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Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton believes he could step up to solve England's midfield problems as he sends defiant message to Gareth Southgate.

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• Wharton sends message to Southgate
• England midfielders have failed to perform at Euro 2024
• Three Lions face Slovenia on Tuesday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England manager has seen his experiment of fielding Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder miserably fail in the first two matches of Euro 2024. The Liverpool star was replaced by Conor Gallagher in both matches in the second half, however, the Chelsea midfielder also failed to live up to the expectations.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Southgate admitted after the Denmark clash that his decision to make Alexander-Arnold a makeshift midfielder has flopped while making a bizarre statement that the Three Lions are yet to find a proper replacement for Kalvin Phillips.

• WHAT ADAM WHARTON SAID

  Ahead of their final group game against Slovenia, Wharton sent a strong message to his boss as he claimed he is ready to solve their midfield crisis. When asked if he could take Phillips' role in the team, Wharton replied, "Yeah. And so do the other players in similar positions, who think they could have a positive effect on the team. I have got belief that no matter who, where or when I play football I can affect a game. I think you have to think like that.

  "If I think, 'I can’t handle this', then what am I doing here? That’s the way I look at it now. I believe I can affect any game I play in, so I am just making sure I am ready if I am called upon to help."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  Southgate's side will aim for three points to seal their knockout berth as group toppers as they face Slovenia on Tuesday night.

This one was huge. It meant a lot, an awful awful lot, certainly to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal. As Leandro Trossard knocked the ball past Harvey Elliott and raced towards goal, his crisp finish, which took a deflection off Virgil Van Dijk, sent the Emirates Stadium into a frenzy.

Like Jose Mourinho in the prime of his management, Arteta was dashing down the touchline, high-fiving supporters before warmly embracing his coaching staff.

This wasn't the night the Gunners won the Premier League, far from it, but in a game where they couldn't afford to drop points, sealed a 3-1 win that kept their title ambitions alive.

Just a few weeks ago it looked as though the north Londoners were sliding away from things. An FA Cup exit at the hands of Sunday's opponents, Liverpool, condemned them to three defeats in a row. Since that moment, they have now won three on the spin and sit two points behind the Reds. It's evident, then, just how big this was.

Had Arteta's men tasted defeat then they would have sunk eight points behind the Anfield outfit. Goals from Trossard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were enough, but the most praise deserved to go Jorginho's way.

Jorginho's performance in numbers

When the Italian signed for Arsenal a year ago there was despair. Why, supporters wondered, were the Gunners keen to acquire a player who was supposedly past his best and being cast out by?

Well, today's game showed why. This wasn't the first time Arteta has trusted the 32-year-old in a 'big game'. Jorginho started against Liverpool in the cup a few weeks ago and has also played against Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle this term. After arriving in January 2023, he also played in those fixtures last season.

Why? Well, the view of Gary Neville summed it up nicely after he starred versus the Toon in 2022/23: "The reason why Manchester United players and Pep Guardiola have said Paul Scholes is their favourite player was because in moments in the hardest atmosphere in a difficult away game those players are unique. They have the composure, the balance to get the team playing. That’s what Jorginho reminded me of – he was fantastic."

That was precisely the case again this weekend, with the midfield veteran handed the official Man of the Match award after an exceptionally calm display in the middle of the park.

No Arsenal player had more touches than Jorginho's 70, while he completed 87% of his passes and won seven duels. The stats may not look extraordinary for the former Chelsea star but it is hard to quantify just what he brought to the game through numbers alone.

That said, his midfield partner in crime was also "utterly ridiculous", as one analyst noted. Step forward £105m man Declan Rice.

Declan Rice's performance in numbers

Jorginho arguably outshone his mega-money partner in the centre, something that demonstrated his immense performance levels.

However, as Rice has been all season long, he was outstanding against Liverpool again on Sunday.

