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Sunderland can expect to have all four of Danny Batth, Dan Ballard, Jewiosn Bennette, and Niall Huggins fit and ready to play again, potentially in time for this weekend's preseason friendlies, according to reports.

What is the update on Sunderland's injury list?

With the new Championship season just on the horizon and the chance to once again make it back to the Premier League, the Black Cats have been given some good news on the injury front.

According to the Sunderland Echo central defenders Batth and Ballard are both back to full fitness and joined in with their teammates in full preseason training this week, and it is expected that they will therefore feature in Saturday's two games.

It's the same story for youngster Bennette, and things look positive for fullback Huggins after he returned to the side during the play-off campaign and has since continued his recovery.

The renewed availability of all four gives manager Tony Mowbray some much-needed depth going into another long and gruelling campaign in England's second tier.

It's also good news for Elliot Embleton as he is now running again, and despite the fact he won't be fit in time for this weekend, he should be back to full health again by the time the side jet off to the States for their pre-season tour.

Finally, Jenson Seelt will miss both this weekend and the tour of America but is expected to play a part in the team's opening fixtures of the season as his minor ankle problem continuously improves.

Who is likely to miss the start of Sunderland's Championship campaign?

Aji Alese and Corry Evans are set to miss the Black Cats' opening games of the season. Alese is still suffering from a thigh issue that saw him miss two months of last season and has undergone surgery after the side's play-off defeat to Luton Town.

On the other hand, Evans is still recovering from the ACL injury he sustained against Middlesbrough earlier this year; it's hoped that he might be able to make a return to the side around Christmas if his recovery goes well.

Who are Sunderland's first three opponents in the Championship next season?

It was almost an unbelievable season for Sunderland last year, almost going straight back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking since winning promotion from League One the year before.

Mowbray and Co will look to go one better next season, but their first few fixtures certainly look challenging.

The Black Cats kick off their new campaign with a home fixture against the recently promoted Ipswich Town, who were exceptional in the third tier last year, scoring 101 goals and only conceding 35.

Following that, it's a potentially difficult away trip to Preston North End, who finished comfortably midtable last season, despite enduring some dismal form towards the backend of their campaign.

The Wearsiders finish their opening three games back at home, hosting Rotherham United, and considering their opponents finished all the way down in 19th last season, Mowbray's men should be winning that with ease.

However, Sunderland end their season, be that with a promotion or another missed opportunity, the fitness of their stars will be paramount, and with the players they have returning, they'll always have a chance.

Arsenal just fell short in the hunt for the Premier League title last term, finishing five points behind Manchester City after a poor final few fixtures.

There was nothing wrong with their attacking qualities, as they managed to score 88 league goals, and they even had the joint second best defensive record in the division, however, the Gunners conspired to concede 18 goals during the final 11 fixtures, which saw the momentum shift in favour of City.

It was no coincidence that William Saliba was missing for these games having suffered an injury against Sporting CP in the Europa League and Mikel Arteta had to utilise Rob Holding at centre-back.

The defender must surely be ditched this summer as he ranked in a lowly 17th position in the squad for average rating via Sofascore while also ranking 16th for tackles per game and 15th for interceptions per game, clearly suggesting he isn’t of the required standard if the club want to win the title next term.

With this in mind, the Gunners have been linked with a move for Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio according to Spanish news outlet AS (via Football 365) and Arteta may just be able to secure a bargain, with the centre-back available for a fee of around €45m (£39m) as per the report.

Could Arsenal sign Goncalo Inacio this summer?

A move is within the realms of possibilities, however the North Londoners face competition for the 21-year-old alongside Newcastle United and Liverpool.

Making him the focus of their attention could be a shrewd move by Arsenal, especially judging by his statistics over the previous year, with his passing ability and forward-thinking mentality having the potential to suit Arteta.

Across the next eight competitions on the continent, Inacio ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90 (9.04), progressive carries per 90 (1.9), passes attempted per 90 (88.63) and successful take-ons per 90 (0.65), demonstrating that he can bring the ball out from the back with ease and is always keen on starting attacks from his own half, something which Arteta looks for in his defenders.

