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Heading into the final 20 minutes of the tense Championship contest at Bramall Lane, Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United looked to be on course to pick up a monumental 1-0 win to shake up proceedings at the top of the table.

However, much like Leeds United managed against Sunderland, the Whites heroically fought back with Junior Firpo initially levelling the game at 1-1, before a late double by Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe handed the Whites another dramatic victory to send them five points clear at the second tier summit.

Wilder was visibly gutted at the final whistle as his promotion-chasing side had to swallow their last-gasp collapse, with a large number of Blades underperformers letting the 57-year-old down on the big occasion.

Sheffield United's biggest underperformers vs Leeds

After a positive first-half display saw the South Yorkshire outfit head into the break one nil to the good, the second half performance – on the contrary – saw United recede into their shell with cracks appearing in their often solid defence.

The likes of former Peterborough United man Harrison Burrows struggled throughout coming up against classy Leeds attackers in the form of Manor Solomon and Daniel James, with the latter of the two speedsters picking up two assists on the night.

Anel Ahmedhodzic also had an uncharacteristically shaky time of things in the heart of defence, away from Burrows’ woes, with zero duels won by the typically imposing Bosnian across the 90 minutes.

Away from the defenders, the attackers also weren’t in full flow in front of the expectant Bramall Lane masses, with second-half substitute Tom Cannon still firing blanks since his arrival from Leicester City, having mustered up just eight meagre touches when introduced.

But, one of Wilder’s main underperformers did come from the disappointing back four, with the underwhelming figure in question having a hard time at winning duels himself when partnering Ahmedhodzic.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Jack Robinson's performance in numbers

With Rob Holding now in reserve, Blades captain Jack Robinson will be concerned about his starting spot moving forward if his torrid night against Daniel Farke’s table-toppers is anything to go by.

Indeed, the ex-Liverpool youngster turned stalwart in Sheffield was nowhere near the staunch best that saw him win an impressive 11 duels on the road versus Luton Town just before this crunch clash back on home soil.

Minutes played

90

Goals conceded

2

Touches

59

Accurate passes

23/32 (72%)

Possession lost

19x

Accurate long balls

1/9

Successful dribbles

0/1

Tackles

0

Total duels won

1/3

In stark contrast, his showing against the table-toppers saw him win just one pitiful duel all match long, on top of other worrying statistics that saw the usually assured defender squander possession a costly 19 times when Wilder’s hosts were routinely under the cosh.

Also failing to complete a single successful dribble, this was an individual display Robinson won’t look back on with much fondness when the season is up, especially if his side’s ongoing promotion hopes are dented.

Sheffield Star journalist Danny Hall dished out a middle-of-the-road 5/10 rating to Robinson after the match, with all of the defence receiving critical marks off the back of such a sobering final score.

Wilder will hope the 31-year-old can put this out-of-sorts showing behind him quick when United travel to Queens Park Rangers next, with a worry that this poor performance could seriously bruise his confidence.

Whilst Leeds continue to shine at the top of the league, this defeat means United are set to be in for an intense battle with Scott Parker’s Burnley for that second automatic promotion spot, with Wilder praying his team still come out on top.

Value has fallen £12m: Sheffield United hit gold selling "brilliant" star

Sheffield United cashed in on this star at the best possible time.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 20, 2025

John Terry posted a hilarious comeback after James Maddison wore his full kit for Tottenham's Europa League final celebrations.

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Maddison copies Terry's full-kit approachMissed Europa League final with injuryFormer Chelsea skipper posts hilarious comebackFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Maddison was injured for the Europa League final in Bilbao, which Tottenham won by beating Manchester United 1-0. The midfielder then dressed up in his kit for the trophy presentation, something John Terry made headlines for when Chelsea won the Champions League in 2012.

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Terry was suspended for that 2012 triumph over Bayern Munich after being sent off in the semi-final against Barcelona. He was then mocked after appearing on the pitch in his full kit to receive his medal and lift the trophy.

WHAT MADDISON AND TERRY SAID

Maddison initially posted on his Instagram story: "To kit. Full John Terry mode. Anything to say tonight John?"

Terry replied: "I remember my first trophy. Ah bless them. Get the tequila out. Great season from you boys, you should all be proud!"

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MADDISON?

