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Kohli back to lead both squads, while Dube and Shami also picked in ODIs and T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2019Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav have returned to India’s squads for the three T20Is and three ODIs at home against West Indies. Virat Kohli, who had been rested for the T20I leg of the Bangladesh series, also returned to lead both limited-overs sides.India’s limited-overs squads

ODIs: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
T20Is: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Mohammed Shami, who last played a T20I in 2017, also made a comeback to the shortest format, having already been part of the ODI squad. Khaleel Ahmed and Shardul Thakur, who were both part of the squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh, were left out. Krunal Pandya also missed the cut, with Ravindra Jadeja slotting back in as a like-for-like replacement. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson and legspinner Rahul Chahar, who both didn’t get a single game in the T20Is against Bangladesh, were also left out.Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who had injured himself while diving to reach the crease during Delhi’s Syed Mushtaq Ali game against Maharashtra in Surat, is likely to miss only one match in the domestic T20 competition, and will be available well in time for the T20Is and ODIs against West Indies.Bhuvneshwar was undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru in the past few months, with chief selector MSK Prasad having spoken about the pacer suffering from a ‘niggle’. It is understood that Bhuvneshwar had a muscle issue, but he has now recovered from it and even trained with India’s Test squad in Indore on the eve of the first Test against Bangladesh. Bhuvneshwar then proved his fitness in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, returning figures of 0 for 13 and 1 for 23 for Uttar Pradesh.Kuldeep, who had played alongside Bhuvneshwar for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, will reunite with fellow wristspinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Fingerspin-bowling allrounder Washington Sundar retained his place in the T20I squad while seam-bowling allrounder Shivam Dube was picked for both limited-overs squads.Dube is set to make his ODI debut, having impressed in the T20Is against Bangladesh. Kedhar Jadhav, who was part of India’s most recent ODI assignment in the Caribbean, retained his place, as did Manish Pandey. Navdeep Saini, who was part of the ODI squad in the West Indies, is currently recovering from injury and isn’t part of Delhi’s squad in the domestic T20 tournament. Deepak Chahar, who bagged record T20I figures of 6 for 7, against Bangladesh, has a chance to add to his solitary ODI cap.This might be the last selection meeting headed by MSK Prasad, the former India wicketkeeper. Prasad and Gagan Khoda, the former Rajasthan and India batsman, are likely to be replaced as their tenures will end when the BCCI convenes its annual general meeting on December 1.The limited-overs series against West Indies begins with the first T20I in Mumbai on December 6.

Manchester United have had an abundance of players come through the doors at Old Trafford over the last decade, with it fair to say that while some have worked out for the better, others have seemingly flopped.

A recent example of this is that of Jadon Sancho, the winger signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee in the region of £73m back in 2021.

Although for his first couple of seasons, the Englishman put in solid numbers by being involved in eight goals during the 2021/22 campaign and then a further ten in the following term, he was hardly a pivotal player within the Red Devils' squad.

Those woes culminated in his decline during the early stages of 2023/24, as the wideman was isolated from Erik ten Hag's squad and shipped back to Dortmund in January on a loan move until the end of the season, where, in just seven games, he has managed to assist his teammates twice.

Another of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's signings who can be included in the same sort of category as Sancho is that of Daniel James. The one-time Swansea City attacker joined the club in 2019 for a fee worth up to £18m after add-ons, before leaving just two years later.

Despite the Welshman's mixed fortunes at Old Trafford, he certainly had his moments at the club, with his strengths making him the type of player who could have thrived in tomorrow's eagerly-awaited Manchester derby.

Dan James' stats whilst at Man Utd

Whilst he only spent a couple of years in Manchester before joining Leeds for £25m, James certainly wasn't a complete disaster as he played in a total of 74 games and managed to contribute to 18 goals and assists.

That record holds up well in contrast to current flop, Antony, for instance, with the Brazilian having contributed just 13 goals and assists in 71 games in all competitions for the club to date, following his arrival on a mammoth £86m deal.

With the trip to the Etihad on the horizon, Ten Hag may wish he had a figure like James to call upon instead of the struggling Antony, with the Leeds man having that willing work ethic to be a useful asset in a one-off game like the derby.

