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Dominic Calvert-Lewin has suggested that he would like to extend his Everton contract, which is due to expire this summer, in comments which pertained to the excitement surrounding David Moyes’ budding project. BBC Sport report that a new deal is in the pipeline.

Injury-prone and inconsistent this season, some will feel the £100k-per-week star should depart, but keeping him on the books would lessen the urgency for a new number nine.

Thus allowing for signings across other areas, signing one new striker instead of two. It means Everton could move for their next Iliman Ndiaye, a player who has been nothing short of a revelation for the Toffees this term.

Iliman Ndiaye will be the key for Moyes

Ndiaye has proved this season that Everton do have the players to become a high-level attacking force while still being rooted in Moyes’ core defensive principles.

Joining from Marseille in a deal worth £15m last summer, the Senegal international has scored nine goals across 34 Everton appearances, a shining light for Dyche and one of the driving forces behind the Moyes-led resurgence, scoring three in a row before being unfortunately injured in February’s Merseyside derby.

He’s quite the player, this 25-year-old left winger, all electric pace and frightening directness, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp hailing him for his “dynamite” ability earlier in the campaign.

Iliman Ndiaye – Premier League Stats (24/25)

Match Stats (* per game)

#

Matches (starts)

30 (27)

Goals

7

Assists

0

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.5)

Big chances missed

3

Pass completion

84%

Key passes*

0.6

Dribbles*

2.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.2

Duels won*

5.5

Stats via Sofascore

It would take some beating to secure a signing capable of topping Ndiaye this summer, but The Friedkin Group are the harbingers of a new era, and they might just have their sights set on a real force.

Everton could seal their best signing since Ndiaye

Earlier this week, Football Insider revealed that Everton will explore the possibility of signing Gustavo Hamer from Sheffield United this summer, though a deal will likely hinge on whether the Blades qualify for the Premier League through the Championship play-offs.

Hamer, who last week was named the Championship’s Player of the Season, joined United from Coventry City in a £15m deal in 2023 and has since made 81 appearances, notching 29 goal contributions, with his technical quality and tireless work rate setting him apart from his positional rivals in England’s second tier.

This season, he’s been a fearsome presence off the left flank of Chris Wilder’s system, with journalist Ryan Dilks even going as far as to call him a “creative genius.”

Shifting beteen the left lane and a more central creative berth for his outfit this season, Hamer ranks among the top 20% of positional peers in the Championship for goal involvements, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, underscoring his value as a high-class playmaker.

Given that he demonstrated his ability to thrive in England’s highest tier last year – and in an imperilled Blades team at that – by clinching ten goal contributions, creating 11 big chances and averaging 4.4 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, there’s every chance that the 27-year-old could rival Ndiaye for that left-sided berth and potentially even elevate his game to the next level.

His playmaking prowess seems tailor-made for the success of a player like Ndiaye, and Calvert-Lewin, for that matter. It would be a fantastic signing and the perfect way for TFG to show to Moyes and the Blues fanbase that this new chapter could be one to remember.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2025

Leeds United have a huge task on their hands this summer to try and make the right additions regardless of what division they will be playing their football in next season.

With just a handful of games remaining, Daniel Farke’s men still sit within the Championship’s automatic promotion places, with their destiny still in their own hands.

If they were to claim a return to the Premier League, a handful of additions would be needed to strengthen the first-team squad to prevent an immediate return to England’s second tier.

It remains to be seen how much money the 49ers will invest in the squad in the next couple of months, but it’s a huge window for Farke to make the additions he needs to take his side to the next level.

One thing is for sure, the Whites desperately need reinforcements in one area of the pitch, with a player emerging on the club’s radar over the last couple of days.

Leeds plot summer move for PL star

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of several sides in the race to land Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale this summer should they drop into the Championship.

The 26-year-old also has admirers from the likes of Newcastle United and Bournemouth, with the shot-stopper having a relegation release clause in his contract.

He’s been unable to prevent the Saints from sitting at the foot of the table, keeping just two clean sheets in his 21 Premier League outings in 2024/25 to date.

The report claims that the Whites have the England international at the top of their shortlist this summer, but any move for him will purely depend on whether they achieve promotion this season.

It’s safe to say that a deal for Ramsdale would inject a sense of excitement in the fanbase, providing an upgrade on the options currently at Farke’s disposal throughout the current season.

