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As they so often have been in the last few years, Sunderland appear to be a sinking ship.

Only nine days ago they looked the favourites to gain automatic promotion but that has now fallen by the wayside after three straight defeats.

On the chalkboard

One of the main reasons for Sunderland’s recent slump has been their defence. The tight-knit duo of Dion Sanderson and Luke O’Nien has been split up due to injury reasons and it has not gone well.

The Mackems conceded two set pieces on their way to a defeat against Wigan, proving incredibly sloppy when the ball came into the area.

Though, when they lost to Blackpool it was arguably their finishing that told a sorry story. Lee Johnson’s men had 67% of the possession and had six more shots than the Tangerines.

That didn’t seem to matter, however, as Sunderland lost 1-0.

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Charlie Wyke now only has one goal in his last seven matches too. It’s hard to knock his performances at all given his haul of 27 strikes this campaign but unfortunately, he’s not received much help from those below him in the pecking order.

Danny Graham and Will Grigg failed to score a league goal in the opening half of the season while Ross Stewart has netted just once since signing in January.

It was a valuable header against Accrington but he’s not done much since.

The solution

Regardless of what division Sunderland find themselves in next term, they will need to bolster their forward line.

That should start with the addition of Hibernian forward Kevin Nisbet.

The Black Cats were interested in securing a move back in January before they picked up Stewart from Scottish football instead.

Though, you can’t help but wonder whether they picked up the wrong player because Nisbet has been in scintillating form for Hibs.

If they are on the lookout for new attackers then they could do a lot worse than looking at the 24-year-old, a player who may well face the exit door in a few months time.

Speaking in early April about Nisbet potentially leaving, executive chairman of Hibs, Ron Gordon said: “That could be a possibility, to be honest. It wouldn’t surprise me.”

With 16 goals to his name this term, the forward is evidently very cool inside the penalty area. He is the second top scorer in the SPFL and has fired Hibernian to third spot in the division at the time of writing.

He is also managed by a certain Jack Ross, someone who lauded his penalty box antics as “terrific” earlier this season.

With Stewart struggling to hit the ground running at the Stadium of Light, Nisbet would make a fine addition.

After all, he’s fared very well against some of Scotland’s top defenders this term.

Ross added: “[He’s got] both feet, headers, tap-ins, longer range ones. Today (23/11/20) he played as a lone striker and that’s not something he’s had to do a lot this season, he’s played against Nir (Bitton) and Kristoffer Ajer who are two good players.”

The Hibs striker clearly plays with no fear; that would benefit Sunderland massively.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Burge: Sunderland gem who lost 62% duels will have Johnson fuming…

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo caminha para colocar seu terceiro público entre os cinco melhores desta edição do Campeonato Brasileiro. Depois do empate em 2 a 2 com a Chapecoense (54.996, o primeiro do ranking) e da vitória por 2 a 0 sobre a Ponte Preta (49.673, o quarto), o Tricolor espera atingir a marca neste sábado, às 19h30, contra o Corinthians. Já são 40 mil ingressos vendidos.

O número foi divulgado na tarde desta quarta-feira pela conta oficial do clube paulista no Twitter. A publicação ainda informa que todos os ingressos de arquibancadas estão esgotados e que as cadeiras mais baratas – a R$ 20 (R$ 10 a meia-entrada) – estão prestes a acabar. As cadeiras mais nobres e camarotes seguem com disponibilidade nas bilheterias e no site da Total Acesso.

Além do incentivo usual das partidas, a torcida ainda poderá motivar os jogadores de formas diferentes graças a ações de marketing de duas das patrocinadoras do São Paulo. A Under Armour estampará mensagens de 23 torcedores nas camisas de cada um dos jogadores relacionados, enquanto a Copa Airlines exibirá frases de apoio no placar do Morumbi.

Para cumprir determinação da Secretaria de Segurança Pública do Estado, não será permitida a entrada de torcedores do Corinthians no clássico da 34ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Rob Lee has exclusively told Football FanCast that Newcastle having a prolific goalscorer like Callum Wilson in their squad gives them the edge in their fight for survival.

Newcastle have failed to win any of the seven Premier League games Wilson has missed following a hamstring injury he suffered in early-February, although the England frontman could return for their trip to Burnley this coming weekend.

Wilson, who reportedly earns £46,000-a-week, has scored 10 goals in 21 Premier League appearances for Newcastle, with five of their seven league wins coming when the ex-Bournemouth striker has been on the scoresheet.

Steve Bruce’s team did collect a valuable point late on against Tottenham on Sunday to move three points clear of the relegation-zone, but with Fulham hosting Wolves on Friday, the Magpies could find themselves below the dotted-line by the time they arrive at Turf Moor.

