وقال الشاذلي في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: “لم يتم إرسال أي لجان تفتيش من وزارة الشباب والرياضة إلى النادي الأهلي ولا الجهات التابعة للوزارة”.
وأتم: “ولا توجد أي خطط أو نية لإرسال لجان تفتيش وكل ما أثير في هذا الأمر عار تمامًا من الصحة”.
الجدير بالذكر، أن الفترة الماضية تشهد توترًا بين النادي الأهلي ووزارة الشباب والرياضة، إذ طالب مسؤولو القلعة الحمراء رسميًا في أكثر من مناسبة الاطلاع على تعديلات القانون الجديد.
Pep Guardiola reached two unwanted milestones for the first time in his coaching career after Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton.
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City concede 40 league goals for first time under coachCatalan also set for lowest points total in careerChampions League qualification in dangerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
City twice gave away the lead in Saturday's draw at the Etihad Stadium and Abdukodir Khusanov's own goal was the 40th time they have conceded in the league this season. It is the first time Guardiola has ever conceded 40 goals in a single season.
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The draw also meant that Guardiola will achieve his lowest points total in his nine seasons in England and in his entire managerial career, even if City win all of their nine remaining matches. It also means he will fail to average at least two points per game for the first time in a coaching career which has seen him work in Spain, Germany and England. The result also dealt a blow to City's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League as Newcastle will knock them out of the top five if they win their game in hand. However, Guardiola is still hopeful that his side will get back into Europe's elite competition.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
"I am always confident. I have moments where I can have doubt but I find the way. We have nine games left in the league and nine finals," Guardiola said.
DID YOU KNOW?
City have qualified for the Champions League in 14 successive seasons, since the 2011-12 campaign. Arsenal hold the English record for 19 consecutive group stage appearances between 1998-99 and 2016-17, while Manchester United qualified for 18 successive campaigns between 1996-97 and 2013-14.
Worcestershire duo dig in after Notts looked poised for quick victory as Broad chimes in with bat and ball
David Hopps29-Apr-2022It says a lot for the calibre of Ed Barnard’s third Worcestershire hundred that for the first time this season Stuart Broad decided he must try to curb a growing rebellion and really slipped himself.He was no longer feeling his way into the season, drawing on years of experience in his meticulous preparation for a potential England recall, he was pumping in with the old ball, a respected adversary in his sights, seeking to fashion a Nottinghamshire victory with as much energy as he could muster. Barnard made him forget the future and brought him into the present.Broad in his veteran phase is not as quick as he was. Allegedly. His speeds varied between 76 and 81mph all day, according to the ECB speed guns that are the latest impressive enhancement to the excellent live county feeds. A suggestion is taking hold, however, that the speeds are a little on the slow side, a view perhaps approved by ageing fast bowlers. Intriguingly, this is the opposite to the traditional whispers about international cricket where a bit of ramping up has occasionally been suspected. Perish the thought that according to official ECB figures England could go into the New Zealand Test series with the most celebrated but also the slowest new-ball attack in Test cricket.But he was at the top of the range (whatever that range was), with some nasty bounce to boot, as Barnard, for so long regarded as a bowling allrounder, battled through his final assault with a century beckoning and earned the right to be regarded as equally proficient with bat and ball.He was 98 when Nottinghamshire took the second new ball with four overs remaining – it can be safely assumed that bit had not quite gone according to plan. But he worked Luke Fletcher’s first delivery to third man, comfortably took on Haseeb Hameed’s throw, and secured a just reward.It fell to Broad to bowl the final over of the day as Trent Bridge was bathed in evening sunshine. But Barnard and Ben Cox, whose first half-century of the season had contributed to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 125 in 47 overs, stood firm. They took a few blows and batted with considerable discipline. There are football fans around, apparently, who hope to see Notts wrap up victory before Nottingham Forest continue their promotion push against Swansea just across the road at three o’clock but it feels a little optimistic.Related
