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The season might only be in its maiden stage but Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will understand the importance of securing a positive result against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this evening.

Having qualified for this term's Champions League with a fourth-placed finish last year, the Magpies have enjoyed a remarkable ascent under their 45-year-old manager, bolstered by a summer transfer window filled with exciting signings.

But successive defeats against Manchester City and Liverpool have left the club with just three points after as many matches, though a trip to the Amex could now set the rising outfit back on track.

What is the Newcastle team news vs Brighton?

Star centre-back Sven Botman is expected to miss several weeks of action after sustaining an ankle injury against Liverpool last time out, though initial signs suggest the Dutchman will not spend an extended spell on the sidelines.

Howe has opted for an unchanged starting team so far into the campaign, and while there is to be at least one alteration, the recent losses might prompt a further change upfield.

Indeed, while the midfield trio of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton could remain unchanged, a tactical tweak in the offensive third could pay dividends for the Tyneside outfit, who could look to take advantage of Brighton's exposure on the break, as evidenced by West Ham United's counter-attacking clinic in a 3-1 victory last time out.

As such, perhaps Callum Wilson warrants a return to the starting XI, with the England international boasting an impressive record against the Seagulls and coming off the back of a prolific campaign.

Is Callum Wilson going to start against Brighton?

Having plundered 18 goals from 31 appearances in the English top-flight last season, including just 18 starts, Wilson has been praised for his "incredible mindset" by his Toon manager.

Instrumental in the meteoric rise, the 31-year-old actually ranks among the top 5% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and assists and the top 14% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, and it is this incisiveness that could be paramount to dispatching Albion in their own backyard this evening.

Despite only making three substitute showings so far since club football resumed last month, Wilson opened his seasonal account right away during the emphatic 5-1 win over Aston Villa in the season opener, scoring once and hitting the target four times during a 22-minute cameo.

While Alexander Isak's prowess cannot be discredited, the Swede striker has struggled across the past two fixtures and was limited to just 24 touches against City and Liverpool combined, taking only one shot; against a possession-heavy Brighton team, similar misfortune might occur.

Wilson has demonstrated his animated nature and cutting edge by making the most of his opportunities over the past 12 months, and deploying him from the get-go could pay off handsomely for Howe later today.

Especially as he boasts a confident record against the south coast side, having scored five goals and supplied four assists from 11 outings, losing only twice.

Therefore, the £46k-per-week sharpshooter must be provided with his first start of the season against Brighton, perhaps proving the difference in what is sure to be a lively affair, and perhaps Wilson can strike with rapier-like precision to restore that winning feeling for the Magpies as he seeks to haunt the south coast side again.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have made some statement changes to their squad this summer, as the Old Gold bid to get themselves back on track after their financial woes.

It was expected to be a difficult start as Gary O’Neil took on the role of manager just four days before their Premier League opener, with himself and the squad adapting to their new look.

Regular members of the side such as Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins and Matheus Nunes among others departed Molineux this summer, however their deals generated impressive funds for the club.

Business hasn’t always been sweet at Wolves, however, the sales of Neves and Nunes combined brought in £100m (£47m and £53m respectively), representing two of their most profitable sales in history.

Looking back at some of the Midlands side’s most expensive sales over the years, one name sticks out as a particularly successful departure; Helder Costa.

How much did Wolves sell Helder Costa for?

Sold by Wolves for £16m in 2020 to Leeds United, winger Helder Costa made the Old Gold some profit, which turned out to be a clever sale when considering his form following his departure.

Costa made the move to Molineux in 2017 when the club were in the Championship, impressing during an initial loan spell to warrant a £13m move from Benfica, a fee that was a club-record figure at the time.

Prior to his permanent move to Leeds, the Angolan whiz also impressed during a season-long loan at Elland Road before moving, showing a level of performance that was fraudulent to the ability he showed after securing a four-year contract.

What happened to Helder Costa?

For Wolves, Costa’s talents shone bright in the Championship, where in 71 appearances he contributed to 29 goals, scoring 15 and assisting 14 over the two seasons in the second tier.

The stalling point for the former Benfica ace was translating his form to the Premier League, where in the 2018/19 season, he scored just one goal in 25 appearances, subsequently paving the way to his loan back in the Championship.

At Leeds, a similar pattern of form repeated itself, where he had a hand in ten goals in the second division during the White’s journey to promotion, and scored just three times in the Premier League the campaign after.

