All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season as Fulham secured all three points at Craven Cottage.

Two first-half goals put the Cottagers into an early lead, before Harvey Barnes gave the Magpies hope that a comeback could be on.

With just a minute left, Reiss Nelson scored Fulham’s third in what was another disappointing display from Eddie Howe’s side.

Several members of the starting XI were far from good enough to ensure Newcastle came away from London with all three points, including Kieran Trippier.

Kieran Trippier’s game in numbers vs Fulham

The right-back was making his second start – and first in the league – of the 2024/25 campaign, but his lack of match action clearly took its toll in what was a poor performance.

The Englishman failed to offer much going forward, making zero key passes, creating no big chances while not even completing a successful dribble attempt.

Assists

0

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Possession lost

7

Total duels (won)

6 (3)

Dribble attempts (successful)

0

Defensively, Trippier won just three of his six attempted duels, lost possession seven times and was dribbled past twice during his time on the pitch.

He looks a shadow of his former self and this display will have affected his confidence, no doubt about that, having withdrawn in the closing stages for young Tino Livramento.

Despite this showing, Anthony Gordon arguably delivered an even worse display, especially considering how good he has been of late.

Anthony Gordon's performance vs Fulham

The winger scored against Bournemouth a few weeks ago but has gone scoreless since for the Magpies.

Expected to cause the Fulham defence plenty of problems alongside Barnes on the opposite flank, it was the former Leicester City player who delivered the goods, as Gordon struggled to get into the game.

When on the ball, his passing was poor, completing just 16 of his 22 attempts, although he did make two key passes during the game. He did deliver four crosses into the opposition penalty area, but only two were accurate.

The 44-touch gem did look to take the Fulham defence on, attempting three dribbles, yet he managed to succeed just once, showing how poor he was in the final third.

Defensively, Gordon lost possession a staggering 16 times during the game, along with winning just four of his ten ground duels, as the Fulham players triumphed more often than not in their one-on-one battles with him.

The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder gave him a match rating of just 4/10, while stating that it was simply ‘not his day’ as he had ‘no joy on either flank’, before being replaced by summer signing William Osula late on.

Howe will be hoping this display, not only from Gordon, will be a one-off as they look to return to the European places by the end of the season.

Chalkboard

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

A clash against AFC Wimbledon in the third round of the EFL Cup presents an ideal chance for the Toon to bounce back.

They host Manchester City in the Premier League next Saturday. On today’s basis, they don’t stand a chance against the four-time defending champions.

Newcastle United chase £21m gem who outscored Erling Haaland at youth level

He could be a superstar of the future.

ByBen Browning Sep 20, 2024

Crystal Palace host Arne Slot’s Liverpool at Selhurst Park this afternoon looking to secure their first Premier League win of the 2024/25 campaign.

After an excellent end to last season, Oliver Glasner had huge expectations of leading the Eagles to a top-half finish this season, but up to now it’s not been plain sailing for the 50-year-old.

The first six games have seen three draws and three wins, with the latest outing seeing a 2-1 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park – in a frustrating afternoon for Palace.

Glasner’s side have only picked up two wins this season, both coming in the Carabao Cup against Norwich City and QPR, with today’s test providing another opportunity for the Eagles to secure their first league victory since May.

However, the Reds have only lost once this season, falling to a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest at Anfield, with Glasner’s side hoping to replicate the feat of Nuno Espírito Santo’s outfit this weekend.

If Palace are to cause an upset at Selhurst Park this afternoon, one player may need to make way after a string of below-par performances since his summer transfer.

Why Nketiah could be dropped against Liverpool

Striker Eddie Nketiah moved to Palace in a £30m deal from Arsenal during the summer transfer window, hoping to add further goals to the frontline alongside Jean-Philipe Mateta.

Despite starting all three Premier League games since his big-money transfer, the 25-year-old is yet to find the back of the net, with his only goal coming in the cup victory over QPR last month.

His latest outing against Everton also failed to impress, with Nketiah losing nine duels and committing three fouls during the defeat before subsequently being replaced with 20 minutes remaining in the contest.

Minutes played

73

Touches

33

Shots taken

2

Possession lost

3x

Duels lost

9

Fouls committed

3

Whilst his transfer fee shows the trust shown in him by Glasner to be a hit at Selhurst, he’s yet to demonstrate why the club forked out £30m for his services, potentially needing to be taken out of the starting eleven for him to recapture his best form.

