Journalist James Hunter was deeply unimpressed with referee Jeremy Simpson in Sunderland’s 5-1 loss at home to Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.
The Lowdown: Bad day for Black Cats
The Black Cats welcomed their Championship opponents to the Stadium of Light on Saturday, in what was another key game in their promotion push.
It proved to be a woeful day at the office for Tony Mowbray’s side, however, with Stoke taking the lead through Josh Laurent during the first half, before pulling well clear after the break.
It was a result that could ultimately prove damaging come may and it was an afternoon in which frustration boiled over both on and off the pitch.
The Latest: Hunter fumes at referee
Taking to Twitter, Hunter was quick to reveal what he thought of Simpson’s performance on Saturday:
Granted, referees do have a difficult job on their hands and they are only human, but this was another unacceptably poor performance by an official.
So many of Simpson’s decisions left supporters scratching their heads, including one moment when he allowed Stoke to play out from the back after a head injury, as well as blowing for half-time when Sunderland had possession in a dangerous area.
Refereeing standards in the Championship are not strong at the moment, and while Mowbray’s men deserve criticism for their performance, Simpson should also be under the spotlight.
He bowled three solid overs, in the mid 130s or thereabouts, and all the damage to England was done elsewhere. Still, both India and Shami will be breathing a sigh of relief
Hemant Brar28-Jan-2025Rajkot is probably the last venue a fast bowler would want to make his comeback at. Before today, the average first-innings total in T20Is here was 186. In his pitch report for the third India-England T20I, Murali Kartik called the playing surface “as bald as my head”, while Nick Knight labelled it a “#belter”. But Mohammed Shami would not have minded any of that, especially after being out of international cricket for 14 months.Shami’s last outing for India was in November 2023: the ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad. He was nursing his ankle throughout the tournament and underwent surgery in February 2024.His previous T20I was way back in 2022: the World Cup semi-final against England in Adelaide. Since then, India’s approach to T20 cricket has shifted tectonically. Luckily, that shift has to do with batting, not bowling. So Shami did not have to change anything.Related
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After he was named in the squad for the England T20Is – by now the focus of the Indian cricketing circle had moved from his ankle to his knees – many expected him to play right away. He bowled in the nets ahead of the first two T20Is with knee support, but did not play in either. Was he still not 100% fit, or did team composition play a role? We do not know the answer yet. But on Tuesday, India rested Arshdeep Singh and gave Shami a go.After Suryakumar Yadav opted to bowl, Shami was into the action straightaway. With his very first delivery, he showed what India had been missing. It was a good-length ball, the seam angling towards deep third. Phil Salt threw his hands at it but was beaten as the ball swung away.Whenever a fast bowler returns from an injury, the eyes automatically shift towards the speed gun. It read a satisfactory 134.6kph. That the wicketkeeper collected it on the bounce had to do with the pitch.That was a cue for Shami to take the slip out. On the next ball, Salt found a boundary down the ground, even though he barely middled the punch.Shami then decided to attack the stumps and bowled an inswinger; Salt worked it towards short midwicket. Speed? 134.1kph. Hovering around that mark, Shami conceded only six in his first over.He started his second over with his trademark dead-straight seam. Jos Buttler had a waft at it, but the ball seamed away. It looked like there might have been a faint edge. It would not have mattered, though, as Sanju Samson fumbled it behind the stumps.For left-hand batter Ben Duckett, Shami went around the wicket. The batter used the angle and scooped him over the keeper’s head for a six. After two overs, Shami’s figures read 2-0-15-0.As India trained ahead of the England series, the returning Mohammed Shami had his knee(s) strapped•AFP/Getty ImagesBy the time Shami returned for his third over, the 19th of the innings, Varun Chakravarthy’s five-for had England reeling on 151 for 9. Shami went for hard lengths and slower ones but could not prevent Adil Rashid and Mark Wood from taking ten (plus a bye) from the over. The only time he tried a yorker, it ended up as a beamer.Shami finished with none for 25 from his three overs. It was not a dream comeback but it was not shabby either. Given there were no signs of discomfort, both Shami and the team management would be pleased with it.Because in the last few months, whenever Shami tried to make a comeback, he had a setback. He was expected to feature in the home Test series against Bangladesh last year, but that did not happen. The same was the case for the New Zealand Tests.A few months later, he appeared for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy match and bowled 43 overs across two innings. Following that, he played in all nine games at the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, taking 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.85.Just when it started looking like he could be part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, the knee issue came up. As he increased his workload to be ready for Test cricket, his left knee started swelling, and ruled him out of the Australia tour.Therefore, even though he bowled just three overs tonight and failed to pick up a wicket, India would consider Shami’s return a big positive, especially with the Champions Trophy on the horizon and then the Test series in England later in the year.
