Arsenal roared back into the Premier League title race on Sunday afternoon by beating Liverpool 3-1 at the Emirates, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard striking in the second half after a Gabriel own goal had cancelled out Bukayo Saka's opener.

The result sees the Gunners move to within two points of the table-topping Reds, but Manchester City have the opportunity to go a point clear in first if they're able to win their games in hand, both of which are against Brentford.

9/10 Arsenal star was as good as Jorginho vs Liverpool

Jorginho put in a colossal performance vs Liverpool but another star stood out for Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Feb 4, 2024

On Monday morning, some more good news emerged for Mikel Arteta as Arsenal reached an agreement they'd been chasing behind the scenes. The club had reached the "final stages" of talks with defender Takehiro Tomiyasu over a new contract, and planned to complete the process "in the next weeks". As it turns out, though, things have proceeded ahead of schedule after Tomiyasu and Japan exited the Asian Cup at the hands of Iran in the quarterfinals over the weekend.

Arsenal now reach Tomiyasu agreement

According to Fabrizio Romano, Tomiyasu's new deal has now been agreed and sealed. The 25-year-old will soon put pen to paper on a long-term contract in North London, with an announcement imminent.

There was never any prospect of him being allowed to leave, with Arteta and the club hierarchy instead both pushing for him to be rewarded with fresh terms.

Versatile Tomiyasu gives "his life" for Arsenal

Tomiyasu has played 73 games for Arsenal since his £16m move from Italian club Bologna in the summer of 2021, with 20 of those coming this season. He's made ten starts so far – five in the Premier League, four in the Champions League and one in the Carabao Cup, and there are signs that he's climbing the pecking order. Prior to an injury lay-off and his trip to the Asian Cup, he made the XI for four consecutive league games.

Previously, Tomiyasu had been one of Arteta's most trusted substitutes, coming off the bench more often than any defender as the Spaniard looked to shore things up. As you can see in the table below, he ranks fifth in the squad for substitute outings this season.

1

Leandro Trossard

12

2

Eddie Nketiah

11

3

Reiss Nelson

10

4

Jorginho

9

5

Takehiro Tomiyasu

8

One of the things that makes him invaluable in this regard is his versatility – he's played almost as much football at right-back as he has at centre-back, and he also has experience on the left of a four too. That means Arteta is able to utilise him wherever he sees fit late in games.

"Tomi is a player that everybody loves in there," he said in October. "He’s always the first (in training) and he’s always the last out. You tell him to do something and he will give his life for it.

"He’s an exceptionally professional player who gives us a versatility and qualities that nobody else has in the squad. For me he’s a really important player."

Tomiyasu's deal had been due to expire in 2025, and now midfielder Thomas Partey is the only other player in that boat. It remains to be seen what decision Arsenal make with regard to his future.

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： Suspenso na última quinta-feira, o Campeonato Paranaense segue com o futuro indefinido. Agora, a última informação é que o Governo local anunciou que cada cidade pode decidir se quer ou não receber os jogos de futebol.

+ Renato Gaúcho define futuro no Grêmio, Miranda perto de reforçar clube brasileiro… O Dia do Mercado

A notícia caiu como uma bomba nos bastidores do torneio e deixou o ambiente ainda mais confuso para dirigentes e jogadores.

Lembrando que, os duelos da 1ª, 2ª e 3ª rodada foram cancelados e gerou uma insatisfação nos cartolas locais.

+ Confira os clubes do Brasileirão 2020 que mais ganharam seguidores ao longo do campeonato

‘Eu entendo que todos os esportes profissionais que podem pagar os testes, no tempo certo, eles teriam condições de acontecer e com o mínimo de pessoas possível naquela praça esportiva. Não colocamos óbice, mas a Federação optou por cancelar algumas rodadas. Então, nós vamos continuar com a nossa posição de que, com testes de qualidade, essas pessoas estão aptas para esse momento, mas eu sei que existe uma movimentação para rever as rodadas’, disse o secretário estadual de saúde Beto Preto.

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Manchester United have endured a difficult season so far as they have struggled domestically and in Europe throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Erik ten Hag's side secured a top four finish in the Premier League and won the League Cup in a solid first year in English football for the Dutch head coach.

However, he has not been able to kick on this season as his team have failed to perform on a consistent basis to compete for major trophies.

The Red Devils are currently sitting seventh in the Premier League table and are eight points adrift of the top four places as it stands, whilst having played one match more than Arsenal in fourth.

Bayern Munich

1

Five

16

Kobenhavn

2

Two

Eight

Galatasaray

3

One

Five

Manchester United

4

One

Four

United also finished bottom of their Champions League group and do not have knockout European football to look forward to over the coming months.

