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Everton won’t have spent long licking their wounds after being dumped out of the FA Cup by Bugbear opponents Bournemouth, for the Merseyside derby is merely one day away.

David Moyes has bigger fish to fry. Ending an overlong wait for a trophy will have been shelved somewhere in the Scottish manager’s agenda, but the coming months of the current campaign must be used to safely avoid relegation from the Premier League and build a foundation for coming years of success.

With three wins from three in the top flight, Moyes is flying, making tweaks to shift away from the monotony of Sean Dyche’s struggles.

Despite the attacking struggles at Goodison Park, Everton have found a saviour in Iliman Ndiaye.

Iliman Ndiaye could be Everton's saviour

Ndiaye, 24, has bagged three goals from three recent Premier League matches, taking an already exciting start to life on Merseyside and stating that he can be a talisman under new management.

As per FBref, the Senegal winger also ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this year for successful take-ons per 90 and the top 19% for pass completion, perfectly illustrating his layered threat.

Dyche’s Everton tenure came crashing down in the end but his £15m signing of Marseille’s talent has served as a shining light for a team that may now begin to change their narrative in the Premier League.

More firepower will be needed over the coming transfer windows, however. Believe it or not, Everton actually had a better version of Ndiaye in their ranks but failed to unlock his full potential. He’s now a superstar.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Expand Collapse Everton must regret selling Ndiaye upgrade

Causality is a very real thing in football, and the truth is that Ademola Lookman would not be the same player that he is now had he never left Everton.

But the club’s conditions precluded him from doing so and had Moyes been at the helm instead, in a different world, Everton may have got so much more out of Atalanta’s trophy-winning sensation.

It was Everton who gave Lookman his first big break, paying £11m to Charlton Athletic to claim the then 19-year-old’s signature in January 2017.

Lookman, then lacking the potency and sharpness that he has crafted in recent years, managed to net just four goals for the Toffees, playing 48 times.

Still, a promising loan spell with RB Leipzig later prompted the German side to fork out £22.5m for the dynamic winger, who had failed to win over former manager Marco Silva. In hindsight, it was the wrong move, for Lookman now boasts elite status.

Ademola Lookman – Career Stats by Club

Club

Apps

Goals

Assists

Atalanta

105

46

25

Charlton

49

12

3

Everton

48

4

2

Leicester

42

8

5

Fulham

35

4

4

RB Leipzig

24

5

4

Stats via Transfermarkt

Remember, last summer Atalanta were understood to be open to cashing in on their Ballon d’Or nominee and had priced the Nigeria international at €70m (roughly £58m), which stands as a whopping £35m increase from the fee that Everton accepted to jettison him off to the Bundesliga.

He could have banked Everton quite the pretty penny or indeed plied his trade in Moyes’ team as their star man. Ndiaye is fantastic, full of life and energy, but he’s not on the 27-year-old’s level yet.

Indeed, while Lookman’s career highlight is rightly the hat-trick that won Atalanta the Europa League last season, he’s also been immensely consistent in front of goal, scoring 31 goals and supplying 17 assists across all competitions over the past two years, a whopping 31 more goal involvements than Ndiaye over the same time frame. Specifically, broadcaster Maximiliano Bretos hailed Lookman for his “monster year” of 2023/24.

Moreover, he’s not only a marksman. FBref record that he ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and progressive carries and the top 2% for tackles per 90.

The full package, the winger attracted interest from the likes of Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain last year and is undoubtedly one of the finest former Everton stars currently kicking balls about today.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Feb 7, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Após anunciar 27 nomes para os amistosos de junho, o técnico Tite respondeu perguntas dos jornalistas e analisou a evolução do jovem atacante Rodrygo, do Real Madrid, que marcou dois gols, nos acréscimo, na semifinal da Champions League, diante do Manchester City. O comandante também analisou os adversários asiáticos e pontuou que ainda existem vagas na seleção de olho na Copa do Mundo.

