Newcastle United thrashed Leicester City at St. James’ Park last weekend and followed up that emphatic victory with a confident showing against Brentford in the Carabao Cup, setting up a semi-final tie with Arsenal.

While Eddie Howe will be delighted that his side are in a good moment, he will know that sustaining that newly crafted fluency is the only way to make true headway.

That’s why it’s crucial that the Magpies emerge from Portman Road with three points this weekend, though Ipswich Town certainly won’t make things easy for them.

The newly-promoted side have shown promise this term and won at struggling Wolves last time out. Newcastle will need to be incisive to put any doubts to bed, and Howe might want to consider dropping Jacob Murphy from his frontline.

Why Newcastle should drop Jacob Murphy

Murphy has featured prominently for Newcastle this season, starting nine times in the Premier League.

Murphy’s role at right wing has somewhat polarised fans, for he’s not blessed with the technical capacity and bite that Newcastle need as a long-term starter on the right, though he still manages to impress through his work-rate and consistency.

And in fairness, Murphy placed two assists during the 4-2 defeat against Brentford two weeks ago before following that up with a brace at St. James’ Park against the Foxes.

Even so, Howe might be inclined to drop the 28-year-old for this one, for Murphy started once again in the midweek cup tie and put in an energetic display, with one shot clanging off the post.

Instead, he might look for a sharper clinical edge in a hostile environment, and for that reason, must unleash Harvey Barnes from the outset.

The Newcastle star who should replace Barnes

Barnes is not a right winger, with his lethal right foot meaning that his best placement is on the alternate side, where he can marry his shooting with high-speed running and wreak havoc on Premier League defences.

2024/25

Newcastle

16 (6)

5

1

0.42

2023/24

Newcastle

21 (7)

5

3

0.38

2022/23

Leicester

34 (32)

13

1

0.41

2021/22

Leicester

32 (24)

6

10

0.50

2020/21

Leicester

25 (22)

9

4

0.52

As you can see, he’s been an effective outlet in the top flight over a number of years, and though the winger has only been handed 13 starts for Newcastle, a return of ten goals and four assists speaks highly of his invariable potency.

In fact, as per FBref, Barnes ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored (0.60) per 90, emphasising just how clinical a threat that he is. He has even been hailed for his “unbelievable” talent by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in the past.

Five Premier League sides have shipped more than the Tractor Boys (28) this year, but looking at the xgA (expected goals against) chart, they have outperformed their expected tally by a divisional high 9.60, as per Understat.

What this effectively means is that they are more susceptible to defensive fragilities than their actual concession rate would suggest, with a combination of good shot-stopping and wayward finishing creating that situation.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Whichever way you look at the data, it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t bode well for a sharpshooter such as Barnes, who will take an opportunity with incisiveness and slot into the Portman Road net.

If Howe chooses to drop Murphy for the most prolific force, it would come at a certain cost to Anthony Gordon, who would need to be taken from his left-wing spot and placed on the right, something he does without complaint though clearly doesn’t favour.

Nonetheless, this could be a winning combination for Newcastle on Saturday afternoon and is something that Howe needs to enforce.

He's like Isak: Newcastle can axe Wilson by signing PL "nuisance" for £45m

Newcastle are finding their feet but need more firepower up front.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 20, 2024

The FIFA president pointed out the difference in viewership between the two "football" events, also stressed "best of the best" in Club World Cup

FIFA World Cup 2022 final had 1.5 billion viewersSuper Bowl viewership estimated at around 200M worldwideInfantino highlights soccer's growth in North AmericaAFPWHAT HAPPENED

Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, drew a striking comparison between two of the biggest "football" events in the world – the FIFA World Cup and the NFL's Super Bowl.

In an interview with FOX Sports, Infantino noted that the World Cup's global viewership is equivalent to 104 Super Bowls, all compressed into one month.

"The impact will be global," Infantino said of the 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. "I mean look at the Super Bowl, which is fantastic. It has what, 120, 130 million viewers, right? The World Cup has 6 billion viewers [over a month of matches], so a World Cup is 104 Super Bowls in month – which is three Super Bowls a day… This can happen every week if you have the best league in the world."

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Prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the U.S will be hosting the FIFA Club World Cup in a first of it’s kind tournament. The revamped version features a $1 billion in total prize money and will be played from June 14 to July 13 this year, with 32 teams – including Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Inter Miami, Real Madrid and several other sides.

“You get the best of the best as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe will be there, so will Leo Messi and many many others," Infantino told FOX. "The 32 best club teams and at stake is an incredible trophy, but the money we’re talking about is $1 billion as prize money for the winning team. First time, we’re organizing an event like that, first time there will be a club truly crowned world champion by FIFA."