As a result, he could be replaced by one player who’s yet to make a league start for the club after his own move during the offseason.

The man who could replace Nketiah against Liverpool

Ismaila Sarr swapped Marseille for London this summer, joining Palace in a £12.5m deal to add more firepower to Glasner’s attack.

Reinforcements were desperately needed after Michael Olise completed his own big-money transfer to European giants Bayern Munich, with Sarr one player the club decided to bring to plug the gap.

However, he’s yet to make a Premier League start for his new side, with the “top-class” talent, as described by journalist Rob Blanchette, often having to make an impact from the substitutes bench.

He’s previously impressed from such a position, coming on at the break against Manchester United, completing two dribbles, whilst winning four duels and winning two fouls, with his direct nature providing a different option in the final third.

Given the club’s recent poor form in the league, Sarr – who has 16 goals and assists in 55 Premier League games following his prior stint at Watford – deserves the opportunity to showcase his talent and potentially end the long wait for a first top-flight victory this season.

His pace and direct dribbling could cause problems for Slot’s backline, with the Senegalese international previously starring for the Hornets against the Reds – ending their 18-game winning run back in February 2020.

Hopefully, he can inflict more pain on the Merseysiders this time around.

Crystal Palace wanted to sign £15m PL flop but ended up with Mateta

Palace nearly ended up with PL flop, but got Mateta instead

ByConnor Holden Oct 3, 2024

Chelsea are keeping a close eye on a bargain deal as they look to bolster their backline under Enzo Maresca, it has been reported, with a long-term target potentially available on the cheap due to his contract situation.

Chelsea's unbeaten run ends

A 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield ended Chelsea’s early season unbeaten run, which had stretched from their inconsequential loss to Servette all the way to Sunday. A penalty from Mohamed Salah and a goal from eventual man of the match Curtis Jones were enough to secure all three points for early Premier League leaders Liverpool, despite another goal in Chelsea colours from Nicolas Jackson.

It is a result that leaves Chelsea fifth in the Premier League, three points outside the top four ahead of what looks to be a tricky run of fixtures for Maresca’s side.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League games

Newcastle United (H)

Manchester United (A)

Arsenal (H)

Leicester City (A)

Aston Villa (H)

Though they are freescoring in attack, there remain question marks about the Blues’ defence. Tosin Adarabioyo, signed for free over the summer, was drafted into the starting XI thanks to Wesley Fofana’s suspension, but endured a torrid evening and was substituted in the second half.

His replacement, Benoit Badiashile, did little to inspire confidence that he would be the man to keep that spot long term, and there is a lack of a truly world-class defender at Stamford Bridge in the wake of Thiago Silva’s departure, though Levi Colwill is showing plenty of promise.

With the attack well-stocked, attention in the market could now turn to addressing the other end, and the Blues are reportedly keeping a close eye on one of their long-term targets.

Chelsea eyeing "spectacular" defender

That comes as a report from Caught Offside claims that Chelsea and Maresca are keeping tabs on the situation of Ronald Araujo at Barcelona, with the Uruguayan yet to pen fresh terms at the Camp Nou. As it stands, the defenders £112k-per-week deal comes to an end in 2026, meaning that next summer would be the last chance for Barcelona to sell for any sort of significant fee should they not agree a renewal.

Due to this, it is claimed that the Blues “could be prepared to make a move for the 25-year-old if there’s no progress over contract talks in the next few months”, with the west London side having held a long-term interest in his signature.

Araujo would certainly provide extra quality to Chelsea’s backline, with the Barcelona man having been named by Vinicius Jr as the hardest defender he has ever played against, and the Uruguayan regularly coming out on top against the Real Madrid man.

Chelsea could sell Mudryk by unleashing their "future Ballon d'Or winner"

Mudryk was not included in the squad for Chelsea’s clash with Liverpool.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 21, 2024

He was heralded as a “spectacular” defender by former boss Xavi Hernandez after playing through one game with an injury back in 2023.

“Araujo has been spectacular,” said the then Blaugrana coach. “I’ve asked him because we needed him. “His match was extraordinary.”

While a new contract still seems the most likely outcome for Araujo at Barcelona, Barcelona’s recent history makes that far from a certainty given their recent financial struggles. Should they opt to cash in, it seems that Chelsea will be more than willing to snap him up.

Juventus have reportedly adjusted their sights to focus on another Everton ace having decided against chasing the signature of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the January transfer window.

