West Ham United are at the end of an era, with the club confirming this week that David Moyes will leave by mutual consent when his contract expires this summer.

Julen Lopetegui is Moyes' cut-and-dried successor – albeit not officially announced yet – with the Scotsman having left the squad in a fantastic position to maintain the growth and promise of recent years – notably including three campaigns on the continent, with last year's Conference League conquest ending in silverware.

While the first team is blessed with some high-level quality, playmaker Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a £85m transfer to Manchester City. If only West Ham had prudently secured a replacement last summer, coming close to landing Cole Palmer.

West Ham's interest in Cole Palmer

Paqueta's move to Manchester City was only foiled due to the Brazilian's charges following an FA betting investigation, still unsettled, and while that fell through, perhaps the Hammers should have forged ahead with a deal for Palmer, who's enjoying a pretty decent breakout season.

Palmer transferred to Chelsea for an initial £40m fee last summer to take the Blues' spending under owner Todd Boehly past the £1bn mark, but sift through all the wayward signings at Stamford Bridge and find right here a bona fide diamond.

Palmer, aged 22, has scored 24 goals and added 13 assists across 42 matches for Chelsea and has been praised as "exceptionally talented" by presenter Gary Lineker for an incredible individual campaign.

1.

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

25

2.

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

21

3.

Alexander Isak

Newcastle United

20

4.

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

19

5.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

18

5.

Dominic Solanke

Bournemouth

18

Given Palmer's sensational rise to prominence in his first campaign as a regular in the Premier League, West Ham could have found a new level of success altogether had he been signed, with Moyes revealing that a move was "close" and that he was in "regular contact with his agent" before the pieces fell out of place – likely due to Paqueta remaining in east London.

Palmer isn't the only player to have narrowly missed the flight so to speak, with Sporting Lisbon sharpshooter Viktor Gyokeres also coming close to linking up with Moyes' project last summer.

Imagine Cole Palmer & Viktor Gyokeres

The Sweden international's inclusion at centre-forward would almost certainly have handed Moyes the requisite tools to go that little bit further in the Premier League this season and ensconce themselves in a European-qualifying position.

Gyokeres completed a £20m transfer to Sporting CP – despite interest from the Hammers in 2023 – after an exemplary campaign in the Championship with Coventry City, reaching the play-off final and posting 22 goals and 12 assists.

He's transcended his previous form under Ruben Amorim, bagging 41 goals and 15 assists from 47 matches across domestic and continental competitions, with his first-rate performances as the attacking focal point all but securing the Liga Portugal title.

Analyst Ben Mattison has emphasised the severity of missing out on the 25-year-old, also describing him as "a powerhouse", with his elite athleticism, hold-up play and incisive movements making him the perfect style of striker for the Premier League and a robust outfit like West Ham.

With Michail Antonio out of contract this summer and Danny Ings reported to have been transfer-listed for just £6.5m, there's no doubt that Lopetegui is going to prioritise signing a shiny new forward this summer.

Gyokeres is valued at no less than £86m by his Portuguese outfit and, should he move, it would be to a team at the very forefront of the European game (with Arsenal and Chelsea among those intrigued), so the door might just be closed on this one.

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ByAngus Sinclair May 5, 2024

What a shame for Moyes and his legacy, which has fizzled out like a disappointing firework after such illustrious heights – it all could have been so different…

Max Bird opening the scoring on the final day would have been bittersweet from a Derby County perspective, knowing that his long-range strike on the day would likely be his last-ever effort for the Rams before moving on in the summer – having completed a deal to join Bristol City back in January.

That stunning goal did ensure Derby clinched automatic promotion against Carlisle United, so any tinge of underlying sadness was replaced by ecstasy at the final whistle, but Paul Warne's men will know they need to find a replacement for Bird now stepping up to the Championship.

The Rams might not need to break the bank to replace such a pivotal member of their promotion-winning side, however, with a move for a midfield talent, who has starred in League One this season, reportedly in the works for £0.

