سلوت: محمد صلاح الأفضل في العالم؟ أرقامه تتحدث عن نفسها

تحدث مدرب ليفربول آرني سلوت عن لاعبه المصري محمد صلاح، واعتباره الأفضل في العالم بالوقت الحالي، وثنائي الفريق، فيرجيل فان دايك وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.

ويستعد ليفربول لمواجهة مانشستر يونايتد يوم الأحد المقبل، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستمر الجدل بشأن مستقبل صلاح وفان دايك وأرنولد، حيث تنتهي عقودهم مع ليفربول في نهاية الموسم الجاري.

وقال سلوت عن تحسن أداء محمد صلاح وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد: “هناك دائمًا مجال للتحسن، محمد صلاح يبلغ من العمر 32 عامًا ولا يزال بإمكانه تقديم أداء أفضل”.

وأشار: “لكن قبل أن أبدأ، راجعت مباراة وست هام وخرج محمد من الملعب محبطًا بعض الشيء بعد تقدم فريقه 3-0 وأعتقد أن ذلك كان بسبب الفرص الضائعة”.

وأردف: “يمكن لترينت التحسن لكن هؤلاء اللاعبين هم من أفضل اللاعبين في العالم لذا لا يمكنهم التحسن كثيرًا لكن ترينت خطا خطوة للأمام على المستوى الدفاعي”.

وأشار: “كان رائعًا في بعض المباريات لكنه كان متذبذبًا في بعضها أيضًا، لذا فإن الأمر يتعلق بالثبات بالنسبة للاعبين الكبار وهنا يمكن أن يأتي التحسن الأكبر، أتحدث إلى كل لاعب، وبالنسبة لترينت الأمر نفسه، لذا تحدثت معه، نعم”.

وتابع بشأن محمد صلاح واعتباره الأفضل في العالم: “أعتقد أنه من الصعب مقارنة اللاعبين، إذا نظرت فقط إلى فريقي، فإن فيرجيل فان دايك لديه أيضًا موسم رائع لكنه لا يملك الأرقام لأنه مدافع”.

اقرأ أيضًا | محمد صلاح عن سباق الكرة الذهبية 2025: أرى نفسي الأفضل دائمًا

وأصر: “الأرقام التي يمتلكها محمد صلاح تتحدث عن نفسها، إذا نظرت ببساطة إلى الأرقام والطريقة التي يلعب بها، فهو بالتأكيد لاعب رائع، رونالدو… تحدثنا عنه… إذا نظرت فقط إلى الأرقام فهو لاعب رائع بالتأكيد”.

وعن فان دايك، أكد سلوت: “لدي قائمة طويلة بما يجعله مميزًا، ذكاء في اللعب، كبير، قوي، سريع، لقد أعجبت بقدرته على الاستحواذ على الكرة وكان ذلك منذ الحصة التدريبية الأولى، يمكنه تأخير اختياراته، وتمرير الكرة بين الخطوط وهو لاعب متكامل”.

وشدد: “إنه أحد أفضل اللاعبين في العالم في مركزه، بالطبع، حتى بالنسبة لفيرجيل نود أن نرى تحسينات، إنه أيضًا الشخص الذي يقود الفريق من البداية إلى النهاية، التدريبات… التمارين”.

وأكمل: “طاقة إيجابية وقد قدم أداءً جيدًا حقًا، هذا هو المعيار في هذا النادي، يجب عليهم الحفاظ على هذا المستوى وهذا ما فعلوه، محمد صلاح وفيرجيل، لمدة ثماني سنوات حتى الآن”.

وعاد للحديث عن أرنولد والحديث بينهما قائلاً: “هل تعتقد حقًا بأنني سأخبرك بما قلت؟، أفهم أنك تسأل ولكنك تعرف الإجابة، هذه المحادثات لم أشاركها أبدًا، الأمر نفسه، أتحدث معهم عن أشياء، كانت محادثة مثل العديد من المحادثات الأخرى التي أجريناها، أنا وترينت، دعنا نترك الأمر عند هذا الحد”.

