Lionesses duo Lauren Hemp and Jessica Park combined to give Manchester City the lead against Brighton and Hove Albion.
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City beat BrightonHemp scores openerSet up by Lionesses team-mate ParkWHAT HAPPENED?
Hemp, 23, was slotted through perfectly by Park in the 27th minute, as her first-time left footed effort squeezed past Sophie Baggaley in the Brighton goal to give City the lead away from home. Her eighth goal of the Women's Super League season so far.
Mary Fowler would go on to add a second for the visitors just before the break, before Khadija Shaw and Laura Coombs also got on the scoresheet in the second half.
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It was a vital opener from Hemp to settle the nerves for City, as they then went on to cruise to an easy 4-1 win at The Broadfield Stadium. Gareth Taylor's side are now level on points with Chelsea at the top of the table – both on 40 points.
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Following the win away at Brighton, City's focus will now shift to the Manchester derby next weekend. Taylor's side won the first meeting of the season 2-1 back in January and will be hoping they can replicate this scoreline next weekend to continue their push for WSL glory.
The Blaugrana reached the last eight of the competition for the first time since 2019 by seeing off the Italian champions
Raphinha starred on the left, Barcelona's kids did the work in the right, and Robert Lewandowski sealed things through the middle as the Blaugrana held off Napoli in a convincing 3-1 win that secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Xavi's side jumped on Napoli early, and scored two goals in as many minutes to establish a quick lead. Raphinha was at the centre of both, assisting Fermin Lopez for the first, before pinging a shot off the post for Joao Cancelo to finish on the rebound.
But they didn't control proceedings for long. Napoli pulled one back when Amir Rrahmani sauntered into the box to finish a well-constructed counter-attack, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept out an immediate equaliser with an impressive diving stop.
Lamine Yamal thought he had sealed it in the second half, but the offside flag saw his tap-in ruled out, and Barca missed a flurry of further chances, as Yamal, Raphinha and Lewandowski all came close. But Lewandowski eventually secured victory late on, walking the ball into the net after a perfectly-assembled combination around the Napoli box.
This was Barca's best showing in months, the visitors only occasionally threatening while Xavi's side delivered in the key moments. Could it be time to dream in Catalunya?
GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Olympic Stadium…
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence
Marc-Andre ter Stegen (7/10):
Could do nothing about Rrahmani's goal. Made an impressive save to prevent a quick second. Steady in his distribution, too.
Jules Kounde (8/10):
His match-up against Kvaratskhelia always seemed to be one of the more important on the pitch. He kept him quiet early, and held his own as the Georgian grew into the game.
Ronald Araujo (7/10):
Orchestrated the high line effectively, but was rather chaotic in tight spaces. Always up for the fight, though.
Pau Cubarsi (8/10):
A smart, early intervention prevented Osimhen from finding the net inside 60 seconds. Played some lovely forward passes, and looked reasonably comfortable throughout.
Joao Cancelo (7/10):
Got himself on the scoresheet. Dangerous on the left wing, even if he did overplay on a few occasions. Did his job defensively, too.
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Andreas Christensen (5/10):
Put in a few silly challenges, perhaps fortunate not to be sent off. Not his best hour.
Fermin Lopez (8/10):
Got forward with regularity. Put one narrowly wide and clipped another over the bar. Made up for it with a lovely finish. Looked tired after an hour – and correctly subbed off.
Ilkay Gundogan (7/10):
Served as the connective tissue in central midfield, and made things happen in the final third. Didn't track Rrahmani on the Napoli goal, though.
Getty ImagesAttack
Lamine Yamal (8/10):
Magical at times. His wonderful run set up Barca's second, and constant trickery gave Rui nightmares. Had a flurry of chances to find the net, but blasted some wide and forced some neat saves.
Robert Lewandowski (6/10):
A bit loose through the middle, and the game passed him by for long stretches. Couldn't miss to finish it off, though.
