Carlo Ancelotti has sought to ease concerns regarding Jude Bellingham playing through painkilling injections at Real Madrid.
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Pride is on the line for West Indies heading into the third T20I against England on Sunday. Having performed admirably in their 2-1 Test series victory and tied the ODIs 2-2, the home side will want to end the tour with far more than the whimper they produced in the second T20 to hand England an unassailable 2-0 lead in that contest.To lose is one thing for the world champions, to be bowled out for just 45, the lowest total by any ICC Full Member nation, is quite another and, whlie acknowledging their focus was already on the World Cup, Jason Holder said West Indies had “to get ourselves attuned to the T20 game” ahead of the final match in St Kitts. On the bright side for them, West Indies improved their efforts in the field in game two after a costly rash of dropped catches previously.England, too, have more than one eye on their World Cup campaign and, having entered the T20 series wanting to salvage something from the tour in terms of silverware, they can now focus fully on future selection and man management.
West Indies: LLLWL (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
England: WWWLW
Dawid Malan spoke before the T20 series of his desire to break back into international reckoning but he is yet to be given the chance despite making four half-centuries in his five T20I appearances with a strike-rate of 150.60. Sunday marks the one and only remaining opportunity to present his case on this tour, should be chosen as an option to rest Eoin Morgan or replace Joe Denly.Denly, who has not played an ODI since 2009, was England’s second-highest scorer behind Jonny Bairstow (68) with 30 and took 1-28 off three overs in the opening T20. He only managed to score two in the second match and could make way in the final fixture if selectors want to gauge the form of someone else, like Malan.West Indies handed Obed McCoy a T20I debut in the second match and the 22-year-old left-arm quick faced a tough initiation, particularly when he was asked to bowl the final over of England’s innings in which he endured a dropped catch and conceded 22 runs to a rampaging Sam Billings. He eventually had Billings caught behind on the last ball. McCoy finished with 1-44 off his three overs and will be desperate for a second chance.
There are opportunities for both sides to rotate personnel and for West Indies it could be a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained. Chris Gayle, Player of the Series with his history making batting exploits in the ODIs, has been contained in the T20s with scores of just 15 and 5. He could be rested to continue planning his ODI retirement party at the age of 39 after the World Cup in favour of handing a T20I debut to John Campbell, the opening batsman who played his first Tests and ODIs against England on this tour and showed glimpses of his potential without setting those series alight.West Indies: (probable) 1 John Campbell, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Jason Holder (capt), 7 Carlos Brathwaite, 8 Devendra Bishoo, 9 Fabian Allen, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Obed McCoyEngland, meanwhile, can afford to rest even more players, having already sent home a number of their frontliners , and take a look at those on the fringes of World Cup considerations. Malan could come in to give Eoin Morgan a rest, especially if the England skipper is carrying any soreness from a bruising collision with Tom Curran while taking a catch off Shai Hope in the second match. With Chris Jordan relishing the chance to showcase his talents with the ball – and in the field – England could stick with him and keep Mark Wood in cotton wool.England: (probable) 1 Alex Hales, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Joe Denly, 6 Sam Billings, 7 David Willey, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 Adil Rashid
The Basseterre pitch failed to produce the run-fest expected with its short boundaries – six sixes and 23 fours were scored, despite England managing to post a respectable total of 182 for 6. Nor did it necessarily turn out to be the bowl-first pitch it seemed, although it looked that way as England collapsed to 32 for 4 within the first six overs. And, who knows if it would have improved further for batting with West Indies capitulating for just 45 runs inside 12 overs in reply. The third match is expected to be played on the same pitch, so it will be interesting to see how both sides play it this time round, having had a good look now. Mild and sunny conditions are forecast.
“There’s still pride to play for, the whole purpose of keeping this squad together was to build towards the World Cup.” Jason Holder reckons there is still plenty on the line in the dead rubber“That would be a dream.” Chris Jordan, who has been something of a re-revelation in the first two games, on the prospect of he and fellow Barbados-born bowler Jofra Archer being named in England’s World Cup squad
كشفت تقارير صحفية، أن هناك فرصة لإنقاذ الدولي النيجيري فيكتور أوسيمين من موقفه المتأزم في نادي نابولي الإيطالي، بعدما تم رفع اسمه من قائمة الفريق.
