O Campeonato Paulista de 2024 chegou ao fim com a vitória do Palmeiras sobre o Santos neste domingo (7). O Alviverde foi campeão pela 26ª vez. Nesta segunda-feira (8), a redação do Lance! se reuniu e votou a seleção da competição.
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Os 11 ideais foram escalados no 4-3-3, com domínio do Palmeiras, que conta com cinco jogadores no time, além do técnico Abel Ferreira. Já o vice-campeão, o Santos, tem quatro representantes. Os outros atletas são do São Paulo e do Red Bull Bragantino.
A seleção do Campeonato Carioca feita pelo Lance! tem: Rafael (São Paulo); Marcos Rocha (Palmeiras); Gil (Santos); Murilo (Palmeiras); Juninho Capixaba (Red Bull Bragantino); João Schmidt (Santos), Aníbal Moreno (Palmeiras) e Otero (Santos); Endrick (Palmeiras), Flaco López (Palmeiras) e Guilherme (Santos). Técnico: Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras).
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CRAQUE E REVELAÇÃO Além da redação do Lance!, os torcedores também participaram da eleição dos melhores do Campeonato Paulista. Em votação realizada no canal do WhatsApp do Lance!, o público elegeu Flaco López, do Palmeiras, como craque do estadual, com 52% dos votos. Já a revelação é o meia Rômulo, do Novorizontino, com 72% dos votos.
Chelsea have become known for splashing the cash in the transfer market over recent years, even breaking the British transfer record on numerous occasions.
Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández both joined in deals worth over £100m, showcasing the hierarchy’s ambitions of taking the club back to Premier League glory in the years ahead.
Over the summer of 2025, the Blues spent up to £420m on new additions, including add-ons, with Enzo Maresca once again being backed to lead the club up the table.
Numerous of the recent arrivals have hit the ground running in West London, as seen with striker Joao Pedro, who has already netted four goals and laid on three assists this season.
However, the same can’t be said for another player in the first-team squad, with his start to life in the capital being nothing short of a disaster, given his constant setbacks.
Liam Delap’s disastrous start to life at Chelsea
During the summer window, Chelsea secured the £30m signing of striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town after triggering his relegation release clause in his contract.
The 22-year-old was seen as an exciting addition for the Blues, but his move has failed to take off in recent months, with injuries often plaguing his progress under Maresca.
He suffered a hamstring injury against Fulham back in August that would rule him out of action for two months, before suffering yet another issue just seven games into his return.
Delap was forced off with a shoulder injury against Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago, which is set to rule the Englishman out until the new year at the earliest.
However, despite his fitness issues, the £30m man has often struggled to deliver the goods when fit, as seen by his measly tally of just one goal in his first 11 appearances for the Blues.
His only goal came in the Champions League, but his struggles in the Premier League are there for all to see, with the talisman only posting five shots on target to date.
The Chelsea star who’s already a huge upgrade on Delap
As previously mentioned, fellow striker Pedro has already managed to outperform Delap in the Premier League, with the Brazilian a more effective option to date.
The £55m paid for the 24-year-old already appears to be excellent business, with the former Brighton & Hove Albion star having the platform to reach world-class status under Marcesa’s guidance.
However, the Blues’ recent recruitment has seen them target young talents that can gain experience elsewhere before making the jump into being a first-team regular in West London.
Estevao is a prime example of such a situation, with the teenager staying at homeland club Palmeiras for a period of time before his move to Chelsea to allow him to gain needed senior first-team minutes.
Such a situation has once unfolded in front of the supporters’ very eyes, with striker Emanuel Emgeha one of the latest players to agree to join Maresca’s men.
Back in September, it was confirmed that the Dutch striker would be joining the Blues in the summer of 2026 from sister club Strasbourg on a seven-year contract.
Whilst he may be an unknown name to many, the 22-year-old is an unbelievably talented star who could inject serious quality into the centre-forward department.
When comparing his stats to those of Delap from the ongoing campaign, the soon-to-be Chelsea star has massively dominated the Englishman in numerous key areas.
Emegha, who’s been dubbed one of the “best strikers in Europe” by his assistant boss, has also struggled with injuries this season, but it hasn’t restricted him from thriving in the final third, as seen by his incredible tally of six combined goals and assists in just seven appearances.
