Enzo Maresca's side barely needed to get out of first gear in order to beat their rivals on an ill-tempered night at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League's top four with a 1-0 win at home to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night. The Blues moved back ahead of Manchester City and Newcastle United with the victory, ensuring Spurs' record at Stamford Bridge remains at only one win since 1990.

Contrastingly, the result meant Tottenham remained mired in 14th place with 34 points after 30 games as the pressure mounted on Ange Postecoglou, who clashed with fans during the derby.

Chelsea nearly went ahead inside 60 seconds when a straight ball over the top from Trevoh Chalobah found Nicolas Jackson, who bundled into Guglielmo Vicario and had Micky van de Ven's clearance come off his shin and strike the post. Malo Gusto then hit the side-netting with a fierce strike soon afterwards, with half of Stamford Bridge fooled into thinking it had gone the right side of the upright.

Midway through the first half, a cutback from an unmarked Cole Palmer through the Spurs box found Enzo Fernandez, but Destiny Udogie was on hand to smother the Argentine and keep the ball from rolling across the line. On the stroke of half-time, the Blues should have notched themselves ahead. Pedro Neto's deep cross flew all the way to Jadon Sancho, whose top corner-bound strike was brushed over by Vicario.

Within five minutes of the restart, Chelsea had their opening goal. Palmer shifted out to the left and whipped in a delicious cross for Fernandez to thunder in with his head having escaped the marking of Tottenham's half-committed defenders.

The hosts didn't have to wait long to find the net again, either. Spurs failed to deal with a free-kick into the box, and Moises Caicedo was on hand to volley home from just inside 18-yard area, but after an extremely lengthy VAR check lasting several minutes, it was ruled out for offside on the initial delivery.

Out of absolutely nothing, Tottenham thought they had levelled it up with little over 20 minutes to play. Pape Matar Sarr, just on as a substitute, robbed Caicedo of possession before letting fly from 25 yards, and Robert Sanchez could only parry the shot onto the underside of the bar and in. However, a VAR check led to referee Craig Pawson deciding Sarr had clipped Caicedo's leg with his boot to win possession and Spurs' equaliser was cancelled.

Palmer nearly grabbed a goal for himself when his looping shot had to be swiped aside by Vicario before Sanchez became the hero at the other end for denying Son Heung-min at point-blank range. The Blues' win was confirmed after 12 minutes of added time in light of the two VAR delays.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (7/10):

It was a quiet evening for the Spaniard until Son raced to the back post in the last minute of regulation time, coming up with a stretching stop. In that sense, he almost literally saved the points.

Malo Gusto (6/10):

Used as more of a traditional full-back without stepping into midfield as Maresca often demands. Son flew by him early doors but the Frenchman shut up shop after that.

Trevoh Chalobah (7/10):

Was desperately unlucky not to have registered an assist in the first minute with an exquisite pass to Jackson. That got his confidence going and he continually tried his luck with similar balls. Untroubled by Solanke.

Levi Colwill (7/10):

Likewise given no real problem by Spurs' toothless attackers. A mini-brawl ensued late in the first half when Colwill was shoved over by Romero, which was as much trouble as he really got into.

Marc Cucurella (7/10):

Ruthless and aggressive from the off, making Odobert and Johnson's lives misery on that flank. Chelsea didn't need his newfound scoring prowess on this occasion.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Moises Caicedo (7/10):

Sustained a hefty knock within the first couple of minutes, which required treatment on three separate occasions. The Ecuadorian was able to soldier on and the Blues required his steely relentlessness to win the midfield battle.

Enzo Fernandez (8/10):

Moved back into a deeper role upon Palmer's return. Sought to be the protagonist with an extensive range of passing and crashing of the Spurs box, getting his reward with a goal. Given a rest for 12 minutes of added time, replaced by Dewsbury-Hall.

Cole Palmer (8/10):

Passed fit for this one having missed out on last month's trip to Arsenal and England's two World Cup qualifiers. Took a while to find his sharpness again before bursting into life, first testing Vicario with a stinging shot and then picking out a beaut of an assist for Fernandez. Subbed in added time for another defender in Adarabioyo.

AFPAttack

Pedro Neto (5/10):

Tested Tottenham with whipped crosses in the first half, but that threat couldn't be sustained on his flank.

