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As most of their fans will openly attest, Everton have not always been the most shrewd of operators when it comes to the transfer market.

The Toffees have built up something of a reputation in recent years for spending significant sums of money on players who simply aren’t good enough, be that the £30m on Beto last year or the £27m they spent on Turkish forward Cenk Tosun in January 2018.

What made that second deal so much worse was that the fee paid likely came from the £47m profit they made on one of the club’s best sales, which, given how poorly Tosun turned out, was ultimately money wasted.

With that said, who was this star player who earned Everton so much money?

Everton's significant sales

So, before we get to the pricey player in question, let’s look at a couple of other significant sales Everton have made in recent years, starting with Amadou Onana.

The Belgian international joined the Toffees for around £33m in August 2022 and would go on to score four goals and provide three assists in 72 appearances in Blue.

However, while undeniably talented, the former LOSC Lille ace wasn’t undroppable under Dyche last season, starting just 23 Premier League games, so when Aston Villa came knocking with a £50m offer in the summer, selling him felt like a win for all involved.

Before the 23-year-old midfielder, the last player to be sold for £50m or more was Brazilian forward Richarlison, who joined Tottenham Hotspur for about £60m in July 2022, and unlike the Belgian, losing the former Watford dynamo was a far more significant blow.

For example, in his 152 appearances for the team, the 27-year-old marksman racked up a seriously impressive tally of 53 goals and 13 assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.30 games.

However, if we go back even further, back to the summer of 2017, we get to Everton’s record sale: Romelu Lukaku.

The sale of Romelu Lukaku

Yes, the star in question is none other than goalscoring extraordinaire Lukaku, who joined Everton under the guidance of Roberto Martinez for a then-club-record fee of around £28m in the summer of 2014 after impressing on loan the season prior.

During his time on Merseyside, the former Chelsea ace was utterly sensational. When you include his year on loan, the Belgian “phenomenon”, as Sky Sports presenter Dougie Critchley dubbed him, racked up an outrageous tally of 87 goals and 27 assists in just 166 games, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.45 games for a team outside the traditional ‘big six.’

Unsurprisingly, such incredible and sustained form led to interest from outside parties, and in the summer of 2017, Manchester United agreed to pay a staggering £75m for the then 24-year-old, and while the fans would have probably rather kept the player, £47m profit is hard to turn down.

In the years since, the 119-capped international has endured a career full of ups and downs, as while he’s won league titles in Italy, he failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford and utterly flopped following his £97.5m move back to Chelsea in 2021.

However, to his credit, the Antwerpen-born goal machine has been in fine form over the last two years, racking up 25 goals and assists in 47 appearances for AS Roma last season and already scoring three goals and providing five assists in eight appearances for Antonio Conte’s Napoli this year.

Ultimately, while he could have become a true Everton great had he stayed, the club did very well to make so much money off his sale in 2017, although the less said about the decision to then spend a good portion of that on Tosun a few months later the better.

Dyche may have found Everton's own Duran in "powerful" secret weapon

Everton may have their own super-sub ready to explode.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 27, 2024

They might still be without a win to their name in the Premier League, but Ipswich Town are fighting tooth and nail to avoid the drop.

Kieran McKenna’s men have only lost five games so far and have managed to draw the other five, which is made all the more impressive when you consider that they have already played Liverpool, Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.

However, with the second-worst defence in the league, if the Tractor Boys stay up this season, it’ll be largely down to their attacking stars, including one who’s won comparisons to one of the most exciting and expensive forwards in the league.

Ipswich's top goalscorers

Now, before we get to the attacking talent in question, let’s look at the club’s top goalscorers over the last two seasons, as it was largely thanks to their exploits that the Suffolk side is in the top flight today.

In the club’s first promotion campaign in 22/23, former Barnsley ace Conor Chaplin led the goalscoring charts, as he ended up with a ridiculous tally of 26 goals in 45 League One appearances.

