Pep Guardiola compared Erling Haaland to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after seeing the Manchester City striker score in a 2-0 win over Chelsea.
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Man City beat Chelsea to open season
Haaland scores 91st goal for Man City
Guardiola compares him with Ronaldo and Messi
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Despite not enjoying their usual dominance in the first half at Stamford Bridge, Manchester City took the lead thanks to Haaland's quick footwork under pressure and ruthless finishing as he dinked the ball past Robert Sanchez from close range. The Norwegian has now scored 91 goals in all competitions for the eight-time Premier League champions and Guardiola believes that Haaland is now matching the scoring exploits of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
Speaking to the media after the 2-0 win over Chelsea, Guardiola said: "He has the numbers for Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who controlled the last decade, 15 years, absolutely everything. In terms of numbers, it is that level. So, I don't know how he does it, but in 100 games scoring 91 goals is something in the Premier League, in this country, is unbelievable."
The City boss added: "I had a feeling that he feels better than last season at this stage. After travel last season, he felt a bit 'mmm-mmm' [so-so] or felt he was tired. This season, I think for the Euros unfortunately Norway was not there, there was more rest and yeah, he feels good.
"The goal was magnificent. His contribution is in many things. He had two or three chances and always I had the feeling there is a gap to improve as a football player."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Haaland has won the Premier League Golden Boot for the last two seasons and despite the insane numbers he has posted since his move to Manchester City in 2022, one thing he has always been targeted for has been his lack of involvement in general play. Guardiola has even recognised that weakness, and Haaland has revealed that he is going to keep aiming to improve in all departments other than just goalscoring.
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WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?
Manchester City will play their first home game of the Premier League season when they take on newly promoted Ipswich Town on Saturday, August 24 as they will look to make it two wins from two.
Glasgow Rangers suffered a big blow in their bid to win the Scottish Premiership title as they were beaten 3-2 away at Ross County on Sunday.
The Light Blues were lethargic and lacking in quality at both ends of the pitch against the Staggies, and the hosts took advantage to great effect.
A first half own goal from Jack Baldwin had the Gers in front at the break but two goals inside the opening four minutes of the second half put County ahead, and they went on to add a third before James Tavernier's consolation from the penalty spot.
Philippe Clement's side now sit four points behind Celtic in the league table, with a game in hand away at Dundee on Wednesday to come, and have a lot of work to do if they want to secure the title this season.
There were a number of poor performers on the day for the Light Blues, including John Lundstram in the middle of the park, but the player who must finally be binned from the starting XI is Cyriel Dessers after his horrorshow.
John Lundstram's performance against Ross County in numbers
The English midfielder set the tone for Rangers' lacklustre display in the middle of the park with his lethargy in possession throughout the game.
Despite having a whopping 108 touches of the ball over the course of the 90 minutes, Lundstram only made one key pass and did not create any 'big chances' for his teammates, which speaks to how little he progressed play to create for his side.
His slow play on the ball translated to his work defensively for Ross County's second goal as he failed to track George Harmon at the back post. Lundstram checked his shoulder at least twice to see the attacker yet opted to almost stand still in the box and allow him to follow up on Jack Butland's save to find the back of the net.
John Lundstram
Vs Ross County (14/04/24)
Minutes played
90
Key passes
1
Shots on target
1
Duels won
4/6
Tackles won
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Lundstram did win the majority of his physical battles on the day, helping him to win three tackles, to cut out attacks.
This shows that there were some good aspects to his performance, even if his lack of intensity on the ball and his error for the second goal meant that it was a poor display overall.
Cyriel Dessers' Ross County horrorshow
The Nigeria international had a nightmare against the Staggies with a number of misses in front of goal that ultimately cost his side three points, or even one point, on the day.
He did not do enough in the final third with the chances that his teammates created for him throughout the afternoon, the best of which represented a 0.68 xG (Expected Goals) opportunity.
That particular opportunity saw the forward's touch bounce the ball up to him with only the goalkeeper to beat but his tentative effort gave the shot-stopper a chance to flick it wide for a corner, when it appeared as though any effort to either side of Laidlaw would have resulted in a goal.
