All posts by h716a5.icu

Everything that could have gone wrong for Manchester United has done so far this season in the Premier League, with injuries to the likes of Luke Shaw, an off-pitch dispute between Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag, and disappointing results on the pitch.

In four games, the Red Devils have lost twice, with both defeats coming in North London against Tottenham Hotspur and then Arsenal. Meanwhile, the two wins that they have picked up were far from convincing, as they edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day before being forced to come from two goals down to defeat Nottingham Forest.

United's current predicament has forced Ten Hag to turn his attention towards the January transfer window, and one particular star is interested in making what would be a record departure from his current club.

What's the latest Manchester United transfer news?

United ticked plenty of boxes over the summer. They welcomed a modern day goalkeeper in the form of Andre Onana, whilst also adding midfield depth with the arrivals of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat. And to complete their transfer window, they signed forward Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta. Yet, with four games gone, it has been calamitous for the Red Devils.

With that said, it's clear that more reinforcements are needed, and that could come in the form of Brentford's Rico Henry. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Brentford could accept a £35m-plus offer for their left-back in what could be a club-record sale.

The defender is also said to be interested in a big move, and a transfer to United would be exactly that. The Red Devils were also reportedly interested in Henry during the summer transfer window, but were not able to afford a permanent deal. When January comes around, it will certainly be interesting to see if United test Brentford's resolve, and if Henry pushes for a move away from the Bees.

How has Rico Henry performed this season?

Brentford have got off to a strong start in the Premier League once again this season, remaining unbeaten in four games, drawing against Spurs, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth, as well as defeating Fulham. And Henry has played a large part in that run, starting in every game.

The left-back has earned plenty of deserved praise during his time with the Bees, including from Thomas Frank, who told the BBC: "On the defensive side, one-on-one actions, I actually haven’t seen a player or winger in the last two years in the Premier League that got the better of him.

"Maybe they got a cross in, but in general in these one-v-one duels he is so strong. He is so quick and he is in a fantastic place. If he can just get a tiny bit more output with assists and goals, that would be the next step for him. But he is another good example of a good character working very hard that will run through a brick wall for the team."

Given Henry's talent, United's interest comes as little surprise, making January an interesting month to keep an eye on when it comes to potential arrivals at Old Trafford.

Pakistan Under-19 needed less than 40 overs to beat Ireland Under-19

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2018
3:43

Can U-19 World Cup success be a springboard to international call-ups?

Pakistan Under-19 scored their first win of the World Cup, a nine-wicket thumping of Ireland Under-19 in 37.4 overs in Whangarei.Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has best innings figures of 8 for 39 in first-class cricket, razed them for 97 by taking 6 for 15 in 8.5 overs. Left-arm spinner and captain Hasan Khan claimed three wickets too, as Ireland were dismissed in 28.5 overs. Joshua Little’s 24 at No. 8 was Ireland’s only score above 20.Pakistan’s top order made short work of the target. Opener Muhammad Zaid Alam smashed 43 off 19 balls, while Hasan made 27 off 21 deliveries at No. 3. The chase was done in 8.5 overs, for the loss of only their wicketkeeper-batsman Rohail Nazir, who made 18 off 14 balls.

Liverpool have been given a massive dilemma on Deadline Day with an eye-watering £150m bid for Mohamed Salah being tabled from the Saudi Pro League, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential move for a replacement.

Who could replace Mo Salah at Liverpool?

According to Football Insider in the last few hours, Liverpool are looking at a potential late move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm.

As per the report, the Reds were already eyeing up a move for another high-quality forward before an approach for Salah, but have now identified the Bundesliga forward as the replacement for their superstar should the club find themselves unable to reject further advances from Saudi Arabia.

Will Mo Salah leave Liverpool?

There is no doubt that Liverpool supporters will be feeling extremely anxious about the unfolding developments surrounding their star player during the remaining minutes and hours of the transfer window.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Merseyside giants have already rejected a huge £150m approach for their Egyptian winger, however, CBS journalist Ben Jacobs delivered a new update revealing the Saudi Pro League's unwillingness to give up just yet:

"Al-Ittihad waiting to see whether Mo Salah will help push for a move in any way. Hasn’t happened to date with Salah committed and focused on Sunday’s game with Villa. Reports he may fly to Jeddah tonight are wide of the mark."