Maddison will now be aiming to get fit for the 2025/26 season as Spurs aim to improve on their Premier League position and build on their first silverware since 2008.

A new era is on the horizon for Glasgow Rangers after it was reported this week that the 49ers investment group have agreed a deal in principle to become the new owners of the club.

Sky Sports reports that they are aiming to buy 51% of the shares at Ibrox to become the majority owners, with health insurance tycoon Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe said to be two of the leading figures in the takeover.

The report adds that Dave King and John Bennett, among others, are prepared to part ways with their shares in order for this takeover to be completed in the coming weeks and months.

A big decision on the direction of the club has already been made, recently, before any takeover could be completed, though, as Rangers opted to remove Philippe Clement from his post.

The Belgian head coach managed 86 matches for the Gers and won a single trophy, beating Aberdeen 1-0 in the League Cup final early on in his tenure.

Once the 49ers gain majority control, they can start to make their own decisions to direct the future of the club, and they should be ruthless in the summer transfer window, letting three stars move on from Ibrox.

1 Danilo

Rangers, managed by Michael Beale at the time, reportedly splashed out a significant fee of £6m to sign Danilo from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023.

Unfortunately, the Scottish giants have not had much back in return in the subsequent 18 months as his time at Ibrox has been plagued by injury issues.

Danilo broke his cheekbone in September of his first season at the club and missed nine matches before returning in October, only to suffer a knee injury in December that kept him out until May – missing 32 games in the process.

The 25-year-old number nine has also missed 12 games with a knee injury in the current campaign, which means that the centre-forward has sat out a staggering 53 matches across all competitions for Rangers since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Danilo, who was accused of being “sloppy” on the ball by pundit Steven Thompson in his first season, has had some good moments, including the goal against Celtic above, in a Gers shirt – with 12 goals and eight assists in 40 appearances.

The former Feyenoord man, excluding loanees, is reportedly the third-highest earner at the club on £26k-per-week, earning more than Hamza Igamane (£7.2k-per-week), who has scored more goals this season (13) than the £6m signing has in his entire Rangers career (12) to date.

His lack of availability and production on the pitch when fit, compared to the wage he is on, suggests that the 49ers must ruthlessly sell him in the summer, in order to make way for a more reliable replacement to come in.

Danilo is not the only high-earning player who must be ditched by the new ownership, though, as attacking midfielder Tom Lawrence should also be let go.

2 Tom Lawrence

The Wales international was signed on a free transfer from Derby County by former Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst back in the summer of 2022.

Like Danilo, the 31-year-old flop has struggled with injury issues throughout his time with the Light Blues. He missed 49 games with an Achilles injury in his first season, then the midfielder was absent for seven matches with a muscle issue last term, and he has been out for ten games in the current campaign.

These issues have restricted him to just 62 first-team appearances for Rangers in almost three years at the club, which shows that he has been far from a reliable option for any of his managers at Ibrox to date.

Lawrence is out of contract this summer and reportedly commands a wage of £22k-per-week, making him the joint-sixth top earner at the club, excluding loanees, which should make it a fairly simple decision for the 49ers.

The former Derby star has scored 11 goals for Rangers in all competitions but his lack of availability, coupled with his wages, age, and expiring deal, suggests that the new ownership should release him this summer.

He is not a reliable player, due to his injury issues, and it seems unlikely that he has much room for improvement at the age of 31, which is why the club should not look to extend his expensive contract heading into next season.

3 Cyriel Dessers

Finally, Cyriel Dessers, who is the second-highest earner at the club on £27k-per-week, should also be ruthlessly ditched by the 49ers in the upcoming summer transfer window.

In the January window, Monza, Leganes, Empoli, Saint-Etienne, and Cagliari were all reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Nigeria international, which suggests that there could be a market for him at the end of the season if Rangers decide to part ways with the striker.

It is fair to say that the Light Blues should expect reliable and quality performances from Dessers, because he turns 31 this year and is the second-highest earner at Ibrox. As one of the most experienced and well-paid members of the squad, the 30-year-old forward should be able to be relied upon.

Unfortunately, that has rarely been the case throughout his 20 months or so in Glasgow to date, as his finishing has been anything but reliable in front of goal.

