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Chelsea remain one of the most inconsistent teams in the Premier League this season, but that's also what makes them so exciting to watch, for a neutral, anyway.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are capable of taking a point off of Manchester City at the Etihad and drawing with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, but they can also fall to a 4-1 home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

This topsy-turvy nature of the team should perhaps be expected, given the number of young and relatively inexperienced players in the squad, but that just makes you wonder how good the team could be with a few more experienced names in there.

In fact, there is one former Blues star who was let go for free a few years ago who has outscored Mykhaylo Mudryk this season, a player Poch would surely have loved to have in the side.

How Mykhailo Mudryk has performed this season

Now, where the young Ukrainian was an unmitigated disaster for the Blues last season, registering just two assists for the Blues in 17 games, he has been reasonably okay this season.

In his 25 games for Pochettino so far, he has scored four goals, including a particularly odd one against Arsenal, and provided three assists.

While it's still not quite the return you'd want from a £62m player, it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

He also seems to have the backing of his manager, who said, "He's already an important player, but he's going to improve a lot because the potential is massive."

However, while he could be a world-beater a few years down the line, Chelsea are in need of game-changers today, which is why it must be somewhat frustrating to see Willian tearing it up for Fulham just down the road.

How Willian has performed this season

The former Brazilian international spent a tremendously successful seven years at Chelsea between August 2013 and 2020, in which he made 339 appearances, scored 63 goals, provided 62 assists and won practically everything there was to win – bar a Champions League.

He signed for Arsenal on a free after leaving the Blues but quickly returned to Brazil a year later when it was clear it wouldn't work out in north London.

He was only in Brazil for a year before returning to English football, joining Chelsea's next-door neighbours Fulham on a free transfer in September 2022.

In his first season with the Cottagers, he managed an impressive return of five goals and six assists in 30 appearances from the wings, which was enough to make him the joint-second-highest scorer at the club.

Impressively, he has maintained that form into this year, and despite turning 35 at the start of the campaign, the "outrageous" winger, as described by Chelsea content creator Alex Goldberg, has bagged five goals and two assists in just 27 appearances.

Now, he obviously wouldn't be a regular starter under Pochettino this season, but he would undoubtedly be a valuable squad player both for his on-pitch output and his off-pitch guidance for Chelsea's promising crop of youngsters.

Chelsea must rue selling "special" ace with more PL goals than Drogba

The brilliant dynamo has gone on to become one of the all-time greats.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 21, 2024

Who knows, when Willian's contract runs out with Fulham in the summer, he might opt to have one last go of it at the Bridge.

14-year-old wonderkid Cavan Sullivan scored his second-ever professional goal Thursday evening for the Philadelphia Union II.

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• Recently signed pro deal with Union
• Has Man City transfer clause at age 18
• Scored second-ever pro goal

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In MLS NEXT Pro action Thursday evening, Sullivan bagged the second of three goals for Union II en-route to a 3-1 victory over Chattanooga FC.

  It was the second-straight game with a goal for the 14-year-old, who made waves earlier this year after signing the largest Homegrown deal in MLS history with the Philadelphia-based franchise.

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  Sullivan made a brilliant near-post run in the box, being lined up as their attacking midfielder in a 4-3-1-2 formation, slotting past the goalkeeper in tidy fashion.

  He now awaits his MLS debut, with first-team boss Jim Curtin watching as he awaits to call him up to the squad.

  One of the highest-rated youth products in U.S. Soccer's storied history, the 14-year-old will move to Manchester City upon turning 18 in 2027 and City will pay up to $5 million (£4m/€4.6m).

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SULLIVAN?

  Union II are back in action on Friday, July 19 against New York City FC II. Sullivan and co. – who sit first in the league standings – will take on an in-form side, who are unbeaten in their last eight matches in league play.

Javier Mascherano has claimed that Argentina's Olympic base was robbed before their shock defeat to Morocco.

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• Robbers barged in while the team were training
• A police complaint has been filed in Lyon
• Mascherano fuming at "disagreeable" incident

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Albiceleste's campaign in Paris has sunk into further chaos as their training base was allegedly burglarised. Among the stolen items is allegedly a watch belonging to Thiago Almada. Subsequently, the Argentine delegation lodged a police report in Lyon, according to the prosecutor's office in Saint-Etienne.

