Home side recover from afternoon to collapse to lead by 197 with four wickets standing

ECB Reporters Network13-Jun-2023

Tom Haines drives on his way to 91•Getty Images

Tom Haines made 91 and there were half-centuries for skipper Tom Alsop, Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Jack Carson as Sussex recovered from a mini-collapse to head into the final day against Worcestershire at Hove with a lead of 297 and four second-innings wickets in hand.Haines and Tom Clark knocked off their first-innings deficit of 62 in a confident opening stand of 143 that appeared to be putting their side in a strong position. But 45 minutes after lunch suddenly there was some assistance in the 1st Central County Ground pitch for Worcestershire’s seamers.Haines and Clark departed to successive balls and both James Coles and Ollie Carter fell cheaply as four wickets went down in 27 deliveries for just four runs. When Dan Ibrahim was fifth out for a skittish but in the circumstances vital run-a-ball 28, Sussex were only in front by 116.But the obdurate Alsop and Hudson-Prentice tilted the balance back in their favour during a stand of 82 in 23 overs either side of tea. Hudson-Prentice fell to Pakistan legspinner Usama Mir for 54 but Alsop was joined by Carson in another productive alliance so far worth 99 with Sussex closing on 359 for 6.At the start of the day Worcestershire opener Jake Libby had been dismissed off the fourth ball without adding to his overnight 198. Libby turned down a single to protect last man Ben Gibbon only to edge the next delivery low to Clark at second slip and give Ari Karvelas, who finished with 4 for 54, his fourth wicket with the second new ball. Worcestershire had lost their last seven for 44 in 12.2 overs.The momentum seemed to be back with Sussex, especially when Clark and Haines rattled along at more than five an over before lunch. Haines needed just 48 balls to complete his fifty, swatting away anything loose in his strong scoring areas on the leg side for the majority of his ten fours. Clark was more circumspect and nearly ran out his partner when going through for the single to get to his half-century.Sussex were making serene progress but after lunch Worcestershire’s seamers tightened their lines and the tide briefly turned. Haines will be disappointed with his dismissal to an indeterminate poke outside off stump to a channel ball which he guided to second slip, having hit 18 boundaries.Matthew Waite picked up Clark with the next delivery off a very faint edge to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick before Adam Finch dropped short and Brett D’Oliveira made good ground from mid-on to take a fine catch off Coles’ top-edged pull.In his next over Finch pinned Carter with late inswing and although Ibrahim was dropped at slip by Adam Hose on 19 it didn’t prove expensive. Waite had him leg before a few balls later and Worcestershire were on top.But that was to be their last success for a while as Alsop and Hudson-Prentice rebuilt. Alsop was happy to drop anchor while Hudson-Prentice attacked at the other end. He hit nine fours in his half-century and it was a surprise when he tried to cut a ball from Mir he could have left alone and underedged to the keeper.Worcestershire took the second new ball when it became available but by then Carson had joined his captain in another crucial partnership. It had swelled further by stumps with Carson reaching his fifty with a six off Mir and Alsop, who has batted four hours for his 67, playing an important role to set up what could be an enthralling final day when all results are possible.

da supremo： Sheffield United are reportedly among the clubs who are monitoring an “excellent” Wales international in the January transfer window.

Latest Sheffield United news

da fazobetai： The Blades continued their Championship promotion charge of the weekend, winning 2-0 at home to Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.

The result means they remain in second place behind leaders Leeds United, who beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0, but most importantly, two points have been gained on third-place Burnley, who could only draw 0-0 against Sunderland at Turf Moor on Friday evening.

The current transfer window affords United the opportunity to bring in new faces, should Chris Wilder want extra depth in his squad between now and May, and they have been linked with a move for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 31-year-old is currently plying his trade at Turkish giants Besiktas, but the Blades are ready to offer him a return to English football.

Meanwhile, another report has claimed that United are leading the race to sign young Leicester City striker Tom Cannon, with Sunderland believed to be among the clubs keen on snapping him up on loan from the King Power Stadium. He was recently recalled from a temporary stint at Stoke City.

Sheffield United eyeing "excellent" ace

According to a new report from The Daily Mail, Sheffield United are “monitoring” the situation of Rangers attacker Tom Lawrence this month.

The 23-cap Wales international is available on a free transfer from the Gers in the January window, with Ipswich Town, Burnley and Besiktas all mentioned as potential suitors, too.