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“Ed Barnard, just had nerves of steel, really,” said Cox, whose career suggests he knows a bit about such things. “He was so calm at the crease. Today was tough against a high-class attack on what certainly had been a favourable wicket on the first day – albeit one that had changed a bit.”A match that looked likely at one stage to be claimed by Nottinghamshire within two days remains alive with Worcestershire holding a 118-run lead with five wickets remaining. The Lincoln Green stripes of the first day have long gone and an easing surface still makes Nottinghamshire strong favourites, but balls have occasionally gone through the top and Barnard’s application has given his side hope.Barnard’s career progress is a two-finger salute to those who advocate the cutting of 18 professional counties for a supposed future of The Best v The Best, primarily based upon areas of high population.His background – Shrewsbury School and England U19s – suggests that he would have made the grade in a slimmed-down system, but it is unlikely that he would have been the same rounded cricketer he now is. His batting talents have progressed more slowly than his bowling – he was not particularly prolific with the bat at junior level – but Worcestershire have nurtured those talents over many seasons and now, at 26, have given him the chance to make the grade at No. 6.His maiden hundred only came last season, in a bore draw against Essex at Chelmsford, although he was less boring than some. A second century followed against Warwickshire at New Road in another run-fest. This time the demands were more onerous. When he came to the crease, Worcestershire were still 75 in arrears, having lost four for 32 in 12 overs.Fletcher had uprooted Ed Pollock’s middle stump second ball with a wonderful delivery that left the left-hander from around the wicket before Jake Libby drove with uncharacteristic looseness to be caught at backward point driving loosely. Broad produced bounce and movement to remove Azhar Ali in the same region. Dane Paterson added Brett D’Oliveira, who lobbed into the leg-side.The batter who really catches the eye in this Worcestershire side is Jack Haynes, son of the former Worcestershire allrounder, Gavin. With respect, he looks as if he has the potential to outdo his father by a considerable margin, but looks can deceive and he is still awaiting his first half-century of the season. Broad, back for a third spell in mid-afternoon, old-manned him by setting him up for a hook, on 49, which he obligingly yanked straight to Ben Duckett at deep square.There were runs, too, for Broad, at the start of the day, a hit-about-him innings that included two sixes against Charlie Morris as Worcestershire, who must have been watching too many Test match highlights, overdid the short stuff on a pitch still offering bowlers assistance by traditional means. Broad’s unbeaten 45 from 27 deliveries represented his best score in county cricket for five years, but the only stats that England will be studying will be 18-3-49-2… with the chance of a five-for in the morning.
Everything you need to know about Manchester United loanee Maarcus Rashford's salary numbers at Aston Villa
Having fallen out with new Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, Marcus Rashford was bound to leave Old Trafford, with big clubs like Barcelona and Napoli showing interest.
However, the English forward decided to stay in the Premier League, joining Unai Emery's Aston Villa on a loan deal.
Rashford earns a pretty hefty salary at Villa Park and is one of the top earners in the squad, but exactly how much does he earn?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
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Marcus Rashford’s wages at Aston Villa in numbers
Under his current contract at Aston Villa, Rashford earns £225,000 ($290,762) on a weekly basis
Meanwhile his annual salary scales up to £11.7 million ($15.1m), making him the highest earner at Villa Park.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Marcus Rashford
English
£225,000
$290,762
£11,700,000
$15,119,614
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Top earners at Aston Villa
Rashford is the highest-paid player at Villa by quite some distance, being the only player in the squad to earn over £10 million.
Following the English forward are three players, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, and Emiliano Martinez, all on identical wages.
Finally, rounding off the list at number five is defensive midfielder Amadou Onana.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Marcus Rashford
English
£225,000
$290,762
£11,700,000
$15,119,614
Boubacar Kamara
French
£150,000
$193,841
£7,800,000
$10,079,743
Youri Tielemans
Belgian
£150,000
$193,841
£7,800,000
$10,079,743
Emiliano Martinez
Argentine
£150,000
$193,841
£7,800,000
$10,079,743
Amadou Onana
Belgian
£140,000
$180,918
£7,280,000
$9,407,760
Top 5 earners in the Premier League
None of the Aston Villa players make it into the top-five earners list across the league.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland sits at the top of the list having recently signed a nine-year contract, keeping him at the Etihad up until 2034. Following Haaland is yet another City star in Kevin De Bruyne, while Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah makes the cut at number three.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wage sin USD
Erling Haaland
Norwegian
£525,000
$678,444
£27,300,000
$35,279,099
Kevin De Bruyne
Belgian
£400,000
$516,910
£20,800,000
$26,879,314
Mohamed Salah
Egyptian
£350,000
$452,296
£18,200,000
$23,519,400
Casemiro
Brazilian
£350,000
$452,296
£18,200,000
$23,519,400
Jack Grealish
English
£300,000
$387,682
£15,600,000
$20,159,485
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Highest paid players in the world
Despite the astronomical wages in the Premier League, neither of the players make the cut when it comes to the highest earners across world football.
