Newcastle United have now turned their attentions to a new forward as they look to hand Eddie Howe reinforcements at the end of the season, with their scouts having already watched him on several occasions this season.

Newcastle transfer priorities clear

Heading into the summer transfer window, Newcastle’s transfer priorities are crystal clear, but they remain constrained by the Premier League’s financial fair play rules that have hampered their spending thus far since the PIF took charge on Tyneside.

The Magpies are desperate to add a new centre-back to their ranks, having seen several bids for Marc Guehi rejected in the summer before being outgunned by Manchester City in January in their chase of Abdukodir Khusanov, who eventually ended up at the Etihad rather than St James’ Park.

Related Newcastle on verge of beating Real Madrid to deal for "exciting" new gem

He’s been a man in demand…

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There is now increased interest in Guehi with Tottenham among potential suitors, which could see Newcastle look at alternative options, but a defender is firmly on their wishlist.

Meanwhile, they continue to eye up a move for James Trafford as a long term replacement for Nick Pope, and the Magpies are also in need of a new forward following the departure of Miguel Almiron in January, with the Paraguayan winger completing a move to Atlanta United.

They have been linked with a move for Bryan Mbeumo in recent months, but the Brentford forward is set to cost a significant amount should he leave the Bees amid interest from across the Premier League.

Howe’s side also have a longstanding interest in Anthony Elanga and Noni Madueke, but both looked to be settled at their current clubs and again, would be costly to sign. Now though, they may have found a potential bargain alternative.

Newcastle target freescoring forward

That comes according to TEAMtalk, who report that Newcastle are now closely monitoring Celtic forward Nicolas Kuhn, who has enjoyed a phenomenal campaign under Brendan Rodgers.

The German winger has found the net 10 times in the Scottish Premiership, along with two strikes in the Champions League, and he has also created seven goals for teammates across those two competitions.

Scottish football pundit Marvin Bartley was full of praise for Kuhn earlier in the campaign, hailing his upturn in form.

“This season, he’s really taken a game by the scruff of the neck on so many occasions whether he starts or comes on as a sub. He’s been absolutely brilliant, breathtaking for them if I’m honest,” he explained.

How Nicolas Kuhn compares to Anthony Gordon 24/25 (Domestic League)

Anthony Gordon

Nicolas Kuhn

Appearances

24

21

Goals

6

10

Assists

5

6

Minutes per goal involvement

176

78

Newcastle’s scouts have reportedly “been impressed by his superb displays” at Parkhead, while they add that “a move to England is of interest to Kuhn”, who was signed from Rapid Vienna for just £3m.

Now, he is worth much more, and it is claimed that he is valued by Rodgers and co. at around £26m, a fee that would see Celtic reluctantly cash in.

Due to their financial model, it is suggested that “if an offer comes in that matches their valuation they will not be able to turn it down”, while Kuhn’s wages are unlikely to be a stumbling block either, further helping the Magpies in their efforts to navigate financial fair play.

Still just 25-years-old, the German forward could prove to be a very affordable alternative to the established names already linked with St James’ Park, and could allow Howe’s side to strengthen further in other areas this summer as they eye a return to the Champions League.

Newcastle United are coming off the back of a 4-0 loss to Manchester City, where the Magpies managed just three shots in the entire game, generating 0.48 xG and holding 38% possession.

As good as Alexander Isak has been this season, this game highlighted Newcastle’s lack of threat when he is effectively kept quiet throughout the game, with Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy then struggling to have their impact.

Eddie Howe’s side could have used something different in attack, especially to threaten City more on the break from both flanks, but they may have got rid of the perfect man for that in the summer.

Yankuba Minteh's season in numbers

Newcastle sold Yankuba Minteh to Brighton and Hive Albion in the summer in order to comply with PSR regulations, with the Gambian starlet never actually making an appearance for the Tynesiders.

The 20-year-old – who joined Brighton for a fee of around £30m – has made 23 appearances for the Seagulls this season, scoring five goals, providing three assists and totalling 1,169 minutes played.

With his rapid pace, ability to hurt teams in transition and also his knack for arriving in dangerous areas, whether that’s off the dribble or by running in behind, Minteh is a constant threat, and one that Newcastle could use on their right side.

But Newcastle may have already made an even bigger mistake, selling another star who could’ve helped their attacking issues when Isak is struggling, who is now one of the Premier League’s top scorers.

Newcastle's bigger mistake than Minteh

Chris Wood left Newcastle in the 2023/24 season, initially joining Nottingham Forest on a loan deal, with an obligation to buy depending on certain conditions, which cost in the region of £15m.

