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The string-pullers at Liverpool will be delighted with the squad's rectification following last season's dreadful decline, slumping into the Europa League after many years of illustrious success as Champions League juggernauts under Jurgen Klopp's guidance.

Klopp remains, but there were concerns that the fall from grace was enough to place him in contention for the sack, with the German even admitting that another manager might not have received such true-blue support from the powers that be.

Perhaps it was a natural end for a side that had reaped such gleaming rewards for a number of years, and with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and co now shipped on over the summer, it does feel like Klopp recognised that his engine room was at its end, and must be written off.

Having reshaped the midfield on an industrial scale, Liverpool are flying in the Premier League and perch in second place, also topping their Europa League group after four matches and awaiting the visit of West Ham United in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

There is still much work to do, and Klopp's proclivity for energy and enthusiasm calls for certain upgrades across the pitch, with the left side of the defence understood to be targetted for investment.

Liverpool transfer targets – Rayan Ait-Nouri

According to Spanish reports, Liverpool are hot on the trail of Wolverhampton Wanderers defender for defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, who has bloomed into an exciting prospect over the past several months.

Rated at £17m by CIES Football Observatory, Ait-Nouri has been noted for his pace and dribbling skills, and he could be the perfect option to serve as Andy Robertson's understudy and replace the under-fire Kostas Tsimikas.

The Montreuil-born player is considered a key cog in Gary O'Neil's system, however, and prising him away from Molineux at the season's midpoint will certainly not be straightforward.

Last week, French outlet Le 10 Sport confirmed that the two Premier League sides have been in regular contact, but it will indeed take a sizeable offer to convince Wolves to release their hold on the dynamo.

Rayan Ait-Nouri's style of play

Fast and ferocious, Ait-Nouri has been making waves in Wolverhampton this season with his heavy-metal approach, catching the eye for an Old Gold team that is perhaps surpassing expectations after losing Julen Lopetegui before the start of the campaign.

Dribbling

Ball retention

Tackling

Concentration

Short distribution

*Sourced via WhoScored

Signed from French club Angers for around £9.5m in 2021, Wolves have been nurturing the 22-year-old to the fore over the past few seasons and he now looks cemented as the starring left-back, impacting play and proving to be effective from both sides of the pitch.

The £10k-per-week whiz started just nine matches in the Premier League last season (with seven of such appearances coming across the opening 11 games of the term), though his chances of sculpting a promising start to the season were marred by a torrid opening game against Leeds United, where he made an error leading to a goal and scored an own goal.

Lopetegui issued an admission that while the ace was talented with the ball at his feet, there were certain areas of his defensive game that needed work, though it was stressed that he holds all the tools to build a tremendous career.

Rayan Ait-Nouri's season in numbers

Since the summer, it's fair to say that Ait-Nouri has held some pensive internal discussions regarding an up-and-down campaign, and having been entrusted with a starring role under O'Neil's management, he is now flourishing.

As per Sofascore, the 5 foot 10 gem has started 11 of Wolves' 12 Premier League matches so far, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 0.4 key passes, 2.5 tackles and 4.4 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 58% of his attempted duels.

If we compare this with last year, it becomes crystal clear that he has ramped up the gas, having averaged just 0.3 key passes and 1.6 tackles per game.

This is a testament to his unwavering belief in his ability and work-rate in improving upon his past travails, and given that he is making such increments, it may well be the apt moment for Liverpool to swoop, providing Robertson with competition and providing the prospective acquisition with a pathway to the No. 1 spot at Anfield in the future.

Robertson, aged 29, will hope to retain his prominent position for several years to come, but, is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury and is still expected to be out for a further two months.

Tsimikas has been promoted to the first team in the Premier League in the Scotland captain's absence, and while he bagged two assists in the 3-0 victory over Brentford before the ongoing international break, he has not quite grasped his opportunity, instead receiving criticism for his defensive displays.

How Rayan Ait-Nouri compares to Kostas Tsimikas

Tsimikas was cheaply dispossessed for Toulouse's opener in Liverpool's shock Europa League defeat before the November break, which was yet another deflating moment after a terrible display against LASK earlier in the competition, where he was branded "abysmal" by one Liverpool-focused podcaster.

