Júnior Santos retornou ao Botafogo no começo deste ano após não receber muitas oportunidades no Fortaleza. O atacante vem sendo muito utilizado por Luís Castro nesta temporada e conseguiu alcançar uma marca expressiva no Brasileirão.
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O camisa 27 lidera o ranking de dribles do campeonato. O jogador utilizou este fundamento 24 vezes ao longo das dez primeiras rodadas. O segundo colocado é Dudu, do Palmeiras. A informação foi divulgada pelo perfil “Footstats”.
+ Enner Valencia chega ao Inter: veja jogadores que disputam o Brasileirão e já estiveram na Copa do Mundo
+ Com projetos e polêmicas fora de campo, bastidores do Botafogo ficam agitados durante Data Fifa
Júnior Santos atua aberto pelo lado direito e é um dos responsáveis por construir jogadas em velocidade. O atacante é bem quisto por Luís Castro e tem respaldo da diretoria alvinegra para continuar se desenvolvendo no clube.
O Glorioso entra em campo na próxima quinta-feira (22), diante do Cuiabá, às 20h, na Arena Pantanal, em partida válida pelo Brasileirão. A equipe alvinegra busca uma vitória fora de casa para se manter na liderança isolada da competição.
The ban on using saliva to polish the ball was first put into place by the ICC during the Covid-19 pandemic
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-20253:54
Should saliva be allowed again to polish the ball?
Mohammed Shami has urged the ICC to rescind the ban on using saliva to shine the ball, in a bid to bring the art of reverse swing back into play.”We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed,” Shami told reporters after India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final. “We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting.”The ban on using saliva to polish the ball was first put into place in May 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, as a temporary measure. Then, in September 2022, the ICC made the ban permanent.Related
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Shami has urged the ICC to reconsider their decision now. He has also got the backing of two former international bowlers in Vernon Philander and Tim Southee, who feel reverse swing is definitely missing in the game, especially on batter-friendly surfaces.”That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage,” Southee said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day. “We see the game going the way it’s going and seeing sides score 362 and more often than not over 300 in this format. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers’ favour, and whether that’s a little bit of saliva, then yeah, I don’t see why they couldn’t afford to get that back in.”Philander felt that the use of saliva and reverse swing could have come in handy for South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand, particularly in the later half of the innings. New Zealand amassed 362 for 6 in their 50 overs.1:49
How Shami got his confidence back after a long injury layoff
“If we look at the state of that ball, I mean towards the back end, it was really scuffed up, and I think had you used the saliva [to polish one side of the ball], the element of the reverse swing might have come into play,” Philander said. “So it certainly does play a part. You can get it to shine up and you use the elements to swing it a little longer.”I’d like to see that element being brought back into the game because I think it’s needed as well. I mean, especially in ODI cricket where we see batters really dominating, especially when you play on surfaces like we’ve just seen in Pakistan as well where it’s really batter friendly.”Southee felt that the use of saliva to polish one side of the ball and induce reverse swing makes even more of a difference in red-ball cricket than in white-ball.”I think the ball only swings initially for a few overs [in white-ball cricket]. But with the red ball, you are able to bring it back and obviously sweat can be limited at times in various parts of the world, whereas saliva you’re able to obviously have access to it from a number of sources and in all parts of the world,” he said. “I think there is an advantage to having saliva on the ball, probably more so in red-ball cricket than white-ball cricket.”Are there any other advantages of using saliva to polish the ball instead of sweat?”With the South African team, we were always trying to keep the ball as dry as possible,” Philander said. “The minute you start erring on the side of sweat, I think you start wetting both sides of the ball. Your hands get sweaty, especially when you play in hot, humid conditions.”Saliva was definitely the preferred method of shining the ball. In the longer run in the scheme of things, I’d like to see that being brought back. As far as sweat is concerned, I do feel that it’s difficult to control the amount of sweat you put on the ball, [especially when] you start sweating obviously heavily.”
