Manchester United’s form in the Premier League so far this season has been nowhere near good enough for where the club should expect to be.

There are only four teams between the Red Devils and Southampton at the bottom of the table, with the Saints still two points behind Derby’s all-time low tally of 11, as they sit 15th in the division.

They have lost 12 of their 26 matches in the Premier League, winning just eight, and they needed a big comeback against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday to avoid it becoming 13.

It is not as simple as pointing to one reason, whether that be the ownership, Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim, or the players, as to why United have been so poor in the Premier League.

Instead, it is a combination of a number of factors and recruitment, both in terms of their signings and their decisions on who to sell, has been an influential factor in that.

One strand of recruitment United have let themselves down with has been their treatment of academy talent, as they have allowed some top players to move on from Old Trafford after coming through the youth system.

Man United's academy graduate mistakes

Firstly, United sold academy graduate Scott McTominay to Napoli for a reported fee of £25m last summer and the Scotland international has scored six goals in 28 matches in the Serie A this season.

Meanwhile, no current player for Amorim has scored more than six league goals, with Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes tied on six, which suggests that the club could have benefitted from his attacking talent this season.

A year prior to McTominay’s exit, United allowed Anthony Elanga to join Nottingham Forest for a fee of £15m, after a return of four goals and four assists in 55 matches for the Red Devils at first-team level.

The club were not patient with the Sweden international and the Tricky Trees have benefitted from their impatience, as the winger has been in terrific form over the past 18 months or so at the City ground.

Anthony Elanga (Premier League)	23/24	24/25
Starts	25	20
Goals	5	3
Big chances created	14	7
Key passes per game	0.9	1.4
Assists	9	8
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Elanga has provided a huge threat as a creative force for Forest with his ability to provide his teammates with ‘big chances’ to score.

This suggests that the 22-year-old whiz, who has more assists than any United player in the Premier League this season, is another one who the club let leave too soon.

Perhaps the most famous example of United allowing an academy graduate to leave too soon, however, was when Sir Alex Ferguson failed to convince Paul Pogba to stay in 2012.

Manchester United's Paul Pogba blunder

The French maestro came up through the academy system at United and made three appearances in the Premier League during the 2011/12 campaign, before his contract came to an end that summer.

Ferguson revealed that the 19-year-old starlet had agreed to join Juventus a “long time ago” before his move was made official in the summer of 2012. The legendary boss said: “(It) is disappointing. I don’t think he showed us any respect at all, to be honest.”

Perhaps his lack of minutes in the first-team, with three league outings, is what convinced Pogba to decide to ditch Manchester for Turin, and that possible blunder by Sir Alex allowed Juventus to land him for a compensation fee of £800k.

Of course, after 179 appearances, 34 goals, and 32 assists, for Juventus in all competitions, United later swooped to bring him back to Old Trafford in a world-record £89m deal.

This shows that the Red Devils made a huge mistake with Pogba as they had to pay a world-record fee to sign a player they had on their books in the academy and lost for just £800k, because he developed into a fantastic player during his time in Turin.

Amorim may, now, have repeated a similar blunder by allowing Marcus Rashford to move on from the club in the January transfer window, instead of spending more time with him to help him get back to his best in a red shirt.

Marcus Rashford's form since leaving United

The England international, who has scored 138 goals in 426 matches for United, was sent out on loan to Aston Villa in the winter window, and the Premier League side have the option to sign him permanently for £40m.

Rashford played 15 times for United in the first half of the season and contributed with four goals and four ‘big chances’ created, which is a fairly unremarkable return for a player of his quality.

Amorim omitted him from the matchday squads and claimed that the attacker’s lack of intensity in training was the reason behind his lack of minutes on the pitch.

Whilst there is absolutely blame to be placed at Rashford’s door, as he should have put the work in at training to earn his place in the squad, the Portuguese head coach was also quick to move on from the attacker instead of spending time to help the player improve in that aspect of his work.