Where Are They Now

Wood – who had only scored five goals in 39 games for the Magpies – has since made 69 appearances after joining Forest, scoring 34 goals, providing three assists and totalling 4,639 minutes.

The 31-year-old is the third-highest scorer in the Premier League this season with his 18 goals scored, firing Forest into third place after 25 games played.

It’s this level of clinical finisher that could help Newcastle when Isak isn’t firing, and could even be used alongside him to give Howe another option.

Player

Goals

Assists

Chris Wood

18

2

Yankuba Minteh

5

3

Elliot Anderson

1

5

Allan Saint-Maximin

3

4

Ayoze Perez

13

2

Joselu

10

2

Aleksandar Mitrovic

20

3

Mikel Merino

4

1

Ivan Toney

15

4

Newcastle have sold a number of players who could have contributed over the past five or six seasons, with different striker profiles to contrast with Isak, more direct and pacey wingers in comparison to Jacob Murphy and creative attacking midfielders such as Elliot Anderson, who could have added some key carrying quality to the side.

Wood has been described as a “throwback” striker by former Tottenham and West Ham boss, Harry Redknapp, converting his chances at a brilliant rate, tussling with defenders in the penalty box and getting his job done for the team.

Whilst it’s easy to look back now and say selling Wood was a huge mistake, the numbers speak for themselves, and having both Isak and Wood in the same squad could have been enough to fire the Magpies into another top-four finish, regaining Champions League football.

As bad as Trippier: Newcastle could drop 3/10 star who looked "petrified"

Newcastle were thrashed at the Etihad in a third PL loss in four matches.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 15, 2025

Three losses in 10 days have highlighted the fact that nothing is guaranteed for the first-year Miami manager

Javier Mascherano started the game by waving and shouting. Then he took to flailing his arms a bit. Then there were gestures of frustration, a few barks towards officials. By the end of it all – when Vancouver scored their second goal in what turned out to be a 5-1 aggregate thrashing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup – the Argentine stood around, hands in his pockets, pouting.

Eyebrows low, expression dismayed, like a toddler who has been told that he can't have a third chocolate chip cookie.

His Miami team was thoroughly beaten, and there was very little he could do about it. The media reaction, at least in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday night's defeat, wasn't kind to Mascherano. Social media claimed he was out of his depth. He was peppered with questions about the pressures of managing a star-studded squad, his apparent inability to get the best out of Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez's concerning goalscoring slump.

Part of this, of course, is tied to expectations. Inter Miami have Lionel Messi. Messi is "the GOAT." Being "The GOAT" means you're supposed to win everything. When you do the math, in the simplest of uneducated, reductive, and frankly, misinformed terms, then Miami should win every game.

But zoom out, and this loss – one that saw Miami now have to potentially "settle" for two trophies – marks the end of Mascherano's honeymoon period. He has enjoyed three months of footballing frolicking in South Beach. Now, Miami is beatable. And with the ship shaken ever so slightly, it is now up to the manager to show he has the nous to ensure that this is nothing more than a bad week.

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  The pressure of expectation

  Mascherano, for starters, knew what he was getting into here. Spin it any way you like, Miami is Messi's club. Messi is the star player, whose name is on the back of most jerseys and face is on most billboards. Outside of the United States, Inter Miami are probably "that pink club that Messi plays for." His godfather has a senior role in the front office. Any manager here will live and die by the quality of the Argentine.

  It is, of course, rather reductive, but Mascherano, having played with Messi, befriended Messi, and ceded the Argentina National Team armband to Messi, is well aware of what it means to even be associated with him. It's pressure that he has embraced.

  "We cannot control the expectation. We can control what we are going to do into the pitch," he told GOAL before the season. "So we have to be focused on the pitch, analyze how we can play, and try to do it in the best way. Because if we play in the best way, we are going to be close to those expectations."

  It's a mantra he has stuck to. Prior to last week's 2-0 first leg loss against Vancouver, Miami had lost just once – a narrow defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup that was swiftly overturned in the following leg. But even in victories, Mascherano had been unafraid to criticize his team.

  If performances weren't good enough, he said so. If made mistakes, or let opponents back into games, he pointed that out.

  But in the 48 hours since the CONCACAF Champions Cup exit, Mascherano has buckled. He was downcast after the Vancouver loss, and admitted that his side must "accept that [Vancouver] were better."