During his time in the top-flight with Leeds, the winger was blasted by the club’s former striker Noel Whelan, dubbing him a “massive flop” and a “negative” player to have in attack, via Football Insider.

His poor form at the top level in England warranted a further two loan spells away from Elland Road, where he has not featured since, with both seasons proving to be ineffective.

In 2021/22 the Angolan spent the campaign in Spain with Valencia, where he failed to score in 22 La Liga appearances, followed by another loan last season in the Saudi Pro League, where he netted three times in 18 appearances for Al-Ittihad.

It will be a long way back for Costa in England, with his next career move difficult to predict due to his anonymous form in recent years.

One party will be smiling however, with Wolves having made a profit on the winger’s sale, offloading him at the perfect moment as he revealed himself as a forward who can’t cope with the demands of top-level football.

The summer transfer window for English clubs officially closed at the start of this month but Aston Villa were still able to offload one of their players last week.

Who has left Aston Villa this summer?

Philippe Coutinho became the 11th player to depart from the Villans this summer after he recently completed a season-long loan to Al Duhail.

Unai Emery has been ruthless with his squad building and has allowed a number of players to move on, including some promising young talents, with the former Barcelona man proving to be the latest to make way.

The transfer window may be closed but the Villans head coach could unearth a player who could be like a new signing for Villa in the form of academy starlet Omari Kellyman, who has already made his first-team debut.

How old is Omari Kellyman?

Kellyman is a 17-year-old attacking midfielder who has been playing for the club’s U21 side this year, despite still being eligible to play for the U18 squad.

The talented maestro seemingly caught Emery’s eye during pre-season as the Spanish head coach opted to select the youngster against Hibernian in their Europa Conference League qualifier last month.

Kellyman has showcased his big potential at such a young age and could be a future ace for the Villans, which is what Ashley Preece hinted at when the journalist dubbed him a “star in the making” earlier this year.

Coutinho’s exit could now provide him with more opportunities to display his quality at first-team level, without being needed to emerge as a regular starter throughout the campaign.

How many games did Coutinho play for Villa?

The Brazil international has played 22 Premier League matches for the club since the start of last season and his bit-part role could be perfect for Kellyman’s first year of senior involvement.

It would allow him to gain vital experience being around Emery’s squad whilst also getting the odd chance to show off his ability on the pitch when required, whether that is off the bench or from the start if injuries and suspensions rule out the frontline options.

Coutinho, who has played 43 games for Villa in all competitions since his initial loan move from Barcelona in January 2021, failed to make a consistent impact on the pitch after making his permanent switch last summer.

The 31-year-old averaged an unimpressive Sofascore rating of 6.66 across 20 Premier League clashes during the 2022/23 campaign. 17 players within the squad averaged a higher rating than the ex-Liverpool maestro, which shows that he was far away from being one of the team's top performers.

Coutinho was unable to showcase the best of his abilities as he ended the season with one goal and zero assists to his name. He also failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates and provided a measly 0.4 key passes per game.

To put that into context, ten Villa players managed more key passes per match than Coutinho, illustrating how little he offered at the top end of the pitch as the Brazilian was not among the side's top creators.

Therefore, it makes sense that Emery was willing to allow him to depart on loan as the experienced technician was not offering enough on the pitch to make him a viable first-team option.

Kellyman, however, is a player who has the potential to make the step up to be an upgrade on Coutinho, or at least the version of him who played last season.

How many goals has Omari Kellyman scored for Aston Villa?

The 17-year-old has racked up ten goals for the club's academy sides to date but is yet to score his first goal at senior level, although the talented teenager has only played one match for Emery's team so far.

He made the move to Villa Park from Derby County in 2022 for a reported fee of £600k as the Villans took advantage of the then-Championship side's need for funds to secure one of their promising young talents.

Kellyman slotted straight into the U18 team and initially struggled during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign as he produced one goal and one assist in nine outings.

The versatile ace, who can play out wide or in a central or attacking midfield position, then managed five goals and five assists in 22 matches for the U18 and U21 sides combined last season. This showed that the exciting talent is capable of delivering goals and assists on a regular basis, something Coutinho struggled with on both fronts in the Midlands.

