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Everton will be hoping they can turn their overall form in the 2024/25 season around. So far, the Toffees have struggled, and whilst results have picked up in the past few games, Sean Dyche’s side are still struggling in the Premier League.

They currently sit 16th in the Premier League, with nine points to their name.

With that being said, things have improved of late for the Merseysiders. They are unbeaten in their last five outings, having drawn three and won two. Those victories were both massively important, beating fellow strugglers Crystal Palace at Goodison Park and Ipswich Town away from home.

Although things have been bleak on the whole for the Toffees this term, they have still had some standout performers.

Everton’s standout players this season

Arguably the Merseysiders’ standout player so far in 2024/25 has been Dwight McNeil. The winger has excelled this term, and already has six goals and assists to his name, double the amount of any other Toffees player.

However, the attacker picked up an injury in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Fulham. It remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to face Southampton on Saturday, although Dyche explained in a press conference they are “hopeful” he can play a part. It would certainly be a blow to lose such a key player.

Summer signing Iliman Ndiaye is another player performing well for the Toffees this term. He cost Everton a reported fee of £15m from French side Olympique Marseille and has performed well in that famous blue shirt so far.

He has two goal involvements to his name so far. The Senegalese attacker scored in the 1-1 draw away to Leicester City, and grabbed a goal at Portman Road as they brushed aside Ipswich Town. Playing mainly on the left, it has been a productive start to life in Merseyside for Ndiaye.

Player

Goals

Assists

Dwight McNeil

3

3

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2

1

Ashley Young

0

3

Iliman Ndiaye

2

0

Michael Keane

2

0

Beto

1

0

For all of the Toffees good performers so far, especially after their unbeaten run of five games, they have had some players that have struggled in recent games. One of those players was Michael Keane, whose starting place could come under threat this weekend.

Why Keane could be dropped

It may come as a surprise that Dyche could consider dropping a man who has played all but one of the Toffees Premier League games this term. In fact, he has completed 90 minutes in each of his top-flight appearances this term.

Although he is a centre-back, former England international Keane has contributed to the Toffees’ ten goals so far in the top flight. That included a sublime strike against Ipswich, which he lashed into the roof of the net as a centre-forward would.

However, in the Mersyesiders’ most recent game against former boss Marco Silva’s Fulham side, Keane struggled. Brogan Clasper of Everton News gave him a 5/10 for his efforts that day, explaining that the defender was ‘dominated by Raul Jimenez’, the Cottagers centre-forward.

Whilst the Everton number five has been a key player for Dyche so far this term, England international Jarrad Branthwaite does seem to be back from injury, meaning he could drop out to accommodate the 22-year-old.

His injury was an issue that kept the youngster out of much of the 2024/25 campaign so far. He played 90 minutes against Crystal Palace, and four minutes against the West London side last weekend.

Dyche, however, will be hoping his number 32 has gotten over his injury issues and can play from the start, Whilst it may be a little harsh to drop Keane after such an important role so far, he could join the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin who are axed from the side.

The enterprising forward has struggled in front of goal recently. He has two top-flight strikes to his name so far but is now without a goal in five games.

He received a 4/10 for his performance last weekend against Fulham, a game in which he had a goal ruled out for offside. Clasper pointed out that Calvert-Lewin has now been offside 16 times this term, ‘five more than any other player in the league’, certainly an issue for the Toffees.

Dropping the likes of Calver-Lewin and Keane would accommodate someone like Beto, an in-form striker who scored last week, and Branthwaite, who certainly seems to be the first-choice centre-back under Dyche.

Dyche must finally drop Everton ace with fewer touches than Pickford

Dyche must finally drop Everton forward with fewer touches than Pickford

ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2024

There was barely any sign of the team that conquered all in Istanbul as the Cityzens were torn apart by the true kings of Europe

They'll always have Istanbul. That was the only positive thing to say after Manchester City's Champions League hopes were demolished by Real Madrid and an insatiable Kylian Mbappe. Pep Guardiola's side were not just outclassed by the 15-times winners, they were overwhelmed by them, both physically and mentally. Watching Madrid ease to a 3-1 win on the night, and an emphatic 6-3 on aggregate, it was easy to forget that these two sides could only be separated by a penalty shootout when they met in last year's quarter-finals.

City's incredible 4-0 win over Madrid in the 2023 semi-final second leg at the Etihad Stadium felt like a very long time ago, and on Wednesday in the Spanish capital, there was very little sign of the team that had emphatically booked their ticket to the Istanbul final and went on to win the club's first-ever European Cup in Turkey. Just five players who started the final against Inter began the play-off second leg, and very soon it was four as John Stones limped off injured in the eighth minute.