Everton transfer news

Three games without defeat in the Premier League and new owners on the way, it’s fair to say that things are looking up for Everton. The Toffees will now be desperate to continue that form after the international break when they square off against Ipswich Town in a must-win early relegation six-pointer.

Everton wasted time on Rafa flop who earned more than Branthwaite & McNeil

Everton wasted lots of money on his Rafa Benitez flop.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 16, 2024

Secure all three points against Kieran McKenna’s side and any concerns that those in Merseyside are destined for a place in the Championship will become significantly eased, with Sean Dyche’s side instead on their way towards the comforts of mid-table. Suffer defeat, meanwhile, and their recent progress will come to an undeniable halt and rumours over Dyche’s job security will only increase.

Ever since the pending takeover of the Friedkin Group, the former Burnley boss has seemingly been a man under pressure amid reports that the new owners have turned their attention towards the likes of Maurizio Sarri and even Jose Mourinho. But Dyche may not be the only one heading for the exit door.

As per recent reports, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be on his way out of Goodison Park, with his contract set to expire next summer, but that exit is now unlikely to come courtesy of one European giant.

According to GiveMeSport, Juventus have now ditched their interest in Calvert-Lewin in favour of signing Beto from Everton as early as the January transfer window. The forward only arrived in Merseyside in the summer of 2023, but has failed to make his mark ever since and may now be heading for the exit door in a shock move to one of Italy’s biggest clubs. Falling upwards, Beto’s exit would suit all parties at this stage.

Everton should show Beto the door

Having started none of Everton’s first seven games, if any player needs a move away from Goodison Park it is Beto. The former Udinese striker has simply never looked like taking the reigns from Calvert-Lewin to lead Dyche’s frontline, with just six goals in 43 appearances representing a transfer flop rather than star signing.

Amid such struggles, Juventus’ reported interest has certainly come as a surprise. It must be said that if Beto does manage to seal a move to the Serie A giants after failing to steal the headlines at Everton, it should be seen as his best possible move and one that would see the 26-year-old defy the odds to fail upwards.

The rumours also create further question marks over Calvert-Lewin’s future. The Everton academy graduate, compared to Beto, has the quality to make such a move, yet those in Italy seemingly prefer his deputy rather than signing Dyche’s main man himself.

Whether that twist keeps Calvert-Lewin at Everton remains to be seen, however, as his current contract continues to tick down and the rumours surrounding his future persist ahead of 2025.

Sunderland have been handed an update on their chances of signing Wilson Isidor to a permanent deal next summer, and it could depend on whether they earn promotion from the Championship.

Latest Sunderland news

Regis Le Bris couldn’t have asked for a much better start to life as Black Cats manager, guiding his side to the top of the table heading into November. Not only that, but Sunderland are five points clear at the summit, having played some superb football along the way, getting the best out of exciting young midfield pair Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham.

That’s not to say that new signings aren’t still being eyed up at the Stadium of Light, however, with captain Dan Neil making some intriguing comments about a potential Jordan Henderson reunion recently.

On the flip side, the emergence of Rigg as arguably one of the most exciting teenagers in the country has understandably seen him linked with a number of top Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea.

Key update on Sunderland signing Isidor in 2025

According to a new report from The Sunderland Echo, Wilson Isidor is likely to seal a permanent move to Sunderland in 2025, should the Black Cats seal promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.

The update states that “a fee has been agreed” between the Championship side and Zenit St Petersburg, “but whether it is automatically triggered depends on the team’s performance this season”. Should Le Bris’ side go up, it will be triggered straight away, allowing the 24-year-old to remain at the club for good.

This should act as one of many reasons why Sunderland should be so focused on returning to the Premier League, considering Isidor has made a positive impact since arriving on loan during the summer, scoring four goals in six league starts.

He has spoken of his happiness at the club, which can only bode well moving forward: “I love to be here. I give everything for the shirt.

“It’s not only our name we wear on the shirt, it’s a lot history, one city, one club – you want to give everything every time. I think the coach found the perfect thing with every player, they know what they have to do on the pitch and it’s a nice feeling. Our group is special, it’s a very special group – everybody knows what we want and we work every day. It’s really good, I’ve never taken so much pleasure from [working with] a group and a coach also.”

Signing Isidor permanently feels like a no-brainer for Sunderland, should promotion happen, but even if that isn’t the case, they should still be looking to acquire his signature permanently.