West Ham United's slump in form is alarming, they've lost four of their last five matches in all competitions, with the only anomaly in that run being a fantastic 3-1 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup as the Hammers booked their place in the quarter-finals.
While that domineering display wasn't backed up with a similar performance against Brentford on Saturday as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat in the Premier League, David Moyes will be seeking revenge against Olympiacos tomorrow night after they ended their 17-match unbeaten run in Europe two weeks ago.
Moyes will want to field a strong starting side to ensure complacency doesn't slip into their performance as the talented triumvirate of Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus are all likely to start.
The Scotsman could pick this starting XI for the visit of the Greek giants in tomorrow's Europa League clash, with five changes from the weekend loss…
1 GK: Lukasz Fabianksi
Lukasz Fabianki for West Ham
A reliable cup keeper these days, Lukasz Fabianski could come in to replace Alphonse Areola after starring in their 3-1 victory over the Gunners. The giant Pole has only conceded three goals in four appearances this term.
2 RB: Thilo Kehrer
Thilo Kehrer
A serial starter in the Europa League, having played in all three matches so far, Thilo Kehrer is David Moyes' chosen right back in this competition and the reliable German should get the nod over Vladimir Coufal on Thursday night.
3 CB: Konstantinos Mavropanos
West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Arsenal's former centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos has featured in every minute of their Europa League campaign so far. The towering Greek international, who was once hailed as "fearless" by Ian Wright, should continue that run here.
4 CB: Nayef Aguerd
West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd.
Once dubbed as "exceptional" by Gary Lineker for his performances in claret and blue, Nayef Aguerd is the rock at the back for the Irons. The 27-year-old has only started once in the Europa League this term, but after Angelo Ogbonna's horror show in Greece, Moyes can ill-afford to risk the Italian once more.
5 LB: Aaron Cresswell
regan-clayton-aaron-cresswell-west-ham-opinion
With his contract expiring in the summer, it looks as though West Ham are going to bid farewell to Aaron Cresswell, but the 33-year-old could get a rare chance to impress ahead of Emerson on Thursday.
6 CM: James Ward-Prowse
Wolves midfielder James Ward-Prowse.
West Ham's technically gifted midfielder, who is renowned for the ability to play high-quality final balls to attackers, has showcased that vision in the Europa League this term with three assists in as many matches. He'll be looking to add to that total.
7 CM: Tomas Soucek
West Ham United'sTomasSoucekwith Declan Rice.
Once hailed as "incredible" by former midfield partner Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek is an ever-present figure in West Ham's midfield and has featured in all three of their European matches this season and even scored against TSC Backa Topola.
8 CM: Edson Alvarez
Edson Alvarez.
The Mexican summer signing was forced to sit out the weekend defeat to the Bees through suspension, although it could be wise to reinstate the former Ajax maestro against the Greek outfit to provide some much-needed solidity – only Pablo Fornals has made more interceptions for the Hammers in the competition so far.
9 RW: Mohammed Kudus
thomas-soucek-kudus-west-ham-opinion
Kudus is in fine form for West Ham currently and the Ghanian has cemented his place on the right flank following a strike against Arsenal and a sensational scissor-kick against Brentford on Saturday.
