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Manchester City have received yet another injury blow in defence after their 0-0 draw with Arsenal, following an update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Man City injury news

Pep Guardiola's side were held by the Gunners in a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday afternoon, in what proved to be a frustrating day at the office for the reigning champions. City were a long way from their best at the Etihad, with a number of players struggling to have a big impact on proceedings, from Phil Foden to Erling Haaland.

Injuries certainly aren't helping the Cityzens at the moment, however, with a number of hugely important figures unavailable during a massive period in the campaign.

Both Kyle Walker and John Stones missed out against Arsenal after picking up recent problems on international duty with England, while Ederson is still absent after getting injured earlier in the campaign, acting as a significant absentee.

Meanwhile, Jack Grealish only made his return from an issue of his own on Sunday, getting some important minutes in the second half, while Nathan Ake had to be replaced by Rico Lewis during the game after suffering a knock.

Guardiola dealt fresh Man City injury blow

Taking to X during the Arsenal game, Romano reacted to Ake's injury setback for Manchester City, as Guardiola has to tackle another fitness problem at a key point in the season:

"Nathan Ake leaves the pitch due to injury, one more blow for Guardiola. Rico Lewis coming on for Man City."

Granted, the resources that City have in their squad is the envy of almost every club in world football, with so many top-quality options in the squad. Guardiola was still able to field the likes of Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Josko Gvardiol at home to Arsenal, all of whom would get into most teams.

That being said, these injuries are still threatening to have a big impact on their title charge, affecting the rhythm within the team and forcing Guardiola – who has heaped praise on Ake – to make constant changes at the back.

Related Man City emerge as contenders to sign “magnificent” Premier League monster

He is having a fantastic season.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Mar 30, 2024

Ake is the type of player who is only truly appreciated when he isn't available, often going about his business in unruffled fashion and providing great versatility, and Guardiola will be desperate to see him back as soon as possible.

A 92.6% pass completion rate across 24 league appearances this season sums up the £160,000-a-week star's technical ability, while two goals and assists apiece in the competition shows his penchant for chipping in with important end product.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ progress this season has been fantastic to see, with Gary O’Neil doing an excellent job since arriving.

The side are currently 11th in the Premier League, which all but confirms their safety, while giving them a great chance to push into the top half of the table.

Their most recent game was an incredible 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on the road, with Joao Gomes scoring a brace.

However, Wolves once had a midfielder in the 2020/21 season who could have been even better than last weekend’s match-winner.

Joao Gomes time at Wolves

23-year-old Gomes has been one of the most consistent performers in the Wolves side this season, slotting alongside Mario Lemina in a midfield two.

The Brazilian has started 20 Premier League games this campaign, and he is known for his defensive work, despite his recent goals taking the spotlight.

Gomes averages the third most tackles in the league, 3.4, but against Spurs, he completed six, with his tenacity making him an important player in the Wolves team.

However, on the whole this season, Gomes’ game has been limited to his off-the-ball activities, with his passing and ability to affect the game in the final third being aspects to work on. This is shown by his 82% pass accuracy per game and 0.5 key passes per match this season, which is poor compared to the Wolves player who got away in 2021.

Vitinha’s career after Wolves

In 2020, Vitinha joined Wolves on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Porto, however, his time in the Premier League didn’t exactly go according to plan.

The midfielder started just five Premier League games over the season out of his 19 appearances, but his average minutes per game was 28, as he often came on as a late substitute.

The Portuguese star’s most memorable moment at Wolves was an extraordinary goal against Chorley in the FA Cup, where he unleashed an effort from range that flew past the keeper.

Once his loan ended, the now-24-year-old returned to Porto, where his performances earned him a move to Paris Saint-Germain after just one season.

Since moving to PSG for £34m, the maestro has played 79 games, picking up 14 goal contributions and featuring in a midfield three, with his estimated worth increasing to £51m, according to CIES Football Observatory.

The Portugal international’s performance against Real Sociedad in the Champions League knockout stage showcased what he’s all about, with the table below showing his key stats from that game.

