Some fans believe Jadon Sancho has "won" his battle with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag after making it to the Champions League semi-finals.
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Sancho fell out with Ten Hag at Old TraffordSent out on loan to DortmundBundesliga side into last four of Champions LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?
Sancho played 86 minutes for Borussia Dortmund as the Bundesliga side beat Atletico in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday. The on-loan Manchester United star is enjoying his time in Germany and his efforts have also dealt a blow to his parent club's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League. England, Italy and Germany are all battling for an extra spot in next season's expanded tournament which is based on UEFA's country coefficient. Italy lead the way but Germany have now pulled clear of England thanks to Dortmund's win, which is bad news for the Red Devils. The top two nations will earn an extra spot.
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Fans also think Dortmund's triumph means Sancho has won his own battle with Ten Hag after being exiled by the Manchester United boss and then offloaded on loan.
Manchester United fan account @UnitedRadar wrote on X: "Jadon Sancho has reached the semi-finals with Dortmund. This must be horrendous for Ten Hag."
Another supporter @ReadItSaidIt, added: "Congratulations to Jadon Sancho for going further in the champions league than 'best signing since Cantona' bruno fernandes and Ballon dor rashy have ever gone."
Sancho is not the only ex-Manchester United player in the semi-finals, as pointed out by @BendIt7ikeBecks: "Sancho and Sabitzer in a CL semi final. This club hasn’t been in one since 2011. Ronaldo has 36 goals this season. Bruno, Rashford, Garnacho, Hojlund have 29 goals. De Gea conceded 43 goals last season. Onana 48 goals conceded 6 games to play. Erik Ten Blag."
Another supporter, @TJayyyy_1, highlighted United's lowly Premier League position: "Sancho & Sabitzer helping their team to the UCL SF, somewhere United haven’t been since 2011. Then you’ve got ETH rotting in 7th."
And @WelBeast showed how Sancho might just be feeling right now regarding Ten Hag, posting the famous 'I won' meme from hit TV show Breaking Bad on X with the caption: “Jadon Sancho is heading to the Champions league semifinals while Eric Ten Hag is sat at home unsure of whether or not he'll still have his job at the end of the season."
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Sancho's success comes at a time when Ten Hag's position as manager is under pressure after a disappointing campaign. The Red Devils are currently down in seventh place in the Premier League table but a distant 13 points behind Aston Villa in fourth. However, there is still a chance the Red Devils could finish the season with a trophy as they remain in contention in the FA Cup.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Sancho has made it further in the Champions League this season than any Manchester United side has managed since 2011 – as per . That shocking statistic prompted fans to ridicule the club and it's manager online, with the criticism likely to continue if Sancho can help Dortmund make it to the final.
Newcastle United's interest in an "incredible" attacker is now "more and more concrete", according to a transfer update from journalist Christian Falk.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies will surely make at least one new signing in the January transfer window, with funds seemingly available to spend and injuries decimating Eddie Howe's squad. Nick Pope's shoulder problem is going to keep him out of action for many months, so it could be that a new goalkeeper is acquired as soon as possible.
It looks as though much of Newcastle's focus could be on signing a top-level midfielder to make up for the absence of the suspended Sandro Tonali, however, with Kalvin Phillips looking like the standout candidate to come in and make a big difference in the middle of the park. He isn't the only option in that position, however, and there is still time for the club to find other choices.
The Magpies have also been linked with defensive and attacking reinforcements, however, with VfB Stuttgart attacker Serhou Guirassy potentially heading to St James' Park. Meanwhile, Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio could be brought in to bolster the back-line, should he demand a move from the Portuguese giants midway through the season.
Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding one of the individuals mentioned – one that suggests a move to St James' could be happening next month.
Newcastle interest in pole position to sign Guirassy
According to Falk on X, Newcastle's pursuit of Serhou Guirassy has made significant progress, with "concrete" talks taking place with the 27-year-old.
"The interest of Newcastle in Serhou Guirassy (27) @VfB become more and more concrete. Manager Eddie Howe has the striker on his shortlist. Man Utd is also still interested."
