Tag Futebol

Veteran all-rounder Ravi Bopara hit an unbeaten 56 from 42 deliveries as Northamptonshire Steelbacks made a winning start to their Vitality Blast campaign in a final-ball thriller against Derbyshire Falcons.Former England all-rounder Bopara, 39, shared a partnership of 67 from 52 balls with 38-year-old Zimbabwe international Sikandar Raza – both making their experience count on their Blast debuts for the Steelbacks.Although Raza (38 from 27) fell to Zak Chappell with 25 still needed, Bopara – a Blast winner with Essex in 2019 – kept his head to steer Northamptonshire over the line along with Lewis McManus, who levelled the scores with a boundary off Luis Reece and struck the final ball for a single.Earlier, David Lloyd had top-scored for the Falcons with 41 from 22 as they posted 162 for 7 at Wantage Road, with Steelbacks skipper David Willey taking 1 for 17 from four overs.Teenage seamer Raphy Weatherall, one of three other T20 debutants for the Steelbacks, made the initial breakthrough after Derbyshire had been inserted, with Harry Came chipping his second ball tamely to midwicket.It was a tougher start for another of that quintet, former Falcons seamer George Scrimshaw, whose first over disappeared for 17 as Lloyd gave the visitors’ innings some impetus during the powerplay.Lloyd and Reece added 55 from 32 before the medium pace of Bopara (1 for 21) stifled the scoring rate along with left-arm spinner Freddie Heldreich, who claimed the key wicket of Lloyd as he mistimed a reverse sweep to point.But Willey looked unplayable at times, bowling tightly throughout his four overs and capturing wickets from successive deliveries as he ripped out Brooke Guest’s leg stump before having Ross Whiteley caught behind.Wayne Madsen (37 from 33) was bowled by Scrimshaw’s slower ball to reduce Derbyshire to 123 for seven, but they were lifted again by Chappell, who promptly belted his first two deliveries over the fence.With Northamptonshire’s laborious over rate forcing them to bring in an extra fielder for the final 15 balls, Chappell (18 not out from nine) and Alex Thomson (22*) gave their side something to defend.Northamptonshire stuttered at the start of their reply, with Pat Brown having South Africa international Matthew Breetzke caught at midwicket by the diving Reece and Willey skying Chappell into the hands of backward point.Ricardo Vasconcelos – whose unbeaten hundred had saved his side from defeat in their last Championship game – seemed to have transferred that form to the Blast with a knock of 42 from 31, punching two boundaries from Blair Tickner and slog-sweeping Thomson out of the ground.But the wily Brown tempted him to hole out to deep extra cover and it was left to Bopara and Raza to rebuild the innings, whittling the target down until the latter suddenly upped the ante, blazing Brown for enormous sixes in successive balls.Although Chappell had Raza caught at mid-off, Bopara bludgeoned Tickner for a straight maximum before Brown (three for 33) gave away just four in the penultimate over to leave the Steelbacks needing 14 from the last.But Bopara slammed the first of those six balls over the midwicket fence to bring up his fifty before McManus applied the finishing touch.

MatériaMais Notícias

De férias no Qatar para acompanhar os jogos da Copa do Mundo, Germán Cano esteve nesta sexta-feira comEdnaldo Rodrigues, presidente da CBF. O atacante assistiu àvitória do Brasil em cima da Sérvia por 2 a 0e foi presenteado com uma camisa da Seleção.

RelacionadasFora de CampoHerói da Seleção na estreia da Copa, Richarlison é titular nas causas sociais no BrasilFora de Campo25/11/2022FluminenseSAF, Laranjeiras, voto online entre outras; confira as propostas dos candidatos à presidência do FluminenseFluminense25/11/2022FluminenseFluminense define novo presidente para o próximo triênio; confira informações sobre a eleiçãoFluminense24/11/2022

+Neymar fora da fase de grupos: relembre outras lesões que o atrapalharam na Seleção

O encontro da dupla gerou muita repercussão nas redes sociais. O artilheiro estava acompanhado da esposa e do filho Lorenzo, motivo responsável pelo “L” na comemoração dos gols do centroavante.

+SAF, Laranjeiras, voto online entre outras; confira as propostas dos candidatos à presidência do Fluminense

-Felicidade enorme encontrar o Cano. Ele fez uma temporada maravilhosa e merece toda a admiração. Durante o seu tempo no Brasil, conquistou os torcedores pela sua simplicidade e belos gols – disse Ednaldo Pereira.

