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Arsene Wenger revealed his World Cup favourites and shared his verdict on England's chances of breaking their major tournament curse in 2026. In Wenger’s eyes, England stand on the cusp of something special, but does not deem them as outright favourites. For all the painful near misses of recent years, he believes a breakthrough is within touching distance.

The Southgate years and the search for a final step

Gareth Southgate's England failed to claim silverware at Euro 2024, as Spain outclassed them in a final that brutally exposed the difference between nearly champions and definitive ones. That defeat prompted the FA to embrace a change of direction, bringing in Thomas Tuchel. And while the qualifying campaign did not always sparkle, the end product was historic. England not only topped their group but did so perfectly, winning all eight matches and, incredibly, doing so without conceding a single goal. Even the grinding, laboured outings against ultra-defensive sides such as Andorra could not overshadow the seismic statement of a 5-0 dismantling of Serbia, which showed that they are capable of something far more imposing than their doubters expected.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWenger weighs on the World Cup favourites

Wenger said: "England are one of the favourites of the World Cup. They are always nearly there. And they have to make the step. They have the quality to win."

Despite praising England’s evolution, Wenger stopped short of placing them at the very summit of the contenders. That honour, he insisted, sits squarely with France. He highlighted an unrivalled depth of elite forwards as the primary reason Les Bleus are a little ahead of Tuchel's troops. 

"By trying to be as objective as possible, I think France are the super favourites. Just for one reason," he argued. "They have more world-class strikers than any other country. To have such a bench and such quality will make the difference."

His reasoning is hard to refute. With Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe leading a cohort that also includes Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani, Desire Doue and Hugo Ekitike, France possess an attacking armoury unmatched anywhere in international football. Both nations enter the draw as top seeds, meaning they cannot cross paths until the final. 

Alexi Lalas does not want an England victory

American football icon Alexi Lalas, with 96 caps to his name, offered a typically candid view, balancing admiration with patriotic unease. Lalas conceded that England are "really good" and arguably more finely tuned than at any previous World Cup in the modern era. But with the tournament falling on the symbolic 250th anniversary of America’s independence, he joked that the sight of the Three Lions celebrating a triumph on U.S. soil would be a scenario that needs to be avoided. 

He said: "As an American here, it pains me to say this publicly but England are really good. And they are coming over here next summer to the World Cup, on our 250th birthday. If it is coming home next summer on our shores, we cannot have that. We can absolutely not have that but they are very, very good."

Within the England camp, optimism has grown visibly during Tuchel's early months in charge. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham described Tuchel’s arrival as a jolt of energy that has swiftly permeated the squad.

He said: "Thomas has come in and really hit the ground running brilliantly. You can feel the brilliant energy in the camp and see that the players are really responding well to him. So we’re looking forward to the tournament. We know for European teams it’s obviously going to be hard in the heat, but we’ll do everything we can and we’re looking forward to it."

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Getty Images SportA chance to rewrite history

Many criticised the decision to appoint Tuchel as the manager of The Three Lions, since he holds a German passport. However, given the results in the qualifiers, the FA stands vindicated. And as anticipation builds ahead of Friday’s draw, a familiar question hangs over England’s campaign: whether this is finally the moment the country sheds its decades-long burden and wins a major trophy again. A kind group stage draw will be the first step in that direction. 

Bangladesh prevailed by four wickets in the first T20I despite Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan’s mid-innings burst of four wickets. Nurul Hasan and Rishad Hossain took Bangladesh home with eight balls remaining. Bangladesh had lost six wickets for nine runs in the space of 25 balls, that too after their openers got them 109 runs in 11.3 overs.Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan both struck fifties, dominating the Afghanistan bowling as they chased 152. Rashid, though, struck four times in two overs, while Fareed Ahmad and Noor Ahmad took a wicket each, as Bangladesh looked down and out at one stage.

Rashid rips through Bangladesh

Fareed had dropped Emon on 27 but he made amends by removing him for 54 off 37 balls in the 12th over. However, Afghanistan barely celebrated the wicket, given the start the Bangladesh openers had provided.Rashid then got the googly zipping through Saif Hassan, whose front-foot prod was not enough to save him. Rashid ended the over with Tanzid’s wicket as the left-hand batter edged the legspinner for 51.Rashid removed both Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain in his next over, both falling lbw. Jaker missed a sweep, while Shamim went back into the crease to turn the ball around the corner. When Noor also had Tanzim Hasan lbw in the next over, Bangladesh looked out of the contest.

