Newcastle United will host Liverpool and Mohamed Salah on 27th August in the third week of the Premier League season. It's a massive game for both sides.

The Magpies will hope to build on their fourth-placed finish last season, while Liverpool will hope to push them out of the Champions League spots and rebound after a terrible campaign last time out. Of course, the Reds will turn to Salah to lead them.

But how likely is it that he gets one over on Newcastle United? Football FanCast delves into the stats to see just how well Salah plays against Newcastle.

What is Mohamed Salah's goal record against Newcastle?

Salah has played 13 times against Newcastle, with all fixtures coming in the Premier League, though not all of them were for Liverpool.

He actually played once for Chelsea – the Egyptian played 12 minutes in 2014 at Stamford Bridge. That, of course, was a very different Salah as the forward was transformed into a goalscoring machine on his move to Anfield.

And that shows in his record. Salah has six goals in 12 games against Newcastle for Liverpool. It's a great haul, but far from his most dominant – that's actually quite middle of the road in the Premier League for the Reds' star man.

What is Mohamed Salah's assist record against Newcastle?

Of course, Salah isn't just a goalscorer, but a creator too. And he has a fair few assists against Newcastle, with three in his last two games against the club.

In total, he boasts four across his 13 games to go along with his six goals, having been credited with a hand in three of the four scored by Liverpool against the Magpies last term.

What is Mohamed Salah's head-to-head record against Newcastle?

Newcastle have never actually beaten Salah's sides, whether he was on the pitch for Chelsea or Liverpool. His record stands at 13 played, 10 won, 3 drawn and zero defeats.

That record is actually Salah's best against any opponent across all competitions. He's never won more against a team without losing once – in fact, the only team he's ever defeated more than 10 times is Tottenham Hotspur (11).

And given all of his games came in the Premier League, there's a points tally. Salah has picked up 33 points in total against the Mapgies – just six shy of perfection.

What is Mohamed Salah's record at St James's Park?

It won't be a shock to learn that it's very good. Salah has played a total of six games at Newcastle, all coming for Liverpool.

He hasn't lost any of those meetings, of course, and has won four of them, drawing the other two. Though, it is notable that Salah has only ever scored once at St James' – that came back in 2019 and was a game where he also picked up an injury.

His team might do well there, but on an individual level, Newcastle isn't a particularly happy hunting ground for Salah:

Games – 6 Wins – 4 Draws – 2 Losses – 0 Goals – 1 Assists – 1 Who has Mohamed Salah scored against the most?

In total, Salah has scored against 11 teams more than he has against Newcastle. As previously mentioned, that figure of six isn't necessarily a standout for the Egyptian.

Sitting right at the top of that pile is Manchester United. Salah's record against them is incredible, scoring 12 times in 12 games and managing another four assists. Manchester City come next – 11 goals and five assists in 19 meetings.

Tottenham's 18 meetings with Salah have seen them ship 11 goals, too, along with a single assist. Meanwhile, Arsenal, West Ham United, Watford and Leeds United have all conceded nine times to the Liverpool star.

Bournemouth have been the unlucky opponent on eight occasions, while Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Southampton have all shipped seven.

How many goals does Mohamed Salah have in August?

Sticking to the Premier League, Salah has scored 12 goals in the month of August. It's a fantastic haul that, on the face of it, averages out to two August goals each season for the Egyptian.

It's actually slightly better than that, however. There were no August games in the 2020/21 Premier League season, which kicked off in September. If you count that as the equivalent of August in a regular season, you can add three more to Salah's total, with the winger bagging a hat-trick on the opening day against Leeds United).

What is Mohamed Salah's overall Liverpool goal record?

Salah was never really known as a goalscorer in his younger professional days – even his record with Basel was so-so. But once he left Chelsea for AS Roma, the Egyptian started to find his feet as a true goal threat.

