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At the start of the season, qualifying for the Champions League would have been viewed as a minimum requirement, but right now, Manchester United would take a spot in the Europa League.

Yesterday’s entertaining 4-2 victory over Sheffield United was a step in the right direction in terms of play style, although Erik ten Hag’s side faced 20th place in the league.

The Red Devils were dominant from the first whistle to the last, having 25 shots and obviously netting four times, but what will impress the boss the most is that they limited the opponent to 0.82 xG.

However, despite the overall performance being much better, there was one individual who struggled to impact the game.

Christian Eriksen’s 23/24 campaign

In the summer of 2022, Christian Eriksen joined Man United on a free transfer, almost instantly becoming an important player for the Dutch boss, starting 25 league games and being United’s joint top assister with eight.

However, since the rise of Kobbie Mainoo, Eriksen’s involvement in the starting lineup has decreased massively, to the point where he’s started just ten games this Premier League campaign.

The fact that the Dane missed ten games between November and December due to injury didn’t help the midfielder, but his lack of athleticism and defensive security, as shown by his 0.9 tackles per game in the league, has kept him out of the team.

Furthermore, unfortunately, it seems that Eriksen’s future as a Man United player will come to an end in the summer – according to reports – and after last night’s performance, he may never play for the club again.

Eriksen’s statistics against Sheffield United

Yesterday, Eriksen made his first start for the Red Devils since the start of January against Tottenham Hotspur, which just underlines that he’s not in Ten Hag’s plans.

Since that 2-2 draw against Spurs, the former Lilywhite has sat on the bench on ten separate occasions in the league, not even getting a single minute on the field.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Eriksen was extremely rusty against the Blades and struggled to have any impact whatsoever.

Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst rated the 32-year-old’s performance as a 5/10, alluding to the fact that he didn’t exactly do much when in possession.

Minutes

64

Passes completed

56

Touches

66

Key passes

1

xA

0.16

Duels won

1/3

Tackles

1

It’s clear that the statistics also indicate that Eriksen was merely a “passenger,” as he’s previously been described by football creator Liam Canning.

The Denmark international saw plenty of the ball throughout his 64 minutes on the field, taking 66 touches and making 56 passes, which helped United maintain control.

However, he wasn’t exactly looking to create or unlock the visitor's backline, with his one key pass and 0.16 xA proving that he was extremely safe and arguably too cautious.

Yet, the biggest issue regarding Eriksen certainly isn’t his technical ability, but more so his lack of defensive capability, as mentioned earlier.

Against the Blades, the number 14 only competed in three duels, losing two of them, and he only made one tackle all game, proving that he’s a weakness in the middle of the park.

Eriksen was eventually subbed off for Scott McTominay, as Ten Hag looked for more intensity, energy, and presence, which paid off considering the hosts went on to win thanks to a Bruno Fernandes masterclass, where he scored twice and picked up an assist.

With Mason Mount also returning from injury very soon, it’s difficult to see Eriksen having much more of an impact for the rest of the season, and unfortunately, his game against the Blades signified that it’s time to let go of the magician.

Ten Hag’s 7/10 star may have just saved his Man Utd career

The Man United star had 141 touches and made 109 passes last night.

ByTom Lever Apr 25, 2024

Celtic still have plenty to play for before the end of the 2023/24 campaign as they bid to avoid a trophyless season on Brendan Rodgers' return to the club.

The Northern Irish boss was brought back to Parkhead for a second spell in the dugout last summer and is currently in danger of failing to win a trophy this term.

However, the Hoops are in the Scottish Premiership title race with Rangers, and are currently top of the division, and have an SFA Cup semi-final clash with Aberdeen next weekend.

This means that Rodgers could still lift two pieces of silverware by the end of the season if the Scottish giants enjoy a successful next few weeks.

Focus will then turn to how the Bhoys can improve their playing squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, and work appears to already be underway on that front as the club have been linked with an interest in a talented attacking midfielder from England.

Celtic's interest in exciting Championship midfielder

According to a recent report from Football Scotland, the Hoops are keeping tabs on Coventry City number ten Callum O'Hare, who currently plays in the Championship down south.

The outlet claimed that Celtic have a 'genuine' interest in the former Aston Villa academy graduate, and could speak to his representatives at the end of the season to discuss a possible move to Parkhead.

