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If you take a brief look at the top two Premier League teams from last season, they both have what Manchester United don’t.

It’s in the form of a world-class defensive midfielder, such as a Rodri or Declan Rice, who can win a game on their own.

Casemiro was supposed to be United’s answer to their issue, but he’s now set to leave the club after a decline in performance.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a player who’d make Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Reds much more secure defensively while also making Bruno Fernandes unstoppable.

Man Utd’s search for a new midfielder

According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, Man United are interested in signing midfielder Joao Gomes.

It’s mentioned that the Red Devils “are set to push forward with plans to sign two midfield reinforcements.”

United have been following the Brazilian for a while now, and Gomes is viewed as “one of the standout options.”

However, Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen to keep hold of their star, valuing him at £50m.

Why Joao Gomes would make Bruno Fernandes unstoppable

There are very few players in world football quite like Fernandes, not just because of his quality but also because of his consistency.

His overall record since arriving at Old Trafford really does speak for itself, scoring 79 goals and picking up 66 assists in 233 appearances.

The Portuguese magnifico is by far the most influential player at the club, and he is truly irreplaceable in the side, as he sets the example in every single game.

However, in order to see the absolute best version of Fernandes, he needs some added defensive security behind him, which is exactly where Gomes comes into the picture.

Joao Gomes 23/24 PL Stats

Stats

Gomes

PL Percentile

Tackles

4.35

99%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

2.28

99%

Dribblers tackled

1.49

91%

Blocks

1.73

83%

Balls recovered

6.22

76%

Touches

55.24

45%

Passes completed

35.71

46%

Via FBref

As you can see, Gomes is the absolute definition of a defensive midfielder who excels more without the ball than with it.

The 23-year-old is a tenacious tackler who ranks in the top 99% of tacklers in the Premier League, with his ability to clean up in front of the backline being a priceless asset.

Having a monstrous ball-winner behind him would see Fernandes venture into forward positions more often, essentially freeing him of some of his defensive duties.

There’s no debating that the number eight is at his best when impacting the game consistently near the centre forward, in and around the box, and it must be a priority to see him feature in a similar role to where he played during his 18-goal and 12-assist 2020/21 campaign.

Fortunately, if the United captain is then caught out of position further up the field or possession is overturned, Gomes is comfortable when defending transitions, and he’s proactive, as shown by his dribblers tackled and balls recovered.

Furthermore, it’s quite clear that he’s an absolute pain to play against, as he often enters duels to pinch the ball back, winning 6.2 of them per game, hence why football scout Jacek Kulig labelled him a “warrior.”

The only downside to his game is that he’s yet to show his true technical ability, but that wouldn’t be such an issue alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Fernandes, who are both fantastic with the ball at their feet.

Overall, signing Gomes would be an incredibly smart decision by United, and given the sheer number of shots they suffered last season, he would be welcomed with open arms.

Related Man Utd struck gold on free signing who's now worth more than Fernandes

The Man Utd star has now become well and truly irreplaceable.

Posts ByTom Lever Jun 5, 2024

If you had told a Chelsea fan that they could go on level points with Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season at the start of the year, they’d have laughed.

Fast forward to today, and that’s truly the reality, thanks to Chelsea’s impeccable recent form that’s seen them win four games on the bounce.

The latest of those was yesterday against Brighton & Hove Albion, where Mauricio Pochettino’s side picked up a 2-1 victory.

The talking point of the game will undoubtedly be Reece James' ridiculous red card, but there was one player who proved that he could become just as important as Cole Palmer next season.

Cole Palmer’s performance vs Brighton

As always, the best signing of the season, Palmer, was unplayable against the Seagulls, but that’s just become the norm since he switched Manchester City for Chelsea in the summer.

The attacking midfielder has well and truly exceeded all expectations, not only becoming Chelsea’s biggest source of creativity but also their biggest goal threat, scoring 22 goals and providing ten assists.

No player in the Premier League has more goal contributions than the England international this season, and he added to his tally last night, scoring a wonderful header that proves he really can do it all.

