Turning their attention towards the future, Manchester United are now reportedly closing in on their first signing of the Ruben Amorim era with one target now set to travel to complete a medical.

Man Utd transfer news

Three Premier League defeats in a row and admitting that his side may well find themselves in a relegation battle as the new year gets underway, to say that Amorim has endured a tough start would be an understatement. And things aren’t set to get any easier anytime soon.

Man Utd send scouts to watch "complete" striker Chelsea chased all summer

Ruben Amorim wants to add more goals to his United team, and this player would do exactly that.

2 ByBrett Worthington Jan 3, 2025

Currently just seven points adrift of the dropzone, the Red Devils have the task of becoming just the second team in Europe to defeat Arne Slot’s Liverpool side this weekend before squaring off against Arsenal in the FA Cup. As January potentially commences another nightmare month on the pitch, however, those at Old Trafford must back their manager in the transfer market away from the action.

On that front, the transfer rumours are already coming thick and fast and the Red Devils could even have the first official signing of the Amorim era sealed sooner than they think.

According to Paraguayan journalist Bruno Pont, Manchester United are now closing in on signing Diego Leon with the young defender set to travel to complete his medical at the club.

In a deal worth a reported £4m, those at Old Trafford will have to wait until the summer and after Leon’s 18th birthday to see their new man in action, given that he’s unable to complete a move before that point. At least securing his signature in advance nonetheless, the teenager is undoubtedly a rising star to watch.

Leon could receive a fair few opportunities when he does arrive too, with the left wing-back spot very much up for grabs in the face of Luke Shaw’s continued injuries and the fact that Diogo Dalot is currently playing out of position.

"Powerful" Leon is one for the future

Of course, Manchester United need far more than the arrival of a 17-year-old left-back in 2025, but that doesn’t mean Leon isn’t a good place to start. One for the future, the left-back may solve one of Amorim’s greatest problems for years to come at the reported cost of just £4m. Described as “powerful” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leon could prove to be quite the coup from Cerro Porteno.

As they wait for his official arrival in the summer, Manchester United should also turn their attention towards players likely to make an instant impact in the hope of pushing on from the embarrassment of a relegation battle.

أعرب بويد مولويندا، المدير الفني لمنتخب زامبيا، عن رضاه بنتيجة التعادل أمام سيراليون، في اللقاء الذي جمع الفريقين ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس أمم أفريقيا للشباب تحت 20 عامًا، مؤكدًا أن فريقه كان يمتلك فرصة لحسم الفوز لكنه لم يستغلها بالشكل الأمثل.

ويتواجد منتخبا زامبيا وسيراليون في المجموعة الأولى التي تضم إلى جوارهما مصر وجنوب إفريقيا وتنزانيا.

وأوضح مولويندا في تصريحاته بالمؤتمر الصحفي عقب المباراة أن النقطة التي حصدها فريقه تُعد جيدة في بداية مشواره بالبطولة، مشددًا على أن الهدف الأساسي كان تفادي الخسارة.

مجموعة مصر | التعادل السلبي يحسم مواجهة زامبيا وسيراليون في كأس أمم إفريقيا للشباب

وأضاف أن منتخب زامبيا ما زال يملك فرصًا كبيرة للتأهل إلى الأدوار المقبلة، مشيرًا إلى أن اللاعبين سيحصلون على راحة قبل الاستعداد بقوة لمواجهة مصر المرتقبة، كما أكد على متابعته لمباراة مصر وسيراليون لتحليل أداء الخصم.

على الجانب الآخر، أبدى محمد لامين كمارا، المدير الفني لمنتخب سيراليون، حزنه الشديد لفقدان فرصة تحقيق الانتصار على زامبيا، رغم الأداء الجيد الذي قدمه لاعبوه خلال اللقاء.

وشدد كمارا على صعوبة جميع المباريات في البطولة، لافتًا إلى أن فريقه سيستغل اليومين المقبلين للتحضير بقوة للمواجهة المهمة أمام منتخب مصر.