Games played
7
8
Goals & assists
6
0
Shots on target
1.4
1.2
Pass accuracy
81%
64%
Passes into final third
0.4
0.2
Take-on success
1.4
0.7
Aerials won
80%
40%
Such a tally is way in excess of what Delap has been able to offer, with the Blues’ number nine unable to post a single goal or assist in more outings than the Dutchman.
Away from his goalscoring record, the Strasbourg talent has also achieved more shots on target per 90 – further showcasing his talents within the final third.
He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, with more of his efforts being made into the final third – arguably making him a more creative outlet.
Emgeha’s dominance is also reflected in his higher tally of take-ons completed and better aerial success rate – numbers which make him the perfect all-round option for Maresca.
Emmanuel Emegha for Strasbourg
Many fans will have hoped that Delap would have more of an impact in 2025/26, but it’s safe to say the move has failed to live up to the expectations it generated.
However, the arrival of Emegha next summer could finally end the hunt for a new talisman, with the youngster having all the tools to star at Stamford Bridge for many years.
Chelsea's next star: BlueCo have signed a talent who's like Estevao & Caicedo
The hugely exciting wonderkid has been compared to two of Chelsea’s best players.
Rafael Devers rocked the boat with the Boston Red Sox when he publicly criticized the club's front office for asking him to play first base in the aftermath of teammate Triston Casas's season-ending injury. In Boston's eyes, Devers, a third baseman by trade who was already forced out of his natural position after the signing of Alex Bregman, wouldn't have to strain hard to learn the tricks of the trade to shift to the other corner of the diamond. In Devers's eyes, it's just another unreasonable ask by a front office that already pushed one undesirable change on him this spring.
Red Sox owner John Henry, joined by chief baseball officer Crag Breslow and president Sam Kennedy, met with the disgruntled slugger on Friday afternoon, resulting in an "honest conversation about what we value as an organization and what we believe is important to the Boston Red Sox," per Breslow.
That doesn't exactly sound like the trio sang "Kumbaya" together, but it does at least sound like the sort of productive conversation that could get things moving in the right direction. Nevertheless, the mere fact that there was even a meeting tells us the Red Sox are taking Devers's comments, a rare public rebuke of an organization's chief decision-maker, seriously enough to get the team owner involved.
Add in a report that some players on the Red Sox are reportedly displeased with Devers's behavior and it paints the picture of a pretty precarious situation. Before we move into speculative waters, let's be clear about one thing: the Red Sox very likely won't trade Devers, who in January of 2023 signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, cementing his status as the face of the franchise.
But given how much things have unraveled in just a few short months, it's not entirely inconceivable to imagine a scenario where the Red Sox seek to trade Devers to clear a potential lingering clubhouse issue, augment an already robust farm system and decrease salary commitments. And that's the fine line where we'll operate in this fun exercise.
There seem to be three potential primary landing spots that make the most sense, as well as a few notable long shots. Any team targeting Devers must be close enough to contention to warrant making such a trade and have the resources to take on the 28-year-old’s gargantuan contract, which costs roughly $28 million annually through 2033. A good farm system is a plus—while it’s unclear how much prospect capital it’d take to obtain Devers considering the mega deal he’d come with, one imagines Boston would have to acquire some solid talent to part ways with their offensive cornerstone. Oh, and the trade partner would have to have a place for Devers to play, be it at third base or as designated hitter. (Don't you dare say first base!)
So, with that criteria in mind, let's dive into some potential destinations.
Chicago Cubs
Farm system rank: 8th Position available for Devers: 3B, DH 2025 payroll: $193,203,383
The Cubs' farm system is armed with the type of young, MLB-ready talent that would make the Red Sox salivate. And would you look at that, the Cubs just so happen to have an opening at third base, where the incumbent Jon Berti and his .644 OPS currently reside after prospect Matt Shaw badly struggled there early on.
While the Cubs' willingness to take on a contract as large as Devers's is up for debate, it would be the mother-of-all insurance policies should National League MVP candidate and free-agent-to-be Kyle Tucker depart this winter. Adding Devers, a three-time All-Star who owns a career .854 OPS, to a powerful Cubs lineup would be a fascinating gambit by Chicago's front office. The Cubs are leading the NL Central and could very well contend for the club's first pennant since 2016.
