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Leeds United picked up their third win of the Premier League campaign on Friday night with a much-needed 2-1 victory over West Ham United at Elland Road.

Daniel Farke’s side bounced back from their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor last time out thanks to goals from Joe Rodon and Brenden Aaronson early on in the first half.

The Whites owed some of their win to the performance of Rodon at the heart of their defence, as he earned Sky Sports’ official Player of the Match award.

Why Joe Rodon was crucial for Leeds against West Ham

The Wales international produced a solid display at centre-back for the West Yorkshire outfit against the Hammers, without his usual defensive partner in Pascal Struijk next to him.

Rodon, per Sofascore, completed 92% of his attempted passes, showing his composure on the ball, whilst he also completed 100% of his attempted tackles and made nine clearances throughout the game.

On top of his impressive all-around performance at centre-back for the Championship champions, the former Spurs man also scored from Sean Longstaff’s excellent corner.

Rodon was, therefore, crucial to the team’s result with his excellent display. However, it is his centre-back partner, Jaka Bijol, who deserves the applause.

Why Jaka Bijol should be undroppable for Leeds

The £15m summer signing from Udinese made his Premier League bow against West Ham on Friday, having watched on as Struijk played in his position in previous games, and showed why the club splashed so much money on him.

Chalkboard

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

It was as assured a performance as you could get from a centre-back making his Premier League debut, particularly against an experienced campaigner and former England international centre-forward in Callum Wilson for most of the match.

Wherever Wilson was, Bijol was. His marking of the former Newcastle United marksman, who Transfermarkt notes has scored 89 top-flight goals, was immaculate throughout the night. In fact, there was one brilliant clearance when it looked like the striker was about to get a shot away in the box in the right channel in the second half.

Pass accuracy

92%

95%

Clearances

9

11

Interceptions

0

2

Tackle success rate

100% (1/1)

100% (2/2)

Ground duels won

2

3

Aerial duels won

2

3

Ball recoveries

4

5

As you can see in the table above, the Slovenia international made more clearances, more tackles, more interceptions, and more recoveries than Rodon, whilst he also won more duels on the deck and in the air.

This shows that the former Udinese colossus was even better than the Welshman defensively, as he made more defensive interventions to prevent Lucas Perri from being worked more than he was.

Neither centre-back could do too much to prevent the goal that was scored, by Mateus Fernandes, as the midfield failed to track the Portuguese star’s run into the box between the two defenders, who both had other men to mark.

Overall, though, it was a brilliant performance from Bijol and one that may make supporters wonder why he has been an unused substitute in every match before Friday night, because he already looks undroppable after just one game.

Leeds have signed a "difference-maker" who is a bigger talent than Rutter

Leeds United have signed a bigger talent than Georginio Rutter with this summer signing.

2 ByDan Emery Oct 21, 2025

The 26-year-old star will be hoping that Farke now keeps him in the starting XI moving forward and he can string together a run of performances in the Premier League to form a formidable partnership with Rodon, after they both excelled against the Hammers.

“There was a bit of confidence in our group when they only got 200 [203], thinking we’ve dragged them back here,” Hopes said

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-20251:53

Moody: Shreyas identified key moments to go into the fifth gear

The Punjab Kings [PBKS] batting unit, led by Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 87 off 41 balls, will get all the plaudits after they topped Mumbai Indians’ [MI] 203 with an over to spare. But bowling coach James Hopes was also effusive in his praise of the PBKS bowling group, particularly the way they “just hung in there the whole night” on a belter of an Ahmedabad surface in Qualifier 2.Sent into bat, MI had raced to 65 for 1 inside the powerplay and regularly went at better than ten runs an over through the middle phase. But the PBKS bowlers struck at regular intervals to prevent the death-overs assault.”There was a stage where I reckon they [MI] were looking at 220, 225 and we just kept pegging them back at the right time,” Hopes said in a press conference after PBKS qualified for their first IPL final in 11 years. “We never went for that big over of 18, 19. We kept pegging them at 10, 11 knowing that we got Arshdeep [Singh] coming at the end and Azmatullah [Omarzai] bowled beautifully as well.Related

