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Tottenham Hotspur's transfer business over recent years has been somewhat patchy, as despite producing some of the club's finest players across their illustrious history, it has also marked a period of vast spending with little regard for a long-term plan.

As such, Daniel Levy's desperation to achieve his goals of a return to the top, whilst also competing for the silverware they have avoided so profusely since 2008, has arguably forced them into making even more blunders in the market.

In fact, all of their top ten most expensive purchases of all time have come since that success in the EFL Cup, with Moussa Sissoko's 2016 purchase the earliest of them all.

This includes embarrassing additions such as the £63m spent for Tanguy Ndombele, the £42m unloaded for Davinson Sanchez, and the £30m that the aforementioned Frenchman cost them too.

Ange Postecoglou is the man who has most recently been employed to solve their longstanding issues, forced to pick up the pieces after Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte each took turns taking their respective toll on the Lilywhites.

All the hard work built up by Mauricio Pochettino was undone across a four-year period, with Levy once again returning to a progressive coach as his long-term solution. However, the playing squad he has inherited is not all bad.

In fact, some of those more expensive additions have already been made by the Australian, and have combined to help them reach the top of the Premier League table already after just eight games, having been knocked off their perch most recently with their game against Fulham yet to be played.

However, one man who has taken to his new ways with ease is Dejan Kulusevski, and he actually has Conte to thank for that one.

How much did Spurs pay for Dejan Kulusevski?

Having enjoyed a loan spell first in north London, trialling his talents in England before making the move permanent, his exemplary opening six months made it a deal that had to be made.

However, despite that run which saw him record 13 goal contributions in just 18 Premier League games, last season he would score just twice across the entire league campaign, throwing his value into doubt.

In the end, the decision actually came down to Postecoglou, who decided that the £25m commanded was a more than fair price for a winger of his quality.

Already the Sweden international is thanking the new manager for that show of faith, lauding it as "really, really fun" as his defensive duties have been reduced: "A little bit, of course, because it's more offensive. I don't have to be more as a wing-back when we're defending so I'm enjoying it a lot.

"I learn a lot of things every day. I like that because I'm still young, so it's still good to go every day, to hear new things and keep improving."

How much was Dejan Kulusevski worth at Juventus?

Having done his valuation no harm with his increased exposure to top-level football, it is interesting to look back and remember where the 23-year-old has come from, having started his career with Parma.

A subsequent £30m move to Turin was indicative of their faith in his future, which is not set to be enjoyed in north London.

As such, his potential and the fee they paid led Transfermarkt to suggest that he was worth €30m (£26m) in the month before he would first move to Spurs on loan.

Such a figure is further supported by the nine goals and ten assists he would muster across 74 senior appearances, with it clear how in favour he was at Juventus before moving to England.

How much is Dejan Kulusevski worth now?

As aforementioned, his switch to Spurs has seemingly put more eyes on Kulusevski's game, in turn boosting his valuation. Pundit and former Celtic hero would help to spread the word of the tricky winger, taking to his Twitter just last year to write: "Kulusevski looks a special player. Spurs were very good but helped by Everton who were absolutely gutless."

An ability to perform in the Premier League is an invaluable asset, and that is exactly what the £110k-per-week maestro is.

Dejan Kulusevski's years at Spurs

Market Value

% change

2023

€80m (£69m)

60% increase

2022

€50m (£43m)

65% increase

2021

€30m (£26m)

N/A

Conte even foresaw such a future, noting last year: "He is doing great things, he has a lot of potential. He is a crack and has a great desire to improve, he sets himself the goal of becoming an important player. It was an excellent investment for Tottenham."

Therefore, it should come as no surprise to see that his value has soared, with CIES Football Observatory already detailing a now €80m (£69m) figure. This already marks a £44m increase from the initial £25m they had to pay at the start of last summer to secure his services.

Why is Dejan Kulusevski worth that much?

All of these glowing testimonies, and that blistering first six months, combine to outline exactly why Kulusevski has seen such a sharp upturn in value.

