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Marcus Trescothick passed Harold Gimblett’s record with his 50th first-class century for Somerset as he helped ensure a draw against Warwickshire

George Dobell at Taunton22-May-2017
ScorecardThere is a rumour in Taunton that when Marcus Trescothick first visited the county ground, the Quantocks hadn’t been formed and the tower of St James’ church hadn’t been built: they were still waiting for the birth of Jesus and the formation of Christianity.While that is probably a slight exaggeration, it is certainty true that Trescothick has become as much a fixture at this old ground as the hills and towers that border it. Since his first-class debut, back in 1993 – the year there was a false start in the Grand National and the Princess of Wales denied any intention of divorcing Prince Charles – this ground has altered almost beyond recognition: the Colin Atkinson Pavilion remains, but the Botham and Somerset stands, and the Somerset, Caddick and Ondaatje pavilions (they like a pavilion round here) have all been added and the place has been transformed from something of a sleepy backwater to a thriving club that produces high-quality players and packs them in for T20 matches. And he now plays at a ground with a stand bearing his name.He is also now the only man in Somerset’s history to record 50 first-class centuries for the club. He equalled Harold Gimblett’s record of 49 against Nottinghamshire in July 2016 and passed it here to help his side to a battling draw. His status as a club legend is absolutely assured.He does not remain through sentiment, either. As he showed, he continues to justify his place in the side as a fine batsman and the most-prized wicket for the opposition. Without him, Somerset might well have subsided to an innings defeat. After his 106 and Peter Trego’s 52 – a stay that contained several strong leg-before shouts and what appeared to be a clear slip catch that was given not out – the next-highest contribution in Somerset’s first innings was 16.Even then, he was still obliged to come out once more to save the game. With Somerset losing their final five first-innings wickets for 22 runs, Warwickshire enforced the follow-on and Trescothick was the man – of course he was the man – who shielded an out-of-sorts middle-order to safety with another two hours of defiance. Tom Abell’s unbeaten innings of 35, easily his highest score of the season to date, might prove quietly significant, too.But this day was all about Trescothick. He batted for all but seven overs of it and the clenched fists and bat raised to all corners of the ground upon reaching his century hinted at how much the individual landmark meant to him. And the fact that it saved his side from defeat meant even more.You won’t hear a bad word about him in these parts. In any parts, really. And it is not just for his runs. It is for his obvious enthusiasm and commitment to the cause – his upset after Somerset finished as runners-up yet again a few years ago was painful to witness – his openness with supporters, his bravery in confronting his mental health issues and trying to help others with theirs. And, perhaps, his vulnerability, too. Somerset are as protective of him as they are proud.There are, as Trescothick accepts, aspects of his story and Gimblett’s that are “not too dissimilar”. Both were local lads who, for many years, plundered runs for their county but were then afflicted by dark moods over which they had no control. But while Trescothick, in time, found sympathy and understanding, Gimblett took his own life. One day, we may well reflect that it has been Trescothick’s work improving the awareness of mental health issues in sport that has been even more significant than his runs. Certainly, he has made life easier for those who come after him.”The cricket gets forgotten quite quickly,” Trescothick said. “The team and the club moves on. But hopefully the mental health work will be remembered a bit longer. Hopefully we have educated a few people and given them hope that they can talk about it and gain help. That will probably live on for longer. In 10 years, that might be what people remember.”Trescothick continues to battle his demons. “Even this week, I’ve had sleepless nights. I’ve not been feeling quite right. You have to manage those feelings and get through those periods. I can still cope and play cricket when I don’t feel right. I’ve learned to manage it a bit.”Such has been his struggle for confidence this season, Trescothick called his sponsors last week for a new batch of bats. Whether the change was real or psychological, 152 runs for one dismissal in this match suggest something clicked. He gave one chance in the second innings – a pull for six that Grant Thornton clung on to but on the wrong side of the boundary – but generally looked wonderfully assured against a ball that was turning sharply by the end of the match.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Of course I still doubt myself,” he said. “Absolutely I doubt myself. That will never go away. I felt a million miles away from form this season. I’ve been really battling for rhythm. But you fight through and I desperately wanted to reach this milestone at home. As a professional sportsman you pride yourself on days like this. It’s what I want more than anything. It’s why I’m still playing at 41.”There’s no reason why there should not be a few more centuries to come. His hunger for the game is such that, even in the last few days, he has been asking to play 2nd XI games to ensure he remains in form – an experience he describes as “brilliant fun”. His days as a white-ball player behind him – it is the fielding that has become the issue – he will appear a fair bit more for the seconds in the coming weeks as T20 dominates the domestic schedule. His young colleagues are lucky to have him.”He is a fantastic bloke and great role model,” Warwickshire’s captain, Ian Bell, agreed. “All the young players here can tap into him and this is a great achievement.”There was a moment in early afternoon when Warwickshire seemed far from convinced what a fantastic bloke he was. Trego, on 34, appeared to have edged to Jonathan Trott at slip but the umpires said they were unsure the ball had carried and Trescothick, naturally, backed his team-mate. He appeared to exchange a few words with Trott, in particular, and perhaps disturbed by the combination of that incident and reaching his century, he fell to a loose drive against a wide delivery a few moments later.His departure precipitated a collapse. Roelof van der Merwe was bowled first ball, attempting an oddly lavish drive, while with 38 more required to avoid the follow-on, Jamie Overton hooked straight to long leg. Thornton finished with four wickets on debut and looks certain to win an extension to his three-month contract. His action is far from pretty but, as Lasith Malinga proved, unusual does not necessarily mean unhelpful.So Warwickshire enforced the follow-on. But two hours was never going to be enough to force victory on this pitch. Still, this was comfortably their best performance of the Championship season and news that Boyd Rankin is back in 2nd XI action and Olly Stone is continuing to improve might encourage them further.Few who were present will recall many of those details, though. This was a day to marvel and celebrate Trescothick’s longevity and excellence. And don’t go thinking that he is coming to the end. A man who knew he required 29 in the first innings to reach 25,000 first-class runs will know he needs just over 2500 more to overhaul Gimblett’s record tally of 21,142 for Somerset. Few would bet against him.”That seems a long way off,” he said. “But I don’t envisage stopping any time soon. There are a lot more years yet to continue with what I’ve got to do. Hopefully I can continue to tape the body up. As long as I’m good enough, I’ll continue to play. I still love playing cricket.”