He then started the current campaign on fire for the U21s with a stunning four goals in two Premier League 2 matches against Southampton and Manchester City last month, which seemingly caught Emery's eye and led to his first-team bow against Hibernian.

The Villa academy prospect recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.1 and played the full 90 minutes against the Scottish side in the Europa Conference League qualifier as he registered one assist, for Leon Bailey, and created two chances for his teammates in total.

Amazingly, Kellyman matched Coutinho's number of goal involvements (one) in his 24 matches since the start of last season on his debut for the club.

The former Derby prodigy's academy form this term also suggests that the potential is there for him to add goals to his game at first-team level if he can translate his performances over to the senior setting.

His impressive outing against Hibs and his production for the youth team indicates that Kellyman could be a fantastic option for Emery to call upon when needed this season, particularly if the likes of Bailey, Ollie Watkins, or Moussa Diaby suffer an injury.

Indeed, by unleashing Kellyman as a regular member of the first-team squad, the Spanish head coach could already have his dream replacement for Coutinho.

Chelsea are now "100%" keen on signing a wonderkid who has been tipped to be a future icon, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

The Blues have recently been linked with a move for a new left-back, as US Lecce's Patrick Dorgu has revealed that he dreams of signing for the club, despite the fact Barcelona are also keen, although it is unlikely Mauricio Pochettino targets a player in that area of the pitch.

Another youngster the west London club are interested in signing is Corinthians midfielder Gabriel Moscardo, who has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League sides, with Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Everton also interested.

At the end of the summer transfer window, it was revealed that Chelsea set their sights on Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa, going as far as to submit a £26m bid, but they were unable to get a deal over the line with limited time remaining. However, there has now been a suggestion the Blues could come back in for the winger, with the club clearly focussing on making young additions to the squad, as Jacobs has now credited them with an interest in an interview with GiveMeSport.

When asked whether Chelsea could be scouting the 18-year-old, the reporter said: "Yeah, 100%. Chelsea came in towards the end of the last window for Nusa, and it was made clear to them, with the player driving this narrative, that there wasn't anything possible this year. That's because he's young and currently quite settled at Club Brugge.

"From what I'm told, Nusa spoke to the manager there and very quickly decided that it was not the right time to move, especially not to Chelsea, because you look at their project full of other young stars, and, to an extent, uncertainty, and unless Chelsea could buy him and, for example, loan him back, his gametime could well have been limited. I think from this point of view, he believes there will be more suitors in 2024, whether in January or the summer and that Chelsea could well be back."

How good is Antonio Nusa?

The Club Brugge starlet has done enough to impress football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who branded him a "future icon of Norwegian football", while he has also likened him to Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe. The Norwegian youngster is an exceptional dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level.

Although he is still very young, the forward has already managed to break into the Brugge starting XI, and he has been very impressive at the beginning of the Belgian Pro League season, weighing in with two goals and two assists in five games.

Nusa may not immediately be able to challenge for a starting spot at Chelsea, given that they are blessed with attacking talent, but he clearly has a lot of potential, and he would be an exciting addition to Pochettino's squad.

Harry Kane says Bayern Munich need to use their Champions League win over Lazio as a springboard for success in the remainder of the season.

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• Bayern beat Lazio 3-0 in Champions League
• Kane scores double to secure last 8 spot
• Striker wants Bayern to build on this win

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  A Kane double and Thomas Muller's header helped Bayern overturn a first-leg deficit and advance to the last eight of the Champions League following a 3-0 win over Lazio on Tuesday night. After winning just one of their last five games in all competitions, striker Kane says the Bundesliga giants have to build on this important victory.

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• WHAT HARRY KANE SAID

  He said in an Instagram video: "Hi everyone, big win tonight in front of our fans in our stadium, coming from behind. An amazing, amazing atmosphere, amazing game, top, top performance from everyone – front to back. A really important fixture in our season. We've been going through a difficult spell, so to turn it around and put in a performance like we did today shows credit to the boys. We've got to use this, try and build on this, build the momentum, see who we get in the next round, and go from there. I appreciate the support as always, keep it up, keep it going, and let's see if we can finish the season strong."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bayern have struggled under manager Thomas Tuchel this season, with the former Chelsea boss set to step down at the end of the campaign. The German giants are facing a first season without a major trophy since 2011/12. They are 10 points behind Bayer Leverkusen and while the Bundesliga is a long shot, the Champions League is very much up for grabs.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Bayern will find out their quarter-final opponents on March 15 but before then they host Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The day after the Champions League draw they face Darmstadt in the German top-flight.

