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Journalist Steve Kay has hailed Rob Holding’s performance for Arsenal in their 4-1 win at home to Crystal Palace in the Premier League as ‘outstanding’.

The Lowdown: Holding steps in

With William Saliba ruled out injured, Holding was entrusted to step in by Mikel Arteta, in what was his first start in the top flight so far this season.

He did concede to a Jeffrey Schlupp goal, but it did not matter in the end, as Arsenal ran riot by scoring four at the Emirates Stadium.

Bukayo Saka grabbed all the headlines with two goals and one assist, while Gabriel Martinelli and Granit Xhaka also managed to get themselves on the scoresheet, as the North London club moved three points closer to winning the Premier League title.

The Latest: Holding ‘outstanding’

Taking to Twitter after the game, Kay hailed Holding’s performance in particular as ‘outstanding’:

“Outstanding performance today by Rob Holdinho.”

The Verdict: Available if needed

Holding has shown that he can step in and do a job if needed.

He has only made 18 appearances in total over all competitions so far this term, with only 10 of them being starts, and has generally been an understudy to both Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.

However, with Saliba injured, Holding needed to come into the starting line-up in his place, and put in an inspired performance to help his team gain all three points.

The Englishman won a player-high 11 of his individual duels, and also made more clearances (five) than any of his team-mates, while he was accurate with all five of his long ball attempts, and recorded one successful dribble, two tackles, 87 touches of the ball and a 91% pass accuracy (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, Gunners supporters will have more faith that Holding can step in when needed, although they will also be hoping that Saliba can recover from his injury after the international break.

Leeds United return to action at Elland Road on Wednesday night as they prepare to host Welsh side Swansea City in the Championship.

The Whites are currently third in the table and are on the hunt to chase down the top two in the division – Ipswich Town and Leicester City.

They gained one point on the Tractor Boys over the weekend and now sit seven points behind them but are ten off the Foxes at the summit – despite securing a 1-0 win over Enzo Maresca's side earlier this month.

This means that it will take a colossal effort for Leeds to overtake those above them to earn an automatic promotion place but they still have 29 more matches to gain ground and secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Daniel Farke's side need to focus on their own results and hope that other teams slip up along the way and three points against Swansea this week could be an important step on their way to success.

They head into this game off the back of a frustrating 1-1 draw away at Rotherham United last Friday, with Crysencio Summerville scoring the only goal of the game for the Whites.

Farke could now make some alterations to the starting XI for that match in the hope of a return to winning ways against the Swans at Elland Road.

1 Illan Meslier

Between the sticks, French ace Illan Meslier could retain his position in goal. He has started all 17 of the club's league games this term and there were no major errors against Rotherham to warrant him being dropped for this clash.

2 Archie Gray

The 17-year-old starlet – Archie Gray – could continue to impress at right-back, away from his natural position in midfield. He won seven of his 12 duels against the Millers and won two tackles for the team.

3 Joe Rodon

At the heart of the defence, Joe Rodon should start again after a dominant display last Friday night. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee has been an impressive addition to the squad and showcased his quality last week.

Leeds titan with 90% duels won was Farke's true hero over Summerville on Friday

The impressive colossus stood up to the task on Friday night against Rotherham.

ByDan Emery Nov 25, 2023

As you can read in the article above, he dominated the opposition with his defensive prowess and deserves to keep his place in the XI after that performance.

4 Pascal Struijk

The first change that the head coach could make to the XI is to bring Pascal Struijk back into the side in place of the experienced Liam Cooper.

He started on the bench against Rotherham after dealing with a hernia over the international break but was pressed into action with ten minutes to go as Cooper was forced off with a knock.

The Dutch colossus has started 15 of the club's 17 Championship matches and could come straight back into the XI after being rested for the majority of last week's clash.

5 Sam Byram

At left-back, Farke could make another change to his team with Sam Byram coming back in for Junior Firpo, who could be ditched after his first start of the campaign.

The former Barcelona defender lost eight of his 16 duels and only competed one of his three attempted dribbles throughout his 70 minutes on the pitch.

It was a sloppy display from the full-back and Byram, who was an unused substitute after recovering from a knock, could return to the line-up.

The English titan has started 13 Championship matches so far this season and contributed with 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game for the Whites.

Since joining on a free transfer from Norwich City, the veteran defender has been a strong defensive presence for the German boss and could play a key role tonight with his ability to win possession back for the team if selected on the left.

