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Despite the foggy conditions causing all sorts of problems for spectators and players alike, Leeds United still managed to pick up a relatively straightforward victory over Stoke City on Boxing Day.

The 2-0 win away at the Potters sends the Whites to the very top of the Championship summit, having capitalised on Sheffield United falling to a rare defeat at home to then confidently brush aside Narcís Pelach’s lacklustre hosts.

Joel Piroe would be the difference maker on the night, as the former Swansea City man bagged both his side’s strikes with the harsh elements thankfully not getting the better of the Dutchman’s clinical nature in front of goal.

Piroe's performance in numbers

The Whites number ten does have a tendency to blow hot and cold for his promotion-chasing side, considering he hadn’t scored in his last five league outings before this brace against Stoke.

From just 32 touches of the ball, Piroe would show off a killer instinct in the forward positions that once saw him net a mightily impressive 22 Championship goals for ex-employers Swansea during the 2021/22 campaign, before then embarking on a new adventure in West Yorkshire.

Away from just being a goalscoring hero, Piroe also tallied up two key passes to try and fashion openings for his teammates, whilst further winning four duels to get stuck in and battle during what was an attritional contest at points.

Purchased towards the start of Farke’s reign at the club, the Dutchman is proving to still be a worthwhile addition, especially if his contributions up top go on to result in promotion glory finally being achieved.

But, there is another face in the Leeds ranks now that is shining even brighter than the two-goal striker, as the table-toppers have seemingly found yet another gem utilising the loan market.

Leeds' new Ben White

Once upon a time – before he became a Premier League regular at Arsenal – Ben White was a beloved loan figure at Elland Road, with the 27-year-old present for every single minute of Championship action that could come his way during Leeds’ title-winning season under Marcelo Bielsa.

Fast forward to today and Joe Rothwell will hope he’s remembered in a similarly fond light when this campaign is over and done with, as the Whites also manage to break out of the second tier again.

Rothwell’s numbers vs Stoke

Stat

Rothwell

Minutes played

80

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

95

Accurate passes

78/83 (95%)

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

2/5

Accurate long balls

5/7

Total duels won

4/5

Stats by Sofascore

As can be seen looking at the table above, Rothwell put in another typically composed display for his loan side, with only five misplaced passes next to his name come the full-time whistle from his 95 touches.

Much like Piroe, however, the 29-year-old also won his fair share of duels in the Stoke fog away from just stylishly going about his business, with only one duel lost from five attempted.

Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Joe Donnohue would praise Rothwell’s showing at the full-time whistle, gifting the 6 foot 1 star a high 7/10 match rating, stating that the Leeds number eight was ‘energetic’ throughout.

Leeds will hope now that their new standout loanee – in the mould of White – can keep these performances coming, having already tasted a second tier promotion success on his playing CV with parent employers AFC Bournemouth.

Of course, supporters of the West Yorkshire outfit know all too well the twists and turns this division can throw up, but if players such as Rothwell and Piroe can continue to perform to these standards, Leeds should be in and around those automatic promotion spots right up until May.

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Posts ByDan Emery Dec 26, 2024

GOAL selected the 50 best footballing talents from around the world born on or after January 1, 1998 – but did they go on to fulfil their potential?

Since NXGN's launch in 2016, GOAL has profiled the 50 best footballing wonderkids on the planet on an annual basis. Some of those recognised for their talent as teenagers are now household names, but others have not yet realised their potential.

So, after theNXGN 2025 list was revealed, check out where the stars of 2017 are now:

Every NXGN list

Dembele, Tielemans & 2016's best wonderkids

De Ligt, Kluivert & 2018's best wonderkids

Haaland, Sancho & 2019's best wonderkids

Saka, Rodrygo & 2020's best wonderkids

James, Oberdorf & 2020's best women's wonderkids

Pedri, Ansu Fati & 2021's best wonderkids

Le Tissier, Bennison & 2021's best women's wonderkids

Bellingham, Musiala & 2022's best wonderkids

Dumornay, Fowler & 2022's best women's wonderkids

Gavi, Garnacho & 2023's best wonderkids

Shaw, Thompson & 2023's best women's wonderkids

Yamal, Mainoo & 2024's best wonderkids

Caicedo, Moultrie & 2024's best women's wonderkids

AFP50Diego Lainez (Club America)

2017: Having made his senior debut as a 16-year-old, Lainez was regarded as the best prospect in Mexican football as he bore a passing resemblance to Lionel Messi in his style of play.

