Manchester United have been really disappointing in front of goal this season. The Red Devils are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the Premier League, and it is not an issue that seems like it will change anytime soon.

Ruben Amorim’s side have scored just 21 goals in 19 top-flight games this term. There are just four teams with fewer, all of whom are 15th or below in the league table. To make matters worse, United have missed 35 big chances.

To help with the issue, the board could splash the cash on a new striker in January.

Man United targeting new striker

The player in question here is Sporting centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres. Naturally, since Amorim made the move from the Portuguese champions to Old Trafford in November, there have been strong rumours of a move for the Swede. Those links have intensified recently.

According to a report from the Daily Star, United ‘will step up their bid’ to sign the centre-forward sooner rather than later. They were originally believed to be waiting until summer to make a move, but the reports suggest the new United manager ‘has told club bosses he cannot wait until the summer’ for the signing. Due to their previous affiliation, it’s believed the English giants are ‘favourites’ to secure his signature.

Indeed, the Sweden international will not be cheap to bring in. The striker has a reported release clause of £80m, and it is ‘understood Sporting president Frederico Varandas would hold United to the full amount’ if he leaves in the January window.

Why Gyokeres would be a good signing

There are few strikers as deadly on the planet as Gyokeres. He had a simply extraordinary year in 2024, scoring 62 goals in all competitions. The majority of those strikes came whilst Amroim was manager, under whom he has an extraordinary record.

In 68 games playing for the Portuguese manager, he scored an incredible 66 goals and grabbed 23 assists. In essence, he was phenomenal under the United boss, and it is not hard to see why he wants to bring him to Old Trafford.

Liga Portugal

44

45

14

Europa League

9

5

2

Taca de Portugal

7

6

5

Champions League

4

5

0

Allianz Cup

3

5

1

Supertaca

1

0

2

This season has been no different for the formidable centre-forward. So far in 2024/25, he has 27 goals and six assists in 27 appearances in all competitions.

Arguably the forward’s best moment in a Sporting shirt so far was his hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League. He contributed three goals in a 4-1 thrashing of United’s biggest rivals.

That is certainly another reason why he might be an appealing addition to a struggling Red Devils side. He is already well-appreciated by their supporters, with journalist Alex Turk describing the Swede as a “monster”. There are certainly lots of things that make this an attractive signing.

Red Devils fans could be licking their lips at the prospect of seeing Gyokeres take to the field alongside creative winger Amad Diallo. The young Ivorian has made a real impression under Amorim so far and has two goals and five assists in 11 games playing for the Portuguese boss.

Indeed, there has not really been anyone as creative as Amad for United in the Premier League this season. According to FBref, his average of 0.47 assists per 90 minutes is the most amongst his teammates, and he averages 2.05 key passes per game, the third most in the squad.

Sadly, no one is really profiting off the chances that Amad is creating. United still seem to be lacking a true goalscorer, but that is where Gyokeres comes in. Should he make the move to Old Trafford, he could be the man the Red Devils are looking for to put the ball in the back of the net more often.

Many of the chances Amad is creating seem like they are going to waste, but a natural-born goalscorer like Gyokeres could profit off them. It could be a match made in heaven. Although it is an expensive deal to do, it could be necessary to help United score more goals and climb the table.

He's like Haaland: Man Utd could sign "monster" Rashford & Zirkzee upgrade

Manchester United desperately need reinforcements within the final third in January.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jan 1, 2025