WHAT’S NEXT?

It is set to be a busy summer in the U.S., as the country will host the Club World Cup and the Gold Cup, simultaneously.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na tarde do último sábado, o Grêmio foi derrotado pela Chapecoense por 1 a 0 na Arena, o que elevou a pressão por bons resultados.Com o revés, o time de Roger Machado entrou na zona de rebaixamento, e a cobrança é para uma reação imediata a partir das próximas rodadas da competição. Campeão estadual, o Tricolor foi eliminado na primeira fase da Copa do Brasil pelo Mirassol.

>>> VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

Além da falta de resultados no início da Série B, outro ponto que liga o sinal de alerta é a falta de bola na rede. Nos dois jogos da competição, o Tricolor não conseguiu furar a marcação da Ponte Preta e Chapecoense. Esta é a primeira vez que o Grêmio fica dois jogos sem marcar com Roger Machado no comando.

O Grêmio volta a campo na segunda divisão nacional nesta quinta-feira contra o Guarani, em Porto Alegre, às 16h30.

RelacionadasGrêmioApesar do início ruim na Série B, Romildo Bolzan, presidente do Grêmio, vê time em ‘evolução’Grêmio18/04/2022GrêmioVP de futebol do Grêmio, Denis Abrahão ganha respaldo do presidente Romildo BolzanGrêmio18/04/2022Fora de CampoFísico de Daronco chama atenção e web brinca: ‘Vai estourar de tão gigante que está’Fora de Campo18/04/2022

استقر أسامة نبيه، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر للشباب تحت 20 عامًا، على تشكيل مباراة جنوب إفريقيا، اليوم الأحد، في افتتاحية مشواره في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا.

يفتتح منتخب مصر مشاركته في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 20 عامًا بملاقاة منتخب جنوب إفريقيا على ملعب استاد القاهرة.

وتستضيف مصر هذه البطولة من 27 أبريل حتى 18 مايو، والتي تُعد مؤهلة لكأس العالم.

طالع.. منتخب مصر للشباب يختتم تدريباته استعدادًا لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا

ويقع منتخب مصر في المجموعة الأولى، إلى جانب منتخبات جنوب إفريقيا، سيراليون، زامبيا، وتنزانيا.

ويتأهل إلى دور الثمانية من البطولة المنتخبات الحاصلة على المركزين الأول والثاني في كل مجموعة، بالإضافة إلى أفضل منتخبين من أصحاب المركز الثالث.

وتنطلق المباراة بين مصر وجنوب إفريقيا، في كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 20 عامًا في تمام التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والمملكة العربية السعودية. تشكيل منتخب مصر للشباب المتوقع اليوم أمام جنوب أفريقيا

حراسة المرمى: عبد المنعم تامر.

الدفاع: محمد عاطف وأحمد عابدين وعبد الله بوستنجي ومحمود لبيب.

الوسط: أحمد كاباكا ومحمد السيد وأحمد وحيد.

الهجوم: عمر خضر وأحمد شرف ومحمد زعلوك.

Manchester City are now in talks about signing a new a player, with Pep Guardiola looking to bolster his side this month after what’s been a disappointing season so far.

Man City make it back-to-back wins with victory over West Ham

Following a run of just one win in nine Premier League games that stretched from the start of November all the way to Boxing Day, Manchester City are back to winning ways. After beating Leicester City 2-0 just before the turn of the year, Guardiola’s side began 2025 by thrashing West Ham United 4-1 at the Etihad.

Erling Haaland scored twice on the day to take his total in the top flight to 16 for the season, while Phil Foden was also on the scoresheet for just the second time this campaign.

But while the scoreline evoked memories of the City of old, the performance once again left little to be desired, with the Sky Blues conceding chance after chance which, fortunately for them, West Ham wasted.

Speaking after the game, Guardiola conceded there is still much work to be done if his side are to return to the sort of form that saw them win four Premier League titles on the bounce.

“[Is] the old Manchester City and the way we play is back? No. You have to know it. You watched the games for years. We’re not at the level, come on. Of course there are an incredible lot of positives. But if you ask me the team is playing like it has played the years ago, no, absolutely not.”

Man City hold talks for Lens defender Khusanov

To help City get back to their old ways, Guardiola is reportedly looking to bolster his squad in the January transfer market, and, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, is keen on RC Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov. There were reports saying that City had joined the race for the player, and there has now been a development.

Romano has now claimed that City are holding active talks with the Ligue 1 side for the 20-year-old centre-back, who has impressed for the Blood and Gold this term.