Raphinha (8/10):
Crucial in the early goals, and dangerous on the left throughout. Provided a nice assist. Napoli resorted to kicking him by the end of it all.
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Oriol Romeu (6/10):
Slotted into the defensive midfield role comfortably.
Sergi Roberto (7/10):
Offered legs in the middle when Barca looked tired. Assisted Lewandowski's dagger.
Joao Felix (N/A):
No time to make an impact.
Xavi (8/10):
Went with his strongest XI, but switched to a 4-3-3. The inclusion of Fermin was crucial, and he got his subs right to freshen up the game, too. Perhaps could have done with his team being more clinical, but he will take the result. A good night.
The legspinner has been put on probation with a one-year suspension sentence from all forms of international cricket and also fined 20% of his annual contract fee
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2018Sri Lanka legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay has been put on probation with a one-year suspended sentence from all forms of international cricket and also fined 20% of his annual contract fee. Vandersay was penalised by SLC for a misconduct reported over a night out in St Lucia during the recent West Indies tour. It means he can continue to play but will be suspended from all forms of cricket for a year if there is a breach of contractual obligation again within the next 12 months.”Vandersay was imposed with the above punishment, following the player’s admission of guilt over the incident,” an SLC statement noted. “SLC has also informed the player that during the period of serving the aforesaid suspended sentence, any breach of the contractual obligation shall be severely dealt with together with the suspension.”Vandersay had been sent home from the West Indies mid-tour following the second Test in St Lucia after the player had failed to report back to the team hotel following a night out. While Vandersay’s companions that evening had arrived back in time for the team’s departure the following morning, Vandersay himself is said to have missed the deadline. After the sanctions were announced, he apologised for his conduct on Twitter.
Hi guys. I would like to apologise to everyone for letting you all down. SLC have given me a suspended sentence for a year which I won’t take for granted and promise that i will do everything to make my country and team proud.
— Jeffrey Vandersay (@Vandersay) July 20, 2018
Sri Lanka’s particularly strong sentence is also thought to be down to the fact that Vandersay had been warned at least once prior by the team management over his conduct.
With the new appointment of Mauricio Pochettino to Stamford Bridge as manager, Chelsea were meant to be entering a new era with a world-class manager steering them back to their previous best.
The Blues hadn't messed around in the transfer window either, breaking the bank to add the likes of Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, and more to their squad – notably paying £115m for the Brighton and Hove Albion central midfielder.
Yet, Pochettino's side find themselves in an unsatisfactory mid-table position at this current point in time with three defeats from their opening eight matches which included two narrow 1-0 home losses to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo
An injury to young Blues talent Cole Palmer – who signed for the club in the recent transfer window from Manchester City – sustained on England U21 duty won't fill Pochettino up with much confidence either ahead of Arsenal hopping over to west London next Saturday.
How is Cole Palmer playing?
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder relocated from his place of birth in Manchester to Chelsea in order to get more first-team minutes, with Palmer frustrated by being on the periphery at at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola – making 41 first-team appearances under Pep over a number of seasons, contributing six goals and two assists.
He's made six appearances for Pochettino this campaign so far, scoring his first goal in his new colours versus Burnley in the Blues' last outing before the international break from the penalty spot.
He also assisted Chelsea's fourth goal of the afternoon at Turf Moor, linking up with another new signing in Nicholas Jackson who scored late on to clinch an impressive 4-1 victory.
Fans of the west London outfit will hope Palmer's injury isn't a serious knock, with manager Lee Carsley having commented on the injury situation directly after his young Three Lions side emphatically beat Serbia 9-1 in Nottingham, stating: “There are a few bumps and bruises and we will monitor Cole, but we will not be taking any chances”.
If he isn't fit, this could leave Pochettino with a selection dilemma.
But, this dilemma could be solved by starting a "forgotten" transfer buy at Stamford Bridge – as described by journalist Felix Johnston – who also featured for his country in that 9-1 demolition, in the form of Noni Madueke.
