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Not since the European Championship in 2022 – where Alessia Russo, Ella Toone and Kelly shone – has the team had a consistently impactful bench

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There are a lot of reasons why England won the European Championship back in 2022. Mary Earps' solidity behind a defence that protected her brilliantly, Keira Walsh's other-worldly displays in midfield and form that put Beth Mead in the Ballon d'Or conversation are just a few of those. But, amid it all, Sarina Wiegman's management always stood out, particularly when it came to her substitutions.

So many big goals in that tournament were scored by players that came off the Lionesses' bench. When England finally broke the deadlock in the quarter-final win over Spain, it was one substitute assisting another, as Alessia Russo's header was knocked down for Ella Toone to finish; Russo was the player who put the finishing touches on the semi-final win over Sweden, with a stunningly memorable backheel; while both goals in the final were from subs, with Toone again opening the scoring before Chloe Kelly scored iconic winner in extra-time.

Since that magical summer, though, Wiegman has struggled to find players to replace the likes of Russo, Toone and Kelly as they've been absorbed into the starting XI on a regular basis. Indeed, a 21-game stretch that stopped thanks to April's 5-0 win over Belgium saw England's subs contribute just two goals and one assist, only one of which was result-altering. For a long time, when things haven't been going to plan for the Lionesses, the bench hasn't done much to change that.

That is until recently. England's last five games have offered a glimmer of hope that this is changing, with five goals scored by subs in that time, though that none of those have helped to change a result for the better for the Lionesses is a reminder that there is still work to be done to make the bench as valuable an asset as it was three years ago.

So, as Wiegman's side prepare to begin their European title defence, who are the players who could be the Russos, the Toones and the Kellys of 2025? GOAL looks at those with the potential to be the game-changers in Switzerland…

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  Aggie Beever-Jones

  Until Aggie Beever-Jones scored her first senior international goal in England's 5-0 win over Belgium in April, a substitute had not scored for the Lionesses since December 2023. There was a gap of almost 16 months between Toone's winner against the Netherlands at Wembley and Beever-Jones' strike to make it 3-0 in Bristol.

  But if anyone is primed to be a 'super-sub' in Switzerland, it has to be Beever-Jones. The Chelsea star would be in with a shout of starting for her country if Russo wasn't so secure in her No.9 role, with the Chelsea star's Wembley hat-trick against Portugal in May great evidence of her continued maturation and development as a young talent.

  Working especially in Beever-Jones' favour is how much of an impact she has made from the bench for the Blues at club level, with her run of four substitute appearances with a goal during the 2023-24 season helping to build her case for a first England call-up. She's well-established in the set-up now and her work rate, versatility and growing awareness in the penalty area are all traits that Wiegman should be looking to maximise from the bench.

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  Michelle Agyemang

  Scorer of another of those five goals by subs for England this year, Michelle Agyemang's incredible strike just 41 seconds into her Lionesses debut was the start of her late and surprising charge to be included in this summer's squad. The teenager was only called into camp because of an injury to Russo, but she took her chance with both hands, beautifully controlling the ball on her thigh before volleying it into the top corner for a late goal in England's 3-2 defeat to Belgium.

  It was an incredible way for Agyemang to announce herself to a national audience, and she will hope she gets the opportunity to do so on a continental basis this month, having been selected to be part of the senior squad as opposed to turning out for the Under-19s in their Euros campaign in June.

  The 19-year-old would've been a key player in that tournament and played a lot of minutes to benefit her development, so that Wiegman has opted to bring her into the seniors' plans for the summer instead surely suggests she plans to use Agyemang. Having watched what she did on her debut, you can't blame her; the Arsenal youngster is different to everything else in this squad and she can cause any opponent problems.

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  Jess Park

  It's probably naive to read too much into the England squad numbers, which have Ella Toone down as the No.10 for this summer. However, it does feel like the ball is in the Manchester United star's court when it comes to securing the creative midfield spot in the Lionesses' XI, with her two-goal performance against Jamaica on Sunday only making it more likely than she starts there against France in this weekend's Euros opener.

  That would leave Jess Park on the bench, despite her starting England's final two Nations League outings at the end of the 2024-25 season. Again, it might not be that way, but it would allow Wiegman to start the game with plenty of experience in the middle of the park before introducing a lively, hungry replacement like Park later on. The 23-year-old is tenacious, is willing to run at defenders and can be deadly either with her creativity or her ability to find the back of the net. Those are qualities that should make her a great super-sub.