However, what has spurred it on most recently is his performances since Postecoglou's arrival, with the trickster thriving in a system that facilitates attacking football.

And yet, the 33-cap ace refuses to shirt his defensive work, combining his 2.6 key passes per game with 1.4 tackles and 4.5 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

It is clear that they have already struck gold off the pitch, with that value only set to continue rising, but on the field too are they thriving, with Kulusevski a key component in what Postecoglou has already achieved.

The former Celtic man would outline this following their narrow win over Luton Town earlier this month: "That’s the thing with Deki, he’s going to give you everything and more. And he does that every week.

“That doesn’t go unnoticed by the group and what we do. I think sometimes externally, because he’s a winger, people look at other aspects of his game. But just the sheer work-rate that he puts in for the team, and the selfless running that he does. He had to do the running of two men today. And I’d be surprised if he hasn’t cracked some records in terms of his running. We needed that and he gave that."

With the work rate and mindset to reach lofty heights, and the skillset to match, the future is exceedingly bright for the high-value right winger.

After failing to “cross the line” in the series opener, the India captain said greater application in the first 30 balls could turn the tide for India’s frontline batsmen

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's08-Aug-20181:16

‘Tempting thought to play two spinners’ – Kohli

How do India cross the line? How do they emerge victorious?Virat Kohli’s India have come close to crossing line in overseas Tests twice in a matter of eight months. In the first Test of the South Africa tour, set 208 to win, India lost by 72 runs in Cape Town. Last Saturday, at Edgbaston, needing 194 to take a 1-0 lead, India fell short by 31 runs.At Edgbaston, Kohli was the only Indian batsman to succeed, the only batsman on either team to score a century, followed by a fifty in the second innings. Despite those honours, it must have hurt him to still end on the losing side. Kohli admits it did – not because his batsmen failed, but because India lost.”It is unfortunate that we haven’t been able to cross the line after being so close,” Kohli said ahead of second Test. “That is the only thing we are looking at as a side: how we cross the line. It doesn’t matter whether I get runs or Jinks [Ajinkya Rahane] does or [M] Vijay does or KL [Rahul] does or whoever in the batting order. As long as we cross the line, that is the only thing that matters.”None of those batsmen Kohli named nor Shikhar Dhawan, who are the frontline batsmen in the line-up, managed to survive long enough in either innings to make a difference. In both innings, Kohli played the anchor as well as the shepherd to the lower order to impart a semblance of respect to the Indian batting.Still, Kohli pointed out it would be unfair to judge his fellow batsmen for their failure so quickly. Asked if the batsmen failed to show mental discipline or the heart to fight or lacked anything on the technical front, Kohli said there was no such “pattern”.Kohli, however, admitted that the Indian batsmen ought to be mentally stronger, especially facing the first 30-odd deliveries. That, he said, would be key to starting and building an innings.”It is not so much about the technical, but more about the mental aspect,” he explained. “How you think about the situations, about the first 20, 25, 30 balls, after the fall of a wicket, matters a lot. You must have a clear plan about what to do in those 30 balls, and, more often than not, that plan should not involve aggression. We need to focus on composure, which as a batting unit we have discussed.”The fact that Kohli touched upon aggression was revealing. Batsmen like Dhawan and Rahul played with hard hands and away from the body, attempting to score early on in their innings, which proved fatal. Without pointing fingers, Kohli presented his own example from the past when he would get distracted with stray thoughts while preparing to play the ball instead of playing it on merit.But now, Kohli said, he backed his ability to extend his stay at the crease. “It is just about going out and being positive about every situation that you are in and not thinking too much about what is going to happen. It is about looking at the ball and reacting according to the ball. Sometimes, as a batsman, where I have faltered in the past is I have thought maybe I will get a good ball somewhere and lose sight of what I need to do at that particular time.”That is something that has pulled me back. But now I am in a zone where I have to respect a good ball and just back my ability and play for as long as I can. It is not that you can’t get out in sport and in cricket. You just have to try and delay that eventuality as much as possible which as batsman we all try and achieve.”

