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Newcastle’s abysmal Premier League campaign continued as they lost 4-0 to Manchester City at St James’ Park on Sunday.

The game got off to the worst possible start as miscommunication between Martin Dubravka and Ciaran Clark allowed Ruben Dias to nod in from close range. Joao Cancelo then scored a thunderbolt from distance to double the lead, before goals from Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling rounded off the scoring.

Lightweight

One player who let Eddie Howe down badly in the game was Joe Willock. He was left out of the starting XI against Liverpool in midweek and was brought back into the limelight by the ex-Bournemouth manager, but the 22-year-old was unable to repay his boss’ faith as he put in a poor display against Pep Guardiola’s side.

The summer signing from Arsenal was hooked at half-time with the score at 2-0, with Howe seemingly not happy with the midfielder’s performance.

Defensively, he offered next to nothing. As per SofaScore, he lost 80% of his individual duels in midfield. He was also dribbled past twice, whilst failing to complete a single tackle, block or clearance and making just one interception.

This shows how lightweight he was in the middle of the park, as he was too easily beaten by Manchester City players off the ball. He did not get his foot in to make a successful challenge and was taken out of the game by the opposition dribbling past him with ease.

On the ball, Willock also struggled. As per SofaScore, he had far fewer touches (13) than Magpies goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (42). He also completed just seven passes and failed in his one attempted dribble. This shows that he did not do enough to make himself available in possession to get Newcastle up the pitch whenever they got the ball back off the visitors.

The 22-year-old let his manager down with a disappointing display as he failed to make a positive impact either on or off the ball, leading to his withdrawal at the start of the second half. He will need to drastically improve his performances if he wants to be a regular starter throughout the rest of the campaign, as this was a dreadful outing for the Arsenal academy graduate.

AND in other news, Journalist drops transfer news which will leave NUFC fans buzzing, he can be the next Shearer…

Joāo Cancelo produced a man of the match display as Manchester City destroyed Newcastle United 4-0 at St James’ Park on Sunday.

City secured the Christmas number one spot as two goals in each half pushed Pep Guardiola’s men three points clear at the top of the Premier League table. This was City’s 34th league victory in 2021, a new Premier League record, adding another achievement to the club’s impressive recent history.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-updates-2/” title=”Man City latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Cancelo put on an incredible display on Tyneside, producing a goal and an assist, which saw him receive an 8.5 SofaScore rating. The Portuguese full-back has been in electric form this season, having averaged the highest rating (7.46) out of any City player in the Premier League during the current campaign.

However, it wasn’t just this emphatic performance which made the occasion special, as Cancelo was playing his 100th game for the club since arriving at the Etihad Stadium from Juventus for a fee of £58.5m in the summer of 2019.

These Man City fans praise Cancelo’s performance

Manchester City’s official Twitter channel posted a video of Cancelo scoring an incredible goal in the 4-0 romp against Newcastle. Captioning the clip: ‘marking his 100th City appearance in style’, plenty of fans flocked to the comments to sing the defender’s praises following his landmark appearance.

Here’s what these City fans said, with one even touting the “unstoppable” 27-year-old as a potential Ballon D’Or candidate on current form – he current has the fourth-highest rating in the 2021/22 Premier League as per WhoScored metrics:

“Juve scammed themselves for Danilo”

Credit: @RicciScott_

“Cancelo is a beast”

Credit: @Fordiinho

“He’s unstoppable”

Credit: @IbnHass92348908

“Cancelo is in his own league”Credit: @thriIseeker”Best full back in the world.”Credit: @This_Is_FPL”Ballon d’Or pending”Credit: @mcfcdon_In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Finally’, ‘Please be true’ – These Man City fans buzzing over ‘wild’ claim coming out of Eastlands

To achieve the same undefeated run with a young, developing squad this season has meant a lot to Ponting, who is now 35 and moulding a group he hopes can take back the Ashes and defend the World Cup within the next year

