All posts by h716a5.icu

USA pulled off a stunning victory over Pakistan in a game that went into a Super Over

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-20241:19

Jaffer: Saurabh Netravalkar’s got a great story

0.1 Amir to Aaron Jones, FOUR runs Amir starts with the wide one but Jones is able to reach it. It was slow and into the pitch, slashed wide of third for four. Big advantage for USA!0.2 Amir to Aaron Jones, 2 runs Nails the on-pace yorker but Jones manages to skilfully drill the flick through midwicket. They scamper back for two as well0.3 Amir to Aaron Jones, 1 runPakistan, like they did at the death, go with the yorker plan. This is nailed. Pace-on again. Jones can’t do nothin with that. Jams it a foot or two in front but that allows a scampered single0.4 Amir to Harmeet Singh, 2 wide Amir misses his line (and length) and concedes a wide plus bye. Could have been worse but Harmeet missed the flick on the low full toss going down leg. Rizwan can’t collect cleanly, they run one0.4 Amir to Aaron Jones, 1 run Jones goes across to try and get inside the line. Gets a low full toss at the stumps, flicks it to deep square leg. Just a single0.5 Amir to Harmeet Singh, 2 wide Amir misses, Harmeet misses. Everyone’s disappointed but this is in USA’s favour. Low full toss swung down leg, went past the attempted flick. Another bye stolen0.5 Amir to Aaron Jones, 2 runs Into the pitch, wide too. Jones connects with the cut. Sweeper runs to the right, Amir yells as they return for the second on the throw (which was to the keeper’s end)0.6 Amir to Aaron Jones, 3 wide 5head leave from Jones. Buzzers too, USA are doing this with unforced errors. Jones cleared the front leg but saw the fullish ball, going away with the angle, to be outside the tramline and let it pass. The batters ran as Rizwan lobbed it high up, too far for Amir to collect but no one backing up either. They steal two byes!0.6 Amir to Aaron Jones, 1 run, OUT Amir looks for the yorker. It’s at the stumps and is clipped through square leg. Jones returns for the second, which is never on, and fails to make it. But he had to of course

****

0.1 Netravalkar to Iftikhar, no run Iftikhar gets across, and the bowler follows. Netravalkar goes fullish and angles it across, with the ball finishing wide of off. But Iftikhar was far too across as he attempted to loft, but missed. So wide not called0.2 Netravalkar to Iftikhar, FOUR runs Thumped between long-on and deep midwicket! Netravalkar bowled on a length on middle and off, but Iftikhar waited before pulling hard in the gap for four0.3 Netravalkar to Iftikhar, 1 wide This is a wide! This time Ifthikar doesn’t move much, and sees this yorker-length ball wide of off go past him. He leaves it alone, and it is given wide0.3 Netravalkar to Iftikhar, OUT Wow, superb catch! Sub fielder Milind Kumar takes a great catch! Placed at long-off, he took a few steps forward before going low and grabbing it barely above the ground. The final verdict will be given by the third umpire, though. He sees multiple replays, with the ball almost hinting to drop off his hands on impact. Now the TV umpire looks at it from a different angle. The ball is dipping and dying on to Milind, who uses both his hands to try and catch that. And after much ado, it is given out! This is what had happened earlier: Netravalkar had bowled a low full toss, which was angling across towards off, as Ifthikar launched down the ground. But the length seemed too full for him to fireIftikhar Ahmed c Kumar b Netravalkar 4 (3b 1×4 0x6)0.4 Netravalkar to Shadab, 1 wide And it is another wide. This is angled across, and lands on a yorker length wide of off. Shadab lets it go0.4 Netravalkar to Shadab, 4 leg byes Ohh, lucky four for Pakistan! Shadab got across the stumps to try and sweep this, but the ball dribbled off his toes between the keeper and short third0.5 Netravalkar to Shadab, 2 runs Ahh, well bowled! This is a nice yorker angling across towards middle and off, and Shadab is able to loft it only as far as between long-off and long-on. They pinch two0.6 Netravalkar to Shadab, 1 run USA win by five runs! The first upset of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The USA players make their presence feel by yelling their feelings out. Their dugout is up in celebration and ecstacy, even as the Pakistan dressing room is left wondering what would have been.

Having already signed Enzo Le Fee and lost Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland are now reportedly looking to continue a busy start to their summer by signing “one of England’s brightest prospects”.

Sunderland looking to add to Le Fee

Losing Bellingham to Dortmund is undoubtedly a major blow for Regis Le Bris, but the Black Cats have also already completed business of their own by signing Le Fee on a permanent deal. The talented midfielder will officially arrive on July 1 and will be aiming to pick up where he left off following a successful loan spell from AS Roma last season.