At the top sits all-time top goalscorer of the Champions League Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays his football for Al Nassr. He is followed by his former Real Madrid attack partner Karim Benzema.
Former Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez makes his appearance at number three while Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly round off the list at fourth and fifth spot respectively.
Eliminado de maneira precoce do Campeonato Gaúcho, o Juventude volta a campo nesta quinta-feira, mas pela Copa do Brasil.
Fora de casa, o Jaconero mede forças com o Real Noroeste-ES, no estádio Águia Branca, a partir das 19h (Horário de Brasília).
Desfalques
Para o jogo decisivo, o técnico Eduardo Baptista não poderá contar com os laterais Moraes e Paulo Henrique e o meia Rodrigo Bassani, lesionados.
Regulamento
Na Segunda Fase da Copa do Brasil, o Juventude não tem nenhuma vantagem. Quem vencer fica com a vaga na próxima fase. Se houver empate entre Real Noroeste e Jaconero, a classificação será definida nos pênaltis.
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Pep Guardiola has done it all in the last eight years at Manchester City – be it breaking records or setting unprecedented standards in the Premier League – but that doesn’t mean he’s been without matches to forget in big games, from Tottenham Hotspur all the way to the Manchester derby.
Even as the momentum has swung entirely the way of the Citizens, Manchester United have managed to cause what now feel like upsets under various different managers attempting to replace Sir Alex Ferguson years after his departure.
A battered, beaten and down-trodden Manchester United have managed to throw things back to the good old days when Guardiola’s Manchester City side stood in front of them, and we’ve ranked the most shocking results over the last eight years ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first attempt to defeat the Spaniard as Red Devils boss this weekend.
7 Man Utd 1-0 Man City – League Cup 2016/17 Guardiola's first-season frustration
Juan Mata for Manchester United.
To prove that even the best need time to adjust to life in the Premier League, Guardiola struggled in his debut campaign at the Etihad compared to his incredibly high standards at least. Taking the then-champions to a third-place finish and 15 points adrift of eventual winners Chelsea, Guardiola saw his side humiliated against Everton at Goodison Park and felt his first taste of defeat in the Manchester derby, losing 1-0 in the League Cup.
In the Jose Mourinho vs Guardiola rivalry, it was the former who welcomed the Spaniard to his stomping ground of English football – a place he had long before made his mark. Squaring off in the round of 16 of the League Cup, it was Juan Mata’s goal in the 54th minute which proved to be the winner for the Red Devils to shock Manchester City.
6 Man City 1-2 Man Utd – Premier League 2019/20 Solskjaer crushes City's title hopes
Manchester United vs Manchester City in 2019/20.
One of Guardiola’s most frustrating seasons undoubtedly came in 2019/20, and Manchester United only compiled that misery. With Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the middle of one of the most dominant starts in Premier League history, dropping just two points in the first half of the campaign, City were struggling with the injury to Ruben Dias and paid the ultimate price as a result.
Manchester United weren’t exactly in an excellent position themselves, however, having eventually finished 33 points adrift of champions Liverpool to set up quite the battle up against the Citizens at the beginning of a torrid festive period.
The Red Devils raced into control from the off and didn’t look back, with Marcus Rashford’s penalty in the 23rd minute quickly followed by Anthony Martial’s effort just six minutes later to hand his side a 2-0 lead. Nicolas Otamendi’s goal to halve the deficit with seven minutes remaining threatened a comeback only to be nothing more than a consolation for a defeated Manchester City side.
