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Despite Newcastle United's injury crisis this campaign, it has come with a positive as it's allowed boss Eddie Howe to give valuable first-team minutes to multiple youngsters within the club.

Lewis Miley and Elliot Anderson have been the main beneficiaries for the Magpies, with the duo making 38 Premier League appearances between them this season.

18-year-old Miley has taken the league by storm despite his tender age, becoming a real mainstay in the Newcastle side, after the injuries and suspension to Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, respectively.

He managed to score his first top-flight goal in the 3-0 victory against Fulham at St James' Park back in December, with the youngster going from strength to strength after his goal.

After Miley's brilliant start to life in the first team under Howe, the Magpies boss and Saudi PIF should step up the chase for another teenage talent who has been linked with a move to the club.

Newcastle interested in 18-year-old talent this summer

According to a report from Sky Germany over the weekend, Newcastle are battling numerous Premier League sides for the signature of 18-year-old talent Assan Ouedraogo.

The attacking midfielder, who plays for Schalke in Bundesliga 2, has excelled for the side despite the club struggling to secure an immediate return to Germany's top flight.

He's scored three times and contributed with two assists in 17 appearances this season in what has been a breakthrough season for the youngster.

Despite the Magpies's interest, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool all remain interested in Ouedraogo, who would cost either of the sides in excess of £12m this summer.

Why Ouedraogo could be the next Bellingham

In previous months, Transfermarkt's Manuel Veth has compared the youngster to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham – a reasonable comparison given their similar rise and stats in 2023/24.

The duo both made the first impact on professional football playing at their boyhood clubs in the second tier of their respective countries, before either moving or being linked with a transfer to one of Europe’s elite. Bellingham, of course, started life at Birmingham City, for whom he made 44 appearances as a teenager, scoring twice and providing two assists.

When comparing their stats from the previous season, the duo have produced similar figures, albeit at vastly different levels of quality – with the Champions League-winning Bellingham recording 36 goals and assists in his debut season at the Bernabeu.

The German youngster has averaged slightly fewer shots per 90 than the Champions League winner, but has averaged nearly double the amount of successful take-ons – demonstrating his ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

How Ouedraogo compares to Bellingham in 2023/24

Statistics

Ouedraogo

Bellingham

Games

17

28

Shots

2.3

2.4

Successful take-ons

3.4

1.9

Take-on success

52%

52%

Assists per 90

0.1

0.2

Stats via FBref

Whilst he averages more take-ons, the pair both have the same completion rate of 52%, but both average very similar averages when it comes to assists per 90.

Ouedraogo undoubtedly has a long way to go before he reaches the levels of Bellingham, but the midfielder, who’s “destined for elite football” according to data analyst Ben Mattinson, has the potential to be special.

With the club already having success with Miley, the Magpies must pursue a deal for the youngster, keeping one eye on the future but also vastly improving their current squad depth.

Related Newcastle could replace Guimaraes by signing £50m "Aldi Jude Bellingham"

He has 15 goals and assists in the Premier League this season…

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Jun 1, 2024

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has now personally identified a £51 million forward as a perfect fit for his Spurs system, according to reports.

Spurs looking to strengthen with new attacking signings

Regardless of whether they trigger the £15 million buy-option in Timo Werner's loan deal from RB Leipzig, there is a real belief that the north Londoners will look to bolster Postecoglou's ranks with fresh attacking signings.

Tottenham targeting £45m striker for Ange after Levy sets aside big funds

Spurs want Harry Kane’s replacement in the summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 17, 2024

Werner has performed very well overall since making the temporary move back to England, but there are some doubts over his ability to contribute effectively enough in the final third.

Pundit Jay Bothroyd even, perhaps harshly claimed that the 28-year-old is one of the "worst players" in the Premier League on a technical level.

“I can’t help, but I have to be critical of Timo Werner," said Bothroyd to Optus Sport.

"I’m sorry, he misses so many good chances. And those chances that he missed, they can change games. Technically, he’s one of the worst players in the Premier League. I’m going to say that, because I honestly believe that.

Son Heung-min

15

Richarlison

10

Dejan Kulusevski

6

Brennan Johnson

5

James Maddison

4

"He doesn’t cross the ball well, he hits it as hard as he can across the face of the goal all the time. He never picks anybody out. His finishing’s poor. His passing’s poor.

“And yes, you can say that he’s effective. But then I’m saying, okay, he’s an athlete. In this day and age, I look at him and I say he’s effective because of his athleticism. As he gets older and he loses that athleticism, how effective is he going to be then?”

