Cristiano Ronaldo once again proved why he remains football’s ultimate clutch performer, dragging Al-Nassr from the brink of frustration to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Al-Feiha on Saturday night. After being knocked out by Al-Ettihad from the King's Cup, their weekend could have been spoiled, but their Portuguese talisman decided otherwise. They are now leading the domestic standings after getting off to a perfect start with seven wins from seven matches, and on Saturday evening, the men in yellow once again showed why they are more determined than ever to be crowned as Saudi champions during their comeback victory.
Nassr's comeback
The hosts were dominating proceedings right from the first whistle, and Joao Felix came close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute but saw his effort tipped over the crossbar. However, almost against the run of play, Al-Feiha drew first blood after Jason was put through on goal. The goal came from a tactical misfire. Jorge Jesus’ high defensive line, designed to suffocate space, backfired horribly. Jason latched onto a simple long ball, broke free of the sluggish backline, and slotted calmly past Nawaf Alaqidi. It was a sucker punch that left the hosts stunned and briefly scrambling for rhythm.
Despite going behind, Al-Nassr refused to panic. With Ronaldo barking instructions and Sadio Mane buzzing around the left flank, the home side resumed their onslaught. The equaliser appeared imminent when Mane squared for Kingsley Coman, who smashed the ball home, only for VAR to intervene. After a painstaking review, the goal was chalked off. Mane had strayed offside by a matter of inches when Ronaldo released him down the wing. The decision left Ronaldo visibly fuming, throwing his arms in the air in disbelief.
A frustrated Ronaldo rallied his teammates again, and in the 37th minute, the Portuguese icon produced the goods to bring his side back on level terms. It was a perfect team goal, which was started off by Felix as he played a cheeky through ball to Coman. The French star split Al-Feiha's defence, and Ronaldo kept his calm to finish the move with a clinical finish.
As the second half unfolded, Ronaldo led the charge for a breakthrough. He saw two efforts fly agonisingly wide, while Felix’s long-range strike was parried brilliantly by Mosquera. With every passing minute, it felt as though time was slipping away. Al-Feiha’s players began to sense they could escape with a draw, until fate intervened deep in stoppage time. Fortune smiled on the hosts, and after a lengthy VAR check, a penalty was awarded to Al-Nassr.
Up stepped Ronaldo, calm and collected. As the whistle blew, he took his familiar stance, stuttered in his run-up, and smashed the ball into the net. He wheeled away in celebration, pounding his chest as the crowd erupted. Three more points!
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The MVP
Ronaldo popped up at the right time, at the right place, to once again save Al-Nassr's blushes. His numbers this season have been mind-boggling. The winner was his eighth league goal and number 36 in the calendar year. He is currently 48 goals away from the 1000-milestone, and the forward will back him to create more history after signing a two-year deal in the summer, which will keep him at the club until 2027.
The big loser
While his side walked away with all three points, Jesus’s tactics left much to be desired. His defensive strategy gifted Al-Feiha their goal, and his inability to chalk up a Plan B could have cost them a perfect start to the season. If not for Ronaldo’s late intervention, this could easily have been the night Al-Nassr’s flawless run ended.
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It was not an easy game, but Arsenal picked up another three points in the first Premier League game back after the international break.
The Gunners overcame Fulham at Craven Cottage in a game where their London rivals made it tough to earn all three points.
Facing off against a well-drilled Marco Silva side, it took Arsenal until midway through the second half before they were able to break the deadlock. Riccardo Calafiori did have the ball in the back of the net in the first 45 minutes, but the flag was up for offside, a decision VAR confirmed.
Finally, the Gunners were able to take the lead. Once again, it came from a corner, with Gabriel flicking a header on towards the back post.
Waiting there unmarked was Leandro Trossard, who converted the flick-on via his knee.
There was more drama to come, though. Moments after Fulham’s summer signing, Kevin, came onto the pitch, he brought down Bukayo Saka in the penalty box. However, it was overturned by VAR, after it was deemed that the Brazilian had played the ball.
Despite the win for Mikel Arteta’s side, it wasn’t an easy day at the office. One player who struggled once again was Viktor Gyokeres.
Gyokeres’ stats vs. Fulham
Life at Arsenal started fairly well for Sweden international Gyokeres. However, he failed to score once again at Craven Cottage, meaning he has now gone nine games without a goal for club and country.