وأفاد بشأن الحديث عن أرنولد وارتباطه بريال مدريد: “زعزعة استقرار ترينت؟ إذا كان الأمر كذلك في هذا النادي، فسنواجه مشكلة حقيقية، أحد أكبر الأندية، يتحدث الجميع عنك دائمًا لمدة 12 شهرًا، وأحيانًا فيما يتعلق بأندية أخرى، إذا كان ذلك يزعزع استقرارهم، فهناك مشكلة، ليس فقط الآن ولكن أيضًا خلال الأشهر الستة الماضية”.

وشدد سلوت: “أستطيع أن أؤكد لكم أنه سيلعب يوم الأحد! وآمل أن يقدم نفس الأداء الذي قدمه في النصف الأول من الموسم، فقد رأيتم مدى رغبته في التواجد هنا والفوز هنا”.

وأتم: “لقد رأينا جميعًا ما فعله في مباراة وست هام، التمريرة التي منحها لمحمد صلاح… أراه في التدريبات كل يوم، وهو يبذل قصارى جهده، وسوف يلعب يوم الأحد”.

Com Fortaleza em grande fase, Marcelo Boeck não quer deixar o ritmo cair no restante de 2021

MatériaMais Notícias

da betcris: O goleiro do Fortaleza, Marcelo Boeck, falou sobre a importância do elenco ter intensidade máxima nas próximas partidas da temporada. Segundo o arqueiro, a meta do grupo é fazer uma boa sequência neste ano de 2021.

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da bet sport: – Estamos trabalhando para que o grupo possa continuar evoluindo. É importante manter essa intensidade que estamos tendo ao longo dos jogos. Isso vai fazer a diferença lá na frente. O elenco sabe do seu potencial – disse.

Para o arqueiro, sua fase tem sido especial na temporada.

– Minha fase tem sido muito especial. Tenho que agradecer à comissão técnica, aos jogadores e ao torcedor por isso. Todos têm muita importância neste meu crescimento em campo – completou o arqueiro do Fortaleza

Man Utd could soon unleash "unreal" teen who’s "similar" to Pogba

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.

Facundo Pellistri

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.

Kobbie Mainoo

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.

Man Utd news: "Magnificent" star has now suffered injury during int’l break

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could be dealt a cruel blow on the injury front as one of his star players is now awaiting assessment for an injury picked up on international duty, according to reports.

Man Utd latest news: Sheikh Jassim withdraws, injury problems, Sancho exit

Recently, huge news has hit the headlines in regards to a Man Utd takeover after Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani withdrew from the bidding process to try and acquire 100% of the club. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now close to agreeing a deal to buy 25% of the club, in an agreement that would still see the Glazer family hold a verticle of control at Old Trafford; however, the exact terms of any potential deal upon ratification are yet to be fully established.

In other news, The Athletic have recently reported that Man Utd's injury latest is being investigated as their list of absentees continues to mount over the course of the season. Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo and Tyrell Malacia are all currently on the sidelines long-term due to various concerns; meanwhile, summer signing Mason Mount, Raphael Varane and Sergio Reguilon have missed chunks of action due to sustaining knocks. Director of Football John Murtough has shed some light on the next steps to try and combat the Premier League giants' injury crisis, stating:

"We’re also looking at why we’ve had so many injuries to see if there are any patterns to improve prevention in future. Some of them have been impact injuries, such as Kobbie’s and Amad’s, which are unpredictable. Others have been muscular and could reflect the sheer volume of games played over the past year, including last year’s World Cup."

Meanwhile, Barcelona are said to be keen on a cut-price move for Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho next summer; however, the England international would need to significantly lower his salary demands to push through any deal either on loan or permanently.