Klopp clearly doesn't trust him, and has even fielded right-footed Joe Gomez in the left-back role on occasion as he looks to settle the defence's equilibrium; were Virgil van Dijk not in such stunning form, there might be more noise surrounding the £75k-per-week player's performances.

He does have his qualities, of course, but he is effectively a simulated version of Robertson, which is indicative of how Klopp wants the role to be utilised in fairness, but by signing Ait-Nouri, a whole new realm of dimension would be opened.

For example, Tsimikas ranks among the top 2% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref.

As the statistic highlights, Tsimikas may well be the more 'creative' of the pair at the moment, but Ait-Nouri is far most robust and progressive as a whole, with FBref ranking him among the top 3% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues for successful take-ons and the top 5% for tackles per 90.

It's important to note that while Ait-Nouri has not actually been providing any assists recently, he has been an exceptional presence in O'Neil's side, crucial in driving forward and crowbarring his way through opposition backlines.

The three-cap Algeria international has been hailed for his "phenomenal" skills by The Athletic's Tim Spiers already, and while he is still developing, Klopp will be certain that Ait-Nouri's natural talents can be nurtured and refined under his leadership.

While Tsimikas is a decent backup option on Merseyside, he is definitely not the standard to start in the best team possible, instead called upon for the major moments when all else fails.

Ait-Nouri, however, boasts enough potential to possibly make the position his own in the future, and the Reds must now make their move to secure his signature and seal a big upgrade on their Greek left-back.

In a year when Australian cricket’s cultural habits and instincts have been challenged so publicly, it seems fitting that the national team’s first Test assignment since the Newlands ball-tampering scandal involves a task requiring plenty of self-denial.Most of the best Australian teams have been known for forcing the pace, but the captain Tim Paine was clear on the team’s departure for the UAE that success in the forthcoming series would be about attrition, not aggression.Just as Paine, the new coach Justin Langer and the rest of the touring party have had to ponder the image of the team and the way they conduct themselves against opponents who have stored up plenty of ill-feeling about Australia for some time – just ask Moeen Ali – so must they now work towards methodical, patient and consistent cricket in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, built on the bedrock of spending many painstaking hours at the batting crease.”I think it is going to be hard work over there, no doubt. I think games traditionally in the UAE take a long time so we are going to have to be really patient,” Paine said in Brisbane. “We have spoken about partnerships and patience and pressure, which is going to be a real key over there. So, games that sort of drag along for three or four days and it can happen really quickly on day five. So, it is about having your team in a position to strike late in the game.”We know that traditionally they’re really long, low-scoring days and it takes time to score your runs and you’ve just got to grind it out. So we’re going over there with that at the front of our minds, we’re going to have to play really hard, tough cricket, particularly from a batting side and then in the heat over there for our bowlers the same thing, it’s going to be about patience, try to wear them down and be in a position late in the game where we can make a move and win.”These words could have been lifted almost verbatim from a Ricky Ponting column for ESPNcricinfo in 2014, after the team led by Michael Clarke was trounced 2-0 by Pakistan on their last UAE visit. Paine’s team, shorn of Steve Smith and David Warner by suspension and Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood by injury, will need to perform with a great deal of collective unity in order to prosper against a team that triumphed over Australia in the recent Twenty20 triangular series in Zimbabwe. Some cues for possible success can be taken from the narrow defeat of Smith’s team on the 2017 India tour.Paine pointed to the role of Mitchell Starc, himself recently recovered from a foot stress injury, as a critical exemplar of the way the Australians would need to be “clever” in dealing with Pakistan, hard, slow pitches and high temperatures. “We have to be really careful with all our quicks over there, it is going to be over 40 degrees and really high humidity,” he said.Getty Images