10 LW: Lucas Paqueta
Lucas Paqueta
Lauded as a "maverick" by David Moyes for his exceptional performance against Freiburg last month, the Scotsman could return Paqueta to the side after the £150k-per-week Brazilian missed out through suspension at the weekend. The 26-year-old has two goals in three matches in the competition thus far.
After he was substituted out of the rest of the game, Aaron Finch and the Marsh brothers made fifties to shore up the Australians
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2018 AFPMatt Renshaw suffered a blow to the helmet while fielding at short leg and was subsequently substituted out of Australia’s four-day warm-up fixture against Pakistan A in Dubai. Pakistan A agreed to the visitors replacing Renshaw with Marnus Labuschagne for the rest of the match.”He’s okay. Obviously a pretty heavy knock to the head there but he’s been with the medical staff all afternoon,” Aaron Finch said of Renshaw’s condition. “He seems to be in really good spirits and is confident that his headaches are subsiding pretty quickly.”That was perhaps the only blip for the Australians on day two. After dismissing Pakistan A for 278 from an overnight 247 for 6, they trimmed their deficit to 71 at stumps, for the loss of only two wickets, thanks to half-centuries from opener Finch and the Marsh brothers. Finch, who has been pencilled in for a Test debut in Dubai, dominated an 82-run partnership for the first wicket with 54 off 91 balls, including seven fours. The stand ended when left-arm seamer Waqas Maqsood had Finch caught behind in the 31st over. Eleven overs later, Usman Khawaja, the other opener, fell to Iftikhar Ahmed for 36 off 131 balls. Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh then got together and raised fifties in an unbroken 103-run stand to boost their side to 207 for 2 at stumps.Wahab Riaz, who is part of Pakistan’s Test squad, went wicketless in 12 overs.Earlier, Nathan Lyon, who had claimed five wickets on day one, added three more to his tally to end with 8 for 103. Abid Ali, meanwhile, added only two to his overnight 83 before Lyon had him caught by wicketkeeper Paine in the 96th over.Mitchell Starc picked up his first wicket in competitive cricket since March 2018, when he dismissed Wahab for 12 off 4 balls. In all, the Australians needed only 7.1 overs on day two to bowl out the hosts.
Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain may be set to enter a summer battle for the signing of midfielder Alan Varela from Porto, according to reports.
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Liverpool, PSG & Dortmund in for VarelaArgentine midfielder dubbed 'next Mascherano'Porto demanding €70m for 22-year-old starWHAT HAPPENED?
The Premier League and Ligue 1 giants have been monitoring the Argentine defensive midfielder since his arrival at Porto and, along with Borussia Dortmund, could make an attempt to sign him in the summer transfer window, reports.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The 22-year-old joined the Portuguese side from Boca Juniors last summer and has already impressed enough to catch the eye of top European teams. He has been dubbed the 'next Javier Mascherano' due to his nationality and combative playing style.
DID YOU KNOW?
Varela signed a five-year contract with Porto when he made the move to Europe last August after making 111 senior appearances for Boca. The Liga Portugal club are said to have slapped a €70 million (£60m/$76m) price tag on the Argentina Under-20 international.
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Liverpool and PSG will likely continue to monitor Varela over the coming months before deciding whether or not to make an attempt to snap him up. However, Porto may hope to hold onto their rising star for at least another year.
