West Ham United have now been told a key condition of them potentially signing Brighton forward Evan Ferguson in January, with multiple reports linking Julen Lopetegui’s side to the Republic of Ireland starlet.
West Ham thrashed 5-2 by Arsenal as Julen Lopetegui faces sack
Lopetegui is a man under ever-increasing pressure, especially after their 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal, with the away side 4-0 up after half an hour after cutting through West Ham like a knife through butter.
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It was a Premier League record-equalling opening 45 minutes of goals, and while West Ham did threaten an exceptional comeback by notching two back, Gunners star Bukayo Saka put the result beyond all doubt with his penalty deep into first period stoppage time.
Lopetegui was left “frustrated” by their lacklustre defending and some of the decisions that went against them, but did praise his players for showing the “character” to compete in stages.
“Overall, I am frustrated with the first-half. We deserved two goals, but they didn’t deserve five,” said Lopetegui on West Ham’s 5-2 defeat to Arsenal.
Leicester City (away)
December 3
Wolves (home)
December 9
Bournemouth (away)
December 16
Brighton (home)
December 21
Southampton (away)
December 26
“We were unlucky in the decisions, in my opinion. The first goal, I think it was a block. We were unlucky. We have to do better for sure. We didn’t make good decisions in a defensive way – that’s why it was a strange match.
“The team showed character to compete. We were unlucky with the decisions today. We asked before the match, the referee with the block, as a coach we have to know the limit.
“This week we have to do better in our individual actions, in a defensive way.”
Lopetegui’s men next face Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City tonight at the King Power Stadium, and it is surely a must-win game for the Spaniard. FC Porto boss Sergio Conceicao is now being seriously linked with the West Ham job, and while Hammers chiefs are hesitant to axe Lopetegui so early, there is alarm within the London Stadium over their dismal form right now (The Guardian).
West Ham told Brighton condition of potential Evan Ferguson deal in January
Amidst their on-field struggles, West Ham are planning to sign a striker in January, following Niclas Fullkrug’s struggles with injury since his £27 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund.
Brighton striker Ferguson is on West Ham’s radar heading into January, with reports suggesting the 20-year-old could depart on loan in the winter after falling behind Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro in the Amex pecking order.
GiveMeSport have shared an update on their pursuit of the Irishman, sharing one condition of a potential temporary deal for interested sides, including West Ham.
They write that Brighton are likely to only green-light a straight loan for Ferguson, and they’re not inclined to negotiate a buy option clause, meaning his maximum stay in east London would be for six months.
The Seagulls clearly see a bright future for Ferguson, going by this update, and it is believed they’ve not fully signed off on his January exit just yet – despite his lack of consistent game time under Fabian Hurzeler.
Other reports have claimed that the price tag to sign him permanently would be around £60 million, and it is very debatable whether West Ham could afford that next summer anyway.
Leeds United are in good spirits on the field, but a club employee has shed some light on an unusual injury sustained by a first-team star in recent times.
What's the latest news involving Leeds United?
Speaking to LUTV, Leeds United defender Liam Cooper has run through some of his favorite memories with the Yorkshire giants, detailing that winning promotion in the 2019/20 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa is his most cherished moment at the club.
Cooper stated: "My favourite moment would definitely be the promotion to the Premier League. After all the hardships and the ups and downs we had together as a group, to achieve what we did with that group of people, a special, special group of people, that was definitely my biggest moment at Leeds United."
Of course, Leeds are in a similar predicament at present as they bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, though they have made a solid start and haven't lost in their last six Sky Bet Championship fixtures. Nevertheless, Italy international Wilfried Gnonto has been ruled out until after the next international break and will need minor surgery to rid himself of an ankle issue, which is something pundit Alan Hutton believes could be a hindrance to their tilt at promotion.
In conversation with Football Insider, Hutton stated: "Sometimes it can be tough when you’ve had a tough pre-season and you’ve been on international duty. He’s not really had a break and the Championship is a really hard league. But Gnonto is now one of the star players at Leeds, who are doing alright.
"I thought he would’ve got a move away, but it didn’t happen. It’s a real shame for him. No time is a good time to get injuries, but this is really not ideal when Leeds need him to help chase Leicester down at the top of the table."
What has been said about Djed Spence?
As per The Official Leeds United Podcast, Leeds United's head of medicine and performance, Rob Price, has given some insight into Djed Spence's freak injury, as described in Leeds Live's copy of events, sustained at Thorp Arch.
