The left-arm wristspinner, who became the seventh bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul in all three formats, says Test cricket is “very close to my heart”

Alagappan Muthu in Rajkot06-Oct-20181:58

‘I want to have a long Test career’ – Kuldeep

Kuldeep Yadav became only the seventh bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul in all three formats of the game. The 23-year-old left-arm wristspinner wants to belong in Test cricket, badly. He’s fast becoming one of the most lethal bowlers in ODIs and T20Is but craves success in the format “everyone wants to feature in”.His debut was memorable – a four-wicket haul against Australia, and he picked up those wickets at a time when Australia were trying to dominate – but he had a much tougher time in his most recent outing, at Lord’s, where India misread a seamer-friendly pitch.Since then, Kuldeep has been in a desperate rush to get better at red-ball cricket. “I went to my coach after returning from England, I bowled a lot with the red ball for 3-4 days. It was difficult for me since after playing with the white ball, you tend to lose the rhythm (for red-ball cricket). I was with my sir [coach] for 4-5 days, concentrated a lot on bowling around the wicket as well as over the wicket, on my release, and also on the pace since in one-day cricket your pace increases. But when you play Test cricket, you have to ‘air’ the ball hoping that the batsman would take his chance.”Kuldeep was sent home from India with specific instructions that he would link up with the A team that was playing first-class matches in Bengaluru.”The red-ball cricket is very close to my (heart) and I want to play red-ball cricket for long. That’s the whole focus. In England, the conditions were different, maybe I could have bowled well there, but it did not happen that way. Then after coming here, played two matches with India A, it was a good comeback.”Australia had sent their A team to India with several Test players so that they can prepare for the series against Pakistan in the UAE. Kuldeep played two matches against them and picked up 12 wickets including a five-for in the second game.The thing he struggles with when switching formats appears to be centred around the two different balls.”Coming back to the red ball from the white ball is very difficult and also challenging. For a wristspinner, it is challenging because it takes time to get used to it. The white ball is a bit hard and is easier to grip. But the red ball, after a few overs, it gets softer, so it takes time to adjust.”Kuldeep was coming into this series after a spell with the India ODI side at the Asia Cup. And as he keeps saying, it took a while for him to adjust. In the first innings, he picked up one wicket from his ten overs while conceding 62 runs, being swept by the lower-order batsman Keemo Paul continuously. In the second innings, things changed.”Every time I gave the ball flight, runs were leaking. So when I came back for the second innings, I thought of putting a lid on the scoring rate, and [felt] as a result, wickets would come. So that was the plan – I had to guard against that extra flight because these West Indies batsmen have the power game, they can score freely. So I kept it in mind, used the variations and plugged the scoring rate.”The change of tactic worked. Kuldeep had his beloved five-for and India completed their biggest ever win.

Kalvin Phillips flashed his middle finger to furious West Ham fans after being labelled "useless" following another poor performance at Newcastle.

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• West Ham beaten 5-3 by the Magpies
• Phillips gave away a penalty
• Lost his cool after West Ham criticised him

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a dramatic turn of events following West Ham's 4-3 defeat to Newcastle, Phillips found himself at the centre of controversy as he flashed his middle finger to disgruntled fans who criticized his performance.

  The incident occurred as Phillips was boarding the team coach back from Newcastle. Fans approached him, with one requesting a photo. However, the situation quickly escalated when another supporter labelled Phillips as 'useless.' In response to the criticism, Phillips raised his middle finger, sparking further backlash from the fans.

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  Phillips, who is on loan at West Ham from Manchester City, had a difficult outing in the match against Newcastle. Coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute, he struggled to make an impact and ultimately conceded a penalty after making contact with Newcastle's Anthony Gordon. This added to the frustration of West Ham supporters, who had hoped for a better performance from the midfielder.

  The match itself was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Newcastle taking the lead early on through a penalty from Isak. West Ham fought back, with Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus putting them ahead before Jarrod Bowen extended their lead. However, Phillips' foul on Gordon led to another penalty for Newcastle, and two late goals from Harvey Barnes secured victory for the home side.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Phillips' struggles at West Ham come after a challenging time at Manchester City, where he made just four Premier League appearances in the first half of the season. With time running out, Phillips will look to make amends for his rash behaviour with performances on the pitch when they host West Ham next on Tuesday.

