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Abu Dhabi is set to emerge as a potential venue as attempts are made to salvage some cricket from a ravaged English season. ESPNcricinfo understands Abu Dhabi Cricket (ADC) is set to contact the ECB to offer its facilities for use between October and January. The offer could extend to both county and international cricket and potentially see a portion of costs covered by authorities in the UAE.At this stage, the UAE has avoided the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic with night-time curfews in place, during which a disinfection programme has been carried out. Perhaps due to the action taken in the early stages of the virus’ spread, there are now hopes that much of the UAE will return to work as early as next week. It was announced on Thursday that malls and shops would re-open within guidelines, ahead of Ramadan which starts on Friday. Infection and death rates have, at this stage, been far below those seen in the UK.ALSO READ: Hundred’s future uncertain as ECB prepares for postponementThe Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, which has over the years been home to Pakistan’s cricket, the IPL and PSL, County Championship curtain-raisers as well as ICC events, has the main ground as well as two support ovals, creating the possibility that multiple games could take place within a few days. It also features 25 lanes of nets and a number of other training resources.The ground is broadcast-ready in terms of equipment and being effectively state-run, through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, would eliminate much red tape along the process. Yas Island – a 10-minute drive away – is the location of numerous hotels.The sporting complex surrounding Zayed Cricket Stadium•Abu Dhabi Cricket

There are, however, major hurdles to such a plan. For a start, it should be remembered that the England team did not leave Sri Lanka due to fears of catching the virus there – they were arguably safer there than in the UK – but because they wanted to be with their families at a time of uncertainty. There is also no guarantee players would be granted permission to travel by the UK government or whether broadcasters would be satisfied with what may amount to a glut of games after a long fallow period.But it would appear to be an option worth exploring for the ECB. And if it proves possible to stage some form of cricket – be it international, T20 Blast or County Championship – it might go some way towards satisfying broadcaster demands for content.ADC, it is believed, is also hoping to hold similar discussions with other national boards struggling with the cancellation of live cricket.

Ronaldo opened the scoring for Nassr but his wait for a trophy in Saudi Arabia goes on, as Al-Hilal put their rivals to the sword.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo opened scoring for Al-Nassr
• Outshined by Aleksandar Mitrovic
• Al-Hilal won 4-1 to lift first trophy of season

• Getty Images Sport
  

  TELL ME MORE

  As both teams emerged from the tunnel, Ronaldo tempted fate by touching the Saudi Super Cup, and it proved to be a kiss of death.

  The Portugal superstar seemed unfazed in the game, initially, and opened the scoring with a classic, opportunistic finish, sticking his boot out to tap home from close-range after a clever cut-back, but he would soon betray his own frustrations with his team-mates during a dismal second-half.

  Sergej Milinkovic-Savic kickstarted a remarkable comeback for Hilal in the 55th minute as he burst into the box after a smart one-two and slammed an effort into the roof of the net.

  And Aleksandar Mitrovic then scored twice in six minutes in to give his side a comfortable 3-1 lead, first thumping a header into the back of the net, and then finishing from inside the six-yard box after Hilal again got in behind Nassr's backline.

  Malcom added a fourth in the 72nd minute. The Brazilian robbed goalkeeper Bento after a poor touch and tapped into an empty net.

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• THE MVP

  Mitrovic's brace was a gamechanger. With the final finely poised, the ex-Fulham man powered home two finishes in quick succession to give Hilal a 3-1 lead and essentially put the fixture to bed. The defending and goalkeeping from Nassr was appalling, but you can only score against the opposition put in front of you and Mitrovic did exactly that.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIG LOSER

  Bento will be thinking about the fourth goal for some time. He couldn't control the ball and gifted Malcom the chance to score. Not only will that mistake haunt him, he also had next to no control over his six-yard box, from which the majority of Hilal's goals were scored.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Nassr return to league action on August 22 against Al-Raed. Hilal will play Al Akhdoud on Saturday, by comparison.

Tottenham chiefs are said to be eyeing a new striker alongside a permanent deal for Timo Werner, and like a £100 million star for the role.