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That can also be seen in his potential likeness to a certain, Park Ji-Sung, with South American journalist Leo Escudeiro making that comparison between the pair due to James being "technically limited, mega-fast and very dedicated".

Park, of course, may not have been the most high-profile of players, but he cemented cult hero status at United due to his hard-working nature and ability to deliver the goods on the big occasion, with former teammate Wayne Rooney stating that the South Korean was "almost as important to our success" as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and 'Wazza' himself.

In moments, James could offer something similar, with Solskjaer previously saying of his talents: "Dan with the energy he has, the X-factor and the pace, he gives us something that must be hard to play against if you are a defender."

This level of praise from the treble-winner outlines how well the Wales international played whilst at the club and shows that he could've given the Red Devils something extra to offer against the reigning Premier League champions on Sunday.

Dan James' record against Man City

As aforementioned, United are set to face Manchester City tomorrow afternoon and will be looking to try and get one over their imperious arch-rivals.

The club currently find themselves residing outside the top four after winning four of their last five top-flight games, albeit while slipping to a meek defeat at home to Fulham a week ago.

Blast from the Past

Football FanCast's Blast from the Past series takes a trip down memory lane. Do any of your classic icons of days gone by fit into a modern-day starting XI?

With Rasmus Hojlund currently sidelined, Ten Hag may have to select a forward line of Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and the aforementioned Antony, although there may be a sense that a talent like James would've been far more useful.

The 26-year-old's ability to hurt the Cityzens was notably laid bare following United's 2-1 triumph away from home back in December 2019, with James playing so well that United legend, Peter Schmeichel described his performance as "unbelievable".

As Gary Neville stated in commentary at the time, the hosts were simply "battered" on the counter-attack with the speedy winger central to that game plan, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst writing for Manchester Evening News that 'City could not keep up with his blistering pace' while awarding him an 8/10 match rating.

While James has played against City a total of ten times in his career and only managed one goal involvement – that assist coming in that 2-1 triumph in 2019 – he certainly provided Solskjaer's side with a real outlet that Ten Hag is currently lacking.

One thing is for sure, most United supporters would rather see James lining up on the right flank, ahead of the hapless Antony…

MatériaMais Notícias

O Juventude perdeu uma grande chance para entrar no G4 do Campeonato Gaúcho. Diante do Esportivo, que luta pela sobrevivência, o Jaconero ficou no 2 a 2.

+ Veja 30 astros que podem ficar fora da Eurocopa caso aconteça veto pela Superliga

Com a igualdade fora de casa, o Juventude alcançou os 14 pontos e permanece na 5ª posição. Seus dois principais concorrentes, Caxias de Ypiranga, estão com 15 pontos.

Na rodada final, a equipe de Marquinhos Santos precisa vencer o duelo e torcer pelo tropeço dos concorrentes.

Em caso de decepção, o Juventude vai conhecer a segunda eliminação precoce na temporada. A primeira aconteceu na Copa do Brasil.

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Leeds United put a hectic Deadline Day firmly to the back of their mind when returning to the bread and butter of Championship action on Friday night, beating Bristol City 1-0 at Ashton Gate courtesy of a second half Wilfried Gnonto strike.

Despite not strengthening in the centre-back areas – with talk that Ben Godfrey was a transfer target – the defensive duo of Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu showed to everyone that new reinforcements might not have been necessary anyway.

Rodon in particular impressed with 103 touches of the ball amassed in a measured display from the Welshman on Friday night.

Daniel Farke and Co might not have splashed the cash on another centre-back cover owing to the crop of young talent currently coming through in West Yorkshire also, with one starlet having the potential to break into the Whites first-team set-up soon as a Ben Godfrey-like figure.

Kris Moore's statistics as youth level

More than capable of doing a job at both centre-back and right-back, much like the Toffees defender Leeds failed to land, Kris Moore has been a star at youth level for some time now at Elland Road.

The 20-year-old has shone in the U21s fold predominantly at right-back this season, even helping himself to a goal and an assist in one game against Reading in September with Leeds still losing 3-2 despite Moore's best efforts.

In total for the U21s after rising through the youth ranks – with Moore now wearing the captain's armband as a leader in the group – the young Whites defender has accumulated 59 appearances over four campaigns with three goals and four assists registered.

