Moeen Ali persuaded angry team-mates not to lodge an official complaint against the Australia player who allegedly called him “Osama” during the 2015 Ashes.England coach Trevor Bayliss has revealed that Moeen, who has made the comments public in his upcoming autobiography, did not want the matter escalated following the incident during the Cardiff Test at the beginning of the series. Following the publication of the comments, Cricket Australia has said they will investigate the matter.At the time, however, Bayliss spoke to his counterpart Darren Lehmann who approached the player in question and received a denial with the player saying he had said “part-timer” rather than “Osama”. If the matter had been made official the ICC would have launched an investigation – something that could still happen despite the incident being three years ago.”No, he didn’t want it to go any further,” Bayliss told Sydney’s . “He’s a very softly spoken sort of a bloke. He doesn’t want to create too many problems for anyone. There were other players in the team who wanted to take it further but he talked them into not taking it any further.”Bayliss said he did not get any follow-up from Lehmann after he had raised the comments and did not feel there were any other significant issues between the teams.”Well I didn’t get a response. I just left it with Darren to sort out one way or the other. I didn’t hear any response, but everything was dealt with then.”I’m not going to make too much of it. It was bloody three years ago, let’s move on. [Cricket Australia] can do what they like I suppose – everyone has sort of forgotten about it and moved on since then. I don’t see it as any real big deal.”It was a hard-fought series…you’re not party to what goes on out on the field and certainly nothing else was reported or anything through that series so we just left it at that.”In the extract from his book, Moeen went on to explain how England had invited the Australians into their dressing room post-match but the offer was rebuffed until the end of the series.He revealed he approached the player involved in the initial comments who said: “I know what you thought I said, but I didn’t say that. I’ve got Muslim friends and some of my best friends are Muslims.”
Liverpool have reportedly stepped up their efforts as they look to re-sign their former sporting director Michael Edwards.
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Liverpool looking to re-sign Edwards
Held face-to-face talks in Boston
Was at the club from 2012-2022
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Reds have already held face-to-face talks with Edwards and his according to The Times as they look to bring him back to help the Merseyside giants through the process of Jurgen Klopp's exit from the club. Edwards met with president Mike Gordon and Fenway Sports Group (FSG) owner, John W Henry last weekend in Boston, according to the reports.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
After terminating a ten-year relationship with Liverpool in 2022 and being instrumental in the club's transition under Klopp, Edwards has turned down multiple approaches from teams, including Chelsea. As for Liverpool, he declined an original offer from FSG in January to return to his role as Liverpool's sporting director, and if he accepts the invitation to come back, he likely expects full authority in a more senior role, like the head of football operations.
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DID YOU KNOW?
As per The Guardian, it is anticipated that Edwards will lead the analytics and recruitment divisions. He would likely also oversee the selection of Liverpool's next manager and any other new sporting director. In the upcoming weeks, the club's new football organisational structure should begin to take shape.
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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
As they prepare for the future, the Reds will also keep their eye trained on the present as they look to end Klopp's tenure at the club on a high note. The club will next be in action on the field when they take on fellow title-contenders, Manchester City on Sunday, March 10.
واصل فريق آرسنال لنزيف النقاط في الموسم الحالي من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بعدما اكتفى بتعادل مخيب مع خصمه أستون فيلا، مساء اليوم.
واستضاف ملعب “الإمارات” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية والعشرين من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما. أهداف مباراة آرسنال وأستون فيلا اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي
كان جابرييل مارتينيلي قد سجل هدف التقدم لصالح آرسنال، في الدقيقة 33 من عمر الشوط الأول، حيث حاول الحارس إيميليانو مارتينيز إبعاد الكرة ولكنها كانت قد تجاوزت خط المرمى.
وتمكن آرسنال من مضاعفة تفوقه على أستون فيلا، بعدما سجل كاي هافيرتز الهدف الثاني لأصحاب الأرض، في الدقيقة 55، بعد عرضية من تروسارد.
ولم يستسلم أستون فيلا حيث سجل يوري تيليمانس الهدف الأول للضيوف، في الدقيقة 60، بعد تسديدة رأسية سكنت شباك آرسنال.
وفي الدقيقة 68، تواصل السيناريو الجنوني، حيث تمكن أولي واتكينز من تسجيل هدف التعادل لكتيبة أوناي إيمري، بعد عرضية من ماتي كاش.
