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West Bromwich Albion are now without a win in five after being held to a goalless draw by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Wednesday night. Carlos Corberan’s side had the better of the chances on the night, but were unable to convert any of their nine shots, with Rovers’ stopper Aynsley Pears saving efforts from Jayson Molumby, Karlan Grant and Alex Mowatt.

The result means the Baggies remain fourth in the Sky Bet Championship, three points behind third placed Leeds United and seven behind leaders Sunderland. Corberan said after the draw that he felt his side deserved more.

“Of course, the draw is not the result we want and we don’t view the point as a good point, but we will put the effort of the players down as a good point,” he said, adding: “In general, we had more possibilities to get something else and to achieve three points.”

West Brom injury news vs Cardiff

West Brom were without Kyle Bartley for the stalemate with Blackburn, with Corberan handing a league debut to Paddy McNair in the veteran defender’s absence. Bartley, 33, picked up a knock in the Baggies 1-1 tie with Oxford United last week and did not recover in time for the trip to Ewood.

Corberan revealed on Wednesday that he now also expects the defender to miss the weekend’s game against Cardiff City at The Hawthorns, having struggled in training due to the problem with his knee.

“Bartley let us know during training that his knee had not recovered properly from the previous game,” he explained. “I don’t think he’ll be ready for the game against Cardiff on Saturday, but we will have to wait and see how the knee reacts in the next few days.”

While Bartley will likely miss the Cardiff game, Jamaica international Mason Holgate, who also missed Wednesday’s draw with Rovers, will be back in contention.

“Mason Holgate, who was also injured, will train on Thursday,” revealed Corberan.

Bartley's season so far

Bartley has been a key figure for West Brom so far this term, starting all but one of the Baggies’ 11 Championship games, captaining them on eight occasions. With the former Arsenal youngster at the heart of their defence, the Baggies enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, winning five of their first six games. Things have fallen apart since, however, with Corberan’s side losing two and drawing three of their last five.

£70,000-a-week star ruled out of West Brom vs Blackburn as injury return date set

A frustrating blow for the Baggies…

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 23, 2024

That poor run of form could have changed against Blackburn had referee John Busby awarded the Baggies a penalty after Darnell Furlong appeared to have been pushed by Todd Cantwell inside the area.

Speaking with Birmingham Live after the match, Corberan expressed his frustration at his side not being given what he called an “obvious” spot kick.

“I think the action of the penalty, live, Furlong received a foul. A foul in the box, it’s a penalty. Because he was in the position and the defender [Cantwell] makes a foul to avoid the finishing of Furlong,” he said. “In these actions, the referee didn’t understand enough probably to issue a penalty.”

Jhon Duran has been a stand-out and even somewhat surprise performer for Aston Villa this season. The 20-year-old Colombian striker has scored six goals in nine games in all competitions, with all of his strikes coming as a substitute, following a summer of turmoil over his future.

In the Premier League, he’s netted against West Ham, Leicester, Everton, and Wolves, while in the Champions League, he scored the only goal as Villa recorded an historic win over Bayern Munich – thumping in a stunning half-volley from the edge of the area.

Emery missed out on £100m "menace" for Villa, settling for Duran instead

Emery had the chance to sign a player who is now valued at £100m by his current club…

ByRoss Kilvington Oct 5, 2024

Unsurprisingly, Villa boss Unai Emery is over the moon with how well his back-up forward is performing.

“He arrived here two years ago and he is young, his potential is huge,” the Spaniard said of Duran after the win over Bayern, which was a repeat of Villa’s famous European Cup final victory over the German club.

“Sometimes he has been impatient and I need to speak to him as a person and connect to him as a person,” Emery added. “As well as a player to try to let him play, putting him on the field because his talent is there and the capacity to help us.”

Duran pens new contract

In light of Duran’s good form, on Monday, Villa announced that the forward has put pen to paper on a new deal with the club until 2030. While on the face of it, that might seem like good news for Villa fans, Chelsea News reporter Simon Phillips doesn’t agree.

