O clima esquentou pelos lados do Grêmio nesta quarta-feira. Em plena Arena, o Tricolor encarou o Flamengo e, mesmo com um jogador a mais, a equipe saiu de campo derrotada por 4 a 0.
Um dos mais experientes do elenco, o lateral Rafinha saiu de campo revoltado e disparou contra os erros do elenco.
‘Vou ser bem sincero, é inexplicável. Fazemos um primeiro tempo maravilhoso, ficamos com um a mais e acabamos cometendo alguns erros infantis, culminando nesse placar. Com o que começamos fazendo no primeiro tempo, não tem como aceitar um placar desse. Triste. Futebol nada é impossível, mas ficou muito mais difícil ainda mais contra uma equipe muito qualificada como o Flamengo. Temos que trabalhar agora, isso não pode mais acontecer’, declarou ao SporTV.
Agora, o Grêmio precisa de um milagre para avançar. No Maracanã, o Tricolor precisa devolver o placar de quatro gols para levar a disputa aos pênaltis ou vencer o Flamengo por cinco gols de diferença.
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Arsenal fans were left surprised as Mikel Arteta decided to include Bukayo Saka in the starting lineup against League One side Bolton.
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Saka, Rice started against BoltonFans baffled by Arteta's decisionSaka played for 45 minutes against Man CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arteta made as many as seven changes in the Arsenal starting lineup for their Carabao Cup fixture against Bolton, which featured against Manchester City in the Premier League last Sunday. However, regular starters like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were included in the team sheet, which surprised several fans.
AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
A user named Triple M wrote on X, "Saka in a Carabao cup match? Mikel Arteta never beating the allegations."
A handle named Javi was furious with the manager's decision as he wrote, "How is Saka starting man someone investigate this manager."
A fan named Anita was frustrated with Saka's inclusion as she wrote, "Saka will die on the pitch."
Paul Dawes felt that it was needless to overexert Saka in a Carabao Cup fixture, as he wrote, "Come on man surely there’s no need to play Rice and Saka."
A handle named Evade was baffled to see Arteta using Saka against a League One side like Bolton as he wrote, "Why is Saka starting against a League One team."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The English winger did start for Arteta's side in their mega Premier League clash against Manchester City last weekend, however, the player lasted for just 45 minutes on the pitch before being substituted for Ben White. The fiery encounter at Etihad was followed by a war of words between City players and Arteta. England international defender John Stones even accused the Gunners of performing the 'dark arts'.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
After the Bolton clash on Wednesday, the North London side will be back in the Premier League on Saturday as they take on Leicester City at Emirates Stadium.
With a decision around whether the 2021 Women’s ODI World Cup goes ahead in New Zealand expected in the next couple of weeks, Australia captain Meg Lanning has acknowledged one of the issues will be whether all teams will be able to have adequate preparation due to Covid-19.While New Zealand has led the way in coping with the pandemic, and Australia has done well albeit there are now worries over the second wave, a number of countries either already qualified or hoping to be involved are currently far more severely hit.The qualifying tournament, which had been set for Sri Lanka in July, was postponed in May although ESPNcricinfo understands that if the World Cup still goes ahead, the plan would be to stage the qualifiers in the UAE during November.As things stand there remain three spots up for grabs in the World Cup, between Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, West Indies, Ireland, Thailand, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea, USA and Netherlands.”It’s something the ICC will have to weigh up in whether the tournament goes ahead,” Lanning said. “Will every team in the competition have the opportunity to prepare adequately for a World Cup? There are still a few teams that have to go through the qualifying process so I’m not sure how that will pan out.”There’s a few more decisions to be made around it rather than whether it can just go ahead or not. It’s a pretty difficult position to be in, but as a player you want things to be as equal and fair as they can be heading into a big world tournament and I’m sure the organisers will make sure that happens.”It had been hoped that India would be able to travel to England for a tri-series also involving South Africa but the BCCI has said that won’t happen although there is belief South Africa will still tour.While Australia and New Zealand are scheduled to play each other in late September, and India are due to tour Australia in January, there is no other women’s cricket currently in the calendar.New Zealand’s trip across the Tasman is due to include three T20Is, all play in Sydney, followed by three ODIs played across Townsville, Cairns and the Gold Coast in Queensland.”The planning is for that to still go ahead as scheduled, there needs to be flexibility around things if they change but from what I’ve heard still planning for that to happen which is really great for the players to look forward to and an end point to pre-season,” Lanning said.
