All posts by n8rngtd.top

One of the best times of the summer as a New York sports fan is when we get to watch the Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets. The two teams will play two games in Citi Field this week and then will meet at Yankee Stadium for a two-game set in late July.

Tonight will be the first meeting between these two New York teams this season and it promises to be a fun one. If you want to bet on the game, you've come to the right place.

It's time to dive into everything you need to know to bet on the first edition of the 2024 Subway Series.

Yankees vs. Mets Odds, Run Line, and Total

Run line:

• Yankees -1.5 (+115)
• Mets +1.5 (-138)

Moneyline:

• Yankees -142
• Mets +120

Total:

• 8.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Yankees vs. Mets Probable Pitchers

• Yankees: Gerrit Cole (0-0, 4.50 ERA)
• Mets: David Peterson (3-0, 3.97 ERA)

Yankees vs. Mets How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, June 25
• Time: 7:10 p.m. EST
• Venue: Citi Field
• How to watch (TV): YES, SNY, TBS (out-of-market only)
• Yankees record: 52-28
• Mets record: 37-39

Yankees vs. Mets Key Players to Watch

New York Yankees

Gerrit Cole: The Yankees' ace made his first start of 2024 last week, pitching 4.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles. He gave up three hits, one walk, and two earned runs in that start, totaling 62 pitches. It will be interesting to see how he fares tonight but I expect he'll need a few starts before he starts pitching at an elite level again.

New York Mets

Francisco Lindor: Francisco Lindor has quietly been one of the better players in the Majors this season, and his offensive numbers have started to skyrocket over the past month. He has an OPS of /875 in the month of June with a WAR of +2.3 on the season. He's the most impactful player in this Mets lineup.

Yankees vs. Mets Prediction and Pick

In today's edition of Walk-Off Wagers, I broke down why betting on the Mets as underdogs in tonight's Subway Series is one of my favorite plays of the day:

Hampshire’s 288 for 6 at stumps reflects a day when the ball moved a lot but batsmen could prosper if they played straight and late

