Manchester United aren't exactly famous for getting things right in the transfer market these days, with the Red Devils welcoming some signings to forget over the years. And whilst the potential arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the structure he will bring to the club could help finally push the Manchester club into modern football, towards suitable signing, he will first have the job of clearing any deadwood out of Old Trafford for Erik ten Hag.

When the January transfer window swings open, if Ratcliffe has sealed his deal to land 25% of Manchester United by then, his focus may well need to be on sales rather than incomings. Among those departures looks likely to be one particular midfielder who only signed for the club in the summer of 2022.

Man Utd transfer news

If Manchester United want to turn their season around, then January must be a busy month of both departures and key incomings. As things stand, the Red Devils sit six points adrift of the Premier League's top four, having recently been embarrassed 3-0 at Old Trafford by Bournemouth. With Liverpool and a trip to Anfield waiting too, things are unlikely to get better any time soon. Perhaps summing things up amid their poor form is the recent news that one star player could be set to leave next month.

According to Sports Zone, via The Sun, Paris Saint-Germain want to sign Casemiro, whose agent is actually already working on an agreement to seal a January move. The Brazilian has also reportedly attracted interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, as well as an unnamed Serie A club.

Casemiro has struggled with injuries and form throughout the current campaign and could now leave Old Trafford just over a year since his big-money arrival from Real Madrid. When the winter window opens, it will certainly be interesting to see if the serial winner faces any resistance over a potential exit.

Stats show Casemiro has struggled this season

Like most of his Manchester United teammates, Casemiro's form has dropped significantly this season. The Brazilian has been part of a side who have gone from winning the Carabao Cup and finishing inside the top four to a side convincingly falling to defeat against the likes of bottom-half Bournemouth. It once looked as though things were only just getting started for Ten Hag and Casemiro at United. Now, it looks like it could be the beginning of the end for both men. Here's how Casemiro's current stats compare to last season:

Casemiro

Tackles Won Per 90

Interceptions Per 90

Clearances Per 90

Dispossessed Per 90

2023/24 Season

1.67

0.69

2.22

1.25

2022/23 Season

1.94

1.43

2.74

0.59

It's no surprise that the Brazilian was at the centre of praise upon his arrival from Real Madrid, including from Ten Hag, who told ITV, via Sky Sports: "We know he's a great player. In that midfield in Madrid, with Kroos and Modric, it was great. We see offensively he has a part [to play]. What I like is dynamic football with variations, with many position switches. We have to [make] the opponent think so we can take benefit of it."

Glasgow Rangers will be looking to win three Premiership matches in a row this afternoon as Dundee are the visitors to Ibrox.

Philippe Clement’s men won 1-0 in midweek over Hearts, yet if it were not for some wasteful finishing, they could have easily scored more.

Tom Lawrence had to come off injured against the Jambos, however, and this was the only blemish on a productive evening.

The lack of central midfielders who are fit is worrying and Clement may need to go back to the drawing board.

Rangers team news vs Dundee

The Belgian confirmed that Borna Barisic and Lawrence are both suffering from muscle injuries and they will both be monitored, meaning they could both miss the tie against Dundee if they do not recover in time.

Nicolas Raskin is also missing after his recovery is not going as smoothly as anticipated, while Scott Wright continues to be absent.

Ryan Jack has missed the previous few matches with an injury and the weekend clash against the Dens Park outfit could come too quick for him to make a return.

John Lundstram is fit and healthy, and he could be deployed in the engine room, while the 49-year-old can soften the Lawrence blow by unleashing Jose Cifuentes alongside him.

Jose Cifuentes’ season in numbers

It is safe to say the £16k-per-week midfielder has not quite hit the heights expected of him since he made the move to the Light Blues during the summer.

During the embryonic stages of his career, he was praised by journalist Tim Vickery following his displays for Ecuador at the U20 World Cup in 2019, who said: “He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.”

Across 18 appearances so far this season, however, he has grabbed just one assist and the midfielder needs to be showing more.