Playing in a double pivot means he doesn't have to do all of the defensive work himself. He's given extra freedom to play forward and that layer of his game certainly gives the Gunners an extra level.

It was a performance inspired by his colleague too. Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the former West Ham star noted: “Before I signed for Arsenal, the prospect of playing with him (Jorginho), [Thomas] Partey – Playing against them before, knowing how he controls games. I think he’s got qualities that not a lot of midfielders have.”

Again, it's hard to justify just how good Rice was via numbers alone, but to put things simply, he was everywhere, winning four tackles, making two interceptions and completing 86% of his passes.

So good was Rice that he was handed a highly impressive 9/10 match rating by the Evening Standard's Simon Collings, who wrote at full-time: "Was everywhere and bossed the midfield. Continues to deliver in the biggest games for Arsenal. Worth every penny of the £105m Arsenal paid."

That summation was just about perfect. Here was a man more than justifying his price tag. If £105m ever felt cheap, then you only need to look at the awe-inspiring level of performance he's dropped since signing.

He was largely signed to strengthen the midfield but he has been so complete that late winners have even been scored against Manchester United and Luton Town.

If Arsenal do win the league at the end of the season they'll owe a huge amount to the 25-year-old.

An "exceptional" player has teased the possibility of signing for Tottenham and says a move to north London "could happen".

Spurs already planning for summer transfer window

Following a very productive and successful January, which was arguably their best winter window in recent memory, Spurs are believed to be planning for the summer already – and how best to strengthen Ange Postecoglou's squad.

Fabrizio Romano says Tottenham figure has nearly agreed to other club move

He’s set to join another club.

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Emilio Galantini

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The Australian was backed pretty early on last month with quick-fire moves for both Timo Werner, who joined on loan from RB Leipzig with the option-to-buy, and defender Radu Dragusin in a £25 million deal from Genoa.

Spurs also sensationally hijacked Barcelona's deal for Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall, with the teenager choosing N17 over a move to the illustrious Camp Nou.

Tottenham's growing appeal as a club, you could say, is helped by both Postecoglou turning the tide since Antonio Conte's tenure and chairman Daniel Levy spearheading the construction of state-of-the-art facilities.

The Lilywhites are believed to already be doing homework for later this year in terms of luring new players to north London, with Barcelona star Raphinha among the options being considered by technical director Johan Lange and the recruitment team (Paul O'Keefe).

Spurs' January window offers real encouragement that they can tempt both Europe's best stars and rising talents of the future, with FC Copenhagen prodigy Roony Bardghji being linked in recent months.

The 18-year-old first grabbed headlines with his scintillating display in Copenhagen's historic 4-3 win over Man United in the Champions League earlier this season. Bardghji got on the scoresheet and scored their dramatic late winner that evening, turning more heads which were already thought to be taking note of his exploits in Denmark.

Bardghji hints at Tottenham transfer and teases move "could happen"

Commenting on his links to Spurs, coming amid Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski's Swedish connection, Bardghji has said a move to Tottenham "could happen" – teasing a possible transfer.

"It's fun to think about. You never know, it could happen. Hard to say now," said the winger to Sport Bladet when asked about following Bergvall to Postecoglou's side.

Bardghji is very highly rated despite his limited league appearances for Copenhagen, with those around the Scandinavian heaping praise on his "exceptional" technique.

"He has an understanding of the game, as well as good balance and coordination," said his coach at under-17 level for Sweden, Roger Franzen (via The Mail).

"He has exceptional technique with the ball at his feet. It's incredibly difficult to take the ball off him. He is good one-on-one and has a good shot. He can shoot with both feet, even if he is basically left-footed, he can finish with the right as well."

Gareth Southgate's side offered yet another uninspiring performance to complete a miserable showing in the group stage despite finishing top

A new game, same old dross. That is the best summary of England's goalless draw against Slovenia, the third and final installation of an insipid showing in Group C, which they have somehow managed to top.