RelacionadasFora de CampoGabriel Jesus tem convocação contestada por torcedores na webFora de Campo11/05/2022Futebol InternacionalReal Madrid x Levante: saiba onde assistir, horário e escalações do jogo da La LigaFutebol Internacional11/05/2022Seleção BrasileiraTite analisa convocação de Danilo, do Palmeiras, e ampliação da lista: ‘No aspecto ofensivo, dá possibilidades’Seleção Brasileira11/05/2022

– Eu tenho que falar do Jair Ventura, foi ele quem o lançou no Santos. e foi ele que possibilitou em um papo que tivemos para falar sobre todas as características e qualidades do atleta. E ali houve um acompanhamento do atleta , assim como todos. Buscando esse olhar mais crítico – disse.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro
​
O treinador também fez questão de frisar que ainda existem espaços a serem preenchidos na seleção. Segundo o comandante, existe uma disputa em determinadas posições mesmo com o tempo diminuindo com a proximidade do Mundial.

– A gente tem uma alegria e uma responsabilidade muito grandes. A concorrência é para todos. É para o Rodrigo Caio, que voltou agora depois de meses. É para Danilo, que foi convocado agora. Lucas Veríssimo. A gente vai trabalhando e acompanhando estes atletas na evolução até o finalzinho. Nós reunimos toda a comissão técnica, e cada um tem sua autonomia para escolher os 26. Eu fico só ouvindo. É assim que eu trabalho. Discordamos, falamos, pegamos dados físicos, clínicos, técnicos, o modelo de jogo. Debatemos até chegar a um resultado final. Agradando a alguns, desagradando a todos. Mas todos estão no contexto – ressaltou.

+Agente de Gabriel Jesus confirma interesse do Arsenal e coloca ‘mais seis clubes’ interessados no jogador

Entre essas lacunas a serem preenchidas, o treinador explicou o momento do meio-campista Bruno Guimarães, atualmente no Newcastle. Ele também frisou a presença de três laterais-esquerdos (Alex Sandro, Alex Telles e Guilherme Arana)na lista, uma opinião que foi corroborada por César Sampaio durante a coletiva.

– Assim como os três laterais que nós convocamos. Está aberto e ninguém vai esconder aqui. Vocês têm que disputar e é uma mensagem a todos. o Bruno que disputa com todos os outros segundo meio-campistas, sim. Estejam na sua melhor condição e falo de todos os planos: físico, técnico, tática, emocional, privado, de preparação – disse o treinador, e César Sampaio acrescentou:

-Temos oportunidade de ver os três juntos (laterais-esquerdos). Estamos acompanhando. Quanto mais chance tivermos de ter essa prova real e ajustes nos treinamentos, melhor – completou o ex-volante da seleção brasileira.

Por fim, Tite também teceu uma análise sobre os adversários asiáticos.Os duelos contra Coreia do Sul e Japão serão disputados nos dias 2 e 6 de junho, em Seul e Tóquio. Para substituir o confronto cancelado contra a Argentina, a CBF busca um adversário africano.

+Tite analisa convocação de Danilo, do Palmeiras, e ampliação da lista: ‘No aspecto ofensivo, dá possibilidades’

– São equipes rápidas. Em que a relação tempo-espaço fica diminuída. Diferente da Turquia, que enfrentamos, que é uma equipe mais pesada, posicional. Elas te trazem uma velocidade muito maior ao jogo. Fora a qualidade técnica individual – explicou, e Juninho explicou como as datas das apresentações.

– Está programada para o dia 26 a chegada dos que não jogarão a Champions. Os que jogarão a Champions está prevista a chegada para o dia 31 – finalizou Juninho.

Confira abaixo a lista de convocados:

Goleiros: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City) e Weverton (Palmeiras);

Zagueiros: Eder Militão (Real Madrid), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Marquinhos (PSG) e Thiago Silva (Chelsea);

Laterais: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Danilo (Juventus), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Alex Telles (Manchester United), Guilherme Arana (Atlético-MG);

Meio-Campistas: Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Danilo (Palmeiras) Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United), Lucas Paquetá (Lyon), Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa);

Atacantes: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Matheus Cunha (Atlético de Madri), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), Richarlison (Everton), Raphinha (Leeds United), Rodrygo (Real Madrid) e Vini Júnior (Real Madrid).

Everton find themselves just four points above the relegation zone, sitting 16th place in the Premier League after 22 games played. The Toffees are the second-lowest scorers in the division, with only Southampton scoring fewer this season.

Top scorer, Iliman Ndiaye, has made 24 appearances since joining the club, scoring six goals in a total of 1,949 minutes played so far and put in one of his best performances of the campaign against Spurs last time, scoring a sublime solo goal.

However, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had a tougher season in front of goal, scoring three goals in 21 appearances, totalling 1,569 minutes played.