Veteran batsman takes charge at Grace Road, with Tom Smith joining as second XI coach
George Dobell21-Feb-2018Leicestershire have confirmed the appointment of Michael Carberry as captain and Tom Smith as second XI coach.Carberry, who joined the club towards the end of the 2017 season, replaces Mark Cosgrove as captain and will lead in all three formats. Leicestershire failed to win a Championship match in 2017 and finished bottom of the division two table.While Carberry may feel he has some questions to answer about his own form – he averaged just 17.42 in the County Championship for Hampshire and Leicestershire in 2017 – he has vast experience from a career that has seen him represent England in all three formats and win four limited-overs trophies with Hampshire.Despite his own health problems and advancing years (he is 37), Carberry has also remained impressively fit and is seen as the sort of role-model cricketer than can inspire Leicestershire’s younger players.Cosgrove, who was easily the club’s highest run-scorer in the Championship in 2017, will continue at Leicestershire as a player.Smith, meanwhile, returns to a club he represented on-loan in 2008. Having seen an impressive career as an all-rounder curtailed by injury – Smith was part of the Lancashire side that won the County Championship in 2011 and was appointed the club captain ahead of the 2015 season – he has had coaching spells with Lancashire’s academy, Lancashire Thunder and England Women. He is 32.The appointment completes a transformation of the club’s coaching staff over recent months which has also seen Paul Nixon appointed as head coach, Matt Mason appointed as bowling coach and John Sadler appointed as assistant coach.”This is an exciting opportunity for me at Leicestershire and it is great to be working alongside Nico [Paul Nixon], John Sadler, Matt Mason and all of the coaching staff,” Smith said. “I enjoyed my time here as a player alongside Nico so it was an easy decision to make. I’m really looking forward to being part of a fresh coaching team at the Foxes and can’t wait to get started.””Tom is a brilliant bloke who I had the pleasure of playing alongside here,” Nixon said. “He was a top-class cricketer who was highly skilled across all formats. Tom was named as captain of Lancashire at a young age which shows his pedigree.”He has since upskilled his coaching CV with work at Lancashire both in the men’s and women’s game and has also been working with the England Women team. We’re delighted to have Tom on board with us.”
ESPNcricinfo writers pick their favourite white-ball India-Pakistan moments from the 21st century
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2022The perfect Tendulkar stroke•Getty ImagesTendulkar’s punch 2003 World Cup, Centurion Say the words Sachin and Centurion, and iconic slash off Shoaib Akhtar for six over third man is what people (Indian fans?) remember most vividly. Largely because it was so utterly unexpected so early in the chase.For me – watching in a packed, raucous college common room – the best memory of that Sachin Tendulkar innings was his strokeplay through the off side against India’s old tormentors, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.Among the many cuts and drives that pierced Pakistan’s infield with precision, one shot stood out. It was soon after Tendulkar had been dropped at mid-off by Abdul Razzaq off Akram. The delivery wasn’t too different from the one that had nearly got him – on a good length from over the wicket, angling across the right-hander, just outside off stump. This time, Tendulkar moved across his crease with perfect balance, transferred weight on to his back foot, and brought down that famously heavy bat to punch the ball and send it screaming along the ground through extra cover.It was the perfect Tendulkar stroke, and the sound off the bat was nearly as memorable as his pull off Andrew Caddick a few days before.Shadab Khan’s assuredness in the 2017 Champions Trophy Final stood out•Getty ImagesYuvraj Singh lbw Shadab Khan 2017 Champions Trophy final, The Oval In many ways, Yuvraj Singh defined the ascendancy of Indian white-ball cricket in the 21st century: the audacious all-round skill, the athleticism and, above all, the strut. For a period in the mid-aughts, no side felt it more than Pakistan.Yuvraj was pretty much done by the time he came to the crease at The Oval in the Champions Trophy final – he would only play three more ODIs after this game – but Pakistan would not have known that. Only two weeks earlier, he’d reminded them of what he was, with a 32-ball 53 in the group-stage thumping. So, when Shadab Khan trapped him with a lovely, sharp-turning legbreak in the 13th over, it wasn’t just that the delivery was good – it was. But it was the confidence with which he pointed to the pad and convinced his captain to review it: “,” because he was 150% sure of what had happened, 150% sure of his skills, 150% sure of himself even as an 18-year-old.That assuredness stood in stark contrast to the cricket Pakistan usually played against India on these occasions, where they visibly shrunk. Yet here was Shadab, the audacious all-round skill, the athleticism and, above all, the strut, who grew. An ending and a beginning, all in one.A chaotic end to an old-fashioned ODI•Getty ImagesSaqlain runs home 1999-2000 Carlton and United series, Gabba Last ball of the match, one to win. Seven fielders on the single. Venkatesh Prasad runs in, doesn’t leap into his stride, tries to run the non-striker out, but Waqar Younis – ready to sprint – has his bat in the crease and eyes firmly on the bowler.