Nurul saves Bangladesh’s blushes

Nurul and Rishad were Bangladesh’s last recognised batters. Rishad, though, had not been in good form while Nurul was reeling from his strange knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. But they bounced back with the match-winning stand. Nurul struck two sixes in his unbeaten 23, while Rishad struck the winning runs with his third boundary, as Bangladesh won with eight balls remaining.Rashid Khan picked up four wickets•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Bangladesh strike early with the ball

Bangladesh didn’t lose shape when they bowled during the powerplay, despite Taskin Ahmed going for three fours in the first over. Nasum Ahmed bowled Ibrahim Zadran as the batter went for a slog. Tanzim Hasan got on to rear towards Sediqullah Atal’s chest, for the batter to give a tame catch to Emon at slip.Darwish Rasooli was a victim of a huge mix-up with Rahmanullah Gurbaz when Mustafizur Rahman stopped the ball off his own bowling, with both batters next to each other at the non-striker’s end. Rasooli sacrificed his wicket, as Afghanistan lost three wickets in the powerplay. There was no respite after the powerplay either, as Mohammad Ishaq holed out to deep square leg in Rishad’s first over.

Emon, Tanzid make merry

Bangladesh’s innings kicked off when Emon struck Mohammad Nabi for 16 runs in the fifth over. Rubbing salt into the wounds were two dropped catches in the over. Emon slammed a six off the first ball, before being dropped by Gurbaz on the fourth ball. The batter launched the next ball over midwicket for another six, before Fareed dropped a straightforward catch off the last ball.Tanzid, who returned after being dropped for the last two games, got into the act soon afterwards. He hammered a huge six off Nabi in the seventh over, followed by a second one off Noor in the following over. Both openers hit a six each off Sharafuddin Ashraf in the tenth over before bringing up Bangladesh’s first century stand for any wicket against Afghanistan. Afghanistan did make a comeback from there but could not convert it into a win.

Harry Kane has explained the secrets behind Bayern Munich's huge comeback win against Freiburg on Saturday afternoon. The Bundesliga champions got their title defence back on track with a 6-2 home victory having been held to a 2-2 draw with Union Berlin prior to the international break, a result that ended their winning start to the season.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  German champions responded to early setback to pulverise Freiberg

  Bayern were expected to get their season back on track with the welcome of Freiburg over the weekend but found themselves 2-0 down after 17 minutes. Yuito Suzuki had put the away side ahead before Johan Manzambi doubled Freiburg's advantage five minutes later to leave the home side stunned.

  However, Bayern were level by the break as goals from youngster Lennart Karl and France international Michael Olise restored parity at the Allianz Arena. The hosts went ahead 10 minutes after the restart through Dayot Upamecano and ultimately sailed to a 6-2 win courtesy of Kane, on-loan forward Nicolas Jackson and Olise, again, to go eight points clear at the top of the table ahead of RB Leipzig's game against Werder Bremen.

  Kane may have only netted once in the resounding home triumph but spoke highly of the German giants, who he felt "showed the true face of FC Bayern" to overcome the early setback and put another three points on the board.

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• Bayern 'did really well both with and without the ball'

  After the win over Freiburg, Kane said: "The first 20 minutes weren't good from us, but then we showed character. The goal to take the lead shortly after half time obviously helped us. We came out with significantly more energy in the second half. We did really well both with and without the ball and showed the true face of FC Bayern. It was a really good win."

  Bayern director of sport Max Eberl echoed Kane's sentiments, adding: "We know how Freiburg play, they are very solid and cover an incredible amount of ground. We didn't do well in the first 20 minutes. Freiburg played well and scored two goals from two set pieces.

  "After going down 0-2, we then put pressure on them. A huge compliment to the team; to come back like that after being 0-2 down and win 6-2 is not something to be taken for granted. That gives us even more confidence."

• Kane moves level with Haaland in European Golden Shoe race

  Kane is now up to 14 Bundesliga goals for the season in only 11 matches, contributing three assists too. He is now tied with Erling Haaland, who drew a blank in Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Newcastle on Saturday, at the top of the European Golden Shoe rankings.

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  Monster Champions League clash with Arsenal next up

  Bayern are next in action on Wednesday night when they face Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Both sides, along with Inter, boast a 100 percent start to the Champions League campaign as Kane returns to north London to a bid to boost Bayern's European hopes.