2018: Lainez continued to develop, and made his senior international debut for Mexico in September 2018.

2019: In January 2019, Real Betis paid €12m to sign Lainez, making him the second-most expensive Mexican player bought by a European club. His first goal for the club came in dramatic fashion, as he netted a last-minute equaliser against Rennes in the Europa League.

2020: Lainez's first full season in Spain yielded just 18 outings, though he did miss the final three months of the campaign due to an abdominal strain.

2021: The forward again found himself on the fringes at Betis, making 25 appearances during the 2020-21 campaign. He also scored for Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League, though El Tri were beaten by the United States.

2022: After a knee injury meant he missed the first two months of the season, Lainez fell right down the pecking order and made just 13 appearances in all competitions before being loaned to Braga at the end of the campaign.

2023: Braga cut Lainez's loan short in January 2023 after he made just six league appearances in Portugal, and he was sent on a one-year loan to Tigres in his native Mexico a few weeks later. That deal was made permanent in July 2023.

2024: Lainez was a regular contributor for Tigres, though he struggled to provide goals or assists, while he also fell out of favour with the Mexico national team.

2025: The playmaker has made an encouraging start to the 2025 Clausura campaign and should be part of Tigres' squad for the Club World Cup.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport49Takefusa Kubo (FC Tokyo)

2017: Nicknamed 'The Japanese Messi', Kubo was forced to return to his homeland in the aftermath of Barcelona's FIFA-imposed transfer ban having been invited to La Masia as a 10-year-old. In April 2017, he became the youngest goalscorer in J.League history as a 15-year-old.

2018: Kubo was loaned to Yokohama F. Marinos in August 2018, and scored on his debut for his new club.

2019: Having enjoyed the most productive season of his career at senior level in 2019, Kubo made his international debut after being called-up to the Japan squad for the Copa America (they participated as one of the guest teams in Brazil). At club level, many expected him to return to Barcelona, but Real Madrid managed to secure his signature, before sending him on loan to newly-promoted Mallorca for the 2019-20 campaign.

2020: Kubo was one of the young stars of the Spanish season, directly contributing to nine goals as Mallorca fought against relegation. His form persuaded Villarreal to take him on loan for the following season.

2021: The forward failed to force his way into Unai Emery's team, and had his loan spell cut short in January 2021, with Madrid instead sending him on loan to Getafe for the remainder of the season, though he struggled to make much of an impact.

2022: Mallorca's promotion back to La Liga allowed them to make their move and bring Kubo back to the club on loan in 2021-22, and the Japan international's form having improved a little as a result.

2023: Kubo left Real Madrid to join Real Sociedad for an initial €6.5m in the summer of 2022, and he was back to his best in San Sebastian, as he provided 18 direct goal contributions for a team that qualified for the Champions League.

2024: The Japan international continued to impress for La Real in 2023-24, and he was linked with elite clubs around Europe.

2025: Kubo hasn't quite hit the same heights so far this season in San Sebastian, leading to him being left out of the line up on a number of occasions.

Getty Images Sport48Dujon Sterling (Chelsea)

2017: After impressing in the Blues' youth ranks, Sterling made his first-team debut under Antonio Conte in September 2017.

2018: Sterling made one further appearance for the Blues senior side in 2017-18 before joining Coventry City on loan for the following campaign.

2019: The full-back enjoyed a successful spell in League One, playing 40 matches in all competitions, before heading to Wigan Athletic on loan to test himself at Championship level the following season.

2020: Sterling managed just 10 appearances for Wigan because of a hamstring injury, which was then compounded by him picking up a serious illness that kept him on the sidelines for even longer.

2021: After missing 13 months of football, Sterling returned to action for Chelsea's U23s in the second half of the 2020-21 season. He proved his fitness enough to earn a new contract at Stamford Bridge, which he signed before joining Blackpool on loan.

