Newcastle United have continued last season's form into the current campaign and now look set to disrupt the Premier League's colloquially known 'big six' with regularity, but manager Eddie Howe does have his fair share of problems to contend with right now.

Finishing fourth last season, the Magpies qualified for this season's Champions League group phase and are currently second at the midpoint, having also combatted a slow domestic start with some brilliant recent form to climb the table to sixth place after nine matches, four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool.

United have been hit with some bad luck on the injury front of late, however, with £55m midfield summer signing Sandro Tonali also awaiting a ten-month suspension after breaching betting rules in Italy, exacerbating the situation.

Newcastle transfer targets

The Magpies' squad is not quite threadbare, but there is a growing sense that fresh faces are needed to strengthen the ranks and deepen the options at Howe's disposal, and, as such, the January transfer window could be one of activity at St. James' Park.

While a starring new centre-back is a long-term requirement, more pressing concerns lie in the centre of the park right now, and the recent rumours have filtered through accordingly.

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are preparing to enter contract negotiations with Conor Gallagher amid rising interest from Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur, with the latter falling short of the Blues' £45m valuation in the summer.

Chelsea are preparing for another spending spree in 2024 and will look to recuperate funds from several first-team players, and while Gallagher has grown into an important role under Mauricio Pochettino this term, it will be interesting to see if Premier League rivals can steal his services.

One other player on the radar is Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, with TEAMtalk reporting in October that Howe's side have opened preliminary talks with the player's agents as Tonali's current availability proves to be nothing more than a stay of execution.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth is 'leading the charge' for the England international, though City would be hoping to reclaim most of the £42m paid to Leeds United for his services in 2022 despite scarcely using him on the pitch.

Why Newcastle are interested in Kalvin Phillips

Phillips was once considered among the most exciting and combative midfielders in English football after guiding Leeds from the second tier and serving as the centrepiece under Marcelo Bielsa in the Premier League to record a ninth-place finish during their first term back, clinching 59 points.

He remains a quality player and his consistent place in Gareth Southgate's England squad underscores his value, but consistent injury issues and failed attempts to win over Sky Blues manager Pep Guardiola has left him on the periphery and with no assurances that he will be called upon for next summer's European Championship.

The £150k-per-week ace missed 18 matches due to a shoulder problem last season and only started four matches across all competitions all term as City won the treble.

However, Newcastle's interest stems from his energy and all-action ability in the centre of the park, having been praised as a "Rolls Royce" in the past by journalist Josh Bunting for his elegance, composure and intelligence on the ball.

As per WhoScored, the 27-year-old's pass success rate has not dropped below 82% across any competition since Leeds' promotion to the Premier League in 2020, while he also boasts career averages of 2.2 tackles, 1.5 clearances and 1.2 dribbles per game.

Such attributes are, admittedly, what the Magpies need to fortify the talented crop of players, though, with Gallagher also on the radar and for an ostensibly similar price, the road that Howe, Ashworth and co must delve down appears to be a no-brainer.

Why Newcastle should sign Conor Gallagher over Kalvin Phillips

Praised for his "relentless" approach on the pitch by writer Patrick Rowe, Gallagher ranks among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area and for progressive passes received, the top 19% for progressive carries and the top 3% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

In this regard, he is not dissimilar to the likes of Joelinton and Sean Longstaff on Tyneside, who both barrel forward with constancy to wreak havoc in and around the final third.

Effectively, this bodes well for his prospective future under Howe's stewardship; the 23-year-old's energy and enterprising nature makes him a custom-made fit for Newcastle's flourishing system.

The Chelsea star has long been a turbo-charged engine to tantalise richer fortunes for the west London club, with The Athletic's Mike Stavrou even saying after one erstwhile display: "Conor Gallagher was absolutely relentless with his pressing and energy tonight. Some player Chelsea have got."

Such energy and skill as a "warrior" in the middle – as was once claimed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – leave Gallagher in good stead to forge a long and successful career for himself, and with the Toon, he would be well-placed to achieve this.

And while he toiled along with the rest of Chelsea's squad last season, with his wayward performances leading pundit Jermaine Jenas to express that he "hasn't got a clue" when discussing his positional clarity, he can hardly be blamed for the sheer capitulation of Stamford Bridge last year.

This season, the £50k-per-week Englishman has redeemed himself with some strong showings in the opening phase, even donning the captain's armband across four of the past five league encounters.

His reliability when it comes to fitness is also something to consider, having played 45 times last year and indeed been ever-present this season.