6 Glen Kamara

The Finland international has been a superb addition from Scottish giants Rangers and should start in midfield. He has been calmness personified in possession with a pass success rate of 92% for the Whites.

7 Ethan Ampadu

Like Kamara, Ethan Amapdu has been in impressive form for Leeds since his summer switch from Premier League side Chelsea and should start in the middle of the park. The Wales international has made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game so far in the Championship.

8 Ian Poveda

The third and final change to the XI could be Ian Poveda being unleashed on the right side of the attack in place of Wales international Daniel James.

Poveda completed 100% of his attempted passes and one dribble in 20 minutes off the bench against Rotherham after the former Manchester United forward endured a difficult night.

James only found a teammate with 59% of his attempted passes and failed with all four of his attempted dribbles. The lightweight lost all seven of his duels throughout the game and could now lose his place in the XI as a result of that disappointing display.

Farke hailed Poveda as a "creative" talent who has impressed in training and could unleash him from the start for the second time in the league this term.

9 Joel Piroe

In the number ten position, Joel Piroe could keep his place after a return of one goal, three key passes, and one 'big chance' created in his last two league outings for the Yorkshire-based side. He has plundered six Championship goals in total since his move from Wednesday night's opponents.

10 Crysencio Summerville

Arguably the easiest decision that Farke has to make with this XI. Crysencio Summerville scored his seventh league goal of the season in the draw with Rotherham with a superb curled effort into the bottom corner and is able to provide a huge attacking threat on the left flank.

Manchester City are now keen on signing a record-breaking striker, but they will have to do battle for his signature with some of Europe's top clubs, according to a report.

What's the latest Man City transfer news?

Man City will be in the market for a new left-back in the January transfer window, considering Sergio Gomez is their only natural option in that area of the pitch, and Football Insider has revealed they are now confident about signing Boca Juniors' Valentin Barco.

Although the Boca defender has a release clause of around £10m included in his contract, the Sky Blues may have to stump up a fee of £15m, as there is considerable interest in his signature, with Brighton & Hove Albion also being named as potential suitors.

Barco is not the only young left-back that City have been credited with an interest in, as it has been reported they are also keen on signing Chelsea's Ian Maatsen, amid the uncertainty surrounding the 21-year-old's future at Stamford Bridge.

The vast majority of the Citizens' transfer targets are under 21, having also been linked with a move for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson, and there have now been reports they could make a move for another young striker.

According to a report from CalcioMercato, Man City are now interested in signing 15-year-old AC Milan striker Francesco Camarda, who is attracting the attention of several top European clubs, as they are "convinced" he has a great future ahead of him.

The Milan starlet continues to break "record after record", recently netting a brace against Newcastle United on his debut in the UEFA Youth League, which meant he became the youngest Italian ever to score in the competition.

In light of the impression the youngster has made for AC Milan, there are a number of clubs vying for his signature, with Borussia Dortmund also being named as potential suitors, but there is an indication he may not be on the move anytime soon.

The Italian club are currently in the process of handing Camarda his first professional contract, and he "dreams" of making his debut for the Rossoneri in the Serie A.

Who is Francesco Camarda?

The Milan-born forward has started to make a name for himself at youth level, having scored one goal in three Primavera 1 games this season, while he recorded three goal contributions in his first-ever UEFA Youth League outing, bagging two goals and an assist.

The Italian has also made his breakthrough on the international scene, having found the back of the net three times in three appearances for the U17s, during which time he has also recorded one assist.

It is no wonder some of Europe's top clubs are queuing up for Camarda, as he clearly has a lot of potential, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauding him as an "unbelievable" talent just a few days ago.

However, the Milan academy graduate does not seem to have much interest in leaving his hometown club at the moment, so Man City should keep him shortlisted for the future.

Jamie Carragher sparked a furore with his dig at Arsenal’s celebrations after their win over Liverpool, with Ian Wright and Piers Morgan responding.

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• Gunners claimed vital victory
• Premier League title race wide open
• Reds legend questioned celebrations

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Reds legend saw his former club suffer a 3-1 defeat at Emirates Stadium that has left the Premier League title race wide open. The Gunners were in high spirits after picking up three priceless points, with captain Martin Odegaard borrowing a camera from a club photographer in order to capture some of the jubilant scenes.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Said antics did not go down well with former Liverpool star Carragher, who suggested while on punditry duty for Sky Sports that Arsenal’s players should “get down the tunnel”. That jibe was slightly tongue-in-cheek, as he also went on quote Neil Warnock by claiming that celebrations should be “disciplined” – and the English coach responded with a light-hearted warning about using his catchphrase. Carragher also took aim at journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft on X, after he defended Odegaard's actions.