Lawrence could be an interesting signing for United in the second half of the season, bringing experience and quality to United’s attack and giving Wilder more options, whether that be from the start of games or from the substitutes’ bench.

At 31, the Englishman isn’t necessarily getting any younger, but he has shown his worth in the Championship so many times down the years, registering 90 goal involvements (50 goals and 40 assists) in 264 appearances in the competition.

David McCallum has heaped praise on him in the past, in terms of helping younger figures during a Rangers B team match: “Tom was excellent around the group, sharing his experience, and we spoke before the game about that. That’s what some of these games are going to be about, when we get the odd occasion where a player, or two, drops down from the first-team squad to get important minutes.”

There are going to be tight games in the coming months, where a moment of class is needed to be the difference, and this is where Lawrence could be such a shrewd addition for United.

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The Rangers man has the ability to stay cool in big moments, given his many years of playing at a high level, and he could ultimately be that extra sprinkling of quality that helps take Wilder’s side back into the Premier League.

The former USMNT forward voiced strong criticism of the CONCACAF Gold Cup format, calling for significant changes

• Gomez advocates for rotating Gold Cup host nations
• Analyst criticizes bracket system favoring USA and Mexico
• Says tournament prioritizing profits over development

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  With the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2025 kicking off in June, ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez called for an overhaul of the tournament's format. The former USMNT player expressed frustration with the games regularly being held in the United States and the perceived favoritism in the bracket structure.

  Gomez said other nations that participate in the tournament deserve the chance to be hosts and that despite saying they want competitive balance, CONCACAF seems more interested in profits.

  “We’re not naïve – his tournament needs to stop being held in the United States every single edition," Gomez said on It needs to be an actual fair draw, it needs to be not just Mexico one side of the bracket, the U.S. the other side of the bracket and we’re going to organize and by design know that these two will meet in the final. Have you seen the away records of the USMNT and Mexico away from home? What do you think this would be like of Honduras hosted the Gold Cup?

  “If Jamaica hosted the Gold Cup? If Costa Rica hosted the Gold Cup? Don’t those countries deserve this as well, or is the only thing important here is cashing in on the United States and the popularity of Mexico? And that’s a problem for me, it’s a problem for this region, it’s a problem for the growth of other countries and it’s a problem for the fans. Because they’re looking straight to your face, and you’re not smart enough to figure this out, and that’s what they’re saying to you. They will tell you all kind of things with all kinds of excuses but the only thing they care about isn’t growing the game, it’s growing the wallets.”

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• WATCH THE VIDEO

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Gold Cup serves as CONCACAF's national team competition, showcasing talent from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. However, its format and organization have faced criticism over hindering the growth of soccer in smaller nations and maintaining a status quo that benefits the region's powerhouses.

• AFP
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The 2025 Gold Cup will take place from June 14 to July 6 across the United States and Canada, as the two nations are co-hosting the tournament. Mexico are the defending champions after having won a record-extending ninth title in the 2023 edition.

MatériaMais Notícias

da poker： Após bater o Avaí com tranquilidade por 3 a 0 no Brasileirão, o Palmeiras se reapresentou na manhã deste domingo já pensando no jogo contra o Athletico-PR, que acontece na terça, às 21h45, fora de casa.

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da fezbet： >ATUAÇÕES: Dudu faz golaço, Palmeiras goleia e se aproxima do título

Aqueles que atuaram mais de 45 minutos contra o time catarinense fizeram atividades regenerativas no centro excelência, enquanto o restante foi a campo e, debaixo de um sol escaldante, participou de movimentações técnicas comandadas pela comissão de Abel Ferreira.

> Veja a tabela completa e simulador do Brasileirão!

A maior novidade do dia de trabalho foi o início da transição de Jailson. O meio-campista participou da primeira parte junto do elenco e, em seguida, cumpriu cronograma com o Núcleo de Saúde e Performance. Além dele, Veiga também realizou atividades na parte interna da Academia.

Vale lembrar que, apesar da diminuição dos casos de Covid-19 e da flexibilização das medidas de restrição por conta da pandemia, o Verdão ainda não liberou a presença de jornalistas nos treinamentos. Assim, as informações são fornecidas pela assessoria de imprensa do clube.