Paul Edwards20-May-2019
When a man’s desire defeats his reason he is wont to dream. That is where a quest starts and also the hard work needed to achieve a goal other men dub fantasy. Little more than a decade ago there was nothing but pasture where Newclose cricket ground now stands. Then Brian Gardener, the prosperous visionary who owned the land, decided the Isle of Wight should have a venue capable of not only staging Premier League club matches but even of tempting Hampshire to cross the Solent. And at eleven o’clock this morning, over four years after Gardener’s death, Luke Fletcher bowled to Joe Weatherley.Nobody knows exactly how much money Gardener spent to realise his vision; estimates have settled on something above £2m. All that spectators might have noticed as they gathered on the grassy banks surrounding the arena was that the pavilion was modelled on that at Sir Paul Getty’s ground at Wormsley and that the seating in front of the pavilion reminded them of somewhere … ah yes, Lord’s, that was the place. Some, seeing the alders and oaks on the River Medina side of the ground, made comparisons with Arundel but Newclose is less intimate than that particular Elysium. The outfield, though, is smooth as one could wish and the pitch is clearly fit for first-class cricket even if it did not encourage free scoring on this first day.Hampshire’s 288 for 6 at stumps was thus an accurate reflection of three sessions in which the ball had moved about a lot yet one in which batsmen could prosper if they played straight and late. The images one remembers are not those of Stuart Broad or Jake Ball racing in but those of Steven Mullaney bowling his brisk medium pacers and taking 2 for 42 in 24 overs from the Carisbrooke End while Hampshire’s openers, Weatherley and Oli Soames went about their business as cautiously as bomb disposal men.Batsmen who looked to force things generally perished: Ajinkya Rahane did so in mid-afternoon when he edged a drive off Broad and was caught at around fourth slip by Chris Nash for 10. By then Weatherley had also departed, unluckily judged caught behind off Ball for a pleasant 66 when the ball had done no more than brush his upper arm. But that contribution represented something of a relief for an opener who had passed thirty only twice in his previous 18 first-class innings. Rather more to the point, Weatherley’s 112-run stand for the first wicket with Soames had given Hampshire a foundation upon which Aneurin Donald and Ian Holland can build further on the second morning. Mullaney’s bowlers might yet regret the inaccuracy which characterised their efforts in the opening sessionWhatever the analysts tell them cricketers will always be suspicious of a fresh pitch on a new ground. Both Weatherley and Soames have played second-team cricket at Newclose but only when Broad bowled an attacking length did he leak a few boundaries as first Weatherley and then Soames drove him through the covers. The pair put on 88 in that morning session and Weatherley looked to be in particularly sound form.By middle of the day, though, Hampshire had lost two wickets and Nottinghamshire’s bowlers had found a better length and line. Then just before tea, a few cricketers’ thoughts turned to self-preservation as a modest swarm of bees approached the ground from the Medina side. Some players, among them Broad, lay on the ground and one remembered wartime photographs of fielders lying in similar positions to avoid the rather more deadly danger of German bombers. By contrast, the threat this afternoon was brief and its effect faintly comical.Having rediscovered their accuracy in the second session Nottinghamshire’s bowlers got the rewards they deserved in the hour after tea. Soames’ four-hour vigil for 44 runs was ended in the over after the resumption when he pushed at Ball but only nicked a catch to Matt Carter at second slip. Half an hour later Sam Northeast’s innings of 33 ended when he attempted to force the ball through midwicket but was leg before wicket to Mullaney, who almost immediately took a second wicket when Tom Alsop was athletically caught down the leg side by Tom Moores. Hampshire’s poorest period of cricket was then completed when Liam Dawson drove loosely at Fletcher and was bowled for 25.And so we got to the end of a day created by the ambition of a man who did not live to see an occasion he would have treasured. Gardener was assisted in the building and development of Newclose by a number of similarly able lieutenants, among them the former Sussex chief-executive Hugh Griffiths. As the cricket unfolded on this first day and the niggling problems which always affect such great undertakings cropped up, Griffiths and many others scurried about in the manner of outground officials across the land. And you can be sure that as they did so they were thinking of the man whose money and drive had made it all possible in the first place. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world,” Jed Bartlet tells Will Bailey in . But Bailey has the rejoinder to that one ready. “It’s the only thing that ever has,” he says.

Scotland equalled an unwanted record as they crashed out of Euro 2024 after a dramatic defeat to Hungary in Group A.

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• Tartan Army lost 1-0 to Hungary
• Means they finish bottom of Group A
• Had just 17 shots in the tournament

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Scotland's hopes of progressing from the group stages at the European Championships for the first time in history were crushed by a last-minute Hungary winner in their final match. Steve Clarke's side had just 17 shots across their three games, the joint-lowest tally since the groups were introduced in 1980, equalling Northern Ireland's record in 2016.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Scotland's tournament never got going following their 5-1 defeat to hosts Germany on the opening night. They will head home thinking about what could have been, but also with a sense of relief that Hungarian player Barnabas Varga is conscious following a worrying collision with goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Scotland have never made it out of the group stages in any major tournament they have appeared in. As well as the Euros, the Tartan Army have been involved in eight World Cups, failing to progress in every instance there as well.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SCOTLAND?

  Fans will rightfully let their disappointment sink in over the next few days but work will be going on behind the scenes to determine the future of the national team. Clarke is contracted as head coach until 2026 but will likely face an inquest when he returns home.

Newcastle United had scored through Alexander Isak's penalty. Nottingham Forest, without a win in seven matches and losing lionised manager Steve Cooper as a result, were surely headed for further misery.

But Newcastle's faltering form proved to unravel what promised to be a triumphant day at St. James' Park, and Chris Wood came back to haunt his former club with a well-taken hat-trick to offer some respite.

PIF eyeing Newcastle deal to sign "great" goalkeeper in January

This could be a shrewd move by the Magpies…

By
Tom Cunningham

Dec 28, 2023

The Magpies, having qualified for the Champions League last season, have now lost six matches from their past seven across all competitions and are in dire need of some reinforcements, having been decimated by injuries across the campaign.

