da 888： Sunderland have stormed back up to the Premier League in style.

da betobet： The Black Cats had been absent from the top-flight since the 2016/17 season, with Jermain Defoe still leading the line for the Wearside outfit that campaign.

Now, however, they’re back, with a new batch of Defoe-like heroes instantly announcing themselves to the rest of the promised land in an emphatic 3-0 win on the opening day.

It is, of course, unrealistic to anticipate that Sunderland will wipe the floor with all their competition in the higher tier in this vibrant, free-flowing manner.

But it’s an extremely positive sign so early on that indicates they’re here to shine, rather than merely survive, as more new signings are expected to link up with Regis Le Bris and Co. before the transfer window shuts.

Sunderland submit £27m bid for attacker

The Black Cats have been forking out significant wads of cash all across the action-packed window to date.

At the time of writing, Sunderland have splashed in the region of £141.5m on 12 new assets, with Nordi Mukiele their latest addition from Paris St. Germain for a fee around the £12m mark.

Don’t expect this spending to go hush anytime soon, either, with Jhon Lucumi now reportedly back on the Sunderland radar in the centre-back positions, as an official bid has even been placed.

Away from enhancing their defensive options, another bid has also allegedly been lodged by the ambitious Black Cats for the services of Leicester City attacker Abdu Fatawu, according to journalist Eduardo Burgos.

That bid, worth about £27m, has since been rejected according to Burgos, but Sunderland will hope they can still land the Foxes number seven, who will no doubt be desperate for a Premier League return after Leicester’s relegation.

Securing a deal for the entertaining Ghanaian to join the club could see the top-flight newcomers seal a Simon Adingra repeat, as another gung-ho forward potentially joins Le Bris’ ranks, ready to make survival look like a breeze.

How Fatawu can be an Adingra repeat

While he hasn’t been credited with an assist for Daniel Ballard’s bullet header on all major outlets, Adingra still played a vital role in that goal, sending the vast majority of the Stadium of Light into momentary pandemonium as his deflected cross ended up being inch-perfect for the ex-Arsenal defender to connect with.

Sunderland fans will hope there’s plenty more to come from their fresh £21m recruit, too, having shown flashes of his excellence for former employers Brighton and Hove Albion, before being discarded.

A promising 11 goals and assists came the Ivorian’s way during his up-and-down stay on the South Coast, with his final season under Fabian Hurzeler only seeing him collect two goals and two assists from 29 contests, as he started just 12 league matches all campaign long.

Now, he will hope he has the luxury of extended periods in the side, with Fatawu also hopeful he can spark into life even more on Wearside, after an injury-disrupted period last season with Leicester saw relegation heartbreakingly occur.

Fatawu’s career record with Leicester

Stat

Fatawu

Games played

58

Games missed through injury

29

Goals scored

7

Assists

15

Promotions

1

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Even with that nasty injury setback derailing him, Fatawu has still managed to show off his class regularly at the King Power Stadium, with a standout seven goals and 15 assists next to his name from 58 clashes in the East Midlands.

Two of those assists even came about for the silky 21-year-old in the Premier League last season, before a serious cruciate ligament injury stopped him in his tracks and left him with just 11 paltry appearances in the top division.

He will hope he’s handed an opportunity to shine in the elite league once more with Le Bris’ men, having once been dubbed “unplayable” on his day by scout Jacek Kulig when tearing up the EFL with the Foxes.

Adingra has also been spoken about in the same glowing manner before, with football analyst Ben Mattinson once heralding the Black Cats number 24 as “explosive”, as the attacking pair prepare to run rings around Premier League defences together to ensure survival is comfortably reached.

da betsul： Glasgow Rangers have reportedly submitted an offer worth over £1m in an attempt to sign their latest EFL star for Russell Martin.

Latest Rangers transfer news

da pinnacle： The Gers have endured a frustrating start under Martin. After such a promising summer, which has been full of incomings, there was plenty of hopes that a new manager, new owners and a new season would result in the ultimate change. So far, however, that has been far from the case.

Whilst Rangers did find a way past Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday night, it wasn’t without suffering defeat and falling back on their first-leg smashing to sneak in to the next round of Champions League qualifiers.

Outside of European football, things haven’t been much better, either. For the first time since 1989, the Scottish giants have failed to win either of their opening two league games – drawing against Motherwell and Dundee – and Martin wasted no time before airing his particular discontent about their opening day struggles.

