeeper Giorgio Ghezzi joined the club from Modena in 1951.

  He spent seven years with Inter, made 186 appearances between 1951 and 1958 and won back-to-back Serie A titles in 1952-53 and 1953-54.

  Genoa came calling and signed him in 1958, but he could only feature for one season there before Milan signed him in 1959 as a replacement for Lorenzo Buffon, who had joined Genoa.

  Ghezzi went on to be Milan's number-one goalkeeper with over 120 appearances between 1959 and 1965.

  With Milan, Ghezzi won another Serie A title in 1962 as well as the 1962–63 European Champions Cup.

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  Andrea Pirlo

  Considered one of the greatest deep-lying midfielders of all time, Andrea Pirlo was a treat to watch when he was in full flow.

  Pirlo would dominate midfield proceedings for his team with such ease, that it would almost seem impossible for any regular footballer to replicate.

  After rising through the ranks at Brescia, Pirlo joined Inter in 1998 and made 22 appearances in his three-season spell, which included two loan deals.

  In 2001, Milan signed Pirlo for €17.04 million and thus began the story of the rise of one of the classiest midfielders in modern-day football.

  Pirlo spent 10 years at Milan, made 401 appearances, scored 41 goals, and won two Serie A titles, two Champions Leagues, a Coppa Italia, a Supercoppa Italiana and two Uefa Super Cups along with Milan's first-ever Fifa Club World Cup.

  In 2011, Pirlo left Milan to join Juventus as a free agent.

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  Ronaldo

  The greatest striker of his generation, Ronaldo was a treat to the eye in his prime.

  After lighting up the Dutch league with PSV and scoring over 30 goals in a season with Barcelona in 1996-97, Ronaldo Nazario joined Inter in 1997 for €26.50 million in a world record transfer at that time.

  Ronaldo immediately adapted to Serie A as if he was meant to play in that league. In his five-year spell with Inter, the Brazilian maestro scored 49 goals in just 68 games, however, he was unlucky not to win any titles except the Uefa Cup in the 1997-98 season.

  In 2002, after winning the World Cup with Brazil, while at the peak of his footballing prowess, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid as a Galactico and went on to spend five seasons there, scoring 83 goals in 127 games and winning two La Liga titles, an Intercontinental Cup and the Spanish Super Cup before returning to Italy, joining Milan for the 2007-08 season.

  He made just 20 appearances in his last spell in Europe, scoring nine goals before joining Corinthians in 2009 and ending his career two years later.

  This all while sustaining two serious knee injuries during his time at Inter.

Even when Celtic appoint their new manager, they will still have a whole host of problems to address.Whether it’s a crumbling defence or the fact their star men could leave in the summer, it won’t be the easiest of rebuilding jobs.Another priority will be addressing the club’s academy. This term it’s been a particular source of debate for supporters with the Green Brigade growing tired of seeing their best products leave.Cameron Harper looks as though he’ll move back to the United States while Karamoko Dembele is yet to sign a new deal. His current contract expires in the summer and it doesn’t look as though he’ll sign a new one.With that in mind, it will be up to the boss, and indeed John Kennedy before he is dislodged, to bring through a new generation of talent. After all, the current crop are hardly good enough; they’re 15 points off top spot.Kennedy has already started to make progress. Since he walked through the door, young forward Adam Montgomery, never seen in the Celtic senior team before, was handed a long-term deal at Parkhead.He celebrated that accomplishment by being named among the substitutes for the Bhoys 1-0 win over Aberdeen last weekend.The 18-year-old didn’t feature but it looks as though the future is bright for Montgomery, particularly with Kennedy at the helm.The interim manager was Kieran Tierney’s biggest mentor when he was rising through the ranks of the Hoops academy and thus, he could prove highly beneficial for someone like Montgomery.[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-on-celtics-managerial-vacancy” title=”Check out the latest on Celtic’s managerial vacancy!”]With little to play for, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the teenage forward was given an opportunity at earning first-team minutes. He is a crafty attacker and as footage tells us, has a wonderful left foot.Montgomery is always keen to stride forward and inject a sense of energy into the game; something demonstrated by his goal against Inverness nearly a year ago.It was a goal that no doubt will have attracted plenty of onlookers at the top of the Celtic chain. He exchanged passes nicely before bursting forward with sheer pace. The way he turned in the box before burying the opportunity was truly mesmeric.