Why Ramsdale would be an upgrade on Meslier

Current number one Illan Meslier has endured a torrid few weeks between the sticks, often producing a mistake or two which has prevented the club from claiming more points in their hunt for promotion.

The Frenchman was at fault for both goals in the 2-2 draw against Swansea City last weekend, with his errors undoubtedly costing the side two points after Wilfried Gnonto’s stoppage-time strike.

He’s now conceded 27 goals this campaign, with a goal prevented xG of -2.73, undoubtedly holding the side back from reaching the next level under Farke’s guidance.

Whilst Ramsdale has struggled to prevent the club from sitting bottom of the table this year, he’s still managed to produce some incredible numbers – many of which blow Meslier out of the water.

The former Arsenal shot-stopper, who’s previously been labelled “world-class” by journalist Dan George, may have conceded more goals this season but has made more saves given the opportunities he’s faced.

How Ramsdale compares to Meslier in 2024/25 so far

Statistics (Per 90)

Ramsdale

Meslier

Games played

21

39

Goals conceded

50

27

Shots on target faced

6.6

2.2

Saves made

4.2

1.6

Short passes completed

100%

99.6%

Crosses prevented

0.9

0.8

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more short passes than Meslier, having the ability to play out from the back and prevent similar mistakes to those made by the current number one this season.

Whilst Ramsdale has previously failed to deliver against Leeds, conceding to Patrick Bamford when the Whites last previously featured in the top flight, he’s managed to feature consistently after his move to the south coast.

The club can’t afford to enter another top-flight with Meslier between the sticks given his recent mistakes, potentially costing them a chance of survival.

Whilst they would likely have a battle for his signature this summer, it would be a signing that would massively bolster the squad, handing Farke the tools he needs to succeed in Yorkshire.

Related Farke could unearth Leeds' next Alan Smith in "exceptional" £3.5m star

Leeds United could have their best midfield talent since Alan Smith in this top performer.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Apr 1, 2025

Eden Carson, part of the new generation, had taken out West Indies’ top order before the team’s most experienced figured closed it out

Valkerie Baynes19-Oct-2024West Indies needed 15 runs off the last over with seven wickets down and Suzie Bates wanted the ball.With the backing of captain Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr – with whom Bates forms an impressive White Ferns triumvirate – she took it.Zaida James, in the middle of a crucial cameo for West Indies with a place in the T20 World Cup final on the line, crunched Bates’ first ball through the covers for four. New Zealand were only allowed three fielders out due to an over-rate penalty. But this wasn’t the first time Bates had been here, and it showed.Related

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A dot ball followed by a fuller one that angled in and pegged back James’ leg stump meant New Zealand were almost there. A single to Ashmini Munisar left Bates’ fellow 37-year-old Afy Fletcher with 10 to get off the last two balls. When she managed just a single off the last, Bates was there to collect the ball, fired in by Kerr from deep midwicket, and slammed it into the stumps in triumph.Some 14 years of waiting for another shot at the title was over.”I looked at Suzie and said, ‘Suzie I think you should bowl,’ and she said to Sophie, ‘bowl me, I want to bowl it,’ Kerr said of that last over. “That’s huge from your leader, your most capped player, to step up again in that moment.”She’s done it before for us, she’s a bit of a last-over specialist and she likes to call herself Michael Jordan. I think that was a Michael Jordan moment.”It was reminiscent of Bates’ over against England in March, the final one of the match in which she defended eight runs and took 2 for 4 to win it and keep their five-game series alive after two defeats.Playing her 333rd international match, equalling Mithali Raj’s record for appearances, in what could be her final campaign for New Zealand, Bates’ solitary over against West Indies in Sharjah on Friday night was the ultimate complement to Eden Carson’s efforts in the powerplay.Carson, the 23-year-old offspinner, was Player of the Match for a second consecutive time at this tournament with 3 for 29 as New Zealand defended a modest total of 128 for 9.

