The 2023/24 season hasn't been kind to Newcastle United, but while the past few months have been tough, the club are undeniably on the up.

Eddie Howe has taken a team that looked destined for the drop and taken them to the Champions League while disrupting the 'big six' along the way. Even now, they have a chance of reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The squad will only improve over the coming transfer windows, although transfers might not be necessary if the academy can produce more players like Lewis Miley.

He's been a revelation for the first team this year and looks destined for big things in the northeast, although one of his teammates who has been underwhelming for years still earns nine times more than him.

Lewis Miley's salary at Newcastle United

Miley joined the Toon as a youngster and worked his way up through the various youth sides before making his first-team debut against Chelsea on the final day of last season – making him the club's youngest-ever Premier League debutant.

However, that was just a short cameo for the youngster, and he made his full debut in the club's League Cup clash against Manchester City, a game the Magpies won 1-0.

Appearances

26

Goals

1

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.15

In all, the Stanley-born star has made 25 appearances for his boyhood club this season, in which he has scored one goal and provided three assists, primarily from a central midfield area.

The "technical" and "elegant" gem, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been so impressive for Newcastle that he was awarded the Player of the Month award in December before signing a new deal with the club a month later.

According to Capology, Miley is now earning around £5k-per-week, and while that's a lot of money for a 17-year-old, it feels justified given his potential. However, considering one of his teammates earns considerably more for doing markedly less, maybe it's not a fair wage.

Matt Ritchie's salary at Newcastle United

Newcastle signed former Scotland international Matt Ritchie from Bournemouth in July 2016 for around £12m.

It was a move that, in fairness to the Gosport-born star, worked out well in his first season at St James' Park, as his 16 goals and ten assists in 48 appearances played a crucial role in getting the club out of the Championship at the first time of asking.

However, that was as good as it got for the 5 foot 8 winger. Over the following seven seasons, he would add just nine more goals and 23 more assists in another 162 appearances to take his grand total to 25 goals and 33 assists.

Now, he has had his fair share of injuries along the way, missing a seismic sum of 38 games for the Magpies, but that only averages out to just under five games missed per season, which isn't much of an excuse for his poor return.

Transfer Fee

£12m

Total Wages

£15.7m

Total Cost (so far)

£27.7m

Appearances

210

Cost per Appearance

£131k

Minutes

15,257'

Cost per Minute

£1.8k

Goals

25

Cost per Goal

£1.1m

Assists

33

Cost per Assist

£839k

Goal Involvements

58

Cost per Goal Involvement

£477k

Moreover, for the first three seasons he was at the club, he was earning £30k-per-week, and since then, he has been taking home £45k-per-week, which, when added together, means Ritchie has cost Newcastle a whopping £15.7m in wages alone, or £27.7m including his transfer fee.

Therefore, the 34-year-old has cost the Magpies £131k-per-appearance, £1.1m-per-goal, or £477k-per-goal-involvement.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Ultimately, while Ritchie was instrumental in getting Newcastle promoted back in 2016/17, the fact that he now earns nine times more than Miley seems crazy, and if the club want to keep progressing, they should look to sell the Scotsman this summer.

Team names, colours and logos announced, along with first picks from Test and local player lists

Matt Roller03-Oct-2019

After months of speculation, the first clear details of The Hundred, the ECB’s new 100-ball competition, have been revealed, with each team’s name, logo, and kit launched alongside the announcement of the first five players recruited for each squad.There were no surprises in terms of team names or the destination of England’s Test players, though a handful of the selections in the ‘local icon’ draft were unexpected.ALSO READ: Central contract and local icons drafts explainedThat means that the Leeds team, Northern Superchargers, picked Ben Stokes over Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, with those two headed to Cardiff (Welsh Fire) and Nottingham (Trent Rockets) respectively.The local icon draft saw most of England’s white-ball contracted men selected by their respective teams, as well as a handful of young county players. Perhaps the most eye-catching was Tom Banton’s £100,000 deal to play for Welsh Fire alongside Glamorgan’s T20 captain Colin Ingram, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo.Dan Lawrence (London Spirit, £60,000) was selected ahead of Ravi Bopara and Dawid Malan, while Pat Brown (Birmingham Phoenix, £60,000) was picked as confirmation that his stock has risen exponentially over the past two seasons.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson (Manchester Originals, both £75,000) were selected ahead of Liam Livingstone by head coach Simon Katich, to continue a good end to the season which also saw them picked to tour New Zealand as part of England’s Test and T20 squads.Oval Invincibles plumped for Tom Curran (£75,000) and Jason Roy (£125,000), meaning that Sam Billings, Joe Denly, and Ollie Pope will all be available in the main draft. Southern Brave opted for James Vince (£100,000) and Chris Jordan (£75,000), leaving Phil Salt, Luke Wright and Liam Dawson among the player pool for the full draft on October 20.James Anderson and Stuart Broad were confirmed in non-playing roles at Manchester and Trent respectively, where they are expected to be involved in mentoring and promotional activities.In the women’s draft, England captain Heather Knight was picked up by London Spirit alongside Western Storm team-mate Freya Davies, while Manchester Originals and Trent Rockets look to have done best out of the picks, selecting Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross, and Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver respectively.Playing kits revealed for The Hundred•Getty Images