Eddie Howe will remain convinced of his squad's ability to succeed in the Premier League, but there is no disputing the fact that something needs to change in January, with recent rumours suggesting that a summer transfer target could now make the move to Tyneside.

Newcastle transfer news – Kalvin Phillips

According to the Daily Telegraph, Newcastle bosses are confident that a deal can be struck to sign Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Magpies are desperate to fortify their squad with impactful signings this winter but are constrained by Profit and Sustainability rules, effectively restricting the options available in the transfer market.

Phillips would be allowed to depart the Etihad Stadium on loan and would bring industriousness and Premier League experience, with Howe and United's technical director Dan Ashworth hoping to agree a deal swiftly.

Transfer specialist Rudy Galetti has confirmed that the club are "set to open talks" to sign their number one target, but with Juventus also pushing for a deal, it's right that efforts are made early to secure his services.

Kalvin Phillips' Manchester City career in numbers

Having dazzled with Leeds United and played an instrumental role in his boyhood club's rise from the Championship and sublime return to the Premier League, Phillips turned the heads of more than a few top European outfits.

And when Manchester City came calling in 2022, the 28-year-old couldn't resist the allure of English football's standout side and completed a £45m transfer.

However, a dream move turned into a nightmare when injuries precluded a chance at wedging his way into a prominent position, and the £150k-per-week ace would ultimately only start four matches across the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign as the Sky Blues won the treble.

Despite a full pre-season under his belt this summer, Phillips' fortunes have not turned any brighter and he remains marooned on the fringe of one of English football's greatest squads.

Often, pragmatism is a virtue and it seems that all parties have accepted that a change of scenery would be apt for Phillips' future, and Newcastle are only too happy to accommodate.

Kalvin Phillips' style of play

At his best, Phillips is a tenacious and cultured midfielder with a wealth of tools fit to serve a squad like Newcastle's challenge for continental qualification.

The 31-cap England star was fantastic as Leeds recorded a ninth-placed Premier League finish in 2020/21, on their return, captivating with their offensive efforts and winning over supporters through their energy and expression.

Across 29 appearances that season, he made 2.6 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per game and completed 85% of his passes, leading The Times' Henry Winter to marvel over his all-encompassing skill set.

As per FBref, Phillips ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 9% for shots taken, the top 7% for clearances and the top 19% for aerial wins per 90.

While he has only received limited action over the past 12 months, such statistics do highlight the crispness and composure that Phillips holds within his skill set.

Once described as a “monster” of a midfielder by former Crystal Palace maverick Yannick Bolasie, Phillips' struggle to make an impact under Pep Guardiola's tutelage does not define him as a player, and he would be a credit to Newcastle's impressive team, perhaps even merging with Bruno Guimaraes in the centre to revive the squad's success.

Imagine Kalvin Phillips & Bruno Guimares

Howe is the mastermind behind Newcastle's stunning rise to the fore since the PIF takeover in 2021, but the £40m acquisition of Lyon midfielder Guimaraes has proved to be one of the most influential additions to any Premier League side in recent memory.

Having now amassed 84 displays for Newcastle, scoring 11 goals and supplying nine assists, the Brazilian is regarded as one of the division's standout stars, with teammate Dan Burn even dubbing him "world-class" for his performances.

Ranking among the top 16% of midfielders for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, the 26-year-old is the perfect orchestrator in the centre, but Sandro Tonali was signed in the summer to complement his style, and after struggling to acclimatise the Italian was banned from football for ten months in October for breaching betting rules.

Once hailed as a “Rolls-Royce” by journalist Josh Bunting, Phillips is composed and assured in his passing and could offer the kind of style to allow Guimaraes to assume an even more remarkable role.

While Newcastle probably need to make several signings to combat the injury problems, Phillips' availability on a loan deal marks an excellent opportunity to complete an astute move, and Howe must ensure that this one gets over the line.