Jadon Sancho at Manchester United – statistics per season since arrival

Signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee in the region of £73 million in 2021

Statistics 2021/22: Appearances in all competitions – 38

Goals: 5

Assists: 3

Statistics 2022/23: Appearances in all competitions – 41

Goals: 7

Assists: 3

Statistics 2023/24: Appearances in all competitions – 3

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Man Utd injury update – Casemiro suffers concern on international duty

As per a fresh Man United injury update on Casemiro from the club, the midfielder suffered an ankle injury on international duty with Brazil against Venezuela and was substituted in the 79th minute after asking to be taken off.

Reports since have claimed he did not train on Saturday due to his ankle being 'badly swollen' and he will undergo further assessment to determine the severity of the injury, which could lead to a spell on the sidelines for the veteran midfielder, who has previously been hailed as "magnificent" by Ten Hag.

casemiro-manchester-united-mctominay-ten-hag-donny-van-de-beek

Casemiro has been a major contributor for United since completing his move from Real Madrid in 2022, registering 11 goals and seven assists in 62 appearances across all competitions (Casemiro statistics – Transfermarkt).

Nevertheless, it looks as if he could now be unavailable for some upcoming fixtures at Old Trafford, though United will need to wait and see on that front.

Everton considering move for exciting in-demand £26m talent

Everton are believed to be battling a number of Premier League clubs for the signing of a huge talent, according to a new transfer update.

Will Everton avoid relegation from the Premier League?

The Merseysiders have arguably been one of the most underperforming teams in the country in recent years, considering what a huge club they remain, having never been relegated from the Premier League since its inception in 1992.

Having survived by the skin of their teeth last season, with Sean Dyche coming in and keeping the Blues up after Frank Lampard was sacked as manager, the hope was that they would kick on significantly in 2023/24.

Instead, it's fair to say that Everton have been hugely underwhelming to date this season, only collecting one point from their opening five league matches prior to the trip to Brentford, and not playing with anywhere near enough invention or positivity. It means that Dyche is under pressure to keep his job at the moment, and as things stand, the Blues are possibly one of the favourites to be relegated to the Championship next year.

Things can change very quickly, of course, and once the January transfer window arrives, there will be the chance to bring in new faces, injecting the squad with quality and depth in the process.

Which young talent to Everton want to sign?

According to IG Esporte [via The Boot Room], Everton are in the mix to sign highly rated Corinthians youngster Gabriel Moscardo in the coming transfer window.

The Blues are believed to have "investigated" the idea of snapping up the 17-year-old midfielder, who is already becoming an important player for his current side, despite still being a teenager.

That being said, it is stated that Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea are also in the race to bring him to England, so it will be a fierce battle to sign him. Corinthians are thought to be demanding €30m (£26m) for his services, such is the extent to which they rate him as a player, with £20m of that a fixed amount.

Moscardo could be a great addition to Everton's squad, albeit as nothing more than a squad option to begin with, given how young he is. The Blues' squad arguably looks a little one-dimensional at the moment, with the likes of Idrissa Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana all arguably too similar in terms of bringing energy and industry, but not always enough creativity.

The Brazilian has been lauded as "the future of Brazil's midfield", and the fact that he has already been capped at under-23 level for his country shows how mature he is as a player.

Whether Everton are able to fight off the interest from other clubs remains to be seen – the likes of Newcastle and Chelsea would likely be able to guarantee him high wages and a greater chance of trophy success as the years pass – but he is someone who could become a mainstay of the team over time and represent an upgrade on their current options in that area of the pitch.