**Prasad bowls a slower ball, Saqlain Mushtaq misses wildly, and despite not stealing ground Waqar is in the middle of the pitch by the time the debutant wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe – back in his usual position – collects and underarms the throw.**Eleven players in one frame. Nine Indians hoping to make a play at the stumps. Waqar home. Saqlain in the middle of the pitch with his head turned back, about to realise his is the danger end now that Dighe has missed.**You can imagine Sachin Tendulkar, India’s captain and now beside Saqlain, is willing the ball to hurry up, but it arrives too slowly. Tendulkar misses anyway. Saqlain, having completed the run needed to win, keeps running with his bat in the air.**Chaotic end to an old-fashioned ODI on a seaming pitch in Brisbane. Shoaib Akhtar, with figures of 8-3-19-1, then pushes a young fan out of the path of a speeding taxi as he rushes across the street for an autograph.The review that would be talked about for years to come•Getty ImagesThe review that lives on 2011 World Cup semi-final, Mohali You can see why Ian Gould gave it out: the ball turned past the inside edge, smacked the front pad in front of middle stump, and the batter hadn’t taken a particularly long stride forward. You can see why Hawk-Eye suggested it would have missed leg stump: the bowler had released from fairly wide on the crease, creating a significant initial inward angle, and the ball turned and still had a fair distance to travel.A reasonable on-field decision, legitimately overturned. That both those things are possible is one of the many reasons cricket is so confoundingly beautiful.But this was Saeed Ajmal to Sachin Tendulkar in an India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final, so it wasn’t just another confoundingly beautiful moment. It became the stuff of conspiracy theories, charged by history and geography. And destiny.Tendulkar was on 23, and batting fluently, serenely. Then this ball happened, and the rest of his innings was a struggle. He kept offering chances, and Pakistan kept shelling them. He made 85. India won.Tendulkar had a World Cup to win. Everything would align to make it happen.In full flow, Mohammad Asif was an artist with the ball•Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty ImagesMohammad Asif in full swing 2007 World T20 group game, Durban The final almost consigns this game to history’s scrapheap, but the India-Pakistan group stage game provided fans of Mohammad Asif (and who isn’t?) the wistfully nostalgic hit only he can provide. Bowling first, Asif, whose gifts in the shortest format hadn’t yet been as obvious, had India on toast in a scintillating opening spell.There’s no love lost between Gautam Gambhir and Pakistan, and it was just three balls in that Asif sent him back for a duck with a superb catch off his own bowling. It was the next three dismissals that were trademark Asif, though – Test match balls on a T20 surface. They all swung in wickedly almost in defiance of the laws of physics, and Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik had no defence against them.He was given the full four overs, and he had made them count. The arrogance and swagger in full flow by the end, he waved Karthik off to the pavilion. The Pakistan supporters were on their feet, and India on their knees at 36 for four. If a first Pakistan World Cup win was to come, Asif had made it possible.And it would surely come now, wouldn’t it?
Aston Villa have all but secured the late loan signing of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United. Fabrizio Romano has given the move his famous “here we go” tag, which has essentially confirmed that a deal has been struck.
Without doubt, Villa require attacking reinforcements, given they are yet to score in any of their three games this season. Sancho is not the only forward who could switch to Villa Park on deadline day.
Aston Villa plot next move after Sancho
Aside from making a late move for Sancho, it has been reported by The Mail’s Simon Jones (09:21) that Unai Emery’s side are one of the clubs ‘showing late interest’ in signing Newcastle United striker William Osula.