2022: Sterling was largely a starter for the Championship outfit, and impressed enough to earn another loan move, this time to Stoke City.

2023: Sterling managed to lock down a starting berth for the Potters having been in and out of the side during the opening months of the campaign, and though he was subsequently released by Chelsea, he joined Rangers on a free transfer.

2024: After a slow start to life at Ibrox, Sterling forced his way into Philippe Clement's line-up during the second half of the campaign, showcasing his versatility by performing well in midfield.

2025: Injuries have meant Sterling has been out of action for long periods during 2024-25, though he has mostly been a starter when available.

Getty Images Sport47Niklas Dorsch (Bayern Munich)

2017: Likened to Toni Kroos by those in the know at Bayern, Dorsch was being closely monitored by then-coach Carlo Ancelotti.

2018: Dorsch marked his senior Bayern debut with the opening goal against Eintracht Frankfurt, but that proved to be his only appearance for the club, as a failure to agree a new contract saw him join second-division outfit FC Heidenheim in the summer of 2018.

2019: A regular starter for Heidenheim through the 2018-19 season, Dorsch impressed with his maturity despite his lack of experience.

2020: Dorsch helped Heidenheim reach the 2019-20 promotion-relegation play-off match, which they lost to Werder Bremen, before joining Gent at the end of the season in a €3.5m deal.

2021: Having got his first taste of European football with Gent, Dorsch was outstanding for Germany as they won the 2021 U21 European Championship. Those performances earned him a €7m move to Augsburg.

2022: After a slow start to life in the Bundesliga, Dorsch grew into his new environment, and played 30 times as Augsburg fought off the threat of relegation.

2023: A broken foot meant that Dorsch missed the entire first half of the 2022-23 season, but he worked his way back into contention and ended the campaign as a regular starter.

2024: Dorsch began the 2023-24 season in the Augsburg line up, but injuries limited his involvement after the New Year, and he thus begun to fall down the pecking order.

2025: Heidenheim, who are now in the Bundesliga, re-signed Dorsch in August 2024, and he has been a key member of their team for much of the season.

Reliable news outlet The Athletic is reporting that a 21-year-old is now actively looking to leave Chelsea when the January transfer window opens.

Players who could be sold or loaned out by Chelsea in January

Enzo Maresca has a few players who have been deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, and there is a very high possibility that they will part company once we reach the turn of the year.

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Maresca candidly admitted in a press conference earlier this season that left-back Ben Chilwell – who’s played just 45 minutes in all competitions this season – was meant to depart in the summer window.

“Hopefully we can give him some minutes tomorrow,” said Maresca on Chilwell before Chelsea’s 5-1 win over Barrow in the Carabao Cup.

Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Southampton (away)

December 4

Tottenham (home)

December 8

Brentford (home)

December 15

Everton (away)

December 22

“The idea for him was to leave. In the moment that he’s here, he’s one of the squad, he’s training. He will be in the squad tomorrow, and hopefully we can give him some minutes.”

According to respected Blues reporter Simon Phillips, Chelsea have spoken to numerous clubs over Chilwell’s transfer in the last few weeks, with sides in England, Italy and Spain all taking a keen interest in the £200,000-per-week defender.

Chelsea are also prepared to sell Carney Chukwuemeka in January, amid rumoured interest from the likes of Barcelona and Milan, but Maresca has confirmed that forward Christopher Nkunku won’t be going anywhere, following reports linking the France international with a mid-season exit.

Chelsea have an abundance of star wingers and attacking midfielders in their squad, leading to uncertainty surrounding the future of Mykhailo Mudryk, despite the Ukraine international’s excellent Conference League performances lately.

“I hear they’re keen to move him on in January,” said well-connected former Premier League scout Mick Brown to Football Insider this week.

“I think they’ve got the makings of a very good team at Chelsea, but he isn’t likely to be a part of that. There isn’t space for him in the team at the moment and I don’t think Maresca has been particularly impressed by him so far.

“But I don’t think they’re likely to make a profit on him or even get their money back, let’s put it that way.”

