Liverpool slumped to another damaging, dismal defeat as Arne Slot’s side were dumped out of the Carabao Cup, beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace while finishing the match with 10 players on a dire night at Anfield. Slot made sweeping changes to the team which was defeated by Brentford, with one eye on the clash with Aston Villa this weekend, but the fringe players and academy hopefuls were thoroughly outclassed by Oliver Glasner's side.
The loss heaps pressure on struggling Dutch boss Slot, who has watched his team lose six of their last seven matches, with their only win coming in the Champions League away at Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Reds were the better of the two sides in the early exchanges, with Federico Chiesa, recalled to the starting line-up, squandering two gilt-edged opportunities. But Palace grew into the game and thoroughly deserved to take the lead in the 40th minute.
The Eagles put together a neat interchange of passes on the edge of the Liverpool box, and though the ball fell to Joe Gomez, he scuffed his clearance to Ismaila Sarr, who in turn fired confidently past debutant Freddie Woodman. Palace doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time as they cut through the hosts’ porous defence and Gomez was at fault again as Sarr swept the ball home to send the small pocket of travelling fans delirious.
The Anfield faithful were stunned into near silence for the majority of the match and Glasner could even afford to remove Sarr, who was on a hat-trick, as the hosts laboured to create chances in the second half.
The diabolical night for Liverpool was made even worse after Amara Nallo was shown a straight red for a pull on Yeremie Pino, who was through on goal. And it was Pino who slalomed into the box to thrash the ball home into the far corner to complete the rout. With minutes left the heavens opened, the torrential rain providing the perfect backdrop to Liverpool’s performance – a complete washout.
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…
AFP
Goalkeeper & Defence
Freddie Woodman (4/10):
Had to wait until the 30th minute to make a stop, a decent drive from Hughes which he gathered comfortably, but there was nothing he could do about Sarr's opener. Was left woefully exposed for the second and similarly the third.
Calvin Ramsay (5/10):
Started his first senior game in three years after returning from injury, but endured a difficult evening.
Joe Gomez (3/10):
The experienced defender featured in an unfamiliar centre-back pairing, but flapped at the ball when he should have cleared for Palace's opener, and went AWOL for the second, chasing Nketiah around the box, instead of standing firm in front of Sarr. Ended the match wearing the captain's armband.
Andrew Robertson (5/10):
Deployed out of position at centre-back, but was unable to stem the tide in a makeshift back-line. Was clearly frustrated at his side's performance and was booked for a crude lunge in the 54th minute. Subbed off in the 67th minute.
Milos Kerkez (4/10): The left-back was the only player to retain his starting place from the previous Premier League defeat, but it was another innocuous performance and his starting position for the clash with Villa must be in serious doubt.
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AFP
Midfield
Trey Nyoni (4/10):
The academy prospect was handed a senior start in midfield as part of the significant line-up rotation, was asked to do a lot of the running, but failed to make a hugely positive impact.
Wataru Endo (5/10):
Started in midfield to provide a solid base, but spent the entire match chasing the ball to very little effect. Was most effective when attempting to break play up, but will be keen to forget this one as quickly as possible.
Alexis Mac Allister (5/10):
Was included to provided much-needed experience in a youthful midfield line-up, but looked lost for the vast majority of his 67 minutes on the pitch, and was taken off without having made a significant contribution.
Getty Images Sport
Attack
Kieran Morrison (5/10):
The 18-year-old academy forward made his senior debut, lining up on the right side of the attack. Showed plenty of willing running, but not to blame for Liverpool's toothless display and was subbed off in the 67th minute.
Federico Chiesa (4/10):
The Italian forward led the attack, and squandered a brilliant opportunity to open the scoring in the 23rd minute when he fired over from the edge of the box. Will be disappointed with his efforts and seemed anxious, snapping at chances.
Rio Ngumoha (5/10):
The 17-year-old winger showcased his skills on the left side of the attack and did brilliantly to set-up a chance for Chiesa in the 28th minute. Was one of the few players who can claim to have put in a decent shift. Threat diminished in the second half, taken off with four minutes remaining.
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Subs & Manager
Kaide Gordon (4/10):
Would have been pleased to come on, but didn't make a telling pass.
Amara Nallo (2/10):
His second red card for Liverpool in two senior appearances, sent off just 12 minutes after coming on for a desperate last-man challenge.
Wellity Lucky (4/10):
Mixed emotions making his debut on such a poor night for Liverpool.