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  WHAT MASCHERANO SAID

  Mascherano confirmed the incident, stating, "They went into training and robbed us, in the Olympic Games. We didn't want to say anything after training, I don't think it helps anything. But obviously, it's a bit disagreeable that these kinds of things happen."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Argentina have had a chaotic start to their Olympic campaign in Paris as their opening match got suspended for nearly 75 minutes after Moroccan fans stormed the pitch and threw bottles to protest an equalising goal by Cristian Medina during the 16th minute of added time. When play resumed after a lengthy gap, the goal was later disallowed for offside by VAR and Morocco managed to hold their lead during the remaining three minutes of play. Mascherano labelled the event "a circus" and the Argentine Football Federation lodged a formal protest with FIFA.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Argentina will hope to put behind their troubled start in Paris and focus on the next game against Iraq on July 27 to keep their hopes of a knockout berth alive.

Perhaps the biggest triumph of Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Tottenham Hotspur so far is implementing the entertaining football that was nowhere to be seen last term.

Harry Kane might have scored 30 Premier League goals as he leapfrogged Wayne Rooney into second in the all-time scoring charts, but it was a one-man show for much of the campaign and Antonio Conte's dismissal in March – Daniel Levy's fourth managerial sacking in as many years – spoke of the decline that threatened everything.

To put things into context, while there have been grumblings that Spurs are marred by inconsistency (they are) and Aston Villa's fine form could prove to be too much for Tottenham in their top four (maybe, maybe not) there is evidence of progress after last year's eighth-placed finish.

In time, Postecoglou's project will hopefully soar to new heights, and while nothing in football is certain the Australian manager has implemented a discernable, attractive identity that has married into a shrewd, thought-out recruitment strategy.

While this hasn't always been the case, certainly not in recent memory, Tottenham have welcomed the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Brennan Johnson – and more – since the summer to form a new-look promising side.

Moreover, the club arguably boasts the finest youth institution in the country right now, with the U21s top of the Premier League 2 and so much quality flooding in.

Spurs may have their biggest prospect since Kane in “complete” youngster

The youngster has already scored in the Premier League.

By
Tom Lever

Mar 6, 2024

For all that talent, it would be quite the feat if someone were to surpass a player of Dele Alli's calibre, but that might just be the case given some of the prospects' performances.

Dele Alli's Spurs beginnings

Dele is unquestionably one of the finest youngsters to make their mark in the Premier League. Ever. Signing for Tottenham from MK Dons for around £5m back in 2015, opting for the north London club over suitors such as Liverpool and Newcastle United, the 27-year-old played a key role in a formidable Tottenham attack under Mauricio Pochettino's leadership.

Clinical, confident and creative, Dele thrived in the shadow of centre-forward Kane, playing off his Three Lions teammate to combine for some sumptuous play, praising the "perfect deliveries" he received during the balmy days of Pochettino's tenure.

The Argentine manager, now in the Chelsea dugout, was only too happy to provide Dele with a platform, gushing over his lofty potential: "If he is not the best young player in Europe, he’s one of the best. Look at his age and his statistics, the potential is massive."

Alas, the table below depicts a sombre tale, one of a bleak decline that is a by-product of mental health issues and a turbulent upbringing that the player himself revealed to Gary Neville on The Overlap in a heartbreaking and candid interview in 2023.

While the past few years have been torrid, Dele will forever be remembered for his unbelievable introduction to life in the Premier League, leaving defenders eating dust and defying the odds with the constancy of his output.

Jaw-dropping strikes, expertly-timed headers, innate movement into dangerous positions, Dele had it all and while Tottenham are currently nurturing a collective crop of youngsters beyond anything the club has seen in a long time, it would take some player to overtake the now-Everton player.

Well, that ace might just materialise in the form of Lucas Bergvall, who will join the fold during the summer.

Why Lucas Bergvall is Spurs' biggest talent

Interestingly, Tottenham purchased Bergvall from Djurgårdens IF in the January transfer window and loaned him back to his current club for the remainder of the campaign, much the same as when Dele made the move from League One.

Hijacking Barcelona's deal for the Sweden international, 18 years old at the time, Levy engineered a real statement of intent in completing the transfer for a fee approaching £8.5m, with Bergvall endowed with the talent to succeed at the highest level for many years to come.

Described as a "generational" talent by one scout, Bergvall is a rangy centre-midfielder with natural press resistance, impressive strength and vision that will leave Spurs' forwards salivating.