How is Noni Madueke playing?
The 21-year-old will be desperate to break into his Argentine head coach's first-team plans, especially if his fellow countryman, Palmer, is to be sidelined.
Madueke scored two goals in the win versus Serbia, the ex-PSV Eindhoven winger starring at the City Ground despite a lack of first-team opportunities afforded to him recently at Chelsea.
Speaking whilst with the England camp, the young attacker – who has only made 16 appearances for the Blues since signing from the Netherlands in January – is still confident he can break into the Chelsea starting line-up after signing for £29m in January this year.
Noni Madueke.
He said: "I love coming over here and showing everyone what I can do. It's a great squad, just as good as the last one. I've got a lot of belief in my ability and I'm sure things will click sooner rather than later. I think I've got it in me."
Despite having been cast out of late – after being an unused substitute against Burnley last time out – Madueke does appear to have the tools to be a real weapon for Pochettino, after previously recording 34 goal involvements in just 80 games for PSV.
As much as Palmer's thigh knock is a blow for the Blues, Madeuke could well benefit from his teammate's potential absence and seek to put himself back into Pochettino's good books when the international break is at an end.
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool have played each other in every Premier League season, and have served up some classic moments.
Throughout their clashes, there have been plenty of great goals, so we’ve decided to pick out and rank some of the best goals scored between the teams in their fixtures gone by.
13 Philippe Coutinho v Spurs (2014)
The Brazilian magician, Philippe Coutinho, was some player during his time in Merseyside, and he created a whole dossier of marvellous goals across his five-year stay. So it should come as no surprise that he features on this list.
This particular effort against the North London club was a fine example of how to strike a low-driven shot. Whilst learning the mechanics and intricacies of football as a young player, you’re always taught to find the bottom corners – low and hard – as keepers hate it.
And that’s exactly what the fleet-footed playmaker did, making it almost impossible for Hugo Lloris to save it. His goal was Liverpool’s third of the game as they dispatched the visitors 4-0.
The victory lifted Brendan Rodgers’ side to the summit of the Premier League table, two points clear of title-rivals Chelsea, whilst Spurs remained in sixth, cut adrift of the top four.
Coutinho’s first full season at the Reds saw him rack up 13 goal contributions.
Skip to 2:37 for the goal.
12 Chris Armstrong v Liverpool (2000)
Spurs outlaid a club-record £4.5m to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Chris Armstrong in July 1995, and across his 161 appearances for the North Londoners, he netted 55 goals.
Though, perhaps not many better than his stunning effort against Liverpool at the start of the 21st century. He riffled in a 25-yard right-footed strike into the top corner, giving his side a much-needed 1-0 victory over one of the division’s form sides.
The Reds were starting to be talked about as potential title candidates heading into this January affair but those aspirations were dented by the Spurs frontman, who scored a commendable 14 goals that season.
The Lilywhites ended up finishing in 10th whilst their away opposition secured fourth place.
11 John Arne Riise v Spurs (2006)
We all know Liverpool fullback John Arne Riise was partial to a screamer, or two, and that powerful left foot of his produced another thunderbolt, here.
The Norwegian coasted onto Luis Garcia’s pass unassumingly before gaining a sight at goal from 36 yards out and leathering a thunderous effort past Paul Robinson, who could barely react in time to the authoritative strike.
His 89th-minute goal was Liverpool’s third of the game as they cruised to a 3-0 victory over their away opposition.
10 Luis Suárez v Spurs (2013)
Luis Suarez
Liverpool ran riot at White Hart Lane as they swept past Andre Villas Boas’ Tottenham Hotspur side. The Merseysiders secured an emphatic 5-0 victory with Luis Suárez the star of the show.
