Manchester United want to sign two centre-backs during this summer's transfer window, and multiple candidates are emerging. One of the leading names is Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, with both United and Spurs apparently making concerted efforts to win the race ahead of Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid.

Another option for Erik ten Hag is Juventus' Gleison Bremer, a long-term target for the Red Devils. United are thought to be in pole position to land the Brazilian after Juventus set a £60m price tag.

Then there's Matthijs de Ligt, who of course played under Ten Hag during his time at Ajax. Five years on from his departure from Amsterdam, a frustrated De Ligt could be granted a move away from Bayern Munich if a "suitable offer" is received. United have been "watching developments closely" from offer and a reunion with Ten Hag in the Premier League is "conceivable".

United ahead of Arsenal for De Ligt

According to Italian outlet Tutto Juve, Man Utd are "leading the race" to sign De Ligt during the summer transfer window. The 20-time champions have already opened talks with the player's representatives, and those negotiations are "ongoing" after the news that Bayern are ready to cash in.

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Rivals Arsenal have also "set their sights" on De Ligt and "expressed interest", but Mikel Arteta's side are lagging behind at the moment. Bayern are apparently willing to sell the Dutchman for a fee of £43m, which would represent a significant loss on their initial outlay of £66m.

Managerial change could alter De Ligt situation

De Ligt had been on a run of five consecutive Bundesliga starts before the top-of-the-table clash with Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, when he was dropped to the bench. He hinted at his dissatisfaction with that decision when he told reporters after the game that he was in "top" physical condition and hadn't been left out for fitness reasons.

The 24-year-old has now been named among the substitutes almost as many times (seven) as he's started in the league (eight), and manager Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that he's finding things "difficult" at the moment.

Bayern Munich centre-backs

Apps

Starts

Mins

Kim Min-jae

24

23

2,083

Dayot Upamecano

24

23

1,926

Matthijs de Ligt

20

14

902

Eric Dier* (signed in January)

6

5

314

One important sub-plot to keep an eye on here is the future of Tuchel himself. Bayern, who have won the last 11 Bundesliga titles, are at serious risk of being dethroned by Leverkusen after falling five points behind with 13 games to go, and their Champions League fate is also hanging in the balance after they lost 1-0 to Lazio in the round-of-16 first leg on Tuesday night.

If Tuchel loses his job before the end of the season and a new manager places more faith in De Ligt, then it could change the player's thinking around a transfer.

England fans’ dreary, repetitive boos lose their bite as Smith sculpts his perfect comeback

Melinda Farrell05-Aug-2019On the first morning of the Test they were primed.This was Fortress Edgbaston after all, a fortress that has long felt like a football ground; Tim Paine had dismissed, this as the 16th-most hostile venue in the world.The first hour was a prelude; only a few lagers had been consumed in the morning. With each appearance of The Three during the pre-match warm-ups and fomalities, the boos grew in stridency and, by the time David Warner and Cameron Bancroft walked out to open the batting, they were occasionally punctuated with thumping cries of ‘Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!’The Barmy Army’s Central Command was roughly in the middle of the Hollies Stand. Billy the Trumpet steered the chanting toward songs that supported the bowlers but it was several bays across where the vocal knives were unsheathed at the appearance of Steve Smith.Eric Hollies denied Bradman a hundred average and – by Jove! – the stand bearing his name was going to deny Smith a happy return to Test cricket. Not by a googly, but by verbal laceration.’We saw you crying on the telly’, they sang, some of them wearing crying-on-the-telly-Smith face masks. Ho ho ho. Take that!Each day it rose and fell, this wave of mockery and hostility. Some of it was pantomime, some vindictive. When Smith reached his masterful first-innings century, most of the crowd stood and applauded. But boos are louder than claps and so the minority jeerers held sway. Some were clapping and booing simultaneously and so on it went.David Warner shows the crowd his empty pockets•Getty Images