How good is Leroy Sane?

As a result, being prepared for the worst-case scenario would be extremely wise for both Jurgen Klopp and FSG in this particular situation, and a move for Sane could be a great opportunity to snap up the services of a high-quality winger who could either be a replacement for Salah, or push the winger for his position on the right wing.

The 27-year-old – once hailed a "world-class talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – is one of the most high-performing forwards across the top five European leagues – ranking in the top 15% of his positional peers over the last 12 months for shots on goal, non-penalty goals, pass completion and successful take-ons per 90 minutes played, as per FBref.

When comparing Sane's output to Salah's last season, the pair shared similarities in many of their attacking attributes including shots on target rate (37.2% v 37.2%), shots on goal per 90 (3.49 v 3.31), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.67 v 0.66), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.17 v 3.83) and pass completion (81.6% v 76.1%), proving that the Bayern star could in fact be a worthy heir.

It is unknown as to how much the Bundesliga champions would command for their forward – who joined the club for £55m in 2020 – but Football Transfers rate his current value at around €49.3m (£42m).

With that being said, a move for Sane will definitely be one to watch in the dying hours of Deadline Day as he could present a real solution to Klopp's biggest headache right now, which could only worsen if Salah follows Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho before time runs out.

Mikel Arteta will be delighted with his Arsenal squad at present having taken seven points from nine at the start of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, along with defeating Manchester City on penalties in the Community Shield.

The north London outfit came second in the top-flight last term after spending six seasons languishing below the top four, with the club's Spanish manager making astute, well-placed moves on the transfer front to revitalise the Emirates ship.

While the side feels more balanced and refined, news has filtered in this week of interest in Brentford striker Ivan Toney, as Arteta and co look to add another dimension to the squad.

What's the latest on Ivan Toney to Arsenal?

According to The Times, Arsenal and Tottenham are both interested in signing Toney from the Bees in January, with the prolific talisman currently suspended until the new year following a breach of FA betting rules.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

The report states that Thomas Frank's side would only grant his departure if their £80m valuation is met, but the Gunners will be emboldened by the knowledge that Brentford are braced for bids and accept they might lose their star man.

How good is Ivan Toney?

The one-cap England international has been described as possessing the "mindset of a lion" by Frank, with such a claim corroborated by a simply tremendous record on the pitch over the past several seasons.

After plundering 33 goals as Brentford secured promotion to the Premier League in 2020/21, Toney recorded a 12-goal season in the top flight before following up those exploits last year with 20 strikes from 33 matches.

Praised as a "monster" by Manchester United content creator Ryan Haber, the 27-year-old recorded an impressive average Sofascore rating of 7.25 last year, complementing his strike record with 2.8 shots per game and creating 12 big chances across the campaign, which illustrates his prowess as a multi-dimensional focal frontman, not just an endpoint in attacking transition.

This is particularly impressive when considering that the sharpshooter created twice the amount of chances Gabriel Jesus made last term, with the Brazilian renowned for his dynamic creativity.

With Toney at the centre of the frontline, Bukayo Saka could well ascend to the next level, with the prodigious right-winger's skill set likely blending seamlessly with the Brentford forward's.

Saka was immense last year, scoring 14 goals and assisting 11 more in the Premier League, earning praise for his dynamism and "electric" presence by Statman Dave.

The £195k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 18% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 17% for assists, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

With Saka darting into the danger area and thriving through his directness and creativity, the "sensational" Toney – as he has been called by Simon Stone – could bounce off such a frightening talent.

And while Arteta will be content with his team and the options at his disposal, the club will likely intensify their attention on Brentford's star man if negotiations regarding the exorbitant price tag prove promising.

