Former legspinner takes over from Rod Marsh, who is standing down after six years in the role

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-20182:03

What’s it like to face an over from Shane Warne?

Shane Warne has been appointed to the MCC World Cricket committee.Warne, who claimed 708 Test wickets to cement his status as one of the game’s all-time greats, will take over from his fellow Australian, the former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who is standing down after six years in the role.”It is an honour to have been asked to be a member of the MCC World Cricket committee,” said Warne. “It is an extremely exciting time for cricket and I hope that I will have plenty to offer in discussion and debate. I look forward to contributing to the work of the committee.”The committee, which meets twice a year to discuss the important issues in the game, has forged a reputation as an independent voice in world cricket, and has tabled a number of recommendations that have gone on to be implemented by the ICC, including the development of pink balls for floodlit cricket, the mandatory use of DRS in international cricket, and a limit on bat sizes to improve the balance between bat and ball.One of the key outcomes of the committee’s last meeting, which was held at Lord’s in August, was the proposal that a “shot clock” should be introduced to help speed up play.Mike Gatting, Chairman of the MCC World Cricket committee, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Shane on to the committee. Obviously his profile in the world game is as big as they come and with his extensive experience, I am sure he will offer great insights into many different facets of the game.”I’d also like to pay tribute to Rod Marsh, who leaves the committee after six years. He has provided valuable contributions across a variety of areas and we thank him for his efforts.”Warne made his debut against India at Sydney in 1992 and bowed out 15 years later at the same venue, with a 5-0 Ashes series win in 2006-07. He also took 293 wickets in 194 ODIS, making him one of only two bowlers, alongside Muttiah Muralitharan, to have taken over 1,000 international wickets across all formats of the game.Warne spent five seasons in English county cricket with Hampshire, and captained the side between 2004 and 2007. He officially retired from all formats of the game in 2013 following stints in Australia’s Big Bash and the Indian Premier League, but returned to captain the Rest of the World XI against MCC at Lord’s to celebrate the Bicententary of the ground in 2014. He was made an Honorary Life Member of MCC in 2009.

Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after three years at the top table of English football.

The Whites were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and stayed up under the Argentine boss and then Jesse Marsch. However, a combination of Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce failed to keep them up last term.

An instant return to the top-flight is now on the agenda for the Yorkshire-based outfit and German boss Daniel Farke has been brought in to secure it.

The impressive tactician won two Championship titles during his time with Norwich City earlier in his career and is now looking for a third promotion to the Premier League.

Points

94

97

Goals for

93

75

Goals against

57

36

Games won

27

29

Farke's Championship title-winning seasons with Norwich (via Sky Sports):

However, his squad was dealt a number of blows as the likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Max Wober, Robin Koch, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra, and Marc Roca moved on either permanently or out on loan.

One decision that the German head coach made that may come back to haunt him, though, is the one to loan out talented young midfielder Sam Greenwood, who has outscored Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James, and Jaidon Anthony this season.

Why Leeds could lose Greenwood permanently

The Whites could lose the ex-Arsenal prospect on a permanent deal at the end of the 2023/24 campaign as they included a purchase option within his loan deal with Middlesbrough.

It was recently reported by The Athletic that Boro negotiated an option to sign Greenwood for £1.5m during next summer's transfer window if they decide the fit is right by that point.

This means that, essentially, Farke and Leeds have little say in what happens with the midfield technician next year as his current club have the chance to snap him up permanently if they want to.

If Middlesbrough do decide that they want to activate that £1.5m buyout clause and the Whites do not want to lose him then they would need to convince the player to turn down the opportunity to return to Teesside.

This could be a difficult task when you consider that Leeds were willing to sanction a possible permanent exit for him last summer and decided that he was not ready for their first-team.

Greenwood has been shown faith by Boro and may, therefore, prefer a switch to Michael Carrick's side over coming back to Elland Road if it comes down to it next summer.

Sam Greenwood's statistics this season

The 21-year-old whiz, who former Leeds ace Noel Whelan hailed for his "immense" ability, endured a slow start to life at Middlesbrough as his first four appearances for the club came as a substitute in the Championship.

