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With their striker troubles not going away anytime soon, Everton are now reportedly serious about making a January move to sign a big-money star in January.

Moyes has say on Beto after Man City miss

It was far from a disastrous summer for The Friedkin Group. In fact, it was actually fairly positive. They signed Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyler Dibling among others in an impressive spending spree. Yet, one problem persists. Everton need a consistent, clinical striker.

The Toffees thought they got that in Thierno Barry in the summer, but the former Villarreal man is yet to make his mark and may need at least a season to find his feet in English football. As a result, David Moyes has been forced to turn towards Beto, who has scored just one Premier League goal in eight appearances so far this season.

The towering forward struggled once again last weekend as Everton were made to pay for not taking their chances by a clinical Man City and Erling Haaland. As the best striker in the world dominated at one end, Beto failed to impress at the other in a glaring contrast.

It’s something that Everton must look to solve when January arrives and Moyes will know that more than most.

The experienced manager had his say on Beto’s missed chances against Man City, saying: “I think the one he doesn’t get to, he should get to. The one that was given offside was onside, I think, and ultimately we get a VAR decision if it goes in. The first chance – we’re studs away from getting a goal.”

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 21, 2025

It seems as though Friedkin are also aware of the Toffees’ striker troubles, with those at the Hill Dickinson now reportedly serious about signing a big-money star.

Everton now serious about Ivan Toney move

According to Football Insider, Everton are now seriously interested in signing Ivan Toney in the January transfer window. The Al-Ahli forward reportedly believes that a return to the Premier League is his best chance to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup and particularly wants to work under Moyes.

Toney’s camp reportedly favour a move to Merseyside rather than West Ham United, handing Everton a major advantage ahead of the winter window. The deal, even if on loan, is unlikely to come cheap, however.

The 29-year-old earns a staggering £22m-a-year in the Saudi Pro League, which would instantly make him Everton’s highest earner by more than £10m. It simply looks like an impossible deal unless Al-Ahli pay a percentage of the forward’s wages in a loan deal or Toney takes a pay-cut in a permanent switch.

Hailed as “intelligent” by former manager Thomas Frank, Toney is the type of player who could solve Everton’s striker problem. Whether they can find a way past his big-money salary is another question entirely, though. If the forward wants a World Cup place then he may have to compromise in January.

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O atacante Júnior Santos demonstrou entusiasmo com o fato do Botafogo ter saído de campo com a vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Fluminense, neste domingo (8), no Maracanã. Em entrevista na zona mista, o camisa 37 exaltou o fato do Alvinegro ter se reencontrado com as vitórias após uma sequência de cinco jogos.

RelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: melhores momentos da vitória do Botafogo sobre o Fluminense pelo BrasileirãoVídeo08/10/2023BotafogoLúcio Flávio exalta atuação do Botafogo e atribui vitória no clássico à confiança da equipe em seu potencialBotafogo08/10/2023

O atleta também frisou o fato de ter sido um clássico.

+ Transforme sua paixão pelo futebol em profissão. Descubra o caminho com o curso Gestor de Futebol!

É um jogo muito importante, né? A gente sabia que ia ser um jogo difícil e conseguimos os três pontos. Vai dar mais confiança para a gente fazer os jogos no decorrer da temporada e alcançar o objetivo que é o título – disse.

Em seguida, o jogador cometeu um ato falho ao falar sobre a recente mudança de comando no Glorioso.

– Hoje, a equipe um pouco diferente. O Luís Castro… ops… O Lúcio Flávio, junto com o Carli colocou praticamente a equipe que a gente vinha jogando, que começou a pré-temporada. E graças a Deus, a gente foi abençoado e conseguiu fazer um bom jogo. Agora, a gente vai ganhar mais confiança – afirmou.

Júnior Santos também detalhou o que foi crucial para a vitória no clássico.

