When Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United in 2013, he left behind a squad of Premier League winners. The Red Devils had just beaten rivals Manchester City to the league title, securing Ferguson’s 13th and final time lifting England’s greatest honour. But that trophy only papered over the cracks that would soon appear.
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Choosing his replacement, Ferguson turned towards Everton’s David Moyes. A Scottish manager who was beginning to make a name for himself elsewhere, Moyes likely reminded the legendary Man United boss of himself. On paper, the appointment made plenty of sense and 12 years ago, it was unlike the Red Devils to get things wrong.
Of course, as we now know, over a decade later, that decision sparked the beginning of United’s long downfall which has featured moments that go lower and lower in their history.
Games
51
Wins
26
Draws
10
Losses
15
From a manager that stayed at the club and achieved so much for 26 long years, United gave Moyes just 51 games to make his mark before pulling the plug on his tenure.
At the time, the blame was sent the manager’s way. The assumption was that it simply had to be him. After all, he was the only change at the club, but perhaps that’s where the problem truly lied. Since then, five permanent managers have tried and all five have failed to do what Moyes initially failed to do as United remain sleeping giants.
Before Moyes arrived, however, things could have been so different. Ferguson reportedly approached a manager who soon became a Premier League winner, only to be turned down.
Why Jurgen Klopp turned Ferguson and Man Utd down
As revealed by the former Liverpool manager himself, Ferguson approached Jurgen Klopp before Man Utd hired Moyes, only for the German to turn down the chance to move to Old Trafford as he was already planning for the 2013/14 season at Borussia Dortmund.
It was then just two years later that he was approached with a similar offer from Liverpool, who secured his arrival and went from sleeping giants into a club firmly back at the top of English football. Whilst United continued to struggle, the Reds and Klopp won the Premier League, Champions League and everything in between.
No one knows for sure whether Klopp would have done better than Moyes, Jose Mourinho and others, but evidence from his Liverpool spell gives us a fairly solid indication of how things could have been so different for the Red Devils.
Arsenal are top of the Premier League table, although it doesn’t really feel like that.
On Saturday, the Gunners swatted aside West Ham 2-0 at home, with Declan Rice breaking the deadlock against his former side, before Bukayo Saka converted a second-half penalty, as the Hammers rarely threatened, underlined by the fact they failed to muster a single shot on target.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere at Emirates Stadium was generally rather flat, possibly due to the rather dull game that was served up to those in attendance, a win that never truly felt in doubt, even at 0-0.
More importantly though, once again, Mikel Arteta suffered an injury to yet another key player; absentees derailed their title aspirations last season, with Gooners everywhere fearful that this could be the case again.
So, if the captain is sidelined for any length of time, should a key figure labelled the “best in the world” start donning the armband?
The latest on Martin Ødegaard's injury
Four days is a very long time in football, as Martin Ødegaard has discovered this week.
On Wednesday night against Olympiacos, the Norwegian was at his sublime, sparkling and scintillating best.
Manager Arteta described Ødegaard’s performance as “phenomenal”, while Dan Sheldon of the Athletic praised his ‘beautiful incisive passing’, outlining how ‘playing slightly deeper’, he was able to control all aspects of the game and really run the show.
However, come Saturday, for a third successive home Premier League game, the 26-year-old was forced off in the first half, plagued by a shoulder issue against Leeds and Nottingham Forest, this time suffering a knee injury.
Arteta said afterwards that the news is “not positive” with Ødegaard leaving the stadium in a knee brace, solemnly concluding “let’s wait… hopefully it is not that bad.”
So, if the skipper is forced to sit out games against Fulham, Atlético Madrid, Crystal Palace and perhaps beyond after the international break, who should be donning the armband instead?
Arsenal's future captain is now the "best in the world"
When Ødegaard has been sidelined both this season and last, the armband has rather been shared around, with Gabriel and Saka among those donning it in recent games.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, after yet another excellent display against his former club on Saturday, Rice has really come to the fore as a leader in this Arsenal team.
