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It might feel like the wheels are coming off somewhat at the moment, but Arsenal’s progress over the last few years has been seriously impressive.

Mikel Arteta has taken his team from mid-table mediocrity to consistent Premier League challengers, and while his tactics have certainly played a significant role in that transformation, so have his signings.

The likes of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães and Declan Rice have elevated the entire team, although perhaps his most impactful acquisition has been Martin Odegaard.

The midfield maestro is the club captain, and while he’s out of form at present, he’s so often the creative hub of the side, so reports linking the club to a youngster who could be the next Odegaard should excite fans.

Arsenal chasing exciting wonderkid

According to a recent report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein on The Athletic FC Podcast, Arsenal are huge fans of the Norwegian youngster, Sverre Halseth Nypan.

Ornstein claims that, like many of their Premier League rivals, the Gunners are currently “looking for young players for the future”, and that happens to include the young midfielder, whom the North Londoners “really like.”

The Premier League runners-up aren’t the only ones interested in the promising talent, though, as a report from Graeme Bailey last month revealed that Manchester United are incredibly keen to sign him this year and that for this to happen, Rosenborg would ask for a fee in the region of £10m.

It could be a relatively complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Nypan’s ability and massive potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be their next Odegaard.

Why Nypan could be Odegaard 2.0

Okay, so before we get into a couple of other reasons Arsenal might want to sign Nypan this year, let’s look at the reasons why a relatively easy comparison can be drawn between him and Odegaard.

The first, while incredibly simplistic, cannot be ignored and is the fact that both players are very highly rated Norwegians who would be joining the North Londoners as unproven talents.

For example, Odegaard was seen as the next big wonderkid when he was still just 15 but failed to live up to those expectations when he moved to Real Madrid. However, upon joining the Gunners on a permanent deal in August 2021, he has gone from strength to strength.

The hype around the Rosenborg gem might not be quite as extreme as it was for his compatriot, but there is an expectation that the 18-year-old will turn into a world-beater.

For example, respected analyst Ben Mattinson described the teenager as an “elite potential talent” in the summer, while talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed he has a “massive future ahead” just last month.

The second similarity between the pair is where they play on the pitch.

For example, Arteta’s captain may be one of the creative hubs in the team, but he is not a traditional attacking midfielder. Instead, he tends to play a hybrid eight/ten role, helping out in the middle of the park and then getting forward to help in the attack.

Likewise, while the Trondheim-born gem has enjoyed a productive season this year, he too starts most games in a central role, helping out in build-up and the final third.

Now, while the similarities to Odegaard are certainly encouraging, another reason the Gunners should be looking to sign the young dynamo is the fact that he’s already contributing at a first-team level.

For example, in just 33 appearances last season, the tremendously exciting youngster scored eight goals and provided ten assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.83 games.

Ultimately, he might not be able to help Arsenal win the league this season, but he looks like he could develop into a sensational talent a few years down the line.

Therefore, Arteta and Co should do what they can to bring Nypan to the club this year.

He's like Cunha: Arsenal plot move for "one of the best players in the PL"

The special talent would make Arsenal more dangerous.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 9, 2025

Real Madrid legend Fernando Morientes believes Xabi Alonso would be the ideal replacement if they move on from Carlo Ancelotti.

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• Ancelotti is under pressure after loss to Arsenal
• Morientes believes Alonso is best option as successor
• He labelled former Liverpool team-mate as "a perfect fit"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fernando Morientes described Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonson as the “perfect fit” to succeed Carlo Ancelotti, should the Italian’s decorated second spell with Los Blancos come to an end. The pressure was piled on the former Everton boss last week as they slumped to a 3-0 first-leg loss to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.

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• WHAT MORIENTES SAID

  Courtesy of bet365's UEFA Champions League Coverage, Morientes said of the options to replace Ancelotti: "I have enormous affection for Xabi Alonso because he's been my teammate and a personal friend. I have enormous respect for him as a coach because I think what he's achieved isn't easy, and the steps he's taken have been very accurate and doing exactly what you should do.

  "First, start with the youth teams, develop, take a little further step forward, and then move on to professional football. He's accomplished all those steps and done very well.

