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The Australia star had to wait for her chance, but she has been in flying form since displacing one of England's biggest names in Gareth Taylor's XI

As the clock ticked past the hour-mark last Sunday, Manchester City needed a hero. While most thought the Women’s Super League leaders would be no match for soon-to-be-relegated Bristol City, they simply could not find a way to break the deadlock, and it looked like their strong position in the title race was about to weaken. That was until Mary Fowler, who only recently went four months without a league start, stepped up.

The 21-year-old’s two-goal display in an eventual 4-0 win was the latest in a string of top performances that have seen her keep hold of a starting berth in the Cityzens’ competitive forward line, leaving Lionesses icon Chloe Kelly among the substitutes until an injury to Khadija Shaw paved a path for her return last week.

Between November and March, on the bench is largely where Fowler found herself, to the dismay of those in her native Australia especially. But while fans Down Under have long known just how special a talent she is, the youngster is now proving it some 10,000 miles from home – and she’s doing it right when the pressure is heating up as Man City pursue a first WSL title in eight years.

GettyWaiting patiently

When Fowler returned to Manchester after last summer’s Women’s World Cup, it felt like she had to be given a shot in the team. The previous year, in her first season at the club, the forward had struggled for opportunities, failing to start a single league game after joining from Montpellier. However, her starring role in Australia’s run to a World Cup semi-final proved that she could do it on the biggest stage and, in turn, she found herself in the starting line up for City's first six games of the WSL season.

But City have a very competitive squad, and she slipped out of Gareth Taylor’s XI in mid-November, not to return until mid-March. Kelly and Lauren Hemp locked down the wide roles as Taylor alternated between Filippa Angeldahl and Laura Coombs to join Yui Hasegawa and Jill Roord in the midfield, while Jess Park took her chance to secure the latter’s position after a devastating ACL injury. Fowler was left on the sidelines.

“I think I always try to have the mindset that, whether I'm on the field or off the field, I just try to bring my best to the team,” she told on Sunday, speaking of that time out of the team. “Having been on the side for a while, I just tried to stay focused in training and make sure I could be a good team-mate on the sides. [I would] just believe that I was going to get my chance and make sure that when I did, that I was ready for it.”

AdvertisementGettyForcing her way in

That chance came in March, when Fowler started in place of Kelly on the right in an FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham. The result didn’t go the Cityzens’ way, Spurs emerging victorious on penalties, but there was a lot to like in Fowler’s performance and Taylor has stuck with her ever since, a decision which surprised some in England simply because it meant dropping a player of Kelly’s calibre, a Lionesses star.

"It's just basically we have good players,” Taylor said of Kelly’s place on the bench. “We put Mary into the FA Cup game, she scores. She scores against Brighton last week. Mary's a very good player. Of course, the demands are really high of what we ask for, in kind of goals and assists from those players, without it being all about that. But Mary has taken her opportunity and now what Chloe has to do is work hard every day in training to be ready.”

GettyProving her worth

While many focused on Kelly’s lack of game time, Fowler was justifying her place and then some. In her six games back in the City XI, the Australia star has scored three goals and provided three assists, helping her team win all five league games to assume a six-point lead at the top of the WSL table.

“She’s a top player and a top person to work with as well,” Taylor said recently. “As well as all of her quality that she has – she's one of the best finishers I've seen and we're still waiting for her to really unleash with the goals – I think the biggest compliment you can pay to Mary is she is really reliable with and without the ball. She works so hard for the team defensively. She's reliable in possession and we need that. She's reliable with the ball, she looks after the ball in one-v-one situations.

“She's a unique kind of person and unique player really, Mary. She's very calm, very level-headed and doesn't get too excited about praise and doesn't get too down in the low moments. That's a really good way of being. We've given her a platform to play. She feels more comfortable now probably than she had done previously, and we're seeing good things from her."

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GettySomething different

What Fowler has brought to the team since her return to the XI is something different, too. Hemp and Kelly are versatile players, as showcased by their abilities to play through the middle, but they often perform as more traditional wingers in this City team, the type that will stick to their side and use their speed to drive at the full-back with the aim of whipping in a cross.

Fowler, meanwhile, is a little less direct, she likes to drift inside and she gets more involved in the build-up play as a result, often resulting in her causing a threat in central areas rather than just on the wing. An ability to use both feet brilliantly certainly helps her, too. Indeed, her first goal against Bristol last Sunday, a fierce strike into the top corner from the edge of the box, was with her left foot while her second, a sweeping finish from Hemp’s cross, came off her right.

