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Since taking over at Manchester United in the summer of 2022, Erik ten Hag has put a heavy focus on signing players from his former club, Ajax.

Over each of the three summers he has been at the helm at Old Trafford, the Dutchman has brought in at least one player he used to manage at the Dutch giants.

In his first summer, he signed Lisandro Martinez and Antony, who cost an eye-watering £81.3m. In 2023, they brought in goalkeeper Andre Onana, before adding defensive pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, who also played under the Dutchman at Ajax.

Have all of these moves gone according to plan? Well, Antony has been a notable dud and Martinez wasn’t received particularly well when he first stepped foot on English shores.

First impressions of Lisandro Martinez

It may seem odd that United’s manager has a strict transfer policy of signing his former players, although there is little argument against him on the face of things, given how successful his side was during his time in Amsterdam.

There was great speculation over a couple of the signings, including Antony, given his extortionate price. However, the player who arguably raised the most question marks was Argentine World Cup winner Martinez.

One of the issues many had about United’s number 6 was his height. Many were unsure if his slender 5 foot 9 frame would mean he’d struggle at centre-back in the Premier League. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher raised this issue on Sky Sports, calling the 26-year-old a “problem” for Ten Hag.

In full, the outspoken pundit noted: ” I’m convinced this can’t work because of the size of him playing in a back four. Maybe he could go left back, maybe he could play in a back three, but in a back four, he cannot play there in the Premier League.”

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Martinez’s stats for Man United

Despite the criticism the defender has faced, the Argentine has gone on to prove Carragher, and other doubters wrong by his performances in that famous red shirt over the past two seasons.

Despite injury issues that have seen him miss 56 games in his first two seasons at the club, Martinez has proven to be a key part of Ten Hag’s side.

He has now played 64 games for the Red Devils, scoring one goal against Arsenal in 2022/23, and has played an important part in United’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs.

Although he featured just twice in their FA Cup win last term, he was crucial in the final against Manchester City, in which the 13-time winners of the competition ran out 2-1 victors.

A large reason for this was the fact he played alongside Raphael Varane. The duo formed an iconic pair for the Red Devils, despite playing just 33 times with each other. They managed 21 wins as a partnership – the last one being the victory at Wembley – and just five defeats.

Although their time as a pairing was short, it was one that will no doubt live long in the memory of United fans. United captain Bruno Fernandes was certainly a fan of the duo, once explaining they “complement each other very good”.

Now with a new long-term partner in De Ligt, and his injury problems hopefully behind him, Martinez has made a good start to the 2024/25 campaign. According to Sofascore, the South American averages 2.3 interceptions per game, 3.8 ball recoveries and an impressive 94% pass accuracy.

Despite his injury troubles, Martinez has certainly gone a long way to proving Carragher, and his doubters wrong. The Liverpool legend thought he would be an issue for United in defence, but in fact, he has been the opposite; an undroppable player, an integral reason for winning silverware and a man quickly becoming a cult hero at Old Trafford.

Man Utd thought they had the next CR7, now he's worth even less than Antony

The talented international just could not make it work at United, and now he’s playing outside of Europe entirely.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 18, 2024

Real Madrid have sent a letter to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) complaining about refereeing standards after their 1-0 loss to Espanyol.

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• Madrid lost in controversial Espanyol clash
• Club sent letter demanding refereeing reforms
• Called for officials to be removed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  La Liga leaders Madrid lost 1-0 through a late goal from Carlos Romero, who was lucky to escape a red card earlier in the second half for a harsh challenge on Kylian Mbappe. Espanyol committed 14 fouls to Madrid's three and were given two yellow cards over the 90 minutes at the RCDE Stadium on Saturday.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Madrid have since sent an official letter of complaint to Spanish football's governing body saying that the refereeing system is being "discredited" by decisions that the club argue have gone beyond "human error". The letter also called for the audio recordings of various VAR reviews during the match.

• WHAT REAL MADRID SAID

  "The events that occurred in this match have exceeded any margin for human error or referee interpretation. What happened at the RCDE Stadium represents the culmination of a completely discredited refereeing system, in which decisions against Real Madrid have reached a level of manipulation and adulteration of the competition that can no longer be ignored. The two most serious refereeing decisions in this match have once again revealed the double standards with which Real Madrid is refereed," the letter states.