Nicolas Jackson (6/10):

Made his return from injury and was so close to being back among the goals, only for the ball to get away from him when trying to bring down Chalobah's first-minute long pass. Subbed for James late on.

Jadon Sancho (6/10):

Had the beating of Spence as he pleaded though frustrated the home crowd with his consistent indecision thereafter. Withdrawn for Madueke midway through the second half.

Subs & Manager

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Back from injury via the bench without much to note.

Reece James (6/10):

Wasn't risked from the off and only got a runaround in the final stages.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (N/A):

Much of his work was off-ball for 12 minutes of added time.

Tosin Adarabioyo (N/A):

Slotted into a back five to see out the win.

Enzo Maresca (7/10):

Chelsea should have won by more and a better team than Tottenham would have made them pay, though how much of that blame you can put at the manager's door is questionable.

Birmingham City will no doubt use this January transfer window as a way to improve here and there, ahead of a frantic 2025 which could see them instantly return back up to the Championship.

The Blues certainly showed this summer that they have a significant pulling power, despite dropping down to League One disastrously, with Jay Stansfield returning to the club permanently from Premier League side Fulham after a promising loan stint.

Therefore, this coming window could well see them flex their muscles again in the hectic market, with one face rumoured for a spectacular return on loan.

Birmingham transfer rumours

The transfer rumour dominating conversation around St. Andrew’s at the moment is the fact Nathan Redmond could be set for a reunion with the Blues next month, with Burnley willing to allow the ageing winger time away from the Clarets on loan.

Of course, Redmond isn’t the wide-eyed youngster he once was when rising through the ranks at his boyhood club, with injuries really derailing his time at Turf Moor to date, leading to zero appearances coming his way so far this season in the Championship.

But, the 30-year-old would still be an unbelievable coup for the third tier regardless of any visible signs of decline, having notched up 28 goals and 25 assists in the Premier League during his top-flight prime.

It would all be resting on the fact he could reach some top heights for the Blues still even during his twilight years, with the deal being on a loan basis also meaning there’s little risk involved.

But, Birmingham boss Chris Davies could already have a player in a similar vein to Redmond, who only joined his star-studded ranks this summer and is taking League One by storm.

Birmingham's very own Redmond

Much like Redmond, who is capable of playing down either wing, Willum Thor Willumsson has proven himself to be an adaptable presence in attack since leaving Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles behind for a new challenge in England.

Adept at starring down Redmond’s familiar right-wing, or in a number ten spot, the 26-year-old has been an instant hit with his brand new fanbase, with the need for the 30-year-old to rejoin on loan lessened when you glance at the Icelandic’s heroics.

Whilst Stansfield has hogged the limelight as one of Birmingham’s most dangerous sparks up top all season long, Willumsson has also been chipping away with consistently electric displays, with an ability to finish off chances coolly under pressure like this one he converted in the FA Cup versus non-league Sutton United in November.

He also has a growing collection of strikes in the third tier, with Davies singling out his 6 foot 4 ace for praise also last month when describing his level of performances as “excellent.”

Stat – per 90 mins*

Willumsson

Games played

17

Games started

15

Goals scored

4

Assists

4

Shots*

1.9

Big chances missed

7

Big chances created

7

Ball recoveries*

3.7

Duels won*

4.7

In total, the Reykjavík-born midfielder has an impressive tally of four goals and four assists next to his name in league action, with a daringness in his game to keep running – much like Redmond in his prime – with 3.7 ball recoveries averaged per League One clash.

Amazingly, when leaping up the age brackets at the Blues all the way into the first team, the homegrown youngster’s best goal and assist haul for a season in the senior mix only came in at ten, with Willumsson already surpassing that with 12 goal contributions so far.

Whilst the romance of a potential reunion deal makes this switch an attractive one to pursue, Davies could already have enough attacking firepower to hand with Willumsson, Stansfield and Alfie May firing away.

It will be intriguing to see if a deal can be reached for Redmond to return to his hometown club, as Birmingham do everything in their power to try and move back up to the Championship swiftly.

Birmingham's "really talented" teen could be their new Nathan Redmond

Birmingham City will hope they can keep a firm grip on this youngster.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 10, 2024

da bet esporte： Aston Villa’s form in the Premier League may have been mixed over the last few months, but Unai Emery will still be confident of leading the club to another top-four finish.

da fezbet： Progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League is all but guaranteed, while the Villa Park side are due to kick off their FA Cup campaign against West Ham this week. Add in the league matches, and Emery’s squad will be fully tested over the next few weeks.

