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Newcastle United are now showing interest in signing “one of the best goalkeepers in the world”, according to reports from France.

Magpies keen on a goalkeeper

Although Nick Pope’s contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2026, Newcastle appear to be interested in signing a long-term replacement for the 32-year-old, and Burnley’s James Trafford is their priority target.

The 22-year-old’s impressive form in the Championship has caught the eye, although he is not the Magpies’ only target, having also shortlisted Wolfsburg’s Kamil Grabara as a potential option.

Signing a new goalkeeper may become even more of a priority if Martin Dubravka exits St. James’ Park, amid interest from the Saudi Pro League, however, Eddie Howe has made it clear he wants the 35-year-old to stay.

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Howe said: “I’m hopeful everything will die down and that he’s part of our future. We hope he may agree a new contract and stay.”

With Dubravka’s future far from certain, however, Newcastle continue to look at options from across Europe, and one goalkeeper who has attracted the interest of a number of Premier League clubs is Lille’s Lucas Chevalier.

French news outlet Sports Zone, relayed by Get Football News France has since gone on to state that Newcastle are “showing interest” in Chevalier, alongside the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.

Sports Zone indicate that a deal is more likely to happen in the summer than January, at which point a number of top clubs are set to battle it out for the 23-year-old’s signature.

Chevalier impressing in Ligue 1

The goalkeeper has enjoyed a very impressive first half of the season in Ligue 1, with former Newcastle man Remy Cabella describing him as “one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now.”

There is every sign the Frenchman could be a better addition to the squad than Grabara, given that he has outperformed the Pole on a number of key metrics over the past year.

Statistic per 90

Lucas Chevalier

Kamil Grabara

Goals against

1.05 (86th percentile)

1.89 (11th percentile)

Save percentage

76.6% (89th percentile)

65.3% (15th percentile)

Clean sheet percentage

36.8% (84th percentile)

22.2% (42nd percentile)

However, Trafford has also been solid between the sticks for Burnley during that time period, and the Magpies have confidence that a deal to sign the Burnley keeper could be possible this month.

As such, with clubs from across Europe queuing up for Chevalier, it may be difficult to get a deal done this summer, and Newcastle may be better off pursuing a deal for Trafford.

Manchester City are ready to make a January move for a 21-year-old who is seen as a replacement for Kyle Walker, according to a new report.

Man City transfer news

It is now back-to-back wins for the Blues, as they sailed past West Ham United 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side still have a lot to do to have a chance of winning the Premier League, and with lots of work to do in the Champions League as well, it could mean City are busy in what remains of this transfer window.

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Signing a new midfielder is likely to remain high on the list of priorities for the Premier League champions due to Rodri’s absence. It was reported last month that City are ready to go all out and sign Martin Zubimendi this month after holding internal talks about the midfielder. Zubimendi was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer, but a move didn’t work out, and now City look keen to land the player but will have to trigger his £52 million release clause.

Meanwhile, it has been reported by an Egyptian outlet that Omar Marmoush may well be close to signing for Man City. The forward currently plays for Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, but it is being reported that a deal has already been completed with City in which they agreed to pay £50 million.

Man City ready to make January move for 21 y/o defender

As the Blues continue to put their transfer plans in place, according to TBR Football, Man City are ready to make a move for Juventus defender Nicolo Savona this month.

The 21-year-old came through the academy at the Italian giants and this season has found himself a consistent fixture in the Juventus first-team squad. Savona, who is predominantly a right-back but can also play at centre-back, has started a combined 15 times in the league and Champions League this season.

Savona started for Juventus in their game against City, and now, according to TBR Football, the Blues are looking to make a move for the defender this month. The Blues are ready to part ways with Walker this year, as teams from Saudi Arabia continue to keep an eye on his situation.

Apps

16

Starts

11

Minutes per game

64

Goals

2

Big chances created

2

Clean sheets

2

Interceptions per game

0.4

Tackles per game

1.1

Balls recovered per 90

3.0

Clearances per 90

0.5

City have been looking at several potential replacements for the England defender, and Savona is one that has stood out to them and left them impressed. Scouts at City feel the Italian is ready-made for Guardiola’s system, as he can also play at centre-back. Savona is under contract until 2029, but Juventus’ resolve could be tested this month, as City eye reinforcements in defence. It is not clear how City value the defender or how much Juventus would want to part ways with Savona, but the Blues will hope the lure of Premier League football and working under Guardiola will help them get a deal over the line.

