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It's no secret this season that Sunderland have struggled to find a potent striker to lead the line, never being able to fill the huge void left behind by Ross Stewart exiting for Southampton.

Stewart hasn't been blessed with the best luck since moving to St. Mary's however, with injury issues galore only seeing him make two appearances for the Saints this campaign, but the wasteful Black Cats have never replaced their former lethal Scotsman all the same.

A conveyer belt of failed attackers in Nazariy Rusyn, Mason Burstow and more have all struggled to become the star centre-forward Sunderland have craved this dismal Championship season, with a new striker a must on the Black Cats shopping list this summer.

Sunderland will hope they don't fall victim to a similar transfer blunder like this one back in 2015, with the Wearside outfit gaining what they thought was a prolific forward for £5m only for him to go all goal-shy playing at the Stadium of Light.

Danny Graham's transfer to Sunderland

Sunderland must have thought they'd hit the jackpot when Danny Graham was unveiled as a major signing mid-way through the 2012/13 Premier League season, having been deadly for his ex-employers in Swansea City before moving on.

12 goals from 36 games the campaign before this deal was finalised would have caught the eye of the Black Cats, alongside Graham's past goalscoring heroics at Watford before his spell with the Swans which saw him score 41 goals from 98 Hornets games.

Enshrined in Swans folklore for his dramatic winner against Arsenal during his final full season in Wales too, Graham would unfortunately flop in his new surroundings after once being thought of as an effective goal-machine elsewhere.

Graham would only line up for Sunderland 13 times during the second half of his first season, failing to hit the ground running with zero goals for his efforts.

Loaned out to Hull City, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers, it wouldn't be until the 2014/15 campaign that Graham would finally break his duck for the Wearside outfit in a deal that is now seen as a colossal blunder.

The 6 foot dud would only ever score one more strike for Sunderland to take his goals total to a pitiful two from 59 games, even when returning to the Black Cats in a random loan spell during the 2020/21 season when the side had fallen all the way down to League One.

Graham's wage costs during his initial wretched stint would also have hurt Sunderland alongside his lack of clinical finishing, earning £12.5k-per-week more than what Daniel Ballard does currently, according to Capology.

Graham's wage at Sunderland

The former Swansea man would rake in a high £27.5k-per-week wage for the Black Cats during their Premier League days ten years ago, which would make him the highest earner by over £10k-per-week now in the current Sunderland camp.

Graham would also find himself earning nearly double that of dependable centre-back figure Ballard back in 2013, who is now being touted for a move away from Sunderland after a poor collective second-tier season just gone still saw the ex-Arsenal man shine.

Sunderland top earners – 2023/24
1. Jack Clarke	£16.9k-per-week
2. Daniel Ballard	£15k-per-week
3. Bradley Dack	£15k-per-week
4. Patrick Roberts	£12.5k-per-week
5. Anthony Patterson	£10k-per-week
Sourced by Capology

Only missing three games all season long in the Championship, an impressive feat considering the chopping and changing of managers on Wearside, Ballard could make Sunderland a healthy profit this summer if sold on all whilst earning significantly less than what Graham pocketed.

Graham will just be thankful that this disappointing patch of his career didn't upset his flow of goals moving onto Blackburn Rovers right after Sunderland, bagging 57 strikes whilst lining up alongside ex-Riversiders and current Black Cats midfielder Bradley Dack as a teammate.

Sunderland must consider selling “magic” star who earns 4x Hume’s wage

Sunderland could soon sell on this star who is a high earner at the Stadium of Light.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 1, 2024

West Ham United have made a Lucas Paqueta decision as this summer's transfer stance becomes crystal clear behind-the-scenes.

West Ham face real summer of change ahead of 2024/2025

A real summer of change is afoot at West Ham, as speculation surrounds the future of manager David Moyes and a few key players.

Steidten sets sights on pacey striker as new West Ham target emerges

The Hammers are keen to add more firepower.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 18, 2024

It's looking likely Moyes will leave West Ham at the end of this season, as some reports have suggested, which would bring an end to his historic stint in charge. The Scotsman guided West Ham to an unprecedented Conference League triumph last season, whilst sealing European qualification in each of his full seasons back in the dugout.