Manchester United’s faltering attack has led them to suffer a poor start to their Premier League campaign this term.

Despite Erik ten Hag possessing players such as Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial and Antony, they have scored just four league goals combined and it's no wonder they are struggling in sixth place.

Unless vast improvement is made between now and Christmas, Ten Hag could find himself on the scrap heap and with a run of fixtures coming up which includes matches against Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Newcastle United, it couldn’t get much tougher.

Rasmus Hojlund

0

0

9

Marcus Rashford

1

1

11

Anthony Martial

0

0

10

Antony

0

0

9

Alejandro Garnacho

0

0

10

Facundo Pellistri

0

1

5

Jadon Sancho

0

0

3

Stats via BBC & Transfermarkt

The manager really needs more from his attacking players, especially Hojlund, but it is Martial who continues to underperform having failed to contribute when given a chance.

Anthony Martial’s season in numbers

In Ten Hag’s first season in charge, the Frenchman scored nine goals in 29 appearances, a solid, if unspectacular, record and there was hope he could build on that this term.

It hasn’t quite worked out as planned for the former AS Monaco gem however, as he has found the back of the net just once – during an EFL Cup tie against Crystal Palace – and his Premier League statistics don’t make for the best of reading.

The 27-year-old ranks in a lowly 20th spot for successful dribbles per game (0.1) in the league, while also ranking 14th for shots per game (0.4) with these stats clearly not good enough.

Could Ten Hag perhaps unleash a young talent from the academy in his place? Joe Hugill is currently shining in the Premier League 2 and deserves a shot.

Joe Hugill’s youth statistics

The 20-year-old has netted a staggering 54 goals across 98 appearances in his embryonic career thus far, and he was hailed for his clinical nature in front of goal by journalist Josh Bunting when he first broke onto the scene.

Regarding Hugill’s ability back in 2020, Bunting said: “Such a clinical young player a real natural finisher with so much confidence.”

The Englishman has already scored seven goals in just 11 matches this season, a figure which means he has outscored every senior United player so far, and it suggests that Ten Hag should perhaps be taking a more in-depth look at the striker.

Along with competing in the Premier League 2, Hugill was offered three chances to shine during the EFL Trophy, as the United youngsters came up against senior opposition.

During this trio of games, the youngster scored once, created a big chance, and took one shot on average per game, showing that he was keen to bolster his goal tally.

With the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri getting ample opportunities this season under the Dutchman having shone in the younger age groups previously indicates that there is a pathway to the first team.

The main thing for the forward now is to keep his head down and continue to score on a regular basis for the U21 side.

If he does, then he may get presented with an opportunity by the Dutchman at some stage this season, but he could well be a better option than Martial.

Southampton could be set to lose one of their loanees for good, with a fresh report revealing that they have received an enquiry regarding his services.

Southampton's strikers options

The Championship side had Che Adams, Adam Armstrong and Sekou Mara as their natural options at centre-forward before the summer transfer window opened, but that didn’t stop the hierarchy from wanting to bolster their ranks even further.

Following a lengthy battle, Russell Martin’s side secured the services of Sunderland’s former striker Ross Stewart before the deadline, meaning that the boss could get rid of any existing squad members that he knew he wasn’t going to use over his new signing.

One of those was Paul Onuachu, who put pen to paper on a season-long loan with Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor, and it’s fair to say that the 29-year-old has made an exceptional start to his temporary spell on the road at the Papara Park.

The Nigeria international has firmly established himself as Abdullah Avci’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.28 (WhoScored – Trabzonspor statistics), and this impressive form has caught the eye of another mystery club overseas.

Paul Onuachu attracting interest overseas

According to Turkish outlet Fotospor (via The Real EFL), Paul Onuachu is gaining attention from Turkey. Trabzonspor are "not currently exploring a permanent deal" for the attacker despite his positive start, but his displays have been taken note of by one other unnamed club in the same league.

