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West Bromwich Albion fans will be overjoyed with the way their side has started this new Championship season, with the Baggies boasting the tag of being only one of the two remaining unbeaten teams still standing in the second tier alongside Regis Le Bris' Sunderland.

It's not been the most exciting brand of football from Carlos Corberan's men with just six goals scored across this unbeaten four-game stretch, but it's West Brom's defence that continues to shine with only two goals given up.

The likes of Kyle Bartley and Darnell Furlong as first-team stalwarts under the Spaniard ensure the Baggies remain rock solid defensively, with both experienced defenders not too dissimilar in approach to Jonny Evans, who was once a seasoned titan at the back for the West Midlands outfit himself.

Jonny Evans' time at West Brom

Still standing strong at 36 years of age now playing for Manchester United, Evans is fondly remembered at the Hawthorns for being a dependable performer for the Baggies during their recent top-flight hey-day.

The Northern Irish centre-back would amass 96 games in total for West Brom, with all of those appearances coming in the Premier League, before he ended up jumping ship to Leicester City after his ex-employers were relegated at the end of the 17/18 campaign.

There won't be any hard feelings towards Evans from West Brom supporters in the here and now, however, as their former number six never downed his tools, even during that bleak relegation season.

Evans would help himself to two goals and an assist during his 28 top-flight games that campaign, with a fight still present in his game despite relegation becoming more and more of a growing possibility, as an impressive 4.3 total duels were won on average per clash.

His top performances for the Baggies at the time even saw the likes of Arsenal reportedly show interest in his services, before the Foxes snapped him up in 2018.

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?

How much Jonny Evans' transfer would be worth in 2024

If the same golden deal was to take place today for Evans to join West Brom, the 6 foot 2 Premier League veteran would cost way more to get into the building than the prices of both Furlong and Alex Mowatt in the current Baggies first-team squad. That's according to TotallyMoney's Transfer Index.

Evans would end up costing the Baggies a high £12.1m if the same transfer were to take place in today's inflated transfer landscape, with the current Red Devil coming in as the most expensive player in the West Brom squad subsequently, when looking at Football Transfers.

Both Furlong and Mowatt are worth just £2.3m and £3.3m for Corberan's promotion chasers, on the other hand, despite both already showing that they're crucial parts of the jigsaw at the Hawthorns this season in league action.

Minutes played

90

90

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

62

54

Accurate passes

31/34 (91%)

36/45 (80%)

Key passes

2

1

Total duels won

7/10

2/2

Both players helped West Brom pick up a 1-0 win versus Swansea City last time out before the international break came into full force, with Furlong in particular standing out with two key passes registered and seven duels won.

Corberan has even singled out Furlong for praise recently, with the Spaniard stating that he loves working with the Baggies defender, who is now on to 205 total appearances in an Albion strip.

Both the Baggies number two and Mowatt will strive to get West Brom back to the level where Evans still shines – having been labelled as a "wall" defensively by football talent scout Jacek Kulig when starring for Leicester – as the games come thick and fast after the lengthy international break is over.

West Brom hit gold on controversial star who'd be worth more than Johnston

West Bromwich Albion fans used to love watching this star in attack.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 6, 2024

A 117-run stand between KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma topped off a superb team effort with the ball in dewy conditions as India wrapped up victory in the T20I series against New Zealand with one match still remaining. Both openers made half-centuries during which their calculated risks came off at just the right times to ensure that a potentially tricky chase proved more or less straightforward, even if there was a minor blip towards the end with three wickets falling for the addition of 20 runs.

Live cricket on ESPN+ in the USA

Live coverage of the India vs New Zealand series is available in the USA on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+, and also watch the match highlights in English and in Hindi.