Philadelphia Phillies
Farm system rank: 17th Positions available for Devers: 3B? 2025 payroll: $282,625,817
The Phillies' farm system doesn't boast the same volume of talent as the Cubs’, but Philadelphia does possess the kind of young pitchers (No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter, No. 5 prospect Moisés Chace, No. 8 prospect Mick Abel) that would entice the Red Sox. And there's no doubting the Phillies' status as contenders—they're just three years removed from reaching the World Series and two years removed from reaching the NLCS. They could, however, use a spark to reverse their trend of exiting the postseason earlier with each passing year, and Phillies owner John Middleton isn’t afraid to spend his fortune.
The only roadblock? Alec Bohm, a 2024 All-Star, currently mans third base for the Phillies. But would that stop Philadelphia from swinging for the fences with a Devers trade, especially considering Bohm’s slow start and below-average power stroke? And how fun would it be seeing Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski coordinating a blockbuster trade with one of the teams he used to run?
Bohm has played better of late, but he still sports a dreadful .588 OPS on the season. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Washington Nationals
Farm system rank: 13th Positions available for Devers: 3B 2025 payroll: $112,892,271
The Juan Soto trade is bearing fruit in the form of James Wood (.926 OPS), CJ Abrams (.304 BA, eight stolen bases) and MacKenzie Gore (3.33 ERA, MLB-high 68 strikeouts). How about adding the 28-year-old Devers as a proven frontline piece to Washington’s tantalizing young core? It’s the sort of move that could push up the Nationals’ contention window and show they’re serious about ending a postseason drought that dates back to 2020. With Washington’s third basemen combining for just 0.1 fWAR (22nd in MLB) this season, the hot corner is there for the taking in D.C.
Honorable Mentions
Los Angeles Dodgers
The defending champs boast a seemingly limitless payroll, a loaded farm system and a third base situation that could use an upgrade given the struggles of 37-year-old Max Muncy. You can never count out the Dodgers to make a splash, but could the Red Sox really stomach sending another homegrown superstar to Los Angeles to join Mookie Betts?
Milwaukee Brewers
A perennial playoff contender with plenty of trade ammo and an opening at the hot corner. Would they want to take on his contract, though?
New York Mets
This doesn't really seem like David Stearns's style, but Steve Cohen's wallet, the Mets’ farm system and available at bats at DH make this conceivable. Plus, Lindor-Soto-Devers-Alonso would be MLB's version of lions, tigers and bears, oh my!
Ruben Amorim has offered a blunt assessment of Manchester United’s academy pathway, admitting Chido Obi was promoted “too soon” last season while warning young stars that first-team opportunities must be earned. With the Red Devils yet to start a homegrown player in the league this term, the remarks place fresh focus on Carrington’s emerging talents as the club navigates a growing attacking shortage.
Amorim questioned about Obi and Lacey's first-team opportunities
Ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Everton, Amorim was asked about the current state of the academy pipeline, particularly in light of injuries and upcoming Africa Cup of Nations absences. The head coach has yet to start a homegrown player in the Premier League this season, increasing scrutiny on whether young talent will feature during a congested winter schedule. His comments centred on two of United’s most promising teenagers, Chido Obi and Shea Lacey, and whether either is ready to contribute meaningfully at the senior level.
With Benjamin Sesko out and both Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo set for Africa Cup of Nations duty, supporters have been looking toward Carrington prospects to fill upcoming gaps. Obi made eight senior appearances last season at just 16, while Lacey has excelled at the youth level since returning from injury. Amorim, however, stressed that first-team readiness demands more than raw talent, and that neither player will be rushed for the sake of short-term needs.
The manager also highlighted broader structural improvements within the club, emphasising the importance of bridging the gap between Carrington prospects and the demands of United’s high-intensity training environment. These measures, he explained, are designed to ensure that young players are physically and psychologically capable before stepping onto a Premier League pitch.
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Amorim opens up on necessity of steady progress for Carrington prospects
“He [Chido] played last year, but I think it was too soon,” Amorim said when asked about Obi’s chances of stepping in. “We didn't have a team we could put a young kid of 16 into and him not struggle. He's one of the guys but he started too soon. Sometimes it's hard to deal with that, with the kids, because they think that 'I'm already here'. We need to be careful with that.”
