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Chelsea were unable to make it three Premier League wins in a row after a late Oli McBurnie goal saw the Blues settle for a 2-2 draw despite leading the encounter for a large period.

Goals from Noni Madueke and Thiago Silva saw Mauricio Pochettino's side lead 2-1 until the 93rd minute when the Blades' striker popped up to secure a huge point for Chris Wilder's men.

The win would have seen Chelsea move to within a point of Newcastle United with a game in hand, but the club currently sit ninth in the Premier League, three points off Eddie Howe's side and with a considerably worse goal difference.

The performance at Bramall Lane was yet another disappointing one, with boss Pochettino needing to drop one player after his display against the strugglers.

Nicolas Jackson's stats against Sheffield United

In what was an all-round disappointing performance from Pochettino's side, striker Nicolas Jackson had one of his worst games in recent weeks, with the Senegalese forward losing eight duels during the draw – the most of any player on the pitch.

The Chelsea frontman also lost possession 21 times during his 89 minutes for the Blues, with Jackson losing the ball more than any other of his teammates.

The 22-year-old was dribbled past three times by the Blades' defenders, with the attacker unable to stop the likes of Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson from driving the ball out from the back.

Jackson has now gone three Premier League games without a goal, after a run of two goals in as many matches, with his form taking a nose dive in recent outings.

His display in Yorkshire yesterday won't have done the youngster any favours, with Pochettino needing to drop the striker ahead of the club's next game against Everton a week today.

The man to replace Jackson in the final third

As demonstrated by how many times he lost possession against the Blades, Jackson isn't a hold-up striker, with the Senegal international liking to run the channels and get in behind.

However, the Blues may need to slightly alter their playstyle to allow another player to flourish at the top end of the pitch if the 22-year-old were to be dropped in the upcoming fixtures.

Pochettino could potentially turn to starman Cole Palmer, with the attacker demonstrating his finishing abilities with his 16 goals in 27 Premier League games this season.

As shown in his stat of 5.4 shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, the youngster can create problems in the attacking third with his eye for goal, potentially allowing him to play as a false nine under Poch.

Palmer also averages an 80% pass completion rate in the league this season, with both of his tallies considerably better than Jackson, who can only muster 2.8 and 78% respectively.

Given Chelsea's slim chances of achieving European football ahead of next season, coupled with their below-par performances, now is a great time for the Blues boss to experiment with his side and give other players an opportunity in a variety of different roles.

Paul Mullin thanked team-mate James McClean after the Wrexham striker was "saved from getting battered" on his return to action.

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• Mullin makes first appearance of season
• McClean plays peacemaker in Reading win
• Wrexham up to fourth in League One

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mullin made his first appearance of the 2024-25 campaign as Wrexham cruised to a 3-0 win over Reading at SToK Racecourse on Saturday. The striker came on in the 74th minute and while he was unable to get on the scoresheet, he did get involved in a heated exchange with Reading's Amado Mbengue that promoted McClean, of all players, to hold him back.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham podcast Racecourse Ramble shared a photo of Mullin "telling a player he will be waiting in the tunnel" on X. The 29-year-old was clearly eager to get amongst it after missing the Red Dragons' first three games of the season owing to an injury that forced him to undergo spinal surgery in the summer.

• WHAT MCCLEAN AND MULLIN SAID

  After the game, McClean shared a photo of the incident on his Instagram Stories with the caption: "@paulmullin12 saving you from getting battered bud". Mullin replied by thanking his team-mate, who so often throughout his career has been the aggressor in similar moments.

  Instagram (@paulmullin12)

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wrexham are up to fourth in League One after a convincing performance against the previously-unbeaten Reading. Ollie Palmer, Elliot Lee and Andy Cannon were on the scoresheet as Phil Parkinson's side made it seven points from nine in the league.

Jesse Lingard scored his first goal since overcoming a recent hamstring as Seoul claimed a vital in K League 1.

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• Lingard scores after injury
• Seoul FC beat K League 1 leaders
• Title challenge within reach

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lingard provided the finishing touch with his left foot, firing the ball low across Gangwon goalkeeper Lee Kwang-yeon, who ought to have done better after getting hands on the shot. The former Manchester United talent proceeded to run over to the Seoul fans and engaged in what appeared to be a choreographed celebration with 17-year-old team-mate Kang Ju-hyeon.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That was Seoul's second goal of the game and was the killer moment in the 2-0 victory. A fifth-consecutive win, it also further blew the K League 1 title race wide open, with Gangwon actually leading the standings. But the result brought Seoul back to within five points of the top, despite being in fifth place. Only six points separate the entire top six. For Lingard, captaining the side once more, it was a third goal in 16 league appearances this season. He had only returned from a month-long absence due to a hamstring injury in the previous game.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  With Seoul looking up the table rather than down, a title charge feels within reach if they can continue to harness the momentum. The capital club were last champions in 2016. Their next three games against Jeonbuk, Daejeon Hana and Daegu are all favourable bottom four opponents.