In football history, 11 players have moved for £100m or more, of which very few proved to be a success and, as Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz are finding out at Anfield, a price tag that gigantic can weigh even a world-class player down.
Well, Rice has certainly bucked the trend in that regard, unequivocally outstanding every week, with the table below documenting his importance to Arsenal so far this season.
Minutes
676
5th
Goals
1
7th
Assists
2
1st
Completed passes
437
3rd
Key passes
14
1st
Passes into final 3rd
33
2nd
Progressive carries
21
2nd
Corners takes
24
1st
Shot-creating actions
24
1st
Blocks
7
3rd
Ball recoveries
36
1st
Touches
565
3rd
As the numbers emphasise, Rice has become the complete all-rounder.
He leads the way in terms of key passes and shot-creating actions, a large proportion of which will be courtesy of his expert set-piece delivery, as well as ball recoveries, very much contributing across every area of the pitch.
Speaking about Archie Gray in his press conference on Friday, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, of all people, asserted that Rodri and Rice are the “best in the world” in their position, adding that this is because “they can do a little bit of everything”.
It is hard to disagree with that assessment, considering Rice is able to put in a brilliant performance irrespective of where he is deployed, used at the base of midfield from the start on Saturday, before moving higher up following Martín Zubimendi’s introduction to replace Ødegaard.
During his final season at West Ham, one that culminated in Conference League glory, Rice was the club captain, donning the armband for England for the first time against Belgium last year too, underlining his leadership capabilities.
So, if Ødegaard is going to be sidelined for any period of time, Rice appears the obvious candidate to lead Arsenal out at Craven Cottage in a fortnight.
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Newcastle United are set to make a massive move to sign a new forward in 2025, according to a former Premier League scout.
Newcastle keen for additions
It was a tough summer for Eddie Howe and Newcastle United, and that has translated into a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign too.
A 3-3 draw against Liverpool in their most recent outing was one of their best performances of a season that has otherwise been inconsistent, with the Magpies having managed just a point more than Manchester United at this point, though the congested nature of the league means that they remain just three points outside the top five.
With a favourable run of fixtures ahead, they will be hoping that they can finally string together a run of form to push back towards the top of the Premier League, but there is concern that they will struggle to strengthen in January amid financial fair play concerns and hefty prices.
Brentford (Away)
Leicester City (Home)
Ipswich Town (Away)
Aston Villa (Home)
Manchester United (Away)
Howe’s demands have been clear since the summer, with the Newcastle boss wanting at least another centre-back and a right-winger added to his side. So far this season, Anthony Gordon has been asked to play on the right flank this season, while Dan Burn has been repurposed in central defence, but neither are long-term solutions at St James’ Park.
There is a hope that the club can move Miguel Almiron on to raise some funds, and now they have been tipped to secure a massive deal in the summer.
Newcastle want to make statement signing
That is according to former Manchester United scout Mick Brown, who has claimed that the Magpies are looking to complete a summer deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.
The Bees attacker enjoyed an excellent start to the season under Thomas Frank, with eight goals to his name, leading to the Brentford boss labelling him a “top” player.
“For me, he’s a top player. I’m convinced one day he will play for a bigger club; I will definitely buy him if I was at a bigger club”, Frank explained.
Brentford'sBryanMbeumocelebrates scoring
Now, it is Newcastle that want to secure the Cameroon international, who they believe could be the perfect upgrade on the right-side of attack in the wake of a potential Almiron departure.
According to Brown, Mbeumo is “definitely their top target for the position”, but that it would “take a huge fee” to get him out of the G-Tech Stadium.
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“It won’t happen in January, I’m fairly certain of that, because Newcastle are restricted in what they’ll be able to spend”, he added, pointing to a summer deal being far more likely.
Brentford are not prepared to let Mbeumo leave in January unless a massive offer is tabled for him, something that Newcastle may struggle with midseason. However, the forward has just 18 months left to run on his £45,000 a week deal in London as things stand, and the summer could be the last time for the Bees to land a serious fee for the talent.
His potential summer arrival could finally provide Howe with balance in attack, and allow Gordon to return to his favoured left-wing position while providing a massive upgrade on Almiron for the Magpies.