To strengthen their forward line, it is believed Tottenham are targeting the likes of Pedro Neto, Eberechi Eze and Raphinha as few of the many options across Europe's who've been shortlisted by technical director Johan Lange and the recruitment team.

Another interesting option they're now believed to be keen on is RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo.

The Spaniard, who can play anywhere across the forward line and centrally, would plug a lot of gaps in Postecoglou's squad simultaneously – making him an attractive option with an "affordable" release clause of around £51 million.

Ange identifies Olmo as perfect for Tottenham system

According to GiveMeSport, Spurs boss Postecoglou has identified Olmo as a player who would fit "seamlessly" into his system.

The Australian has been conducting checks on potential summer targets, and he's apparently a big fan of the 25-year-old who's scored four goals and assisted five others in 18 Bundesliga matches this season.

"The Bundesliga has a higher pace than the Croatian league, so it takes some time to adjust physically. But he was extremely hard-working, won the ball a lot of times and defended very robustly," said former Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann on Olmo in 2020.

"He has exceptional abilities and is very safe with the ball. When he gets put under pressure, he knows how to provoke a foul."

Much like their play-off semi-final opponents, West Bromwich Albion enter into the lottery of the playoffs overjoyed at picking up a final-day victory in the Championship.

Both the Saints and Baggies had lost their last three second-tier clashes before the winning feeling thankfully returned, with Carlos Corberan's men beating Preston North End with eventual ease 3-0.

Despite the emphatic scoreline swinging in West Brom's favour come full-time, Brandon Thomas-Asante had a torrid afternoon as the main man up top for the home side and could find he's dropped for the first playoff game today.

Brandon Thomas-Asante's season in numbers

This could be looked at as a rash call by the Spaniard if he goes ahead with this major alteration, considering the ex-Salford City striker is West Brom's top-scorer this season in the league with 11 strikes.

Yet, his recent displays have been those of a centre-forward bereft of confidence and frustrated with his ineffectiveness in front of goal rather than one who boasts such a tag.

Before his poor day at the office against Preston, Thomas-Asante let his teammates down with a reckless red card against Sunderland after two ill-judged tackles crunched both Jack Clarke and Daniel Ballard in quick succession.

Restored to the XI against Ryan Lowe's men to see what he was made of before the playoffs were confirmed, Thomas-Asante went missing for large spells against the Lilywhites with just 25 touches of the ball managed from a forgettable 85 minutes.

Thomas-Asante's numbers vs Preston

Minutes played

85

Touches

25

Accurate passes

5/7

Shots on target

0

Big chances missed

2

Duels won

4/13

Stats by Sofascore

The lacklustre 25-year-old's display in the otherwise impressive 3-0 win will make Corberan really reconsider his striker's place in the starting lineup for the forthcoming playoffs, having missed two big chances against Preston to add further gloss to the win on top of completing just five accurate passes.

Josh Maja could well benefit from a last-minute centre-forward change, with the injury-prone attacker back in and amongst his manager's plans at the best possible time with both of the Southampton clashes coming thick and fast.

Why Josh Maja should replace Thomas-Asante

West Brom fans might be initially bemused by the decision to bring Maja back in for such a high-stakes contest, considering the ex-Sunderland man has been largely out of action since December before being given a five-minute cameo against Preston.

When given more minutes earlier in the season, Maja – who was openly described as being an "amazing" talent by Thomas-Asante himself – was showing promising signs of being a Championship-capable striker before injury disaster struck.

Scoring 15 of his 17 Black Cats goals in League One, the forgotten 25-year-old would have been overjoyed to net only his third-ever career strike at Championship level for West Brom when Leicester City strolled into town in December.

Only needing 15 minutes to score against Enzo Maresca's title-winners, with just four touches managed before sucker-punching the Foxes with a goal, Corberan could be tempted to throw Maja into the deep-end today to see what he's like over the span of a full game.

Scoring a brace in a recent U21 fixture for the West Midlands outfit too, Maja will want to keep firing on all cylinders after his return from injury with a starting spot against the Saints.

This could be a change that takes Southampton by surprise, on the way to West Brom utilising home advantage to pick up a big win before travelling down to the South Coast ready to protect a lead.

Tottenham have made an early move to land one of their transfer targets this summer, according to reports.

Werner's Spurs future in doubt

Tottenham are keen to add some more firepower to their attack this summer, and one easy way to achieve that would be to sign Timo Werner to a permanent deal.