Trent Kone-Doherty (N/A):
Only appeared with four minutes remaining, not long enough to make an impact.
Arne Slot (3/10):
Another woeful night for the beleaguered Reds boss. He'll point to the 10 changes he made with the massive match coming up against Aston Villa, but his side are devoid of confidence and another damaging defeat just makes the situation worse.
Pant had shown dissent by throwing the ball on the ground in front of the umpires on the third day after they had refused to change the ball
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025
Rishabh Pant has scored two centuries in the Headingley Test•Getty Images
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the Headingley Test. In addition, one demerit point has been added to Pant’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in 24 months.The ICC found that Pant had breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.” The incident had occurred in the 61st over of England’s first innings when Pant was having a discussion with the umpires regarding the condition of the ball, while Ben Stokes and Harry Brook were at the crease.”When the umpires refused to change the ball after checking it with the ball gauge, the wicket-keeper showed his dissent by throwing the ball on the ground in front of the umpires,” the ICC release said. Pant admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Richie Richardson, after the charges were brought in by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel.The first Test of the series is poised nicely for the last day, with England set a target of 371. They were 21 for 0 after the fourth day, with openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley at the crease.
It’s been a gruelling start to the season for Arsenal so far.
In their five Premier League games, Mikel Arteta’s side have played Liverpool and Manchester United away from home, and hosted Manchester City at the Emirates.
Then, in the Champions League, they kick-started their campaign away to Athletic Bilbao, who finished fourth in La Liga last season.
Fortunately, the Gunners’ opening League Cup fixture tonight is against what should be easier opposition in Port Vale. As such, Arteta has the chance to make some changes, including the dropping of Viktor Gyokeres, but not for Mikel Merino.
Why Gyokeres should be dropped
Now, while there are undoubtedly going to be some fans who want to see Gyokeres start tonight, there are several reasons why we think that is a bad idea, notably the state of the squad.
Jesus
Knee
01/26
Havertz
Knee
11/25
Madueke
Knee
11/25
Odegaard
Shoulder
09/25
Hincapie
Groin
N/A
Arsenal are already going through an injury crisis at the moment, and one of the players who is out of action and looks set to be out for some time longer is Kai Havertz.
So, while other players could start league games up top, the former Sporting CP star is the only natural option who plays there, and therefore, should be protected in a game like this.
Moreover, while some might argue that it’s the perfect fixture to help play the Swede into some form, the struggles of other top sides against lower opposition in recent weeks should serve as a warning that it may not be as easy as some expect.
In other words, if the Stockholm-born star starts and then doesn’t score against Port Vale, the narrative around his ability and suitability in this side will reach new levels and could totally derail his integration into the team.
Anyway, should the Gunners find themselves a couple of goals to the good late on in the game, Arteta could always bring him off the bench for 25 mins or so to run at a tired defence and grab a goal or two that way.
With all that said, then, the Spaniard has to drop Gyokeres to the bench tonight and go with another one of his attacking stars and not Merino.
The Arsenal star Arteta should start in place of Gyokeres
So, if Arteta does decide to start Merino in place of Gyokeres tonight, it wouldn’t be a terrible move, as we’ve already seen that he can do well up top.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, we think that the far better option for this game would be Gabriel Martinelli.
Yes, it’s not something he’s done all that often over the years, but the manager should play the former Ituano gem through the middle, and there are a few reasons why.
Firstly, the Brazilian is probably the club’s most inform attacker at the moment, as coming off the bench in Spain, he scored the opening goal and then provided an assist for Leandro Trossard to get the second.
Then on the weekend, as it looked like Man City were going to get all three points, he once again came off the bench to score a wonderful chip and prevent what would have been a minor disaster so early on in the campaign.
So with the 24-year-old being directly involved in the team’s last three goals, the manager should reward him with what would be just his second start of the season.
Another reason why he should be in the starting lineup is that, over the last few years, the rapid “monster,” as journalist Mark Mann-Bryans once dubbed him, has proven himself to be a real confidence player.
In other words, not only would starting him be the right thing to do as a reward for his form, but it’d also be best for the squad overall, as Arteta would have another inform free-scoring option he can call upon on the bench in league games.
Ultimately, Gyokeres should be rested tonight, and while Merino would likely do a fine job leading the line, Martinelli is in red-hot form in front of goal and deserves his chance to lead the line – it might just prove to be a game-changing development for Arsenal.
