O ano de 2022 vai ficar conhecido como a ‘temporada do quase’ para o São Paulo. Com dois vices (Paulista e Sul-Americana), uma eliminação na semifinal (Copa do Brasil) e fora da próxima Copa Libertadores por meio do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Tricolor pelo menos termina o ano com o título do time que mais atuou no mundo, na última temporada, ao lado do Flamengo.
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+ ATUAÇÕES: Giuliano Galoppo e Marcos Guilherme desencantam em “última dança” do São Paulo no ano
São-paulinos e flamenguistas terminaram com 77 jogos disputados ao todo neste ano.
Na média, considerando a antecipação do calendário para a disputa da Copa do Mundo, que começa no próximo final de semana, no Catar, Tricolor e Rubro-Negro entraram em campo a cada três dias.É muita coisa considerando o calendário das principais ligas de futebol ao redor do mundo.
Segundo levantamento feito pelo LANCE!, em nenhum outro país os times campeões jogaram tanto. Pelo contrário. Na média, entraram em capo cerca de 20 vezes menos que os brasileiros.
E mesmo assim 2022 acaba com um número baixo de partidas se comparada a outras temporadas do Tricolor. É apenas a 11ª temporada com mais jogos do São Paulo na história, se igualando com 1959.
Veja quantas vezes o São Paulo entrou em campo nos anos que mais jogou:
MARATONA À BRASILEIRA Veja quanto jogou o São Paulo na comparação com os campeões de outros países
Brasil: São Paulo e Flamengo – 77 vezes Itália: Milan – 48 vezes Argentina: Boca Juniors – 57 vezes Portugal: Porto – 53 vezes Alemanha: Bayern de Munique – 47 vezes França: PSG – 50 vezes Inglaterra: Manchester City – 58 vezes Espanha: Real Madrid – 56 vezes
Liverpool paid a record-breaking fee to acquire the services of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and Thomas Muller feels the price was 'unreal'.
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Muller speaks his mind of Wirtz's move to LiverpoolSurprised to see such high fees being paidCertain that fellow German will thrive at AnfieldFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Bayern Munich icon Muller has commented on Wirtz's record-breaking transfer to Liverpool with a philosophical assessment. Bayern were among the teams who expressed interest in signing the young German attacking midfielder, but Liverpool eventually won the race and signed him for a fee reported in the region of £116 million (€137m/$158m).
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Having spent 10 years at the Koln academy, Leverkusen snapped up Wirtz in January 2020, with the-then 16-year-old immediately breaking through into the first team. In five-and-a-half seasons at the BayArena, Wirtz made 197 appearances and scored 57 goals, playing an instrumental role in Die Werkself's first-ever league title at the end of the 2023-24 season. Liverpool paid a British record fee last month, with Wirtz now set to light up Anfield and the Premier League.
WHAT THOMAS MULLER SAID
Speaking on the exorbitant transfer fee paid for Wirtz's services, Muller told : "What's 150 million? It's unreal. It's just a number between clubs. Who can feel what 150 million means? You can't get Neymar (who moved from Barca to PSG for €222m in 2017), but you can plant many trees with that."
However, Muller has no doubt that Wirtz will quickly settle in at the English champions, adding: "Florian fits in everywhere. He's not only a very good footballer, but also mentally very strong. At the end of the day, we're used to dealing with [big transfer fees]. The expectations are so high anyway."
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Getty ImagesWHAT'S NEXT?
While Wirtz is about to start pre-season training with Liverpool, Muller is currently still playing for Bayern in the Club World Cup. On Saturday, the German champions will face Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in a quarter-final clash. Muller will leave Die Roten after the tournament, having spent a total of 25 years with the club. It is still unclear where he will continue his career, but a move to the MLS is considered likely.
