Key date revealed in Arthur Okonkwo’s injury recovery at Wrexham – with Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney & Phil Parkinson waiting on important update after ‘mad’ goalkeeper problems

A key date has been revealed in Arthur Okonkwo’s injury recovery at Wrexham, with Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Phil Parkinson waiting on updates.

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  • First-choice shot-stopper nursing broken wrist
  • Red Dragons have used four keepers this season
  • Hoping for some positive news on the fitness front
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    WHAT HAPPENED?

    First-choice goalkeeper Okonkwo suffered a broken wrist when turning out for the Red Dragons against Mansfield on November 9. Callum Burton has also been laid low since then, leaving the ambitious League One outfit short on options between the sticks.

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  • WHAT PARKINSON SAID

    The hope is that Okonkwo may not be too far away from making a return to action, with Parkinson saying of what needs to happen before the 23-year-old is given a fitness green light: “Arthur's got an appointment with the specialist – I think it's on December 18 – to check whether the bone's healed properly or not. We'll keep our fingers crossed for that but he'll be back out on the training ground working on other aspects of his game, getting fit and ready so hopefully once he gets the all-clear from the specialist, he won't be too long.”

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Veteran shot-stopper Mark Howard is filling Wrexham’s No.1 berth at present, while Brad Foster has been signed on a short-term deal and kept a clean sheet in an EFL Trophy clash with Crewe. Parkinson added on having to use four different keepers this season: “It's been mad with the goalie situation. It's bad luck but when you have injuries, you can't let it bring you down because it happens in football and someone's misfortune is someone else's fortune.”

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

    Wrexham, who sit joint-top of the League One table as they look to chase down a third successive promotion and provide more drama for the documentary series put in place by their Hollywood co-owners, will be back in action on Saturday when playing host to Paul Mullin’s former employers at Cambridge United.

Derby could sign a new CF who’d be a "handful" next to Mendez-Laing

Derby County are now fully aware of the task that is in front of them in attempting to stay put in the Championship this season, after an alarming 4-2 defeat to Blackburn Rovers on the opening day.

The Rams just couldn't deal with a barrage of second-half goals from the Riversiders, not helped by Sammie Szmodics being substituted late on to cause havoc for John Eustace's men, but they will need to learn how to deal with the step-up in quality quickly.

Paul Warne could well be tempted to add more firepower to his ranks up top, after witnessing a fairly forgettable debut by Kayden Jackson in Lancashire, as a striker is lined up for a loan switch to Pride Park.

Derby in race for in-demand Premier League forward

As per football journalist Graeme Bailey earlier this week, Derby have entered the race to sign AFC Bournemouth attacker Daniel Jebbison, alongside a whole host of other Championship clubs.

One second-tier side who have already been unsuccessful in their attempts to lure Jebbison to their respective team is Sunderland, according to Bailey, but the door is still open for Norwich City, West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and many others to stake their claim as to why the Cherries forward should pack his bags and move to their club.

daniel-jebbison-everton-transfer-news-opinion-premier-league

Derby would love to win this intense battle for the in-demand 21-year-old, as a statement to the division that they will fight tooth and nail to stay up by adding top-quality additions, even after such a sobering opening day performance.

Jebbison could strike up a frightening partnership with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in attack if he does put pen on paper to relocate to Derbyshire shortly, as the experienced 32-year-old aims to be a bright performer in the Championship again, having had to rebuild his once stuttering career in League One with the Rams.

Mendez-Laing will aim to take the higher-up division by storm, having previously played in the Premier League with Cardiff City across his extensive career to date, which saw him score some stunning strikes including the one above against Brighton and Hove Albion.

The seasoned winger showed to everyone that he still has what it takes on the opening day away at Blackburn, despite Derby losing 4-2, as both the Rams' goals on the night were assisted by the skilful number 11, who now has 49 goal contributions from 102 total appearances for Warne's men.

