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A look at the Deccan Chargers’ fairytale ride through ESPNcricinfo’s T20 stats metrics

Sampath Bandarupalli22-May-2021All-round Symonds proves to be the MVP
The Deccan Chargers started IPL 2009 with four consecutive victories, two more than what they managed in 2008. But things went downhill after that with the Chargers suffering a hat-trick of losses before they beat the Mumbai Indians. With six matches left in the league phase, Andrew Symonds joined the Chargers, boosting the team in all departments.ESPNcricinfo LtdDespite winning only two of their last six league matches, the Chargers went on to lift their maiden title. Symonds came to the rescue in the final against the Royal Challengers Bangalore with a 21-ball 33 and the wickets of Ross Taylor and Virat Kohli in the 15th over when the required rate was well under eight per over.His all-round show in the final was valued at 127.09 impact points, the highest for the Chargers as per ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats. Even in the semi-final against a star-studded Delhi Daredevils, Symonds gave away only 20 runs in three overs and dismissed Virender Sehwag. Symonds earned 541.59 impact points through the tournament and was ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats MVP for securing 67.7 points per game.ESPNcricinfo LtdSymonds scored 249 runs at a strike rate of 150 in the eight matches he played. With the ball, he struck seven times and had an economy rate of 6.66. On four occasions he had an economy rate of under six. Matthew Hayden, the orange cap winner, is second on our MVP list. He scored 572 runs from only 12 matches, earning a total impact score of 743.93 and a per-match impact of 62.52.Another player from the Chennai Super Kings, Suresh Raina, occupies third place with an average of 55.61 points per game. Raina scored 434 runs and claimed seven wickets to have a total impact score of 772.97 points, the highest for any player in IPL 2009. Two members from the title-winning team, Adam Gilchrist and Dwayne Smith complete the top five for the tournament.ESPNcricinfo LtdSmith, like Symonds, played only eight matches but had several impactful knocks. He had four scores of 35 or more, all of them coming at a strike rate of over 145. In one of the games, he conceded only 25 runs in four overs while bowling to the likes of Sehwag, AB de Villiers and Dinesh Karthik. The entry of Symonds ruined Smith’s chances of making it to the XI as Herschelle Gibbs and Ryan Harris took up the other two overseas spots.Gilchrist’s surge in Smart Runs
The top five run-getters of IPL 2009 retain their position when it comes to the Smart Runs leaderboard for the season, though the difference between the runs and Smart Runs varies. Hayden, who was consistent throughout the tournament, ended up as the only player to breach the 500-run mark. In terms of Smart Runs, though, two batters breached the 600 mark. Hayden’s Smart Runs tally of 663.36 was 91 more than his actual 572 runs.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe gap for Gilchrist was 113 runs – 495 actual runs versus 608.13 Smart Runs, thanks to his exploits at the top. His strike rate in the tournament read 152.30, the highest among players to have faced at least 150 balls. Gilchrist, the actual Player of the Tournament, often wrested the advantage in the powerplay with his aggression: he scored 382 runs during this phase, more than 100 clear of the next best, while striking at 165.36.Indian bowlers dominate Smart Wickets leaderboard
RP Singh won the purple cap for his 23 wickets, two more than Anil Kumble who took a four-for in the final. Singh was also the topper in terms of Smart Wickets, but the gap between them was much narrower. Kumble’s bowling effort in the final was worth a six-wicket haul as per Smart Stats, which gave him a slender lead over Singh before the Royal Challengers’ chase but Singh eventually overtook Kumble. The seamer’s 23 wickets were worth 25.78 Smart Wickets and his 11 powerplay wickets were the joint-most by any player in the tournament.ESPNcricinfo LtdKumble picked up 16 wickets of the top six batters. He bowled effectively in all three phases, providing the breakthroughs alongside an excellent economy rate of a run a ball. This helped Kumble in attaining the highest bowling impact (623.49) and the highest bowling rating (38.97) of the tournament as per Smart Stats. While only two players took 20 or more wickets in the tournament, Smart Stats adjusts it to five players with 20-plus Smart Wickets including four Indians.ESPNcricinfo LtdPragyan Ojha, whose 16 out of 18 wickets were of the top six batters, earned 23.79 Smart Wickets. Ashish Nehra, who had nine wickets of opening batters in his 19 tournament scalps, finished with 23.18 Smart Wickets. The 15 wickets of Dirk Nannes were worth 20.82 Smart Wickets as 14 of his actual wickets were of top-order batters, with eight of them coming in the powerplays.

