يواجه فريق الكرة الأول بنادي بيراميدز نظيره باور ديناموز الزامبي، في إطار دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

وكان براميدز قد حقق الفوز في المباراة الماضية أمام ريفرز يونايتد النيجيري، بثلاثية نظيفة، في الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

طالع.. بيراميدز: الأهلي أكبر قلعة رياضية في مصر.. وما فعله مع رمضان صبحي ليس غريبًا

ويقع فريق بيراميدز في المجموعة الأولى رفقة أندية نهضة بركان المغربي وريفرز يونايتد وباور ديناموز. 

ويتصدر فريق نهضة بركان المجموعة رصيد 6 نقاط، بعد الفوز في أول مباراتين، بفارق مباراة عن بيراميدز صاحب المركز الثاني برصيد 3 نقاط. موعد مباراة بيراميدز وباور ديناموز في دوري أبطال إفريقيا  

ويحل بيراميدز حامل اللقب ضيفًا على باور ديناموز في السادسة من مساء اليوم السبت بتوقيت القاهرة، السابعة بتوقيت السعودية، باستاد ليفي موانواسا بمدينة ندولا في زامبيا.  القناة الناقلة لمباراة بيراميدز وباور ديناموز اليوم 

وسوف تذاع مباراة بيراميدز أمام باور ديناموز على قناة بي إن سبورت أكسترا 1.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا 

Mitchell Swepson has spun Queensland to a seven-wicket win over South Australia, producing the finest match of his Sheffield Shield career in Adelaide.Swepson ran through the hosts’ tail on Saturday to have them all out for 308 in their second innings, leaving Queensland a fourth-innings chase of 139.Usman Khawaja fell for a duck and Marnus Labuschagne was lbw for 18 following his first-innings century, but 72 not out from Angus Lovell ensured the Bulls won easily.From day one at Adelaide Oval, Swepson was at the centre of Queensland’s success, with 10 wickets for the match and second-innings figures of 6 for 109.The former Test spinner did the bulk of the damage on the opening day for the Bulls, taking four wickets in a collapse that left South Australia falling from 133 for 2 to 188 for 7.And after Labuschagne’s 159 gave Queensland a 170-run first-innings advantage, it was Swepson who again did the damage on days three and four.The legspinner took apart South Australia’s top three, trapping both Conor McInerney (46) and Henry Hunt (36) lbw, before Nathan McSweeney (26) edged him to slip.Then on Saturday Swepson beat Nathan McAndrew in flight to have him well caught by Hugh Weibgen running back at mid-off.He also removed a sweeping Wes Agar caught behind on 19, before Lloyd Pope hit him straight to Weibgen at cover to end South Australia’s second innings.Swepson’s haul was his second 10-wicket haul, after doing likewise against New South Wales in 2020.At that point Swepson was considered the country’s second-choice spinner, before falling back down the pecking order in recent years.The 32-year-old’s 6 for 109 in the second innings also marked his career-best figures, as Queensland made it one win and one draw to start the season.

Juventus have reportedly joined the race for Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, as the young Red Devils star continues to attract interest from Serie A amidst the stagnation of his Old Trafford career. The 20-year-old has frequently been linked with Napoli and Juve are now said to be 'monitoring' Mainoo, whom they see as the next Paul Pogba if they can convince Mainoo to swap Manchester for Turin.

• Mainoo could become new Pogba at Juventus

  Reports by in Italy dub Mainoo the ‘talent which conquers half of Europe’ and say that the 20-year-old could become ‘Paul Pogba 2.0’ if he joins Juventus, whom ‘the player likes’.

  Reports state that while Mainoo’s potential ‘does not go unnoticed’ at United, Napoli could make him a ‘priority target’ amidst a lack of similar options in the midfield, with a permanent move touted. The door is open for Juventus to make a swoop in January, though, and recreate a famous scenario where Pogba joined the Italian giants from United as a 19-year-old and went on to become one of the world’s best midfielders before returning to Old Trafford for £89 million ($117m) in 2016.

  Whether Mainoo’s career could take a similar trajectory remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that comparisons can be drawn between the Carrington academy graduate not being given the first-team opportunities he perhaps deserves, in the same manner Pogba had to deal with before his first exit from the club.