It is, however, stated that a number of clubs in England, in the Premier League and the Championship, are also interested in securing his services and have put forward 'hefty' proposals in an attempt to convince him to join them.

In March, The Sun claimed that Southampton, Fulham, and Everton are all keen on the talented whiz, with the latter two both currently sitting in the English top-flight.

The outlet also revealed that O'Hare has snubbed the chance to put pen to paper on a contract extension with his current club, which would make him a free agent at the end of the campaign.

His current deal is due to expire this summer and that would allow Celtic, or any of the other interested parties, to snap him up for nothing ahead of next season.

Rodgers must now work hard to convince the 25-year-old wizard to reject interest from other teams in England and to make the move up to Scotland to compete for trophies with the Hoops.

O'Hare could be an exciting signing to partner fellow mercurial midfielder Matt O'Riley in Glasgow, should Celtic keep hold of the Danish dynamo.

Matt O'Riley's exceptional Premiership performances

The former MK Dons star has been in sublime form in the Premiership so far this season as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.

No other Celtic player has matched his tally of 13 league goals in the division thus far, whilst his return of 11 assists is also two more than any of his teammates have managed.

The 23-year-old maestro has been directly involved in 24 goals in 33 appearances for the Hoops in the league, and has created 12 'big chances' and made 2.4 key passes per game for his side in those outings.

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international does not have many, if any, weak points in his game and has been outstanding at creating chances, dribbling past opponents, and taking set-pieces for Rodgers, and Ange Postecoglou before him.

The left-footed magician's performances, however, have not gone unnoticed elsewhere as Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the talented gem.

A reported price tag of £25m has been slapped on O'Riley's head and it remains to be seen whether or not any team is willing to come in and pay that for the former Fulham youngster to snap him up from Parkhead this summer.

If Celtic can keep hold of their star performer in midfield, though, then they could land him an exciting attacking partner in the middle of the park by securing a deal to sign O'Hare on a free transfer ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Why Celtic should sign Callum O'Hare

Rodgers could strike gold for the Scottish giants with a move for the Coventry star because the manager could sign him for nothing and help the ace to thrive on the pitch before being sold on for a big profit further down the line.

EFL pundit and former England international Carlton Palmer claimed, in March, that O'Hare would be worth between £8m and £10m in the current market, if he had a decent contract that was not about to expire in the summer.

This suggests that Celtic could acquire a valuable asset for £0 if they secure his services, as they could immediately have a player worth up to £10m, who they could sell in a future window, if they sign him to a three or four-year contract.

The 25-year-old whiz, who Palmer claimed has had an "outstanding" season, missed 37 matches for Coventry due to a knee injury from December 2022 to October 2023, which left him playing catch-up earlier this term.

However, he has battled back to full fitness and enjoyed an impressive campaign with Mark Robins' side, showcasing his quality in possession at that level.

As you can see in the table above, the £8.4k-per-week maestro ranks highly among forwards in the Championship in a host of progressive metrics, which shows that he can consistently progress the ball into dangerous areas whilst retaining a high pass completion rate.

The right-footed star has also chipped in with six goals and three assists in 16 league starts for Coventry, which is more than one goal contribution every other start on average.

O'Hare, who has been clinical in front of goal with six strikes from 3.95 xG (Expected Goals), is a terrific operator on the ball, who can contribute with goals, assists, and progressive play.

This is why he could be an exciting player to partner with the magical O'Riley, as they could both be a joy to watch with their play in possession, and why Celtic could strike gold with him as his attacking displays could then make him an attractive option to sell for a profit further down the line – per Palmer's valuation of him.