Rashford’s Premier League form for Villa
Stats	Ipswich	Liverpool	Chelsea
Minutes	45	65	45
Shots on target	1	1	0
Dribbles completed	6/3	2/4	2/4
Key passes	4	0	3
Big chances created	2	0	2
Assists	0	0	2
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Rashford, who has been described as “unplayable” by analyst Raj Chohan, has caught the eye already for Villa.

The English speedster has already created four ‘big chances’ in three Premier League games, whilst Bruno Fernandes (11) is the only United player with more than five ‘big chances’ created in the entire season so far.

These statistics suggest that Unai Emery is getting the best out of Rashford and that he has seen enough from the star in training to consistently select him, which is why Amorim should have given the forward more time to show that to him at Old Trafford.

Now, Villa could, potentially, sign a sublime talent at Premier League level for a fee of just £40m, which United could go on to deeply regret in a similar way to how they did when Pogba left for just £800k.

Better than Dorgu: Man Utd must regret selling "monster" star for just £5m

Manchester United once sold a defender who is even better than Patrick Dorgu.

4

By
Dan Emery

Feb 24, 2025

However, Rashford turns 28 later this year and it seems unlikely that he will return to United – should Villa exercise their option – for a world-record transfer fee in the future.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em preparação para defender o ouro nos Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio, em 2021, a Seleção Brasileira derrotou a Coreia do Sul neste sábado por 3 a 1, de virada, em Cairo, no Egito. Foi o primeiro desafio dos comandados de André Jardini após a pausa do futebol causada pela pandemia de Covid-19.

Matheus Cunha, Rodrygo e Reinier marcaram os gols da vitória verde e amarela. Antes, Lee Donggyeong abriu o placar para os sul-coreanos.O próximo desafio da Seleção será na terça-feira, contra o Egito, às 16h.Os atletas serão liberados no dia seguinte para retornarem aos seus clubes.

As equipes apresentaram movimentação intensa desde o início, e a Coreia, mais fechada, logo se aproveitou de uma falha brasileira para abrir o placar.David Neres tentou evitar a saída da bola pela linha de fundo, mas Oh Sehun ficou com a sobra.Donggyeong recebeu e bateu colocado. A bola desviou emLyanco e tirou as chances do goleiro Phelipe.

Oh Sehun perdeu um pênalti que poderia ter ampliado a vantagem, aos 23, e o Brasil passou a desperdiçar diversas chances. Até que, aos 41, David Neres cruzou para Rodrygo, que foi parado pelo goleiro Song Bumkeun. Matheus Cunha pegou o rebote e mandou para o gol.

Na segunda etapa, o Brasil cometeu falhas, mas segurou a pressão dos adversários. Aos 15, veio a virada, quandoDavid Neres disparou e fez o goleiro Song Bumkeun espalmar. Rodrygo apareceu bem e estufou as redes. Aos 27,Reinier selou o resultado final após boa tabela comMatheus Cunha.

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Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was seen last night attending Brighton's round of 16 clash against Roma alongside sporting director Paul Winstanley.

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Pochettino spotted at Amex StadiumWatched Brighton win 1-0 against RomaWas accompanied by Paul WinstanleyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine was spotted at the Amex Stadium as Brighton attempted to pull off an unlikely victory over Roma in their knockout round second leg. Led by Chelsea's rumoured managerial target Roberto De Zerbi, the Seagulls suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat in Italy last week in the first leg. Despite their 1-0 win last night, the English side crashed out of Europe as it was insufficient against an inferior Roma squad without Romelu Lukaku, who is on loan from Chelsea.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Blues have been linked to a few Brighton players ahead of the upcoming transfer window. However, the exact purpose of Pochettino's visit has not yet been revealed. The club is said to be targeting a striker, with Evan Ferguson a player they greatly admire. Even though he didn't start last night, Ferguson is regarded as one of the league's rising stars.

DID YOU KNOW?

It had earlier been reported that the relationship between Pochettino and Winstanley had significantly deteriorated over the last few months. However, the duo's presence together may indicate that the situation between them is not as bad. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen what will happen in the future between the Argentine coach and the club, if the current situation cannot be rectified.

