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Phil Foden was in scintillating form for the England Under-21 side on Tuesday evening and his outstanding performance has prompted Owen Hargreaves to make a stunning comparison.

What’s the word?

Manchester City have been crucified at regular intervals for failing to start Foden on a regular basis, and his latest performance is only likely to intensify the prominence of that theme.

The 18-year-old was a class above yesterday, showcasing his immaculate ball control and wonderfully crafted technique within an advanced playmaker role.

It was the type of performance to get fans salivating over what the future holds for Stockport’s answer to Andres Iniesta, and Owen Hargreaves’ post-match comments will certainly add to that feeling.

Indeed, the BT Sport pundit was overwhelmed by the individual display, leaving viewers with little uncertainty about his level of appreciation for the rising star’s ability.

“I think Phil is just one of those types of players – a bit like Paul Scholes – he is one or two steps mentally ahead of everyone else.

“He makes the game look easy, he’s silky smooth, got a wand of a left foot, but his intelligence and smartness is what sets him apart”

Similarities to Paul Scholes?

There is something enigmatic about Foden’s development which suggests he possesses the talent to climb to the highest reaches of the game.

Hargreaves’ comparison appears sensationalist on the surface but the basis of his argument is valid: like Scholes, Foden has a footballing brain which is reserved for the elite players in world football.

He does not require any dominant physical quality to thrive in central midfield; his technical ability and awareness ensure that he will always drift into pockets of space unmarked before casting that left wand of his.

Scholes is one of the greatest technicians English football has ever seen, but Foden, valued at £22.5 million by Transfermarkt, could be the next midfield wizard to blossom into a legend in Manchester.

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What a player Ledley King was by the way.

The one-club man made 313 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur between 1999 and 2012 before being forced into an early retirement.

King hardly trained in the latter stages of his professional career as he desperately attempted to manage his chronic knee issues.

King was ultimately forced to retire in July 2012 at the age of 32, but over 300 appearances for Tottenham is extremely impressive, whilst he also turned out on 21 occasions for the England national team between 2002 and 2010.

Now an ambassador for Tottenham, it would be fair to say that the former centre-back is still a hero with the London club’s fans.

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And many took to social media earlier this week to lavish praise on King – a 2008 League Cup winner with Tottenham – in response to a video which cropped up on the club’s official Twitter account.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the adoring Spurs supporters can be seen below:

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Everton midfielder Kieran Dowell was handed a surprise new role for loan side Sheffield United when they hosted Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night, and it may have indicated that he can be the club’s surprise Leighton Baines replacement.

On the chalkboard

Well, the 21-year-old moved to the Championship high-flyers on loan until the end of the season during the January transfer window having found first-team opportunities hard to come by under Marco Silva, and he had largely featured in his preferred attacking midfield role to date.

However, Chris Wilder decided to hand the England U21 international a slightly different job by lining him up at left wing-back against Boro, and he certainly didn’t disappoint with an impressive and tireless display as his temporary team kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.

Dowell will be determined to make a positive impression for the Yorkshire outfit to prove to the Toffees that he has a long-term future at Goodison Park, and his latest display may have done his chances of doing exactly that the world of good.

Baines replacement?

It is clear to see that Lucas Digne will be Everton’s first-choice left-back/wing-back for the foreseeable future, but the Merseyside club don’t have a lot of depth beyond the Frenchman.

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That has meant that when he has been absent that veteran Baines has filled in, but sooner or later they will have to find a replacement for the 34-year-old whose contract is due to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Dowell may well have just proven that Silva already has his successor in the squad, and that he has the ability and quality to be Digne’s understudy.

Match facts

October 28, 2012
Start time 1730 local (1530 GMT)Sydney Sixers’ attack will be led by Mitchell Starc who has been among the best bowlers of the year in Twenty20s•Associated Press

Big Picture

The Champions League T20 may be the ugly step-sister of the cricketing world, with most fans giving it the cold shoulder, but for many of the players involved the final will be the biggest payday of their lives. With the champions getting a cool $2.5m, the money on offer will bump players, especially those who aren’t part of national teams or aren’t globetrotting T20 specialists, up a tax bracket or two. Adding to the occasion will be the sell-out crowd at one of cricket’s iconic venues, the Wanderers Stadium, which will make it among the biggest audiences some of the domestic players will play in front of.And contesting the final are the two most consistent sides of the tournament. Lions weren’t topping anybody’s list of favourites when the tournament began, but they have exceeded expectations through a combination of teamwork and temperament, keeping their head when things start to get tight. They have plenty going for them. The Wanderers is their home ground, and no one knows the conditions there better than Lions. The diversity in their batting – Twenty20 batting doesn’t get too much more of a contrast than the leg-side biffing of Ghulam Bodi and the surgical precision of Neil McKenzie – has been married to consistency through the tournament. And the bowling has four match-winners: their two imports Dirk Nannes and Sohail Tanvir, their best bowler in the domestic tournament, Chris Morris, and one of the bowlers of the CLT20, Aaron Phangiso.Their one reverse in this tournament came against their opponents in the final, Sydney Sixers. When the Big Bash League was launched a year ago, Sydney Sixers were the butt of jokes for their flamboyantly pink outfits, a colour which they started to refer to as ‘mangenta’. A year on, they have earned the respect of Twenty20 fans after winning the inaugural BBL, and are yet to drop a game in the CLT20.They came into the tournament as one of the leading contenders and have so far lived up to the tag, despite losing the services of Dwayne Bravo and Brett Lee to IPL teams, and that of possibly the most valuable player currently in T20 cricket, Shane Watson, midway through the tournament. They could also be without their captain, Brad Haddin, for the final, as he picked up a thumb injury – though he was fit enough to bat on Friday.

