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A former Liverpool coach says Premier League sides' use of the long throw is currently "too chaotic". Teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Brentford and Manchester United have been using this rejuvenated tactic this season as clubs seeks to take it to the opposition. But a long throw-in expert believes the quality of those deliveries have dropped off this term.

Tuchel talks up return of long throws

Earlier this month, England manager Thomas Tuchel declared that long throws are "back" and he sees the tactic as an important weapon in a team's arsenal as the Three Lions try and win the 2026 World Cup.

The former Chelsea boss said: "I told you: the long throw-in is back. But we do not have a lot of time. But once we arrive at the World Cup, all these things matter, so we will also talk about long throw-ins, we will talk about long kicks from the goalkeeper and not only playing short. But we cannot put everything into four days of training. But these things will matter. And let's see. I need to reflect now with my assistant coaches. All these patterns are back and crosses are back as well."

Ex-Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce was known as a strong proponent of utilising this approach, as was former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis. Like many things, football goes in cycles.

Allardyce told : "We got heavily criticised at the time. But we were ahead of the game, and lots of people, particularly at the bigger clubs, or even the press, were not too complimentary. Corners and free-kicks are extremely important. Long throws must be used. If a player's not comfortable, you don't use it. But if they are, you do. There's more and more set-play coaches than ever before. Arsenal have done very well on that. They've changed slightly this year because everybody's had to spend a lot of time trying to stop them against that particular corner."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThrow-in expert calls out 'ugly' part of football

Thomas Gronnemark, who worked with Liverpool for five years under Jurgen Klopp and has been helping out at Brentford recently, has developed a reputation as a long throw-in expert. Indeed, he used to hold the world record for the longest throw-in at 51.33 metres. But he thinks English sides are using them poorly at present.

He told the: "You can say there are many more long throw-ins in the Premier League. You can say, 'Isn't that good?' No, not necessarily! There are far too many teams taking low-quality long throw-ins. Some of the throw-ins are just not long enough, so they're not dangerous, and sometimes it's about the strategy. 

"To be honest, for most teams, throw-ins are a really ugly part because the quality is so low, the ball is being thrown into high-pressure situations where there are duels. There are too many chaotic throw-ins in the Premier League: the level from Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle is really low. Possession rates are at around 25 to 33 per cent on throw-ins under pressure. The standard is really low.

"When I was at Liverpool, the quality went up, but it's started to go down again. I think one of the reasons is that they're only training one or two routines in each zone. Yeah, it can work but your players have to learn to think throw-ins."

Brentford the most potent exponents of long throw

The report adds that Brentford have put 23 long throws into an opponent's penalty box this season, resulting in one goal, 11 shots, and an Expected Goals tally of 1.29 – the best in the division. While Gronnemark knows how important this tactic can be, it isn't always a fan's cup of tea.

He added, "It's also about entertainment for the fans. People might think that a guy who coaches long throw-ins wants a lot of them. Actually, I don't. I don't want to see every team take 10 long throw-ins in every game because then we have too much start and stop. People just look at the best teams and say 'they're having real success data-wise, so we'll do the same'. But they are forgetting that there's a lot of work, many years' worth, behind it. You have to do space creation around the opponents' penalty area."

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Getty Images SportCoach calls out Premier League set-piece staff

Gronnemark also believes that more preparation on the training ground needs to happen before long throws are used in games. 

"If you're a world-class throw-in taker, it's much easier to put the ball where you want with a throw-in than with a corner kick. How many corners hit the first man? It's hard to kick with your foot. It's much easier to throw with your hands if you have the right technique," he said.

"There are a lot of set-piece coaches now, and a lot of them treat the throw-in like a corner or a free-kick. So they say 'we can have one or two routines in each zone’' But the challenge is that the opponents' defending pattern will already mark this from the start then the players have a big challenge. Even with the biggest teams in the Premier League, you can see that if they make one move and it doesn't work then the players don’t know what to do – they're getting confused, frustrated because they don't have a high throw-in intelligence."