“So, we are going to have to be clever about how we use our bowlers – Starcy in particular who we know is a strike weapon. So, I expect him to be bowling short spells and as fast as he can. Really exciting to have him back, he’s clearly our spearhead so it’s going to be great to have his pace back, also his experience, and over in those conditions I think his batting can be really valuable as well with lower-order runs. We’re sure Starcy will have a really big series and if he does it’ll go a long way to winning it for us.”Obviously we’re missing a few important players, but we’ve spoken about it as a group before we went to England and it’s a great opportunity for new players to step up. Looking forward to getting the Test group back together and playing some good, hard cricket. Probably the silver lining of what’s happened is we’re going to see some really good young cricketers coming through and the guys we’ve picked we know have got some real talent and it’ll be great to see them on the international stage.”As for the team’s on-field conduct and image, Paine suggested a players’ charter, the crux of a team review helmed by the former opening batsman Rick McCosker, was close to completion. He also indicated that he would be eager to reprise a pre-match shared handshakes ritual between the two competing teams as a gesture of goodwill, something he first used in the final Test of the South Africa series at the Wanderers.”Yeah potentially, if they want to. I think it is a nice way to start a series, it is a good show of sportsmanship but by no means are we going to be taking it easy,” Paine said. “We are going there to win, and to play the way that Australian cricket teams are known for playing, which is really hard. It’s going to be about our actions as a team, not what we talk about.”I think the Australian way has always been to play hard but to play fair and that will be no different this series. There are always a lot of eyes on the Australian cricket team wherever we play so that is going to be no different. This team is really, really clear on what is expected and what the standards are of the Australian cricket team and we’ll uphold them.”

Tottenham Hotspur will be delighted with their rapid progress under Ange Postecoglou, who has transformed them from a side seemingly frightened to play football and labouring to poor results under turgid management, into an outfit oozing positivity, seemingly capable of challenging the very best.

Liverpool and Manchester United both fell victim to their never-say-die attitude, with Arsenal twice being pegged back at the Emirates to earn a vital point. As such, they are the only side in the Premier League who remain unbeaten, aside from their north London rivals.

The football is electric, and the fans are already appreciating the revolution being ushered in after years of disappointment.

TalkSPORT's Jamie O'Hara would echo such a sentiment, noting: "Oh Gabby I'm loving big Ange.

"Big Ange has come in and he's just been a breath of fresh air. I love the way he talks, I love the way he sets the team up, I just love the way that we're playing now as a football club."

And whilst fans will be cautiously optimistic of their blistering start, the former Celtic boss insists they are not here to make up the numbers: "We’re top of the table because we’ve played some good football, been consistent and overcome some big challenges. That’s where we are at the moment but we’re still building. We’re still trying to build a team and a way of playing and our target is to improve. If we can improve on what we’ve done so far then we’ll see where that takes us."

Although the bulk of the squad has been near-faultless, there is still a slight issue with the left wing spot, as Richarlison continues to falter as Heung-min Son seeks to step up into the striker role.

Were they to have someone like Jack Grealish for example, who knows how far this team could go.

Did Spurs nearly sign Jack Grealish?

Whilst the former Aston Villa man might seem like a random name to throw in as a star who might ease their outstanding issue, there is reason behind his inclusion.

After all, the 28-year-old was once a pretty serious target of Spurs', and years before his eventual move to Manchester City, it could have been north London that he made his home had they pushed a little harder under Mauricio Pochettino.

As the Villans languished in the Championship back in 2018, Daniel Levy hatched an unsurprisingly shrewd plan to snag the maverick from his boyhood club for as little as £15m, despite his £40m asking price being well-documented. Whilst they upped their eventual bid to £25m, it was once again rejected, causing reported frustration from the trickster as he pushed for an exit that would never come.

The Villa manager at the time, Steve Bruce, would praise his star man for his reaction to such a blow: "We understand the human side. He will want to play in the Premier League, Europe, Champions League. The owner has made it clear that he wants him to stay. To be fair to Jack, he has got on with it."

However, it is fair to say that holding on for a little bit longer paid dividends, with Pep Guardiola eventually coming along to pry him once and for all, with a fee few clubs could ever say no to.

The Citizens would pay a mouth-watering £100m, breaking the British transfer record and also placing a near-impossible price tag to live up to. Despite that, Grealish has impressed, fulfilling his wildest dreams last season as he was ever-present as they won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, writing history in the process.

To think that Levy, had he just forked up the £40m asking price three years earlier, could have acquired himself a £100m player, is a frustrating notion. However, it is so brilliantly typical of the frugal businessman famed for his reluctance to spend big.

Were they to swap the England international for Richarlison, who last season would score just one league goal all year, and instantly Postecoglou would receive an even greater boost set to elevate his already impressive side to new heights.

How good is Jack Grealish?

"The best game he has played since he has been with us, by far," Guardiola purred back in January 2022. "This was an exceptional performance. He played really, really well. I’m talking about when he has the ball, what he has to do. In a team that is so tight, they defend so narrow, it is not easy. He played exceptionally.