Chelsea had come close to signing Duran, who, according to TEAMtalk, Villa now value at £80 million, in the summer, with a £42 million deal collapsing at the last hurdle. Phillips, however, doesn’t believe the new contract will stop Chelsea coming back in for the player, but rather just give Villa more power at the negotiating table if they do.

Chelsea likely to make another move for Duran in 2025

“Just because a player signs a new contract extension at their club, in this day and age it means very little other than the club who owns said player having much more power in negotiations should they sell,” Phillips wrote for Chelsea News on Monday.

“We have seen various examples of this in recent times where a player agrees to a contract extension with their club after being linked with moves away for months and even getting as far as being in talks with other clubs. Said player then ends up being sold not too long after the new contract was agreed,” he added.

Phillips wrote that he’d be “shocked if it doesn’t contain a release clause,” or “at least some kind of agreement to let him leave the club down the line”, adding that “Chelsea will absolutely still hold an interest in the striker”.

A Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Gold Grail’ card has cost a collector £11,000, but the complete CR7 collection – which he owns – could be worth “seven figures”.

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• Topps released 'Grail Chase'
• Nine Ronaldo cards to collect
• Special reward for Chelsea fan

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mark Listwan – who is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico – prides himself on the haul of Topps trading cards that he has been able to acquire down the years. He has now gone “all out” to complete a unique selection of Ronaldo-themed products.

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• THE GOSSIP

  Topps released nine Ronaldo cards as part of their “Grail Chase”, with Listwan splashing out £5,000 on the one card that he needed to complete the set. Having achieved that, he has been rewarded with a “solid gold” Ronaldo card that is very much “one of one”.

• WHAT CARD COLLECTOR SAID

  Listwan has told the : “When I had eight of the nine Ronaldo cards registered on the official leaderboard, I knew I had to go all out for the last one. £5,000 was merely a number in the quest for card-collecting greatness. To pay that much for the final card in the complete set? It was totally worth it.”

  He added, having splashed out £11k in total: “Who knows what valuation the true Gold Ronaldo can be given at the end of the day? I've heard so many things. six figures, seven figures, you never really know. I'm so extremely delighted with my decision to push through with the competition. I may try to get all 10 cards in a display case in my office. It surely is a sight to behold.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Listwan is a Chelsea fan, but may be reconsidering his approach when it comes to snapping up Mkyhailo Mudryk cards – given that the Ukraine international is facing the threat of a lengthy doping ban. He added on his collection: “I've put a lot of effort (and money) into my entire collection, which mainly consists of Chelsea cards, different parallels of base cards found in sets released throughout the past few years, and a lot of Mykhailo Mudryk, who I believe has so much potential for the future.”

Enzo Maresca admitted that he "likes" Chelsea transfer target Marc Guehi amid a full-blown defensive crisis at Stamford Bridge.

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• Chelsea are without Fofana & Badiashile
• Blues are looking for defensive reinforcements
• Maresca revealed that he holds Guehi in high esteem

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Guéhi, who developed in Chelsea’s academy before moving to Palace in 2021, has been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge as the Blues evaluate their defensive options. The 23-year-old’s contract at Selhurst Park expires in 18 months, and with no extension in sight, transfer interest in the England international has grown.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea’s defensive depth has been tested this season, particularly with Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile sidelined. The January transfer window offers them the opportunity to shore up their backline and the potential acquisition of Guéhi aligns with the club’s long-term planning, as he is both a proven Premier League talent and a player with significant upside.

• WHAT MARESCA SAID

  Speaking during a press conference on Friday, Maresca clarified the club’s position on Guéhi, stating: “The only thing I can say is Marc Guéhi is a Palace player. I like Marc, no doubt about it, but he is not currently part of our team. I also like the centre-halves we have and I like different central defenders in Italy, Spain and France but that doesn't mean we are going to buy the player. It is a normal situation when you have these central defender injuries that there's speculation there. There's nothing there."