  "What he did last year at Leverkusen isn't easy. He’s an option for Real Madrid. For me, the option I like most, obviously, is at home. You don't need to spend anything at all. You're more than ready. He's a leader and he’s out of the ordinary. I think he'd be a perfect fit on the Real Madrid bench."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ancelotti has a contract with Madrid until June 2026, meaning he is scheduled to have at least one more season in the job. However, the humbling at Arsenal has re-ignited talk about his future, with the Italian having previously been linked with the vacant Brazil role. 

  Alonso, meanwhile, extended his contract until the end of next season after leading Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign, winning the title while also claiming the DFB-Pokal crown and reaching the final of the Europa League. Trailing Bayern Munich by six points in the Bundesliga, this season has been less impressive, but, to this point, there has been no suggestion of him looking to leave the club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ANCELOTTI?

  Whether Madrid decide to move on from Ancelotti and start a new era likely hinges on whether they can pull off an incredible comeback in the second leg with Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Under Ancelotti in recent years, Madrid have become renowned for pulling off unlikely Champions League victories and it would be no surprise to see them do the same again. Should they fail, then all eyes will be on Florentino Perez to see if he and the board decide it is time for a change.

Although the Liverpool machine continues to power on, as seen in Arne Slot’s side picking up a straightforward 4-0 win in the FA Cup over Accrington Stanley, this month could still prove to be a sticky time for the Reds.

After all, the futures of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold remain up in the air, with some nerves at least quelled in this department when reading that Virgil Van Dijk reportedly looks set to pen a new Anfield deal shortly.

Alongside all this contract talk, there is another surprise player who could be set to leave Merseyside behind very soon, even as his current deal remains in play until 2028.

Liverpool star could be heading for Saudi

As per a report by Anfield Watch, Darwin Nunez could now be on the move this January as new suitors eye up the hot-and-cold Uruguayan.

One of those fresh outfits preparing to try and snap up the 25-year-old is money-rich Al-Hilal, with the Saudi side wanting to offload former £200m man Neymar for some new star power.

After all, Al-Hilal are currently under the managerial guidance of ex-Benfica boss Jorge Jesus, who managed to turn Nunez into a revered goal machine in Portugal.

Moreover, with Nunez sliding further and further down the pecking order under Slot – with ex-Reds great Robbie Fowler stating prior to his Accrington duck that he’s “not a Liverpool player” calibre-wise – this might well be a move that suits all parties, especially if Al-Hilal cough up some mega bucks similar to the £85m once forked out for the forward.

Liverpool have been here before in terms of losing an attacker who had left his mark on proceedings at Anfield, only for the Reds to recover easily from this departure with Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and more now lighting up the Premier League.

A Sadio Mane-like exit for Liverpool

Whilst it’s clear that Nunez won’t go down in the same legend’s bracket as Sadio Mane when he does exit, it would still be a knock to lose the Uruguayan, especially when you consider the amount of cash that was splashed to land him.

Additionally, he has shown his class in spurts for the Reds, with 37 strikes picked up in total for the Merseyside giants resulting in Jurgen Klopp labelling the 6 foot 2 attacker as “outstanding” when he still steered the Liverpool ship.

But, after his goalless showing against League Two opposition on Saturday, patience will be wearing thin on Slot’s end who might sense a departure is the most logical next step, with the Reds having to give in regarding a sale of Mane too after the Senegalese ace rejected a new contract.

Whilst that development was initially demoralising – considering Mane bowed out of Liverpool with a stunning 120 goals next to his name – the Reds have more than bounced back with Salah ageing like a fine wine, alongside the heroics of other stars up top.

As can be seen above, Slot has a whole host of exciting players in attack he can choose from, with Salah chipping in with an outrageous 90 goals and assists since Mane’s exit, with the ex-Reds forward now forgotten about playing in Saudi Arabia.

The same could soon happen to Nunez if he makes an Al-Hilal move a reality, with Liverpool no doubt using the millions they would recoup to add another frightening attacker to their already star-studded arsenal.

