It’s a fool’s notion to claim that a football team, however well they are playing, are bankers for a title before reaching the midpoint of a campaign.

However, Liverpool fans should rightly celebrate the way in which Arne Slot has taken to life in Jurgen Klopp’s old chair. While things are going well for the Reds at the moment, a lot can change in the business months of the season.

But Liverpool should still stand proud as one of the most exciting and impressive clubs of the 2024/25 campaign so far, top of the Premier League and Champions League tables and firing on all cylinders, with the defence imperious, the midfield industrious and the attack deliciously potent.

Most of the attack, anyway…

Liverpool's frontline in 2024/25

Obviously, Liverpool’s attacking success leans heavily into one third of the frontline, with Mohamed Salah currently riding the crest of one of the biggest waves of his career – and there have been many, many waves.

Mohamed Salah

22 (20)

16

12

Cody Gakpo

22 (11)

8

2

Luis Diaz

21 (14)

9

2

Darwin Nunez

19 (11)

3

2

Diogo Jota

10 (9)

4

2

Federico Chiesa

3 (1)

0

1

With Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz both principally playing at left wing this term, rotating, it’s rather concerning that Liverpool’s central striking position is the area most notably lacking in goals.

To his defence, Diogo Jota has been injured for the past few months and bagged four goals from just nine starts beforehand, but Darwin Nunez has now played plenty of football under Slot’s wing and is yet to prove himself as a high-class focal frontman, even if he has some neat attributes.

Why Darwin Nunez could still succeed at Liverpool

It’s beginning to feel like Nunez will never be the kind of assured goalscoring presence that Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is, but that’s okay.

He’s still got a wealth of qualities that make for a high-class footballer, it’s just whether Liverpool can continue to operate with him as their central talisman, especially if Salah leaves at the end of the season, meaning that the need for goals from other areas will be heightened.

This season, for example, Nunez might have only posted three goals and two assists across 19 outings, but he’s also succeeding with a Liverpool-career-high 55% of his dribbles in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, while also winning more duels on average than across either of his first two seasons.

For all his issues, Nunez still manages to provide some underlying data that speaks of his capacity for a brighter future, ranking among the top 4% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 17% for progressive carries and the top 6% for tackles, as per FBref.

But is this enough? As per The Athletic’s James Pearce, it’s possible that Slot prioritises the signing of a new striker in the coming windows, for Nunez, talented as they come, can’t seem to harness and focus his own quality.

To be honest, it might be that the Uruguayan needs to be sold, with suitors sure to circle from various circles of the footballing world. Reading between the lines, it feels like Slot wouldn’t be wholly against the idea, were the right offer to arrive.

Why Slot should sell Darwin Nunez

Nunez is certainly a divisive member of the Liverpool squad. Many fans adore the 25-year-old for his work rate, personality and multi-dimensionality in attack, but others are frustrated by an unending search for consistency in front of goal.

Unfortunately, unless Nunez showcases a whole new level of potency and consistency at the front of the Liverpool line-up, it’s going to be hard for him to stake a claim for a fourth successive term at the club as the designated number one at number nine.

Some might claim that Nunez requires a certain system to flourish, operating as the spearhead of a frenetic, high-intensity line that allows him to capitalise and rise chaotic phases, but Klopp and now Slot have both tried to bring the best out of the Uruguayan, who has failed to hit the desired heights on both accounts.

Last season, Liverpool-focused writer Sam McGuire called the South American a bit of a “problem” within the Merseyside squad, and for all his ability, if he can’t finish his dinner, then it is indeed an issue going forward.

Especially when considering that Gakpo and Diaz both earn less than him, with the former on £120k-per-week and Diaz taking home just £55k-per-week, as per reports. Nunez, meanwhile, rakes in a reported £140k-per-week.

Both wingers have enjoyed a rich vein of form this season and they are jockeying with each other for a starting berth on the left flank, though that is to the detriment of neither, which makes an interesting comment on the regard that Liverpool fans have for the respective stars.

Nunez, conversely, feels like he’s only occupying the striker’s position because Jota has been sidelined with an injury.

Slot featured the Portugal international prominently throughout the opening months of the campaign and you’d wager that he will do so again once he has returned to full fitness.

