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Durham supporters steeling themselves for the possibility of another Test mismatch after events at Headingley can at least find consolation that this Championship encounter has thankfully been made of sterner stuff

David Hopps at Edgbaston24-May-2016
ScorecardJames Weighell claimed his first five-wicket haul•Getty Images

Durham supporters steeling themselves for the possibility of another Test mismatch at Chester-le-Street after events at Headingley can at least find consolation that this Championship encounter has been made of sterner stuff. For three days, the leaders Warwickshire have failed to kill off a dogged challenge by Durham, the upshot being that they will begin the final morning 84 runs short with six wickets remaining. There is no doubt where the grittiest cricket has been on show.When it comes to toughness of character, Keaton Jennings loves nothing better than to sandpaper a bowling attack into submission. He began the season against Lancashire with centuries in both innings – only the third Durham batsman to achieve the feat – and his unbeaten 88 showed the same unyielding qualities. His fifth-wicket stand with Paul Collingwood was worth 67 from 23 overs at the close.Viewed through an international prism, as they are about to be, Durham, the hosts for the second Test, are in a mess. Appalling Test advance sales seemingly give them no immediate hope of reducing debts totalling £5m, especially with Ben Stokes hors de combat, but on the field, under the captaincy of Collingwood, their tenacity can be taken for granted.Durham’s tail is a long one: this match remains decidedly in the balance. But if they pull this one off, back-to-back wins (they beat the leaders Lancashire at Emirates Riverside last week) would be a powerful retort to those who imagined they might be relegation fodder. Instead it is Surrey, rich enough to lend them a few bob, whose season is turning sour.Durham’s ability to produce cricketers in the north-east also deserves to command huge respect, and it has been exemplified here at Edgbaston by James Weighell, the latest fast bowler to come off the production line – the result of a strong academy and a willingness to cast their net far and wide. Others can learn from that.A 22-year-old from Middlesbrough, border country where Durham’s raids are these days considerable more successful than Yorkshire’s, Weighell has twice set career-best figures in only his fourth first-class match, following up four wickets in the first innings with 5 for 33 second time around to return 9 for 130 in the match.He took all his wickets in the first innings from around the wicket – utilising it as an unusually persistent ploy against the right-hander – but he adjusted the balance towards a more conventional approach on the third day in conditions that gave plenty of encouragement to pace bowlers maintaining an attacking length.With Chris Woakes on the road north to join England – Warwickshire’s best bowling return for half a century safely gathered in – it was tempting to feel some sympathy for the effect that it would have on their Championship challenge until the thought dawned that Durham’s pace bowling stocks are currently weakened by the absence not just of Stokes and his England colleague Mark Wood, but also Chris Rushworth, whose 83 wickets last season made him the PCA cricketer of the yearFielding a trio of wet-behind-the-ears pace bowlers, Durham bowled themselves right back into the match by dismissing Warwickshire for 114 in their second innings, challenging the perception that their Woakes-inspired deficit of 123 on first innings was as good as terminal.Weighell was the prime reason. Warwickshire, resuming on 15 for 2, soon lost Andrew Umeed, who had made a century on Championship debut in the first innings, but who edged an excellent lifting delivery from Weighell. Ian Bell fell to a yorker and Weighell also added to the misery of Sam Hain whose desperately thin Championship season – a season in which he might have been expected to blossom – continued when he hacked a nondescript ball onto his stumps. Tim Ambrose caught at short leg on the stroke of lunch and a miscue to midwicket by Oliver Hannon-Dalby completed his five-for.Durham could be forgiven for identifying Keith Barker as the bowler they most feared as they set off in pursuit of 238. Barker, Warwickshire’s stocky left-arm swing bowler, has been Durham’s nemesis for years. There was a maiden century in 2011, the bowling figures behind two innings defeats in 2014 and another Championship hundred last season. One look at his sizeable frame sends them all a quiver.As it was, the threat came from a different source. It was the ganglier figure of Chris Wright who spearheaded Warwickshire’s challenge in a post-tea spell of 4 for 10 in 24 balls which disturbed the equanimity that had taken hold during a circumspect opening stand of 87 in 30 overs between Jennings and Mark Stoneman.In Woakes’ absence, and with no signs of turn for Jeetan Patel or Woakes’ stand-in – the legspinner Josh Poysden – Wright’s intervention was necessary. Scott Borthwick got the best delivery of all, which left him sharply to hit off stump, and when Michael Richardson pulled to midwicket few would have reckoned on Durham having a 50-50 chance of victory by the close.