Harvey Vale looking to leave Chelsea in January

Now, The Athletic has provided another bit of exit news out of the club, as the outlet writes that 21-year-old attacking-midfielder Harvey Vale is looking to leave Chelsea in January.

The Cobham academy graduate, who spent last season on loan at Bristol Rovers, has captained Chelsea’s Under-21s this season and put in an array of top performances at that level – but this is the extent of his action at the club recently.

Making five total senior appearances, Vale’s contract expires next summer, and it is believed the Englishman is seeking new pastures as Vale looks to kickstart his professional career.

The wealth of talent ahead of him in Maresca’s pecking order means that the best next move for him is to find a new club, and this could apparently be as soon as the next transfer window, despite the fact he’s able to leave for free later in 2025.

Wayne Rooney has been tipped to land a new 'local' managerial role amid his wife Coleen getting 'antsy' about his increased presence at home.

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Rooney sacked by Plymouth Argyle in DecemberTipped to land new manager roleWife Coleen getting 'antsy' now he's back homeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to an insider for HeatWorld, Coleen is getting increasingly 'antsy' over Wayne's constant presence at their Cheshire mansion and is keen for him to get back into work. The report adds there are rumours that the 39-year-old could take over at Salford City, which is less than an hour's drive away, but Karl Robinson is currently head coach there.

AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentWHAT THE SOURCE SAID

A source told HeatWorld: "Coleen was delighted when Wayne moved home after leaving Plymouth, as it meant they could be a family again and he could help out more. But, the novelty has quickly worn off and Wayne is getting under her feet now. Coleen runs a very tight ship, as it’s the only way to make sure everyone is where they need to be. But Wayne isn’t quite as organised, and it can get quite chaotic in the mornings and after school. Coleen was so used to doing things her way and now he’s always there.

"There’s talk of Wayne getting another managerial role at Salford City FC, which is music to Coleen’s ears. It’s local, so he doesn’t have to move out, but he won’t be home 24/7 and will have something to focus on. They’ve decided that he can’t live on his own again. Coleen doesn’t think it’s good for him as he needs his family around, but she also knows he can’t not work. There’s also talk of him joining Match Of The Day as a pundit, which would be perfect as it’s filmed in Manchester, so he wouldn’t have too far to travel."

THE GOSSIP

Coleen is said to be happy that Wayne is back with the family, after living in Plymouth on his own before his sacking in December, and that she's able to keep a closer eye on the ex-Manchester United star as history has proven he can be 'reckless' when left to his own devices.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Rooney may be keeping a watchful eye on Salford's results as they currently sit ninth in League Two and if they fail to get promoted, Robinson could be given the boot.

Ramesh Mendis kept Sri Lanka in the hunt with first-innings returns of 6 for 70. Dhananjaya de Silva turned the game emphatically in Sri Lanka with his second innings 155 not out. These were the gleanings of Mickey Arthur, after he coached Sri Lanka for the last time, in Galle.His was the type of happy farewell that few Sri Lanka coaches get. The team won the match by 164 runs, and the series 2-0 (though they did also win both tosses). In the first innings, West Indies had been 24 runs behind Sri Lanka’s total with only three wickets down, when Mendis imposed himself on the game, and sparked a collapse.Related