The Southampton star's loan club had made contact to discover the price of a move but were made aware that another secret admirer had also made an enquiry, so it's likely that chiefs will want to sanction his sale next summer.

Whilst Onuachu has failed to get off the mark at Southampton, he’s got straight up and running for Trabzonspor with five contributions, four goals and one assist, to his name in seven appearances (Transfermarkt -Onuachu statistics), form which has seen him hailed a “top finisher” by journalistJosh Bunting.

The Owerri native, who pockets £34k-per-week (Trabzonspor salaries), is also currently averaging 2.3 shots per league game (WhoScored – Onuachu statistics), highlighting his constant desire to hit the back of the net even if the end product isn’t always there.

Headed attempts

Holding onto the ball

Finishing

Defensive contribution

Aerial duels

(Data via WhoScored)

Standing at 6 foot 7, the colossus is the ideal target man, recording 4.4 aerial wins per match in the Super Lig with his physical presence posing a real threat to the opposition’s defence, making him a handful to deal with.

Therefore, Southampton permanently selling him next summer could be somewhat of a mistake because he's proven what he's capable of achieving if given a consistent run of games, so he deserves to be handed the opportunity to showcase his talents upon his return.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement will have his first opportunity to make his own signings at Ibrox once the January transfer window opens for business.

The Belgian tactician arrived after the club completed their summer signings and he has already been linked with a swoop for a current Scottish Premiership performer.

A recent report from TEAMtalk named Rangers as one of a number of clubs who are interested in a deal to sign Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller in 2024.

The outlet claimed that Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and West Ham United, among others, are also eyeing up the 17-year-old midfielder as a potential January target.

However, TEAMtalk did not state whether or not the Gers are prepared to firm up their interest with an official approach for his services, or how much it would cost to snap him up from the Scottish side ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Clement could unearth a dream heir to current central midfielder Ryan Jack, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season, by securing a deal for Miller.

Ryan Jack's season in numbers

The Scotland international has featured in eight Premiership matches so far during the 2023/24 campaign and has been in the starting XI four times. He has also started one of his two Europa League appearances this term.

Jack has not provided much defensive protection for his back four as he has made one tackle and zero interceptions in his eight league outings for the Gers, although the experienced ace has made 28 ball recoveries.

The 31-year-old, who has contributed with one goal and zero assists, has also lost 64% of his duels in the top-flight and has, therefore, allowed opposition players to dominate him in physical contests.

These statistics suggest that Clement could improve his side by bringing in a player to replace Jack and add more steel to his options in midfield, which is what Miller could do.

Lennon Miller's season in numbers

The 17-year-old battler has emerged as a terrific Premiership performer with his impressive defensive displays in the middle of the park this season.

Miller has showcased his ability to consistently deliver excellent showings at first-team level in spite of his age and inexperience, which is why he could be an exciting signing for Rangers in the short and long-term.

The teenage dynamo, who Steven Hammell dubbed a "fantastic" gem, has caught the eye with nine interceptions and 23 tackles in nine Premiership matches, along with an eye-catching 69 ball recoveries.

Starts

Nine

Sofascore rating

7.0

Tackles per game

2.6

Errors leading to shots or goals

Zero

Aerial duel success rate

79%

This shows that Miller has the defensive quality to cut out opposition attacks with greater regularity than Jack, as shown by their respective contributions out of possession.

Despite being 17, the Motherwell star has also won 71% of his duels this season and has, therefore, offered more physicality to his side than the Scottish metronome has for Rangers this term, as he has been able to dominate opposition players on a regular basis.

Therefore, Rangers could secure a possible upgrade for their midfield whilst also bringing in a player who has plenty of time on his hands to develop and improve if they can snap Miller up in January to be Jack's heir.

MatériaMais Notícias

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Confira quem são os maiores artilheiros do Corinthians nesta década

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VEJA A TABELA E SIMULE O RESTANTE DO BRASILEIRÃO

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Ainda, caso outro clube apresente uma proposta melhor, o Corinthians vai poder igualar a oferta, pois o Alvinegro possuí a prioridade diante do mercado, além da preferência pessoal dos atletas.