  And ahead of the huge Champions League tie, Kane said: "Arsenal is a team that makes it difficult for their opponents. But we have to analyse them and find out where we can hurt them"

  Bayern have claimed commendable victories against Chelsea, Pafos, Club Brugge and most recently PSG, while the Gunners have gotten the better of Athletic Club, Olympiacos, Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague, and are yet to concede a goal in Europe's elite club competition.

  However, Bayern will be without winger Luis Diaz for the game at Arsenal in midweek, who is banned. The Colombian, who has made a flying start to life in Germany following his arrival from Liverpool, was dismissed for a reckless challenge on PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi in the 2-1 win in Paris earlier this month.

تحدث توماس توخيل مدرب منتخب إنجلترا بعد فوز الأسود الثلاثة على حساب صربيا بثنائية نظيفة في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وقال توخيل في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية عن تغييراته المؤثرة: “كان تأثيرنا من مقاعد البدلاء جيد منذ البداية، أدخلنا لاعبين متميزين وأرادوا أن يظهروا إمكانياتهم”.

وأضاف: “كان الفوز صعبا، لعبنا لعب مفتوح بعض الشيء، أحياناً وأحياناً أخرى اضطررنا للدفاع بكل ما أوتينا من قوة وأحياناً احتجنا لقليل من الحظ لإجبارهم على التسديد بعيداً”.

وواصل: “من الجيد ألا نواجه ظروفا سهلة، لذلك اضطررنا للانتظار طويلاً حتى سجلنا هدفنا الحاسم ثم تأمين مرمانا، هذا جيد لنا، كان الجهد جيدا وكنت سعيدا جداً بالشوط الأول، في الشوط الثاني لم نضغط دائماً بالشكل الصحيح، لقد استطعنا أيضاً السيطرة على هجماتهم السريعة في الشوط الأول”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | ثنائي آرسنال يقود إنجلترا للفوز على صربيا بثنائية والابتعاد بصدارة مجموعته

وأتم: “أشيد برباعي الدفاعي، كان عليهم العمل بجد والتركيز طوال الوقت، تتمتع صربيا بإمكانيات فردية وهم فريق قوي بدنيا، كان لديهم طاقة جديدة وقدموا أداء جيدًا”.

وأشاد توخيل بنجمه فيل فودين: “هو في فترة جيدة ويمكنه تحسين أداء أي فريق في الجزء الهجومي، أما في الوسط فإني أؤمن وأثق به، هو مبتسم دائماً ومليء بالثقة ويمكنك ملاحظة ذلك من اللمسات الأولى وحركة الكرة”.

وعلق توخيل على قراره بالاعتماد على روجرز أساسياً بدلاً من بيلينجهام: “هذا أمر طبيعي لكنه من أفضل أصدقاء بيلينجهام لذا لا أعتقد أنه يشعر بهذا النوع من الضغط، يتنافسان حالياً على نفس المركز ويحترمان ويحبان بعضهما البعض”.

وأكمل :”سيكون من الظلم أن يحاول بيلينجهام استيعاب كل شيء لأننا غيرنا أسلوبنا في الضغط آخر معسكرين، رايس ومورجان وهاري فعلوا ذلك بالفعل في ثلاث أو أربع مباريات معاً، هما قادرون على التكيف بشكل أسرع وبمجرد أن نرى التشكيل يمكننا إعطاء تعليمات واضحة لفيل وبيلينجهام وإشراكهما من مقاعد البدلاء”.

Mikel Arteta is excited about the return of the "very unpredictable" Gabriel Jesus from injury following a lengthy rehabilitation. The Brazilian forward has been sidelined by a brutal knee injury since January in an FA Cup encounter with Manchester United. The striker clashed awkwardly with Bruno Fernandes and had to be stretchered off from the pitch as Jesus was in visible pain.

• A long road back from the brink

  Repeated knee setbacks have stopped him from realising his full potential, and the striker, who knows his body all too well, guessed that he was staring at another lengthy spell on the sidelines. Subsequent scans showed Jesus had suffered a serious ACL tear. Now, after an almost season-long fight for recovery, the striker returned to full training, sparking fresh hope in north London. Arteta couldn’t hide his excitement when speaking about Jesus’s long-awaited comeback as he views the Brazilian as a dependable force who could add further spark to Arsenal's frontline. 