Cyriel Dessers
Dessers' finishing ability also left a lot to be desired towards the start of the second half when the ball fell kindly for him into the box but instead of lifting the ball into the empty far corner of the net, his low drive hit the Ross County defender already laying down on the ground.
His work out of possession was also incredibly questionable. The experienced forward, signed from Cremonese last summer, lost 80% (4/5) of his duels throughout the match, including all four of his battles on the deck.
This shows that the opposition centre-backs found it far too easy to get the better of the Gers number nine, who did not do enough to impose himself on them to hold the ball up or win possession back for his team.
These statistics and the context of his missed shots, with zero goals from four efforts, show that the Nigerian striker was worse than Lundstram, who at least won the physical battle of the game whilst the forward was poor on and off the ball.
Dessers, who completed 65% of his attempted passes, must now be brutally ditched from the starting XI and Kemar Roofe, or an attacking midfielder or wide player as a false nine, should be given an opportunity to impress in his place.
Cyriel Dessers' mixed success this season for Rangers
The 29-year-old forward has had mixed success in the Premiership throughout the campaign since his move to Ibrox on a permanent deal under Michael Beale last summer.
He has, in fairness to him, scored 13 goals in 29 appearances and averaged a goal every 141 minutes of league action, which is more than one every other full 90 on average.
However, his decent goal tally has been a result of the exceptional level of chance creation that his teammates have produced over the course of the season.
As you can see in the table above, no Rangers player has underperformed their xG by more than Dessers in the Premiership this term, with just 13 goals from an xG of 17.17.
The former Serie A marksman has missed a staggering 22 'big chances' in just 22 league starts for the Light Blues – one per start on average – and that illustrates how wasteful he has been at the top end of the pitch.
His work off the ball has also been questionable throughout the season as Dessers has lost a whopping 68% of his duels in the Premiership, which includes 73% of his battles on the ground.
These statistics suggest that the Rangers number nine has not been good enough as a finisher and has not been strong enough to get the better of defenders.
This all contributes to why Clement should finally ditch the striker, who has not been on the bench in the league since the 28th of February, from the XI against Dundee on Wednesday.
Valencia's sporting director alleges that Atletico Madrid tried to pull out of the Conor Gallagher move as their bid to sign Javi Guerra collapsed.
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Gallagher seems set to join Atletico Madrid
Move from Chelsea nearly fell through
Atletico were 'dragging their feet' over transfer
WHAT HAPPENED?
Chelsea agreed to sell captain Gallagher to the Spanish side earlier this month but there have been some twists and turns along the way. Now, Valencia sporting director Miguel Angel Corona claims Atletico were trying to get out of the Gallagher transfer, just as they were unable to recruit Los Che star Guerra.
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WHAT VALENCIA SAID
The sporting director said, via : "I'm going to try to give an objective account of the facts. An agreement was reached on Sunday between [Valencia president] Lay Hoon Chan and the majority shareholder of Atletico Madrid, and the documentation was being filled out with the player. On Wednesday morning, due to the delay in the return of the documents, Atletico Madrid were asked what the situation was and they told us that they were trying to get out of the Chelsea deal with Gallagher. It was the first news that we and Javi Guerra had on the matter, that both operations were linked, and we got out of it. There had been a constant exchange of calls, WhatsApp messages… And at no time had they notified us."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Gallagher reportedly turned down a Chelsea contract offer earlier this summer and now he has been exiled from the first-team squad ahead of a possible £33 million ($42m) transfer. The 24-year-old has, arguably, not been treated well by his boyhood club but that could come to an end if a deal is struck.
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WHAT NEXT?
Chelsea will hope to get the deal over the line as soon as possible so that they can use the funds to potentially buy a new player, or at least ease their fears of breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules. If Gallagher does complete a transfer, he could make his Atletico debut later this month.
According to journalist Jacques Talbot, some promising Manchester City transfer news has come to light involving Sporting Lisbon star Matheus Nunes.
The Lowdown: Sky Blue summer of change?
After sealing their fourth domestic crown in five seasons on an unbelievable final-day triumph last season, the Premier League champions could be set for a sweeping summer of change at the Etihad Stadium.
As manager Pep Guardiola reportedly sets his sights on Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips and Brighton sensation Marc Cucurella, it is believed that a plethora of first-team exits may be possible.
Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nathan Ake have all been mentioned as potential departures, with Barcelona also eyeing a move for superstar Bernardo Silva.
Depending on developments, City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain may well need to keep tabs on more potential signings.
While Phillips and Cucurella are believed to be the club’s main targets, Talbot has now shared some news involving Portuguese top-flight revelation Nunes.
The Latest: Man City firmly in Nunes transfer race…
According to the reporter on Twitter, City are firmly in the race to sign the Sporting star and are showing the ‘most interest’ alongside Wolves, even if the in-demand Nunes has ‘ten clubs’ after him.
Talbot added that a bid of €45m (£39m) would be enough to secure a deal for the Sky Blues.
He explained: “Exc: Understand Man City are keen on Sporting CP star Matheus Nunes. The centre-midfielder has about ten clubs looking at him – including PSG – but looks like it will be a Premier League move this window. Told an offer of €45m should do it.”
The Verdict: Get it done?
As per WhoScored, the dazzling 23-year-old finished 2021/22 as one of Sporting’s top five performers by average match rating, having completed more successful take-ons per 90 minutes (2.5) than any of his team-mates.
Still very young and with a glowing reputation judging by the sheer scale of transfer interest, Nunes moving to City for just £39m would appear to be a very shrewd move, with Guardiola himself even once calling him one of the best players in world football currently.
Newcastle United are close to completing a move for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur, according to Daily Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath.
The lowdown: Prodigious talent
Captain of Scotland at the Under 17 level, McArthur has already made great strides in a fledgeling career to date north of the border.
The exciting young defender made a senior bow for Kilmarnock last season and ended the campaign with four first-team outings under his belt.
Now, slightly over a month on from his 17th birthday, it appears as though the Magpies are nearing a swoop for the talented teenager…
The latest: McGrath on McArthur
Taking to Twitter, reputable journalist McGrath has claimed that Newcastle are set to land the 10-cap Scotland youth starlet.
He stated: “Newcastle are close to completing deal for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur. Scotland youth international seen as huge prospect but sources at his club say it is difficult to stand in way when youngster is targeted by a Premier League club.”
The verdict: Snap him up
Described as a ‘dream to work with’ by then Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright following a senior debut in the 3-1 win over Queen’s Park last term, McArthur can also operate as a left-back and would therefore provide all-important versatility to the Toon ranks further down the line.
Unperturbed by the lack of senior-level exposure, albeit perhaps too soon for McArthur to make an immediate impact on Eddie Howe’s plans, positioning such talented youngsters in situ at St James’ Park is a hugely promising sign as the era under PIF begins to take shape.
Should this move now be completed as expected, intentions will no doubt turn to bolster the first-team ranks as reports continue to index Newcastle with a move for Lille ace Sven Botman and Reims’ frontman Hugo Ekitike.
In the meantime, however, this is a deal that shows the long-term intentions of the ownership group as well as potentially an eye from newly appointed Sporting Director Dan Ashworth as to his vision for the Magpies moving forwards.
In other news, this maestro is willing to bide his time in order to seal a Newcastle move
Nottingham Forest are looking to strengthen their team ahead of their return to the Premier League next season, and now a huge transfer update has emerged from a reliable source.
What’s the latest?
Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Forest have begun negotiations to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Romano tweeted:
“Excl: Nottingham Forest have opened talks with Manchester United to sign Dean Henderson on loan with option to buy [around £20m].
“Negotiations ongoing – Nottingham Forest want Henderson and it’s now a possibility also considered by the player. Talks on.”
Supporters will be excited
There is no doubt that supporters will be excited at the prospect of signing Henderson this summer even if it is just on a loan deal, especially with Brice Samba potentially set to leave the club.
It was reported on Tuesday that Ligue 1 side Nantes had submitted a bid for the current wantaway Forest ‘keeper who rejected the advances of his newly Premier League promoted side to secure his future.
As a result, Forest are clearly not waiting around to see if Samba stays on for the last 12 months of his contract and the signing of Henderson would be a great piece of business and a worthy replacement for the Congolese stopper.