As part of the ECB’s tie-in with KP Nuts, each team will wear the logo of a brand of crisps on their shirt – so Welsh Fire’s all-red strip features a yellow Hula Hoops ring on the front, while London Spirit’s navy blue number is emblazoned with Tyrrell’s.Having registered a trademark application for “Western Fire” in a bid to win over Somerset and Gloucestershire fans, the ECB’s U-turn on the Cardiff-based team was revealed in full: Welsh Fire will wear red, while their badge features the words “Tân Cymreig”, the Welsh translation of the team’s name.Northern Superchargers (Headingley) – Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Lauren Winfield, Linsey Smith
Manchester Originals (Old Trafford) – Jos Buttler, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Parkinson, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross
Trent Rockets (Trent Bridge) – Joe Root, Alex Hales, Harry Gurney, Katherine Brunt, Nat Sciver
Birmingham Phoenix (Edgbaston) – Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Pat Brown, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones
Welsh Fire (Cardiff) – Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Colin Ingram, Bryony Smith, Katie George
London Spirit (Lord’s) – Rory Burns, Eoin Morgan, Dan Lawrence, Heather Knight, Freya Davies
Oval Invincibles (The Oval) – Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Jason Roy, Fran Wilson, Laura Marsh
Southern Brave (Ageas Bowl) – Jofra Archer, James Vince, Chris Jordan, Anya Shrubsole, Danni Wyatt

Leeds United extended their winning run in the Championship to eight matches as they Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Home Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Whites are currently sat in second place in the division – in the automatic promotion places – but have played a game more than Southampton in third.

The race for automatic promotion back to the Premier League is hotting up and Daniel Farke's side are positioned well at this moment in time.

Leeds are looking to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking and the German head coach, who was brought in last summer to lead the charge, is on course to achieve the club's goal.

He has been blessed with some star performers throughout the season. Crysencio Summerville has grabbed the headlines with his attacking output at the top end of the pitch but the real hero of the campaign for Farke has been versatile enforcer Ethan Ampadu.

Crysencio Summerville's Championship dominance

The 22-year-old winger has been in phenomenal form for the Whites with his outstanding contributions as both a scorer and a creator of goals on the flank.

He produced four goals and two assists in 28 Premier League appearances during the 2022/23 campaign as Leeds were relegated down to the Championship.

The drop to the second tier has allowed the Dutch sensation to flourish as Summerville is currently on a return of 15 goals and eight assists in 30 league matches this term.

His finishing has been extraordinary as he has scored those 15 goals from an xG of 11.62, which means that the talented whiz has more than made the most of the chances that have been created for him throughout the season.

Whereas, Summerville only has eight assists from an xA of 9.33. He has created 16 'big chances' for his teammates but they have not been clinical enough with the opportunities that the young maestro has provided them with.

The former Feyenoord prospect has also got supporters off their seats with his exciting and direct play on the wing as he has completed 2.3 dribbles per match, which highlights his desire to run and get past opposition defenders on a regular basis.

He currently ranks within the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Championship this season for shot-creating actions (6.65) per 90, and the top 2% for Expected Assisted Goals (0.37) per 90.

Summerville has been one of the best forwards in the division, as illustrated by his outstanding rank among his positional peers as a creator to go along with his 15 goals, and has been key to Leeds' assault on the top two.

He had a quiet match against Plymouth on Saturday, with zero goals and zero key passes, whilst Ampadu produced yet another fantastic display at the heart of the defence alongside Joe Rodon.