Having won their second straight toss – Rohit has so far proven markedly better at this skill than his predecessor Virat Kohli – India didn’t get off to the best of starts, with Martin Guptill clattering 31 off 15 as New Zealand dominated their powerplay. But the bowlers, led by R Ashwin and the debutant Harshal Patel, pulled things back magnificently, and the openers laid the perfect platform for a chase that India eventually wrapped up with 16 balls to spare.Guptill tees off
Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a terrific first over by most measures, going full, finding swing, and causing Guptill all sorts of bother. But it ended with Bhuvneshwar wicketless and Guptill on 14 off 6, having hit three fours – none of which came off the true middle of the bat – and having been dropped once, by Rahul running back from mid-on.The swing dissipated, and the runs kept flowing, with the dew – which set in even before the match began – seemingly causing the ball to hurry onto the bat and allow both openers to hit fluently through the line. Guptill did the bulk of the hitting, and had already hit two vintage straight sixes before Deepak Chahar dismissed him with a well-directed short ball in the fifth over. For the second match in a row, he had dismissed Guptill immediately after being hit for six. New Zealand at that point were 48 for 1 in 4.2 overs.The slowdown
Mark Chapman found the boundary twice before the powerplay ended, and at 64 for 1, New Zealand looked on course for 180 or more. But a combination of superb bowling, a pitch that turned out to be less of a belter than it had initially seemed, and a batting line-up that couldn’t quite come to grips with either ensured they ended up well short.As he has been in every match since his comeback to India’s white-ball set-up, Ashwin was imperious, varying pace, trajectory, line and release expertly to ensure the ball never quite arrived where the batter wanted it, or in the way that he wanted it to. And once again, his range of angles and variations allowed him to make a mockery of theoretical match-ups. By the end of his four overs – which he ended with figures of 1 for 19 – he had bowled 71 balls to right-hand batters since his T20I comeback, while conceding just 51 runs and zero boundaries.Harshal’s slower ball, meanwhile, proved just as effective on international debut as it had done through his record-breaking 2021 IPL season, in conjunction with the long boundaries at the JSCA Stadium. He conceded just 25 in his four overs, and took the wickets of Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, both caught in the deep.Post-powerplay, New Zealand only scored 89 at 6.36 per over, with Mitchell, Chapman, Tim Seifert and James Neesham combining to score 36 off 51 after the fields spread out. That New Zealand ended up with 153 was largely down to the fast hands of Phillips, who hit three sixes in scoring 34 off 21.Harshal Patel picked up the key wickets of Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips•BCCI

The calm, the storm
The target didn’t demand that India explode off the blocks, and that allowed Rahul and Rohit to ease their way into their innings. Rahul took the bulk of the strike in the powerplay – 26 balls to Rohit’s 10 – and moved smoothly to 32 in that time, timing the ball quite exquisitely on occasion – a drive past mid-off and a flat six over extra-cover, both off Trent Boult, were particularly easy on the eye.At the 6-over mark, India were 45 for no loss, and the next three overs – bowled by Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner – brought no boundaries. In the first T20I, Suryakumar Yadav had taken control of his match-up against Todd Astle’s legspin, allowing Rohit to bat at a relaxed tempo against spin after a rollicking start against the quicks; now, with neither Rohit nor Rahul particularly renowned for going after spin in the middle overs, there was potential for anxiety to creep into India’s innings despite the required rate being under control.Rohit put any such anxiety to bed by taking on Santner in the 10th over. Premeditating for Santner’s stock ball – sliding in from back of a length with the angle from left-arm around – Rohit made a massive amount of hitting room and pulled his first ball for six.Then he cleared his front leg and hit another flat slider for a six over long-on. Santner nearly had his revenge next ball when he slowed down his pace, got the ball to turn and bounce a little more than usual, and got Rohit to miscue a slog-sweep, but Boult put down a difficult chance running in from long-on.Rahul and Rohit then took 26 off the next two overs, off Adam Milne and Boult, and India were 105 for no loss with the required rate down to nearly a run a ball.Southee triggers a wobble
Much like it did for Harshal, the slower ball into the pitch began to bring Tim Southee rewards. On 65, Rahul looked to whip him over the leg side boundary but failed to clear the boundary rider. In his next over, Southee got a slower ball to hold on the pitch and climb awkwardly at Rohit, who popped a catch to short cover. When Suryakumar bottom-edged another slower cutter into his stumps at the end of that over, India had two new batters at the crease with 17 required from 24.A vaguely similar situation had led to an unexpectedly close finish in Jaipur, but India didn’t let it go that deep here. Venkatesh Iyer – promoted to No. 3 after not being needed with the ball yet again – looked nervy but picked up a pair of edged fours, before Rishabh Pant completed the job, smacking Neesham for back-to-back sixes at the start of the 18th over, ending the game with a trademark one-handed hit.

James McClean has hit out at the Football Association of Ireland following a “disgusting, pathetic and insulting” error in their matchday programme.

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Ireland's women's team in action against WalesSuffered agonising defeat in Euro 2025 play-offOfficial publication generated more controversyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ireland’s women’s team were in Euro 2025 play-off action against Wales on December 3, with that contest taking place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin – as the visitors secured a 3-2 aggregate success. An official publication produced for the fixture has left ex-Republic of Ireland international McClean fuming.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Within the matchday programme was a map highlighting where all of the players in Eileen Gleeson’s squad hail from. The geographical image used included the listing of ‘Londonderry’, rather than ‘Derry’ – which is preferred by nationalists in Ireland.