Brydon Coverdale at the MCG19-Feb-2010The only other time Australia went through a home summer unbeaten in Tests and ODIs, Ricky Ponting was 26, Steve Waugh was captain, the team was full of stars and they beat up West Indies and Zimbabwe. To achieve the same undefeated run with a young, developing squad this season has meant a lot to Ponting, who is now 35 and moulding a group he hopes can take back the Ashes and defend the World Cup within the next year.Two Twenty20s still remain but in the two longer formats, his men have been unstoppable. There was a drawn Test in Adelaide and an ODI washout in Sydney, but no games were lost. After the 125-run victory over West Indies at the MCG, Ponting said he was thrilled with the size of Australia’s wins, which included four ODI wins with victory margins of over 100 runs against West Indies and Pakistan.”I’m really proud of what we’ve done this summer,” Ponting said. “There can be a lot said about the opposition but one-day cricket tends to bring a lot of teams closer together and we haven’t allowed that to happen this summer in the nine completed games that we’ve played, so I’m proud of the boys for that.”I thought this was a bit of a dangerous game for us, the West Indies almost having a nothing-to-lose sort of attitude and probably a little bit of extra pressure on us to get out there and finish the summer on a good note. To the guys’ credit, once again we found something a little bit even better than we’ve shown right through the summer.”One of the most pleasing aspects of the one-day portion has been the way the rank-and-file members of the side have stood up. This time it was James Hopes, who began the summer as a fringe ODI player and was named Man of the Match for his brutal half-century, while Adam Voges, who has been an even more peripheral player, helped him with an unbeaten 45.Doug Bollinger continued his stranglehold over Chris Gayle, Ryan Harris took his wicket tally to 21 in eight ODIs, and Clint McKay pushed his case to remain a first-choice fast man. The win took Australia’s tally to 24 successes from 27 completed ODIs since the end of the Ashes and it has put them in a strong position a year away from the World Cup, where they will defend their title with a new-look squad.”I thought [Hopes] was terrific in Brisbane and showed some really good signs over there,” Ponting said. “He was terrific tonight. That sort of hitting at the end of the innings is what you’re always looking for. It hasn’t just been him. I was really happy for Vogesy tonight, to get that opportunity and capitalise the way he did was great.”You look at Harris and Bollinger and McKay and those guys … they’ve not let any one game get away from them and that’s a terrific attitude to have around our group. There’s a little bit of competition for spots and guys are working exceptionally hard. We’ve unearthed some players this summer and that’s going to be good in 12 months time with a World Cup.”There have been few positives for West Indies during the limited-overs games. Their disappointing trip culminated in their worst all-round effort in the final game as they dropped five catches, allowed Australia to post the third-highest ODI total ever scored at the MCG, and then lost three wickets in the first four overs.”We played terrible in all three departments,” the coach David Williams said. “I think we fielded decent up until this game but to drop five catches in 50 overs, that tells a lot. It was really disappointing.”We didn’t get good starts and that’s important in one-day cricket. All four games we struggled at the top of the order. We exposed the middle order a little bit too early. It was always difficult coming from behind playing against a top-class side.”

Australia’s chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has defended Michael Clarke’s position in the Twenty20 team and said he brings plenty to the side despite a disappointing record in internationals

Cricinfo staff03-Feb-2010Australia’s chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has defended Michael Clarke’s position in the Twenty20 team and said he brings plenty to the side despite a disappointing record in internationals. Clarke will captain Australia at the ICC World Twenty20 in May and until then has five games to lift his output.He has played more Twenty20 internationals than any other Australian batsman, yet in 19 games he is yet to pass fifty and averages 19.63 at a strike-rate of 102. By comparison, David Warner averages 34 at a strike-rate of 139, Cameron White 41 at 150, and even Michael Hussey averages 25 at 134.Clarke is Australia’s full-time Twenty20 captain since Ricky Ponting retired from the format and he will be charged with taking the side further than the first-round exit inflicted on them at last year’s World Twenty20. His preparation for the tournament in the Caribbean begins with Friday’s game against Pakistan in Melbourne and Hilditch said he was confident Clarke was the right man for the job.”It’s going to be a very big tournament for Michael and he’s really looking forward to it,” Hilditch told AAP. “He’s one of the best players in world cricket at the moment in Tests and one-day internationals and we hope he can transfer that form into Twenty20.”He’s going to captain the side, he’s a brilliant fielder and he bowls left-arm orthodox as well, so it’s an exceedingly good all-round package he brings. Everybody is going to need to perform at their best, but the fact is players haven’t played a lot of international Twenty20s. But I am sure Michael is going to have an impact in the next Twenty20 World Cup.”In the West Indies, Clarke is likely to be heading a squad featuring several new faces after the selectors decided to give some of the better domestic Twenty20 performers opportunities this week. His vice-captain is White, who is just starting to find his niche in the ODI team but is considered one of the most dangerous Twenty20 batsmen in the world.