Forget Kvaratskhelia: Liverpool could land star with 'Mane at Saints vibes'

Liverpool are looking to strengthen their frontline this year.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jan 10, 2025

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is open to a summer transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, a report says.

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• Ederson to be sold by Man City this summer
• Al-Ittihad in talks to sign the goalkeeper
• Fenerbahce also linked with Brazilian

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The goalkeeper has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer, with Fenerbahce said to be interested in signing him, and City are reportedly prepared to let him leave.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad have already opened talks with the Brazil international as he has been deemed a top priority by coach Laurent Blanc as they aim to fight for domestic and continental success next season, reports.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, Ederson is one of the established stars City are prepared to offload as they look to recover from a dismal season. The 31-year-old joined the club in 2017 and has made 365 appearances in all competitions.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  City are said to be eyeing Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa as his replacement, although Manchester United have also been monitoring him.

Chelsea have been known to conduct numerous high-profile deals through January transfer windows in the past, not being afraid to splash the cash in the winter months.

Rewind just a couple of years, Enzo Fernández joined the Blues in a £106.8m deal from Benfica – a deal which at the time broke their club-record transfer fee.

Mykhailo Mudryk also arrived during the same transfer window from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee in the region of £88m, looking to provide added quality in wide areas under then-boss Graham Potter.

However, the Ukrainian has been unable to make any form of positive impact at Stamford Bridge since his big-money move, scoring just ten times in his 73 appearances.

Such form has led to the club dipping into the transfer market this month to try and improve the options available at Enzo Maresca’s disposal for the rest of the Premier League season and beyond.

Chelsea’s hunt for a new winger in January

Alejandro Garnacho has been one name that has been mentioned over a move to West London in recent weeks, with current side Manchester United open to parting ways with the Argentine this month.

The 20-year-old has made 32 appearances throughout 2024/25, scoring eight times, leading to interest from the Blues and Napoli, with the Red Devils demanding a fee in the region of £55m to sell their star youngster.

Another name that has been thrown into the mix is Borussia Dortmund’s English attacker Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, but Maresca’s side would face huge competition from Liverpool for his signature.

Both sides have sent scouts to watch the talented youngster, but neither have yet made an offer to prise the former Manchester City academy star away from the Bundesliga outfit.

With no progress yet to be made on either of the two deals, time is ticking with the window having less than two weeks left until it slams shut, which could see the club target alternative options.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Chelsea could land winger who’s better than Gittens

Given the nature of the targets which have regularly cropped up in recent weeks, it’s evident that Maresca and the hierarchy feel as though a winger is needed between now and the end of the month.

Garnacho and Gittens have emerged as two of the leading candidates to fulfil the positions in wide areas, but with time running out in the window, other players may need to be considered over a move to West London.

The Blues have been the home to numerous attacking stars and could land themselves another one in the form of Atlético Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who has previously been of interest to Maresca.

The Spaniard was linked with a move to the Bridge at the start of January, but no progress has been made in a deal to land the 22-year-old who currently has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, when delving into his figures from the ongoing campaign, Williams has produced numerous stats that are better than Gittens highlighting what a phenomenal addition he would be to the Blues in their hunt for a top-four spot.

The Bilbao star, who’s been dubbed “one of the best wingers” by analyst Ben Mattinson, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but he’s certainly a complete package when it comes to beating a player and producing a high volume of scoring opportunities. He has registered more progressive passes and more carries into the final third per 90 – highlighting his attacking threat.

Williams has also managed to achieve more shot-creating actions, along with a higher tally of crosses completed per 90, handing other players in the squad the ammunition needed to succeed in the final third.

Given his impressive form for Bilbao in recent times, the youngster would be a superb player for Maresca’s squad, offering the added threat he’s so desperately been hunting for in recent weeks.

His release clause could be a potential bargain – particularly as Gittens has reportedly been valued at £85m – and if he is to carry over his superb form from LaLiga to the Premier League, it could be a wonderful piece of business.

He's a dream for Palmer: Chelsea hold talks to sign £67m "menace"

Chelsea have made contact over a deal to sign the £67m-rated centre-forward.

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By
Dan Emery

Jan 22, 2025

An “incredible” Liverpool player who featured against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night could still exit Anfield before the February 3rd transfer deadline, according to a report.