Derby eyeing up free agent star

According to football journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, Derby are eyeing up Barnsley star Herbie Kane, with the midfielder looking set to be heading out of the exit door at the Tykes as a free agent after his side lost in the League One playoffs to Bolton Wanderers recently.

With his contract expiring next month, the Rams would be fools not to go after the former Liverpool youth player who wants a move back up to the second tier – as per Nixon – having played at the level before with his current South Yorkshire employers.

Known for having a screamer in his back pocket from the centre of the park, with ten goals managed this season from 47 total appearances, Kane has also starred with the likes of Hull City and Oxford United in the EFL prior to making Oakwell his permanent home.

Derby could be his next fixed location now, however, if these rumours are correct with the 25-year-old filling the gap left behind by Bird's exit to Bristol subsequently.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing would love to play alongside Kane too who will offer Derby even more firepower from midfield, having just picked up a sublime 24 goal contributions himself in league action for Warne's promoted Rams.

How Herbie Kane compares to Max Bird

Alongside his impressive ten goals, Kane has also been a creative force in the middle of the park for the Tykes by amassing five assists – hence why he could be the perfect partner to Mendez-Laing, who will look to build on his nine goals in 2023/24.

Those 15 goal contributions actually trump Bird's efforts during his swansong season at Pride Park, who amassed two less even when playing in a more successful team in the division.

Bird vs Kane – League One record

Player

Matches played

Goals

Assists

Bird

71

7

12

Kane

154

17

23

Sourced by Transfermarkt

More experienced than Bird overall in League One, as can be seen glancing at the table above, Derby will just pray that Kane can successfully make the step-up to the Championship with the Rams if a move is finalised.

The ex-Reds midfielder will give Derby a more combative option – compared to Bird – when push comes to shove in tense games near the foot of the second tier too, having picked up 12 yellow cards in the regular season for Barnsley.

Kane's display on the final day against Northampton Town showed off his well-rounded game, firing home the Tykes' only goal of the contest whilst also remaining alert with three duels won.

Described as being an "outstanding" talent by Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann when the 25-year-old was on loan there during McCann's first stint, Kane – alongside Mendez-Laing – will hope they can be stars in helping Derby keep their heads above water back in the Championship.

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It might have all ended up a little more stressful than it needed to be, thanks to a momentary brain fade from Reece James, but Chelsea managed to hold on and pick up all three points against Brighton & Hove Albion last night.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are now undefeated in their last five Premier League games, winning the last four.

Moreover, thanks to Manchester United's win over Newcastle United last night, the Blues' chances of qualifying for the Europa League look much healthier than they did a couple of weeks ago.

The two goalscorers for the Pensioners, Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku, are, of course, getting plenty of plaudits, as they should, but there was another starter who was just as good on the South Coast.

Palmer and Nkunku's performance against Brighton

Both attackers were brilliant at the Amex, with the Englishman opening the scoring with a wonderfully placed looping header from a Marc Cucurella cross in the first half, while the Frenchman gave his side a much-needed buffer with his well-placed finish in the second half.

The pair impressed the Standard's Nizaar Kinsella, who awarded them both 8/10s on the night, writing that the former Manchester City prospect was 'elegant, classy and impactful in everything he did' and that the former RB Leipzig ace 'breathed new life into Chelsea's attack' when on the pitch.

It might sound over the top, but the pair's statistics from the match back up the journalist's opinion. For example, in Palmer's 89 minutes of action, he registered a combined expected goals and assists figure of 0.82, scored, took 46 touches, created one big chance, had two shots on target, and even made a clearance.

Minutes

89'

Minutes

48'

Goals

1

Goals

1

Expected Goals + Assists

0.82

Expected Goals + Assists

0.36

Touches

46

Key Passes

1

Big Chances Created

1

Tackles

2

Shots on Target

2

Shots on Target

1

Clearances

1

Blocked Shot

1

Whereas in just 48 minutes on the pitch, Nkunku registered an expected goal and assists figure of 0.36, took one shot on target, scored, played one key pass, made two tackles, and even blocked a shot from the Seagulls.