Vitinha vs Real Sociedad
Stats	Vitinha
Minutes	94
Touches	83
Pass accuracy	94%
Key passes	1
Successful dribbles	3/5
Ground duels won	6/9
Tackles	3
Stats via Sofascore

It’s clear that Vitinha is an extremely technical player who can control a game via his vast passing range while also opening up the pitch with his silky dribbling and press resistance.

Despite having magical creativity, his understanding of the game is top-tier, and he retains the ball brilliantly, which is important for Wolves who rarely dominate the possession statistics.

Although he’s only 5 foot 8, he can also hold his own in the middle of the park, just like Gomes, as shown by his three tackles and six out of nine ground duels won.

Overall, Vitinha would have thrived in O’Neil’s system this season, which demands both an attacking and defensive skillset. Even though Gomes is a quality player, for Wolves to go to the next level, they need a Vitinha-esque star.

Carlos Corberan will want his West Bromwich Albion side to immediately bounce back from a disappointing defeat to Southampton when the Baggies travel to Plymouth Argyle tomorrow night, the West Midlands outfit poor throughout the 2-0 Saints loss.

Only registering two shots on target all match at the Hawthorns, the Spanish boss in the Baggies dug-out will want his players to be more creative and ultimately ruthless when making the long trip down to Devon.

Corberan could alter his lineup slightly in order to add in more firepower going forward therefore, with Grady Diangana coming in as one of two potential changes from the Southampton defeat last Friday night…

1 GK – Alex Palmer

Although Corberan might have some grievances with his side's lack of clinical edge going forward, the West Brom boss won't have similar grumbles when it comes to his defence and Alex Palmer.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper did leak two goals against Southampton, but has done more than enough over the entire campaign to remain as the Baggies number one shot-stopper.

2 RB – Darnell Furlong

Likewise, Darnell Furlong will retain his fixed spot in Corberan's starting eleven for the trip to Plymouth tomorrow night.

Furlong wasn't below-par in the Saints loss when it came to his defensive basics – winning 100% of his duels – but the West Brom number two will want to be more adventurous going forward away at Home Park.

3 CB – Cedric Kipre

Cedric Kipre has also done more than enough over the second tier season to date to remain at the heart of the defence versus the Pilgrims, standing out in West Brom's last win before losing to Russell Martin's Saints against one of his former clubs in Cardiff City.

Making eight clearances and winning five duels in total, Kipre's dominant display on the day warranted a clean sheet as the Baggies strolled to a 2-0 win.

4 CB – Semi Ajayi

The first alteration that Corberan could make is dropping Erik Pieters as Kipre's centre-back partner, the ex-Stoke City defender filling in there owing to Kyle Bartley being in the Hawthorns treatment room currently.

West Brom will be relieved to have Semi Ajayi back from the African Cup of Nations now, with the Baggies boss tempted to throw him back into Championship action against Plymouth.

Pieters struggled in the Southampton defeat, winning just three of his nine duels, and so Corberan could sense that Ajayi returning to the XI can shore up the back four more than the versatile Dutchman can.

5 LB – Conor Townsend

Conor Townsend will not feel a similar wrath however when it comes to team selection, with the 30-year-old left-back staying put despite Pieters dropping out.

The West Brom number three didn't have his best afternoon by any means against the Saints, but with Townsend yet to miss a single minute of second tier action in 2024, it's almost a given the full-back will remain in the starting eleven for the game at Home Park.

6 CM – Okay Yokuslu

Okay Yokuslu is also another player often first on his manager's teamsheet, the Turkish midfielder present in all but one of his side's Championship games this season.

Hauled off by Corberan late on in the Southampton loss, Yokuslu did impress in flashes even in spite of the disappointing final outcome for the team.

Yokuslu would register two shots on target to try and unnerve Gavin Bazunu in the opposing goal and to mount a comeback, whilst also remaining strong with five duels won.

He will have to remain on his toes, however, with West Brom announcing a deal to bring defensive midfielder Yann M'Vila to the club on a free transfer to bolster in these positions.

7 CM – Alex Mowatt

Alex Mowatt was head and shoulders above his other teammates last match, always constantly trying to unlock a rigid Southampton defence with a killer through-ball or incisive pass.

Coming away from the game with his head held high, the former Leeds United man managed to amass two key passes and was 100% successful with all of his dribble attempts at the Hawthorns.