Reds finish top of the Champions League

Despite failing to win for the first time in the Champions League this season, the Reds finished top of the league phase after collecting a very impressive 21 points in eight games.

Arne Slot’s side now advance straight to the round of 16, standing them in good stead to win Europe’s elite competition for the seventh time, and they will be pleased to avoid having to play an additional two games in the play-off round.

With the Premier League title-hopefuls still competing on all fronts, they can now turn their attention back to their pursuit of domestic glory, with everything also still to play for in the league and both cup competitions.

Liverpool make enquiry over "outrageous" £20m star who's wanted by Man Utd

The midfielder’s agents are keen to secure him a move to a new club.

By
Dominic Lund

Jan 29, 2025

Having already secured their place in the round of 16 prior to yesterday’s fixture, Slot handed minutes to some lesser-used players, with Tyler Morton coming on in the second half, appearing for the first time since the FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley.

Morton has struggled for game time this season, and The Mirror report the 22-year-old could still exit Anfield before the transfer window comes to an end, after recently admitting he has found it difficult not being in the team.

Slot is now set to make a decision on the midfielder’s future, most likely partially based on what he saw on Wednesday night, with a move elsewhere on the cards prior to the February 3rd deadline.

Another loan move could suit Morton

The Wallasey-born midfielder has spent a lot of time out on loan in the past, enjoying impressive spells with Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, where he solidified his place as an important part of the team.

However, it was always going to be a difficult task for the central midfielder to force his way into starting contention at Liverpool, and there is unlikely to be an increase in game time on the horizon.

With the Reds performing at such a high level both domestically and in Europe, Slot is unlikely to want to make too many changes to his side, meaning the Englishman may not be handed many more opportunities.

Having expressed how difficult it is to not be regularly involved, another loan move until the end of the season could suit Morton, at which point his contract is set to expire, and the club can re-assess his future.

Considering the Liverpool academy graduate has been lauded as “incredible” in the past, it is clear he possesses a lot of potential, but he is not going to develop if he doesn’t receive consistent game time.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are keen to appoint Carlo Ancelotti as manager in a move which could help lure Vinicius Jr away from Real Madrid.

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• Ancelotti future at Real Madrid uncertain
• Al-Hilal want Italian as club's new coach
• Believe he can help bring Vini Jr to Saudi Pro League

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ancelotti's future is in the spotlight currently amid talk of a Real Madrid exit. The Italian coach had appeared ready to take the Brazil job but the move is reportedly set to break down. Al-Hilal could now move for Ancelotti as the Saudi club want to replace manager Jorge Jesus, according to . The club also think appointing Ancelotti could prove key in tempting Vinicius to move to the Middle East.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Vinicius Jr has regularly been linked with a blockbuster Saudi move as he is yet to sign a contract extension with Los Blancos. According to Sports Zone, Al-Hilal are ready to splash out a total of €800 million (£680m/$909m) to sign the Brazilian superstar this summer. Vinicius Jr is said to be Al-Hilal's "priority" in the next transfer window as they aim to bring in another big name after losing Neymar in the winter.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ancelotti may no longer be heading to Brazil but he could still be heading for the exit at Madrid. Bayern Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has been lined up to succeed the Italian after the Club World Cup in June.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID

  Real Madrid are still in the title race in Spain but sit four points behind Barcelona with five games to play, meaning a trophyless season is on the cards. A summer shake-up may well then follow at the Santiago Bernabeu, although fans will have to wait and see what happens with both Ancelotti and Vinicius.

The Spain international is still only 17 but there's arguably no more feared forward in the game today

Denzel Dumfries was outstanding for Inter in last week's Champions League clash with Barcelona, scoring two goals and creating another in an absorbing 3-3 draw. The Dutchman deserved his Player of the Match award – but he was by no means the star of the show. Lamine Yamal was the name on everyone's lips after another logic-defying display of quality from a 17-year-old that wowed the watching world.

"This guy is incredible," Manchester City striker Erling Haaland wrote on Snapchat. Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, struggled to find the words to describe Yamal: "Honestly, doing what he is doing at his age, what can you say?… He's unreal. It's not normal. No one does that."