Erling Haaland sat out with an injury and Kevin De Bruyne was not even called upon from the bench, the clearest sign of all that the team that conquered all before them and became only the second English side to win the treble has been consigned to the past. Guardiola had said on Saturday that City had a one percent chance of overturning the 3-2 deficit from the first leg, and although he took that comment back in the pre-match press conference, it turns out he was right all along.

His side, in their present guise, are simply no match for Madrid. The serial-winning Catalan is in for the long-haul after signing a new two-year contract with City, but on this evidence he will need to sign another deal of a similar length to Haaland's decade-long agreement if he is to ever see his side win the Champions League again. The scale of the rebuild Guardiola faces was laid bare as Madrid's four-pronged attack of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham feasted on their fresh kill, consigning City to their earliest exit from the Champions League since 2012.

Guardiola and his colleagues began the squad's reconstruction by spending £180m ($226m) on four new players in January, but it will take far more investment and far more time to reassemble a team that can even come close to rescaling the heights of just two years ago.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Santiago Bernabeu…

Getty Images SportWINNER: Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe finally has his first signature moment for Madrid. He has found form in La Liga of late, shaking off a poor spell before Christmas and hitting a real groove in front of goal. But he was truly immense here, as he proved to be both direct and deadly.

The former Paris Saint-Germain star started in a central role, and unlike in the early weeks of the campaign, when he was accused of crowding out his team-mates by floating out to the flanks, he never really drifted from it. Instead, Los Blancos’ willingness to open up the pitch ensured that he had room to make things happen.

Mbappe buried his first real chance with a delicate lob, saw a second well saved by Ederson, smashed home his third, and delicately placed in his fourth. More broadly, though, this was a footballer enjoying himself. Mbappe pressed when he didn’t have the ball – an anomaly for him – and, ultimately, served as the focal point of this star-studded team while providing the killer instinct everyone knows he is capable of. The Ballon d'Or might not be out of reach after all…

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Erling Haaland

Haaland had finally broken his Real Madrid hoodoo by scoring against Los Blancos at the fifth time of asking in the first leg, and would have been relishing meeting his arch-nemesis, the returning Antonio Rudiger, at the Bernabeu. But the knee injury he sustained against Newcastle on Saturday, which was initially brushed off by Guardiola as a mere scare, proved to be more serious than first thought. Haaland was a shock absence from the line up after starting all 34 of City's previous Premier League and Champions League matches, although Guardiola made it clear that he had not made a bombshell decision by revealing that the player did not feel right on the morning of the game.

Haaland was only a substitute in name, as he did not warm-up before the game or during it, casting doubt on whether he will be able to face Liverpool on Sunday. But what is beyond doubt is that Haaland's Champions League campaign is over and he will not be able to continue breaking competition records at quite the same rate.

He will have to live without being the youngest player to reach 50 Champions League goals after being the youngest to reach 10, 20, 30 and 40. That particular record will remain Lionel Messi's until a new pretender emerges. Haaland is also set to fall way behind Mbappe in the race to eventually overtake Cristiano Ronaldo as the competition's all-time top scorer, as he will remain on 49 goals until the start of next season's League Phase (presuming City qualify), while Mbappe moved on to 55 with his hat-trick.

But Wednesday was not really about individual records; it was about the stage of Europe's greatest competition. Mbappe utterly owned it, while Haaland could only watch on from the sidelines.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Florentino Perez

Madrid's second goal was the kind of moment Florentino Perez would have been dreaming of the moment he finally got the deal to sign Mbappe over the line. Bellingham picked up the ball in midfield, and played an excellent through ball into the path of the flying Vinicius. The Brazilian then squared it across the edge of the penalty area, who in turn took Abdukodir Khusanov out of the game and laid it on for Mbappe. The French forward then sent Josko Gvardiol out of the stadium before planting a finish in the bottom corner.

A flowing team goal created and finished off by the members of Perez's new 'Fab Four' was the vision the Madrid president would have had when he decided to add to Mbappe to his already stacked attack, and while there were certainly teething problems in the early months of the season, Los Blancos' forward line is clearly now clicking into gear just as the Champions League knockouts begin to heat up.

Perez's first iteration of the Galacticos was criticised for the lack of trophies it returned, but the early signs are that things might be different this time around.

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Getty Images SportLOSER: City's hapless defence

It could be argued that City lost the tie the moment Manuel Akanji pulled up injured at the end of the first half at the Etihad last week. From then on, Guardiola's defence began to shake. And after a just few minutes at the Bernabeu, the floor began to give way.

