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Eddie Howe had spoken at great length about the magnitude of the Tyne-Wear Derby before Newcastle United’s Sunday showdown with Sunderland in the Premier League.

Indeed, the 48-year-old spoke of wanting to do Tyneside proud at the Stadium of Light in the build-up to the hotly anticipated game. Unfortunately, the players on the pitch didn’t live up to the standards expected of them, as the out-of-sorts Toon fell to a very disappointing 1-0 loss on Wearside.

In the end, a freak Nick Woltemade own goal was the decisive moment that separated the two sworn enemies, with Woltemade struggling throughout as an isolated centre-forward figure, away from just this embarrassing error.

Woltemade's performance in numbers

Heading into this crunch contest, the German had been without a goal across his last two Newcastle clashes.

He did look lively in patches against Bayer Leverkusen, having won his away side a penalty kick at the BayArena, but he would only muster up a weak 25 touches of the ball in his homeland, which would curse him again up against Regis Le Bris’ relentless hosts.

Against Sunderland, Woltemade would barely touch the ball, as Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete both dealt with him without having to break a sweat. When he came off for Yoane Wissa late on, the quiet number 27 had only amassed 12 touches of the ball.

Moreover, he showed none of the clinical edge up top for Newcastle that saw him somehow pounce on a Sunderland delivery, with only one weak effort registered at Robin Roefs’ net throughout.

With Wissa gradually building back up fitness now, it wouldn’t be the greatest shock in the world if Howe opted to drop his lofty attacker for the ex-Brentford striker down the line, with Woltemade only bagging one disappointing goal – in the right net – across his last eight Newcastle outings.

He isn’t alone in fearing the wrath of his manager as the games come thick and fast this December, though, as one of Woltemade’s attacking teammates also never got going in such an intense showdown.

Woltemade not the only culprit for Newcastle

It was an uninspiring match, in truth, from an attacking perspective, as only four on-target efforts could be tallied up by both sides, come the end of the even encounter.

Anthony Elanga would have hoped he could leave a lasting impression on the Derby contest heading into the game on Sunday, having endured a terrible stay on Tyneside so far, after completing a £55m summer move from Nottingham Forest.

Minutes played

59

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

27

Shots

0

Accurate passes

13/19 (68%)

Successful dribbles

0/2

Possession lost

12x

Unfortunately for Elanga, his torrid time at the Toon so far continued against Sunderland, with Magpies-based social media account NUFC Edge declaring his showing against Le Bris’ hosts as “absolutely awful”, and for good reason, when staring at his shambolic numbers above.

Even Woltemade would be able to register a single shot at Roefs’ goal, as Elanga trudged off the 59th-minute mark, having failed to test the alert Dutchman with one effort.

Moreover, instead of bamboozling opposition defenders with his trademark pace that made him such a devastating performer for the Tricky Trees, Elanga would routinely recede into his shell on Wearside, with the two dribbles he did attempt not coming off.

He just didn’t have the ball enough at his feet regularly to really try and terrorise a rock-solid Sunderland defence, with his 27 touches of the ball even bettered by Aaron Ramsdale in between the sticks, who managed to tally up a far heftier 46.

The total lack of goalmouth action on Newcastle’s end would even spur Howe into apologising to the travelling Tyneside masses at the full-time whistle, with Elanga surely replaced by the likes of Jacob Murphy for matches to follow across the jam-packed Christmas period.

Anthony Gordon also looked weak against the stern Sunderland defence, with Newcastle slipping all the way down to 12th spot in the division after such a bruising Tyne-Wear Derby loss.

It will be up to Howe to guide his forlorn outfit back to winning ways on Wednesday night when Fulham come to St James’ Park in the EFL Cup, with the time surely right for the saddened Toon boss to experiment up top, away from sticking by the underwhelming pair of Woltemade and Elanga.

