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Much of the focus surrounding Aston Villa has rightfully been on the summer just gone, given the sheer amount of talent that Unai Emery welcomed to the Midlands. The likes of Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, and Nicolo Zaniolo all made moves to Villa Park, and have all played their part in the Villans' solid start to their Premier League campaign.

Now that the rest of Europe are well aware of Villa's willingness to splash the cash, however, the focus may well turn to future transfer windows, with Emery and co ones to keep an eye on when it comes to big moves. And that could see the Midlands club target potentially relegated stars at the end of the season, with reports suggesting that one particular former player is being eyed.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

With the transfer window currently closed, Villa's main focus seems to be on renewing Ollie Watkins' contract, who is set to finalise a new deal, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic. That's not to say they haven't been planning ahead, however, with a potential plan reportedly put together over one particular move next summer.

A transfer update on Cameron Archer has been provided by Alex Crook of TalkSport. According to the transfer expert, if the Blades are relegated this season, then Archer could make an instant return to Aston Villa next summer, despite leaving the club for a reported £18m in the recent transfer window. The Midlands club have a buy-back clause and therefore would be at the front of the queue, and Emery is reportedly personally tracking the forward's progress closely.

It would certainly be an interesting move by those at Villa Park, considering that they only just cashed in on Archer. That said, the sale of the forward was reportedly to ensure that they stayed within the rules of Financial Fair Play. If it wasn't for that fear, then the 21-year-old may well still be an Aston Villa player, as we speak.

How many goals has Cameron Archer scored?

So far this season, Archer has shown glimpses of what he can do in a Sheffield United shirt, scoring one goal, which helped the Blades to earn their sole point in the Premier League, having played seven games so far. Statistically speaking, too, he has outperformed current Villa option Jhon Duran in a number of areas, as per FBref.

Michael Carrick had nothing but good things to say about the forward when he was on loan at Middlesbrough. The manager said, via the Northern Echo:

"I thought he was terrific Cam and showed everything he is about. He was touch and go whether he was going to play or not. He had his ankle strapped so he could be out there and for me, that added to his performance in terms of the fact he did that and he was desperate to play in the circumstances. Credit to him, he’s a terrific lad who’s settled really quickly and loves it here. He’s a big part of the group and I thought his performance in terms of his movement and finishing was excellent."

Joe Ravitch, who formed part of the protracted takeover saga at Manchester United, says “Qataris were very real” following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s jibe.

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• Glazer family opened themselves up to offers
• Interest from the Middle East eventually dropped
• INEOS acquired 25 per cent stake in Red Devils

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After seeing the Glazer family open themselves up to offers at Old Trafford, a long-running bid for power played out. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani was a leading player in that process, but ultimately walked away from talks when a deal became impossible.

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  That left the door open for Ratcliffe to acquire a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils, with the INEOS chief claiming at one stage: “Still nobody’s ever seen him (Sheikh Jassim), actually. The Glazers never met him… he never… I’m not sure he exists!”

• WHAT RAVITCH SAID ABOUT MAN UTD

  Ravitch – co-founder and partner at Raine Group, who were charged with the task of negotiating with interested parties – has told of takeover talks: “We met Jassim. He was in New York. He’s a lovely guy; a very smart guy. The Qataris were very real. They were very smart guys, very thoughtful. I don’t know why they didn’t appreciate the value [of the club] but we were not their adviser. We tried as the seller to explain the value to them, and they put what they thought was a series of very serious bids on the table.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Ravitch added on why the Qatari bid fell short, with United having been valued at “around $6.5bn [£5bn]”: “I think the Qataris got to about $5.75bn. We said to them, ‘You’re within 10 per cent, why don’t you get in a room and try to get to a deal.’ But they said no. I think they were very conscious of criticism if they were seen to be overpaying.”

