INEOS sent scouts to watch a Europa League tie on Thursday, as Manchester United eye a 19-year-old defender who struggled and was substituted at half time.

Man Utd plan attacking transformation in summer transfer window

There are a number of positions that the Red Devils need to strengthen this summer, but none more important than the forward line, as the lack of goals has become a real issue in the last two seasons.

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Rasmus Hojlund continues to lead the line for United, but the Denmark international has struggled all season to find his scoring touch, as the games without a goal continue to stretch. Therefore, it is no surprise to see the Premier League side looking to sign a new striker, and according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Man United have expressed an interest in signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.

With a release clause worth £66 million and competition from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, United may need to sell a few players before this deal can happen or focus on alternative targets.

In addition to looking at Sesko, United are also looking to improve their wide options and are planning to make a £25 million bid to sign Geovany Quenda from Sporting. United are said to have already agreed personal terms with the 17-year-old, so they are now planning to make a formal offer, as Ruben Amorim looks to reunite with one of his former players.

Man Utd send scouts to watch Fenerbahce defender Akcicek

The Red Devils also want to improve their defence, and according to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, relayed by Sport Witness, Man United had scouts watching Fenerbahce defender Yusuf Akçiçek in action on Thursday evening.

The report states that the Red Devils are keeping an eye on Akcicek, who has been a regular for Fenerbahçe this season. The Turkish giants were defeated 3-1 at home by Rangers on Thursday, as Akcicek was hooked at half time while 2-1 down having registered zero tackles, interceptions, blocks or clearances on the left of a back three.

The Turkey under-19 international made his senior debut for Fenerbahçe last season, but this 2024/25 campaign he has become an important figure in José Mourinho’s team. Akcicek has now played 14 times in all competitions, six of which have come in the Europa League, and he did complete 40 out of 42 pass attempts on Thursday, highlighting some impressive ball-playing traits.

Yusuf Akçiçek’s 24/25 Europa League stats

Apps

6

Starts

5

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clean sheets

2

Interceptions per game

0.5

Tackles per game

1.5

Akcicek is under contract until 2028, but an offer from United could tempt Fenerbahçe into a sale, and with Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans both expected to leave Old Trafford come the end of the season, younger replacements will come in.

Signing Akcicek fits into United’s desire to sign the top young players in football, and his arrival alongside Leny Yoro could be exciting for the Premier League team.

The captain had one of his poorest games in the crunch moment of the season while the defender's poor form since returning from injury continued

Manchester United's dreams of saving their worst season in half a century with Europa League glory were shattered as they limped to a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham in the final. Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu both defended poorly to allow Brennan Johnson to score the only goal of the game in the 40th minute.

It was a suitably scruffy goal to win a final severely lacking in quality between the two worst English sides not to be relegated this season, and the ragged Red Devils simply had no response to going behind, with Bruno Fernandes failing to inspire his troops.

Harry Maguire and the tricky Amad Diallo were the only bright spots from a drab first half which ended in terrible fashion. Shaw, who had looked unconvincing from the start and has really done so ever since returning from injury, allowed Johnson to get in front of him and diverted the ball towards his goal before the forward got the final touch. Patrick Dorgu had not done his team-mate a favour either as he did not even try to stop Johnson, who should have been his man.

Ruben Amorim took too long to make his changes, although Alejandro Garnacho gave them faint hope with some thrusting runs down the left side. United came closest to scoring when Rasmus Hojlund had a header cleared off the line brilliantly by Micky van de Ven, while Shaw got power on a last-ditch header deep in injury time, but Guglielmo Vicario saved well.

It was too little too late from a United side who never deserved to win the final and, to tell the truth, did not deserve a good ending to this miserable campaign.

GOAL rates United's players from San Mames…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (5/10):

  The goal was not totally his fault, but he did not help himself with slow reactions and diving backwards into his own goal. Before then he had left Yoro in the lurch by failing to come out of his area and sweep up Richarlison's pass.

  Leny Yoro (5/10):

  Didn't have the best communication with Onana and did not carry the ball as well as he can. A little rustiness should have been expected given he rushed back from injury for this final.

  Harry Maguire (6/10):

  Gave a strong display, particularly in the first half. Moved the ball well, especially with his defence-splitting pass to Dorgu. But there were no miracles down the other end.