  "I’m thrilled to have him," Arteta said. "I think he’s going to add something extra to the team that we don’t have, and make sure that very soon we see him on that pitch making an impact for the team. It's about making the steps day-by-day in a different surrounding. He's been doing everything on his own; now he's got players around him, very competitive players around him, and let’s see how he copes with that. But he's full of energy, I love the reaction of all his teammates when he first joined us and great to have him back."

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• AFP
  

  Arsenal's attack in flux

  Jesus' return couldn’t have been better timed. Arsenal’s attacking line has been hit by constant injuries and just when Arteta thought his forward options were finally stable, new problems have surfaced. Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, brought in for £60 million from Sporting CP to add firepower, is now sidelined with a hamstring issue sustained in the win over Burnley. The Swedish international is expected to be out for around two weeks and will miss the clash against Sunderland. However, the international break will provide him with some respite. 

  Speaking about the injury, Arteta said: "I am concerned because he hasn't had many muscular issues and he needed to leave the pitch and he was feeling something. That's obviously never a good sign, especially for a player that is very, very explosive. So we are digging in a little bit more to understand where we are in terms of the injury and we'll announce the moment we know."

• Jesus ready to fight for his place at Arsenal

  While Arteta’s focus remains on fitness and form, rumours about Jesus’s long-term future have refused to go away. Reports from earlier this month claimed Arsenal could be open to selling the forward, with Brazilian giants Flamengo and Palmeiras both interested in bringing him back home. Everton, too, are said to be weighing up an ambitious January approach. But Jesus himself has moved swiftly to quash those whispers. Speaking to Placar, as reported by , the 28-year-old was adamant that his future lies in north London. 

  "Every day, the [Arsenal] coach and the board say they're eager for my return," he said. "I don't see myself outside the club's plans. I have a contract until 2027, and if it's not renewed by then, I'll be at the club at least until 2027."

  That said, the Brazilian didn’t shy away from acknowledging his love affair with Palmeiras, the club where he began his professional career. 

  "Palmeiras' interest will always be there, both from them and from me," Jesus said. "But there's been nothing formal. It's the natural interest of a kid who came through the Palmeiras youth system, went to Europe, and obviously wants to return one day. Everyone at the club knows that. I'm a player, and it's a little harder to say, but when I feel like returning to Brazil, which isn't the case right now, my desire is and always will be Palmeiras."

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• AFP
  

  Arsenal’s balancing act with their finances

  Financially, Arsenal find themselves in a delicate position after a lavish summer of spending close to £250m ($332m). The acquisitions of Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze alone have stretched the club’s wage structure, leading to whispers that certain high-earning players could be moved on to balance the books. They have already shipped out Reiss Nelson, Jakub Kiwior, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, and it remains to be seen if Jesus is deemed surplus to requirements.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has hit back at misleading reports regarding his physical condition and mental state, claiming that a lot of what has been written and discussed is “all lies”. The 18-year-old looked fine when scoring a stunning goal in a thrilling Champions League draw with Club Brugge, but was subjected to jeers throughout that contest.

Six-goal thriller: Yamal on target for Barcelona

Barca were in Belgium for their latest European fixture, with Yamal named in Hansi Flick’s starting XI. He played a leading role in a wild contest that finished 3-3, with the Liga title holders never able to get their noses in front.

Yamal did his best to keep them in the game, with another impressive strike being added to his ever-growing collection. He certainly appeared to be fit and focused after facing plenty of questions recently regarding his professional and personal lives.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALIs Yamal unhappy? Teenager reacts to rumours

He sat out seven games for Barca and Spain when nursing a pubalgia complaint, with surgery eventually being avoided, while he has split from Argentine rapper girlfriend Nicki Nicole. Unwanted attention comes with the territory of being a global superstar, but Yamal is eager to point out there is often little substance to the gossip that he generates.

Yamal told reporters when asked how he is feeling after recovering from injury and seeing his happiness in Catalunya called into question: “Very well, very calm. There has been a lot of talk about my groin injury, about me being sad, and it was all lies. I was the same as always, I was very happy, I was focused on my work, trying to get back to work and be able to play at this level, which is how I feel best and how I enjoy myself most.”

Boo who? Why jeers have no impact on Yamal

While the youngster is seemingly firing on all cylinders again, Barca boss Flick has reiterated that Yamal’s workload will have to be carefully managed. He said when delivering a fitness update on the exciting forward: “I am happy that Lamine is back on this level, but how I said also, we don't know what is tomorrow; we don't know what is next Sunday. The important thing is that he manages this situation he has now because it's not easy. He has to be focused on what he has to do, how he has to train and also the treatment. If he manages that the right way, hopefully it goes away, but it's not easy to say when with the situation.”

