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Aston Villa have picked up where they left off last season to put themselves in contention for a European place once more in the current campaign. Unai Emery's side sit as high as fifth and just one point adrift of fourth place Tottenham Hotspur. From fighting relegation under Steven Gerrard, the Midlands club have been transformed into a club potentially vying for a Champions League place under Emery. And much of the credit deserves to go to the former Sevilla boss and his recruitment team.

Villa have welcomed some impressive names in the last year or so, including Moussa Diaby and Nicolo Zaniolo – both of whom have got off to ideal starts to life in the Premier League. Now, those at Villa Park reportedly want to repeat their transfer trick by boosting Emery's attacking options even further.

Aston Villa transfer news

Villa are now in a position to convince a certain calibre of player to choose Emery's project over others around Europe. They've proven their ability to compete on the European stage this season, too, through their results in the Europa Conference League. And now they are reportedly prepared to welcome a winner of that very competition to improve even further.

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Aston Villa are readying a bid to sign Tammy Abraham in January, despite the AS Roma forward's current place on the sidelines with an ACL injury. It is believed that the former Villa loanee can slot straight into Emery's system and can replace Jhon Duran, who one source told Football Insider is a "handful" for Emery and his staff amid questions over his attitude. The summer arrival will reportedly be allowed to leave on loan during the January transfer window.

It remains to be seen just how much Roma's price-tag for Abraham will be, given that his current contract doesn't expire until 2026, but his position on the sidelines until spring should certainly make any deal an interesting one.

"Machine" Abraham could improve Aston Villa

Struggling with a long-term injury, Abraham would be doing himself no harm by returning to the place he once briefly called home. During his loan spell at Villa Park, the England international helped the Midlands club to Premier League promotion. Abraham's stats during his loan spell were extremely impressive, with the forward scoring 26 goals in 40 appearances for the club.

Emery may well form one of the deadliest strike partnerships in the Premier League with Abraham and Ollie Watkins, allowing the latter to occasionally turn creator for a fellow goalscorer. When Watkins' stats were compared to Abraham's last season, it's clear to see just how talented both forwards are.

Player

Goals

Assists

Progressive Passes

Expected Goals

Tammy Abraham

8

3

54

10.8

Ollie Watkins

15

6

39

16.5

If Villa want to become a club capable of competing for a place in the Champions League, then welcoming players like Abraham is the way forward, with competition on multiple fronts requiring huge quality in depth. Described as a "goal machine" by former Manchester City striker Stephen Elliott, Abraham could be handed the perfect opportunity to bounce back from his injury in style.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall has revealed when Frida Maanum will return to the first-team after collapsing in the Conti Cup final.

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Maanum collapsed in Conti Cup finalTests showed she is "stable & doing well"Arsenal boss Eidevall issues update on midfielderWHAT HAPPENED?

The 24-year-old went down off the ball in second-half stoppage time during the final, where the Gunners went onto beat Chelsea 1-0 after extra time. The midfielder was stretchered off during the game and was later fitted with a device to monitor her heart; but tests found "no obvious cardiac causes" for her collapse. Now, Arsenal boss Eidevall says the Norwegian will be available to face Leicester City in the Women's Super League later this month.

AdvertisementWHAT JONAS EIDEVALL SAID

According to journalist Tim Stillman, the Arsenal manager said Maanum won't be fit for their WSL clash with Bristol City on Sunday evening but will be available for the visit of Leicester on April 21.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The football community will have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Arsenal said Maanum was "stable and doing well" after this scare. If she can be back playing a matter of weeks after this worrying incident, that will be a huge boost to her and her team-mates.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Arsenal, who are third in the WSL and have an outside chance of pipping Manchester City and Chelsea to the title, have five more games left to play this season, one of which is against league leaders City on May 5.

