Related items

• PSV's Bosz expecting stern Shakhtar test amid De Jong, Lang concerns

  PSV coach Peter Bosz expects a difficult test as his team host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday, when they could be without Luuk de Jong and Noah Lang.

  Captain De Jong and Netherlands international Lang both missed Saturday's 5-0 Eredivisie win over Groningen, though former Barcelona striker De Jong returned to training on Monday.

  Both players are considered doubtful for their upcoming clash with Ukrainian champions Shakhtar, as PSV bid to improve on their record of five points from four league-phase games.

  They sit one point above Shakhtar, who are just outside the play-off places in 28th. While the Opta supercomputer gives PSV an 80% chance of sealing a top-24 finish, Shakhtar's hopes are rated at a mere 11%.

  "We have to win at home, but that doesn't just happen. You don't just grab the points," Bosz said.

  "They have very good footballers in the team and, for example, lost very unluckily and narrowly at Arsenal.

  "It is a team that wants to play football and wants to build up, with a goalkeeper (Dmytro Riznyk) who plays along. They want to play with short combinations from the back.

  "They dared to do that in London, with a rather daring build-up. With that they also pushed Arsenal back at times, which was impressive. They have players with individual qualities up front. We will have to work hard."

  After hosting Shakhtar, PSV go to surprise package Brest on matchday six and round out their group-phase campaign against Red Star Belgrade and Liverpool in the new year.

  A run of winnable fixtures before they face Arne Slot's Reds has amplified talk of PSV reaching the playoffs, but Bosz was uninterested in making any predictions.

  "I'm not really calculating, I try to keep it as simple as possible," he said. "If you look at the points, you see how close it is and therefore how important tomorrow's match is. 

  "We do not yet know how many points we will need. We will see that afterwards."

• Ja's Cavalier FC poised for redemption in Caribbean Cup showpiece against Dom Rep's Cibao FC

  Jamaica’s Cavalier FC are determined to rewrite their story as they face Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC in the highly anticipated Concacaf Caribbean Cup final.

  The first leg of the two-way clash kicks off on Tuesday at 8:00pm at the National Stadium in Kingston.

  Cavalier, who lost last year’s finals 0-3 on aggregate to Suriname’s Robinhood, have shown marked growth this season and will be aiming to make their second consecutive final appearance count.

  Both Cavalier and Cibao FC topped their respective groups with three wins each, before topping Dominican Republic’s Moca FC and Haiti’s Real Hope 7-0 and 4-2 on aggregate in their respective semi-final clashes.

  In their dominant second-leg performance, Cavalier’s offensive firepower came alive. Kaile Auvray notched a brace, while Shaquille Stein dazzled with a hat-trick. Dwayne Atkinson played a pivotal role, delivering two assists.

  On the defensive end, stalwarts like Richard King, Jeovanni Laing, and Christopher Ainsworth anchored the backline, contributing to two consecutive clean sheets. Their collective brilliance earned six Cavalier players a spot in the semifinals’ Best XI.

  Cibao FC, the tournament’s last unbeaten team, booked their final berth with a 4-2 aggregate win over Real Hope FA. Spearheading their attack is the in-form Rivaldo Correa, who has tallied five goals in the tournament, including two in the semifinals.

  Correa’s knack for delivering in clutch moments is complemented by teammates Jean López and Juan Díaz, both of whom scored in the semis and also made the Best XI.

  While both teams have already secured spots in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, the stakes remain high. The winner on aggregate will not only claim the Caribbean Cup title but also earn a direct bye to the Round of 16 in the Champions Cup.

  Cavalier’s Head coach, Rudolph Speid, has taken a meticulous approach to preparing his side for the challenge.

  “It’s been good; we’ve looked at their strengths and weaknesses, and we have a plan. This time, we play the first leg at home, so we have to be on top for 180 minutes. It also places an emphasis on us not to concede, and if we do, then it’ll be a little more difficult for us to go away. I’m confident that Cavalier is capable of doing the business either home or away,” Speid said.

  The home advantage in the opening leg provides Cavalier with an opportunity to set the tone, but they must remain resolute, as away goals will serve as the first tiebreaker if things are even at the end of next Tuesday’s decisive leg in the Dominican Republic.

  Trinidad and Tobago’s Kaile Auvray, one of Cavalier’s standout performers, echoed similar sentiment.

  “At the end of the day, it’s just football. Our objective is to go out there and get our hands on the trophy while enjoying ourselves. I feel like we’re very positive, and it’s about taking our opportunities when they come. I don’t feel much pressure; I’ve played in the Gold Cup before, and I’ve played in the Nations League, so I feel I’ve played these types of matches before,” Auvray noted.

• Carragher lambasts Salah's 'selfish' contract talk

  Jamie Carragher has criticised Mohamed Salah for being “selfish” after the Liverpool forward indicated he would more likely than not leave the club at the end of the season.

  Salah suggested he was “probably more out than in” following his match-winning brace at Southampton that sent league leaders Liverpool eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.

  His second goal of the two was his 100th away from Anfield for Liverpool in all competitions, but with his contract up at the end of the season, Salah is yet to receive a new offer.

  Carragher was disappointed in the Egyptian’s decision to cast doubt on his future with clashes against Real Madrid and Manchester City fast approaching.

  "Right now, there's obviously a big difference in the valuation. What Salah and his agent value themselves at, whether that's financially or in terms of length of contract, to what Liverpool do,” Carragher explained on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.

  "So the reason Liverpool wouldn't have offered a contract yet is because Salah will turn it down, so they're still in talks. I'm desperate for them to meet in the middle, but I am very disappointed with Salah.

  "Liverpool have got Real Madrid midweek and they've got Manchester City at the weekend, that's the story for Liverpool right now.

  "We’re all quite aware, certainly the local reporters are in Liverpool, that in the seven years he's been at the football club he's stopped in the mixed zone twice, which is his right, which is absolutely fine.

  "But he decided to stop for the third time away at Southampton on the back of winning Liverpool the game and putting that out.”

  Liverpool came back from behind to win 3-2 on the south coast with Salah sealing the three points from the spot seven minutes from time.

  The right-winger has 16 goal contributions already this season (10 goals, six assists), leading Liverpool for goals and assists. He also boasts the best goalscoring rate in the squad, with a goal every 106 minutes.

  His form has been invaluable to new boss Arne Slot, who has won 10 of his 12 Premier League games in charge of Liverpool (D1 L1), the joint-fastest any manager has reached double figures for wins from the start of their career in the competition.

  It places the Merseyside team in a strong position to reclaim the league title.

  "Now the most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, it's not the future of Virgil van Dijk and it's not the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold,” added Carragher.

  "The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League. That is more important than any of those players, and if he continues to put comments out or his agent keeps putting cryptic tweets out, that's selfish, that's thinking about themselves and not the football club."