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The bowlers also contributed greatly to fashion a 97-run win for Ireland in their first game of the World Cup Qualifier

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2018Andy Balbirnie in action at the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe•Getty Images

Ireland opened their World Cup qualifiers campaign with a 93-run win against Netherlands in a rain-affected game in Harare. After a fifty from Andy Balbirnie – who anchored the full 50-over innings despite being struck on the helmet by Ryan ten Doeschate – Netherlands fell nearly nine overs short of batting 41 overs in their hunt for a revised target of 243. Seamers Tim Murtagh and Boyd Rankin were Ireland’s most effective bowlers.Balbirnie said he was struck fairly early in his innings – “I must have been on 30” – but continued batting and finished with 68 off 75 balls. But once he returned to the change room, things started to go wrong. “I didn’t field. I obviously got hit in the head while I was batting. Didn’t feel it that much batting. Came off. Sat down. Had a break, and then got a bit dizzy and a bit of blurred vision. So saw the doctor, did a concussion test, it was okay, but he wanted me to get a scan. Scan was clear so it’s gradually got better as the day’s gone on.”Ireland began with a series of contributions from their top order, most notably a 101-run stand for the fourth wicket between Balbirnie and Niall O’Brien. Their partnership followed stands of 59, 35 and 24 respectively for the first three wickets before Netherlands staged a comeback in the slog overs, picking up 4 for 49 in the last 7.2 overs.Netherlands, meanwhile, did not find partnerships from their top order. Inside 16 overs, they’d lost five wickets and any chance of recovery was regularly thwarted by Ireland’s bowlers. Timm van der Gugten’s 33 off 25 at No. 9 was their most significant contribution as they folded for 149.

History was made on Thursday, as Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani enjoyed a monster evening against the Miami Marlins, stealing two bases and launching two home runs in order to set himself apart in MLB lore.

Ohtani became the first player ever to record 50 home runs and 50 steals in a single season, and he reached the half-century mark in both categories during Thursday's beatdown of the Marlins.

It's a feat that fans have been waiting for as the season inched closer towards its end. Ohtani nipped the suspense in the bud by getting it done Thursday with nine games left in the regular season. Now, he'll have some time to pad those record-setting stats.

And what better way to make history than during a 6-for-6 day at the plate? Ohtani reached base every time he stepped into the batter's box, launching three home runs, lacing two doubles and driving in 10 RBIs while also swiping two bases. Have yourself a day!

Such a degree of dominance both at the plate and on the base paths has never before been achieved, and his accomplishment left baseball fans bewildered, as they saluted his greatness on social media.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be desperate for the January transfer window to open so he can work on securing a couple of new signings for the Ibrox side.

On the surface, it doesn’t appear as though much work needs to be done on the squad, especially with their form since the Belgian took over.

If you take a deeper look into the first team squad, however, some cracks begin to show and the former Club Brugge manager will be keen to improve as soon as possible.

By the time the winter window rolls around, the Gers could have secured progress in the Europa League, while hopefully claiming the League Cup trophy and this should give Clement more incentive to bolster his team.

With that in mind, the Glasgow side have been linked with a few names already. Here is a look at how the Ibrox side could line up following the winter transfer window if Clement manages to land a few players.

1

GK – Jack Butland

It would take a lot for Jack Butland to be replaced as the number one, especially with his form since joining during the summer.

Butland has featured in every single match for the club this term and has kept 11 clean sheets across 23 matches, conceding 20 goals in the process.

Although there was some interest recently from Birmingham City, the Gers have no intention to sell at the current time, unless there was an offer that was too good to turn down.

2

RB – James Tavernier

James Tavernier has once again been the club’s main source of goals this season, finding the back of the net on 11 occasions, while he has also grabbed three assists for good measure.

The 32-year-old will be under pressure to lift more silverware as captain, especially as the side have underperformed in recent seasons.