Described as being a "solid" defender by football journalist Joe Donnohue when playing for the academy sides previously, Farke could be tempted to give the 20-year-old opportunities to impress in the first-team fold in the near future.

It's not as if the German boss is afraid to give youth a go either, as seen in 17-year-old Archie Gray becoming a regular first-teamer, whilst Moore will want to just finally taste senior action after being teased with a senior debut under ex-Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa.

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Moore's statistics at senior level

Named on the bench four times by the iconic Argentine manager during Leeds' 2021/22 season, Moore wasn't ever afforded an actual run-out despite making up the numbers regularly on the bench.

Yet, his time could well come to shine under Farke if the Whites boss wants a versatile and adaptable defensive presence similar to Godfrey.

Moore is obviously way off Godfrey currently as a raw youngster still learning the ropes, but the 20-year-old will view the Everton man's career as one he would want to ideally replicate.

The imposing 6-foot defender rose through the ranks to become a cemented first-team star at Norwich City, with the Toffees then paying an extortionate £25m fee to land his services back in 2020 after he had become a crucial cog in the Canaries winning promotion to the Premier League.

Farke was his Norwich manager at the time funnily enough, hence the eagerness for a reunion this window, but no move was forthcoming.

This transfer falling flat would have hurt even more after Godfrey returned to the Toffees first team fold with flying colours amidst all the speculation, winning four tackles as Sean Dyche's men valiantly battled to a 0-0 draw away at Fulham the night before Deadline Day.

If Moore can continue just plugging away in the youth set-up at Leeds and excelling however, it might well not be long before Farke gambles on the 20-year-old to come into the first-team and become his brand-new Godfrey over time.

Coach insists that getting up for the Ashes won’t be a problem despite lackadaisical performance at Lord’s

Andrew Miller26-Jul-2019

Joe Root was dismissed for 31•Getty Images

England’s coach, Trevor Bayliss, has questioned his team’s “ruthlessness” when faced with opponents of lesser stature than the likes of India and Australia, after his side saved face with a 143-run win on the third morning of their inaugural Test against Ireland at Lord’s.Having been bowled out for 85 on the first morning of the match, England turned the tables in dramatic fashion on the third, as Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad rolled aside their opponents in 15.4 overs for 38, the lowest completed Test total since 1932.However, Bayliss was keenly aware that the comprehensive nature of the finish could not disguise the flimsiness of England’s start, nor the enduring weaknesses in a top-three that is no nearer to being settled with the first Test against Australia looming on August 1.”When we got knocked over for 85 on day one, that showed what [Ireland] can do,” Bayliss told Sky Sports. “With a bit more experience they’ll give some teams a hurry up.”With a 180-run lead, we gave ourselves a chance and with the overcast conditions this morning, I think we probably added another 30-40 to the equation. But we had to get off to a good start and those two guys showed the class that we’ve got in these conditions.”I’d like to have seen this approach in the first two days, especially with our batting,” he added. “The intensity that we went into this morning’s play [was excellent], yet for some reason, over a period of time, we’ve struggled against teams that on paper we should do better against.”We’ve got no problem getting up for the game when it’s Australia or India, but it’s matches like that where we’ve got to get a grip of ourselves and see where we can get better.”Bayliss’s assertion is borne out by the team’s recent history, with notable defeats on home soil including a supine loss to Pakistan at Lord’s in the first Test of the 2018 season, as well as West Indies’ thrilling win at Headingley in 2017. But he was keen to add that it wasn’t simply an issue for this current England squad.”It’s been happening for a while, I mean, think about the Netherlands [at the World T20 in 2014] and other matches like that. Do we take the foot off? Are we able to get into the mood to actually go out and compete, and be ruthless?”I think we showed this morning here how ruthless we can be, but we’ve got to get that into our batting as well.”There was a significant mitigating factor for England going into this particular contest, however, given that five of the team were involved in the thrilling World Cup final win on this very ground just over a week ago. Jonny Bairstow, who made a pair, was one player who clearly struggled to raise his game, and Bayliss admitted that he for one would have liked longer to savour the greatest achievement of his career.”I know it’s a Test match that you’re pulling on a shirt for, but to bring yourself back up from that … I certainly think it was a big part to play. There’s no use getting away from it.”Even the first day, it would have been nice for another week, just to celebrate or savour the moment, but no, you’re straight back into preparing for a Test match. That’s what we’ve got in front of us and so that’s what we’ve got to work on and come to terms with.”The Ashes build-up will begin in earnest now that Australia have named their 17-man squad for the five-Test series, and England name their own squad for Edgbaston on Saturday morning. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are two automatic picks who were rested for this game, while Jofra Archer could come into the reckoning if he comes through his comeback spell for Sussex Sharks in the Blast this evening.”As I said before, I really don’t think we’ll have any problem getting ourselves up for the Ashes,” said Bayliss. “There’s always a lot of hype around that Ashes series, and we’ve got a few guys to come into the team that have had a rest so we’re looking forward to it.”James Anderson is another contender for the first Test after training with the squad during the Ireland Test, which he missed due to a minor calf tear sustained in county cricket three weeks ago.”Jimmy wasn’t quite right for this one but he’s been out here building up some spells and doing his sprints with no problems at all,” said Bayliss. “So I would be very surprised if he’s not right for the first Test.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta quarta-feira (24), o Santo André informou que o técnico do clube, Paulo Roberto Santos, foi diagnosticado com Covid-19 e internado, devido ao quadro de pneumonia que ele contraiu em decorrência da contaminação.