Tammy Beaumont, who recently scored the first century in the Women’s Hundred, has also nominated
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2023Heather Knight and Sophie Ecclestone headline a group of England players who are the latest to be confirmed for the WBBL draft on September 3.Knight, the England captain, is eligible for retention by Sydney Thunder having originally been due to join last season before being ruled out by injury.Ecclestone, who is the No.1-ranked bowler in ODIs and T20Is, was a key part of Sydney Sixers’ run to the final in 2022-23 where she claimed 20 wickets at 17.90 with an economy of 6.29 while made her runs at a strike-rate of 159.49.Related
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Tammy Beaumont is another player who could be retained by Thunder (each club gets one retention pick) and she will enter the draft having recently become the first century-maker in the Women’s Hundred with 118 off 61 balls against Trent Rockets.Another England opener, Danni Wyatt, has also nominated and could be retained by Brisbane Heat. Wyatt played a key role in England’s recent Ashes fightback where she made 76 off 46 balls in the second T20I at The Oval.Alice Capsey, one of the most exciting young batters in the game, is also in the mix and played for Melbourne Stars last season.Tammy Beaumont became the first batter to score a century in the Women’s Hundred•ECB via Getty ImagesEmma Lamb, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell and Issy Wong are other confirmed names in the draft. Wong was due to play for Hobart Hurricanes in 2022-23 but was forced to withdraw through injury.The England cohort is the second group of players announced for the inaugural WBBL draft following an initial five names which included India captain Harmanpreet Kaur.Overseas players can nominate in three categories for the draft – gold (AUD$90,000), silver (AUD$65,000) and bronze (AUD$40,000) – with the BBL then selecting a group of the biggest names to the platinum picks on AUD$110,000.How retention picks workHave been in a Big Bash squad for a minimum of two seasons and haven’t been contracted to another team sinceHave been in a Big Bash squad the previous seasonWas in a team squad last season but did not play in the starting 13 and have been approved by the Big Bash Technical CommitteeIs otherwise approved by the Big Bash Technical Committee due to exceptional circumstances
توصل نادي بيراميدز، لاتفاق مع فريق الرجاء المطروحي، لخوض مباراة ودية ضمن استعدادات الفريق الأول لكرة القدم لبداية الموسم الجديد.
وكان بيراميدز، قد توج الموسم الماضي ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا للمرة الأولى في تاريخه، وحصد المركز الثاني في بطولتي الدوري المصري وكأس مصر.
طالع.. بيراميدز يعلن انضمام عنصر جديد للجهاز الفني
وكشف أحمد زاهر المدير الإداري لنادي بيراميدز أن الفريق سيخوض أولى مبارياته الودية بمواجهة الرجاء المطروحي مساء الخميس المقبل على ملعب استاد الدفاع الجوي.
وأنهى فريق بيراميدز المرحلة الأولى من برنامج الإعداد للموسم الجديد بخوض تقسيمة داخلية بين لاعبي الفريق اليوم.
ومن المقرر أن يحصل اللاعبون على راحة من التدريبات يوم الإثنين، قبل العودة مجددًا يوم الثلاثاء لانطلاق المرحلة الثانية من البرنامج، والتي ستتبعها إقامة معسكر خارجي يتخلله عدد من المباريات الودية متفاوتة المستوى.
Since taking the job almost two years ago now, Ange Postecoglou has completely changed Tottenham Hotspur.
On the pitch, the results might not have improved massively, but unlike under the previous few managers, the team is no longer boring the fans senseless.
However, where the Australian has made the most significant changes is the makeup of the squad, as he’s seen several stars leave and plenty of exciting talents come in.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloubefore the match
In fact, the Premier League seems to be full of tremendously promising prospects this season, and Spurs might just have their answer to recent England debutant, Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The Premier League's most promising prospects
So, let’s start close to home with one of Tottenham’s breakout stars from what has been a pretty dismal year: Lucas Bergvall.
Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall in action with Vissel Kobe'sRyoHatsuse
The Swede, who was signed from Djurgårdens for around £8.5m last winter, has become more and more important to the first team as the season has gone on.
Indeed, 13 of his 19 starts coming since Christmas, and when you watch him play, it’s easy to understand why Postecoglou wants to give him more responsibility.
The 19-year-old “generational” talent, as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, is seemingly able to do it all from the middle of the park, be that break-up play with a well-timed block or kickstart attacks with a gut-busting run through the middle of the park or a perfectly timed pass.
Another of the Lilywhites’ most exciting youngsters this season has been Mikey Moore, who, at just 17 years old and in 632 minutes of first-team football, has scored once and provided two assists, while also being compared to Neymar Jr by James Maddison.
Moving over to the red side of North London now, and while Spurs’ fans won’t like to hear it, understandably so, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri has also stepped up in a big way this season, scoring eight goals and providing one assist in just 1087 first-team minutes.