Ethan Ampadu's performance against Plymouth in numbers

The Wales international lined up at the back for Leeds and helped to keep the likes of Alfie Devine and Morgan Whittaker from causing too many problems, as the hosts only managed one shot on target all match.

Ampadu's strong performance played a pivotal role in his side keeping a clean sheet at Home Park, which provided the attacking players with the opportunity to go and win the match with their play at the top end of the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea prospect was a dominant force at centre-back for Leeds as he won five of his duels, which means that Plymouth's players found it incredibly difficult to get the better of him in physical contests.

Ampadu was also composed and reliable in possession when passing the ball out from the back as he completed 91% of his attempted passes (74/81) throughout the game.

This was far from a one-off performance from the Welsh enforcer as he has been consistently impressive as both a defensive midfielder and a centre-back this season.

Ethan Ampadu's star role for Leeds

The £7m signing from Chelsea started the campaign in midfield alongside Glen Kamara and caught the eye with his defensive prowess in the middle of the park.

He currently ranks within the top 19% of midfielders for interceptions (1.43) and blocks (1.55) per 90 respectively, and the top 6% for clearances (2.21) per 90 in the Championship this season.

No midfielder within the Leeds squad has averaged more tackles (1.8) or interceptions (1.4) per match than Ampadu so far this term, which illustrates his importance to the side out of possession.

In 33 Championship appearances, the Welsh star has made 59 tackles, 46 interceptions, and a staggering 221 ball recoveries. He has also won an eye-catching 125 duels with a success rate of 57%.

Ampadu's defensive quality has been particularly eye-catching since Farke moved him to centre-back in reaction to Pascal Struijk's injury issue. He has started in the heart of the defence in eight of the club's last nine matches in all competitions, which has resulted in eight wins, seven clean sheets, and one goal conceded.

The 23-year-old tank has been a monster at the back alongside his international teammate Rodon, as they have only allowed one goal to be scored past them in seven league appearances as a centre-back pairing.

His passing quality in that position has also been impressive, as Ampadu currently ranks within the top 13% of central defenders in the division for progressive passes (4.58) per 90.

This shows that the Leeds gem is a forward-thinking player who wants to progress the play for his team by breaking lines and finding teammates in dangerous positions, which is backed up by his rank within the top 4% of centre-backs for shot-creating actions (2.03) per 90.

The Welsh colossus has been Farke's real hero of the campaign as he has provided quality in possession, with his progressive and reliable passing, and out of possession, with his dominant and aggressive defending.

He has also offered outstanding versatility with superb performances as both a midfielder and a centre-back, along with his leadership qualities as the head coach has handed him the armband in the absence of Liam Cooper and Struijk.

Therefore, Ampadu has been the true star of the season over Summerville due to the complete nature of his performances and the platform that his play has provided the Dutch winger, and his fellow attackers, to go and work his magic in the final third.

After a slower start than some were expecting, Arsenal are flying this year.

Mikel Arteta's side are arguably the most in-form team in the country and have won their last seven Premier League games by an aggregate score of 33-3.

The Gunners have certainly found their scoring boots since the turn of the year, and they've done so without Gabriel Jesus for much of it.

The Brazilian has been out with a knee injury, and while he returned on Monday, one of the club's young stars out on loan could be coming for his spot next season, and he's been compared to some of the best in the game.

How Jesus has fared this season

It has been an odd campaign for the former Manchester City ace, as injuries have seen him come in and out of the team since the summer.

In all, the 26-year-old has missed 15 games through injury this season and spent 83 days on the sidelines, making it practically impossible for him to build up any steam.

Appearances

18

5

1

Minutes

1125'

323'

22'

Goals

4

4

0

Assists

3

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

1.2

0

That said, Jesus is an immensely talented footballer, and in the 24 matches he has played in 2023/24, he has scored eight goals and provided five assists, meaning he's averaging 0.54 goal involvements this season.

While his performances in the league have been impressive, it's in the Champions League that the Brazilian has shone. In just five games, the attacker has scored four goals and provided two assists, and he looked particularly impressive away to Sevilla.

Arsenal may be scoring for fun at the moment, but there's no doubt that they'll get even better with the reintroduction of Jesus, although the club does have a youngster out on loan who could battle for his place in the coming years.

How Mika Biereth has performed on loan this season

The youngster in question is Danish U21 star Mika Biereth, who has been wowing fans in Scotland and Austria with his impressive goalscoring this season.

