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Australia will likely be without Mitchell Starc in the second game after he suffered a badly cut finger in the first match

Andrew McGlashan08-Jun-2022Some advice from David Warner may have helped his short-of-runs opening partner Aaron Finch start the Sri Lanka tour with a half-century.Finch entered the tour with his form again under scrutiny after four low scores in five innings at the IPL and unconvincing returns for Australia for much of the last 12 months. Former team-mate Shane Watson had even gone as far as to say that Finch’s form could be a “liability” for Australia heading into their T20 World Cup title defence later this year.Related

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Abbott out of Sri Lanka tour with fractured finger

For a split second on Tuesday night, it looked as though the Finch form talk would bubble on, when he was given out lbw third ball against Maheesh Theekshana. However, the DRS showed a thin edge and either side of a rain delay Finch clubbed his way to 61 off 40 balls with four sixes.During the IPL, which had brought contrasting returns for the opening pair, Warner had spotted an issue that was playing a part in Finch’s problem and sent some advice over text. “[I just said] not to walk out into the ball, let the ball do the work in the air,” Warner said. “If they want to bowl nice and full, if you stay still, keep that leg-stump line, you are going to hit full contact with the ball.”He was probably moving a little too much, was walking straight into the ball and was still moving at the time of the delivery. You don’t really want to do that unless you are charging. Just kept in touch with him, I always do, we support each other as much as we can. If we see little things we try to help out by dropping a message.”Finch’s innings actually made it back-to-back half-centuries for him in T20Is after he finished the Pakistan tour in April with a fifty. The unbeaten stand of 134 with Warner was also their fourth century partnership in T20Is, taking them to the top of the list for Australia ahead of the three made by Warner and Watson.

“You could see his [Finch’s] energy was a lot different, running between wickets, he was up and about. It was great to see”David Warner

“For Finchy, it’s about keeping it simple and not moving too much around the crease,” Warner said. “He looked to hit down the ground [when] the ball was in his area, he looked to hit his slog sweeps which he’s very, very good at. You could see his energy was a lot different, running between wickets, he was up and about. It was great to see.”The pair also made a statement against Sri Lanka’s key bowler, Wanindu Hasaranga, by taking his opening over for 19 runs, although Warner said it was not premeditated and instead a response to Hasaranga giving the ball plenty of air.Australia will look to wrap up the T20I series in the space of 24 hours with the second of back-to-back games in Colombo on Wednesday, but they will likely have to do it without Mitchell Starc, who suffered a badly cut finger in rather bizarre fashion.In his opening over, the index finger of his left hand clipped a spike on his boot during his follow through. It was patched up by the physio and he was able to complete his four overs, taking 3 for 26 including the wicket of Pathum Nissanka, which started Sri Lanka’s nosedive of 9 for 28. But he won’t be able to start a new match with the same about of protection on the injury. Jhye Richardson will be the likely replacement if Australia retain the same balance in their attack.

It’s been something of an up-and-down season for Arsenal this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been incredible in the Champions League and have a League Cup semi-final to look forward to, but in the Premier League, they have been subpar.

As things stand, the Gunners find themselves in third and nine points off league leaders Liverpool and have scored ten fewer goals, leading to fans and pundits suggesting they need offensive reinforcements next year.

1

Liverpool

45/17

45

2

Nottingham Forest

26/19

37

3

Arsenal

35/16

36

4

Chelsea

38/23

35

5

Newcastle United

21/11

32

So, it should come as no surprise, then, that recent reports have linked the club to one of the most exciting attackers in the league, someone who could spell trouble for Kai Havertz’s long-term place in the starting lineup.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal have a concrete interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha.

The report has revealed that the Brazilian ace is considered a more realistic target for the summer transfer window but that there is a world where he could join next month.

According to the story, the Old Gold would only sell their star attacker in January if an ‘astronomical offer’ was put on the table, which would be around the £90m mark.

Regardless of when the North Londoners make their move, they should be looking to sign Cunha, as he has been sublime for Wolves and could be a dream Havertz upgrade.

How Cunha compares to Havertz

Now, at this point in time, it’s Gabriel Jesus who is leading the line for Arsenal.

Yet, based on his poor form over this year and the fact he failed to put the ball in the back of the net against Ipswich Town on Friday, we would expect Havertz to find himself back in the starting striker role soon enough.

Therefore, were the Gunners to complete the signing of Cunha next year, it’s the German who would be his primary competition for a starting berth up top, but who comes out on top when we compare them.

