Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea tenure hasn’t got off to the most seamless start and the pressure is already building after the sheer amount of money that was spent by the club in the summer.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton boss will be keen to secure a second Premier League win of the season and it is Aston Villa who will stand in their way this weekend.

Raheem Sterling has been one of the brightest sparks in blue so far this year and the English icon could well be the difference-maker when Unai Emery and Aston Villa come to town.

At Football FanCast, we have delved into the history books of this fixture and also the record that Sterling has against the Villains.

What is Raheem Sterling’s goal record against Aston Villa?

Raheem Sterling has faced off against Aston Villa 15 times in all competitions across his career in English football.

The Chelsea man has scored twice in the Premier League against them and also found the back of the net in an FA Cup clash with Villa during his time as a Manchester City player.

All three of his goals in this fixture came whilst he was at the Etihad – he never scored against Villa as a Liverpool player and is yet to get off the mark wearing the blue of Chelsea.

What is Raheem Sterling’s assist record against Aston Villa?

Sterling is quite a versatile attacking player in that he brings both goals and assists to the table.

Villa know this all too well with the Englishman assisting five goals when playing against them.

Two of these came in the only two FA Cup meetings with one league assist coming in his Liverpool tenure, and the other two being from the Manchester City days.

How many goal contributions does Raheem Sterling have against Aston Villa?

Combining the two and Sterling has contributed to eight goals in competitions from his 15 clashes with Aston Villa.

The 28-year-old has three goal contributions in the FA Cup, zero in the EFL Cup and then five from Premier League meetings.

What is Raheem Sterling's head-to-head record against Aston Villa?

Raheem Sterling burst onto the scene with Liverpool, earned a big-money move to Manchester City and now plays in London at Chelsea. These are three of the biggest teams in English football and so he has enjoyed a lot of victories in his esteemed career.

When facing Aston Villa, the England international has a very solid record, winning 10 of the 15 meetings. Meanwhile, two were drawn and the other three went the way of Villa.

As a Liverpool player, Sterling won twice, drew once and actually lost three times whilst the only meeting as a Chelsea man to date saw his side win 2-0 away from home.

What is Raheem Sterling’s home record vs Aston Villa?

This weekend’s match will take place at Stamford Bridge and so it is fascinating to track how Sterling and co have performed on home soil against Aston Villa.

During his time at Anfield, Villa came and left with seven points from a possible nine, something which Liverpool won’t be keen to look back on.

Success was the motto at the Etihad though and Villa were unable to accrue a single point from their four trips to Manchester. City won all of these games and did so by a whopping aggregate score of 12-2.

Who has Raheem Sterling scored the most goals against?

He may have a solid record against Aston Villa but they are nowhere near the summit of the list of Sterling’s favourite opponents.

When it comes to goals, the four-time Premier League winner has found the back of the net 11 times against both AFC Bournemouth and Watford. Nine is his tally against Newcastle United and Southampton and then Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Arsenal and Norwich City come next with eight.

Who does Raheem Sterling have the most goal contributions against?

Having scored 11 times against the aforementioned duo, they are of course near the top of the list for goal contributions but they do not lead the way.

His 11 goals and four assists against Bournemouth, from 15 games, is bettered by Sterling’s record against West Ham. Eight goals and eight assists against the Irons has them on top and interestingly enough, with six, they are the team against who Sterling has accumulated the most yellow cards. It is worth noting too that the only red of his career was against the Cherries.

How many goals does Raheem Sterling have in September?

Sterling was on fire against Luton Town, scoring a brace, but that came at the end of August and he is yet to score this month as we head into the Aston Villa clash.

That being said, he has hit the ground running in numerous seasons previously and has a very healthy record for the month of September.

The boy from Brent has 17 goals in all competitions in the month of September since he became a professional footballer.

10 of these came in the Premier League including a brace against Crystal Palace in 2017. Meanwhile, he struck four times in the EFL Cup and also found the back of the net against Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League.

What is Raheem Sterling's overall Chelsea goal record?

Sterling is of course a recent arrival at Stamford Bridge and so his record as a Blue won’t be blowing anyone away any time soon.

He has netted 11 times for Chelsea, three in the Champions League and then eight in the Premier League.

What is Raheem Sterling’s overall Chelsea assist record?

With his previous clubs, Sterling has had a fairly balanced rate between his goals and assists but that is yet to be the case in the English capital.

For Chelsea, Sterling has four assists, three of which came in the Premier League whilst the other was against AC Milan in a 3-0 UCL group stage victory.

Mason Greenwood proved to be the hero for Marseille once again in their Ligue 1 meeting with Monaco. The former Manchester United winger, who has been in fine form this season, settled a keenly-fought contest at Stade Velodrome when firing home in the 82nd minute. That effort led to his manager, Roberto De Zerbi, celebrating wildly on the touchline.