But Lee believes that Wilson’s imminent return will give Newcastle a major boost in their battle to avoid the drop.

Lee told Football FanCast:

“But as I said before, Wilson’s back. I hope he lives up to all the praise I am giving him. He makes a difference, it’s genuinely that simple. Out of all the clubs down the bottom, no one has got a goalscorer.”

Everton were right to sell Davy Klaassen to Werder Bremen for a significant loss in 2018, despite Ruud Gullit now claiming that his compatriot was wasted at Goodison Park.

Klaassen moved to Merseyside from AFC Ajax four years ago in £23.6m deal as the priority signing of then-manager Ronald Koeman amid doubts over Ross Barkley’s future, but he would only last the one season in royal blue.

The Dutchman struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League during a turbulent campaign for the Toffees, making just 16 appearances in all competitions before leaving for only £12m.

The season had begun with a run of just two wins in nine league games to pave the way for Koeman’s sacking, and the appointment of Sam Allardyce brought with it a style of football unsuited to Klaassen’s talents.

The physicality of the English game also proved an issue for the player named as the 2016 Dutch Footballer of the Year, and saw that he only started three of his seven Premier League outings and never scored for the Toffees before moving to Werder Bremen.

Now back at Ajax, Klaassen is again firing on the front foot and scored his fifth international goal as the Netherlands lost to Turkey in a World Cup qualifier earlier this week. Afterwards, Gullit explained how Everton had failed to get the most from the 28-year-old.

“He’s a [No.] 10. He’s a midfielder who goes all the time in the box. Ajax always played with plenty of people around the box, so it was easy for him,” the Dutch icon said, via quotes shared by the Liverpool Echo.

“There are numerous players from Ajax who went abroad then all of a sudden are in an environment which doesn’t play like that. That is the worst part of it.

“Klaassen went to Everton and found that problem. He came from Ajax, goes to Everton, who don’t play like that. All of a sudden, he’s lost, he doesn’t know what to do, where to come, because he’s not good at the ball and doesn’t do all kinds of tricks, he doesn’t have that.

“Klaassen then went to Germany, played a different role and played well. Now he’s back to Amsterdam and played the same role as he did before and he’s an outstanding player in the national team again and everyone says ‘Ooof!’.”

While Gullit suggests that Everton wasted Klaassen during his year at Goodison Park, the 58-year-old also explained why the Toffees were right to sell the midfielder, even if doing so meant owner Farhad Moshiri had to sanction a £11.6m loss.

Everton wasted a total of £15.6m with the signing and subsequent failure of Klaassen, having awarded him a £70,000-per-week contract which earned the Dutchman £4m in wages over his 58 weeks on Merseyside.

For that money, the Toffees only saw one assist, no goals and 10 starts from 16 appearances in all competitions, while being omitted from 29 matchday squads due to his inability to adapt to either the demands of Koeman and Allardyce or the demands of the English game.

It would have been unsustainable for Moshiri to continue paying Klaassen so lucratively for that return, knowing that a second season at the same level – or worse – would have meant his market value decreasing more than the near 50% it already had.

Everton simply had to bite the bullet with Klaassen when they did and accept that he may go on to rediscover his form in a system more to his suiting, as – like Gullit claims – the Premier League and the tactics used at Goodison Park were not set up for him to excel.

AND in other news, Everton dodged a £13m bullet in a “remarkable” talent as the hype falls silent…

Steve Bruce has confirmed that Newcastle United will be without top scorer Callum Wilson against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday night due to his hamstring injury.

The 10-goal forward has missed the Magpies’ last five Premier League fixtures as a result of the issue sustained late in the first half of February’s 3-2 win at home to Southampton.

United are yet to secure all three points without the ex-Bournemouth forward leading the line at some stage, with defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United followed by draws with Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.

Newcastle’s form in recent weeks has seen the Tynesiders let slip a nine-point lead over the relegation zone to now sit just two points clear of 18th-placed Fulham but holding two games in hand over the Craven Cottage natives.

Bruce would have hoped to have had Wilson available for Saturday’s trip to 16th-placed Brighton, but while the £20m frontman and Allan Saint-Maximin (groin) will both be absent, Miguel Almiron is in contention for a return from a knee injury.

“They’re both back on the grass. We still think with Callum that the international break is at the right time. He’s well into his rehabilitation, he’s back on the grass,” Bruce said on Friday.

“The same goes for Almiron, who trained for the first time yesterday [Thursday], so we’ll see how he is, but things are obviously improving, given the time.

“The same goes with Saint-Maximin, but we know with Saint-Maximin and Callum, in particular, were nasty muscle injuries, which are obviously going to take time. You have to let nature take its course.

“[Almiron]’s got a chance. We’ll see.”