Meanwhile, another update from Football Insider has stated that Newcastle are now in pole position to sign Guirassy, further suggesting that he could be on his way to the club.
This is an exciting update for Newcastle supporters, considering what an amazing start to the season Guirassy is enjoying in a Stuttgart shirt. The Magpies transfer target has scored a remarkable 16 goals in just nine Bundesliga starts in 2023/24 to date – 11 appearances in the competition overall – and teammate Chris Fuhrich has said of him:
"He's incredible. He just keeps at it week after week, and we are delighted to have him."
The Guinean could provide such great competition for both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson from the off, both of whom have been injury-plagued this season, while the latter is now 31 years of age.
Newcastle identify "world-class" star as potential Pope replacement
This could be an eye-catching addition by the Magpies.
ByHenry Jackson Dec 4, 2023
Guirassy may give Newcastle the lift that they need in attack, with performances and results still largely good at the moment, but that added firepower could immediately improve their chances of recording back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League.
The hope is that the Magpies manage to entice the Stuttgart star to the club, but also sign a goalkeeper, defender and a midfielder, in order to truly make up for this incredible bad luck in the injury department, so it could be a busy few weeks.
Virat Kohli’s team are in the rare position of leading a series in Australia as the home side’s brittle top order remains in the spotlight
The Preview by Hemant Brar13-Dec-20182:42
‘We want to make Kohli work hard for every run’ – Paine
Big PictureIn cricketing lexicon, Perth has been synonymous with pace and bounce for the last five decades. A fiery surface with cracks so wide you could insert a whole finger, or lose a key, the WACA ground offered visiting batsmen their sternest test even if its liveliest days had been left in the past. On Friday, though, when the city hosts India for the second Test of the four-match series, the venue will not be the same.On the other side of the Swan River, a brand new Perth Stadium will welcome both sides for its debut Test. A drop-in pitch is expected to recreate the pace and bounce akin to the old stadium, with the curator calling it the “the bounciest possible” track.After their victory in Adelaide, India should be the more confident of the two sides. One big reason is they have a pace attack which can match the opposition in all conditions. Another key factor is the Adelaide win came without a significant contribution from Virat Kohli’s bat. There was a crucial 34 in the second innings, but it was Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane who helped India keep their noses ahead. However, injuries to Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin might have dampened their spirits a bit.Australia started 2018 by winning the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney and then beating South Africa comprehensively in Durban, but since then hardly anything has gone right for them. While they earned a hard-fought draw against Pakistan in Dubai, and even in the first Test of this series were never out of the game, those two remain their only Test wins so far this year.Though Mitchell Starc looked below par in Adelaide, he did pick up five wickets in the Test. Australia have their first-choice pace attack and their most-successful offspinner to back them up, but with India’s bowling attack being equally strong, the onus to make a difference lies with their batsmen. There was 72 from Travis Head in the first innings in Adelaide, and 60 from Shaun Marsh in the second, but the expectations would be to go on and convert those into big hundreds.Form guideAustralia LLDLL (last five Tests, most recent first) India WWWLLIn the spotlightWith just 12 wickets in his last five Tests at an average of 48.66 and a strike rate of 91.42, Mitchell Starc hasn’t been at his penetrative best. Australia understand how important Starc’s form is if they want to pull things back, and that’s why he was the only one from their first-choice pace trio to hit nets on Wednesday. However, the Perth wicket is expected to offer bounce, and given the pace Starc possesses, he should create problems if manages to hit the right line and length.There was a good contest between Pat Cummins and KL Rahul•Getty ImagesBefore coming to Australia, KL Rahul’s last nine dismissals in Test cricket were either bowled or lbw. While he has avoided those modes so far on this tour, his shot selection has been far from admirable. His dismissal in the first innings of India’s only practice game – driving on the up and finding mid-off – forced batting coach Sanjay Bangar to ask him to play responsibly. Although he scored an important 44 in the second innings in Adelaide, he was out playing loose shots