Chelsea have had their ups and downs over the past decade, but the strength of the Cobham academy has remained a satisfying constant throughout.

Whether talented hopefuls are integrated into the Stamford Bridge set-up or sold for pure profit, it’s a model that has served Chelsea well and has bred trophy-winning success with comparative consistency.

Enzo Maresca demonstrated throughout the first year of his tenure a willingness to promote youth. In fact, Chelsea fielded one of the youngest average line-ups in the Premier League last year, securing their place in the Champions League with a top-four finish.

That emphasis has carried into the new season, with the Londoners’ strategy seeing them field a younger average XI than any other team in the division.

This thread has only strengthened during Maresca’s second year in the dugout, with a few of England’s most talented rising stars under the Italian tactician’s wing.

Chelsea's next England stars

Chelsea don’t just promote internally; they sign exciting rising prospects too. And this summer, Jamie Gittens was added to the ranks, having been hailed as a “really sharp” and “electric” winger by his teammate Tyrique George.

George, for that matter, is another of the Blues’ most exciting young players, having graduated from Cobham to make his professional debut at the start of last season, featuring against Servette during Chelsea’s Conference League qualifiers.

The duo have struggled for minutes in Maresca’s team so far this term, but they have showcased an intriguing partnership on international duty with England U21 over the past week, Gittens demonstrating his balletic movement to slide past defenders and play through the 19-year-old George, who rifled his strike into the roof of the net.

Gittens spent some time with Chelsea during his formative days, but the bulk of his development was played out at Reading.

There’s no question that the 21-year-old is a talented winger, but he hasn’t started as strongly as he might have liked after arriving from Borussia Dortmund for about £52m in July, having started only twice in the Premier League so far.

The teenage George is earlier in his development, but given that he started up top as Chelsea beat Benfica in the Champions League last month and replaced the injured Liam Delap just 16 minutes into Chelsea’s clash against Fulham at the end of August, with Gittens staying on the bench, it’s clear Maresca values him.

Both fleet-footed stars typically play off the left flank and have shown signs of potency at different stages, but the nature of Chelsea’s system suggests both could be superseded by an even bigger talent in the coming years. Indeed, there’s a new Cobham up-and-comer who’s storming his way to the first team.

Cobham's biggest English talent

One thing’s for sure: the Cobham production line will continue to churn out exciting prospects. And latest on the belt is Shumaira ‘Shim’ Mheuka, who, aged 17, is already demonstrating significant potential as a centre-forward.

Poached from Brighton & Hove Albion following impressive performances at U14 level, it has been reported that Mheuka is ‘one of if not the most regular’ academy players to train with Maresca’s first team, and all the pointers lead to further opportunities to showcase his potential within the senior Blues fold.

This season, the youngster has scored ten goals and assisted one more across just ten appearances for Chelsea’s U21 outfit, fast-tracked from the U18s to the club’s senior development side in age-belying fashion.

It bears testament to the rangy forward’s potential and the awe he has collected from observers already that he has played 32 times for the U21s, but only 24 times for the U18s. Again, he is 17 years old.

In fact, so exciting is Mheuka’s name that he has been described as “the future of Chelsea and English football” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and it feels certain that he will start earning regular minutes in Maresca’s senior system.

Because, of course, Mheuka featured four times in the Conference League last year and made his Premier League debut as a late substitute against Southampton in February, during a 4-0 win.

Mheuka is tall, but he is also mobile and sharp when in possession and through his movement when on the ball. A devastating blend of physicality and technical ability marks the perfect profile for Maresca’s set-up, and he might just come to leapfrog over Gittens and George, especially with the latter earning opportunities as a central striker for club and country this season.