Experience, consistency, adapting to Australian conditions, explosive power, flamboyance. These are the criteria India head coach Ravi Shastri feels MS Dhoni can convert into currency to buy himself a ticket to the T20 World Cup, which will be held in October in Australia.Even as the MSK Prasad-led selection panel has been clear about moving on from Dhoni, questions about his future in the Indian side have not died down. Dhoni, who will turn 39 in July, has not played any cricket since he took a break after India’s semi-final exit at the ODI World Cup last July. Dhoni added to the intrigue recently when he asked to wait till January without revealing exactly what for.As far as Shastri is concerned, Dhoni remains in the race and will be fighting for the same spot as Rishabh Pant and possibly Sanju Samson. In a chat with Indian TV channel CNN-News18, Shastri said: “You will have to see who will do the job at what number, what role, who is the best guy. You will take experience into account. You will take youth into account. You will take flamboyance into account. And who fits into that number the best whether it is X, Y or Z. Plus we are playing in Australia (so) who will adapt to those conditions the best.”According to Shastri all three keeping options – Dhoni, Pant and Samson – possess the “explosive power” necessary to marshal the lower order.”They will all bat round [number] 5, 6… you will need power at the back, explosive power. All the three names you took, they all have that explosive power. (So) you will have to see consistency, experience, conditions – all that will come into play when the selectors look at it.”Recently Shastri had said that one can’t “fool around” with Dhoni, if he put himself in “contention” by having a good IPL later this summer. Shastri reiterated that point once again.”Good IPL, then he puts himself into contention. Then it is the selectors’ job to see what they want to do, but if he has a great IPL then he puts himself into contention.”But what if Pant and Samson also matched Dhoni with good numbers in the IPL? Shastri said experience and playing in Australian conditions would key determining factors in that case. “Then you will have to see: conditions come into play, experience comes into play, who will adapt best in those conditions.”Shastri also compared Dhoni to former India captain Kapil Dev, who continued playing international cricket into his late 30s, remaining fit till the end. “Would you put it beyond anyone if a guy is performing and the guy who has never had fitness problems in his entire career? For me, he (Dhoni) is like Kapil Dev. Kaps never had a problem right through his career.”

Manchester City are battling a number of Premier League rivals for the signing of a "magnificent" player this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Man City transfer news

The world-class quality and depth that Pep Guardiola has in his squad is the envy of any manager in world football, but that's not to say that new signings aren't needed in the summer transfer window.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar is one of many players to have been linked with a move to City in recent days, with the Serbian being seen as a possible upgrade on Stefan Ortega between the sticks to come in as a backup option to Ederson.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala is also seen as a target for Guardiola's men, with the German arguably one of the world's most exciting young players at the moment, already scoring 43 goals and registering 30 assists for his current side. A move for him could raise doubts over the future of Jack Grealish, however, considering he can thrive as a left-sided attacking player.

Bayer Leverkusen have had many heroes during a memorable Bundesliga campaign, and Florian Wirtz has been one of the undoubted stars, bagging 17 goal contributions in 24 starts. City are thought to be eyeing a move for him as well, in what could be a hugely eye-catching piece of business.

Man City want "magnificent" Premier League ace

According to a fresh update from Football Transfers, Manchester City are also in the mix to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite at the end of the season.

Rivals Manchester United are believed to be going "all in" on the young Englishman, while Newcastle United are seen as outside contenders to snap him up.

City may be well-stocked at the heart of their defence, possessing the likes of Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, but Branthwaite could be a superb signing, coming in as a long-term addition with an extremely high ceiling.

While Everton have struggled this season, the 21-year-old has been a bright spark for the Merseysiders, averaging a monstrous 4.2 clearances per game in the Premier League, as well as 2.6 aerial duel wins and two tackles per match. He has also been lauded as "magnificent" by Alan Shearer, while Ian Wright has said of him:

“I would like to give flowers to Jarrad Branthwaite. I believe now he will be in the next England squad. He has got everything. You watch how he plays, left-sided as well, he plays out well. Very brave. And then when you listen to his interview he sounds like somebody who is like yeah, I’m there, I’m here."

"Outstanding" Man City ace in line for shock return despite initial verdict

He was initially on course to miss the Arsenal game…

ByTom Cunningham Mar 29, 2024

At 21, Branthwaite is still so young, and he could mature a huge amount through working with Guardiola every day, eventually becoming one of the most imposing centre-backs in the country. A move to the Etihad would surely appeal, too, rather than being in a relegation-threatened Everton team.

