Pick of the stats: Oxford United v Portsmouth
Plenty at stake as Oxford United welcome Portsmouth to the Kassam on Saturday (12:30 GMT).Pompey go into the game with a four-point cushion over the relegation zone with the Us just two places, but a further five points, ahead of them in 16th.John Mousinho's side haven't picked up a point on the road since a draw at Swansea in November while their only away win came six weeks earlier at QPR.Gary Rowett's United side have suffered just one defeat since Boxing Day - a run of 11 games - which was a 1-0 reverse at Burnley last week, though they are winless in four, scoring just once across those games.Oxford United have won just one of their past 10 league games against Portsmouth (D6 L3) and are winless in their last six games (D4 L2).Portsmouth have only won one of their past seven EFL visits to Oxford (D3 L3); a 1-0 victory in February 2021.After one win in eight home league games between September and December (D4 L3), Oxford have won four of their past five games (D1).Portsmouth have lost each of their past seven away league games; their longest run since March 2006 in the Premier League (9 games).Portsmouth's Callum Lang has more league goals against Oxford (6 in 7 games) than any other side, netting in each of his last four league games against them.
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The Courier
an hour ago
- The Courier
6 top Dundee United transfer window priorities as major Tannadice rebuild begins
The starter's pistol has been fired. Dundee United's summer business has started in earnest. A waspish goal-getter from Down Under, Zac Sapsford. A mountainous young centre-back who is fond of a crunching tackle, Iurie Iovu. Two down, plenty to go. United hope to have another three or four captures in the door by the time pre-season begins. More by the time the competitive action begins on July 24. But while there is an urgency about the Tangerines' business – and plenty of plates being spun – there is also an internal appreciation that a lengthy window lies ahead. After all, the man who fired them to Europe last season, Sam Dalby, didn't arrive until the last knockings of the summer transfer window. Here, Courier Sport profiles the top priorities in the coming weeks – focusing on the most pressing issues (rather than areas where depth and competition are required, such as full-back). Dave Richards, solid in the final two games of the Premiership season, has made no secret of his desire to cling on to the No.1 berth. Already a hugely influential, popular figure in the dressing room, that is a laudable aim. And who is to say he won't grab the gloves for keeps? However, it would be churlish to ignore the fact that the genial Welshman has played just over 100 first-team games in his entire career and spent most of last term as understudy to Jack Walton. Courier Sport understands Scotland U/21 international Ruairidh Adams is set to sign an extended deal with United but he is one for the future. Jim Goodwin will want another goalkeeper to challenge for jersey and ensure competition and standards remain sky-high, just as they were last season. Pedigree and reliability will be key. And it is pivotal the Tangerines get it right. The lessons of errant recruitment between the sticks remains writ large in the memories of 2022/23. Iovu is in the door. But the Terrors need another. A stopper. Declan Gallagher, Kevin Holt and Emmanuel Adegboyega have all left the club in the last six months. Iovu – capped four times for Moldova at the age of 22 – appears to be a player of some promise but he does little to fill the void of experience left by those departures. Iovu, Sam Cleall-Harding and Ross Graham represent a relatively youthful pool of centre-backs – albeit the latter is now 24 years of age and boasts a maturity beyond even that. At least one streetwise, quality defender would be a welcome addition. Former St Johnstone loan ace Zach Mitchell is not currently an active target. The departure of Ross Docherty raised a few eyebrows, while seeing the likes of Allan Campbell, David Babunski and Lewis Fiorini exit was more predictable. Luca Stephenson has also gone – for now. Richard Odada? Who knows what the future holds for him after a miserable first season at Tannadice. He has another year to run on his deal. As such, there is a fair bit of rebuilding to be done to a sparsely populated engine room which only contains Vicko Sevelj and Craig Sibbald as experienced, proven options. Although technical attributes are valued (Goodwin wants players who can use the ball when in possession), United are keen to bring mobility and physicality to the centre of the park. This is perhaps the area where there is the biggest room for improvement compared to the recruitment of last season. Campbell, Odada, Fiorini and Babunski were all disappointing to some degree, although the latter did contribute to United's success. The Terrors are understood to be close to securing reinforcements in this area. Courier Sport understands that United have been in talks with Liverpool as recently as this week regarding the future of Stephenson. The player would be open to returning; the Reds were delighted with his progress in Scotland. However, with just a year left on his deal with Anfield, there is lingering uncertainty regarding whether he will pen a new deal and be made available for loan again – or told to seek a permanent move. The ball is in the court of the English champions. And from their perspective, there is no rush. English clubs