Assists

0.29

85th

Pass Completion

84.3%

95th

Progressive Carries

5.97

97th

Progressive Passes Received

12.97

96th

All stats via FBref

“In Aston Villa he played wide and after he moved wherever he wants and came inside. I think he’s the perfect player to play between the lines. He’s so aggressive, he makes incredible runs, he dropped the Southampton team to the byline, his decision-making is excellent. He had two almost clear chances to dribble and shoot that was blocked.

“He played really well. I’m so satisfied for the performance Jack has done."

To receive such lofty praise from a legendary manager such as him should speak volumes, with talkSPORT pundit Dean Saunders adding him to the list of England's "world class" talent pool in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup.

However, it was not an easy start to life at the Etihad for the £300k-per-week maestro, who scored just three and assisted three more in his debut Premier League term. These are figures he would take to another level the season following, scoring five and assisting seven in the league, and making an impressive 50 appearances across all competitions.

Given the Spanish tactician rotates so often, Grealish's reliable presence speaks volumes for his talent.

The scout who actually picked the winger up for Villa, Jim Thomas, spoke in 2019 about the undecided future of the crowning jewel of his career. He would wax lyrical about his emergence, but crucially ended his interview by noting: "I wouldn't have wanted him to go like but I think if he played for [Spurs] I think they'd be the perfect team."

Whilst he would argue otherwise given the success he has since earned, Postecoglou would surely love to have him as the perfect man to complete his side for now and help them mount a truly serious challenge to build off their outstanding start.

Chelsea have received a devastating blow following recent updates on one of Mauricio Pochettino's injured players, according to reports.

Chelsea updates: Disasi form, Maatsen exit, Guirassy links

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, summer signing Axel Disasi has talked up the partnership he has built in central defense with Benoit Badiashile at Stamford Bridge.

Disasi stated: "Me and him complement each other really well. I’m perhaps more of a duels player, while he likes to receive the ball and start up attacks. But it’s not a case of him not being a duels player and me not being a receiver of the ball. These things, they just work well. We feel great together.

A transfer update on Ian Maatsen has indicated that the Netherlands international is being targeted by Barcelona as a potential replacement for ex-Blues fan favorite Marcos Alonso. Maatsen is tied to Chelsea until the summer of 2025; however, he has featured for the Premier League side for just 83 minutes this campaign, with Levi Colwill being preferred to other options on the left-hand side of Pochettino's backline.

Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy has hit the headlines this term following his blistering run of goalscoring form; however, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has issued some Chelsea transfer news that has distanced the Blues from a potential move for the 27-year-old.

Romano said about links between Chelsea and Guirassy: "Serhou Guirassy – For sure clubs are following the in-form Stuttgart striker, but at the moment I’m not aware of any contact with Chelsea or Arsenal, that would be pure guessing as I’m not aware of any negotiation or contact. I think we should also respect Stuttgart, he’s a key player for them and his focus is 100% on Stuttgart."

Serhou Guirassy's incredible form – 2023/24 all competitions

Appearances

8

Goals

14

Assists

2

Chelsea injury update – Wesley Fofana

Reliable reporter Simon Phillips has issued a devastating Chelsea injury update on his Substack Si Phillips Talks Chelsea, indicating that Wesley Fofana could be out for the remainder of the campaign after the Frenchman underwent anterior cruciate ligament surgery in the summer.

Phillips has signalled that his 'sources are fearful' that the former Leicester City man could be out for a long time to come, with this latest prognosis being one of a long line of frustrating setbacks for the 22-year-old, who joined Chelsea from the Foxes for £75 million back in 2022.

The FA Cup winner has managed to make just 20 appearances in all competitions since arriving at Stamford Bridge, registering two goals in the process (Fofana statistics – Transfermarkt).

Last term, Fofana impressed in Chelsea's backline despite a campaign to forget on the field for the Blues, making an average of 1.3 interceptions and 2.2 clearances per fixture in the English top-flight, according to WhoScored.

Despite this, Fofana is once again the victim of horrendous luck and Chelsea fans will hope he can recover and eventually return fit and firing following a torrid time for the imposing defender in SW6.