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Daniel Bell-Drummond scored a brilliant hundred as Kent won narrowly in a high-scoring game at the Cooper Associates Ground to end Somerset’s six-match winning start to the Vitality Blast T20 South Group campaign.The 31-year-old registered a high-octane innings of 100 from 49 balls, smashing 12 fours and four sixes and dominating a record-breaking opening stand of 158 with Tawanda Muyeye as the visitors posted a formidable 228 for 5 after losing the toss and being put in. Muyeye weighed in with a 40-ball 70, helping himself to six fours and three sixes in the process, while Harry Finch finished unbeaten on 22 from 13 balls. It was a chastening experience for the Somerset bowlers, Riley Meredith having the best of it with a return of 3 for 44 from four overs.Tom Banton smashed 68 off 33 balls and dominated an opening stand of 91 with Will Smeed to give the Somerset reply the perfect start. But they were unable to maintain the onslaught and Nathan Gilchrist and Joey Evison claimed two wickets apiece as Kent held their nerve to inflict a first defeat of the tournament upon last season’s runners-up.Kent boast a decent record in matches at Taunton in recent years and Muyeye and Bell-Drummond showed no signs of being intimidated by Somerset’s 100% winning start to the campaign, striking the ball cleanly in a progressive opening partnership of 158 in 13.2 overs. These two initially matched one another blow for blow, the powerplay yielding 69 runs and the hundred coming up in 8.5 overs as Somerset’s bowlers were forced onto the back foot.Leading by example, Bell-Drummond was first to 50, reaching that landmark via 29 balls with five fours and two sixes, while Muyeye faced two deliveries more to attain his half-century as the partnership went from strength to strength.Especially severe on Matt Henry, Bell-Drummond took the New Zealander for a six and a four off successive balls in the tenth as Spitfires raced to 118 without loss at the halfway stage to dampen the spirits of a sell-out crowd of 7000. Bell-Drummond took centre stage thereafter, the former Millfield Schoolboy facing a mere 19 deliveries more to go to a magnificent hundred amid a blaze of boundaries.When the veteran batter drove Lewis Goldsworthy to the cover boundary in the 13th to advance the score to 151, he and Muyeye had established a new highest opening partnership for Kent in matches against Somerset, eclipsing the 150 amassed by Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly in a game at Canterbury in 2016.No sooner had Bell-Drummond raised his third century in domestic T20 cricket, than he got out, flashing at a ball from Meredith and offering a catch behind, much to the relief of the Somerset camp. Green then had the dangerous Sam Billings held in the deep before he could inflict damage, while Lewis Gregory bowled Muyeye in the 17th to further check Kent progress.But big-hitting Finch and Jack Leaning ensured there was to be little respite for the home side, staging a fourth wicket stand of 25 at the death.Somerset chased 230 to defeat Middlesex in their last appearance at Taunton three days earlier, and Tom Banton and Will Smeed opened up in a manner that suggested they believed another successful pursuit was within their capabilities. Dropped by Gilchrist in the deep off the bowling of Fred Klaassen when he had scored 2, Banton clubbed three sixes and a four in one Stewart over to rub salt into the wound and state West Country intentions.Making the most of his escape, Banton went to 50 from 22 balls and Somerset’s opening pair put Kent’s seamers under the pump to raise 81 from the powerplay and bring the required rate down to 10.6. Kent earned themselves temporary respite, Gilchrist pinning Banton lbw for 68 with the score 91 for 1 in the seventh. Smeed then departed for 24, top-edging a short-pitched Klaassen delivery to third man as the reply faltered.The onus was now on Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Abell to play expansively and the third wicket pair plundered three boundaries in one Gilchrist over to keep the asking rate below 12. Kohler-Cadmore hit Wes Agar for an effortless straight six, followed up with a pull shot for four and then admired an Abell swish that went to the fine leg boundary as the stand realised 50 from 24 balls.Kent breathed a sigh of relief when Kohler-Cadmore, having plundered 38 from 20 balls, tried to hit Evison over the top and holed out on the long-off boundary. Gilchrist removed Abell for 22 in the next over, at which point Somerset needed a further 70 to win from 34 balls. Evison then accounted for Gregory, caught at long-on, as he visitors regained the upper hand.Somerset needed 50 off three overs and Sean Dickson and Ben Green gave it their best shot, trading in sixes to heap pressure back onto the bowlers. Green cleared the rope on three occasions at the expense of Gilchrist in the 18th and Dickson helped himself to another six off Klaassen to leave Somerset to chase 19 off the final over, bowled by Tom Rogers. Green holed out in the deep off the first ball, departing for a 12-ball 25, while Dickson finished unbeaten on 31 as Somerset fell just short in a tense finale.