Tottenham's options in attack

Player

Contract until

Manor Solomon

2028

Timo Werner

2024

Richarlison

2027

Brennan Johnson

2028

Dejan Kulusevski

2028

Bryan Gil

2026

Heung-Min Son

2025

The German is on loan at the north London club from RB Leipzig, and is proving something of a success on the left-hand side for Ange Postecoglou's side. In his 13 Premier League appearances since arriving in January, the 28-year-old has found the net twice and grabbed three assists.

And it would be an easy deal to make permanent too, with there being a pre-existing option to buy the player in the loan deal.

The option, believed to be in the region of £17m, has to be activated before EURO 2024 kicks off in Germany, giving Tottenham just six weeks to decide whether or not to retain the former Chelsea man and hand him a long-term deal in north London.

"In terms of his future, like most players, the decisions will be made at the appropriate time," Ange Postecoglou explained when quizzed on the situation earlier in the season. "I think he's been a great signing. He's been a really important part of our structure and I think he can also improve."

But at 28-years-old, there may be concerns about handing him a long term deal, especially in the wider context of Tottenham's new-look transfer policy that largely targets players with their prime years firmly ahead of them. With that in mind, an alternative option is seemingly being worked on.

England youngster looks North London bound

Now, reports in Italy have revealed some insight into Tottenham's transfer plans. That comes courtesy of Tutto Juve [Via Sport Witness], who report that Tottenham have "come forward" for Juventus talent Samuel Iling-Junior as Daniel Levy and Johan Lange kick-start their first move of the summer for Ange.

Spurs have been linked with a move for the 20-year-old previously, and with just 12 months left on his contract in Turin a departure this summer looks likely.

Related £29k-p/w striker spotted in North London after Spurs make approach to agent

He was handed VIP access in North London for the clash with Arsenal.

Posts ByBen Browning Apr 30, 2024

A regular scorer across England's youth teams, the winger has started just two Serie A games under Max Allegri this season and is seemingly surplus to requirements.

Now, he is being linked with a move back to the Premier League, with Spurs and Brighton both hot on his trail. Though a winger by trade, Iling-Junior has also operated at wing-back and could well provide an excellent alternative to Destiny Udogie, who did similar during his final season with Udinese.

He is valued at just 15m euros (£12.9m) by Juventus, which would make him a cheaper and younger alternative than Werner, who could potentially provide a much greater upside and versatility in the future than the German.

Now reportedly "closer to farewell" than ever with the Old Lady, could he be the perfect summer addition for Tottenham?

Nottingham Forest are looking to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League after a well-deserved 3-1 victory over Fulham at the City Ground on Tuesday night.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White were all on the scoresheet as the Reds claimed their first win in the league since the 2-0 win over West Ham United back in February.

Nuno Espírito Santo's side travel to face Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur side looking to pull further clear of the relegation zone after picking up four points from their last two games, moving three points clear of Luton Town, who occupy the final drop zone position.

The Reds boss has some key decisions to make ahead of the trip to the capital, with the likes of Gio Reyna and Harry Toffolo pushing for starts after appearances off the bench in Tuesday's victory.

That being said, here's a look at our predicted Forest lineup to face Spurs on Sunday evening…

1 GK – Matz Sels

Goalkeeper Matz Sels has enjoyed a solid start to life in Nottingham, starting all the Reds' Premier League games since his arrival in the January transfer window.

He's started every Premier League game under Nuno, with the Belgian shot-stopper nominated for the Premier League's Save of the Month for his reaction stop against Liverpool a few weeks ago.

2 RB – Neco Williams

A player who has certainly benefitted from consistent game time under boss Nuno is Neco Williams.

The right-back, who has made the most tackles of any Forest player this season, has started the last ten Premier League games, with the Welshman cementing his position as a starter despite being rumoured to leave the City Ground just a couple of months ago.

The position is his to lose, with Williams having the pace to deal with the threat of Spurs winger Heung-min Son this weekend.

3 CB – Murillo

The Brazilian defender has proven to be a phenomenal signing since arriving from Corinthians during the summer, with the 21-year-old already being linked with a big-money move away from the Reds.

No Forest fan would argue that he is destined for huge things in his career, with the Reds needing to get the most out of him before he departs the club.

However, for the time being, he remains a crucial part of the Forest squad, with the youngster potentially having a huge part to play in the club's survival hopes.

4 CB – Andrew Omobamidele

The duo of Andrew Omobamidele and Murillo complement each other well, with the pair still growing into the roles given their age.