Liverpool are once again flying under Jurgen Klopp, sitting top of the Premier League at the halfway stage and three points clear of closest challengers Aston Villa, and five clear of champions Manchester City, who have a game in hand. The Reds looked down and out last season, before a summer overhaul gave the Anfield side new life ahead of the current campaign.
The good news could just keep coming their way too, with reports suggesting that they could now keep hold of one of Klopp's biggest stars to end any fears over a potential departure in the coming months.
Mohamed Salah contract update
After missing out on a Champions League place last time out, not many would have expected Liverpool to make their return to the title race. Here they are, however, not just competing, but even leading the way.
Of course, there's still a long season ahead and the January transfer window must still play its part, but the Reds deserve credit for how they've bounced back from disappointment in such style. The arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have certainly played a part, yet it could be internal transfer news which hands Liverpool the ultimate boost.
20
13
6
1
45
25
20
13
3
4
42
16
19
12
4
3
40
24
20
12
4
4
40
17
According to Football Transfers and Anfield Watch, Mohamed Salah is now leaning towards signing a contract extension at Liverpool to ease any fears that he could leave the Merseyside club.
It's a bit of a twist from previous rumours, as FSG had reportedly been planning for life without the Egyptian. Given Salah's consistent Saudi Arabia links, it was easy to worry for Liverpool, who have now scaled back their contingency plans in the case of his exit. Some credit deserves to go to FSG for that too, with their willingness to pay Salah's reported £18m a year contract more than playing its part.
luis-diaz-mohamed-salah-liverpool-opinion
Top of the Premier League, in a Carabao Cup semi-final and predictably through in the Europa League, the news that Salah is leaning towards a contract extension sums up what could be a season to remember for Liverpool.
How many goals has Salah scored for Liverpool?
There is no doubting the fact that Salah is one of the best players to ever play for Liverpool in the Premier League. The 31-year-old has won it all in English football and has picked up plenty of records along the way. With three Premier League Golden Boots to his name, there's an argument that Salah is the greatest winger that the Premier League has seen.
Salah's Premier League goals tally of 153 is impressive enough (two for Chelsea), but his overall contributions in red stand at 204, with 88 assists thrown in for good measure.
Liverpool's top Premier League goalscorers (via LFC History)
Goals
Mohamed Salah
151
Robbie Fowler
128
Steven Gerrard
120
Michael Owen
118
Sadio Mane
90
Klopp will certainly be relieved about the potential contract news, recently lauding Salah, saying via TNT Sports: "A player with his numbers I’m not sure I will ever coach again. His whole development from the first talks we had to the talks we have now, as a man, is an incredible and very impressive development and growth – and as a player as well. Absolutely exceptional player, all-time great. No shadow of a doubt. I was blessed to have a few good ones, to be honest, but he is right up there and the numbers are super special.”
INEOS are in transfer talks to sign an exciting young gem for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United, according to a new report. Transfer speculation around Old Trafford is set to gather pace in the next few days and weeks, as the opening of the January transfer window gets closer.
INEOS make £62m "monster" a priority January transfer target for Man Utd
Man Utd are among the clubs keen on signing a new striker in January.
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Amorim will already know how big of a job it is at United to turn around their fortunes, so the Portuguese boss may be pushing the hierarchy to get their hands in their pockets and bring in one or two new arrivals.
One player who is on United’s radar is Tyler Dibling of Southampton, as he continues to impress in the Premier League. The winger has been the one shining light in what has been a disappointing campaign for the Saints so far. Dibling continues to impress, but for Southampton, that is turning into bad news, as United and several other Premier League teams have scouts monitoring his performances ahead of making a possible move in the New Year. The Saints are adamant he isn’t for sale, but they have also set a price of £20 million for the young star.
Signing a new striker looks to have surged to the top of Amorim’s wishlist in the last couple of weeks, as United have made signing Victor Osimhen a priority for January. The forward is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli for the season, but the Italian side are open to offers in the New Year, as they look to cash in on the striker. United are among the teams keen on signing Osimhen, but it is unclear if they would be willing to pay the £62 million that Napoli are looking for.
