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It is never quiet at Manchester United, with the international break having brought with it further controversy for the Old Trafford outfit amid what has already been a turbulent start to the campaign.

The previous weeks and months have seen a prospective sale of the club by the Glazer family fail to pan out, with the Red Devils also coming under fire amid reports of an initial plan to bring Mason Greenwood back into the fold – only for the Englishman to subsequently move on loan to Getafe.

More recently, struggling winger Jadon Sancho hit back at manager Erik ten Hag on Twitter following criticism of his training ground displays in the build-up to the defeat to Arsenal, while fellow forward Antony – who was signed on an £86m deal from Ajax last summer – is now facing a spell away from the first-team, amid worrying allegations of alleged assault and domestic abuse.

Who can replace Antony at Man United?

With it unclear as to if and when the Brazilian will return to Ten Hag's set-up, the Dutchman will have to make do without a player who has been a firm favourite of his in recent times, with the 23-year-old having started all four Premier League games this season.

Although the former Sao Paulo man has not exactly impressed in a United shirt to date, with only eight goals and three assists in 48 appearances in all competitions, it will still leave Ten Hag with something of a headache in that right-wing berth.

While there is an argument to be made that Alejandro Garnacho could be shifted over to that side, there will also be calls for 21-year-old, Facundo Pellistri to fill that void, with the Uruguayan having looked "scintillating" when he has featured in recent times – as per writer Alex Turk.

That being said, the diminutive talent has not exactly been Ten Hag's go-to man in the past with just 12 senior appearances for the club to date across the last three years or so, with it perhaps also wise to consider academy starlet, Omari Forson for that vacant role on the flanks.

Who is Omari Forson?

The 19-year-old notably hit the headlines in pre-season after being withdrawn in just the 36th minute in the defeat to Borussia Dortmund, with Ten Hag making the decision to substitute the teenager following his altercation with Julian Ryerson – a flare-up that the United boss hinted could have been a red card in a normal, competitive fixture.

Despite that obvious low, the fact that the England youth international was able to feature so prominently over the summer is a testament to his "outstanding" talent – as described by Everton youth coach Keith Southern – with big things expected of a player who has dazzled in the youth ranks of late.

The fleet-footed youngster – who can operate on either wing – notably enjoyed an "excellent" 2022/23 campaign, according to journalist Steven Railston, after scoring nine goals and providing three assists in just 25 games in all competitions.

While yet to make his first-team bow, Forson does now boast an overall tally of ten goals and five assists in just 31 appearances for United's U21 squad, with that an impressive return considering he only turned 19 back in July.

Evidently a real threat in the final third, the emerging prospect could represent a more natural replacement for Antony than Pellistri as a left-footer who likes to cut in from the right, with it set to be no surprise if Ten Hag does look his way over the coming weeks and months.

Facundo Pellisti has joined Granada on loan until the end of the season after struggling to hold down a place in Manchester United's starting XI.

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Pellistri moves to Granada on loanMade just one PL start this seasonAgent lashed out at Ten HagWHAT HAPPENED?

It is Pellistri's second loan spell in Spain after spending the second half of the 2020-21 season and the whole 2021-22 campaign with Alaves. The Uruguayan made 14 appearances this season for United but just one start in the Premier League, the 1-0 defeat by Crystal Palace. Granada, who are second from bottom in La Liga will cover Pellistri's wages and pay an undisclosed loan fee to United.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Pellistri grew frustrated with his lack of opportunities and before completing his move to Granada his agent took aim at United boss Erik ten Hag, hinting that the player is unlikely to return to Old Trafford for next season if the Dutchman remains in charge. "Ten Hag hasn’t used him, valued him, or treated him like a professional," Edgardo Lasalvia told . "Whether he returns to Manchester in the middle of the year will depend on the performance he shows. If Ten Hag continues, it’s going to be difficult."

DID YOU KNOW?

Pellistri is a Uruguay international with 18 caps under his belt. He has made 24 senior appearances for United throughout his career, and will now aim to feature regularly in Spain.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PELLISTRI & MAN UTD?