Future USWNT and current Chelsea boss Emma Hayes spoke highly of young English goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

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• Hayes hails Chelsea's Hampton
• England lucky to have Hampton
• Joined the Blues last summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hampton, who joined Chelsea from Aston Villa last summer, has featured in Emma Hayes' starting lineup regularly in the current season. After another stellar performance in the club's comprehensive 3-1 win over Arsenal in the Women's Super League on Friday, manager Hayes heaped praise on the goalkeeper as she claimed the 23-year would be a "top goalkeeper" in future.

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• WHAT EMMA HAYES SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Hayes said, "I say this as the future USA coach: England are so lucky. I remember watching her play at Birmingham and I said ‘She is going to be a top, top goalkeeper’ and I genuinely believe Hannah has all the ability to become the best in the world."

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  Hampton has enjoyed a rich vein of form since moving to the west London side this season. Having made her international debut for the Lionesses in 2022, the goalkeeper has appeared in three matches for her national team thus far. If she continues to perform consistently she could potentially replace Manchester United star Mary Earps as the England number one in the future.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Hayes' side will now shift focus to European football as they are all set to face Ajax in the first leg of their Women's Champions League quarter-final fixture on Tuesday.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim may be busy trying to save his side’s faltering season, but he will also have one eye on potential summer transfer activity at Old Trafford.

Man Utd salvage late point at Goodison Park

Summing up an inconsistent run of form under Amorim, Manchester United salvaged a late point at Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime despite finding themselves victims of a two-goal deficit against David Moyes’ in-form outfit.

Beto and Abdoulaye Docoure appeared to have put the Red Devils on the verge of another demoralising defeat, but a late free-kick from Bruno Fernandes was followed up by an inch-perfect Manuel Ugarte strike to guarantee a share of the spoils.

Nevertheless, a common theme was present in the Merseyside sunshine. United’s disconnect within the backline was exposed ruthlessly, while a lack of firepower from the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee threatened to consign the visitors to another damaging loss.

On this occasion, two key vessels in the engine room stepped up to save the Red Devils from further frustration. Either way, they sit 15th in the Premier League standings and will look to the Europa League and FA Cup to provide some solace in a campaign that is petering out.

Come the summer, funds need to be raised for Amorim to breed fresh ideas. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS helped to bring Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven to Old Trafford in January, but they will want to maximise profit to enact a full rebuild ahead of 2025/26.

Man Utd set price for Marcus Rashford with Bayern keen

Marcus Rashford became Manchester United’s main January window casualty after a fallout with Amorim led the England international to join Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the campaign. He has since kicked on at Villa Park, lodging two assists in the Villans’ dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Saturday evening.

Looking ahead to the summer, reports in Spain indicate Bayern Munich want to sign Rashford for £40 million and their sporting director Christoph Freund is said to be heavily involved in negotiations to land the Three Lions attacker, with the German giants going ‘all in’ for the player still on the books of Man Utd.

Labelled ‘fantastic’ by Jamie Redknapp after his exploits against Chelsea, the £300,000-a-week man is at a career crossroads given his age and has raised his market value owing to a series of impressive cameos since pitching up in the West Midlands.

Thriving off the left flank, Rashford created three chances at home to Enzo Maresca’s stuttering Blues and recorded a pass completion rate of 94% alongside five touches in the opposition penalty area.

Clearly enjoying his football in the midst of a difficult first half of the campaign at his boyhood club, his recent form may pave the way for Manchester United to cash in on his services for a premium should appropriate interest arise for the talented forward.

Attempting to strike up a bidding war would be the best course of action for the Red Devils, with long-overdue investment in the first team needed to propel the club back to a position where they can challenge for trophies on a regular basis.

U.S. Soccer fans seem to be excited over their new 2024 home and away kits, but over a decade on, they still long for their 2012/13 'Waldo' shirts.

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• Nike releases new USA home and away kits
• Fans react to new shirts for Olympics and Copa America
• Pulisic & Albert show off new threads on social media

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Nike released their 2024 home and away kits for respective nations around the world on Monday, but the USA kits in particular, have been the center of debate. Ahead of a big summer of soccer, featuring the Paris Olympics and the Copa America, the U.S. now has a new look.