The additions of Nico Woltemade, Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw, Anthony Elanga, and Aaron Ramsdale all signify ambition and squad strengthening.
Yet, balancing PSR compliance with retaining homegrown or academy-developed talent still remains a challenge.
Unlike the early days of the PIF takeover, when huge sums were spent without the need to sell players, Newcastle must now closely adhere to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR).
Players who might have stayed for development or depth are sold for compliance, while in the Ashley era, sales were primarily profit-driven.
These different approaches mean that Newcastle have let some talented players slip through the net – some of whom have gone on to flourish elsewhere.
This tension between compliance and talent retention was evident with Elliot Anderson, and it’s echoed in the story of another Premier League star.
Both illustrate how Newcastle’s policies can inadvertently push talent towards rival clubs, where they thrive in ways they may not have done at St James’ Park.
One of their own: Elliot Anderson
Anderson’s exit to Nottingham Forest in 2024 was emblematic of Newcastle’s new realities.
The 22-year-old local talent came through the club’s junior ranks and had been earmarked as one for the future.
Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson.
His transfer, which saw goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos move in the opposite direction, was less about choice and more about balancing the books.
Jankuba Minteh was also reluctantly sold to Brighton, and in a mad dash to comply with regulations, potential moves for Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak were even considered.
Despite the circumstances, Anderson has thrived at Nottingham Forest.
At Forest, he made 37 league appearances last season, contributing two goals and six assists.
According to FBref, his statistical impact is impressive.
He ranked in the 88th percentile for assists per 90 (0.19), 77th for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.07), 89th for successful take-ons per 90 (1.18), 88th for tackles per 90 (3.07), and 87th for clearances per 90 (2.40).
Anderson’s performances were rewarded with his first England call-up, having previously represented Scotland at youth level, and he impressed in midfield against both Andorra and Serbia.
Newcastle may well regret the decision, not because the transfer was financially impractical, but because Anderson’s trajectory shows the club missed out on a homegrown talent that flourished once given first-team opportunities elsewhere.
That said, there’s another cautionary tale elsewhere.
Another cautionary tale for Newcastle
Matz Sels offers another example of Newcastle’s talent management challenges.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper joined Newcastle from Gent in 2016 but only made 14 appearances, sitting behind Karl Darlow in the pecking order.
Matz Sels
A loan to Anderlecht followed, before a permanent departure to Strasbourg in 2018.
After years abroad, Sels returned to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest in 2024, in a deal worth approximately £5m.
There, he became one of the standout goalkeepers in England.
Playing every minute of Forest’s 38 Premier League matches, he helped the club secure European qualification.
Sels’ consistency was rewarded with the Premier League Golden Glove – shared with Arsenal’s David Raya – after 13 clean sheets.
He also earned Forest’s Player of the Month award in February and was instrumental in a defensively resolute back four alongside Neco Williams, Nikola Milenković, Murillo, and Ola Aina.
As journalist Louis Wheeldon put it, Sels was the “best in the league” last season – a remarkable turnaround for a goalkeeper once considered peripheral at St James’ Park.
Clean Sheets – 2024/25
Goalkeeper
Clean-sheets
Conceded
Matz Sels
13
46
David Raya
13
34
Jordan Pickford
12
44
Dean Henderson
11
51
Ederson
10
26
Robert Sanchez
10
34
Source: Statmuse
Statistically, Sels’ 2024/25 season was exceptional.
He ranked in the 78th percentile compared to his peers for save percentage (74.6%) and 67th percentile for clean sheet percentage (31.6%).
While traditionally a more classic, less ball-playing keeper, Sels’ shot-stopping and command of his area proved crucial in Forest’s defensive resilience.
Sels’ story, alongside Anderson’s, illustrates how Newcastle’s prior focus on sales for non-footballing reasons has allowed talent to slip through the net.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
While PSR regulations now necessitate tough choices, these examples serve as a reminder that careful talent management is crucial.