5 Man Utd 2-1 Man City – Premier League 2022/23 United revel in late turnaround
Bruno Fernandes for Manchester United.
It was almost like the United of old when they turned the game on its head to defeat Manchester City 2-1 in the 2022/23 campaign. In a season that eventually saw the Citizens lift yet another Premier League title under Guardiola, they once again failed to come unscathed against their local rivals. At the time, it looked to be a major moment in the title race too, as United moved within a point of City and then-leaders Arsenal remained five points clear.
The eventual champions thought they were on course for all three points when Jack Grealish converted Kevin de Bruyne’s cross on the hour mark, before four minutes to forget turned the game on its head. First came the controversial strike of Bruno Fernandes as City were left waiting for an offside flag which never came. Then, to send the Old Trafford faithful into raptures, Rashford slammed home Alejandro Garnacho’s cross to score the winning goal in the 82nd minute.
4 Man City 0-2 Man Utd – Premier League 2020/21 United end Guardiola's Covid winning run
Man City vs Man Utd in 2021.
As United shocked Guardiola once again, it was probably a good thing that fans were still not allowed in attendance across the Premier League amid the Covid-19 pandemic. With or without fans, however, the Etihad would have been silenced when Fernandes opened the scoring from the spot within just two minutes to instantly hand City a mountain to climb.
The second half didn’t start much better for the Citizens either. Having come out from the break ready to turn things around and extend their 15-game winning run, City were once again left shell-shocked. This time, it was unlikely goalscorer Luke Shaw at the centre of the scenes, wheeling away in celebration just five minutes into the second period to send United on their way to victory.
3 Man Utd 2-0 Man City – Premier League 2019/20 Red Devils complete first double since 2010
As if Manchester City’s December defeat wasn’t bad enough, they were on the wrong end of the Manchester derby for a second time in the 2019/20 campaign when they visited Old Trafford. The Red Devils took full advantage of a season to forget for the Citizens, completing their first league double over their rivals since the 2009/10 campaign.
For all of Ole Gunner Solskjaer’s downfalls, not many can argue that he had Guardiola’s number both in the 2019/20 campaign and in other moments to remember. Once again, Martial found himself on the scoresheet against the Citizens, scoring the opening goal on the half-hour mark courtesy of Bruno Fernandes’ assist.
The scenes that Old Trafford will remember most, however, is the aftermath of Scott McTominay’s goal to seal the three points and send United fans into delirium. The Scot was perfectly placed to receive Ederson’s poor clearance and sensationally lob the helpless Brazilian from range to secure victory and a league double over Guardiola in style.
2 Man City 2-3 Man Utd – Premier League 2017/18 Pogba stars in sensational comeback
Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
Football’s a funny game, isn’t it? In the same year that Manchester City wrote their name forever into the history books as the Premier League’s first centurions, they still could not find a way to complete a double over rivals Manchester United. Even after taking a 2-0 lead and cruising courtesy of goals within five minutes from Vincent Kompany and Ilkay Gundogan, Guardiola was left scratching his head on the losing side come full-time.
Simply put though, it was the Paul Pogba show at the Etihad. The Frenchman dragged the Red Devils back into the game, volleying Ander Herrera’s chested pass into the back of the net to sweep home an excellent move in the 53rd minute. But he didn’t stop there. With the Red Devils’ tails up, Pogba found a second to equalise just moments later.
This time heading home on the end of Alexis Sanchez’s pinpoint cross in behind City’s backline, Pogba left the Etihad crowd shellshocked. Once again, however, United were not done there. Flipping the game on its head entirely, an unmarked Chris Smalling side-footed his effort beyond Ederson on the end of Sanchez’s set piece to seal a stunning comeback in the 69th minute. City became unstoppable centurions, but could not find a way past their rivals on that day.
1 Man City 1-2 Man Utd – FA Cup 2023/24 Carrington graduates spark FA Cup victory
In what has been a trend over the years, Manchester City squared off against rivals Manchester United as Premier League champions last season and in the FA Cup final, of all games. Many expected the Citizens to sweep past Erik ten Hag’s United side who had just endured the ultimate season to forget. With the Dutchman’s job still in question too, Wembley defeat would have likely ended his tenure.