Outside of his goal, the number 20 was lively, taking seven shots, making two key passes, and having an xA of 0.42, but there was one player on the field who could replicate Palmer’s form next season.

Christopher Nkunku’s stats vs Brighton

The Premier League has yet to see the true potential of Chelsea’s summer signing, Christopher Nkunku, with the forward missing the majority of the campaign through injury.

The French star became known for his ability to score and create goals in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig, with 26 goals and 17 league assists in the previous two campaigns.

However, his setbacks have limited his minutes to just 329 across the entire league campaign, scoring three goals from an xG of just 2.28.

Yesterday, he finally got a chance to showcase his talent for a large chunk of the game, as he replaced the injured Mykhailo Mudryk just before the break, and he certainly proved why he’s been labelled as a “monster” by football scout Jacek Kulig.

Nkunku & Palmer's Stats vs Brighton

Stats

Nkunku

Palmer

Minutes

48

89

Goals

1

1

Shots

2

7

Touches

42

47

Key passes

1

2

Pass accuracy

88%

81%

Duels contested

12

5

Tackles

2

0

Via Sofascore

As you can see, the number 18 played with the desire to not only impress Pochettino but also make a noticeable difference to the team, even putting up similar numbers to Chelsea's top goalscorer.

During his cameo, he was absolutely everywhere, heavily involved, and was a “constant threat,” which is why the Evening Standard handed him an 8/10 rating for his performance.

The 26-year-old’s 42 touches, 14 more than Nicolas Jackson, and 88% pass accuracy highlight how impactful he was, while his 12 duels contested and two tackles underline his excellent work rate off the ball.

What was glaringly obvious is that the versatile forward played with confidence, and he was rewarded with a brilliantly taken finish that ultimately became the winning goal.

Overall, Nkunku showed glimpses of why Chelsea signed him in the first place yesterday, and if he can continue this progress, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him return to his Leipzig form. He could just prove to be as important as Palmer next season if he remains fit.

Related Boehly lining up Chelsea swoop for £65m star who could be Palmer 2.0

The Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the impressive winger this summer.

Posts ByDan Emery May 10, 2024

The last time England rocked up on Sri Lankan shores, in late 2018, they had a settled side that had been together for the better part of four years, and were just months away from winning their first-ever World Cup title. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, couldn’t buy a win, and a number of those who played in that series would find themselves out of the eventual travelling squad for the World Cup.A year and a half on, Sri Lanka finally look to have settled on more or less their favoured starting XI, with a pleasing blend of experience and youth. In Mickey Arthur, they also have one of world cricket’s pre-eminent coaches leading the way. England are still a top-quality unit, as showcased by their recent exploits in South Africa, but they are now once again at the start of a rebuild.With the Test Championship final coming up next year and an Ashes tour of Australia in 2021-22, England captain Joe Root believes they once more have something to build towards.”I think for us building towards that Test Championship final would be a huge achievement,” Root said at the pre-series media briefing in Colombo on Wednesday. “It’s something that we’re aiming for as a team, and obviously, we’re also always judged on how well we do in The Ashes as well, so it’s a long process in making sure that we’re always trying to peak when we’re going up against Australia and travelling over there.”Long-term a big focus for us is trying to get some consistency and how we want to go about playing our cricket. Similarly with the guys that we’re going to be selecting, it’s a real opportunity for them to long-term take this team up the rankings, and hopefully play those big moments and big games that really matter.”In the build-up to their World Cup triumph, England’s tour to Sri Lanka in hindsight proved to be a signpost moment for the type of cricket that would eventually win them the trophy. Not only did they win that series in 2018, they decimated the hosts, winning series in all three formats including a 3-0 Test-series whitewash.What made the wins all the more impressive was their manner they came in, as England beat Sri Lanka at their own game. Their batsmen dominated the home spinners, while their own spinners – Jack Leach, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid – wreaked havoc, combining for 48 wickets.This time around, only Leach remains from that vaunted trio, and while Matt Parkinson’s four-for in England’s first warm-up game would likely have strengthened his case for a starting berth in the first Test in Galle alongside Dom Bess – who picked up three in the game – they’re both relatively untested at the highest level. In terms of the batting too, there are many who haven’t played top-level cricket on subcontinental surfaces. As such, Root isn’t getting too far ahead of himself in expecting a repeat performance from 2018.”It is a different team that we’ve brought this time around,” he said. “We’re expecting the surfaces to be slightly different, and we’re quite open-minded about what to expect. But ultimately it gives an opportunity for some of the other guys to show what they’re capable of.”I think last time we came at a different time of year for starters. It was a lot wetter. And I’m sure Mickey [Arthur] and everyone have put their own stamp on things, and are playing cricket very differently.”There were very extreme conditions [in terms of the pitches] last time around as well, and I felt we found a very good way of exploiting that. It probably suited some of the guys that we had on tour, and the way they played their cricket.”I think it’s important to have an open mind coming in to this series. If we just went in and expected it to be exactly the same then we could find ourselves getting stuck, and I think it’s really important that we play what’s right in front of us, and make sure we respect the surface and the opposition. And I’m sure there are one or two guys that want to put their stamp on this team and take it forward.”Matt Parkinson has a laugh during England’s opening tour match in Sri Lanka•Getty Images