Cazares marcou seu primeiro gol pelo Timão diante do Botafogo, na última rodada do Brasileirão, no estádio Nilton Santos, no Rio. O equatoriano soma quatro assistências em 15 jogos disputados e se tornou essencial para o esquema de Vagner Mancini. Otero já balançou as redes duas vezes e deu um passe para gol nas 17 partidas em que disputou pelo clube.

Candice Warner confirmed the comments came from Jason Hughes and said things had gone too far in the middle

Andrew McGlashan and Dan Brettig27-Oct-2018Banned Australia batsman David Warner briefly walked off the pitch mid-innings during a grade match in Sydney on Saturday after “hurtful abuse” directed at him from Jason Hughes, the brother of Phillip Hughes.Playing for Randwick-Petersham against Western Suburbs, Warner left the field when on 35 after he had taken offence to comments made in the early stages of the match. After a few minutes he was allowed to resume his innings and went on to make 157.Warner’s wife Candice confirmed that it had been Jason Hughes who had made remarks he considered too hurtful, but also indicated that when the former Australia vice-captain is again eligible to play the international game, he would not be changing the “aggressive” way he went about his cricket.”David was taken aback by the comments, and thought they went a bit too far so he decided to remove himself from the game,” Candice Warner said on . “Everyone has their own opinion but I think there’s a difference between sledging and abuse. Yesterday went too far. I think he removed himself because first of all he didn’t like what he was hearing and where that could’ve been taken. It was hurtful, it was very hurtful.”David’s really enjoying playing for Randwick, and it’s just a shame that this has taken from his great knock yesterday. He got 157, he got a century a few rounds a go, so he’s really enjoying playing for Randwick, and it’s just a shame that we’re talking about this instead of his century. David is very passionate and he is an aggressive player, that’s why he’s one of the best players in his position, because he’s aggressive. I think David will have to be careful when he comes back, but he won’t change his style of playing.”ESPNcricinfo understands that the umpires did not hear any comments that raised concerns for them, but were informed by Warner that he was leaving the field. However, they used their commonsense to allow Warner to resume his innings after a few moments to compose himself with the Western Suburbs players happy to allow him to continue. The next batsman had not come out to the middle.As news of his brief walk-off spread, a number of TV crews and reporters arrived at the Pratten Park ground to the west of Sydney but both times Warner later left the field during his innings – at tea and then on his dismissal – he refused to comment on the incident. After being dismissed he emerged from the dressing room to watch the closing overs of the day with team-mates in the stands.Nobody from either club was willing to speak about what happened earlier in the day.Warner is currently serving his one-year ban from international and state cricket handed down by Cricket Australia in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering controversy. He has played in a number of T20 leagues during his Australia ban and was signed to play in the Bangladesh Premier League later this year.The sledging incident comes two days before the reviews into the culture of Australian cricket – instigated after the ball-tampering affair – are to be revealed in Melbourne.

Tuesday's chaotic final was reminiscent of their clash in March's CONCACAF W Gold Cup, but the result was the same, with the U.S. claiming glory.

It was deja vu all over again, particularly for Alyssa Naeher. A disastrous goalkeeping mistake was followed by a heroic penalty shootout performance from the U.S. women's national team star. We saw this exact scenario at the CONCACAF W Gold Cup a month ago, and Tuesday night's SheBelieves Cup final felt like rewatching a movie you'd just seen.

In the end, it was the same result, a USWNT triumph over rivals Canada in a shootout after a 2-2 regulation draw. And, in the end, the USWNT earned another trophy as they continue to build towards the Olympics while giving interim boss Twila Kilgore a brilliant send-off at the same time.

Naeher was the star of the show again as she took yet another journey that ended in heroism. Canada's early goal, a finish from Adriana Leon, was certainly her fault. Fortunately for her, the USWNT battled back, with Sophia Smith notching a brilliant brace.