Well, the first port of call for any centre-forward is their raw output, and this is where things get interesting.

For example, so far this season, the former Chelsea ace has scored 12 goals and provided three assists, whereas the “sensational” Wolves star, as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, has scored ten goals and provided four assists.

Appearances

20

25

Minutes

1582′

2022′

Goals

10

12

Assists

4

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

0.60

Minutes per Goal Involvement

113′

134.8′

However, the former did so in 25 appearances while the latter did so in just 20, meaning they averaged a goal involvement on average every 1.66 and 1.41 games, respectively.

Okay, how about their underlying numbers, then? Is it another narrow victory for the former Atlético Madrid forward when we take a look under the hood?

Indeed, it is, as in practically every relevant metric, he comes out ahead, and by quite some way.

For example, the “world-class” talent, as dubbed by writer George Lakin, produces more non-penalty goals plus assists, more progressive passes and carries, more shot and goal-creating actions, more successful take-ons and more shots and shots on target, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.56

0.61

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.81

0.55

Progressive Passes

4.10

2.99

Progressive Carries

3.93

1.52

Shots

3.12

2.37

Shots on Target

1.21

0.97

Passing Accuracy

71.4%

79.4%

Key Passes

1.85

0.85

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.97

0.49

Shot-Creating Actions

3.98

2.31

Goal-Creating Actions

0.46

0.12

Successful Take-Ons

2.25

0.43

Ultimately, Havertz has proven himself to be an incredibly useful player over the last season and a bit, and it seems unlikely he’d be totally jettisoned from the squad anytime soon.

However, Cunha appears to be quite comfortably the superior player, so if Arsenal have the chance to sign him next year, they must take it, even if that means decreasing the German’s importance to the team.

Jesus upgrade: Arsenal lead race for "outstanding" £60m goal-machine

The prolific forward would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 31, 2024

A “superb” and versatile Premier League player is now open to the idea of completing a move to Liverpool next year, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are absolutely flying after their 6-3 win away to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, with the result taking them four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.

Arne Slot may have inherited a world-class squad from Jurgen Klopp but that’s not to say that Liverpool won’t be doing some important transfer business in 2025, whether it be in the January transfer window or next summer. One possible target is Jeremie Frimpong, who has been a key player for Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso, winning the Bundesliga title last season.

Much has been made of Andy Robertson’s up-and-down season for the Reds, and with the Scot now 30 years of age, a long-term replacement needs to be found. Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson is seen as an option to replace him, with the American impressing against Slot’s men in the 2-2 draw at Anfield earlier this month, registering two assists.

A more high-profile left-back addition would be Alphonso Davies, with the Bayern Munich superstar backed to join as his contract at Bayern nears its end. He is arguably the best in Europe in his position, and a dream option in that role.

Liverpool plotting move for £60m Brighton star

According to a new update from Football Insider, Brighton striker Joao Pedro is open to joining Liverpool in a potential £60m move in 2025, as he looks for a big new challenge in his career. FSG have been interested in striking a deal for some time, but this is the first development on the player’s personal feelings towards a move.

It is stated that the Reds have been “keeping tabs” on the 23-year-old’s progress, and he likes the idea of joining “one of the top Premier League sides”.

With doubts persisting over Darwin Nunez’s worth at Liverpool, whether it be his link-up play or finishing, and Diogo Jota an injury-prone figure, the Reds should consider signing a new striker next summer.

In Pedro, they have an outstanding option to come in and lead the line for the long-term future, having impressed so much for Brighton this season, registering seven goal contributions (four goals and three assists) in seven Premier League starts. He has even been described as “superb” by Alan Shearer, which is high praise from a legendary attacking player.

Pedro’s versatility should be seen as an added bonus for Slot, with the Brazilian naturally a centre forward, but also capable of shining on either flank in a similar fashion to Jota, giving Liverpool’s head coach even more attacking firepower.

Whether the Reds make a move for him or not is likely to depend on their stance towards Nunez, who is still a hit-and-miss figure, despite now being in his third season at Anfield.

Slot now has a Liverpool star who's playing like the "Firmino of old"

Liverpool ran out 6-3 winners over Tottenham Hotspur in a seriously captivating contest.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 22, 2024

If the Uruguayan doesn’t find a new gear between now and May, it may be time for Liverpool to cut their losses with him, instead acquiring the services of the highly-rated Pedro.