وكان أوسيمين قد دخل في مفاوضات مع عدد من الأندية الخارجية مثل أهلي جدة، وتشيلسي دون موافقة نابولي النهائية على المقابل المادي.
هذا ما أزعج نابولي بالفعل وقام برفع اسم المهاجم النيجيري من قائمته رسميًا عبر موقع الدوري الإيطالي، بل ومنح صفقته الجديدة، روميلو لوكاكو، القميص رقم 9 وهذا يعني أنه خرج من الحسابات.
صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، كشفت أن نادي جالطة سراي ظهر في الصورة، ويمكنه أن ينقذ فيكتور أوسيمين، حيث إن سوق الانتقالات لا يزال مفتوحًا في تركيا.
وينتهي سوق الانتقالات التركية في 13 سبتمبر الجاري، ومع إصابة ماورو إيكاردي وغيابه لمدة شهر، مع امتلاك جالطة سراي للمال، يمكن أن تحسم الصفقة لإنقاذ فيكتور أوسيمين.
أهلي جدة من غير المتوقع أن يواصل التحرك لضم النيجيري بعد التعاقد مع مهاجم برينتفورد ومنتخب إنجلترا، إيفان توني، مع إغلاق سوق الانتقالات في السعودية مساء اليوم الإثنين.
MatériaMais Notícias
O Botafogo, aos poucos, vai chegando nos alvos de mercado nesta janela de transferências. O clube de General Severiano fez uma proposta por Thiago Lopes, meio-campista de 24 anos que pertence ao Coritiba e passou o segundo semestre da temporada emprestado ao Vitória.
A diretoria do Glorioso buscou informações e indicou uma proposta formal aos empresários de Thiago Lopes entre o último domingo e a segunda-feira, no começo desta semana. Os próximos capítulos, contudo, não prometem trazer ondas tranquilas para o Botafogo.
Thiago Lopes também tem uma proposta formal de uma equipe da Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Botafogo tem noção da concorrência e de que o cenário que o Glorioso pode oferecer em termos de competitividade é menos atrativo em relação ao rival nesta transferência.
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O Botafogo segue no páreo na tentativa de contratar o meio-campista, mas sabe que a possível concorrência pode atrapalhar um possível final feliz. Mesmo assim, o Alvinegro permanece em contato com o estafe do jogador em busca de um fechamento da negociação.
Resta ao Alvinegro aguardar. O clube de General Severiano sabe que não tem condições de entrar em “leilão” pelo jogador, ainda mais com uma equipe que jogará na primeira divisão e, consequentemente, terá maiores receitas na próxima temporada.
Na temporada, Thiago Lopes fez 19 jogos e marcou dois gols vestindo a camisa do Coritiba. O meia foi emprestado ao Vitória no segundo semestre, para a disputa da Série B. No Leão, foram 18 partidas disputadas e uma bola na rede.
Former county opener holds up Surrey’s victory push with impressive hundred
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2019MCC 265 and 221 for 1 (Sibley 102*) trail Surrey 520 (Pope 251) by 34 runsOllie Pope laid down a timely reminder of the credentials that earned him a Test debut against India last summer, as he converted his overnight century into a career-best 251 to cement Surrey’s control of the Champion County fixture at Dubai.By the close of the third day, however, their march to an apparently comfortable victory had been held up by a doughty response from MCC’s openers.Faced with a deficit of 255, the Warwickshire duo of Will Rhodes and Dom Sibley added 190 for MCC’s first wicket to help reduce their side’s arrears to just 34 runs with nine wickets standing.Though Rhodes eventually fell for 88 – bowled by the legspin of Scott Borthwick – Sibley was unbeaten on 102 at the close, a telling display from a player who left Surrey under a cloud last season, having felt his opportunities for first-team cricket had been limited since becoming, in 2013, the second-youngest player after WG Grace to score a first-class double-century.He went to his hundred with 11 fours, and had faced 194 balls by the close, in compiling his fourth first-class century in five innings, after finishing the 2018 county season with a flurry of 106, 44, 144 not out and 119 for Warwickshire against Leicestershire, Sussex and Kent.Earlier, Surrey had tightened their grip on the contest by adding a further 131 runs to their overnight 389 for 4, to finish on an imposing 520. They lost one of their overnight centurions, Jamie Smith, for the addition of just four runs, but Pope – who resumed on 183 not out – did not miss out on the chance to convert to a mighty innings.In the midst of a sandstorm, Pope soon went past 200 for the first time in his career, then launched the spin of Dom Bess for consecutive sixes to reach his 250 in style.MCC did battle back with the ball, however. Pope holed out to mid-off against Rhodes’ medium pace to open up an end, whereupon Stephen Parry, the former England left-arm spinner, picked through the tail with three quick wickets.