Player

Club

Gavi

Barcelona

Youssouf Fofana

Monaco

Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

Konrad Laimer

Bayern Munich

Leon Goretzka

Bayern Munich

It is this merging of various facets that should lead Howe to prioritise the ten-cap Londoner, who has age on his side when comparing him with Phillips, a proven track record away from the medical room and a prominent role, much unlike Phillips, whose progress preceding his transfer to the Etihad Stadium was blighted by setbacks.

In signing a player with Gallagher's qualities, Newcastle would not only solve the quandary festering from Tonali's imminent ban but also unearth a tough and tenacious new midfield general to settle the equilibrium and ditch any plans to sign the Cityzens outcast.

There has been plenty to be optimistic about at St. James' Park this season but should Gallagher arrive in January, there is a real chance that a successive foray into the top four could be achieved and held onto this season.

Whether Chelsea would entertain the possibility remains to be seen, but if Howe and his transfer kitty possess the means to swipe his signature, everything must be thrown at steering a deal over the line, ending speculation over Phillips' possible arrival in the process.

Leeds United's playing squad underwent surgery over the course of the summer transfer window as they attempted to build a squad to take on the rigours of Championship football.

The Whites suffered relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, after three years at the top table of English football, and decided to gut their group of players to refresh the team.

German manager Daniel Farke came in, having previously enjoyed success at this level with Norwich City, and was allowed to make a host of alterations.

Joel Piroe, Jaidon Anthony, Ilia Gruev, Karl Darlow, Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, and Sam Byram all came in either permanently or on loan.

The Yorkshire-based outfit, however, also allowed a staggering 16 players to move on from Elland Road, permanently or on loan, ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Rodrigo, Tyler Adams, Tyler Roberts, Adam Forshaw, and Helder Costa were among those who departed the club on a permanent basis, whilst a host of loans were sanctioned.

The likes of Marc Roca, Jack Harrison, Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, and Luis Sinisterra, among others, decided to leave on loan deals to ply their trade elsewhere.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not any of them will ever return to Leeds to play a meaningful part in the first-team after their respective loans end, some may be wondering how they are getting on away from the pressures of Elland Road.

Roca, in particular, is catching the eye with his performances for Real Betis in his native Spain after a difficult first year in English football last term.

Roca's Leeds statistics last season

Former Whites boss Jesse Marsch swooped to sign the defensive midfielder from German giants Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of £10m.

The Spanish battler put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the club and supporters may have been excited by the addition as he arrived off the back of making 24 appearances for the Bundesliga side in all competitions and being hailed as "impressive" by Julian Nagelsmann.

Formerly of Espanyol, Roca had done enough to earn himself a big switch to Bayern and Leeds then took advantage of his failure to establish himself as a regular in Bavaria with a swoop for his services in 2022.

However, the left-footed talent struggled to adapt to Premier League football and was not able to provide a consistently impressive presence in the middle of the park.

Of course, being part of a team that was ultimately relegated to the Championship was not the easiest environment for him to make his debut season in England but his performances left a lot to be desired.

Roca lost 51% of his duels, which shows that he was inconsistent in physical battles, and only completed 75.5% of his attempted passes across 32 top-flight appearances.

In fact, the 6 foot machine ranked within the bottom 22% of his positional peers at Premier League level for his pass completion rate, which illustrates how poor his passing was in the middle of the park.

His tough-tackling nature did not make up for his struggles in other areas as six of his teammates averaged more than his 2.1 tackles per game for Leeds.

Roca's statistics this season

However, a move to Real Betis has provided him with a clean slate and the defensive midfielder has grasped his opportunity to return to top form.

The 26-year-old ace has played 12 matches in LaLiga this season and caught the eye with his contributions in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

Roca has completed 84% of his attempted passes in those games, which is a marked improvement on his passing for Leeds, and made 5.94 progressive passes per 90 – ranking him within the top 26% of his positional peers in the Spanish top-flight.

He also ranks within the top 39% for tackles (2.08) and the top 28% for blocks (1.29) per 90 for Real Betis. This shows that the gem is making an impact at both ends of the pitch, with his progressive play and defensive nous.

The uncapped Spaniard has also chipped in with two goals and one assist from midfield as he has displayed his attacking quality, despite playing in a defensive position.

This is particularly eye-catching when you look at how Farke's current midfield options have performed from an attacking sense so far this season.