His former coach, Andreas Engelmark, has waxed lyrical over his potential and believes the all-action skill set sets him in good stead to succeed: "In terms of his skillset, he’s good with the ball. He’s a good passer, he can drive with the ball. He’s pretty complete in that way. He has the physicality to be a good ball-winner as well but I think that’s something he needs to be more consistent with to take his game to the next level.

“I think his best position is as a No 8 and we will see in the next few years if he sticks with that position or is going to become more of a 6.”

It's a risky game to anoint a talented teenager as a prodigy before they've even stepped foot on a Premier League pitch but there's an understanding and belief that Bergvall, guided aptly, could have the making of a leading figure in Postecoglou's first-team.

Why Bergvall is a dream for Richarlison

The fact that Bergvall is still malleable enough, in a positive sense, to be shaped and wrought into a star fit for purpose at the heart of Postecoglou's engine room is only a good thing, and his intelligence and determination to succeed suggests that he will absorb the Australian's style as he works to make an impression.

As per Sofascore, he has completed 88% of his passes in the Allsvenskan this season while succeeding with 68% of his dribbles, scoring two goals and supplying one assist from 11 starting appearances.

His gliding gait and precision in driving into the danger area make for the perfect player to play off Richarlison, much like Dele behind Kane way back when, and given that the Brazilian frontman has been in scintillating form for Tottenham recently, scoring nine goals from his past ten Premier League fixtures, Bergvall could indeed be the player to maintain this efficiency.

Of course, Richarlison, aged 26, is hardly suffering from a lack of playmakers in midfield, with the elite Maddison flanked by Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son, but Bergvall is a unique player with a singular identity on the field – there's a reason that Barcelona held such a vested interest in securing his services.

As per FBref, Richarlison ranks among the top 6% of centre-forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, and that's despite alternating between the left wing and the striking role.

Bergvall will drive, surge, penetrate. He will pull defenders from their sentinels in the rearguard like a sprinting lightbulb attracting moths, allowing the ever-present-in-the-box Richarlison to find space and unleash, and score.

Postecoglou is cooking something at Tottenham, and the parties barely started; Bergvall is the elite talent who could elevate the squad to new heights. Finally.

Rapper Travis Scott has taken in a visit to Serie A side AC Milan and been presented with a shirt by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

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• Scott meets AC Milan stars in Italy
• Is gifted his own Rossoneri shirt
• Milan heading to US for pre-season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Scott has been in Italy and taken time out to check in on AC Milan. The rapper attended an event in Milan along with club legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Loftus-Cheek and tennis star Serena Williams. Loftus-Cheek took the opportunity to present Scott with his own Rossoneri jersey, complete with his name and the No.5 on the back.

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  Scott is in Italy as part of the European leg of his Circus Maximus Tour. The rapper has gone down a storm in the Italian city with over 80,000 fans coming out to see his show. He shared footage of the crowd on social media with the message: "Last night was a dream. No this isn't a festival. This is a show on the tour. In the words of Stromberg. Milan y'all owe me nothing. Y'all gave y'all all 80k of y'all had the best time ever."

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• WHAT NEXT

  Scott is set to continue his tour, while Milan are set to jet off to the United States for a pre-season tour of their own. The Rossoneri are due to take on Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona in North America before heading home to kick off their Serie A campaign on August 17 against Torino at San Siro.

Newcastle United are believed to be eyeing a "world-class" replacement for Dan Ashworth, assuming he departs the club soon, with the individual in question a highly-rated young figure in the European game.

Newcastle begin sporting director hunt

It looks increasingly as though Ashworth will join Manchester United in the coming months, having requested to leave St James' Park, following nearly two years at the club. The 52-year-old was previously at Brighton, gaining a reputation as a transfer mastermind, but Newcastle now have to face life without him.

Ashworth is currently on gardening leave, and as long as the Red Devils are willing to pay the Magpies £20m in compensation, they will be able to acquire his signature.

Now, PIF, and most notably Steve Nickson, will be working harder than ever to find the perfect replacement for the Englishman – someone who can work seamlessly alongside Eddie Howe, continuing to bring in top-class players, as Ashworth has with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak, among others.

Newcastle eyeing "world-class" Dan Ashworth replacement

According to HITC, former Roma director Tiago Pinto has emerged as one of the leading contenders to join Newcastle as Ashworth's successor in the near future, while Nickson is already getting a head start on summer transfers.

