After the perfect start against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade has revealed how he’s similar to the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane.

Howe "really pleased" with "humble" Woltemade

Eddie Howe couldn’t have asked for much more from his £69m striker on his debut last time out. The 6’6 forward rose highest to head home what proved to be the winning goal against Wolves, before wheeling away in celebration. After waiting all summer for a new striker, St James’ Park got the emphatic introduction that they had been desperate for.

Like the rest of those watching on in Tyneside, Howe was left delighted with Woltemade, telling reporters: “It was a great moment for Nick. I was very pleased with how he played today.

“You saw his qualities, his technical qualities that we’ve been discussing and his intelligence but most importantly for a striker, when the ball comes into the box, you need to be there and he was.

“It was a great finish. I’m really pleased for him personally because that just settles him down and relaxes him, he’s a very humble guy, he wants to do well and he’s delighted to be here — I think it’s a great start.”

Woltemade’s debut goal would have surprised no one back in Germany. There’s every reason why Bayern Munich were so keen to secure his signature and even more reason why he stole the show at the U21 Euros in the summer. Now, he’s the man that could make Newcastle forget all about Alexander Isak.

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The 23-year-old is hardly short on confidence, either, and has already told Newcastle fans exactly what they can expect from him in the coming years.

Woltemade makes Ibrahimovic comparison

Revealing the players that he’s most similar to, Woltemade compared himself to the great Ibrahimovic. One inch taller than the former AC Milan star, the German’s comparison is a fair one to make, given how he still maintains his technical ability despite his height. Whether he eventually reaches the same level as the Swede is the big question.

Describing his style as “rare” for someone of his height, Newcastle can expect the unexpected from their new striker, who will be looking to follow up his debut goal with another against Barcelona this week.

Tottenham Hotspur salvaged a point against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, but here are more dropped points, and there was a chance to close the gap at the top of the table.

Much has been made of the positive steps Spurs have taken since Thomas Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou this summer, but this felt a regressive result, one which highlighted the inconsistencies still laced through this Tottenham team.

While defeat was avoided in the dying embers, Wolves were well worth their money, and the hosts struggled to create against a steely defence.

However, Joao Palhinha, on loan from Bayern Munich, came up trumps with an emphatic late goal.

Joao Palhinha stars for Spurs again

Tottenham underwent a series of changes this summer, namely parting with their long-serving superstar Heung-min Son after Postecoglou’s fate was sealed.

A number of signings were welcomed, and the loan move to sign Joao Palhinha was among them, minnowed perhaps by flashier deals for Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons. However, it’s the tough-tackling Portuguese who has been the pick of the bunch thus far.

Rifling home in stoppage time, the 30-year-old saved a point for the Lilywhites, but that wasn’t the sum of his contribution, with Sofascore recording that he also won all seven of his ground duels and made a total of five tackles, making good on previous praise from data analyst Marcus Bring that he’s a “defensive monster”.

The complete package, he’s proving a real steal for Frank’s side, sure to continue plying an important role over the coming months. Maybe years.

While Simons and Richarlison failed to inspire from an attacking standpoint, they weren’t the only culprits, with Frank’s side lacking an overall degree of fluency that would be expected against a side entering the match having lost all five league fixtures so far.

And among those to flatter to deceive was Djed Spence, who must now be dropped ahead of an important week across European and domestic fronts.

Frank must drop Djed Spence

Spence has enjoyed quite the revival at Tottenham, but there’s a growing sense that his ceiling may hang lower than that of his counterparts.

Against Wolves, he certainly didn’t produce a performance that counters that argument. Awarded a 6/10 match rating by football.london, it was noted that his delivery left something to be desired and that he lacked rhythm.

There’s no question that the 25-year-old is a stern defender, but he lacks something going forward, with Sofascore recording that he created only one chance and failed to even attempt a dribble before being hooked right after the hour mark.