The 24-year-old has managed 1.1 shots per game, although he has yet to score for the club, while the Ecuadorian has created two big chances and has an 88% pass success rate, proving that he is showing some signs of his talents.

Although coming into the game as a substitute after Lawrence was taken off in midweek, Cifuentes finished the game with the most pressures (31), counter pressures (seven), and tackles and interceptions (seven) across everyone on the field of play and perhaps there is hope yet that he can become a key member of the team.

These statistics show that he has the engine and dive to put pressure on the opposition in order to win possession back quickly for his side, which can then provide the attackers with more opportunities to work their magic in the final third.

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To do this, however, he will need a consistent run in the starting XI and this means dropping Jack to the bench. The Scot has been solid when carrying out his duties for the Gers this season, yet his constant injury issues may mean he could have to rely on making appearances from the bench when he is fit.

Cifuentes can cement his place in the centre of midfield against Dundee today, and he should take confidence from his midweek performance.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em jogo atrasado da longínqua primeira rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, Palmeiras e Vasco se enfrentam nesta terça-feira (26), às 20h (horário de Brasília), no Allianz Parque, em São Paulo. A partida estava originalmente marcada para o dia 9 de agosto de 2020, mas foi postergada devido à presença do Palmeiras na final do Campeonato Paulista, que foi disputada no dia 8 daquele mês.

O Verdão está na quinta colocação do campeonato nacional, com 51 pontos conquistados, e vem de uma derrota contra o Ceará, na Arena Castelão, em Fortaleza, por 2 a 1. O Vasco, por sua vez, ocupa o 14º lugar com 35 pontos. Na última rodada, o Gigante da Colina derrotou o Atlético-MG por 3 a 2 em São Januário, no Rio de Janeiro.

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RONY RETORNA AOS TREINOS NO PALMEIRAS

Durante as atividades na Academia de Futebol, em preparação para o duelo contra o Vasco, uma das novidades foi o retorno de Rony, que participou sem restrições dos treinos com o elenco. O atacante desfalcou o Verdão nas duas últimas rodadas, contra Flamengo e Ceará, com dores musculares após sofrer uma pancada na coxa.

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>>Confira os clubes que já estão garantidos na Copa Libertadores 2021

Horário, transmissão, arbitragem, prováveis escalações: os dados de Palmeiras x Vasco

Data: 26 de Janeiro de 2021
Horário: 20h (de Brasília)
Local: Allianz Parque, em São Paulo-SP

Árbitro: Anderson Daronco-RS
Assistentes: Rafael da Silva Alves-RS e Michael Stanislau-RS
VAR: Jean Pierre Gonçalves Lima-RS, Vinicius Gomes do Amaral-RS e Lucio Beiersdorf Flor-RS

Transmissão:
– PREMIERE (pay-per-view para todo o Brasil);

O assinante poderá assistir ao jogo online pelo Premiere Play.

ESCALAÇÕES, DESFALQUES, PENDURADOS E SUSPENSOS DE PALMEIRAS X VASCO

PALMEIRAS: Weverton; Mayke, Benjamin Kuscevic, Alan Empereur e Gustavo Scarpa; Danilo (Zé Rafael), Patrick de Paula e Lucas Lima; Breno Lopes, Gabriel Veron (Rony) e Gabriel Silva (Willian). Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Desfalques: Wesley e Luan Silva (machucados);
Pendurados: Patrick de Paula, Felipe Melo, Esteves, Alan Empereur, Luan, Lucas Lima, Luiz Adriano, Abel Ferreira, Mayke, Rony, Gustavo Scarpa e Wesley;
Suspenso: Emerson Santos (terceiro amarelo);
Voltam de suspensão: Raphael Veiga (terceiro amarelo)

VASCO: Fernando Miguel, Léo Matos, Marcelo Alves, Leandro Castan e Henrique; Bruno Gomes, Juninho (Benítez) e Gil; Yago Pikachu, Cano e Talles Magno. Técnico: Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Desfalques: Ricardo Graça
Pendurados: Yago Pikachu, Léo Matos, Ricardo Graça e Gabriel Pec;
Suspenso: Ninguém;
Voltam de suspensão: Ninguém;

Tottenham Hotspur are well aware of the fruits that can be plucked from providing the youth with a chance to impress, after all, Harry Kane emerged from the academy ranks and is arguably the club's greatest-ever player.