Glasgow Rangers have four games left of the 2023/24 season. If they could win all four, while hoping for a favour or two from the teams who will be playing their Old Firm rivals, then it could be a season to remember.
The Premiership title race could well be decided this afternoon as the Light Blues travel to Parkhead to play Celtic in the final derby clash of the season.
The previous meeting between the teams was a pulsating affair which finished 3-3 as the Gers grabbed what looked like an unlikely point following a last minute Rabbi Matondo equaliser.
Philippe Clement’s men will have to be so much better today, however, and eradicate the mistakes which have seen the club slip behind Celtic in recent weeks.
A 4-1 win was secured over Kilmarnock at Ibrox last week, but it wasn’t without its moments as the Ayrshire side took the lead during the first half.
The team got its act together in the second half, but might any of the starting XI be dropped ahead of the Old Firm clash this afternoon? As Todd Cantwell looked a little underwhelming at times.
Todd Cantwell's game in numbers vs Kilmarnock
The attacking midfielder was tasked with being the main creative force for the Light Blues against Derek McInnes’ men last weekend, but it took him a while to get into the game.
The Englishman did finish the game with an 88% pass success rate, while he made one key pass and took five shots, but overall, his attacking contributions were minimal, to say the least.
Indeed, Cantwell delivered six crosses during his 68 minutes on the field, but only one was accurate in finding a teammate, while he failed with his only dribble attempt and won just one of his four ground duels contested.
Goals
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Assists
0
Big chances created
0
Key passes
1
Dribble attempts (successful)
1 (0)
His display led Lewis Anderson of Glasgow World to give him a match rating of 6/10, claiming that the midfielder ‘got off to a slow start’ during the match.
It wasn’t his worst performance, far from it, but knowing that the club needed to secure all three points otherwise the title race was as good as over, Cantwell could have done much more during the first half.
Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell.
Tom Lawrence came on for the former Norwich City gem with just over 20 minutes remaining, arguably making more of an impact in that time than Cantwell did all game.
Tom Lawrence's impact against Kilmarnock
The Welshman started on the bench, but with the score 2-1 to Rangers heading into the final quarter of the match, Lawrence was brought on in order to perhaps create a chance or two in order to add a couple more goals.
The substitution didn’t take long to pay off. A pass from Cyriel Dessers was a bit too heavy for Lawrence, yet his first touch took it through the legs of Stuart Findlay, he sent three defenders the wrong way with his second, before curling home a delightful effort behind the keeper with his third.
It was a goal to make any win more enjoyable, but it really took the wind out of Killie’s sails as the tie ended up finishing 4-1 to Rangers.
Lawrence also succeeded with 100% of his dribbles, made one key pass while taking three total shots during his cameo appearance.
It was certainly one of the best impact subs Clement has made in a while. The question now is, will he start against Celtic?
Why Tom Lawrence should be unleashed vs Celtic
Following an injury-disrupted debut season in Glasgow, Lawrence has managed to stay relatively fit during the current campaign.
The former Derby County gem has featured 31 times across all competitions, adding three goals and three assists during his spell on the pitch, giving Clement a reliable attacking option when needed.
Tom Lawrence
Lawrence didn’t cost a penny when Rangers signed him in 2022 and former professional Noel Whelan lauded the attacking midfielder upon his move, saying:
“I think Lawrence is an amazing player. He put the work in at Derby as they were going through a very bad period. I believe he’ll settle right in at Rangers. He was probably one of Derby’s best players for a number of years – with his assists, goals, and that box-to-box nature. He’s a real engine.”