Speaking to the club website after arriving on a permanent basis, the Frenchman said: “I said before the play-off final that my heart was in Sunderland – I wanted to stay, and this made it the most important game of my life. Together, we did it.

“From the moment I arrived, I have enjoyed my football, my team-mates, and our supporters. We shared an incredible experience, and now we get to take the next step. There are greater challenges ahead, but we must face them together, and I can’t wait to play for Sunderland in the Premier League.”

Those at the Stadium of Light won’t want to stop there on the incomings front, however. They’ve already reportedly set their sights on further arrivals this summer, which could yet include Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Tommy Doyle.

The young midfielder could be an ideal replacement for Bellingham and may finally realise his potential courtesy of a move to Wearside. It’s there that he could also be joined by another emerging Premier League talent.

Sunderland plotting Samuels-Smith swoop

According to TeamTalk, Sunderland are now plotting a loan move to sign Ishe Samuels-Smith this summer. The Chelsea left-back has impressed at academy level and the Blues are now looking to send him out on loan for the season to gain much-needed minutes at senior level. Given their positive reputation with young players, Sunderland would arguably be the perfect destination for the 19-year-old.

Samuels-Smith is certainly a highly-rated player and that’s been reflected by the praise of David Unsworth. The former Everton U21s manager told TeamTalk: “Ishe is an incredibly talented young man who I know really well. A very talented left-sided defender, either left-back or centre-back, with an incredible future ahead of him.

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“He’s got great parents behind him who support him. He also has a very talented brother, Odin, who is still at Everton. The next step for Ishe would maybe be to go out on loan to get exposure to first team football – that’s if he can’t get into the Chelsea team! He’s only 18 [now 19] and is one of England’s brightest prospects, certainly at his age.”

After losing Bellingham, Sunderland should be desperate to add another talented young player to their ranks and chasing Samuels-Smith’s signature would offer them the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

Tottenham Hotspur have now made an approach to sign a “superb” £34m player, who has already turned down a move to Arsenal this summer, according to a report.

Spurs eyeing new signings amid Frank pursuit

With Daniel Levy controversially dismissing Ange Postecoglou last week, the chairman has wasted no time searching for a replacement for the Australian, and widespread reports are suggesting that Thomas Frank has now agreed to take the job.

However, former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has admitted he is “worried” about what Levy’s objective for the new manager will be, given that Postecoglou was sacked after winning a trophy, and it must be noted Frank has never won a major honour, despite doing a stellar job at Brentford.

Should the Dane be appointed, he is likely to have a say in the recruitment this summer, but the Lilywhites are continuing to assess potential options without a permanent manager in place.

That is according to a report from RMC Sport, which states Tottenham have now made an approach over a deal for AS Roma’s Evan Ndicka, having submitted an enquiry, with Premier League rivals Manchester United doing the same.

Ndicka, who is valued at €40m (£34m) is in no rush to decide his next move, and will take time to consider the offers he receives, but one thing that is clear is that he will not be heading to the Emirates Stadium, having already turned down a move to Arsenal this summer.

"Superb" Ndicka could be solid Romero replacement

Postecoglou may not be the only key Spurs figure to leave this summer, as there have been doubts over Cristian Romero’s future for quite some time, with it previously being revealed that Levy is open to sanctioning the Argentina international’s departure this summer.

Tottenham now ready to hijack move for £60m star Frank called "incredible"

Spurs have joined the race for a forward, who has left top manager target Thomas Frank impressed in the past.

ByDominic Lund Jun 8, 2025

As such, one of Frank’s most important tasks, should he become the new manager, may be to bring in a new centre-back, and there are some signs the Roma defender could be a solid option, having previously been dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig.

The 6 foot 4 colossus is certainly an imposing presence, which means he is also a threat from set-pieces, as shown when he bagged his first goal for Roma against Tottenham in the Europa League last November.

Ndicka could be a solid signing for Spurs, but it is important they get the green light from Frank or any other potential new manager before pursuing a deal.

2025 will be a much-needed year of mass-change at Everton.

Last Sunday, the Toffees waved goodbye to Goodison Park, their home since 1892, following a 2-0 victory over Southampton, with Iliman Ndiaye the scorer of both goals.

Meanwhile, this year, David Moyes has returned as manager, 12 years after departing for Manchester United, while the Friedkin Group have taken over as the new owners, bringing to an end the miserable Farhad Moshiri era.

So, before moving into their brand-new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, will the Toffees sign one of Britain’s most highly-rated wingers?

Everton targeting a historic move

According to a report by Paul Joyce, of The Times, Everton are eyeing up a move for Ben Doak this summer to bolster their options in the wide areas.

The journalist claims that the Toffees are ‘showing an interest’ in the Scotland international, as Moyes plots a controversial move for the flanker.