  "The brutal challenge on Kylian Mbappe, from behind, on the calf and with no possibility of contesting the ball, carried out in the 60th minute of the match by the Espanyol player who would later end up scoring the winning goal for his team, deserving of immediate expulsion as highlighted by the world press, ended with the decision of the referee, Alejandro Muniz Ruiz, to only show a yellow card without the VAR, with Javier Iglesias Villanueva as responsible, intervening to correct a manifestly erroneous decision, leaving unpunished an aggression that in any other competition would have been an exemplary sanction."

  The complaint continued: "Real Madrid cannot accept that the competition continues to be governed by a discredited refereeing system, whose main officials, far from being removed, continue to exercise decisive functions in decision-making. It is not enough to make superficial changes or to replace some directors; the only way to restore the credibility of Spanish refereeing requires a comprehensive reform that includes, as an essential element, the replacement of those referees whose connection with stages under suspicion compromises the legitimacy of the system and perpetuates its lack of transparency."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?

  The Spanish giants will await a reply from the RFEF and hope that reforms are soon adopted. Despite the controversial loss, Madrid are still top of La Liga and a point clear of Atletico Madrid, who they face on Saturday just three days after they meet Leganes in the Copa del Rey.

Everton managerial candidate David Moyes is keen on the idea of replacing Sean Dyche as manager, according to a former scout who worked with the Scot.

Dyche still under pressure at Everton

There is no doubt that the pressure on Dyche has eased to an extent in the last couple of matches, with the Blues picking up four points from their last two Premier League matches.

Having won 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace last weekend, they drew 0-0 with Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Saturday evening, with former Everton man Anthony Gordon missing a penalty.

Despite this, Dyche will know that further improvements are still needed, in order for his job to feel far safer, and there are a host of names who have been mentioned as potential successors to the Englishman.

Jose Mourinho has emerged as an audacious target, with Dan Friedkin reportedly holding internal talks about a move for the legendary Portuguese boss, while West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has also been touted as a possibility, should he be willing to leave the Baggies midway through the season. Moyes is another who has been linked with a move, and an update has emerged over a potential return.

Moyes keen on sealing Everton return

Speaking to Football Insider, former Manchester United, Tottenham, Aston Villa and West Ham scout Mick Brown, who they describe as an ally of the manager, claimed that Moyes would be interested in taking the Everton job if Dyche was sacked, having worked with the Scot at the Hammers.

“I know he lives at St Anne’s [in Liverpool]. So, he’s right on the doorstep if they wanted to call him for something like that. He would definitely be a suitable candidate for that job. He knows the club, he’s got a good track record there, he’s as honest as the day is long and he has a good relationship with the fans. Yeah, he’d be interested in taking that job. Very much so.

“On top of that, where would Everton go to get somebody better than him? You’re entering the world of having to pay compensation for somebody, which the club would prefer to avoid in their situation. You know what Moysey is. There’s no secret there. It’ll be up to the club, but he’ll definitely be on the list.”

Moyes’ return to Everton could be met with a mix of positivity and negativity, with the 61-year-old doing a superb job in his first stint there, even finishing fourth in the Premier League in the 2004/05 season.

That being said, the 4-2-3-1-playing boss is now an older figure, during a time when younger managers are coming through with fresher tactical ideas, such as Fabian Hurzeler at Brighton. A chunk of the fanbase may rather see a boss of that ilk come in, especially as the football under Dyche hasn’t exactly been expansive, taking the club into a more forward-thinking future.

Moyes is hugely experienced, though, and only recently won the UEFA Europa Conference League with West Ham, so he has done enough to suggest that he remains an excellent manager who could steer Everton well clear of the relegation zone.

UEFA have moved a step closer to hosting a Champions League final in the United States thanks to a potential 'groundbreaking' new deal.

