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Leeds United's start to the Championship season, when taken in isolation, marks a torrid start towards earning their goal of an instant Premier League return.

They have won just once in five attempts, and the summer window just gone saw them lose plenty of their star men, including Tyler Adams, Luis Sinisterra and Rodrigo.

However, when delving deeper, it is worth noting that not only have the Whites actually played well in those fixtures, but they also recruited shrewdly in the market to plug those holes created. Amidst all the turmoil, Daniel Farke has actually come out the other side relatively unscathed and is now surely ready to truly kickstart their league campaign.

He has a wealth of talent at his fingertips, both young and old, and should the German find the perfect blend whilst mixing around his starting side, it could prove devastating for the rest of the division.

It is likely that the former will uphold his side though, with the likes of Archie Gray, Wilfried Gnonto, Crysenco Summerville and Jamie Shackleton all growing into mainstays despite their inexperience.

A truly bright future is on the horizon once again at Elland Road, with this newfound hope sure to spur on a year of excitement rather than the gloomy period they endured in the English top flight.

Who are Leeds United's best young players?

With such a starring cast of thrilling youngsters, it marks a very difficult task to choose just one as the outstanding player.

Wilfried Gnonto was the recipient of plenty of interest over the summer, with a £25m bid having even been turned away such was his value to the club. Meanwhile, Gray has been ever-present in the midfield, with the 17-year-old general providing the foundation for Summerville to have enjoyed a frightening start to the new term.

Even Shackleton, who was perhaps a forgotten man after his quiet loan spell last season, has announced himself as a creative utility man capable of deputising in a number of roles.

However, perhaps one of their brightest talents is one which has already performed in the Premier League, and should he be given a chance, would surely be able to lead them back to that level. Joe Gelhardt is the young finisher Farke is craving.

Having joined under Marcelo Bielsa's leadership, the 21-year-old marksman has remained throughout numerous different managers now, having featured for most as a clinical youngster with an exciting future.

The forward was instrumental during the 2021/22 campaign where they narrowly avoided the drop, as his two goals and four assists in the league game at crucial moments to earn them survival.

Then, having been sent out on loan the year following as his chances dwindled, he scored three and assisted three across just 16 Championship starts with Sunderland.

Such persistent proficiency was always bound to draw praise, with journalist Phil Hay even branding him a "goal machine".

This kind of acknowledgement from such a well-respected writer should go a long way towards painting the picture of Gelhardt's talent, which has been well-documented given his meteoric rise to the top of the game.

How much was Joe Gelhardt worth at Wigan Athletic?

However, the Liverpool-born finisher was not a true product of the Whites' infamous academy, with Thorp Arch not quite able to take the plaudits for his production.

It was instead Wigan Athletic who handed the youngster the platform to shine, as his five goals in as many U18s games earned him 21 first-team appearances before his eventual sale.

To emphasise just how far Gelhardt has come, it is worth outlining that Football Transfers valued Leeds' number 30 at just €70k (£60k) in 2019, the year before he moved. Unsurprisingly, his exposure and instant adaptation to top-level football with the Yorkshire outfit has seen that figure skyrocket.

How much did Leeds United sign Joe Gelhardt for?

As the Latics were plagued by crippling financial issues, the likes of which saw them earn points deductions that would send them spiralling out of the Championship, Leeds were one of the beneficiaries who swooped in to acquire their talent for a cut price.

It was impossible for a club in administration to turn down the £1m that Bielsa had offered, and so the young striker moved in the hope that the fee he attained would aid his former employers in their survival bid.

Although the DW Stadium outfit have bounced between the second tier and League One for the past few years, at the very least Shaun Maloney seems set to offer some stability to an institution that has been sorely lacking it in recent memory.

What is Joe Gelhardt's market value now?

To gauge the growth of Gelhardt, it is worth viewing the change in his value, which can be affected by a number of different factors.