As ever though, Guardiola was left shocked as City’s rivals denied his side a league and cup double to win another trophy under Ten Hag – a fact he was often quick to remind reporters of as the pressure mounted a few months ago.
It’s not Ten Hag who deserves all of the credit, however, for this was a game centred around United’s academy graduates, who stole the show to seal the silverware at Wembley. In nine minutes to savour, Garnacho first struck on the half-hour mark, before fellow graduate Kobbie Mainoo stole the show with a second.
Jeremy Doku’s late consolation caused some nerves, but champions City could not complete their comeback and were once again – and perhaps more so than ever – left shocked by an out-of-form Manchester United side.
Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, insists that county cricket remains the primary “breeding ground” for England’s Test cricketers, but acknowledges that the gulf between the domestic and international game has widened in recent years, due in a large part to the reduced availability of the world’s best players.For that reason, Stewart – who confirmed he is not in the running to become the new managing director of the England men’s team – has warned the selectors not to over-react to the failings of the team in Australia and West Indies this winter, after they capped a run of eight Tests without victory with a humiliating ten-wicket loss in Grenada this week.Two of Surrey’s most prominent players were casualties of England’s 4-0 Ashes loss. Rory Burns, the club captain and England’s senior opener at the start of the winter, was omitted from the West Indies tour after making 77 runs at 12.83 in three Tests, including a first-ball duck from the opening delivery of the Ashes. And Ollie Pope, whose first-class average at the Kia Oval is currently a Bradman-esque 99.94, was relegated to 12th man duties in the Caribbean after a top score of 35 in six Ashes innings.At the age of 24, Pope’s struggles to convert his prolific county form into the England team is perhaps the most revealing evidence of the step-up in class that is now required to make the Test grade, and Stewart insisted that that need to learn on the job with England was all the more reason why it was incumbent on the selectors to keep the faith.”We’ve still got good players,” Stewart said at the Kia Oval, during Surrey’s pre-season media day. “Ollie Pope is a high-class player, but when they go up a level, it is a massive jump. The scrutiny you’re under now is even greater than it was, and that’s where you need selection to be strong. Because if you believe a player is good enough, then you need to give them a real good run.”Stewart himself is no stranger to the vagaries of England selection, having lived through the team’s struggles in the 1990s. But he believes that the heavy workloads faced by the game’s best players during his own playing days were a factor in keeping the standards constant across the first-class game.Related
Kemar Roach returns to Surrey for start of Championship campaign
“If you go back in time – and I’m not saying it was right – you used to finish your Test match and then play a county game the next day,” he said. “So the players coming through would be bowling at Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting, or they’d be facing high quality overseas bowlers.”In the 80s and 90s, there wasn’t franchise cricket around, there was no international cricket played outside of England in our summer. So you had all those great bowlers coming over to our breeding ground. Whereas now, the quality of the overseas-player availability has diminished and the best England Test players, because of the amount of Test cricket they play, are either playing [for England] or resting.”So you have to learn when you go up. You always have to improve and learn, but even more so now at the highest level, because of the hand the game has been dealt. And that’s globally, not just here.”The ECB is currently preparing to undertake a game-wide review, instigated by Andrew Strauss, the interim managing director, with the aim of redefining the game’s structure in time for the 2023 season. According to the Telegraph, proposals include a mooted 12-team Premier League, to replace the current 10-8 split across the first and second divisions, but Stewart believes that much of the criticism is the inevitable consequence of another high-profile Ashes loss.”How long has the County Championship been in place? 100 years or more?” Stewart said. “Whenever we’ve lost in Australia, which has been on numerous occasions for a long, long time, there’s always an inquest and we’re just seeing exactly the same thing, yet another inquest. When Australia lose here, they have an inquest about their Sheffield Shield.”County cricket is a breeding ground for Test cricket. Over the years it produces good players and it will continue to produce good players.””You’ve always got to earn the right to play,” he added. “But if you don’t feel a part of a set-up, you’re not going to play as a relaxed cricketer, as you would when you play for your county or your state side, because it is as much about the top two inches [the brain], as it is technically.””If you’ve been picked to be good enough for one game, then you’re good enough for a number of games, because if you’re not, then it’s not the lad’s fault. It’s the selectors’ fault.”