His side put in a valiant effort last night against Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League quarter-final second leg, with Michail Antonio gifting them the lead after 13 minutes to spark hopes of an aggregate comeback. However, West Ham's lack of options told in the end, as Moyes' men began to look leggy after a ferocious start.

Their bench contained six academy players, and that sort of strength in depth may not keep the east Londoners among England's top eight sides for long. Technical director Tim Steidten is therefore tasked with reinforcing the Hammers squad, as well as potentially finding a replacement for Moyes.

A lot of the cash for West Ham's summer transfer activity may well come from Paqueta's sale, as the Brazilian remains heavily linked with a move away, as he was last summer.

He was edging close to a Man City move in 2023, but due to an investigation surrounding alleged gambling breaches, Pep Guardiola's side pulled the plug on a deal.

The former Lyon star has been absolutely crucial since his arrival, standing out as one of West Ham's key players alongside the likes of star winger Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.

West Ham 3-0 Wolves

8.88

West Ham 3-2 Nottingham Forest

8.20

Luton Town 1-2 West Ham

8.02

West Ham 2-2 Burnley

7.97

Burnley 1-2 West Ham

7.86

Now, there's been another update on his future, courtesy of HITC.

West Ham "preparing to sell" Paqueta with Man City stance clear

According to their information, West Ham are preparing to sell Paqueta this summer, and the midfielder has his heart set on a move to Man City despite interest from the likes of PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

It's unclear whether they will stand firm on his £85 million exit clause, but it appears Paqueta may not be a West Ham player for much longer. Often, when a club like City come knocking, it is irresistible for players to refuse the call.

Wolverhampton Wanderers saw yet another Premier League game go by without securing all three points as they drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest.

The only real positive for Gary O’Neil was the return to the starting XI of Matheus Cunha, who was making his first start since February 10th, grabbing two goals in the process.

This could give the Old Gold a boost heading into the final few games, while it looks like the manager is eyeing up a potential partner for the Brazilian next season…

Wolves transfer news

Last season, the Molineux side scored the fewest goals in the Premier League, registering just 31. Although they have improved massively this term, it is clear O’Neil is aiming to add some more attacking prowess to his squad during the summer transfer window.

According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Wolves are currently keeping an eye on striker Mohamed Amoura ahead of making a potential swoop when the season comes to an end.

They face some competition from Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, however, and if Spurs qualify for the Champions League next season, they will likely be the frontrunners for his signature.

O’Neil may have to move a few players out of the club in the transfer window in order to make a deal happen, especially considering Amoura has a contract at his current side, Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) until 2027.

Adding someone with his talent to the manager's attacking lineup could certainly give the club a major boost, while also being a dream signing for Cunha in the process, who could link up well with the Algerian.

Why Mohamed Amoura would benefit Cunha

Cunha is currently the top scorer at the club this season, netting 13 goals across all competitions. The former Atlético Madrid forward has been deployed as a number ten throughout the campaign to devastating effect and this could see him work well with Amoura.

Matheus Cunha in the Premier League for Wolves
Metric	2022/23	2023/24
Goals	2	11
Assists	0	6
Key passes per game	0.4	1
Shots on target per game	0.4	1.2
Big chances created	1	7
Via Sofascore

Not only does Cunha have three assists from this position, but he also created seven big chances, and averaged one key pass per game while succeeding with two dribbles per match, showcasing his selfless nature.

Amoura has been on fire for USG throughout 2023/24, scoring a total of 22 goals across 40 matches, while also showing his selfless side by chipping in with six assists.

It is no wonder that the Algeria international was hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for being “incredibly prolific” just before Christmas.

Among his teammates in the Belgian top flight, the 23-year-old currently ranks second for goals and assists (19), first for shots on target per game (1.4), second for big chances created (six) and fourth for successful dribbles per match (1.2), offering the same sort of qualities as Cunha.

This could allow O’Neil to form a deadly partnership which could help Wolves secure a top-half finish in the Premier League next season.

While a current price for the player is unknown, it looks as though the Old Gold will have to splash out a significant fee, but judging by his statistics this season, Amoura could be well worth it.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo está em busca de reforços no mercado e uma das posições em que pode chegar um atleta é a de goleiro. Um dos alvos da diretoria são-paulina é o goleiro Ivan, da Ponte Preta. Ele tem contrato com a Ponte Preta até dezembro de 2023.

