Newcastle United’s Champions League chase is back on track.

On Sunday, the Magpies beat Nottingham Forest 4-3 in a thoroughly entertaining clash at St James’ Park, with all of the home side’s goals coming during an 11-minute first-half spree; Lewis Miley and Jacob Murphy on target, before Alexander Isak struck twice.

Despite having lost three of their previous four Premier League games beforehand, Eddie Howe’s team have moved back up to fifth, thereby occupying the final Champions League spot, ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup Final dress rehearsal, facing champions-elect Liverpool at Anfield.

The Toon Army certainly have a strong side to get behind, but just imagine how good they would be if they had not been forced to sell one of their most prized assets. Spoiler; he might have even more potential than Anthony Gordon.

Anthony Gordon's amazing rise at Newcastle

When Gordon joined Newcastle from Everton in January 2023 for a reported £45m, becoming, at the time, the club’s second-most expensive signing of all-time, many were questioning the price tag.

Tim Sherwood, who won the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers, believed Gordon was “overpriced”, although he’s since admitted he was wrong, proved so by the winger’s form.

Chris Waugh of the Athletic describes the 24-year-old as ‘durable, pacy, direct, hard-working, versatile and has end-product’ adding ‘most wingers have some of those traits, but [Gordon] possess them all’, while Ben McAleer of the Guardian believes he has ‘set the Premier League alight’ since making the move to Tyneside.

This form has also earned Gordon international recognition,

He was player of the tournament as England won the U21 Euros in the summer of 2023, before making his senior international debut against Brazil last March, opening his account for the Three Lions during November’s 5-0 hammering of the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.

Alongside, Gordon believes Newcastle striker Isak to be “the best in Europe” and together they form quite the partnership, so just imagine how formidable the Magpies’ front line would be, had they been able to keep a top-class right-winger.

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Newcastle's biggest transfer regret

Even though Yankuba Minteh never actually made an appearance for Newcastle, they’re being made to regret his sale.

The Gambian joined Newcastle from Danish Superligaen side Odense Boldklub for a reported fee of £6.5m in June 2023, immediately loaned out to Feyenoord, with the plan for him to be integrated into the first team a year later.

Minteh scored 11 goals in 37 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, averaging a goal every 181 minutes, most notably on target in the Champions League at Celtic Park, before bagging a brace during a famous 6-0 demolition of Ajax in De Klassieker.

So, despite the plans being for Minteh to return to Newcastle, he never did, sold to Brighton last June for a reported price tag of £33m, with the Magpies forced to sell both he, as well as Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest, in order to avoid a PSR breach.

Well, it appears as though the Seagulls snapped up a bargain, with the Athletic’s Ryan Adsett describing the 20-year-old as a “world-class talent”, while Matt Furniss of Opta’s the Analyst believes Brighton supporters are rightfully excited.

Speaking on Sky Sports in August, Jamie Carragher asserted that Newcastle “are going to rue” the sale of Minteh, a claim that is certainly coming to fruition.

By bagging a brace against Chelsea on Valentine’s night, Minteh took his tally to five Premier League goals this season, on top of his four assists, so let’s assess how he compares to Gordon.

Appearances

24

32

Minutes

1,259

2,451

Goals

5

9

Minutes per goal

252

272

Assists

4

6

Expected assists per 90

0.32

0.22

Goals – xG

+1.9

-1.8

Shots on target %

52%

36.1%

Goal-creating actions

8

12

Goal-creating actions per 90

0.71

0.54

Take-on success %

47.9%

38.2%

Touches per 90

33

34

While Gordon’s surface-level statistics, goals and assists, are superior to Minteh’s, the Gambian’s per-90 numbers are more impressive. He’s averaging a higher take-on success and more goal-creating actions per 90.

Meanwhile, the Brighton winger boasts a higher shot on target percentage too. This suggests that, two years four years Gordon’s junior, his ceiling may well be bigger. Just take a look at the company he’s now in…

Of players who have attempted 70+ dribbles this season, only eight have a higher take-on success percentage than Minteh, namely Amad, Mikkel Damsgaard, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Jadon Sancho, Mohamed Salah, Antoine Semenyo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jérémy Doku.

So, what a pair of wide-attackers Minteh and Gordon would’ve been with Isak in the middle; no wonder Howe believes the Profit and Sustainability Rules are “not right”.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Com vários desfalques para o decisivo duelo na Bombonera, Vítor Pereira usou diversos garotos na classificação do Corinthians contra o Boca Juniors, pelo jogo de volta das oitavas de final da Libertadores. Um dos ‘miúdos’ que entraram em campo foi Giovane.