Jebbison, who has been described as being a "handful" in the past by Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook, tried his hardest to show Andoni Iraola that he could make an impact for the Cherries still against Arsenal in a pre-season match-up recently.

Jebbison's performance vs Arsenal in pre-season

Stat

Jebbison

Minutes played

26

Goals scored

1 (penalty shoot-out)

Assists

0

Touches

10

Key passes

1

Big chances created

1

Duels won

2/3

Stats by Sofascore

He would end up tucking away a goal in a penalty shoot-out that followed the initial 1-1 result, in what was a promising cameo performance, with one big chance also created from just 26 minutes of action.

Mendez-Laing could be the creative player Jebbison needs next to him to find his shooting boots on a consistent basis again, with the ex-Sheffield United man showing in the past when still playing for the Blades that he doesn't need too many chances to slot a goal home.

His only senior strike for the Blades in the Premier League came about from just 33 touches of the ball, with the striker knowing where to be at the perfect possible time to convert home a poacher's finish, after just seven minutes of the clash versus Everton.

Moreover, Jebbison has shown in the EFL in the past that he can be a reliable source of goals, bagging nine strikes in all competitions whilst out on loan at Derby's near neighbours Burton Albion during the 2021/22 campaign, as the Championship now comes knocking.

As such, this could be an exciting addition to the ranks, giving a livewire forward like Mendez-Laing another spritely striker to link up with.

Derby hit gold on amazing star who's worth more than Cashin & Mendez-Laing

Derby County fans will see this former star in action next season against the Rams.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 23, 2024

Breakthrough: Nottingham Forest agree deal to sign £35k-p/w ace after talks

Nottingham Forest, after opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth, are reportedly set to sign a Premier League defender with a medical already booked.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

The Reds have already had a busy transfer window, welcoming Nikolo Milenkovic, Elliot Anderson, Jota Silva and, most recently, Ramon Sosa among others. Handing Nuno Espirito Santo quite the boost in his first full season in charge, Forest will hope to see their side move away from any relegation concerns and into the comforts of the Premier League's mid-table.

Welcoming Sosa, the club's Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson told Forest's official website: "Ramón has been coveted by many clubs but was so clear in his desire to join Nottingham Forest.

“We could all feel his energy, emotion, pride and excitement to be here from the first minute he arrived. He can’t wait to get started and we are delighted that he is here with us.”

Romano: Nottingham Forest bid to sign £100k-p/w "beast" instead of Gimenez

It could prove an excellent move for the City Ground side.

By
Ben Browning

Aug 20, 2024

Even after signing the winger, however, those at the City Ground are not done there it seems. According to Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest have now reached an agreement to sign Alex Moreno from Aston Villa after initial talks, with a medical already booked for the left-back.

Falling out of favour under Unai Emery amid competition from Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen, a switch to fellow Midlands side Forest certainly makes sense for Moreno before the summer transfer window comes to a close on August 30.

Moreno could instantly compete with Aina

Adding depth may well be the key to unlocking survival for Forest once again this season. Of course, they've already done that by adding Sosa to an already-exciting frontline, but now they look set to follow that up by reinforcing their backline with the addition of Moreno. The experienced left-back, who earns a reported £35k-a-week, will undoubtedly give Ola Aina plenty to think about.

Premier League 23/24 P90 (via FBref)

Alex Moreno

Ola Aina

Progressive Carries

2.78

2.82

Key Passes

0.96

0.59

Tackles Won

1.04

1.65

Ball Recoveries

3.48

5.16

Minutes

1,031

1,692

Matching Aina on the ball last season, despite struggling for similar minutes, Moreno's know-how should quickly prove to be an invaluable trait for Forest in search of turning their Bournemouth draw into a solid start to their Premier League campaign.

Alex Moreno

The Spaniard is now 31 years old, so although it's unlikely that he'll have the chance to feature week in week out, he could find himself at the centre of Forest's most important moments.