  Alongside links to Guéhi, reports have emerged about Chelsea possibly recalling Trevoh Chalobah from his loan at Crystal Palace. Maresca addressed these rumours as well, saying: "This is exactly the same. Trevor is a good player but at this moment is a Palace player. So, we'll see."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Newcastle United have also shown interest in Guéhi, having attempted to sign him last summer. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, with Crystal Palace reportedly valuing the centre-back at around £70 million then. Palace remain steadfast in their demand for a substantial transfer fee, but sources suggest the club might accept a reduced offer of around £40 million due to Guéhi’s contract nearing its expiration.

Manchester United’s start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign has been one to forget, with the club picking up just three points in their opening three fixtures.

It all appeared to be going to plan for Erik ten Hag’s side, beating Fulham 1-0 on the opening day, before back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Hove Albion and rivals Liverpool.

The Red Devils have been backed heavily during the off-season, spending just shy of £200m on new talent, but as of yet, they have been unable to change the club’s fortunes.

Leny Yoro is the only new addition yet to feature this season after suffering a foot injury just days after his £59m move to Old Trafford, which could see him miss up to three months of action.

However, Ten Hag will still be hoping that one talent who produced numerous moments of magic last season can recapture the form that saw him become a first-team regular in the North West.

Alejandro Garnacho’s 2023/24 campaign for Man Utd

After breaking into United’s first-team during the 2022/23, academy star Alejandro Garnacho enjoyed his best professional campaign to date last season – featuring in 50 games for Ten Hag’s side in all competitions.

The Argentinian youngster registered 15 goal contributions across the campaign, including a phenomenal bicycle kick in the league victory against Everton at Goodison Park.

He finished the Premier League campaign with the third most combined league goals and assists at United, with only Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund registering more contributions during the 2023/24 campaign.

Garnacho’s subsequent form saw him earn a place at the Copa América with Argentina, where the 20-year-old only made a singular appearance.

However, despite his form over the last 12 months, he’s valued lower than one star who’s been a consistent performer during a tricky period for United.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Alejandro Garnacho’s market value in 2024

Diogo Dalot has emerged as one of United’s key players in recent months, featuring in 36 of the club’s 38 Premier League matches during the 2023/24 campaign.

The “elite” Portuguese full-back, as described by Statman Dave, has showcased his versatility, operating at both right and left-back in recent times – becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet for Ten Hag at the back.

The 25-year-old is entering his eighth season as a United player following his £19m move from Porto back in 2018 under Jose Mourinho, with his market value soaring as a result of his excellent displays at Old Trafford.

Highest valued players at Manchester United (2024/25)
Player	Market value
Marcus Rashford	£56.4m
Rasmus Hojlund	£51m
Bruno Fernandes	£50m
Diogo Dalot	£40m
Alejandro Garnacho	£35.7m
Stats via Football Transfers

Dalot is now valued at £40m, as per Football Transfers, with his subsequent figure higher than that of attacking star Garnacho who’s still only valued at £35.7m despite his recent success in the club’s first-team.

Whilst defensively Ten Hag’s side hasn’t been good enough, Dalot can pride himself on his recent displays, winning the third most tackles per 90 of any player in the United squad last season.

In a time period where many of the club’s new additions have been a waste of money, the full-back has proven to be a rare success story, looking worth every penny of the transfer fee the club paid for him six years ago.

The club and fanbase will be hoping that he can continue to develop on the same trajectory, helping others around him to reach the high standards that he’s set as the club looks to turn around their below-par start to the new campaign.

Man Utd wonderkid left for £0, now he's like Scholes & better than Mainoo

The talented midfielder has been incredible away from Old Trafford.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 6, 2024

It is fair to say that Wolverhampton Wanderers have not had the start to the Premier League season they would have wanted. The Old Gold had a baptism of fire, facing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, before hosting Chelsea for their first home game. It has certainly been a tough few matches.

Wolves’ first outing against Arsenal saw them fall to a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz did the damage for the Gunners, helping themselves to a goal and assist each to sink Gary O’Neil’s side in arguably the toughest away game they'll face.