Artilheiro do Brasileirão e do Fluminense na temporada, Cano foi um dos destaques do futebol brasileiro neste ano e muitos acreditavam que seria convocado para Argentina na Copa. Com 44 gols em 2022, teve seu contrato renovado até dezembro de 2025.

England piled up 364 before Topley ripped through Bangladesh’s top order to set up a comfortable win

Alan Gardner10-Oct-2023
Defending champions England produced an emphatic response to defeat in their opening World Cup match, crushing Bangladesh by 137 runs in Dharamsala to get their tournament up and running. A total of 364 for 9 was underpinned by Dawid Malan’s maiden World Cup hundred – and fourth this calendar year – before the returning Reece Topley ripped through the top order as Bangladesh faltered in the foothills of what would have been a record chase.Asked to make the running at the picturesque HPCA Stadium, backdropped by the Himalayas, England showed an appetite for the climb. Malan and Jonny Bairstow set off at a steady canter in recording their first century stand as openers, before the former was joined by Joe Root in a clockwork-smooth partnership of 151 in 19.3 overs to give England a formidable platform going into the latter stages – at which point they stumbled against Bangladesh’s death-bowling smarts, Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan claiming regular wickets.Related

Bangladesh's Plan A(wry) – 'No excuses,' says shaken Taskin

Sam Curran 'thankful' to leave 'pretty bad' Dharamsala outfield unscathed

Topley relieved England stuck to their attack first ask questions later ODI blueprint

Malan hits the gear he knew he had, but others hadn't seen

In World Cups, pressure comes with the territory. It's what makes winning sweet

But despite an England slide of 7 for 68 from the final 10.3 overs, Bangladesh were still left with an asking rate of more than seven an over – and a target well in excess of their highest total batting second in ODIs. The challenge swiftly became steeper still, as Topley struck with his fourth, fifth and 16th balls, leaving Bangladesh tottering on 26 for 3, a scoreline that soon became 49 for 4 as Chris Woakes recovered from an expensive start.Although Litton Das, who began the chase by striking Woakes for three consecutive fours, and Mushfiqur Rahim produced half-centuries, their partnership of 72 at close to a run a ball only succeeded in adding some respectability to the scorecard. Woakes ended Litton’s hopes of a hundred when his offcutter grazed the outside edge through to Buttler, and when Mushfiqur steered a Topley bouncer to deep third, the Bangladesh innings had become a quest to limit the damage on net run rate.Bangladesh get over-rate fine

Bangladesh have been fined 5% of their match fee for being one over behind the required over rate against England, after taking into account time allowances. As per the regulations, teams are fined 5% for every over they are found to be short. Shakib Al Hasan accepted the sanction, levied by match referee Javagal Srinath, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
Bangladesh also bowled with only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle to finish England’s innings, in keeping with the new regulations on in-game penalties.