29 goals in two Serie A seasons suggested something was there, but no one could have foreseen his explosion at Liverpool. Salah immediately broke the Premier League's goalscoring record for a 38-game season, scoring 32 times in his debut campaign.

Overall, the forward heads into the upcoming campaign with 137 Premier League goals for Liverpool, all coming in 218 games. That stretches to 186 in 305 across all competitions.

In all, he's one of the most dangerous forward players on the planet and has been for some time. Even if, for whatever reason, Newcastle usually find a way to handle him at home.

What is Mohamed Salah's Premier League record?

Salah's 137 Premier League goals for Liverpool, combined with the two he got for Chelsea in his brief spell there lead to a grand total of 139. It's an incredible haul – only 13 players have managed more since the start of the league in 1992.

And so, even if Salah matched his lowest goals total for Liverpool in a single year (19) this coming term, he'd move onto 158 goals. That would be enough to leapfrog Michael Owen in 10th on the all-time list. He likely won't have reached this point by the time he faces Newcastle – but he'll hope to draw closer against the Magpies.

What is Mohamed Salah's assist record?

Salah's 139 Premier League goals are a fantastic amount – but they're not all he can boast about. He's also claimed 59 assists in England's top flight, with two of those coming in Chelsea blue.

That has him sitting in 22nd place all-time and Salah will almost certainly enter the top 20 in the coming season. As Newcastle know very well, he doesn't just hurt you by scoring goals.

What is Liverpool's record against Newcastle?

Liverpool and Newcastle have met a lot over the decades – their history as opponents dates all the way back to 1893. And as with just about everyone else in English football, the Reds boast a good record.

They've competed 185 times in their history, with Liverpool winning 91 of those. Newcastle have then won 50 themselves, leaving 44 games without a winner.

But what about in the Premier League? There have unsurprisingly been a fair few meetings since England's top flight rebranded – 56 in total – with Liverpool taking the vast majority of those points.

The Reds have won 33 of the 56, with Newcastle settling for a mere 11. In fact, the Toon have drawn more than they've won, with the points splitting 12 times.

What are Liverpool's recent results against Newcastle?

Liverpool have been dominant in recent times against Newcastle. Even last season – a campaign where the Reds struggled and the Magpies shone – Jurgen Klopp's side won both games.

The most recent was a 2-0 win at St James' Park that followed a dramatic 2-1 win at Anfield – Fabio Carvalho squeezed in a winner with seconds to play. In fact, Liverpool have won the last four clashes, having taken the points on both occasions in the previous season, too.

There were a couple of draws before that – 0-0 in Newcastle in 2020 and 1-1 in Liverpool in 2021. But you're probably noticing that there isn't a single win for the Magpies to mention here.

That's because you need to head all the way back to 2015 for the last time Newcastle beat Liverpool. That game finished 2-0 at St James' and was the second consecutive year that the victors wore black and white.

When is Newcastle vs Liverpool?

Newcastle will host Liverpool on Sunday, 27th August at 4.30pm UK time. It promises to be one of the biggest games of the season's early stages, with both sides looking to make a big statement.

Newcastle need early momentum if they're to prove that last season wasn't a fluke. It won't be easy, however – this isn't even their first big test. It comes one week after a trip to Manchester City as the Magpies face as tough an early test as you can get.

Liverpool, of course, need to make a statement of their own. They were truly awful at times last season, falling out of the title race almost immediately and then struggling to even compete for European spots. A late charge saw them briefly battle for fourth, but they'll be a Europa League side this season.

The winner will take a huge confidence boost from this one, then, and the Reds will turn to Mohamed Salah as their leader up top. His record in Newcastle isn't exactly sparkling, but he almost always returns home a winner.