Unfortunately, his creativity from deep wasn't backed up by the West Brom attackers finding the back of the net but Mowatt will be raring to go again when the Baggies travel to Devon tomorrow night.

8 RM – Grady Diangana

The second potential change could see Grady Diangana coming back into the side, returning – much like Ajayi – from participating in the AFCON.

This would see Jed Wallace dropped for the trip to Plymouth, with the £23k-per-week dud lacklustre in truth against Russell Martin's Saints.

The experienced 29-year-old would only amass 20 touches of the ball during a quiet showing, before Diangana was introduced in his place.

The returning Diangana managed to create one big chance from less than half an hour on the Hawthorns turf, which could result in him getting the nod over Wallace tomorrow.

9 CAM – John Swift

John Swift was also passive from an attacking perspective last game, but might well not be sacrificed like Wallace for the away game at Plymouth.

The ex-Reading man did show glimpses of his immense quality – managing one key pass from a meagre 23 touches – whilst also only surrendering possession just once from his 64 minutes on the pitch.

There could be calls for the likes of young West Ham United loanee Callum Marshall to be boldly picked ahead of Swift to make the Baggies more lively in attack, but the West Brom number 19 does have seven goals next to his name this campaign. Could he fire in another strike away at Home Park?

10 LM – Michael Johnston

Michael Johnston has certainly left a lasting impression on the West Brom fanbase already, netting within the first minute against Cardiff City to instantly endear himself to his new set of supporters.

The Celtic loanee didn't really burst into life in a similar fashion against Southampton unfortunately, with the new West Brom number 23 failing to register a single shot on Bazunu's goal.

Yet, with two successful dribble attempts managed regardless of his flat night in front of goal, Corberan will hope Johnston's tricky feet can bamboozle the Pilgrims on the way to a win this mid-week.

There is a perception around Misbah-ul-Haq that he is a bit defensive. The man has hit the second-fastest hundred in Test history and led Pakistan’s team to No. 1 in the longest format and yet he was typecast as tuk-tuk. That nickname hasn’t had much occasion to pop up in the last few years but now, in his first press conference since being appointed Pakistan’s new head coach and chief selector, the issue cropped up again as people wondered about the nature of a team under his charge.For his part, Misbah wants his players to play attractive cricket. “I have been saying this forever that there is some confusion in the way we are thinking about being defensive and aggressive,” he said. “I always believed that your strategy is based on the resources you’ve got. Ideally, you obviously try and wish to have resources that you can just dominate and knock out the opposition.”Being a coach, I will try to build a team that plays aggressively and wins easily. But then at certain times you have to assess the strength of the opponent and make your strategy accordingly.”For example, recently during World Cup England was considered un-matchable with players are playing the pure form of modern cricket. But at the same time New Zealand were the other way around playing with conservative approach from 80s. Despite their batsmen not clicking, they formed a strategy according to their resources and they were in the final with England playing the next level of cricket. So it shows that you have to work around your resources and plan accordingly. My priority as coach to have a team that plays an attacking cricket and dominate and that’s the way forward but at certain times you have to re-look your strategy.”Misbah has been given a three-year contract by the PCB, his dual role giving him great power, but also great responsibility.”Everyone asks questions about accountability. Now Misbah will be accountable for selection as well as performance,” Wasim Khan, the CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said. “The concept of head coach-cum-chief selector is innovative. After being introduced to our system, it has also put more responsibility on Misbah’s shoulders as he will now be solely responsible and accountable for the team’s performances. Furthermore, as the new domestic system has also been implemented, head coaches of the provincial teams will give feedback to Misbah about the talent in our domestic cricket.”Misbah was quick to play down the influence he might have as Pakistan’s coach, reiterating that the captain will remain in charge.”You don’t always get what you want then it affects you mentally and tactically you don’t have the resource and it affects the performance,” he said as he tried to explain why he took on both roles.”There has been a practice that final authority on picking the playing XI is with the captain and it will remain the same. The captain who is operating in the field needs to have full confidence in the team. Before reaching a final decision, there will be huge debate and discussion and sometime regardless of the depth in understanding there might be a difference of opinion in 15 or 16 picks or XI but at the end you either get convinced or make other convince and move on.”Along with Misbah, Pakistan have brought on another senior figure to help lead them forward. Waqar Younis was tempted to re-join the Pakistan coaching staff, as bowling coach, even though his last stint with the team ended quite bitterly.”He was a wonderful bowler and we won’t get any better option than him to be our bowling coach,” Misbah said. “In Pakistan, Wasim [Akram] and Waqar are the top most guys [to talk to about bowling] and everyone comes after [them], so I have no doubt about any problem. We have a very good working relationship and we both knows our limits.”We have worked a lot together in Pakistan team and in PSL and we know each other very well. Professionalism is there, he will never interfere in my domain and I won’t interfere in his. He is also very much clear that direction comes from head coach and bowlers will be working with him. He has some plans and we know what to do when bowlers are not delivering and how to drive them to deliver.”

