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Alex Neil’s wait for a first win at Sunderland continues as he watched his side draw 1-1 with Burton at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.

Former Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson put Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side ahead as he drilled in a superb effort into the bottom corner.

Anthony Patterson prevented the away side from doubling their lead as he made a smart block with his feet to deny Christon Saydee as the forward raced through on goal unopposed by a defender.

The Black Cats eventually found their equaliser in stoppage time as top-scorer Ross Stewart provided the goods yet again – heading the ball down into the bottom corner from an Alex Pritchard cross to rescue a point for his side.

One player who was unable to make such an impact and let Neil down badly in the match was the Scot’s strike partner Jermain Defoe.

The veteran centre-forward was handed his first start since returning to the club on a free transfer and did not enjoy a successful night.

At the age of 39, he is not the player he once was at the Stadium of Light and a degree of patience is needed with the ex-England international, as it may take him time to settle in and start to show his quality on the pitch.

He struggled badly against Burton as he failed to get himself involved in the game for large spells before being hauled off the pitch in the 70th minute. This could be put down to a lack of match-fitness as he did not look as sharp as you would expect a player as classy as Defoe to be on and off the ball.

As per SofaScore, he only had 16 touches in his 70 minutes – fewer than Patterson’s 41 – and completed a measly seven passes. This shows that he found it difficult to get himself on the ball and engaged in the build-up play, whilst Stewart had 42 touches and won nine duels as he managed three shots on target and three key passes.

Defoe, meanwhile, failed to register a single shot on target or create a chance for one of his teammates, which shows that he had next to no impact in the final third.

His strike partner was showing him how it should be done and Neil will surely be disappointed with the Englishman’s display as he put faith in him by naming him in the starting XI.

AND in other news, Speakman avoided huge £6m SAFC transfer nightmare in January, he’s Will Grigg 2.0…

Newcastle United defender Jamal Lewis is currently in Germany waiting to undergo groin surgery later this week, having suffered from the issue for over a year, reports The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope.

The Lowdown: Lewis’ difficulties

The left-back joined the Magpies in 2020 from boyhood club Norwich in a deal worth £15 million.

The 24-year-old had a decent start to life at St. James’ Park, featuring in 23 of Newcastle’s opening 26 games of the 2020/21 Premier League season.

However, this did not come without problems. Lewis was side-lined for a couple of weeks due to a knee issue, sparking the start of his injury woes, going on to play just six minutes of the last 12 games of the campaign.

The final nail in the coffin emerged this year as he was left out of Newcastle’s 25-man squad in January.

The Latest: Hope’s news…

Taking to Twitter, Hope shed some light on the situation, claiming that it is due to this ongoing groin issue that Lewis has been held back in recent times.

“Jamal Lewis is currently in Germany & set for groin surgery this week. Defender was left out of NUFC 25-man squad in January. He’s had an issue for over a year now.”

The Verdict: Shame

With the surgery set to take place later this week, it is unclear as to when Lewis may be back fully fit and available for selection.

This will come as blow to Eddie Howe, who may have been planning to integrate the youngster into the squad next season, at least as a depth option. Even if he wasn’t, then this issue could hamper the club’s chances of cashing in for a decent fee this summer.

Callum Wilson once claimed Lewis is “like an Olympic runner” while Howe himself told reporters of his “excellent” athleticism after the youngster limped off at Liverpool, so one can only hope those qualities return at 100 per cent when the recovery is complete.

In other news: Newcastle United: Eddie Howe handed injury boost

Aston Villa have a wide range of forward players but Steven Gerrard has struggled to establish which combination of a front three is the best for the team, and despite having a number of options there is no doubt that the Villa manager will bring in even more players if he can identify the right player to get the job done.

Moussa Diaby has been linked to Aston Villa yet again, after he was a hot prospect for the club last summer ahead of the signing of Leon Bailey, and now the winger is reportedly drumming up interest from other Premier League clubs including Newcastle United.

The Frenchman has been making a huge impact on his Bayer Leverkusen team in the Bundesliga this season, with 15 goals and nine assists across all competitions in 31 appearances, so it is no wonder that the 22-year-old is gaining lots of attention from other clubs.

According to One Versus One, only Thomas Muller and Christopher Nkunku have created more chances in the Bundesliga this season so far, with the £47k-per-week gem who was hailed “clever” by team mate Kerem Demirbay, currently the fourth highest assister and has the second most key passes in the German league.

This attacking output and creativity is something Gerrard will find hard to ignore, and will definitely not want to lose out on the opportunity to have a young player of Diaby’s calibre going to Newcastle United who will be easily competing for a higher position in the Premier League alongside Villa next season.