ATUAÇÕES: Pablo faz “hat-trick” e comanda goleada histórica do São Paulo diante do 4 de Julho

Conforme apurou a reportagem do LANCE!, o São Paulo tem interesse no goleiro de 23 anos, que pode ser um bom reserva – ou até mesmo titular – para a meta do Tricolor Paulista. No entanto, ainda não houve uma proposta oficial por parte do São Paulo para a contratação do goleiro.

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador da Copa do Brasil clicando aqui

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Ivan se recupera de uma lesão no punho. Sua última partida foi em24 de outubro do ano passado e o goleiro está se recuperando. Os seus empresários, conforme noticiou o ‘GOAL’, conversam com a Ponte Preta para uma possível liberação, já que os valores para uma contratação são bem altos.

Para se ter uma ideia, em 2019, a Macaca recusou uma proposta do Famalicão-POR por Ivan. A oferta girava em torno de2,2 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 10,1 mi à época). Sendo assim, esse deve ser o valor aproximado do arqueiro no mercado da bola. Vale lembrar que o goleiro já tem convocações para a seleção olímpica e principal.

O São Paulo busca mais um goleiro no elenco, já que Tiago Volpi, titular da posição, é alvo do futebol internacional. Recentemente, o arqueiro foi procurado por clubes mexicanos.

O seu reserva imediato, Lucas Perri, fez seis partidas nesta temporada, é visto com potencial, mas não agradou a comissão técnica.

Newcastle United have been blessed with several terrific centre-forwards over the years at St. James' Park, ranging from the legendary Alan Shearer, to Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, to Alexander Isak in the current day.

The Toon Army have had the pleasure of watching some superb goalscorers and scorers of great goals, particularly in the modern era, and two of them currently play for the first-team.

Callum Wilson, who scored 18 Premier League goals last season, and Isak, who has been on fire since his move to the club in the summer of 2022, are both fantastic centre-forwards for Eddie Howe.

Unfortunately, the Sweden international's sublime form has led to reported interest from elsewhere and he may now follow in the footsteps of Andy Carroll, who came through the academy before being sold for a gigantic fee after showcasing his goalscoring quality.

The Magpies struck gold with the England international as they cashed in for a mouth-watering amount of money, particularly when you adjust for the inflation of transfer fees in football over the subsequent years.

Andy Carroll's goalscoring record for Newcastle

The Gateshead-born number nine came up through the youth ranks on Tyneside as he graduate through the academy, which meant that the club did not have to pay a penny in transfer fees to sign him.

He made a smattering of first-team appearances during the 2006/07 campaign, with seven outings across the Premier League, UEFA Cup, and FA Cup, before being sent out on loan to Preston North End for the first half of the following season, where he scored one goal in 11 Championship games.

Over the subsequent 18 months, Carroll scored three goals in 18 Premier League appearances for the Magpies as they were eventually relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2008/09 season.

That drop down to the second tier allowed the centre-forward to thrive as he produced a stunning 17 goals and 12 assists in 39 league matches, including 33 starts, for Newcastle.

It was his real breakthrough season at senior level with a consistent supply of goals and assists from a centre-forward position to propel his hometown club back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Carroll was then able to make the step up to the Premier League with a sensational return of 11 goals and three assists in 18 starts for the newly-promoted side during the first half of the 2010/11 campaign.

This meant that the Newcastle star, who averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.54 for the Magpies that term, had plundered an eye-catching 28 goals and 15 assists in 51 league starts in 18 months.

His sensational form in front of goal, as a regular scorer and creator of goals at both Championship and Premier League level, attracted interest from elsewhere, and Liverpool swooped in to sign him in January 2011.

How much Andy Carroll's move to Liverpool would be worth today

Per Totally Money, the English giants splashed out a whopping £36.9m to sign the then-22-year-old from Newcastle ahead of the second half of the season.

As per their index, which adjusts for inflation in football since the original fee was paid, that deal for Carroll would be worth a mind-boggling £101.6m in 2024, which highlights how big of a move it was for the academy graduate at the time.

Newcastle struck gold with that transfer for multiple reasons. Firstly, they brought through an academy star for £0 and turned him into a mega-money asset, who also helped them with his superb goalscoring exploits on the pitch.

