The Premier League's short winter break could not have come at a better time for Arsenal, as after a positive lead-up to Christmas that saw them top the table on the day itself, three losses on the bounce have left them scrambling for answers.

The defeats against West Ham United and Fulham saw the Gunners drop to fourth place, while the home loss to Liverpool saw them booted out of the FA Cup in the third round.

While those teams were probably worthy of their wins, there was one constant in Arsenal's performances: abysmal finishing.

Mikel Arteta's men had so many chances to put the ball in the back of the net in each game, but none of their attackers could rise to the challenge, and the latest player linked with the Emirates, Alexander Isak, could spell the end for Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal transfer news – Alexander Isak

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal have 'reignited' their interest in Newcastle United's star striker Isak and remain 'huge admirers' of the Swedish hitman.

The Gunners tried to sign the former Borussia Dortmund star in the summer of 2022 but considered the price that Real Sociedad were asking for to be high. However, any move away from the Toon will likely cost significantly more than the £63m they paid the Spanish side, with the CIES Football Observatory valuing the talented striker at €100m, or about £86m.

While that is undoubtedly a lot of money to spend on a player that you could have signed for considerably less money just a few years prior, it could still be value for money if it helps Arsenal score the goals that end their two-decade title drought.

Plus, it should be relatively straightforward for Arteta to integrate him into the side, as FBref consider former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette to be the most similar player in Europe's top five leagues.

Alexander Isak could replace Gabriel Jesus

Now, some may see that comparison to Lacazette and start to worry given the Frenchman's middling goal return in north London – having scored 71 goals in 206 games for the Gunners – but the comparison from FBref is a recent one, and over the last two years, the former Arsenal forward has been on fire for Ligue 1 side Lyon.

Last season, he found the back of the net 27 times, and this season, he has seven goals in 13 starts, so if the Gunners want a clinical striker, it's really not a bad comparison.

Position

Player

Club

1.

Alexandre Lacazette

Lyon

2.

Nicolas Jackson

Chelsea

3.

Jonathan David

LOSC Lille

4.

Cody Gakpo

Liverpool

5.

Eddie Nketiah

Arsenal

However, Arteta already has a recognised starting striker in his side, Jesus, and as convincing as the Spaniard might be, the "outstanding" Swede, as described by his manager Eddie Howe, is unlikely to join unless he is guaranteed minutes and a lot of them at that.

So, who comes out on top when comparing the two number nines? Well, unfortunately for the Brazilian, Isak's nine goals in 12 league starts this season comfortably beat his three goals and one assist in 11 league starts.

When comparing the pairs' underlying numbers, things only get worse for the former Manchester City ace.

Stats per 90

Isak

Jesus

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.74

0.60

Shots on Target

1.37

1.35

Goals per Shot on Target

0.44

0.21

Passing Accuracy

78.5%

80.6%

Successful Take-Ons

1.90

1.73

Aerial Duels Won

0.26

0.96

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

The "unplayable" 24-year-old, as described by journalist Dean Jones, produces a more impressive non-penalty expected goals and assists number per 90, takes more shots on target, scores from more of his shots on target and even – somewhat surprisingly – completes more take-ons per 90 than Jesus – including this fantastic one at Goodison Park.

The only areas in which the Arsenal man comes out on top are passing accuracy and the number of aerial duels he wins per 90.

Ultimately, the Gunners are still in this season's title race, and if they want to end their lengthy wait for domestic dominance, then they will probably need a more clinical striker leading the line, which, unfortunately, could spell the end of Jesus' time as a starter in N5.

They need to win both their remaining games to retain a chance of qualifying, while RCB need a miracle