Jota has returned to training as he strives to hit full match fitness in the coming weeks. Nunez will be eyeing the forthcoming Premier League fixture at home to Fulham, who are missing key defenders through injury, with an air of suppressed desperation.

He knows that an upswing is needed quickly if he is to finally reach the heights that Klopp envisaged when bringing him to Merseyside for a record fee.

Slot's own Firmino: Liverpool ready to sign "magical" £54m Nunez upgrade

Liverpool are growing frustrated with the misfiring Darwin Nunez.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 12, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras entrou no Brasileirão-2022 como um dos fortes candidatos ao título. Mais do que isso, o time de Abel Ferreira mostrou que o campeonato nacional é a prioridade deste momento da temporada. No entanto, os dois primeiros duelos do Verdão não fizeram jus a esse status de favoritismo. Foram duas atuações abaixo da média, uma derrota, um empate e apenas um ponto. Agora, contra o Flamengo, em jogo grande, chegou a hora de mudar o cenário.

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Nesta quarta-feira, no Maracanã, o Alviverde reencontra seu principal rival no país nos últimos anos. Foi em cima do Fla que a última Libertadores foi conquistada, em Montevidéu, no Uruguai. Será a primeira vez que as equipes se enfrentam desde a decisão continental, o que torna esse embate ainda maior do que ele já seria. Ocasião perfeita para o Palmeiras se redimir.

Até aqui, no Brasileirão, o Verdão ainda não mostrou a que veio. Foram duas partidas: diante do Ceará, em casa, e diante do Goiás, como visitante, adversários contra os quais os palmeirenses são considerados favoritos. No entanto, foram derrotados pelos cearenses na primeira rodada, e somente empataram com os goianos na segunda. E o pior, sem ter jogado bem. Vale destacar que, em ambas as rodadas, Abel Ferreira escalou força máxima.

No duelo com o Esmeraldino, o Alviverde ainda mostrou melhora em relação ao que apresentou contra o Vozão, porém acabou parando no goleiro Tadeu, que fez pelo menos três grandes defesas, e na arbitragem, que validou um gol irregular, desconsiderando falta em Weverton. Ainda assim, o Palmeiras teve alguns momentos de distração e de falta de intensidade, fatores que costumam ser fatais em um campeonato tão equilibrado quanto é o Brasileirão.

Em comparação com o espírito que a equipe encarou (e encara) embates pelo Paulistão, pela Libertadores, pela Recopa e pelo Mundial, o desempenho palmeirense ficou bem abaixo. Diante do Flamengo, a partida pode ter um espírito parecido com esses de mata-mata, de caráter decisivo, já que se trata de uma rivalidade cada vez maior e de um adversário direto na luta pelo título.

Com apenas um ponto conquistado em seis disputados até aqui, o Palmeiras tem urgência para garantir sua primeira vitória e entrar de vez no Brasileirão, que é um dos principais objetivos desta temporada. Deixar de conquistar esses três pontos, ainda mais no contexto dessa rivalidade e dessa briga direta, pode significar o sinal de alerta para as pretensões do time dentro do campeonato.

Nesta terça-feira pela manhã, o Verdão faz seu último treino antes de pegar o Flamengo, quando Abel Ferreira deve definir a equipe que entrará em campo no Maracanã. Após a atividade, na parte da tarde, a delegação viaja para o Rio de Janeiro, onde joga na próxima quarta, às 19h30, em jogo adiantado da quarta rodada do Brasileirão. O Alviverde é o 15º colocado na classificação.

Manchester United have reportedly set their asking price for winger Antony as they try to sell 10 squad players this summer.

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Man Utd set Antony asking priceReal Betis displays helping their causeWant to offload 10 players in the summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the I paper, United are 'confident' they can sell Antony for £40 million ($51.7m) this summer after impressing on loan at Real Betis. The Brazilian has four goals and as many assists in 12 appearances and that has led to links that Atletico Madrid and Serie A teams are interested in signing him.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Antony will go down as one of United's worst-ever signings but if they can recoup nearly half of £82m ($102m) they forked out for him in 2022, that may be more palatable to the club. Incidentally, the report adds he could be one of 10 players the Red Devils try to shift on at the end of the season in order to raise the funds head coach Ruben Amorim needs to overhaul his squad.

DID YOU KNOW?