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Bruce being without Wilson at the Amex Stadium on Saturday will see Newcastle face Brighton in a relegation six-pointer without the man responsible for 35% of his team’s 28 goals in the Premier League this season.

Wilson also accounts for 27% of the Toon’s 18 assists, having provided a team-high five in 21 games – only Saint-Maximin (three) has also provided more than two thus far.

Dwight Gayle and Joelinton have each taken on the role of filling in for Wilson since his injury, although neither have found the back of the net in their recent appearances to remain on one goal each in the top flight this term.

Joelinton struck his only effort of the campaign in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in November, some 14 appearances ago, yet impressed Bruce with his overall performance in the right-sided split striker position during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

“I thought Joelinton, arguably, had his best game in a Newcastle shirt,” Bruce said, via quotes shared by The Shields Gazette. “I thought he was terrific on the night. But, of course, a striker has to top it off by scoring a goal. He understands that, but his overall performance was very, very good. I thought he led the line very, very well.”

As Joelinton is now expected to once again start in place of Wilson against Brighton, Bruce must see the £40m Brazilian step up and end his long-running dry spell if Newcastle are to seal a crucial win in their fight for Premier League survival.

AND in other news, Newcastle’s hopes of signing a “standout performer” have taken a major blow…

It would be fair to say that Liverpool’s defence of their Premier League title has been a miserable one.

Jurgen Klopp’s troops have severely underwhelmed domestically, currently sitting in eighth place, 28 points behind current leaders Manchester City.

As it stands, the Reds only need to drop a maximum of two more points to rule themselves out of the title race, a prospect that could well come to fruition in Monday’s clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With Jurgen Klopp having already conceded the title, it now looks like the Reds are in a battle for the top four, to hopefully retain their place in the UEFA Champions League next season.

Instead, former Liverpool hero Dietmar Hamann has called on Klopp to focus entirely on Europe, suggesting to Sky in Germany that the German “can handle” winning the Champions League once more.

It is hard to argue that fact considering both the German’s history and Liverpool’s history. in the competition.

Throughout his career with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, Klopp has reached a total of three UEFA Champions League finals, winning one against Tottenham Hotspur at the conclusion of the 2018/19 campaign.

Liverpool are also the joint-third most successful club in the history of the European Cup having lifted a total of six trophies from nine finals.

With a further ten matches left to play in the Premier League, and a maximum of just five to play in Europe, it surely makes sense to prioritise the lower workload, and even win a trophy – which of course would paint a far more successful season as opposed to just securing a place in the top-four.

Having already progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-0 aggregate success against Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, The Reds have the momentum too, an aspect that they simply do not possess in the Premier League having lost six out of their last seven games.

It makes sense then to somewhat abandon their league push and instead focus their efforts on winning another European title.

AND in more news, have a look at which Bundesliga star could be a perfect signing for the Reds in the upcoming transfer window…

Jose Mourinho looks to have been handed a big injury boost ahead of the Manchester City game, with Serge Aurier reportedly in contention to feature after recovering from the injury that kept him out against Everton.

The former PSG man has established himself as first-choice right-back this season under the Portuguese manager but missed the FA Cup tie earlier this week due to an injury problem.

Mourinho hinted in his pre-match conference that the Ivory Coast international might be fit for the trip to the Etihad on Saturday afternoon, whilst the Evening Standard have since reported that he could return at right-back having been assessed in training this week.

So far this season, Aurier has made 13 appearances in the Premier League, contributing two goals and one assist and averaging a solid 6.99 rating.

Spurs’ summer signing Matt Doherty was perhaps expected to be the regular choice in the Premier League under Mourinho but he has struggled so far this season, having averaged a much less impressive 6.72 rating for his performances in the top-flight.

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His disappointing start to life with the North London club was perhaps summed up when he was needlessly sent off against Leeds in the 3-0 win against Marcelo Bielsa’s side earlier in the season, whilst his last three appearances in the Premier League have all earned him below a 6/10 rating according to WhoScored.

Therefore, it is a big boost to have the £18 million-rated Aurier back fit, especially when you consider how impressive the 28-year-old was in the reverse fixture when Spurs won 2-0 despite City having all the possession and a plethora of goalscoring opportunities, with the right-back earning an impressive 7.47 rating for his performance on that day.

Certainly, with City having recently broken the English record for consecutive wins, earning their 15th straight success in all competitions with a 3-1 win against Swansea earlier this week, Mourinho’s side will have to be at their best if they want to leave the Etihad with some points, so having their first-choice right-back potentially available could be a huge boost for the Portuguese manager.