That means the Worthing-born star averaged a goal every 1.73 games in the league, which probably helps to explain how the Tractor Boys went from midtable to automatic promotion within the space of a year.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the 27-year-old who once again topped the goalscoring charts for the club the following season, racking up 13 in 44 Championship games, although he had to share top-spot with Nathan Broadhead.

In fact, while the Welsh international scored just as many goals as the Englishman, he did it in just 38 games, meaning he ended the campaign with an average of a goal every 2.92 games to Chaplin’s 3.38.

It looks like Ipswich will have a new top scorer this season, someone who could become an incredibly valuable asset.

Ipswich's top scorer in 24/25

So, when it comes to the Ipswich attacker who could end up as the team’s top scorer this season, there is really only one answer, at least based on what we have already seen, and it’s Liam Delap.

The “incredible” marksman, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola of all people, has already scored five goals in ten league appearances for Mckenna’s side, and he’s looked every bit a top-flight centre-forward so far.

In fact, he’s even been compared to one of the most exciting up-and-coming strikers in the league, Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund.

The comparison stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues before creating a ten-man list of the most comparable players, and in this case, it considers the Danish international to be the sixth most similar centre-forward to the Englishman.

You can get a better understanding of where they are coming from by looking at the underlying numbers they flag as being the most similar between the two players, metrics such as but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and progressive passes received, goals per shot, goal-creating actions, attempted take-ons, carries, ball recoveries and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Away from the statistical side of things, you can also see their similarities in the way both players use their physical stature to help them get into or exploit goalscoring opportunities before rifling off a shot.

Ultimately, it’s not a bad comparison to have, as not only did the Dane score 16 goals in his first season of English football last year, but he also has a lofty valuation of €70m – £58m – from Fotmob.

So, if he’s worth that much now, there is no reason to think Delap couldn’t be worth as much, if not more, in the years to come, especially if he continues to score at the rate he is now.

Ipswich flop now cannot be trusted to play for McKenna again

The experienced veteran has hit another wall at Ipswich.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 6, 2024

Dele Alli has been told why Como is the "perfect environment" for him to reignite his football career and that his club debut is not far away.

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• Alli signs for Como in Serie A
• Told he's in "perfect environment"
• Possible debut date mooted

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Dele joined Como on an 18-month deal in January but is yet to make his debut for Cesc Fabregas' side. Now, journalist Daniele Fisichella believes the Italian outfit is the perfect club for the 28-year-old to rediscover his best form, while outlining why he will get his first appearance for Como this season.

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  "THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT"

  Fisichella told talkSPORT: "They can afford to have players like Dele Alli just training and perhaps not playing until the end of the season. But the idea is, of course, to give him time. And probably [this] looks like the perfect environment for him to get back to his best. Cesc Fabregas has been lauded these days for the way he's got his team playing and for also the preparation and the managerial skills that he has demonstrated in his year and a half he's been in Italy.

  “So there is no doubt about it, as an environment, it's probably one of the best for Dele Alli. Como is a team that likes to play football, to play on the front foot. So obviously having a player like Dele Alli, if he can get back to his best, will definitely be a blessing for him. I would expect if he continues to train and he shows good improvements, there will probably be a few cameos towards the end of the season. As said, Como are not in danger of going down. It could be the perfect platform for him to show what he's capable of doing.”

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  Dele's career has been on a downward trajectory for years now, including difficult spells at Everton and Besiktas. The England international has also had a number of injury issues but if he can just get back to fitness and get some game time, that could be the spark he needs.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Como take on Roma on Sunday in Serie A but it remains to be seen when the former Tottenham star will finally return to first-team football.

New England boss Thomas Tuchel will reveal his first-ever Three Lions squad later this week, it has been confirmed.