Mervyn Westfield, the former Essex cricketer, has spoken publically for the first time about the chain of events which led to him receive a prison sentence for spot-fixing

David Hopps26-Sep-20130:00

Mervyn Westfield on Mind, Matters, Integrity

Mervyn Westfield, the former Essex cricketer, has spoken publicly for the first time about the chain of events which led to him receive a prison sentence for spot-fixing as part of an anti-corruption campaign headed by the Professional Cricketers’ Association.Westfield describes in the PCA video how he was lured into spot-fixing by the former Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria. Kaneria was banned for life for his part in the affair in June 2012 and lost his appeal against the ban in an ECB hearing in July this year.Kaneria’s lawyers have since filed an appeal in the UK in the Commercial Court, with Kaneria stating that he wants his story to be heard by all. The Commercial Court deals with complex cases arising out of business disputes, both national and international.Westfield tells in the PCA video how his four-month sentence in Belmarsh prison coincided with the discovery that his father had cancer and how he was shaken by the knowledge that he had let down his parents and that he was no longer a good role model for his two younger brothers.”I first met Danish at the age of 18 in the second year of my professional contract,” Westfield tells. “He was a very bubbly person. Everyone liked him in the dressing room. He was a role model for most of the people in our team.”Basically I was at his house and he asked if he could speak to me outside… that’s when he started first talking about it. He said it’s hard for a young person to get money nowadays in cricket and that’s how the conversation started.’If I can give back to anyone – kids, older people it doesn’t matter to me – as long as I can give something back.’- Mervyn Westfield•Getty Images

“He suggested to me that a few people in the game were doing it as well. I felt confused because I didn’t really understand where he was coming from or what he was talking about. Him and his friends kept on asking and asking and I felt pressured into it and I sort of had to do it. I just felt so confused what was going.”Westfield was asked to concede a pre-planned number of runs in a televised 40-over tie against Durham in Chester-le-Street in September 2009. He inadvertently failed to concede the number of runs agreed but after Essex returned home in the early hours of the morning he was paid anyway. He reveals that he resisted suggestions that he should repeat the sting against Somerset five days later.”When I bowled my first over, I didn’t even check the scoreboard to see if I went for 12 or more,” he said. “All the emotions going through my head, I was just confused about what was going on.”Because Danish lived next to me he always gave me a lift home. It was late, it was three o’clock in the morning or something like that. He had two friends in the car as well and they had a black bag and they gave it to me with money.”The next couple of days we went up to Somerset and they tried to get me to do that game as well but I said no definitely not this time. I was worried obviously if someone finds out a what’s going to happen to me and I love cricket and… I didn’t want to lose my career and obviously that Durham game has cost me my career.”He also relates how he was summoned back to Essex’s HQ at Chelmsford after a training session by the coach, Paul Grayson. Essex – in a meeting with Grayson, the chief executive David East and captain Mark Pettini – initially told him that they intended to deal with the affair in house. Westfield’s transgression only became public knowledge six months the event took place.Westfield was banned from professional cricket for five years, and club cricket for three years. In recognition of his willingness to help the PCA with its anti-corruption education programme, an ECB appeal panel in June reduced his ban from club cricket by a year, meaning he will be able to play again next season.He will also appear at the PCA’s rookie camp, for new professionals, in February and at PCA pre-season meetings with each of the 18 first-class counties next March.”I’m not trying to tell people to feel sorry for me… because what I’ve done is bad but not being able to play or coach any cricket is a massive shock for me,” he said. “I just want to rebuild my life.. and try and get back on track. If I can give back to anyone – kids, older people it doesn’t matter to me – as long as I can give something back.”Jason Ratcliffe, PCA assistant chief executive, said: “Mervyn recognizes that he did wrong and that the time is right to make amends within the cricket community to ensure nobody makes the same mistakes. His moving interview is the first step of the education process and should serve as a timely reminder to all, that cricket and other sports will not let up in the fight against corrupters.”