Denmark will now rely on help from Uganda and Bermuda in matches to be replayed on Sunday in order to keep Jersey or Malaysia from leapfrogging them on the net-run-rate tiebreaker

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Kuala Lumpur05-May-2018Shane Deitz flicks off his pads for runs through the leg side•Peter Della Penna

Vanuatu’s late rally after three consecutive losses at the start of the WCL Division Four has put Denmark’s final-standings fate out of their own hands as the NiVans upended the Danes by five wickets with as many balls to spare at the Kinrara Academy Oval to become the first team all week to successfully chase a target at the ground.Overhauling Denmark’s 234 with half-centuries from the top three – vice-captain Jonathon Dunn (86 off 139 balls), Joshua Rasu (69 off 77), and Patrick Matautaava (53 off 42) – Vanuatu registered their second successful chase in three days. Dunn had scored only 15 runs in Malaysia coming into the match while Matautaava more than doubled his week-long output of 49 runs. Rasu ended three runs short of doubling his group-stage tally.All three were due for a score, particularly Matautaava after his Player-of-the-Tournament performance at Division Five in September, and they came up trumps in style against Denmark. Dunn and Rasu put on 116 for the first wicket before Matautaava took over following the dismissal of Rasu. Matautaava blasted his way to a half-century off 33 balls, putting Denmark in serious jeopardy of not only losing outright, but also losing their net-run-rate tiebreaker advantage over Jersey.Denmark entered the day with a 12.2 over or 54-run net positive differential with Jersey on the net-run-rate tiebreaker. At one stage, thanks to Matautaava’s blitz which took the score to 167 for 1 in 31 overs, most of that differential was on the brink of being wiped out. But the spin troika of Bashir Shah, Nicolaj Laegsgaard and Saif Ahmad dug deep to stretch the game into the final over, with Saif nipping out Matautaava and captain Andrew Mansale to slow Vanuatu’s charge and, in the process, help preserve some of their tiebreak advantage over Jersey in spite of the loss. Shane Deitz, however, whacked a six off the first ball of the final over to seal the chase.Vanuatu’s bowlers set up the win with an excellent display at the death after Denmark had set themselves up for a launch from 182 for 4 at the 40-over mark thanks to half-centuries from Anders Bulow and captain Hamid Shah. But the middle order failed to kick on, adding only 40 through the next eight overs before Nalin Nipiko and Matautaava took two wickets each off four consecutive balls to end the 49th and start the 50th.Denmark will now rely on help from Uganda and Bermuda in matches to be replayed on Sunday in order to keep Jersey or Malaysia from leapfrogging them on the net-run-rate tiebreaker and into the promotion slots to move up to Division Three.

Bowlers dominated on a grim day at Lord’s but Middlesex’s Stevie Eskinazi managed to provide a bright interlude

ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2018

Stevie Eskinazi’s aggression did the trick•Getty Images

ScorecardMiddlesex’s Stevie Eskinazi stood tall on a day of otherwise clattering wickets in the Specsavers County Championship match against Glamorgan at Lord’s.While all others, with the possible exception of John Simpson, struggled to put bat to ball, the South African-born right-hander plundered 16 boundaries in scoring 94 at more than a run a ball.The fact his efforts were not enough to raise a batting point for the hosts was largely down to a five wicket-haul for Glamorgan skipper Michael Hogan, ably supported by Tim Van Der Gugten who after having Eskinazi caught behind, ran through the Middlesex tail.Tim Murtagh conjured up a trademark spell of 4 for 12 from the Nursery End to leave Glamorgan floundering at 38 for 4 in reply before the bad light and then rain which has dogged the fixture from day one returned to drive the players off at 3.30pm.After the washout on day two, play began promptly and Hogan was soon among the wickets, removing Hilton Cartwright’s off-bail with a delivery to which the Australian international offered no shot. He would strike again four overs later when Paul Stirling nicked a good ball to wicketkeeper Chris Cooke.Eskinazi, who’d struck five boundaries on the first day, continued untroubled, his eighth four taking him to 50 from 58 balls. Just back from missing two games through illness he became the first member of Middlesex’s top six to reach a half century in the Championship this season.As if in celebration, he then hit Lukas Carey for three fours in the following over. Wicketkeeper Simpson caught the mood, playing some similarly aggressive shots and the hosts had real momentum when bad light intervened with the score on 152 for 5.The 25-minute delay worked in Glamorgan’s favour when shortly after the restart Eskinazi chased a wide one from Van der Gugten to depart six short of what would have been a wonderful hundred. Nevertheless, in these conditions his was an outstanding effort.Shorn of their mainstay Middlesex subsided quickly either side of lunch, especially after Simson edged Van der Gugten to Nick Selman in the slips.Fittingly Hogan, Glamorgan’s standout bowler, grabbed the final wicket, getting Murtagh for a duck as Middlesex fell six short of a precious batting point.Murtagh though soon took centre-stage with the ball, conjuring just sufficient seam and swing to leave Glamorgan’s batsmen in a lather.Jack Murphy and Shaun Marsh were both trapped lbw before Selman, earlier struck on the head by a bouncer from debutant Tom Barber, was bowled by one which went between bat and pad.The very next ball, an outswinger, found the edge of Aneurin Donald’s bat and was pouched by Simpson leaving Murtagh on a hat-trick which Cooke negotiated before the weather closed in.