Price stated: "Djed was really unfortunate. Last week, he's gone into a challenge in training, his foot slipped from underneath him and he's ruptured the lateral ligament of his knee. Ninety per cent of these heal pretty well within eight weeks. We do some injections to try and promote the healing in that area and we protect it and his rehab is based on that. So, at the minute, he’s a week into this and we're just progressing really, really slowly, but it's a freak accident. It could have happened to anyone."
Djed Spence
Spence, who was once described as "unstoppable" by Get French Football, has managed to make just one appearance for Leeds United so far since joining on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, coming off the bench at Elland Road for nine minutes in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, as per Transfermarkt.
Leeds United fans and boss Daniel Farke will hope the England Under-21 international can return to the fold and play his part in the not too distant future at Elland Road.
Bowlers Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera and Shehan Madushanka are already in serious doubt for the West Indies tour, and Karunaratne is likely to miss part of it
Andrew Fidel Fernando02-May-2018Sri Lanka have suffered a serious blow to their squad for the forthcoming series against West Indies, with opener Dimuth Karunaratne out of at least part of the tour with injury.An x-ray has confirmed the presence of a fracture in the index finger of Karunaratne’s left hand, which will rule him out for at least a few weeks. If the fracture requires surgery – and a decision on that front will be made over the next 24 hours – he will almost certainly be out until July. The three Tests against West Indies are scheduled for June.”It’s a clean crack in the finger, and for now I have been told that I will probably be out for the West Indies tour,” Karunaratne told ESPNcricinfo. “But I have to see another surgeon before we know exactly what is happening.”The injury had been sustained while Karunaratne was batting in the nets in the approach to Sri Lanka’s Super Provincial one-day tournament, the first round of which began on Wednesday.The injury adds to an already heaving Sri Lanka injury roster. Bowlers Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera and Shehan Madushanka are already in serious doubt for the West Indies tour. Given Karunaratne’s success in 2017 – he was the fifth-highest Test run scorer in 2017, with 1031 runs – his potential absence is the biggest blow yet.
Everton have been backed to appoint an up and coming English manager to replace Sean Dyche, with one BBC pundit hinting the man in question would be well suited to the role at Goodison Park.
Is Sean Dyche under pressure?
In the Premier League, Sean Dyche’s side have had a hugely disappointing start to the new campaign having suffered four defeats and secured just one draw from their opening five games, so with only a single point on the board, they find themselves in the relegation zone.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, a Toffees supporter recently called for the boss to be relieved of his duties with the side yet to show any signs of improvement, and interestingly, there was one out-of-work coach that he named as someone he’d like to take to the dugout instead.
Following his departure from Chelsea back in April, Graham Potter is yet to return to the sidelines and start his next adventure, but that has been more of a personal choice to take a break because he has been offered the chance to get back to work.
Scottish Premiership giants Glasgow Rangers reportedly earmarked the 48-year-old as a potential candidate to replace Michael Beale should he be sacked, but the same outlet claim that he has rejected the opportunity to make the move north of the border, meaning that he is still a free agent on the market and waiting to be snapped up.
Are Everton appointing Graham Potter?
Speaking to the Premier League Weekend Wrap, BBC Radio 5 Live man Don Hutchison delivered his verdict on Everton’s poor opening to the season and name-checked Potter as someone who could revitalise the squad.
As quoted by Goodison News, he said: “I wonder what they can do under Graham Potter. Because that group of players are underperforming. You have to take six points from Brentford and Luton Town if you are Sean Dyche.”
Chelsea's former manager Graham Potter.
What is Graham Potter's managerial record?
Since the start of his managerial career, Potter has recorded 185 victories and 118 draws from 440 games whilst averaging 1.53 points per match, via Transfermarkt, and even though his spell at Chelsea didn’t go as well as hoped, he’s still a coach with plenty to offer.
The Solihull-born boss has been hailed for his “attacking” style of play by journalist Josh Bunting, while his preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1, and that is a tactic that’s worked well in the past with him twice beating the outfit on Merseyside when in charge of the opposition.
Furthermore, Potter shares the same agent, Wasserman, as Andre Gomes and Joao Virginia, so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could give the hierarchy a small advantage should they decide to sack their current leader and replace him with the man who used to be at Stamford Bridge.