Dan Neil makes Jordan Henderson claim ahead of possible Sunderland reunion

He has had “contact” with the former Black Cats hero.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 28, 2024

The French attacker is still a relatively young footballer, so he should only improve moving forward, meaning he could be a mainstay of Le Bris’ attack for years to come.

Arsenal may be going through a bad patch, but in the grand scheme of things, they are still a team transformed.

Just a few years ago, the North Londoners weren’t even in the Champions League, and a top-four finish in the Premier League looked entirely beyond them, but Mikel Arteta was given time and now a season is considered a failure if his team don’t win the whole thing.

However, this turnaround isn’t entirely down to the Spaniard either, as the club’s recruitment, led by Edu Gaspar, has been seriously impressive over the last few years, so news of his departure earlier this week came as a real shock.

It’s too early to say how the Gunners will cope without the Brazilian overseeing their transfer dealings, but for every good decision he made on the market, there were a fair few questionable ones, including the sale of a particular player in 2023 who just pocketed summer target Benjamin Sesko in the Champions League.

Arsenal's 2023 departures

Last summer saw a number of players leave the Emirates in search of more game time or new challenges elsewhere, so before we get to the player in question, let’s go over a couple of other sales in that window, starting with Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss international joined Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal for £35m back in May 2016, and to say he enjoyed an eventful stay in the capital would be a colossal understatement.

The former Borussia Mönchengladbach star was one of the leading figures at the club during the difficult transition from Wenger to Unai Emery, and it was under the management of the latter that he famously threw his shirt and captain’s armband to the ground in a game against Crystal Palace.

It looked for all intents and purposes that his Arsenal career was over at that point, but upon his appointment, Arteta convinced him to stay.

Over the next few years, his performances dramatically improved, to the point that fans sang his name in the season before his £21m departure to Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the Bundesliga undefeated last year.

Another big exit last summer, from a financial perspective at least, was Folarin Balogun, who, after an impressive loan stint with Stade Reims where he produced 25 goals and assists in 39 games, joined AS Monaco for a hefty fee of £34m.

The American international hasn’t been as successful as Xhaka since his move, but he’s not been bad either, and at the moment, he has a respectable record of 11 goals and eight assists in 40 appearances for Les Monégasques.

However, while the two players above went for sizable fees, the player in question, who starred against RB Leipzig this week, did not.

The Arsenal flop sold in 2023

Now, while there are a couple of players sold by Arsenal in 2023 who could arguably be classed as flops, such as Rob Holding, Matt Turner and Pablo Mari, the one we are talking about made even less of an impact on the team than they did: Auston Trusty.

Yes, the misjudged Edu signing in question is the twice-capped American centre-back, who joined the club in January 2021 from Stan Kroenke’s MLS side Colorado Rapids, for a fee of $1.8m – £1.4m – per Transfermarkt.

The 26-year-old would join up with the Gunners that summer but was immediately loaned out to Birmingham City for the 22/23 season, where he made 48 appearances.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

He was then moved on again the following summer, only this time in a permanent £5m move to newly promoted Sheffield United, having never made a competitive appearance for Arteta’s side.

Unfortunately, the former Philadelphia Union star couldn’t stop the Blades from going straight back down to the Championship.

However, instead of going down with them, he was once again on the move in the summer, joining Scottish giants Celtic in a £6m deal.

Since moving to the green side of Glasgow, the 6 foot 3 wall has been in impressive form.

He’s made 11 appearances across all competitions, including four in the Champions League, where he put in a stellar performance against Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

The Media-born defender was given the tough task of marshalling Slovenian marksman Sesko, who already has seven goals and three assists to his name this season, and he did so with aplomb.

In fact, Graham Falk of the Scotsman awarded the centre-back an 8/10 on the night, and it’s not hard to see why, as across his 95 minutes of action, he took 111 touches, maintained a passing accuracy of 97%, made three tackles, won 100% of his aerial duels and made the up-and-coming striker look incredibly mediocre.

Philadelphia Union

62

2

0

Colorado Rapids

61

1

1

Birmingham City

48

4

2

Sheffield United

37

1

0

Celtic

11

0

0

Total

219

8

3

Ultimately, it looked like Arsenal had done well to get a £5m fee for Trusty at the time, but given how well he is playing today, we can’t help wondering if Edu and Co were a bit too eager to sell the American defender when they did.