Aston Villa’s previous five January signings

Player

Club signed from

Morgan Rogers

Middlesbrough

Kosta Nedeljkovic

Red Star Belgrade

Joe Gauci

Adelaide United

Lino Sousa

Arsenal

Jhon Duran

Chicago Fire

Via Transfermarkt

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Posts ByStephan Georgiou Feb 3, 2025

As such, the January transfer window could see plenty of arrivals and departures as the Spaniard looks to enhance his team while shipping out some of the deadwood.

Potential Aston Villa incomings Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)

With just Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins as his two senior centre-forwards, Emery could have a big problem heading into the second half of the season if one gets injured.

With this in mind, Borussia Dortmund striker Donyell Malen has emerged as a key target, with Villa even recently submitting an offer for the player.

According to German outlet BILD, Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl isn’t budging from their €25-30m (£21-25m) valuation of the former Arsenal academy gem, with Villa reportedly offering €18m (£15m).

The report states that an improved offer could be made, as the manager is keen to lure Malen to Birmingham with a salary of around £7m per year.

Nicolas Kuhn (Celtic)

Another area in which Emery looks keen to strengthen is out wide, specifically on the right flank. Leon Bailey hasn’t replicated the form of last term, managing to register just four goal contributions across all competitions this season.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham Hotspur and Villa are eyeing a move for Celtic sensation Nicolas Kuhn this winter, who has been in superb form during the first half of the 2024/25 season.

Indeed, the German has scored 16 goals while recording 11 assists for the Parkhead side, who sit top of the league and on course for a fourth title in a row.

The report states that Celtic could easily treble the money they paid to sign the winger just over 18 months ago, which means an offer of over £10m may well be enough for Emery to land the player.

Antonio Silva (Benfica)

Before the transfer window even opened, it was reported that Villa were keen on bringing in centre-back Antonio Silva to bolster their defensive options.

The 21-year-old is a sought-after talent, with Newcastle United also seemingly keen, while the youngster reportedly has his heart set on a move to Juventus.

Nothing concrete has arrived from the Serie A side, which suggests Emery must make his move now, or he could regret it later.

It is no secret that the Spaniard is keen to add another defender to his squad, especially with Diego Carlos attracting interest, but only time will tell whether Silva is tempted to move to the Midlands.

Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea)

Carney Chukwuemeka moved from Villa to Chelsea in August 2022 for a staggering £20m, which represented excellent business by the Midlands side considering he had played just 16 times for the senior team.

However, his spell at Stamford Bridge hasn’t been as productive as many hoped. Since moving to west London, the 21-year-old has featured 32 times for the club across all competitions.

With Enzo Maresca making a few signings during the summer transfer window, he has slipped down the pecking order and Villa are apparently keen on re-signing him this month to add some depth to their midfield.

One thing that might put off Emery is the price tag. Chukwuemeka is available, but only if a club stumps up £40m in the process.

Considering he might not be an automatic choice in the starting XI, this fee is lavish to say the least, and the manager might go elsewhere for better value unless Chelsea want to negotiate.

Related 7 players Chelsea could sell in January

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Posts ByBarney Lane Jan 2, 2025 Potential Aston Villa departures Diego Carlos (Fenerbahçe)

When Steven Gerrard signed Diego Carlos in 2022, the Brazilian was expected to become the cornerstone of his side, forging a key partnership with Tyrone Mings at the heart of the Villa defence.

On just his second appearance, he suffered a serious injury which almost kept him out for the entire 2022/23 campaign, before he returned to full fitness and made 38 appearances under Emery in 2023/24.

So far this season, Diego Carlos has made only 14 starts, and it looks as though his time in the Midlands could be coming to an end.

Reportedly, Fenerbahce are keen on signing the centre-back, contacting Villa over a potential move this month.

With Pau Torres injured, Emery may look to bring in another defender before sanctioning any departures, which could put any move to Turkey on the back burner. But if a decent offer arrives, Villa would be foolish to turn it down.