Moments of quality like that are incredibly rare but with Harper potentially leaving, there is a spot for the youngster to contest for in the senior side.

The former hasn’t been a regular at the first-team level but his departure will well and truly be Montgomery’s gain, especially after penning new terms until 2025.

Possessing the ability to drift past opponents with ease, his energy could give him the edge over players like Patryk Klimala heading into next season. After all, the Pole cut a frustrated and lazy figure versus Aberdeen.

He needs to watch out that Montgomery doesn’t take his place. After earning a new deal, he has earned the right to be unleashed for good by Kennedy.

AND in other news, Desmond could sway Ajer’s Celtic future by hiring 47 y/o who’d be a “very good fit”…

How to watch Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo in La Liga in the US as well as kick-off time and team news.

Real Madrid will host Celta Vigo in a La Liga fixture on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu.

▶ Watch Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo live on ESPN+ today!

are 11 points behind leaders Barcelona and will be desperate to get all three points as they keep fighting for the title. They have not lost any of their last 17 matches against Celta de Vigo in La Liga (W15 D2), since a 0-2 defeat at Balaídos in May 2014, their best unbeaten run against the Galician side in the top-flight.

Real Madrid are one of the two teams to have scored the most goals from build-up attacks in La Liga this season along with FC Barcelona (five goals) which shows how prolific they have been even when teams sit deep against them.

Meanwhile, Karim Benzema has scored 233 goals in 434 La Liga games and can equal Hugo Sanchez as the fourth-highest goal scorer in the competition ever (234 goals in 347 games) if he gets on the scoresheet.

On the other hand, Celta are in 12th place with 36 points from 29 matches. They are unbeaten in their last five away games in La Liga (W2 D3) and if they avoid defeat, they will achieve their best unbeaten run away from home in the competition since October 2015.

All eyes will be on Iago Aspas who loves playing against Real Madrid and has been involved in eight goals in 17 league appearances.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the US as well as how to stream live online.

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  Kick-off time

  Game:	Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo
  Date:	April 22, 2023
  Kick-off:	4 pm EDT
  Venue:	Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

  The game is scheduled for April 22, 2023, at 4:00 pm EDT in the U.S.

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  How to watch Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	ESPN Deportes	ESPN+

  In the United States (U.S.), the game can be watched live on ESPN Deportes and can be streamed live on ESPN+.

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  Team news & squads

  Real Madrid team news

  Real Madrid have a fully fit squad at their disposal barring Ferland Mendy (calf) and David Alaba (hamstring). Carlo Ancelotti might look to rotate his squad and rest some of his key players.

  Karim Benzema might be rested along with veterans Toni Kroos and Luka Modric for this fixture.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers:	Courtois, Lunin, Luis Lopez
  Defenders:	Carvajal, E. Militao, Vallejo, Odriozola, Lucas Vazquez, Rudiger, Nacho
  Midfielders:	Kroos, Modric, Camavinga, Valverde, D. Ceballos, Tchouameni
  Forwards:	Hazard, Benzema, Asensio, Vini Jr., Rodrygo, Mariano

  Celta Vigo team news

  Celta will miss Diego Alves and Oscar Mingueza due to injuries while Hugo Mallo remains suspended.

  Kevin Vazquez should replace Mallo while Goncalo Paciencia should start with Aspas upfront.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Villar, Alves.
  Defenders	Aidoo, Nunez, Dominguez, Galan, Mallo, Vazquez.
  Midfielders	Tapia, Beltran, De la Torre, Rodrigugez, Veiga, Swedberg.
  Forwards	Cervi, Prez, Solari, Larsen, Aspas, Seferovic, Paciencia.