  When leaks of the shirts dropped a little over two weeks ago, the reaction wasn't a positive one from the fanbase, but now that the full threads are out and available, fans seem to have changed their mind.

  Still, though, it seems as though supporters are still not over the iconic 2013/13 "Where's Waldo" kits – with users on social media longing for the look to return.

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• Nike
  

  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  @JcMack03 wrote that the new shirts are the "Best kits the #USMNT has had in years" while quoting a picture of the new threads.

  User @ChrisArens was one of the few to point out how inclusive the shirts are this year, writing: "It’s not insignificant that U.S. Soccer has chosen to highlight the various national teams they field in this kit launch. It’s subtle but goes a long way. The ENTs have as much pride as anyone when they wear the crest. Truly great to see them represented here."

  Meanwhile, user @USACFC_ dubbed them the "best USMNT kits we've had in a decade."

  User was one of the many, however, who shared that regardless of what the kit drop looks like, he wants his 2012/13 threads back: "Bring back the Where's Waldo."

  @Arsenine_ posted a graphic of what USMNT superstar Christian Pulisic would look like in the 'Waldo Kit,' saying: "It's not that hard."

• WHAT THE PUNDITS/CLUBS/PLAYERS/MANAGERS ARE SAYING

  The Athletic's Tom Bogert wrote "I really, really like these" when sharing the new threads Monday morning

  @KCSoccerJournal – a media outlet covering all things Kansas City Soccer – were big fans of the new away kit, writing "The detail on those classic whites. 🔥🔥"

  USA Today columnist @NancyArmour wrote that she is a big fan of the new away kit, but is questioning the design from Nike on the home shirt. "The bomb pop kits are back! Not sure how I feel about the white kits. The detailing is very similar to England and France’s, as if Nike hit upon an idea and called it a day."

  Breakout star of the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup for the USWNT, Korbin Albert, was hyped about the new drop, posting on her Instagram feed "Let's goo 🔥🔥" with the shirts.

  Instagram/Korbin.Rose_

  USMNT star Christian Pulisic himself showed off the new kit on Instagram, posting the photo below to his story feed.

  Instagram/cmpulisic

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  The new shirts give a fresh look to U.S. Soccer, and with two major tournaments on the horizon, they now have unique jerseys to represent their country on the pitch. The away kit is almost an ode to the 2014-15 "Bomb Popsicle" kit with similar colorways and patterns, while the new white home kit is a fresh – yet traditional – American look.

  The details on the collar and neck are portrayals of the craft that Nike took to create the shirts, with the American flag present on the sleeve rings, as well as the two former spots.

  The USMNT will debut the shirts in the CONCACAF Nations League, and the USWNT in the SheBelieves Cup.

Glasgow Rangers are in the market to secure a new head coach to lead the team for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign after they decided to part ways with Michael Beale.

The Light Blues made the decision to sack the English boss and announced that Steven Davis would be in interim charge until James Bisgrove can find a permanent successor.

Since the Northern Ireland international took on the job, Rangers have lost 2-1 to Aris in the Europa League and secured a 3-0 win over St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

Bisgrove now has a two-week period during the international break to find the club's next first-team head coach and one name that has emerged as a candidate for the job is Philippe Clement.

What's the latest on Philippe Clement to Rangers?

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Scottish giants are currently in "talks" with the Belgian boss over a possible move to Ibrox this week.

The reporter has claimed that the former AS Monaco chief has been identified as one of the side's main targets to replace Beale by the board, and they are now in negotiations to secure his services.

Tavolieri has also added that the 49-year-old tactician is keen on accepting the role but has also held talks with Al Shabab, which suggests that the Light Blues could face competition to land his signature.

Bisgrove could now secure a coup by sealing a deal for the superb tinkerer as his managerial career to date suggests that he has the potential to be the club's best hire since Steven Gerrard.