Their first game at Molineux was even more frustrating, with Chelsea running out 6-2 victors thanks to three assists and a goal from Cole Palmer, and a hat-trick for Noni Madueke. Wolves got on the score sheet through Matheus Cunha and new signing Jorgen Strand Larsen.

Although it has been a winless start, they have the chance to turn things around as they face Burnley in the Carabao Cup second round at home. It has certainly been tough to find the right formula for the Midlands club who are still getting used to life without two of their best players.

Wolves' major summer sales

Indeed, O’Neil and his side have seen the squad decimated this summer, losing two of their most important stars from the 2023/24 campaign. One of those who departed was club captain Max Kilman.

The 27-year-old made the move to East London to sign for West Ham United in a deal worth £40m. It was certainly a big blow to lose the captain, who was an ever-present for O’Neil’s side last term, playing 90 minutes in every single game for the Old Gold.

However, perhaps an even bigger sale for Wolves this summer was Pedro Neto, who left Molineux to switch to Stamford Bridge and join Chelsea in a deal worth £54m. His return to the Midlands last weekend typically saw him register an assist for Joao Felix, another new signing for the Blues.

Indeed, getting an assist at Molineux is what Neto did so well during his time at Wolves. In the 2023/24 campaign, the 24-year-old registered nine assists and got himself on the score sheet in just 20 games. As per SofaScore, that was more than any of his teammates, with his 11 combined goal involvements bettered by two players, including Cunha.

The enterprising Brazilian attacker is a player with whom the Portuguese winger had a superb partnership. In just 21 games together, they have combined for five goals, more than any player in Neto’s career to date.

Frustratingly, the Chelsea number seven was injured for large parts of the last campaign, a recurring theme in his career for the Old Gold. In total, he missed 121 days and a whopping 23 games with a hamstring injury.

Following the sale of one of the club’s deadliest attackers, it does mean Wolves need to bring a replacement to the club before the transfer window slams shut on Friday.

They have recently been linked with one player who could become Neto’s dream replacement and strike up a similar partnership with Cunha.

Wolves' answer to losing Pedro Neto

The player in question here is Burnley and Italy U21 international winger Luca Koleosho. The 19-year-old impressed for the Clarets last season in the Premier League, and since their relegation back to the Championship has been linked with a move away from the club and back to the top flight.

According to a report from the Express and Star over the weekend, the Old Gold have been in talks to sign the 19-year-old this summer, and are hoping to bring the young winger to Molineux ‘before the end of the transfer window’.

A price for the youngster has not yet been named, although he is valued at £5m by Football Transfers. Should they sell him for around that price, Burnley would make an excellent profit on the deal, given they paid £2.6m up front to sign him last summer from Espanyol.

Last term for Vincent Kompany’s side, Koleosho played 15 times in the Premier League, getting one goal and one assist, although he sadly missed the second half of the season with an injury. He has started the new Championship year on fire, scoring his first goal in a 5-0 win over Cardiff City.

Should the Italian join the Midlands side this summer, he could become the dream replacement for Neto. Like the Portuguese winger, Koleosho is a quick and direct player, who loves to take on defenders in one-on-one scenarios.

Indeed, this impressive dribbling ability is reflected in their FBref numbers. Per 90 minutes last season, the Italian averaged 4.91 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to Neto’s 5.83 each game.

One area that the Burnley winger does edge the new Chelsea signing is carries into the penalty box per game. Koleohso averages 2.69, whereas Neto averages 2.5 per 90 minutes. As the stats show, the pair are very similar.

Koleosho vs. Neto dribbling stats
Stat (per 90)	Koleosho	Neto
Progressive carries	4.91	5.83
Carries into the final third	3.43	3.87
Carries into the penalty box	2.69	2.5
Take-ons completed	3.06	2.2
Take-on success rate	42.3%	42%
Stats from FBref

One area in which Koleosho falls slightly behind the 24-year-old Portugal international is his creative passing numbers. Last term, he averaged 0.10 expected assists and 1.02 key passes per game, compared to Neto’s 0.22xA and 2.26 key passes.