Not just Merino: 4/10 Arsenal ace is playing himself out of the team

The talented international has been poor for some time now.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2024

After two years of seriously impressive performances, there was a general expectation that Arsenal would be just as good, if not better, this year.

Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta and Co, that has simply not been the case, as a concoction of injuries, foolish suspensions, and subpar displays has seen the team fall to fourth in the Premier League, nine points off leaders Liverpool.

Now, it’s not been all bad, as there have been some impressive results, and a handful of players are doing their best to turn things around, but overall, it’s been a disappointing start to the campaign for the North Londoners.

Chelsea

1-1 (D)

Newcastle (A)

1-0 (L)

Liverpool (H)

2-2 (D)

Bournemouth (A)

2-0 (L)

Southampton (H)

3-1 (W)

Moreover, it’s been particularly worrying for one of the Gunners’ best-paid attackers, who’s gone from a guaranteed starter to someone who has to be sold.

Arsenal's middling attack

Okay, so before we get to the player in question, let’s examine Arsenal’s most dangerous players this season, starting with one who can keep his head held high: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon hasn’t necessarily been at his very best this year, but even then, he’s scored four goals and provided seven assists in 15 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, and, unsurprisingly, has been the club’s most effective attacker.

Just behind him is last summer’s £65m man, Kai Havertz, who has also not been at his very best this season but has nonetheless looked better than most of his teammates, as in his 17 appearances, he’s found the back of the net on seven occasions and provided one assist for good measure.

The final attacker, who it could be argued is starting to have a good season so far, is Gabriel Martinelli, who, after a slow start to the campaign, now has a semi-respectable haul of three goals and three assists to his name in 17 appearances.

Unfortunately for Arteta, the only other players in the squad to have amassed three goal involvements this season are Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Declan Rice, which, for a team aiming to win the Premier League or Champions League, is more than a little worrying.

1

Saka

15

4

7

2

Havertz

17

7

1

3

Martinelli

17

3

3

4

Nwaneri

8

3

0

=

Trossard

15

2

1

=

Rice

14

1

2

Moreover, the eagle-eyed of you will notice a certain forward is entirely absent from the Gunners’ most dangerous players this year, a forward who should finally be moved on in 2025.

The Arsenal star who must be sold

So, it’s probably quite apparent by this point that the forward in question is, of course, Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal spent £45m to secure his services from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, and at the time, it wasn’t the fans who were delighted with the deal, as Arteta told the press that he was “very excited” about the Brazilian’s arrival, and based on how he started that season it was easy to understand why.

For example, in the 16 Premier League games before the Qatar World Cup, the Sao Paulo-born dynamo scored five goals and provided five assists, meaning he was averaging a goal involvement every 1.6 games in the league.

Unfortunately, he suffered a severe knee injury at the World Cup and was out of action until mid-March, and while he still managed to score six goals and provide one assist in his final 12 league games that season, he looked notably slower and understandably less sharp.

There was a general hope among the fanbase that, with a summer to rest, he’d be back to his electric self the following season, but that wasn’t the case.

By February, he had lost his place in the team to Havertz, and due to the German’s incredible form towards the backend of the campaign, he’s not regained it this year.

Moreover, while the 27-year-old was still able to produce 16 goal involvements in his 36 appearances last season, he’s taken another massive step back this year and, as things stand, has scored just one goal and provided one assist in 15 appearances.

It’s a sad situation, and for another side, he might be given another chance to earn his place in the team again, but as Arsenal continue to fight for significant honours, they cannot afford any passengers.

This is especially true in Jesus’ case, as he’s currently the second-highest earner in the squad, on a whopping £265k-per-week, which is becoming increasingly difficult to justify with every dismal display. Therefore, while it could be construed as harsh by some, Arteta and the club must cut their losses and sell the former City star as soon as possible.

Wonderkid: Arsenal could sign their own Yamal in £96m "dribbling monster"

The sensational youngster would be an excellent addition to Arsenal’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 20, 2024

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are interested in re-signing a “powerful” £15 million player after the return of Ilkay Gundogan over the summer.

The Blues winless run in all competitions continued over the weekend, as they were demolished 4-0 by Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad, a result that now leaves them eight points behind leaders Liverpool.

As well as Akanji: Pep must now drop 3/10 Man City star

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola must make some tough selection decisions this evening.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2024 Man City transfer rumours

These five defeats in a row may have alerted Guardiola to what areas of his team need strengthening, as their bid to retain the Premier League title looks to be getting weaker and weaker as the weeks go on.