Warner tried to win them over by joining in the pantomime when he was sent to field in front of the most vociferous section of the Hollies Stand. When they sang “he’s got sandpaper in his hands”, to the tune of “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”, he obligingly held up his palms and turned out his pockets and clapped and waved.Bancroft, perhaps viewed as the fall guy, was spared the worst of the abuse.And Smith? Well he remained in his impenetrable bubble that, ultimately, was the true fortress of this Test. He just batted and batted. And batted.By the time he lifted his bat to celebrate his second century of the match the booing had diminished and the applause dominated for the first time. Although, of course, it was renewed with vigour when he was dismissed, having taken the game far out of England’s reach. He turned and acknowledged the Hollies Stand as he walked off, the only time he seemed to notice it was even there.ALSO READ: Brettig: Steven Smith too good for England, but also AustraliaHis wife, Dani, had sat in the relative quiet of the enclosed press box the previous day, anticipating that the excesses of Saturday drinking would bring out the worst; Smith’s personal armour does not extend to those who care for him and it’s hard to imagine how it would have felt to listen to thousands of people eviscerating a loved one.As Australia gained the upper hand in the match, their fans – sitting in a large block between the Hollies Stand and the dressing rooms took their cues from what had gone before. “Same old Aussies, always cheating” became “same old Aussies, always winning”. The ugliest chant was saved for Ben Stokes: “He punched to the left. He punched to the right. That Ben Stokes he should be inside.” It was hardly edifying stuff and brought to mind the thought that some sports end up segregating fans: we don’t want to end up there.It did, however, illustrate the whataboutery that was bandied about through the Test. Whatabout the way Stuart Broad was treated in the 2013-14 Ashes? Whatabout the time cheating Broad (didn’t) smash the ball to first slip in the 2013 Ashes and declined to walk? Whatabout Warner doing the same thing now? Whatabout Athers and the dirt? Faf and the zipper? Faf and the mints? Hang on, now you mention mints, whatabout the Murray variety and Tresco and 2005?England fans celebrate David Warner’s wicket•Getty Images

They’ve done their time; they should’ve been banned for life. Opinion about The Three will probably forever remain polarised along these lines.It will be far quieter at Lord’s, but a certain level of cacophony will surely follow them throughout the rest of the series, although it will just as surely lose its bite if Australia keep winning. The noise may have become drearily repetitive for some who were there each day but many people can only afford the time or money for one day at a Test this summer and will see it as their single opportunity to take a shot. We’ve paid a lot to be here, they will say, and we have every right to sing and chant and fling whatever insults we please. It also stands that others have the right to consider their behaviour boorish and excessive.At the conclusion of the match, Smith stood near the boundary in front of the dressing rooms and his post-match interview was broadcast on the PA. The remaining fans in the Hollies Stand struck up the crying on the telly chant. It sounded distant and feeble as Smith smiled and chatted on the telly, holding his player of the match trophy and a bottle of champagne.When he finished, the fans in front of him – both English and Australian – warmly applauded.There wasn’t a single boo to be heard.

Les Bleus' talisman was forced off in their opening game of the tournament on Monday, and his country now face a potential reckoning in his absence

This was surely a far cry from how Kylian Mbappe envisaged his return to the European Championship stage; yet to get off the mark in the continental tournament, he would have had Austria in his sights ahead of France's Euro 2024 opener. As it was, Les Bleus would require a first-half own goal to edge their Group D rivals, and their talisman was forced off after a sickening collision left him with a broken nose.

The French camp is now anxiously awaiting the prognosis of the injury, which may require surgery, with a blockbuster group-stage clash with the Netherlands to contend with on Friday. The worst-case scenario is that Mbappe will be sidelined until the quarter-finals, if France get that far, and he will need to wear a protective mask regardless.

But irrespective of whether he is available or not, the blunt performance against Austria demonstrated once again that the World Cup runners-up need their supporting cast to step up, and their skipper's potential absence will only intensify that need.

