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West Ham United opted against dipping into the market to add a recognised, senior, centre-forward to their playing squad during the summer transfer window. The Hammers allowed Gianluca Scamacca to depart to Atalanta and, instead of replacing him, went into the season with Michail Antonio and Danny Ings as their two number nine options.

They have scored two Premier League goals between them so far this season, both of which have come from Antonio, in a combined 19 appearances. If reports are to be believed, the Hammers are now looking to the January transfer window to add further firepower to their attacking arsenal for the second half of the campaign.

West Ham transfer news – Kelechi Iheanacho

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham and David Moyes are now showing an interest in Leicester City centre-forward Kelechi Iheanacho ahead of the turn of the year.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Brentford are also eyeing up the Nigeria international as a possible target to improve their respective frontlines.

It is stated that he is out of contract at the end of the season and that the Foxes are keen to tie him down to an extension to avoid losing his services for nothing.

However, they have not made any tangible progress on that front and, as it stands, he will be a free agent next summer. This could play into West Ham's hands in January as they could swoop in to offer Leicester a chance to rake in some money for the EFL gem.

Is Iheanacho better than Antonio and Ings?

The former Manchester City marksman has enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign, showcasing his goalscoring ability with six goals in 17 appearances in all competitions. In the Championship, the left-footed finisher has plundered an impressive five goals and one assist in seven starts for Enzo Maresca's league leaders.

However, his form in the second tier is not the only reason that Moyes may be interested in his services, though, as the Nigerian ace has also displayed his quality at Premier League level in the past.

Last season, the "incredible" – as he was once dubbed by ex-boss Brendan Rodgers – dynamo produced five goals and five assists in 11 top-flight starts for Leicester. That came after a return of four goals and five assists in 13 starts throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

His knack for finding the back of the net was on full display during the 2020/21 season too, as Iheanacho racked up 12 goals and two assists in 16 Premier League starts. These statistics suggest that the Foxes star could be an excellent addition to West Ham's squad as their striker options have failed to deliver consistent quality.

Last season, Antonio was the club's top-scoring number nine with just five league strikes, alongside three assists, in 21 starts for the Hammers. This means that he has managed seven goals and five assists in his last 32 league starts since the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign.

Whereas, Iheanacho managed nine goals and ten assists in his last 24 top-flight starts for Leicester throughout his last two seasons at that level, and could offer more than the Jamaica international at the top end of the pitch.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was seen last night attending Brighton's round of 16 clash against Roma alongside sporting director Paul Winstanley.

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• Pochettino spotted at Amex Stadium
• Watched Brighton win 1-0 against Roma
• Was accompanied by Paul Winstanley

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentine was spotted at the Amex Stadium as Brighton attempted to pull off an unlikely victory over Roma in their knockout round second leg. Led by Chelsea's rumoured managerial target Roberto De Zerbi, the Seagulls suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat in Italy last week in the first leg. Despite their 1-0 win last night, the English side crashed out of Europe as it was insufficient against an inferior Roma squad without Romelu Lukaku, who is on loan from Chelsea.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Blues have been linked to a few Brighton players ahead of the upcoming transfer window. However, the exact purpose of Pochettino's visit has not yet been revealed. The club is said to be targeting a striker, with Evan Ferguson a player they greatly admire. Even though he didn't start last night, Ferguson is regarded as one of the league's rising stars.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It had earlier been reported that the relationship between Pochettino and Winstanley had significantly deteriorated over the last few months. However, the duo's presence together may indicate that the situation between them is not as bad. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen what will happen in the future between the Argentine coach and the club, if the current situation cannot be rectified.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR POCHETTINO?

  It will be back to the drawing board and the Argentine's training field as he prepares his forces to take on Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday, March 17. The club will push hard to try and win the tournament this season to try and ensure that they don't go trophyless for a second consecutive campaign.

There was only one team in it in the second-half, but the Reds' woeful finishing let them down against the reigning champions

Liverpool will be left wondering 'what if?' after missing a plethora of chances that forced them to settle for a 1-1 draw against Manchester City in a match that has huge implications for the Premier League title race. After falling behind in the first half, Alexis Mac Allister converted a penalty early in the second as the home team took control of matters against last season's treble winners, but woeful finishing from the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai proved their undoing.

It was a frenetic start to the game for Jurgen Klopp's side in the German coach's final Premier League game against Pep Guardiola. Liverpool found it tough to make combinations high up early on as the City defence doubled up on the forwards. The Reds grew into the game after the first quarter of an hour, though, utilising the movement of Nunez and Harvey Elliott, finding a way to bring Conor Bradley and Diaz into play from the wings and allowing Szoboszlai to drift forward through the centre.