  On Friday, he admitted that "of course there are many ways [Miam]i can improve."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Familiar issues

  Last year, Atlanta United scored the same goal six times in three games to beat Miami in the first round of MLS Playoffs. There was a formula here. Beat the press, expose the space in central midfield, get the Miami defense moving, pour forward on the counter, and the open man finishes with all the time in the world to pick his spot – counterattacking soccer 101.

  It was the type of goal they conceded consistently throughout last season. Only then they'd been able to outshoot everyone else. Atlanta limited them defensively. The exit was fully deserved. The Herons' response was to restructure over the offseason. More legs were brought in for the midfield and attack. Extra center back help arrived.

  Theoretically, this is a stronger unit, more easily equipped to defend rapid vertical transitions.

  Vancouver smashed that notion to bits. The first goal was painfully formulaic. A midfield runner strolled into space, the cut back found a wide-open Brian White, who tucked home to make it 3-1 on aggregate. The second was similar, a wide open midfielder coasting into the box to meet a cross – his shot looped into the corner via a kind deflection.

  The third was a near carbon copy – only Sebastian Berhalter was the man who delivered the killer moment, and bashed the ball into the opposite side of the net. Dallas did mostly the same in a MLS match Sunday, an extra man converting after a pretty standard counterattack.

  The solutions here should be basic. Dig in, defend deeper, reconfigure a bit tactically. The issue is, Miami has Messi (and yes, this is where he becomes a problem). Messi has to play high up the pitch. He also will not defend. That means there are gaps in Miami's setup. Opponents know that they are always – – going to be attacking with an extra man.

• Getty
  

  Messi's legs

  But of course, Messi is a net positive. He won MLS MVP last year, carried Miami to a Leagues Cup win in 2023, and has spent nearly two years generally making a mockery of American soccer. On his day, he is still unplayable. The issue is, those days are fewer and further between.

  Reality has to be acknowledged here: Messi is 37. He will turn 38 in June. He can no longer play multiple games per week at full intensity, even in a markedly slower pace of MLS. The state of modern soccer dictates that most footballers are too tired to run flat out, anyway, but even Messi looks beleaguered.

  Mascherano has countered that by simply resting the Argentine when he can't play. Soreness after a midweek match in mid-April? No need to play him for a weekend fixture that doesn't really matter that much. The issue is, the so-called is becoming clearer with each game he misses.

  Last year, Miami was able to survive without him after he picked up a nasty ankle sprain in the Copa America final. They made it work, too, when calf issues limited his minutes. This season, it hasn't been so simple. Miami simply isn't the same without him.

  Mascherano acknowledged that fact Friday.

  "Teams have always depended on Messi for 20 years," he told reporters.

  Yet, it is one thing to acknowledge a fact. And another to do something about it.

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  Suarez's slump

  Part of the appeal of stockpiling stars in any sport is that when one goes down – or falls short of expectations – another can step up. Messi letting you down? Former Liverpool and Barcelona star Luis Suarez is there to chip in.

  Yeah, about that.

  Suarez has looked a shadow of his former self this season, a victim of the ever-hyped battle with Father Time. The spark is gone. He is moving less, missing chances, and failing to affect the game. Sure, he has seven overall assists, but Suarez is there to score goals, and he has just four on the season.

  Suarez has admitted, repeatedly, that he is constantly playing through pain. He needs injections to even get on the pitch. But last season, when he was there, something clicked. Suarez still had that spark, that killer instinct. He finished near the top of MLS's Golden Boot race, and still looked a fine attacking option. Perhaps he should have quit while he was ahead.

  Perhaps the hope was that even if Messi couldn't provide, Suarez would fill the spaces in between, as he did last year. Mascherano has insisted that Suarez should be in the XI on pedigree alone, and that goalscoring slumps are part of the sport. Perhaps he has a point. Even the greats miss opportunities. But history does not get results.

MatériaMais Notícias

A vitória do Corinthians por 2 a 0 sobre o Juventude, neste sábado (11), pela 11ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro foi construída com os garotos do terrão. Adson abriu o placar, e Gustavo Mantuan marcou o segundo gol do Timão, com passe de outra prata da casa, Du Queiroz. O cenário fez com que o técnico Vítor Pereira exaltasse o desempenho e evolução desses jovens.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBrasileirãoVÍDEO: Assista aos gols da vitória do Corinthians sobre o Juventude no BrasileirãoBrasileirão11/06/2022CorinthiansApós garantir vitória do Corinthians, Mantuan afirma: ‘Precisávamos de um jogo desse’Corinthians11/06/2022CorinthiansATUAÇÕES: Corinthians joga bem, Adson marca e leva a maior nota na vitória contra o JuventudeCorinthians11/06/2022