A late Canada equalizer from the penalty spot set things up for the two teams to battle in a shootout, and once there, it was inevitable: Naeher wasn't going to be stopped. She saved three Canada penalties while making one of her own, leading the charge in their 7-6 shootout victory.

It was another eventful night for the USWNT that saw them earn their second trophy of the calendar year, setting them up for a perfect Summer run at glory. The USWNT are marching toward the Olympics, and they have every reason to as they head into this Summer's showcase event.

GOAL rates the USWNT's players from Lower.com Field…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Alyssa Naeher (7/10):

  What is it about Canada? For the second consecutive match against the northern rivals, Naeher committed a disastrous error. And, for the second consecutive time, she went crazy in the shootout. Multiple saves and a penalty make of her own? Naeher sure is electric in these games.

  Crystal Dunn (5/10):

  Was a bit too high on Canada's goal, but that's the trade-off you make with Dunn. The penalty she conceded was incredibly soft, so you can't even blame her for it, really.

  Abby Dahlkemper (6/10):

  Very composed on the ball, but she's so much better with a pacier defender like Naomi Girma next to her, who she replaced in the XI to begin with.

  Tierna Davidson (5/10):

  Disastrous miscommunication with Naeher on the opening Canada goal. Was solid otherwise, but defenders are defined by their mistakes.

  Emily Fox (7/10):

  Solid as always. Was all over the field throughout and then had the confidence to bury the winning pen. You always know what you're getting from Fox.

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  Midfield

  Emily Sonnett (6/10):

  Felt a bit redundant during the first half, but was helpful in the second when the U.S. switched things up tactically. Her penalty, a chance to win it, was awful, but her teammates bailed her out.

  Sam Coffey (6/10):

  Wasn't as good as she has been recently, which is partly due to her and Sonnett doing a lot of the same things. Because of that, it made sense to take one of them out for Swanson to start the second half.

  Lindsey Horan (7/10):

  Played a big part in the second goal with her line-breaking pass. Was physically mauled several times, but Horan kept her head down and balled out.

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  Attack

  Jaedyn Shaw (7/10):

  Another game, another goal contribution. Smith did most of the work with her long-range finish, but Shaw was tidy on the ball before providing the assist.

  Alex Morgan (6/10):

  Had one really good chance and was unlucky to see it blocked away. The team looked more free-flowing after she came out, which isn't ideal for her.

  Sophia Smith (8/10):

  Oh, she needed this. She hasn't gotten on the scoresheet enough throughout the past year or so, but she's still so, so dangerous. Turning that danger into goals is vital for the USWNT and, if Smith is this good at the Olympics, defenses are in trouble.

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  Subs & Manager

  Mallory Swanson (8/10):

  Immediately changed the game, particularly with her passing. Was incredible with the ball at her feet, offering a glimpse into what might have been had she been healthy last summer.

  Trinity Rodman (7/10):

  Fantastic assist to set up Smith's second goal. Will be frustrated by her missed pen, though.

  Korbin Albert (6/10):

  Came in to replace Shaw to add a more traditional midfielder to the mix. Didn't really change the game much.

  Casey Krueger (N/A):

  Last-minute sub. Hardly had time to run around, but was a solid close-out sub.

  Twila Kilgore (7/10):

  Girma's injury forced her hand a bit and the XI did have some weak points. Nailed it with the subs, especially Swanson, who changed the match.