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She removed Qiana Joseph, star of West Indies’ upset against England in their final group game, and Shemaine Campbell inside the first five overs. After six overs, New Zealand had sent down 19 dot balls between Carson, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Fran Jonas and seamer Rosemary Mair.When Carson rearranged Stafanie Taylor’s stumps in the ninth over with one that ripped past the bat to end a laboured innings of 13 off 20, West Indies were left with too much to do, despite Deandra Dottin’s best efforts to chase down the target with her 33 off 22 balls.It was Kerr who removed Dottin via a top edge to Jonas, who held on at short fine leg on a night when New Zealand put down five catches and missed two reviews that would have yielded wickets.So there it was, Bates representing the old guard with Devine, Carson representing the future, and 25-year-old Kerr with 158 caps the bridge between two generations of White Ferns.That all three came together at the perfect time following a difficult period since the last T20 World Cup was something no one on the outside saw coming at the start of the tournament but those on the inside believed in.Since New Zealand crashed out in the group stages of the 2023 edition in South Africa, Devine has spoken of wanting to protect the likes of Carson, Jonas and Izzy Gaze, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who scored a vital 20 not out off 14 balls on Friday, from any pressure.That theme continued through series defeats to England at home and away and a 3-0 series defeat in Australia immediately before this tournament and now New Zealand, young and old(er), are seeing the benefits.Eden Carson celebrates dismissing Qiana Joseph•ICC/Getty Images”It’s been a tough year but I think it speaks volumes of the character and the people in the group,” Kerr said of her side’s achievement. “Those series were tough and they were against England and Australia, who are both two world-class teams.”Losses can dent your confidence but coming to a World Cup you want to stay positive and believe that you can win any game and hopefully those losses made us better, which I think they 100% have. To stay upbeat and together just shows the character this group has.”While it’s been almost impossible to completely shield the youngsters, as Carson revealed, they have been able to thrive.Georgia Plimmer, the 20-year-old opener, is another example of New Zealand keeping the faith with a young player. After struggling through their tour of England, she rewarded them with a half-century against Sri Lanka in the group stage then top scoring in their eight-run win over West Indies with 33 off 31. That Plimmer’s innings came as Bates battled her way to 26 off 28 was another sign that the future is bright for New Zealand.”As a team we could have fallen into a bit of a hole with each other and getting a bit of stick from people online, but I think that just built us as a team,” Carson said. “We’ve been a lot closer over the past year. We don’t try speaking too much about the losses, we just speak about the learnings that come from that.”The more experienced group, it has been tough on them as well. I know mentally and emotionally it has been draining for them but to be able to show up every day to training, to camps back in New Zealand, to now the World Cup on the big stage. Anything can happen at a tournament like this. In a series we can go 3-0 down like we did against the Aussies but I think those games, we took a lot out of those.”With England and Australia making shock exits in the group stage and semi-finals respectively, New Zealand now face South Africa in Sunday’s title decider, guaranteeing a new champion. That seems apt for a side unearthing new champions within.

As Ben Stokes brought the curtain down on his one-day career, the overwhelming feeling was sadness

Vithushan Ehantharajah20-Jul-20221:59

Ehantharajah – Stokes’ ODI retirement a seismic turn of events

Five tortuous overs, creaking red-faced around a sweltering Chester-le-Street outfield, five forgettable runs and a humbling 62-run defeat to South Africa. A reminder for Ben Stokes, in his final ODI, that cricket does not owe you a thing.Not that Stokes has ever approached the game in that way. Perhaps the closest was here, actually, for number 105, styled as a farewell after his impromptu retirement from the one-day format on Monday. It was a decision clearly made on a whim, which doesn’t make it any less thought out. He was already rested for the T20Is against India that followed the four Tests against New Zealand and India, and was going to sit out the three T20Is against South Africa (and the Hundred) ahead of the Test matches in August.Perhaps if the schedule was skewed a different way, Stokes might not have come to the realisation ODIs were the one to bin. Ultimately, though it was the volume rather than the order of the 12 limited-overs matches spread across 24 days. His statement carried a dagger for the powers that be and the crammed fixture list they have concocted, a point he insisted remained as the ECB were checking and double-checking as they do all released utterances from their players. He reiterated the sentiment to Sky Sports and BBC ahead of play on Tuesday. As ever with Stokes, the power of his words are carried in the fact he can say them, as much as what he said.Related