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“We gave them a few extra runs, yeah, but that’s why I was saying I thought they were going to get 220. There was a bit of confidence in our group when they only got 200 [203], thinking we’ve dragged them back here. You could even tell our first over batting the way the ball came off the bat, it was just skipping off the bat a little more and you could tell there was just a little bit of dew, a little bit of wetness out there, that was going to help us, and it did.”Chasing 204 against five-time champions MI, who had never before lost a game defending a score in excess of 200, was going to be a tough ask. Especially when the bowling group was led by Jasprit Bumrah, who was coming into the game with an economy rate of 6.36.But Josh Inglis was determined to not let Bumrah settle down, crashing him for two sixes and two fours in his opening over – the fifth of the innings – to give the chase the momentum it needed.”The way Josh Inglis attacked Boom [Bumrah] up front to get him off his game a little bit… if you’d told us we were chasing 200 at the start of the day and we were going to take 40 off Jasprit, we would have taken that every day of the week and liked our chances,” Hopes said. “Josh has got a pretty good record against him in short-form cricket. He plays him well.”I don’t think it was a conscious decision to go after [Bumrah in that] over. He just got some balls and he put them away, and on another day, those balls go to the fielder and he’s not taking what he did off that over. So doing that to him in the first over not only has a flow-on effect for his bowling but has a flow-on effect for the rest of their team as well.2:31

‘Such a big over’ – Aaron on Inglis taking 20 off Bumrah in the fifth

“We were having the chats at half-time that if Bumrah bowls four overs for 26, what do we need off the other 16 overs? So there’s just an expectation he’s going to be at a certain level every game, and even tonight he bowled well.”Varun Aaron and Tom Moody agreed that Inglis’ assault on Bumrah formed the base of PBKS’ successful chase. That they were all “cricketing shots” and Inglis was not “trying to just hit the cover of the ball” was the highlight.”Big over, such a big over,” Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out. “It was down to someone to take him [Bumrah] on tonight. These are those big games where somebody has to show up and be like, ‘you know what, I’m going to take the bull by the horns and I’m going to take down their biggest bowler’, and that’s Jasprit Bumrah, and he did that so well. Just played cricketing shots.”Moody pointed to Inglis’ technical acumen against Bumrah.”He [Inglis] has got a really good technique,” Moody said. “So when it comes to playing high-quality bowling, like Jasprit Bumrah, he’s got the ability to play proper cricketing shots that have penetration – whether that be the cover drives, the shot down the ground; the six he hit, it was the slower ball, he was technically in perfect position [to play it].Shreyas Iyer led Punjab Kings’ chase with a composed half-century•Associated Press”So it’s not like he is trying to just hit the cover of the ball. Just identified it was an off-pace delivery and hit straight through it. And most batters when they are facing Bumrah, they are more in the defensive position. He is still engaged in the contest – ‘okay, you’re bowling it short, I am still comfortable because I back myself to get into that position; if you’re slightly fuller, I’ll take advantage and cover drive; slower ball, I’m hitting you over the top’.”‘Shreyas a sensational captain, a sensational player’While Inglis’ 21-ball 38 put PBKS’ chase in top gear, it was captain Iyer who formed the spine of the innings with a clinical knock. He measured his innings, rotated the strike well, before going on an all-out attack. Hopes, who has worked with Iyer previously at Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2020, said that his calmness stood out.”He doesn’t get flustered very easily and he knows his match-ups,” Hopes said. “He knows what he has to do at certain times and he’s prepared to take that risk. When he was a younger player in Delhi, he was a little bit more explosive and gung-ho, but he scores at a high strike rate now strictly because he knows when a bowler comes on that that’s his match-up and he’s going to take it and with his captaincy.”Tonight we kept them to 200 when I reckon they could have got 220, 230 and just because the way he pulls the strings out there and manoeuvres bowlers around. We had [Vijaykumar] Vyshak with one over left. He took his gut call to bowl Azmat. He’s a sensational captain and he’s a sensational player.”

Brendan Rodgers is pleased to see the “strength and power” of Alistair Johnston in training as the Celtic full-back moves closer to a return to action.

The 27-year-old Canada international has been out since the goalless draw in the Champions League play-off at home to Kazakhstan side Kairat Almaty on August 20, missing nine games in all competitions.

Johnston returned to training during the international break and ahead of the trip to Dundee in the William Hill Premiership on Sunday, Rodgers told Celtic TV: “It’s obviously a big blow having someone of that quality out.

“But young Colby Donovan has come in and done very, very well, Tony Ralston is always a very capable player for the club and an international player, so it has given those guys a chance to get games.