Whilst Everton fans will be aware that this is nothing more than speculation at this stage, they will end up wanting someone new in charge should performances and results not improve in the near future, so this could be one to watch over the next few weeks and months.
Morne Morkel ran through Australia’s middle order and collected his 300th Test wicket as South Africa strengthened their position
The Report by Brydon Coverdale23-Mar-20181:18
Elgar scores 141* to get alongside Desmond Haynes
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe second day at Newlands six years ago was unforgettable. Four innings in one day, South Africa rolled for 96, then Australia humiliated for less than half that. Nathan Lyon top scored for Australia from No.11. The difference in day two, 2011, and day two, 2018, could be neatly summed up by the fact that this time around, Lyon scored as many on his own as Australia’s entire team did back then: 47. And yet, if it wasn’t a car-crash-like pile-up of wickets, there were still reasons to remember this day’s cricket.It began with Dean Elgar becoming the first man in Test history to carry his bat through an innings twice in the same year, and also joining Desmond Haynes as the only men to have carried their bat three times in a Test career. It continued with Kagiso Rabada winning a breathless mini-battle with David Warner, and progressed further with Morne Morkel becoming the fifth South African to take 300 Test wickets. And the day was capped off by a counter-attack from Lyon and Tim Paine, whose 66-run ninth-wicket stand put Australia back in the contest.At stumps, called 10 minutes early due to bad light for the second consecutive evening, Australia were 245 for 9, with Paine on 33 and Josh Hazlewood on 1. They still trailed by 66 runs after Elgar and South Africa’s tail added 45 to their overnight total for the loss of their last two wickets, to take their total to 311. But from 175 for 8 not long after the tea break, Australia were at least within touch by the close of play.Earlier, Morkel had run through Australia’s middle order to firmly justify his recall after being left out for Lungi Ngidi in Port Elizabeth. Morkel has already announced that he will retire at the end of this series, but judging by this performance, he still has something to offer. Morkel’s bounce troubled the Australians and he struck in his very first over, when he had Usman Khawaja caught at deep backward square leg hooking for 5 shortly before lunch.After the break, Morkel added the wickets of Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh, and then returned late in the day to end Lyon’s fighting innings to finish the day with 4 for 87 and a good chance of completing an eighth career five-wicket haul in Tests. The big breakthrough was the dismissal of Smith, whose uncharacteristically lean tour continued when he failed to get on top of the bounce from Morkel and sent a catch to Elgar at gully on 5.Shaun Marsh added 78 for the fourth wicket with Cameron Bancroft but again failed to build on a start when he chased a wide one from Morkel and gained a thick edge through to Quinton de Kock. That marked the 300th Test wicket for Morkel, who let out a long and loud roar after joining Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald as the only South Africans to reach the milestone.Bancroft played an innings full of intent, moving to his third Test half-century from 59 balls and striking 14 boundaries on his way to 77, but he missed the chance for a maiden hundred when Vernon Philander made brilliant use of seam movement to jag one back in and trap Bancroft lbw. Philander soon added Mitchell Marsh, who was caught behind for 5, and when Rabada had Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc both caught at slip cheaply a quick finish was on the cards.But South Africa could not finish the job, and Lyon managed eight boundaries – including some truly classy drives on the up – to achieve his best Test score of 47 before skying a chance off Morkel that was brilliantly taken by Elgar running back from cover as stumps approached.Australia’s innings had started with a fascinating, if brief, contest between Rabada and Warner, two men who have each been at the centre of controversies during this series. Warner crunched five boundaries from consecutive Rabada deliveries across two overs – mostly through the off side, but one a six hooked over square leg – only to see his off stump cartwheeling like an Olympic gymnast from the very next ball when Rabada moved one from leg to off and beat the bat. In the context of a five-day Test, Warner’s 30 off 14 balls was merely a cameo.What Australia wanted from one of their openers was the kind of innings provided by Elgar, who had finished unbeaten on 141 after he and Rabada frustrated the Australians with a 50-run ninth-wicket stand. Elgar had previously batted through an entire Test innings against England in Durban in 2015, when he finished on 118, and in January this year in Johannesburg, where he finished on 86 against India.Rabada rode his luck by attempting pulls and hooks off the fast men and struck three boundaries on his way to 22. Smith persisted with Cummins and Hazlewood for the first 10 overs of the morning, before Lyon had both Rabada and Morkel caught at slip in his first over when he was finally introduced. It would not be Lyon’s only impact of the day.