This could see David Moyes’ side acquire another striking option in the January window, to help ease the load of Ndiaye and replace the injured Armando Broja who is expected to be out for a long period of time.

Everton looking at new forward in January

According to reports from journalist Graeme Bailey, Everton have made contact with Ligue 1 side Monaco, enquiring about the availability of Swiss forward, Breel Embolo.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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West Ham are also mentioned in the report as an interested party, with both clubs looking to strengthen their attacking ranks this window.

The reports state Monaco are ready to let the striker leave this month, having already signed a forward replacement. However, Italian side Como – managed by Cesc Fabregas – are said to have stolen a march in the chase for Embolo’s signature, and therefore the Premier League clubs will face stiff competition.

Embolo has made 26 appearances in all competitions for the French outfit this season, scoring five goals and supplying five assists.

How Breel Embolo compares to Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Whilst Calvert-Lewin offers a brilliant outlet as a target man for Ndiaye to play off, Embolo could bring a different dynamic, possessing the speed to keep up with Ndiaye on the counter, which could make them an incredibly effective double team in transition.

Breel Embolo vs Dominic Calvert-Lewin comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Embolo

Calvert-Lewin

Goals

0.22

0.17

Assists

0.27

0.06

xG

0.62

0.35

xAG

0.24

0.03

Progressive Carries

0.95

1.26

Progressive Passes

2.15

1.03

Shots Total

2.63

2.64

Goals/Shot

0.24

0.18

Aerial Duels Won

2.22

4.71

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing both Embolo and Calvert-Lewin, you can see how the Swiss striker comes out on top. He is a more clinical finisher, providing more output with both goals and assists, but also contributing more with link-up, making 2.15 progressive passes per 90 himself.

Embolo was previously labelled as a striker with “raw pace” by analyst Raj Chohan back in 2021 and hailed for his “electric” qualities by FIFA’s Tom Cameron. This could unlock more of Ndiaye’s creative qualities, being able to carry the ball inside and play Embolo through, making clever movements in behind Premier League defensive lines.

If Everton managed to sign Embolo, they would have two different types of striker in the squad for Moyes to choose between.

One is more of a target man and an outlet from crosses (seen by his aerial duel numbers), perhaps being useful from the bench late in games, whilst Embolo could provide more pace and movement in behind for the Toffees.

Related Their new Ndiaye: Everton make move to sign exciting £14m star

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jan 22, 2025

Whilst West Bromwich Albion’s main priorities at this moment in time rest on appointing a new manager, the January transfer window will also obviously be on the club’s mind.

After all, the Baggies will need some new recruits here and there to ensure they can sustain a battle for the rest of the season to be in and around those Championship playoff spots, regardless of who Carlos Corberan’s successor ends up being.

Whilst the rumour mill is very active in throwing out names in that regard, it is also going into overdrive with some rumoured incomings on the pitch at the Hawthorns, with this exciting loanee touted to make a move to the West Midlands.

West Brom make enquiry over Championship star

As per a fresh report by the Daily Mail Online, West Brom have made an enquiry about snapping up Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas, who is known to Championship fans already for some standout moments on loan at Stoke City this season.

Sheffield United are also named as an onlooker keen on adding the 19-year-old winger to their ranks this month, but the Baggies could hold an advantage in this tussle.

Koumas’ father Jason was a beloved figure for the promotion candidates when he dazzled defences on a regular basis as a maverick in the middle, with those at the Hawthorns now hoping his son can be equally as spellbinding in attack if a move does materialise.

It remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool will cut short the Stoke deal to allow West Brom to swoop in, but if a deal were to happen, Koumas’ addition might well have the same impact as Mikey Johnston’s arrival in through the door last January conjured up.

What Koumas can offer West Brom

The teenager will obviously hope he has a bright future at Anfield ahead, but in the here and now, the 19-year-old would love to make a step up the division and show the Baggies what he’s made of in the midst of a promotion push.

In a Stoke camp that has underperformed to the point where a managerial dismissal took place, the raw Welshman has still managed to stand out with an encouraging four goals and two assists tallied up from 29 appearances, which included this acrobatic effort against Bristol City sailing in back in October.