Omobamidele was harshly dropped after the narrow Brighton defeat, with the Irishman returning in Tuesday's win over Fulham and looking back to his best alongside the Brazilian.

Nuno must stick with the fledgling displays given their encouraging displays against a solid outfit, led by Portuguese boss Marco Silva.

5 LB – Ola Aina

The former Chelsea youngster has excelled in his latest opportunity in England's top flight after a previous spell at Fulham, with the 27-year-old looking to be an excellent bit of business by the Forest hierarchy.

He's slotted straight back into the starting lineup in recent weeks after suffering an injury whilst at AFCON with Nigeria during January.

The full-back looks set to retain his place ahead of the likes of Harry Toffolo, with the Nigerian looking like one of the signings of the season after arriving at the club on a free.

6 DM – Nicolas Dominguez

The Argentinian has enjoyed a brilliant start to life in Nottingham, scoring three times in 24 appearances for the club, with the midfielder impressing with his pressing and ball-winning ability.

However, he's failed to start the last couple of games under Nuno, with the "fantastic" midfielder, as dubbed by TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher, deserving of a recall.

The former Bologna man would be better suited against Spurs than current Reds midfielder Ryan Yates, with the 25-year-old able to win the ball under pressure, find pinpoint passes and create a quick transition into attack.

7 DM – Danilo

With Ibrahim Sangare failing to make a real impression since his arrival and Orel Mangala leaving to join Lyon, Danilo has often been the partner alongside Dominguez at the base of Forest's midfield.

However, he's failed to match the levels he achieved last season, but his display against Fulham in the week was by far his best of the campaign, with the youngster playing a perfectly weighted ball into Gibbs-White, who tucked the ball home with ease.

His performance against Silva's side is more than deserving of a second start in a row against Postecoglou's side on Sunday.

8 LW – Callum Hudson-Odoi

In recent weeks, Callum Hudson-Odoi has enjoyed a brilliant spell in front of goal which has seen him score four times in the Premier League since the turn of the year.

His pace and direct dribbling could cause the Spurs defence endless trouble, with the former Chelsea winger starting to show glimpses his talent that saw Bayern Munich linked with a £70m move for the youngster.

9 CAM – Morgan Gibbs-White

The attacking midfielder has been a revelation under Nuno, with his all-round game seeming to have improved from the start of the season.

He produced his best performance of the campaign just a couple of days ago, scoring and grabbing an assist with the attacking midfielder looking like the player the Reds fans saw on a regular basis last season.

His great form isn't going unnoticed, with multiple top-flight sides eyeing him up in the summer. Like Murillo, Forest have to make the most of his ability, with the 24-year-old having the ability to single-handedly secure survival.

10 RW – Anthony Elanga

He's scored five and assisted seven so far for the Reds, with his pace and eye for goal developing each week, with Anthony Elanga starting to look like a potential bargain and a player Manchester United might regret selling.

The Swede missed a golden opportunity against Fulham in midweek, but he will be looking to bounce back against Spurs with the attacker hoping to add to his successful goal tally.