Glen Kamara's statistics this season

Leeds swooped to sign Finland international Glen Kamara from Scottish giants Rangers during the summer transfer window but the central midfielder is yet to secure his first goals in a Whites shirt.

The ex-Arsenal prospect has, however, recorded one assist and impressed onlookers with his dynamic showings in midfield for the Yorkshire-based side.

His metronomic performances have been impressive to watch as his passing ability has been on full display. Kamara ranks within the top 3% of his positional peers at Championship level for pass completion (91.5%) per 90 and the top 17% for progressive passes (7.24) per 90.

This suggests that the Finnish dynamo, who has won 61% of his duels, is an exceptional passer who rarely gives the ball away whilst also attempting to progress his team up the pitch, rather than being safe with his passes.

One area in which he could look to improve, though, is his goalscoring threat as the gem is yet to find the back of the net for the Whites and only managed one in 22 league matches for Rangers throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

In fact, no Leeds central midfielder has got their name on the scoresheet at Championship level so far this season, and Kamara's assist is the only one by a player in that position.

This suggests that Roca has outperformed all of Farke's current options in midfield from an attacking perspective, with his three goal contributions in 12 games for Real Betis.

That is not to say that he would be a better player overall than the likes of Ampadu and Kamara but it does suggest that he has been in fine form in Spain, and that Leeds' current players should know the area in which they could improve over the coming weeks and months.

West Ham United manager David Moyes is in real danger of "finally facing" the sack as news comes out of the club from some insiders.

West Ham form this season

The Hammers have endured a pretty disastrous last 10 days in all competitions. Premier League losses to both Aston Villa and Everton were topped off by the end of West Ham's record-breaking unbeaten streak in Europe. Their 2-1 loss to Olympiacos last week meant they couldn't maintain what was a very impressive 17-game run without losing, across campaigns in both the Conference and Europa League.

Moyes made a host of changes in Greece which cost them dearly, with the Scotsman appearing to rest a few key men for Everton. However, the changes proved irrelevant, as West Ham succumbed to a 1-0 loss at the London Stadium regardless. Speaking after their bitter defeat to Sean Dyche's side, where they were also booed off by home supporters, Moyes rued West Ham's missed chances to score.

"There was very, very little in the game," said Moyes on West Ham's loss to Everton.

"The one chance which came, they scored it. We missed two or three opportunities to score and you don't get loads. We didn't finish them off. We've scored in every other game this season but today we couldn't get through. That's what you always get with Sean Dyche's teams, they defend well and make it difficult for you to get through."

Moyes facing West Ham sack danger

Despite a promising start to the season at first, with summer signing James Ward-Prowse praised for his West Ham form and Jarrod Bowen handed a new contract for his performances, it appears they're starting to tail off somewhat. Moyes just about steered the club away from relegation last season, but did finish 2022/2023 with a Conference League title – their first major trophy since 1980.

West Ham may need to consider life beyond the Scotsman, especially considering his contract expires just next year. Sharing news from club insiders, Claret & Hugh now claim Moyes could be sacked by West Ham if results don't improve soon. Indeed, they state that the tactician could be "finally facing" the exit door if his side suffer bad results against both Arsenal and Brentford in their upcoming games.

Insiders at the club have signalled that Moyes' departure is a very real possibility if things don't turn around and quickly, with one source quoted as saying this to C&H:

“People can now see why we are waiting on offering him a new deal. That was so very poor against Everton. Why field the reserves in Greece if we play like that.”

Journalist Daniel Storey, writing for inews, also had some criticism for Moyes and the club as a whole after their latest defeat.

"Watching West Ham has been an experience over the last 12 months: the European endeavour, Bowen’s directness, Declan Rice’s marauding captaincy by example, Paqueta’s invention. They have stepped grossly in the wrong direction over the last few weeks, a football team with an unambitious plan that still regularly fails to pull it off. Too often they are left holding out for individual magic, either from Bowen in open play or Ward-Prowse over the dead ball."