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• AFP
  

  'The club comes first' – Mainoo and Zirkzee told exit reality

  Mainoo has previously been reported to have demanded an Old Trafford exit in search of more game-time, but Ruben Amorim recently stated in a press conference that January exits will only occur if it is in the best interests of the club. He appeared to be referring to want-away stars Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee.

  "The first thing is that the club comes first, so we have to think about the club and the team, and then everything can happen," said Amorim. 

  "I was a football player, I understand everything, and I want to help my players in every situation, so I don't know what is going to happen.

  "I want my players happy. I understand the frustration of some players, seeing that the World Cup is there, and I know what it means for the World Cup, but Manchester United comes first, so if I can help the club and the players, I will be happy, if not I have to think about the team."

• Midfielder maintains minor Old Trafford role

  Having played just 170 minutes in the Premier League so far this season, Mainoo’s role within Amorim’s side does not appear to be growing in the near future. While the Portuguese continues to proclaim his trust in the 10-cap England international publicly, his continued selection decisions tell an entirely different story.

  Mainoo has even recently been told to join league leaders Arsenal, by former Gunners star Stefan Schwarz: "Arsenal have the best conditions for young players. And they have a manager in Mikel Arteta that is not afraid to give responsibility to them and give them opportunities when he feels they are ready. It's just about preparing them in the best way and that's what Arsenal have done very well the last couple of years."

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• AFP
  

  Mainoo exit situation as Serie A interest intensifies

  Speculation linking Mainoo with an Old Trafford exit will undoubtedly only increase in volume as the January transfer window approaches.

  Monday’s home defeat to Everton ended a five-game unbeaten run for the Red Devils and consigned Amorim’s side to a first home defeat since August, having won all four of their Premier League home fixtures since opening-day defeat to Arsenal.

  Whether the disappointing result will impact Mainoo’s chances of further minutes in the coming weeks remains to be seen, with his 32 minutes on the field against the Toffees representing his longest cameo since August 30 against Burnley.

  United have European ambitions this season and with the Champions League race looking wide open at present, Amorim has previously expressed how difficult it is to give minutes to his entire squad with only one game per week. This could, ultimately, lead to Mainoo demanding a departure once again, particularly if interest from the likes of Juventus becomes more concrete.

It was like déjà vu all over again at American Family Field on Wednesday afternoon, as for a second consecutive game, the Boston Red Sox lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on a walk-off in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Even after losing on a grand slam by Christian Yelich on Tuesday, Wednesday's defeat may have been even worse. Tied 4-4 heading into extra innings, Boston scored on a David Hamilton fielder's choice to take a one-run lead in the 10th. The bottom of the frame, however, turned into a horrid one for the Sox.

To kick things off, they gifted Milwaukee the tying run before an out was even recorded thanks to a brutal throw home by second baseman Kristian Campbell. Then, with runners on second and third, third baseman Caleb Durbin hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Sam Frelick and sealing the deal on a very quick come-from-behind victory.

The win for Milwaukee brings them to 29-28 while the Red Sox—after finally climbing out to an above .500 record this week—have now lost five straight games, sit at 27-31, and have fallen to fourth place in the AL East.

Dealing with a slew of injuries and in turn calling up top prospect Marcelo Mayer this weekend, Boston's road ahead doesn't get much easier. They're off to Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves before returning home to take on the Los Angeles Angels.

Don Kelly is already hard at work as the new Pittsburgh Pirates manager. He was named manager on Thursday after the franchise made the decision to part ways with Derek Shelton after a horrid 12-26 start to the season.

The Pirates snapped a seven-game losing streak in Kelly's managerial debut Friday. He got busy Saturday, too, hilariously earning his first ejection as manager in only his second game with the gig. As Kelly argued balls and strikes from the dugout in the top of the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves, home plate umpire Clint Vondrak wasn't having any of it.

"I'm not going to listen to it anymore. No more, done," Vondrak says toward the Pirates dugout overheard on the SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast.

Well, Kelly wasn't done. He immediately said something else and Vondrak tossed him. Kelly ran out to get his money's worth before exiting stage left down the dugout stairs, handing off the lineup card and hitting the showers a bit early.