Wes Agar took five wickets for South Australia after the visitors had to fly in a back-up wicketkeeper in the morning

AAP20-Feb-2023Junction Oval witnessed the fall of 15 wickets, the red ball return of Glenn Maxwell, and a reinforcement arriving after the start on a chaotic day of Sheffield Shield action as Victoria hosted South Australia in a potentially crucial match.Despite the steady flow of wickets, honours ended fairly even after day one with South Australia 5 for 75 in response to Victoria’s 169.A tricky pitch that was largely green but also worn-looking in patches greeted the teams as Victoria elected to bat.South Australia’s problems began prior to the commencement, with wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen ruled out with illness during the morning.A hastily-arranged flight booking led to uncapped wicketkeeper Harry Matthias being brought over from Adelaide, with the replacement taking to the field after an hour’s play and 12th man Thomas Kelly donning the gloves in the interim.Short-form specialist Maxwell lined up for a first Shield match since 2019, but his return to the crease lasted just nine balls.Matt Short was the only batter to dominate•Getty Images

Maxwell, who scored a half century in grade cricket on the weekend after a three-month absence with a broken leg, was adjudged lbw off the bowling of Jordan Buckingham in what appeared a questionable decision.Matt Short made what was comfortably the day’s top score with his aggressive approach yielding 70 off just 69 balls, including 10 boundaries.Wes Agar knocked over openers Travis Dean (34) and the in-form Marcus Harris (15) before running through the tail for a return of 5-54 – his second best figures in first-class cricket.Remarkably, a 31-run partnership for the second wicket between Dean and Ashley Chandrasinghe proved the highest of the day as Victoria were bowled out inside two sessions.In reply, South Australia faced a similar struggle and Nathan McSweeney (23) top-scored as the Redbacks grafted at less than two runs per over. Victoria seamer Mitch Perry was the chief destroyer with 3 for 28.The two teams share second place in a four-way charge for one available berth in the final with two further rounds remaining.

Chelsea managed a 1-1 draw in a tightly contested match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, taking them third in the Premier League on 19 points, winning five games, drawing four, and losing two in their opening 11 games.

Despite having slightly less of the ball (49% possession), they managed to take 17 shots, creating one big chance and generating 1.28 xG.

Enzo Maresca’s side are now averaging 54.7% possession (the fifth highest in the division), 14 shots per game (ninth highest in the division), and 12.8 shots against them per 90.

But it’s some of the individual performances that have improved under Maresca that are just as impressive, with many players improving under the Italian since he took over from Mauricio Pochettino.

One of those happens to be Pedro Neto – who scored against the Gunners – but there are some other notable names alongside the Portuguese…

Players thriving under Maresca

Levi Colwill is one of the main examples, being used heavily as a left-back last season under Pochettino, and coming under some flack for his performances in that position.

But now under Maresca, back in his best position, Colwill is orchestrating games from the back, bringing another level of physicality to his game, and forming a great partnership at the back with Wesley Fofana. Between them, they boast a pass success rate of 89.3% and 89.5% respectively; not bad at all.

Another name is Moises Caicedo, who had a rocky start to life at Chelsea under Pochettino, following his £115m move to the Blues in the summer of 2023. Caicedo did have a very solid secondnd half of the season under Pochettino, but he’s taken it up another level under Maresca yet again.

The 23-year-old has made the second most tackles (38) and the joint-fifth most interceptions (18) in the Premier League this season, putting out fires in the middle of the park, and kick-starting attacks for the Blues, even providing two assists.

But perhaps the biggest improvement is a star who was reportedly set for the axe under Pochettino, Marc Cucurella. The Spaniard put in yet another big performance against Arsenal.

Marc Cucurella's performance in numbers vs Arsenal

Tasked with defending against one of the league’s best wingers in Bukayo Saka, Cucurella was absolutely excellent at minimising his ability to affect the game.

Winning four of his six ground duels, making three tackles, three interceptions, one block and two clearances, it was a superb defensive display from the Spanish defender.

The 26-year-old has quickly become an undroppable figure in Maresca’s side, showing the tenacity and aggression the Italian manager likes in his defenders, giving them the ability to go man for man.

The Spain international has made 12 appearances this season, contributing to two clean sheets, and totaling 920 minutes played.