Ethan Nwaneri
It’s not just the traditional ‘big six’ who have unearthed some sensational young talents this year either, as 19-year-old Spanish defender Dean Huijsen has been one of the stars of Bournemouth’s brilliant campaign thus far.
The former Juventus gem has managed to bag two goals for himself, and according to FBref, sits in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for interceptions, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and clearances, the top 5% for non-penalty expected goals plus assists and more, all per 90.
However, when it comes to the teenage talent most in the spotlight, it has to be the Gunners’ own Lewis-Skelly, although there is no need for the Spurs faithful to be jealous, as they appear to have their own version of the 18-year-old.
Spurs' own Lewis-Skelly
There has been rife debate among Spurs fans of late that Djed Spence should have been in the England squad at the expense of the Arsenal wonderkid. However, he’s not the closest thing to Myles Lewis-Skelly. Instead, that honour is handed to Archie Gray.
There are a few key reasons why the incredible talent who joined the club last summer for around £30m could be their version of the Arsenal man, the most important being how he’s been utilised this season.
Like the Hale Ender, the former Leeds United gem is first and foremost a central midfielder, but due to the incredible amount of defensive injuries the team have had to deal with this year, he’s played in the backline more than anywhere else.
Centre-Back
19
Right-Back
7
Left-Back
5
Defensive Midfield
3
Other
3
For example, across all competitions this season, the Durham-born star has made 19 appearances at centre-back, seven at right-back, five at left-back and just three in defensive midfield.
Similarly, the Gunners’ young star has made 23 appearances as a left-back and just two in defensive midfield.
On top of being used in similar ways by their respective managers, both are incredibly highly rated for their age, with the Arsenal star already winning a senior England cap and the Tottenham prospect being described as a “future £100m” star by respected football analyst Ben Mattinson.
Ultimately, Lewis-Skelly certainly looks to be the real deal and someone who will have a sensational career, but the same thing could and should be said about Gray, and given their trajectories, we would not be surprised to see them lining up together for England in the future.
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The incredible international remains Spurs’ best-ever sale.
أبدى محسن صالح، رئيس لجنة التخطيط السابق بالنادي الأهلي، تحفظه على تعيين الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو مديرًا فنيًا للفريق الأول لكرة القدم، مشيرًا إلى أن اختياره لم يكن موفقًا من وجهة نظره.
وقال محسن صالح، في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “MBC مصر”: “عندما سُئلت عن رأيي في المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، قلت إنه ما كان يجب الاستعانة بمدرب يعمل في إفريقيا، لأن إفريقيا عندما تستعين بمدرب يكون من المستوى الخامس أو السادس”.
وأضاف: “نحن نريد مديرًا فنيًا من المستوى الثالث أو الثاني، سبق له حصد بطولات ولديه سيرة ذاتية قوية واسمه كبير، وبالتالي يستطيع قيادة الفريق بنجاح، لكن طالما محمود الخطيب ولجنة الكرة اجتمعوا وقرروا تعيينه، فبالتأكيد سألوا عنه جيدًا، ونتمنى له التوفيق”.
طالع أيضًا | إكرامي يرد بقوة على ميدو: سقطة لا تليق بمسؤول محسوب علينا “مصري”
وواصل: “الأمر يشبه عندما يسألك أحدهم: ماذا تتمنى لابنك أو أخيك؟ بالتأكيد ستتمنى له أفضل شيء في الدنيا، وأنا أتمنى للنادي الأهلي أن يُدربه أفضل مدرب في العالم، لكن لماذا يتم التعاقد مع مدرب لا يمتلك سيرة ذاتية قوية ولا تاريخ؟، وكل تصريحاته تشعرك بأنه مذهول من وجوده داخل الأهلي”.
وتابع: “شيء جيد أن يشعر بالذهول عندما يقود نادٍ كبير بحجم الأهلي، لكن تعبيرات الوجه واللغة غير المنطوقة تكشف الكثير، عندما تنظر في وجه أي شخص يمكنك أن تدرك شعوره، ومن وجهة نظري، تعبيرات وجه ريبيرو تكشفه، وحتى أثناء المباريات، لا أرى منه أي إيجابية واضحة على الخط الفني”.
واختتم: “أنا لم أكن راضيًا عن قرار التعاقد مع خوسيه ريبيرو، لكن في الوقت ذاته، لا يمكن الحكم عليه الآن، لأنه يخوض تحديًا كبيرًا وظروفًا صعبة”.