With the New Year on the horizon, those of a Manchester United persuasion will no doubt be looking to forget 2024 in a hurry, with it having been a simply miserable 12 months at Old Trafford on the whole.

The notable high point came at Wembley back in May, yet that shock FA Cup final triumph has been quickly forgotten amid the club’s woes both prior and since, with manager Erik ten Hag shown the door just a matter of months after lifting the trophy.

New boss Ruben Amorim has arrived with bold new ideas and an engaging personality, although as recent results have shown, it has largely been more of the same for a side that still languishes in 13th in the Premier League table.

Just a month or so into the Portuguese’s tenure, the Red Devils reached their latest nadir following Sunday’s grim 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, with that result laying bare just where the three-time European champions are at present.

Seven goals conceded across their last two games in all competitions may point to worrying issues defensively, although it is the attacking unit which remains a “major problem” – as noted by journalist Liam Canning.

Man Utd's attacking woes

It says a lot that the Old Trafford side meekly capitulating on home soil no longer sends shockwaves across the game. In truth, defeats like the one to the Cherries have simply become the norm over the last 18 months or so.

This season alone, the Red Devils have now lost 3-0 on three occasions at the Theatre of Dreams, having also wilted up against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur to mark the beginning of the end for Ten Hag.

Again, the defence will cop much of the blame for those dismal results, but the lack of goals has become a real concern of late. Indeed, United have scored just 21 league goals thus far, leaving them level with the likes of Leicester City, while even behind relegation strugglers, Wolverhampton Wanderers (27).

Those woes were even evident at the weekend, with the hosts registering 23 shots in total and finishing with an xG of 2.28. Bournemouth, meanwhile, had just ten shots and finished with an xG of only 1.63, as per Sofascore.

As Amorim lamented after the defeat to Spurs in the Carabao Cup, his side simply just aren’t “clinical” enough, with the lack of a reliable number nine still a significant issue.

Indeed, while young Rasmus Hojlund has scored seven goals in 20 appearances in 2024/24 thus far, only two of those have come in his 12 league outings.

As for summer signing Joshua Zirkzee, the Dutchman has had an even worse time of it, netting only four times in 25 appearances since his arrival from Bologna.

Man Utd – Top scorer by season
Season	Player	Goals
2024/25*	Alejandro Garnacho	8
2023/24	Rasmus Hojlund	16
2022/23	Marcus Rashford	30
2021/22	Cristiano Ronaldo	24
2020/21	Bruno Fernandes	28
2019/20	Anthony Martial	23
2018/19	Paul Pogba	16
2017/18	Romelu Lukaku	27
2016/17	Zlatan Ibrahimovic	28
2015/16	Anthony Martial	17
2014/15	Wayne Rooney	14
2013/14	Wayne Rooney	19
Stats via Transfermarkt

The return of the latter man, in particular, simply isn’t good enough, with a swift upgrade needing to be found to resolve what has long been a problem position at Old Trafford.

Man Utd's search for a striker

Back at Sporting CP, Amorim’s success was built on the strength of his leading goalscorer, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring 66 goals in just 68 games during their time together in Lisbon.

Transfer Focus

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As a result of that fruitful partnership, there will be clamour for a reunion to occur between the pair in Manchester, although according to recent reports, United could well look elsewhere to make a dream first signing of the Amorim era.

Indeed, there have been claims that the Red Devils are among the clubs keen to sign Nigerian sensation, Victor Osimhen, with the 26-year-old currently on loan at Galatasaray from parent club, Napoli.

Reportedly valued at around £62m, the former Chelsea target could make a belated move to the Premier League after a Stamford Bridge switch broke down over the summer, with the striker’s capture likely to be just what United are craving to end their goalscoring woes.

Why Osimhen would be a dream signing for Man Utd

The former Lille man may now be operating outside of Europe’s top five leagues in Turkey, yet it is hard to overlook his goalscoring prowess, having already bagged 12 goals in just 15 games during his time in Istanbul.