For Sri Lanka, this will be an opportunity at redemption, though with Rangana Herath retired and Akila Dananjaya suspended, their spin contingent comprising Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya and Lakshan Sandakan is not as strong as it once was. Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne, however, chose to draw confidence from his team’s performances against New Zealand and South Africa in recent series, where it’s been the seamers more than spinners that have been the cornerstone of their victories.”We didn’t do well in the last series [against England], and they played really well in these conditions. And compared to other countries [we’ve faced at home] they were really good at taking on our spinners. But I think Dilruwan is there, and there are a few talented young bowlers as well. And we saw against South Africa and New Zealand in recent tours that they have a really good mindset.”Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur meanwhile believes that the recent ODI-series win against West Indies and the Test-series win in Zimbabwe have been great learning experiences for his players, albeit in different ways.”[The performances against West Indies in the ODIs] is certainly how we want to play our cricket, and I think our selections are going to reflect that going forward,” Arthur said. “But just to go back to the Zimbabwe series, we played on incredibly flat and slow wickets, which just sort of did nothing for the game really, and the game just didn’t move at all. And it was kind of a war of attrition, you had to just wear the opposition down. But we got a lot out of that tour, because we had to focus and had to be really disciplined through those two Test matches.”We find we got a hell of a lot out of that tour which was great for us. Certainly our brand of cricket – and I think that’s the way all teams play cricket now – is you want to take the game forward. But there are times when the session or game requires that you wear the opposition down, and that was very much our focus in Zimbabwe – primarily because of the conditions.”Nailing down that brand of cricket, Arthur feels, has been helped by the settled nature of Sri Lanka’s squad which he now believes has an ideal blend of youth and experience.”I think we’re really confident. First of all you’ve got to stay up with the trends of world cricket, and then you sort of look at the brand you want to play from there, and then you find the players that fit that brand.”We have some very young players, we have some very exciting players, we’ve got some very skilled players, intermingled with a couple of experienced players – Angelo [Mathews], [Dinesh] Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal. We feel we’ve got the balance right.”The first Test begins in Galle on March 19.

In truth, Manchester United’s campaign has been filled with disappointment, frustration, and inconsistencies.

The Red Devils are currently sixth in the Premier League, and although they have spent heavily over recent years, the squad has been rather thin.

Injuries have played a role in Erik ten Hag being unable to play the brand of football he insists on, while some individuals have also struggled to reach the heights they showed last campaign.

One of those is Marcus Rashford, but with a potential new signing on the cards this summer, he could return to his very best.

Man Utd’s search for a striker

Last summer, Man United addressed their centre-forward issues by signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta in a deal worth £72m.