Bhut scored a century and fifty and picked up eight wickets in the match to take Saurashtra to a win over Punjab in the remaining quarter-final
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2023 • Updated on 06-Feb-2023
Parth Bhut starred with both bat and ball•Saurashtra Cricket Association
Allround Parth Bhut powers Saurashtra into semis
Full ScorecardParth Bhut’s 111* and 51 and a match-haul of 8 for 203 helped Saurashtra stage a stunning come-from-behind win over Punjab by 71 runs and book their place in the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy. Bhut was ably backed by fellow left-arm spinner, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who picked up eight wickets in the match for 165.Chasing 252, Punjab were undone by spin on the final day of the quarter-final in Rajkot. While Bhut returned 5 for 89 in 33 overs, Dharmendrasinh picked 3 for 56 in 38.1 overs as Punjab were skittled out for 180 despite taking a 128-run first-innings lead.Electing to bat first, Saurashtra lost Harvik Desai in the first over, but Snell Patel (70) and Vishvaraj Jadeja got them going. However, Mayank Markande ran through the middle order picking four wickets to reduce Saurashtra to 147 for 8. Baltej Singh also did his bit it picking 3 for 60. But Bhut, coming in at No. 9, recorded his maiden first-class century and helped his side get over the 300-mark. He added 61 runs with Chetan Sakariya (22) and then stitched a 95-run stand with No. 11 Yuvrajsinh Dodiya (17).In reply, Prabhsimran Singh (126) and Naman Dhir (131) added 212 runs for the opening wicket in quick time. The duo recorded centuries, while Mandeep Singh scored 91, and even though Dharmendrasinh picked up 5 for 109, Punjab were in the driver’s seat, having amassed 431 in the first innings.Saurashtra were once again reduced to 60 for 4 in their second innings, but captain Arpit Vasavada and Chirag Jani added 140 runs for the fifth wicket to take them in the lead. Both fell in quick time, but Prerak Mankad (88) and Bhut pulled them out of a hole. Vinay Choudhary put up a valiant effort in picking 7 for 179 as Saurashtra were bowled out for 379.Punjab’s chase never really took off and they lost wickets at regular intervals with Saurashtra’s three spinners wrapping up the win.Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Deep star in Bengal’s big winShahbaz Ahmed played a key role with bat and ball in Bengal’s win•PTI
Full scorecardBengal got past Jharkhand by nine wickets at Eden Gardens to secure their spot in the semi-finals of the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy.Akash Deep, who picked six wickets in the game, was the star with the ball, while Shahbaz Ahmed, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sudip Gharami all played crucial knocks with the bat as Bengal cruised to victory in the first session of the fourth day.Related
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Shreyas Gopal's cathartic quarter-final century
After putting Jharkhand in to bat, Akash Deep ran through their line-up, with some help from fellow quicks Mukesh Kumar and Akash Ghatak. Kumar Suraj was the only batter from Jharkhand’s top five to reach double-figures, hitting an unbeaten 89 to help take the team to 173, with the lower order batters also showing some resistance.When they batted first, Bengal lost opener Kazi Saifi early, but a 136-run partnership for the second wicket between Abhimanyu (77) and Gharami (68) put Bengal in a commanding position. Shahbaz (81) ensured they finished with a strong first-innings lead of 155.Akash Deep and Ghatak then took two wickets each as Jharkhand were left tottering at 21 for 4. Anukul Roy and Aryaman Sen added 71 runs for the fifth wicket to revive Jharkhand, but when Sen fell for 64 with Jharkhand still behind Bengal, it looked like game over.Supriyo Chakraborty’s 41, however, kept Jharkhand alive for a little longer, but Mukesh and Ghatak wrapped the innings up, with Bengal needing 67 to win. Saifi fell early once again, but Abhimanyu and Gharami raced to the target to put Bengal into the semi-finals, where they will meet the winners of the Madhya Pradesh vs Andhra game.Shreyas Gopal 161* flattens UttarakhandShreyas Gopal scored his fifth first-class century to lead Karnataka’s batting charge•PTI