Players like Anderson and Sels, who might have been peripheral at St James’ Park, have flourished when trusted with regular first-team football.
Anderson’s midfield dynamism and Sels’ goalkeeping excellence are now key to Forest’s resurgence, emphasising that talent retention should not only be measured in financial terms but also in footballing impact.
As Newcastle continues to invest in a youthful, high-potential squad, the club must navigate the fine line between compliance and opportunity.
The lesson for Newcastle is clear: fostering talent within the club may offer rewards that outstrip immediate financial gain.
Failing to do so could mean more players slipping through the net and flourishing elsewhere.
Newcastle may regret losing £30m gem who's now playing like Isak & Ekitike
Newcastle may have already sold one answer to their centre-forward issues…
RCB were sloppy on the field, but the bowlers put in a good shift; only two of the six used went at over nine an over
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2025
Yashasvi Jaiswal muscles a celebration upon reaching a 35-ball fifty•BCCI
Yashasvi Jaiswal made 75 off 47 balls to carry Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a total of 173 for 4 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first game of IPL 2025 in Jaipur.Jaiswal was able to score so quickly on a slow pitch because he had shots all around the wicket and didn’t always look for the right ball to play them. His first boundary was a prime example of this when he turned a back of a length delivery into something else by charging at Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He made good of his match-up against spin – he averages 169.5 against it since IPL 2023 with a strike rate of 148 – because he was willing to indulge in shots like the reverse sweep and the lap sweep.Just before he was dismissed, Jaiswal played the shot of the day, a scoop off Josh Hazlewood even though the bowler went wide of off stump to deny the leg side to him. While all this was happening, the batters at the other end – try as they might – could only score 47 runs in 49 balls.Sanju Samson had a difficult return to a ground where he’s had a lot of recent success. Three of his last six innings in Jaipur have been half-centuries. This one though was a struggle. He was on 5 off 11 before falling for 15 off 19.RR’s lack of batting depth might be compelling them to be a little more cautious than ideal in T20 cricket and the innings was fizzling out.Dhruv Jurel was 2 off 8 but he rallied alongside Shimron Hetmyer and Nitish Rana to help his team score 47 runs in the last four overs to take them up to 173, which is just shy of the average first-innings score (180) at Sawai Mansingh stadium over the last two years in the IPL.RCB put in a good shift with the ball, only two of the six they used went at over nine an over. Krunal Pandya got through the day with a wicket and an economy rate of just 7.25.
يخوض النادي الأهلي، مباراة قوية ضد نظيره الاتحاد السكندري، مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
الأهلي يلاقي الاتحاد السكندري، في إطار الجولة الحادية عشر، من مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري للموسم الحالي 2025-2026.
طالع | توروب يعلن تشكيل الأهلي أمام الاتحاد السكندري.. جراديشار يقود الهجوم موعد مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري اليوم في الدوري المصري
وتقام مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري، في تمام الساعة 5 مساءً من اليوم الأربعاء 22 أكتوبر الجاري، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.
ويحتل النادي الأهلي، المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 18 نقطة، بعد خوض 9 مباريات، فاز في 5 وتعادل في 3 وخسر في لقاء.
طالع | حكم مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري في الدوري المصري
بينما فريق الاتحاد السكندري، يتواجد في المركز السابع عشر بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 8 نقاط.
ومن خلال التدريبات الختامية للمدرب الدنماركي ييس توروب، وضحت ملامح التشكيل الذي يخوض به الفريق مباراة الاتحاد السكندري.
ويشهد التشكيل، تواجد المهاجم السلوفيني نيجك جراديشار في قيادة الهجوم بسبب غياب محمد شريف للإصابة، ويتواجد القوة الضاربة في خط الوسط بقيادة محمود حسن تريزيجيه ومعه أحمد سيد زيزو وأشرف بن شرقي ومحمد علي بن رمضان. تشكيل الأهلي المتوقع أمام الاتحاد السكندري في الدوري
حراسة المرمى: محمد الشناوي.