Watch out for…

Steve O’Keefe has opened the innings only three times in T20s: the semi-finals and final of the BBL, and Friday’s CLT20 semi-final against Titans. On all three occasions he has made a significant contribution, including a Man of the Match performance against Titans. In addition, his left-arm spin has been taken for less than a run-a-ball this tournament.Fast bowler Chris Morris was the top wicket-taker in South Africa’s domestic Twenty20 competition last season, and he came into the CLT20 on the back of a 12-wicket haul against Dolphins in a first-class game. He started off quietly in this tournament but hit the headlines with his spell against Delhi Daredevils in the semi-finals, helping his team defend a sub-par score by taking the key wicket of David Warner and then killing off the game with scalp of Kevin Pietersen.

Weather and conditions

Despite gloomy weather forecasts, the showers thankfully stayed away during both semi-finals. The organisers will hope that trend continues for the final as well, when light rain is predicted.

Stats and trivia

• Mitchell Starc is the leading wicket-taker not just in the tournament but in all Twenty20s this year, with an astonishing 56 wickets in 26 matches
• Six of the Lions players who were part of the semi-final have a batting average over 26 in T20s, while the highest among Sydney’s players in the semi-final was Nic Maddinson’s 25.76

Quotes

“I think the middle overs will be important. We’ve dominated that period in almost all our games and I think that will play a massive role once again.”

“Lions are very desperate to win. This is a chance for the domestic teams to showcase their skills at the international stage.”

According to Sky in Italy, via Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur target Olivier Giroud is a wanted man in Serie A, which leaves Jose Mourinho staring down the barrel of yet another striker setback.

What’s the word?

It’s claimed that Lazio are keen on signing the Frenchman on a permanent two-and-a-half-year deal, worth €3m (£2.5m) per season.

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But Inter Milan are also said to be keen on bidding for Giroud, as his time at Stamford Bridge appears almost certain to come to a close by the end of play today.

Sky Sports believe that the 33-year-old would be open to a move to Spurs and indeed Tottenham have been credited with an interest.

However, the sudden competition for Giroud’s signature isn’t good news for the Lilywhites.

Another setback

The north Londoners have already missed out on one of their reported targets, and now they could lose out yet again.

Spurs were linked to then-AC Milan striker Krzysztof Piatek, but Mourinho wanted to sign the Pole on loan whereas the Serie A giants preferred a permanent move – resulting in him joining Hertha Berlin for £23.5m.

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Now they could see another strike target slip through their fingers as a number of alternative suitors, who may not view Giroud as simply a stand-in for the injured Harry Kane, emerge ahead of the Friday deadline.

Giroud is likely keen on sourcing regular game time with the 2020 European Championship this summer, and Lazio’s offer a sign that they would trust him to feature often, given his deal would run until 2022.

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Mourinho now faces a race against time if he is to secure a player that can deputise in the absence of injured top goalscorer Kane.

And in other news, Alasdair Gold says Spurs targeting two additions before the deadline…

Loads of Sunderland fans have been reacting to the latest news on Josh Maja, who now looks likely to leave the club after deciding not to sign the club’s latest contract offer.

According to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, Maja has told the club that he will not sign a new deal, despite being offered seven times his current wages.

The 20 year-old reportedly had until today to accept the club’s offer, but a last minute U-turn seems to have ended all hope of a new deal.

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Owner Stewart Donald even took to Twitter to express his annoyance at the collapse of the deal, saying everything was agreed until the agent and player changed their minds.

Maja has been perhaps the Black Cats’ most important player as they push for promotion back to the Championship, scoring 14 League One goals already this campaign.

Losing him would hurt an awful lot more than the summer departure of Joel Asoro, and the Twitter reactions down below do not make pretty reading…

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Leeds United are set to open renewal talks with Kemar Roofe in order to fend off growing interest in his services, Football Insider reports.

What’s the word?