The second day of the Ranji Trophy fixture between Railways and Punjab at Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi had to be suspended after the surface was deemed “dangerous and unfit for play” by the match officials.As many as 24 wickets had fallen in a little under four sessions of play in just 103 overs; 20 of those went to the seamers. Punjab, who had taken a 12-run first-innings lead after posting 162, were tottering on 18 for 4 in their second innings when play was halted.As the first drinks interval neared on Wednesday, on-field umpires K Madanagopal and Rajeev Godara apprised match referee Youraj Singh of the situation, before both captains – Mandeep Singh (Punjab) and Karn Sharma (Railways) – were spoken to. It was eventually decided that the match would start afresh on Thursday on a new surface, adjacent to the one the game had started on. This means the Elite Group D contest has now effectively been reduced to a two-day fixture. A fresh toss will take place with teams permitted to change their XIs.”They could have repaired the surface and resumed on the third day from where the match was stopped, but the match officials decided to play on a fresh surface,” a Railways team official said. “We were in a fantastic position but will possibly lose out on a chance to win because of this decision.”ESPNcricinfo understands that the ground authorities had wanted to prepare a grassy surface, but early-winter chill and heavy dew had hampered preparations in the lead-up to the game.”The pitch was uneven. Some balls hit the gloves, others scooted low at shoe-height from the same spot,” a player told ESPNcricinfo. “It was a green wicket but the match officials decided it was too uneven and inconsistent for play to continue.”The truncated nature of the contest left both Railways and Punjab with the prospect of going two rounds without an outright result, something that didn’t look like a possibility when play started on Wednesday. Punjab were denied by bad light and had to settle for first-innings honours against Chandigarh in the opening round, while Railways were handed a 194-run loss by Vidarbha despite Karn’s career-best 8 for 38.Surfaces at the Karnail Singh Stadium have come under the scanner in the past too. In 2011, BCCI’s technical committee had put the venue on a watchlist for producing poor pitches.In 2012, it was barred from hosting matches for two years, after the committee had found the local curators to have deliberately left the surface underprepared to help Railways try and force outright results in a bid to progress further in the Ranji Trophy. At the time, Railways had temporarily shifted their home base to Bhubaneswar, before their original home venue was reinstated in 2014.

da betsson： After compiling Manchester City’s misery with a 2-1 victory last time out, Aston Villa have now reportedly been offered the chance to sign a £64m forward in a deal that could see Jhon Duran head in the opposite direction.

Aston Villa transfer news

da imperador bet： The Villans are a difficult side to judge this season. Whilst they haven’t hit the heights of the last campaign just yet, as shown in a 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest last weekend, they bounced back in style by pushing Manchester City to one side in a game that could have easily been a thrashing rather than a narrow victory at Villa Park.

If they want to make it back-to-back top-four finishes, however, then those in the Midlands may well need to turn their attention back towards the transfer market in 2025, with names such as Manfred Ugalde and Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard already mentioned in recent weeks.

Ugalde would be a particularly interesting addition, given that the Villans are already well-stocked when it comes to goalscorers. But as 2025 approaches, it’s Paris Saint-Germain who could quickly change that.

Related Aston Villa battling to sign "brilliant" defender compared to Harry Maguire

He’s earned quite the praise.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 22, 2024

According to reports in Spain, PSG may have initiated contact to offer Aston Villa Randal Kolo Muani in a swap deal to sign Duran in 2025. The French giants are set to show their forward the door almost two years since his arrival for an initial £64m from Eintracht Frankfurt and now seemingly want Villa’s in-form star to act as an instant upgrade.

It’s a deal that would certainly steal the headlines, but whether Villa would be getting the better end of it is another question entirely. Given how disappointing Kolo Muani’s PSG spell has been and Duran’s contrasting fortunes on top of that, it’s not a deal that Villa should take.

Aston Villa should reject PSG swap deal

If Aston Villa get the chance to sign Kolo Muani at a cut price and without the inclusion of Duran, then it’s a deal worth pursuing. After all, this is still a 26-year-old forward who stole the show for Frankfurt not so long ago. But as things stand, it is a deal that those in the Midlands should reject. Duran is playing a growing part in Unai Emery’s side and unless an undeniable fee comes Villa’s way, keeping hold of both him and Ollie Watkins should remain imperative.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Randal Kolo Muani

Jhon Duran

Minutes

358

492

Goals

2

6

Assists

1

0

Expected Goals

4.7

3.8

Simply put, Duran is clinical where Muani is wasteful in front of goal with both handed fairly minimal opportunity to start from the off. In just under 500 minutes – around 5.5 games – Duran has managed six goals and has managed to outperform his expected rate of just under four goals in that time. Kolo Muani, meanwhile, has underperformed by almost three goals.

A player once described as “quick” and “strong” by Oliver Glasner, Kolo Muani has quickly become a shadow of his best self at PSG.