Ollie Watkins was predicted to have a goal rich relationship with his strike partner, Danny Ings, when Villa signed the Southampton striker to work with the 26-year-old last summer. However the pair have failed to find that connection on the pitch, and Watkins definitely benefits playing in a centre forward role, as opposed to out wide.

As a result, bringing in a winger with the creativity levels Diaby is displaying and combining it with Watkins’ finishing means the pair could form a fantastic partnership.

However, the former Rangers boss does have a large amount of attacking players on his books and would surely need to offload some of his current attacking options to accommodate any new arrivals in the forward line to actually enable him to offer them first-team football. That’s especially when many of the current forward players are struggling with getting consistent game time.

Gerrard will have a lot of decisions to make about his attacking players at Villa this summer, and will need to put a plan in place to either make his forward players happy with consistent rotation, or offload the ones that he won’t get the best out or be able to offer game time to, which could then in turn open up a spot for Diaby to come into the team.

In other news: Jacob Ramsey let down Gerrard vs Southampton

Leeds United forward Bobby Kamwa has had to wait for a scan on an injured shin and foot due to faulty machinery, The Courier reports.

The Lowdown: Scotland loan

Kamwa, described by Leeds Live journalist Joe Donnohue as a player with ‘fast feet’, left the Whites during the January transfer window to join Dunfermline on loan until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old made two Scottish Championship appearances from the bench but hasn’t been seen in the last three league games due to injury.

His contract at Thorp Arch expires in the summer, and he isn’t having any luck with injury as he looks to play senior first-team football on a regular basis for the first time in his career.

The Latest: Manager reacts

Dunfermline boss John Hughes shared an update on Wednesday, revealing that the striker turned up for a scan in Edinburgh but couldn’t have one due to faulty machinery, labelling it as ‘frustrating’.

“Bobby [Kamwa], unfortunately, went for a scan and the machine was broken when we arrived in Edinburgh.

“You just start laughing at that — an ironic smile. What can you say?

“So we’ll try and get him scanned in the next couple of days.

“That is starting to get a little bit frustrating; not just for me, but for Bobby as well.”

Hughes continued:

“He’s a young kid that’s come up here and, trust me, from talking to Bobby, he wanted to hit the ground running.

“He knew this was his platform and he just feels that something’s not quite right within that bottom half of the shin, where the top of the foot meets the shin.

“Hopefully, we can get him scanned and give him that assurance that everything’s fine and push him along.

“He’s doing as much as he can, still working hard in the gym, and we’re hoping that we can get him back sooner rather than later.”

The Verdict: Bizarre

The Whites have had no luck with injuries this season, and that has now spread to their loanees, with Kamwa joining Mateusz Bogusz with issues after the attacking midfielder had to undergo surgery on a knee problem earlier this year.

The update on Kamwa, as Hughes mentions, is frustrating, and quite frankly a bizarre one after being sent home without a scan.

Due to his contract situation, he may well be surplus to requirements in Yorkshire ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, but hopefully, he can get back playing before the season is out, possibly attracting interest from clubs over a free transfer in the summer.

In other news: Huge Kalvin Phillips worry for Leeds and Marsch now emerges as source shares private talks. 

Liverpool will now offer midfielder Naby Keita a new contract at the end of the season, according to Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Change of heart

The 27-year-old first joined the Reds from RB Leipzig in 2018, and has since gone on to make 110 appearances at Anfield, lifting both the Premier League and Champions League.

The Guinean currently has just over 12 months remaining on his existing contract with the Anfield outfit, and despite it being reported back in February that his future on Merseyside was up in the air, the former goalkeeper believes that the club have done a U-turn and will definitely want to retain his services next season and beyond.

The Latest: Possible new deal

When asked what he thinks the future holds for Keita at Liverpool, Robinson told Football Insider: “I think a new contract will be on the table come the summer and he has earned it.

“The manager trusts him, you can see that now. He is playing him in big games. It is not as if he is playing a bit-part anymore.

“The squad is being rotated but Keita is playing in big games. His performances warrant a new deal and I think he’ll get it in the summer.”

The Verdict: Deserves an opportunity

The 48-time international has enjoyed a great season with the Reds, scoring five goals and providing two assists across all competitions.

The maestro is also currently averaging 1.3 shots per 90 minutes and has a pass success rate of 85.4%, via WhoScored, showing his ability to control a game from the middle of the park.

Once dubbed as being a “world-class” player by his Liverpool teammate Virgil Van Dijk, Jurgen Klopp will no doubt want to do everything in his power to keep Keita at the club where he has the chance to go on and enjoy plenty of long-term success in years to come.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has dropped a ‘massive’ Liverpool transfer claim.