His age, the level which he has and currently plays at, nationality and skill level all come into play, but given how lowly Football Transfers once valued him, it is certain that a profit can be guaranteed.

2023

€14.7m (£12.6m)

58% increase

2022

€9.8m (£8.4m)

65% increase

2021

€4.9m (£4.2m)

136% increase

2020

€1m (£860k)

N/A

That is certainly the case when viewing Football Transfer's expected Transfer Value (xTV) for the starlet, which seeks to estimate an accurate fee that might be paid in the current market for a player's services.

The €14.7m (£12.6m) figure they have handed him is a fair representation of his current level and the potential he holds to star in the near future.

In total, across a senior career that has largely spanned across the two valuations mentioned, the 5 foot 9 poacher has seen an 1160% increase in value. Bielsa certainly worked wonders with this deal.

Why is Joe Gelhardt worth that much?

To outline why Gelhardt has seen his valuation soar in such a manner is just to hear the glowing commendation sent his way by former employers and current ones.

Paul Cook, who managed over him at Wigan, was one of the first to issue such glowing praise: "He's got that unique talent to find space in a telephone box. He's such a natural, good footballer. To get a goal like that in front of his own fans was a special moment.

"A lot of young footballers coming into the game are not very nice people. We're just lucky to have a boy with his humility playing for us – the game is easy for him. He'll be starting soon if he carries on like that. He's a young boy that needs minding though. It's a very special goal from a very special player."

Given his growth since then, which is well laid out by these aforementioned shifts in valuation, it remains to be seen just how high Gelhardt could go under Leeds' new leadership.

The Indian board’s latest warning to Sehwag was totally uncalled for and reeks of double standards, writes Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan10-May-2006

Virender Sehwag: mum’s the word, keep the secret © Getty Images
Here we go again. How irresponsible can Virender Sehwag get? One can understand his liberal swishing of the bat out in the middle, but look what he’s done now. He actually had the audacity to publicly go on record and say that there’s too much cricket and that players “need a break” to guard against burn-out. Worst still, he was cheeky enough to say that Sourav Ganguly was the best captain he has played under and added that (take a deep breath) “we miss him”.Obviously, none of this would sit well with the Indian board, who promptly issued a warning. One wonders how Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, controlled a chuckle when he read out this statement: “As a player you cannot give your opinion on any other player.” Shah, probably realising his folly a day later, attempted a cover-up operation: “It was not a warning, just our advice to him. There is no question of taking action against Sehwag. The matter is closed.”But, more pertinently, why was it an issue in the first place? Sehwag isn’t the first to be pulled up for opening his mouth. The two Singhs – Harbhajan and Yuvraj – have been gagged earlier and Greg Chappell has faced the music as well, except that his comments, unlike the other three, were against Ganguly. So it’s 3-1 at the moment, but the refereeing has been quite hopeless.Around a month back, at the pre-match press conference before the sixth one-dayer against England at Jamshedpur, Sehwag was asked about Ganguly. His response was guarded, more an effort to pass the question rather than create a stir: “… there’s no question of looking back … We have already forgotten that chapter.” No warning then, no yellow card, no nothing.Around two weeks back, Sachin Tendulkar was asked, again in a press conference, about too much cricket. One of his responses: “I have been happy with my schedule. It is important to physically and mentally recharge yourself after every series. One must make sure there is a break after matches and series.” Tendulkar expresses his opinion. No hassles. Sehwag expresses his opinion. Warned. Inference: open your mouth but just don’t say what the board doesn’t want to hear.And what if you are asked about your former captain? He might have been your greatest backer, he might have revitalised your career, and he might be your hero, but it’s almost anathema to take his name, more so if you are praising him. If the Indian board has its way, a few years down the line you may watch this version of a player interview.Interviewer: Who have been the key players in India becoming the best team in the world?
Player: Sorry, I am not in a position to answer that.I: Tell us about the World Cup final. What a superb innings from your captain …
P: I wish I could talk about that innings. But I can’t publicly comment on other players.I: Do you still have fond memories of your debut?
P: Great moment. I need to thank one man for having faith in me during that time. I am sure you know who I am talking about. That’s all I can say.I: A thousand Twenty20 games in the last year. Isn’t it too much?
P: That is for the board to comment.

