Jacquet Scores on Liverpool Debut in Friendly Win Over Comohttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5307903-jacquet-scores-liverpool-debut-friendly-win-over-como
Jacquet Scores on Liverpool Debut in Friendly Win Over Como
16 August 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Como at Anfield. (dpa)
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Jacquet Scores on Liverpool Debut in Friendly Win Over Como
16 August 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Como at Anfield. (dpa)
Jeremy Jacquet scored on his Liverpool debut as Andoni Iraola's Reds ended their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over Serie A side Como at Anfield on Sunday.
After agreeing a reported £60 million ($81 million) transfer for Jacquet in January, the 21-year-old Frenchman's move was confirmed on July 1.
But a niggling knee injury had kept him on the sidelines until the visit of Cesc Fabregas's Como.
The center-back impressed in the early stages with some well-timed challenges and rounded off a fine first appearance for Liverpool with a tap-in from Cody Gakpo's cross that gave the Merseysiders a 2-0 lead in the 44th minute.
France Under-21 international Jacquet was replaced by another debutant, Ronald Araujo, at half-time, with Gakpo having given Liverpool the lead in the 23rd minute after good work from Jeremie Frimpong.
"I think Jeremy played really well," Iraola said.
"Also Ronald played really well when he came in. When you have two new faces, first game for both, they do so well.
"It was also a very good performance of Jeremie Frimpong, playing 90 minutes as a right-back, helping us offensively but closing very well his side also. So some good performances at the back."
Ryan Gravenberch came closest to scoring in a lackluster second half when he clipped the top of the crossbar following fine play by Victor Munoz.
"I think we need a little bit this feeling of finishing with a clean sheet, winning the game," said former Bournemouth boss Iraola, who has succeeded the sacked Arne Slot.
"Still, the first half has been better than the second, but at least we kept our organization, our composure and we found a way to finish with a clean sheet, 2-0. I think we needed this feeling before we start."
Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign away to Newcastle a week on Sunday.
Premier League Is Back and Uncertainty Pervades Start of Post-Guardiola Erahttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5307915-premier-league-back-and-uncertainty-pervades-start-post-guardiola-era
Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - May 24, 2026 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Premier League. (Reuters)
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Premier League Is Back and Uncertainty Pervades Start of Post-Guardiola Era
Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - May 24, 2026 Arsenal's Martin Odegaard lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Premier League. (Reuters)
The post-Pep Guardiola era is getting underway in English football amid uncertainty and upheaval — not just at Manchester City but across the whole of the Premier League.
Get this: Heading into the new top-flight season beginning Friday, nine clubs have new permanent managers — an unprecedented number at the start of an English top-flight campaign. At age 33, Fabian Hürzeler is the fifth longest-serving coach in the Premier League ... and he has been at Brighton for just two years.
The biggest vacuum needing to be filled is at City, following the departure of Guardiola after 10 record-breaking years in charge. Good luck following that, Enzo Maresca, especially after the team's lamentable performance in the Community Shield loss to Arsenal on Sunday.
Among the other top clubs with new coaches are Liverpool (Andoni Iraola), Chelsea (Xabi Alonso) and Newcastle (Matthias Jaissle) — all of which competed in the Champions League last season.
It makes Roberto De Zerbi — appointed by Tottenham on March 31 to escape relegation — and Michael Carrick — installed as interim manager at Manchester United for the second half of last season before impressing and getting the permanent job — seem like veritable veterans.
It also makes Arsenal, the reigning champion, appear a haven of stability as Mikel Arteta goes into his seventh full season at the helm as by far the league’s longest-serving manager.
Yet, there’s a big question mark hanging over the Gunners, too: Will there be a hangover after winning the league for the first time in 22 years?
We’re about to find out, though Arsenal's display in the Community Shield provided early encouragement for its fans.
The non-stop roller coaster that is the Premier League begins in earnest Friday night when Arsenal hosts promoted Coventry, which has a compelling backstory of its own after being out of the big time for 25 years.
Here are some other storylines providing a backdrop to the new season:
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (L), Manchester City's English midfielder #47 Phil Foden (C) and Manchester City's English midfielder #05 Elliot Anderson (R) look on from their seats after being substituted during the English FA Community Shield football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at The Principality Stadium, in Cardiff, south Wales on August 16, 2026. (AFP)
Is Premier League lacking superstars?