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  20/01/2023	Celta Vigo 1-4 Real Madrid	Copa del Rey
  21/02/2021	Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid	La Liga
  01/10/2020	Real Madrid 5-2 Celta Vigo	La Liga
  27/01/2020	Celta Vigo 1-3 Real Madrid	La Liga
  24/08/2019	Real Madrid 2-1 Villarreal	La Liga

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  Useful links

  • Real Madrid team page

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • Celta Vigo team page

Bayern Munich hired Thomas Tuchel on Friday, taking PSG's preferred managerial target off the market ahead of a summer of change for the Ligue 1 side.

A month ago, with PSG trailing 3-1 to Monaco in Ligue 1, technical advisor Luis Campos stormed into the dressing room and berated the team.

His rant drew the ire of manager Christophe Galtier, further fracturing a relationship that stood on precarious ground. It was just one of many incidents that suggest that Galtier's days in Paris are numbered.

The Frenchman has botched the job he was brought in to do. PSG have been eliminated from the domestic and European cups. They have lost, in total, seven games so far this calendar year after only dropping four all of last season.

And, perhaps tellingly, club sources have been non-committal about Galtier's future. While they guarantee he will not be sacked now, there is little reason to suggest that he will be at the club beyond June. At this point, then, the relationship is beyond repair.

That all looked fine, perhaps even sensible, prior to Thursday evening. Sacking a manager is risky, and, despite all of Galtier's faults, he can boast about PSG being likely to finish with yet another Ligue 1 title win in the bag.

🏆 TOP STORY: Nagelsmann's girlfriend blamed after sacking

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Have Bayern made the right call?

🚨 MUST READ: Why PSG will pay for Tuchel miss

But then, out of nowhere, Bayern Munich hired Thomas Tuchel. In a moment, PSG's reported top target was gone.

By dragging their feet, they have been made to pay. PSG have waited, delayed the probable, pushed back the inevitable. They stuck with Galtier, while their ideal candidate sat waiting.

And now they face a far weaker job market this summer – when they will inevitably be bringing in a new manager.

In the 24 hours since Tuchel's hiring, a litany of reports have come out detailing the disappointment inside the Paris camp that their top summer target is off the market.

It is yet another dysfunctional moment at a club marred by poor decisions.

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  Campos fails to make his move

  It wasn't supposed to be like this under Campos. The former Monaco sporting director was brought in for his club-building nous. While he is supposedly in place as a "football advisor", it is little secret that he holds the weight of football-making decisions at Parc des Princes.

  PSG hired him, then, to make the tricky calls. Campos knows Ligue 1 and his involvement with Celta Vigo gives him a rich knowledge of the European footballing landscape. He, of all people, should know when it is the right time to make a move. And he should know exactly how to execute it, too.

  Campos has made huge calls before. He elected to sell Kylian Mbappe to PSG and Bernardo Silva to Manchester City while at Monaco. He did the same at Lille, flogging Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for a massive fee. His record for talent identification is even more impressive, spotting and developing names such as Fabinho, James Rodriguez and Anthony Martial.

  It was never realistic to ask Campos to work the same magic at PSG; the club craves stars and big signings. There are no diamonds to unearth when you're at the top. But this is a sporting advisor who knows football and should be able to see when a situation is going downhill – especially when the ideal replacement is available.

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  Tuchel wasn't ready before – he is now

  Whether it is Campos or owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi who is truly at fault, someone should have seen it was time to make a decision.

  PSG have long needed a personality in the dressing room. Yes, big clubs need smart tacticians and progressive ideas – and that's what they'd gone for in Galtier and Mauricio Pochettino.

  But perhaps more than anything, this PSG side need a manager that commands respect. They flirted with that strategy when Carlo Ancelotti was at the helm, but he bolted for another job before the project really took off.

  A glance at managers in recent years suggests much of the same. Unai Emery is not a man to lead egos. Tuchel, during his first stint at the club from 2018-2020, wasn't ready to deal with the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

  Pochettino, meanwhile, for all of his success rebuilding Tottenham, had never dealt with a dressing room that had any significant power.

  PSG require a very specific criteria for their new boss. Managers that are tactically clever, with a winning pedigree and infectious charisma – they're not easy to find.