Dismissal of Joe Root the highlight of final day, as Yorkshire dig deep to secure draw

Paul Edwards15-May-2022
Rather like Britt in , world-class sportspeople compete with themselves. Victories matter, of course; trophies matter, too; and yes, money matters, for they all know there must come a life after sport. But overarching all these things there is a private battle, one that is not always acknowledged, to satisfy a personal demand for excellence, even if one’s performance already soars far above one’s contemporaries. This afternoon, in a drawn Roses match at Headingley, James Anderson revealed something of the fires that drive him on, even at the age of 39, when most cricketers are merely talking about their careers or telling others how to do it.In team games it is impossible to satisfy those personal demands if one is not selected. However, for most sportspeople the diminution in one’s contribution to the collective effort is obvious some time before the axe falls. Anderson, though, clearly believes he was nowhere near that chastening realisation when he was recently omitted from the England party to tour West Indies, and this match against Yorkshire has given him opportunities to prove his point to Joe Root, the man who was at least complicit in the decision to leave him at home.The last such opportunity arrived shortly after lunch on this last day of a match Lancashire dominated. Despite Root’s very fine 147 in Yorkshire’s first innings, the home side had been made to follow on 187 runs behind and their second effort had begun badly. Just as he had been in the first innings, Adam Lyth was leg before to an in-ducker from Tom Bailey; the only difference this time was that Lyth was playing a shot of sorts.The hour’s cricket that followed was intense. Bailey and Anderson strove to make the breakthroughs their team needed but were resisted by George Hill and Dawid Malan. Runs were, for the moment, secondary to survival on a day when Yorkshire effectively needed to bat out the best part of three sessions if they were to avoid defeat. About twenty minutes before lunch Vilas made a double change and the tension slackened slightly. Yorkshire ended the first session on 39 for one after 17 overs; it felt like an achievement.It was also temporary. Anderson returned to the attack from the Howard Stand End immediately after lunch and beat Malan twice in four balls. The fifth brought the batter forward and induced the edge to Phil Salt – or so Mark Saggers adjudged. Malan’s plainly dissenting opinion was of no consequence. Anderson celebrated with his colleagues and then went back to his mark to bowl at the former captain of England.That private-public duel lasted ten balls. The first was well defended, the fifth beat Root all ends up and the ninth was skilfully guided without risk to the third man boundary. The tenth was as quick as the others, which is to say around 80mph. It kept a little low but crucially it nipped back though a gate that was closed all too late. It crashed into the middle and off stumps and flattened them.Anderson held his right arm aloft, leapt in triumph and then clenched his fists at his side in a manner that brings delight to the Barmy Army. Revenge? I think not. Point made? Oh, certainly. For there was a momentary glance towards the departing Root. There were, so far as we could gather, no words. But then Anderson’s bowling possesses eloquence beyond language. Watch him closely again, in the flesh if you can, and see for yourself. He has been among the glories of our sporting age.The remainder of Anderson’s second six-over spell of the day was similarly accurate but threatening deliveries were well defended by Hill and Harry Brook. England’s finest bowler came off with figures of 12-6-11-2. They are par for that particular course. They may even have satisfied him.Lancashire made only one more breakthrough in the afternoon session, Hill falling to a short ball once again, when his very limp pull shot to a ball from Luke Wood merely edged a catch to Salt. Anderson returned for three overs before tea and had Harry Brook dropped on 30 by Wood at square leg. It proved a vital miss. Shortly after tea, Brook reached his seventh half-century in eight first-class innings this season. In the evening session he watched from the other end as Harry Duke was brilliantly caught by Luke Wells at slip and Dom Bess was snaffled by Jennings at short leg. Both these wickets were taken by Matt Parkinson, for whom this was an excellent all-round match.But Brook is quite clearly a young batsman of high calibre. When the draw was agreed with seven overs left to be bowled, he was unbeaten on 82 and his aggregate for the season is currently 758 at an average of 151.6. But what one notices is the time he has in which to play his shots and the ease with which he does so. There is, surely, every chance that he will play his first Test against New Zealand. James Anderson, meanwhile, will be playing his 170th. The England cap will be back where it belongs.

INDIVISA looks at 14 athletes that are leading the way in the 2025 NWSL season

The 2025 NWSL season is here, and with it some key players looking to make major contributions for their squads, both on and off the field. There is a palpable momentum across all of women's sports, with female athletes being celebrated simply as athletes – no qualifiers, no limits.

INDIVISA looks at 14 athletes – all of which were part of Nike's 2025 NWSL kit release – that are leading the charge.

