Manchester United legend Jaap Stam says he "cannot agree" that Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest footballer of all time.
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Raphinha has seen his “very bad” behaviour questioned by a former Brazil star, with the Barcelona forward accused of “disrespecting” Argentina.
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Two old adversaries are set to lock horns in 2026 World Cup qualifying on Tuesday. The current holders of a global crown will be without eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi for that contest, as the Inter Miami talisman was forced to withdraw through injury.
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Raphinha has stated that Messi’s absence gives Brazil more of a chance in a crucial contest, with the 2025 Golden Ball contender saying that he will be giving “everything” to score against arch-rivals. He signed off a conversation with Romario with a “f*ck them” quip as the Selecao ready themselves for battle.
WHAT PAULO SILAS SAID
The 28-year-old is understandably fired up for another grudge match, but has been told that he needs to think carefully about what he says in public. Ex-Brazil international Paulo Silas has told when asked for his take on Raphinha’s comments: “It was disrespectful of that kid. He should have seen Messi here when he won the Copa America and didn't let his team-mates sing against Brazil because of the friendship he has with Neymar and the respect.”
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Silas, who won 34 caps for his country and represented them at the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals, added: “Raphinha was very bad. Brazil should not do it if they were above Argentina and now that they are not either. Football does not look the way he said it. I don't know what message he wanted to pass, but you don't win before you play a game.”
حسم التعادل الإيجابي بنتيجة 2-2، مباراة الهلال والشباب المثيرة، التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم الإثنين، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري السعودي “دوري روشن”.
وتواجه الهلال مع الشباب، في إطار الجولة 29 من عمر مواجهات بطولة الدوري السعودي، وذلك على ملعب المملكة أرينا في الرياض.
وتقدم فريق الشباب أولًا، عن طريق لاعبه البرتغالي دانيال بودينس في الدقيقة 7، بقذيفة قوية من على حدود منطقة الجزاء.
وجاء التعادل للهلال بواسطة الصربي سافيتش في الدقيقة 31، بتسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، وشهد الهدف اعتراضا من لاعبي الشباب بسبب إعاقة للاعب محمد الثاني أمام لودي ظهير الهلال.
واستمع حكم المباراة إلى رأي حكام الفيديو، في تلك اللقطة، الذين أكدوا صحة الهدف، لفريق الهلال.
وفي بداية الشوط الثاني وتحديدًا عند الدقيقة 46، سجل سالم الدوسري هدف الهلال الثاني، بعد عدة تمريرات رائعة وصلت للدوسري داخل منطقة الجزاء ويسكنها الشباك.
طالع | ترتيب الدوري السعودي بعد تعادل الهلال مع الشباب
ولكن فريق الشباب أبي الخروج مهزومًا في اللقاء، وسجل هدف التعادل والثاني له في المباراة، عن طريق المدافع محمد الشويرخ في الدقيقة 68، برأسية في شباك الزعيم، لتنتهي المباراة المثيرة بين الفريقين بنتيجة التعادل 2-2.
وبتلك النتيجة، يحتل فريق الهلال المركز الثاني، في ترتيب الدوري السعودي، برصيد 62 نقطة، مانحًا منافسه الاتحاد فرصة توسيع الفارق في النقاط.
ويتصدر فريق الاتحاد جدول الدوري، برصيد 65 من 28 مباراة وسيخوض لقاء الجولة 29 مساء اليوم ضد الاتفاق، إذا انتصر سيصل إلى النقطة 68، سيكون الفارق 6 نقاط قبل 5 جولات من ختام منافسات الدوري السعودي للموسم الحالي.
بينما على الجانب الآخر، فريق الشباب بتعادله اليوم أمام الهلال، يصل إلى النقطة 51 محتلًا المركز السادس في ترتيب جدول الدوري السعودي.
Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement may have his eyes on the next couple of games, but with the January transfer window opening next week, the focus will soon turn to new signings.