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+ GALERIA – Yuri Alberto é o 14º! Veja todos os reforços do Timão na ‘era Duílio’

O atacante entrou no segundo minuto da etapa final no lugar de Mantuan, que sentiu acoxa esquerda após ser parado em contra-ataque por Varela, do Boca.

O atleta de 18 anos se mostrou realizado por estrear na Libertadores e valorizou a classificação histórica do Timão.

-Sensação incrível, uma classificação histórica, até por conta das circunstâncias do jogo. E realizei mais um sonho, sempre foi minha vontade jogar uma Libertadores e acontecer isso com 18 anos é sensacional. Agradeço demais a Deus, essa classificação ficou na história. Agora é focar nos próximos desafios, pois nosso grupo é forte, unido e está sendo incrível vestir a camisa do Corinthians e realizar todos os sonhos que eu sempre tive – disse

+ TABELA – Confira e simule os próximos jogos do Corinthians no Brasileirão

Giovane, que pertence ao Capivariano, tem contrato de empréstimo com o clube doParque São Jorge até a próxima quarta-feira (13). O desempenho do atacante tanto no Sub-20 como no time principal fez a diretoria corintiana olhar com boas perspectivas para o garoto, e uma extensão contratual deve ser selada nos próximos dias.

O garoto de 18 anos foi titular na derrota por 4 a 0 do Corinthians contra o Fluminense, pelo Brasileirão. Vítor Pereira elogiou o atacante e disse que a decisão de renovar o contrato está nas mãos da diretoria.

-Gostei, criou problemas na primeira parte. Tem algumas características que eu gosto. Fez um bom jogo, dentro do contexto da equipe. Posso dar a minha opinião técnica, mas quem decide é o clube – afirmou o treinador corintiano após o revés diante do Tricolor das Laranjeiras.

Giovane acumula 37 jogos e 21 gols na base do Corinthians, tendo marcado três vezes na Copinha de 2022, sete no Brasileiro Sub-20 de 2021 e dez no Paulistão da categoria, também do último ano. Na atual temporada, ele soma seis partidas com o elenco principal.

“No pre-season camp, no proper training session, fast bowlers highly under-cooked,” a Delhi cricket official says

PTI27-Dec-2022Delhi are without their five premier quick bowlers – including Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini – mainly because of injuries, and, with Nitish Rana omitted, could well start as underdogs at Feroz Shah Kotla when they host Tamil Nadu in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group B game starting Tuesday.Ishant, the senior in the fast-bowling group, has a side strain. Saini, who was in Bangladesh first with the India A side and then the senior side, has picked up an abdominal strain and is recovering at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Mayank Yadav, who made his first-class debut earlier this month, has torn his hamstring. Simarjeet Singh, Delhi’s highest wicket-taker this season with five strikes, has a heel injury. And Pradeep Sangwan, the team captain last season, was dropped at the start of the current season.As a result, the fast bowlers picked for the game against Tamil Nadu were left-arm quick Kuldip Yadav, the not-too-experienced Harshit Rana, and Pranshu Vijayran, the allrounder who made his debut in the previous game, who have all played one first-class game each.”We don’t have our main bowlers and that is definitely an issue but we would like to control the sessions,” Abhay Sharma, the Delhi coach, said. “The youngsters who get opportunities should make full use of it.”To make things worse, Delhi’s campaign is in a shambles. They lost their opening game of the season to Maharashtra in Pune, and then conceded the first-innings lead to Assam in Guwahati in a drawn game. They currently lie in seventh place on the eight-team Group B table with one point from two games.Dhruv Shorey’s unbeaten 252 against Assam has been one of the rare bright spots in Delhi’s season so far•PTI Have Delhi been hurt by poor planning?
Rana, an IPL star with Kolkata Knight Riders, had an average of just over 40 for the last two Ranji seasons [2019-20 and 2021-22, with Covid-19 preventing the 2020-21 season from taking place], and was left out this season.While DDCA members have largely been happy with that development, the feeling being that Rana is more focused on white-ball cricket, they haven’t been too pleased with the perceived lack of foresight on the part of the selection committee led by Gagan Khoda.”You had no pre-season camp, no proper training session, and fast bowlers were highly under-cooked,” a senior DDCA official said. “There was no planning, no vision, and what has now happened is exactly what was supposed to happen without systems in place. Some of the pacers were unfit before the season.”Tamil Nadu aren’t doing much better this season, and have just three points from two games and are only one spot above Delhi on the table. Delhi will, therefore, hope Dhruv Shorey (443 runs in four innings, with a 252 not out against Assam) continues to lead the batting charge, and the likes of Himmat Singh and captain Yash Dhull lift their games against Tamil Nadu.