Instinctive in front of goal, the teenager is also maturing physically and ticking all the boxes as he looks to nail down a position in the Chelsea first team.

The youngness of Maresca’s project will not be lost on Mheuka and his representatives, nor the fact that he has already been entrusted with opportunities across the 2024/25 campaign.

Considered a leader by example more than a vocal enforcer, the fast-improving number nine is proving his worth at Chelsea, alright, and there’s every chance that his journey will take him up and up and beyond that of George and Gittens, who are fine players in their own right but are already encountering difficulties in breaking into the starting line-up at Chelsea.

Centre-forward has long been a contentious area of the field in west London, but Mheuka could be the long-term solution for a side returning to the very summit of English and European football.

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Aston Villa are now circling to sign an “unbelievable” Premier League striker in the January transfer window, with his club open to a sale.

Villa "want to sign a new striker" next month

Ex-scout Mick Brown has made it clear his former club are looking to bolster their options at centre-forward this winter, saying: “Aston Villa want to sign a new striker in January,”

“Emery wants somebody to challenge Watkins and score regular goals, because they’ve lacked that so far this season, and they want to do it when the window opens.

“The problem is, there aren’t many strikers available, and the ones that are cost big money.”

While there may not be a plethora of options available, some exciting targets have been identified, with it being revealed Igor Thiago is highly likely to leave Brentford in January, amid interest from Unai Emery.

Bologna star Santiago Castro is another striker of interest to the Villans, with the Argentinian striker outscoring Ollie Watkins this season, although a deal could be on the expensive side at around £44m.

A slightly cheaper centre-forward has also emerged as a target, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Aston Villa are now circling to sign Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee next month, following a new update on the Dutchman’s future at Old Trafford.

Although Ruben Amorim wants to keep hold of Zirkzee, in light of his versatility, Man United are now open to sanctioning a departure, and Villa’s Premier League rivals could look to hold out for a fee of around £35m.

A whole host of clubs are in the race for the Netherlands international, however, with the likes of Sunderland, Brighton, Everton, West Ham United, Inter Milan and Juventus also being named as potential suitors.

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"Unbelievable" Zirkzee back amongst the goals

The 24-year-old hasn’t had the easiest of rides at Old Trafford, failing to make it off the bench in seven Premier League matches this season, but he has impressed at times, with Sky Sports analyst Statman Dave hailing his mentality earlier this year.

The former Bologna man also returned to form in front of goal at the end of November, scoring the equalising goal to start Man United’s comeback in their 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.

That said, Villa should have major reservations about signing Zirkzee, considering his very poor record in front of goal, netting just eight times in 58 outings for Man United, while also receiving heavy criticism from content creator Alex Turk this season.

While Arsenal dropped points prior to the international break, this weekend represented a colossal opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s men to stamp their authority on this Premier League title race.

Manchester City and Liverpool suffered defeat, meaning that once the Gunners had beaten fierce rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, their advantage over City in third was now seven points.

As Jamie Carragher put it at full-time on Sky Sports, the only team who can stop Arsenal from winning the league are Arsenal.

They have the tactics, they have the defensive shape and they now have the attacking firepower and depth to their squad to take on anyone.

As Arsenal swatted aside Spurs, they did so without a recognised centre-forward, they did so without captain Martin Odegaard and they did so without Gabriel, one of the most influential players in the entire division this season.

The man to thank? Well, it was certainly Eberechi Eze.

The key men as Arsenal defeat Spurs

Coming into this game the narrative was all about Eze.

The attacking midfielder had famously rejected a move to Spurs in the summer in favour of returning to his boyhood club.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank was quizzed on that in his pre-game press conference and muttered a response that he will now live to regret: “Who’s Eze?”

The Dane said that with a smile. Well, he certainly knows who Eze is now.

He became the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the north London derby since Alan Sunderland in 1978 and he did so in some style.

It was Leandro Trossard who has opened the scoring but Eze, signed for £67.5m over the summer from Crystal Palace, stole the show.