Koumas’ career numbers so far

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

Stoke

29

4

2

Liverpool (first team)

1

1

0

Liverpool U21s

21

9

5

Liverpool U18s

24

18

6

Liverpool (youth league)

6

2

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Koumas could also take to the pressure of playing for a team near the top of the Championship table in his stride, having scored on his senior debut for the Reds after lighting up many a youth pitch for his boyhood employers, with Jurgen Klopp labelling his contribution as “wonderful” to watch.

Of course, he won’t walk straight into the side, with the likes of Johnston shining in recent weeks in attack after he was once just a loan punt himself.

Now, he’s a consistent performer for his side week in week out after penning a permanent deal last transfer window, with nine goals and four assists amassed from 42 games.

There would have been some anxiety in the air that the Republic of Ireland international would be a flop, having put in some solid but unspectacular numbers for Celtic with 13 goals and 12 assists tallied up in Glasgow, but he would ultimately explode into life in England.

At least in this instance, it’s known that Koumas can perform at the level – and with the added plus that he can play all across the attacking positions – this will surely be an addition the new West Brom boss will love working with.

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Posts 2 ByKelan Sarson Jan 7, 2025

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship for the first time since Christmas as they travel to Stoke City for an away match on Boxing Day.

The Whites are currently second in the division and will be hoping to maintain their place in the automatic promotion spots with a win over Narcis Pelach’s side this evening.

Daniel Farke’s men ran out convincing 4-0 winners against Oxford United at Elland Road last weekend, thanks to goals from Dan James, Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson, and Manor Solomon.

The German head coach could still make some changes to his starting line-up from that match, however, and one player who could be dropped is Joel Piroe.

Why Joel Piroe could be dropped

The Dutch forward was selected to start as the number nine for Leeds against Oxford and was directly involved in one of the four goals, teeing up Solomon to score in the second half with a pass into the box for the winger.

Piroe, however, has only scored one goal in his last seven games in the Championship and his all-round play has still left plenty to be desired.

Shots

3

Goals

0

Passes completed

10

Duels won

0/2

Dribbles completed

0/0

As you can see in the table above, the former Swansea marksman was a lightweight at the top end of the pitch, completing just ten passes and losing 100% of his duels, whilst he was also wasteful with his shot attempts.

The left-footed forward’s work out of possession has been dismal throughout the season, as he has lost a staggering 73% of his duels on the ground and in the air.

With this, and the hectic festive schedule, in mind, Farke must drop the Leeds lightweight to the bench and offer Mateo Joseph another chance to impress from the start.

Why Mateo Joseph should start

The Spain U21 international, who was once described as “dynamite” inside the box by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has started ten of his 22 appearances in the Championship so far this season.

Despite his inexperience and age, having turned 21 in October, has fared better in duels than Piroe, winning 36% of his ground duels and 30% of his battles overall, which suggests that he offers slightly more than the Dutchman in physical contests.

Joseph has scored two goals, created four ‘big chances’, and recorded three assists in the division, despite only starting ten games, and this shows that the youngster does have the ability to make an impact in the final third.

However, the academy graduate has only scored two goals from 3.61 xG, and his wasteful finishing could be why Farke has not opted to select him as a starter week-in-week-out over Piroe.

The Dutchman’s poor display, despite assisting the fourth goal, against Oxford could provide Joseph with an opportunity to come in and show the manager that he has what it takes to be the leading number nine for Leeds moving forward this season.

Leeds signed "Pablo Hernandez’s successor" but then sold him for 10x less

Former Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta did not do his best work on this deal.

ByDan Emery Dec 26, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil appears to be hanging onto his job by a thread after his side were smashed 4-0 by Everton in the Premier League earlier this week.

The Telegraph’s John Percy has reported that the English head coach will not be sacked before the clash with fellow strugglers West Ham United on Monday night, however.

Wolves are currently 19th in the table and have won just two of their 14 matches in the division, with both wins coming in November – against Southampton and Fulham.

With O’Neil under mounting pressure at the Molineux, the Old Gold board are reportedly looking at potential replacements for O’Neil in the dugout.

Wolves eyeing former Premier League managers

According to The Telegraph, Wolves are eyeing up Graham Potter, Rob Edwards, and David Moyes in the event that they decide to part ways with their current head coach.

The report claims, however, that there are doubts over whether or not Potter, whose last job was at Chelsea, would be willing to take on a relegation battle midway through the season.

It also states that Edwards, whose Luton team are 19th in the Championship, is an outsider in the running to replace O’Neil at the Premier League side.