The margin of victory was a comfort to England, whose standing and confidence had taken a dent following their thumping in Ahmedabad. Again they were inserted after losing the toss, but this time the top order more than produced the goods – if not with the overt aggression Jos Buttler had spoken of after defeat to New Zealand, then via a cold-blooded certainty in their methods.No one in the current XI does cold-blooded certainty better than Malan, whose imperious form has seen him go from spare part to first pick in a matter of months. His fourth ball, from Mustafizur Rahman, was stroked through extra cover for four and he proceeded to unload his full repertoire of pulls, flicks and slog-sweeps during the course of his 107-ball stay, which was a masterclass in acceleration.Bangladesh thought he should have been given out caught behind in single-figures, only for DRS to confirm Ahsan Raza’s on-field call after a Mustafizur bouncer flicked his shoulder on the way through. That was as close as Bangladesh came to taking a wicket in the opening powerplay, as Malan responded by driving for four and then swinging his first six over deep backward square; two overs later, Mustafizur was pulled into the crowd at deep midwicket and flipped down the ground in another crisp one-two as England’s tempo began to increase, leaving them well placed on 61 for 0 after ten.Reece Topley was too hot to handle for the Bangladesh top-order batters•Getty ImagesAs Malan moved to a 39-ball fifty, with 40 of his runs coming in boundaries, Bairstow was able to play a little more circumspectly. Nevertheless, he marked his 100th ODI appearance with a first half-century in the format since July 2022, before having his leg stump shivered by Shakib Al Hasan to give Bangladesh a much-needed breakthrough.There was no respite, however, with Shakib the only bowler to exert any control. Root was quickly into his groove, ending a five-over spell without a boundary by ramping Mustafizur for six over fine leg and then reverse-paddling Shakib for four. At the other end, Malan continued to bear down on three figures – for the sixth time in 23 ODI appearances – bringing up the landmark with a push into the covers off Shakib. In doing so, he became the oldest Englishman to score a World Cup hundred.In the next over, Malan crashed Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a sequence of 4, 6, 6, 4, before Root notched his second consecutive fifty of the tournament, from 44 balls, as England looked to turn the screw. Root surpassed Graham Gooch as his country’s leading run-scorer in World Cups, before another pull, off Taskin Ahmed, brought Malan his fifth six. But thoughts he might eclipse another England record – Andrew Strauss’ innings of 158 at Bengaluru – were ended when Mahedi was rewarded for tossing the ball up.With England cruising through the middle powerplay, scoring at 7.9 runs per over, it seemed as if they were on course to post the second 400-plus score of the tournament – and Malan’s dismissal only brought Buttler to the crease, in the mood for carnage. The captain never found his timing during a frenetic 20 off 10, however, and his dismissal to Shoriful, dragging a wide knuckleball on to his stumps, in the 40th over set the stage for a belated Bangladesh fightback with the ball.Shoriful’s variations did for Root – caught behind heaving at another knuckleball – and Liam Livingstone, who lost his off stump to a cutter. Harry Brook, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid all fell to Mahedi as an otherwise dominant innings ended with a bout of ungainly thrashing.Bangladesh had chalked up a win chasing against Afghanistan in their first game on this ground, but this was a completely different beast. Topley, making his World Cup debut after replacing Moeen Ali in the XI, shredded their chances by having Tanzid Hasan edge to second slip and Najmul Hossain Shanto taken at backward point from consecutive balls, before producing a peach of a delivery to skelp Shakib’s off bail and effectively end the game as a contest. Bangladesh eventually battled through to the 49th over, as England’s bowlers got a thorough workout – such was their level of comfort, there was barely any need to worry about the state of the outfield as the World Cup-holders avoided being tripped up again.

Ireland international Harry Tector adds quick-fire 86 to compound Derbyshire’s woes