In such a competitive league as the Championship, there are fine margins. The crowd can have a huge part to play in enclosed stadiums, with the atmosphere and hostility almost acting as a twelfth man for some sides.

However, Championship stadiums are not restricted to all having the same-sized pitch, so clubs can be a bit tactical depending on what kind of style they want to play.

With the 2023/24 Championship campaign now well underway, Football FanCast has taken a look at which club boasts the biggest pitch and which club may look to utilise their tight ground.

Championship pitch size rules

All EFL clubs must abide by rules set by the English Football League when it comes to the dimensions of their pitches. The law states the dimension of pitches must fall in the region of 64-75m in width and 100-110m in length.

You have no way near as much of a luxury in the Championship in comparison to the Premier League, as the regulations in the top flight fall in the region of 90-120m in length and 45m-90m in width.

1 The MKM Stadium – Area: 7,696m Hull City

Coming in with the biggest pitch in the Championship is Hull City and the MKM Stadium. This may come as slight surprise as it's not exactly the biggest stadium in the Championship at a capacity of 25,586.

Although, they could soon find themselves with a bit more leeway if they manage to hold onto their play-off place and work their way into the Premier League via Wembley.

The dimensions are 104m in length x 74m in length to be exact.

2 Portman Road – Area: 7,650m Ipswich Town

Ipswich have been known for their attractive style of possession and attacking football under Kieran McKenna in the Championship this season, so it comes as no surprise that they have the second-biggest pitch in the division.

With promotion to the Premier League a possibility either via the play-offs or automatically, perhaps they could opt to go even bigger should they end up in the top flight.

The dimensions are 102m in length x 75m in length to be exact.

3 The John Smith's Stadium – Area: 7,245m Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town are in a spot of bother just outside the relegation zone, with their Championship future under threat.

It appears as if having one of the bigger pitches perhaps isn't benefiting them too much at this moment in time, with just four wins to their name so far.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 69m in length to be exact.

4 Ashton Gate – Area: 7,245m Bristol City

Bristol City share the same pitch size as Huddersfield Town, but are clearly enjoying more success with the way they're set up as they've won six home games so far this season.

Sitting in 14th position, the Robins still have an outside chance of the play-offs.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 69m in length to be exact.

5 Ewood Park – Area: 7,245m Blackburn Rovers

Ewood Park has a whole lot of history behind it.

Sadly, it hasn't quite served the Blackburn Rovers players well this season, with just five wins coming in front of the home fans, which has seen the Lancashire club drop all the way down to 18th position.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 69m in length to be exact.

6 Home Park – Area: 7,208m Plymouth Argyle

Plymouth Argyle's home ground has been a bit of a fortress for them so far this season, with eight of their nine wins coming at Home Park.

The home form has single-handedly kept them above the relegation zone, which is interesting with them having the joint-fourth biggest pitch in the Championship.

The dimensions are 106m in length x 68m in length to be exact.

7 Elland Road – Area: 7,140m Leeds United

Elland Road has always served Leeds United well, with the electric atmosphere and passion that seeps through onto the field.

The Whites are well within the realms of automatic promotion, which is partly down to their home record, as they've secured 11 of their 18 wins in front of the home fans this season.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 68m in length to be exact.

8 King Power Stadium – Area: 7,140m Leicester City

The King Power Stadium has been at the forefront of Leicester City's dominance in the Championship this season, with 11 wins, two draws and two losses up until this point as the leaders of the division.