ونجح آرسنال في تسجيل هدف قاتل في الدقيقة 88 عن طريق كاي هافيرتز، ولكن تقنية الفيديو ألغته لوجود لمسة يد على لاعب الجانرز.
واُحتسبت 7 دقائق كوقت بدلَا من الضائع للشوط الثاني، ولكن النتيجة لم تتغير، لينتهي اللقاء بنتيجة 2/2.
بنلك النتيجة، حصل كل فريق على نقطة، حيث أصبح رصيد آرسنال 44 نقطة في المركز الثاني، بفارق 6 نقاط عن ليفربول المتصدر، بينما أستون فيلا يمتلك 36 نقطة في المركز السابع.
أصدر الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم، قراراً بإيقاف مهاجم ولفرهامبتون ومنتخب البرازيل، ماتيوس كونيا، عن ما بدر منه عقب مباراة إيبسويتش تاون.
وتلاقى ولفرهامبتون وإيبسويتش تاون، في منافسات السادسة عشر من منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي، السبت 14 ديسمبر من الشهر الحالي، في اللقاء الذي انتهى بهزيمة الولفيز بهدفين مقابل هدف.
اقرأ ايضاً.. جيمي كاراجر وجاري نيفيل يختاران التشكيل الأفضل في الدوري الإنجليزي.. موقف محمد صلاح
وعقب نهاية المباراة التي جمعت بين الفريقين، حدثت مشادة جماعية بين اللاعبين حيث رصدت الكاميرات تعرض أحد رجال الأمن أثر تلقيه لـ ضربة تسببت في كسر النظارة من قبل المهاجم البرازيلي ماتيوس كونيا.
وفي بيان صادر عن الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم، أفاد: “تم إيقاف ماتيوس كونيا لمباراتين وتغريمه 80 ألف جنيه إسترليني بعد مباراة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بين ولفرهامبتون وإيبسويتش تاون يوم السبت 14 ديسمبر 2024”.
وأضاف البيان: “ووجهت إلى المهاجم تهمة سوء السلوك، وزعمت التقارير أنه تصرف بطريقة غير لائقة بعد صافرة النهاية. واعترف بالتهمة، وفرضت عليه لجنة تنظيمية مستقلة العقوبات في وقت لاحق، سيتم نشر الأسباب الكاملة المكتوبة لهذه القضية في الوقت المناسب.”
وبذلك سيغيب المهاجم البرازيلي عن تشكيلة المدرب فيتور بيريرا في مباراة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أمام نوتنجهام فورست ومباراة الدور الثالث لكأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي أمام بريستول سيتي.
Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat against Tottenham Hotspur was the final nail in the coffin for what has been a truly dismal 2024/25 campaign.
Ruben Amorim’s side have ended the campaign without any form of European football next season, currently sitting in a measly 16th place in the Premier League table.
Such a loss could see the club lose up to £200m throughout 2025/26, having a real impact on the financial situation and any potential transfers this summer.
An overhaul is desperately needed, given their failures during the current campaign, with new signings and departures required to hand the manager the tools he needs to change the current situation.
With the summer window rapidly approaching, work is already being done behind the scenes at Old Trafford to land players who would certainly add to the squad currently at Amorim’s disposal.
The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer
A striker has been on United’s radar over the last couple of months, with Viktor Gyokeres a name constantly touted, given his previous time under Amorim at Spotting CP.
The Swede would undoubtedly be an excellent option for the Red Devils given his record of 53 goals in his 51 appearances, but could be set for a summer switch to fellow English side Arsenal.
As a result, the club will have to target other options in such an area, leading to rumours over a deal for Ipswich Town talisman Liam Delap, according to Fabrizio Romano.
He’s claimed that the Red Devils hierarchy have already held face-to-face talks with the 22-year-old, after he scored 12 goals in his 36 league appearances for the Tractor Boys this campaign.
It’s also reported that he will be available for around £30m this summer, after his relegation release clause became active, but they could also face keen interest from Chelsea during the off-season.
Why United’s latest target could end Hojlund’s time at Old Trafford
Rasmus Hojlund arrived at United with huge excitement back in the summer of 2023, costing a staggering £72m from Serie A outfit Atalanta, after scoring 10 goals throughout 2022/23.