ECB Reporters Network01-Aug-2023In-form Ollie Price registered his maiden List-A hundred to steer Gloucestershire to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Derbyshire in their opening Metro Bank One-Day Cup fixture at the Cheltenham Festival.Price carved out an authoritative 116 not out and shared in stands of 142 with debutant Harry Tector and 108 with Jack Taylor for the third and fifth wickets respectively as Gloucestershire chased down a target of 299 with 6.4 overs in hand.Signed for just one game, 23-year-old Ireland international Tector made the most of his only opportunity to impress a substantial Festival audience, scoring a startling 86 from 69 balls, while Taylor finished unbeaten on 51.Pakistan batter Haider Ali had earlier top-scored with 82 and opener Luis Reece hit 50 as Derbyshire posted 298 for 9 after losing the toss, Paul van Meekeren claiming 4 for 66 and Zaman Akhter 3 for 56 to enable Gloucestershire to keep a lid on things.Required to score at 5.98 an over, Gloucestershire made a poor start to their reply, Sam Connors sweeping up openers Ben Charlesworth and Chris Dent in the space of four deliveries from the College Lawn End to reduce the home side to 16 for 2 in the third over.Fresh from representing Ireland against Scotland in a T20 international in Edinburgh three days earlier, Tector took a challenging situation firmly in his stride, scoring at a run-a-ball from the outset to set a defiant tone.Taking advantage of a short boundary at the famous old College Ground, the Dubliner produced an innings of controlled aggression to raise 50 from 52 balls before tucking into Mark Watt’s slow left arm as he pressed on the accelerator.He and Price staged a 100 partnership in 92 balls and, by the time his electrifying innings was terminated by David Lloyd, who had him held at mid-on in the 23rd over, Tector had plundered eight fours and four sixes and given Gloucestershire the upper hand.With a further 141 required at 5.2 an over, Price took it upon himself to see the job through, going to his hundred from 101 balls, a landmark that elicited a standing ovation from all who witnessed it. James Bracey was bowled by Alex Thomson for 23, but Taylor remained at large for long enough to raise a 45-ball 50 and confirm his return to form.These two were still there at the end, Price having faced 115 deliveries and amassed 13 fours to continue his outstanding run of form at the College Ground.Put in to bat, Derbyshire were afforded a super-charged start by openers Reece and Harry Came, who mustered a blaze of boundaries in posting a progressive stand of 71 in 11.1 overs. Josh Shaw and Ajeet Singh Dale proved expensive with the new ball, the visitors rushing to 50 from 51 balls.Severe on anything short or wide, the openers helped themselves to 12 fours and a six, scoring 54 runs in boundaries to take the wind out of Gloucestershire sails. With runs coming too easily, the home side introduced slow left armer Zafar Gohar and experienced paceman van Meekeren in an attempt to apply the brakes.Came had raised 40 from 32 balls and had his eyes trained firmly on a half century when he was bowled by van Meekeren, who then made good the breakthrough by persuading Lloyd to chip to mid-wicket in an incisive five-over spell of 2 got 28.Reece mustered further belligerence in scoring 50 from 58 balls, with eight fours and a six, only to pull Zafar to deep backward square as the Pakistani produced a wicket maiden to reduce the visitors to 101-3 in the nineteenth over.Required to rebuild the innings, Haider and Brooke Guest advanced the score to 140 for 3 at the halfway stage, the 50 partnership occupying 53 balls. These two plundered 29 off three overs of off spin from Ollie Price to give their alliance momentum, Haider collecting a half-century in the process. Content to play a supporting role, Guest contributed a 48-ball 43 in a stand of 104 that served to put Derbyshire back on track.It was Derbyshire’s first hundred stand in any one-day match played at Cheltenham and Gloucestershire were sorely in need of relief by the time Guest pulled the returning van Meekeren to mid-wicket and Zaman Akhter removed Anuj Dal. But while Haider remained at large, anything still seemed possible for the East Midlands county.Having straight-driven and pulled Akhter for four and six in successive balls, the Pakistani international allowed complacency to creep in, chipping the same bowler to mid-wicket and departing for 80. He had faced 65 balls and accrued eight fours and three sixes and, with him, went Derbyshire’s best chance to posting a truly imposing total.Tom Wood struck 28 and Watt 22 not out as the final 10 overs yielded 69 runs, but there was a feeling that the visitors could and should have done better. For their part, Gloucestershire were indebted to van Meekeren and Zafar, who returned figures of 4 for 66 and 1 for 30 respectively, the latter sending down a remarkable 40 dot balls in his 10 overs.

Spinner overcomes groin strain to play crucial role in England’s thrilling victory at The Oval

Matt Roller31-Jul-2023

Moeen Ali has confirmed that his 68th Test was also his last, after taking three final-day wickets in England’s dramatic 49-run over Australia at the Kia Oval to square the 2023 Ashes series two-all.Moeen was sent an SOS message by Ben Stokes – which read ‘Ashes?’ – when Jack Leach, England’s first-choice spinner, was ruled out of the summer with a lower-back stress fracture in the days before the series. After initially thinking it was a joke, he decided to reverse his retirement from Test cricket, having initially quit the format in September 2021.But he insisted that he has now retired for good, telling Sky Sports in the aftermath of England’s victory: “If Stokesy messages me again, I’m going to delete it. That’s me done. I really have enjoyed it, and it’s great to finish on it.””It feels amazing,” Moeen added, speaking to the BBC’s . “To come back was a little bit daunting actually, because I’ve never played that well against Australia. It was one of those things where, when Stokesy asked me, I thought, ‘why not? I’m going to go into a brilliant side and I still believe I can do alright’.”Related

Moeen Ali, England's silent warrior, gloriously walks into sunset once more

From 'team man' to poster boy – Woakes finally commands the spotlight

Ben Stokes: 'Hope we've inspired a new generation of Test fans'

Moeen Ali feels the pain, but should the finger be pointed at England?