Today, Manchester United travel to Wembley Stadium, where they’ll look to defeat Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final.

Should the Red Devils progress, awaiting them will be Manchester City, making it a repeat of the 2023 final.

Nonetheless, despite having an eye on the potential derby, the focus will be on Sunday afternoon's clash, which is set to be a challenge given their recent form.

Yet, the biggest task on Erik ten Hag’s mind is how to get the best out of his players as individuals and, more importantly, as a team, which could force his hand into playing Casemiro in a new role and unleashing another star in midfield.

Casemiro's new role

Injuries have completely disrupted Man United’s season so far, but the department that’s been hit the hardest is the defence.

The latest player that’s reported to have an injury is young defender Willy Kambwala, who wasn’t spotted travelling with the squad.

The solution to this problem could be Casemiro, who’s obviously a defensive midfielder by trade, but he does have the skillset that would enable him to successfully operate at the heart of the United backline.

Real Madrid’s former ace has actually previously played in this role just once under Ten Hag, when he thrived in a 2-0 EFL Cup victory over Burnley last season, notably having a mammoth 125 touches and winning 100% of his ground duels.

Given his decreased athleticism and ability to cover ground, a centre-back role may suit the Brazilian more than a midfield role would due to his quality defensive ability, as shown by his 3.1 tackles per game in the league, the most in the United squad.

The man to replace Casemiro in midfield

Last season, Christian Eriksen was a mainstay in the United midfield, with the Dutch boss relying heavily on the midfielder across the campaign.

Yet, with the rise of Kobbie Mainoo and Scott McTominay’s goal-scoring hot streak, the Dane’s minutes have significantly decreased, having started just nine times in the Premier League.

This lack of game time has led to the former Ajax ace becoming unhappy, with an exit reportedly pending this summer, but he still has one huge role to play before his new adventure.

Casemiro playing at the back obviously leaves a space available in the middle of the park alongside Mainoo, but luckily, Eriksen will be ready to step up to the occasion.

Against a lower opposition where the demand is on United, the Red Devils should have the majority of possession, which is the type of game state where the 32-year-old thrives, as you can see in the table above from his latest Premier League appearance.

Eriksen is an extremely technical player who has immense vision and an excellent passing range, while his understanding of the game will enable United to gain more control and, in turn, assert more dominance.

On the flip side, the attacking midfielder by trade isn’t afraid to display his creativity, and he could hold the key to unlocking the stubborn Championship defence, as shown by his four key passes as well as the fact he registered eight Premier League assists last season.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur man will be in charge of the tempo, and it’s important that possession isn’t overturned cheaply, as that’s how Coventry will find joy.

Another aspect that will make the number 14 extremely valuable is purely his experience, especially considering he would partner the recently turned 19-year-old.

Overall, the “underrated” ace, as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, could just become United’s saviour with Ten Hag forced to juggle his squad once again.

Ten Hag can drop Garnacho to unleash Man Utd's "magical" hero

The Man United star has played just five matches this season.

By
Tom Lever

Apr 21, 2024

Wrexham leapfrogged Stockport County to go top of League One when they beat Shrewsbury 3-0 at home on Saturday.

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• Palmer, Lee and Marriott on target
• Wrexham still unbeaten in the league
• Ahead of Stockport atop the table

• TELL ME MORE

  The home side were the better team from off and had the chance to take the lead after just nine minutes. A scramble after a corner saw Oliver Rathbone scuff his shot and send it straight to James McClean in a dangerous position, but his effort hit the bar.

  Just six minutes later, the Red Dragons broke the deadlock as Ryan Barnett took on the ball and passed to Elliot Lee, who knocked it wide to McClean. His deadly ball into the net found Ollie Palmer perfectly placed to find the net.

  Lee made sure that the home team went in at the break with a comfortable break when a long run from Barnett went unchallenged before he knocked it into the midfielder's path to roll into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

  It was thanks to some hapless Shrewsbury defending that Wrexham managed to knock home their third goal. A terrible clearance from Aristote Nsiala put his team-mates in a rough spot as goalkeeper Toby Savin came rushing out of his box, only for Jack Marriott to beat him to it, knock it past him and send it into the net.