How many trophies did Gerrard win with Rangers?

The former England international was brought in from Liverpool's academy set-up in 2018 and went on to secure a Scottish Premiership title during his time at Ibrox.

He finished second behind Celtic in each of his first two seasons at the helm but the board felt that there was enough evidence there to suggest that the success would come, and they were proven to be right.

Gerrard led his side to an incredible 2019/20 campaign as his team won the Premiership as invincible with 32 wins and six draws from their 38 matches.

Rangers racked up 102 points from those games as they managed to go through the season without losing a single match, which allowed them to lift the trophy ahead of their rivals – stopping them from closing in on ten in-a-row.

The 43-year-old head coach also left the Gers in a fantastic position in the 2021/22 campaign. They were top of the table with eight wins and 27 points after 12 Premiership matches at the time of his move to Premier League side Aston Villa, which suggests that he was on his way to another title before opting to move south of the border.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst came in to replace the ex-Liverpool man and failed to see out the job as he did not win a league title throughout his spell at Ibrox.

How many trophies did van Bronckhorst win at Rangers?

The Dutch chief did not secure the Premiership crown for the Scottish giants but he did win the Scottish FA Cup at the end of his first season with the Light Blues.

Van Bronckhorst finished second at the end of the 2021/22 campaign and was then relieved of his duties with the club in second after 15 league matches the following term.

Arguably, the highlight of his tenure in Scotland came when the 48-year-old tactician led Rangers to the final of the Europa League, which included a two-legged win over Borussia Dortmund on the way, only to lose to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.

However, his lack of success at Premiership level seemingly cost him as former sporting director Ross Wilson opted to replace him with Beale during the break for the Qatar World Cup last year.

How many trophies did Beale win for Rangers?

That move turned out to be a big blunder by the ex-Rangers chief, who is now with Nottingham Forest in England, as the ex-QPR head coach failed to win a single trophy for the club before his recent dismissal.

The 43-year-old boss finished second in the Premiership last term and started the current campaign in terrible form as his side lost three of their first seven league matches, the last of which resulted in him losing his job.

His dreadful start to the current term has already left the Glasgow giants a staggering seven points adrift of the top of the table after just eight games, which is a significant deficit to overturn before the end of the season.

Clement is now being eyed to do a better job than Beale and van Bronckhorst did and his track record suggests that the potential is there for him to finally replace Gerrard.

How many trophies has Philippe Clement won?

The Belgian coach has secured seven trophies throughout his managerial career to date, which includes four league titles, and would arrive at Ibrox as a proven winner.

Clement, who typically deploys a 4-4-2 formation, has won four titles in the top-flight in Belgium and three of those came in succession between the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.

The first of his hat-trick of league crowns came with Genk and then Club Brugge snapped him up before going on to win the league in each of the subsequent two seasons.

Former Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell hailed the Belgian tactician as a "successful" young manager who has the ability to coach and develop young talent to improve his squad.

This indicates that this appointment could benefit the younger players in Glasgow, including the likes of Zak Lovelace and Ross McCausland, as they would have someone in charge who knows how to help talented prospects progress.

The Ligue 1 chief also stated that Clement plays "daring" and intense football for the supporters to enjoy, which suggests that the 49-year-old boss could provide the fans at Ibrox with a style of play that they could get behind moving forward.

Therefore, Bisgrove could secure Rangers' best appointment since Gerrard by bringing him in as he is a proven winner who has showcased an ability to coach teams to league titles, after Beale and van Bronckhorst both failed to do that in their respective spells.

The 2024 Africa Cup of Nations is on its way – or should that be 2023? Technically, this is the 2023 AFCON but the competition was moved from this past summer to January 2024 because of worries about summer weather in Ivory Coast.

Regardless of what you want to call it, AFCON promises to be a fantastic tournament once again. Senegal will defend their crown, having won for the first time in 2022 (though that, too, was technically the 2021 edition).