Manchester City have sent scouts to watch a 20-year-old midfielder as they look to get ahead of Arsenal in the race to win his signature, according to a new report.

Multiple exits on the cards for Man City this summer

It was a very busy January for the Blues, as they brought in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah. And given how the season looks set to end for City, it could be a busy summer with Pep Guardiola eyeing plenty more arrivals.

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Several key players currently at the Etihad will need to be moved on as a trophy-laden cycle comes to its end, and reports suggest talisman Kevin de Bruyne is close to finalising terms with MLS outfit San Diego when his contract at City expires at the end of the campaign.

As well as De Bruyne potentially leaving, FourFourTwo have reported that fellow midfielder Mateo Kovacic could make a move to Atletico Madrid, as City may be willing to let the player leave as they look to freshen the squad up. The one hurdle may be that the Blues are demanding £25 million for the Croatian, which could be steep for Diego Simeone’s side.

Meanwhile, City have held talks over signing Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, as Ederson is reportedly set for a move to the Saudi Pro League. Ederson was close to a move last summer, but it didn’t work out. However, given how this season has gone, City could see it as the right time to part ways and freshen up their goalkeeper options.

Man City send scouts to watch £6m Nico Paz

And while a few players potentially edge closer to a City exit, according to Caught Offside, Man City are interested in signing attacking midfielder Nico Paz, who has impressed in Italy with Como this season.

Paz has left many impressed with his performances for the newly promoted Italian side, and now City have started to take notice. The report states that Guardiola is taking a closer look at the 20-year-old, and officials from the Etihad have watched Paz in action in recent games against Napoli and Fiorentina, where he managed to grab a goal and an assist.

However, City are not alone in their pursuit of the young star, as Arsenal have also been scouting Paz, as they are looking to sign a new attacking midfielder. Any deal is complicated because Real Madrid, who Paz left last summer, have a buy-back option for €8 million (over £6 million) this summer, which will rise gradually each year. The Spanish giants will also retain 50% of any future sale to a third club if they decide not to buy Paz back.

Apps

25

Goals

6

Assists

5

Paz has been among the goals and assists in a Como side that is fighting to beat the drop, so it is no surprise he is gaining attention. He still has a lot of development to do, but the Blues could see Paz as someone who could be a future replacement for De Bruyne, as his versatility would make him an ideal Guardiola signing.

علق أحمد سالم، المتحدث الرسمي باسم نادي الزمالك، على خطاب اتحاد الكرة المصري، بشأن موعد انتهاء عقد لاعب الفريق، أحمد سيد زيزو.

وأخطر اتحاد الكرة مسؤولي الزمالك، أن نهاية الموسم ستكون غدًا 5 يونيو، مع انتهاء مباراة الفريق الأبيض أمام بيراميدز في نهائي الكأس.

طالع| عاجل | “مُخالفة صريحة”.. أول رد رسمي من الزمالك على خطاب اتحاد الكرة بشأن زيزو وقال المتحدث الرسمي باسم الزمالك، إن كل التفسيرات القانونية تتعارض مع لوائح اتحاد الكرة، مشيرًا إلى أن الموسم الكروي لم ينتهِ بعد، وأن كأس الرابطة جزء لا يتجزأ من نهاية الموسم.

وأضاف سالم، في تصريحات لبرنامج “زملكاوي” على شاشة قناة نادي الزمالك: “بيان الزمالك لا يتفق مع قرار اتحاد الكرة، بأن الموسم ينتهي مع نهاية كأس مصر”.

وتابع: “ليس من الطبيعي أن يرحل أي لاعب قبل 1 يوليو، لأن الموسم الكروي لم يُختتم بعد، وهذا ما تؤكده لائحة اتحاد الكرة التي تعتبر كأس الرابطة ضمن السياق الرسمي للموسم”.