The Uruguayan forward netted a brace and laid on two assists as his side moved up to second in the Premier League table, two points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
Suárez’s second goal of the game in the 84th minute was an absolute beauty and worthy of placing inside our top 10 selections. Luis Alberto notched the ball forward into his path before he cooly converted a delicious 20-yard chip over the onrushing Hugo Lloris.
The former Ajax striker enjoyed a prolific campaign that year, scoring a whopping 31 league goals in 33 appearances.
Skip to 1:42 for the goal.
9 Sami Hyypiä v Spurs (2005)
Sami Hyypiä scored a beautiful 18-yard volley to earn his side a point at home to Tottenham Hotspur in April 2005. The Finnish defender adapted superbly to a looping clearance as he riffled home past the Spurs shot-stopper Paul Robinson.
The volley technique in itself is difficult, but it was made even harder given the height from which the ball came down from and because of that, it makes our rankings.
The Reds failed to make the top four that year as their Merseyside rivals Everton finished a place above them in fourth. Though, the season will be mostly remembered for their incredible Champions League final comeback in Istanbul, beating AC Milan on penalties after overturning a three-goal deficit in normal time.
Skip to 3:41 for the goal.
8 Mohamed Salah v Spurs (2018)
Mohamed Salah’s sublime solo goal in a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur back in February 2018 joins the list in eighth.
What’s remarkable about this goal is that Salah stopped to appeal for a handball and as he realised it wasn’t going to be given he turned on the burners and skipped past two defenders before cooly lifting the ball over Lloris.
The Egyptian thought his 91st-minute effort was the winner but the eventful game threw another curveball right at the death, as Harry Kane converted a penalty in the 95th minute to join the 100-club and share the spoils.
Perhaps Salah’s goal would’ve placed a lot higher up had the defending not been so poor.
7 Alberto Moreno v Spurs (2014)
Alberto Moreno’s first goal for Liverpool was a special one…
The Spaniard dispossessed Andros Townsend in his own half before marauding forward into the opposition area and powering the ball low and hard into the corner.
The full-back crafted the marvellous goal all by himself and put the away side 3-0 to the good to seal all three points on Brendan Rodgers’ 100th game in charge of the club.
Moreno’s £12m transfer fee in the summer certainly looked well-spent that afternoon.
6 David Ginola v Liverpool (1998)
David Ginola displayed a moment of magic to put his side 2-1 up against the Reds back in March 1998. The dazzling French winger chopped inside onto his left foot before striking a wonderful 20-yard curling effort past Brad Friedel.
Ginola netted six league goals that season whilst providing three assists as his side managed to beat the drop, finishing in 14th. The underwhelming campaign was his first in a Spurs shirt following a £2.5m move from Newcastle United in the summer.
His Magpies teammate Les Ferdinand also joined him in North London.
Skip to 2:16 for the goal.
5 Luka Modrić v Liverpool (2011)
Luka Modric for Tottenham.
Luka Modrić opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a sublime 25-yard screamer as his side dealt the travelling Merseysiders a thumping 4-0 defeat on the afternoon.
The Croat’s snap-shot effort caught Pepe Reina off guard but in all honesty, two readied goalkeepers were never getting to to his top-corner rocket.
Modrić was the subject of a £40m bid from Chelsea in the summer of 2011 but remained at White Hart Lane for the season before completing a switch to LaLiga giants Real Madrid.
His final year at the North Londoners saw him tally up five goals, though, none perhaps as good as this one.
4 Benoît Assou-Ekotto v Liverpool (2009)
Spurs left-back Benoît Assou-Ekotto produced an absolute showstopper in his side’s opening-day 2-1 home victory against the Reds.
Tom Huddlestone’s blocked freekick fell kindly for the Cameroon international, who shifted the ball onto his left foot before unleashing a 25-yard thunderbolt into the top right corner.
Remarkably, it was Assou-Ekotto’s first goal for the club having signed from French outfit Lens three years prior, though you wouldn’t have known it given how confidently he struck the ball.