InstagramWHAT MCCLEAN SAID

McClean, who is fiercely proud and protective of his roots, has hit out at the error on social media. The Wrexham captain said in a post which included a picture of the map in question: “The match programme at last night’s Ireland vs Wales game at the Aviva Dublin…disgusting, pathetic, insulting, hang your heads in shame you shower of arseholes.”

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

The FAI has acknowledged the “error” and said in an apologetic statement: “The wrong graphic was inadvertently used in an Ireland Women’s National Team match programme, this was a genuine mistake and the Football Association of Ireland apologises for any offence caused.”

West Ham United have entered a new era, with Julen Lopetegui anointed as the London Stadium's new manager and tasked with taking a talented squad and lifting them back into European competition.

Having risen from 14th in 2022/23 to ninth during David Moyes' final year, despite selling Declan Rice to Arsenal, the Hammers showcased their quality but, ultimately, ran out of steam, and a change in managerial structure could provide the club with the clean slate needed to attack the upper end of the Premier League with renewed vigour.

West Ham: Opening PL Fixtures 24/25
Matchweek	Fixture	Venue
1.	Aston Villa	London Stadium
2.	Crystal Palace	Selhurst Park
3.	Manchester City	Etihad Stadium
4.	Fulham	Craven Cottage
5.	Chelsea	London Stadium

Lopetegui has been hard at work, with United signing 18-year-old winger Luis Guilherme for £25.5m and working on several more deals. Mohammed Kudus, who has an £85m release clause in his contract, is eyeing a move away, while a brooding cloud remains sheeted over Lucas Paqueta's footballing future.

Still, Tim Steidten and Co will be working feverishly toward adding the perfect signings to the squad. Let's take a look at how Lopetegui's squad could look come September.

1

GK – Alphonse Areola

Alphonse Areola will hope to keep his place between the sticks for West Ham.

The 31-year-old played second fiddle to Lucasz Fabianski through his first two Premier League campaigns in east London, but featured prominently last year, starting 31 matches.

Premier League 23/24: Goalkeeper Stats
Rank	Player	Matches played	Save percentage
1.	Andre Onana	38	74.9%
2.	Alphonse Areola	31	74.5%
3.	Jordan Pickford	38	73.9%
4.	Alisson Becker	28	73.4%
5.	Jose Sa	35	73.4%
Stats via FBref

One of the sharpest shot-stoppers last term, he could prove to be an invaluable figure under Lopetegui as the West Ham defence transitions.

2

RB – Vladimir Coufal

Ben Johnson is closing on a move to Ipswich Town and Vladimir Coufal is nearly 32. The latter will expect to play a big role next season but expect Lopetegui to assess his options at right-back.

Still, Coufal's reliability and dynamism have established him as one of West Ham's most underrated transfers in recent years, playing 155 matches, placing 20 assists, winning a European trophy. All for the not-so-steep price of £5m.

3

CB – Jacob Greaves

Konstantinos Mavropanos has his strengths but if Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd are both to depart the club as anticipated this summer, high-quality replacements must be brought in.

And according to Football Insider, Hull City centre-back Jacob Greaves could be headed to the capital. The 23-year-old – who is valued at around £20m – has enjoyed an excellent campaign in the Championship and boasts the modern ball-playing style to succeed within Lopetegui's system.

As per FBref, Greaves ranked among the top 8% of centre-backs during the 2023/24 Championship season for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for pass completion, the top 10% for passes attempted and the top 4% for aerial duels won per 90.

4

CB – Max Kilman

Will he, won't he? West Ham are pushing to sign Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Valued at £45m, the left-sided defender starred during Lopetegui's tenure at Molineux and would be the perfect replacement for Aguerd, averaging 4.7 ball recoveries and 4.7 clearances per game in the league last year and winning a whopping 71% of his aerial battles.

The Wolves captain – who didn't miss a minute in the English top flight last year – would grow into an important and influential role for the Hammers.

5

LB – Emerson Palmieri

No full-back made more tackles than Emerson Palmieri's 106 in the Premier League last season. The Italian has been a dependable member of the Irons squad.

Iron, indeed, is Emerson's watchword, and he will be tasked with adding balance and mettle to a new-look backline.