وأبدى سالم دهشته من سرعة رد اتحاد الكرة في ملف انتهاء الموسم، قائلاً: “أتعجب من سرعة استجابة اتحاد الكرة في هذه القضية، على عكس بطء الاستجابة في قضايا وقرارات سابقة أكثر حساسية”. الزمالك: هدفنا الحفاظ على حقوقنا

وشدد المتحدث الرسمي للزمالك على استمرار التصعيد في قضية أحمد سيد زيزو والنقاط الثلاث الخاصة بلقاء الأهلي، قائلاً: “سنواصل التصعيد القانوني سواء لدى الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم (فيفا) أو المحكمة الرياضية الدولية، دفاعًا عن حقوق النادي”.

وأشار سالم إلى الحالة المعنوية المرتفعة داخل صفوف الفريق استعدادًا لنهائي كأس مصر، موضحًا: “اللاعبون يعيشون حالة من التركيز الشديد، والمعنويات مرتفعة لحصد لقب الكأس، ومجلس الإدارة قام بصرف جزء من المستحقات لتحفيز الفريق قبل المواجهة المنتظرة”.

Mominul’s 84 the lone bright spot for Bangladesh after hosts chose to bat at the toss

Hemant Brar22-Dec-20222:34

Jaffer: In the end, choosing Unadkat over Kuldeep proved justified

Umesh Yadav and R Ashwin picked up four wickets each to put India on top despite Mominul Haque’s 84 on return. Batting first in the second Test in Mirpur, Bangladesh were 213 for 5 at one stage after tea but lost their last five wickets inside the next 14 runs to be all out for 227.Each of Bangladesh’s top seven batters reached 15 but apart from Mominul, no one could cross 26. Whenever a partnership seemed to be brewing, they lost a wicket. Five of the first six wickets featured a stand of 39 or more but the highest of them was only 48.India were left with 14 overs to face in the evening. The play went into the extra half hour but bad light allowed only eight of those to be bowled. In that short passage, KL Rahul looked circumspect against Taskin Ahmed and Shakib Al Hasan, and finished the day on 3 not out off 30 balls. Shubman Gill was keeping him company, his unbeaten 14 off 20 comprising a six and a four.In the morning, India went in with three seamers and two spinners on a grassy pitch, replacing Kuldeep Yadav, the Player of the Match in the last game, with Jaydev Unadkat. This was Unadkat’s first Test in 12 years and only his second overall. Between his two appearances India played 118 Tests, the second-most missed games for any Test cricketer.Umesh and Mohammed Siraj found movement with the new ball but neither really pitched it up to fully exploit the conditions. That resulted in a lot of plays-and-misses but the Bangladesh openers, Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto, survived their spells.Bowling first change, Unadkat, the slowest of the Indian seamers, didn’t find as much movement but his higher release point fetched him extra bounce. Soon, he was bowling with four slips, a gully and a short leg, and hitting batters on the gloves regularly.With Bangladesh on 39, Zakir decided to cut a short-of-length delivery from Unadkat, only to be done in by the extra bounce. The ball hit him on the glove and lobbed to fourth slip, giving Unadkat his maiden wicket in Test cricket.3:01

Jaffer on Shakib dismissal: If you are captain, you have to lead from the front

In the next over, Ashwin trapped Shanto lbw. The batter, playing for the turn, shouldered arms to a length ball that went with the arm from around the wicket and struck him on the pad. He was given out lbw on the field, and a review returned an umpire’s call verdict with ball-tracking showing the ball tickling off stump.Coming in at No. 4, Shakib took the aerial route against Ashwin even before he had reached double digits. He first hit Ashwin inside-out over extra cover before dancing down the track later in the work to deposit him beyond deep-midwicket boundary.Mominul and Shakib enjoyed slices of luck too. Mominul’s cut against Ashwin flew between the wicketkeeper and slip, and then in the last over before lunch, Rishabh Pant missed a difficult leg-side stumping when Shakib charged at Ashwin and the ball sneaked through his legs.The reprieve, though, didn’t prove costly as Umesh sent Shakib back on the first ball after the break. The Bangladesh captain tried to loft him over mid-off but didn’t get the timing right and ended up offering the simplest of chances.Mominul and Mushfiqur, starting slowly before hitting six fours in the space of ten balls, stitched together 48 for the fourth wicket before Unadkat broke the stand. Bowling around the wicket, he once again found the extra bounce, the ball taking the outside edge of Mushfiqur’s bat before settling into Pant’s gloves.Litton Das started positively, punching Siraj for four and following it with a pulled six on the next ball. He quickly moved to 25 but failed to keep a flick off Ashwin down and was taken at short midwicket.Mominul, meanwhile, kept pressing on and ramped two more fours off Unadkat to bring up his half-century. He and Mehidy Hasan Miraz ensured Bangladesh didn’t lose another wicket before tea despite some close calls.The pair added 41 for the sixth wicket but post tea, Mehidy felt unwell. The physio came out to check in on him, and the batter decided to continue. Umesh, though, removed him soon after, Mehidy trying to cut a ball that was too close to him and nicking it behind.Mehidy’s wicket triggered the collapse. In his next over, Umesh got one to reverse in to trap Nurul Hasan lbw. The on-field umpire deemed it not out but India got the decision changed on review. Taskin didn’t last long either, slicing one to Siraj at point who held onto the chance after a bit of juggling. Earlier, Siraj had put down Shanto off Umesh on the first ball of the second over of the day.All this while, Mominul was firm at one end. But he found himself in two minds against an Ashwin carrom ball. He looked to drive at it first before shouldering arms. It was too late as the ball brushed his gloves and Pant latched onto it. Ashwin wrapped up the innings two balls later when Khaled Ahmed hit a full toss straight to Unadkat at deep midwicket.