Tottenham Hotspur "maintain contacts" for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie as Ange Postecoglou scours the market for new defenders, according to reports.

Who are Spurs signing this summer?

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Lilywhites officials have been busy so far this summer, having already secured deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon on a free transfer.

Vicario has put pen to paper on a move from Empoli, a move that has cost the club around £17.2 million, while Maddison's transfer from Leicester City set Tottenham back just £45 million. Solomon, who is apparently set to sign his Spurs contracts today after completing a medical, will join on a Bosman deal from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Postecoglou, speaking after his side secured both Vicario and Maddison, claimed the duo have exactly what it takes in terms of charisma to become successful at Spurs.

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers," said the Tottenham boss.

"It’s what they bring as people as well because we are going to play football that requires a certain type of personality and character.

“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room."

After bolstering key areas of the squad with the aforementioned additions, the goal now for Postecoglou is to strengthen his central defensive ranks with astute signings. Some media sources claim Spurs could even make multiple moves to reinforce that position of the team.

Tottenham leaked a woeful 63 league goals last season, the worst record of any top flight side above 15th in the table, something which they will be very keen to address this summer.

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven is a player of serious interest to the north Londoners and some reliable reports indicate they're edging closer to an agreement.

However, in case of any late twists or the event a deal goes south, Spurs and Levy do have alternative options they "maintain contacts" for.