Newcastle United could now sell an “absolutely unbelievable” player for a 50% discount in the January transfer window, according to a new report.

Potential Newcastle exits in 2025

While Magpies supporters will understandably be fixated on incoming signings in January and next summer, there are also plenty of current players who could leave St James’ Park at some point in 2025.

Kieran Trippier has been constantly linked with a move away, for example, with the 34-year-old no longer the force he used to be, having often been ousted by Tino Livramento at right-back this season. A switch to European giants AC Milan has been mooted, allowing him a fresh challenge to finish his career.

There are lots of other individuals who are out of contract at Newcastle at the end of this season, however, including Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson, and it would be a huge surprise if they were all still in a Magpies shirt this time next year.

Similarly, Miguel Almiron is no longer considered a key player by Eddie Howe, with the likes of Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes representing stronger options in wide attacking areas.

Newcastle could sell "absolutely unbelievable" ace

According to Give Me Sport, Newcastle winger Almiron is still in talks with MLS side Charlotte FC over a January move to America.

Not only that, but the Magpies could lose the Paraguayan for half of the $20m (£16m) they demanded for him back in the summer, but they are still “open” to the idea of moving him on for $10m (£8m).

At this point, it would be a surprise if Almiron was still at Newcastle after the January window, considering that talks are underway and the Magpies are even happy to see him depart for a cut-price amount.

Now 30, and out of contract in the summer of 2026, this feels like a logical time for Newcastle to cash in on him, even though Tam McManus has heaped praise on him in the past during his peak years, saying:

“He has that pace to get in behind and he has been integral to Newcastle this season, there seems to be a real steel about Newcastle. It’s ever since those comments Jack Grealish made about Almiron, maybe that spurred him on. That can happen to a player. But Almiron, in any case, has been absolutely unbelievable for Newcastle so far this season and hopefully it continues.”

If Almiron does move on to pastures news, he will be remembered by Newcastle fans as a player who always gave his all for the cause, possessing a strong work ethic.

He's like Isak: Newcastle can axe Wilson by signing PL "nuisance" for £45m

Newcastle are finding their feet but need more firepower up front.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 20, 2024

That said, a lack of elite-level end product has continually held the Paraguay international back, with a tally of 30 goals and 12 assists in 218 appearances for the Magpies not good enough, given the level Howe wants his attacking players to be performing at on a consistent basis.

MatériaMais Notícias

da heads bet： A CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol) anunciou na noite da última quarta-feira a alteração da data do clássico entre Palmeiras x São Paulo, pela 32ª rodada do Brasileirão-2022. De acordo com a entidade, a mudança se dá por um pedido da Globo, detentora dos direitos de transmissão do campeonato, em um ajuste de sua grade.

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O jogo estava marcado primeiramente para o dia 15 de outubro, um sábado, às 19h. No entanto, a emissora solicitou que a partida fosse transferida para o dia 16 de outubro, um domingo, às 16h, o que fará do clássico paulista o jogo escolhido para passar em TV aberta.

A princípio, no site da CBF, a indicação é de que o duelo será realizado no Allianz Parque, já que será mando do Palmeiras. No entanto, isso deve ser alterado em breve, uma vez que tanto no dia 15, quanto no dia 16 de outubro, a arena alviverde receberá o show da banda Coldplay, o que inviabilizará o clássico no estádio.

Com isso, a tendência é que o jogo seja transferido para a Arena Barueri, onde o Verdão mandou seus jogos neste ano quando o Allianz Parque estava indisponível, inclusive no clássico contra o Corinthians, no primeiro turno do Brasileirão, no qual venceu por 3 a 0. O outro foi na Copa do Brasil, na vitória sobre a Juazeirense.

O Palmeiras é o líder do campeonato com 57 pontos, enquanto o São Paulo é o 11º colocado, com 37. O Tricolor já atuou na 28ª rodada da competição, goleando o Avaí no último domingo, em casa, já o Verdão enfrenta nesta quarta, às 21h30, o Atlético-MG, no Mineirão.