6

DM – Edson Alvarez

Manchester United are interested in signing Edson Alvarez this summer, though Lopetegui is unlikely to sanction the tough-tackling Mexican's sale.

As The Athletic's Roshane Thomas puts it, he was the main man during his first term in east London claret, the steely, metronomic presence. He must remain at the London Stadium.

7

CM – Tomas Soucek

What a stalwart. Tomas Soucek is an industrious and tenacious member of the West Ham midfield, important for inculcating balance into the team.

Last year, the Czech star scored ten goals from 52 appearances. The 6 foot 3 midfielder is imposing and committed and he will be crucial, whether he ends up cementing a regular starting berth under Lopetegui or not.

8

CM – James Ward-Prowse

Signed from Southampton for £30m, West Ham have made good use of James Ward-Prowse's talents, with the midfielder scoring seven goals and adding 11 assists across all competitions.

In the Premier League, as per Sofascore, he completed 90% of his passes and averaged 1.7 key passes per game. He will be the playmaking linchpin in Paqueta's absence, centrally at least.

9

RW – Jarrod Bowen

Guilherme brings prodigious talent to the Premier League, flicks and tricks that will serve West Ham well over the coming years, but he's not going to take Jarrod Bowen's place on the attacking right flank.

West Ham Top Scorers 23/24
Rank	Player	Apps	Goals
1.	Jarrod Bowen	44	20
2.	Mohammed Kudus	45	14
3.	Tomas Soucek	52	10
4.	Lucas Paqueta	43	8
5.	Michail Antonio	32	7
5.	James Ward-Prowse	51	7
Stats via BBC Sport

The Three Lions star's 20-goal haul was his personal best in an Irons shirt and provided English football with another illustration into the skill set of a first-rate forward.

Lopetegui will seek to stamp more possession and more attacking intent into his side and Bowen will be the architect on the field, shooting on goal himself and playing quick exchanges with the man in the middle.

10

LW – Crysencio Summerville

With Kudus likely to leave and Paqueta's future uncertain, securing a talented new winger is paramount for Lopetegui and West Ham. Crysencio Summerville, the 2023/24 Championship Player of the Year, could be that man.

According to reports relayed by Claret and Hugh, the 22-year-old Dutchman is attracting his fair share of Premier League attention after scoring 20 goals and supplying nine assists as Leeds United finished third and narrowly missed out on promotion.

He could be the catalyst in attack for Lopetegui, praised for his "relentless" running by analyst Ben Mattinson to complement his sharp attacking abilitiy.

Maia Bouchier and Charlie Dean have earned maiden call-ups to the England Women’s squad for next month’s three-match T20I series against New Zealand.The Southern Vipers duo, who played for Southern Brave and London Spirit respectively in the Hundred, are the only additions to the group which defeated India 2-1 in their T20I series in July.Related

• ECB set to increase women's Hundred salaries, committed to double-headers

• Rodrigues, van Niekerk, Dunkley in Hundred team of the tournament

• From agony to ecstasy: Farrant set to live the Lord's dream

• Edwards and the Vipers connection – how Brave reached the Hundred final

Bouchier, a middle-order batter, scored an unbeaten half-century in her last outing of the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 competition before scoring 92 runs in seven innings during the Hundred at an average of 30.66 and with a strike rate of 143.75.Allrounder Dean claimed a wicket and scored 22 as part of an England A team which beat New Zealand by four wickets in a 50-over match on Monday, the visitors’ first warm-up match of their tour.Sophia Dunkley continues her breakthrough season, retaining her place in the T20I squad after finishing as the Hundred’s third-highest run-scorer and making Test and ODI fifties during India’s recent tour of England. Danni Wyatt, who scored a series-sealing 89 not out in the final T20I of that tour after being overlooked for the other two legs, was also included in the squad to face New Zealand.Lauren Winfield-Hill and Kate Cross both miss out again, while England have not been tempted to pick 17-year-old allrounder Alice Capsey despite her exploits for Oval Invincibles in their late charge to the Hundred title.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Lisa Keightley, England Women’s head coach, praised the revamped domestic structure in England and Wales for creating a deeper talent pool from which to select international players, beyond those on central contracts with the ECB.”We’re looking at more players than ever before, which is so exciting,” Keightley said. “The fact that so many other players are sticking their hand up and pushing for selection is testament to the progress the domestic structure is allowing the women’s game to make.”We’re seeing improvements across the board, and there were a number of young English players who also shone in The Hundred, which bodes really well for the future. This is another big series for us, and I want the team to continue from where they left off in the series win over India.”The T20I series against New Zealand begins on September 1 at Chelmsford, followed by fixtures at Hove and Taunton with five ODIs after that, for which England are yet to name a squad.Elsewhere, the ECB have confirmed the venues for the remaining women’s domestic finals. The Ageas Bowl will host the play-off and final of the Charlotte Edwards Cup on September 5, with the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final staged at Wantage Road in Northampton on September 25.Fixtures:Wednesday, September 1: 1st T20I, Chelmsford
Saturday, September 4: 2nd T20I, Hove
Thursday, September 9: 3rd T20I, Taunton