The "superb" forward, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, joined Arsenal's academy in July 2021 after registering a staggering 40 goal involvements in just 37 appearances for Fulham's U18 side, and after registering 18 in 26 for the Gunners' U23 team, he was sent out on loan to Dutch side RKC Waalwijk for the 2022/23 campaign.

Appearances

15

7

Minutes

1045'

512'

Goals

6

5

Assists

5

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.73

0.85

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Unfortunately, the move didn't work out for the London-born forward, but his move to Motherwell at the start of this season certainly did. In just 15 appearances, Biereth scored six goals and provided five assists, at which point it was decided he should spend the second half of the season on loan with Sturm Graz.

This decision was described as a "major disappointment" by Steelmen boss Stuart Kettlewell, such was his impact on the club.

In his seven appearances for Die Schwoazn, who currently sit second in the Austrian Bundesliga, the 21-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist, which has understandably caught the attention of journalists in the UK.

When asked by the i newspaper which players he would compare himself to, Biereth replied: "I've said before if I can compare myself to another player, I'd say a s**t [Erling] Haaland and a s**t [Harry] Kane! A hybrid of them."

It's undoubtedly a bold comparison to make from the young forward, but there are some similarities. For example, Haaland moved to Salzburg from Molde in January 2019, and while his tally of 29 goals and seven assists in 27 games is likely better than what Biereth will muster, it shows that the league can be a great springboard.

Regarding the Kane comparison, it's more about their experiences on loan, as, just like the Dane, the Englishman experienced some problems while away from his parent club, notably with Norwich City and Leicester City, where he scored just two goals in 20 total appearances.

Ultimately, it's unlikely that the young Gunner will quite reach the levels of those two anytime soon, but his genuinely impressive record from this season is promising.

Hale End may have produced Arsenal's perfect Ben White alternative

The academy gem is tearing it up in the Championship at the moment.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 6, 2024

That said, while Biereth's rapid development might delight Arsenal, it could cause Jesus to start looking over his shoulder in the coming seasons.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Athletico venceu o Coritiba por 2 a 1, na Arena da Baixada, nesta quinta-feira, em clássico válido pela 7ª rodada do Campeonato Paranaense com dois gols do atacante Vitinho – que entrou na segunda etapa. Waguininho fez o placar se movimentar para o Coxa Branca.

A vitória no Atletiba colocou o Furacão na quinta posição do estadual, com 12 pontos somados em oito jogos. O Coritiba fica estacionado nos 13 pontos e se mantém na terceira posição. Caso mantenham estes lugares na tabela, ambos estarão classificados para a próxima fase do Paranaense.

Primeiro tempo:

A etapa inicial do Atletiba na Arena da Baixada seguiu todos os tópicos de um clássico genuíno, com jogo muito travado e poucas chances claras de gol para ambas as equipes.

Sem grandes perigos aos goleiros, a primeira vez que o Athletico chegou foi aos 26 minutos, com Matheus Babi. Após cobrança de escanteio por Jadson, o atacante conseguiu o cabeceio, mas a bola saiu e não deu trabalho para o goleiro Wilson.

Aos 36 minutos o Furacão quase saiu na frente no clássico em um lance que seria merecedor de placa. Nicolas ajeitou de cabeça para Fernando Canesin, que dominou no peito e virou uma bela bicicleta no ângulo. A pintura só não foi perfeita por parte dos donos da casa graças ao milagre de Wilson, que foi buscar a bola e evitou o 1 a 0 do Athletico.

A primeira e única chegada do Coritiba que deu trabalho ao goleiro Bento saiu apenas aos 45 minutos. Em boa jogada, Rafinha encontrou Igor na entrada da área, que chutou no canto esquerdo para boa intervenção do arqueiro do Furacão.

Segundo tempo:

Se a primeira etapa foi de muito suor e garra e pouca qualidade e chances de gol, os últimos 45 minutos foram diferentes e com menos de cinco minutos as equipes já tinham chegado com perigo.

Com menos de um minuto, o Athletico foi o primeiro a chegar ao ataque. Em boa troca de passes, Vitinho invadiu a área pela esquerda e encontrou Canesin, que soltou uma bomba para fora do gol.

A resposta da equipe Coxa Branca veio logo aos dois minutos e levou muito perigo. Após ótimo cruzamento de Igor, Waguininho – livre de marcação – cabeceou e a bola tirou tinta da trave do goleiro Bento.