So, we at Football FanCast have provided you with everything you need to know about AFCON 2024, then, as countries prepare to compete once again.

When is the next AFCON?

Well, this was supposed to take place across June and July – a move made a few years ago in order to end the clash with European club competitions. But because of concerns around Ivory Coast and its summer weather, the decision was made to move the tournament to January 2024.

And so this is sort of AFCON 2023 but we're confident people will refer to it as AFCON 2024. Certainly confusing, though!

It all kicks off on the 13th of January 2024, so around the time European football restarts after the winter break.

When does AFCON 2024 finish?

February 13th. The tournament will run for around one month, with the final scheduled for February 13th in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. That's the latest a final has occurred when taking place mid-season – last time, things finished on February 6th.

That is offset a little by a slightly later start but it's still notable that things will run a week longer into the season.

How long is AFCON 2024?

Fans of clubs with star African players always feel this tournament drags on forever. It is actually under a month long, though.

Things start on January 13th next year and will run until February 11th. Of course, how long players are at the tournament for entirely depends on how their nation performs. Make the final and they're gone for nearly a month. Early exit? Perhaps players will return after just a few weeks.

All in all, then, this tournament runs for 30 days. It's actually one of the longest editions yet, in fact.

Where is AFCON 2024 taking place?

Just about everything to do with AFCON is complex. The host nation, though, bumps things up to another level.

So this tournament was supposed to be in Guinea. However, Cameroon were stripped of their rights to host the 2019 edition back before that started as they weren't properly prepared. They struck a deal to instead host in 2021, which meant the original 2021 hosts – Ivory Coast – would be pushed back to 2023.

Of course, this tournament isn't even taking place in 2023 now, so essentially nothing about the original plan is in place. It will now happen in Ivory Coast, though. Guinea will have the honours in 2025.

Who has qualified for AFCON 2024?

Ivory Coast were technically the first team to qualify, of course, as they're hosting the tournament.

March then saw Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Tunisia confirm their places. Egypt, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mali and Guinea then followed suit back in June this year.

Ghana and Angola just booked their own places, too, with Cameroon and Namibia rounded off the qualified sides, giving us our full cohort of competitors ready to battle it out for continental glory.

Who drew who in the AFCON 2024 draw?

The 2024 AFCON draw took place on 12th October and it is fair to say it has produced some seriously exciting match-ups to look forward to.

Tournament hosts Ivory Coast have been drawn in the same group as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, Nigeria. Meanwhile, holders Senegal have been drawn against Ghana in what promises to be a mouthwatering encounter.

Who was the top scorer in AFCON qualifying?

Plenty of elite forwards have competed in qualifying for this one, with former teammates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané standing out as two of the absolute best. Neither, though, top the charts for scoring this time around.

Instead, Napoli star Victor Osimhen ended the campaign in top-spot with a genuinely impressive tally of ten goals – three of which came last time out thanks to a hat-trick against São Tomé and Príncipe. Mané is in a distant second place behind him with five of his own – Salah has only managed two.

Osimhen, of course, was sensational for Napoli last season as they won Serie A. He's widely tipped to be the top scorer at the actual tournament proper, too, and with his red-hot form in the qualifiers thus far, who'd bet against him?

Which Premier League players are going to AFCON?

African players are all over the Premier League, with more featuring than ever before. Of course, that means just about every club will be missing at least one player come January.

Now, a few teams will miss one not-so-important player. Then there's Liverpool, who will have to do without Mohamed Salah midway through the campaign. Nottingham Forest are a notable one, too – they'll potentially have seven players at AFCON this season.

In all, though, there are too many to mention in an article like this. Fortunately, we've got a handy cheat sheet to see exactly which clubs will be seeing an absence and who could be off.

Read more: Which Premier League players could miss matches due to AFCON?

Who won the last AFCON?

Senegal were the winners last time out, winning the tournament for the first time. It was a long time coming, too – they've consistently had one of the best sides for nearly two decades.