Despite beating Brentford away over the weekend, Manchester City got some bad news on the injury front. Key midfielder Rodri had to be taken off with just 20 minutes gone due to a suspected hamstring issue.
Of course, the 29-year-old has struggled with injury issues since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament last season.
Thankfully for City fans, the former Atletico Madrid star gave an encouraging update, explaining that the injury “seems like it’s not that much,” and suggesting he could even be fit for the first game after the international break against Everton. Surely Pep Guardiola will want to make sure his first-choice number six is 100% fit before playing him again.
Frustratingly, one of City’s former academy stars, Romeo Lavia, could have softened the blow of Rodri’s absence.
Why Lavia could have replaced Rodri
As they have tended to do with academy stars over the past few years, City did an excellent job of selling Lavia. He joined Southampton back in 2022 for a fee of up to £14m, despite only playing once for the first team at the Etihad Stadium.
He impressed so much on the South Coast that the former Anderlecht academy star got a big move to Chelsea the summer after. At Stamford Bridge, opportunities have been scarce for Lavia due to injury problems of his own.
However, he’s worked hard to build back to full fitness and is now looking to cement himself as a key part of Enzo Maresca’s midfield.
In total, the Belgian has only made 25 appearances for the Blues, with just two coming this season. The majority of them have come at the base of Maresca’s midfield, where he’s been able to screen the back four and show his excellent progressive carrying skills.
Lavia showed what he is all about in Chelsea’s recent 2-1 win over Liverpool. He came off the bench at Stamford Bridge last weekend, and his cameo was enough to earn him a 7/10 rating from The Standard journalist Dom Smith. He said the 21-year-old put in a ‘good display’ against the Reds.
Yet, with the amount the injury-prone starlet has featured for Chelsea, he may not have been the right player to operate as Rodri’s understudy. They recently let the perfect backup slip through the cracks.
Man City sold the perfect Rodri understudy
Standing in for Rodri in the City squad is certainly no easy task. Lavia has the quality, but his injury issues mean his availability might not have been what City needed. At the club, the likes of Nico Gonzalez and Kalvin Phillips are at Guardiola’s disposal.
However, the man who could have seamlessly slotted into the starting lineup in Rodri’s absence, which is a regular occurrence these days, was sold in the summer for just £13m. Maximo Perrone made the permanent move to Serie A side Como after a season-long loan in Italy.
After joining City in 2023 from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield, Perrone never really managed to nail down a place in the side. He only made two appearances for the first team at the Etihad Stadium in the treble-winning season of 2022/23, before moving on loan to Las Palmas and then Como, where he now plies his trade.
So far, the 22-year-old has made 33 appearances for Cesc Fabregas’ side. The defensive midfielder has cemented his spot in the starting lineup, playing 90 minutes in each of the last three games and scoring his first goal for the club last weekend.
Perrone would have been “an ideal Rodri back-up,” according to football analyst Ben Mattinson.
Well, his underlying numbers from last season show just why. For example, the midfielder averaged 2.81 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, ranking him in the 63rd percentile of Serie A midfielders.
Passes completed
58.84
92nd
Key passes
1.45
84th
Tackles won
1.31
75th
Interceptions
0.97
71st
Clearnaces
2.08
88th
Perrone certainly feels like one that got away from this City squad. With his profile, a progressive ball-winner in the middle of the park, he could have seamlessly fitted into the City side in Rodri’s absence.
Letting him go for such a cheap fee in the summer could be a big error by City, especially with Rodri’s persistent injury issues.
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Crystal Palace are now considering a move for an “incredible” defender as a replacement for Marc Guehi, with the England international expected to leave on a free transfer.
Palace looking to sign Guehi replacement
Guehi came very close to signing for Liverpool at the end of the summer transfer window, but the move fell through at the last minute, with talkSPORT’s Alex Crook revealing that Oliver Glasner played a major role in preventing the deal going ahead.
Despite the centre-back’s move to the reigning Premier League champions breaking down, he hasn’t kicked up a fuss, which led to high praise from England manager Thomas Tuchel, who said: “He looks absolutely fine and impressive on the field. He has had a good couple of weeks behind him on the performance side.