Not just Smit: Newcastle looking to sign midfielder who's "Premier League-ready"

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham 5 days ago

Leigh Kasperek takes five wickets to finish campaign on a high at Grace Road

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2018New Zealand 224 for 6 (Devine 117*) beat England 219 (Jones 78, Beaumont 53, Kasperek 5-39) by four wickets
ScorecardA brilliant century from Sophie Devine secured New Zealand a consolation victory in the third and final ODI at Grace Road, as England were outgunned in a low-scoring contest, after a five-wicket haul from the spinner Leigh Kasperek had derailed their ambitions of a clean sweep.Devine made light of the early loss of her new opening partner, Jess Watkin, as well as a steady drip of mid-innings wickets, to steer her side to a four-wicket victory with 117 not out from 116 balls, sealing the deal with a massive six over square leg. Alongside her at the end of an intermittently anxious chase was the 17-year-old Amelia Kerr, whose mature 12 not out completed a memorable campaign that of course had earlier included a world-record 232 not out against Ireland.After winning the toss and batting first, England might have had ambitions of 300-plus while Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones were in harness. The pair compiled their second century stand of the summer, inside the first 20 overs, as New Zealand’s seamers were once again neutered as they ploughed a wide line and relied on errors that did not materialise.Pace off the ball, however, would prove to be a different challenge for England, and having reached 104 for no loss, they proceeded to lose all ten of their wickets for a further 115, with no-one outside of the openers managing more than Danni Wyatt’s 18 from 22 balls.The wrecker of the innings was Kasperek, who had Beaumont caught behind, somewhat carelessly, on the reverse sweep for 53, before adding the scalp of Lauren Winfield for 5 soon afterwards. Winfield, back in the side as Sarah Taylor took a break, holed out to deep midwicket where Maddy Green took a fine low catch.Jones, looking good for her elusive maiden ODI hundred, once again gave her innings away when she charged at Watkin to be stumped for 78, while Hayley Jensen produced a superb spell of full-length inswingers, bowling Heather Knight with a slower ball.Nat Sciver was then unluckily run out at the non-striker’s end, as Kasperek brushed her fingers on a straight drive from Wyatt, and England’s usual turbo-charged finish petered out. Kasperek deservedly bagged the final two wickets to complete her maiden five-wicket haul.In reply, Katherine Brunt pinned Watkin lbw for a duck in her first over to lift England’s spirits, but Devine was not to be put off her game. She rattled along at more than a run a ball to break the back of the chase in partnership with the steadfast Green, who rather surprisingly galloped down the track straight after the drinks break to be bowled for 23 from 52 balls.Suzie Bates, lurking down the order for a change, came and went cheaply for once, as Laura Marsh bowled her for 1. But Devine eased past her fifty from 54 balls, then brought up her hundred from 101 with a drive back past the bowler.England’s spinners lacked their usual impact, but even with Ecclestone off the boil, her team weren’t quite finished. When Brunt returned to bowl Amy Satterthwaite for 25 and overtake Jenny Gunn as England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs, there was a chance of a late twist. However, Katey Martin provided sturdy support until she ran herself out for 23, and thereafter Devine would not be denied.

A former France teammate of Paul Pogba has asserted that the Juventus midfielder was 'tricked" into taking a banned substance.

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Pogab found guilty of taking a banned substance Might have been deceived into taking the substance Rabiot revealed how Juventus dressing room was devastated WHAT HAPPENED?

Pogba failed a drug test in August after he tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance known to enhance testosterone levels. Subsequently, the footballer was handed a four-year ban. However, Pogba's legal team has vehemently denied any intentional wrongdoing, claiming that he inadvertently ingested the substance and have pledged to challenge the ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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However, Rio Mavuba, a former member of the French national team, has made an explosive claim that the midfielder might have been deceived into taking the banned substance. Mavuba, who played alongside Pogba during the 2014 World Cup, voiced his belief in Pogba's innocence and even hinted at possible manipulation in the doping scandal.

WHAT MAVUBA SAID

Speaking to Telefoot via Get French Football News, Mavuba said: "(I am) in no doubt about Paul’s sincerity and I think he may have been somewhat tricked too."