Kelly, 45, entered the year as the Pirates' bench coach—his sixth season with that role. The recent promotion marks his first managerial job.

He played nine seasons in the big leagues, mostly with the Detroit Tigers. The Pittsburgh native began his career as a Pirate for one season and ended it with two seasons with the Miami Marlins after six years with the Tigers.

Now, he gets to lead his hometown team. And he's not afraid to shake things up.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s future at Anfield has come into question after his team dropped points in their 3-3 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Dutchman, who won the title in his first season, has lost ten of his 23 matches in all competitions, including six in the top-flight, this term.

On top of that, Mohamed Salah has claimed that his relationship with the manager has broken down after being on the bench for the third straight game against Leeds.

The Salah situation and the poor results this season have put pressure on the former Feyenoord tactician, with the club reportedly looking at potential replacements.

Liverpool have admiration for national team manager

Dave OCKOP reports that Steven Gerrard has been sounded out as a potential interim to come in and steady the ship if FSG decide to part ways with Slot in the coming days or weeks.

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The report claims that Liverpool are also admirers of Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann, previously of Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim.

It adds that the 38-year-old manager is expected to lead his country to the World Cup in America, Canada, and Mexico next summer, though, which means that he will not be available immediately.

Dave OCKOP suggests that the German tactician may be available after the World Cup, though, which is where Gerrard stepping in as an interim option could make sense.

If Liverpool were to eventually bring Nagelsmann in as their long-term replacement for Slot, he would be the perfect appointment to get the best out of Florian Wirtz.

Why Nagelsmann would be perfect for Wirtz

To say that Wirtz has not lived up to expectations in a Liverpool shirt so far would probably be an understatement, as he has yet to deliver a single goal or assist in the Premier League, per Sofascore.

The Reds splashed out £116m to sign the attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window, and he has racked up no goals and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.

Slot has simply been unable to get the best out of the huge-money signing, who produced 16 goals and 14 assists for Leverkusen last term (Sofascore), but Nagelsmann could come in to get him flying at Anfield.

Wirtz’s form for Germany at international level is proof that he could shine for the Reds if Nagelsmann replaces Slot in the dugout, because he has proven that he can perform in that system.

Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany reign

Stat

Wirtz

Germany rank

Caps

27

3rd

Goals

8

1st

Assists

6

2nd

Goals + assists

14

1st

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool attacking midfielder has been the most impactful attacker of the manager’s reign with the national team, providing more goals and assists combined than any other player.

For further context, Wirtz scored no goals and provided three assists in his first ten caps for Germany before Nagelsmann took the job, which shows that the ex-Bayern boss can get the best out of him.

The 38-year-old boss was once described as the “best young coach in Europe” by reporter Josh Bunting in 2022, and it is still hard to argue with that assessment in the present day.

Mikel Arteta, 43, and Xabi Alonso, 44, are two of the brightest young coaches in the game, managing Arsenal and Real Madrid, yet they have won as many league titles combined (one) as Nagelsmann has, having won the Bundesliga with Bayern, and he is five and six years younger than them.

The German boss won 2.31 points per game during his time with Bayern, per Transfermarkt, whilst Slot has won 2.00 points per game across 79 matches with Liverpool to date.

This suggests that Nagelsmann could come in as an upgrade on the Dutchman as an all-round manager, whilst also being the perfect appointment to get the best out of Wirtz at Anfield.

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Therefore, it could be a good move for FSG to bring Gerrard in as an interim appointment with a view to landing Nagelsmann next summer, if they decide that parting ways with Slot is the route that they want to go down in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering launching a 2026 bid to sign an impressive defender who just scored a Premier League brace.

Carragher name-drops Marco Silva as pressure grows on Frank

Thomas Frank should be pleased that his side showed some resilience to complete their comeback against Newcastle United late on in midweek, but it was ultimately another attacking performance to forget. The Lilywhites found themselves relying on Cristian Romero brace to salvage a point as their frontline once again struggled to create.

The pressure is certainly growing on Frank, who is quickly losing the backing of supporters thanks to his pragmatic style. It remains to be seen whether ENIC pull the plug so early into the manager’s tenure, but that didn’t stop Jamie Carragher from suggesting a manager that he’s always seen heading to Spurs.