Full scorecardShreyas Gopal hit an unbeaten 161 and followed it up with a three-wicket haul as Karnataka trounced Uttarakhand by an innings and 281 runs in their quarter-final at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.It was a game Karnataka dominated right from the start. After Karnataka won the toss and chose to field, young fast bowler M Venkatesh returned a five-wicket haul on first-class debut to help bundle Uttarakhand out for just 116.Half-centuries from each of Karnataka’s top four then put them in a commanding position. Openers Mayank Agarwal (83) and R Samarth (82) put on a 159-run stand to start with, and Devdutt Padikkal (69) and Nikin Jose (62) then put on 118 runs for the third wicket.Shreyas was, however, the star with the bat, hitting his fifth first-class century to take Karnataka to 606, leaving Uttarakhand with a huge ask.Swapnil Singh hit a fighting fifty for Uttarakhand in their second innings after they conceded a 490-run first-innings lead, but it was far from enough as they folded for 209. Shreyas and Vijaykumar Vyshak picked up three wickets each, while Venkatesh and Vidwath Kaverappa took two apiece.Yash Dubey, Rajat Patidar set up MP’s win Full scorecardHalf-centuries from Yash Dubey and Rajat Patidar took defending champions Madhya Pradesh to their 245-run target against Andhra and set up a semi-final contest against Bengal, who defeated Jharkhand earlier in the day.Madhya Pradesh did lose five wickets in the chase, but were largely untroubled as they completed a come-from-behind victory after conceding a 151-run first-innings lead.
After being put in to bat, Andhra made 379 on the back of centuries from Ricky Bhui and Karan Shinde.But the story of the innings, and their second innings, was captain Hanuma Vihari batting left-handed, and often one-handed, after fracturing his left forearm while fending off an Avesh Khan bouncer on the first day.In reply to Andhra’s 379, Madhya Pradesh were bowled out for 228, with Shubham Sharma’s 51 the only score of note. Left-arm medium pacer Prithvi Raj was the pick of the bowlers, with figures of 5 for 26.But there was a big collapse after that as Andhra were skittled for 93 in their second essay, with Avesh taking four wickets. The valiant Vihari came out to bat at No. 11 again and even made 15 off 16 with the help of three boundaries, but could not stretch his team’s lead.Dubey (58) then put on 58 runs with opening partner Himanshu Mantri (31) and 62 runs with Shubham, who made 40 to go with his first-innings fifty. Patidar kept Madhya Pradesh ticking in the chase with a quickly compiled 55. Andhra hoped for a comeback when they dismissed Patidar and opposition captain Aditya Shrivastava in quick succession, but Saransh Jain (28) and Harsh Gawli (18) completed the chase without any further hiccups.
Arsenal are set to field a strong line-up against Manchester United in the Premier League this afternoon.
Mikel Arteta’s depleted side thrashed PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, effectively rendering next week’s second leg tie at the Emirates a dead rubber.
Injuries have pulled the Gunners away from runaway leaders Liverpool in the title race, trailing by 13 points while holding two games in hand following the Reds’ win over Southampton on Saturday. Chances of mounting a comeback are slim, but victory over the Red Devils will keep the flame alive.
Old Trafford fell to Arteta’s side in the final weeks of the 2023/24 campaign, and while Ruben Amorim’s squad are horribly out of sorts, Arsenal will need to have their wits about them.
There’s not much immediate joy to be found on the fitness front, but let’s take a look at what’s going on anyway.
Arsenal injury news
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are making good progress in their respective recoveries, but neither are expected back for several weeks, perhaps after this month’s international break.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetacelebrates after the match
Ben White, 27, is back though, but hasn’t started a match since his return from knee surgery at the start of the season. Jurrien Timber may retain his starting berth at right-back.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are both out for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign.
Arsenal have a respectable record at the Theatre of Dreams and the superior squad to United’s withered crop. Arteta will be nothing if not confident his team can clinch another rousing victory.
23/24
Premier League
1-0 win
22/23
Premier League
3-1 loss
21/22
Premier League
3-2 loss
20/21
Premier League
1-0 win
19/20
Premier League
1-1 draw
While the Premier League clash carries more significance than the forthcoming clash against PSV, Arteta might want to make a few changes, with Myles Lewis-Skelly perhaps in line to be benched.
Why Arsenal should drop Lewis-Skelly
One of Arsenal’s brightest emerging sparks this season, Lewis-Skelly has made the left-back berth his own this season, starting eight Premier League fixtures since December.