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JUVENTUS DRESSING ROOM WAS 'DEVASTATED'

Pogba has received an outpouring of support from his peers, with Adrien Rabiot, his team-mate at Juventus, expressing the devastating impact of the news on the dressing room. "We’re talking to Paul. He’s trying to keep his head up even when everything is falling on him. I hope he will come out of this as best he can because having all of this to deal with at once is a lot," he said.

Whereas, Adil Rami, a former French international, believes that Pogba has the potential to return even at 35. "I even think that he is capable of training by himself for four years and coming back. If he does that, it’ll be one of the best stories that a champion is capable of creating," he stated.

Leeds United should be aiming for an automatic return to the top-flight of English football after they were relegated from the Premier League last season.

The Whites spent three seasons at the top table and are now back in the Championship and vying for promotion alongside the likes of Leicester, Ipswich, and Sunderland.

German boss Daniel Farke was snapped up, after his exit from Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach, to lead the charge and he arrived with a proven track record at this level.

Points

94

97

Goals for

93

75

Goals against

57

36

Games won

27

29

Farke's Championship title-winning seasons with Norwich (via Sky Sports):

As shown in the table above, the former Norwich City head coach has won this division in impressive fashion twice before and, therefore, knows what it takes to succeed in the Championship.

He was able to call upon the supremely talented Emiliano Buendia, now of Aston Villa, in both of those seasons and the ex-Borussia Dortmund youth coach could find his next version of the Argentina international by dipping into the market in January to sign Matt O'Riley.

Were Leeds interested in Matt O'Riley?

The Scottish Sun reported over the summer that the Whites had an offer turned down by Celtic for the central midfielder during the last transfer window.

Leeds reportedly offered a fee of around £10m for the Denmark U21 international but were unable to convince the Scottish giants to part ways with their midfield maestro.

Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers later revealed that he was determined to keep hold of O'Riley after the club had already cashed in on Jota and Carl Starfelt, and the ex-Liverpool manager was not keen on losing another one of his key players.

The Northern Irish head coach did, however, go on to say that he could never rule out a move if the player decided that they would like to move on, although that was not the case with the Danish gem this summer.

This suggests that there is scope for Farke to attempt to convince O'Riley that a switch to Elland Road is the best next step in his career, and Leeds challenging for automatic promotion when the January window opens could help to do that.

O'Riley's exceptional performances as an attacking threat from midfield for Celtic suggest that the potential is there for him to develop into a Buendia-esque player for the Whites boss, albeit in a slightly different role.

How many assists did Buendia produce for Norwich?

The Argentine wizard produced an eye-catching 42 assists in 121 matches in all competitions for the Canaries under Farke's management between 2018 and 2021.

Buendia recorded 29 assists in 77 Championship outings for Norwich and consistently proved himself to be a significant threat to opposition defences with his ability to carve them open at will in possession.

His passing range and invention on the ball allowed him to regularly create huge opportunities in front of goal for his teammates, which resulted in his impressive assist record in East Anglia.

The former Getafe youngster managed 2.4 key passes per clash and assisted 12 goals in 38 Championship games during his first season at Norwich. He followed that up with 3.1 key passes per match and 16 assists in 39 second-tier starts during the 2020/21 campaign.

Buendia, who created 25 'big chances' across those two seasons, also chipped in with 23 league goals at that level for Farke as he showcased his ability to score and assist goals at an excellent rate.

O'Riley, who plays in a central midfield role rather than out wide, has been in staggering form for the Hoops this season and is showing similar qualities as a scorer and a creator of goals.

How many goals has O'Riley scored this season?

The 22-year-old, who was once hailed as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has found the back of the net five times in eight Scottish Premiership encounters this term.

He has added goalscoring to his arsenal of attacking qualities after only three goals in 38 league matches for Celtic throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

The former Fulham prospect has taken it upon himself to be the difference-maker for the Hoops by scoring the goals himself, rather than just being the creator. This has added a different dimension to his game and one that makes him a complete midfielder, in an attacking sense.