The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend said: “I actually think he was the one manager Everton should have stuck with. I’ve always seen Silva at Tottenham, I’m not saying Tottenham as in change Thomas Frank put Marco Silva in.

“The point I’m trying to make is not quite go from Fulham to like you know a Liverpool or Manchester City you think going to sort of compete for the league but sort of that sort of level just belong with it trying to get you know Champions League maybe, you know Aston Villa, that type of team that would almost be the next step for him in the Premier League.”

Of course, if Spurs are to make a decison then it should come before the January transfer window, when they could look to sign a defensive addition.

Tottenham eyeing Van Hecke bid

According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a bid to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke in 2026 following the defender’s impressive start to the campaign for Brighton. Like Romero in midweek, Van Hecke netted an unlikely brace for the Seagulls, highlighting his surprising goalscoring threat in a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.

That said, Van Hecke’s set-piece threat is unlikely to be the main reason for Tottenham’s interest. Instead, their focus will be on his defensive prowess – especially as Frank continues to experiment with an occasional back three.

In Romero, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke, the Lilywhites would suddenly have a solid trio to choose from in a back three. That, in itself, would go a long way towards turning things around for Frank.

Brighton rarely make things easy for buying clubs, however, and the praise of manager Fabian Hurzeler suggests that the Seagulls will be keen to keep hold of their man.

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The young manager told reporters last season: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player. He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.”

Tottenham in 'very advanced' talks with £88m Semenyo alternative over Spurs move

Tottenham Hotspur secured a needed 2-0 victory over Brentford this afternoon to help ease the pressure on the shoulders of current manager Thomas Frank.

The win over Bees was the Lilywhites’ first in the Premier League since the win at Everton at the end of October – a run that lasted a total of five matches.

Goals from Xavi Simons and Richarlison secured all three points for the hosts, with such a result taking the side up to eighth place in England’s top-flight after 15 games.

Frank will no doubt be hoping such a result will kickstart his tenure in North London, especially after a stop-start period which has led to discontent being directed his way from the fans.

One player could well prove to be crucial over the next couple of months, especially if his showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon is anything to go by.

The stats behind Xavi Simons’ display against Brentford

After spending £52m on Simons’ signature during the summer window, many Spurs fans will no doubt have expected the attacking midfielder to make an immediate impact to life in England.

However, prior to the clash with Brentford today, he had failed to find the back of the net for his new side, but his 43rd-minute effort has finally broken such a spell at the 19th attempt.

The Dutch international also registered the assist for Richarlison’s strike in the 25th minute, with the youngster having a hand in both of the side’s efforts in North London.

Simons’ underlying stats from the triumph were just as impressive, with the midfielder completing 86% of the passes he attempted, with five of which going into the final third.

He also won three fouls, whilst also creating two chances for his teammates – in what was undoubtedly his best showing since his big-money transfer to the Premier League.

The fanbase will no doubt be hoping that the Dutchman can continue such form, but it didn’t stop another player from reaching similar levels this afternoon.

The Spurs player who looked like Bale against Brentford

Gareth Bale was a player who often managed to get the Spurs fans off their seats as a result of his performances on the pitch during his spell in North London.

The Welshman used to torment defenders with his relentless running and his ability to go either inside or outside when travelling with the ball on the right-flank.

However, since his big-money transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, the club have greatly lacked that presence and talent off such a wing in the final third.

Brennan Johnson was often filled the void in the last couple of years, even scoring 18 times last season, but he’s ultimately struggled to nail down the position as his own.

He’s since dropped further down the pecking order in the last few months since Frank’s arrival, especially after the Dane forked out a reported £55m for the signature of Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian international has started all but one league game since his arrival, with the manager once again selecting him during the victory earlier this afternoon.

He once again took centre stage in the clash with the Bees and demonstrated why the manager has faith in him to provide the goods – arguably being just like Bale with such a display.

Kudus managed to complete five dribbles during the win – the most of any player on the pitch – taking his tally to 45 this season, the highest tally of any player in the division at present.