Arsenal have lacked a player with his ability to shoot on sight and boy did he do so on Sunday evening. His first was a brilliant taken effort in a crowded penalty area but his second and third goals came with more space.

The quality, however, was equally as good each time. The England international scored a stunning goal for his country over the international break and was bang in form again here. The way he dispatched his second on his weaker foot spoke volumes of the form this man is in.

The third was also sumptuous. Fed the ball by Trossard, the former Palace star took one touch to set himself, ignored Bukayo Saka to his right and rifled the ball home.

Eze deserved most of the plaudits but the aforementioned Trossard did too. He scored and assisted, meaning that in the 32 games where he has found the net for Arsenal, he has never been on the losing team.

An amount of praise must be passed to Piero Hincapie too.

With Gabriel injured and out of the side the Ecuadorian stood in at centre-half and was exemplary on his first start in the Premier League, winning all three of his contested aerial duels.

Still, there was a rather underrated performance elsewhere that we’re yet to mention.

Arsenal star shows shades of Ozil and Odegaard

An attacking midfielder lights up the Emirates again and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Eze was the most alike to a certain Mesut Ozil and Odegaard.

Yet, in rather surprising circumstances, the player who evoked memories of those dazzling Arsenal players was Mikel Merino.

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When the Spaniard signed for the Gunners in 2024 he was renowned as something of a duel monster. While he’s played regularly in midfield for Arteta, he has been most impactful as a makeshift striker.

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus last term meant that the Spain international needed to fill in as a centre-forward. He performed admirably too, notably scoring against Real Madrid and rescuing that win against Leicester when he first featured as the number 9.

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres in the summer but have still had to rely on Merino with Jesus, Havertz and the Swede on the sidelines in recent weeks.

The £32m midfielder netted twice against Slavia Prague in the Champions League a few weeks ago but perhaps saved his finest display of the season for Spurs on Sunday.

He started the game slowly but held the ball up admirably and although he won’t run the channels like Gyokeres, he made the team click and was the catalyst for Eze’s hat-trick. That was outlined by analyst Raj Chohan on social media.

That wasn’t the best thing Merino did, however. The pass for Trossard’s goal was remarkable.

He received the ball 25 yards from goal, waited for precisely the right moment to clip the ball into the box and he did so delightfully, finding the Belgian who swivelled and then found the net.

It was a scarily good pass, one that evoked memories of a certain Ozil.

In the process of being hailed as “Arsenal’s most underrated player” by club insider, Hand of Arsenal, he stated that “if that pass is made by Ozil we are raving.”

Merino vs Spurs

Minutes played

88

Touches

44

Accurate passes

16/22 (73%)

Shots

1

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0/2

Tackles won

5/5

Ground duels won

8/15

Aerial duels won

2/7

Recoveries

3

Stats via Sofascore.

CBS reporter James Benge had a similar viewpoint, remarking that it was “an Arsene Wenger building an entire midfield out of diminutive playmakers” type of pass.

Cast your mind back to the days of Ozil, to some of Odegaard’s magical assists in Arsenal colours, it was right out of their playbook and it broke down what had been a stubborn Spurs defence up to that point.

Merino is not the most stylish of players, he is not the Rolls-Royce. However, what he will always guarantee is a mighty strong shift and a very efficient performance. He delivered just that on Sunday again, all with a bit of Ozil flavour.

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It can hopefully only go up from here for Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, who had an opening day to forget in the Brewers' 4–2 loss to the New York Yankees on Thursday.

During the Brewers' loss to the Yankees, Chourio became just the second player in MLB history to go 0-for-5 and get struck out five times over nine innings on Opening Day. He joins Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, who first reached the unfortunate milestone in 2023.

The outing was uncharacteristic for Chourio, who has never struck out more than three times in a MLB game until Thursday. In his debut season in 2024, Chourio slashed .275/.327/.464 with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs. He was a strong hitter for the Brewers, finishing top-three on the team in batting average, hits, runs, and stolen bases.