However, he has since broken into the starting XI and has started each of their last four league matches, which has allowed him to showcase his quality out wide.

Greenwood has been deployed on the left of an attacking midfield trio behind the main centre-forward and has caught the eye with his recent attacking contributions.

The right-footed wizard has scored two goals in four starts, both of which came within the last three games, and the latest of those came in their 2-1 win over Norwich City on Tuesday night.

He produced a fantastic display against the Canaries earlier this week with a Sofascore rating of 7.7, which was the highest score of any player for either side.

The English dynamo scored the opening goal for Boro as he arrived in the right place at the right time to finish from close range after Norwich gave possession away on the opposite side of the pitch.

Greenwood also won seven of his 12 duels and completed all three of his attempted dribbles. These statistics show that the talented gem offered strength out of possession and helped to carry his team up the pitch with his dribbling quality.

To the latter point, the former Sunderland academy ace has completed 15 progressive carries in his last four matches for Boro and this shows that, alongside a goal threat, the Leeds loanee can provide value in transition.

Farke may now be looking at the gem's recent performances and wondering whether or not it was a mistake to part ways with the 21-year-old ace, particularly when he looks at how his current wing options have performed in front of goal.

Wilfried Gnonto's statistics this season

Gnonto has scored one goal in six Championship starts, with one further appearance off the bench, throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far.

The Italy international was brought back into the starting XI against Stoke on Wednesday night and failed to make the most of his opportunity to shine. He failed to provide a single shot on target, completed dribble, or chance created for his teammates in 70 minutes on the pitch.

Chances have not been particularly hard to come by for the 19-year-old whiz as he has already missed two 'big chances' and taken 1.6 shots per game, which suggests that his current return of one goal has been an underperformance.

Whereas, Greenwood has taken 1.3 shots per match and has not missed a single 'big chance' in front of goal to go along with his two league strikes.

Gnonto is not the only Leeds forward who has been outperformed in front of goal by the Boro star, though, as Anthony and James have also only scored one goal each in the league so far this season. The latter has, at least, provided four assists but the Bournemouth loanee is yet to register a single assist.

Meanwhile, Ian Poveda, Patrick Bamford, and Joe Gelhardt were all kept around to be part of the squad and have combined for zero goals and zero assists in 15 league appearances between them.

These statistics suggest that Leeds could have benefitted from keeping the 5 foot 11 dynamo as part of their squad to bolster their attacking options out wide.

The Whites have not had a steady stream of goals from those positions, outside of Crysencio Summerville's four strikes, and this was illustrated on Wednesday as Anthony and Gnonto started out wide and failed to make an impact in the final third as Farke's men lost 1-0 to Leeds.

Everton secured a solid point against Brighton & Hove Albion at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon

The Toffees took a surprise early lead through Vitaliy Mykolenko and just as it looked like the hosts had held on for an invaluable three points, an Ashley Young own goal saved the Seagulls blushes six minutes from time.

That equaliser rewarded their dominance throughout the contest having recorded a whopping 80% possession and 866 passes to Everton's 208, although Sean Dyche's side did restrict them to only seven shots on goal, providing evidence of the strong defence formed under his stewardship.

James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite were at the heart of their defensive solidity, winning a combined six aerials, successfully completing seven long balls and making three tackles, as per Sofascore.

Vitaliy Mykolenko

7.5

James Tarkowski

7.3

Jordan Pickford

7.2

James Garner

7.0

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

6.8

Not every player covered themselves in glory against Brighton, however, with Jack Harrison registering fewer touches than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and unfortunately, let the contest pass him by.

The on-loan Leeds United winger must therefore be dropped ahead of Everton's trip to Crystal Palace next Saturday.

Harrison's performance vs Brighton

Harrison endured his most difficult afternoon at Goodison Park since arriving from Leeds in the summer.

Whilst he was left embarrassed having made fewer touches than Pickford (28 / 43), he was wasteful on the rare occasions he touched the ball, especially in the creative department, registering a simply dreadful pass completion rate of 21%.