Under Clement, this could all change and Tavernier will remain a key part of the starting XI unless something drastic happens.

3

CB – Connor Goldson

Like Tavernier, Connor Goldson has been a mainstay in the heart of the defence for the previous five years and that doesn’t appear to be changing despite a new manager coming in.

Goldson has missed just one match all campaign and the Belgian clearly identifies him as a key member of the senior squad.

The question is, who could be his regular partner at the back once the transfer window closes?

4

CB – Ben Godfrey

The Light Blues were recently linked with interest in the current Everton defender, according to 90min, and could he potentially be Clement’s first signing for the club?

The Toffees are open to selling the 6 foot gem as he has made just two appearances all campaign while his career is currently stalling.

Previously dubbed as “immense” by former professional boxer Tony Bellew, Godfrey could replace Ben Davies at the heart of the defence from February onwards.

The former Liverpool defender hasn’t enjoyed the best of times at the club – having been criticised for getting "bullied" at centre-back, according to Krik Broadfoot – and following interest from Stoke City in the summer, January might see another club come in for him.

5

LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

Borna Barisic is attracting interest from Serie A due to his contract expiring at the end of the season and this could allow Yilmaz the chance to cement his place in the starting XI.

The Turkish gem has started just four league matches so far this season, but three of those have come under Clement, and he could have a positive future if he continues to impress.

6

CM – Noah Mbamba

The Light Blues have been linked with Belgian youngster Mbamba ahead of the transfer window, and they will be keen to beat Manchester City to his signature.

Although aged just 18, he has featured three times for Bayer Leverkusen this term, registering a Bundesliga assist and his ceiling is limitless.

If he did move to Rangers, he may not be a regular starter, but he could have a positive impact on the side should he swap Germany for Scotland.

7

CM – Jose Cifuentes

Another Michael Beale signing who hasn’t hit the ground running, but that’s not to say that he won't develop into a top-class player.

The Ecuadorian has played 15 times for the club, yet with just one assist to his name, he perhaps isn’t quite hitting the heights which saw him shine for Los Angeles FC.

Gaining a steady run of games under Clement will bolster his confidence, hopefully, and this could see him control the midfield.

8

RW – Ross McCausland

The youngster has enjoyed a productive few months. Firstly, he has emerged as a regular under Clement in the league, making four appearances and he even made his debut for Northern Ireland recently.

Although raw, it’s evident that the 49-year-old sees his potential and, if given more opportunities, the 20-year-old will continue his upward trajectory.

9

AM – Todd Cantwell

The former Norwich City gem has often been stuck out on the right wing this term, but utilising him through the middle will be better for the club in the long term.

He registered eight goal contributions from an attacking midfield slot last term and it's clear this is his favoured position.

Going forward, Clement should ditch Sam Lammers and move Cantwell into a number ten role.

10

LW – Abdallah Sima

The on-loan winger has emerged as a solid goal threat on the left wing, netting nine times in 22 matches.

While inconsistent at times, his ability to pop up with moments of class suggest that he will continue to feature on a regular basis.

da gbg bet： Newcastle United look a force to be reckoned with once again this season, but despite the club's successes, it seems that manager Eddie Howe is still looking to bolster his ranks come January.

Who could Newcastle sign next?

da betsul： The Toon boss' strategy is hardly surprising; Newcastle boast wealth unrivalled by the majority of their Premier League foes and have been steadily improving the squad ever since the PIF takeover two years ago.

With this in mind, the Magpies might be preparing a raid on rivals Arsenal for disgruntled midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, with TEAMtalk reporting that the club officials will meet imminently to discuss transfer plans, with the 23-year-old at the heart of discussions.

TEAMtalk have also recently highlighted West Ham United's interest in the player, but that the Gunners would only consider a sale if their £60m valuation is met.

How good is Emile Smith Rowe?