Mujeeb Zadran, the first men’s player born in the 21st century to play ODI cricket, has been named in Afghanistan’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2017Mujeeb Zadran, the first men’s player born in the 21st century to play international cricket, has been named in Afghanistan’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup. The 16-year old offspinner took 4 for 24 on ODI debut against Ireland on Tuesday and, according to his coach Raees Ahmadzai, had no trouble showing he belonged in the big stage.”I saw him for the first time in Khost province two-and-a-half years ago,” Ahmadzai said, “And I discussed it with Nawroz Mangal [current head of the selection committee], who was then the captain of the provincial side. At the time, I told Nawroz that guy looks like he must be in in the future if he works more on it. He did very well for the junior side and now in his debut match, four wickets is good for him.”Afghanistan Under-19s will be captained by another player who has experience in international cricket. Eighteen-year old seamer Naveen-ul-Haq. He played two ODIs against Bangladesh in September 2016 and, although he has not played any senior cricket since then, has been a regular feature in the country’s youth teams.Adding to the batting firepower is 18-year old Baheer Shah, whose 256 not out is the second-highest score by a debutant in the history of first-class cricket. He completed 1000 runs in 11 innings – a rate that is second only to Australian legend Bill Ponsford.The other notable player in the line-up is Zahir Khan. The 18-year old left-arm wristspinner is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in the Intercontinental Cup with 31 in six matches.The Under-19 World Cup starts on January 13 in New Zealand with Afghanistan playing Pakistan in the tournament opener in Whangarei.Afghanistan squad: Naveen-ul-Haq (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ibrahim, Baheer Shah, Ikram Ali Khil, Darwish Rasooli, Nisar Wahadat, Tariq Stanikzai, Azmatullah, Waqarullah, Qais Ahmad, Mujeeb Zadran, Zahir Khan, Yousuf Zazai, WafadarReserves: Abdul Wasi, Mohammad Sabir and Fazal Haq

Nottingham Forest's pursuit of Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel has been well-documented and a big update has now emerged, courtesy of journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Gonzalo Montiel?

The 26-year-old was something of an unknown amongst British football fans until relatively recently, even though he was a perfectly solid performer for Sevilla, having arrived at the La Liga side from River Plate back in 2021.

That all changed at the 2022 World Cup, however, as he tasted glory with Argentina, famously stroking home the winning penalty in the shootout victory over France in the final. It was a truly iconic moment for the country, as they won the competition for the first time since 1986, and it etched Montiel's name into Argentine folklore forever.

At club level, a move away from Sevilla – where he makes £20k-per-week – has looked increasingly likely this summer, however, and it is Forest who have emerged as the strong favourites to snap him up for some time now.

The Reds are still looking for defensive reinforcements and the right-back has stood out as a good option to battle the likes of Serge Aurier and Neco Williams for playing time this season, allowing Steve Cooper to rotate his squad and keep it fresh the longer the campaign goes on.

Now, a fresh update has emerged – one that suggests Montiel could be announced as a Forest player sooner rather than later, as the City Ground welcomes yet another new face to the club.

Will Nottingham Forest sign Gonzalo Montiel?

Taking to Twitter, Romano provided a significant update regarding the Reds' move for Montiel this summer, with the transfer now very close to being completed and medical potentially on the cards imminently:

"Nottingham Forest are closing in on Gonzalo Montiel deal – agreement on personal terms being finalised then medical on Monday. Deal will cost €11m (£9.4m), as @CLMerlo has reported."

This is great news for Forest, at a time when they need to build on last season's Premier League survival and become a genuinely established top-flight club again, rather than finding themselves battling for their lives come the spring.

While Montiel may not be the most explosive of full-backs, he is an experienced head with lots of defensive nous, having made 72 appearances for Sevilla and won 23 caps for Argentina, scoring once for his country, aside from his aforementioned penalty heroics last winter.

That moment back in December may have given him an extra winning mentality – he also scored the winning spot-kick in last year's Europa League final – which should stand him in good stead and possibly impact on the squad's mentality when he arrives, with World Cup winners a rare commodity in football.

Montiel could come in as a less flamboyant but more solid alternative to Aurier at right-back, having averaged 1.5 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game in last season's Champions League, as well as registering three assists in La Liga in 2022/23.

These are exactly the kind of signings that will make Forest strong moving forward, and at 26, there is no reason why the defender can't be a key man for the next five or six years.