So far, only 59 overs have been possible across three days at Uxbridge. In that time, Middlesex have been unable to get the bonus points they may need for survival

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Uxbridge14-Sep-20171:31

County Championship Round-up: Middlesex hopes sink

It was always going to be about bonus points. Middlesex, hamstrung by a venue unfit for Championship cricket, have had to graft more in the rain delays than out in the middle. So far, only 59 overs have been possible across three days. In that time, Middlesex have been unable to get far.They are currently 162 for 7, locked in their own battle for whatever they can muster from a game that has almost certainly put a fork in outground cricket in September. Who knows what it might mean for the defending champion’s Division One status.It’s hard not to read that sentence and now think it is melodramatic. But the truth of the matter is that even Hampshire, who started the season as runaway leaders before Essex shaped up, were mathematically susceptible to the drop before this round. Now, their two bowling points along with the inevitable points for this draw will be enough. They have been sitting pretty throughout this match. While Middlesex’s players and managing director of cricket Angus Fraser have pitched in with the groundstaff, the Hants players kept warm indoors with a very justified sense of “not our problem”. They are as annoyed as anyone at the lack of cricket this week.The first order of business for the umpires this morning was to announce an early lunch for 12pm, allowing further checks on the state of the ground throughout the day. Hourly updates on the state of play followed, right until 3pm, when it was decided that a 3.30pm start would work. At that point, Yorkshire, who started this round level on points with Middlesex – just 13 above the relegation zone – had brought up their first batting point. Typically, thirty minutes later, it started raining at Uxbridge.Not for the first time, Middlesex players, accompanied by Fraser, helped out a skeleton groundstaff and covered as much of the ground as they could. Their quick work preserved the areas worst affected by the previous deluges and also ensured play was able to begin at 4.15pm, under bright sunshine. Over in south London, Yorkshire were bowled out 198 short of Surrey’s first innings, and were duly forced to follow on.Victory over Yorkshire will be the first of two favours Middlesex will ask of their south London rivals this fortnight. While a return to Lord’s next week sees Lancashire as opponents, Surrey host Somerset.But whatever local cheer the sun brought had dissipated by stumps. Having restarted the innings on 76 for 3, with 28.5 overs remaining, a series of misjudgements led to the fall of four wickets. Of course, Hampshire bowled well for their lot: Adam Voges squared-up expertly by Fidel Edwards and caught at second slip by Jimmy Adams, before Adams took his second when Middlesex debutant Max Holden threw his hands a good delivery from Ian Holland. A change at the Gatting Way End saw Kyle Abbott return to pick up the last two, forcing James Franklin to play on and James Harris to not play at all – bowled and lbw for ducks, respectively.Then, news filtered through of a fightback from Yorkshire that meant they reached the close of day three on 59 for 1, 139 behind. Meanwhile Somerset were rounding on a victory at Taunton against Lancashire: the visitors 45 ahead with just two wickets remaining.If Somerset give Essex the title with a win, and Yorkshire hold firm, Middlesex will drop into the relegation places should they leave Uxbridge without a bonus point. Somerset, who watched on in horror as a Championship title was ripped away from them by a manufactured chase at Lord’s in a thrilling finale to the 2016 summer, host Middlesex in the final round of the season. Contrivance, anyone?

Aston Villa have seen an opening bid for Moussa Diaby rejected by Bayer Leverkusen despite the Frenchman's desire to move to the Premier League, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Diaby joining Villa?

Having just completed a deal for Villarreal's Pau Torres – a major coup for the club – Villa are now turning their attention towards another potentially huge signing this summer.

Unai Emery's pulling power is already well documented and it appears some of Europe's best are excited about the prospect of working with the Spanish coach.

One of those is Diaby of Leverkusen who has continually impressed in the Bundesliga after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.

The 24-year-old winger, now working under Xabi Alonso at the BayArena, has been linked with a move away from Die Werkself this summer and could be on his way to Villa Park.

According to Romano, Diaby is a "top target" for Villa but the Midlands club have already seen their first proposal rejected outright by Leverkusen.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano claimed: "Moussa Diaby [is] one of the most interesting news of the day because I can confirm that Moussa Diaby is a top target for Aston Villa.