Everton supporters have been through the ringer through the course of the previous two seasons and unless Sean Dyche leads them on a solid winning run, they could face yet another relegation battle.

The Toffees have finished 16th and 17th during the last two Premier League campaigns and there has been a variety of reasons behind the poor performances and lack of confidence at the club. Both Rafa Benitez and Frank Lampard were far from ideal choices to lead the Merseyside outfit, while their records in the transfer market were underwhelming to say the least.

Players such as Neal Maupay, Salomon Rondon and Dele Alli didn’t exactly set the world on fire, and it is perhaps no surprise that Lampard and Benitez failed to make their mark in charge of the club.

In saying that, there have been a few hidden gems that have moved to Everton since the summer of 2021 which have proven to be solid signings and will play become key members of the squad in the coming years.

Nathan Patterson and Dwight McNeil are talented youngsters who could become integral members of the first team for the foreseeable future, yet it is a signing made by Lampard that could potentially turn into a lucrative piece of business by the Toffees…

How much did James Tarkowski cost Everton?

After escaping relegation by the skin of their teeth at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, Lampard entered the summer transfer window with grand designs on how to bolster his squad so that this wouldn’t occur again.

Amadou Onana looked like a promising arrival, joining from Lille, while James Garner signed from Manchester United and McNeil arrived from Burnley and these all looked like positive signings. James Tarkowski also made the move to Merseyside, and it was arguably their finest signing that summer, as he joined for nothing after he left Burnley following the expiration of his contract.

Director of football Kevin Thelwell praised the player when he joined, saying: “We are delighted to welcome a player of James’ quality to Everton and believe he will be an excellent addition to our squad. The statistics show that James has consistently been one of the Premier League’s most reliable defenders in recent years. Added to his playing attributes, his excellent leadership skills and experience will be a huge benefit, too.

“James is a player I’ve admired for many years and Frank was very keen to bring him to the Club. We look forward to him being a highly-valued member of our squad next season and in the years to come.”

This was a player who had made 219 appearances for Burnley and had spent the last six seasons in the top flight, gaining plenty of experience in the process.

The move has since gone on the become a very shrewd signing by the Toffees, especially considering his market value has risen due to his performances over the previous 12 months and this could potentially generate Everton a vast profit should they be tempted to sell him.

What is James Tarkowski’s market value now?

When the centre-back moved to Everton in July 2022, his market value was only €8.4m (£7.2m), yet over the next 12 months, this value would rise sharply.

Indeed, it didn’t even take a month for Tarkowski to be valued at €29.8m (£26m) according to Football Transfers and while this has dropped slightly in the months since, the defender is now currently worth €19m (£16m), and this represents an impressive increase from when he made the move to Everton in 2022.

Why is James Tarkowski worth this much?

Although the Toffees conceded 57 goals last season and finished in 17th place, just two points clear of the relegation zone, there were a couple of bright sparks throughout the season and Tarkowski was one of them.

The 30-year-old played a total of 40 games across all competitions during his maiden season on Merseyside, and he certainly proved to the supporters why the club were keen on signing him in the first place.

Tarkowski ranked third across the Everton squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.2) during the 2022/23 season while also ranking third for accurate passes per game (34.6) and interceptions per game (1.3), clearly indicating that he settled in well at the club and was a positive figure as they narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship.

Not only impressive among his teammates, Tarkowski also showcased his abilities when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues. Indeed, the defender ranked in the top 1% for blocks per 90 (2.46), the top 8% for aerials won per 90 (3.16) and rather remarkably the top 1% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (2.33), indicating that he is among the finest on the continent over a wide range of metrics.

The former Burnley defender has continued this rich vein of form into the current season, topping the pile for Sofascore rating (7.33) and interceptions per game (1.7), while also ranking third for clearances per game (3.0) and fourth for accurate passes per game (35.6), emerging into a player Dyche can count on as he looks to lead them into the top half of the table.

Dyche knows all about his qualities, having managed him when they were both at Burnley and the 52-year-old has even lauded the defender as “outstanding” in the past.

Everton haven’t had much joy to cheer about with regard to success in the transfer market over the previous few years and this has arguably led to them underperforming and battling relegation on a consistent basis.