Tottenham Hotspur fell to their first Premier League defeat of the season in exceptional circumstances against Chelsea on Monday night, but Ange Postecoglou's side only strengthened their title-challenging credentials.

Two red cards and two injuries made for a miserable night, losing 4-1 to the Blues, but Spurs now sit just one point off Manchester City in first place and have eclipsed expectations following last term's woes.

The club owes the entirety of its budding renaissance to Postecoglou's leadership, taking the reins and guiding Tottenham back to the path after wandering astray last year.

The free-spirited Australian has revived the existing withered crop and fertilised the home ground's grass with impactful additions, and while the emphasis will be on challenging for a spot at the top of the table, it's clear that fresh faces will be needed to fight against forces such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Tottenham transfer news

According to TEAMtalk, Leicester City face a battle to rebuff interest from Tottenham and Newcastle United who are plotting a bid for tough-tackling midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, a player key to the Foxes' push for promotion this season.

The Championship table-toppers have been immense this season following relegation, and while Leicester are desperate to keep a hold on their star midfielder, the level of suitors will make this difficult.

Further Premier League outfits Aston Villa and Brentford have registered intrigue, while overseas Atletico Madrid and Barcelona monitor the Nigerian's situation in Spain.

The £11m-rated midfielder – as valued by Football Transfers – is out of contract at the end of the season and has so far not agreed to a renewal with Enzo Maresca's side.

Spurs might be tempted to offer a contract and snap him up on a free transfer, but given the throng of attentive parties, it might be prudent to tie up a move swiftly for a cut-price fee.

Wilfred Ndidi's style of play

Leicester signed Ndidi from Belgian side Genk for around £15m in 2017, and he has since made 252 appearances (192 in the Premier League), scoring 14 goals and providing 16 assists, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield under Brendan Rodgers' tutelage.

Typically a defensive midfielder, Ndidi has demonstrated a more creative side to his arsenal this year, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers across divisions similar to the Championship for assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref.

This kind of multi-functionality would be the perfect commodity to strengthen the Tottenham centre, which already boasts exciting options in Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Wilfred Ndidi: Characteristics

Strengths

Weaknesses

Interceptions

Concentration

Blocking

Tackling

Short passing

Threat on the counter

*Sourced via WhoScored

A dynamic and energetic player, Ndidi could be a tailor-made arrival for Postecoglou's Tottenham, and while the 53-cap star has struggled with injury over the past few years, he would not be expected to play every minute in London, which actually works out well for all parties involved.

How Wilfred Ndidi would fit in at Tottenham

This season, Ndidi has played 15 times across all competitions for City, plundering three goals and four assists, having created 1.3 key passes per game, completed 79% of his passes in total, and also averaging 1.5 tackles and 3.5 ball recoveries per outing, as per Sofascore.

Such numbers are not the most robust, but that is not to say that he has been performing at a substandard level; far from it.

For example, Spurs' Sarr is averaging 5.6 ball recoveries and 1.1 key passes per game in the league this term, while also completing 90% of his passes in a similar role.

But Ndidi has failed to start more than 20 matches across both of his previous Premier League campaigns, and on an individual level is perhaps benefitting from Leicester's relegation, given that he can rebuild his former vigour against lesser opposition, thriving instead of floundering against the threat of relegation.

Postecoglou would be the perfect manager to bring the midfield "machine” – as he has been dubbed by BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan – back to his peak, and the £51k-per-week star has more than proved his ability for City in the past.

Still only 26-years-old, Ndidi would also emulate his former teammate James Maddison in making the move to Tottenham, perhaps taking the next level in his development much like the England international, who is an early contender for the Premier League's Player of the Season.

James Maddison's season by numbers

Having lacked a creative midfielder despite scoring 70 goals in the Premier League last season – the fifth-highest total in the division – Tottenham moved swiftly in the summer transfer window to bypass Newcastle United's interest – who were "frontrunners" at one stage – and sign Maddison from Leicester City for £40m.

The Foxes had been relegated after a terrible campaign, but Maddison performed superlatively as his side's playmaker, scoring ten goals and supplying nine assists from just 29 starting appearances in the English top-flight.