The Foxes didn't fare too well in the Premier League last season, but they now look to have the players who can really make the most of the width on offer at the King Power, as the likes of Kasey McAteer and Stephen Mavididi look electric.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 68m in length to be exact.

9 St Mary's Stadium – Area: 7,140m Southampton

Home or away, it doesn't matter for Southampton as they currently find themselves on a 24-game unbeaten run under Russell Martin.

The fantastic run of form has seen the Saints jump into the second automatic place in the Championship, and they don't look like slowing down anytime soon, with a game-in-hand over Leeds United in third position.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 68m in length to be exact.

10 The Hawthorns – Area: 7,140m West Bromwich Albion

West Bromwich Albion's home form has single-handedly aided their play-off push up until this point in the season, with 10 wins in comparison to four wins away.

However, it hasn't always been pretty as the scenes in the clash with bitter rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers were shocking, and there were claims of racism from the stands in a separate game in the Championship this season.

The dimensions are 105m in length x 68m in length to be exact.

علّق جابرييل، لاعب فريق آرسنال، على تصرف نجم مانشستر سيتي إيرلينج هالاند تجاهه في مباراة الأمس في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة الفريقين، في قمة منافسات الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.

وكاد مانشستر سيتي يتعرض لهزيمته الأولى في الموسم الحالي، قبل أن ينجح جون ستونز في تسجيل هدف التعادل القاتل في الدقيقة 98.

وشوهد هالاند وجابرييل وهما يحتكان ببعضهما في أغلب الوقت، قبل أن تظهر لقطات قيام النرويجي بقذف الكرة على مؤخرة رأس البرازيلي، عقب تسجيل ستونز لهدفه القاتل.

وعندما سُئل عما إذا كان قد شعر بالكرة تضرب رأسه، رد جابرييل في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “مترو” الإنجليزية: “لا، لا أتذكر ذلك، إنه أمر طبيعي”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. آس توضح خبرًا مفزعًا لـ مانشستر سيتي بشأن إصابة رودري

وأضاف: “ولكن على أي حال، أهنئ الفريق على التعادل، كما قلت، فإن المعركة والحرب والاستفزاز أمر طبيعي في كرة القدم وهو جزء من اللعبة”.

وواصل: “لقد انتهى الأمر الآن، الآن نحن ننتظرهم في ملعبنا (مباراة الدور الثاني)”.

وأكد: “ستظل المنافسة موجودة دائمًا وأعتقد أنها تنمو أكثر فأكثر، نحن نعرف جودتهم وهم يعرفون جودتنا أيضًا”.

واختتم جابرييل: “لذلك أعتقد أننا ننمو خطوة بخطوة ويجب علينا أن نستمر في التعلم على طول الطريق”.

Aston Villa are believed to be eyeing a move for an exciting attacking player, with club owners NSWE potentially getting him for as little as £13m.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans have done some superb transfer business in recent times, playing a major part in Unai Emery excelling so much as manager, guiding them to third place in the Premier League table currently. The likes of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo and Moussa Diaby all arrived during the summer transfer window, with the quartet having a positive impact to date, adding quality and depth to Villa's squad, leading to wins against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.

That's not to say that further signings wouldn't be met with resounding positivity, however, ensuring that Emery's side continue to go from strength to strength, rather than rest on their laurels and risk not kicking on.

Villa have been linked with various players in recent weeks, with Atletico Madrid right-back Nahuel Molina seen as a potential target. Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos is another who has been seen as a possible target in the last few months, among others, should Emery feel that further reinforcements are required in the middle of the park, with two new forwards also wanted at the club in 2024.

Aston Villa eyeing Cyril Ngonge move

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Aston Villa are eyeing up a move for Cyril Ngonge from Hellas Verona, with the player's valuation around about €15m (£13m).

The Villans are thought to have sent scouts to watch the 23-year-old attacker in action, and he has done well for his current side this season, scoring five goals in 14 Serie A starts, also chipping in with two assists.

It doesn't appear to specify whether a January or summer move to Villa could come to fruition, but the fact that his valuation is low could act as a bonus, making it less of a risk at the same time. Ngonge could be a shrewd signing by the Villans, adding the options in attacking areas that Emery arguably lacks currently, in terms of having strong backup choices, and he could provide competition for Diaby, with the Hellas Verona most commonly used in a right-sided attacking role this season.