CONFIRA A TABELA DE CLASSIFICAÇÃO DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA

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– Informamos que, no momento, o paciente encontra-se internado no leito de enfermaria, acordado e orientado, sem febre, em uso de máscara de oxigênio suplementar e com melhora da função e da saturação pulmonar. O quadro clínico é considerado estável – declarou o departamento médico do Santo André, em comunicado.

A diretoria do clube paulista afirmou que não há mais nenhum caso de coronavírus até o momento. A equipe, que disputa a Série A1 do Campeonato Paulista, é a segunda colocada do grupo A da competição, com cinco pontos conquistados em quatro jogos.

Tottenham have been named as a credible landing spot for one club's "underrated" striker who's even been likened to their record goalscorer Harry Kane.

Postecoglou lacks out and out number nine at Spurs

Apart from Richarlison, who's recently started to turn a corner at Spurs, manager Ange Postecoglou is arguably bereft of natural centre-forward options.

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This hasn't deterred Tottenham's chase for Champions League qualification for the most part, as captain Son Heung-min has often thrived in the role this season. When the South Korea star isn't taking up Kane's former mantle, Richarlison is put there, with the Brazilian now showcasing his best form since joining Spurs from Everton in 2022.

Richarlison boasts six goals in his last seven top-flight appearances for the Lilywhites, and Postecoglou will be absolutely thrilled by his striker's real turnaround lately.

Nevertheless, there have still been recent suggestions that Tottenham could move to sign a striker this year. While Postecoglou has coped extremely well in his first season without club legend Kane, a few injuries up top would put them in a more precarious position.

Young striker Alejo Veliz is also out for months after picking up a knee injury in their 3-1 win over Bournemouth earlier this month, so the South American isn't even an option they can turn to. Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke is on Tottenham's radar among other names, like Brentford forward Ivan Toney.

The England international has been linked with a move to north London, whether it be with Spurs or Arsenal, who are billed as the major contenders for Toney's signature.

Tottenham named as credible destination for Toney

While they're thought to be underdogs in the race, journalist Ryan Taylor has refused to discount Spurs and names them as a credible destination. Indeed, the journalist suggests Toney could still end up joining Tottenham in 2024, when speaking on The Spurs Chat Podcast this week.

“I have always understood that Spurs are a team that have been looking at Toney," said Taylor.

"I don’t know if they have the muscle to compete with Chelsea and Arsenal at the end of the season. People have shot down Spurs’ interest in Toney, whereas the information I’ve had is don’t rule out Spurs."

The 27-year-old was a star player for Brentford last season, scoring 20 league goals, and he is now eligible to return from his ban for alleged gambling breaches in their next game.

Timo Werner

Arrival (loan)

Radu Dragusin

Arrival (permanent)

Eric Dier

Departure (loan)

Djed Spence

Departure (loan)

Ashley Phillips

Departure (loan)

Called "underrated" by sections of the press (Dean Jones), Arsenal captain Declan Rice has also likened him to Kane for his playmaking ability.