• WHAT WRIGHT & MORGAN SAID

  Carragher’s words have not gone unnoticed, though, among the Arsenal fanbase. Plenty have had their say on social media, including former frontman Wright and passionate Gunners supporter Morgan. Wright said: “What is wrong with the captain doing that? Why is everybody trying to kill the joy? Don’t kill the joy. There is still so much of the season to go. As soon as Arsenal do anything, they just come under the pile on. It’s like we can’t have any joy. Don’t let them spoil the joy – keep doing what you’re doing.”

  TV host Morgan said in a post of his own: “Calm down, calm down, @Carra23 – we battered you, and we’re going to enjoy every second.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Victory for Arsenal has lifted them up to second place in the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Liverpool with both clubs having 15 games left to play. Reigning champions Manchester City can rise above the Gunners again if they beat Brentford on Monday, however.

Broadcast giant ESPN have shed light on West Ham United and their transfer plans with a claim involving Real Valladolid full-back Ivan Fresneda.

Who will West Ham sign?

The Irons and manager David Moyes have been very busy this last week as we approach the latter phase of this summer window.

West Ham have been attempting to wrap up deals for both Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus and Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, all the while plotting a move for Rennes star Jeremy Doku.

The east Londoners most recently confirmed midfielders Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse as official summer signings, and the latter player is delighted to have arrived at West Ham.

“I’m buzzing to be here at West Ham United. It’s great to be here and I’m looking forward to getting going,” said Ward-Prowse.

“From the outside looking in, this is a Club that has been on the rise for a number of years now and coming off the success in the UEFA Europa Conference League last year, you can feel there is real momentum around this Club. It’s great to be a part of it and I can’t wait to play my role in the games to come.

“When I think about my game, it is based on hard work, graft, and giving 100 per cent. West Ham United has always been a Club that has epitomises that."

Journalist Dean Jones has also said to GiveMeSport that West Ham could make as many as five major signings by deadline day on September 1, which comes as a very promising claim.

"We’re looking at a massive month ahead for the Hammers," claimed Jones.

They will sign five players and have to find a way to make this all add up so they have a much stronger squad."

It appears West Ham very much mean business as they attempt to back Moyes with key additions, though whether or not they get them is another matter.

The Hammers' transfer plans will be an interesting talk point over this final fortnight of the window and ESPN have now made an interesting claim on Fresneda of Valladolid.

The right-back, who is also being chased by both Chelsea and Barcelona, is said to have attracted West Ham this summer as well.

Indeed, the broadcast giant reported on Friday that Moyes' side have "have also considered a bid this summer" for Fresneda.

The highly-rated 18-year-old is deciding his future as a few top clubs chase his signature, though it is unclear whether West Ham will properly join the fray at this stage.

How good is Ivan Fresneda?

Fresneda, despite his tender age, featured regularly for Valladolid last term – amassing 22 La Liga appearances.

The exciting full-back is generating plenty of interest as a result and members of the media have recently praised his "beastly" crossing ability from out wide.

Pundits like Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig have also called Fresneda "class", having watched him regularly for Valladolid over the last 12 months.

ESPN also state his valuation is a meagre £6.8m-£8.5m, making him more-than affordable from a West Ham perspective.

West Ham United boss David Moyes is "open-minded" about pursuing Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah this summer as other targets become more difficult to land, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Jonathan Tah moving to West Ham United?

According to Sky Germany, Bayer Leverkusen are open to letting Tah leave this summer and would be willing to accept a fee of €20 million (£17.1 million) or more to sanction his departure from the BayArena.

Tah is believed to view the Premier League as his 'dream destination'; however, his release clause mooted to be worth in the region of €18 million has now expired.

German publication Kicker report that West Ham are keen to take Tah to the London Stadium as uncertainty continues to swirl regarding the future of the 27-year-old.

Bayer Leverkusen managing director Simon Rolfes has spoken about Tah's situation, stating in a recent interview: "We definitely have it back in our own hands because the clause has expired. Therefore, in our planning, we assume that he will stay. That's basically it Of course, the transfer window is still open for a few weeks, so there can still be some movement."

Last term, Germany international Tah, who has long been called a "battleship", made 47 appearances in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen, registering one goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

FootballTransfers claim that West Ham are still keen to entice Tah to swap the Bundesliga for the English top-flight this off-season despite his release clause recently expiring.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones believes that Tah is emerging as a serious target as West Ham struggle to close deals for other sought after players this window.