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• UEFA eyeing new deal with Relevant Sports
• Competition's global rights up for negotiation
• Could mean Champions League games in the USA

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  UEFA and the European Club Association have entered an exclusive negotiation period with American agency Relevent Sports for global commercial rights to Europe's men's club competitions, according to . The potential "groundbreaking deal" could mean the prospect of Champions League games being played in the United States by 2033, with Relevent Sports eager to bring high-profile matches to North America.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Relevent Sports are controlled by billionaire and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and if the deal were to be completed it would mark the end of an era and a major shift for European football. UEFA has previously enjoyed a 30-year association with TEAM Marketing, and the news of a potential shift to Relevent has reportedly being met with "a state of shock" and could also result in the loss of 170 jobs.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  A statement read: "The Board of UC3, the joint venture between Uefa and the European Club Association (ECA) has agreed to enter into an exclusive period of negotiation with Relevent Sports over the global commercial rights to the Uefa men's club competitions for the period 2027-2033. The decision follows an open tender process, launched last summer, which attracted bids from a number of global and regional agencies."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

  The Champions League has been expanded for the 2024-25 season, with the first round of last 16 play-off fixtures now set to take place. The new format means there are some exciting ties to look forward to, with the highlight being defending champions Real Madrid facing Manchester City in a true heavyweight clash.

West Ham United claimed their finest win of the Julen Lopetegui era before play paused to allow the stream of international action back through.

Now, it’s matchweek once again, and United are ready to make headway in the Premier League, though they will encounter some testing opponents over the coming weeks.

There’s plenty to be optimistic about at the London Stadium, but there’s no denying it’s been a rocky start. West Ham still need to unleash a top-class centre-forward to perform at full throttle.

West Ham lacking forward presence

Michail Antonio might have opened his account for the season against Ipswich, but the 34-year-old has trudged through most of the campaign, winning 21% of his duels, completing 23% of his dribbles and averaging seven successful passes per game, as per Sofascore.

His ostensible successor, the 31-year-old Niclas Fullkrug, is a hulking and surprisingly dynamic centre-forward, purchased from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £27m this summer. Alas, the German has endured an injury-hit start to life in London, yet to score, yet to assist.

Jarrod Bowen’s days of regularly moonlighting at number nine appear to be over – it’s for the good of the team, you see. He’s at his most effective on the right. West Ham need to map out a plan. And they are doing so, in fairness.

According to Football Insider, whose claim is made in conjunction with ex-Irons scout Mick Brown, Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis is on the club’s radar and could be targetted this January.

He signed for Benfica in an initial €18m (£15m) deal this summer and has started life in Portugal with aplomb, but you may know him better from last Friday when he silenced England at Wembley.

Vangelis Pavlidis' performance vs England

The man who toppled the long-standing Lee Carsley dynasty. Maybe not, but scoring a brace against England in their own backyard is still a mean feat.

Carsley’s experimental outfit fell flat, unravelled like a badly-wrapped present. Greece, though, were excellent and fully deserved to come away with three points and establish themselves as table-toppers in their Nations League Level B group – it’s a group that the Three Lions are expected to escape from.

Pavlidis’ clinical performance put his name on the map, opening the scoring after half-time with a fine strike past Jordan Pickford. Jude Bellingham, England’s go-to talisman, exploded into a roar of rapture after restoring parity late on, but the Greek forward left Wembley bewildered and beleaguered, firing true in the dying embers to score a historic victory.

West Ham’s technical director Tim Steidten is bound to have noted the display, with the Hammers looking at the 25-year-old earlier in the year, before ultimately moving to sign Fullkrug.

While West Ham’s new focal frontman has all the qualities in the locker to forge a successful career for himself under Lopetegui’s leadership, there’s little question that Pavlidis would bring a contrasting skillset to potentially propel the side back into the limelight.

Why Vangelis Pavlidis would be perfect for West Ham

Pavlidis joined Benfica from Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar this summer, and he’s started his life in Liga Portugal very well indeed, carrying over the prolific edge that had seen him plunder 33 goals and six assists across 46 appearances in all competitions last term.

He hasn’t quite hit the same vein of form for Benfica, though has notched two goals and two assists apiece over nine games.

This isn’t the most mesmerising of hauls, for sure, but his underlying metrics accentuate the wonderful skillset, with an average of 2.3 key passes and 1.6 dribbles per league match, as per Sofascore, while only missing three big chances, highlighting an efficiency in front of goal, albeit not striking with the greatest consistency – it’s no wonder he’s been described as a “real handful” by journalist Antonio Mango.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 1 striker actually ranks among the top 11% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Portuguese top flight for goals scored, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted, the top 19% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 18% for tackles per 90.

Quite the multi-functioning player, eh? His dynamism could be the missing ingredient at the London Stadium, complementing the clutch striking of Fullkrug and raising the skillsets of other attack-minded players – like Mohammed Kudus.