Arsenal are real fans of a versatile Premier League forward ahead of the looming January transfer window, and the chances of Mikel Arteta signing him next month have been shared by a credible source.

Arsenal's potential transfer plans for January

The north Londoners appear to have two main items which could be on the agenda for January – the acquisition of a new striker and signing cover for Bukayo Saka.

Agents tell Arsenal that Bayern Munich star is "seriously considering" move

Arteta could get him in 2025.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 27, 2024

Saka, who was forced to leave the pitch on 24 minutes in Arsenal’s 5-1 win against Crystal Palace, suffered a hamstring problem against Oliver Glasner’s side, and it is now expected that he’ll be out for many weeks, as confirmed by Arteta in a recent press conference.

Summer signing Raheem Sterling has a knee injury which will keep him sidelined for weeks as well, leaving Arteta with precious few Saka alternatives on the right-wing, as he’s forced to get creative with his current options.

Ipswich Town (home)

December 27

Brentford (away)

January 1

Brighton (away)

January 4

Tottenham (home)

January 15

Aston Villa (home)

January 18

Some reports have suggested that Saka could even be out until March, which would be quite a blow, and it would surely push Arsenal into considering the possibility of securing another wide man when the window reopens on January 1.

The consensus is that Arteta is indeed thinking of signing another winger in the winter, and it is believed that “positive” Arsenal contacts are ongoing with Dani Olmo’s representatives, as the Barcelona forward may well have to pack his bags next month due to the Camp Nou side’s financial problems and registration issues (Sky Sports).

Reliable media sources, like Standard Sport, have also shared news that Arsenal could be offered PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan, alongside a host of other sides.

The France international was tipped to take Kylian Mbappe’s mantle following his departure to Real Madrid, but things haven’t quite worked out that way, as the possibility of his mid-season exit begins to gain serious traction in the press.

Arsenal signing a fresh wide-attacking option appears to be a very likely scenario as things stand, and to a lesser extent, the prospect of a world-class centre-forward joining the north Londoners in January hasn’t been entirely ruled out.

Arsenal "impressed" by Wolves forward Matheus Cunha ahead of January

That is according to The Athletic, who write that Arsenal are open to improving their number nine options at the turn of the year, but are also wary of paying over the odds.

The credible news outlet also points out that Wolves forward Matheus Cunha is on their agenda, and the Gunners are said to be real admirers of his. Cunha – who’s featured as an attacking-midfielder, centre-forward, second-striker and a winger – is highly versatile and could plug multiple gaps in Arteta’s squad at once.

Arsenal chiefs are “impressed” by Cunha ahead of January, but they’ll face a big roadblock in the form of Wolves, who are unlikely to entertain selling their star Brazilian in the midst of a looming relegation battle.

That being said, Arteta would have a golden chance to sign the £44 million ace if Wolves do end up going down.

Leicester City's 15-year-old debutant Jeremy Monga had to wear blank shirt against Newcastle to abide by Premier League regulations.

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Monga was introduced in the 74th minuteBecame the second-youngest player to play in the PLSurprisingly had no sponsor on his shirtFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

At just 15 years and 271 days old, Monga came off the bench during Leicester’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium on Monday night, becoming the second-youngest player ever to feature in a Premier League fixture. Only Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri, who debuted at 15 years and 181 days in 2022, was younger when he made his first appearance. Yet what caught the eye immediately was not only Monga's age but the blank shirt he wore – free of a sponsor logo – due to a specific Premier League rule tied to gambling advertisements.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Leicester's official kit sponsor, BC.GAME, is an online cryptocurrency-based gambling platform. Under the terms of a review of the Gambling Act 2005, which the Premier League abides by, no player under the age of 18 is allowed to wear a jersey displaying any gambling-related sponsor. As a result, Monga was handed a sponsorless shirt when he entered the field in the 74th minute against Newcastle, in full compliance with the regulations.

WHAT VAN NISTELROOY SAID

This season, Monga has been a regular presence in Leicester's youth setup, making appearances for both the Under-18 and Under-23 squads. He also featured three times in the Football League Trophy, further showcasing his potential against senior opposition. Additionally, he was part of the senior squad for the FA Cup clash against Manchester United in February, though he did not get any minutes on the pitch.