On Lacey, he added: “I'm really happy with him. He struggled a little bit with injuries but they did a very good job balancing his body and you can sense he can manage more load during training. He has a lot of talent but when they come here they can sense the speed is completely different, so they need to spend more time with us to be prepared because our training is hard.”
Amorim also addressed the broader academy link: “When you call a kid up to the first team, they need to behave really well. This connection is really important. We are putting everything in place – a nutritionist for the academy starts now – in our club. That is something that should be basic. All these things we are doing, so I have more time with them and I'm more confident with them. When we put these kids in to play in the Premier League, they will struggle, but will struggle less I think.”
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Obi and Lacey: Two of Man Utd's best youth talents
Obi’s rise has been one of the most highly publicised academy stories of recent years. After breaking goal-scoring records at Arsenal, most notably scoring 10 in a single U16 game and netting 32 goals in just 18 U18 Premier League matches, he made the bold move to Manchester United in 2024. His early months at Old Trafford saw him fast-tracked through the youth ranks, ultimately making eight senior appearances and becoming the youngest Premier League starter in Red Devils' history at 17 years and 156 days.
Obi’s development since then has been steady, but Amorim now believes the rapid exposure came “too soon”, reflecting the physical and psychological demands placed on a 16-year-old competing at senior level. His time with the U18s and U21s has shown glimpses of his prolific instincts, but the club’s plan under Amorim is more focused on long-term growth. As United restructure their academy-to-first-team pathway, Obi is expected to spend more time under controlled development rather than immediate senior pressure.
Lacey, meanwhile, has enjoyed a resurgent 2025 after overcoming an injury that halted his momentum the previous year. The 18-year-old winger, often compared to Phil Foden for his tight control, balance and creative flair, signed a long-term deal until 2029 and has impressed for United’s U21s and England youth teams. Amorim has integrated him into first-team training consistently, even naming him in the senior squad earlier this month, and views him as a realistic option during the AFCON period.
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Will Obi and Lacey be a part of Man Utd first team in December?
With United facing a packed winter schedule and losing two wingers to international duty, both Obi and Lacey may find themselves in contention for minutes, but only under Amorim’s strict conditions. The Portuguese manager’s comments make clear that opportunities will be earned through training standards and tactical readiness, not handed out due to injury crises.
Manchester United will have a lot less tightly-packed fixture schedule in December compared to their European football-playing rivals. However, they will still play seven games in 30 days, starting with their clash against Crystal Palace on November 30.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has experienced almost every emotion in his first four matches in charge of the Ibrox giants since his move to the club.
The German tactician has lost 3-0 to Brann in Europe, won back-to-back games in the Scottish Premiership, and lost a League Cup semi-final in extra time.
Rohl has been thrown in at the deep end at Ibrox after replacing Russell Martin in the dugout, as the Light Blues had only won five games in 18 matches in all competitions at the start of the season after, what now looks like, a dismal summer window.
Russell Martin's worst Rangers signing
Working with sporting director Kevin Thelwell, the worst signing of the summer transfer window, with Martin in charge, currently looks like Youssef Chermiti.
Rangers reportedly paid £8m to sign the Portugal U21 international from Everton, which made him the club’s most-expensive signing since Tore Andre Flo arrived for £12m in 2000. The second-most expensive signing of the summer was Oscar Cortes for £4.5m.
Unfortunately, the Light Blues have not been rewarded with much output for that outlay, with one goal and one assist in 11 appearances for the club, per Sofascore.
Chermiti missed two huge chances to find the back of the net against Celtic on Sunday, which caused commentator and pundit Michael Stewart to describe him as being “so poor” in front of goal.
Given the money spent and the return on their investment so far, it is hard to argue against the young striker being the worst summer signing from Thelwell and Martin.
Another summer signing who should be in contention for that award, though, is central midfielder Joe Rothwell, who currently looks like he should be sold in January.
Why Rangers should move on from Joe Rothwell
The Gers signed the Englishman from Premier League side Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.
At the time of his arrival, Martin described Rothwell as a “huge asset” who would “bring a real winning mentality to the group”, which was an exciting statement from the head coach.
Unfortunately, though, that has not played out on the pitch. Instead, the experienced midfielder looks like he should be sold in January because his performances have not been good enough.