Rasmus Hojlund
The Dane has since struggled to replicate his best form in England, scoring 26 goals in his 94 appearances for the Red Devils, with only four of his strikes coming in the league this season.
He’s endured long droughts throughout 2024/25, including a run that saw him go 21 matches without a goal in all competitions – leading to frustrations amongst the fanbase.
His showing in the Europa League final was another one to forget, featuring for 71 minutes and only registering a total of 15 touches, losing possession every 3.75 touches.
If the club are to make the step under Amorim next campaign, it’s pivotal that the hierarchy back him in the summer, handing the funds to make the changes he requires in such a department.
Delap would be an excellent addition for the fee mooted for his signature this summer, massively outperforming Hojlund in numerous key areas when comparing their respective stats.
The Ipswich star, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has massively outscored the Dane, whilst registering a higher shot-on-target rate – showcasing the clinical threat he poses.
Games played
36
31
Goals & assists
14
4
Shot-on-target accuracy
45%
38%
Shots on target
1.1
0.5
Progressive carries
2.1
1.2
Progressive passes
1.1
0.7
Take-on success
47%
28%
Aerials won
42%
23%
He’s also managed to complete more progressive carries and more take-ons, handing Amorim the all-round option in the final third he’s often lacked throughout his tenure at Old Trafford.
Delap has already won 19% more of the aerials he’s contested, handing the side a focal point to play off, subsequently allowing the likes of Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes to improve their own tallies.
£30m could prove to be an excellent price for a player who has bags of time to build on his excellent debut season in England’s top flight, given his tender age.
Given the interest from elsewhere, the hierarchy will have to act quickly to avoid missing out on a player who could easily end Holland’s time at the Theatre of Dreams.
Worse than Hojlund: Man Utd must axe dud who Neville dubbed "embarrassing"
Man Utd have been left to rue their recent transfer mistakes, namely the signing of Rasmus Hojlund
Southampton could now lose a "brilliant" loan player during the January transfer window, according to a key transfer update surrounding Russell Martin's treatment of him.
Southampton's January transfer business
Saints look nicely poised to be in the promotion picture in the Championship come the end of the season, with Martin's side fourth in the table currently. While there is a 10-point gap between themselves and second-place Ipswich Town, there is still a long way to go in the campaign.
January signings could increase Southampton's hopes of making a speedy return to the Premier League, and they have been linked with a host of players recently. Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell is one player who has been backed to complete a move to St Mary's in the near future, while West Brom midfielder Tom Fellows is another player who has been seen as a rumoured transfer target.
There is also the risk of Southampton losing some talent in January, however – something that could impact negatively on their promotion chances – and a worrying update has emerged, in that respect.
Southampton could lose Mason Holgate
According to Football Insider, Southampton loanee Mason Holgate could now return to Everton in January, with the Blues keen on bringing him back to Goodison Park.
"Everton want to recall defender Mason Holgate in the January transfer window due to a lack of action at Southampton, sources have told Football Insider. Holgate has only started four games for the Championship club since joining on a season-long loan.
"Everton want the centre-back to be playing more regularly and are keen to terminate his loan and then find him a new club in January. The Merseysiders allowed the 27-year-old to join Southampton on a season-long deal in the summer window after he fell out of favour with Sean Dyche. But Holgate has featured sparingly for the promotion chasers, playing just 289 minutes of action in five total appearances."
This suggests that Everton are not impressed by the way Martin has used Holgate this season, in terms of his lack of playing time, and it could lead to a premature exit in the process. While the Englishman has struggled to make an impact in a Saints shirt since arriving on a temporary basis back in the summer transfer window, he is still someone who it would be a blow to lose when it comes to the squad depth at the manager's disposal.
Southampton now eyeing January move to sign "aggressive" player for Martin
The Saints could boost their promotion chances…
ByTom Cunningham Dec 10, 2023
In fact, Martin himself praised Holgate earlier in the campaign after one strong performance, saying: "Mason gave us a brilliant performance today."
The hope is that Everton's stance changes over the next month or so, allowing him stay put until next summer, but they can look at his lacking minutes as an excuse to bring him back, so Southampton could end up having to bring in an alternative loan option in January.
An injury to the likes of Jan Bednarek or Taylor Harwood-Bellis could suddenly heighten the need to have Holgate around, so keeping hold of him would be the far more preferable option.