Despite the heavy defeat to Newcastle, Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy had encouraging words about his young winger's performance as he told reporters: "You could see glimpses of his great qualities. He's a great winger and has speed. He's a fantastic talent, a great boy. He deserved these minutes and hopefully, more to come."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LEICESTER?

While Monga’s debut offered a rare bright spot, Leicester’s wider predicament remains bleak. Monday’s loss was their eighth consecutive league defeat – all without scoring a single goal. The result leaves them second from bottom in the Premier League table, 15 points adrift of safety with only seven matches left to play. Their next fixture sees them travel to Brighton on Saturday, where they will hope to end their scoring drought and breathe some life into a rapidly fading survival bid.

Increasing numbers of top-level players are considering becoming T20 pros. The weak national economy and CSA’s transformation policy only provide them with added incentive

Firdose Moonda20-Jul-2016It is the year 2020. Kagiso Rabada has played for Sydney Sixers, Delhi Daredevils and Jamaica Tallawahs and is deciding between a return to Kent or making himself available for South Africa for a Test match. Rabada has not played for his country since 2018, in the World T20. He sat out 2019 because he chose the Pakistan Super League instead.You’ve heard these kinds of scenarios before, and perhaps you’ve even started to believe they will come to exist, especially if you are a follower of South African cricket.Why them in particular?With some of the most celebrated names in the game – think AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn – and a team that has until recently occupied top spot in Test cricket and hovered around there in ODIs, their players are in demand in T20 leagues and at home, and they increasingly have reasons to favour the former.While T20 leagues offer US dollar income and freedom from politics, playing for South Africa means being paid in declining rands, and a responsibility to nation-building, which involves buying into CSA’s aggressive transformation policy. The word from some former players is that the more valuable currency and the gigs with less baggage are likely to win out, despite the fierce loyalties bred through the South African school system that make players second-guess themselves.One former player told ESPNcricinfo that money will be “80%” to blame for the exodus. International player body FICA’s 2016 report painted a financial picture that showed the disparity that exists between centrally contracted national players and T20 mercenaries everywhere except in England and Australia (and presumably India, but their players do not have a union and so are not included in FICA reviews). A player who is part of three domestic T20 leagues a year takes home an average of $510,000. Cricket South Africa ($346,494), Sri Lanka Cricket ($234,500), New Zealand Cricket ($231,000), the West Indies Cricket Board ($225,625) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board ($67,935) all pay their players much less.For South Africans, whose currency has devalued 30% against the US dollar in the last 12 months, the monetary lure of earning foreign currency is too good to turn down. In a column for magazine in February, former Test opener Alviro Petersen he predicted that South Africa could lose their best players in 18-24 months.

South African cricket could end up being held to ransom by its headliners, and the cricket economy is such that there is little anyone can do to stop that