خط الدفاع: محمد هاني، ياسر إبراهيم، ياسين مرعي وأحمد نبيل كوكا.
خط الوسط: مروان عطية، محمد على بن رمضان، أشرف بن شرقي، محمود حسن تريزيجيه وأحمد سيد زيزو.
Fluminense e Flamengo ficaram no empate em 0 a 0, em partida válida pela 15ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, no Maracanã. O jogo ficou marcado por diversas polêmicas de arbitragem, incluindo possíveis penalidades para ambas as equipes, além de gols anulados pelo VAR para os dois lados e mais de dez cartões amarelos.
Com o resultado, Flamengo e Fluminense se mantém no grupo de classificação para a Libertadores. O Rubro-Negro se manteve na vice-liderança, com 27 pontos, mas viu o Botafogo disparar de vez e abrir 12 de vantagem. O Tricolor, por sua vez, perdeu uma posição e caiu para quinto, com 25.
+ Veja a tabela completa do Campeonato Brasileiro
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CINCO LANCES QUE MARCARAM A PARTIDA
> CLÁSSICO É RIVALIDADE! O jogo começou bastante pegado no Maracanã, com muitas faltas e alguns cartões. Primeiro, Felipe Melo e Ganso foram advertidos e, depois, foi a vez de Everton Ribeiro. Ao todo, foram seis advertências na primeira etapa, sendo cinco para o Fluminense.
> ERROS NA SAÍDA! Tanto Flamengo quanto Fluminense gostam de sair jogando desde a defesa, mas isso causou sustos para ambos. O chutão, quando em perigo, também precisa ser bem-vindo.
> POLÊMICA! O Fluminense marcou um belo gol em contra-ataque fulminante com Jhon Arias, tocando no cantinho de Matheus Cunha, mas a jogada foi anulada pelo VAR. Depois da análise, Sávio Pereira Sampaio marcou falta em Everton Cebolinha. Difícil entender a arbitragem brasileira.
> MAIS UM GOL ANULADO! Foi a vez do Flamengo reclamar, por ter balançado as redes e ter o tento impugnado pelo VAR. Sávio Pereira Sampaio enxergou falta de Pablo na origem da jogada do gol de Gabigol.
> TEVE ATÉ EXPULSÃO! Depois dos gols anulados, o jogo ganhou contornos ainda mais quente, e o árbitro precisou sacar o cartão vermelho. Foi para Luiz Araújo, do Flamengo, em falta duríssima que tirou Marcelo da partida.
Como foi o primeiro tempo?
Apesar de franca, a etapa inicial foi marcada muito mais pelo jogo pegado entre as equipes do que por boas oportunidades. O Flamengo até chegou, com Wesley, Gerson e Gabi, enquanto o Fluminense teve chance com Germán Cano, mas foi só. Ao todo, foram sete cartões amarelos, sendo seis para os tricolores.
E a etapa final?
O segundo tempo seguiu a toada do primeiro e foi muito pegado, mas as equipes se lançaram ao ataque e tiveram mais oportunidades de marcar. Tanto Fluminense, quanto Flamengo, tiveram tentos anulados pela arbitragem por faltas na origem do lance. No fim, reclamações para os dois lados e empate sem gols.
+ Confira mais detalhes sobre a partida
O que vem por aí?
Agora, as duas equipes ficarão com a semana livre para treinar e focar no próximo desafio pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. O Flamengo enfrenta o América-MG, no sábado (22), às 16h (de Brasília), no Maracanã, enquanto o Fluminense encara o Coritiba na segunda-feira (24), fora de casa.