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Em partida válida pela estreia do Campeonato Brasileiro 2021, Flamengo e Palmeiras se enfrentam neste domingo (30), às 16h (horário de Brasília), no Estádio do Maracanã, no Rio de Janeiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasAbel inicia Brasileirão podendo repetir feito de Cuca, campeão em 2016Palmeiras28/05/2021Palmeiras’Gabigol do Palmeiras’ prorroga contrato até o final de 2022Palmeiras28/05/2021PalmeirasBoletim: Renan se recupera de contusão e Palestrinas são vacinadasPalmeiras28/05/2021

É um encontro especial entre os dois atuais campeões nacionais. O Mengão, com o título brasileiro, e o Verdão, com o título da Copa do Brasil, ambos de 2020. Os times reeditam no Maracanã a final da Supercopa do Brasil, que foi decidida na disputa nos pênaltis, após um empate em 2 x 2.

Flamengo x Palmeiras terá transmissão na Rede Globo para todo o Brasil, exceto Ceará e Rio Grande do Sul, com narração de Luis Roberto, comentários de Caio Ribeiro (por vídeo) e Roger Flores, a Central do Apito ficará com Sandro Meira Ricci e reportagens de Richard Souza e Júlia Guimarães.

No Premiere (pay-per-view), o duelo pela primeira rodada do nacional terá a narração de Odinei Ribeiro, comentários de Junior (por vídeo) e Roque Junior, Central do Apito com Sálvio Spinola e reportagens de Fernando Saraiva.

continua após a publicidade

Donny van de Beek's final price is set to be much higher than the reported transfer fee of €500,000.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd set to receive more than €500k for Van de BeekDutch midfielder to join Girona permanently Disastrous Old Trafford career comes to an end WHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch midfielder's disastrous journey with Manchester United will finally come to an end this summer as he is all set to join La Liga side Girona permanently. Relevo reported on Saturday that Girona have agreed a deal with United to sign the player on an initial fee of €500,000 (£423,000/$542,000). The selling amount is substantially low compared to what the Premier League giants had paid – £35m (€41m/$45m) – while signing him from Ajax in 2020. The news created quite a stir among the fans who criticised the club for losing out on so much money on the deal.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

However, Fabrizio Romano now claims that the Red Devils would earn a lot more than what was earlier reported. In his column, the journalist wrote that while the initial fee remains €500,000, the club would earn more from the deal in future depending upon the Dutch star's performance at his new club. The amount could rise to €4-€5m if he plays a certain number of matches and it could further go up to €10m-€15m if he achieves more at Girona.

DID YOU KNOW?

In the four seasons he had spent at Old Trafford, the 27-year-old appeared in just 62 matches where he scored only twice. In between, he spent six months each on loan at Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DONNY VAN DE BEEK?

Girona will be a very good platform for Van De Beek to revive his career. He will get an opportunity to play in the Champions League as his new club finished third in La Liga last season.

كشفت تقارير صحفية ألمانية، عن تغيير جذري في مستقبل الدولي الألماني جوشوا كيميتش، لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي بايرن ميونخ الألماني.

صاحب الـ29 عامًا، أحد أكثر اللاعبين الذين تسعى الأندية للتعاقد معهم في الصيف المقبل، وفي مقدمتهم برشلونة، بطلب من مدربه السابق هانز فليك.

صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، أكدت أن كيميتش الذي كان مرشحا للخروج مجانًا في الصيف المقبل عن بايرن ميونخ، حاليًا يقترب من البقاء ومواصلة رحلة استمرت 10 سنوات مع العملاق البافاري.

طالع أيضًا..”بالمجان”.. ريال مدريد يخطط لخطف صفقة من برشلونة في الصيف المقبل

وأشارت صحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية، إلى أن اللاعب يشعر براحة كبيرة مع المدرب البلجيكي فينست كومباني، وعُرض عليه شارة القيادة، ويلعب في مركز الوسط والظهير الأيمن، مع حرية أكبر في الملعب تحت قيادة المدير الفني السابق لـ بيرنلي.

وكشفت التقارير أن كومباني مقتنع تمامًا باللاعب، ويتحدث معه بشكل شخصي، من أجل الاستمرار والموافقة على تمديد العقد، وهو ما يميل إليه كييميتش الآن على عكس الموسم الماضي.

ومنذ تصعيده في موسم 2014-2015، حقق جوشوا كيميتش جميع البطولات الممكنة مع بايرن ميونخ.

علق محمد صبحي، حارس مرمى الزمالك، على الأنباء التي ترددت بشأن تعمده الغياب عن مباراة الأهلي الماضية في بطولة كأس السوبر الإفريقي.