January is always a hard time to do transfer business, but City appear to have their eyes on one or two players ahead of it opening. It has been claimed that City are preparing to make an approach to sign Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace in January. Wharton hasn’t been at Selhurst Park for long, but he has already worked his way into the England set-up, and now the Blues are ready to test their resolve by making a move in January, as he’s seen as a long-term replacement for Rodri.

As well as holding an interest in Wharton, Man City are also eyeing a move for Maximillian Araujo from Sporting Lisbon. Araujo has become a top-performing player after Ruben Amorim’s management, and now City are keeping a close eye on him ahead of potentially making a move. Guardiola isn’t stopping there, as the Blues are also keeping an eye on a player who they know very well.

Man City and Pep plotting move to re-sign Liam Delap

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are plotting a move to sign Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap after he only departed the club in the summer. The 21-year-old came through the academy at Derby County but was snapped up by the Blues in 2019, and he went on to play for their under-18s and under-21s, as well as making six appearances in the first team.

Delap, who joined Ipswich for an initial £15 million in the summer, had a few loan spells away from City while at the club, and his performances at Hull City obviously left Kieran McKenna impressed, as he brought the striker to Portman Road.

The forward, who has been described as “powerful” by Ben Futcher, has settled into life at Ipswich and in the Premier League very well, and now this report states that Man City are weighing up their options of bringing the player back to the club.

Apps

13

Goals

6

Assists

1

Delap signed a five-year contract when he joined Ipswich, and as part of the deal that saw him leave City, they reportedly inserted a buy-back clause in the deal. They also have a sell-on clause, which means they can benefit from him leaving Ipswich and joining another club.

It is unclear how much the buy-back clause could be worth, but if true, it gives City an opportunity to bring Delap back to them months after Gundogan sealed his return to Manchester.

The October and November periods have seen choppy waters engulf the Emirates Stadium. Some might say that water was required after the fire that started but Arsenal have finally eradicated the flames and they are back on track.

There is no secret that the Gunners appear to have blown things this season. Yes, their fixture run has been tough but truth be told, they’ve also not helped themselves.

Mikel Arteta might like to blame some injuries, and he might also like to blame some of the officiating – we’re looking at those Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard red cards – but once all is said and done in May, they will likely look back at this period and rue what might have been.

Defeats to Newcastle and Bournemouth have been seismic and before Liverpool face Southampton on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal sit six points behind the league leaders.

It’s typical really, isn’t it? Manchester City have finally slipped away from their extraordinary standards and their biggest challengers of the last two years are still behind them.

Thankfully, the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday has stopped Arsenal’s own slump and they can now finally focus on a potential winning run.

Highest pass accuracy

Saliba (98%)

Highest defensive actions

Murillo (10)

Most interceptions

Dominguez (3)

Most tackles

Partey (4)

Most key passes

Odegaard (6)

Ground duels won

Merino & Trossard (6)

Aerial duels

Awoniyi & Gabriel (3)

Highest xG

Saka (0.29)

Most successful dribbles

Odegaard (3)

There were a whole host of strong performers this weekend but let us praise Ethan Nwaneri, a teenager who’s evoking Cesc Fabregas in north London.

Ethan Nwaneri's dazzling cameo vs Forest

What a performance this was. Still, should we be surprised? 17-year-old Nwaneri has been nothing short of exceptional since being given more first-team minutes this term. In fact, he probably should have played more than he has with Martin Odegaard missing around two months of action through injury.

That said, we’ve still seen some exceptional performances from the Hale End graduate. He has scored four goals already this term, finding the net twice against Bolton and once against Preston in the Carabao Cup.

His goal against Forest yesterday, though, felt more important. It was the landmark moment of this young boy’s career so far. He has been waiting for an opportunity in the Premier League and although this outing was only fleeting, he more than made his mark.

The tone was set within moments of the teenager coming on. He danced past stocky Brazilian defender Murillo with a dazzling step-over before bending a shot just wide of the far post.

He wasn’t going to miss his next chance though. Thomas Partey took a quick free-kick and laid it into the path of Nwaneri who burst forward. His next action was to play in fellow substitute Raheem Sterling down the right channel. Sterling cut it back and the youngster was ready and waiting to fire past Mats Selz at his near post.

By scoring, he became the ninth youngest scorer in Premier League history and Arsenal’s second-youngest goalscorer behind Fabregas.