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WHAT NEXT FOR POCHETTINO?

It will be back to the drawing board and the Argentine's training field as he prepares his forces to take on Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday, March 17. The club will push hard to try and win the tournament this season to try and ensure that they don't go trophyless for a second consecutive campaign.

يلتقي منتخب إنجلترا مع نظيره هولندا مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا، يورو 2024.

ويتواجه المنتخبان ضمن منافسات الدور نصف النهائي من مسابقة يورو 2024، بملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك”.

اقرأ ايضاً.. ترتيب هدافي يورو 2024 بعد هدف أولمو في مباراة إسبانيا وفرنسا

وتأهل منتخب إنجلترا إلى منافسات الدور نصف النهائي من البطولة الأوروبية عقب فوزه على سويسرا بركلات الترجيح.

بينما تأهل المنتخب الهولندي إلى منافسات الدور ذاته عقب الفوز على تركيا بهدفين مقابل هدف.

يذكر أن الفائز من هذه المواجهة سيلاقي منتخب إسبانيا في المباراة النهائية، الأحد المقبل. موعد مباراة إنجلترا وهولندا اليوم في يورو 2024

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، والمملكة العربية السعودية.  القنوات الناقلة لمباراة إنجلترا وهولندا اليوم في يورو 2024

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports Max 1.

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports Max 2. معلقين مباراة إنجلترا وهولندا اليوم في يورو 2024

سيعلق على أحداث المباراة عصام الشوالي بالإضافة إلى علي سعيد الكعبي.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

West Ham United saw their incredible unbeaten European record fall as they were defeated 2-1 by Greek side Olympiacos in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

The loss was their first in 18 continental matches, but David Moyes’ men are still in great shape to qualify from their group and make the knockout stages.

Despite going two goals down, a Lucas Paqueta goal with just over 20 minutes left in the tie gave the Hammers a glimmer of hope, yet they could not rescue a point.

There was not a standout performer for the club and now attention turns to a home tie against Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.

West Ham United fail to secure three points against Olympiacos

Overall, it was not a terrible performance by West Ham as they were simply outplayed on the night, yet several players did underperform.

James Ward-Prowse failed to score or assist while making just one key pass during the tie, while fellow summer signing Mohammed Kudus was deployed on the right wing, yet he failed to inspire a positive result, taking just 40 touches and succeeding with only one dribble attempt during his 72 minutes on the pitch.

The defence was also underwhelming during the tie. Konstantinos Mavropanos and Angelo Ogbonna lost possession 12 times combined, while they won only three out of their combined nine total duels, hardly a performance that was going to see West Ham secure yet another three points in Europe.

Ogbonna was making just his fourth start of the season and during the current campaign, he has played only five times, spending the rest of the time on the bench and this could be his final season in London.

Angelo Ogbonna could be entering into the final months of his West Ham career

The Italian defender has a contract that will expire at the end of the 2023/24 season and with the volume of centre-backs Moyes has to choose from, it could be difficult for him to land an extension.

Since joining the club from Juventus in the summer of 2015, he has made nearly 250 appearances yet it is clear that his influence has somewhat waned over the previous few seasons.

Indeed, the 35-year-old made just 16 and 11 Premier League appearances during the last two campaigns and last term, he ranked only eighth across the squad for accurate passes per game (20.8), while ranking 14th for tackles (0.7) and sixth for interceptions (1.1) per game.

He has featured in just two league games so far this season, and none since August, indicating that Moyes prefers to keep him for continental ties, and he could well be entering his final furlongs as a West Ham player.

It appears as though Moyes is looking to sign another centre-back in the January transfer window in order to give his side a boost ahead of the second half of the season.

West Ham United’s January plans

The 60-year-old tactician will be aiming to enjoy a productive winter window with regard to sorting his team out for the foreseeable future, especially with so many players out of contract at the end of the campaign.