The North Londoners went on to finish in fourth place that year under the stewardship of Harry Redknapp, whilst their opposition placed in seventh.
Kane Williamson lauded the way CSK did not give Sunrisers any opportunities while chasing what he thought was a “competitive total”
Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai27-May-20181:55
‘We had a very competitive total’ – Williamson
Sunrisers Hyderabad topped the league stage, but lost all four games against Chennai Super Kings this season. Captain Kane Williamson lauded the way CSK handled the most high-pressure match of the lot, the final, not giving Sunrisers any opportunities while chasing what he thought was a “competitive total”.In pursuit of 179, CSK lost only two wickets and ensured Sunrisers’ most dangerous bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan – went wicketless.”That is the nature of that – sometimes you do have to applaud very good cricket and that was CSK in terms of their batting today,” Williamson said. “It was outstanding, they didn’t give us opportunities, they hit it over the fence rather than to our man. Look, it is such a fine line, I know out there on the park it’s an eight-wicket win but we all saw that there were moments of pressure where the game can change very quickly, and if you’re able to pounce on those then that’s when you take your opportunity. And today, you do credit the way CSK handled those moments of pressure and carried on with their batting performance.”Apart from Shane Watson’s unbeaten 117, Williamson had words of praise for his bowlers too. After Bhuvneshwar started with a maiden over against Watson, Sunrisers restricted CSK to only 35 for 1 in the Powerplay before they took on Siddarth Kaul and Sandeep Sharma.”At the halfway stage on the surface, we thought we had a very competitive total,” Williamson said. “It wasn’t perhaps your usual surface at the Wankhede and it held a little bit and was responsive to the slower ball. So we thought that 180-mark was a really good target and you saw that from our first overs, it wasn’t very easy to get away. I think from that point onwards, that innings of Shane Watson… anyone who turns out with an innings of 100-plus in the final, it was obviously a significant effort and great contribution to their side and very difficult to stop, so a fantastic knock.”I believe after the first few overs, the [required] run rate was climbing, there were risks required and if we were able to pick up a couple of wickets, which we have been doing throughout the season, then all of a sudden it takes a very different shape. Credit to the way CSK played, they showed their experience and got through that period and took the game away from us.”When asked if the bowling of their domestic quicks, apart from Bhuvneshwar, cost them the game, Williamson said: “I’d rather look at the likes of Watson in terms of his innings. He did put us under pressure. You come into a final and that is one of the things you do need to deal with the best you can – pressure. Everybody’s feeling it a little bit and he responded to it beautifully and put us under more pressure. Once again, the way we started with the ball was outstanding, gave us an opportunity. There was a balancing point there which they ran away with.”We look at a variety of surfaces that we played on [early in the season] and I think that was huge in how our bowlers operated, and then we came on to some other surfaces, perhaps a little bit better [for batting], and we were trying to adjust as best as we could.”That’s the nature of T20 cricket, it’s very aggressive, you play looking to get on top of bowlers and at times that can happen to anyone, it’s just one of those things. But he [Kaul] has been a fantastic asset for our side throughout this whole campaign. His death bowling is of the highest quality and he’s got a fantastic slower ball as well. The likes of him and the other boys that were in our attack were brilliant throughout the whole campaign.”Williamson can indeed be proud of his bowling attack, from which two bowlers – Rashid and Kaul, with 21 wickets each – finished behind the tournament’s top wicket-taker Andrew Tye (24). Sandeep and Bhuvneshwar didn’t play all their matches but were frugal, finishing the tournament with economy rates of 7.56 and 7.66 respectively.