The 19-year-old spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough from… wait for it… Liverpool, which would certainly make this a historic move, as the table below outlines.

Abel Xavier

2002

Nick Barmby

2000

Dave Hickson

1959

Tony McNamara

1957

John Heydon

1949

Gary Ablett

1992

Peter Beardsley

1991

Alan Harper

1983

Kevin Sheedy

1982

David Johson

1982

Johnny Morrissey

1962

Jimmy Payne

1956

As the table shows, not since Gary Ablett 33 years ago have Everton bought a player from Liverpool, but could that be about to change?

How Ben Doak would improve Everton

Aside from the trio of relegated clubs, Everton are the lowest scorers in this season’s Premier League with just 41, so they certainly require more attacking firepower.

Back in March, Moyes stated that he required more “assists and goals” from wingers Jesper Lindstrøm and Jack Harrison, and the latter duly responded to this call to arms, opening the scoring against Wolves at Molineux the next day.

Nevertheless, this remains Harrison’s only goal of the season; his most recent before that came against Tottenham all the way back on 3 February 2024, underlining that this is a department in which the Blues could upgrade.

So, let’s asses how he compares to target Doak.

Appearances

37

24

Minutes

2,091

1,789

Goals

1

3

Assists

1

7

Shots on target %

25%

51.9%

Goals – xG

-2.5

-1.4

Big chances created

6

7

Progressive carries

71

134

Attempted take-ons

74

99

Take-on success %

31.1%

35.4%

Carries into penalty area

16

80

Shot-creating actions

56

82

Goal-creating actions

4

11

Touches per 90

42

47

Average Sofascore Rating

6.69

7.03

As the table outlines, even though he played around 300 fewer minutes, largely due to a season-ending thigh injury suffered in early-March, Doak’s statistics are universally more impressive than Harrison’s, with the caveat that he was playing in the EFL Championship which, according to Global Football Rankings, is the 11th strongest league in the world.

Doak was, without question, one of the best dribblers in the Championship this season, as highlighted in the table.

Minutes

1,778

270th

Progressive carries

134

8th

Attempted take-ons

99

26th

Carries into penalty area

80

2nd

As the table below emphasises, despite limited minutes, Doak’s dribbling prowess came to the fore his season, with only Burnley’s Jaidon Anthony, who played almost 1,900 more minutes, registering more carries into the opposition penalty area.

This has earned the Scotland international rave reviews, with journalist Henry Winter labelling him a “huge prospect”, former Liverpool Danny Murphy midfield described him as a “super quick, explosive winger,” while Ange Postecoglou, who gave him his senior debut at Celtic, called him a “fantastic kid”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he is an ‘old fashioned winger’ who is ‘capable’ of playing on both flanks, and possess ‘elite technical abilities’.

Thus, it is indisputable that Doak is a massive talent who would improve Everton.

Whether they’d be able to do a deal with Liverpool to secure his services is another question entirely!

Moyes already has Everton's Doucoure replacement in future "top PL player"

With Abdoulaye Doucouré set to leave Everton after Sunday’s visit to Newcastle, does David Moyes already have a ready-made replacement?

ByBen Gray May 23, 2025

It promises to be an important and busy summer at Celtic.

Despite being on the brink of a sixth domestic treble in just nine seasons, progress in Europe remains Brendan Rodgers’ primary ambition, so he’ll want to bolster his squad, seeking to better Celtic’s run to the Champions League first knockout round this season.

Well, just to get into next term’s league phase, the Hoops will have to come through a play-off in August, which certainly will not be straightforward, given that their opponents are currently projected to be one of Crvena zvezda, Bodø/Glimt, København, Ferencváros or Dinamo Zagreb.

Thus, Rodgers will be eager to get Celtic’s summer business done as early and as expediently as possible. The need to replace Jota is an important matter.

The latest on Jota's injury

Earlier this month, Rodgers confirmed what every Celtic supporter had feared, revealing that Jota had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament at Tannadice against Dundee United, meaning he will be sidelined for “six to nine months”.

The Portuguese winger only returned to Glasgow as recently as January, rejoining from Stade Rennais for a reported fee of £8m, having been sold to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League for a club-record £25m a year and a half earlier.

Jota marked his return by scoring against Motherwell at Fir Park, on target five times in 16 appearances for the Celts since returning in total but, sadly, we will not see him on a pitch any time soon.

Thus, in need of a new wide attacker, could Celtic secure a very highly-rated winger?

The Jota replacement that Celtic must sign

Reports from Spain back in January suggested that Celtic were ‘considering’ a move to sign Real Valladolid winger Raúl Moro.

During the winter transfer window, Ajax technical director Alex Kroes went public with the Dutch giant’s interest in Moro, exclaiming “we are interested… yes”, adding that the 22-year-old “can play on both the left and right wings”.