Tarkowski has proven to one of their few shining lights over the last year or so and his performances possibly allowed the Toffees to retain their Premier League status and without him performing heroics at the heart of the defence, they may have found themselves in the second tier this term.

There is still a long way to go in the current campaign, but Everton have no doubt hit the jackpot on Tarkowski, and they will hope he can give them the boost they need to push into the top half under Dyche.

The curious case of Benjamin Nygren. On paper, the Sweden international has been one of Celtic’s most impressive performers, with seven goals in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Yet, he has failed to fully convince in a Hoops jersey because of his all-round performances. In the Europa League, for example, he has scored two goals and missed a whopping five ‘big chances’ in five starts, per Sofascore.

In the Scottish Premiership, meanwhile, Nygren has only completed 35% of his attempted dribbles, completing 0.5 per game on average, which speaks to how awkward he can sometimes look when attempting to carry the ball forward in midfield.

Celtic want to sign new attacking midfielder

Whilst the left-footed star will continue to be a useful player for Wilfried Nancy, given his goal output this season, the Hoops could replace him as a starter amid interest in a new signing in his position.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to the Daily Record, Celtic have an interest in signing Cruz Azul attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Scottish giants wanted to sign the Poland international from LAFC in 2024 before his move to Mexico at the start of this year, and they remain keen on a deal for the 24-year-old star.

It adds that Bogusz wants to move away from Cruz Azul, 11 months into his time at the club, and that suggests that Celtic could have an opportunity to sign him next month.

However, it remains to be seen how much the Mexican side would want for the former Leeds star, who joined them from LAFC for a fee of roughly £6.7m last January.

Why Celtic should sign Mateusz Bogusz

The Hoops should push to get a deal done for Bogusz, who wants a move away from his club next month, because he could come in as an upgrade on Nygren.

It would be a bit of a risk for the Scottish giants, though, as the attacking midfielder has had a tough time in Mexico, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 39 appearances, per Sofascore.

He has been an unused substitute in three of Cruz Azul’s last four matches, hence why he is keen to leave next month, but his form for LAFC prior to moving to Mexico suggests that there is a hidden gem in there for Celtic to unearth.

As aforementioned, Celtic wanted to sign Bogusz during his time at LAFC, and if he can get back to the form that he showed in the MLS last year, the 24-year-old star would be an upgrade on what Nygren has shown on the pitch in the Premiership this season.

In the 2024 MLS campaign, the Polish attacking midfielder delivered 16 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances, per Sofascore, which earned him his big-money move to Cruz Azul.

As you can see in the table above, the ex-Leeds youngster’s MLS form suggests that he has the potential to offer more as a creator and as a dribbler in comparison to Nygren, whilst scoring goals at a similar rate.

Bogusz was described as a “dangerous” player by journalist Greg Beacham, which is backed up by these statistics, and he could be a dangerous player for the Hoops if they can help him recapture that form after a difficult year with Cruz Azul.

At the age of 24, the Poland international should not be written off after one poor season in Mexico, particularly when you look at just how impressive his form in the MLS was.

Bogusz is a more dynamic attacking midfielder than Nygren, whose dribbling skills leave a lot to be desired, and could excite supporters at Parkhead more than the Swedish star does, whilst scoring goals almost as frequently.

Mooy 2.0: Nancy can forget Nygren by unleashing "outstanding" Celtic star

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy can ruthlessly drop Benjamin Nygren by unleashing this star against St Mirren.

By
Dan Emery

2 days ago

In conclusion, the Cruz Azul flop would be a risky signing, due to his form this year, but the upside is that he could be a big upgrade on Nygren if they can get him back to his best.

The Portuguese icon has contributed to a nightmarish period for the Saudi giants, which culminated in their AFC Champions League exit

A sharp downturn in form has plummeted Al-Nassr into full-blown crisis mode; a dismal two-week period since the start of March has seen their faint title hopes snuffed out, and their Asian Champions League (ACL) dreams unceremoniously ended at the quarter-final stage.

As you might expect, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been the protagonist – but this time he has been unable to act the hero. In fact, he has contributed in no small part to his side's downfall over the course of a torrid fortnight, courtesy of obscene gestures and staggering, uncharacteristic misses.