Losing possession 12 times, Spence also won only three of six contested duels across the evening, and perhaps highlighted why Frank has another, more established right-back at his disposal.

Djed Spence in the Premier League (25/26)

Match Stats (* per game)

#

Matches (starts)

6 (5)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Clean sheets

2

Pass completion

81%

Key passes*

0.3

Dribbles*

0.8

Recoveries*

2.5

Tackles*

0.5

Clearances*

1.8

Duels won

2.7 (36%)

Data via Sofascore

Frank completely rewrote the coding of his right flank with half an hour still on the clock, but it did little of note for a side lacking coherence and spark in attack.

However, we all know of Porro’s attacking qualities and proven experience in the Premier League, and with Destiny Udogie getting stronger by the game after a testing 2024/25 campaign, it may well be that there isn’t space for Spence in the starting line-up going forward.

The newly blooded England international has enjoyed quite the resurgence down N17, but he is limited offensively and lacks the culture of Udogie and Porro when both are on their A-game.

He must now be benched.

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MI will go through if they win, but victory for DC will extend the playoffs race further

S Sudarshanan20-May-20252:58

Bumrah, the gold standard for T20 bowling

The big picture: MI qualify if they winMumbai Indians (MI) find themselves in an unusual situation. They will be in action on the fifth day after IPL 2025 resumed. That is more than two weeks after their previous match – against Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 6. And as soon as they hit the field, they face almost a must-win situation.If MI beat Delhi Capitals (DC) on Wednesday, they will enter the playoffs. If they lose, a lot will hinge on a couple of games: DC’s match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) first and then MI’s own match against PBKS. MI would not want to tempt fate further by leaving it too late, even though their net run-rate of 1.156 is easily the best of all the teams.Related

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Remaining IPL 2025 league games to have extra 120 minutes

The first jailbreak for MI came against the same opponent earlier this season. They had lost four of their first five matches before landing in Delhi. Three run-outs in the last over didn’t just help MI beat DC but also start a run of six successive wins. One that kept their hopes alive.They again face DC at a crucial time in the season. And they are coming off a close defeat.For DC to qualify, they ideally need two wins out of two. A loss on Wednesday will knock them out. And winning on Wednesday but losing their last game will leave them hoping MI also lose their last match. It’s a tough ask for DC considering they have lost four of their last five completed matches and are now without Mitchell Starc.Form guideMumbai Indians LWWWW
Delhi Capitals LLLWLIn the spotlight: Jasprit Bumrah and KL RahulMI’s bowling attack has looked quite different after the return of Jasprit Bumrah from injury. He has bowled across each phase – 11 overs each in the powerplay and the death and ten in the middle. In the first four games without Bumrah, MI’s death-overs economy rate was 11.18, which has improved to 9.07 in the games since. While DC took him apart in the first fixture, it was just his second game upon return. They will now counter him at a venue where he averages 12.88 this season.In the words of bowling coach Munaf Patel, KL Rahul “asked for” the opening spot in DC’s last game and responded with an unbeaten century. He now comes to the Wankhede where he averages 63.40 in the IPL. And he will face MI against whom he averages 74.23 and strikes at 135.15 with six fifties and three hundreds. He also has a favourable match-up against Bumrah (average 73, strike rate 123.72, two dismissals), Deepak Chahar (strike rate 159.59 for no dismissals in 99 balls) and Trent Boult (average 49, strike rate 148.48 for two dismissals).2:22