The Preview by Ankur Dhawan29-Apr-20195:32

Kartik: Oshane Thomas has been a good enough replacement for Archer

Big pictureThere’s a sense of deja vu as Royal Challengers meet Rajasthan Royals, although the roles have reversed from last year. For one, this is a home game for Royal Challengers. As things stand, it could be they who snap the thread by which the visitors’ playoff hopes hang. Not that Royal Challengers don’t stand a mathematical chance of qualifying themselves, but it’d require the kind of miracle that’s more suitable for fantasy fiction.Royals are coming off back-to-back wins, the first time they have been able to do so all tournament, and encouragingly, they have achieved this without Jos Buttler (both games), Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer (both didn’t feature in the second win). The loss of Steven Smith’s leadership is nigh, but not just yet. Their power and touch players alike should enjoy the true surface in Bengaluru, quick bowlers Oshane Thomas and Varun Aaron may not detest it either, and Shreyas Gopal should feel at home. However, they can’t afford leaking runs through sloppy fielding as they did against Sunrisers at home, and despite a player-of-the-match performance last match, Jaydev Unadkat’s dependence on cutters could be tested here.What Royals need is two straight wins; over a team that’s virtually out of contention and perhaps as a result with less to play for, and then over Delhi Capitals, who might have their guard down having already qualified for the playoffs. They shouldn’t expect any favours from either team, and will also need to keep an eye on their net run rate, should they end up tied on 14 points with other contenders.Of course, Royals’ best-case scenario would be to win both matches, and to hope that Sunrisers, Kings XI and Knight Riders all finish on 12 points each, rendering net run-rates irrelevant.Form guide

Royal Challengers Bangalore: lost to Delhi Capitals by 16 runs, beat Kings XI by 17 runs, beat Super Kings by 1 run
Rajasthan Royals: beat Sunrisers by seven wickets, beat Knight Riders by three wickets, lost to Capitals by six wickets

Previous meetingBoth teams came into the contest winless and it was Royals who had points on the table at the end of it, as Shreyas Gopal spun a web around the Royal Challengers batting line-up. With healthy contributions from their top four, Royals, chasing 159, got over the line with one ball to spare.Likely XIsRoyal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Parthiv Patel (wk), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Heinrich Klaasen/Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Gurkeerat Singh, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Yurzvendra Chahal, 11 Navdeep SainiRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Liam Livingstone, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Sanju Samson (wk), 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Shreyas Gopal, 9 Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Varun Aaron, 11 Oshane ThomasSanju Samson flicks•BCCI

Strategy punt Marcus Stoinis’ demotion to No. 7 in the match against Delhi Capitals was surprising and arguably impacted the eventual outcome. He averages 71 and has a strike rate of 154 at No. 4 this year, his best in any position. He also finds the boundary once every four balls in this position. Royal Challengers would do well to elevate him. Since IPL 2017, Sanju Samson has scored at his slowest against offspin and legspin with a strike-rate of 117. The frequency with which he finds the boundary against these two types of bowling is also his lowest at 12.1 and 9.8 respectively. This suggests that Royal Challengers could have the combination of Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar bowling to him in tandem.Stats that matter This will be Steven Smith’s 50th match as captain in all T20s. Yuzvendra Chahal needs two wickets to get to 100 in the IPL. Virat Kohli needs one win to bring up 50 wins in the IPL as captain. Ajinkya Rahane needs 14 runs for 5000 runs in T20s

As Tottenham Hotspur look to gain some consistency in the Premier League, adding some squad depth through the January transfer window could be vital for Ange Postecoglou. The Lilywhites have already been hit with injuries this season, forcing them to form makeshift defensive pairings and suffering on the pitch as a result. It is the type of recruitment failure that Spurs will hope to have learned from ahead of the winter window.

With that said, reports suggest that they are not wasting any time before solving their problems, with talks underway and a verbal bid being prepared to sign one particular Serie A star for Postecoglou.

Tottenham transfer news

Whilst the likes of Micky van de Ven, James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario quickly proved to be big hits in North London, injuries to Maddison and Van de Ven quickly exposed Spurs' depth problem in a disastrous 4-1 defeat against Chelsea. And since then, the Lilywhites have struggled to replicate the form that saw them mentioned as early candidates for the Premier League title.

Trevoh Chalobah

20th December

Jean-Clair Todibo

20th December

Morato

19th December

Radu Dragusin

30th December

Sebastian Caceres

14th December

Jarrad Branthwaite

13th December

Given that Cristian Romero's injury is set to sideline him for four to five weeks, Spurs' need for a central defender has only grown and that could see one target arrive.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are preparing to send their first verbal offer to sign Genoa defender Radu Dragusin, who has already said "yes" to the move. The Premier League side have reportedly already opened talks with Genoa over a potential deal, as they look to land a swift reinforcement ahead of the opening of the January transfer window. Whilst it remains to be seen whether Spurs will successfully negotiate with Genoa, they may hope to get a quick answer in pursuit of a solution to Postecoglou's biggest problem in North London this season.