Bob Willis, the former England captain and fast bowler who will be forever synonymous with England’s 1981 Ashes victory, has died at the age of 70 after a short battle with cancer.Willis claimed 325 wickets in a 90-Test career that began on the Ashes tour in 1970-71, when he was called up as a 21-year-old as a late replacement for the injured Alan Ward and played a full role in a famous 2-0 series win.Nicknamed “Goose” for his unconventionally loose-limbed approach to the crease, Willis was capable of extreme hostility with the ball, making him England’s one true answer to the West Indian and Australian pace batteries that dominated the 1970s and early 1980s.His finest hour came at Headingley in 1981, when – in the wake of Ian Botham’s counter-attacking 149 not out – he tore into Australia’s second innings in a frenzied display, pounding down the hill from the Kirkstall Lane end to deliver an incredible 18-run win with figures of 8 for 43.Botham would go on to describe Willis as a “tremendous trier, a great team-man and an inspiration – the only world-class fast bowler in my time as an England player”.Willis went on to lead England on 18 occasions in Test cricket, including the 1982-83 Ashes tour, where England were defeated 2-1 though not before pulling off a remarkable three-run win in the fourth Test at Melbourne.Replacing Keith Fletcher in the wake of the 1981-82 tour of India and Sri Lanka, Willis inherited a weakened team, shorn of a number of key players including Graham Gooch and Geoff Boycott who had signed for that year’s rebel tour of South Africa. But he went on to claim nine wickets in his first match in charge, against India at Lord’s, and would lead the side through to the visit of West Indies in 1984.Willis retired after the first Test of that summer as England’s leading wicket-taker, and second in the world overall, behind Australia’s Dennis Lillee. His national tally was subsequently overhauled by his long-term team-mate Botham (383), and more recently James Anderson (575) and Stuart Broad (471).He also captained England at the 1983 World Cup, where England were defeated by India, the eventual winners, in the semi-final at Old Trafford. He claimed 80 wickets at 24.60 in 60 ODIs overall, and was a member of the team that lost the 1979 World Cup final against West Indies at Lord’s.The fact that Willis endured as long as he did made him something of a medical miracle, as he had to overcame surgery on both knees in 1975 before going on to claim 899 first-class wickets at 24.99 in 308 appearances, the majority of them in a 12-year career with Warwickshire.After retirement, Willis went on to forge a career in the media, and was most recently an acerbic and popular pundit on Sky Sports’ post-match show, The Verdict. His off-the-cuff criticisms of England’s players were frequently robust but delivered with an undertone of humour, such as in the wake of England’s 2015 Ashes victory, when Joe Root mimicked his style while wearing a mask in a live TV interview.Willis’ family said in a statement: “We are heartbroken to lose our beloved Bob, who was an incredible husband, father, brother and grandfather. He made a huge impact on everybody he knew and we will miss him terribly.”Tributes poured in in the wake of the news, with David Gower, Willis’s friend and former England team-mate, telling BBC Radio Five Live: “I toured with him as a captain and I took over the captaincy from him and then had him as what was called in those days as an assistant manager. He was a very loyal friend and a loyal supporter. Without going into too much unseemly detail, it was an era where you were allowed to have more fun than you are possibly today. Various tours Down Under were colourful, let’s put it that way.””Bob Willis was my first England captain and a legend of England cricket,” wrote the former England allrounder Derek Pringle, on Twitter. “Headingley 1981 was as much his triumph as Beefy Botham’s – RIP Big Bob…”The ECB, who last year named Willis in an all-time England XI, also paid tribute to “a legend of English cricket” and “a perceptive and respected voice at the microphone”, adding that “cricket has lost a dear friend”.He is survived by his wife Lauren, daughter Katie, brother David and sister Ann.

Southampton have some catching up to do if they stand any chance of breaking into the automatic promotion spots in the Championship, the Saints nine points off Leicester City in second place but with two games in hand next to their name.

Russell Martin will hope his South Coast outfit can fix their defensive leakiness in the crunch matches to come if they are to leap up the table, having conceded five goals in their last two league encounters before the International break.

Kyle Walker-Peters potentially being back and fit could help shore up the Saints for their home clash with Middlesbrough on Good Friday, with the second tier side missing their reliable right-back owing to injury in those two games.

Even with Southampton being charitable in defence as of late, they wouldn't turn back the clock to have this former £18m man back on their books with his transfer value tumbling ever since he waved goodbye to St Mary's in 2021.

Jannick Vestergaard's stats at Southampton

Jannick Vestergaard was once a fan's favourite on the South Coast, having made 79 appearances for the Saints in total and nodding in four goals in the process.

The £18m buy would be a colossus in his final season for Southampton, scoring three times as a towering 6 foot 6 centre-back including this excellent header against Tottenham Hotspur who once sniffed around for the Dane's services.

The ex-Saints man was even described as "outstanding" by Alan Shearer that same season, when discussing the best top-flight performers in December.

Leicester City would ultimately land the Scandivanian defender's signature at the end of that campaign, the Foxes signing the imposing defender for what looked like a bargain fee of £15m at the time.

Yet, it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the lofty defender since relocating.

A bumpy start at the King Power Stadium coincided in Brendan Rodgers refusing to play him, playing just ten Premier League games in his first season and none in his second under the now Celtic boss before his exit in the wake of relegation.

Vestergaard has managed to redeem himself under the short-lived tenure of Enzo Maresca so far, making 33 appearances for the Foxes as they aim for an immediate return to the top-flight, but it hasn't stopped his once substantial transfer value taking a hit to ease Southampton's pain about losing him.

Jannik Vestergaard's transfer value in 2024

According to Football Transfers, the 31-year-old defender now comes in at a far lesser worth of €1.7m (£1.4m) compared to his once hefty £18m price tag.

To further add context, this would make the Danish centre-back worth less than Jack Stephens in the current Southampton ranks who has received flak recently for his sub-standard displays, with journalist Felix Keith critical of Martin's decision to "shoe-horn" the captain into the side at left-back on occasion.