The likes of Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Soucek, Ogbonna, and Pablo Fornals are all entering the final months of their deals with the Irons and in order to save a massive rebuild during the summer, Moyes could do some of his business in January.

There has been an update with regard to his plans according to Football Insider, who claim that the London-based side can secure a deal for defender Sebastian Caceres in January for a fee believed to be between £6m-£10m.

With Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur also keeping tabs on the player, West Ham face stiff competition and Moyes will need to make a strong pitch in order to secure his signature.

Sebastian Caceres could be an ideal Ogbonna heir for West Ham

The Uruguayan centre-back currently plays for Club America and has made 109 appearances for the Mexican side since joining back in 2020.

His contract expires in just over 12 months’ time, hence the low fee that Moyes could sign him for and this could represent an excellent piece of business.

The 24-year-old brute has demonstrated his abilities during recent World Cup qualifiers for Uruguay as they defeated Brazil and the defender and was lauded as “solid” for his performance and this has seemingly put some big teams on alert.

Indeed, across the recent four World Cup qualifiers against Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil, the centre-back was not dribbled past at all, kept one clean sheet, and won 63% of his total duels as he had a positive impact on the side which culminated in their historic win over the Brazilians.

Caceres still has plenty of developing to do, but a move to the Premier League could certainly bring him out of his comfort zone and enable him to improve his performances.

During the LIGA MX Clausura, Caceres ranked in sixth place across the squad for tackles per game (1.5), while ranking fourth for interceptions per game (one) and first for clearances per game (3.8), showcasing his raw potential and proving that he could still improve across a few metrics.

35

28

27

31

23

The recent international displays have allowed the defender to perform at the highest level and being part of a team that defeated Brazil is always going to generate some attention.

Moyes does still have plenty of defenders to call upon, yet with Ogbonna looking increasingly likely to leave next summer, there could be a space for another centre-back to arrive.

Signing Caceres in January would give him a few added months in which he could settle in ahead of the 2024/25 season and with the likes of United and Spurs also chasing him, Moyes will need to act swiftly in order to secure his signature.

At the age of 24, he could be the dream heir to Ogbonna, who is currently poised to depart next summer, and be a long-term option for the Scottish boss to call upon over the years to come.

Aston Villa are on the path to glory under Unai Emery, with the Spaniard initiating a host of changes at Villa Park following his arrival in October 2022.

The former Arsenal boss took charge from Steven Gerrard when the Villans were sat in 16th in the Premier League table, and ended his first campaign in seventh and with a spot in the Europa Conference League.

Despite only being in the Midlands for under a year, Emery has inspired the squad to new heights, succeeding on and off the pitch, as highlighted this summer in the transfer market.

Joined by Monchi as President of Football Operations, the four-time Europa League winner conducted an impressive window of business, welcoming five new faces to Villa Park.

The captures of Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pau Torres and Clement Lenglet have added strength in a number of positions, with their quality signalling an additional pull that the manager has given Villa to attract top talent.

While the new additions have been welcomed with open arms to Emery’s squad, the Spaniard wasn’t able to seal the deal on all the players he was suspected to have targeted this summer.

From Joao Felix to Marco Asensio, Villa were linked with a host of talent, however the Villans were taught a lesson by one of their rumoured targets just last weekend.

Did Aston Villa nearly sign Hwang Hee-chan?

According to the Mirror, Villa were one of the sides interested in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Hwang Hee-chan this summer.

The report dated back to May claimed that the Villans were joined by Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Roma as those eyeing a potential move for the South Korean speedster.

It was added that Emery’s side had ‘registered interest’ in the forward, who arrived in Wolverhampton on a permanent basis last summer for a fee of £14m after impressing on an initial season-long loan from RB Leipzig.

Nicknamed “the bull” throughout his playing career, the versatile forward has come to life at Molineux, making Villa’s reported interest understandable as he continues to impress in the Premier League.

What is Hwang Hee-chan’s market value?

As per CIES Football Observatory, the 27-year-old has a current market value of €15m (£13m), suggesting that the price Wolves paid for his services last summer was a fair estimation with regard to his quality.