Al-Nassr's chances of success this season now hang in the balance, and head coach Luis Castro suddenly finds his job on the line with potentially just one more game to save himself. There is huge expectation on Ronaldo's shoulders to get his side out of the predicament they find themselves in, but in many ways this is a mess of his own making.

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  Nightmarish 2024

  The year 2024 has not been kind to Al-Nassr so far, with the Riyadh side winning just two of their four league games since the end of the winter break in mid-February. After victories over Al-Fateh and Al-Shabab, their form dipped alarmingly, with Ronaldo-less Al-Nassr first being held at home by bottom club Al-Hazm, before a dire 3-1 home reverse to lowly Al-Raed – all-but extinguishing their slim hopes of catching rampant league leaders Al-Hilal.

  The Champions League had provided a welcome distraction, but their journey was brought to an abrupt end by Emirati club Al Ain on Monday at the quarter-final stage, with Al-Nassr missing three penalties in an agonising shootout defeat having done the hard work by battling back from 3-0 down on aggregate in normal time.

  Despite everything he has done for the club in his brief time in the Middle East, there is one man who must take accountability for his club's struggles.

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  Unnecessary suspension

  While Ronaldo has kept up his ridiculous goal-scoring rate in 2024, it has been a dreadful couple of weeks for the Portuguese superstar. Al-Nassr's fortunes began to change in late February, when the vastly experienced forward needlessly responded to chants of Lionel Messi's name from opposition supporters during the victory over Al-Shabab, crudely motioning towards his groin after his goal from the penalty spot was greeted by the taunts.

  The obscene gesture saw the 39-year-old fall foul of the Saudi authorities, despite his insistence that his actions would have been perfectly acceptable in Europe, and he was handed a one-match ban following an investigation. "I will always respect the cultures of all countries, as I have respected to this day, but not always what people see is reality," he later said. "It is obvious that I will not do it again in this country, but in Europe, it is very normal. Sometimes the passion and excitement of the game leads us to make some mistakes."

  Shorn of their star player, Al-Nassr slipped to a mightily disappointing home draw with basement boys Al-Hazm, with Sadio Mane's 94th-minute penalty not enough to secure victory as the visitors snatched a point in the ninth minute of added time. It is not unfair to presume that things could have been wholly different for the hosts with an in-form Ronaldo on the pitch.

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  Bad to worse for CR7

  Ronaldo returned for the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Al Ain, but he drew a rare blank as he was kept quiet by an effective defence in a 1-0 defeat on the road. He followed that up with a profligate display in the damaging league loss to struggling Al-Raed, as the woodwork denied him on two occasions.

  The veteran superstar was back on the scoresheet in the Al Ain second leg, scoring a last-ditch penalty in extra-time to force a shootout – but he could have been the hero with an even more telling contribution earlier in the game. With the scores 2-2 on the night and Al Ain still leading on aggregate, Ronaldo somehow conspired to miss from just three yards out after the goalkeeper spilled the ball into his path.

  Although team-mate Alex Telles saved his blushes to force extra-time, before Ronaldo somewhat made amends to take the game to a shootout by putting Al-Nassr back ahead on the night after Al Ain had equalised in the additional 30 minutes, he could have helped his team to secure a remarkable victory in normal time had his usual predatory instincts not deserted him.

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  Season dangling by a thread

  A forgettable fortnight has left Al-Nassr's season hanging in the balance; they now find themselves 12 points adrift of runaway leaders Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, with the defeat to Al Ain – who themselves are second in the UAE Pro League – ending their dreams of continental success in 2023-24.

  There is the sense that Al-Nassr could be left with little to play for, with a torrid period leaving the two most prestigious trophies on offer well out of reach. Now it is a matter of ensuring the season does not peter out, and senior figures like Ronaldo will be central to ensuring that doesn't happen.

  The Riyadh side are nailed on to reach the Champions League again, as the top-three in the Pro League qualifying automatically for the competition, and they are still in contention for two pieces of domestic silverware in the form of the the King Cup and Super Cup. They are hardly favourites for the latter, however, with old foes Al-Hilal their opponents in the semi-finals.

Manchester United supporters have been left fuming after seeing their Premier League clash with Brentford scheduled for 8pm on Easter Saturday.