ويستعد منتخب سيراليون لمواجهة منتخب مصر مستضيف البطولة يوم الأربعاء المقبل في ثاني جولات دور المجموعات.

Gary Lineker has revealed his plans after he steps away from hosting Match of the Day and working for the BBC.

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• Lineker leaving MOTD this summer
• "Had talks" with other broadcasters
• Ex-striker reveals plans after that

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former England international has lifted the lid on the "talks" he had with other broadcasters such as Sky but the ex-striker suggested he will step away from the limelight when he ends his tenure with the BBC after the 2026 World Cup.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT GARY LINEKER SAID

  The 64-year-old told FourFourTwo: "I don't think you'll see me doing much football, apart from the [Rest is Football] podcast. I'll do the odd thing, but I don't think you'll see me appearing regularly on another channel."

  He added: "We've had talks with Sky at various points, but I always wanted to stick with the BBC. I could have earned a lot more, though I know I've been well paid anyway, obviously. I've had offers to go elsewhere but I just loved being with the BBC, and also how it helps everything else you do. It's not only the kudos, the audience is much bigger. More people still watch Match of the Day than probably the biggest live game on Sundays. Also, I'm quite loyal. I've had the same guy cut my hair for 40 years, the same guy training me in the gym for 30 years, the same agent since I was 18…"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lineker is stepping down as host of Match of the Day in May, ending 26 years in the show's hot seat. He will also front coverage of next season's FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup but Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, and Gabby Logan will take over at MOTD. This really will be the end of an era.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  All eyes will be on what Lineker turns his attention to after his time with the BBC concludes, and if he could be tempted back into presenting.

Wintry conditions have cast a white blanket across Merseyside, but Liverpool will be determined to be the one issuing out a chilling bite as Arne Slot’s side prepare to host Manchester United in the Premier League.

First-placed Liverpool are five points clear of Arsenal with two games in hand, having been a cut above their rivals in the quest for the title this season. Few – if any – foresaw the events that have unfurled since the summer, but no one can deny the brilliance of this Reds side anymore.

Man United, in contrast, have shuffled down dire straits, sacking Erik ten Hag in November after dismal form that just couldn’t be shaken. Ruben Amorim arrived having dazzled in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon but has failed to get any kind of tune out of the Red Devils so far.

United are 14th in the standings and have lost five of their past six top-flight fixtures, though they claimed an Anfield point in similar conditions last year and that is something to bear in mind for the hosts, who will be brimming with confidence nonetheless.

Liverpool team news

In his pre-match press conference, Slot was delighted to confirm that Liverpool will welcome Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate back to the matchday squad, one month after they picked up issues during the comfortable Champions League victory over Real Madrid.

It’s unlikely that either will start, meaning Jarell Quansah will partner Virgil van Dijk in central defence, with Joe Gomez sidelined for the foreseeable.

Further up the field, Dominik Szoboszlai has served a one-match suspension and will hope to claim Curtis Jones’ starting berth, while Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota will be pushing to start up top. However, they shouldn’t get them with Luis Diaz in such fine fettle at number nine.

He’s not going to be playing on the left, in any case, for Cody Gakpo will reprise his role and potentially be the difference-maker against the club that flirted with his prized signature back in 2022.

Cody Gakpo could terrorise Man Utd

Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 after his heroics at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, though Man United certainly felt that they were honing in on the Dutchman only days before.

Gakpo arrived at Liverpool during a tumultuous time but showed flashes of quality during that first under Jurgen Klopp, notably bagging twice during the Reds’ 7-0 romping over Ten Hag’s beleaguered unit.

He’s been a different beast within this new Liverpool set-up, however, and might be the secret star as United seek to prevent Mohamed Salah from hitting his stride.

This is easier said than done, with the Egypt star having posted 20 goals and 17 assists across 26 matches for Liverpool this season. He also feasts upon his biggest rivals each term.