  That said, the starting No.10 role feels well up for grabs, too, and if Park can perform from the bench, Wiegman may well reward her with a place in the line-up as the tournament goes.

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  Grace Clinton

  While Grace Clinton will certainly hope that she, too, can push to start in the No.10 role for England this summer, it may be wisest for Wiegman to instead use her in a role that allows Georgia Stanway some respite in the box-to-box midfield position. The Bayern Munich midfielder only returned from knee surgery in late May and has limited minutes under her belt as the Euros get under way, meaning it would be a risk to suddenly put her through 90 minutes every four days.

  As such, having Clinton on the bench to replace Stanway at a timely interval would be smart, especially given how well the Manchester United star performed in that role while her team-mate was unavailable through injury. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise if Wiegman trusted Clinton to start in the No.8 in this tournament at some point, in order to protect Stanway and keep the midfield fresh, with both capable of making their mark in Switzerland.

Estevao Willian scored an outrageous goal from a near-impossible angle in his final game for Palmeiras against future employers Chelsea in the Club World Cup quarter-finals. The Brazilian restored parity in the second half after Cole Palmer handed an early lead to the Blues, but Augustin Giay's late own goal helped the English giants progress to the last four.

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• Estevao scored an outrageous goal against Chelsea
• Ended Palmeiras journey on a bright note
• Blues progressed to the Club World Cup semi-finals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Estevao received the ball inside the Chelsea box from Richard Rios in the 53rd minute. The Brazilian went past Levi Colwill with a deft touch and found the back of the net via the crossbar from a very tight angle. Robert Sanchez had absolutely no chance of stopping the ball as the future Blues star equalised for Palmeiras.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Giay's own knocked the Brazilian giants out of the Club World Cup, Estevao capped off his journey with the club with a player of the match award. The 18-year-old will now complete his much-anticipated move to Stamford Bridge, having been signed by Chelsea in 2024 in a deal worth a €34 million (£30m/$40m) fee plus €23m (£20m/$27m) in bonuses.

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• WHAT MARESCA & FERREIRA SAID

  Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca heaped praise on the new signing after the game as he said: "He is very good, a huge talent, fantastic player. The only thing is when you come from South America or another part of the world is that you need to adapt. We are going to help him to adapt, be happy and enjoy football. We have no doubt he will be an important player for Chelsea."

  Palmeiras head coach Abel Ferreira, added: "He's my son, he's my son. I have two daughters but he is my son. I spoke with Maresca, he is a nice coach. He bought an amazing player but more than this, you got an amazing person. He is one guy who is 18 years old, so is an amazing player also. You need to take care of him. Embrace him. He will make mistakes at the beginning, for sure, but he is an amazing player with a lot of skills. He can win one game on his own, with the dribbling, the shots. I told him the sun doesn't appear as much in England. The night comes early. But for sure, Chelsea have all conditions to help him because he is a fantastic player."

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has begun the festivities for his milestone 18th birthday with a blend of family warmth and star-studded anticipation. Although the official date of his birthday falls on Sunday, July 13, the young forward chose to begin the celebrations a day early, gathering close relatives and friends for an intimate dinner.

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• Yamal turning 18
• The party has already started in Spain
• A mega private bash is planned in Ibiza

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to to kick off his celebrations, Yamal dined with his loved ones at the scenic La Cúpula restaurant in Garraf. Present at the table were his parents, younger brother, grandmother, and a select circle of close friends. It was an opportunity for the rising football star to pause and enjoy time with the people who have been with him throughout his journey so far.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Marking his transition into adulthood, Yamal received a deeply personal gift in the form of a custom-made Goku-inspired lithograph. The artwork portrays him alongside his mother and brother, symbolising the strong bond he shares with his family. The birthday cake matched the theme, a lavish three-tiered creation flavoured with cream and dulce de leche, and decorated to reflect the same Dragon Ball-style lithograph.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  While the family dinner was private, the main event is expected to be a high-profile affair on the glitzy island of Ibiza. According to COPE, the Barcelona forward has organised an exclusive birthday bash with a carefully selected VIP guest list. Invitations have already been distributed, but the exact venue has been deliberately kept under wraps.