Isobel Joyce clinches final-ball thriller to deny Bangladesh clean sweep

Ireland broke their sixteen-game rut in limited-overs cricket, spanning nearly two years, with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh in their last match ahead of the Women’s World T20 Qualifier

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-2018Ireland captain Isobel Joyce talks to the media•AFP/Getty Images

Sixteen straight losses across limited-overs cricket over the past two years. Heavy defeats against New Zealand in ODIs and T20Is. An unassailable 2-0 lead to Bangladesh in the T20 series. All of this gloom headlined Ireland’s home summer.If the tenth-ranked hosts needed a performance to break their long-drawn-out rut ahead of the Women’s World T20 Qualifier next week in the Netherlands, it couldn’t have come in more thrilling a form than their final-ball, six-wicket victory over ninth-ranked Bangladesh in the third and final T20 in Dublin. The match was also to be the last appearance on home soil for Ireland’s 37-year-old batsman Clare Shillington and 38-year-old legspinner Ciara Metcalfe.With 11 required off the last over and seven wickets in hand, Ireland would have fancied themselves to avoid a clean sweep. But in their path to the 152-run target lay a final over from Jahanara Alam, who memorably sealed Bangladesh’s maiden Asia Cup title with the bat, and then dominated Bangladesh’s last two T20I wins with her all-round exploits.Ireland captain Laura Delany (46 off 38) and veteran allrounder Isobel Joyce (22 not out off 14), however, ensured four singles, one four, and a two were enough – despite Delany’s run-out off a wide three balls into the over – to seal Ireland’s 11th win in their 48 games in the format and third over Bangladesh in seven overall T20I encounters. While Joyce struck the winning single after leveling the scores with a boundary on the penultimate ball, Alam took away the Player-of-the-Tournament award.The major swell of impetus to Ireland’s victory came much earlier through 17-year-old Gaby Lewis’s 31-ball 50. Her seven fours and a six complemented the seven combined fours from Delany and Joyce. A 93-run third-wicket stand between Delany and Lewis took Ireland to 123 for 2 in 16.2 overs before both were run out three overs apart.Earlier, Bangladesh collected 151 for 4, after being sent in. No. 3 batsman Fargana Hoque’s unbeaten 66 and an opening partnership of 47 between Shamima Sultana (30 off 27) and Ayasha Rahman (27 off 26) set the tone of Bangladesh’s innings. Fargana then partnered Sanjida Islam to smash 38 off three overs at the death before Delany removed Islam at the start of the final over. Hoque’s highest T20I score took Bangladesh past 150 on the back of six fours and two sixes.

Kallis steps in the right direction

For a while tonight it looked as if Bangalore Royal Challengers were going to live down to the tag which last year turned into an albatross: that of the Test team trying to play Twenty20

Victor Brown03-May-2009For a while tonight it looked as if Bangalore Royal Challengers were going to live down to the tag which last year turned into an albatross: that of the Test team trying to play Twenty20. Wasim Jaffer, one of the chief culprits in 2008, was struggling to make headway against Zaheer Khan, and – after Jaffer clipped him straight to square leg – Robin Uthappa was busy (or not very busy) playing out a maiden against Lasith Malinga. Bangalore fans could have been forgiven for shivering for reasons other than the cool Johannesburg evening.But Jacques Kallis was having none of it. Kallis, too, came in for criticism last year when an average of 18 and a strike-rate of 108 did not quite match up to his $900,000 valuation (and that’s before we even get onto his bowling figures of four wickets at 77 each and nine runs an over). But he has never stopped tinkering with his technique, spending time with those he trusts and ironing out the kind of flaws which, for example, persuaded him to shoulder arms fatally to the first ball of the match against Delhi at Port Elizabeth last week.The results were on show here, never more so than during the fourth over of Bangalore’s pursuit of Mumbai’s 149 for 4. Malinga, previously the tournament’s most miserly bowler, was flicked nonchalantly behind square leg for six, then square cut for six more two balls later. A less brutal flick off the hip for four in the same over showed Kallis’ timing was intact too.If anything, the early demise of Jaffer had been a blessing in disguise. It meant memories of last year were not able to linger for long and allowed Uthappa – whose previous six innings had brought a top score of only 20 – enough time to get to grips with conditions before cutting loose towards the end with three boundaries in an over off Sachin Tendulkar and a violent pull for six off Dwayne Bravo that skimmed off the roof of one of the stands and flew into a neighbouring block of flats.Kallis can still infuriate with his running between the wickets, but almost everything else about this innings was perfectly timed, including the passing of the baton to Uthappa for the final onslaught. Seventy-six off 10 became 28 off five became a stroll in the park.Bangalore have now won three in a row dating back to the game at Durban in which Kevin Pietersen daringly opened the bowling against Kolkata Knight Riders with two spinners – including himself. And, in a table which – with the exception of poor old Kolkata – currently resembles Johannesburg at rush-hour Bangalore are now joint-top on points with Delhi and Deccan.For Mumbai, this was a missed opportunity. They came into the game having won every match in which they had batted first and lost the ones where they had batted second. Victory here would have made them outright IPL leaders, and Bravo’s late blast with the bat seemed to have given them a decent chance. But Kallis lined up Zaheer in the first over of the Bangalore reply and – one half-chance at point aside – never looked back on his way to an IPL best of 69 not out off 59 balls. Test team? Perhaps no longer.

