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.

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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."

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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.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are preparing for an extremely busy summer as Manchester United owners.

The aim is to not only remove deadwood but also sign exciting new talent that can play a huge role in the rebuild, such as Jarrad Branthwaite.

The Everton defender has impressed during his first full Premier League campaign, and he’s become a key target for United.

A key task for the new bosses at Old Trafford will be to remove deadwood and one of those just so happens to earn a bucket load more than Branthwaite.

Christian Eriksen’s debut campaign at Man Utd

In the summer of 2022, Christian Eriksen joined Man United on a free transfer after impressing during a small cameo at Brentford.

The Denmark international became a reliable player that Erik Ten Hag could rely upon to help bring control to his midfield.

The former Tottenham Hotspur ace made 28 Premier League appearances, started 25 of those, and played 74 minutes per game on average.

Throughout the season, Eriksen became extremely influential in the final third despite playing alongside Casemiro in a double pivot, registering eight league assists, the same number as Bruno Fernandes.

However, after a promising start, he didn’t exactly push on last season, with his importance to the side decreasing as the campaign progressed, with football creator Liam Canning even calling him a "passenger."

What Christian Eriksen earns at Man United

Eriksen struggled to regain the form he’d previously displayed this time around, taking on the role as more of a squad player.

It's something he's not hugely happy about either. Speaking recently, the Dane said: "For me, the season has been a little different to other seasons. It has been a slightly different role. It's new to me, but it's also new to the outside world.

"It is clear, in relation to how people talk. No, it's the same. Now I was also a bit lucky that I didn't sit on the bench so much when I was younger. But I did it once in a while. It's never fun. That's for sure. Personally, you always want to be the one who is chosen first in the team. Sometimes the coach looks the other way. But then I play for United, so there is just a battle for places, because there are a lot of good players."

His role hasn't been helped by Kobbie Mainoo’s rise and the signature of Sofyan Amrabat on loan which decreased his game time significantly, averaging 53 minutes per match.

In total, this meant that the number 14 played 22 times in the Premier League, yet only starting 12, sitting on the bench for the majority of February to April.

Given Eriksen is now 32 years old and he’s no longer valued in Ten Hag’s best starting lineup, it may be time for Ratcliffe to look for a sale, especially considering his wage.

Casemiro

£350k

Harry Maguire

£190k

Christian Eriksen

£150k

Jonny Evans

£65k

Tom Heaton

£45k

As you can see, Eriksen is currently earning £150k per week, equating to just short of £8m per season, which is clearly a large figure for a backup.

Furthermore, this salary makes him one of United’s highest-paid midfielders and in the top ten most-paid players at the club when excluding Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial, who’ve now left.

For context, this also means that Eriksen is earning just over four times more than United target Branthwaite, who’s currently paid just £35k per week at Everton. We say just…but that is significantly less than the top performers in the Premier League

Additionally, he’s the third-highest earner at the club over the age of 30, only being paid less than Casemiro and Harry Maguire, who’s started six more league games than the Dane.

Back when Eriksen joined, he signed a contract until June 2025, which obviously means he has one more year left before it expires.

Therefore, if United are looking to raise any funds via the sale of the creative midfielder, then this summer would be the best opportunity to do so.

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

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

ByTom Lever Jun 5, 2024

Danni Wyatt opened her Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy account with an effortless 66 as Southern Vipers thumped Sunrisers by seven wickets at Chelmsford.Experienced England allrounder Wyatt dominated with seven boundaries during a 111 run-stand for the first wicket, which put the Vipers in complete control of their chase.Medium-pacer Paige Scholfield had earlier helped restrict Sunrisers to 202, with Mady Villiers striking 64, before Scholfield’s six saw Vipers over the line with just under 14 overs to spare.Sunrisers had been left in a malaise when they were restricted to 30 for 3, having been put in by Georgia Adams. Scholfield was heavily in the early action as she caught Amara Carr at midwicket and ran out Katie Midwood, while England international Fran Wilson flicked to deep square leg.Naomi Dattani, one of three Sunrisers on a permanent contract, helped build a recovery with homegrown Essex player Villiers, the pair putting on 98 in 20 overs.When Dattani fell, lbw to Wyatt for 42, England international Villiers continued to keep the score ticking and reached a half-century off 72 balls. But the last Sunrisers wickets only saw 23 runs added, to set the visitors 203.And that total never looked like it was causing the 2016 Kia Super League champions many problems as Wyatt and Adams scored freely. Wyatt, who had been dropped on 14 by keeper Amara Carr, demonstrated her impeccable timing, particularly on the off side, as she reached her half-century from 51 balls.Wyatt and Adams both departed with six overs of each other but England Academy duo Maia Bouchier and Charlotte Dean took Vipers to within 23 of victory with a 40-run stand partnership, before the former was caught behind, with the points secured soon after.