Chourio also made happier history on Thursday, becoming the second player since 1901 to bat in the leadoff spot multiple times on Opening Day before his 22nd birthday. He joins Sebastian Daniel Sisti as the only two players to achieve this since 1901, with Sisti doing so in 1940 and '41 for the then-Boston Braves.

Chourio just turned 21 earlier this month, and also bat in the leadoff on Opening Day last season at the age of 20. Chourio had a much better performance last season, recording one hit, one RBI, one stolen base and no strikeouts in three at-bats in a win over the New York Mets.

Chelsea are now ready to make an opening offer for Palmeiras forward Allan, but there could be competition for his signature from two of the world’s biggest clubs.

The Blues have already added one young Brazilian forward to their ranks in recent times, with Estevao emerging as a first-team regular this season, and the 18-year-old got off the mark in front of goal in the 2-1 victory against Liverpool last month.

With the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens also on the books, Enzo Maresca already has plenty of exciting youngsters at his disposal in attacking areas, and the west Londoners have now started running the rule over forwards with more top-level experience.

Maresca’s side are now ready to launch a January move for Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr, amid tensions with manager Xabi Alonso, although a deal could be on the expensive side, considering he is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world.

Chelsea ready to bid for Palmeiras forward Allan

Vinicius is not the only Brazilian forward Chelsea are looking to sign, however, with a report from Spain revealing BlueCo are also ready to bid for Palmeiras’ Allan, but there could be competition for his signature from Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old is protected by a release clause of nearly €100m (£88m), and with the Brazilian club determined to receive a large fee, akin to the money raised by selling Estevao and Vitor Reis, so a deal may need to break the bank.

With Palmeiras extending the youngster’s contract until 2029, however, they remain in a strong negotiating position for the time being.

The starlet has impressed at times for Palmeiras, being described as their “standout” player by journalist Leandro Boudakian earlier this year, and he is extremely versatile, having featured in central midfield, on both wings, and in attacking midfield for the Brazilian club.

Not only that, but the Florianopolis-born attacker has regularly displayed his dribbling and creative talents over the past year, ranking in a very high percentile on both metrics, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Successful take-ons

2.93 (99th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.93 (98th percentile)

Assists

0.42 (99th percentile)

That said, the Palmeiras academy graduate didn’t exactly set the world alight in the 2025 Brazilian Serie A, chipping in with just one goal and two assists in 21 appearances, which suggests he may be some way off first-team level at a club like Chelsea.

Allan is still very young, but the Blues have already signed a plethora of youngsters in recent times, including Gittens, Garnacho and Estevao, so it would not be the end of the world if they missed out on another.

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Shea Lacey has been “tearing it up” in Manchester United training, leaving Ruben Amorim impressed, following a behind-the-scenes change from the manager.

Amorim has been blending youth with experience in his starting XI so far this season, with the likes of Amad Diallo and Leny Yoro emerging as regular starters, alongside Casemiro, and the Brazilian midfielder has enjoyed a resurgence.

At the moment, the manager seems to have found the right balance, as United have won three games on the spin in the Premier League, and their summer signings have been particularly impressive, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring a brace against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

Given that Matheus Cunha is also now off the mark, it may be difficult for any other forwards to force their way into starting contention, but a youngster has started impressing in first-team training…

Lacey impressing Amorim in Man Utd training

As reported by GiveMeSport, Amorim has made a behind-the-scenes change by introducing more and more youth players to first-team training, with the manager eager to restore the link between the academy and the senior squad.

The 40-year-old wants youngsters to start pushing for places in the first team, and Lacey, an 18-year-old winger, has been impressing staff and teammates, with one source saying: “He’s been tearing it up – fearless, creative, and always looking to make something happen. He’s really caught the eye.”

Amorim has personally taken notice of the starlet, and there is a feeling he could be introduced to the match-day squad before the end of the campaign if he maintains his current standard.

Bringing through youth players is in United’s DNA, with the ‘Class of 92’ famously going on to play a major role in Man United’s dominance of English football during the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

As such, it is always good to see youngsters progress through the ranks, and the Liverpool-born winger is held in high regard by scout Jacek Kulig, who singled the Englishman out for praise after his debut for the Three Lions U17 side.