ScorecardNow then. If a cricket-lover had arrived at Headingley on the third day of this match having not watched a game for 50 years but being nevertheless well-versed in the matchless reports of the former correspondent, J M Kilburn, he may well have been comforted that next to nowt had changed. And since Kilburn reported on some of the greatest eras in the county’s cricket, when victories came as standard, he may have assumed that nothing had altered there either.For just when it seemed that Lancashire had a chance to secure the win that would have helped them in their desperate quest to avoid relegation, the Yorkshire seam attack delivered the sort of evening session that will warm White Rose supporters from Wombwell to Whitby and all points in the Broad Acres beyond.Lancashire had needed 230 to win on a pitch which seemed to be easing; after all Yorkshire’s batsmen had made 272 on it. Yet with the day done and as hitherto sane men try to recover their wits, home supporters can savour the memory of a scoreboard which read 109 for 7 at the close. Yorkshire have had their problems this season but even the dourest of their followers will be content with that.And no one was underestimating the importance of this contest. Many previous Roses matches have decided championships; the result of this rascal will go a long way towards determining which of these teams goes down. Now both Leicester and Northampton are fine and greatly under-appreciated venues, but they are not where Lancashire’s players want to be strutting their four-day stuff next year. Least of all, maybe, Richard Gleeson, who has just arrived from Wantage Road and has no particular wish to return so soon.But before Lancashire begin their last four-day game of the season at the Ageas Bowl a week on Monday their fate may have been decided. And they can really castigate no one but themselves. Throughout this campaign, Liam Livingstone’s team has always had a batting collapse in it. And this last one may have settled their chips.Lancashire’s pursuit of a victory beyond price began poorly when Alex Davies slashed wildly at a lifter from Ben Coad and nicked a catch to Jonny Tattersall. Seven overs later Karl Brown was pinned on the back foot by a rejuvenated Tim Bresnan. That left Lancashire on 31 for 2 in the twelfth over and the fragile recovery mounted by Steven Croft and Liam Livingstone was cut short when Croft pulled Jack Brooks to Jeet Raval at midwicket. In his next over Brooks struck again, taking the crucial wicket of Livingstone with a ball that kept low and uprooted the off stump. The Lancashire captain’s departure for 28 was celebrated in gorgeous fashion by Brooks who seemed to be attempting a lap of honour pursued by his colleagues.Ben Coad in action against Lancashire•Getty Images

But Yorkshire’s joy was nowhere near ended with Lancashire stumbling on 81 for 4. Some might argue the carnival only got going when Ben Coad took three wickets in eight balls. The first of Coad’s victims was Dane Vilas, who recently rescued his side with an unbeaten hundred at Southport. Vilas was bowled by a ball which nipped away and may have kept low and his departure was followed by that of both Danny Lamb and Tom Bailey. Only the last knockings are left now.And all this drama was merely the climax of a day which had been entirely in keeping with the great tradition of Roses cricket. Seeking to build a match-winning advantage, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Gary Ballance battled for every run against bowlers who generally stuck to tight lines.Singles were begrudged, appeals were frequent and Lancastrians were barracked. It was wonderful stuff. This, though, was attrition with a purpose and Kilburn would have surely have loved it. Runs dropped slowly in the blue morning. The trees towards Canterbury Road and Langdale Gardens looked like giant florets of broccoli. The contest was as intense as the incomparable game can offer.In the sixth over of the day Graham Onions appealed confidently for a caught behind against Kohler-Cadmore but Rob Bailey, impassive as an Easter Island statue, turned the claim down. The same umpire later warned Gleeson for running on the pitch. In the midst of these kerfuffles, the officials were asked by Lancashire to change the ball because it had gone out of shape. The request was rejected and there was no indication Livingstone offered the compromise of keeping the ball but selecting a fresh umpire from a box of six.For much of the session Keshav Maharaj operated from the Football Stand End and he eventually gained leg before decisions against both Kohler-Cadmore, who made 63, and Ballance, whose 85 included 14 fine boundaries. But almost every ball seemed to bring Maharaj pleasure or agony: pleasure when he took the wicket; agony when the batsman had the effrontery to place some part of his person in its path to the stumps. It was tense cricket and properly so. This was the type of session that determines seasons, contracts, career-paths. And we still had the evening to come.After lunch Yorkshire’s tail scrambled their way to a total of 272. Leg byes were applauded wildly before Bailey and Onions helped to end the innings. Then Yorkshire’s bowlers went out to deliver the spells that will be remembered deep into the autumn and well beyond. It was a sight to see and Kilburn would have appreciated it, albeit quietly, eloquently, and with a proper reserve.

Three Arsenal fans who plead guilty to tragedy chanting against Liverpool have been handed three-year football bans.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Three Arsenal fans banned for three years
• Were part of the Ashburton Army group
• Tragedy chanting against Liverpool in the FA Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following the team's FA Cup third-round loss to Liverpool in January, three teenagers, who the Daily Mail reports are members of the Ashburton Army fan group, were each given a three-year football ban for their chants associated with the Hillsborough tragedy.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ellis Chandler, George Oxley, and Joshua Ricca entered guilty pleas to a section five public order offence (tragedy chanting). Chandler and Oxley are prohibited from being within 1.5 miles of the Emirates due to their bans.