It’s safe to say that despite rumours of a potential sacking, he has managed to calm the choppy waters surrounding the Ibrox ship, with Rangers having lost just one of their last 11 matches in all competitions, the League Cup final.
Despite that, the Ibrox side requires another new player or two to bolster the first-team squad and freshen things up slightly.
The question is, will he have much of a budget and who could the players to arrive over the winter window?
This one could be a particularly exciting signing…
Rangers transfer news
According to reports from Caught Offside last week, the Light Blues are just one of the teams who are showing interest in Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ahead of the January transfer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report states that the Blues view him as being surplus to requirements after just six months at Stamford Bridge since he made the move from Leicester City during the summer transfer window.
It appears as though Arsenal are leading the charge among a host of Premier League sides, but a loan move could potentially be on the cards for Clement and Koppen.
With Europa League football on offer plus the chance to win a trophy or two, Ibrox could be an ideal destination for the player.
Those in the current squad would benefit from Dewsbury-Hall’s impressive ability in the final third too, especially Hamza Igamane.
Why Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would be perfect for Igamane
The Moroccan striker has scored six goals for the Gers this term already and is swiftly becoming an important member of the squad.
He is already thriving with the likes of Nedim Bajrami, Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny providing plenty of chances for him to tuck away. Imagine how good he could be if the current Chelsea gem was operating directly behind him, however.
This season hasn’t exactly been his best due to the lack of opportunities in the first team, but he has still scored twice and grabbed an assist for the Blues.
During Leicester’s Championship title win last season, Dewsbury-Hall was in sensational form for the club. In 44 second-tier matches, the Englishman scored 12 times and grabbed 14 assists as the Foxes made an immediate return to the Premier League.
Not only that, but the 26-year-old also created a staggering 20 big chances throughout the campaign along with averaging 2.5 key passes and succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per match for the Foxes.
Dewsbury-Hall’s stats since August 2023
Metric
2023/24 (Championship)
2024/25 (Premier League)
Goals
12
0
Assists
14
0
Big chances created
20
0
Key passes per game
2.5
0.2
Shots per game
2
0
Via Sofascore
Hailed by Enzo Maresca as being “dangerous” in advanced areas, his skillset would be perfect for Igamane, creating chances galore in the final third for the striker to finish.
Of course, Rangers wouldn’t be able to afford a permanent move for the player, especially when the likes of Arsenal are sniffing around the player. This indicates that a temporary move would be the best course of action for Clement.
If he could secure his services on a six-month loan deal, it might make all the difference for the club as they aim to wrestle back the Premiership title from Celtic.
It will be difficult, but in football, anything can happen.
Rangers looking at signing "tremendous" £3m star who could be Raskin 2.0
Rangers could be set to make a signing or two next month…
ByRoss Kilvington Dec 23, 2024
The Gary O’Neil era at Wolverhampton Wanderers is done and dusted, at long last.
Hiring a new manager just a few days after, they got off to the perfect start under Vitor Pereira at the weekend, scoring three goals against Leicester City to secure just their third Premier League victory of the season.
While immediate thoughts will be on the next few league games, the new manager will surely have one eye on the January transfer window, especially as he could bolster his squad by signing a few players.
With this in mind, the Old Gold have been linked with a couple of players, including a Championship defender…
Wolves eyeing move for Championship defender
According to reports from late last week, Wolves are pushing to secure a deal for Sunderland centre-back Daniel Ballard during the transfer window.
They are not alone, however, as Premier League sides Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion are all showing plenty of interest in the defender.
Wolves have conceded 40 goals in just 17 games this term in the top flight, which is the worst defensive record in the league, suggesting that a new defender or two wouldn’t go amiss in the winter window.