Chopra expects MI to pick Bosch ahead of Santner

Team news and possible XIIsMI are unlikely to tinker with their line-up. The only toss-up could be between Corbin Bosch and Mitchell Santner depending on conditions.Mumbai Indians (probable XII): 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Will Jacks, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Corbin Bosch/Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Karn Sharma/Ashwani Kumar, 11 Trent Boult, 12 Jasprit BumrahSediqullah Atal, Harry Brook’s replacement at DC, batted a fair while at match-eve training. He could be in contention to replace Faf du Plessis, who has been short of runs.Delhi Capitals (probable XII): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Faf du Plessis/Sediqullah Atal, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 Axar Patel (capt), 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Sameer Rizvi, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 T Natarajan, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mustafizur Rahman, 12 Dushmantha ChameeraThe big questionPitch and conditionsOf the six games at the Wankhede this season, four have been won by teams chasing. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had to score a big total of 221 in order to successfully defend it. With chances of rain in Mumbai on Wednesday evening, teams will be inclined to chase once again.Stats and trivia Suryakumar Yadav has 25-plus scores in each of his last 12 innings, the longest streak in the IPL. Temba Bavuma holds the record for the longest such streak in men’s T20 cricket – 13 innings. Axar Patel has opened the bowling in three of the last four games he has bowled in. There is a case for him to do so against MI on Wednesday – with his positive match-up against Rohit Sharma: 69 balls, 63 runs, three dismissals. Rohit needs to hit three sixes to become the first Indian to 300 sixes in the IPL. Only Chris Gayle (397) has more in the IPL. DC average 19.83 for the opening wicket in IPL 2025, the lowest among all teams.Quotes”It will matter because he is our main fast bowler who bowls at 145kph, swings the ball and that too at the Wankhede wicket where both swing and bounce is available. It matters 100%, but when there is no option, you have to think of other alternatives, you cannot get stuck thinking ‘oh he is not there now, what will happen?'”
“It’s still a game of cricket, whether it’s a World Cup final, whether it’s an IPL final. I can’t control the dynamics. I can’t control the fans or how media is reacting to the whole thing. What I can control is to make sure the guys are focused to play a game of cricket. It’ll be for them a normal game of cricket as long as I can get them to think like that.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers claimed their first point of the campaign last weekend and supporters will be intrigued to hear one player is making a real impression on his teammates.

Wolves look to build on draw with Tottenham Hotspur

Despite the agony of Joao Palhinha’s injury-time equaliser on Saturday evening, Wolves put in a valiant display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend to claim a deserved point against a top opponent.

Vitor Pereira has taken his fair share of critics after a poor start to the season, though he made it clear his side deserved all three points in the capital when speaking to the BBC in his post-match press conference.

He stated: “We deserved the three points and almost in the end it’s difficult to accept. I’m trying to come back but it’s difficult. We controlled the game in the second half. The spirit was there. Everything was there but the last minute, it’s football.

“It’s difficult to come to this stadium and play this way. The first half we had some problems but the second half my team were the best team on the pitch.”

While Wolves look to be an improved force after their victory over Everton and stalemate against Tottenham, they are still to get a first Premier League win of the season, which they will hope can happen against Brighton & Hove Albion this Sunday.

The international break may be coming at a decent time for the Old Gold after a difficult period, though supporters will be encouraged by the togetherness their squad showed against Spurs.

New faces will take time to adapt to life in the West Midlands, though there is one star who is already making a major impression behind the scenes at Wolves.

Jhon Arias making excellent impression at Wolves

Per Wolves’ official website, Santiago Bueno has admitted Jhon Arias has been excellent in Wolves training and he isn’t surprised to see the summer signing thriving on the pitch.

He stated: “Honestly, he’s a guy with a lot of talent. From the very first day he joined us, he’s been showing it. Little by little, he’s gaining confidence too, and I think he’ll be a key player for us.”

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Taking time to settle in after his £19 million move from Brazilian outfit Fluminense, Arias has created six chances and delivered five successful crosses in his first six Premier League appearances, per Fotmob, illustrating that he is adapting to English football.

Nevertheless, he is yet to get off the mark with either a goal or an assist, albeit that will surely follow as he continues to make an impression out wide and emerge as a bright spark in a frustrating start to the campaign for the Old Gold.