“But there’s no doubt Ali’s been a real pivotal part of the team for a number of years now.

“His power and the balance he gives both offensively and defensively is very important for the team.

“So it’s great to have him back on the pitch and seeing that strength and power back in training.”

Rodgers excited by Celtic fixture run

After a “reset” during this international break, Rodgers is looking for his players to embrace the tough tasks they face in the seven games before domestic football takes another rest in November.

Amid a busy upcoming schedule, Celtic, who trail William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts by two points, have Europa League games against Sturm Graz and Midtjylland, a trip to Tynecastle in the league and a Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park.

The former Liverpool and Leicester boss said: “Let’s embrace all the challenges that come our way, both domestically and in Europe.

“It’s a really exciting period. It’s what Celtic is all about, playing these games and playing in the big games. And for us, that collective, being together, is always the attitude that we want to show.

“We’re excited by these games that are coming up and we want to go in and embrace the challenges. Everyone together fighting for the same cause is what Celtic is about.”

Serie A giants Juventus have their sights on former Chelsea midfielder Diego Moreira after his scintillating performances at Ligue 1 club Strasbourg. The Liege-born player joined the French outfit on a permanent deal from Chelsea in the summer of 2024 and has been shocking the decision-makers at Juventus since then.

Juventus monitoring Moreira

According to a report by , Moreira has been garnering attention from Juventus of late. The Bianconeri are planning a deal next summer, which might see the Belgian winger join the Serie A side on loan, with a mandatory purchase option in the deal. The 21-year-old was in ecstatic form last season, where he recorded two goals and seven assists in Ligue 1, turning out a huge provider for the likes of Samu Aghehowa and Co. in Strasbourg's attacking third. This season, he has started in seven league games, accumulating a goal and two assists.  

AdvertisementAFPMoreira thriving at Strasbourg

One of the estimated reasons behind Juventus' aim of signing Moreira is believed to be his versatility. He can play anywhere on the left side of the pitch and also as a right attacker. Moreover, against Paris Saint-Germain, he was deployed as a second striker too. Chelsea may come to regret the deal that saw the former Benfica academy star join Strasbourg permanently, as it has been reported the Blues did not include an buy-back option in the deal, despite their tendency to include such an option in other deals. Mathis Amougou was sold to the French side this year with such a clause included in the agreement.

More Serie A interest

The Bianconeri are not the only Italian side in the picture. Atalanta are also one of the interested parties when it comes to Moreira's signature, according to However, the 21-year-old's signature depends on two significant factors. Firstly, Strasbourg have a €20 million price tag on the table, which means the midfielder would not come cheap. Secondly, due to Strasbourg's partnership with Chelsea under the BlueCo Consortium, they will need the London club's permission to sanction a move for the former Benfica man. Strasbourg still await offers, as both Atalanta and Juventus are yet to place a formal bid for the talented player, who has one goal in two appearances for the Belgian U-21 side.

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Moreira?

Moreira featured as a left winger in Strasbourg's recent defeat and played the entirety of the game. His club will next face Auxerre on Wednesday, and the 21-year-old will be expected to play a crucial role in that game. Strasbourg currently sit seventh in the Ligue 1 table with 16 points in nine games. A participant in the Conference League, Moreira's side's main ambition will be to finish as high up on the table as possible.

Despite losing their last five games of the regular Championship season, Sunderland are Premier League-bound once more after Wembley produced yet more drama in a play-off final.

Tommy Watson would break Sheffield United hearts right at the death to hand his hometown club a passage up to the big time, but all these jubilant celebrations will soon be met by the crashing fear of realism as Sunderland attempt to stay afloat in such a brutal division.

Already, however, the Wearside high-flyers have been active in the transfer market to try and boost their young squad, with Enzo Le Fee about to pen a permanent Stadium of Light contract.

Away from the standout loanee joining for good, there are a whole host of other rumours involving incomings that will please fans of Regis Le Bris’ underdogs.

Sunderland's growing list of transfer targets

Amazingly, Le Fee might not be the only statement addition in the centre of the park this summer.

The rumour mill continues to churn out the wild possibility of Jordan Henderson returning to his hometown roots, whilst another flashy buy in the midfield department could soon come in the form of Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.