From Alisalman Husain, Pakistan Captaincy must have seemed very easy to Kevin Pietersen as his first day in charge of the England team coincided with the return of a rejuvenated Stephen Harmison and perfect conditions for swing that were

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013Alisalman Husain, Pakistan
Captaincy must have seemed very easy to Kevin Pietersen as his first day in charge of the England team coincided with the return of a rejuvenated Stephen Harmison and perfect conditions for swing that were superbly exploited by James Anderson. By the end, England could reflect on probably their best day of the npower series.The extra pace of Harmison changed the course of the fourth Test match at the Brit Oval, sparking a South Africa collapse from 103 for one to 194 all out with wickets in successive balls after lunch. England then reduced the deficit to 145 for the loss of only Andrew Strauss before close. Even the most mundane captain can be made to look like Mike Brearley if he has top-class bowlers at his disposal and Pietersen, who will never be described as mundane, can take credit for his personal wish not only to have Harmison back in the side, but also to entrust him with the new ball.A lot of the things that Kevin did went right for him, Harmison said “I thought he did fantastically well and I think a lot of us helped him. He is up for it and enjoying the challenge. He always has ideas and he is always behind us.” Pietersen is already guaranteed a happier introduction to captaincy than Vaughan, his predecessor, whose first Test in charge against South Africa in 2003 resulted in an innings defeat at Lord’s. On the first day, England were dismissed for 173 and Smith finished on 80 not out on the way to a second double-hundred of the series.

da aviator aposta： Members of Liverpool's first-team squad will filter back into Kirkby on Friday onwards, with the U21s and teenagers already back and under Arne Slot's watchful eye.

da dobrowin： Make no mistake, though, Liverpool's prominent members will not be returning for the foreseeable, with many competing on international duty and others currently enjoying their holidays – like Andy Robertson and Dominik Szoboszlai, who were knocked out of Euro 2024 over a week ago.

A central defender, defensive midfielder and wider forward are all positions that have been discussed ahead of possible summer spending, though FSG will only make their move if the right opportunity materialises.

Regarding the base of the midfield, the right chance might just have come along…

Liverpool transfer news

According to Spanish publication Sport, Liverpool are considered the favourites in the Premier League in the race to sign Bayern Munich sensation Joshua Kimmich, who is out of contract in Bavaria in one year.

The 29-year-old is currently starring for host nation Germany at the Euros but noise from the Allianz Arena suggests that fresh terms will not be agreed and he will be sold this summer, with Bayern considering a nominal sale of just €30m (£25m).

Hansi Flick's Barcelona have a vested interest and so too do a host of top English outfits, so Liverpool will need to move quickly if their intrigue is indeed serious.

What Joshua Kimmich would bring to Liverpool

Last summer, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were sold to the Saudi Pro League after dismal, regressive campaigns. Jurgen Klopp needed to bolster with a top-class new no. 6 and after missing out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, settled for the shrewd £16m signing of Wataru Endo.

Endo, aged 31, has been an interesting addition to the Anfield clutch but is not the long-term solution to the holding midfield conundrum at Liverpool. Industrious and tenacious, yes, but also limited technically and not the crispest in defensive challenges – winning just 41% of his ground duels in the Premier League last season.

Kimmich, while no longer a new kid on the block, would bring an elite range of passing and a sharp defensive skill set that truly could leave him in a promising position for illustrious success on English shores, a metronomic force to serve Slot's possession and progression-centric system.