Aos seis minutos os visitantes chegaram de novo. Após cobrança de escanteio, Aguilar afastou e a bola sobrou para Waguininho, que chutou com perigo ao gol do Furacão.

O Athletico foi de novo ao ataque com perigo aos 11 minutos, com Nicolas. Em bom cruzamento de Khellven, Nicolas subiu e cabeceou por cima do travessão de Wilson.

Com as equipes se arriscando mais na etapa complementar, o placar foi alterado aos 12 minutos. Em mais um ótimo cruzamento de Khellven, Vitinho cabeceou para o fundo das redes e deu a vantagem ao Athletico no clássico. Wilson até encostou na bola, mas não conseguiu tirá-la do curso do gol.

Pressionando a saída de bola dos visitantes, o Athletico quase fez o segundo aos 15 minutos. Wilson errou e entregou a bola para Matheus Babi, que tocou para Vitinho. O autor do primeiro gol chutou, mas a bola não teve a direção da meta Coxa Branca.

Buscando o empate, o Coritiba até chegou ao gol do Athletico, mas foi anulado pela arbitragem aos 23 minutos. Léo Gamalho balançou as redes do Furacão, mas a bola tocou no braço do centroavante e a comemoração não teve muito tempo.

A pressão Coxa Branca surtiu efeito e o empate saiu aos 33 minutos. Após ótimo cruzamento de Igor, Waguininho conseguiu o cabeceio na diagonal de Bento e colocou igualdade no placar da Arena da Baixada.

Quando o jogo se encaminhava para o fim com o placar em igualdade, o nome do jogo resolveu aparecer com uma pintura aos 45 minutos. De fora da área, Vitinho soltou uma bomba na gaveta de Wilson, que até tentou, mas não chegou na bola. Foi o segundo gol do Furacão e de Vitinho na partida.

Calendário

Com o clássico já no passado, tanto Athletico-PR quanto Coritiba voltam a campo no fim de semana, pela 9ª rodada do Campeonato Paranaense. O Furacão vai receber o Maringá enquanto o Coritiba vai visitar o Londrina.

FICHA TÉCNICA

ATHLETICO 2 X 1 CORITIBA
Local: Arena da Baixada, Curitiba (PR)
Data-Horário: 06/05/2021 – 17h40 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Lucas Paulo Torezin (PR)
Auxiliares: André Luiz Severo (PR) e Roberto Rivelino dos Santos Junior (PR)
Cartões amarelos: Alvarado, Fernando Canesin (CAP); Willian Farias, Rafinha (COR)
Cartões vermelhos: Willian Farias (COR)
Gols: Vitinho (12’/2ºT), Waguininho (33’/2ºT), Vitinho (45’/2ºT)

Athletico: Bento; Khellven (Marcinho, aos 37/2ºT), Zé Ivaldo, Aguilar e Nicolas (Márcio Azevedo, aos 37/2ºT); Alvarado, Fernando Canesin, Denner (Vitinho, aos 0/2ºT) e Jadson (Lucas Halter, aos 28/2ºT); Carlos Eduardo (Reinaldo, aos 21/2ºT) e Matheus Babi. Técnico: António Oliveira.

Coritiba: Wilson; Igor, Nathan Ribeiro, Luciano Castán e Romário; Jhony Douglas (Matheus Sales, aos 38/2ºT), Willian Farias, Robinho (Igor Paixão, aos 16/1ºT) e Rafinha; Cerutti (Waguininho, aos 41/1ºT) e Léo Gamalho. Técnico: Gustavo Morínigo.

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أعرب حازم إمام، عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، ولاعب الزمالك السابق، عن سعادته بعد فوز الأبيض على بيراميدز، بالمباراة التي انتهت منذ قليل ببطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

والتقى الزمالك مع بيراميدز، اليوم الأحد، على ملعب “آل نهيان”، في نصف نهائي مسابقة كأس السوبر المصري، وفاز بركلات الترجيح بعد انتهاء اللقاء بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1.

وقال حازم إمام في تصريحات عبر قناة “أبو ظبي الرياضية”: “هاردلك لبيراميدز، على مستوى 90 دقيقة بيراميدز كان الأفضل”.