Chelsea have now received a response after submitting a £43m offer for a defender who’s “as good as Van Dijk and Saliba”, according to a report.

Blues looking to strengthen at centre-back

Although his side were unable to pick up all three points against Crystal Palace on Sunday, Enzo Maresca will be pleased that his side managed to keep a clean sheet, with the centre-back partnership of Josh Acheampong and Trevoh Chalobah holding firm.

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The duo made a combined 17 defensive actions to keep Palace at bay, with both players also showcasing their ability in possession of the ball, averaging pass-completion rates of over 90%.

However, there may be some doubts over whether the Blues’ defence is good enough to mount a serious Premier League title challenge, with Acheampong still only 19-years-old, while Chalobah remains relatively inexperienced at the top level.

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With Levi Colwill also sidelined for the foreseeable future due to an ACL injury, it would make sense to get another centre-back through the door, and an offer has been made for a Serie A defender.

That is according to a report from Gazzetta, which states Chelsea have tabled a €50m (£43m) bid for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, which was ‘politely declined’ by the Italian.

The Blues are not the only Premier League club to have expressed an interest in Bastoni, with Newcastle United also coming forward over a potential deal, but the defender remains focused on Inter’s upcoming campaign.

That said, another approach from one of the interested English clubs isn’t ruled out, suggesting that a deal could still be possible later in the window.

Bastoni could be on Van Dijk and Saliba's level

The 26-year-old is held in very high regard by presenter and analyst Nieve Petruzziello, who claimed he was “as good as Van Dijk and Saliba” last season.

The Italy international is also extremely comfortable in possession of the ball, as showcased by his passing and dribbling ability, which has regularly been on display over the course of the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Passes attempted

80.63 (94th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.49 (92nd percentile)

Progressive carries

1.99 (98th percentile)

The Inter star’s passing ability, coupled with the fact he is used to playing in a back three, could make him an ideal addition to Maresca’s squad, given that the Chelsea boss often implements a three-at-the-back system.

As such, it is disappointing the Blues’ opening offer was rejected, but a move later in the window has not been ruled out, and it could be worth submitting an improved bid for the centre-back.

As speculation increases over Alexander Isak’s future, Newcastle United are now reportedly racing to sign a former Manchester City player in a £30m deal this summer.

Alexander Isak asks to leave Newcastle

Having been sent home by Eddie Howe before Newcastle’s pre-season game against Celtic last weekend and then left out of the Magpies’ squad for their Asia tour, Isak now reportedly wants to leave St James’ Park. There was an insistence that the Swede had suffered a thigh injury and that was the reason for his pre-season absence and not anything transfer related, but that has since been revealed to be a smokescreen for his desire to depart.

Newcastle’s biggest fear has been realised and they now face an almighty battle to keep hold of their star man. Liverpool could reportedly come calling if they manage to sell Luis Diaz and their interest in Isak has been an open secret all summer long. Meanwhile, clubs in Saudi Arabia are also reportedly plotting a move.

It would, of course, be quite the twist if another club owned by PIF made their move to sign Isak from Newcastle, but whether such a deal takes place remains to be seen.

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As for Newcastle, their attention must once again turn towards the transfer market. The Magpies have endured a tumultuous summer – missing out on a number of targets – and must now ensure that they get deals over the line for the likes of Yoane Wissa before potentially replacing Isak.

Newcastle join Adarabioyo race

One way that those in Tyneside could begin to spend any potential Isak money is by improving their backline. According to Caught Offside, Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Tosin Adarabioyo from Chelsea this summer. The defender is valued at just £30m by the Blues and could be on the move amid interest from the Magpies, Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Napoli and AC Milan.

Minutes

1,409

3,330

Progressive Passes P90

2.68

2.03

Tackles Won P90

0.83

0.65

Aerial Duels Won P90

2.68

3.95

Compared to Dan Burn, Adarabioyo would offer Newcastle an instant upgrade in possession. Meanwhile, the former Manchester City gem would also be an impressive alternative to Giorgio Scalvini.