Secondly, his form after moving on from St. James' Park in 2011 suggests that they hit the jackpot by cashing in on the centre-forward when they did.

Premier League form post-Newcastle

Andy Carroll

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2010/11 (Liverpool)

7

2

0

2011/12 (Liverpool)

35

4

3

2012/13 (Liverpool & West Ham)

26

7

4

2013/14 (West Ham)

15

2

5

2014/15 (West Ham)

14

5

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Carroll struggled badly in front of goal in the five seasons after his exit from Newcastle, for the aforementioned staggering fee.

The 6 foot 4 giant produced 11 goals and six assists in 58 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool before they eventually sold him to West Ham in the summer of 2013 for a fee Totally Money's index has valued at £28.8m in today's money, and £15.7m at the time.

This shows that Newcastle hit the jackpot with the towering centre-forward as they cashed in on him at the perfect time, before his value plummeted by over £70m in 2024 money within less than three years.

Interest in Alexander Isak

It was recently reported by Football Insider that Premier League giants Arsenal, who are currently in the race to secure the title, are interested in Newcastle forward Isak in the present day.

The outlet stated that they are under pressure to abide by the division's financial obligations due to their spending in recent windows, and that they may have to cash in on the Sweden international if they want to make a splash in the market to improve their squad.

This means that the £63m club-record signing from Real Sociedad could be the next Toon marksman to make a big-money move to another Premier League side, as Carroll did when he made the switch to Anfield.

Like the English striker, Isak has proven his quality in the Premier League for the Magpies with his fantastic performances in front of goal since his move to the club.

Premier League form

Alexander Isak

22/23 season

23/24 season

Appearances

22

20

Starts

17

17

xG

8.30

10.93

Goals

10

12

Big chances missed

5

12

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old dynamo has scored 22 goals in just 34 league starts for Newcastle in less than two full seasons at the club so far.

He has overperformed his xG by roughly three goals, which speaks to the Arsenal target's efficient finishing, and it is easy to see why there is interest in his services ahead of the summer transfer window.

Howe may want to keep hold of his star forward but if an offer that is too good to refuse comes in, as was the case with Carroll, then the Magpies could have to entertain the idea of selling him.

Manchester United have had quite a poor season by their standards thus far. Although the team are currently residing in sixth place, their position in the table feels as if it flatters their performances.

The Red Devils have lost 11 Premier League games this term and currently sit on 44 points. Although to many, this may seem like they're not doing too badly, when some of the games they've lost are taken into consideration, it outlines how poorly they've played.

For example, in their most recent top-flight clash against Manchester City on Sunday, Erik ten Hag's men managed to lose 3-1. That is, despite going 1-0 up within the first ten minutes from a rasping Marcus Rashford effort.

In fact, United played so badly that, by the end of the game, City actually had more shots throughout the game than the Red Devils had possession of the ball.

Not only is this in itself embarrassing for Man United, but they also managed to break a 144-game record in the process of losing to their rivals.

However, although there isn't a specific player who can be singled out as the reason why they lost, one attacker can be held accountable for one of his worst performances in a Man United shirt.

Antony's game against Man City in numbers

Despite only entering the pitch in the 75th minute, Antony managed to produce a torrid cameo, subsequently handed a dismal 2/10 by the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst in his player ratings.

Describing the Brazilian's display, he noted: "The first time he got the ball, he was offside and gave it away quickly."

As per Sofascore, during his 15-minute cameo, he managed a total of zero shots on or off target, he also only managed to touch the ball a total of six times and even lost possession of the ball twice.

Antony vs Man Utd
Minutes played	15
Touches	6
Accurate passes	3/3
Dribble success	0/1
Shots	0
Key passes	0
Crosses	0
Duels won	0
Possession lost	2x
Stats via Sofascore.

The £85m signing was also poor defensively as he lost 100% of the duels he attempted and failed to make any tackles or interceptions.

The aforementioned Luckhurst even described Antony as "a danger" to his own teammates following his limp outing.

Antony's time at Man Utd in numbers

Unfortunately for United fans, since the former Ajax man's arrival at the club, his performances have been somewhat similar to this week-in and week-out.