Former England opener Marcus Trescothick feels counties should be allowed more scope in preparing surfaces that aid spin bowling

George Dobell03-Nov-2018Marcus Trescothick has called for a “mentality change” in county cricket in a bid to better prepare players for overseas tours. Trescothick, the former England opener, feels counties should be allowed more scope in preparing surfaces that aid spin bowling and feels his own club, Somerset, have been “harshly put under the spotlight” for producing such pitches.”People are never going to get better playing on spinning pitches if they don’t play on spinning pitches,” Trescothick said. “It’s frowned upon when you produce something that is spinning but of course it shouldn’t be.”We’re so used to seaming pitches in England. That’s what we’re notorious for. Especially in April or late September. But what’s wrong with producing something different? It shouldn’t be frowned upon as it has been.”Somerset have attracted criticism for preparing surfaces that aid their spinners. Angus Fraser, the Middlesex director of cricket, called one such pitch in 2017 “dreadful” and “disgraceful”, while last season Paul Allott, the Lancashire director of cricket, said another was “below average verging on poor”. On that occasion, Somerset narrowly avoided sanction from the ECB.But Trescothick, who made his maiden Test century in Galle, the venue of the first Test of the series between Sri Lanka and England, believes that such surfaces provide a rare opportunity for England-qualified players to experience the sort of conditions that are prevalent in many other parts of the world.”If you’re going to learn to play spin you’re going to have to face it, and when you come to Taunton you have to learn the art of playing on tough pitches,” he said. “We at Somerset have harshly been put under the spotlight for producing pitches that have spun. Other counties have had pitches reported, but because it’s a seaming pitch it doesn’t get talked about. If you play on pitches that spin it gets highlighted quickly and wrongly.”[South Africa opener] Dean Elgar said he didn’t face a ball of seam throughout the series when he went to Sri Lanka. But how often do you get to face a spinner opening the bowling? If you come to Taunton, it’s pretty much the only place you’ll get to do it at the moment. It shouldn’t be penalised too much. Yes, there needs to be a mentality change.”Jack Leach finally got the chance to press his case•Getty ImagesApart from warning England they would face a large amount of spin, Trescothick feels the conditions render Sri Lanka an especially demanding tour. But he said he had “no doubt” that his Somerset team-mate, the left-arm spinner Jack Leach, would succeed.”It’s very hot,” Trescothick said. “It’s probably the hottest play they’ll go. It’s very demanding.”Jack has had a couple of nice pitches to bowl on at Taunton and he’s produced the goods. He’s worked really hard to come back from injury and hopefully he’ll flourish.”This is a great chance for him, whether he takes the new ball or not. He’s played on pitches that have spun more than anywhere else at Taunton, so he’s used to those sorts of environments. I have no doubt he’ll succeed. I’ve seen him produce it at Somerset for a number of years.”Marcus Trescothick was speaking at the relaunch of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, which provides support for PCA members and their immediate families when they need it most

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is looking to make inroads in the market and the Citizens have now spoken to the family of a bright young star regarding a move to the Etihad Stadium, according to a report.

Manchester City share spoils with Liverpool…

On Saturday, Manchester City were embroiled in a pulsating 1-1 draw with Liverpool, with Erling Haaland's clinical opener being eventually cancelled out by a strike from Trent Alexander-Arnold to give the visitors a share of the spoils.

Despite failing to see off one of their main challengers for the Premier League title this term, the Citizens can take plenty of encouragement from their performance and were unlucky not to claim three points after Ruben Dias saw a close-range effort controversially ruled out for a push on Alisson Becker in the 68th minute, as cited by talkSPORT.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Guardiola was delighted by his players' efforts despite the fact his side weren't able to claim victory, as he stated via the Sky Blues' official website: "We are hungry and upset in the locker room, but it was an incredibly great game. Statistics or who deserved it more, it doesn’t count."

He then added: "I am going to drink my wine with one point. I am incredibly pleased about the performance we played because Liverpool are an incredible team. We conceded just two chances against that team. The header in the first half and goal."