Not only does his value indicate that the Old Gold secured the forward in a strong piece of business, but also that the Villans could have snatched his talents for a slim price if further interest was identified this summer.

How many goals has Hwang Hee-chan scored?

Deployable on either wing and as a centre-forward, Hwang has contributed to a total of 125 goals in 279 domestic appearances so far in his career, scoring 78 and assisting 47 representing a host of clubs.

From his early playing days in South Korea, the dynamic forward has flourished in Austria, Germany and England, donning the shirts of FC Liefering, RB Salzburg, Hamburg, RB Leipzig and of course, the Old Gold of Wolves.

Hwang Hee-chan domestic scoring record

Club

Apps

Goals

Assists

FC Liefering

29

3

4

Hamburg

21

2

2

RB Salzburg

126

45

29

RB Leipzig

29

3

4

Wolves

72

15

4

All figures via Transfermarkt

The Korean made quite the noise in Austria the season prior to his move to Germany, as he scored 16 goals and registered a monstrous 22 assists in all competitions for Salzburg in 2019/20.

That campaign, Hwang recorded eight goal contributions in just six Champions League appearances for his club, highlighting just how dangerous the forward can be at the highest level of domestic football in Europe.

The success of that term saw the winger move to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, however his streak of having a hand in goals was not fully translated, as he recorded just one assist and no goals in 18 Bundesliga appearances.

At Wolves, the 27-year-old seems to have rediscovered his form, with his direct nature of play and strength on the ball seeming to be an ideal fit for the physicality and demand of playing in the English top-flight.

What is Hwang Hee-chan doing now?

Last season marked Hwang’s first as a Wolves player, with his first spell at Molineux coming as a loan in which he scored five league goals in 30 appearances in 2021/22.

It was a tough year for all associated with the Midlands club, who were threatened by relegation, as well as having the playing styles altered by three different managers during the 2022/23 campaign.

Steve Davis took charge of the squad between the sacking of Bruno Lage and the arrival of Julen Lopetegui, as Wolves weathered the storm between relegation and survival.

Subsequently, Hwang’s form was a shadow of what it had been in the past and what it has become this term, with him netting just three goals in 27 Premier League appearances, where he started just 12 games.

Under Gary O’Neil, things seem to have clicked instantaneously for the £14m man, with him being full of praise for his new manager whom he called “amazing” and “very calm”, relaying that the squad have full trust in him, via Express and Star.

The praise has been reciprocated by the former Bournemouth manager, who lauded his forward as an “intelligent” asset to have in his team, supported by his flying start to the 2023/24 season at Molineux.

So far in the Premier League this term, Hwang has scored five goals in eight games, contributing to over half of Wolves goals and sitting at joint-third in the top-scorer chart so far this term level with Jarrod Bowen and Mohamed Salah.

What could Hwang Hee-chan have offered to Villa?

With reference to how life could have been if Hwang was pursued by Aston Villa this summer, the Villans could have added a stellar forward to their ranks as they know first-hand the danger he can cause.

Last time out for Emery’s side, the Korean was at the heart of Wolves’ 1-1 draw with Villa, opening the scoring after 53 minutes of play.

While the Spaniard recruited well this summer, there is still a long way to go in terms of calculating the extent of depth that the squad will require going forward, with talents in Hwang’s position such as Leon Bailey already missing game time due to injury.

The worry for Villa is the lack of quality to replace first-team absences, areas that could have been eased by the Korean, based on players currently at the club that are lesser performers than him.

One player who could have been offloaded to allow Hwang to come into the plans at Villa Park is Bertrand Traore, who was shipped on loan last term to Turkish outfit Basaksehir in a bid to rediscover his form.

You’d have to go back to the 2020/21 campaign to revise when Traore last played consistently for the Villans, with the former Chelsea man averaging a rate of 54% successful dribbles per game and scoring a high of seven goals, via Sofascore.

This term, Hwang has averaged 67% successful dribbles per game for Wolves in the Premier League, as well as already netting five goals, just two shy of Traore’s best-ever tally in England.