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has reopened the debate surrounding Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion from the ICC awards shortlists by hinting that Pakistan’s players could boycott the awards function

Umar Farooq06-Sep-2012PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has reopened the debate surrounding Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion from the ICC awards shortlists by hinting that Pakistan’s players could boycott the awards function, to be held in Colombo on September 15, as a “robust protest”. The ICC, responding to the PCB’s protest on Monday, had ruled out a rethink and the matter seemed to have ended there.However, Ashraf’s comments, made during an interview to ESPNcricinfo, suggest the issue is still alive for Pakistan. “We are facing a lot of pressure from the public and from our former players to push for his inclusion,” Ashraf said. “I think the ICC should check whether the independent jury is coming up with the best name and they should not give away the due right of any player in the world.”If anyone else has more wickets than Ajmal, then we are ready to withdraw our concern and instead we will support their pick. But this isn’t reflecting well of the ICC and they should rectify it.”Meanwhile we probably have to give a second thought to even boycott the function as a robust protest.”Ajmal was in the longlist for the Test Player of the Year award but missed out when an independent 32-member jury, which included former Pakistan captain Aamer Sohail and Pakistan journalist Majid Bhatti, nominated Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander, Australia captain Michael Clarke and South Africa opener Hashim Amla in that category.Ajmal, 34, took 72 Test wickets between August 4, 2011 and August 6, 2012 – the qualifying period for the award – including 24 at 14.70 as Pakistan swept aside England, the then No. 1 side in the world, 3-0 in January. He has climbed to No. 3 in the ICC Test bowling rankings and is the highest ranked spinner. On Thursday, he was revealed as the top bowler in the ODI rankings.After the PCB lodged the protest, the ICC refused to reconsider Ajmal’s case, saying it had no authority to change the results of the academy. The process was monitored by the independent auditor Ernst & Young, and the longlist was prepared by a five-member Selection Panel headed by Clive Lloyd and included Clare Connor (England), Tom Moody (Australia), Carl Hooper (West Indies) and Marvan Atapattu (Sri Lanka).

Chris Adams, the Surrey cricket manager, hasn’t been given any official indication over the availability of Kevin Pietersen but suggested that he’d struggle to get in the team anyway

Andrew McGlashan04-Sep-2011Chris Adams, the Surrey cricket manager, hasn’t been given any official indication over the availability of Kevin Pietersen but suggested that he’d struggle to get in the county team anyway. He also asked Andy Flower, the England team director, if they could fly Jade Dernbach down for the CB40 semi-final against Sussex, but that was refused although Dernbach will be available for the final at Lord’s.Pietersen has been rested for the current one-day series against India although reports have now emerged that he has a wrist injury that needs treatment. Last week it was also suggested that Pietersen won’t return to action until January when England play Pakistan in UAE.However, on Sunday, Pietersen said that he was still aiming for the two Twenty20s against West Indies and the one-day tour of India. The CB40 final, in which Surrey take on Somerset, is on September 17 at Lord’s, six days before the first T20 against West Indies.”Kevin is resting and I’ve no idea if he’ll be available or not,” Adams said after Surrey’s 71-run victory against Sussex. “I’ve no idea if he’d get in the side or not. We’ve come this far without two of England’s best players – Kevin Pietersen and Chris Tremlett – and if we get Jade back that will be a huge bonus. I’m guessing at this stage we won’t have Kevin. I haven’t been officially told.”Unlike Pietersen, who Surrey have seen precious little of this season due to England commitments, Adams was in no doubt that Dernbach, who has taken 19 wickets at 15.47 in the CB40, will slot straight back into the side when he’s available, and they tried very hard to have him for the semi-final. Given that England’s last ODI is a day-night game in Cardiff, a helicopter may be needed to get him to Lord’s.”Jade is one of the reasons we are where we are,” he said. “He was the stand-out bowler for us in the competition and his career is going from strength to strength. We asked the question of Flower this week if we could fly him down last night, then we’d fly him off to The Rose Bowl [for the next ODI].”He’s someone who will take a great deal of pleasure in this result, he’s a Surrey man through and through. He continues to impress on every level and if we get him for the final then that’s great.”The news is not so good for Chris Tremlett, though, who has been struggling with a bulging disc in his back since he was ruled out of the second Test against India at Trent Bridge and didn’t play again the series.”Chris may struggle to get on the park in this domestic season, but that’s with the medics and people who know,” Adams said. “I can’t speak highly enough of him, he sent us messages before, during and after this game.”Tremlett was unlikely to have been part of England’s one-day plans against India – either home or away – having not been selected against Sri Lanka, so he has time to recover before the tour to UAE in the New Year. However, he will have a fight to regain his place after the success of Tim Bresnan and won’t find pitches in UAE, or in Sri Lanka, conducive to his style of bowling.