Although the home team managed to work the ball into dangerous areas, they simply couldn't hit the target in the first 45 minutes, and fell behind when an intelligent Kevin De Bruyne corner found John Stones free at the front post to ensure City were ahead at half-time.

Klopp's team needed to come out fighting in the second half and were given a break two minutes in when Nunez pounced on a terrible pass back from Nathan Ake and was clattered into by Ederson, allowing Mac Allister to equalise from the resultant penalty. The injury Ederson suffered in the process prevented City from getting any momentum going and Liverpool stayed dominant throughout the half, but their atrocious finishing haunted them as Nunez and Diaz both scuppered great opportunities.

Despite having 19 shots – 12 in the second half – to City's 10, the hosts were forced to settle for a draw, leaving them level on points with Arsenal at the top and Guardiola's team just one behind them, setting all three up for an incredible run-in.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Caoimhin Kelleher (7/10):

Kept out City's long-range shots but was beaten from close-range for the opener.

Conor Bradley (7/10):

Showed glimpses of his youth in a frantic start with heavy touches and dodgy movement, but settled in and became an asset defensively and in the build-up.

Jarell Quansah (7/10):

Didn't give much away and read the game fairly well, but most passes went backwards.

Virgil van Dijk (8/10):

His leadership qualities were on show and he was a rock at the back with vital clearances and tackles.

Joe Gomez (6/10):

Had a difficult time on the left side as City always seemed to find a way past him.

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Dominik Szoboszlai (6/10):

A bit too casual defensively but made some invasive runs to find holes in the City defence before he went off at the hour mark.

Wataru Endo (7/10):

Fought hard to win the ball and his quick passes helped get things going from midfield.

Alexis Mac Allister (8/10):

Put in a great shift battling for the ball and pinging quick passes around to cut through City. Did a great job converting the penalty.

Getty ImagesAttack

Harvey Elliott (4/10):

Chased the ball up and down the field like a dog but it seemed to just slide past him most of the time.

Darwin Nunez (6/10):

Gave the ball away, was offside far too often and did nothing to track Stones for the first goal. Won the penalty and was better in the second half.

Luis Diaz (5/10):

Went on some great runs but wanted too much time on the ball against a City defence that swarmed him to nullify the threat. His finishing was terrible.

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Mohamed Salah (6/10):

Came on at the hour mark for Szoboszlai and quickly sent Diaz through with a great pass. Livened up the Reds' attack and had a few shots at goal.

Andy Robertson (6/10):

Sent some dangerous balls in from the left wing but Nunez failed to finish.

Cody Gakpo (5/10):

On for the last 15 minutes but could hardly get involved.

Jurgen Klopp (7/10):

His team recovered from a shaky start to take control of the game, but simply couldn't add the finishing touch to their many promising attacks throughout the final 45 minutes.

Dale Steyn, South Africa’s veteran fast bowler, has signed with Hampshire for the 2018 season, in a bid to step up his return to full fitness.Steyn, who missed much of South Africa’s home international season through injury, hopes to be available to the club in two windows, the first in June, for one 50-over match and one County Championship fixture, and then at the back-end of the season, following South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka in July.Steyn was awarded a new national contract in April and has committed himself to returning for South Africa, though he has only played one Test since November 2016, when he broke a bone in his shoulder at the WACA. He then suffered a heel injury that ruled him out of the recent series against Australia.During his time at Hampshire, Steyn will also fill in for South African counterpart Hashim Amla, who joins the club for the first three months of the season.Steyn, who made his Test debut against England in 2004, has claimed 419 Test wickets in 86 matches, including 26 five-wicket hauls at an average of 22.32. He needs three more wickets to overtake Shaun Pollock as his country’s leading wicket-taker.One of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 2013, he has also been a major part of South Africa’s ODI team, taking 238 wickets at an average of less than 24.”Dale is one of the best bowlers in the world and is extremely motivated to get going after a frustrating period on the sidelines,” said Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket. “It seems a great fit for both parties – we hope that we can help him get back to his best and we look forward to welcoming him to Hampshire.”