طالع أيضاً.. فيديو | بـ ركلات الترجيح.. الزمالك يطيح بـ بيراميدز في مباراة ماراثونية ويتأهل لـ نهائي كأس السوبر المصري

وتابع: “الكرة تحب أن يكون الزمالك في النهائي، ليست أفضل مباراة للزمالك، الأبيض كان الأفضل الشوط الثاني، لكنه كان لديه الطموح للوصول للنهائي”.

وأتم: “يجب على الزمالك أن يلعب في النهائي أفضل من ذلك”.

بهذا الفوز يتأهل فريق الزمالك إلى نهائي كأس السوبر المصري، في انتظار الفائز من مباراة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا.

Harry Kane joked he had already scored a century in a game of cricket after being bowled out by England team-mate Declan Rice.

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• England preparing for Euros quarter-finals
• Kane and Rice play cricket at England camp
• Bayern star bowled with after Ben Stokes linkup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a bit of downtime, England stars Kane and Rice enjoyed a spot of cricket at their training ground in Germany. In a video posted on the Three Lions' social media channels, the Arsenal ace clean bowled the Bayern Munich star – but the former Tottenham man quipped he had already brought up his century.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  England are gearing up to face Switzerland in the quarter-finals of the Euros after squeezing past Slovakia last time out. If the Three Lions lose, this could be Gareth Southgate's last game in charge. But ahead of this huge clash, the England stars appear to be in good spirits – evidenced by this cricket video.

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• WHAT HARRY KANE SAID

  After making an Instagram story about the cricket clip, where he was bowled out, the 30-year-old put two crying with laughter emojis and wrote: "I had made my century already."

  Instagram

The sky is blue, the grass is green and Arsenal have scored four or more in a game again.

It was only a couple of months ago that Mikel Arteta's side were in the midst of a goalscoring crisis, with just a single goal coming from 63 shots at one point.

However, in the intervening months, the Gunners have quickly turned into the most lethal team in the country and, after dispatching Sheffield United 6-0 on Monday night, currently possess a goal difference of plus 45 – the best in the league.

It was the sort of performance in which each and every player could leave the pitch with their heads held high, but there were two in particular who deserved to be singled out for praise, the first of which was the captain.

Martin Odegaard's game in numbers

Yes, Martin Odegaard put in what might be one of his best performances of the season at Bramall Lane last night and was justly rewarded with the Man of the Match award.

The mercurial midfielder was involved in practically every aspect of the game, whether through his silky passing, thunderous shots or tireless pressing. He was everywhere, and the Sheffield United players will be having nightmares for weeks.

The Norwegian's brilliance was recognised by the Standard's Simon Collings' who gave his performance a 9/10 on the night, writing that he 'ran the show in midfield' and that the Blades 'couldn't lay a glove' on him.

It's a very complimentary assessment, but one backed up by the numbers, as in Odegaard's 95 minutes of action, he scored a goal, registered 0.21 expected assists, took a mammoth 115 touches, made four key passes, was accurate in both of his attempted long balls, created one big chance and succeeded in all three of his dribbles.

Martin Odegaard's game in numbers

Minutes

95

Goals

1

Expected Assists

0.21

Touches

115

Key Passes

4

Accurate Passes

84/93 (90%)

Long Balls (Completed)

2 (2)

Big Chances Created

1

Attempted Dribbles (Successful)

3 (3)

All Stats via Sofascore

In all, it was about as close to a perfect game as fans will see from their 25-year-old wizard, and while he fully deserves all the praise he's received, there's another starter who deserves just as much credit.

William Saliba's game in numbers

The other player in question is French international and "Rolls-Royce of a defender", as dubbed by The Athletic's Aaron Catterson-Reid, William Saliba.

Now, from looking at the score alone, fans might assume that the 22-year-old had very little to do on the night, and while that might be somewhat true from a defensive point of view, that doesn't mean that he was just sitting in the Arsenal half twiddling his thumbs all game – far from it.

In fact, when looking at his statistics from the match, it becomes quite clear that he was busy throughout, as in his 95 minutes of action, he took 180 touches, was accurate in 169 of his 174 passes, won two of his three duels, lost possession just six times, made one clearance and one interception.

The standout statistics are the number of touches and passes made by the Bondy-born "monster", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while they're impressive in isolation, they are even more remarkable when compared to the historical data.