• Galle stats – Spinners 36, pacers 1

• Mendis, Embuldeniya spin out West Indies for 2-0 series win

• Classy de Silva bats in his own universe

“The game did see-saw. After day one I thought we were in prime position (Sri Lanka had been 113 for 1),” Arthur said. “And then they knocked us over the next day. And then, they themselves had a good partnership. We did know that wickets fall in clumps here. It was tough to start. Once you got in, it became a lot easier to bat. Ramesh Mendis’ spell in the first innings brought us back into the game. A lead of 40 (actually 49) was not insurmountable.”Sri Lanka also began their second innings with the bat poorly, however, and had been three down with a lead of only 24 when de Silva came to the crease. He helped Sri Lanka recover with a 78-run partnership with Pathum Nissanka, put on 51 runs alongside Mendis, and then really changed the game for Sri Lanka with the 124-run 10th-wicket stand he managed with Lasith Embuldeniya, who hit 39.”Dhananjaya de Silva’s innings was simply outstanding,” Arthur said. “On a pitch like this, the ease with which he played was incredible. It just shows how talented he is. That, for me, was the defining moment. I knew that once we got a lead of 250, our spinners would do the job for us. So that innings of Dhananjaya de Silva’s was paramount. He couldn’t have played it without Lasith ‘Brian Lara’ Embuldeniya at the other end.”In terms of pressure of match situation, and in terms of pitch condition, the innings Dhananjaya played here, it was one of the better innings he’s seen. It was remarkable. That’s testimony to the amount of work he’s put in. And it’s testimony to his talent and what a wonderful player he is.”Mendis was the Player of the Series in the first full series he has played for the Test side, taking 17 wickets across the two matches, in addition to his contributions with the bat. Although at the lower levels, Mendis has been thought of as a batting allrounder, it is with the ball that he has announced himself at the top level. He has 26 wickets now at an average of 21.53, after eight bowling innings.”One thing Mendis does do is he spins the ball really big,” Arhtur said. “We’ve just had to work on him being really consistent with his lines and with his lengths – the attacking lines that he’s worked on. I was just sitting next to [batting coach] Grant Flower out there and we were watching the guys out in the field. And I was saying, which guys have really made an impression on you? For both of us it was Ramesh Mendis.”He’s toured with us almost since when I started two years ago. He didn’t play many games at the start, but every tour, he’s the guy that’s training the hardest. He wanted more and more throw-downs. He always wanted to bowl. He’s worked hard at his fielding. And I just think he’s getting his just rewards now. I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s an attacking cricketer, and he’s going to be an asset for Sri Lanka.”Arthur has been with the Sri Lanka team for two years now, and given the travel restrictions to Australia, has spent almost that entire time either in Sri Lanka, or with the team as they traveled. With many players going straight into a Lanka Premier League bio-bubble on Saturday, the series-winning celebration on Friday night is Arthur’s last opportunity to spend time with many of the players he has coached in that time.”I’m going to get really emotional tonight, when we eventually say farewell, because the characters who are in that dressing room are remarkable. They’re really a wonderful bunch of players and bunch of people.”

It’s been an interesting start to the campaign for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been flawless in the League Cup and Europa League, but have looked a little disjointed in the Premier League.

However, given that it’s only the Australian’s second year in charge, these issues shouldn’t come as a surprise, and with a few more transfer windows under his belt, he could have the personnel to match his game plans.

In fact, based on recent reports, the club look set to sign a dream midfield addition next year, although that could be bad news for Yves Bissouma.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are expected to sign Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso in 2025.

The report claims that the Lilywhites had a €25m – £21m – option to buy the American included in the deal that saw Giovani Lo Celso return to Betis in the summer.

However, Daniel Levy and Co will have to act fast if they want to bring the midfielder to N17, as the story also claims that the option expires in either late June or early July and, after that, the La Liga side will be able to demand whatever price they want.

With that said, by all accounts, this looks like a transfer that will happen, so the Spurs faithful likely have nothing to worry about, although given how well he’s played in Spain, Bissouma should be a little concerned, as the American could be his upgrade.

How Cardoso compares to Bissouma

Okay, so if Spurs act on their option to sign Cardoso, as expected, the fact that he primarily plays as a defensive and central midfielder means he’d likely compete with Bissouma for a place in the starting lineup.

So, with that in mind, how do the pair stack up against one another? Well, when it comes down to the pair’s raw output this season, the Mali international comes out on top with two goals to the American’s zero, but at the end of the day, goals aren’t what make a good holding midfielder, and when we look at their underlying numbers, it’s a very different story.