However, this has not stopped his creative flow as the left-footed talent has produced 3.1 key passes per game and recorded two assists to go along with his five goals. He has also assisted one goal and created six chances in two Champions League clashes for the club so far.

This comes after the central midfield general assisted 12 goals and created 16 'big chances' in his 38 Premiership appearances last season.

Should Leeds sign O'Riley?

Farke should reignite his interest in O'Riley and convince the midfielder, in spite of his new contract with Celtic, to sign for the English side in January to further bolster their promotion chances.

The Denmark U21 international could improve the side with his ability to provide a regular stream of goals and chances created from a midfield position.

His form for the Hoops this term suggests that he has the potential to offer more attacking quality than the head coach's current options across the pitch.

No Leeds player has managed more than 2.5 key passes per game, in comparison to O'Riley's 3.1, and this indicates that the ex-MK Dons star could be Leeds' outstanding creative threat at the top end of the pitch.

He could regularly provide the likes of Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe with the opportunities that they need at the top end of the pitch to find the back of the net week-in-week-out.

O'Riley's goalscoring form this term would also make him a strong addition to the squad as only Piroe (five) has managed more than two Championship strikes this season.

The Celtic star could come in as an outstanding goalscorer and creator from a midfield position and, therefore, become Farke's next version of Buendia, who provided a similar level of attacking efficiency at this level for the manager during their time together at Norwich.

It is now down to Leeds to secure a deal for the 6 foot 2 maestro to bolster their squad if the opportunity arises during the next window.

West Ham United won the Europa Conference League last season after keeping the faith in manager David Moyes, who was struggling to replicate his past success in the Premier League.

The Hammers currently top their Europa League group after two matches, having qualified for continental competition despite finishing 16th in the league last season after winning the Conference League.

The return to Thursday night football also means that the east London outfit are now enjoying their fourth successive term on the European scene, and will undoubtedly be targetting further silverware after getting a taste in June.

They are doing so without Declan Rice, with the coveted England international joining Arsenal in a £105m transfer in the summer having risen from the Irons academy to a position as one of the game's finest midfielders.

His development will have been galvanising for the club's latest crop of youthful talent to witness, who know that they too could tread the path that the 24-year-old was walked.

Moyes might want to make use of such players to fill the gaps, with a host of first-teamers, including Aaron Cresswell, set to depart at the end of the season.

Is Aaron Cresswell going to leave West Ham?

With multiple aces currently enjoying their final term at West Ham, Moyes and his transfer team will indeed be discussing internally the options possible to continue the rich vein of form that has stretched, by and large, across four campaigns now.

Of course, this will arrive in a blend of new additions, youth players and the inevitable extensions for one or two possible departees.

Player

Age

Tomas Soucek*

28

Pablo Fornals

27

Ben Johnson

23

Vladimir Coufal*

31

Michail Antonio*

33

Conor Coventry

23

Aaron Cresswell

33

Lukasz Fabianski

38

Angelo Ogbonna

35

Divin Mubama

18

Joseph Anang

23

*Club option to extend for another year

One player on the list who likely will be headed for the exit is Cresswell, who would complete a decade of service to United upon his contract's expiry, having joined from Ipswich Town for around £2m in 2014.

Having made 332 appearances, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers were both interested in his signature over the summer but he ultimately remained in London.

Despite his ageing years, Cresswell still maintains his fantastic ball-playing ability, with FBref ranking him among the top 11% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for passes attempted and the top 10% for progressive passes per 90.

The £50k-per-week ace has been a solid and significant stalwart in West Ham's progress over recent years, with his role at the club leading talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino to hail him as an "unsung hero" for the club.

But given that he is out of contract at the end of the campaign, his journey might now be set to reach its culmination, especially given his dwindling presence on the pitch over the past few years.

Because of this, the time might be right to start providing youngster Regan Clayton with added responsibility, with the academy starlet boasting all the attributes to succeed at West Ham and serve as Cresswell's heir.

Who is Regan Clayton?