It may have taken a year for the 30-year-old to secure consistent football at Ibrox, but he is finally showcasing his true abilities now Clement is able to call upon him.
Tom Lawrence
Among his teammates, Lawrence currently ranks seventh for goals and assists (five) in the top flight, along with ranking eighth for shots per game (1.8), seventh for big chances created (four) and tenth for key passes per game (1.1).
While on the surface these figures don’t appear to be outstanding, considering Lawrence has started just 11 times in the Premiership since the start of the campaign, averaging 51 minutes per game, the numbers begin to look more impressive.
Clement may well continue with Cantwell as his number ten against Celtic, using the Englishman from the start in the hopes that he can get into the groove early and create plenty of problems for their defence, utilising Lawrence as an impact sub like what he did last weekend.
If the Belgian has a change of heart, however, the £22k-per-week dynamo could certainly offer something slightly different should he be given the nod to play from the first whistle.
Regardless of who makes the starting XI, the whole team will need to be firing on all cylinders right from the get-go this afternoon, otherwise there could be a repeat of what happened at Ibrox last month.
Rangers star who won 100% duels now simply has to start in the Old Firm
The Gers colossus caught the eye with a fantastic performance in the second half.
ByDan Emery May 5, 2024
If Clement can keep his charges composed in the first half and create a few chances, the Ibrox side should have a good chance to win the game.
With just two wins since 2010 at Parkhead, it won't be easy, but if these players want to be remembered in years to come, winning games like this is what could earn them legend status.
It was one of those days that had supporters waking with a gnawing sense of unease. Even the most sanguine of Liverpool fans would have feared a fifth slip in as many matches to close Jurgen Klopp's tenure with a whimper.
But, alas, the ship has been steadied and Liverpool dispatched Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League to leapfrog Manchester City (who have a game in hand) into second place, behind table-toppers Arsenal only on goal difference.
Liverpool players celebrate
Whether Liverpool complete a staggering title triumph in the weeks to come is unknown, such hopes hang in the balance after some damaging recent results, but the fact remains that Liverpool rebuilt last summer to create a team of great promise and quality once again, and Klopp leaves his legacy in good hands.
Of course, such hands are undetermined right now, with The Athletic's David Ornstein revealing that Ruben Amorim is West Ham United's top target and that a move to Liverpool is unlikely, with the all-knowing journalist quashing widespread belief that he was the frontrunner.
Who the Reds will seek to anoint as helmsman is anyone's guess now, but FSG's new CEO of Football, Michael Edwards, appears to be identifying possible signings to strengthen the squad at the dawn of a new era.
Liverpool eyeing La Liga star
According to prominent French publication L'Equipe, Liverpool are in the hunt for new defenders and have earmarked Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy for transfer.
L'Equipe reveal that France international Mendy has already been in contact with the Merseysiders concerning a possible transfer this summer, with Arsenal also keen and the player is understood to have rejected interest from Newcastle United.
Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy.
Los Blancos welcomed Mendy, who is 28 years old, to the ranks in 2019 after completing a £47m deal with Lyon, and it appears that the different parties feel his journey in Madrid has reached a natural conclusion.
Ferland Mendy's style of play
With rumours mounting surrounding Real Madrid's interest in Bayern Munich speedster Alphonso Davies, it makes sense that Mendy might be on the way out, with his game time sure to diminish upon the Canadian's prospective arrival.
Throughout the duration of his Real Madrid career, Mendy has completed 165 matches, scoring six goals and supplying ten assists, having been described in the past as a "very balanced FB" and an "offensive machine" by Real Madrid content creator Ardit Loconte.
As per Sofascore, Mendy has chalked up 21 appearances in the Spanish top flight this season, completing 94% of his passes, taking 62 touches per fixture, averaging 0.5 key passes and 4.2 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 56% of his dribbles.