INEOS in transfer talks to sign £3m teenager Diego Leon
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are in talks to sign Diego Leon from Cerro Porteno. Leon is 17 years old and is currently playing football in his homeland of Paraguay.
Leon came through the academy at Cerro Porteno, making the step-up to the first team during the summer. The defender, whose main position is left-back, has performed very well this season for his club, and that has put him on the radar of the Red Devils.
Romano states that United are in “active talks” to sign Leon as a player for the future. The January transfer window opens in a few weeks, so if this deal does advance, it would likely go through then.
Apps
19
Goals
2
Assists
0
United signed midfielder Sekou Kone during the summer, and Romano reports that United have kept looking at talents from abroad, with Leon the next on their radar. He adds that a $4 million deal is being discussed, which is roughly £3 million, while talks are also being held with the player’s representatives. Left-back is a problem position for Amorim, so Leon’s arrival may be more for the future, and he could be seen as their future left-back for years to come.
Celtic had to compete against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday without Daizen Maeda, as the forward missed out on the match through injury.
Prior to the game, Brendan Rodgers confirmed the attacker’s absence: “Daizen Maeda will be out. He felt his hamstring a little bit towards the end of the last game against Motherwell. He went away internationally to see if it would get better, but he obviously didn’t play when he was away.
“So, he will miss this weekend, and we’ll assess it after that.”
The last line from the Celtic head coach means that it remains to be seen when the Japan international will be back and available for selection, with his availability for Thursday’s clash with Sturm Graz in doubt.
Maeda won the Premiership Player of the Year award in the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 16 goals and ten assists in 34 appearances in the division, per Sofascore, which is why his absence has been keenly felt.
Rodgers opted to go with Hyun-jun Yang in his place on the right wing for the clash with Dundee on Sunday, and it was not a call that paid off for the manager.
Why Hyun-jun Yang should be dropped by Celtic
The South Korea international, who held talks over a move to Birmingham near the end of the summer transfer window, started the match on the right flank, with Kelechi Iheanacho through the middle and Sebastian Tounekti on the left.
It only took 45 minutes for Rodgers to decide to withdraw him from the match, as the forward was hauled off at the break after a dismal opening half that saw the Hoops 1-0 down to Dundee.
Yang was incredibly ineffective in the first half. The winger, per Sofascore, missed a ‘big chance’ with his only shot and did not create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates.
Minutes
45
45
Shots
1
1
Big chances missed
1
1
Key passes
1
0
Big chances created
0
0
Dribbles completed
0/0
0/0
Unfortunately, as you can see in the table above, the player who came on in his place also failed to make an impact in the second half, as James Forrest produced a similarly dismal performance in the final third.
The lack of quality shown on the right wing from both players is a huge concern, given that it remains to be seen how long Maeda will be out of action for with his hamstring injury.
Yang’s only goal of the season so far came against Championship side Partick Thistle in the League Cup last month, as he has failed to provide a goal or an assist in seven outings in the Premiership and European competitions, per Sofascore.
This is why Rodgers should brutally ditch him from the starting line-up ahead of Thursday’s clash with Sturm Graz, as he has not done enough with the opportunities that he has been given.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
As Forrest also flopped against Dundee, and has not registered a single goal or assist this season, the Celtic head coach needs to get creative to solve the blow of losing Maeda to injury.
One inventive move that Rodgers could pull off would be to move Tounekti, who created four chances against Dundee, over to the right flank to occupy that space, with Marcelo Saracchi unleashed in a new role on the left wing.
Why Celtic should unleash Marcelo Saracchi in a new role
Tounekti’s 2.5 key passes per game in the Premiership, per Sofascore, show that he can provide quality and creativity in a wide position for the Hoops, which is why he should keep his place in the XI.
The Tunisia international could move over to the right wing, as Maeda did after playing on the left wing last season, to provide a threat in the final third on that side.