Flocking to Twitter, a number of Manchester United fans have erupted over news involving Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.

It is now official as the Red Devils parted company with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this morning following a run of dismal results, with a 4-1 humiliation at hands of minnows Watford seemingly cementing the Norwegian’s fate.

United severed ties with Solskjaer more than two-and-a-half years after they appointed him on a permanent basis to succeed Jose Mourinho.

The club legend vacates the Old Trafford managerial seat having guided United through 168 games in all competitions, winning 92 of them, drawing 35 and losing 41 – averaging around 1.85 points per match (Transfermarkt).

As such, their search seems set to begin as club chiefs decide best how to take the Red Devils forward whilst making the most of their star-studded squad.

Links to Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino and Brendan Rodgers have surfaced in recent weeks but it is the latest update on Ten Hag which has fans excited.

According to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, writing on his personal Twitter feed, Ajax’s boss is ‘in the mix’ to succeed Solskjaer as Red Devils manager. Jacobs added that United ‘made contact’ with ‘multiple candidates’ even before their loss to the Hornets on Saturday – including Ten Hag.

Man United fans go wild for Ten Hag…

Taking into account his plaudits, style of play and managerial record, it’s little wonder that so many United fans have raved over this news.

A title winner in the Netherlands and a Champions League semi-finalist in 2019, Ten Hag’s impressive points average of 2.08 per match eclipses that of Solskjaer and the 51-year-old even has admirers in some high profile Premier League coaches.

For example, Jurgen Klopp branded him ‘one of the most exciting coaching talents in world football’ (Planet Football) – perhaps evidence that the Dutchman could be just what United need.

Plenty of Red Devils fans certainly believe so judging by these excited Twitter reactions, with one supporter even calling him a ‘perfect fit’.

Check out more of their verdicts below:

“Ten Hag timeeeeee”

Credit: @Ixrisldn

“Ten Hag, I’m on my knees”

Credit: @casperorace

“Tears in my eyes”

Credit: @_M0J

“Bring him home”

Credit: @Showman_ke

“Get this man inside!”

Credit: @KgosiAkeem

“YEEEEEESSSSSSS”

Credit: @RASHYFORDSZN

“Perfect fit”

Credit: @juxkwabena

In other news: ‘Needs transfer listing’, ‘Shocking’ – These Man Utd fans slam ‘awful’ player who lost the ball 15 times v Watford

An update has emerged on Newcastle gem Joe White regarding interest from Glasgow giants Rangers…

What’s the talk?

According to The Chronicle, the Gers and their city rivals Celtic are both weighing up a swoop for the teenage midfielder, along with unnamed clubs from the Premier League and Bundesliga.

The report claims that he is out of contract at the end of the season and can be spoken to from January onwards by clubs from outside of England.

Davis 2.0

Ross Wilson must secure a deal to sign White on a pre-contract agreement in January. With his deal expiring in 2022, the Gers will be able to secure a move in the winter window before officially bringing him in on a free transfer next summer, giving them the upper hand on any English clubs wanting to sign him.

Steven Davis is out of contract next summer and they could land his natural successor in White. The Northern Ireland international is a steady performer in the middle of the park, completing 88% of his passes this season and making 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game.

The 36-year-old is able to control the tempo of the game as Rangers’ midfield metronome and White could come in to fill a similar role. The teenager has completed 82% of his passes in the EFL Trophy this season and former Magpies boss Steve Bruce previously hailed his strength, claiming that the youngster has become ‘bigger and stronger’.

Bruce said: “He caught the eye, didn’t he? We brought him up about 18 months ago before Covid, and he quietly impressed us.