"She can go both ways, that's the thing with Mary – left foot, right foot – and obviously that then allows Lauren to drift sometimes and she'll end up on the right,” Taylor noted earlier this season. “She's a really good team player is what I would say with Mary. She's really good for the team."

Everton, over the years, have garnered a reputation as a club that produces high-quality youngsters spanning all the way back to when a wide-eyed Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene as a Toffees teenager before stardom at Manchester United materialised.

In the current Everton set-up, Jarrad Branthwaite is benefiting from the Toffees' insistence on giving youngsters time to develop and grow before being given a first-team berth – the 21-year-old a regular first-teamer under Sean Dyche this season at the back, learning the ropes of the Premier League quickly and excelling alongside experienced centre-back partner James Tarkowski.

Everton will be hoping that a current teenage phenomenon in their ranks can become a key player in the senior side further down the line, striker George Morgan appearing in the Guardian's Next Generation 2023 recently – the newspaper in question compiling the very best young talents emerging from all twenty Premier League clubs currently, 17-year-old Morgan tipped for greatness on this list.

The Blues will hope the 17-year-old follows a similar trajectory to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a young striker able to stamp his authority onto proceedings from the get-go and become a seasoned regular to rely on at Goodison Park.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin's numbers for Everton this season

Joining in 2016 from hometown club Sheffield United for £1.5m, the then-teenage Blades sensation has developed into a mature 26-year-old and become a goalscoring hero.

Calvert-Lewin's biggest obstacle always standing in his way has been question marks around his fitness and his injury record, sidelined frequently to leave the Toffees without a dangerous striker up top – only making 17 top-flight appearances last campaign, as Everton struggled against the drop.

Still, the 6 foot 2 striker has managed to make 220 appearances in total for the Merseyside club now – scoring 64 goals along the way, with four of those strikes coming this campaign.

His last goal for the Blues came in their recent slender 1-0 win away at West Ham, turning his Hammers marker effortlessly after being found by Jack Harrison before firing into the net.

Morgan will aspire to replicate what Calvert-Lewin has managed to achieve, another teenage talent expected to make waves in the first team for Everton in the not-so-distant future.

George Morgan's numbers for Everton

Playing in the Everton U18 ranks at this moment in time, managed by ex-Toffees great Leighton Baines, Morgan is being tipped to have a big future at Goodison Park.

Labelled as a "powerful, fast centre-forward" by the Guardian, Morgan has two goals from seven appearances in the U18 Premier League to date.

Both of those strikes came versus Sunderland at the end of September, Morgan's youthful Toffees team beating the Black Cats U18s 3-0.

This has led to Morgan winning International recognition for Wales, winning four U18 caps in total and even assisting versus Scotland when pulling on the red jersey in a convincing 4-2 win over the Scots.

The 17-year-old, who models his game on Polish sharp shooter Robert Lewandowski according to the Guardian article, will continue working hard and hoping he can add to his current two goals soon for the U18s in a bid to push further on to a different age bracket.

If he can become a potent goalscorer on a regular basis in the youth ranks at Everton, Dyche could have an exciting homegrown talent on his hands ready to compete with Calvert-Lewin for a starting spot in the first team very soon.

Diogo Dalot appeared to disagree with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag by suggesting he's concerned about their defence after the Bournemouth draw.

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Manchester United draw 2-2 with BournemouthTen Hag not worried about side's defenceDalot says they take 'too many risks' at the backWHAT HAPPENED?

United twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at the Cherries on Saturday in another unconvincing display. The hosts had 20 shots on goal at the Vitality Stadium, meaning the Red Devils have faced nearly 600 efforts this season – the worst in the division on average. Defender Dalot highlighted how they are too open at the back, which somewhat flies in the face of what Ten Hag said last month when the Dutchman stated he was not concerned about the number of goals and chances they were conceding.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT DIOGO DALOT SAID

He told Manchester Evening News: "I think it’s a fact, something we are looking for. Maybe we are taking too many risks, sometimes the gap between the defence and midfield is a little bit too big. This is why we are sometimes getting the counter-attacks too many times and are conceding too many shots, but overall we are looking forward to taking this as a learning process and trying to do better. I’m disappointed. We wanted to come here and get the three points. We were down twice, so we had the hunger to fight for the game. I think we lost control in situations we shouldn’t and that was the script of the match. I mean, we lost a little bit of control, especially building up from the back in situations where we shouldn’t and we conceded two goals in the first half – we could have avoided that, but overall we have the attitude to fight for the result and that’s a positive to take away."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While United have the fifth-best defence in the Premier League, they have still conceded 48 goals in 32 games and they are facing a similar amount of shots to relegation-threatened Luton Town and Sheffield United. This seems another reason why things are not rosy for under-pressure manager Ten Hag – whose side dropped to seventh in the table after Saturday's result.