An unbroken 174-run stand between Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow allowed England to enjoy a strong start to the pivotal third Test

The Report by Brydon Coverdale14-Dec-20171:48

Nannes: Starc couldn’t quite get the radar right

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThere was a wry smile on Joe Root’s face when he won the toss at the WACA and chose to bat. At Adelaide Oval, he had learnt the hard way that sending the opposition in and then losing is difficult for a captain to live down. So in Perth it was back to conventional wisdom: bat first and put runs on the board. On a day when Dawid Malan scored his maiden Test century and Mark Stoneman posted his highest Test score, and England moved to 4 for 305 at stumps, Root must have breathed a sigh of relief.And by the close of play, another decision had also paid off for England: the move of Jonny Bairstow up from No. 7 to No. 6. Bairstow was the second leading scorer in Test cricket in 2016, but has found himself batting behind Moeen Ali in this series – until today. At stumps, he was on 75 and Malan had 110, and their unbeaten 174-run partnership was England’s best Ashes stand in Australia since the second Test of their memorable 2010-11 campaign.Notably, England’s success on this day came without significant contributions from Root, who made a brisk 20 before he gloved one down leg off Pat Cummins, or Alastair Cook, who began his 150th Test in disappointing fashion by missing a straight one from Mitchell Starc and being adjudged lbw for 7 in the fifth over of the match. Little did England care, though, for all that mattered was that at 2-0 down they had given themselves some hope of fighting back in the series.Australia may yet rue a missed opportunity late in the day when Starc swung the first delivery with the second new ball and Malan, on 92, edged to third slip, where Cameron Bancroft spilled the chance. It was Australia’s second dropped catch in the cordon: Mitchell Marsh at first slip had grassed a straightforward chance off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling when Stoneman edged on 52. At least that cost Australia little, for Stoneman was soon out for 56.But the key to the day was the Malan-Bairstow stand, which lasted throughout the final session and set England up for a potentially hefty first-innings total. Malan was strong when driving through cover and he was given plenty of opportunities to do so. Australian fast bowlers have often spoken of the importance of not getting carried away with the pace and bounce at the WACA, where visiting fast men regularly bowl too short. Here Australia were punished when they bowled full.Dawid Malan takes in his maiden Test hundred•Getty ImagesMalan struck 15 fours and one six – a top-edged hook off Starc – and brought up his century late in the afternoon with a boundary pulled off Hazlewood, from his 159th delivery. It was the 20th century of Malan’s first-class career and his second on this tour, after he scored 109 against the Cricket Australia XI in Townsville, and it was the first by any England player in an Ashes Test in Australia since Ben Stokes at the WACA four years ago.Bairstow too could go to bed dreaming of an Ashes hundred, having already managed the highest score of his 12-Test Ashes career. He was productive through the leg side when the Australians bowled too straight and by stumps had struck 10 boundaries.There were a few cracks on the WACA surface at the toss, and a little bit of grass, but the Australians believed it would be a good batting pitch, hence their decision to include Mitchell Marsh for Peter Handscomb as a fifth bowling option. It was Marsh’s first Test since the tour of India earlier this year and while he did send down seven overs on the opening day, it was Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins who looked the most likely to do any damage.Stoneman was impressive when sweeping Nathan Lyon, who found himself struggling for impact for the first time in the series, and the opener also picked off three fours from one Starc over early in the day. But Stoneman’s initially quick scoring rate slowed considerably after lunch, when he was struck on the helmet by a fierce bouncer from Hazlewood. The next delivery was another short one that Stoneman fended towards Lyon at point, though he couldn’t hold a tough chance, and soon Stoneman found himself bogged down.Stoneman’s fifty came up from his 82nd delivery but soon fell to another accurate bouncer, this time from Starc. Stoneman was given not out on field but Australia’s review was upheld by third umpire Aleem Dar, on the evidence of a Snicko spike as the ball passed Stoneman’s glove on the way through to Tim Paine. The hasty overturning of the decision caused a brief ruckus, but further replays showed it was the correct call.The review perhaps also overshadowed the fact that it was a brilliant take from Paine, who had to leap into the air and snared the catch with one hand thrust above his head. But it was the last breakthrough of the day for Australia, who had picked up Cook and James Vince, who flirted outside off and edged behind off Hazlewood for 25, in the first session, and then Root and Stoneman in the second. Malan and Bairstow ensured this was unequivocally England’s day.

