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Newcastle United are enduring their first real blip under head coach Eddie Howe since the PIF takeover two years ago which has been compounded by the increased weight of expectations.

More money equals greater expectations and given the Magpies have spent over £400m since Howe took charge of the club, four losses in five games could be deemed a crisis, particularly since the Geordie outfit exited two major competitions in that timeframe.

However, it seems as though the manager will use the January transfer window as a means to alleviate Newcastle’s difficult spell of form.

Newcastle United transfer news – Jonathan David

According to journalist Marco Conterio, Newcastle are set to do battle with Champions League rivals AC Milan for the signature of Lille attacker Jonathan David this winter. The Canada international has been in France for almost four years, even winning the title during the 2020/21 campaign, but now seems primed and ready for a move to English football.

David has been one of the most reliable goalscorers in Ligue 1 since arriving from Gent back in 2020 and was even described as a “silent assassin” by former Canada manager John Herdman.

“Jonathan is one of those silent assassins. He’s very clued up tactically and that’s what I really enjoy about Jonathan, he really wants to get into the details of the game and understand the pressing tactics.”

Now, this silent assassin could be on his way to the Premier League as Howe looks to bolster his attacking department ahead of the second half of the campaign, although a deal could be costly, with Lille reportedly holding out for €60m (£51m) for David’s services.

Jonathan David’s stats this season

David was one of the most prolific players in Europe’s top-five leagues last season, having scored 26 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions, including 24 in Ligue 1. The Canadian finished third in the French top-flight’s charts in the previous campaign, with only Alexandre Lacazette and Kylian Mbappe converting more opportunities.

The 23-year-old scored more goals last season than both of Newcastle’s star strikers Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak who bagged 18 and 11 goals respectively.

However, this season, David’s output has declined as the young attacker has scored seven goals in 23 matches for Lille. This is less than both Wilson and Isak, although only six players have been more prolific than David in the French top tier this season.

While David may not be as potent this term as Newcastle’s two centre-forwards, he is scoring more frequently than £45m signing Anthony Gordon and right-winger Miguel Almiron, who have six and five apiece. Perhaps there is a chance that David could be brought to St. James’ Park as a wide player rather than in his favoured spot up top since Isak was signed for a club-record £63m and will likely be the Mags’ first-choice number nine in the long-term.

The likelihood would be that Howe could deploy Gordon on the right flank while David takes the position on the left-hand side. David has played as a winger before and even has an impressive record, having bagged six goals and three assists in eight matches in the wide areas.

While Gordon was signed for a lot of money, he may be forced to swap to his weaker right side if David arrives at Newcastle as the latter has been statistically better than Howe’s number ten in several key metrics for a winger.

Per 90 Metrics	Jonathan David	Anthony Gordon
Goals	0.37	0.28
Expected Goals	0.55	0.28
Assists	0.06	0.19
Expected Assists	0.11	0.13
Progressive Passes	3.17	2.95
Progressive Passes Received	7.45	7.41
Shots	2.73	2.04
Goals Per Shot	0.09	0.14
Key Passes	1.06	1.14
Passes To Penalty Area	1.3	1.35
Take-Ons Success Rate %	47.8	29.5
Stats via FBref

This could be an expensive, yet superb deal by Newcastle and would offer Howe’s attack more balance by having a goalscoring "phenom" on the left in David – as described by podcaster Tony Marinaro – and a more creative winger on the opposite side with Gordon.

Since Diego Costa, the one common theme at Chelsea no matter who's in charge has been their struggle to find an out-and-out goalscorer to lead the line. We've seen the likes of Timo Werner, Alvaro Morata and Kai Havertz all fail in the number nine role at Stamford Bridge before Nicolas Jackson became the latest to endure moments to forget for the Blues.

Now, however, Mauricio Pochettino could finally solve Chelsea's striker problem with the potential arrival of one particular forward, with reports suggesting that the club could once again splash the cash in search of a solution for arguably their biggest problem in the Premier League.

Chelsea transfer news

Despite spending big in the summer in an attempt to secure their return to the Champions League places, Chelsea have continued to disappoint in stages this season and sit as low as 10th in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of a top-four place. On top of that, the Blues have already suffered defeats against the likes of Brentford, Everton, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest in a mixed campaign. It's clear that so far the summer spending has not worked out, making the January transfer window all the more important.