Should Wolves move for the young Burnley winger this summer, he could prove to be the perfect replacement for Neto in O’Neil’s transitional system, which requires excellent ball-carrying skills that he can provide.

The Old Gold boss would no doubt hope the Clarets attacker can also strike up a successful partnership with Cunha just as Chelsea’s number seven did at Molineux. Given the similarities in their profile, it is not too far-fetched to think that they could do just that, especially if Koleosho can improve on his creative passing outlet, which might naturally increase with higher-quality players around him.

The teenage Italian is a “serious player”, as football scout Antonio Mango described him. For a potentially low fee and a player with high potential, it could be the dream signing for the Old Gold as they look to replace one of their best players of the O’Neil reign.

Dream Neto replacement: Wolves target "dangerous" £190k-p/w sensation

He is highly rated by Ange Postecoglou

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 24, 2024

Manchester City kicked off their latest defence of the Premier League title with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Erling Haaland, of course, scored the first goal of the season for Pep Guardiola's side by bulldozing his way into the box and brilliantly lifting the ball over and past Robert Sanchez.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic then showed his former employers what they have been missing with a terrific interception, drive forwards, and finish from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 in the second half.

It was not a perfect performance from City, who were troubled and needed Ruben Dias and Ederson at times to keep the Blues at bay, but it was enough to secure all three points.

Savinho made his debut on the flank but was substituted with a minor injury concern at half-time and there could be more debuts to come for City, as they are reportedly in the market to bolster their squad.

Julian Alvarez recently completed his permanent move to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and the Cityzens are now reportedly looking to take a player away from LaLiga, having just sent the Argentina international to Spain.

Man City's interest in Real Madrid star

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are lining up a swoop to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazil international is on the club's radar as they weigh up what to do in the next ten days or so before the deadline passes.

It states that the Cityzens are considering their options after Oscar Bobb broke his leg and Savinho suffered a fitness concern against Chelsea on Sunday.

Football Insider reveals that Guardiola did not want to lose Alvarez to Atletico Madrid this summer and his exit could tempt the club to dip into the market to secure a replacement.

The outlet claims that Rodrygo is one of the players the Premier League champions are interested in signing and that it would take a fee of at least £70m to secure his services.

This would not be an easy deal for City to complete in the coming days, however, as the Brazilian whiz is said to be happy and ready to fight for his place at Real Madrid, which means that he may take some convincing to make the move to England.

Football Insider also says that sources would be 'surprised' if the Cityzens were prepared to splash out £70m to sign the forward this summer, and that suggests that it may take some negotiating with Real Madrid to bring the price down.

However, if the English giants can get a deal over the line for the winger then that could help Guardiola to forget all about Alvarez this season.

Julian Alvarez's form for Man City last season

The World Cup winner signed for Atletico for a whopping £81.5m earlier this month after two years in England, where he was a key player for City in the 2023/24 campaign.

Guardiola found a way to fit Haaland and Alvarez in his starting XI, with the latter deployed in an attacking midfield role, as the Argentine star started 31 of the club's 38 Premier League games.

The 24-year-old sensation embraced his new role by showing off his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for City in the top-flight, to contribute to another league title success.

Appearances

36

xG

13.12

Goals

11

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.9

Assists

9

As you can see in the table above, the young forward was directly involved in 20 goals in 36 appearances in the division, which shows that he was a reliable attacking option for Guardiola.

Alvarez also produced an eye-catching five goals and two assists in seven outings in the Champions League, scoring those five goals from just 1.74 xG.

These statistics show that the Argentine attacker provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League and the Champions League for City, which is why it is easy to understand why Guardiola did not want to lose him this summer.

However, the Spanish tactician could forget all about the Atletico Madrid signing if the club can bring in Rodrygo to star for the Cityzens this season.