The 26-year-old failed to record a single effort on goal but perhaps more alarmingly, the fleet-footed winger completed zero dribbles and offered his team very little on the counter-attack, as Everton were forced into soaking up pressure.

Touches

28

Pass Accuracy

3/14 (21%)

Key Passes

0

Cross Accuracy

0/1

Shots

0

Dribble Success

0/1

Duels Won

50%

Possession Lost

17x

Stats via Sofascore.

Harrison's inaccuracies in possession were also exemplified by his horrible end product in the final third, skewing all three of his attempted long balls and providing Dominic Calvert-Lewin with no ammunition into the box as he failed to plant a single cross into the corridor of uncertainty.

The £90k per-week wide man, who lost possession a whopping 17 times, somehow managed to last the full ninety minutes on the pitch, perhaps emphasising the need for Dyche to strengthen in January.

Unfortunately for Harrison, this isn't the only occasion that he's failed to provide a spark down the flank this term.

Harrison's numbers this season

In five Premier League appearances for Everton, Harrison has scored once and supplied two assists.

Whilst those are decent statistics on paper, two of those three contributions did come in a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth, who are struggling at the bottom of the table.

During his time at Leeds in the top flight, he was described by left-back Junior Firpo as "one of the best wingers" as he used to strike fear into defenders with his searing pace and quick changes of direction.

With Harrison perhaps being held by the shackles of Dyche's system, he's been unable to emulate a similar threat at Goodison Park, recording just 0.6 dribbles per game, 0.8 key passes and a 68% pass completion.

The 5 foot 9 ace has also seen his attacking metrics drop significantly in the past year, ranking in the bottom 38% against his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes, bottom 33% for successful take-ons and bottom 32% for non-penalty xG, as per FBref.

That said, the Englishman must start to see an improvement in those metrics, in particular, if he is to avoid being dropped by Dyche in the future.

Liverpool could be on the prowl for additional reinforcements in their attack, with a host of talent linked with a move to Anfield ahead of the January transfer window.

The Reds have made a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign, however, with plenty of games left to play and further challenges ahead, Jurgen Klopp may look towards the market to bolster his side.

In the summer, the German welcomed four new faces to Merseyside, all taking up a similar position in the engine room, with Dominik Szobszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch arriving as part of a rebuild.

A midfield set of options that consisted of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner became a thing of the past at the end of last term, with changes left for Klopp to make as a new era began.

Players come and go in football, with innovation paving the way for continual progression within squads, as new targets to add to the front line emerge as potential arrivals at Liverpool in January.

Liverpool transfer targets

With pioneer forwards Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino now far from Merseyside, only Mohamed Salah remains from the trio that led Liverpool to the highs of the Champions League trophy and the Premier League title.

At the age of 31, the Egyptian isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, however, with lucrative links to Saudi Arabia emerging in the summer, the Reds could look towards finding an eventual heir to their star man.

One name that has been rumoured to be on Klopp’s wishlist is Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, who 90min claim is a player admired by four clubs in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old has a release clause of €50m (£44m) in place at his boyhood club, a figure that is affordable for Aston Villa, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool as the sides interested in his services.

A player more known to the Premier League is also rumoured to be of interest to the Reds, in what could mark a phenomenal return to the English top-flight for Leroy Sane.

As told by BILD journalist Christian Falk via CaughtOffside, Klopp’s side are 'interested' in the Germany international as a potential replacement for Salah, and as a backup option to their primary target, Jamal Musiala.

The former Manchester City whiz is said to be valued by Bayern in the region of €100m (£87m), a price worth paying for a player that has shown searing form of late.

The stats that show Leroy Sane would be a good signing for Liverpool

The two-time Premier League winner has already contributed to 10 goals in the Bundesliga this season, scoring eight and assisting two in only nine appearances for Bayern.

The 27-year-old ace has equalled his scoring tally from his 32 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, highlighting how his performances have improved under the guidance of Thomas Tuchel.

As well as being a certified performer within the German top tier, the Essen-born gem is traceable as being one of the best-performing wingers in Europe’s top five leagues and European competitions over the past year, as per FBref.