Gareth Southgate made just one change to his starting XI and his team served up arguably their weakest performance, barely threatening Slovenia, who celebrated wildly as they qualified for the knockout rounds of a major tournament for the first time.

The only positive for the Three Lions was that Denmark were not able to beat Serbia, meaning England avoid Germany in the last 16 and go into the 'easier' side of the draw. But, playing this badly, there is little evidence that the Three Lions will be able to make it through, regardless of who they face next.

GOAL rates England's players from RheinEnergieStadion…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Jordan Pickford (5/10):

  Faced one shot all game and had very little kicking to do.

  Kyle Walker (6/10):

  Made one sloppy pass but overall commanded the defence and connected well with midfield.

  John Stones (5/10):

  Shy and safe with the ball. Barely crossed the halfway line.

  Marc Guehi (5/10):

  Swept up comfortably and looked composed, though had a scare after a mix-up with Stones, taking a booking for his sins by hauling down Sporar.

  Kieran Trippier (6/10):

  Had better co-ordination with Foden than previously and provided best moment of the first half with a searching cross. Got an early booking.

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  Midfield

  Declan Rice (4/10):

  Another average display. Needed to show more ambition with his passing and take some initiative. All he could offer was a wayward long-range shot.

  Conor Gallagher (4/10):

  Had a heavy touch and ceded the ball a couple of times. Not much of an upgrade on Alexander-Arnold and hooked at half-time.

  Jude Bellingham (3/10):

  Passing was sloppy and missing his spark. A shadow of his commanding display to kick-off the tournament.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (5/10):

  Some bright moments but let down by his fellow attackers who gave him little to aim at.

  Harry Kane (4/10):

  Had minimal involvement in the build-up play and couldn't connect with Trippier's inviting pass, his only decent attempt.

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  His best performance yet at the tournament and the only England player who looked genuinely inventive.

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  Subs & Manager

  Kobbie Mainoo (5/10):

  Offered more control than Gallagher and had a couple of bright passages of play, although not much of an improvement.

  Cole Palmer (7/10):

  Lively and daring and England's best hope of finding a goal.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (N/A):

  Played the final few minutes at right-back when Trippier came off.

  Anthony Gordon (N/A):

  Brought on for final five minutes and couldn't contribute much at all.

  Gareth Southgate (4/10):

  How could he make just one change to his line-up and expect better?! Booed off after full-time.

Canada star Tajon Buchanan left their training session in an ambulance Tuesday after sustaining a lower-leg injury.

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• Canada's Buchanan taken to hospital
• Les Rouges make statement on wingback
• Deemed lower-leg injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Just three days before their crucial knockout round match against Venezuela, Canada were hit with a brutal blow Tuesday. Wingback Tajon Buchanan left their training session in an ambulance after going down with a lower-leg injury.

  TSN's Matthew Scianitti reports that it occurred during a drill and that medical professionals arrived on the scene just after 10am CT.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Buchanan has been a crucial asset to Les Rogues since he arrived in the national team picture. The Inter Milan man earned his big-money move to Serie A in 2023, and after an up-and-down season, he's now been hit with an unlucky injury.

  For Canada, one of their most dynamic players is now seemingly out of the picture for their clash Friday evening. The extent of the injury is unknown, but the 25-year-old has been hospitalized.

• WHAT CANADA SOCCER SAID

  Posting on social media platform X, the men's program's page confirmed the injury.

  "Canada Soccer confirms that Tajon Buchanan sustained an injury to his lower leg during today's training session. He has been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. We will provide updates as more information becomes available."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CANADA?

  Les Rouges take on Venezuela Friday evening in the quarterfinals of Copa America. After taking second in Group A, Canada advanced after scoring once across three Group Stage matches.

Manchester United could be forced to retain the services of a player they don't want to keep this summer, according to a new update from transfer insider Dean Jones.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils have been linked with plenty of new signings since the January transfer window closed, ahead of what supporters will hope is a busy summer at Old Trafford. Highly-rated Benfica midfielder Joao Neves is a player who journalist Fabrizio Romano claims has been scouted a number of times by United, with the youngster seen as a potentially huge signing in the middle of the park.