In contrast, Holding doesn’t even rank in the top 10% across Europe’s big five leagues for any of these metrics, suggesting that Inacio would be a major upgrade on the Englishman and improve their strength in depth.

The 6 foot 1 starlet was even described as being “underrated” by journalist Zach Lowy a couple of years ago, but with his numbers over the previous year ranking him highly across a range of metrics, Arteta would certainly render this praise obsolete.

Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah, who conceded over 200 runs at over five to the over in the Boxing Day Test, has said he had bowled the wrong length at the MCG

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jan-2017

Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah, who conceded over 200 runs at over five to the over in the Boxing Day Test, has said he had bowled the wrong length at the MCG. He also said that the six-three leg-side field the team employed, which drew criticism from the outside, was his idea and a “wrong decision” in hindsight.”I think I bowled too many full tosses and short balls,” Yasir told . “I’m working in the nets to bowl in one channel and improve my action. At the MCG because of the rain, there were no dry patches and not enough rough to work with.”Of the field settings, he said: “It was my mistake. As a bowler I take responsibility in setting my fields. In hindsight it was a wrong decision.”Yasir, who became the first legspinner to top the ICC Test rankings in 11 years in mid-2016 and later went on to become the joint second quickest to 100 wickets, said he was in touch with Australia’s Shane Warne about bowling in the country. “He always tells me how to stay calm as a legspinner and be patient in taking wickets. He spoke about my pace and how I should be bowling slower [in Australia] than I bowl in the UAE, around the 83-84 kph mark.”He also suggested that giving some loop will help me get more purchase in the wicket. Warne has asked me to develop my googly using the same action, saying if you change your action then there are more chances of losing control over your bowling.”Given the tracks at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the next Test will begin on January 3, have traditionally been relatively helpful to spinners, Pakistan might consider playing two slow men in the match. 18-year-old left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar could be in line for a debut. Speaking on him, Yasir said: “I think he is a very good spinner, I was impressed by his bowling at the Pakistan Super League [the domestic T20 league]. He bowled with a lot of courage and the batsmen who have played him rate him highly.”

Leeds United defender Robin Koch could make a shock move to Manchester United in the summer transfer window, according to an update from reliable journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Is Robin Koch leaving Leeds?

The Whites were relegated from the Premier League last month, following a dismal campaign that eventually saw three different managers leave the club. It was a massive blow after three years back in the top flight, but the key now is for the Whites to rebuild under new owners 49ers Enterprises, making a swift return to the division in the process.

There is no question that relegation is going to make it difficult for Leeds to keep hold of a number of their key players, however, with many understandably not wanting to be plying their trade in the Championship in 2023/24, and choosing to remain at a higher level instead.

One of those who could move on is Koch, with the £38,000-a-week utility man's current Whites deal expiring at the end of next season. That means that this summer could begrudgingly be the best time to sell him, with some claims even emerging that he actually has a relegation clause which allows him to leave for free immediately.

Are Man United signing Koch?

Taking to Twitter, Sky reporter Plettenberg claimed that United are eyeing a summer move for the Leeds star, as they look to boost their squad options moving forward:

"News #Koch: He‘s on the shortlist of Man Utd! Loose talks took place. Confirmed."

While Koch is likely to move on – something that many Leeds fans would likely understand, given their current situation out of the Premier League – the idea of him moving to United could go down very badly with some.

There is a bitter rivalry that exists between the two clubs, so the fans seeing a Whites player move to one of their biggest adversaries could sour his legacy, which would be a shame after three good years at the club that have seen Koch make 77 appearances overall.

Ideally, the 26-year-old would stay put and sign a new deal – he is an eight-cap Germany international who has been hailed as a "machine" by teammate Max Wober – but that seems highly unlikely at this point.

The hope is that he opts not to join United, however, where he could not only struggle to be a regular starter, given the quality they have, but also affect his relationship with Leeds supporters at the same time.

Celtic are in the market for a new manager after Australian boss Ange Postecoglou departed Glasgow this week.