Cucurella has been used in a variety of ways already this season, becoming the left-sided centre-back in a back three, inverting into midfield, and even appearing further up the pitch in the left half spaces, operating as a number ten at times.

This allows Maresca to platform others in the team, to put them in their best positions to succeed, with Cucurella being a key man to allow that.

The form of Cucurella, mixed with the profile of the defender which suits Maresca so well, makes the 26-year-old undroppable, as Chelsea face Leicester City in their next game after the international break.

100% duels won: Chelsea star was even better than Neto v Arsenal

Chelsea picked up a point following a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday.

By
Connor Holden

Nov 10, 2024

Arne Slot slammed Trent Alexander-Arnold's critics after he scored a stunner in Liverpool's FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.

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• Alexander-Arnold starred in Liverpool's FA Cup win
• Scored a brilliant goal before half-time
• Slot defended the full-back after the match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool comfortably advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over League Two side Accrington Stanley on Saturday afternoon. Goals from Diogo Jota, captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, substitute Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa secured the win at Anfield, ensuring the Reds stayed competitive on all four fronts this season.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alexander-Arnold scored the second of the afternoon as he let fly from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net. It was one sensational strike that led Liverpool fans to urge the club to tie him down to a new contract amid Real Madrid interest. However, the right-back was widely criticized for a defensive error during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United, which led to an early goal by Lisandro Martínez. Among his detractors was Roy Keane, who mockingly suggested Alexander-Arnold would be more suited to playing for League Two club Tranmere Rovers than for Real Madrid.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Speaking after the match, Slot was quick to defend his captain, saying: “I could talk for hours about that (goal), unbelievable. The biggest compliment Trent could get was the reaction of everyone after the Manchester United game. Every player around the world, maybe except for a few, has a bad game and that is completely normal, but the moment Trent has one, everyone has an opinion about it. Maybe that is because of the contract situation. I don’t know if that wasn’t there if people would have reacted in the same way. You have such a great first half of the season and you don’t play a good game against United – and that was clear for me, for you, the fans and the analysts who saw the game – but many of them were quite hard on him. I think it was good for him to play in our own stadium and feel the reception of the fans again, it was also special again today and that can only help him and us.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Alexander-Arnold’s current contract with Liverpool is set to expire at the end of the season, leaving him free to negotiate with other clubs this month. Reports suggest that Real Madrid are confident of securing his services, either through a pre-contract agreement in January or a formal transfer in the summer.