– A gente tem uma identidade. A gente colocou isso no campo. O Bruno Lage chegou e para ele foi difícil pegar esse trabalho no meio da temporada. O Carli já treinava, trabalhava com a gente, conhecia os estilos dos jogadores. Tanto para ele, quanto para o Lúcio, que pegou esse início de trabalho, consegui ali colocar nossa equipe e deu certo. A gente fez um grande jogo. Agora é cabeça no lugar e continuar focado no campeonato – afirmou.

O Botafogo volta a campo no dia 18, quando encara o América-MG, no Independência.

Aston Villa are poised to wave goodbye to a “wonderful footballer” pretty shortly, as a new report reveals this week.

Aston Villa turn corner under Unai Emery after disastrous start

It took Unai Emery’s side five Premier League games to score their first goal of the season, with Matty Cash’s long-range pile driver against newly-promoted Sunderland finally opening their account.

After a very difficult summer transfer window marred by issues with PSR, their severe lack of attacking impetus had many supporters fearing the worst, but in a huge sigh of relief for the Villans, they’re starting to hit an excellent run of form.

Aston Villa’s results in the Premier League so far this season

Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle

Brentford 1-0 Aston Villa

Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace

Everton 0-0 Aston Villa

Sunderland 1-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham

Aston Villa 2-1 Burnley

Since Cash burst the net at the Stadium of Light, Villa have sealed two wins from two of their opening Europa League games, whilst securing precious back-to-back Premier League wins against Fulham and Burnley.

The recent departure of Monchi, who left his role as Aston Villa sporting director, also marks the beginning of a new era, with former Real Sociedad chief Roberto Olabe brought in as Villa’s replacement.

Aston Villa's president of football operations, Monchi.

In one of his final acts as the club’s ‘president of football operations’, Monchi agreed to let midfielder Enzo Barrenechea join José Mourinho’s Benfica on loan with an obligation to buy.

Enzo Barrenechea on the verge of permanent Aston Villa exit to Benfica

Interestingly, according to A Bola this week, the conditions of his loan-to-buy clause mean that Barrenechea is just one game away from becoming a permanent Benfica player and leaving Villa Park for good.

Apparently, all requirements for the permanent option to be triggered are nearly met, including appearances, and Villa are about to receive a £10 million payment for the Argentine, on top of the £2.5 million loan fee they got in the summer, right after he makes another cameo.

Indeed, once Barrenechea is given his next nod for Benfica, he’ll have met the 15 games required to activate his permanent move to Portugal.

The 24-year-old joined Villa in a swap deal last year with Douglas Luiz heading the other way to Juventus, but he hasn’t made a single appearance for Villa.

He was sent out on loan to Valencia in his debut season, where he seriously impressed for the La Liga side, though it is now Mourinho who’s poised to snap up Villa’s forgotten “wonderful footballer”.

“You called me to talk about my favourite player,” said coach Andrea Bonatti, who worked with the player at Juve’s youth academy.

“He is a wonderful footballer. He has many virtues. He is very technical, he controls the ball very well under pressure, he has that ability that comes from futsal, which allows him to have good ball coverage. He has an excellent short game with both legs. And a great long movement, when you have to give speed to the game.

“He is very brave in aerial play, in heading. He is very helpful in defensive and offensive actions in the air. He covers a lot of ground, he is a 6 that gives a lot of balance, that frees up a lot for the teammate next to him. He is always on alert, with a great tactical sense, giving orders to avoid transitions against the rival team.”

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have built their season on defensive solidity.

Heading into their clash with Arsenal, the Magpies boasted the lowest expected goals conceded (xGA) in the league at 2.5, highlighting just how compact and resilient they had been.

That statistic shifted after Arsenal generated 2.04 xG at St James’ Park, pushing Newcastle down to second-best in the league.

Even so, Howe’s side have only conceded five goals all season while keeping four clean sheets, with only Liverpool and Arsenal managing to find the net against them.

Against the Gunners, Newcastle were disciplined and well-drilled, often forcing Mikel Arteta’s side into less threatening areas.

Yet all that hard work was undone in the 96th minute, when Gabriel Magalhães rose highest to score the winner.