This suggests that Moyes, who Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola once said he admired for his long career and calm head in the dugout, could be the most likely candidate at this moment in time.

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Wolves could, now, land a big upgrade on the struggling O’Neil by deciding to move for the out-of-work tactician to help them to avoid relegation from the top-flight.

Why David Moyes is an upgrade on Gary O'Neil

The former Manchester United head coach, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, is an experienced boss who has managed in 19 Premier League seasons.

His team finished in the top half of the table in 13 of those 19 seasons, with West Ham, Everton, and Manchester United, and this shows that he knows how to manage a successful side at that level, whilst he has also excelled in Europe – winning the Conference League with the Hammers in 2023.

Since FBref started collecting xG data in the 2017/18 campaign, no Moyes team has ever finished inside the bottom four for Expected Goal Difference, which essentially shows how well the team is coached by the quality of chances they create minus the quality of chances that they concede.

Whereas, O’Neil finished 14th with Wolves last season but his side were 17th on Expected Goal Difference, with -21.00, and his Bournemouth side avoided the drop in 15th in the previous campaign despite finishing bottom on Expected Goal Difference, with -25.3.

This means that the Englishman’s teams, in both of his full seasons as a manager to date, have struggled in the Premier League, conceding far more high quality chances than they create, and that appears to finally be catching up with him this term.

Club

Games

Wins

Draws

Losses

West Ham (2nd spell)

230

103

43

84

West Ham (1st spell)

31

9

10

12

Sunderland

43

8

7

28

Real Sociedad

42

12

15

15

Man Utd

51

26

10

15

Everton

518

221

134

163

Preston

211

103

53

55

Moyes has a proven track record of coaching teams well in the English top-flight and has shown, with Everton and the Hammers, that he can take them to the next level to finish in the top half to compete in Europe, which is why he would come in as a big upgrade on O’Neil.

Wolves could hire “genius” 4-2-3-1 coach who'd be perfect for Ait-Nouri

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ByKelan Sarson Dec 5, 2024

USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino admits it is his "dream" to return to Tottenham at some stage, but is unsure when this will happen.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Worked in England with Southampton, Chelsea & Spurs
• Now leading the United States toward home World Cup
• Hopes to work in the Premier League again at some point

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Argentine tactician Pochettino severed ties with Spurs in November 2019 a matter of months after leading them to their first-ever Champions League final, with 293 games being overseen during a five-and-a-half-year tenure. He has since worked with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at club level.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  An international offer was accepted in September 2024, with Pochettino agreeing to lead the United States towards a home World Cup in 2026. He is just six games into that reign, but has revealed that another stint in the Premier League forms part of his long-term plans.

• WHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID

  Pochettino told of taking in a second spell at Tottenham: "To be honest, the day that I left the club always I was thinking one day to come back. It's not that I was thinking before the offer from the USA national team, I was thinking to come back.

  "The day that I left I was thinking I would love to one day come back to Tottenham because like I told in the past, I said for me, I felt empty in the moment that I left. It was like an unfinished job and that is why. It's a feeling, it's a feeling, it's a dream.

  "I don't know how you can take or I can explain or describe but I think for sure it's a club that is always going to be special for me. And I would like to one day to have the possibility again to try to arrive in a situation that we are back to finish in a different way."

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  While Pochettino is happy to discuss professional ties to Spurs, he is reluctant to reveal how close he came to landing the Manchester United job – having been linked with the Red Devils on a regular basis. Pretending not to hear the question, the 53-year-old said: "I don't… I cannot hear!"

New Zealand secured a lead of 387 with several of their players coming to the party