Spurs linked with new striker this summer

Spurs, alongside their rumoured interest in a new winger and another centre-back, have been sporadically tipped to bring in a new number nine to replace club-record goalscorer Harry Kane.

Ledley King has now told Tottenham chiefs to sign "wonderful" 24-year-old

He’s a recommendation of the Spurs legend.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 19, 2024

Technical director Johan Lange, helped by ex-managing director Fabio Paratici's contacts, is believed to be laying the groundwork to sign a marquee striker (Wayne Veysey) – leading to links with a host of top options.

Spurs are apparently in contention for Brentford star Ivan Toney, with the England international looking extremely likely to leave his current club later this year and join an elite side.

Lesser known options, like Union St. Gillosie striker Mohamed Amoura, are also in the frame. The Algerian has bagged 22 goals and six assists in all competitions, and rumours claim he could depart Belgium for as little as £17 million.

Ange Postecoglou currently has Richarlison as the sole natural senior striking option in his squad, and he's bagged a brilliant nine goals in his last 11 league appearances.

However, this hasn't stopped the club from looking at others ahead of the transfer market's reopening, and this has now been backed by another source this week.

Spurs are apparently likely to make Werner's deal from RB Leipzig permanent through the £15 million buy-option clause in his contract, with it believed they're eyeing a striker "on top of" the German.

Tottenham eyeing striker and like Evan Ferguson

Alongside Werner, TEAMtalk state that Tottenham are indeed keen on signing a striker and like Brighton star Evan Ferguson.

The Republic of Ireland sensation, who is rumoured to command a seismic £100 million price tag, is admired by Spurs chiefs – with Ferguson seriously impressing at points this term.

Just 19 years of age, he's already been highly praised by Arsenal legend Ian Wright among others.

"All he has to do is keep doing what he is doing and they are going to start talking about him in million terms because that striker is not allowed. You can’t find that guy to come around, who is 18, in the Premier League and at the perfect club to continue to grow," said Wright last year.

“They aren’t going to be able to hold onto that guy if he carries on doing what he is doing. He is too good. So intelligent – for 18, it’s really, really composed finishing.

“He is fearless at 18. Can you imagine being in the Premier League at 18? You’re not under the pressure you would be under like Garnacho would be under at Manchester United – you watch the way he plays, all the top teams, the top six teams. He can play in any of those teams. We know Brighton, at some stage, they will sell him.”

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement has the Gers on the cusp of a domestic treble. The international break arrives at a time when he will be hoping his injured players can return to full fitness for the last dash to the finish line.

Six months ago, no supporter would have believed that Clement could potentially win all three domestic trophies available to him, yet the 50-year-old has clearly worked miracles.

Not content with a squad he largely inherited from Michael Beale, Clement delved into the January transfer market in order to make three signings in order to enhance his first team.

Fabio Silva has scored four goals during his loan spell so far, while Mohamed Diomande has been an impressive figure in the heart of the midfield for the Ibrox side, adding two goals in the process.

Oscar Cortes also looked bright during his brief appearances for the Light Blues, yet injury struck against Kilmarnock, with the youngster requiring surgery.

All three signings hail from a different continent, showing Clement’s desire to sign players from around the globe in order to compete at the highest level.

Imagine, however, if the manager implemented the transfer policy which has been present at Athletic Bilbao since 1912, where the club can only sign players originating from the Basque country or having developed at a Basque club.

Rangers appointed Nils Koppen as their new director of football recruitment back in December, but consider what the starting lineup look like if he could only sign players from Glasgow or the surrounding areas, rather than finding talent from all over the world.

Could he and Clement form a team which could challenge for trophies?

1

GK – Liam Kelly

Born: Glasgow

The current Motherwell shot-stopper actually started his career at Rangers, progressing through the youth academy, although he failed to make a first-team appearance during his five seasons at Ibrox, enjoying a host of loan moves.

He has been with the Steelmen since 2020, playing nearly 150 times for the club, and he would make the cut if the Gers could only pick local talent.