Since his scathing review, it remains to be seen whether the former Southampton boss can tame the egos within the Rangers squad as more reinforcements potentially arrive this month.

Rangers submit opening offer to sign Charles

According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Rangers have submitted an opening offer to sign Pierce Charles worth over £1m but are yet to receive a response from Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls could certainly do with such a sale amid their financial troubles, but Dejphon Chansiri’s failure to respond currently means that any deal is off the table.

Whether the Gers attempt to get a response for a second time remains to be seen. Charles’ sale would reportedly go a long way towards paying staff wages at Sheffield Wednesday, which makes it all the more frustrating for all involved at the club that neither Rangers nor West Ham United have had a reply regarding their offers.

What’s more, it’s easy to see why clubs like Rangers and West Ham are interested in Charles. At just 20 years old, Charles forced his way into Sheffield Wednesday’s plans last season and earned the praise of former boss Danny Rohl, who said: “We have two young, good goalkeepers.

“We have James Beadle who deserves a lot of credit since he arrived last year in the relegation fight, he helped us to get a lot of points. On the other side we have our own goalkeeper with Pierce, who has worked very hard. He is now the number one for his national team and has improved a lot – he deserved it as well.”

da stake casino： The mood around Arsenal is jubilant at the moment.

da mrbet： Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League table following their thumping win against Leeds United; Martin Odegaard could be fit for Sunday, and Bukayo Saka’s injury will only keep him sidelined for four weeks at most.

However, it’s still probably the arrival of Eberechi Eze and the nature of his signing that has fans the most positive about the coming campaign.

It feels like the Englishman could be the missing piece for the Gunners, and in more good news, the club are closing in on another signing who could help him get even more out of him.

Arsenal target dream teammate for Eze

With less than a week to go until it shuts, it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to claim that this summer transfer window has been one of the best in Arsenal’s recent history.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Andrea Berta and Co have added game-changing quality to the starting lineup in Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres, while also filling out the squad with quality options like Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

Yet, the deal that is remembered most this summer in years to come is undoubtedly going to be the one for Eze, and now it looks like the North Londoners could be about to add someone else to the squad who could make him even more dangerous.

At least that is according to a recent report from David Ornstein, who has reaffirmed Arsenal’s interest in Piero Hincapie.

Speaking to NBC Sports, the renowned journalist has revealed that while plenty of other clubs are interested in signing him, he is prioritising the Gunners and is “very eager” on a move to the Emirates.

However, based on stories from earlier this week, it appears that Bayer Leverkusen want his full release clause, which amounts to around £52m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but Hincapie would be more than worth it, especially as he could get even more out of Eze at Arsenal.

Why Hincapie would be a dream for Eze

One of the most significant positives to Eze is the simple fact that he can play as a ten and out on the left.

However, as his heatmaps tend to show, even when starting on the left, he does tend to move back towards the middle of the pitch as he gets closer to the box.

In other words, he isn’t a touchline winger, and using him as such would likely see his effectiveness reduced.

Fortunately, while he is likely to start on the left fairly frequently at Arsenal, the arrival of Hincapie means he won’t need to stay wide during the attacking phases of play.

The reason for this is that while he might not be an out-and-out overlapping full-back, he’s shown himself to be incredibly effective at this role.

In fact, even though he can and does play in the middle of the defence at times, he has become so effective at full-back in recent years that respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “a left-sided Ben White.”

Therefore, if he starts behind the former Palace star, then he would be the one providing width with lung-busting runs up and down the byline and a constant stream of crosses into the area, or cut-backs just ahead of it.

Finally, if you still need convincing, his underlying numbers also point to him being a truly elite full-back.

Hincapie’s FB Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Shots Blocked

0.65

Top 1%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

42.07

Top 2%

Total Passing Distance

1022.32

Top 3%

Progressive Passing Distance

359.66

Top 3%

Live-ball Passes

64.43

Top 3%

Aerials Won

2.25

Top 3%

Passes Completed

61.71

Top 4%

Pass Completion %

88.1%

Top 5%

Touches

81.35

Top 5%

Carries

45.99

Top 5%

Progressive Carrying Distance

137.22

Top 5%

Total Carrying Distance

230.70

Top 7%

Passes into Final Third

5.20

Top 8%

SCA (Shot)

0.18

Top 8%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of full-backs in Europe’s top-five leagues for shots blocked, the top 3% for progressive passing distance, the top 5% for progressive carrying distance, the top 8% for passes into the final third and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Hincapie would be an excellent signing for Arsenal regardless of the other additions made this summer.