Chelsea’s landslide in form since the winter has left Enzo Maresca and, indeed, all of a Blues persuasion resigned to the fact the Conference League lies as the club’s major objective for the business months.

The paucity of genuine competition in Europe’s third multi-country tier will temper any celebrations that may spring from claiming the trophy, but it would still be progress and a springboard from which the project could leap from.

While seventh-place Chelsea are still in contention for Champions League qualification, a stone’s throw behind Manchester City in the top four, the performances in recent months have left plenty to be desired.

Cole Palmer isn’t at his free-scoring best right now, but Chelsea have a range of players currently punching below their weight. Indeed, Levi Colwill will know that he has much to improve on – especially after erstwhile claims he was on his way to becoming a £100m player.

Why Colwill was being valued at £100m

Colwill is only 21 years old and has played an important role since graduating from the Cobham academy and then impressing on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion. For Chelsea, he’s now made 56 senior appearances.

The England international’s positional fluidity and natural ball-playing style quickly established him as one of English football’s most exciting young defenders, and he was duly rewarded with an important role under Mauricio Pochettino.

So exciting was his development that Liverpool and French giants Paris Saint-Germain expressed interest in making the signing, though Chelsea issued a stern response by placing a whopping £100m price tag on their homegrown ace, which would have made him the most expensive defender in history.

Last season, Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips described Colwill as “absolutely different class” when placed at centre half.

However, he’s struggled for consistency and authority under Maresca’s wing, with such lofty price tag claims a far cry from his current level.

Colwill's performances for Enzo Maresca

By and large, Colwill has flattered to deceive over the past several months. However, it’s important to note that with Wesley Fofana injured, the young ace has been placed alongside a host of different partners, thus affecting his and Chelsea’s fluency.

However, some of the Englishman’s lapses simply cannot be defended, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even going as far as to brand him “inexcusable” in relation to some of his defensive efforts.

His positioning has indeed left plenty to be desired, with Chelsea’s defeat at the AMEX earlier this month laying bare the weak side of Colwill’s game, with pundit Gary Neville particularly scathing of his display, labelling it as a “really bad” one.

Though the Blues man has still managed to showcase many exciting qualities this season, his error-streaked season has proved that Chelsea’s former price tag is perhaps not reflective of his current level.

Last term, Colwill played the lion’s share of his top-flight football on the left side of the backline, whereas this year he has exclusively been used as a centre-back by Maresca. However, he looks shaky and has struggled to uphold the same level of defensive security.

Levi Colwill in the Premier League for Chelsea

Match Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

23 (20)

24 (24)

Goals

1

0

Assists

1

1

Clean sheets

4

4

Touches*

62.5

87.5

Pass completion

83%

90%

Tackles + interceptions*

3.2

2.3

Clearances*

2.8

3.1

Ground duels (won)*

3.0 (63%)

2.0 (55%)

Aerial battles (won)*

1.9 (69%)

2.3 (61%)

Errors made

0

4

Stats via Sofascore

Given that he’s reportedly earning £100k per week, it’s not good enough. Chelsea are bereft of options in central defence at the moment but Colwill could benefit from being withdrawn to recuperate for a time.

In any case, he’s got work to do before building himself up to that level which Chelsea clearly believe he can reach. Time – at least – is on his side.

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