Virat Kohli is likely to choose the two-T20I series in Ireland over his third county match for Surrey, after the India selectors named him the captain for the games even though the dates clash with his Surrey stint.Surrey had announced Kohli would play for them for the whole of June – India’s T20Is in Ireland are on June 27 and 29 and Surrey’s match against Yorkshire is from June 25 to 28. The BCCI, however, said there was no commitment from Kohli to play all three games for Surrey.It is understood that BCCI officials are in talks with concerned authorities in England to resolve the issue amicably. It might not be that difficult to convince Surrey because they are already believed to be under fire from former England players for providing Kohli match-practice ahead of India’s tour of England in July.The understanding in the BCCI is that if Kohli gets enough opportunity in his first two Surrey games, the priority for him will be the two T20Is in Ireland. Should weather or other factors deny him adequate time to bat in the first two matches, Kohli might stay back and play in Scarborough. Surrey, however, are of the view that Kohli will miss the first T20I against Ireland, play in Scarborough, and then make it for India’s second T20I the next day.India are understood to be flexible with their preparation plans for the Test series. An India A tour of England has been organised in June before the Tests, and though no Test players were named in the A squad, the option remains open to them – even for Kohli – should they want more time to acclimatise. India’s chairman of selectors MSK Prasad said they had a discussion with the team management and India A coach Rahul Dravid.”Some of the Test specialists like [Wriddhiman] Saha, [Murali] Vijay, [Mohammed] Shami will play the third India A Test against West Indies A before playing the warm-up game against Essex and then the England Tests,” Prasad said.ESPNcricinfo, however, understands, that this plan is not limited to just the three players. Some of the all-formats players could hop over to the unofficial Test against England Lions, scheduled from July 16 to 19 in Worcester. That match might also be rescheduled because it clashes with the third ODI against England.

After right-back Jurrien Timber's injury, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could end up turning to a "forgotten" star at the Emirates Stadium.

Latest Arsenal news

After just missing out on their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years last season – beaten at the hands of treble-winning Man City – Arsenal are aiming to mount yet another serious challenge.

Arteta's side displayed serious ambition over the summer transfer window, sealing a quartet of deals amounting to around £200 million. Club-record signing Declan Rice, who joined from West Ham for around £105m, stands out as their most-headline grabbing capture.

The England international was joined by goalkeeper David Raya, forward Kai Havertz and inverted right-back option Timber.

However, it didn't take long for the latter new signing to suffer his first major blow. Timber, after an opening day injury against Nottingham Forest, was sidelined for around seven months with an ACL tear.

Speaking after the news, Arteta was left devastated, calling it a "huge blow".

“It is a huge blow. Especially for him after just joining the club. We recruited him with clear intentions and what he was bringing to the team was evident,” Arteta said.

“I’m more thinking about the resources in the team to do what we want to do. But it’s true he was giving us a lot on both sides.

"We didn’t plan obviously with this injury, we have to assess now what the options are, what the best way is to get the best out of the players we have. As I said, my biggest challenge now is to get the best out of the players we have."

What's been said about Cedric Soares?

The task for Arteta is to now cope without Timber's presence. The Spaniard, most recently, has been utilising both central defenders and midfielder Thomas Partey as makeshift full-back options.

So far, the Gunners have coped fairly well with a solid start to the season; winning three out of their four opening league matches while remaining unbeaten.

Ben White started at right-back during Arsenal's latest 3-1 win over Man United just prior to the international break, but now reporter Paul Brown has claimed that outcast Cedric Soares could also be an option.

The Portuguese was heavily linked with a move away in the summer, and Fulham were even rumoured to be closing in on his signing at one point.

However, in a twist to the tale, Soares may well have an opportunity to force himself back into Arteta's plans.

“It's possible that we see Soares reintegrated a little bit," Brown told GiveMeSport.

"He isn't a bad option as a backup full-back. Arsenal aren't blessed with many full-backs and were looking for an extra one at the end of the window.

"So, it’s possible we might see him play this season. Arteta has been using centre-backs or Partey as makeshift full-backs. So, I think he gives them an option that people might have forgotten about, but I do think he could play this season.”

The former Southampton star played just 28 minutes of Arsenal's 2022/2023 season in the top flight, so if Arteta does bring him back in, it would be quite the move.