The final was a particularly notable one, too, as it saw Sadio Mané come up against then-Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah. The two forwards were seen as the two best players at the tournament, though neither had an international trophy to his name.

However, the two forwards couldn't find a way to goal. In fact, no one could and the final finished 0-0 after extra time. Things went to penalties and it was Mané who stepped up to seal the win after missing a penalty in the original 90 minutes. Notably, Salah was supposed to take no.5 for Egypt but never got the chance as Senegal wrapped things up 4-2.

Who are the favourites to win AFCON 2024?

It's difficult to name an outright favourite as the group stage hasn't been drawn that – the right or wrong group can push a team over the edge here. But there are certainly a few teams that stand out.

Senegal will draw eyes, of course. They won the competition in 2022 and boast several star names – though, it's worth mentioning that three of them now play in Saudi Arabia and outside of the elite European leagues. Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy all made that jump this summer.

Nigeria deserve a mention, too. Victor Osimhen is arguably the best African player right now and is certainly the star striker on display. His 31 goals for Napoli last season make him a massive threat and he's the top scorer in qualifying.

Egypt boast Mohamed Salah. That's enough on its own to make them a threat in this one. Salah helped them get to the final last time and will believe he can push them to one better this time around.

It's Morocco who might have the best chance, however. They finished 4th at the World Cup last winter – the best of any African team in the competition's history. Their squad is littered with players across the top European leagues, too, with Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Sofyan Amrabat (Manchester United), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla), and even Hakim Ziyech (Galatasaray) arguably the pick of the bunch.

Which country has won AFCON the most?

Egypt have won AFCON more than any other nation. They've lifted the trophy on seven separate occasions, including a three-peat from 2006 to 2010. Of course, they reached the final last time but lost to Senegal on penalties.

Next is Cameroon, who have managed to win the competition five times. Their most recent came in 2017 – 15 years after their previous win back in 2002. A third-place finish in 2021 put them very close to a sixth, too.

Ghana boast the next-best record with four – but we're going back quite a ways here. They haven't won the Cup of Nations since 1982 and have lost the final three times since then.

Nigeria are the fourth nation to win more than twice. They've picked up the trophy three times – the most recent of which was 2013.

Where to watch AFCON in the UK

Sky Sports and BBC Sport both have broadcasting rights for the tournament, with the former showing every match live, while the BBC will show a selection of matches throughout, including both semi-finals and the final across its BBC Three and BBC iPlayer platforms.

Erling Haaland has reportedly knocked down Netflix for a fly-on-the-wall documentary as he is keen on protecting his trade secrets.

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• Netflix wanted to make a docuseries on Haaland
• Striker is not comfortable with the idea
• Ollie Watkins and Mo Salah also could be approached

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Netflix, intrigued by the success of "Quarterback," an eight-episode series released in July 2023, showcasing the lives of three NFL quarterbacks during the 2022 American football season, expressed interest in a similar concept focusing on football strikers. According to Haaland has turned down the streaming giant for the docuseries which can be regarded as a major setback, considering his status in the Premier League.

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  Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah have also been approached with the same proposal. However, the players are reportedly yet to get back with a final decision.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Interestingly, the report also mentions that no striker from league leaders Arsenal has been approached for the series. Despite their impressive performance on the pitch, with Bukayo Saka leading the club's scoring charts with 13 league goals, the club remains absent from the documentary's radar as of now. The series is anticipated to offer a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look, akin to "Quarterback," providing fans with insights into the lives of prolific strikers.

  "Quarterback" meticulously documented the lives of NFL stars Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota, capturing intimate moments with their families, friends, and trainers, both on and off the field. Netflix recently announced plans for a second season of "Quarterback," titled "Receiver," which is set to premiere this summer after a blockbuster first season.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  If the striker series proceeds, filming is expected to commence at the start of the 2024-25 season in August, with a projected release date in autumn 2025. This proposed documentary adds to the recent surge in football-themed series. Amazon Prime's "All or Nothing" franchise has been at the forefront, offering an insightful look into renowned football clubs worldwide, including Manchester City, Tottenham, and Arsenal in the Premier League, Juventus in Serie A, and national teams like Brazil and Germany.