A Test series between India and Australia should be enough to whet the appetite of any cricket fan. But is that true of a contest spanning only two matches? We’re about to find out

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale30-Sep-2010

Match Facts

Friday, October 1, Mohali

Start time 9:30am (0400 GMT)

The Big Picture

A Test series between India and Australia should be enough to whet the appetite of any cricket fan. But is that true of a contest spanning only two matches? We’re about to find out. The abbreviated nature of the trip notwithstanding, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is up for grabs. India are the holders after their 2-0 win at home this time two years ago, but much has changed since then. Australia entered that tour ranked No. 1 among Test teams and India were third. MS Dhoni’s men are now at the top of the list, while the Australians have slipped to fourth. If Australia lose the series, they’ll fall to fifth and begin the Ashes ranked lower than England.There are several fascinating subplots in this series. Will Harbhajan Singh continue to mesmerise Ricky Ponting? How will Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar, Test cricket’s highest scorers, fare in what could be their final series against each other? Can Rahul Dravid find a way to dominate Australia, a team that has had his measure since 2004? Will Nathan Hauritz hold his own against the world’s best players of spin? Is Marcus North on his last chance? And what controversy will arise?India haven’t lost a Test series for two years and, despite drawing their last two, have so much talent in their batting line-up that it is hard to see how Australia can win. That is especially true of the first Test in Mohali, where India have lost only once, winning thrice and drawing five Tests. Can 20 wickets come from Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger and Hauritz? Australia can dream, but India are unquestionably the favourites.

Form guide

India WDLWL

Australia LWWWW

Watch out for…

It has been a heady couple of years for Suresh Raina. In that period, he has managed to force his way back from the wilderness through some compelling performances in the IPL, and done well in the shorter formats for India. Injury to Yuvraj Singh gave him a rare opening into Test cricket and he latched on with a fine debut century against Sri Lanka. That innings was testimony Raina’s mental fortitude but, coming as it did on a flat track against a friendly attack, it did not say much about his technical prowess. Questions remain over Raina’s ability to handle the bouncer and the next few months, including a tour to South Africa, offer him a chance to address those concerns. At some point over the next five days, Johnson and co. are going to test Raina with the short stuff, possibly with the help of the second new ball. How will he respond?Since Shane Watson stepped into the opening role during last year’s Ashes, only Simon Katich and Michael Clarke have scored more Test runs for Australia. Last time Australia played Tests in India, Watson was making his long-awaited return to the baggy green and slotted in as a useful, if not outstanding, No. 6. He will be wary of Ishant Sharma’s ability to jag the ball back in; that angle has been a weakness for Watson at the top of the order. Stuart Broad and Graham Onions repeatedly trapped him lbw using that method last year and three of his four dismissals against Pakistan in July also came against the ball moving in. But Watson has started the tour well, with a century in each innings of the warm-up game, and will look to use this trip to add to his one Test hundred.

Team news

An injury to Harbhajan has cast a cloud over India’s hopes of having their first-choice attack back in action, following endless fitness issues in Sri Lanka. Dhoni said India will take a call on the offspinner on Friday morning. If Harbhajan does not make the cut, Pragyan Ojha will assume the role of lead spinner. Mohali’s seamer-friendly reputation gives Sreesanth an opportunity to make the final XI as the third fast bowler, ahead of legspinner Amit Mishra. The batsmen pick themselves and, barring last-minute fitness issues, M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara are likely to sit out.India (possible) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 MS Dhoni (capt and wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh / Amit Mishra / Sreesanth, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Pragyan OjhaAustralia are waiting to see how well Doug Bollinger and Michael Hussey train after their last-minute dash to India from the Champions League in South Africa. However, it would be a surprise if either man was left out. The only change from the team that lost to Pakistan at Headingley in July is likely to be the inclusion of Nathan Hauritz, who has recovered from his foot injury, at the expense of Steven Smith.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Doug Bollinger.

Pitch and conditions

The Australians spotted a tinge of green on the pitch after heavy rain in Mohali, adding to the likelihood they would play just one specialist spinner. However, there is a chance the normally quick surface might play a little slower than usual due to the weather. It was here two years ago that Peter Siddle announced himself by thumping Gautam Gambhir on the helmet with his first ball in Test cricket. Dhoni admitted the difficulty in predicting how the pitch would play. “We will have to see the wicket tomorrow. It looks a bit damp, it’s been watered a bit. It looks like a good track. There may by a bit of skid for the fast bowlers,” he said.