In signing their rivals' star man, Emery could’ve added a significant upgrade to his depth, in a move that could have benefitted the Villans to a similar effect that he has aided his club so far this term.

Morne Morkel claimed match figures of 9 for 120 as Surrey wrapped up a win that extended their lead at the top of Division One

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge24-Jul-20182:07

Morkel stars as Surrey smash Notts

Surrey 592 (Burns 153, Clarke 111, Stoneman 86, S Curran 70) beat Nottinghamshire 210 (Morkel 4-60) and 199 (Patel 55, Morkel 5-60) by an innings and 183 runs
ScorecardRealistically, this match was only ever going to end one way with Nottinghamshire one down overnight and still 325 runs short of requiring Surrey’s openers to pad up again. Yet the supporters who turned out anyway might have expected to be entertained a little beyond 1.58pm, which was scarcely long enough to digest lunch.This is a Surrey side, though, that takes no prisoners, as their opponents in their last five matches have discovered. That sequence includes Hampshire and Somerset as well as Nottinghamshire, all beaten by an innings by the middle session of the third day. Yorkshire, beaten by and innings at the Kia Oval and seven wickets at Scarborough, at least managed to detain them until the final morning.Rory Burns and Ollie Pope are the leading scorers in a powerful batting unit, Ben Foakes is a very useful wicketkeeper-batsman and Surrey can assemble a seam quartet as formidable anyone’s. Nottinghamshire think there’s is none too dusty but Morne Morkel, Sam Curran, Jade Dernbach and Rikki Clarke outbowled them comprehensively here. Add to their capabilities the fresh potency of Amar Virdi’s offspin and Surrey are a side with no obvious shortcomings.Your crazy ideas for The Hundred

Our listeners’ madcap suggestions on how to improve The Hundred. David Hopps and Dan Norcross are in disbelief as they pore through your wildest schemes on our Talking T20 Podcast

They stretched their lead over Nottinghamshire to 43 points from one game fewer and even if Somerset overtake the Trent Bridge side and go second by completing a win over Worcestershire at New Road they will still have a daunting gap to close with only six fixtures remaining. It is hard to see any destination for the title now other than The Oval, but then it has looked that way for a while.Surrey are reaping the benefits, too, of having players, such as Burns, Pope and Foakes, who are on the radar of the England selectors but are not imminent picks; others, such as Curran, Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman, who have been considered worthy of a look but are not currently needed; and a third category, into which Dernbach and Clarke fall, who have substantial experience at international level but are not likely to add to it.Burns again reinforced his candidacy here with the keystone innings of the Surrey innings, in which the patience, stoicism and astute judgment his supporters have been talking up for at least the last 12 months were his most reliable assets. He is growing nicely into the role of captain, too.It was one of those days when, with the outcome almost guaranteed, it would have been easy to go through the motions, let things drift. Instead, he kept thinking, trying different things to make sure the batsmen did not settle and to keep his bowlers on their toes.Morne Morkel has been an influential Surrey signing•Getty Images

It worked handsomely. Will Fraine, the 22-year-old debutant in a Nottinghamshire team that is in transition, did himself no harm at all, extending his stay to almost 90 minutes against bowling, from Morkel in particular, that was as challenging as anything he has faced so far and though he was disappointed to be out on 30, well caught by the diving Foakes off a decent delivery by Clarke, he had many reasons to feel pleased with himself.Otherwise, only Samit Patel threatened to be an obstacle in Surrey’s path and his half-century was a breezy affair rather than anything with a stubborn quality. He was undone easily enough by Morkel, who tempted him into a loose drive that saw him comfortably caught at second slip by Borthwick.Patel’s wicket prompted the final collapse, the last seven Nottinghamshire batsmen disappearing for 46 runs in eight-and-a-half overs as Surrey applied the boot to the throat. Morkel, who bowled with a controlled hostility throughout that only Luke Fletcher on the Nottinghamshire side was anywhere near matching, finished with 5 for 60 and 9 for 120 in the match. Five Surrey bowlers now have between 24 and 30 wickets each, which is a factor as important as any in where they are.”To bowl them out in under two sessions today was really outstanding,” Burns said afterwards. “Morne Morkel takes the plaudits with a five-for today but the way the bowling unit went about it to bowl out a very good Notts side for 200 twice shows the way we are going about our business.”We are winning our games in a dominant fashion and it makes it easy for me as captain but we have to keep on going about our processes the right way and doing what we have done well so far.”Peter Moores, the Nottinghamshire head coach, believes the title is Surrey’s to lose. “They look a good side so credit to them,” he said. “They’re in a great position and if they keep playing this cricket they’ve got a great chance. Morkel is key. He opens things up for them.”If we win our last five games we can create a bit of pressure but in this game we have to accept that we didn’t bat, bowl or field well enough.”