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That was not for a lack of trying, though. The former Sporting CP attacker had a tough day against a defensively diligent Fulham side. He did get close once in the first half, although his shot from a narrow angle was comfortably saved by former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
In the second half, he fired over from close range, squandering an excellent chance.
The stats after the game show that it was a tough night for Arsenal’s number 14. In 89 minutes, he had just 20 touches and managed two shots on target. He only completed five out of nine passes attempted, although he was more of a nuisance without the ball, winning three out of four ground duels.
One person who was critical of his performance was Goal journalist Charles Watts. He gave the Swede a 6/10 for his efforts, describing it as ‘another hard working display’ but did note there was ‘little to show for it’.
Gyokeres was not the only Arsenal player who struggled to make a real impact at Craven Cottage.
The other Arsenal star who struggled vs. Fulham
The trip to Craven Cottage was never going to be easy for Arteta’s men. The Cottagers are renowned for being tough to break down, and they certainly made life tough for Arsenal, as Gyokeres experienced first-hand.
It was also a tough evening for another Arsenal summer signing, Eberechi Eze. The England international played in Martin Odegaard’s usual role on the right-hand side of midfield, but struggled to get a real grip on the game.
That is certainly reflected in the stats. The former Crystal Palace star had 37 touches of the ball, and completed 24 out of 27 passes.
However, he only created one chance and completed one dribble from two attempted.
Eze stats vs. Fulham
Stat
Number
Touches
37
Passes completed
24/27
Opposition half passes completed
16/20
Dribbles completed
1/2
Chances created
1
Ground duels won
2/3
Ball recoveries
1
Stats from Sofascore
Watts also noted that it wasn’t the easiest game for Eze. Like Gyokeres, he gave the Gunners number 10 a 6/10 for his performance in West London. The journalist said he was ‘sloppy at times’ but did acknowledge the fact that ‘it was very hard for him to find any space’ in a busy midfield.
It will be interesting to see whether Arteta keeps Eze in the side for the Gunners’ next game, a Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid. They face the La Liga outfit at the Emirates Stadium, and it could be another tough game.
Diego Simeone’s side are renowned for being tough to break down, and again, it could get congested in midfield. The Gunners’ Spanish boss might well decide to rotate Eze out of the team for that game, after struggling in similar circumstances.
If that is the case, he could bring Christian Norgaard or Mikel Merino into the fold. Both players came on against Fulham on Saturday night, with the latter replacing Arsenal’s number 10 just past the hour mark. There are certainly options if Arteta chooses to rest Eze.
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Chelsea returned to winning ways on Wednesday, but they made hard work of their victory at Wolves. Goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens saw the Blues claim a narrow 4-3 win in the Midlands to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Enzo Maresca named a much-changed side for the game at Molineux with the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Reece James starting from the bench, but the visitors raced into a three-goal lead in he first half, though they also benefited from some poor defending by the home side.
Tosin Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe (twice) netted for Wolves after the restart while Liam Delap was sent off to set up a nervy finish, but it was too little, too late for Vitor Pereira's side as they fell to a third successive defeat to amp up the pressure on the Portuguese boss.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Molineux…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Filip Jorgensen (5/10):
Saw little action in the first half but conceded three of the four shots he faced.
Malo Gusto (7/10):
Got forward well down the right, but was out of position for Wolves' first goal before coming off after an hour.
Josh Acheampong (4/10):
After a solid first half, was caught ball watching for Arokodare's strike just minutes after the restart.
Tosin Adarabioyo (5/10):
Hardly the most convincing performance from Chelsea's most experienced player.
Jorrel Hato (6/10):
Shifted to centre-back on the hour mark. Largely unfazed despite sustained second half pressure by Wolves.
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Midfield
Romeo Lavia (5/10):
At fault for Arokodare's goal and was withdrawn on the hour mark.
Andrey Santos (8/10):
Settled some early Chelsea nerves with the opening goal. Pressed Lopez brilliantly to set up Estevao's first-half goal, too.
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Attack
Estevao Willian (7/10):
Carded midway through the first half but made amends with a fine dink over Jose Sa shortly before the break. Taken off after an hour.
Facundo Buonanotte (6/10):
While the Chelsea attack clicked, Buonanotte struggled to gain a foothold.
