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Manchester United return to domestic action this week as they face Everton at Goodison Park in the Premier League.

With seven league wins from 12 matches, it’s evident that Erik ten Hag’s men haven’t endured the best of starts to the season, yet with a win over the Toffees, it could perhaps be the catalyst which gives their campaign a boost.

The Merseyside club were recently docked ten points – the biggest punishment ever for a Premier League side – due to breaching financial rules and it sends the club to second bottom in the table, two points from safety.

This could allow Ten Hag’s side to pile further misery on Everton and claim a crucial three points. With ties against Newcastle United, Liverpool and Chelsea all coming up before Christmas, the Dutchman is going to need all the points he can get.

If United can get through this tough patch unscathed, then the former Ajax boss could turn to the January transfer window in order to strengthen his side for the second half of the campaign.

Man United transfer latest

The 53-year-old may be looking to move a couple of players on during January to free up some funds for incoming arrivals.

Casemiro has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the last couple of weeks, and he could bring United a decent fee, especially as he has two and a half years left on his current contract.

Raphael Varane is another name linked with a potential exit, as the central defender is also attracting interest from the Middle East and the fees that these clubs are paying may tempt Ten Hag to cash in on them, especially as they aren’t going to get any better.

Being able to move these players on could recoup some funds for January signings and, according to reports in Spain, United are looking to make a bid for AC Milan midfielder Charles De Ketelaere, who is currently on loan at Atalanta.

Arsenal are also keeping tabs on the Belgian ahead of a potential move in the coming months, and it means Ten Hag faces some competition for his signature.

While a transfer fee hasn’t been mentioned despite their interest, the 22-year-old is currently valued at around €29.5m (£26m) according to Football Transfers.

Given that he has impressed so far in Serie A this term, AC Milan could demand a fee north of this valuation, but it could be a wise investment by the club.

They signed Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta in the summer and while he hasn’t quite hit the ground running as many expected, there is no doubting his limitless potential.

De Ketelaere could become Hojlund 2.0 for Man United if he made the move to the Premier League and forged himself as one of the finest midfielders in the country after a few years.

Rasmus Hojlund’s statistics this term

Since joining from Serie A in the summer, the Dane has yet to score a Premier League goal, yet there is no doubting his persistence.

Indeed, he has missed eight big chances so far in the league and with a little bit more luck, he would have scored a couple by now.

His performances in the Champions League, however, have been wonderful, and he has taken to the competition rather well.

Across just four matches for the Old Trafford side, Hojlund has scored five goals while he ranks first in the squad for shots on target per game (1.5) along with ranking fifth for key passes made, and it's clear that once he gets his first league goal, a barrel load will follow.

The youngster was among one of the highly-rated strikers in European football prior to his move to Manchester and, despite some early woes, the more he plays and develops, the better he is going to turn out.

De Ketelaere can follow in his footsteps from Italy, particularly after returning to prominence for Atalanta this term.

Charles De Ketelaere’s career statistics

The Belgian made his breakthrough with Club Brugge, making his debut with the club during the 2019/20 season.

Following a stunning campaign just two years later where he scored 14 goals and grabbed seven assists in just 33 league matches, Serie A giants AC Milan secured his signature for £30m, and on the surface, it looked as though they had signed one of the next big midfielders to emerge in the continental game.

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

2

Accurate passes per game

9

15.8

Key passes per game

0.6

1.1

Big chances created

4

2

Stats via Sofascore

It proved to be a tough debut season in Italy for the youngster, as he registered just one assist across 40 matches, and he played for a total of just 1500 minutes throughout his maiden campaign.

Previously hailed as "prolific” and “creative” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, De Ketelaere struggled to demonstrate either quality at Milan, and he was loaned to Atalanta – coincidentally Hojlund's former employers – for the duration of the 2023/24 season.

It has since turned out to be the best move for his development, as the midfielder has returned to the type of form which saw him secure a move to Italy in the first place.

Across the squad in the league this term, the Belgian currently ranks fifth for big chances created (two), along with ranking fourth for key passes per game (1.1) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.5), certainly suggesting that his creative ability has been on show.

Not only is he running the show from the midfield area, but the 22-year-old is also returning to his attacking best, chipping in with two goals and two assists across 14 matches this season.

Ten Hag could use a talent like him in the United midfield, as they have struggled to control matches this season, while only three midfielders have scored over three goals this season so far, and adding in a player like De Ketelaere could bolster this statistic.

Potentially signing a player with success at Atalanta again could well be a repeat of the successful Hojlund deal, with the midfielder looking to be a shrewd piece of business indeed.