+ ATUAÇÕES: Adson marca e leva maior nota na vitória sobre Juventude

+ TABELA: Confira e simule os jogos do Corinthians no Brasileirão

– Muito satisfeito com eles. Eu, provavelmente por ter trabalhado na base durante uns anos, quando vou para qualquer equipe, tenho projeto de intenções de identificar jogadores de qualidade e criar espaços para eles evoluírem, confiança para eles irem crescendo. Esse futuro passa em valorizar o trabalho que é feito na base. Se eles são cobiçados por clubes europeus, eles têm qualidade. Vão treinando com profissionais, vão adquirindo confiança e vão jogar. Adson, Du, Mantuan entrar e fazer gol, Piton também é um ótimo jogador, isso tem que fazer parte do que temos dentro do clube – disse o treinador em entrevista coletiva após o triunfo.

Em relação ao autor do primeiro gol, Vítor deixou claro que gosta que ele jogue pelo lado direito, puxando o jogo para o dentro, como aconteceu contra o Juventude. O treinador corintiano entende que Adson é um atleta acima da média.

– Esse tipo de jogador tem que ser protagonista, é acima da média, inteligente, apesar de não ser forte, sabe os momentos de pressão, percebe defensivamente que não pode jogar com o físico, mas tem que roubar bolas, pressionar, e o Adson tem evoluído nesse sentido. Depois, é qualidade que ele tem, grande talento que o clube tem em mãos. É uma questão de ir ganhando confiança – destacou VP.

Retornado a vitória após ter perdido para o Cuiabá, na última terça-feira (7), Vítor Pereira destacou um Corinthians pressionando mais contra o Juventude do que nos últimos jogos, além de admitir que falhou na formatação do time na derrota do último meio de semana. No entanto, o profissional ressaltou a importância do espírito coletivo do grupo nos momentos ruins.

– Hoje fomos mais pressionantes, foi uma falha que no último jogo baixamos muito, demos muito espaço ao adversário. A primeira parte já disse que entrar com aquele sistema não conseguimos encontrar os espaços. O que percebi hoje foi sermos mais pressionantes, fomos mais dinâmicos, com mais qualidade, fomos mais reativos no momento de perda de bola, se não somos reativos nesses momentos, vai nos obrigar a correr para trás – comentou Vítor.

– A equipe pode ter um mau momento, porque não temos um super-elenco, estar sempre igual, o que é importante é nos manter vivos na competição. Isso que fizemos, reagimos depois da derrota, que não fomos bem. Eu vejo Guardiola falhar, Klopp falhar em algumas opções, inclusive em finais e depois pagam caro, como eu não iria falhar também? Fizemos um mal jogo (contra o Cuiabá), temos que assumir, mas reagimos. Esse é o espírito que sinto dentro desse grupo. Amizade, quando sofremos, sofremos juntos, assumimos a responsabilidade juntos, como equipe, e só assim vamos (seguir), com esse sentimento de superação. Cria-se um bom espírito de trabalho – acrescentou.

Com a vitória diante do Juventude, o Corinthians assumiu a liderança provisória do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 21 pontos. Para terminar a 11ª rodada na ponta, o Timão precisará torcer contra o Palmeiras, que entra em campo neste domingo (12), contra o Coritiba, no Couto Pereira.

Manchester United flop Antony has revealed that he turned down “better offers” in order to join Real Betis on loan.

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Brazilian winger struggled at Old TraffordHas rediscovered his spark in SpainUnsure what summer window will bringFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Having struggled on the back of a big-money transfer to Old Trafford, the Brazilian forward embraced a fresh start in January 2025. The decision was taken to head for La Liga, with several opportunities being presented to the 25-year-old.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Antony is convinced that he made the right choice in moving to Andalusia, with seven goals being recorded for Betis so far – including a couple of stunning strikes. The South American is playing with a smile on his face once more.

WHAT ANTONY SAID

Antony has told of pushing for a switch to Betis when supposedly more appealing proposals were on the table: “I go to bed here and wake up smiling. I always say that the best decision I've ever made was coming to Betis.

“I'm happy, and when I'm happy, things go well. For me, of course, it's important to score goals and provide assists, but being happy is even more important. I found myself here, I'm very happy here, and things are going very well.

“The future? It's very early; I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm very happy here. I've found myself enjoying football. It's crazy right now, although I know how talented I am, so I prioritised going where I knew I'd be happy, even though I had better offers.”