Jamie Gittens (9/10):
Provided the assist for Santos' early opener and added a second having turned provider for George 10 minutes later. Scored Chelsea's fourth with a stunning strike to seal victory.
Tyrique George (7/10):
Doubled Chelsea's advantage in the 15th minute having been picked out by Gittens. Should have added a second minutes later.
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Subs & Manager
Marc Cucurella (6/10):
Made a couple of crucial clearances late on after Chelsea had been reduced to 10 men.
Enzo Fernandez (5/10):
Introduced to settled nerves but struggled to get a foothold in the game.
Liam Delap (2/10):
Made his first appearance since August. Failed to track Wolfe's run for Wolves' second before receiving his marching orders.
Pedro Neto (5/10):
Did little of note at his old stomping ground.
Moises Caicedo (N/A):
Brought on with five minutes to play.
Enzo Maresca (5/10):
He called for consistency after the Sunderland defeat, and while he isn't helped by an inexperienced squad, the Italian struggled with his game management.
Liverpool’s lavish spending this summer has given them one of the best starting elevens in Europe. New signings like Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak have elevated their attack from players like Darwin Núñez and Luis Diaz, who struggled at times last season.
However, even with their big spend, there is still room for them to improve in January and next summer. On deadline day, they secured the signing of Isak but failed to get a deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi over the line.
Centre-back is one of the positions where the squad is thinnest, and when Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are out, they only have Joe Gomez and new youngster Giovanni Leoni as naturals in the position. Guehi will be available as a free agent next summer, but Real Madrid are now looking to snatch him up.
Another position that needs some reinforcement is the deeper part of the midfield. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominic Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are the three most common faces in midfield, but when they’re rotated, options are only really Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo, with the latter often being utilised in a makeshift defensive role.
Due to this, the Premier League champions are looking at bringing in another midfielder so they can compete across the Champions League and the domestic competitions.
Stiller the new name in midfield hunt
A number of midfielders have been linked with the Liverpool midfield role next summer but a new name in contention is Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller. On Liverpool’s 2026 summer transfer business, transfer journalist Graham Bailey said: “In my opinion, Liverpool are going to want another CDM next year, a top-class one.
“Angelo Stiller would do that role, but I do personally wonder whether Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton would be higher up in the pecking order; obviously, they would come with significantly higher price tags. It wouldn’t surprise me if we see Liverpool getting involved in those conversations a bit more.”
Stiller is currently valued at around £40 million, but Wharton and Baleba could both be double that or even more. In the summer, Manchester United decided not to pursue the Brighton midfielder after it was made clear they wouldn’t drop their asking price below £100 million.
Stiller indicates shift in desired profile
The shift in focus from Wharton and Baleba to Stiller is not just a monetary change but a stylistic one. Wharton and Baleba’s strengths lie defensively, whereas Stiller is more of a ball-playing footballer, more in the vein of Pedri, who FBREF rank as a similar profile.
24/25 Season Stats Per 90
Passes
Tackles
Baleba
38.8
2.67
Wharton
37.5
2.33
Stiller
72.8
1.61
Pedri
75.1
1.91
Based on these metrics, it seems that Liverpool is after a different profile midfielder rather than a cheaper one. Slot is clearly looking for a player who can play the ball well and support with ball progression.
This season has demonstrated that even the midfielders who would be expected to be contributing defensively, like Gravenberch, are also expected to contribute in attack. While Slot’s side has conceded a significant amount of goals this season, they are winning games by outscoring teams, and this may be why there has been a shift in target to a midfielder like Stiller.
Yet again in his glorious Manchester City reign, Pep Guardiola is overseeing a rebuild. Following a largely underwhelming 2024/25 campaign, it is a case of out with the old and in with the new.
Indeed, having previously phased out the likes of Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero in the past, the Catalan coach is now repeating the process in relation to his treble-winning side of 2023.
The great Kevin De Bruyne is on his way to Napoli by all accounts, while Kyle Walker – fresh from his own sojourn to Serie A – is expected to seal a permanent exit this summer, after eight years at the Etihad.
With doubts also emerging over the futures of Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish, among others, there could well be a fresh feel to the Citizens next season, having already begun the overhaul with four new additions in January.
Manchester City's JackGrealishon the substitutes bench
That quartet appear to be just the start of things, if recent reports are anything to go by, with the Premier League giants seemingly closing in on a first move of the window, amid the imminent arrival of Tijjani Reijnders.