With his stellar average of 3.76 successful take-ons per 90, Sane places in the top 2% of wingers in this decimal, reinforcing how much of a threat he can be when in possession on the flanks.

For Liverpool, the £334k-per-week star epitomises what Klopp demands from his wingers, to be tirelessly direct and source attacking sequences with width.

Lauded as “dangerous” by teammate Thomas Muller for his form so far this term, the German offers a host of attributes that could be fundamental to Liverpool’s progression, with the added bonus of being proven in the Premier League.

During his three-year stay with City, the 27-year-old contributed to 57 league goals in 90 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, scoring 25 and assisting 32 in the top-flight as a reliable source of threat.

At the Etihad, Sane was deployed on the left flank, telling of his versatility and how good of a match he could be for Liverpool, who could not only sign the Bundesliga wing as competition for Salah, but as a first-choice option on the opposite side.

German journalist Christian Falk even likened the former City ace to Salah, claiming him to be “quick like Salah and just as flexible on offence”, which could pose an interesting perspective for the Reds.

How Leroy Sane compares to Mohamed Salah

Prior to his move to Manchester City, talent scout Jacek Kulig described the talents of Sane as an 18-year-old as being a ‘flamboyant’ wide player with ‘explosive speed’, attributes desired in a traditional winger.

Sane is similar to Salah for his silky movements in the box, with his ability in driving the ball forward paired with an innate skill in finishing and deceiving defenders at high speed.

Per 90 Statistic

Leroy Sane

Mohamed Salah

Non-penalty goals

0.93

0.52

Progressive carries

5.34

3.55

Successful take-ons

4.52

0.83

Successful take-on %

54.9%

25.8%

Key passes

2.90

2.29

Shot creating actions

7.07

4.38

Per 90 figures via FBref

As highlighted in the table above, the German has been a better performer than the Egyptian in most areas relatable to the typical game play of a wide player this term, portraying the skill set he could equip Klopp with.

While Salah looks set to stay at Liverpool after signing a renewed contract last summer, the rumours remain of the 31-year-old’s admiration from Saudi Arabia, with a magnitude of money on the table for the Reds should they ever opt to offload their star.

Speculation of a bid worth an eye-watering £200m in the summer presented an interesting scope for Liverpool, however, their goal was to always keep the forward with them for the campaign ahead.

In signing Sane, the Premier League outfit could both add to their options in the final third, and summon a potential heir to Salah, who at 31 years old, could one day in the near future see his career playing out elsewhere.

There is no denying the quality of the Germany international, as well as his ability to mimic Liverpool’s hero with his talent and playing style on the wing, however, only time will tell just how far the lengths are that Klopp is willing to go to sign his countryman.

Manchester United will be thankful for the opportunity to play in a different competition than the Premier League, a competition that saw the Red Devils pick up their biggest win of the season last time out – overcoming Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace 3-0 in the Carabao Cup at the end of September, fringe players such as Facundo Pellistri and Hannibal Mejbri starting and performing well against the Eagles.

Erik ten Hag could give even more faces on the periphery at Man United a starting spot versus Newcastle United this mid-week, especially after the first-teamers fell to a crushing 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last time out in top-flight action.

One player Ten Hag could give rare first-team minutes to against Newcastle is youngster Kobbie Mainoo, the midfielder born and raised in nearby Stockport is held in high regard at the Theatre of Dreams with his set of skills drawing comparisons to Paul Pogba.

Man United's manager will surely tinker with the set-up for the game against the Magpies, in order to give his side the best possible chance to advance further in the Cup and maybe even lift silverware at the end of it all.

Man Utd team news vs Newcastle

The Red Devils are still contending with various injury issues in their squad, with Casemiro, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw all absent from the Manchester Derby at the weekend.

Players such as Sofyan Amrabat could be sacrificed for fresh blood against Newcastle also, more so through a drop off in form from the Fiorentina loanee than a need for freshness – the Moroccan midfielder hauled off at half-time versus Man City, not the first time Ten Hag has taken off his number four abruptly.