For example, while the Spurs ace has better passing numbers, the Betis star comes out miles ahead in the majority of relevant defensive metrics, including tackles, shots and passes blocked, clearances, interceptions, ball recoveries and aerial duels, all per 90, which is what you want from your six.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.24

0.11

Progressive Passes

4.04

7.00

Progressive Passes Received

1.49

0.00

Passing Accuracy

82.0%

90.7%

Tackles

2.77

2.75

Shots Blocked

0.64

0.25

Passes Blocked

1.28

0.75

Interceptions

2.13

1.00

Clearances

2.98

2.75

Ball Recoveries

6.17

3.25

Aerial Duels Won

1.06

0.25

Moreover, something that the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace was guilty of last season was picking up unnecessary red cards, and when we compare the pair’s disciplinary record, the 23-year-old “ball winner”, as he was dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, once again comes out on top.

For example, in his 10281 minutes of football across his career to date, the former Internacional gem has picked up 22 yellow cards, averaging one every 467 minutes, and zero red cards or second yellows.

In contrast, the Issia-born Lilywhites man has picked up 58 yellow cards in his 16799 minutes of football, equating to an average of one every 289 minutes, and four red cards – including one-second yellow – which works out as one every 4199 minutes.

Ultimately, Bissouma is a talented footballer, and one who should be playing in the Premier League, but his defensive numbers are notably worse than Cardoso’s, and when we take into account the disciplinary side of things as well, the American looks like he’d be an ideal upgrade.

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تحدث إسلام صادق، عضو مجلس إدارة نادي مودرن سبورت، عن موقف ناديه من الجدل الدائر حول انسحاب بعض الأندية من مسابقة الدوري، تضامنًا مع الأهلي، الذي اعترض على استمرار البطولة بسبب قرارات تحكيمية وإدارية.

وقال صادق، في تصريحات عبر إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “حتى الآن، لم يُطرح الموقف النهائي لمجلس إدارة نادي مودرن سبورت بشأن هذا الأمر، لدينا اجتماع بعد الإفطار اليوم، وقد يتم مناقشة هذا الملف خلاله”.

وأضاف: “الاجتماع ليس مخصصًا لهذا الموضوع تحديدًا، لكنه قد يكون ضمن جدول الأعمال، وسنناقش كافة الأمور المتعلقة بالنادي”.

واختتم: “نحن أيضًا واجهنا مشاكل تحكيمية خلال الموسم، مثل العديد من الأندية، وآخرها خلال مباراة الزمالك في كأس مصر، حيث كانت هناك قرارات عكسية ضدنا”.

طالع أيضًا | خاص | موعد إعلان رابطة الأندية عقوبات الأهلي بعد الانسحاب أمام الزمالك

وتشهد الساحة الرياضية المصرية أزمة كبيرة عقب انسحاب الأهلي من مباراة القمة أمام الزمالك في الدوري الممتاز، حيث رفض الأحمر خوض اللقاء اعتراضًا على تعيين طاقم تحكيم مصري لإدارة المواجهة، بعدما كان قد طلب حكامًا أجانب.

وجاء موقف الأهلي في ظل مطالبه المتكررة بإدارة المباريات الكبرى بحكام من خارج مصر، وهو ما لم يتحقق في هذه المباراة، ما دفعه للانسحاب والتأكيد على اتخاذ موقف حاسم تجاه ما وصفه بعدم تحقيق مبدأ تكافؤ الفرص.

وأثار انسحاب الأهلي جدلًا واسعًا داخل الوسط الرياضي، حيث انقسمت الآراء بين مؤيد لقرار النادي باعتباره احتجاجًا على ما يراه أخطاء تحكيمية متكررة، وبين منتقد للخطوة باعتبارها تصعيدًا غير مبرر.

After a gruelling game against the defending Champions in the Premier League last weekend, Arsenal were tasked with a far simpler job on Wednesday night: taking on League One side Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup.

Now, the Lancashire outfit did score at the Emirates, but even with the eight changes Mikel Arteta made to his side, it was an easy day at the office for the North Londoners.

The likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly rightfully stole the show and should make more first-team appearances as the season goes on, but there was another star making his full debut on the night who put in a good shift, Raheem Sterling.

Yes, the former Manchester City ace finally got his chance to start for the Gunners, and the manager will have been pleased with what he saw, yet even so, for the game against Leicester City this weekend, he should be dropped back to the bench.

Why Sterling should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to clear up is that, as we mentioned above, Sterling was reasonably impressive against Bolton on Wednesday night.