The Danish attacker struggled to adapt to the Premier League to begin with, but he’s now scored seven goals and provided two assists since the end of December.

However, according to a recent Fabrizio Romano interview with CaughtOffside, Ivan Toney could be “one to watch” this summer, with United keen to bolster their attack.

Romano noted: "As I said here multiple times, Man Utd are still in early stages of the process to decide which striker they want to sign; experienced or young. Talks are going to take place internally, Toney will be one of the names available on the market so could be one to watch.”

It is reported that Brentford will likely demand a fee of around £70m for their star striker, who would provide great competition for Hojlund, which will be important considering Anthony Martial’s inevitable exit.

How Toney could supercharge Rashford

United’s number ten has found consistency difficult to come by this campaign, despite still being one of the club’s best performers in regards to output.

The 26-year-old is Ten Hag’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League with seven goals, and he seems to finally be returning to form, scoring in all of United’s last three matches, including a vital equaliser in the Red Devils’ 4-3 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup.

Although those numbers aren’t terrible, they’re nowhere near his record from last season, where he scored 17 times and provided five assists in just 32 starts, but the potential acquisition of Toney could bring the best out of the attacker.

Despite scoring 20 goals and providing four assists last season himself, the current Bees forward is well known for his physicality and old-fashioned approach at times, with even boss Thomas Frank describing him as a “monster,” which is exactly the type of profile that could see Rashford thrive alongside.

At Brentford, Toney operates in a system without traditional wingers like United; however, his style of play complements Rashford’s strengths perfectly.

As you can see by the table below, the 28-year-old’s first start for England against Belgium highlighted what he could bring to Ten Hag’s team in regards to goals, creativity, and intelligence.

Goals

1

Penalties won

1

Shots

3

Key passes

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Duels won

4/6

The striker showed his brilliant link-up ability and ball retention, often dropping slightly deeper to create space behind the defence. This is the exact scenario where Rashford is one of the best in the Premier League, using his pace to latch onto through balls, inevitably from Bruno Fernandes.

Toney’s ability to receive direct passes from the defence and goalkeeper also allows United to transition much quicker, in turn providing the United winger with more opportunities to hurt the opposition.

It’s also clear that the former Peterborough attacker is a goal-scorer who thrives inside the penalty area, which will not only help take the attacking responsibility off Rashford’s shoulders but also enhance his creativity.

Overall, the signing of Toney could give United a slightly different option to Hojlund up front, and one that could truly make Rashford unstoppable once again.

Man Utd have begun talks to sign a £50m Harry Maguire replacement

Erik ten Hag is keen to reinforce his backline next summer.

ByTom Lever Mar 26, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Mais um confronto aconteceu pela 4ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B nesta quinta-feira, 17. Dessa forma, jogando no Antônio Accioly, o Atlético-GO recebeu o Fortaleza, em busca dos três pontos para chegar, enfim, ao G4. Em uma partida bastante equilibrada e com o Dragão desperdiçando boas oportunidades, o duelo terminou no zero.

Depois dessa partida, o Atlético entra em campo no próximo domingo, 20, pelo Brasileirão. O time enfrenta o Athletico, na Arena da Baixada. Enquanto isso, o Fortaleza, que segue na liderança, joga no mesmo dia, em casa, diante o Fluminense.

COMEÇO PERIGOSO
Em busca dos três pontos para chegar na parte de cima da tabela, o Atlético-GO foi o primeiro a assustar. Aos 11, Janderson chutou de primeira para a defesa de Felipe Alves. No entanto, o Fortaleza não ficou para fora, também tendo chances de abrir o placar nos minutos iniciais. Yago Pikachu cobrou falta para a área, e Tinga subiu mais alto que todos, mas cabeceou para fora.

Na sequência, Janderson cruzou forte, e a defesa do Leão tirou em partes. Assim, na sobra, João Paulo tentou o chute, mas acertou na marcação. Aos 19, depois de cobrança de escanteio, Tinga pegou de primeira. Fernando Miguel evitou o gol do Tricolor. No minuto seguinte, João Paulo chutou a bola em cima de Marcelo Benevenute, desperdiçando a oportunidade.