Moro joined Valladolid permanently from Lazio, following a one-year loan spell, last summer for a reported fee of €2.5m (around £2.1m), but reports now believe he is valued at £8.5m.

Los Blanquivioletas though, are under pressure to sell, having been relegated from La Liga, collecting just 16 points all season, making Moro’s eye-catching performances all the more impressive.

Ryan McDonald of the Daily Record describes the Spaniard as a ‘rising star’ whose career has ‘exploded into life’ this season, while data analyst Berk Bekgöz believes he has been “one of the standout players in La Liga​​​​​​​” this year, praising his “speed, agility, and effective dribbling”.

​​​​​​​So, let’s assess how Moro and Jota compare.

Appearances

26

32

Minutes

1,144

2,256

Goals

6

5

Assists

3

6

Shots

21

44

Shots on target %

52.4%

36.4%

Progressive carries

17

103

Attempted take-ons

19

125

Take-on success %

36.8%

43.2%

Big chances created

3

8

As the table outlines, Moro’s statistics this season are almost universally more impressive, while taking into account he’s played over 1,100 minutes more, but this is surely offset by the fact that Valladolid are one of the worst teams in La Liga history.

The highly-rated youngster is surely not going to stick around for a campaign in the Segunda División, so will more than likely be on the move this summer and, while they face competition from other clubs, Celtic should do all they can to secure his services.

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ByDan Emery May 14, 2025

The 2024/25 season has seen a number of clubs break long-standing trophy droughts. February saw Newcastle United end decades of waiting for a major trophy as they took home the EFL Cup at the expense of would-be Premier League champions Liverpool.

Their 2-1 win over the Reds brought an end to the longest trophy drought of any 2024/25 Premier League club, with the Toon’s previous triumph coming in 1969 when they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the predecessor to the UEFA Cup and Europa League.

Three months later, Crystal Palace created history by securing their first major trophy in the FA Cup final after a 1-0 victory over Manchester City, who failed to win any major silverware in a season for the first time since 2016/17.

They join Premier League champions Liverpool as cup winners, with the Reds now having won a major trophy in five of the last seven seasons.

Meanwhile, Tottenham finally ended their wait for major silverware as they lifted the Europa League in May 2025, defeating Manchester United for their first trophy in 17 years.

Rank

Club

Last trophy

Year

Trophy drought

Southampton

FA Cup

1976

Wolves

League Cup

1980

Ipswich

UEFA Cup

1981

Nottingham Forest

League Cup

1990

Everton

FA Cup

1995

Aston Villa

League Cup

1996

Arsenal

FA Cup

2020

Leicester

FA Cup

2021

Chelsea

Club World Cup

2022

West Ham

Conference League

2023

Man City

Premier League

2024

Man Utd

FA Cup

2024

Newcastle

League Cup

2025

Liverpool

Premier League

2025

Crystal Palace

FA Cup

2025

Tottenham

Europa League

2025

Here, we take a deeper look at the longest trophy droughts among 2024/25 Premier League clubs. To qualify for this list, they must have won at least one major trophy, so no room for Community Shields or Intertoto Cups here.

16 Tottenham Hotspur 2024/25 Europa League winners

You can’t say we weren’t warned. Ange Postecoglou ALWAYS wins in his second season at a club – even Tottenham.

However, if their league form was anything to go by – Spurs went into their 2024/25 Europa League final in 17th place – you’d have thought there was no chance of the Lilywhites going all the way in Europe.

But after 17 years and several false dawns – particularly after the 2019 Champions League final defeat under Mauricio Pochettino – the Australian boss finally delivered a trophy to Spurs. Their long trophy drought is no more.

15 Crystal Palace 2024/25 FA Cup winners

Crystal Palace headed into the 2025 FA Cup final looking to win a major piece of silverware for the first time. It was their third FA Cup final since their first in 1990, and after successive defeats to Manchester United at the showpiece event, it was neighbours Manchester City who stood in their way this time around.

Despite being heavy underdogs, a brave, accomplished performance from Oliver Glasner’s side saw Eberechi Eze’s first-half strike prove to be the difference, with City culpable of fluffing huge chances, including a missed penalty from Omar Marmoush.

The result means Palace can join most of their Premier League rivals as trophy winners, and go for more glory next season in the 2025/26 Europa League.

14 Liverpool 2024/25 Premier League winners

While they haven’t officially got their hands on the trophy, Liverpool were confirmed as the new kings of England in April 2025 following a dominant campaign they never looked like slipping up in.

The previous few years have been incredibly kind to the Anfield faithful, winning a raft of honours under the leadership of Jürgen Klopp. A sixth European Cup was won in 2019 before the Reds finally ended a 30-year league title drought by claiming the Premier League.