Few sports can compete with football on a pure entertainment level, whether that's thanks to the world-class players that dazzle fans on a weekly basis, the masterful managers constantly redefining the game or the intense rivalries that can be found across the country.

Sometimes, there doesn't even need to be a rivalry between two teams for their matches to deliver thrilling encounters, and a great example is the games between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

These two sides have produced some brilliant spectacles in the past, and with their upcoming contest in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of the ten best games between the two sides.

10 Spurs keep title hopes alive with first win at the Etihad in six years

Premier League, 2016, City 1-2 Spurs

Kelechi Iheanacho 74'

Harry Kane 53' Penalty

Christian Eriksen 83'

Right, so a lot of the games on this list will be in seasons in which City were fighting it out for the Premier League title, but in our first entry, it is Tottenham who came into a game with their sights firmly set on the biggest prize in England.

The Lilywhites knew that they would move within two points of first place Leicester City should they win their first game at the Etihad in over six years, which is precisely what they did, thanks to a mistake from City great Yaya Toure.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 53rd minute thanks to a Harry Kane penalty, but they would be pegged back just 21 minutes later thanks to a goal from Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

However, in the 83rd minute, Toure lost the ball to Erik Lamela in midfield, who passed it to Christian Eriksen, with the Dane finishing calmly past Joe Hart in goal.

The north Londoners may have eventually finished third behind Arsenal and the Foxes, but this result felt seismic at the time.

9 Kane breaks longstanding record and dents City's title hopes

Premier League, 2023, Spurs 1-0 City

Harry Kane 15'

The game between Spurs and City in February 2023 was an odd one for a couple of reasons. First, it had come just two weeks after the reverse fixture – we'll get onto that game later – and second, there were just as many Arsenal fans cheering on the Lilywhites as Tottenham fans.

The reason why their north London rivals were hoping they would win was that the Gunners had just lost to Everton and were in an incredibly tense title race with Pep Guardiola's City, meaning that any points the men in blue dropped – even against Spurs – were cheered by Arsenal fans.

That said, the Lilywhites had their own objectives to worry about, so they treated the game as if it were any other, and rightly so.

The most significant thing to come out of the game was Harry Kane's goal in the 15th minute, as it made him the outright all-time top goalscorer in the club's history, overtaking the late great Jimmy Greaves.

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Spurs' win was made all the more impressive as they had to spend the last ten minutes with just ten men on the pitch following a red card to Christian Romero – what a surprise.

8 Spurs put four past City for the first time in over half a century

Premier League, 2015, Spurs 4-1 City

Eric Dier 45'

Kevin De Bruyne 25'

Toby Alderweireld 50'

Harry Kane 61'

Érik Lamela 79'

While City had racked up some pretty hefty wins over their north London opponents in the last decade or so, it would take roughly 52 years for Spurs to rack up four or more goals against their northern opponents in a league game following their 4-2 Division One win in 1962.

That game came in the 2015/16 season – City's final season before Pep took the reigns – and signalled the start of Tottenham's title challenge.

The visitors actually opened the scoring through Kevin De Bruyne in the 25th minute, but a young Eric Dier rifled in the equaliser on the cusp of halftime.

The second half was all Spurs, and goals from Toby Alderweireld, Harry Kane and Erik Lamela sealed the deal for the home side and gave them a memorable win over City.

Interestingly, Kane's goal in this game was his first in 748 minutes of Premier League football and as absurd as it sounds today, pundits were questioning his quality at the time.

7 Edin Dzeko scores four as City run rampant

Premier League, 2011, Spurs 1-5 City

Younès Kaboul 68'

Edin Džeko 34'

Edin Džeko 41'

Edin Džeko 55'

Sergio Agüero 60'

Edin Džeko 90'

After three Tottenham victories in a row, we have finally reached our first City win on this list, and as wins go, this was a pretty emphatic one.

After winning their first trophy in 35 years a few months prior in the FA Cup and coming third in the league the previous season, City were aiming to win the biggest prize in England this year: the Premier League.

On the other hand, Spurs were just looking to improve upon their fifth-placed finish in the 2010/11 season and break into the top four.

However, with how the game played out, you would have thought Tottenham were relegation candidates, as once Edin Dzeko opened the scoring for City in the 34th minute, it was all over.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina striker would find the back of the net three more times, while Sergio Aguero would also join in on the fun.

The only thing the home fans had to cheer was a consolation goal from Younes Kaboul in the 68th minute.