1. James Vaughan

16 years, 270 days

2. James Milner

16 years, 356 days

3. Wayne Rooney

16 years, 360 days

4. Cesc Fabregas

17 years, 113 days

5. Michael Owen

17 years, 143 days

6. Andy Turner

17 years, 166 days

7. Federico Macheda

17 years, 226 days

8. Lewis Miley

17 years, 229 days

9. Ethan Nwaneri

17 years, 247 days

10. Daniel Jebbison

17 years, 309 days

Still, he’s perhaps not the only one living up to Fabregas’ performance in N5.

Chalkboard

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

Arsenal's next Fabregas

Nwaneri deserves the plaudits, of course he does, but there were two other key performers at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

The first was Odegaard who reminded us all of why he’s so important to this team. He supplied six key passes – the most in the game – with one of those proving to be decisive, the action that supplied Bukayo Saka’s opener.

Unsurprisingly, it is Saka who has been Arsenal’s star boy this term and his performances are certainly evoking Fabregas’ play.

The Englishman is more explosive than the Spaniard, he’s got more pace, he’s got more swagger to his play. But, they are both creative marvels.

Although the former Barcelona man left London behind in controversial circumstances, heading back to his boyhood club, he should still be remembered as one of the finest players from the Emirates era.

He registered an impressive haul of 95 assists in 303 Arsenal games. Ten of those came during the 2008/09 league campaign and another 15 fell in the 2009/10 league season. To sum things up succinctly, he was an assist machine.

Well, as it happens, Saka has become rather good in that department too. Against Forest, he registered another assist, acting as the supply line for Thomas Partey’s goal.

242

303

63

57

58

95

Every 3.8 games

Every 5.3 games

Every 4.1 games

Every 3.1 games

Every 2 games

Every 1.99 games

That moved the 23-year-old to eight assists in 11 Premier League matches this season, and put him on 58 assists in 242 appearances. It ensured he surpassed Arteta’s tally of assists while his goal – Saka’s 51st top-flight strike – saw him move one clear of Fabregas’ own English top-flight goal tally.

It’s not just that goal-scoring nature they share but the levels of creativity we’re seeing from the England international is staggering.

No player has more assists in the Premier League this term, no player has created more key passes per 90 minutes (2.9), and only one player, Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski (33) has created more chances as a whole than Saka (32).

He’s a special talent and if the creativity wasn’t enough comparison, then the fact they’re two of the best young players to grace the club should be enough for you.

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Growing more and more desperate for defensive reinforcements amid continued injury setbacks, Manchester City are now reportedly entertaining the possibility of signing one particular addition as soon as the January transfer window.

Man City transfer news

Even after returning to winning ways for the first time in seven games last time out, Man City didn’t escape their battle against Nottingham Forest unscathed, with Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji suffering ill-timed injuries. With Pep Guardiola short on options once again just when he managed to turn a corner with the 3-0 victory, the Spaniard will be desperately awaiting the January transfer window.

On that front, the rumours are already coming thick and fast. The likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Viktor Gyokeres have recently stolen plenty of headlines regarding potential moves to the Etihad Stadium in 2025 in two deals that would go a long way to returning City to the summit of English football.

They’re not the only names to have been mentioned, however. According to GiveMeSport, Manchester City are now entertaining the possibility of signing Juma Bah as soon as January. The central defender is currently on loan at Real Valladolid from AIK Freetong, but the Citizens could attempt to cut that spell short to boost their defensive options in the winter window.

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Still just 18 years old, Bah would likely be seen as someone who can add depth rather than the solution to City’s defensive problems. At such a young age, the teenager would be a wise investment given Guardiola’s proven success when developing the next top stars. So whilst Bah would be entering quite the storm at the Etihad, the calm that follows could potentially result in an impressive rise.

"Promising" Bah is one for the future

With the likes of Kyle Walker and John Stones part of an ageing backline, the addition of a future star in the form of Bah would represent the type of transfer genius that we’ve become familiar with from Manchester City. The Citizens could instantly ease their future concerns by welcoming the teenage sensation, who was described as “promising” by EuroFoot after an impressive display for Valladolid.

If the Premier League champions are to make their move in the January transfer window, it will be interesting to see just how much of a part Bah plays. The last thing that City should do is disrupt his development and leave him confined to the reserves, and if that is to be the case, they should allow the defender to at least complete the season at Valladolid and continue to steal the headlines.