• WHAT THE ARSENAL STATEMENT SAID

  Arsenal released a statement after the punishment was announced: "We strongly condemn this abhorrent behaviour. We have worked closely with the police to ensure swift action was taken and we welcome the football banning orders handed out.

  "We have a zero-tolerance approach to tragedy chanting and will always ensure strong action is taken against those found guilty of such behaviour."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  The Gunners will next be in action after the international break when they take on title rivals Manchester City on March 30 at the Etihad. Their next game at the Emirates Stadium will be against Luton Town on April 3.

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly decide to pursue a deal for a new full-back in January, and recently appointed technical director Johan Lange already knows him from a previous job in the Premier League.

Spurs form and best players…

Ange Postecoglou’s team have made a remarkable start to the new campaign having won six and drawn two of their opening eight games, meaning that they are joint top of the table and level on points with rivals Arsenal, with these being the only two clubs left in the division to remain unbeaten.

The Lilywhites currently have several star players away on international duty representing their nations, including Son Heung-Min with South Korea, James Maddison with England and Dejan Kulusevski with Sweden, and this break in domestic action will have allowed club chiefs to start assessing their transfer options ahead of next year.

One of the players that the N17 hierarchy could pursue is Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash, who has made a total of 109 appearances for Unai Emery’s side since putting pen to paper from Nottingham Forest back in 2020 (Transfermarkt – Cash statistics).

The Poland international still has another four years on his deal (Aston Villa contracts), but having emerged as his club's second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Aston Villa statistics), the 26-year-old is attracting interest.

Matty Cash transfer update

According to GiveMeSport, who have delivered a transfer update on Matty Cash, Spurs have been named as a club who could potentially make a surprise approach for the star in January due to his connection with Lange:

"Another Aston Villa player that Lange could look towards is the adventurous right-back, who has impressed during his three-year spell at Villa Park thus far. Cash is very good at getting forward to support attacks, and this could fit with the new Spurs boss' ethos that puts a lot of importance in the full-backs.

"There are two senior options when it comes to the right-back position for Tottenham – Emerson Royal and Pedro Porro – but with both players having struggles at various stages in their respective Spurs careers, there is always room to upgrade.

"Royal finds himself as the back-up option in the early stages of the season, meaning the Brazilian could seek a new challenge in the near future and this would open up a position for a right-back to come in and Cash could be a very solid option."

What is Matty Cash's salary?

Cash currently pockets £80k-per-week in the Midlands, which he has more than earned during his three years at the club (Aston Villa salaries), so should he ever put pen to paper at Tottenham, it would be a massive coup for Postecoglou and Daniel Levy.

The Slough-born talent has made 21 tackles so far this season which is the joint-highest number in his squad along with Boubacar Kamara (FBRef – Aston Villa statistics), but he’s also capable of using his pace to burst down the flank and create chances for himself and his fellow teammates.

Emery’s attacking “threat”, as hailed by pundit Alex McLeish, has racked up 51 contributions – 27 assists and 24 goals – in 264 career appearances, and having won the Player of the Year award at both Villa and Forest, Cash’s individual positive impact is clear to see.

Chelsea could be set to lose one of their most integral squad members next year, with a fresh report revealing that one club in particular are ready to table him a tempting proposal.

Which players will leave Chelsea?

Over the summer, Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino sanctioned the permanent sales of 14 players, including the likes of Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic, whilst sending nine more out of favour stars, some names being Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech, out on loan for the remainder of the season to increase their game time.

The Daily Mirror’s Ryan Taylor has also recently reported that Trevoh Chalobah is seeking a new adventure next year, with chiefs open to letting him go on the basis that Bayern Munich are interested in completing a deal, but he’s not the only one who could be heading for an exit from the Premier League.

At Stamford Bridge, Thiago Silva will be out of contract at the end of the season (Chelsea contracts), and with him now being 39 years of age, the centre-back isn’t getting any younger and could soon be hanging up his boots, but not before he’s been given a final fresh challenge.

Thiago Silva transfer update

According to Football Insider, who have shared a transfer update on Thiago Silva, Chelsea are willing to green-light his departure to help balance the books, whilst aiming to start a fresh long-term project.

"Brazilian giants Fluminense are ready to offer Chelsea defender Thiago Silva the chance to return to his homeland, sources have told Football Insider.