William Saliba's game in numbers

Minutes

95

Touches

180

Accurate Passes

169/174 (97%)

Duels (Won)

3 (2)

Lost Possession

6

Clearances

1

Interceptions

1

All Stats via Sofascore

According to Orbinho, the head of Optajoe, the Frenchman's 169 passes ranks as the most completed by an Arsenal player in Premier League history, surpassing Santi Cazorla, who held the record previously and sitting behind just three Manchester City players for the most passes in a Premier League match ever.

Incredibly, that tally of passes also happened to be more than the entire of the Sheffield United team combined (142) on the night, a stat that truly sums up Arsenal's dominance in Yorkshire.

In all, while it might not look like the former Saint-Étienne man was doing much considering the score, he was very much involved in the game, so Collings' 6/10 rating and assessment that he was 'rarely called upon' doesn't entirely ring true.

Ultimately, Odegaard fully deserves all the praise he received for his unreal performance last night, but Saliba should also get recognition for his contribution with the ball at his feet.

The South Africa opener proved he can not only play spin, but dominate it as he scored 160 runs in Vizag

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2019Dean Elgar does not usually need a reason to be all determined, but he went into this series with a few very good ones. At 32 years of age, with a Test career in its seventh year, the South Africa opener is now a senior member and wanted to set the tone for his team’s innings and an example for his younger team-mates to follow. Especially on a tour as tough as India.Watch cricket on ESPN+

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Elgar said his 160 in Visakhapatnam was “maybe” his best for South Africa and it was easy to see why.”You are always up against it and they [India] are always coming at you,” he said at the end-of-day press conference. “But I felt with previous experiences of playing against them that if you apply yourself and give yourself opportunity you can get there. If you allow yourself time, you give yourself the best opportunity with your defensive game, your attacking game will come naturally.”The ability to grind out a score has always been a feature of Elgar’s game but here, he switched gears and took on the spinners. The proof lies in the numbers that are sometimes among the least looked-at in Test cricket: boundaries. Elgar struck 18 fours and four sixes in his 160, the most by a South African in a Test innings against India, including a slog sweep of R Ashwin to bring up his century.”It was me putting my stamp on my innings, not allowing them just to bowl to me which has happened in the past,” Elgar said.Dean Elgar drives through the off side•BCCIHistory has to come up on this tour bus because of how poorly South Africa performed the last time they were in India. In 2015, they only totalled 200 once, as a team, and had no centuries between them. They left defeated, not just in the scoreline but also in morale, with the conclusion that they could not take on the turning ball more firmly entrenched. Though Elgar told he considered the pitches used in that series a “farce”, it was still important to him to show that the stereotype about South African batsmen and spin is not entirely true.”I’ve learnt over the last few years that I can play the spinning ball. I’ve played a lot of cricket around the world and developed my game in the county circuit and that’s why I ultimately go and play, to develop. It’s nice to see the results and all the hard work I have put in overseas pay off on days like today.”

If you allow yourself time, you give yourself the best opportunity with your defensive game, your attacking game will come naturallyElgar on playing in India

Since the 2015 tour, Elgar spent a season at Somerset and two at Surrey and credited the domestic scene in the UK with improving his skills, especially against spin. “In county cricket, you face a lot of spin. The ball actually spins in England now because it’s so dry, which is a good experience.”But he also learnt other, non-technical and even non-cricket-related things about himself. “You learn more as a person. You get to know yourself a little bit more when you have to do your own washing. Back home, we are fortunate, because we don’t have to do that. When you are in England, you have to do your own washing. As a person you learn; as a player, you grow.”Elgar’s personal development has also brought him to the realisation that South Africa need him for more than just runs. In their current “building phase”, the team is relying on him, captain Faf du Plessis and wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock to be mentors. And all three made significant contributions to South Africa’s first innings.Faf du Plessis acknowledges the applause on reaching fifty•BCCI”We’ve lost quite a few senior heads and our side needs some leadership and a few old faces to stand up because we’ve got some young faces here.” Elgar said.Despite all this effort, South Africa still face the possibility of not being able to save the Test. They will have to bat last, on a surface that will deteriorate and will need the younger players, as well as the seniors, to stand up again. Whatever happens though, Elgar is hopeful that South Africa can be a world-beating force again and asked the fans to keep the faith.”We’ve got some experienced heads who have played a lot of domestic cricket back home and they know the environment and then you’ve got a lot of young guys who are immensely talented. They need time to grow and they are going to fail. That’s a foregone conclusion that young guys are going to fail but it’s how you as a senior group allow them to fail and allow them to grow.”I’d like to see things moving in the right direction. I’d like to see today particularly as having a huge influence within our structure and within our squad and I know the young guys will always feed off the energy that the older guys are giving off. I’d like to see today as being an inspirational day and hopefully, we can build on it.”