2

RB – Nathan Patterson

Born: Glasgow

The current Everton right-back is well known to the Rangers supporters, emerging through the academy to play 27 times for the Gers before moving to the Premier League.

Like Kelly, he is currently not at the club, yet if Clement could buy and pick only Glasgow-born players, Patterson would slot right into the defence with ease.

3

CB – Leon King

Born: Glasgow

It feels as though King has been around for years, yet he only turned 20 in January. Making his debut under Steven Gerrard in 2020, King was drafted into the starting XI during the opening few months of the 2022/23 season due to an injury crisis and performed well.

Since January 2023, however, he has barely had a sniff of senior action, falling behind Connor Goldson, John Souttar and now Leon Balogun.

His future is bright though and Clement has given him the odd minute here and there over the previous few weeks.

4

CB – Murray Wallace

Born: Glasgow

Slim pickings at centre-back to say the least. Murray Wallace will forge a defensive duo alongside Leon King at the heart of the backline.

He does have plenty of Championship experience, making nearly 250 appearances in the second tier during his career, indicating that he could be a reliable option for Clement to call on.

5

LB – Robbie Fraser

Born: Glasgow

We could have chosen Andy Robertson as the option here, but his previous association with Celtic makes that a no-go.

Fraser is one of the handful of talents in the academy who will be hoping to break through to the senior ranks sooner rather than later. He is captain of the B team and his future looks rather bright.

6

DM – Kenny McLean

Born: Rutherglen

A player who Rangers have been linked with in the past, McLean would come into the side at the base of a four-man midfield.

McLean has plenty of experience, clocking up 253 appearances in the Premiership, 131 in the Championship and a further 68 in the Premier League, and he would be a solid midfielder to have in a squad full of Glaswegians.

7

CM – John Fleck

Born: Glasgow

Rangers supporters of a certain age will remember Fleck receiving the Scottish Cup trophy in 2008 aged just 16 and his talent appeared limitless.

Fast-forward 16 years, and he is still going strong, albeit having failed to really live up to his prodigious skills.

He will slot in one of the central midfield roles alongside a current Scotland great.

8

CM – John McGinn

Born: Glasgow

The current Aston Villa captain has come a long way since winning the League Cup with St Mirren in 2013.

Since then, he has played for Hibs before sealing a move to Villa, being appointed the captain under Gerrard.

The Scot is a mainstay at his current club, but if Clement had even the slightest chance of signing McGinn, there is no doubt he would take it given his qualities.

9

AM – Alex Lowry

Born: Uddingston

Since scoring on his debut in January 2022, Lowry has been talked about as the next big academy talent to make the grade at senior level.

Lowry has made a further 13 appearances for the club, scoring once and grabbing two assists, but some feel next season could be his most important yet. If he impresses in pre-season, he may get a chance under Clement to finally showcase his true talents.

10

ST – Kevin Nisbet

Born: Glasgow

Nisbet has been linked with Rangers previously, and he could offer something in attack. During his spell in Scotland, he scored 107 goals in all competitions, finally securing a move down south last summer.

He has only scored five times for Millwall, however, finding things tougher in England compared to Scotland.

The consistent inconsistencies of Chelsea Football Club came to the fore once again last night.

Mauricio Pochettino's side bounced back from their disappointing draw at Brentford last week to claim all three points against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.

It wasn't the Blues' best performance of the season, as some questionable moments allowed the Toon back into the game at points, but a number of stars put in a good showing during the 3-2 victory.

One of those was Cole Palmer, whose brilliant displays on the night saved the blushes of one of his less-than-impressive colleagues.

Cole Palmer's game in numbers

The former Manchester City prospect put in another barnstorming performance for the Stamford Bridge faithful last night. While a few other players, such as Mykhailo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson, deserve some praise, the Englishman was named Sky Sports Player of the Match, and rightly so.

The 21-year-old was involved in practically everything good about the Pensioners' display, spearheading attacks, playing key passes, and even making a number of important tackles.

GOAL's Matt O'Connor-Simpson was so impressed with the Wythenshawe-born ace that he awarded him a 9/10 on the night, describing the youngster as 'sensational' and claiming that 'Chelsea would be lost without him.'