Shaun Tait’s impressive debut, and Ricky Ponting discovers his bowling skills

On the ball with S Rajesh and Arun Gopalakrishnan25-Aug-2005Shaun Tait came into an Australian side, which was without Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, and by close of play he had done enough to justify his selection, ending with impressive figures of 2 for 62 from 14 overs. Tait’s first spell in Test cricket was hardly impressive – on a pitch lacking in pace, he bowled back of a length or short far too often, and rarely looked threatening. After the tea break, though, he altered his length, bowling up to the bat and getting appreciable movement, and while he went for more runs, he also bowled more wicket-taking deliveries (five out of 41 before tea; 10 out of 47 after the interval).The other bowling card that was a success – far more unexpectedly – for Australia was the captain himself. Before tea, England were rattling along at 4.5 runs per over, and of the 134 runs, 46 came through cover and midwicket, and only one through third man – a clear indication that the batsmen were hardly ever troubled and completely on top. Then came Tait’s wicket, after which Ricky Ponting brought himself on and did an excellent job of bottling an end up. He bowled six overs, and never once strayed more leg side than off stump, in the process getting the key wicket of Michael Vaughan. Don’t be surprised if Ponting’s seen offering a few bowling tips to Jason Gillespie in the nets tomorrow morning.

Malo Gusto has offered his thoughts on Mauricio Pochettino's future at the helm as Chelsea gear up to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

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Pochettino has just over a year left on contract Gusto backs him to continue as Blues boss Opened up on camaraderie with "big player" James Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite facing criticism due to Chelsea's inconsistent performances, Pochettino's leadership has received strong backing from Gusto. While the club's hierarchy plans to evaluate Pochettino's performance at the end of the season, Gusto remains confident in the Argentinian's capabilities to lead the team.

A notable aspect of Pochettino's tenure at Chelsea has been his emphasis on fostering unity within the squad. Following consecutive Premier League losses to Liverpool and Wolves, Pochettino rallied the squad, emphasizing his unwavering belief in their abilities. Subsequently, Chelsea players repaid the trust shown by their manager by securing impressive wins against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, followed by a commendable draw against Manchester City.

AdvertisementWHAT GUSTO SAID

Speaking to Gusto said: "He (Pochettino) helps us a lot. He has tried to show us the desire to win and to keep fighting against every team. He talks to us a lot about tactics and techniques. He is a good person as well. He tries to help us a lot, on and off the pitch. He is a good coach for this young team.

“That’s (the organising of bonding events at the training ground) what he has tried to do to get everyone all together. The most important thing during this new project is: to help each other and stay all together. If we do that, we can win more.”

When asked whether Pochettino should be handed an extension who has a little more than a year left in his contract, with an option for a further 12 months, the full-back said: "Yeah, yeah, yeah. He is here for this. He knows he has to wake up our mentality. To wake up our desire to win everything. We are Chelsea and a big club like Chelsea has to win everything. To keep fighting.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

In the ever-evolving landscape of football, injuries often serve as opportunities for aspiring talents to step into the limelight. This narrative rings true for Gusto, whose ascent to prominence has been accelerated by circumstances beyond his control.

Gusto's journey at Chelsea initially began with the intention of providing healthy competition for established star Reece James, yet fate had different plans. James' untimely hamstring injury in August forced a recalibration of the club's strategy, thrusting Gusto into a more prominent role sooner than anticipated.
Despite the competitive dynamic between him and James, Gusto highlights their mutual support and camaraderie, underscoring their shared goal of contributing to the team's success.