According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Chelsea are plotting a move to sign Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur. The Dutch side will reportedly demand more than £60m for their forward's signature and are more likely to sanction a move in the summer transfer window rather than in January.

Speaking about the need for January arrivals, Pochettino told Sky Sports after Chelsea's defeat against Everton:

"After the first half of the season, we need to check. That is the reality. If we are not receiving enough, maybe we need to do some movement. That is the thing to analyse with the sporting directors, to see if we can change this dynamic and improve in the second half of the season. We need to be more aggressive. Then it's a massive assessment and when the transfer window opens, we will see what we can do. I don't say if I am going to ask for more or less players. It's to see if the perception matches the reality. We are missing something. We need to improve our reality."

"Fast" Gimenez can put an end to Chelsea's striker misery

Gimenez could finally solve Chelsea's striker nightmare if they secure his signature in January or next summer. The forward has enjoyed an excellent season and looks only likely to get even better at just 22 years of age. Here's how Gimenez's stats compare to Raheem Sterling and Jackon who, even combined, fail to reach the Mexican's goal tally.

Player

Goals

Assists

Expected Goals

Percentage of Shots on Target

Santiago Gimenez

18

3

14.1

48.3%

Raheem Sterling

5

2

3.5

39.3%

Nicolas Jackson

7

1

9.9

43.9%

Gimenez has also earned deserved praise from Liverpool icon Dirk Kuyt, who has said:

"He’s back here in the middle of the defenders and he’s really fast. Watching the keeper before he shoots, the rest. In my opinion, he is currently the best striker in the Eredivisie."

Tottenham really want a "complete" centre-back who's found his way to the very top of Spurs' transfer wishlist for January, according to Sky Sports.

Centre-backs linked with moves to Spurs

Manager Ange Postecoglou was forced to play Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as a makeshift centre-back pairing before Cristian Romero's return from suspension against West Ham. Spurs' head coach doesn't appear to favour Eric Dier, who has now found his way onto the treatment table alongside star defender Micky van de Ven and youngster Ashley Phillips.

Spurs talks now "underway" to sign "quick" star likened to Alphonso Davies

There’s been meetings in London.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 7, 2023

Van de ven is expected to make his return in early 2024, but his and Romero's recent absences have seriously exposed Tottenham's lack of options in central defence.

As a result, it is now widely reported that Spurs want to sign a left-sided centre-back in the January transfer window. Chairman Daniel Levy was thought to be chasing Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly on summer deadline day to give Postecoglou another option, but a move for the Englishman ultimately didn't come to fruition (The Times).

However, there is no shortage of alternatives to Kelly as we approach the January window.

Indeed, Uruguay defender Sebastian Caceres, Everton's Ben Godfrey, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, Genoa star Radu Dragusin, Union Saint-Gilloise's Koki Machida, Benfica starlet Morato and Sporting Lisbon's Goncalo Inacio are all rumoured defender targets for Spurs from the last few weeks alone.

Another to have been mentioned sporadically is Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite, who is currently enjoying the best season of his Toffees career after spending last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

The Englishman has been a key player under Sean Dyche so far, so much so that he is now a top, top target for Postecoglou and new sporting director Johan Lange.

Tottenham really want Branthwaite

That information comes from Sky Sports, who say Branthwaite is really wanted by Tottenham as the 21-year-old becomes one of the club's most important defensive targets. The defender joins Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo as players they are huge fans of, but it won't be easy to prise any of them away from their clubs mid-season.

Going back to Branthwaite, he could be an excellent option taking into account age, quality and proven experience shining in the Premier League.

Likened to van de Ven by Football Transfers, the young centre-back has come on leaps and bounds since returning to Goodison Park earlier this year. He's now a mainstay under Dyche, having started 13 top-flight matches and being described as a "revelation" by members of the media like Mail journalist David Kent.

At PSV, Branthwaite earned plenty of admirers as well, like their former boss and ex-Man United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“He is a great talent," said van Nistelrooy (via X).

"The boy is 20, but he has a future. He is good on the ball, can play on the left or the right of centre-back because he is two-footed. He has height and speed, so he is very complete.”

Sunderland interim manager Mike Dodds could take charge of his final game today against Bristol City, with new rumours suggesting the Black Cats have finally found a replacement for Tony Mowbray that will be announced imminently.