PRESSÃO, MAS SEM GOLS
O Dragão seguiu pressionando e, aos 27, fez ótima jogada para cima de Tinga, cruzando forte. Assim, Marlon tentou finalizar dentro da área, mas a arbitragem pegou toque de mão do volante. Na sequência, a partida ficou mais truncada, com poucas chances sendo criadas. Aos 42, o Fortaleza tentou de novo, dessa vez com Pikachu, mas a defesa rubro-negra cortou.

RECOMEÇO COM GRANDES CHANCES
Logo no primeiro minuto após do intervalo, Natanael teve grande chance. O jogador cortou para o pé direito e chutou, mas Marcelo Benevenuto desviou. Como resposta, Wellington Paulista cruzou, e Fernando Miguel afastou. Na sequência, Romarinho sofreu uma falta de Willian Maranhão na área, e o árbitro assinalou pênalti. No entanto, seguiu o assistente, que marcou impedimento.

TRUNCADO E GRANDE OPORTUNIDADE DO DRAGÃO
Depois do lance, o árbitro foi checar uma possível expulsão de Felipe, do Fortaleza. No entanto, apenas deu amarelo. Com isso, as equipes voltaram a ficar equilibradas, com poucas chances sendo perigosas. Assim, aos 23, Janderson perdeu uma boa oportunidade. Na cara do gol, mandou à esquerda, em cima de Felipe Alves. Dois minutos depois, Natanael cobrou falta com perigo, mandando por todo mundo, e a bola foi para escanteio.

Na sequência, foi a vez de Lucão, que havia acabado de entrar, assustar a meta de Felipe Alves. O jogador recebeu cruzamento, dominou e chutou para fora. No final da partida, um integrante da comissão do Dragão foi expulso por retardar o duelo. No entanto, já era tarde para qualquer movimento. A partida terminou zerada.

FICHA TÉCNICA
Atlético-GO 0 x 0 Fortaleza
Local: Antônio Accioly, em Goiânia
Data/Horário: 17 de junho de 2020 (quinta-feira), às 19h
Árbitro: Douglas Schwengber da Silva
Assistentes: Lucio Beiersdorf Flor e Leirson Peng Martins
Cartões amarelos: Igor Cariús, Natanael e Willian Maranhão (Atlético-GO); Felipe (Fortaleza)

Atlético-GO: Fernando Miguel; Dudu, Nathan Silva, Oliveira e Igor Cariús (Arthur Gomes, 42’/2°T); Willian Maranhão, Marlos Freitas e João Paulo; Janderson (André Luís, 42’/2°T), Zé Roberto (Lucão, 22’/2°T) e Natanael. Técnico: Eduardo Barroca.

Fortaleza: Felipe Alves; Tinga, Marcelo Benevenuto, Titi e Carlinhos (Luiz Henrique, 20’/2°T); Éderson, Felipe, Matheus Vargas e Yago Pikachu; Wellington Paulista (David, 20’/2°T) e Romarinho (Robson, 33’/2°T). Técnico: Juan Vojvoda.

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Real Madrid have confirmed an individual has been given a suspended eight-month prison sentence for racially abusing Vinicius Jr and Antonio Rudiger.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• Individual racially abused Rudiger and Vinicius Jr
• Did so in Marca comments section
• Suspended sentence handed down

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid confirmed on Wednesday that a Spanish court has handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence to an individual who racially abused both Vinicius and Rudiger in the comments section of Spanish news site . The person used multiple accounts to do so, while also denigrating the faith of Rudiger, who is a Muslim.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The offender has not been named but they were found guilty of harming the moral integrity of the players. They have only avoided prison because they have agreed to participate in an anti-discrimination awareness program.

• WHAT REAL MADRID SAID

  Madrid said in a statement: "Real Madrid C.F. announces that the Parla Court of Instruction No. 5 has today handed down a guilty verdict against a person who, acting under various pseudonyms on the digital forum of the Marca newspaper, directed serious racist attacks and insults against our players Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rüdiger.