"Reece is a big player," he said. "One of the best players in this position. It’s not good for the team (that he is out injured) as Reece is the captain and it’s not good for everyone in the club. But for me, I have to be ready and take every chance.

“We talk a lot. I try to help him, he tries to help me as well. It’s a good competition between him and me. We are not similar (as players), but when we are on the pitch we try to help the team, keeping a good mentality, to score and assist. That’s what we have to do.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

As Chelsea gears up for the Carabao Cup final, Gusto's endorsement reaffirms the team's unity and determination under Pochettino's guidance. If they manage to trounce Jurgen Klopp's high-flying Liverpool on Sunday, the victory might usher in a new dawn at Stamford Bridge.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been on an exciting journey on the pitch since Chinese investment group Fosun International became the club's owners in 2016.

Who have been Wolves' biggest signings under Fosun's ownership?

The Old Gold were a Championship side at the time, after a stint in League One, and are now in their sixth Premier League season in succession, thanks – in part – to their work in the transfer market.

Most expensive signings

Fee paid

Matheus Cunha

£42.8m

Matheus Nunes

£38.5m

Fabio Silva

£34.3m

Raul Jimenez

£32.5m

Goncalo Guedes

£27.9m

Fees via Transfermarkt.

Fosun have not been afraid to splash the cash for the majority of their time in charge of the club and provided former manager Nuno Espirito Santo with enough funds to mount a promotion push from the second tier during the 2017/18 campaign.

They backed the Portuguese head coach and the former Porto chief used that money to great effect with a number of impressive signings.

One addition the 49-year-old tactician hit the jackpot with for the club was central midfielder Ruben Neves, who arrived from Porto in the summer of 2017.

How much did Wolves pay for Neves?

The Old Gold reportedly paid a staggering fee of £15m to sign the fantastic young talent, who was 20, in what was a club-record deal at the time.

Wolves and Nuno signed the 20-year-old technician for such an eye-catching fee at Championship level as he had already established himself as a first-team regular for Portuguese giants Porto.

Neves had racked up 93 senior appearances for the club prior to his move to Molineux and became the youngest captain in their history in 2015.

The talented maestro averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 and made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game across 13 Liga Portugal outings during the 2016/17 campaign in the build-up to his switch to England.

Ten other players averaged a higher Sofascore rating within the Porto squad that season but Neves made sure that he was an outstanding performer for Wolves after failing to stand out among the pack in his home country.

How well did Neves perform for Wolves?

The Portugal international, who made his national team debut in 2015, enjoyed a phenomenal debut year in English football as he took the Championship by storm.

Neves averaged an exceptional Sofascore rating of 7.32 across 42 starts in the division as he contributed with six goals and one assist from midfield.

The tenacious midfielder did not get on the scoresheet often but did make sure that his goals were worth the wait, as shown in the video above, with some exceptional strikes from distance.

His defensive work, however, is where he excelled as the central midfielder averaged a superb four tackles and interceptions per match, which was the most by any midfield player for the club and the second-most in any position behind Willy Boly (4.2).

Neves' outstanding form in the middle of the park was recognised by his peers as the Wolves star was voted into the PFA Team of the Year for the Championship, alongside John Ruddy and Boly.

How many Premier League goals did Neves score?

The Portuguese was then tasked with dealing with the step up to Premier League football and he ended up with 21 goals in 177 top-flight appearances for the club over the course of five seasons.

His excellent defensive instincts were on full display again at the top level as Neves averaged 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game across 35 outings during the 2018/19 campaign, which was the joint-most of any Wolves player that term.

This shows that the former Porto starlet was able to deal with competing against higher-quality opposition in the Premier League, as opposed to playing second-division football in the Championship.

Neves' ability to consistently break up play in midfield was vital for Nuno's side as he was the defensive rock in the middle of the park to stop teams from threatening their goal.

The 26-year-old warrior, who was once hailed as "sensational" alongside teammate Joao Moutinho by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, played at least 33 Premier League matches in each of his five seasons at the top level for Wolves.