Pep Guardiola hailed Stefan Ortega's heroics after the goalkeeper stood tall to save Son Heung-min's shot and keep Manchester City's lead intact.
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Ortega was introduced as a substituteShot-stopper pulled off an incredible save to deny SonKept City's title ambitions on trackWHAT HAPPENED?
There was intense drama during City's match against Tottenham, particularly when starting goalkeeper Ederson was forced off after a collision with Cristian Romero in the 69th minute. Ortega, stepping in as his replacement, showed nerves of steel in a one-on-one situation with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, in the 86th minute as he spread himself to deny the South Korean a crucial equaliser that would have changed the entire dynamic of the game. Six minutes later, Erling Haaland capitalized on a penalty and scored the insurance goal to seal the three points for the Cityzens.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
Guardiola did not hold back his praise for Ortega’s game-changing save and told reporters: "How is a team a team? Because of Ortega’s save. Otherwise, Arsenal are champions. That is the reality, the margins are so, so tight.
“Do you know how many times Son punished us in the last seven, eight years? Can I tell you how many goals he scored against us with Harry Kane? Oh my God, and I said ‘not again,’ but Stefan makes an incredible save. It was amazing but he has this talent.
“In the one-against-one, he is one of the best keepers I have ever seen in my life. Stand up, don’t go down and he is so, so, good. Playing FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and even this season Ederson had four times setbacks for injuries and always he was so reliable. He is an incredible keeper so the club and our trainer made an incredible decision to bring him here.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Looking ahead, Guardiola quickly turned his focus to City’s upcoming match against West Ham, where a victory will secure their sixth Premier League title under his leadership and an unprecedented fourth consecutive crown.
“Now? I am tired,” he admitted. “Relax and tomorrow start to think about West Ham. It is a pleasure to depend on ourselves for the last game against a contender like Arsenal.
"Now, (Mohammed) Kudus, (Jarrod) Bowen, (Michail) Antonio, (James) Ward-Prowse, (Tomas) Soucek, set-pieces, channels. And think about that, focus perfectly and think about it like we live with Aston Villa (last season). The last (defeat) was the sixth of December. We are here and we have to win one more game to retain the title.”
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR STEFAN ORTGEA?
Ortega's heroics and Haaland’s clinical finishing have set the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the Premier League season. City fans will be eagerly anticipating Sunday’s clash with West Ham, knowing that their destiny is in their hands. However, it remains to be seen if Guardiola will stick to Ortega for the final showdown against David Moyes' men or bring back Ederson, despite the fiery response from the Brazilian after he was hooked on Tuesday.
Despite overcoming Preston North End 2-0 last time out in the Championship, and Nazariy Rusyn finally breaking his goalscoring hoodoo for the club, Sunderland will be eager to recruit a new striker in January to help with their sustained promotion push.
The Black Cats long for their very own talismanic figure again up top akin to Adam Armstrong for Southampton or Sammie Szmodics for Blackburn Rovers firing in the goals for their promotion rivals, hopeful of striking gold this month and landing a new version of Ross Stewart.
Michael Beale will hope this potential addition can add considerable firepower to the attacking ranks, utilising the Scottish market once more – like Sunderland did with signing Stewart from Ross County previously – to unearth a new potent striker at EFL level.
Sunderland transfer latest – brand new Stewart
Ewen Cameron, host of the Big Scottish Football Podcast, has relayed reports that the Black Cats could well be in for Hearts sharp shooter Lawrence Shankland this month but the Championship promotion hopefuls won't be a lone suitor going after the on-fire Scotsman.
Fellow Scottish Premiership outfit Rangers have also put their hat into the ring about a potential deal according to reports, whilst TEAMTalk back last summer suggested that Southampton were also keen on landing Shankland as an alternative striker option and a deal could be back on the table this January.