“He has continued like that in camp and he handles it [the transfer situation] with respect and with a brilliant attitude.”
More recently, the 25-year-old once again underlined his importance to the Three Lions by putting in a very impressive performance against Wales, keeping a clean sheet and assisting his side’s opening two goals, which helped secure a 8.2 SofaScore match rating.
The Palace captain, who is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Premier League, continues to attract interest ahead of next summer, with Real Madrid recently being named as potential suitors.
According to a report from We Are Palace, Guehi is expected to leave on a free next summer, with Crystal Palace not even attempting to convince him to stay anymore, and a Ligue 1 defender has been identified as a potential replacement.
Indeed, Toulouse’s Charlie Cresswell is now being considered as an option, having impressed Palace scouts with his performances in Ligue 1 last season, making 31 appearances as his side went on to secure a 10th-placed finish.
Cresswell is accustomed to playing in a three-at-the-back formation, which means he could be an ideal fit in Glasner’s system, and he is thought to have significant potential.
"Incredible" Cresswell could be solid Guehi replacement
At just 23-years-old, the Toulouse defender is at a good age to be a long-term replacement for Guehi, and he evidently has the talent to be a success at Selhurst Park, having put in some very impressive performances for Toulouse over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Blocks
1.72 (88th percentile)
Clearances
6.88 (89th percentile)
Aerials won
3.50 (96th percentile)
Once lauded as “incredible” by football scout Jacek Kulig, the Englishman was also a key player for the Three Lions as they went on to win the Under 21 European Championships in the summer, starting all six games.
Crystal Palace in touch with "unsettled" England international as January deal possible
The Eagles could seal a winter transfer.
ByEmilio Galantini Oct 10, 2025
Cresswell could be a fantastic signing for Palace, with it looking almost certain that Guehi will leave on a free transfer, but he is not the only exciting option on the shortlist, with West Ham United’s Max Kilman also recently being identified as a target.
Bell, meanwhile, cannot wait to bowl at Mandhana, her Southern Brave team-mate in the Hundred
Valkerie Baynes27-Jun-20251:32
Mandhana: ‘Shafali is a world-class player and always will be’
Smriti Mandhana vs Lauren Bell. It’s a contest Bell, spearhead of England’s seam-bowling attack, couldn’t wait to get stuck into on the eve of the opening match of India’s tour, the first of five T20Is at Trent Bridge on Saturday.For Mandhana’s part, she is looking forward to reprising her opening partnership with Shafali Verma, who is making a comeback – in this format at least – having fallen out of favour after India’s group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup last October and lean ODI returns at home against New Zealand later that month.Mandhana stood in for an unwell Harmanpreet Kaur at India’s pre-match press conference on Friday but expected her captain to be fit to play the first match. She was full of praise for Shafali’s efforts to earn her recall through the domestic circuit and the WPL, where she was the fourth-highest run-scorer with 304 runs at a strike rate of 152.76.Related
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“She’s had an amazing year,” Smriti said of Shafali. “Once the setback had come, she went to domestic cricket, scored bucket-loads of runs and had an amazing WPL.”No one had any doubts about her talent, the way she had come into the Indian team and dominated. She is a world-class player and always will be, but for her to go back and do what she did in the last year was amazing to watch. She deserves this comeback and I’m really excited to open with her again.”Shafali was the leading run-scorer in the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy (527 runs, 152.31 strike rate, 75.29 average) and the Senior Women’s One-Day Challenger Trophy (414 runs, 145.26 strike rate, 82.80 average) – as captain of Haryana.Shafali Verma was the fourth-highest run-scorer at WPL 2025•BCCIMandhana and Shafali are second on the list for most partnership runs as an opening pair in women’s T20Is with 2636 runs and a partnership run rate of 7.90.Bell was keen to catch up with Mandhana, her Southern Brave team-mate in the Hundred, albeit on opposing sides.”I’m looking forward to bowling at Smriti,” Bell said. “I’ve obviously played with her, we’ve had a few net battles at the Brave before, so that’ll be a good challenge, playing against her. It’s exciting to be up against some of the best players and that normally brings the best out when you’re playing against the best.”The last time I played India, it’s always been Smriti and Shafali opening the batting, so it’s a challenge we’ve had before and one that is really exciting. They’re both very talented and play differently, so I’m hoping it just brings the best out of us. As an England player, you really look forward to these series and thrive off the challenge and how good the opposition are.”Last summer, as England went unbeaten through their twin white-ball series against New Zealand, Bell was working on changes to her action, which is now more upright and allows her to swing the ball both ways. She is satisfied with where she’s at but by no means feels that she is the finished article.”In terms of that whole chapter, I’d say I’ve got into a really good place and I feel really, really happy,” Bell said. “But I don’t think you can ever say you’re complete as a bowler.0:56