"They signed Pau Torres, very important signing. They are doing a very clear and nice job with Monchi, with Unai Emery, and they submitted a bid for Moussa Diaby. Was not €45m from what I'm hearing, [it was] €35m plus add-ons. This is what they bid from Aston Villa to Bayer Leverkusen.

"Bayer Leverkusen said 'no', they rejected the proposal, but I am told that the conversation is still ongoing between Villa and Leverkusen. So, Moussa Diaby, who for example has been for a long time in the list at Arsenal, is one of the players appreciated. [He's] already said 'yes' to Aston Villa. So, Moussa Diaby wants Premier League football."

It is likely that Villa will return with an improved bid for Diaby with Romano stating that the approximately £30m bid they submitted would not be enough to tempt Leverkusen. With a contract running until 2025, the German side are in no rush to sell one of their star players.

The signings of Torres and Youri Tielemans, the latter on a free transfer, have shown that Villa mean business this summer and are willing to invest in Emery and his squad.

Diaby would be another wonderful addition to a squad needing depth for the Europa Conference League next season, with the right-winger having attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe in the past.

How good is Diaby?

Another potential superstar spurned by Paris Saint-Germain after coming through the French club's academy, Diaby has been sensational since arriving at Leverkusen.

A right-sided winger desperate to cut in on his favoured left foot, Diaby has managed 49 goals and 48 assists in 172 matches with Die Werkself. Last season the speedster managed 18 combined goals and assists in 33 Bundesliga games, making him one of the division's top contributors.

The nine-cap French international is a menace for opposition left-backs with his direct running, pace and trickery causing defensive headaches. Compared to other wingers and attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga last season, his forward-thinking attitude really stood out.

Diaby was in the top 5% per 90 for progressive carries and the top 10% for carries into the penalty area, as well as sitting in the top 14% for passes and crosses into the box.

His willingness to run at defenders is one of his key strengths and his ability to cut back onto his wand of a left foot and unleash chaos makes him well-suited to the Premier League.

Crystal Palace may have waved goodbye to key man Wilfried Zaha this week, but another big name could soon be arriving at Selhurst Park in Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.

Who are Crystal Palace's forwards?

Zaha's departure to Galatasaray on a free transfer will leave a huge void to be filled, the winger departing the club he has called home for close to two decades, either side of a doomed spell with Manchester United.

Palace still have talented pair Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, assuming they fend off interest from top-flight rivals, but their squad is otherwise looking a little bare in attack.

Jean-Philippe Mateta struggled in his first season at Selhurst Park and may be moved on this summer, which would leave Jordan Ayew and Odsonne Edouard as Roy Hodgson's only senior forwards.

However, according to TheEaglesBeak, via football.london, Palace are looking to bolster their ranks and have made signing Nketiah their priority between now and the end of the transfer window on September 1.

How many goals has Eddie Nketiah scored?

Nketiah has made 89 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, but he has found the net just 14 times, while his overall record for the Gunners is 32 goals in 131 appearances.

The 24-year-old was called upon by Mikel Arteta in the midst of a tense title race with Manchester City last season after Gabriel Jesus sustained an injury that ruled him out for three months.

Nketiah initially took full advantage of his big chance by scoring six goals in six games in all competitions, including a double in Arsenal's thrilling 3-2 win over Manchester United in January.

That led to praise from captain Martin Odegaard, who hailed Nketiah for the "amazing" manner in which he stepped up to lead the line in Jesus' absence.

However, Nketiah – on wages of £100k-a-week at the Emirates Stadium, according to Capology – did not score in his next 14 appearances and ended the 2022-23 season with four goals in 30 appearances.

Still, Nketiah's return of 0.33 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, as per FBref, was bettered by only Eze – just – among Palace players last season (0.34). Nketiah's 0.41 goals and assists combined per 90, meanwhile, was near enough on a par with Olise (0.43).

In fact, Nketiah's figures were a lot better than he was perhaps given credit for. According to FBref's comparison model, the Englishman was very alike Manchester United's Marcus Rashford in a number of metrics last season.