6 Jesus Navas gets City off to a flying start

Premier League, 2013, City 6-0, Spurs

Jesús Navas 1'

Sandro 34' OG

Sergio Agüero 41'

Sergio Agüero 50'

Álvaro Negredo 55'

Jesús Navas 90'

It's back-to-back hammerings we're afraid Spurs fans, as City managed to put six past the Lilywhites to no reply in November 2013.

What makes this scoreline so memorable, well aside from the size of it, is that Jesus Navas opened the scoring for the home side after just 13 seconds, which must've completely ruined any pre-match preparations by Andre Villas-Boas.

Things only got worse when Sandro put the ball into the back of his own net to double City's score in the 34th minute before two goals from Aguero, one from Alvaro Negredo, and a second from Navas sealed the win.

5 City comeback from two down to keep title hopes alive

Premier League, 2023, City 4-2 Spurs

Julián Alvarez 51'

Dejan Kulusevski 44'

Erling Haaland 53'

Emerson Royal 45'

Riyad Mahrez 63'

Riyad Mahrez 90'

Now, Spurs may have come away with an impressive victory in the reverse of this fixture last season, but this match at the Etihad was one of their worst displays in a season littered with poor performances.

You may think that losing 4-2 at the Etihad isn't the worst result in the world, and you'd be correct, but to go in 2-0 up at halftime and then lose by that margin is a pretty spectacular capitulation.

Tottenham's goals came courtesy of Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal right on the cusp of halftime, which should have been a devastating blow against a City side that was chasing Arsenal in the league.

However, City, being the relentless machine that they are, came out flying in the second 45 and found themselves in front within just 18 minutes.

Antonio Conte's side tried to salvage a point, but a fourth goal from Riyad Mahrez in the 90th minute secured all three points for Pep's men.

4 Harry Kane's last minute winner dents City's title hopes

Premier League, 2022, Man City 2-3 Spurs

Ilkay Gündogan 33'

Dejan Kulusevski 4'

Riyad Mahrez 90' Penalty

Harry Kane 59'

Harry Kane 90'

The last entry might have brought back some sore memories for the Tottenham inclined among you, but the match just 11 months prior remains one of the club's best results in recent years.

Spurs travelled to the Etihad in February 2022 down in seventh place, and with most pundits not giving them even the faintest of chances against a City side who were top of the table, it would take just four minutes for Kulusevski to give the underdogs the lead.

The hosts did pull level in the 33rd minute thanks to a goal from Ilkay Gundogan, but Kane restored Tottenham's lead in the 59th minute to put his side within touching distance of a brilliant win.

However, when Mahrez scored a 90th-minute penalty from a Romero handball, it looked like the visitors would have to hold on for just a point until Kane did what he does best: score.

A 95th-minute winner from the England captain sent the away end potty and secured the most dramatic of wins for his team, a victory that reinvigorated the side and helped them finish in the top four – ahead of Arsenal.

3 Penalty mayhem sees City claim three points

Premier League 2014, City 4-1 Spurs

Sergio Agüero 13'

Christian Eriksen 15'

Sergio Agüero 20' Penalty

Sergio Agüero 68' Penalty

Sergio Agüero 75'

We have reached the second game on our list in which a City player scored four goals against Tottenham, and it was only three years after Dzeko did it; what were they doing in training back then?

Yes, the Premier League game between City and Spurs in October 2014 saw Sergio Aguero put four past the Lilywhites, and it would have been five had he not missed his third penalty of the game.

In fact, the other reason that this game was so memorable was the fact that four penalties were awarded across the 90 minutes, three for City and one for Spurs, and while City put away two of their three, the Lilywhites missed their only one as Hart pulled off an instrumental save.

Had the Spaniard converted his spot kick, the game could have turned out very differently, as the score was 2-1 to the home side at the time.

That said, just two minutes after the miss, debutant Federico Fazio was shown a straight red card for pulling Aguero in the box, and to make things worse, the Argentine converted the subsequent penalty to give them a 3-1 lead in the 68th minute to go with their man advantage.

It was certainly a busy game for referee Jonathan Moss, and we can only imagine how much time would've been added on nowadays with all the VAR checks.

2 City complete an unbelievable FA Cup comeback

FA Cup, 2004, Spurs 3-4 City

Ledley King 2'

Sylvain Distin 48'

Robbie Keane 19'

Paul Bosvelt 61'

Christian Ziege 43'

Shaun Wright-Phillips 80'

Jon Macken 90'

Our runner-up for the best game between City and Spurs is the first FA Cup match to feature on this list, and it is one of the best replays of all time.