Pellistri could make his debut for Granada at home to Las Palmas on Saturday. United are in Premier League action away to Wolves on Thursday, searching for their first league win since December 26.

CSA is hoping for Test status for the Boxing Day game against Zimbabwe, as the much-anticipated Test series against India has been reduced to three matches

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-20174:16

Four-day Tests on the cards

India’s tour to South Africa has been cut to three Tests from the original four, but will include an additional ODI, taking the total number of 50-over matches to six along with three T20s. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier in the week, India’s tour will begin with a late New Year’s Test which starts from January 5 at Newlands – three days later than the usual start for the festive fixture.Although South Africa have lost out on a Boxing Day Test against India, they host Zimbabwe for a four-day day-night match in Port Elizabeth, starting from December 26. Cricket South Africa is awaiting ICC approval before labelling the Zimbabwe fixture a Test.The confirmation of the India’s tour comes after months of speculation about when the tour would be finalised and whether South Africa would be able to host a 10-Test summer. That will only be possible if the Zimbabwe match is allowed to go ahead as a Test; CSA is confident the ICC will give them the green light at their October meeting in Auckland.For over a decade, the ICC has been hearing the case for four-day Tests and the discussion was taken up in earnest again this year. One of the key reasons for shortening Tests is to be able to save time on a tour and allow for more matches.An insider told ESPNcricinfo that CSA understands if four-day Tests are approved, they will only be played when decided by an MoU between member countries and they are more likely to be played between the so-called younger teams in Test cricket or when a top-tier team plays a lower-ranked opponent. South Africa hope to be pioneers in the format.After that match, they will turn their attention to India, who will arrive in South Africa on December 28, four days after their home series against Sri Lanka ends. India will have a two-day practice match in Paarl on December 30 and 31. India were understood to have wanted two warm-up matches, but there isn’t enough time.”The time constraints faced by India have forced us to reduce the Test matches to three, while increasing white-ball cricket to six ODIs and three T20I matches,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA CEO, said.Cape Town will host the first Test while venues are yet to be confirmed for the following two. Given the large Indian support base in Durban, Kingsmead is highly likely to host one of the matches which will leave the Wanderers in Johannesburg or SuperSport Park in Centurion to host the remaining Test. While the Wanderers is regarded as South Africa’s home of cricket, SuperSport Park may edge it out because it is the only one of the big five grounds that does not host Australia for a Test in March.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their pursuit of further additions to the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to Foot Mercato, the Black Cats are one of a number of teams interested in signing Manchester United winger Noam Emeran during the summer transfer window, as Tony Mowbray eyes up the left-footed wizard.

The report claims that Anderlecht, Vitesse, Strasbourg, and Coventry are also in the running to sign the 20-year-old Frenchman, who could be in line for a contract extension at Old Trafford.

It states that a loan move could be on the cards for the exciting attacker and that would take up one of the club's two Premier League loan spots for the upcoming season.

How good is Noam Emeran?

He is yet to make his senior competitive debut and that makes it difficult to say with confidence that the Red Devils youngster would be a good player for Sunderland.

However, the potential is there for him to come in as Amad Diallo 2.0 for Mowbray after the Ivorian international spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan from United as a left-footed winger.

The ex-Atalanta starlet produced 14 goals to go along with three assists in 39 Championship matches, which made him the club's top scorer in the division.

Diallo was able to make an instant impact at the Stadium of Light and made himself a key player for the head coach throughout the season, which has set the standard for Emeran to follow.

Both of them featured for United in their pre-season clash with Leeds United earlier this week and the French maestro came out on top.

The £1.5m gem replaced Diallo on the right flank at half-time and showcased his talent at the top end of the pitch. As per Sofascore, Emeran completed four dribbles, created three chances for his teammates, and ended the match with one goal to go along with one assist.

That came after the Ivorian talent produced one key pass, three dribbles, and failed to directly contribute to a goal in the opening 45 minutes of the game.

Whilst it was only a pre-season outing, the 20-year-old ace showed plenty of promise with his performance – particularly in comparison to the former Sunderland man.