  Reggaeton superstar Ozuna and Spanish pop sensation Bad Gyal have been rumoured as potential performers for the private event, which adds to the buzz surrounding the party. Moreover, guests will not be allowed to bring their mobile phones. This no-phone policy is intended to maintain the exclusivity and privacy of the event, ensuring that moments remain personal and not shared across social media.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Even as Yamal gears up for the Ibiza celebrations, his schedule remains tight. Barcelona return to pre-season activities on the same day as his birthday, beginning with medical and fitness testing at the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despí. Despite the overlap, the youngster is expected to report for duty along with the rest of the first-team squad. While his big celebration may be unforgettable, his responsibilities as one of Spain's brightest young talents won’t be put on hold.

Former Bayern Munich player Timothy Tillman believes Thomas Muller will enjoy a high quality life as he encouraged the forward to join the MLS club.

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• Muller's former team-mate aims for reunion with German superstar
• Says forward will enjoy changes in lifestyle if he joins LAFC
• MLS team interested in signing the 35-year-old

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Muller's former team-mate, Timothy Tillman, who spent five seasons at Bayern between 2015 and 2020, has recommended Muller to join LAFC, saying that the German superstar will see an upgrade in his lifestyle if he ultimately joins the Major League Soccer outfit, who have been keen to bring the German superstar to California.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After 25 years at Bayern, Muller has already played his last game for the club, having become a free agent this summer. In recent years, MLS has emerged as a place for global football superstars and currently has the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba featuring in the competition. With LAFC showcasing their interest in Muller for a long time, it is now up to the 35-year-old whether he decides to set sail for the USA, but Tillman hopes to see the veteran join him soon.

• WHAT TILLMAN SAID

  Tillman said in an interview with BILD: "I would highly recommend this to him. The quality of life in Los Angeles is extremely high. And the MLS is also very exciting. American soccer has improved significantly. At the Club World Cup, it was clear that clubs like us or Inter Miami can definitely compete with the top clubs from Europe and South America. We drew 1-1 with Flamengo and were even on par with Chelsea (0-2) for a long time. This development will continue in the coming years around the next World Cup in the States in 2026. During my time here, I've observed how more and more young people are playing soccer outside instead of basketball. I think it's really cool to be a part of this growth."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Bayern and LAFC are partner clubs and have a joint venture named Red&Gold Football, established in March 2023, which focuses on youth development. The partnership Adidas has with both clubs has sparked claims that the sportswear manufacturer could help the American club pay his wages.

Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba has highlighted a key similarity between Erik ten Hag and former manager Xabi Alonso.

• Tapsoba feels ten Hag's playing style suits him
• Defender compares the Dutch manager to Alonso
• 26-year-old to lead Leverkusen defence after Tah's departure

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tapsoba, who is expected to lead Leverkusen's defensive line after Jonathan Tah's departure, believes new manager Ten Hag's playing style is a perfect fit for him and the club and that the Dutch manager's build-up philosophy resembles that of former manager Xabi Alonso.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After a successful tenure at Leverkusen, Alonso shifted base to Real Madrid this summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti. To fill in the boots of the Spaniard, sporting director Simon Rolfes turned his sight to former Manchester United boss Ten Hag. After Alonso's departure, a few players like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Tah left the club, and Tapsoba is looked upon as a successor to the latter, who served the club for 10 seasons. Having joined the side back in 2020, Tapsoba is also the longest-serving player in the current squad.

• WHAT TAPSOBA SAID

  The defender said in an interview with : "I knew him from Ajax. His style of play is similar to that of Xabi Alonso, also in terms of the build-up of the game This fits my game perfectly."

  He added: "Everything has changed. We came to Brazil and lost a lot of players. We have a new coach. We have to adapt for the coming season. That's our job. Of course, I have to take on more responsibility now. I've learned a lot from Jona, and now it's my turn. I'm trying to help the team as best I can, including as one of the leaders. Jona and I have talked about it, and he thinks now is the right time for me to take the next step. I want to be a leader—including as one of the team's vocal leaders."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEVERKUSEN?

  Leverkusen started the new era under Ten Hag with a 5-1 defeat to Flamengo U-20s on July 18. They will now take on Bochum in their next friendly on July 27.

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann believes joining Bayern Munich may have been the wrong move, admitting it came too early in his managerial career.

• Nagelsmann feels his move to Bayern came too early
• Feels he could have achieved more in Leipzig
• Leipzig CEO calls him an outstanding coach

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Nagelsmann became the most expensive German coach in history when Bayern paid €25 million (£22m/$29m) to Leipzig for his services in 2021. He won the Bundesliga in his debut season but suffered a Champions League exit at the hands of Unai Emery’s Villarreal. In the following campaign, a run of poor domestic results and strained relationships within the dressing room led to his dismissal, with Thomas Tuchel replacing him as Bayern manager in 2023.