Stats and trivia

• Over the last ten years, Australia have lost more Tests to India than they have won. India are the only team that can boast of this record over Australia for the decade
• During that period, Australia are the only team to have beaten India in a series at home
• No bowler has dismissed Ricky Ponting more times in Test cricket than Harbhajan Singh, who has claimed his wicket on 10 occasions
• With the retirement of Muttiah Muralitharan, Harbhajan is now the leading wicket-taker among active Test spinners, with 357
• Michael Hussey and Simon Katich, who started their careers as opponents in Under-13s cricket in Perth, begin this series each having played 52 Tests and each having scored exactly 3981 runs
  

  Quotes

  “It doesn’t matter on whom the pressure is. At the end of the day, you are expected to win if you are playing at home. Your ranking doesn’t matter here much.”
  “It is going to be a very big test for our bowlers and for me as a captain. India is the No. 1 team in the world and they are there for a reason.”
  
  “Whenever I play against the Aussies and perform, I feel good. I will try to perform even better this time so that next time when the next series happens they should again take my name first.”

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According to The Sun, Bayern Munich are readying a £40m bid for Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka as they look to become the next German club to lure a young, English star across the channel. Could the Eagles sell?

What’s the word?

Well, The Sun reports that the Bundesliga champions have added the 21-year-old to their summer wish-list, on which he will join Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi, whom the Bavarian outfit tried to sign in January.

The Palace right-back is having an excellent season and has been, by far and away, the Selhurst Park outfit’s best player having ousted Joel Ward from the starting lineup.

With other big clubs surely interested in acquiring his signature, there could be a real battle for his services in the summer and Palace may be forced to accept if the eye-watering figure mentioned is accurate.

The Sun also understands that Eagles boss Roy Hodgson has already begun preparations and plans for next season and is keen to revamp the ageing squad. Wan-Bissaka is contracted until 2022 and the SE25 outfit will surely be reluctant to let him leave, but could they cash in in order to make some much needed upgrades?

A Palace martyr

Having spent just £9.5m this season – Max Meyer and Vicente Guaita came free, while Michy Bathsuayi and Jordan Ayew are on loans, meaning Cheikhou Kouyate takes up the transfer fees – Palace were one of the lowest spenders in the Premier League.

However, The Sun reports that they could use the Wan-Bissaka money to fund a squad overhaul before the 19/20 season begins. Indeed, the Eagles possess a wealth of experience but have very few players that are yet to reach their ceiling, with Meyer and Wan-Bissaka the only two with real room to grow.

Despite only having made his debut just under a year ago, the number 29 is a firm fan favourite and his departure would be met with outcry from the Selhurst Park faithful. Could he become a martyr in Palace’s quest to escape season after season of relegation battles?

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

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Sunderland fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Chris Maguire would be out for up to eight weeks after breaking his leg.

The injury happened in the first half of the Black Cats’ 4-2 win over Gillingham on Tuesday night, and his absence will be a huge miss for Jack Ross as he attempts to guide his side back into the Championship at the first time of asking.

Maguire has been an excellent acquisition for the Wearsiders since arriving from Bury in the summer, scoring seven goals in 35 appearances so far this season to help his teammates sit third in the table.

Should the club make it into the Checkatrade Trophy final – they still have to face Bristol Rovers in the semi-final – Maguire is expected to miss the trip to Wembley as well unless he performs a minor miracle in his recovery.

Let’s take a look at how Sunderland supporters reacted to the news on Twitter…

When Nathan Holland left West Ham U23s to join the first-team for a Premier League match, it was Amadou Diallo who filled in for him.

The teenage winger may have only lasted 39 minutes before being forced off with an injury, but he had left himself enough time on the pitch to impact the game, scoring the opening goal in a 3-3 draw.

This was not Diallo’s first appearance or goal of the season but it was representative of how the rest of the campaign can pan out for him – though hopefully without the injury.

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Having played seven Premier League 2 games so far this term, he has already notched twice, with his first goal of the campaign coming against Norwich City.

This follows on from his breakthrough season at this level last term, where he impressively scored two goals from just three appearances, notably including one in a 5-1 win against Manchester City.

Three of his seven PL2 appearances this campaign have come from the bench, but with Holland’s loan to Oxford United vacating a spot on the left wing, there is a very real chance that Diallo will be getting much more substantial game time at this level.

Call yourself a West Ham expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

It is not solely for West Ham U23s that he can go on to make an impact this term though. During England U17s’ recent tour of Spain, he received the captain’s armband for one of the three games and scored in two – having also netted during a previous tour.