Yet, away from Henderson and Amad’s names being tentatively linked, Sunderland could look to improve defensively this summer by shopping in Le Bris’s native France.

As per a new report from the Daily Mirror, that has been relayed by the Sunderland Echo, the AS Monaco ace is being looked at by the Black Cats as part of an ambitious summer rebuild, meaning the old guard in the building might be moved to one side for the likes of Singo to shine.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, any move for the £20m-rated defender could prove to be an upgrade on long-serving hero, Luke O’Nien.

How Singo compares to O'Nien

O’Nien’s appearance at the final whistle at Wembley tells you all you need to know about his warrior-like character as the veteran defender celebrated with his arm in a noticeable sling.

Whilst that grit and determination might well be of value to the Black Cats in such a demanding league, the strong 30-year-old could soon take a back seat for a fresh body to arrive in the form of Singo.

After all, whilst O’Nien can play both as a right-back or as a centre-back like Singo, it’s clear from the numbers below that the 23-year-old target is more accustomed to being a Premier League-level defender for Sunderland right now, over the long-standing Wearside servant.

Games played

27

48

Goals scored

1

3

Assists

2

1

Touches*

65.9

73.5

Accurate passes*

45.1 (87%)

52.7 (87%)

Big chances created

3

1

Ball recoveries*

5.1

3.4

Clearances*

4.0

3.9

Total duels won*

4.7

3.9

Clean sheets

7

16

Indeed, Singo has already shown he can cut it with the top dogs in Ligue 1 when amassing one goal and two assists when lining up either in the heart of defence or down the right flank last season.

But, away from solely offering Sunderland a new expansive option out from the back, he also possesses that same hunger and drive to battle like O’Nien, with the “monster” Ivorian – as he’s been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – actually bettering his ex-Wycombe Wanderers counterpart in terms of clearances, ball recoveries and duels won throughout last season, even when plying his trade in a top league.

Also capable of pulling off an audacious flick like this one, everything is pointing in the direction that landing the “freak athlete” – as he’s been further noted by Mattinson – would be a worthwhile addition for Le Bris’ men ahead of Premier League action finally returning, with a sprinkle here and there of quality giving the Black Cats a hopeful fighting chance at survival.

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Sunderland could finally win their next Amad Diallo with this tricky attacker.

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With rumours continuing to arrive around Bruno Fernandes’ future, INEOS are now reportedly readying a big-money move to sign a £67m star who could eventually succeed their captain at Manchester United this summer.

Bruno Fernandes concern still lurking

Where Manchester United would be without Fernandes is a scary thought, given that with their captain they’ve fallen as low as 16th in the Premier League. But it’s a reality that they may be forced to live out this summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

In a squad full of struggling players, it is Fernandes who has been at the centre of anything good during Ruben Amorim’s six-month stint. Even as those around him have struggled, the Portugal international has managed a stunning 19 goals and 19 assists in all competitions. Take those 38 goal involvements away and the worst-case scenario would become all too realistic for the Red Devils.

With that said, Amorim has made his stance as clear as anything when it comes to Fernandes’ potential departure, recently telling reporters: “Our idea didn’t change. We want to keep the best players – and Bruno is clearly one of the top players in the world. We want Bruno here.

Amorim now personally driving Man Utd move to sign £80m+ Carrick-esque star

Amorim is reportedly a huge fan.

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“It is easy to understand [his importance] – not just because of the numbers but the way he plays and the importance he has during his five years here. It’s normal a lot of clubs want a player like Bruno. He is a leader and he’s the captain, so he’s really important. He is a top player, we need top players.”

Man Utd readying Sancet move

Amorim’s stance has not stopped those at Old Trafford from preparing for the worst, however. According to reports in Spain, INEOS are now readying a big-money move to sign Oihan Sancet, who has a release clause worth as much as €80m (£67m) at Athletic Bilbao. The deal, therefore, certainly wouldn’t come cheap, but Sancet’s talent is undeniable nonetheless.

Starts

18

33

Goals

15

8

Assists

1

9

Key Passes

19

88

With 15 goals to his name in just 18 La Liga starts this season, Sancet is one of few box-crashing midfielders who could replace Fernandes’ goalscoring touch at Old Trafford, albeit whilst lacking the same creative output.