The club's record goalscorer was sold to Bayern Munich this summer after many years of service, but despite his departure, the Ange Postecoglou era started with aplomb.

Indeed, the Australian manager took to the helm and orchestrated an emphatic rise to the top of the Premier League table before injuries and suspensions played a big part in inflicting successive losses on the London side.

Tottenham are still in a fantastic position in fourth place – just two points off leaders Manchester City – but the forthcoming winter transfer period suddenly looks far more daunting considering the deluge of absence that occurred several weeks ago.

While the Lilywhites are expected to be active during the January window, there is plenty of football to be played in the interim and some would say that Postecoglou's squad is bordering on threadbare.

As such, it might be wise to dip into the formative fold and unleash one or two of the most talented members of Wayne Burnett's development squad, with Jude Soonsup-Bell perhaps deserving of a call-up to the senior side.

Jude Soonsup-Bell's career in numbers

Soonsup-Bell had impressed in Chelsea's Cobham Academy but was allowed to leave and put pen to paper for a pre-contract agreement with Tottenham in January, with the Blues' bloated ranks precluding a pathway to the first-team for this young star.

It's reported that Chelsea instated a sell-on clause, but Spurs will now hope to nurture the teenage forward to prominence, and if his early exploits at the club are anything to go by then he could be set for an exceptional journey.

Joining Spurs despite interest from Manchester City, the 19-year-old made an uninspiring start to life in new colours across the latter phase of the 2022/23 campaign and scored twice from seven matches in the Premier League 2 as the focal frontman.

Described as a “handful” by Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold, the dynamo has been in sensational showing this term and has already netted eight goals and supplied four assists from just 12 matches, having found a new home at right wing.

Season

Tier

Apps

Goals

Assists

G/A Rate

23/24

PL 2

8

6

4

1.25

22/23

PL 2

14

4

1

0.36

21/22

PL 2

19

2

1

0.16

21/22

U18 PL

2

3

1

2.0

20/21

PL 2

9

1

0

0.11

20/21

U18 PL

16

14

0

0.87

*Sourced via Transfermarkt

His skills have also been bigged up by his older brother, who highlighted the attributes that will allow him to succeed on the major stage back in 2021: "Chelsea saw that he could score goals but contribute more to mould him quickly into a centre forward.

"He is athletic, as a No.9 should be, and he is quite tall and quick. But, for me, his best attribute is his intelligence both on and off the ball. He has the brain for the sport, with composure on the ball."

Spurs should be willing to provide this starlet with a chance to impress after such an impressive season so far, and should they do so, he might just surprise a few and wedge his way into the first-team reckoning with regularity.

Such a chain of events could even culminate with the Premier League outfit thinking twice about the interest in Barcelona player Raphinha, who has been reported to be of a vested interest.

Tottenham transfer news – Raphinha

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Tottenham have entered the race to sign Raphinha in January, with the Brazilian winger not cutting the mustard in Catalonia.

Such claims are corroborated by Football Transfers, who revealed earlier this month that Postecoglou's side are even willing to drop their interest in Brentford striker Ivan Toney to prioritise the signing of the 26-year-old, who is valued at €70m (£61m).

Barcelona signed Raphinha from Leeds United for around £55m in 2022, but he has ebbed and flowed from form and is now on the transfer market.

Across 61 appearances, Raphinha has clinched 27 direct goal contributions but has only started three times in LaLiga this season, and while Spurs are intrigued by his availability, the question of whether he is actually worth the money does arise.

Why Tottenham shouldn't sign Raphinha

To be honest, whether Tottenham need to splash out £61m on a player who – is talented, sure – but is probably not an upgrade on Kulusevski is questionable.

Principally, focus needs to be directed toward the strengthening of the defence, with one eye also needed on the centre of the park, with Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr both off for the African Cup of Nations in January.