The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators had asked the BCCI to hold a meeting before the ICC workshop, given the importance of the FTP on the agenda, but the board has failed to meet the date

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2017The BCCI has called its emergent Special General Meeting (SGM) on December 11, which means the meeting will take place after the ICC workshop that will be held on December 7-8, in Singapore to discuss the minutiae of the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2019 to 2023. The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) had asked the BCCI to convene the meeting before the ICC workshop because the FTP was one of the three important agendas, but the BCCI has failed to meet that date. The agenda for the SGM will now be the settlement of the dispute concerning the Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise and the revocation of the suspension of Rajasthan Cricket Association.”The BCCI has convened a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Dec. 11, 2017 in New Delhi at 12.30 PM under the instruction of Mr. CK Khanna, Acting President and as per the directions from the Committee of Administrators,” a board release on Tuesday said, without expanding on the agenda.In the absence of a general body debate over the FTP, despite the request from the CoA on November 15 through an email to Khanna, the committee gave its nod to the board’s plan of the FTP designed by CEO Rahul Johri. At the workshop, the Full Member countries will chalk out a week-by-week plan for the FTP, extending from post-2019 World Cup till 2023. Apart from the global events, the FTP will cover the Test and ODI Leagues, which start in the next two years. It is understood that there has been resistance among the BCCI office bearers and the general body against rushing through with the FTP without “time and documents to study and deliberate on the item”.As per the BCCI’s existing constitution, the president can call for the SGM with a 21-day notice period. However, he also has the power to reduce the notice period to 10 days, which the CoA had asked Khanna to do.The important topic for the SGM now remains the litigation involving the Kochi Tuskers. The BCCI needs to decide whether, and how much, it should pay the owners of the franchise, whose agreement was terminated in 2011, two seasons after it came into existence. The BCCI had also encashed the bank guarantee of INR 153.34 crores at the time of termination, which the owners contested in the court. The court asked the matter to be settled via arbitration.In 2016 the Kochi owners won the arbitration case, which said that the board would not only refund the bank guarantee amount encashed by them, but also pay an additional INR 384.83 crore towards compensation for termination of the franchise. Subsequently, the BCCI’s attempts to resolve the issue amicably failed as the Kochi owners wanted compensation upwards of INR 1000 crore. During the SGM in May, Amitabh Choudhury, BCCI secretary, told the members that the BCCI might negotiate a settlement soon. In October, the IPL governing council resolved that the BCCI was left with no choice but pay the compensation. The CoA now awaits the members’ collective call on the subject.

Wolves host Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, with the home side hoping to get off the mark in their second Premier League game of the season.

They were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday evening, but it was an encounter marred by a controversial decision.

Fans and pundits within the media thought the West Midlanders were the better side and unlucky not to at least come away with a point.

There was a stoppage-time collision between United goalkeeper André Onana and Wolves forward Sasa Kalajdzic, which many believed should have constituted a penalty. But after a brief VAR check, the penalty was not awarded, to the surprise of many.

Meanwhile, the Seagulls opened up their account with a thumping 4-1 victory over Premier League new boys Luton Town.

Roberto De Zerbi's side, who finished sixth last term, are expected to be back in and amongst the European spots once more, so they'll be a difficult test for Wolves on Saturday.

Ahead of the clash, Football FanCast has decided to take a look at the stats between the pair and how they've fared against each other over the years.

Wolves vs Brighton: Who has the better head-to-head record?

The pair have only faced each other 40 times throughout their long histories. Often, they've been in different divisions, so there have been periods where they've had long stints without meeting.

Perhaps quite surprisingly, Brighton dominate this statistic. The Seagulls have only conceded defeat on eight occasions – with 18 meetings resulting in victory.

What's perhaps even more surprising is that their first meeting didn't come until a League Cup third-round fixture in September 1969.

So considering Wolves had a lot of their success in the 1950s when they won three top-flight titles, this stat begins to make more sense.

Wolves wins: 8 Draws: 14 Brighton wins: 18 Wolves vs Brighton: Who has more wins at Molineux?

Considering the overall head-to-head statistic, it should come as no surprise that the south coast club come out on top in this one, too.

Though, you would expect the majority of Wolves' wins to have come at Molineux – but that isn't the case.

Just three wins from 19 games for Wolves have come at their home ground. It appears the Seagulls are most definitely their 'bogey team'.

Wolves wins: 3 Draws: 7 Brighton wins: 9 Wolves vs Brighton: Who has more wins on the south coast?

Brighton's home turf – be it at the Amex, Withdean Stadium or the Goldstone Ground – has produced a slightly more even affair between these two sides throughout the years. Of course, it is again the Seagulls who win this head-to-head statistic, but they only just edge it.