  Luke Shaw (3/10):

  Looked shaky from the off, letting Johnson start a dangerous attack early on. He totally botched his next match-up with the forward, being too weak to get in front of him and then diverting the ball inside the near post. Nearly made amends with his last-gasp header but was denied by Vicario.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Noussair Mazraoui (6/10):

  Defended well, clearing a dangerous ball from Porro and then making a superb tackle on Son. Didn't get forward much.

  Casemiro (5/10):

  Made some aggressive tackles but lacked ideas with the ball and didn't cause a nuisance of himself in the box.

  Bruno Fernandes (4/10):

  Uninspiring when it mattered most. His shot at Vicario was one of United's few efforts on target. A loose pass invited a dangerous Spurs break and he couldn't muster any magic at all as the minutes ticked away.

  Patrick Dorgu (4/10):

  Too passive for the goal, standing still and letting Johnson attack the ball. Tried to make up for it with some positive play down the left, but couldn't make a tangible difference.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Amad Diallo (7/10):

  United's brightest player from start to finish. Fired inches wide, tested Vicario in the first half and tried desperately to get his side back in the game.

  Rasmus Hojlund (5/10):

  A bit unlucky. Got hardly any service and his one good effort was sensationally cleared off the line by Van de Ven. Taken off for Zirkzee.

  Mason Mount (5/10):

  Offered little in the first half, and although he improved in the second, he lost his footing after his best piece of play inside the area. Taken off for Garnacho.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

  Instantly created danger, getting at Porro and then forcing Vicario into a fine save.

  Joshua Zirkzee (5/10):

  Offered very little going forward, although he did halt a dangerous counter by taking a booking.

  Diogo Dalot (N/A):

  Replaced Mazraoui in the 85th minute.

  Kobbie Mainoo (N/A):

  A desperate substitution in added time.

  Ruben Amorim (4/10):

  His line-up was risky, fielding Yoro so soon after injury, but more seriously starting Shaw despite his poor form, as well as picking Mount over Garnacho. And now there is no golden ticket after all, the benefit of the doubt he has been getting will disappear.

تغزل جياني إنفانتينو، رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، في فريق الأهلي قبل مواجهة إنتر ميامي الأمريكي.

ويلعب الأهلي أمام إنتر ميامي في افتتاح بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025، الأحد المقبل، في تمام الساعة الثالثة فجرًا.

طالع| هل توجد إصابات؟.. موقف لاعبي الأهلي قبل مواجهة إنتر ميامي

وقال إنفانتينو في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للأهلي: “أعتقد أنه لفخر كبير بكل تأكيد لفريق مثل الأهلي أن يلعب افتتاح النسخة الأولى من كأس العالم للأندية”.

وأضاف: “الجميع يعرفون أن الأهلي نادٍ تاريخي، فاز بأكبر عدد من الألقاب في تاريخ الكرة الإفريقية ولديه الملايين من المشجعين في جميع أنحاء العالم، وأتوقع حضور عدد كبير منهم إلى هنا”.

وتابع: “المباراة الافتتاحية لأول نسخة من كأس العالم هي حدث سيدخل تاريخ كرة القدم، وتواجد الأهلي في هذه البطولة وخوضه مواجهة الافتتاح سيدخلانه تاريخ البطولة بكل تأكيد”.

وواصل: “أنا سعيد لكل أصدقائي في مصر وكل أصدقائي في الأهلي، وأنا أتطلع لهذه المباراة، وأعلم أن جماهير الأهلي لديها الشغف والحماس لدعم فريقها في هذا الحدث العالمي”.

وتابع رئيس الاتحاد الدولي: “لقد زرت النادي الأهلي من قبل وأعرف شغف جماهيره بكرة القدم، وأعلم أن الأهلي يمثل لجماهيره (الحياة)، وجمهور النادي هم من أسباب كتابة تاريخه وهم يساهمون دائمًا في صنع مستقبله، إنه أمر خاص ومميز للغاية وهو ما يجعل حتى المحايدين يشجعون الأهلي”.

ووجه إنفانتينو رسالة لجمهور الأهلي: “هيا يا شباب، تعالوا إلى هنا، شجعوا فريقكم، واستمتعوا بكأس العالم للأندية، هذا الحدث العالمي الذي يُلعب للمرة الأولى”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo venceu a Portuguesa por 3 a 2 em partida válida pela segunda rodada da segunda fase do Campeonato Paulista Sub-20. Em um jogo disputado,Maioli, Mateus Amaral e Cauê foram os autores do gol da vitória em Cotia.

