أعلنت رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز عن هوية الحكم الذي سيتولى إدارة مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليفربول، في إطار منافسات البطولة، يوم الأحد المقبل.
ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة قمة الجولة الحادية عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26، بين مانشستر سيتي وليفربول.
ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي، في الوقت الحالي، برصيد 19 نقطة، بفارق نقطة واحدة فقط عن ليفربول صاحب المركز الثالث.
وحسبما أعلنت رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي، فإن الحكم كريس كافاناج سيكون مسؤولًا عن إدارة مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليفربول، وسيساعده كل من دان كوك وستيوارت بيرت، أما الحكم الرابع فهو سام باروت.
اقرأ أيضًا.. سوبوسلاي: أريد الحصول على شيء ما بدلًا من محمد صلاح إذا فزنا أمام مانشستر سيتي
في حين أن حكم تقنية الفيديو، في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليفربول، سيكون مايكل أوليفر، ويساعده في ذلك تيم وود.
وسبق أن أدار كافاناج 3 مباريات لصالح ليفربول ذلك الموسم، حيث خسر في كأس الدرع الخيرية أمام كريستال بالاس بركلات الترجيح، وفاز على آرسنال بهدف دون رد، وتعرض للهزيمة أمام كريستال بالاس بهدفين لهدف في الدوري الإنجليزي.
ولم يدر كافاناج أي مباراة لـ مانشستر سيتي في الموسم الحالي، مع العلم أنه تولى مسؤولية التحكيم في مباراتين لكتيبة بيب جوارديولا ضد ليفربول، حيث تعادلا في إحداهما بهدف لمثله في نوفمبر 2023، بينما فاز الريدز في الأخرى بهدفين دون رد في ديسمبر الماضي.
Since taking over Manchester City in 2016, Pep Guardiola’s team has constantly evolved, going through different eras with countless top quality players key to the Sky Blues’ success.
Right now, we’re all very much living in the Erling Braut Håland-era, given that the Norwegian striker has now scored 18 goals this season, most recently on target against former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
In behind the goalbot though, Guardiola has an array of attacking options at his disposal, but could two of these players be poised to replicate, arguably, Manchester City’s most productive ever attacking duo?
Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling's Manchester City legacy
Of players who’ve made the most appearances for Guardiola during his illustrious managerial career, Raheem Sterling ranks seventh on 292, while Kevin De Bruyne sits second with 381, behind only Bernardo Silva.
The Belgian departed for Napoli in the summer having scored 108 goals and registered 177 assists for Man City, a high proportion of which were for Sterling.
As noted by Total Football Analysis, in the 2019/20 season, De Bruyne registered 20 Premier League assists, equaling Thierry Henry’s long-standing record, with 25% of these assists providing Sterling with a goal, underlining their exceptional combination play.
The midfielder himself stated that he and Sterling had a “strong connection”, making them unquestionably one of the most dangerous attacking partnerships in modern Premier League history, winning four league titles and seven other major trophies together.
With both having now moved on to pastures new, Guardiola is searching for his next great attacking partnership, seeking to feed a certain prolific striker, so does he boast the ideal two candidates?
Manchester City's new Sterling and De Bruyne
Now that Manchester City’s treatment room has begun to empty, Guardiola has plenty of options from which to choose, with eight players battling for the four spots alongside Håland.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Against Borussia Dortmund in mid-week, Tijjani Reijnders, Savinho, Jérémy Doku and scorer of a brace Phil Foden started, while Silva, Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki were all introduced during the second half, with Oscar Bobb left in reserve.
Nevertheless, ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League clash with Liverpool, Guardiola has to prioritise establishing Cherki and Doku as a partnership.
The 22-year-old Frenchman arrived from Olympique Lyonnais for £34m in the summer with a massive reputation.
Guardiola asserted that Cherki “is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career”, while Lyon teammate Ainsley Maitland-Niles labelled him “an absolute… wizard with the ball”.
So far, including the Club World Cup, Cherki has scored four goals in sky blue, on target against Wolves on his Premier League debut, subsequently netting against Swansea in the EFL Cup and Dortmund in the Champions League.
Doku meantime has been consistently one of the Premier League’s most prolific dribblers since first joining the club, as the table below highlights.