That haul ensures he has scored more times than Zirkzee and Hojlund combined in 2024/25 thus far, with the young pair netting just 11 goals between them across all competitions.

This red-hot form follows a prolific spell back in Naples for Osimhen, with the in-demand hotshot having netted 76 times in just 133 games for the Serie A side. In total across his career, the £62m man has scored 126 goals from 238 senior appearances.

To put that into context, Hojlund has scored just 50 senior goals in his career thus far, while Zirkzee’s record is even worse, having scored just 40 times (not including his stint with Bayern Munich’s second team).

Zirkzee vs Osimhen – 2023/24 Serie A stats
Stat (*per game)	Zirkzee	Osimhen
Games (starts)	34 (32)	25 (22)
Goals	11	15
Minutes per goal	252	133
Big chances missed	4	15
Assists	4	3
Big chances created	11	5
Key passes*	1.3	0.9
Total duels won*	40%	43%
Aerial duels won*	43%	44%
Stats via Sofascore

The difference in quality between Zirkzee and Osimhen is stark indeed, as evidenced by their respective statistics in Italy’s top-flight last term, with Osimhen simply far more clinical, even if Zirkzee offers a greater creative influence. Amorim needs to ensure this deal gets done as a matter of urgency.

There will no doubt be fears over whether the Napoli man can make the transition to life in the Premier League, although any concerns should be eased by his likeness to a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with that comparison having been made by his former Charleroi manager Felice Mazzu:

While Ibrahimovic’s time at Old Trafford was fleeting, the veteran certainly made his mark under Jose Mourinho, having ended the 2016/17 campaign with 28 goals to his name in 46 appearances.

As that short but sweet stint proved, players of that ilk can score goals anywhere without the need for a period of adjustment, with United – and Amorim – in need of a repeat scenario with the capture of Osimhen.

For too long, since the days of ‘Ibra’ and Robin van Persie before him, have the Red Devils been seeking a genuine world-beater to lead the line. Now is the time to go out and get one.

Man Utd can axe Ten Hag's "most poignant signing" with move for £5m star

Ruben Amorim could be about to target a new star for Manchester United in January.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 25, 2024

After 5-1 thumping of London rivals Crystal Palace was clouded by Bukayo Saka’s injury, Mikel Arteta has revealed a second Arsenal blow ahead of their next game against Ipswich Town.

Arsenal injury news

Perhaps silencing a few doubters, Arsenal were in a free-scoring mood from the off against Palace with the revived Gabriel Jesus stealing the show for the second time in a week against Palace. Scoring twice, the Brazilian has suddenly burst into life at the perfect time for the Gunners and was joined by Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli on the scoresheet.

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Arsenal’s day was far from perfect, however, with Saka limping off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury before he was then pictured leaving Selhurst Park on crutches in worrying scenes for Arteta in the middle of such a hectic schedule.

Speaking about the injury, Arteta told reporters as relayed by Fabrizio Romano: “We are pretty worried about Saka’s injury. He grabbed his hamstring and couldn’t continue. He will have to be assessed but we are pretty worried, yes.”

He’s not the only one that the Spaniard is concerned about, however. As confirmed by Arteta, Raheem Sterling has handed Arsenal another injury scare and could now miss the Ipswich game, meaning that they’ll also be without their potential replacement for Saka.

Arteta told reporters via Connor Humm: “We lost Raheem [Sterling] yesterday, we don’t know how long for as well.”

Already struggling in open play at times this season, Arsenal will have quite the battle on their hands if they’re forced to go ahead without Saka and without an ideal replacement in Sterling. That said, the latter’s injury almost sums up his struggle to make an impact since arriving on loan from Chelsea in the summer.

"Great" Sterling has struggled at Arsenal

Whilst a loan deal to sign the £163,000-a-week winger was relatively risk-free, some in North London may have believed that Sterling would have made his mark by now. The Gunners are crying out for a world-class left-winger, but it’s become clearer than ever that Sterling is no longer the player capable of providing that despite stealing the headlines for so many years in the Premier League.