Colin Graves, the chairman of the ECB, has offered to help Collis King in his immigration fight, after it emerged the West Indian has been forced to return to Barbados while applying for a visa to live in the UK alongside his British wife.King, who starred in West Indies’ 1979 World Cup final victory, has spent more than 40 years living and working in the UK, alongside his native Barbados. But now, aged 67, he has been left in limbo after being told he could not submit an application for a spousal visa while still in the country, and given 14 days to return to the Caribbean.King’s story has emerged following a controversial crackdown by the UK Home Office, although it is distinct from the issues affecting members of the Windrush generation who came to live and work in Britain after the Second World War. According to the , King said he had been “treated like a criminal”.Graves was previously chairman of Dunnington CC in Yorkshire, where King has played and coached for 20 years, becoming a popular figure on the club scene. He has offered to act as a referee for King and write a letter of support.”I was staggered that his application was thrown out without any further investigation,” Graves told the newspaper. “Someone just looked at it and said, ‘On your bike’ and he was out. Nobody seemed to bother to look at it. It was cold and that is what upset me. They did not look at the individual, it was just another number on a file.”From a cricket point of view in Yorkshire he has been a colossus. He is known around all the clubs and we will do everything we can from a cricket point of view because he is helping with what we are trying to achieve in the recreational game.”King has been unable to play for Dunnington this summer, and has spent the last four months waiting to hear about his status. Having been told he had to return to Barbados, he also suffered the indignity of having his passport taken away at the airport, and only returned when his flight landed in Bridgetown.”I felt like I was treated like a criminal,” he told the . “It has really shaken me that after all that time that I can’t stay. It really hit me for six.”An attacking batsman who played nine Tests and 18 ODIs, King hit 86 from just 66 balls as he and Viv Richards demolished England in the 1979 World Cup final. Although World Series Cricket and a rebel tour of South Africa ended his international career, he became a much-loved performer in the northern leagues of England, as well as turning out in county cricket for Glamorgan and Worcestershire.Having previously travelled regularly to the UK on a visitor visa, King fell foul of the “hostile environment” cultivated by immigration officials after submitting his application for a spousal visa last year.”We tried to get some help at the embassy in Barbados but it is all done online – there is hardly anybody in Barbados to give you any help,” he said. “I have given all the information they asked for and more. I have waited and waited and nothing has happened.”I have been playing cricket in the UK for many years but I have always come back when my visa stated. I have never stayed longer than I was due to stay. If I had six months to play in the leagues, I would always come back on time. Never once in 44 years have I overstayed my time.”I was not born a British citizen but I have been going to Britain long enough to feel part of the English set-up. You cannot come to a country for so many years without loving the place. I have been coming and going, loving the country and that is the sad thing, really. When I tell people what’s going on, they say: ‘That can’t be right.’ But it is right because here I am, stuck in Barbados not knowing when this will end.”Another West Indies-born former cricketer, Richard Stewart, who played for Middlesex in the 1960s, has faced a similar struggle in his attempts to receive a British passport. Stewart arrived in England in 1955, aged 10, and has lived there ever since, but was only told this week that he had been granted citizenship.