Why Man City should sign Rodrygo

The Premier League giants must swoop for the Brazilian whiz to bolster their squad and ensure that Guardiola does not end up rueing Alvarez's departure.

Despite featuring in a team that included the likes of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham, among many other stars, Rodrygo was the star for Real Madrid in their opening match in La Liga on Sunday night.

The young attacker scored the only goal of the game for the Spanish giants in a 1-1 draw with Mallorca, brilliantly curling an effort into the far corner from just inside the box.

Last season, the 23-year-old ace showcased his quality in LaLiga and in the Champions League for Real Madrid whilst playing on the right flank.

Rodrygo contributed with five goals and two assists in 13 matches in Europe's premier cup competition as the Spanish side went on to win the trophy, beating Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley.

Appearances

34

Goals

10

Big chances created

5

Assists

5

Key passes per game

1.4

As you can see in the table above, the £70m-rated star also hit double figures for goals in LaLiga for Carlo Ancelotti, to go along with five assists.

Rodrygo, whose finishing was once described as "terrifyingly good" by journalist Sam Tighe, also managed 19 goals and 11 assists in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, including nine goals and nine assists in LaLiga.

These statistics show that the Brazilian maestro is a consistent and impressive performer in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator, having proven himself in a major European league and in the Champions League.

Man City could land dream signing for Haaland in swoop for £60m star

The Cityzens have been linked with an interest in the forward this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2024

Therefore, Guardiola could forget all about Alvarez by landing another phenomenal young attacker who can make a big impact in the final third for City.

Opener reaches 97, Harry Brook scores fifty as visitors go to stumps 358 for 8 at Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2021Yorkshire reached 358 for 8 at stumps against Kent on a fluctuating first day in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury, Adam Lyth their top-scorer with 97 and Harry Brook making 54.Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens celebrated being named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year by taking 3 for 52 and Matt Milnes claimed 2 for 63, including the prize scalp of England Test captain Joe Root for 11, while wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson took five catches.The visitors had regained control by the close of play in the Group Three fixture thanks to Steven Patterson and David Willey, who were unbeaten on 34 and 25 respectively, leaving Yorkshire with four bonus points and Kent two.Yorkshire won the toss and opted to bat in numbingly cold conditions, racing to 28 without loss before Tom Kohler-Cadmore fell for 14 to the final ball of the fourth over, glancing a leg-side delivery from Stevens to Robinson.The visitors continued to score at more than six an over for the first hour and Lyth reached his fifty before noon, from just 43 balls, before Kent slowed the run rate. Harry Podmore then removed Tom Loten for 27, tempting him to prod at a leg side delivery that was caught behind, leaving Yorkshire 128 for 2 at lunch.Kent claimed four wickets in the afternoon session, including Root, who became Robinson’s third victim, when he was lured outside off stump by Milnes. Lyth then fell three short of his century, nicking Milnes to Robinson and Brook produced an innings of controlled aggression before he was lbw to Miguel Cummins.With Podmore off the field with an injury, occasional bowler Jack Leaning took a wicket with his first ball when he had Jonathan Tattersall caught at slip by Stevens for 11, leaving the visitors on 240 for 6 at tea.Dom Bess and Jordan Thompson batted through the first hour of the evening session before Stevens removed both, Bess lbw for 36 and Thompson caught behind for 34, reducing Yorkshire to 299 for 8, only for Patterson and Willey to frustrate Kent’s bowlers with an unbroken partnership of 59 for the ninth wicket.

حقق بايرن ميونخ فوزًا هامًا على نظيره فرايبورج، بثنائية مقابل هدف، ضمن منافسات الجولة 19، من بطولة الدوري الألماني للدرجة الأولى “بوندزليجا”.

تقدم هاري كين في الدقيقة 15، ليعزز صدارته لترتيب الهدافين، مستغلًا رحيل منافسه المباشر عمر مرموش إلى مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي.

وانتهى الشوط الأول بتقدم بايرن ميونخ، قبل أن يعزز كيم مين جاي النتيجة في الدقيقة 54 لصالح الضيوف.