Cristiano Ronaldo left town in 2022. Harry Kane moved away in 2023. Kevin De Bruyne departed in 2025. Mohamed Salah quit for Türkiye this offseason. Rodri looks set to leave these shores for Barcelona, too.
It begs the question: Is the biggest league in the world lacking the biggest players in the world?
OK, City still has prolific striker Erling Haaland, whose brand has never been higher after wowing American fans during the World Cup.
But football superstars like Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Vinícius Júnior, Lamine Yamal and even England's own two top players in Kane and Jude Bellingham play in other countries. All-time greats of this century — think Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane — never played in England, either.
The big blockbuster deal of the offseason could have been Vinícius joining Arsenal, but he chose to stay at Real Madrid.
The Premier League has recently prided itself in having the world's top coaches, yet Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are no longer around.
The competition might have to settle, then, for having the greatest strength in depth, with the middle-level clubs having arguably never been better owing to the league's huge broadcasting deals.
Arsenal starts as title favorite
Amid so much turbulence among its rivals, Arsenal has a great opportunity to retain the title.
Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has joined from Newcastle to bolster an already-strong midfield, left winger Christos Tzolis signed from Club Brugge to replace the departed Leandro Trossard, and there is strength in depth in every position.
Counting against Arsenal, however, is an injury to defensive mainstay William Saliba that will rule out the France center-back for the first few months.
Also, there's an intangible: Will there be a drop-off in intensity or motivation after finally winning the league?
Arteta is determined that won't be the case.
New faces — and some old ones — are back
Welcome back, Marcus Rashford. The England winger has rejoined Manchester United after a loan spell at Barcelona. Whether he wants to be at Old Trafford remains to be seen.
Hello, again, to Frank Lampard, a Premier League great for Chelsea who is now manager of Coventry.
Coventry, a founding member of the Premier League, was relegated in 2001 and plunged into such financial chaos that the club lost its home and went on to drop into the fourth tier.
The Sky Blues' rise is one of English football's feel-good stories and they are back as one of three promoted teams, along with Ipswich and Hull.
Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Fulham v VfB Stuttgart - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - August 15, 2026 Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa before the match. (Reuters)
$3 billion and counting: England still the big spenders
England is in a league of its own when it comes to spending power and Premier League clubs' outlay on new players in this transfer window is approaching $3 billion already.
The biggest signings so far have all been midfielders: Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for $156 million; Elliot Anderson to Man City for $155 million; Sandro Tonali to Tottenham for $133 million; and Guimaraes to Arsenal for $100 million.
Chelsea's net spend is almost $300 million as Alonso reshapes the squad. Tottenham has spent around $300 million on new players alone in a reversal in policy following back-to-back 17th-place finishes.
The window is open for two more weeks, as transfer activity cranks up after the World Cup.
Will Premier League still be set-piece heavy?
A significant change in English football last season was a reversion to old-school tactics such as long throws into the area, a reliance on set pieces and long clearances by goalkeepers, in a perceived snub to the Guardiola-influenced style of play where possession of the ball was king.
With Guardiola now out of the picture, will this trend increase further? Marco Rose at Bournemouth, Pierre Sage at Crystal Palace, Alvaro Arbeloa at Fulham and Alonso at Chelsea are all coaching in the Premier League for the first time. Will this wave of new managers establish another different approach?
Watch this season.
Maguire Hopes 'Big Asset' Rashford Stays at Manchester Unitedhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5307864-maguire-hopes-big-asset-rashford-stays-manchester-united
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Pre Season Friendly - Manchester United v AC Milan - Tarczynski Arena, Wroclaw, Poland - August 15, 2026 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
Maguire Hopes 'Big Asset' Rashford Stays at Manchester United
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Pre Season Friendly - Manchester United v AC Milan - Tarczynski Arena, Wroclaw, Poland - August 15, 2026 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
Marcus Rashford improves Manchester United's team and provides a genuine goalscoring threat, teammate Harry Maguire said, voicing hopes that the forward will remain at the Premier League club for the coming season.
Rashford has not played for United since he fell out of favour with former manager Ruben Amorim in December 2024, spending the last 18 months out on loan with Aston Villa and Barcelona.
The 28-year-old's future at his boyhood club remains unclear, though United's new manager Michael Carrick last week described the England international as "our player."