Arsenal are back in action this evening following the international break, and what better way to return than with a London derby at Stamford Bridge, as the Gunners visit Chelsea in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain unbeaten in the 2023/24 league campaign, sitting in second place narrowly behind Tottenham Hotspur on the mere basis of goals scored, contrasting to Mauricio Pochettino’s start to life in west London.

The Blues currently sit in 11th having won three, drawn two and lost three from their opening eight fixtures, yet they have started to build some momentum of late, making this evening's affair just that bit more feisty.

What is the latest Arsenal team news against Chelsea?

Arsenal signed off before the international break with a statement win against Manchester City, beating Pep Guardiola’s side in the league for the first time since 2015 in a well-fought 1-0 win at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side will be hoping to build further from their stellar victory by beating Chelsea this evening, with the motivation there to replicate the win at Stamford Bridge against the Blues last term.

Arsenal beat City without their star man Bukayo Saka, who was sidelined due to injury, with the manager confirming that he can’t determine the Englishman’s fitness up until a pre-match fitness test.

Another scare has since surfaced with Arteta revealing in his pre-match press conference that William Saliba will also require a late fitness check, as he nurses a toe injury that saw him withdraw from international duty, with Leandro Trossard in a similar situation.

There could be some rotation evident from the squad that beat Manchester City 13 days ago, with positive news being the return of midfield enforcer Thomas Partey.

Should Thomas Partey start against Chelsea?

After missing four Premier League games due to a groin injury, Partey re-joined the squad as a second-half substitute against City, where Jorginho was given the nod ahead of him as he eases back into match fitness.

Lauded as a “difference maker” by journalist Eduardo Hagn, Arteta could finally unleash his best midfield combination against Pochettino's men with Declan Rice, Partey and Martin Odegaard theoretically posing to be the strongest trio in contention at the Emirates.

Former Blues forward Kai Havertz had been deployed in the middle of the park in place of Partey during his absence, however the former Atletico Madrid maestro has a presence that cannot be matched in Arsenal’s current options.

Considering the threat that Enzo Fernandez poses in building play from deep in Chelsea’s midfield, starting Partey from the off could be a decisive factor in Arsenal getting the win at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine averages 10.89 progressive passes per 90 this season in the Premier League, the highest of any midfielder, as per FBref, highlighting the influence he can exert on those ahead of him from the engine room.

On the other hand is Partey, who if paired with Rice, could relieve the pressure of defensive duties on the Englishman, suggested by his average of 2.54 tackles per 90 last term, as well as his ball-carrying ability with 50.67 carries per 90, via FBref.

The combination of the Ghana international and Arsenal’s £105m man could smother any pressure hoping to be stemmed from Fernandez, with a pivot that can both be the anchor and progress effortlessly in transition.

Tyrell Malacia is stuck in a "complicated" situation at Manchester United amid claims he is struggling physically and mentally.

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Malacia hasn't played this seasonLeft-back said to be struggling mentallyTen Hag short of options in his positionWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch left-back has not featured for United this season, with his last appearance for the club coming 10 months ago in a 2-1 win over Fulham on the final day of the 2022-23 campaign, and it has been reported that he is struggling with his physical and mental wellbeing. The Red Devils have yet to offer a full explanation for his absence, but Fabrizio Romano says Malacia's situation is a difficult one.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Malacia's absence has left Erik ten Hag short of options on that side of the defence, with Luke Shaw also being sidelined through injury for more of the campaign. It has been reported that the Old Trafford club may look to sign a new left-back in case Malacia's condition remains an issue.

WHAT ROMANO SAID

Transfer guru Romano said on : "It's a really complicated moment for the boy. He's really struggling. I think Manchester United will make some clarity in the next weeks or months to clarify what's happening."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MALACIA?

Ten Hag recently insisted that the Netherlands international is back in training and that the 24-year-old "will fight" to get his place in the starting XI, but does not expect him to return to competitive action this season. United take on Brentford in their next Premier League match on March 30.