Reportedly sealing their seventh signing of a busy summer transfer window, Forest should be well positioned to navigate their way towards Premier League survival and potentially more under Espirito Santo this season.

Juventus turn down offer to sign Marcus Rashford – and request his Man Utd team-mate instead

Italian giants Juventus have declined an offer from Manchester United to sign Marcus Rashford but are interested in his team-mate Joshua Zirkzee.

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  • Rashford tipped to leave Man Utd
  • Forward offered out to Juventus
  • Italian club prefer Red Devils team-mate Zirkzee
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Following his recent interview admitting he would like to leave Manchester United, Rashford may be shipped out of the club in January if a suitor can be found. According to The Sun, Juventus have been offered the chance to take the England international, but are not interested. Instead, the Serie A giants would prefer to sign 23-year-old Joshua Zirkzee, who has struggled for minutes in the Premier League since joining in the summer.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    According to the report, Juventus head coach Thiago Motta feels he could get the best out of Zirkzee having worked with him at Bologna. However, it is unlikely that Man Utd would take a financial hit on the youngster having only acquired him in the summer. Erik ten Hag sanctioned a £36.5million ($46m) move for the Dutch international before he was relieved of his duties earlier in the season.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Zirkzee has made 26 appearances in all competitions for Man Utd this season, scoring only four times. He has completed 90 minutes in the Premier League twice, half as many times as Rashford, who has been excluded from the squad for the last three games.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR ZIRKZEE AND RASHFORD?

    With Man Utd declining a move for Rashford, it remains unknown whether they will push for Zirkzee in the January market. Having only joined in the summer, it seems unlikely the Red Devils would be willing to let their striker go. For Rashford, there are several options, most likely a loan move away from Old Trafford.

Mikel Arteta insists don't need to sign a striker in January transfer window to beat Liverpool to Premier League title

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insists the club do not need to sign a new striker to win the Premier League this season.

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  • Gunners chasing Liverpool for title
  • Currently sit second in table
  • Have been linked with numerous strikers
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Arsenal have been linked with a clutch of strikers in recent times, including Wolves' Matheus Cunha and Brighton's Evan Ferguson, as well as Athletic Club forward Nico Williams. The Gunners are said to be interested in signing a winger to replace the injured Bukayo Saka, but Arteta has scotched talk that they need to buy a striker to catch Liverpool, despite sitting six points behind the Reds.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The Gunners have been boosted by Gabriel Jesus' return to form in recent weeks; the Brazilian has scored three goals in his last three Premier League outings. Kai Havertz has also scored seven goals in 17 games, leading Arteta to insist the club do not need to buy a centre-forward this month.

  • WHAT ARTETA SAID

    Arteta told reporters: “I'm very happy with the players that we have. When you look at the amount of goals that we have scored as well, it is more than enough to win the Premier League. But the reality is somebody is doing more. And that is the reality of life so we have to do better.

    "Signing somebody is not enough, that is for sure. That signing has to score then how many goals? A lot of things have to happen. That (January) market is much more limited than in the one summer, but I don't know.

    "If something extraordinary is in the market that we can afford and we think will have a real impact on the team we have to be open for that possibility always. At the moment, the focus is on what we have.”

    He added:  "When you are in that moment you want to continue to play. Gabriel has had a massive step up in load in recent weeks. We are going to have to try and manage the players."

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Arsenal face Brighton on Saturday as they bid to close the gap on Liverpool. The Reds don't play until Sunday, when they face Manchester United.

Leeds messed up with "impressive" star who’s now worth more than Gruev

Leeds United hit the jackpot during the recent summer transfer window with a huge sale of one of their academy success stories in Archie Gray.

The teenage talent, who emerged as a first-team option for Daniel Farke in the 2023/24 campaign, earned himself a move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs reportedly paid a fee of between £30m and £40m for the Whites academy graduate, who only had one season of senior football under his belt.

The West Yorkshire outfit have not always been able to get the best value for their young prospects, however, as they sold Lewis Cook for what now seems like a cut-price fee.