Since his summer switch, Maddison has carried over his best attributes and developed them into something greater, homing his craft and now comfortably sitting as one of Europe's finest attacking midfielders, having posted three goals and five assists so far.

Having won the Premier League Player of the Month award for August and has been noted for being "on fire" by Sky Sports pundit Aaron Lennon

As per FBref, Maddison ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90.

The £170k-per-week maestro has been immense under Postecoglou's management, and Ndidi could be the next to rise to prominence in north London by departing from the King Power Stadium.

In an industrious, deeper role, Ndidi would offer the requisite depth for Postecoglou's illustrious vision, and could rekindle a bond with Maddison that saw the pair glean the FA Cup and Community Shield, enhancing and shaping that pursuit of greener pastures.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians tem um novo presidente. Duílio Monteiro Alves foi o escolhido pelos sócios do clube para comandar o Timão no triênio 2021, 2022 e 2023. A votação aconteceu no ginásio do Parque São Jorge, sede do clube alvinegro em São Paulo. Ele foi eleito com 1081 votos, derrotando Augusto Melo, que teve 939 votos e Mário Gobbi, que fechou a votação com 783. Ao todo, a eleição contou com 17 urnas apuradas e 2.837 eleitores.

VEJA A SITUAÇÃO DO CORINTHIANS NO BRASILEIRÃO

Duílio terá como vice-presidentes Elie Werdo e Luiz Wagner Alcântara, o Wagnão. A chapa Renovação & Transparência, de Duílio e Andrés, é a que está contínua no poder desde 2007, elegendo presidentes em sequência desde então: Andrés Sanchez (duas vezes), Mário Gobbi, Roberto de Andrade e Andrés Sanchez (de novo).

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A votação transcorreu de maneira tranquila, desde o seu começo até a apuração dos votos. Depois, o que incomodou os presentes foi a demora no resultado das cédulas de papel. Esse ano o voto foi feito a mão, pois o Timão não conseguiu alugar as urnas do TSE (Tribunal Superior Eleitoral) porque este domingo acontece as eleições municipais em São Paulo.

Vale ressaltar que Duíliotem 45 anos e foi escolhido por Andrés Sanchez, em 2010, para ingressar no departamento de futebol e trabalhar ao lado de Roberto de Andrade, em substituição a Mário Gobbi, depois de liderar o departamento cultural no ano do centenário.

O candidato também foi diretor-adjunto de futebol no mandato de Mário Gobbi, entre 2012 e 2015. Voltou em 2018, assim que Andrés Sanchez foi eleito para sua segunda passagem pela presidência, como diretor de futebol. Deixou a diretoria de futebol em setembro deste ano para se candidatar à presidência.

Entre as suas propostas principais estão a criação de uma força-tarefa nos departamentos Jurídico e Financeiro para renegociar processos e promover novos acordos para atuar com fluxo de caixa positivo. Para o clube social, Duílio pretende viabilizar o projeto Arena Fazendinha, que irá trazer grandes shows e eventos para o estádio, que será revestida com gramado sintético padrão Fifa.

Somerset have announced the signing of seamer Jack Brooks on a three-year contract from Yorkshire