That exorbitant price tag is undoubtedly a deterrent for interested parties – for West Ham, it would mean breaking their record transfer fee; Newcastle, putting him on the same pedestal as club-record acquisition Alexander Isak, who joined for £63m.

And for a midfielder who has sat on the fringe for some time – a talented midfielder, mind – this will likely need whittling down before concrete negotiations can commence.

Smith Rowe is now fully fit after enduring a lengthy layoff that cost him prominence at the Emirates Stadium, but has only made two brief substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, sitting on the bench for six outings.

He is undoubtedly a quality-filled gem – dubbed "wonderful" by pundit Gary Neville – who could make a marked impact on Newcastle's team, with the 2021/22 league season illustrating his first-class attributes.

As per Sofascore, the £40k-per-week dynamo scored ten goals from just 21 starts that year, completing 87% of his passes and succeeding with 60% of his dribbles, hailed for his "incredibly prolific" form by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Securing his signature, Newcastle could repeat their success in signing Joe Willock, who joined the Tynesiders on an initial loan deal in January 2021 before wrapping up a £25m move in the summer.

Having enjoyed an immense goalscoring run of his own during that loan spell, bagging eight times from 14 matches – including a seven-match scoring streak – Newcastle may well emulate their signing with Smith Rowe.

Willock is described as a midfielder with "limitless" potential by writer Simon Collings, and while he is out injured at the moment, his qualities are clear after serving a central role in his club's sensational 2022/23 campaign, landing a top-four spot.

With two interchanging stars of impressive technical ability, Howe would have exactly what his squad needs to compete across multiple fronts and push for Champions League football and silverware with regularity.

As relayed by Fabrizio Romano in June 2021, Arteta was emphatic in proclaiming the players' positions in the Emirates Stadium side's plans, but Willock was soon to leave permanently, and Smith Rowe might now be next.

Perhaps Arteta was confident in his squad's options, and perhaps he was right; Arsenal aren't exactly struggling under the Spaniard's wing, but both players could now unite to prove their worth with Newcastle, starring as the Magpies take flight.

Sunderland are aiming for a return to the Premier League, the Black Cats hopeful of completing this mission after a positive start in the Championship this season after 16 games played.

Winning eight of their 16 contests so far, Tony Mowbray's youthful side have the ability in their ranks to brush aside opponents with relative ease – beating Birmingham City 3-1 in their last match at home, 18-year-old midfield sensation Jobe Bellingham leading from the front with a goal against his former boyhood club.

In that same win at the weekend just gone, a cameo appearance from another exciting young talent off the bench helped the Black Cats get over the line and secure a convincing three points at the expense of Wayne Rooney's dire Blues.

Adil Aouchiche wowed home supporters with his electric 16-minute spell on the Stadium of Light turf when introduced into the contest, the young French midfielder now pushing for more immediate first-team opportunities subsequently.

Adil Aouchiche's game vs Birmingham in numbers

Substituted onto the pitch by Mowbray to replace the flagging midfield presence of Bellingham who was exhausted after running himself into the ground for the Black Cats, Aouchiche was just the injection of freshness Sunderland needed to ensure Birmingham didn't get back into the contest and instead romped home to a 3-1 victory.

With just 14 touches on the ball as per Sofascore, Aouchiche was levels above the hapless Birmingham defenders trying to contain him – the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder taking the Blues backline by surprise, especially when he scored just two minutes after being afforded a chance to positively impact the game with the clock ticking down.

Getting on the end of a Jack Clarke driven pass into the area after Sunderland's star-man had got the better of the opposing full-back, the ex-PSG midfielder tapped home into an empty net to consolidate the three points for his new employers and excite the home supporters with his short but sweet cameo appearance.

Aouchiche could be an effective calling card from off the bench by Mowbray in these crunch contests when the opposition are tiring, Sunderland's new number 22 an instant hero with this game-clinching contribution which saw the Durham-based club enter the playoff picture as a result – climbing up to sixth spot on goal difference off the back of the win, with West Brom and Hull City lingering just below.