'The Ashes is huge' – Fried chicken and vibes herald Moeen Ali's return

Moeen’s comeback started with him splitting his spinning finger open while bowling in England’s defeat at Edgbaston, and he was left out of the second Test at Lord’s as Stokes opted for an all-seam attack.His spinning finger healed after an England supporter sent him a honey-based wound gel and he had a significant impact across the final three Tests, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith at Headingley before volunteering to bat No. 3 in the second innings.He scored 54 in that new role in Manchester, then injured his groin while batting on the first day of fifth Test at The Oval. As a result, he did not bowl a ball in Australia’s first innings and shifted down to No. 7 in England’s second innings – but he then took 3 for 76 in 23 overs in Australia’s second innings to turn the Test in England’s favour.Moeen Ali batted at No.3 until a groin injury•Getty Images

“I’m so glad I came back and said yes,” Moeen added. “Just from the first day I came into the changing room [under] Baz and Stokesy, to play again and be part of this team with Jimmy and Broady, these guys, when I started they were there.”It’s been amazing. I’m chuffed that I can finish with a win against Australia and played a little bit of a helping hand. I’ve had a good run and I’ve really enjoyed playing Test cricket for England and representing everybody in this country.”Moeen’s dismissal of Travis Head, caught at slip after edging a sharply-spun offbreak, started an Australian collapse of 4 for 11 in 19 balls after tea on the final day. “It was nice. I felt like I was a little bit short at him and then I tried one a little bit fuller, a little bit wider,” he said.”As soon as it left my hand, I knew it was a decent ball on this wicket. The period of four overs, four wickets, was amazing. It lifted everybody in the whole ground. It was so loud – an amazing atmosphere.”Moeen finished the series with 180 runs at 25.71 in his four Tests, and nine wickets at 51.44. Across his career, his batting and bowling averages were 28.12 and 37.31 respectively; during the Manchester Test, he became only the 16th man to complete the double of 3,000 Test runs and 200 wickets.

There have not been many positives this season for Glasgow Rangers. The Ibrox side won’t win any domestic silverware, trailing their arch-rivals by 16 points in the Premiership title race, also being knocked out of the Scottish and League Cups.

Barry Ferguson did mastermind a 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League first leg of their last-16 clash, but even the most optimistic Rangers supporter will feel glory in Europe is beyond them.

Vaclav Cerny has been a hit since joining the club on loan from Wolfsburg, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, although finances will likely prevent the Gers from securing his signature on a permanent basis.

Hamza Igamane has also been another bright spark for the club. Costing just £1.7m from Moroccan side AS FAR last summer, the 22-year-old has since netted 13 goals in all competitions, despite this season being the first outside his native Africa.

One of the most underrated players since he returned to the starting XI in October has been Nico Raskin.

The Belgian has missed only two games between September and the time of writing, establishing himself as a key member of the team.

How Nico Raskin has grown in importance at Ibrox

Against Celtic at the start of the year, Raskin was given the captaincy due to James Tavernier missing the game through injury.

During the 3-0 victory, Raskin provided an assist while also making two key passes, creating a big chance and winning 60% of his ground duels throughout the game.

He controlled the midfield, making four interceptions and three tackles which nullified Celtic and contributed to the stunning Old Firm win.

The midfielder has struggled with his injury problems during his first year or so at the club, but his performances this season have proved he is now indispensable to any future success at Ibrox.

Raskin may not offer too much in the final third, but in terms of providing effective support in the heart of the midfield, he has been crucial.

In the Premiership, the Belgian has averaged 3.6 tackles per game, along with averaging 7.8 ball recoveries, 1.6 interceptions and 1.4 clearances each match in the top flight.

If he continues this current form until the end of the campaign, the new manager might have to fend off interest from other clubs this summer.

Indeed, these impressive performances for the Light Blues have seen Raskin’s market value soar since joining the club.

According to Transfermarkt, the Belgian is currently worth around £5.5m and this value should only continue to rise over the coming months ahead of the summer transfer window.

He has the highest market valuation in the entire squad apart from Cerny, who will depart this summer once his loan spell ends.

Whoever comes in to take charge of the Gers ahead of the 2025/26 campaign must utilise Raskin in his desired position, as he could be an ideal choice to take over the captaincy from Tavernier, especially following his display against Celtic in January.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Having also starred in continental competition, shining against Fener last week and standing out against Spurs, he’s certainly following in the path of a Europa League hero from a few years ago.

Rangers' European hero is now worth less than Raskin

Joe Aribo may have only been at the club for three seasons, yet he developed from a raw talent to a player who scored in a major European final.

Glimpses of his talent were on show during the Gers title-winning 2020/21 campaign, where he registered 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – as the club went the entire league season undefeated.

From a personal point of view, the following season was even better. Indeed, the Nigeria international scored nine goals while chipping in with ten assists across all competitions, helping the Gers reach the 2022 Europa League final.

He opened the scoring in that match against Eintracht Frankfurt, becoming just the fourth player in the club’s history to score in a European final. Unfortunately, Rangers lost the game on penalties to the German side.