Joshua Zirzkee’s agent has been blasted for "choosing the money" when it comes to his client, with Manchester United considered to have "become a cesspool". Netherlands international Zirkzee moved to Old Trafford in the summer of 2024, when having other options to consider at the time, and has tumbled down the pecking order with the Premier League heavyweights.

Goals & assists: Zirkzee's numbers with Man Utd

He was considered to be a cut-price option for the Red Devils at the time of his arrival, but still moved to England in a deal that could be worth €42.5 million (£37m/$50m). Little return has been seen on that investment so far, with Zirkzee recording seven goals and three assists across his debut campaign with United.

The Dutch forward has failed to register a goal contribution of any kind through four appearances this season, leading to more uncomfortable questions being asked of his value to the collective cause. Regular game time is proving hard to come by amid fierce competition for places from the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko – who were all snapped up in the last transfer window.

AdvertisementGettyWrong choice: Man Utd decision questioned

Another move for Zirkzee is now being mooted, with a return to Italy being speculated on for a man that impressed with Bologna after leaving Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich for Serie A in 2022. He is being urged to push for a change of scenery, with his representatives being accused of making the wrong call when accepting an offer from United – a club that has been stuck in a transition loop for some time.

Franco Ordine, one of the analysts discussing Zirkzee’s situation with , has said: "The question isn’t whether he’s a fraud or a great player, but he took the wrong path. He ended up at a club that’s become a cesspool, just look at how [Rasmus] Hojlund was reborn in Naples. The agent chose the money instead of thinking about his client’s career."

January transfer: World Cup dream to think about

Zirkzee is said to be mulling over his options ahead of the January window as he has international aspirations to think about in a World Cup year. The claims: "Confidential understands the player is deeply frustrated at his situation, and a move in the January transfer window is seen as absolutely crucial if he is to force his way back into the reckoning for the Netherlands’ World Cup squad next summer. He has been left out of Ronald Koeman’s squad for the qualifiers against Malta and Finland.

"Napoli desperately wanted Zirkzee in the summer but United had no interest in allowing him to leave, and the Italians pivoted to his rival for the No 9 shirt last season, Rasmus Hojlund, on a loan with an obligation to buy. Juventus were another club who were very interested in signing Zirkzee on loan, while PSV Eindhoven wanted to take him back to the Netherlands."

They go on to claim that: "There is no doubt that Zirkzee’s frustration has escalated significantly in recent weeks, and now his only chance to salvage a season that could cost him a spot at the World Cup appears to be by trying to secure a move away in January."

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GettyLimited opportunities as Amorim fights for his future

Zirkzee was in high spirits before the 2025-26 campaign got underway, telling : "The group, for me, is just, I don’t know, there’s such a good vibe. We’re all invested in something. You can really tell that we really want to make sure that we’re not doing what we did last season. Also, outside the pitch, there’s some good vibes. We’re doing a lot of team bonding. I feel we’re much closer than we were last season, and hopefully we can translate all of that onto the pitch and share it with you, you know, the rest of the world who’s supporting United.

"It’s not, of course, just going to be all sunshine. I think this group is ready for that, to be honest. We have some great guys, experienced guys, young guys. There’s a hunger in this team. There’s even a bigger hunger I think from our manager, from our coach. So it’s up to us to just keep improving and also enjoying what we’re doing."

More inconsistency has been endured by United, leading to pressure mounting on Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim. Zirkzee appears to have little role to play in another rebuild, meaning that a return to Italy could be negotiated early in 2026.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos anunciou nesta quarta-feira (16) a contratação do volante venezuelano Tomás Rincón, que estava livre no mercado desde sua saída da Sampdoria, da Itália.

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O jogador, de 35 anos de idade, assinou com o Peixe um vínculo até dezembro de 2024, com meta de renovação por mais um ano.

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QUEM É TOMÁS RINCÓN?

O volante começou sua carreira no Zamora, da Venezuela, mas logo depois foi para o Deportivo Táchira. Depois foi jogar no Hamburgo, da Alemanha e, em 2014, finalmente se estabeleceu na Itália.