FICHA TÉCNICA Campeonato Brasileiro 2023 – 15ª rodada Fluminense 0 x 0 Flamengo
Data e hora:16 de julho de 2023, às 16h (de Brasília) Local:Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ) Árbitro:Savio Pereira Sampaio (Fifa/DF) Assistentes: Rafael da Silva Alves (Fifa/RS) e Leone Carvalho Rocha (GO) VAR:Wagner Reway (Fifa/PB) Público e renda: 62.354 presentes R$ 3.593.120,50 de renda
Cartões amarelos: Felipe Melo, André, Germán Cano, Pedro Rangel, Lima, John Kennedy e Paulo Henrique Ganso (FLU); Everton Ribeiro, André, Gabigol, Filipe Luís e Thiago Maia (FLA) Cartões vermelhos: Luiz Araújo (FLA)
GOLS: –
FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Fernando Diniz) Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Nino, Felipe Melo (John Kennedy, aos 52′ do 2ºT) e Marcelo (Felipe Andrade, aos 50′ do 2ºT); André, Martinelli (Lelê, no intervalo), Lima e Paulo Henrique Ganso (Leo Fernández, aos 25′ do 2ºT); Arias e Cano.
FLAMENGO (Técnico: Jorge Sampaoli) Matheus Cunha; Wesley, David Luiz (Pablo, aos 34′ do 2ºT), Léo Pereira e Filipe Luís; Thiago Maia (Luiz Araújo, aos 20′ do 2ºT), Gerson, Arrascaeta (André, aos 34′ do 2ºT) e Everton Ribeiro; Cebolinha (Allan, aos 20′ do 2ºT) e Gabi
يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة لاستكمال مشواره في الموسم الحالي 2025/2026 بمواجهة نظيره أولمبياكوس ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.
وكان برشلونة قد واجه جيرونا مساء أمس، السبت، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”.
وتمكن رجال فليك من تحقيق فوز قاتل على جيرونا بثنائية مقابل هدف في المباراة التي جمعتهما على ملعب “مونتجويك”.
اقرأ أيضًا | كراوتش: محمد صلاح تأثر كثيرًا برحيل لاعب ليفربول.. وليس عليه القتال
بتلك النتيجة، احتل برشلونة صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بشكل مؤقت برصيد 22 نقطة بفارق نقطة عن ريال مدريد الذي يواجه خيتافي مساء اليوم، الأحد.
ويواجه برشلونة نظيره أولمبياكوس الثلاثاء المقبل الموافق 21 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري في تمام الساعة الثامنة إلا ربع بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.
ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة برشلونة والفريق اليوناني ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا. حكم مباراة برشلونة وأولمبياكوس في دوري أبطال أوروبا
وأسند الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم مباراة برشلونة وأولمبياكوس إلى طاقم تحكيم سويسري بإدارة أورس شنايدر حكمًا للساحة، فيما عُين الكرواتي ايفان بيبيك حكمًا لتقنية الفيديو.
CSA on Klaasen: “Discussions regarding his future are ongoing and a final decision will be made in due course”
Firdose Moonda07-Apr-2025
Heinrich Klaasen’s international future is uncertain•Associated Press
Heinrich Klaasen’s international playing future could be over after he was not named in Cricket South Africa’s 18-player central contract list. Klaasen, who retired from Test cricket in January 2024, was on a white-ball only contract in the previous cycle and is understood to be prioritising his T20 league future. CSA said in a statement that “discussions regarding his future are ongoing and a final decision will be made in due course.”David Miller, who was also on a white-ball only deal last year and Rassie van der Dussen accepted hybrid contracts which will allow them to “participate in specific agreed-upon bilateral tours and ICC events.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Both Klaasen and Miller are contracted to teams in the Hundred which will clash with South Africa’s white-ball tour to Australia that runs from August 10 to 24.The 18-player contract list included Lizaad Williams, who has been out of action after undergoing knee surgery this year, allrounder Senuran Muthusamy and 18-year-old left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka for the first time.David Bedingham, Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne, who were given what CSA called ‘contract upgrades” (in other words added to the central contract list midway through the season) were all retained, as was Nandre Burger though he hasn’t played a match all season as he recovers from a stress fracture.Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo were the only two players other than Klaasen who lost their deals. Tabraiz Shamsi, who opted out of his central contract last October, and Anrich Nortje, who did not sign a deal when the last contracts were drawn up, remained off the list.The contracted group included Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma and T20I skipper Aiden Markram along with all of the first-choice pace attack. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj were all on the list (but Test seamer Dane Paterson is not) alongside regular Test batters Tony de Zorzi, and David Bedingham. All-format batters Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton were also included with the playing group providing a clear indication of who South Africa will call on for the World Test Championship final (WTC) in June, as well as next year’s T20 World Cup, as they build towards the home ODI World Cup in 2027.”All of these players have been contracted with the importance of the next World Test Championship cycle and the 2027 Cricket World Cup on home soil in mind,” Enoch Nkwe, Director of National Teams and High Performance said. “The hybrid contracts take into consideration the dynamic nature of modern-day cricket and will provide David and Rassie with the opportunity to contribute to the team during specific bilateral tours and ICC events. An exciting season awaits as we compete for the WTC mace and look to take one step further in next year’s T20 World Cup.”South Africa last played international cricket at the Champions Trophy semi-final, which they lost to New Zealand, and will next play at the WTC final before beginning a lengthy program away from home. They will play Tests and a T20I series in Zimbabwe in July, white-ball matches in Australia and England, Tests in Pakistan and will close out the year with an all-format tour of India. They will also be under a new coach in white-ball cricket after Rob Walter resigned last week.Current Test coach Shukri Conrad is the frontrunner to take over. It was under Conrad that Klaasen retired from Tests after Conrad had initially picked him over Verreynne, then went back to Verreynne and hoped Klaasen would play on some of the slower surfaces later in the cycle. Klaasen’s retirement changed those plans.SA men’s contract listTemba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad WilliamsHybrid contracts: David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen
Leeds United have had to recover quickly in recent times when notable players have exited Elland Road.
Last summer, after heartbreakingly losing the Championship playoff final, the eventual promotion winners had to wave goodbye – through gritted teeth – to both Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville as Premier League moves awaited the entertaining duo.
Not even the added security of being in the elite division has saved Leeds from having to part ways with some star assets, however, with Kalvin Phillips leaving his boyhood club behind for Manchester City in the summer of 2022.
Unfortunately, the one-time £40m buy has struggled ever since leaving West Yorkshire behind, but there might well be some green shoots appearing at the Etihad now for the forgotten midfielder…
Phillips' turbulent stay at City
Amazingly, despite last featuring for Pep Guardiola’s men way back in October of 2023, Phillips could now have been gifted a chance at redemption.
Indeed, it has emerged that the Leeds-born midfielder has now been included in City’s Premier League squad for the rest of the 2025/26 season, having presumably impressed in flashes out on loan at Ipswich Town last campaign.
It was far from a standout loan experience for the 29-year-old, but he did hammer home this effort at Portman Road during his 22-game stay to be remembered somewhat fondly, away from also winning 3.5 duels on average across his 17 Premier League outings in Suffolk, as per Sofascore.
While Guardiola’s surprise inclusion of Phillips will give the 31-time England international some hope that he can rewrite his City narrative, it’s far from being conclusive proof that he will start plenty of City games moving forward, having only ever completed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League for his current employers a meagre two times.
Phillips will just have to hope his ordeal in Manchester doesn’t get any bleaker, with a worry now that this other ex-Leeds ace is experiencing a similar fall from grace to that of the 29-year-old, as his first-team minutes also continue to be minimal in the tough division.
The ex-Leeds star in danger of being the next Phillips
Thankfully, for both the aforementioned Rutter and Summerville, they have taken to the pressures of the Premier League a lot more steadily than Phillips.
Rutter is already up to eight goals and five assists for his new employers Brighton and Hove Albion, whilst his Dutch counterpart has also managed to successfully battle back from injury difficulties at West Ham United to collect two assists during the infancy of the new season.