As per TUTTOmercatoWEB and journalist Raimondo De Magistris, one of those defenders is Leverkusen's young centre-half Hincapie. The Ecuador international, who played at last year's 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is apparently on Tottenham's radar alongside Max Kilman of Wolves.

Spurs apparently remain in dialogue with Leverkusen over Hincapie, a player who could cost between £21m-£26 million – an affordable price if Levy wishes to sign more than one centre-back for Postecoglou.

How good is Piero Hincapie?

Described as "tenacious" and "comfortable" in possession by the Bundesliga official website, former Leverkusen head coach Gerardo Seoane has also praised Hincapie in the past.

The South American, who played 30 German top flight games last season and ranked among Leverkusen's best players, has been heralded for his "really impressive" career to date.

"We knew he had the potential," said Seoane.

"We're pleasantly surprised with how he's performing in the Bundesliga and Europe."

The Trinidad quartet of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and Samuel Badree has been picked by the West Indies selectors to play in the T20 segment of the limited-overs series against Pakistan. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the four players are part of a squad picked for the first two contests of the four-match series.The T20 series starts on March 26 in Barbados with the following three matches to be played in Trinidad on March 30, April 1 and 2.It is understood that all the four players were informed on their selection on Wednesday, by WICB selection committee head Courtney Browne. It is not clear whether the four will feature in the final two games of the T20 series, which will end three days before the IPL begins. All the four players are part of various franchises in the IPL.West Indies’ last T20 series was also against Pakistan, in the UAE last September.With the exception of Simmons, the players in question all featured, although West Indies lost the three-match series 3-0. Simmons has not played for West Indies since featuring in the two-match T20 series against India last August in Fort Lauderdale.Based on the WICB policy to pick only players who featured in the Regional Super50, none of the four players are expected be available for selection for the ODI segment of the Pakistan series which follows the T20 series. Although the senior WICB staff comprising team director Jimmy Adams and chief selector Courtney Browne have indicated that the board is likely to review its selection policy, it is fair to assume that none between Pollard, Narine, Simmons and Badree will be picked for the three-match ODI series.Despite his lean recent form, Carlos Brathwaite is expected to lead West Indies in the T20 series against Pakistan. It remains to be seen whether the selectors would bring back former West Indies captain Darren Sammy, whose last assignment was winning the World T20 crown in Kolkata last year. Sammy was instrumental in Peshawar Zalmi winning the PSL earlier this month and says he has not yet given up hope of making a West Indies comeback in limited-overs cricket.”I’m only retired from Test cricket,” Sammy said after participating in the recently concluded Hong Kong T20 Blitz. “I’m not retired from limited-overs cricket. I’m available for selection. We have a series coming up against Pakistan, [I’m] available for that and wherever my services are needed.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked with a Ligue 1 ace that could end Julen Lopetegui’s side's woes in front of goal.

The Spaniard is presented with the task of improving his squad on a tight budget this summer, following the reveal of the club's Financial Fair Play (FFP) worries.

With the latest player linked to Molineux, Wolves could strike a deal that would be kind to their finances and pose a significant improvement to their squad.

What’s the latest on Moussa Dembele to Wolves?

As reported by Express and Star yesterday, Wolves are interested in signing Olympique Lyonnais striker Moussa Dembele.

The report claims that the Midlands club are ‘monitoring’ the 26-year-old, who is set to become a free agent this summer.

It’s mentioned that the Old Gold will face ‘considerable competition’ for the Frenchman’s signature, with unnamed clubs across Europe also interested.

What could Moussa Dembele offer to Wolves?

In 129 Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon, Dembele has registered an impressive 67 goal contributions in scoring 56 times and contributing to 11 assists in five seasons for the club.

Lauded as “clinical” by scout Antonio Mango, the Frenchman could be an integral signing for Wolves, who ended the campaign as the Premier League’s lowest-scoring side with just 31 goals in 38 games.

The Pontoise-born talisman was snatched by the Ligue 1 side after a formidable spell in Scotland in which he led the line at Celtic, quickly cementing himself as a fan favourite.