That would then allow Saracchi, who has played left-back for Celtic so far, to advance further forward into a left wing position, with Kieran Tierney behind him.
The Uruguay international, who was described as “very quick” by South American football expert Tim Vickery, has played 62 matches as a left midfielder in his career, per Transfermarkt, and provided nine assists in those games.
Saracchi has already shown Celtic supporters that he can offer quality at the top end of the pitch from a wide position, with his fantastic assist for Maeda against Kilmarnock last month.
The 27-year-old left-back’s attacking output across his four appearances in the Premiership for the Hoops since his move on loan from Boca Junior suggest that he could thrive in a left wing position as an emergency option on Thursday.
Shots
1.17
Top 24%
xA
0.30
Top 7%
Assists
0.39
Top 1%
Chances created
1.57
Top 20%
Successful crosses
2.35
Top 1%
Cross accuracy
40%
Top 10%
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed star has excelled as a creative force for the Scottish giants in his limited minutes on the pitch this season, particularly as a crosser from the left flank.
Meanwhile, Forrest has created 0.23 xA per 90 and Yang has created 0.12 xA per 90 in the Premiership, per FotMob, which shows that Saracchi has offered more quality than Celtic’s right wing options, whilst playing at left-back.
This suggests that Rodgers would improve the creativity within his side if he moves Tounekti, who is a proven creative force, over to the right to unleash Saracchi in a brand-new role that he has yet to play for the Hoops.
It is now down to the manager to make the bold call to drop Yang and opt for Saracchi on the wing over bringing Forrest into the starting XI next time out.
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Celtic have a midfielder in their squad who is a better option than potential signing Bobby Clark.
Manchester United travel to Arsenal on Wednesday night looking to make it two Premier League wins in a row after last weekend’s 4-0 triumph over Everton at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim is yet to lose a game in charge of the Red Devils, winning two and drawing one of his first three games at the helm, with tonight undoubtedly his hardest challenge yet.
The Gunners currently sit six points ahead of United, with a win for the visitors denying Mikel Arteta’s title aspirations whilst strengthening their own top-four ambitions.
The meeting at the Emirates this evening will be a good test for Amorim, giving the 39-year-old a perfect opportunity to see how far his side have developed since his appointment just a couple of weeks ago.
He will have numerous decisions to make about his selection tonight, with the former Sporting CP boss needing to make some key calls in various positions ahead of the clash.
Man Utd injury news ahead of Arsenal clash
Ahead of the meeting in North London, it was confirmed that left-back Luke Shaw would miss the match after picking up yet another injury setback this week.
The England international has only featured three times for the Red Devils this season, all of which coming as a substitute since Amorim’s appointment a couple of weeks ago.
Luke Shaw
Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martínez will both also miss the game at the Emirates, after both picking up their fifth bookings of the season in the recent win over Everton, subsequently earning themselves a one-match ban.
Centre-backs Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof have both picked up knocks in recent weeks, with the pair both unlikely to make any impact on the clash against Arteta’s side this evening.
Such issues at the back could allow one player to have some part to play in the meeting, ending his own torrid luck with fitness issues over the last couple of months.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The Man Utd ace who could stop Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, presenting a real threat against Amorim’s men in the clash at the Emirates.
The 23-year-old has started 12 of the Gunners’ 13 league outings, contributing with five goals and ten assists, with Mohamed Salah the only player to register more contributions this campaign.
Undoubtedly, such a record will inject fear into the United fanbase, but if Amorim is to prevent the English star from causing any chaos against his side tonight, he must hand Leny Yoro his first competitive start for the club amid several problems at the back.
The 19-year-old, who was linked with a move to Arsenal before completing a deal at Old Trafford, is yet to feature after picking up an injury in pre-season – but tonight could be his first opportunity for his new side.
Yoro has yet to have the opportunity to showcase his talents and demonstrate why the hierarchy was so eager to fork out £52m for his signature despite his tender age.
The teenager was described as an “11/10 talent” by scout Jacek Kulig and produced some incredible numbers in Ligue 1 for Lille last season, with his defensive figures potentially playing a huge role in preventing Saka from increasing his already impressive attacking tally.