Scoring goals by the bucket load in his native Scotland, the prolific Hearts forward – who was touted for a £4m move to Saudi Arabia over the summer – could well now believe the time is right for a move away from the comforts of Tynecastle to test himself in a more challenging division such as the Championship in uncharted territory.
Sunderland will hope they can land the 28-year-old before the close of the transfer window, hoping that history repeats itself and Shankland proves to be a blinder for the Black Cats, reminiscent of Stewart's rich goalscoring exploits on Wearside.
The stats that show Lawrence Shankland would be a good signing for Sunderland
The obvious reason why Shankland would be a perfect fit for Sunderland currently is his potency in front of goal, Sunderland in desperate need of an ice-cold finisher in their ranks away from the misfiring crop currently at Beale's disposal.
The Hearts captain has bagged a ridiculous 18 goals in all competitions this season for his Edinburgh-based employers, with 13 of those coming in league action to make him the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership to date.
Lawrence Shankland – Hearts
13
Matt O'Riley – Celtic
10
James Tavernier – Rangers
10
Abdallah Sima – Rangers
10
Bojan Mivoski – Aberdeen
9
Stats from Transfermarkt
In contrast, the campaign before Stewart embarked on a new adventure with the Black Cats, the current Saints man only bagged six in all competitions for Ross County, before going on to net 40 goals in just 80 games at the Stadium of Light.
Shankland's continued heroics for Hearts have seen him described as "different class" by journalist Joel Sked, who praised the attacker's overall game away from just being a deadly poacher too – "so much more to his game than goals".
The likes of Jack Clarke and Alex Pritchard could well have a field day on Shankland's arrival to the Stadium of Light therefore, teeing up the clinical Scotland international with countless opportunities in big games to help the 28-year-old become a feared EFL striker.
Averaging 3.6 shots per game this campaign – as per Sofascore – the 6 foot 1 attacker is far more lively and unafraid to try and catch goalkeepers out away from the sheepish forwards at Sunderland currently in Rusyn, Mason Burstow and more.
It feels like a no-brainer for the Black Cats to go after Shankland therefore this month, hoping that they can replicate the past success of Stewart with the Hearts sharpshooter in the present,
He may just be the missing piece of the puzzle for Beale and his side in their hunt for promotion.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been an impressive force in the Premier League this campaign and have now made contact regarding a potential arrival this window, according to a report.
Wolves January transfer news
Without a doubt, some in footballing circles probably didn't expect much of Wolves this campaign following a summer of issues with Financial Fair Play that led to the eventual departure of Julen Lopetegui; however, the Old Gold have exceeded expectations and have been a real surprise package under Gary O'Neil.
Sitting 11th in the Premier League, the West Midlands-based outfit are only a handful of points away from the European slots and could potentially challenge for continental qualification between now and the end of 2023/24, though January reinforcements are likely to be necessary if they have elevated ambitions at Molineux.
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According to The Telegraph, Wolves are keen on Southampton striker Che Adams, who has just six months remaining on his contract at the Championship outfit. West Ham United striker Danny Ings has also been discussed in previous transfer windows, though a move for the veteran seems unlikely at this point, while the Old Gold missed out on Rafiu Durosinmi, who has completed a transfer to Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Austria international Sasa Kalajdzic could also be on his way to partner Durosinmi in Germany at Deutsche Bank Park; nevertheless, the 2022 Europa League winners are waiting to see if O'Neil will sanction his exit this month.
Now, contact has been initiated as Wolves look to bring another exciting player into the building that could help to boost their creativity in the final third, according to reports.
Wolves keen on Fabio Carvalho
According to journalist Rudy Galetti, Wolves are keen on bringing in Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho on loan and have made contact to ask about his situation following the Reds' decision to recall the 21-year-old from his temporary spell at RB Leipzig.
Football Insider claim that Liverpool still have high hopes for the Portugal Under-21 cap despite being willing to sanction a loan exit once again this month and will prioritise finding him a destination where he can play regular football after a disappointing spell on the continent.
Nevertheless, any option to buy is likely to be absent from a deal as Liverpool are in "no rush to cash in" and they are keen to take a prolonged look at Carvalho's progress closer to home, with Leicester City and Everton also mooted to be keen on his services.