Kulusevski is clearly held in high regard by Postecoglou and has started all 12 of his club's Premier League matches this term, scoring three goals.

Not a ground-breaking return, but this does not paint the full picture. As per Sofascore, the Swede has been a bundle of energy down the right channel, completing 80% of his passes and averaging 2.0 key passes and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.

This is all a roundabout way of suggesting that Soonsup-Bell's promotion to the first team must be something for the Australian manager to consider.

The teenage talent has been in fantastic form since making the move to north London and could impress as Kulsuevski's understudy.

He's not the only exciting prospect at Tottenham, with Jamie Donley, in particular, looking to be one of the most exciting youngsters in English football, but for all of the 18-year-old's prodigious creativity – he has plundered six goals and 11 assists from 11 matches this term – he is preferred centrally and should not be considered given that Raphinha plies his trade out wide.

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That's not to say that strengthening the right wing would be unwise, more that Raphinha's exorbitant price tag is not something that chairman Daniel Levy should consider meeting.

With Soonsup-Bell's excellent rate of scoring evidencing a growth from U18 level to consistency in the Premier League 2, Spurs must now unleash him over the coming months to provide Postecoglou with the realisation that Raphinha's signature is not needed.

Millie Bright admits to becoming a “mother” figure in a “chaotic” campaign at Chelsea featuring an Emma Hayes revelation, injury and trophy bids.

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Talismanic coach leaving for the StatesSilverware still up for grabsCaptain aiming to end season on a highWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international is, at 30 years of age, one of the more experienced figures in the Blues camp. She is also club captain, meaning that leadership has to be provided to those around her on and off the field. Bright has never been one to shy away from that kind of responsibility.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT BRIGHT SAID

She has told of stepping up in a season that has delivered personal fitness setbacks, quests for WSL and Champions League glory and the news of talismanic coach Hayes preparing to leave for the United States: “I feel like I've been a bit of a mother this season. I'm a people person and I take care of the ones around me, whether that's staff or players. I've felt an extra need to do that this year. This season has been one of the most chaotic. We've had players injured, new signings coming in and the announcement of Emma leaving. It feels like there's been so much crammed into one season. We've had a lot to take care of so I'm so proud of the girls' mentality, their professionalism and the way they've handled those situations. It's been a difficult season, for sure.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea have slipped from the WSL summit, but hold a 1-0 lead over Barcelona in their Champions League semi-final clash heading into the second leg of that tie at Stamford Bridge on Saturday – with over 34,000 tickets sold for that fixture. Bright added on European ambition: “We are definitely the underdogs in this draw and that's fine – we know our place and our role. But as Emma always says, any team can be beaten. It's how you set yourselves up to do that. I know everyone said [the first leg] was an absolute masterclass by Emma. It was a credit to the players to buy into that game plan – and it worked, we got the result. We will give everything and it's extra motivation knowing that this is Emma's last season. We need every single fan there. We need the stadium packed and absolutely rocking. The fans make an incredible impact on the game. We felt it when we went to Barcelona.”

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Hayes is set to take charge of the USWNT when the 2023-24 campaign comes to a close. Her first piece of business there will be the Olympic Games in Paris, with the proven winner hoping to embrace that challenge with a first Champions League crown added to her distinguished CV.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to end their recent poor run of form as they play host to Newcastle United in the Premier League this afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou's side have failed to win any of their last five matches in the top-flight, despite taking a 1-0 lead in all five of them, and have set records in the process.

Spurs are the first side in Premier League history to pick up zero wins after going 1-0 up in five straight games, as well as being the first team to lose three successive home clashes after taking the lead in each of them.

It has been a woeful run of results for the club since they lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to their respective injuries against Chelsea, and Postecoglou must work to find a winning solution against the Magpies today.

Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by West Ham United last time out as the opening goal from Cristian Romero was followed up by second half goals from Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse to secure all three points for the away side.

Latest Spurs injury news

Ahead of today's clash with Newcastle, Postecoglou provided an injury update on his squad, which has been devastated by knocks in recent weeks.