Líder do Brasileiro com 71 pontos, 11 à frente do vice Internacional até o momento, o Palmeiras é o líder do torneio há 24 rodadas, superando o recorde anterior do clube, de 20 consecutivas em 2016.

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West Ham United chiefs are in “ongoing” talks over signing an England player for new manager Graham Potter, with a high-ranking Hammers source telling one news outlet that a move for him is very much on the cards.

West Ham working to back Graham Potter in January

So far, Potter has suffered two defeats in the West Ham dugout and one thrilling win at home to high-flying Fulham, but the former Chelsea boss has scarcely had any time to implement the philosophy which brought him so much success at Brighton.

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Potter is also working with Julen Lopetegui’s players, and is yet to make his first official new signing as manager. That isn’t for lack of trying, as the 49-year-old is believed to be “very” keen on exploring loan deals for Chelsea duo Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka (ExWHUemployee).

Aston Villa (away)

January 26

Chelsea (away)

February 3

Brentford (home)

February 15

Arsenal (away)

February 22

Leicester City (home)

February 27

West Ham have also seen a new £57 million bid for Jhon Duran rejected out of hand, as their search for a new centre-forward to come in for injured duo Niclas Füllkrug and Michail Antonio carries on behind-the-scenes.

In any case, the east Londoners are working to back Potter at the London Stadium, and a new midfielder is believed to remain on their to-do list.

Another one of their reported targets, alongside the likes of Dewsbury-Hall and Chukwuemeka, is Lille midfielder Angel Gomes.

While this would be one for the summer, considering his contract expires at the end of this season, it is believed that West Ham are attempting to agree on a pre-contract with the Three Lions ace who earned his first ever international call-ups in late 2024.

The former Man United gem bagged eight assists across 31 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille last campaign, averaging a very impressive 91.3 per cent passing accuracy in their midfield (WhoScored), leaving little wonder the tidy, composed technician is attracting Premier League interest.

West Ham in "ongoing talks" with Angel Gomes over contract

According to a “senior” club source, speaking to Hammers News, West Ham are in “ongoing talks” with Gomes over signing for them – but they face stiff competition from London rivals Tottenham, who pose a “big” threat.

“Talks are ongoing but nothing is close and there’s competition given his status,” said the inside informant to Hammers News. “Tottenham are a big problem now.”

If Potter’s side can pip Ange Postecoglou to the 24-year-old’s signing, there is little denying he’d be an excellent coup, especially on a free deal.

“He’s the type of quality player you want your club looking at, obviously,” said pundit Paul Robinson to Tottenham News.

“He’s going to get more minutes at international level. He’s a top-quality player. A move back to the Premier League won’t be out of the question. If he’s playing at the top level, you want your club to be involved in the race.”

A spectacular knock from Nat Sciver-Brunt, the tournament’s first-ever hat-trick from Issy Wong and a return to all-round brilliance powered Mumbai Indians to the Women’s Premier League final with a comprehensive 72-run win over UP Warriorz.Mumbai and Delhi Capitals – the top teams on the points table – will play for the first ever WPL title. Harmanpreet Kaur and Co will take Meg Lanning’s team for the trophy. Only fitting.For most of the WPL, Mumbai were predicted to reach the final directly. They had won five straight matches and looked near invincible… till they lost two on the trot and were suddenly table-toppers no longer.They had to play the Eliminator against Warriorz, the team that had ended their winning streak in the league stage. And in the first knockout game, the Mumbai from the first half of WPL showed up, dominating with bat and ball to reach the final comfortably, if one game late.

Sciver-Brunt stands up and delivers

Nat Sciver-Brunt, the joint-most expensive overseas player at the auction, stood up and delivered at the time Mumbai needed her the most. She had not had the best of games in the last few outings, which had coincided with her team’s downturn in fortune.But in a knockout game, she came good with an unbeaten 72 off 38 balls on a pitch that didn’t look to be the best for batting.Sciver-Brunt was dropped when she was on just 6 by Sophie Ecclestone on the last ball of the Powerplay, and she punished the error heavily. She kept the innings going even as Hayley Matthews and Harmanpreet fell at the other end and then built a 60-run stand with Amelia Kerr in just 37 balls.Sciver-Brunt’s knock was crucial given Mumbai’s under-exposed middle and lower order had struggled to make big runs when the top was dismissed early. The pattern was almost repeated when Harmanpreet fell with just about a 100 on board and the Warriorz spin strength slowly stifling the runs.One moment that stood out was how she took the attack to Parshavi Chopra, who had just dismissed Matthews, after the first boundary-less over of the innings. She slammed the young spinner for 15 runs in the first four balls of the 12th over, an early marker of intent. Her 50 came off just 26 balls, with a cracking boundary and she stayed till the end, with a six even on the last ball of the innings.Shout out to Pooja Vastrakar as well, who slammed 11 off just 4 balls after coming in the final over, including a massive 87-metre six.For Warriorz, the standout bowler was Ecclestone who took two wickets to keep her hold on the Purple Cap. Left-armer Anjali Sarvani got early purchase but Alyssa Healy’s heavy rotation of bowlers didn’t work for her this time around.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Wong on song