Getty ImagesAlly Watt: Orlando Pride

Ally Watt already has one goal in the 2025 NWSL season, coming in a 6-0 onslaught the Orlando Pride brought on Chicago in the season opener. She started, building off of a season in which she came on strong down the stretch and finished with three goals and one assist.

With each season in the NWSL, Watt is improving her play, and she provided three postseason assists en route to the Pride winning the NWSL championship in 2024. With her speed and defensive work rate, Watt provides value on the wing and as a backup to Barbra Banda at striker.

If Orlando wants to look to repeat this season what they did last year, Watt will need to continue her steady improvements and truly establish herself as one of the team’s best players.

“To score more goals, just have the confidence in the box,” Watt told INDIVISA of what she’s done in the offseason to increase her output. “And just be hungry. I think that’s what we’ve as the Pride have been, is putting in our minds we’re always going to stay hungry. So I need to have that mindset to be a hunter in the box.”

AdvertisementImagn ImagesRacheal Kundananji: Bay FC

Commanding one of the highest-paid transfer fees ever, Racheal Kundananji is one of Bay FC’s top players alongside Asisat Oshoala, with the duo leading the front line. With her four assists and five goals, Kundananji led Bay last year.

But five goals on 81 shots is a low percentage, and Kundananji wants to be more efficient with her finishing this year.

"I feel like I missed a lot of chances. This year, I won't promise anything, but just watch out,” the forward told ESPN.

After making the playoffs in their first NWSL season, Bay FC will look to continue to contend in the postseason. Kundananji will be a key player. She finished 2024 in fine form, scoring twice and adding two assists in her team’s final three regular season games en route to the playoffs. Look for that only to build in her second NWSL season.

Getty ImagesAlly Schlegel: Chicago Stars

With Mallory Swanson unavailable to start the season, Ally Schlegel will be a key player for Chicago this season. Last year she had six non-penalty goals, tying Swanson for the most on the Stars, and her 13 chances were good for second-most.

Her 0.49 goals per 90, meanwhile, was good for third on the team. She excels in clearing the ball and had 3.67 aerials won per 90 last season, making her particularly useful in the midfield, and her being a threat in the attack helps open up options for Chicago’s front line.

In her third NWSL season, Schlegel will take on an even bigger role. She totaled just 19 shots last season, including eight shots on target. Scoring seven goals on those shots made her one of the team’s most efficient players. She also completed 261 of 387 passes, right up there with Swanson for percentage.

Getty Images SportMichelle Alozie: Houston Dash

Michelle Alozie is a player who can do it all, on and off the field. She made headlines in recent years for spending her time researching pediatric cancer when not on a soccer pitch. But when she is playing, she’s one of Houston’s more dynamic stars.

Alozie excels at carrying the ball forward, having completed 67.9 percent of her passes last year, and her defensive abilities as a forward and defender make her one of the team’s better players when it comes to interceptions and recovering the ball.

Her versatility will allow her to open up gameplay more for Houston in 2025, which will be a year of growth after the team finished last in 2024.

Titans climb to the top of the table after Hardik Pandya becomes first captain to bat first after winning the toss

Sreshth Shah23-Apr-20224:38

Is Hardik good enough to bat at No. 3 for India?

For 34 games, no captain dared. But on Saturday afternoon, Hardik Pandya opted to bat first under sunny skies against Kolkata Knight Riders, and though it was rocky for large parts in a seesaw affair, Gujarat Titans got the two points they needed and got back their spot at the summit of the IPL 2022 points table.After putting up 156, which seemed around 20 too few at the halfway stage, Titans needed early Knight Riders wickets. Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Lockie Ferguson picked off four in 6.1 overs, and that ensured Titans got home to an eight-run win despite a late 25-ball 48 from Andre Russell.Russell’s six sixes had dragged Knight Riders to a scenario where they needed 18 off the final over with the allrounder on strike to Alzarri Joseph. When he hit a six off the first ball, a Knight Riders win was a realistic possibility. But a stunning Ferguson catch at the deep square-leg boundary off a Joseph bouncer Russell couldn’t connect well with sent him back and completely deflated the Knight Riders challenge.Southee, Hardik impress under the sun
Among Knight Riders’ three changes for the game was Tim Southee in place of the expensive Pat Cummins. He struck with his first ball when a loosener down the leg side was edged behind by Shubman Gill in the second over. Wriddhiman Saha struggled to find fluency, and Hardik walked in at No. 3, the highest position he has ever batted at for Titans.Hardik led the charge from one end in half-century stands with Saha and No. 4 David Miller, and reached his half-century in 36 balls – completing a hat-trick of fifties in the process – and looked set to change gears for a big flourish at the death. But he fell in the 18th over.It was Southee in his return spell who dismissed Hardik, bowling an offcutter that Hardik pulled to the boundary rider Rinku Singh. Not long after, Rashid Khan was caught trying to pull Southee too, and the quick finished with 3 for 24.2:09