The 57-year-old completed the domestic treble with the Hoops last weekend with a 3-1 win over Inverness in the FA Cup but ended up putting pen to paper on a deal with Spurs on Tuesday.

This means that the club now need to source a replacement for him and Football Scotland recently reported that Manchester City are braced for an official approach from the Bhoys for first-team coach Enzo Maresca, with staff expecting the Scottish giants to make a move for the Italian.

The publication has revealed that majority shareholder Dermot Desmond was impressed after speaking with the tactician in 2021 but ultimately went for Postecoglou. However, the Celtic chief is now interested in another round of talks with the 43-year-old ahead of a possible deal to take over at Parkhead.

Would Enzo Maresca be a success at Celtic?

Maresca could be a big success with the Hoops with Desmond potentially set to unearth his own version of Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners boss spent over three years working as Pep Guardiola's assistant at The Etihad and has been able to use what he learned from the legendary tactician to turn the north London giants into an exciting side to watch in the Premier League, whilst achieving success.

Arsenal play fluid progressive football, with pundit Danny Murphy hailing them as a "joy to watch".

Since the Spaniard took over in Islington, they have won the FA Cup and Community Shield, and finished second in the top flight, running winners Manchester City close for the title.

His style of play has been compared to Guardiola's in the way his players interchange positions across the pitch to create space and move the opposition around to create chances and dominate games, suggesting that he learned a lot from the City chief.

Maresca could follow in his footsteps and have a similar impact on Celtic if Desmond affords him the time to build a squad capable of playing the way he wants to play. Indeed, Arteta finished eighth in his first two seasons with Arsenal before it finally clicked.

Whilst the 43-year-old has limited experience and it is impossible to say with certainty that he would be a success, Guardiola believes that the Italian has a bright future ahead of him. He said:

"We are delighted with what Maresca has done. He’ll be an extraordinary manager in the future – like I felt it with Arteta. He's developed many young players that will help us. It will depend on how many stay and how many leave. Who we sign."

Guardiola was right about the now-Arsenal boss and this bodes well for Maresca, who deploys a 3-4-1-2 set-up, and his hopes of becoming a first-team boss.

If the Italian tactician is capable of following in Arteta's footsteps and turning a side into a Pep-esque team who are a 'joy to watch' then Celtic fans should be excited for each game knowing that the Hoops will likely play in the same manner as Postecoglou's teams of old.

Everton have been linked to a La Liga star ahead of the summer transfer window, as the club look for reinforcements after sealing Premier League survival.

Sean Dyche’s side grasped safety on the final day of action with a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at Goodison, however, the work is far from over after a dreary season for the club.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, the Toffees have been linked with a number of players, including a 21-year-old danger man.

What’s the latest on El Bilal Toure to Everton?

As reported by Mail Sport, Everton have stepped up their interest in Almeria forward El Bilal Toure.

The 21-year-old is believed to be valued at £25m by his club, and is reportedly being eyed by the Toffees who intend to replace the expected departure of Neal Maupay.

What could El Bilal Toure bring to Everton?

Lauded as being a “technician” by U23 talent scout Antonio Mango, the Mali international has a range of attributes that are essential to what Dyche requires in his attack at Goodison.

Playing as both a striker and right-winger, the dynamic attacker has scored six goals and assisted two in 20 appearances in La Liga this season – as per Sofascore.

At just 21-years-old, the forward has made a huge impact on his side in his first season in Spain, after signing from Stade Reims last summer.

After establishing himself in less than a year, it’s clear to see why Everton are interested in the youngster, who could offer a lot to Dyche’s set-up, and in particular Demarai Gray.

Gray has been a shining light for Everton on a number of occasions since signing from Leicester City, however, his strong performances are few and far between in Merseyside, with BBC’s Garth Crooks branding the forward as “infrequent”.

In signing a similar player to the Englishman in Toure, Dyche could encourage competition between the two, and also be provided with the option to mix-and-match their positions between leading the line and the flank.