With his best days arguably behind him, Sterling has started just two Premier League games with his only Arsenal goal coming in a 5-1 mauling of Bolton Wanderers. With Saka injured, an opportunity would have arguably been there for the former Manchester City star to prove any doubters wrong, only for Sterling to suffer an ill-timed blow of his own.

Among those who may have been expecting slightly more is Arteta. The Spaniard praised Sterling back in September, telling reporters as relayed by Arsenal Insider: “He looks great. First of all, because he’s got a big smile on his face, a lot of energy, he’s at it and wants to prove a point.

“When someone’s got that in his belly, you sense it straight away. Obviously I don’t need to discover anything about his quality and what he can bring to the team.”

“I noticed that in those two games [early in the season], I wasn’t really committing to what I do really well. I was more thinking about the batter,” says Mumbai allrounder

Shashank Kishore07-May-20221:19

Daniel Sams: Focusing on what I do really well rather than the batter worked

Redemption is sweet. Exactly a month ago, Daniel Sams was crestfallen as Pat Cummins walloped him for 35 runs in an over enroute the joint-fastest IPL fifty (off 14 balls) to snatch a win away from the Mumbai Indians. The onslaught would consign Sams to the bench for the next two weeks.Now, in a space of seven days, Sams had made two telling contributions as Mumbai have recorded back-to-back wins after a string of eight consecutive losses. Six nights ago, he came in to bat in the final over with Mumbai needing 4 off 5 and walloped a six to seal the deal. On Friday, he delivered a terrific final over, where he mixed his lengths and pace to deny David Miller and Gujarat Titans the nine runs they needed to seal a playoff berth.Related

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“It was a good time for me to reflect on those games, but also reflect on what I do really well,” he said of the time he spent on the sidelines after the Cummins onslaught. “I noticed that in those two games [early in the season], I wasn’t really committing to what I do really well. I was more thinking about the batter, so it gave me time to work on and think about things I do really well and execute those in the game, and it seems to be working since I’ve gotten back in the team.”The first ball was a single to deep point. The next was a slower-ball dot to Rahul Tewatia. The third was a run out as Tewatia attempted a risky second. The fourth was dug into the pitch, but by denying Rashid Khan any pace, Sams forced him to pull the ball towards the bigger boundary.Rashid managed just one to bring it down to 7 off 2. Then Miller was beaten by two consecutive slower deliveries – the first one nearly a wide, the second a dipping slower ball that had Miller swinging and missing.”That was the plan, particularly in the last over: to focus on what my best ball is,” Sams said. “To kind of change the length a little bit. But it was to kind of keep the ball away from him [Miller], bowl it nice and slow, and hopefully get a little bit of dip.”2:51

Vettori, Bishop laud Sams’ execution of slower balls

Sams explained the rationale behind the last two balls to Miller. The first of those was just inside the wide line. Miller was looking to reach out to scythe the ball behind square but missed. All along, it seemed as if Sams knew what he was doing.”It’s one of those things that we actually talk about,” Sams explained. “If you’re going to miss [the wide line], bowl a wide. Don’t bowl the other side of the wide line because there’s every chance the batter may hit it for six. We’d rather go for a wide and commit out there, because there’s every chance the batter may hit it and you get away with it.”There’s been a couple of games where I’ve bowled a few wides in a row, but that’s one of the things we talk about and we’re happy to commit to it. Sometimes it might not go our way but more times than not, it will go our way. That’s one of the things I push on the side and focus on the ball I’m trying to execute.”Sams is in his third IPL stint. Having previously been with Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, he’s now trying to establish himself at Mumbai. Seven games have brought him seven wickets, but at a high economy of 9.66. In a season where not much has gone right for the team, he has blown hot and cold. But he is constantly looking to improve.”I guess in the last two games I haven’t been too nervous, I’ve been calm,” he said. “Nerves were there earlier on in the tournament. But being able to have the time to focus on and reflect what I do really well [when he was left out] have been able to help me in these last few games. If I am committing to the plans we have and if it doesn’t go out way. I can live with that. That helps with the nerves, committing to what you plan to execute.”