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Getty Images'WE DON'T CONCEDE MANY GOALS'

After the 1-1 draw with Brentford in late March, where they had more than 30 shots on Andre Onana's goal, Ten Hag said: "As long as we get results, no. I explained it once more, we defended low at times and because Brentford are very direct we lost many many second balls and we had to defend the box. We had a great goalkeeper, he was brilliant tonight, we have to say that also. Our results are quite consistent from January on but we concede shots, but we don't concede so many goals."

قلص فريق الكرة الأول بنادي إنبي النتيجة بهدف ثاني في شباك الزمالك بالمباراة الجارية بينهما الآن ضمن مواجهات الدوري المصري الممتاز، لتصبح النتيجة 4-2.

وتقام المباراة بين الزمالك وإنبي، في المواجهة المؤجلة بينهما من الجولة الـ22 من عمر المسابقة المحلية، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام إنبي في الدوري المصري.. ناصر منسي يقود الهجوم

وأحرز هدف تقليص الفارق، اللاعب الذي شارك كبديل بقميص إنبي محمد النحاس، برأسية من داخل منطقة الجزاء بالدقيقة 92 من عمر اللقاء.

وكان الزمالك قد افتتح التسجيل عن طريق ناصر منسي في الدقيقة 6، بعد تلقيه عرضية من مصطفى شلبي صوبها مباشرة من لمسة واحدة لتسكن مرمى إنبي.

ثم أضاف منسي الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة الثالثة عشر من عمر اللقاء برأسية قوية، مستغلًا عرضية قادمة من الجهة اليمنى. 

وزاد الزمالك من غلة التهديف في الشوط الثاني بهدفي يوسف أوباما في الدقيقتين 60 و63 عن طريق تسديدتين من داخل منطقة الجزاء.

وقبل مضي 3 دقائق أخرين وتحديدًا في الدقيقة 66 سجل أحمد أمين أوفا هدف إنبي الأول مستغلًا عرضية من الجهة اليمنى. 

ويحتل فريق الزمالك، المركز الخامس في ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري، برصيد 49 نقطة، من 30 مباراة.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، يتواجد فريق إنبي، في المركز التاسع في ترتيب الدوري برصيد 43 نقطة، من 31 لقاء. هدف إنبي الثاني أمام الزمالك

The left-arm spinner credited his success against Rajasthan to the time spent with the India ODI team in UAE as a practice bowler

Saurabh Somani20-Sep-2018A week ago, Shahbaz Nadeem was one of five bowlers sent to the UAE to help India prepare for the Asia Cup. Today, playing for Jharkhand against Rajasthan in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he returned figures of 10-4-10-8, the best ever figures in List-A cricket.The previous best was Rahul Sanghvi’s 8 for 15, for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh back in 1997-98.

MUST WATCH: Shahbaz Nadeem's record breaking spell!
The left-arm spinner picked 8/10 in the #VijayHazareTrophy and set a List A record.