At the time Petersen used himself as an example. He was denied a no-objection certificate to play in the Masters Champions League because his South African franchise, Lions, wanted him to honour his contract with them. Petersen underlined what that cost him. “I could have earned what the Lions pay me in a year for just two and a half weeks at the MCL,” he wrote. “We might see some players decide to play Big Bash rather than play a Test series in December. This is reality! Watch this space…”As it turns out, several sources have confirmed two of South Africa’s top bowlers are considering exactly that. The Big Bash coincides with South Africa’s home series against Sri Lanka and there is an expectation of high-profile retirements from international cricket ahead of that.Money, though, will not be those players’ only reason for going. It is fast becoming an open secret in South Africa that the implementation of the transformation policy, which CSA is vehemently adhering to in a bid to have its ministerial ban against hosting major tournaments lifted, is causing players to question their commitment. Several players and administrators confirmed that the uncertainty around the application of the policy is causing concern (though none was willing to speak on the record about an issue that is sensitive and controversial and has cost people jobs).CSA maintains that there is no target at national level but has signed a memorandum of understanding with the sports ministry that requires it to field, at domestic level, teams that contain six players of colour, of which at least three must be black African. This has presented franchises and provincial teams with conundrums over the balance of their sides, but many coaches feel they are starting to settle into the new structure. However, at national level it gets more complicated, and a number of centrally contracted players are understood to be looking for options abroad because they feel they are being marginalised by the targets.Even for the rest, playing cricket for the national side is losing its appeal. FICA’s CEO, Tony Irish, told ESPNcricinfo that bilateral international cricket as a product, and as an experience for players, is struggling because players want “big crowds, close contests and matches that have context and sporting narrative”. T20 leagues offer all of those things and in a shorter time frame than international cricket, which is a factor, especially for players who have families, as Irish points out.That is where many of South Africa’s stars find themselves at the moment, with young children and partners who spend months living out of suitcases, and it has taken its toll on their performance. National coach Russell Domingo cited overwork as the main reason the team was unable to qualify for the final of the Caribbean triangular series this June. By the time they got there, some of them had come through their busiest summer season in recent memory, which included eight Tests, a World T20 and an IPL. Others then went straight from the West Indies tour into the CPL, and they will go from that into Tests against New Zealand and ODIs against Australia at home.South Africa’s packed schedule, coupled with a context-less international fixtures programme, is prompting players to consider pulling out of certain series to play T20 franchise cricket instead•Associated PressThe Australia fixtures, in particular, are an example of the kinds of matches that lack context. It is not too difficult to imagine players pulling out of that and other limited-overs series unless they can be persuaded to play on.That has already happened with Morne Morkel, who is understood to have been seriously considering retiring from limited-overs cricket after being left out of the World T20 squad. He was even due to play for Glamorgan over the South African winter. But he was included in the national squad to the West Indies – where he was only included in two out of six starting XIs – and convinced not to call it a day.Morkel is not the only one. Last season was dominated by reports of de Villiers pondering early retirement. De Villiers admitted there was “a little bit of truth” to the talk and spent several press conferences discussing the need for a more flexible schedule. In fact, he only recommitted fully to South African cricket after he was made permanent Test captain at the end of the England Test series.Several other former players saw that as a dangerous sign that some players are becoming too powerful. “These players know the system needs them and they know they can use that to their advantage. They can make threats about wanting to walk away, so in the end they get what they want,” one said.In effect, South African cricket could end up being held to ransom by its headliners, and the cricket economy is such that there is little anyone can do to stop that.The South African Cricketers’ Association remains of the view that “international cricket should still be the pinnacle for players”, but tempers that with a cautionary clause. “This needs to be balanced against also giving players some freedom to participate in vibrant T20 Leagues.”Irish feels that South African players have, up to now, been “pretty loyal to the country cause” but that “one can’t expect the best players in the world – and again this applies in all countries – to blindly commit to the country loyalty when there are more and more games without context and more and more one-sided matches played in half-empty stadia, when in the other market it’s the opposite.” He, along with his FICA colleagues, is pushing for a restructure of bilateral international cricket.Until that happens, South Africa’s administrators will have to continue to find ways to be flexible. They have already showed some signs that they are, at all levels. Dale Steyn was given an NOC to play in the NatWest T20 Blast during South African’s West Indies tour, though the official line was that he was supposed to be resting. In the women’s game Dane van Niekerk, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp and Lizelle Lee will miss South Africa’s tour of Ireland because they were given permission to play in England’s Super League T20. CSA has recognised that for players to commit to a low-paying national cause, they have to be allowed to capitalise elsewhere, but they may also be hoping that international cricket realises the need to move towards a more football-like model before the players move it there themselves.

In a game of fine margins, isn’t it wrong to assume that a delivery delivered from 21.8 yards would yield the same result as one delivered from 22.2 yards?