Games played
32
Goals
2
Pass accuracy
92%
Tackles won
70%
Duels won
3.5
Aerial duels won
65%
Recoveries
4.2
United’s injury issues at the back have been plaguing them for months on end, but Yoro’s return, coupled with the other problems, could allow the youngster to nail down his starting position.
Leny Yoro for Man Utd.
It would be a huge ask to chuck him in at the deep end against one of the division’s biggest talents, but it is a great opportunity for Yoro to prove his worth and help lead the Red Devils to another victory under the new management team.
Amorim must unleash "unbelievable" Man Utd star who's their very own Saka
Manchester United are looking to maintian their unbeaten run under new boss Ruben Amorim.
There’s a lot to like about Manchester United at the moment. Of course, many more improvements are needed before Ruben Amorim’s project hits the desired level, but recent results and, perhaps more importantly, performances, suggest a page may have been turned.
Amorim has stuck to his guns in the Old Trafford hot seat and received more than a measure of criticism and question marks in return. But are the signs of vindication just about appearing for the thought-filled tactician?
A summer well spent has seen first-team outliers cast away and upgrades in the form of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha arrive and work their stuff under the Theatre’s lights.
Benjamin Sesko is a talented striker, but the jury remains out in regard to his potential as the leading man for many years to come.
What Sesko has to prove at Man Utd
Sesko joined Man United from RB Leipzig for a £74m fee this summer, ending a protracted search for a new striker.
So far, the 23-year-old has only scored two goals and provided one assist across 11 matches, but his link-up play and presence in the area offer much promise.
Podcast host Adam Joseph noted that the Slovenian “needed a better touch” during Saturday’s hair-raising draw to Forest, unable to capitalise on the wizardry of Mbeumo. But this will come.
Mbeumo and Cunha, after all, are seasoned Premier League stars, whereas Sesko is only a few months into his career in English football and younger besides.
Bryan Mbeumo
11
5
Casemiro
9
3
Bruno Fernandes
11
2
Benjamin Sesko
11
2
Harry Maguire
8
2
We know he can score goals. But Man United’s finest strikers in modern times have proved they have many more strings to their bow.
Take Robin Van Persie. The iconic centre-forward was hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson for his “sensational” shooting and for having “an impact as big as anyone” at Old Trafford after joining from Arsenal for £24m in 2012.
His movement and intelligence in the final third set him apart from the masses, and Sesko, tall and well-built, could emulate the Dutchman in that regard.
But there might actually be an up-and-coming Carrington talent with more potential than the summer recruit.
Man Utd's biggest striker talent since RVP
Last week, Amorim acknowledged JJ Gabriel publicly and confirmed he has been paying attention to the 15-year-old forward’s progress, even handing him an opportunity to train with the first team.
Hailed for his “exceptional skillset” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, “combining flair and confidence on the ball”, Gabriel hasn’t yet developed positionally, capable both on the left and in a central striking berth, but there’s so much to like and he could even make his debut in the not-too-distant future.
Already a regular for the U18s, Gabriel has shattered expectations with his prodigious technical ability and fleet-footed work on the ball. He’s too good for the youngsters around him, and journalist Nathan Salt confirmed that “one insider thinks ‘he’s already better than Premier League players'”.
Correspondent Steven Railston has even suggested that Gabriel “the best talent United’s academy has ever seen”.
Sometimes, you can just tell. Gabriel is a one-of-a-kind dribbler and is the top goalscorer in the U18 Premier League this season, with seven goals (and one assist) from just eight matches. Darren Fletcher has predominantly used him centrally, despite being schooled out wide, but the prolific potential of this young star suggests this might be a wise call.
Though he’s not physically developed, nor has he tried his hand on the senior stage, Gabriel has so much potential, and there’s no question that his ceiling reaches higher than Sesko’s.
Could the teenager turn out to be United’s best since Van Persie? It is far too early to tell, but the signs so far are more than promising, to be sure.