Clayton has been at West Ham's academy since he was ten, having shone during his formative years and now moves within reach of a senior debut in the not-too-distant future.

Citing Bayern Munich phenom Alphonso Davies as his inspiration, the 18-year-old is electric, unflinching and eager to contribute to offensive passages of play whenever he can, with such dynamic qualities custom-made for a place in a Moyes team.

The club's Scottish manager is perhaps known for his conservative, disciplined philosophy, but would certainly scoff at the 'defensive football' tag at the London Stadium, having scored more goals than Chelsea and Manchester United this season and led West Ham to new, silver-laden heights since his appointment.

A more accurate description is that he instils resilience and solidity and in return breeds fluidity in transition, with overlapping full-backs opening pockets for offensive focal points to work laterally across the frontline.

Clayton would be a fantastic addition to this system, and the teenage talent actually benefits from the rich resources the club currently offers at left-back.

Emerson is considered the Irons' first-choice option, while Ben Johnson offers flexibility across both full-back positions; Cresswell is now a veteran but still brings his creative, rounded skill set to the table.

Davies might be Clayton's idol but it is his senior teammate who is the role model, remarking at the 33-year-old's protean ability across the spectrum of a defender's game.

What is Regan Clayton's style of play?

Now a seasoned veteran at youth level, Clayton has chalked up 90 appearances for the Irons' development squads, posting five goals and assists apiece.

Last season, the prodigy even earned a place on the bench on two occasions in the Conference League for the Hammers – meaning he received a winners medal – emphasising the trust already placed in his ability.

Robson said: “Regan Clayton came in from the U18s and I thought he did excellent when he came on and added some quality, and it’s great we get that level from these lads coming into the U23s.”

One scout was particularly impressed by his displays in a less-favoured centre-back role, claiming that he "has anticipated and defended transitions excellently. Using his intelligence to negate his lack of height at the back."

Such intellect and understanding on the pitch will be crucial in taking the steps towards first-team involvement, but based on the current evidence, he truly is well on the way to realising this.

While Clayton will likely need to build some minutes at U21 level before Moyes decides that he is ready for the senior side, he is set for a big role under Robson this season and could find himself on Premier League soil in no time.

The fact that Emerson, Johnson and co ply their trade at the club should really be viewed as a positive; Clayton can develop and absorb the fruits of his peers' labour, and steadily work his way to the top – a position very much attainable for so talented a prospect.

An unbeaten half-century from 20-year-old Pant helped guide India A to victory in the tri-series final

