Arsenal were slammed for playing like "dinosaurs" against Manchester City as Roy Keane launched a scathing assessment of Mikel Arteta's tactics.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Man City fought back to earn a 2-2 drawArsenal played with 10 men in second halfDug deep in an attempt to shut out CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Gunners found themselves reduced to 10 men after Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card for time-wasting late in the first half. After the dismissal of the Belgian, Arteta instructed his men to adopt an ultra-defensive stance by retreating deep into their own half in a bid to protect a slender 2-1 lead.
AdvertisementImagoTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite their efforts to stifle City, Arsenal eventually conceded in stoppage time, with John Stones scoring a dramatic equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw. They had only 12.5 per cent of the ball in the second half with Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz setting an unwanted Premier League record as they failed to complete a single pass in the match.
WHAT KEANE SAID
Speaking on Keane lashed out at Arteta and said: "If Tony Pulis, Sam Allardyce, Steve Bruce or Neil Warnock set up a team like that for the second half, they are ‘dinosaurs’. When Arsenal do it, it’s called ‘brilliant’, it’s ‘concentration levels’. When they won the ball back, which they did every now and again, try and look after it and try and get up the pitch. There was an incident when [Ben] White just kicked it out of play, [Declan] Rice a couple of times, just kicked it up the pitch. This is Arsenal we’re talking about – not a Championship team in the FA Cup – that’s hanging in there."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
DID YOU KNOW?
Keane didn’t stop at just calling out Arsenal’s defensive display; he also criticised what he perceived as a “small team mentality.”
"I'm on about when you've got it [the ball], still look after it," he said.
"Don't even worry about playing one up front, but when you do get it try and get four, five, six passes. They were just booting it like a small team with a small mentality. When I see England international players just booting it out of play I'm going: 'What are you? League One? League Two?'"
Martin Odegaard says his ankle injury is healing "better" than expected as the Arsenal captain closes in on a return to action.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Odegaard injured on Norway dutyHasn't played for Arsenal since AugustGunners beat Southampton 3-1Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Odegaard hasn't played since suffering significant ligament damage while representing Norway in the Nations League in early September. While it's not clear when the 25-year-old will be back on the pitch, he's provided a positive update that suggests he will return earlier than originally thought.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
It quickly became clear that Odegaard's injury was a severe one, with the midfielder himself admitting to being "scared" at missing a lengthy period of time. But thankfully, his absence hasn't been felt when it comes to results; Mikel Arteta's side have won all three games that Odegaard has missed, including a 3-1 win against Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.
WHAT ODEGAARD SAID
Writing in Arsenal's programme before the Southampton win, Odegaard wrote: "I just wanted to start with the latest on my injury and rehab. In the last week or so I've made really good progress. I'm getting better and better by the day and feel it's going well. When you feel like things are moving forward, it gives you motivation to do more and more and work harder. Today is our last game before another international break, so that gives me some more time to work on the rehab too.
"Hopefully, it won't be much longer; I think we will know more as soon as I get out on the training pitches and we see how my ankle responds to that. At the moment it's progressing well and it looks better than we were thinking, but we've still got to take every day as it comes."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ODEGAARD?
Odegaard, now out of a protective boot, will aim for a swift return to boost Arsenal as their schedule intensifies, with Liverpool, Newcastle, Inter Milan, and Chelsea among their October and November opponents.
Newcastle United are aiming to strengthen their side once more during the summer transfer window to try and close in on a return to European football.
Eddie Howe’s side missed out on any form of continental action for the 2024/25 campaign following Manchester United’s FA Cup triumph against Manchester City, which saw them automatically qualify for the Europa League.
The Magpies failed to hit the heights set in 2022/23, with injuries throughout the squad hindering their progress, with the likes of Joelinton and Sandro Tonali missing large periods of the season through injury and suspension respectively.
The latter only arrived at St James’ Park for £55m from AC Milan last summer, but featured just eight times in the Premier League before receiving a ten-month ban following his betting activity during his time in Italy.
It’s unknown what fitness levels the 24-year-old will have upon his return in October, with Howe still needing to strengthen his midfield department ahead of next season.