Doku – PL stats
Stats
PL rank 24/25
PL rank 25/26
Attempted take-ons
2nd
2nd
Successful take-ons
1st
2nd
Progressive carries
1st
1st
Carries into area
2nd
3rd
Assists
43rd
4th
Shot-creating actions
62nd
4th
Big chances created
54th
1st
Stats via FBref & Sofascore
As the table outlines, Doku is both a high-quality and high-volume dribbler, ranked behind only Mohammed Kudus when it comes to take-ons this season.
However, ten matches into this campaign, there are signs that the Belgian will exponentially increase his attacking output, seeing a vast increase when it comes to shot-creating actions and big chances created.
In 1,514 Premier League minutes last time round, he created only eight big chances and registered just six assists, while this season, in only 549 minutes, he has already racked up five big chances created and three assists, thereby very much on course to smash last season’s tally.
Former Tottenham captain Ledley King labelled Doku “dynamic”, adding that he “likes to attack on the outside” while, following a 5-1 win over Burnley, Guardiola described the winger as “unstoppable”, interestingly noting that “I have the feeling that Jérémy’s decision-making in the final third has improved”.
Reportedly earning £50k-per-week and £180k-per-week respectively, both still aged 23 or under, there are signs that Doku and Cherki are both realising their true potential at Man City.
On paper, Cherki’s creativity and eye for a pass, coupled with Doku’s flair, pace and off-the-scale dribbling ability, has all the ingredients to replicate when De Bruyne and Sterling were able to produce for many years.
Thus, it is over to Guardiola to ensure this duo can flourish together, starting on Sunday when Liverpool visit the Etihad in a match not to be missed.
Forget Haaland & Foden: 41-touch star had "his best game in a Man City shirt"
Man City beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 and this player starred
Rodrigo Caetano frustrou os planos do Corinthians e seguirá no Atlético-MG. O dirigente recusou a proposta do Timão e seguirá à frente do Departamento de Futebol do Galo.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCorinthians define prioridade na montagem do elenco, se movimenta no mercado, mas tem más notíciasCorinthians14/12/2023CorinthiansVão sair? Corinthians define futuro de Fagner, Rafael Ramos e BiduCorinthians14/12/2023CorinthiansRodrigo Caetano sinaliza permanência no Atlético-MG e esfria sonho do CorinthiansCorinthians14/12/2023
+ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians
O presidente eleito do Corinthians, Augusto Melo, ainda não tem um “plano B” para ocupar o cargo de executivo de futebol no Corinthians, mas garantiu que um novo profissional será contratado em breve. Sem um executivo, Rubens Gomes, conhecido como Rubão, braço direito de Melo e que ocupa a função estatutária de diretor de Futebol, vem ajudando o novo presidente nas negociações.
– Estamos conversando com diversos profissionais de mercado e anunciaremos em breve o novo executivo de futebol do clube. Será um perfil com características inovadoras, que vai ao encontro da proposta de profissionalismo e reformulação que prometi para vocês – postou Augusto em suas redes sociais.
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+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada
Outro nome de agrado do presidente eleito do Corinthians é o de Thiago Scuro, que recentemente deixou o Red Bull Bragantino, clube no qual exercia o cargo de CEO desde o início do projeto da empresa austríaca no Brasil, e foi contratado como dirigente do Monaco, da França. Internamente, a sensação é que Scuro dificilmente trocaria um projeto europeu para retornar ao Brasil menos de um ano após ir para a Europa.