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• Tuchel to announce squad later this week
• First assignment as England boss
• Three Lions take on Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England are scheduled to face Albania and Latvia on March 21 and March 24 respectively in 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. Ahead of those games, new manager Thomas Tuchel will reveal his first-ever England squad on Friday, March 14, it was confirmed on Monday.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tuchel was named as Gareth Southgate's successor in October last year, but the German coach did not formally take charge of the team until January 1. In the last three months, the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich head coach has watched several club games across the country to assess his options before announcing his final squad for the March international break.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 51-year-old manager has decided to begin his stint as head coach of the England national team by providing all eligible players a clean slate in regard to whatever happened during predecessor Gareth Southgate's reign.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THOMAS TUCHEL?

  The German head coach will only have one more Premier League match left to watch before finalising his group. He could be in attendance at London Stadium on Monday as West Ham take on Newcastle.

Glasgow Rangers head into the international break having secured all three points at Ibrox in their Premiership clash against Hearts, but it was far from pretty.

Cyriel Dessers netted for the third game in a row, opening the scoring after just six minutes with a close-range finish. That was as good as it would get for Rangers, as their performance levels dropped as the game went on.

It was yet another turgid and lethargic display which has been common this term under Philippe Clement and the international break has come at the right time for him and his team.

It is evident that several players in blue need a break due to their recent exertions in Europe and domestically. James Tavernier is one name that stands out, as his performances for the Ibrox side this season have been way below the level expected.

James Tavernier's stats for Rangers this season

Last season, the defender registered a staggering 36 goal contributions – 24 goals and 12 assists – in all competitions, becoming the Gers’ leading scorer.

Over the previous few campaigns, Tavernier’s success in the final third has been exceptional.

His numbers from right-back won’t ever be replicated and, while question marks naturally appear given the lack of success the club has achieved since 2016, the Englishman has led the team to a Europa League final in that time.

Adding in the Scottish Cup and League Cup triumphs along with the unforgettable 2020/21 unbeaten league title win, Tavernier played his part.

Has this season been a year too far for the player, however? Especially as it looked like he might have been on the move during the summer.

Indeed, Steven Gerrard was reportedly keen on signing him for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi, which would have seen the former Ibrox boss reunite with Tavernier, but no move materialised.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst – another former Gers manager – also showed keen interest in securing his signature for Besiktas. Again, no concrete bid was made by the Turkish side and the captain began the season fully committed to the Light Blues.

Perhaps Clement should have made a better effort to move him on, as his form has dipped dramatically since last term.

In 19 games for the club in all competitions, Tavernier has scored just once – a penalty against Dundee – while grabbing a further three assists. Hardly the numbers the Light Blues have been used to with the captain.

The defender hasn’t been at his finest defensively either. In the top flight, he has lost possession on average 20 times per game, while being dribbled past 0.5 times per match.

Taking statistics out of the equation, Tavernier’s intensity has been lacking, showing little fight to win the ball back when he loses it. Could it be time for a change of leadership in the near future?

Clement may already have an ideal candidate right in front of him. Someone who has shown a resurgence of late under the Belgian…

Raskin's performance in numbers vs Hearts

Nico Raskin has started the previous five matches for the Gers, partnering Connor Barron in the heart of the midfield to good effect.

Against Hearts, Clement opted to use Raskin and Barron at the base of his midfield, deploying Mohamed Diomande in a more advanced role, which certainly suits his attributes.

During the match, Raskin took 87 touches, completed 85% of his passes, made six tackles and won an impressive eight of 11 ground duels, displaying his tenacity in the centre of the pitch.

He was even given a rating of 8/10 by Glasgow World for his display and with every passing match, Raskin’s confidence is building.

After suffering an injury in pre-season, it looked as though the Belgian would struggle to make inroads into the team, especially as a Barron/Diomande duo was forming in the middle of the pitch.

These recent displays prove just how effective the 23-year-old can be if given a chance in the starting XI.

Could he emerge as a candidate to take over the captaincy when Tavernier does finally depart Ibrox?

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rangers' future captain

Michael Beale signed the midfielder in the 2023 January transfer window, even reportedly beating off Barcelona to secure his signature.

He then missed only three games for the Gers during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, which allowed him to settle in well ahead of his first full campaign at the club.