Manchester United secured a narrow victory over FC Copenhagen during their midweek Champions League tie, yet it could have been another poor result had Andre Onana not saved a penalty in the last minute of the match.

It could perhaps be the catalyst that Erik ten Hag requires to continue this positive run. With a tie against Manchester City this afternoon, he is going to need everything going his way to secure a result against the Premier League champions.

However, not every player was in good form against the Danish side, as a few of the United starting XI failed to take their chance – most notably Sofyan Amrabat.

Sofyan Amrabat failed to impress against Copenhagen

The Morocco international was deployed in the heart of the midfield alongside Scott McTominay in midweek, yet failed to have a positive influence on the game.

The 5 foot 8 liability played just the first half, and while he completed 89% of his passes, the midfielder only took 32 touches while losing possession five times during the opening 45 minutes.

Amrabat was also dribbled past on one occasion and won just two duels. It was clear Ten Hag needed to change things up heading into the second half, and he brought on Christian Eriksen in his place.

The Dane demonstrated that he perhaps should have started with a solid display during the final 45, and he should be unleashed against City this afternoon on the back of it.

Why Christian Eriksen should start against Manchester City

Eriksen finished with a higher pass success rate (90%) and took more touches (36) than Amrabat during his time on the pitch, and it was clear he was a more dangerous threat going forward, too.

Not only did he manage a shot on target against Copenhagen, but Eriksen also created one big chance, made one key pass, and delivered one successful cross from two attempts.

He was much more proactive than Amrabat and this will be vital if United aim to secure a positive result against City today. The £150k-per-week star was lauded as “magic” by journalist Connor Aspinall for his part in the Red Devils’ eventual winner last time out.

When compared to positional peers playing at a similar level over the previous 12 months, the former Inter maestro currently ranks in the top 1% for assists (0.36), the top 10% for progressive passes (7.52) and the top 18% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.34), clearly proving his worth across Europe’s top five leagues.

This should be all Ten Hag needs in order to unleash him in the starting XI this afternoon, though during his time in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and United, he has also scored five times and grabbed seven assists against City.

With this in mind, starting him alongside McTominay could prove to be a recipe for success in what is their most important game of the season so far.

Win, and the Old Trafford side could grow in confidence and continue their winning run. Lose, however, and they will be right back to square one.

Fans of Mason Greenwood's Getafe have been fiercely criticised after racist chanting was heard during Saturday's 1-0 defeat at home to Sevilla.

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• Getafe-Sevilla stopped after racist chants heard
• Acuna & Sanchez Flores targeted by home fans
• Ramos says 'Football should unite, not divide'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The match had to be stopped in the second half after the home fans were heard chanting 'monkey' at Sevilla's Marcos Acuna, with supporters urged to stop the chanting by the stadium announcer. And Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores – who has managed Getafe on three separate occasions – claimed that certain members of the crowd had insulted him and his staff, calling him a 'gypsy'.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Spanish football has been taking a tougher stance on racism in the aftermath of the treatment of Vinicius Junior, who was subjected to vile chanting from Valencia supporters last season. The Real Madrid forward has repeatedly spoken out against racism and last week burst into tears during a press conference as he discussed the treatment he has received from certain fans.

• WHAT SANCHEZ FLORES SAID

  "I don't want people to use the word gypsy as a racist insult," Sanchez Flores said. "Some of the crowd think they can come to a game and say whatever they like. We're workers who need to be respected in the work space. I think it's abhorrent."

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• WHAT RAMOS SAID

  "We must keep asking for respect in football, people should not come to a stadium to let themselves go and say stupid things or insult players," said Sergio Ramos, who scored the only goal of the game. "We have to find these people and make an example of them, prevent them getting tickets and clean football's image. Football should unite, not divide."