Michael Beale is believed to be the manager deemed worthy of coming in and taking the pressurised job, as was reported by Fabrizio Romano yesterday alongside various other media outlets.

Dodds will want to go out with a bang therefore if these rumours are true, fielding this predicted lineup for the trip to Ashton Gate…

1 GK – Anthony Patterson

Anthony Patterson will remain as Dodds' first-team goalkeeper for the trip down to Bristol, Sunderland's trusted number-one shot-stopper is yet to miss a minute this season even under the interim manager.

2 CB – Pierre Ekwah

Setting his Black Cats side up in a 3-4-3 formation for the triumphant 1-0 win over Leeds last match, Pierre Ekwah could replace Jenson Seelt as one of three key centre-back figures.

Seelt was impressive against Daniel Farke's tricky Whites – winning five duels in total, as per Sofascore – but Dodds could well be intrigued to see how Ekwah would do from the start at the back in place of the Dutch defender.

Ekwah was solid when substituted on in this role against Leeds, making two interceptions in a short but sweet 18-minute cameo.

3 CB – Daniel Ballard

Sunderland's colossus at the back in Daniel Ballard will also be retained by Dodds for the game at Ashton Gate, Ballard misplacing just two of his passes in the game versus Leeds whilst also winning one ground duel.

4 CB – Luke O'Nien

Luke O'Nien was also resilient at the back up against Leeds' intimidating attacking players such as Crysencio Summerville mid-week, only losing one of his eight duels on the day.

Wearing the captain's armband, O'Nien will want to play the role of dependable leader again with Dodds wanting to add another win to his interim resume with the Black Cats.

5 RM – Trai Hume

Pushed further forward by Dodds in an ingenious move, Trai Hume was a man possessed against the Whites with more freedom to attack at will knowing that he had three rock-solid centre-backs behind him doing the dirty work.

Hume also rolled up his sleeves when necessary, clearing a shot off the line in the contest to keep the clean sheet and the 1-0 win secure.

6 CM – Jobe Bellingham

Jobe Bellingham continues to be a star player for Sunderland despite only being 18 years old, the teenager scoring the only goal of the game versus Leeds to seal a slim win.

The promising midfielder's goal wasn't an outrageous strike by any means, but it showcased Bellingham's eagerness to help his team no matter what – bundling an effort into the net after being found by teammate Alex Pritchard.

Bellingham will just be keen to keep progressing and reaching new heights with Sunderland away from all the outside praise he's receiving, hoping to score again at Ashton Gate today.

7 CM – Dan Neil

Dan Neil will also most likely start away at Bristol in Dodds' potential final game in charge, Sunderland's reliable number 24 solid in the Leeds win.

Only misplacing three passes at the Stadium of Light in this one, Neil will hope he can add another assist to his season tally of two versus Liam Manning's Robins with a pinpoint ball hopefully unlocking the hosts.

8 LM – Niall Huggins

Sunderland's Welsh number two would have been pleased playing at left wing for the Leeds game, Niall Huggins naturally a left winger but had been played further back in defence by Mowbray.

Huggins was ineffective however against the visitors from West Yorkshire further up the pitch, only winning 50% of his duels whilst failing to serve up one accurate cross in the game to further expose the Leeds defence.

The adaptable 22-year-old will just hope he can bounce back from this Leeds off-day against the Robins if selected, helping his team in some capacity to pull off three victories in a row.

9 RW – Patrick Roberts

Dropped by Dodds for the game mid-week, the short-term Sunderland boss could bring Patrick Roberts back into the team today after a dismal showing from Roberts' stand-in Abdoullah Ba against Leeds.

Ba's performance was passive throughout an unmemorable 59 minutes on the Stadium of Light turf, failing to register a single shot on the opposing goal whilst only winning three of his nine ground duels.

His poor day at the office saw Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith give Ba a 5/10 rating in his post-match article after the Whites win, saying that the young Frenchman's final ball just 'let him down.'

In stark contrast, Roberts offered much more than Ba going forward in a promising half an hour or so off the bench.

The 26-year-old won one more duel than his counterpart, whilst also being credited with a key pass. Therefore, it should be a no-brainer selection decision for Dodds to bring back in Roberts to the first team fold today.

10 ST – Alex Pritchard

Alex Pritchard started as a makeshift striker figure under Dodds versus Leeds, helping himself to an assist for his efforts.