  "The accused was found guilty of two offences against moral integrity committed against Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rüdiger, both aggravated by the fact that they acted with racist motives and, in the case of Antonio Rüdiger, also in contempt of his religion. The court ordered the accused to serve eight months in prison and not to participate in the above-mentioned forum for 20 months. The suspended prison sentence was made conditional on the defendant's participation in an equal treatment and non-discrimination programme. This is the second criminal conviction for the racist insults received by Real Madrid players, which in this case and for the first time, has sanctioned the intolerable attacks of this nature that also occur on digital forums and social networks.

  "Real Madrid, which, together with Vinicius Junior, has acted as the private prosecutor in the proceedings, will continue to work to protect the values of our club and to eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football and sport. Finally, Real Madrid is grateful for the cooperation of the fan who, upon detecting the insults that have been condemned in the Marca newspaper forum, brought them to the attention of the authorities and our club."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  European Champions Real Madrid continue their preparation for the new season. They face AC Milan on August 1 in a pre-season friendly.

The season premiere of MSL 2019 was an evening to remember, as defending champions Jozi Stars nearly went the distance in a steep chase in front of a home crowd, before falling just 15 runs short to Cape Town Blitz’s 213.Opener Reeza Hendricks impressed with a 53-ball 80 for Stars, their new captain Temba Bavuma struck a crisp 15-ball 38, and Rassie van der Dussen hit 31 in 21, but Blitz’s Dale Steyn struck twice in his final spell to take the fizz out of Stars’ chase.In the first innings, the fans at The Wanderers were given a show by Blitz opener Janneman Malan, who struck an unbeaten 99. Fate was in his own hands to reach triple figures, but he failed to get a run off the final ball of the innings. Brisk contributions from the rest of their batting order lifted Blitz to 213 for 3.De Kock, Malan punish wayward bowlersStars had asked Blitz to bat at the toss, and that decision seemed to backfire right away when Malan and Quinton de Kock took 12 off the first over of the season. Malan flicked offspinner Simon Harmer to the fine leg boundary off the game’s first ball, and that set the tone.Kagiso Rabada then conceded 11 at the other end, with Malan hitting him for a four and a six. Malan followed it up by clubbing a flurry of boundaries off Dane Paterson. From 32 for 0 after three overs, Blitz finished the Powerplay on 69 for 0 as de Kock began to find his footing too.Ample support for MalanDe Kock was the first to fall, out for 35 in the seventh over, failing to clear deep midwicket off Harmer. But Blitz didn’t did the tempo drop. Moeen Ali walked in at first drop and tonked three fours and a six to add 25 in 17 balls, and after he was out caught in the deep to Dan Christian’s slower ball, Liam Livingstone emulated his compatriot with 10-ball 21 that included three sixes.Livingstone went hard, in particular, against medium-pacer Nono Pongolo, hitting his slower balls for two consecutive sixes. His dismissal in the 14th over brought in allrounder George Linde, and he added a further 24 in 13 balls to remain unbeaten at the end of 20 overs.From the other end, Malan kept punishing any width that the pacers offered. His proficiency in off-side play was evident as he cut and drove Rabada, Paterson and Duanne Olivier through the innings. He anchored the innings after de Kock’s dismissal while the batsmen at the other end went for riskier shots.Malan entered the nineties in the 18th over by pulling Rabada for a six, but Dane Paterson and Daniel Christian kept him quiet in the last two overs. Needing a single off the final ball of the innings, he failed to connect with Christian’s slower ball.Bavuma, Hendricks return the favourStars opener Chris Gayle engaged in some cat-and-mouse play with Steyn, Anrich Nortje and Vernon Philander in the first three overs of the chase, outfoxing the pacers by making room and carving the short balls square on the off side. He made 17 off 12 before Steyn’s slower ball dismissed him in the fourth over.Bavuma then counterattacked with some nifty footwork, finding boundaries off the pacers to keep the run-rate hovering around ten an over. He lasted only 15 balls, but his strike-rate of 253 kept Stars in the chase, and allowed Hendricks to take a bit of time settling in at the other end. Hendricks was on 12 off 11 before he burst into life by taking 15 off the sixth over, bowled by Mohammad Nawaz. Stars were 68 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay, and needed 99 to win when they reached the halfway mark, having lost Bavuma in the ninth over.Steyn shows his classVan der Dussen was innovative against the spinners. He hit back-to-back fours off Moeen in the 11th over, and brought up Stars’ 150 when he did the same against Linde in the 14th over.That forced Blitz captain de Kock to turn to pace again, and after a tidy over from Magala, Stars needed 54 off 30 balls. Steyn returned to strike almost immediately. Van der Dussen tried to flick a full ball to the leg side but a leading edge sent the ball in the other direction, and Magala ran in from point to complete a diving catch and break the 53-run stand.Hendricks kept Stars in the hunt with three fours in the next over, but he fell in a similar fashion to van der Dussen in the 18th over, miscuing a big hit off Steyn.Stars needed 27 off 13 at that point, but they only managed 12 as Magala and Anrich Nortje closed out the game to earn Blitz a hard-fought opening-night win.