England became the first side to score 500 runs on day one of a Test

Valkerie Baynes01-Dec-2022A quartet of centuries helped England plunder a record 506 for 4 on the opening day to put the tourists in command of their first Test appearance in Pakistan for 17 years.Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, who put on a 233-run opening stand, were joined by Ollie Pope and Harry Brook – the latter playing just his second Test – in posting hundreds on a remarkable day in which England’s run rate scarcely dipped below a run a ball as they became the first side to score 500 runs on day one of a Test.No sooner had Brook brought up his maiden Test fifty, and he surged towards his century by whipping Saud Shakeel for six fours in one over to almost all quarters of the ground. Brook reached his ton off just 80 balls after he and Pope had added 176 runs for the fourth wicket and, when bad light ended play, he remained not out on 101 with Ben Stokes unbeaten on 34.Crawley had threatened to become the first Englishman to score a hundred before lunch on the first day of a Test as he and Duckett set a solid foundation for their side, which had been laid low by a sickness bug just 24 hours earlier.Stokes was among the worst affected but fronted up for, and won, an all-important toss after England were only able to confirm that they had a fit XI two-and-a-half hours before the start. They were forced into just one change to their intended team, handing Will Jacks his Test debut for a still-recovering Ben Foakes, with Pope to take the wicketkeeping gloves.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The last time Crawley had played against Pakistan, he struck 267 to deliver on the promise of three half-centuries in 11 previous innings. A tumultuous stretch followed that knock in August 2020, with just a brace of fifties in 21 innings which followed 10 single-figure scores and two ducks among them bringing his place under increasing scrutiny.That was until his century in the drawn first Test against West Indies in Antigua in March this year, which seemed to set him up for the English summer, only for another unspectacular spell to ensue until his rapid unbeaten 69 off just 57 balls in September’s third and final Test against South Africa.Crawley’s latest innings was next-level speed-wise, however, as he perfectly merged England’s assertive approach under Brendon McCullum with the need to make the most of his time in the middle while some of his team-mates regained their strength.One of only four players in England’s original XI named on Tuesday to take part in an optional training session on match eve, Crawley opened with three fours off Naseem Shah so that England were 14 without loss in the most expensive first over of a Test in two decades.Haris Rauf, making his Test debut after 57 T20Is and 15 ODIs, entered the attack in the eighth over, but Crawley continued to find the boundary with back-to-back fours either side of the pitch in Rauf’s second over and, after 10 overs, the tourists had motored to 63 for 0.The last time Duckett played a Test, he fell for 5 and 0 at the hands of a rampant R Ashwin as England suffered a heavy defeat to India in November 2016 and he admitted thinking his Test career was over.Making his return six years later after an excellent Championship season for Nottinghamshire, Duckett looked assured, his fortuitous slash through third to bring up England’s fifty notwithstanding, as he reverse-swept then ramped Zahid Mahmood to the fence.Crawley brought up his half-century off just 38 balls, sweeping Zahid through fine leg for four, while England brought up their 100 in 13.5 overs and Duckett reached a run-a-ball fifty in the second hour.Save for a hearty appeal for lbw, which looked to be high with no functioning DRS in the third over to test the on-field not-out decision, and a slash off Rauf which went just wide of a slow-moving Mohammad Ali at mid-on to move into the 90s, Crawley’s innings was domineering. He had scored 17 fours by the end of the morning session as he and Duckett took England to lunch unscathed with 174 runs on the board.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Pakistan, missing the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi and fielding three other debutants alongside Haris, in right-arm seamer Ali, legspinner Zahid and middle-order batter Shakeel, looked toothless and needed a breakthrough. They eventually got there through Zahid and Rauf in the space of nine balls.On 99, Crawley managed to overturn his lbw dismissal playing around Naseem’s full delivery which rapped him low on the front pad but was shown to be heading down the leg side. Two balls later, Crawley’s deft punch through the covers brought up an 86-ball century, the fastest by an England Test opener and joint fifth-fastest overall.Duckett brought up his maiden Test ton with a pulled four off Rauf, a beaming smile spreading across Duckett’s face as he soaked up the applause. His stay was shortlived thereafter when he missed his reverse sweep of Zahid and was struck on the pad in line with off stump, although Pakistan had to review Joel Wilson’s not-out decision.So ended England’s highest Test opening stand against Pakistan and they went from 233 without loss to 235 for 2 when Crawley followed a short time later, done by Rauf’s reverse swing as the ball slid through the gate and took a deflection on to middle stump.Joe Root fell lbw to Mahmood for just 23, burning a review in a bid to overturn his dismissal before Pope and Brook forged on.Brook, who had pulled Zahid for six on the stroke of tea, helped himself to another six in the evening session when he muscled Rauf over deep midwicket. He brought up his fifty with a single in the next over moments before Pope raised his century working Agha Salman off his toes for one to reach the mark in 90 balls.Even when Pope fell to Ali, lbw on review to give Pakistan something to smile faintly about in the fast-fading light, Brook surged ahead with England’s quickest Test hundred now in his sights. He fell short of Gilbert Jessop’s 76-ball mark set in 1902, but slotted in at No. 3 behind Jonny Bairstow when he struck Naseem for a gorgeous cover drive for four.The fact that England still have the firepower of Jacks and fellow debutant Liam Livingstone to come on a batter-friendly pitch gave the hosts ever more to worry about overnight.

Chelsea have agreed terms with a player over an outright summer move to Stamford Bridge in 2025, and insiders within the club view this deal as a potentially very astute one for manager Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea preparing to face Everton after 5-1 win over Shamrock Rovers

The west Londoners rounded off their final Europa Conference League game of the year with a 5-1 victory over Irish side Shamrock Rovers on Thursday evening.