It might sound hyperbolic, but his statistics from the night show just how important he was to the win. In his 86 minutes of action, he scored one goal, provided one assist, took 49 touches, played three key passes, took two shots on target, succeeded in two of his dribbles, made one interception, and even made three tackles.

Minutes

86'

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches

49

Key Passes

3

Shots on Target

2

Dribbles (Successful)

4 (2)

Interception

1

Tackles

3

Overall, without Palmer, Chelsea wouldn't have won the game and had that happened, another of the club's star attackers would have received a lot more criticism for his performance on the night.

Raheem Sterling's game in numbers

Yes, the Blues star who was saved by Palmer's brilliance against Newcastle was Raheem Sterling.

The 82-capped Englishman was named in the starting lineup after being dropped for the game at the Gtech Community Stadium, and it's fair to say he didn't do his chances of starting against Leicester City on Sunday any good.

It might sound harsh, but it's an opinion shared by O'Connor-Simpson, who awarded the former City ace a 4/10 on the night. He criticised him for a 'petulant foul', being 'pretty wasteful in the final third', and argued that he needs to 'start stepping up more regularly as a senior member of this young team.'

The 29-year-old's stats from the game don't make for pretty reading, either. In his 71 minutes of action, he took just 15 touches, completed seven passes, completed zero long balls or crosses, missed one big chance, won none of his six dues, lost the ball five times, committed one foul, and was dribbled past three times.

Minutes

71'

Touches

15

Accurate Passes

7/10 (70%)

Crosses

0

Long Balls

0

Big Chances Missed

1

Duels (Won)

6 (0)

Lost Possession

5

Fouls

1

Dribbled Past

3

In all, it was a horror performance by the experienced professional, and were it not for his younger teammate on the opposite wing, he'd be getting a lot more criticism for it.

Chelsea played a blinder selling £34m gem who's worth less than Sterling

The Cobham star has had a rough couple of years away from Stamford Bridge.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 6, 2024

At the end of the day, Chelsea have a real chance of reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday, and after last night, Pochettino should be starting anyone else on the left flank.

Uruguay and Panama escape group as the U.S. threw away golden opportunity at tournament on home soil

In the end, the U.S. men's national team simply wasn't good enough. There's plenty of blame to pass around, but don't let that distract you from that first sentence.

Regardless of the reasons why it happened, how it happened and who caused it to happen, the USMNT is out of the Copa America, and it's their own fault.

The Copa America run died at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night. It ended thanks to a 1-0 Uruguay win which, paired with Panama's 3-1 win over Bolivia, sealed the USMNT's fate. Realistically, it was sealed just a bit in Atlanta on Thursday, when this chaos really began. The U.S. dug themselves into a whole they couldn't play their way out of and making it worse is the fact that they never came particularly close.

Monday night was pure chaos from the opening whistle. Referee Kevin Ortega was simply horrific. Tackles flew in everywhere, frustration built on both sides and, for a while there, it was bedlam in Kansas City.

But, in the midst of that chaos, the U.S. never broke through. Uruguay did, of course, albeit controversially as Mathias Olivera's goal was ruled onside. The U.S. should have no complaints. In the end, they mustered just a few shots and no clear-cut chances.

That, just as much as bad refereeing, was the cause of their undoing. The U.S. stared down adversity and blinked, showing that this team and this program may not have come as far as even they had believed. This Copa America was a failure, and it was the USMNT's own doing.

U.S. Soccer will have to reckon with that fact in the coming days and weeks. Coach Gregg Berhalter's job is on the line. These players will have to take a long look in the mirror while reassessing their "Golden Generation" label. From top to bottom, questions will have to be answered. This was a failure that falls on just about everyone involved. It wasn't good enough, and everyone knows it.

GOAL rates the USMNT's players from Arrowhead Stadium.

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defense

Matt Turner (6/10):

Didn't quite look himself due to his injury and his distribution was a bit rough as a result. Could he have done better on the goal? Possibly, as his initial save fell right to Olivera.