"Silva has never hidden his desire to return to Brazil and is now in the twilight years of his career. The defender currently earns a reported wage of £110,000 a week, and Blues chiefs have identified next summer as a good time to get that outlay off the wage bill.

"Chelsea are keen to further ramp up their recruitment of young players in order to develop their talent. Furthermore, the Londoners are happy to let Silva depart despite his status as a firm fan favourite. Club chiefs believe the likes of Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana will provide adequate cover in future seasons."

During his 674 appearances since the start of his career, Silva has most definitely been a “class act”, as hailed by journalist Josh Bunting, and despite his age, he’s remained a key player for Chelsea this season considering the impact he’s had under Pochettino.

The Rio De Janeiro native, who earns £110k-per-week (Chelsea salaries), is currently averaging 4.4 clearances and 2.3 aerial wins per top-flight game, alongside recording a 95.7% pass success rate, showing what a rock he can be at the heart of the backline (WhoScored – Silva statistics).

Passing

Player has no significant weaknesses

Concentration

Blocking the ball

In addition, Silva possesses the winning mentality required in the capital having secured a remarkable 33 trophies for both club and country since first bursting onto the professional scene (Transfermarkt – Silva statistics), so the hierarchy should perhaps consider another short-term extension to keep him around for another 12 months.

Only Kyle Abbott had much of an impact with the ball as Essex made brisk progress after the opening-day washout

ECB Reporters Network30-Aug-2018
ScorecardDan Lawrence made his first County Championship century in nearly a year to underpin one of Essex’s best days with the bat this summer.The previous of his first-class hundreds also came against Hampshire in the penultimate game of last season but Lawrence has struggled, like most of his team-mates, for runs in Essex’s post-title-winning campaign and had just one half-century to his name previously this summer.He started circumspectly, and was outscored at one point in his first century partnership by Ryan ten Doeschate, who came in two wickets later, but picked up with the return of the confidence that brought him an England Lions call-up in the winter. He was 114 not out from 192 balls at the close.Essex finished the day on 363 for 6, only the fourth time this season they have gone beyond 300 in an innings. The top-order had endured such a parlous season they had accumulated just 11 batting points before Hampshire’s arrival at Chelmsford. But that was advanced by four on a day when nearly everything and everyone clicked and five batsmen surpassed their season’s averages by considerable margins.In addition, Essex posted three century partnerships with Varun Chopra and Tom Westley putting on 101 for the second wicket, Lawrence and ten Doeschate compiling 122 for the fifth, and Lawrence and Adam Wheater 105 for the sixth.It was a day of toil for Hampshire, barring when Kyle Abbott caused a mini-collapse in mid-afternoon as he reduced Essex from 117 for 1 to 124 for 4 with three wickets at a personal cost of four runs in 16 balls.The players spent the entire first day in the changing rooms because of damp areas on the outfield, but play started promptly with eight overs tagged on to the second day’s duration. Hampshire opted for a toss, lost it and Essex made them pay.Nick Browne exited in the fifth over when Fidel Edwards swung a ball in to clip the top of middle stump. That brought together Chopra and Westley for a partnership that embraced 33 overs.Spinner Liam Dawson made a surprise appearance as early as the 11th over, and found some turn off the pitch almost immediately. Westley played down the wrong line and got an involuntary edge for four to third man, then was fortunate to miss one that turned from middle to fly past off stump.Abbott stopped the steady progress. Westley departed for 40 when one nipped back and knocked over off-stump. Chopra followed when he was pinned plumb in front and Ravi Bopara lasted just four balls before edging to Jimmy Adams at slip.ten Doeschate corrected the downturn with three successive fours off Gareth Berg and a straight six off Dawson. Lawrence had eight fours in his 83-ball half-century, achieved on the stroke of tea, including a particularly well-timed boundary off his hip against Holland.The captain was the third player to fifty when he drove Dawson through the covers to reach the milestone from 65 balls, courtesy of six fours and the day’s only six. But he fell, nibbling at an Ian Holland delivery outside off stump to give Adams a second catch.Wheater’s fifty against his old team came with an edge through the slips and had taken 74 balls with 10 fours. In quick succession, the sixth-wicket stand passed 100 in 23 overs and then Lawrence reached his century from 173 balls with 14 fours.Wheater had maintained Essex’s momentum but eventually departed when he was bowled by Dawson for 52.