Super Kings lose their fourth match in a row and already face a monumental task ahead to make the playoffs

Sidharth Monga09-Apr-2022Sunrisers Hyderabad finally got on the board by chasing down 155 without any big contribution from their international stars, in the process consigning Chennai Super Kings to their fourth defeat in four games. It left the defending champions needing roughly eight wins from 10 matches to be hopeful of qualifying for the playoffs.This win, with 15 balls to spare, was a significant one for Sunrisers because they hold a dodgy reputation as chasers. This was only their eighth win out of 22 matches chasing between 150 and 175, as against 157 out of 301 overall in the IPL. Abhishek Sharma, under pressure as opener, led the chase with 75 off 50, his first IPL fifty, and Rahul Tripathi supported him with 39 off 15. The international star, Kane Williamson, managed just 32 off 40.Even though they don’t have Rashid Khan anymore, Sunrisers’ bowling remained reliable with Washington Sundar and T Natarajan stifling the batters and taking two wickets each. Marco Jansen proved to be a welcome addition, using his height and cutters to concede just 30 in his four and take MS Dhoni’s wicket at the death.Washington, Natarajan take out the openers
Super Kings made their usual start: Ruturaj Gaikwad looking to set himself up for the long innings and Robin Uthappa looking to use the powerplay. However, a slow pitch kept defeating Uthappa’s timing before he finally ended up holing out to long-on the first ball he faced from Washington at the start of the fourth over. Introduced in the sixth over, Natarajan bowled the perfect full late swinging delivery first up to go through Gaikwad, making it 36 for 2.Rayudu, Moeen get stuck
Moeen Ali, usually full of intent, looked to give himself some time, but the struggles of Super Kings were epitomised by Ambati Rayudu. He kept trying to hit out but struggled to get any kind of timing on the slow pitch. Eventually Rayudu mis-hit Washington to wide long-on for a run-a-ball 27. Sunrisers made it difficult by using their variety of bowlers in these overs, not letting the batters get used to any one.With three left-hand batters lined up next, Williamson used the opportunity to bowl one over of part-time offspin from Aiden Markram, giving him the cushion for Umran Malik, who had gone for 29 in three overs. While Moeen managed to hit one six off Markram, the second such attempt ended up at long-on. A ramp off a slower short ball from Natarajan did in for Shivam Dube.Bhuvneshwar Kumar created pressure with two dots to Dhoni in the 17th over, and Jansen cashed in with a short ball next over, making it 122 for 6 with 15 balls to go.Strong finish from Super Kings
At the end, when all bets are off, Ravindra Jadeja punished Natarajan for missing his yorker by mere inches twice, and Bhuvneshwar conceded wides in the last over in an attempt to stay away from the reach of the batters. Twenty-nine came off the last two overs to give Super Kings some hope.Ruturaj Gaikwad’s reaction sums up Chennai Super Kings’ season so far•BCCIAbhishek announces himself
The match began with a question mark over Abhishek’s position at the top of the order as Tripathi is known for his explosive starts, which can give Williamson just the platform he needs to set himself up for the long innings. Sunrisers, though, made it clear they were backing their pre-season choice. Abhishek ended up carrying Williamson, who struggled much like the Super Kings batters.It was only in the last over of the powerplay that Abhishek really opened up. He lofted Maheesh Theekshana’s full offbreak over extra cover for a four followed by slogging the carrom ball over deep midwicket for a six. Still, at 37 for 0, it looked like Sunrisers were setting themselves up for a close finish as the asking rate was nudging 8.5 on a difficult pitch.Even as Williamson looked to work his way into some sort of touch with ones and twos, Abhishek kept finding the boundary. When Williamson got out at the start of the 13th over, Sunrisers still needed 66 off 47.Tripathi takes charge
If Abhishek’s strike rate of 150 and above made it look like he was batting on a different pitch to Williamson, Tripathi was in another dimension altogether. The second ball he faced he pulled for six, the fourth whipped over midwicket for four, and the seventh driven over cover. All of a sudden Sunrisers needed just a run a ball, but Tripathi made sure there was a net-run-rate bonus for them as he got stuck into Chris Jordan and Dwayne Bravo.

Eric Dier's journey with Bayern Munich is all set to end this summer as the Bundesliga side are reluctant to extend the player's contract.