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GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Antony’s form has attracted admiring glances from across Europe, while he is hoping to be selected in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. He added on that challenge: “There are great players like Vinícius, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Savinho… I have a lot of respect for them. There have always been very good wingers in Brazil. Wearing the national team jersey is crazy.”

India could manage only 168 for 6, before the England openers took charge

Alagappan Muthu10-Nov-20222:41

Moody: ‘India lacked intent in the first half of their innings’

For all of England’s game-breaking talent, this win that takes them into the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup final was all about doing the basics right.They protected the short square boundary in Adelaide, giving away only two sixes until the start of the death overs.They saw a chance to break open a chase of 169 in the powerplay, when the ball was coming on nicely under the lights, and seized it, smashing 10 boundaries while the field was up.A score 63 for 0 in six became 170 for 0 in 16. Jos Buttler became a supernova. Alex Hales became a dream come true. became .The Hales gamble
One horrid rain-soaked night at the MCG, England played the way they swore they never would. The captain then came out and said “let it hurt”.Pain is powerful, but just as well as it disorients, it brings clarity. In that it forces people to do everything possible to never feel it again. And that’s what’s happened.Since that defeat to Ireland, where they kept second-guessing themselves, England have batted and bowled with ultimate clarity. The selection of Hales was one of ultimate clarity. He came with solid experience in Australian conditions. They needed that experience. Buttler made the call. And now here is the payoff.A player who, for a long time, came to be known as a disruptive force within the England team was given a second chance. And he’s repaid their faith with an innings that broke the biggest superpower in the world of cricket.Hales equalled India’s tally of sixes all by himself – seven – reducing their bowlers to rubble. He even backed himself to clear Adelaide’s massive 88-metre straight boundaries.India played a hand in their own undoing as ESPNcricinfo’s Karthik Krishnaswamy notes here. They had batted against a bowling attack that allowed them to score a mere 64 runs off 46 balls square of the wicket in the first 15 overs. England though had no such restrictions. Their batters were given all the room they needed to access the short boundary. Hales and Buttler amassed 98 runs off 54 balls square of the wicket in their first 15 overs.Jos Buttler and Alex Hales soak in their unbroken 170-run stand•Getty Images

Buttler’s brilliance
This is how you break a match-up. Coming into this game, Buttler had fallen to Bhuvneshwar Kumar five times in 32 balls in T20I cricket.He must have known this because first ball he charged out of his crease, intent on negating the India bowler’s biggest strength. His swing.These were the kinds of moves Buttler was making all night as he finished on 80 off 49.He front-loaded Adil Rashid against India’s right-hand heavy top-order. And the legspinner took out Suryakumar Yadav.He reaffirmed Chris Jordan’s faith in his yorkers. One of those toppled Virat Kohli off his feet.Virat Kohli stumbles trying to play a Chris Jordan yorker•AFP via Getty Images

He silenced a crowd of 40,094 – getting all revved up thanks to Hardik Pandya – with one single shot. A pull for four off Axar Patel.Buttler was at the centre of a lot of good things – but most of them probably date back to the drawing board.England won this game in the backroom. They contained a 360-degree player by taking pace off, because at least that way, you’re only defending one side of the pitch. The one in front of the batter.Buttler backed Rashid to pull off this heist, and this was even after the legspinner had been punished for a boundary first ball all because he had dared to toss it up.Rashid could easily have protected his figures tonight. Sat back and pointed people to his tournament economy rate (6.25). But no, he didn’t. He bought into the plan and picked up perhaps the most important wicket for England. Just his second of the World Cup.Suryakumar is the man India look to for acceleration through the middle and the death. With him gone for 14 off 10, the game had changed.Hardik rising
There was only one phase of play that England lost in this game. And that was when Hardik decided enough was enough.He was 13 off 15 at the start of the 17th over. India were 110 for 3. They had tried to disrupt England.Rohit Sharma hit one of the shots of the night – a one-bounce four over extra cover off a near Jordan yorker – but he fell three balls later.Suryakumar succumbed after hitting Ben Stokes for a six and a four.All of this prompted Kohli to go into anchor mode, which meant the other guy had to go big.Hardik Pandya hit five sixes in his 33-ball 63•AFP/Getty Images