Afghanistan slipped to 54 for 5 in the chase, but eventually overcame a plucky United Arab Emirates, who lost their appetite for a fight on a stiflingly hot afternoon
The Report by Liam Brickhill in Harare20-Mar-2018 ScorecardAfghanistan overcame a plucky United Arab Emirates in their Super Sixes match at Old Hararians to win by five wickets. Rashid Khan’s 5 for 41 helped to bowl UAE out for just 177 in 43 overs, but Afghanistan slipped to 54 for 5 in their chase, and were put under serious pressure by UAE’s new-ball bowlers, Mohammad Naveed and Qadeer Ahmed. A 124-run partnership between Gulbadin Naib and Najibullah Zadran repaired Afghanistan’s chase, as UAE lost their appetite for a fight on a stiflingly hot afternoon. Both men passed fifty before guiding their team home with more than 15 overs to spare.While UAE have lost all of their Super Sixes matches, Afghanistan’s win takes them to four points, level with Ireland, whom they will meet in their final game on Friday. If they win that game by a big margin, and Scotland and Zimbabwe both lose their remaining matches, this victory will give Afghanistan a slim chance of making it into the final.Naveed fined 15% of match fee
UAE quick Mohammad Naveed lost 15% of his match fee and picked up a demerit point for questioning the umpire’s not-out decision during his side’s five-wicket loss to Afghanistan. Naveed was found to have violated Article 2.1.5 of the ICC code of conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match”. No formal hearing was held, as Naveed pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction.
It seemed that the match might be over very quickly when UAE were asked to bat on a helpful surface and were reduced to 18 for 3 inside the Powerplay. Opener Chirag Suri dug in tenaciously, taking 72 balls for his 22, but it was not until Shaiman Anwar arrived at the crease that UAE started to show some real grit.Fittingly, Anwar wore a a floppy sun hat, continuing a fine UAE tradition that started with Sultan Zarawani’s incredibly brave decision to bat against Allan Donald at the 1996 World Cup wearing only a wide-brimmed floppy for protection. Disappointingly, Anwar traded his hat for a helmet when Afghanistan’s quicks were on, but his knock was anything but disappointing.Mixing stolid defense with daring attack, he reached a 69-ball fifty with a fiercely struck six down the ground off Mujeeb ur Rahman. Naveed’s knock was even more adventurous, and he showed scant regard for Afghanistan’s attack as he plundered seven fours and two sixes in his 45. But theirs were the only innings of substance for UAE, and Rashid took advantage of the batsmen’s inability to read his variations to record his fourth five-wicket haul in ODIs. Rashid now has 96 wickets in this format, and needs just four more within his next nine ODIs to become the quickest bowler to 100 ODIs wickets in the history of the game.So dominant had Afghanistan been with the ball – Naveed’s 45 and Anwar’s competent fifty notwithstanding – that much of the lunchtime chat around the ground revolved around how quickly Afghanistan might want to chase down the middling target to boost their net run rate.But as Boycott’s third law states, one should never judge how good a score is until both sides have batted on the pitch. Mohammad Shahzad, in his second match back from a demerit suspension during the group stages, didn’t even last two overs before Qadeer Ahmed’s bustling medium pace trapped him lbw. Energy buzzed through UAE after the early strike, and it quickly became apparent that this chase could be a lot more tricky than Afghanistan might have hoped.Gulbadin Naib, elevated to No. 3, endured a particularly torrid time from Naveed. Naib struggled to lay bat on ball, repeatedly playing and missing, as Naveed found just as much lift and movement off the surface as Dawlat Zadran had earlier in the day.Importantly, though, he did enough to survive, while Rahmat Shah kept the scoreboard ticking over with flicked boundaries on the leg side. But just as the pressure brought about by the early wicket seemed to be dissipating, UAE struck again. Naveed burst a quick length delivery through Shah’s defensive push, tipping the bails off, sparking off a mini collapse. Naveed trapped Samiullah Shenwari lbw in the same over, and in the very next, Qadeer had a hooking Asghar Stanikzai caught behind as Afghanistan slipped to 43 for 4.Mohammad Nabi has pulled Afghanistan out of situations like these in the past, but the drinks break seemed to break his concentration, and he nicked Ahmed Raza behind first ball after the resumption. With Afghanistan tottering at 54 for 5, UAE had the game by the scruff of the neck.Naib, who had so obviously struggled against the new ball and watched wickets tumble from the other end, was joined by Najibullah, and despite a couple of early scares, they soon set about rebuilding the innings. Najibullah’s