https://t.co/RfJI1kRBeq

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 20, 2018

Rajasthan were shot out for 73 in 28.3 overs, which Jharkhand chased down in 14.3 overs with seven wickets in the bag.Nadeem struck at the end of the tenth over, when Rajasthan were 32 for no loss, and the wickets tumbled thereafter. His haul included a hat-trick spread across two overs, with Mahipal Lomror and Chetan Bist falling off the last two balls of his sixth over, and Tajinder Singh lbw off the first ball of his seventh.He was on track to get all ten wickets, having taken the first eight. But Anukul Roy – the 19-year-old left-arm spinner – got the last two batsmen out, ironically thanks to Nadeem’s own advice.”People told me about the world record after the innings,” Nadeem told ESPNcricinfo after the match on Thursday. “When I was bowling, I didn’t even realise I had taken a hat-trick, because I got the first two wickets off the last two balls and then the third one off the first ball of my next over.”I first thought of the possibility of getting all ten when I got my eighth wicket. But you get what is destined for you, so I was destined to get only eight today.”The best figures in List-A bowling•ESPNcricinfo LtdNadeem was at peace with the missed opportunity, emphasising that the team getting off to a winning start – after their first match against Haryana on Wednesday was washed out – was paramount.”No, I didn’t think of it that way, that he [Anukul] denied me ten wickets. It’s natural to feel a bit disappointed if you are close to getting all ten and you don’t, but at the end the team won, so that was the main thing,” Nadeem said. “In fact, I told Anukul to change his strategy while bowling to get the wicket. He was bowling it a little slower, and I told him that on this pitch, you needed to bowl it a bit quicker. There was a lot of turn on offer, so I told him to keep flighting the ball, but bowl it in such a way that it hits the surface a bit. After that if it turns, the batsman will be in trouble anyway, and if it goes straight, they can get bowled. I also told him to go a bit wider to create more of an angle, and it worked. He got the batsman [Rahul Chahar] bowled off the second ball of that over. There was some good-natured ribbing he got from the team on the field about denying me ten wickets, but all in good fun.”His stint in the Indian team’s nets also played a part in getting Nadeem into his zone. “I have bowled to the Indian team before too, having been called up to the nets several times,” he said. “It is always a good experience because when you bowl to quality batsmen, you know you have to keep bowling good balls, so it gets you into that rhythm. I had some good chats with Mahi [MS Dhoni] and Bharat Arun there. Mahi always has good advice, and he shares it with me often. It’s more about field placements for particular types of bowling and to different batsmen.”Yes, the weather conditions are vastly different [from Dubai to Chennai], but if you play domestic cricket in India, you get used to playing in a variety of conditions every week, so it was not too difficult to adjust.”Robin Bist, who made 15 for the third-highest score of Rajasthan’s innings, said the conditions and Nadeem’s skill made life tough for the batsmen. “It was a turning pitch, and we had to deal with a guy who’s probably the best spinner in Indian domestic cricket right now,” said Bist. “There was a marked difference in facing Nadeem at one end, and the rest at the other end. I wouldn’t say we batted badly, there are talented youngsters in this team, but the combination of a turning pitch, Nadeem bowling, and our side being relatively inexperienced did it.”Curiously enough, this is the third time that Bist has been involved in a low-scoring domestic match that has made headlines. He was part of the Rajasthan team when debutant Deepak Chahar took 8 for 10 to rout Hyderabad for 21 all out in the 2010-11 Ranji Trophy. In between, he had moved to Himachal Pradesh, who were bowled out for 36 in 2016-17 against Hyderabad. On Thursday, he was at the receiving end of the best List-A bowling figures of all time. On that thought, Bist said: “This is what you call kismet.”

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, and now a new update has emerged regarding their pursuit of him.

Do Newcastle want to sign Ivan Toney?

The Magpies have built a formidable squad these days – arguably their best of the Premier League era – with real quality and depth all over the pitch. In attack, both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson represent excellent options in the final third, with the pair providing consistent end product, and dovetailing well with one another.

That doesn't mean that Newcastle won't always be eyeing up potential new signings, however, and they have been linked with a move for Toney recently, even though the Brentford ace is currently banned until January for betting breaches.

Now, a new update has dropped over their attempts to possibly re-sign the 27-year-old – one that has seen a twist emerge in the saga.

What's the latest on Newcastle's move for Ivan Toney?

According to a fresh update from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Newcastle no longer consider Toney an option to sign in January, but are looking to bring in a younger alternative:

"Brentford star Ivan Toney does not fit the profile of striker Newcastle United will target in January, sources have told Football Insider. The Magpies have become the latest side to be linked with a potential move for the 27-year-old ahead of the winter window.

"However, a well-placed source has told Football Insider that Newcastle will pursue a younger striker signing in the January window. It is believed they are keen to bring a less polished option to St James’ Park with the potential to learn and grow under Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson by playing a supporting role."

Toney is an excellent player who has thrived in the Premier League since making the jump up from the Championship, scoring 32 goals in 68 appearances in the competition, not to mention being hailed as "remarkable" by Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

For that reason, he could have been a really strong signing by Newcastle, coming in as a proven option in and around the peak of his powers, but there does also seem to be some sense in their decision not to sign him.

For starters, Toney may be rusty upon his return in January, taking more time to settle than another signings, and he does turn 28 next March, suggesting that he wouldn't be a long-term addition. For the money that would have to be spent on acquiring his services, that could be an expensive risk.

It is paramount that Newcastle don't only focus on players who can come in and hit the ground running immediately, and also look at the long-term picture and sign individuals who are in their early to mid 20s. It looks as though they are doing just that, and it will be intriguing to see who they potentially look to snap up in the next transfer window.

Claret and blue is one of the most famous colour combinations in all of English football, and Aston Villa & West Ham United are perhaps the two clubs most synonymous with these colours.

Both sides have enjoyed huge successes over the years and a number of players have played for both Villa and the Irons.

Here is Football FanCast's list detailing some of the best players to play for both of these teams in the Premier League era.

