Royals can control their fate by winning their next three. The first of those is against a side with a history of pulling off late heists

The Preview by Shashank Kishore12-May-20185:06

Manjrekar: Mumbai Indians finally playing to potential

Big PictureThe venue of that famous Rahul Dravid cap fling after one of the most stunning T20 heists will now host another high-voltage clash, even though this isn’t quite a knockout.Such are the dynamics this time that even 12 points could get a team into the knockouts, something each of the bottom four is still in the running for. If they win their last three, or maybe even two, there is a bright chance of Royals entering the top four without a helping hand. The tougher challenge, though, is in trying to win two of these away.Form guide

Mumbai Indians: beat KKR by 102 runs, beat KKR by 13 runs, beat Kings XI by six wickets

Rajasthan Royals: beat CSK by four wickets, beat Kings XI by 15 runs, lost to Kings XI by six wickets

One of those will be in Mumbai, which means a homecoming for not just Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, but also for the core support group – Amol Muzumdar (batting coach) and Sairaj Bahutule (spin bowling consultant). It is this vast knowledge of the conditions that will add a layer of intrigue to the clash on Sunday evening.For starters, they’ll have to find a way around a thin middle order. Stuart Binny at No. 5 is at least two positions higher while Prashant Chopra, who opens in domestic cricket for Himachal Pradesh, isn’t their best option as a middle-order batsman. But given Mahipal Lomror hasn’t managed to make an impression, shunting him out after just two games so far could be a tad too harsh.Mumbai are in a similar position. From being on the brink of elimination 10 days ago, they have come storming back with three successive wins. Among the primary reasons is their batting rejuvenation that has helped blow over patchy death bowling.After shuttling up and down the order, Rohit Sharma at No. 3 has proved to be the steady influence. Ishan Kishan’s injection of momentum, like he did with a blistering half-century against KKR, and their utilisation of Ben Cutting made possible only because they have finally looked beyond Kieron Pollard, have provided them the necessary muscle. Now for the bowlers to hold their own and play the home-advantage card well.Previous meetingJofra Archer, one of their costlier acquisitions at INR 7.2 crores (US$ 1.1 million), made a splash on IPL debut after sitting out of the first two weeks with a side strain. His 3 for 22 helped restrict MUmbai to 167. K Gowtham, among their costlier Indian signing at INR 6 crore (US$ 970,000), walked in at No. 8 with Royals needing 43 off 17, and then clattered an unbeaten 11-ball 33 to seal a win with two balls to spare.Likely XIs
Mumbai Indians: 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Suryakumar Yadav, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Ben Cutting, 8 Mitchell McClenaghan, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Mayank Markande, 11 Mustafizur Rahman/Adam MilneRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Ben Stokes, 4 Sanju Samson, 5 Prashant Chopra, 6 Stuart Binny, 7 K Gowtham, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Ankit Sharma/Shreyas Gopal, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Ish SodhiStrategy punt
In a tournament of tall scores and big individual contributions, Gowtham’s 100 runs in 10 innings have contributed to two vital wins. After his cameo against Mumbai, he made a six-ball 18* when Royals needed 25 off eight, to take them within one blow against Delhi Daredevils. His two sixes off his first three balls helped clinch a last-over thriller on Friday night against CSK. There’s perhaps a case of promoting him to give him more match time. He’s got numbers to back him: 157 runs off 91 balls with his balls-per-boundary ratio at an impressive 3.95. This could mean trusting Stokes to play finisher despite poor form.Stats that matter
Rahane has eight 30-plus scores in 14 innings against Mumbai. Overall, he has made 490 runs at an average of 40.8 and strike rate of 125.6. Mitchell McClenaghan has dismissed Sanju Samson four times in five innings. Mumbai’s win percentage of 70 is the highest among all sides in their last four league games, since 2013. Royals’ stands second last at 41.6% above Delhi Daredevils’ 21%. Jos Buttler is coming off four successive half-centuries. Can he become only the second batsman in IPL history after Virender Sehwag to score five? Familiarity of Mumbai’s bowlers, having represented them for two seasons, could help.Fantasy pick
Think left field. Ben Stokes has a week left at the IPL, before he links up with the England side for the Test series against Pakistan. His batting numbers – he doesn’t even figure in the top 20 this season – have been ordinary. Fantasy points are maximised when an unpopular pick delivers finally. Stokes is like a ticking timebomb. Surely, there’s a big performance coming, at least to justify the returns on investment.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened his scoring account for 2024 with the winning goal for Al-Nassr against Al-Fayha in the Asian Champions League.