The experienced and astute Swiss was a crucial piece in the treble-winning team, and his replacement, Rico Lewis, was bullied in the second half of the first leg before eventually giving the ball away to Vinicius in the build-up to the late third goal. Lewis' dismal display meant that Guardiola picked Abdukodir Khusanov ahead of him in Spain, but the Uzbek was simply not cut out for an occasion of this magnitude against such devastating opposition. The 20-year-old, who was making his first-ever Champions League start, was cut to ribbons by Vinicius and got very little support.

Ruben Dias, normally City's defensive leader, had set the tone for their night of misadventures by bungling a simple cut out, which allowed Mbappe to meet Raul Asencio's pass and lob Ederson. The dominoes truly began to fall as Stones was taken off injured moments later.

It was not long before Madrid sliced their way though City, as Mbappe manoeuvered his way around Khusanov and then sent Gvardiol on to his back and sliding all the way back to Manchester. It was little wonder then that when Mbappe picked the ball up in the second half and made his way towards goal to complete his hat-trick, no one even bothered to block his path.

The good news for City is that they will not have to face Madrid again for another year. The bad news is that this patched up, frail defence will be coming up against Mohamed Salah and Liverpool on Sunday…

Arsenal are thinking about making a January bid to sign a £67 million “shooting star” player, who’s interestingly been compared to Man City colossus Rodri.

Arsenal's transfer plans after Edu departure

The departure of influential sporting director Edu Gaspar was announced on Monday, news which sent shock waves throughout the Arsenal fandom as manager Mikel Arteta also bids goodbye to a key ally at the club.

Sky Sports: Arsenal set sights on signing "exciting" player after Edu exit

He’s got a growing reputation.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 6, 2024

The Gunners will now be putting plans in place to succeed Edu, but that won’t be an easy task by any means. We believe Bayer Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes should be considered as Arsenal’s next transfer chief, while other reports suggest assistant director Jason Ayto is an obvious choice to replace Edu.

In the meantime, Arteta’s side are still believed to be assessing their options in the market without Edu’s leadership. Arsenal’s transfer groundwork is often done a year in advance, according to reliable reporter Simon Collings, who also writes that their remaining executives have experience conducting major deals.

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg claims that Arsenal remain in the race to sign Leroy Sane on a free transfer, so nothing has changed in that regard, as the north Londoners maintain their plans to upgrade Arteta’s squad in key areas.

Before Edu’s departure, it was claimed that Arsenal are eager to sign back-ups to key members of the squad.

“I’ve heard the Arsenal hierarchy have held discussions about what happens if certain players get injured, and that includes Saka,” said well-connected ex-recruitment chief Mick Brown, who’s worked at Tottenham, Man United and West Ham, to Football Insider.

“They want to get to a point where they have a solid backup for every player in their starting XI. Long-term, they’ll be planning to strengthen in every position.”

Arsenal also face losing both Jorginho and mainstay midfielder Thomas Partey when their contracts expire next year, so Arteta could be short in that department if they don’t consider alternative options or decide to offer them extensions.

Eintracht Frankfurt starlet Hugo Larsson is believed to be on Arsenal’s radar heading into January, and now CaughtOffside have shared a further update.

Arsenal are considering a £33 million bid for Larsson in January

The outlet reports that Arsenal are considering a £33 million bid for Larsson in January to test Eintracht’s resolve, but it is believed the Bundesliga side currently value their star midfielder at up to £67 million.

Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are very keen on the Sweden international as well, amid Larsson’s comparisons to Rodri due to his ‘expert’ breaking up of play, ‘technical ability to break lines and thread killer through balls’, as well as his 6’1″ frame.

The 20-year-old has started this season in excellent fashion, with Sky reporter Kerry Hau branding Larsson one of the most exciting players in German top flight football right now, and Eintracht’s “shooting star”.

“Right-footed, Larsson is an energetic, box-to-box midfielder,” said TEAMtalk’s Samuel Bannister in a profile on the player.

“Standing out for his spatial awareness, he is constantly looking to get on the ball and drive his team forward, even though he has also been used to playing from a deeper role. Strong and technical, he doesn’t have too many weaknesses – but time is on his side to add further elements to his game, which he already seems to be doing.”