In all, it was a great display from both attackers, but there was another starter last night who should be getting just as much attention for his performance.

Trevoh Chalobah's performance against Brighton

Yes, the Blues ace who should be spoken about the same way as his goalscoring teammates today is centre-back Trevoh Chalobah.

The Cobham graduate might not have got on the scoresheet himself or even provided an assist like his full-back comrades, but his contribution at the back was invaluable and became especially so following Reece James' red card in the 88th minute.

Kinsella was undoubtedly impressed with the 6 foot 4 titan as he also gave him an 8/10 on the night, praising him for the countless 'incredible blocks and defensive interventions' he 'kept making' for the team.

Minutes

100'

Clearances

9

Blocks

1

Tackles

4

Last Man Tackles

1

Duels (Won)

6 (5)

Accurate Passes

67/73 (92%)

Dribbles (Completed)

1 (100%)

The journalist's appraisal of the 24-year-old's performance is not hyperbolic either. In his 100 minutes of action, the "ice cold" centre-back, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, made nine clearances, blocked one shot, made four tackles, including a last-man tackle, won five out of six duels, maintained a passing accuracy of 92%, and even completed 100% of his dribbles.

Ultimately, it was a truly titanic effort from the "monster" defender, as Kulig called him, and while he got the same match rating as Palmer and Nkunku, it probably should have been higher, as there wasn't a single thing wrong with his performance.

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It is always worth remembering just how quickly football can change. Cast your mind back to the end of the 2020/21 campaign, Arsenal had just finished in a lowly eighth place, with many – perhaps understandably – calling for the head of manager Mikel Arteta.

Fast forward three years, and while it has still been a turbulent ride – missing out on the Champions League in 2021/22, before coming up short in two successive title races – the Gunners are now firmly solidified as an elite force in the Premier League, with no suggestion that they will fall away any time soon.

Of course, silverware will be the main objective under Arteta as the years' progress, yet the club as a whole now looks in a far more stable position than in recent times, with the academy setup a particular point of excitement among supporters – 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri just one of those setting tongues wagging.

Building for the future will arguably be just as important as securing short-term success in north London, hence the club's apparent interest in further boosting their youth ranks this summer…

Arsenal fighting it out for striking sensation

According to a report from The Standard, the Gunners are said to be among a 'host' of top-flight clubs who are in the mix to sign Irish teenager, Mason Melia, with the 16-year-old having caught the eye amid his first-team involvement with St Patrick's Athletic in the League of Ireland Premier Division.

The piece suggests that the youngster's emergence has 'not gone unnoticed', with almost every Premier League club said to be showing an interest – champions Manchester City, in particular, deemed to be 'strong contenders'.

Arsenal – who are said to be 'making a real push to attack the youth market' – have reportedly been scouting the promising marksman for over 18 months, with the hope being that they can seal a deal in the near future, albeit with the player unable to make the move until he turns 18 due to Brexit rules.

Why Mason Melia is attracting interest

There may be those of a Gunners persuasion who will be far more concerned with snapping up a striker to help bolster the senior side – amid reported interest in the likes of Victor Osimhen – yet securing a potential long-term solution for that role in the form of Melia would certainly be wise.

Not set to turn 17 until September, the in-demand ace has already plundered six goals from just 33 first-team appearances for his current side, with it rather remarkable that he is already making his mark in the senior set-up.