England’s new national selector has the challenge of trying to solve long-standing issues with the Test side
Andrew McGlashan20-Apr-2018Stick or twistEngland were thwarted by New Zealand’s lower order in Christchurch, falling two wickets short of ending their barren run away from home. In the aftermath, there was a sense that the signs of improvement – particularly from Mark Stoneman and James Vince, who both scored half-centuries – had brought the men in the spotlight some more time. It will be interesting to see whether Smith feels the same way or whether the start of a new season is the time for a blank sheet of paper.Find the x-factorMark Wood and Jack Leach were brought into the side for Christchurch in an attempt to shake up England’s attack. It nearly worked, but the reality is that England have taken 20 wickets just once in their last 12 away Tests. James Anderson remains the attack leader and Stuart Broad looked rejuvenated in New Zealand, but high on Smith’s agenda will be finding bowlers (pace and spin) who can provide a point of difference. Names suggested early season include Olly Stone and Richard Gleeson in the pace debate, but Smith’s desire to delve into analytics may throw up some interesting new faces.Home and awayEngland’s home record has propped up their Test standing in recent years, but that can’t be taken for granted. There is a balance to strike between winning in the here-and-now and having an eye on the types of players who will be needed to arrest the decline overseas. For example, if a certain pace bowler or spinner is viewed as a likely starter in Sri Lanka or West Indies, then do they need to be playing this summer to find their feet in Test cricket? And, also, Smith will need to decide how far ahead to look. The next away Ashes in 2021-22 is likely to be high on the agenda. Players for that need to be identified now.Horses for coursesWith Smith’s emphasis on analytics and a more Moneyball approach to selection, could we see an evolution of the way Test squads are selected throughout a series – especially at home, where there is no restriction on who is available and limited distances to travel. Even if a certain team produces an impressive victory in one Test, does it mean they are the best XI for the next match? How deep will Smith look at conditions and opposition when selecting squads? This, of course, has to be balanced with the dangers of chopping and changing, and the instability it could bring.If it aint brokeRejuvenating the Test side will be Smith’s biggest selection challenge (although the T20 side has also lost some direction in the last couple of years). But the 50-over side is shaping up very nicely ahead of next year’s World Cup – an event with an importance to the English game that cannot be overstated. An era has been staked on winning that tournament on home soil. Smith is a smart man and will know what is working well, but it will be important that he doesn’t feel the need to tinker for the sake of it. Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss probably already know 13 of their 15-man squad for 2019 – things would have to go badly pear-shaped for those selection meetings to stretch Smith too much.
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has told Football FanCast he believes there are three Premier League players who would be capable of replacing Andy Robertson.
Robertson struggling this season
Robertson has received his fair share of criticism this season, having not managed to reach his usual high standards, and there were even calls for the Scottish left-back to be replaced during the January transfer window.
Jamie Carragher urged Arne Slot to bring in a new left-back, with the 30-year-old club “legend” said to be “hanging on in every game”, and there has been no major turnaround in form over the past couple of months.
The Reds have been assessing potential targets for the summer, and they have identified a number of options from abroad, with Slot said to admire Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez, while Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies was also of interest prior to the Canadian signing a new contract.
Liverpool plotting to sign "underrated" ace as part of triple La Liga swoop
The Reds mean business…
ByTom Cunningham Feb 19, 2025
However, speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Pennant has stated he believes there are also three Premier League left-backs who could replace Robertson in the summer.
When asked where Liverpool need to strengthen in the summer, Pennant said:“This is probably one of the most important spots that Liverpool need to fill in and that’s left back.
“No disrespect to Andy Robertson, absolutely fantastic player, fantastic servant to the club, a left-back legend, probably one of the best left-backs Liverpool have ever had.
Liverpool's AndrewRobertsonin action with Wolverhampton Wanderers' Pablo Sarabia
“But I think now he’s coming to the end of the tether, still can be a great Liverpool player and part of the team, but to be a top left-back at the moment, he’s coming to the end of that cliff.
“Out there now to replace him, Kerkez from Bournemouth, Robinson from Fulham or even the likes of Ait-Nouri from Wolves, he had a good game (on Sunday) and I think he’d suit Liverpool well.”