John Carew (Aston Villa 2007-2011; West Ham United 2011-2012)

English football fans will remember John Carew best for his time with Aston Villa, but he did have a season at the Boleyn Ground as well.

Carew joined Aston Villa in January 2007 as part of a swap deal with French side Lyon, with Milan Baros being the man to go the other way.

The Norway international reached double figures for league goals on three occasions with Villa, his highest tally being 13 from 32 appearances in the 2007/08 season.

Carew may have failed to make a long-lasting impact on the West Ham faithful but he is certainly a hero of yesteryear at Villa Park.

Carlton Cole (Aston Villa 2004-2005; West Ham United 2006-2015)

If you want a striker that is loved by all West Ham fans, look no further than Carlton Cole.

Cole scored 40 times in the Premier League for the Hammers, on top of an additional 14 during their time in the Championship.

One of his most famous goals for West Ham came at Wembley Stadium, giving them the lead in the play-off final against Blackpool. A young Tom Ince struck back before Ricardo Vaz Te wrote himself into club folklore with the winner.

Prior to arriving in east London in 2006, Cole had a loan spell at Villa from Chelsea, where he made 27 league appearances, scoring three times.

Joe Cole (West Ham United 1998-2003, 2013-2014; Aston Villa 2014-2016)

Next up is Carlton’s namesake Joe Cole, another attacking player that the West Ham fans will have fond memories of.

Cole scored that superb goal against Sweden in an England shirt at the 2006 World Cup and also won three Premier League titles in Chelsea blue. Before that, though, he played for his beloved West Ham just like Frank Lampard did.

The 41-year-old was named Hammer of the Year in 2002/03, a campaign which saw him play all but two top-flight games, scoring four times. However, he was unable to help steer the Hammers clear of relegation. Cole also scored in a 3-2 FA Cup victory over Nottingham Forest that season.

Joe Cole returned to Upton Park a decade after he first left, and after one season there, joined Villa in 2014 in what was a relatively unsuccessful spell for all concerned.

James Collins (West Ham United 2005-2009, 2012-2018; Aston Villa 2009-2012)

Welsh defender James Collins was with West Ham for a long while, though he spent three years at Aston Villa while the Hammers were relegated and promoted back to the Premier League.

He first broke through into professional football as a Cardiff City player, with his first transfer taking him to the English capital.

Collins wasn’t used as regularly as he may have liked, and so, with the 2009/10 season already underway, he jumped ship to the other team in claret and blue.

The centre-back made nearly double the number of appearances for West Ham as he did for Villa, and so is better known for playing for the former. His second spell with Villa isn't one many will recall due to the fact that he only signed a short contract and then got injured almost immediately.

Rachel Daly (West Ham United 2020; Aston Villa 2022-present)

Moving over to the Women’s Super League, where Aston Villa fans must have been on cloud nine watching Rachel Daly last season.

The striker arrived from NWSL side Houston Dash and picked up the Golden Boot having taken up a centre-forward slot for Carla Ward's side. Daly’s 22 goals were rivalled closely by Khadija Shaw of Manchester City, but it was the England star that prevailed.

Daly had been playing her club football in the US for the best part of a decade when she arrived on loan at West Ham in 2020, so fans this side of the pond weren’t used to watching her in action regularly.

Four goal contributions in less than 800 minutes represented a very solid stint in east London, but West Ham didn’t make the move permanent and it was in Birmingham where the European Championship winner truly came to the fore.

Stewart Downing (Aston Villa 2009-2011; West Ham United 2013-2015)

Stewart Downing played over 400 times for Middlesbrough and is a club legend there, as well as representing both halves of this claret and blue duo.

Aston Villa came first for Downing, making the move in 2009 from Boro following their relegation. He was always a player with a bright creative spark that could also find the back of the net himself, and that shone through during his time Villa Park.

Downing’s 11 goals and 13 assists for them is slightly better than his record of seven and 11 respectively for West Ham, with both of these returns coming in 79 outings, remarkably enough.

Marlon Harewood (West Ham United 2003-2007; Aston Villa 2007-2010)

Marlon Harewood played for a number of different clubs but only made more appearances than in his West Ham tenure with Nottingham Forest. The City Ground was his home as a youngster and made the move south to London in his mid-20s.

Alan Pardew was the man to sign Harewood for the Hammers, and he had an instant impact, scoring 17 and assisting 11 on the way to play-off promotion out of the Championship.

Harewood’s form continued up front in the top flight, including a hat-trick against who else but Aston Villa.