Gloucestershire 220 for 7 (van Buuren 93, Charlesworth 77*) v NorthamptonshireWe might be living through strange times, but surely not so strange that either of these counties will now be denied promotion to the first division. Rain has made a mockery of the myriad equations so let’s be done with arithmetic and talk the simple language of cricket: Glamorgan must bat with the precision of Donald Bradman at the speed of Brian Lara, then take wickets at the strike rate of SF Barnes to beat Durham and stop Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire from going up.The game here at Nevil Road is heading for a draw, probably of the dullest and soggiest variety. That will matter not a jot in the wider context. Nor will Northamptonshire lament a strangely disengaged performance on Wednesday when they took only a single wicket and Gloucestershire claimed the batting point they needed to ensure promotion remains entirely in their own hands. They require a draw plus three more points with either bat or ball. A mere draw will do for Northants.Concern around noon on Monday when Gloucester collapsed to 67 for 6 had dissipated – drowned is perhaps a better way of putting it – by the time Graeme van Buuren pushed Rob Keogh through extra cover for the boundary that carried Gloucester to the critical 200 mark. His stand of 151 with Ben Charlesworth began pre-lunch on day one and was ten minutes from continuing into the fourth when van Buuren, who scored 93, stabbed outside off stump to Gareth Berg and was caught behind.The fact that Gloucester lost their first division status as far back as 2005 might explain why so many supporters stayed on with barely a murmur for the four-and-a-half hours between the scheduled start and eventual three o’clock beginning. Such a long and hard-fought return will be something to celebrate despite the absence of prize money for third place. Northamptonshire will receive £57,000 as runners-up to Lancashire.In other circumstances, they might have grown more restless. It is hard to imagine the crowd at an international match behaving as placidly with the sun shining, the playing field open, nets in place and stumps beside the pitch ready to be inserted. Yet the place was a hive of inactivity through the morning save for the occasional sight of a player or the umpires wandering out, scraping the soles of their boots on problem areas and wincing their way back off.With the situation even worse at Chester-le-Street, the slippy, sludgy areas around footmarks on the edges of used pitches might have suited both teams. Gloucester, in the weaker position, would have been content not to risk defeat. “Mud, mud, glorious mud,” they must have sung, like Flanders and Swann, in the sanctity of their dressing room. Yet once umpires David Millns and Mike Burns did consider play to be possible, it was they who switched on quicker.Van Buuren played and missed a couple of times against Ben Sanderson in the early exchanges and Charlesworth survived a reasonable appeal for leg-before by Keogh, the most dangerous of the bowlers on a surface offering some turn. Otherwise, the closest that Northants came to breaking the stand as it developed was a run out opportunity when Charlesworth was sent back by his partner, Keogh missing with the throw.They made a tricky pair: Charlesworth tall, upright and left-handed, van Buuren a short, right-handed croucher. Van Buuren punched anything slightly short, especially through the off side, while Charlesworth’s off-drives again flowed like cream from a jug. At 18, he is a prospect who will make crowds purr with his strokes. That in turn may lead to frustration if returns fall short of unreasonable expectations. He needs to be allowed to develop at his own pace.”Ben is so solid,” van Buuren said. “He makes bowlers look slow, he plays them with ease. It is a sexy forward defensive he has. He is an attractive player but he is already a good player too and you have to remember how young he is. I said to somebody yesterday how he reminds me so much of Aiden Markram, the way he loads up, stands still and has that same whirl of the bat. He is class.”Van Buuren is a friend of Markram, a fellow South African, who averages 43.80 from his first 17 Test matches. It is quite a compliment. He also drew a comparison with Chris Dent, blooded young by Gloucester but now their steadiest batsman approaching 9,000 career runs. Sanderson was generous too, praising Charlesworth for his temperament and judgement of what to leave.Charlesworth has already equalled his career best; tomorrow would be quite a day to set a new one. Equally, while van Buuren was disappointed at missing his own hundred he could reflect on the more important picture. “We just have to rock up for one more day and play good, hard cricket,” he said. “Stay grounded, keep humble and hopefully cricket will look after us in the end.”