The report adds that United are going to need to earn more than £100m ($129.4m) in player sales to give Amorim the tools he needs to drive lasting change at the Premier League giants.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

United will hope Antony, who scored just 12 goals and notched five assists for the Red Devils in 96 games, can continue his strong form and start a bidding war for his services in the summer transfer window.

M Vijay will return to action after almost two years, in the 20-overs Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) which kicks off on June 23.Vijay’s last competitive game was for Chennai Super Kings, against Delhi Capitals, in IPL 2020 in Dubai. He has since not played the two IPL editions, the TNPL 2021, or any domestic tournament for his state side, Tamil Nadu.Related

• Ashwin links up with India Test squad in Leicester

• TNPL, strong leadership mould Tamil Nadu into dominant T20 force

• Shahrukh: 'Even if I only play five balls, there's a process to it'

In the lead-up to TNPL 2022, Vijay, 38, said that he had taken a break for personal reasons and that he now wants to relish whatever cricket he plays.”I want to play as long as possible. Just took a personal break,” Vijay said at a TNPL event in Chennai earlier this week. “I have a young family and wanted to take care of them. I’m enjoying my cricket now and I’m feeling fit, hopefully, I can do my bit for my team and TNPL.”It was difficult for me personally because I wanted to play but I had injuries and my personal life was going at a fast pace. I wanted to slow it down and see where I was standing as an individual. I wanted to reflect on myself and that’s why I felt that [a] break was required and needed for me at that particular time. TNCA has understood that and they’ve given me this beautiful platform to come back and play the game.”Vijay last represented India in the 2018 Perth Test and Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy in December 2019. Vijay emphasised that he hasn’t set any personal goals and wants to “enjoy” his return.”The two-year break was to reflect on the exact point you are saying [India comeback],” Vijay said. “At the end of the day, you have to be realistic with your targets. I pretty much don’t have any aim at the moment. I just want to play cricket and enjoy this phase of my life at this point and see where it takes me, with the help of TNCA.”Vijay will turn out for Ruby Trichy Warriors, led by Rahil Shah, in this TNPL. In the previous season, a bunch of youngsters carried the side to the final, where they lost to Chepauk Super Gillies. Vijay sees himself playing some sort of a mentorship role at Trichy.”Just go out there and perform and make use of the opportunity. How many ever youngsters I can help out and be with them – that’s going to be my role in this team in TNPL,” Vijay said. “That’s what I’m looking forward for – to rub shoulders with the youngsters and talk the way they can understand and see where they are and contribute to TNPL.”Vijay credited the TNPL for transforming Tamil Nadu into a dominant force in white-ball cricket. The league’s most recent breakout star B Sai Sudharsan made his IPL debut for Gujarat Titans earlier this year and won the title with them.”Definitely, yes. T20 format… started it in 2006 or 2007, we [Tamil Nadu] were the champions that edition and from thereon, we never looked back in T20s,” Vijay said. “We constantly performed well. TNPL, as I’ve told before, it’s a gift for Tamil Nadu cricketers. It’s about how we use it and express ourselves in the middle. It has definitely helped all youngsters I feel; six-seven of them are playing in IPL right now and India through the TNPL. The way they’ve played got them high attention, so this is an amazing tournament and I hope the efforts are being used by the boys and go climb it, man. Go big from Tamil Nadu.”This season’s TNPL will be held in Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Coimbatore, and Salem, with the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai currently undergoing renovation, ahead of a potential homecoming for MS Dhoni’s Super Kings in the next IPL.Varun Chakravarthy will also return to action in TNPL 2022•TNPL

Ashwin, Karthik may play second half of TNPL
R Ashwin, who is currently in England with the India Test squad, and Dinesh Karthik will not be available for the start of the league but could potentially feature in the second half of the tournament after finishing their India commitments in the UK. Left-arm seamer T Natarajan, too, is unlikely to start the tournament, for Lyca Kovai Kings, as he is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.M Shahrukh Khan, who was recently part of India’s white-ball squad as a reserve batter, however, is available for Kovai Kings.Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who recently had a horror IPL stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, will look to prove his form and fitness for Madurai Panthers, under coach Sriram Krishnamurthy, who is also the assistant coach at Northern Districts in New Zealand domestic cricket.Another mystery spinner who could grab eyeballs this season is Kovai Kings’ B Surya who had bowled in the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s nets in IPL 2022.