Transfer Focus
With Villa ‘scouring the market for forward options’ before the window slams shut at 7pm today, as per Jones, Osula is one of the latest names to crop up.
The price is not yet clear, but he cost the Magpies £15m last summer, so they would surely want to make that money back, at least.
Why Osula would be a good signing
There is no doubt that Osula is far from the finished article. At just 22 years of age and with minimal Premier League experience under his belt, he is someone who Emery can help develop as a striker over the next few years.
The Denmark under-21 international has experience in the EFL and Premier League. Overall, he has 38 top-flight games under his belt, finding the back of the net twice, both for Newcastle, with one coming this season against Liverpool.
However, he has only played 1013 minutes, the equivalent of just 11 full 90 minutes.
The 22-year-old shone for Denmark at the under-21 European Championships this summer. His record was impressive, with three goals and two assists in just four games.
In that time, he averaged 1.5 key passes per game. That is the sort of quality Villa could be signing.
Osula – u21 Euros
Stat
Per 90 mins
Tournament whole
Mins
46.5
185
Shots on target
2.9
6
Goals
1.5
3
Key passes
1.5
3
Assists
1
2
Aerial duels won
1.5
3
Stats from Sofascore
It is easy to see how Osula could become Villa’s own Alexander Isak. Of course, the Newcastle connection is there, with both strikers also hailing from Scandinavia.
The 22-year-old is, of course, a Dane, and Isak was born just outside of Stockholm.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
However, they both have similar builds, too. Osula is a tall striker standing at six feet and four inches, the same height as Isak. Both use their lanky frames to match defenders physically, and their long stride and powerful running style help them get a yard on opponents in a foot race.
That tall frame and big physicality are perhaps why Osula has been compared to Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in the past. His former teammate Curtis Davies once described him as a “poor man’s Haaland”, and with his build, it is easy to see why.
If the Dane can have the same impact at Villa Park that Isak had at St James’ Park, he will be a huge success.
The Liverpool-bound star bagged 62 goals and assisted 11 in 109 games for Eddie Howe’s side.
This could be a bargain for Villa. Osual is far from being the finished article, but with his profile and build, he has all the tools to make it as a successful striker in the Premier League. With some guidance from Emery, the Villans could have an exciting prospect on their hands.
Asensio 2.0: Aston Villa pushing to seal agreement for £20m "maverick"
Aston Villa are looking to strengthen in attack, having missed out on ex-loanee Marco Asensio…
Liverpool may have gone three points clear at the top of the Premier League table by beating Newcastle 4-2 on Monday night, but the Reds are still looking a little light at the back as they head into the remainder of January.
Last month, they lost Joel Matip to a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, and Joe Gomez, another of Jurgen Klopp's centre-back options, has been required at left-back after injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. Robertson is expected to be back available next month, but until then Liverpool will be looking stretched.
To add to Klopp's concerns, Ibrahima Konate has already had two spells on the sidelines this season, raising questions about his ability to stay fit. 20-year-old Jarell Quansah has logged 15 appearances this year, but Klopp may be wary of relying too heavily on him in his first season of top-flight football.
Liverpool submit Inacio bid – Portuguese media
With that in mind, Liverpool have reportedly made a £25.8m (€30m) offer for Sporting centre-back Goncalo Inacio, as per Jorge das Transferencias. As it stands, they're the club "most interested" in signing him, and they've now tested the resolve of the Primeira Liga side with an offical offer according to the outlet.
Inacio, 22, is a product of Sporting's academy and now an established member of their first team. This season, he's started 13 of the 14 league games for which he's been available, as well as five out of six Europa League fixtures.
During the summer transfer window, Inacio penned a new contract in Lisbon that included a £51.8m/€60m release clause (Fabrizio Romano), but Liverpool have made a bold attempt to sign him for just half of that figure. It remains to be seen whether Sporting are willing to negotiate a lower fee, or whether they insist that the clause is paid in full.