And, in other news, Spurs striker’s future looks under threat following WBA omission…

They might not have come away with anything on Wednesday night, but Aston Villa showed once again why they are no flash in the pan this Premier League campaign.Dean Smith’s side have arguably been the stand-out performers this season, picking up some big results against big teams, and but for an incredibly controversial VAR call against Manchester City, may have earned a huge point at the Etihad Stadium.The Villans were desperately unlucky to be on the wrong side of a 2-0 score-line, but a number of their players produced superb performances as they more than held their own against the former Premier League champions, none more so perhaps than Matt Targett.The left-back was given the tough task of trying to deal with the pacey Raheem Sterling, and he more than held his own against the England international.His five tackles and four interceptions were both game-highs, and a testament of the kind of intensity he brought to the table out on the left-hand side – The Athletic’s Gregg Evans hailed his “immense” performance, and said that he’s been that way all season.

And writing in his post-match ratings, The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece said: “Like those next to him at the back, Targett enjoyed a spirited first half and kept Raheem Sterling at bay. Targett was cool in possession amid pressure on him as well and won his fair share of tackles and headers.

“Villa were far weaker after he went off for Taylor, even though Targett wanted to stay on. Targett was understated this evening and got the better out of Sterling, hence City taking off the England man.”

Dean Smith will desperately be hoping that his left-back’s injury is nothing too serious.

Meanwhile, this Villa man let Dean Smith down just as much as VAR…

As is always the case once a transfer window ends, there will be players who slip through the net that end up proving you wrong. And in Leeds United’s case, that man could well be Nicolas Gonzalez.

Reports over the course of the summer suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were very much interested in bringing the Argentina international to Elland Road from Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart, but a deal failed to materialise.

Since then, he has been in outstanding form for the German side, showcasing just why Leeds were interested in luring him to the Premier League in the first place, and why they must surely regret missing out on his signature.

In just 10 games in the German top-flight this campaign, he’s scored five times and provided a further two assists, and was in particularly excellent form against Augsburg on Sunday afternoon.

He scored one from the spot, and also set up Gonzalo Castro’s goal as Stuttgart ran out emphatic 4-1 winners. But it was his overall game that was really outstanding, providing two key passes, sending in two crosses, and winning four duels too – as per Sofascore, he finished with the highest match rating of any player on the pitch with an 8.2.

Stuttgart’s head coach, Pellegrino Matarazzo, said of him: “He’s got a lot of qualities, but what I like best about him is that he’s a winner. He wants to win at all costs. He always gives 100 percent, and gets stuck in. He’s very important for us.”

That mentality would have fit in well at Elland Road, where Bielsa has got his players running through brick walls week-in and week-out for him, covering lung-busting amounts of distances in games and getting involved in the physical challenges.

And when you compare Gonzalez to Patrick Bamford’s performances this season, then it really sways towards the former. The Argentine has a far better minutes per goal ratio, has missed far less big chances, and provided double the amount of key passes and successful dribbles per game too.

If there’s one signing Leeds may look back with a sense of ‘what if’, then Gonzalez might be that man.

Many Crystal Palace fans were not pleased with the performance of Christian Benteke during the match against Leicester City on Monday afternoon.

The South London side managed to pick up a 1-1 draw and this point will have pleased Roy Hodgson massively as his side had lost their last two games, having conceded ten goals in the two matches.

Benteke looked to have been turning things around at the Eagles, as he scored two against West Bromwich Albion and one against West Ham (Transfermarkt). However, his performance against the Foxes was not one that many fans were happy with. One even called him ‘anonymous’.

The Belgian picked up a 6.6 rating and it is easy to see why it was so low (SofaScore). He only managed one shot, which was off target, and he failed both of his dribble attempts. He also lost nine aerial duels, five ground duels and lost possession 23 times.

Hopefully, Benteke will soon be back to his goalscoring ways and in the December period, it is easy to get back on form as the fixtures come around thick and fast.

Here is what Palace fans said about the performance of Benteke:

“Been so poor since their goal. Benteke practically anonymous today and often out-muscled #cpfc”

Credit:@Olimite

“Further confirmation, if ever it was needed, that Zaha isn’t a centre forward, Townsend isn’t a premier league player, and Benteke shouldn’t even own a pair of boots! #cpfc”

Credit: @jonnysell

“Has Benteke actually won a header today?”

Credit: @Wheddsta

“Why did we bring Batshuayi in when he’s become 3rd choice? Not Benteke’s best game so should be bringing Michy on!”

Credit: @tgh316

“Benteke would be second to the ball in a one man race. Not only a terrible player technically but a lazy one too #cpfc #CRYLEI”

Credit: @PJeevesie

“We do look more defensively solid today. But it is at the expense of any attacking threat at all. Wilf and Benteke may as well not be on the pitch. Vardy comes on and it’s 0-1. #cpfc”

Credit:@MarkyP7

In other news, CPFC fans were fuming at one-star following the loss on Boxing Day. Have a read who it was here!