Fabio Carvalho's spell at RB Leipzig in numbers – all competitions (FBRef)
Matches played
12
Minuted played
288
Goals
0
Assists
0
Expected goals
0.2 (Bundesliga), 0.1 (Champions League)
Expected assists
0.2 (Bundesliga), 0.0 (Champions League)
Shot-creating actions
7
Wolves could do with some added ingenuity in the middle of the park and their upward trajectory may be seen as a positive by Carvalho as he looks to take his next career step.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement's impressive start to life in Scotland continued on Saturday as his unbeaten run remained intact.
The Belgian tactician has been in charge of 12 competitive matches for the Scottish giants and is yet to see his side lose in any competition so far.
Goals from James Tavernier, Cyriel Dessers, and Abdallah Sima ensured that all three points were secured by the Gers against Dundee at Ibrox, despite going down to ten men due to a mistimed challenge from Jose Cifuentes.
Dessers has now scored five goals in 13 Scottish Premiership appearances for the club since his summer switch from Italian side Cremonese.
The Nigeria international has, however, missed a whopping 11 'big chances' in front of goal and it remains to be seen whether or not Clement can rely upon him as a consistent scoring option.
This is a big concern after the worrying update on Danilo, who is set for a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury suffered against Hearts earlier this month.
Sky Sports recently reported that the Brazilian centre-forward may need to have surgery on his knee and there is no timetable on his potential return or how long he would be out for without the need to go under the knife.
This is a worrying update for Rangers as the summer signing from Feyenoord now looks set for a significant spell on the sidelines, particularly if surgery is required, and that could force them into the market in January to bolster their frontline.
Earlier this month, The Scottish Sun claimed that the Light Blues have been keeping tabs on impressive Aberdeen number nine Bojan Miovski.
The report claimed that the Gers are one of a number of clubs, in Scotland and England, eyeing up the North Macedonia international. However, the potential finances involved could make it a difficult one for them to complete.
It is stated that Celtic are also weighing up an official approach to secure his services as Brendan Rodgers wants to improve his striker options.
The Scottish Sun added that it could take a Premiership record fee of more than the £4.4m the Hoops paid for Scott Brown from Hibernian back in 2007, although no exact figure on how much the Dons would demand was mentioned.
This could make it too expensive for Rangers but never say never in football as it would be impossible to rule out exits in January that could raise enough funds for them to compete for the signing of Miovski.
If they could bring the talented marksman in to Ibrox then it could ease the blow of losing Danilo for a chunk of the season, or more, as he is a proven performer at this level who could come in and hit the ground running during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Brazilian ace has been an exciting addition to the squad and showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator goals in recent weeks.
|
22/23 Eredivisie |
Danilo (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
34 |
|
Starts |
14 |
|
Goals |
Ten |
|
Assists |
Three |
|
Big chances missed |
Nine |
Michael Beale snapped him up after an excellent return in front of goal in minimal starts, as shown in the table above, for Feyenoord and Clement was starting to get the best out of the young ace prior to his injury blow.
Danilo racked up three goals and four assists in his last nine competitive appearances for the Gers in all competitions, whilst Dessers has managed three assists in 24 matches since his move to Scotland over the summer.
The 24-year-old finisher has produced four goals and one assist in five Premiership starts so far this season, which shows that the ex-Ajax man has been a lethal option for the Scottish giants at the top end of the pitch.
He has proven himself to be a nuisance to opposition defenders and has the quality, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, to provide a threat in front of goal whilst also being able to create opportunities for his fellow attackers.
Whereas, Dessers has five goals and zero assists in 11 top-flight starts for Rangers, which suggests that Danilo has been far more of a threat in his starts for the club.
This suggests that Clement is in need of another centre-forward option in the Brazilian's absence, which is where Miovski could come in.
The 24-year-old sensation joined Aberdeen from MTK Budapest at the start of last season and hit the ground running in Scotland with his superb performances at the top end of the pitch.
Miovski has caused constant problems for opposition defenders with the threat he provides in the final third, whilst the talented gem has also made an impact in European competitions.
|
22/23 Premiership |
Miovski (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
37 |
|
Goals |
16 |
|
Assists |
Two |
|
Big chances created |
Six |
|
Big chances missed |
15 |
As you can see from the table above, the left-footed marksman was a regular goalscorer in the top-flight in his first season in Scottish football.
Meanwhile, no Rangers forward managed more than Antonio Colak's return of 14 Premiership goals and James Tavernier was the only Gers player in any position to match Miovski's 16 strikes.
The Dons star also produced two goals and one assist in four League Cup appearances to take his tally to 18 goals in his debut campaign.
This season, Miovski has racked up 12 goals and three assists in 25 matches in all competitions. He has managed four goals and two assists in seven Europa League qualifiers and Europa Conference League games combined.
The Aberdeen whiz, who manager Barry Robson lauded as a "brilliant boy" earlier this season, has scored six goals and missed six 'big chances' in the Premiership, which means that he has scored more goals and missed fewer huge opportunities than Dessers.
These statistics suggest that Clement's squad would be bolstered by the signing of the SPFL finisher as he has proven himself at this level and could provide far more quality in the box in comparison to the Nigeria international.
Therefore, the Gers should work hard to beat Celtic to his signature in January to ease the blow of losing Danilo to a knee injury.
After collapsing away at Manchester United in disastrous fashion last match – Erik ten Hag's stuttering Red Devils pulling off an almighty comeback to win 3-2 – Aston Villa will hope a return to home comforts today means three points will be wrapped up come full-time to forget their nightmare day out to the Theatre of Dreams instantly.
Unai Emery will ponder what team to select for the game against Burnley at Villa Park, the one-time title challengers needing to get back on track against the Clarets to keep up the pace with the teams at the top of the division and continue overperforming.
The 52-year-old boss in the Villa dug-out could drop Jacob Ramsey for the match against Vincent Kompany's side, the young homegrown product failing to strike fear into the United defence last game with a passive display going forward.
Jacob Ramsey's game vs Man United in numbers
Becoming a first-teamer again under Emery in the last few weeks, Ramsey's spot in the starting eleven could now be under threat owing to a poor performance against the Red Devils.
The 22-year-old – who has operated in central midfield this season for the Birmingham-based club – was selected to play at left wing against Ten Hag's hosts and struggled, registering just one paltry effort on Andre Onana's goal – as per Sofascore – that ended up being blocked.
Moreover, Ramsey was physically feeble in the back-and-forth affair at Old Trafford – failing to win a single aerial duel in the 3-2 loss for Villa, whilst only successfully winning 50% of his ground duels.
The Villa number 41 also failed to even attempt a dribble attempt all match, with Alejandro Garnacho upstaging the lacklustre winger for the home side with a rampant second-half display, culminating in the skilful winger scoring two goals to help the Red Devils pull off an unbelievable comeback win.
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Birmingham Live journalist John Townley handed out a meagre 5/10 rating to Ramsey after the defeat, stating that the Villa man 'went missing' in the second 45 minutes.
Emery could well look to his squad to see who can come in and replace the disappointing Ramsey for the game against Burnley therefore, opting to potentially give Moussa Diaby a go down the left flank despite primarily utilising the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man elsewhere this campaign as an attacking midfielder or striker.
Moussa Diaby's season in numbers
Diaby has been largely impressive for the top-flight club this campaign, finding the back of net four times and assisting a further six goals in all competitions so far.
Even when Emery's men are experiencing a poor day at the office, Diaby has shone this campaign – former Everton football and commentator Leon Osman singling out the slick 5 foot 7 forward as a "bright spark" earlier in the season when Villa flopped at Anfield in a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in September on BBC Radio Five Live.
Yet, playing the 24-year-old attacker as a left winger in his new surroundings could awaken a different beast altogether based on his Leverkusen numbers playing in the Bundesliga from that very spot.
Switching between playing as a right winger and left winger during the 2021/22 season in Germany, Diaby notched up a terrifying 25 goal contributions from just 32 games in the league which began to alert suitors to his services such as Villa.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2022-23
48
14
10
2022-21
42
17
14
2020-21
43
10
15
2019-20
39
8
8
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Signed for a club-record fee of £51.9m this summer, which has also seen Diaby pocket £130k-per-week at Villa Park as part of the deal, Emery will hope the explosive attacker can reach the levels he managed at Leverkusen in the Premier League soon.
Testing Diaby out down the left-hand channel against Burnley feels like a move worth pursuing, the Clarets leaking goals for fun at points this season with 38 goals shipped in just 19 games.
An on-song Diaby alongside a prolific Ollie Watkins up top could be the catalyst for Villa to kick on even more and prolong their stay near the top of the table instead of just slipping away, Ramsey, unfortunately, losing out in the process consequently.