The club has previously been linked with one player who could prove to be the missing piece in Newcastle’s midfield puzzle, but the Magpies will have to act quickly, following huge interest from a Premier League rival.
Newcastle must reignite interest in Brazilian midfielder
In recent months, Newcastle have been linked with a move for 24-year-old Brazilian midfielder Ederson from Serie A outfit Atalanta.
Atalanta midfielder Ederson
The talent has made 36 appearances in the league this season, scoring on six occasions, helping the club finish fourth and securing a Champions League spot ahead of next campaign.
His excellent campaign in Italy hasn’t gone unnoticed, with fellow Premier League side Liverpool recently submitting a €45m (£38m) bid for his services.
Whilst Arne Slot’s side have the edge with Champions League football next season, the Magpies could look to replicate a deal for fellow Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes – who arrived on Tyneside in a big-money move, with the club able to convince him to sign with the
project under Howe.
The fee may be a hefty, and one that may cause trouble with the club’s effort to stay within the FFP confines, but his stats this season prove that he’s more than capable of being the perfect player to complete the Brazilian trio in midfield.
Financial Fair Play: What is PSR, how does it work and who's in trouble?
Leicester City have become the latest club charged with an alleged PSR breach, but what could happen next?
When delving into Ederson’s stats this season, it’s clear he possesses a lot of talent – numerous of which surpass those set by his fellow compatriots this campaign.
The three Brazilians all have very similar playstyles, all of them enjoying the attacking and defensive side of the game as reflected by their stats in Italy and England during 2023/24.
Statistics
Ederson
Guimaraes
Joelinton
Games
36
37
20
Goals + Assists
7
15
3
Progressive carries
32
65
29
Goals per 90
0.1
0.2
0.1
Pass accuracy
84%
84%
84%
Tackles won
52%
52%
37%
Aerials won
58%
43%
35%
As represented in the table above, the Atalanta “machine”, as dubbed by writer Carlo Garganese, is very effective at both ends of the pitch, but more so defensively than in attacking areas – especially compared to Guimaraes.
He’s averaged the same number of tackles won as Guimaraes, but winning more aerials than both the current Newcastle midfielders – adding a new dimension to Howe’s midfield trio.
Ederson’s tackling ability would allow Guimaraes to add to his already impressive tally of 15 goals and assists, with the Atalanta man’s presence allowing the 26-year-old to operate in a more attacking role.
He’s demonstrated his qualities in European competitions this season, playing an integral role in the Italian side’s Europa League victory over Bayer Leverkusen – having all the qualities to drive Howe’s side to push for a return to the Champions League.
What Newcastle's starting XI could look like after £128m spending spree
The Magpies will be looking to reclaim a European spot in 2024/25.
Sunday might tell us how smartly these two teams – of three to have never won the IPL – manage their resources
Karthik Krishnaswamy19-Sep-20206:35
Will this be Delhi Capitals’ season?