This suggests that he was a consistently reliable option for the manager as it was rare for him to miss a game over the course of half a decade.

How much did Wolves sell Neves for?

Wolves reportedly cashed in on the Portuguese ace for a fee of £47m this summer as Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal swooped to secure his services after six years at Molineux.

This means that the club made a significant 213% profit on the initial £15m they splashed out to sign him from Porto.

Nuno and Wolves took a gamble when they sanctioned a club-record deal to sign a 20-year-old prospect with no guarantee of a promotion to the Premier League or that the player would develop as well as be able to adapt to life in England.

However, they clearly had faith in Neves and he repaid them accordingly over the subsequent six seasons with consistently brilliant displays in midfield.

He ended his time with Wolves in excellent fashion as his performances throughout the 2022/23 campaign were outstanding. The Portugal international averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.23 across 35 games and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game to go along with six goals.

No other outfield player for the club averaged a Sofascore rating higher than 6.90 and Neves also topped the charts for tackles and interceptions combined as well as being the joint-top scorer alongside Daniel Podence.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old was a phenomenal performer for the Old Gold as he made a significant impact at both ends of the pitch, breaking up opposition attacks and finishing off chances to score goals, while delivering a consistently high standard with his displays in midfield.

This convinced Al Hilal to spend £47m on his signature and it will now be interesting to see how the rest of his career pans out, as he still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop further.

Whatever happens from here, though, there is no doubt that Wolves struck gold when they decided to sign Neves as he ended up making the club millions alongside being a crucial player on the pitch for a number of years.

Will Luke talks to the West Indian fast bowler, Daren Powell

Will Luke in Dublin12-Jul-2007

Daren Powell: putting a spring back into West Indies’ step © Getty Images
Watching West Indies celebrate their win over England in the one-day series was special, and marked a remarkable transformation in fortunes for such a brittle side. And for Daren Powell, their fast bowler who suffered during the preceding Tests, the win was a relief as much as anything else. For once, his team could walk tall on this tour.”It was a big relief because we’d been losing, and we didn’t want to be going home with our heads down,” Powell told Cricinfo after West Indies’ thumping win over Netherlands in Dublin on Monday, “For the past year or so, I’ve been saying that I really want to come home from a series with my head up, smiling – and it’s so good that we beat England, you know, it was a real good one.”When we travelled down on the bus to London, I spent some time looking at everyone on the bus…and it was just completely changed, a different bunch of players. Happy, joking, laughing and having a nice time. It’s good to see everyone smiling, happy about what we did, and how we felt.”For a team whose decline in the past 10 years has been as stark as it has been depressing, the victory was a timely fillip, especially as they now have to pit their wits against some of the lesser teams of the world. The squad has decamped to Ireland for a Quadrangular tournament that also involves Netherlands and Scotland, and the onus is on them to maintain the same intensity they showed against England.”It’s pretty hard when you’re playing a team that’s less competitive,” said Powell. “But we haven’t been winning much cricket, and then had a really good series in the one-dayers against England. And after those one-dayers, we just forget everything that happened in the [preceding] Tests.”It just showed that it’s good to win,” he said. “And whatever happens here, we just have to remember how good it is to win. Winning gives you confidence, and then you know how to carry on in other games, when you reach tougher opposition. [In the past] West Indies haven’t pulled off the victory when we should.”Why has it been a tour of two halves, though? West Indies were so dismal during the Test series that few gave them much hope of even challenging England in the one-dayers. Yet they lifted themselves to a new, thrilling level – and, crucially for them, they were clearly enjoying it all so much. Powell, too, was a man reborn, consistently bowling in excess of 90mph and showing excellent control, picking up six wickets at 21.83. Could it have had anything to do with the identity of his captain, Chris Gayle?