Praised by Dyche earlier this season for delivering a “good performance” when playing the central striker role, the 26-year-old has the ability to play as a forward, identical to the strengths of Toure.

Therefore. the Everton boss could unlock the best from Gray by giving him the opportunity to play alongside a player similar to him in the Almeria forward.

The 21-year-old betters the English winger in front of goal as shown by FBref, with the Mali international averaging 0.42 non-penalty goals per 90 to Gray’s poor 0.07 per 90.

Despite Toure offering far more threat in putting the ball in the net, the Englishman comes out on top in terms of carrying the ball, averaging 3.37 progressive carries to the La Liga ace’s 1.27 per 90.

Although similar positionally, the duo have opposing strengths, something that could create a strong pairing in attack, or alternatively an enticing competition to improve individual performance in the fight for a starting spot.

Mitchell Starc has forecast a concerted Australian attack on Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Mathews in the three-Test series that begins in Pallekele on Tuesday

Daniel Brettig in Pallekele23-Jul-2016

Freed of ankle pain that halved the range of movement in his right foot, Mitchell Starc has forecast a concerted Australian attack on Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Mathews in the three-Test series that begins in Pallekele on Tuesday.Following a dispiriting tour of England and amid a surfeit of injuries to Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers, Mathews is set to face a searching examination from the No. 1-ranked Australians, who have often worked diligently to undermine the authority of opposition captains by limiting their capacity to perform on the field.Starc contrasted Mathews with his opposite number Steven Smith, who has so far performed very strongly as both batsman and captain for Australia. “Look, he’s under pressure,” Starc said of Mathews in Pallekele. “He’d be under pressure after the English tour and as a captain he’ll have to go through that pressure and perform as well. And that’s something that Steve, for us, does really well.”He’s been fantastic as a captain and led from the front as well, so no doubt we’ll put a lot of pressure on Angelo to perform. He’s got to lead as captain, so he’ll be a big wicket for us along with [Dinesh] Chandimal. For their bowlers [Rangana] Herath is the most experienced one and one that we’ll try and counter.”Starc came unscathed through the ODI tri-series in West Indies in June, and found some useful new-ball rhythm during Australia’s tour match at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. He has now gotten used to the unusual experience of bowling without discomfort in his right foot, and will seek to swerve the ball through a Sri Lankan side that has lost Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan since he last bowled to them, in Australia three years ago.”It’s fantastic to not see the three big names line up against us,” Starc said. “There were a few tough moments with those experienced batsmen in the line-up. They’re obviously a bit light on [experience] in the Sri Lankan team. They are coming off a series defeat in England, but back in their home conditions, they know it best and they’ll be up for a fight.”We’ll have to be at our best, but at the same time if we can make some early inroads and expose that inexperience, we’ve definitely got a fantastic bowling line-up to go through them.”From the more pleasant vantage point of seven months after surgery, Starc outlined exactly how much his right foot had degenerated before he surrendered to the surgeon’s knife. A two-centimeter fragment of bone broke off his ankle during last year’s first Ashes Test in Cardiff, before painkilling injections were required to deaden all feeling in the foot.He carried on despite this obvious handicap until the third Test of the home series against New Zealand in November 2015, where he broke another bone in the same foot and hobbled his way to the winning runs under lights at Adelaide Oval when clearly restricted. That second injury provided the catalyst for surgery, including the removal of the aforementioned fragment, the shaving of three bone spurs from the ankle and the excision of plenty of scar tissue besides.From days when he could only flex his ankle around two centimeters, Starc now has a range of movement closer to 14 centimeters. “It feels great. Having that bone taken out has done wonders for it,” Starc said. “That movement has been fantastic, ever since I started bowling again from surgery. There has definitely been no pain there through the West Indies and through the start of this tour. It’s a fantastic result and I’m looking forward to hopefully playing a much longer period of cricket now.”No longer needing to worry about physical restrictions, Starc has concentrated on tactical and technical work with the interim bowling coach Allan Donald, with whom he also shares an IPL team.”We’ve been working with Craig [McDermott] for a number of years now. To bring in AD (Donald) with a different set of eyes and a different set of theories is nice. It’s always nice to freshen things up and see what he’s got to offer on that topic as well,” Starc said. “We all reverse the ball pretty well, it’s just about doing it more often and getting it in those right areas here in Sri Lanka where it’s going to be needed a lot more.”I will always bowl my own way and if it means bowling a few yorkers here and there which I probably normally do anyway. It’s about getting that consistency a lot of us have had through the last 12 to 18 months. Josh Hazlewood has been fantastic at that, hitting a spot and really wearing batsmen down and taking a lot of wickets. I’m trying to get back to that consistency I had before I broke down.”I was feeling really, really good through that Perth Test (against New Zealand) and even through the few overs I had in Adelaide was where I really wanted to be in Test cricket. I’m always going to attack and try to take those early wickets, and I’m happy to go for a couple of runs if I can take early wickets.”Given the likelihood of two spinners being chosen, Starc can look forward to short, sharp spells at the other end, where Smith will seek to keep his pace up at its most destructive pitch. If he can do that, the pain he once felt in his ankle will instead be felt by the batsmen.