Bell: ‘Looking forward to bowling at Mandhana’
“There’s always stuff that I want to get better, but the big shift and the big change, I’m feeling in a really good place… hopefully we’ve moved on.”Bell was the leading wicket-taker during the T20I leg of West Indies’ visit, which – like the ODI series – England swept 3-0, with seven wickets at an average of 9.72 and economy rate of 5.66.Her series-best figures of 3-28 in the second T20I at Hove were eclipsed by fellow seamer Em Arlott, with a Player-of-the-Match-winning 3 for 14 having made her international debut just two days earlier in encouraging signs as England prepare for a tougher test from India.”They’ll pose us a few more challenges,” Bell said. “We had people making debuts and some people playing different roles, so they can take a lot of confidence from that. It was a really good series to have first up in the summer.”Meanwhile, India have some new faces in their seam attack, handing maiden T20I call-ups to Kranti Goud and Sayali Satghare for a squad missing the experienced Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar.Mandhana said: “The WPL has been good in terms of finding new people and of course the domestic system as well, the amount of matches the girls play nowadays. All the girls have rich experience in the domestic format.”I’m really excited to see them. Young talent, whenever they come in, it’s always very exciting. Everyone’s been prepping well and what better place than England to come in as a pacer? Of course, they’ll take a lot of lessons out of it and I’m sure they’ll do the job for the team.”
Newcastle United were solemn and nervous when Alexander Isak left for Liverpool on transfer deadline day, having forced his way out and disrupted Eddie Howe’s early-season preparations.
The Sweden striker is one of the best in the business, after all. But through Nick Woltemade and a general reshuffle of the attacking cabinet, there’s much cause for optimism once again.
But the drawn-out saga of the summer cannot be allowed to repeat itself down the line. Ross Wilson knows this, and the newly-recruited technical director is renowned for his interpersonal skills and capacity to work well alongside the manager. In this regard, Howe’s position at the peak of the heirarchal pyramid is underscored. He is the main man at Newcastle.
The i Paper have revealed that contract extensions for three key players – Sven Botman, Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali – are in the pipeline to prevent a future quandary such as this. The terms, it is believed, would contain release clauses, similar to the £100m buyout woven into the new contract Bruno Guimaraes penned in 2023.
Anthony Gordon, too, extended his stay at St. James’ Park last year and had a release clause printed on the paper. Gordon, 24, is arguably United’s attacking talisman now Isak has gone, with Woltemade young and raw, albeit with four goals in black and white already.
Keeping Gordon at the club was crucial, especially after Liverpool sniffed around for the £100m-valued England international last summer. A tough start to the campaign it has been, but he’s proving his worth and rising in importance for club and country.
Gordon's newfound seniority
Gordon was awarded the honour of Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24 after a rousing campaign that helped the club through amid so many injuries.
But he toiled through last season, unable to replicate that excellent form and fizzling out across the second half of the season. His absence through suspension for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool perhaps summed up his year.
But Gordon has scored three times in the Champions League this season and has nailed down an important position on the left flank in Thomas Tuchel’s England line-up.
Lively against Wales and clinical during the recent thrashing of Latvia, the £150k-per-week ace is growing in stature; he is a testament to hard graft, pitted against much adversity across the opening years of his professional career.
With Isak gone and Woltemade hardly expected to reach the same heights this season, fast start to life in England or not, it’s crucial that Gordon embraces his ever-evolving senior role and ensures Howe’s objectives are ticked off this term.
Gordon is a big talent, one of the finest England have. However, the Toon’s own production line has produced some exciting stars in recent years, with Elliot Anderson, somewhat bitterly, being a case in point.
But there’s another rising teenager gathering pace underneath the surface; he hasn’t yet made his first-team debut, but looks every bit a potential Three Lions star down the line.
Newcastle could have a bigger English talent than Gordon
Few and far between were the academy success stories on Tyneside in the years between Alan Shearer’s hatching in the city as a youngster and the advent of the PIF era.