return to training well after Scottish teams, while the player is currently on holiday in Greece. Contrary to some suggestions online, no announcement is imminent regarding his signing. But he is very much a live target. A little patience may be required. Glenn Middleton has departed, Meshack Ubochioma looks to be out of the picture and Kai Fotheringham was rarely utilised last term. That leaves Kristijan Trapanovski, who is an undoubted talent but needs to combine his natural talent with more consistency and robustness. Finnish flyer Juho Talvitie will not be arriving the Tangerines despite some reports crediting United with an interest in the Lommel winger; he is joining NAC Breda in the Eredivisie. The Tannadice outfit made a tentative enquiry earlier this summer, but it went no further than that. However, a wide man could be secured by next week as United continue to whittle down their shortlist to the top, viable targets. Ultimately, two wingers could be required, albeit new signing Sapsworth operated as a wide player in a front-three on numerous occasions for Western Sydney Wanderers. While keen to bring pace and width to the side, it is understood that Goodwin also wants players who can cut inside, get shots away and attack the penalty box. Sapsworth boasts a decent scoring record in Australia and arrives at Tannadice on the back of his most prolific A-League campaign – nine goals and four assists in 26 outings. However, he has not always been deployed as an orthodox striker and doesn't fit the profile of a successor to 15-goal Dalby, who joined Bolton Wanderers on a four-year deal earlier this week. He is more akin to Ruari Paton, if considering like-for-like replacements compared to last season's squad. Owen Stirton will be given every opportunity to cement his place in the United first-team group in pre-season, while Jort van der Sande remains on the books. However, a 'traditional', experienced No.9 – who can combine physicality with an eye for goal – is a notable void in Goodwin's squad. And it is the hardest assignment of the lot. There's nary a club in Scotland not looking for the same thing.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Man Utd told they have the 'best young player in the Premier League'
Manchester United are enduring a miserable spell on and off the pitch but can at least take solace in the fact they have the 'best young player in the Premier League'. United's 2024-25 campaign could hardly have gone any worse, with Ruben Amorim's side finishing just 15th in the Premier League. A promising European run threatened to paper over the cracks but Manchester United were beaten by Tottenham in the Europa League final to ensure they not only failed to win a trophy last season but missed out on any European football for next season. Off the pitch, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's cost-cutting measures has dampened the mood at Old Trafford and led to a divide between the fans and those in charge of the club. In better news for Manchester United, club captain Bruno Fernandes has rejected a lucrative summer move to Saudi Arabia in favour of staying at the Premier League strugglers. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. Fernandes has been United's most important player over the past five-and-a-half seasons but it not the only capable member of the squad, with Louis Saha describing Amad Diallo as the 'best young player in the Premier League'. Diallo has quickly developed into one of United's most exciting players since his £19m move from Atalanta in 2021. The 22-year-old had two loan spells away from Old Trafford at Rangers and Sunderland but was a rare bright spart for Manchester United last season, scoring 11 goals in 43 games. Asked who he rates as the best young player in the Premier League, ex-United striker Saha told 10bet: 'Amad Diallo. 'What I like most about him is that quality that some youngsters have in the way he communicates, and the way he acts. 'He is playing for the team, he isn't demanding this or that from his teammates and managers. 'Sometimes, when you're established in the side and you've been there a few years, you can get a bit settled, a bit entitled. You start asking for things from the manager, saying you want to play in this position, or in a certain way. 'But Amad still has the attitude of a youngster looking to impress, but at the same time he has this enormous talent and potential, yet he's still been patient. 'At times, he was out on loan, not picked as a starter, and he never made demands or sounded off in the press. He has the right attitude, he's got the perfect mentality for a Manchester United player. Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Liam Delap (Ipswich Town), Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest), Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth), Joao Pedro (Brighton), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), and William Saliba (Arsenal) 'Because of this, he's only going to develop, he's only going to get better. He has the attitude that will keep him focused, he won't misbehave. 'This is the standard I want from my United players, and actually the older players around him need to realise he's setting the example that they have to follow, not the other way around. 'They should see that they're here at the club to make sacrifices, to work for the manager, the fans, and that's it. I'm not here to make demands. 