Nketiah and Rashford fired away shots at an almost identical rate per 90 minutes (3.39 v 3.38 respectively), had a very similar pass-completion rate (80.4% v 76.7%), and likewise when it came to progressive carries per 90 (2.64 v 2.66).

While Rashford did register more goals and more assists than Nketiah, the pair recorded an identical expected assisted goals figure of 0.11 per 90, effectively meaning that they created the same quality of chances for teammates.

That is not to say Nketiah is on a par with Rashford, but should he be given a regular run of starts in a team full of talented young players, it may well be that he finally gets a chance to truly fulfil his potential at a London club.

Aston Villa are reported to be remaining confident in their speculated pursuit of Atletico Madrid sensation Joao Felix.

Unai Emery and Monchi are hoping to bolster Villa Park with star names ahead of the highly anticipated 2023/24 campaign, having already added Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans to the squad.

Now, the Midlands club could eye an audacious swoop, in a player that transfer insider Dean Jones believes could be “one of the best players” that the Villans’ have had.

Could Aston Villa sign Joao Felix?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones described the potential pursuit of the Portuguese gem as having the capacity to be an “unbelievable coup” stating that “there is a fine line as to whether it is going to be possible”.

As reported by various Spanish outlets, Newcastle, Manchester United and Villa are keen on the forward, who could cost in the region of £80m.

Speculated to be taking home around £250k-per-week at Atletico, the Villans may need to think about how they can find an agreement in personal terms with the 23-year-old.

Jones backed the club to make their quest for the forward seriously should all terms be considered, saying:

“If there is scope for a deal then yeah, I think they would go for something like this seriously."

How good is Joao Felix?

Hailed as a “phenomenon” by Portuguese legend Paulo Futre, the 23-year-old could be the added star power that differentiates Villa from a club dreaming of highs under Emery, to a side making their ambitions a reality.

The youngster is a name the Premier League is more familiar with this year, after spending a half-season loan at Chelsea.

Despite only scoring four goals during his time with the Blues, the forward showcased that he has the potential to thrive in England, putting the environment and form at Stamford Bridge aside.

For Villa, the introduction of the Portuguese gem could see a fundamental upgrade in attack for Emery's side, in a young player that has already dominated on the biggest stages in Europe.

Contributing to 107 goals in 238 record career appearances, via Transfermarkt, Felix has struck hot among the best, maintaining his authority in the attacks of Benfica, Atletico and Chelsea in what are still the early stages of his journey.

Such numbers are extremely impressive, especially when comparing those to Villa’s current line-leader Ollie Watkins, who has netted 118 goals in his career so far, with just 40 of which coming in the top division.

While the Englishman has been dazzling at Villa Park, the 27-year-old could see the potential successor to his throne in the Midlands arrive this summer, should Felix opt to join Emery’s project.

Linked to Lionel Messi based on his statistics over the past year, the 23-year-old ranked in the top 4% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues in terms of his average shots per 90, recording 4.04 per 90, via FBref.

The liveliness of Felix is incomparable to that of Watkins, who despite being a reliable scorer for Villa, fell short of the Viseu-born star in such areas, averaging 2.42 total shots per 90, highlighting the threat of the reported target.

Emery could switch up the calibre of players in his squad this summer, with the idea of signing the former Chelsea loanee posing to be a marquee acquisition should the Spaniard get the deal over the line.