  But the new Bayern boss was one of them. This new, grown-up Tuchel, a more advanced edition than the one that left Paris in 2020, fit the bill. And PSG have let him fly by.

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  Who will be next?

  So who to turn to next? The manager market is inherently unpredictable, but the top-level bosses that PSG require are all unattainable – no matter how much money the Parisians have.

  Zinedine Zidane seems the obvious choice. The Frenchman has been waiting around, presumably for either the France or PSG job, for some time now. Still, is it too risky to hire someone who has been out of a job for two years? And did he do enough at Real Madrid to suggest that he can work his magic at another club – one that he has less of a connection to?

  Perhaps Julian Nagelsmann could work; but the reported crumbling of his relationship with the higher-ups and dressing room at Bayern doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Otherwise, the list is thin.

  PSG, then, will find themselves searching from an ultimately undesirable list of candidates, looking for an imperfect manager to take on a flawed position.

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  A summer of change

  This all couldn't have happened at a worse time, with PSG facing rampant uncertainty over the next few months. Messi and Mbappe could both depart, while Sergio Ramos is almost certain to leave.

  Whoever comes in, then, will face a rebuild. This is hardly a novel concept. PSG seem to have some sort of existential crisis every summer. They now face the reality of having an odd mixture of old and new. Messi is ageless, but others are not. There are calls, once again, to revitalise the squad with a slew of young talent.

  They can certainly afford it. They could, in theory, pick the best young French talent from across Europe and plug them into their XI. That's essentially what Thierry Henry thinks they should do.

  Still, it is difficult to imagine them assuming that sort of strategy, sacrificing some of their star power, and abandoning their according revenue stream, in the name of being competitive in three to four years.

  Perhaps it is easier to sell a manager on flexibility; it is partially why Galtier took the job. If that is the case, and the club are willing to be patient, the options open up.

  But they've missed their chance to pounce with Tuchel.

  Instead, this will all be quite predictable. PSG will throw money at Messi, will likely keep Mbappe for one more year, and rely on a half-fit Neymar. They will make another big-name signing to add to an imperfect squad. And once again, they will ask the wrong manager to lead it all. Meanwhile, their dream target is working his magic elsewhere.

  Some things are just inevitable.

West Brom have finally started to put up a fight, even if it seems a little too late.

Sam Allardyce’s men look like a new side thanks to the late January arrivals of Celta Vigo powerhouse Okay Yokuslu, Arsenal utility man Ainsley Maitland-Niles and prolific talisman Mbaye Diagne.

The Baggies notched back-to-back draws in the Premier League last week. However, it could have been six points from six on another day, including a scalp of Manchester United, who they deserved more from after notching two more missed big chances than the title-chasing outfit.

Then against Burnley, Albion were left playing with ten men for around an hour, and they still had more attempts on goal.

However, the biggest thing to take from those two results was their impressive defence, which only leaked one goal and considering the Midlands side have conceded 12 more times than any other top-flight team, that’s a positive step.

Now, it’s on Big Sam to improve their fortunes in front of goal…

On the Chalkboard

And he can do that by unleashing Grady Diangana, who has coincidentally just returned from injury at the perfect time.

A front three involving the £10.8m-rated dynamo, the creative exploits of Matheus Pereira and now a proven scorer in Diagne could see the Baggies actually put up a solid battle at remaining in the top flight.

It’ll be a tough ask, considering they remain 11 points adrift of safety, but with 13 games remaining, it is not yet an impossible feat.

Allardyce believes they need eight clean sheets in those matches to survive, which to some extent is true, but eight draws and then five defeats isn’t going to be enough, for example.

Only two teams have scored fewer than Albion (19), which is why it’s time to unshackle their £18m club-record signing, starting with the game against relegation rivals Brighton this weekend.

Matty Phillips isn’t good enough for the cause, averaging a rating of just 6.59 with one goal to his name all campaign, via SofaScore, whilst Diangana was one of the Baggies’ most influential players last term as he contributed to 15 goals in just 30 appearances.