Villa have built a genuinely formidable strongest starting lineup, but if they are to go up another level and eventually even become a Premier League title challenger, they arguably need to have top-quality squad players who can fit in seamlessly and help Emery maintain a freshness within his group of players.

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Ngonge is a six-time capped Belgium Under-19 international, scoring once for his country in that time, and while he is yet to make an appearance at senior international level, a move to Villa, where he could be surrounded by superior players than at Hellas Verona, could raise his profile, and by the looks of things, it is one to watch in the New Year.

It is fair to say that Erik ten Hag's penchant for bringing his former players to Manchester United hasn't gone particularly smoothly during his Old Trafford tenure thus far.

The Dutchman's first summer in charge saw him opt to reunite with both Lisandro Martinez and Antony, the South American duo having been part of the Ajax side that claimed title glory in both 2020/21 and 2021/22.

Despite issues with injury in the latter part of 2023, Martinez has arguably one of the club's "best signings" of recent years – according to Patrice Evra – although the same, sadly, cannot be said for Antony, who has scored just eight goals and contributed only three assists in 66 games following his £86m arrival.

After also utilising his Dutch connections to acquire the likes of Tyrell Malacia and Wout Weghorst, the most recent summer window saw Ten Hag again seek out familiar faces in the form of Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat, the pair having played under the 53-year-old at Ajax and Utrecht, respectively.

Those two deals have gone largely the same way as Antony thus far, rather than Martinez, with Amrabat heading off to AFCON without anyone really noticing, after starting just seven Premier League games, while Onana produced a string of errors during the club's Champions League run – namely away to both Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.

To think then that United could yet again back the manager in his desire to sign another of his former assets may have alarm bells ringing, although one current target does at least boast a strong record under Ten Hag's watch.

Man Utd eyeing another Ajax star

As per a report from the Mirror last week, the Red Devils are believed to be interested in signing 21-year-old striker, Brian Brobbey from the Eredivisie outfit, with the club said to be 'keeping tabs' on the promising Dutchman.

The suggestion is that Ten Hag – who handed the forward his debut in Amsterdam – wants to sign a new marksman this month in order to provide competition to both Rasmus Hojlund and Anthony Martial, although the club only have the means to pull off a loan deal.

That could then scupper any approach for Brobbey, who won't be allowed to depart on a temporary move, although if United can raise funds for a permanent approach, they would seemingly be able to snap up a player who turned them down back in the summer of 2022 – after returning to Ajax following a brief spell at RB Leipzig.

Brian Brobbey's record under Ten Hag

The last time that Brobbey opted to leave the Johan Cruyff Arena didn't exactly go to plan, as the 5 foot 11 marksman failed to score and provided only three assists in just 14 appearances during his time in Germany, having joined the Bundesliga side in 2021.

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While he ultimately failed to get going during that solitary half-season at Leipzig, home comforts have been kind to the Amsterdam native, as his record for the Dutch giants now stands at an impressive 40 goals in just 101 games in all competitions.

Also previously prolific in the youth ranks – notably scoring 37 goals in 41 games for Ajax's U19 side – Brobbey was handed the chance to impress at first-team level by Ten Hag in the 2020/21 season, going on to net six times in just 19 games.

Having also returned to work under the one-time Utrecht coach on loan for the second half of 2021/22, the in-demand talent then plundered a further seven goals in just 13 appearances, taking his overall tally under Ten Hag to 13 goals in just 32 games.

Games

32

Goals

13

Assists

3

Minutes played

869

Starts

7

Minutes per goal

67

Despite often finding himself behind the more experienced Sebastian Haller, the one-cap Netherlands international boasted an impressive scoring rate under the current United boss, bagging once every 67 minutes – while he has 13 goals in only 25 games this season.

Clearly a talent who fits smoothly into Ten Hag's system, there may be a sense of optimism that the £49k-per-week ace could follow in the footsteps of Martinez, rather than Antony, by flourishing at the Theatre of Dreams, particularly as he possesses the tools to be a menacing Premier League striker.