Almost famous

Victor Brown30-Apr-2009Suresh Raina hammered a low full-toss from Munaf Patel through extra cover last night and punched the air in delight. He had just become the first Indian to score a hundred in the IPL (the previous seven had been made by four Australians, a New Zealander, a Sri Lankan and, last week in Durban, a South African). And he had done it in 55 balls, one fewer than Viv Richards needed to reach three figures in a Test match against England in Antigua 23 years ago. No wonder he looked thrilled.At the time it didn’t seem to matter when Raina skied the next ball, the ante-penultimate of the Chennai innings, to deep backward point, where Graeme Smith judged the catch nicely. Then it all went horribly wrong. A mistake by the scorers had gifted Raina two extra runs somewhere along the line. Suspicion centred on the 19th over, which, according to the scoreboard, Raina finished on 95 rather than 93. Somehow, he had pinched two of his partner MS Dhoni’s runs. The conclusion was grim: Raina had made 98 and the happy-go-lucky swipe that cost him his wicket had also, it now transpired, cost him a hundred.Wisdom after the event is only supposed to happen in sports like formula one or horse racing, where obscure contraventions and animals get in the way, or when a football club goes into administration. But this was a cock-up plain and simple. And it was one that highlighted cricket’s obsession with milestones and the problems that can come with it. The England opener Martyn Moxon never made a hundred in his 10 Tests, but once fell at Auckland for 99. He later complained that a sweep for three had been wrongly signalled as leg-byes. These fine lines can haunt a man.Would Raina have played a different shot from the one he got out to had he known he was on 98? Quite possibly. Should he have played a different shot? Not according to the letter of cricket’s oft-repeated law that there is no ‘I’ in team. And yet the realities of the game – particularly in a competition where a hundred is treated with the same reverence afforded to the bloke who split the atom – may have dictated otherwise. “Cricket, a team game?” scoffed the novelist VS Naipaul. “Teams play, and one team is to be willed to victory. But it is the individual who remains in the memory, he who has purged the emotions by delight and fear.”Raina, who later had a stumping missed off his bowling by his new pseudo-nemesis Dhoni, probably felt a few other emotions besides. Crucially, though, the error had no effect on the team score – and a total of 164 for five had only been surpassed by two teams batting second and winning in this year’s IPL. Rajasthan Royals never looked becoming the third.Their 2009 IPL has inevitably struggled to live up to 2008. Five previous matches had brought two wins – one of them courtesy of the Super Over, another thanks to fireworks from Yusuf Pathan – two defeats and a washout, and the feeling is that Shane Warne is struggling to get quite the same out of his young squad this time round. The absence of Shane Watson has not helped; neither have Swapnil Asnodkar’s struggles on the quicker pitches of South Africa. But the way three of his players dived over the ball to concede boundaries in the first 10 overs of the Chennai innings would not have happened last year.No doubt the old master will surprise us all, sneak into the semi-finals on run-rate, then pinch a couple of late wins to retain the trophy. But for the time being Rajasthan look all too susceptible to the kind of knock Raina played today – hundred or otherwise.