When he was paired with Pereira, the Hawthorns-based side won 16 of 29 Championship games, losing on only four occasions and the duo combined for 15 goals and 25 assists – this is something Big Sam must replicate, and he has the tools to do now he has Diagne in the mix – via Transfermarkt.

Indeed, the Galatasaray loanee has already contributed to two goals in four starts and he is averaging plenty of aerial duels won (4.8) per game, so he’ll be able to get onto the chances created by Pereira (1.7 key passes per game) and now Diangana, too.

The former Hammers gem has been dubbed an “explosive” player who can be a “total nightmare” on his day by Sky Sports pundits Keith Andrews and Lee Hendrie, so it’s time to bring him back into the fray to complete a dream attack.

If the defence can remain sorted, then this may be the final piece of the jigsaw in Albion’s survival bid.

AND in other news, “Tenacious” £9m-rated beast has become West Brom’s new Claudio Yacob…

GOAL takes a look at the team Gregg Berhalter should select for the U.S.'s first World Cup game in eight years

It's finally here. The World Cup. Eight years in the making and now is the time for the U.S. men's national team. They'll face Wales on Monday in Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in their first game on this stage since Tim Howard provided miracle after miracle against Belgium.

We know what lies ahead for the USMNT. What we don't know is exactly what that team will look like against Wales.

Gregg Berhalter will need to balance a number of tough calls for this opening game, which could very well determine the USMNT's fate in Qatar. A win would set the USMNT up for success, while a draw would potentially be a catastrophe.

So, for this game, Berhalter will have to perform a juggling act that weighs up form, fitness, experience, nerves and a whole bunch of other factors. Against a tough Wales team that features plenty of Premier League talent, the U.S. simply has to get it right.

Here's a look at what the USMNT could look like against Wales:

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  GK: Matt Turner

  Now the unquestioned number one, Turner is the guy in goal for the USMNT.

  With Zack Steffen left at home, all doubt has been removed when it comes to the goalkeeping position, which was a hot topic right until the USMNT squad was confirmed.

  Sean Johnson and Ethan Horvath are both capable backups that could very well play in a pinch, but this is Turner's spot for the tournament, presuming he remains healthy.

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  LB: Antonee Robinson

  Another one that's set in stone.

  The USMNT doesn't even really have a backup natural left-back, and were never really able to find one throughout qualifying. That makes Robinson oh so important and, arguably, the USMNT's most irreplaceable player.

  Against Wales, Robinson is likely to come up against Dan James, andJames' pace is expected to keep the USMNT on their toes, with Robinson likely to go head-to-head with the talented winger.

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  CB: Walker Zimmerman

  Against Wales, the centerbacks will have to have one thing in mind: don't get dunked on by Gareth Bale.

  The U.S. will be very familiar with Bale, and what he did to the hulking Jack Elliott to help LAFC win the MLS Cup. Bale's powers have waned in recent years, but, with Wales in a World Cup, you're pretty likely to see something a bit more vintage when it comes to the ex-Real Madrid star.

  Zimmerman is a defender that doesn't get dunked on often, and he also briefly faced off with Bale earlier this year when Nashville SC faced LAFC. As the USMNT's No. 1 centerback, he'll know what to expect.

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  CB: Tim Ream

  One of the key calls Berhalter will have to make will be who starts next to Zimmerman.

  There really are two candidates. Sorry, Cameron Carter-Vickers, but this will come down to Aaron Long vs. Tim Ream.

  Long has been the USMNT's go-to guy in that role ever since Miles Robinson went down. You know what you get from the New York Red Bulls' defender, who is a solid presence and a good defender.

  But what he doesn't have is Ream's experience. The Fulham defender has battled with many of Wales' stars up and down English soccer's top two divisions, giving him plenty of familiarity with those on the other side. Between his experience and his passing range, Ream seems the best fit for this game.

According to The Athletic, Crystal Palace reportedly fear Wilfried Zaha could leave Selhurst Park this summer.

What’s the word?

Zaha, 28, rejoined his boyhood club after an ill-fated spell at Old Trafford with Manchester United for around £3m in 2015.