Jess Jonassen’s 4 for 10 is in vain as Welsh Fire remain winless
ECB Media20-Aug-2025
Georgia Adams celebrates with Maia Bouchier•ECB/Getty Images
Top-of-the-table Southern Brave continued their unbeaten start to this year’s women’s competition in the Hundred and guaranteed themselves a top-three finish with a nervy penultimate-ball victory over a spirited Welsh Fire.Needing six runs from the final five, Mady Villiers was run out coming back for two from the first delivery of the set before Georgia Adams was almost brilliantly caught in the deep as she and Rhianna Southby scampered back for two and got Brave over the line with a ball to spare.Put into bat, Welsh Fire lost the big wicket of Hayley Matthews early, lbw to Sophie Devine for a first-ball duck.Sophia Dunkley looked to be continuing her form from The Kia Oval on Saturday, starting brightly and hitting four commanding boundaries.Brave made another important strike when Lauren Bell had Tammy Beaumont (7) brilliantly caught by Maia Bouchier at mid-on as the Fire reached 32 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.The impressive Tilly Corteen-Coleman returned to the attack to see the back of Dunkley (31), the spinner inducing a false cut shot to have the England batter caught behind by Southby.Georgia Elwiss reached a run-a-ball 36 not out as the Fire closed their innings on 111 for 6. Bell changed her pace and length expertly to finish with figures of 2 for 21.Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge played positively and untroubled, taking the score to 32 without loss after the powerplay and reducing the runs required to just 80.Fire then struck back to stay in the game. Wyatt-Hodge (18) was caught fantastically by Jess Jonassen at mid-off off Georgia Davis and Jonassen then came into the attack and removed Bouchier (35) and Laura Wolvaardt (3).Devine countered with a huge slog-swept six off Davis to relieve some pressure and Freya Kemp then deposited Freya Davies into the stands to take Brave closer to their target, but Kemp (17) fell soon after, caught by Shabnim Ismail at long-off off Jonassen.Chloe Tryon then went for a duck as Jonassen finished with exceptional figures of 4 for 10 before Devine (25) skied Matthews to Davies to leave her side needing 10 from the last 10 and then six from the final five.Meerkat Match Hero Devine said: “Credit has to go to the Welsh Fire there. We were probably cruising at the halfway stage and the way that they were able to fight back and take it to the last set, full credit to them.”It wasn’t our best day today, we’ll be the first ones to admit that. To get over the line is really pleasing and now we move forward.”I’m really pleased we were able to restrict them to what we did and finally get over the line there with the bat. We wanted to get ahead of the run rate and Dan and Bouch were outstanding and put the pressure back onto the Welsh Fire.”Then we probably got a little bit of the wobbles unfortunately but to be able to get over the line and people to keep their heads there at the end was really pleasing.”
عزز منتخب سويسرا من تقدمه أمام مصر، وسجل الهدف الثالث، خلال المباراة المقامة بين المنتخبين، اليوم الجمعة، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، لتصبح النتيجة 3-0.
ويلعب منتخب مصر ضد سويسرا، في إطار مواجهات دور الـ32 من عمر مباريات بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا.
وأحرز جيل ستيل لاعب منتخب سويسرا، الهدف الثالث أمام مصر، في الدقيقة 57، بتسديدة من على حدود منطقة الجزاء. هدف سويسرا الثالث أمام مصر
شوف الهدف | سويسرا تتقدم 3-0 على مصر .. عن طريق جيل ستيل عند الدقيقة 58 .. في كأس العالم تحت 17 عاماً#U17WC #كأس_العالم_تحت_17_سنة #قنوات_الكاس || #منصة_شوف pic.twitter.com/blMzjTzhnM — قنوات الكاس (@AlkassTVSports) November 14, 2025
طالع | الفار يلغي ركلة جزاء لـ منتخب مصر أمام سويسرا في كأس العالم للناشئين
وكان منتخب سويسرا، تقدم بالهدف الأول عند الدقيقة 16، عن طريق اللاعب نيفيو شيرار، وسجل الهدف الثاني اللاعب إيثان بروسيش، في الدقيقة 39.
A saída de Lucas Veríssimo para o Al-Duhail, do Qatar, pegou todos no Corinthians de surpresa. Mesmo sem o seu principal zagueiro, o Timão venceu o Guarani na estreia do Paulistão, e Mano Menezes exaltou a atuação de Félix Torres.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansFaltou ética? Presidente do Corinthians esclarece situação envolvendo a saída de Lucas VeríssimoCorinthians21/01/2024CorinthiansAssista à coletiva de Mano Menezes após vitória do Corinthians sobre o Guarani no PaulistãoCorinthians21/01/2024CorinthiansRomero marca golaço de voleio, e Corinthians estreia no Paulistão com vitória sobre o GuaraniCorinthians21/01/2024
➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
– O que mais me deixa feliz foi a atuação do Torres, que surpreendeu a todos nós, porque ele tinha acabado de chegar e feito poucos treinos com o grupo. Ele estava num ritmo muito bom e pôde ajudar muito a equipe com a qualidade que tem – disse Mano durante coletiva.
O treinador reiterou o discurso de Augusto Melo, afirmando que a permanência de Veríssimo estava encaminhada, e evitou criticar o zagueiro por escolher o futebol do Qatar.