He's not very creative but that's not really his role, instead focusing on his dribbling ability – analyst Raj Chohan has even heralded him as a "1v1 beast" after one performance when pitted against France superstar Kylian Mbappe.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool
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Oleksandr Zinchenko
Arsenal
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Andy Robertson
Liverpool
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Kyle Walker
Manchester City
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Nathan Ake
Manchester City
His complete style of play aligns with the attributes of some of the Premier League's finest wide defenders, and while he is considered a similar player to Trent Alexander-Arnold, his playing style is far more similar to that of Andy Robertson, who he may well succeed on Merseyside.
Why Liverpool are interested in Ferland Mendy
Mendy is not one of the galactico-level names at Santiago Bernabeu but he is a shrewd and steady operator at left-back and has been a key component for a side that has picked up the Champions League, two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey trophy since his arrival.
Real Madrid full-back Ferland Mendy
While there may be similarities to be drawn between Mendy's style of play and Robertson's, he's unquestionably more conservative and crisp in his distribution, ranking among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past. year for pass completion and the top 18% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref.
Still, the £172k-per-week defender has excelled in the Spanish capital and would bring a welcome layer of protection to the Anfield backline, perhaps even taking Robertson's place as the starting star in his position.
8/10 Liverpool star who was better than Trent has become undroppable
Jurgen Klopp steadied the ship ahead of the final stretch of the PL title race.
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 22, 2024
Robertson is an elite defender and has been heralded as the "best left-back in the Premier League" by former Everton ace Kevin Kilbane, scoring nine goals and supplying 65 assists across 293 appearances, singing under Klopp in a shrewd £10m deal from Hull City in 2017, right at the start of the club's illustrious chapter.
While he has been afflicted by injuries this season, the 29-year-old has still produced some comparatively successful displays in the Premier League, scoring one goal and adding two assists across 14 starting roles, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 2.6 key passes and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.
Mendy's steely defensive security and secure ball control make him the perfect player to succeed the Scotland international at Liverpool – or perhaps even just serve as a foil to open up a valuable extra dimension for the new manager, whoever that may be.
The 5 foot 10 ace has a wealth of trophy-winning experience from numerous years at Real Madrid and given that he is 28 years old, the time might feel apt to make a change and try his hand in the Premier League.
With electricity in his gait and high-class quality in his work – at both ends of the pitch – Liverpool might be wise to maintain contact with Mendy ahead of a possible summer swoop.
He might just be the perfect new player to ensure that Liverpool keep their place at the forefront of the Premier League next season.
Mantra of “confidence in skills” helped seamers hold nerve to close out improbable victory, says Ngidi
Firdose Moonda23-Feb-2020While South Africans celebrate their double success in T20 cricket on a super Sunday in which both the men’s and women’s teams won crucial matches, Australia are not making any attempt to hide their disappointment that victory could have been theirs.Their men’s team lost a T20 for the first time since November 2018, ending a nine-match unbeaten run and thus squandered the chance to seal the series against South Africa in a tense tussle.Chasing 159, Australia were fell 12 runs short, after putting themselves in a position from which assistant coach Andrew McDonald felt they could have won.ALSO READ: Smart Stats – Ngidi the most impactful bowler”We got the game into a situation, where even though [Tabraiz Shamsi] bowled four overs for 17, we could have won it,” he said. “The players will feel it is a missed opportunity to win a series away from home which is always a huge accomplishment.”Shamsi was the most economical bowler in the match, bowling a tight middle-overs spell to keep the required rate rising, but was bowled out by the 