The first game took place in Manchester and ended in a 1-1 draw, which at the time was disappointing for City, not because they expected to win, but because a home tie was seen as their best opportunity to win, as they were certainly not the favourites back then.

This was immediately apparent in the replay when Ledly King opened the scoring in just the second minute, followed by a Robbie Keane goal in the 19th minute and Christian Ziege's goal in the 43rd minute.

To make things worse, Joey Barton did what Joey Barton does and was sent off for dissent in the 45th minute.

When the first half finally ended, it looked as if City's FA Cup dream ended with it, but Kevin Keegan must have given one of the best halftime talks of his life during the break as his side came out flying in the second 45.

It took just three minutes for Sylvain Distin to pull one back for the visitors before Paul Bosvelt added another 13 minutes later, and then, in the 80th minute, Shaun Wright-Phillips levelled the score and silenced White Hart Lane.

Somehow, someway, City had pulled themselves back into the match and were now firmly in the ascendency.

With mere seconds on the clock remaining, Michael Tarnat fired a cross into the Spurs box, reaching the head of Manchester-born Jon Macken, who headed in the winner to secure the most unlikely comeback win.

1 VAR drama sends City out of the Champions League

Champions League, 2019, City 4-3 Spurs

Raheem Sterling 4'

Son Heung-min 7'

Bernardo Silva 11'

Son Heung-min 10'

Raheem Sterling 21'

Fernando Llorente 73'

Sergio Agüero 59'

Here we are, the final entry on our list, and let's be honest, it couldn't have been any other game.

The second leg of Manchester City and Tottenham's 2019 Champions League quarter-final has to go down as one of the all-time great games from Europe's most storied competition.

The game had everything you could want from a European knockout match, and while it probably still haunts some City fans, we're sure that even they admit that it was an almighty spectacle of a football match.

The first leg had somewhat surprisingly finished 1-0 to Tottenham, despite most fans and pundits having City down as clear favourites.

The game at the Etihad opened blisteringly, with Raheem Sterling opening the scoring in the fourth minute before Son Heugn-min replied in the seventh and tenth minute to give the Lilywhites the lead.

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However, that lead lasted precisely 60 seconds, as Bernardo Silva fired his team level in the 11th minute before Sterling got his second to tie the aggregate scores at 3-3.

Agüero added a fourth for his side in the 59th minute and gave them the lead in the overall tie, but then Spanish striker Fernando Llorente once again levelled the score with a controversial goal in the 73rd minute.

We say controversial as it looked like he had handled the ball when it came off his hip in the build-up, but we'll let you be the judge of that.

So, with the score 4-3 on the night, Spurs were set to progress thanks to the away goals rule, but there would be one more piece of drama as Sterling scored his third goal of the night in the 93rd minute to send City through – or at least he thought he had.

While Pep was running up and down the sidelines and the fans were going crazy, VAR were checking whether Aguero was offside when he passed Sterling the ball, and lo and behold, he was.

The Etihad went from pure Euphoria to stunned silence within a second, well apart from the away end, who were now going crazy themselves. It was the most extraordinary City vs Spurs game we have ever seen.

Both Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were unable to turn the tide for Milan, who were forced to watch rivals Inter claim the Serie A title.

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Milan fall 2-1 to arch-rivalsPulisic and Musah both start for RossoneriInter claim Scudetto with victoryGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Milan had no one but themselves to blame for the loss as the Rosonerri were exposed defensively by their crosstown rivals, who solidified the Scudetto with Monday's win.

Inter's first goal was entirely due to terrible set-piece defending as Milan were punished early. Just 18 minutes into the match, Milan lost track of Inter's Francesco Acerbi in the box. The defender was left with a free header, and he made no mistake as he placed his shot past a helpless Mike Maignan.

Milan conceded again just four minutes into the second half, ending all hopes of a comeback just a few moments after emerging from the halftime break. Marcus Thuram was the goalscorer, with his goal essentially killing off any chance of Milan getting back into the match.

They did fight back as Fikayo Tomori did get a goal back in the 80th minute, but it ended up being a consolation as Milan fell 2-1. They didn't go down without a fight, though, as late clashes saw Theo Hernandez, Denzel Dumfries and Davide Calabria all sent off before the final whistle.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With the win, Inter claimed the Serie A title, earning the Scudetto for the second time in four years. The victory gave them a 17-point lead over second-place Milan and, with just five matches left to play, the Rosonerri are mathematically unable to challenge their local rivals.

This title will be particularly sweet for Inter considering the fact that it came at the expense of a rival. It also ensures that Milan go trophyless this season, having already been bounced from the Champions League, Europa League and Coppa Italia.