Heung-min Son appeared in some discomfort after being substituted against the Hammers but the Australian tactician claimed that he was just a 'sore', which suggests that there is no major concern over his availability.

The former Celtic chief also revealed that Richarlison and Pape Matar Sarr, who have recently returned from injury, came through the game without any issues.

However, no players will be returning to the squad this afternoon and, in fact, none of the current crop of injured stars will be back in action this side of Christmas.

This means that the likes of van de Ven, Maddison, Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic, and Ryan Sessegnon may not feature again for the club before 2024.

With all of this in mind, Postecoglou must bring Sarr, who came off the bench last time out, in from the start ahead of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, as the young gem – who has previously been compared to Yaya Toure – could improve the team in possession.

Why Sarr is similar to Yaya Toure

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously lauded the central midfielder as a player with 9/10 potential and named the former Manchester City and Ivory Coast star as a similar type of number eight.

Kulig listed pace, passing, long shots, and technique among some of the former Metz prospect's best attributes and claimed that he had an "exciting" future ahead.

Toure was a powerful midfielder who was able to drive forward from the middle of the park to influence games at the top end of the pitch. He managed 79 goals and 49 assists in 316 matches in all competitions during his time with Manchester City.

The impressive whiz averaged 1.1 key passes and 1.4 dribbles per game across his career as the ex-Barcelona man showcased his ability to consistently make things happen in possession.

Pape Matar Sarr's season in numbers

Postecoglou has placed his faith in Sarr so far this season and the Senegal international is starting to live up to Kulig's hype with Toure-esque, albeit he still has a long way to go to reach his levels on a consistent basis, performances.

The 21-year-old dynamo has averaged 3.01 shot-creating actions and 1.94 progressive carries per 90 during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

This shows that, like Toure, Sarr is a midfielder who can create opportunities for his teammates through his passes whilst he is also able to drive forward by carrying the ball up the pitch in transition.

The Spurs youngster also ranks within the top 12% of his positional peers in the division for progressive passes (7.42) per 90 and is in the top 23% for assists (0.22) per 90.

Pascal Gross

5

Douglas Luiz

4

Joelinton

3

Rodri

2

Enzo Fernandez

1

These statistics suggest that the ex-Metz ace, who has completed 90% of his attempted passes across 13 top-flight matches, is a fantastic progressive option for Postecoglou in midfield.

Sarr – once dubbed a "wonderful" player by Kulig – has the quality to progress his team up the pitch, either through passes or carries, to create chances – directly or indirectly – for others to test the opposition goalkeeper.

Whereas, Hojbjerg is not as direct and creative in that position and, perhaps, limits what Tottenham are able to do in possession when he is in the team.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's season in numbers

The Denmark international is not as effective on the ball as his 21-year-old teammate and, therefore, is not able to influence games as regularly for Spurs.

He is a defensive-minded option who does not provide as much progression in his play, which is why Sarr should start ahead of him this afternoon.

Tottenham failed to press on and find a second goal against West Ham on Thursday night and they may have been able to create more with the Senegal international on the pitch before the 84th minute.

Hojbjerg had 109 touches of the ball and attempted 100 passes in midfield against the Hammers. Yet, the central midfielder did not create a single chance for his teammates.

This shows that the experienced battler did not use the ball well enough to get at the West Ham defence in order to go and finish the game off at 1-0.

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The former Southampton ace has averaged 6.90 progressive passes and 1.46 progressive carries per 90 over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions.

He has also averaged 0.1 key passes per game and is yet to record a single 'big chance' created or assist for his side in 14 Premier League appearances this term.

Whereas, Sarr has averaged 0.9 key passes per match and produced two assists in his 13 top-flight outings for Tottenham this season.

Postecoglou, therefore, must now unleash his own version of Yaya Toure by bringing the 6 foot 1 whiz into the starting line-up to provide quality and drive in possession, which Hojbjerg has been unable to offer.