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>ATUAÇÕES: Defesa do São Paulo se destaca, mas ataque não corresponde e quase não assusta

Tabela
> Veja tabela da Copa do Brasil

Durante o começo do primeiro tempo, o Tricolor conseguiu abrir o placar com Maioli, após uma cobrança de falta. Pouco tempo depois, otime lusitano buscou o placar e chegou ao empate aos 32 minutos. A segunda etapa ficou ainda mais aberta. A Portuguesa marcou outro gol aos nove minutos de jogo.

Aos 14′, Matheus Amaral balançou as redes e garantiu mais um para o São Paulo. Aos 45 minutos, perto do apito final,Cauê bateu um pênalti com categoria e segurou o resultado positivo.

Com o placar, a equipe de Alex de Souzasomou seus primeiros pontos na segunda fase do estadual, após duas rodadas. A equipe sub-20 do Tricolor paulistadivide a liderança do grupo com Inter de Bebedouro e Portuguesa.

As crias de Cotia voltam a campono próximo sábado (16) para encarar o Fortaleza, fora de casa, às 10h, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.No Paulista, o próximo compromisso é na próxima quarta-feira (20), contra o Araçatuba, em Osasco. Embora o Tricolor seja o mandante, o jogo não será em casa.

Tempers flared as Manchester United defender Harry Maguire had to be pulled away from Cristian Romero following the Europa League final

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Spurs beat Man Utd in the finalBrennan Johnson scored the winnerMaguire & Romero clashed after final whistleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Spurs claimed a narrow 1-0 win at San Mames to bring home their first trophy in 17 years and book a place in next season’s Champions League – but the post-match scenes added a fiery footnote to the occasion. With emotions already high after a cagey and tense 90 minutes, Maguire and Romero's on-field confrontations spilled over once the whistle blew, prompting staff and players to step in and separate them before things escalated.

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Throughout the second half, Maguire and Romero were frequently seen grappling during corners and free-kicks. Their duel was physical, with off-the-ball jostling increasing in intensity as the game wore on. In the closing minutes, United threw bodies forward in a last-ditch bid to force extra time, even sending Maguire up front.

In one such aerial battle, the England international collided with Romero and was penalised for a foul. Romero stayed down, buying precious seconds for his side while Maguire received a yellow card – a moment that further fuelled the defender's irritation.

DID YOU KNOW?

Following the final whistle, Romero passed by Maguire and paused to greet United full-back Diogo Dalot with a hug. As Romero turned away, Maguire came towards the Spurs captain. Visibly animated, he gestured repeatedly, apparently referencing an incident from earlier in the match. Their confrontation quickly drew attention from the coaching staff and players. Sergio Reguilon stepped in, alongside backroom staff from both benches, to keep the two centre-backs apart.

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Tottenham Hotspur are ready to test the water with an offer to sign a potential replacement for exit-linked forward Richarlison, and it is believed the Spurs target is keen on a big move elsewhere this summer.

Tottenham prepared to sanction cut-price Richarlison sale

The Brazilian was linked with a move away from N17 last summer, with clubs in Saudi Arabia displaying a public interest, but Richarlison opted to remain in north London and fight for his place under Ange Postecoglou.

£35m Premier League forward wants to join Tottenham after talks

Spurs are convinced.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 6, 2025

Richarlison was adamant that a move to Saudi didn’t interest him at the time, but the forward has since struggled with injuries and a lack of opportunities to establish himself as a star player under Postecoglou as a result.

Bournemouth (home)

March 9th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Chelsea (away)

April 2nd

Southampton (home)

April 5th

Wolves (away)

April 12th

Reports suggest this could be the South American’s final season at Spurs, with Everton said to be planning talks to sign Richarlison early on in the summer window as they prepare for life in a state-of-the-art new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is apparently prepared to take a £20 million loss on the 27-year-old’s sale this summer as well. Tottenham are willing to sanction Richarlison’s sale for £40 million, far beneath the £60 million they paid to sign him from Everton in 2022, according to GiveMeSport.

With Everton lurking in the background for Richarlison’s signature, there are now reports emerging of the Lilywhites scouring for possible replacements. As per CaughtOffside, Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo is firmly in Spurs’ thinking.

Tottenham set to bid £34 million for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo

According to their information, Semenyo is one of Tottenham’s priorities to replace Richarlison, following his excellent campaign under Andoni Iraola at the Vitality Stadium.

It is also claimed in the report that Spurs are set to test Bournemouth’s resolve with a £34 million bid for the 25-year-old, who will actually face off against Postecoglou’s side later today, so it will be interesting to see how he performs.