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– O Veríssimo é um jogador que a gente tinha tudo alinhado. Ele tinha um contrato em vigor (com a gente) até o meio do ano, mas o futebol tem as suas surpresas — e os contratos que precisam ser respeitados da maneira que eles foram aceitos em outros momentos. O Veríssimo achou que deveria seguir a vida dele. Também seguimos em frente – garantiu Mano.
➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão
O Corinthians volta a campo na quarta-feira (24), contra o Ituano, pela segunda rodada do Paulistão.
Aston Villa have now joined the race for Manchester City’s James Trafford ahead of the January transfer window, amid a new update on the goalkeeper’s future at the Etihad Stadium.
It is well-known that Emiliano Martinez wanted to leave Villa during the summer, with the 33-year-old keen on a deadline day move to Manchester United, but he ultimately ended up staying put, and Unai Emery has reintroduced his first-choice goalkeeper to the starting XI.
Emery has been vindicated for his decision to start the Argentinian ahead of Marco Bizot, as he has started to show signs he could be getting back to his best, having kept three clean sheets in the Villans’ last four matches in all competitions.
Most recently, the former Arsenal man put in a top performance in the 4-0 victory against AFC Bournemouth, saving Antoine Semenyo’s penalty and receiving a 8.2 SofaScore match rating for his overall display.
However, given the World Cup-winning goalkeeper’s age, and his previous desire to leave, Emery may have one eye on a replacement, and the Europa League side have now joined the race for a Premier League shot-stopper ahead of the January transfer window.
Aston Villa join race to sign James Trafford
According to a report from Football Insider, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Man City’s Trafford, with the Englishman’s future at the Etihad Stadium now in doubt, given Gianluigi Donnarumma’s emergence as Pep Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper.
It is now looking increasingly likely the 23-year-old will leave the Blues this winter, with an initial loan move potentially on the cards, and he is viewed as a ‘strong alternative’ to Martinez, possessing the ability to replace the Villa goalkeeper between the sticks.
The 6 foot 6 colossus, who is represented by the same agent as Ezri Konsa, has been unable to establish himself as City’s number one, but his performances for the Clarets last season indicate he could be a fantastic signing for the Villans, keeping 29 clean sheets in the Championship alone.
Scott Parker was clearly happy with his goalkeeper’s performances too, describing him as “world-class”, while Statman Dave has revealed the Carlisle-born shot-stopper prevented the second-highest number of goals of any under 23 goalkeeper in Europe’s top 20 leagues last term.
Trafford isn’t the finished article and has yet to prove himself over a sustained period at Premier League level, making an error leading to a goal in City’s 2-0 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season, but he is still very young for a goalkeeper, and has a lot of potential.
Emiliano Martinez has been named among the best goalkeepers in the Premier League Every 2025/26 Premier League goalkeeper ranked from best to worst
قدّم نادي ريال مدريد الإسباني، اعتذارًا بشأن مقطع فيديو تكريمي لديوجو جوتا لاعب ليفربول الراحل وشقيقه أندريه سيلفا، اللذين توفيا في حادث سيارة في وقت سابق من هذا العام.
وشهد نادي ريال مدريد اليوم الأحد، اجتماعًا سنويًا للجمعية العمومية بحضور رئيس النادي فلورنتينو بيريز.
وخلال الاجتماع السنوي للجمعية العمومية رغب ريال مدريد في تكريم ديوجو جوتا وشقيقه أندريا، لكن بدلاً من ذلك وضع صورة مهاجم إلتشي أندريه دا سيلفا، الذي يحمل نفس اسم شقيق البرتغالي.
وسارع ريال مدريد بتقديم اعتذار عبر حساباته الرسمية على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، وأصدر بيانًا أعرب فيه عن أسفه للحادث.
اقرأ أيضًا | بيريز يشن هجومًا قويًا: التحكيم صنع برشلونة.. وما فعله تيباس “عار”
وجاء في بيان ريال مدريد: “يعتذر نادي ريال مدريد لنادي إلتشي ولاعبه أندريه دا سيلفا عن الخطأ في نشر صورة له في فيديو، بدلاً من صورة أندريه سيلفا، شقيق ديوجو جوتا، لاعب ليفربول، نأسف لهذا الحادث”.