Yamal will want to play as often as possible for Barcelona, with a talismanic role being taken on for the Liga giants. Rivals around the world are rightly wary of what he can deliver on any given day.

That makes him an easy target for rough treatment on and off the field, with full-blooded challenges coming his way along with taunts from the crowd. Yamal has, however, learned how to turn a deaf ear to any detractors and considers boos to be a mark of respect.

He said of being jeered against Brugge: “It’s no coincidence. If it were another player, they wouldn’t boo. They boo me because they know I do my job well on the field. Little by little, the boos have stopped. That means I’ve done my job well, and I’m not worried about it.”

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Getty Images SportBarcelona fixtures: Next up for Yamal and Co

He added on Barca’s six-goal thriller in Belgium: “It’s a very difficult place to play. We are Barca and we always have to win, but now we are thinking about the next La Liga match. We knew they were a good team, especially at home. It’s very difficult to win when you concede three goals, that’s what we have to improve and what we are already thinking about.”

Barcelona, who sit second in the Liga table behind Clasico rivals Real Madrid, will be back in domestic action on Sunday when taking in a trip to Celta Vigo – with that fixture set to carry them into the next international break.

The holder of the record for the most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season, Harsh Dubey, has been impressive since coming in as a replacement player for SRH

ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-20252:53

Kumble: Dubey beating batters with pace, not just turn

No team possibly got the choice of replacement players better than Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), another team to have exited IPL 2025 early, might have laid their hands on a superstar for the future. Harsh Dubey, who broke the record for the most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season earlier this year, has impressed the head coach at SRH, Daniel Vettori, as well as Anil Kumble, the most successful Indian Test bowler of all time, and Tom Moody.Having returned 1 for 44 and 1 for 20 in his first two games – both after the IPL resumed following the mini break – 22-year-old left-arm spinner Dubey picked up 3 for 34 from his four overs in SRH’s last game of the season, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday night.”We’re very pleased with what he has done since he has come into the team – obviously a very clever bowler,” Vettori said at the press conference after the match. “[He] understands conditions well, understands how he needs to bowl, and can mix it up. I suppose we were desperate for that little bit of control, and he’s been able to do that in all three games he’s played.Related

Abhimanyu to lead India A against England A

Ranji record-breaker Dubey replaces R Smaran at SRH

Dubey's star on the rise, with a guiding hand from Ashwin

“And the great thing for him is that between now and the next IPL, he’s going to play a lot of cricket, whether it’s for India A or his domestic team [Vidarbha]. He’s going to get a huge amount of opportunities, so we believe he can grow as a bowler and also as a batter, because the batting part of him was a big part of our decision-making too.”On the subject of India A, Dubey will get his chance in England soon, when the Indians play two first-class games against England A from end-May and also a four-day game against the Test squad from June 13 before the England vs India Test series starts on June 20.”He’s giving it a tweak, that’s the start. And when you do that, you certainly get a bit of drift. And, more importantly, it goes off the surface that much quicker. And that’s something that we see in Harsh Dubey,” Anil Kumble said about Dubey on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show after the three-for. “It’s not just about tossing the ball up. People think that when you’re looking to spin the ball… he gives it a proper tweak. And even when you’re pushing it – you’re looking to bowl faster – you still need to give it a bit of a rip.”The trajectory needs to be flatter, but you’re still giving it a rip, that’s what gives you the dip. Today, when he got Ramandeep [Singh] out, and also Andre Russell, he beat them with pace, not just the turn or with… with Russell, it just came back with the arm. He beat them with pace, and that’s what you want from a spinner.”The Russell wicket – perhaps the worst ball to face first up – came when Dubey, a ball after getting rid of Rinku Singh, pitched the ball on middle stump on a length and got it to turn. At speed. So plumb was Russell that he didn’t even wait for the umpire’s decision – it would have crashed into middle stump.”Absolute peach,” Moody said. “One thing I have observed – and Anil is a hell of a lot more qualified to talk about spin – with him is when he changes his pace, he doesn’t lose the integrity of the shape of the ball. He’s still got overspin on the ball. So when he’s looking to bowl quicker, he’s still got that overspin on the ball, therefore the ball then drops and, as Anil says, it really kicks off the surface, spins off the surface.Harsh Dubey has been impressive in his three games this IPL season•Associated Press