Latest on Man City's transfer search
While the search to replace that man De Bruyne has dominated talk in recent weeks – amid interest in the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and the Liverpool-bound, Florian Wirtz – a further priority also lies in finding a suitable partner for Rodri in that number eight berth.
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The Manchester outfit did only recently fork out £50m for the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto, albeit with the Spaniard seemingly deemed as a replacement rather than a partner for his compatriot, having been dubbed a “mini-Rodri” by Guardiola.
With that in mind, sporting director Hugo Viana has turned his attention elsewhere in the bid to bolster those midfield ranks even further, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealing that City have a “verbal agreement in place” for AC Milan star, Reijnders.
AC Milan's TijjaniReijndersreacts
The signing of the 26-year-old – for what is expected to be a package of around €70m (£59m) – could well be followed by the capture of Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, with Romano also outlining that personal terms have been agreed with the playmaker.
The suggestion is that City will lodge a bid “in the next hours” amid their desire to get the deal done, amid rival interest from Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, with prior reports indicating that Cherki could be available for as little as £25m.
Why Cherki would be a good signing
It may go against the Guardiola grain to be signing a “maverick” talent like the Lyon starlet, as hailed by pundit Rio Ferdinand, although the Citizens are in need of a fresh creative source, in the wake of De Bruyne’s imminent exit.
With the aforementioned Grealish – and England teammate, Phil Foden – providing just 11 goals and assists between them in the Premier League last season, the onus is on finding a suitable supplier for main man, Erling Haaland.
In many ways, Guardiola’s side are still seeking to find a suitable successor to Riyad Mahrez in the forward line, with one-time Leicester City hero having racked up 78 goals and 59 assists in 236 games prior to his 2023 exit, a return that included 28 goal involvements in all competitions during his final season.
Described as a player who can “change the game” by his manager, the now 34-year-old was simply a genius during his time in English football, possessing a wand of a left foot and an ability to create something out of nothing down that right flank.
Those are traits which the veteran no doubt shares with young Cherki, with the France U21 international – who qualifies to play for Algeria, like Mahrez – also a creative weapon. Equally, like Mahrez too, the left-footer is comfortable operating down the right flank or in a number ten berth.
Rayan Cherki
Hailed as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, Cherki is fresh off the back of a campaign that ended with a remarkable haul of 32 goals and assists from just 44 games, including 19 goals and assists in Ligue 1.
Such form in France’s top-flight saw the 21-year-old notably create 22 big chances and average 2.5 key passes per game, during his 30 league outings, as per Sofascore, having also averaged 1.6 successful dribbles as a sign of his breathtaking ability to beat his man.
Cherki vs Mahrez comparison – League stats
Stat (per 90)
Cherki (2024/25)
Mahrez (2022/23)
Non-penalty goals
0.35
0.19
Assists
0.49
0.47
Shot-creating actions
6.44
5.44
Passes attempted
60.63
54.66
Pass completion
78.5%
82.2%
Progressive passes
9.08
3.56
Progressive carries
4.67
3.66
Successful take-ons
2.12
1.17
Touches in opposition box
5.82
5.16
Progressive passes received
8.11
11.34
Stats via FBref
When comparing his recent heroics with Mahrez’s final Premier League campaign, it is easy to see their statistical and stylistic likeness too, with the pair both ranking highly for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, indicating their unique ability to generate opportunities in the final third.
That desire to make things happen is also evident with regard to the ‘passes attempted’ metric, with that knack for conjuring a moment of magic seemingly needed to help replace the likes of the “predictable” Grealish, as described by Gary Neville.
With Mahrez having repeatedly delivered the goods for City in previous years, Guardiola could now find his heir apparent by plucking Cherki from Lyon.
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Celtic are preparing for an exciting summer under Brendan Rodgers, though they may now be resigned to losing one of their most talented young prospects.
Celtic look forward to chance to complete domestic treble
Domestic trebles have become a speciality for the Hoops over recent years, and they will have a chance to complete another clean sweep against Aberdeen this weekend in the Scottish Cup final.
Rodgers was able to soak up the acclaim of supporters after witnessing his side lift the Scottish Premiership trophy last weekend. However, the Irishman knows there is still work to do before the champagne can really start to flow at Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers
Speaking ahead of the clash, he said: “We’ve had some great performances and results against Aberdeen, but finals are finals.