That was Pritchard's third assist under the interim boss in just two games, the 30-year-old's fading Sunderland career exploding back into life over the past few matches.

With Nazariy Rusyn and other strikers at the Stadium of Light still putting in underwhelming displays up top, Pritchard will more than likely start over those reserve attackers again for the game against Bristol City.

West Ham, led by co-chairman David Sullivan and technical director Tim Steidten, are now favourites to sign a £25 million forward in January.

Forwards linked with moves to West Ham

The east Londoners are believed to be prioritising attacking options above all else next month, as they seek to give manager David Moyes what he needs to make another European push.

Moyes may well end up leaving West Ham at the end of the Premier League season, with his contract set to expire in 2024. However, until then, it's perhaps imperative that they bring in more attacking options.

Transfer twist as West Ham may green-light exit for "energetic" team player

This could come as a surprise after recent news.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 7, 2023

As highlighted by a recent injury to Michail Antonio, and Jarrod Bowen's knock coming back from international duty, Moyes could suddenly find himself very short of numbers going forward depending on the fitness of his squad. Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy has been linked with a move to West Ham, while RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is another player who could join Moyes in the winter.

This comes as Sullivan and Steidten seemingly work in tandem on the club's transfer activity, with the latter's influence growing behind the scenes.

“Tim Steidten’s role at the club has grown in seniority since his arrival,” stated club insider ExWHUemployee recently.

“His knowledge, targets and dealings have really impressed Sullivan, who now fully trusts Tim as his right-hand-man. This will almost certainly mean that Steidten will be leading the search for our next manager in the future. However, its understood his main focus for now is player contracts and January recruitment – with a striker top of the list.”

Now, according to a report by TEAMtalk, there is another attacker who West Ham could well bring to the London Stadium soon.

West Ham "best placed" to sign Cherki

According to their information, that man is Lyon forward Rayan Cherki. West Ham are the Premier League favourites to sign Cherki next month with Chelsea pulling out of the race to sign him.

Lyon are now willing to cash in on the 20-year-old amid their terrible season in Ligue 1, and Moyes' side are allegedly "best placed" to do a deal for him. A transfer is apparently "there to be done" for around £25 million, with the French side ready to part company for a lesser fee when compared to summer.

The playmaker's current deal expires in 2025, having extended it earlier this year, but a run of poor form has prompted Lyon to green-light his sale mid-season.

Cherki scored four goals and bagged six assists last term, with former Napoli and Lyon boss Rudi Garcia once calling him a player with "exceptional qualities".

"He's a player with exceptional qualities," said Garcia.

"He's already worked with the National 2 group since the start of the season, which is quite rare for a 15-year-old player. He's mature and has great technical qualities. He reminds me of Hatem Ben Arfa."

أصدرت اللجنة الأولمبية الجزائرية بيانًيًا للدفاع عن إيمان خليف لاعب الملاكمة والمشاركة في دورة الألعاب الأولمبية الحالية في فرنسا، ردًا على ادعاءات الاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة.

وقررت رابطة الملاكمة العالمية أن تكافئ اللاعبة الإيطالية كاريني بمنحها 50 ألف دولار كجائزة مالية بعد انسحابها من مباراتها أمام إيمان خليف والتي تم إلغاءها بعد 46 ثانية فقط بسبب تعب الإيطالية من لكمات الجزائرية القوية، بحسب وكالة رويترز.

كما فازت إيمان خليف مساء السبت الماضي على نظيرتها المجرية آنا لوكا هاموري في ربع نهائي منافسات الملاكمة سيدات، وزن 66 كجم، لتضمن ميدالية أولمبية.

طالع | رئيس بعثة الجزائر: ما حدث للاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة عدالة إلهية لـ إيمان خليف.. والشعب المصري ظهرت شيمه

وأكد البيان الصادر من اللجنة الأولمبية الجزائرية أن الجزائر ليست عضوا في الاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة وأن اللجنة لا تعترف بالاتحاد كـ منظمة شرعية. بيان اللجنة الأولمبية الرياضية الجزائرية للدفاع عن إيمان خليف

نود أن نوضح للرأي العام المحلي والدولي أن الجزائر ليست عضوًا في الاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة (IBA). نحن لا نعترف به كمنظمة شرعية، ولا يوجد له أي صلة بالألعاب الأولمبية، بطلتنا، إيمان خليف، تظل غير متأثرة بادعاءات الاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة الباطلة.