However, the impact he could have at the club has been dramatically increased now that Eze has joined Arteta’s project, and the opposite will also be true should this transfer go through.

da imperador bet： Newcastle United’s need for a striker before next Monday’s transfer deadline has never been clearer.

da spicy bet： With Alexander Isak still on strike and surely out of action when the Toon visit Leeds United next week, regardless of the outcome of his present situation, it was inconceivable that Anthony Gordon should get himself sent off against Liverpool at St. James’ Park.

The Magpies lost to Liverpool on Tyneside, but it was an incredible contest that showcased all the good of Eddie Howe’s side, even when so much went wrong.

But, even so, the desperate need for a number nine was accentuated, and a bid continues for Premier League forward Jørgen Strand Larsen.

The latest on Strand Larsen to Newcastle

Whether Liverpool sign Isak at some point this week is anyone’s guess, but Newcastle’s bid to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers’ rangy frontman remains a priority focus regardless.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope corroborated news on Monday that the Magpies saw a £50m offer rejected for the Norwegian, and they are expected to return with an improved bid.

Hope made it clear that Larsen is being chased with a view toward him succeeding Callum Wilson, who left Tyneside at the end of his contract in June and has since signed for West Ham United.

Strand Larsen scored 14 Premier League goals last season, playing an instrumental role for the Old Gold as they staved off the threat of relegation.

But whether he’s the right frontman for Newcastle, for a figure sure to be in excess of £50m, is another question. Especially when there’s a younger and more exciting name on United’s shortlist.

Newcastle discuss move for Strand Larsen alternative

As per The Athletic, Newcastle have discussed a move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Goncalo Ramos as the transfer window is reduced to less than a week before closure.

Ramos, 24, has struggled to nail down a regular starting berth in Luis Enrique’s super-team, but he’s still showcased his quality across the past two years, and was tracked by the Tynesiders during his Benfica days.

PSG appear open to selling, but the Portugal international wouldn’t come cheap. It’s been mooted this month that Ramos would fetch a fee in the region of £55m.

What Ramos would bring to Newcastle

Ramos has started the 2025/26 season strongly, bagging against Tottenham Hotspur in the dramatic Super Cup victory earlier this month before starting PSG’s Ligue 1 opener against Nantes.

Newcastle’s need for a new number nine borders on desperation, but they won’t let themselves be fleeced. Having seen a £50m offer rejected for Strand Larsen, might it be better to instead invest the set-aside funds in Ramos, whose dynamic profile aligns more with what Howe would need if Isak is to leave St. James’ Park this week.

Hailed for his “outrageous” performances on the international stage by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Ramos is a prolific striker, and no mistake. His clinical value in dangerous positions could admittedly do with some work, but he creates space regularly through expert usage of his mobility and physical attributes, and thus maintains a steady goalscoring flow.

Ramos – Career Stats (all comps)

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

25/26 – PSG

3

1

0

24/25 – PSG

46

19

6

23/24 – PSG

40

14

2

22/23 – Benfica

47

27

8

21/22 – Benfica

46

8

4

20/21 – Benfica

12

4

0

19/20 – Benfica

1

2

0

Data via Transfermarkt

And, according to data platform FBref, the Iberian striker ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues for goals scored,

While Strand Larsen has provided proof of his ability to score goals and perform convincingly in the Premier League, whereas Ramos has not, the latter man has highlighted performances at the highest level, including (but not limited to) that hat-trick at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

14 goals were scored by the 25-year-old in last year’s Premier League edition, but he also completed only 65% of his passes, lost 68% of his duels and averaged just 0.2 dribbles per game, as per Sofascore.

There’s nothing wrong with that; Strand Larsen is a powerful target man, after all. But it’s inconceivable that he should replace Isak, one of the most complete strikers in the business.

Of course, Newcastle chiefs have maintained that their interest in the Scandinavian is linked to Wilson’s departure, and not Isak’s possible exit.

Ultimately, Newcastle could do with two strikers, should Isak leave. Efforts are maintained for Brentford marksman Yoane Wissa, but that’s why Ramos’ profile could be so important for the Tynesiders, injecting dynamic athleticism without detracting from goalscoring, that core tenet of the striker’s game.

Wissa, like Strand Larsen, is limited in terms of technical scope, but he’s still proven himself to be a deadly Premier League striker with impressive link-up play besides. Given that the 28-year-old would ostensibly come at a cheaper price than his Wolves positional peer, he should be the priority.