It’s fair to say David Moyes divides opinion in East London. Some West Ham fans love him for leading them to their first European trophy in decades after winning the Europa Conference League in 2022/23, and some just don’t rate him.
Regardless, he has done a good job of steadying the ship at a time when the club looked destined for the drop, and the 2023 summer transfer window looks like it has been a massive success. Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus are two great deals, with the latter certainly starting to settle at the London Stadium.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Moyes and West Ham in the transfer window, however. Football FanCast takes a look at the Scottish manager’s ten worst West Ham signings.
10 Patrice Evra (Free)
Free transfer, 2018
Veteran leftback Patrice Evra was signed in the summer of 2018 to bring his invaluable experience to the club. His time at Manchester United had proven he was one of the best in his position in the world, but he was known to be a little unpredictable.
By the time he joined West Ham, he had stopped caring. He may constantly be telling people how much he “loves this game”, but it’s clear he didn’t care for the club. Evra would make just five appearances for the Hammers.
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His contract expired the next summer and he left. After no satisfactory offers for his services were received, he decided to retire from football.
9 Joao Mario
Loan from Inter, 2018
It may have only been a loan, but Moyes’ signing of Joao Mario was hailed by many as a real coup. He was impressive during his time at Sporting CP and had secured a move to Inter.
Unfortunately for him, opportunities in Italy dried up and it was decided he had to go out on loan. West Ham were amongst a number of clubs looking to secure his signature, and in January 2018, he put pen to paper.
He made his debut just two days later, coming on as a substitute against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup – a game West Ham would lose 2-0. After that, he never really made a mark. He did score in a 3-0 win against Southampton, but he returned to Inter the following summer after an underwhelming spell. He has since become a massive player for Benfica.
8 Alex Kral
Loan from Spartak Moscow, 2021
Following the huge success of the signing of Tomas Soucek, Moyes once again fancied a look at the Czechia national squad. This time he came across central midfielder Alex Kral, who had just signed for Russian side Spartak Moscow.
He wasn’t a goalscorer; in fact, he’s only scored a single league goal throughout his entire career, but he was a runner. West Ham signed him on loan with the option to make it permanent.
Kral would go on to make six appearances for the club before the loan ended. He’s still technically contracted to Spartak Moscow but has been on loan in Germany since his West Ham move, firstly with Schalke, and now with Union Berlin.
7 Jordan Hugill
£10m from Preston North End, 2018
West Ham have had some awful luck with strikers. In recent years they’ve had to deal with Simone Zaza, Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate, just to name a few. Jordan Hugill has to be counted among them.
The Hammers paid £10m for his services, potentially predicting that they were going to go down and would need a solid Championship striker, which Hugill was at Preston North End. It was a move that infuriated fans, just when they needed someone to lead the line.
It’s not his fault he’s on this list, though. Hugill was given just 22 minutes throughout the entire second half of the 2017/18 season to prove to the fans that he was the man to lead them – an almost impossible task.
After numerous Championship loans, he’s now found a home at Rotherham United.
6 Nikola Vlasic
£34.5m from CSKA Moscow, 2021
Nikola Vlasic for West Ham.
This transfer just goes to show that one good international tournament does not a good player make. Vlasic impressed for Croatia at Euro 2020 and had a number of teams after him. West Ham finally got him for an undisclosed fee, thought to be around £34.5m once add-ons had been factored in.
Throughout his career, he had played regular football, and although he did have the opportunity to prove himself, he was never consistently in the first team. His first goal contribution came in the form of an assist in the Europa League, and his first goal came in the Premier League in a 4-1 win against Watford.
Vlasic was then sent out on loan to Torino, a move that the Italian club would make permanent in August 2023 for an undisclosed fee. Perhaps West Ham didn’t want the world to know how much money they lost on him.
5 Gianluca Scamacca
£35.5m from Sassuolo, 2022
West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca.
Young Italian forward Gianluca Scamacca came to West Ham with a big reputation. He was, and still is, one of Italy’s best young forwards. Since bursting onto the scene at Sassuolo, the hype began to generate, he just wouldn't live up to it at West Ham.
Injuries were the main reason he didn’t make it in east London, despite looking like someone who would love it there. He only scored eight goals in 27 appearances for the club, with a lot of them being as a substitute.