How much Leeds sold Lewis Cook for

Like Gray, the Englishman came up through the youth ranks at Elland Road before making his senior breakthrough at Championship level as a central midfielder.

Cook emerged as a regular option in the team during the 2014/15 season, with 37 second tier appearances under his belt that term, and played for England at U18 level.

Former Leeds midfielder Lewis Cook

The midfield star then featured in 43 of the club's 46 Championship games in the following campaign, contributing with one goal and two assists, before earning himself a move away from Yorkshire.

Premier League side Bournemouth snapped the central midfielder up for a reported fee of £6m, as manager Garry Monk – who had only arrived that summer – sold him ahead of the 2016/17 season.

In the subsequent years, Cook's value has shot up from £6m and he is now valued at more than Farke's current box-to-box midfielder Ilia Gruev.

Lewis Cook's current market value

At the time of writing (06/09/24), FootballTransfers places the Bournemouth star's Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at a whopping €14.9m (£12.6m).

That is more than double the initial £6m the Whites raked in from the Cherries for his services back in 2016, and is more than Gruev's current xTV of €6.9m (£5.8m).

Leeds messed up by selling Cook, who has racked up 222 appearances for the top-flight side in all competitions, before he could realise his potential, and ended up missing out on a player who is good enough to compete in the Premier League.

2023/24 season

Lewis Cook (Premier League)

Ilia Gruev (Championship)

Appearances

33

29

Assists

3

1

Key passes per game

1.4

0.5

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.8

2.5

Duel success rate

52%

56%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old battler outperformed Gruev, whilst playing in a higher division, with his contributions in and out of possession.

Cook, who was once dubbed "impressive" by Eddie Howe, created more chances, assisted more goals, and made 1.3 more tackles and interceptions combined per match in comparison to the Bulgaria international in the 2023/24 campaign.

This suggests that the English gem would be a starting option for Farke in his current team, and his performances last term show that he has the ability to play week-in-week-out in a side that avoided relegation from the Premier League.

Leeds messed up selling "unplayable" ace who's now worth more than Ramazani

The Whites even tried to re-sign the exciting attacker this summer.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 4, 2024

Overall, Leeds messed up as they cashed in on a player who has since developed into an impressive top-flight performer and is more valuable than their current midfielder.

Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea submit bid to sign £60m star in deadline day move

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Chelsea have submitted an "official bid" to sign one £60 million star, as the Blues chase up another deadline day deal.

Chelsea set for busy deadline day with multiple talks ongoing

According to reports, Enzo Maresca's side could be set for a very busy end to the transfer window today, as it is believed that BlueCo are in talks over multiple deals.

Chelsea join race to sign new 22-year-old as Todd Boehly readies £34m bid

The Blues could strengthen another key area.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 29, 2024

Indeed, Chelsea are still in negotiations with Man United over Jadon Sancho, which is apparently a separate move to that which would take Raheem Sterling to Old Trafford (Sky Sports).

A possible swap deal involving Sancho and Sterling has been mooted at Chelsea in recent days, but while that is unlikely as of now, a move to sign the former is still very much a possibility on summer transfer deadline day.

While that is happening, there is also a very real chance that Chelsea will sign a striker. In the last few days, Maresca's side have been linked with moves for both Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Napoli star Victor Osimhen, with the club looking to seal the addition of a prolific number nine.

Osimhen's Premier League Statistics 2023/24

Appearances

25

Goals

15

Assists

3

Shots Per 90

3.86

Key Passes Per 90

1.05

Successful Take-Ons Per 90

0.73

"Napoli under the impression a permanent bid from Chelsea will arrive for Victor Osimhen following fresh meetings," said journalist Ben Jacobs earlier this week.