And, in that case, Ramos must be targeted over a second bid for Strand Larsen, with the Portuguese man sure to bring goals and an electric presence too.

After the past few months of misery on the transfer front, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether Newcastle manage to sign a striker worth their salt – let alone two.

But it’s clear who they should move for after the latest series of rejected bids. Don’t blink: Newcastle are bound to ramp up the gas and seal a signature before the end of the month.

da stake casino： Celtic announced their squad for the league phase of the Europa League earlier this week after they were knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Kairat.

da prosport bet： There were some interesting selection decisions made by Brendan Rodgers and his staff, including the exclusion of summer signings Shin Yamada and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey.

The Hoops swooped to sign Simpson-Pusey from Premier League giants Manchester City to bolster their options in the centre-back positions, but he has yet to get going at Parkhead.

A month on from his arrival in Glasgow, the 19-year-old defender has not even made the matchday squad in any of the club’s four domestic matches, and was an unused substitute in two games against Kairat in the Champions League.

Now, the teenage talent has been left out of the squad for the league phase of the Europa League and does not appear to be a frontline part of the manager’s thinking.

This suggests that the Manchester City loanee is unlikely to be a threat to any of the current starters at the back for Celtic anytime soon, despite some criticism of the left side of the defence.

Why Celtic may need a new left-sided defender

After the 0-0 draw with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, 67HailHail posted an article highlighting numerous posts from Celtic supporters who have been unimpressed with Liam Scales and are confused as to why he is starting games.

The Ireland international has started every league game for the Hoops this season and started both legs against Kairat in the left-sided centre-back position over Auston Trusty.

Whilst some supporters appear to be calling for the USA international, who was signed from Sheffield United on a permanent deal last summer, to come into the starting line-up, the ex-Arsenal defender did not cover himself in glory in the Premiership last season.

Trusty was given plenty of opportunities to impress by Rodgers, starting 22 times in the league, but failed to outperform Scales with his defensive contributions.

24/25 Premiership

Liam Scales

Auston Trusty

Appearances

26

22

Clean sheets

14

10

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

2.3

Dribbled past per game

0.2x

0.5x

Error led to shot

1

4

Error led to goal

0

1

Duel success rate

72%

64%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the American defender made five times as many errors that led to shots or goals for the opposition, whilst winning a lower percentage of his physical duels.

Trusty, who was criticised by Kris Boyd for his part in the Kevin Nisbet goal in the video below, has yet to prove that he can be a reliable presence in defence for Celtic, which may be why Scales continues to start.

Simpson-Pusey’s lack of involvement since his move on loan from Manchester City, and the fact that he is only at the club until next summer, does not suggest that he is likely to be the long-term replacement for Scales.

However, Rodgers has another young centre-back in his squad who could emerge as the long-term successor to Scales next to Cameron Carter-Vickers.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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Dane Murray battled back from injury issues to make his comeback on loan at Partick Thistle last season, and was brought back by Rodgers in January to be part of the first-team squad at Celtic.

Why Dane Murray could replace Liam Scales

The 22-year-old star, who reportedly earns £1.4k-per-week, has been ahead of Simpson-Pusey in the pecking order so far this season, with appearances against Falkirk, Livingston, and Kairat.

Murray, who scored his first senior goal for the club in the League Cup win over Falkirk, has shown great promise in his three outings for the first-team in the opening month of the campaign.

The towering defender was rewarded with a new contract halfway through last month, taking his deal through to 2028, and Rodgers heaped praise on him in the official announcement, saying: “Dane is a young player I have really enjoyed working with and is someone who has really developed well across the past few seasons.

“I know there is so much more to come from him and I believe he can have a really successful future with us.”

At the age of 22, he still has plenty of time left to develop in the way that Rodgers wants him to, and to break through and establish himself as a regular in the starting XI to realise that ‘successful future’.

Dane Murray (25/26)

Vs Livingston

Vs Kairat

Minutes

90

45

Goals conceded

0

0

Clearances

7

2

Interceptions

1

0

Tackles

3

1

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Duels won

8/13

2/2

Pass accuracy

89%

98%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Murray impressed against Livingston in the Premiership and Kairat in the Champions League from a defensive perspective, as he was dominant in duels and made numerous important defensive actions.

Celtic did not concede a single goal in those two games, with the Scottish titan’s defensive quality playing a significant part in that, and these performances show that he is ready to contribute at first-team level for the Hoops.