Khusanov, who already has 18 caps for the Uzbekistan national team, has been described by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig as “an excellent” centre-back and “the future legend of Uzbek football.”

Lens head coach Will Still has also lauded Khusanov, saying of him earlier this season: “He’s calm, powerful, he’s fast. He doesn’t talk but he’s good. He has very, very impressive potential,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lens director Pierre Dreossi recently told DAZN, per the Mail Online, that Khusanov “will leave” the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in January, but that “there haven’t been any good bids yet.”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former agent, Jorge Mendes, has been put in charge of trying to sell Khusanov, and it looks as if a move to the Etihad will be one to watch.

Arsenal scouts are now obsessed with a “fantastic” young midfielder after his impressive performances this season, according to a report.

Arsenal still within reach of Liverpool

Although Liverpool are showing no signs of slowing down in their pursuit of the Premier League title, securing a 5-0 victory at West Ham United yesterday, a nine-point gap is by no means insurmountable for Arsenal in the second half of the season.

However, Mikel Arteta may have to bring in some reinforcements this winter in order to give his side the best possible chance of catching Arne Slot’s men, and the manager is believed to be keen on signing a new striker.

Randal Kolo Muani is on Arteta’s list of targets, with the Frenchman’s future at Paris Saint-Germain still uncertain, while a move for Galatasaray loanee Victor Osimhen is also being plotted, although a deal will not come cheap, with a £66m fee being touted.

Signing a new striker appears to be a priority for the Gunners, given the number of targets that have been identified, but Arteta still continues to cast his eye on players in other positions, who could make a more long-term contribution to the club.

Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Brentford (a)

January 1st

Brighton (a)

January 4th

Tottenham Hotspur (h)

January 15th

Aston Villa (h)

January 18th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)

January 25th

One such player is Ayyoub Bouaddi, with Arsenal scouts said to be wowed by the Lille midfielder and ‘enamoured’ with his talent, having put in some very impressive performances so far this season. There may be stiff competition for Bouaddi’s signature, however, as he is on the radar of a number of top European clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

In 2023, the youngster broke a record by becoming the youngest player ever to play in a European club competition game, making his debut at 16 years and 3 days old. As the starlet does not turn 18 until October, a move to England is not possible in January, but he could leave Lille at the end of the season.

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Posts ByBen Browning Dec 30, 2024 One for the future

The young Frenchman has added to his Champions League experience this season, making five appearances in the competition, no mean feat considering he is still just 17 years old. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has given an overview of the maestro’s abilities, saying he is a “midfield controller”, while also likening him to Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan and describing him as “fantastic”.

Bouaddi is very much one for the future and it will be interesting to see whether Arsenal make a move for him at the end of the season, but Arteta’s more pressing concern will be strengthening his squad this January. With Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka now out injured, Arteta may have to strengthen his attacking options heading into the second half of the season, if his side are to have any chance of catching Liverpool.

Tottenham have made Andoni Iraola their number one target to replace Ange Postecoglou amid questions over the Australian coach's future.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Postecoglou under pressure at Spurs
• Iraola now the top target to replace him
• Spaniard impressing at Bournemouth

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Bournemouth coach has impressed since his arrival in 2023 following a bright spell in charge of Rayo Vallecano and reports Spurs have made him their top target should they decide to part ways with Postecoglou. The north London club will have to activate his £10 million ($13m) release clause, though the report says that will not be a problem.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

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  Postecoglou has come under pressure due to his team's worrying results, leaving them 14th in the league. Spurs hope results pick up soon and are aiming to win the Europa League, with a quarter-final tie against Eintracht Frankfurt coming up. Even if Postecoglou sees out the season, there are "serious doubts" about his long-term future, per the report.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Bournemouth, meanwhile, currently sit 10th in the table after 29 matches – five points behind the top four – and could improve on last season's 12th place finish.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Iraola's men will take on Manchester City in the FA Cup on Sunday while Postecoglou's men head to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the league on April 3.

West Ham United have now joined the race to sign a cut-price defender in the January transfer window as they look to bolster Julen Lopetegui’s ranks, it has been reported, though they will face competition from Newcastle United.

West Ham splash the cash

It was an expensive summer for the Hammers, with the club spending lavishly in a bid to rejuvenate their squad following the departure of David Moyes. Lopetegui was given command of the side, and the club added nine new faces to their squad in a major overhaul of the side, spending around £132m in the process, the fifth most in the Premier League.

However, early form has seen those hopes of potential European football tempered, and there is an expectation that the club will continue to be active in January no matter who is in the managerial hotseat amid reported pressure on Lopetegui.