This wasn't just a promising performance in isolation however for Aouchiche, with the 21-year-old equally as impressive off the bench this campaign in other Championship encounters for his promotion-chasing side.

Adil Aouchiche's season in numbers

Only averaging 22 minutes per game according to Sofascore this campaign having not started a single game, Aouchiche is the very definition of an impact player for Sunderland and has even been labelled as a "special talent" by football journalist Josh Bunting despite not cementing himself into the first team fold just yet.

Up against Stoke City before the victory at the Stadium of Light against Birmingham, the Frenchman nearly played the role of saviour again for his team but to no avail.

The Black Cats would lose out to the Potters 2-1, but Aouchiche would attempt three shots on Mark Travers' goal from just 15 minutes on the pitch via Sofascore – amassing an overall 7.3 Sofascore rating as a result, the new Black Cats recruit then bettering this display with a goal versus the Blues.

His midfield teammates in Alex Pritchard and Pierre Ekwah will be sweating about their first-team futures if the 21-year-old keeps this up with Sunderland striking gold by signing this 21-year-old brimming full of swagger and confidence.

Liverpool have long been linked with Brazilian midfielder Andre, but they are also eyeing a move for another exciting South American prospect, according to a fresh transfer update.

Andre to Liverpool update

It was obvious that huge changes were needed to the Reds' midfield at the end of last season, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson performing way below their usual standards. The trio of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were all out of contract, too, and it became clear that none of them would be retained.

With those five players all departing, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all came in, and Liverpool immediately looked much better for it, mounting a Premier League title challenge currently.

There are still many Reds supporters who believe that another defensive midfielder needs to arrive in the January transfer window, however, and Andre to Liverpool is a transfer saga that has gained momentum in recent months. The Fluminense youngster continues to be linked with a move to Anfield at the start of 2024, having already become a dominant presence in the No.6 role for his current club.

While plenty of focus appears to be on Liverpool getting a deal over the line for the 22-year-old, it looks as though the Merseysiders are also keen on another highly-rated player from the same region.

Ezequiel Fernandez to Liverpool

According to a new transfer update from Gazzetta dello Sport, Ezequiel Fernandez is a target for Liverpool, with the Reds seeing him as an exciting option alongside Andre. They are not the only club showing an interest in the Boca Juniors midfielder, however, with European powerhouses AC Milan and Benfica also believed to be in the running.

Fernandez may be relatively unknown to fans who predominantly watch European football, but he is someone who could be such an exciting signing by Liverpool, given his long-term ceiling as a player and the fact that football talent scout Jacek Kulig has called him "really interesting".

Fernandez's stats show that he has already become a vital performer for Boca, with 43 appearances coming his way to date, as well as winning 13 caps for Argentina's Under-17s. Mac Allister has even spoken of his admiration for Fernandez recently, saying of him:

"If you ask me a little more about my style, there is a player that I really like and that is Equi Fernández. He is a player who has all the conditions to reach Europe one day and I hope that can happen to him.

"He is a player that I like a lot, he understands the game a lot. He is always prepared to receive the ball, he plays with both legs, he can play as a five, as an inside player… he is a player who has certain very good conditions and, if Brighton asked me, I would say his name."

There is an argument to say that Liverpool don't need both Andre and Fernandez to come in, considering they are similar players in defensive midfield – Endo is also there and Stefan Bajcetic could be seen as a future starter in that position – but if Jurgen Klopp sees Fernandez as a great long-term option, then FSG should pursue a move for him.

Chelsea and Arsenal's Women's Super League meeting at Stamford Bridge was delayed for half an hour on Friday due to a rather bizarre kit clash.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arsenal's trip to Stamford Bridge delayed 30 minutes
• Gunners wear red and Chelsea wear blue
• Bizarre kit clash resulted in an even odder solution

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  All was about to get underway in the battle between two of the league's top three, separated by just three points ahead of the game, when kick-off was delayed for seemingly unknown reasons. It soon became apparent that the reason was a kit clash, despite the two London rivals having rather opposing kit colours of blue and red.