Chelsea will look to get back to winning ways tomorrow when the west Londoners make the lengthy trip up to Merseyside to play Everton, but Sean Dyche's Toffees won't be a walk in the park for Mauricio Pochettino's patchy side whatsoever.

Everton have developed a siege mentality at Goodison Park ever since being deducted ten points last month, pulling off an impressive 3-0 win against Newcastle United last match with the home fans packed into the stadium backing their downtrodden team all the way.

In stark contrast, Pochettino's men disappointingly succumbed to their sixth defeat of the season already away at Manchester United mid-week – a Scott McTominay double for the hosts breaking Blues hearts in the eventual 2-1 loss.

Raheem Sterling was second-rate throughout the dire defeat at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, fearful that his starting spot could well be up for grabs against Everton as a direct consequence.

Raheem Sterling's game vs Man United in numbers

Signing on the dotted line for Chelsea last year – the former Manchester City winger demanding an extortionate £47.5m transfer fee to win his services – Sterling has been effective in spurts for his team so far this season.

The experienced 29-year-old has amassed six goals and three assists in all competitions, but Chelsea's number seven was poor against Erik ten Hag's side.

Still without a goal in his professional career against Man United – a staggering statistic that Sterling won't want reminding of – the ageing attacker never did look like breaking this notable goalscoring duck with zero shots attempted on Andre Onana's goal, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, Sterling was a passenger when it came to grabbing the game by the scruff of its neck. The right winger only won 30% of his duels in the contest, losing possession 13 times too when his team needed him to be calm and measured to kickstart a possible comeback.

It looks likely that Pochettino will drop the seasoned England international therefore for the game at Everton, opting to bring back in a previously suspended Conor Gallagher to the team to freshen up the Blues in attack.

Conor Gallagher's season in numbers

Once labelled as an "outstanding" footballer by TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino when playing for Crystal Palace, Gallagher hasn't ever quite replicated his Eagles best as a loanee in a Chelsea shirt.

The one-time Palace man managed to score eight times and assist five goals in an impactful loan switch during the 2021-22 Premier League season, hopeful of making a name for himself at Stamford Bridge on his return.

The £50k-per-week man, as per Capology, has shown flashes this season of what he's capable of – notching up four assists to date – before a needless double booking saw him suspended for the game in mid-week.

His absence was felt in the midfield in that 2-1 loss, leaving Pochettino with a simple choice this weekend to reinstate the 23-year-old back into the lineup for their game tomorrow – the likes of Enzo Fernandez and the aforementioned Sterling struggling in midfield to help their team venture forward.

Cole Palmer was a shining light in the number ten role, but Pochettino could move the 21-year-old star over to Sterling's vacant right-wing spot to accommodate for Gallagher to come in.

Chelsea will have to be switched on from the get-go at Goodison Park, Gallagher hopeful he's given a chance to impress again and help his team pick up three points come the end of what will be a fiercely contested match.

Ryan Reynolds has competition in the film star stakes, with Paul Pogba reportedly filming movie scenes during his four-year ban for doping.

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• World Cup winner failed drugs test in August 2023
• Is appealing against lengthy suspension
• Looking to keep himself busy away from the pitch

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The World Cup-winning midfielder was informed in February that he must serve a lengthy suspension for a drugs tested that was failed in August 2023. Pogba will be appealing that ruling, but finds himself stuck on the sidelines for now.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Juventus have not announced the termination of Pogba’s contract, with the former Manchester United star technically still tied to them for now. The 31-year-old is, however, having to find other ways to fill his time – as he is prevented from doing his chosen profession.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  According to , that has seen Pogba dip his toe into acting. It is claimed that he will be starring in the upcoming production '4 Zeros', with the France international shooting scenes in the Rueil-Malmaison suburbs of Paris.

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  A crew member is quoted as saying: “He amazed everyone with his naturalness and simplicity. He visibly appreciated the experience and said he was ready, why not, to reproduce it further.” Pogba is said to be playing the role of a young footballers’ educator in the film, which will be released in April 2025.