To ensure that Mohammed Shami arrives fit and not overworked for the Test series in Australia, the BCCI has put a condition on him turning up for Bengal next week for their Ranji Trophy match against Kerala. The BCCI cleared Shami, India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests so far this year, to play the match at Eden Gardens from November 20, subject to him bowling not more than 15-17 overs in an innings.The BCCI was responding to the request from Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on whether Shami could play in the Kerala match since he was available. Shami had turned up in the Bengal dressing room this week during their match against Madhya Pradesh. Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary was pleasantly surprised to see the fast bowler and checked about his availability. “I asked him if you are here anyways, why don’t you play [the next round of Ranji],” Tiwary told ESPNcricinfo.Shami was eventually picked in the 16-man squad for what will be Bengal’s second Ranji game this season. According to Tiwary, Shami responded positively and said he was “eager” to play as long as the BCCI gave him the permission. At the selection meeting on Friday, also attended by former India opener Arun Lal (Bengal mentor), Bengal coach Sairaj Bahutule and CAB secretary Avishek Dalmiya, Tiwary was informed about the BCCI making it mandatory to maintain Shami’s workload.The BCCI informed CAB that Shami should ideally bowl not more than 15 overs per innings and a few additional ones if need be. The BCCI physio would also need to be sent a daily chart of Shami’s workload after each day’s play.Although Lal understood BCCI’s concern of ensuring the senior bowler would not be overused, he pointed out that Shami playing the Ranji match would only be beneficial for both him and India. “I am glad that he is playing,” Lal said. “But if you want to prepare for a Test series, what better than match practice.”The BCCI’s concern is based on Shami’s recent fitness issues. He was hampered by a knee injury during the IPL, which played a role in him not regaining fitness for the one-off home Test against Afghanistan. However, Shami returned strong and was relentless during the five-Test series in England, followed by the first Test at home against West Indies. He also played the first two ODIs against West Indies last month.Shami was picked as part of of the Indian Test squad for the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy that gets underway in Adelaide from December 6. Shami has been an integral part of the Indian fast-bowling unit, which played an impressive role on the tours of South Africa and England. So far this year, Shami has 33 wickets in nine Tests, at an average of 27.60, including a five-for in the final innings of the Johannesburg Test that India won in January.

Arsenal are back in action this afternoon following the international break, as Mikel Arteta’s side travel to west London to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Gunners will hope to get their away form back on track after picking up just one point from their previous two trips away from home in the Premier League, with the Bees expected to be far from easy to overcome.

Following the two week pause in play for the international festivities, Arteta’s side is anticipated to look far different from the team that beat Burnley 3-1 at the Emirates last time out, with a number of faces set to re-enter the fold.

Arsenal team news vs Brentford

Away from injury, first choice shot-stopper David Raya will be unavailable for the fixture due to being ineligible to play against his parent club, as his deal at Arsenal is still a loan from Brentford.

Reports have surfaced to unsurprisingly relay that the Gunners wish to activate a permanent contract for the Spaniard, meaning more bad news for Aaron Ramsdale, who will get a rare chance between the posts this afternoon.

Against the Clarets, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Gabriel Jesus were unavailable due to injury and illness.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta admitted that White and Odegaard will “hopefully” return to the fold against Brentford, but couldn't confirm the status of the two players for certain.

The talk of the international break was the emergence of Jesus, who had missed Arsenal’s previous five fixtures due to injury, however was called up to represent Brazil and played 90 minutes for his country whilst on duty.

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Despite returning after recording some impressive performances prior to his injury, there is some debate as to whether the four-time Premier League winner should automatically reclaim his number nine spot, as his replacement has been in terrific form in his absence.

The stats that suggest Leandro Trossard should keep his place in the XI

Predominantly fielded as a left-winger, Leandro Trossard has been Arteta’s guiding light when leading the line this season, recording a higher conversion rate than both Jesus and Eddie Nketiah when playing centrally, as per Sofascore.

Lauded for his “lively” presence in the final third by Arteta, Jesus’ energy and positivity has been missed, although the Belgian has provided a more clinical streak than the Brazilian, who admitted that scoring goals is not his “strong point” while on international duty.

Once dubbed “absolutely clinical” by journalist Phil Costa, the Belgium international has contributed to three goals in his previous two appearances for Arsenal, scoring two and assisting once, playing central on both occasions.

Trossard’s emergence as the Gunners’ most prolific striker must be celebrated, with the chance for Arteta to raise the level of performance of both Jesus and Nketiah to reach the form of the former Brighton whiz, who has made a stellar impact since arriving in January.

In Brentford, Arsenal face a task of keeping near to the top of the table while trying to overcome the Bees, who have won three of their previous five in the league.

Fielding Trossard over Jesus would benefit the north Londoners with reference to the challenge ahead, with the need to take their chances pivotal in a game that will be highly contested.