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• Getty
  

  THE EXPLANATION

  How can a clash between a team in blue and a team in red cause a kit clash? Well it soon became apparent that the issue was the socks. Arsenal had been warming up in the white socks that go with their home kit, but are the same colour as the socks that go with Chelsea's home kit.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The whole thing became even more bizarre when Arsenal re-emerged for a short warm-up before the revised kick-off time of 7.30pm. With the team having only travelled with their white socks, the Gunners had to borrow some from their London rivals and came out of the tunnel wearing black socks with a blue trim, those which go with Chelsea's away kit.

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• WHAT JONAS EIDEVALL SAID

  Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall revealed after the game that the Gunners learned that the socks would not be acceptable for use as they were preparing to walk out for the game. Asked whether the replacement footwear had been bought for the Chelsea shop, the Swede told reporters: "I was not involved in that process, how that was resolved. We had other people doing that. I know we eventually had kit on that was approved to allow the game to go ahead. The only thing I’ve been told is there’s a clash of colours. I have no idea why that was."

Joe Denly and Sean Dickson both it hundreds and to make matters worse for Warwickshire Keith Barker ran foul of the umpires

ECB Reporters Network21-Jun-2018
ScorecardSecond-innings centuries by Sean Dickson and Joe Denly helped Kent to build a potentially game-defining lead of 431 runs as the hosts closed on day two of their top-of-the-table Specsavers County Championship clash with Warwickshire on an impressive 359 for 6.Kent’s position is especially strong because Keith Barker has been forced out of the attack by the umpires after two warnings for running on the pitch.In a complete volte face to the opening day when 20 wickets fell, Kent’s third-wicket pairing found batting at The Nevill in Tunbridge Wells a pleasurable pastime once the shine went off the new ball and the wind and sunshine took effect in helping to harden the top surface.Earlier, opener Daniel Bell-Drummond had succumbed cheaply to Keith Barker – the clear pick of Warwickshire’s attack first time around with 5 for 32. Barker saw two worthy leg before decisions turned aside before running one across the right-hander and enticing him to nick one to the keeper.Barker also accounted for in-form Heino Kuhn, moving one back in through the air to snare the former Proteas Test opener flush in front to bring acting captain Denly and Dickson together.The pair, who had notched Kent’s only other championship centuries of the summer at Bristol during the previous round of matches, combined to add 208 trouble-free runs and set a Kent third-wicket record against Warwickshire, surpassing the 186 made by Bill Ashdown and Les Ames at Edgbaston in 1934.Jeetan Patel, the Warwickshire captain might have made life tougher for the pair by posting a third man when something like 25 per cent of their runs came through the gap, but instead they were allowed to bat through the middle session unfettered.Patel made amends by removing both soon after tea with his off-spinners. Dickson’s 229-ball stay for 133 ended when he played across a quicker ball to depart lbw. Then, turning one in from well outside off, he won an ambitious lbw shout that ended Denley’s 88-ball stay for a polished 119.Patel mystified some pundits later on by delaying taking the second new ball for five overs before finally throwing the new cherry to Keith Barker, comfortably his most potent threat in taking five for 32 in Kent’s first innings.When Barker did get the new ball he quickly removed Darren Stevens, following one outside off to be caught behind, before trapping Rouse leg before with a full in-swinger.With Kent six down and already leading by 410 runs, Barker blotted his copybook by running on the pitch for the second time to be taken out of the attack by umpire Steve O’Shaughnessy.With Barker out of their attack, Kent rookie Zak Crawley reached an eye-catching 47 through to stumps to deepen Warwickshire’s parlous position.The visitors will know they will have to bat superbly to save this game, let alone win it.