Arsenal's top scorer by season since Robin van Persie – Premier League

Season

Player

Goals

2012/13

Theo Walcott

14

2013/14

Olivier Giroud

16

2014/15

Alexis Sanchez

16

2015/16

Olivier Giroud

16

2016/17

Alexis Sanchez

24

2017/18

Alexandre Lacazette

14

2018/19

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

22

2019/20

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

22

2020/21

Alexandre Lacazette

13

2021/22

Bukayo Saka

11

2022/23

Martin Odegaard & Gabriel Martinelli

15

2023/24

Bukayo Saka

16

Stats via Transfermarkt

Dubbed an "exceptional" talent by former St Pat's boss, Jon Daly, the teen hotshot has also been described as "one of Ireland's biggest jewels" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, praise backed up by his return of nine goals in just 19 games for his country at U17 level.

Kulig has even gone as far as to suggest that Melia is the "Irish Harry Kane", with the north Londoners no doubt hoping that he can replicate the impact that the Englishman enjoyed at Tottenham Hotspur, bagging 280 goals in all competitions, prior to his summer switch to Bayern Munich.

The 30-year-old was famously also once on the books at Arsenal, yet the club foolishly let him slip from their grasp as a mere teenager, with the chance now to atone for that error by fending off many of their Premier League rivals for Melia's signature.

Described by Kulig as a 'complete' forward who 'often moves deeper into midfield and draws defenders with him in order to create and exploit spaces for his teammates', the emerging wonderkid seemingly boasts similar attributes to the England skipper – Kane notably dubbed the "complete striker" by Thierry Henry.

Of course, such a comparison may be deemed as merely setting the Gunners target up to fail, but with two years or so for Melia to be allowed to develop in his current home away from the spotlight, Arteta and co could have a fearsome striker on their hands when he turns 18 – if a deal can be agreed.

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Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker has revealed the two dream signings he would love to bring to North Wales.

Wrexham preparing for League One

It has been another incredible season for the Welsh club, as they continue to go from strength to strength under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Wrexham earned promotion from the National League to League Two this time last year, and they have now made it into League One at the very first attempt, finishing second in the table.

It is now time to focus on life in the third tier of English football for Phil Parkinson and those in charge of transfers at the club, with new signings no doubt needed to take them to another level next season.

There is certainly reason for Wrexham supporters to start thinking bigger when it comes to potential signings, as they make their way up for the football pyramid, and Ker is dreaming big when it comes to two potential additions, albeit rather tongue-in-cheek.

Wrexham chief wants Liverpool star

Speaking to Sport Bible, executive director Ker admitted that he would love Wrexham to sign Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo and Wales defender Neco Williams: "So in the past, I've been asked this question (and) I've often cited sort of a Neco Williams as one, you know, he's from the area, he's a Premier League quality right back, plays for Wales. The day we are signing players like that will be a sign of how far we've come.

"In terms of who's one of my favourite players and who would I love to see playing in a Wrexham shirt? At present, I've got a real soft spot for Wataru Endo, who is kind of a perfect encapsulation of the fury in the summer when Liverpool missed out on Caicedo and Lavia and it was all doom and gloom and disaster.

"And then they sign Wataru Endo and it was like ‘well, who's this guy? I've never heard of him, he was only 16 million quid, what are they playing at?' And then he's been one of the signings of the season. I think there's a good lesson there for all of us in terms of, you know, the glitz and the glamour and the big price tags and ‘what are Liverpool doing not spending 100 million on a central midfielder’."

Granted, there is little to no chance of Wrexham signing a player of Endo and Williams' calibre in the summer transfer window or even in the next few years – they earn £50,000 per week each currently, which is miles out of their price range – but it is still a sign of the incredible progress made that Ker can even dream of such additions.

This is a glorious era at The Racecourse Ground – one that supporters need to treasure even despite whatever lofty future ambitions they may have – and the hope is that Reynolds and McElhenney are still just getting started, eventually guiding the club into the Premier League.

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Should that happen, maybe Wrexham will be able to dream about signing a player like Endo, but for now, their focus will be on attaining some names with League One experience.