One position that they will need to strengthen is at striker, with Michail Antonio having been involved in a horror car crash and likely to miss the remainder of the campaign, while summer addition Fullkrug has managed just four Premier League appearances to date, scoring just once. Now, they could also look to strengthen elsewhere.

West Ham want to sign Manchester United defender

That comes with the Hammers reportedly eyeing up a bargain deal to sign Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof. The east London side have previously been interested in teammate Harry Maguire, but never managed to get a deal over the line for the England international.

Instead, they now appear to have pivoted to his teammate, a player who Maguire himself dubbed “technically brilliant” and a “great footballer”.

The Swedish defender is heading into the final six months of his £120,000 a week deal at Old Trafford, but has played just a single minute of football since the arrival of Ruben Amorim at the club and is likely to depart in the coming months.

As per Caught Offside, West Ham are among the sides showing interest in a cut-price deal to sign him in January, with the Red Devils reportedly ready to let him leave for around £6m rather than lose him for free at the end of the season.

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1

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 14, 2024

They claim that “Newcastle, West Ham and Everton” are all “among his suitors”, alongside sides across Europe. Though West Ham splashed out on two new centre-backs in the most recent transfer window, they have looked anything but assured at the back and have only Konstantinos Mavropanos as a recognised alternative to their first choice pairing as things stand, which could explain why they are eyeing up a potential bargain deal to sign Lindelof.

With plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, he could be a very shrewd signing in the short-term for the east London side.

England’s match-winner opens up on strains of leadership after return to the ranks

Andrew Miller05-Jun-2022

The emotion was plain for Joe Root as he soaked up the acclaim from an enraptured Lord’s crowd. A phenomenally composed 115 not out, his 26th Test hundred but his first in the fourth innings, had guided England to a gripping five-wicket win over New Zealand in the first Test of the English summer, and ended a barren run of results that stretched back 10 months to the Headingley Test against India.But perhaps more significantly, it was a century in Root’s first appearance back in England’s ranks, after stepping down from a role that he had held with pride for five years and a national-record 64 matches, but which he admitted after the match had become an “unhealthy relationship” in its grim final throes.England won just one of their last 17 Tests under Root’s leadership, including a 4-0 defeat in the Ashes and a further 1-0 reverse in the Caribbean in March. And though he insisted in the immediate aftermath of that campaign that he still had the drive to take the team forward, Root conceded upon his return to the UK that the pressures had become too much to bear.”It had become a very unhealthy relationship to be honest, the captaincy and me,” Root admitted after his innings on Sunday. “It started to really take a bad toll on my own personal health. I couldn’t leave it at the ground any more, it was coming home. It wasn’t fair on my family, on people close to me, and it wasn’t fair on myself either.Related

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Joe Root's 115* seals England march to victory

“I had thrown everything at it and I was determined to help turn this team around but I realised over that time at home that it would have to be in a different way. I’m very excited to do that now and to do everything I can to help Ben [Stokes] really turn this team around and make this team the force it should and can be.”There was little about Root’s form with the bat in the latter months of his captaincy that let on about the mental toll the role was taking – quite the contrary in fact. He amassed an England-record 1,708 runs at 61.00 in 2021, just 80 runs shy of Mohammad Yousuf’s all-time record, and though he endured a dip in form towards the end of the Ashes, his back-to-back hundreds in Antigua and Barbados earlier this year seemed to have signalled his determination to keep leading from the front.Privately, however, Root acknowledged he was feeling the strain of propping up an under-performing team, and while taking a break from cricket at the end of the Caribbean tour, he announced it was time to step down.”I obviously tried as much as I could, but I think I was unaware of how much it was grabbing hold of me,” he admitted. “I just needed to make the decision, and I knew it was the right thing to do. I felt like a big weight had been lifted and I immediately felt a lot better.”As hard as it was, obviously it’s been a huge privilege and something that I’m extremely proud to have done, but it’s time for a new phase in my career. And it’s one that I’m very much looking forward to, seeing one of my best mates now take this team forward and start in a way that he has.”Stokes himself played a big part in securing victory in his first outing as official captain, scoring a chancy but vital 54 to help break the back of a 277-run chase on the third afternoon. But, once he fell to Kyle Jamieson with 118 runs still needed, Root stepped up his own tempo to score his final 81 runs from 81 balls, and ease England home in company with Ben Foakes.”This is a very nice feeling,” Root said in the aftermath of England’s win. “It’s felt like a long time. But it’s one that you want to feel over and over again. So, again, having experienced that this week, it’s one that we want to make sure that, when we turn up to Trent Bridge, we’re on the right side of it again, and can feel it again.”