5:01

Manjrekar: Afghanistan batting’s defensive technique needs most attention

Afghanistan brought out their best in the final session once again, but the game had swung so far out of their reach that the second day of their first Test proved to be the last one.Purely on numbers it was a colossal defeat, by an innings and 262 runs, and the flattening reality of being bowled out twice in a day – only India and Zimbabwe had suffered that before – will take a while to get over. At different points in the day, Afghanistan were done in by different bowlers. Ravindra Jadeja got the last piece of the pie, finishing the second innings with 4 for 17.Their first innings of 109 lasted a session, between lunch and tea, and their second innings of 103 did not last much longer. India needed only 66.3 overs to take 20 wickets and complete their first ever two-day Test win.The flailing effort was best signified by how Afghanistan lost their three most experienced batsmen in the first innings: in complete surrender.Mohammad Shahzad’s innings was a race to the finish the moment it began. His first boundary came off the outside edge, his second off the inside edge, and the odd ball that hit the middle was often one he was trying to leave. After all that and several attempts to tap and run, he chose to take on Hardik Pandya at point and was promptly run-out at the non-striker’s end in the fourth over. Asghar Stanikzai came in at No. 6 and lasted 14 deliveries before stabbing ambitiously at a loopy R Ashwin offbreak without getting his foot forward. He almost fell over as the ball knocked the top of middle stump.Mohammed Nabi, the top-scorer in the first innings, looked okay for his 24 at No. 7 before miscuing a slog and being the ninth man out. The only solid batting effort by a visiting player came from left-hander Hashmatullah Shahidi, who battled 88 balls for an unbeaten 36 in the second innings.Hashmatullah Shahidi showed great heart during his resistance lower down the order•BCCI

Scattered all around these efforts were batsmen rooted to the crease in anxiety against a vastly experienced bowling attack. Unlike their opposition’s debutant seamers, India’s fast bowlers sustained both a predominantly full length and near-140kph speeds in getting all three of their first-innings wickets either bowled or lbw. They stuck to the plan in the second innings as well. Umesh Yadav brought the flair, moving the new ball considerably in both innings, and Ishant Sharma looked content playing workhorse.It was Ashwin, however, who accelerated Afghanistan’s downfall and eventual folding-up before tea. At that point, given the extended final session ahead, perhaps only the probability of a follow-on was higher than that of Afghanistan being bowled out a second time.Earlier in the day, Pandya snuck in a breezy and mature innings. India didn’t have as subdued a session as they did at the end of day one, striking at more than four an over despite the four wickets they lost in stretching the overnight score of 347 to 474. Pandya was patient against Yamin Ahmadzai, who impressed with his lengths once again. He wasn’t rewarded with the new ball, however, with Rashid Khan bowling predominantly from the other end. Pandya saw through this phase before opening up.His go-to defence mechanism against pace bowling – walking across into the off side – which didn’t quite work out in South Africa was a lot more effective against the late-120 kph pace of Wafadar. And while Pandya did eventually cramp himself against the 18-year-old, it wasn’t before he had swatted the bowler into the leg side several times from various lengths, in control every time but one – and even on that occasion, deep square leg gifted him four overthrows. When the line wasn’t straight, Pandya also managed to pick up boundaries through the off side. He got out looking to accelerate but what the Indian dressing room would have particularly liked was the uncomplicated, organised manner in which he managed an innings with a 75-plus strike rate during his 94-ball 71.

da mrbet： That was all far more dramatic than it needed to be for Arsenal.

da poker： The Gunners came into this game top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League. They have been the best team in the country.

By contrast, Wolverhampton Wanderers have been one of the worst sides we’ve seen in top-flight history. They had and still have two points to their name.

The match didn’t play out like that, however. Some might say this was the worst performance of the Mikel Arteta era to date.