Arsenal battle may be looming
When you look at Inacio's numbers, you can quickly see why he holds an appeal for Klopp – he places at or near the top for a whole host of ball-playing metrics (FBRef). He's 10th in the division for progressive passing distance (6,754 yards), fifth for progressive passes (96) and first outright for passes into the final third (104), touches (1,206) and progressive carrying distance (2,737 yards).
This emphasises just how heavily involved he is in his team's build-up play, and paints him as a priceless offensive instigator. He can launch attacks with either ambitious passing through the opposition defensive lines or driving runs upfield, the kind that can unsettle the other team's structure.
One particularly intriguing aspect of the pursuit of Inacio is the reported interest from Premier League competitor Arsenal. Last month, A Bola claimed that it is in fact the Gunners who are at the front of the queue to sign Inacio, potentially setting up a transfer battle between two of the sides in the title race.
Arsenal have of course fallen five points behind Liverpool with their consecutive defeats against West Ham and Fulham between Christmas and New Year, but they certainly be can't counted out just yet, with just under half the season still to go. Indeed, the right January addition could help to give Mikel Arteta's side the momentum they sorely need, and close up the gap to Liverpool.
Aston Villa are now believed to be keeping close tabs on a player after it emerged that he is likely to leave his current employers in January, according to reports.
Aston Villa's impressive season so far…
Following a meteoric rise from relegation contention to securing Europa Conference League football last term, many wondered how Unai Emery would go about improving on an exceptional debut campaign in charge at Villa Park. Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pau Torres, Clement Lenglet and Moussa Diaby were brought in with the help of NSWE and their ambition in the market looks to have paid off on the field, as Aston Villa sit fifth in the Premier League table with 25 points from their opening 12 matches.
Depending on certain factors, the English top flight could be awarded an extra Champions League place this term as the competition transitions towards an expanded "Swiss league" format, which will allocate an additional position to two nations who collectively performed the best in comparison to other countries in the season previous, which is a carrot Emery and company will have an eye on at Villa Park.
Nevertheless, consistent performances will be needed on a weekly basis to achieve this dream, which may be complicated further if Aston Villa embark on an extended run in the Europa Conference League, which they are one of the favourites to win.
Despite fanfare and excitement surrounding Aston Villa's potential league finish in 2023/24, former Villans midfielder Lee Hendrie isn't getting carried away when forecasting where his old side may end up, as he stated via BBC Sport when asked about their hopes of finishing in the top six: "I'd take a top-half finish. I don't think we'll finish in the top six. I really think that's a big ask. Again, if they finished seventh, eighth, I think it'd be a really good season."
With the January window fast approaching, it looks as if NSWE and Emery have set their sights on another highly-rated player that could help Aston Villa's push for continental qualification.
Aston Villa plotting Samuel Iling-Junior bid
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are "primed" to make an approach for Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior in the January window as Emery looks to add some variety in the final third, with the Turin outfit open to selling.
Samuel Iling-Junior at Juventus – all competitions (Transfermarkt)
Appearances
22
Goals
1
Assists
3
Nevertheless, they will have to fend off competition from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Fulham to sign the England Under-21 international, who is under contract at Serie A giants Juventus until the summer of 2025. His interested suitors will send scouts to watch Iling-Junior in action for the young Three Lions in their upcoming double-header against Serbia and Northern Ireland.
Samuel Iling-Junior for Juventus.
Labelled "superb" by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig, the 20-year-old winger has excellent positional awareness and ranks favourably in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues in the art of progressive passes received in the opposition's penalty area, taking in around 8.38 per 90 minutes, putting him in the 97th percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.
Showing an impressive ability to pop up in dangerous attacking areas and just needing to sharpen up his end product, he is seemingly primed for a move, and Villa Park could be an ideal environment for Iling-Junior to continue his development as his stock continues to rise.