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Sussex lose last six wickets for 12 runs and three more after being made to follow on

ECB Reporters' Network08-Sep-2021

Luke Hollman claimed his maiden first-class five-wicket haul•Getty Images

An astonishing collapse by Sussex, who lost nine wickets for 97 runs, with their last six crashing down for just 12, allowed Middlesex to glimpse victory in their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Hove. Middlesex legspinner Luke Hollman took a career-best 5 for 65 on a flat pitch on which only six wickets had fallen in the opening seven sessions.Sussex, following on 357 runs behind, then lost Ali Orr, Ben Brown and Sean Hunt and closed on 88 for 3.Sussex started the third day on 103 without loss, chasing a mind-boggling 527 just to avoid the follow-on. A more realistic survival target was to get into the final day with first-innings wickets in hand.Fast bowler Blake Cullen broke through with the first ball of the second over of the day when he found the outside edge of Orr’s bat for keeper John Simpson to take the low catch in front of first slip. But after that Sussex had the better of the opening session and reached lunch on 217 for 1 with Tom Haines unbeaten on 109 – the fifth century of his career and the third of the season – and Brown 76 not out.Brown, anxious to use his feet to counter the spin of Hollman, was stumped ten minutes after the break. But the real Sussex implosion started at 250 when George Garton, possibly a little giddy-headed in his No. 4 position, swiped Hollman to deep midwicket. He looked so disappointed with his shot that he held his position at the crease for some moments before ripping off his gloves.It wasn’t going to get any better for the home side. At 272 the very promising Danial Ibrahim skied Sam Robson to midwicket for just 5. It was only legspinner Robson’s seventh first-class wicket, and came having made his highest score of 253 the day before.Then Middlesex took the new ball and Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who had hit a few pleasing drives, got one that lifted and left him from Tim Murtagh. At 308 Haines played a weary stroke and was caught behind off Murtagh, but not before he had reached 156, his highest first-class score, beating the 155 he made against Lancashire at Old Trafford at the start of the season.Delray Rawlins was bowled for a duck having a heave and Jack Carson, Oli Carter and Henry Crocombe followed almost immediately. Hollman then struck twice more in the second innings before Robson enjoyed another rare success by removing nightwatchman Hunt.Before play Sussex announced the retirement of seamer Stuart Meaker. Meaker, 32, who previously played for Surrey, was capped by England in two ODIs in 2011 and two IT20s in 2012.

Leeds United reporter Joe Donnohue has described an update on midfielder Ao Tanaka as “far from ideal” following Ilia Gruev’s injury.

Gruev out for months not weeks as Leeds consider free-agent market

The Whites’ injury list has grown over the last week, with club captain Ethan Ampadu suffering a serious knee injury against Coventry City in the Championship at the end of September. It has been confirmed that Ampadu will be out until 2025, and his midfield partner Gruev will also be joining him in the Thorp Arch treatment room.

The Bulgaria international had to be replaced in Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Norwich City in the week, and scans have since confirmed Gruev has sustained a serious meniscus injury that will keep him out for months rather than weeks.

As a result, Daniel Farke now has just Tanaka and loanee Joe Rothwell as his senior midfield options, with teenager Charlie Crew likely to feature in regular matchday squads between now and the New Year. There is also the opportunity to bring in a midfielder without a club, and Farke has claimed the free agent market will be checked by those at Elland Road.

“If I’m really honest, I’m not a big friend of signing players who are out of contract in the beginning of October, because it means, more or less, they are out of team training since May. That means they are out of team training since whatever, five months.

“And even if you bring them in, it lasts also a while until they are really ready to go and fully fit and really could play first team football and then, quite often the player who is right now injured for the next few weeks, he’s even back in perhaps and ready to go earlier than the players who are out for since five months.

“I think quite often it’s a bit like a panic buy or like to pretend to do something anyhow. I think it’s professional to check it, and sometimes, out of coincidence or out of a special situation, there could be someone out who really suits the needs in this moment.”

Free agent: Ex-Leeds ace linked with return after Ampadu and Gruev injuries

He’s made 244 appearances in the Championship.