Jones stated: “It seems like one they have genuine possibilities around in terms of getting it done and with other options being knocked down recently it makes sense that this one now gathers pace.

“We know Moyes has some reservations around this one and that he really desires new signings who have Premier League experience, yet of the players they are looking at from outside of England right now I have heard that Tah is at least someone Moyes is a little more open-minded about.”

Who else could David Moyes bring to West Ham United?

West Ham have been linked with plenty of high-profile players this window; however, they could now be ready to drop their pursuit of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, according to The Guardian.

Southampton are seeking to recoup £40 million for the deal ball specialist, though West Ham don't feel that Ward-Prowse is worth over £25 million, which could drive them to look at alternatives.

Manchester United had been open to selling midfielder Scott McTominay for a fee of £45 million this summer with West Ham keen to bring the Scotland international to London; nevertheless, they may now have to change their plans regarding the Scotland international due to young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo sustaining an injury in pre-season, according to Telegraph Sport.

The Hammers also failed with a £20 million bid for his teammate Harry Maguire and are now deliberating whether to go back in with a second proposal, as per Sky Sports.

Sheldon Jackson (181) and Ravindra Jadeja (150 not out) shellacked centuries as Saurashtra racked up 428 for 4 on the opening day of their second-round match against Jammu & Kashmir in Rajkot. The two, who joined hands with the side precariously placed at 59 for 3 after electing to bat, added 281 for the fifth wicket.Jackson’s 14th first-class century consisted of 22 fours and seven sixes. His knock came off just 156 deliveries before Waseem Raza struck in the final session. Jadeja, in comparison, was more watchful, playing out 223 deliveries. By stumps, he had put on an unbroken 88 for the sixth wicket with Snell Patel, who was not out on 31. Robin Uthappa, promoted to open, made 37, while Cheteshwar Pujara, who continued to lead in Jaydev Shah’s absence, fell for 13.Legspinner Piyush Chawla picked up five wickets in his first appearance as a professional as Gujarat, the defending champions, wrested the initiative in their season opener in Nadiad. Kerala, who elected to bat, were bowled out for 208, with just one fifty-plus score that belonged to Sanju Samson. Chawla triggered the lower-order slide as Kerala lost their last six wickets for 38 runs. Jalaj Saxena was unbeaten on 30. Sachin Baby, the Kerala captain, was the second-highest scorer with 49. In reply, Gujarat lost Priyank Panchal, the previous season’s highest run-getter, and Bhargav Merai to finish on 60 for 2.Opener Amitkumar Gautam’s unbeaten century helped Rajasthan rally after a top-order wobble against Jharkhand in Jaipur. Gautam’s unbroken 131-run stand with Tarjinder Singh (66 not out) helped Rajasthan end the day at 250 for 4. Ashok Menaria contributed 50 before falling to Jaskaran Singh. Adding to concerns in the Rajasthan camp was the injury to wicketkeeper Dishant Yagnik, who was forced to retire hurt. They can avail a substitute wicketkeeper if Yagnik isn’t fit to keep later in the match, under the new ICC guidelines which the BCCI has also implemented. Ashish Kumar, the fast bowler, picked up two wickets for Jharkhand.

The Bangladesh A opener remained at the crease for close to five-and-a-half hours, stitching together impressive stands with Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Yasir Ali Choudhury en route to 108 off 219 balls

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2017
ScorecardShadman Islam struck a century in the first innings•IDI/Getty

A century from Shadman Islam put Bangladesh A in charge on the second day of the unofficial Test against Ireland A in Sylhet. The home side finished with a lead of 67 at stumps, having posted 322 for six in the 103 overs of their first innings.Resuming on an overnight score of 22, Shadman struck 15 fours in his 108 off 219 balls, staying at the crease for close to five-and-a-half hours. He added 137 for the second wicket with captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who made a 135-ball 69. Shadman added a further 69 with Yasir Ali Chowdhury (35) for the fourth wicket before falling in the 82nd over of the innings.Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan scored his 16th first-class fifty, anchoring a 66-run stand with Mahedi Hasan (35) for the sixth wicket. Nurul went to stumps on an unbeaten 51 off 98 balls.For the visitors, Nathan Smith and Andrew McBrine took two wickets each, with the latter accounting for Shadman. Stuart Thompson and George Dockrell picked up a wicket apiece.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to add to his already-impressive collection of trophies for the club in the upcoming season.

The Hoops boss replaced Ange Postecoglou after the Australian tactician opted to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur last month and is now in his second spell at Parkhead.