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From now on, these are no longer Stokes’ problems. Nor is it his job in the immediate future to work out just how England turn around what has been a dire nine days in the 50-over format, with three pretty comprehensive defeats out of four. This 62-run defeat to put them 1-0 down against South Africa was all the more dispiriting given they were never quite in it, aside from when Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow reprised their century-addled partnership to bring us back to those glory days of 2019. That proved to be the only throwback tribute this Tuesday.The one the Durham faithful truly wanted didn’t come, especially given this was only Stokes’ fourth international appearance out of 222 at his home ground. The situation set before him was a familiar one, requiring the kind of rescue act that has him regarded as the fourth emergency service. Roy and Bairstow’s demise within six overs of one another gave Stokes a chance to bat one last time in coloured clothing with good mate Joe Root, and 209 to get of the 334 target and 26 overs to do it in.He could only manage 5, trapped in front attempting the same reverse sweep that brought about his downfall at Lord’s against India. Then it was leg-spinning force Yuzvendra Chahal, here it was bit-part offspinner Aiden Markram. This would usually be the place for some extrapolation about his headspace had he not told us already.Arguably the most dispiriting parts were in the field. He was as valiant as ever, rushing at the ball to such an extent that he was chewing turf two deliveries from the end of South Africa’s innings after throwing himself head first at a shot down the ground that eventually went for four. His five overs were expensive (0 for 44), though featured the odd delivery – such as the one that struck Janneman Malan – that belied a surface slowly baking in the 37-degree heat.A dejected Ben Stokes walks back after his final ODI innings•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile others took time off the field, he remained on throughout, at times limping after his overs or after a particularly full-blooded dive. Again, we know his body can only take so much, but it was hard to shake the strangeness of seeing Stokes like this. These flashes of vulnerability that would come and go in an instant, as if he were Superman puffing occasionally of a Kryptonite vape.Of course, it is dangerous to refer to any athlete in terms that put him above the physical and emotional toil of a regular person. And certainly after his mental health break last year, Stokes is now more au fait with his internal rhythms than ever before. But it was in ODIs that, really, the legend of what we know of Ben Stokes came to be.Broadly, it is the format where he has the best record: an average just under 40 with the bat (strike-rate of 95), 74 dismissals and 49 catches, with a few worldies dotted about in there.His omission from the 2015 World Cup squad drew criticism, even if justified given he averaged just 16.25 across 14 innings in 2014. The crux of the derision, however, was not based on form but what his non-selection said about a cautious attitude. That a pugnacious 23-year-old with a high ceiling and lust for the grander stages was not to be trusted.In hindsight, Stokes might be regarded as a totemic figure in the revolution that followed. In the 71 ODIs played between his readmission in 2015 to the end of the 2019 World Cup, he averaged 50, scoring 2400 of his overall 2924 runs, along with three hundreds. There were also 50 wickets.The Lord’s final and an 84 not out to take England home from the brink of defeat was the true legacy maker, capturing the country’s imagination as it played out in front of a free-to-air crowd. But the tournament as a whole – 465 runs at 66.42, seven dismissals and an economy rate of 4.83 – confirmed the arrival of a global talisman who had that rare, oxymoron trait of delivering rarely seen brilliance on demand.Even that remarkable stanza in his career had an ODI-adjacent origin story. After all, it was following a 50-over win against West Indies back in 2017 that he embarked on that ill-fated night out in Bristol that cost him the best part of a year in his career and a whole heap of goodwill. Both of which he made up for in 2019.”Probably, as with every England cricket fan, there’s a bit of sadness that Ben is no longer available in this form of the game,” captain Jos Buttler said after the match. “He’s been an ambassador for us as a team. You know you get 100 percent from him, he’s been a real leader in this team, to take it [to] where it is now from where it was. Guys who play like Ben are once in a generation players. It’s a good challenge for us to work out our best way forward as a team without him.”Buttler’s sadness will no doubt also come from losing a general and a totem for excellence out in the middle and in training. You wonder if he ever thought he would have to do without him when taking the job in the first place. Not that it would govern his decision to take on the limited-overs role, but he’ll now be the first England captain for a while who will have to move forward without Stokes to call upon.The real sadness to all this is Stokes has never been one to leave his team in the lurch, but has seemingly been forced to. And England look decidedly mundane, desperate for more X-factor cricketers like Ben Stokes. Not fewer.

Also: what is the record for sixes by a team in one innings in an ODI, and a T20 international?