Noha Lemina
PSG (loan)
Joao Gomes
Flamengo
Mario Lemina
Nice
Pablo Sarabia
PSG
Craig Dawson
West Ham
Daniel Bentley
Bristol City
Matheus Cunha
Atlético Madrid (loan)
Chiquinho
Estoril
Sang-bin Jeong
Suwon Bluewings
Hayao Kawabe
Grasshoppers
Could this see Pereira turning to the Sunderland titan next month as someone who could help shore things up?
Why Dan Ballard would be a good signing for Wolves
Ballard came through the youth academy at Arsenal, going on to make a host of appearances for the U18s and U21s without ever breaking into the senior setup.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Loan spells at Swindon Town, Blackpool and Millwall allowed him to gain plenty of first-team experience before he joined Sunderland on a permanent basis in the summer of 2022.
Two and a half years later, Ballard has made 77 appearances for the Black Cats while also accumulating 26 caps for Northern Ireland in the process.
Hailed as a “natural leader” by Michael O’Neil, the defender has enjoyed a rich vein of form recently for his club, despite missing several games during the start of the season due to a knee injury.
He has started the previous seven Championship games for Sunderland, who have lost just once in that run, conceding seven goals in those games.
Not only has Ballard averaged an 89% pass success rate in the second tier this term, but the 25-year-old has also won 5.3 total duels per game – a success rate of 67% – while losing possession just six times per match and making 0.7 tackles each game.
Impressive statistics indeed and this defensive solidity has seen Sunderland move into the playoff spots, as they currently sit in fourth spot, five points behind leaders Sheffield United.
#1 Wolves
14
#2 Man United
9
#3 Southampton
8
#4 West Ham
7
#5 Leicester
5
If he can continue to impress over the coming weeks, Pereira will surely be keeping an eye on him, which could see the Old Gold make an approach once the January window opens.
Given the club’s defensive struggles, also shipping the highest number of set-piece goals in the division, the defender could be a dream first signing for the new manager.
Perhaps it might be one to fix their issues at the back and consequently keep them in the division. Time will tell.
Lemina binned for £60k-p/w signing: Pereira's dream Wolves lineup after Jan
The new Wolves boss might look to freshen things up
ByJoe Nuttall Dec 20, 2024
“Yorkshire set for victory against Northamptonshire” had been one morning headline, but as the Tykes contingent came down to breakfast, they would not have been that confident. Their third-day declaration had indicated their fear that it was going to be a hard slog and there was no certainty that they had the pace attack to flourish. Any such pessimism proved justifiable as Northants refused to yield on a placid surface.There were many shakes of head from the county’s travelling savants when Yorkshire failed to declare at tea on the third day when the lead was 452. Northants had never managed more than 411 in the fourth innings in their history. No side had ever chased more than 472 in the fourth innings of the Championship – Middlesex to beat Yorkshire eight years ago. In defiance of such statistics, Yorkshire opted to top-load for four more overs until they led by 498, smacking of a side not confident in its bowling resources. In their defence, the docility of the fourth-day pitch did suggest that offering a more chaseable target would have been strewn with pitfalls.Allowing yourself 120 overs to bowl out the opposition does seem ample, a view expressed afterwards by Yorkshire’s coach, Ottis Gibson. Eight points for a draw also makes any declaration a 50-50 gamble – eight points risked for eight points gained – a far less attractive proposition than it once was. Yorkshire, furthermore, still have the threat of points deductions hanging over their head as the Azeem Rafiq racism enquiry limps on. Are they chasing the title or avoiding the drop? Shouldn’t they be told?And everyone has to rock up and do this all again on Thursday as the counties try to negotiate what essentially on these deliberately-demanding, educational pitches are the equivalent of seven back-to-back Test matches. It is only a few years since two successive Test matches for England were regarded as an onerous undertaking. Already, around the counties, there are almost as many absent pace bowlers as there are those available.Northants’ resistance was organised by Will Young, the New Zealand opener, who was only four runs short of an unperturbed hundred when Matthew Revis managed to bring one back off the seam – a rare sight – and Young played on from a limp bottom edge. Young had batted for six hours and more than eight hours in the match. Resilient contributions from Rob Keogh and Lewis McManus, on loan from Hampshire, also help Northants towards a draw that will strengthen their conviction that they can survive in Division One.Related