Mainoo could benefit directly from Amrabat being potentially excluded, the 18-year-old eager to break into the first team at Old Trafford.

Mainoo's numbers for Man United

Hailed as "unreal" and "similar" to former United academy prospect turned star Pogba by ex-teammate Anthony Elanga, Mainoo is being tipped to have a very bright future in football.

Named on the bench against Man City by Ten Hag, the 18-year-old could go one better and make up the starting XI in the Carabao Cup with his numbers at youth level demanding that the Dutch head coach gives him a chance to strut his stuff in the senior team more frequently.

Mainoo, who is yet to feature at all at senior level this term, would provide energy in the centre of the park that has been sorely lacking from the Red Devils' overall game this campaign, far too lethargic and slow in the way they build up for an eventual attack.

The 18-year-old can also pop up with a goal or two from midfield, netting six goals in total for both the Man United U18s and U21s over a number of years honing his craft in the youth set-up.

An ankle injury has plagued Mainoo over the last few weeks, out of action for the U21s all season so far in the Premier League 2, but the youngster has worked hard to get back to full fitness having been on the bench last weekend and will hope his reward is a rare first team start versus Eddie Howe's Magpies.

With the current crop of first-team players continuing to put in sub-par displays, it's time for Ten Hag to start raw talents like Mainoo in the Cup competitions to inject positivity back into proceedings at a deflated Old Trafford.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Wolverhampton Wanderers continued their solid start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in dramatic fashion over the weekend.

The Old Gold came from 1-0 down to secure all three points with stoppage time goals from Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina turning the game around.

Brennan Johnson had handed the away side the lead inside the opening minutes but the hosts never stopped fighting and Gary O'Neil's men eventually earned their reward with two goals right at the death.

Wolves have only lost one of their last seven top-flight matches and have recorded impressive victories over Spurs and champions Manchester City in that time.

Luton

1-1 draw

Man City

2-1 win

Aston Villa

1-1 draw

Bournemouth

2-1 win

Newcastle

2-2 draw

Sheffield United

2-1 loss

Tottenham

2-1 win

Despite being unavailable for the last two games, Pedro Neto has been one of the stars of the show so far this term for O'Neil with his terrific performances out wide.

The Old Gold are reportedly hopeful that the Portuguese maestro will be back in action before the end of 2023 but his injury has highlighted the club's lack of natural wide options within the first-team squad.

Whilst they could dip into the transfer market in January to remedy the situation, Wolves may already have their next version of Neto out on loan away from the club in Theo Corbeanu.

He is currently with Zurich in Switzerland and has caught the eye with his performances this term, having been out on a host of loans in recent years.

Corbeanu's academy statistics with Wolves

The talented youngster arrived at Wolves from TFC Academy in Canada ahead of the 2018/19 campaign and went on to rack up seven goals and two assists in 32 U18 matches after his move to England.

He worked his way into the U21 set-up and produced seven goals and two assists in 26 outings at that age bracket for the Old Gold before his first loan move in the 2021/22 season.

Corbeanu joined Sheffield Wednesday on a temporary basis but failed to make a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch with two goals and two assists in 13 League One matches.

The Canada international joined MK Dons for the second half of that term and only managed one goal and one assist in 16 third tier appearances.

He then spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Blackpool, in the Championship, and Arminia Bielefeld, in the 2. Bundesliga, and struggled once again. The 6 foot 3 forward only produced three goals and one assist in 32 league outings for the two clubs combined.

His statistics up to that point did not suggest that Corbeanu had a bright future as a first-team player for Wolves. However, his current loan spell with Zurich may have provided the club with far more optimism over his prospects.

Corbeanu's season for Zurich in numbers

The left-footed whiz, who is currently out injured, has enjoyed a superb start to life in Switzerland and has showcased his creative quality from a wide position.

Like current Wolves star Neto, he can play on either flank and has the ability to cut inside onto his favoured left foot from the right side of the attack.

Corbeanu, who was once hailed as "tidy" by journalist Josh Bunting, has produced one goal and five assists in nine league starts, alongside three substitute outings, for the Swiss giants so far during the 2023/24 campaign.