The international veteran provided the pass for Nwaneri’s first goal and scored one himself in the second half, which is a commendable return on a full debut.

The 29-year-old certainly impressed football.london’s chief Arsenal writer, Kaya Kaynak, who gave him an 8/10 on the night, writing that once he got going, he was a ‘real threat’ down that left-hand side.

However, as effective as he was when he got up to speed, the nature of the game means that unless he scored a hat-trick and picked up a hat-trick of assists, it’s just not enough to force his way into the starting lineup for a Premier League game.

Moreover, with an avalanche of games in the next few months, Arteta will need a fit and firing squad, full of quality players who can step in for games that might not be deemed too important, like Wednesday night.

Now, should Sterling continue his impressive form in his ensuing appearances off the bench, then the calls to start him in the league may begin to grow, but at the moment, it would be premature, and the player who should start on the weekend was one of Arsenal’s best against City.

Why Gabriel Martinelli should start

Yes, despite his goal and assist against Bolton, Sterling should make way for Gabriel Martinelli to come back into the team tomorrow afternoon.

Now, nobody can deny that it has been a tough start to the campaign for the former Ituano gem, but his performance against City on Sunday evening was exemplary and showed that there is still an immensely useful player there and one Arteta should persevere with for a bit longer.

In the first half, the Brazilian dynamo demonstrated that he can still be an attacking threat with the right supporting cast behind him, as it was his run and pass that allowed Riccardo Calafiori to score his wonder goal, and towards the end of the first 45, he was getting some real joy down the flank.

However, in the second half, the “sensational” 23-year-old, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, really stood out as a selfless and incredibly hard-working team player.

Thanks to him being that bit faster than Bukayo Saka, the manager opted to keep him on the pitch following Leandro Trossard’s red card to act as an outlet for the side, and while he did do that at times, his desire to defend, put himself in the way and run himself into the ground stood out.

2019/20

26

10

4

0.53

2020/21

22

2

2

0.18

2021/22

36

6

7

0.36

2022/23

46

15

6

0.45

2023/24

44

8

5

0.29

2024/25

7

0

1

0.14

Moreover, with a run of slightly easier league games to come in the next month or so, Arteta should give him a chance to rediscover his goalscoring form, as if he can get back to the sort of numbers he was producing in the 22/23 campaign when he scored 15 goals and provided six assists, then Arsenal will have a seriously dangerous attacker on their hands once again.

Ultimately, Sterling did well on Wednesday night, but given the level of opposition and the fact that Martinelli was massively important to the draw against City, the former should make way for the latter tomorrow afternoon.

Cost £23m, now worth 152% more: Arsenal struck gold on "unstoppable" star

The incredible player has become an integral part of Arteta’s team.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 26, 2024

After a week dominated by rumours regarding his future, the England international had a nightmare at Anfield as Arne Slot's side dropped two points

Liverpool missed the chance to go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League as they were held to a 2-2 draw by a spirited Manchester United on Sunday.

Both teams began the game with real intent, as Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister went close for the hosts while Amad Diallo spurned a good chance at the other end.

Ryan Gravenberch and Rasmus Hojlund traded efforts in a very even first half before United scored for the first time in six Premier League Anfield visits through Lisandro Martinez in the 52nd minute. But just when it looked like it could be the Red Devils' day, Gakpo slammed home to even proceedings seven minutes later.

The Reds then took the lead 20 minutes from time after Matthijs De Ligt handled in the box and Mohamed Salah dispatched the resulting penalty. Ruben Amorim's side would not go away, however, and the visitors drew level in the 79th minute through Amad's smart finish.

Harry Maguire should have won it at the death when he fired over from close-range, but in the end, Liverpool had to settle for a draw and a six-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

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Alisson (6/10):

Came up trumps in goal just when his team needed him with some important saves, but couldn't do too much about United's goals.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (3/10):

As Roy Keane put it, the right back was "defensively all over the place". His fortunes did not improve in the second half, either. Real Madrid won't be itching to sign him over these types of performances…

Ibrahima Konate (6/10):

The returning defender was caught out of position on a number of occasions in the first half. Looked a bit more like himself as the match wore on, but wasn't at his best.