Big pictureThree of the eight current IPL franchises have never won the trophy, and two of them face off at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. To get an idea of how desperately Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab have tried to assemble a combination that could one day lift the trophy, run your eye through these names: Glenn Maxwell, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Axar Patel, Marcus Stoinis, James Neesham. They have all been part of both franchises at various points, so give yourself a pat on the back if you can say, off the top of your head, which one they currently represent.Recent results and the make-up of the two squads suggest Capitals have done a better job, so far, of forging an identity for themselves, but both teams remain incomplete in some sense, with clearly identifiable areas of strengths and weaknesses. Sunday might give us our first clues as to how smartly these two teams can manage their resources over this brave new season in a foreign land in strange times for the world at large.Likely XIsDelhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Alex Carey/Marcus Stoinis/Keemo Paul, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Sandeep Lamichhane, 11 Ishant Sharma.Kings XI Punjab: 1 KL Rahul (capt & wk), 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Sarfaraz Khan, 6 Mandeep Singh/Deepak Hooda, 7 K Gowtham, 8 James Neesham/Chris Jordan/Sheldon Cottrell, 9 Ravi Bishnoi/J Suchith, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Mujeeb Ur Rahman.Strategy punt He’s only faced 69 balls in a 43-match IPL career to date, but the Capitals have a reason to view Harshal Patel as more than just a specialist fast bowler. During the 2019 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Patel played the Sunil Narine role for Haryana, opening the batting and ending the tournament as its fourth-highest run-getter, with 374 at a strike rate of 165.48. Whether the Capitals are open to such a move remains to be seen, given that the bowling at IPL level is of a higher standard than some of the domestic attacks Patel tore into last year, but don’t be surprised if he’s used as a pinch-hitter at some point. Glenn Maxwell is available for selection thanks to the relaxed quarantine norms for the Australian and English players who have only just arrived in the UAE, and he’s fresh off playing one of the great counterattacking knocks in ODI cricket. Nicholas Pooran is in form and among the most dangerous T20 batsmen going around. Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s ability to tie batsmen up in the powerplay seems indispensable. Who, then, will Kings XI’s fourth overseas player be? There’s Chris Gayle to consider at the top of the order, but that would leave the bowling vulnerable, which leaves three likely candidates: Sheldon Cottrell brings his left-arm angle but not a lot of batting and not a lot of form from the CPL, Chris Jordan brings death-overs skills and late-overs hitting, and James Neesham strengthens the middle order considerably while not quite being a match for the other two with the ball. Kings XI could grapple with this debate right through the tournament. The Capitals have a similar issue in a similar position, where Marcus Stoinis (whose recent T20 successes have come at the top of the order) and Keemo Paul (a lower-order batsman rather than a genuine allrounder) are vying for the No. 6 slot alongside a wicketkeeper-batsman in Alex Carey. If Carey plays, the Capitals will be left with no sixth bowling option, with no part-time bowlers in their expected top five. Mujeeb usually bowls with the new ball, but Kings XI might want to hold him back considering his record against two of the Capitals’ middle-order batsmen. He has bowled 12 balls to Shimron Hetmyer in T20s, while dismissing him twice. Mujeeb has dismissed Rishabh Pant twice too, in 11 balls, while conceding 17 runs to him. Who takes the new ball in that case? Well, assuming Shikhar Dhawan opens, it could well be Maxwell. This is their head-to-head: 25 balls, 35 runs, two wickets. The Capitals have one of the best spin contingents in the competition, but among batsmen with at least 300 runs against that form of bowling in the IPL, Maxwell has the highest strike rate: 171. He has a superb head-to-head record against R Ashwin (107 runs off 49 balls, two dismissals), but has mixed returns against Amit Mishra, who has conceded 55 runs in 29 balls but has dismissed him four times in five meetings. If Mishra plays, expect the Capitals to bring him on as soon as Maxwell gets to the crease.Stats that matter Kings XI have tended to get off to great starts in recent IPL seasons. They won four of their first five matches in 2018, and three of their first five in 2019. The Capitals, in contrast, won only one of their first five games in 2018, and only two (one via a Super Over) in 2019. Kings XI, though, fell away rapidly in both seasons and failed to make the playoffs. Bat first or second? It’s a tricky question in Dubai, where, in 51 T20 games since the start of 2018, teams batting first have won 25 times and chasing teams 26 times. The average first-innings score at the venue across those 51 matches is 152 for 7, and the average winning first-innings score is 167 for 6. Fast bowlers (average 22.9, SR 18.0) and spinners (23.0, 20.7) have similar wicket-taking numbers in this period, but spinners (economy rate of 6.7) have been significantly more frugal than the quicks (7.6).
With the transfer window now officially open, Arsenal can begin making the necessary additions to close the gap on Manchester City and finally win the Premier League.
The Gunners have already been linked to a plethora of talented footballers, from Nico Williams to Victor Osimhen, but to accommodate bringing in new faces, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have to axe those deemed surplus to requirements.
Based on recent reports, one of such players could be on his way out of the Emirates, and in doing so, he'll free up some significant room in the wage budget as he currently earns more than Bukayo Saka and William Saliba.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is now 'closing in on a summer move to Saudi Arabia.'
The report has revealed that the 31-year-old's representatives are already in talks with the interested team and that the offer on the table is particularly lucrative for the 30-year-old.