“A lot of spinners, when they are under pressure – are looking to bowl it a bit quicker – lose that integrity of the ball where you’ve got the seam coming up over the top, it tends to come more on the side, so it just becomes a quicker ball, which disappears even further. So it’s how the ball arrives on to the pitch is the most important thing. His arrival, the ball’s arrival, has always got a really nice shape to it, and dip to it, with the change of pace. Therefore, from a batting perspective, it’s a lot harder to judge [and] just hit the ball out of the ground.”To both Kumble and Moody, the India A stint could well be the first step towards something bigger.”I see him as a Test bowler as much as a T20 bowler,” Moody said. “I look at him and think, ‘wow, imagine facing this guy on a turning track’.”Kumble agreed. “He certainly has the potential, and we’ve seen him bowl today in the white-ball format. The consistency is what matters. And that’s something he has shown in domestic cricket, of getting wickets. And this is a great opportunity to be part of the India A squad.”

It wasn’t the start to their Champions League campaign Chelsea would’ve been looking for last night.

The Blues travelled to the scene of their greatest European achievement, but instead of getting another one over Bayern Munich, they were comfortably beaten.

Now, there were several starters who put in a good showing, like Cole Palmer and Robert Sanchez, but there were more who let themselves down.

One of those was Enzo Fernández, and since he’s not really been at it this season, Enzo Maresca should look to drop him for the Premier League clash against Manchester United in two days.

Fernandez's slow start to the season

Now, there is no doubting Fernandez’s quality; he’s a World Cup winner after all and played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s success last year.

Chalkboard

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

However, as was the case at the beginning of last season, the former Benfica gem has not started the campaign in particularly impressive form.

For example, while he managed to bag a goal and assist in the win over Fulham, he’s only created one big chance in five appearances.

Moreover, in the Premier League, he has averaged just 1.5 key passes per game, been accurate in 20% of his crosses, completed 41% of his long balls, and been accurate in just 76% of his passes when in the opposition’s half.

Last night was probably the Argentine’s most underwhelming display yet, as even though he was moved further up the pitch, he offered practically nothing in attack while also lacking off the ball.

Minutes

81′

Expected Goals

0.23

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Assists

0

Touches

34

Accurate Passes

17/21 (81%)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (0)

Shots on Target

0

Big Chances Missed

1

Lost Possession

9

In fact, he amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.01, failed in 100% of his crosses and long balls, failed to have a single shot on target and missed a huge chance created by Palmer.

It was a performance that saw the Standard’s Simon Collings award him a 5/10 match rating at full-time, which was probably rather generous.

In all, it feels like Maresca should do what he did last season and take Fernandez out of the team for a little while, especially when he already has a player who could be the ideal replacement.

The player Maresca should start in place of Fernandez

While there are a few options Maresca could pick from, the player we think he should start against United is Andrey Santos.

Now, there is certainly an argument to be made that handing the 21-year-old his first Premier League start at Old Trafford, a ground Chelsea haven’t won at for over a decade, is a little foolish.

However, the young Brazilian does not seem like the sort of player to be overawed by that sort of thing, and his overall play from last season warrants him getting this chance.

He’s more than comfortable playing in a couple of midfield roles and has shown himself to be just as effective at breaking up play as he is at scoring and creating goals.

For example, in 34 appearances for Strasnourg last year, totalling 3024 minutes, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace scored 11 goals and provided five assists.

In other words, he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.12 games, or every 189 minutes.

Moreover, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won, the top 4% for goals per shot and tackles in the middle third, the top 10 for tackles plus interceptions and more, all per 90.

Tackles Won

2.23

Top 2%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.11

Top 3%

Goals/Shot

0.19

Top 4%

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

1.59

Top 4%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.27

Top 5%

Tackles

3.22

Top 5%

Pass Completion % (Long)

78.2%

Top 7%

Touches (Def 3rd)

19.12

Top 8%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.57

Top 9%

Goals + Assists

0.37

Top 10%

Tkl+Int

4.30

Top 10%

Fouls Drawn

2.00

Top 10%

Dribblers Tackled

1.42

Top 12%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.03

Top 12%

These numbers help to back up the claim made by analyst Ben Mattinson that the youngster is a “duel monster” who is “brilliant at screening the backline.”