Should Rohit miss the Test, Jasprit Bumrah will captain the team for the first time

Nagraj Gollapudi29-Jun-20224:04

Rohit has not yet been ruled out – Dravid

India captain Rohit Sharma is battling against the deadline to be available for the Edgbaston Test against England after testing positive for Covid-19 once again on Wednesday morning. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Rohit will undergo two further tests – one this evening and another on Thursday – before the Indian team management takes a final decision on his availability for the Test, which starts on Friday. Should Rohit miss the Test, Jasprit Bumrah will captain the side.Rohit, who tested positive on the second day of the warm-up match in Leicester last week, has been serving the five-day isolation as recommended by the UK government. Today was the fifth day, but Rohit was absent from India’s training session.”Rohit is being monitored by our medical team, he is not yet been ruled out,” head coach Rahul Dravid said. “Obviously, he needs to get the negative test to be available. So we will keep monitoring that, we’ve still got close to 36 hours to go. He will have a test later tonight and maybe one tomorrow morning as well. And then we’ll see.”Obviously, he’ll have to come out of that, and it’s really up to the medical team and sports science team to decide on that. We haven’t had a chance to see him, since he is in isolation. But we will keep monitoring the situation.”While there has been no official update from the BCCI on who will lead India in case Rohit doesn’t play in the Test, it is understood that Bumrah will take up the role. India didn’t nominate a vice-captain after KL Rahul, who was named Rohit’s deputy when the squad was picked in May, was ruled out having picked up a groin injury earlier this month.Bumrah was the vice-captain during India’s previous Test series, against Sri Lanka at home. He incidentally has never led in any form of cricket, so this will be his maiden captaincy stint. He will also become the first fast bowler to captain India since Kapil Dev.Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Sri Lanka series, Bumrah had said he would never “shy away” if he was given the opportunity to lead India. “If given an opportunity at any scenario, it would be an honour and I would never ever shy away from that, but it is something that I don’t go looking for,” Bumrah had said. Despite the lack of captaincy experience, Bumrah had said he remained confident of performing the leadership duties as he had grown in his role as a strike bowler both for India and at Mumbai Indians in the IPL.”Whatever role is asked of me, I would do it with the best ability. You are always a leader when you are a senior member of the team, so it’s just a post that comes with you. Basically, you try to help all the people in whatever capacity you can. Even in Mumbai Indians, you have got a lot of senior players but now I am one of the senior players as well, so you help the captain, you help everyone, you play the leadership role even when you are not asked to.”That’s how I look at it. I never want to [be the captain] just for personal satisfaction. It’s just a post, it’s just a name, you have to do your job and you have to help people in the best way you can.”‘We have got contingency plans’ – Dravid on captaincy scenario
If Bumrah walks out for the toss on Friday, he will be the eighth man to lead India since 2021. While Dravid agreed that is not the desired scenario, he felt that the coaching staff and players were well-equipped to handle that challenge.”It is what it is,” Dravid said. “When I took the job even I wouldn’t have predicted that there would have so many captains in the last six-seven months. That happens, right? In the times that we are living in, with Covid, there have been some unfortunate injuries to people. Even here, it is quite unfortunate what has happened to Rahul and Rohit in the last three weeks for us. And sometimes we’ve had to balance out the workloads of people. So it happens.”Of course, it is not something you envisage when you first start off, but if a situation arises then you react to that, you deal with that. And in spite of the number of captains we have had, we have played very good cricket over the last six to eight months. Yes, obviously the South Africa Test series was probably the one I would have liked to have won after going one-up. But even there I thought we were not outplayed, we were very close in a lot of those games. We had a few unfortunate injuries and some of our main players were probably not available for that Test series.”We are keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that we don’t have to deal with these situations, but they seem to come up and we have to react. We are not fazed by it. We are clear about our communication with people. We know what is going to happen over the next few days. If something happens, we have got contingency plans and, within our group, within our team, we know what’s happening. That’s really important for us.”

Chelsea are trying to sway Manchester United sensation Kobbie Mainoo to Stamford Bridge amid his contract standoff, and it is believed that a deal for the rising star could even happen in January.

Chelsea emerge as favourites to sign Mainoo from Man United

On Tuesday afternoon, The Daily Mail’s Chris Wheetley broke news that Chelsea are currently seen as favourites to secure a deal for Mainoo, if he were to decide on leaving Old Trafford for pastures new.