Manchester United's start to the season has been a fairly messy one on multiple fronts.

On the pitch, United have made a shaky start to their Premier League campaign. Two unconvincing home wins and two defeats away to continue the side's woes on their travels have left them in the bottom half of the table going into the international break.

Off the pitch hasn't been much better either. Delays in the transfers they've conducted meant the side rushed to make three signings on deadline day. Frustrations in the fanbase has also continued to build with rumours that the Glazer family are planning to take the club off the market after months of sale negotiations.

Just when supporters thought they may be a break in the drama surrounding the club thanks to the two-week break, they were wrong.

Jadon Sancho, who is yet to start a game this season, came out and criticised manager Erik ten Hag following their late 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.

Why have Sancho and Ten Hag fallen out?

Sancho was conspicuous by his absence after the former Man City academy player was left out of the squad for the trip to the Emirates. His manager revealed after the game that the winger hadn't been selected "based on performances in training."

This comment clearly irked Sancho, as he took to social media to dispute these claims.

The Englishman, who joined the Red Devils for £73m, said the following:

"Please don't believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue. I have conducted myself very well in training this week."

Sancho continued by claiming he's "been made a scapegoat for a long time" and in a possible attempt to appease the Old Trafford faithful by saying "I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!"

It has since come out that tension has been brewing between player and manager for a long time.

Taking to his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano cleared up a few of the details surrounding this latest saga. "He [Sancho] believes there is something else not related to his training performances and this is why he was not selected."

"Ten Hag believes that he did his best for Sancho to help him in a difficult a moment last season."

While the Dutchman may believe he looked after his player when he took a substantial break from the team, it later surfaced that the tension may stem from this.

Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail reported that Sancho and his camp were unhappy as Manchester United "did not obtain permission to publicly confirm that his mental state was suffering." However, Ten Hag does not believe he did anything untoward and felt he was supportive of the player through this period.

Sancho's outburst last week has seemingly not gone down well with his teammates. ESPN states that "the players accept and respect Ten Hag's firm approach because it applies without exceptions to squad members, regardless of their status, and that Sancho's reaction has gone down badly within the dressing room."

How many goals has Sancho scored for Man United?

Sancho has not lived up to expectations since signing in 2021. He has only registered 12 goals and six assists in 82 games.

Last season, the former Dortmund star achieved a Sofascore rating of just 6.85. This was below the likes of Antony, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, who all play in similar positions to the England international.

Ten Hag has shown he can be ruthless when players are not behind him. Case in point, Cristiano Ronaldo. It remains to be seen if Sancho receives similar treatment.

If he does though, there may be someone waiting in the wings ready to step up and take his place. That person is Amad Diallo.

When did Amad join Manchester United?

Amad officially signed for the club in January 2021 after a £37m deal was agreed with Atalanta the previous summer.

The winger only made five appearances for the Italian club, scoring once in that time. But his performances in their youth set up was enough to convince the United hierarchy to splash the cash to bring him to the North West on a £29k-per-week deal.

Amad came highly recommended and with a lot of potential. Former Italian goalkeeper Giovanni Galli revealed to Football Italia the moment he first laid eyes on the electric forward.

Translated via the Daily Mail, Galli said "Amad was tremendous. Great technical skills, outstanding personality. They [Amad and his brother] They were on another level."