boundary-hitting ability was particularly valuable, each hit bringing the target a little closer and allowing Naib the time and freedom to grind his way into some sort of form.Najibullah was into double figures at better than a run a ball, his first boundary coming via a shimmy-and-swipe six over long-on off Ahmed Raza’s left-arm spin in the 18th over. Najibullah also put the reverse sweep to good use, particularly against Imran Haider’s legspin, and with his second six, he joined Naib in the 40s. Naib reached his fifty from 84 deliveries; Najibullah followed him to the milestone two overs later, from a more rapid 53 deliveries.With the afternoon sun lifting moisture out of the earth, enormous billowing cumulonimbus clouds built up around the ground, and the extreme heat seemed to sap UAE’s energy with the game slipping out of their grasp. When Rohan Mustafa let slip with a chest high no-ball, which was carted to the square leg boundary, and followed that up with a leg-stump half volley that was smashed to wide long-on, the white flag was raised. With the pressure off, Naib finally came into his own, lifting Naveed and Mustafa for massive leg-side sixes. His gritty innings won him the Player of the Match award, while Afghanistan’s win kept them in the competition. Just.
Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland has already enjoyed plenty of success against Nottingham Forest and he will look to repeat that when the two sides meet in the Premier League this weekend.
Pep Guardiola's side kept up their 100% record this season after coming from 1-0 down to secure an impressive 3-1 win away to West Ham, who had been in excellent form in the lead-up to the game.
It means the reigning champions are two points clear at the top of the table, with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal their closest challengers.
City began their Champions League campaign in midweek by welcoming Red Star Belgrade to the Etihad on Tuesday evening, and following another 3-1 success, attention returns to league action over the weekend.
Their next domestic assignment is a home clash with Forest on Saturday, in what looks like a fairly routine three points for Guardiola's men.
Ahead of the game, Football FanCast has had a look at how Haaland has fared against the Reds in the past.
What is Erling Haaland's goal record against Nottingham Forest?
Haaland has run amok in English football since making the move to City from Borussia Dortmund last summer, scoring goals for fun and becoming one of the leading players in world football. Very few sides have fared well up against him, and when it comes to Forest, they are no different.
The 23-year-old faced Steve Cooper's side in both Premier League fixtures last season and he scored three goals in that time, all of which came in the first half of their 6-0 victory at the Etihad last August.
What is Erling Haaland’s assist record against Nottingham Forest?
While Haaland has clearly enjoyed himself against Forest in front of goal in his first two matches against them, he is still searching for his maiden assist when facing them. He will be hoping that that changes this weekend, and you wouldn't back against it happening, even if creativity is necessarily the strongest part of his game.
How many goal contributions does Erling Haaland have against Nottingham Forest?
Attacking players are judged so much on their all-round brilliance in the modern game, with goals not always enough to prove that a striker is doing a good enough job for the team. While Haaland is clearly most renowned for being arguably the world's most fearsome goalscorer at the moment, he has also chipped in with 10 assists in his 60 appearances for City to date, which is a solid return.
That being said, a first assist against Forest has continued to evade him up until this point, affecting his overall goal contribution record when taking on the Reds.
What is Erling Haaland’s head-to-head record against Nottingham Forest?
It's fair to say that City are comfortably the Premier League's dominant force at the moment, winning three league titles in a row and starting the current campaign like a house on fire.
Guardiola's team are expected to overcome almost everyone they face, both home and away, so every player in the squad unsurprisingly has a strong head-to-head against most. That is no different with Haaland when it comes to Forest, although perhaps surprisingly, he didn't win both games in 2022/23, with a late Chris Wood earning Cooper's men a 1-1 at the City Ground back in February.
Erling Haaland's record against Notttingham Forest:
Games
2
Goals
3
Assists
0
Wins
1
Draws
1
Defeats
0
What is Erling Haaland’s record at home to Nottingham Forest?
As mentioned, Haaland enjoyed a dream first appearance against Forest when the Reds made the trip to the Etihad back in August of last year, on a day that saw the champions run riot.