Imam was struck on the hand by Naseem Shah on first evening

ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2020

Imam-ul-Haq will be fit to play in Pakistan’s Test series against England despite an injury scare on the first day of their intra-squad warm-up match at Derby.Imam, who looks set to be the back-up opener behind Abid Ali and Shan Masood, was forced to retire hurt on Friday evening after being struck on the left hand by a ball from Naseem Shah, but was able to take part in a warm-up session in the morning and will resume his innings on the third day.Pakistan’s preparations for the series were hit by rain on the second day of the warm-up match, with only 35 minutes’ play possible after a downpour shortly before the scheduled start washed out the first two session.ALSO READ: Pakistan stutter in Test audition as Sohail takes five-forUmpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and Alex Wharf decided play could begin at 4pm but after seven overs, more heavy rain set in with Team White 108 for 3 in reply to Team Green’s 113.With two days remaining in the game, the tourists will want the batsmen who are expected to play in the first Test to spend time in the middle after they failed in Team Green’s first innings.Abid, Masood and captain Azhar Ali were all dismissed for single-figure scores by experienced pace bowler Sohail Khan who took 5 for 37 in 16 overs.Only Babar Azam batted for any length of time on the same pitch that was used for the first warm-up match, facing 77 balls for his 32.The outlook is better for Sunday, but rain is expected to ruin the final day on Monday.

It's set to be a massive summer for Arsenal this year, with the gap between themselves and the all-conquering Manchester City seemingly smaller than ever.

However, while Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar will certainly have to add some high-quality players to strengthen their bid for the Premier League title, they'll also need to shed some deadwood.

As talented a squad as the Gunners have, several players should probably be moved on this summer, including one who has been with the team since childhood, although he's now worth considerably less than man of the moment Kai Havertz.

Reiss Nelson's Arsenal career

The player in question is Reiss Nelson, who joined the Gunners' youth academy at just eight years old and has been one of the more prominent Hale End graduates over the last few years, behind the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah.

The Elephant and Castle-born winger made his first team debut off the bench in Arsenal's penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea in the 2017 Community Shield, and his full debut came soon after in a 1-0 League Cup victory over Doncaster Rovers.

He made 16 mostly substitute appearances that season, in which he failed to score or provide an assist, before being sent on a season-long loan to German side Hoffenheim the following campaign, where he did far better, scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 29 games.

Appearances

89

29

32

Goals

8

7

4

Assists

9

1

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.19

0.27

0.34

The next two years saw the Englishman make more appearances for the first team, but with it clear he wasn't going to be the first choice anytime soon, he went back out on loan for the 2021/22 season to Dutch outfit Feyenoord, scoring four goals and providing seven assists in 32 games.

Last year saw the 24-year-old return to the Gunners' bench, and while he made just 18 appearances across all competitions, he was responsible for a moment that will live long in the memory of Arsenal fans everywhere: that late winner against Bournemouth.

Unfortunately for the Hale End ace, he only played 639 minutes of first-team action across 23 games this season, truly cementing the fact that he has no future at the club, which has been reflected in his valuation.

Nelson's transfer valuation in 2024

According to CIES Football Observatory, Nelson is now worth just €15m or £13m despite still being relatively young and having a £100k-per-week contract set to run until June 2027.

Place

Player

Valuation

Age

1

Bukayo Saka

€150m(£127mm)

24

2

Gabriel Martinelli

€100m(£85m)

23

3

Leandro Trossard

€40m(£34m)

28

4

Reiss Nelson

€15m(£13m)

24

This makes the 24-year-old the least valuable winger in the first team, and by quite some way, with Leandro Trossard coming in above him at €40m, which is about £34m.

It also means that fellow 24-year-old Havertz, last summer's surprise signing, is now worth considerably more, as the German is valued at €100m or £85m by the CIES Football Observatory, which is about seven times more than the Englishman.

The former Chelsea ace – who has had some heroic moments just as Nelson has – cost the Gunners £65m last July, and while he had a slow start to life in red and white, he found his form in the latter half of the season, especially as a striker, and managed a reasonable return of 14 goals and seven assists in 51 games.