Rodney Ulyate26-Aug-2015Steven Finn draws an edge from Steven Smith, but turns out to have overstepped the mark. Cue several minutes’ angst in the Sky commentary box about ill-disciplined bowlers and umpires who don’t bother checking for no-balls anymore. If Finn’s heel had been behind the line, rather than eight yards over it, he would finally have had a wicket to his name, and England would be right back in the contest. So, at any rate, goes the unspoken assumption.But let’s try something that isn’t often tried in the Sky commentary box: let’s try thinking about this for a moment. If Finn’s delivery had been legal, it would not have pitched where it did – probably would have been several inches shorter – for the simple reason that Finn would have delivered it from a few inches further back. It would likely also have been straighter, given the angle of the delivery. And slower! It takes less time to travel 21-and-a-bit yards than the licit 22.Smith, in other words, would have been facing an entirely different delivery. Is there any justification for assuming (as everyone does) that he would have nicked that one, too? I don’t think there is. Belike he would have whopped it to the fence.The difference between a foot fault and a legitimate ball is roughly equivalent to the difference between an outside edge and a play-and-miss, or an outside edge and one of those bat-shimmying miscues so beloved of the slow-motion montages, which is to say that it makes all the difference in the world.Could we please stop being stupid about this now?If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line.

Despite all the chaos of the previous two seasons at Chelsea, things are actually going remarkably well for the Blues right now.

Following Sunday’s 3-0 demolition of Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, they’re currently third in the Premier League, below Arsenal by virtue of alphabetical order only, considering the two London rivals have an identical number of points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head record.

Enzo Maresca has given minutes to 30 different players this season, second only to Southampton across all competitions, rotating his squad heavily for EFL Cup and UEFA Conference League fixtures, keeping star players fresh for Premier League commitments.

Chelsea's plethora of attacking options

Going forward in particular is where Maresca has an abundance of options at his disposal.

The form of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson means they are undroppable, but countless combinations featuring Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk or Joao Felix have completed the attacking quartet in the Premier League so far.

Madueke appeared to be the first-choice on the right wing, starting 11 successive Premier League fixtures, a sequence that began in August when he bagged this hat-trick at Molineux, before being benched at the weekend.

Meantime, Neto’s Chelsea career appeared ready for take-off when he scored an absolute rocket from distance against Arsenal, his first league goal for the club, but a knock suffered on international duty has hindered his progress.

That’s not even mentioning Christopher Nkunku, who hasn’t started in the league since the opening day, despite scoring in all six European fixtures so far, on target 11 times across all competitions, but he still can’t get much of a look in.

Having said all of that, by next summer, there will be a new kid on the block, with Chelsea having already got their hands on a teenage sensation.

Chelsea's Brazilian superstar

Back in June, Chelsea announced the signing of Estêvão Willian, describing him as “one of the most exciting talents around”.

Chelsea summer signing Estevao

He’ll join from reigning Brasileirão champions Palmeiras, costing a reported fee of £29 million, arriving in the summer of 2025 following his 18th birthday, potentially in time for the ill-fated FIFA Club World Cup.

Upon arrival, the teenager will surely become the 15th Brazilian to make a senior appearance for Chelsea.

Some, such as Thiago Silva, Willian, Oscar, Ramires and David Luiz, were ultra-successful; others, looking at you Alexandre Pato and Lucas Piazón, not so much.

Estêvão certainly has the talent to fall into the former category, described as “the best player to have emerged from Brazilian football since Neymar” by João Paulo Sampaio, head of Palmeiras’ academy, adding “you watch him and you fall in love”.

Scout Jacek Kulig on Twitter compared Estêvão’s stats after 28 Brasileirão appearances to both Neymar and Vinícius Júnior stating “I’m not suggesting that Estêvão will surpass Vini or Neymar, but the way he’s started his senior career is absolutely crazy”.

Across all competitions, the teenager has 14 goals in 44 appearances for the Verdão, as well as providing ten assists, most recently the only scorer during a victory over Grêmio in early November.

According to FBref’s scouting report, Estêvão ranks extremely highly for all the key attacking metrics compared to positionally similar players in comparable leagues.

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He is in the top 10% for shots, assists, shot-creating actions, progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches and progressive passes, which isn’t bad for a 17-year-old.

Of course, he is plying his trade at a lower level and, a tale of caution, his former teammate Luis Guilherme, a year older, arrived at West Ham to similar fanfare for a fee of £25m last summer, but he is yet to make any discernible impact in East London, appearing only twice for a total of 11 minutes to date.

So, Chelsea unquestionably have a serious talent on their hands, but patience will be required and it may take time before we see the best of Estêvão in a blue shirt.

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