In three seasons with the Glasgow giants, Dembele found the net 51 times in 94 appearances, showing his clinical nature in the final third and innate ability to lead the line.

Wolves aren’t short of creators with the likes of Pedro Neto and Matheus Nunes in the squad, so in having a striker as competent as the Lyon ace, Lopetegui could get the best out of his attack to turn fortunes around at Molineux after a dreary season.

In a campaign that lacked sufficient game time for the 26-year-old, the forward lost his place to former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, who scored 27 goals this term which subsequently forced Dembele out of favour.

The former Celtic man’s misfortune could be Wolves’ treasure, with him displaying signs that he could rejuvenate Lopetegui’s side in the final third, as highlighted by his statistics in the season prior in Ligue 1.

As per FBref, the 2021/22 campaign proved to be a strong one for the 26-year-old, who ranked in the top 4% of forwards in the league in terms of non-penalty goals, recording an average of 0.65 per 90.

Another impressive area that the forward excelled in was his activity in the box, averaging 6.08 touches in the penalty box per 90, significantly more than Wolves’ current strike option Raul Jimenez who registered 4.68 per 90 in the Premier League this term.

Wolves could land themselves an established talisman on a free transfer here, which may well prove to be a deal that could turn the club around.

Cameos from Darren Sammy and Umar Akmal late in Rajshahi Kings’ innings gave them enough momentum to beat Rangpur Riders by 12 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDarren Sammy’s 18-ball 44, along with Umar Akmal saw them add 70 runs in the last 37 balls•BCBRajshahi Kings’ bowlers latched on to the momentum of Darren Sammy’s late assault to defend 162 and beat Rangpur Riders by 12 runs. Rajshahi rose from 94 for 5 to post 162 thanks to a 70-run partnership between Sammy and Umar Akmal for the sixth wicket, which came off only 37 deliveries. That was sufficient to put Rangpur under pressure, given their most successful chase in this season was 126.Losing Mohammad Shahzad in the seventh over was a blow for Rangpur but Mohammad Mithun and Nasir Jamshed led a brief recovery, adding 40 runs for the second wicket. Mithun waged a lone battle after Jamshed fell, and then watched as Soumya Sarkar, Anwar Ali and Liam Dawson were dismissed, leaving the score at 119 for 5 in the 17th over. With a six over long-on, Mithun reached his fifty in the 18th over, and Rangpur went into the last two overs needing 28.Mohammad Sami, however, bowled a tight penultimate over, giving away just three singles. Mithun slammed his fourth six in the final over but his unbeaten 64 off 36 balls was not enough to take Rangpur over the line.Earlier, Rajshahi’s innings got off to a rollicking start as Sabbir Rahman struck four boundaries and a six before falling in the seventh over for a 24-ball 31. Rangpur fought back in the next seven overs to reduce Rajshahi to 94 for 5.Sammy and Akmal hit a flurry of boundaries, taking 17, 15 and 23 off the last three overs. Sammy struck three fours and four sixes – over long-off, square-leg and midwicket – in his unbeaten 44 off 18 balls, while Akmal hammered two fours and a six in his 33 not out

Aston Villa are still reflecting on a hugely impressive campaign in which Unai Emery guided them from the threat of relegation and into Europe in his first five months at the helm.

The Villans cannot afford to stand still as they embark on a season of Premier League and Europa Conference League football, though, with strength in depth key if they are to compete on multiple fronts.

One attainable target Villa have been linked with is Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, with Football Insider reporting that Emery's side are in the mix to sign the American this summer, with a fee of around £35m having been mooted.

Leeds paid a reported £20m to land the United States midfielder from RB Leipzig last year, so a slightly higher offer from Villa – should it indeed arrive – may well be enough to prise him away from Elland Road on the back of the Whites' recent relegation to the Championship.

However, Villa are not alone in showing an interest in Adams after his impressive maiden campaign in English football, with Manchester United also said to retain an interest.