Appearances
8
Starts
5
Goals
0
Assists
1
Tackles per game
0.9
Dribbled past per game
0.4x
Ground duel success rate
46%
As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled to deal with the intensity and physicality of Scottish football, losing more than half of his ground duels and failing to make at least one tackle per game on average.
The Englishman has been an unused substitute in the last two Premiership matches, which resulted in two of the club’s three league wins this season, but did come on in extra time against Celtic.
That cameo did little to help his case to return to the team in the Premiership, though, as Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described him as “rotten”.
Rothwell, at this moment in time, does not look suited to playing Scottish football, because of his lack of physicality and intensity, which seems unlikely to change, given that he turns 31 in January.
It has also been an issue for him on the European stage. Rothwell lost 100% of his duels and failed to win a single tackle in 64 minutes against Brann in the Europa League recently, per Sofascore.
Rohl has already opted against using him in the Premiership and waited until extra time to bring him on against Celtic, which suggests that he has not been overly impressed by his levels in training.
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Therefore, Rangers should look to immediately move on from Rothwell when the January transfer window opens for business, unless he can finally start to show why Martin was so excited to sign him in the summer.
The noise and, from many, joy from Liverpool’s wretched run of form of late is perhaps a marker of just how mighty Anfield has become over the past decade.
It is ten years since Jurgen Klopp took the reins from Brendan Rodgers, the last Reds boss before Arne Slot to succumb to a four-game losing run.
But Liverpool are vastly different to that long-forgotten iteration, and Slot has within his grasp some of the best players in world football. The 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League served as a reminder that this is a team capable of winning all the biggest prizes – again.
However, some individuals are struggling, and the team as a unit has struggled to find fluent form. One of the biggest culprits would be Alexis Mac Allister, whose grace ability and determination in the engine room is crucial for the performance of the Slot machine.
Mac Allister's form for Liverpool
Mac Allister is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. Certainly, he is among the most complete, the most spirited, the most inventive.
Arne Slot and Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool
But he hasn’t been quite right this year, with Sofascore recording he has lost 57% of his ground duels in the league thus far, only making one tackle per match.
Whereas the Argentine has been virtually undroppable across his first two years in a Liverpool shirt, he now looks more vulnerable in the starting line-up, and the midweek win over Frankfurt emphasised this, for he was left on the bench after lasting only an hour against Manchester United.
Mac Allister’s form has been a concern this season, but he is an elite player and crucial to Liverpool’s success. The 26-year-old has, in some ways, given Slot his own version of Thiago Alcantara, whose career was cut short right before the Dutchman’s arrival. But, as with Thiago, Liverpool seem to be finding a way to perform without the star in the mix.
The tempo-setting, line-breaking maestro offered something unique in the Liverpool engine room, and in this, Liverpool evolved in that later Klopp team.
The problem, of course, is that the retired 34-year-old was rarely fit. Across four campaigns on Merseyside, the Spain star managed only 98 appearances across all competitions.
But his technical quality, vision and awareness were faculties unlike anything else Liverpool had. In Mac Allister, the Reds have a midfielder with stylistic similarities, but there’s actually another man in Slot’s first team who could be Liverpool’s new version of their former superstar.
Liverpool's new version of Thiago
Sometimes in football, the timings just don’t work out. Steven Gerrard missed the Klopp era by a whisker, leaving for LA Galaxy only months before the German’s historic appointment.
Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard at Liverpool together.
Likewise, Thiago would retire from football prematurely at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, having made only one appearance that year due to non-stop injury setbacks. He was 33 years old.
Thus, he missed the incipient Slot era and the Premier League title that would arrive at Anfield’s doorstep just one year after he hung up the boots.
The greatest travesty of it all is that the stylish Spaniard boasted a playing style which is tailor-made for the calculated, composed build-up Liverpool have developed since Klopp’s departure. Gone (last season, at least) is the frenetic, out-of-control football that Slot’s predecessor employed – emphatically and to silver-laden success.
Thiago is one of the greatest technicians of his generation. He would have been the linchpin for this version of Liverpool. But Slot may have an heir in Curtis Jones.
Yes, you read that right. No, this argument does not centre around the basis that Jones is on the same level as the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich sensation in his prime.