"He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker, he's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have," said Rice to talkSPORT.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em um confronto direto por uma vaga na Copa Libertadores de 2021, Santos e Corinthians se enfrentam na noite desta quarta (17), às 19h, na Vila Belmiro, em partida atrasada da 33ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

O Santos é o nono colocado, com 50 pontos, enquanto o Corinthians é o décimo, com 49. Uma das equipes vai superar o Athletico-PR (que tem 50 e ocupa a oitava colocação) e seguir dependendo apenas dele para garantir a classificação para a Libertadores nas duas últimas rodadas.

>> Confira a classificação atualizada do Campeonato Brasileiro

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PEIXE TEM DESFALQUE NO ATAQUE

O Santos terá um desfalque importante no clássico desta quarta. Com uma lesão muscular, o atacante Kaio Jorge está fora do jogo e não deve atuar mais no Campeonato Brasileiro. Ele deve ser substituído por Marcos Leonardo.

Na defesa, Laércio sofreu um entorse no tornozelo e pode ficar fora. Caso isso aconteça, Luiz Felipe deve ser o escolhido para começar a partida.

TIMÃO TEM DESFALQUE NA DEFESA

O técnico Vagner Mancini tem um desfalque importante no sistema defensivo. O lateral-direito Fágner recebeu o terceiro cartão amarelo na partida contra o Flamengo e terá de cumprir suspensão automática. Ele será substituído por Michel Macedo.

O treinador tem uma dúvida no meio-campo entre Otero e Matheus Vital, que cumpriu suspensão diante do Flamengo. A volta de Gabriel está confirmada.

FICHA TÉCNICA
SANTOS X CORINTHIANS

Data e hora: 17 de fevereiro de 2021, às 19h
Local: Estádio Vila Belmiro, em Santos (SP)
Árbitro: Vinícius Gonçalves Dias Araújo (SP)
Assistentes: Evandro de Melo Lima (SP) e Luiz Alberto Andrini Nogueira (SP)
Árbitro de vídeo: Márcio Henrique de Gois (SP)

Onde assistir: Premiere e tempo real do LANCE!

SANTOS
João Paulo, Pará, Luiz Felipe, Luan Peres e Felipe Jonatan; Alison, Sandry e Soteldo; Marinho, Marcos Leonardo (Jean Mota) e Lucas Braga. Técnico: Cuca
Desfalques: Kaio Jorge, Carlos Sánchez e Raniel

CORINTHIANS
Cássio; Michel Macedo, Jemerso, Gil e Fábio Santos; Gabriel, Cantillo, Otero (Mateus Vital), Ángelo Araos e Gustavo Mosquito; Léo Natel. Técnico: Vagner Mancini
Desfalque: Fágner (suspenso)

Southampton extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to 14 games after resoundingly beating Blackburn Rovers 4-0 last weekend, Jon Dahl Tomasson's Riversiders second best all afternoon at St Mary's as Russell Martin's men showed no mercy in a rampant display.

Martin's use of the substitutes bench came in clutch in this contest, with Sekou Mara and Carlos Alcaraz both scoring after being introduced into the game late on to ensure the three points were secure to avoid any worries of a slip-up.

Those late strikes in the one-sided match on the South Coast could see both players come into the starting eleven today, Carlos Alcaraz itching to add more goals to his Saints resume if selected for today's contest against a frail QPR defence.

Carlos Alcaraz's game vs Blackburn in numbers

Alcaraz only needed 14 minutes on the pitch against Dahl Tomasson's Rovers to add another goal to his growing Southampton account, up to seven goals now for the Championship club since joining in January of this year from his native Argentina.

He could have a double on another day in a blistering cameo off the bench, awkwardly missing a penalty with a dinked effort from the spot before firing in his side's fourth of the game deep into injury time at the end of the 90 minutes.

The Saints' number 22 even held his hands up to the St Mary's masses to apologise for the poor penalty miss after scoring, more than atoning for that error with the strike.

Successful with three out of four dribble attempts too from such a short spell on the pitch, Alcaraz was a handful from the minute he came on and was an impactful presence to bring on late into the game to overwhelm a tiring Blackburn defence.

Martin could well be tempted to start his livewire Argentinian attacker next match as a result, with Sekou Mara also clamouring for a starting opportunity against QPR after an equally impactful cameo off the bench.