What can Tyler Adams provide Aston Villa?

Leeds may have suffered a disappointing campaign last time out, but Adams is one of those who came out of the season with some credit.

Adams was given a seasonal rating of 6.73 by WhoScored, which was the most of any Leeds player – Jack Harrison being the next highest with 6.72.

The 24-year-old also caught the eye at the World Cup midway through the season, earning praise from writer Wes Rucker for being a "machine" as the United States made it to the knockout rounds.

Indeed, Adams' numbers in the Premier League last season were similar to those of Declan Rice, who is wanted by a number of elite clubs this summer, Bayern Munich and Arsenal among them.

Adams completed 82.5 passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, as per FBref, whereas Rice completed 86.5. Adams averaged 67.8 touches per 90 minutes, meanwhile – an almost identical figure to Rice with 68.

There was also very little between the pair in terms of aerial duels won (1.04 for Adams and 1.02 for Rice) and carries (34.1 compared to 39.9 respectively).

With Rice potentially attracting a fee in excess of £90m, Adams should be considered a steal at that aforementioned figure in the region of £35m – though that is not to say Leeds will not play hardball.

Emery will no doubt be excited by the prospect of having Adams in his engine room next season, which would only get even more out of other talented players in his squad, not least the more advanced Jacob Ramsey.

Academy product Ramsey scored six goals and assisted seven more in 35 Premier League appearances last season – figures that could grow even higher with Adams in the side to provide greater defensive cover.

In what is an exciting summer for Villa supporters, Adams may just be the marquee signing ahead of what may well be a season to remember.

Julen Lopetegui will have a busy summer at Wolverhampton Wanderers as he attempts to strengthen his squad as his first Premier League season comes to a close.

The expected focus point ahead of the transfer window is for the Midlands side to acquire a seasoned goalscorer, as Lopetegui aims to turn his side’s fate in front of goal around.

Wolves are the league’s joint-lowest scorers this campaign, level with Championship-bound Southampton on just 31 goals in 37 games so far.

With the potential departures of both Raul Jimenez and Ruben Neves this summer, Molineux will see change next season, with players both arriving and departing.

Despite the transfer window boasting a host of attractive options for clubs to recruit, Wolves could save themselves millions just by looking at their academy, with Leon Chiwome tipped to have a promising future.

Who is Leon Chiwome?

17-year-old Leon Chiwome signed for Wolves’ academy last summer from Wimbledon Youth.

The Brighton-born forward has enjoyed an impressive first season in the Midlands, registering five goals in ten appearances in the U18 Premier League.

His rise to form has prompted a heap of praise from those at the club, as well as earning his first national team call-up for England’s U17s for this month’s European Championships.

The youngster has turned things around for himself in his budding career, after being released on trial by Brighton just two years ago, to playing for his country and catching the eye of many at Wolves.

After his first seven months at the club, he was rewarded with his first professional contract, with academy manager for football Jon Hunter-Barrett lauding the youngster for his ability.

Hailed as having “all the attributes” of a number nine and the ability to do “everything”, Hunter-Barrett admitted the forward has progressed quickly to the delight of figures “internally and externally” at the club – as per Wolves' official site.

At just 17-years-old, the forward is a raw talent, however after seeing the progression of other youngsters in the Premier League could have a point to prove to Lopetegui, particularly with the Euros coming up.

The forward made a statement at the end of last month, scoring his first U18 Premier League hat-trick against Leeds, showcasing his ability ahead of a decisive summer for Wolves.

With Jimenez almost certainly departing this summer, the Spaniard will have a vacancy in attack to fill, something that young players at the club should aspire to fill, including Chiwome who has gained attention at a perfect time.

Aston Villa have been linked with a host of players ahead of the summer transfer window, as Unai Emery’s first season nears a close.

The Villans have seen a complete change since the Spaniard took charge in October, going from an underperforming side to one with European football still in their grasp with two games to go.