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has spoken out over the sighting of Jobe Bellingham at the club's play-off semi-final against Luton, revealing one of his staff has a "close" relationship with the player according to Chronicle Live.

What is the latest on Jobe Bellingham to Sunderland?

The Black Cats have had an excellent campaign back in the Championship this year, with the side already storming into the play-off spots. After securing a final day win over Preston North End, the side secured their promotion chances by finishing in sixth place.

The opening leg of their semi-final tie with Luton went as well as the club could have hoped too, with Sunderland overturning a 1-0 deficit to end up 2-1 victors. Despite Elijah Adebayo firing the Hatters in front, a superb curled strike from Amad Diallo then levelled proceedings. Trai Hume then edged his side in front in the second half and Mowbray's men then managed to hold on for the win.

Whilst their potential promotion is not sealed yet – and it is still therefore unclear where they will be playing their football next season – there is already talk over potential transfer targets. One such name is Jobe Bellingham, the brother of Jude, who currently plays for Birmingham. The player is reportedly close to making a move to the Stadium of Light and was even pictured watching the club's fixture against Luton.

Now, boss Tony Mowbray has spoken to Chronicle Live about the sighting of the midfielder at the weekend and said:

"I'm the head coach, so I don't get involved too much in who we might sign. One of my coaches is very close to the Bellingham family, he talks on national telly about his big brother at Dortmund, so maybe he's come to watch a big game because his season has finished. I don't know the answer [why Bellingham was at the game]."

Should Sunderland sign Jobe Bellingham?

The Black Cats will certainly be aiming to strengthen their side regardless of the division they are in this summer and they could definitely do that by bringing in the Birmingham man.

At just 17-years-old, he is still only young but is already showing flashes of his promise much like his brother did. He's started just five games for the Blues this year but has already managed to get 80% pass accuracy, with 0.6 tackles per game and an 80% dribble success rate. It shows the player is well capable of finding a teammate, isn't afraid to get stuck in and can drive the ball forward himself – all traits that you would want from a box to box midfielder.

Bellingham is one for both now and the future and Sunderland's squad would certainly be made better if they could add the midfielder to it.

Leeds United's bid for Premier League survival continues on Sunday afternoon, with the Yorkshire side set to take on AFC Bournemouth with the aim of ending their recent four-game run without a win.

While the Elland Road outfit did stop the rot with a draw against Leicester City in midweek after suffering three successive defeats prior to that, Javi Gracia's men are currently in a perilous position, with a return to the second tier a very real possibility.

In need of a positive result this time around, the Whites are faced with a Cherries side who look to be edging ever closer to securing their own top-flight status, with the south coast outfit now seven points clear of the drop following their win over bottom-side Southampton just a few days ago.

Leeds go into that mouthwatering meeting having come out on top when the two sides previously met back in November, with then-boss Jesse Marsch steering his team to a thrilling, 4-3 victory on home soil, despite having been 3-1 down on the day.