Leeds United are back at Home Park for the second time in February as they travel away from Yorkshire again to take on Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

The Whites face off against Ian Foster's team for the third time in 2024 but for the first time in the Championship since a 2-1 win over the newly-promoted outfit in November 2023.

After a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in January in the FA Cup, the two sides were forced to play a replay earlier this month and Leeds ran out 4-1 winners after extra time.

Since that match, Daniel Farke's men have won two Championship matches by an aggregate score of 7-0, against Rotherham United and Swansea.

Leeds smashed the Swans 4-0 in Wales on Tuesday night and the German head coach could make some alterations to the starting XI from that win as games come thick and fast.

With this in mind, here is FFC's predicted Whites line-up to take on Plymouth at Home Park once again this weekend…

1 Illan Meslier

Illan Meslier should keep his place between the sticks for Leeds as he has been Farke's number one choice throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

He made one save to keep a clean sheet against Swansea last time out and will be looking for another shutout in this clash with Plymouth.

2 Connor Roberts

The first change to the starting XI could come at right-back with Connor Roberts, who joined on loan Premier League side Burnley on deadline day, coming in for Archie Gray.

Minutes played

77

Key passes

One

Assists

One

Duel success rate

100%

Sofascore rating

7.6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 17-year-old academy graduate produced an excellent performance in Wales with strong defending to win all of his duels and an assist to set up Wilfried Gnonto's first goal.

However, the busy fixture list could make dropping the teenage whiz to the bench to provide Roberts with an opportunity to impress a good decision.

It would provide Gray with a rest and allow the Wales international to build up his match fitness, so that he is not short of it in a future games if Farke needs him.

3 Joe Rodon

Joe Rodon produced a sublime performance against his former club on Tuesday night, and you can read about his superb display in the FFC article below.

Leeds titan who won 100% duels was as good as Gnonto & Summerville v Swans

The former Swans star enjoyed a wonderful visit to his former club on Tuesday.

ByDan Emery Feb 14, 2024 4 Ethan Ampadu

Another Wales international should line up at the heart of the defence alongside his fellow countryman – Ethan Ampadu. He has been a revelation at centre-back in 2024 after an enforced change due to an injury to Pascal Struijk.

The pairing have played seven matches at centre-back together and Leeds have won all seven and kept six clean sheets, with one goal conceded, in that time.

They have been imperious at the back and should, therefore, start once again to keep out the likes of Morgan Whittaker and Ryan Hardie on Saturday.

5 Junior Firpo

At left-back, Junior Firpo should keep his place in the starting XI after Sam Byram missed out on the matchday squad through injury on Tuesday.

The former Barcelona full-back has assisted four goals in 12 Championship appearances this season, and could provide a creative threat against Plymouth.