He also managed to complete two crosses, created two chances and completed 92% of his passes – reminiscent of the numbers Bale produced during his own spell at the club.

The winger’s excellent display was further reflected in his tally of nine duels and 100% aerials won, with the forward managing to star even when not in possession of the ball.

As a result of his showing, the forward was handed an impressive 7/10 match rating by Football London, further showcasing his impressive display against Frank’s former side.

There’s no doubt the winger has made himself one of the first players on the teamsheet, with him and Simons potentially playing a key role at the club for many years to come.

Should he continue on his current path, there’s no reason why he can’t become as pivotal as Bale was at the club – potentially taking the club to new heights in the process.

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Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has quickly had his eyes opened to just how difficult the job can be after losing his first two matches in charge of the club.

The French tactician lost 2-1 to Hearts on Sunday and 3-0 to Roma on Thursday, both at Parkhead, and now has a League Cup final clash with St Mirren to prepare for on Sunday.

Whilst Nancy’s tactics or system can be criticised and blamed for the two results, fingers should also be pointed at the summer recruitment, as several signings have failed to deliver.

Ranking Celtic's worst summer signings

Celtic swooped to bring ten players in during the summer transfer window, as well as signing Kelechi Iheanacho the day after the window closed, in an attempt to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ side.

A few too many of those recruits, unfortunately, have not stepped up to deliver consistent quality on the pitch for the Hoops, or they have not been deemed good enough to be given many chances to impress.

Hayato Inamura and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, for example, have both made one appearance in the Scottish Premiership this season, per WhoScored, since their respective moves to Parkhead.

1

Michel-Ange Balikwisha

2

Sebastian Tounekti

3

Hayato Inamura

4

Shin Yamada

5

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

As you can see in the table above, Sebastian Tounekti also ranks among the club’s worst summer signings, because he has only delivered two goals in 19 appearances, per Sofascore, since his £5.2m move from Hammarby.

We have ranked Michel-Ange Balikwisha, though, as the club’s worst signing, as he currently looks like Celtic’s worst piece of business since they signed Vasilios Barkas.

Why Balikwisha is Celtic's worst signing since Barkas

Celtic reportedly paid £4.5m to sign Barkas from AEK Athens in 2020, and he only made 24 appearances in three years before being released on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.

The Greek international was never able to establish himself as the number one, with just 15 league appearances in his first season, despite being the most expensive goalkeeper signing in the club’s history, per Transfermarkt.

Since Celtic paid £4.5m to sign Barkas in the summer of 2020, the Hoops have spent more than £5m on six players. Per Transfermarkt, Tounekti, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Adam Idah, Jota, and Arne Engels have all been signed for £5m or more since that summer.

Carter-Vickers and Jota are key players when fit. Trusty, Tounekti, and Engels have started both games under Nancy, and Idah scored 20 goals in all competitions last season before his move to Swansea.

Balikwisha, however, was signed for £5m from Royal Antwerp, costing slightly less than those six but more than Barkas, and has been a huge flop at Parkhead.

Roma

13

Hearts

0

Dundee

0

Hibernian

0

Feyenoord

0

St Mirren

0

Kilmarnock

0

Midtjylland

15

Rangers

10

Falkirk

29

As you can see in the table above, the DR Congo international has been an unused substitute in six of the club’s last ten matches in all competitions.

This season, per Transfermarkt, Balikwisha has made 13 appearances and been an unused substitute on seven occasions for the Scottish giants, which shows that he has failed to even make the pitch on a regular basis.

In those 13 outings, the Belgium-born flop has not scored any goals and provided one assist for the team, which also shows that he has not offered enough at the top end of the pitch to suggest that he deserves more minutes.

Back in September, pundit Hugh Keevins claimed that Balikwisha is “contributing nothing” and that he looks “intimidated” in a Celtic shirt. Unfortunately, three months later, that still appears to be the case.

For £5m, given the aforementioned success of players signed for similar fees in recent years, the Hoops should be getting more out of the former Pro League star on the pitch this season, as he is simply not offering enough.

Like Barkas, Balikwisha has ended up on the sidelines, watching others perform in his place, and it would not be surprising, on current evidence, to see him end up like the Greek international by leaving the club for far less than £5m further down the line.