• Late drama: Greenwood earns victory for Marseille

  Greenwood bagged a midweek brace for Marseille as they picked up three precious points against Union St Gilloise in Champions League competition. He was back doing the business on the domestic stage when facing Monaco.

  Inspiration was required from somewhere as that contest headed into the final eight minutes. Marseille were able to create one more golden opportunity, with the ball moved across the edge of the box and into Greenwood around the penalty spot. He made no mistake when crashing a well-struck strike into the roof of the net with his left foot.

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• Watch Greenwood spark wild celebrations with dramatic goal

• How De Zerbi celebrated Greenwood's goal vs Monaco

  After finding the back of the net, Greenwood wheeled off towards the stands – jumping over an advertising hoarding in order to get closer to the home supporters. Marseille fans were literally bouncing after witnessing a stunning shot that left Monaco goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with no chance.

  Italian tactician De Zerbi was also unable to contain his excitement as he threw out his arms and raced back towards the dugout with his mouth wide open, before picking up a ball on the touchline and punting it into the air.

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  Transfer talk: Greenwood seeing move speculated on

  Greenwood has been a man for the big occasion across his 18-month stint in France. He registered 21 Ligue 1 goals during his debut campaign, earning a share of the division’s Golden Boot with Ballon d’Or-winning Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele.

  He has taken his tally across all competitions this season to 14, with 12 of those efforts being recorded in the French top flight. The 24-year-old is generating transfer talk again, with it being suggested that Marseille may cash in at some point during 2026 – with Premier League giants United due 50 per cent of any fee that is generated.

The decision not to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal evoked memories of the Chelsea of old. A ruthlessness that famously saw Carlo Ancelotti given the sack after missing out on the Premier League title in his second season – just a year on from guiding the club to the double

In the case of Sancho, the Englishman had notably scored a stunner in last month’s Conference League final, albeit while ending 2024/25 with just three goals and five assists to his name in the league. Good, but not good enough.

That has been a commendable motto for the Blues over their glorious last 20 years or so, having repeatedly hired and fired, all while increasing the competition in their playing ranks with successive statement signings.

Take Nicolas Jackson, for instance, the Senegalese striker hardly disgracing himself – suspensions aside – with 24 league goals across his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge, albeit with just ten of those coming last term. Again, good, but not quite good enough.

£30m man Liam Delap looks to have swiftly usurped the former Villarreal man in the pecking order, all while being acutely aware that failure to perform himself could see yet another fresh face acquired – a certain Hugo Ekitike springs to mind.

As the old adage goes, pressure makes diamonds, with Enzo Maresca and co no doubt hoping that more exciting additions can thrive in this pressurised environment in west London…

Latest on Chelsea's search for new forwards

Sancho is gone, but in his place, young Jamie Gittens could be set to arrive, with Chelsea still working to bring the 20-year-old back to England from Borussia Dortmund, amid his prior stint in Manchester City’s youth ranks.

Despite reports that Gittens has agreed a seven-year contract with the Blues, there appears to still be club-to-club negotiations taking place regarding his reported £55m price tag.

With that deal yet to get the green light, it is still worth the west Londoners seeking alternatives, with TEAMtalk reporting that they are among the clubs to have made an enquiry over Lyon starlet, Malick Fofana.

Transfer Focus

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

That contact has come amid the Ligue 1 side’s recent relegation – something they are set to appeal – with clubs lining up to potentially pounce on their ongoing financial woes and apparent need to sell.

As per the report, the likes of Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have also made their move for the 20-year-old, with those suitors hoping to strike a deal for less than the Belgian’s previous £42m price tag.

Why Fofana could be Chelsea's next Eden Hazard

The signing of an exciting, young Belgian talent from Ligue 1 – ring any bells?

Of course, Chelsea famously won the race for a 21-year-old Eden Hazard back in the summer of 2012, with the then-Champions League holders plucking the winger from Lille for a reported fee of £32m.

198 goals and assists would follow in a Chelsea shirt for the now-retired wizard, although that doesn’t quite tell the full story. This was a player, at his pomp, who was a match for any opposition or opponent.

A man who could win a game on his own – take his solo stunner against Arsenal in 2017, for example – Hazard at his best was simply a sight to behold, jinking his way past defenders with consummate ease. It’s no wonder he was hailed the “best player in the Premier League” at one stage by pundit, Paul Merson.

Young Fofana has a way go to hit the levels of his sparkling compatriot, although the comparisons are – unsurprisingly – already being made, with GOAL noting that he has been described as ‘Eden Hazard-like’ by those in his homeland.

As per The Athletic’s Alex Barker, what particularly sets the 20-year-old apart, in a similar mould to Hazard, is his dribbling prowess, having been noted as “one of the best” in Ligue 1 in that regard.