Newcastle are reportedly interested in the Atalanta man, but with a deal yet to take place, the door has seemingly opened for the likes of Adarabioyo this summer.

Initially rising through the ranks at Man City before establishing himself at Fulham then joining Chelsea, Adarabioyo earned impressive praise from Pep Guardiola in the past.

The Spaniard told reporters: “He is fast, strong in the air, and has the quality to look forward behind the line for the next pass. He definitely has a future in the first team.”

Arsenal are about to wrap up some key summer transfer deals, but Mikel Arteta could also see a host of players go the other way.

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Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres is about to become an Arsenal player after a month of intense talks with the Primeira Liga champions, finally culminating in Fabrizio Romano dropping his famous ‘here we go’ tagline to the move earlier this week.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

Plans are in place for Gyokeres to undergo his medical in Singapore and link-up with Arteta’s squad for their pre-season tour of Asia (The Independent), after Arsenal agreed a potential £64 million fee for the forward, including add-ons.

Gyokeres and defender Cristhian Mosquera – Arsenal’s two most recent arrivals – could be joined by a central attacking midfielder, which is seen as their next priority.

Arsenal are still reportedly planning to accelerate a move for Eberechi Eze after sealing Gyokeres (Pete O’Rourke), but they may have to start thinking more about outgoings too, in an attempt to balance the books and err on the side of caution with PSR.

Leandro Trossard has emerged as a recent target for Bayern Munich amid their struggles to land Liverpool forward Luis Diaz, according to Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, and sporting director Andrea Berta could be forced to consider a bid given the Belgian’s contract expires next year.

Meanwhile, Fulham are in talks over another loan deal for Reiss Nelson (Dharmesh Sheth), so there are a couple of opportunities for Arteta to trim the squad before deadline day on September 1.

However, one of the few stars they won’t be prepared to sell is mainstay defender William Saliba.

Agent offers William Saliba to Real Madrid with Arsenal unhappy

The France international has been a pivotal member of Arteta’s defence since the beginning of 2022/2023, forming an unbreakable partnership with Gabriel, and this has attracted interest from Real Madrid.

The La Liga heavyweights are continuously linked with a move for Saliba, and they’re believed to view the ex-Saint-Etienne star as a “game-changer” (Fabrizio Romano).

Only an offer of around £100 million would get Arteta’s side thinking, according to Sky Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri, but the Gunners are currently in advancing talks to extend Saliba’s deal.

As per a report from Football Transfers this week, Arsenal are close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Saliba, which comes as very good news for Arteta. However, they’re unhappy with the conduct of his agent, who offered the 24-year-old to Xabi Alonso’s side via a phone call.

Saliba’s representative, Djibril Niang, is said to have fuelled rumours of a departure by contacting Real, and they faced similar situations with him when Edu was sporting director.

Heated exchanges between Edu and Niang apparently nearly resulted in the defender’s exit during his loan spell at Marseille, but luckily for Arsenal, Saliba’s potential extension will quash any possibility of a Real move for the summer.

The legspinner has had few red-ball opportunities in recent years but may get an opening in October

Andrew McGlashan10-Aug-2024Adam Zampa retains hope of wearing the baggy green, confident that his game would stand up in Tests despite a lack of first-class cricket over the last six years.Zampa has previously spoken about his disappointment of missing last year’s Test tour of India when he was told he was a good chance of being picked before the selectors opted for Queensland’s Mitchell Swepson.Related