outside off in both innings. With Prithvi Shaw making promising progress in his recovery from an ankle injury, Rahul may need a few runs to secure his spot.Team newsDespite Aaron Finch’s twin failure and a 31-run defeat in the first Test, Australia have named an unchanged XI which means Mitchell Marsh again sits out.Australia 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Marcus Harris, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Shaun Marsh, 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Travis Head, 7 Tim Paine (capt & wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodInjuries to Rohit, who jarred his lower back while fielding during the first Test, and Ashwin, out with an abdominal strain, have forced India to alter their winning combination. While Ravindra Jadeja can bowl tirelessly from one end so that the quicks can be rotated from the other – a role Ashwin played in Adelaide – the prospect an all-pace attack cannot be ruled out.India (probable) 1 M Vijay, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt) 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Hanuma Vihari, 7 Rishabh Pant (wk), 8 Ravindra Jadeja/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsOn the eve of the game, both pitch and outfield were almost the same colour – lush green. But this was before the final shave and while there is a promise of pace and bounce, only time will tell how the wicket actually behaves. There has only been one first-class match at the venue. The first day of the match is expected to be the hottest, with the temperature peaking at 36C. Therefore, it won’t be a surprise if the captain winning the toss opts to bat first, which a) has been a successful ploy recently, and b) will give the bowlers an extra day of rest.Stats and trivia So far in 2018, India’s fast bowlers have a combined strike rate of 47.3 in Test cricket — their best-ever in a calendar year. Mitchell Starc is nine wickets away from becoming the 17th Australia bowler to reach 200 Test wickets. KL Rahul needs 106 runs more to complete 2000 runs in Test cricket. Perth Stadium will become the tenth Australian venue to host a Test.Quotes”There’s only been a few games played here so it’s a bit of an unknown, it looks a little bit green but feels pretty firm underneath and I think it’ll actually play pretty well for the first couple of days. But I’m no expert and I could be completely wrong.” “We certainly get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now. We understand that we do have a bowling attack which can bowl the opposition out as much as they are convinced about their attack.”
They opened up a four-point lead after Melbourne Stars were rolled over for 126 in pursuit of 186
The Report by Alex Malcolm14-Jan-2019D’Arcy Short was robbed of a second BBL century but no one can steal top spot from the Hobart Hurricanes, as they opened up a four-point at the top of the BBL table after thumping Melbourne Stars at the MCG.Short made a masterful, unbeaten 96 from just 57 balls, although he had those crucial four runs stolen from him after a boundary in the 18th over was incorrectly called leg byes. It was the fourth time in seven matches this season he was named Player of the Match. Short is the only man in BBL history to have four scores of 90 or more. He struck four sixes, and became the second fastest to 50 BBL sixes behind Chris Gayle.ALSO READ: ‘Test snub does not make a lot of sense’ – WadeShort and Matthew Wade set up the game with a 95-run opening stand in just 11.3 overs after the Hurricanes were sent in to bat. The pair now have the two highest opening partnerships of the season and became the first pair in BBL history to share seven partnerships of 50 or more.Short powered on to help the Hurricanes post an imposing total of 2 for 185. It was too much for the inexperienced Stars. They lost four wickets in the first eight overs to a mixture of raw pace and wily spin. Such was the Hurricanes’ dominance, they posted a short leg in place when Nic Maddinson came to the crease. Riley Meredith and Jofra Archer peppered the Stars with 145kph short balls. Meredith took 4 for 21 and Archer 2 for 23. The guile of Johan Botha complemented the pace barrage with 2 for 21 as the Stars folded for 126.D’Arcy Short shapes to play a short ball•Getty ImagesReverse PowerplayShort and Wade are an unusual opening combination. Most successful openers in T20s explode in the Powerplay before naturally slowing once the field goes out. Short and Wade did the opposite, bucking conventional wisdom that spin is their kryptonite. They really struggled in the Powerplay.Short was dropped by the keeper Seb Gotch on 3. It was a tough chance off the top edge but Gotch’s upright stance when the edge was found did not give him the best power base to jump vertically. Wade and Short then scored only 40 runs in the Powerplay, finding the boundary only three times. But in the five overs thereafter they plundered 52. They