Antonee Robinson (7/10):

Just does everything well. Battled hard against Manchester United starlet Facundo Pellistri, frustrating him throughout. Was one of the only players that can leave with his head held high.

Tim Ream (6/10):

Bailed the USMNT out several times, but needed to better on Uruguay's goal. If this is his goodbye, he went out fighting as he always did.

Chris Richards (5/10):

Had had a tough tournament, and this one wasn't much better. Had a few nervy moments defensively and struggled a bit with the ball at his feet.

Joe Scally (7/10):

Was absolutely mauled several times, but kept on going. A valiant effort, even if it was an ugly one on occasion.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Tyler Adams (6/10):

Got a questionable yellow midway through the first half. Never shied away from things, though, as he walked the line well enough.

Yunus Musah (5/10):

Had a some trademark moments on the ball, but they were few and far between. Never really scared the Uruguay defense, which is something the U.S. really needed from him.

Weston McKennie (5/10):

Had two decent looks at goal, but wasn't able to figure out how to put either in the net. Didn't do nearly enough to help the U.S. win the midfield battle, either.

Getty ImagesAttack

Christian Pulisic (6/10):

Worked hard and, for a while, it seemed the decision to move him to the right was a masterstroke. Just wasn't quite goal dangerous enough, though, as he and his teammates struggled to create anything substantial.

Folarin Balogun (6/10):

Looked really good, but wasn't able to shake off a first-half injury after several rough collisions. Extremely unfortunate for a player that has arguably been the USMNT's best this tournament.

Gio Reyna (6/10):

For most of the match, it looked like the USMNT's best chances at goal were going to come from Reyna. He created a few half-chances, but never really that clear-cut one.

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Ricardo Pepi (5/10):

Came on to replace the injured Balogun. Held up the ball a few times, but was never really a threat to score.

Josh Sargent (5/10):

Was the first of the USMNT's big pushes from the substitute bench. Got on the ball only a few times, though, with his best moment coming on a deflected cross with about 10 minutes left.

Haji Wright (5/10):

Had one fantastic chance, but it was blocked away. Should he have laid it off to Pepi?

Malik Tillman (N/A):

A last-gasp sub when the game was already gone.

Gregg Berhalter (4/10):

It was yet another night in which just about everything went against the U.S., but you can't blame the referee for this loss. The U.S. simply didn't generate any meaningful chances, which, ultimately, will come down to the coach. What happens next? We'll find out soon enough.

Celtic are on the hunt for a new striker, and one of their targets has left the door very much open ahead of a potential Celtic Park switch.

Celtic being pushed in Premiership title race

Though the Bhoys currently sit atop the Scottish Premiership, they could be dethroned should Rangers win their game in hand by a few goals, and there are clearly problems within Brendan Rodgers' squad. Principally, it appears that the front line needs something of a refresh.

Though they completed a loan move for Adam Idah in January, it remains to be seen whether or not Brendan Rodgers opts to make the move permanent, and with Japanese striker Kyogo Furuhashi persistently linked with a move away from Celtic Park a new striker may be needed even if the Norwich man is made permanent.

One man that they have previously been credited with an interest in is Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski, who is the Dons' top goalscorer. Originally a left-back as a youngster, the reformed frontman has been a revelation at Pittodrie. Starting all of Aberdeen's 23 Scottish Premiership this season, he has returned 13 goals and is largely responsible for keeping them out of the drop zone this campaign.

With Celtic thought to have been interested in the North Macedonian before they moved for Idah, it is thought that they would be keen to return for him in the summer, though Aberdeen will still demand that they make him the most expensive transfer between two Scottish sides (a figure that currently stands at £4.4m from when Scott Brown swapped Hibernian for Celtic Park).

Miovski flattered but determined to remain focused

Quizzed on the links, Miovski left the door open to remain in Scotland and move to Celtic, though he was quick to stress that his focus remained on his career with Aberdeen.

"I'm playing the best season of my career at Aberdeen and I'm enjoying football", he said, via Rangers Review.