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His heavy white-ball schedule has meant Zampa has played just two first-class games since 2019, both for New South Wales having returned to the state where his career began in 2020 after seven years in South Australia, and only six dating back to 2017.”I think, realistically, [I’m] still a chance to play Test cricket,” he told the podcast. “If I was playing a lot of Shield cricket right now with the way I’m bowling, the bowler I am, think I’d be fine, I’d be doing really well. The few games I have played in the last couple of years are suggestive of that.”While two spinners in home Tests is rare, Australia have a two-Test series in Sri Lanka early next year on which they will take a variety of spin-bowling options to support Nathan Lyon. The upcoming summer schedule also potentially provides Zampa a rare window for some Sheffield Shield cricket either side of Pakistan’s visit in November for ODIs and T20Is.However, Australia’s selectors have previously indicated that Sheffield Shield performances are not the only criteria when selecting for subcontinent tours – Glenn Maxwell is also in the frame for the Sri Lanka trip – and these days Zampa, whose first-class average is an unflattering 46.98, is comfortable that is game could adapt.Adam Zampa has become one of Australia’s greatest white-ball bowlers•ICC/Getty Images”Even if I do get picked in the upcoming subcontinent tours, people will say, well his record is averaging 46 with the ball, it’s not good enough, people will say that I’m sure, but if I do get picked I’ll know that the way I feel like I’m bowling, it’ll be fine,” he said.Whether or not Zampa’s international future includes Test cricket, he has been clear that he will prioritise Australia duty over the franchise scene particularly after the high of the 2023 ODI World Cup success. He withdrew from both the IPL and MLC this year and confirmed he had signed a two-year central contract deal with Cricket Australia.He is currently playing in the Hundred for Oval Invincibles, where he is the joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, which he said fits his lifestyle and the calendar this season with Australia touring the UK in September, but added that he does not want to spend extensive periods away from home outside of international cricket.”I was lucky to…be part of a winning World Cup team,” he said. “Looking forward, the franchise thing isn’t for me. I want to keep playing for Australia as long as I can, the feeling of success in that team is something I want more of. I’m lucky enough to have signed a two-year with Australia and it’s on the basis of wanting to play every game for Australia. It meant I had to make some decisions around franchise cricket.”Zampa, who is the only Australia men’s bowler with over 100 T20I wickets, will next be in action for Australia against Scotland in three T20Is early next month before three more against England followed by five ODIs.

Celtic are looking to improve their options in the wide areas during the summer transfer window ahead of the 2025/26 campaign getting underway.

The Hoops are already closing in on their first addition on the flanks, as reporter Anthony Joseph has claimed that the club have agreed a fee of £1.7m to sign FC Nordsjaelland attacker Benjamin Nygren.

The Sweden international, who scored 15 goals in 30 league matches for the Danish club this season, is set to arrive to compete for a place on the right wing, but the club are also looking at a left-sided addition.

Journalist Sacha Tavolieri has claimed that talks are ongoing between Celtic and Michel-Ange Balikwisha over a potential move from Belgian side Royal Antwerp.

The Belgian reporter added that the 24-year-old winger is keen to make the move to Parkhead this summer, but it remains to be seen whether or not terms will be agreed between all parties to make it happen.

Celtic are looking to bring in a new left-winger after Jota suffered a long-term knee injury in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, and there are reasons for and against a move for Balikwisha.

The Celtic case for Michel-Ange Balikwisha

One of the reasons why Celtic may want to sign the Belgian forward is because he has the potential to deliver quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals at the top end of the pitch.

The right-footed flanker has produced 29 goals and 17 assists in 141 appearances in all competitions for Royal Antwerp to date, which includes four goals and three assists in ten games during the Pro League play-off round this season.

Balikwisha has shown that he has the potential to make a big impact in the final third at a good level in Belgium’s top-flight, which is why Celtic may feel that he could hit the ground running in Scotland.

At the age of 24, the Belgian forward is also at a good age where he still has time to develop and improve, but is not inexperienced, which could make him an ideal signing.

24/25

3

205

29

23/24

1

49

10

22/23

2

103

14

21/22

2

51

10

As you can see in the table above, though, there are also reasons to be concerned about a potential deal for the winger, as he has missed 63 matches through injury in the last four seasons combined, and this means that the attacker may not be available week-in-week-out.

Balikwisha has also only played more than 17 games in one role, as a left winger, in his career, which does not suggest that he is supremely versatile across the frontline.

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Celtic could, however, land an even better winger signing this summer by moving for Blackburn Rovers dynamo Tyrhys Dolan over a swoop for Balikwisha.