Reports out of Italy indicate that manager Stefano Pioli will pay for this season's failures with his job. Before that, though, Milan will have to finish off the campaign as they look to hold on to second place in the season's final weeks.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

Pioli relied on both of the USMNT stars he had at his disposal, although he did shift things tactically at the start. Pioli opted to use Rafael Leao as a No. 9, moving Pulisic to the left wing while inserting Musah as a right winger rather than a central midfielder.

Pulisic was kept rather quiet from that left-sided spot, making it the second consecutive match where he failed to impress. He mustered just one shot and was unable to really influence the game.

Musah, meanwhile, returned to a wing spot that he played so much of at Valencia. The USMNT midfielder was more influential than his international teammate, creating a few chances that Milan just couldn't make anything of.

Overall, though, it was a difficult day for all involved as Milan could not prevent Inter's tidal wave en route to a Scudetto.

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Getty ImagesGOAL'S RATINGS

Christian Pulisic (6/10):

Just didn't get enough of the ball. Part of that is down to tactics, but Pulisic wasn't really able to influence the game in the moments where he did get opportunities.

Yunus Musah (6/10):

Was miscast as a winger, but he did his best. Starting him over, say, Samuel Chukwueze was an interesting choice, but you can't fault Musah's effort as he did have a few good moments going forward.

Mumbai received a boost with the return of pacers Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande for their crucial clash against Vidarbha, and Puducherry’s home match against Manipur was shifted to Anantpur

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2018Left out of India’s limited-overs squad for the series in Australia and New Zealand, Manish Pandey has been handed the Karnataka captaincy across formats.ESPNcricinfo understands that Pandey’s availability for the next two months was central to the KSCA’s decision of a leadership change, one “taken with outgoing captain R Vinay Kumar’s consent.”Pandey had already taken over the limited-overs captaincy from Vinay halfway through their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.”Looking at the future, we wanted to start grooming another captain and Manish was the best choice,” KSCA secretary R Sudhakar Rao said. “We consulted Vinay as well and given his commitment to the sport and the the team, he was willing to play under anyone. We have a good leadership group and it augers well for the team.”Vinay, a domestic veteran with over 400 first-class wickets, took over full-time captaincy from Robin Uthappa during the 2012-13 season. He went on to lead Karnataka to back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles for the next two seasons, apart from sweeping the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Irani Cup.Vinay will continue playing all formats, although his workload is set to be monitored. He missed the previous game against Railways because of a sore knee, which meant he had to pull out late.Vinay confirmed being consulted about the captaincy change. “I was part of this selection process,” Vinay told . “I knew I had to gradually hand over my captaincy to someone suitable. Manish is a good friend and I will keep giving my inputs. He is a wonderful guy and will lead the team very well.”Mumbai receive Thakur, Deshpande boostMumbai have received a shot in the arm ahead of their crucial Ranji Trophy clash against defending champions Vidarbha in Nagpur, with quicks Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande returning to the fold. Both were nursing hamstring injuries, Thakur having broken down on Test debut against West Indies and Despande in the first innings of the Gujarat clash last month. While Thakur has not played a single match this season, Deshpande missed the previous three against Maharashtra, Baroda and Saurashtra.With Mumbai requiring nothing less than an outright win to stay in contention for the knockouts – although other results would be just as important – 20 wickets will be paramount, something they have managed only managed once in six matches this season. Still, the selectors erred on the side of caution in the case of captain Dhawal Kulkarni, who has been left out despite having made a full recovery from the ankle injury he had sustained in the match against Gujarat. The rationale behind Dhawal’s exclusion, according to chief selector Ajit Agarkar, was that it would have been a “risk” to field three bowlers returning from injury in the XI.”It would be tough to risk three bowlers coming back from injury in the XI, so unfortunately Dhawal misses out this match,” Agarkar told on Thursday. Curiously, Dhawal was picked in the squad for Mumbai’s previous match against Saurashtra, but he pulled out two days prior to the encounter, citing match-fitness as a concern.Puducherry shift home to AnatpurPuducherry’s home match against Manipur on December 30 has been shifted to a neutral venue in Anatpur. The BCCI took the decision following the abandonment of the Puducherry-Uttarakhand fixture at the CAP Siechem Ground in Puducherry due to the inconsistent nature of the pitches there. The Puducherry-Uttarakhand encounter was first affected by rain, with play getting underway only on day three, but 8.2 overs into Uttarakhand ‘s innings, the umpires took the players off the field after the openers Vineet Saxena and Karn Veer Kaushal suffered blows to the body.ALSO READ: Puducherry-Uttarakhand match called off after restartThe original pitch was declared unfit for play and the match restarted on the adjacent surface on day four, this time with Puducherry batting, but fifteen overs into the innings, the match was called off due to the variable bounce on offer. It remains to be seen whether Puducherry’s final match against Nagaland on January 7 is also played at Anantpur. “As of now, the next match will be played in Anantpur. We will take a call about the last game later,” BCCI’s GM, Cricket Operations Saba Karim told .