"Amazing" Dragusin could solve Spurs' problem

At 21 years old, Dragusin is already making significant strides in Serie A to attract the interest of Spurs. The central defender should only get better, given his age, which could see the Lilywhites land a long-term solution to their centre-back crisis. With Romero still only 25 and Van de Ven only 22, Spurs could have a solid core of defensive options for several years. Dragusin is a player who has earned plenty of praise and that includes from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, who posted on X:

Dragusin's stats, meanwhile, show that he isn't far off the level set by both Romero and Van de Ven this season and could even steal a starting place under Postecoglou.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Blocks

Interceptions

Radu Dragusin

6

29

14

18

Cristian Romero

16

84

20

17

Micky van de Ven

9

34

7

4

As the January transfer window opens, the Genoa defender is certainly one to keep an eye on, with Spurs seemingly getting closer and closer to landing his signature.

أدلى المحترف المصري عمر مرموش، لاعب فريق آينتراخت فرانكفورت، بتصريحات عقب فوزهم اليوم على فولفسبورج في بطولة الدوري الألماني.

وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات الجولة الثالثة من الدوري الألماني، حيث فاز آينتراخت فرانكفورت بهدفين مقابل هدف (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

ونجح مرموش في تقديم أداء رائع مع فرانكفورت في مباراة اليوم، حيث سجل هدفي فريقه.

وقال مرموش، في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي للنادي: “كان يوم سبت عظيمًا، ليس أمر سهلًا أن ننجح في الحصول على 3 نقاط خارج ملعبنا، وهنا في فولفسبورج كذلك”.

وأضاف: “نحن سعداء للغاية وأنا سعيد لأنني تمكنت من مساعدة الفريق، لقد تصرفنا كفريق وكافأنا أنفسنا على عملنا الشاق”.

وارتفع رصيد آينتراخت فرانكفورت إلى 6 نقاط في المركز السادس، ويرتقب مواجهة بوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ يوم السبت المقبل في الجولة الرابعة.

There could well be light at the end of the tunnel for Sheffield Wednesday now, the decision to sack Xisco Munoz and appoint Danny Rohl looking more and more like a masterstroke decision from the Owls hierarchy as time goes on.

The mood around Hillsborough prior to the German's arrival was one of resignation to the mire Wednesday found themselves in, rooted to the bottom of the Championship dejected and broken.

Now, there's a very real of glimmer of hope that the South Yorkshire club can mount an unbelievable relegation escape and keep their heads above water in the division – Rohl winning four matches since arriving on the scene, a breath of fresh air for the Owls fans.

Akin Famewo has been one standout performer for Wednesday in recent matches, the defender integral in helping his team shut up shop in matches to pick up rare wins.

Yet, another addition into the building that would slot into the team alongside Famewo in January could be equally as crucial – the Owls linked with young Oxford United goalkeeper James Beadle over a possible switch to Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday transfer latest

The Sheffield Star have reported on the possibility of Beadle leaving the U's behind this January to make the step-up to the Championship, the Brighton loanee itching to test himself at a higher level on another loan adventure.

This potential deal could signal the end of Cameron Dawson as Rohl's number one goalkeeper in South Yorkshire, as well as potentially cutting short the ongoing loan deal at Wednesday involving 25-year-old back-up shot-stopper Devis Vasquez.

Tipped by current Oxford teammate Cameron Brannagan to go on and 'play at the top' in an interview with This is Oxfordshire, this will be an interesting transfer saga to watch unfold this January.

Alongside a rock solid Famewo, Beadle could be shrewd swoop in January to shore up a shaky Owls defence in nervy games to come in the battle to avoid relegation.

The stats that show James Beadle would be a good fit for Wednesday

Only keeping three clean sheets this season in the Championship, Dawson's days as Owls number one could well be numbered if Rohl opts to sign Beadle.

The highly rated 19-year-old has six more clean sheets playing for Oxford in all competition, picking up his ninth of the season last game as the U's romped home to a 3-0 win at the Kassam Stadium over Burton Albion.

His top-drawer displays have seen a whole host of his teammates dishing out the praise, captain Elliott Moore labelling Beadle as "immense" after a valiant display away at Derby County at the start of the season.

Whereas, Dawson – last match versus QPR – had to pick the ball out of his net despite the visitors only having two shots on target in the game – Bambo Diaby unfortunately powering a header past his own goalkeeper in Dawson, before Wednesday mounted an impressive comeback to win 2-1.

Signing Beadle could also be more in-keeping with the injection of youth Rohl has given to his side in recent weeks, Bailey Cadamarteri leading the line successfully at just 18 years of age with three goals in four.