Steven Lynch22-Sep-2020How often have wickets fallen to the first two balls of an ODI innings? asked Robin Jackson from England

That Mitchell Starc double at Old Trafford last week – he dismissed Jason Roy and Joe Root – was the fourth time the first two balls of an innings have produced wickets in one-day internationals.It also happened in Brisbane in 1988-89, when Australia’s Terry Alderman bowled Ramiz Raja and Aamer Malik of Pakistan with the first two balls of the day, then Pakistan turned the tables in Durban in 2012-13, when Mohammad Irfan accounted for Hashim Amla and Colin Ingram with his first two deliveries.But the top prize goes to the Sri Lankan left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas, who took a hat-trick with the first three balls of Bangladesh’s innings in Pietermaritzburg during the 2003 World Cup, dismissing Hannan Sarkar, Mohammad Ashraful and Ehsanul Haque. After a four and a wide, Vaas removed Sanwar Hossain with his fifth legal delivery to leave Bangladesh reeling at 5 for 4. It was the only time the No. 6 batsman has faced a ball in the first over of an international match.Have Nos. 6 and 7 ever scored centuries in the same ODI before, as Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell did the other day? asked Michael Carter from Australia

That double by Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell during the entertaining final ODI of the English season at Old Trafford last week turns out to be the second time this has happened in official one-day internationals. The other occasion was an unusual one, during the Afro-Asia Cup in Chennai in June 2007. The Asian XI were struggling at 72 for 5 before No. 6 Mahela Jayawardene was joined by MS Dhoni – but they both scored centuries, and put on 218. The eventual total of 331 proved just too steep for the Africa XI.Dane Cleaver scored 201 and made nine dismissals in a recent match in New Zealand. Has any wicketkeeper ever scored a double-century and taken more dismissals in the same match? asked Kenneth Malcolm from Australia

The Central Districts wicketkeeper Dane Cleaver achieved this remarkable double – 201, eight catches and a stumping – against Northern Districts in Napier in February 2020. No wicketkeeper has ever scored more than 200 in a match (even counting both innings) and made ten dismissals – but, remarkably, a non-keeper has. Playing for Gloucestershire against Surrey in Cheltenham in 1928, Wally Hammond made 139 and 143, and also took ten catches, eight of them off slow left-armer Charlie Parker.Eoin Morgan hit a record 17 sixes in his 71-ball 148 against Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup•Getty ImagesWhat is the record for sixes by a team in one innings in an ODI, and a T20 international? asked Riz Naik from India

England set the record for the most sixes in a one-day international innings during last year’s World Cup, when they crashed 25 against Afghanistan at Old Trafford. That included 17 by Eoin Morgan, the individual record. England held the previous best, too – four months earlier, in February 2019, they had clobbered 24 sixes against West Indies in Grenada – which broke the week-old record of 23, set by West Indies in Bridgetown, in a match they still lost.In T20Is the record is 22 sixes in an innings, hit by Afghanistan against Ireland in Dehradun in February 2019. That beat the old mark of 21, which has happened three times now.The recently retired Ian Bell took 100 catches in Tests. Is he the only one with this round number? asked David Adele from Kenya

Ian Bell, who has just retired from first-class cricket at the age of 38, took 100 catches in his 118 Tests. He is indeed the only man to stick on exactly 100, although South Africa’s Jacques Kallis took 200, four of them for the World XI. David Boon took 99 for Australia. Two wicketkeepers also took 99 catches – Nayan Mongia of India, and Junior Murray of West Indies. Mongia also made eight stumpings, and Murray three. One of Murray’s catches came in the field.Viv Richards and Sourav Ganguly both took exactly 100 catches in one-day internationals.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

MatériaMais Notícias

Punido pela Justiça Desportiva Antidopagem (TJD-AD), Gabigol, atacante do Flamengo, ficará afastado dos gramados até abril de 2025, a princípio. A suspensão definida cabe recurso à Corte Arbitral do Esporte (CAS), na Suíça. Portanto, o jogador tem a possibilidade de reverter o caso, mas também pode sofrer com o aumento da pena.

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➡️ É O BRASA! Coloque R$200 no Brasil contra a Espanha e fature mais de R$640 no Lance! Betting

Após a apresentação do recurso pela defesa do acusado, que terá auxílio do clube carioca no caso, o CAS fará um novo julgamento. Com isso, novas evidências podem aparecer, e o TJD-AD tem a possibilidade de solicitar um aumento da pena. Porém, o tribunal não pode aumentá-la se apenas Gabigol recorrer da decisão inicial.