The Norwegian had already completed a hat-trick before half-time, as he showcased his scoring genius early on at City. Joao Cancelo also got on the scoresheet in that game, while Julian Alvarez registered a brace during the second half.
Who has Erling Haaland scored the most goals against?
Erling Haaland scores for Manchester City against Fulham in the Premier League.
It is astonishing what Haaland has already achieved in his career, considering what a young player he still is, with years ahead of him to become an even more polished and world-class footballer. He is surely going to become one of the greatest strikers of all time, assuming he avoids serious injury, and so many records will likely be broken along the way.
The Norway international wreaked havoc during his time at Dortmund, and has continued to do the same thing in a City shirt, and countless teams have had to suffer the misery of him scoring endless times against them.
In terms of the side Haaland has netted more times against than anyone, that unwanted accolade falls to RB Leipzig, who he has enjoyed lots of success against for two different clubs. In fact, his total stands at a staggering 11 goals in six appearances, with five of those coming for City in their Champions League knockout stage win last season.
Impressively, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are next on the list, with Haaland netting seven times against them, showing that he can excel up against the biggest teams. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Fulham and Burnley have been his most successful opponents to date, with five goals apiece scored when facing them.
RB Leipzig
11
Bayern Munich
7
Sevilla
6
Wolfsberger
6
Wolfsburg
5
Who does Erling Haaland have the most goal contributions against?
Manchester City's Erling BrautHaalandcelebrates with the match ball after the match
As for the team that Haaland has chipped in with the most goal contributions against, the club doesn't change, with Leipzig again top of the list, which shows why they must be sick of the sight of him. They have been drawn against City in the Champions League group stage this season, so more pain could be set to come their way in the coming months.
Interestingly, it is solely goals that have come Haaland's way when pitted against the German outfit, with no assists registered in his six appearances to date. Bayern are also second in the rankings, with the City ace getting a couple of assists on top of his seven goals, taking his goal contribution tally to nine.
Eintracht Frankfurt
4
Bayern Munich
2
Sevilla
2
SK Brann
2
Freiburg
2
How many goals does Erling Haaland have in September?
City look in frighteningly good form at the moment and it is hard to see when their first dropped points of the season are going to arrive. And Haaland has clearly played a massive part in their start to the season.
The former Dortmund man already has seven Premier League goals in the first five matches in 2023/24, which is three more than any other players, but how many does he have in September?
The answer is four, despite only playing twice, which is just another example of Haaland's staggering relentlessness in front of goal. A hat-trick came his way at home to Fulham at the beginning of the month, while in Saturday's aforementioned 3-1 triumph away to West Ham, he was on hand to complete the scoring late in the day.
Let's not forget that he has also been on international duty during September, with a goal coming in the 2-1 win over Georgia, taking his overall total for the month to five strikes.
What is Erling Haaland's overall Manchester City goal record?
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
When City completed the signing of Haaland from Dortmund last year, it was obvious that they had secured the services of a wonderful footballer who was going to be an enormous goal threat. Whether anyone expected him to be this good is up for debate, however, with incredible scoring feats produced over the past year or so.
At the time of writing, the Citizens star has scored 59 goals in just 61 appearances, which is worthy of being compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during their peaks at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, with 52 coming last season.
To essentially average a goal per game is sensational in modern football and Haaland is showing absolutely no sign of letting up, and could even go on to improve his strike rate, if anything.
Bryne
16
0
Molde
50
20
Red Bull Salzburg
27
29
Borussia Dortmund
89
86
Manchester City
61
59
Norway
26
25
What is Erling Haaland's Premier League goal record?
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Haaland's overall record for City in all competitions is remarkable, and it is no different when assessing how he has done solely in the Premier League. He has actually done better than a goal per game in the competition, bagging 43 strikes in just 40 matches, 36 of which came during his maiden campaign in the division.
It's fair to say that Forest have every right to be worried going into the weekend action, and it wouldn't be a shock to see Haaland complete a second consecutive home hat-trick against the Midlands side.
As you may expect, his goal record in almost every competition throughout his career is rather formidable:
After a gap of five months, Ben Stokes resumed his England career against New Zealand at Hamilton. How did his first day back on the job pan out?
Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton25-Feb-2018After a gap of five months, Ben Stokes resumed his England career following his not-guilty plea to a charge of affray after the incident in Bristol last September. He missed the Ashes, the one-day series against Australia and the T20 tri-series. How did his first day back on the job pan out?1.30pm (New Zealand time) Barring a bad reaction to his training workload, it is certain that Ben Stokes will be named in England’s XI. That is rubber-stamped when the team sheets are handed over moments before the toss. When his name is announced to the crowd there is a ripple of applause from the England supporters dotted around Seddon Park. Kane Williamson inserting England means he won’t be needed right away.3.30pm (22nd over, England innings) Eoin Morgan is defeated by Ish Sodhi’s googly and chips to mid-off, meaning Stokes walks out to bat for England for the first time since September 24. He has a blank bat after he lost his New Balance sponsorship following the events in Bristol. He is greeted by warm applause and is off the mark first ball with a push down the ground.3.35pm (23rd over) Stokes is offered an early life when he punches a low return catch to Trent Boult who can’t quite gather the ball by his bootlaces. In the next over from Sodhi, Stokes unfurls a superbly placed reverse sweep to collect his first boundary.3.55pm (29th over) Stokes can’t make the most of his early life. Eyeing up the leg-side boundary against Mitchell Santner he gets a big top edge that lands safely in the hands of short third man. He swishes the bat in frustration as he walks off, but from Stokes’ point of view at least he’s back up and running.Ben Stokes broke the fourth-wicket stand between Ross Taylor and Tom Latham•Getty Images6.55pm (10th over, New Zealand innings) His first major intervention in the field comes when Martin Guptill aims to carve Chris Woakes over the covers but finds Stokes on the edge of the circle. It’s a sweetly-struck shot, but Stokes plucks it out in front of his face then hurls the ball high into the evening sky in celebration.7.05pm (13th over) With New Zealand set back in their chase after three early wickets, Stokes is handed the ball after David Willey’s six-over opening spell. All the talk over the past week has been about how fit he was looking and he quickly nudges up the speedgun to 142kph [88mph] as he slides one under an attempted pull from Ross Taylor. His first spell last four overs and he goes at under four an over.8.50pm (38th over) England need some magic. Morgan returns to Stokes for the 38th over and the early signs aren’t promising as his first over back leaks two boundaries and 11 overall. However, Stokes then does the trick for his captain as Latham pulls to mid-on, then celebrates with a first-pump as his team-mates all jump on him. Then, in his next over, he has Colin de Grandhomme caught behind. There are signs of weariness in a loose eighth over and that is his work done for the night His two wickets appear to have put England on course for victory, but there is another twist in the tale – tellingly he is overlooked for the final over of the innings, eventually bowled by Chris Woakes.9.30pm – Postscript Amid the disappointment of defeat, Eoin Morgan was delighted with Stokes’ effort. “I thought he adapted to conditions perfectly well, using slower balls well and it was something that we struggled to do while their partnership evolved. Two on the bounce causes pressure in the changing room and shifts momentum a lot. He’s delighted to be back, he’s told everybody that. It’s an awesome feeling, when you’ve been away and you’re back in a fun environment, with lots of good friends around. I can vouch for that. I spend a lot of time away while the Tests are on. You come back and it puts a smile on your face.”
If Leeds United want to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, then they're not exactly going about it in the best way, winning just once in five Championship games.
They were left without a win once more last time out, too, as newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday came away with a well-earned point at Elland Road, having drawn 0-0.
The pressure will only continue to build on Daniel Farke, who was backed enough in the summer transfer window for those in charge at the Yorkshire club to be demanding better results.
Ethan Ampadu failed to hide his frustration with two particular teammates in the stalemate with Sheffield Wednesday, as revealed by Graham Smyth.
What did Graham Smyth say?
Speaking after the result, Smyth told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Ampadu was an animated figure. He was dishing out words of wisdom to Piroe, gesturing for Rutter to run in behind to give him an option, growing frustrated with the lack of passing opportunities at times.”
With that said, Farke's problem is arguably clear for all to see, with his Leeds side lacking an out and out playmaker, leading to a disconnect between Ampadu, Archie Gray and the forward players.
Joel Piroe, although a goalscorer by trade, is one who will only improve with more time to build connections with his new teammates. As soon as the former Swansea City man builds a partnership with the likes of Ampadu, Leeds may well start firing on all cylinders.
The forward has, of course, already got one goal to his name for the Yorkshire club, scoring on his debut in their 4-3 victory over Ipswich Town, while he also has a rate of roughly one assist for every five goals he scores throughout his career.