How Gabriel helped to down Newcastle

It was a bitter pill to swallow given how well Newcastle had restricted Arsenal, but Gabriel’s decisive intervention underlined the fine margins at this level.

The Brazilian’s influence was evident beyond his goal. He disrupted Nick Woltemade and marshalled the defensive line with authority.

His performance earned him a man-of-the-match rating of 8.6 – a reminder of just how important he is to Arsenal’s title push.

Even if there was that one blemish with Woltemade, it’s safe to say he’s become a force in the Premier League in recent years.

Gabriel’s journey at Arsenal since arriving from Lille in 2020 has been one of steady progression.

Now 27 years old and valued at around £70m by Transfermarkt, he has cemented his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most commanding centre-backs.

His partnership with William Saliba has been the bedrock of Arsenal’s recent success.

Together they have anchored a backline that has kept 29 clean sheets over the last two seasons, while goalkeeper David Raya has claimed consecutive Golden Glove awards.

Beyond his defensive qualities, Gabriel provides a consistent goal threat.

His headed winner against Newcastle was his 21st goal for Arsenal, a remarkable tally for a central defender.

That ability to contribute at both ends makes him invaluable to Mikel Arteta’s side. Statistically, he remains a well-rounded force.

Gabriel – 2025/26

Matches Played

6

Minutes

540

Goals

1

Tackles

8

Blocks

12

Source: FBref

He completes just over 56 passes per match with a 90.2% accuracy rate, while also contributing 4.79 progressive passes per 90 minutes.

Defensively, he averages 0.95 tackles, 0.46 challenges, and 1.6 blocks per 90, illustrating his balance of proactive interventions and last-ditch defending.

His dominance in the air, as demonstrated against Newcastle, adds yet another dimension to his game.

Having also earned 15 caps for Brazil, Gabriel is now a figure of experience and consistency on the international stage.

If Arsenal are to go one better than last season, his blend of physicality, set-piece threat, and defensive nous will be central to their challenge.

But, do the Toon have their own answer to the big Brazilian?

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse Newcastle's answer to Gabriel

While Gabriel left St James’ Park with the headlines, Malick Thiaw walked away with plenty of admirers after what has been described as an “outstanding” performance.

The 24-year-old German, a £30m signing from AC Milan, is only a handful of games into his Newcastle career but already looks like a player with huge potential.

Thiaw’s numbers against Arsenal painted the picture of a defender unfazed by one of the toughest attacking units in Europe.

He won four of his six aerial duels, cleared his lines eight times, and registered one interception.

Crucially, he was not dribbled past once, underlining his ability to stand his ground in one-v-one situations.

On the ball, he attempted 23 passes, completing 20, showing the composure that made him such an attractive signing.

He sits in the 95th percentile for pass completion among centre-backs in Europe (93.1%), completing almost 59 passes per match.

He averages 4.43 progressive passes per 90, nearly identical to Gabriel’s 4.79, and also attempts more progressive carries, at 0.60 per 90 compared to Gabriel’s 0.38.

Defensively, Thiaw’s 1.19 tackles per 90 outstrip Gabriel’s 0.95, while he also makes 0.70 blocks per 90.

These numbers highlight subtle differences in style. Gabriel excels in last-ditch defending and aerial duels, while Thiaw appears more proactive in stepping out to intercept and more comfortable driving play forward.

Both are commanding presences, titans at the back, but Thiaw’s on-ball security may give Newcastle an edge in building from the back once Eddie Howe’s attacking system clicks.

The prospect of the summer arrival forming a long-term partnership with Sven Botman is tantalising.

Botman’s anticipation and positional discipline, combined with Thiaw’s composure, could provide Newcastle with a defensive pairing to rival Arsenal’s Gabriel-Saliba axis.

Against Arsenal, Thiaw didn’t just look like a stopgap in Fabian Schär’s absence – he looked like a centre-half ready to shape Newcastle’s future.

His performance against the Gunners suggested he has the physicality, intelligence, and technical quality to become one of the Premier League’s standout defenders.