Since arriving at Villa Park, the 51-year-old has transformed a number of areas of the club, most importantly getting his team firing and being a luring figure ahead of the transfer window this summer.

The four-time Europa League winner’s influence is already evident, with a number of players from both his former club and La Liga speculated to join his project in the Midlands.

What’s the latest on Marco Asensio to Villa?

Earlier this month, it was reported by The Athletic that Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio was a target for Emery to bring to Villa Park on a free transfer.

The 27-year-old is out of contract in Madrid this summer, sparking rumours of his potential exit on a free transfer.

It has since been reported by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano that the Spaniard’s priority is to extend with Los Blancos, with interest remaining from clubs in both England and Italy.

What can Marco Asensio bring to Villa?

Signing for Real Madrid at the age of 19 signifies a hot prospect in Europe more than any other indicators, take Martin Odegaard who signed at the Bernabeu at just 16-years-old.

During his rise to fame, Asensio has made 283 appearances for Madrid and has an extensive honours list to his name, including three Champions League wins.

Sealing the deal for a player that’s won so much could be culture-changing at Villa, and a sign of changing tides as the club showcases its pull for talent.

More importantly, on the field, the Palma de Mallorca-born star could be revolutionary for Emery’s plans.

Once raved as having the capacity to be “world-class” by previous national-team manager Vincente del Bosque, the 27-year-old has been one of Europe’s most threatening forwards over the past year, as highlighted by FBref.

The Spaniard has been short of minutes this campaign following the rise of Rodrygo, however, has made his time count, averaging 0.65 non-penalty goals per 90, the highest across Europe’s top five leagues in his position.

Likened to “unbelievable” Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah, the Madrid forward is similar in his playing style to the Egyptian that has dominated the Premier League, as shown through his directness on the ball, averaging 4.85 shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, who also compare his statistical profile to that of the 30-year-old sensation.

Emery could therefore land his own version of Salah in the £118k-per-week dynamo, not just through his raw talent, but the manager’s track record in utilising and squeezing the best out of his wide players in the past – take Bukayo Saka as an example.

The potential move could change the entire outlook of Villa’s 2023/24 campaign, with an accomplished star seeing Villa Park as a suitable place to continue his game and influence the Premier League.

With the winger hoping to renew in Madrid and no official progression in talks surrounding a contract, only time will tell if the Spaniard will arrive in the Midlands this summer.

Arsenal’s hopes of clinching a historic Premier League title from Manchester City’s grasp were unofficially dead and buried as they were beaten 3-0 by high-flying Brighton and Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Defeat for Mikel Arteta’s side means that the defending champions can secure a third straight triumph against Chelsea next weekend, regardless of the Gunners’ result against Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners can somewhat feel hard done by with a poor standard of inconsistent officiating resulting in some moments of misfortune, notably an incident that saw Gabriel Martinelli withdrawn early in the first half after Moises Caicedo escaped a booking for a disappointing lunge from behind.

However, it’s not as if the Spaniard’s chosen XI was at the races either because several of his key stars let him down, including central defender Jakub Kiwior, who went down injured instead of standing his ground until the whistle for the Seagulls’ first effort – a header from 5 foot 6 dynamo Julio Enciso.

The Brazilian’s replacement, Leandro Trossard, then squandered possession in no man’s land to gift a late second to fellow substitute Denis Undav before Pervis Estupinan slotted home a third in added time to compound a disastrous outing from the Gunners.

They weren’t the only ones though…

How did Ben White do against Brighton?

It was a tough outing from Ben White at right-back too as he was regularly torched by Brighton’s tricky wide man Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese speedster skinned the Englishman to provide the initial ball into the box for the visitors’ opening goal.

Indeed, the neat footwork and acceleration of the 25-year-old saw him register two successful dribbles, having also won five duels up against White, who himself was graded as the Gunners’ third-worst player, per Sofascore ratings (6.4).

To make matters worse, GOAL journalist Charles Watts tweeted about the £50m defender’s woes.