The report states that the Magpies have tasked Nickson to "push on with their summer plans", with the St James' Park head of recruitment holding down the fort until a new chief is in place. Pinto represents an exciting young choice to be Newcastle's new sporting director, having done an impressive job during his spell as a director at Roma. In fact, he has been lauded by the club's chairman Dan Friedkin in the past.

Pinto has publicly expressed his admiration for the Magpies, admitting this week: "If a big club like Newcastle asks to speak to you, then of course you're interested." He also of course has a relationship with Jose Mourinho, who has his own connections to Tyneside through Sir Bobby Robson, and it could be interesting to see if any interest in the legendary manager arises should Pinto get the job.

Chelsea could get rid of striker Romelu Lukaku for good this summer in a swap deal for one club's "big" and "mobile" number nine, according to a report this week.

Boehly eyeing new centre-forward for Chelsea

Chairman Todd Boehly and the wider Blues recruitment team are reported to be eyeing a new striker for manager Mauricio Pochettino next season if the head coach does indeed stay on that long.

Chelsea sources coy over target as Todd Boehly puts club chiefs to work

He could be “one to watch”.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 19, 2024

The Blues have languished in mid-table for the majority of this season, with Pochettino under mounting pressure, and you could argue that a real factor in that has been Chelsea's lack of a 25-plus goal-per-season forward.

Nicolas Jackson has impressed in flashes but arguably isn't quite the finished article just yet, with the majority of Chelsea's goals coming courtesy of summer signing Cole Palmer.

This has led to reports that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is firmly on the Chelsea agenda heading into this summer, among other striking options, and the club have been urged to sign another centre-forward.

"How many times have Chelsea gone down that route of signing an experienced striker?" said pundit Pat Nevin to OCB Scores (via The Metro).

"You think of the certain strikers that Chelsea have signed in the latter stages of their career, the likes of Shevchenko, I could go through a number of them.

"If you are creating a number of chances which Chelsea are, maybe you just need someone who can put the ball in the net. Evan Ferguson would be the more obvious one to go for. If you’re going down the route of signing a young striker, Ferguson would be the one I would look at.

"Someone is needed upfront because when we’re asking Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s best player, to play upfront with his back to goal, of course he can do it but you’re putting your best player out of position."

One striker signing for Chelsea which certainly hasn't worked out is Lukaku, who is currently on loan at Roma and actually playing pretty well, which could give them hope in finding a permanent suitor for the Belgian this summer.

Roma themselves may well want to take that option after his impressive 23/24 season, and it is now suggested that a familiar striker could come the other way to sweeten a deal.

Suggestion Chelsea could sign Abraham in Lukaku swap deal

That is according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, who are currently unwilling to pay the £37 million needed to sign Lukaku, on £325,000-a-week.

As a result, the idea of a discount, with Tammy Abraham returning to Chelsea, is "on the table". Indeed, a Chelsea swap deal for Abraham with Lukaku going the other way is apparently possible.

The Englishman has been out for the entirety of this season with an ACL injury, but has impressed in Serie A with Roma in prior seasons – netting 17 league goals over the 2021/2022 season. Abraham has also been called a "big" and "mobile" striker by pundit Kevin Campbell (Football Insider).

After 2023 World Cup and 2024 Copa America collapses, there's reason to dream again for U.S. women's and men's national teams

As the summer began, it seemed as if the joy had been drained from American soccer.

On the U.S. men's national team side, Gregg Berhalter had just been fired in the wake of the group's unexpected Copa America failure on home soil. It was an embarrassment of epic proportions, as the U.S. became the first-ever host country to crash out in the group stage.

The U.S. women's national team was reeling, fresh off two semi-disappointing performances in Olympic send-off friendlies against Mexico and Costa Rica, all in the long shadow of the 2023 World Cup disappointment that also led to a coaching change, with Emma Hayes just getting started.

And, on the men's Olympic side, Marko Mitrovic's U23 Olympic roster was largely panned. Several exclusions stood out while a few players that were included did little to inspire. The equation seemed too difficult to solve, with none of those factors adding up to what would looked like sustained Olympic runs.

Nothing will completely cleanse the bad aftertaste of the last year – failed World Cup and Copa America missions – but in over the past week, these two U.S. Olympic teams have certainly done their best. American soccer's run through the Olympics has gone better than anyone could have expected, with both teams fighting their way into this week's quarterfinals – Friday for the men, Saturday for the women.