Another young player in Bayern Munich starlet Mathys Tel has also been backed to complete a move to the Red Devils, although his heart may be set on staying put at the Bundesliga club for the foreseeable future.

The transfer rumours don't stop there, though, with exciting Lille defender Leny Yoro seen as another long-term acquisition – one who is already a key player for his current club, despite still being 18 years of age. It is clear then, that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co want to revolutionise the Old Trafford squad with young high potential players.

Man Utd may be forced to keep Ten Hag's flop

Speaking to Give Me Sport about possible outgoings, Jones claimed that Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe would be happy to sell Antony this summer, but will likely be "forced" to keep hold of him.

"Christian Eriksen is much easier to get rid of than Antony is and he's also low maintenance compared to Antony. I think Eriksen will leave in the summer. He'll have some good opportunities ahead of him to choose from. But that's not really going to be the case for Antony. United would sell him if they could, I do believe that. But it's no surprise to anyone that he does not have a market at the moment given he's an out of form £80m luxury player.

"Eriksen is a player that can play various roles in various types of teams, Antony's not. For that reason, United are probably going to be forced to persist with Antony unless something like a Saudi Arabia situation crops up and they're able to get as much of that money back as possible."

Antony has arguably been one of the most disappointing signings of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at United, considering they spent £85m on signing him from Ajax back in 2022.

In that time, the winger has scored just nine goals and registered four assists in 69 appearances, which represents a dreadful return for an attacking player. Too often, he can look threatening but ultimately not affect games enough, and United would be wise to cash in on him this summer, if they are able to.

Fabrizio Romano: Man Utd have scouted Benfica prodigy "multiple times"

He has “been scouted multiple times” by the Red Devils.

By
Henry Jackson

Feb 18, 2024

Antony may still be young, but he has had long enough to prove himself now, and with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford better options to start when they are fit and firing, a squad role at best should come his way moving forward, especially if new signings come in.

Gareth Southgate has made some key calls for his England line-up ahead of the Euro 2024 final against Spain on Sunday.

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• Southgate Euro 2024 final line-up leaked
• Trippier and Kane to retain places
• Face Spain in Berlin on Sunday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As has been the case for much of the European Championships, Gareth Southgate's line-up for the final against Spain on Sunday has been leaked. According to The Sun, the Three Lions boss will refrain from starting both Luke Shaw and Ollie Watkins, despite their impact in the semi-final win against the Netherlands. It means England will field an unchanged starting XI in Berlin.

  England's expected XI (3-4-2-1): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi; Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Trippier; Foden, Bellingham; Kane.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Frustration may have boiled over from fans at times for the same starting line-up being picked, but there is no denying England have been effective with their substitutes late on in games. Rather than kill the pace and fresh legs from the very start, players like Watkins can have another big impact if and when they are needed instead.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  England have not won a major international trophy since 1966, but are appearing in back-to-back Euro finals. As well as this, it is the first time they have made a major final on foreign soil. The one three years ago against Italy was at the familiar Wembley Stadium.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  All that stands between England and glory is Spain, who have arguably been the best team at the tournament this summer. If the Three Lions can get the job done on Sunday, they will become national heroes and likely send the country into chaos heading into Monday morning.

Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared another important update on David Moyes and the manager's contract situation at West Ham.

Moyes future uncertain with West Ham contract expiring

The Scotsman's tenure in east London has been a very memorable one. West Ham have qualified for Europe in each of Moyes' full seasons in charge, since he began his second stint midway through 2019/2020. They also put an end to their near-40 year wait for a major trophy, lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League in Prague last term.

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However, a section of supporters are growing dissatisfied with West Ham's style of play under Moyes, coming after they flirted with relegation to the Championship last term as well.