Why Celtic should sign Tyrhys Dolan

The Hoops are reportedly in the running to land the 23-year-old attacker on a free transfer, as his contract at Ewood Park is due to expire at the end of this month.

This means that he would be significantly cheaper than Balikwisha, who has a reported price tag of £5m, and that would allow the Scottish Premiership champions to save money to spend in other areas of the pitch.

Not only would Dolan be a cheaper alternative, the English forward would also arrive as a player who is more likely to be a reliable option for Brendan Rodgers from a fitness perspective, as he has not suffered any notable injuries in his career, as per Transfermarkt.

The 23-year-old ace, who has racked up 210 appearances for Blackburn already, is durable and can be relied upon to be available most weeks as Celtic compete across four competitions, as he has been used to 46-game seasons in the Championship.

Dolan, once hailed as “outstanding” by manager John Eustace, also has the positional flexibility to make him a useful option even when Jota is back fit. He has played 25 games or more in four different positions throughout his career, and is capable of playing on the right or left flank, as an attacking midfielder, and as a centre-forward.

This suggests that he is more likely to be a viable option in other positions than Balikwisha, who is predominantly a left-winger, would be, which is another reason why he could be a more valuable signing for Rodgers moving forward.

Goals

0.17

Top 45%

Shot on target percentage

44%

Top 11%

Non-penalty xG per shot

0.13

Top 22%

Goals per shot

0.12

Top 33%

Goal creating actions

0.48

Top 11%

Defensive actions leading to goal

0.06

Top 2%

Assists

0.17

Top 37%

As you can see in the table above, Dolan also caught the eye with his contributions at the top end of the pitch in the second tier of English football, ranking highly in a host of key attacking metrics.

He ended the campaign with a return of seven goals, seven ‘big chances’ created, and six assists, compared to Balikwisha’s haul of four goals, seven ‘big chances’ created, and three assists.

These statistics, with both his goal and assist numbers as well as his underlying data, suggest that the potential is there for the potential free agent signing to deliver quality as a scorer and a creator of goals for Celtic.

Overall, Dolan would be a better signing for the Scottish giants than Balikwisha because he would arrive at Parkehad for less money, offer more reliability with his fitness, offer more versatility with the positions that he can play, and offer a similar threat in front of goal.

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It is now down to Rodgers to push the board to strike an agreement with Dolan to bring him in on a free transfer instead of pursuing a big-money deal for Balikwisha this summer.

Newcastle United won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League last season, and will surely be looking to raise their game even higher under Eddie Howe’s wing next year.

To do that, they will need to hit the mark in the summer transfer window, which officially opens next Monday. Bryan Mbeumo is involved in a tussle between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, so that’s unfortunately one which St. James’ Park will have to cede, but Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga is fixed on Howe’s radar.

The speedy Elanga, however, is valued at more than £55m by the Tricky Trees, and the Magpies may want to fold their interest, given the perfect alternative has recently been made available on the transfer market.

Newcastle enter race for PL star

As relayed by Caught Offside, Newcastle have entered the race for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, who will not sign for Chelsea in a permanent deal after the Blues paid a £5m penalty to sever their obligation to buy clause, worth £25m.

The 25-year-old played his part for Chelsea last season, but Enzo Maresca ultimately wanted to look in a different direction this summer, but that’s not to say Sancho isn’t without his suitors, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur also keen.

There’s no way back for the winger at Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils outfit, so if Newcastle do want to push ahead with a move, they might find negotiations to be comparatively smooth sailing.

Why Newcastle want Jadon Sancho

It certainly wasn’t the worst season in the world for the England international. Across 42 matches in all competitions, Sancho only scored five goals but did rack up ten assists, notably featuring heavily as Chelsea won the Conference League.

In the Premier League, Sancho might have only started 19 matches, but he did clinch seven direct goal contributions, averaging 1.5 dribbles and 1.2 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

And if you needed further evidence of his qualities, the silky winger finished the 2024/25 campaign ranked among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 13% for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

In the right environment, under the right manager’s guidance, Sancho has proven himself to be one of the most dangerous widemen in football.