Alan Gardner at The Oval02-Jul-20183:03

Centurion Hain ‘frustrated’ by final loss

ScorecardThe shape of the English summer is set to be defined over the next ten weeks by Virat Kohli’s India. A day out from that tour beginning in earnest, India lifted their first silverware, thanks to the A team’s five-wicket victory over England Lions at The Oval. An unbeaten half-century from 20-year-old Rishabh Pant guided them to the tri-series title, though it was an accomplished collective performance from a team bristling with IPL talent.Having been put into bat, the Lions were indebted to the series’ leading run-scorer, Sam Hain, maintaining his prolific white-ball form, as well as a colourful 83 from Liam Livingstone, who showed power and finesse to score swiftly on a slowish surface. The next-highest contribution was Steven Mullaney’s 17, as the India A bowlers bided their time and struck at opportune moments: twice during the initial Powerplay, as the Lions reached 41 for 2, and repeatedly at the back end of the innings.Deepak Chahar, two days after being called into India’s full squad for the T20 series beginning on Tuesday, picked up three wickets, while slow left-armer Axar Patel – also now in the ODI squad – was their most economical bowler as well as also claiming a trio of catches, two of them exceptional efforts.Rishabh Pant puts away a square drive•Getty ImagesThe Lions would rue a chance that wasn’t held, off Pant on 35, when Reece Topley failed to get his hands under the ball running in from long-on. With India A having just lost Hanuma Vihari to a needless run-out, the Lions needed to seize the moment; instead, Pant and Krunal Pandya added an unbroken 71 to seal the chase.There were perhaps a couple of hundred spectators in south London’s grand old ground, though the Indian tricolours were visible as Pant brought up his fifty moments after lashing Matt Parkinson – the bowler who might have had him caught – twice down the ground for six and four. A congregation had mustered near the changing rooms for the chance of a selfie with Rahul Dravid, the India A coach, and the visitors seemed to enjoy the conditions brought about by the UK’s recent heatwave, as the Lions sweated in the sunshine.Although Prithvi Shaw fell to the first ball of the seventh over, India A already had 39 runs on the board. A double-strike from Liam Dawson – who drew level with Sajid Mahmood as the leading List A wicket-taker for the Lions, or England A/B, with 33 – checked the innings at 83 for 3 in the 16th over, but further inroads were delayed by a fourth-wicket stand of 67 in good time.India A’s captain, Shreyas Iyer, cracked the first six of the innings – possibly the biggest of the day – off the bowling of Parkinson, though Iyer appeared unhappy to be given out caught behind down the leg side off Mullaney; wicketkeeper Ben Foakes also whipped off the bails, for good measure. Mullaney then dropped a return catch off Vihari on 25, though Topley’s miss of Pant was to prove more costly.Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, and Ed Smith, the national selector, were both in attendance and although the Lions came up short, there were several positive contributions in a hard-fought contest – most notably from Hain.Sam Hain drives during his century•Getty ImagesTrying to force a way into England’s white-ball sides at the moment is a bit like getting hold of tickets, or looking for a quick route to MCC membership. Be prepared for a wait, basically.Nevertheless, Hain is making a compelling case. Following his second hundred of the series, he averages 68.81 in List A cricket; that rises to 115.00 from eight innings for the Lions and he has already joined James Taylor (who made four) and Dawid Malan as the only players to score three one-day hundreds for England’s second XI. Both of those went on to play for the senior teams although Malan, somewhat curiously, has been capped in T20 and Tests but not – thus far – ODIs.Hain has been likened to Jonathan Trott, with his extended routine for taking guard and penchant for leg-side nudges, and he certainly seems a tad more circumspect than some of England’s new generation of dashers. That approach was well-attuned to the conditions at The Oval, however, where India A won a useful toss and made life difficult for the Lions throughout.Only during a partnership of 152 in 26 overs between Hain and Livingstone did India A appear under pressure in the field. Livingstone hooked the first of his five sixes off Khaleel Ahmed in the 17th over, having taken some time to find his feet, and he became increasingly fluent as the innings progressed. Having reached his first fifty of the series, from 63 balls, Livingstone began to cruise up through the gears, but fell one over after hitting Chahar for consecutives sixes when Axar took an excellent diving catch running in off the boundary.Hain’s innings was a more nuggety affair, although he did deposit Krunal into the seats at deep midwicket. His hundred came from 113 deliveries, but he was unable to carry on right to the end, edging Chahar behind as the Lions lost 6 for 79 over the course of their last 16.2 overs.

Kylian Mbappe is reportedly set to take the No.9 shirt at Real Madrid, once his move to Spain is completed, with Vinicius Jr already filling No.7.

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World Cup winner running down deal at PSGExpected to head for Spain as a free agentReady to take on prominent role at BernabeuGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

The World Cup-winning France international is expected to head for Santiago Bernabeu this summer once his contract at Paris Saint-Germain comes to a close. A deal is said to already be in place that will see Mbappe become another ‘Galactico’ in Madrid.

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As things stand, the 25-year-old superstar has made the No.7 spot his own at PSG. That number holds a special place in football folklore – due in no small part to the likes of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo – but Mbappe will be unable to take it on at Real.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

With Brazilian star Vinicius a talismanic presence in his own right for the Blancos, Mbappe will have to fill another jersey. According to , he is being lined up to inherit the No.9 shirt that has been vacant since Karim Benzema departed in 2023 and was initially taken by Ronaldo following his move to Madrid in 2009.

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WHAT NEXT?