The long-standing Saints servant would win zero duels in his side's last game versus Sunderland, but still is judged to be worth €1.9m (£1.6m)

Southampton have also managed to replace Vestergaard with younger and fresher talents, with Manchester City loanee Taylor Harwood-Bellis – who is worth €12.5m (£10.7m) – excelling with flying colours this campaign at the back since joining on loan from the current reigning Premier League champions.

Alongside experience coming in the form of Jan Bednarek, who has been absent from just two league games in Martin's side since making the drop-down, Southampton should be able to return to more dogged displays in defence in the weeks to come away from shipping goals for fun.

Least valuable Southampton players – 2023/24

1. Joe Lumley

€0.4m (£343k)

2. Alex McCarthy

€0.6m (£514k)

3. Juan Larios

€1.3m (£1.1m)

4. Jack Stephens

€1.9m (£1.6m)

5. Joe Rothwell

€2.2m (£1.8m)

Sourced by Football Transfers

If Vestergaard was still on the roster at Southampton, he would come in as the third least valuable player at St Mary's when scanning over the table above.

Although the 6 foot 6 former Saints man has managed to turn around his stuttering career, there's no lingering regret from Southampton's point of view anymore about how things ended.

The latest round of Premier League fixtures are right around the corner, and it has been revealed which referees will be officiating each game and who will be in charge in of VAR.

With a thrilling title race shaping up and the battle for survival getting tighter with every passing week, referees will know that their decisions over the next few weeks and months could be season-defining, as the pressure mounts on teams to deliver heading into the business end of the campaign.

Football FanCast has created a handy list of each game, who the referee and VAR officials will be, as well as their statistics for the season so far, per Transfermarkt.

Manchester United

vs

Everton

9th Mar, 12:30pm

Crystal Palace

vs

Luton Town

9th Mar, 3pm

Bournemouth

vs

Sheffield United

9th Mar, 3pm

Wolves

vs

Fulham

9th Mar, 3pm

Arsenal

vs

Brentford

9th Mar, 5:30pm

Aston Villa

vs

Tottenham Hotspur

10th Mar, 1pm

West Ham United

vs

Burnley

10th Mar, 2pm

Brighton

vs

Nottingham Forest

10th Mar, 2pm

Liverpool

vs

Manchester City

10th Mar, 3:45pm

Chelsea

vs

Newcastle United

11th Mar, 8pm

Bournemouth

vs

Luton Town

13th Mar, 7:30pm

Manchester United v Everton Simon Hooper

17

83

2

1

0

We kick off this weekend's action with a lunchtime game between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford.

The referee in charge will be Simon Hooper, with David Coote taking up the reins as the VAR.

Manchester United have won one and lost one with Hooper in charge of their Premier League matches this season, while Everton have just lost one in their only game officiated by him.

Bournemouth v Sheffield United Anthony Taylor

19

95

1

2

10

Two teams in the bottom half come head-to-head on Saturday afternoon as Bournemouth welcome a Sheffield United side who are fresh off the back of a thumping 6-0 defeat against Arsenal.

Anthony Taylor will be in charge of the game, with Michael Salisbury selected to rule over any contentious decisions from Stockley Park.

Out of these two, Sheffield United are the only team who have featured in a game officiated by Taylor, as they drew 1-1 with Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace v Luton Sunny Singh Gill

0

0

0

0

0

Oliver Glasner's Crystal Palace side will welcome a Luton Town side who have proven to be tricky away from home at times this season.

Sunny Singh Gill will be the man in the middle, with Peter Bankes on VAR duty.

This is Sunny's first time refereeing in the Premier League, so best of luck to him.

Wolves v Fulham Tony Harrington

4

14

0

1

0

Gary O'Neil will be desperate for his Wolves side to bounce back this weekend against Fulham, after suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Newcastle United last time out.

In charge of this one will be Tony Harrington, while the VAR official will be John Brooks.

Due to Harrington only having refereed four Premier League games so far this season, neither side have featured under him.

Arsenal v Brentford Rob Jones

15

68

3

1

3

Arsenal will head into this one full of confidence after a humiliating 6-0 win over Sheffield United, while Brentford could only manage a draw at home to Chelsea.

Rob Jones will be in charge at the Emirates, with Paul Tierney assisting with all VAR matters.

Brentford have one draw and one loss so far this season in games refereed by Rob Jones, while Arsenal have one draw.