Wolves have picked up more of their victories on the south coast, so on Saturday, they'll be hoping to balance this out with a win at home.

Gary O'Neil's side will want to get off the mark as soon as possible as they bid to avoid a second successive relegation battle.

Brighton wins: 9 Draws: 7 Wolves wins: 5 Wolves vs Brighton: Who has the better domestic cup record?

It's the West Midlanders who win this statistic. There has been just the two meetings between the pair in domestic cup competitions, with one coming in the FA Cup and the other in the League Cup.

Interestingly, both affairs ended in 3-2 away victories for Wolves, with the first dating back to the 1969/70 campaign and the other in 1978/79.

Brighton have never won either the League or FA Cup, whereas Wolves have won the latter on four separate occasions. However, they are yet to win the former throughout their 146-year history.

If there come up against Brighton this year, though, history would at least be on their side.

Wolves wins: 2 Draws: 0 Brighton wins: 0 Wolves vs Brighton: What were the last five meetings?

29th April 2023 – Brighton 6-0 Wolves: De Zerbi's side recorded the club's biggest-ever top-flight victory and continued their push for a European spot.

They carved the away side open with ease as three players in Denis Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck all registered braces.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui offered an apology to his fans following the match.

5th November 2023 – Wolves 2-3 Brighton: 10-man Wolves, managed by interim manager Steve Davis, suffered a sinking defeat on Bonfire Night after Gross netted the winner for Brighton with seven of the 90 minutes remaining.

The result left the West Midlands club in 19th, two points adrift of 17th-placed Aston Villa in safety.

30th April 2022 – Wolves 0-3 Brighton: Wolves' boss at the time, Bruno Lage, said this was his side's 'worst performance' of his tenure.

Brighton romped their way to a comfortable away victory thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma, all of whom no longer play for the club anymore, interestingly.

Despite the sizeable defeat, Wolves remained in a healthy league position, as they sat eighth, five points clear of their opposition. Though, they ultimately ended that season in 10th, behind Brighton on goal difference.

15th December 2021 – Brighton 0-1 Wolves: Romain Saïss ended Wolves' five-game run without a win as his side picked up a 1-0 away victory at the Amex to fire themselves up to eighth.

They hadn't actually scored in the previous four matches, remarkably, so this victory was certainly needed.

Meanwhile, Brighton, who were managed by Graham Potter, may have just started to look over their shoulders, as they dropped down to 13th, nine points above 18th-placed Burnley and having played a game more – while going winless in 13 games across all competitions.

9th May 2021 – Wolves 2-1 Brighton: Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who now plays for Nottingham Forest, scored a 90th-minute winner to clinch the three points in a dramatic encounter.

Brighton were down to 10 men for much of the second half after Lewis Dunk received a red card for pulling back Fabio Silva as he ran through on goal.

It was the West Midlanders' first top-flight win over the Seagulls in the club's history.

Who has played for Wolves and Brighton?

Rajiv van La Parra (Wolves 2014-2016; Brighton 2015-2016): The Dutch winger had a 57-game career at Wolves after signing on a free transfer in 2014 from SC Heerenveen. He scored two goals for the club whilst laying on 11 assists.

Meanwhile, he spent less than two months on loan at the Seagulls from Wolves, making six appearances and scoring two goals.

Perhaps his most memorable spell in England was during his stint at Huddersfield Town, where he helped the West Yorkshire club to a shock promotion to the Premier League.

Keith Andrews (Wolves 1999-2005; Brighton 2013-2014): The 32-cap Republic of Ireland international began his career at Wolves after graduating through the academy. He made a total of 72 appearances for the club.

He had a season-long loan spell at Brighton during the 2013/14 season, where he made 37 appearances, helping the club reach the play-off semi-finals before suffering a thumping 6-2 aggregate defeat to Derby County.

Sam Vokes (Wolves 2008-2012; Brighton 2012): The towering centre-forward was on Wolves' books for four years, but much of that time was spent out on loan. He was shipped out to six separate clubs before Burnley signed him on a permanent deal in 2012.

Brighton were one of those six clubs, but his short time on the south coast wasn't particularly fruitful, as he netted just three times in 15 appearances.