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Had Young’s edge against Haris Rauf, on 3, been held the previous evening by the wicketkeeper Harry Duke, the story might have been different. Duke flung himself to his right in the fourth over of the innings and failed to hold a tough, dipping catch. It was not his first blemish while keeping to Rauf this season as he comes to terms with his extra pace.Young’s Test career had a blip with three single-figure scores against South Africa in two Christchurch Tests in February, but he enjoyed a brief stint with Durham last season and he ticked along in risk-free fashion, leg-side singles to the fore, until he was sixth out with 26 overs remaining. Yorkshire managed only one more success as Northants went on to establish their highest fourth-innings score against Yorkshire.In the injury absence through injury of Matty Fisher and Ben Coad, and with David Willey’s impact being made at Royal Challengers Bangalore, the pedigree was lacking. Rauf has the firepower to unsettle batters on the most docile of surfaces, but his first-class experience is scant and at times his self-admonishment at not quite getting it right was clear to see. His last act, appropriately enough, was to kick at the ball in frustration. As for Fisher, he is out for a month with a “stress reaction” in his back (a possible precursor to a stress fracture) and will regain fitness, conveniently, just in time to be considered for the international summer.The rest of Yorkshire’s pace attack was a bit of a patched-up affair. The seasoned skipper, Steve Patterson, was supported by Jordan Thompson, who failed to repeat his threat in the first innings and two batters-turned-allrounders, Matthew Revis and George Hill.Revis had an excellent game – three wickets in each innings, and proof of his all-round usefulness that might well have kick-started his county career. But it was illustrative that most threat was carried by a player whose first-class record amounted to 2 for 19 against Nottinghamshire last September, and who hadn’t really thought of himself as a bowler until the former Yorkshire bowling coach, Richard Pyrah, proposed it two winters ago. He cranked it up to 81mph more than once and that was beyond all but Rauf, with Thompson markedly down on pace.Three morning wickets and Yorkshire’s victory would seem feasible. They duly delivered that number with Rauf roughing up Northants’ top order to good effect. Ricardo Vasconcelos, who has yet to find batting form as captain, fended a chest-high ball to gully. The short ball that removed Emilio Gay in Rauf’s next over was more waspish – a straight, head-high delivery which Gay, a tall, stately figure, played well enough, apart from the fact he plopped it into the hands of Dom Bess at short leg. Revis had his first wicket of the day when he seamed one across Saif Zaib for Duke to hold the catch.Young found redoubtable support from Rob Keogh in a fifth-wicket stand of 99 in 39 overs during which Yorkshire experimented with Dawid Malan’s legspin; no turn there either. Hill had Keogh caught at short extra off a leading edge with the first ball he bowled and it may be a long time before he bowls to such attacking fields again.Bess’ offspin is a key component, a player with England ambitions. But he carried little threat, his one moment of delight coming when he did straighten one to have the left-hander, Luke Procter, lbw. When he first burst on to the scene as Jack Leach’s partner in crime at Somerset, he had a shorter, fuss-free run. Now he has a longer, but halting run, coming to a stop halfway through his approach to make the first part appear superfluous.Yorkshire found no joy with the second new ball. Rauf resorted to yorkers and bouncers but was repelled. Instead, it was Revis who struck twice more, first Young then the Australian Matthew Kelly, yorked. Kelly had almost run himself out attempting a madcap single, but Thompson’s throw was off target. It would have taken something random for Yorkshire to win this. Instead, the sides shook hands on a stalemate and, bodies aching, they must do this all again on Thursday.