And Hardik did. He brought out the helicopter shot against Jordan. He escorted a wide yorker for four past short third off Sam Curran. He flat batted short balls all around the park.India made 58 runs in their last four overs. Fifty of them came off Hardik’s bat. This was his scoring sequence from the 18th over: 6, 6, dot, 1, 1, 4, 6, 4, 1, 6, 4, out (having trodden on his stumps while whipping the ball for what would have been another four). Five of those 12 balls were attempted yorkers. Many of them landed pretty close to the perfect spot. But Hardik stands so deep in his crease and brings so much of his wrists into his strokeplay that even they became boundary-scoring opportunities.From looking like they’d be lucky to get to 140, India had 168. India had hope.And then nothing. Or maybe its worse than that because now there will be questions about the way they played their first 10 overs (62 for 2 with only seven boundaries) against a team full of power-hitters.England chasing history
They invented the game. They hosted each of the first three World Cups. They absolutely loved cricket. And there were a few nice moments.A passion-filled night in Karachi. Several glorious weeks in Australia. An unforgettable adventure in India.But there was also, “I intend… to make them grovel”. And, “We’ll have a bowl.”England + Cricket = broken-heart emojiBut then, on a fine summer’s day in 2019, they got their “I love you” back. And It. Meant. Everything.Now they want “I love you more”. Maybe even “I love you most”. Because England, through all the twists and turns and tragicomedy, are now just one win away from being the first men’s team in history to hold both World Cups at the same time.It’s taken a lot of effort to get here. A complete rewiring of DNA, in fact. Seriously, if you take one of Buttler’s cells and put it under a microscope, you’ll just see a scoop over fine leg for six.This is England now. This is the revolution that Eoin Morgan began and Buttler sustains. It got its validation at Lord’s on that fine summer’s day in 2019. But you know the thing with these things. Once is never ever enough.

Manchester United are back in action in the Premier League this afternoon as they prepare to travel to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur.

The Red Devils are looking to push up the table to compete for a European place in the second half of the season and three points today will be another step in the right direction.

Ruben Amorim’s side took to the field in the FA Cup last time out, however, and secured a 2-1 win over fellow Premier League outfit Leicester City at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-minute goal from Harry Maguire.

It will be a different kind of game against Ange Postecoglou’s struggling Spurs team this afternoon, though, as they face another big club desperate to turn their fortunes around.

Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in the FA Cup last weekend and they had been hammered 4-0 by Liverpool in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final in the previous midweek.

Spurs arranged that semi-final meeting with Arne Slot’s side, though, by beating Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the competition back in December.

Manchester United's last meeting with Tottenham Hotspur

The quarter-final clash was the last time the two teams met each other in any competition, as they played in North London on the 19th of December last year.

Chalkboard

Expand Collapse

It was the hosts who took the lead when Pedro Porro’s long-range effort was parried straight back out to Dominic Solanke, who made no mistake on the rebound.

Dejan Kulusevski made it 2-0 within a minute after the start of the second-half, converting from close-range, before Solanke beat Lisandro Martinez with ease and slotted in his second and Tottenham’s third in the 54th minute.

Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back when Bruno Fernandes’ ball across the box found the striker almost on the line to tap into an empty net to make it 3-1.

There was then a glimmer of hope for the Red Devils when Amad Diallo closed down Fraser Forster and found the back of the net by tackling the ball into the goal.

Their hopes of a comeback were dashed, however, when Heung-min Son scored directly from a corner in the 88th minute to make it 4-2 to the hosts, before Jonny Evans made it 4-3 in the 94th minute.

Amorim and his United side will now be looking for revenge against Spurs for that disappointing defeat, which cost them the chance to play against Liverpool in the semi-finals, and the Red Devils head coach could look to make some changes from the team that beat Leicester last time out.

Why Kobbie Mainoo has to be replaced

Kobbie Mainoo is set to miss the match through injury and this means that he will need to be replaced in the starting XI, after he played on the left wing against the Foxes.

The England international has made the majority (51/60) of his appearances for the first-team as either a defensive or central midfielder since he emerged from the academy.

His last two outings for the Red Devils, however, have been as a left-sided attacking midfielder against Leicester and as a centre-forward against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Mainoo had managed five goals and one assist in 51 matches as a central or defensive midfielder for United in all competitions, and Amorim has seemingly seen something in his game to suggest that he could thrive in an attacking role moving forward.

However, his performance on the left flank against Leicester and as a centre-forward against Palace suggest that the Portuguese manager should have dropped him from the team even if he were not injured.

Kobbie Mainoo

Vs Palace

Vs Leicester

Position

CF

LAM

Goals + assists

0

0

Shots on target

0

0

Dribbles completed

0/4

0/1

Key passes

1

0

Duels won

3/13

2/6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Mainoo offered very little at the top end of the pitch in his two starts in those attacking positions, with zero shots on target and one key pass in the two games combined.