Moreover, 20-year-old Djeidi Gassama has proven to be a useful calling card off the bench in recent games with two assists in his last three.

Beadle hasn't just burst onto the scene with Oxford out of the blue too, starring in Crewe Alexandra colours in a prior loan switch at just 18 years of age which saw him pull off a wonder save in one contest at Gresty Road to the amazement of those watching on.

Famewo would also welcome a new goalkeeper behind him, the 25-year-old excellent in recent games but has only amassed one clean sheet – as per Sofascore – when playing this season.

This is despite sterling performances against Leicester City and QPR to name a few, the Owls defender winning a combined 18 ground duels in these games to be a guaranteed name on Rohl's teamsheet.

Rohl will have to be cut-throat and axe his current number one to make way for Beadle to come in, Wednesday having to make big calls to form a team capable of going the distance and staving off the drop to avoid falling back down to League One.

England continue to sweat on the fitness of Harry Kane, but the Bayern Munich striker is reportedly confident that he will be ready for Euro 2024.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Has not played since early May
• Currently undergoing treatment
• Three Lions set to name squad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 30-year-old frontman has not figured for his club side since being replaced late on in the Champions League semi-final defeat to Real Madrid on May 8. No risks have been taken on his fitness with Bayern already destined to finish the 2023-24 campaign empty-handed.

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  WHAT TUCHEL SAID

  Thomas Tuchel said when delivering on update on Kane ahead of the final day outing against Hoffenheim: “In Madrid, it was borderline. We tried injections and treatments. The back has completely closed. It has gotten worse and kept breaking out in small, everyday movements. There’s no chance he’s even training.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  German news outlet have confirmed that Kane is no longer in Bavaria as he undergoes treatment, with reporter David Verhoff saying: “You have to say that the back problems were minor in the beginning. Things haven't gotten any better in the last two weeks. That's why he left early to see his medical examiner. He is no longer in Munich.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  That could be considered a worry for England, as Gareth Southgate prepares to name his preliminary squad for this summer’s European Championship. It is, however, claimed that there is optimism on Kane’s end that he will be fit in time to captain his country at another major tournament.

The former Flamengo shot-stopper was sentenced to 22 years after being found guilty for killing his girlfriend

Eliza Samudio was born in 1985 into a life of poverty and hardship, in an abusive household in which her father would regularly beat her mother. As a result of the abuse, her mother fled, and ultimately left her husband to raise Eliza in Foz do Iguacu, a small municipality in Brazil.

At the age of 10, however, Eliza moved to be with her mum, who had remarried and was running a pepper production farm. As co-parenting continued, she dreamed of becoming a model in the big city, of heading to Sao Paulo to make it in the fashion industry.

She would ultimately be unsuccessful, as her life was tragically, and heinously, cut short by Brazilian goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes de Souza, her boyfriend. Eliza died in 2010, at the age of 25, and Bruno would be sent to prison for her murder, along with multiple accomplices. This is their story…

Getty ImagesBruno's background

Bruno had grown into one of Brazil’s best goalkeepers throughout a short career. Having played for Atletico Mineiro and Corinthians, a move to Flamengo heralded a bright future for a young 'keeper making his way in the South American country. Flamengo paid €3 million to sign him, and while he was initially the backup to Diego – their first-choice shot-stopper – he was given a chance after injury struck his team-mate down.

The Brazilian club had actually beaten Barcelona to his signature, and Bruno stole headlines after showing that he was as capable with his feet as he was his hands. He scored three free-kicks for the club, as well as a penalty, and he was even made the club’s captain.

In 2010, though, an investigation was launched into the disappearance and alleged murder of Eliza; Flamengo suspended Bruno, and withdrew their legal support for the player.

Just months prior, there had been rumours that he would be heading to the 2010 World Cup with Brazil, but he was not selected due to his on-field showboating, and penchant for taking set-pieces. Instead, he would end the year in prison.

AdvertisementBruno and Eliza meet

Eliza’s dreams of becoming a model did not work out in Sao Paulo, and so she had to find separate ways to earn. While she did feature in a variety of fashion photoshoots, the bills were still not paid, and so she began starring in pornographic films.

In 2009, according to Bruno, he met Eliza at a barbecue and the pair had sex. Eliza subsequently left her fashion job to be with the soccer star, but he was married. While he claimed he would leave his wife, the relationship with Eliza came to a sudden end in the same year.