Chalkboard
Still only 18, he’s got the world at his feet and has dazzled through his athletic style and positivity on the ball, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
Described as “the future of Arsenal and English football” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Lewis-Skelly has become an increasingly prominent part of the Londoners’ season – but he should be taken out of the firing line for this mammoth Premier League contest.
Riccardo Calafiori has ebbed and flowed through his maiden campaign in English football, joining from Bologna in a deal worth £42m last summer.
He might not be quite so confident defensively at left-back as Lewis-Skelly, but the Italy international, 22, is more complete at this stage of his career.
Lewis-Skelly is a little overzealous, defensively. With two red cards to his name already, ‘MLS’ almost saw the flash of red for the third time this week, fortunate to have been spared after a reckless challenge on Richard Ledezma. Arteta spoke of the teenager walking a “thin line” after the emphatic win.
Capable in central defence, Calafiori has played the lion’s share of his football for Arsenal out wide. Though he hasn’t quite cemented his spot, Arteta did make the bold decision to substitute his younger man against PSV after just 35 minutes, after his near sending off.
Caalfiori impressed in his stead, posting a goal and an assist apiece, completing 85% of his passes and winning three duels, as per Sofascore. Football.london awarded the Italian an 8/10 match score, singling out his devastating attacking quality.
Though Man United will hope to bring a different calibre than the Dutch side, Arsenal will surely prevail if they play like they did on the continent, and Calafiori’s skill set will help to achieve that, putting Lewis-Skelly on the bench.
Matches (starts)
16 (10)
12 (8)
Goals
2
1
Assists
1
0
Touches*
39.2
38.4
Pass completion
88%
95%
Key passes*
0.4
0.3
Dribbles*
0.6 (82%)
0.7 (62%)
Tackles + interceptions*
2.2
2.0
Clearances*
1.9
0.8
Total duels won*
3.9 (58%)
4.1 (69%)
Cards (Y/R)
4/0
2/2
As you can see, Lewis-Skelly holds the statistical advantage from a defensive standpoint, whereas Calafiori is more convincing in progression and has an eye for involvement in the final third too.
Lewis-Skelly’s aggressive defensive style is a neat weapon for Arteta to wield, but against a Man United side with glaring defensive deficiencies, Calafiori’s “chaotic” attacking style may well be the order of the day, supplementing Leandro Trossard on the left flank.
Arteta made the claim, also noting that the Italian is “very unpredictable to play against” – which could be key against a United side often looking disorganised and discordant under Amorim’s wing.
The club’s Spanish boss will expect his side to start on the front foot and issue a statement to Old Trafford. Calafiori’s inclusion could keep the fluent attacking spark from midweek intact, carry it over to the Premier League.
Liverpool wobbled against Southampton, and the Gunners simply have to keep the pressure, pushing all the way, ready to pounce if the chance presents itself.
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With one eye potentially on the Premier League amid their push for promotion, Sunderland are reportedly eyeing a summer swoop to sign a 25-year-old defender in a bargain deal.
Sunderland transfer news
To say that Regis Le Bris has enjoyed a stunning debut season at the Stadium of Light would be an understatement. The Frenchman arrived to take over a side fresh from Championship survival and has since transformed them into promotion contenders.
Despite sitting as high as fourth in England’s second tier and eight points behind the automatic promotion spots, Sunderland still couldn’t avoid heartbreak at the hands of Leeds United last time out, with the Whites sealing a last-gasp victory.
Nonetheless, Le Bris’ side will have the chance to go again thanks to the visit of Hull City this weekend in which they will be desperate to get back to winning ways at the Stadium of Light.
Meanwhile, away from the action, the Black Cats are already reportedly preparing for the summer transfer window. According to Bild in Germany, Sunderland are now eyeing a summer swoop to sign Ahmet Gurleyen from Hansa Rostock in what would be a bargain deal at just €500k (£414k).
The 25-year-old centre-back has spent time at Mainz 05 as well as FC Nurnberg, gaining Bundesliga experience before joining Rostock last summer. Now, for the second time in his career, Gurleyen could complete a move out of Germany if Sunderland come calling.
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In an ideal world, the central defender would be arriving at a Premier League side. However, should that not prove to be the case, the German should still not hesitate to take such an opportunity.