'That's why he's got my respect. He came back earlier than we expected from his injury and he's already scoring goals. He's brilliant.' Saha won two Premier League titles and the Champions League at Manchester United but has watched his former club suffer a huge fall from grace over the past decade. United's dismal form led to intense scrutiny over Amorim's position at Old Trafford but Saha still has 'faith' in the former Sporting Lisbon manager. 'I've got faith in him, because I think the brutal honesty he acts with is what is needed,' Saha added. 'The players are under no illusion what he wants from them, but he also needs to improve too. 'I think he spent too much time watching the side lose and made too few changes. I think he wasted some time. I know you can't change everything without a pre-season, but now he has one. 'He needs to use his analysis and communicate to his players, and both he and the players need to do better. More Trending 'It's hard to see how it could get worse, frankly, but this summer he has the chance to pick the players he wants, but it's not just about their quality on the pitch with the ball. 'It's about the personality of the players, and you need players who aren't whining to the press everyday. You want players who aren't scared to work hard and sacrifice. 'There are too many passengers. You need a squad of 20 soldiers, and maybe you can carry a few flair players who can act out occasionally. 'You need the committed players to keep the crazy ones in check, and keep their nonsense to a minimum. And they will have to listen. Right now, that balance isn't there. The players aren't under control.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Arsenal make final decision on Viktor Gyokeres transfer after agent meeting MORE: Liverpool star convinced Florian Wirtz arrival will force 'dream' move to Barcelona MORE: Jadon Sancho's preferred club tells him they are not interested in summer transfer
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
'I enjoyed every moment' - Yengi on Pompey career
Former Portsmouth striker Kusini Yengi reflects on his two-year stint at Fratton Park with memories he will "cherish", but says he was "disappointed" by how his final season at the club 26-year-old Australian was released by Pompey in May as they chose to not take up an option to keep him for another year. Since then the free agent has been signed by Aberdeen and will make the switch from the south coast up to Scotland. During his two seasons at Portsmouth Yengi made 45 appearances, scoring 13 goals and registering two assists. "I really enjoyed every moment of my time at Portsmouth," Yengi told BBC Radio Solent."I made some great memories that I will cherish for the rest of my lifetime. I hope to one day have kids and take them down to Fratton Park and they can live the experience that I had there."The fans were amazing and I was involved with an brilliant group of players and staff. We had a lot of success in that first season and even this season too."I will remember this club forever - and I truly mean it."After a blistering first season for John Mousinho's Portsmouth - where Yengi made 31 appearances and scored 13 goals to help the Blues get promoted - expectations were high for how he would fare in the Championship. But injury prevented him from getting any real momentum - he made 14 appearances in the campaign just gone but failed to register any goal contributions. The striker said he would have liked for the club to have kept him for another season, and that they had the option to do it in his deal. "It's a bit of a strange one to be honest," said Yengi. "I don't think it's really set in that I'm leaving Portsmouth and that I won't be there next year."I found out that I was leaving probably quite close to when the rest of the public did. I was initially told my deal would be extended but then the club got in touch with my agent to say they wouldn't and I would be leaving as a free agent."I wasn't sure which way the club wanted to go. I didn't have the best of seasons mainly because of injury and I wasn't able to pick up where I left off last year."I tried to do everything in my power to get my body right and be able to give my all for Portsmouth, but this is life and football."Things happen and I've tried to take things from the experience so I can learn from it. I am disappointed with the way my season went." European football 'big factor' in Aberdeen move Yengi revealed that he had offers from around the world once news of his departure had broke. Moving to Portsmouth was his first taste of football in the UK and Europe, having previously only played at club level in Australia. The forward said that despite a host of offers, with Aberdeen promising the chance to play European football next season it was an attractive proposition. After the Dons beat Celtic to win the Scottish Cup they will enter the qualifying stage for a chance to play in the Europa League, and if they fail to do that they will at minimum play in the Conference League next season. "I'm excited for the new chapter and can't wait to get going with my new club," Yengi said."I had lots of options to pick from across England, Scotland and the Asian market too. It helped that I was a free agent as no-one had to pay a transfer fee for me."I'm ready to prove myself and improve myself as a player. Aberdeen is an amazing club and it is a really good project for me over there. I'm really excited and can't wait to get started."The fact that there is European football there was a big factor in me moving - I can't wait to test myself against the world's best players."