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Dier wants to sign new Bayern deal Bayern hesitant to offer contract extensionBayern face Leverkusen on Wednesday Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per , Bayern have decided not to offer a new contract to the English defender, whose current deal expires at the end of this season. The report also claims that, while Dier is keen on staying in Munich, the club will not offer him an extension as they plan to use Josep Stanisic as a central defender from next season.

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Stanisic is predominantly a right full-back but he can also contribute as a centre-back from time to time. The Bavarian side are banking on the Croatian's versatility and, as a result, are not too keen on extending Dier's stay. Japan international Hiroki Ito has also been impressive for Vincent Kompany's side at the heart of the team's defence in the 2024-25 season.

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The former Tottenham star's partnership with compatriot Harry Kane at Allianz Arena will end after two years. In January, the duo created history by becoming the first English pair in history to combine for a goal in the Bundesliga.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

Kompany's men will be back in action in the Champions League on Wednesday as they face Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their round of 16 fixture.

Arsenal have been left frustrated by Raheem Sterling since his arrival at the Emirates Stadium, it has been reported this week, with the Chelsea loanee yet to impress in red and white.

Sterling yet to excite in Arsenal colours

Raheem Sterling’s deadline day move from Chelsea to Arsenal was seen as something of a coup by some in north London. Joining on loan with Chelsea paying a significant portion of the attacker’s wages, he arrived as an experienced Premier League player who was already used to working under Mikel Arteta from the pair’s time at Manchester City.

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However, it hasn’t worked out for either party as yet, with Sterling starting just two Premier League games and yet to get off the mark for his new side in England’s top tier, though he registered a goal and an assist in a 5-1 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup third round in September.

The lack of minutes is even more concerning for Arsenal when their stuttering start to the season is taken into account, with Sterling not trusted to play a major role in Premier League games despite both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard struggling to find form, while he has also not been trusted to ease the burden on Bukayo Saka despite his ability to play on either flank.

Raheem Sterling’s Arsenal career so far

Appearances

8

Starts

4

Goals

1

Assists

1

Minutes per goal/assist

83

Now, it has been reported that Arsenal are less than happy with the forward.

Arsenal concerned about Sterling

That comes as former scout Mick Brown has claimed that Arsenal are unhappy with Raheem Sterling’s performances in training since his arrival, something that is threatening to derail his loan spell. Speaking to Football Insider, Brown revealed that the Gunners have “some concerns” and that his performances on a day to day basis haven’t been “completely up to scratch”.

“I know there are some concerns about him,” he explained. “It’s an interesting one with Sterling, because they bailed him out of Chelsea when he was set to be cut adrift from the squad there.

“Getting him on loan was seen as a real coup because Chelsea are still paying most of his wages.

“But when they’re looking for results he doesn’t come on. That points to some clear issues behind the scenes, and I’ve heard his training might not be completely up to scratch.

“We know Arteta demands a certain level from his players and isn’t scared to leave them out if they aren’t meeting his expectations. I think it’s a pretty damning sign that, even with their injuries and issues up front, he’s hardly played aside from cup games.

“They’ve been in need of a consistent winger and he still can’t get a game at the moment.”

Arsenal will be hoping that the international break gives both parties the chance to rectify the situation, with the Gunners already nine points adrift of Sterling’s former club Liverpool at the top of the Premier League and in danger of dropping out of the title race entirely.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com David Luiz e Bruno Henrique entre os relacionados, o Flamengo enfrenta o Madureira, às 15h30 desta quarta, sem um de seus principais nomes: o meia Arrascaeta, destaque na vitória por 5 a 0 sobre o Nova Iguaçu, no domingo. A comissão técnica decidiu preservá-lo e o camisa 14 não é uma preocupação para o jogo do próximo dia 20, contra o Atlético-MG, pela Supercopa do Brasil.

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Arrascaeta treinou sem limitações nesta manhã, no Ninho do Urubu, mas ficou fora da relação final do Paulo Sousa. É a mesma situação do lateral Rodinei.