Gurinder Sandhu earns a contract with his third state after an excellent Shield season
ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2022Australia limited-overs quick Kane Richardson has been confirmed as part of Queensland’s new squad after leaving South Australia to move his family to the Gold Coast.Richardson joins the Bulls’ squad after an off-season discussion with coach Wade Seccombe. His arrival offsets the loss of injury-prone quick Billy Stanlake who has departed to Tasmania. Stanlake, 27, has played 26 limited-overs matches for Australia but none since 2019 and did not play at all last summer due to stress fractures in his back.Related
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The Bulls have elevated Gurinder Sandhu onto their list following his excellent Shield season. The former New South Wales and Tasmania seamer, who also played two ODIs for Australia in 2015, moved to Queensland last year without a contract but played six matches and took 25 wickets at 19.16 including two five-wicket hauls.Queensland have also recruited left-arm quick Liam Guthrie from Western Australia after Guthrie played for Brisbane Heat in the BBL last season. Queensland batter Jack Clayton has been elevated to a full contract after scoring a century on Sheffield Shield debut against Victoria last season. Sam Truloff has also been rewarded with a full contract after returning to Queensland ranks last season following a four-year absence from the domestic level.Young fast bowler Connor Sully has also been upgraded after making his first-class and List A debuts last summer.Queensland men’s squad: Usman Khawaja (CA), Marnus Labuschagne (CA), Mitchell Swepson (CA),Joe Burns, Michael Neser, Sam Heazlett, Jack Wildermuth, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Jimmy Peirson, Xavier Bartlett, Bryce Street, James Bazley, Gurinder Sandhu, Matthew Kuhnemann, Jack Clayton, Kane Richardson, Max Bryant, Liam Guthrie, Sam Truloff, Connor Sully, Blake Edwards, Hugo Burdon (Rookie), William Prestwidge (Rookie), Jackson Sinfield (Rookie), , Matthew Willans (Rookie)
In: Kane Richardson (SA), Liam Guthrie (WA), Hugo Burdon, Jackson Sinfield | Out: Billy Stanlake (Tas), Jack Wood, Lachlan Pfeffer
MatériaMais Notícias
Na manhã desta quinta-feira (31), o Corinthians realizou mais um treino no CT Joaquim Grava, de olho na estreia da Libertadores, contra o Always Ready, da Bolívia, na terça-feira (5), em La Paz, às 21h30.
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> GALERIA – Relembre todas as estreias do Corinthians em Libertadores
Pela primeira vez na semana, os atletas que atuaram mais de 45 minutos na derrota para o São Paulo, na semifinal do Paulistão, participaram de forma integral de todas as partes do treinamento.
Vítor Pereira também contou com os retornos de Willian e Cantillo. Na quarta-feira, o camisa 10 não tinha ido ao campo, fazendo um trabalho de fortalecimento dentro do CT. Já o volante voltou dos compromissos da Data Fifa pela seleção colombiana. Ambos participaram normalmente do treino.
O goleiro Ivan,recuperado de um desconforto no músculo posterior da coxa direita, concluiu a transição física e foi outro a treinar sem restrições com o grupo.
> TABELA – Confira e simule os primeiros jogos do Timão na Libertadores
Os atletas iniciaram o dia com o aquecimento e, em seguida, o técnico Vítor Pereira promoveu um enfrentamento em campo reduzido.
Depois, o treinador organizou uma atividade de posse de bola. Por fim, os jogadores do Timão participaram de mais um enfretamento, porém com o espaço mais aberto.
Após o treinamento, alguns atletas fizeram trabalhos complementares de cobranças de falta e cabeceios defensivos.
Com todo o elenco principal à disposição, VP não chamou nenhum jogador da base para as atividades desta quinta-feira. O português vem dando chance para os Crias do Terrão nos treinamentos desde que chegou ao clube. Nos últimos dois dias, ele chamou nove atletas da base para completar as atividades.
O Corinthians volta ao CT Joaquim Grava na manhã de sexta-feira (1), para dar prosseguimento na preparação contra o Always Ready.