Since then, he has risen to become a prominent part of Roy Hodgson’s side and helped steer them to Premier League safety last season. He played a key role in their 5-1 win over West Brom in more recent times.

But while the Ivory Coast international still has over two years left on his contract, which is reported to be worth £130k-per-week, The Athletic understands that Palace harbour fears that Zaha could be set to leave the club when the transfer window re-opens in the summer.

European giants Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco, have previously expressed interest in the playmaker over the past few weeks and months. Premier League clubs Arsenal and Everton were also credited with interest last year.

Same old, same old

Have we been here before? Hodgson has a habit of making some bold statements about his most prized asset.

“Well, Wilf is not for sale, so basically I don’t need assurances,” Hodgson said in 2019. “We aren’t trying to sell Wilfried Zaha, we want to keep Wilfried Zaha. I have the assurance there is no one in the club that wants to sell Wilfried Zaha, but of course you never know where bids are going to come from and I suppose every time there is a serious bid for one of your players the board of directors needs to take it seriously.”

A few months later, Zaha ended up staying at Selhurst Park, which just goes to show that this isn’t anything new and this saga is going to go on and on.

Hodgson has been saying he is unfazed by speculation linking Zaha with a move away from Selhurst Park, that he hopes Zaha will stay, but it’s hard to believe everything he is saying. If Palace receive a colossal offer, that could prove to be too tempting to ignore, and what about Zaha himself?

CIES Football Observatory currently value the Eagles sensation at €40m (£35m) but it remains to be seen just what sort of fee would see them enticed into a sale.

Ultimately, a lot of this will be resolved by what the player wants to do.

Considering he’s arguably in the form of his life right now with nine goals and two assists in 19 Premier League appearances, coupled with the fact he handed in a transfer request in 2019, it’s hard to imagine he will be willing to sign a contract extension should the club try to extend his current deal.

However, until such a time comes, Palace fans had best enjoy his performances whilst they still can.

AND in other Palace news, Steve Cooper could change Crystal Palace’s philosophy…

GOAL takes a look back at the 20 best kits to grace the Spanish top division.

Much like La Liga itself, the battle for the best Spanish kits is also dominated by Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The club’s Blaugrana and Los Blancos nicknames illustrate how iconic their respective home colours are, and a couple of classic away kits over the years also help.

But away from the big two, La Liga has always been packed with sensational kits.

There’s Valladolid’s violet, Real Vallecano’s red sash and the world-famous red and white stripes of Atletico Madrid.

Considering that legacy, here are the 20 best kits ever to grace La Liga…

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  20Malaga home 2010-11

  Malaga’s 2010-11 home shirt is something of a forgotten gem. At this time, the club from Southern Spain were working with Li-Ning – a Chinese label more often associated with basketball nowadays – and the blue stripes were transformed into a gradient effect, fading away as they reached the collar. The shirt wasn’t adored when it was released, but its forward-thinking aesthetic wouldn’t look out of place a decade later.

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  19Espanyol away 2003-04

  In the 2003-04 season, Espanyol played it very safe with their blue and white striped home shirt. The away kit, though, was a different story. It arrived in two shades of red, with a curved dividing line beginning a gradient change to black at the bottom of the shirt. It was, and still is, by far the most adventurous kit the Barcelona-based club ever attempted.

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  18Cadiz away 2021-22

  Cadiz’s blue away kits have often incorporated unusual graphics – including sashs, gradients and checkerboards – but the 2021/22 effort was the pick of the bunc. Different shades of blue and turquoise were used to create an abstract brushstroke pattern on the front of the Macron-produced jersey, which helped the club stand out as it just about held on to its La Liga status.

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  17Rayo Vallecano home 2013-14

  Most of Rayo Vallecano’s La Liga kits would qualify for this list due to the red diagonal stripe – a tribute to River Plate – but the 2013-14 season was one of the best. The whole design was retro-inspired, with the sash complemented by an old-school red collar and sleeve cuffs. Finishing off the whole thing was a lightning bolt graphic, added to the sash, a regular motif for the club.