She announced she was pregnant, and would not be having an abortion, despite being pressured to by the stopper. Publicly, Fernandes claimed he was breaking off the relationship; that is not what happened.

History of violence

The pair’s relationship was clearly volatile, and in October of 2009, a police report was filed by Eliza, claiming that Bruno and two of his friends, ‘Russo’ and ‘Macarrao’, kept her hostage. While she was imprisoned, she alleged that she was forced to take “abortive substances” at gunpoint and was beaten by the three men. Once DNA tests were completed, Eliza’s allegation was confirmed – she did have abortive substances in her urine, but the test results were only published after she had gone missing.

Subsequently, a restraining order was requested by Eliza to be placed on Bruno, prohibiting him from being within 300 metres of her, but it was denied. He also denied all allegations, claiming she was simply a fantasist.

He said: “It's not the first time she's made up this bunch of lies to try to harm me.”

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Getty ImagesMissed opportunity

Eliza petitioned Brazilian courts to be further protected from the goalkeeper, such was her trauma from the kidnapping. That was denied by a judge, who argued “the protection of the family” was vital; Eliza was five months pregnant at the time.

She gave birth in 2010 although at the time she was living with a friend. Bruno did not acknowledge that he was the father, although Eliza requested child support. She also claimed that she had been assaulted, and he was indicted once again.

Thus, there were multiple chances for the courts and the law to protect Eliza, but they failed to do so.

MatériaMais Notícias

Autor do gol – e que golaço! – da vitória do Flamengo na estreia do Campeonato Carioca, o garoto Max se emocionou muito na comemoração no Maracanã, na partida desta terça-feira, no Maracanã. Ainda no estádio, o meio-campista de 19 anos explicou a sensação ao balançar a rede em seu primeiro jogo pelo Fla.

-Foi a melhor coisa que aconteceu na minha vida – afirmou Max, à FlaTV, antes de completar:

– Dedico esse gol para o meu filho Heitor, que está com dois meses, e espero fazer mais por ele.

RelacionadasFlamengoATUAÇÕES: Com golaço nos acréscimos, Max é o destaque na estreia do Flamengo no CariocaFlamengo02/03/2021VídeoVÍDEO: assista ao golaço de Max que deu a vitória ao Flamengo em estreia no CariocaVídeo02/03/2021Fora de CampoRecord alcança bons números com Flamengo no Carioca, mas tem menos da metade da audiência da GloboFora de Campo02/03/2021

Max entrou aos 4 minutos da etapa final, no lugar de Daniel Cabral, com dores. Aos 48, Lázaro rolou para o camisa 18, que acertou um chutaço, de esquerda, no ângulo de Luiz Henrique.

Ainda na saída do campo, tomado pela emoção, o meia falou sobre sua chegada ao Flamengo, em 2019, e também dedicou o gol ao seu pai.

-Eles me viram na Copinha, pelo Tupi, um olheiro me viu, gostou e cheguei ao Flamengo. Aos poucos conquistei meu espaço – afirmou Max, antes de seguir:

– Dedico ao meu pai, que está lá em cima. Creio que está me olhando lá de cima. Uma vez falou comigo, quando ao tinha 13 anos, que chegaria ao grupo do Flamengo e espero fazer várias histórias aqui no clube – finalizou o meia do Fla.

Sunderland will hope a return to the comforts of the Stadium of Light tonight – where the Black Cats have picked up eight wins in the Championship to date this season – can steer the Wearside club back on course after a bruising defeat to Ipswich Town last time out.

Going 1-0 up early on in Suffolk courtesy of a Jack Clarke thunderbolt saw the rapturous away following at Portman Road grow in confidence, only for Kieran McKenna's hosts to show their class eventually and come away with a comeback 2-1 win to break Sunderland hearts.

Michael Beale will hope switching up the Black Cats lineup can inspire an immediate response from his players to overcome Hull City tonight, with two potential changes in this predicted XI from the narrow Tractor Boys defeat last weekend…

1 GK – Anthony Patterson

Beale will hope he can keep his number one goalkeeper Anthony Patterson past this January despite interest from elsewhere, with football journalist Alan Nixon stating that the reliable Black Cats shot-stopper is being linked with a shock move away to Liverpool.

Despite this interest from Jurgen Klopp's Reds potentially turning Patterson's head and making him demand a move away, Beale will start the 23-year-old against the Tigers.