Looking ahead to mid-week, the English top-flight champions will dust themselves off before facing RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday in the Champions League, where they will need just a point to guarantee top spot in Group G.

On the transfer front, fresh information has come to light detailing that Manchester City have established contact with an exciting young talent's family as they look to tempt the star to the North West.

Manchester City eye Francesco Camarda

According to a transfer update from 90min, Manchester City have spoken to AC Milan forward Francesco Camarda's family over a potential move to England after the 15-year-old became the youngest player in Serie A history by coming on as a substitute in their 1-0 victory over Fiorentina at the weekend.

Francesco Camarda's 2023/24 across all levels (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

14

Goals

7

Assists

2

The report states that Camarda is ineligible to sign a professional contract until his 16th birthday at San Siro, which has prompted the Citizens, alongside the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund to try and lay claim to his services.

Labelled an "elite talent" by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig, Camarda has been given some timely advice by his teammate Davide Calabria, who stated in the aftermath of their triumph against Fiorentina as cited by Football Italia: "I told Camarda a few things, he certainly has talent, but so do lots of young players. He should enjoy this moment, but also work harder than anyone else to make it happen. Now we hope to accompany him on this journey."

Despite Calabria urging the 15-year-old to keep his feet on the ground, the hype surrounding his talent is only likely to expand and Manchester City will hope to put forward a compelling case to try and tempt the Milan-born striker to the Etihad Stadium.

What happened to the Manchester City team that beat United 6-1

Man City famously destroyed their closest rivals on their own patch back in 2011. How many in that starting XI could you name?

ByAlex Caple Oct 27, 2023

Despite reports to the contrary elsewhere, Andy Flower, Martyn Moxon and Tom Moody have all informed ESPNcricinfo they are not pursuing an interest in the role

George Dobell07-Dec-2018Ashley Giles remains a strong favourite to replace Andrew Strauss as director of England men’s cricket after the field of candidates thinned out considerably.Despite reports to the contrary elsewhere, Andy Flower, Martyn Moxon and Tom Moody have all informed ESPNcricinfo they are not pursuing an interest in the role. Clare Connor ruled herself out in the early stages, while Wasim Khan has instead accepted an offer to move to Lahore as MD of the Pakistan Cricket Board.That leaves a field that includes Giles, currently director of sport at Warwickshire; Mick Newell, the Nottinghamshire director of cricket; Mark Nicholas, the writer, broadcaster and former captain of Hampshire, and Ronnie Irani, the former England all-rounder.While Giles and Irani are understood to have been offered interviews by the ECB – one has taken place; the other is next week – Nicholas is understood to be mulling over an approach from a headhunter and has yet to fully commit to the process. Candidates have been required to put together a presentation to the ECB before the interview.Strauss decided to step down after his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Flower has filled the role in an interim capacity.If Giles is appointed it would complete a remarkable comeback. He was sacked by Paul Downton, the England team director at the time, as England’s limited-overs coach at the start of 2014 – barely six months after leading England to the brink of their first global ODI trophy – but has subsequently lead Lancashire and Warwickshire to trophies (The T20 Blast at Lancashire in 2015 and the Division Two title at Warwickshire in 2018) and served on several ECB working parties. He has also worked as an England selector, is an Ashes winner and led Warwickshire to the Championship title as coach in 2012.Irani offers strong competition, though. As chairman of Essex’s cricket committee, he was in a large part responsible for the clubembracing a home-grown policy that helped them win the Championship in 2017 and helped the club sustain their excellent reputation for developing players. He also has a business background which will be deemed important for an ECB that is keen to cut costs across the board and at Loughborough in particular.The ECB hope to have someone in place before England head to the Caribbean in January, though an announcement next week is more than possible.

The Gunners ended a miserable week on a high to move back above Manchester City in the Premier League title race

Leandro Trossard's strike just before half-time and Martin Odegaard's injury-time finish were enough to give Arsenal an edgy 2-0 win at Wolves which moved them back to the top of the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta's side went into the game on the back of a bruising week which had seen them surrender control of the title race to Manchester City following defeat by Aston Villa and then exit the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich.