With Giovanni van Bronckhorst needing to raise some funds that summer in order to bring in the players he wanted, a few were moved on.

How Joe Aribo is playing in 2025

Calvin Bassey departed the Ibrox side in 2022, with Ajax signing him for a club-record fee after an impressive campaign.

This bolstered the coffers, but when Southampton came in for Aribo, a deal was concluded that could rise to around £10m, and it was too good to turn down, that’s for sure.

This fee proved to be a significant profit on the midfielder, although they would have a big gap to fill.

Aribo hasn’t exactly proved his worth on the south coast, however, struggling to adapt at times.

The “exceptional” gem – as so dubbed by his manager Ivan Juric recently – scored just twice for the Saints in his first season.

He helped them secure a place back in the Premier League last term, defeating Leeds United in the playoff final, but they look set to drop back down into the second tier.

Now part of a team that could end with the fewest points in Premier League history, Aribo has netted three top-flight goals. As a result, his value has decreased since making his move south of the border three years ago.

Now, according to Transfermarkt, Aribo is currently worth £5m and if he fails to perform in the Championship next term, this could drop even lower.

This valuation is even lower than Raskin’s at the time of writing, indicating that the Gers have struck gold by selling Aribo when they did, maximising the best possible transfer fee for the former Charlton Athletic midfielder.

The new manager will be aiming to bring in his own players for cheap, before making millions on them after a few years at Ibrox. That’s a certainty.

49ers must move on Rangers star who earns more than Raskin & Hagi

Rangers should move on from the reportedly highly-paid star in the summer window.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 10, 2025

After relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 season, Leeds United dropped into the Championship, with Daniel Farke taking over as manager at Elland Road.

Countless players departed the club during the German’s first summer at the helm, giving him a tricky task to assemble a side that was good enough to challenge for promotion.

However, the Whites excelled throughout last season, producing numerous superb performances, including the 2-1 win against fellow title challengers Leicester City.

Ultimately, Farke’s side would fall at the final hurdle, losing 1-0 in the play-off final against Southampton at Wembley, with the boss once again losing key players after their failure to secure an immediate top-flight return.

One of those players caught the eye massively during the 2023/24 campaign, thriving with added minutes in the Championship and playing a huge role in their ability to get so close to promotion.

Crysencio Summerville’s stats for Leeds in 2023/24

Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville joined Leeds way back in 2021 but would have to bide his time to make a first-team impact, subsequently joining up with the academy side in Yorkshire.

The 2022/23 season would be his breakthrough year, featuring 33 times across all competitions but notching just four goals and being unable to prevent the club from dropping into the second tier.

However, relegation would be a blessing for his career, finally stepping up to the plate and registering 20 goals and nine assists in 46 league outings last campaign – subsequently claiming the Championship Player of the Year award.

Such form, coupled with the club’s failure to secure promotion, would see the 23-year-old leave Elland Road in a £25m deal to join West Ham United over the summer, banking the hierarchy a huge profit but also losing one of their star performers.

He’s since been unable to match such high levels of performance during his time in the capital, currently being outscored by one player who failed to deliver during his own stint in Yorkshire.

The former Leeds flop who’s outscored Summerville in 2024/25

Striker Eddie Nketiah joined Leeds on loan from Arsenal back in the promotion-winning campaign of 2019/20 but was ultimately unable to dislodge Patrick Bamford from the number nine role at Elland Road.

Marcelo Bielsa opted for the former fan-favourite over the loanee, restricting the young star to minutes off the bench or even cup minutes for his game time – starting just two Championship outings.

The now 25-year-old would score five times in his 19 appearances before having his move cut short and returning to the Emirates halfway through his season-long loan.

He’s since enjoyed multiple impressive seasons for the Gunners, notching four times in the same season as he was recalled, offering a key option in forward areas for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Nketiah continued in such vein for numerous years, scoring 31 times over the following four years, playing a key role in their attempts to end their own drought for a league triumph.

Arguably, his most impressive display came in the demolition of Sheffield United last season, scoring a hat-trick as he looked to become the Gunners’ main man at the top end of the pitch.

2019/20

17

4

0

2020/21

29

6

1

2021/22

27

10

1

2022/23

39

9

1

2023/24

37

6

3

2024/25

24

4

1

Total:

173

39

7

However, he was unable to do so, leaving in a £30m deal to join Crystal Palace last summer, but has once again struggled for starts, but has still managed to post a higher goalscoring tally than Summerville.