He said: “Ben White is going to be having nightmares about Mitoma later.”

Similarly, these were sentiments echoed by The Evening Standard’s Simon Collings, who wrote in his post-match ratings column: ‘It is not often you see the right-back struggle like this, but Karou Mitoma gave him a torrid time, skinning him on more than one occasion.’

White was dribbled past on two occasions, whilst he lost four duels, including 100% in the air, which certainly suggests that Mitoma regularly got the better of him throughout the encounter.

The £120k-per-week star also struggled on the ball, having failed to find an Arsenal player with his two inaccurate crosses and from 49 touches, he lost the ball on seven occasions, via Sofascore.

Having accrued the fifth-most minutes of any other player before kick-off, White has often been a player that Arteta has trusted and relied upon but up against a tricky opponent in Mitoma, he was woefully exposed at right-back, so perhaps it gives the Spaniard some food for thought now second place is all but rubber-stamped.

Once questioned for being a “liability” to this side at the start of the season, it seems as if such a statement has come true at the worst possible time as City are now very likely to be crowned champions once more, leaving White and co with those aforementioned nightmares for weeks to come.

Arsenal have largely been unflappable all season, yet in the run-up to their crunch match with Manchester City, Mikel Arteta's men have faltered.

Three consecutive draws have surrendered six crucial points, and now leaves the title in Pep Guardiola's hands once again unless they can claim an unlikely victory at the Etihad.

Arguably the most frustrating of that trio of results was their most recent draw with Southampton, as they never really got going despite playing in front of an Emirates under floodlights. For all the home support given, players simply did not turn up as they were thwarted by a side bottom of the league.

However, one of the worst performers from that clash was undoubtedly Gabriel Jesus, who spurned countless opportunities up top that would have secured an albeit undeserved victory. His expected goals sat at a lofty 1.14, yet the Brazilian did not record a single goal contribution.

Whilst few would question the impressive impact the 26-year-old has had on the Gunners, with nine goals and six assists in just 20 league appearances perhaps with viable competition this complacency might not have been an issue. Eddie Nketiah, for all of his mid-season heroics, is far from the requisite quality to challenge for titles.

However, in the on-loan Folarin Balogun, they could have a perfect alternative to their star striker who can displace the fellow Hale End graduate for at least a season.

How has Folarin Balogun played this season?

Having starred out on loan at Reims, the 21-year-old has captured the attention as he sits fourth in the Ligue 1 scoring charts with 18 goals; Kylian Mbappe only boasts four more.

Although the youngster is reportedly seeking a starting spot elsewhere, perhaps Arteta could convince him to remain in north London for one key season to challenge Jesus for the starting spot. That competition could prove imperative in next year's title fight, to raise the level of the squad depth infinitely.

To compare, Nketiah has made 25 league appearances this season yet has only scored four goals, all of which came in a month-long period of success that would be short-lived.

Meanwhile, Balogun has proved his ability to finish at the top level already, with the "in-form" forward, as lauded by journalist Charles Watts, more than good enough to be backup.

The 5 foot 10 finisher has the backing of a fan favourite in north London too, as Thierry Henry was keen to praise his exploits from such a blistering campaign: "I’m really happy for him because in general English players don’t go abroad. Normally players are loaned either to another Premier League side or in the Championship.

"He’s a very English-style player who likes to run down the channels but he was missing something, which was his finishing. He’s now starting to score goals regularly and I’m happy for that – happy he has gone abroad."

Whilst this potential switch remains highly hypothetical, the opportunity to fight for his starting spot in one season must appeal to the Brooklyn-born "machine" – as per Fox's Garland Gillen. Indeed, he looks more than ready to challenge Jesus next term.

Should the £30k-per-week forward succeed, likely pushing Arsenal even closer to the title, then it will have been a wise move. Should it fail, then his stock will remain high enough that he could still move on with ease. Arteta must get to work convincing Balogun to trust the process, whilst informing Nketiah that his time might be up.