Surely, Sancho at his peak outstrips any version of Elanga, whose progress in Nuno Espirito Santo’s system has been remarkable, but perhaps the underlying data doesn’t favour him, only averaging 0.7 dribbles per Premier League game in 2024/25 (winning 39%), as per Sofascore.

His two-footedness adds another layer to the argument of him being a better option than Elanga, with Howe known to enjoy shuffling his forwards across different positions, even fielding Alexander Isak out on the left flank on occasion.

Left winger

176

54

45

Right winger

113

32

44

Attacking midfield

20

5

4

Centre-forward

6

2

1

Arriving in the Premier League as a £73m signing for Manchester United, Sancho has struggled, no doubt, but he was incredible when plying his art with Borussia Dortmund, impressing both domestically and on the biggest European stages.

Even at a lower ebb across the past 12 months (but not his lowest), Sancho has demonstrated a glowing range of qualities. At £25m, surely this represents a better deal than Elanga, who almost matched the Chelsea man for numbers, scoring six goals and assisting 12 more over 43 games?

Given that Forest could be looking to bank north of £50m for Elanga this summer, it perhaps makes more sense to invest in Sancho, who might just find his erstwhile footing on Tyneside, working under Howe’s tutelage to finally realise the potential that once led talent scout Jacek Kulig to hail him as a “phenomenon”.

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Brighton & Hove Albion are now eyeing a move for a “world-class” goalkeeper to replace Bart Verbruggen this summer, according to a report.

Verbruggen attracting interest after impressive performances

Brighton have enjoyed another solid campaign in the Premier League, with a top-half finish looking increasingly likely, and their goalkeeper has caught the eye with some impressive performances.

Most recently, Verbruggen kept a clean sheet in the Seagulls’ 2-0 triumph at Wolverhampton Wanderers, making two saves from inside the box to keep the Old Gold at bay, which earned him a 7.7 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest of any player.

The Netherlands international has also put in some top displays for his national side, making some impressive saves in his side’s UEFA Nations League clash against Spain back in March.

As such, it is little wonder the Dutchman is now starting to attract attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, with a report from The Sun revealing that Real Madrid are now eyeing a shock deal for the shot-stopper this summer.

In the same report, it is detailed that Brighton are now running the rule over top-class replacements for the 22-year-old, with Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher one of the goalkeepers under consideration, having tracked the Irishman for quite some time.

Reports from elsewhere have revealed the Reds have set an asking price of £40m for Kelleher, so the Seagulls will need to be willing to spend big, should they decide to pursue a move for the goalkeeper.

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Of course, Fabian Hurzeler will be hoping to keep hold of Verbruggen beyond the end of the campaign, but it could be difficult to retain the goalkeeper’s services if Real Madrid come calling, and there are signs the Liverpool shot-stopper could be an ideal replacement.

While Alisson has remained Arne Slot’s first-choice option between the sticks, the Irishman has certainly played a role in the Reds’ Premier League title triumph, making 10 appearances while the Brazilian was sidelined due to injury.

During that time, the 26-year-old received very high praise from Andy Robertson, who described his teammate as “world-class”.

Not only that, but the Ireland international ranks highly across some key goalkeeping metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Clean sheet %

50% (99th percentile)

Goals against

1.07 (81st percentile)

Save % (penalty kicks)

100% (98th percentile)

Having proven himself in the Premier League with the champions, Kelleher could be a fantastic replacement for Verbruggen this summer, but Hurzeler will be hoping Madrid cool their interest in his goalkeeper.

Manchester United secured a remarkable quarter-final triumph over Lyon last night, producing a comeback Sir Alex Ferguson would’ve been proud of.

Ruben Amorim’s side looked to be on the verge of defeat, trailing 4-2 on the night, until three goals in seven minutes secured a place in the semi-final, setting up a clash with Athletic Club.

Bruno Fernandes scored from the spot before substitute Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire scored in the last couple of minutes to secure a phenomenal turnaround.