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2018

Somerset have announced the signing of seamer Jack Brooks on a three-year contract from Yorkshire. The 34-year-old will move to Taunton at the end of the season.Brooks’ impending departure, first reported by ESPNcricinfo, is a blow to Yorkshire, who face a rebuilding job over the winter. England quick Liam Plunkett has already signed for Surrey – with Mathew Pillans moving in the opposite direction – while opener Alex Lees was granted a switch to Durham.Although Brooks has never quite done enough to win England selection, he is a vastly experienced bowler at county level. A later-starter with Northamptonshire, he soon became a distinctive figure on the circuit, with his long hair, trademark headband and impassioned celebrations. He moved to Yorkshire in 2012, helping the club to win back-to-back Championships in 2014 and 2015. He has also played for England Lions.”I’m extremely excited to be joining Somerset at a time when they are building a special team capable of challenging for trophies,” Brooks said, “I truly believe this Somerset team can create something special.”When I met Andy Hurry, Jason Kerr, Tom Abell and Andrew Cornish I was impressed straightaway with their vision for the team and club. Their togetherness and desire reminded me a lot of Yorkshire when I joined them.”I look forward to continuing my cricketing journey and to the fresh challenges that await. My mum and her family are from Bath and I’ll be nearer to my family in Oxfordshire, so it feels a little bit like I’m coming home. Somerset have a fantastic reputation as a strong family club which I look forward to being a part of.”Although in his mid-30s, Brooks has fine record in red-ball cricket, in particular, taking 291 wickets at 26.56 in six years at Headingley. He claimed 68 wickets to help Yorkshire to their first Championship title since 2001, and was their leading wicket-taker for three seasons in a row between 2014 and 2016.However, while Yorkshire now find themselves battling at the wrong end of the Division One table, Somerset, in their pursuit of a first-ever Championship, have emerged as Surrey’s closest challengers. They also secured a spot in Vitality Blast Finals Day with victory over the holders, Nottinghamshire, on Monday.As well as being closer to home, the prospect of being involved in all three formats was perhaps a factor in Brooks moving to Taunton – he only played in 12 List A and 23 T20 fixtures for Yorkshire.Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “We are delighted that we have secured a player of Jack’s proven quality, experience and character to add to one of the most exciting bowling attacks in the country. It’s a great reflection of our ambition, and the progress that the club has made, that a player of his quality sees his ambitions of winning silverware with Somerset CCC.”Alongside his experience of winning silverware, which will add to our ability to achieve our aspirations of winning trophies, he is incredibly competitive, driven and will be a great fit in the changing room. I have no doubt he will become a big favourite with the Somerset membership”.

كشفت تقارير صحفية، أن نادي باريس سان جيرمان اقتحم السباق على التعاقد مع الدولي الإسباني نيكو ويليامز لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بـ أتلتيك بلباو.

نيكو ويليامز لفت الأنظار له في بطولة يورو 2024، عندما قاد إسبانيا للفوز باللقب، وتمكن من التسجيل في المباراة النهائية هدف التقدم ضد إنجلترا.

طالع أيضًا.. تفاؤل في برشلونة بشأن نيكو ويليامز واجتماع مرتقب لحسم الصفقة

برشلونة أبرز المهتمين بالتعاقد مع نيكو ويليامز من قبل البطولة، ولكن الأمور المالية تقف عائقًا أمام النادي الكتالوني.

موقع “فوتبول إسبانيا” أكد بأن اللاعب تلقى عرضًا من باريس سان جيرمان، بطلب من مدربه السابق في منتخب اللاروخا، لويس إنريكي، الذي يعلم إمكانيات نيكو جيدًا.

تشيلسي وآرسنال أيضًا ضمن المهتمين بـ نيكو ويليامز، ولكن صاحب الـ22 عامًا حتى الآن يفضل برشلونة لمرافقة زميله لامين يامال.

من جانبه، يتوقع إرنستو فالفيردي، المدير الفني لفريق أتلتيك بلباو، أن ويليامز سيعود للتدريبات في الثاني عشر من أغسطس المقبل، عندما تنتهي إجازته.

فرض الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا” عقوبات وغرامات على سبع دول إثر أحداث منافسات كأس أمم أوروبا “يورو 2024”.

واختتمت بطولة يورو 2024 التي أقيمت في ألمانيا، بتتويج إسبانيا باللقب بعد فوزها على إنجلترا في النهائي، في وقت سابق من هذا الشهر.

وفي عدة مرات، شابت المباريات حوادث عنصرية وهتافات مسيئة من جانب الجماهير، وهو ما دفع “يويفا” لفرض غرامات وعقوبات.

وفي بيان رسمي، أكدت هيئة المراقبة والأخلاق والانضباط التابعة للاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، أن “يويفا” وجه اتهامات إلى سبعة اتحادات وطنية بشأن حوادث تتعلق بإجمالي 17 مباراة.