Getty ImagesFateful moment

Down the years, major tournaments have been punctuated by those moments on which a nation's fortunes can pivot; David Beckham's kick-out in 1998, Wayne Rooney's injury at Euro 2004, Zinedine Zidane's headbutt in 2006, Frank Lampard's 'ghost goal' at the 2010 World Cup, Luis Suarez's handball at the same tournament – the list goes on.

France now find themselves at a crucial juncture, and if they are unable to overcome their own deficiencies, then Mbappe's broken nose could be added to that list when all is said and done.

The moment itself seemed innocuous, but Mbappe's bloodied face told a different story. Rising to meet a cross in the dying embers of the game, the attacker inadvertently headed the shoulder of Austrian defender Kevin Danso after connecting with the ball, leaving him with a crooked, swollen nose and blood-stained shirt.

"He's got a really bad nose," France manager Didier Deschamps said after the game. "We'll have to wait and see, the medical staff are dealing with it. We'll have to see what's going to be done and then how long it will take. It's very bad news for us tonight. Obviously, the French team with or without him, this is not the same thing. I hope he can be there."

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesUncertain prognosis

An injury to one of the tournament's biggest superstars has inevitably led to speculation over just how long France's talisman will be absent for, with a group-stage showdown against the Dutch to come on Friday. The reported worst-case scenario is that he will be sidelined for up to 15 days – ruling him out of the rest of the group phase and a last-16 clash should France qualify as expected.

For their part, the French federation have confirmed Mbappe will undergo treatment, but the injury does not require surgery immediately. Instead the 25-year-old will be required to wear a protective mask when he is back on the grass.

"Kylian Mbappe has returned to the base camp of the French team. He will undergo treatment in the coming days, without undergoing surgery immediately. A mask will be made so as to allow the number 10 of the French team to consider resuming competition after a period devoted to treatment," the FFF said in a statement.

According to Mbappe will miss Friday's clash with the Netherlands at the very least having had his nose put back into place in the dressing room before being taken to hospital in Dusseldorf.

GettyFluffing their lines

Even before Mbappe's injury late in the game, France's performance exemplified the need for more from their supporting cast and that they cannot simply rely on moments of inspiration from their captain. Indeed, the only goal of the game came indirectly as a result of his clever play down the right flank; after he had evaded two defenders to reach the byline, his clipped, awkward cross was inadvertently turned into the net by Austria defender Max Wober.

The likes of Antoine Griezmann, Marcus Thuram and Ousmane Dembele were unable to shoulder the attacking burden, while Randal Kolo Muani was ineffective off the bench and fellow substitute Olivier Giroud spurned a good opportunity, too.

Thuram was a particularly guilty party, testing the goalkeeper from a tough angle but failing to make the most of two far more presentable opportunities inside the penalty area. Elsewhere, Griezmann couldn't stretch to get on the end of a fine cross, and Dembele's end product was typically lacking.

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GettyMbappe not blameless

That is not to say that Mbappe is beyond reproach, however, as the superstar could have single-handedly put a hard-fought contest out Austria's reach.

In first-half stoppage-time, the new Real Madrid forward was played in over the top by an inch-perfect, lofted through ball from Griezmann, but he was unable to bring the ball under his spell, as a poor first touch took him too close to the goalkeeper, who was able to pounce after standing his ground.

Mbappe's worst moment came early in the second period, though, as he was once again picked out over the top and sprinted through on goal. This time, despite having what felt like all the time in the world, Les Bleus' talisman contrived to plant his shot wide of the post, much to his own disbelief.