2 RB – Jenson Seelt

With Aji Alese potentially not fit enough to start tonight's game against Liam Rosenior's Hull, Beale could have to shake up the back four and play Jenson Seelt at right-back with Trai Hume moved over to the then-vacant left-back spot.

The exciting Dutchman shone playing in this makeshift role when Sunderland faced off against Hull in the reverse fixture just last month, winning five duels in the away contest to help his side clinch the three points.

3 CB – Daniel Ballard

Daniel Ballard's spot in the defence is set in stone for tonight's clash in contrast, the former Arsenal centre-back only missing one game this season to date in the league.

The Northern Ireland international even stood out in the defeat to Ipswich, winning all but one of his duels but to no avail as McKenna's men still exited the fierce encounter victorious.

4 CB – Luke O'Nien

Luke O'Nien also trudged off the field of play with his head held high despite the final scoreline, blocking four shots in the 2-1 away loss to ensure Sunderland weren't completely humbled on their travels to Suffolk.

The 29-year-old also gave his all in the reverse fixture versus the Tigers in December, completing ten accurate long balls in the narrow 1-0 win. Could O'Nien help his promotion-chasing side pick up a victory on home turf tonight with another clean sheet tallied up?

5 LB – Trai Hume

Hume won't be out of his comfort zone too much filling in at left-back tonight if selected there by Beale, drafted in with other options lacking that can do a job.

Averaging 5.7 ball recoveries per game this season, Beale will hope Hume's full-throttle energy and tenacity down the flanks can help Sunderland pick up a much-needed win at the expense of Hull to forget the demons of Ipswich.

6 CM – Pierre Ekwah

With Beale's experiment of playing a 4-4-2 formation at Portman Road not working whatsoever, the 43-year-old in the Black Cats hot-seat could be tempted to switch back to the tried and test set-up of a 4-2-3-1 with Pierre Ekwah chosen as one of his holding midfielders.

Ekwah struggled against the Tractor Boys centrally – the ex-West Ham United youth player turned Sunderland first-teamer allowing himself to be dribbled past twice – and so Beale will hope reverting the number 39 to a more comfortable anchor position gets the best out of him again.

7 CM – Dan Neil

On the contrary, Dan Neil didn't quite flop in the new formation chosen by Beale – amassing one key pass versus Ipswich in a bid to pull off a monumental victory on the road – but the homegrown Sunderland product does excel alongside Ekwah when played further back.

When featuring versus the Tigers away last month, Neil's creativity from a deep role stood out even more – helping himself to three key passes in the encounter – with one of those balls setting up Jack Clarke to score a stunner to win the tight match.

8 RM – Abdoullah Ba

Abdoullah Ba could well be retained for tonight's clash, the right winger benefitting from Patrick Roberts still being in the Sunderland treatment room and attempting to show to Beale that he's worthy of being Roberts' immediate replacement whenever selected.

Still only 20 years of age, the Frenchman isn't quite the finished product yet but his raw ability down the channels did trouble Ipswich defenders on occasion at Portman Road.

Registering two key passes from just 34 touches of the ball, Ba will hope he can contribute with a strike or an assist tonight as Sunderland get back to winning ways returning to Wearside.

9 CAM – Jobe Bellingham

With Alex Pritchard being lined up for a move away from the Black Cats, according to reports, despite breathing life back into his fading Sunderland career in recent weeks, Jobe Bellingham is the obvious choice in this number ten role for the visit of Hull tonight.

Played as an unorthodox striker against Ipswich, the dynamic 18-year-old is far more at ease playing just behind the lone centre-forward.

On New Year's Day, as Sunderland confidently dispatched Preston North End with ease in a 2-0 win, Bellingham shone in this role with a 100% successful dribble completion rate managed on top of only misplacing four passes from the 85 minutes he was on the pitch.

10 LM – Jack Clarke

It's no surprise to any Sunderland fans now when Jack Clarke rifles in a wonder strike, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur winger able to have his own goal of the season competition at this point with another sumptuous effort managed against the Tractor Boys last weekend.

Clarke will just hope if he manages to get fans at the Stadium of Light off their feet again with a sublime goal against Hull that a win is forthcoming at full-time, with the promotion hopefuls abundantly aware that their star attacker is a wanted man and could move on if the Black Cats slump further.