Manchester City are considering signing a £150,000-a-week playmaker as Pep Guardiola begins his preparations for next season.

Man City transfer rumours

City have become one of the most dominant teams in English football under the guidance of Pep, thanks in no small part to his insistence on refreshing the team constantly, refusing to let sentiment take precedence in matters of squad planning.

The Sky Blues have notched five league titles under the Spaniard (six with a win on Sunday), won two different trebles, and if they win the league again this weekend, Pep will be the first manager in Premier League history to win four consecutive titles in a row – beating the current record held by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite Pep having already done everything there is to do in the Premier League with the Manchester outfit, it does not appear as though he is looking to take his foot off the gas anytime soon, with City already being linked with a number of names heading into the 2024 summer transfer window.

David Ornstein, speaking over the weekend, claimed that Manchester City are rivalling Liverpool for the signing of Anthony Gordon this summer. However, the Newcastle United ace is expected to remain at St James' Park.

Elsewhere, it was reported recently that Manchester City "have spoken to Jeremie Frimpong" and that the defender "has opened discussions" about a move back to his former side, in a far more senior role than when he left. Arsenal are also said to have joined Manchester City in the battle for Newcastle and Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

With Arsenal now an established Champions League club, they may have a decent chance of pipping the Cityzens to the signing of Bruno. Should that happen, though, it appears City have another midfield option lined up anyway.

Man City considering "perfect" star for Pep's project

The player in question is another Brazilian in the form of West Ham's Lucas Paqueta. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, speaking to Caught Offside, Manchester City are considering Lucas Paqueta as a potential transfer target as he is seen as a "perfect" signing for Pep Guardiola’s project.

“Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City could remain a story to watch, as some fans have been asking me again about links with the West Ham United midfielder," Romano said.

“I have no idea of the betting stuff and of the legal situation surrounding the player, but in terms of transfer market, Paqueta remains high on Man City’s list for the summer. The player would also be keen on the move and City keep considering him one of the perfect players for Pep Guardiola’s project. But again, we have to see what happens with that issue before understanding Paqueta’s future.”

Romano does not mention a transfer fee for Paqueta but the South American is unlikely to come cheap. He is under contract at the London Stadium until 2027 earning £150,000-a-week and is valued at around £60m by Transfermarket.com. The 26-year-old has made 88 appearances for West Ham in all competitions, scoring 13 and assisting 14 in that time.

Serie A side Genoa have reportedly approached Dele Alli over a potential move to Italy.

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Dele out of action since picking up injuryLeft Everton as free agent in summerApproached by Genoa over Serie A moveWHAT HAPPENED?

The ex-Tottenham midfielder has not stepped foot on a football pitch since 2022 after suffering a thigh injury and left Everton once his contract expired in the summer, although he has continued to train with the Toffees. But according to Il Secolo XIX, the 28-year-old could be close to making a return with Genoa, who have approached Dele about a potential deal.

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As well as his thigh problem, Dele previously admitted he had been struggling with his mental health. A return to a top team would mark a significant achievement for the 37-cap international, who had the world at his feet once upon a time.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dele made his England debut nearly nine years ago at just 19 years of age. The ex-MK Dons man's rise to the top was phenomenal and he went from scoring in League One to the Premier League and Champions League in a matter of months after joining Spurs.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DELE?

There are still talks ongoing with Everton that could see Dele handed a new contract at Everton if he can prove he is still at the required level. As soon as he is back and fully fit, his prospects of landing a club may significantly increase.

Arne Slot hopes that having stronger away form will be enough to wrangle the Premier League title away from Manchester City.