Update follows the Supreme Court of India asking the BCCI to reconsider the length of the ban in March this year

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Aug-2019Sreesanth, the one-time India fast bowler, can finally breathe a little easy after the BCCI ombudsman Justice (retd) DK Jain reduced his IPL 2013 spot-fixing ban to seven years, the sanction period now ending on September 13, 2020. This comes five months after the Supreme Court of India “set aside” the BCCI ban – originally for life – and asked the board to “reconsider” and “revisit” the length of any fresh ban, preferably within three months.The sanction has been imposed retrospectively from September 13, 2013, when Sreesanth was slapped with the life ban by the BCCI’s disciplinary committee. He was then found guilty of breaching the code of conduct for his alleged role in the IPL corruption and spot-fixing scandal that year.The BCCI’s decision had followed the arrest of Sreesanth and two other Rajasthan Royals players by Delhi Police for alleged promises made to bookmakers during the 2013 IPL. The charges against Sreesanth pertained to the match against Kings XI Punjab, played on May 9 in Mohali, that Royals won by eight wickets. The disciplinary committee charged Sreesanth guilty of corruption, betting, bringing the game into disrepute and not informing the board’s anti-corruption unit of being approached by bookies.However, the Supreme Court pointed out the three-member disciplinary committee – comprising then BCCI president N Srinivasan and two vice-presidents Arun Jaitley and Niranjan Shah – had not considered the relevant provisions of the code before arriving at the length of the ban which ranges from a minimum of five years to a maximum of a life ban. The court said the BCCI disciplinary committee did not “advert to the aggravating and mitigating factors” listed under its code.Consequently, the court asked the BCCI to set aside the life ban and review the “quantum of punishment/sanction” to be imposed on Sreesanth. That decision was left to the BCCI’s ombudsman in the absence of a disciplinary committee which can only be formed post the board’s elections.Before arriving at his decision, Justice Jain heard both Sreesanth and BCCI, both of whom were represented by their lawyers. Sreesanth’s legal counsel, Krishna Mohan K Menon, said that his client’s conduct was fair throughout the inquiry conducted by then BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit head Ravi Sawani with the bowler not contesting any offence alleged against him and cooperating fully.Menon said Sreesanth, who was 30 in 2013, had no knowledge of the “bookie nexus operating behind the scenes” during the IPL. Menon also said the alleged incident did not have any impact on the result of the IPL match which Royals, Sreesanth’s team, won “comfortably”. Menon added the spot-fixing scandal itself had no material or commercial impact on the tournament in 2013. According to him, Sreesanth had “maintained good conduct” throughout his playing career and was a committed family man and a philanthropist.Menon also told the BCCI ombudsman that while determining the sanctions, he ought not to consider Sreesanth’s “biological life” but his “sport life”. Menon explained that Sreesanth, who is currently 36, has “only 3 years of active sporting life” and hence the ombudsman should consider all these factors.”It was thus, pleaded by the Ld. Counsel that having regard to all these factors, Mr. Sreesanth has already suffered sufficient punishment for the alleged offences and therefore, he does not deserve further sanctions,” Justice Jain noted in his order.In response, the BCCI argued that a life ban was just for Sreesanth for the various aggravating factors. Among those listed were: the player showed no “remorse” at any point during the investigation process, that he had been “infamous for his uncontrolled presentation of negative temperament in the form of anger, frustration and scuffles on field” with other players, that he was mature enough to understand the consequences of his offence, that there was material evidence he had received a sum of INR 10 lakh “in lieu of the offence committed”.”The award of sentence, less than a life ban in a clear case of match fixing, can clearly impact public confidence in the game of cricket,” the BCCI is credited as saying in the order.The board argued that the disciplinary committee was “merely” required to determine, after considering all the relevant factors, whether they aggravated or mitigated the offence. The quantum of punishment, the BCCI said, was a matter of discretion of the panel.Justice Jain agreed with the BCCI’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and any offence committed under its code could not be “ignored” and “dealt with leniently.” However, he pointed out that the zero-tolerance approach “cannot dilute consideration of the relevant factors” while imposing sanctions.Justice Jain concluded that he had found a “few mitigating circumstances” under the BCCI’s code as pointed out by Sreesanth. “Although the BCCI has referred to his erratic behaviour, both on and off the field, with fellow players, but nothing has been brought on record by the BCCI to show that any sanction was imposed on him in the past. On the contrary, he was regularly participating in the national and international matches. In the report of the Commissioner there is no allegation that Mr. Sreesanth did not co-operate in the Inquiry.”Additionally, the BCCI has not been able to controvert the specific plea of Mr. Sreesanth that the offences allegedly committed by him did not substantially damage the commercial value of the IPL matches, or even the final result of the subject match. I am, therefore, convinced that mitigating circumstances are attracted in the instant case.”According to Justice Jain, Sreesanth’s “prime years,” especially as a fast bowler, were nearly over. He had already served six years of the ban, which has barred him from playing any form of cricket both in India and overseas.”Bearing in mind, all these factors, I am of the view that banning Mr. Sreesanth from participating in any kind of commercial Cricket or from associating with any activities of the BCCI or its affiliates, for a period of seven years with effect from 13.09.2013, i.e. the date from which, the period of ban imposed by the Disciplinary Committee had commenced, will meet the ends of justice.”