The Red Devils are now reportedly interested in a deal to sign an impressive performer from one of their rivals in that group to bolster their defensive options.

Manchester United's search for a new right-back

According to ESPN, the club are admirers of Galatasaray right-back Sacha Boey as they plot a revamp of their defence ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The report claims that United want to make changes to their options at the back with players coming in and out of Old Trafford over the next two transfer windows.

It states that they have an interest in central defenders Jarrad Branthwaite, Matthijs de Ligt, and Jean-Clair Todibo, with Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans both out of contract at the end of the season.

They are also prepared to cash in on Victor Lindelof or Harry Maguire if a 'significant' offer arrives on their desk for either of them this summer.

This suggests that they are keen to make wholesale changes to their options at the heart of the defence to improve the spine of ten Hag's squad.

However, they are also looking at the full-back positions as Boey is a right-back by trade and would come in to compete with Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

There is no mention of whether or not United are prepared to make an offer for the talented gem or whether they would like to bring him in this month or in five months.

ESPN do not state how much Galatasaray would want for their star defender but Turkish outlet Fanatik touted a potential fee of €20m (£17m) for him earlier this season.

If they are able to strike a deal to sign the French whiz over the next 12 days or so, though, then ten Hag could secure a big upgrade on Wan-Bissaka at right-back.

Wan-Bissaka's limitations on the right flank

The current United defender is a solid and reliable option for ten Hag but he is a limited player due to his lack of quality in possession down the right flank.

Wan-Bissaka, first and foremost, does provide value off the ball for the side. He currently ranks fifth and first in the squad for tackles (2.1) and interceptions (1.7) per match in the Premier League respectively.

He has also won 59% of his physical duels across 12 top-flight appearances and this suggests that opposition players have found it difficult to get the better of him in 50/50 contests.

However, the English full-back ranks 17th within the squad for key passes (0.4) per game – below the likes of Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez, and Casemiro.

Over the last 365 days, Wan-Bissaka sits within the bottom 45% of full-backs in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for assists (0.06) per 90.

He also ranks within the bottom 47% of his positional peers for progressive passes (3.70) and the bottom 23% for shot-creating actions (1.58) respectively per 90.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old enforcer is a below-average performer when it comes to creating chances for his teammates and making things happen in the final third.

Therefore, there is room for United to improve their team by signing a right-back who can provide quality at both ends of the pitch – as Boey could.

The stats that show why Boey could be better than Wan-Bissaka

The 23-year-old dynamo is a progressive full-back who has the ability to make an impact in the final third, whilst still being a solid defender for his side.

Over the last 365 days, Boey ranks within the top 2% of full-backs in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for tackles (3.33) per 90 and the top 7% or higher for blocks (1.67), clearances (3.33), and aerial battles won (2.00) per 90 respectively.

He has also averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions combined and 6.4 ball recoveries per game across 18 appearances in the Turkish top-flight this season.

These statistics suggest that the Galatasaray star is not a liability at the back and has the ability to cut out opposition attacks at an impressive rate, as has been the case with Wan-Bissaka this term.

However, Boey could be a big upgrade on the former Crystal Palace man due to his superior quality in possession when it comes to creating chances and progressing the play.

United got a first-hand glimpse of his silky skills on the ball when he "made fun of Rashford" – as per journalist Furkan Bozoglu – with a delightful nutmeg on the right flank at Old Trafford in the Champions League earlier this season, as shown in the clip above.

The defender appeared to be in a difficult position by the touchline as the Red Devils forward closed him down but cleverly worked his way out of trouble by using his dribbling.

Shot-creating actions

3.67

1.58

Progressive passes

6.83

3.70

Progressive carries

3.00

2.37

Successful take-ons

1.17

1.08

As you can see in the table above, Boey has consistently offered progressive and attacking quality for Galatasaray on the right flank in Europe over the last year.

He has provided considerably more shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90 than Wan-Bissaka, whilst they can both cut out opposition attacks at an impressive rate.

This means that the French whiz could elevate United's attack by finding the likes of Rashford, who he made fun of, Alejandro Garnacho, and Bruno Fernandes in dangerous positions to then create or score goals more frequently than the English dud does.

West Bromwich Albion are set for a big summer after Steve Bruce confirmed there would be changes made to the squad and now there has been a new update on a potential transfer target that could move to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the latest?

West Brom reporter for The Athletic Steve Madeley has given an update on the club’s pursuit of Milwall winger Jed Wallace.

In an article for The Athletic, Madeley claimed:

“Millwall’s Jed Wallace is another out-of-contract player near the top of Bruce’s wanted list.

“The 28-year-old former Wolves player can play in a central role but is arguably most adept out wide, where Bruce also wants to strengthen.”