“I enjoy the occasion, I enjoy the pressures of finals, but we can only really enjoy it if we go in with the right mentality, the right preparation and then we can see where it takes us.”
Coming to the end of a long season, Rodgers will already have one eye on the transfer market as Celtic prepare to strengthen on all fronts to put up another fight for silverware and European progression next term.
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Blackburn Rovers star Tyrhys Dolan is a target for the Bhoys on a free transfer and could join Kieran Tierney in walking through the Parkhead entrance once the window opens.
Nevertheless, departures will also be expected to make room for new arrivals to settle into life in Glasgow, and one of the Hoops’ most prodigious stars could now be on his way out of the club, per recent developments.
Celtic gem Cummings spotted at West Ham's London Stadium
With his contract set to expire at Parkhead, Celtic striker Daniel Cummings was spotted at West Ham United’s London Stadium on Sunday, a stadium which is bigger than Parkhead, taking in their 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. It has been claimed that a move to the Irons looks imminent for the forward.
The Scotland Under-19 international has been in brilliant form for the Hoops’ B Team this campaign, registering 29 goals in 37 appearances, combining his first-team outings and exploits further down the ladder.
Commended for his “spectacular” finishing by The Young Team, he now appears poised to leave his boyhood club after months of no progress over a contract extension.
West Ham previously tried to sign Cummings on deadline day earlier this year, though they now look to have prevailed in their attempts to bring the clinical poacher to East London.
From a Celtic standpoint, losing another young talent is a sign of the limited pathway to the first team for homegrown stars, but most will acknowledge that this has been coming for a long time.
Liverpool will be under no illusions that retaining their newly won Premier League trophy will be a steep hill to climb next season, especially now that Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will leave when his contract expires in the summer.
However, Arne Slot and his squad will also be determined to break ahead of Manchester United as the most successful outfit in the history of England’s top division.
For sure, the Merseysiders are absorbing a blow in Alexander-Arnold’s departure, with his destination set to be Real Madrid, but Liverpool have overcome adversity countless times before and are gearing up for an exciting summer of spending.
Full-backs and central defenders are both needed at Anfield, but there’s no question that Slot needs a high-level centre-forward to take his project to the next level.
Darwin Nunez, sadly, isn’t cutting the mustard, paling in comparison to predecessors such as Luis Suarez and Bobby Firmino.
Darwin Nunez and the ones before
Nunez’s total transfer fee when leaving Benfica for Liverpool comes to a club-record £85m figure. This is more than Suarez (a £23m addition from Ajax), Firmino (who cost £21m in 2015) and Mohamed Salah (who joined from Roma for £34m) combined.
Sure: inflation, clauses, ifs and buts. The plain truth is that Nunez alighted on Merseyside to much fanfare and has failed to respond to the tactical demands of not one but two coaches, both illustrious Premier League champions.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
After the towering achievements of central forwards such as Suarez and Firmino, Nunez always had big shoes to fill, but it’s probably fair to say he’s fallen miserably by the wayside in his efforts to succeed as Liverpool’s focal frontman.
Chance after chance after chance; miss, miss, miss. The Uruguay international has only scored 25 times in the Premier League across 92 appearances, across three years. As per Sofascore, he’s missed 53 big chances.
Darwin Nunez – Premier League Career at Liverpool
Season
Apps (starts)
Minutes
Goals
Assists
24/25
27 (8)
1,039′
5
3
23/24
36 (22)
2,045′
11
8
22/23
29 (19)
1,698′
9
3
Stats via Transfermarkt
Erling Haaland, who arrived in England in the same transfer window as Nunez, has scored 84 goals across 94 Premier League games, missing 82 big chances.
At his best, Nunez is as tenacious as a bloodhound. His unpredictability beguiles the Liverpool supporters, strikes fear into the veins of rival fans. If he doesn’t know what’s coming next, how can his opponents?
Sadly, his methods have produced infrequent results on Merseyside, and it’s a shame to say that Slot’s smoothed-out system has actually pushed Nunez back a few steps, whereas so many others have struck a chord with the Dutchman and reached new levels.
Richard Hughes and Arne Slot
Is it any surprise he’s expected to be among the first out of the door this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano? In fact, sporting director Richard Hughes is already preparing a bid for a new phenom at number nine.