5 ByCharlie Smith Oct 4, 2024

In the meantime, Leeds will need to wrap Tanaka and Rothwell up in cotton wool, however, the former is set to rack up the air miles in the upcoming international break.

Ao Tanaka international break update “far from ideal”

The summer signing has been called up to the Japan squad for games against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Thursday, October 10 before a meeting with Australia five days later.

As YEP reporter Donnohue alludes to, Tanaka will be travelling around 18,000 miles and may not be back at Thorp Arch until Leeds’ final training session prior to their crunch clash with Sheffield United on Friday, October 18.

Leeds officials will be having everything crossed that Tanaka returns to Yorkshire later this month injury-free, as his partnership with Rothwell over the coming months could be crucial for the club’s promotion push.

The 26-year-old’s limited appearances so far have seen him record an impressive pass completion percentage of 91.9%, as per WhoScored.

Barcelona could reportedly lose over £218 million after La Liga rejected their attempts to register Dani Olmo before January.

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• La Liga have rejected Barcelona's attempt to register Olmo
• Catalan club could lose upto £218m ($273m)
• Olmo is currently a free agent and could sign for another club

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona received grim news as La Liga rejected their attempt to register Olmo before the January deadline, putting the Catalan giants in a precarious financial situation. Currently, Olmo is technically a free agent. Despite this, his agent, Andy Bara, confirmed to Fabrizio Romano that the player's intention is to "stay at Barcelona" and that they are "not considering any other option." However, if the situation isn't resolved, the financial repercussions for Barcelona could be staggering, according to .

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona would still owe Olmo £41m ($51m) in wages for the remainder of his contract, which runs until 2030, even if he departs the club. Additionally, the club is still obligated to pay RB Leipzig £47m ($59m) as part of the transfer agreement when they signed the forward. Furthermore, Barcelona would miss out on any potential transfer fee for Olmo, whose market value is currently estimated at £53m ($66.5m) by Transfermarkt.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The financial blow doesn’t stop there. Barcelona recently sold VIP boxes at the Spotify Camp Nou for £87m ($109m) as part of a revenue-generation strategy during the stadium's ongoing renovations. However, experts believe the club could have secured double that amount—an additional £87m – had the sales been properly optimized. When all these figures are combined, the potential loss exceeds £218 million ($343m), a sum that the cash-strapped club cannot afford to lose. While some fans hold onto a sliver of hope that Barcelona can reverse the ruling by January 3, the dominant mood among supporters and insiders surrounding the club is one of pessimism.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  This isn’t just a footballing crisis; it’s a financial catastrophe that could have long-lasting effects on the club's operations and ambitions. With mounting obligations and diminishing revenue streams, the Catalan giants face an uphill battle to stabilize their accounts. As the saga unfolds, Barcelona will have to move forward without Dani Olmo. The team is set to face lower-league side Barbastro in the Copa del Rey on Saturday. Following that, they will compete in the Supercopa de España semi-final against Athletic Club.

Sunderland supporters will hope their super confident Black Cats team can make it three Championship wins from three today, but will know Scott Parker's Burnley are going to an almighty tough nut to crack.

Hammering in a stunning nine goals from their opening two league games to date, the Clarets will go into the clash at the Stadium of Light equally delirious on confidence, in what could be a barnstorming early season contest.

Regis Le Bris will hope Patrick Roberts continues his fine second tier form against the tricky visitors from Lancashire, to give his new side a chance to make it three stunning league victories on the spin, having been impressed by the experienced winger since taking over.

Patrick Roberts' early season form

The ex-Celtic attacker had a lot to prove coming into the 24/25 season, having really struggled last campaign to consistently deliver, with only two assists next to his name from 32 league clashes, alongside failing to find the net altogether.

Roberts already has a goal contribution tallied up from the two clashes so far though, with the Sunderland number ten a reinvigorated figure again in the XI, under Le Bris' management.

Singling out the former Lorient manager in a recent interview for his positive nature, Roberts is a man no longer shackled by last season's woes, seen in his devastating display in Sunderland's 4-0 demolition job of Sheffield Wednesday last time out.