Chelsea entering pole position to sign £38m midfielder after making contact

The Blues have been courting him for over a year.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 7, 2025

The 19-year-old, who has burst on to the scene as a mainstay star of United’s midfield – earning a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024 and starting in the final – is currently in the midst of stalled talks over new and improved terms.

Mainoo is on around £20,000-per-week right now, which could be seen as a shockingly low figure considering his status and potential to become a world superstar.

Bournemouth (home)

January 14

Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)

January 20

Man City (away)

January 25

West Ham (away)

February 3

Brighton (away)

February 14

The teenager is after a new contract to reflect his status as a pivotal United player and Three Lions international, with his demands to extend reportedly set at around £200,000-per-week – 10 times what he earns at the moment.

United, according to The Mail, are struggling to agree on a new deal for Mainoo due to their PSR status – as they try to flog high-earners like Antony, Marcus Rashford and Casemiro this window to balance their salary sheet.

This situation has alerted Chelsea to a potential opportunity, and they’re in pole position to steal away United’s latest young prodigy above other suitors.

Following this report, reliable journalist Simon Phillips has shared an interesting update on Mainoo via his Substack.

Chelsea told Kobbie Mainoo stance after making contact with his camp

As per Phillips, Chelsea are trying to sign the homegrown ace, and it could even happen in January if all goes to plan. That being said, the club have also been made aware of Mainoo’s current transfer stance – and it is believed he’d ideally prefer to stay in Manchester as things stand.

Chelsea have reached out to Mainoo’s agents and told them that they’re interested in signing him, and to gauge whether a deal is indeed possible. A top Chelsea source is also quoted by Phillips’ website, saying: “We are trying to turn Mainoo’s head.”

This will be a notoriously challenging move to pull off, especially mid-season, but the midfielder’s quality indicates he could be worth the effort, even if Mainoo is valued at around £70 million.

”He’s not only the future, he’s the present already,” said former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas to BBC Sport (via The Mirror).

“He’s got a fantastic personality [it’s] like he’s been playing for a long time. To help him in the summer, they need to recruit players who can gain this quality on the pitch to make him more brilliant than what he is.

“He plays without fear, and this is what I love about him. He just wants the ball, wants to make things happen.”

Barcelona have confirmed goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is back in training after seven months out with a serious knee injury.

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• Ter Stegen been out with knee injury
• German back in Barcelona training
• Keeper aiming for first-team return

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 32-year-old has been out with a ruptured knee tendon since last September but now he is inching closer to a return. Barca have confirmed the German international was able to take part in "some of the group exercises" in a big boost for Hansi Flick's side.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT BARCELONA SAID

  A post on the club's website reads: "And there was an additional reason to smile today, because goalkeeper Ter Stegen was able to take part in some of the group exercises as he continues on the long road to recovery from an injury that has meant he has been out of action for half a year."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ter Stegen is, arguably, among one of the best keepers in the world but Barcelona have been able to manage well enough without him as they are vying for the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey. But if he is back, they may be an even more formidable proposition to contend with. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona haven pencilled in a potential return date of the end of April for the captain to make his long-awaited comeback.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  While Ter Stegen will continue to step up his recovery, October signing Wojciech Szczesny will continue to be Barca's first-choice stopper in his absence.

There is no getting away from it; it’s been a dire season for Tottenham Hotspur so far.

Ange Postecoglou’s side currently find themselves in 11th place in the Premier League, and while they have a League Cup semi-final to look forward to, it’s against the utterly sensational Liverpool, who look practically unbeatable.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though, as the club do have a number of genuinely exciting youngsters in the squad and academy, which could see them become a serious force a few years down the line.

Moreover, it would appear as if Daniel Levy and Co are leaning into this strategy further, as recent reports have linked the club with another exciting prospect who could be the ideal long-term rival for James Maddison.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are very interested in Brighton & Hove Albion prospect Facundo Buonanotte, who’s currently on loan with Leicester City.

In fact, the report has revealed that the North Londoners have already acted upon their interest and have made an offer of around €45m for the young Argentine, which works out to about £37m.

However, the story claims that this fee may not be enough to tempt the Seagulls into selling the £25k-per-week gem, which only shows how highly rated he is.