So they knew they had to find a reaction at Molineux and they did just thanks thanks to Trossard's spectacular sliced effort, which found its way into the top corner, and Odegaard's angled finish in stoppage time.

It was a crucial win for the visitors at the end of a difficult week, one that now sees them move one point above City, but having played a game more than the champions.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Molineux…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (8/10):

Made on fabulous save in the first half to push Joao Gomes' shot onto the post. Did everything well when called upon.

Ben White (7/10):

Got into good positions a couple of times in the first half, but his final ball let him down. Linked up well with Saka and Odegaard and really grew into the game after the interval.

William Saliba (7/10):

Another fine performance from the young centre-back. Never really looked troubled at the back.

Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

Solid enough, although made one poor clearance which led to a Wolves chance before the break.

Jakub Kiwior (6/10):

Struggled in the first half and was fortunate to escape when his error gifted Joao Gomes a shot on goal that Raya did well to save. Improved as the game wore on.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Declan Rice (8/10):

Arsenal looked better whenever he injected a bit of drive into the play. Could have done better with a couple of shots in the first half. Really came into his own in the final 20 minutes and took the game by the scruff of its neck, which showed with the part he played in Odegaard's goal.

Martin Odegaard (7/10):

Worked as hard as ever, but definitely looks a bit below par at the moment. Not playing with quite the same zip, but still crucial to Arsenal's performance. Finished the game off with his fine finish late on.

Kai Havertz (6/10):

Almost scored inside 45 seconds when his shot was saved. Never looks as comfortable playing in this deeper midfield role, but played his part in the win.

GettyAttack

Bukayo Saka (6/10):

Had to deal with Toti man marking him all evening and was on receiving end of some big hits as usual. Looked a threat on the rare occasion he did find some space.

Gabriel Jesus (6/10):

Not at his best. Looks to be lacking confidence in front of goal, but played a crucial role in setting up Trossard for his strike at the end of the first half.

Leandro Trossard (7/10):

Missed a good chance in the first half but made amends when he broke the deadlock just before the break.

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GettySubs & Manager

Gabriel Martinelli (5/10):

Had one chance late on which went straight at the keeper.

Thomas Partey (N/A):

On for the final 10 minutes.

Mikel Arteta (7/10):

He will be delighted with the result after such a bruising and tiring week. Not the best performance from his side, but he won't care much about that.

David De Gea sent a hilarious birthday message to ex-Manchester United colleague Juan Mata as he compared him to Malcolm in the Middle's protagonist.

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De Gea wished Mata on his 35th birthdayCompared him to Malcolm in the Middle star Goalkeeper remains free agent since leaving Man Utd WHAT HAPPENED?

De Gea, who spent eight years at United and six years in the Spain national team with Juan Mata, wished the midfielder a happy birthday on social media as the ex-Red Devils and Chelsea player turned 35 on April 28.

AdvertisementWHAT DAVID DE GEA SAID

The goalkeeper uploaded three different Instagram stories tagging his close friend. The first story comprised a photograph of the duo from a Spain national team training, where he wrote, "Happy birthday Amigo. Best of the best."

David De Gea Instagram

In the second story, he uploaded a major throwback photograph of Mata from his Real Oviedo days. The third photograph was an image of Malcolm in the Middle protagonist Malcolm, portrayed by actor Frankie Muniz.

David De Gea InstagramDavid De Gea InstagramGetty ImagesTHE GOSSIP

De Gea remains a free agent following his departure from Old Trafford at the end of the 2022-23 season. Several clubs approached him in the last two transfer windows including Saudi Pro League teams but he refused to accept those proposals. However, as per the latest rumours, Real Betis are reportedly keen on signing the ace custodian as a free agent ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR DAVID DE GEA?