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Chris Kavanagh

14

64

1

0

7

Sunday kicks off with a tasty fixture in the battle for a Champions League spot, as Aston Villa welcome Tottenham to the Midlands.

Chris Kavanagh is the man in the middle for this clash, while Tim Robinson will be on VAR.

Aston Villa are yet to be refereed in the Premier League by Kavanagh this season, and Spurs secured a thumping 4-1 win over Newcastle United in their only game officiated by him.

Brighton v Nottingham Forest Michael Salisbury

10

38

1

1

9

Two sides who have been struggling a little bit in recent times go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon, as Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Nuno Espirito Santo's Nottingham Forest to the AMEX.

Michael Salisbury is entrusted with keeping the peace on Sunday, with Craig Pawson on VAR duty.

Neither side have won in a game officiated by Salisbury this season, with Brighton drawing and Forest losing in their only game apiece.

West Ham United v Burnley Darren England

6

32

0

0

1

West Ham United are in a bit of a purple patch at the moment in the Premier League, but the same can't be said about the opposition for this weekend's clash, as Burnley look nailed on for relegation.

Darren England is the man with the cards, while in the VAR room will be Andy Madley.

Due to England only refereeing in six games in the Premier League so far this season, neither side have experienced a match controlled by him.

Liverpool v Manchester City Michael Oliver

18

76

2

2

4

In what is arguably the game of the weekend, Manchester City will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in a top of the table clash.

Michael Oliver is the man with the cards for this vital clash, while in the VAR room will be Stuart Attwell.

Liverpool are unbeaten in games officiated by Oliver this season, with two wins and one draw. On the other hand, the Citizens don't have an unbeaten record as they've won one but lost to Arsenal.

Chelsea v Newcastle United John Brooks

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This gameweek's Monday night game will feature two of the Premier League's big spenders, as Chelsea welcome Eddie Howe's Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge.

John Brooks is the man with the cards, while in the VAR room will be Jarred Gillett.

Newcastle have won one and lost one in games refereed by Brooks this season, while Chelsea have a losing record of one loss.

Bournemouth v Luton Town Sam Allison

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There's an extra game in this matchday as the likes of Bournemouth and Luton Town are set to meet once again after their clash earlier on in the season was abandoned after Tom Lockyer collapsed on the field.

Sam Allison is the man with the cards, while in the VAR room will be Michael Oliver.

Luton had the pleasure of picking up a win in Allison's only Premier League game to date, as they beat Sheffield United away from home back in December.

New Zealand spinner to fill vacancy left by Keshav Maharaj and the injured Adil Rashid for last two games of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2019

Ajaz Patel has a bowl during training•AFP

Ajaz Patel, the New Zealand spinner, will play the final two games of the County Championship season for Yorkshire, replacing Keshav Maharaj as the club’s overseas player.Patel, who took nine wickets in New Zealand’s 1-1 draw in their Test series in Sri Lanka last month, has spent most of the English summer playing club cricket as Cranleigh’s overseas professional.Yorkshire can mathematically still win the Championship – though would be reliant on Essex and Somerset suffering a severe downturn in form if they were to win the title.”I came over to play at Cranleigh CC this winter, hopefully with the opportunity to pick up some county cricket while I was over here,” Patel said. “But I obviously got called into the New Zealand squad for the Sri Lanka Tests while I was over there. It all happened pretty quickly from there, I got the call and jumped at the opportunity really.”It’s exciting and Yorkshire are in with a chance of winning another County Championship. It’s a club with a lot of history and one that’s been pretty successful in the championship in the past. I’m coming for two games and hope to contribute as much as I can and to try to do as much as I can to help Yorkshire into the best position to be able to win the competition as they approach the end of the season.”I’ve had a good tour of Sri Lanka, where I was quite successful in their conditions. Confidence-wise I’m feeling good and the ball is coming out really nicely.”Yorkshire have been without Adil Rashid for the entirety of their Championship season due to international duty and injuries, while Josh Poysden has missed the second half of the campaign due to a freak head injury after being struck during a nets session.As a result, they have had to recruit from elsewhere to find a spinner. Dom Bess played four games on loan from Somerset, while Maharaj is the same number of games into his stint as an overseas player.Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket, said: “Ajaz has had a good last two or three seasons in domestic cricket and he’s currently in the New Zealand Test squad. We feel he’s well qualified to come in and be available for the last two games for us, when hopefully we can continue our push to finish as high as possible in the County Championship.”We want to finish as high in the County Championship as possible; mathematically it’s possible that we can still win it and we want to give ourselves the best possible opportunity. We looked at the options to fill Kesh’s shoes and we think Ajaz is the best to do that.”We’ve spoken to those that know him well and he has been one of the most consistent performers in domestic cricket and he has done well in Sri Lanka for New Zealand recently.”