The former Leeds loanee has only started nine times for the Eagles across 2024/25, but has registered four goals in all competitions – a figure higher than that of the Dutchman, who’s only managed to find the net on one occasion.

There’s no denying both players are huge talents, possessing the skillset to make them top talents in the Premier League – showcasing their development after their respective periods in Yorkshire.

As for Nketiah, he’s demonstrated that football is a game of opinions, certainly proving numerous doubters wrong and putting his career in the right direction after his stop-start loan spell under Bielsa.

He's now more prolific than Piroe: Leeds must rue selling magnificent star

The former Leeds United star is now a free-scoring £8.3m-rated centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Mar 3, 2025

A very audacious claim has surfaced from Europe, with Arsenal believed to be closing in on the signing of a forward for manager Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal suffer attacking shortage after injuries to first team stars

The Gunners were forced to line up with a front three of previously unfancied loanee Raheem Sterling, highly-rated teenager Ethan Nwaneri and usual super sub Leandro Trossard against Leicester City this afternoon – eventually calling on Mikel Merino to settle the match.

Arsenal contact "exciting" forward's reps ahead of potential free move

The Gunners have opened talks with agents.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 15, 2025

Kai Havertz is set to miss the remainder of 2024/2025 after tearing his hamstring on a training camp trip to Dubai, and Gabriel Jesus is also out for the rest of this Premier League campaign with a ruptured ACL.

With Jesus not back until next season alongside Havertz, Arteta’s only real striking option for the foreseeable is Sterling, and the former Man City star must now prove why Arsenal elected to sign him on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea last summer.

Arteta refused to rule out signing a free agent for Arsenal, before their match at the King Power Stadium, but the options at their disposal in that regard are barren, to say the least.

Interim sporting director Jason Ayto and co will be very eager to ensure that Arsenal are not thrust into a position where they’re this short on attackers next campaign, as they will be looking to mount another Premier League title challenge.

In terms of their top forward targets, one name who’s refusing to go away is Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams.

The £200,000-per-week Spain star played a major role in his country’s run to Euro 2024 glory last year, after he bagged a very impressive 19 assists in all competitions for Bilbao last season.

He hasn’t exactly matched that figure so far this term, but the 22-year-old remains a player high on the their radar heading into this summer. Reports suggest that Arsenal are prepared to pay Williams’ £48 million release clause, with Spanish news outlet Carpetas Blaugranas now making a very bold claim of their own.

Nico Williams decides to join Arsenal with signing "imminent"

According to their information, Williams has “already made” his decision to join Arsenal this summer. They write that his signing is “imminent” and could become official “in the coming days” – which comes as quite the statement.

This follows an accelerated effort by the north Londoners to land him “in recent days”, with Arteta viewing him as a “key” potential addition at N5. Carpetas Blaugranas adds that only the “official confirmation” is missing, as Arsenal beat Barcelona in the race for his signature.

The news website appear convinced that Williams is set to make a move to the Emirates Stadium, and it is believed the opportunity to play Premier League football has proved “decisive” in his thinking.

Williams is also said to have informed Spain teammate Yamine Lamal of this looming Arsenal move. Time will tell whether the Basque-native does end up in Arteta’s clutches, but the prospect of him putting pen to paper is a very enticing one.

As they prepare to square off against Leeds United with closing the gap on the Championship leaders in mind, one Sunderland star has taken a key step towards returning from a lengthy absence.

Sunderland injury news

The Black Cats maintained their push for promotion last time out, returning to winning ways by defeating a struggling Luton Town side to stay within five points of Sheffield United in the automatic promotion spot and seven behind leaders Leeds.

That seven point gap makes this weekend’s clash all the more interesting, of course. Win at Elland Road and Regis Le Bris’ side will be just four points behind the Whites with just 14 games remaining in the Championship – setting up an intense race for automatic promotion.

Defeat, meanwhile, could all but end Sunderland’s title hopes and leave them as many as eight points behind automatic promotion, let alone runaway leaders Leeds.

Sunderland have struck gold on star worth more than Bellingham & Le Fee

Sunderland could soon sell on this special star for some mega bucks.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 12, 2025

Ahead of such a crucial tie then, Le Bris will be glad to have been handed a positive update on the injury front. As revealed by Le Bris and relayed by The Northern Echo, Alan Browne has made his return to action with the U21s after missing the last 18 games with a broken leg in what is a key step towards a full comeback.