Jaden Philogene (Everton)

Jaden Philogene could once again be on his way out of Villa, just months after re-joining the club.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton have opened talks to sign the youngster, who has made just 15 appearances since returning to Villa, failing to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI this term.

Romano states that the Toffees are attempting to make the move a permanent one rather than a loan deal, which could work out well for all parties involved, especially with Emery looking to raise some funds for new arrivals.

Nothing has been mentioned with regard to a potential fee, but considering Villa paid around £18m to lure him back to Villa Park during the summer window, Everton may need to at least match this fee should they wish to sign him.

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Posts ByBarney Lane Dec 3, 2024

Surrey batter not looking too far ahead after successful shift up order under Stokes and McCullum

Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Apr-2023

Ollie Pope is among many within English cricket watching Ben Stokes at the IPL with bated breath.Despite nursing a troublesome left knee, Stokes chose to fulfil his commitment to Chennai Super Kings. Reinforced by a cortisone injection prior to travelling out to India, England’s Test captain is currently two games into his stint and even bowled in the victory over Lucknow Super Giants on Monday, albeit an over that went for 18. Even with promises from the man himself that he won’t take undue risks, and the reassurance offered by head coach Brendon McCullum that the medical team at Chennai – one of McCullum’s former franchises – will look after Stokes, everything is crossed he arrives back in one piece ahead of an Ashes summer.For Pope, the concern is a little more complex. While Stuart Broad was the unofficial vice-captain during the 2022 summer, it was Pope who actually fulfilled the role over the winter, skippering two warm-up matches – against England Lions in Abu Dhabi ahead of December’s Pakistan tour, then in New Zealand ahead of the two-match series in February. Granted, they were low-key affairs (both two-day matches which Stokes chose to skip), but the England management gave Pope the opportunities to further his leadership credentials and were impressed by what they saw.Related

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Stokes has been reticent to name a deputy officially. But should he be unable to take to the field at any point this summer – he might even choose to sit out the Ireland Test at Lord’s which begins on June 1 – Pope is evidently the next in line. Though he hopes otherwise, Pope backs himself to do the job, if required. His only previous experience in competitive cricket came in September 2021, leading Surrey in a County Championship match against Glamorgan.”It’s not a conversation that’s been had, it’s just something that if it comes about, then I feel confident,” Pope said. “I feel the cricket brain’s good enough to allow that to happen. Whether they choose to do that in a Test, I’ve honestly no idea.”Fingers crossed, touch wood – his [Stokes] knee’s all good. Firstly, that’s not something we’ve spoken about. I don’t know if Stokesy did go down, I’m not sure who would do it to be honest, we’ve not spoken about it.”There’s really one Ben Stokes, isn’t there, in England. And I think that’s something that if he did get injured and someone had to do it, no one is going to try and replicate exactly what he does, but take the ideas he implemented into the team. Do it slightly in their own way, but continue the messages that he provides if someone were to do it if he did get injured. Again, touch wood, he’s all good.”Pope enjoyed leading those warm-up matches and believes it has given him a new perspective on the field. Throughout five Tests in Pakistan and New Zealand – four of them England wins – he watched Stokes a little closer: “What he does with the bowlers and what he does with the fields and how he talks to his bowlers as well.”He seemingly took those lessons on board, and was a more vocal presence in games, whether consulted by Stokes between overs or offering his own suggestions regarding on-field tactics. Coaches are particularly enamoured with how Pope has emerged as a more senior member of the squad, something which is no doubt linked to taking more responsibility as the No. 3 batter in this exciting new iteration of the Test team.That, ultimately, will be his primary focus this summer. Since moving to first-drop, Pope is averaging 41.63 across 12 caps, a marked improvement from the 28.66 across the previous 13. As impressive as the two centuries and five fifties in that time is the strike rate of 75.04, in line with the positive mantra espoused by Stokes and McCullum.Pope is gearing up to start the Championship season with Surrey•Getty Images