Man Utd's "anonymous" flop is rapidly becoming a bigger problem than Dalot
Ruben Amorim has a job on his hands to put one Manchester United player on the right track.
Norwich City ended their run of seven matches without a win in the Championship by thrashing Wayne Rooney’s struggling Plymouth Argyle side 6-1 at Carrow Road on Tuesday night.
A second hat-trick of the season for Borja Sainz and goals from Shane Duffy, Anis Ben Slimane, and Ante Crnac wrapped up all three points for Johannes Hoff Thorup’s team in impressive fashion.
It has been an odd campaign to assess for the Danish head coach with plenty of good and bad moments, as well as many injury and suspension issues to deal with.
He was still without talisman Josh Sargent, midfield maestro Marcelino Nunez, dominant defender Jose Cordoba, and England U21 international Kellen Fisher for the clash with Plymouth, whilst captain Kenny McLean played for the first time in four games after a suspension.
JoshSargentof the U.S. reacts
One player who had a particularly interesting evening against The Pilgrims was central defender Duffy, whose performance somewhat summed up the entire season for the team.
Shane Duffy's performance against Plymouth
The Ireland international scored his second goal of the campaign in the second half to make it 3-1 to the Canaries, rising highest to brilliantly guide Emi Marcondes’ corner into the back of the net.
It was his third league goal for Norwich, from an xG tally of 4.24, and it came after he should have scored in the first half, blazing an effort over the bar from point-blank range after McLean flicked a corner on at the near post.
Duffy’s use of the ball also came with mixed success. He completed a whopping 104 passes but left a lot to be desired after two poor concessions of possession directly led to shots for Plymouth.
The veteran defender also lost four of his five ground duels, as opposition forwards were too quick for the centre-back to deal with at times.
However, as you can see in the clip above, it was his aggressive interception and positive pass that sparked the move for Sainz’s second goal of the game.
It was a match that showcased the best and the worst of Duffy, who provides a fantastic aerial presence and aggression to Norwich’s play out of possession, but who can also be guilty of coughing up the ball in dangerous areas and struggling against quick attackers.
Shane Duffy's performances this season
The 32-year-old colossus, who joined on a free transfer from Fulham in the summer of 2023, has started all 17 of the club’s Championship games this season, which speaks to how much Thorup trusts him to perform each week.
As was illustrated in the clash with Plymouth, Duffy has generally struggled to deal with forwards in challenges on the ground this season, losing 59% of his duels on the deck.
Whereas, his aerial duel success rate of 64% shows that he has, largely, dealt with crosses and long balls. This helps the Canaries to deal with set-pieces and with teams who boast tall or physically impressive centre-forwards, who could bully or dominate weaker centre-backs in the air.
Appearances
17
Goals
2
Pass accuracy
90%
Ground duel success rate
41%
Aerial duel success rate
64%
Duffy turns 33 in January and, given the direction the club is now heading in under Thorup and sporting director Ben Knapper, it would make sense for the coaching staff to have one eye on whom the next player to step into the right-sided centre-back role could be.
One man who stands out as an obvious candidate, after he came on to make his senior league debut for Norwich, is 20-year-old academy graduate Brad Hills.
The England U20 international had been an unused substitute on eight occasions in the Championship this season before his cameo on Tuesday, and the potential is there for him to develop into an upgrade on Duffy.
Why Brad Hills could be an upgrade on Shane Duffy
Whilst there is no urgent need for Norwich to replace the Irishman, or to fast-track Hills’ development, Thorup may have an idea on a timeline for the English titan, who is firmly in the pipeline to become a future star at Carrow Road.
After Hills put pen to paper on a new long-term contract in the summer, the Danish head coach predicted that the central defender will become a “regular starter” for the Canaries in the future.
The 20-year-old star spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Accrington Stanley in League Two and his form in his first season at senior level suggests that he has the attributes to succeed as Duffy’s eventual successor.
Upon his arrival on loan, Accrington manager John Coleman described him as the “pick of the bunch” from the Norwich academy, and he will surely have been delighted with the impact that Hills went on to have on the pitch, winning their Player of the Season award.