Agents tell Chelsea they can sign "underrated" 16-goal striker for £25m

He’s been in the form of his life this season.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 19, 2024

A hat-trick from summer signing Marc Guiu – alongside goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Cucurella – extended Chelsea’s excellent run of form to eight straight wins in all competitions.

Maresca’s side also haven’t tasted a single defeat in all competitions for nearly two months, last losing to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup, and they haven’t lost a Premier League game since their 2-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in October.

Chelsea’s tremendous strength in depth allows them to battle on three fronts in very efficient fashion, with Maresca’s B team getting the job done against Shamrock and certain players now well rested for a looming test against Everton on Sunday.

“Very excited, first of all, with the performance, with the result,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s 5-1 win over Shamrock.

“Once again I think they show how serious they are, how professional they are. In this kind of game sometimes it’s easy to drop, but first of all they know that they are not allowed to drop, and second, we need to show that we are serious, we are professional, and once again I think they show that.

“And then, yeah, it’s been a good chance for the young players, some of them, so we are very happy.

“I think now that we are in the next round, we have to be focused on the next round, and then if we are able to win, go in the next, but thinking to play the final or to win this competition when you have still five or six games to go, I don’t think it’s the correct thing.”

Jadon Sancho agrees terms to join Chelsea permanently next summer

One player who was included on the bench against Shamrock but didn’t play, potentially in an effort to rest him for Everton, is £100,000-per-week winger Jadon Sancho.

The Englishman has really impressed on the whole since making the move to Chelsea on loan from Man United in the summer, so much so that the club are making moves ahead of time to secure his future at the club.

According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, via his Substack, Chelsea have already “provisionally” and “verbally” agreed terms with Sancho over an outright move to London next summer, and his temporary deal is set to become permanent for around £23 million if they finish higher than 15th in the table.

Cobham sources view this move as a “massive bargain” behind-the-scenes, and Maresca has really enjoyed working with the ex-Borussia Dortmund star who’s been on “cloud nine” since joining.

With Chelsea’s first permanent signing of next summer looking all but certain, attention switches to January, and it looks set to be an intriguing window.

Both players are in their second stint with Chivas and Pulido addressed recent speculation about his relationship with Chicharito

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• Pulido is in his second stint with Chivas

• Ex Sporting KC forward has scored two goals in seven games for los Rojiblancos
• Chicharito has scored just three goals in 29 games with the team

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ahead of Chivas’ second leg against América in the Champions Cup Round of 16, Alan Pulido broke his silence, dispelling any notion of a rivalry with Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez. Instead, he emphasized their long-standing bond from their time together with the Mexican National Team at the 2014 World Cup.

  "It has been very good; we played together in the 2014 World Cup, we both talk and try to contribute the best for the team. There is always that healthy competition needed within a squad,” Pulido said.

  Aware that both are veterans and have a strong influence within the locker room, Pulido and Chicharito are focused on guiding Chivas’ younger players.

  “We always support the young players who are pushing forward very well. We will try to back them up so that when we are no longer at the club, they come in with a strong mentality and solid foundations to contribute good things to Chivas. I believe we both have great responsibility within the team; we share a brotherhood and a strong connection to add to the squad,” Pulido added.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chivas rely on Pulido and Hernández as its two standard-bearers in the locker room. Both know what it means to lift a championship with the . That is why they are recognized as the club's most recent legends.

  Both players are in their second stint with Chivas, but there has been speculation on multiple occasions about their relationship within the club. Since rejoining Chivas, Chicharito has just two goals in 24 appearances for the storied club while Pulido has two in five appearances this season.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chicharito won the Liga MX title with Chivas in the 2006 Clausura tournament. It was his first major championship with the team.

  Meanwhile, Alan Pulido played a key role in the team's championship victory in 2017 against Tigres. It was the most recent time Chivas won the Liga MX.

• WHAT NEXT FOR CHIVAS?

  Chivas visit América tonight in the Round of 16 of the Champions Cup. has a 1-0 lead in the aggregate score and is looking for a spot in the next round.