Aston Villa are in desperate to turn around their horrendous run of form. The Villans are without a win in seven games, and it is having a detrimental effect on their season.
They are eighth in the Premier League, although are just three points off the top four, and have slipped to ninth in the Champions League, having been in the top eight at one stage.
Unai Emery
Unai Emery’s side last won over a month ago, on the 22nd of October away to Italian side Bologna. This poor run of form by the Villans is incredibly frustrating, but their underlying Premier League numbers do not suggest they should be in such a rut.
The underlying stats for Villa this season
Firstly, it is important to look at the Villan’s overall record in the Premier League. They have played 12 games, winning five times, including a fantastic late comeback against Everton, drawing four games and losing three.
With 19 points to their name, the campaign is far from a disaster, although given their form, it could easily end up that way if they don’t win some games.
They are slightly underachieving their points tally this term. According to Understat, Emery’s side have an expected points total of 20.43xPTS, a gap of 1.43 compared to their actual points. That is the fifth-highest expected points total in the Premier League.
Another stat to look at is their expected goals tally compared to their actual goals scored. Villa this season have 23.97xG, a sizeable underachievement from their 19 goals scored in reality, although it has been a common occurrence this year for top-half sides to have a lower expected goals.
Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins
The same thing can be applied to goals against versus the actual number of goals against. The metric has Villa 18.01xGA, the sixth best in the top flight. It is almost spot on, given they have conceded 19 times in reality.
So, the numbers suggest they should not be playing as badly as they are. This weekend, Emery’s men travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, which would be a good time to get three points, as they can leapfrog them with a win.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
They will need someone to stop Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s star man, and the perfect player to do so could be Cobham academy graduate Ian Maatsen.
Ian Maatsen’s importance vs. Chelsea
Maatsen was a major summer signing for the Villans. He cost £37.5m from Chelsea, although has struggled to properly break into the side under Emery this term. The Dutchman has 16 games in all competitions to his name so far.
However, Villa’s Spanish boss might well decide to unleash him on Sunday afternoon at his former home ground, to help stop the incredibly dangerous Palmer.
He has made a flying start to the 2024/25 campaign already, scoring seven goals and registering five assists in 12 games in the top flight.
Cole Palmer for Chelsea
Although the Dutchman is more prominently known for his attacking prowess, he is certainly a good player without the ball, and is very much a “complete” player, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him.
One of his best assets is his speed, which helps to make him a fantastic recovery defender, ensuring he could be the man to help shackled Palmer in that right channel.
This is certainly backed up by the stats on FBref. Over the course of the last 365 days across Europe’s big five leagues, the 22-year-old has made 5.73 ball recoveries, which ranks him in the 88th percentile (top 12%) and has won 1.55 tackles, ranking him in the 78th percentile (top 22%).
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Tackles won
1.55
78th
Ball recoveries
5.73
88th
Blocks
1.44
78th
Clearances
2.85
76th
The former Borussia Dortmund loanee will surely have a point to prove at the Bridge on Sunday. He had limited opportunities at the club, but locking up their star man would certainly prove exactly why the Blues should have kept him.
It would be a bold move for Emery to start Maatsen over Digne, his first-choice left-back for much of the season. However, given the player has extra motivation for Sunday, it could be an inspired change as they look to break this poor run of form and get a much-needed win.
Emery already sold Aston Villa's answer to Conceicao in "electric" talent
Aston Villa may regret selling him after watching Conceicao
Arsenal are now looking to trigger a very highly-rated forward’s release clause, according to reports, with the north Londoners looking set for a three-way battle to secure his signature in 2025.
Arsenal prepare to host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League
Mikel Arteta’s side play host to in-form Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, and Arsenal quite simply need to win this game considering they’re without a single top flight victory since their 3-1 win over Southampton in early October.
"World class" Arsenal ace away for next "few weeks" for treatment on injury
He could be out for a while with Ben White.