– O julgamento na Corte Arbitral do Esporte, que é a próxima fase do processo, será uma questão totalmente submetida à uma nova apreciação da Corte Suíça. Outras linhas de defesa, acusações e evidências podem ser produzidas. Se houver o recurso só do atleta… Quando você recorre, não pode obter uma decisão pior do que tinha. Se só o atleta recorrer, ele fica com a mesma decisão ou uma decisão melhor – explicou Marcelo Franklin, advogado especialista em processos de doping e direito desportivo, em contato com o Lance!.

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Higor Maffei Bellini, especialista em direito esportivo, reforça que a possibilidade existe, mas a Justiça Desportiva Antidopagem também precisaria recorrer para que a pena seja aumentada.

– Não existe a chance (de aumentar a suspensão) se apenas o Gabigol recorrer. A Procuradoria Antidopagem teria que fazer este recurso, visando aumentar a pena. Não é possível aumentar a pena daquele que faz o recurso – afirmou o advogado.

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OUTRO LADO

De acordo com Renata Mansur, mestre em direito desportivo e presidente do Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva do Rio de Janeiro, ainda não é possível prever o desfecho do caso. Apesar de existir a chance do aumento da punição, Gabigol ainda pode solicitar efeito suspensivo (suspensão dos efeitos da decisão de um juiz ou tribunal, até que a decisão final sobre um recurso seja tomada).

– Não há como afirmar a probabilidade de reversão do julgamento. Porém, o atleta ainda poderá recorrer à Corte Arbitral do Esporte, localizada na Suíça. No recurso, o atleta poderá pedir o efeito suspensivo, para que a decisão não produza efeitos de imediato – disse.

➡️ Veja a nota oficial do Flamengo

O QUE ACONTECEU?

A Justiça Desportiva Antidopagem julgou Gabigol por tentativa de fraude em exame antidoping, que acontece sem aviso prévio nos clubes, como no Flamengo. Ele foi acusado de infringir o artigo 122 do Código Brasileiro Antidopagem, que prevê suspensão de dois a quatro anos. Em nota oficial, o jogador afirmou acredita que será inocentado.

Tudo sobre

FlamengoGabigol

Newcastle United’s December fixture list is looking extremely busy already.

By the time the action-packed month closes, Eddie Howe’s Toon will have played eight games in all competitions, with Bayer Leverkusen up next for the frantic Magpies in the Champions League.

So far for Howe and Co, it’s been one draw and one win in the hectic month, with the 2-1 win over Burnley secured last time out in the Premier League far more nervy than it needed to be, after the hosts had gifted the ten-man Clarets a penalty right at the death.

Thankfully, no late fightback was on the cards, but with fixture congestion obviously going to become a big issue the more the month goes on, some changes could be on the agenda for the trip to Germany on Wednesday night, whether it’s because of tired legs or an actual drop in performance.

Where Eddie Howe needs to rotate against Leverkusen

With 17 shots tallied up on the Burnley goal throughout, Newcastle, arguably, should have notched up a far more comprehensive win against Scott Parker’s valiant visitors.

Nick Woltemade didn’t cover himself in much glory up top, in this regard, with just 18 touches of the ball passing him by, leading to zero on-target shots being powered at Martin Dubravka’s busy goal.

With Yoane Wissa back and available for selection after a lengthy injury, too, it could well be the perfect time to test out the ex-Brentford striker from the start against Leverkusen, with the German dismissed as having a “sloppy” performance, as per the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope.

He wasn’t the only performer on the pitch that stood out for all the wrong reasons, though, with Jacob Ramsey struggling throughout, next to Bruno Guimaraes, who grabbed another memorable Toon strike.

Sandro Tonali and Joelinton will likely walk back into the midfield spots ahead of Ramsey, who would give up the handball that gifted Zian Flemming a 94th-minute lifeline.

Anthony Elanga also continues to look lost in Newcastle black and white, with just one of his seven dribbles coming off against Burnley, but other Newcastle faces managed to cement their first-team position even more on Saturday afternoon, as this often hit-and-miss attacker continues to turn around his initially underwhelming season.

Newcastle's "best player" is now undroppable again

Newcastle have been very hit and miss so far this season, but with three Premier League victories now from their last four clashes in the tough division, Howe will hope his wobbly team have turned a corner.