إلى كل الجزائريين، نؤكد لكم أن تصريحات الاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة لا تعدو كونها كلمات جوفاء وزوبعة في فنجان، ولا تأثير لها على مستقبل بطلتنا أو مسيرتها الأولمبية، بعثتنا وإيمان خليف نفسها تواصلان التركيز ولا تأبهان لهذا الكلام الفارغ من الاتحاد الدولي للملاكمة.

نحن نقف بثبات مع إيمان خليف ولن نتأثر بالمنظمات غير الشرعية. عزيمتنا لا تتزعزع، ودعمنا لرياضيينا لا حدود له.

شكرًا لتفهمكم ودعمكم المستمر. ابقوا أقوياء وواثقين بأبطالنا!

Since the summer window in 2021, Manchester United spent £73m on Jadon Sancho and £82m on Antony to sort out the team's issues on the right wing. However, this season, the duo have failed to score a single goal or register an assist in all competitions.

Sancho, in particular, has had limited opportunities to showcase his talent this term after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag in the aftermath of the side's 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium back in September.

The player has since been removed from all first-team duties and Ten Hag has been scratching his head about who to place on the right, with Antony also underperforming this term.

Nonetheless, there is one player that the Dutchman has yet to try out who could be United's saviour.

Man United's lacklustre attack

During the summer transfer window, Man United spent a little under £230m on new players, bringing the likes of Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Andre Onana to the club for huge sums. Yet, the Red Devils have the seventh-worst attacking record in the Premier League. Across all of United's forward players this term, only Marcus Rashford has managed to find the net.

Rasmus Hojlund

0

0

9

Marcus Rashford

1

1

11

Anthony Martial

0

0

10

Antony

0

0

9

Alejandro Garnacho

0

0

10

Facundo Pellistri

0

1

5

Jadon Sancho

0

0

3

Stats via BBC & Transfermarkt

In fact, Anthony Elanga has scored more times in the Premier League this season with two goals than Manchester United's entire forward department, having left for Nottingham Forest during the summer for £15m.

Ten Hag has seemingly trialled every combination of a front three already this term but to no avail. However, the Dutch coach is yet to hand a top-flight debut to academy youngster Omari Forson, having once been described as "exceptional" when he moved to United by sports lawyer Thierry Granturco.

Forson's stats this season

It has been reported over the past week that Manchester United face an uphill battle to keep hold of 19-year-old attacker Forson amid interest from clubs in Europe. The Mirror have claimed that Forson can be signed for a relatively low fee in January, with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign, while United are said to be "desperate" to keep hold of him.

Forson has had an excellent season with United's U19s and U23s, scoring seven goals and registering two assists in eight games in all competitions which is seven times more than any forward in the first-team.

His displays earned him a nomination for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award in September and Forson was even placed on the bench for the side's recent trips to Bayern Munich and Copenhagen, although the winger didn't come off the bench on either occasion.

Since the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, Forson has bagged 16 goals and five assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

Nine of these goals have come from the right flank while six have come from the left, showcasing the youngster's ability to play on either side. In contrast, Sancho has recorded merely seven goals and three assists over the same time period from 44 matches.

With Antony's lack of output for Man United this season and Sancho reportedly set to leave in January, now is the perfect time for Ten Hag to hand Forson his first opportunity at Old Trafford or else the manager runs the risk of losing him in the coming months for a pittance.

Manchester United have struggled to replicate the form they displayed at times throughout 2022/23 during the current campaign as Erik ten Hag finds himself under some pressure.

United have won just five matches out of 11 this season, losing four times in the Premier League while also slipping to defeat against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray in the Champions League as their hopes of reaching the last 16 are drifting out of their hands.

Despite luring the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Andre Onana to the club, the Dutchman missed out on several players who could’ve taken the Red Devils to the next level.

He has also failed to inspire some current United players to take that next step and become truly world-class and Jadon Sancho is a fine example of this, having failed to replicate the form he showed at Borussia Dortmund.

What has happened to Jadon Sancho?

The winger made 41 appearances under Ten Hag last term, scoring seven goals but the season was littered with inconsistency – including three months of absence between November and February – and he was even training by himself after missing out on a place in England’s World Cup squad.