Emeran also caught the eye for United's U21 side last term with five goals in 15 Premier League 2 appearances, which works out as a strike every three games on average, whilst Diallo managed one every 2.79 matches.

The 5 foot 10 dynamo, who has been hailed as "athletic" by journalist Josh Bunting, displayed his creative ability during his time at U18 level with five goals and six assists over 16 league outings, which suggests that the potential is there for him to replicate Diallo's creativity alongside the goalscoring impact.

Therefore, the French prospect is a player with the scope to come in and make a significant impact on Wearside if he is able to translate his youth and pre-season form to a first-team environment, in the same way that his current teammate was able to do last season.

West Ham United’s “dream target” for the summer transfer window is Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Who is Leon Goretzka?

Goretzka is primarily a central midfielder who has played his football at the Allianz Arena since 2018 having moved there on a free transfer from FC Schalke, and during his five years at the club, he’s become a regular first team feature, clocking up 179 appearances to date, which has alerted clubs in the Premier League.

The Germany international still has another three years to run on his contract with Thomas Tuchel’s side, but there’s a strong possibility that he’ll be on the move before the end of the ongoing window after being put up for sale by his manager. Plettenberg previously said:

“Leon Goretzka is definitely a candidate whose situation is being watched very closely by the English, because they didn’t miss the fact that Goretzka was allowed to leave Bayern. Bayern is currently considering a fee of €40m [£34m] to €50m [£43m]. Tuchel would definitely let him go because Tuchel wants to create space in the squad.”

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

Sky Sports in his homeland soon after reported that the Irons were preparing an offer for the 28-year-old, and whilst a significant development of that sort is yet to come to fruition, David Moyes doesn’t seem to have forgotten about the talisman in the Bundesliga.

Are West Ham signing Leon Goretzka?

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that West Ham have held a strong, long-standing interest in Goretzka, but admitted that at this stage, any move being completed could be more of a pipe dream. He wrote:

“Man Utd never lost their focus on Leon #Goretzka! Understand the 28 y/o is still on the list of the club. #MUFC. Goretzka wanted to stay 100% – but the last ten days have clearly shown that he won’t be a starter under Tuchel for now. Tuchel is planning with Kimmich/Laimer and wants a new holding six on top. Difficult situation. ManUtd & Goretzka, situation to watch! Still a dream target for West Ham.”

West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse this summer, but having seen a £20m, followed by an increased £30m offer rejected, they may need to start looking for central midfield alternatives. Having been dubbed “top-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Goretzka could be the perfect candidate.

The Bochum native is naturally stronger in the offensive aspect of his game following his 12 goal contributions (six goals and the same number of assists) across all competitions last season, but he’s also capable of putting in a shift defensively having averaged 1.7 aerial wins and 1.6 tackles per league game, via WhoScored.

Goretzka, who pockets £296k-per-week, furthermore knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured 14 pieces of silverware for club and country throughout his career, so should he put pen to paper, he would be able to instil a much-needed winning mentality into the squad at the London Stadium.

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.

The fast bowler believes South Africa have been disadvantaged in the chirping battle with Australia thanks to the disciplinary straitjacket put on their most combative personality