Chris Wood closes out nine-run win to dent Gloucestershire’s chances of progression
David Hopps24-Jun-2022That Gloucestershire might have actually stolen this match crept up on Hampshire when least expected. They dominated the bulk of the night but assumptions that a critical match was in the bag were thrown into doubt when they still found themselves defending 12 from three balls. At that point Chris Wood summoned an excellent yorker to Benny Howell, from which only a single accrued. Jack Taylor was bowled around his legs from the next ball and Hampshire finally quelled an unlikely rebellion.With 19 needed from the last six balls, Wood had begun his final over with a gift on leg stump, but Taylor flicked it straight to Toby Albert at short fine. Wood then had another aberration and this time his leg-stump half-volley was deposited over square leg for six. Three hours of professional cricket nearly fell apart in a couple of balls.Other than a nervewracking finish, pity the person charged with trying to put together a highlights reel from this match because it was a pretty uninspiring affair, but the outcome of the sweat and the labour of another hard-fought night in the Vitality Blast, was that Hampshire’s late charge to the quarter-finals continues, and most probably at Gloucestershire’s expense. They are playing intelligent, well-drilled cricket.Hampshire now leapfrog Gloucestershire and knock them out of the top four. They must meet again at the Ageas Bowl in their penultimate match on July 1.At 64 for 5 from 7.5 overs, Gloucestershire appeared to be dead in the water, except that James Bracey, a finisher at No. 6, and Taylor, an utterly unpredictable flayer, a place lower, both have the ability to oxygenate an innings. Bracey would do so by approved methods, the sort of guy who would not only have a First Aid certificate but remember the lessons. Taylor? Not so convinced. But when he did save a life it would probably be packed with so much action it would make a Hollywood movie.Bracey fell for 40 in 26 balls, an ugly bottom-of-the-bat swing to mid-off, but the attack was then taken up by Howell, who finished with 34 not out from 18 balls in an inspired but unrewarded finale.Sometimes the scoreboard does not quite convey the mood. Hampshire’s innings had felt like a perpetual struggle, an innings short of memorable hits with the boundary cleared on the full only three times. But if the mood was 160 at best, the outcome was 178 for 7 and two more points towards another last-eight place.Ben McDermott’s third half-century of the season came on a much-needed night and two doughty professionals down the order, James Fuller and Liam Dawson, added some late vitality with 51 coming in the last 28 balls. No forgetting 17 extras: only a cricket tragic heads for home talking about extras, but it was a night when such things mattered. Hampshire conceded none – their discipline exemplified.James Vince’s silky, run-strewn season has been at the heart of Hampshire’s recovery from a dreadful start. He had made two hundreds in the past three matches, against Somerset and Kent, but this was a grey and grouchy, pint of mild. Bristol night, rather than a bottle of quality midsummer Chablis, and it was no surprise when Vince offered a static cut at a wide one and edged Mohammad Amir to the wicketkeeper.McDermott, stocky and potentially destructive, was comparatively guarded, and he had a life, on 37, when he thrust his head back in disappointment as he failed to make clean contact with a pull against Taylor only to find that he had mistimed it so badly that Glenn Phillips could not quite make ground from deep square leg.David Payne, who can now proudly call himself “England’s David Payne”, even if nobody else quite remembers a debut in an ODI against Netherlands in Amstelveen, conceded 10 from two muscular pulls. McDermott then quickened his pace against Taylor’s spin but when he moved across his stumps and defied Payne to lock on to his leg stump, Payne did just that with pinpoint accuracy. England bowler, fella. Don’t come that one with me.Gloucestershire’s top-order misfired. Fuller, a former Gloucestershire player, is having an influential season and he had Ian Cockbain caught off a leading edge for 19 and then bowled Chris Dent through the gate for 24 in an impressive 2 for 23.As spin bowlers have had so few mentions this season, it should also be remarked that two slow left-armers – Tom Smith, to bowl Joe Weatherley, and Dawson, to strike Higgins’ off stump in similar fashion – both produced classically turning deliveries. The only difference was that Dawson followed up his by rushing towards the crowd with his finger to his lips to tell them to shut up – all to do with an earlier boundary save. In football, such gestures are almost de rigueur, but in cricket it is not remotely etiquette at all and the umpires will be nervously fingering their report sheets and wondering whether to ignore it.