Chelsea are thought to be in the race to sign a new £50m+ striker, with Todd Boehly and co already registering an interest in his services.

Chelsea striker rumours

The Blues were quiet during the January transfer window, failing to make a marquee signing, with the focus at Stamford Bridge being on departures. It comes after Mauricio Pochettino admitted last month that the club would look into their attacking options after an injury to Christopher Nkunku.

"It's true that now in the next few days, we are going to see the situation. That's why I told you that I am a little worried”, said Pochettino.

"All of these situations make our job a little more difficult. I told you before that it is an exciting project but situations like this make it more difficult to change the situation and grow at a different pace."

Four forwards were offered to Chelsea as short-term solutions, including AZ Alkmaar’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Zenit St Petersburg’s Mateo Cassierra, Cercle Brugge’s Kevin Denkey and Atletico Mineiro’s Paulinho, whereas former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema was also linked.

However, attention will now be on the summer window, and it has been claimed that Napoli star Victor Osimhen has already chosen to join Chelsea. The Blues will know that a deal isn’t done until all the paperwork is signed, though, and it looks as if they have their eye on another striker plying his trade in Europe.

Chelsea make Jonathan David contact

According to Football Transfers in the last 48 hours, Lille forward Jonathan David has been gaining more interest in recent months. They report that Brentford are looking at the Canada international to replace Ivan Toney.

The Ligue 1 side could demand up to €60m (£51m) for David’s services, and it is added that Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester United, have also registered their interest over a potential deal.

David, labelled an “absolutely massive” player for Lille by Zach Lowy, moved to France from KAA Gent back in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength for his current employers. The 24-year-old can play as a centre-forward or second striker and has seen his Transfermarkt valuation double since joining Lille.

Lille

166

71

Gent

83

37

Canada

45

26

This isn’t the first time he’s been linked with a move to Chelsea, with David saying last year after rumours of a move to Stamford Bridge under Graham Potter:

“It's flattering when you are praised but personally I don't know him. The Premier League is one of the biggest leagues in the world, let's see what the future holds.

“I want to score as many goals as possible, not necessarily 20. If I can go much higher, I'll do that. But I take it game by game.”

As we know, Chelsea currently have Nicolas Jackson as their only senior striker option until the end of the season, so another marquee attacker appears to correctly be the priority in the summer, and by the looks of things, David is a player to keep an eye on ahead of the summer.

Lionel Messi suffered a mixed time at Paris Saint-Germain and he revealed it wasn't just fans who were annoyed with him but also his neighbours.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Messi speaks about his time at PSG
• Reveals he had annoyed his neighbours
• Did not have the best time personally in Paris

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner made the sensational move to Paris from Barcelona in 2021, after the Catalans failed to register him due to their economic issues. What followed was not what PSG fans were hoping for as Messi struggled with fitness and form at Parc des Princes. He has now revealed that his children playing football in the backyard also annoyed his neighbours who would complain.