Firdose Moonda18-Feb-2022Henry Nicholls scored his eighth Test century. Tom Blundell fell six short of his third. And Matt Henry continued his record-breaking ways, becoming the first No. 11 to score a fifty after taking a seven-for. All of which left South Africa with a mountain to climb in the first Test. New Zealand extended their lead to 387 and then reduced South Africa to 4 for 3 in the reply. On a surface that is just two days old and continues to offer good bounce and swing through the air, they will hope they’ve done enough to bat once.Sarel Erwee, Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram were dismissed inside four overs in the second innings. Tim Southee rapped Erwee on the pads with his second ball, that swung in towards middle. Erwee considered reviewing but decided against it to end his debut Test with 10 runs. Elgar survived Henry’s first over but when he scrambled the seam and angled it in from around the wicket, Elgar played and nicked off. Four balls later, Markram was stuck on the back foot and sent a thick edge to first slip. Of the three, Markram’s place is most at risk. He averages 9.7 from his last 10 innings and could be replaced by Ryan Rickleton, who has scored three hundreds from his last first-class innings.While South Africa’s selection decisions could have contributed to their misfortune, their effort in the field definitely did. They dropped seven catches – four on the first evening and three on the second – including Nicholls on 5 and 24 on day one and Southee twice in the same over on day two – to underline an underwhelming performance. Their four-man pace attack, sans Lungi Ngidi who was ruled out with a back spasm, relied mainly on Kagiso Rabada and, without a specialist spinner, failed to hold up an end. Their lines and lengths were wayward as the inexperience of the 16 caps between Duanne Olivier, Marco Jansen and Glenton Stuurman showed, and their energy in the field was low.By comparison, New Zealand did not just score big runs, they scored them quickly. Their 366 runs in 78.5 overs came at a rate of 4.64 on the second day thanks largely to Colin de Grandhomme and Blundell’s 76-run seventh-wicket stand, which came at 5.49 to the over, and the late cameo by the final pair. Blundell and Henry put on 94 off 101 balls to frustrate South Africa after a long day in the field.Things started poorly for the visitors as Wagner took on the role of early entertainer.ESPNcricinfo LtdHe hit seven fours and two sixes, all off South Africa’s new-ball pair of Rabada and Stuurman. He cut Rabada for successive fours in two different overs, showing off perfect weight transfer to the back foot to flay the ball to an unmanned point region, and survived a review for lbw. Then he took on Stuurman’s opening over of the day when he worked the second delivery off the hip to long leg, drove the third through the covers for four and then top-edged a hook off the penultimate ball for six. That shot brought up the fifty-run stand between Nicholls and Wagner – the third of four in New Zealand’s innings. South Africa did not manage one partnership above 33.But, the fun didn’t last forever for Wagner. On 49, he attempted to flick Rabada over deep square leg but picked out Rassie van der Dussen instead. Despite Wagner’s disappointment, he’d done his job and then some. When he was dismissed, New Zealand had scored 81 runs off 86 balls in the morning and Nicholls was responsible for just 23.Wagner’s aggression allowed Nicholls to collect runs almost unnoticed and he reached lunch on 87. His signature stroke through the morning was the punch through the point/third-man region and he ended up scoring more than a third of his runs – 40 out of his 105 – in that area. By the time Nicholls brought up his hundred, Stuurman had claimed his first Test wicket when Daryl Mitchell nicked off to Elgar at first slip. Nicholls’ century came eight overs later, when he drove Olivier through backward point. In Olivier’s next over, Nicholls reached for another drive, edged and was caught at second slip.Nicholls was dismissed with the second new ball three overs away and South Africa may have been eyeing an opportunity to run through New Zealand’s lower-order but de Grandhomme had other ideas. He took 11 runs off a Stuurman over with a swivel pull six and a whip through square leg and then hit Stuurman for back-to-back fours. Blundell unfurled a cover drive off Stuurman after two pin-point boundaries off Olivier and Elgar had run out of ideas to stem the tide.He turned to Markram’s part-time offspin with the second new ball just 9.4 overs old. It may have seemed an insult to the quicks but it worked. Shortly before tea, de Grandhomme holed out to long-on for 45 to give Markram his first wicket in this format. Makram got a second when Kyle Jamiseon was caught at mid-off but New Zealand were not done. Blundell’s fifty came up with a pull off Jansen and he stuck with the tail to take the lead over 300. Southee was put down by Olivier at mid-on and van der Dussen at point and in between hit Rabada for four. A comical over ended when Southee hit the ball over Erwee at extra cover but the debutant backtracked and took a good catch over his head.Enter Henry, who picked up career-best figures of 7 for 23 on the first day. He made a mockery of South Africa’s weary attack with a 68-ball 58 which included a range of dismissive swats through the offside while Blundell showed off his late cuts and South Africa grew more and more despondent. As a measure of the one-sided nature of this game, the extras they had given away (35) by the time they bowled New Zealand out for 482 was higher than their top score (25) from the first innings.

Manchester United have made a stuttering start to the 2024/25 campaign, piling yet more pressure onto the shoulders of manager Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils have won just three of their opening eight matches so far this campaign, currently occupying 12th place in the Premier League.