Sunderland’s Lynden Gooch is reportedly attracting interest from Portsmouth ahead of the expiry of his contract. 

The lowdown

Gooch has been with Sunderland since 2012, having joined from the Santa Cruz Breakers Academy in his native United States.

He penned a contract extension in December 2018, but that deal only runs until the end of the current season.

Gooch, who’s valued at £540,000 by Transfermarkt, has made 211 appearances for the Black Cats overall, scoring 23 goals and providing 35 assists in that time.

The latest

BBC Sport reporter Andrew Moon tweeted the news about Gooch on Thursday evening.

“I’m told that out of contract SAFC winger Lynden Gooch is a player that would interest Pompey should he become available,” he wrote. 

It remains to be seen whether Sunderland agree fresh terms with the American, or allow him to seal a free transfer to Fratton Park.

The verdict

Sunderland will hope that this story doesn’t serve as a distraction for Gooch ahead of next Saturday’s League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers.

The 26-year-old looks almost certain to start at Wembley, having played every minute of the two-legged semifinal against Sheffield Wednesday and started ten of the last 13 in the regular season.

Gooch, who has four caps for his country, is a useful asset for any manager given his capacity to play in multiple positions. This season, alone he’s operated in both full-back positions and wing roles.

His former manager Lee Johnson described him as a ‘bustler’ and a ‘pocket dynamo’, marvelling at his energetic presence.

The arguments for extending his stay, then, are pretty compelling.

In other news, an insider has dropped another key transfer update.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer chief Fabio Paratici has now made an ‘important offer’ as manager Antonio Conte personally insists on one summer signing, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Conte sets sights…

The Lilywhites head coach has been after a new right-wing-back since January with serious links having emerged to a makeshift option in Adama Traore.

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Spurs, however, failed to land their man, who eventually ended up joining Barcelona – prompting the Premier League top-four chasers to regroup and draw up a list of other targets for the position.

One player who has ended up on their radar is Torino star Wilfried Singo amid his fine Serie A season and a development has now emerged courtesy of Tuttosport (via Sport Witness).

The Latest: Paratici tables ‘top bid’…

As per their sources, Paratici has tabled a ‘top bid’ to sign the Ivory Coast international – making an ‘important offer’ last week.

This comes as Conte personally ‘insists’ on his signing at Tottenham, but unfortunately for the Italian, Torino president Urbano Cairo has apparently rejected the club’s €25 million (£21m) proposal.

The Verdict: Come back again?

The 21-year-old has emerged a very shrewd target, and even though he is apparently ‘non-transferable’ from his club’s perspective as things stand, perhaps a more serious offer could tempt them into selling.

According to WhoScored, Singo ranks as one of Ivan Juric’s top-five domestic performers by average match rating and only two players have featured more by minutes – impressive stats for a fairly young and upcoming talent.

He’s an effective, attack-minded full-back also – racking up the joint-most assists for Torino in Italy (4) whilst completing the second-highest rate of take-ons per 90 out of their squad (WhoScored).

The African starlet seemingly has bags of potential and it’s little wonder Conte really wants him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

If chairman Daniel Levy is serious about backing the manager, we believe Spurs should seriously twist Cairo’s arm with another marquee offer.

In other news: Reliable source: Tottenham agreement now ‘very likely’ as Conte closes in on ‘top signing’…find out more here.

Manchester United are eyeing up a move for Lazio’s Serbian midfielder, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, if their proposed deal for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong falls through.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report via FootballTransfers.com, who claim that United will turn their attention to the 27-year-old who has been a target for the Old Trafford outfit for “many years”.

With Matic and Pogba set to leave at the end of the season, United will most certainly be in the market for at least one replacement midfielder.

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As per the report, Lazio president Claudio Lotito claimed that he had turned down a €140 million for the Serbian star, though it is said that this was a guise in a bid to raise his value for his almost inevitable departure this summer.

As such, a fee of around €70m (£59.2m) should be enough to seal the deal, with the report stating that it could even be less than that mark.

A McTominay upgrade

With Pogba and Matic set to depart, United’s midfield quality will decrease even further, which is why it is imperative that quality replacements are signed this summer, with United’s lack of defensive stability a direct issue caused by a poor midfield.

The fact that United have averaged 4.4 possession turnovers in the final third serves as evidence for what has been an extremely passive side under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick this season.

Milinkovic-Savic, known as “il Sergente” (Sergeant), can single-handedly bolster United’s midfield with his average of 4.07 pressures in the attacking third per 90 an already dramatic improvement on a lethargic midfield. For comparison, McTominay, who is one of the most hardworking players in a United shirt, averages around 2.07 pressures in the attacking third per game and does not offer much going forward in comparison to Milinkovic-Savic (apart from the odd screamer).