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• WHAT MESSI SAID

  Speaking to ESPN in an interview, Messi said: "In Paris, the [neighbours] knocked on the door at nine or ten o’clock in the evening to say that my kids shouldn’t be playing football. The neighbours bothered us […] it played a lot on my mind and that had an effect on the pitch. In Paris, on a personal level, I wasn’t good."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Messi also made it clear that it was unfortunate that things did not go as well as he would have liked before he left the club at the end of his contract in 2023, joining Major League Soccer's Inter Miami. He said: "I have nothing against them but unfortunately, it didn’t go as I had hoped. Personally, I struggled with the change; it was very difficult for us. It really affected me personally. When I was in Paris, the best thing that happened to me was becoming World Champion (with Argentina)".

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  The man who is arguably the greatest footballer of his generation, if not all time, maintains that he has completed everything that he ever wanted to do in football after the World Cup win in Qatar. He will now lead Argentina in the Copa America in the United States in what could be his final international tournament. La Albiceleste begin their campaign with a clash against Canada on June 20.

Glasgow Rangers return to Premiership action tomorrow as Philippe Clement takes his team to Perth for a clash against St Johnstone.

The match comes just four days after the 3-1 win at Ibrox against Ross County and while three points was all that mattered, the statistics show that the Light Blues could have entered double figures with regard to goals.

Not only did they take 43 shots during the game, but the club also had 20 corners and finished the game with 72% possession in what was a dominant performance by the home side.

The Belgian will likely make a couple of changes for the game tomorrow, especially as Rabbi Matondo has been ruled out due to injury.

With this in mind, we at Football FanCast predict the starting XI which will take to the pitch at McDiarmid Park tomorrow lunchtime.

1 GK – Jack Butland

While Rangers conceded against County in midweek, Butland did not have much to do at all as the Highland side managed only one shot on target during the whole game.

The ‘keeper has been a revelation for the Gers this season and shows how vital it is to have a reliable option between the posts. Across 40 matches in all competitions this term, Butland has kept 20 clean sheets and conceded 30 goals.

2 RB – James Tavernier

The captain was phenomenal against County in midweek, doing everything but get on the scoresheet.

He provided the assists for all three goals, while making eight key passes and creating three big chances, topping his performance off by receiving a perfect rating of 10/10 via Sofascore.

Having already lifted the League Cup earlier this season, Tavernier will be desperate to add to his collection and, given their recent form, a domestic treble is within the realm of possibilities.

3 CB – Connor Goldson

Goldson was held off by Eamonn Brophy before Simon Murray scored the equaliser and the defender has been at fault for a few goals this season.

Against Aberdeen in November, the centre-back was caught out by a long ball over the top which led to the Dons opening the scoring and this is something he will need to be wary of.

He has missed only four matches during the season and will have a key part to play over the next couple of months.

4 CB – John Souttar

The Scot has been Goldson’s regular partner recently and the duo work well together. Leon Balogun was taken off against Livingston a few weeks ago after suffering a facial injury, but it will be the former Hearts' defender who is unleashed from the start.

Souttar scored the vital third goal in midweek while also winning 100% of his aerial duels and if he is in that sort of form tomorrow, the Saints will struggle to get anything going.

5 LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

The Turkish left-back has started seven of the previous eight league matches and has firmly established himself as Clement’s number one choice on the left side of the defence.

With Borna Barisic out of contract at the end of the season, Yilmaz has the chance to cement his place in the starting XI, and it looks as though he has totally transformed the trajectory of his spell in Glasgow.

6 CM – John Lundstram

Like Butland and Tavernier, the English midfielder is becoming one of the first names on the team sheet due to his excellent performances of late.

Against County, Lundstram took 100 touches, completed 92% of his passes and made four key passes in a display that proved just how crucial he is to Clement.

7 CM – Mohamed Diomande

Rangers signed the 22-year-old on a loan deal with an obligation to buy for £4.3m during the January transfer window, and he looks like a shrewd piece of business.