Rachael Haynes, Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen return for the multi-format series

Andrew McGlashan11-Jan-2022Uncapped Western Australia legspinner Alana King has pipped Amanda-Jade Wellington for a place in Australia’s Ashes squad in the absence of Georgia Wareham.King was a key part of Perth Scorchers’ WBBL title triumph earlier this season with 16 wickets 18.25 and an economy of 5.84. However, Wellington, who will instead be with Australia A, can consider herself unlucky having topped the wicket-taking chart with 23 at 16.26 which included the best ever WBBL return of 5 for 8 in the Eliminator final.Australia have needed to rejig their spin attack for the Ashes with Wareham sidelined for up to a year after suffering an ACL injury in the WBBL. Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux will also be absent with a stress fracture of her foot but the hope remains she will be available for the World Cup.Related

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National selector Shawn Flegler explained that King was seen as a more like-for-like replacement for the role Wareham played but added that the Australia A players have all been put on notice that they could be needed a short notice short Covid hit the squad.”[It was] definitely a tight decision,” he said. “We talked about this particular role for quite a bit of time. The things we look at is the role that we our legspinner to play in the different formats and we just felt that Alana probably plays that role a little bit better than what we think Amanda would.”That’s not say Amanda couldn’t do that role. When we are putting the squad together we are looking at all the different match-ups, conditions and the role they have to play in the team itself.”They are slightly different bowlers. Alana is probably a little bit quicker through the air and attacks the stumps a little more, Amanda is what you’d probably say is a genuine legspinner where she gives the ball a lot of air and spins it hard. She would play a different role if she played in the Australian team again.Alana King earned her maiden Australia call-up•Getty Images”We aren’t closing the door on Amanda. Alana has got the nod this time around and she has opportunity to cement a place in the squad. Alana’s numbers stack up very well. She’s good in the field, she provides a late-order hitting option and she performed really well in the WBBL.”Key names have returned after missing the India series at the start of the season with Rachael Haynes, Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen all available.Maitlan Brown, Stella Campbell, Georgia Redmayne and Molly Strano, who were part of the India squad, will feature for Australia A in a concurrent series against England A. Movement between the two squads will be difficult given the tight biosecure restrictions the Ashes will be played under in order to protect players ahead of the ODI World Cup.The Australia A squad also sees a return for Elyse Villani plus call-ups for talented young batters Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll. Katie Mack, who was prolific at the top of the order for Adelaide Strikers, has also been included. Redmayne will captain the side.”The ‘A’ side was selected with an eye on the future as well as ensuring we have a number of players who can come straight into the Australian side and a play a role if required,” Flegler said. “It’s great to see the likes of Elyse Villani and Grace Harris return to Australian colours as well as Heather Graham, Erin Burns and Amanda-Jade Wellington, while Katie Mack had a really strong WBBL and has been in good form for a while now.”Australia squad Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (capt), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla VlaeminckAustralia A squad Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Katie Mack, Georgia Redmayne (capt), Courtney Sippel Molly Strano, Elyse Villani, Georgia Voll, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Cricket Victoria general manager of performance Shaun Graf says long-term view needs to be taken with Pucovksi’s health

Alex Malcolm14-Feb-2022There are serious concerns over Will Pucovski’s long-term health following his latest concussion, with Cricket Victoria bracing for a hard discussion with the one-Test batter later this week.Their general manager of performance Shaun Graf told SEN on Monday that Pucovski’s latest concussion was “fairly innocuous” after a volleyball “scraped his face”, but it caused the onset of traditional concussion symptoms including a headache and nausea when he took the field on the fourth morning of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match against South Australia.”Prior to this, he had discussions with the medical staff and they were starting to get worried, obviously with so many concussions even though they are minor now,” Graf said. “We’re talking with his management. He’s got to talk to his manager, his dad, and work out where he wants to be and then have a chat with us but from a sports point of view, obviously, we’re really worried.”It’s not just in the short-term but the long-term, so they’re all the questions we need to look at. We can’t go ahead and keep on playing, and having to always have someone on standby more or less as a concussion substitute. It does throw the team out as well. So we’ve got to think about how it affects the total structure of our team.”These are all the hard questions that Will has got to discuss with his dad, his own medical staff and then align that into Cricket Australia’s and Cricket Victoria’s medical staff.”Pucovski, 24, suffered his 11th career concussion during a pre-warm-up soccer/volleyball game on Saturday, and was subbed out and flown home to Melbourne. He had made a half-century in the first innings on day two. It was his first first-class match since his Test debut in January 2020.Graf revealed that medical staff were already concerned about Pucovski prior to this incident after he missed three months of cricket late last year following a concussion he suffered while facing throwdowns in the nets in October.Will Pucovski made a half-century on his comeback•Getty ImagesGraf said Cricket Victoria was still keen to give Pucovski every chance to have a long career, and would be as patient as necessary with him but conceded that he may need to take a step back and take a long-term strategy to his recovery.”I’m certainly in the camp, I want to give the lad every chance to play; he is such a talent,” Graf said. “But there does come a point in time where you’ve got to realise that maybe this is not the go and you’ve got to have a rest, and really reassess yourself and work out whether or not having some sort of long rest would enable him to get back to full health and then hopefully come back into the game that way.”Whether that is the decision I’m not certain. Those are the sort of the questions that are being asked now, and it’s something that we’ve got to discuss with Will later on this week.”Previously when he’s had a concussion it’s been a month or two months or three months in some cases. With this, it’s not a major concussion but I think the overall picture has got to be looked at, and whether or not [he has to be] a long time out of the game where he actually gets away from the game and comes back without this constant pressure of always having concussion hanging over his head, maybe a way of hopefully ridding this situation and getting him back to the game.”Because he certainly is one of the most talented batters I’ve seen in my time, and it’s so sad to see this happening.”Graf also conceded that retirement is not out of the question given the seriousness of his recurring concussions, although Pucovski remains keen to find a way to continue to play.”He’s realistic, he understands that this is bad and if it keeps going it can’t be good for his health long-term,” Graf said. “He does understand that. But being a young lad he still wants to play. It is so frustrating for him because of that fact that he knows where he could be if he was fit and able to get through multiple games.”He’s still very much in the corner that he wants to keep playing, and we’ll support that. However, if the medical advice is contrary to that, we need to have a very hard discussion.”