Not only has Lacey impressed in first-team training, but he is also off to a flying start in the Premier League 2 this season, picking up two goals and an assist in his opening four games.

With Mbeumo and Cunha impressing, the England U20 international may find it tricky to get into the starting XI in the Premier League, but it would be good to see him get a run out in the FA Cup later this season.

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Bruno Fernandes spoke highly of Manchester United's summer transfer business, while reserving special praise for Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha, who moved to United from Wolves in the last window. Fernandes, being the leader of the pack at Old Trafford, named the unique qualities of each of United's new four signings as the club spent heavily to rebuild the squad under Ruben Amorim.

• Amorim spent heavily in the summer

  Amorim oversaw a nightmare debut campaign at Old Trafford since taking charge of the club in November 2024 as United finished 15th in the Premier League and ended the season without a trophy or a European slot. Naturally, the Portuguese coach approached the summer transfer window aggressively as he spent heavily on four new signings to strengthen the squad. 

  Amorim's focus was more on the attack as he raided Premier League rivals Brentford and Wolves to sign Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha. For the No.9 role, the Red Devils went all out for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko after Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund failed miserably in that position last season. 

  The club also got rid of underperforming Andre Onana as the Cameroonian goalkeeper left Old Trafford after just two years to join Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor on loan. They replaced their first-choice keeper with the highly-rated Belgian custodian Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp. 

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  Bruno hails United's new signings and praises Cunha

  Speaking about the club's latest additions, United skipper Fernandes said: "No, obviously. I think at this club, every time I spoke with anyone who was talking with me, they were asking we need to sign good players and everything else. We need to sign big characters, not good players because at this club, being good players sometimes is not enough because of the pressure, because of the attention we get and everything. I think we brought in players that are very aware of the dimension of the club. You spoke about Cunha. Cunha has that good arrogance to do the good things and the right things, so that's something good. Bryan, also the same. He's not afraid to take the ball, to do his play, to do his things. We brought two players who were aware of the Premier League, also.

  "And then we brought a very young goalkeeper and a centre-forward, they hit the ground flying (running). Obviously, we know Ben will be judged by scoring goals or not. But a part of that, he's been doing great, whatever he's being asked to do. He's got his goals already, and I think now it's going to come more and more because he's more than capable of scoring goals. Senne came probably with the intention of being the number one. He had to wait for his moment. The moment came and he was ready for that. So this is what this club is about. You come, the moment will be there straightaway and you have to take it."

• 'Sometimes I get upset with him in training'

  Fernandes added: "I think these four players were very good in taking that opportunity of ‘I want to be the one that is playing every week’. When we speak about Cunha, the thing of having the arrogance to say ‘give me the ball, I want to play, I want to make things’. With time, sometimes it won't be good for people because I've been through that. He always wants the ball, he's always doing this, he's always doing that. But for us, on the inside, we want this Cunha. We want you to take the risks, to shoot, to take people on, to create. 

  "Bryan, the same. ‘Bryan, just get your shots on’. Sometimes I get upset with him in training because he's like, one touch more, one touch more and everything. I say, ‘Bryan, you don't need that. You can one touch and shoot because you're more than able to do that. You did that against us when you were at Brentford! You just have to make it for us now. The shirts have changed, but you're the same player so we need that from you. Ben is very eager to learn and that's very good from someone that has done very well in the Bundesliga and everything, came with the biggest, probably like the price tag and everything. But in his mind, he's like, I want to learn, I want to become better. Then on the weekends, he transforms himself into a different person on the pitch. He's someone that is like, ‘I know what I have to do. I want to score goals. I'm going to get into the box, I'm going to get into duels. I'm going to win my headers’. And that's very important for us."

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  Man Utd eyeing major milestone

  The Red Devils are on a roll after beating Sunderland and reigning champions Liverpool in back-to-back Premier League matches, a feat that was never achieved in the Amorim era until this October. The English giants are now aiming to build on this success and pick up a third consecutive victory when they face Brighton at home on Saturday, a feat the club has not accomplished in 49 games. That winning run came during games in February 2024, when they beat Wolves, West Ham, and Aston Villa, which was part of a larger winning streak under former manager Erik ten Hag.