They’ve also been on the wrong end of multiple embarrassing results, losing 3-0 to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford – with the supporters undoubtedly unhappy following the start to the new campaign.

The new-look hierarchy splashed out around £200m on five new signings over the summer to try and change the fortunes of the club in recent times, but up to now, it appears as though Noussair Mazraoui has been the only addition to make an immediate first-team impact.

As for the other new signings, there’s still time for them to settle into life in Manchester and demonstrate that they can be worth the huge transfer fees splashed out for their services.

Many will be hoping that they can provide better value for money than the majority of transfers from last season, which saw the club spend a fortune on talents who unfortunately haven’t made an impact under the Dutchman.

Manchester United’s transfer market in 2023/24

After finishing third in the 2022/23 campaign, there was a real expectation for Ten Hag to build on the impressive finish in his first season at the helm, with the board backing the 54-year-old in the market to give him the best chance of taking the side to the next level.

As a result, some big decisions were made, including allowing goalkeeper David de Gea to depart Old Trafford on a free transfer, whilst pursuing a move to land Senegalese stopper, Andre Onana from Inter Milan.

Ten Hag’s side subsequently splashed £47.2m including add-ons for the 28-year-old, nailing down the number one spot over the last couple of seasons – already impressing this term, keeping four clean sheets in the Premier League.

The club also made a move to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea during the same window, costing the Red Devils a whopping £60m – in a deal that has been disastrous after his failure to make an impact under the former Ajax boss.

Injuries have plagued his time in Manchester, restricting him to just 25 appearances in all competitions – currently costing them around £2.4m per appearance since his big-money transfer.

Sacrifices also had to be made to allow for the added investment into the first-team squad, with multiple brutal calls having to be made with youth talent who are only on the fringes of Ten Hag’s side.

Whilst he made 16 appearances in the 2022/23 campaign, winger Anthony Elanga only started five times in the Premier League – featuring for a total of just 422 minutes during the Dutchman’s first season in charge.

The Swedish international made it clear he wanted an increase in game time, subsequently leaving Old Trafford to join Nottingham Forest in a £15m transfer, allowing him to blossom in the process.

Elanga has since registered five goals and ten assists since departing, setting up Morgan Gibbs-White’s winner for the Reds against United back in December last year.

The 22-year-old has since been touted with a huge £50m transfer to fellow Premier League side Newcastle United in recent months – a signal of how impressive he’s been since his move away from his boyhood club, demonstrating that Ten Hag may have offloaded the talent too prematurely.

However, there’s another academy star who was sold during the same window, with his game time and value massively increasing as a result of his fresh start.

The player who United sold too cheaply in 2023

A major transformation of the club’s first-team squad was needed if the Red Devils were to progress to the next level under Ten Hag’s leadership.

Various former senior options were axed, including Eric Bailly and Alex Telles to allow for the aforementioned talents to arrive in Manchester – but they weren’t the only players who had to make way.

Centre-back Teden Mengi arrived in Carrington as a seven-year-old, having the dream of one day being a professional footballer for his boyhood side.

He spent 14 years at Old Trafford, often as part of the academy setup, but did manage to break into the first team and fulfil his dream of being a senior squad member.

Mengi would only feature twice, however, before departing on a permanent basis last summer, joining newly promoted Luton Town for a fee in the region of just €2m (£1.7m) – a bargain given his recent form.

The 22-year-old made 30 appearances under Rob Edwards in the Premier League last season, leading to large interest in his services, which also saw him feature for the England U21 side.

Despite suffering relegation back to the Championship at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, he’s continued his excellent personal form – scoring in the 1-0 victory over Millwall.

Teden Mengi’s market value in 2024

The centre-back has certainly showcased that he’s a phenomenal centre-back and has the capability of being effective in England’s top flight despite his departure from Old Trafford.

His subsequent form has seen a huge increase in his market value, with Mengi now valued at around £9m as per Transfermarkt.

The increase has seen a 440% jump from the fee the club sold him for just over 12 months ago, further evidence that the club sold him far too cheaply.

Mengi, who’s previously been dubbed “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is an example that sometimes you need to move on to reach your potential – leaving former employers to rue their decision.

Games played

30

Goals scored

1

Pass accuracy

78%

Dribble success

70%

Duels won

128

Aerial duel success rate

58%

Interceptions

58

Recoveries

126

Ten Hag’s current options of Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof aren’t exactly blessed with pace, but Mengi’s attributes could’ve provided that option at the back given their recent problems.