After four years with West Ham, the forward joined the West Midlanders but was unable to replicate his form in front of goal. Harewood scored five league goals in the 2007/08 season before spending the majority of 2009 on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United.

Thomas Hitzlsperger (Aston Villa 2001-2005; West Ham United 2010-2011)

After playing youth football in his home country of Germany, Thomas Hitzlsperger joined Aston Villa.

His professional debut came at Villa Park against Liverpool, and following a loan spell with Chesterfield, he was deemed ready to be a regular. Hitzlsperger made over 100 appearances in a Villa shirt, including 10 in the EFL Cup, scoring four goals in that tournament alone.

He left Villa for Stuttgart where he received a lot of praise from the powers that be in Germany in the form of 52 international caps.

The midfielder from Munich spent a single season at West Ham between 2010 and 2011 and was unable to make a notable impact, in truth.

Danny Ings (Aston Villa 2021-2023; West Ham United 2023-present)

Danny Ings is still a West Ham player currently and the jury is still out on him from the London Stadium faithful.

His injury issues have continued over from earlier in his career and the feisty striker has been unable to provide capable support to Michail Antonio, let alone challenge him for a starting spot under David Moyes.

Ings joined West Ham from Aston Villa, and it was definitely the latter club who got the better end of the deal.

He contributed to 22 goals in 52 Villa appearances and then the club from Birmingham secured an eight-figure fee for his services, recouping most of their outlay for him when signing from Southampton in 2021.

David James (Aston Villa 1999-2001; West Ham United 2001-2004)

At the other end of the field, David James also played for both of these clubs, with a mixture of fortunes.

Injuries and relegation struck during his time with West Ham, so Aston Villa perhaps chose the perfect time to sell once again.

James, who earned 53 caps for England, made a combined 186 appearances for these two teams, which is a decent tally no matter what.

Liverpool and Portsmouth were probably his more famous clubs, however, while it has to be said that he was prone to an error here and there.

Tottenham Hotspur have now been provided with an update on the injury Brennan Johnson suffered against Arsenal in Sunday's North London derby.

What's the latest Tottenham injury news?

Johnson was not the only player who sustained an issue in Sunday's game, with James Maddison being forced off after going in for a challenge with Jorginho, but he left the ground without the need for crutches or an ice pack, indicating the injury isn't too serious.

Ivan Perisic has now been ruled out for what is likely to be a considerable length of time, having picked up an ACL injury in his right knee, and the Croatia international joins the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and Rodrigo Bentancur on the list of long-term absentees.

There are indications that Giovani Lo Celso is making decent progress towards a return from a thigh injury, with Ange Postecoglou saying on September 15th: "Gio is still working his way back. He had a session with us yesterday, but we won't rush him back. It was just good that he got through the session, and the plan now is to reintegrate him."

However, the Tottenham manager may be a little more concerned by the hamstring injury Johnson picked up against Arsenal, with Football London reporting he could be ruled out for up to six weeks depending on the severity of the issue. It is thought the Wales international only suffered from a tight hamstring, rather than a more serious injury, but he is set to undergo scans this week to determine the extent of the problem.

Spurs will be hoping the 22-year-old is back in contention ahead of the October international break, and he could return to the side for the trip to Luton Town on October 7th if it is only a low grade strain.

However, if it is more serious than first feared, the forward may not be able to return until after the international break, and in the worst-case scenario he may not be ready to make his comeback until the away clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers in November.

Did Brennan Johnson play well against Arsenal?

Postecoglou put his faith in the Welshman by starting him for the trip to the Emirates Stadium at the weekend, but he did not have the best of games in front of goal, missing two big chances, the highest number of any player on the pitch.

It could be viewed as a positive that the former Nottingham Forest man was getting in the right positions on Sunday, in what was a high-pressure game, but Postecoglou will be hoping he can be a little bit more clinical going forward.

Having been lauded as "unbelievable" by former manager Sabri Lamouchi, the winger certainly has the potential to be a long-term success in north London, and he performed well in the Premier League last season, scoring eight goals in his debut campaign. As such, Postecoglou will be hoping the injury is nothing serious, allowing Johnson to continue his development with Spurs at the earliest opportunity.

The abundance of exciting and eye-catching content around Premier League clubs nowadays is unprecedented, and it makes being a fan much more accessible than ever before. That said, while you can find out anything you want about your club, it can also be somewhat overwhelming at times.

Arsenal are no exception to this, and if anything, the sheer size and success of the club only means that there are even more options to choose from – maybe too many.

So here at Football Fancast, we have put together a cheat sheet of who to follow for all your red and white needs.