The 33-year-old recently fuelled speculation that he could be nearing a return to professional football after posting a video of himself training on social media.

Coach to oversee Test squad during England series, and is expected to remain in charge through World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2019Cricket West Indies says it will stand by its decision to appoint Richard Pybus as interim Head Coach, in spite of objections from the Leewards Islands Cricket Board (LICB), which claims he was “handpicked” by Dave Cameron, the CWI president.Pybus will now oversee the Test squad during the forthcoming series against England, and is expected to remain in charge at least until August, a period that encompasses the 2019 World Cup and the visit of India to the Caribbean.He had been appointed to the role in place of Stuart Law, who stepped down in September to take over as head coach at Middlesex, in spite of claims that a shortlist of 11 candidates had been submitted. That list is understood to have included Nic Pothas, who was appointed stand-in coach for the Bangladesh tour in November 2018.In a press release, CWI stated that “the appointment of Pybus was made with the support of more than two-thirds of its board to ensure the team had strong leadership ahead of the busy cricket season this year”, and that he would be supported by a technical team “which includes some of the game’s leading experts from within the region and around the globe”.However, LICB had expressed strong opposition to the appointment, writing to CWI earlier this month to protest that the process by which Pybus had been selected was “unacceptable”.”It is unfortunate, unacceptable and unethical for the CWI President to single-handedly recruit a person of his choosing, and to proceed with salary negotiations without the prior knowledge of the Board,” the LICB email, signed by its directors Enoch Lewis and Denrick Liburd, and accessed by ESPNcricinfo, said.In response, CWI stated that Pybus’ appointment had been reviewed and approved by the Corporate Governance, and Audit Risk and Compliance Committees, and that the LICB complaint has been referred to the governing body’s Ethics Committee for review.

Despite a couple of setbacks in the last week or so, Arsenal have started to move through the gears this season, and just like last year, they once again find themselves in the midst of a Premier League title race, only this time, it looks like Liverpool are set to challenge as well.

The Gunners are currently just a point off of the Reds in first place and three clear of Manchester City in fourth spot, and following their draw away to PSV on Tuesday, they can look forward to the knockout stages of the Champions League in the new year.

Mikel Arteta's team haven't been quite as free-flowing as they were this time last year, but a steely grit and determination have seen them create the joint-best defence in the league.

Arsenal could sign "one of the best centre backs in the world" to partner Saliba

The 24-year-old could make Arsenal’s defence even better.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 14, 2023

That backline could be about to get even more robust, with the latest star linked with the club having abilities not too dissimilar from summer signing Jurriën Timber – Jules Kounde.

Arsenal transfer news – Jules Kounde

According to reports from Spain, Arsenal are "very interested" in the Barcelona defender and are willing to offer the Catalan side €40m – about £34m – to secure the player's signature.

The Frenchman joined the La Liga giants in the summer of 2022 for a fee in the region of £47m, despite heavy interest from Chelsea at the time.

The then 23-year-old also had an enormous £840m release clause inserted into his five-year contract, which is evidently more than the £34m price tag he has now, but considering he has made just 57 appearances across all competitions since joining and was said to be disgruntled in the summer due to being played at right-back, this isn't too surprising.

However, just because he hasn't lit the world alight in Spain doesn't mean that Arsenal should avoid signing the 25-year-old "warrior", as described by former French international Frank Leboeuf on ESPN FC – especially as his versatility could make him the next Timber.

Jules Kounde could be Jurriën Timber 2.0

Now, it might seem crazy to discuss the 'next Timber' before the current one has even had a run of games at Arsenal due to his unfortunate injury against Nottingham Forest.

However, there are some noticeable similarities between the two players, and if Arteta can get his hands on Kounde, there is no reason why the two promising defenders couldn't play together at the Emirates.

The first and most apparent similarity is just how versatile the pair are. The Barcelona man made 18 appearances at right-back last season and 11 at centre-back, while the former Ajax star has played at centre-back, right-back, left-back and defensive midfield so far in his career.