Lynn: There are some deep scars there for KKR

Russell’s four-wicket over
Even though Varun Chakravarthy returned better figures (none for 26 in three overs) than he had in previous games, Shreyas Iyer did not go to him for his fourth over. Instead, with the 20th to be bowled and Titans at 151 for 5, Shreyas turned to Russell.And Russell proceeded to take the wickets of Abhinav Manohar, Ferguson and Rahul Tewatia – all caught by Rinku on the longer square boundary to the right-handers’ leg side – and ended the innings with a diving caught-and-bowled dismissal off Dayal to finish with a four-for in just six balls. His over not only ensured a tame finish for Titans, but the momentum, too, was with Knight Riders.Titans pacers in complete control
It was the fourth opening pair for Knight Riders in IPL 2022, with Sam Billings – who replaced Aaron Finch [out with a niggle] – opening with Sunil Narine. But both openers were dismissed by Shami in his new-ball burst.Billings lasted just four balls, as Shami’s bouncer had him slicing a catch to Saha in the first over of the chase. Narine was then discomfited by a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, and when Shami offered him a length ball, Narine could only whip the ball to the fielder at short fine-leg.The score of 10 for 2 would soon become 16 for 3 when Ferguson’s around-the-wicket angle had Nitish Rana caught behind, and Knight Riders were looking at a massive defeat when Shreyas Iyer was the fourth man gone – caught behind again, this time off Dayal’s left-arm angle – with the scoreboard reading 34 four 4.Mohammed Shami gave Titans a great start with the ball by removing the Knight Riders openers•BCCIRinku and Russell push back
Venkatesh Iyer walked in at No. 6 and in Rinku’s company, they started to build a partnership. Rashid’s first spell was seen off carefully, and Rinku found the occasional boundary to move to 35 with four fours and a six.With eight overs to go, Knight Riders needed 77, but Dayal had Rinku caught behind in his return spell, quite against the run of play. That brought Russell in at No. 7, and he started off by ending Dayal’s over with back-to-back sixes.At the end of the over, the Knight Riders dugout was spotted instructing Venkatesh to hang around with Russell, but he failed to do the job, slogging out to deep midwicket trying to play Rashid against the turn. Next over, Rashid picked off Shivam Mavi, and finished with 2 for 22.With 45 needed off four overs, Titans had four seamers with one over each in hand. Hardik went for experience first, giving the 16th to Shami and the 17th to Ferguson, which went for a combined 16 runs. The 19th from Dayal went for 11, and the first ball of the 20th from Joseph did go for a six, but Russell’s dismissal next ball ensured that Hardik’s decision at the toss gave them the result they wanted.

Cole Palmer has been urged to leave Chelsea as Jamie Carragher compared the "frustrated" forward to former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

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Palmer has been a talisman for CheseaCarragher believes he should leave the BluesScholes agreed with Liverpool legendFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The young forward has been instrumental in the Blues' attack, delivering an impressive 39 goals and 21 assists in 78 appearances. Palmer’s impact was further highlighted in the 2024 European Championship final, where he came off the bench to score a remarkable equaliser in England's eventual 2-1 loss to Spain. However, his meteoric rise has sparked debate among football experts, with some suggesting that Palmer may have already outgrown Chelsea and should consider a move to a more ambitious club.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT CARRAGHER SAID

Speaking on brought to you by  Carragher drew parallels between Palmer’s situation at Chelsea and Gerrard's early years at Liverpool and said: "I commentated on Brighton vs Chelsea in the league a month ago. I’m a big fan of Cole Palmer, and he played two passes early on, but the longer the game went on, you could see the frustration with his teammates. It reminded me of Stevie at Liverpool at times, because he was so much better than everyone else and he got frustrated. Stevie was a local player, but he was never going to leave, whereas Cole Palmer isn’t."

Palmer is tied down to Chelsea until 2033, which led Carragher to question Chelsea's long-term contract strategy as it could potentially limit his options.