This means that the young winger could be in with a chance of making the squad that will represent England in the Elite Qualifiers in March.

Considering all of the above, it seems as though Diallo could be set for a very exciting second half of the 2019/20 campaign – a period where he now has the chance to fully establish himself at this level.

Meanwhile, one West Ham loanee had a shocker on the weekend.

According to a recent report from The Liverpool Echo, Everton manager Marco Silva doesn’t expect any new arrivals at the club this month. The Toffees have somewhat unconvinced in recent weeks in winning only two of their last ten Premier League matches, with their 2-1 defeat at Southampton on Saturday leaving them with just one away victory in the league since the start of October.

Yet with his side having slipped into the bottom half of the table in 11th, Everton chief Silva has suggested it is unlikely that the Toffees will add to the squad in the final ten days of the January transfer window, with this big January decision by the club’s hierarchy potentially leading to Silva’s undoing at the Merseyside outfit.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, there was much optimism around Goodison Park at the start of the season following the appointment of the highly-rated Silva, alongside some excellent recruitment which saw the likes of Richarlison, Lucas Digne, and Yerry Mina make the move to the blue half of Merseyside.

And six victories from their opening 13 league matches, including three in a row between September and October, saw the Toffees sit sixth in the Premier League table and very much looking up to challenge the division’s top teams, only for things to go downhill since then to increase the pressure on Silva.

In their ten games since the 1-0 success over Cardiff City on November 24, Everton have managed just two wins and two draws to slip into the bottom half of the table, with it pretty clear that the squad needs further strengthening to not only snap out of their poor run of form, but also to climb the table once again to finish the ‘best of the rest’.

Clearly, the Toffees are crying out for an out-and-out number nine to lead the line, with Richarlison doing a decent enough job when called upon in the main striker’s role, but seemingly not the long-term solution to a problem they haven’t solved since letting Romelu Lukaku leave the club back in 2017.

And with the likes of Theo Walcott and Bernard struggling to convince out wide, and some concerns still had about the central midfield department, there are plenty of areas in the Everton squad that need improving – the recent results underline just how far behind the top six they are, but rather alarmingly how far behind some of the other mid-table teams they are as well.

And with the pressure seemingly building on Silva to improve the fortunes of his side, backing him in the transfer window appeared necessary to help him take the Toffees forward, and indeed turn them into the more progressive side they threatened to be at the start of the campaign.

But for the board to opt against such decision, whether forced or not by financial restraints, could well prove to be the undoing of the 41-year-old at Goodison Park.

Everton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Arsenal’s teenage sensation Reiss Nelson has played down speculation linking him with a permanent switch to Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim, where he is currently starring on loan under Julian Nagelsmann’s guidance.

What’s the word?

According to The Independent, the England Under-21 international has moved to quash talk of a permanent switch to the German top-flight. Having watched his fellow Englishman Jadon Sancho flourish since moving from Manchester City to Borussia Dortmund, many have wondered whether Nelson may be keen to follow suit and turn his loan move into a permanent one.

However, the 18-year-old himself has said that he belongs to Arsenal, and it is up to the Gunners to decide his fate.

Nelson told The Independent: “At the moment I’m very happy here. I’m playing, I’m scoring, but I’m an Arsenal player at the end of the day, so I have to stay and do my job here, then wherever football takes me I’ll go.”

Will Nelson’s career get the playing time it needs at Arsenal?

At Manchester City, Sancho’s career hit a stumbling block as his contract talks stalled, which led to Pep Guardiola leaving the teenager out of the Citizens’ pre-season tour of the US. After that, Sancho took his career into his own hands, leaving for the bright lights of the Signal Iduna Park.

Whilst Nelson’s departure from the Emirates was far more amicable, the same issue persists. Will Nelson get enough playing time at Arsenal under Unai Emery to fulfil his enormous potential? Well, the Gunners do not have the same attacking depth as City, depth that kept Sancho out of the first team.

However, they do have the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi, Aaron Ramsey and Henrikh Mkhitaryan competing for attacking positions right now, even if Ramsey could soon be on his way out.

There is no need for Nelson to return to Arsenal, in all honesty. The departure of his home comforts back in London seem to have bought the best out of him, just as they have done for Sancho as well as Ademola Lookman, who thrived on loan at RB Leipzig last season.

Unless Arsenal guarantee him the game time he needs, Nelson has a wonderful chance to flourish in Germany with Champions League football available to him, a chance which he should push for.