Arsenal found life difficult and did look as though they were heading towards a 1-0 victory. Rob Edwards’ side stood firm and scored a dramatic last-gasp equaliser. Off they went, celebrating like crazy in front of the travelling support.

Yet, the Gunners had other ideas. Bukayo Saka grabbed the bull by the horns, swung in a delicious cross that was headed into the back of his own net by Yerson Mosquera with a matter of minutes left. Arsenal had secured a 2-1 win.

How Arsenal beat Wolves

The north Londoners have swept teams aside with relative ease this term.

Yet, in recent weeks, they have found things trickier. They drew with ten-man Chelsea, lost in the last minute to Aston Villa and then very nearly tripped up against the bottom team in the division on Saturday night.

Arsenal have been accused of looking leggy across that run but the team selected by Arteta this weekend should have had enough.

Chalkboard

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No disrespect to Wolves but Arsenal’s B team should have had enough to swat them aside. However, as the old saying goes, there is no easy game in the Premier League.

On this occasion, they had the mighty Saka to thank as he showcased why he is one of the best right wingers in the land.

Truth be told, Saka hasn’t been at his fluent best in 2025. His assist for Mikel Merino’s equaliser at Chelsea was his first league assist for a year.

That said, in recent weeks, he’s started to come alive and he delivered arguably his finest performance of 2025/26 to date.

It was Saka’s inswinging corner that led to the first goal. The ball came in, evaded everyone before it struck the post and came off Sam Johnstone before going in. It went down as an own goal.

Then, as Arsenal desperately craved a winner, Saka came up trumps again. He grabbed proceedings by the scruff of the neck and put his team back in the driver’s seat to win the title.

Saka’s cross was aimed at substitute Gabriel Jesus who got across Arokodare inside the area. Jesus didn’t get a touch but the Wolves defender did.

Arsenal had Saka and a brace of own goals to thank for their win. Plenty in red and white were way below par though.

Arsenal's biggest underperformer against Wolves

On paper, this looked like a very dangerous Arsenal side.

Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres all started as a three-prong attack but while the former dazzled, the latter two struggled significantly.

Gyokeres, in particular, has had a difficult week since returning from injury. The Swede came off the bench a week ago but did very little to inspire the Gunners at Villa Park.

In midweek, the big-money summer arrival struggled again, taken off just after the hour mark having made just four passes. He barely had a sniff of goal.

Sadly, the same could be said of his display against Wolves this weekend. On this occasion, he completed just three passes and had fewer touches (15) than goalkeeper David Raya (30). It was hardly a surprise to see one Arsenal podcaster suggest that it looked like Arsenal are “playing with ten men” when Gyokeres leads the line.

Gyokeres vs Wolves

Minutes played

81

Touches

15

Accurate passes

3/6 (50%)

Shots

1

Shots on target

0

Successful dribbles

0/1

Key passes

0

Ground duels won

2/4

Aerial duels won

1/2

Stats via Sofascore.

While his hold-up play has improved to a degree, the hulking striker simply isn’t doing enough to influence play in the final third. His runs aren’t strong enough and that was evident in the first half.

Saka should have had another assist as the winger flashed in a low cross across the face of the goal. Gyokeres didn’t react quickly enough and couldn’t get on the end of it.

The former Sporting forward only ended up taking one shot, an effort he did well to fashion himself but he ultimately dragged the ball wide.

His performance was summarised brilliantly by Arsenal reporter Charles Watts who handed the attacker a 5/10 match rating, writing that ‘he couldn’t get into the game’ and that ‘Arsenal need more from him’. Sadly, that would appear to be an ongoing theme of his time at the Emirates to date.

For a man who scored 54 goals last season, it’s staggering that he doesn’t look likely to score. Arteta needed a striker who can score with regularity more than anything in the summer but on the evidence we’ve seen thus far, he is not good enough.

When Arsenal face Everton next week, the manager must choose either Merino or Jesus ahead of him instead.