Indeed, he notably ranks in the top 3% among his peers in France’s top-flight for progressive carries made per 90, as per FBref, while also ranking in the top 2% in that same metric among attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues.

Jamie Gittens – Borussia Dortmund

8

4

12

Kenan Yildiz – Juventus

7

5

12

Eliesse Ben Seghir – Monaco

6

3

9

Malick Fofana – Lyon

5

4

9

Antonio Nusa – RB Leipzig

3

4

7

Jean-Matteo Bahoya – Frankfurt

2

3

5

Jesus Rodriguez – Real Betis

2

1

3

Mamadou Diakhon – Stade Reims

2

1

3

Yan Diomande – Leganes

2

1

3

Bazoumana Toure – Hoffenheim

0

3

3

For context, Hazard ranked in the top 1% of Premier League wingers in that regard during his final season in English football (2018/19), having simply been a master ball-carrier for the Blues.

Like the 126-cap Red Devils star too, Fofana also boasts an end product to match that devastating flair, having ended 2024/25 with 11 goals and six assists to his name in all competitions, included six goals in just ten Europa League outings.

Described as a “starboy” by writer Zach Lowy, the Lyon gem looks destined to reach the top over the coming years, with Chelsea able to offer him the chance to follow in Hazard’s footsteps at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca's next Cole Palmer: Chelsea enter race to sign £50m PL "machine"

The incredible talent could be a star for Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 28, 2025

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.

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.

Considering how much of a difference Mikel Arteta has made to the trajectory of Arsenal, it’s currently difficult to revise any negativity surrounding the Emirates over the years.

Since the Spaniard’s arrival as manager of the club in December 2019 following the dismissal of Unai Emery, he has gradually transformed the sense of togetherness on and off the pitch in north London, subsequently improving results.

The Gunners took Manchester City to the wire last season, finishing second after spending the majority of the Premier League season leading the pack. While it wasn’t meant to be for Arsenal to be crowned champions, they were restored to the Champions League.

As many associated with the club know too well, it hasn’t always been rosy at the Emirates for both Arteta and those before him, as the club were away from Europe's premier competition for seven years before their return this week.

It wasn’t long ago that players would leave Arsenal for bigger things and even more recently that the squad lacked cohesion, however Arteta has induced a change in demographic, with young stars locking down their futures in north London.

Along with extending the contracts of their top talents, the Spaniard and Edu had an impressive summer of business, welcoming Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz and David Raya to the fold to bolster the side.

Gone are the days that the transfer windows were fuelled by anxiety of losing key players, although in hindsight, the Gunners allowed one player to leave far too soon in a talent that could have thrived under Arteta.

When did Serge Gnabry play for Arsenal?

In 2011, German youngster Serge Gnabry joined Arsenal’s academy from Stuttgart and spent five years associated with the north Londoners before ending his time in England to return to his homeland in 2016.

While he spent most of his time developing in the academy, the winger managed to secure 18 appearances for Arsene Wenger’s first team with his most notable performance coming against Tottenham in the FA Cup.

At 18 years old, Gnabry was influential against Spurs on a monumental occasion at the Emirates in 2014, seeing him lauded as “bright” and a player with a “good football brain” by Wenger in reaction to his display on the night.

The formidable French manager gushed over the teen, stating that he is a “strong believer” in his talents, as things looked as though they could blossom into something special for the youngster in north London.

The following year, things took a horrible turn for the winger, as he was left dejected after a loan spell at West Bromwich Albion, where he was handed just one Premier League appearance by Tony Pulis.

Speaking of his time in the Midlands, Pulis claimed that Gnabry was “nowhere near it” with reference to his ability to be good enough to represent the Baggies.

Eight years later and the 43-cap German international has won the Champions League and five Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, where he has been deemed good enough to play, with talent scout Jacek Kulig once backing him to become a "future legend".

Why did Arsenal sell Serge Gnabry?

Looking at what Gnabry has achieved since his dreary spell at West Brom, it becomes more and more confusing as to why he was permitted to leave north London by Wenger.

In the summer of 2016, the winger was sold to Werder Bremen for a figure reported to be in the region of £5m, a move that allowed the youngster to gain consistent game time and show his worth in his homeland.

At the time, Gnabry was not considered to be on the cusp of senior football, certainly after his disastrous spell at West Brom that left him far from being ready to jump into the first team of the Premier League side.

A player of Arsenal’s academy and a forward that showed glimpses of his true potential, the German left the club on good terms to seek a new chapter in Bremen.

What is Serge Gnabry’s market value now?

Based on what the 18-year-old showcased against Spurs on that special night in his budding career, it should have been anticipated just how good the explosive talent would become, which he quickly demonstrated in the Bundesliga.

In the 2016/17 campaign, Gnabry contributed to 13 goals in the German top-flight for Bremen, scoring 11 and assisting two to announce himself as a player to watch.