Primeiro, Rincón se aventurou no Genoa, onde passou mais de duas temporadas. Depois, teve passagens por Juventus e Torino e, por fim, chegou na Sampdoria. Por lá, disputou 55 partidas e foi rebaixado para a segunda divisão italiana na temporada 22/23.

Capitão da seleção venezuelana, o atleta estava sem clube e mantinha sua forma física por conta própria.

REFORÇOS ANUNCIADOS PELO PEIXE

Agora, Rincón chega como o sexto reforço do Santos na janela de transferências. Anteriormente, o Peixe já havia contratado João Basso, Dodô, Jean Lucas, Nonato e Julio Furch.

Além dos jogadores anunciados pelo clube, o Alvinegro Praiano assinou pré-contrato com o volante Diego Pituca, que só chegará no time da Vila Belmiro para a próxima temporada.

While it almost wasn’t, it was an excellent weekend for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

Before they even kicked a ball, they were handed a massive opportunity in the Premier League title race as Crystal Palace ran out surprising winners against Liverpool.

Then, while they also dropped points for the second week in a row, the Gunners came away from St James’ Park thanks to a late winner from Gabriel Magalhães.

It was a gutsy and seriously impressive performance from Arsenal, and one in which almost everyone played well – including a player who could be looked at as their new Olivier Giroud, and no, we aren’t talking about Viktor Gyokeres.

Olivier Giroud's Arsenal career

Arsenal signed Giroud from French side Montpellier in the summer of 2012, off the back of a season in which he scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 42 games to help them win Ligue 1.

The Frenchman didn’t get off to the smoothest of starts in the capital, as while he ended his first season in red and white with a healthy tally of 17 goals and 11 assists in 47 games, he didn’t open his Premier League account until the seventh game of the season, against West Ham United.

The following season saw the Chambéry-born marksman do even better, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists in 51 appearances. Most importantly, two of those assists came in the club’s triumph in the FA Cup final.

However, even though the former Montpellier man was putting up good numbers and would continue to do so, he was also guilty of missing chances, a lot of them.

In fact, stories from as early as 2014 lambasted this perceived lack of clinicality and even claimed that Arsène Wenger would be incapable of winning a league title with him leading the line.

Those criticisms continued over the following years and became impossible to ignore in the 15/16 season, when the club had a chance to win their first title since 2004, but between gameweek 22 and 36, Giroud failed to score a single goal in the competition.

The 30-year-old eventually saw his role in the team diminished when Alexandra Lacazette was signed in the summer of 2017, and then when the club wanted to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the following winter, he was sold to Chelsea for around £18m to allow the Gabonese star to arrive.

By the time he left the Emirates, Giroud had what most would consider to be an almighty impressive record of 105 goals and 38 assists in 253 appearances, and three FA Cups under his belt.

The international striker was someone who certainly had his faults, but given his impressive record and moments of magic, he was also unfairly made the scapegoat at times.

Appearances

253

Minutes

16085′

Goals

105

Assists

38

Goal Involvements per Match

0.56

Minutes per Goal Involvement

112.48′

Interestingly, there is one of Arteta’s signings in this current squad who could perhaps be described as the modern Giroud in that way.

Arsenal's modern Giroud

The first person that most of you’ll probably be thinking of here is Gyokeres, and while he could eventually fit the bill – should he not start scoring more – he’s not the player in question.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Instead, it’s £28m man Mikel Merino who could be looked at in the same way as the Gunners’ former striker.

The most significant similarity between the pair is that, as things stand, it does feel like the Spaniard has become one of the club’s current scapegoats when things go wrong.

When Arteta’s side loses, drops points, or even plays badly, and the midfielder has played even ten minutes of action, it’s impossible not to see fans and pundits alike slating him online – even when it’s not really his fault.