24/25 Premiership

11

10

24/25 Europa League

2

9

23/24 Premiership

16

27

23/24 Europa League

1

0

23/24 Champions League

1

2

As you can see in the table above, the Nigerian forward has spurned a whopping 48 ‘big chances’ in the Scottish Premiership and European competitions since the start of last season, scoring 31 goals in the process.

He has been particularly disappointing on the European stage for Rangers, with three goals and 11 ‘big chances’ missed, and this suggests that the club need a better centre-forward to take the next step in Europe.

Ultimately, the wasteful striker has not done enough in front of goal to prove himself to be a reliable number nine for Rangers, despite a decent enough goal return, as his finishing has let him and the team down far too often.

He's worth more than Katic: Rangers hit the jackpot on "unbelievable" star

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1 ByDan Emery Mar 3, 2025

Therefore, the 49ers should ruthlessly cash in on the forward and attempt to replace the high-earner with a striker who could be relied upon week-in-week-out, in the hope that they can help to close the gap on Celtic next season.

Nigar, Marufa show pluck for Bangladesh but champions demonstrate all-round strength

S Sudarshanan14-Feb-2023Bangladesh showed spark in parts but it was the return of legspinner Georgia Wareham that stole the headlines as Australia continued their winning run at the Women’s T20 World Cup.Wareham picked up three wickets – including two in her last over – to restrict Bangladesh to 107 despite a feisty half-century from their captain Nigar Sultana. With a batting line-up as enviable as Australia’s, it was a walk in the park as Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning made light work of the chase to notch up a win in the first-ever women’s international at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha.Healy, Lanning douse Marufa fireYoung Marufa Akter starred in Bangladesh’s Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup campaign and continued her good run. She began the 107-run defence with a fiery opening spell, bowling five dots on the trot to Healy, who was seemingly troubled by her seam movement. However, Marufa strayed on her pads on the last ball to get her going.However, the 18-year-old fast bowler from Saidpur, a small town to the North of Dhaka, struck in her next over. She lured Beth Mooney into an uncertain poke at an away-swinger to give slip a low catch. She believed. Bangladesh believed. But Healy and Lanning did, too.Nigar introduced spin after Marufa’s second over and it was all downhill thereon for Bangladesh. Healy welcomed the left-arm spin of Nahida Akter with a huge hit back over her head before Lanning played a square drive for four. In the penultimate over of the powerplay, Healy hit Salma Khatun for back-to-back fours and Lanning then hit Nahida for another in the next over. By the time the powerplay came to a close, Australia had raced to 45 for 1.Coming in for Jahanara Alam in the XI, legspinner Fahima Khatun’s first over saw Marufa fail to hang on to a tough catch running to her left from long-off. Boundaries then dried up as Australia managed just one four between overs eight and twelve. In a bid to hit another, Healy mishit one to short cover to give leggie Shorna Akter her maiden international wicket.Australia slowed down in the middle overs and it was not until the 19th over that they crossed the line. Lanning finished unbeaten on 48 off 49 balls with Ashleigh Gardner ending 19 not out.Nigar Sultana swipes one through square leg•ICC/Getty ImagesA welcome return for WarehamSeeing a track aiding spin in Gqeberha, Australia opted to add another wristspinner in Wareham instead of left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen. She had last played an international game in October 2021. And perhaps the nerves were on show as her first delivery was a full-toss duly dispatched to the ropes by Shobana Mostary. But, call it a legspinner’s trait or luck, an innocuous delivery fetched her her first wicket of the night.Mostary looked to turn a shortish ball to the on side, only to hit it via the leading edge to midwicket. Wareham was on the board. She then found her flight and also the lengths, almost trapping Shorna lbw in the same over. She stifled a set Nigar and Shorna as Australia successfully applied the squeeze in the middle overs. She conceded only one four in her first three overs – when Nigar successfully sliced one between backward point and short third.Frustration got the better of Shorna in Wareham’s last over. She tried to give her the charge, only to be deceived by the flight and dip to be bowled through the gate. Three balls later, Wareham made the experienced Rumana Ahmed look pedestrian after she missed her sweep and was bowled. Wareham signed off with a sharp ripper – turning away and just missing the outside edge of Ritu Moni’s bat and the off pole by a hair’s breadth – to signal a successful return to the big stage a day after she was picked up by Gujarat Giants at the Women’s Premier League auction.Nigar Sultana, the lone star with the batAfter Bangladesh opted to bat, their captain Nigar found herself in the middle in as early as the fourth over. Speedster Darcie Brown had managed to send back both the openers with only 11 on the board. Unfazed, Nigar drove Brown for successive fours to get off the blocks quickly.In what could be a strong contender for one of the shots of the tournament, Nigar shimmied down and had a free swing of her arms to deposit legspinner Alana King over the long-on ropes. This was a delivery after she cut the same bowler through cover-point using the depth of the crease. While runs were not easy to come by – something she confirmed during the mid-innings chat with the on-air broadcasters – she hardly stalled. She almost seemed to have extra time to play her strokes, be it the drive or the pulls and the cuts.Nigar became the first woman from Bangladesh to score a half-century in T20 World Cups when she pushed Gardner towards cover off her 41st ball. She fell a couple of overs later for 56 off 46, having helped Bangladesh cross 100 but it was not a total that would have challenged the mighty Australians.