“And, all of a sudden, they grow all of a sudden, and find a yard of pace, and look bigger and stronger. And he’s certainly done that. Over the last couple of games in particular, I’ve been very, very pleased with what I’ve seen.

“Well done to him. The good thing is pre-season’s given me a chance to see him in a game. He can be really pleased with himself. He catches everybody’s eye with his strength, physicality – and the way he handles the ball.”

These comments from Bruce suggest that White could also have the ability and strength on the ball to control the midfield and be the Davis-esque metronome that Rangers need in the middle of the park. Of course, he would need to show it at first team level, but it is a worthwhile gamble to take on a free transfer for a player who could be the club’s replacement for the Northern Ireland veteran in the long-term.

AND in other news, Talks underway: Major Rangers development emerges on 46 y/o which will leave fans excited…

Jacques Kallis’ half-century was the bedrock of a destructive batting exhibition, and his three-wicket opening spell knocked the stuffing out of Otago’s chase

The Bulletin by George Binoy12-Oct-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outJacques Kallis’ 59-ball 73 included four boundaries and two sixes•Associated PressThe stakes were high, the task unambiguous: the winner would progress to the second round of the Champions League, the loser would to go home. And Jacques Kallis chose this stage to deliver a tremendous performance, one that ensured Bangalore’s qualification, and Otago’s elimination, from the tournament: his unbeaten half-century was the bedrock of a destructive batting exhibition, and his three-wicket opening spell knocked the stuffing out of the opposition’s chase.Bangalore’s batsmen were barely troubled as they motored towards a formidable score. Their total of 188 was methodically constructed: the openers Robin Uthappa and Kallis denied their opponents the early breakthrough and built a launch pad, which Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor used to accelerate from during the final overs. Bangalore’s innings was shaped by two half-century stands, 75 between Uthappa and Kallis, and 59 between Kallis and Kohli, and they left much of their ammunition – Rahul Dravid, Mark Boucher and Roelof van der Merwe – unused. Uthappa and Kohli were the aggressors during those partnerships but Kallis provided propulsion during the final overs and finished unbeaten on 73. Taylor made a late entrance and stole the limelight by clobbering 32 off 11 balls, ransacking 25 runs off the final over from Otago helpless bowlers.It wasn’t crash, bang and wallop from the word go though. Uthappa and Kallis took their time settling in on a pitch that was on the slower side, playing watchfully, choosing orthodoxy over adventure during the initial overs. And when the boundaries began to flow, they were results of proper batsmanship. Uthappa cover drove Neil Wagner on the up for his first boundary before targeting the wide long-on region for a four and a six off Dimitri Mascarenhas and Ian Butler. He then went straight, hitting with power twice over the bowlers’ heads for fours. Bangalore scored 46 off the Powerplay, and more importantly had lost no wickets. Kallis had remained quiet during this phase but brought up the 50 partnership with a cut off Butler to the backward-point boundary.Craig Cumming brought on his only specialist slow bowler – Nathan McCullum – in the ninth over and watched Uthappa dispatch the offspinner over midwicket for six, and reverse-sweep him for four. Relief for Otago, although fleeting, came from Aaron Redmond’s legbreaks, when Uthappa got a leading edge and was caught by a diving Cumming at cover. Uthappa’s departure brought in Kohli, whose 32 off 19 balls included scorching drives through cover and straight down the ground. He began the acceleration, but holed out to long-off, after which Kallis broke free from his anchor’s role by lofting Butler and Wagner over the long-off boundary.With Kallis taking charge it seemed as though Taylor, who received an unprecedented and massive cheer from the Bangalore crowd, would not get the opportunity to showcase his skills but that changed after he took strike for the last five balls of the innings. He pulled the first from Butler to the midwicket boundary, and deposited the second into the crowd behind long-off. The suffering was too much for Butler, who had been struggling with a knee problem, and he went off the ground, leaving Warren McSkimming the responsibility of bowling the last three balls. Taylor carted the first and last of those over the square-leg boundary, providing the innings a rocket-fuelled finish. Otago suffered because of the sameness of their bowlers – primarily medium-pace without quality spinners – but Bangalore had no such problems.Although Kallis had made an invaluable contribution with the bat, he was overshadowed during the initial partnerships and at the end by Taylor’s blitz. However, he came to the fore once again during his opening spell – four overs on the trot – which accounted for Otago’s top three batsmen and effectively ended the contest. With clever and frequent changes of pace, Kallis struck a body blow in his second over when he foxed Brendon McCullum to hole out to mid-on. A ball later Kallis sent down a quick bouncer that had Redmond succumbing to cover.Hamish Rutherford briefly lifted Otago’s gloom by hitting Vinay Kumar for three fours in an over but Kallis returned to snuff out his innings with a slower ball and completed a maiden over as well. His outstanding figures of 3-1-6-3 were spoilt just a little by two boundaries in his final over but, by the time Kallis was finished with bat and ball, there was no way back for Otago. They crumbled thereafter, collapsing for 108, against a team that was determined not to become the first casualty of the Champions League Twenty20. Fittingly it was Kallis who performed the final act, catching Neil Wagner on the long-on boundary to spark off celebrations.It’s a hard road ahead for Bangalore, though, for their loss to the Cape Cobras means they won’t be carrying forward any points to the next stage.