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Ronaldo was on target against Al-FayhaFired Al-Nassr to a crucial victory in the ACLShowed off a new celebrationWHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo combined with team-mate Marcelo Brozovic to find space in the penalty box and clinically finished to fire his team to a slender victory at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad stadium on Wednesday evening. It was a cagey affair in the first half but the Portuguese forward broke the deadlock in the 81st minute to secure a crucial first-leg victory for Al-Nassr.

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What caught the attention of fans was Ronaldo's new celebration. Instead of his iconic "SIUUU" move, he opted for a different gesture, crossing his hands over his chest and closing his eyes after his usual jump in jubilation. It was fairly similar to the 'nap' celebration that he introduced during his second spell at Manchester United.

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GOAL AR / GettyWHAT NEXT?

Ronaldo made headlines for his reaction to Al-Nassr's defeat in the Riyadh Seasons Cup final, where he expressed frustration by launching his runners-up medal into the stands. However, after today's victory, Ronaldo was spotted in a jovial mood participating in the Viking clap celebration with the fans. He will next be in action against Al-Fateh in the Saudi Pro League on February 17 before facing Al-Fayha again in the second leg at home on February 21.

A new dawn has risen in north London with Tottenham Hotspur now under the management of the Australian Ange Postecoglou.

And the early signs of the Big Ange revolution in N17 are extremely positive with the Lilywhites impressing many in the opening stages of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

With the positivity surrounding the club comes excitement from the fans who have had to endure an underwhelming few years under the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Given Spurs fans will be keen to ride this wave of positivity, we at Football FanCast have taken a look at the social media accounts and podcasts every Spurs fan should follow to keep up to date with the latest news and views on their club.

Journalists Alasdair Gold Youtube & Twitter

Perhaps the most well-known Tottenham Hotspur journalist, Alasdair Gold has racked up over 230k followers on the social media platform X.

The football.london journalist often provides the inside scoop on all things Tottenham ranging from transfer news to injury updates and provides a range of content across multiple channels.

Indeed, Gold’s work spans from live blogging from Spurs matches home and away to his hour-long videos posted to his YouTube channel.

If you want to keep up with all things Spurs, this man provides content accessible through almost every means – even a WhatsApp update feed.

Charlie Eccleshare, Athletic correspondent

One of The Athletic’s Tottenham correspondent’s, Charlie Eccleshare also provides a range of written content which caters for just about every Tottenham fan’s need.

The journalist provided breaking transfer news over the summer but also offers longer-form articles which take a deeper dive into some of the underlying topics concerning the north London club.

Fans can find Eccleshare on the social media platform X as well as The Athletic’s weekly Spurs podcast.

Dan Kilpatrick Twitter

Similarly to the likes of Gold and Eccleshare, Dan Kilpatrick is one of the most well-known Spurs correspondents with a significant following on the likes of X.

Kilpatrick covers the north London side for the Evening Standard and also writes a variety of articles which span from the latest information coming out of the Premier League club to how Postecoglou has transformed the side he inherited – for example.

As is the case with most of the well-respected journalists, Kilpatrick can also be found speaking all things Tottenham on The Tottenham Way podcast.

Michael Bridge from Sky Sports

Self professed Tottenham fan, Michael Bridge is often seen hitting the screens on Sky Sports News where he is frequently providing his insight into the latest rumblings around N17.

As well as providing the latest news coming out of Spurs, Bridge is no stranger to providing his personal opinion on what is happening around the club.