Many felt Slot would have a difficult time of things during his maiden campaign on Merseyside, but the Dutchman has ushered the club into a new era easier than many anticipated.

13 Newcastle United 2024/25 EFL Cup winners

Eddie Howe truly earned his hero status on Tyneside by ending almost 60 years of hurt with victory in the 2025 EFL Cup final against Liverpool.

Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak handed glory to the Toon at Wembley, securing European football and potentially setting up a new era of challenging at the top end of the Premier League once again.

Now a force to be reckoned with, it would be a huge surprise if they take another 56 years to win another trophy.

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ByStephan Georgiou Feb 8, 2024 12 Manchester United 1 year (last trophy: 2023/24 FA Cup)

Manchester United may be going through their toughest period since Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in charge, but it hasn’t diminished their ability to win trophies.

The Premier League title has eluded the Red Devils since 2013, but the club have managed to win two League Cups, two FA Cups and a Europa League crown in the previous 11 years – but their defeat in the most recent Europa League final left them trophyless in 2024/25.

11 Manchester City 1 year (last trophy: 2023/24 Premier League)

Until their takeover by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, Manchester City had not won a major trophy since winning the League Cup during the 1975/76 season.

However, since 2008, the Etihad outfit have claimed eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, six League Cups and a coveted Champions League title in 2023 as part of a historic treble.

Pep Guardiola has transformed the side into a winning machine, and despite enduring a poor season by their high standards, City will always be in the hunt for silverware.

However, their 2024/25 campaign came to a disastrous conclusion when they failed to take home any major trophy, with defeat in the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace rather summing up their season.

It marks their first trophyless campaign since Guardiola’s first in 2016/17, when they finished third and only made the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Nobody expects their ‘drought’ to last long, though it does leave the team in an incredibly unfamiliar position.

10 West Ham United 2 years (last trophy: 2023 Conference League)

Due to West Ham United winning the Conference League in 2023, their ‘drought’ is only a single year. David Moyes had led his club to the semi-finals of the Europa League a year prior, but they went one step further in Europe’s third-tier competition.

Can Graham Potter lead them back onto the continental stage? Only time will tell.

9 Chelsea 3 years (last trophy: 2021 Club World Cup)

Chelsea’s two-year trophy drought must feel like a lifetime for the supporters, especially due to the problems they have endured on the pitch since the start of the 2022/23 season.

Their last trophy came in February 2022, with the Blues taking part in a pandemic-delayed edition of the Club World Cup following their 2021 Champions League triumph.

Chelsea are now on their fourth permanent manager since August 2022, but signs do look positive that Enzo Maresca will eventually get the club back in the winner’s circle.

Much will depend on whether he is given the time required to build his team into one that can return to the Champions League. If so, the Stamford Bridge side could prove to be challengers at the top once again.

8 Leicester City 4 years (last trophy: 2021 FA Cup)

Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League title triumph in 2016 was their first major trophy since winning the League Cup in 2000.

Indeed, with the money involved in the game these days, the likelihood of a club like the Foxes claiming the Premier League title is as unrealistic as ever.

Five years after this triumph, the club won the FA Cup courtesy of a 1-0 win over Chelsea, winning the competition for the first time in their history after losing four finals on the spin.

7 Arsenal 5 years (last trophy: 2020 FA Cup)

For all that Mikel Arteta has done since taking over Arsenal at the end of 2019, the FA Cup won in August 2020 remains his only trophy.

The Gunners have made strides in the top flight, finishing second in the previous two seasons – the first time they have managed back-to-back top-two finishes for 20 years.

Liverpool ran away with the title this season, but the club appear to be on the right trajectory having qualified for the Champions League once again and been one match away from the final in 2024/25.

And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to a bitterly disappointing end.

Mikel Arteta’s side started like a house on fire against Paris Saint-Germain last night, but two goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi were enough to dash their hopes of only a second Champions League final in the club’s history.

Bukayo Saka managed to pull one back late on, but it all proved too much for the visitors, and once again, they came up short when it really mattered and looked utterly bereft of ideas for much of the game.

While it wasn’t a terrible performance from the North Londoners, a few players let themselves down, like Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and another who has to be axed this summer.

Arsenal's poorest performers vs PSG

Like the team overall, Odegaard and Martinelli started the game relatively well last night, with the former forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into an incredible save down low to his left and the latter getting past his markers several times.

However, as the game progressed, both starters began to fade into the background, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claiming the captain put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half,” and the same could be said about the latter.

It might sound overly harsh, but we aren’t alone in this opinion, as Alex Turk of the Express was particularly scathing of the pair.

He awarded the Norwegian a 4/10 and the Brazilian a 3/10, writing that the former ‘goes missing in these crunch games far too often’ and the latter was both ‘invisible’ and ‘not near the level required.’