Amorim’s experiment has not gone to plan but he will now have to plan without the English dynamo for this clash with Spurs, as he is unavailable for selection.

This has opened up a space in the left-sided attacking midfield position for the former Sporting manager to bring Alejandro Garnacho, who could be a brilliant replacement, into the starting XI this afternoon.

Why Alejandro Garnacho should start

The Argentina international was initially on the bench for the 2-1 win over Leicester last time out in the FA Cup and was brought on at half-time to replace Patrick Dorgu.

Garnacho can be a frustrating player to watch at times, because his end product is not always up to scratch, but he always makes things happen and causes constant problems for opposition defenders, even if it does not always pay off.

His cameo against the Foxes is a prime example of that. The 20-year-old starlet registered four shots on goal and two shots on target, whilst also creating one chance, in just 45 minutes of football, yet did not record a goal or an assist.

Garnacho’s constant running and the threat of his pace in behind the Leicester defence did, though, force the opposition back and allow United to gain more control in their half in the match, eventually leading to the comeback.

The Argentine youngster, who was described as a “generational” talent by Statman Dave earlier this season, is always connected to the game and rarely goes missing from the action.

Last 365 days in Men’s Big 5 Leagues + European comps

Alejandro Garnacho

per 90

Percentile rank vs positional peers

Non-penalty xG

0.36

Top 13%

Non-penalty goals

0.18

Bottom 30%

Shots

3.79

Top 4%

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.54

Top 12%

Shot-creating actions

3.82

Top 49%

Progressive carries

5.79

Top 8%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Garnacho gets himself into great positions on a regular basis, hence why he ranks so highly among his peers for xG, shot-creating actions, and progressive carries.

However, he needs to improve the final action, as shown by his placement in the bottom 30% for non-penalty goals. At 20, the winger still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve that side of his game.

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In the immediate future, today, Amorim must hope that he can take a step in the right direction by delivering a goal contribution, or multiple, in a win over Spurs this afternoon, coming in to replace Mainoo in the starting line-up.

Nottingham Forest are already planning for the summer transfer window and are looking to continue their recent history of good business under Evangelos Marinakis by adding a new face who Nuno Espirito Santo is a big fan of, according to a fresh report.

Forest chasing European football

A 7-0 thrashing of Brighton in their most recent Premier League outing continued Nottingham Forest’s fairytale season to date, with the Garibaldi looking almost nailed on to be playing European football next season.

As things stand, Nuno’s side are sitting in third place just three points behind Arsenal and only nine points off the lead of the Premier League. Perhaps more importantly for their season, they sit seven points clear of seventh placed Bournemouth, who occupy what could prove to be the final European qualification spot for next season.

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The hefty win over the Seagulls also helped boost their goal difference, which had previously lagged well behind their competitors for a top four spot but is now in line with them.

There was the opportunity to do January business too had they wished to, with Forest one of the clubs interested in signing Wolves star Matheus Cunha in a potential club record deal before he penned a new contract at Molineux.

John Percy revealed that “Marinakis did make it clear that funds were available” but that Nuno opted to continue with his smaller squad rather than risk making a mistake in the winter market.

Should they qualify for Europe, however, that may have to change given the additional games that Forest will be required to play, which will be at least the eight group stage games and, in the minds of the Forest hierarchy, hopefully plenty more. With that in mind, Forest are already turning their attention to the summer transfer window, and now their plans have been laid bare.

Forest readying summer transfer for Brentford star

Now, the reliable John Percy has revealed that Nottingham Forest will look to make another move to sign Brentford forward Yoane Wissa in the summer after their winter approach was rebuffed. The Reds tabled a £22m offer for the in-form forward in January, but that was swiftly rejected by the Bees with Thomas Frank dubbing Wissa “fantastic” and insisting he was not for sale.

“He’s been our leading number nine. He’s been fantastic. I cannot see why we should sell him”, he explained after news of the bid emerged.

Wissa has impressed this season in the absence of Ivan Toney, with the 28-year-old scoring 11 times for the Bees in the Premier League to date, something that has caught the attention of other clubs. According to the report, “Forest are expected to revisit their interest in the summer” as they look to bolster their ranks, with both coach and club aligned on the Congolese forward.

Wissa

Wood

Appearances

21

24

Goals

11

17

Non-penalty goals

11

14

Expected goals

11.2

10.3

Assists

2

2

Shots on target per 90

1.25

1.13

Minutes per goal/assist

128

102

“The 28-year-old appeals to Nuno and the recruitment department for his versatility as a forward who can play across the front three”, it is claimed, with Wissa able to both provide cover for Chris Wood or for Anthony Elanga, both of whom have been key men this season.