And Saka's right: Yamal is unquestionably the finest teenage talent the game has ever seen. Nobody has ever been so good so young. Not Lionel Messi. Not Cristiano Ronaldo. And not even Pele.

Yamal lit up a Euro 2024 semi-final at 16. Now, he's taking the Champions League by storm. Consequently, the question is no longer whether Yamal is the best young player in the world, it's whether he's the best player in the world full stop…

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  'I don't think I've seen a 45 minutes like that before'

  Inter and Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni was asked ahead of last week's game in Catalunya how he and his team-mates intended to stop Yamal. "I don't know," the centre-back admitted to the , "because the last time at the Euros it didn't go so well." That was putting it mildly, of course.

  Bastoni and Federico Dimarco had been part of an Italy backline that was incessantly tormented by Yamal and fellow Spain winger Nico Williams in one of the most comprehensive 1-0 defeats in football history.

  Last Wednesday was even more trying for the Inter duo, because while their team managed to claim a deserved share of the spoils at Montjuic thanks to Dumfries, they were caused even more problems by Yamal from a defensive perspective, particularly during a stunning first-half performance in which the teenager dragged Barca back into the game with a Messi-like solo strike before hitting the crossbar after leaving more defenders trailing in his wake.

  "I don't think I have seen a 45 minutes like that from one individual before in my life," pundit Ally McCoist confessed. "It is unbelievable."

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  'Talent that comes along every 50 years'

  Yamal's influence waned somewhat in the second half, but that was only because Nerazzurri coach Simone Inzaghi felt he was left with no other option but to treble up on the teenager.

  "Lamine is the kind of talent that comes along every 50 years and, to see him up close, really impressed me," the Nerazzurri coach told . "He caused us huge problems, as we had to double up the marking every time, but it wasn't enough. We had to put three players on him and, obviously, spaces opened up elsewhere and we were forced to sit deeper."

  Despite the closer attention, Yamal still ended up having more touches of the ball (102) than every other player on the pitch bar Barca midfield duo Pedri (107) and Frenkie de Jong (112), while he also completed the most dribbles (six) and whipped over more crosses (10) than Inter's entire team combined (six).

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  'Best player in the world is French'

  Marcus Thuram, who opened the scoring at Montjuic with a wonderful back-heel finish, was even asked after the game if Yamal were now the world's best player.

  "No," the forward replied in an interview on , "the best player in the world is French, and the second is too! They are Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe. After the two of them comes Lamine Yamal."

  Thuram clearly didn't intend for his response to be taken seriously – it was more an amusing show of patriotism than anything else – but Yamal undoubtedly has a legitimate claim on the title of the world's best player. His importance to Barcelona certainly can't be downplayed, that's for sure.

  Hansi Flick's side is packed with world-class talent. Raphinha, who has been involved in more goals than any other player in this season's Champions League (20), is one of the leaders in this year's Ballon d'Or race, while Pedri should also be in the running for the way in which he is bossing games for Barca.

  However, the Blaugrana are simply not the same side without Yamal in the starting line-up.

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  Yamal-dependencia?!

  Yamal has missed three Liga games this season through injury and Barca dropped points in each one, losing away to Real Sociedad and at home to Atletico Madrid, while also being held to a 2-2 draw by Celta Vigo.

  Furthermore, Barca have only won two of the four matches that Lamal has started on the bench – and even then, they were losing both before they brought him on, including on Saturday at already-relegated Real Valladolid.

  As a result, the question has been asked several times already this season if the Blaugrana have become overly reliant on the youngster, in much the same way that '' was so often a topic of debate at Camp Nou during the Argentine's heyday.

  Yamal has not yet reached that level of leadership, but the mere fact that it's already a talking point is staggering. After all, against Inter, Yamal became the youngest player ever to score in a Champions League semi-final, at 17 years and 291 days old. Messi, by contrast, had only made one appearance in the competition at the same age.

It wasn’t pretty, but Manchester United are through to the next round of the FA Cup. The defending champions beat Leicester City, managed by club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, running out as 2-1 victors thanks to two second-half goals.