كما أكد فلورنتينو بيريز، رئيس ريال مدريد، هذا الموقف خلال خطابه أمام أعضاء النادي واعتذر عن الخطأ.
ولقى جوتا وشقيقه أندريا سيلفا مصرعهما في حادث سيارة مروع، وذلك في شهر يوليو الماضي، في واقعة أفجعت عالم كرة القدم.
يذكر أن ريال مدريد سيواجه خصمه إلتشي مساء اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر لبطولة الدوري الإسباني موسم 2025-2026.
Allrounder also takes two wickets as concerted bowling display helps set up return to Finals Day
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Sep-2025
Liam Livingstone roars after sealing victory•ECB via Getty Images
Lancashire Lightning are through to Finals Day and – 10 years on from their first – will get the chance to win a second Vitality Blast title next Saturday having beaten Kent Spitfires by three wickets chasing 154 in an engaging Emirates Old Trafford quarter-final.England fringe fast bowler Luke Wood struck with the first ball of a contest which saw the Spitfires scramble to 153 all out in 20 overs, the left-armer finishing with an excellent 3 for 29.No Kent batter reached 30 and they were unable to deny a Lightning side also including star man Liam Livingstone, James Anderson and Phil Salt a 10th Finals Day appearance.Like Wood, fellow England international Livingstone was key to Lancashire’s victory in front of a 12,000-plus crowd. Having returned 2 for 21 from four overs of spin, he helped recover their chase from 5 for 2 with a brilliantly destructive 85 not out off 45 balls with seven sixes. The hosts won with nine balls remaining.Livingstone is the only member of this Lancashire team to have won the Blast in 2015.Lightning made the perfect start, as Wood had Tawanda Muyeye caught at mid-off with the first ball of the match. It was the second time he had struck with the first ball of an innings in this campaign.Kent then scored runs at a decent rate but lost wickets at key moments. Daniel Bell-Drummond miscued Anderson to backward point, Zak Crawley was caught behind having gloved a pull at Jack Blatherwick and Livingstone’s first ball ousted a sweeping Sam Billings caught at deep square leg, leaving the score at 71 for 4 in the ninth over.Joe Denly had started nicely, including lofting Blatherwick’s first ball for six over long-off. But he also fell – on 28 – to strengthen Lancashire’s grip at 81 for 5 after 10 overs, miscuing a similar shot to long-off against Tom Hartley’s left-arm spin.The trend continued. Joey Evison muscled sixes off the spinners but fell for 27 to a smart boundary catch at long-off from Wood off Livingstone with the score on 115 in the 15th.Grant Stewart also hit two sixes in a brisk 25 before playing on to Tom Aspinwall, who struck twice with his seamers. And Kent had to try and bat the overs out, which they did. Still, their total had the feeling of being well short after Wood struck twice in the last over to remove Fred Klaassen and Nathan Gilchrist caught at deep midwicket.But visiting hopes were raised as they reduced the Lightning to 5 for 2 inside two overs of the chase as Stewart’s seam had Salt caught at deep backward square leg pulling and Klaassen’s left-armers forced Luke Wells to play on off his thigh pad.Klaassen was superb for 3 for 14 from four overs.Livingstone, on 15, top-edged a pull at Gilchrist into the back of his neck shortly afterwards and underwent a concussion check but carried on.He lost captain Keaton Jennings caught on the scoop against the outstanding pace of Klaassen – 31 for 3 in the fifth over – before taking the sting out of the situation in dynamic fashion.He took on the legspin of former county colleague Matthew Parkinson, three times smashing him over long-on for six in the ninth over as he reached his first fifty of this season’s Blast off 25 balls and took the score to 84 for 3.Experienced Australian Ashton Turner holed out off Evison almost immediately afterwards, but Kent desperately needed Livingstone’s wicket.It didn’t arrive, and even Parkinson getting Michael Jones for 28 off 16 balls and Hartley in the 14th over, leaving Lancashire 118 for 6, wasn’t enough to turn the game.Livingstone hammered Parkinson over long-on – and over The Point conference building – for six more, and his knock confirmed that Lancashire will play Somerset or Birmingham Bears in the semi-final at Edgbaston.
When Eddie Howe reflected on Newcastle United’s form at the start of the November international break, he would have felt the weight of back-to-back Premier League defeats against Brentford and West Ham United.