If Newcastle’s rise continues, Thiaw could be at the heart of it.

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Posts ByWill Miller Sep 29, 2025

Sussex have significant lead but last-day declaration would have to be carefully judged in batting friendly conditions

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Apr-2025Sussex 528 and 126 for 3 (Haines 34, Hughes 33, Yates 2-29) lead Warwickshire 454 (Yates 115, Barnard 82, Davies 66, Mousley 63) by 200 runsWarwickshire and Sussex appear destined to start their Rothesay County Championship Division One season with a draw after three sun and run-soaked days at Edgbaston.Sussex closed the third day on 126 for 3 in their second innings, 200 ahead overall, having taken a first innings lead of 74. It is a solid advantage but taking ten wickets quickly on the final day on a pitch offering some turn but which remains batter-friendly would require something special from the bowlers.The match was pretty much consigned to a draw on the third afternoon when Warwickshire, replying to 528, reached 379 to avoid the follow on. They went on to total 454 thanks to Rob Yates with 115 off 159 balls and half-centuries to Ed Barnard, Alex Davies and Dan Mousley. Jack Carson took 4 for 92, a highly commendable effort in the excellent batting conditions.Sussex have a significant lead but, in such conditions, a last-day declaration would have to be very carefully judged as a run-chase would heavily favour the batting side.After Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 223 for 3, Sussex struck early. Ollie Robinson needs to fire early this season to advance his case for an England recall and he has started strongly in this match with several hostile spells in conditions favouring the bat. He removed the well-set Yates with the 21st ball of the day, a perfectly-pitched leg-cutter which was edged behind.Robinson then unfurled another fine ball which Mousley, still to score, edged to slip, but Tom Alsop grassed the catch. Less impressive was his next wicket-taking ball – a full toss which Ethan Bamber belted straight to midwicket.At 252 for 5, still 127 short of the follow on, Warwickshire needed steadying and Mousley and Barnard provided the necessary stability with a stand of 124 in 32 overs. Mousley exploited his early reprieve to bat attractively but departed furious at himself for missing a sweep at Carson and falling lbw. Barnard struck seven fours and two sixes in an increasingly fluent innings before he fell lbw to a fine ball from Danny Lamb.Kai Smith’s punchy 27 from 32 balls ended when he lifted Carson to long on and Michael Booth fell in similar fashion after Tazeem Ali edged Lamb to second slip.Sussex were left with a session to bat and they spent it enhancing their lead in less than scintillating fashion for the loss of three wickets to the spinners. Yates added two wickets to his earlier century as he had Daniel Hughes caught at slip and Tom Haines lbw, half-forward.Tom Clark offered no shot to a sharply turning ball from Tazeem and was adjudged lbw. The degree of turn in that last dismissal offers some hope of purposeful cricket tomorrow but it will take some monumentally good or careless cricket for this match to yield a winner and a loser.

West Ham United co-owner Daniel Kretinsky could advocate for a “natural winner” to replace Graham Potter as manager, if the poor results continue.

Potter under pressure after "Spursy" performance

Following the 3-0 defeat at home against Tottenham Hotspur, former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has been very critical of Potter, saying: “I don’t want to be disrespectful to a manager, but sometimes you look at things and you think, ‘Do you know what? I’m not sure what he’s bringing to the table as a manager.

“West Ham yesterday looked as Spursy as Spurs have ever been. They looked like when Spurs were at their worst and times under Ange where they looked like they were going to concede for fun.”

As such, the 50-year-old is clearly under mounting pressure, with widespread reports suggesting Nuno is being considered as a potential replacement, alongside former Hammer Frank Lampard, given the job the Englishman has done at Coventry City.

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At the end of August, Jose Mourinho was also named as the leading candidate to replace Potter, and there has now been a new update on the Hammers’ interest in the former Chelsea manager.

According to a report from Claret & Hugh, West Ham co-owner Kretinsky could advocate for the appointment of Mourinho, should the poor results continue.

However, the report also makes it clear that the Portuguese manager has been largely discounted, so it remains to be seen whether Kretinsky would be able to convince the rest of the board to make a move.