Chris Gayle: ‘The whole team has changed since the day he took over’ © Getty Images
“Chris really is tremendous you know,” Powell, a good friend of Gayle’s, said. “Maybe people will take this the wrong way, because we’re from the same country [Jamaica], but really, I’ve played under so many other captains in the past. He doesn’t say much, but he knows how to gel the team together – to spark off your plugs and stuff – and it’s very pleasing to see someone like him generating this team spirit.”He’s a funny guy – always jovial around the team, not like what you see on TV when he probably has a serious face. He’s a jovial kind of guy and often in team meetings, he’ll just say ‘believe in yourself’. He just has a way with people. To me, the whole team has changed since the day he took over.”That’s quite some statement. Who, honestly, would have thought Gayle – as laid back as a flattened deckchair – could inspire so much from his troops? Gayle himself has been very quick to maintain that he’s keeping the seat warm for Ramnaresh Sarwan, who left their tour of England through injury. But inspiration, fortune and success can manifest themselves from the most unlikely of sources and people.Gayle to captain the Test side, then? A broad smile and a revealingly guffawing laugh from Powell suggests he’s already given it some thought. But why the laugh? “Well, because of the name Sarwan! [cue even more laughter].”Sarwan is also good, but it’s up to what the selectors want to do now,” said Powell. “To me, if they want to have different captains for the one-day side and the Test side, that would be nice. And if they pick Sarwan again, that too would be tremendous, you know, as long as the guys can keep up the same momentum as with Chris.”And the impression you get from Powell – a character almost as hynotically relaxed as Gayle – is that West Indies are in no mood to let up the pressure on Ireland, Scotland – or anyone else. Maybe Gayle is the man for the job, after all.

If it wasn't for a ten-point deduction, Sean Dyche's Everton would be flying high in the Premier League at this moment in time.

The Toffees would be competing with the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United higher up the division than looking over their shoulders at the bottom three in the top flight if the points deduction never happened, winning four of their last five matches with four consecutive clean sheets tallied up along the way.

However, as much as Dyche's men are defensively solid, the Blues do arguably lack firepower going forward with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin only helping himself to three goals this season in the league.

January could come at the best possible time therefore to recruit a new exciting forward player, with rumours indicating that the buoyed-on Blues are interested in former Sheffield United man Iliman Ndiaye who could fill the boots of Richarlison finally.

Everton transfer latest – interest in Ndiaye

TEAMtalk are reporting, via journalist Alan Nixon, that the Merseyside outfit are interested in bringing Ndiaye to Goodison Park this January, Dyche wanting positive reinforcements up top.

The deal could well only be a loan switch however, Ndiaye's current club Marseille wanting the Senegal international to get back to his explosive Sheffield United best after an underwhelming stay in France to date before returning back to Ligue 1 revitalised.

Everton could well be the next destination that ends up re-energising the faltering forward, the 23-year-old attacker previously vital to the Blades as a creative force.

The Blues could do with a vibrant attacker coming in and shaking things up, lacking a second exciting striker option in their ranks ever since former Everton great Richarlison upped and left for Tottenham.

How Ndiaye compares to Richarlison

Ndiaye could come in and play a similar starring role for the club that the Brazilian forward provided for Dyche, a skilful and exuberant attacker who also has the goals to back up the audacious flicks.

Last season under recently sacked Paul Heckingbottom at Bramall Lane, Ndiaye was paramount to the Blades winning automatic promotion from the Championship – scoring 14 goals and assisting a further 11, switching between playing as an out-and-out centre forward, competently playing down the channels or filling in as an attacking midfielder. That's certainly similar to Richarlison.

This blistering form saw former Blades striker Brian Deane wax lyrical about the Senegalese forward to the Sheffield Star, stating that the thrilling attacker is "worth the entrance fee alone."

Richarlison similarly was vital last season to the Toffees in their escape from relegation with electric performances, netting four less than his counterpart with ten goals but proving to be equally critical for his side.