The summer signing has been out since November, but could finally get the chance to make his mark in the coming weeks alongside Romaine Mundle, who is back in full training.

Le Bris confirmed the news and provided an injury update before Sunderland’s victory over Luton, telling reporters: “Alan is very close, which is good news for us. We need his experience in the dressing room. When a player is missing, you understand how important they are.

“Romaine is training fully with the team, Tommy will need one more week to be in contact training with the team Touch wood, we are very close to having a full squad. Another two or three weeks, we could have a full squad.”

Sunderland returns arriving at perfect time

With just 14 games remaining, Sunderland couldn’t have asked for better news on the injury front as they close in on a full-strength squad at a crucial time. Browne, in particular, will be a welcome return after he missed 18 games through a major injury. Dubbed “important” by Le Bris, the midfielder’s experience could prove to be the key that unlocks promotion.

Meanwhile, the Black Cats still have Jayden Danns to return. The young striker has been injured since arriving with a back injury on loan from Liverpool, but will be desperate to complete his comeback and take full advantage of his opportunity at The Stadium of Light.

As the fixtures come thick and fast, depth will be more important than ever and Sunderland’s returning stars should reflect that. With automatic promotion still out of reach for the Black Cats, it’s set to be 14 games full of drama once again in the Championship.

India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2023, raising questions as to where the tournament might now be held. The development occurred on the day of the BCCI’s annual general meeting in Mumbai, where BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, suggested that next year’s Asia Cup would have to be played at a different venue.”The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue,” Shah told media after the BCCI’s AGM. “I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue.” The new set of BCCI office bearers – the president Roger Binny, treasurer Ashish Shelar and Rajiv Shukla, who was re-elected as board vice-president – were present when Shah spoke to the media.The ACC has not yet met to discuss the matter, let alone for a decision to be officially taken. That has raised questions within the PCB as to which capacity Shah was speaking in on the matter and why he chose to do so at a BCCI AGM. A PCB spokesperson said the board would not be commenting on the matter at this stage but a robust response is not out of the question: there is, for instance, already talk within the board of leaving the ACC. The PCB is expected to write to the ACC about the comments.Shah’s comments could also hold some implication for ICC events, two of which are to be held in India and Pakistan over the next couple of years. India are set to host the 2023 ODI World Cup soon after the Asia Cup and then Pakistan are scheduled to host the 2025 Champions Trophy. If India cannot play in Pakistan and likewise, Pakistan cannot in India, it remains to be seen what impact it has on those tournaments. At the 2016 T20 World Cup, in India, Pakistan required their government’s approval to travel to India and got it only at the last minute. The ICC is unlikely to comment on the issue at the moment.India’s last trip to Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan’s last visit to India was for that 2016 ICC event. Due to strained political relations between the two countries, they have not played any bilateral cricket since Pakistan toured India for a white-ball only series in 2012-13.India and Pakistan last played each other at the 2022 Asia Cup in UAE in August-September this year, and are due to face off in the T20 World Cup in Melbourne on October 23. The atmosphere leading into that game will no doubt be a little more tense now. Within the PCB at least there is unhappiness with the comments, not least that Shah said this in the aftermath of a BCCI AGM, which he presided over as board secretary, having effectively bypassed the ACC as a body.Such a decision, an official said, cannot be made without it being discussed at ACC board level. Indeed, after a meeting in March this year – under Shah’s ACC presidency – it was confirmed that Pakistan would be hosting the Asia Cup. But there is enough unhappiness within the board to contemplate pulling out of the ACC altogether as a member, a body that was set up in the mid-80s – ironically – to ensure productive relations between Asian members.It hasn’t quite worked out that way. Both India and Pakistan have in the past pulled out of previous editions of the Asia Cup and the tournament itself has been cancelled on occasion because of poor ties between India and Pakistan. The last two editions were played in the UAE, which has hosted the tournament four times altogether.The topic of traveling to Pakistan for Asia Cup came up for discussion at the BCCI AGM, where members were told that a decision would be taken based on permission from the Indian government. That point was reiterated by Shukla during an informal chat with the media afterwards. It was at this point that Shah said that India would not be travelling to Pakistan.The BCCI did not hold a formal media briefing, as has been the way in the past. On Tuesday, journalists were told that the office bearers would have an informal chat with the media. Before the chat, the media was asked to submit their phones and instead given notepads.