"I like Scotland. It has a great passion for football. People love the club, they are with us everywhere. I like Scottish football because it is played very quickly and all the time the balls are put forward towards us strikers. The game is played with a lot of contact, but it's direct and I love seeing this much action in the penalty box.

"I am happy to be linked with clubs like Celtic, Rangers and Southampton because that means I'm making progress. I still have two years left on my contract in Aberdeen, I am focused on the club and on winning a place in Europe like last year. What the future will bring?… I don't know.

"Now I am focused only on my club and that is my goal, to be as good as possible. Aberdeen are in the top three clubs in Scotland. Celtic and Rangers are one thing, Aberdeen is another – our club signs young players for less money and gives everyone a chance."

With a third of the season left to play, there is plenty of time for Miovski to attract even bigger suitors and potentially spark a bidding war for his services come the summer transfer window, with goalscorers worth their weight in gold to any side.

The retiring allrounder also highlighted the importance of having a young player like Rashid leading the side

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2019

Following their historic Test win against Bangladesh, retiring allrounder Mohammad Nabi lauded “aggressive” captain Rashid Khan, while also laying the blame on last-minute captaincy changes for their poor performance in the World Cup.The Afghanistan Cricket Board in April had ushered in a new leadership era with Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib and Rashid taking charge of the Test, ODI and T20I teams respectively, ending Asghar Afghan’s four-year stint as captain.With Afghanistan losing all of their nine matches in the World Cup, Naib’s captaincy, especially his on-field decisions during a thriller against Pakistan, came under the scanner. That wasn’t all. Phil Simmons, whose tenure as their coach ended after the tournament, came out threatening to expose the truth behind the team’s World Cup mess, including the controversial removal of Afghan as captain, suggesting disquiet in the ranks.”It is all about team combination,” Nabi said in after the win against Bangladesh on Monday. “In the World Cup, the board members changed the old captain and that’s why the combination wasn’t that good. With Rashid as captain, Asghar and I support him a lot. He prepared for the role too.ALSO READ: Rashid Khan lauds ‘great team effort’, dedicates match award to Mohammad Nabi”If you change the captain before the World Cup, how can you prepare the team? He [Naib] never captained in his life, how can he lead a team in the World Cup? That’s why it was tough, and the boys didn’t perform in the World Cup. We got close against India, Pakistan and West Indies but now it has totally changed. We are giving chances to the youngsters; three debuted in the Test and there will be many debuts in the T20s too.”Scathing in their criticism, Nabi and Rashid had taken to Twitter to oppose the captaincy change before the World Cup, with Rashid calling the decision “irresponsible and biased”.Following the winless campaign in the tournament, Rashid was made the captain across formats, while Afghan was appointed his deputy. Rashid has now delivered in his very first assignment, spinning Afghanistan to victory in Chattogram and also picking up the match award for his 11 wickets and a half-century in the first innings, which invited praise from Nabi.Nabi’s decision to retire from Tests came as a result of him wanting youngsters to take his place in the format. On this occasion too he highlighted the importance of having a young player like Rashid in charge. “We are focusing on the youngsters,” he said. “We have put a young captain in-charge, he is aggressive. He is the No. 1 bowler in the world as well [in T20Is]. That’s why we all support the captain. Our chairman and CEO, our board members support the team.”

Just when it looked as though Chelsea were embarking on a solid run of form, they run into a Liverpool side who are about to lose their greatest manager of the previous 40 years at the end of the season.

The 4-1 defeat at Anfield meant the Blues lost their first Premier League match since a defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Christmas Eve and Mauricio Pochettino will have to go back to the drawing board.

Wolves are the visitors to Stamford Bridge tomorrow afternoon as the Argentine will be looking to make amends for that loss a few weeks ago, and he could certainly make a few changes to his starting XI.

With this in mind, that Pochettino could make three changes to the starting XI which suffered a devastating loss against Liverpool on Wednesday evening.

1 GK – Djordje Petrovic

The Serbian goalkeeper has been deputising for Robert Sanchez as the former Brighton and Hove Albion star has been absent through injury since going off against Everton before Christmas.