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Com a autorização da CBF, o Flamengo alterou sua programação inicial – que previa embarque para Cuiabá nesta quinta-feira, conforme regulamento da Supercopa do Brasil – e trabalhará até sábado no Ninho do Urubu. Depois da atividade, embarcará para a capital do Mato Grosso, que receberá a decisão entre o Rubro-Negro e o Atlético, no domingo, na Arena Pantanal, às 16h.

“In hindsight when we got a 165 on the board, it would have been nice to have another bowler,” admits KKR head coach

Varun Shetty02-Oct-20213:17

McCullum on Morgan’s form: I’m confident that he will come right

Kolkata Knight Riders are having a difficult time balancing their side in the absence of the injured Andre Russell, head coach Brendon McCullum admitted after they were beaten by Punjab Kings on Friday. Knight Riders have looked the most well-tuned side since the IPL has resumed, particularly in the early phases when they played Russell as a designated fifth bowler. But the clarity of roles in that XI has suffered since Russell’s hamstring injury against Chennai Super Kings, and Lockie Ferguson’s against Delhi Capitals earlier this week has meant some forced decisions.Related

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Against Kings, the decision was to bolster the batting with Tim Seifert in place of Ferguson, which exposed Venkatesh Iyer to a specialist bowling role that didn’t come off. Between Iyer and Nitish Rana, 3.3 overs of the fifth bowler’s quota went for 37 as Kings sealed a win in the last over.”In terms of the balance, when you take out a world class allrounder like Russell, it’s always difficult to balance your side,” McCullum said. “I know we got home in Sharjah the other day, we just felt a batter short and in that circumstance we felt that we could play the extra batter. We felt that we could utilise the bowling of both Venkatesh Iyer, who’s been so superb for us, and also Nitish Rana who’s a very cagey bowler. When you take one of your big players who happens to be an allrounder out, you’re always going to get the delicate balance of going either bowling strong or batting strong.”In hindsight when we got a 165 on the board, it would have been nice to have another bowler. But not [to be] on this occasion. I still felt like we had a chance in the game, I really did. I think with two overs to go, Punjab Kings were exactly the same score that we were on in our innings. So it was touch and go, small margins in this game and today it didn’t go our way.”Among the overseas options that Knight Riders have are allrounders Ben Cutting and Shakib Al Hasan. Tim Southee, who originally filled in for Russell, took Ferguson’s spot on Friday to effectively cut it down to four frontline bowling options. McCullum said that Shakib had been in contention, but indicated that Seifert’s batting form in the recently-concluded Caribbean Premier League had been tough to ignore. Seifert batted No. 7 on his Knight Riders debut and faced four balls, but the plan, McCullum said, had been to bat him higher.Watch the IPL on ESPN+

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“Yeah Shakib’s certainly available,” McCullum said. “We’ve got a lot of squad options. You make calls when you’re a coach, which you sort of go on gut feel at times. Tim Seifert has been exceptional in the Caribbean where he’s been playing for TKR. He did really well in the middle order and we just felt like we needed to strengthen that middle order a little bit.”Because we got off to a good start, we shuffled Tim down a little bit in behind Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik. But yeah, look, Shakib’s always in the mix when you talk selection because his skillset, his ability to bowl left-arm orthodox and also his batting – we probably see him a bit more in the top three as a batter, but that certainly doesn’t mean he can’t slot in somewhere else. So he’ll be in the mix for the next game for sure.”Another one of Knight Riders’ concerns at the moment is captain Eoin Morgan’s form, although it hasn’t seriously affected their batting so far. Morgan is yet to get into double-figures in four innings at the UAE, but has been effective in his leadership role. After the loss against Super Kings, team mentor David Hussey had hinted that Morgan’s spot wasn’t under pressure; McCullum was more direct in stating that.”He’s one of our senior players, he’s one of our international batsmen, and he’s captain as well,” he said. “In his own head, he’d loved to have contributed more runs. I actually think he’s captained the side really really well, tactically. But look, you want some more runs from him, there’s no doubt you need runs from your overseas players. Particularly in those key spots as well. But I’m confident that he’ll come right.”Despite their loss, Knight Riders ended the matchday in fourth place thanks to a healthy net run-rate. They have, however, opened the doors for Mumbai Indians to take that spot with a two-point lead with a win against Delhi Capitals on Saturday.