The 21-year-old magician has created six 'big chances' for his teammates and conjured up 2.1 key passes per game, which shows that the young gem can consistently unlock the opposition's defence to provide his fellow attackers with opportunities in front of goal.

Appearances

12

Sofascore rating

7.12

Goals

One

Big chances missed

One

Assists

Five

Big chances created

Six

Meanwhile, only Neto (2.5) has produced more than 1.5 key passes per match for Wolves in the Premier League so far this season, and this suggests that the Zurich loanee could be an excellent creative presence for the club if he can translate his current form over to the English top-flight.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Corbeanu would be able to provide the same level of production in the final third from the Swiss top division to the Premier League.

However, at the age of 21, the academy graduate has plenty of time to develop and improve as he gains more experience and there is seemingly a creative wing threat who could be unearthed by O'Neil.

Pedro Neto's season in numbers

Corbeanu could develop into being the manager's next version of Neto, as the Portugal international has been a terrific creator as a left-footed wide player for the club this season.

The 23-year-old wizard has racked up one goal and seven assists in ten Premier League matches for his side throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Interestingly, though, Neto has only created five 'big chances' for his teammates – one fewer than the Zurich star – and has produced 2.63 xA, which suggests that his fellow attackers have made the most of the opportunities that have fallen their way from his passes and crosses.

The young dynamo does, however, lead the way for Wolves with 2.5 key passes per match and has, therefore, been their outstanding creative presence out wide this term.

He has shown marked improvement in his performances for the club in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign, when the talented ace struggled to deliver quality at the top end of the pitch.

Neto failed to provide a single goal or assist in 18 top-flight outings for Julen Lopetegui's side last term and O'Neil has been able to get the best out of him since his arrival over the summer, after being relieved of his duties by Bournemouth.

The Wolves boss, therefore, has proven that he can develop a system to get the best out of a player like the former Lazio forward, which bodes well for Corbeanu's future at Wolves.

He is a similar player to Neto, as a creative left-footed winger, and could be a future gem for the club if they decide to bring him back in January or give him a chance next season.

Sunderland will be eager to win away at Plymouth Argyle this Saturday in Championship action, a potentially pivotal three points for the Black Cats could be secured at the expense of Carlos Corberan's West Bromwich Albion if the Baggies slip up versus Ipswich Town in the evening.

West Brom are directly below Tony Mowbray's playoff chasers at the moment in seventh spot, only behind Sunderland on goal difference at this moment in time with the Black Cats' potency in front of goal giving them a slight edge in this early season butting of heads for the final playoff position.

6th – Sunderland: 26 points, GD: +10

7th – West Brom: 26 points, GD +9

8th – Hull City: 26 points, GD +3

Plymouth are an opponent Sunderland cannot take lightly this weekend, however, especially with the Pilgrims hosting the contest at Home Park – Steven Schumacher's men picking up four wins from eight home games in the Championship so far after lifting the League One title at the end of last campaign.

A selection conundrum that Mowbray will contend with prior to this game in Devon will be who starts in the centre-back positions, with young defender Jenson Seelt underwhelming in the 3-1 home win over Birmingham City despite the positive result.

Jenson Seelt's numbers vs Birmingham

The 20-year-old, who was a summer buy from PSV Eindhoven to add some more bodies defensively, has shown signs of nerves when fielded by Mowbray in the starting line-up this season.

This was particularly evident against Birmingham, but his poor showing didn't derail his side at all to the relief of the die-hard Stadium of Light faithful watching on.

Seelt was weak when it came to asserting himself up against the Blues attackers, only winning half of his overall duels, as per Sofascore.

Whereas, his defensive colleague Trai Hume won six of his nine ground duels on the day to make up for Seelt's below-par display.

It led to Roker Report journalist Andy Tomlinson giving Seelt a 5/10 rating in an article after the game, saying the pace of the game was 'too much' for the 20-year-old to cope with.