وتوج الزمالك بـ كأس السوبر الإفريقي للمرة الخامسة على التوالي، بعد الفوز على الأهلي بركلات الترجيح 4-3، عقب انتهاء اللقاء بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1.

وقال محمد صبحي في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة اون تايم سبورتس: “أنا لا أحب الظهور بكثرة في الإعلام والرد على كل شيء يقال عني، أنا كنت أعاني من الإصابة منذ يوم الأربعاء قبل مواجهة الأهلي”.

وتابع: “هناك أمر جيد في نادي الزمالك هو عدم الكشف عن أي شيء داخل الفريق في وقتها ولكن تكشف بعد المباراة عن طريق طبيب الفريق أو المسؤولين، وهناك من ادعى أن غيابي جاء بسبب الهروب من المشاركة أو المنشطات رغم خضوعي للاختبار يوم الثلاثاء قبل المباراة”.

وأكمل: “أوجه رسالة لمن يطلق الشائعات، من أين تأتي بمثل هذا الكلام، وطبيب الزمالك أوضح الحقيقة، ولكن أنا لاعب كبير وخضت مواجهات كثيرة من قبل، وشعرت بالحزن بسبب هذه الأخبار”.

طالع | عبد الواحد السيد: فرحة السوبر لأننا فزنا على الفريق الأقوى في إفريقيا.. ويوضح سبب ارتداء الزمالك الزي الأسود

واستطرد: “أشعر بالحزن بسبب هذا الكلام وهناك ناس طيبين قد تصدق هذه الأنباء ومنها عائلتي، والناس تقول أمور كثيرة عني وعن عدد كبير من اللاعبين خاصة لو كان لا يحبني”.

وأردف: “سمعت أمورًا كذلك عن لاعبين آخرين، وكيف يتم الحديث بهذا الشكل السيئ عن شيكابالا أو زيزو، ونحن كلاعبين نسمع ونرى هذه الأمور ونضحك عليها”.

واختتم: “قيل عني في الفترة الماضية أني أشارك في المراهنات رغم أني لا أعلم أي شيء عن هذا الأمر، وأشعر بالحزن ولكني أتعجب من أين جاء هذا الكلام”.

Arsenal's clash with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon was a huge one, more so for the Gunners.

Lose and Mikel Arteta's men would find themselves eight points behind the Reds in their quest to win the Premier League title.

That's an almighty way back if you want to be victorious come May. Still, thankfully for those of a Gunners persuasion, they lifted their performance levels to deliver one of their best displays of the campaign to date, winning 3-1.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring but a mix-up at the back between David Raya and William Saliba stunned the Emirates Stadium on the stroke of half-time.

Liverpool's own mix-up, involving Alisson and Virgil van Dijk allowed Gabriel Martinelli to give the north Londoners the lead in the second half before Leandro Trossard's last-gasp effort wrapped up the points.

It was a seismic victory for Arteta and his men who narrowed the gap to two points at the top end of the division. One player, in particular, starred for the Gunners; Jorginho.

9/10 Arsenal star was as good as Jorginho vs Liverpool

Jorginho put in a colossal performance vs Liverpool but another star stood out for Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Feb 4, 2024 Jorginho's performance vs Liverpool

Signed for just £12m in the winter of 2023, the Italian's arrival hardly did much to spark excitement among the fanbase at Arsenal. However, very quickly the £110k-per-week midfielder has become somewhat of a cult hero.

From that crunching late effort against Aston Villa last term to his display versus Liverpool on Sunday, the veteran is quite evidently a man for big occasions.

He was handed the official Man of the Match award for his performance against Jurgen Klopp's team, having boasted more touches of the ball (70) than any other Arsenal player. It was a superb display that gave Arsenal control, dominance and an element of calmness.

Such a display impressed Gunners icon Ray Parlour too.

Ray Parlour compares Jorginho to Martin Keown

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast on behalf of NetBet Online Casino, the ex-midfielder first revealed his surprise at Jorginho starting the clash:

"It was a bit of a shock when the team came up and it was a situation where you thought, hold on. Certainly, he [Arteta] got it right. He was fantastic in the end, Jorginho. I'm really pleased for him because he’s a really good pro."

It was a display that typified what the former Chelsea man has brought to the Emirates Stadium after joining a year ago. He is Arteta's voice on the pitch and that's a quality Parlour believes is crucial to having in your squad.