He also would have known the significance of a big performance against Manchester City at St. James’ Park when club football returned, and so it was momentous to have battled to victory against Manchester City on Saturday evening, recovering ground in the race for European football.
The season’s still young, and there is optimism regarding the Magpies’ hopes of finding success once again this year, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson will already be looking toward the future, and they have earmarked Elliot Anderson as the perfect player to take this project to the next level.
The latest on Anderson to Newcastle
As far as Newcastle are concerned, the Anderson situation is twofold: they will absolutely be in the thick of any upcoming battles to bring their academy graduate back home, and they will surely need to make concessions of some description, given the Tricky Trees are set to demand in excess of £100m for their prized player, who is also being chased by Manchester United
Anderson, 23, was sold to Forest in 2024 for a fee in the region of £35m. This was signed off by PIF officials bearing gritted teeth, having felt forced into cashing in for the homegrown talent in order to balance the books and placate PSR.
Ruefulness has since shifted to regret. Anderson has been described as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who has designated the star as a regular starter alongside Declan Rice as the 2026 World Cup looms large.
While Newcastle’s vested interest could lead to an exciting and concerted bid – Howe said at the start of October that he “would love him to” come back home – but it’s not as if the Toon engine room is lacking without him.
That said, Joelinton appears to be winding down after years of tireless and robust service. Anderson would surely dovetail into a trio with Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.
If Newcastle have to shuffle a few things, so be it, and there’s one rather brazen sale PIF could permit to ensure the club have the finances to pull a bid off next year.
The Newcastle superstar PIF could sell
It may well be a controversial move, but Newcastle have floated the possibility of selling Anthony Gordon about for some time, with Liverpool interest in their one-time academy talent in 2024, before United opted instead to cash in on Anderson.
Gordon joined Newcastle from Everton for around £45m in January 2023 and, after a testing start to life on Tyneside, made significant progress across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 21 goal contributions in the Premier League and serving as a talisman as Howe’s side battled through an injury-hit year.
But last season, as Newcastle went from strength to strength, returning to the Champions League and winning the Carabao Cup, Gordon regressed, only scoring six Premier League goals all year.
Though his playing style has put him in a promising position to beat the likes of Marcus Rashford to a regular starting berth at next year’s World Cup, more is needed from a player of his calibre, whose once untouchable place on Howe’s left wing is looking far more apt for replacement at this stage, especially with injuries and suspensions contributing toward his poor form this year.
Then, of course, we have Harvey Barnes, whose brace against City underscored his worth in this system. That’s three goals in two Premier League matches for the former Leicester winger, whose incisiveness from the wing works well against Nick Woltemade’s unique striking game, willing to drop deep and influence play while also playing the part of a powerful target man.
Gordon’s blistering speed and ability to stick to the flank or weave inside to wreak chaos are two brilliant aspects of his game, but he needs to offer more, and his inability to do this could see Howe sell him to fund a move for Anderson, perhaps making a shrewd winger signing to complement Barnes besides.
Because frankly, Gordon’s form in front of goal hasn’t been good enough for a while. The Three Lions star was said to have entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” after the loss at West Ham, which, for one of the most prominent wingers in England, self-proclaimed as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, is not good enough.
Jacob Ramsey – Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals (assists)
25/26
7
0 (0)
24/25
34
6 (6)
23/24
35
11 (10)
22/23
16
1 (0)
Data via Transfermarkt
Should Gordon fail to establish prolific form before the end of the season, there will be more than just a few questions placed by his name. Given that Liverpool have expressed an interest over the past couple of years, not dissuaded by Newcastle’s £100m valuation, could there be regret that he was not sold sooner?
Barnes, after all, is beginning to find goalscoring form, and Gordon has failed with 60% of his dribbles in the top flight this term, also missing big chances while failing to break his duck.
Gordon at full speed and potency in the final third and up and down the touchline is a dangerous adversary for even the finest of defenders. But his declaration of a nightmarish playing style can only go so far if he is unable to produce clinical results at the end.
We need only look at the Alexander Isak saga and the potential that Woltemade offers in the box to understand that selling Gordon for the right price would not be detrimental for Howe’s longer-term plans.
And if those funds are used to bring Anderson back home, thus completing what may well become the best central midfield in the whole country, then it would surely be a worthwhile move.
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