To put that another way: it hasn’t been good enough. But there has been a focus on changing more than just the upper levels of the St. James’ Park set-up, these past four years.
That’s changed, and the latest example of this would be Sean Neave, who has been described by Magpies Media as being “the best Geordie striker prospect in a long, long time.”
Aged 18, Neave has already been promoted from the U18s to Newcastle’s U21 squad, the floor below senior level. Just 16 matches have been played, and a return of seven goals and three assists makes a convincing comment on the natural finisher’s potential.
Already, he stands at 6 foot 2, bearing a ranginess that is not too dissimilar to Isak’s gangly presence. With speed and a willingness to engage with defenders, playing off their shoulders, there’s a sense that Neave has taken a few pages from the Swede’s book as he has developed across these past few years.
Might Gordon have another strike partner to play with down the line? The winger’s connection with Woltemade already shows promise, but this differing profile could bear dividends. Who knows, Neave might even supersede Gordon as the star man.
Sean Neave – Career Stats so Far
Club/level
Apps
Goals (assists)
Newcastle U18
37
21 (7)
Newcastle U21
16
7 (3)
Newcastle YL
7
1 (1)
Newcastle
–
–
Data via Transfermarkt
One week ago, Newcastle U21s defeated Boston United 3-1 in the National League Cup. Did Neave get in on the action? He did indeed, bagging all three goals within 25 minutes and taking home the match ball.
Howe has already included the youngster in several matchday squads, but he still hasn’t handed the striker his first senior showing. That unforgettable occasion might just be on the horizon for the striker, whose prodigious potential is being recognised.
If he keeps it up, he may well be playing alongside Gordon for club and country in the coming years, having unquestionably demonstrated the requisite ability for a place in the Premier League. Moreover, Newcastle’s attacking depth might prove a positive thing for the teenager, who can slowly integrate without a weight of expectation on his shoulders.
While Neave’s strength leaves something to be desired, this is only natural. He is 18 and has not yet grown into his skin. This will come. Howe will ensure it.
But the natural talent and innate goalscoring ability are right there for all to see, and though Gordon is the cream of the English crop on Tyneside at the moment, that may well change if Neave continues to take confident strides over the coming years.
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Em situações opostas na tabela, o RB Bragantino foi até a Arena Independência e venceu o América-MG por 2 a 0, na abertura da 24ª rodada do Brasileirão. Jadsom Silva, no primeiro tempo, e Lucas Evangelista, no último lance, anotaram os gols da partida. Minutos antes, Mastriani teve um pênalti defendido pelo goleiro Cleiton.
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Com a vitória, o Massa Bruta chega aos 42 pontos, ultrapassa Flamengo e Grêmio e entra no G4, ocupando o terceiro lugar na tabela. Já o Coelho estaciona nos 17 pontos e permanece na penúltima colocação, dentro da zona do rebaixamento.
+ Veja tabela e simule as rodadas do Brasileirão 2023
Cinco lances que marcaram a partida
> !COMEÇO QUENTE!Nos primeiros dez minutos de jogo, tanto América-MG quanto o Bragantino tiveram boas chances de abrir o placar. Matheus Gonçalvez chutou para fora, e a resposta do Coelho veio aos sete minutos, mas Felipe Azevedo não foi feliz na pontaria
> !MASSA BRITA NA FRENTE!A equipe de Bragança Paulista abriu o placar aos 35 minutos do primeiro tempo. Vitinho recebeu na esquerda, cortou e bateu cruzado. Matheus Cavichioli defendeu, mas deu rebote, e Jadsom aproveitou.
> !MUDANÇA DA MUDANÇA!Daniel Borges, que havia entrado no primeiro tempo na vaga de Matheus Henrique, que sentiu uma lesão muscular na coxa, deixou a partida no segundo tempo, para Everaldo. Assim, o Coelho se lançava ao ataque
> !PRINCÍPIO DE CONFUSÃO!Na metade do primeiro tempo, Benítez discutiu com Juninho Capixaba, após lance com Everaldo. árbitro Marcelo de Lima Henrique acalmou os ânimos e não distribuiu cartões.
> AÍ NÃO, MASTRIANI!Após ir ao monitor, o árbitro deu toque no braço de Matheus Fernandes e assinalou pênalti para o América, nos acréscimos da partida. Mastriani bateu no meio, Cleiton não se mexeu e defendeu a cobrança sem grandes problemas.
Como foi o primeiro tempo?