bullied the inexperienced spin of Liam Bowe and Tom O’Connell as well as the part-time offering of Ben Dunk. Wade holed out when the partnership reached 95, having been dropped the ball before.Just ShortShort had only the minor share of the strike, facing only 31 balls in his 69-ball stand with Wade. He barely got the majority share in the last 8.3 overs. Jake Doran was oddly sent in at No.3 and chewed up 8 balls for 7 runs. Short’s six-hitting rhythm was broken as a result. He launched his fourth six in the 15thover but didn’t hit another. Ben McDermott faced 19 of the last 31 balls of the innings as Short could barely get back the strike. McDermott hit two massive sixes of his own but Short was robbed of a well-deserved century.On 86, with 14 balls left in the innings, Short played a draw shot through his legs from a Dwayne Bravo yorker, that came off the bat onto heel and ran fine for four. But umpire Michael Graham-Smith incorrectly called it leg byes. It wasn’t the only umpiring blunder of the innings, after John Ward had earlier called a front foot no-ball on Jackson Bird when he had part of his heel behind the line. Instead of moving to 90, Short remained on 86. He could only muster four twos and two singles from there to be stranded on 96.The full complementThe balance of the Hurricanes attack is what makes them such a powerful force. The left-arm swing and slower balls of James Faulkner, the steep bounce of Archer, the raw right-arm speed of Meredith, the offspin of Johan Botha, the left-arm orthodox of Clive Rose and the left-arm wristspin of Short means captain Wade is spoilt for choice.He used five of his six bowlers in the first eight overs to knock over the Stars’ top four. Evan Gulbis was bowled by a flatter, quicker ball from Botha while Nick Larkin was bounced out, miscuing a pull to short fine leg off Meredith. Short exacted revenge on Ben Dunk, forcing a chop-on first ball of the seventh over after Dunk had deceived Short in the first ball of the corresponding fixture last year.Maddinson got bombarded with bouncers from Archer, with a short leg in place, before he was trapped lbw playing for spin that wasn’t there from Botha. Gotch and Dwayne Bravo then provided brief cameos, but Meredith returned and started hitting speeds of 145kph. It was too much for Bravo, Liam Plunkett and Jackson Bird as he finished with 4 for 21 from four overs. The Stars just couldn’t handle the heat with Liam Bowe hitting his own stumps standing deep in his crease to a 145kph rocket from Archer to end the match.
Cesc Fabregas has claimed that Kai Havertz reminds him of himself as the ex-Arsenal midfielder revealed he's a big fan of the German.
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Havertz finding his feet at ArsenalHas 11 goals and five assists for the GunnersFabregas lavished praise on the forwardWHAT HAPPENED?
Havertz had a difficult time settling down at the Emirates following his £60 million ($75m) transfer from Chelsea – scoring just once in his first 12 Premier League appearances. However, he has gradually been able to find his feet in his new surroundings and has hit top gear at the perfect time – with Arsenal finding themselves challenging for the league title.
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Havertz has contributed 11 goals and five assists in 33 Premier League appearances and 13 of those goal contributions have come in his last 10 games, highlighting his upsurge in form. Credit must be given to Mikel Arteta, who has been able to unlock his potential by deploying him mostly as a false nine, a position where Fabregas flourished during his days at the Camp Nou.
WHAT FABREGAS SAID
Speaking on the , ex-Arsenal captain Fabregas said: "I don’t like to talk about me but he reminds me a little bit of me at Barcelona because I used to play these two roles that he plays as a false nine, in a way, and a number eight and I know exactly what it feels like.
"It's good because he now feels an important player for the team but, at the same time, you don't really know where you're going to play the next game. It can confuse you, as it's better sometimes just to stick to one place and get the best out of it.
"But now [Thomas] Partey is back – which is great news for Arsenal – then [Declan] Rice will come a little bit as a No.8 more often and [Martin] Odegaard. So his place I think from now on will be in that No.9 spot and it suits him very well for the way Arsenal want to play."
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WHY FABREGAS LIKES HAVERTZ
Havertz has similar traits that fans used to associate with Fabregas, with the German having the ability to glide into space, as well as having a knack for goals.
"I really like him because because he has very good link-up play, he attacks the spaces, he can score goals, he has good timing of his runs. He plays simple, he doesn't try to make too many tricks or difficult things," the former Spain international said.