However, it wasn’t meant to be for the youngster, but it’s safe to say he made the right call to leave the club given his rapid rise at Kenilworth Road.

Man Utd thought they'd signed Scholes 2.0, then Ten Hag sold him for £420k

Man United lost millions of pounds on the deal

1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 22, 2024

Aston Villa settled back into Premier League life well after the international break with a convincing 3-1 away win at Fulham, with all attention now shifting back to Champions League action.

Villa have also picked up confident victories in Europe’s most prestigious competition, namely last time out when Jhon Duran’s late strike was the difference between the West Midlands side and the might of Bayern Munich on a famous night at Villa Park.

Still, despite Unai Emery’s men boasting some impressive recent form, the ex-Arsenal manager could be tempted to make some changes to his XI for the test of Bologna tonight.

Those potential changes could well see Leon Bailey drop out of the first-team fold, as the Spaniard contemplates two alterations…

1 GK – Emiliano Martinez

Emiliano Martinez came up trumps in that away win at Craven Cottage, saving a penalty when the game was finely poised at 1-1, and will get the nod to start in between the sticks again.

After all, the Villa ‘keeper did make a mind-blowing seven saves versus Bayern to keep Vincent Kompany’s men at bay.

2 RB – Ezri Konsa

The first change could see Matty Cash drop out of the XI for Ezri Konsa to fill in at right-back, with Cash just back from an injury layoff.

The Poland international might not be risked for the showdown with Bologna, with Konsa a capable replacement having kept a clean sheet from this spot against Bayern.

3 CB – Diego Carlos

Diego Carlos will likely keep his spot even if Cash is sacrificed, as the Brazilian centre-back impressed versus Fulham.

The 31-year-old’s calm passing out from the back saw him only misplace three of his 51 passes on the day and he will be eager to follow up this top Premier League showing with a shutout in midweek.

4 CB – Pau Torres

Pau Torres also shone against Marco Silva’s men in patches, despite allowing Raul Jimenez to score early on for the hosts.

Torres is also one for these big occasions in the Champions League, having now amassed 14 games in the competition, with his last outing seeing him assist Duran’s dramatic winner.

5 LB – Lucas Digne

Yet to miss a game in the Premier League or Champions League for his side this campaign, Lucas Digne feels like a shoo-in for a start.

Digne has also picked up two assists from his ten games this season, with the potential for him to make it three against the visitors from Italy.

6 CM – Amadou Onana

Amadou Onana has been a fantastic summer buy for Emery’s men so far, having impressed with his goalscoring ability with three goals from ten clashes to date.

One of those strikes came in the Champions League up against Young Boys in Villa’s opening taste of the competition, with Onana potentially hungry for more goals when Bologna come to town.

7 CM – Youri Tielemans

Onana will also give Villa some needed grit in the holding midfield positions, with his partner in crime and fellow Belgian Youri Tielemans a creative force for the top-flight club when on his A-Game.

He certainly was playing at the peak of his powers against Fulham, amassing 92 touches of the ball with an assist coming his way courtesy of Ollie Watkins finding the back of the net for 2-1.

8 RM – John McGinn

The second alteration Emery will ponder making is dropping Bailey for a fresher right midfielder to enter the team, with Bailey poor at Craven Cottage.

The Jamaican winger would see the game pass him by, with possession squandered 17 times in total, which could open the door for John McGinn to come in down the right flank.

Jaden Philogene is also in for a shout, but after his quickfire red card at Fulham, Emery might opt to play his “relentless” Scotsman instead, as he was once labelled by football journalist Mat Kendrick.

9 CAM – Morgan Rogers

There will be no doubts in the air as to who starts in the attacking midfield spot tonight, with Morgan Rogers continuing to excel for Villa in recent games.

The ex-Middlesbrough ace fired home Villa’s first goal of the clash against Fulham and will want to leave his mark on Europe’s grandest stage tonight.

10 LM – Jacob Ramsey

Jacob Ramsey also entertained the Villa away masses in West London by putting in a top-drawer showing, with the Villa number 41 assisting Rogers’ opener among other bright moments.

The homegrown Villa prodigy will hope he can unlock Bologna tonight in a similar manner, as his boyhood employers potentially make it three victories from three.