With question marks from supporters over Scales, Trusty’s disappointing performances last season, and Simpson-Pusey’s lack of involvement this term, there could be an opening for Murray to burst into the team.

Whilst Rodgers prefers to have naturally left-footed players play on the left side, right-footed Carl Starfelt started in that role in Ange Postecoglou’s treble-winning season and the manager has used centre-backs on their ‘weaker’ side in the past two campaigns.

Therefore, Celtic may already have their long-term replacement for Scales in the building, if Murray can push on and prove himself to be a consistent performr in the senior side.

da casino： It has been an excellent start to the 2025/26 season for Everton. David Moyes’ side have won their last two Premier League games after a defeat on the opening day of the season away to Leeds United. The highlight so far is surely the 2-0 win in the first competitive game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium against Brighton.

da imperador bet： There have been some standout players so far for the Toffees. Jack Grealish has been sensational, with four assists already to his name in just two top-flight starts. He, alongside fellow new signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, has been nigh-on unstoppable so far this term.

The two new Toffees stars have formed a really strong partnership with fellow attacker Iliman Ndiaye.

Ndiaye’s start to the season

At 25 years of age, Senegal international Ndiaye is on the cusp of entering his peak years. It certainly feels like Toffees supporters are witnessing one of their most exciting attackers in years, given his start to the season and the form he has shown for the club so far.

Last season, his first as an Everton player, the former Sheffield United star was excellent. He played 37 games across all competitions and scored 11 goals. Nine of those strikes came in the Premier League.

The 2025/26 campaign has begun in much the same fashion for the attacker. He’s played three top-flight games so far, bagging in two of them. The first strike was one of his most special, with Ndiaye scoring the first competitive goal at their new stadium on Bramley Moore Dock.

It is not just Everton fans who can see how good Ndaiye is. Pundits such as Jamie Carragher have taken note, too. The former Liverpool defender said last season that the Senegal international is “an absolute star”, summing up how Toffees supporters must feel about him, too.

With that in mind, it might be a surprise to learn that the 25-year-old is actually not among Everton’s highest earners. According to Capology, he is on just £45k per week at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

That is a figure that is far less than players in Moyes’ squad who have faced criticism for performances rather than praise. There is one person in particular who springs to mind.

The Everton man who earns far more than Ndiaye

It is certainly a surprise that Ndiaye earns so little at Everton. Factoring in his relevant importance, it is not outlandish to think he should be up there with top earners Grealish, who is on £225k per week, and Jordan Pickford, who earns £125k per week.

Instead, shockingly, he earns less than someone like Michael Keane, who has not really covered himself in glory during his time as a Toffee, at least not to the same extent as Ndiaye. The centre-back is surprisingly in the top five pay brackets at Everton.

This term, an injury to Jarrad Branthwaite has seen Keane step into the side for the first three Premier League games and play 90 minutes in each. He also played the entire game in their Carabao Cup second round win over Mansfield Town.

Yet, over the last few years, Keane has barely featured under the likes of Sean Dyche and Moyes. Since 2022/23, the most league games he has played in one campaign have been 14, which was last season.

Keane – Last 3 PL seasons

Season

Games

Minutes

2022/23

12

983

2023/24

9

438

2024/25

14

1046

Stats from Transfermarkt

Where Ndiaye has received lots of praise for his efforts in an Everton shirt of late, it has been the opposite for Keane. In fact, his namesake, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, once described his defending as “really poor.”

With all that in mind, it is a surprise to learn that he earns £70k per week at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. That is £25k more than Ndiaye, who has certainly performed better over a period of time for the Toffees than Keane has.

Once Branthwaite is back in action, it will be interesting to see if Keane can keep his place in the Everton side. If not, perhaps club owners, the Freidkin Group, are better off cutting their losses soon and selling the defender, to help save room in the wage budget.

da poker： Manchester United were swept aside by their neighbours in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

da leao： There’s no sugarcoating it: Ruben Amorim has some serious issues to overcome, and the whispers of yet another managerial change at Old Trafford are getting louder.

The Etihad Stadium is a tough ground for any club across the globe, and United have a good record on their rivals’ patch, but the manner of the 3-0 defeat to keep Amorim shackled to the lower levels of the Premier League has increased the pressure and then some. Chelsea, you will need no reminder, travel to the Theatre next weekend.

Benjamin Sesko blanked, but the blame cannot be placed solely upon the new striker, devoid of service and limited to seven touches. Sofascore record the Slovenian’s heat map to actually be rather deep, evidence of struggles within a barren final third.