Ade Akinbiyi (Brighton 1994; Wolves 1999-2001): The Nigerian forward had a short spell on loan at Brighton, where he scored four goals in seven appearances.

His two-year stint in the West Midlands saw him find the back of the net 16 times in 40 outings before he was snapped up by Leicester City, who paid a club-record £5.5m to sign him.

Steve Claridge (Wolves 1998; Brighton 2004): The forward made a total of six appearances during his five-month spell at Wolves and only five during a one-month stretch with Albion.

What is Wolves' biggest win over Brighton?

28th December 1991 – Wolves 2-0 Brighton: It's been over three decades since Wolves' biggest victory over the Seagulls, which was actually not a thrashing by any means.

Mark Burke opened the scoring in the second minute before Andy Mutch, who was well known for his strike partnership with Steve Bull, added a second.

The victory came during the 1991/92 season in the second tier. The West Midlanders finished the campaign in 11th, whilst Albion suffered relegation, finishing 23rd.

What is Brighton's biggest win over Wolves?

29th April 2023 – Brighton 6-0 Wolves: Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned 6-0 drubbing last season is Brighton's biggest win over Saturday's opposition.

It was a result that continued Brighton's assault on the European places, with the victory keeping them within touching distance of the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham, who they would eventually usurp come the season's end.

The gap in quality between the two sides over the last 12 months has started to widen, and it could be another tough afternoon for Wolves at the weekend if the current trends continue.

Key match stats It will be the 41st meeting between the pair Wolves have only beaten Brighton once in the top flight Brighton have won their last four matches against Wolves The last three fixtures between these two sides have produced 14 goals

Retired striker Alan Shearer has hilariously commented on the possible summer transfer of Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich.

What is the latest Harry Kane transfers news?

In the last 24 hours or so, it has felt as though the long-standing questions over the Englishman’s future may finally be resolved.

Indeed, trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano even gave it the famous “here we go!”, noting on Twitter that a deal was “completed between all parties” as Kane was given the “final green light” over a €100m (roughly £86.5m) fixed fee, plus add-ons up to €20m (roughly £17m) package to join Bayern.

However, that wasn’t the end of it as things took a twist with a final “poker game” being played by Daniel Levy and co.

Read the latest Spurs transfer news here…

Romano again updated, noting that while Kane and his camp were waiting at the airport ready to fly to Munich, Levy and Spurs were now asking to change some small conditions of the deal.

Amid all the drama and uncertainty – on the same day the 2023/23 Premier League season begins, no less – former Newcastle United striker Shearer decided to comment on the situation,

Indeed, he took to Twitter to post a picture of himself as a pilot, insinuating that he would fly the Englishman to Germany himself in order to protect his goalscoring record with the comment: “Come on Harry it’s time to go!”

Come on Harry it’s time to go! 🤪 pic.twitter.com/rm284IXOXR— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) August 11, 2023

Who is the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer?

With 260 goals to his name, Shearer has netted the most times in the Premier League but Kane is only 47 goals behind him with 213 strikes of his own.

Wayne Rooney is next on the list (208), then it’s Andrew Cole (187), with Sergio Aguero fifth (184) – but with those three all now retired from football, only one man could steal Shearer’s record.

With that in mind, it’s little wonder the former Blackburn Rovers title-winner is so keen to see the Spurs ace leaving English football for the first time in his career.

Fellow TV pundit and ex-Arsenal striker Ian Wright loved the comment, taking to Twitter to share a number of crying laughing emojis – as you can see below.

And while opinion on whether Kane should leave or go has been spilt in some quarters, other fellow professionals have also commented on the situation.

For instance, Rio Ferdinand made his feelings known as he bluntly wrote on Twitter about how the Spurs striker shouldn’t be worried about “personal honours” if he can go to Germany and win major trophies.

In full he said: “You don’t start ya career saying you want to win the golden boot winner – you want to win things for ya team.

“You only make it personal honours when that’s ya only option!! Good luck Harry Kane.”

Of course, it appears Kane has decided he wants to join Bayern Munich but with some issues behind the scenes, it remains unclear if he will be able to complete a move this summer.

No doubt, Tottenham fans, Bundesliga fans, and Shearer will all nervously be keeping tabs on the situation as it develops over the coming hours.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with Spurs’ first game of the season on Sunday away at Brentford.