He lifted seven trophies in less than three full years during his first stint in Scotland, with the upcoming campaign providing him with an opportunity to reach double figures.

The summer transfer window has well over a month left to run and the Northern Irishman could use it to bolster his squad in order to give his team the best chance of success.

Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio have both joined in recent weeks but the Hoops may not be done there, as Young Boys central midfielder Fabian Rieder has also been linked with a switch to Paradise.

How good is Fabian Rieder?

The 21-year-old's performances in his home country suggest that he has the quality to be an excellent player for Celtic if it translates over to the Scottish Premiership next term.

He is a creative midfield player who also offers a goal threat from a number eight or ten position, which could make him Rodgers' next version of Tom Rogic.

The former Hoops magician, who left at the end of the 2021/22 season, made 105 competitive appearances under the 50-year-old manager during their time together at Parkhead.

The Australian contributed with 24 goals and 20 assists in that time, including five of each in 22 league outings in the 2017/18 campaign, which works out as a goal involvement every 2.39 games on average.

Rogic proved himself to be a midfielder with the ability to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch and Rieder's form for Young Boys indicates that the potential is there for him to follow in the now-30-year-old's footsteps.

The Switzerland international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.17 – a score that would have placed him seventh in Postecoglou's squad – across 33 Super League outings last season and chipped in with seven goals along with four assists, which works out as a contribution every three matches on average.

He also created seven 'big chances' for his teammates to go with 1.8 key passes per match. To highlight how good that is, only Jota (1.9) and Matt O'Riley (2.1) bettered it in Celtic colours throughout the Scottish Premiership.

Rieder also caught the eye at the U21 European Championship as he created 2.3 chances per game over his four appearances at the tournament, which is more than any of the aforementioned Hoops players managed last term.

This suggests that the Swiss wizard, who was hailed as "tenacious" and a set-piece "specialist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the quality to be an outstanding creator for Rodgers whilst also being able to contribute with a goalscoring threat from midfield.

Therefore, the Young Boys dynamo could be the manager's next Rogic as the potential is there for him to deliver goals and assists from a number eight role on a regular basis to support the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada, and Daizen Maeda.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to sign Real Madrid star Federico Valverde this summer, according to an exciting new transfer rumour.

How good is Fede Valverde?

The £181,000-a-week midfielder has grown into arguably one of the best midfielders in the world in recent years, becoming an integral part of a successful Madrid side, winning two La Liga titles and one Champions League crown along the way.

Valverde has stood out as a complete modern player, combining relentless athleticism, technical quality and versatility, allowing him to thrive both in central midfield and a wide role. Last season, he scored seven goals in the league, also chipping in with four assists and averaging 0.9 tackles per game.

While the 24-year-old is surely seen as a vital part of Madrid's future moving forward, there is still huge competition for places in the middle of the park, especially with highly-rated England international Jude Bellingham sealing a big-money move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer.

There are also the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni at the club battling for minutes, so it will be hard for Carlo Ancelotti to keep everyone happy.

With Chelsea searching hard for new midfield signings this summer, in order to make up for the loss of K'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, it looks as though Blues could be eyeing up an audacious move for Valverde.

Could Chelsea seal sensational move for Valverde?

According to Defensa Central [via The Chelsea Chronicle], the west Londoners' new boss Pochettino would love to bring the Uruguay international to the club this summer. The Argentine is believed to be "obsessed" with the idea of signing the Madrid superstar, pleading with owner Todd Boehly to complete the transfer.

In truth, it is extremely difficult to see Madrid being willing to part ways with Valverde any time soon, considering he is only 24 years of age and an undoubted key man, having racked up 204 appearances for them to date.

Kroos even described his teammate as one of the "top three in the world right now'' during one spell last season, highlighting just what a special addition he would be to Chelsea's squad, should he suddenly be made available in the summer transfer window.

The thought of the Blues having a new-look midfield of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Valverde is a truly mouthwatering prospect for any Chelsea supporter, and if it happened, the entire team could be transformed after a hugely underwhelming 2022/23 campaign that saw them finish 12th in the Premier League.

Valverde could be about the hit the sweet spot of his career, with so many players peaking around the ages of 25-29, which is why Madrid will almost certainly want to retain his services for the foreseeable future.

It is encouraging to hear Pochettino being so bold about Chelsea's transfer business, though, and if they can't sign the Madrid hero, it is essential that someone of a similar ilk heads to Stamford Bridge during the summer instead.