As well as featuring on the UK’s biggest sports broadcast, Bridge can also be found on X and often featuring on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel.

Social Media

The Spurs Web Twitter

Football news is a constant cycle and keeping on top of the latest breaking news can prove to be a daunting task – especially in the transfer window.

However, X’s biggest unofficial Tottenham news account remains The Spurs Web who provide a range of posts to accommodate for every Spurs fan’s needs.

The account aggregates news from a huge variety of news outlets from across the globe as well as providing fans with topical discussions and even throwback clips to remind fans of some of the club’s best moments.

Even the likes of former Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen are known to like the occasional post from this account.

The Spurs Express Twitter

Similarly to The Spurs Web, The Spurs Express account aims to provide their followers with the latest news surrounding the club from across the world.

Across the international break, the account looked to offer fans an insight into how some of their players were performing for their respective countries with a statistical breakdown of some of their performances.

There is very rarely a quiet day when it comes to Tottenham Hotspur and following accounts such as this feels like a necessity for any Spurs fan.

Lilywhite Rose Twitter

There are a number of big Tottenham news accounts out there who offer a similar service, however, Lilywhite Rose does provide fans with something completely different.

It can be easy to get caught up in the big signings clubs make in the transfer window, but it is important to consider the next big talents coming through the club’s ranks.

The likes of Harry Kane have emerged through Tottenham’s youth system and the Lilywhite Rose account on X aims to keep on top of the latest news coming out of the club’s academy.

Ran by BBC contributor John Wenham, the account provides a keen insight into the latest news to emerge from the youth levels, youth players away from the club on loan and even offering debate on matters concerning Postecoglou’s first team.

Chris Cowlin Youtube & Twitter

Potentially best known for his content produced during the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chris Cowling is a match-going fan who provides a range of content from that very perspective.

On top of providing videos from the stands, Cowlin also provides a variety of Spurs-related content on his YouTube channel and relays the latest news and quotes involving the club on his X account.

A Spurs content creator who covers just about all bases.

Matt Hayes Youtube & Twitter

If the likes of Charlie Eccleshare’s work does it for you, then dropping Matt Hayes a follow will likely cure your fix for detailed analytical pieces concerning the Lilywhites.

Indeed, this Spurs fan often takes a deeper look into topical discussions surrounding the north London club to provide fans with a more in-depth understanding of the club they love.

As well as sparking debate on X, Hayes is also a frequent panelist on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel.

Ricky Sacks Twitter

Host of the Last Word on Spurs, Ricky Sacks is a regular face on Sky Sports when it comes to providing the voice of the fans on all matters Tottenham.

The podcast host can be found on X where he shares links to the latest shows coming to the LWOS channel as they host some familiar names to discuss the latest happenings in north London.

While United's manager has used his selection headaches as an excuse for failure, the Merseysiders brushed aside their injuries to win another trophy

Liverpool's Carabao Cup win over Chelsea was a tale of both senior leadership and youthful exuberance. One defining image was the sight of Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk lifting the trophy together. Klopp shook the club up and rebuilt it in his image while Van Dijk's defensive steel completed their transformation, delivering the latest in a long line of trophies with a towering header deep in extra-time.

The other takeaway was Liverpool's long cast of academy graduates, all born in 2003 or after, streaming off the bench and being utterly unawed by the occasion. As Gary Neville put it so succinctly: "Klopp's kids against the billion pound bottle jobs." Liverpool resembled the walking wounded last week, losing Diogo Jota, Cutis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah in the days before the final, in addition to the already-missing Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker.

And their injury crisis was aggravated during the game as Ryan Gravenberch, Andrew Robertson and Alexis Mac Allister were all forced off. But far from being knocked down by the absence of their best players, Liverpool rose to the occasion. "Liverpool have been absolutely sensational," Neville added. "Those young players have been incredible. Klopp must be so proud."

What a contrast to Neville's own club Manchester United, who had fallen apart against Fulham a day earlier after losing two players to injury. Erik ten Hag pointed to the key absences of Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund as he sought to explain their latest dire home display this season, but he is beginning to sound like a broken record.