Duel success rate
65.6%
Top 15%
Aerial duel success rate
68.4%
Top 11%
Interceptions
1.79
Top 14.4%
Possession won final third
0.15
Top 14.4%
Recoveries
5.58
Top 18.6%
As you can see in the table above, the Norwich-born brute was a dominant force at the back for his side in League Two last term, ranking highly for his duel success rate, recoveries, and interceptions.
The rate at which he intercepted passes and won possession in the final third suggests that Hills could be well-suited to the role that Duffy has in this current Norwich side, as the youngster reads the game well and is aggressive in his play, pushing up to win the ball back for his team in advanced positions.
You also have to be comfortable on the ball to suit a Thorup team and Hills showcased his quality in possession, completing 91% of his attempted passes and winning ten of his 12 duels, in a 4-3 win over Stevenage in the League Cup earlier this season.
The Norwich academy graduate scored an unfortunate own goal towards the end of that match but his general play, with his reliable passing and dominant defensive work, was impressive.
Thorup could, now, look to slowly integrate him into Championship football, after his short cameo at left-back against Plymouth, with a view to him being the successor to Duffy in the future.
The potential, as shown by his statistics in the EFL Cup and in League Two for Accrington, is there for him to potentially be an upgrade on the Irishman, as he can be dominant in duels both on the floor and in the air due to his superior athleticism.
It is now down to Hills to take his opportunities when they come and to remain consistent with his performances, in order to push on and secure a spot in the starting XI.
One Tottenham star appears to be finding some joy on international duty, and has been praised for his heroics following some recent criticism from supporters.
Spurs face Man City after return of Premier League football
Following a disastrous end to their last round of fixtures prior to this break, Spurs face a difficult task in the form of a trip to take on Premier League champions Man City at the Etihad Stadium.
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Right now, there hasn’t been a better time to play City in quite a while, with the Sky Blues enduring four consecutive defeats in all competitions for the first time in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career.
The first of those losses actually came at the hands of Ange Postecoglou, who guided Tottenham to a 2-1 win over City in the Carabao Cup just over a fortnight ago, courtesy of Timo Werner’s first goal since March and a brilliant long-range strike from Pape Matar Sarr.
Man City vs Tottenham
November 23
Tottenham vs Fulham
December 1
Bournemouth vs Tottenham
December 5
Tottenham vs Chelsea
December 8
Southampton vs Tottenham
December 15
However, if they’re to replicate those heroics against a Guardiola side still boasting plenty of quality, they will have to be far better than their last two performances.
Spurs suffered a 3-2 defeat to Turkish champions Galatasaray last week, which arguably flattered Postecoglou, as the home side could have come away with a much greater win considering the chances they created.
That was followed by a dismal 2-1 loss at home to Ipswich Town in the Premier League, with the likes of Radu Dragusin and Pedro Porro enduring nightmares in Tottenham’s last match.
Depending on whether Micky van de Ven will be back at that point, who could come back in to replace the former in Postecoglou’s line-up, both Dragusin and Porro will need to put in far better shifts.
Another star who was subject to criticism after his display against Ipswich was big-name forward Son Heung-min. The £190,000-per-week forward boasts three goals and three assists from his opening eight Premier League matches this season, but supporters weren’t impressed with his performance against Kieran McKenna’s side.
Tottenham star Son Heung-min hailed after South Korea heroics
That is according to pundit John Wenham, who told Tottenham News that Son could get a confidence boost from his South Korea performances on international duty.
The 32-year-old scored his 50th goal for South Korea with a penalty against Kuwait on Thursday, leading his country to a 3-1 win in their World Cup qualifier.
“To reach 50 goals for South Korea is impressive,” said Wenham. “It was a penalty on this occasion. However, you still need to score. I never devalue a penalty, they’re still difficult to convert.
“Therefore, hopefully, that will give Son a confidence booster. He was someone who seemed to take a lot of fan criticism for his display against Ipswich. I don’t think it was against him personally, I just think it is because his standards are so high. He is a world-class player, so people expect a lot of him.”