The 26-year-old was also subject to glowing praise, heralded as "world-class" by former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson when speaking to Football Insider in the direct aftermath of his move to north London.

Ndiaye was also rewarded with a major move, although his time with Marseille has been anything but smooth sailing.

Sheffield United's former number 29 has found the adjustment to French football tricky, only managing one strike so far donning his new Marseille colours.

Ndiaye could seek some comfort relocating to England in January in a bid to recapture his form, the Toffees desperate to land the flashy forward even with his former relegation-threatened employers also reportedly sniffing around to clinch a South Yorkshire homecoming.

The out-of-sorts 23-year-old would also offer Dyche another presence who can potentially play down the flanks, Ndiaye pushing the likes of Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil potentially to new heights by offering friendly competition.

It has all the makings of being a fascinating transfer saga, Everton leading the race so far for the hot property.

Erik ten Hag has admitted that Antony "hasn't shown his big potential" for Manchester United while opening the door for Amad Diallo to take his spot.

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Ten Hag claimed Antony needs to prove himselfHas scored just once this seasonWill face competition from youngstersGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch manager, who also worked with Antony at Ajax, has acknowledged the face the Brazilian is struggling to live up to expectations at Old Trafford. Antony, who cost United £85 million ($108m) when he joined the club in 2022, has also been warned that he could now fall behind Amad Diallo and 19-year-old Omari Forson in United's attacking pecking order.

AdvertisementWHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID

Speaking to reporters, Ten Hag said of Antony's current position in the squad: "He has to prove a point, that he will do. And he has big potential. He hasn’t shown it lately, but I know what his talent is, and it’s about proving his talent, and it’s about him. And, yeah, he will probably get his opportunities, right? But, yeah, I think that was always the idea.

"You have competition, and now he has to show himself on the training pitch, but also others because we have opportunities there. With [Amad] Diallo returning from an injury, he’s doing well in the training. Omari Forson is doing well. So we have options to fill in those positions. And it’s not set that Marcus Rashford has to play as a centre forward."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Both Amad and Forson have made just one Premier League appearance each in the current season. While the former Sunderland player appeared against Norwich City in December, Forson made his league debut against Wolves earlier this month.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

Brazil international Antony, who has experienced a poor run of form in the ongoing campaign having scored just once in 25 appearances across all competitions, could be next seen in action on Saturday as the Red Devils take on Fulham in a league clash.

After Arsenal well and truly demolished PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday evening it looked as though the Gunners were back in the silky groove that had seen them dominate so much last season.

Indeed, that looked true during the opening half an hour of the north London derby on Sunday afternoon too.

Mikel Arteta's men came flying at Spurs who were forced to play through a rampant pressing unit. To their credit, Ange Postecoglou's men did well to navigate proceedings in that regard.

It wasn't enough to prevent them from going a goal down, however, with Bukayo Saka finding the net via wicket deflection off Cristian Romero.

That went down as an own goal before Saka would score in his own right from the penalty spot in the second half. That, however, wasn't enough for a win as Heung-min Son scored twice to ensure proceedings ended 2-2.

Arsenal were far from their free-flowing best. Skipper Martin Odegaard, fresh from a majestic performance in the Champions League a few days ago only recorded 18 passes at a woeful 64% success rate, while Jorginho, a half-time substitute for the injured Declan Rice, was robbed of possession in shambolic circumstances by James Maddison for Tottenham's second.

That said, the usually tireless Eddie Nketiah was perhaps one of the biggest party poopers on Sunday.

How did Nketiah play against Spurs?

The young striker has been an astute deputy for Gabriel Jesus throughout 2023.

The Brazilian sustained an injury at the World Cup last winter, a problem that ultimately saw him miss a few months. At the time, it was a worry for the Gunners, but upstepped Nketiah who scored against West Ham and Brighton immediately after the break before bagging twice, including a late winner against Manchester United in late January.

He started the new campaign vibrantly too, netting versus Nottingham Forest and Fulham, but with Jesus now fit and firing again, his performances have dwindled.