The youngster endeared himself to several of the senior professionals at the club, with Scott Arfield showering him with praise.

Not a bad endorsement for the future captaincy, yet Raskin struggled last term. An injury meant he missed 19 games. Even when he was fit, Clement tended to keep him on the bench as it appeared he wasn’t a big fan of the former Standard Liege starlet.

Another injury suffered before the start of the season threatened to derail his spell in Glasgow before it had even begun, but he has shown incredible resilience to emerge as a vital member of the squad.

In the Premiership, Raskin has won 6.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – while making 3.3 tackles and recovering the ball four times per game, showcasing his ability to win the ball back in the heart of the midfield and his strength in one on one battles.

Rangers may not be at their best, but this midfield triumvirate of Barron/Raskin/Diomande has given Clement a strong core to the starting XI, that’s for sure.

Tavernier won’t be at the Light Blues for much longer. Could Raskin be a viable contender for the captaincy role when it becomes available? Only time will tell.

The Rangers star who was just as good as Raskin vs Hearts

The Glasgow Rangers midfielder caught the eye with an impressive performance.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 11, 2024

Jude Bellingham limped out of Real Madrid’s win over Rayo Vallecano, but Carlo Ancelotti insists the midfielder is merely nursing “a small knock”.

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• Playmaker returned from La Liga ban
• Forced off late on at Santiago Bernabeu
• Coach confident knock is "nothing serious"

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Injury fears were raised when England international Bellingham was forced off four minutes from the end of the Blancos’ latest La Liga fixture. He was replaced by Brahim Diaz and appeared to be in some discomfort as he made his way to the bench.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bellingham had returned to Real’s starting XI against Vallecano after completing a two-match ban for telling a match referee to “f*ck off”. He looked lively as Kylian Mbappe’s 29th goal of the season and a stunning solo effort from Vinicius Junior set Real up for a narrow victory at Santiago Bernabeu.

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  WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

  Ancelotti will hope to have Bellingham at his disposal for two crucial matches prior to the next international break, while England will be sweating on the 21-year-old’s condition. Real’s boss told reporters when asked for a fitness update: “Jude Bellingham just has a small knock, nothing serious.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR JUDE BELLINGHAM & REAL MADRID?

  Real are set to face cross-city rivals Atletico in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter on Wednesday, with the Blancos leading 2-1 on aggregate. They will then travel to Villarreal on Saturday before a collection of international superstars head off with their respective countries.

It’s been a mixed start to the season for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are already through to the quarter-finals of the League Cup and look set to progress in the Europa League, but things haven’t been so easy in the Premier League.

Despite stellar performances against Manchester United, West Ham United and Aston Villa, the North Londoners have lost to Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion and find themselves down in tenth place.

That said, some players have taken a step forward this year, such as Dejan Kulusevski, so recent reports linking the club to a player familiar with Postecoglou and who has been compared to the Swede should leave fans excited.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report out of Spain, Tottenham are one of several sides very interested in Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo.

Alongside Spurs, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League outfit Liverpool and German behemoths Bayern Munich are also keen on the gifted Japanese international.

While the interest of these sides is far from ideal for the North Londoners, the good thing is that they know how much they’ll have to pay to get the deal done, as the story confirms that La Real have inserted a €60m release clause into the attacker’s contract, which is about £50m.

Signing Kubo could still prove challenging, but given his ability, the fact he’s already played under Postecoglou and his comparisons to Kulusevski, it’s a transfer well worth pursuing.

Kubo's comparison to Kulusevski

Okay, so before we get into a couple of the other reasons Spurs should sign Kubo in 2025, let’s first address this comparison to Kulusevksi.

It stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Swede is the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Japanese star.

Now, to get a better idea of how this conclusion was reached, we can examine the underlying metrics in which the pair rank most closely, metrics including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and goals per shot on target, passing accuracy, live passes and passes into the final third, goal-creating actions, tackles won and ball recoveries, all per 90.