Kudus hasn’t enjoyed the finest start to the season, but he’s still one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premier League. Pace and power in his strides, the Ghanaian was called “different gravy” by The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas. It’s quite an apt comment, to be honest.

The crux of Kudus’ problems is that he’s not clinical enough, only posting one goal and one assist across nine fixtures in all competitions this season, also averaging just 0.7 key passes per Premier League game.

He needs to raise his game. However, by adding Pavlidis into the equation, this high-class footballer could hit the purple patch that is within his capability, breezing past his opponents and getting himself into more positions of promise than he has achieved recently, for Pavlidis’ creative spark and all-encompassing nature could elevate his game.

West Ham have already profiled Pavlidis and must consider fixing their full focus on him in 2025. He’s only 25 and could be the long-term solution to the never-ending question surrounding number nine in east London.

West Ham teen who's like a "young George Best" could be their new Bowen

West Ham could have their next Bowen in the pipeline already.

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By
Connor Holden

Oct 15, 2024

A “world-class” Arsenal player appears to be leaving next year, and it is believed a move to Saudi Arabia is also on the cards for him.

Arsenal players linked with 2025 exits

There are a few members of Mikel Arteta’s squad who are facing the very real prospect of being let go next year.

£83m Arsenal player's reps now hold exit talks with elite European club

He’d be a big loss.

By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 9, 2024

Whether in January or next summer, it is believed that sporting director Edu Gaspar and Arteta are prepared to offload left-back Kieran Tierney. The Scotsman, who is currently in recovery from a hamstring injury, has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal and spent last season out on loan at La Liga side Real Sociedad.

Arsenal are ready to let Tierney leave as soon as January, once he returns to full fitness, and journalist Charles Watts believes he could head out on another temporary spell elsewhere.

“Had that injury not happened, I’m sure Tierney would have been playing for another club right now,” said Watts.

“That was certainly the plan anyway, following his loan spell with Real Sociedad last season. But the injury put an end to any chances of a move and the focus now is on the left-back getting himself back fully fit ahead of the January window.

“He’s not in Mikel Arteta’s plans anymore. That’s been clear for a long time and Tierney accepts that. There is no animosity there. He knows the club has moved on and that his qualities as a left-back are not what Arsenal need in the system that they play.

“He will hope to get a move in January, probably on loan.”

Meanwhile, it has been claimed that defender Jakub Kiwior is expected to depart in January as well, while uncertainty surrounds the future of star midfielder Thomas Partey as his contract ticks down towards expiry next summer.

Real Madrid have made contact with William Saliba ahead of a potential move next year too, but it is highly unlikely that Arteta and Edu would entertain losing one of their most crucial players unless it was for ridiculous money.

Jorginho "appears to be living out his final months" at Arsenal

According to reports out of Spain, midfielder Jorginho is another player who could leave next year.

The £110,000-per-week star’s situation is similar to Partey’s, with his contract expiring in 2025 and the prospect of a free transfer very much alive. It is believed Jorginho “appears to living out his final months” at Arsenal, and clubs in Saudi Arabia are taking an interest in snapping up the Italian on a free transfer.

A move to the Middle East is apparently a serious option for Jorginho, who has seen his role reduced this season after becoming a regular towards the end of 2023/2024.

“I know him a lot, so for me it is nice to play with him he knows me well,” said Kai Havertz on Jorginho last term.

“It makes life easy for me, he is a world-class player.”

Two Harry Kane penalties helped extend Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a comfortable 3-0 win over Werder Bremen on Friday.

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• Bayern Munich beat Werder Bremen 3-0
• Kane scores twice from the spot
• Substitute Sane bags late goal

• TELL ME MORE

  After a relatively uneventful first half, where Kane and Jamal Musiala went close for the hosts, the England international was a whisker away from giving Bayern the lead in the 46th minute when his powerful strike from 20 yards rattled the crossbar.

  The 31-year-old then put his side ahead 10 minutes later when he converted from the spot after Anthony Jung handled in the box. Kane should have doubled his tally when slipped through by Michael Olise, but he could only find the side netting.

  The home team finally put the game to bed when Leroy Sane turned in fellow substitute Konrad Laimer's pinpoint cross eight minutes from time.

  With almost the last kick of the game, Musiala was fouled in the area by a clumsy Jung challenge and Kane scored his 12th penalty goal of the season.