Everton have emerged from a gruelling run of December fixtures without tasting defeat, but the tough run hasn’t finished yet, with Nottingham Forest travelling to Goodison Park in the Premier League.
A series of draws have been played out against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, with Sean Dyche’s side restoring their defensive integrity and fostering their togetherness as they move further away from the drop zone.
Forest, however, have been the Premier League’s surprise package this term, brilliant in their own resilient style, holding fourth place after beating Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.
It won’t be easy, but Goodison Park will boom as it bows out of 2024. A year of tests and troubles and, at times, turmoil. But perhaps, as the new year beckons, a year that has planted fresh roots of promise.
Everton team news
Iliman Ndiaye and Seamus Coleman were both substituted against Manchester City due to fitness scares, but these were precautionary moves and Dyche is hopeful that the wide players will be ready to take on Forest.
James Garner and Tim Iroegbunam remain sidelined, but there is a chance that Dwight McNeil could return to the team after missing the past three fixtures due to injury.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be dropped for Armando Broja, with the 27-year-old striker enduring a torrid run of form that has seen him go 13 Premier League matches without a goal.
Calvert-Lewin: Everton Stats by Season (PL)
Season
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
2024/25
17 (16)
2
1
2023/24
32 (26)
7
2
2022/23
17 (15)
2
1
2021/22
17 (15)
5
2
2020/21
33 (32)
16
1
2019/20
36 (30)
13
1
2018/19
35 (19)
6
2
2017/18
32 (18)
4
5
2016/17
11 (5)
1
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
Elsewhere, Dyche might consider boldly dropping Jack Harrison as he continues to struggle for top form.
Why Dyche should drop Jack Harrison
Harrison’s two-year loan concludes at the end of the season, and after piecing together zero goals and zero assists from 16 Premier League outings this term, he’s hardly declaiming his irreplaceable value to The Friedkin Group.
The problem of course is that Everton aren’t exactly overloaded with options on the right flank, but if McNeil does manage to reclaim his fitness levels, it’s time for the 28-year-old to shrink into the sidelines.
McNeil has been a potent force at number ten this season but lacks the combativeness and link-up play to truly flourish, especially against a side like Forest, who employ a regimented and tough-to-play-against style.
They will be physical, rough, and will look to exploit any chinks in Everton’s midfield, which is why Abdoulaye Doucoure must shuffle forward and make room for Orel Mangala to partner the evergreen Idrissa Gueye in the middle of the field.
McNeil’s playmaking skills still demand his presence, fitness providing, but that would mean that Ndiaye would need to shift out to the right flank, thus knocking Harrison to the bench.
This wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, for Harrison – whom writer Ell Bretland dubbed “abysmal” – scarcely scores and lost a whopping ten duels against City on Boxing Day. Pep Guardiola’s devastated team have lost their slickness and authority, but Forest will bring the punch to the contest this afternoon.
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Ndiaye can more than compensate for Harrison’s potential absence, with the Senegal star averaging 5.9 successful duels per top-flight game this term, as per Sofascore.
While Dyche will be hesitant to make too many alterations to a team that has hit a successful formula in recent weeks, players such as Harrison and Calvert-Lewin have struggled to match the level of some of their defensive peers, and this could be fatal against Forest.
Let’s hope that McNeil is fit and that Everton carry the synergy crafted in recent weeks over to this crucial fixture. The latest crucial fixture. The next in a long and unending line.
Let’s hope. Because Everton have given hope back to the people in recent weeks, and with a bit of fine-tuning, Harrison moving to the bench, that hope could flower into something even better.
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