Conversely, Gakpo hasn’t scored or assisted in any of his past three fixtures against United, albeit starting each one from the bench.

He’ll have a point to prove and the means to enforce it. Gakpo has been a keen-edged attacking threat in his own right of late, scoring five goals from his past eight starts in the Premier League.

1.

Sadio Mane

17

2.

Roberto Firmino

14

3.

Cody Gakpo

9

4.

Luis Diaz

6

4=

Diogo Jota

6

It’s remarkable that Gakpo ranks third on Salah’s all-time assist list at Liverpool, bespeaking the innate connection the pairing have as they operate on alternate flanks.

Man United won’t know what hit them, and travelling fans might just be left rueing their missed opportunity once again as the Slot machine drives even further forward.

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Liverpool are battling to keep some of their prized players at Anfield this year.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 3, 2025

Two support staff members also test positive, no replacement player called up

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2022Michael Bracewell, the New Zealand allrounder, and two members of the support staff* have tested positive for Covid, and are undergoing five days of isolation ahead of next week’s third LV= Insurance Test against England at Headingley.Bracewell undertook a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) after waking up with symptoms in Nottingham, on the morning after England’s thrilling five-wicket victory in the second Test at Trent Bridge.The rest of the touring party underwent another round of tests on Wednesday, with team physio Vijay Vallabh and strength and conditioning coach Chris Donaldson also testing positive on arrival in London. No others members of the tour party tested positive at this stage and, with eight days until the start of the Headingley Test, no replacement player is being called up at this stage.The news came as Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain, rejoined the tour party after serving his own five-day period of isolation, having test positive on the eve of the same match.Williamson’s positive test was a key reason why Bracewell was chosen to make his Test debut at Trent Bridge, and he impressed with both bat and ball in the course of the contest, making scores of 49 and 25 in his two innings, as well as three first-innings wickets with his offspin.*1800 BST – This story was updated with news of Vallabh and Donaldson testing positive

Arsenal loanee Michelle Agyemang scored a stunning goal just 41 seconds after making her debut for England against Belgium.

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Agyemang scored a stunning goalScored within 41 seconds of England debutBelgium beat England 3-2 Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sarina Wiegman introduced the 19-year-old forward in the 80th minute in place of Jess Park, and within 41 seconds, she delivered a stunning goal. Agyemang controlled Leah Williamson's long ball with her thigh inside the box, and then, with a first-time volley, the Brighton star found the back of the net.

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The teenager joined the Lionesses squad just three days before the Belgium clash, as she replaced injured Alessia Russo. England were completely outplayed by the Belgians in the first half as they took a three-goal lead within half an hour. Beth Mead pulled one back for her team from the penalty spot in the 35th minute as Wiegman's side headed into the break with only the slightest hope of staging a miraculous comeback. The hosts, however, conceded just once in the second 45 minutes to clinch a 3-2 win.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

England will be back in action in the Nations League on May 30 as they take on Portugal.

Visitors target back-to-back series win in Asia; Hosts drop Lasith Embuldeniya, with four others out after contracting Covid-19

Andrew McGlashan07-Jul-2022Big PictureThere has been plenty of Test cricket recently that you don’t want to take your eyes off. England are changing the way people think of the game by charging their way to fourth-innings targets as though it was the most normal thing ever; while in Galle, the first match of the series was over in less than two days’ playing time as Australia adapted to conditions far better than the home side.The type of match we saw in the first Test was not a complete surprise – it was always likely the game would move quickly – but the way Australia bossed proceedings when it had been a pretty even contest on the second day, and barely 24 hours later secured victory, was somewhat unexpected.If they can do it again over the next few days – no one believes the second Test will go close to five – it will complete significant back-to-back triumphs in the subcontinent after the win in Pakistan, and set them up well for the challenge of India next year.Related

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Sri Lanka's top order can't just sweep away their problems