For the South African quick, the increased scrutiny on player behaviour is just a sign of the game becoming “more professional”

Liam Brickhill02-Nov-2018At the end of a tumultuous week since the release of the cultural review, Australia’s focus will finally return to the cricket with the first ODI against South Africa in Perth, but amid the fallout from the Newlands ball-tampering scandal and all that has happened since, player behaviour will be under increased scrutiny come Sunday. For visiting quick Dale Steyn, that’s just a sign of the times as the game becomes “more professional”.”When I first started going to the IPL, in the beginning we didn’t even have a fitness trainer,” he said after South Africa’s training session in Perth. “Now it’s very professional. You get an email that tells you exactly what you’ve got to eat, tells you exactly what time the bus is. We’ve got to grow up with the times, that’s just how it is, and behaviour is one of those things that has become very much part of the game. There’s strict rules. KG [Kagiso Rabada] has faced harsh criticism and some trouble even within our side.”

Every time you play against Australia, you still feel like that culture from years back is going to be hard to crack

While Mitchell Starc said the team will be ignoring the boardroom drama, soul-searching about how Australia choose to play their cricket and their reputation in the game has been another talking point from the cultural review. An ultra-aggressive, win-at-all-costs attitude is increasingly out of place in a changing sporting landscape.”It’s going to be interesting to see which direction they go,” Steyn said. “Every time you play against Australia, you still feel like that culture from years back is going to be hard to crack. They’re in your face, an aggressive team, and people want that but you talk about this line – who knows where it is – but there’s rules and you’ve got to play along those rules.”This is the country that produced the Merv Hughes staredown and ‘mental disintegration’, where, as an opposition no. 11, you’d better be ready for a broken f***ing arm. Or rather, it was. For Australia, for everyone, the times they are a-changin’.”I watched this interview with Merv the other day … jeepers, that guy was a maniac wasn’t he,” Steyn joked. “We’re in a different generation. Times have changed. We all have to move with the times. If you’re going to live in the past, and do what you did in the past, in the current times you’re going to bear the consequences for that. That’s just how it is.”Dale Steyn clutches his right shoulder•Getty ImagesWith their former captain and vice-captain both still in the brig for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal, Australia are still bearing the consequences for bad decisions made in March. Steyn wouldn’t be drawn into an opinion on whether Steven Smith and David Warner’s bans should be lifted early, but suggested that Australia still present stiff competition in their absence.”I’m not the headmaster here,” Steyn said. “I don’t make the rules and what the punishment is. But we all make mistakes and how each country deals with it is their issue.”Those two [Smith and Warner] are always going to test you. You want to be playing against the best. But I can guarantee you when you’re running in at Chris Lynn and he’s eyeing out deep midwicket, and Aaron Finch who’s been scoring runs lately especially for Surrey, it doesn’t matter. You’ve just got to take on who is at the other end, regardless of the name. When we walk out to the middle, it’s on.

The last time I walked off here I didn’t realise how bad my shoulder was. When I went in to see the doctor for the MRI he asked if I fell off a ladder or motorbikeSteyn on the injury he suffered in Perth in 2016

“We didn’t come here to lose,” Steyn added. “Any time South Africa plays against Australia it is always a good spectacle, both teams are highly competitive and do everything that they can to win. I don’t think that will change come Sunday.Steyn said he was excited to be back in Perth after a shoulder injury in the first Test in 2016 cut his tour short. This is likely to be his last international series in Australia, which makes him all the more motivated to put in a strong performance.”It is weird to be back here,” he said. “The last time I walked off here I didn’t realise how bad my shoulder was. When I went in to see the doctor for the MRI he asked if I fell off a ladder or motorbike, I didn’t realise it was actually that bad. Eight months of physiotherapy and non-stop rehab got me back, and I’m excited to be back here.”We haven’t played massively competitive cricket for a while. We played against Zimbabwe recently and I bowled in the high 140’s (kph) and hit 150 which I was quite pleased about,” he said. “If any bowler hits 150 he is going to tell you about it. I was happy with that, I got through those games and four months of county cricket with limited issues.”South Africa are coming off a comprehensive 3-0 series win against Zimbabwe, and Steyn said he expects an evenly contested series, despite the contrasting form the squads take into the series.”Both teams are coming off a little bit of a step back, Australia haven’t had the greatest tour in the UAE and they are trying to re-build themselves. We haven’t played much competitive cricket for a long time. I think it will be evenly matched.”

Leeds United went through a big summer of change as they employed a new head coach and oversaw a shake-up of their playing squad after relegation from the Premier League.