But the Liverpool-born star shares certain qualities with his one-time teammate, with both among the squad’s most reliable players on the ball and bearing combative sides, emphasised through robustness in the challenge and tough-tackling defensive contributions.
Jones graduated from Liverpool’s academy and has been with his boyhood outfit ever since, and though he played a role under Klopp’s wing, Slot’s tactics have given rise to his skillset and seen him become “one of the most underrated players in England”, as said by one Premier League analyst.
Jones is an effortless passer. He’s intelligent with his decision-making, and he is tactically disciplined. As per FBref, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for assists, the top 8% for goal-creating actions, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90.
He’s also well-seasoned within this Liverpool team, and when the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk depart, both into their penultimate years on Merseyside, he will be among the leading figures at the club.
Most Apps for Liverpool (active players)
Player
Age
Apps
Mohamed Salah
33
413
Andy Robertson
31
349
Virgil van Dijk
34
331
Alisson
33
307
Joe Gomez
28
245
Curtis Jones
24
190
Data via Transfermarkt
Thiago joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich for £20m in 2020 and would ebb and flow. Never in doubt was his technical quality, nor the fact that he could have been a divisional great with better luck on the injury front.
There’s no question that he would have been a sublime component in Slot’s system, but in Jones, the Netherlands native has found a like-styled player who could now take the next step in his development and play a crucial deep-lying role to promote Liverpool’s ball-playing abilities.
At Frankfurt, Jones took a staggering 139 touches of the ball, linking play together and completing 122 of 127 attempted passes. This is his strength, and Slot must give him free rein from the outset to rise to the next level and take Liverpool with him.
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Sunderland haven’t always made Premier League survival look like a painless feat to achieve.
Indeed, the Black Cats have actually fallen victim to the terrible fate of relegation down to the Championship four times since the top division’s rebrand in 1992.
Thankfully, plenty of fight and quality to beat the drop this time around has already been on display, with two wins and two draws picked up from their opening five clashes in the unforgiving league, meaning Regis Le Bris’ men are sitting in a pretty seventh spot currently.
That isn’t to say there weren’t several fan favourites from Sunderland’s previous relegation dogfights, though, with Jermain Defoe a recent hero that sticks out, even as the Wearside outfit tumbled out of the big time.
Defoe's hero status at Sunderland
Defoe would arrive at the Black Cats in 2014 with the reputation for being a clinical goal machine in the Premier League, with a mammoth 126 top-flight goals already notched up, before finding himself in the midst of a relegation tussle at the Stadium of Light.
Joining mid-way through the season could well have unnerved others. Defoe, on the other hand, managed to instantly hit the ground running to guide Sunderland to safety, with his unbelievable first-time effort against fierce rivals Newcastle United still remembered to this day as an iconic goal.
In total, 34 top-flight strikes would be put away by Sunderland’s dependable number 18 across 87 games, with a return to the England set-up even coming the veteran’s way, off the back of such a blistering purple patch of form.
Unfortunately, though, even as he routinely put on the captain’s armband, relegation would still swallow the Black Cats whole at the end of his final goal-laden season in the top-flight.
Regardless, the experienced talisman had still left a lasting impact on supporters in Wearside, with his teammate at the time, Adnan Januzaj, hailing him as “unbelievable” to work alongside.
Defoe would even come back to the Black Cats towards the tail-end of his playing days, but away from the glittering marksman’s extensive career, Le Bris will hope he now has his own much-loved leader figure in a similar vein to the Englishman in this passionate Sunderland presence.
Sunderland's new Defoe
Immediately, the first name that might well spring to mind here in being a Defoe-like hero is Wilson Isidor.
After all, much like the much-loved number 18, Isidor has already proven himself to be a hard-to-contain attacker in the Premier League, with an impressive three goals being fired home this season, steering the Black Cats to some invaluable early victories.
However, even though he isn’t leading the line, the actual figure being touted as the next Defoe here is Granit Xhaka, as the Black Cats thank their lucky stars once more that they managed to pick up a Premier League-experienced pro on the cheap.
As part of an ingenious swap deal that saw Jozy Altidore move to Toronto FC while the attacking veteran relocated back to English shores, Defoe would undoubtedly further affirm his status as a Premier League great.