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• Slot wants Reds to improve away form
• Liverpool finished nine points off City last season
• Travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Liverpool boss stressed that if his side are to close the gap on the champions, they will have to improve their points tally on the road from last season. The Reds won just nine of their 19 away games last campaign, four fewer than Arsenal and five shy of City, and that cost them the title. Slot is keen to remedy their troubles away from Anfield and has made the perfect start with three wins from three outings.

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  WHAT SLOT SAID

  Speaking ahead of Liverpool's game at Crystal Palace, Slot said: "If you are purely looking at it from a data point of view then it was a 10-point difference to City [on away points collected]. If you look at the home form of both teams then the £10m question is why is this?

  “I think there are areas we have to improve and that is why it is so important to take control over every game, not only the home games but the away ones too. Just to be very dominant in away games that is why I wasn't very happy with the first 20 minutes at Wolves."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool know the fine margins of the Premier League better than any club, with the Reds missing out on the title by mere points on numerous occasions. In his first season in the dugout, Slot is aiming to stamp out the sloppiness in his side's away form that haunted his predecessor Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge. The Reds have already picked up maximum points at Ipswich, Manchester United and Wolves and will be eager to maintain their form and confidence against Palace.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Slot's Reds head to south London and a ground haunted by memories of slip-ups. In 2014, Liverpool famously threw away a 3-0 lead at Selhurst Palace to hand Manchester City the advantage in the title race. The new Liverpool boss will be doing all he can to avoid creating more nightmares for the Reds fans.

After an incredibly intense ten months of football that have seen Arsenal stage last-second comebacks, demolish their nearest rivals, and rack up the most wins they have ever had in the Premier League, it's another second-place finish for the north Londoners.

Mikel Arteta's side have been pretty much perfect for most of the season, but pretty much is not nearly enough when coming up against Pep Guardiola's freakishly resilient Manchester City, and while Arsenal took them to the final day, it's back to the drawing board over the summer.

However, with the Spaniard's team boasting the best defence in the league by five goals, it's clear that the attack must be the focus, and based on recent reports, the Gunners could be about to sign a forward who could replace Gabriel Jesus and make them forget about Alexander Isak.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Independent, Arsenal are intent on signing a new striker before the start of pre-season, and there are two names at the top of their list: Isak and Brian Brobbey.

The former has been a target for some time and remains their top choice over the latter, but according to the report, the Gunners believe the chance of Newcastle United selling the Swede this summer is low and, as they do not want to get drawn into a protracted saga, they have earmarked the Ajax ace as their secondary top choice.

A reliable price for the 22-year-old has not been reported at this point, but Football Transfers' Player Valuation Model has claimed he could be worth around €24m, or £21m, which, if true, would represent an absolute bargain, and one the Gunners' should jump on.

The Dutchman may not be a household name like Isak, but he has been in red-hot form this year and could be the perfect Jesus upgrade to boot, and if the price is anywhere close to £21m, Arsenal can't afford to miss out.

How Brobbey compares to Isak and Jesus

So, if Arteta and Edu Gaspar are looking to sign a striker who is going to help them bridge the gap to City next season, the most critical factor is their pure output.

In his 43 games this season, Brobbey has scored a whopping 22 goals and provided 12 assists to boot, giving him an average of a goal involvement every 1.2 games, which would be impressive for any player, let alone for one who turned 22 in February.

In comparison, Jesus has returned eight goals and eight assists in 36 games, giving him an average of 2.2 goal involvements per game, while Isak's 25 goals and two assists in 40 games mean he averaged 1.48 goal involvements per game last season.

Appearances

43

36

40

Goals

22

8

25

Assists

12

8

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.79

0.44

0.67

So, with it clear that the Amsterdam-born "powerhouse", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, comes out ahead for output, how do the trio's underlying numbers compare?

Well, it is once again advantage to the Dutchman as in almost every striker-relevant metric, he comes out on top, including non-penalty expected goals and assists, non-penalty goals, shots on target, goals per shot on target, goal-creating actions and especially aerial duels won, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.95

0.77

0.62

Non-Penalty Goals

0.67

0.64

0.24

Assists

0.30

0.08

0.30

Shots on Target

1.50

1.44

1.16

Goals per Shot on Target

0.45

0.44

1.16

Passing Accuracy

78.2%

78.1%

78.6%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.44

2.87

3.55

Goal-Creating Actions

0.56

0.40

0.49

Aerial Duels Won

2.43

0.36

0.91

However, he does come out second best to the Gunners' number nine for shot-creating actions and passing accuracy while producing the same number of assists as the 27-year-old per 90.