Leicestershire continued to hold the upper hand at New Road but Brett D’Oliveira’s hundred ensured Worcestershire were not completely derailed in their pursuit of promotion

Jon Culley at New Road13-Sep-2017This has been another generally miserable season for Leicestershire but they are at least giving Worcestershire a fight. Who knows, they might even break their duck for the season, which would not be the outcome the home side had in mind when they lowered Nottinghamshire’s colours last week.That result not only ended the treble-seeking Division Two title favourites’ unbeaten record for the season but created the possibility, with Nottinghamshire out of action this week, that Worcestershire could knock them off the top. Their mood going into this match could hardly have been more buoyant.Apart from the first hour of the opening day, though, Leicestershire have had the upper hand. After recovering from 25 for 3 to be 325 for 7 at Tuesday’s close, they continued to prosper in the blustery sunshine of the second morning, missing out on a full set of batting points but at least enjoying the satisfaction of putting 400 on the board, something they had not done since May.Worcestershire are not out of it, by any means. Brett D’Oliveira played magnificently for his third hundred of the Championship season, yet they need another 134 to achieve parity, let alone a lead of any substance.It fully vindicated Mark Cosgrove’s decision to take his chance with the toss. R Ashwin, who took eight wickets on his debut here a couple of weeks ago, on a used wicket, was not nearly so effective, finishing with 2 for 132, although he might reflect, looking ahead to India’s tour here next summer, that the experience of bowling in less helpful English conditions could actually be quite educational.Neil Dexter, who extended his 102 overnight to 114 before Ashwin had him leg before, was the fulcrum, having batted 13 minutes short of four hours. The former Middlesex allrounder has had a difficult year in many respects, off the field as well as on, yet gave glimpses of his best in this innings. It will have pleased the Leicestershire hierarchy, too, that the innings did not peter out, as it might have done, after Dexter was eighth out at 354.Zak Chappell, the 21-year-old who looks a good prospect with bat and ball, followed Dexter back in the next over, out to a sharp catch at short leg by Tom Fell, but Dieter Klein and Callum Parkinson batted positively to add another 44 for the last wicket, giving the total a psychological bonus.Yet Worcestershire achieved their first objective by taking maximum bowling points – which always seems faintly absurd when the opposition have scored 400 – and completed a second late in the evening session when the partnership between D’Oliveira and George Rhodes for the fourth wicket guided them safely past the 255 required to avoid the follow-on.D’Oliveira and opening partner Daryl Mitchell have been the bedrock of Worcestershire’s success this season, scoring almost 2,000 runs behind them, their partnerships often the key to a win. They shared 119 before a wicket fell this time, and it might well have been many more had Mitchell, going after Callum Parkinson’s left-arm spin, not fallen victim to a superb catch by Klein at deep extra cover. The shot was miscued high into the air but Klein had to cover a lot of ground to be under it, with a gusty wind adding an extra degree of difficulty.Parkinson finished with three wickets on the day, claiming a bonus in the last over when Rhodes, who had played solidly for his 47, offering sensibly measured support to D’Oliveira, chipped wearily to Michael Carberry at short midwicket.Mitchell’s season has been phenomenal, encompassing six Championship hundreds and eight partnerships of 106 or more, including three with D’Oliveira. His statistics alone deserve the reward of promotion.It has been a road he has travelled before, of course. Worcestershire have been promoted to Division One four times since he made his debut, five times in all since the Championship was divided. They have also been relegated five times. No county has yo-yoed quite like them.The win at Trent Bridge created a wide enough gap between themselves and the chasing group to suggest they will pull it off again, potentially with an added cause for satisfaction if Warwickshire do pass them in the other direction, which now seems all but certain. Not since the Championship went to two divisions in 2000 have Worcestershire been in the division above their Midlands neighbours.

Ethan Mbappe joined his older brother Kylian on the field as he made his senior debut for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat Metz 3-1 on Wednesday.

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Ethan Mbappe came off bench in PSG winAppeared on field alongside older brotherMidfielder made senior debut at 16 years oldWHAT HAPPENED?

The 16-year-old came off the bench in second-half stoppage time of the midweek Ligue 1 match to see out the final moments of the game. The midfielder replaced Manuel Ugarte for the home side and briefly played alongside his World Cup-winning sibling.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The older Mbappe scored twice in the French top-flight clash as the reigning champions made it eight games in a row without defeat in the league. The victory for Luis Enrique's team ensures they remain five points clear at the top of the table ahead of Nice.