After all, Liverpool have demonstrated that injuries do not matter if you have a clear playing identity and rally behind your coach.

GettySenior players not helping out

Ten Hag had taken a chance on youth the day before by handing 19-year-old Omari Forson his full debut against Fulham to cover the absence of Hojlund. It meant there were four academy graduates in the line-up (including three from the 2022 FA Youth Cup winning side) and four more on the bench.

No one could accuse the Dutchman, whose young Ajax team took the Champions League by storm, of not believing in young players. The difference was that while the likes of Van Dijk, Wataru Endo and Luis Diaz led the way for Liverpool, United's senior players shrunk.

Marcus Rashford was anonymous at centre-forward and Bruno Fernandes was incapable of sparking any danger, save for long-range shots. Casemiro and Harry Maguire were clumsy in the tackle and Victor Lindelof again looked lost trying to deputise for Shaw, whose absence for several months has left United with no natural left backs.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesYou win nothing with (just) kids

After the Carabao Cup triumph, Klopp said: "I got told outside you don't win trophies with kids. Write it new." The German was referring to former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen's infamous declaration on in August 1995 after watching United sink to a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on the opening day of the season.

Those words came back to haunt Hansen at the end of that season when a United team containing David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt went on to win the Premier League title and FA Cup.

But Hansen's words have been taken out of context. He meant you can't win anything with kids. The catalyst of that great double winning side, after all, was Eric Cantona, who was still suspended at the time for kicking a fan but who galvanised the team when he returned in October.

United have a lot of exciting young players such as Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Hojlund, but they badly lack a talismanic figure like Cantona. Current captain Fernandes has not scored a league goal since November, while Rashford is a shadow of the brilliant player who scored 30 times in all competitions last season.

Getty ImagesPressing problems

Another huge difference between United and Liverpool could be seen in the way the two teams are set up and work as a unit. Reds youngsters are educated in the art of 'Gegenpressing' from an early age, allowing the likes of Bradley and Bobby Clark to fit so seamlessly into Klopp's team. But United's senior players seem incapable of pressing together, allowing Fulham to repeatedly play their way through them at Old Trafford.

Fernandes is a big part of the problem as he is a free spirit, often blindly chasing down opponents and ruining United's shape. Jamie Carragher said recently: "He's emotional. He runs 30 yards to close the goalkeeper down. People sometimes get kidded by it and say, 'look at him working hard'. No, he's killing the team."

Neville has also criticised Fernandes' free role. "He must be told to go and do what you want. Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to go there, there, there. And that means you can never have a combination or a pattern because you've got your main midfield player everywhere on the pitch."

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(C)Getty ImagesLost without Martinez

Ten Hag has acknowledged that not all of his squad fully get his methods or understand what he wants them to do, which becomes a huge problem when just a few key players like Shaw, Hojlund or Lisandro Martinez are unavailable.

"They know what the routines are but definitely things are changed [with injuries]," he said after losing to Fulham. "Not everyone [gets the ideas], other players coming in, different identities, different skills, that is what we have to adapt as a team."

But the fact that a number of players are unable to implement his style and demonstrate the 'automatisms' he talks about ultimately falls on him. More than 18 months into the job, it is still unclear what Ten Hag's playing philosophy is. It seems that with a full squad available, he wants his team to play on the front foot, with Martinez and Andre Onana starting moves from their own area.

But when the Argentine is absent, as has been the case for most of the season, United seem only capable of playing on the counter, leaving Onana with little option but to launch the ball forward with long punts.

And without Hojlund, they have no one capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, leading to the hurried attacks they fashioned in the closing stages of each half against Fulham.

Leeds United have been handed a boost after learning that one of their players could feature for his country tonight despite an injury scare, according to a reliable journalist.

Leeds injury news

The Whites currently have Stuart Dallas on the sidelines with a longer-term injury as it stands, whereas Sam Byram who, despite being out with a hamstring problem, is expected to return to domestic action early next month so it won't be too long before he's back in contention.