Marcelo Bielsa has improved Leeds significantly and the Peacocks have established themselves amongst the early-season favourites for promotion, although this naturally means that interest in their best players is rising.

Amongst those turning heads is forward Kemar Roofe, who scored four goals and contributed two assists in Leeds’ opening six Championship matches before being sidelined with an injury – missing the last four matches as a result.

Interest in the 25-year-old is rising and Leeds are keen to secure his future as he edges into the final 18 months of his current deal, according to Football Insider, as the club prepare to sit down with the forward to discuss a new contract.

A necessary boost?

It does not take a genius to identify that Leeds have struggled in Roofe’s absence, as the Peacocks have won just one of their four matches without the striker in their side, subsequently opening the door for early title rivals West Brom and Middlesbrough.

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Roofe is currently edging towards a return from his injury absence, which could come after October’s international break, and a new contract could provide a new lease of life into a forward who is looking to maintain his stellar start to the season.

Having scored 11 goals last season, Roofe is already well on his way to surpassing that tally and a new deal is well deserved for a player signed from Oxford United in 2016.

Every summer like clockwork, Newcastle United fans experience a frustrating few months in the transfer window.

Two seasons in a row, club owner Mike Ashley has promised that all funds generated by the club will be handed to manager Rafael Benitez for the transfer kitty.

Once again, spending has been at a minimum, with Martin Dubravka signing a permanent deal, Ki Sung-yeung joining on a free and Kenedy returning on another loan from Chelsea.

Numerous names have been linked with moves to St James’ Park over the last few weeks, but done deals are few and far between.

On Wednesday, The Chronicle journalist Lee Ryder provided a piece of transfer news for the fans, but it was not warmly welcomed by all.

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The reporter confirmed that young midfielder Sean Longstaff has had his proposed loan move to Portsmouth postponed, indicating that he could be given a chance in the first team.

Some fans were delighted with this news, while others saw it as a sign that the club are struggling to bring in new players.

According to reports in The Mirror, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will allow midfielder Nemanja Matic to join Manchester United this summer, but they must pay £50m to do so.

Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho is keen to sign a new defensive midfielder this summer and he has already had a bid of £35m for the 28-year-old rejected, according to The Mirror.

The Blues wouldn’t normally allow one of their players to join a direct rival, but The Mirror adds that Abramovich is willing to sanction a move as part of a goodwill gesture to the player for his service, but that it will cost £50m to get the Serbia international.

United supporters were quick to have their say on the rumour via social media, with the majority unable to believe the “bonkers” and “ludicrous” fee they could end up paying for Matic, while others said they would prefer to offer £60m for Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier considering he is five years younger.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

The FA Cup fourth round has been incredibly kind to us this weekend as we witnessed a wealth of surprising results. After Lincoln City defeated Championship leaders Brighton & Hove Albion yesterday, today saw Sutton United look to take another scalp.

The Non-league outfit excelled on their big day and stunned Garry Monk’s in-form side, resulting in the FA Cup fifth round featuring two non-league sides for the first-time since the inception of the Football League.

Sutton will look ahead to tomorrow night’s fifth-round draw dreaming of another glamour tie, with the possibility of facing giants like Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea.

Captain James Collins’ secured the victory with a second-half penalty and sent the home supporters ballistic. We all love a good cup upset and we’ve gone through the game moment-by-moment to bring the match as it happened, solely in pictures.

Managers face off

Garry Monk has earned plenty of plaudits this season for the performances of his Leeds United side but he faced a huge challenge today, coming up against Sutton United Paul Doswell- who is extremely superstitious and had a coach take his side to the game, even though they were a minute down the road.

He was also pictured vaping on the sidelines. If anything shows the difference between professional football in the non-league, it’s that!

Disallowed goal

The home crowd were riled-up early in the game as Roarie Deacon tucked home after just six minutes. It gave Leeds an insight into what they could expect from the remainder of the match and replays showed the decision was perhaps a little unfair.

It showed the neutrals we had a game on our hands though and that was exactly the case.

Penalty

A mix-up in the Leeds United defence gave the minnows the opening they craved just eight minutes into the second-half, when Lewie Coyle committed the offence. The spot-kick came to captain Jamie Collins, who played for Havant & Waterlooville against Liverpool previously.

He needed nerves of steel but, fortunately, he had that.

Man of the moment

Wearing the armband, Jamie Collins stepped-up and dispatched the opening goal with ease.

Sutton fans could really dream now as their side had taken the lead against promotion contenders Leeds United. The home side had over half an hour to keep their Championship opponents at bay and there was still a lot of work to do but you could see the belief oozing out of the side.

Cup-set

At the final whistle, Sutton went crazy after a tremendous accomplishment. Overcoming AFC Wimbledon in round three was an achievement in itself but this game will go down as the greatest day in Sutton’s history- although their potential draw next round could get even better.

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