A solid spell towards the end of the season looked as though it would revitalise the youngster, yet he managed just three appearances from the substitutes bench across United’s opening three league matches of 2023/24.

He hasn’t been seen since however, as he was axed ahead of the Arsenal clash at the start of September, with Ten Hag saying afterwards: "On his performance in training we didn't select him."

Sancho responded by releasing a statement on X, where he said: Please don't believe everything you read! I have conducted myself in training very well this week.

"I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won't get into, I've been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair!"

This apparent friction has stalled whatever progress he made at Old Trafford towards the end of last season and his market value has dipped as a result.

How much did Man Utd sign Jadon Sancho for?

Sancho had registered 114 goal contributions – 50 goals and 64 assists – across just 137 games at Dortmund, and he was arguably one of the most in-demand young talents on the continent during the summer of 2021.

The winger had starred for England during their run to the Euro 2020 final, and it appeared Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had earmarked the player as someone who could not only improve the United side straight away but be a mainstay in the squad over the coming years.

Man United's most expensive signings	Fee
#1 Paul Pogba	£89m
#2 Antony	£82m
#3 Harry Maguire	£80m
#4 Romelu Lukaku	£75m
#5 Jadon Sancho	£73m
Via 90min

The Norwegian finally secured his signature, splashing out £73m to lure him from Germany, and he was lavished with praise by former Germany midfielder Lothar Matthaus, who said: "He’s a natural footballer. A player who has everything: fantastic speed, great technique, a good eye for his colleagues and that key pass. For me he is a perfect player.”

While he may have been near perfect in the Bundesliga, his spell in England so far has been rather underwhelming, and it now appears as though the £73m that was shelled out to sign him has turned into a colossal waste of money.

What is Jadon Sancho’s market value now?

After two full seasons at United, Sancho is now only valued at €38.7m (£33.5m) according to Football Transfers which represents a staggering decline of 54% from his original transfer fee.

Indeed, his value has continued to decline ever since joining the Red Devils two summers ago and unless he embarks on a stunning resurgence throughout the remainder of the season, the club will struggle to recoup even half of his £73m fee if and when they sell up.

It is a shame to see the player struggling to showcase his talents, especially when he lit up the Bundesliga with his creative abilities and goal-scoring ability.

Why has it gone so wrong at United, and will he ever recapture his previous scintillating form?

Why is Jadon Sancho worth this much?

With Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo among the new signings heading into the 2021/22 season, Solskjaer would have been hopeful of his team's chances of securing their first silverware since 2017.

The Englishman played 38 games across all competitions during his debut campaign in Manchester, yet he struggled to really get off the ground in terms of goals or assists.

He had scored 16 goals and grabbed 20 assists during his final season in Germany with Dortmund, but he couldn’t adapt well to English football as he managed just three goals and three assists, failing to inspire the club to glory.

Indeed, across the whole squad for Premier League performances, he ranked seventh for goals and assists (six), 13th for shots on target per game (0.3), fifth for big chances created (five) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.6), clearly indicating that he didn’t have the desired impact the Old Trafford faithful expected.

He managed to improve slightly last term under the Dutchman with regard to goals and assists, ranking third across the squad (nine) while also ranking eighth for shots on target per game (0.4), fifth for big chances created (six) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.3).

These displays, while inconsistent at times, evidently showed some progress towards a brighter future at the club, yet it hasn’t materialised, and he still finds himself on the sidelines after his fallout with the Dutchman.

Sancho is now at a crossroads in his career where it looks as though he will have to depart Manchester in order to return to the sort of form which secured the big-money move to England in the first place.

It's a huge shame for all parties, with journalist Muhammad Butt notably saying it was a "massive waste of talent", and indeed they now must be prepared to lose a lot of money when they eventually sell him on.

This looks inevitable, especially given the events which have taken place recently and Ten Hag must be careful in the future to avoid the same mistakes as his predecessors.

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Após o revés na Vila Belmiro diante do Santos, Alexandre Barcellos, vice-presidente, admitiu a fase ruim e citou a mobilização e cobrança dentro do vestiário para reverter o panorama.

‘O treinador cobra (por melhor rendimento). O Rodrigo Caetano cobra e eles mesmo se cobram. Há uma mobilização total para a partida (contra o América-MG), pois todos sabem que é uma forma de buscar uma reação rápida para os problemas que estão acontecendo. O nosso ambiente é muito bom no vestiário. Vamos para Belo Horizonte para tentar reverter esse cenário, que não é bom’, lamentou.