Arsenal News Now

If you are looking for the best place to find top-notch journalism about any club, let alone the Gunners, News Now should probably be your first port of call. The website collects headlines from around the world on a vast array of topics and provides you links to all the latest news.

It will even give you a short selection of the most popular stories at any given moment. So you'll know what is worth reading and what isn't, along with always staying in the loop when it comes to Arsenal.

Arsenal Fan TV

While traditional sports media and recognised journalists are invaluable when it comes to keeping abreast of the latest goings-on at all of our favourite clubs, they can sometimes be a bit sterile and stiff, which is precisely where fan content comes into the equation.

Fan-led YouTube channels, Twitter accounts and podcasts have exploded in recent years, and many of them have Arsenal Fan TV to thank for paving the way. There is no fan channel with more reach or more well-known than AFTV, and no fan creator more respected than Robbie Lyle, AKA Don Robbie.

AFTV has been around for well over a decade, and while the cast of characters has changed over the years, Robbie has remained – as has their place as the number one destination for Arsenal fans on the internet.

With more shows that we can count and several appearances on major broadcasters, if you want to find out what fellow Gooners are talking about at the moment, head to AFTV.

Arsenal Vision Podcast

AFTV might be the best-known destination for fan-based arsenal content, but they aren't the only one. The Arsenal Vision Podcast is one of the most popular Arsenal-based podcasts going.

Described as 'sometimes funny, sometimes serious, occasionally ridiculous and hopefully always enjoyable' by the hosts themselves, it's a great listen for any Gooner looking for more Arsenal content to consume.

John Cross

Back to traditional media once more, and John Cross is one of the best journalists to follow for Arsenal fans – even if he has, at times, clashed with AFTV. Cross is the Chief Football Writer for the Mirror, and while he might not solely focus on the Gunners in his day-to-day work, he still frequently covers them – especially on his Twitter account.

He also wrote a book about the great Arsene Wenger called Arsene Wenger: The Inside Story of Arsenal Under Wenger – which is good enough for us.

Charles Watts

Sticking with recognised journalists, and Charles Watts is perhaps one of the journalists most associated with Arsenal, and for good reason.

Previously a writer for GOAL and football.london, Watts would focus on the club for these publications and even wrote a book on Mikel Arteta's time with the club called 'Revolution – The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal.'

He now has his own website that focuses specifically on Arsenal, a Twitter account with over 500k followers and a YouTube account with 90k subscribers.

If you're an Arsenal fan, you simply have to follow Watts.

James McNicholas

James McNicholas is one of the most respected journalists in the industry, with more than a decade of experience writing for ESPN, Four Four Two, and Bleacher Report. Oh, and he's also a huge Arsenal fan.

Now primarily writing for The Athletic, McNicholas is one of their Arsenal correspondents, and alongside his work for them, he co-hosts the Arsecast podcast.

He can also be found on Twitter and is well worth a follow.

David Ornstein

Rounding off our list of sports journalists is probably the most famous of all, David Ornstein.

Ornstein has grown in prominence in the footballing world over the last few years, and that's certainly true among Arsenal fans. He has been one of The Athletic's most prominent writers since he joined the company in 2019 after spending over a decade with the BBC and has since gained quite a reputation as a reliable reporter of transfer news, with fans often pitting his reports up against those of transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Outside The Athletic, fans can find him on Twitter, and he's well worth a follow for everything from news, insider scoops and transfer updates.

He doesn't just Tweet about Arsenal, but when he does, it's usually worth taking note.

Afcstuff

As football content continues to be more and more fan-driven, it only makes sense for websites like Twitter – or X if you like – to become even more central to the popular discourse around the game, and Arsenal are no exception.

There are 1000s of Arsenal dedicated Twitter pages on the site, but only some are worth following, and afcstuff chief among them.

After AFTV, afcstuff is the site's most significant fan-run Arsenal page and is a must-follow for Arsenal supporters.

In their own words, you can find the 'latest updates, stats, quotes, team news & transfer news about Arsenal FC' on their page.

Arsenal Buzz

Sticking to Twitter for a moment, and another account well worth following if you are after more of the Gunners in your life is Arsenal Buzz.

The page posts constant updates about the team, with quotes from players, managers and pundits.

It's also a great page to follow if you want to stay up to date with the players on international duty, as they post pictures and updates about that as well.

Harry Symeou / Chronicles of a Gooner

As many are in the industry nowadays, Harry Symeou does a little bit of everything. A broadcaster, commentator, content creator, podcast host and radio contributor, he does it all – and it all links back to Arsenal.