Brian Brobbey's style of play

Described as a "powerhouse" by U23 scout and journalist, Antonio Mango, Brobbey appears to have the attributes to be able to meet the physical challenge of leading the line in England's top flight, having been dubbed "The Brobbeast" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

His credentials to be a prolific Premier League number nine can also be seen by his likeness to one-time United man, Romelu Lukaku, with former Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann stating back in 2021:

"In regards to his physique and the way he plays, he is similar to Romelu Lukaku. And we would be happy if he can manage to become a player with the same qualities. But to paint a picture for the fans, you can definitely say that he is similar to Lukaku."

That likeness can also be seen by their current displays, with both men regularly looking to get in behind an opposing backline, with the Roma star ranking in the top 6% among his European peers for progressive passes received at an average of 8.76 per 90, while young Brobbey averages 8.63 in that regard.

Of course, Lukaku isn't too fondly remembered at Old Trafford due to his "woeful" finishing during his two-year spell at the club – as per journalist Samuel Luckhurst – although the towering Belgian is a proven goalscorer, even recording 42 goals in just 96 games for the Red Devils.

While the 30-year-old also underwhelmed following a £97.5m return to Chelsea in 2021 – scoring just eight league goals that season – at his best he certainly ran Premier League defences ragged, netting 121 times in 278 games in the competition.

If United could get their hands on that fit and firing version of Lukaku, in the form of his heir apparent, Brobbey, it could prove to be the perfect striking addition for a club that have scored the fourth fewest goals in the top-flight this season.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka has revealed his honest thoughts on the penalty awarded to Liverpool in the dying stages of the Magpies' 4-2 defeat at Anfield.

VAR controversy as Liverpool beat Newcastle

The Magpies were beaten soundly at Anfield on Monday evening, as the Reds pulled three points clear of Aston Villa at the top of the Premier League table. A pulsating clash saw Mohamed Salah miss a first-half penalty, before redeeming himself after the break and giving Liverpool the lead. Alexander Isak equalised in cool fashion, and Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo made it 3-1, before Sven Botman gave Newcastle hope with a header.

Premier League Top Four

Matches

Wins

Draws

Losses

Points

GD

1. Liverpool

20

13

6

1

45

25

2. Aston Villa

20

13

3

4

42

16

3. Man City

19

12

4

3

40

24

4. Arsenal

20

12

4

4

40

17

The game's most controversial moment came late in the day, however, as Dubravka was adjudged to have fouled Diogo Jota, who went down a step and a half after the challenge, prior to Anthony Taylor pointing to the penalty spot. Salah then did the rest and sealed the win for Jurgen Klopp's side.

It is an incident that has divided opinion among supporters and pundits alike, with some feeling there was still enough contact to merit the penalty being awarded, and others feeling Jota dived due to the delay in going down. It once again put the focus on VAR, who decided to stick with Taylor's on-pitch decision.

Dubravka reacts to Jota penalty

Speaking after the game [via The Boot Room], Dubravka reveals his thoughts on the Jota penalty incident.

"It is a frustration because he’s a clever guy. I tried to pull my arms [away] and not catch him. I felt contact but I’m not really sure what else I should do to not try and catch him. At the end it was a penalty.

"There is no point trying to argue with them," he continued, before delivering six words on VAR, admitting "I don’t know what to say".

This is just the latest example of VAR dominating the post-match conversation after a big game, which sadly seems to have happened far too often this season. In the past, there would be in-depth analysis of a fascinating match like the one that unfolded at Anfield on Monday night, but that is now becoming all too rare.

In terms of the penalty decision, club bias is always going to come into play, with Liverpool supporters no doubt quick to point out that Dubravka has still admitted that there was contact, and that there wasn't enough evidence to overturn Taylor's call.

On the flip side, Newcastle fans have a right to feel aggrieved at the manner in which Jota went to ground, especially as he was bizarrely on the verge of tapping the ball home, and the Portuguese won't have helped his reputation when it comes to going down too easily.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jan 2, 2024

The problem is that VAR cannot afford to be subjective, with the technology brought in to eradicate that issue, but instead, it is riling supporters more than when it wasn't in use. It won't be going away any time soon, but there is certainly an argument to say that football was better before it arrived.