"This is when I go back to those eight-year contracts, and whether they are good for the club and players. If you’re Cole Palmer, who’s got six or seven years left on his deal, and he should be playing for a team looking to win the Champions League, how does he get out?" Carragher continued.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite Chelsea’s status as one of the most decorated clubs in English football over the past two decades, they have struggled to regain their dominance under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. The club is currently battling for a Champions League qualification spot, and their inconsistency has raised concerns about their ability to compete at the highest level.

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes echoed Carragher’s sentiments, arguing that Palmer is mostly the "best player on the pitch" and needs a fresh challenge elsewhere.

"I’ve felt for a while that for Cole Palmer, it’s almost been too easy for him to play in that Chelsea team," he said. "He knows he’ll play every week and be the best player. I think he needs challenging more, and I don’t get the impression that they [Chelsea] are desperate to win anything."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?

Palmer was notably absent from Chelsea’s recent defeat to Arsenal, with concerns over his fitness keeping him out of the team. The injury also forced him to withdraw from the England squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White being called up as his replacement.

On Saturday evening, Aston Villa will make the relatively short 48-mile journey east to take on Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The Villans have lost just one of their last eight meetings with the Garibaldi Reds, also beaten in only one of their previous 11 encounters in the Premier League, albeit this solitary defeat did come on the banks of the River Trent last season, thereby seeking to avoid successive defeats at the City Ground for the first time since 1989.

Unai Emery’s team come into this clash following three successive victories, having been winless in eight across all competitions beforehand, moving back up to sixth in the Premier League, while also sitting pretty in fifth in the gigantic Champions League table.

However, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Nottingham, Emery has a big decision to make: who should he start up front?

Ollie Watkins' season so far

Last season, Ollie Watkins was unquestionably one of the best forwards anywhere across Europe, scoring 27 goals in all competitions, while only Erling Braut Håland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak managed more than his 19 Premier League goals.

This earned Watkins a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro squad, where he was used sparingly, but did become a national hero thanks to his last-gasp winner against the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

However, potentially feeling the after-effects of an energy-sapping summer, Watkins has not lived up to his own sky-high expectations this time round, scoring just seven times so far this season, netting only twice across his last 11 outings.

So how do Watkins’ stats from this current campaign compare to the last?

Statistic

Watkins 23/24

Watkins 24/25

Appearances

47

21

Minutes

3,970

1,464

Goals

24

7

Goals per 90

0.54

0.43

Assists

13

5

Assists per 90

0.29

0.31

Shots

127

51

Shots per 90

2.88

3.14

Shots on target %

43.3%

39.2%

Goal-creating actions

26

6

Goal-creating actions per 90

0.59

0.37

As made clear by the table, Watkins’ numbers are down for almost every attacking metric per 90, having more shots but fewer of which are on target, while his goals-per-90 figure has suffered a statistically significant decrease.

Last weekend against Southampton, Watkins began a Premier League match on the bench for the first time this season – while there are also concerns over his fitness – so could it be time for Unai Emery to unleash his other centre-forward option on a more regular basis?

Time for Jhon Durán to start

Since coming close to leaving Aston Villa in the summer, on the cusp of a move to West Ham United before a last minute U-turn, Jhon Durán has enjoyed quite a remarkable campaign.

On the opening day of the season, the Colombian came off the bench to bag a late winner against West Ham, of all teams, earning quite the reputation for being a super-sub, on target as a substitute with winners against Leicester, Everton, Wolves and, most memorably of all, Bayern Munich, all before mid-September.

This outrageous thunderbolt against RB Leipzig on Tuesday took Durán’s tally to ten goals for the campaign already, despite having started only four matches, two of which have come in the EFL Cup, marking all four starts with a goal.

So how do Villa’s two centre-forward options compare this season?

Statistic

Watkins

Durán

Appearances

21

21

Starts

19

2

Minutes

1,464

626

Goals

7

8

Goals per 90 minutes

0.43

1.15

Expected goals

9.9

4.6

Expected goals per 90

0.61

0.66

Shots

51

36

Shots on target %

39.2

41.7

Across almost all metrics, despite having played significantly fewer minutes, Durán has been outperforming Watkins.

Given that the Colombian averages 1.15 goals per game, had he played the same number of minutes as the Englishman, he would have 19 goals to his name across the Premier League and Champions League.

Having netted against Bayern Munich, Bologna and now RB Leipzig during the league phase, as noted by Aston Villa Statto on Bluesky, Durán has the second-best goals-per-90 strike rate of any player in the Champions League this season, behind only Robert Lewandowski, who isn’t bad is he?