Petrovic has kept only two clean sheet across his six starts for the club in the league, and he will be hoping a third one arrives at Stamford Bridge tomorrow against a Wolves side who will be looking to do the double over them.

2 RB – Malo Gusto

Axel Disasi was deployed on the right side of the defence against Liverpool in midweek but did not enjoy the best of games and this will mean Gusto comes into the starting XI.

Against the Reds, Gusto impressed after coming on for the second half, winning five of his seven ground duels, making three tackles, taking 52 touches, and creating a big chance, looking keen to get involved during the tie.

His energy could be a big boost for Pochettino, and he deserves to be unleashed in the starting XI against Wolves.

3 CB – Axel Disasi

As mentioned, the Frenchman struggled to cope with the Liverpool front three in midweek, and he will be moved back to his preferred centre-back slot for the clash against the Old Gold.

He will take the place of Benoit Badiashile, who also endured a difficult game against the Anfield side and was even given a match rating of just 3/10 by 90min as he had a ‘rough night’ according to the report.

4 CB – Thiago Silva

Remarkably, the Brazilian is still able to command a place in the starting XI, despite turning 40 in just a few months’ time.

His display against Liverpool was not one of his finest as a vibrant attacking trio made Silva look every bit of his 39 years.

He will retain his place in the centre of defence, however, due to injuries to Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.

5 LB – Ben Chilwell

Although he was replaced at halftime by Gusto, the Englishman will start against Wolves tomorrow.

Due to a hamstring injury, the defender has only made 11 appearances all season, with just eight coming in the Premier League, but it looks as though he is ready to put that behind him and remain fit for the rest of the season.

6 CM – Enzo Fernández

During the 1-0 win against Fulham recently, Fernandez had one of his finest matches in a Chelsea shirt as he controlled the play and looked excellent alongside Moises Caicedo.

He made three key passes against the Cottagers along with creating a big chance and succeeding with four of his six dribble attempts as the midfielder burst forward from deep often.

This was not on show against Liverpool, but Pochettino will be hoping he can return to those attacking qualities against Wolves.

7 CM – Moises Caicedo

The former Brighton gem has found life difficult so far at Stamford Bridge but he still has plenty of time on his side to emerge as a key player under Pochettino.

He will once again be deployed together with Fernandez and if the duo could perform like they did against Fulham just over a week ago, Wolves could be in danger.

8 RW – Cole Palmer

What can be said about the youngster that hasn’t been already this term? He currently has 13 goals and seven assists in all competitions since arriving from Manchester City last summer.

Their loss is certainly Chelsea’s gain, however, as the Englishman has taken full advantage of being offered regular appearances in the starting XI for the Blues throughout the season.

He will be aiming to add another goal or two against a Wolves side that conceded four in midweek to Manchester United.

9 AM – Christopher Nkunku

The Frenchman only made his debut for Chelsea in December against Newcastle United during their League Cup penalty shootout victory.

Incidentally, he scored his first goal for the club against Wolves on Christmas Eve and this could be a sign that he should be unleashed in the number ten role tomorrow afternoon against the Old Gold.

Two goals in four league appearances is a decent return, and he will be looking at scoring a third sooner rather than later.

10 LW – Raheem Sterling

The Englishman has scored seven times so far this season and has started 18 games in the top flight, which suggests he will be trusted to feature on the wing against Wolves.

The former City dynamo could cause plenty of chaos to the Old Gold backline if he is in the right mood and Pochettino will hope that is the case as they seek another league win.

While Tottenham Hotspur have caught the eye on numerous occasions this season and have made considerable progress under Ange Postecoglou's leadership, they do sit outside the top four after the Premier League term's midway point.

Of course, Spurs are just three points behind third and fourth-placed sides Arsenal and Aston Villa, having recovered from a slump before the festive period, welcomed back injured stars and made a couple of astute January signings to strengthen the cause.

Radu Dragusin (defender) and Timo Werner (forward) have indeed both joined the ranks this month but Postecoglou is still on the prowl for a midfielder, and if Tottenham are to complete further business by next week then this will be the focussed position.