In the here and now, Xhaka swapping Bayer Leverkusen for the Black Cats for just £17.3m is going down much the same way.
Xhaka – 25/26 PL stats
Stat – per 90 mins*
Xhaka
Games played
5
Goals scored
0
Assists
2
Touches*
73.2
Accurate passes*
48.8 (83%)
Key passes*
1.4
Ball recoveries*
4.2
Total duels won*
6.8
Stats by Sofascore
Before embarking on a shock return to England, Xhaka did already have 225 Premier League appearances under his belt, with 17 goals and 24 assists next to his name for Arsenal in the daunting league, even seeing him be referred to as a “monster” by Gunners-based writer Connor Humm.
The concern would have been whether the Swiss international could roll back the years on his return to the English top-flight.
However, based on the table above, there didn’t need to be any major worries, as Sunderland has seemingly hit the jackpot on a new talisman – much like they jumped for joy with Defoe – in their tenacious number 34.
Already blending his obvious class with bags of determination to ensure Sunderland punch above their weight, it’s even clearer now why picking up Xhaka had been described as “masterstroke” of a purchase, as it had been labelled by Sky Sports’ Don Goodman when he first arrived on the scene.
Many would have viewed Defoe’s entry into the building way back in 2014 in the same glowing manner, with Le Bris and Co. now well positioned to go against their bleak relegation history and beat the drop with Xhaka placed at the centre of their plans.
Sunderland star Habib Diarra injury return date, how many games he'll miss
أعرب ريان شرقي لاعب خط وسط مانشستر سيتي عن سعادته بعد أدائه المتميز وحصوله على رجل المباراة، التي فاز فيها فريقه بثلاثية لهدف واحد ضد سوانزي سيتي في كأس الكاراباو.
وقال ريان شرقي والذي سجل الهدف الثالث لفريقه مانشستر سيتي وصنع الهدف الثاني في تصريحات لموقع “مانشستر سيتي” الرسمي: “أشعر بحالة جيد جداً لأنني لم ألعب منذ فترة طويلة”.
وأضاف: “أنا سعيد جداً بالعودة لمساعدة أصدقائي، أنا سعيد جداً بالعودة لأنني أريد اللعب”.
أقرأ أيضاً.. سيتي إكسترا تكافئ عمر مرموش بعد أدائه أمام سوانزي في كأس الكاراباو
وواصل: “أريد فقط أن ألعب، في حياتي أريد أن أستمتع وأمنح المتعة”.
وأتم ريان شرقي: “عندما أكون خارج الملعب، لا أشعر بالسعادة وعندما أكون في الملعب أشعر بالسعادة لهذا السبب أنا سعيد”.
واختتم عن لقاء بورنموث: “إنها مباراة مهمة للغاية لأن المباراة تقام على ملعبنا، وفي ملعبنا نريد الفوز بجميع المباريات ولهذا نلعب بأقصى قوة ممكنة، ونستمتع ونسعد جماهيرنا ولهذا نحن مستعدون للفوز”.
Após a vitória por 1 a 0 contra o Atlético-MG nesta quarta-feira (2), pela partida de ida das oitavas de final da Libertadores, o Palmeiras retornou de Belo Horizonte (MG) e já treinou na manhã desta quinta (3), na Academia de Futebol. O Verdão se prepara para enfrentar o Fluminense neste sábado (5), às 21h, no Maracanã, pela 18ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Após chegarem de madrugada, os jogadores dormiram nos quartos do centro de excelência e acordaram para o café da manhã. Os titulares no Mineirão se dedicaram a atividades regenerativas, enquanto o restante foi a campo e realizou, primeiramente, trabalhos posicionais e, na sequência, uma movimentação técnica com objetivos específicos.
+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!
Gabriel Menino valorizou o resultado conquistado na capital mineira, reforçando a importância da sequência de vitórias seguidas do Verdão. Entretanto, o camisa 25 reiterou que ainda ‘não tem nada definido’ e que a equipe irá trabalhar ainda mais para garantir a classificação no Allianz Parque. O duelo de volta acontece na próxima quarta (9), às 21h30, e o Palmeiras tem a vantagem do empate.