His uptick in form, positional versatility, and age have likely seen his value soar throughout the season, and it would be hard to argue against his effectiveness since the turn of the year.

Ultimately, while Nelson clearly has some talent and could play in the Premier League, Arteta does not seem to trust him, and therefore, the club must cash in on him before his stock falls any further.

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Postecoglou eyeing new centre-back for Spurs

Despite bringing in Radu Dragusin to the tune of £25 million in January, it remains the case that Spurs and manager Ange Postecoglou are keen to add another new centre-back to their ranks this summer.

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As we've seen time and time again this season, injuries can seriously weaken Postecoglou's starting eleven, and the latest victims of this have been star left-back Destiny Udogie, centre-back Ben Davies and Timo Werner – who will all miss the remainder of 2023/2024.

Earlier this season, both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were also unavailable for large parts due to either injury or suspension, with Spurs often struggling to deal with their absences.

If the Lilywhites are to continue their growth under Postecoglou, strength in depth on par with England's elite is absolutely necessary, and the Tottenham boss is on record stating that he wishes to bring in another centre-half this summer.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Of the centre-backs linked, there are many, with Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo standing out as the potential bargain options on a free deal. Spurs won't wish to spend huge money on another central defender, considering they already have van de Ven, Romero and Dragusin at their disposal.

Tottenham considering Calafiori move after rave review from Paratici contacts

According to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, an astute option for Spurs could also be Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian, who's been called an "aerial monster" by football analyst Ben Mattinson, has been in fine form under Thiago Motta this season and reports suggest he could be available for around £21 million.

FI and Veysey claim Tottenham are considering a summer move for Calafiori, with Fabio Paratici's contacts in Italy left impressed by his excellent displays across this campaign.

The 21-year-old has made 27 Serie A appearances for Bologna over 23/24, registering four assists in that time, and another enticing draw for Postecoglou is that he's also capable of playing as a left-back – meaning he can fill in across multiple areas.

Well, here we are, 37 games and ten months later, Arsenal are still just about in the Premier League title race on the final day of the season.

Granted, it might require a Herculean effort from West Ham United at the Etihad to help Mikel Arteta's side clinch their first title in two decades, but it's David Moyes' final game in charge, and stranger things have happened.

That said, before Arsenal fans can start dreaming of a 90th-minute Michail Antonio dagger, there is the small matter of Everton at home to contend with, and if the Gunners are going to claim all three points to keep Manchester City honest, they're going to have to be on their A-Game against Sean Dyche's Toffees.

So, with that in mind, Arteta should look to make at least one change to the side that won away to Manchester United last Sunday: drop Thomas Partey.

Why Partey should be benched

The answer is quite straightforward. While Arsenal came away with all three points from Old Trafford last week, Partey put in a performance that, on another day, could have cost the team.

For example, a lapse of concentration early in the first half led to a golden opportunity for Rasmus Hojlund, who should have done better.

The Standard's Simon Collings wasn't overly impressed with the 30-year-old's display either, awarding him a 6/10 on the day and writing, blaming him for the early chance and writing that his 'passing was mixed.'

Minutes

89'

Passing Accuracy

93%

Shots

0

Expected Assists

0.02

Touches

47

Long Balls (Accurate)

3 (1)

Key Passes

0

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Possession Lost

4

This appraisal is backed up by the midfielders' statistics from the match. In his 89 minutes of action, he maintained a passing accuracy of just 93%, misplaced two of three long balls, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball four times, and produced an expected assists figure of just 0.02.

In all, it wasn't a horror show of a performance, but it wasn't one that warrants him starting in the final game of a season-long title race, especially as the man who could replace him has played wonderfully at times this year.

Why Jorginho should start against Everton

Yes, the midfielder who should come in for the former Atlético Madrid ace this afternoon is former Chelsea star Jorginho.