However, while the former Real Sociedad star certainly has his drawbacks and can sometimes slow down play, especially when starting alongside Declan Rice, he has a fairly impressive record with the North Londoners, and like Giroud, already has some standout moments.

For example, the 6 foot 3 “monster”, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has made 51 appearances for the club, totalling 3028 minutes, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided five assists.

That comes out to a goal involvement every 3.4 games, or every 201.86 minutes, which is massively impressive for an eight who has been forced to play up top on a number of occasions.

Moreover, some of his goals have been significant.

Last season, he scored two goals to win the game away to Leicester City, then he scored at home against Real Madrid and provided an assist away at the Bernabéu.

On top of that, it was his sensational header that got the team back on level terms against Newcastle yesterday afternoon.

Had he not been on the pitch at that point, there is a very real chance the Gunners might not have even got one point, let alone three.

Ultimately, like Giroud before him, Merino has come in for plenty of stick since moving to Arsenal and often found himself being the scapegoat.

However, so long as he keeps popping up with big goals, there is a chance he’ll eventually get the credit he deserves.

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Manchester United are on the lookout for reinforcements to continue their mission under Ruben Amorim and could now be in a position to enact one of the deals of the 2026 transfer window.

Manchester United dealt triple injury blow

Injuries are an unfortunate reality of the modern game, and the Red Devils aren’t immune to being caught short in that regard after Amorim confirmed Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount have been ruled out of facing Manchester City.

He stated: “I think they are out for this game. I don’t want to say (how long they will be missing). If you talk with Cunha, if you catch Cunha outside, he will say he can play this game! So I don’t know. We will manage day by day, but they are pushing hard and that is a good thing.”

While the demands of the Premier League are bound to hit everyone at points across the campaign, Manchester United will have a free run at the league for the next few months, easing pressure on a schedule that usually includes European football and domestic cup action.

In light of their lack of fixtures, The Sun have claimed that the Red Devils could look to participate in semi-competitive midweek friendly matches to help fill the financial black hole at Old Trafford after missing out on the Europa League last season.

With extra revenue on the line, Manchester United already took the step of having a post-season tour of Asia last term, illustrating that they are willing to do whatever it takes to earn capital.

What would extra funds generated go towards? If recent developments are to be believed, INEOS could be about to launch an offensive to land one of the world’s most talented stars.

Man Utd ahead of Real Madrid to sign Dayot Upamecano

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are ahead of Real Madrid in the race to sign Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, who could be a free agent in the summer of 2026.

Vincent Kompany’s men are struggling to agree terms with the France international on a new long-term contract, with his current one earning the star close to £14 million per annum, and he is said to want a significant increase on that figure before signing on the dotted line.

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1

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Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping tabs on his situation in Germany, where he has made three appearances this campaign across all competitions.

The outlet claim his market value sits at around £51 million, presenting a market opportunity that Manchester United are eager to take advantage of by offering him a central role in their plans, placing them ahead of Real Madrid. INEOS also view him as a significant upgrade on Harry Maguire and other defensive options.

Upamecano has been a consistent starter for Bayern again in the Bundesliga this term, and appears to fit the mould as someone who could help the Red Devils get back to competing for major honours.

تخلف المدرب البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، عن حضور المؤتمر الصحفي الذي كان مقررًا له بعد مباراة البنك الأهلي، مساء أمس الخميس.

وكان الزمالك التقي مع البنك الأهلي، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الـ 12 لبطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وانتهي اللقاء بين الفريقين، بنتيجة التعادل الإيجابي 1-1، ليسقط نادي الزمالك في التعادل الرابع له في بطولة الدوري هذا الموسم.

طالع | ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد تعادل الزمالك مع البنك الأهلي

ومن المنتظر بعد تخلف يانيك فيريرا عن حضور المؤتمر الصحفي، أن توقع عليه عقوبة وفقًا للائحة الدوري المصري للموسم الحالي.