Despite a lack of game-time at Old Trafford, Henderson is a Premier League proven keeper with 29 appearances for Man United offering a wealth of experience that could be hugely valuable as they navigate through their first season in the top flight for the first time in 23 years.
The 25-year-old has only made five appearances this season falling out of favour due to David de Gea’s impeccable form, and has reportedly expressed his desire to leave the Manchester club to get more first-team football elsewhere, something Forest would be able to provide following the departure of Samba.
With that being said, both Steve Cooper and Henderson can mutually benefit from the deal as it could resolve a potential problem for Forest and also offer the player an opportunity to play consistently in the Premier League next season.
AND in other news: Nottingham Forest plot bid for “electrifying” £3m magician, he can be Cooper’s Sancho
Manchester United reportedly have a “nice envelope” for recruitment summer.
What’s the word?
That is according to TopMercato.com, who state that the club is “currently having difficulty concluding its files”, with the report mentioning the targets of Marco Asensio, Arnaut Danjuma and Darwin Nunez as players whose proposed transfers “seem to be in trouble.”
TopMercato added that Frenkie de Jong is Erik ten Hag’s priority at United, and a report from Manchester Evening News give fresh hope of one signing.
The Manchester-based outlet have an understanding that the Red Devils are keeping tabs on Danjuma, with the Dutchman’s recent admission adding some momentum.
The 25-year-old told Sky Sports, via Manchester Evening News: “There’s definitely unfinished business for me in England. The reason why I joined Bournemouth originally was for me to play Premier League football. I think how big the league is and it’s seen as the best league in the world for many of us.”
Forget De Jong
With headway slowly being made in the chase for De Jong, United should learn to compartmentalise like the rest of Europe’s elite clubs and give further attention to 25-year-old Danjuma.
The former Bournemouth man has had a stellar campaign with Villarreal, notching 16 goals this season means he has now scored 67 goals over the course of his career.
Listed as ‘both footed’ by Fotmob, Danjuma is a technical winger who would suit the style of Ten Hag, with the Villarreal star perhaps the key to attacking transitions for the 52-year-old due to his direct style of play.
Statistically similar players to the Netherlands international include the likes of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe, as per FBRef; and with an average of 0.61 goals per match, it’s easy to see why.
Danjuma represents a high-potential purchase for United, and if Ten Hag decides on an attacker, the former Bournemouth ace could well be the man to provide the spark which the Red Devils need in the final third.
In other news:Romano issues Man Utd twist on £31.5m-rated brute, Ten Hag needs him
Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has suggested that Everton would be set to face some serious competition if they tried to sign Manchester City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer.
The Lowdown: Zinchenko’s future up in the air
The Ukrainian first made the switch to the Etihad from FC Ufa back in 2016, where he has since gone on to make 128 appearances and nine trophies for the Sky Blues during his six-year spell at the club.
The 25-year-old still has two years remaining on his current contract with the Premier League champions, but it was recently reported by The Athletic journalists Patrick Boyland and Greg O’Keeffe that his future is very much up in the air, with the likes of the Toffees and fellow top-flight side Newcastle United believed to have identified the full-back as a possible transfer target for the upcoming window.
The Latest: Robinson unsure about Everton move
When asked during an interview with Football Insider whether or not he thought Zinchenko would be a strong addition at Goodison Park, Robinson said:
“As much as Zinchenko is a top-quality player, where does he fit in at Everton?
“They already have [Vitaliy] Mykolenko.
“Zinchenko is unlucky not to get more game time at Man City. He’s a very good player.
“If he is going to make a move this summer there will be a lot more clubs than just Everton looking to sign him.
“He can play left-back and in the midfield. His versatility and quality make him a very attractive proposition for a lot of clubs.
“I’m sure there would be a lot of managers keen on a player like him if it becomes common knowledge that he’s available. 100 per cent.”
Despite only making 15 top-flight outings this campaign, the 48-cap international has more than shown what he’s capable of when he’s on the pitch, having provided four assists, as per Transfermarkt.
As well as making 1.3 tackles per game, the defender has been equally as threatening going forward, recording 1.1 key passes and 1.6 long balls per league game, via WhoScored, and he is exactly the profile of player that Everton should be looking at signing if they are aiming for a much higher place finish next season.