In the second innings, it was another English allrounder than starred for Mumbai.The first hat-trick of the WPL came via an out-and-out pace bowler as Wong put the match out of the Warriorz’ reach in the 13th over with the wickets of the well-set Kiran Navgire, Simran Shaikh and Ecclestone.She had already struck with the big wicket, that of birthday girl Healy, to give Mumbai the ideal start. She then sealed the match with the hat-trick.Mumbai dismissed the spine of the Warriorz’ batting line-up – their three Australians – within eight overs. Navgire, who had a string of poor scores after her opening-match fifty, kept the momentum going and landed some big hits, including a huge 89-metre six.But as is her wont, she went for a big one on a full toss and was caught at the boundary. Thus started Wong’s song.Next up was Shaikh, who was castled with a full delivery she completely missed. Then came Ecclestone, who had a bit of history. The last time these two teams met, Ecclestone had smacked Wong for a six in the last over to hand Mumbai their first loss of the season. This time, she was out for a golden duck with her stumps broken. Wong’s last two wickets were the kind to go in a pace bowling highlights reel.There was more to cheer for Mumbai and the 39,000-odd crowd that showed up. Jintimani Kalita got her first wicket and Saika Ishaque got her 15th, keeping the Purple Cap very much in her reach.

The ODI Super League was meant to bring context to every game. Market forces have not let that happen