  There was no way for Shrewsbury to claw their way back into a game against a much stronger opponent, who now sit top of League One ahead of Stockport County, who have a game in hand.

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  THE MVP

  Wrexham midfielder Lee's importance to Phil Parkinson's side cannot be overstated. The 29-year-old stroked home a fine finish to double their lead at the perfect time and was heavily involved as the hosts maintained the pressure.

• THE BIG LOSER

  It was a woeful Shrewsbury debut for Funso Ojo who was left completely exposed on the left wing. He did nothing to stop Barnett on his run through the Shrewsbury half and gave up far too easily, allowing him to tee up Elliott for the second goal.

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  WHAT COMES NEXT?

  After maintaining their unbeaten start to the league campaign, Wrexham turn their attention to the EFL Trophy. The Welsh club will come up against League Two team Salford on Tuesday.

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship this afternoon as they prepare to host Southampton at Elland Road on the final day of the regular season.

The Whites head into today's match knowing that they are likely to end up in the play-offs, but there is a slim chance that they can still land second place.

Daniel Farke's side need to pick up all three points against Southampton in Yorkshire and then hope that Huddersfield Town do them a favour by beating Ipswich Town, who are three points ahead of Leeds, at Portman Road.

One change the German head coach must make against the Saints to give his side the best chance of doing their half of the job is to ruthlessly ditch Joel Piroe from the starting XI in order to unleash Mateo Joseph.

Joel Piroe's struggles this year

Since the turn of the year, the former Swansea star has scored three goals, one of which was from the penalty spot, in 23 appearances for the club in all competitions.

The 24-year-old attacker has scored one goal in his last 14 games for Leeds, which came in a 2-1 defeat to Coventry last month, and this run of form does not suggest that he is making the most of the opportunities that Farke is giving him.

With Patrick Bamford missing with a bruised knee, Piroe was selected to lead the line against QPR in the 4-0 defeat last time out and the Dutchman failed to make a big impression.

Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Symth handed the striker a match rating of 2/10, citing his lack of impact, as he failed to score from three shots on goal and lost nine of his 11 duels during the match.

Therefore, if Bamford remains out with his knee issue, Joseph should be brought in to replace Piroe, whose poor return in front of goal and 2/10 performance in the last game should see him ruthlessly dropped to the bench.

Why Mateo Joseph should be unleashed from the start

The 20-year-old marksman is yet to start a Championship game for Leeds this season but his Dutch teammate's form suggests that it is now worth giving the academy graduate a chance to shine.

Joseph, who has scored one goal and provided one 'big chance' in 19 appearances as a substitute, has not started a match for club or country since the FA Cup defeat to Chelsea in February.

As you can see in the table above, the Spain U20 international stepped up to the mark when called upon and produced quality at Stamford Bridge, with two goals from three shots against the Premier League side.

However, the 5 foot 11 star, who was described as a "major talent" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has not been rewarded with a league start since that breakout performance against the Blues.

With Bamford possibly out through injury and Piroe going through a drought in front of goal, this clash with Southampton could be the perfect time – ahead of the play-offs – to see if Joseph has what it takes to be a difference-maker for the Whites.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, having started the season well, are approaching the finishing line with a whimper.

Since beating Fulham 2-1 on March 9, Wolves have won just once in the Premier League, slipping outside the top half of the table in the process.

Despite this alarming drop-off, Gary O’Neil has a solid core to his side, which, if kept for next season while adding in another player or two, could challenge properly for that top-half finish in the league.

What is definitely required is some more strength in depth in the midfield, as O’Neil is continually relying on the same players every week.

Did they make a mistake selling Ruben Neves last summer? As his leadership skills and ability could have ensured this late-season dip might never have happened.

How much Wolves sold Ruben Neves for

It was clear that Neves was eyeing a move elsewhere following six seasons at Molineux, where he became one of their key players, helping them secure promotion in 2018 while playing a major part in establishing the club as a regular in the Premier League – scoring 30 goals in 253 games in all competitions.

When an offer of £47m arrived from Saudi Arabia, there was no question the Midlands side were going to accept, especially with the pressure to comply with the financial fair play regulations, but it is clear the club are missing Neves.

For his new team, Al-Hilal, the Portuguese midfielder has scored seven times and grabbed 11 assists. In comparison, no Wolves' midfielder has more than six goal contributions this season, which is slightly worrying.