By
Emilio Galantini
Nov 23, 2024
Their chase for a first Premier League title in 21 years is in danger of falling at the first hurdle, with Arteta also dealt the major headache of being without mainstay defender Ben White for months after his knee surgery.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
Fulham (away)
December 8
Everton (home)
December 14
Takehiro Tomiyasu’s injury woes continue as well, with the Japan international currently away from N5 for treatment in a different surrounding and struggling psychologically.
Luckily for Arteta, summer signing Riccardo Calafiori is nearing a return and will be in the squad to face Forest this afternoon – in a rare bit of good news.
“I think about everything that we’ve done. Is the reason that we haven’t won games because the opponent has been superior to us? The clear answer is no,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s recent form.
“Should we have won more of those games? The answer is yes. Do I like what our team is doing? The answer is yes, but we have to improve certain things, especially how we have defended attacking the box.
“Overall I can think of a lot of things but I need to understand how the players are, and the only way to do that other than communicating on the phone is when they come back, and the energy of the staff and players yesterday was unbelievable. That’s the joy of being with these guys on this journey. They love being here, they love to be back with us and that brings the energy up straight away, there’s not much that I need to do. It’s always good to paint the picture and make sure that we’re on the right track.”
Arsenal "looking to activate" Nico Williams release clause
Off the field, and according to reports in the media, it is believed interim sporting director Jason Ayto and the club’s executives are weighing up a move for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.
The Spain star, who bagged 19 assists in all competitions last season, is regarded as one of La Liga’s most meteoric rising talents.
Spain star Nico Williams
This has led to interest from England, and it is believed that Arsenal are looking to activate Williams’ £50 million release clause. However, they’re by no means the only ones, as both Liverpool and Newcastle apparently have the same plan.
The £200,000-per-week forward looks likely to have his pick of clubs next year after choosing to remain at Bilbao in the summer, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up.
Chelsea were left impressed after conducting a scouting mission to assess an “excellent” £20m Premier League player, according to a report.
Chelsea transfer news
The Blues have made it clear they intend to strengthen their attack, having drawn up a shortlist of potential targets, with the likes of Liam Delap and Alexander Isak said to be under consideration.
In fact, such is their interest in the latter player, the board are now prepared to green-light an £83m bid. Newcastle United are currently trying to extend Isak’s contract, though they would be willing to analyse Chelsea’s offer.
It is fair to say Enzo Maresca’s side have surpassed expectations so far this season, sitting in second place ahead of their weekend clash with Spurs, but the manager clearly still thinks he needs extra reinforcements if they are to mount an unlikely title challenge.
As such, the west London club have been running the rule over new defenders, with Football Transfers reporting that Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Willian Pacho is now being targeted, alongside Barcelona’s Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo.
Chelsea targeting Zabarnyi
Now, it appears as though Chelsea have set their sights on an option from much closer to home, with The Boot Room reporting scouts were sent to watch Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi during the Cherries’ victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.
The Blues are in the market for a new centre-back as they are understood to be unconvinced by the first-choice pairing of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.
Zabarnyi has been the subject of long-standing interest, having been tracked since before he moved to the Vitality Stadium for a fee of £20m back in 2023, and he impressed scouts with his performance on Thursday evening.
Chelsea are said to have a good relationship with Bournemouth following Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan move in the summer, meaning they are well-positioned to complete a deal.
Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Tottenham Hotspur (a)
December 8
Brentford (h)
December 15
Everton (a)
December 22
Fulham (h)
December 26
Ipswich Town (a)
December 30
Zabarnyi put in a solid performance against Spurs, helping them keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory, though there are question marks over whether he is at the level to improve Chelsea.
The Ukrainian does not stand out on any metric over the past year, ranking in just the 47th percentile for tackles completed per 90 and the 41st percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers over the past year.
Colwill also out-performs the Bournemouth star across a number of these key metrics, including blocks and pass completion rate per 90, indicating it would be a little harsh to replace the Englishman, while Maresca was full of praise for Fofana earlier this season, saying:
“Wes is a player that I really love, I am in love with Wes.”
“He is doing fantastic after one year injured and, for any player in the world, when you are out for one year and then you come back, it is not easy, and he is doing top. This is the only thing we want from him.”
Zabarnyi has previously been lauded as “excellent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, but Chelsea should perhaps consider other options at centre-back in the January transfer window.