Matt Roller05-Mar-2023Big picture – England’s Super League endsEngland arrived in Chattogram on Saturday ahead of their final fixture in the inaugural – and only – edition of the ICC’s ODI Super League. On Monday, they are looking to secure a three-nil series win, thereby becoming the first team to secure an away ODI series whitewash in Bangladesh since Sri Lanka in 2014.The Super League, the qualifying process for the 2023 World Cup in India, launched in 2020 with the lofty, noble aim to “raise the stakes of bilateral 50-over games”, according to the ICC at the time.The idea was simple enough. World Cup qualification had generally been decided on the opaque rankings system. Commercially-driven boards had no competitive incentive to schedule ODI series evenly, so top teams scheduled long series which were largely devoid of context against one another, rarely deigning to play emerging nations.The fixture list was imperfect – each team was scheduled to play eight opponents out of a possible twelve – but still generated series that might never have happened otherwise. The Netherlands hosted West Indies, England, Pakistan and New Zealand in a single summer. Ireland turned West Indies over in the Caribbean. Zimbabwe played Australia in a bilateral ODI series for the first time in 18 years – and won the third game.For Ireland, South Africa and Sri Lanka – who, along with West Indies, are jostling to avoid June’s qualification tournament in Zimbabwe by securing the final automatic World Cup spot – the final months of the Super League represent a vital opportunity.But for the rest, they are an irrelevance. As the qualification cycle draws towards a close, it is clear that market forces have overtaken the ICC’s ambitions: several series have now been abandoned as a result of franchise cricket’s squeeze on the international calendar, and the Super League has been scrapped altogether.”Since each point matters, there will be no dead rubbers and teams will always have to be at their very best,” the ICC said in 2020. Monday’s game in Chattogram is a direct refutation of that claim.Form guideBangladesh LLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WWWLLIn the spotlight: Litton Das and Rehan AhmedLitton Das was the leading run-scorer for BPL champions Comilla Victorians and is long established as Tamim Iqbal’s opening partner in ODIs. But he has not got going in this series, scratching around for 7 off 15 in the first game before chopping his first ball to point in the second. He has now gone five ODI innings in a row without reaching 50, and could do with a score in Chattogram.Litton Das has been unable to reprise his BPL form•AFP/Getty ImagesIf not now, when? Rehan Ahmed, the 18-year-old legspinning allrounder, is England’s long-term replacement for Adil Rashid and could win his first white-ball cap on Monday. The deadest of rubbers provides the ideal low-stakes opportunity for him to make his debut, and his ability with the bat means he could even play alongside Rashid if conditions suit.Team news: Will Buttler rest himself?Mustafizur Rahman looked out of sorts and short on confidence in Mirpur, bowling 18 wicketless overs and leaking 5.83 an over, making him the most expensive bowler on either side. If Bangladesh decide to change things up, he could give way for Ebadot Hossain or Hasan Mahmud. The uncapped Towhid Hridoy is the squad’s spare batter.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Litton Das, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Ebadot Hossain/Hasan Mahmud.Rehan Ahmed is in line for an ODI debut•AP Photo/Aijaz RahiReece Topley is likely to play for the first time in the series, with England rotating their seam attack throughout the tour. Will Jacks has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a quad injury; with no spare batter in the squad, England will change their balance somewhat.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 James Vince, 5 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Rehan Ahmed, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid/Saqib Mahmood, 11 Reece Topley.Pitch and conditions: Expect it to spin againThe weather in Chattogram has been warm and dry. The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium pitches tend to be significantly better for batting than Mirpur; in the most recent game at the venue, India piled on 408 for 9. But this one could assist spinners for a change, as it looks quite dry. “The block, just walking over the square, definitely feels a bit harder; the one in Mirpur felt a little bit tacky, a bit softer,” Mark Wood said on Sunday.Stats and trivia Jason Roy’s hundred on Friday was his 12th in ODIs, taking him joint-third in England’s all-time list. He is one behind Eoin Morgan, and four behind Joe Root. Shakib Al Hasan needs four wickets to reach 300 in men’s ODIs. He would be the first Bangladesh bowler to reach that landmark, and the third left-arm spinner after Sanath Jayasuriya and Daniel Vettori. England have only played seven men’s fixtures across formats in 2023 but have already used 27 players, the joint-most of any team this year. Friday’s victory saw England leapfrog New Zealand at the top of the Super League table. They could extend their lead to 15 points on Sunday.Quotes”There’s nothing called an automatic choice. Nobody is an automatic choice. I will not be in the team if I am not performing regularly, even though I am the captain. A player’s performance graph will go up and down all the time, but we believe he will turn his form around.”
“He’s impressed everybody, not just me. The whole team have said how well he’s bowled. He’s bowling quickly, hitting good lengths. In the first game, he showed our seam-bowling group where to bowl, really.”

Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by Nottingham Forest on Monday night, with Ange Postecoglou's men falling to an 18th Premier League defeat of the season.

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Anderson & Wood goals put visitors two upRicharlison with late replyForest up to third while Spurs in 16thFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE

Forest went in front inside five minutes when Pedro Porro failed to deal with the visitors' first corner, allowing Elliot Anderson's shot from the edge of the box to deflect off the leg of Rodrigo Bentancur and squirm through the hands of Guglielmo Vicario.

That lead seemed to have been doubled only another five minutes later when Anderson's cross found Chris Wood to tap home, only for VAR and the new semi-automated offside system to step in and rule it out, much to Spurs' gratitude.

However, after five more minutes, Wood had his goal and this time it was allowed to stand. A clever free-kick routine found Anthony Elanga on the left wing, and his cross found the New Zealand striker between centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, while Vicario was caught in no man's land for the crucial header.

Tottenham ought to have pulled one back before the break with Mathys Tel firing over from close range and then Richarlison heading wide from a delicious Wilson Odobert cross. Alas, they went into half-time two goals down.

In the second half, Dejan Kulusevski had a looping header from a corner hooked off the line by Harry Toffolo, before goalkeeper Matz Sels came off his line to smother Richarlison when a loose ball fell the Brazilian's way.

With five minutes to go, Richarlison headed home following a fine cross from Pedro Porro to set up a nervy finish. Nevertheless, Forest clung on to secure three precious points and climb back up to third in the Premier League table, with Spurs all the way down in 16th.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE MVP

There were plenty of heroes in Forest red, but perhaps the standout was deadlock-breaker Anderson. Coming into midfield from the left, he twisted Spurs inside and out in the opening exchanges of the game, during which the visitors built up what proved to be an unassailable lead. He also would have had an assist to his name had Wood timed his run a bit better for his disallowed goal.