Both parties decided to call it quits after a single season. He’s now back in Italy with Atalanta and has gotten off to a fine start. Perhaps, like Sebastian Haller, he’ll be one that got away for West Ham.
4 Danny Ings
£15m from Aston Villa, 2023
West Ham striker Danny Ings.
Consistently scoring goals in the Premier League is a very hard thing to do, and Danny Ings deserves a lot of credit for doing just that, but at West Ham, it’s been disappointing. The form he found at Burnley and Southampton seems to have escaped him.
West Ham bought him for an initial £12m, which rose to £15m after avoiding relegation in the 2022/23 season. Ings played his part – he scored twice against Nottingham Forest to help secure top-flight football.
Without going as far as saying that Danny Ings has been a flop, he certainly has the ability to turn it around, he’s just unlikely to be given that chance. He’s still at West Ham, but they’re reportedly looking to move him on.
3 Flynn Downes
£12m from Swansea City, 2022
It's pretty heartbreaking to be putting Flynn Downes on this list. The midfielder is a massive West Ham fan, he’s living the dream he had as a young lad in playing for the club. Sadly, he hasn’t had much of a chance to represent them.
Downes made a name for himself with Swansea City in the Championship, and West Ham came knocking. A reported £12m fee was agreed, and he put pen to paper, just as any fan would.
He made 21 league appearances for the club he loves, and helped them to their first trophy in 43 years. If you’d have told him he’d do that at the start of his career, he’d have surely snapped your hands off.
He’s currently on loan at Southampton, and will no doubt be hoping he’s given another opportunity soon enough.
2 Maxwel Cornet
£17.5m from Burnley, 2022
West Ham United forward Maxwel Cornet.
Players need time, and Maxwel Cornet will surely get that, but his West Ham career has been underwhelming thus far. He signed in the summer of 2022 from Burnley for a fee thought to be around £17.5m, and has since failed to impress.
He’s the type of player that is always going to have moments. A piece of skill here, beating a player there – he just needs to do it more often. To be fair to Cornet, Moyes isn’t exactly known for letting his attacking players express themselves.
Cornet is perhaps best known for his controversial disallowed goal against Chelsea last season. VAR deemed Tomas Soucek’s very slight touch on Mendy to be a foul, and denied him what would have been his first and only league goal for West Ham.
1 Thilo Kehrer
£10.1m from Paris Saint-Germain, 2022
Thilo Kehrer
There is a bit of a running theme here; most of the players on this list just haven’t been given much of a shot. Moyes is an old-school manager, he knows his best XI and he sticks to it. It’s an important thing to do when you’re fighting at the bottom of the table more often than not. Kehrer is another player that’s happened to.
When the German centre-back made a big money move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, it was for a fee of around £32m. After four years at the club, West Ham signed him for £10.1m.
He was meant to be their centre-back for the future, and since he remains at the club, he still could be. He’s just fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd.
Kehrer is now 27 years old, so he’s entering his prime as a defender. At some point, he’s going to want to be playing more regular football, whether that’s with West Ham or not.
The Premier League is harsh, most of Moyes’ signings at West Ham have actually proven to be very good deals – Jarrod Bowen and Jesse Lingard, for example.
Moyes knows the club inside-out, but the grass isn’t always greener.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers may face a challenge to keep hold of one of his first-team men in January after it emerged that another club is now keeping a close eye on his situation, according to reports.
Celtic's tale of two contrasting draws in the space of a week
During midweek, Celtic produced an awe-inspiring performance in front of a raucous atmosphere at Parkhead to record a 2-2 draw against La Liga high-flyers Atletico Madrid, with goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma enough to secure a point in the Champions League despite being pegged back twice by strikes from Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata.
Finally getting off the mark in Group E, Celtic boss Rodgers praised his side's efforts as they prolonged their hopes of securing European football after Christmas, saying: "That was a really good performance, but we just couldn't get the win. I don't think you can say they'll fly back to Spain not knowing they've had a tough game. They didn't create so much. Their equaliser was fantastic and shows the quality at this level."
He then added: "Our reaction in the game was superb, having the courage and the bravery to play. We showed we can compete with a top level team. We can create opportunities. We can play the game the way we want to play."
Despite this, Celtic returned to Scottish Premiership action away to Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday and a sluggish performance against a stubborn opponent could only yield a 0-0 draw in Edinburgh, with tired legs playing their part in a low-key affair.