14th over of Australia’s innings. Then, they needed 50 runs off the 36 balls to win but Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada denied them.Ngidi’s third over, which went for 11 runs but included the wicket of Alex Carey, and Rabada’s last two overs, which cost a combined 10 runs and saw Matthew Wade dismissed, did the trick for South Africa and helped restore some of their confidence after they suffered their biggest T20I defeat less than 48 hours before. Ngidi admitted it has been tough for the home attack, especially after they also failed to defend a total against England immediately before this series and coach Mark Boucher said their skills were not up to scratch.”It’s been a very difficult build-up for us. There’s been a lot of situations where we have been tested at the death,” Ngidi said. “The chats have been to have confidence in the skills that we have. We have done it before so it’s to go out there and have trust in our skills. We saw in our innings, we had gotten off to a flier and they also bowled very well at the death. We saw that if we can hit our straps with our death bowling it’s going to be a tight game and we saw in the end, it was.”Rabada was significantly improved from his effort at the Wanderers on Friday, where he took 0 for 45 in three overs, and Ngidi recovered from conceding 36 runs in his first three overs, which included 12 in his first three legitimate deliveries, to giving away only five in his final one. The trust he spoke about shone through as he kept himself in the fight until the end.Lungi Ngidi celebrates the dismissal of Alex Carey•Associated Press”You’ve got 24 balls to bowl and the first over doesn’t determine whether you have won or lost the game,” he said. “There were a few unfortunate boundaries that I went for that could have helped if those hadn’t gone but I knew there is still an opportunity to win the game. I just wanted to try and take as many wickets as I could.”Ngidi probably knows that he can’t claim all the credit for his last wicket, which was the result of superb fielding from former captain Faf du Plessis. Stationed at long-on, du Plessis parried a Mitchell Marsh shot that was destined for six back into the playing area for David Miller to complete the catch in the third instance of a ball being saved from sailing over the boundary in the match. The other two efforts were from Steve Smith, who saved sixes when South Africa were batting and McDonald had nothing but praise for both teams’ showing in the field.”The game gets better every day and fielding becomes a spectacle. It was fantastic. The cutting of angles and the speed, the athleticism of the modern-day player is outstanding and they never cease to amaze,” McDonald said. “They do practise it and they put themselves in those scenarios in training. It’s no fluke they are able to execute that in my match. These guys have got creative minds and they’ve added in different shots over time and fielding is no different.”But for Wednesday’s decider, Australia’s focus will shift to their middle order, where they are still experimenting with No. 4 and No. 5 as they prepare for the T20 World Cup. “We’ve locked in Finch and Warner at the top and Steve Smith, I dare say he won’t be moving but we are flexible on No. 4 and 5,” McDonald said.”Exposure to those situations more often grows experience and with experience comes the ability to execute and today we didn’t quite get that right. We saw at the Wanderers they had some work to do and they were able to do it batting first. Batting second on a tiring wicket is a different situation so they will be no doubt better for that experience.”
كشف سامي قمصان المدرب العام للنادي الأهلي، عن رفض السويسري مارسيل كولر المدير الفني للفريق رحيل أحد اللاعبين في الفترة الحالية رغم وصول أكثر من عرض محلي وأوروبي له.
ويستعد النادي الأهلي في الوقت الحالي، لخوض مواجهة الجولة الثانية ببطولة الدوري، ضد زد إف سي، وذلك يوم الخميس 7 نوفمبر.
وقال قمصان خلال تصريحات عبر قناة النادي الأهلي: “كريم الدبيس يمتلك أكثر من عرض محلي وأوروبي، لكن كولر متمسك به جدًا، وهو لاعب مميز ويستطيع منافسة يحيى عطية الله”.
كما تحدث قمصان عن موقف بعض اللاعبين خلال الفترة القادمة، موضحًا: “يوسف أيمن أدى أداء مميزا أمام الزمالك، الإصابة التي تعرض لها أثرت عليه، وغاب عن التدريبات 6 أيام بسبب عدم الإتزان الذي حدث له، ويجب أن نقف بجانبه وإن شاء الله يعود أفضل من الأول”.
وعن ياسر إبراهيم، قال: “هو أجرى أشعة ومن المقرر أن يعود خلال أسبوع”.
وأردف: “كهربا تعرض لكدمة ولم يتواجد معنا في المباراة الماضية، لكن له رصيد كبير وساعدنا على حصد بطولات سابقة، والآن يُنافس وسام أبو علي، وهذه المنافسة في صالح الفريق، وكولر يتحدث معه باستمرار، وإن شاء الله يعود ويتألق”.