Arsenal are well and truly in the Premier League title race for the second year running this season, and despite falling to a 1-0 loss against Aston Villa at the weekend, Mikel Arteta's men are just one point behind the leaders Liverpool and three ahead of fourth-place Manchester City.

The Gunners aren't quite as free-flowing or pleasing on the eye this year, but they have developed a steely grit and determination that has seen them produce the second-best defence in the league.

However, just because the defence has been one of the team's biggest strengths so far this season doesn't mean it can't be improved, and the Arsenal board clearly seem to agree, as the latest name touted with a move to the Emirates is arguably one of the best centre-backs in Europe, Ronald Araujo.

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ByEmilio Galantini Dec 13, 2023 Arsenal transfer news – Ronald Araujo

According to 90min, Barcelona defender Araujo is unsure of his long-term position at the club and has been the subject of interest from several major European sides, including Arsenal.

The Uruguayan international has been a mainstay in the Catalan side since he broke through in 2020, even being promoted into the club's leadership group ahead of this season. Still, Xavi's tendency to play him at right-back has fueled speculation that he could leave.

There hasn't been a reliable report as to how much a deal for the 24-year-old would cost, but considering his current contract is set to expire in summer 2026 and has a €1bn – £860m – release clause inserted into it, Arsenal will likely have to pay a pretty penny to get their man.

However, for a player dubbed "one of the best centre backs in the world" by Xavi, whatever his fee is, he might just be worth it.

Ronald Araujo could be the perfect partner for William Saliba

Now, Arteta has built an impressive defensive unit at N5, with the centre-back pairing of Saliba and Gabriel, the interchangeable full-backs and Declan Rice screening them all in midfield, but the arrival of Araujo could take them to another level.

The "future of Barca's defence", as he was once dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would only really join if he were guaranteed a starting spot at the Emirates, and with how impressive Saliba has been for the club, the player most likely to lose out would be Gabriel. But how do the pair compare?

While it's not a total slam dunk for Araujo, it is fairly apparent that in most important defensive statistics, he has Gabriel beaten.

Stats (per 90)

Araujo

Gabriel

Progressive Passes

5.83

3.41

Progressive Carries

1.90

0.57

Passing Accuracy

88.1

86.6

Tackles Won

0.83

0.57

Tackles + Interceptions

1.67

2.28

Clearances

2.26

1.95

Miscontrols

0.83

0.24

Aerial Duels Won

2.86

2.44

Ball Recoveries

4.52

3.74

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

He wins more tackles, more aerial duels, makes more clearances and recovers more balls.

Moreover, his passing and creative numbers are more impressive than the Brazilians, making it clear that while both players are great at what they do, the Barcelona man is just that step above.

Combining his fantastic stats with the young and defensively brilliant Saliba – who has been dubbed "exceptional" by his manager – should be an idea that excites the Arsenal board, and if they can, they should push to get this statement deal done.

Broad believes batting last could prove deeply problematic and says England are not yet out of the game