Now, while a comparison to a player as unbelievably talented as the former Juventus ace is certainly reason enough to sign someone, there are a couple of other reasons why the Lilywhites should go all out for the 23-year-old, starting with his familiarity with Postecoglou.

Yes, when he was still just a youngster finding his feet in the senior game, the then-FC Tokyo prospect went out on loan to fellow Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos from August 2018 to January 2019, where he made six appearances under the Australian’s tutelage, in which he scored once and provided one assist.

He was then picked up for free by Real Madrid that summer and the following years saw him go out on various loan moves with varying levels of success before he settled in San Sebastián on a permanent deal in 2022, where the “insane” talent, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been impressing since.

In his 101 appearances for the Basque club, the Kawasaki-born star has scored 19 goals and provided 14 assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 3.03 games.

So, on top of being stylistically similar to the sensationally talented Kulusevski and already having an understanding of what Postecoglou will want from him, the 39-capped international has also demonstrated that he can deliver in a top-five league.

Therefore, even though it won’t be cheap, Spurs must do what they can to sign Kubo in 2025 before someone else beats them to it.

Mourinho loan flop is now outscoring Solanke after leaving Spurs

The former Spurs loanee has been enjoying life away from North London.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 14, 2024

Former Manchester United manager praises Atlanta defender as the type of player that could challenge Suarez

• Solskjaer highlights Gregersen's physical and mental attributes
• Comments come ahead of Atlanta United's match with Inter Miami
• Norwegian defender's World Cup ambitions also discussed

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, former Manchester United manager and current Besiktas head coach, praised Atlanta United defender Stian Rode Gregersen for his skills.

  In a recent interview, Solskjaer singled out Gregersen as the type of defender that even a seasoned striker such as Luis Suarez would find challenging to face. The Champions League winner also coached Gregersen during his spell at Molde and admitted that he wouldn't have wanted to play against the Atlanta defender.

  “You know I was a forward myself and Stian is exactly the type you don’t want to play against," he said. "Say for (Luis) Suarez then, who’s done everything in his football career. Probably the last type of player he wants to play against is Stian’s type."

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  Gregersen has made 10 appearances for the Norwegian national team since his debut in 2021. His most recent international outings were in Norway's Nations League victories against Slovenia and Kazakhstan in November.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  After a tough start to the 2025 MLS season, Atlanta United sit 11th on the Eastern Conference table, having won just one of their opening three league games.

  They host the Herons next at the Mercedes-Benz stadium before going on the road to face FC Cincinnati on March 16 and 22, respectively.

New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is looking to sell an “intelligent” player during the January transfer window, according to a new update.

Latest Man Utd news

Amorim takes charge of his first game as Red Devils boss on Sunday afternoon, with his side making the trip to struggling Ipswich Town in the Premier League. It is a great chance to build some early momentum, with supporters desperate to see huge improvements made after Erik ten Hag’s disappointing spell in charge.

There is a lack of quality in United’s squad, in terms of them challenging the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal at the top of the table, so new signings are needed, whether that be in January or next summer. Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is one exciting rumoured target, with the Argentine seen as someone who could add another dimension in the final third.

Meanwhile, Barcelona right-back Jules Kounde has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, with the Frenchman arguably one of the standout players in his position in Europe currently, averaging two tackles per game in La Liga this season. In fact, a new offer has reportedly even been submitted for him.

Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite was seen as a primary target back in the summer, but ended up staying put at Goodison Park, and he is still being looked at as an option moving forward, as Amorim looks for centre-back reinforcements.

Amorim looking to sell "intelligent" player in January

According to a fresh report from Caught Offside, Amorim is now looking to offload Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee in January, following a tough start to life at Old Trafford.

The update states that the 23-year-old is “attracting a lot of interest in the transfer market due to his current situation at the club”, with “big European clubs, particularly in Serie A” thought to be his “preference”.

This would be a brutal decision by Amorim, considering the £105,000-a-week Zirkzee only joined United from Bologna in the summer, but if he doesn’t feel he is right for his system and style of play, it’s pointless keeping him around.