تم تغريم كرواتيا ما يعادل 41.978 جنيها إسترلينيا وتم منعها من بيع التذاكر لمشجعيها خارج أرضها لمباراتها القادمة في البطولات التابعة ليويفا (المباراة القادمة أمام البرتغال في دوري الأمم)، بسبب السلوك العنصري والتمييزي من جماهيرها في جميع مبارياتها الثلاث بدور المجموعات.

اقرأ أيضًا | “يويفا” يفتح تحقيقًا ضد رودري وموراتا

وتم تغريم الاتحاد الروماني لكرة القدم مبلغ 33.583 جنيهًا إسترلينيًا، كما سيتم منعه من بيع التذاكر للمشجعين الزائرين لمباراته القادمة في البطولات التابعة ليويفا، بعد حوادث مماثلة في ثلاث من مبارياته.

وستكون مباراة رومانيا القادمة في دوري الأمم الأوروبية خارج أرضها أمام كوسوفو في سبتمبر المقبل.

كما اتُهمت ألبانيا بارتكاب سلوك عنصري وتمييزي خلال مباراتيها في دور المجموعات ضد كرواتيا وإسبانيا.

وفرض “يويفا” غرامة على الاتحاد الألباني لكرة القدم بقيمة 25.183 جنيهًا إسترلينيًا ومنحه حظرًا من الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم لمباراة واحدة من بيع التذاكر لمشجعيه الضيف، مع تعليق ذلك لفترة اختبار مدتها عامين.

كما تلقت الاتحادات المجرية والسلوفينية والصربية نفس العقوبة بسبب السلوك العنصري والتمييزي لمشجعيها.

وحصلت النمسا أيضًا على نفس الحظر مع وقف التنفيذ ولكن بغرامة أقل بقيمة 16.788 جنيهًا إسترلينيًا، بسبب الهتافات التمييزية التي أطلقها مشجعوهم في الجولة الثانية من المباراة ضد بولندا.

South Africa women win two games on the bounce to gain momentum going into the Women’s World T20 in November

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2018

Lizelle Lee’s fiery 42 at the top and Chloe Tryon’s 22-ball 31 consisting one four and two sixes was key to South Africa women completing a challenging chase of 156 with one ball to spare in Tarouba. The three-wicket win meant they came back from 2-0 down to level the five-match T20I series at 2-2, with one match abandoned. The ODI series too had finished level at 1-1.The result was a significant boost for South Africa on two counts: this came against the reigning Women’s World T20 champions and that the series afforded them an opportunity to acclimatise in the Caribbean ahead of the World T20 in November.West Indies, disappointed as they may be for missing out a chance on a series win, would be happy with Hayley Matthews’ form. The 20-year old who struck a match-winning half-century in that famous World T20 final against Australia in Kolkata more than two years ago, bruised the bowlers to make 52-ball 70 at the top of the order. Shemaine Campbelle, the allrounder, contributed a handy 28 to help finish on a high as West Indies, with little contribution from the middle order, made 155 for 5, after being put in to bat.Stafanie Taylor, the captain, and Deandra Dottin, who made a first-ball duck, finished the series without a half-century to their credit. That West Indies still managed to post competitive totals without them would count among their takeaways from the series. On Saturday, both batsmen fell off successive deliveries in the 12th over, but West Indies recovered to add 93 more. Tumi Sekhukhune, the 19-year-old fast bowler playing in only her fourth T20I, finished as the most economical bowler, with figures of 4-0-19-1.South Africa were off the blocks quickly courtesy Lee’s aggression, her 24-ball 42 containing 10 fours. Her 37-run stand for the first wicket with Laura Woolvardt in just four overs set the tone. Even though they lost two quick wickets, the trigger at the start allowed them to ride momentum through the innings.Mignon du Preez, the former captain, played a calming knock in the middle, lifting the side from a slightly-wobbly 68 for 3. She made a 21-ball 25 to chip away at the target before Tryon and Marizanne Kapp fell within the space of six deliveries with the target within touching distance. Needing one to win off the last two balls, Saarah Smith collected the single off Shamilia Connell.