Nevertheless, Rodgers commended his side for their points total in the first ten matches of the Scottish Premiership campaign and urged them to rediscover their best form against St Mirren at Parkhead on Wednesday, stating: "We've played ten games now. We've had eight wins and two draws and we've been to every ground in the country and did well in the main. The effort and commitment was there; now we need to recover and get ready for Wednesday."
Celtic's next five fixtures – all competitions
Competition
Opponent
Venue
Scottish Premiership
St Mirren (H)
Celtic Park
Scottish Premiership
Ross County (A)
Global Energy Stadium
Champions League
Atletico Madrid (A)
Wanda Metropolitano
Scottish Premiership
Aberdeen (H)
Celtic Park
Scottish Premiership
Motherwell (H)
Celtic Park
Celtic transfer update on Matt O'Riley
According to a transfer update from Football Insider, Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley is on the radar of Brighton & Hove Albion, who have sent scouts to watch the Danish playmaker in action regularly as Roberto De Zerbi assesses his options in the engine room. From their observations, the Premier League high-flyers are believed to be hugely impressed by his exploits and have set their sights on a move.
The Seagulls are among a host of clubs that have watched the 22-year-old in action this term as he continues to go from strength to strength under the tutelage of Rodgers.
Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.
Adding goals to his game, O'Riley has gone on to notch six strikes and four assists from 14 appearances across all competitions for Celtic this season (Matt O'Riley stats – Transfermarkt).
Commended for his "wonderful attitude" by Celtic boss Rodgers earlier this year, O'Riley has taken his game to a whole different stratosphere in 2023/24 and, unsurprisingly, clubs from south of the border have started to take notice of his consistent form.
Arsenal will roar back into Champions League action tonight, as they travel to RC Lens to face their first away clash since their return to the competition.
However, Mikel Arteta will face a quick turnaround from Saturday's emphatic victory over AFC Bournemouth and must contend with an injury list constantly fluctuating from day to day.
Who will be fit for Arsenal's game against RC Lens?
Having brushed aside PSV Eindhoven 4-0 in their European curtain-raiser, the Spaniard will hope to emulate that performance in France, although has seen a small upturn in ailments since the Dutch outfit came to north London.
A battling clash with rivals Tottenham Hotspur saw numerous casualties, with William Saliba, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka adding to the huge absences that Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard had already left.
However, the former trio all managed to return in time for that trip to the Vitality Stadium, but could be rested to prepare for the all-important clash with Manchester City on the weekend.
Another positive from that match was to see their tricky Belgian make the bench, although he was not risked as they cruised past the Cherries. Perhaps, given how exceptional he was in their last Champions League match, tonight could mark the perfect time for a recall.
How good is Leandro Trossard?
After all, it was fair to say that the former Brighton and Hove Albion man rose to the challenge in that aforementioned opener against the Red and Whites, earning an 8.0 rating buoyed by his goal and assist.
A consistent creative threat down that left flank, he deputised well in the absence of Martinelli, recording three key passes and driving home a fine second for the hosts, before being subbed off after just 58 minutes, via Sofascore.
Whilst such a display understandably drew praise, it is one which has become far more commonplace nowadays, with the £90k-per-week wizard having very nearly spearheaded their title push to the very end last season.
With four goal contributions in just five games across all competitions already this campaign, the 28-year-old seems poised to enjoy yet another outstanding year, having scored eight and assisted 13 in the Premier League alone last term.
After all, as recently as March saw writer Hayley McGoldrick rush to shower the Belgian international with adulation, branding him a "magician".
Although his fitness still remains up in the air, given he was fit enough for the bench on Saturday is a huge statement that Tuesday night could be his comeback.
After all, Arteta has been vocal about Trossard's instant importance to the Gunners since his £27m move last January:
"No, seriously, we knew about his quality and what he could bring to the team. We are really pleased with him, he can play on the right, he can play on the left, he can play as an attacking midfielder, as a nine, a false nine. He’s really contributing to the team and he really takes a lot of responsibility in games to make things happen and we love that."
Given how he rose to the Champions League challenge just last month, there is every chance that should he return to the starting side, he could replicate that form again.
Manchester United have put a poor start to the season behind them as they have won successive matches for the first time, defeating Burnley and Crystal Palace and this should give them confidence.