He remains a big loss to the spine of the team, especially with his continued success elsewhere, but might Wolves have let an even bigger talent slip through the net in recent times? As Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Vitinha was previously on the books for Wolves.

Vitinha's record at Wolves

In September 2020, Wolves managed to secure the signature of the Portuguese starlet on a season-long loan deal from FC Porto, with an option to buy inserted into the deal.

Given his potential, it looked as though the Old Gold could be close to pulling off another masterstroke in a similar vein to Neves, but Vitinha’s time in the Midlands was far from a success.

Across all competitions, he managed to make just 22 appearances for Wolves, scoring once and providing one assist, failing to really showcase his potential under Nuno Espírito Santo.

It wasn’t until he returned to Porto ahead of the 2021/22 campaign that failing to sign him permanently looked like it could prove to be a massive mistake.

Vitinha's record since leaving Wolves

The midfielder began to really showcase his true worth when returning to Porto, making 47 appearances across all competitions while scoring four times and grabbing five assists.

After impressing in Portugal, PSG completed the signing of the highly rated player in the summer of 2022, spending €40m (£34.4m) to lure him to France, and it has proven to be a tremendous bargain given how well he has performed, especially this season.

Under Luis Enrique, PSG have looked like a much better team than in previous years, finally showing some cohesion as a collective unit, rather than relying on three or four-star names.

Vitinha has been the beating heart of the squad which not only claimed the Ligue 1 title for the third successive season but are into the final of the Coupe de France while coming ever so close to making their second Champions League final.

In Europe’s premier club competition, Vitinha has played a starring role. The 24-year-old currently ranks seventh in the entire tournament for big chances created (five), showing how impressive he has been when compared to fellow competitors in creating opportunities for his teammates.

Despite losing 2-0 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, Vitinha has arguably been the star of the show during the knockout stages for the French side.

In the first leg against Barcelona, the youngster finished the game with a 98% pass success rate, made three key passes and lost possession just twice, controlling the game throughout.

Against Dortmund in the first leg, his distribution was incredible. Not only did he succeed with 96% of his passes, but Vitinha was accurate with all 12 long balls he played while winning four of his six ground duels during the clash in what was a sublime display.

The club may have missed out on a second Champions League final, but having a player like Vitinha at the heart of their midfield, it surely won't be long before they actually go on and win the entire thing.

It's no wonder his performances led to high praise, with analyst Ben Mattinson leading the plaudits, saying: “Might not have won the tie but Vitinha showed how he’s been one of the best midfielders in the world this season.

“The close control, IQ, vision, intelligence to dictate the tempo, ball-striking, the time of release, press resistance, mentality, tenacity. So complete.”

There is no doubt that he is going to get better and better in the coming years, especially as it doesn’t look like he has even entered his peak yet.

Wolves already have their next Morgan Gibbs-White lying in wait

He’s been dropping 9/10 performances in the Championship

By
Joe Nuttall

May 7, 2024

Would Vitinha have developed this quickly had he remained at Wolves after his underwhelming loan spell? It's hard to tell, but going back to Porto and gaining a chance to be the main man in their starting XI certainly helped him secure a move to PSG.

Losing Neves was a blow, but it was always likely that he was going to leave sooner rather than later, plus turning down £47m would have been a poor move from O’Neil.

Failing to sign Vitinha on a permanent deal in 2021, however, is swiftly becoming one of the poorest choices the club have made in quite some time, no doubt about that.

Adriano is set to make a shock football return at 42 as the Brazil and Inter cult hero gears up for a farewell match at the Maracana.

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• Adriano ready for a swansong
• Will play in farewell match between Flamengo & Inter
• Match will be played at Maracana in December

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The iconic forward, often referred to as "Imperador" (The Emperor), has announced he will participate in a farewell match on December 15 at Rio de Janeiro's legendary Maracana Stadium where Flamengo and Serie A giants Inter will lock horns. Adriano is expected to wear both the Flamengo and Inter Milan shirts one last time, swapping between the two teams in each half.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although Adriano has been retired from professional football for several years, fans and supporters have long awaited an official farewell. His last professional appearance came in 2016 when he played two matches for Miami United in the fourth division of the United States football pyramid at the age of 33. Since then, Adriano has taken part in various charity matches, such as Zico's "Jogo das Estrelas" and the "Futebol Solidário," which raised money for flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul.