That's a significant development for both programs and American soccer. The job is far from finished, but for the moment, anyway, It gives both teams a chance at a medal, and restored the fun for fans. And after an early-summer humbling, this late-summer run has given the country something even more important: hope.

• Getty
  

  A disastrous start

  It's been well chronicled, so we'll be brief: the Copa America couldn't have gone much worse for the USMNT.

  After opening the tournament with a win over Bolivia, the U.S. seemed on their way. It all came crashing down against Panama, though. A loss to Los Canaleros put the U.S. up against it, leaving them needing a win over Uruguay … that didn't happen. They were bounced out in the group stage. It was a disaster.

  Gregg Berhalter paid for it with his job, and rightfully so. A failure of those proportions required change, and it was Berhalter who suffered the consequences. The coaching search remains open and, until that hire is made – and depending on whom U.S. soccer chooses – the USMNT is in limbo.

  The next coach is will have much work to do. The Copa America proved that this team isn't as far along as many had hoped. With less than two years before the start of the World Cup, time is running out. If this team is to contend on home soil, it all needs to come together fast.

  There are concerns about this program. Will they be ready for 2026? Will this supposed Golden Generation ever live up to the hype? And truth be told, is this generation even golden at all?

  These questions didn't exist just a few months ago but now define the USMNT during a pivotal moment in this program's history.

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  A rapid start to the Hayes Era

  Heading into the Olympics, there were justifiable concerns about the immediate future of the USWNT. Everything was looking up, of course, thanks to the arrival of Emma Hayes, but there were still residual concerns from the 2023 failure – and with the Olympics around the corner, could she turn it around in time?

  The answer turned out to be an emphatic yes.

  Through three games, the USWNT have looked better than they have in years. They battered both Zambia and Germany before edging past Australia, winning the group while sending a message to the rest of the world: this team is back.

  An uncertain future and tempered expectations have suddenly turned into a legitimate quest for gold. Last summer's World Cup failure suddenly seems so long ago. And while this is largely the same roster, it's entered a new era, one that could potentially achieve the highest levels of success.

  For the long-term, Hayes clearly has a plan in place. Her short-term tactics are already on point, and that makes it even more exciting to see what her long-term vision could be. She's pushed all the right buttons so far; just wait until she actually has all of the options at her disposal.

  These Olympics have marked the USWNT's climb back towards the top. And it's only just beginning.

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  U23 men handle business

  It started off pretty poorly, to be honest. After a strong first-half against France, the wheels fell off in a 3-0 loss in the USMNT's opening match of the 2024 Olympics. The U23s would need two results to advance, and the margin for error had completely disappeared.

  But guess what? This team figured it out.

  Leading up to the tournament, there was much consternation about who wasn't on the squad. Diego Luna was probably the biggest snub, but players such as Ricardo Pepi and Rokas Pukstas, who were legitimate options, weren't released. Gio Reyna and Yunus Musah were eligible, but weren't involved.

  And yet? This team figured it out.

  After that humbling loss to France, they rebounded with a lopsided 4-1 win over New Zealand, a victory in a must-win game that gave the U.S. momentum heading into the group stage finale. Needing a win in that match to advance, and in control of their own destinty, the U23s blasted Guinea, 3-0, sealing a knockout round spot.

  And the most impressive part? How the young stars have stepped up. Kevin Paredes has balled out on the left-hand side. Tanner Tessmann has made a legitimate USMNT case in the middle. Djordje Mihailovic, one of this team's overage veteran leaders at 25, has been fantastic, providing the type of results to justify his place in the squad. Nathan Harriel is this team's unsung hero while John Tolkin has had plenty of bright moments at left-back.

  The future, both long and short-term, is bright. Yes, this is just the quarterfinals. Yes, it could all end in one game. But it's worth pausing to reflect on the accomplishment. Remember, the U.S. men last qualified for the Olympics in 2008, and now, for the first time since 2000, this team advanced to the knockout rounds. That year, they went to the bronze medal game – can they repeat that feat, or more, this time around?

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  The road ahead in the Olympics

  The USWNT suddenly have justifiable hopes of winning gold.

  First up is a quarterfinal against Japan, an old rival. The two teams met in the 2011 World Cup final, a legendary Japan win. The U.S. got their revenge one summer later to win gold at the Olympics in London in 2012. Then came another U.S. win in the 2015 Women's World Cup final.

  Can the Americans continue that hot streak this summer?