Liverpool preparing bid for new striker
Well, according to Caught Offside, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has been identified as the man for the job. Though Arsenal are said to be ‘particularly keen’ on the Slovenia international, Liverpool are warming to the idea of signing Sesko as an alternative to Isak.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskobefore taking a penalty
While Leipzig are holding out for more, suitors have made it clear that they are willing to pay €70m (about £60m) for the 21-year-old but no more.
In fact, the report claims that the suitors, also made up of Chelsea and Manchester United, are actually preparing bids as you read these words.
Why Benjamin Sesko would be perfect for Liverpool
Nunez hasn’t grown into the complete and devastating striker Jurgen Klopp thought he saw in Benfica’s raw, thrash-metal prospect. He certainly hasn’t reached the levels of his countryman, Suarez.
No one expected the 25-year-old to hit such staggering levels, but Slot is searching for a centre-forward who can provide some of the same gusto and guile in the final third, with Suarez one of the trickiest and most dynamic forwards in the business.
Given that Firmino was never really Liverpool’s principal goalscorer and instead a sort of connective conduit who elevated Salah and Sadio Mane, only scoring 111 goals across 362 fixtures (0.31 per game), Sesko could become Liverpool’s most prolific central goalscorer since Suarez, should he make the move to Merseyside this summer.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskoshoots at goal
The Slovenia international is still so young but already boasts an impressive track record in Germany, scoring 39 goals and supplying eight assists for Leipzig across 85 matches, winning this year’s DFL-Supercup.
He’s powerful, pacy and ever-improving, ranking among the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, while exceeding his xG (expected goals) haul by 0.14 goals per game.
This basically means he is driving into the danger area with consistency and making excellent use of the opportunities that fall into his path.
Analyst Ben Mattinson has also commented on the rising star’s “ridiculous” ball-striking power, so deadly when accurately channelled.
On top of all this, Sesko has scored 16 times in the Bundesliga this season while only missing 14 big chances. Detractors will point out the several chances that have gone begging this term, but the proof is in the pudding here, and he’s not yet even half-baked.
Suarez is one of the deadliest marksmen of his generation, hailed by Steven Gerrard as “the best I’ve played with.”
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Sesko would need to shift quite the haul to reach the same lofty standard, but he’s definitely got the potential to become something special, outstripping Nunez and maybe even rivalling Suarez down the line too.
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Manchester City have the opportunity to reach a third successive FA Cup final when they take on Nottingham Forest this afternoon at Wembley.
Pep Guardiola has won this competition twice, but will still be stinging from the defeat to Manchester United in the 2024 final.
Forest defeated City in the Premier League last month, but the Spaniard may have learned from this loss, and his side could reach another final.
They warmed up for the clash with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, but a few players weren’t quite at their best. İlkay Gündoğan was one, and he could return to the bench this afternoon.
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Guardiola operated with a 4-1-4-1 system against Villa, and Gundogan was one of the four midfielders tasked with providing opportunities for Kevin De Bruyne.
Despite playing for the full 90 minutes, the midfielder failed to register a single shot on goal, while he failed with his only dribble attempt.
Gundogan also lost possession seven times against the Midlands side and won just one of his three aerial duels.
For the semi-final clash against Forest, Guardiola must revert to a 4-2-3-1. Mateo Kovacic will reprise his role at the heart of the midfield, but for this game, winter signing Nico Gonzalez must be brought into the starting XI.
Why Nico Gonzalez must start for Man City
Gonzalez may have cost the club around £50m back in January, but he is already looking like a potential long-term heir to Rodri.
The midfielder has already featured 12 times for City in all competitions, even scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League, although it wasn’t enough to see his club make it to the next round.
Across his eight Premier League matches for the club, the 23-year-old has averaged a 93% pass success rate, along with making 1.9 tackles, two clearances, and recovering 3.9 balls per game in the top flight.
Furthermore, the Spaniard wins 1.9 aerial duels per game – a success rate of 59% – while averaging 81.9 touches each match for City. These statistics show just how dependable he is at the heart of the pitch, because he rarely gives the ball away and is strong in his physical duels.
He was praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in July 2024, who said: “Nico González – 4 goals in FC Porto’s four friendly games this preseason. Simply superb in the second half of the 23/24. Technique, football IQ, and pure elegance.”