Bellingham rested in Sunderland's predicted lineup vs Plymouth

Jobe Bellingham could be rested for Sunderland’s next Championship match away in Devon against Plymouth Argyle.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 23, 2023

The former PSV youngster could well be dropped from Mowbray's first team for the trip down to Devon as a result, especially with the news that senior centre-back option Luke O'Nien will be back and ready for action after serving a suspension.

Luke O'Nien as Seelt's replacement

Predominantly playing as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder throughout his career, O'Nien has excelled under Mowbray this campaign featuring even further back in the heart of defence.

O'Nien's own hot-headedness can be his undoing – picking up his fifth yellow card of the season already against Swansea meant he was unavailable for the Birmingham win – but the commitment and determination shown by Sunderland's number 13 on a regular basis when picked is a trait the Black Cats masses can't help but love.

Winning four out of his five aerial duels in that Swansea 0-0 draw, O'Nien's ability on the ball – which has seen him play centrally under Mowbray – also shone even from the back.

Sunderland's captain was accurate with both of his crosses into the Swans area on the day, attempting to unlock a dogged defence all afternoon, even whilst carrying out his standard defensive duties.

For a tough test away at the Pilgrims, Mowbray could well opt to start the former Wycombe Wanderers man over his promising Dutch defender to give Seelt a breather and to ensure Sunderland are rock solid up against Schumacher's Argyle.

Sunderland desperately need more firepower in attack, Tony Mowbray's Black Cats overly reliant on the star quality provided by Jack Clarke down the wing to bail them out this season when the strikers routinely fluff their lines.

Nazariy Rusyn and Eliezer Mayenda were given a half each at Plymouth Argyle up top, but neither could get their first goal in Sunderland colours – the Black Cats losing 2-0 at Home Park, Rusyn failing to register a single shot of target as per Sofascore from his dire 45-minute spell.

Rusyn, Mayenda and the rest of the Sunderland crop of strikers are all still goalless in the Championship, Sunderland never replacing Ross Stewart with a new and confident attacker ready to come in and set the world alight.

On the contrary, former Black Cats man Charlie Wyke has been prolific with Wigan Athletic in the division below to add insult to injury.

Let go by then manager Lee Johnson in 2021, it's a sale out of the building Sunderland could well now be regretting.

How much Sunderland signed Charlie Wyke for

Sunderland signed Wyke for £400k on the eve of the 2018-19 season in League One, the Black Cats splashing the cash to bring in a proven goalscorer at third tier level – Wyke netting 15 goals from 40 appearances at Bradford City, before relocating to the Stadium of Light to lead the line as Sunderland's new star striker.

Season

Games

Goals

2018/19

27

5

2019/20

30

6

2020/21

51

31

Sourced by Transfermarkt.

It took time for the experienced League One figure to gel in the Black Cats camp, but his final full season with Sunderland saw the 6 foot 2 striker truly come alive as a frightening prospect for defenders to handle.

The lofty attacker scored 31 goals in total for his team in all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign, Wyke's goals unfortunately couldn't help his side win promotion as Johnson's men crashed out of the playoffs to Lincoln City in the semi-finals.

3 strikers Sunderland could sign to finally replace Ross Stewart

Sunderland have never replaced the potency Stewart showcased on a regular basis at the Stadium of Light.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 22, 2023

Wyke would fail to agree terms on a new Black Cats deal after the season was up, opting to join Wigan instead where he's continued to be a lethal striker at third-tier level for the Latics.

Charlie Wyke's statistics this season

Now 30 years of age, Wyke is showing no signs of slowing down with Wigan this season despite his career winding down.

The experienced attacker started this campaign at breakneck speed, scoring five of his six goals this season within the first four games which included a double away at Bolton Wanderers as the Latics surprisingly won 4-0.

Wyke does only have one goal since, but the former Bradford man would be a useful figure to have around the Sunderland camp at this moment in time – adding experience to the attacking set-up. After all, his tally this term is better than any of Mowbray's crop of strikers.

With the Black Cats putting their faith in up-and-coming youth talent, the Sunderland boss will pray that the likes of Rusyn do come good whilst Wyke will hope he can get back to his goalscoring best soon for Wigan when he's back in the side.