Major Diangana upgrade

Steve Bruce is keen to improve his team to ensure that West Brom can compete for a chance at promotion back into the Premier League next season, and has made no secret about his intentions.

Bruce confirmed in an interview (via West Brom Official):

“We need a change and we need to freshen the whole place up with an influx of new players who have got a hunger and an energy to succeed and give us the lift we all need.”

With that being said, signing Wallace could be a huge addition to the team and could be the perfect upgrade on Grady Diangana for next season, especially when you consider his impact at Milwall this term.

The 28-year-old gem who was hailed “unbelievable” by current manager Gary Rowett has scored six goals and registered 12 assists, while creating 14 big chances.

He’s also made 2.5 key passes and taken 1.7 shots on average per game, an attacking output that could certainly improve the Baggies next season.

If Wallace could offer the same consistency at The Hawthorns he would be a huge improvement on Diangana who has only scored twice and assisted once in 41 Championship appearances throughout 2021/22, with nine fewer big chances created compared to the potential new signing.

Ultimately, it is clearly going to be a busy transfer window for the Baggies and it will be interesting to see who the manager brings in this summer to improve the team.

AND in other news: Steve Madeley drops major 10-word West Brom transfer update that’ll excite supporters

It was decided at the ICC Board meeting to give the PCB and BCCI more time to find a solution

Osman Samiuddin and Nagraj Gollapudi29-Nov-2024The intrigue over where and how the Champions Trophy 2025 will be held continues, with the ICC Board giving the PCB, the hosts, more time to find a workable solution along with the BCCI – whose India team will not travel to Pakistan – and the ICC. It is expected that any resolution will come within the next 24-48 hours.The decision to get the main parties together to work towards a solution was taken after an ICC Board meeting on Friday that lasted less than 15 minutes. The emphasis at the meeting was to find a way to break the deadlock around the eight-team tournament. A PCB team, led by chairman Mohsin Naqvi, was in Dubai for the meeting, although it was an online call for most boards.A couple of other member boards will now sit down with ICC leadership, the PCB and BCCI to work towards a solution that is acceptable to all parties. There is a suggestion that talks have been taking place on the matter over the last day or so, but they will continue on Friday and likely Saturday as well. Naqvi has said publicly that he was open to the BCCI discussing any issues they have with travelling to Pakistan with him, an opportunity that he has now been presented with.In all likelihood, any proposal will have to be run past the governments of both India and Pakistan before it is presented to the ICC Board for approval; India was refused permission to travel to Pakistan by the Indian government and the PCB has said repeatedly, as a result, that any action they take will have to be approved by their government.Related

Fate of Champions Trophy still unclear as no decision taken at ICC meeting

PCB promises to do 'what's best for Pakistan cricket'

CT25: PCB 'not prepared to accept' hybrid model

The ICC Board, which comprises representatives from all 12 Full Member countries, had called for Friday’s meeting with three options on the agenda for how the tournament would play out: The hybrid option, where the majority of the matches are in Pakistan but those involving India are played outside Pakistan The tournament is played entirely outside Pakistan, with the PCB retaining hosting rights The entire event is played in Pakistan but without IndiaThe PCB has more or less stuck to its public stance of not wanting a hybrid model, though in the last couple of days mention has been made of it being dependent on certain conditions – which could involve a similar reciprocal arrangement for future ICC events in India where Pakistan may not now get permission to travel. On Thursday morning, Naqvi didn’t directly rule out a hybrid model – as he had done in the past – but said only that any decision would have to be approved by the Pakistan government and would be in the best interests of Pakistan. One board director told ESPNcricinfo: “The hybrid model is the only possible way out of this impasse.”The tournament is due to begin in less than 90 days, on February 19. Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are the venues inked into host the games, though if a hybrid option is chosen, that will involve another venue outside Pakistan. A match schedule of the tournament had been approved at the ICC Board meetings in October this year, though the issue of India’s travel was always going to be an obstacle.That India would not be given permission to travel to Pakistan only became public, however, earlier this month when the BCCI informed the ICC of the development. That meant the official launch of the schedule, due on November 11, was postponed. The PCB has since been pushing for specific answers as to why India are unable to travel and when and how the BCCI informed the ICC. They have also insisted on a written explanation from the BCCI.An official explanation was referred to by a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday, who said that “security concerns” meant India were unwilling to travel. “The BCCI has issued a statement so I would refer you to it,” said the spokesperson during a routine press briefing. “They have said there are security concerns there and therefore it is unlikely the team will be going there. Please do refer to the statement issued by the BCCI.”The BCCI has not issued a public statement on the matter of their travel to Pakistan, nor has security been specifically highlighted as an issue. In fact, the BCCI has treated the decision on traveling to Pakistan as one to be made by the Indian government rather than the board.Additional reporting by Firdose Moonda