Ronald Araujo's future at Barcelona appears uncertain, as he has fallen out of favour with Hansi Flick.

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Araujo recently renewed his contractHasn't cracked Hansi Flick's XIFuture appearing away from BarcelonaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With each passing day, Ronald Araujo’s time at Barcelona seems to be nearing its inevitable end. As the current campaign enters its final phase and the summer transfer window approaches, the Uruguayan center-back could depart for €65 million, according to AS.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Araujo was on the verge of leaving Barcelona this January, with Juventus leading the race for his signature. During the Spanish Super Cup, the Uruguay international seemed almost out the door. However, an injury to Inigo Martinez led to a change of heart from Barcelona's sporting department, led by Deco, who quickly offered Araujo a renewal.

The new contract, valid until June 30, 2031, included a clause reducing his release fee to €65 million if a suitor emerged within the first ten days of the summer transfer window, replacing the previous €1 billion clause. Araujo accepted the terms, hoping to secure his place in Hansi Flick's starting lineup.

DID YOU KNOW?

However, things haven't gone as planned for Araujo. Martinez, the defensive leader, along with Pau Cubarsi's rise and Eric Garcia's breakout performances, have pushed Araujo down the pecking order, so much so that he has become fourth-choice for Flick. The 25-year-old has not played in the last three games, remaining on the bench against Rayo Vallecano, Las Palmas, and Atletico Madrid. His last appearance was on February 9 against Sevilla.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR RONALD ARAUJO?

Andreas Christensen's imminent return to fitness, with the potential arrival of Jonathan Tah on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, point towards a bleak Barca future for Araujo. He could probably seek greener pastures and move to the Premier League in the summer, with reports indicating that Manchester United are plotting a blockbuster transfer for the Barca No.4.

Since their promotion back to the Premier League in 2022, Nottingham Forest have certainly splashed the cash to ensure they can remain in the top flight. So far, it has worked, with the men in Garibaldi Red surviving relegation for each of their first two seasons back in the division.

This campaign has gone even better so far for Forest. The Midlands side are flying high in the top flight, sitting fifth in the table with 19 points to their name. They are outside of the Champions League spots on goal difference, having lost just two games so far.

Although they have spent so much money already in the three summers since promotion, The 2023 summer was a really significant window for Forest.

Forest’s summer signings in 2023

The most expensive addition that summer for Forest was defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare. The Ivorian, who is a full international, made the move to the City Ground for a fee in the region of £30m.

He has become an important player for the club when available. In his first season, the midfielder missed a portion of the campaign due to an international call-up for AFCON and currently has a hamstring injury that has kept him out for much of 2024/25 so far. Sangare has made just 21 appearances for the club to date.

The other significant investments made that summer were Chris Wood, Callum-Hudson Odoi and Anthony Elanga. The trio have become Forest’s favoured front three this season under Nuno Espirito Santo, an investment that has proven to be a wise choice.

Wood has the most goals for the Tricky Trees this season, with eight to his name, and Sweden winger Elanga has two assists, bettered only by Elliot Anderson, who has three. Cobham academy graduate Hudson-Odoi has two goals to his name.