On a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur, Djed Spence is another who has recently been in the treatment room and he remains a doubt ahead of Friday evening’s game vs Rotherham United in the Championship, but there has been some more positive news regarding another senior squad member.

During last Thursday’s 7-0 victory over San Marino, Wilfried Gnonto was forced off the pitch for Italy’s U21s whilst holding his thigh which will have caused initial concern among supporters because it looked like he had sustained a problem.

Daniel Farke’s left-winger first put pen to paper last summer from FC Zurich and he’s since gone on to make a total of 39 senior appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Gnonto stats), and if the following update is to be believed, the 20-year-old luckily shouldn't have to wait long to make his 40th outing despite his scare.

Wilfried Gnonto available for Italy

Taking to X on Monday, Leeds reporter for The Yorkshire Evening Post, Joe Donnohue, stated that Gnonto has seemingly avoided a serious injury and could feature for Italy’s U21s vs Ireland this evening.

He wrote: “Understand Gnonto has remained with the Italy squad and could feature tomorrow night. Appears the 20 y/o has escaped any sort of significant damage and should be available for #LUFC this weekend, all being well.”

Leeds handed huge boost over Gnonto

Whilst Gnonto has only started six games this season in the Championship (WhoScored – Gnonto stats), Leeds will know that he’s still capable of performing at a high standard, therefore, it will come as a massive boost for Farke to know that he hasn't suffered a serious injury.

The Verbania native has posted 10 goal contributions (five goals and the same number of assists) in 39 first-team appearances following his arrival, posing a threat to the opposition’s defence regardless of whether the end product isn’t always there.

The Elland Road outfit’s £20k-per-week earner (Leeds salaries), currently ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive carries (FBRef – Gnonto stats), highlighting his desire to push his team as high up the pitch as possible by using his pace to dribble past his marker.

Gnonto’s versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline and also in three roles in the midfield is another attribute that makes him a “nightmare” for defenders to deal with, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so the fact that he isn’t set for a spell on the sidelines is a big plus for the club in West Yorkshire.

With Leeds United seeking to secure a swift return back to the top-flight, it has not quite been the start to the new Championship season that Daniel Farke would have been hoping for, with the Whites picking up just two wins from their opening six league games.

That being said, however, the Yorkshire giants did have to endure a turbulent summer which saw 15 players depart and nine new faces arrive at Elland Road, with the squad having been overhauled following last season's dismal relegation.

With the transfer window now at a close, the hope will be that Farke can begin to truly get to work with the aim of his steering his side toward the top end of the table, with the most recent 3-0 victory away to Millwall having illustrated the exciting potential that the German has at his disposal.

That classy away performance also proved another fine day for the club's record signing, Georginio Rutter, with the promising striker seemingly shaking of last season's woes after having made his mark at The Den in style.

With two goals from just five league appearances so far this term the young Frenchman is beginning to truly showcase his quality, although he will have to go someway if he is to reach the heights of the club's stellar centre-forwards of years gone by…

How good is Georginio Rutter?

Brought in for an eye-watering sum of £35.5m in January, the former Hoffenheim man initially looked like being a colossal waste of money for those at Elland Road, having failed to score in what was a deeply disappointing end to last season.

The 6 foot forward was described by Leeds Live's Beren Cross as being basically "a non-entity" during the defeat to Chelsea back in March, with Rutter unable to prove the difference-maker that was needed in the club's battle for survival.

Fast forward just a few months, however, and there are signs of life in the 21-year-old's Leeds career as his three goal contributions this term indicate, with the £70k-per-week hotshot having already struck up a promising partnership with summer signing Joel Piroe.

Quite whether the one-time Rennes man can maintain this impressive early season form remains to be seen, however, with Farke potentially wishing he had a more guaranteed supply of goals to lead the line this term.

Looking back into the past, Leeds have been blessed with some top-drawer strikers who certainly knew where the goal was, with now-retired ace, Mark Viduka seemingly one such talent who would have been ideal in the present day.

How much did Leeds pay for Mark Viduka?