After the rare taste of defeat against Birmingham Bears, normal service resumed as Lancashire Lightning eased home with nine balls to spare on a night on which one sensed they would not have broken into a sweat even had the temperature been 10 degrees warmer.With Alex Davies dominating with a masterful 75 at the top, finding the boundary 10 times but impressing also with some skilful shot placement backed up with superb running between the wickets, the absence of their leading scorer, Glenn Maxwell, through a minor hamstring injury was barely noticed.Supported with vigour by Liam Livingstone at the start, with measured calm by Steven Croft through the middle overs and improvisation by Dane Vilas at the end, Davies underlined the depth of resources in the current Lightning squad that sees them with a five-point cushion at the top of the North Group, albeit from a match more than everyone else.

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Adam Rossington (40) and Dwaine Pretorius (38) top scored as the Steelbacks posted 157 for 7 but even on a used pitch that gave the slow bowlers something to work with there was a never even a hint of a wobble from their opponents, who surely have one foot in the quarter-finals, not least with Maxwell set to return for Friday’s game against Birmingham.Northamptonshire are not completely out of the picture, even in eighth place, but they will have to go some to qualify from here.What had been shaping up as a pretty decent powerplay for the home side stalled rather dramatically after a bemused Richard Levi, aiming to chip into the legside field, was caught at third man off a leading edge in the fourth over. Adam Rossington worked a four off his hips in the same over to take the total to 37 for 1 after four but Richard Gleeson conceded only three in the fifth over and Saqib Mahmood just a single in the sixth, in which the Steelbacks lost another big wicket when Josh Cobb holed out to deep square leg without scoring.Lancashire, who had won the toss and fancied there would be something in the conditions for their bowlers after a miserably wet day, then took the pace off and put the squeeze on some more before Rossington and Alex Wakely eased the pressure with a boundary each as Northamptonshire reached the halfway stage at 69 for 2.On a slow pitch against disciplined bowling, the Steelbacks struggled to build any momentum, picking up only a couple of boundaries in the next five overs. A full swing of the bat from Wakely sent the ball over the rope at deep midwicket, but in the same over of an impressive spell of legspin by Livingstone came another setback as Rossington failed to clear the fielder at long-on.Livingstone cleverly bowled Wakely in his next over to finish with a tidy two for 24 before Rob Keogh and Pretorius gave the innings some belated substance with a flurry of big blows, the latter walloping Matt Parkinson for consecutive legside sixes on his way to 38 off 22 balls before the legspinner thudded the next delivery into his pads.The two had added 52 in five overs, most of them in a furious assault against Mahmood and Parkinson that accrued 37 in 12 deliveries. But James Faulkner tightened things up again with a superb final over that conceded only four and claimed two more wickets as he finished with 3 for 36.Needing just under eight an over to overhaul the Steelbacks and claim their sixth win after three no-results in their first 10 matches, Lancashire could not have asked for a more emphatic statement of intent from their openers than Davies provided by smashing the first three balls of Ben Sanderson’s opening over to the rope.Livingstone took up the gauntlet, needing little time to loosen up as lofted three of his first nine deliveries for six and though he was out looking for a fourth, well caught at deep mid-wicket, Lancashire were ahead of the game at 55 for 1 after the powerplay, even though the Steelbacks dragged the rate back a little in overs five and six.The torrent of boundaries had dwindled to a trickle as Lightning reach the halfway point at 83 for 1 after some largely tidy work by Graeme White and Keogh but Davies and Croft were content with ones and twos with wickets in hand and the scoring ahead of the required rate.Davies took advantage of a couple of loose deliveries from White to raise his boundary count to eight as he passed 50 in 38 balls before Faheem Ashraf checked Lancashire’s progress a little by yorking Croft in an excellent over that went for just two singles.But Davies continued to play splendidly, rarely passing up the opportunity for an easy boundary that came his way all too often and never keen to settle for singles if a two was available as the target came down to 34 off the last five.By now, the Steelbacks’ heads had dropped as Vilas warmed to the task and chopped Sanderson away twice through the offside before the game ended in a manner that aptly reflected the crumbling nature of the home side’s cricket as Vilas swatted away a Nathan Buck full toss which Wakely’s misfield at deep backward square turned into the winning boundary.