In the build up to this game, Semenyo has bagged nine goals and five assists across 30 appearances in all competitions, with his performances also attracting attention from Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Serie A title chasers Napoli.

It is added that Semenyo is keen on a big move elsewhere this summer, which could hand Spurs a boost. The former Bristol City star has also been praised for his top flight performances this season, especially by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.

“He’s a lovely footballer to watch”, said Redknapp on Premier League productions earlier this term.

“The manager’s taken him to another level, he obviously has that capability because you saw it with Solanke. I’m just seeing him elevate his game right now, we’ll talk about why does that happen, a lot of it is purely on confidence.

“He looks like he’s enjoying his football, his shoulders are back, he’s relaxed, every time he gets it, he plays with a bit of a swagger. He’s actually a joy to watch right now.”

Chelsea’s revival under Enzo Maresca continued on Thursday evening as they secured an important 2-1 victory over FC Copenhagen in their last-16 Conference League tie.

Given the strength of their squad, plus the nature of the teams left in the competition, if the Blues don’t claim the trophy, it will be a major disappointment indeed.

If they do, they will become the first team to win the Champions League, Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup and now Conference League, placing them in their own unique bubble.

Winning trophies is what the supporters are desperate for, especially after a tough few years.

Maresca certainly looks as though he is at Stamford Bridge for the long haul. If he does win the Conference League, it should give him and the club a major boost heading into the 2025/26 season.

They have come a long way since being managed by Frank Lampard, that’s for sure…

Frank Lampard’s time in charge of Chelsea

When Lampard took his first managerial position at Derby County ahead of the 2018/19 season, eventually taking the reins at Chelsea was something which could happen at some point in the future, depending on how well his career in the dugout panned out.

After leading the Rams to the Championship playoff final, he managed to secure a return to the Blues in the summer of 2019, taking over from Italian, Maurizio Sarri.

It was the biggest gamble in Roman Abramovich’s tenure so far, especially considering the calibre of manager he could have lured to London.

Lampard led the club to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League during his maiden season, despite the season being interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.

It was a decent showing, especially with a transfer embargo placed upon the club, meaning the former Blues midfielder had to field several young talents.

Unfortunately, despite the presence of youngsters such as Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, Lampard was sacked in January 2021 with Chelsea sitting ninth in the table, after spending nearly £200m in the transfer window.

His replacement, Thomas Tuchel, ended up leading the club to Champions League success, with both Mount and Abraham playing key roles in the club’s success.

The duo looked like they could be the future of the Stamford Bridge side heading into a new era under the German coach.

First Impressions

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Lampard gave them their chance in the first team, and it was Abraham who looked like he could lead the line for the Blues over the coming years.

Tammy Abraham’s Chelsea record

After an impressive start to the 2019/20 season, Lampard lauded praise on the striker that October after a goal against Southampton, saying:

“Tammy’s goal was incredible. It’s confidence. When people are in good form, things happen for them. And that comes from how Tammy has handled himself all season form the early moments when people were questioning him.

“The work ethic behind the scenes that gets him in such good nick. He’s not just a handful for defenders, he has good feet, holds up the ball well. He is also getting goals which is brilliant for him.”

Tammy Abraham’s career statistics

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

12

1

0

2022/23

54

9

6

2021/22

53

27

5

2020/21

32

12

5

2019/20

47

18

4

2018/19

42

26

3

2017/18

39

8

4

2016/17

48

26

4

Via Transfermarkt

That campaign ended with the Englishman scoring 18 goals in all competitions, including 15 in the Premier League, setting him up nicely for the following campaign.

He was even hailed by former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, who dubbed Abraham as “Didier Drogba-esque” after a goal during the 2019/20 season. High praise indeed.

His development continued despite managerial changes at the club, netting 12 goals for the Blues as they claimed their second Champions League trophy courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Manchester City.

It looked as though he was going to be the main man under Tuchel, but during the final few weeks of the summer transfer window, he was sold to AS Roma.

Why Chelsea struck gold selling Tammy Abraham

Overall, his spell at Chelsea yielded a total of 30 goals in 82 appearances for the club, but when Roma came in with an offer of £34m, it was clear that Tuchel was ready to cash in and use the money elsewhere.

Perhaps a fresh start would work out well for the English striker, as plenty of players from these shores have shone upon moving to continental Europe.

Indeed, 27 goals and five assists for the Italian side in all competitions proved why Mourinho spent that sort of fee in bringing him to the club. He added the Conference League trophy to his collection in the process.