DID YOU KNOW?

The younger Mbappe joined PSG's youth academy from the Bondy system in 2017, around the same time Kylian joined the club on loan from Monaco for a season before making the move permanent in 2018. The teenager has been a key figure for the PSG Under-19s, having featured in all six of their UEFA Youth League group stage matches this season.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ETHAN MBAPPE?

After making his senior debut in the Ligue 1 match, the youngster will hope it is the first of many appearances he makes for the French champions and alongside his elder brother over the course of the rest of the season.

Erik ten Hag was given a boost on Wednesday as midfielder Mason Mount returned to training with Manchester United.

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• Mount out of action since November 11
• Returned to training on Wednesday
• Casemiro & Martinez expected back next month

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mount has not featured for the Red Devils since a substitute appearance against Luton on November 11, having been out of action with an injury. The 24-year-old stepped up his recovery in midweek by getting back on the training pitch, United confirmed on Wednesday.

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• WHAT MOUNT SAID

  Mount shared an image of himself training, adding in his Instagram post: "Hope you had a great Christmas Reds, can’t wait to be back out there with the lads!"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The England international's return to training comes as good news for manager Ten Hag, who has had to cope without several key players throughout the season due to injury concerns. The Dutchman expects fellow Red Devils stars Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez to return in January.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MOUNT?

  The former Chelsea player will continue his recovery over the coming days and Ten Hag may provide an update on his fitness at a press conference on Friday. However, he is not expected to be back in the squad for Saturday's match against Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal could use Gabriel Martinelli as a makeweight in negotiations to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, however there are doubts over whether they would be able to secure the move, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are still weighing up new attacking signings this summer, with Ajax's Mohammed Kudus recently re-emerging as an option, according to journalist Charles Watts, who claims the Ghanaian "ticks a lot of boxes" due to his age and versatility.

Watts has also reported that Nicolas Pepe is set to leave the Emirates Stadium soon, which could free up the wages for Mikel Arteta to bring in some new options, saying: “We’ll have to wait and see but I think Arsenal, from their point of view, they would love someone from Saudi Arabia becoming interested in Pepe.

“We shall wait and see what happens but one thing’s for sure: he’s got no long term future at Arsenal. He’ll certainly be gone soon. He’s one of the highest earners, probably in the top five.”

Given that Mbappe reportedly earns £1.2m-per-week at PSG, Arsenal will seemingly need to fork out a huge sum on wages if they are to win the race for his signature, and they have now hatched a plan to sign the forward.

That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states the Gunners may use Martinelli as a makeweight in negotiations to sign the Frenchman in 2024, amid his uncertain future with the French champions.

Real Madrid are among the favourites to sign the 24-year-old, while clubs from Saudi Arabia are also interested, and reports from France indicate a world-record breaking offer is set to be handed to PSG in the coming days.

As such, there are doubts over whether Arsenal would be able to win the race for the France international, but they have a package prepared, and it is no secret he admires the project on offer at the Emirates Stadium.

How many goals has Kylian Mbappe scored?

It is clear to see why a whole host of top clubs are circling for the attacker, as he has been extremely prolific in a PSG shirt for a number of years now, scoring a total of 212 goals in 260 appearances for the club, while also registering 98 assists.

Hailed as "unbelievable" by Fabrizio Romano, the former AS Monaco star has scored 40 goals in 70 caps for France, meaning he is already fifth on their list of all-time top scorers, at the age of just 24.

The PSG star ranks highly on almost all attacking metrics over the past year, particularly impressing with his dribbling ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries per 90, and in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, when compared to his positional peers.

There is no doubt that Mbappe would be an incredible signing for Arsenal, and even though Martinelli has been very impressive, scoring 15 Premier League goals last term, it would be worth using him in negotiations if it helped seal the deal.