Joshua Kimmich vs Wataru Endo (23/24)

Stats

Kimmich

Endo

Matches played

28

29

Matches started

27

20

Goals

1

1

Assists

6

0

Pass completion

91%

88%

Touches per game

90.3

54.4

Tackles per game

1.6

1.7

Key passes per game

2.6

0.6

Recoveries per game

5.0

3.7

Dribbles per game

0.4 (45%)

0.3 (67%)

Ground duels won per game

2.8 (60%)

2.9 (41%)

All stats via Sofascore

He's quite clearly a cut above Endo, so cultured, so combative, so creative. Signing Kimmich would go against Liverpool's principles of targetting young, malleable talents, but exceptions can be made, right? Like when Liverpool signed distinguished midfielder Thiago Alcantara from… Bayern Munich, for £20m, seizing upon a unique opportunity.

Kimmich, unlike his former Bavarian teammate, is not so prone to extended layoffs, missing 17 matches due to injury over the past four campaigns, or 4.25 per season.

A player of myriad qualities, Kimmich ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

His immense stretches of ground covered on a game-by-game basis have facilitated his rise to one of the leading European players of his position, with Julian Nagelsmann among those to have gushed over his "world-class" ability.

Such is his prowess, he could be the final piece of the puzzle at Liverpool, the missing link to ensure Slot's success. He could be Liverpool's own Declan Rice, or, even better, Liverpool's very own Rodri.

Arne Slot's very own Rodri

Rodri. Where to begin? Perhaps, aptly, from the end. Last time the Manchester City machine graced a football field, he starred as Spain overcame the valiant efforts of Georgia to advance, with a continent in awe, to the quarter-finals of the Euros, setting up a tie with Kimmich's Germany, ironically.

Unmatched spatial awareness, anticipation and technical quality place the pillars that make up Rodri's standing as one of the finest players in world football. Indeed, the 27-year-old has been described as "the best midfield player, currently, in the world by far" by Pep Guardiola.

He is so influential, completing 91% of his passes as Man City won their fourth successive Premier League title last season, averaging 1.5 key passes, 2.1 tackles and 6.9 recoveries per outing and winning 59% of his contested duels.

Moreover, the Spain star scored nine goals and supplied 14 assists across all competitions last season, showcasing his ability to stretch his influence beyond the expectations and even hopes of the world's finest 'defensive' midfielders.

His staggering ability to call upon every facet of the midfield game – and more – to a superlative degree is what differentiates him from the rest of Europe's high-class midfielders, but Kimmich could take a claim for bearing such talent.

Kimmich, as mentioned above, is a midfielder of far-reaching quality, and there is every chance that he would lift Slot's Liverpool to another level upon signing this summer, proving to be the catalyst to turbo-power and raise the bar to match that of the country's imperious champions.

For just £25m, it would simply be an offence to refrain from at least making an advance…

Related Slot could land "elite" Diaz upgrade who wants to sign for Liverpool

Arne Slot would adore this winger.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 1, 2024

Minus Zian Flemming’s late penalty for Burnley at St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over the relegation-threatened Clarets on Saturday was rather straightforward.

Scott Parker’s men never gave in, but after Anthony Gordon stroked home his fourth penalty of the season, there was a sense of inevitability that the Magpies were going to secure a sixth Premier League victory of the campaign, especially as the away side had to play all of the second half with just ten men.

It was far from vintage, but Newcastle will be pleased that they now enter into the upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with a confidence-boosting win under their belt.

Then, it’s a tough encounter with Chelsea in league action, before more and more clashes come their way across the bumper Christmas period.

Before you know it, Eddie Howe’s men will be concerning themselves with matters in the January transfer window, as plenty of new signings are tipped to move to Tyneside.

Newcastle's transfer latest

Away from any new arrivals, though, Yoane Wissa lining up for Howe and Co against Burnley would have felt like a fresh signing in itself, as the injury-plagued striker finally pulled on Toon black and white, after exiting Brentford in the summer.

Still, even with Wissa’s return, Newcastle have been credited as being interested in the services of Bees goal machine Igor Thiago, as Keith Andrews fears another Magpies swoop could be forthcoming.

Of course, there is also constant talk bubbling away that Elliot Anderson might well seal a Tyneside return from Nottingham Forest.

Yet, with a ludicrous £100m price tag above the England international’s head, Newcastle might well be better placed to seek out cheaper alternatives, as Hungarian sensation Alex Tóth is allegedly catching the Premier League side’s eye.

Already garnering a lot of hype in his native country for Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros TC, Football Insider has now revealed that a £13m bid could be accepted down the line for the 20-year-old’s services, with Newcastle and Bundesliga clubs eyeing up the emerging talent.

Newcastle could be tempted to land such a promising midfield gem if he is available at such a cut-price fee, with the lingering disappointment of letting Anderson go prematurely, softened somewhat by the Budapest-born star’s arrival.