The Red Devils were, quite frankly, disappointing in the first half. Leicester took the lead in the 42nd minute, with the ball bouncing in off Bobby Decordova-Reid after Andre Onana made a strong save.

United did bounce back in the second half. Joshua Zirkzee, who came on in the 64th minute, converted a loose ball in the six-yard box to draw United level. Then, with extra-time approaching, United found their winner.

After winning a free kick in stoppage time, Bruno Fernandes whipped the ball onto Harry Maguire’s head, and he fired home to win the game. Incredibly, he was in an offside position, but with no VAR to intervene, the goal stood.

It was not the best night for the Red Devils, although Zirkzee and Maguire both played well, aside from their goals.

Zirkzee & Maguire’s performances vs Leicester

Both goalscorers on the night for United performed well and had a big impact. Zirkzee offered Ruben Amorim’s side a focal point which they previously didn’t have. He was able to link up play for United and bring others into the game.

His performance was held in high regard by Samuel Luckhurst, writer for The Manchester Evening News, who gave the United number 11 an 8/10 for his night’s work. He explained the Dutchman made “a big improvement on his teammates”.

As for Maguire, the England international was impressive aside from his goal, helping to keep out a Leicester side that knocked on the door in the first half. With that being said, he perhaps could have done better for the Foxes’ goal, leaving Wilfred Ndidi unmarked in the box.

Maguire’s stats from the game show just how well he performed against his former side. As per Sofascore, the United number five won six duels and made four clearances, as well as completing 85% of his passes.

Despite the fact that Zirkzee and Maguire ultimately saw their side through, some United players struggled against Leicester. One of those was striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Hojlund’s stats vs. Leicester

It was another frustrating night for United’s number nine against the Foxes. He has been in frustrating form for much of the season, and it was a similar story against Van Nistelrooy’s side, with the striker having very little involvement in the game.

Hojlund didn’t make many runs in behind, aside from one occasion in the second half when he looked threatening. Once again, he struggled with his hold-up play, losing key duels against the centre-backs.

His stats from the game reflect how disappointing he was on the cold Friday night at Old Trafford. He had just 23 touches, fewer than Onana’s 27, completed 62% of his passes, and won 2 out of 8 duels. Worryingly, the striker did not manage a shot at goal.

Luckhurst was critical of the Denmark international, giving him a post-match rating of 3/10 for his efforts. The journalist said he “did little right all night”, a scathing review which was clearly backed up by his stats.

Hojlund is a player who looks short of confidence at the moment. He has not scored since the 12th of December in the Europa League, which is frustrating for the Red Devils. He was a big investment, and to see him struggling so much will be a worry.

The 22-year-old will certainly have been relieved to see Maguire score the winning goal in Fergie Time but while the defender will continue to play a regular role, the Dane must find himself on the bench next time out.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been told why a Phil Parkinson statue at Wrexham should be on hold despite his “phenomenal” achievements.

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• Promotion specialist appointed in 2021
• Has overseen meteoric rise up the EFL
• Challenge now is to reach the top-flight

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Promotion specialist Parkinson was targeted by Hollywood co-owners in North Wales a matter of months after they completed their stunning takeover at SToK Racecourse in 2021. He was talked into joining an ambitious project in front of the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary cameras.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Parkinson has proved to be a shrewd appointment, with the history books being rewritten over the course of his 221-game tenure. Wrexham are heading into the Championship after taking back-to-back-to-back steps up the EFL ladder.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The odd question has been asked of Parkinson’s methods, but there is no arguing with his record. He is already the subject of ‘The Boss’ mural in Wrexham and has seen a permanent monument to his success speculated on.

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  WHAT EFL PUNDIT SAID

  Former EFL player turned pundit Don Goodman believes it is too early to talk statues at the Racecourse, telling of why Premier League football may be required in order to earn that kind of immortality: “I don't think he'd expect one just yet. I don't want to disrespect Phil because what he's achieved is nothing short of phenomenal.

  Mark Robins hasn't got one outside Coventry yet. So, with respect, I think you probably need to achieve just a little bit more for a statue.”