Against Everton eight days ago he was hauled off just after the hour mark and probably shouldn't have been given much more time than that yesterday.

Whether he'd have played but for Leandro Trossard's training injury is an interesting trail of thought, as Jesus was moved to the left-hand side after his European exploits, with Nketiah leading the line again.

However, after a timid showing, it was Jesus who was taken off in the second half, with the academy graduate somehow lasting the whole 100 minutes that were played.

Perhaps the most frustrating moment of Nketiah's afternoon was in the first half. Destiny Udogie's backpass flew past Micky van de Ven which left the Arsenal number 14 with a tight chance to score from.

He ignored Fabio Vieira who was racing towards the penalty spot and instead stuck an effort straight at Guglielmo Vicaro in the Tottenham net.

The £100k-per-week earner is usually accustomed to doing the dirty work but was largely anonymous throughout, making a mere six passes in 100 minutes on the field, and also registering just 23 touches of the ball. For context, even the Gunners' stopper, David Raya, had more say with the ball at his feet, taking 42 touches in total.

Described as "average" by Man United personality Mark Goldbridge, this was certainly a game to forget for Nketiah who was decidedly toothless and inept in the final third.

Usually such a vibrant poacher, he lacked the instinct to be in the right place at the right time, with his small influence on the game summed up by Arsenal's apparent lack of desire to put the ball into the area throughout injury time.

To make matters worse, the 24-year-old was perhaps lucky not to be sent off for a late challenge on Vicario as he flew through the Spurs 'keeper when the ball had already gone.

It's not often in the last 12 months that you could say Arsenal need to sign a new striker. Jesus was so promising in the early stages of term but if they are to persist with Nketiah, trouble will only brew in the final third.

Whether or not Trossard and Martinelli are fit for this week's fixtures, Nketiah must be ditched from the starting XI. His position is surely now Jesus' for the taking.

The Sussex openers added an unbeaten 86 in the 21 overs possible on the opening day

ECB Reporters Network27-Apr-2018
ScorecardSussex openers Phil Salt and Luke Wells made an impressive start to their Specsavers County Championship game against Gloucestershire before rain swept in to ruin the first day at Hove.Salt, 21, was unbeaten on 54 and Wells had contributed 25 to a stand of 86 for the first wicket before rain arrived at 12.30pm. Umpires Martin Saggers and Russell Warren abandoned play at 4pm with no sign of an improvement in conditions after taking an early tea.After losing Chris Nash to Nottinghamshire during the winter Sussex are giving Salt, who is making only his tenth first-class appearance, a run as opener and although he played some false shots there was a lot to admire in his aggressive approach after Sussex had batted first following an uncontested toss.Australian Dan Worrall troubled both batsmen during a lively nine-over burst with the new ball up the slope. Salt came down the pitch to try and smear him through the off side and was then struck on the helmet by the next delivery when he misjudged a bouncer and needed to make repairs to his headgear.But in the last over before the rain arrived, Salt drove Matt Taylor for four then pulled his next ball over square leg for six. A single off the next delivery took him to his second Championship half-century from 59 balls which has included nine boundaries. Earlier, in the tenth over, he had taken three fours off Taylor with two drives through the off side and a pull to the midwicket rope.Wells, fresh from an unbeaten 102 on Monday in Sussex’s last match against Leicestershire, batted with more reserve but looked solid enough. His innings, from 66 balls so far, has included four boundaries.Gloucestershire, who won their opening Division Two game against Kent before losing to Glamorgan last week, used just Worrall, Taylor and Craig Miles and although Worrall in particular beat the bat on several occasions their trio of seamers could not make a breakthrough.Sussex made one change with left-arm spinner Danny Briggs making his first appearance of the season with legspinner Will Beer dropping out. Gloucestershire were without last year’s leading wicket-taker Liam Norwell and David Payne because of injury.