After one season, the former Arsenal prodigy was snatched up by TSG Hoffenheim, where he took his form to the next stage in the 2017/18 campaign, scoring 10 goals and assisting seven in the league, which paved the way for him to be on the move again.

The summer of 2018 marked a pivotal moment in his career, as he signed for Bayern Munich for just €8m (£6.9m), where he has since become an integral member of the side having secured 159 Bundesliga appearances so far.

Revising his market value today tells a very different story to the figure he was sold by Arsenal for and the figure he was signed by Munich at, with CIES Football Observatory valuing him at €50m (£43m).

Why is he worth that much?

Along with cementing himself as a star in Bavaria, the 28-year-old has contributed to 94 goals – scoring 60 and assisting 34 in the league – which only tells half of the story of his success.

In the 2019/20 campaign, the German won the biggest domestic prize, claiming a Champions League winners medal in a tournament that he scored nine times in to assist in firing his side to the trophy.

Since leaving north London, the winger has returned to the capital on two notable occasions in the Champions League, showing his love for Arsenal by scoring a formidable four goals against Spurs in the group stages of that 2019/20 edition.

Gnabry tormented the Lilywhites after the showdown by tweeting “North London is RED”, however his time terrorising Premier League sides was far from over, as he advanced into the Round of 16 that term and scored two goals against Chelsea.

This year, normal service seems to be resumed in terms of his form against English sides, as he scored this week against Manchester United at the Allianz Arena.

It will be hoped that Arsenal don’t meet Bayern in the tournament this season, not just for their abysmal record against the German champions, but to avoid facing the same fate as the Premier League sides before them when up against Gnabry.

Wenger will look back in shock at the price he sold the winger for, with hindsight being a wonderful thing, particularly when it comes to business in football.

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.

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.

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، لمواجهة قوية في مشواره المحلي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الزمالك نظيره سيراميكا كليوباترا، على استاد القاهرة الدولي ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة من عمر الدوري المصري.

ويدخل الزمالك مباراته أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، طامحاً في الفوز ومواصلة انتصاراته، تحت القيادة الفنية الجديدة بقيادة كريستيان جروس الذي تم تعيينه قبل يومين بعد رحيل جوزيه جوميز.

طالع.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا في الدوري.. إعلان التشكيلين

ويحتل الزمالك وصافة جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 9 نقاط، من 4 مباريات حقق الفوز في 3 وتلقى هزيمة وحيدة.

على الجانب الآخر، يتواجد سيراميكا كليوباترا بالمركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، ولديه 7 نقاط من 4 مباريات، إذ فاز في 2 وتعادل في مواجهة وخسر مثلها. موعد مباراة الزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا في الدوري المصري

من المقرر أن تنطلق المباراة اليوم الخميس، في تمام الساعة الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت مصر، التاسعة بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا اليوم

تُنقل المباراة عبر قناة أون تايم سبورتس1.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

أشاد الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم ”فيفا” بنجم نادي ليفربول، محمد صلاح، وبما قدمه مع الريدز على مدار الموسم الماضي والذي حقق فيه الفريق الأحمر لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويعتبر محمد صلاح من ضمن المرشحين للحصول على جائزة ذا بيست لأفضل لاعب في العالم العام الحالي، إلى جانب عشرة لاعبين آخرين.

وجاء ترشيح محمد صلاح لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم في ذا بيست، بسبب مستواه الرائع مع ليفربول خلال الموسم الماضي، والذي قاد فيه اللاعب الريدز للفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي.

اقرأ أيضًا .. نيفيل: أود رحيل محمد صلاح عن ليفربول.. وسلوت تصرف على طريقة فيرجسون

وأبرز فيفا هيمنة محمد صلاح، الملك المصري كما وصفته، على الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز خلال الموسم الماضي، حيث قاد اللاعب الريدز إلى اللقب رقم 20 في البطولة المحلية، والتي فاز بها رفاق الدولي المصري بفارق 10 نقاط كاملة عن آرسنال صاحب المركز الثاني، وبفارق 13 نقطة عن مانشستر سيتي الثالث.

كما أفاد فيفا، أن محمد صلاح وصل إلى 47 مساهمة تهديفية مع ليفربول في الدوري الإنجليزي ، حيث سجل 29 هدفًا وقدم 18 تمريرة حاسمة ، ليحصد جائزة الحذاء الذهبي، ويتوج بجائزة أفضل لاعب في الموسم.

ويأمل محمد صلاح في استعادة بريقه المفقود خلال الفترة المقبلة، بعدما دخل في خلاف مع ليفربول عقب انخفاض مردوده، مما أدى لجلوس ابن الـ33 عامًا على مقاعد البدلاء.

ويمكن مطالعة المرشحين لجائزة ذا بيست، أفضل لاعب لاعب في العالم لعام 2025، من هنا.