6 Ilia Gruev

Another player who should keep their place in the starting XI is former Werder Bremen central midfielder Ilia Gruev, who produced a fine display on Tuesday.

The impressive gem assisted Crysencio Summerville's opening goal on the night and completed 93% of his attempted passes in midfield for Leeds.

7 Glen Kamara

Farke should start Glen Kamara alongside Gruev once again as the superb partnership helped the Whites to control the match against Swansea.

The Finland international completed an eye-catching 96% of his attempted passes and created two chances for his teammates, which shows that both of the team's midfielders rarely gave the ball away with their passing.

8 Dan James

The second and final change, in terms of personnel, to the XI could come on the right side of the attack with Dan James coming in to replace Georginio Rutter.

Of course, this is not a direct replacement as the French whiz is typically deployed in the number ten position, which was the case against Swansea.

Rutter did not have the best evening against the Swans as he failed to create a single chance for his teammates and did not find the back of the net from any of his four shot attempts, which came to an xG of 0.32.

James returned from injury to make an appearance off the bench against his former club and could, now, return to the starting XI this weekend.

The Wales international, who former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed has the "X-factor", has produced ten goals and six assists in 23 Championship starts this season, which shows that he has the quality to be a match-winner for the Whites.

9 Wilfried Gnonto

Rutter being boldly ditched for James would allow Gnonto to move into a central position, which would provide the versatile gem with more opportunities to make runs through the middle to threaten the opposition goal.

Bristol City

Goal

Plymouth Argyle

Goal

Rotherham United

Swansea City

Two goals and one assist

Stats via Sofascore

10 Crysencio Summerville

Summerville is another player who should keep his place in the starting XI as the Dutch whiz has been a constant threat to opposition defences this season.

The 22-year-old talent has racked up 15 goals and eight assists in 29 appearances in the Championship so far this season for Farke's team on the left flank.

Jesse Lingard took in the adulation of FC Seoul fans after helping them clinch a big win over Suwon FC in the K League.

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• Lingard felt loved by FC Seoul fans
• Yet to score or assist in South Korea
• Returned to action after knee surgery last month

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Manchester United star was seen applauding the FC Seoul fans after the club picked up a convincing 3-0 win over Suwon FC on Saturday in the K League. Lingard played a full 90 minutes, however, he failed to make a goal contribution in the match.

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• WHAT JESSE LINGARD SAID

  After the memorable victory, the 31-year-old took to Instagram to share a few photographs from the caption and he wrote in caption, "Believe".

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former England international opted to move to Asia this February after staying six months without a club. His move to South Korea, however, has not gone as per plan as he struggled with more injuries just a month after making the switch. He underwent knee surgery in March and remained sidelined until last month.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JESSE LINGARD?

  The veteran playmaker will hope to end his goal drought soon as he will be next seen in action for the K League side against Gangwon on Wednesday.

Kylian Mbappe is looking to receive €100m (£85m/$107m) from Paris Saint-Germain regardless of his exit to Real Madrid.

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Mbappe set to leave PSGPSG refuse to pay wagesMbappe seeking €100mWHAT HAPPENED?

According to French outlet L'Equipe, PSG have not paid the player his wages for April, May and do not intend to pay for June either. His current contract is set to expire on June 30 and the issue must be resolved before then, with the overall figure that the club owe coming to around €100m (£84m).

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The relationship between Mbappe and PSG has been rocky ever since he refused to sign a new deal at the club at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. The French international was frozen out of the first team – before returning later on down the line – and will now leave on a free transfer to join La Liga giants Real Madrid.

WHAT PSG SAID

The Ligue 1 champions were contacted by L'Equipe regarding the matter and were asked to comment on the situation, where they claimed 'negotiations are continuing' between the two parties to resolve the situation.

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Instagram/ Equipe de France de FootballWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE

Mbappe is currently away on international duty with France at Euro 2024. He set up their only goal of the tournament in the first game against Austria but was not involved during the 0-0 draw with the Netherlands after breaking his nose.