No fee has been reported, but considering his mammoth wages and lack of game time last season, it won't be more than the £45m the Gunners paid back in 2020.
That said, the report claims that the player is expected to leave by the end of the window, which is probably best for all involved.
Thomas Partey's wage
The first thing to say is that when Partey is fit and playing, he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, but therein lies the major problem: he's never fit.
2020/21
3
81
21
2021/22
3
152
19
2022/23
2
29
6
2023/24
2
143
34
Total
10
430
78
In all, the Ghanaian international made just 16 appearances for Arteta's title chasers last season, starting ten and totalling just 882 minutes of action – in which he failed to score or provide an assist.
In comparison, Saka and Saliba, two of the club's most essential players, made 47 appearances and 50 appearances, respectively.
What's worse, despite barely featuring last season, the former Atlético Madrid star still earns more than both.
The Englishman makes £195k-per-week, and the Frenchman earns £190k-per-week while the former midfield "monster", as he was dubbed by football presenter Adam Keys, takes home a whopping £200k-per-week.
Transfer Fee
£45m
Wages (Total)
£200k (£38.4m)
Total Cost
£83.4m
Appearances
115
Cost per Appearance
£725k
Goals
5
Cost per Goal
£16.6m
Assists
4
Cost per Assist
£20.8m
Goal Involvements
9
Cost per Goal Involvement
£9.2m
When combining his original transfer fee and total wages thus far, the 6 foot 1 titan has cost the Gunners around £83.4m, or £725k-per-appearance, £16.6m-per-goal or £20.8m-per-assist.
Ultimately, while Partey is an undeniably talented footballer, he's now on the wrong side of 30, cannot stay fit and is on a massive wage, so if Arsenal have the chance to offload him this summer and get a fee, they should take it.
Could leave for £35m: Arsenal must sell a star who earns more than Sesko
The four players were part of Australia’s September tour of England, then went straight to the UAE for the IPL
Andrew McGlashan29-Oct-2020Australia’s selectors will consider resting David Warner, Steven Smith, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ahead of the Tests against India and they appear likely to enter that series without a first-class match under their belts as the management try to strike a balance between game time and the well-being of players moving from one bubble to another.Those four players have been included in Australia’s 18-man squad for the six limited-overs matches which begin on November 27, but they are also certainties for the Test side and there is an understanding that gaps will need to be created for them to spend some time away from hub life. Mitchell Starc and Matthew Wade, who will both begin their home summer in the Sheffield Shield on Friday, have been given time off in recent weeks.Two Australia A matches were included in the India tour schedule announced on Wednesday, one which overlaps the T20I series and then a day-night game at the SCG ahead of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.National selector Trevor Hohns indicated that some of Australia’s Test squad – which will be named towards the end of the Sheffield Shield matches in Adelaide next month – could feature for Australia A but he said it would be unlikely that Warner, Smith, Cummins or Hazlewood would play, which would means them starting the Tests without a competitive long-format game since January.”Once they return from the IPL and get through their quarantine, I think it will be prudent for them to start preparing for red-ball cricket. That may or may not be in that Australia A game – more than likely it won’t be,” Hohns said.That quartet were part of the tour to England in September then went straight to the IPL. Warner, Smith and Cummins have been ever-present for their franchises and while Hazlewood has only had a handful of games it is not only the physical shape of the players that will be monitored.”We are very mindful of managing our players and trying at some stage to get them some time at home with their families,” Hohns said. “Of course, Test cricket is very important so there may be other times when we can give our players that play every format in particular a little bit of a break.”That’s something that will be addressed in the coming weeks and we’ll be having discussions with those players to see how they are feeling. Their health and well-being is the priority No. 1 and we want to do whatever we can to get the best out of them for the Test series.”Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins at a training drill•Getty ImagesStarc, who quarantined for 14 days in Adelaide after the England tour and is now in the Sheffield Shield hub in the same city, albeit one that allows a bit more freedom than the tightly controlled biosecure bubbles, said that while cricketers are used to long tours and time away this season would be a challenge.”For guys who will be around hubs and bubbles for the majority of the summer it’s going to an important one to keep an eye on, obviously guys with families and kids which will make things even more difficult. It’s going to be a long time. The guys coming back from the IPL, they’ve been on the road a while already and they’ll have their quarantine then straight into a white-ball hub.”Likewise, for a few of us here we haven’t had too many days at home, I’ve only had 30 hours at home since August, so it will be important to be adaptable, be flexible but at the same time we are there to win games for Australia.”When asked if the views of the host broadcaster for the limited-overs matches would be considered around big-name stars being rested, Hohns said: “We take everything into account, but their health and well-being is a priority for us.”The challenge coming up for the players is highlighted by the fact that the first ODI on November 27 comes just two days after those coming from the UAE will have completed their quarantine, which means the Australians will only gather as a full squad on the eve of the series.Hohns remained hopeful that it might be possible for some movement between international and BBL bubbles to enable players not in the Test XI to keep playing cricket but conceded it could prove too difficult.”We’ll have a look at any players we might be able to release to Big Bash. It will be harder [than normal], but team management are working through that and seeing what we can and can’t do. It would be ideal, but at the moment nothing is ideal so we have to go with the flow and work on things as they crop up.”
Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku revealed if he plans to return to his former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Nkunku addresses PSG return rumoursFighting for his place at ChelseaBlues face Liverpool on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Nkunku graduated from PSG's youth system and made his senior debut for the club in 2015. He spent four years in the French capital and made 78 appearances across all competitions for the Ligue 1 giants before moving to RB Leipzig in 2019. In the summer of 2023, the France international joined the Blues for £53m (€60m).
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite making a much-hyped move to the Premier League, the attacker has failed to live up to the expectations. In his maiden season at Stamford Bridge, an injury kept him out of action for the majority of the campaign and limited his appearances for Chelsea to just 14 matches. In the current season, he is fighting for a permanent place in Enzo Maresca's side and has started just once in the seven Premier League matches the club have played thus far.
WHAT CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU SAID
When asked if he plans to move back to Paris and rejoin his former team, Nkunku told Telefoot, "PSG remains a big club, but there has not been one approach."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
The West London side will be back in action in the Premier League this Sunday as they take on league leaders Liverpool in a crunch encounter at Anfield.
Liverpool are reportedly set to make "more than £60 million a season" with a new adidas kit deal which is likely to be worth twice as much as Nike.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Liverpool to end ties with NikeSet to ink a new contract with AdidasHad previously worn an Adidas kit back in 2012Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Liverpool will officially part ways with Nike and begin a fresh partnership with Adidas next summer after spending five years with the American sports behemoth. This new deal is expected to provide a considerable financial boost, likely doubling the income generated from their current contract for the next five years. While the exact value of the Adidas contract remains difficult to pin down, it will be heavily influenced by performance incentives tied to shirt sales and the team’s success on the pitch.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Under the current terms of the Nike deal, Liverpool are set to pocket a guaranteed £30m ($38m) per year, alongside a 20% royalty on the net sales of club merchandise. Nike's strategy to boost Liverpool’s global brand recognition also included leveraging their high-profile roster of ambassadors, including NBA star LeBron James, as well as tennis legend Serena Williams and rap sensation Drake. It is believed that the influencer-backed promotions helped elevate the overall value of the deal, with annual earnings from Nike rising to approximately £60m ($77m).
DID YOU KNOW?
Liverpool's new Adidas deal will place them among the top earners in terms of kit sponsorships, putting them in a competitive position with other Premier League powerhouses. Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea currently enjoy kit deals ranging from £60m ($77m) to £65m ($84m) per season, while Manchester United leads the pack with a record-breaking £90m ($116m) annual deal from Adidas.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
This will not be the first time Liverpool have donned Adidas gear. The club have a rich history with the German sportswear brand, having previously partnered with them from 1985 to 1996 and again from 2006 to 2012. Adidas has now successfully fended off competition from both Nike and Puma to secure this new agreement, which brings the two organisations back together in what is expected to be one of the most financially rewarding kit deals in Premier League history.
“”I think with the ball we were not that effective. We just didn’t hit the areas that we wanted to consistently.”