Arsenal’s first home defeat of the season occurred on Thursday evening, as they were beaten 2-0 by a clinical and resilient West Ham United side. A win for the Gunners would have seen them return to the top of the Premier League, however, Mikel Arteta’s side stay in second, two points behind Liverpool.

The opener was scored by Tomas Soucek in the 13th minute after a mess-up between Gabriel and Oleksandr Zinchenko diverted the ball towards Jarrod Bowen, who put it on a plate for the Czech midfielder. The Ukrainian defender was hooked in the second half with the mistake and a lack of concentration earning him a 5/10 rating by football.london.

The second goal came ten minutes after the break, and it was unstoppable. James Ward-Prowse produced one of his trademark corners, which landed perfectly on the head of Konstantinos Mavropanos. The Greek defender unleashed a powerful header that flew in off the bar and the post.

From that point on, West Ham camped inside their own box until the final whistle. However, they could have extended their lead to three if it weren’t for David Raya saving a Said Benrahma penalty with seconds to go.

Arsenal’s stats vs West Ham

From the first whistle, Arsenal dominated the ball and most of the attacking proceedings, yet they failed to get going in an attacking sense until after the half-hour mark, with only three of the nine first-half shots occurring before that point.

Despite that, the Gunners still tallied up 1.11 xG, with Bukayo Saka at the forefront of each attack. Furthermore, other than the goal, which was completely avoidable, the defence easily suppressed the West Ham attack to only three attempts.

The second half couldn’t have started any worse for the hosts, as they went two behind, which allowed David Moyes’ side to drop into an unbreakable low block, which saw their entire team in their own box at times. The Arsenal attackers had no room to work with whatsoever, with most of the second half consisting of an attacker finding half a yard of space and unleashing an attempt at goal, which was either blocked, saved, or off target.

Arsenal tallied up 75% possession, 21 shots, six corners, and 1.57 xG in the second half, but they were unable to break down the stubborn defence, with either poor finishing or decision-making letting them down.

Leandro Trossard’s game by numbers

With Kai Havertz suspended, Leandro Trossard was handed an unfamiliar left-eight role, where he dropped a 5/10 performance, according to football.london. The Belgian winger/centre forward by trade failed to take his chance in the starting XI, with the Athletic’s Arsenal writer Art de Roche highlighting the fact that he was "struggling" in midfield.

Trossard’s main issue was how wasteful he was in the final third, often choosing the wrong pass or erratically shooting instead of finding a teammate in a much better position, as highlighted by the fact he lost the ball 16 times. He also squandered Arsenal's biggest chance of the game, failing to react quickly enough to a Saka shot which rebounded off the post into his path. The stats below sum up his performance.

Trossard's stats vs West Ham

Stats

Trossard

xG

0.83

Shots

5

Dribble attempts (succ.)

1 (0)

Pass completion %

78%

Ground Duels (won)

5 (2)

Stats via Sofascore

Overall, it was a night to forget for Arsenal, Arteta, and Trossard, who put on a “below standard” performance, as per Roche. However, playing against such a well-drilled, defensively solid, and physically imposing West Ham has made even the finest attackers in the Premier League crumble and underperform this season.

The American is arguably in the best form of his life – which is quite the achievement given how things are falling apart around him at San Siro

Christian Pulisic presently finds himself in a rather peculiar position. He's playing arguably the best football of his career at AC Milan – and yet his future at San Siro is shrouded in uncertainty. As former United States international Alexi Lalas said recently, "It would be ironic if the best season he's had results ends with him having to go elsewhere."

It still seems unlikely, of course, but nothing can be ruled out right now – because Milan are a mess. The Rossoneri will finish the season in second place in Serie A but, domestically, they've been humiliated by city rivals Inter, and humbled in continental competition by Roma.