Pope credits the pair for making him a better player now. The shift in mindset has benefitted him greatly, as has the faith shown in him. This time last year, after being dropped after a dispiriting Ashes series – England lost 4-0 and Pope averaged 11.16 from three Tests – he boldly decided to call up a newly appointed Stokes and request a move up the order. It was a gamble, from both parties, that has paid off.”I feel a much better player,” Pope said. “I’ve got a better defence and a better game plan. That’s come through just constantly playing.”Our new mindset in that England team means I go into a Test series really excited for it, rather than thinking: ‘Oh, if I miss out this time, I hope it’s not going to be my last.'”They should be the best times of your life, playing for England, and they’ve [Stokes and McCullum] made that pretty clear. Your career’s too short for you not to love those moments so that’s a good message for me. You’ve got to enjoy it while you’re there.”Surrey begin the defence of their County Championship title on Thursday, against Lancashire at Old Trafford. It will be the first of six matches they will be able to call on Pope before the international season gets going. Having contributed 700 runs at an average of 70 last time around, his aim, for now, is to get the club off to a strong start in Division One. Then he will allow himself to get excited for the challenges ahead, particularly those five Tests against Australia.”What worked for me last year was that when I was at Surrey and I was around for the start of the Championship, I didn’t necessarily think I was going to be playing for England. I wasn’t thinking about England.”That’s going to be my plan again this year. I’ve got half an eye on it just from a mental and physical state, so you know you can peak at the right time. But while I’m here I’m going to 100 percent concentrate on this because that’s what’ll put me in good stead for the Ashes. It’s something to really look forward to, something I’m really excited for. But while you’re here in a Surrey shirt, why not enjoy this as well?”

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2016Woakes was dropped on 8 and responded with a Test-best 39•Getty ImagesHe was eventually caught behind off Suranga Lakmal•Getty ImagesMoeen also survived an early drop in the gully on 36•Getty ImagesHe brought up his fifty with a lofted drive off Rangana Herath•Getty ImagesNuwan Pradeep claimed his fourth wicket when Stuart Broad edged to the keeper•Getty ImagesMoeen brought up his second Test century with a four over long-off•Getty ImagesIt was his first century since Sri Lanka’s last tour in 2014•Getty ImagesMoeen cut loose after reaching his hundred, as Sri Lanka wilted•Getty ImagesRangana Herath became the third Sri Lankan to reach 300 Test wickets•Getty Images… but Moeen wasn’t among them as he finished on 155 not out•Getty ImagesDimuth Karunaratne was bowled behind his legs for 9•Getty Images… to give James Anderson his first wicket of the innings•Getty ImagesBroad then removed Kaushal Silva…•Getty Images…thanks to a good low catch from Jonny Bairstow•Getty ImagesDinesh Chandimal did not last long, edging to slip for 4•Getty ImagesChris Woakes then got in on the act, removing Angelo Mathews as Sri Lanka slipped to 58 for 4•Getty ImagesHe then picked up Kusal Mendis…•Getty Images…and Milinda Siriwardana in the same over to put England well on top•Getty ImagesLate in the day, Joe Root caught a rebound off James Vince to leave Sri Lanka 90 for 8 and once again in deep trouble•Getty Images

It’s been a confusing season for Ipswich Town so far this year.

Kieran McKenna’s side have looked incredible in games against some of the Premier League’s big boys like Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, but then somewhat lacklustre against the more beatable sides like West Ham United and Leicester City.

That pattern continued on Tuesday night as the Tractor Boys fell to a 1-0 home defeat to struggling Crystal Palace, and while they weren’t blown away, it was still an incredibly disappointing result.

There were tepid displays all over the pitch for McKenna’s side, but one of the worst was Jack Clarke, who just hasn’t looked like himself this year, and if reports are to be believed, he could soon have some more competition due to a transfer reminiscent of Ali Al-Hamadi’s.

Clarke's struggles this season

Ipswich opted to pay Sunderland £15m for Clarke this summer, and while that’s a lot of money for someone who had never played in the Premier League before, it was understandable based on his form for the Black Cats.

For example, across the 22/23 and 23/24 campaigns, the York-born “diamond”, as former manager Tony Mowbray described him, scored a whopping 26 goals and provided 18 assists in 92 appearances.

That means the former Leeds United prospect averaged a goal involvement every 2.19 games, which is undeniably impressive for a wide player and certainly good enough to warrant a move to the top flight.

However, for whatever reason, the Englishman’s sensational form for Sunderland has not followed him to Suffolk, and, as things stand, he’s provided just a single assist in 13 appearances, which, to put it lightly, just isn’t good enough.