"Italian club believe their drop in asking price has persuaded Chelsea to pursue a non-temporary formula. #CFC will only proceed on strict terms and are in a stronger position since PSG, who Osimhen has agreed terms with, have not restarted talks to date. Osimhen can become one of the top earners at Chelsea, but has to accept the incentive-driven wage structure. Otherwise Chelsea will move on to other targets. Chelsea are currently in active talks having discussed a loan earlier in the month."

Now, as per Romano, it appears that bid for Osimhen has arrived – following this drop in asking price which TEAMtalk claim is set at around £60 million.

Chelsea submit official bid to sign Victor Osimhen in deadline day deal

Taking to X, the respected journalist says Chelsea have submitted an official bid to sign Osimhen, as they chase a deadline day deal and look to beat Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli to his signature.

"Chelsea have approached Napoli tonight to submit an official bid for Victor Osimhen," said Romano.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen

"Loan with OBLIGATION to buy. Meanwhile, Chelsea discuss salary terms with Victor. Al Ahli are at final stages of talks with Napoli! But deal ONLY happens if Chelsea talks collapse."

The race to seal a late deal for the 25-year-old appears to be heating up, and he looks likely to be the most headline-grabbing name this afternoon.

Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is inevitable: Insulting January bid the first sign that Florentino Perez is locked in on Liverpool star

Los Blancos almost never miss out on their big targets, so it feels increasingly likely that the England right-back will be another big signing

When Trent Alexander-Arnold pinged the ball into the back of the net – via a handsome deflection – during Liverpool's 5-0 win over West Ham on December 30, he ran to the corner flag in celebration, throwing up a gesture that seemed to suggest that he was aware of the talk surrounding a transfer to Real Madrid. It was a moment of a player trying to assert control; Alexander-Arnold knew that reports of him moving to Madrid had ramped up in Spain, and so he provided a reminder to his current fans that he was still one of theirs – for now.

Things move quickly in football, though. Some of the rhetoric around Alexander-Arnold's poor performance in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Manchester United was a little harsh. He has had bad games before – all footballers do – but the timing was inopportune, to say the least. Seven days on from his West Ham goal, and less than a week after it emerged that Madrid had bid around £20 million ($25m) to secure his services this January, Alexander-Arnold's subpar showing rendered any previous celebrations irrelevant. His head, we are led to believe, is gone.

That might not be entirely true – or particularly fair. Alexander-Arnold is a world-class footballer, and a model professional. But there is undoubtedly a difference between his situation and fellow pending free agents at Anfield, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

The Madrid chatter is too loud, the interest too concrete, and thus this saga will only drag on. It already feels inevitable that Alexander-Arnold will be a Madrid player come the summer.

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    The saga

    Madrid's interest in the England international first came to light around a year ago. It was reported in both the Spanish and English press that, after Jurgen Klopp announced he was leaving Liverpool, certain figures in the dressing room were seriously considering their Reds futures. Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk were all on contracts due to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season, and there was no apparent movement on extensions. With a new sporting director, Richard Hughes, in the process of being hired and a legendary manager to replace, locking down arguably the Reds' three most important players was not a priority.

    And so the Madrid rumours kicked off, though most of the reports were lost in the Reds' managerial hunt. Still, the talk lurked there all the same, and it has only gotten louder since then.

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    Move makes sense

    As long as Alexander-Arnold didn't sign a contract, the rumours were always going to continue – and they make a lot of sense. Alexander-Arnold may be a boyhood Liverpool fan and academy graduate, but there is a real finesse to his game that might translate to La Liga. Madrid fans will be watering at the mouth at the prospect of a 60-yard ping from the right-back onto the foot of an advancing Vinicius Jr or Kylian Mbappe. His control on the ball, understanding of space, and ability to orchestrate would be a dream for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

    And with Dani Carvajal not getting any younger, Madrid need a plan for the future on the right side of defence. They were only accelerated when Carvajal sustained a serious knee injury two months into the season. The Spain right-back, who finished fourth in the Ballon d'Or after a trophy-laden 2024, might have seen his time at the highest level expire.