There is no doubt that the signings made by Forest in 2023 have paved the way for their successes so far this season. There is certainly a good chance for that group of players to help the club return to Europe.

However, as good as those signings were, there is one other addition that summer who has arguably been a cut above the rest. That man is Murillo, who has certainly been an excellent investment.

Murillo’s transfer value in 2024

The Midlands club signed young Brazilian defender Murillo from Corinthians towards the end of the 2023 window, costing them a rumoured £15m. He has since gone on to be a crucial player for the club, being described as “dominant” by football analyst Ben Mattinson.

The 22-year-old has featured 47 times for Forest so far. He was a key figure for the club last term as they narrowly avoided relegation, featuring in 32 out of the 38 Premier League games, playing a total of 2793 minutes. Across his career at the City Ground, the young defender has even managed to score one goal and grab two assists.

He has been an ever-present this season, playing 90 minutes in every single Forest game in the top flight. He even got himself on the score sheet against Newcastle United in their most recent game, giving his side the lead in the eventual 3-1 defeat.

His impressive performances at the heart of Forest’s defence have grabbed the attention of one of England’s biggest clubs. According to a report from TEAMtalk, Liverpool are thought to be ‘seriously considering’ a move for Murillo.

The report suggests the Reds would need to pay upwards of £70m, which would see Forest make an excellent profit from the £15m they originally paid. His value has increased massively, going up by an eye-watering 366% since they signed him last summer.

Date

Value

October 2023

£7.4m

December 2023

£18.3m

March 2024

£20.8m

May 2024

£29.1m

October 2024

£70m

It would not be good for the City Ground side to lose one of their most important defenders. With that being said, money such as the amount Liverpool may willing to pay for Murillo is hard to turn down.

Whether he stays or goes, the defender has certainly been an incredible investment for Forest.

Nottingham Forest eyeing January deal for in-demand £35k-p/w player

Nottingham Forest have their eye on adding a Premier League defender to their ranks this January.

1 ByBrett Worthington Nov 13, 2024

Cavan Sullivan has revealed his Club World Cup plan involving Manchester City, while also airing his 2026 World Cup dream with the USMNT.

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Teen sensation starring in MLSPremier League move already agreedBig ambition with club & countryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

At 15 years of age, and having already made history in MLS, teenage wonderkid Sullivan has the world at his feet. He has a Premier League transfer agreed, with a move to the reigning champions of England set to be completed once he turns 18.

AdvertisementGetty Images WHAT CAVAN SULLIVAN SAID

Sullivan has already visited the Etihad Stadium but has told of his next meeting with future employers City: “Hopefully I’ll get out to a few games for the Club World Cup. Like I said, it’s just another step to American soccer being a top league and in a top country for the game. So it definitely is special that we have these two opportunities in the near future.”

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The youngster added when asked if City – who are heading to the States this summer for the expanded Club World Cup – have quizzed him on life in America: “Of course, they asked about the MLS. I mean, Apple TV – they have it there [in England], they have access, so they’re aware of how soccer is developing here. They obviously have [asked]. People ask about the Union and what’s the level like in MLS. I can only say good things about the league and the Philadelphia Union.”

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

While Sullivan has a lot to look forward at club level, he is also hoping to make a senior international breakthrough in the not too distant future. He said, with a home World Cup set to be enjoyed by the USMNT in 2026: “For my generation, it’s definitely pretty special to have it here in our country, even cooler [for it] to be in my backyard. Hopefully, I’ll be participating in it. I know I’ll still be at a young [age of] 16. However, anything is possible. And, yeah, I’m ready to work for that.

“I mean, especially if we get a game in Philadelphia, that would be awesome. But, just playing for my country at a senior level would be truly surreal.”

Bahrain’s consolation win not enough; Philippines rolled over for 36 by Oman while Canada crumble to 80