A year ago, while he was still at Villa, the now departed Douglas Luiz described Watkins as “the best player in the squad”, but now might be the time for Emery to take his number 11 out of the side, to see if Durán can maintain his record of having scored every single time he’s started so far this season.

As well as Watkins: 5/10 Aston Villa man showed he's "regressed" vs Leipzig

Unai Emery will be concerned by the performances of this Aston Villa star recently.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 11, 2024

Serie A frontrunners Napoli “will” try to sign a “sneakily good” Arsenal player in January, despite doubts over the transfer from manager Antonio Conte.

Arsenal prepare for West Ham clash in the Premier League on Saturday

Mikel Arteta’s side have enjoyed an excellent return to action this week, convincingly beating surprise package Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend before smashing Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in Europe.

Arsenal ready to attempt £80m offer for "Thierry Henry-esque" forward

He could be a hugely popular addition.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2024

West Ham await Arsenal at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and it is a clash which many would fancy the Gunners to win comfortably, considering Julen Lopetegui’s side are seriously struggling for form overall.

However, they did beat Newcastle United 2-0 away in their last game, so the home side’s tails may also be up as they aim to upset the applecart and put another dent in Arsenal’s hopes of winning a first league title in 21 years.

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

Arsenal could also be without star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who is a doubt for the clash after picking up a knock against Sporting. Meanwhile, injured Takehiro Tomiyasu is recovering away from Arsenal and Ben White looks set to be out until next year.

“There was a big difference between the end of last season and the previous one – availability,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s injury problems this season.

“You can tell that. We do research, not only when we have injuries but when we don’t as well because people tend to look deeper at things when there’s a problem, not when everything is going very good. Dig in there because maybe you are doing things that are actually impacting what is happening. We’ve done a lot. Not changing much, it’s true that certain players come from a position where they’ve played over 130 games in two seasons, but a lot of things have been impacts on joints, which are not related to muscle injuries which you can treat more. It’s more difficult to control, I think.”

If Gabriel is sidelined for their trip across London to West Ham, it is likely Jakub Kiwior will step into partner William Saliba at the heart of Arteta’s defence.

Napoli will try to sign Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal in January

Reports in the last few days have suggested that Arsenal are no longer open to the possibility of Kiwior leaving on loan, but Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has some further information to the contrary.

According to his sources, Napoli will try to sign Kiwior on loan from Arsenal, and the Gunners are “open” to it. However, it is also believed that Conte is wondering whether the “sneakily good” Poland international is good enough to come in and reinforce the Serie A leaders’ backline.

“Napoli have asked about Kiwior’s situation and now Arsenal are open to loaning him,” said Di Marzio to Goal.pl.

“Antonio Conte is wondering if he is good enough to play for Napoli because he is not playing for Arsenal, but they will definitely ask and try to loan him. Now is the time for him to go back to Italy because he has to play.”

The England international forward burst onto the scene in 2023-24, and is enjoying an excellent sophomore season under Sonia Bompastor

When Emma Hayes departed Chelsea last summer after 12 remarkable years at the helm, it was only natural for there to be some trepidation about the club’s next chapter. As Sonia Bompastor arrived from Lyon, where she won the Champions League as a player and a coach, fans sat and wondered whether she would be the right fit. The squad, too, shaped entirely by Hayes, had a new face to impress.

As Aggie Beever-Jones, the 21-year-old academy product who enjoyed her breakout season in Hayes’ final year, pondered what the change could mean, her mother had done some “research”. “She was like, ‘Oh, she’s known for developing young players’,” the forward tells GOAL with a laugh. So far, Bompastor has lived up to that billing, while also having not yet tasted defeat as the Blues’ boss.

Along with youngsters such as Wieke Kaptein and Maika Hamano, Beever-Jones has played a growing role in that success, already surpassing her minutes and starts from last season while having a best-ever goal return well within her sights. She has won high praise from Bompastor and made her first England start back in December, with a place in Sarina Wiegman’s squad for this summer’s European Championship well up-for-grabs.

"She has a lot of quality, she is able to score and help the team to possess the ball,” Bompastor told earlier this season. “She just needs to trust herself more sometimes.” It’s a message that is getting through to Beever-Jones as the business end of the season approaches and she looks to produce big moments for a club she admits she still has to “pinch” herself at times to believe she is representing.