The following two seasons weren’t quite as productive, with injuries during the 2023/24 campaign meaning the 27-year-old played just 13 times for the Serie A side.

With just days left of the 2024 summer transfer window, AC Milan announced that they had signed Abraham on a season-long loan deal from Roma. This gave him a chance of a fresh start in Milan after a year of hell.

Across 34 matches for the club, he has managed to score just eight goals, with only two coming in Serie A. Hardly the most productive of loan spells.

In the Italian top flight, the striker averages only one shot per game while missing ten big chances. Furthermore, he has completed just 5.1 passes per game along with taking 13.2 touches each match for Milan.

If he continues this sort of form, there is only one way the player will go, and this could see his value decrease significantly. At present, he is valued at just £17m, as per Transfermarkt, half of what Chelsea originally sold him for.

Aside from his debut season for Roma, Abraham’s spell in Italy hasn’t quite produced the goods. While injury issues can be blamed on his poor form last term, since joining Milan, he has struggled under the weight of expectation.

This certainly suggests that Chelsea hit the jackpot in selling him way back in the summer of 2021, no doubt about that.

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Three-wicket hauls from Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan, backed up a measured unbeaten half-century from B Sai Sudharsan gave the defending champions Gujarat Titans their second consecutive win at the start of the 2023 season. Delhi Capitals suffered their second straight loss, in their first home game this year.After Shami, Alzarri Joseph and Rashid restricted Capitals to 162 for 8, Anrich Nortje’s pace had Titans in trouble at 54 for 3 in the sixth over. Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar, who was subbed in as Gujarat’s Impact Player for Josh Little, forged a 53-run stand to take Titans closer. David Miller, who had arrived in Delhi from Johannesburg only the previous day, provided the finishing touches as Titans wrapped up the win with 11 balls to spare.

Shami struggles and then hurts Capitals

The Delhi pitch was lively from the outset and Shami was unable to control his swing, conceding ten runs through wides in his first two overs during the powerplay. He also bowled several superb deliveries, one of which beat David Warner and grazed the off stump but did not dislodge the bail. Shami got Prithvi Shaw to spoon a well-directed short ball to mid-on and had Mitchell Marsh chopping a back of a length ball on to his stumps. Though Capitals managed to score 52 for 2 in the powerplay, none of their batters looked confident.Sai Sudharsan is filling the gap left by Kane Williamson at No. 3 for Gujarat Titans•BCCI

Joseph and Rashid contain Capitals

Joseph also made life miserable for the Capitals. His first over cost 11 runs but his second was memorable. He first ended Warner’s difficult stay, inducing a thick inside-edge on to the stumps. The next ball was a snorter to Rilee Rossouw, who fended in the air towards point, where Rahul Tewatia dived forward to take a sharp catch. Joseph was quick, mean, and accurate. Sarfaraz Khan and Abishek Porel were both struck on the helmet by his ferocious bouncers, as Joseph kept hitting speeds in excess on 145 kilometres per hour.With pace causing Capitals plenty of problems, legspinner Rashid Khan was brought into the attack only in the 13th over and he had immediate impact. Rashid had Porel playing all around a sharp legbreak second ball, and he dismissed Sarfaraz and Aman Khan in the 17th and 19th overs. Only Axar Patel looked comfortable for Capitals, and his 36 off 22 balls helped them reach 162.

The Sudharsan-Vijay Delhi connection

Heading into this game, Tamil Nadu team-mates Sudharsan and Vijay had strung together two fifty-run stands in four innings, and coincidentally both of those partnerships had come at the Aurn Jaitley Stadium during the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Now, batting for Titans, the pair produced another half-century stand in Delhi after beginning their stand in a difficult situation. Nortje had bowled the openers Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill, and Khaleel Ahmed had Hardik Pandya caught behind. With the asking rate under control, Sudharsan and Shankar built the chase steadily, taking no unnecessary risks and rotating strike while scoring the occasional boundary in between.Mohammed Shami gave the Titans two early wickets•Associated Press

Sudharsan keeps his head; Miller does what he does best

Sudharsan was one of the finds of the tournament last year and comes into this IPL on the back of a terrific domestic season. Though Nortje cranking up the pace and Kuldeep Yadav getting the odd one to rip, he never seemed out of depth. Sudharsan reached his fifty off 44 balls and remained unbeaten at the finish. Miller, on the other hand, found his bearings from the start, cracking Mukesh Kumar for 20 runs in the 16th over to decide the game. Miller was Titans’ mainstay last year with his finishing abilities, and he started this season by having a similar impact.