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  Nagelsmann was just 33 when he agreed to leave RB Leipzig for the Bavarian giants and admits that the switch to the Allianz Arena may have been premature, suggesting he could have achieved more had he stayed where he was.

• WHAT NAGELSMANN SAID

  Naggelsmann said: "Looking back, I left a bit too early. There are also players who sometimes move somewhere too early. I guess I did that too even though it wasn't a mistake to go to Bayern, but in retrospect, I felt really comfortable here and could have achieved a lot more with the club."

  Speaking about the move, Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff expressed his regret over letting Nagelsmann leave, saying: “For me, Julian Nagelsmann was the best coach I've ever experienced. An outstanding coach."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NAGELSMANN

  Now in charge of Germany, Nagelsmann is tasked with guiding the national team to World Cup success in 2026.

Barcelona made it three wins from three on their tour of Asia as they thumped Daegu FC 5-0, with Marcus Rashford scoring his first for the Blaugrana.

• Barcelona win 5-0 over Daegu FC
• Gavi scores a brace in the first half
• Rashford grabs first Barcelona goal

• TELL ME MORE

  After a somewhat slow start by Barcelona's standards, Hansi Flick's men showed exactly why they were the best offensive team in the world last season as Raphinha and Lamine Yamal ran the show with their glitzy play before Gavi scored the opener for the Catalan side in the 21st minute. Yamal ran past two players before finding the midfielder open just outside the box, who found the net with a long-range shot.

  The second goal of the clash did not take too long after Gerard Martin, who played at centre-back, switched roles with left-back Alejandro Balde and found Robert Lewandowski with a pinpoint cross that the Polish veteran simply had to slot past Daegu's stranded goalkeeper to double Barcelona's lead.

  The Blaugrana found the third in injury time of the first half when Jules Kounde found Gavi with a delightful through ball in behind the Korean side's defensive line. The Spaniard chipped the charging goalkeeper from a tight angle for a fine brace.

  The second period saw Marcus Rashford come on for his third appearance in a Barcelona shirt among a whole load of other changes, and it didn't take Flick's charges too long to get into their stride and grab their fourth goal of the night as Dani Olmo found Toni Fernandez, with the 17-year-old coolly slotting the ball inside the near post.

  It was then Rashford's time to shine as the Manchester United loanee grabbed his first goal for the Blaugrana after Eric Garcia picked him out inside the box and he swept home an accurate finish. The game ended 5-0 thanks to Daegu goalkeeper Han Tae-hee, who saved eight shots in his 45-minute cameo in the second half.

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  THE MVP

  Gavi had a very difficult 2024-25 season under Flick as he returned from a nine-month layoff due to his ACL tear. However, the Spaniard has shown that he is slowly but surely getting back into his stride, as the 20-year-old didn't just score two goals against Daegu but also dominated the midfield in the absence of Pedri and ended the game with a 95 per cent passing accuracy and a 100 per cent shot conversion rate.

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  NEW FACES

  Rashford's minutes have been managed by Flick since the Englishman's move from United, as he has only made second-half appearances in Barcelona's first two pre-season friendlies. The same was the case tonight, however, this time the 27-year-old bagged his first goal in Blaugrana and also showed a lot of sharpness off the left-hand side.

  Roony Bardghji had a spectacular debut for Barcelona, but since then, the Swede has seemed flat, and that was the same against Daegu. The 20-year-old was somewhat overshadowed by Fernandez.

  Joan Garcia did not have the best of games, but his services were barely required through the first half, and the only time he was called into action, he misjudged a cross and allowed Daegu to shoot at an open goal, which the South Korean side missed.

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• ONES TO WATCH

  Dro Fernandez and Toni Fernandez, two highly-rated attacking midfielders to come out of Barcelona's La Masia academy, got a run out in the first and second half of the clash, respectively. While Dro did not have a very remarkable showing, Toni showed off exactly why he is adored by Flick, who had considered bringing him into the first team last season at the age of just 15.

  Jofre Torrents is likely to be used as a backup to Balde and Martin at left-back, and he was on smoke through the second period, showing off his remarkable pace and ability on the ball as he took on a number of players on on the left-hand side.