Interestingly, Newcastle's star striker fails to come out ahead in any of the comparisons, suggesting that while Brobbrey is currently Arsenal's second choice, he should perhaps be their first.

Ultimately, Jesus and Isak are both incredibly talented strikers and the number of goals the latter scores would surely improve Arteta's side.

However, considering the potential price, output, and underlying numbers, the Spaniard should look to Ajax's star striker first this summer.

5/10 Arsenal star let Arteta down on their big day

Arsenal held up their end of the bargain but couldn’t seal the Premier League title.

ByMatt Dawson May 19, 2024

Refusing to blink in the face of increasingly fevered threats from Channel Seven, Cricket Australia’s leaders will wait to see whether the free-to-air network’s next broadcast rights instalment lands in its bank account on Tuesday before weighing up the true state of its A$1.18 billion deal signed with Seven and Foxtel in 2018.Seven and Foxtel are due to pay about A$50 million on Tuesday ahead of the season, while the former’s commitments to broadcast international cricket in Australia begin with a series between the Australian and New Zealand women’s teams in Brisbane from September 26 – the first top-level cricket in the country since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold. Operational planning between the governing body and the broadcaster have continued throughout the dispute over the past month.There were reports that the battle between Seven and CA had reached crisis point on Friday after the free-to-air broadcaster issued a notice to CA on Wednesday that they were in breach of their contract due to the nature of schedule proposed for the upcoming season. This was characterised as the start of a process for Seven to back out of their A$450 million deal entirely, after the debt-ridden network had been asking for a discount to its rights fee for most of the year, citing a range of issues.These have varied from a likely loss of content due to Covid-19, then a complaint that the quality of content would not be high enough, and most recently an accusation that CA had unreasonably delayed the start of Seven’s share of the international season by acceding to India’s request to play white-ball matches – exclusive to Fox Sports – before the start of the Test series broadcast by both networks, rather than after it.In all cases, CA is believed to be comfortable with the legal strength of its contract with Seven, should the dispute escalate to a court battle at the outset of the season.A greater issue would appear to be Seven’s capacity to pay its dues over the remainder of the deal, with its share price diving as a mounting pile of debts creep closer to maturing next year. In a statement on Friday, a CA spokesman said: “Cricket Australia remains in ongoing discussions with the Seven Network about delivering a compelling summer of cricket. CA is committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations to all its partners this season.”CA’s chairman Earl Eddings had on Wednesday discussed the matter with state chairs during the latest meeting of the Australian Cricket Council, where the head of commercial Stephanie Beltrame also updated the group. There is understood to have been a unified view that CA should seek to uphold its contract with Seven.The proposed fixture list now has the international season starting with white-ball cricket against India – which fellow broadcaster Fox Sports has the exclusive rights to – after the players have quarantined following the IPL, followed by four Tests from mid-December. The Afghanistan Test, which is slated for Perth and would be part of Seven’s package, may be under threat due to the Western Australian government’s hard stance on quarantine rules.Last month the Seven CEO James Warburton began the broadcaster’s attack by outlining his frustrations when reporting the network’s underwhelming financial results. “It’s been frustrating with Cricket Australia, that’s for sure,” he said on August 25. “Ultimately, when you look at the season, like the AFL and to an extent the NRL, they need to look at what is possible to deliver, stop talking about international borders being closed, or borders being closed, and start to look at what really is the season we are going to deliver.”You have got the Australian T20 and one-day captain saying one thing, you have got the coach saying another, you have got BBL franchises talking about no international players – or [having more] grade cricketers. We could send the cameras down for free to telecast grade cricket. We have paid a huge price for the rights and we need to understand very quickly what the season is.”Warburton was later to label CA a “train wreck” for the way they have gone about putting the season together. He was particularly scathing about the potential of the BBL losing extra star names due to their needing to be larger international squads because of travel restrictions, although it’s understood that CA are confident that a case against quality can’t be made by the broadcaster. There is also a view that Seven’s stance on the tournament missing a vast number of players has been overstated while there has been talk of allowing extra overseas names to be signed.”On the field, if I bring it back to the BBL, there’s a lot of commentary and speculation around who will and won’t play in the BBL, but one of the best features of the BBL is the surprise and delight element, you never quite know who is going to step up,” Anthony Everard, Cricket Australia’s head of fan engagement and one the original people behind the BBL, told ESPNcricinfo.”Whether that be Jofra Archer a few years ago at the Hurricanes, or in more recent times Josh Philippe and Riley Meredith are in the Australian squad now off the back of their BBL performances. I’m really excited about who is going to seize the opportunity to have their breakout year in the BBL.”