"Natural winner" Mourinho could be divisive appointment

The 62-year-old has undoubtedly achieved a lot in football, winning the World’s Best Club Coach award on four occasions, courtesy of lifting Premier League, Serie A and La Liga titles, as well as the Champions League on two occasions.

However, it seems likely the recently-sacked former Fenerbahçe manager would be a divisive appointment, not least because of his links to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Not only that, but the former Spurs boss is clearly not the manager he once was, having been sacked by Daniel Levy after just 17 months in charge, while also failing to win a trophy during his recent spell in Turkey.

Consequently, despite being lauded as a “natural winner” by journalist Josh Bunting in the past, it may be wise to avoid making a move for Mourinho, and instead appoint Nuno, given that the 51-year-old transformed Nottingham Forest from relegation candidates into a Europa League side.

Former footballer Karl Henry also praised the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers boss for the job he did at Molineux.

Club America's Alejandro Zendejas delivered a spectacular two-goal performance on Saturday night, punctuated with an audacious chip over Costa Rican icon Keylor Navas that put his side up 3-1 in a commanding 4-1 victory against rivals Pumas UNAM. The 27-year-old's masterful display continued his exceptional run of form in the Apertura 2025 campaign.

• spectacular long-range chip to growing highlight reel

  The standout moment came in the 73rd minute with America already leading 2-1. Receiving the ball approximately 25 meters from goal, Zendejas looked up to see Navas slightly off his line. Without hesitation, the 27-year-old executed a perfectly weighted chip, from just inside the box, that sailed over the outstretched arms of the veteran goalkeeper before nestling into the top corner.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  America's attacking prowess

  The emphatic victory extends Club America's impressive form in the Apertura 2025 campaign, with Zendejas' brace bringing his season total to five goals in eleven matches. The defending champions have now scored 23 goals through their first 11 fixtures, but are still one point behind league leaders Toluca.

• Navas struggles after bright start

  For 38-year-old Keylor Navas, the match was rare off night following a bright start to his Pumas career since joining from Newell's Old Boys in July. The three-time Champions League winner had only conceded four goals in seven matches since he took over the starting job for Pumas. This loss now puts the club in 10th place, having won just three of their 11 league games so far, with four draws and as many losses.

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  América prepare for critical showdown

  Following their dominant performance against Pumas, Club América’s squad now turns their attention to a crucial home match against 13th-placed Santos Laguna on Oct. 4.

Crystal Palace have started off the campaign with a trophy to their name and could now be set to go toe-to-toe with Nottingham Forest to sign a talented midfield operator, per reports.

Crystal Palace lose CAS appeal after winning Community Shield

Oliver Glasner and his club have been involved in a turbulent couple of days that saw them win the FA Community Shield against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, though the joy of another day in the sun has been blighted by recent developments.

Taking to social media platform X, journalist Ben Jacobs delivered that Crystal Palace have lost their CAS appeal against Europa League expulsion, and they will now have to settle for a place in the Europa Conference League this term.

He said: “Crystal Palace have lost their CAS appeal and will play in the UEFA Conference League this season. Nottingham Forest will replace them in the Europa League. Palace will consider all legal options.”

Nottingham Forest will replace Crystal Palace in the Europa League, igniting more fire between both clubs ahead of their meeting on matchday two of the Premier League season next weekend.

Chelsea await in their opener at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and the Eagles will hope to bring Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss into the fold as soon as possible, even if his arrival depends on Eberechi Eze leaving the club.

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Veteran Raheem Sterling has held talks over a move to Selhurst Park and may be another option to provide a spark of creativity across the forthcoming season.

However, Glasner also appears to be focused on legs in central areas and could now be set to try and trump Nottingham Forest in the process.

Crystal Palace battle Nottingham Forest for Yunus Musah

According to reports in Italy cited via Area Napoli, Rai Sport journalist Ciro Venerato has confirmed Crystal Palace have joined Nottingham Forest in the race to sign AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

Napoli are also keen on the United States international and although the Rossoneri could ask for just under £26 million, even a fee of £21.6 million may be enough to prize him away from the Serie A giants.