    Madrid's style when met with such a dilemma is to go and get the best player available. And that's exactly what they are doing once more.

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    Bellingham's role

    There was a time when Alexander-Arnold's friendship with Jude Bellingham might have made Liverpool fans dream. The two have built a strong relationship within the England squad, and when Bellinghan's future was shrouded in uncertainty following the 2022-23 campaign, it seemed possible that the allure of playing with his best mate from the national tam could draw the midfielder to Anfield. Of course, that didn't happen, and Madrid worked out a deal, paying around £100m to snag the England star.

    And so the opposite courtship started. With every picture shared on social media of the pair sharing a laugh, the rumours grew. Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold attended concerts together, and were pictured in public as the rumour mill gathered further fuel. It seems silly, but this is the reality of the sport, and there is no doubt that – privately or otherwise – there would have been some dialogue about Madrid between the two superstars.

    Bellingham, too, is the perfect example of how to get it right in a new country. He has excelled since arriving in Spain and could serve as the perfect model for how Alexander-Arnold might do the same.

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    Galactico mindset

    Regardless of whether Alexander-Arnold was friends with Bellingham or not, there is no doubt he fits the mould of a Galactico signing for Madrid.

    It was Florentino Perez, during his first tenure as Madrid president, who promised that every summer the club would try to sign the best player in the world – regardless of cost. And so began the first iteration of the Galacticos as Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham arrived at the Bernabeu. Perez, however, left in 2003, and it is easy to forget that that original side wasn't particularly successful – one league title and one Champions League was a shoddy return for the money invested.

    That hasn't put Madrid off, however, and after re-election in 2009, Perez brought the Galactico model back, signing the likes of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard, before Mbappe arrived this past summer. Alexander-Arnold, while not an attacker like some of those previous headline-grabbers, would certainly be regarded as a Galactico if he were to follow in their footsteps.

Mikel Arteta just did something for the first time in 35 years at Arsenal

Whether or not you agree with the assessment that the weekend’s north London derby was one of Mikel Arteta’s biggest matches as Arsenal manager, the Gunners certainly weren’t without their problems.

Arteta was given sleepless nights over the last few days with his squad of players seemingly dropping like flies.

First, it was Declan Rice’s red card against Brighton, then it was the assessment that ruled Mikel Merino out for a month. Then, arguably, came the worst news yet. Skipper Martin Odegaard laid down in a crumpled heap as his Norway team beat Austria in an impressive 2-1 win.

Although the playmaker was able to walk from the pitch it wasn’t without a limp and some pain. The early thought there is that we may not see the attacking midfielder before October’s international break.

So, with a patched-up midfield Arteta’s men took the short journey across north London to face their bitter rivals. The end result? An Arsenal win, of course.

Spurs created plenty but were ultimately fruitless with their endeavours in the final third. The Gunners struggled to create chances of their own but held firm at the back and relied on their set-pieces to get them out of trouble.

Arsenal’s best player vs Spurs

You can always rely on Bukayo Saka to come up with the goods on days like this and he duly did, delivering set-piece coach Nicolas Jover’s routines to absolute perfection.

The Gunners may well have been relieved for some strange defender from Cristian Romero but Gabriel evaded the Argentine’s attention as if he wasn’t even there before planting a bullet header into the back of the net.

Cue bedlam. Gabriel charged off with his partner in crime and best bud William Saliba in tow, darting towards the away support who were jumping up and down in the corner of the ground.

The Brazilian deservedly won the Player of the Match award for what was a very dominating display, winning two of his three duels, completing 80% of his passes and making a rather staggering eight clearances.

Unsurprisingly handed an 8/10 match rating by Football.London’s Kaya Kaynak, if summed up his battling performance well. To make matters even more intriguing, no other Premier League defender has scored more than the Arsenal centre-back since his debut in 2020/21.