How Toth could be Anderson 2.0

Newcastle must still have restless nights about the decision to sell Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024, after the homegrown Toon prodigy had made 55 promising appearances in the first team ranks.

He was only just getting started at St James’ Park, though, with hindsight on side, as the 23-year-old is now a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, and for good reason.

He’s made a mind-blowing 8.4 ball recoveries per game this season in Premier League action, and won 7.8 duels per match, gifting him the label of being an “elite” performer at the very top by analyst and social media personality Statman Dave.

Likewise, journalist Bence Bocsak has tipped the Ferencváros number 64 to go to “the top” too, with a new Anderson-style project potentially on Newcastle’s hands if they land Tóth this January.

Games played

17

12

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

7

1

Touches*

65.9

54.5

Accurate passes*

37.6 (84%)

32.8 (87%)

Big chances created

8

4

Ball recoveries*

4.2

2.0

Total duels won*

4.8

4.0

Winning four duels per fixture his season in Fizz Liga action, Tóth isn’t a million miles off the high-octane approach Anderson is known for. He even regularly lines up for Hungary, alongside Liverpool faces Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, off the back of these well-drilled showings, with three ground duels successfully won against the Republic of Ireland, just last month.

But, as per analyst page Football Wonderkids, it’s also his well-rounded ability to chip in with goals and assists and tidily play the ball about the pitch that makes him a “special talent” worthy of a Premier League switch, with a standout 11 goal contributions tallied up across his last two league seasons. Like Anderson, therefore, he’s got a goal involvement from the middle of the park in him too.

This has further led to the aforementioned Bocsak hailing the £13m asset as a “modern day midfielder” who is capable of everything, much like Anderson, who has three goals and seven assists for the Tricky Trees in total, yet is also known as a “warrior” for his defensive grit by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Of course, if Tóth were to make the move to England, he wouldn’t become an Anderson-like talent overnight in his new, intimidating surroundings.

But, for just £13m, it’s surely worth the gamble that he could morph into Newcastle’s second coming of their departed midfielder in time.

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He smashed seven sixes and four fours in his 38-ball 67

Andrew McGlashan12-Jul-2021

Chris Gayle smashed seven sixes and four fours in his 38-ball 67•AFP/Getty Images

So, those questions about Chris Gayle’s form. The opener put on a thunderous display, with his first T20I half-century since 2016, to secure a series victory for West Indies as he pummelled the Australia attack around St Lucia in what became a cakewalk of a chase.Having made 102 runs in nine innings since his recall earlier this year, Gayle launched seven sixes in an innings that took him past 14,000 T20 runs. After he departed, stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran ensured there was no hiccup in the chase he closed it out with more than five overs to spare. It is the first time West Indies have won a bilateral series (or more than one match) against Australia in any format since 1995.Australia had made three changes – two enforced by injury to Ben McDermott and Ashton Agar – and changed tact by opting to bat first when Aaron Finch again won the toss, but it was a laboured effort after some initial momentum in the powerplay. Moises Henriques and the recalled Ashton Turner added 59 but it took almost eight overs.Watch cricket on ESPN+

West Indies v Australia is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the match.

West Indies were excellent with the ball despite Obed McCoy being able to bowl only one over. Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh Jr, who took his series tally to eight wickets, bowled their eight overs for 44. Allen also took a spectacular rebound catch in the deep to remove Finch in a display that further enhanced his fielding credentials.The Wade, Finch contrast
The struggle for the majority of Australia’s innings is highlighted by the fact that they had a useful 41 off the first five overs. That was largely down to Matthew Wade who again struck the ball sweetly as he did in the opening match of the series. However, with some of the issues being faced by other batters, Australia needed him to make the most of those starts and kick on but he departed when he missed a slower ball from McCoy. His opening partner is finding things aren’t quite coming out of the middle at the moment and Finch never got his timing during a run-a-ball stay where he was often losing his shapes on shots. He eventually fell to a worldie of a catch, completed by Allen at deep midwicket who remained magnificently alert when Dwayne Bravo missed the initial chance, and hurled himself low to the ground to grab it.Fabian Allen was brilliantly alert to hold rebound catch•AFP