"He does what he has to do, he's very simple in that, very basic, and that's what makes him good. He's scoring lots of goals, important goals, the fans seem to like him and he's a big plus for Arsenal."
Fabregas added on the positions Havertz has been playing in this season: "It’s two completely different roles. One is more of a midfielder, you have to defend in a different way, then you are a striker and your movements are completely different, your positions on the pitch, the way you defend, the way you attack, so the concept is different but the style of play is the same. In this case, he’s an intelligent boy, he’s getting the best out of himself, the players seem to understand his game very well as well so I’m happy for him.
"I always saw the talent at Chelsea. He gave them a Champions League as well, scored the winning goal against Manchester City. I always saw that he was a special talent and I’m happy that this has come out again."
Glasgow Rangers will be aiming for their first ever victory in Seville as they need to defeat Real Betis in order to reach the Europa League knockout stages.
Philippe Clement will be buoyed following three victories in the Scottish Premiership over the previous ten days and this should give the Gers plenty of confidence heading into the crunch clash in Spain.
Rangers team news
The 3-1 win over Dundee followed by Celtic’s shock defeat to Kilmarnock on the weekend narrowed the gap at the top of the table to just five points and the Light Blues are certainly in contention for the title.
The only downside was Jose Cifuentes being sent off on the stroke of half-time and despite appealing this red card, it was rejected, and he will miss the League Cup final and the Premiership tie against St Johnstone.
Philippe Clement
He will be available for the clash against Betis, however, but Leon Balogun and Ridvan Yilmaz will not be, as Michael Beale didn’t register them for the squad back in September.
Clement rested Connor Goldson for the visit of the Dens Park outfit on the weekend, but he must be thrust back into the starting XI against the Andalusian side this evening to replace the unavailable Nigeria international.
Connor Goldson’s season in numbers
Balogun has started seven domestic matches since the Belgian arrived at Ibrox and his experience along with his pace have been valuable assets for the 49-year-old.
His exclusion means he will be fresh for the final against Aberdeen and Goldson will make his return to the squad and this will give Clement a boost.
Rangers defender Connor Goldson.
The Englishman has been a colossus at the back for the Gers this term, winning a staggering 69% of his total duels – 5.7 per game – in the Premiership, while being dribbled past only 0.3 times per match, demonstrating his impressive physical attributes and having him at full fitness is imperative to their ambitions this season.
Goldson also ranks second among the squad for accurate passes per game (67.2) along with ranking first for accurate long balls per game (6.4) and fourth for clearances (2.5) domestically.
In the three matches that the centre-back has missed this season, Rangers have conceded a goal in two of them, and it showcases just how much they rely on him.
The £37k-per-week titan has made nearly 300 appearances for the Glasgow side since joining in the summer of 2018 under Steven Gerrard, and he soon emerged as a mainstay at the heart of their defence.
Remarkably, across his five full seasons in Scotland, Goldson has missed just 17 matches through injury and this reliability has made him a firm favourite among a succession of managers.
The Gers know they will play European football of some sort after Christmas, yet it remains to be seen whether this will be in the Europa League or the Conference League.
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Rangers are interested in signing another centre-back in the January window.
ByRoss Kilvington Dec 13, 2023
Many supporters may argue that they would rather the club win the League Cup on Sunday as opposed to securing victory tonight.
The truth is, Rangers should be doing everything they can to win both games, laying down a marker to Celtic in the process.