Chelsea’s drastic spending since the arrival of Todd Boehly looks set to continue once again this summer.

The American businessman took control of the club back in 2022 after Roman Abramovich had to relinquish control of the Blues following the Russia/Ukraine war.

Since his takeover, Boehly has splashed over £1bn on new players, with the heavy expenditure set to continue once more in the upcoming transfer window.

New boss Enzo Maresca has already bolstered his Chelsea side, with the signing of Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer, but the Italian isn’t going to stop there.

The club are set to sign another talent in the next few days, with a reputable journalist confirming that a £6m deal is edging ever closer.

Chelsea edging closer to signing Brazilian talent

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are set to beat Real Madrid in the race to sign young Brazilian right-back Pedro Lima.

Lima, who currently plays for Sport Recife in the second tier of Brazilian football, has attracted major interest from the Blues, with Maresca’s side set to win the race for his signature.

The 17-year-old has already made 29 appearances this season despite his tender age, making an immediate impact in his early professional career.

Although Chelsea are set to win the race, the Brazilian may not feature at Stamford Bridge immediately, with French side Strasbourg agreeing to sign him, as they are also owned by Chelsea’s American businessman Boehly.

He’s also managed to score two goals from right back, demonstrating his attacking capabilities – a quality that will certainly be of use to one Chelsea first-team member in the years to come.

Why Lima would be perfect for Cole Palmer

In his nine league matches in Brazil's Serie B during 2023/24, the youngster has demonstrated qualities at both ends that would undoubtedly improve the Chelsea squad in the years ahead.

Lima has won nine tackles – an average of one per 90 – winning 82% of the challenges that he’s attempted in Brazil. He’s also won 57% of the duels he contested demonstrating his ability to regain possession for his side.

Games

9

Passes

153

Pass accuracy

81%

Touches in attacking areas

20

Tackles

9

Tackle success rate

82%

Duels won

57%

However, the youngster has been equally as impressive in possession, completing 153 passes – an average of 17 passes per game – at a completion rate of 81%.

The “ridiculous” talent, as described by analyst Ben Mattinson, likes to get forward and “comes alive” in the final third creating endless opportunities – a quality that will certainly benefit Cole Palmer in the years ahead.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed his best campaign to date, contributing with 33 goals and assists this season, the most of any player in the Premier League.

The former Manchester City talent has created 72 chances and completed 52 dribbles at a success rate of 53%, contributing to his excellent tally of goals and assists.

Palmer has been worth every penny of his £40m transfer fee, cementing his place within Gareth Southgate’s England side for the European Championships in Germany this summer.

Maresca has the perfect squad ahead of him to build a successful Chelsea side and potentially lead them back towards winning their first Premier League title since 2016/17.

Lima is still very young and needs the move to France to allow him to develop, before making a huge impact at Stamford Bridge and potentially taking Palmer to the next level.

No Jackson, £226m trio sign: Enzo Maresca's dream lineup at Chelsea

Chelsea are set for a busy summer with plenty of signings expected.

ByTom Lever May 29, 2024

تقدم فريق ليفربول بهدف أول في مباراته أمام ساوثهامبتون، في مسابقة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية “كاراباو”.

ويلتقي ليفربول وساوثهامبتون بالدور ربع النهائي “دور الثمانية” لبطولة كأس كاراباو على ملعب “سانت ميري”.

وسجل الأوروجواياني داروين نونيز هدف ليفربول الأول خلال المباراة وذلك بالدقيقة 24.

جاء الهدف بعد تمريرة بينية عن طريق ترينت أرنولد تجاه داروين نونيز، والذي أطلق تسديدة سكنت الشباك في الزاوية اليسرى.

ويمكنك متابعة التغطية المباشرة لمباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون لحظة بلحظة بالفيديو من خلال الرابط. هدف نونيز في مباراة ليفربول وساوثهامبتون