Firdose Moonda in Durban06-Mar-2018Dale Steyn believes the demerit points hanging over Kagiso Rabada has handicapped South Africa’s ability to be as noisy in the field as Australia. In an interview with South African radio station , Steyn said it was like “taking a knife to a gunfight”, and has been a “little bit unfair” on South Africa.Rabada has five demerit points to his name and has already been banned for a Test – the second Test against England last July – and if he collects three more he will be suspended for a minimum of two Tests, something neither he nor South Africa would want to risk. He has not had much verbal presence on the field, especially not compared to Australia, who have talked so much they even tried to get the stump mics turned off by mentioning rival sponsors’ names. Australia’s aggression did not even stop on the field. On the fourth day, David Warner had to be physically restrained by team-mates in the stairwell leading up to the changeroom and CCTV footage showed him shouting at Quinton de Kock.South Africa have had no real riposte and Steyn is thought to be the one player who might show similar anger. When Steyn was asked about his own persona on the field, and if South Africa have anyone else who can do that, he immediately mentioned Rabada, but admitted the young quick has not been as intimidating as he could be.”One other guy that actually gets involved is KG (Rabada) – he really does get stuck in,” Steyn said. “But I think after some of his last few incidents where he got into trouble – he got a ban and a fine and everything like that – he kind of has the handcuffs around him right now, which is a little unfair because if you look at the way some of the Aussies are going about it- and I’m not standing here and complaining, and I hope I don’t get a fine for saying that – but you kind of feel that you are taking out our best competitor, especially with that kind of presence, if you take him out of the game, it’s like taking a knife to a gunfight really. It’s a little bit unfair.”Rabada has only had two moments where it appeared he might become involved in some verbals. After dismissing Warner in the second innings, Rabada gave him a small send-off, but passed his arm over his face to make it difficult to hear or see what he was saying. Rabada also came out of the dressing room alongside Faf du Plessis when Warner was having a go at de Kock but did not say anything. Instead he just loomed large, perhaps with the aim to step in if needed.Meanwhile, Steyn remains on track to make a comeback for the third Test. He has not played any competitive cricket since the first Test against India in January, where he injured his heel on comeback from 13 months recovering from a shoulder injury. Steyn confirmed he is back to bowling but he has to play some first-class cricket before he can make an international return. He hoped he will be “on a cricket field by the end of next week.” He is likely to play for the Titans in a round of franchise matches which coincides with the second Test in a bid to make a return at Newlands, and take the three more wickets he needs to become South Africa’s leading Test bowler.

Aston Villa star Alisha Lehmann showed some invention with her bum as she promoted the viral soft drink PRIME on social media.

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Aston Villa star posts inventive promotional videoUses bum to topple bottle down stairsInstagram following laps up wacky vidGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

In the quirky video full of quick edits, Lehmann finds ever more bizarre ways to tumble a bottle of PRIME down a stair well to herself below. To the tune of JID's 'Surround Sound' she drops, throws and nods a bottle down before failing with a hip bump, causing her to resort to toppling the bottle with her behind. The video went down well with her 16 million Instagram followers. Lehmann also revealed that she is partial to PRIME's Cherry Freeze option, as she captioned the post: "Prime everywhere, that's my favourite flavour ❄️💘"

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Getty/TwitchDID YOU KNOW?

Lehmann's vast social media following were let in on a secret as the new year broke with the Swiss star posting a series of family photos that revealed that she had reunited with Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz after splitting up in November 2022.

Eagle-eyed Twitch viewers were also treated to the sight of Lehmann ticking off her partner for losing track of time after a marathon Call of Duty session on Tuesday evening.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ALISHA LEHMANN?

After a month of for the WSL winter break its back to work for the Swiss international when Villa take on Everton in the FA Women's Cup fourth round on Saturday. Lehmann will also hope for minutes in Villa's first WSL game back against Leicester on January 19.

Everton reportedly remain interested in signing Salernitana forward Boulaye Dia in the summer transfer window, and could use Neal Maupay as part of any deal.

Are Everton signing a new striker?

The Blues have been on the lookout for attacking reinforcements since the end of last season, with more quality in the final third something that has to be addressed ahead of the new Premier League campaign after scoring just 34 top-flight goals last season.

El Bilal Toure is one player who has been linked with a move for Goodison Park, but he has instead opted to join Atalanta, acting as a blow for Everton.

Another target who has also been seen as a primary target is Dia, though, who caught the eye for Salernitana last season, scoring 16 goals and chipping in with six assists in Serie A. It was a highly impressive first season there, having initially joined on loan from Villarreal, but his temporary move has now become permanent.

Despite this, a move away this summer doesn't look out of the question, with a new update suggesting that there is one Everton player who could help a move to Merseyside come to fruition.

Do Everton still want to sign Boulaye Dia?