Sidharth Monga29-Nov-20202:15
We need to accept that Australia played better cricket – Rahul
India’s captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain KL Rahul have both admitted that the team needs to get better on flat batting wickets, following their series defeat to Australia.India conceded 374 and 389 on consecutive games, leaving their batsmen unrealistic targets to chase. Over a patchy press conference line, Rahul sought to defend his bowlers – “struggle is not the right word” – but did accept that they needed to get smarter when faced with such flat tracks.”I wouldn’t agree with you when you say it is struggling,” Rahul said. “The challenge for bowlers is to adapt quickly. Sometimes you have to sit back and accept that the opposition batsmen have played really well. We haven’t done a whole lot wrong but it is a learning for us to sit back and think of how we can do better when we play on such good batting wickets.”The mood in the camp has been, and is, still very positive. Sometimes as teams you learn to accept that the opposition played better cricket. It is home conditions for them. They plated better cricket. We have played 50-over cricket after a long long time so yeah still a long way to go on the tour. But we are doing a lot of things right. Just need to learn how to bowl better on such beautiful batting surfaces. That is the learning. Not a lot we have done wrong. So we need to get better with our skills and execution and need to figure out what best can we do on such wickets.”One of the bowlers you expect to adapt quickly is Japsrit Bumrah, but he has now taken just three wickets in eight ODIs this year, averaging 146.33. However, Bumrah has shown time and again that he can turn slow starts around spectacularly. Rahul expects more of the same.”Look, we all know Jasprit is quite fiery and he is very very competitive on the field,” Rahul said of the bowler’s show of frustration on the field. “And he has very high expectations of himself. And New Zealand was a long long time ago. I am sure he sets the bar very high… he means a lot to this team and to this set-up and we know the value of Japsrit.”It is about time a champion player like that will come back and deliver and get wickets for us. You also have to understand that New Zealand and Australia, the wickets are so good to bat on. You will see top bowlers not getting wickets [once in a while]. So that is acceptable.”Kohli asked for better execution of plans for longer periods from his players.”We were completely outplayed,” he said at the post-match presentation. “I think with the ball we were not that effective. We just didn’t hit the areas that we wanted to consistently. And they have got a pretty strong batting line-up, and they understand these conditions and pitches and the angles on the field well.”We had to bowl in one area for long enough, and we didn’t. We got to 340 and still fell short by 50 so the chase always felt a bit too steep. The areas they bowl, invariably they were in the position that some chances would be created. They used the dimensions of the field pretty well, which we unfortunately did not.”One bright spot for India was that Hardik Pandya returned to the bowling crease sooner than expected. He was introduced “out of nowhere”. Kohli just asked him how he felt about bowling, and Pandya said he felt okay for two overs, but ended up bowling four. Both the captains acknowledged that in the process he gave away the blueprint of bowling cutters into the pitch to the Australia bowlers.”Refreshing, isn’t it?” Rahul said of Pandya’s comeback. “If he starts bowling, then it is a load off the skipper and the team. We need allrounders for the team balance balance. He quite enjoyed it himself. He loves to get into contests and he is itching to go.”
One of the many special things about Manchester United Football Club is the legendary centre-backs they have had at the club. Throughout the Premier League era, and before, there have been some truly iconic central defenders at the Old Trafford club, who have all played a huge part in their successes.
At the start of the Premier League era, Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister were the go-to pairing for Sir Alex Ferguson. Bruce played 398 games for the Red Devils, with Pallister notching up 424 games for the legendary club. They played 307 games at the heart of United’s defence together.
Jaap Stam was a pivotal figure for the Red Devils in their remarkable treble-winning campaign of 1999. He featured 127 times for United in total and helped his side to win three consecutive Premier League titles which included the treble.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic formed a legendary partnership for United playing 197 times together. Ferdinand pulled on that famous red shirt 455 times, and Vidic made 300 appearances for United, as they won multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League.
Recently, United have been linked with another centre-back who could end up being the next iconic name on that illustrious list.