  Vincent Kompany's men are now nine points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, although they do have a game in hand.

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  THE MVP

  Kane looked lively throughout and took his two penalties well. The England captain now has 28 goals in as many games for Bayern in all competitions this season.

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  THE BIG LOSER

  Jung conceded two penalties on the night, the second of which was very foolish, and if he had been more disciplined, Bremen would have had a much better chance of getting something from the game.

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  WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Bayern return to Champions League action on Wednesday when they travel to Celtic in the play-off round of the competition. After that, it's a top-of-the-table clash away to Leverkusen on February 15.

The club's passionate 3252 fan base and actor Will Ferrell paid tribute to the heroes who helped victims of California wildfires

• LAFC's supporter group, The 3252, unveils a striking tifo
• Display honors firefighters and affected communities
• Hollywood star Ferrell also paid tribute before the game

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• WHAT HAPPENED

  Los Angeles Football Club's dedicated supporter group, The 3252, unveiled a striking tifo display in solidarity with victims of the recent California wildfires. The large-scale tifo, revealed during the club’s first home game of the 2025 MLS season, honored both the firefighters battling the blazes and the communities affected by the devastation. The 3252 weren’t alone in their tribute — star actor and LAFC part-owner Will Ferrell also showed his support before the match. The Hollywood star was seen alongside the Honorary Falconers, a youth team from Pacific Palisades still recovering from the recent LA fires.

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• THE TIFO

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This act of solidarity through art is not just about supporting a cause — it's a testament to the strong community spirit fostered by LAFC and its supporters. The club has a history of engaging with local issues, and this tifo continues that tradition.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  LAFC kicked off their 2025 MLS season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC at BMO Stadium. Jeremy Ebobisse, a new signing, scored the winning goal in the 78th minute with a stunning left-footed strike. This victory extended LAFC's streak of winning season openers to eight consecutive years. Steve Cherundolo’s side faces Colorado Rapids in the second leg of their Round 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup next, going into the game behind 2-1 on aggregate.

Manchester United have had some legendary players throughout the Premier League era. They have had some stellar academy graduates including the esteemed Class of ‘92, right to the modern-day stars flying the Carrington flag, such as Marcus Rashford.

The Red Devils have brought in some fantastic players from outside the club, too. Many of these successful signings have come under the watchful eye of Sir Alex Ferguson.

The iconic former United boss made some inspirational additions during his lengthy stint at the helm, contributing to the extraordinary dynasty he built at Old Trafford.

United’s best signings under Ferguson

Arguably the best signing United’s former manager made in his time at the club was that of Wayne Rooney. The Englishman joined from Everton in 2004 in a deal that could have risen as high as £27m.

He left the club over a decade later, scoring 253 goals, the most in the club’s history, and grabbing 139 assists in 559 games. The former United captain helped Ferguson’s side to five Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time at the club.

Another of the very best signings the Scotsman made during his time in charge at Old Trafford was Eric Cantona. The iconic Frenchman, lovingly nicknamed “King Eric” by United fans, cost the club just £1.2m from arch-rivals Leeds United.

Over his time at the club, Cantona played 182 games, scoring 82 times. He is known for some iconic moments in a United shirt, with his best strike arguably coming against Sunderland in 1996/97, a superb chip over the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.

There were plenty of other iconic signings made by Ferguson. Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke formed a legendary strike partnership, Roy Keane went on to become one of the all-time great Premier League midfielders, and Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic became a formidable centre-back duo.

However, none might be better than the legendary Portuguese attacker, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo’s Man United career

There are few in the history of the game who can contend with the career of Cristiano Ronaldo. Man United can count themselves lucky, being one of the clubs that the Portugal captain has represented.

He had two spells at Old Trafford, but it was his first, between 2003 and 2009, that his legacy was really made. The Red Devils paid his former club Sporting a reported £12.24m just over 21 years ago to sign him. To say that it was money well spent would be a huge understatement.

Ronaldo was simply spellbinding during his first spell at Old Trafford. Under Ferguson he flourished, with the Scotsman becoming something of “a father in football” to the attacker, acting as “the key” to him joining United as an 18-year-old. Those were Ronaldo’s own words from 2021.

His record speaks for itself. Under Ferguson in that famous Red shirt, the former United number seven played 292 games, scoring 118 goals and registering 62 assists. He helped the Red Devils win several major honours, including three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008. Ronaldo also won the Ballon d’Or that same year, the most recent United player to win the accolade.