Walsh does it again
The Finch wicket was Walsh’s second of the innings as he again did a terrific job, this time also bringing notable economy to his four overs. Pooran had held back his spinners – the match was a rare example of all the powerplay play overs being bowled by seamers of various descriptions – and when they were introduced Australia struggled to up the tempo. Allen removed the in-form Mitchell Marsh when he missed a sweep and Walsh claimed his first by ending a lively start from Alex Carey who had reverse-swept his first ball of the series for four. The spinners, which included one over from Gayle, did not concede a single six as Australia only cleared the boundary twice – both hits coming from Henriques.Gayle’s reminder
Gayle arrived for the fourth ball of the chase after Mitchell Starc, who bowled excellently after two expensive outings, had Andre Fletcher taken at midwicket. He saw out the over from Starc but then things got lively. When he got on strike to Josh Hazlewood’s first over he went 6, 4, 4, 4. There was a look in his eye of a batter on a mission. He was measured too but after a brief period of more sedate play, he deposited Adam Zampa for a straight six and followed it up in the 11th over with three consecutive sixes against the legspinner, the third of which took him to a 33-ball half-century. He saved the biggest for a huge leg-side blow off Riley Meredith that was followed by another the next ball before a top edge ended the show. Five of the last seven deliveries he faced cleared the rope. The match and the series were done and dusted.

Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten run across all competitions has now extended to three games across all competitions after Tuesday’s Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

The Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory in Europe after penalties from Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and an own goal from opposition defender David Zima.

Thomas Frank looks to have finally found a winning formula, as seen in recent weeks, after previously failing to win in any five matches, four of which came in the Premier League.

Some may argue that the Dane is starting to get the best out of his current playing squad, with a period of adaptation evidently needed after his summer appointment.

However, despite the three-goal triumph in North London last night, the manager will no doubt have seen some glaring flaws that will need correcting in the weeks ahead.

Spurs's biggest underperformers against Slavia Prague

After starting each of the last four games on the substitutes bench, winger Wilson Odobert was handed the chance to start from the off against Slavia Prague.

However, the Frenchman struggled to make the desired impact, as seen by his tally of 86% duels lost, leading to his withdrawal in the 76th minute of the clash.

Other figures, such as zero dribbles completed and two big chances missed in the final third, also highlight his lack of positive impact despite Frank’s faith shown in the youngster.

He wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver during the win, with Pedro Porro unable to produce the regular attacking quality the fanbase have become accustomed to in recent years.

The Spaniard only managed to complete one of his five attempted crosses, whilst completing just 66% of the passes he attempted – largely being ineffective when in possession.

He also failed to win any tackles against the Czech side, whilst failing to complete any of his attempted dribbles – showcasing his lack of quality at both ends of the pitch in North London.

Spurs star needs to be dropped after Slavia Prague

Spurs have spent heavily over the last couple of years to try and be competitive in the Premier League and try and compete for titles under Frank in the years ahead.

In the recent summer alone, the Lilywhites hierarchy backed the manager with over £120m worth of funds to make an immediate impact during his first year at the helm.

Xavi Simons was just one of the additions made by the hierarchy during the off-season, but he’s struggled to make an impact across various competitions in recent months.

He went 17 games without a goal until last week, but the Dutch star has started to find his feet – as seen by his tally of two goals in his last two games for the Lilywhites.

The same can’t be said for striker Richarlison, who has constantly struggled for consistency after his own £50m transfer from Everton back in the summer of 2022.

The Brazilian international has been Frank’s starting centre forward for the majority of 2025/26 to date, subsequently managing to net a total of seven goals across all competitions.

Whilst such a tally may seem respectable, he’s often gone missing in major moments this campaign, as seen against Slavia Prague in the meeting on Tuesday.

He was once again handed a start at the top end of the pitch, but he was unable to provide the goods in front of goal and was subsequently replaced in the 68th minute.

Richarlison was only able to register a measly tally of 22 touches, a tally fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who managed 50 – showcasing his lack of impact in North London.

Minutes played

68

Touches

22

Passes completed

9

Possession lost

7x

Big chances missed

1

Aerials won

50%

Passes into final third

1

Fouls committed

2

He also only managed to complete nine passes and lost possession on seven separate occasions, further highlighting his lack of positive impact during the Champions League clash.

The Brazilian also missed one big chance in front of goal and won just 50% of his aerial battles, often struggling to provide the focal point Frank has massively craved.

As a result of his showing, the striker was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by Football London’s Alasdair Gold, further showcasing his struggles in North London.

After such a showing, Frank must certainly be left with no choice but to drop the forward and hand the likes of Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani the chance to stake their claim for the number nine role.

Richarlison has no doubt been a decent option for Spurs over the last couple of years, but it’s becoming increasingly evident week on week that he’s not at the level needed for success.

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