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• Man Utd host Brentford on Saturday night
• Fans annoyed by kick-off time
• Train problems due to Easter shutdown

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United have seen their Premier League clash with Brentford on Saturday moved to a late kick-off. The two teams will meet at the Gtech Community Stadium at 8pm local time on Easter Saturday. This is the fourth time this season that Manchester United fans have seen their team play away from home at 8pm on Saturday, more than any other team in the English top flight.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  The problem for visiting supporters is that train services between London and Manchester are facing disruption over the Easter weekend. The last train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on Saturday leaves two minutes before United's 8pm kick-off. Engineering work means there will be no services between the two cities on Easter Sunday. All of this means that Manchester-based fans who want to watch the game face having to spend the weekend in London, unless they fancy a 410-mile round trip by car.

• WHAT MAN UTD FANS HAVE SAID

  A spokesperson for the Manchester United Supporters' Trust told : "For the fourth time this season, United are away from home at 8pm on a Saturday which just goes to show the blatant disregard the TV companies and football authorities have for match-going fans. During Covid they said that football without fans is nothing – it’s time for the football authorities to show they meant it."

  Chas Banks, secretary of the Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association, also hit out at the scheduling and called for change. He said: “I don’t travel to away games anymore. After years watching United home and away, it all became too much as the years passed – I’m in my 70s now and a disabled wheelchair user – and the football authorities clearly didn’t give a flying one about the problems it causes to fans when they schedule kick-offs at crazy times.

  “They sit safe in the knowledge that whatever bonkers changes they made to the fixture list, the United away supporters would find a way to get there somehow. The scheduled kick-off changes seem even crazier if, like me, it takes three hours to get from your bed to actually leaving the house to begin your journey. As time has passed it really did start to feel like they were doing their absolute damnedest to stop me and other disabled United fans from watching my club playing away from home.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

  United fans will head to London fresh from a thrilling 4-3 win over rivals Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last time out. Manager Erik ten Hag said afterwards he hoped the victory could be a "turning point" for his team after what's been a difficult campaign for the Red Devils.

Nottingham Forest entered the Premier League season hoping to avoid a dreaded case of second season syndrome, and so far, they've done exactly that. Steve Cooper's side have suffered defeat just three times in eight league games, winning twice, and drawing three times in the process. Their most impressive moment came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, as Anthony Elanga's goal was enough to seal a historic three points for the Midlands club.

On a solid run of form despite some brutal away fixtures, the international break came at the wrong time for Forest, in truth, who look to have suffered an injury blow during the break, making it all the more frustrating.

What's the latest Nottingham Forest injury news?

It looked as though Forest were becoming fairly fortunate when it comes to injuries, but a knock to star striker Taiwo Awoniyi soon threw that idea out the window. Now, Cooper's squad must find goals from elsewhere, with the likes of Chris Wood coming into the side, hoping to make the necessary impact. Awoniyi isn't where the disappointment ends, either, with the latest injury news revealing another blow.

According to Nottingham Forest News, after Gonzalo Montiel was forced off through injury against Peru whilst on international duty with Argentina, Forest must now assess their full-back. Given that the injury was bad enough to force Montiel off after just 30 minutes, it's not looking good for Forest when it comes to the immediate availability of the Argentine.

Forest's next Premier League game comes this weekend against Luton Town, in what will be seen as a vital relegation six-pointer. If Cooper's side are to avoid the drop or a battle all together, then defeating sides such as Luton will be the ultimate key to survival. As things stand, however, they may well be forced to cope without Montiel.

How has Gonzalo Montiel performed this season?

Since arriving from Sevilla in the summer transfer window, Montiel has struggled to make an impact at Forest, starting just once in the Premier League, which came in a frustrating 1-1 draw against Burnley. Given his lack of game-time, the right-back's injury comes at a bad time, especially if it turns out to be for an extended period.

If Cooper can get the best out of the Sevilla loanee, then he'll have himself a solid option to turn to, as proven by the previous praise of former Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui, who said: "I don't usually individualize, but today, for example, Gonzalo Montiel competed like an animal after playing the 120 minutes in Cordoba."

With that said, whilst he has got off to a slow start in the Midlands, there is still a capable player in Montiel, who may just need to be handed some time before finding his best form. Cooper will be hoping that the injury to his summer signing doesn't leave him without full-back depth for an extended period, particularly with the Premier League fixtures coming thick and fast. As of right now, however, both Forest and Montiel face a nervous wait to find out the extent of the Argentine's injury.