He told FFC: "He’s really good around the dressing room. Sometimes you need characters around the dressing room who even though you don’t play on a regular basis, you can keep pushing the lads. We had Martin Keown in the Invincibles who didn’t play many games but he was always in that area where if someone was dropping off he was pushing people. Jorginho is a certain player like that."

Signed for a measly fee, it could well prove to be one of Arsenal's biggest bargains of recent years, particularly when you consider the influence he could well be having on the younger members of the squad.

Speaking about what he brings behind the scenes, the Romford Pele added: "He [Jorginho] knows how to win trophies, he knows how to get over the line. People forget it’s a very young squad Arsenal have got. You do need a few experienced heads around the youngsters to help them.

"I could see him being appointed as a coach when he’s older. That’s why Arteta looked at him and thought 'I can see he’s going to help the youngsters. We will need him at certain periods in the season; there’s no doubt about that. Jorginho will know exactly what his role is coming into the club but if you need me I’ll be ready to go. I’ll train well every day'."

Arsenal have been struggling to find Declan Rice's ideal partner since he signed for the club from West Ham. Kai Havertz has played in the no.8 role, while Emile Smith Rowe even featured there against Nottingham Forest.

However, as was evident versus Liverpool, they may not even need one. After all, the double pivot of Rice and Jorginho worked a treat.

Leeds United closed out their January run of fixtures in th Championship with a fourth straight victory, overcoming a lacklustre Norwich City 1-0 under the lights at Elland Road.

Picking up another three points to put on the board means the Whites are now only two points behind second-place occupied by Ipswich Town, with winnable games to follow to start February versus Bristol City and Rotherham United.

There were a number of standout performers in the assured win over David Wagner's uninspiring Canaries, including goalscorer Patrick Bamford who continued his goalscoring purple patch to steer Daniel Farke's men away from firing an unwanted blank and pile even more pressure onto the Tractor Boys as a result.

Patrick Bamford continues to shine

With four goals in his last five games since being reintroduced into the first team fold this year, Bamford continued to be the focal point in attack for the promotion chasers on Wednesday night.

Found in acres of space free in the box after a delightful Daniel James delivery into the danger area, Bamford had the simple task of connecting with the cross and powering a header in to give Leeds a 1-0 lead early into the first 45 minutes.

The reinvigorated number nine was also useful in his attempts to play others into the contest to try and make the lead more emphatic, registering two key passes during his excellent 90 minutes on the Elland Road turf and only misplacing three of his 26 passes.

Yet, Georginio Rutter was even more unerring in his calmness spraying the ball around the park with ease against the visitors from Norfolk and arguably stole the spotlight away from the 30-year-old centre-forward.

Georginio Rutter's performance in numbers

Not exactly endearing himself to the expectant Leeds fanbase last season as the club suffered relegation, alongside Bamford, Rutter is now a firm fan's favourite in West Yorkshire and for good reason.

The 21-year-old is oozing confidence at this moment in time when he struts onto the field of play, successful with six dribble attempts in the game as Norwich found it hard to keep tabs on the intricate Frenchman foraying forward all night.

Rutter also helped himself to two key passes in the contest, alongside two accurate long balls in a bid to push his team up the pitch and to help his side not just sit back with a precarious one-goal advantage.

Leeds did get over the line in the end – picking up their 11th clean sheet of the campaign – but they could have had more goals courtesy of their dynamic number 24.

Minutes Played

90

Touches

61

Pass Success

22/27 (81%)

Key Passes

2

Dribble Success

6/8

Duels Won

13/26

Possession Lost

21x

Tackles

4

The 21-year-old would have one on-target effort on Angus Gunn's goal in the 1-0 win, with his dogged determination to continually regain the ball also not going unnoticed.

Winning a staggering 13 duels, there's no doubt in Farke's mind that his star Frenchman will continue being a fixed presence in the first team for some time to come after such a tireless display.

Given an 8/10 post-match rating by Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross – with Cross stating that Rutter's trickery constantly 'bamboozled' a stunned Canaries back four – the Leeds number 24 arguably offered more in the win than Bamford.

Farke will want both of his star players firing on all cylinders next month, the West Yorkshire giants still very much in the automatic promotion mix.