Nico Gonzalez’s stats in the PL for Man City
Metric
Per 90
Passes attempted
77.9
Pass completion percentage
92.9%
Aerial duels won
2.09
Passes into the final third
6.68
Touches
88.33
Via FBref
The move to Manchester hasn’t fazed him, and he now looks like an excellent signing. Settling in throughout the second half of the 2024/25 season appears to be a smart move by Guardiola, as Gonzalez will hit the ground running in August.
Moving back to a 4-2-3-1 system for the FA Cup semi-final could go a long way to seeing City reach yet another final. With Gonzalez and Kovacic at the base of the midfield, the attacking quartet will be given free rein to cause plenty of destruction.
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All eyes might be on next week’s Champions League semi-final for the fans, but behind the scenes, Arsenal are preparing for a massive summer transfer window.
The Gunners are set to finish with fewer points in the Premier League than their previous campaign under Mikel Arteta for the first time, and as they’ve scored 12 goals fewer than Liverpool, it’s clear they need attacking reinforcements.
One of the standout players most heavily touted for a move to the Emirates in recent months has been Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, who would be available for around £50m thanks to the release clause in his current deal.
However, while the Spaniard is a supremely exciting winger, recent reports have now linked the club with another sensational wideman, someone having a way better season than the Basque star.
Arsenal looking to sign one of the best players in Europe
As we get closer and closer to the opening of the summer transfer window, the links to incredible stars have been steadily increasing, so before looking at the potential Williams upgrade, it’s worth going over some of the other names touted for a move to N5, such as Rafael Leao.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to reports from earlier this month, the Portuguese international could be available for around £86m this summer, and while that’s a lot of money, it could prove to be a fee worth paying, as in just 46 appearances for AC Milan this term, he’s scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists.
However, a far cheaper option would be Kingsley Coman, who has been touted for a £39m move to the North Londoners.
The Bayern Munich star, who scored the winning goal in the 2020 UCL Final, has somewhat fallen out of favour in Bavaria this year but has still managed to rack up a haul of seven goals and four assists in 1666 minutes of action.
With that said, perhaps the most exciting winger linked with Arsenal at the moment, and the one who would be a better signing than Williams, is Raphinha.
FC Barcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates scoring their fourth goal
According to a recent report from Spain, the Gunners are one of several sides interested in the Brazilian game-changer, including Liverpool, Chelsea and teams from the Saudi Pro League.
However, the key information is that, per the story, Barcelona have not ruled out selling the former Leeds United star, and that should an offer of around €100m – £86m – be made, they’d be willing to cash in.
It would be an incredibly costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Raphinha’s immense ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Williams.
How Raphinha compares to Williams
So, with the fees being reported, it seems likely that Arsenal would sign Raphinha or Williams and not both, so how do they compare?
FC Barcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates scoring their third goal
Well, when it comes down to the most important metric for an attacking player, their raw output, it’s the Barcelona star who comes out way ahead.
For example, in 49 appearances this season, totalling 3952 minutes, the “amazing” Porto Alegre-born star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has racked up an outrageous tally of 30 goals and 23 assists. He is truly living up to his billing as “the best player in the world” this season, as hailed by Statman Dave.
That means he is currently averaging 1.08 goal involvements a game or one every 74.56 minutes, which is a simply world-class rate of return and makes Thierry Henry’s tip for him to win the Ballon d’Or earlier this year look like a shrewd one.
In contrast, the Pamplona-born dynamo has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists for the Basque side in 43 appearances, totalling 2971 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.38 games, or every 165.05 minutes.
Raphinha vs Williams
Player
Raphinha
Williams
Appearances
49
43
Minutes
3952′
2971′
Goals
30
11
Assists
23
7
Goal Involvements per Match
1.08
0.41
Minutes per Goal Involvement
74.56′
165.05 ‘
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Now, it should be said that, in and of itself, that is an excellent rate of return for a winger, but it’s simply incomparable to the Brazilian’s mind-blowing efforts this year.
Ultimately, Arsenal need to sign an attacker who can propel them forward this summer, and while he won’t be cheap, that attacker is Raphinha, not Willimas.
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For the 13th time in the Premier League this season, Manchester United played out a full 90-minute match without getting on the scoresheet, having slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.
Pablo Sarabia’s 77th-minute free-kick was a rare moment of quality in a largely lifeless affair at Old Trafford, albeit with the hosts likely to feel they should have walked away with all three points.