Man Utd’s forgotten £60m ace is now worth less than Antony

The star has struggled since joining Man United.

By
Tom Lever

Feb 15, 2024

For example, last season, despite contributing to a total of 11 goals in 44 games, these numbers put him just one higher than Jadon Sancho who only started 29 games in all competitions last season.

This season has been no different for the attacker either, as he hasn't yet managed to score a single goal in England's top flight.

His addition to Manchester United's ranks has been nothing short of a catastrophic failure and arguably one of the club's worst signings in recent memory.

If the attacker carries on as he has done the last couple of campaigns, it's hard to see how Ten Hag would be able to justify keeping the attacker around for much longer.

Manchester United's new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to wield the axe as he's reportedly set to cut 250 jobs at Old Trafford.

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Staff told about redundancies on WednesdayLatest move in United's cost-cutting measuresINEOS handling business and football operationsWHAT HAPPENED?

According to The Athletic, staff were informed on Wednesday lunchtime of the intended redundancies, which are the result of cost-cutting measures advised by consultancy firm Interpath Advisory. It means nearly a quarter of United's 1,112 employees will be impacted. The report adds that INEOS plans to make the cuts before the 2024-25 season gets underway.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION

INEOS, which acquired a 25 percent stake in the Premier League club in December, believes United's workforce is bloated compared to their rivals – Arsenal's accounts say they employ 689 people on average per month, while Man City (520) have less than half of United's. By streamlining their workforce, United expect to make savings that will help them comply with the Premier League's and UEFA's financial rules, and tackle the transfer market more efficiently.

DID YOU KNOW?

The redundancies are the latest in a series of cost-cutting moves by Ratcliffe and INEOS since their arrival. A number of senior staff have already had club credit cards taken from them, and staff were made to contribute to the travel to the FA Cup final in May.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

While INEOS continue to get United's spending under control, a new team tasked with returning the club to the top of the English football pyramid was recently bolstered with the appointment of Dan Ashworth as director of football. Ashworth will quickly get to work on recruitment, with Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee reportedly nearing a move.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos recebeu uma proposta de US$ 3 milhões (cerca de R$ 16,5 milhões) do Vancouver Whitecaps, do Canadá, por 80% dos direitos do atacante Gabriel Pirani, uma das revelações do clube na temporada. No entanto, a negociação não deve evoluir. O clube canadense também fez proposta por Jean Pyerre, do Grêmio (US$ 6 milhões por 50% dos direitos).

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O LANCE/DIÁRIO DO PEIXE conversou com pessoas do clube e ligadas ao jogador. O Santos entende que o valor não é satisfatório, aposta na evolução do garoto e espera que ele continue por mais tempo no clube. Os representantes do jogador acreditam no desenvolvimento da Major League Soccer, mas também querem ver Pirani ganhar minutos e experiência no Santos. Existe a expectativa de que o atleta possa se valorizar no futuro.

A proposta apareceu em um momento delicado das conversas para a renovação de contrato com o clube. Gabriel Pirani tem contrato com o Santos até o final de 2022 e já estava conversando com a diretoria para a renovação. As duas partes caminhavam para um acordo, mas a negociação travou e foi “congelada”.

O Santos acredita que a divulgação dos valores do contrato do zagueiro Sabino tenha colaborado para a queda na temperatura das conversas. Com a rescisão do vínculo do defensor, o clube acredita ter provado não só para Pirani, mas como para outros atletas em negociação que a diretoria atual, de fato, adotou uma nova política para os contratos com atletas do clube.

Last week's 2-0 home defeat to Brentford was an afternoon to forget for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The defeat was bad enough on its own, but the injury to Matheus Cunha made the day far worse.

Later today, the Wanderers will attempt to bounce back from their loss by beating Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur.

Gary O'Neil is unlikely to make mass changes to his starting XI despite losing last time out, but nevertheless, there may be as many as two tweaks in the potential lineup that the boss could field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

1 GK – Jose Sa

Jose Sa has started 22 Premier League matches this campaign, and he will start in between the sticks again despite keeping just three clean sheets.

2 RCB – Max Kilman

Max Kilman is the leader of the Wolves side, and he will start this weekend wearing the captain's armband.

The 26-year-old has started every game this season.