Slot must sign a replacement this summer
A good case can be made for all three of the players suggested by Pennant, with the trio perhaps like-for-like replacements in many ways due to their ability going forward.
Kerkez has picked up two goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, while Robinson has ten assists in 25 games, having emerged as one of Fulham’s best players, and Rayan Ait-Nouri has been a shining light in a poor Wolves side.
Robertson is no doubt a Liverpool legend, having helped the Reds win almost every major honour at club level, but there is no denying his performances have gone downhill, averaging his lowest average match rating in the Premier League since arriving at Anfield.
Season
Robertson Whoscored rating
2017-18
7.02 per game
2018-19
7.12 per game
2019-20
7.11 per game
2020-21
6.88 per game
2021-22
7.23 per game
2022-23
6.78 per game
2023-24
7.12 per game
2024-25
6.63 per game
The Scotland international has insisted he has what it takes to fight for his place, regardless of who Slot brings in this summer, but until then he still has an important role to play in helping the Merseyside club win a 20th English league title.
Newcastle United dazzled last weekend when dismantling a woeful Sheffield United side at Bramall Lane 8-0, but it was the stoical showing against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup that will have really set the fans alight as they dream of new levels of success this season.
Having fallen to Manchester United at the final stage of the competition last term, Eddie Howe's side have a chance for redemption as they await a trip to Old Trafford in the fourth round of this edition, having just defeated Manchester City with a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
It has extended a run of matches without conceding a goal – now four games strong across all competitions – that includes successive Premier League wins and an away draw at the San Siro against AC Milan, where the Magpies have started their return to Champions League football after two decades away.
alexander-isak
Despite decimating Aston Villa 5-1 in August, on the opening weekend of the league season, with an incisive and unforgiving showing of attacking intent, Newcastle failed to overcome the daunting subsequent run of Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion, losing all three, thrown into the depths of the division and leaving rivals jesting at their expense.
But now, despite a bit of tardiness in clicking into gear, Newcastle look to have done so and done so with aplomb; cohesive and confident, sights are set on achieving success across all four fronts this season, and there is a high chance of doing so.
While £55m summer signing Sandro Tonali continues to flatter to deceive after joining from AC Milan, with the Daily Mail's Craig Hope stating that the Italy international was "wasteful on the ball" against Pep Guardiola's side, Newcastle are growing as a team, and fans must remember to urge caution.
Anthony Gordon certainly didn't impress over the latter phase of the 2022/23 season after joining from Everton for £45m in January, but now, he's an integral member of this thriving Tyneside outfit and an "outstanding" star this term, as was said by Jamie Carragher last week.
Against City, the 22-year-old was once again at the centre of the success after coming on at half time.
How did Anthony Gordon perform vs Manchester City?
Gordon endured a testing start to his Toon career as he scored just once – on the final game of the season, against Chelsea – before the summer, not quite making the resounding introduction to life at St. James' Park as he would have hoped after such a lofty fee.
After a starring pre-season that included winning Player of the Tournament with England U21s as he won the European Championship, the one-time Preston North End loanee is now making the increments to his game as he cements a regular starting berth on Newcastle's wing.
Newcastle's Anthony Gordon
This season, Gordon has already scored two goals and supplied two assists from five starting appearances in the Premier League, and as the Magpies struggled against City's suffocating style on Wednesday night, his introduction at the break indeed paid dividends.
Hailed for his "untouchable" presence by one analytical writer, Gordon entered the fold and played a key role in turning the tide, making two tackles, one clearance, taking a shot on target and winning two duels, as per Sofascore.
It's also worth noting that the £60k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles per 90, as per FBref, illustrating the energy and application that prompted Howe to forge ahead with a bid in the first place.
Lauded for injecting 'pace and intensity immediately after coming on' by Newcastle World's Jordan Cronin, Gordon is proving to be an invaluable member of this Magpies team, and while he faded after being shifted centrally in the latter phase of the contest, he has shaken off the criticism of his past substandard showings.