But INEOS spent big on the 23-year-old goalscorer this summer, and the fact that thus far Amorim is failing to get a tune out of him and indeed the wider United system is hugely concerning.

Benjamin Sesko's performance vs City

Amorim doubled down post-match on his plan to maintain the tactical set-up which has proved such a troubling talking point over the turbulent duration of the Portuguese’s reign.

While Sesko was completely anonymous against Pep Guardiola’s outfit, he was indeed starved of support. Hemmed in United were not, but they were inefficient on the counter and struggled for purchase in the final third.

This was a tough maiden starting berth in the Premier League for a young and talented striker, one who opted for Old Trafford in spite of the vested interests of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United last month.

Sesko wasn’t blameless. The former RB Leipzig man made a couple of heavy touches and should have made more of his chance against Gigi Donnarumma, chipping tamely toward the debutant goalkeeper.

Bought over from Germany for a £74m fee this summer to replace Rasmus Hojlund, there are perhaps concerns from some on the red side of Manchester that INEOS have just repeated the same mistake.

But it’s early days yet. And, in fact, there was another starting star on Sunday who might actually be shaping into Amorim’s next version of the Denmark centre-forward, who joined Napoli on loan before the transfer deadline several weeks back.

Amorim's new Hojlund at Man United

Without a doubt, Hojlund fell by the wayside at Manchester United. It was only two years ago that Erik ten Hag welcomed the young forward to England, signing him from Atalanta on a £72m deal.

The 22-year-old’s first term was solid if unspectacular, but he fell to a new low last year, ridiculed for his anonymity at number nine, scoring just four Premier League goals all season.

Sesko will be directly tied to his predecessor all year long, but it’s actually Patrick Dorgu who might be shaping into the new Hojlund.

Dorgu, 20, has been spun into a wing-back role in Amorim’s 3-5-2-1 formation, and it’s not working. For one, his crosses leave plenty to be desired, and he is proving ineffective despite operating within the exact tactical parameters Amorim demands of him.

To put that another way, the Danish wideman might not be the solution, which is rather damning given Amorim championed the £25m signing of the Lecce talent last January to help define the system he so firmly stresses will shape United for the duration of his tenure.

It wasn’t all bad in the derby; Dorgu was right in the thick of the action, but his crossing was woeful, and the Manchester Evening News branded him with a 4/10 match rating.

Man Utd – Most Touches in Att. Box – 25/26

Player

Opponent

Touches

Patrick Dorgu

Man City

12

Bryan Mbeumo

Burnley

9

Joshua Zirkzee

Burnley

9

Bryan Mbeumo

Man City

9

Amad Diallo

Burnley

7

Data via Sky Sports

According to data platform Sofascore, Dorgu won 11 duels, created three key passes and won four tackles against Man City, but this wasn’t enough to disguise a pitiful attempt to inject creativity into Amorim’s ranks, with analyst Dharnish Iqbal remarking that he “hasn’t provided the crosses” despite being funnelled the ball with regularity.

Dorgu, let’s be clear, is a talented young player with the potential to succeed in the Premier League. Hojlund was the same, both arriving from Italian shores. But he seems to have taken on a talismanic role in Amorim’s system that he is unfit for, and so the Portuguese tactician falls ever closer toward the exit.

Given the seeming importance of Dorgu’s role – much like Hojlund’s limp displays last season came to the direct detriment of United’s wider system – it’s rather concerning that he doesn’t appear fit for the role, only completing one of five attempted dribbles against the Citizens as a further underscoring of that argument.

Sesko will often be scapegoated; this is the life of a forward. However, he’s a tall striker and won three aerial battles against City. Even so, Dorgu struggled to provide accurate crosses having been played into space, and that is an issue.

Hojlund, similarly, suffered more criticism than most last term, but he didn’t miss that many big chances, and United were culpable of a dried well of support toward the young man.

Dorgu has already shown this season an aptitude for the attacking side of the game, but so too has he proven himself unworthy of a nailed-on starting berth, and that is exactly what Amorim has entrusted him with, with this being the Dane’s third full 90 of the Premier League campaign already.

Might Amorim need to make an alteration? Wing-backs are instrumental in the manager’s machine working at full capacity, and so his reliance on Dorgu is understandable.

But it doesn’t appear to be working well enough, and if that is the case, and Amorim is unwilling to change, as has been his own declaration, then where do the Red Devils go from here?

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