On the contrary, former Leeds homegrown product Archie Gray has found the leap from the EFL to the Premier League to be a daunting one, having moved to Tottenham Hotspur just last summer after a whirlwind ascent into the Whites’ first-team spotlight.
Daniel Farke, who still occupies the Elland Road dug-out, would be the first manager to get a tune out of the adaptable 19-year-old in the senior ranks, with Gray previously being branded as a “very intelligent” talent by ex-Leeds great Marcelo Bielsa when he was just 15 years of age.
He would be showered with further elaborate praise after making a name for himself in the first team at his boyhood club, as seen in Sky Sports’ Andy Hinchcliffe heralding the teenage sensation as “extraordinary” during his breakout 2023/24 season, which saw him make 52 appearances in total.
Missing out on promotion that same season, then saw Premier League clubs unsurprisingly line up for his coveted services, with the £30m eventually forked out by Spurs to land Gray not looking like a rash amount to spend, either, considering analyst Ben Mattinson was wildly suggesting that the 19-year-old could go on to be a “future £100m” asset.
Gray’s PL numbers at Spurs
Stat
Gray
Games played
29
Games started
20
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Stats by the Premier League
At the moment, Mattinson’s praise hasn’t been backed up by Gray’s performances in North London, with new Spurs boss Thomas Frank only handing him one league start so far this season, having started 19 league contests under Ange Postecoglou. He wasn’t even named as a substitute for Spurs’ big 3-0 win over West Ham United, either.
It does feel now that Gray jumped ship from Leeds to pastures new in the Premier League a bit prematurely – especially as Farke’s men are now competing alongside Spurs – with an additional worry that the teenager is already being swallowed whole by the pressures of his top-flight environment, in a similar way to Phillips.
Gray will hope he can live up to his previous high praise down the line, but if his minutes continue to deplete, he might well just be viewed as another forgotten figure of Leeds’ past that struggled to cut it in the big time.
£2.5m Leeds player now house-hunting to seal permanent Elland Road exit
The Whites appear set to swiftly offload the man in question.
O técnico Abel Ferreira não comandará o Palmeiras nos dois próximos jogos do Verdão. O treinador está suspenso e não poderá estar com o restante da delegação nos jogos contra o Athletico-PR, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, e São Paulo, pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. Com isso, Abel só voltará à beira do gramado no duelo diante do Flamengo, no próximo sábado (8), no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão.
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+ Abel Ferreira deixa aberta a possibilidade de poupar titulares do Palmeiras contra o Athletico-PR
Na partida contra o Furacão, neste domingo (2), o técnico irá cumprir a punição de um jogo de suspensão determinada pelo STJD pelo episódio em que Abel tomou o celular da mão de um repórter na zona mista do Mineirão após o empate com o Atlético-MG. O Palmeiras não deve recorrer da decisão.
Diante do Tricolor, na próxima quarta-feira (5), Abel Ferreira terá que cumprir suspensão devido à expulsão no jogo contra o Fortaleza, na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador, nas oitavas de final. Na ocasião, o treinador português havia recebido cartão amarelo no primeiro tempo por ter reclamado dos critérios da arbitragem, e na segunda etapa levou vermelho direto. A súmula alegou que Abel teria proferido xingamentos ao árbitro Savio Pereira Sampaio.
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Com as advertências recebidas contra o Leão do Pici, o técnico chegou a50 cartões desde que assumiu o comando do Palestra, em 2020. Ao total, Abel Ferreira soma 44 cartões amarelos e oito vermelhos, o que equivale a aproximadamente um cartão a cada quatro partidas (cerca de 26%) em que comandou a equipe alviverde.
+ Palmeiras ‘sobra’ entre os brasileiros na fase de grupos da Libertadores nos últimos seis anos
O auxiliar João Martins deve comandar o Palmeiras nos dois jogos em que o português cumprirá suspensão. Nas 20 partidas em que substituiu Abel, o Verdão somou 12 vitórias, sete empates e somente uma derrota.