The banned duo will travel to India for the IPL after that even as the Australian team takes part in the series against Pakistan
Daniel Brettig12-Mar-2019Steven Smith, David Warner and the Australian cricket team are going to be reunited for all of three days in the UAE later this week before the banned players are whisked off to the IPL, where they will be engaged when the Newlands scandal suspensions expire on March 29.Sunrisers Hyderabad are expecting Warner, near full recovery following elbow surgery, to join the camp ahead of the IPL on March 18. With the Australian team due to fly to the UAE on March 14 after their ODI series in India, this leaves only a narrow window for the former captain and vice-captain to meet with the team they are expected to soon return to playing for.Smith’s fitness situation is more problematic as he had more extensive elbow surgery, though he posted a video of himself batting in the nets on social media recently, while his manager Warren Craig has stated that his client’s intention is to play in the IPL and then the World Cup before the Ashes in England.ALSO READ: Getting at the wretched truthThe duo’s IPL participation is believed to have been a factor in the way that their reintegration has been planned, with the two players to spend time alongside their team-mates without actually staying on for the part of the Pakistan series in which they will be permitted to play.Coach Justin Langer has always emphasised his preference for Smith and Warner to play some form of top-tier cricket – beyond the club-level games they have been restricted to by their bans – before they are selected.This is in part because in November last year, CA released via their acting head of team performance Belinda Clark, a stipulation that players participating in the Pakistan ODI series will not be allowed to go to the IPL until the series is complete. The Indian T20 tournament, entering its 12th year, is being played earlier than usual in 2019 to finish in time for the World Cup.”It is a difficult period with the IPL being brought forward to accommodate the cricket World Cup, and overlapping our domestic season,” Clark had said, adding, “We will, as always, assess applications on a case-by-case basis but it is important the players understand our position in advance, so they have the clarity they need to make personal decisions.”It is imperative that we ensure Australia is in the best possible position as we head into the Cricket World Cup and the 2019 Ashes series. This means prioritising our focus on match readiness and the health of our players.”Much secrecy has surrounded the circumstances in which Smith and Warner are to be reintegrated, with the team now coached by Langer and captained by Aaron Finch in limited-overs formats, with schedules, elbow injuries, seriously bruised relationships and the exacting terms of their CA-imposed bans all complicating factors.Selection chairman Trevor Hohns announced last week that the official squad for five matches against Pakistan in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai would be unchanged from the group currently in India, but the UAE had always loomed as the venue where Smith and Warner would again be seen around the squad on tour for the first time since last year’s fateful trip to South Africa.Minus Smith and Warner, the Australian ODI team have a chance to win their first ODI series in India since 2009 in the deciding match in Delhi on Wednesday.
Leeds United proved unable to take advantage of Ipswich Town dropping points in Saturday's early kick-off, with Daniel Farke's men themselves forced to settle for a draw at home to Coventry City this afternoon.
While there would still have been a sizeable gulf between the Whites and Ipswich had that solitary point been turned into three, any slim hopes of securing automatic promotion now appear to be rather extinguished – the Yorkshire side left ten points behind the top two at present.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke.
In truth, the Elland Road outfit only have themselves to blame following some errant finishing on the day, having had 21 attempts to Coventry's seven, albeit with only leading scorer Crysencio Summerville managing to make the breakthrough – prior to Bobby Thomas' equaliser.
That solitary strike for the hosts came on a day in which the forward simply failed to click into gear, with Joel Piroe, in particular, proving rather underwhelming in his playmaking berth.
Joel Piroe's performance in numbers vs Coventry
On the whole, Farke's experiment with the former Swansea City man in the number ten role has paid off, with the summer signing having netted eight league goals so far this season for his new club – picking up where he left off with the Swans.
A tally of 46 goals in just 96 games for his former employers was enough for Leeds to make their move, but the jury is out on whether it is wise to utilise the prolific marksman away from his usual centre-forward berth, particularly following another muted display this afternoon.
Joel Piroe
As the Yorkshire Post's Leon Wobschall – who gave him a 5/10 match rating – noted, the 24-year-old was 'kept very quiet by his standards', having been restricted to just 42 touches before making way in the closing stages.
The one-time PSV Eindhoven man did provide two key passes, although was unable to offer much else both in and out of possession, losing the ball on 11 occasions, while also winning just two of his ten total duels, as per Sofascore.
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ByDan Emery Dec 13, 2023
Not that Piroe was alone in having cost Farke dearly, however, with another former Swansea man, Daniel James, also having been rather off the boil.
Dan James' game by numbers vs Coventry
For much of his time at both Manchester United and Leeds, the Wales international has often been the subject of criticism for his inconsistent displays, notably being dubbed "headless" by pundit Darren Bent due to his lack of end product.