Sky Sports commentator Andy Hinchcliffe lauded one particular player in Sunderland's 3-1 win over Birmingham City, calling him a "nightmare to defend against".

Sunderland win at home to Birmingham

The Black Cats were back in Championship action on Saturday afternoon, as they welcomed Wayne Rooney's Birmingham side to the Stadium of Light. Tony Mowbray's side were just outside the playoff positions before the game took place, but the hosts knew that victory would put them into the top six ahead of the rest of the league action later in the day.

It proved to be an excellent day at the office for Sunderland, who were comfortably the better side and eventually saw their class shine through, having initially taken the lead through key man Jobe Bellingham, whose good form this season continues.

The Black Cats were pegged back when Koji Miyoshi equalised before half-time, before Dion Sanderson's own goal for the visitors put Mowbray's men back in front. The victory was sealed later in the second half, as Jack Clarke's neat footwork and cross led to Adil Aouchiche making it 3-1 late in the day.

It was another game that suggested Sunderland are again the real deal this season, with back-to-back seasons in the playoff positions looking more than possible, as they look to go one better than they did last time around.

Jack Clarke stars for Sunderland

Speaking on commentary for Sky Sports in the 77th minute, straight after he had assisted Aouchiche to make it 3-1, Hinchcliffe heaped praise on Clarke's ability, saying he is a "nightmare to defend against".

This was yet another impressive outing from Clarke, who continues to stand out as one of Sunderland's most important players, with his quality in the final third making him such a dangerous figure for opposition sides. According to Sofascore, the 22-year-old played four key passes and won nine duels against Birmingham, highlighting the creative and battling quality on show from him, and he also completed 100 per cent of his long balls, playing three in total..

Sunderland's goalscorers so far this season

Total

Jack Clarke

9

Daniel Neil

3

Jobe Bellingham

3

Abdoullah Ba

2

Chris Rigg

2

Pierre Ekwah

2

Dan Ballard

2

Adil Aouchiche

1

Bradley Dack

1

Niall Huggins

1

Trai Hume

1

The Englishman is going to be so vital to Sunderland's hopes of going up this season, so they must keep their fingers crossed that he stays fit throughout the campaign, and the Black Cats shouldn't even entertain the idea of him potentially moving elsewhere during the January transfer window.

Whether he is Sunderland's best player is up for debate, but it is hard to argue that he isn't right in the mix, with nine goals for the season meaning he comfortably leads the Black Cats' scoring charts.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após duas rodadas fora por conta da Covid-19, o meia Matheus Bianqui comemora seu retorno aos gramados pelo Londrina. O jovem de 22 anos deve começar entre os titulares no jogo diante o Volta Redonda, neste sábado (5) às 19h (de Brasília, no estádio Luso Brasileiro, pela última rodada da fase de grupos do Campeonato Brasileiro da Série C.

Bianqui revela a ansiedade em poder entrar em campo novamente com a camisa do Tubarão e poder ajudar a equipe a garantir a classificação para a próxima fase da competição.

– Estou bastante ansioso por esse retorno aos gramados. É muito difícil ficar de fora ainda mais na reta final do campeonato, mas graças à Deus estou recuperado e estou à disposição do professor para o próximo jogo – disse o meia Matheus Bianqui.

Com 28 pontos – mesmo número de Ypiranga e Brusque – o Londrina lidera o Grupo B pelo saldo de gols e depende apenas de si para avançar à segunda fase da Série C, algo que fez o atleta da equipe paranaense ressaltar a importância da partida deste sábado.

– É o jogo que talvez seja o mais importante da temporada até aqui. Temos que encarar como uma final para gente avançar à próxima fase e alcançar nosso principal objetivo que é o acesso. Acredito que será uma partida difícil mesmo a equipe deles não tendo responsabilidade alguma dentro da competição. Estamos trabalhando forte durante a semana para chegar sábado e fazer uma grande partida e sair com a classificação de lá – finalizou.

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