One man who was integral to that second-half comeback was peripheral figure, Sam Greenwood, with it perhaps time for the promising Englishman to be handed the chance to yet again run riot against Gary O'Neil's men.

Will Greenwood start against Bournemouth?

With Patrick Bamford having suffered a 'dreadful miss' last time out – as per Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth – it may be wise to push leading scorer Rodrigo into a centre-forward berth, leaving a space available to be filled in the number ten berth.

Although the obvious candidate for that role would be summer signing Brenden Aaronson, the United States international has "failed to make the step up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League", according to writer Zach Lowy, having scored just once and provided only three assists in the league this term.

As such, rather than looking to the 22-year-old to offer a creative spark in a playmaking role, Gracia could instead turn to young Greenwood from the start against the Cherries, despite the 21-year-old having started just two league games this season.

While the former Arsenal man has only recorded three goal involvements in the top flight this term, the £30k-per-week man registered two of those in the reverse fixture against tomorrow's opponents, scoring once and providing one assist in that 4-3 triumph.

The Sunderland-born ace was notably hailed as "phenomenal" by BBC pundit James McFadden for his goal to help spark the comeback on the day, whipping the ball into the roof of the net from range in exquisite fashion.

It was also Greenwood's corner that was subsequently headed home by captain Liam Cooper to draw the home side level, with the playmaker able to provide three key passes in total after replacing Aaronson just after the break.

That stunning cameo earned the 5 foot 11 ace a standout 8.2 match rating, as per Sofascore – the highest of any player for either side – having been lauded for his 'huge quality' in helping to drag his side to victory, as per Leeds Live's Beren Cross.

The hope will be that the young gem can replicate those feats at the Vitality Stadium, with Greenwood potentially representing something of a secret weapon for Gracia and co.

After the doom and gloom of life under Mike Ashley, the arrival of the PIF regime has brought with it renewed optimism and on-field improvement for Newcastle United, with the Magpies having enjoyed a remarkable transformation over the past 18 months or so.

Having repeatedly found themselves fighting to stave off relegation in recent years, the northeast side could well be closing in on what would be a stunning top-four finish, having also reached the final of the Carabao Cup just a few months ago.

It would appear that the new ownership have got little wrong since taking over the club back in October 2021, with the club's recruitment having undoubtedly been particularly astute in that time, namely snapping up the likes of Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn last year for bargain fees of just £12m and £13m, respectively.

One notable blunder that PIF may well have made in recent times with regard to incomings, however, is the signing of striker Chris Wood, with the New Zealand international having hardly proved value for money following his £25m arrival from Burnley back in January 2022.

How much did Chris Wood cost Newcastle?

After early, ambitious talk following the change in ownership that Newcastle would be targeting the likes of Kylian Mbappe, the St James' Park outfit no doubt took a wise approach not to opt for the big marquee names, having been in a fight for survival heading into that winter window.

To go from rumours regarding such high-profile figures to then ending up with a more low-key signing such as Wood, however, did appear rather odd at the time, with talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor describing it as a "strange, strange signing" after talk of "all these superstars".

Having scored just three league goals in the first half of the 2021/22 campaign at Turf Moor, the experienced marksman went on to score just twice more in the remainder of the season in his new home, despite starting 15 top-flight games.

That inability to make an impact was continued in the current campaign as the 31-year-old again netted only two league goals in 18 outings in the first half of the season, having looked a "bit lost", according to pundit Tam McManus.

With Eddie Howe and co already having Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak to call upon there appeared to be little need to keep Wood around, with the Magpies ultimately allowing the 70-cap dud to join Nottingham Forest on an initial loan deal in January.

That brought to an end a bizarre and rather costly 12 months for the centre-forward on Tyneside, with the 6 foot 3 man having cost roughly £4m in wages across the year in relation to his £80k-per-week salary, as well as his initial fee of £25m – totalling £29m.

That does appear money down the drain, in truth, such were the Auckland native's shortcomings, albeit with the only saving grace having been the fact that Forest have already forked out £15m to make the temporary deal permanent.

Even so, that transfer tale will be one that PIF will wish to forget in a hurry…