طالع | الأهلي يوضح حقيقة إيقاف لاعب قطاع الناشئين بسبب مفاوضات الزمالك
وأكمل: “اللاعب دائمًا يحتاج إلى دعم من الجمهور، لأن أوقات تجد قلة تنتقد اللاعبين، طاهر محمد طاهر يجتهد ويتدرب جيدًا ويُعالج النواقص، والآن هو من أكثر اللاعبين المؤثرين في الفريق، هناك لاعبين كثيرين عندما يتلقون الدعم يتألقون”.
واستطرد: “بيرسي تاو من أكثر اللاعبين الذين شاركوا تحت قيادة كولر، كثيرًا كان مؤثرا، المنافسة بين جميع اللاعبين في صالح الفريق”.
وعن موعد عودة علي معلول، أوضح: “هو مازال في المرحلة الأخيرة، ومن الممكن أن يعود في فترة من أسبوعين لـ 3 أسابيع”.
Erik ten Hag has admitted that Antony's 2023-24 season was "not good", but he's not ready to give up on Manchester United's £85 million ($110m) man.
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Ten Hag talks about Antony's Man Utd form
Denies Man Utd overpaid because of him
Hopes to see better performances from the Brazilian
Getty Images
WHAT HAPPENED?
Antony moved from Ajax to Manchester United in the summer of 2022 for an exorbitant fee, but has yet to justify the club's huge investment. Although Ten Hag has acknowledged the Brazilian's struggles, the Dutchman has refused to accept any blame for the club's decision to pay so much for him, while also insisting he can still turn his Old Trafford career around.
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WHAT TEN HAG SAID
Speaking in an interview with , Ten Hag said: "I don’t go over the budget. I’ve never even had a budget. At United, the budgets lie with the owners and management. He [Antony] certainly showed that potential in the first month: he scored three times in his first three games. After that it became more difficult, last season was not good. But I am still convinced that he has the potential to play at this club."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
In 82 appearances for Manchester United so far, the Brazilian has only managed to score eight goals, with his lack of pace and end product often called into question by critics. However, Ten Hag's comments suggest Antony will be given another chance to prove his worth amid swirling summer transfer rumours.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?
Antony has already started pre-season training with Manchester United and will be on the plane to the United States for their matches against Arsenal, Real Betis and Liverpool. Ten Hag's side will then look ahead to a Community Shield date with Manchester City on August 10, which comes six days before their 2024-25 Premier League opener against Fulham.
The job Gary O’Neil is doing at Wolverhampton Wanderers this season is nothing short of remarkable, especially after losing his two best midfielders last summer.
Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes both departed Molineux, yet O’Neil adapted and has managed to bring out the best of the players he has at his disposal.
The Old Gold have recorded a Premier League double over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, while also defeating Manchester City during the early stages of the campaign, and their recent form has been solid.
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil
A home tie against Sheffield United awaits the Midlands side tomorrow afternoon and considering the Blades are propping up the rest of the league, it represents an ideal opportunity for O’Neil to claim another three points.
With that in mind, here's a look at the potential Wolves starting XI that will take to the Molineux pitch tomorrow…
1 GK – Jose Sa
There won't be a change to the goalkeeper as Sa will retain his place in the starting XI.
The Portuguese shot-stopper has missed only two league matches this season and was even named as the captain against Spurs in the 2-1 win last weekend.
Across his 23 matches thus far, however, Sa has kept just three clean sheets and if it were not for the wonderful form of their attacking options, the club may be in a slightly more precarious situation.
2 CB – Max Kilman
Max Kilman
The captain has played every minute of every league match so far this season and has been a rock at the back for the club.
The 26-year-old is contracted to the Old Gold until 2028, but if he continues this current rich vein of form, then he may just start attracting attention from potential suitors, that’s for sure.