While Gordon's performance was good, and a reflection of the role he has played this season, it was Tino Livramento who truly shone on the night, with the former Southampton and Chelsea full-back proving his worth and then some with a stunning display.
How good is Tino Livramento?
Signing from Southampton for an initial £32m in the summer, having spent the lion's share of last season out injured as the Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League, Livramento was handed his first start against the Sky Blues.
Waxing over Livramento's performance, The Times' Henry Winter said this: "Tino Livramento man of the match imo. Superb in subduing Jack Grealish. Calm, concentrated, mobile, fearless."
The winner of Chelsea's Academy Player of the Season in 2021, Livramento grasped his first start with both hands, shining down the right flank in a display that will be most pleasing to the Newcastle hierarchy, who have found a worthy successor to Kieran Trippier's position.
As per Sofascore, the 20-year-old recorded an impressive match score of 7.5, incredibly making eight tackles (including one last man tackle), winning 11 of 18 contested duels, completing 93% of his passes, succeeding with a dribble and losing possession only eight times.
It was truly an incredible performance, with the star rightfully bestowed the Player of the Match award after such an influential showing, and with Newcastle indeed still competing in every competition, his presence will surely be instrumental over the coming months.
Heralded for his "outstanding" performance and "match-winning" tackle to deny Nunes in the dying embers by Hope, Livramento's early performance certainly bodes well for his future success on Tyneside, and while he is young and inexperienced, Howe has clearly landed a prodigious talent capable of making the right-back role his own and then some over the coming years. Until then, however, perhaps a role on the left could be forged, proving a more attacking outlet than Dan Burn.
He has played on the left-hand side just once in his career, although boasts a goal and an assist. Promising signs indeed.
This level of depth is certainly a testament to the burgeoning of Newcastle's squad over the past few years, not only talented but suffused with players worthy of the badge.
England’s burgeoning status as a white-ball team has been confirmed by their ascent to the top of the latest ICC one-day rankings, with India slipping to No. 2 on the list.England’s ascent to the top spot was cemented by two impressive away victories this winter – they beat Australia 4-1 in January before seeing off New Zealand 3-2 in March.However, they owe much of their rise to the removal from the permutations of their dismal run of form in 2014-15, when they won just seven out of 25 ODIs and bombed out of the World Cup at the group stages following an infamous defeat against Bangladesh at Adelaide.That 2014-15 season, which also featured the removal of Alastair Cook as ODI captain in the wake of a losing tour of Sri Lanka, is now widely recognised as a watershed moment for English cricket.Eoin Morgan’s appointment as captain was unable to salvage their World Cup campaign, but England’s form in the subsequent home summer was revelatory. Against New Zealand at Edgbaston, in their first completed fixture of the post-World Cup era, England posted their first 400-plus total in ODIs, and have made 300 or more in 27 of their 60 completed innings.England, who last topped the ODI rankings in January 2013, have gained eight points and moved to 125 points. India, who were at the top before the update, have lost a solitary point and are in second place with a total of 122 points.South Africa, who were second, have dropped down to third place after losing four points, from 117 to 113, leaving them nine points adrift of India and only one point ahead of fourth- placed New Zealand.The remaining places remain unchanged, confirming that the current top 10 ranked sides are the ones who will be playing at next year’s World Cup in England. However, there have been some significant changes in points.World champions Australia have lost eight points to go down to 104 in fifth position and are only two points ahead Pakistan, last year’s Champions Trophy winners, who have gained six points.In other changes, Bangladesh (93 points) have gained three points, Sri Lanka (77) have lost seven points, the Windies (69) have lost five points, Afghanistan (63) have gained five points, Zimbabwe (55) have gained four points and 12th-placed Ireland (38) have lost three points.In the T20I rankings, led by Pakistan, there is no change in the top seven places but Afghanistan are now ahead of Sri Lanka in eighth slot.