Yunus Musah in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

40

Goals

0

Assists

3

Capable of playing in a variety of central midfield roles or on the right flank, the 22-year-old is a versatile presence who can deputise where needed. It should be noted that Napoli are looking to sell Giacomo Raspadori before accelerating their pursuit.

Labelled a “complete player” by Stefano Pioli, the AC Milan star completed 21 dribbles and won 19 tackles in the Italian top-flight last term, illustrating why he is a competent operator in several positions.

After losing their Europa League place to Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace could make a statement by bringing him to Selhurst Park as they now look forward after kicking the new term off with an encouraging victory over Liverpool in the Community Shield.

Newcastle United’s pre-season schedule is up and running.

On Saturday, in a behind-closed-doors match at the training ground, Eddie Howe’s team smashed Carlisle United 4-0; Sean Longstaff, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy and youngster Ben Parkinson all on target.

Next up on Saturday, accompanied by 10,000 Geordies, the Magpies will take on Scottish Premiership champions Celtic at Parkhead, which promises to be a slightly more high-profile affair.

Before then, will the Toon Army have another new signing to get excited about?

Newcastle looking to bolster their midfield

So far this summer, Newcastle have signed Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, costing a reported fee of £55m.

This makes him the second-most expensive signing in the club’s entire history, behind only fellow Swede Alexander Isak, but is certainly an exciting addition, considering only two players registered more assists in the Premier League last season than Elanga.

Now, according to a report by Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Newcastle ‘have been told’ that a £50m bid for Conor Gallagher would be accepted by Atlético Madrid.

They add that los Colchoneros ‘are not actively looking to sell’ the England international, but would do a deal at the right price, just 12 months after he arrived in the Spanish capital from Chelsea for a reported fee of £34m.

Gallagher made 50 appearances for Atleti, only 27 of which were starts, scoring four goals, most notably on target during the Champions League derbi Madrileño in March, as his side were dumped out on penalties by Real Madrid at the Metropolitano.

Now, could Gallagher be on his way back to England?

How Conor Gallagher would fit in at Newcastle

Gallagher did not establish himself as an every-game starter at Atlético Madrid, but certainly made an impact last season, as the table below documents.

Minutes

2,446

13th

Starts

27

14th

Assists

6

7th

Shots

33

8th

Attempted passes

911

13th

Pass completion %

85.9%

6th*

Progressive passes

77

10th

Goal-creating actions

10

8th

Tackles

57

3rd

Blocks

32

4th

Interceptions

34

4th

Ball recoveries

126

6th

*minimum 700 passes attempted

Despite somewhat limited opportunities, Gallagher ranked highly for all sorts of metrics at Atlético Madrid last season and the fact that the England international ended up in the top ten in terms of shots, assists, passing accuracy, tackles, blocks, interceptions and ball recoveries underlines that he is an all-action, well-rounded midfield player.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Čech asserted that he has “special abilities to be a leader”, while current manager Diego Simeone praised his “energy and intensity”, adding “he brings a lot” both in and out of possession.

So, the question remains, how would he fit in at Newcastle?

The Magpies’ most-used midfield trio last season was Bruno Guimarães alongside Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, so let’s assess how Gallagher compares to that tried-and-trusted triumvirate.

Shots

1

1

0.8

1.2

Chances created

0.7

1.4

0.9

0.8

Passes attempted

44.9

48.3

50.1

37.9

Passing accuracy %

86.59%

83.67%

85.92%

83.76%

Duels contested

12.5

12.8

8.4

13.9

Duels won

6.1

6.3

4.6

6.7

Ground duel success %

51.79%

52.58%

54.79%

40.68%

Tackles

2.5

2.3

1.8

2.2

Interceptions

1.2

0.8

1.2

0.9

Touches

63.4

66.8

65.8

55.4

Ball recoveries

6

5.2

6.1

5.6

The very abbreviated summary of the admittedly gigantic table above is that Gallagher would fit into Newcastle’s team perfectly.