Real Madrid legend Luka Modric will be given the chance to link up with USMNT star Christian Pulisic at AC Milan, claims Fabrizio Romano.

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Croatian icon available as a free agentLinked with teams around the worldWill be offered new challenge in Serie AFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder is, ahead of turning 40 in September, readying himself for a new challenge after reaching the end of his contract at Santiago Bernabeu. Modric is preparing to bid farewell to the Spanish capital as a free agent.

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He has offered no indication that retirement is in his thoughts, with the classy playmaker eager to find a new club. It has been suggested that he could join Lionel Messi in MLS at Inter Miami.

DID YOU KNOW?

Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr – who still have Cristiano Ronaldo on their books for now – have also been credited with interest, while Modric is a minority stakeholder at Welsh side Swansea and may be tempted to help them push towards the Premier League.

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Getty ImagesWHAT FABRIZIO ROMANO SAID

claims that Milan have also joined the race for Modric’s signature, courtesy of their new director of sport. The transfer expert says: “AC Milan new director Igli Tare dreams of bringing Luka Modric to the club. He’s one of the names mentioned in initial internal talks. Modric received several approaches from clubs all over the world since leaving Real Madrid, not in a rush to pick his next club.”

Wicketkeeper’s first Durham ton helps hosts rack up 410 for 8 on day one

ECB Reporters Network27-Apr-2023Ollie Robinson scored his first century for Durham to help the hosts into a strong position to their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Seat Unique Riverside.After a solid start, Durham were reduced to 126 for 4, but Robinson ensured that his team capitalised after winning the toss with a blistering century from 93 balls before he was dismissed for 114. Brydon Carse backed up his team-mate with flowing innings of 77 not out, notching his second first-class fifty in a row to allow the home side to post 410 for 8 on day one.Ben Aitchison was the best of the Derbyshire bowlers with three wickets for 111, while Luis Reece and Zak Chappell also claimed two apiece, but it was a tough day for the visitors amid aggressive batting from the hosts.Durham won the toss and Alex Lees set about flexing his England credentials at the top of the order. He impressed with the fluency of his knock as he worked Chappell and Aitchison around the ground for six boundaries in the first hour.However, Aitchison switched ends and swung a delivery between bat and pad to prise out Lees for a well-made 45 from 44 balls, as the opener failed to make the substantial knock that he may require to force his way back into England contention.Chappell found his rhythm and troubled Scott Borthwick before he found the left-hander’s outside edge. David Bedingham then fell cheaply and presented Chappell with his second, while Haider Ali pulled off a sensational one-handed catch at second slip to dismiss Michael Jones for 43 to put the visitors in the ascendancy.Robinson arrived at the crease and played with positive intent, scoring early boundaries to put the pressure back on the Derbyshire attack. The wicketkeeper’s timing was superb, particularly straight down the ground where he punished Chappell, Aitchison and Sam Conners for over-pitching.Derbyshire turned to spinner Mark Watt to try to find a semblance of control, but Robinson continued his aggressive approach, clearing the rope twice over midwicket and down the ground in the afternoon session to ensure Durham put their foot on the accelerator.Robinson shared a stand worth 106 with Graham Clark to set the foundation of the Durham innings. The 24-year-old had passed fifty twice without registering three figures for his new club, but he upped the ante to surge through the nineties to notch his first century of the season.Reece ended his brilliant knock for 114, pinning Robinson on the crease to open up an end for Derbyshire to attack the lower order. But Carse halted their charge, following in Robinson’s footsteps and continuing his fine form with the bat after scoring a career-best 91 against Glamorgan, hitting a brisk fifty from 66 balls.Paul Coughlin offered a more-than-useful foil at the other end with his ninth fifty in first-class cricket, putting together a 100-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Coughlin fell for 52, but Durham still ended the day well on top after earning their fourth batting bonus point as bad light halted proceedings.