Having since returned to Yorkshire after a stint on loan at Fulham last season, the 26-year-old has thrived amid the drop into the Championship, however, finding a home for himself in Farke's side – with seven goals and four assists to show for it.
Dan James
That recent hot streak did not continue up against Mark Robins' side though, with James at his frustrating worst, notably having 'missed a huge late chance', in the words of Wobschall – who awarded him a 6/10 match rating.
Arguably 'not as much of a force as he can be' – as per Wobschall – the wing wizard was notably erratic when in possession after squandering the ball on 18 occasions throughout the contest.
While that may have come amid his desire to create for his side from the flanks, James was only able to provide one key pass while failing to successfully complete any of his eight attempted crosses – rather grim reading for any winger.
The diminutive menace could well have atoned for that limp showing by netting at the death, yet inexplicably fired his effort wide, with that skewed attempt seemingly costing Farke and co what would have been a crucial three points.
Manchester City star Kyle Walker and his wife Annie Kilner reportedly made a 'tense' appearance at Wayne Rooney's bank holiday bash.
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Walker made headlines with scandalous affairCouple attempting to patch up relationshipAppeared at Rooney's bank holiday partyWHAT HAPPENED?
According to The Sun, the couple were 'frosty' with each other at the bank holiday party, which Rooney threw for a bunch of his footballer friends. Walker has reportedly moved back into the family home after a long-term affair with Lauryn Goodman, but sources at the party claimed that things still seemed extremely 'tense' in his relationship with Annie Kilner.
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Kilner has told Walker's mistress to 'stay away' from the family, and seems to be open to patching things up with her husband, despite his infidelity, with adding that both parties are trying to get the marriage 'back on track'. The couple married in 2022 following a 12-year relationship, but after news emerged that Walker had fathered two children with Goodman, he was kicked out of the marital home and separated from the four kids he has with Kilner.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite the scandals that have dominated Walker's personal life throughout 2023-24, he has still had an impressive season on the pitch for Manchester City. As a result, he's continuing to attract attention from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, who are rumoured to be interested in signing the 33-year-old this summer.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR WALKER?
A move to Germany might be on the cards this summer, but first up Walker will be focusing on Manchester City's Premier League run-in. His team has the opportunity to win a record fourth consecutive title, as long as they win all of their remaining fixtures. Next up, they face a trip to Fulham on Saturday.
As has been the way for Manchester United this season, it has typically been a case of taking one step forward and two steps back for the Red Devils, with that particularly evident during the final week of 2023 in the Premier League.
Having gone on a dismal run of four games without scoring in all competitions, the Old Trafford outfit subsequently bounced back in the thrilling 3-2 triumph over Aston Villa on Boxing Day, producing a stirring second-half comeback to thwart the surprise title hopefuls.
Any notion that such a result could be a turning point for the club's season was swiftly quashed just a few days later, however, with Erik ten Hag's men ending the year with a whimper following an abject, 2-1 loss away to Nottingham Forest.
While yet again the floundering outfit looked rather meek in attack, prior to Marcus Rashford's late equaliser, that grim defeat at the City Ground also highlighted the club's defensive woes once again, with Morgan Gibbs-White exposing United's shortcomings on the counter to claim an 82nd minute winner.
Far too often this season have Ten Hag's side been undone by a simple cutback from the opposition, with both Gibbs-White and Nicolas Dominguez capitalising on the space afforded to them inside the penalty area.
Ten Hag must now bin Man Utd star who only won 4/10 duels v Forest
Erik ten Hag suffered his ninth Premier League defeat of the season this weekend.
ByTom Lever Dec 31, 2023
Although the withdrawal of Kobbie Mainoo may have been a factor in that, it also highlighted the need for improvements to be made at the heart of the defence, hence the club reportedly stepping up their interest in a certain Jean-Clair Todibo.
Man Utd transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo
According to transfer expert Rudy Galetti, United are believed to be the frontrunners in the race to sign the towering Frenchman from OGC Nice, with the Ligue 1 outfit said to be willing to cash in on the centre-back for a fee of around €60m (£52m).