There is no question that the Dutchman has been a flop so far, scoring the winning goal at home to Fulham but not finding the net since, but he has been hailed by Hans Kraay Jr, who has said of the striker:

“He passes it with exactly the right speed, so that Reijnders can curl it with his inside. Zirkzee is so intelligent. He not only passes it on the run, he also passes it in such a way that it is not too hard and ends up on Reijnders’ left. I think that is so beautiful.”

Amorim can start reign with a bang by unleashing "outstanding" Man Utd star

Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first game of Man Utd this weekend.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 23, 2024

Zirkzee has a short period to prove himself to Amorim, prior to the January window opening, but it could be that the latter has already made his mind up. A move away could even appeal to the player himself, with his time at Old Trafford simply not working out currently.

Manchester City will aim to make it two wins on the bounce in the Premier League when travelling to Selhurst Park later today, knowing the fixtures become a lot trickier in December past this trip to face Crystal Palace.

After this away match, it’s a tense game with Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils back at the Etihad in what could be a hotly contested Manchester Derby, with a tough visit to Aston Villa then on City’s agenda.

Pep Guardiola’s topsy-turvy titans will know they will have to keep Eberechi Eze largely quiet to pick up that coveted second consecutive victory, with City’s leaky defence in recent games making the captivating attacking midfielder potentially confident.

City's defensive issues

The reigning Premier League champions have shipped the most goals when you look at the top four teams in the standings, with 19 goals leaked across 14 games, which wasn’t whatsoever helped by City conceding four in one game to Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur.

James Maddison – who plays in a similar way to Eze in attempting to always create openings and entertain the masses watching on – would have a field day against the ropey hosts, firing home two early goals to ensure the three points would return to North London in style.

This game really exposed City’s defensive frailties, with the likes of an ageing Kyle Walker run ragged throughout the entire 90 minutes, with the stuttering side also hurting when John Stones was substituted off at half-time owing to an injury setback.

The most recent 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest did see City pick up a much-needed clean sheet and a win, but their woes defensively – in terms of injuries piling up – came to the forefront once more, as Nathan Ake was hauled off late on with a hamstring concern.

Therefore, Oliver Glasner’s Eagles could well be licking their lips at the prospect of facing off against an injury-depleted City back four, but Guardiola will hope this star can keep Palace at bay all match long, after shining bright in the Forest win.

The City defender who could shackle Eze

The defender in question here is Ruben Dias, with the former Benfica man calm and controlled with the ball at his feet in the 3-0 victory, alongside also being an imposing presence when putting his 6 foot 2 frame to effective use.

Dias would only misplace five of his passes on the night from his mammoth 92 touches, alongside also keeping the likes of Chris Wood quiet by throwing himself into many a duel, with the New Zealand international only managing a meagre nine touches consequently.

Guardiola will keep his fingers crossed he can equally stunt the likes of Jean-Phillippe Mateta, therefore, who is another physically challenging striker to contain, alongside also being a tricky striker on the ball when considering his sublime solo strike against Ipswich Town last match.

Away from Mateta, City will also need to shut out Eze supplying chances to the Frenchman, with the Spaniard hopeful that Dias can remain at the peak of his game for this next test, having once labelled the centre-back as “undroppable.”

Eze was far too slick for the Tractor Boys to completely stamp out of the game last time out, registering three shots on the Ipswich net in the 1-0 win, with four key passes also tallied up.

Guardiola will just be praying no such repeats of the sobering Tottenham loss occur, but Dias was absent for that humbling defeat, with his addition into the XI shoring up City versus Forest after he suffered from his own injury-ravaged November.

Whatever personnel does line up for City amidst some significant selection issues, the passionate 53-year-old will be doing everything in his power to guide his team to two wins on the spin in a bid to brush their bad form firmly to one side.

Forget Gundogan: Man City star who had 98% passing could be Pep's new Rodri

Manchester City emphatically returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

By
Kelan Sarson

Dec 5, 2024