طالع أيضًا | تشكيل مانشستر سيتي أمام تشيلسي في الدوري الإنجليزي.. عمر مرموش أساسيًا

وفي الدقيقة 68، سجل ماتياس خينتر هدف فرايبورج الأول، وظل أصحاب الأرض يحاولون من أجل تسجيل التعادل، ولكن حكم المباراة أطلق صافرته ليعلن تعزيز بايرن ميونخ لصدارته.

واستغل بايرن تعثر باير ليفركوزن الذي تعادل بهدفين لمثلهما أمام ريد بول لايبزيج، ليصبح رصيد العملاق البافاري 48 نقطة بفارق 6 نقاط عن ليفركوزن.

بينما فرايبورج ظل في المركز التاسع برصيد 27 نقطة، وبفارق 4 نقاط عن المراكز المؤهلة للبطولات الأوروبية الموسم المقبل. أهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ وفرايبورج اليوم في الدوري الألماني

It was the Lucas Digne and Adrien Rabiot show at San Siro on Sunday as France downed Italy 3-1 to top their Nations League group.

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• France win 3-1 against Italy at San Siro
• Digne has a hand in all three goals
• France top group over Italy on goal difference

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  France and Italy entered their final Nations League A Group 2 clash knowing that they had already secured their place in the two-legged quarter-final of the tournament set to be played in March. However, both sides knew top spot was still up for grabs. While Italy entered the clash with a three-point lead over France, Didier Deschamps' men knew that a two-goal win at San Siro would see them finish first.

  France made a perfect start as Adrien Rabiot scored in the second minute of the game after heading Lucas Digne's corner past Guglielmo Vicario. Despite the shaky start, Italy soon started to attempt to control the game, however, France's heavy press meant Gli Azzurri were unable to do so.

  After a scruffy 30 minutes of play, Christopher Nkunku was brought down by Davide Frattesi outside the Italy box, which prompted France to have their first real attack since Rabiot's goal. Digne stepped up and struck an almost perfect free-kick which hit the underside of Vicario's goalpost, ricocheted into the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper's back and then pinged into the net to give the visitors a two-goal lead.

  However, the healthy advantage didn't last too long as Dimarco and Sandro Tonali combined. The former let in a perfect cross from the by-line which just went over the head of Frattesi but was met by Andrea Cambiaso, who perfectly slotted a volley past Mike Maignan. What followed was a barrage of Italian attacks, however, Luciano Spalletti's men failed to equalize before the half-time whistle.

  And in the second half it was yet another set-piece situation that broke Italy down yet again. Digne and Rabiot recreated a similar move as they had in the second minute of the clash as the defender's pinpoint cross was able to find the Marseille midfielder, who headed the ball past a stranded Vicario.

  The game was then a case of Italy going gung-ho at Maignan's goal as Gli Azzurri knew that reducing their goal difference would mean Italy could take the top spot, however, it wasn't to be as France's 3-1 win was enough for them to finish first.

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  THE MVP

  Deschamps has Digne to thank for the victory over Italy. The Villa star racked up two assists and was very solid defensively against Frattesi and Cambiaso. The Aston Villa left-back has been in top form for Unai Emery's side as well this season and was given a run out at left-back for Les Bleus ahead of Theo Hernandez. The former Barcelona and Everton star may now have put some pressure on Deschamps to consider him as a potential number one for the left-back spot.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Italy's set-piece coaches will need to have a long hard look at the set-up Gli Azzurri use when defending dead-ball situations. The last six goals that Spalletti's team has given up, including all three against France tonight at San Siro, have come from set pieces. Spalletti will need to work out a way to iron out such a big flaw in his team before they take on their quarter-final clash in March.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Italy and France will now have to wait until November 22 to figure out who they will face off against next in the quarter-final of the Nations League. Thanks to their group win, France will play at Stade de France in the second leg. Meanwhile, Italy will have to play at San Siro in the first leg as they finished as runners-up.