You can find him in several different places on the internet. He's very active on his personal Twitter account, on his podcast's account – The Chronicles of a Gooner – and even on TalkSport, fighting Arsenal's corner.

Following Arsenal Buzz, afcstuff, and Harry Symeou on Twitter should have you covered on fan accounts on the website.

Arseblog

Another site created by fans, but Arseblog is the real deal. Their website has something for everyone, from news articles, tactical breakdowns, features, and opinions- and then there's the podcast.

The Arsecast – the one co-hosted by James McNicholas – is one of the most popular Arsenal-centric podcasts going, with over 550 episodes in the bank and likely many, many more to come.

The podcast crew also put on special live recordings of the podcast that fans can attend, with their last one including a surprise appearance from club legend Ian Wright – what's not to love?

Outside of their own website, you can also find them through their Twitter account.

The Athletic

Love it or hate it, there is simply no getting away from the all-conquering juggernaut that is The Athletic when it comes to sports journalism these days. That said, their coverage of Arsenal is excellent, as are their writers.

While it may lack the charm of a local or even some fan-created outlets, it's hard to knock the quality of the work they produce.

And as one of the country's biggest sides, Arsenal get even more coverage compared to some others in the Premier League.

Football London – Arsenal

One of Reach PLC's many titles football.london could've ended up feeling like a detached and somewhat sterile corporate attempt at covering the clubs local to the capital, but through hiring the right people and focusing on the right things, they have become one of the best websites going when it comes to the London clubs.

Their coverage of Arsenal is no different, with interesting interviews, match reactions, deep dives and features all focused on the North London club.

Football FanCast

Rounding everything off is, well, us!

It would be a bit odd if we didn't end the article with at least a small shoutout to the work we do on the Gunners here at Football Fancast.

Our team of writers cover everything about the club, whether that be transfers, news, match reaction, analysis, features and more.

Keep your eyes on the site to find out the latest The Arsenal.

And there you have it, a list of everyone and every site you should be following to keep up to date with The Arsenal. From traditional journalists to fan channels and even the blending of the two, there is certainly a lot of content out there to get stuck into.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has gone through a total revamp of the first-team squad, shipping out players who no longer feature in his plans while adding some exciting new talent in the process.

This gives the 42-year-old a solid platform to work with and despite a mixed start to the season which saw the Ibrox side lose their opening Premiership fixture against Kilmarnock, they have remained undefeated since and stand just one win away from the Champions League group stages.

With the summer transfer window drawing to a close in a few days, could Beale add another player or two?

Are Rangers going to sign anyone else?

The Gers have shown interest in signing another centre-back, with Harry Souttar and Zak Vyner names that have cropped up, and it looks as though this will be the main area Beale will be targeting.

The final few days of the transfer window also seem to throw up the chance of securing a wildcard signing and Beale may just have a surprise up his sleeve.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

The Light Blues were linked with a move for Sunderland youngster Tom Watson towards the end of July and while he wouldn’t go straight into the senior setup straight away, there is no doubt he could have the potential to form a key future duo with another talented young gem – Zak Lovelace.

How good is Zak Lovelace?

Giovanni van Bronckhorst signed Lovelace from Millwall in the summer of 2022 and it could turn into a stroke of genius by the former boss.

The youngster made his debut for the Championship side when he was just 15 years of age and had clearly displayed plenty of promise down south.

Upon signing, he was thrust right into the B team and enjoyed a stunning campaign, registering 28 goal contributions across 37 games – 18 goals and ten assists – and he proved that not only is he extremely clinical, but his talents stretch to more than just scoring goals.

Having made two first-team appearances for the senior side, his time will come in the next year or so and Watson could certainly follow along a similar path before hopefully forging a partnership with his compatriot.

Who is Sunderland starlet Tom Watson?

The 17-year-old tends to operate either on the left wing or through the middle and has scored 15 goals while grabbing ten assists during his 43 games at U18 and U21 level.

He has also already made his senior debut for Sunderland, which bodes tremendously well for his future.

Indeed, Tony Mowbray gave him a two-minute cameo against Huddersfield Town back in April, and it is clearly a sign of things to come for the future.

Journalist Josh Bunting heaped plenty of praise on Watson back in 2022, saying:

“Tom Watson is a player to keep and eye on, he’s scored for Sunderland 18’s against Leeds this afternoon, that’s three goals in his last four games, makes it stick up top, only 16 so is very much new in 18’s football but has taken it to it like a duck to water, natural finisher.”

Lovelace has already shown his vast promise at the club and having someone like Watson to link up with in the future could only be a big boost for Beale as he aims to build a squad full of talented young gems who could take the senior side by storm in the coming years.