The former chairman of selectors said he was worried about the reason and thought process behind the recall

Cricinfo staff17-Aug-2009

Dilip Vengsarkar, the former chairman of selectors under whose reign Rahul Dravid was last dropped from India’s ODI squad, has expressed surprise at his recall.Vengsarkar said he was worried about the reason and thought process behind the recall, “If Rahul is back because he plays the short balls well, it is a matter of great concern for Indian cricket,” he told . “It means the youngsters cannot play the short balls. This decision means the cupboard is empty. If the youngsters are not technically equipped to play the short ball, then they should be sent to the National Cricket Academy. But I have my doubts.”Rohit Sharma has missed out because, I thought, he went into a comfort zone. But youngsters like Virat Kohli, Piyush Chawla, Ajinkya Rahane and Dhaval Kulkarni need to be given opportunities at the right time.”Vengsarkar hoped that Dravid would seize the opportunity. “I hope, wish and expect him to do well,” he said. “Rahul is a great batsman with a very sound technique. The ODIs, unlike the Tests, is a batsman’s game. Unless you make mistakes you don’t get out. Rahul doesn’t commit too many mistakes.”Offspinner Harbhajan Singh had no doubt that Dravid’s return to India’s one-day side would provide the experience the team needs for the Champions Trophy. “(It’s) good to have him back in the side,” Harbhajan told PTI. “Rahul Dravid is a great player. He is one of the best players India has produced. It’s great for the side.”Sachin Tendulkar has also been picked in the 15-member squad for the tournament to be held in South Africa in September-October and the tri-series in Sri Lanka prior to that next month, and Harbhajan said the experience of both players would lend balance to the team.”We have some senior players like Tendulkar and Dravid back in the side, so we have the required experience,” Harbhajan said. “At the same time, this will give an opportunity to the youngsters like RP Singh to cement their place in the side. I am sure we will do well in the tri-series.”

أجرى البرازيلي أنتوني لاعب أياكس أمستردام الهولندي مقابلة مع الصحفي فابريزو رومانو، للكشف عن كواليس المفاوضات مع مانشستر يونايتد الراغب في التعاقد معه هذا الصيف.

أنتوني يحلم بارتداء قميص مانشستر يونايتد وأشار في تصريحاته إلى أن ناديه يصعب مفاوضات رحيله رغم إبلاغه لهم منذ أشهر بنيته.

وجاءت المحادثة على النحو التالي: 

– كيف تجري مفاوضات انتقالك؟

“منذ فبراير من هذا العام، أتى وكلائي إلى أمستردام لإبلاغ أياكس برغبتي في مغادرة النادي لمواجهة تحد جديد وأن بعض الأندية المهتمة ستصل ومعهم بالتأكيد عرض رائع”.

– ماذا حدث مع أياكس؟

“في يونيو من هذا العام، قطعت إجازتي وحضرت شخصيًا لإبلاغ مديري أياكس، بمن فيهم المدرب الجديد، عن رغبتي في المغادرة وأن عليهم التفكير في هذا الاحتمال لأنه كان مشروعًا لمدة موسمين”.