The Hammers head coach, as things stand, is set to leave West Ham at the end of this campaign with his contract expiring soon. Moyes, speaking to the media last week, actually claimed that the offer of a new deal was on the table.

"I've had really good conversations with the owners, with David Sullivan and Karren Brady," said Moyes on his new contract situation.

"There's a contract there for me and I'm the one deciding I want to wait until the end of the season. There are plenty of reasons [to wait]. I've got to make sure it's the right thing for the club, for me and my family. I've spoken to the board. I've had a fabulous four years. We'll sort it out but I'm happy to wait."

Going by Moyes' statement, he appears to be the one in control of this situation, and depending on whether or not he extends, West Ham technical director Tim Steidten is believed to assessing managerial alternatives.

ExWHUemployee shares Moyes contract update

Now, speaking to West Ham Way, ExWHUemployee has shared a Moyes contract update which is contrary to what the former Man United boss said.

“There have been provisional talks over a new deal for David Moyes,” stated Ex. “However, I’ve been advised that at no point it’s been put forward for signing. The manager possibly was referring to an agreement but that’s provisional, but not in front of him to sign.

“It’s understood that any decision by the board as to whether to offer him an extension will be made at the end of the season, following a review on how the season pans out.”

Depending on whether the club decide to offer him that new contract after all, West Ham are believed to be interested in the likes of Wolves boss Gary O'Neil, who has admirers at the London Stadium.

“At the moment, we're getting towards the stage where West Ham are going to be looking for a new manager," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport.

"While Gary O'Neil isn't going to be the top target for them, I have heard that he is somebody they like. I would be surprised if he didn't at least crop up on a list of names if and when Moyes does end up losing his job, so that is one to keep in mind."

Liverpool have reportedly suspended Premier League ticket sales after being hit by a cyber attack.

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• Liverpool tickets for new season go on sale
• Technical issue halts members buying tickets
• Club suspends sales after cyber attack

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to The Athletic, tickets for home Premier League games in the first half of the 2024-25 season went on sale on Wednesday to members who had attended 13 or more league matches at Anfield last term. However, a 'serious technical issue with the ticketing system' halted that, with the club later saying there had been a 'sophisticated bot attack' on the Merseyside outfit.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report adds an investigation to establish how the bot attack – a cyber attack that uses automated scripts – infected the ticketing system has begun. An initial plan to reopen the sale later on Wednesday was shelved and the same was the case on Thursday.

• WHAT LIVERPOOL SAID

  An email from Liverpool's ticketing team, relayed via The Athletic, reads: “This is hugely disappointing and frustrating as we have made a number of significant improvements to our supplier’s ticketing system to try and prevent this type of cybercrime.

  “We will continue work with our fan groups to improve the selling processes and systems and will consider all options that will eventually deliver the experience our fans deserve.

  “We are sorry we have not managed to prevent unacceptable fraudulent activity which has impacted our genuine and valued supporters.“

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Athletic states the ticketing system is run by a third party, who will now put extra security measures in place before Liverpool announce a date to safely put the tickets on sale again. That is likely to happen in the coming weeks but it is unclear what the motivation was behind the cyber attack.

West Bromwich Albion are crying out for more fit strikers to be at their disposal currently, with Carlos Corberan cursing his side's luck when it comes to the ever-growing list of injuries troubling their ravaged centre-forward department.

Brandon Thomas-Asante is the latest casualty up top for the Baggies, the frustrated Spanish boss confirming that his star striker will be on the sidelines for at least two weeks after limping off against Southampton.

With Josh Maja and Daryl Dike also out for the long term, it's a nightmare situation for Corberan to grapple with.

The Championship promotion hopefuls will need new recruits Andreas Weimann and young West Ham United attacker Callum Marshall to come good in the crunch weeks to follow, with the Baggies thankful that they don't have this notable dud on their books anymore to call upon to fix tricky situations like these.