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– É muito bom voltar às vitórias, ainda mais em Libertadores. Não estávamos vencendo jogos e, depois de três vitórias, dá um alívio, nos sentimos mais confiantes. Fizemos uma excelente partida, cada um entregou aquilo que treinamos e conseguiu dar o seu melhor. Graças a Deus, o nosso time está performando igual ao começo do ano e isso é muito bom – disse Menino.
– Jogo de 180 minutos. Já fizemos a primeira parte, agora tem a segunda. Claro que não tem nada definido. Se eles fizerem um gol aqui, já corre o risco de ir para os pênaltis. Vamos trabalhar o dobro para que possamos sair vitoriosos e com a classificação.
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+ Palmeiras ainda pode contratar jogadores em 2023; entenda como e até quando
Por fim, o meia projetou a partida contra o Fluminense deste final de semana, prevendo um confronto equilibrado. Apenas três pontos separam as equipes na tabela de classificação do Brasileirão. O Verdão ocupa a terceira colocação, com 31 pontos, enquanto o Tricolor está na quinta posição, com 28.
– É muito bom enfrentar times grandes e será um jogo difícil contra o Fluminense. Independentemente de quem jogue, vai performar lá em cima como o treinador pede. Todos que estão no Palmeiras têm condições e são capacitados. Todo mundo está treinando hoje, demos o nosso melhor. Estamos um pouco cansados, é normal, chegamos tarde ontem. Mas tenho certeza de que até amanhã estará todo mundo 100% para entregar o dobro no sábado e conseguir os três pontos – concluiu.
O elenco volta a treinar nesta sexta (4), às 10h. Como visitante, o Palmeiras só foi derrotado duas vezes nos últimos 30 jogos de Brasileiro (são 14 vitórias, 14 empates, uma derrota em 2022 e uma derrota em 2023).
The India captain also feels that the pitches in Dubai have been challenging for batters, while the bowlers have also had to adjust
Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Mar-20252:32
Do India have an advantage at the Champions Trophy?
Of the four teams remaining in the Champions Trophy 2025, Australia have travelled to three of the tournament’s four venues, while New Zealand have travelled to all four. South Africa, even though they did not play in Dubai, have been to Dubai to potentially prepare for a semi-final against India that never materialised, and have since returned to Lahore. (South Africa, to be clear, have not complained about this travel, and had been enthused by the prospect of getting on a Dubai golf course.)India, meanwhile, have not had to move anywhere. They will play their fourth match in two weeks in Dubai on Tuesday – a semi-final against Australia. But though their travel is light, and they have had the benefit of three matches at the venue, they do not enjoy a significant advantage at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, according to India captain Rohit Sharma.”It’s not like we know what’s going to happen on these pitches,” Rohit said ahead of India’s semi-final against Australia. “We don’t know which pitch will be used in the semi-final, but whatever it is, we will have to adapt and see how it goes. And it’s not our home either – this is Dubai. We don’t play so many matches here, it’s new for us as well.”Related
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There has been a feeling among other teams that this unusual schedule – a function of both India’s economic and geopolitical power – has conferred a competitive advantage to India. But conditions have still varied in Dubai, Rohit said.”The three matches we have played, the nature of the surface was the same, but the pitch behaved differently in the three games,” he said. “Against New Zealand, we saw when their pacers bowled, they got the ball to swing and seam, which we didn’t see in the previous two matches when our bowlers were bowling first. And in the evening, it is a little cold, so there is a chance of the ball swinging.”We also don’t know how each wicket will play. They look the same, but when you play on the pitches, they behave differently. So the pitch does throw up different challenges and as a batter, we have to think if we can play certain shots or not, and bowlers also have to adjust.”
“Australia have been such a great team over the years, so we will expect some fightback, and some nervy times in the middle. We are talking about a semi-final. There will be pressure on both teams to win that game”Rohit Sharma
India will face Australia in the semi-final, having topped Group A, while Australia cruised by on two no-results and a victory over England in their tournament opener. The last two times these teams met in a major knockout match, Australia won, clinching both the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final in 2023.”Look, it’s a great opposition to play against Australia,” Rohit said. “All we have to do is what we’ve been thinking about the last three games. And we have to approach that game in a similar fashion. We understand the opposition and how they play.”Australia have been such a great team over the years, so we will expect some fightback and some nervy times in the middle as well. We are talking about a semi-final. There will be pressure on both teams to win that game.”