Going even further than that, talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a “one-man war machine in midfield” due to his ability to seemingly do it all and constantly dash from one box to another.

Ultimately, there would be an element of risk in starting Santos over Fernadez on Saturday, but the Argentine hasn’t looked anywhere near his best this season, and based on his performances last year, the Brazilian could be just what Chelsea need.

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Nottingham Forest are now willing to make a serious offer for a “super” striker, and they have already started preparing the groundwork for a transfer.

Forest keen on signing new striker after slow start

Although we are just four games into the new Premier League campaign, Forest have already changed their manager, with Ange Postecoglou taking charge for the first time against Arsenal last time out, but it was far from the ideal start for the Australian.

The Tricky Trees suffered their second straight 3-0 defeat in the Premier League, following on from the battering at the hands of a struggling West Ham United side before the international break, with Ange’s side looking pretty toothless going forward.

Although going to the Emirates Stadium was always going to be a difficult test, it has been a slow start for Forest, following on from a concerning pre-season, during which they scored just one goal in seven friendly games.

Consequently, there may be some concerns surrounding Ange’s forward line, meaning the new manager may want to bolster his attacking options in the January transfer window, and the Europa League side have now joined the race for a new striker.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Nottingham Forest are now the club best-positioned to sign Sevilla striker Isaac Romero, and they are willing to make a serious bid for the 25-year-old’s services.

The Tricky Trees are already laying the groundwork for a deal, that could amount to around €25m (£22m), which would be an affordable fee for a Premier League side.

Ange’s side believe the Spaniard has all the qualities to succeed at The City Ground, and the door could be open for a deal, given that Sevilla need to sell to balance the books.

"Super" Romero has made impressive start to the season

The Sevilla star has made a solid start to the campaign, scoring two goals in his opening four La Liga games, meaning he is already half-way to matching his league goal tally from the 2024-25 season.

Former teammate Oliver Torres has also raved about the forward in the past, saying: “More than just a good player, Isaac is a good teammate, a good lad, super humble, super hard-working and in the end fortune smiles on people like that.”

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Forest made major improvements to their attack in the summer, bringing in the likes of Omari Hutchinson, Dilane Bakwa, Dan Ndoye, and Arnaud Kalimuendo, so there are doubts over whether they need to bring in another forward imminently.

However, with Chris Wood now 33-years-old, the New Zealand international could be in the twilight years of his career, so it may be worth bringing in a long-term replacement, and Romero is showing promising signs at Sevilla.

Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Real Sociedad was clouded by controversy as referee Alejandro Hernandez admitted he wrongly awarded the corner that led to Jules Kounde’s equaliser, goalkeeper Alex Remiro says. The Sociedad star labelled the error “a shame”, but also admitted his side’s poor defending played a role in their defeat.

• Hernandez admits mistake in Barcelona’s comeback win

  Barcelona’s comeback 2-1 victory over Sociedad hinged on a controversial moment. The referee admitted after the match that he wrongly awarded the corner that led to Kounde's equaliser. La Real, who had taken the lead in the 31st minute through Alvaro Odriozola, were furious as the Catalans used the momentum to complete the turnaround with Robert Lewandowski’s header in the second half.

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  Remiro voices his frustration

  Goalkeeper Remiro revealed in the mixed zone that the referee accepted his mistake: "I've also complained… We've spoken with Alejandro, with the referee, and he's accepted his mistake. It's more of a mistake for us to defend the corner poorly."

  He added: "It's a shame, and VAR can't be used due to protocol, and I don't think it should be used either, because otherwise it would be outrageous. It's a fine line. Corner, and we were bad in that particular moment defending, and we need to correct it."

• La Liga title race and relegation battle impacted

  For Sociedad, the decision only deepens their struggles, sitting in 17th and battling for early-season points, this blow feels especially damaging. For Barcelona, however, the win was priceless, putting them back on top of La Liga after Real Madrid suffered a 5-2 loss against Atletico. Beyond the controversy, Flicks side were lifted by Lamine Yamal’s lively cameo, who came on in the 58th minute and assisted Lewandowski’s decisive goal.

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  Next fixtures for Barcelona and Real Sociedad

  Sociedad will look to bounce back when they face Rayo Vallecano next weekend, needing points to move clear of the relegation zone. Barcelona, meanwhile, turn their attention to the Champions League, where they face Paris Saint-Germain in a high-stakes midweek clash that will test their defensive organisation and attacking fluidity.