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That is why he currently looks like the club’s worst signing since Barkas because he has not contributed as much as the other players brought in for big money, or established himself as a regular starter. However, there is still time left for him to change this opinion and make a career for himself at Parkhead.

Sunderland can keep up their impressive record against arch rivals Newcastle United when Sunday rolls around.

Indeed, looking back at the more recent iterations of the fierce Tyne-Wear Derby, the Black Cats have some memorable victories to their name, with a 3-0 win in Sunderland’s favour being the last scoreline when the two rivals faced off at the Stadium of Light in Premier League action back in 2015.

Since then, there has been only one meeting on Wearside soil in early 2024, when the then Championship strugglers were trounced by the Magpies 3-0 in the FA Cup.

Now, however, Regis Le Bris’ men will hope to collect another memorable league victory against their sworn enemy, with one figure in his talented camp now standing out as a modern-day version of Kevin Ball, who featured in various Tyne-Wear derbies himself as a legend of the club.

Kevin Ball's legend status at Sunderland

Noted as being a Sunderland legend in “the truest sense of the word” by current chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus in 2022, Ball really did embody the fighting spirit the Black Cats will need to show against Newcastle on the weekend throughout his long-standing stay on Wearside.

Lauded for always being “a warrior on the pitch”, by former Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Ball would go on to make a staggering 388 appearances for his beloved team, with many a memorable showdown with Newcastle popping up.

Ball’s consistent brilliance from the middle of the park would further see him chip in with 27 goals, which included this diving header being expertly put away.

On top of often being in the right place at the right time to put his neck on the line, the Black Cats hall-of-famer would also go on to collect two Player of the Year accolades at the end of the 1990/91 season and the close of the 1996/97 campaign, while also even temporarily being handed the reins as Sunderland’s caretaker boss in 2013.

To put it simply, Ball is synonymous with the famous red and white stripes of Sunderland, with Le Bris hoping he can see the same verve and determination Ball had in spades coursing through his team’s veins on Sunday, as one key individual – in particular – continues to stick out as a Ball-style figure.

The £110k-per-week star who is Le Bris' own Ball

Unfortunately, the Frenchman will be without Luke O’Nien for the showdown with the Magpies after his red card against Manchester City.

The no-nonsense 31-year-old would have loved to feature against Sunderland’s Tyneside enemies if he hadn’t been dismissed, with O’Nien recently being branded as a “remarkable” icon of the club by EFL pundit George Elek.

He’s worthy of such adoration, as well, as the full-blooded defender has notched up a crazy 316 appearances for his team now. His mammoth journey started way back in League One, with his dedication to the cause undoubtedly similar to that of Ball’s.

Yet, even with these substantial numbers next to O’Nien’s name, Granit Xhaka is managing to stand out even more as a figure made in the same mould as the ex-Sunderland captain

The Swiss international is not afraid to launch himself into a tackle or a battle if necessary, as seen in him being branded a “monster” centrally by Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm, when he was still at the Emirates.

Games played

15

Goals scored

1

Assists

4

Touches*

66.5

Accurate passes*

42.3 (83%)

Key passes*

1.2

Big chances created

5

Ball recoveries*

4.5

Total duels won*

5.4

But, much like Ball, too, as seen when looking at his mightily impressive statistics at Sunderland so far this season, Xhaka is more than capable of popping up with a crucial goal and assist, with his one goal and four assists this campaign sitting pretty next to his 5.4 duels won on average.

Managing to collect six wins in the North London Derby when on the books of the Gunners, Xhaka’s know-how under pressure has already seen him be handed the Sunderland captain’s armband, amid shouts that he is the club’s “signing of the season” by Wayne Rooney.

Of course, he still has some time to go before he will be considered a Hall-of-Fame-worthy recipient like Ball, but it’s clear from his past exploits at Arsenal and his battling nature with the Black Cats so far that the £110k-per-week star will leave everything out on the pitch against Newcastle, just like Ball would have done.

The nerves will be there from Sunderland’s perspective, with the Premier League not hosting this tense contest since 2016.

But, with Xhaka present, Le Bris will be optimistic that his side can reign supreme, to continue their fine start to the season.

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