However, even if Zinchenko were to leave the Manchester outfit in the coming weeks in a bid to get more game time, he would highly likely want to switch somewhere that he’ll have a strong chance of continuing to get his hands on silverware after his success with City, a factor that might end up being a disadvantage for Everton in the race for their man.
In other news… Fabrizio Romano has revealed the transfer intentions of one of Everton’s ‘best’ players.
Reliable reporters Sami Mokbel and Adrian Kajumba of The Daily Mail have now shared a promising Southampton transfer update involving Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks.
The Lowdown: Saints set for big summer…
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, under the ownership of Sport Republic and guidance of transfer chief Martin Semmens, could be set for their busiest summer in years.
Many Saints players are currently either out of contract or heading into their final year with Semmens recently admitting that the Premier League side already have a plan in place and intend to move earlier for targets than in previous windows (Daily Echo).
One of those supposed players on Southampton’s radar is Spurs outcast Winks as The Mail now share a promising update.
The Latest: Southampton ‘lead the race’…
According to their information, courtesy of Mokbel and Kajumba, Semmens and co ‘lead the race’ to sign Antonio Conte’s peripheral player alongside Newcastle United.
It is understood that Southampton, as well as The Magpies, have ‘early interest’ in Winks as Hasenhuttl and Semmens seemingly set their sights.
However, if they wish to seal a deal for the Englishman, Spurs have set their price at £25 million.
The Verdict: Make the move?
The 26-year-old, having been linked with a move to the south coast last year, could well be a shrewd capture for Hasenhuttl.
Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has previously tipped Southampton as the perfect move for Winks, citing their style of play and claiming it would suit Tottenham’s outcast ‘down to the ground’.
The player has no shortage of backing when it comes to pundits with ex-Lilywhites shot stopper Paul Robinson admitting he’s a ‘big fan’ – even branding Winks a ‘fabulous player’ and ‘versatile’ enough to play anywhere in midfield (Football Insider).
Conte himself has even praised the England international as a ‘reliable’ asset before, so we believe all of these plaudits may well point to someone who can do a job for Hasenhuttl ahead of next season.
In other news: Hasenhuttl personally sets his sights on signing ‘absolute beast’ for Southampton, find out more here.
Manchester United have had their hopes of signing Juventus defender Merih Demiral boosted.
What’s the word?
That is according to a report from Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, via Sport Witness, who claim that the Turkish defender could be “sacrificed” from a Juventus perspective in other to bolster their transfer kitty from what would be an immediate sale.
In a report that mentions both Manchester United and Real Madrid among top European destinations, it is said that the Red Devils are “above all” in the list of European outfits who are ready to move for the defender – this despite the fact that Los Blancos “moved first” for the transfer of the 24-year-old.
In the same report, it is stated that two clubs may “already have an agreement in principle”, with United anticipated to be one of those clubs, particularly with the Premier League side now in pole position for the signature.
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In order for the transfer to work, it would copy the model that saw Spurs sign Christian Romero from Atalanta, in which they bought Romero and immediately sold him.
With Atalanta intending to trigger the buy-option to sign the £27m-rated Turkish defender from Juventus, they could immediately sell him to the likes of United in a replica model to that used in the case of Romero.
Better than Varane
In Demiral, we are talking about a player who has been more defensively sound than Raphael Varane across the last 365 days, as per FBref.
After spending this season on loan at Atalanta, Demiral has been able to demonstrate his acumen in six apiece in the Champions League and Europa League, respectively.
His ability to pressure the opposition has been his biggest asset this year, putting up an astonishing average of 14.93 pressures per 90, with 7.35 occurring in the defensive third and 7.03 in the middle third also. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise to see him described as an “absolute beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
In comparison, Varane’s numbers falter, with his average of 8.08 pressures almost not worth comparing.
It’s the same for the majority of defensive metrics, with Demiral topping the Frenchman for tackles, interceptions and blocks per 90 minutes. Though it is worth noting that the World Cup winner is more accomplished in possession.
That said, they are two players with different defensive approaches. Demiral can play the Vidic role for Ten Hag in United’s back-line with his ball-winning ability.
In other news: Ten Hag can find his own “Ibrahimovic” for MUFC in deal for “lanky” £21m “machine”