Virgil van Dijk (8/10):

When half of his defence was off-colour, the Dutchman led by example at the back again. Really is a force to be reckoned with.

Andrew Robertson (6/10):

Didn't do too much wrong at the back but just doesn't seem to be as effective at both ends of the pitch.

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Ryan Gravenberch (7/10):

Showed plenty of attacking intent, courtesy of his driving runs, but he and his team-mates lost the midfield battle in the opening 45. His improvement helped Liverpool gain more parity in the second half.

Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

Worked tirelessly in the centre of the park and held his own against United's competent midfield. Bagged an assist, too.

Curtis Jones (5/10):

Has had a see-saw battle with Dominik Szoboszlai for a Liverpool starting berth, but this performance may make Slot look to the Hungarian next time out. Mainoo certainly got the better of him.

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Mohamed Salah (7/10):

Didn't get much joy out of Dalot for long periods but looked more dangerous in the game's closing stages. Took his penalty well for his 18th Premier League goal of the season.

Luis Diaz (5/10):

Spurned a good early chance but other than that had a quiet first half. Not his best game before being replaced on the hour-mark.

Cody Gakpo (7/10):

Nearly pulled off a great instinctive first-half finish but met his match against the combative Mazraoui. Took his goal in expert fashion after sitting down De Ligt and then firing home.

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Diogo Jota (6/10):

Was quite quiet initially but looked a threat in the game's dying embers.

Darwin Nunez (6/10):

Was a nuisance in attack but committed a cynical foul on De Ligt which means he is suspended for the upcoming Nottingham Forest clash.

Conor Bradley (7/10):

Did more in his cameo than Alexander-Arnold did all game and almost caught out Onana with a late effort.

Harvey Elliott (N/A):

Didn't get many opportunities to shine.

Arne Slot (7/10):

His side looked off the pace and lethargic at times, but United's goals spurred them into action. Maybe lost the tactical battle for once but it's a point closer to a league title.

أعلن مجلس إدارة نادي مودرن سبورت برئاسة وليد دعبس، عن التعاقد مع الجزائري عبد الحق بن شيخة لتولي مسئولية تدريب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وكان مودرن سبورت قد أعلن عن رحيل المدرب فرانك دوما عن تدريب الفريق أمس الخميس، وذلك بسبب سوء النتائج وتراجع الأداء في الدوري المصري.

وتولى أحمد صالح مهمة تدريب فريق مودرن سبورت أمس في مباراة طلائع الجيش وانتهت بالتعادل السلبي، والتي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

طالع | التعادل يحسم مباراة مودرن سبورت وطلائع الجيش في الدوري المصري تشكيل الجهاز الفني الجديد لـ مودرن سبورت

عبد الحليم علي – مدير الكرة

عبد الحق بن شيخة – المدير الفني

فريد زميتي – مدرب

أحمد صالح – مدرب

دانيال خيمينيز – مدرب

فريد بلملاط – مدرب حراس

كمال بوجنان – المعد البدني

محلل الأداء – سيصل مصر خلال أيام

ويمتلك بن شيخة مدرب مودرن سبورت الجديد والذي تولى مهمة تدريب المنتخب الجزائري الأول عام 2010، مسيرة تدريبية كبيرة وحافلة أبرزها اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري والذي حقق معه لقبي الكونفدرالية الإفريقية وكأس السوبر الإفريقي على حساب الأهلي في عام 2023.

كما حصد لقب كأس السوبر الإفريقي أيضاً مع فريق نهضة بركان وكأس تنزانيا مع فريق سيمبا، كما حقق 3 ألقاب مع فريق شباب بلوزداد وكأس قطر مع فريق أم صلال وبطولة تونس مع فريق الإفريقي التونسي.

وله تجارب مميزة وعديدة مع أندية كثيرة أبرزها اتحاد كلباء الإماراتي وشبيبة القبائل والرجاء البيضاوي واتحاد طنجة والمغرب التطواني والدفاع الحسني الجديدي ومولودية الجزائر وغيرهم.