From start to finish, a whiff of panic lingered over the way the Big Bash League and its clubs handled AB de Villiers’ brief and ultimately dead end flirtation with the tournament. As the most game-changing addition to Australian cricket, and indeed sport, in well over a decade, the BBL deserved better than to play host to a saga that had no winners.Whether it was Cricket Australia, the clubs or their broadcasters Seven and Fox Sports/News Corp, the eagerness to secure de Villiers after he declined to take part in the tournament last season seemed motivated as much by worry about the summer to come as it was by robust belief in the strength of the competition that already exists.De Villiers and his management, having fielded offers by more than half the clubs, indicated on Friday that he was no longer interested, providing no concrete reasons other than to complain about the “repeated media leaks” about his interest and then the terms by which he would be secured.Given the length of the tournament, the constraints of the BBL salary cap and the close proximity of news that Australia’s best white-ball players would be away in India for an ODI tour during much of January, thus depriving the league of much of its best homegrown talent, the sense that it was “AB or bust” left plenty of questions hanging in the air.ALSO READ: AB de Villiers pulls back from BBL interestFor one thing, the sort of money that needed to be cobbled together, via the successful club, CA’s marketing funds and the broadcasters – both of whom were involved in discussions around signing de Villiers to “value-add” deals to help get him to the figure he desired – made a mockery of the payments usually available to players taking part in the tournament, while raising the issue of whether de Villiers would be in Australia as a cricketer or a billboard.A figure in the region of A$350,000 for a handful of games made even the headlining five-year, A$1 million deal signed by Chris Lynn with the Brisbane Heat in 2017 look puny. Global market pressures from the BPL and elsewhere forced CA, the clubs and broadcasters to raise their eyes above the usual sorts of deals, but there were plenty of voices questioning the integrity of an arrangement that would allow the successful – most likely major market – club to benefit from one player being paid so much outside the cap in broad daylight.Not for the first time, tails seemed to be wagging dogs. The first indications of de Villiers coming to Australia only became apparent after it was clear that the BCCI would insist on a tour of India in mid-January, duly depriving Fox Sports of the exclusive ODI content on home soil it had paid the lion’s share of a A$1.18 billion rights deal to secure. ESPNcricinfo understands that broadcasters were contacted and asked to put in lucrative commentary offers to de Villiers’ management by way of sweetening the deal, this after CA had itself written to the clubs to indicate it was willing to put in extra funds in the region of A$50,000 to help add ballast to any club’s offer.Such exchanges bore the stamp not of the maturing and successful league that the BBL now is, but instead of the nascent exhibition tournament that it was eight years ago. Back then in 2011, similar package deals ensured Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen, to name two, were secured as high profile talent.Pat Cummins made a rare appearance for Sydney Thunder•Getty Images

Elsewhere Chris Gayle was attracted to the Sydney Thunder on a deal that was believed to constitute near enough to half the club’s entire salary cap. Entering season number eight, having grown from a start-up as part of Fox Sports’ then modest domestic rights deal to being worth roughly half of the total $1.18 billion rights value, the BBL really should be past such dealings.Imagine, for a moment, a salary capped league such as the AFL in which broadcasters were approached to offer extra money outside the cap to a particular player to ensure their arrival at a club in the league’s preferred market. While the constraints of the BBL cap are determined as much by CA’s wider strategic goal of maintaining the primacy of international cricket as by any cash shortage, there has to be a more systematic and professional way to go about things.That, of course, is if the BBL is to be viewed as a league with genuine club support, and not an exhibition tournament where the overall “product” watched by as many viewers as possible regardless of the competing teams or their context means more than anything. This tension has been evident in discussions about the shape of the competition for next season, from whether the finals series should include the current four teams or be raised to five out of eight, as well as the aforementioned issues around marquee recruitment.Undoubtedly the exponential increase in the number of games per team has created problems, but so too the vagaries of pitches such as problematic drop-ins at Docklands Stadium – home to the Melbourne Renegades – and the Sydney Showgrounds – home to the Thunder.Among the most intriguing learnings from last summer was that some of the biggest television ratings for the entire tournament took place when the Heat’s Ben Cutting and Max Bryant laid waste to the Melbourne Stars by chasing down 156 inside 10 overs – an audience not for a contest, but for freakishly big hitting.That sort of display was most certainly in the minds of all those parties working to get de Villiers to Australia. In their future decisions, the integrity and longer term growth of a competition must take greater precedence. All the scrambling made the BBL look less like the biggest addition to cricket down under in decades, and more like a league struggling to stay afloat.