Sekou Mara's game vs Blackburn in numbers

Mara was introduced into the contest in place of a surprisingly below-par Adam Armstrong, showing the usually clinical attacker how to find the back of the net in this one on a rare goalless afternoon for the ex-Newcastle United striker.

The 21-year-old crucially prodded home after Ryan Fraser crossed into the danger area, the young Frenchman putting the game beyond all doubt as a result.

Mara's trickery on the ball would also win the Saints a penalty before this game-clinching goal, twisting and turning Blackburn shirts whilst eyeing up an effort on the Rovers net before being stopped in his tracks by a rash tackle.

Coming off the pitch at the end overjoyed at his short but sweet 14-minute cameo on the St Mary's turf, Mara also failed to misplace a single ball in the game with two of his three ground duels also successfully won.

Mara has shone in a Saints kit in the past away from just this second-tier season in isolation, even receiving praise for his individual displays during their relegation campaign from the Premier League.

The Frenchman was hailed as "ridiculous" by football pundit and ex-Manchester City player Micah Richards in the aftermath of assisting Kyle Walker-Peters last season versus Leeds United on Match of the Day, showboating on the ball before cutting the Whites defence open with an inch-perfect pass through in the 2-2 draw.

The skilful attacker will hope his promising cameo against Blackburn will be enough to be rewarded with only his second start of the season today, even unsettling the status quo on the South Coast with Adam Armstrong potentially dropped to make way for the Saints' number 18 to further strut his stuff.

Fulham have made contact to enquire about a deal to bring a new striker to the Premier League on loan, according to a fresh report.

Fulham's season so far

The Cottagers have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won three, drawn three and lost six of their opening 12 games, meaning that they currently find themselves sitting 15th in the top-flight table.

Victories	Draws	Defeats
Everton (1-0)	Arsenal (2-2)	Brentford (3-0)
Luton Town (1-0)	Crystal Palace (0-0)	Manchester City (5-1)
Sheffield United (3-1)	Brighton (1-1)	Chelsea (2-0)
		Tottenham (2-0)
		Manchester United (1-0)
		Aston Villa (3-1)

Marco Silva’s side have struggled to find the back of the net and are the joint-lowest scorers with Burnley ahead of the clash with Wolves, so it’s clear that the manager will have to enter the market to find some prolific reinforcements should he want to change his fortunes in the final third.

The Portuguese boss has set his sights on Ajax centre-forward Chuba Akpom, who only put pen to paper over the summer from Championship side Middlesbrough, and it’s fair to say that he’s made an impressive start to his new life at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

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England’s former youth international has firmly established himself as John Van’t Schip’s best-performing offensive player so far this season in the Eredivisie (WhoScored – Ajax statistics), and the 28-year-old’s impressive form has caught the eye of the hierarchy at Craven Cottage ahead of January.

Fulham showing interest in Chuba Akpom

According to TEAMtalk, Akpom is of interest to Fulham, alongside several other clubs who are also looking to secure his services at the start of next year.

“Crystal Palace and Fulham are amongst the clubs who have enquired about the availability of Ajax striker Chuba Akpom, TEAMtalk can reveal.

"Sources have now told TEAMtalk that Akpom is open to the idea of a move to the Premier League and with Ajax ready to consider a loan deal, there is interest.

"Crystal Palace and Fulham are both very keen on a possible deal for the 28-year-old, while Everton, Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United are also keeping tabs on the situation.”

Akpom could be a "remarkable" addition

During his time at Ajax, Akpom has so far scored five goals from 13 matches in total which shows how prolific he can be in the final third, but he’s capable of operating everywhere across the frontline and even as an attacking midfielder (Transfermarkt – Akpom statistics).

Sponsored by Nike, Schip’s talisman was named the 2022/23 Player of the Season in the Championship, so the fact that he’s received individual recognition for his performances in England shows that he’s capable of reaching the high standards required to succeed.

According to BBC reporter Oluwashina Okeleji, Akpom is a “remarkable” striker, and when you consider that he shares the same representative, Elite Project Group Ltd, as Alex Iwobi (Fulham agents), this existing connection that his management have to the club could give the board a small advantage should they try to get a deal over the line.