It could prove to be a complicated and potentially costly transfer to get over the line, but given Buonanotte’s ability and potential, it could be well worth pursuing, especially if he can offer Maddison more competition in the short term.

Why Buonanotte would be a good signing

There are two key reasons why Buonanotte could prove to be an excellent signing for Spurs.

The first is the extra competition he could offer Maddison over the next couple of years.

Now, at just 20 years old, there shouldn’t be an expectation on the Argentine’s head to come in and displace the Englishman, but as things stand, he looks like he could at least challenge him for minutes here and there.

Buonanotte vs Maddison in 24/25

Player

Buonanotte

Maddison

Appearances

18

26

Minutes

1137′

1525′

Goals

4

8

Assists

2

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.33

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

189.5′

117.3′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, while the former Leicester City ace has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 26 appearances this season, the current Foxes “magician,” as dubbed by Rising Stars XI on X, has scored four goals and provided two assists in just 18 appearances.

Now, while that means the Coventry-born ace is averaging a goal involvement every two games to the Argentine’s average of one every three games, he is doing so in a more attack-oriented and better-resourced side, not to mention the fact that he’s eight years older.

In short, while the Brighton prospect wouldn’t displace the Lilywhites’ number ten right away, he certainly looks like he’s on the right track, which brings us to the second reason the North Londoners should sign him: their project.

With the additions of Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall, and Yang Hook combined with academy products like Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear, it’s clear that Levy and Co are building for a bright future, and therefore, a player like Buonanotte would be the perfect addition.

As talkSPORT’s Jack Johnson says, the youngster “is going to be a star,” and if you still aren’t convinced, then you only need to listen to former Premier League winner Carlos Tevez, who said the youngster “reminds me of Messi” a few years ago, and that “he has no ceiling.”

Ultimately, while it is a lot of money to spend on a youngster, Buonanotte has already shown he can contribute now, and based on the opinions of those in the know, he could be an absolute world-beater a few years down the line.

Therefore, Spurs should do what they can to bring him to N17 next year.

Related Spurs could sign Premier League flop in awful Radu Dragusin repeat

The former PL flop should not be Spurs’ answer to their defensive crisis.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 25, 2024

Newcastle United will travel to Manchester United later on today full to the brim with confidence, whilst the hosts will fear another defeat is on the cards after a torrid away outing to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day.

The Magpies celebrated a comfortable 3-0 win over Aston Villa on the contrary, with another potential three points against an out-of-sorts Red Devils side meaning Eddie Howe’s men would have been victorious four times on spin in the Premier League.

There have been plenty of impressive performers for Newcastle over recent matches, with the attacking personnel, in particular, standing out as the Toon continue to be a captivating watch on their A-Game.

Standout Newcastle attackers

Of course, a logical place to start when discussing exceptional attackers for Howe’s side is Alexander Isak, as the deadly Swede has been in inspired form lately for his high-flying outfit.

He would even score a hat-trick against Ipswich Town when Newcastle dispatched the Tractor Boys with ease in a 4-0 win, whilst also getting in on the goalscoring act versus Villa last time out to extend his rampant team’s lead.

That simple tap-in finish against Unai Emery’s opponents has shot Isak’s Premier League goal tally for the season up to 11, with Jacob Murphy also loving life next to the clinical Scandinavian down the right wing.

Murphy has been a revelation in December for the Magpies, with a stunning three goals and four assists picked up this month more than helping his side pick up win after win across a congested run of fixtures.

But, in Anthony Gordon, Newcastle have one of their most daring players in the attacking positions away from both on-fire names mentioned, and a face Ruben Amorim wouldn’t say no to if he could add him to his low-on-confidence Red Devils group.

He would likely barge his way straight into the main XI based on Man United’s ongoing woes, with the ex-Everton attacker hopeful he can cause havoc at Old Trafford later on.

Gordon's heroics for Newcastle

Gordon would get his team up and running against the Villans last match with this sublime curled effort which took his own goal haul in the Premier League for this season to four strikes from 17 games.

Also helping himself to three assists, it’s no shock to see football pundit Troy Deeney label the electric winger as a “wonderful” asset to Newcastle recently, alongside also being a star that has bettered many a Man United player this campaign in terms of end product.