Joe Leach’s Worcestershire team moved closer to the Division Two title despite Durham avoiding the follow on during a rain-affected third day at New Road

Paul Edwards at New Road27-Sep-20172:06

County Championship Round-up: Final-day drama awaits

Joe Leach’s walk back to his bowling mark is a fine enough thing, yet even his fondest relations do not judge it worthy of applause. We may live in a hyperbolic age but putting one foot in front of another does not justify hysterical ovations and hats-in-the-air jubilee. No, the reason the spectators at New Road broke into spontaneous clapping at 10.42am on this hazy late September morning was because, some 70 miles away, Northamptonshire’s Ben Sanderson had been bowled by Leicestershire’s Dieter Klein. One doubts this dismissal prompted unalloyed rejoicing even among the heaving thousands on the Grace Road terraces but at New Road it confirmed Worcestershire’s promotion to Division One of the County Championship.Some might have thought the rest of the day’s cricket would be wrapped in prolonged celebration and unreality following the achievement of the goal set by the Worcestershire coach, Steve Rhodes, last November. Yet it was not so. For one thing, Worcestershire want to go up as champions and that is not quite settled yet. Nottinghamshire may overtake them although their priority will be the achievement of a draw and their own promotion. Nevertheless, despite the entreaties of the lunchtime television people, Bradford-born Rhodes did not give any interviews until the end of the third day’s play. “I have a cricket match to win,” he said. You can take the lad out of Yorkshire etc, etc.Moreover, Durham’s cricketers have never been the drinks waiters at someone else’s party. It was entirely in character when Michael Richardson and Graham Onions added 30 for the last wicket to save the follow-on. Other teams might have folded on this third day but Onions does not want his last game for his beloved county to end in defeat. He even protested fairly plainly when Steve Gale judged him caught at second slip off the glove for 13. That ended Durham’s innings and it gave Worcestershire a 127-run lead. That had been extended to 284 for the loss of three wickets when bad light and rain arrived in mid-afternoon and only relented briefly. The destination of the title will therefore hang on the final day of the season here and even some home supporters were secretly pleased when Richardson pushed that crucial single. Every September afternoon is treasured.But this day had already offered other touching ovations and one of the warmest was for Leach and his players when they returned to the pavilion at the end of the Durham innings. The reason for this prolonged applause was very clear. Leach’s one wicket in the morning had taken his own total to 66 in the Championship but in addition to his impressive fast-medium bowling, he has been a fine skipper of some good young players. For example, Ed Barnard’s removal of Mark Wood and Chris Rushworth on the third morning took his own tally of wickets to 45, this in addition to nearly 600 runs. The hope is that cricketers like Barnard and George Rhodes will not be overawed by first division cricket. Worcestershire have won promotion five times in 12 season; all but one of those successes was followed by immediate relegation.Yet the most wholehearted applause of the day was reserved for Tom Fell, who returned to the pavilion having made 47, his highest score of what has been a thoroughly miserable season. Fell had offered signs that he was returning to something on the outskirts of form before he was leg-before when attempting to play Ryan Pringle’s sharply-spun offbreak to leg. It was a limp shot but that did not affect the spectators’ regard. Fell is one of the ten players in this Worcestershire side who came up through the county’s Academy and has recovered from serious illness. Even a half-century from him would have made the crowd’s day even more special.The evening session ambled towards a grey conclusion. Four overs were bowled but conditions were thoroughly miserable and Paul Collingwood saw no virtue in bowling his spinners to prolong the play. By the close it was clear that if Nottinghamshire avoid defeat at Hove they will be promoted while if Worcestershire avoid defeat here they will be champions. Any declaration offered by Leach will probably be tough in the extreme. That, though, may not matter to the home supporters at New Road. They hope simply that some sun will shine on a trophy their team has not won since 2003. And that will be it for another season. “Even the sun sets in paradise,” croons Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. Perhaps so, but even the kaleidoscope of copper beeches, chestnuts and limes on the banks of the Severn does not make it easier to apprehend.