Man Utd targetting new centre-back
The player in question here is Bayern Munich and the Netherlands international defender Matthijs de Ligt. The 24-year-old former Ajax man has struggled to settle in at Bayern since joining the club two years ago and could leave Bavaria this summer, with Old Trafford a potential destination.
According to a report from highly reputable journalist David Ornstein, INEOS are 'seriously considering' a move for De Ligt, who is thought to have been 'on the Old Trafford radar' since he broke through at Ajax, and again when he moved to Juventus in the summer of 2019.
De Ligt
As per the report from Ornstein, United’s interest in De Ligt is 'matched by that of manager Erik ten Hag', who previously coached him at Ajax, when the defender first broke through as a teenage prodigy. Ornstein explains that Ten Hag 'would welcome a reunion with his former captain.
According to a prior report from Sky Germany, Bayern would want a transfer fee of £42m, which seems reasonable given he still has three years left on his current contract, as Ornstein points out in his report.
Why De Ligt could replace Vidic
The Dutch international is a player who is highly thought of by Ten Hag. During an interview in 2019, he claimed his Ajax team played such courageous and creative football “because De Ligt is our captain”, high praise for a 19-year-old leading his boyhood club out. He was a player Ten Hag brought through and enjoyed a fantastic time under United’s manager with the Dutch giants.
Competition
Games
Minutes
Eredivisie
48
4320
Champions League
11
990
Champions League qualifiers
6
540
TOTO KNVB Beker
5
380
Total
70
6230
Indeed, it is that leadership element of his game that United could add more of to their side. The likes of Vidic are few and far between in the squad now, from both a leadership and defending point of view, but it is something that De Ligt could bring back to Old Trafford.
For Ten Hag to make the Bayern Munich defender his captain at Ajax aged just 19 years old, speaks volumes about just how highly he rates him. In fact, this can be linked to praise Vidic has received in the past, from legendary midfielder Paul Scholes. The former United number 18 explained that Vidic was a “natural for the role of captain”, before explaining that he is superb at “leading from the front”, similar praise to what De Ligt received from Ten Hag.
However, it is not just here where the similarities between the two end. Both players have received high praise about their defending in the past from former managers. On De Ligt, Ten Hag explained how he “loves the art of defending”, with Sir Alex Ferguson posing the question “how many centre-halves can you name who actually like defending?”, before explaining that “Vidic liked it”.
Indeed, there are similarities between the two as defenders. They are both 6 foot 2 centre-backs who are not afraid of a crunching tackle and are both superb in the air. Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard called him a "monster" for a reason. In fact, as per FBref, De Ligt wins an average of 2.47 aerial duels per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 28% of defenders across Europe.
On the ball, De Ligt is a progressive defender, who ranks in the top 10% for progressive passes per 90 minutes, with 5.57. Not only that, the 24-year-old’s pass completion rate of 93.1% is among the best, ranking him in the top 4% of defenders.
The Dutchman, who earns £260k-per-week, as per Capology, did not feature much feature much for Bayern last season, under former manager Thomas Tuchel. He played just 30 times in all competitions, with 22 of those games coming in the Bundesliga.
He helped to keep seven clean sheets in the German top flight, in what proved to be a disastrous season for the German giants. Bayern failed to win the Bundesliga for the first time in a decade, famously losing out to one of the all-time great German sides, an invincible Bayer Leverkusen managed by Bayern legend Xabi Alonso.
Manchester United transfer target Matthijs de Ligt in action for Bayern Munich.
Another concerning factor for United should they sign De Ligt is the constant injury issues he has endured. It is no secret that the Red Devils suffered injuries right throughout the squad all of last season, and De Ligt himself missed 20 games, mainly with a recurring knee ligament injury. That is certainly something United must be careful of.
However, on the face of things, this seems like a smart signing. They would add experience and leadership to a squad largely devoid of it, as well as a classic defender who loves to get stuck into the opposition; in many ways, they would finally be replacing the legendary Serbian defender Vidic.
For a reported fee of just £42m, it could be an excellent piece of business for the Red Devils and INEOS this summer, and one that sets them up for a big season under Ten Hag.
Man Utd plot concrete move for their own Van Dijk in £42m talent
Erik ten Hag is a huge admirer of the Dutch international.