Such a win has kept the Red Devils’ hopes of ending the season with a trophy alive, now being just three games away from winning yet another European title.

However, despite the victory, numerous players failed to deliver at Old Trafford, potentially putting their starting role in the side at huge risk in the process.

Man Utd’s poor performers against Lyon

Striker Rasmus Hojlund was tasked with the responsibility of leading the line after Joshua Zirkzee was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury.

However, the Dane failed to take advantage of the opportunity handed his way, losing 12 duels – the most of any player on the pitch – whilst also failing to register a single effort on goal.

He wasn’t the only player to disappoint at the Theatre of Dreams, with Andre Onana shipping four goals on his return to the starting eleven after missing the defeat against Newcastle United.

The Cameroonian was helpless with a couple of the efforts, but only managed to complete 69% of the passes he attempted – often putting the backline under needless pressure.

However, despite the showings of the aforementioned duo, one other United player struggled to make a positive impact, with his time at the club needing to come to an end.

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Whilst the side produced one of the best comebacks Old Trafford has ever seen, Amorim will have a few question marks to contend with over the next few months.

Hojlund’s lack of form will undoubtedly come into question once again, with his own future up in the air, potentially needing to be moved on to resurrect his once-promising career.

With the summer transfer window looming, a new striker will certainly be top of the manager’s shopping list, with serious firepower needing to be added to take the side back to the summit of the Premier League.

However, he also needs to make a brutal call on the future of Luke Shaw after his failure to impress off the substitutes bench in last night’s iconic turnaround.

The 29-year-old has been extremely prone to injuries over the last couple of years, adding to the list of reasons why he should be moved on during the off-season.

He was brought on to replace Noussair Mazraoui at the break, but struggled to make an impression, giving away the penalty that gave the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Shaw also only completed one of the four crosses he attempted, whilst also giving possession away five times – leading to journalist Adam Joseph labelling his showing as “disastrous”.

Luke Shaw’s stats for Man Utd against Lyon

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

75

Touches

32

Passes completed

22/24 (92%)

Crosses completed

1/4 (25%)

Possession lost

5x

Penalties conceded

1

Ground duels won

0/2 (0%)

Stats via SofaScore

His disappointing showing didn’t stop there, losing 100% of the ground duels he entered, and failing to win a single tackle – struggling to make the desired impact at the back.

As a result of his showing, the defender was handed a measly 3/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst, highlighting how disappointing he was off the bench.

His inability to produce an encouraging showing, whilst also taking his injury record into account, it’s crucial that Amorim makes the brutal decision to offload him during the upcoming window. Indeed, it would be no surprise if he does not feature again before the campaign is out.

He’s been an excellent servant to the club, but unfortunately he’s no longer at the level required if the side are to return to Premier League glory, needing fresh blood to help them in their quest next campaign.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Apr 17, 2025

On Monday, Test cricket threw Indian fans into a situation they had no idea how to live through. Who knows when, or if, we will ever experience something like this again

Karthik Krishnaswamy06-Aug-20255:30

Gill on Oval Test win: ‘Such moments make you feel that the journey is worth it’

Sometimes, Test cricket throws even its most seasoned watchers into situations they have no idea how to live through. On Monday afternoon IST, when a desperately backtracking, desperately diving Akash Deep tips Gus Atkinson’s slog off Mohammed Siraj over the boundary cushions at wide long-on, he also tips all of India’s millions of fans into unknown territory.None of us, not even the oldest among us, has lived through anything like this.England, with their last pair at the crease, need 11 to win. Two hits will do it.India have never won a Test match by a margin smaller than 13 runs. They have won once by one wicket, but they have never lost by that margin. They have been involved in a tied Test and a draw with one wicket remaining and scores level, but they batted last both times. Three last-wicket pairs have saved Tests against them, but on none of those occasions had an India defeat been possible.Related