  If they do beat Japan, they'll face the winner of the Germany-Canada match in the semifinal knowing that they'll at least get a shot at a medal. Prior to the tournament, that was certainly the goal, but have the expectations changed? This team blitzed through the group stage, outscoring three opponents by a combined 9-2, the most goals the USWNT have ever scored in an Olympics the group. Given that potential path to the final, the U.S. will feel like they should keep winning and advancing.

  As for the men, this will be no easy task: their quarterfinal will see them face a tough Morocco team. Led by superstar Achraf Hakimi, Morocco topped Argentina both on the field and then in the group in these Olympics. This team is a legitimate force to be reckoned with.

  Hope is high for both teams. Both are just one victory away from a guaranteed chance at a medal. Given the chaos that preceded this tournament, it already feels as if its been a success.

Leeds United ensured that all of the top three teams in the Championship were victorious on Easter Monday, helped by Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James coming to the rescue late on in a 3-1 win.

At one point, the game looked like it could be heading for a draw but the reliable Whites pair had other ideas in mind to steer Daniel Farke's men to their 26th win in the division to date.

Summerville and James coming up trumps spared the blushes of one underperformer for the West Yorkshire titans, who might well find his spot is taken up by a fresher body when the promotion chasers travel to Coventry City next.

On the contrary, both star wingers will find that their positions in Farke's starting eleven are even more set in stone after the enthralling win over the Tigers last night.

Crysencio Summerville and Dan James stepping up again

The dynamic duo took their combined season goal tally to an impressive 31 in all competitions with their respective strikes against Liam Rosenior's determined away side, a remarkable output from both the Dutchman and the Welshman.

Summerville would initially give the Whites the lead from the penalty spot, whilst James would make the win secure late on with an audacious strike which caught out Ryan Allsop who had ventured forward for a corner with the Tigers in last chance saloon.

Away from their crucial goals, the pair also shone as livewires throughout the entertaining contest.

Summerville, in particular, was a handful having won the spot-kick he converted as the clock ran down alongside registering six out of seven successful ground duels to constantly try and kickstart something for his promotion-seeking outfit.

James was also lively in patches against Hull, notching up two key passes and two efforts on goal with one of those securing all three points for Farke's men in dramatic fashion.

In stark contrast, Patrick Bamford struggled to find the back of the net from point-blank range for his West Yorkshire employers over a disappointing 72-minute run-out for the 30-year-old striker.

Patrick Bamford's performance vs Hull in numbers

Bamford would miss an absolute sitter for Leeds in the eventual 3-1 victory, put on a plate by James to fire home but the experienced attacker fluffed his lines and skied the opportunity well over Allsop's net.

It was a night to forget for the 6 foot 1 attacker in truth, who was handed out a 4/10 rating by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth post-match, who stated Bamford 'couldn't make the ball stick' at Elland Road.

The misfiring Whites number nine would only have that chance to show for his attacking play unfortunately, mustering up a meagre 19 touches of the ball as an anonymous lone centre-forward.

When Mateo Joseph was introduced into the game up top, Farke's men looked so much more lively going forward with the Spain U21 international hitting the post a matter of minutes after being substituted on in place of Bamford.

Farke will have to think long and hard about whether he should stick by an underperforming Bamford or utilise Joseph from the start instead as the business end of the season really comes into view.

Based on his dire showing against Hull, the smart call could be to drop the below-par Whites number nine for the trip to the Sky Blues and start a new striker alongside Summerville and James.

The FA has announced that Jarred Gillett will referee the Community Shield this weekend, instead of John Brooks.

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• FA announce refereeing change
• Man Utd face Man City at Wembley
• Traditional curtain-raiser for new season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The FA issued a statement on Thursday, in which they announced that Brooks would not be taking charge of this weekend's traditional season curtain-raiser between Manchester United and Manchester City. Gillett will instead take charge of the game, having been promoted from his originally slated role of fourth official.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  Per the FA's statement, Brooks has sustained a minor injury and will not be fit to referee the game. Gillett has instead stepped in and will be in the middle for the Manchester derby. Sam Barrott will replace Gillett as the fourth official.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gillett has refereed four Manchester United matches in total, and has also refereed City four times. He has never handed out a red card in those games, but has brandished 11 yellow cards.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Manchester derby will take place this weekend at Wembley. Then, United face Fulham in their opening Premier League game on August 16, while City play Chelsea two days later.