George Dobell in Antigua01-Feb-2019A target of 140 could be enough for England to level the series against West Indies, according to Stuart Broad. West Indies finished day two of the Antigua Test with a lead of 85 and four first-innings wickets in hand but, on a pitch offering variable bounce, Broad believes batting last could prove deeply problematic. As a consequence, he insisted his side are not out of the game.But he knows that, if they are to win, they will have to bat far better than they have at any stage this series. He has therefore called on one of his batting team-mates to “play one of those knocks that goes down in history” to help England win the game and level the series.”If we get 140 [ahead] on the board, I’d fancy our chances on the last day,” Broad said. “I look back to the Edgbaston Test against India where we defended under 200 [194] on a truer pitch than this.”Scoreboard pressure means a lot and it means we’ll have to score more than we did in our first innings. But when I look at it as a team-mate and a fan, I look at the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali… any of these guys could take the game away from West Indies.”We’ve got the talent in the batting line-up for someone to play one of those knocks that goes down in history. One of those guys could light this place up with a quick hundred and that would put us in a good position.”We’ve still got a great shout in this Test match. The score looks away from us at the moment but you only need someone to get one really good score. As a bowler anything over 140 you’re really in the game. I’m looking forward to bowling on that pitch on day four.”Broad, left out of the England team for three of their last four Tests, was the pick of the attack on the second day. While he finished with only three wickets, he suffered two dropped chances off his bowling and was part of an attack that saw a remarkable 103 plays-and-misses (in the estimation of the England team analyst, anyway) during the day. It left him both frustrated but also phlegmatic.”I feel a bit lost as to how we only got six wickets,” he said. “I can’t think of any more plays-and-misses in any day of Test cricket I’ve played in.”Does that prove we bowled a touch short? Potentially. But the information we had before the innings was that any full balls were easy to drive but anything back of a length meant anything could happen. We targeted that length.”But it’s the way cricket goes. You look at the India series when we beat them 4-1 at home. We won every toss and things went our way. We went to Sri Lanka and won every toss and a lot of things went our way there, too. Cricket doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes it turns against you. I don’t think we did a lot wrong and West Indies played really, really well.”He accepted, however, that England’s catching had to improve. While only one of the chances was what might be described as straightforward, he acknowledged that, when a side has been bowled out for 187, they need to take every chance that comes their way. He also revealed that the second of the drops off his bowling took him to 97 dropped chances during his Test career.”It’s an area we have to improve,” he said. “It’s been a running theme over the last couple of years that we’re putting down quite big chances. Against the best teams you have to take your chances and I bet we’re down there on the catching percentages list. It’s something we’re aware of and something we need to improve. But, as a bowler, all you can do is create the chances and, as a bowling unit, we feel we’re doing that.”

Manchester United fans have reacted with excitement and relief over a video showing Tyrell Malacia lifting weights after a torrid injury spell.

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Malacia been out of action since May 2023Left-back makes first public appearance in 11 monthsFans delighted as he steps up recoveryWHAT HAPPENED?

The left-back has not played for United since having surgery on a knee meniscus injury last summer and questions have been asked over his health as he's not been seen in public since. Plans for him to return to action last Autumn fell by the wayside as his recovery took longer than expected and it is likely he won't play again until next season. However, Red Devils fans' excitement levels reached fever point when a video circulated of the former Feyenoord man doing individual training this week.

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Popular United fan account, Ten Hag's Reds, tweeted a video of Malacia doing some strength and conditioning work – which led to a deluge of responses from fellow United supporters. Some could scarcely believe it was him and expressed their relief.

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

One fan account named @UNITEDEmma_ tweeted on X (formerly Twitter): "Malacia doing individual training. He’s alive!! 🔴🇳🇱," while @PackUtd posted: "Never thought I would see this day soon, get well Malacia❤️"

There was also a strong comment from @OllyofLagos, who wrote: "We're winning the FA CUP," and @tmsutd added: "Can't wait to see him back on the pitch!"

Finally, @GodofGreats tweeted: "It’s sad cos this season he would’ve got so much game time 😢," and @manneoii quipped: "His arms are bigger now. Bulkchester United."

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Malacia joined United from Feyenoord for an initial £13 million ($16m) in 2022 and has since made 39 appearances for the club. However, none of those have been this season as the Red Devils have struggled with a lot of injuries in a difficult second season for manager Erik ten Hag.

Mike Dodds looks to have bowed out from his Sunderland interim managerial duties with a 1-0 away defeat to Bristol City, the Black Cats coming unstuck at Ashton Gate in a tight contest versus the Robins.

This defeat opens up the possibility that ex-QPR figure Michael Beale could be confirmed as Tony Mowbray's successor very soon, the hierarchy at the Stadium of Light wanting to keep fans onside with some positive developments after a disappointing away day in Bristol.

Beale is not a figure who will not come with his own controversy, however, as he was sacked by Rangers after a torrid time at Ibrox – a 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen in September deemed the final straw – whilst the ex-Chelsea coach also walked out on QPR after six months into that job post.

Yet, the much-talked-about 43-year-old boss could instantly endear himself to his potential new Sunderland fanbase by ditching Abdoullah Ba from the starting lineup on his arrival.

The young Frenchman – who has started the last two games under Dodds – has failed to make much of an impact when fielded and was particularly below-par against Bristol City.

Abdoullah Ba's numbers versus Bristol City

Dodds hauled Ba off in the second half after a second-rate showing at Ashton Gate, and substituted him off on the 63-minute mark for Jobe Bellingham to come on.