3 CB – Craig Dawson
The veteran centre-back has played 23 of the 25 league ties Wolves have played this term and against Spurs, he was in fine form.
Not only did he make ten clearances and block three shots, but Dawson won seven of his nine contested duels during the victory and this display was key to Wolves securing all three points.
4 CB – Toti
Like Dawson, Toti was also extremely solid against Spurs last week. He made ten clearances, four interceptions, two tackles and was not dribbled past once, showcasing his physical strength in one-on-one battles.
Toti has already made more league appearances this season than he did during the whole of the 2022/23 campaign, and he is slowly emerging as a key member of O’Neil’s side.
5 RM – Nelson Semedo
The 30-year-old had spent the previous few months playing in an unfamiliar role on the right-hand side of the midfield due to O’Neil utilising either a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation.
His attacking talents have not exactly been on show, however, as he has registered just one goal and one assist in all competitions.
6 CM – Joao Gomes
Joao Gomes
The Brazilian enjoyed one of his finest games for the club last week as he scored a brace which proved to be decisive in the victory over Spurs.
He also made six tackles and four clearances as his defensive abilities were also on show, and he will retain his place against the Blades tomorrow afternoon.
7 CM – Tommy Doyle
Tommy Doyle
Mario Lemina enjoyed a decent game last weekend, yet he may have to make way in order for Tommy Doyle to start against Sheffield United.
The on-loan Manchester City starlet was hailed as “exceptional” by talent scout Jacek Kulig back in 2021 as he discussed the wealth of talent that City possessed in their youth sides.
The youngster has started just five Premier League matches this season, yet when he has featured, the 22-year-old has showcased his talents.
He holds an 86% pass success rate, while winning 56% of his total duels and losing possession just 5.6 per game and a tie against the bottom side in the league could be an ideal opportunity for him to come into the starting XI.
8 LM – Rayan Ait-Nouri
Rayan Ait-Nouri up against West Ham's Jarrod Bowen.
The Algerian did not enjoy the best of games against Spurs last week. He won only three of his ten contested ground duels during the encounter, along with succeeding with just one dribble attempt and losing possession a staggering 17 times.
Due to a lack of options on the left side of the midfield, however, Ait-Nouri will retain his spot in the starting XI and O’Neil will be hoping a tie against the Blades will allow him to perform better.
9 AM – Pedro Neto
Wolves winger Pedro Neto.
In front of the four-man midfield, O’Neil will deploy two attacking midfielders and one will be Neto, who has registered an impressive nine assists in the top flight already, despite playing only 16 games.
The 23-year-old grabbed an assist against Spurs and with the Blades’ defence conceding 65 goals in just 25 matches, he will certainly have his eye on scoring a goal or two tomorrow.
10 AM – Pablo Sarabia
Alongside Neto, Sarabia will be deployed, and the duo have the ability to cause plenty of chaos on Sunday afternoon.
The Spaniard has scored twice and chipped in with nine assists in all competitions, but he didn’t play in the reverse clash against the Blades back in November – although he must be unleashed tomorrow.
The 31-year-old made three key passes last week and missed a big chance, suggesting that with a bit better finishing, he may have added to his goal tally for the season.
Aston Villa return to Premier League action on Sunday just three days after they drew 0-0 with Ajax in the first leg of their Europa Conference League last-16 clash.
It shows just how far the club have progressed since Unai Emery took charge of the club in October 2022, as back then, the Midlands side were being dragged into a relegation battle.
The Spaniard not only guided them away from trouble, but subsequently led the club to a seventh-place finish, which secured European qualification.
Unai Emery
With just a few months left of the current campaign, Villa have an excellent chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season, as they occupy fourth spot in the table.
The clash against Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow afternoon gives Emery the chance to stretch their advantage to eight points over Spurs, while he could make a few changes to his side.