It’s a damming assessment of their performances, more than justified by some of their statistics, as, across his 95 minutes of action, the captain amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.22, while the former Ituano gem failed in 100% of his crosses and lost 50% of his ground duels.

However, while neither player looked anywhere near their best last night, there is still some clear upside in keeping them for next season, which cannot be said about another of the Gunners’ biggest disappointments from Pairs.

The Arsenal star who has to be axed

While William Saliba and even Mikel Merino looked off the pace last night, neither of them should be moved on in the summer, which cannot be said for Thomas Partey.

The former Atlético Madrid star was absent for the first leg of the tie due to a stupid incident off the ball against Real Madrid, but it would be hard to say he added much of anything to the team in the second leg, bar some rather underwhelming long throws.

For example, while he kept the ball moving fairly well in the first half, he slowly became more and more of a problem in possession, losing the ball at an increasing rate, including for Hakimi’s tie-ending goal late in the second half.

Chalkboard

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

Again, while it sounds harsh, we aren’t alone in being disappointed with Turk awarding him a paltry 3/10 match rating at full-time, while Catterson-Reid simply described his showing as “so so bad.”

Minutes

95′

Touches

61

Completed Passes

31

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Long Balls (Accurate)

4 (2)

Shots

0

Ground Duels (Won)

7 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

19

Dribbled Past

1

Unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old’s statistics more than back up the scathing reviews of his display, as, in 95 minutes of action, he made just 31 passes, misplaced two of three crosses and 50% of his long balls, failed to have a single shot, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball a staggering 19 times and was dribbled past once.

It was the sort of showing that makes talk of him being offered a new contract seem utterly ridiculous, as with him turning 32 in the summer, there is no reason to believe he’ll improve, let alone maintain his form into next season.

Ultimately, while the team clearly put in the effort at points last night, there were a few too many players who weren’t at the level, including Partey, who should be thanked for his service in the summer and sent on his way.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2025

Everton are planning to buy this summer, but David Moyes is already presented with something of a dilemma. Not only are 15 of his club’s senior stars out of contract in the coming months, but one of his Toffees linchpins is attracting interest from some high-profile suitors.

Jarrad Branthwaite is one of Everton’s most important players, but the 22-year-old is also an attractive option and may well be sold to deepen the transfer purse this summer.

Multiple additions are needed, after all.

The latest on Jarrad Branthwaite's Everton future

Branthwaite is a monstrous defender, still so young yet rocketing up to the top level on English shores.

He’s kept eight clean sheets in the Premier League this term, winning 72% of his ground battles and averaging an incredible 6.6 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

Caught Offside reported last month that Manchester United are looking to reignite their interest in the Three Lions defender and will test Everton’s resolve with a £50m offer. Chelsea are also keen.

He’s important, but Everton seem to be resigned to losing him at some stage, for the right price, of course.

Moyes and his team will hope to retain his services, but he’s not the only one, with a much older Toffees teammate actually proving himself to be indispensable in the fold, with a fresh contract being prepared.

Everton veteran is more important than Branthwaite

While Idrissa Gana Gueye is 35 years old, his tough-tackling, combative style in the middle of the park has been instrumental for Everton across two tenures this season.

Illustrating his influence, Gueye is part of the bloated ranks currently awaiting the end of their contract this summer, but Football Insider have recently reported that TFG have opened talks with the star over a new deal.

Gueye’s age has not detracted from the level of his performance, with such commanding displays vital for the success of Moyes’ system. The level of his displays does suggest that he’s becoming increasingly important, maybe even more so than Branthwaite.

Described as Everton’s “heartbeat” by Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds, Gueye might be getting on a bit but his performances have been nothing short of exemplary this season.

It’s not as if his athleticism has deserted him, having covered much ground and flown in with so many tackles for his team this season. More tackles, in fact, than any other player in the Premier League, just rubberstamping his importance to the cause.

1.

Idrissa Gueye

Everton

123

2.

Daniel Munoz

Palace

109

3.

Noussair Mazraoui

Man Utd

102

4.

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

100

5.

Joao Gomes

Wolves

99

With so much change mooted to be afoot this summer, it makes a whole lot of sense to renew the £120k-per-week veteran’s deal, having benefited greatly from his presence.

Gueye, indeed, has started every one of Everton’s Premier League matches since Moyes returned to the helm, providing monstrous support for Branthwaite and co while contributing offensively too, completing a dribble and a key pass every two matches, as per Sofascore.

The Senegalese midfielder has racked up three assists this season.

It’s clear that Gueye – who was described as a “monster” by former teammate Presnel Kimpembe – has more left in the tank, and it’s a good thing that efforts are being made to extend his deal for another year.

He earns a pretty penny but his value is too great to part with at this critical juncture.