Consequently, Stefano Pioli is set to be sacked as coach, the fans are furious with the club's owners, while stars such as Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan could be sold this summer. And the thing is, nobody is in the least bit surprised. Indeed, there was always the fear that by leaving Chelsea for Milan last summer, Pulisic was simply swapping one crisis club for another – and so it's proved…

GettyThe Leao dilemma

Not for the first time this season, Pulisic was Milan's best player in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Genoa, a lovely assist for Olivier Giroud the highlight of a dynamic display. He was a "constant" threat, as the acknowledged in its match ratings: "[He] always made the right moves. The problem is the others…"

It was a fair point. So many of Milan's most important players have underwhelmed this season. Maignan hasn't dropped any clangers but just hasn't been his usual magical self, while Fikayo Tomori's form has dipped since the surprise Scudetto success of 2022.

And then there's Leao. The Portuguese remains Milan's talisman, and statistically speaking, he's had a more productive campaign than Pulisic. But Leao is a level or two above the American, meaning the bar is set so much higher for him.

So, a subdued showing against Genoa, which came after dismal displays against Inter and Juventus, resulted in Leao not only being rightly withdrawn by Pioli, but also being booed as he left the field. The winger responded by heading straight down the tunnel rather than taking his seat on the bench.

Consequently, there is a very real chance that Milan may decide to cash in on their most valuable asset. "He's no longer able to be Leao," the pointed out. "Now it's decision time: does he feel able to start over here in Milan or would it also be better for him to change team?"

It's quite the dilemma for the club's America owners, Redbird Capital Partners, whose management has come under increasing scrutiny over the past two years.

AdvertisementGetty 'Winning project starts from the club'

Before the Genoa game, the Curva Sud unveiled a banner which read "Communication strategy. Institutional presence. Targeted signings. Cohesion, ambition, ability. A winning project starts from the club."

When the game kicked off, there was a sustained round of applause from the ultras and then… nothing. No singing of songs, no waving of flags, no signs of support at all. Worse still, with 10 minutes remaining in a game that was still in the balance, they just left, labelling their protest 'The sound of silence' – and it was deafening.

"You have to respect the fans," Pioli said afterwards. "They have their reasons." There are a lot of them, too, but it all basically boils down to a perceived lack of clarity, communication and ambition – as perhaps best illustrated by the calamitous coaching situation.

(C)Getty ImagesLopetegui backlash

While RedBird owner Gerry Cardinale rarely speaks to the press, Milan president Paolo Scaroni, CEO Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada have been repeatedly asked about Pioli's position, but not one has confirmed what everyone else knows: that the Scudetto-winning coach will be sacked at the end of the season.

This, in spite of the fact, that Milan were ready to hire Julen Lopetegui as Pioli's successor just last week, only for a bitter fan backlash to prompt a stunning 11th-hour U-turn. As far as Cardinale & Co. were concerned, the Spaniard ticked all the boxes. He had plenty of experience of continental competition (even winning the Europa League with Sevilla) and working with young players (at under-age level with Spain).

However, the fans were seriously underwhelmed by the prospect of hiring a man who had lasted just 10 league games in charge of Real Madrid – and been out of work since leaving Wolves at the end of the 2022-23 Premier League season.

Less than 48 hours after news of his imminent arrival at San Siro broke, '#Nopetegui' was trending on X, while 10,000 Milan supporters had signed a petition calling on the club's owners to call off the deal.

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Getty'Total chaos reigns'

It was a painfully embarrassing climbdown that not only made Milan's owners look weak, but also leaves them in a very awkward position. As the Curva Sud pointed out in a statement released before last week's walkout, "You can't think of having a winning project if you still don't know who the new coach will be in May… It becomes difficult to construct a team that is compatible with the needs of the new coach. Total chaos reigns within the club."

The ultras also made it clear that, two years into Cardinale's tenure, their patience has run out. While accepting that Milan don't have access to "rivers of money like other teams in other leagues", they argued that greater investment in the first-team squad was the only way for RedBird to prove that they care more about winning trophies than making money.

"Milan is not a product to speculate on and Milan is not a club that is content to merely participate," the Curva Sud warned. "Milan has a people behind it who by history and tradition are used to being in the elite of world football."

And it's worth remembering that club legend Paolo Maldini repeatedly made the very same argument before being ruthlessly axed by Milan last summer.