The suggestion is that Chelsea are also interested in signing the 24-year-old – who has also caught the eye of Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur – yet it is the Red Devils who remain in "pole", with the one-time Barcelona ace identified as the "main target" for Ten Hag and co.
This comes amid reports throughout the summer window that the Old Trafford hierarchy were eyeing a move for the 6 foot 3 sensation, with such speculation only heightened by the recent confirmation that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is the owner of Nice, has bought a 25% stake in the Premier League side.
With rumours rife that Raphael Varane could be on his way in the near future, Todibo could well represent a long-term solution at the Theatre of Dreams.
Jean-Clair Todibo's season by numbers
Currently part of a Nice side that is just five points behind Paris Saint-Germain at the summit of France's top-flight, Todibo has helped to form a typically stubborn defensive unit so far this season, with the Ligue 1 outfit conceding just nine goals in 17 league games.
The in-demand talent has featured in 14 of those outings – helping to keep eight clean sheets – averaging an impressive 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game in that time, while also averaging a stellar 7.9 ball recoveries per game.
To be that into perspective, a resurgent Harry Maguire – who only recently claimed the Premier League's Player of the Month award for November – has averaged just 2.1 and 3.6 for those same two metrics, respectively, indicating the possible upgrade that United could have on their hands.
A further benefit of Todibo's arrival would be his composure in possession, as he boasts a pass accuracy rate of 91% and averages 101.6 touches per game as a marker of his willingness to play out from the back.
Varane, by contrast, averages only 45.8 touches per game and has a pass completion rate of 89%, further showcasing just what an asset Todibo would be both in and out of possession – hence why he has been dubbed the "complete package" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Not only could the Nice star strengthen the backline, but he could also prove a real blessing for those ahead of him, with such an addition potentially set to aid the likes of Casemiro, once he makes his long-awaited return from injury.
The stats to show how Todibo could help Casemiro
United's current woes have ensured that supporters are undoubtedly angling for the return of the experienced Brazilian, yet it wasn't too long ago that the 31-year-old was firmly under the microscope following his poor start to the campaign.
A talismanic presence last season – having been dubbed the "cement" in the side by Ten Hag – the former Real Madrid man was notably "torn to shreds" on the opening weekend against Wolverhampton Wanderers, as per Gary Neville, setting the tone for the woes that were to follow.
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro.
Since then – and with the midfield maestro sidelined with a hamstring issue since November – speculation has been rife that the Red Devils could be looking to cash in on their £70m signing, with Ratcliffe reportedly critical of the decision to sign the ageing asset on such a costly deal.
Shipping him off to Saudi Arabia may be the easy move, yet it does appear far too soon to write Casemiro off just yet, with the signing of a youthful, all-action presence like Todibo seemingly set to help breathe new life into the £350k-per-week monster.
28 games (24 starts)
4 goals
3 assists
7 'big chances' created
4.4 tackles & interceptions per game
1 key pass per game
65% aerial duels won
7.21 average match rating
Stats via Sofascore
Firstly, the Frenchman's "explosive pace" – as described by podcaster Nathan Clark – should allow him to mop up effectively in the backline and support Casemiro, with the Red Devils unlikely to be so easily caught out on the counter.
Equally, as previously noted, Todibo offers a stern last line of defence behind the midfield, showcasing that he ranks in the top 5% among his European peers for tackles made per 90, again ensuring he can effectively protect the man operating in that deep-lying pivot.
The one-time Schalke loanee also has the nous to be able to pick out the likes of Casemiro with a clever, incisive pass, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 18% for progressive passes per 90, while he also has the composure to receive the ball under pressure from the midfield.
Jean-Clair Todibo
1st January
David Alaba
18th December
Fikayo Tomori
16th December
Ronald Araujo
11th December
Marc Guehi
9th December
Leny Yoro
8th December
A figure with "superb build-up and defensive attributes" – as per Kulig – the two-cap international could be an undoubted brick wall at centre-back, ensuring that Casemiro and co can concentrate on impacting proceedings further forward, safe in the knowledge that they are protected behind.
As such, while the reported £52m price tag may appear somewhat steep for the mid-season window, with other Premier League clubs sniffing around, United simply must not hesitate if they are to get their man.