How much West Brom signed Kenneth Zohore for

West Brom made a major statement purchase going after Kenneth Zohore in 2019, landing the towering Danish striker for a hefty £8m price-tag off the back of a few goal-laden seasons up top with Cardiff City.

Zohore would bag a competent 24 goals for the Bluebirds over 101 games in the Welsh capital, with the 6 foot 2 centre-forward standing out during the 2016-17 season with 12 strikes from just 30 appearances in all competitions.

Still, it looked a risky signing from the get-go from a West Brom perspective particularly when you take into account Neil Warnock's assessment of the lofty Scandinavian striker during his Cardiff days.

Described as being a "little lazy" by the often outspoken former Bluebirds boss back in 2018 before leaving for pastures new in West Brom, many would have viewed this big purchase in 2019 as a signing that would see Zohore either excel on his arrival to the Hawthorns or completely sink playing under the pressure of an inflated price-tag.

Unfortunately, for those with connections to the Baggies, Zohore would flop badly when entering the building at West Brom with the £8m fee attached to his name now looking like a major waste of money looking back.

Kenneth Zohore's statistics at West Brom

Zohore would end up only making 23 appearances in total for West Brom in what would prove to be an ill-fated move, scoring just three goals for the West Midlands outfit in the Championship.

The Danish striker's last two seasons at the Hawthorns would see him make two appearances in total, with the Baggies even shipping Zohore out on loan to Millwall to attempt to breathe life back into his faltering career.

Zohore would help himself to an unremarkable three goals from a short stint at the Den with Millwall before eventually being moved on from the Hawthorns permanently.

Cancelling his contract with West Brom to speed up the process of his exit from the second-tier side, Zohore would speak out at his relief of departing the club in the direct aftermath of leaving on a free transfer – the misfiring striker stating that he "was really happy" to leave and "play again" back on his native soil with Odense Boldklub.

Yet, it wasn't a smooth transition moving to Denmark for Zohore who has had to wrestle with the same demons that plagued his time with the Baggies wherever he's been since his failed time in the West Midlands.

What Kenneth Zohore has done since leaving West Brom

Zohore has failed to score a single goal since waving West Brom goodbye, proving that it wasn't just a bad fit with the Baggies in isolation and the Danish attacker is just nowhere near recapturing his Cardiff best still to this day.

The 6 foot 2 forward has only made ten appearances in total over the two seasons since his Baggies departure, finding himself playing for the reserve side of Polish side Slask Wroclaw this campaign to further demonstrate his mighty fall from grace.

It's a far cry from the striker Zohore once was at the Bluebirds, who once demanded West Brom cough up an extortionate £8m to land his services.

The current Wroclaw number seven has started just one PKO BP Ekstraklasa game this campaign, last featuring for the Polish top-tier side last year in a brief nine-minute cameo off the bench.

Averaging just 14 minutes this campaign for his new Polish employers when playing, Zohore's career is in real danger of ending with a whimper at 30 years of age instead of a revitalised bang.

Zohore's continued barrenness in front of goal is made ever more embarrassing when you consider the Polish top tier's placement in the UEFA coefficient rankings, with the Ekstraklasa coming in as the 20th worst division in Europe.

If Zohore was in and around the West Brom first-team ranks now, there's no chance the forgotten Dane would get anywhere near Corberan's XI.

The Spanish manager is far better off sticking with the likes of Weimann and Marshall in those depleted centre-forward spots, with the experienced Bristol City loanee – who hails from Austria – bagging two goals from his first seven starts for West Brom.

Two years older than Zohore, Weimann looks to be enjoying the twilight of his extensive career a lot more than the former Baggies reject who continues to be a bystander to the action in his current surroundings.

West Brom could well have been haunted by the colossal waste of money Zohore was in the January transfer window when it came to signing two loanees to boost the ranks up top over splashing the clash, the 30-year-old going down as one of the more notable flops at the Hawthorns in recent memory.