Indeed, Rasmus Hojlund notably came agonisingly close to getting on the end of Alejandro Garnacho’s driven cross, while both Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount also produced wayward attempts after being expertly picked out by the Argentine winger.
Even an inch-perfect, outside of the boot cross from Christian Eriksen could not be capitalised on by Mount, with the £55m Englishman still having scored just once since his arrival back in the summer of 2023.
Hojlund too has netted only three league goals in 2024/25 to date, a grim return for any leading number nine, with Ruben Amorim likely to be tearing his hair out at his side’s frustrating profligacy.
Cunha, Delap, Amorim
Having gone from seeing Viktor Gyokeres dazzle under his watch, the Portuguese coach is now in desperate need of a new attacking figurehead.
Latest on Man Utd's search for a forward
All of the talk at present is centred around United’s apparent progressing interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with it looking likely that the club will trigger the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause, amid positive talks over his potential contract in Manchester.
Cunha stats
The 14-goal marksman may not be the only Premier League talent to arrive at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, however, with the Daily Mail’s Simon Jones – who outlined that an agreement regarding Cunha is inching closer – also naming a raft of high-profile stars who are under consideration.
Indeed, according to Jones, among those to have made the INEOS shortlist is Bournemouth man, Antoine Semenyo, with the Red Devils already said to have held talks over signing the Ghanaian forward.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
This follows prior reports which outlined that United are actually frontrunners in the race for the 25-year-old’s signature, albeit with it yet to be seen if Amorim and co will be willing or able to match the Cherries’ £70m price tag.
A versatile asset who can operate on the flanks or in a central role, Semenyo could represent the perfect addition to bolster Amorim’s forward line, with the potential their for the 40-year-old to morph him into his new Gyokeres-esque talisman.
Why Man Utd could be targeting Amorim's new Gyokeres
As outlined by journalist Mark Ogden, it has been a remarkable rise for the Sporting CP sensation in recent times, having gone from being sold for just £1m by then-Brighton and Hove Albion director, Dan Ashworth, back in 2021, to now standing aloft as the “hottest striker in Europe”.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
Indeed, the 6 foot 2 Swede failed to actually make a league appearance for the Seagulls, while enduring a handful of less than spectacular loan spells away from the Amex – having notably scored just five goals in 2020/21 for the likes of Swansea City and Coventry City.
That steady rise only truly ignited following Gyokeres’ permanent switch to Coventry at the end of that campaign, as he went on to score 38 times in the Championship over the next two seasons.
Since moving to Lisbon on a £17m deal in 2023, the 26-year-old has soared even higher, bagging 90 goals in just 96 games – 66 of which came in just 68 outings under Amorim’s watch.
That journey from EFL struggler to elite-level monster is one which Semenyo certainly knows well, with the London-born ace having started out on the books at Bristol City, while also taking on loan moves at the likes of Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland.
The 6 foot 1 star memorably failed to score during that limp stint at the Stadium of Light, while actually only scoring 21 times in 121 games back at Ashton Gate – albeit while plundering a further 21 assists.
Like Gyokeres, however, it has taken the step up from the second tier for Semenyo to truly flourish, having now scored 16 Premier League goals since the start of 2023/24, while contributing a further eight assists.
Like Gyokeres too, what also stands out regarding the in-demand talent is just what a powerful presence he is in the final third, having been hailed as “almost unplayable” at times by journalist Ed Aarons.
Semenyo vs Gyokeres – 22/23 Champ stats
Stat (per 90)
Semenyo
Gyokeres
Non-penalty goals
0.43
0.40
Assists
0.14
0.22
Shot-creating actions
1.87
4.27
Pass completion
65.6
67.3%
Progressive passes
1.87
2.01
Progressive carries
2.23
4.43
Successful take-ons
1.59
2.15
Touches in opposition box
6.27
7.16
Aerial duels won
3.24
1.86
Stats via FBref
Interestingly too, the pair were deemed to be similar players among their peers during the 2022/23 season in the Championship, as per FBref, with Semenyo having largely been operating in a central role at the time.
That likeness bodes well for the impact that the two-footed Ghana star can make under Amorim, with the £70m man representing the type of ready-made Premier League talent who can breathe new life into United’s misfiring attacking unit.
After years of scouring the Eredivisie, in particular, for new signings, now could well be the time to look a little closer to home…
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