The 20-year-old lightweight was largely ineffective with his 24 touches of the ball, as per Sofascore, only registering a single shot on target in the game.

Moreover, Ba would lose all five of his duels in the contest – the 20-year-old winger was bullied by the Bristol City defenders all match, who shepherded the ex-Le Havre midfielder out of the encounter with ease.

Ba was also unsuccessful with his only dribble attempt up against the Robins, a disastrous afternoon in truth for the Sunderland man.

The Bristol City individual display even saw Andy Tomlinson of the Roker Report give Ba a 4/10 rating in his post-match thoughts article, stating that 5 foot 11 midfielder 'usually made the wrong choice' in crucial moments.

Beale could become an instant fan favourite at the Stadium of Light by showing authority early on from the dug-out and dropping Ba when he officially takes the reins, who had an equally torrid time of it even when the Black Cats beat Leeds United 1-0 before tripping up away from home.

Beale's answer to Ba woes

There's a multitude of possible routes Beale could go down after dropping Ba, the most logical being to switch Jack Clarke back to a left wing spot after Dodds surprisingly started the former Tottenham man up top last game.

Football pundit Adrian Clarke described Clarke's ability as "one of a kind" on the What the EFL?! podcast in October at the height of his impressive form and his comments are justified, Sunderland's star-man hitting double figures for the season already with ten goals.

This would free up a striker spot for Beale to experiment with Sunderland's plethora of misfiring attackers, but the ex-QPR boss managed to get the best out of the forward players during his short stay at Loftus Road who have since gone back to being ineffective.

Lydon Dykes netted six of his eight goals last season under the divisive manager, Beale hoping he can get the likes of Nazariy Rusyn and Mason Burstow up to speed in a similar fashion for the Black Cats if he comes in at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland fans will just want this manager saga to be over and done with now, praying that Beale can be the manager to make the necessary calls and decisions to help the Black Cats win promotion – starting with Ba being ditched from the starting XI after his woeful displays.

Tasmania’s top three and Ben McDermott put up a solid display of attritional batting in the face of a 476-run target

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2019Faced with an immense 476-run target, Tasmania dug in and ground their way to a draw against Victoria on the fourth day of the Sheffield Shield match in Melbourne.Tasmania began the day from an overnight score of 0 for 27, and the opening pair of Alex Doolan and Jordan Silk put up a century stand, taking the side to lunch without the loss of a wicket. Silk fell to Scott Boland in the first over after lunch, for 41 off 116 balls, after which the quick wickets of Doolan (88 off 204 balls) and Matthew Wade (1 off 6 balls), raised Victoria’s hopes of inciting a collapse.Those hopes, however, were thwarted by Ben McDermott who played 98 balls for his unbeaten 5, negating an attack that had dismissed the side for 286 in the first innings. McDermott was the common factor in three partnerships that held firm after Wade’s dismissal: McDermott added 22 off 18 overs with Charlie Wakim, who himself scored 36 off 125 balls at No. 3, followed by a six-run fifth-wicket partnership with Jake Doran off 44 balls and a sixth-wicket partnership with the 18-year-old Jarrod Freeman yielded 8 runs off 51 balls.A win against Tasmania would have placed Victoria closer to a spot in the Sheffield Shield final, but with two rounds to go, Victoria are leading the table with 43.31 points. Tasmania, on the other hand, are third with a lead of just one point over fourth-placed Western Australia.

A brace from Sophia Smith led the Thorns to Victory over Bay FC Wednesday night, but it came at a cost, losing Morgan Weaver to injury late on.

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Sophia Smith scores brace in Thorns winBeat Bay FC 3-2But lose Morgan Weaver to injuryWHAT HAPPENED?

Smith scored the second and third goals of the night, with the first being on a breakway where she rounded the goalkeeper to find the back of the net. The second, though, was the U.S. international at her best.

A stupendous curling effort, Smith launched from a tight angle, beating the goalkeeper on her left foot in the 78th minute for the winner.

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Just four minutes later, though, Weaver went down with a non-contact injury and had to be carried off by medical staff. The 26-year-old has been a mainstay in the Thorns lineup, and will be a massive loss if it's a serious injury.

Thorns interim head coach Rob Gale spoke post-game on the injury, but didn't have much to reveal, adding that he "didn't have the chance" to speak with medical staff before media duties.

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USA Today ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR THE THORNS?

The Thorns will clash with Trinity Rodman and the Washington Spirit this coming weekend on May 4 in an East versus West Coast clash.

Smith will look to continue her hot form, with seven goal contributions in her last three games, against her USWNT teammate.