Amorim’s system could be a perfect fit for the Bilbao star too, with his 3-4-2-1 system operating with two No.10 roles. Sancet would, of course, seamlessly slot into one of those roles, but it’s hard not to imagine the partnership that Manchester United could form if they sign the Spaniard and keep hold of Fernandes this summer.

Dubbed “underrated” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Sancet could finally find his place in the spotlight by completing a move to Old Trafford in the coming months.

With Fabio Paratici set to return to the club, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly in constant contact with an impressive defender who’s also found himself on the radar of Real Madrid.

Fabio Paratici set for Tottenham return

Having left the North London club in 2023 following a two-and-a-half-year ban by FIFA which he is still serving, Paratici has reportedly agreed to return to Tottenham. The Lilywhites have plenty of work to do this summer and the return of an experienced sporting director may well go a long way towards things finally changing for the better under Ange Postecoglou.

How much room Spurs have to manoeuvre in the transfer window is the big question. Should they miss out on winning the Europa League and, subsequently, a place in next season’s Champions League, those in North London are unlikely to have a large budget to spend. After taking one leg in the final with a 3-1 first leg victory over Bodo/Glimt, however, Europa League victory is still very much a possibility.

Many will be quick to assume that a place in Bilbao is now firmly in Spurs’ grasp and Postecoglou reiterated that a repeat of his side’s performance on Thursday night next week will see them advance.

He told reporters: “Obviously they scored the goal late, which doesn’t reflect our dominance in the game, but if we repeat that performance next week it’ll be enough for us to get through.

Tottenham may sign £300k-p/w Premier League star if they win Europa League

A lot is on the line.

ByEmilio Galantini May 1, 2025

“Yeah, I think it puts us in a good position. I thought the players were outstanding today, I thought our performance was everything it needed to be, really well organised and disciplined defensively and really calm going forward and created good opportunities for ourselves.”

Europa League victory would no doubt help to turn the narrative of their season on its head, perhaps saving Postecoglou’s job in the process and even luring top transfer targets to the club.

Tottenham in constant contact with Jonathan Tah

According to The Boot Room, Tottenham are in constant contact with Jonathan Tah over a summer switch following the expiry of his current Bayer Leverkusen deal at the end of the season. The Lilywhites are far from alone, however, with Manchester United and now even Real Madrid also looking to convince the defender into a move.

As Paratici plots his first transfer back, those in North London could end the summer having landed a true bargain. The Leverkusen defender played a pivotal part in last season’s invincible domestic double and has impressed once again throughout the current campaign.

A player who’s earned plenty of praise over the years, former Germany boss Joachim Low told reporters after handing Tah his international debut at the beginning of his career: “He’s a young player with a lot of potential. He’s physically strong and very quick. Everything is possible.”

All eyes may be on tomorrow evening, amid Manchester United’s bid to book their place in the Europa League final, although in the long-term, it is the summer transfer window that could prove make or break for the Ruben Amorim regime.

The United hierarchy will need to strike a balance between handing the Portuguese the appropriate tools for his specialised 3-4-3 system, albeit while avoiding a repeat of Erik ten Hag’s tenure, in which far too many of the Dutchman’s transfer dealings were manager-led.

While the move for Noussair Mazraoui ranks among the more successful of the club’s captures in recent times, you really do have to look back to Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in 2020 to see an overwhelmingly positive deal done at Old Trafford.

As club legend Gary Neville stated late last year, the playmaker is the “only” player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to have lived up to expectations, with far too many high-profile moves having gone awry.

The INEOS era needs to begin to improve upon this wretched recent record, with perhaps United’s lowest ebb having come prior to the takeover, in the form of Wout Weghorst’s shock addition.

Wout Weghorst's record at Man Utd

For all the complications and controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford – not least the striker’s explosive bombshell interview with Piers Morgan – it still represented a significant, shock downgrade to have replaced the free-scoring icon with that man Weghorst.

With Ronaldo departing on acrimonious terms, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Ten Hag and co were forced to dip into the market for a new striker in January, particularly amid Anthony Martial’s continued injury woes.

Options in the winter window were unsurprisingly limited, with the Premier League side ultimately forced to settle on plucking Weghorst from his loan spell at Besiktas, having scored just two goals the year prior for Burnley.

While the towering Netherlands international was brutally mocked as the ‘worst player’ to have played for Manchester United, in the verdict of controversial broadcaster Richard Keys, he did enjoy the odd bright moment, having notably provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s strike in the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United.