According to Tutto Salernitana [via Sport Witness], Everton aren't willing to pay the player’s €25m release clause but have "asked" to hold a meeting with Salernitana sporting director Morgan De Sanctis to discuss a potential deal.

Maupay is seen as someone who could become a key part of any move, with the Frenchman someone who the Italian outfit "like a lot", having been "one step away" from heading there last summer. The report also states that Salernitana want any potential transfer to be done and dusted in the next 10 days, rather than negotiations going on for too long.

This is certainly a positive update from an Everton perspective, not only giving them hope that they could sign Dia this summer, but also getting Maupay off their wage bill at the same time. He has been a big disappointment since arriving from Brighton last year, producing a poor return of just one goal and assist apiece in 29 appearances for the Blues.

For that reason, he may not be any real loss, and instead, they could be acquiring the signature of a more prolific player in Dia, having scored six goals in 25 appearances for Senegal at international level, netting once at the 2022 World Cup. Back in 2020, Senegal and former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane spoke highly of the forward, saying:

"I didn't know him before. But since the start of the season I started to follow him, and I'm really impressed by his qualities. I think he won't stay at Reims forever, believe me!"

Meanwhile, journalist Josh Bunting highlighted a key asset of Dia's, saying:

"Boulaye Dia the key man for Salernitana a goal and two assists so far since joining, a handful to deal with due to his hold up."

To be praised for such a big figure in his country's history speaks volumes about what Dia could be capable of in an Everton shirt, and his aforementioned assist tally last season shows that he is more than just a goalscorer. There still looks to be plenty to do, in order for the transfer to happen, but the Maupay factor is an added bonus, and it would be exciting to see Dia lining up for the Blues when they host Fulham in their Premier League opener next month.

Sunderland were dealt a blow in their pursuit of a new centre-forward option this week as one of their reported transfer targets moved to another Championship club.

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Sunderland Echo had claimed that the Black Cats held talks with Premier League outfit Fulham over a possible loan deal for 20-year-old marksman Jay Stansfield, who spent last season on loan at Exeter.

However, Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman were unable to get a deal over the line for the talented youngster as Birmingham City officially announced his arrival on loan on Thursday.

The club could quickly get over that disappointment, though, as they are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Ukrainian striker Nazariy Rusyn from Zorya Lugansk, who is said to be set to put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

How good is Nazariy Rusyn?

Mowbray could be on the verge of securing a dream alternative to Stansfield by bringing the 24-year-old marksman to Wearside after his impressive performances throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Rusyn enjoyed a terrific season with Zorya and proved himself to be capable of scoring and assisting goals from a number nine position, which could make him a fantastic addition to the squad for Sunderland.

The exciting whiz, who is reportedly valued at £2.5m by the Black Cats, racked up 13 goals and six assists in 30 Premier Liga outings last term, which means that he was directly involved in a goal every 1.88 matches on average.

Stansfield, on the other hand, produced nine goals and seven assists in 38 League One games for Exeter last season, which is an average of one goal contribution every 2.36 clashes.

These statistics show that Rusyn provided more quality at the top end of the pitch for his respective club due to his ability to score and assist goals more frequently than the 20-year-old talent.

Neither player is a proven Championship performer and this means that there would have been a risk, in terms of their adaptation to playing at this level.

Still, the Ukraine U21 international's record suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent player for Mowbray if he can adapt to life in England.

Rusyn, who has scored one goal in two league games this season, could be an outstanding performer for the English head coach if he can replicate his Zorya performances for Sunderland.

Last term, no current Black Cats player managed more than ten Championship goals and no striker produced more than three league assists.

This suggests that Rusyn, with his 13 goals and six assists during the 2022/23 campaign, has the scope to be a superb option for the ex-Blackburn Rovers manager at the top end of the pitch. His ability to score and assist goals could improve Sunderland's attack and help them to push up the table this season.

Therefore, the £2.5m-rated finisher could be a dream alternative to Stansfield due to his superior record in front of goal last term and the fact that he would come in on a permanent deal rather than a loan, which means that the talented marksman has room to grow over the course of several years.