With this in mind, Football FanCast predicts the starting XI that the Spaniard could deploy against the north Londoners tomorrow…
1 GK – Emiliano Martínez
The Argentinian is the undisputed first choice between the posts for Villa. This season, the ‘keeper has kept six clean sheets across 26 matches in the Premier League.
He has missed only one league match thus far during the 2023/24 campaign and his consistency has helped Villa take that next step and challenge the elite.
2 RB – Matty Cash
The right-back started on the bench during the midweek clash against Ajax, but he replaced Pau Torres for the second half and contributed towards the 0-0 draw.
Cash made one tackle, won 50% of his ground duels and was not dribbled past once during the clash against the Dutch giants, and he will be unleashed in the starting XI by Emery tomorrow on the right side of the defence.
3 CB – Pau Torres
Aston Villa defender Pau Torres in Premier League action.
The centre-back started in midweek but had to be brought off at half-time. However, he will retain his place in the starting XI ahead of tomorrow's clash, and Emery will be expecting him to marshal the defence.
The former Villarreal defender had missed five of the previous seven Premier League matches due to injury, but 45 minutes in midweek should allow him to hopefully feature for the full 90 minutes against Spurs.
4 CB – Ezri Konsa
Ezri Konsa
Konsa was deployed at right-back from the start against Ajax, and he was shown a second yellow card during the dying embers of the match, which means he will miss the second leg at Villa Park next week.
This indicates that Emery could choose the Englishman to start alongside Torres at the heart of the defence tomorrow, knowing that he will be unavailable for the Ajax clash, keeping others fresh for midweek.
5 LB – Lucas Digne
Lucas-digne-aston-villa
The Frenchman made his first start since the Boxing Day defeat to Manchester United against Ajax in midweek, and while he failed to create anything going forward, he was solid defensively.
The defender made two interceptions, two clearances and won two of the three ground duels that he contested during the clash.
This performance suggests that he could make his first league start this year at the weekend.
6 RM – Leon Bailey
The winger was dropped for Moussa Diaby for the midweek clash, but he will return to the starting XI against Spurs.
This season, Bailey has registered 22 goal contributions – 11 goals and 11 assists – in all competitions as he has emerged as a key player under Emery.
The former Bayer Leverkusen gem played less than 30 minutes against the Dutch side, so he will be fresh and raring to go when Spurs arrive in the Midlands on Sunday.
The £25m signing has been hailed as a “standout” previously by journalist Ashley Preece, and he is the ideal replacement for Diaby.
7 CM – Douglas Luiz
Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz
The Brazilian has been the beating heart of the Villa midfield this season, becoming one of the most important players in the squad.
Indeed, the former Manchester City player has missed only one top-flight match this term – which was due to suspension – while he has scored ten goals and chipped in with eight assists in all competitions, proving he can be a big goal threat from the middle of the pitch.
He failed to register a shot against Ajax, but the midfielder will be determined to contribute more effectively against Spurs.
8 CM – John McGinn
John McGinn
The captain was dropped to the bench in midweek but came on for the final 30 minutes in place of Moussa Diaby, and like Bailey, he will be fresh for tomorrow's clash.
McGinn has also been a solid attacking threat from central midfield, scoring eight times and grabbing a further five assists, indicating that Emery’s options in the middle of the pitch are good for a few goals.
9 LM – Nicolo Zaniolo
The Italian has perhaps not featured as often as anticipated when joining last summer, but he could be unleashed by Emery against Spurs on the left of the midfield.
With the second leg against Ajax taking place in just five days, rotating his squad will be vital and this means the on-loan 24-year-old could be given a chance to add to his two goals scored already this season.
10 AM – Jacob Ramsey
Jacob Ramsey in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
Against Ajax, Youri Tielemans was slotted in alongside Ollie Watkins, but he failed to impress, and this could lead to Ramsey coming into the starting XI.
Emery will deploy the Englishman in the No 10 role just behind Watkins, and he will be hoping Ramsey can enjoy some success against Spurs.
Injury problems have restricted the 22-year-old to just eight Premier League starts this term, but his ninth could arrive tomorrow.