Newcastle United are believed to have made a contract offer to one of their most important players, as they look to stave off potential interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.

Ross Wilson "delighted" with Newcastle job

The Magpies have made huge progress on the pitch in recent years, excelling under Eddie Howe, but important figures off the field have also played their part in the club’s success.

Earlier this week, Ross Wilson was confirmed as Newcastle’s new sporting director, taking on the role vacated by Paul Mitchell, and he has spoken of his delight at coming in at St James’ Park.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be here at Newcastle United. This is such a special club, and I fully understand the passion, ambition and expectations of our incredible supporters, as well as the ambition and desire of our ownership to keep developing and building an even stronger Newcastle United.

“My conversations with ownership have been extremely positive, and I’ve also been in regular contact with Eddie Howe and David Hopkinson. The trust, cohesion and alignment we’re building already feels strong, and we believe that being united as a team will be so important as we continue to move the club forward together. I’m excited to work with everyone across the different areas within our football department.”

Now, a significant piece of Newcastle contract news has emerged, as the club look to tie down one of the most influential players at the club.

Newcastle make contract offer to star player

According to UOL [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have offered Bruno Guimaraes a new deal until the summer of 2030, continuing to see him as a huge figure.

The Magpies are wary that Saudi clubs could come in with bids for the Brazilian at some point in the future, so they are looking to tie him down for the next five years.

Bruno signing a new contract at Newcastle would be huge for anyone associated with the club, with his influence and passion at the heart of the midfield huge ever since he arrived at the club.

The 27-year-old’s quality was on show in last weekend’s 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, with Howe lauding him after the game.

“I thought we had control of the second half and we needed a moment to bring us the goal. Bruno’s goal was a moment of magic from an unbelievable player. He makes a difference more often than not.”

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Newcastle continue their hierarchal re-structure with the appointment of a new technical director.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 11, 2025

At 27, the £160,000-a-week Bruno is at the peak of his powers, and there is no reason why that will change in the next three or four years, so giving him a contract extension is a no-brainer, also putting them in a strong position if another club does make a move for him, in terms of being able to demand huge money.

Paul Pogba's long-awaited return to football has hit another snag after the midfielder suffered a minor thigh strain in training. Having not played an official game since 2023 due to a doping ban, the plan for the 32-year-old to make his Monaco debut this month is now in serious doubt, adding to his frustrating comeback trail as he targets a return to the national team ahead of the World Cup.

• Thigh strain threatens to rule out planned return

  Pogba’s highly anticipated debut for Monaco may be put on hold after the midfielder suffered a fresh injury in training, according to . The France international was expected to make his return to competitive action against Angers on October 18, but a minor muscle strain in his right thigh has now compromised his involvement. The club has confirmed the setback but specified that the issue is not related to the knee problems that have plagued him in the past.

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  Frustration grows after two years out

  This latest blow is another frustrating chapter in Pogba's long road back to professional football. The World Cup winner has not played a competitive match since September 2023, having served an 18-month doping suspension before signing for the Ligue 1 club at the end of June 2025. His return was initially pencilled in for last week’s derby against Nice before being pushed back to the Angers fixture to allow for more recovery time, a precaution that has been justified by this new muscular problem.

• Debut to come under new management

  Adding another layer of complexity to his comeback, Pogba will not play under the manager who brought him to the club. Adi Hutter, who signed the Frenchman, was sacked by Monaco earlier this week. This means that whenever Pogba is finally fit to make his debut, it will be under a new head coach, who is yet to be appointed.

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  What next for Pogba and Monaco?

  With the planned return against Angers now in serious doubt, there is no new timeline for Pogba's debut. The club's medical staff are monitoring the thigh strain closely, and a decision on his availability will be made in due course. For now, the former Manchester United star’s long wait for a return to the pitch continues, with both player and club hoping this is only a minor delay on his path to redemption.