The 6 foot 2 marksman had begun his career in his native Australia and in Croatia prior to joining Scottish giants Celtic in 1998, going on to score 28 goals in just 34 games across all fronts for the Old Firm outfit, after overcoming initial stress-related struggles at Parkhead.

That prolific introduction to life in Britain saw the Melbourne-born goal machine catch the eye of Leeds and then-boss David O'Leary in the summer of 2000, with the Whites preparing for a crack at the Champions League for the forthcoming campaign.

Having been impressed by the striker's displays north of the border, O'Leary and co opted to fork out a sizeable sum of around £7m in order to bring Viduka to England, with that ultimately proving money well spent as he quickly made his mark in his new surroundings.

How many goals did Mark Viduka score for Leeds?

It didn't exactly take long for Viduka to endear himself to the Leeds faithful as he hit 17 league goals during a stunning debut campaign, having also scored four times and contributed four assists as part of the club's surge to the Champions League semi-final.

That latter tally included a goal and an assist against La Liga giants Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, although that season is best remembered for the Aussie's four-goal haul against Liverpool in the 4-3 thriller in November 2000.

Such a complete performance showcased the full array of the striker's clinical and devastating talents, as he ultimately ended that 2000/01 season with 22 goals in 53 games in all competitions under O'Leary's watch.

Those heroics continued over the next few years as the imposing hitman ultimately scored 71 goals in only 165 games in all competitions prior to his departure for Middlesbrough in 2004, having hit double figures for league goals in each of his four seasons with the Whites – including a stellar haul of 20 top-flight goals in 2002/03 to help steer his side to safety.

Leeds United

165

71

Middlesbrough

101

42

Newcastle United

40

7

Celtic

34

28

Dinamo Zagreb

14

2

Stats via Transfermarkt

Unlike the aforementioned Rutter, the 39-cap international proved himself as a truly reliable goalscoring presence in England's top-flight, with such a dependable talent seemingly worth his wait in gold, both then and now.

How good was Mark Viduka?

As a figure who courted attention from the likes of AC Milan and Manchester United when in his pomp in Yorkshire, it is fair to say that Viduka was the type of striker that seemingly any side in Europe would wish to have their hands on.

That was the verdict of Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, at least, with the ex-Red Devils skipper having said of his former rival's quality back in 2020: "My view on Viduka is that he could have played for any team in Europe at that time. I think he was one of the best forwards in Europe. He was capable of playing in a technical team, he could have played in a long ball team, he was capable of playing in any type of team."

Viduka's suitability to the modern era – as the hypothetical figurehead in Farke's side – was also noted by Neville, with the former England international going on to add: "I think [Viduka] would grace the Premier League today if he was playing, he was such a great player. Technically, he was brilliant. I always thought he was ahead of his time in terms of the way he played the game, he would have enjoyed it a lot more today than he would have done back then.”

With both the ability to find the back of the net and effectively hold the ball up to bring others into play, the 47-year-old was at times someone who you simply "couldn't stop" – as per pundit Jamie Carragher.

As such, for all the exciting promise that Rutter is beginning to demonstrate, Leeds are still arguably crying out for an 'unstoppable' striker of Viduka's ilk.

Manchester City starlet Oscar Bobb has signed a new contract with the club, keeping him at the Etihad until 2029.

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Bobb has impressed at CitySigns new contract until 2029Reveals what it's like to play under GuardiolaWHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old Norwegian forward came through Manchester City's academy and has enjoyed a breakout season under Pep Guardiola this term. Bobb's two goals and two assists in 16 appearances across all competitions have been rewarded with a new five-year contract, City have confirmed, keeping him at the club until 2029.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT BOBB SAID

On extending his stay at the Etihad, the young forward said: "It’s an amazing moment and to know that I get the chance for at least a few years now to hopefully be a part of this club’s first team. It’s an honour. It’s something I really wanted when the opportunity came – it was the only thing I wanted to do. Being part of it for the last couple of months, I feel like I’ve developed more than ever – it was an easy choice.