Mesmo fora de casa, o Bragantino impôs seu estilo de jogo e dificultou a saída de bola do América no campo de defesa. Com o passar do primeiro tempo, o Coelho equilibrou a partida, e ambas equipes tiveram oportunidades para abrir o placar, mas o Massa Bruta aproveitou o rebote de Cavichioli para construir a vantagem no placar.
E a etapa final?
Em busca do empate, o América-MG voltou para o segundo tempo mais ofensivo, mas pouco produziu e só teve uma chance real de gol nos últimos 45 minutos. Mesmo com a vantagem, o Bragantino seguia controlando o ritmo da partida, mas viu a vantagem em risco com o pênalti no final. Porém, Cleiton defendeu a cobrança e garantiu três pontos fundamentais para o Bragantino. No último lance, Evangelista sacramentou a vitória.
O que vem por aí?
O próximo compromisso do América-MG é na segunda-feira (25), contra o Vasco, pelo Brasileirão, na Arena Independência. Já o RB Bragantino só volta a jogar no dia 1 de outubro, contra Palmeiras, no Nabizão.
AMÉRICA-MG 0 X 2 RB BRAGANTINO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – 24ª RODADA
Local:Arena Independência, Belo Horizonte (MG) Data e hora:19 de setembro de 2023, às 21h30 (horário de Brasília) Árbitro:Marcelo de Lima Henrique (CE) Assistentes:Alessandro Álvaro Rocha de Matos (BA) e Paulo de Tarso Bregalda Gussen (BA) Árbitro de vídeo:Wagner Reway (VAR-FIFA/PB) Público e renda:Não informado
Cartões amarelos:Everaldo (AMG); Rafael Gonçalves, Matheus Fernandes (RBB) Cartões vermelhos:-
GOLS: Jadsom Silva(0-1, aos 35′ do 1ºT) e Lucas Evangelista (0-2, aos 55′ do 2ºT)
AMÉRICA-MG Matheus Cavichioli; Mateus Henrique (Daniel Borges, aos 32′ do 1ºT) (Everaldo, aos 23′ do 2ºT), Éder, Ricardo Silva, Iago Maidana e Rodriguinho (Cazares, aos 14′ do 2ºT); Breno (Rodrigo Varanda, aos 14′ do 2ºT), Juninho e Martínez; Felipe Azevedo (Benítez, aos 23′ do 2ºT) e Mastriani.Técnico:Fábian Bustos
RB BRAGANTINO Cleiton; Hurtado, Lucas Rafael, Léo Realpe e Juninho Capixaba; Jadsom (Ramires, aos 15′ do 2ºT), Matheus Fernandes e Lucas Evangelista; Matheus Gonçalves (Laquintana, aos 21′ do 2ºT), Vitinho (Luan Cândido, aos 30′ do 2ºT) e Alerrandro (Thiago Borbas, aos 21′ do 2ºT).Técnico:Pedro Caixinha
After a frustrating start to the season, one ex-chairman has taken aim at Newcastle United and PIF for what they did for one of their big-money players in the summer.
Howe: Newcastle looked "jaded" in Arsenal defeat
If any 10-minute period could sum up Newcastle’s season so far, it was against Arsenal as the Gunners turned the game on its head with two late goals. The Magpies thought they had done enough.
They had their lead courtesy of Nick Woltemade, who rose highest to head home in the first-half. For the most part, it looked as though they had stifled any Arsenal threat, too. But then Mikel Merino and a last-gasp Gabriel arrived on the scene. With one win in six games, Eddie Howe was forced to reflect on another disappointing evening at St James’ Park.
The Magpies’ poor start follows a difficult summer, in which Alexander Isak finally got his move after a lengthy saga. They’ll be desperate for a change in fortune in Tyneside, but they’re receiving no sympathy from one former chairman.
Rummenigge slams "idiot" Newcastle after Woltemade saga
Despite the fact that he’s now scored twice in three Premier League games, former Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has slammed Newcastle and PIF for their decision to spend a club-record fee on Woltemade in the summer.
He told reporters in a brutally honest assessment:
Of course, this comes just months after Newcastle hijacked Bayern’s deal to sign the towering forward in impressive fashion. Whether Rummenigge’s criticism is fair or simply as a result of the sour taste left behind by that saga is certainly something to ponder.
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So far, Woltemade looks likely to pay back the £69m fee that the Magpies paid out in the form of goals and prove that they were right to pay his £132,500-a-week salary demands.