Adaptable Australia make further strides on subcontinent mission

Sri Lanka have plenty of problems to solve, and their difficulties have been exacerbated by a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad which has ruled out four players, although Angelo Mathews, the first case, is available again. Their bowling attack will look considerably different, although that may have been the case anyway after the spinners were unable to keep any control of Australia’s batters.But they also need their senior batters to step forward. There is no lack of experience in the top order but it was collectively a very poor performance in the opening Test, even though coach Chris Silverwood was not critical of their second-innings approach as conditions became even tougher, having also been able to bat first when conditions were, relatively speaking, at their best.The bare facts would suggest Australia have Sri Lanka’s number and should be comfortable favourites to take the series 2-0, but the nature of the pitch – if, as expected, it is anything like the opening game – means that form, perhaps, does not play the role it often does. One spell, one collapse, and things can change quickly.Recent form(Last five matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka LWDLL
Australia WWDDW
Can Travis Head now contribute with the bat?•Getty Images

In the spotlightTravis Head left a mark on the opening Test… but with the ball. He bagged 4 for 10 in the second innings to hasten the game to its swift finish. When batting, he got a leading edge back to Dhananjaya de Silva early on the second day to continue a run in the subcontinent where he is the one member of the batting order yet to make a significant contribution after not getting going in Pakistan.Head acknowledged the technical mistake he had made, but is confident he can rebound. “I’ve played well on spinning pitches in Australia,” he said after the first Test. “These are different, I’ve never played on a wicket like that. So it’s another one to take into consideration over the next few days. Talking to the people closest to me, I just need to keep doubling down on that plan, and keep backing it in and try to execute it. When you second-guess yourself or try to change things for the next Test, you get yourself in more trouble.”With Lasith Embuldeniya dropped and Praveen Jayawickrama out with Covid-19, there appears a strong chance of a debut for 19-year-old Dunith Wellalage, the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series where he showed impressive composure and caused plenty of problems for Australia’s batters.There is also the intriguing prospect of a debut for Maheesh Theekshana, who has played just three first-class matches – all of them in 2018 – as Sri Lanka search for a way of controlling the run rate. It would be a fascinating look at how important first-class experience is when conditions are at the extreme end, and how specialist white-ball skills – much like Theekshana’s – can translate.Dunith Wellalage could make his Test debut•AFP

Team newsDimuth Karunaratne said that the Sri Lanka squad had to get through round of rapid antigen tests before they would know who was available. There will be at least four changes and they will be hoping the Covid-19 outbreak doesn’t go further. Dhananjaya de Silva, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay and Lasith Embuldeniya – with the latter dropped – are out for certain. Although Oshada Fernando was Angelo Mathews’ Covid sub last week, allrounder Kamindu Mendis, who is an ambidextrous bowler, could come into the middle order to cover for Dhananjaya’s spin. There remains uncertainty over the combination of frontline spinners they could choose with Lakshan Sandakan and Prabath Jayasuriya also being considered.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Oshada Fernando/Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dinesh Chandimal, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Ramesh Mendis, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Maheesh TheekshanaAustralia have kept the option open of bringing in Glenn Maxwell at No. 8 as another spin-bowling option in place of Mitchell Starc. But that will be decided on the morning of the game. That should be the only change.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Glenn Maxwell/Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Mitchell SwepsonPitch and conditionsMore of the same – a turning pitch, of course – is expected, unless there is a significant change of heart from the home side. There is again the chance of storms interrupting play, but given the speed the game is likely to move at, it shouldn’t impact the prospect of a result.Stats and trivia Pat Cummins needs two wickets to reach 200 in Tests. Nathan Lyon, who has moved in the top ten of the all-time wicket-takers, needs seven wickets to go above R Ashwin (442), which would leave him only behind Muthiah Muralidaran as a fingerspinner. The last time Australia won three consecutive Tests in Asia was in 2004, when they beat Sri Lanka and India in four successive matches. And between 2002 and 2004, they had won seven in a row.