ووفقا للائحة فإن عقوبة المدرب يانيك فيريرا، ستكون توجيه إنذار لعدم تكرار هذا الأمر، مع توقيع عقوبة مالية 20 ألف جنيه، وتتضاعف إذا تكرر الأمر من جديد.

ويحتل نادي الزمالك المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 19 نقطة، بعدما خاض 11 لقاء حتى الآن.

Praise continues to flood in for Manchester City phenomenon Erling Haaland, who surpassed 10 Premier League goals in the first eight games of a season for the third time in his career with both goals in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Everton at Etihad Stadium. The 25-year-old has already scored an astonishing 23 goals in 13 matches for club and country this season.

• Haaland continues to smash records

  No player other than Haaland has achieved the feat of reaching double figures in Premier League goals by match number eight, but the Norwegian powerhouse has achieved it in three of his four years for City. If he continues scoring at his current rate, he will score an unprecedented 52 goals this season. Logic dictates that is nigh-on impossible, but logic clearly has not met Haaland.

  The 25-year-old could conceivably reach 100 Premier League goals by early November, his total of 96 leaving four goals to go ahead of matchups with Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Liverpool and a Champions League clash with former club Borussia Dortmund sandwiched in between. The fastest player to the landmark is currently the division’s all-time top scorer Alan Shearer, who managed the feat in 124 games – Haaland has played just 105 so far. He is a truly generational goalscorer, and then some – the greatest that English football has ever seen, according to Jamie Carragher.

  Though Haaland himself still feels he has a challenge on his hands to win the European Golden Boot ahead of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.

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  Nevin and BBC Sport pundits heap praise on Haaland

  "The man is an absolute phenomenon," former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "He was walking about and looking fairly disinterested in the game. We had hardly mentioned his name. The ball has landed to him twice and never for a millisecond do you think it's going to end up anywhere but the goal.

  "The thing with Haaland when you see him at his very best is that he just looks like a grown man playing with kids. He has got that back again hasn't he? People just bounce off him, his pace is extraordinary and he looks superhuman. He is alive again."

  Former Premier League striker Glenn Murray said on Final Score: "The scary thing is, he has become more complete this season. He is a better footballer than when he arrived at Manchester City and scored all those goals. He was just a goalscorer then, I think his all-round game is improving."

  The aforementioned Shearer added on BBC Match of the Day: "If you are building from scratch what you want as the ideal centre-forward. Look at Haaland. He has goals, pace, strength, is good in the air. Doesn't mind being roughed up, it doesn't bother him if he doesn't have many touches. He is almost perfect."

• 'I'm disappointed he did not score five!' – Guardiola

  City boss Pep Guardiola said of Haaland following Saturday's victory: "Sergio [Aguero] scored a lot of goals with his head but the presence from Erling, his stature is huge. I am really pleased, not just for the incredible threat to the opponent but [that] we found him much more than the first half. That is really important, when you have these players you have to use them. Erling lives for it. Our delivery of passes has been better and Erling is our key man right now.

  "[I'm] disappointed he did not score four or five," Guardiola added. "All jokes aside, really pleased but we cannot rely on just him, we need other players [to score]. Wingers, attacking midfielders. They have to make a step up and score goals. We play to provide Erling with quality and passing but other players have to step up. The chances were clear, and they have to score. At this level they have to demand themselves. Chances from Savinho and Jeremy [Doku] and Tijjani [Reijnders] – they have to score. They have to do it otherwise we can't do what we want to do."

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  Haaland continues to haunt opposition managers

  Toffees manager David Moyes explained a conversation he had with Haaland at full-time: "I wish he had been somewhere else! Most managers will be thinking the same."

  He added: "I thought in the main we did a really good job. But then how can you say that? He scored two goals. The second one was a bit scruffy and we had not given him too many opportunities.

  "Later on in the game, I give great credit to our goalkeeper, the way he defended Haaland one-v-one because we had opened up trying to get a goal."