Anthony Gordon certainly has, with the ex-Everton winger’s days of drawing blanks in league action this season firmly over, as he has now converted two crucial penalties back-to-back at St. James’ Park.

Without the England international’s ice-cold precision from the spot, the Magpies might well have been staring at two completely different results.

It’s been a very sharp turnaround in fortunes for the 24-year-old, with one analyst claiming that Gordon had entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” earlier in the campaign when he was consistently drawing blanks in the Premier League.

Obertan would only go on to score three goals for the Toon across a difficult 77-game spell, having never lived up to his early hype in England, when on the books of Manchester United.

Thankfully, Gordon now looks to have recaptured his gung-ho best, away from looking passive down the channels, with Howe – come the full-time whistle of the Burnley win – even labelling the Liverpool-born forward as the “best player” on the pitch as his “direct running” ultimately helped Newcastle overcome a stern Clarets battle.

PL games played

10

PL goals scored

2

PL assists

0

Champions League games played

5

CL goals scored

4

CL assists

1

Looking at the table above, too, Gordon has the chance to firm up why he deserves to be one of Howe’s first names on the teamsheets by putting in another memorable showing in the Champions League at the BayArena, having mustered up a sublime four goals and one assist this season in Europe’s first-class competition.

With a whirlwind 37 goals and assists amassed over his previous two seasons on Tyneside, too, Gordon will hope he can enter into another purple patch of form after suffering from some shaky moments here and there this campaign, off the back of his manager’s glowing words.

There’s certainly plenty of action ahead for Gordon to sink his teeth into, as he prays more words of praise come his way soon from his manager and beyond, alongside Newcastle continuing to pick up more wins.

Fewer touches than Ramsdale & 1 duel won: Newcastle star could be dropped

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Chelsea have built a squad full of brilliant players over the last few years, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella all being genuinely world-class.

However, it would also be fair to say that, so far, their summer signings have not exactly hit the ground running.

In particular, Jamie Gittens has failed to live up to the expectations people had of him after his impressive campaign with Borussia Dortmund last year, during which he recorded 17 goal involvements.

So, it’s not a surprise to see reports linking Chelsea with an exceptionally exciting winger who could end up being a significant upgrade on the Englishman.

Chelsea target Gittens upgrade

With the transfer window less than a month away from reopening, Chelsea have once again been linked with a plethora of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, while there has been plenty of talk about Emmanuel Emegha, the Blues have also been linked with his free-scoring teammate, Joaquín Panichelli.

On top of that, the West Londoners have also been one of several sides linked with Nottingham Forest’s imposing Murillo.

However, while both players would improve Maresca’s squad, because of where they play, neither could be described as an upgrade on Gittens, unlike Yan Diamonde.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a handful of top teams interested in signing the Ivorian winger.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues’ board are convinced about the 19-year-old wonderkid and see him fitting into the team perfectly.

However, on top of having to get ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, the Pensionsers would also have to stump up a lot of money to secure the player.

According to the report, RB Leipzig would want up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m, but even so, Diomande looks like a player Chelsea should go all out for, especially as he’d be a significant Gittens upgrade.

How Diomande compares Gittens

Now, while Diomande is someone who can play on both flanks and has actually spent a little more time on the right recently, he is seen as a left-sided player.

Therefore, were he to join Chelsea next month, one of his main rivals for game time would be Gittens, but who is the better player?

Well, when it comes to raw output, which is fundamentally the most crucial metric of all, it’s not even close.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

In stark contrast, the Englishman has scored a single goal and provided five assists in 18 appearances this season, totalling 830 minutes.

That comes out to a pretty underwhelming average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 138.33 minutes.

Moreover, a caveat about the Reading-born ace’s age cannot be made, as the Leipzig star is just 19 and already running games in attack.

On top of having the better output, the Abidjan-born superstar in the making also has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the competition is less fierce, it is impressive that the Ivorian monster has already won four senior caps for his country, compared to none for the Englishman.

Ultimately, Gittens may well come good, but at the same time, Diomande is massively outperforming him and looks like someone Chelsea should break the bank on.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

5 days ago

Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel has died after the roof of a nightclub collapsed early Tuesday morning in the Dominican Republic.