The last game the Italian international started was the 3-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion in April, and since then, he has made several short appearances off the bench.

However, with a new contract under his belt and a string of seriously impressive performances this season, he should be starting against the Toffees.

Moreover, with most of the talk ahead of this game centring on the assumption that Arsenal will win, there is ample opportunity for the team to get ahead of themselves, and the former Napoli ace has already shown that he can bring an element of calm to the north Londoners' midfield in crucial games.

For example, the "ridiculous" 32-year-old maestro, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, started in and won the Man of the Match awards at home to both Liverpool and Newcastle United earlier in the year and played 75 minutes of the club's 1-0 win over City in October.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 16, 2024

So, with there still being a sliver of hope that the title might be heading to N5 this afternoon, Arteta should start the midfielder journalist Darren Lewis described as a "big game player," Jorginho.

Hilton Moreeng has been reappointed as the head coach of the South African women’s team on a three-year deal. His new contract runs until 2023 and includes both the 2021 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup due to be held in New Zealand and South Africa respectively, and will take Moreeng’s tenure in the role to 11 years, since he was first appointed in 2012.Moreeng’s previous contract came to an end in March, after the T20 World Cup in Australia, where South Africa reached the semi-finals. He chose to reapply for the post and was among three shortlisted candidates, and the decision was made to keep Moreeng in the role, bearing in mind imminent major tournaments.”Hilton has built the squad from a very talented environment into a high-performing unit and a team that can challenge the top three or four nations consistently,” Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket said. “Results this year in New Zealand and at the T20 World Cup speak volumes of Hilton and Dane [van Niekerk]’s leadership and through the review process, we realised he is the right man to take the team forward and hopefully onto greater things and World Cups in the future.”Under Moreeng, the South African women’s team reached two T20 semi-finals (2014 and 2020) and one fifty-over World Cup semi-final (2017) and achieved automatic qualification for the 2021 ODI World Cup by beating the hosts New Zealand 3-0 in an ODI series earlier this year. That meant they did not have to rely on the home series against Australia, which was due to be played in March but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, to secure their spot at next year’s tournament. They have also had a series in West Indies pushed back.The women’s team, however, could see themselves back on the park before the men, with talks between CSA and the ECB on about a triangular series, also involving India, later this year. “The tour is very much in the pipeline for September,” Smith said.That means the women’s team are set to return to training imminently, after CSA was given the green light last Monday to let its players resume training. They will also be given as much information as possible about playing in a bio-bubble and touring for an extended period of time, which may include a larger squad than normal. “We discussed with the management team and the ladies this morning, to take them through the return to play medical protocols and trying to get them to understand how cricket will look in England over that period and the quarantine periods that are required,” Smith said. “The tour can become very long so we must just decide what the right timing for a build-up is. There’s 14 days quarantine either side of a tour and a long tour, so it can become very taxing. There is an element of trying to decide how big your squads need to be when they travel, so there are a lot of learnings and new discussions that needs to happen.”If the series goes ahead it will be an important part of South Africa’s build-up to next year’s World Cup, an event they have been earmarked as theirs to win. “For us, the focus now is that we are five months away from a World Cup and we have to give it everything we have,” Moreeng said. “It’s a World Cup we have planned and we have a built a squad we believe can go and win this World Cup. So far, the building blocks are very good and we have assembled one of the best ODI teams in a very long time. When you look back at how the team performed in January, to be able to give New Zealand a whitewash on their own soil, it showed the character of the team. The World Cup is back there again so everyone is familiar with conditions and we have a great opportunity.”CSA has two other appointments still to make – the national men’s convenor of selectors and the national Under-19 coach – which are expected in the next few weeks. Linda Zondi, who served as independent selector for the 2019/20 season and was previously South Africa men’s convener of selectors, is in the running for his old job but a new U-19 coach is on the cards after Lawrence Mahatlane accepted the position of head coach of Uganda.