There is little need to go into lots of detail about the type of player he was at Old Trafford because exactly what he offered is very well known. In his early days, the then-teenager was a tricky winger with explosive pace and an eye for goal, able to score from anywhere on and any type of finish. He was a set-piece master and scored his fair share of freekicks from all sorts of angles.

United hearts were broken in 2009 when the Portugal international left the club for Real Madrid, where he cemented his place as one of the all-time greats. The silver lining from that deal was the price.

He cost Los Blancos what was at the time a world-record fee of £80m, ensuring United made an incredible profit. His value rose by an extraordinary 553% increase in the six years he was at the club.

The late, great Sir Bobby Charlton, another of four men to win the Ballon d’Or as a United player, once described the current Al Nassr man as a “marvellous” footballer.

Ronaldo will go down in the club’s history as one of their greatest-ever players, and his legacy at the Theatre of Dreams will forever be iconic.

Man Utd thought they'd signed Scholes 2.0, then Ten Hag sold him for £420k

Man United lost millions of pounds on the deal

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By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 22, 2024

Aston Villa were eliminated from the Carabao Cup last night, suffering a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace. Unai Emery’s side, who are still competing in three competitions this season, might well be frustrated that a good chance to win some silverware has evaded them after the loss at Villa Park.

The Villans were very much the dominant side, as the post-match statistics, courtesy of Sofascore, suggest. Emery’s team had more possession than the Eagles, with 62% of the ball, and far more shots, 17 to the opposition’s ten, with nine on target.

With that in mind, it might be frustrating that they could not capitalise on such domination. Oliver Glasner’s side took the lead through Eberechi Eze, who scored something of a poacher’s goal, losing his marker in the penalty box and heading home from 12 yards.

Villa equalised 15 minutes later, through the in-form Jhon Duran, who took his goal brilliantly, swivelling as he shot and firing home into the bottom left corner. Palace’s winner in the 64th minute was a gift, with Diego Carlos giving it straight to Daichi Kamada whose shot from outside of the penalty box nestled into Joe Guaci’s goal.

It was a frustrating night at Villa Park, with Carlos amongst those in Claret and Blue who struggled.

Carlos’ stats vs. Palace

After a slow start to the season, the Brazilian centre-back has finally managed to break into Emery’s starting lineup of late. However, Jacob Tanswell, Villa writer for The Athletic, explained he had a “poor night” after what had been a “very good October” so far.

Indeed, the Villa number three made a very frustrating mistake for Kamada’s winning goal. Pressed by striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta, he played a sloppy pass right into the path of the Japan international. It was a well-taken goal from range, but not a mistake you would expect from an experienced head like Carlos.

Aside from that, his stats from the game were commendable. Carlos had 73 touches of the ball and completed 91% of his passes. He also won four from five ground duels and all three of his tackles. However, he gave the ball away six times, including once for the costly error that led to the Palace winner.

As frustrating as Carlos’ performance was against the Eagles, Emiliano Buendia’s showing was arguably more disappointing.

Buendia’s stats vs. Palace

It has been a long road to recovery for Bunedia since his awful anterior cruciate ligament injury in August 2023. Now fully back in action, the attacking midfielder made his first Villa Park start since returning from injury last night.

However, it was not quite the performance he would have hoped for. The Argentine midfielder struggled to make a real impact on the game, although did have some moments of quality on the ball.

His stats from the game showed that it was a tough night at the office. The 27-year-old completed 88% of his passes but managed just 39 touches, losing the ball 11 times. He created just one chance and only completed 33% of his dribbles. Out of possession, the midfielder lost a disappointing 11 duels.

It was a performance that earned him a 6/10 rating from Birmingham Mail journalist John Townley. With that being said, the Villa correspondent credited him for looking ‘comfortable taking the ball in tight pockets’, a key feature of the Villa number 10’s game.

It was certainly a frustrating night at the office for Buendia, who surely would have been hoping for a more impactful performance on his first Villa Park start for well over a year. With that being said, it is something to build on, with the games now coming thick and fast for the Villans.

He's out on loan: Aston Villa ace has a “higher ceiling” than Douglas Luiz

Aston Villa have struck gold on this loan star who could be even better than Douglas Luiz.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 29, 2024