In a heartwarming gesture, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has donated over 1,000 uniforms to four schools in Ealing, including Edward Betham and Greenford High, which he attended as a kid. Saka was born and bred in Ealing and he wanted to give back to the people where he grew up. The England international visited the schools in person to hand over the uniforms to the students.

• Saka donates over 1,000 school uniforms 
• Arsenal star grew up in Ealing
• Gunners face Man Utd on Sunday in season opener

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Saka surprised students, teachers and parents as he turned up in person at all four schools to personally hand over uniforms to over 1,000 kids to help families facing the cost of living crisis. Along with uniforms, the Gunners star also signed autographs and posed for photographs with the star-struck kids.

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  Saka shares a close bond with Ealing, where he spent a considerable part of his childhood. Three years back, the winger was honoured with the Freedom of the Borough after he starred for England at Euro 2020, where the Three Lions finished runners-up.

• WHAT SAKA SAID

  Saka shared some photographs from the event as he posted on Instagram with the caption: "Special day going back home to launch our school uniform project. Thank you to all the schools, our partners and everybody else who helped us give to the students."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Mikel Arteta's side will now prepare for their season opener during the course of the week as they travel to Old Trafford on Sunday to face Manchester United in the Premier League.

Tensions between Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Barcelona have been resolved, but Joan Garcia is still unsure if he will be registered on time for La Liga.

• Garcia keeps clean sheet on debut
• Barcelona preparing for league clash
• Ter Stegen registration problem resolved

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona’s pre-season preparations were overshadowed by a public standoff with one of their most senior figures. Ter Stegen’s refusal to authorise the release of his post-surgery medical report to La Liga sparked disciplinary action and saw him briefly stripped of the captain’s armband. Barca needed his signature on the report to prove to La Liga that he will be out for more than three months, allowing the club to free up 80 per cent of his salary which could be used to register their new first choice goalkeeper, Garcia. 

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That dispute has now been settled, with the German shot stopper and captain gicing permission for the report to be submitted and urging the club to "look forward" as he addressed the fans after the 5-0 win against Como in the Joan Gamper Trophy match on Sunday. While Garcia has not yet been registered, the new signing says he has been assured that all will be taken care of ahead of their opening game of the new La Liga season on Saturday.

• WHAT GARCIA SAID

  "I felt very comfortable. And with a win, that always helps. I'm very happy," the Spanish goalkeeper told . "I was looking forward to the presentation. We're all looking forward to going to Camp Nou, but it was here [at the Johan Cruyff Stadium] and it was also good. I'm satisfied."

  On the ongoing wait for his La Liga registration, he added: "The club and those around me reassure me that everything will turn out well. I really can't do anything. I can only focus on my own things and hope that everything turns out well."

  When he was asked about the recent controversy with Ter Stegen, Garcia emphasised that "there is no problem in the locker room. Ter Stegen is the captain, we respect him a lot, and it seems that everything has been resolved with the club, so there are no problems."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GARCIA?

  With his debut behind him, Garcia’s immediate goal is securing full registration before the La Liga opener against Mallorca. Hansi Flick’s side will return to the Camp Nou later in the season once redevelopment work is complete.

Federico Chiesa dedicated his dramatic goal in Liverpool's 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on the opening day of the Premier League season to the late Diogo Jota.

• Chiesa scores late goal for Liverpool
• Italy international pays tribute to Jota
• Liverpool fans form mosaics before match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Powerful tributes were paid before, during and after the game to Jota, 28, who tragically died alongside his brother Andre Silva, 25, in a car accident in the province of Zamora in July.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With Jota's family in attendance on Friday evening, fans in both the Kop and the Sir Kenny Dalglish stands came together to form huge mosaics which read 'DJ20' and 'AS30'.

• WHAT CHIESA SAID

  And speaking after scoring Liverpool's third goal on the night he described as "Diogo's day", Chiesa told BBC Sport: "[The goal] was a great moment for me, but my thoughts go to Diogo. I think for what we have seen, it was his day.

  "The feeling the fans gave me, chanting his song all the way through the match, it was very emotional, very emotional for me. I have to say that after the goal my thoughts went to his family, his brother Andre. That's the only thing I could say."

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• TELL ME MORE

  Liverpool, who were initially 2-0 up thanks to efforts from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, had their lead snuffed out with a second-half double from Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, before late goals from Chiesa and Mohamed Salah ensured the three points went to Arne Slot's men.