Mitchell Marsh scored his maiden Test hundred and Steven Smith batted through the day for a double as England were ground into the dirt at the WACA

The Report by Brydon Coverdale16-Dec-20172:23

Vaughan: Smith has the special skill and hunger of greatness

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt would be hard to imagine a day of greater Australian dominance than this one. It was a day on which Steven Smith made his second Test double-century, Mitchell Marsh scored his maiden Test hundred, England claimed just a single wicket and Australia piled on 346 runs. A day that began with Australia trailing by 200 finished with them 146 runs in front, and with a realistic chance of pushing for victory – and the urn – over the next two days. Remind us why Australia would want to move Ashes Tests away from the WACA?But a caveat is necessary, for it was not a day that necessarily ended England’s campaign. The pitch remains good for batting – that is stating the obvious – and there is rain forecast over the next two days in Perth. It remains very possible that England will escape from this match with a draw, and as the holders of the Ashes, that would keep them alive in the series. Alive, but demoralised. They might have known that Smith could score a mountain of runs, but Mitchell Marsh eyeing off a Test double-century by stumps? They’d have been more likely to expect the Spanish Inquisition.This was a day that can best be illustrated by the numbers, and at the close of play, the numbers were these: Smith was on 229, Marsh was on 181, and Australia had 4 for 549. Hundreds were also piling up in England’s bowling analysis: Craig Overton, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali had all conceded centuries by the close of play, and if James Anderson – currently at 0 for 85 – joins them on the fourth day, it will be just the eighth time in Test history that a team has had five or more bowlers concede 100 in the same innings.Some more numbers: by stumps, the Smith-Marsh partnership was worth 301 runs, the most prolific partnership Smith has ever been involved in at Test level. And Marsh’s score was already the sixth-highest of all time by an Australian No.6. Along the way, Smith passed 1000 runs in a calendar year for the fourth consecutive year, joining Matthew Hayden as the only men to achieve this feat, and Smith has done so averaging 60-plus in every year.The day had started in vaguely reasonable style for England, when they claimed the wicket of Shaun Marsh, who edged Moeen to slip for 28. It was the only reason England had to celebrate all day. Reasons for optimism were rare: occasionally Smith edged, but his soft hands always ensured the ball dropped short of the slips, and an lbw review from England against Smith found that Anderson had over-stepped, although in any case the umpire’s on-field call of not-out would have been upheld by the ball tracking.Mitchell Marsh roars after hitting his maiden Test hundred•Getty Images

No matter what Joe Root tried, it failed. In the morning, Smith brought up the fastest century of his Test career, a 138-ball effort that showed just as much ability to read the circumstances as had his slowest Test hundred, scored at the Gabba earlier in this series. He continued to be strong when cover-driving, when walking across the stumps and whipping to leg, and frankly playing wherever he wanted to.Marsh was especially powerful driving straight down the ground and through the off side, and also found the gaps when cutting. He let out a roar after bringing up his home-town hundred in the final over before tea, with a pair of boundaries through point off Broad, the milestone coming from his 130th delivery. His efforts had continued a fine summer of selections from the Australian panel, who have found excellent contributions from Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine and now Mitchell Marsh, three selections that sparked much debate.And still the runs kept piling up. Late in the day, Smith moved past his previous highest Test score of 215, and had been at the crease for nearly 10 hours. He was just the fifth Australia captain to score an Ashes double-century, after Billy Murdoch, Don Bradman, Bob Simpson and Allan Border.Marsh by the close was eyeing off a double-century, a sentence which on its own tells all that need be told about this day. The result was that England were sunk, if not in the series, then at least in their hopes of winning this Test.

Fulham are now preparing a second bid for Flamengo striker Pedro, with a new report revealing they have a number of striker targets in mind…

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

With Aleksandar Mitrovic joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for a club-record fee of £46m, Fulham seemingly have a lot of money to splash out on a replacement, and they have already made contact with Atalanta's Duvon Zapata.

Zapata's proposed loan move to AS Roma has now fallen through, which could open the door for a move to Craven Cottage, with Marco Silva's side making their first move, however, he is currently leaning towards staying with his current club.

The Cottagers have also held talks with Arsenal over a move for Folarin Balogun, although the USMNT international will not come cheap, with the Gunners set to demand around £50m, although Silva is personally hopeful that a compromise can be reached.

In a new report from The Evening Standard, it is detailed that Zapata remains of interest to Fulham, but Atalanta now want to keep him, despite recently signing Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham United.

Balogun has also been sounded out, but the 22-year-old is now expected to sign for AS Monaco, while Silva has denied interest in Juventus striker Moise Kean.

Silva is keen to have three strikers in his squad and the Cottagers have now made an approach for Flamengo striker Pedro, in their bid to replace Mitrovic.

In fact, a £21m offer has already been knocked back by the Brazilian club, but they are braced for a further bid, with Fulham currently in the process of preparing a new proposal, which they hope will be deemed acceptable.