“Playing with some of my idols growing up, it’s a dream come true. It’s strange talking to my friends at home who always ask, ‘how is it?’ and in a way it is crazy, but you do get used to it and you start seeing them as people. It’s nice.”

Bobb added on what it's like to play under Guardiola: "I grew up watching not only his early City teams but from his Barcelona and Bayern Munich days. The type of football he plays is amazing and how he improves players is a big factor for why everybody wants to play under him. He’s proven time and time again that he improves players – so intense, so hard working and a nice guy.”

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Bobb has already made several vital contributions to City in his breakout season. He scored his first senior goal for the club in a Champions League clash against Red Star Belgrade in December before netting the last-minute winner in the league against Newcastle in January, which was awarded the Premier League Goal of the Month. Bobb joins the likes of fellow academy stars Phil Foden and Rico Lewis in signing new deals as City look to cement their position at the top of European football for many years to come.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CITY?

Guardiola's side come up against Luton in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday, where the Catalan coach will be able to count on Jack Grealish again after he passed a late fitness test. Bobb will be hoping to feature at some capacity in that fixture as Guardiola looks to rotate his side amid a busy schedule.

Burnley and manager Vincent Kompany are reportedly looking to sign an in-demand free agent.

Who did Burnley sign this summer?

The Clarets once again had an extremely productive transfer window ahead of their Premier League return, bringing in a whopping 15 players. However, the club have struggled to make an immediate impact back in the top flight, losing all three of their fixtures to date.

All of Burnley’s Premier League encounters have been played at Turf Moor, with Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham all scoring three or more goals and taking home the points.

As a result, the Clarets sit bottom of the league, with fellow newly promoted side Luton Town also failing to pick up a point in any of their first three games.

Player

Former club

Fee

Zeki Amdouni

FC Basel

€18.6m

James Trafford

Manchester City

€17.3m

Aaron Ramsey

Aston Villa

€16.45m

Jordan Bayer

Borussia Monchengladbach

€15m

Sander Berge

Sheffield United

€13.9m

Wilson Odobert

Troyes

€12m

Dara O'Shea

West Brom

€7.8m

Michael Obafemi

Swansea City

€4m

Hannes Delcroix

RSC Anderlecht

€3m

Luca Koleosho

Espanyol

€3m

Nathan Redmond

Besiktas

Free transfer

Han-Noah Massengo

Bristol City

Free transfer

Lawrence Vigouroux

Leyton Orient

Free transfer

Mike Tresor

Genk

Loan transfer

Jacob Bruun Larsen

Hoffenheim

Loan transfer

With plenty of new players, time may well be required for Kompany to get the best out of his side, however, it looks as if those high up at Turf Moor are still looking at potential additions in the free-agent market.

Who wants to sign Jesse Lingard?

According to 90min, Jesse Lingard is a player who is in demand and has received offers from clubs in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States of America.

He is currently training with West Ham, who are considering offering a short-term contract, although Burnley and Everton are also thought to be interested in the attacking midfielder. However, the report states that if Lingard is to stay in England, it would be with the Hammers.

Lingard, who has scored two goals against Burnley in the past, would offer plenty of Premier League experience at Turf Moor, making 182 appearances in the competition for the likes of Manchester United, West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

Capable of playing in a range of attacking positions, the Englishman was hailed as "top-class" by former Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is 30 years of age, so you'd expect the player could have a number of years left at the top level.

It does look as if a move to West Ham could be on the cards, though, with David Moyes recently saying:

"He’s in really good condition – much better condition than he was when he first came in. I have to say, when Jesse joined us two years ago I think he scored nine goals in 15 games and was probably the difference between us getting into Europe for the first time. I want to give him every opportunity to get himself back in condition and see how he does."

However, should a move to the London Stadium fall through, Burnley could be in a position to make an offer, so his future could be one to keep an eye on.

Jose Mourinho blamed his grey hairs on a former Chelsea and Real Madrid star who went on to play for a club which no longer exists.