Attempting four dribbles in the contest as a constantly tricky customer for his marker, the 27-year-old attacker also registered four strikes on James Beadle's net as a thorn in the Owls side all afternoon.

His main contribution would be to assist Dennis Cirkin's opening strike on the day, before the likes of Eliezer Mayenda took over, with the young French centre-forward bagging his first ever senior goals in the emphatic win.

The transfer saga involving Alexandre Mendy rumbling on has now taken somewhat of a back-seat, as a result of Sunderland's blistering start, with a fresh bid in and around the £2m region recently put in for the SM Caen sharp-shooter from the Black Cats.

Yet, Le Bris and Co might well not even need the added ammunition of the current Ligue 2 golden boot holder anymore, with players such as Roberts supplying chances galore to the current crop of strikers at the Black Cats, with his price-tag also above that of the wanted Frenchman's.

Roberts' transfer value in 2024

According to Football Transfers, Roberts' value now stands at a hefty £3.1m, with Sunderland still majorly benefitting from the free transfer deal that saw the former Manchester City man join the Stadium of Light ranks back in 2022.

At the peak of his game, under ex-Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray, Roberts was even described as being a "magic" talent according to the former manager, after firing in five goals and amassing seven assists across the 2022/23 season that saw the Wearside outfit enter the play-offs.

Roberts' values since joining Sunderland
Date	Value
August 2024	£3.1m
January 2024	£5.3m
November 2023	£3.2m
March 2023	£2.2m
December 2022	£937k
January 2022	£0
Sourced by Football Transfers

Le Bris will pray he can match those numbers across this full season to come, with the potential there for him to even better this impressive output, as Sunderland aim to make the play-offs once more.

Even with Mayenda finally breaking his men's team duck, the focus remained on getting a new striker in the door, with Wilson Isidor having joined on a season-long loan deal – perhaps a wise move as opposed to lavishly forking out millions on Mendy.

Regardless of what does develop on this transfer front, Roberts will want to continue proving his worth to Sunderland's cause, after suffering a crisis in confidence last campaign.

Cost £0: Sunderland struck gold on star who's worth way more than Ekwah

Sunderland fans adore this player when he’s at the top of his game.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 20, 2024

The Premier League is finally back again, and unlike their North London neighbours, Arsenal kickstarted their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Mikel Arteta's side didn't blow Wolves aside at the Emirates, but they looked reasonably comfortable throughout the 90 minutes, and there were several stand-out performers, including Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.

Unfortunately, not everyone was quite as effective in the game, with Gabriel Martinelli struggling to make a significant impact on the left.

The Brazilian is under a lot of pressure to prove his worth this year after having a lacklustre campaign last season, but based on recent reports, the club may have already identified his replacement.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in signing Atalanta ace Ademola Lookman this summer.

Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Liverpool and Manchester City have been 'kept informed' about the player's situation in Italy, but as things stand, it is French champions Paris Saint-Germain who are pushing hardest to land the attacker's signature.

According to reports from earlier this summer, Atalanta value the Nigerian international at a whopping €60m, which converts to about £51m, so if the Gunners were to press on with their interest, they'd have to stump up a sizeable fee.

In all, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Lookman's form last season and positional versatility, it is one well worth fighting for, especially if Martinelli continues to struggle.

How Lookman compares to Martinelli

Okay, so the first thing to say is that thanks to his impressive ability to play anywhere in attack, be that on the wings, down the middle or even as a second striker, Lookman would provide Arteta with so many options in attack, but in terms of a regular position, he'd likely play on the left.

This is because it seems incredibly unlikely that any player would displace Saka on the right, and Havertz is the manager's preferred number nine at the moment, meaning that Martinelli would be in for a fight to keep his place in the lineup, so how do they stack up against one another?

Well, from a pure output perspective, it's not even a competition, as in 45 appearances last season, the former Everton ace scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.66 games.

In contrast, the Gunners' number 11 could only muster eight goals and five assists in 44 appearances, which equates to a disappointing average of a goal involvement every 3.38 games.

Okay, so how about their underlying numbers? Is it just as one-sided in favour of the Atalanta ace when we look under the hood?

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.68

0.58

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.86

0.45

Progressive Carries

3.43

5.67

Progressive Passes

4.62

2.90

Shots

3.18

2.59

Shots on Target

1.14

0.89

Passing Accuracy

75.8%

77.9%

Key Passes

2.38

2.05

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.52

1.47

Shot-Creating Actions

4.81

4.10

Goal-Creating Actions

0.67

0.49

Successful Take-Ons

1.86

1.79

Aerial Duels Won

0.86

0.67

Unfortunately for the former Ituano gem, it is indeed.

For example, in practically every relevant metric, Atalanta's "unbelievable" attacker, as dubbed by former Arsenal player Sead Kolasinac, comes out on top, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, key passes, passes into the penalty area, shots and shots on target, shot and goal creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.

He even comes out ahead for aerial duels won per 90, suggesting he could help the Gunners become even more effective in the air.

Ultimately, while Matinelli is an undeniably talented player and one loved by the fans, he is outmatched by Lookman in both raw output and their underlying numbers, so if Edu Gaspar and Co have a chance to sign him this summer, they should take it.

Transfer imminent: Arsenal target £25m "monster" who'd help unlock Odegaard

The incredible international would be a brilliant addition to Arteta’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 20, 2024

West Ham United have been undergoing a midfield rebuild in recent years. Having lost Declan Rice last season, the Hammers acquired Edson Alvarez to fill his boots, and James Ward-Prowse to add quality in the midfield.

This summer, the Hammers have managed to add Guido Rodriquez to the squad, and are still looking to add a technical midfielder to suit their possession-based brand of football. This could already spell the end for Ward-Prowse, who joined last season, as he could find himself further down the pecking order.

Ward-Prowse made 51 appearances for West Ham in all competitions last season, scoring seven goals, providing 12 assists, and totalling 4,112 minutes played.

West Ham transfer news

According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, West Ham have made initial contact to explore a deal for PSG midfielder, Carlos Soler. Direct talks will follow in the coming days with the players' camp, according to the report.

The Hammers will continue to work on outgoings as a priority, the report states, and this should also help towards getting the Soler deal over the line.

Soler made 28 appearances for PSG last season in all competitions, scoring two goals, providing four assists, and contributing to ten clean sheets in his 1,277 minutes played.

Why Soler could be West Ham's Gundogan

When being discussed on Sky Sports, Soler was described as a "neat and tidy" midfielder, who Julen Lopetegui would really like. His technical profile would suit the brand of football the new manager is trying to install at the club.

On FBref's "similar players" feature, the playmaker is likened to a Premier League great, İlkay Gündoğan – who is set to make a return to Manchester City – among midfielders in Europe's top five leagues.

The addition of Soler could provide that uplift of progression in midfield, extra composure on the ball during the build up, and as previously mentioned, help Lopetegui integrate his style of play.

Not only could he seek to replicate the attacking impetus of Gündoğan – who racked up 98 goals and assists during his first spell at City – but the PSG star could also offer a direct upgrade on Ward-Prowse for the Hammers.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Soler

Ward-Prowse

Gundogan

Goals

0.14

0.15

0.11

Assists

0.28

0.26

0.30

Shots Total

1.13

1.16

1.31

Progressive Carries

1.23

0.62

2.07

Progressive Passes

6.07

4.48

6.92

Key Passes

1.64

2.10

2.84

Passes Attempted

64.3

53.5

73.0

Pass Completion %

85.7%

83.6%

86.3%

Passes into Final Third

4.75

4.30

5.45

Tackles

1.23

1.25

0.87

Blocks

0.82

0.90

0.75

Interceptions

0.56

1.01

0.60

Soler averages 1.59 more progressive passes per 90 than Ward-Prowse, nearly double the amount of progressive carries per 90, and 0.45 more passes into the final third per 90. This extra progression is important for Lopetegui's system, allowing the likes of Lucas Paqueta to play higher up, alleviating him of deeper build-up responsibilities.

Against Aston Villa in their Premier League opener on Saturday, much of their progression in deep areas came from Paqueta dropping in to receive the ball, and playing through the lines. In an ideal world, he can receive the ball between the lines, closer to goal, where he can have an impact higher up the pitch.

It is also important for the midfielder to have composure on the ball, and a willingness to take the ball in traffic, which Soler shows with his higher passes attempted metric compared to Ward-Prowse, and higher pass completion numbers.

The main thing Ward-Prowse has over Soler is defensive action output, completing more tackles, blocks and interceptions than the Spaniard, but with Alvarez in midfield alongside him, and new defensive reinforcements such as Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, those defensive actions could be replaced quite easily.

All in all, it points to a deal that could prove a masterstroke for Lopetegui, while also allowing the new boss to find his own Gündoğan-esque attacking asset.

Alongside Soler: Lopetegui keen on West Ham move for Bowen 2.0

He also impressed in the Championship

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 20, 2024

In another change to the playing conditions, the discretionary batting powerplay has been scrapped

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2021Less than a year out of the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand, the ICC has announced that all tied 50-over international matches will be decided by a Super Over. In another change to the playing conditions, the five-over powerplay that was previously taken at the discretion of either batters in the middle has been scrapped.Meanwhile, the inaugural Under-19 women’s World Cup that was due to be staged in Bangladesh later this year has been postponed to January 2023.”Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the establishment and subsequent development of the U19 programmes in many countries and teams would not be able prepare appropriately for a global event later this year,” the ICC stated in a release. Likewise, the global qualifier for the 2022 Women’s World Cup, will also be postponed and will now be held in December 2021.Related

Chamari Athapaththu: 'Want more match time ahead of Women's World Cup Qualifier'

Jones: Need to be smart about scheduling women's domestic games

ICC cricket committee makes key change to lbw reviews in DRS

Mel Jones, who had joined the Cricket Australia board in 2019 in what was the first instance of a woman being appointed via one of the state associations, and New Zealand Cricket’s Catherine Campbell were named as the Full Member representatives on the ICC Women’s Committee.The ICC board also decided that Test and ODI status will be given to all Full Member women’s teams.

A positive update regarding Manchester United's pursuit of Lille centre-back Leny Yoro has emerged, courtesy of Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils are making impressive inroads in the transfer market, with a move for Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee believed to be reaching its final stages. That will hopefully be the first of numerous signings in the coming weeks, however, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to have a huge influence during his first summer as part-owner of his boyhood club.

Crystal Palace maestro Eberechi Eze has emerged as an exciting target on top of Zirkzee, being considered someone who could add further creativity and end product in attacking midfield areas. The 26-year-old's performances for the Eagles earned him a place in England's Euro 2024 squad, and much like the departed Michael Olise, he could feel that now is the right time to enjoy a new challenge at a bigger club.

Fenerbahce ace Ferdi Kadioglu is also reportedly wanted by United in the current transfer window, with the Red Devils even in pole position to snap him up. Primarily a left-back, the 24-year-old could provide much-needed competition for Luke Shaw, who turns 30 next year and whose injury problems have become an issue.

Centre-back is clearly a key position that Erik ten Hag is targeting this summer, and Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite continues to stand out as a key target in that area, along with Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt and Lille starlet Yoro. Now, an intriguing update has dropped regarding the latter.

Exciting Leny Yoro to Man Utd update

Speaking on Sky Sports News on Friday, Sheth claimed that Lille would rather sell Yoro to Manchester United than Real Madrid currently, due to the Red Devils meeting their valuation of the defender, having had a £42m bid accepted.

And the reporter revealed that while Yoro's preference is still Real Madrid, the door "has not been closed" from his side on a switch to Old Trafford, and "United are not giving up".

The situation with Yoro is clearly a complex one, with the player himself potentially holding out for Real Madrid, but this still has to be considered a positive update from a United perspective.

If they manage to snap up the 18-year-old, it could potentially be one of their most significant pieces of business in years, considering the Lille ace is seen as a generational talent who could grow into one of the best defenders in the world.

Club now open talks to sign "aggressive" £350,000-a-week Man Utd star

He was once worth over £50m…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 12, 2024

The fact that Yoro has already made 60 appearances for his current club, despite not turning 19 until later this year, says everything about his ability and maturity, and he arguably represents the more exciting option out of himself, Branthwaite and De Ligt.

The two England internationals have become spearheads at their respective clubs and are among the best players in the country

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For most of the 2020s, Bukayo Saka has been London's most popular player. His standing as the homegrown hero at the capital's most-supported club, combined with an inoffensiveness and lack of boastful arrogance to the neutral, has made him an attraction as notable as Big Ben or Buckingham Palace, an icon on his way to red bus and red phone box immortality. He is Arsenal's best player in the Emirates Stadium era.

But into the picture has come Cole Palmer, an out-of-town Mancunian making himself a home at Chelsea. The 22-year-old's unassuming charisma and number-running has served as catnip to the football world, particularly down in the Big Smoke. He is the early-season favourite to take various Player of the Year awards.

Saka and Palmer bring similar skillsets to the table, and right now are doing much of the heavy lifting to carry the hopes of their respective teams this season. The Gunners' regression has seen the already overworked Saka take on more of the creative and scoring burden, while Palmer is quite clearly the Blues' best shot of achieving anything of note in the BlueCo era.

Sunday's showdown at Stamford Bridge represents the perfect opportunity for Palmer to snatch the capital crown from Saka and kick-start Chelsea's new era, all the while tearing down the flailing hopes of Arsenal.

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportMesmeric breakout

As is so often the case, criticism of Palmer for how many goals he scored from the penalty spot turned out to be completely disingenuous. During his ascent in 2023-24, he was quite obviously Chelsea's best player nine times out of 10 regardless and irrespective of his contributions from 12 yards.

Those spot-kicks did help as the amplifier of his impact into the wider football lexicon, however, and provide him the attention which his ability deserved. It's hard to ignore someone with more than 10 Premier League goals in their first season as a starter, but impossible if they reach 22.

Palmer was the go-to option for Chelsea within weeks of his arrival at the back-end of the summer 2023 transfer window, the latest success off the Mauricio Pochettino conveyor belt of young talent. The club's week-to-week soap opera didn't faze Palmer, who kept cool and cold while delivering the goods when his team needed him most. Had the season gone on for another fortnight or he had signed at the start of the window, Chelsea may well have done enough to leapfrog Aston Villa and Tottenham into the final Champions League spot.

Pochettino's foundations have been improved upon by Enzo Maresca and the many bodies of the recruitment team have found more quality in the market, allowing Palmer the support he needs to maintain his level and act as the leader by example to those around him.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChanging of the guard?

There is an excitement to the narrative around Palmer that no doubt helps him in debates against Saka. For example, he was named as England's Men's Player of the Year for 2024, despite making only a handful of starts when his positional rival was a near ever-present and contributed more to the team's success.

Palmer also has the flashier showreel to boast of – his first-half, four-goal haul against Brighton and worldie pass to set up a goal against Newcastle were enough to bring any grown adult to their knees in worship – and is more of a throwback 'moments' player, one that provides the aesthetics of a streets-won't-forget hero and the reliable contributions of a genuine superstar. Saka, though capable of the sublime and the stunning, is more involved in what his team does and doesn't get silenced out of some matchups the way the ganglier and less authoritative Palmer can be.

The Arsenal man doesn't quite have the same tip-toed bounce or on-the-spot jink either, not since he's been needed to knit together the Gunners' attack almost singlehandedly. The work Saka gets through is relenting and isn't as glitzy or glamorous. Losing out in the aesthetics department doesn't make you any worse of a player, though.

How the stats compare

The stats – at club level only from the start of the 2023-24 season, via – largely back up the eye test in the cases of Saka and Palmer. The Arsenal winger is more of a direct threat, with his Chelsea counterpart statistically bringing others into the game more often.

All the while, the physical toll on Saka is also glaringly noticeable, given he's played over 1,000 minutes more than Palmer yet travels further with the ball at his feet despite his added defensive load.

Bukayo SakaCole PalmerMatches played (starts, minutes)78 (74, 6,197)69 (55, 5,095)Goals (non-penalty goals)29 (23)36 (25)Assists2321Goals & assists per 90 minutes (minus penalties)0.76 (0.67)1.01 (0.81)Shot-creating actions (per 90 minutes)305 (5.40)218 (5.49)Take-ons (per 90 minutes)230 (3.34)146 (2.58)Successful take-ons (per 90 minutes)92 (1.34)66 (1.17)Progressive carries (per 90 minutes)267 (3.88)156 (2.76)Progressive passes (per 90 minutes)213 (3.09)270 (4.77)Tackles (per 90 minutes)108 (1.57)33 (0.58)Blocks (per 90 minutes)74 (1.07)25 (0.44)

In total, there isn't a lot to split them. You can make the case for either, which is precisely why Sunday's showdown will go some way to determining London's royalty.

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Getty Images SportDealing with pressure

The higher your aspirations, the more intense the pressure. That's just the world of sport, and it's the world Saka has been living in since Arsenal shed the skin of their previous under-achieving selves and cemented their status as genuine adversaries to Manchester City.

But the burden on the winger's shoulders still weighs that much heavier. He is one of the Gunners' own, the one who's been there right from the start of life after Arsene Wenger. He is the new hope leading the chase for the MacGuffin of a trophy.

Saka has already played a staggering 239 times for Arsenal by the age of just 23. Mikel Arteta so hugely depends on him not only because of his ludicrous tangible output, but the work he puts in going the other way as well. He has the energy – if only just about – to dig in his heels off the ball and withstand double and triple-teams on it.

Manchester United are still keen on signing a "phenomenal" new forward in the summer transfer window, with a player plus cash move involving a current Red Devils star possibly on the cards.

Man Utd transfer news

Erik ten Hag will be hoping to see his squad improve significantly ahead of next season, following a disappointing campaign overall that saw his side finish eighth in the Premier League table.

It will be fascinating to see which new signings come in at Old Trafford, and it looks as though Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite is still a leading option to come in and boost the defensive options on show. Raphael Varane has left, while Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans aren't the answers, and the England international could be an exciting addition.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag has reportedly personally held talks with Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee over a switch to United in the near future, with the Dutchman seen as someone who could add more goals in the final third. He has 23 goal contributions (14 goals and nine assists) in 58 appearances for Bologna, and at 23 years of age, his best years are likely to lie ahead.

The Red Devils are believed to be willing to double Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo's wages, too, with the Uruguayan currently earning £114,000 per week at the Catalan giants. He could represent a more experienced option to Branthwaite, should the Everton man end up not joining.

Man Utd want "phenomenal" striker

According to La Repubblica [via Sport Witness], Manchester United haven't given up hope of signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen yet, with the Nigerian expected to leave his current club in the current transfer window for a fee in the region of £85m.

The report says that "in recent months, United have tried to convince Napoli for Osimhen", offering money plus the services of Rasmus Hojlund, which may come as something of a surprise, but the report claims this is an idea which could now be revisited after the arrival of Dan Ashworth.

Osimhen is one of the world's leading strikers at the moment, considering he has scored 76 goals in just 133 matches for Napoli, as well as being hailed by Walter Mazzarri, who heaped praise on him: "Osimhen is phenomenal because he runs alone at five players and gets through. If you look at genuine scoring opportunities, compared to the number Napoli created lately, I didn’t see that many."

While the 25-year-old is clearly an elite-level striker who could be a devastating addition for United, selling Hojlund would seem like a strange decision, considering his long-term potential. Granted, he hasn't yet set the world alight at Old Trafford, but he has done enough to suggest that he is a star of the future, scoring 16 times in 43 appearances for the Red Devils.

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That being said, if push truly comes to shove this summer, Osimhen would still represent an immediate upgrade on Hojlund and become a potential icon at Old Trafford, kicking off the Ashworth era in style and acquiring the services of a wonderful footballer.