Erik ten Hag would’ve hoped his side were going to kick on from a positive maiden term in Manchester for the Dutchman, yet it hasn’t quite gone to plan.
His summer arrivals haven’t really hit the ground running while a series of injury problems has left United short in key areas, most notably the defence and attack.
This has led the former Ajax boss to utilise the services of several youngsters in his first team so far, as Alejandro Garnacho, Hannibal Mejbri and Facundo Pellistri all stepping up when it matters most and giving Ten Hag something to think about.
The Old Trafford side are of course, famous for believing in young talent since the days of Sir Matt Busby and a plethora of academy graduates have played a key role in United’s success over the years.
Marcus Rashford has arguably been one of the finest players to emerge from the youth ranks in the previous decade as he has established himself as one of United’s best players and the Red Devils have certainly struck gold on him, especially considering his market value.
When did Marcus Rashford make his Manchester United debut?
During Louis Van Gaal’s final season in 2015/16, United dropped from the Champions League into the Europa League and headed into their second leg tie against FC Midtjylland trailing 2-1 from the first leg.
Due to various injuries, the Dutchman gave Rashford his first start for the club and he went on to score twice as the Red Devils won 5-1 on the night, and it was certainly the catalyst which sent the youngster on his way to stardom.
Indeed, just three days later, he netted a double on his Premier League debut against Arsenal to secure a 3-2 win, and it was looking like the teenager was going to be a regular fixture until the end of that season.
These performances laid the foundations for the career the Englishman has gone on to have, while his value has since skyrocketed following his embryonic stages at the club.
What is Marcus Rashford’s market value now?
Having cost United nothing due to working his way through the youth ranks, the winger is now currently valued at €62.3m (£54m) according to Football Transfers and this represents a stunning rise over the previous few years.
Marcus Rashford
His value actually peaked at €82.7m (£71.5m) back in November 2021, yet if he continues to showcase the form which has turned him into one of United’s main goal scoring outlets since Ten Hag arrived, his value could return to this figure, or even surpass it.
The Dutchman won't be looking to sell him anytime soon, yet if the player wanted a move away from Old Trafford, they would stand to rake in a momentous profit on the 25-year-old as he looks to be heading into the prime years of his career.
Why is Marcus Rashford worth this much?
Although the 5 foot 10 sensation enjoyed a breakthrough first few months in 2016, it took him a few years to finally remain consistent enough in order to score ten or more Premier League goals during a single season.
This came during the 2018/19 campaign, scoring 17 goals across all competitions, and it was clear that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – who took charge midway through that term – had a player he could trust to score 15 or more goals every season.
Returns of 22 and 21 efforts over the next two seasons indicated that Rashford was becoming the main man at the Red Devils, yet his form dipped during 2021/22, scoring only five times all season which saw the Norwegian sacked as the manager.
With a new era set to begin following the appointment of Ten Hag ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, it represented a fresh start for the 25-year-old, and it was one that he relished.
Across a total of 56 matches, Rashford scored 30 goals and grabbed a further 11 assists and this was his best total in a single season since he broke onto the scene at the back end of the 2015/16 campaign.
He ranked first across the United squad in the league for goals and assists (22), while also finishing top of the pile for shots on target per game (1.4) and successful dribbles per game (1.5) as he was arguably the star of the season for Ten Hag.
When compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Rashford’s performances ranked him in the top 1% for total shots per 90 (3.84), the top 3% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.53) and the top 9% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (6.39) which is further proof that he is one of the finest forwards on the continent.
Although he has only scored once and registered two assists in seven games this term, he has been hailed for his performances, with analyst Statman Dave dubbing him “electric” due to his impressive first-half performance against Brighton and Hove Albion a few weeks ago.
If Ten Hag wants his reign at United to be a success, keep Rashford motivated will surely be his main task and this includes keeping him fit and happy while deploying him on his favoured position – the left wing.
Throughout his career, he has played 182 matches on the left wing, contributing 62 goals and 41 assists during those ties, and it is imperative that he continues to get utilised in this role.
The Old Trafford side have hit the jackpot on the talented winger, there’s no doubt about that and his rise from rough diamond into one of the best performers in the top flight suggest that there is hope for the majority of young players who are trying to emerge from the United academy.
Rashford is a beacon of hope for many people, both inside and outside the club and his value rising to stratospheric levels indicate that the club are still doing some things correctly.