The pair also share some mightily impressive passing statistics, especially regarding progressive passing, and while Timber slightly edges it in a lot of the creative metrics, Kounde is still producing elite numbers.

Kounde

Timber

0.15

0.17

6.85

8.61

2.14

2.37

75.0 (87.7%)

81.5 (91.6%)

1.52

1.72

0.56

0.56

0.89

0.68

2.26

1.99

0.85

1.01

1.59

1.34

The "tenacious" Frenchman, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, does come out on top regarding the game's defensive side, suggesting that the two players could form a brilliant partnership in N5.

Ultimately, for £34m, Kounde looks to be a genuine bargain. His statistical and positional similarities to Timber should excite fans and prove that he could flourish in the red and white of Arsenal.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has been labelled an "angry man" and a "prat" after his "clickbait comments" on Manchester City's Erling Haaland.

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Keane continues to criticise HaalandMan Utd legend has a history with Haaland's fatherAccused of still holding a grudgeWHAT HAPPENED?

Keane initially made headlines when he likened Haaland's link-up play to that of a League Two player following a match where the Norwegian striker failed to score in Manchester City's draw with Arsenal. This remark drew widespread attention and criticism for its perceived harshness and lack of merit. Keane later revised his assessment, upgrading Haaland's performance to a Championship level after the prolific striker notched his 21st goal of the season in a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

AdvertisementGOAL WHAT AGBONLAHOR SAID

Gabriel Agbonlahor, a former Aston Villa forward who worked under Keane during the former midfielder's tenure as assistant manager for the club, has rubbished his assessment of Haaland, telling : "He can be a bit of a prat sometimes. I think it was a bit over the top, but he likely said it tongue in cheek. I worked with him at Aston Villa, and he can say a few things for the sake of it. His comments on Erling Haaland were clickbait comments because Haaland wasn’t brought to Manchester City to get involved.

"You’ve got Bernado Silva, Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Mateo Kovacic, and all of these players who can get into little holes, number 10 positions while Haaland was brought in to get goals and put it in the back of the net. Last season he was top goalscorer, this season he’s top goalscorer so what more do you want from him? Because his first touch might not be amazing or when he comes short, he may give it away? Look at the weekend, he gets the ball, and the defender thinks he’s going to go on his left foot, but scores with his right foot bottom corner."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Agbonlahor suggested that Keane's comments may have their roots in his longstanding rivalry with Haaland's father, Alf-Inge which started from a contentious incident during a match in 1997. During a match between Leeds United and Manchester United, Alf-HInge believed Keane was feigning injury and confronted him angrily. It was later revealed that it was a serious injury which affected the cruciate ligament of the knee.

Years later, in 2001, when Haaland was playing for Manchester City, Keane made a reckless knee-high tackle on him that ultimately ended his professional career prematurely. This incident fuelled the animosity between the two players and became emblematic of their rivalry.

Agbonlahor said: "I bet Erling Haaland has seen this criticism and is laughing. Has it come from Roy Keane because of what he did to Erling Haaland’s father and the relationship there? Some people don’t forget things and they’ve got something against a family member and then have it against his son. Maybe that’s where it’s come from."

The former Villa star added on his own relationship with Keane in their days together at Villa: "I felt he was not a bully but very over the top with players and a few of the players didn’t have it off him. He ended up leaving because he couldn’t handle the fact that some players gave him some stick back. It was a shame because I was excited when he came but he was a dreadful coach and an angry man. The Roy Keane on Sky is completely different from the Roy Keane as a coach."

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Getty WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?

Despite the criticism from Keane, Haaland leads the Premier League Golden Boot race with 21 goals. He will next be in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers in their upcoming fixture before concluding the season with matches against Fulham, Tottenham, and West Ham. Additionally, they are slated to compete against Manchester United in the FA Cup final, presenting an opportunity for Haaland to add to his already impressive trophy haul with City.