Most goals by PL centre-backs since Gabriel’s debut

Player

Goal tally

1. Gabriel

15

2. Kurt Zouma

11

3. Lewis Dunk

10

4. Ben Mee

10

5. Virgil van Dijk

9

6. Michael Keane

9

7. Fabin Schar

9

8. John Stones

8

Data via BBC Sport.

So, he’s pretty good in defence and he’s a rare breed in the opposition’s penalty area too.

As a result, he has just helped Arteta achieve something we’ve not seen for 35 years.

35-year record broken

In recent years the north London derby has been a thriller. It’s been full of goals and usually, it’s been a pretty tight game. It’s certainly one of, if not the best, derby in the Premier League.

Sunday’s clash may not have ranked highly on the excitement scale but it marked a new dawn in this heated rivalry.

Arsenal are now the dominant force in north London – they usually have been – but history dictates they are enjoying one of their best runs in this fixture now for quite some time.

Spurs vs Arsenal (last 7 meetings)

Date

Result

15th Sept 2024

1-0 Arsenal win

28th April 2024

3-2 Arsenal win

24th Sept 2023

2-2 draw

15th Jan 2023

2-0 Arsenal win

1st Oct 2022

3-1 Arsenal win

12th May 2022

3-0 Spurs win

26th Sept 2021

3-1 Arsenal defeat

Arteta’s merry men are unbeaten in their last five derbies and they have now won at Spurs three games in a row. That’s a bitter pill to swallow for the Lilywhites who haven’t seen that happen now for 35 years.

Indeed, you have to go back to the 1980s for the last time Arsenal put together a run of three wins away at Tottenham.

A 3-2 victory on the 10th September 1988 saw them extend their run with goals from Brian Marwood, Alan Smith and Nigel Winterburn wrapping up all three points. For the hosts, it was Chris Waddle and Paul Gascoigne who had found the net. How nostalgic.

That was a fixture full of legends with Arsenal fielding the likes of David Rocastle, Paul Merson, David O’Leary and Tony Adams. Where does the time go, eh?

Now, the Gunners are busy building a new legacy, a new set of potential legends who are going to battle ever so hard to topple Manchester City.

Their toughest test of the new campaign will come next weekend when the Citizens await. Both sides are unbeaten but something will have to give.

As good as Gabriel: 8/10 Arsenal star who won 100% duels was “astonishing”

The sensational talent was a rock for the Gunners.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 15, 2024

'I have goals of playing more' – Rising U.S. star Cavan Sullivan vows to see the pitch in first full MLS season, says Philadelphia Union are Cup contenders

The Manchester City-bound 15-year-old talent fully plans to be among the Union first team in 2025

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  • Cavan Sullivan backed himself for more playing time
  • Agreed to sign for Manchester City once he turns 18
  • Also promised that Union would compete for MLS Cup
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    MIAMI – Philadelpha Union rising star Cavan Sullivan said Thursday that he plans to see the pitch more in what is expected to be his first full season as an MLS player. The attacking midfielder, who has already agreed to sign for Man City when he turns 18, became the youngest debutant in professional American sports history last July when he appeared for the Union at 14 years and 293 days

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The Union midfielder also announced that he plans to help his side return to the top of MLS. Philadelphia failed to make MLS playoffs last year, and parted ways with long time coach Jim Curtin after the season.

  • WHAT SULLIVAN SAID

    Speaking at MLS Media Day, Sullivan outlined his expectations for the 2025 season: "Obviously, I have goals of playing more, be a consistent player, but as a team… new coach, new players, that's a new year. We want to redeem ourselves for 2024. I think we let down ourselves the organization, more importantly, the city of Philadelphia. So yeah, 2025 is a big year, and I'm looking forward to it, but we're going for the MLS Cup."

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  • IMAGN

    WHAT NEXT FOR SULLIVAN?

    Sullivan is expected to be in the fold for the Union this season. The 15-year-old will look to make an impact as the Eastern Conference side pursue a first MLS Cup in franchise history.

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