Chelsea have scored the joint third most goals in the Premier League this season, with only front-runners Liverpool and Tottenham scoring more. The Blues have scored 39 goals in 20 games played, averaging 15.8 shots per game (4th highest shots taken per game on average in the division).

That being said, much of the attacking burden has been on Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson (who had been running hot for a few months). Palmer has scored 13 goals and provided six assists so far this season, whilst Jackson has scored nine and assisted three.

Enzo Maresca’s wingers often need to provide that goal threat, especially in games where teams look to pack the box and defend central areas.

That being said, only Madueke has scored more than three goals in the Premier League from the wing, with five goals in 18 appearances.

As a result, could another forward player arrive in the January transfer window?

Chelsea looking at English winger

According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is being closely monitored by Chelsea. Along with the Blues keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, Liverpool are also said to be scouting him, along with other top Premier League clubs.

Romano does mention that a summer move is more likely for the highly-rated youngster, but with clubs already beginning to circle like sharks, a move in January could be feasible in order to get ahead of the competition that will surely be there for his signature in the summer.

Bynoe-Gittens has made 23 appearances so far this season for Dortmund, scoring nine goals, providing five assists and totalling 1,519 minutes.

How Bynoe-Gittens compares to Mudryk

With Mykhailo Mudryk currently suspended and his Chelsea career not quite panning out the way it had been planned, it could finally be time for the Blues to replace him with someone like Bynoe-Gittens, who has been labelled as “England’s next superstar” by one German outlet.

Since joining the club, Mudryk has made 73 appearances, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists in 3,613 minutes played. Put it simply, he hasn’t been great and Gittens could be a seismic upgrade.

Goals

0.54

0.32

Assists

0.18

0.16

xG

0.22

0.19

xAG

0.17

0.44

Progressive Carries

6.53

5.26

Progressive Passes

1.80

1.75

Shots Taken

2.38

1.75

Key Passes

1.20

2.28

Shot-Creating Actions

3.60

3.68

Successful Take-Ons

3.80

1.58

You can instantly see when comparing Mudryk and Bynoe-Gittens, the extra goal threat the Englishman provides, with a higher shot volume (2.38 compared to 1.75), more goals per 90 (0.54 compared to 0.32) and higher xG generated (0.22 compared to 0.19).

Along with this, you still get the progressive carrying quality, successful take-ons/1v1 ability and creative passing (higher progressive passes but fewer key passes). This profile would be brilliant for Chelsea, especially when you consider what Jadon Sancho offers Maresca as a different option on the left too.

It’s clear another forward would be welcomed at Stamford Bridge, one that could help the likes of Palmer in providing goal threat and output in those attacking areas, helping to break down those “low blocks” Chelsea have struggled with in recent weeks. Bynoe-Gittens could be exactly that, whether it’s in January or the summer.

Chelsea want to sign "dominant" PL star who's better than Guehi & Chalobah

Enzo Maresca appears to be targeting defensive reinforcements for his Chelsea side.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 7, 2025

Arsenal came into their FA Cup third-round clash with old rivals Manchester United knowing not everything was in their favour.

This term has been one of bad luck. From those red cards against Brighton, Bournemouth and Manchester City to Martin Odegaard’s ankle injury in September and Bukayo Saka’s heartbreaking hamstring injury.

Mikel Arteta has coached some brilliant games this term but due to a number of circumstances haven’t been able to get over the line in several instances.

Well, in football, you can also make your own luck and the Gunners haven’t taken it across their two cup matches in recent days. Against Newcastle United, the Londoners created a succession of chances with Kai Havertz most notably missing a header from a matter of yards out.

Against United as the Red Devils won on penalties on Sunday, it was the same old story; Arsenal couldn’t score some gilt-edged chances.