The Serbian’s average of 3.08 shot-creating actions per game explain his emphatic return of 22 goal contributions in 36 Serie A games, which are exactly halved at 11 goals and 11 assists.

McTominay of course falters in comparison, with just one goal and one assist from 29 games – which is to be expected, due to his more defensive position on the pitch.

Though, McTominay does not have the same impact in possession either, with the Serb’s average of 81.89 touches and 56.25 carries enough to elaborate on why he is known as “Il Sergente.”

In other news: Romano: Man United have “full agreement” for key summer arrival, ten Hag will love it – opinion

England will leave decision ‘late’ with final squad set to be named on October 10

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2021Ben Stokes is set to be omitted from England’s initial 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup in October and November, and may yet miss the tournament entirely, after Chris Silverwood said that the selectors would “leave it late” to decide on his involvement.Stokes has not featured at any stage of the ongoing Test series against India, after taking an indefinite break from cricket to manage his mental health, and to recover fully from a badly broken finger, sustained during Rajasthan Royals’ opening match of the IPL in April.He made a premature comeback during England’s ODI campaign against Pakistan in July, when he led a scratch side to a remarkable 3-0 series win following the isolation of the first-choice squad due to a Covid outbreak in the preceding Sri Lanka series.However, he admitted he was still troubled by his finger during that series, and after a year spent contending with the strictures of Covid-secure bio-bubbles, as well as the emotional toil caused by the death of his father Ged, Stokes withdrew from action on the eve of the India series after two appearances for Northern Superchargers in the inaugural season of The Hundred.England name their initial 15-man World Cup squad on Thursday, but they have until October 10 to make any changes ahead of their opening fixture, in Dubai on October 23 against West Indies – the team that beat them in the final of the last tournament in India in 2016.Speaking in the wake of England’s defeat to India in the fourth LV= Insurance Test at the Kia Oval, Silverwood said that he had not yet made any direct contact with Stokes, but that he would not be pressing him for a return date.
“We are going to leave that one late, to give it our best chance,” Silverwood said. “Whatever support Ben needs he will get from us.”I haven’t spoken to him as yet. I want to give him as much space as possible. There are people talking to him outside of me but it is something we will be revisiting shortly. I will not be putting pressure on him or rushing him.”Stokes’ absence from England’s plans would be a major blow to their hopes of adding the 20-over title to the 50-over crown that he himself had been so instrumental in securing in that unforgettable tied final against New Zealand, at Lord’s in 2019. But Silverwood will not be rushed on that front.”First and foremost my only concern is for him and to make sure he’s okay,” he said. “That’s the starting point and the rest of the questions will come but first and foremost I need to make sure he is okay and that is my primary concern.”

Warning of bomb at Leicester hotel deemed to be ‘not credible’ as security is boosted

George Dobell20-Sep-2021The third ODI of the series between England and New Zealand looks set to go ahead in Leicester after a security threat was deemed by NZC to be “not credible”.ESPNcricinfo understands that a member of the New Zealand team management was contacted and told that a bomb would be placed at the team hotel. It is understood they were also warned of an attempt to place a bomb on their plane when they return to New Zealand.As a result, the team went into lockdown on Monday, and the police and counter-terrorism agencies were called in. It looked for a few hours as if the match would be called off, given that the New Zealand team did not train at Grace Road, although an NZC spokesman subsequently stated that they had not been scheduled to do so in the first place.The spokesman added: “As has been reported, the ECB have received a threatening email relating to NZC. Although this did not specifically reference the White Ferns it was treated seriously, investigated, and deemed not credible.”The White Ferns have now arrived in Leicester and, as a precaution, security around them has been boosted. Reports their training has been cancelled are false. They were not scheduled to train today as it was a travelling day. NZC will not be commenting further on the matter.”Some players are still understood to be apprehensive, however.There may be some raised eyebrows at the news from Pakistan, in particular. England and New Zealand have both called off tours to Pakistan in recent days, with NZC citing a specific security threat, and the ECB conceding that “concerns about travelling to the region” were a factor in their withdrawal on player welfare grounds. The PCB will, no doubt, be asking why this threat in Leicester was not deemed credible but the one in Pakistan was.ESPNcricinfo understands that the British High Commission and the security consultants (ESI Risk) used by the ECB and NZC both considered the security protocols put in place ahead of the trip to Pakistan to be satisfactory.An ECB spokesman said that they would be offering no further comment on the matter.2150 BST – This article was updated to include details of NZC’s statement