The 26-year-old is keen on a move to the Premier League, which could give the Londoners an advantage over the likes of Benfica and Zenit St Petersburg, who are also credited with an interest.

How good is Pedro?

Mitrovic scored 14 goals in 24 Premier League games for the Cottagers last season, so it is important the Serbian's replacement is just as clinical in front of goal, and Pedro has been lauded by members of the media.

South American football expert Tim Vickery has described the Brazilian as an "excellent finisher", which is exemplified by the fact he has outperformed his non-penalty XG significantly over the past year, averaging 0.68 goals per 90, having been expected to average 0.51.

The Rio de Janeiro-born marksman has been clinical in front of goal in the Brazilian Serie A, however, there may be some concern over the fact his last move to Europe did not go to plan, failing to score in four games for Fiorentina before heading back to his home country.

That said, the former Fiorentina man has made improvements to his game since then, with Brazil legend Ronaldo lauding him as a "quality striker" with a "huge future ahead of him", and so it is exciting news that Fulham are about to make another bid.

With Zapata set to stay at Atalanta and Balogun poised to move to Monaco, the Cottagers are running out of options to replace Mitrovic, so they could try to get a deal for Pedro over the line as quickly as possible.

Serie A giants Inter Milan will intensify talks to sign Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun in the "next few days", according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Who will leave Arsenal this summer?

The 22-year-old is one of a few players to be linked with a move away from north London this window, coming after Arsenal have sealed three major signings in Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber.

Havertz signed for £65 million, making the move across London to Chelsea, while Timber joined Mikel Arteta's side for around £38 million from Eredivsie giants Ajax.

Rice, though, comes as their most marquee purchase by some distance to the tune of £105 million in total – including £5 million in add-ons – with Arteta praising the club's capture of an England star.

“We’re really happy that Declan is joining us," explained the Gunners boss.

"He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now.

“Declan has great experience in the Premier League at only 24 years old. He has captained a very good West Ham team and as we all saw, he recently lifted a European trophy."

Arsenal could also sign a new goalkeeper, as reported by reliable media sources, with Brentford's David Raya attracting their serious interest.

To make squad space for these additions, whilst freeing up more funds, sporting director Edu is tasked with selling fringe players. Winger Nicolas Pepe, midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, defender Kieran Tierney and Balogun have been repeatedly mentioned as candidates to follow Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari out the door.

La Gazzetta, sharing news this week on their website, provide an update on Balogun's future as Serie A heavyweights Inter show a firm interest.

The Nerazzurri are set to step up a move for their target very soon. It is believed Inter will "intensify contacts" to sign the USA international in the "next few days".

Simone Inzaghi's side are chasing Balogun and see him as a top talent for the future, and while nothing is added beyond that, it appears Inter are determined to sign him.

How good is Folarin Balogun?

The young forward enjoyed a stellar season on loan at Reims over 2022/2023, scoring 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances (WhoScored).

His form has seemingly alerted Inter and it's little wonder they view him as a player who can seriously strengthen Inzaghi's attacking options.

Arteta, commenting on Balogun's phenomenal campaign in France last season, hailed his attacker's "really committed" and "brave" playing style.

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career," said Arteta.

"He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave. We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

نجح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، في تحقيق فوز ثمين على منافسه دريمز الغاني، بثلاثية دون رد، خلال المباراة التي انتهت منذ قليل وجمعت بينهما ببطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

وتواجه الزمالك مع دريمز الغاني، على ملعب الأخير في غانا، في إطار مواجهة الإياب لدور نصف النهائي من بطولة الكونفدرالية.

وكانت مواجهة الذهاب التي جمعت الفريقين، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، انتهت بالتعادل السلبي.

طالع أيضاً.. فيديو | مصطفى شلبي يُسجل هدف الزمالك الثالث أمام دريمز الغاني

بهذا الفوز تأهل الزمالك إلى الدور النهائي لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، وينتظر الفائز من مواجهة نهضة بركان واتحاد العاصمة المقرر لها اليوم.

ومن المقرر أن يلعب الزمالك مباراته القادمة أمام البنك الأهلي، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويحتل الزمالك المركز الثاني عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 21 نقطة، فيما يتواجد البنك الأهلي بالمركز الخامس عشر، ولديه 18 نقطة. موعد مباراة الزمالك والبنك الأهلي في الدوري المصري

تنطلق المباراة يوم الخميس الموافق 2 مايو المقبل، في تمام الساعة الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا