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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

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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.

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He was once worth over £50m…

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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.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras realizou, nesta quarta-feira (8), mais um treino visando o confronto contra o Flamengo. Desta vez, Abel Ferreira propôs uma série de atividades táticas, buscando aperfeiçoar transições rápidas, saída de bola, marcações, entre outros.

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O aprimoramento destas questões é decorrente da proximidade do confronto contra a equipe carioca. Nos treinamentos anteriores, os atletas aperfeiçoaram questões técnicas e físicas.

– Estas duas semanas sem jogos serviram como uma intertemporada e está sendo um período a se comemorar no nosso calendário. Qualquer semana cheia é algo proveitoso, ainda mais uma paralisação de 14 dias. Conseguimos restabelecer o grupo fisicamente e colocar todos os jogadores à disposição da comissão técnica. Também fizemos treinos aquisitivos de ordem física, para que os atletas se recondicionem e ganhem bagagem para suportar o restante da temporada. Então, foi de extremo valor, pois conseguimos desenvolver o grupo em todos os âmbitos, técnico e tático com o Abel, e fisicamente e emocionalmente nem se fala – explicou Daniel Gonçalves, coordenador científico do clube.

Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

A partida entre Palmeiras e Flamengo ocorrerá no próximo domingo (12), às 16h (horário de Brasília), no Allianz Parque.

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Amid the chaos of a potential takeover and potential departures, Everton are reportedly close to sealing their first signing of the summer in the form of a future star for Sean Dyche.

Everton transfer news

The Toffees returned back to square one when 777 Partners' deal to purchase a majority stake in the club failed to reach completion. The Miami-based firm never received Premier League approval and those at Goodison Park must now look elsewhere for options. Among those options is reportedly John Textor, who is seemingly ready to sell his stake in Crystal Palace in order to take over at Everton.

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However, even if a new owner does arrive, the Toffees will reportedly have no choice but to sell players this month if they want to avoid breaking the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules yet again.

That concern also means that bargain deals should be the way forward for Everton this summer, which will seemingly see one future star arrive. According to The Athletic, Everton are close to signing Ceiran Loney from Partick Thistle this summer. The 18-year-old is the Scottish club's youngest-ever player and will now reportedly have the chance to join up with the Toffees' academy after impressing scouts.

One for the future, Loney's arrival at least represents that Everton have a plan going forward. They'll be desperate to avoid any further PSR sanctions, and bringing players into Dyche's first-team via their academy should go a long way towards doing just that in years to come.

Loney can follow Branthwaite path

After watching Branthwaite go from Carlisle United to Everton before playing a starring role in Dyche's side, Loney will surely be hoping to follow a similar path. The England defender is even being linked with Manchester United in a big-money move and came close to making the England squad for Euro 2024. If presented with an opportunity at Goodison Park, Loney's possibilities could be endless.

At Partick Thistle, the young forward made just one senior appearance last season, which means that a place in Everton's academy before anything should be the way forward should he complete a move this summer.

From there, those at Goodison Park will hope to have identified their eventual replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has struggled to lead the line for Everton amid injury struggles in the last few years, presenting the chance for someone like Loney to step up sooner rather than later.

At a time when they need cheap solutions to their problems, the academy should be the place to turn towards ahead of next season.

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The 25-year-old forward has had to wait patiently for his chance under Arne Slot but came up big to help inspire a 3-0 win over the Cherries

Liverpool marched to the top of the Premier League table as two goals from Luis Diaz and one stunning curled effort from Darwin Nunez saw the Reds defeat Bournemouth 3-0 on Saturday.

After surviving an early onslaught from the visitors that saw VAR chalk off an Antoine Semenyo goal for a marginal offside, the hosts finally came alive. It was Diaz who did the job of settling a nervous Anfield, incisively scoring two goals inside a couple of minutes.

Enter Nunez. Out of the picture up to now under Arne Slot, the Uruguayan finally got his chance from the start and boy did he take it. The 25-year-old emphatically making it 3-0 after 37 minutes as he curled an unstoppable shot into the far corner after combining well with Mohamed Salah.

With the damage done in the first half, Liverpool concentrated on preserving their clean sheet to ensure they bagged the three points that takes them to the summit, if only for 24 hours.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Caoimhin Kelleher (8/10):

  Big responsibility on his shoulders as he stepped in for the injured Alisson but he certainly didn't let the side down, making one big save to deny Semenyo when it was still 0-0 and then reacting quickly to prevent Alexander-Arnold scoring an own goal.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (7/10):

  Given license to get forward in the first half especially and was at his creative best as he found Diaz for the second goal. Gave away possession 21 times – more than anyone else on the pitch – but that won't concern him too much.

  Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

  Turned into prime Andrea Pirlo as his lofted ball over the top set Diaz free for the opener. Bournemouth's attack gave him plenty to think about over the 90 but he'll take the clean sheet and assist.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Imperious in the air and made a couple of important interceptions as Bournemouth tried to find a way back into the game. Impressively completed all 45 of his attempted passes.

  Andrew Robertson (6/10):

  Not at his swashbuckling attacking best but was given a tough assignment up against the lively Semenyo and knew he couldn't gallop forward at will. He'll be pleased with the win and clean sheet.

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  Midfield

  Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):

  Struggled to contain Bournemouth's dangerous counter-attacks in the first half but improved in the second 45. Sloppy with his final pass at times but his driving runs forward consistently gave Liverpool forward momentum.

  Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

  Spots passes that few others can see and it's that vision that saw him link up effectively with Salah on more than one occasion.

  Dominik Szoboszlai (5/10):

  Not his day. Blazed one presentable chance over the bar in the first half and the game bypassed him somewhat. Eventually taken off on the hour mark.

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  Attack

  Mohamed Salah (7/10):

  It didn't quite happen for him in front of goal but he looked typically menacing whenever he received the ball on the right-hand side. Created a game-high six chances for his team-mates, including the assist for Nunez's belter.

  Darwin Nunez (8/10):

  Given the nod in attack – his first start of the season – and repaid his manager's faith with a stunning goal to put Liverpool 3-0 up. Withdrawn after 71 minutes but on this evidence, he'll get more chances to impress Slot.

  Luis Diaz (9/10):

  The man of the moment. Just when the nerves began to creep in around Anfield, Diaz showed supreme composure to net two quickfire goals and essentially put the game to bed. Denied his hat-trick as Slot decided to give him a rest after 71 minutes.

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  Subs & Manager

  Curtis Jones (6/10):

  Added a calmness in possession when he came on after 60 minutes although probably should've scored when well-placed in the box.

  Federico Chiesa (6/10):

  Almost made an immediate impact with a half volley from distance that was saved by Kepa before he struck the post, only to be flagged for offside.

  Cody Gakpo (6/10):

  Put one on a plate for Jones only for the midfielder to fire wide via a deflection.

  Arne Slot (8/10):

  After the disappointment of losing at home to Nottingham Forest he'll be both relieved and delighted to follow it up with back-to-back wins. After a sloppy start his team got the job done, with his decision to bring in Nunez proving inspired.