Tom Lawrence excelled against County, but he will drop to the bench as a precaution due to his recent injury history and this will allow the Ivorian to secure his first league start for the Gers.

He replaced Lawrence in midweek and showed his abilities by finishing the match with a 100% pass success rate while making one key pass.

8 RW – Ross McCausland

The young winger will be unleashed from the starting XI once again, and he will be looking to make more of a direct impact against St Johnstone.

He did make six key passes during the clash against County, yet he failed to deliver a successful cross into the box while losing possession eight times, but he is still raw and developing.

9 AM – Todd Cantwell

The Englishman delivered one of his finest performances of the season in midweek. Cantwell did everything but score or assist against the Staggies and if he can maintain this level of performance over the next few weeks, Rangers will be favourites for the title.

After a tough start to the campaign, the former Norwich City gem looks settled under Clement and the fans will be hoping he can continue his fine form against the Saints.

10 LW – Oscar Cortes

With the news that Matondo will miss the game, January signing Oscar Cortes will come back into the starting XI.

During his 45-minute cameo in midweek, the Colombian managed four key passes, missed two big chances and took five shots in total, and he really should have scored at least once.

Derby County had to wave goodbye to many of their key players during the height of their bleak financial issues, saying farewell to the likes of first-team stalwart Tom Lawrence and rising starlet Luke Plange to name a few.

All of that agony is a distant memory for the Rams in the here and now however, as Paul Warne attempts to be the much-loved manager at the helm that steers Derby to a return to the Championship.

Yet, this ex-player's current predicament will still raise an eyebrow when Derby fans observe from afar.

Once a goalscorer in a Championship playoff final for the Rams when Frank Lampard was boss, one out-of-sorts striker now finds himself roughing it up in League Two as his career begins to fizzle out.

Jack Marriott's time at Derby

Joining the Derby ranks off the back of a Golden Boot-winning season in League One with Peterborough United – Marriott bagging 27 third-tier goals from 44 appearances – the hefty price tag of £3m didn't look too extortionate at the time.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

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The ex-Posh star, who was described as being an "incredible" talent by Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony during his time in Cambridgeshire, would immediately hit the ground running making the step-up to further justify the millions spent to acquire his services.

The energetic 5 foot 8 centre-forward would find the back of the net a respectable 13 times in all competitions during his first season at Pride Park, including a strike against Aston Villa in that campaign's Playoff Final.

Derby and Marriott's fortunes would go downhill hand-in-hand after this Wembley heartbreak however, with the former Derby attacker finding the back of the net just four more times over the next two seasons as the Rams failed to ever mount another charge for promotion.

Marriott would have a mixed time playing for both Sheffield Wednesday and Fleetwood Town in the aftermath of his Rams exit too, with the 29-year-old even returning back to Peterborough United for a stint.

Now, however, the dwindling striker finds himself playing in League Two with Wrexham Town – the Welsh side managing to convince Marriott to make the drop down from the third tier owing to their mega riches under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Jack Marriott's time at Wrexham

Once worth £3m when the Rams swooped in to sign him in his prime, Marriott's value is now all the way down at €0.9M (£771k) playing in Wales, according to Football Transfers.

The new Wrexham number 11 is goalless from his opening six games for the Red Dragons, upstaged by the likes of former Premier League veterans Steven Fletcher and James McClean being amongst the goals recently.

With Paul Mullin also one to steal the limelight for Phil Parkinson's giants up top – with the 29-year-old sharpshooter onto 12 goals this season – Marriott could well end up blending into the background in Wales if he isn't careful.

It's a sharp decline for an attacker who was once a hero at Derby, firing in goal after goal with the Rams eyeing up promotion to the Premier League at the time.

Now, Derby are just content aiming for a return to Championship football whilst the waning centre-forward aims to break his goalscoring duck soon in League Two. How things can change…

MatériaMais Notícias

O Pouso Alegre conquistou uma vitória importante sobre o Cruzeiro, no domingo, 17 de abril, por. 1×0, gol de Paulo Henrique O resultado no Manduzão manteve a esperança da equipe do Sul de Minas ir às semifinais do Campeonato Mineiro. Capitão da equipe e um dos principais personagens no jogo, Salino enalteceu a qualidade do grupo e falou sobre a campanha no Mineiro.