Anderson was not alone in providing the good for Forest, though. The likes of Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and the aforementioned Wood deserve special praise too, as does goalkeeper Sels.

Of course, Nuno Espirito Santo will also be feeling particularly chuffed having secured his first win back at Tottenham since the club sacked him in 2021. As his new side march on towards an unlikely Champions League place, his former employers remain marooned deep in the bottom half.

Getty Images SportTHE BIG LOSER

Postecoglou would have felt on top of the world after Spurs secured progression to the Europa League semi-finals last Thursday, particularly after they put in such an impressive and street-wise performance. Yet his side's most glaring weaknesses were on full display here, showing a lack of appetite to defend and giving themselves far too much to do when chasing a game.

That's now Tottenham's 18th defeat of the Premier League season, and we can't be far away from him going full Mick McCarthy 'it can't go on like this? It can!'.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Tottenham head to Liverpool on Sunday with the Reds only needing one more win to secure the Premier League title. Forest, meanwhile, will travel back to London to play Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Newcastle United have rode the crest of a wave over the past month, crafting a seven-game winning run that has propelled them into fifth place in the Premier League.

An emphatic 2-0 win at the Emirates on Tuesday evening has also put Eddie Howe’s side in command of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie. Arsenal are a great team but will need to claim a two-goal victory at St. James’ Park just to take the fixture to a penalty shootout.

Magpies fans are on the fringes of dreamland right now but know that football’s ebb and flow could pull their team back from the ascendency if opportunities aren’t grasped this month.

Alexander Isak has scored 14 goals from 15 games and is “the best striker in the Premier League right now,” according to pundit Jamie Carragher, but he needs more support, and Newcastle need to act.

Newcastle eyeing January signing

Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy have been excellent recently, and while the former is one of the prized wingers in the Premier League, his right-flanking peer is prone to choppy form and, at 29, needs competition.

Well, according to The i Paper, Newcastle are still monitoring Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo as sporting director Paul Mitchell weighs up a winter bid.

The Cherries hardly want to sell their deadliest attacking outlet and have priced him at £50m, but Newcastle need one more piece to complement their rich frontline and perhaps make Isak even better – imagine that.

Imagine Antoine Semenyo & Alexander Isak

Bournemouth signed Semenyo from Bristol City for a £10m fee in January 2023 and he has gone from strength to strength over the past two years, becoming a “key player” – as The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell has said – in Andoni Iraola’s thriving system.

Hailed as “almost unplayable on his day” by reporter Ed Aarons, Semenyo has been one of the main men at the Vitality Stadium this season, posting seven goal contributions from 21 Premier League matches as Bournemouth exceed expectations, currently nestled in seventh place, above Manchester City.

Murphy has been in fine fettle this term but Semenyo carries more technical quality and forward drive in the final third, ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this year for shots taken (4.24) per 90, as per FBref.

It could be just what Isak needs, for the Sweden star is much more than a simple goalscorer, perhaps the most complete forward in England.

Matches (starts)

19 (19)

17 (13)

Goals

5

3

Assists

2

7

Shots (on target)*

4.1 (1.2)

1.3 (0.4)

Pass completion

77%

77%

Big chances created

7

9

Key passes*

1.2

1.3

Dribbles (completed)*

2.2 (58%)

0.5 (35%)

Ball recoveries*

5.3

2.4

Total duels (won)*

6.8 (45%)

1.6 (33%)

Semenyo and Isak are both 25 and thus could forge a lasting partnership at St. James’ Park, with the electric Anthony Gordon younger still at 23.

Isak has of course been incredible this season, striking at a devastating rate over the past few months and beating Mohamed Salah to the Premier League Player of the Month award for December.

Newcastle’s talisman is perhaps not quite so devastating in front of goal as Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, for example, but he definitely brings more to the table.

As per FBref, the £120k-per-week ace ranks among the top 12% of Premier League forwards in 2024/25 for assists (0.25), the top 8% for shot-creating actions (3.69) and the top 5% for successful take-ons (1.60) per 90, showcasing skills that make him the protean, slippery customer that he is.

Moreover, Isak has created seven big chances and averaged 1.7 key passes per top-flight fixture this season, as per Sofascore, also in the thick of the action with 34.8 touches on average, which is high for a centre-forward.