The Whites ended their three-year stay in the top-flight and were tasked with building a squad to compete at Championship level in order to bounce back at the first attempt.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in and had to contend with a host of first-team players being moved out of the door, either permanently or on loan.

The likes of Max Wober, Robin Koch, Rodrigo, Jack Harrison, and Luis Sinisterra, among others, all found new clubs for the 2023/24 campaign.

However, that allowed the ex-Norwich City boss to bring in some of his own additions. Joel Piroe, Jaidon Anthony, Djed Spence, Glen Kamara, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Karl Darlow, Ilia Gruev, and Sam Byram were all snapped up to bolster the squad.

They have helped Leeds to sit third in the table after 16 matches but the club may already have one eye on the January transfer window, particularly in regard to who could leave the club.

Wilfried Gnonto is one player who they could end up being without after there was plenty of speculation over his future earlier this year, which may lead to them needing an heir to his position in the squad – one that could be taken by academy starlet Sean McGurk.

Leeds transfer news – Wilfried Gnonto

The Italy international handed in a transfer request during the summer transfer window as he attempted to force through a move away from Yorkshire.

It was reported that the player was unhappy at being denied an exit from the club as Premier League side Everton were attempted to snap him up.

The Toffees reportedly made a bid in excess of £25m but that was not enough to tempt the Whites into cashing in on the young gem as they opted to end negotiations with the top-flight side.

Due to that situation, Gnonto was not involved in matches against Shrewsbury, Birmingham, and West Bromwich Albion earlier this season before being reintegrated into the squad after the speculation settled down.

More recently, the former Inter prospect did laugh off, via Instagram, a rumour that he was unhappy with his lack of game time so far this season.

However, when asked about the player's future ahead of the turn of the year, Farke decided not to comment on any speculation and, in doing so, did not rule out a possible exit.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Italian gem will be a Leeds player come February 2024 but, in McGurk, the Leeds head coach already has a talented prospect who could step up to provide a replacement from within the club if Gnonto does move on.

Sean McGurk's season in numbers

The 20-year-old magician is a versatile forward, like the current first-team ace, who can be deployed on either flank or through the middle as a number ten or centre-forward.

This means that Farke has the scope to utilise him in a variety of ways and is not restricted to only being able to call upon him in one specific role within the XI, which could increase the youngster's chances of making a breakthrough at senior level.

He has already racked up an eye-catching eight goals and five assists in 13 U21 matches in all competitions for the Whites so far this season, which works out as a goal contribution every game on average for the talented prodigy.

McGurk has stepped up his game after a return of three goals and three assists in 17 Premier League 2 outings for the U21 side throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Appearances

Five

44

Goals

Three

Ten

Assists

One

Six

The former Wigan dynamo, whose "terrific" finish was once hailed by ex-boss Nick Chadwick, has already managed an impressive four goals and two assists in eight Premier League 2 appearances so far this term.

This shows that the superb winger is improving with time and experience at that level as his output at the top end of the pitch has increased significantly from last season to this.

He is yet to make his senior bow for Leeds but his outstanding form for the U21s suggests that the potential is there for the terrific Thorp Arch whiz to become an excellent option for Farke if he can translate those performances to the first-team in the future.

Gnonto moving on in January, for example, could provide the manager with an opportunity to hand McGurk a chance to see whether or not the academy starlet has what it takes to make the step up.

Gnonto's goal record for Leeds

It is worth reiterating, once again, that there is no guarantee that the Italian ace will secure a transfer away from Elland Road ahead of the second half of the season.

However, his statistics over the past 18 months or so do not suggest that it will be an unreasonable ask of McGurk to replicate his level of impact in the final third, given what the young gem has produced for the U21s.

Gnonto arrived from Zurich on a permanent basis ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and went on to rack up two goals and four assists in the Premier League for Leeds last season.

The 20-year-old forward has not found the drop down to the Championship much easier to deal with, though, as he has managed one goal and one assist in ten appearances so far this term.

Appearances

Ten

Sofascore rating

6.82

Goals

One

Assists

One

Key passes per game

0.5

Big chances created

Zero

As you can see in the table above, Gnonto has not made a significant impact at the top end of the pitch as the Everton target has not been a consistent scorer or creator of goals for Farke.

This suggests that Leeds' squad would not take a massive blow if they were to cash in on him for the aforementioned fee of £25m, particularly when they have a player of McGurk's potential quality to step up and be the heir to his position at Elland Road.