Now, in his defence, it’s unlikely that his talent has suddenly evaporated, and in time, he could reach the heady heights he did in the northeast, but at the moment, McKenna needs another wideman he can call on when Sammie Szmodics needs rest, and therefore it would be wise to sign a rival for Clarke.

Fortunately, that may be happening, as the Tractor Boys were linked to an up-and-coming EFL talent just a few days ago who could be the ideal candidate.

The EFL talent who could rival Clarke

So, to get straight to the point, the promising talent in question is Chesterfield forward James Berry-McNally, who, according to a report from Spain late last week, has caught Ipswich’s eye this season.

The report claims that, alongside the Tractor Boys, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are keen to land the 23-year-old and that his £5m price tag has not deterred any of them.

Were the Blues to go ahead and secure the Englishman’s signature next year, it would mirror the move for Al-Hamadi in that it would be the club once again dipping into the fourth tier for an up-and-coming youngster to help give them a boost part-way through the season.

Moreover, like the Iraqi international, the Chesterfield ace is thriving and clearly a cut above the rest in the league.

For example, in 21 games so far, the Wigan-born dynamo has scored nine goals and provided two assists, which is made all the more impressive by the fact that ten of his 21 appearances have been in left-midfield.

Ultimately, nobody should expect Berry-McNally to come into this Ipswich team and immediately displace Clarke and Szmodics on the left.

However, with the former clearly struggling, he would be able to provide more competition for a place, which could, in turn, push the former Sunderland ace to get back to his best.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 1, 2024

Manchester United’s defence of the FA Cup begins on Sunday afternoon with one of the hardest games they could have asked for, an away trip to Arsenal.

The Emirates Stadium plays host to the two most successful clubs in FA Cup history. United will be looking to right some wrongs against the Gunners, who recently beat them in the Premier League.

United’s impressive triumph in the 2023/24 edition of the FA Cup was the positive note in a poor season. They beat local rivals Manchester City 2-0 at Wembley, thanks to goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

Ahead of the defence of their crown, United’s team news for the trip to North London was announced in the days leading up to the game.

United’s team news vs. Arsenal

The big concern for Ruben Amorim and United is the fact that star man Amad Diallo may miss the game after picking up a small knock. The attacker, who just signed a new deal at Old Trafford, is not guaranteed to be fit but Amorim explained he is hopeful the Ivorian will be available.

There are a couple of confirmed absentees for United at the weekend. Two of those are defenders Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, with Amorim confirming the centre-back pair will still not be fit in time.

England teammates Luke Shaw and Mason Mount are also set to miss the clash at the Emirates Stadium. The pair have both been out for several weeks, with Shaw’s last appearance coming against Everton on the 1st of December and Mount last featured away to Man City in the same month.

As for Marcus Rashford, who missed last weekend’s draw away to Liverpool at Anfield through illness, his future remains up in the air, with the Englishman not included for the trip to the Emirates.

With Rashford out of the squad yet again, it leaves Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee as the candidates to lead the line. The Dutchman could be a good option.

Why Zirkzee could start against Arsenal

Life at Old Trafford so far has not been easy for Zirkzee. He has shown brilliance at times and has never stopped working hard but has not been treated particularly well by fans.

He was booed off against Newcastle United in the Premier League in what was a poor moment from the supporters on the Old Trafford terraces.

With that being said, he has put in some really strong performances so far in that famous Red shirt. He has four goals and two assists in 28 games, with his best performance coming against Everton in a 4-0 win. That day, the 23-year-old managed to score twice in a fantastic display.

Zirkzee, who was a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich in 2020, won the Young Player of the Year award in Serie A last season for Bologna.

His stats on Sofascore show just how well he played, with the attacker scoring and assisting 15 times, creating 11 big chances and winning 4.1 duels per game. There is a reason football statistician Statman Dave described him as a “serious talent”.

Stat

Number

Goals and assists

15

Expected goals

9.01

Conversion rate

13%

Big chances created

11

Key passes per game

1.3

Dribbles completed per game

.51

Duels won per game

4.1

Interestingly, Arsenal wanted to sign the striker last summer before United snapped him up. According to Sky Sports, they were believed to be ‘keeping a close eye on developments’, but he eventually ended up at Old Trafford.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This afternoon, if he gets the start, Zirkzee could hurt Arsenal. He is an intelligent striker, who excels at dropping deep to link up play and create space for teammates.