His statistics are comparable to those of Guimarães, Joelinton and Tonali pretty much across the board, particularly when it comes to duels contested and touches per 90, with Gallagher coming out on top for passing accuracy, tackles and interceptions.

The England international’s out-of-possession ability and work-rate would see him seamlessly slot into Howe’s team, even if he’d have to work to earn a starting spot, with Luke Edwards of the Telegraph asserting that the existing trio is the best in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, back in the Champions League, which means a more hectic schedule, Newcastle will require depth, and Gallagher could be just the man they require to get the best out of Guimarães, with the Englishman able to do more of the dirty work, allowing the Brazilian to be deployed higher up the pitch where he can do damage.

As the numbers suggest, the former Chelsea player has all of the tools to enable that to happen.

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SACA added its voice of concern for the deteriorating human rights for Afghanistan women under the Taliban rule

Firdose Moonda12-Sep-2024

South Africa will play Afghanistan in three ODIs in Sharjah•AFP/Getty Images

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has issued a statement in support of promoting the participation of women in cricket as South Africa’s men’s team prepares to play three ODIs against Afghanistan in the UAE.Afghanistan is the only ICC Full Member that does not have a women’s team, with significant restrictions imposed on women in the country under the Taliban government.This is the first bilateral series between the two countries and only the third time South Africa will play 50-over cricket against Afghanistan after meeting them at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. These fixtures are not part of the 2023-2027 Future Tours Programme (FTP) and have been added to the calendar as CSA seeks more competitive opportunities for its teams. SACA welcomed these additions, and said in a statement they “respect the position of CSA in this regard as the national governing body for cricket.”However, SACA, on behalf of the players, wanted to add a voice of concern for the “deteriorating human rights for women under the Taliban rule,” and reiterate their support in promoting women’s cricket everywhere.Related

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No bilateral cricket with Afghanistan till there's 'a level of progress', says CA chief

Afghanistan women request ICC to help set up a refugee team in Australia

“World Cricketers’ Association and SACA do not condone any situation in which women’s players are excluded from competing in our sport,” Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO and WCA board member, said. “Every athlete has the right to equality of opportunity which is protected by international law and set out in the Universal Declaration of Player Rights. That means each player has the right to equality of opportunity in the pursuit of sport, free of discrimination, harassment and violence. A player’s right to pursue sport cannot be limited because of his or her gender. We urge CSA to utilise the leverage available to it through this series to highlight that these rights for Afghanistan’s women’s players must be protected and respected.”CSA is not expected to comment on the statement but as an ICC Member has been part of discussions around the Afghanistan situation. Its outgoing chair, Lawson Naidoo, was on the ICC’s Afghanistan working group. Sources have told ESPNcricnfo that the ICC continues to discuss possible solutions around the lack of a women’s team in Afghanistan, including ongoing conversations around a refugee team based in Australia. The ICC is hesitant to ban the men’s team (like it did with South Africa in 1970 in a stand against racial Apartheid). The ACB, because of the Taliban’s position on women, cannot recognise a women’s team. There are fears from various quarters that forcing the issue of a women’s team on the Taliban government would put lives at risk.The ICC continues to include Afghanistan as a Full Member in its international calendar, though some countries have refused to play against them bilaterally. Australia, in consultation with their government, have postponed two series in as many years against Afghanistan. They continue to play against Afghanistan in ICC tournaments. South Africa have only previously met Afghanistan in major events, most recently at the T20 World Cup semi-final, which South Africa won.On Monday, South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter was asked whether there was any consideration not to play against Afghanistan given the current regime. He passed the onus onto Cricket South Africa, without offering any personal opinion. “To be honest, those decisions are not for me to make. Ultimately, the heads of CSA decide whether we do or don’t play and so that’s the extent of it,” he said.South Africa will play Afghanistan in three ODIs in Sharjah from next Wednesday, before facing Ireland in two T20Is and three ODIs in Abu Dhabi.