There is still a chance that Mbappe will take No.10, the jersey that he often dons for France, with questions being asked of whether Croatian playmaker Luka Modric will depart as a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could now find his job under threat at Old Trafford after a surprise candidate emerged to replace the Dutchman under their proposed new ownership, according to a report.

Man Utd updates: Sancho news, Dalot impressing, injury round-up

A recent update on Jadon Sancho's future indicates that the Red Devils outcast has a plethora of options available to him in the January transfer window, with clubs from Serie A, Bundesliga, and the Turkish Super Lig all keen.

The England international's public rift with boss Ten Hag was thought to have reached some form of conclusion when outlets reported he would return to the squad this week, however Fabrizio Romano has since confirmed that was a case of mistaken identity, with the manager saying "Sergio" (Reguilon) was back in training, not "Sancho".

In other news, Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has been praised for his improvement following his magnificent winning strike against Sheffield United in the Premier League to seal a crucial three points at Bramall Lane last weekend.

Speaking to MUTV cited via United in Focus, former Manchester United goalkeeper Paul Woolston added: "It’s great to see, he’s definitely got an engine on him. It’s the runs sometimes when he doesn’t get the ball he’s still committing players, asking questions, for someone else to get on the end of it.

"To see his work rate, his wanting to be there, he’s up and down the pitch all day long. He’s a different player since he came back from his loan away, he’s come back and keeps improving, he’s nowhere near the finished article yet but the improvement he’s made is massive."

Next up for Ten Hag's men is a crucial home tie against Copenhagen in the Champions League and the latest Manchester United injury update from The Manchester Evening News has shed some positive light on who could be available for Tuesday night's clash.

Sergio Reguilon, Jonny Evans and Kobbie Mainoo are all expected to be in contention after recovering from various concerns. On the other hand, Casemiro, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Amad Diallo and Tyrell Malacia will all return at a later date.

Manchester United's top scorers in 2023/24 – all competitions

Player

Games played

Goals scored

Casemiro

11

4

Scott McTominay

7

3

Rasmus Hojlund

9

3

Bruno Fernandes

11

2

Hannibal Mejbri

4

1

Man Utd manager news – Graham Potter

Accoring to The Sun, Ten Hag could be sacked and replaced by Graham Potter. The report claims former Chelsea boss Potter is in contention to take over at Serie A side Napoli, but the 48-year-old is also keeping an ear out to see if Manchester United come calling if Sir Jim Ratcliffe's proposed new regime decides to go in a different direction from current manager Ten Hag.

The report states that Potter is a possible candidate for Manchester United under new ownership because Ratcliffe's right hand man, Sir Dave Brailsford, who will have a large influence over the football department at Old Trafford, is a big fan of the Solihull-born coach, even wanting to bring him to Ligue 1 outfit Nice.

The club were recently reported to have made an approach for Carlo Ancelotti, so it really does appear as though they are weighing their options with two possible candidates now named.

Potter didn't enjoy the best of spells at Stamford Bridge and was ousted after less than seven months in charge following a disappointing run of results, though he did lay the foundations for Roberto De Zerbi to continue Brighton & Hove Albion's recent success.

It will be interesting to see if Manchester United's potential new investors look to change things up at Old Trafford as they aim to restore the Premier League giants to being one of the elite in English football, and Potter, labelled "outstanding" by The Telegraph's Luke Edwards, looks an exciting candidate.

Stokes’ co-defendant took the stand in Bristol on Friday as both sides concluded providing evidence in the affray trial with summing up now due on Monday