Gurleyen could begin busy Sunderland summer
Of course, Sunderland’s summer is likely to depend on promotion – on both the incomings and outgoings front – but Gurleyen would certainly be an intelligent arrival with or without the Premier League. At just 25 years old, the central defender still has ample opportunity to step up from Germany’s third tier and towards the chaos of the Championship.
Sunderland, meanwhile, could do with an added fresh face within their backline in what could see the versatile Luke O’Nien move into midfield or perhaps cover arrive for Daniel Ballard, who has not been without injury issues this season. So, whilst Gurleyen would not steal the same headlines as the likes of Enzo Le Fee, his arrival could have importance in its own right.
Both on and off the pitch, the Black Cats are in for quite the ride in the coming months. Automatic promotion is still just about in their sights and even if that dream fades, Le Bris’ side look set to earn a shot at eventual Wembley success.
Once the summer arrives and Sunderland’s fate is decided, the transfer window will certainly be interesting to watch.
Newcastle United are into the final of the Carabao Cup.
Eddie Howe’s side put Arsenal to the sword in each of the semi-final legs, winning 2-0 at the Emirates before repeating the trick on Tyneside.
It’s buried concerns that United’s imperious form had faded away following St. James’ Park losses against Bournemouth and Fulham in the Premier League, with a first-class display to match the result.
Arsenal were without Bukayo Saka but were buoyed after beating Manchester City 5-1 the weekend before, with exciting youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both notching in that one.
But Newcastle turned form on its head when it mattered.
How Newcastle silenced Arsenal
With Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon wreaking havoc in the final third, Newcastle overwhelmed an Arsenal side that attempted to carry the spark from their recent victory into this semi-final showdown but failed miserably.
Not only did the hosts win 54% of the contested duels on the evening, as per Sofascore, but they also made just one error in the match compared to Arsenal’s four.
The disparity up front was personified, with it perfectly clear why Mikel Arteta so desperately wants Isak to front his ship over the coming years.
Arsenal’s youth contingent proved their worth, however. Nwaneri in particular remains one of the brightest young players in English football despite being kept quiet by Newcastle’s marshalled defence, but the hosts might actually have a bigger talent on their hands.
Minutes played
53′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
41
Shots (on target)
1 (1)
Accurate passes
13/19 (68%)
Key passes
0
Crosses
0/9
Possession lost
22x
Dribbles completed
0/0
Total duels (won)
7 (2)
Lewis-Skelly is the talk of the town right now but Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, 21, will feel that he proved yet again that he is “the best left-back in the country,” as Toon correspondent Dominic Scurr put it after Howe’s first-leg victory in January.
Perhaps, though, Newcastle’s Lewis Miley is the best of them all. He was only introduced in the closing stages, but he’s got quite the future ahead of him.
Newcastle's answer to Nwaneri
Miley hasn’t featured all that much this season, stifled by a metatarsal fracture that left him sidelined until Howe granted him his first Premier League appearance of the campaign in December, during a 4-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
Lewis Miley scores for Newcastle
The eldest of three brothers within the United academy, Miley was described as a prospect with “unbelievable” potential by fellow Tyneside native Sean Longstaff.
Toon legend Alan Shearer has been coloured impressed by the rangy midfielder’s start to life, saying: “He just looks natural, he looks very comfortable. Other than looking at his baby looks, if you didn’t know who or what he was you would think he has been around for years, the way he was strutting around the pitch and closing down and the balance he had on the ball.”
One of the youngest goalscorers in Premier League history, Miley has proved himself to be a young player of confidence and ability, racking up 35 senior outings altogether, scoring twice and placing four assists.
Miley is a first-class talent, perhaps with a ceiling higher than the rest at St. James’ Park, maybe even capable of rivalling a player like Nwaneri, who is more of a forward but similarly revered by his team’s fanbase.
In the Premier League last year, while he was only 17, Miley ended up ranking among the top 15% of midfielders for assists per 90, as per FBref.
Moreover, he averaged 1.9 tackles and won 54% of his ground duels in the top flight last season, as per Sofascore, providing injury-hit Newcastle with a combative and youthful dimension.
He’s every bit as talented as Nwaneri and could rival the Arsenal prodigy for the reputation as England’s finest youngster as both continue to go from strength to strength over the coming years.
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Newcastle brushed Arsenal aside over two legs to advance to the final of the Carabao Cup.