Player

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

Gordon

17

4

3

Amad Diallo

16

2

6

Alejandro Garnacho

17

3

1

Bruno Fernandes

18

4

5

Joshua Zirkzee

18

3

1

Marcus Rashford

15

4

1

Rasmus Hojlund

13

2

0

Stats by Sofascore

Only Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo can boast more goals and assists in league action than Gordon in the Man United attacking ranks, with both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho – who mainly operate on his same trusty left-hand side – struggling to keep up with the Newcastle ace’s numbers away from others impressing.

Gordon will hope his rich vein of form against sides from Manchester continues into this away trip to the Theatre of Dreams, having netted a late penalty versus Manchester City earlier in the campaign to secure a share of the spoils for his side, alongside also boasting three career strikes in total against the Red Devils.

He will surely be confident he can bump that number up to four by the close of the Monday night contest as Man United’s lax defending once again becomes their own undoing.

Newcastle supporters won’t want to get too carried away, but with the attacking arsenal Howe can put out, any defence in the Premier League right now would be scared.

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Manchester United have struggled in recent years, failing to reach the heights the fanbase has expected them to after such heavy investment from the hierarchy.

The board have splashed over £600m on new additions under Erik ten Hag, with many failing to cut the grade required of a top-level Premier League talent.

As a result, they have been languishing outside the top four in recent seasons, extending their streak without a league title to a decade, leaving new boss Ruben Amorim tasked with ending such a drought.

He’s made an okay start to life as Red Devils boss, winning just once out of his four matches in the league, losing each of the last two outings to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

It’s safe to say some players have failed to impress since his appointment, potentially putting their long-term futures at Old Trafford in huge jeopardy.

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Goalkeeper Andre Onana has produced some memorable moments so far this campaign, including a miraculous double save against Crystal Palace which was named the Premier League’s Save of the Month for September.

However, his last outing against Forest was undoubtedly his worst of the season, producing two errors that ultimately swung the game in the visitor’s favour.

He failed to keep out an effort from Morgan Gibbs-White, before misjudging an effort from Chris Wood which saw Nuno Espírito Santo’s side claim a two-goal lead.

Onana isn’t the only one to struggle in recent matches, with winger Alejandro Garnacho struggling to adapt to his new inside attacking role in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.

Since the 39-year-old’s appointment, has failed to score or assist in the Premier League – with his only effort coming in the Europa League against Bodo/Glimt.

The youngster has been dragged in each of the last two meetings before the hour mark, unable to make an impact – whilst failing to add to his tally of three goals and one assist in the league.

As a result, the club must rue their decision to release a certain Premier League star.

Former Man Utd academy gem has outperformed Garnacho

Midfielder Dwight McNeil was a part of United’s infamous Carrington academy, but he was released by the Red Devils at the age of 16 – subsequently joining Burnley.

He would make over 100 appearances for the Clarets before departing following relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2021/22 season, moving to Everton – allowing him to capture his best form in England’s top flight.

McNeil has been the shining light in an underperforming Toffees side this campaign, scoring three times and registering three assists in the process – outperforming Garnacho with such figures.

He’s also completed more progressive passes and achieved more of his attempted take-ons, providing more of an all-round presence in the final third than the young Argentine.

Such is the nature of McNeil’s performances in 2024/25, he’s been compared to Manchester City star Phil Foden by FBref – a comparison that is certainly a huge statement given the youngsters’ stature in the game.

However, when delving into their respective stats to date, the Everton winger has bettered the England international in numerous key areas, showcasing how impressive he’s been in recent months.

How McNeil compares to Foden (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	McNeil	Foden
Games played	13	10
Goals & assists	6	1
Shot-on-target accuracy	35%	10%
Dribbles completed	1.6	0.9
Carries into the final third	2.2	1
Crosses completed	7.2	5
Through balls completed	0.6	0.4
Stats via FBref

Not only has the 25-year-old registered more combined goals and assists than the City forward, but he’s also notched a better shot-on-target rate and completed nearly two times more dribbles per 90.

Undoubtedly, it was a long time ago that the Red Devils parted ways with McNeil, but in the current day, letting him for nothing certainly appears to be something of a mistake.

With January coming up, Amorim will likely want to bolster his ranks, but he could have already had himself a top-level talent had they kept hold of the current Premier League ace.

However, for the fanbase and the new boss, it will always remain a case of what could have been had they kept hold of the 25-year-old.

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