It was Bruno Fernandes who opened the scoring against the run of play but following Diogo Dalot’s red card, Gabriel got the hosts back into the tie. Arteta’s side couldn’t find the net from that moment onwards and were made to pay for their wasteful finishing, losing 5-3 on penalties.

The aforementioned Havertz was perhaps the biggest culprit at the Emirates Stadium.

Kai Havertz's performance in numbers vs Man United

Arsenal came into last January needing a striker. Havertz ultimately went on to score eight goals and supply seven assists as a centre forward in the back end of 2023/24.

Yet, the Gunners came into the summer window needing a centre forward again. They did not get one and instead put their faith in the German again.

Scoring four times in his opening seven matches of the league campaign, that decision looked vindicated.

However, a year on from when their woes in front of goal really looked bad, Arsenal are no better off. In fact, this time, they look even worse.

Make no mistake, the board simply have to strengthen the squad this month or this crop of players could be in for a particularly bumpy end to the season.

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ByBarney Lane Dec 4, 2024

That’s because Havertz is starting to show once again why so many questioned his £65m acquisition in the summer of 2023. For the most part, the former Chelsea man has defied his critics but in the last two matches, he has shown why he cannot be trusted to lead the line long-term.

Minutes played

120

Touches

39

Accurate passes

18/23 (78%)

Key passes

2

Duels won

7/15

Possession lost

10x

Fouls committed

3

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

3

Expected goals (xG)

0.80

Actual goals

0

If his miss against the Toon a few days ago was bad, his efforts against Ruben Amorim’s men were even worse.

Indeed, he sliced an effort wide from just a matter of yards before it got even worse towards the end of the match when the ball fortuitously fell to the Germany international from near point-blank range. Did he score? Of course not. Remarkably he fired over the bar.

Coming into the penalty shoot-out with a lack of confidence, it was perhaps unsurprising to see him miss his penalty. He was the only player to miss. It was decisive.

As it happens, another player missed a penalty, just in normal time. That was the skipper.

Martin Odegaard's performance in numbers vs Man United

Last term Odegaard was a simply phenomenal part of this Arsenal team. He was a key component, registering 11 goals and 11 assists in all competitions. Together with Saka, they ran riot on the right-hand side, unlocking teams and ensuring opposition defenders begged them for mercy.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Well, this time out it’s been a bit different. In fact, it’s been very different. Odegaard is yet to score from open play in 2024/25 and has been some way off his best since returning from that 12-game lay-off courtesy of an ankle injury.

His poor fun of form showed no sign of slowing down against United on Sunday and it was his missed penalty that prevented Arsenal from running away with things in normal time.

After Harry Maguire was adjudged to have tripped Havertz, the Norwegian stepped up but was denied by a tremendous stop by stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. It was the first penalty Odegaard has missed in his career to date.

Those things can happen but he as The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid noted during the game, his set-pieces were largely “woeful”. Now, living up to Saka’s corner taking from the right-hand side will take some doing but from his several deliveries into the box, not many came off.

While the captain played a remarkable ten key passes, eight more than any other player on the field, not many of them really amounted to much but for Declan Rice’s header in the second half that he should have scored from.

Minutes played

120

Touches

116

Accurate passes

74/87 (85%)

Key passes

10

Accurate crosses

6/13

Shots

3

Duels won

2/5

Dribbles completed

1/1

Possession lost

27x

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

To make matters worse, Odegaard gave away the ball 27 times, more than any outfield player, and his inability to take a shot really left the Emirates Stadium crowd feeling frustrated.

He had three shots in the game with only one on target but on multiple occasions, the 26-year-old received the ball on the edge of the area and chose to lay it off to a teammate rather than take a shot. It was hardly a surprise to see him handed a low post-match player rating by GOAL who dished out a 5/10 to the former Madrid man.

It’s evident the Norway international, like many of his teammates, is suffering from a lack of confidence.

Two cup defeats in the space of a few days won’t help but some new signings certainly will do. If Arsenal are to rescue anything from this season then the squad needs bolstering and it needs bolstering quickly. Over to you Stan Kroenke.