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ByAngus Sinclair Apr 29, 2025

Wrexham are one of the most exciting clubs outside the Premier League as the League One side has plenty of ambition to surge up the English football pyramid.

Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became the owners of the club back in February 2021, and the club have been on the ascendancy ever since.

The 2022/23 season saw them win the National League to finally escape the division, 15 years after slipping out of the Football League.

Last term, Wrexham made it back-to-back promotions as they finished second in League Two to secure their place in the third tier of the pyramid for the first time since 2004/05.

The onus is now on them to achieve promotion to the second tier – though this is unlikely to be the final aim, especially with the money that Reynolds and McElhenney have injected into the club.

With just a few months left of the campaign, Wrexham will need to be at their very best to secure either a first or second-place finish, thus making the move into the Championship.

Birmingham City have now been confirmed as champions, and Wycombe Wanderers are their main rivals for the final automatic promotion spot.

Will promotion be achieved this year, or will they require another year in League One? Here, we analyse the latest results and fixtures along with delving into whether they can achieve promotion this season.

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ByStephan Georgiou May 7, 2024 How League One works

There are 24 clubs in League One, with all teams playing each other twice for a total of 46 league matches across the campaign.

This is the same number of games as in League Two and the Championship, should they get that far – but there are some notable differences between the bottom two divisions of the EFL.

In League One, there are only two automatic promotion spots, compared to the three on offer in the division below.

Teams who finish between 3rd and 6th will qualify for the play-offs. There are also four relegation spots compared to two in League Two.

Last season, sixth-placed Barnsley earned 76 points to qualify for the play-offs, while Portsmouth and Derby County – who were promoted automatically to the Championship – both accrued over 90 points during the 2023/24 season.

At the other end of the table, Burton Albion survived with 46 points, just two more than relegated Cheltenham Town.

Can Wrexham get promoted from League One?

Wrexham will be making history if they secure promotion to the Championship, as three successive promotions has never happened at this level of English football.

Due to their financial backing, Wrexham were tipped as one of the favourites to secure a third promotion in a row before the season started.

The club started rather well in the third tier, taking 10 points from their first four matches, which included a win over promotion rivals Wycombe.

Now in the thick of the run-in, just a point separates Wrexham from the Chairboys, with automatic promotion in the Welsh side’s hands with four games remaining.

Elsewhere, Wrexham suffered penalty shootout heartbreak in the EFL Trophy, with a late Peterborough United comeback denying the Red Dragons a place in Wembley’s final.

The season is now at the business end, and every point counts. It appears that Wrexham or Wycombe will take the final automatic promotion place, though Charlton Athletic – who have to play both clubs before the end of the campaign – could yet have a say.

There is no doubt that Wrexham have acquitted themselves well in the third tier. The question now is whether they can make one more step on their journey to the Premier League.

Wrexham fixtures, results and standings

Rank

Team

P

GD

PTS

Birmingham City

40

+44

Wrexham

42

+27

Wycombe Wanderers

42

+30

Stockport County

41

+24

Charlton Athletic

41

+19

Reading

41

+8

Bolton Wanderers

41

+4

Huddersfield Town

41

+13

Leyton Orient

41

+16

Blackpool

41

+10

Via BBC Sport (last updated 12th April, 3pm)

As it stands, the table suggests the fight for promotion could go down to the wire – with the final round of matches taking place on Saturday 3rd May.

Birmingham City secured promotion and were confirmed as champions following Wrexham’s goalless draw at Wigan, but the Red Dragons are still in control of their destiny heading into the last four games.

Despite dropping points, Wrexham remain a point ahead of Wycombe, who grabbed a late winner to defeat Stevenage and heap the pressure on Phil Parkinson’s side.

Their final four opponents are mostly mid-table outfits, with their clash on the penultimate weekend against Charlton the trickiest on paper, particularly with the in-form Addicks harbouring promotion hopes of their own.

Date

Competition

Opposition

H/A

Kick-off (GMT)

Fri 18th Apr

League One

Bristol Rovers

H

3pm

Mon 21st Apr

League One

Blackpool

A

3pm

Sat 26th Apr

League One

Charlton

H

5.30pm

Sat 3rd May

League One

Lincoln

A

3pm

Via BBC Sport

Overall, Wrexham have been in solid form, losing just one of their last 10 matches and keeping eight clean sheets in that run. But with Wycombe breathing down their necks, they may need to win all four of their remaining fixtures to secure promotion to the Championship.

However, they may be encouraged by the Chairboys’ fixture list, with all of their remaining opponents inside the top nine ahead of kick-off on Saturday.