That doesn't mean that efforts haven't been taken to map out plans ahead of the summer, however, with Harry Kane still not directly replaced as the team's focal frontman.

Spurs' search for a forward

Postecoglou opted against signing a star centre-forward in the summer and while Werner was welcomed earlier in January, the former Chelsea man is more versatile than he is prolific and the goalscoring onus will not be placed on his shoulders.

One prominent name reportedly on the radar is Brentford's Ivan Toney, but with the England international attached to a price tag of £100m, securing his signature might be somewhat infeasible.

As such, it's exciting to hear that Daniel Levy could be working toward a deal for Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee, with Tutto Mercato Web reporting that Tottenham are in the mix for the dynamic forward along with divisional rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Zirkzee is understood to have a €40m (£34m) release clause in his contract and has attracted the attention of frontrunners AC Milan, with fresh reports also suggesting that Manchester United have held formal discussions for the Dutch player's possible transfer.

Why Spurs & Arsenal want Joshua Zirkzee

Zirkzee burst onto the scene as a youngster with Bayern Munich and scored four goals from just three starts during the 2019/20 German Bundesliga season, announcing himself as a prodigious talent.

However, he didn't manage to cement a starring spot in Bayern's illustrious outfit and was transferred to Bologna in 2022, completing an inauspicious season in Serie A, scoring just two goals across five starting displays, hampered by injury and ineffectual performances.

Now clicking together, he has returned with vigour this term and so far yields a healthy return of eight goals and four assists across just 19 starts in all competitions, praised for his "extraordinary qualities" by his manager Thiago Motta.

The striker has complemented his goalscoring exploits with 1.3 key passes per game in the Italian top-flight, as per Sofascore, also creating eight big chances for his teammates.

The £19k-per-week whiz excels through his elegance on the ball and in his link-up play, imposing at 6 foot 4 and intelligent in his movement and spatial awareness in the box.

As per FBref, Zirkzee ranks among the top 14% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for clearances per 90.

Given his dynamism and protean threat as an offensive force, Zirkzee could be the perfect fit for Postecoglou's fluid, multi-faceted system at Tottenham.

He is also considered a similar player to Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, (as per Football Transfers' Player Comparison model) who was once an absolute menace on English shores for Spurs' rivals Arsenal.

How Joshua Zirkzee compares to Aubameyang

Once described as a “phenomenal” talisman by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, Aubameyang might be 34 years old now but he is still scoring for fun on Europe's major stage, netting 13 goals and providing seven assists from 27 matches for Marseille this term.

Enjoying some of the best days of his career at the Emirates Stadium, the Gabonese striker was well-regarded for his pace but an underrated and equally integral aspect of his skill set lay in his off-ball movement and innate understanding of his role in attacking sequences.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once said of his erstwhile Borussia Dortmund student: “He's one of the best players for the counter-attack that you can find on this planet because of the timing of the runs and the really outstanding finishing record in situations like that.”

21/22

21

9

2

20/21

39

15

4

19/20

44

29

3

18/19

51

31

8

17/18

14

10

4

Zirkzee is starting to showcase his skills as a high-class centre-forward and can emulate such attributes; he might not have the same kind of searing speed but he is ruthless on the break and drifts into promising openings with remarkable regularity.

He's also shown himself to be one of the more creative strikers the European game has to offer and this is something that Aubameyang has embraced in recent years after witnessing the wane of his pace.

Indeed, Aubameyang ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for assists per 90 to showcase his skill across various facets of the striking game.

Zirkzee was once praised for his "prolific" beginnings at the Allianz Arena by Kulig and is now showing signs of rekindling this cutting edge in Italy, with a complete style of play to ensure that he has a myriad of weapons to inflict damage on opposition.

And if the rangy ace can continue to build on the gains made during his time at Bologna and make the move to Tottenham, there's a good chance that he could take his game to the next level and provide Postecoglou with the kind of all-encompassing talisman to offer shades of Arsenal's former hero in Aubameyang, but actually surpass his ability with a blend of clinical shooting and creative ingenuity.