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Never before, in short, have India’s players been on the field, together, in this situation: one wicket away from victory, and a hit or two away from defeat. Never have we, their fans, watched them deal with this and attempted to deal with it ourselves.What previous experience would we even compare with this? Brisbane 2021 felt like a fairytale all the way through that final day, but through its last ten minutes or so, we were almost certain we were winning. We had begun to pinch ourselves long before the winning hit trickled over the rope. It was magic, but not of this kind.The closest we have come to this could-go-either-way feeling was, perhaps, Mohali 2010. India were chasing then, and were a wicket away from defeat. Our hopes rested on a man with a crocked back, magic wrists, and a team-mate doing his running. It was glorious, but did it feel like this? Was this much at stake? As the first of two Tests rather than the fifth of five, did it feel this… gladiatorial?We have tasted agony and ecstasy many times before, then, but neither of the kind that is imminent. Which one will it be, and what will it feel like? And until it happens, what are we to do with ourselves?We have experienced, in the last half-century, the thrill of nine previous Tests ending with margins of ten runs or fewer, and ten with one-wicket margins. On 18 of those 19 occasions, that thrill was undiluted, or unenriched, by partisanship. Cricket won no matter who won, and we won too. India weren’t in the picture. We may have celebrated with Geraint Jones or fumed at Billy Bowden when Edgbaston 2005 reached its climax, but that is preference, a pseudo-partisanship sullied by rationality, and not the raw, pulsing ache of the real thing.3:04

Bangar hails ‘Herculean effort’ from Siraj

This, now, is the real thing. It matters like hell who wins. It matters so much that we even feel, to some degree, how much it must matter to those out in the middle.How much it must matter to them.To Akash Deep, whose futile attempt to catch Atkinson is the latest in a series of fielding mishaps that add a tinge of both tragedy and farce to his fate of being the non-bowling member of India’s three-man strike force on this final day, spent after sending down 20 overs, fuelled by painkilling injections.To Prasidh Krishna, taker of eight wickets in the match, four in each innings, in danger of being judged not by that fact but by his last ball: a pretty good ball in most contexts, but here, too close to the batter, with too spread-out a field, allowing Atkinson to clip away the single that keeps him on strike.To Atkinson, on strike again, aware that he will have to do it off his bat and his alone, with even the act of running reducing his partner to debilitating pain.To Chris Woakes, the non-striker, for whom a dislocated shoulder is merely a problem to be solved. This right-handed man who bowls, throws and bats right-handed has decided, having explored every option in the nets, to face up left-handed should he need to – a gloriously absurd misnomer with his left hand and arm out of commission and hidden away in his jumper.To Siraj, who put the word ‘Believe’ on his phone wallpaper this morning, upon whose intensity and venom the exertions of bowling 30 overs in an innings about to enter its 86th have had no effect.This isn’t just one contest of ball and bat in lives defined by ball and bat. This is, while they live it, life itself.It does odd things to the watcher. Involuntary drummings and entwinings of fingers unused to separation from mobile devices. Restless bladders. Constricted throats. A pressure in the cheeks. A prickling in the tear ducts.1:15

Monga: India’s series was all about Mohammed Siraj

For the India fan, all this comes with context. A series of Homeric drama that is about to be lost or drawn, a scoreline that is about to become 1-3 or 2-2, to follow a shattering, unprecedented 0-3 at home against New Zealand and a what-might-have-been 1-3 in Australia. A coach, a captain, former coaches, former captains, retirements. A great fast bowler who is playing this series but not this match, a fine fast bowler who is turning into a folk hero, accustomed to heartbreak but never losing belief, always certain of his power to bend the script to his will.He hurries through the crease now, for the 181st time in this innings, the 279th time in this Test match, and the 1122nd time in this series, wides and no-balls included.Cross-seam, 143kph, into the base of off stump. A bowler, a batter, a set of stumps. A swipe, a shattering. Cricket stripped to its element. Breathtaking, literally. Exhalations all around the ground, all over the world, all in sync. Realisation before thought.The Oval 2025. We have never experienced anything like it before, and who knows when, or if, we ever will again.