Deployed in almost a number ten berth at times, the experienced marksman also came close to netting on the break in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou, having at least shown signs of life despite his obvious limitations.

Those limitations, however, were exposed by his meagre return of just two goals and only three assists in 31 games in all competitions during his six-month stint in Manchester, having almost broken down in tears after clinching a long-awaited Old Trafford goal against Real Betis.

For a player of whom many expected little, Weghorst at least popped up with a few moments to cherish. The reverse looks to be true of one of those among Amorim’s current crop.

The Man Utd star in danger of looking worse than Weghorst

On the striker front, question marks continue to surround both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. That said, in the case of Hojlund, the young Dane did at least finish last season as United’s top scorer in all competitions, while Zirkzee, meanwhile, has scored seven times in an injury-curtailed debut campaign at the club.

Both men – as would be hoped considering their respective £64m and £36.5m transfer fees – have easily eclipsed the five goal involvements that Weghorst chalked up, although the same can’t be said of the man who arrived alongside Hojlund in 2023, Mason Mount.

Signed from rivals Chelsea on a £55m deal that summer, having had just a year left to run on his existing contract at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman initially looked like something of a coup, with Ten Hag having won the race for his signature ahead of both Arsenal and Liverpool.

A player who had provided a match-winning assist in the 2021 Champions League final, alongside notably reaching double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League in 2021/22, Mount arrived in Manchester with real pedigree. As Ten Hag stated at the time, he is “a quality player”.

Sadly for all concerned, the marquee move has proven a real disaster to date, with the versatile midfielder the latest to seemingly be struck down by the club’s infamous number seven curse.

Whether he has simply been weighed down by taking on such an iconic jersey at the Theatre of Dreams, things really haven’t got going for Mount thus far, with the £250k-per-week asset having been repeatedly hampered by injury over the last two seasons.

Even when he has featured, the former Derby County loanee has hardly looked like nailing down a regular role for himself, with the 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao showcasing a case in point.

Introduced off the bench with United hoping to see things out in comfortable fashion, Mount put in an erratic and over-eager performance in the closing stages, picking up a needless yellow card, while losing the ball on seven occasions from just 23 touches.

That was, to his credit, followed up by a goal against Brentford to open the scoring at the weekend, although even that strike cannot mask his grim overall return, having now scored just twice and contributed only one assist in 41 games to date – two fewer goals and assists than Weghorst, albeit having played nine more games.

Premier League

27

2

0

EFL Cup

2

0

1

FA Cup

2

0

0

Europa League

7

0

0

Champions League

2

0

0

Community Shield

1

0

0

Total

41

2

0

While it may seem harsh to compare Mount to Weghorst, considering the latter’s status as a striker, the former has largely operated as a number ten in the Amorim regime, albeit with little success. As previously mentioned, Weghorst also operated in that role under Ten Hag.

Considering the sizeable nature of Mount’s price tag too – the tenth highest in United’s history, as per Transfermarkt – it is difficult to view his capture as anything but a flop, with time running out to make his mark before the season is at an end.

Amorim, it would seem, still has ample faith in a player he described as a “proper footballer”, although with the likes of Matheus Cunha looking set to arrive this summer – amid reports that Mount could himself be on his way – the competition in the side is only set to increase.

Hopefully, for both his and United’s sake, the Cobham academy graduate can play a vital role in clinching Europa League glory…

Worse than Bayindir: 2/10 flop must now never start for Man Utd again

Manchester United suffered their 16th league defeat of the season, losing 4-3 to Brentford.

2 ByMatt Dawson May 4, 2025

Sheffield United’s place in the Championship Play-Offs was confirmed on Easter Monday after their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Blades and Sunderland are the two teams confirmed to be in the four-team post-season tournament to compete for a place in the Premier League next season.

Chris Wilder’s side have lost four of their last five matches and have to find a way to rediscover their form ahead of the play-offs, to avoid their season ending in complete disappointment, which could include putting faith in Tom Cannon.

Why Sheffield United should keep starting Tom Cannon

The Ireland international, who joined from Leicester City in the January transfer window, scored his first goal for the club with a thumping finish in the 2-1 defeat to Burnley.

It was his first goal in 13 matches for the club in the Championship, after a return of nine goals during the first half of the campaign on loan at Stoke, and is hopefully a sign of things to come.