-Nós podíamos estar melhores na tabela. Deixamos escapar alguns pontos bobos durante o campeonato que agora estão fazendo falta. Mas não temos que lamentar, temos que enaltecer a qualidade do grupo e de toda a comissão técnica. Vencemos o Cruzeiro, fizemos um jogo muito bom contra o Atlético e acho que merecemos essa vaga na próxima fase do torneio. Estamos fazendo uma campanha muito boa até aqui. Queremos mais. Temos condições de brigar por coisas maiores e vamos em busca desse objetivo- disse.

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De acordo com o site Footstats, especializado em estatísticas, Salino foi o melhor em desarmes na partida, com sete e o jogador com mais faltas recebidas, cinco.

O Pouso Alegre enfrenta na última rodada a Tombense, em confronto direto do G4. O clube tem 15 pontos e ocupa a sexta colocação e ainda tem chances de obter uma das vagas nas semifinais do Campeonato Mineiro.

Last weekend, Manchester United picked up a very impressive 2-1 away victory over top-four rivals Aston Villa.

Rasmus Hojlund netted for the fifth consecutive game, taking his overall tally this season to 11 goals across all competitions, while Scott McTominay scored his seventh of the campaign to steal the three points.

This time around, Erik ten Hag's team will look to win their fourth Premier League game in a row this afternoon, as they travel to Kenilworth Road, where a motivated Luton Town will be waiting.

The reverse fixture was a frustarting and marginal 1-0 win over the Hatters at Old Trafford, but one player stood out on the day. In truth, the Red Devils faithful will hope for a much more convincing performance today.

Victor Lindelof's performance vs Luton

Over his 251-match United career, Victor Lindelof's game against Rob Edwards' side in November was arguably one of his finest, with the Red Devils badge on his chest.

The iceman was positive on the ball throughout the game and ensured that his side remained in control, which is vital when playing against a team that is solely looking for the overturn of possession to attack.

Lindelof's performance can be summed up via his 8/10 match rating by the Manchester Evening News, however, let's have a closer look at his stats from the first game against the Hatters in 2023.

Minutes

98

Goals

1

Passes completed

107/113

Touches

122

Possesion lost

6

Clearances

3

Duels won

4/6

As you can see by the stats, the Sweden defender was simply superb on the ball throughout, having 122 touches and making an incredible 107 passes, which was by far the most on the field.

The fact that the number two was so heavily involved throughout and still only gave the ball away six times proves how much of an influence he had.

The 29-year-old was also switched on defensively and dealt with the Luton attack with composure, as highlighted by his three clearances and four out of six duels won.

To top it off, he scored the only goal of the game after reacting first in the box to smash it home on the penalty spot. Without Lindelof on that day, it's fair to say that United may not have gotten over the line.

Why Lindelof must start again vs Luton

Despite Lindelof's incredible game against Luton in November, Ten Hag is still much more likely to opt for a centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane, who both stood strong against Villa.

However, there is the possibility that the Swede starts in a left-back role due to the potential absence of Luke Shaw, who Lindelof recently replaced at Villa Park after the break, with the left-back being withdrawn as a precaution.

Although this role is far from tailored to the centre-back's strengths, he has already featured in it in this campaign when United faced Brentford. During that game, Lindelof was once again excellent in possession, having 94% pass accuracy, making one key pass, and only losing possession six times.

Ten Hag may tweak his in-possession tactic against Luton today, to allow Lindelof to tuck inside as a third centre-back due to the Swede's lof's lack of attacking threat as an overlapping full-back.

Indeed, if Shaw is absent, then Lindelof is United's best replacement, and therefore, the boss must start him against the opponent he has already thrived against this season.