According to Noticias SIN, the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed during a performance from popular merengue singer Rubby Perez at around 1:00 a.m. At least 58 people were killed and more than 150 were injured. It's not yet clear what caused the roof to collapse.

Dotel, had attended the nightclub alongside fellow former MLB player Tony Blanco, who also died as a result of the collapsed roof. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi and the sister of former MLB star Nelson Cruz was also among the deceased, officials said.

MLB issued a statement after the news of Dotel's passing.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred also issued a statement on the incident in Santo Domingo:

Dotel, 51, pitched in MLB from 1999 to 2013. Throughout a 15-year career, he recorded a 15.8 WAR and had a 3.78 ERA across 758 appearances. He registered 109 career saves and struck out 1,143 batters in 951 innings. Dotel played for 13 different MLB franchises in his career, which ranks second all-time behind only Edwin Jackson. Notably, he won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.

Blanco played in MLB in 2003 for the Washington Nationals. He featured in 56 games and recorded 11 hits, including one home run. He also spent several years playing overseas in Japan.

Celtic are currently back in training and preparing to return to action in the Scottish Premiership with a trip to face Dundee away from home on Sunday.

The Hoops beat Motherwell 3-2 at Parkhead before the international break, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Daizen Maeda, and will be hoping to follow that up with another victory.

However, Brendan Rodgers may have some injury issues to contend with ahead of selecting his starting line-up to chase the three points against Dundee.

The latest Celtic team news before Dundee

Starting with the positive news, Alistair Johnston has returned to first-team training this week for the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury in August.

He was initially ruled out until November, per the Daily Record, but the Canada international is now in line for an early return against Dundee on Sunday.

There was more positive news out of the camp earlier this week when Sebastian Tounekti played for Tunisia against Namibia, having missed his country’s first match through injury.

Whilst the Tunisian whiz, who scored his first goal for the club against Partick Thistle, may be available for selection, Celtic’s right-sided winger may not be.

Daizen Maeda had to withdraw from international duty with Japan due to a foot issue, not playing a single minute in either match, and his injury has left Rodgers concerned, per Football Insider, ahead of Sunday.

How Celtic could replace Daizen Maeda

Football FanCast recently suggested that unleashing 18-year-old winger Rhys Dargie could be one way for the Hoops to replace Maeda if he is unavailable for selection against Dundee, because the output from the manager’s other options has left a lot to be desired.

Daizen Maeda (first-team)

13

3 + 2

Michel-Ange Balikwisha (first-team)

6

0 + 2

Hyun-jun Yang (first-team)

8

1 + 0

James Forrest (first-team)

12

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Hyun-jun Yang, and James Forrest have struggled to deliver consistent quality in the final third.

If Rodgers does not want to bring in Dargie, as he has not featured in a matchday squad for the first team, he could solve his Maeda problem by unleashing Callum Osmand for the first time.

The summer signing from Fulham has made the bench for the senior side on two occasions, both against Kairat in the Champions League, which shows that he is in the manager’s thoughts.

Osmand is a centre-forward by trade, but he has played on the right wing before, per Transfermarkt, scoring two goals in one game. He was also hailed as “lightning quick” by Fulham expert Jack Kelly, which suggests that he has the mobility and speed to play out wide.

24/25

22

11

4

23/24

29

21

6

22/23

21

11

2

21/22

1

0

0

Total

73

43

12

The 19-year-old attacker’s form for Fulham at youth level, as shown in the table above, shows that he has the potential to deliver quality in the final third, particularly as a goalscorer, which is what the Hoops are lacking.

Maeda is Celtic’s top scoring winger, with three goals, which is why it would be a blow to lose him for any number of games through injury, but Osmand is a young talent who could ease that blow.

The Wales U17 international has scored two goals in three Challenge Cup games for Celtic, per Transfermarkt, which also shows that he has carried his goalscoring form over to Scotland.

This Sunday could be the perfect opportunity to provide him with a chance to impress on the right wing, even if it is not his preferred position, with a first-team debut for the Hoops, if Maeda is unavailable.

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Osmand may be a more viable short-term option for Rodgers than Dargie, who does look like an exciting prospect, because of his first-team involvement earlier this season.

Whether it is Dargie or Osmand, who could both be intriguing options to call upon on the right wing, Celtic may have to do something different on the right flank if Maeda is out, due to how underwhelming their senior alternatives have been.