Getty ImagesGreater expectations

Last year was huge for Beever-Jones. After loan spells with Bristol City, in the Championship, and Everton, in the Women’s Super League, she finally got her chance in the first-team at Chelsea, the club she joined aged nine. Despite starting just six league games, the young forward bagged 11 goals, plus two more in the cups, helped the Blues win the Women's Super League and concluded her season with a first England cap. As a result, the expectation was raised around her, though it was something that she struggled to deal with at first.

“I think at the start of this season, I kind of realised what I did last year, if that makes sense, and the achievements I made,” Beever-Jones tells GOAL. “While the whole season was going on, I was almost just engulfed in it. I never really took a step back and thought, 'Oh, I've scored 13 goals for Chelsea’, which I never thought would have happened.

“I think I got to the point at the start of this season where I was in my own head a little bit about it all, going, 'Oh, I've got to match those stats from last year or beat them'. And I had the reputation of the super-sub last year, so every time I wasn't starting and I came on, I felt that I had to score.”

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRelieving the pressure

It was a different feeling to the start of the previous season, when Beever-Jones almost had nothing to lose. Of course, there is the pressure that comes with playing for Chelsea and the pressure that anyone representing the club puts on themselves to perform. But she was a young player looking to break through; the expectation was more on the experienced heads around her.

How, then, did she shake that growing weight off her shoulders this year? “I think it was just almost taking a step back and just relieving that pressure,” Beever-Jones says. “I only put the pressure on myself because I knew what I was capable of and sometimes, inevitably, you do overthink some things. For me, scoring the West Ham goal [in January] was nice, because I felt it was almost a bit of, 'Oh, you still got it'. Sometimes when you get a few games where maybe you haven't scored or you haven't had your best performances, to get a goal back is always a nice little pick you up, almost.

“Sometimes it is just taking a step back and talking – I have such a great support network around me – and trusting those people, that they can help me out. I've been extremely lucky. For me, football is such a confidence sport. I think when you're confident and you have people that you can rely on that can really help you get out of those little ruts… I'm in a good place now and I think it's just continuing that, managing my expectations, managing disappointment, in terms of, if I've made a mistake, how do I react to that? I think that's definitely something that I've improved on massively and that has helped me out.

“I'm in a good place mentally now where it is just making sure I go out onto that pitch and I make the people happy that I need to make happy. I work hard, create things for the team, whether that's scoring or assisting, which is obviously a great bonus, but for me, it is just playing well. I think that's the main thing, focusing on my performance, and everything else will fall into place.”

Getty ImagesGrowing in stature

Things have been falling into place, too. Beever-Jones is becoming a more regular starter for her childhood club and has been included in every England squad since last May. Aiding her ability to compete for spots in two extremely talented sides is her admirable versatility, which has seen her deployed on the right wing, left wing, as a centre-forward and even in the No.10 role this season.

“I think it is just trusting my own ability and what I know in each position and being able to add my own unique bit of flair to it,” she says. “I definitely have developed that side of my game.

“I know, being at Chelsea, it's never straightforward. You have different personnel for different positions, different connections. One that springs to mind is Lauren James. When she plays on the wing, she inverts a lot more, which allows Sandy [Baltimore] or me to get around. So I think it is just creating the connections and I think at Chelsea, we're such a team, we're a team who rotate as well, so it is just managing the rotations and maybe falling out into a different position than usual.”

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Getty ImagesLearning from the best

Fortunately for the 21-year-old, she is surrounded by knowledgeable people who can share nuggets of information to help her adjust, adapt and thrive. Among those are the likes of Sam Kerr, Mia Fishel and Mayra Ramirez, Chelsea’s trio of “world-class” centre-forwards who are teaching Beever-Jones about a role she has needed to understand more in recent times, or the coaching duo of Bompastor and assistant Camille Abily, who have enjoyed the highest of highs both on the pitch and in the dugout.

“For me, it is just making sure I have a good relationship with Sonia off the pitch and then trusting what she needs from me on the pitch,” the Chelsea star believes. “I think she's really helped me with some finer details. Cami as well. I really respect Cami. I think she's technically such a good coach. I know she tells me little details that sometimes might not even be that recognisable, but it's the finer margins which make you a bit different from everyone else.

"They're both so talented as coaches and I feel extremely lucky to be able to work with both of them, and I can see my game is developing. It's always nice to feel that you're developing. I'm still quite young, a 21-year-old at one of the best clubs. Sometimes it is a bit of a 'pinch me' moment. But I am really enjoying it and I think it is just not being so hard on myself and making the right people happy.”