He made a bright start to life at his new club, scoring on his Old Trafford debut in a 1-1 draw against AC Milan in the Europa League.

He went on to make a handful of appearances for the club before it was decided he needed more first-team experience in order to develop.

Diallo joined Scottish side Rangers on loan during the 2022 January transfer window. He once again got off to a flyer, scoring on his debut. However, things didn't continue in that trajectory. He ended up making 13 appearances in all competitions, scoring three times and was not involved in the side's historic run to the Europa League final.

His lackluster loan spell left people wondering if he was ready to make the step up at a club the size of Manchester United.

A second chance came knocking the following season, and it was an opportunity Amad took with both hands.

How did Amad Diallo do at Sunderland?

The young winger made the loan move to Sunderland last summer and his performances made himself a fan favourite with the Mackems.

With the Black Cats returning to the Championship after a four-year stint in League One, they were looking to make an impact. Diallo helped massively with that. He scored 14 goals and registered four assists as Sunderland managed to make the play-offs.

In the play-offs, Amad showed up in style, scoring a screamer against eventual promotion winners Luton Town.

Sunderland's number 16 made such an impact with his exhilarating displays, that he was named PFA Fans Championship player of the season. He truly is the "very special" talent that ITV pundit Courtney Sweetman-Kirk suggested.

He had arrived and done enough to convince people that he was ready to move to the next level.

Amad's Career Stats

Atalanta

5

1

0

Manchester United

9

1

1

Rangers

13

3

0

Sunderland

42

14

4

What happens next for Amad?

The 21-year-old returned to Manchester following his loan spell and played an important part in the early pre-season games. His energy and direct attacking flair were impressive to see. It showed a player full of confidence following his most productive season of his professional career.

Unfortunately, the attacker's development was cut short after suffering a knee injury during the club's tour of the United States.

United confirmed in a club statement that "unfortunately, he has also been ruled out of the first part of the 2023/24 campaign, and we await further details on his estimated recovery date, with the home league clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers up first for Erik ten Hag's Reds on Monday 14 August."

It is since believed the youngster has undergone surgery on his injury, which will slow down his recovery.

The problem has not only prevented him from being part of United's squad in the early season, but has also meant he has missed out on a potential loan deal, with many rumoured suitors pulling their interest.

With the latest developments surrounding Sancho, Amad's injury may be a blessing in disguise. After all, his trickery down the flanks paints him out as the perfect replacement.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos realizou neste sábado, o último treino antes de enfrentar o Botafogo,no domingo, às 18h15 (de Brasília), no estádio Nilton Santos, o Engenhão, pela 11ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Os jogadores realizaram um trabalho de posicionamento, seguido de treino regenerativo. Em seguida, a equipe viajou para o Rio de Janeiro, local da partida de amanhã.Vale ressaltar que ninguém testou positivo para Covid-19 antes da viagem.

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O técnico Cuca tem dúvidas para montar o ataque santista. Sem Soteldo, que está suspenso, a tendência é de que Lucas Braga fique com a vaga do venezuelano. Kaio Jorge, recuperado da Covid-19, está à disposição. Outro retorno é o do lateral-esquerdo Felipe Jonatan, que volta de suspensão.

Com isso, uma provável escalação éJoão Paulo; Pará, Lucas Veríssimo, Luan Peres e Felipe Jonatan; Alison, Diego Pituca e Carlos Sánchez; Marinho, Lucas Braga e Raniel (Kaio Jorge).

O Santos é o sétimo colocado no Brasileirão, com 15 pontos conquistados e quer a vitória para se aproximar dos primeiros colocados.

Everton are looking at concluding two transfers in the coming days with Sean Dyche, Farhad Moshiri and co seemingly busy as the market nears its conclusion in a few weeks' time.

Who do Everton want to sign?

Reports on Sunday afternoon suggest that Everton's interest in Leeds winger Jack Harrison is now 'very advanced'. That said, he is not the only forward on Dyche's radar after the season kicked off this weekend.

Indeed, according to Football Insider on Saturday, they are working on securing Portuguese attacker Beto on a loan deal with an obligation to buy, with talks advancing over the past few days.