During the special one’s first spell at Stamford Bridge, during which he won the Premier League twice, Mourinho signed a young nimble midfielder from French club Le Havre, who have produced talents such as Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet down the years.

That man was Lassana Diarra, who would later go on to play for the likes of Arsenal, Real Madrid and PSG, also earning 34 caps for the Franch national team.

Diarra’s list of admirers includes Mourinho, who called him “amazing” during their time at Chelsea, and France manager Didier Deschamps, who brought him back into the national team set-up in 2015.

“He has intelligence, he has everything and in such an important strategical position,” Deschamps told TF1.

“It’s so good to have the choices I have. Lass is a top player, a top-class performer who has experience.”

Despite his talent, Diarra only made 13 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, many of which were out of position at right-back, before he was sold to Arsenal as he sought more playing time.

And Mourinho has since revealed in a chat on John Obi Mikel’s podcast that both Diarra and his agent were a nightmare to deal with.

And leave he did, with one year left on his contract, Diarra left for Arsenal, where again he would make just seven top flight appearances before swapping North London for Portsmouth.

After a successful 12 months at Portsmouth, the midfielder earned his big money move – €20 million – to Real Madrid, where he would win La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup between 2009 and 2012.

Le Havre

2004-05

Chelsea

2005-07

Arsenal

2007-08

Portsmouth

2008-09

Real Madrid

2009-12

Anzhi Makhachkala

2012-13

Lokomotiv Moscow

2013-14

Marseille

2015-17

Al Jazira

2017

PSG

2018-19

He later joined a string of high profile players, including the likes of Samuel Eto’o and Roberto Carlos, in signing for Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. Their quest to dominate Russian football was short-lived however, as the club struggled to maintain the high wages on offer and sold the likes of Diarra shortly after, eventually losing their license to operate as a professional club in Russia in 2022.

Manchester City are considering a move to sign a new central talisman who has been made a top target by Pep Guardiola ahead of January, according to a fresh report.

Kalvin Phillips set to leave Man City

In the Premier League this season, Kalvin Phillips has made zero starts and just four substitute appearances (WhoScored – Phillips statistics), and as a result of being so far low down in the pecking order, there’s an expectation that he will be heading for the exit.

During his goal celebration in the Champions League 3-2 victory over Red Star Belgrade in midweek, Guardiola’s out of favour star looked very much like he was waving goodbye to supporters, and should he indeed leave in the coming weeks either on loan or permanently, the manager will have to enter the market to find a suitable replacement.

Bayern Munich’s defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich has emerged as Thomas Tuchel’s second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Bayern Munich statistics), and his impressive performances appear to have brought him onto the radar of the hierarchy at the Etihad Stadium.

Back in October, TEAMtalk reported that the Sky Blues would be interested in a deal for the Germany international should he decide that he ever wants to leave the Allianz Arena, and if the following update is to be believed, they may have been given the perfect opportunity to land him.

Man City keen on Kimmich

According to Football Transfers, Man City are interested in Kimmich and have even made him their number one target to sign in January.

“Manchester City are looking to bring in Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich as Pep Guardiola has put the German international at the top of his list of targets, FootballTransfers sources reveal.

"We are told that the 28-year-old has fallen out with head coach Thomas Tuchel and his future at the Allianz Arena looks more uncertain – with the Citizens extremely hopeful of securing his services.”

Guardiola could land "passing master" in Kimmich

In the Bundesliga this season, Kimmich has won 16 out of his 22 tackles, which is the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, highlighting that he loves to get stuck into challenges to try and win back possession for his team (FBRef – Bayern Munich statistics).

The Rottweil native is also extremely calm and composed when he does have the ball at his feet, where he’s currently recording a 90.4% pass success rate in the league as it stands, and his ability to dictate the game from in front of the backline has previously seen him receive praise (WhoScored – Kimmich statistics).

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kimmich is a “passing master”, and having even scored once against Man City when having faced them in the past (Transfermarkt – Kimmich statistics), it comes as no surprise that Guardiola views him so highly and now wants him to become a member of the home side in the top-flight.