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1 ByMatt Dawson Jan 12, 2025

An opportunity for back-up India players to stake claims and get a longer run

Hemant Brar21-Jul-20222:14

Simmons: We need to win for the Caribbean people

Big pictureThis is not an ODI World Cup year. The series between West Indies and India is not part of the World Cup Super League. Both teams finished their previous 50-over assignments less than a week ago. So what can one expect during these three ODIs?After clinching both white-ball series in England, India have rested Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, while KL Rahul is on the recovery path after a hernia surgery. That means some of their back-up players – under stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan – will get a full series than just a one-off game here and there.Live in the USA

If you’re in America, you can watch Friday’s first ODI between West Indies and India live on ESPN+

West Indies, on the other hand, are on a six-match losing streak in the format, and have one of the worst win-loss ratios in ODI cricket this year. To put things back on track, their captain Nicholas Pooran and coach Phil Simmons have asked their players to make sure they bat out full 50 overs, something they have struggled with of late. Since January 2021, West Indies have batted first 12 times in ODI cricket; on nine occasions, they failed to last their full allocation of overs.In good news for the hosts, Jason Holder is back after having been rested for the Bangladesh series. His presence will lend the side the much-needed experience not just in the bowling department but also in the lower middle order.Related

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Simmons puts faith in struggling WI batters, adds voice for better pitches

Form guideWest Indies LLLLL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WLWWWIn the spotlightNicholas Pooran was one of the few bright spots for West Indies during their white-ball series against Bangladesh. If the hosts are to challenge India, Pooran will once again have to lead from the front. The good thing from West Indies’ perspective is that their captain has a favourable record against India: 354 runs in nine innings, at an average of 44.25 and a strike rate of 107.59.Shikhar Dhawan will be key for India in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli•AFP/Getty ImagesShikhar Dhawan might be the stand-in captain for the series but his recent form with the bat hasn’t been great. In his last five ODIs, Dhawan has made 112 runs at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 61.53. It has been 20 innings since he last made a hundred in the format. In the absence of experienced players, India will want Dhawan to find his form back.Team newsKeemo Paul didn’t bowl in the final ODI against Bangladesh after sustaining a hamstring injury. While Simmons is happy with his recovery, West Indies will take a call on his inclusion on the eve of the match. With Holder and Kyle Mayers in the squad as other seam-bowling allrounders, they may not want to rush him though. Apart from Paul, Keacy Carty could be the other one to miss out from the 13-member squad.West Indies (probable): 1 Shai Hope (wk), 2 Brandon King, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Kyle Mayers, 5 Nicholas Pooran (capt), 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Jayden SealesIndia have plenty of decisions to make. Who will open with Dhawan? What will the seam-bowling attack look like? Do they pick Shardul Thakur at No. 8? They can choose from Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill to open with Dhawan. Among seamers, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh are their options. What is certain, though, is Ravindra Jadeja has a niggle that could keep him out of the series opener at least.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Avesh Khan/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Mohammed SirajPitch and conditionsAfter Pooran criticised the pitches used for the ODI series against Bangladesh in Guyana, one expects the Queen’s Park Oval to offer a better contest between bat and ball. To Simmons, the surfaces here look better prepared, but the venue last hosted an international match in 2019. So it needs to be seen how they play out. The weather is expected to be partly cloudy with the temperature hovering around 30°C.Stats and trivia India have won eight of their last nine matches at the Queen’s Park Oval. The other game was washed out. Dhawan will be India’s seventh captain across formats this calendar year. Among Full Member players, Akeal Hosein is the leading wicket-taker in ODI cricket this year. In 14 games so far, he has picked up 22 wickets at an economy of 4.90. Quotes”He [Holder] looks fresh, he had some time out of the game. He has been bowling well for the last two days and actually batting well too. So it’s good to have him back.”