Rashford, who returned to United's squad last week following an extended break after the World Cup, came off the bench in a 4-2 pre-season defeat by Italian club AC Milan on Sunday.
"Obviously the transfer window is still open. As players, we hope he stays because if he does, he is a big asset to have. He can improve us for sure," defender Maguire said after the loss, according to Reuters.
"You saw when he came on, he threatened the backline really well. He could have scored. He's a huge threat.
"I've played with Marcus for numerous years and I know that playing against him and playing with him in training is going to help us."
United, who finished third last season, begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to promoted Hull City on August 22.
Sabalenka Squeezes Out Win on 6th Match Point in Cincinnatihttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5307848-sabalenka-squeezes-out-win-6th-match-point-cincinnati
MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 16: Aryna Sabalenka serves to Talia Gibson of Australia during day six of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 16, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Sabalenka Squeezes Out Win on 6th Match Point in Cincinnati
MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 16: Aryna Sabalenka serves to Talia Gibson of Australia during day six of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 16, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
World number one Aryna Sabalenka needed six match points to subdue Talia Gibson on Sunday and join reigning Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva in the third round of the Cincinnati Masters.
Australia's Gibson saved five match points in the 12th game of the second set before Sabalenka came through in the tiebreaker, managing a final winner to get the job done 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) in just under two hours on a windswept Grandstand Court.
"I'm super tired, this is crazy weather," Sabalenka said. "Talia played great tennis and was more aggressive in the second set.
"She put more pressure on my service games. I'm glad I stayed calm and pulled it out in straight sets."
Sabalenka won Cincinnati in 2024 and is hoping for a deep run to carry her into the US Open, where she'll be seeking her first Grand Slam title of the year.
The Belarusian has won three titles in 2026, but none since Miami in March.
She advanced along with Australian Open winner Rybakina and Roland Garros champion Andreeva, who powered on in convincing style.
US hope Coco Gauff, seeded fourth, had to work harder for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over 43rd-ranked Russian Liudmila Samsonova and fellow American Ben Shelton -- up to sixth in the world rankings after his Montreal Masters triumph last week -- was sent packing by 79th ranked Jaime Faria of Portugal.
World number two Rybakina, coming off a runner-up finish to Iga Swiatek in Toronto and inching closer to Sabalenka in the rankings, defeated Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-4.
Andreeva crushed Oleksandra Oliynykova with the loss of just one game, breaking five times and saving all seven break points she faced in a 6-1, 6-0 rout.
Rybakina said that she is concentrating on recovery after a tough Toronto run and was glad to get off to a low-stress start.
"Today I'm happy with the serve," AFP quoted her as saying. "Definitely it helped me a lot. Last week in Toronto was very difficult. A lot of three set matches."
Seventh seed Swiatek, the defending champion who bagged her first title of a rocky season in Toronto, hammered Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-3, 6-0.
Gauff and Shelton headlined an evening session that proved tricky as blustery conditions gave way to brief rain that halted both matches for just under half an hour.
Gauff pulled out victory with a storming finish, winning the last five games.
Shelton fell victim to the same sort of surge from Faria, who rallied from 4-1 down in the second set to post his first top-10 win with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over the American.
"These moments, you got to take it all in and just enjoy it," Faria said. "It's a very emotional moment for me and my team, to do it here in front of an amazing crowd and against the home player at night at an amazing venue just makes it a little more special."
Men's second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime was aiming to kickstart his US Open preparations after pulling out of his home Masters with back pain.
Auger-Aliassime, playing for the first time since a five-set quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, defeated 2022 Cincy finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-5.
Auger-Aliassime looked fully recovered as he throttled Tsitsipas in 88 minutes, breaking the 49th-ranked Greek three times in the second set and firing his seventh ace on match point.
Auger-Aliassime said that a late break of his serve could be blamed partly on the windy conditions.
"It was a tricky ending, but luckily I was able to get the break back," he said. "I'm happy to be back with a win like this."
Fourth-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev opened his campaign with a business-like 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Argentine Marco Trungelliti.
US sixth seed Taylor Fritz smashed a racquet in anger just five minutes into his match with compatriot Alex Michelsen but recovered his poise in the swirling winds to earn a 6-3, 6-4 win.
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