Date

Competition

Opposition

Result

Sat 12th Apr

League One

Wigan

D 0-0

Sat 5th Apr

League One

Burton Albion

W 3-0

Tue 1st Apr

League One

Cambridge

D 2-2

Sat 29th Mar

League One

Exeter

W 2-0

Sat 22nd Mar

League One

Stockport

W 1-0

Via BBC Sport

With just four games to go, it is all about getting over the line for Wrexham. With a point advantage, four wins will be enough to secure Championship football for next season, though one slip-up could let Wycombe in, particularly as the Chairboys have a better goal difference as it stands.

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ByCharlie Smith Dec 30, 2024

Off the back of a 30-goal season in 2022/23 under Erik ten Hag, it would have appeared ridiculous to suggest that just under two years later, Manchester United’s academy sensation, Marcus Rashford, would be lining up for anyone other than the Red Devils.

As it is, the Englishman – who left the club on loan in February – is now part of an Aston Villa side chasing FA Cup and Champions League glory, with a top-five finish also in reach for Unai Emery’s high-flying side.

Three goals and four assists have come the 27-year-old’s way in just 13 games in his new temporary home, with Emery even opting to start his red-hot forward ahead of compatriot, Ollie Watkins for Wednesday’s first-leg clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

There may be those ruing Ruben Amorim’s decision to let Rashford depart, although it’s worth remembering that the 2022/23 campaign was merely an outlier in what had been a turbulent last few years for the £300k-per-week star back at Old Trafford.

2024/25*

24

7

3

2023/24

43

8

6

2022/23

56

30

11

2021/22

32

5

2

2020/21

57

21

18

With Rashford already outlining his desire for “a new challenge” back in December, this is surely the beginning of the end for his United journey. Now, INEOS need to acquire a suitable replacement.

Man Utd's search for a new forward

The name doing the rounds at present is that of Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with reports earlier this week suggesting that contact has already been made with the Brazilian’s agent, ahead of a potential summer swoop.

It would appear that the Red Devils are putting together a contingency plan in case they aren’t able to land the 25-year-old, however, with GIVEMESPORT outlining that Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is also under consideration.

As per the report, Amorim and co are on ‘red alert’ after assessing the data surrounding Mbeumo’s displays for the Bees this season, with there said to be ‘increasing confidence’ that the Cameroon international could reignite United’s misfiring forward line.

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The piece outlines that while it would take a sizeable offer to land the 25-year-old, believed to be in the region of £50m, the wing wizard could be up for grabs as he enters the final year of his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Capable of operating off the right flank or through the middle, the France-born sensation could represent the perfect addition to Amorim’s attacking ranks, ahead of next season.

How Mbeumo compares to Rashford & Elanga

Not only have United seen Rashford find form again away from the Theatre of Dreams, but another academy graduate – Anthony Elanga – has also dazzled since moving to Nottingham Forest on a £15m deal back in 2023, having notably scored the decisive goal in stunning fashion against his former club last week.

The Swedish speedster has racked up 29 goals and assists in 74 games since moving to the City Ground, albeit with Amorim seemingly refuting claims that it had been a mistake to sell the winger, after he was given a “chance” to impress back in Manchester.

Even so, there is a lingering frustration over the decision to cash in on the 22-year-old on the cheap, albeit with the signing of Mbeumo allowing those of a United persuasion to forget all about Elanga – and Rashford – due to his status as “one of the best players in the Premier League”, according to Sky Sports’ Dan Bardell.

Indeed, the former Troyes starlet – who joined Thomas Frank’s side in 2019 – has scored 16 goals and provided a further five assists in the top-flight in 2024/25 to date, coming close to bettering Rashford’s best ever tally of 17 league goals, which he achieved in 2019/20 and 2022/23.

Described as “unplayable” at times by the aforementioned Frank, Mbeumo has lit up the division in recent times, with the left-footer ending last term with 15 goals and assists to his name, despite being hampered by injury.

Goals

0.52

0.35

0.27

Assists

0.16

0.21

0.37

Progressive carries

3.33

2.55

3.61

Progressive passes

3.75

2.34

3.10

Pass completion

67.1%

73%

65%

Shot-creating actions

3.78

3.46

3.69

Successful take-ons

1.23

1.21

1.00

Tackles

1.10

0.92

0.78

Interceptions

0.42

0.35

0.23

Interestingly, too, the two most statistically similar forwards to the Brentford talisman in the league, as per FBref, are actually Rashford and Elanga, with Mbeumo possessing the searing pace of the latter, as well as the centre-forward instincts of the former – seemingly the perfect hybrid.

As indicated in the table above, it is the Bees man who comes on top across a string of attacking and defensive metrics in 2024/25, indicating that while he may possess the characteristics of his two Premier League counterparts, he would actually represent an upgrade as far as Amorim is concerned.

With 54 goals and assists in 129 top-flight games to date in English football, Mbeumo would represent the ready-made solution that United are desperately craving in the forward line.

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