Meanwhile, Georginio Rutter may need even more time than his new teammate. Since making the move to Leeds in January, the 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact, and has just one goal in five league appearances this season.
Farke will be desperately hoping to see both of his forwards find their form – with Piroe in particular the potential superstar playing just off of Rutter – and start firing Leeds towards promotion form.
So far this season, Ampadu has been one of the few positives for Leeds, and is a player who will undoubtedly be at the centre of any good form that Farke's side potentially build in the coming weeks.
According to FBref, the midfielder is in the 98th percentile for blocks by players in his position, with an impressive two made per 90. Meanwhile, the Welshman is also in the 75th percentile for passes attempted, the 70th percentile for pass completion rate and 71st for tackles per 90. In a struggling side, Ampadu has done anything but struggle.
From Leeds' perspective, they'll just be hoping that others start following Ampadu's lead, resulting in a much-needed change in form.
After the conclusion of the international break, they square off against Millwall in what will be another tough test for Farke's side to potentially overcome.
The last thing they need is another game without three points. And, with that, Ampadu, at the very least, will need to continue his standout form.
“We have spent two years preparing for it. There will be emotions when we say goodbye. Even if we don’t go on to be a part of a senior World Cup winning team, we will have this to remember,” said India’s captain Prithvi Shaw
Shashank Kishore in Mount Maunganui03-Feb-20182:20
‘We were just eager to lift the cup’ – Kalra
Mohammad Kaif. Virat Kohli. Unmukt Chand. Now Prithvi Shaw. Each of them know what it takes to win the World Cup at the Under-19 level. There are images of each of them celebrating their triumph wildly. Shaw’s in comparison was the most mellowed.Shaw is up to many pranks at the best of times. At every press conference, he’s had a whacky answer here, a fun answer there. On Saturday, however, he was struggling to put words to his thoughts. The overwhelming feeling of reaching a goal they set themselves 18 months ago overpowered all else.’Feeling really good’ was repeated almost every second line, until he was self-conscious of it. In his moment of glory, he immediately thanked the fans who came out to support India. For close to an hour after India lifted the cup, he spent time posing for pictures, doing a lap of honour with the team and then sitting back to sign souvenirs.As he trudged in to a room with multiple cameras, the energetic Shaw just a few moments earlier became a lot more self-conscious. “This is the last match for us at the Under-19 level for a lot of us, but there are so many memories that stand out with this group,” he said, after a pause to gather his thoughts.1:59
Dasgupta: This U-19 batch is special
“I can’t pick out one moment right now, nothing comes to mind right now. I can’t express what I’m feeling. I’d like to thank the fans. We did not expect this fan support when we came here, they always had us pumped up. There’s been so much love in New Zealand.”All tournament, India have bossed over other teams, but there was a small worry in the camp at the halfway stage. The fear of taking things too lightly hit them gently, Shaw later said. He called his teams into a huddle as Australia’s innings finished, a first for this team, and was quite animated as he did all the talking.”We felt 217 wasn’t a big score, but I didn’t want us to be casual,” he said. “It’s a big match, a World Cup final. I just wanted to remind the team that. I told them to be calm, patient, build partnerships and do the little things that helped us get here.”Manjot Kalra, player of the final, later elaborated on the chat in the middle and in the dressing room. “(Rahul) Dravid sir told us how a casual dismissal in the Under-19 final in 2016 proved to be a turning point. Rishabh Pant walked out of the crease and was stumped, I think. He told us how he didn’t want us to repeat those kinds of mistakes and play with the same seriousness that we have shown all tournament.”As realization struck that this was perhaps the last time the current group would play together, Shaw reflected on the friendships. “We will play against each other, meet each other, so I don’t think there will be any emotions running high,” he had said in the build-up to the final. Now, with a winner’s medal around his neck and the Trophy beside him, the emotional side of him surfaced again.”This has been a fun journey. There’s been a lot of poking fun at each other,” he said. “We have spent two years preparing for it. There will be emotions when we say goodbye. Even if we don’t go on to be a part of a senior World Cup winning team, we will have this to remember. The entire team backed me right through he tournament. Gill was a superb vice-captain. Whenever I felt I was under pressure, the team was with me and that is a good feeling. To be sitting here with a World Cup medal is unbelievable.”