He is not one to engage in a physical battle with William Saliba and Gabriel, which plays into United’s hands as he can bring teammates into the game if he drags them out of position.

Although United fans have perhaps yet to see the best of Zirkzee consistently, he has shown exactly what he can do at times. A trip to the Emirates Stadium in defence of their FA Cup trophy is an excellent place to put in another performance like he did against Everton, and hurt the club who wanted to sign him last summer.

£350k-p/w Man Utd ace closer than ever to leaving with Rashford this month

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1 ByBen Browning Jan 10, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da bwin： O Botafogo tem longos dez dias pela frente até o próximo compromisso do Campeonato Brasileiro. A equipe comandada por Luís Castro terá um tempo, que será dividido para descanso, recuperação e treinos específicos.

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da heads bet： +Botafogo abre filiais da SAF pelo Brasil e trabalha para baratear custos do uniforme

Os jogadores do Glorioso ganharam folga até esta terça-feira – ou seja, três dias de descanso após a vitória sobre o Coritiba. O elenco volta aos trabalhos na quarta-feira no Espaço Lonier, futuro CT do clube.

Luís Castro chegou a destacar na coletiva após o jogo que a melhor forma de fazer o time se entrosar é jogando. O português, contudo, reconheceu que o tempo sem jogos será importante para trazer novas ideias aos jogadores.

– Vamos aproveitar (a semana) para solidificar algumas coisas que temos. É um time novo e é importante termos esse período juntos após um período de descanso que vamos ter nesses dias. Descansamos e depois partimos para um ciclo de dias seguidos até o Goiás, que vai ser importante – afirmou Luís.

A longa janela também pode ser útil para os atletas que ainda estão com problemas físicos. Rafael deve retornar aos treinos já nesta semana de máscara, para auxiliar na lesão na face que teve. Diego Gonçalves está liberado, mas ainda sem ritmo com a bola. Patrick de Paula, com paralisia facial, também deve ficar à disposição.

O Botafogo volta aos gramados apenas no dia 28, uma quarta-feira, para enfrentar o Goiás, na Serrinha, às 21h45.

واصل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي تشيلسي مشواره في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية بعدما حقق الفوز على حساب بالميراس 2-1 وتأهل إلى نصف النهائي.

وأقيمت مباراة تشيلسي وبالميراس على ملعب “لينكولن فاينانشال فيلد” في مدينة “فيلادلفيا بحضور جماهيري وصل إلى 65 ألف متفرج بقيادة الحكم، علي رضا فغاني.

وافتتح تشيلسي النتيجة في الدقيقة 16 عند طريق، كول بالمر، وانتهى الشوط الأول على هذا الحال.

اقرأ أيضًا | وقح وسرق فوزنا.. كوليبالي يفتح النار على حكم مباراة الهلال وفلومينينسي بعد توديع كأس العالم للأندية شاهد أهداف مباراة تشيلسي وبالميراس في كأس العالم للأندية

في الشوط الثاني، استطاع إستيفاو أن يسجل هدف التعادل لصالح بالميراس وهو اللاعب الذي من المفترض أن ينتقل إلى تشيلسي بعد نهاية البطولة بالدقيقة 53.

واستمر التعادل حتى الدقيقة 83، لكن النيران الصديقة كانت لها الحسم بعدما كانت هناك عرضية من، جوستو لاعب تشيلسي ولكنها غيرت اتجاهها فور اصطدامها بحارس بالميراس، ويفيرتون.

ليخطف تشيلسي بهذه النتيجة الفوز والتأهل إلى نصف النهائي ويضرب موعدًا مع فريق برازيلي آخر وهو فلومينينسي الذي أقصى الهلال بعد الفوز بنفس النتيجة 2-1 يوم أمس، الجمعة.