Próximo Compromisso

Na quarta-feira, o Internacional encara o América-MG pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. A primeira partida teve vitoria mineira e o Colorado precisa vencer por dois gols para avançar.

As north London forever blasted out across the Emirates Stadium tanoy yesterday evening, carnage was unfolding among Arsenal supporters.

They have taken to that song like they've sung it all their lives, and it could well remain their good luck charm the longer this Mikel Arteta reign goes on.

Sunday's rendition was perhaps the loudest we've ever heard in N5. Who can blame the fans, either? Particularly after defeating Manchester City.

Gabriel Martinelli's late goal was a statement strike as Arteta defeated his former employers in the league for the first time in his managerial career. It was a stunning win, and their first over the Citizens in the top-flight since 2015.

The last time Arsenal took all three points were the days of Arsene Wenger and Manuel Pellegrini. How times change.

Now, City are treble winners. They've won a European crown and the Gunners have got their swagger back too. They may not have won a trophy last season but days like these reminded everyone that they could well be mentioned in the same breath as the elite come the end of this season.

Their squad depth is even improving, something that was seen with the winning goal as three substitutes, including the aforementioned Martinelli and Takehiro Tomiyasu combined. The Brazilian will get many of the plaudits, but let's pause for a moment and celebrate the performance of Arteta's Japanese defender.

What impact did Tomiyasu have against City?

When Arsenal were defeated by Pep Guardiola's side last February, Tomiyasu was one of the figures to blame.

His back pass sold Aaron Ramsdale short which allowed Kevin De Bruyne to steel in and send the ball soaring over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

It was one of many decisive moments in the fight for the title, but the former Bologna man more than made up for it on this occasion.

Sent on for Oleksandr Zinchenko with 15 minutes remaining as part of a three man substitution including Kai Havertz and Thomas Partey, they all combined for the goal.

Tomiyasu was charged with playing at left-back but found himself marauding forward for the winner. The 24-year-old found himself operating as the furthest man forward, peeling off the last defender and latching onto a lofted ball forward from Partey.

The Japan international was totally aware of his surroundings and knocked the ball into Havertz who was duly supporting his colleague. The German took the ball down nicely before laying it perfectly into the path of Martinelli. The rest is history.

It was a vital touch from Tomiyasu who more than proved he has what it takes to operate in central areas, a key facet of Arteta's full-backs. Just ask Zinchenko.

However, he's an incredibly reliable defender too, with the manager having waxed lyrical about him only last week, saying: "I always said that I’m really confident that the moment Tomi has consistency, he’s going to be a tremendous asset for us.

"He already is. He can play in any position in the backline, any formation in the backline, we don’t have another player like him. At defending, he’s probably one of the best that I’ve seen in many situations."

So with that in mind, what better time to unleash him as a more permanent fixture in the Premier League starting XI?

Who could Tomiyasu replace in the Arsenal side?

As Arteta says, Tomiyasu is incredibly capable of playing anywhere in defence. That makes him a remarkable asset in this side, and it also means that no other defender should be relaxed about keeping their place.

The £55k-per-week earner initially broke through at Arsenal as a right-back, but has also been seen in the middle and more so this season at left-back following Jurrien Timber's long-term injury.

Such an eventuality could mean that it's Zinchenko who begins to lose sleep about his home in this side. Technically one of the most proficient players in the squad, there are few better in the global game at playing the inverted role. That said, he can be lapse in possession and his defending has at times left some in the media to lament the Ukranian as a "liability."

Zinchenko was part of a "dominant" backline – as per broadcaster Sophie Nicolaou – but it wasn't all plain sailing for the 26-year-old versus City. He ultimately won 100% of his defensive battles, dealing with the threat of Kyle Walker for most of the game, and robustly tackling substitute Jeremy Doku with the Belgian's first action.

That said, he was guilty of squandering possession, giving it up five times in total. Defensively the full-back was astute against City, but we know that isn't always the case. The very fact he's only played the full 90 minutes once this season is indicative that when Arsenal go into the defensive trenches, he isn't the best to see out the game.

There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, everyone has their roles, but Tomiyasu now deserves his chance to show what he can do with a consistent run in the side.