West Brom could sign £1m-rated "huge talent" to improve Thomas-Asante’s fortunes

West Bromwich Albion have had a solid season so far under head coach Carlos Corberan but a run of three winless games has put the Baggies at risk of falling out of the top six with another poor result.

A number of players have picked up significant injuries, including star winger Matt Phillips who has been ruled out until mid-April, having recently undergone surgery on his hamstring.

As such, West Brom aren’t fully clicking up top at the moment, but there could be a perfect solution in January to get the Baggies firing once more.

West Brom transfer news – Kwame Poku

West Brom are one of several clubs who have been left impressed by Peterborough United playmaker Kwame Poku and could look to make a move for the Ghana international once the January transfer window opens in less than two weeks. TEAMtalk are claiming that promotion rivals Sunderland and Ipswich Town are also interested in signing the 22-year-old.

Kwame Poku for Peterborough United.

In West Brom’s recent 1-1 draw with Stoke City, Corberan admitted that he wanted more from his wingers, having failed to create many chances from the wide areas with Jeremy Sarmiento and Grady Diangana in the lineup from the beginning.

The managed admitted: “It was enough times we received the ball to our wingers and we could’ve created something else and it’s true that it was [substitute] Tom Fellows and [Jed] Wallace the two players making more crosses than Grady and Sarmiento, who were playing on the sides. So for me, we should have created more from every single winger that was playing on the pitch.”

No player has recorded more assists for the Baggies this season than Phillips and it’s clear that Corberan is missing the 32-year-old's quality on the flanks. However, Poku would potentially fill the Englishman’s void at the Hawthorns.

Kwame Poku’s stats this season

Poku has had an excellent season on the wing for the Posh in League One as Darren Ferguson’s side make a push for a return to the Championship and currently sit second in the third tier, with Poku being a key player for the side, having started in 18 of Peterborough’s 21 league games this season.

His superb form hasn’t exactly come out of nowhere. During his stint with Colchester United, former manager John McGreal admitted that the then-teenager was a “huge talent”.

Now, Poku is one of the most productive players in League One. Only Jordan Rhodes, Alfie May, Devante Cole and Sam Hoskins have recorded more goal contributions in the league this term. Meanwhile, the Ghanaian has the joint-highest number of assists in the third division with six.

Alfie May

19

15

0

Jordan Rhodes

18

14

3

Devante Cole

20

12

2

Sam Hoskins

21

12

2

Kwame Poku

20

7

6

Jamie Reid

21

13

0

Corey Blackett-Taylor

20

7

6

Colby Bishop

19

11

2

Stats via BBC

In all competitions, Poku’s numbers sit at eight goals and eight assists in 27 matches so he is currently contributing to 0.59 goals per game which is an impressive return for a winger.

Additionally, Poku can play anywhere across the front three, including both flanks and as a number ten. This would allow Corberan to be flexible with his team selections, but Poku will most likely be deployed out wide given his knack of creating chances for teammates.

West Brom need a player like the Posh forward this winter to get the best out of first-choice striker Brandon Thomas-Asante. The 24-year-old is the Baggies’ top scorer this season with seven goals in 21 matches.

Brandon Thomas Asante

Regardless, the ex-Salford City striker has underperformed his xG of 6.5 by scoring six league goals in the 2023/24 campaign, according to FotMob. One of the reasons for this is the lack of service up top. West Brom have created 17.9 expected assists, which is the eighth-lowest in the league and the lowest in the top six by quite some margin.

Given his ability to score and create chances, compounded by the fact that Football Transfers have valued him at just over £1m, signing Poku could be an astute bargain by the Baggies to improve their form at the top end of the pitch.

Sunderland star who left in 2021 is now outscoring every striker at the club

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.

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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.

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