Seven wickets stand between India and a rare overseas series win. They may be close, but they must remember the job is not yet done. To get there, they must put head over heart

Sharda Ugra at the SSC31-Aug-2015And so here we are. After three whirlwind weeks of the bowlers having dictated play even as the batsmen have tried to tap into their inner technicians, India are seven wickets away from a series victory in Sri Lanka. Yes, yes, after 22 years. The last time India won a series in Sri Lanka, Amit Mishra was in primary school and KL Rahul still wore diapers. Never mind the time span, if the Indians pull it off at the SSC it could, keeping in mind the Colombo temperatures, serve as a soothing ice pack to the heated anxiety over India’s abilities on foreign soil. Their last away series victory was four years ago in the West Indies, after which their reputation as travellers has been repeatedly either dented, battered or bruised. To Indian cricket, this normal Colombo Tuesday offers almost too big an occasion.The very idea of it made Rohit Sharma smile through his rather combative and lively media interaction. “Yeah one more job and we are through.” The seven wickets will have to be treated as a job, a task, in a manner that is more methodical and clinical rather than being an emotional surge. India will have to play it like they did the first two sessions on day four, rather than the last. These first two sessions at the SSC on Monday were highly disciplined and calculatedly paced. The last wound down into a slightly unhinged final 90 minutes which had India’s most experienced cricketer in the XI lose his rag and strike himself over the head. It made their captain go into crazy-eyes mode every time a wicket fell and the close-in fielders crowd the batsmen as if they were auditioning for a skit titled “How to give match referees twitchy fingers”.Good thing that cups of tea were had by both teams and everyone went home to separate hotel rooms. This is not the time for emotion. Emotion must be put on hold until after the seven wickets – if all things go to plan, that is – are taken on Tuesday. After that Virat Kohli and his team are allowed flash floods of tears. The Indians have taught themselves how to play the control game – that is controlling both themselves and the play – and have some experience in it. At the P Sara, pushing for a series-levelling win, India needed eight wickets on the final day with the hosts chasing a rather impossible 413. Rohit remembered it well. “I guess we will just have to come out tomorrow and have to, you know, do what we did in P Sara. In the same situation they were three down [72 for 2 going into the final day] and we had very similar target there as well.”In hindsight, Monday could possibly serve as the day that sealed the series for India. What they did through a clutch of partnerships was to push the Sri Lankans to a position where it would require the most inspiring batsmanship from the home team – currently in a deep batting funk – to turn the Test around. “Batting on the fifth day and having a target of 380-plus is never easy for any opposition,” Rohit said.Rohit Sharma acknowledged the value of the lower-order contributions from Amit Mishra and R Ashwin•AFPIt is the manner in which India batted on the fourth day that helped them claw back from a nervy 21 for 3 to a lead which grew from sizeable to what, at stumps, looked monstrously impossible. That it came once again with the prized top order already lopped off, and that it was steered at first to safety and then to strength by a batsman as edgy and incendiary as Rohit, was delicious irony in itself. Rohit’s dissection of the Indian innings was as careful as his batting appears carefree. The idea, he said, was to be cautious in the first half an hour of the day and then make a move later. The seamers, who have picked up most of the wickets in this Test, had to bear most of work load. “I’m sure they were also tired, they bowled so many overs,” Rohit said. “So the first 20-25 minutes, we didn’t get much runs but once we got enough time in the middle we started playing our shots.”After the Indians had come into the day with a lead of 132, the plan, according to Rohit, revolved around micro partnerships, “Every small little partnership on this wicket is crucial. There is something for the bowlers throughout the day. If you put the ball in the right areas, something is happening. We were not looking at getting too far ahead, like a 100-run stand or 200-run stand… It’s not a high scoring ground.”India’s lead stretched with the early efforts – Rohit and Kohli’s 57 for the fourth wicket scored at three and a half an over was followed by Stuart Binny walking in and munching into the bowling with 49 off 62. He was the main man, scoring 36 of the 54 runs in his fifth-wicket partnership with Rohit, those runs coming at 5.14 per over. Binny displayed his intentions early, slashing Nuwan Pradeep over the slips and punching Dhammika Prasad over point. That show of aggression was important, Rohit said. “It was really important at that point of time and we wanted to capitalise as the bowlers were tired. We did that really well and once I got out, Naman [Ojha] and Stuart carried on for a bit and Ashwin and Mishra then did. Lower-order contribution are really important in Test cricket. We’ve always spoken about it and I’m glad that eventually it’s happening now.”Going into Tuesday, it is a pitch that still has much life, it is a situation where India have the upper hand. When the bowlers walk out onto the field, they will be best served by the advice most coaches would give them. Think about what they want to do with every ball they are about to bowl. Without emotion, with a clear mind. Head not heart. Head for as many hours as needed. Heart for later. And if all goes well, it will be one for the ages.