Peter Della Penna in Muscat21-Feb-2022A wild day in Oman saw three blowouts and one match go down to the wire to decide the four semi-finalists still in with a shot at reaching the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia. Here’s how the final day unfolded.Group A
Bahrain and UAE experienced the full gamut of emotions in a see-saw affair that saw Bahrain prevail by two runs in the biggest upset of the tournament. However, they still failed to advance to the semi-final as UAE stayed fractionally ahead of them on net run rate.Choosing to bat first, Bahrain lost a wicket on the second ball of play as Muhammad Younis cut Basil Hameed’s offspin to backward point for a duck. But they counterattacked through captain Sarfaraz Ali and wicketkeeper Umer Imtiaz, who put on a 50-run stand for the second wicket. Sarfaraz muscled four fours and two sixes, seizing on UAE’s bowling unit going too full, to drive over the in-field on the way to 32 off 22 balls. He finally fell trying to drive over the top one time too many, as legspinner Karthik Meiyappan induced a skied catch to long-off in the seventh over to break the stand.Imtiaz eventually fell for a career-best 42 before Sathaiya Veerapathiran followed five balls later for 2. But former Karnataka player David Mathias, who hit 46* off 35 balls, teamed with Haider Butt, who got 35 from 17, in an extraordinary 76-run stand off the final 34 deliveries. UAE almost paid dearly for choosing to rest their best pace bowler Zahoor Khan, as their replacement options at the death failed to contain Mathias and Butt, who like Sarfaraz continued to seize on full lengths as Bahrain ended up with nine sixes in their innings.On paper, UAE were set a target of 173 to win the match but needed to score at least 158 to stay ahead of Bahrain on net run rate tie-breaker. UAE lost heavy-hitting opener Muhammad Waseem for 2 in the second over to a flat-footed swish, giving an edge behind off Shahid Mahmood’s medium pace. Chirag Suri then fell on the first ball after the powerplay for 26, miscuing a pull to midwicket off Veerapathiran’s medium pace.But Rohan Mustafa joined 19-year-old Vriitya Aravind for a 91-run partnership to get UAE back on course. With the score 65 for 2 after ten, it became clear that UAE’s primary focus was on getting to 158, with the match target of 173 a cherry on top. Bahrain had a chance to heap more pressure on the opposition, but failed to capitalise on a pair of chances offered by Mustafa. The first came on 18 in the 12th over bowled by left-arm spinner Muhammad Waseeq, who induced a skied chance to long-off that Junaid Aziz failed to hold on to running in from the rope.That became the only over of spin bowled in the chase as Sarfaraz took Waseeq straight out of the attack. It meant that Sarfaraz also did not give a single over to Aziz despite the fact that the legspinner had been Bahrain’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament, having turned in a Player-of-the-Match performance of 5 for 5 against Germany before following it up with 2 for 16 in four overs against Ireland.Mustafa could have been run-out on 25 in the 14th over as well following a near collision with Aravind while trying to pinch a leg-bye after the ball plopped dead adjacent to the pitch. But Veerapathiran’s throw upon collecting in his follow-through sailed wide at the non-striker’s end with Mustafa several yards short, and wound up turning into two thanks to an overthrow. Mustafa was not as fortunate in the 18th over though, as a relay from Butt at long-on caught him sleeping while coming back very casually for a second run to end his innings for 41.Kashif Daud was caught next ball heaving to deep midwicket for a golden duck, leaving UAE needing 32 off 16 deliveries to clinch a spot in the semi-final. Aravind had managed to cross with the ball in the air on Daud’s wicket, and swung momentum back UAE’s way with back-to-back sixes, bringing up a 44-ball half-century in the process.Sarfaraz then bowled a magnificent 19th over to build tension further, conceding six runs while taking the wickets of Hameed and Zawar Farid off consecutive deliveries before Muhammad Usman saw off the hat-trick ball by striking a two to end the over. It meant Aravind would have the strike for the final over, needing 12 to see UAE into the semi-final, and 27 to win the match outright and clinch the top spot in the group ahead of Ireland on points.Mahmood was given the ball but misfired on his lengths throughout the over. Aravind drove the first ball back down the ground for four before heaving over midwicket for another boundary. A two on the third delivery was followed by a six driven straight down the ground to clinch UAE’s spot in the semi-final and knock Bahrain out.With 11 needed off the final two balls to win and 10 to force a Super Over, Aravind cleared the boundary with another sizzling straight drive for six off the penultimate delivery before scuffing the final ball for two to long-off. But despite his heroics seeing UAE into the semi-final with an unbeaten 84, the match officials awarded Player-of-the-Match honours to Sarfaraz for leading Bahrain to their first T20I win over an Associate nation with ODI status.File photo: Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie added 67 for the first wicket•Sportsfile via Getty ImagesIreland finished on top of the group after thumping Germany by seven wickets with 41 balls to spare. They started the day behind Bahrain and UAE on net run rate, but leapfrogged them both after sending Germany in and restricting them to 107 before speeding to the target. Faisal Mubashir top-scored with 45* off 40 balls for Germany but found little support elsewhere. Josh Little was named Player of the Match for Ireland after taking 2 for 13 in a brisk spell of left-arm pace.Paul Stirling hit 34 off 27 balls and Andy Balbirnie 32 from 21, having added 67 for the first wicket before both fell in quick succession, followed a short time later by Gareth Delany for 11. But Harry Tector cracked three fours in his unbeaten 24 off 15 deliveries to take Ireland into the semi-final.Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee completed Nepal’s paltry chase•Peter Della PennaGroup B
On the adjacent oval in Al Amerat, Oman completed their rally from behind the eight-ball after a day-one loss to Nepal by completing a nine-wicket win over Philippines. Following up on another nine-wicket victory – over Canada in which Oman chased a target of 156 with two overs to spare – Oman achieved the same result chasing a far smaller target as they bowled Philippines out for 36.After fielding first in their first two group matches and conceding back-to-back totals in excess of 200, Philippines opted to bat and responded by being bowled out for the fifth-lowest total in men’s T20I history.While the medium pace duo of Kaleemullah, with 2 for 5, and Fayyaz Butt’s 2 for 7 ripped apart the top order, legspinner Khawar Ali whittled through the lower order taking 4 for 11 in a Player-of-the-Match performance. After Kashyap Prajapati fell on the second ball of the chase, Khurram Nawaz dashed any hopes Philippines had of a historic upset by cracking an unbeaten 33 off 12 balls as Oman needed just 17 deliveries to haul down the target.The results mean that Nepal will face UAE in one semi-final, while Ireland will face Oman in the other. Each match is a winner-takes-all shootout, with the victor in each semi-final clinching a spot in the first round of the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and a spot in the final of the qualifier in Oman, while the pair of losing sides fall back into a consolation third-place playoff.