Impact Players: Khaleel Ahmed and Vijay Shankar

Vijay had a stronger impact on the game than his Delhi counterpart. Khaleel entered the game at the start of the second innings, replacing Sarfaraz Khan, and while he did dismiss Hardik, he went for 38 runs in his four overs. Vijay managed a 23-ball 29 and his partnership with Sudharsan was one that turned the game for the Titans.

The mood around Arsenal heading into last night’s Champions League game was not positive.

A defeat to West Ham United and a draw with Nottingham Forest all but ended the Premier League title race, and there was a concern that it was set to be another disappointing night in Eindhoven.

However, it turns out there was no need to be worried, as the Gunners tore PSV asunder, running out 7-1 winners and being the first team to score seven goals away from home in the competition’s knockout rounds.

However, for all the brilliant performances, and there were plenty, one of Mikel Arteta’s starters had a night to forget and should probably be dropped ahead of the weekend.

Arsenal's best performers vs PSV

The good news for Arteta is that there were plenty of stand-out performers from his starting lineup last night, but as Martin Odegaard and Ethan Nwaneri have since received much of the attention, and justifiably so, it’s worth looking at a couple of others, like Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian international has not had a great season this year, but against PSV, he was superb, both as a dangerous attacking outlet and as someone who helped to control the pace of the game.

With a brilliantly taken goal and two key passes to his name, it would be fair to say that he was more than deserving of the 8/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Simon Collings at full-time.

Someone who was even more instrumental, though, was Declan Rice, who Collings awarded a 9/10 at full-time, writing that it was a ‘monster performance’ from the Englishman.

It certainly was, as from the first minute to the last, he was marauding up and down the pitch, and it felt like the Dutch giants just couldn’t live with him, and he really should have got a goal to go with his assist and the two big chances he created.

However, it wasn’t quite the perfect night for Arsenal, and there was one player who should probably sit the next game out.

The Arsenal star Arteta must drop after PSV

So, some of you may be thinking about Myles Lewis-Skelly at this point, and while he was reckless in the first half and deserved to be taken off, he’s not the player in question.

Thomas Partey was arguably just as reckless during a key point in the game, so much so that he actually gave the hosts a chance to get back into the game when the Gunners were 3-0 up.

In a “lunatic moment,” as journalist Oli Price Bates described it, the vastly experienced Ghanaian gave away a penalty by wrapping his arm around Luuk de Jong’s neck and pulling him to the ground, and while the Dutchman initiated contact, the former Atlético Madrid star did little to break it.

However, while the foul was the worst part of the 31-year-old’s performance, it wasn’t the only reason he should be dropped from the lineup, as his statistics from the match demonstrate that he struggled to have any real positive influence over proceedings.

In 71 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.04, took 47 touches, didn’t play a single key pass, didn’t have a shot on or off target, lost 50% of his duels, committed two fouls and didn’t make a single tackle.

Minutes

71′

Expected Goals

0.00

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.04

Assists

0

Touches

47

Key Passes

0

Shots on Target

0

Shots off Target

0

Duels (Won)

2 (1)

Fouls

2

Tackles

0

It’s not just us who were left unimpressed by the Odumase Krobo-born star either, as Collings gave him a 5/10 match rating at full-time, which feels about right.

Ultimately, it wasn’t a horror showing from Partey, and he certainly still has a big part to play in Arsenal’s Champions League campaign, but he was subpar yesterday and should be dropped for the game at the weekend.

Arsenal's "phenomenal" 9/10 star just proved why he's better than Nwaneri

Arsenal sealed the biggest away win in Champions League knockout stage history.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 5, 2025

Kevin De Bruyne will continue his career abroad after deciding against joining another Premier League side this summer after leaving Manchester City

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• De Bruyne hinted at Premier League stay
• Has decided next step will be abroad
• Napoli among clubs linked with playmaker

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  De Bruyne will leave City when his contract expires at the end of the season after being informed by the club he would not be offered an extension.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 33-year-old playmaker suggested he would seek a move to another Premier League team, but reports he has decided to accept an adventure in another country. MLS and Saudi Pro League teams have shown interest in De Bruyne, while Serie A title hopefuls Napoli are also candidates to sign him.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  De Bruyne has spent 10 years with City and made more than 420 appearances. He has won six Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups, two FA Cups and a Champions League crown with the club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE?

  De Bruyne will play his last game for Pep Guardiola's team against Fulham on Sunday. He has already insisted he will not be part of the squad for the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14.