• WHAT ADRIANO SAID

  Reflecting on his decision to arrange this final game, Adriano stated: "Many people asked me to say goodbye. Although I stopped playing a few years ago, I needed this match to end my cycle. I owed it to everyone who supported me and still supports me."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Adriano's football journey began at Flamengo, where he was discovered as a youth talent in the early 1990s. He rapidly rose through the ranks and moved to Europe in 2001. Wearing the famed Inter shirt, Adriano played in 177 matches, scoring 74 goals in two stints between 2001 and 2009. During this period, he helped Inter win four Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia titles, and one Supercoppa Italiana. After leaving for Europe, he returned to Flamengo in 2009, leading them to victory in the Brasileirao, Brazil’s top football league, where he scored 19 goals.

Journalist Dean Jones believes a £250,000-per-week star of Chelsea's squad "will end up at Real Madrid", on one crucial condition.

Chelsea players who could be sold to ease PSR worries

Chairman Todd Boehly and his co-sporting directors have a lot of crucial decisions to make very soon, with their end-of-season review also on the horizon and penciled in for next week.

Talks ongoing as Chelsea ready £65 million bid to sign Real Madrid target

The west Londoners want to beat both Carlo Ancelotti and Paris-Saint Germain to his signature.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 14, 2024

Manager Mauricio Pochettino, after a topsy-turvy debut campaign in the Stamford Bridge dugout, is also set to be assessed. Another important topic of conversation will be the players up for sale this summer, as concerns surround Chelsea's ability to comply with Profit and Sustainability rules.

Chelsea announced a £90.1 million loss in their latest of financial accounts for the 2022/2023 season, coming after two years of lavish spending by BlueCo. The club have invested over £1 billion on new signings alone since 2022, with PSR only allowing clubs to register a £105 million loss over a rolling three-year period.

Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City have all been slapped with serious Premier League sanctions following their breaches of PSR, and Man City are currently battling 115 charges as frustrations mount around the league about FFP's position as a device to keep the traditional big clubs on top.

Reports suggest Chelsea have to raise £100 million through player sales by June 30, or face similar fates to the aforementioned sides. Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Raheem Sterling could leave Chelsea this summer to help bring in the required cash, while Boehly will also be eager to fully offload the plethora of senior players out on loan right now.

Romelu Lukaku is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia in that regard, and left-back Ian Maatsen could join Borussia Dortmund permanently after a brilliant campaign under Edin Terzic.

However, a player who supporters definitely won't want to see leave is right-back Reece James, despite his injury nightmare recently.

Reece James likely to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid on one condition

Speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast this week, reporter Jones believes the £250,000-per-week England international is destined for La Liga – on one crucial condition.

Indeed, he says James "will end up at Real Madrid" if he can keep fit and rediscover his best Chelsea form, coming after the Galacticos have been eyeing him up for two or three years already.

“He’s made his comeback and he’s back in the team, but can we see the real Reece James for a long period of time? If we do then he will end up at Real Madrid," said Jones.

"Genuinely, they’ve wanted him for two or three years if he could become the man he could become, but he’s had setback after setback. He’s so good and if he starts the last game of the season then he’s fit for selection in Gareth Southgate’s eyes. I don’t know, I think there’s a huge temptation to take him.”

Mikel Arteta vented his frustration over Leandro Trossard's red card after Jeremy Doku escaped punishment in Arsenal's draw with Manchester City.

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• Arteta was furious over Trossard red card
• Doku got away without punishment after kicking the ball away
• Arsenal held by Man City to a 2-2 draw

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal boss Arteta was left furious after the mega Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City on Sunday as he expressed frustration over the referee's decision to send off Leandro Trossard for kicking the ball away, after Doku got away without punishment for doing a similar thing earlier in the first half.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A nerve-wracking Premier League encounter was on display at Etihad Stadium as Arsenal came from behind to take a 2-1 lead at half-time. However, the Gunners were reduced to 10 men in the dying minutes of the first half which forced them to go ultra-defensive in the next 45 minutes. Arteta's men successfully managed to contain the City attackers for the majority of the second half only to concede a last-gasp goal as John Stones netted a 98th-minute equaliser.

• WHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

  Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Arteta said of the difference between the Doku and Trossard incidents: "It is very obvious, I don't need to talk about it. I think the red card is very clear, very obvious what people think. It is not my job to come here and judge what happened. My job is to survive in one of the most difficult environments there is in football for 55 minutes and try to get things done to survive.

  "The rest is not my job, but it has already happened twice in five games which is very worrying to see in the best league the Premier League. [The red card] makes the situation impossible. It is very, very hard to play with 11 players, with 10 it is impossible. With ten you have to defend your six-yard box time and time again."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Cityzens and the Gunners will be next seen in action in the third round of the League Cup as they take on Watford and Bolton on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.