West Ham United recorded yet another loss, their seventh of the season, as Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge of Leicester for the first time, guiding them to a 3-1 thrashing over the Hammers.

Julen Lopetegui’s side had more of the ball (61% possession), took more shots (31) and generated more xG in the game (3.10).

However, despite the Foxes only having eight shots in the game, they managed to create seven big chances, more than West Ham’s five big chances, which starts to tell the story of how Lopetegui’s side are struggling this season.

West Ham's big pressing issue under Lopetegui

West Ham are conceding 15.8 shots per game this season, the fourth most in the division. Teams are able to carve through the Hammers press with relative ease, due to the spacing between their lines of pressure.

The front four look to press high, aiming to lock off one side of the pitch, and force play down one side. The issue here is the depth of their midfield pivot and back four during this phase of pressure.

Teams are able to easily find the spare man around the West Ham front four, then attack the big space left between the front four and back six (pivot and back four). This pressing scheme is extremely disconnected and is becoming a key issue for the side.

So much so that Lopetgui’s future looks in doubt, and West Ham already look to be assessing their options for his predecessor.

West Ham looking at Italian manager

According to reports from Calciomercato, former Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri, is on West Ham’s managerial shortlist should they sack Lopetegui.

Interestingly, the Italian was in London last week to watch Tottenham take on Roma, and he’s allegedly been taking English lessons too. Perhaps this mean he could be lining up a role in England?

The biggest issue with this appointment, however, would be the money involved, as the reports claim Allegri would demand around £6.6m per year, which is double the £3.3m of Lopetegui.

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That being said, he would be a great move for the Irons. The Italian coach was with Juventus from 2021-2024, with his side finishing third in Serie A last campaign.

Playing in a 3-5-2 formation, Allegri’s side conceded just 11.6 shots per game, the sixth lowest in the Serie A last season. This could be the extra defensive unity the Hammers need in order to start getting results.

One man who could benefit from this is winger Jarrod Bowen, who could play as the secondary striker in this 3-5-2 system. Bowen has averaged 2.84 shots per 90 this season, generating 0.19 xG, and scoring 0.31 goals per 90.

Last season, the England international was scoring 0.47 goals per 90 minutes, and generating 0.35 xG per 90, often playing as a striker for the Hammers.

By unleashing him in a front two, he would have the freedom to drift into wide channels, link play, and make runs in behind, working off of a more physical striker, such as Niclas Füllkrug, who scored his first goal for West Ham in their 3-1 loss against Leicester.

This new role could allow Bowen to thrive, getting the best out of him, and allowing his output to increase, which could go hand in hand with West Ham climbing the table. Other positional changes could see the likes of Mohammed Kudus playing as a wingback, and Edson Alvarez playing as a central centre-back in a back three.

One thing is for sure, change is needed for West Ham, as they drop ever closer to that dreaded relegation zone, and the owners will want to strike before it is too late, looking to get their season back on track.

West Ham dud may have cost Lopetegui his job after a 4/10 performance

West Ham fell to yet another defeat in the Premier League last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2024