– ماذا قلت للنادي؟

“خلال نافذة الانتقالات، استمرت الاجتماعات وتلقيت أيضًا عرضًا من أياكس لتجديد العقد، وأوضحت مرة أخرى: أريد المغادرة”.

– ماذا حدث اليوم الجمعة؟

“اليوم، في لقاء مع النادي، أعربت عن رغبتي القديمة في المغادرة، هذه المرة فقط مع عرض كبير على الطاولة، وصلت عروض آخرى بالفعل! رفض أياكس بحجة أن لديهم 5 أيام فقط ليجدوا بديلاً لي”.

اقرأ أيضًا | دي يونج يخبر برشلونة بقراره الأخير بعد مفاوضات مانشستر يونايتد وتشيلسي

– لماذا لا يريد أياكس تركك تذهب؟

“أنا لا أطلب من أياكس إطلاق سراحي، أنا أطلب من أياكس أن يبيعني بأعلى عرض على الإطلاق للاعب في الدوري الهولندي، لقد أصررت على هذا الموضوع منذ فبراير حتى يتمكن النادي من إعادة بناء الفريق براحة البال”.

– ما هو شعورك تجاه النادي؟

“كنت سعيدًا جدًا في أمستردام، لقد فزت بالألقاب في أياكس، وكونت صداقات وبنيت جزءًا من مسيرتي المهنية، لكنني الآن أعزز أنني جاهز ومليء بالدوافع لمتابعة قصتي وأحلامي”.

– ما هو موقفك الآن؟

“يجب أن يستمع الناس إلي ويفهمون أن حافزي يدفعني نحو السعادة، أحتاج هذا لمواصلة الأداء على مستوى عال، أياكس سيكون دائمًا في قلبي!”.

– ما هي رسالتك لمشجعي أياكس؟

“أتمنى أن يفهمني مشجعو أياكس.. لأن مستقبل لاعب كرة قدم أمر غير مؤكد تمامًا والفرص يمكن أن تكون فريدة!، رسالتي هي رسالة امتنان لأياكس والنادي والمشجعين”.

Arsenal are already planning for life without Alexandre Lacazette and one Premier League striker sits atop their shortlist…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Gunners view Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a potential replacement for the 30-year-old, who remains out of contract at the end of the current campaign.

There is a chance that they could even look to offload him during the January transfer window in a bid to garner some sort of money for him, but that will only happen if Mikel Arteta is able to secure a replacement.

And the 24-year-old England international is said to be a long-term option, though Arsenal chiefs know he will not come cheap, with CIES Football Observatory currently valuing him at €50m (£45m).

Gunners’ new Henry

Calvert-Lewin has established himself as a prolific marksman in the Premier League over the past 18 to 24 months. Indeed, he has come on leaps and bounds, having bagged 13 times in 2019/20 and 21 times last season, as per Transfermarkt.

That form has continued into the current campaign, where he has scored three goals in three top-flight appearances, even despite contending with injuries.

The 6 foot 2 Englishman once admitted that he admired Gunners legend Thierry Henry to the extent of buying his shirts as he was his favourite player and idol.

You could therefore suggest that some elements in his impressive game have been modelled on the Premier League great.

Perhaps Carlo Ancelotti’s endorsement of the Toffees talisman further reinforces the similarities, he told the BBC in December 2019:

“He is a fantastic striker, in my opinion – fantastic with the head, clever in the box and sharp. I think he is going to be at the top in England and in Europe. He has all the qualities to be a top striker.”

One massive element to Calvert-Lewin’s threat has been his aerial ability – he has been second to none in the English top-flight, having won an average of 4.7 duels in the air per league outing, the joint-most of any striker to start 25 or more games last term, via WhoScored.

That sort of attribute has earned praise from his Everton teammate Richarlison, who claimed that “he has an incredible leap on him like Cristiano Ronaldo” and that he “must be a nightmare to play against.”

Also dubbed a “special talent” by his former youth assistant Chris Short, Calvert-Lewin could bring shades of Henry back to north London this winter.

AND in other news, Arteta could unearth Arsenal’s next Cesc Fabregas in Hale End’s teen “special talent”…