Cannon, who scored four goals in one game earlier this season, has scored 20 goals in 68 matches at Championship level, and should be given the nod over Tyrese Campbell.

The English striker has scored ten goals in 32 league games this term, but is currently on a run of zero goals and zero assists in his last five outings, whilst Cannon has hit form with a goal against Burnley.

Chalkboard

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

Instead of unleashing Campbell in an attempt to turn the form around to win the Play-Offs, Wilder should bring Jesurun Rak-Sakyi off the bench to be a difference-maker.

Why Jesurun Rak-Sakyi should start for Sheffield United

The Crystal Palace loanee came off the bench in the defeat to Burnley and should, now, be brought into the starting line-up to replace Ben Brereton Diaz.

Sheffield United will need to be ruthless and effective at the top end of the pitch in their Play-Off outings if they want to earn promotion to the Premier League, which is why Rak-Sayki should be given the nod.

The 22-year-old star, once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, could come in to provide more quality than Brereton Diaz in the final third, based on their form in the division this term.

Starts

22

13

xG

6.07

4.07

Goals

7

4

Key passes

31

14

xA

3.49

1.13

Assists

2

3

Dribbles completed per game

1.4

0.3

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi has been more effective as a finisher and racked up more than three times as much xA, despite only starting nine more games.

Brereton Diaz, who completed 56% of his passes and lost 100% of his duels against Burnley, does not carry as much of a threat from a wide position, which is why he should be dropped from the side in favour of the English winger.

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This change could, then, improve Sheffield United’s chances of winning the Play-Offs in the post-season, because they would have a more effective forward on the pitch by swapping Brereton Diaz for Rak-Sakyi.

Chelsea’s striking woes continued when they were held to a 2-2 draw against 18th-placed Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday.

Nicolas Jackson has gone 11 matches in all competitions without scoring a goal for the Blues, whilst Christopher Nkunku has scored one goal in his last 13 games in all competitions.

Enzo Maresca does not have a lethal, powerful, centre-forward like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who has scored 21 goals in the top-flight this season.

Chelsea are, however, reportedly interested in signing a striker who could come in as their answer to the Norwegian marksman ahead of next season.

Chelsea eyeing Serie A marksman

According to CaughtOffside, the London giants are one of several Premier League clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Juventus number nine Dusan Vlahovic.

The report claims that Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Arsenal are also keen on the Serbian forward, and it reveals that the English teams keen on him could bid on his services at a fee of £39m.

This suggests that Chelsea could bid £39m in an attempt to sign Vlahovic from Juventus, who CaughtOffside claims are open to moving on from the striker this summer ahead of his contract expiring next year.

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It is now down to the club to agree a deal with the Old Lady to bring the left-footed marksman to Stamford Bridge, to give Maresca the chance to develop his own version of Haaland.

Why Dusan Vlahovic could be Chelsea's Erling Haalnd

Like the Man City star, Vlahovic is a bit of a throwback striker in style in the sense that he provides a physical presence, standing at 6 foot 3, at the top end of the pitch, combining power and pace with technical quality.

Just under three years ago, Serbian FA president Nenad Bjekovic claimed “Vlahovic is better and more complete than Haaland”, and added: “The Norwegian has devastating power, but Dusan is not inferior: there is also very little difference in their height.”

The 25-year-old star has not been at his best this season, with nine goals from 12.03 xG in the Serie A, but Chelsea could look at that as an opportunity to get a bargain on the forward.

Vlahovic has produced better performances in previous seasons, including his haul of 24 goals from 18.23 xG for Fiorentina and Juventus combined in the 2021/22 campaign, and the Blues could look to get him back to that level.

Appearances

27

33

25

xG

9.73

16.67

12.03

Goals

10

16

9

Minutes per goal

194

145

190

Big chances created

4

3

3

Assists

2

4

4

As you can see in the table above, the Serbian has had better campaigns in front of goal between that prolific 24-goal year and his current struggles.

Vlahovic, who was once described as “incredibly prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, has also scored four goals from 3.20 xG in six outings in the Champions League this term, which shows that he can also step up on the European stage.

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It would be a gamble for Chelsea to take, given his finishing struggles in the Serie A this season, but it is one that could pay off as he has the potential to be Maresca’s own version of Haaland, as a physically impressive and prolific striker, if he can recapture his form from previous campaigns.