3 CB – Craig Dawson

Craig Dawson is also a frequent starter for the Wanderers, with the boss valuing his experience.

The 33-year-old has played 22 Premier League games this campaign.

4 LCB – Toti Gomes

The final player to complete the usual back three is Toti Gomes, who has worked his way into the side this season.

5 RM – Nelson Semedo

Nelson Semedo has started all but one game this season in the league, and he will start over Matt Doherty.

The defender ranks third in the Wolves squad for interceptions and tackles per game.

6 CM – Mario Lemina

Mario Lemina has been an engine in the middle of the park this season, and he will feature from the off.

Over his 21 Premier League games, the 30-year-old has scored four goals and averaged 2.8 tackles per match.

7 CM – Tommy Doyle

The on-loan Manchester City man could come into the side having replaced Joao Gomes on the hour mark last time out, the latter man having 'struggled' against the Bees – in the words of the Express and Star's George Bennett.

In place of Gomes, Doyle won both of his ground duels and enjoyed a 90% pass accuracy rate in his 27-minute cameo, indicating that he could be deserving of the nod today.

8 LM – Rayan Ait Nouri

Rayan Ait Nouri was fantastic last weekend, making three key passes, having 99% pass accuracy, and winning 11 duels.

The Algerian is guaranteed to start.

9 RF – Pablo Sarabia

Pablo Sarabia came off the bench to hand Wolves the win over Spurs in the reverse fixture with a goal and an assist.

This time around, the Spaniard will have the opportunity to cause chaos from the off.

10 LF – Pedro Neto

Pedro Neto has been electric this season and is the main creative outlet for Wolves, as highlighted by his eight assists, the most in the squad.

His pace on the break will be vital, and he will look to score his first Premier League career goal against Spurs.

Chelsea secured a much-needed Premier League win this afternoon with a 1-0 win over Fulham which lifts the Blues into eighth position as they look to make their way into the European places.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men may have only won by a one-goal margin, but it will surely give them plenty of confidence, especially knowing that they can now grind out results.

There were plenty of standouts for the Blues during their tense win, with attacking midfielder Cole Palmer getting on the scoresheet in the league yet again.

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Enzo Maresca has already made some big decisions at Chelsea this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 12, 2024

Cole Palmer’s game vs Fulham in numbers

Prior to the Fulham clash, Palmer had scored seven goals and chipped in with four assists across 17 league ties this season and when Chelsea got a penalty against their London rivals, the outcome was never in doubt.

Alongside his goal, the former Manchester City starlet showed his desire to get on the ball often by taking 64 touches during the game, while he also took three total shots and made one key pass.

Palmer also succeeded with two of his three dribble attempts while demonstrating his defensive ability by winning 66% of his ground duels along with making one tackle and one interception, with this ever-growing maturity allowing him to develop into a wonderful player and flourish for the Blues.

He did score the game-winning goal, yet he wasn’t Chelsea’s finest player during the game. That accolade belongs to Enzo Fernandez, who delivered a masterful performance in the heart of the midfield.

Enzo Fernández’s performance vs Fulham in numbers

The Argentinian midfielder controlled things in the middle of the pitch alongside Moises Caicedo and this was key to Chelsea dictating the player for long spells.

Fernandez finished the game having taken 93 touches while also succeeding with 50 of his 61 attempted passes – a success rate of 81% – as he showed a keen desire to get on the ball.

The midfielder pushed forward on a regular basis too, as he created one big chance while succeeding with four of his six dribble attempts, and he even made three key passes during the clash, proving his worth across a range of metrics.

His desire to get to a more advanced role meant he did lose possession 20 times, but in the end, that didn’t matter as the Blues secured a crucial three points.

It was perhaps no surprise to see him given a rating of 7/10 by the Evening Standard for his wonderful display, with journalist Nizaar Kinsella praising the youngster for what was ‘one of Fernandez's best matches for many weeks’ while he also ‘linked the play well’ and, hopefully he can build on this platform.

Pochettino will need all his big hitters to deliver big performances over the next few weeks, especially as they prepare for the second leg of their EFL Cup semifinal against Middlesbrough.

The Stamford Bridge side trail 1-0 from the first leg, but if Fernandez and co can replicate their performances from today, then they should ease into the final.