One obstacle that Forest could face over any potential deal is Brentford being reluctant to lose Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa in the same window, with Mbeumo also a man in demand.

Lamine Yamal's father has made a big claim after the Barcelona superstar put on a dazzling display in the Champions League against Inter.

Article continues below

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• Yamal starred in the UCL against Inter
• Inspired Barca to a 3-3 draw
• His father expects greater things from him

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Yamal lit up the Champions League stage in sensational fashion as Barcelona clashed with Inter, making history while leaving defenders chasing shadows. The young forward netted the opening goal for the Catalan giants and consistently troubled both Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni with his relentless energy and skill as the Catalan club came back from being two goals down to draw 3-3.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal etched his name into the Champions League record books by becoming the youngest player ever to score in a semi-final match, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Kylian Mbappe. Following the match, Lamine’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, shared his pride and insisted that the world has only seen a small glimpse of what’s to come.

• WHAT YAMAL'S FATHER SAID

  In an interview on the popular Spanish football program , hosted by Josep Pedrerol, Nasraoui said: "He has a lot of strength to continue. He has been working since he was five years old. No one is going to stop him. What has been seen is not even ten per cent of what he can give, I can promise you."

  While many might be tempted to draw comparisons between Yamal and other footballing icons, Mounir made it clear that his son isn’t trying to be the next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. According to him, Lamine is carving his own identity, focused on remaining grounded and inspiring those closest to him.

  "He doesn't compare himself to Messi, Ronaldo or (Diego) Maradona," he said. "He is Lamine and he wants to be an idol in his neighbourhood, with normal people, just like anyone."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Barcelona’s promising youngster isn’t slowing down anytime soon. With the second leg of the Champions League semi-final set to be played at the iconic San Siro on Tuesday, May 6, all eyes will once again be on Yamal. However, before returning to continental action, Barcelona must switch their focus back to domestic competition as the La Liga leaders are set to travel to face Valladolid on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Jorginho, do Atlético-GO, voltou a fazer críticas a Abel Ferreira, treinador do Palmeiras, em participação no “Seleção SporTV”. O tetracampeão, porém, negou ter problemas com técnicos estrangeiros e rechaçou as acusações de xenofobia contra o português.

Nesta sexta-feira, o clube paulista divulgou uma nota de repúdio contra falas de Jorginho que citavam Abel Ferreira. O treinador do Atlético-GO disse que o comandante do Palmeiras desrespeita o Brasil e seus árbitros.

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-Em primeiro lugar, fui 12 anos estrangeiro na minha vida, dez anos como jogador e dois anos como treinador. Tenho respeito muito grande por ser estrangeiro e como estrangeiro. Tenho cidadania portuguesa, não tenho nada contra o Abel. No jogo de ontem, ele não veio me cumprimentar, como um anfitrião tem que fazer, não entendi essa postura – disse Jorginho, que elencou mais críticas a Abel, falando novamente em desrespeito por parte do treinador do Palmeiras.

-O que me assusta em campo é a forma desrespeitosa que ele e sua comissão técnica fazem com o árbitro. Tenho 12 anos fora do meu país, aprendi a amar as pessoas independentemente do país. A única coisa que fiz foi pedir ao quarto árbitro para ter mais severidade com aquilo que ele estava fazendo. Conversei com alguns treinadores brasileiros hoje sobre isso, a gente vê em algumas entrevistas como ele tem uma gestão de campo maravilhosa. Dentro de campo, precisa mudar o seu comportamento – completou.

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Jorginho falou sobre a proporção atingida pelas suas declarações após a derrota para o Palmeiras. O treinador pediu desculpas, mas seguiu com as críticas e lembrou também de Sampaoli, que treinou Santos e Atlético-MG no Brasil.

-Está sendo polêmica essa declaração sobre ele ter vindo ao nosso país. Me assusto com o olhar que o Abel dá para o árbitro e para o quarto árbitro. O que eles falam é um absurdo. Se de alguma forma passei essa imagem, não é a minha forma de ser (xenófobo).É ridícula a forma como eles olham e tratam os árbitros. Se eu faço uma coisa dessas, sou punido com cartão vermelho. Me deixa triste essa diferença de tratamento. Tínhamos o Sampaoli, que tinha uma postura parecida. Tomar quatro gols em sete minutos deixa a gente triste e chateado, mas fiz essa colocação e deixei parecer que sou xenófobo, peço desculpas. Jamais vou tratar estrangeiros de forma diferente.​