He drops deep, influences play and pushes forward with lightning-fast speed to create a sense of synergy that most teams can only dream of – usually after the Magpies have blown them away.

Given that Semenyo is a goalscoring winger who fires fusillade upon fusillade of barrages on his enemies, this could be the kind of dynamic duo that Howe loves – just take a look at how it’s working out with Gordon on the alternate wing.

1.

Alexander Isak

7

2.

Dominic Solanke

6

3.

Raul Jimenez

5

4.

Michail Antonio

4

4=

Nicolas Jackson

4

4=

Jean-Philippe Mateta

4

4=

Ollie Watkins

4

4=

Jamie Vardy

4

This hasn’t been sustained throughout the campaign; Newcastle toiled through the early knockings. However, Howe’s tactical nous has presented itself once again, with the interpersonal skills to get the whole squad on board showcased too.

Murphy is industrious and talented in his own right, but Semenyo would bring something different that could work wonders as Newcastle chart a course back into European competition next season.

It’s a move that Newcastle need to make. While £50m is a massive sum, Newcastle are prepared to spend big in order to achieve their goals. Further to that point, right-winger Miguel Almiron is expected to be sold either this month or at the end of the season, easing PSR-related concerns and freeing up space in, look at that, Semenyo’s realm.

Will Newcastle get the deal done? Analyst Ben Mattinson described Semenyo as the “perfect January signing” for any top team, when discussing Arsenal’s intrigue in the Bournemouth man, but Newcastle have already stabbed a blow into the Gunners’ season on the pitch and could translate their trick in the market this month.

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As Unai Emery and Aston Villa head into an important second half of the season, competing in both the Premier League (currently eighth and four points off of the top four) and the UEFA Champions League (currently fifth in the league standings), the business they manage to do this month could be incredibly important to the success of their season.

The Villans are currently showing interest in multiple deals for the January window, with Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen subject to plenty of interest so far, having two bids already rejected for the 25-year-old Bundesliga forward.

But Aston Villa will be hunting for any new opportunities in the window, in order to strengthen Emery’s squad, hoping to enable an excellent second half of the season, challenging for the top four yet again, and aiming to reach the next stages of the Champions League.

Aston Villa transfer news

According to reports from RMC Sport, Aston Villa are considering a move for out-of-favour Paris Saint-Germain forward, Marco Asensio. The French giants are said to be open to letting the 28-year-old Spaniard leave the club this month, having only played a bit-part role so far this season.

Asensio has made 15 appearances for PSG so far this season, scoring two goals and providing four assists in 748 minutes. Many of these minutes have come in an unfamiliar centre-forward role, playing as more of a false-nine, compared to his more natural attacking midfield/wide roles.

This could present a good opportunity for Aston Villa, reminiscent of Philippe Coutinho back in 2021/22, when they signed him on loan during the January transfer window, before making the move permanent in the 2022 summer transfer window, pouncing on the opportunity to sign a high-level technician.

Aston Villa's next Coutinho

Coutinho joined Villa from Barcelona, costing around £17m after his initial six-month loan deal. In his time for the Villans, Coutinho made 43 appearances, scoring six goals, providing three assists and totalling 2,296 minutes played.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Asensio

Coutinho

Goals

0.24

0.32

Assists

0.48

0.14

xG

0.67

0.32

xAG

0.34

0.15

Progressive Carries

2.53

3.70

Progressive Passes

4.46

6.11

Shots Total

3.49

3.24

Key Passes

1.93

1.25

Shot-Creating Actions

4.34

3.66

When comparing the season Coutinho joined Villa with Asensio’s current numbers at PSG this season, you can see how the Spaniard would offer good attacking quality for Emery’s side. Whilst Coutinho had a better goal-scoring record that term, Asensio has actually generated more xG and xAG (expected goals and expected assisted goals) so far in 2024/25 in comparison.

Coutinho offered slightly more in terms of progressive metrics, but Asensio, whilst still ranking well in these metrics, also offers more final third production at this point, with better output, a higher shot volume and more key passes/shot-creating actions per 90.

At just 28 years old, Asensio – who Vicente del Bosque claimed is a “world-class player” – still clearly has the quality to play at the top level and could provide Aston Villa with another versatile attacking option, who has Champions League experience, which could turn out to be invaluable to their campaign.

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