George Dobell10-Aug-2018The co-defendant in the Ben Stokes trial has accepted video footage shows he struck a man with a bottle before he was punched by Stokes.Ryan Ali, who like Stokes is on trial for affray at Bristol Crown Court, accepted under cross-examination from Gordon Cole QC, acting on behalf of Stokes, that he could be seen “going towards” England cricketer Alex Hales with a bottle in the footage.Ali, who suffered a fractured left eye socket in the incident, also accepted the footage showed he struck another man, Kai Barry, with the bottle. Ali insisted, however, that he did so only to defend himself.”Do you remember, with a bottle in your hand, going towards Hales?” Cole asked.”I don’t recall that,” Ali replied.”But you agree the footage shows that?” Cole continued.”Yes,” replied Ali.”And do you accept the footage shows you striking Mr Barry with the bottle?””I do,” Ali said.Ali was also pressed on his claim that he attempted to place Stokes in a headlock after Ali’s friend, Ryan Hale, was apparently unconscious on the pavement. CCTV footage shown to the jury, Cole suggested, demonstrated that Ali could only have placed Stokes in a headlock after Hale had regained his feet, picked up a length of metal from a broken road sign and returned to the scene of the action.”Had you been struck by the time Mr Hale returns?” asked Cole.”Not on the footage,” replied Ali.Ali also accepted, under Cole’s cross-examination, that he could only have taken hold of Stokes when the England cricketer had turned away from him and not when he was coming towards him as previously suggested.”When you got hold of him from behind, did you put your arm around his neck and grab his left arm and pull it in against you?” Cole asked.”Yes,” replied Ali.”So he could not have been coming towards you, could he?” Cole continued.”No,” said Ali. “Because he had turned away.”Stokes accepts he threw “multiple punches” and connected with both Hale and Ali, but insists he did so only because he feared for the safety of himself and others and only after a bottle had been used in the fray. His defence team have also shown the jury CCTV footage of Hale running towards the group with the metal bar.With all sides having now provided their evidence in the case, Monday will see a summing up from the barristers involved. On Monday or Tuesday, then, the jury can be expected to retire to make their decision. The charge of affray carries a maximum prison sentence of three years and an unlimited fine.Hale, who saw the case against him dismissed on Thursday, watched proceedings on Friday from the public gallery.The trial continues.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has defended VAR for not intervening in a controversial moment during Liverpool's recent draw with Manchester City.

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Howard Webb explains VAR processLiverpool denied late penalty vs Man CityDoku challenge on Mac Allister ruled fairWHAT HAPPENED?

Appearing on the latest ediiton of , Webb said that it was right for VAR not to intervene and overturn Michael Oliver's decision not to award a penalty for Jeremy Doku's challenge on Alexis Mac Allister near the end of the 1-1 draw at Anfield on March 10. The retired official turned boss of the refereeing body, insisted there wasn't enough of an error to get involved, which also would have been the case had the opposite happened and the penalty been given by the on-field ref.

AdvertisementGETTYWHAT WEBB SAID

Webb said: "It's one of those…if the referee gives it on the field, it would have been a 'check complete' by the VAR. Equally, having not given it, it's also 'check complete'. You hear Michael Oliver say the ball is in between two players going together. The ball is too low to head. Doku lifts his foot to play the ball, and he does make contact on the ball. And yes, we know there's some contact on Mac Allister as well. Mac Allister comes into him. Mac Allister is not really playing the ball either. So, I understand why it's split opinion.

"The VAR stays out of it. I think that is what we would we would expect. The VAR looks at it and doesn't see a 'clear and obvious' situation. You see something that's pretty subjective and therefore stays out of it, and the feedback we've had from people within the game is that this is a pretty subjective situation. It's split opinion. So on that basis, the VAR, working to that high threshold kind of followed the right course in not getting involved."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mac Allister had already converted from the spot early in the second half when Darwin Nunez was brought down by Ederson, cancelling out John Stones' first half goal. But the Argentine told afterwards that he felt he was denied a "clear penalty" when he was struck in the chest by Doku's boot. "I think the ref did a very good job throughout the game, but I think he made a mistake in the last decision," Mac Allister added.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL & MAN CITY?

Nothing changes for Liverpool or Manchester City. They remain separated by just a single point in the Premier League table, with Arsenal narrowly ahead of the third place Reds on goal difference. Both clubs also remain in the hunt for European silverware, with City set to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals next months and Liverpool braced for Atalanta in the Europa League last eight.