The Toffees have been monitoring his situation all summer but were reluctant to meet his €30m (£26m) price tag, though an initial short-term contract could work in their favour.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Everton's Premier League campaign began with a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham this weekend, accentuating the need for offensive reinforcements despite the signings of Arnaut Danjuma and Youssef Chermiti.

Everton could repeat the signing of Richarlison by luring Beto to Goodison Park, with the Brazilian leaving the club for Tottenham Hotspur in a £60m deal last year but departing as one of the club's most distinguishable stars of recent memory.

How many goals did Richarlison score for Everton?

Arriving from Premier League rivals Watford in 2018 for £50m, the 26-year-old scored twice on his competitive debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers to kickstart a 53-goal haul across 152 outings while plying his trade on Merseyside, with former manager Carlo Ancelotti claiming he is "among the best forwards".

Standing at 6 foot, the 44-cap star – with 20 goals for Brazil – is not the tallest of forwards but utilises his aerial dominance superlatively, ranking among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref.

Hailed as a "warrior" by former Spurs boss Antonio Conte, the £90k-per-week gem brings an imposing element to his game and this is something that Beto could replicate under Dyche's wing on Merseyside, with the 52-year-old's management style focussing heavily on aerial dominance and dogged determination.

How good is Beto?

Standing at 6 foot 4, Beto is a taller figure and has averaged 1.8 shots and 2.2 aerial wins across the duration of his career, as per WhoScored, but has hit double-digits across all four league campaigns of his career, including 22 goals across his two years in Serie A.

The 25-year-old also ranks among the top 20% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons, the top 10% for clearances and the top 25% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his Richarlison-like tenacity and relentlessness that could slot into Everton's system seamlessly.

He has been lauded for his "quality" and intelligence by journalist Josh Bunting, and his ten league goals and 1.8 shots per match last term, as per Sofascore, were not bettered by Everton forwards Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Neal Maupay and Demarai Gray.

With journalist Sam Tighe also waxing lyrical over the ace's ability to "spook defenders", claiming that makes the opposition panic with his brutish presence and physicality, he could emulate Richarlison in his imperious former role at Goodison Park, and could perhaps finally restore some offensive verve to the Toffees' frontline.

Opener Snell Patel digs in with Pujara to make maiden first-class ton; Pankaj Singh leaves Haryana in tatters

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2017

AFP

Unbeaten centuries from Snell Patel (156*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (115*) justified Saurashtra’s decision to bat first against Gujarat as they went to stumps on 311 for 1 on the opening day in Rajkot. Gujarat’s lone success of the day came in the 24th over when Piyush Chawla had Robin Uthappa (30) caught behind to extend his poor run of scores in this season thus far.But, Snell and Pujara adeed 252 runs to ensure Saurashtra sustained their dominance. Having been dismissed for 94 against J&K, Snell ensured he got his maiden first-class hundred shortly after tea. Pujara, on the other hand, followed up his double hundred in the previous game with his 43rd first class hundred. Snell and Pujara scored 21 and 15 fours respectively even as Gujarat’s bowlers toiled away.Team Rajasthan captain Pankaj Singh’s three-wicket burst reduced Haryana to 99 for 7 on a truncated day in Lahli where only 44 overs were possible. Not long after being sent in, Haryana lost openers Shubham Rohilla and Guntashveer Singh were dismissed within the first six overs by left-arm seamer Aniket Choudhary, who conceded only 13 runs from his 10 overs.From 10 for 2, Haryana slipped to 34 for 3 as left-arm spinner Mahipal Lomror had Chaitanya Bishnoi lbw. There was a mini-recovery through Rajat Paliwal (32) and SR Chauhan (28), but Pankaj got into the action by dismissing the pair in successive overs. Haryana ambled to 93 for 6 when bad light stopped play. Two more overs were possible after resumption, during which Haryana lost their seventh wicket.Shubham Khajuria (101) and Puneet Bisht (101*) propelled Jammu & Kashmir to 357 for 6 against Jharkhand on the opening day at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur. Opener Khajuria’s 153-ball effort included 10 fours and four sixes and he was the sixth batsmen out with the score on 208 in the 57th over. Bisht brought up his century off 108 balls with 18 hits to the fence. He shared an unbroken seventh-wicket stand worth 149 with Owais Shah, who was 79 not out. Left-arm spinner Sonu Singh and offpsinner Sunny Gupta picked up two wickets each for Jharkhand.