Arsenal secured passage to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the second successive season this week, but away from Europe, it would be hard to describe the campaign as anything other than a disappointment.

Mikel Arteta’s side wanted to finally end their wait for a Premier League title at the third time of asking this year, but as things stand, they sit 15 points off leaders Liverpool.

Moreover, instead of making amends for their poor form in the domestic cups in recent seasons, the Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup in the Third Round and were soundly beaten by Newcastle United in the League Cup Semi-Finals.

There are two primary, somewhat interlinked reasons why things have gone wrong this term: injuries and a lack of a cut-throat centre-forward.

Both problems could have been addressed in the winter transfer window but weren’t, and to make matters worse, a striker Arteta let go for nothing a few years ago has recently won comparisons to Harry Kane, of all people.

Why Arsenal are desperate for a striker

So, there are three reasons why Arsenal are in such desperate need of a new striker, with the most apparent, at the moment anyway, being injuries.

The Gunners’ two centre-forward options, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, are out of action for the rest of the campaign, and the latter won’t be fit again until next year.

However, even when they are fit, neither one can be relied upon to be a consistent scorer of goals, which is the second reason the team needs a new number nine.

For example, the Brazilian international found the back of the net on seven occasions in 27 appearances this season, while the German did marginally better, scoring 15 goals in 34 games.

This lack of clinical cutting edge up top brings us to the third reason why the North Londoners find themselves in their current predicament: a severe lack of investment in the forward line.

According to figures from The Athletic, since taking the job in December 2019, Arteta has spent around £299.2m on defenders and goalkeepers, £275.4m on midfielders and £140m on forwards, which includes the £65m spent on Havertz.

On top of not spending enough on attackers, he’s also let plenty leave, including a striker who outscored the entire Arsenal team last season and has been compared to Kane this year.

Where Are They Now

The former Arsenal star compared to Kane

When it comes to former Arsenal attackers who have gone on to thrive since leaving in recent years, Alexandre Lacazette, who left for nothing in 2022, is certainly near the very top of that list.

Before we look at how he fared last season and how he’s doing this year, it’s worth examining this comparison to Kane and where it has come from.

The comparison stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the most similar forward to the Lyon star.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.66

0.64

Progressive Carries

0.93

1.02

Progressive Passes

3.33

3.47

Goals per Shot

0.19

0.16

Goals per Shot on Target

0.32

0.38

Key Passes

1.36

1.33

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.30

1.43

Live Passes

23.6

23.5

Tackles Won

0.31

0.31

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, progressive carries and passes, goals per shot and shot on target, passes into the penalty area, key passes, tackles won and more, all per 90.

On top of being compared to arguably the best striker in world football, the veteran Lyon star has been in fine goalscoring form himself in recent years, finding the back of the net on 22 occasions in 35 games last season.

This year, the 33-year-old star has scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 32 games across all competitions, but in Ligue 1 specifically, he’s produced nine goals and two assists in 22 appearances, totalling 1469 minutes.

In contrast, Havertz has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 21 league appearances.

However, he did so in 1842 minutes of football, meaning the French “goal machine,” as dubbed by former teammate Sokratis, has been a more clinical forward than the German.

Ultimately, at the time, Arsenal probably did the right thing in letting Lacazette leave for free. Still, with hindsight and the knowledge that they failed to adequately invest in the attack since then, we reckon Arteta wouldn’t mind having him back in the team.

Berta is in love with him: Arsenal in talks to sign £60m Zubimendi upgrade

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1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 13, 2025

Opener says to be judged by hundreds scored is ‘nonsense’

ESPNcricinfo staff17-May-2023Zak Crawley says he doesn’t care about criticism over his continued selection, after the opener was announced as one of 15 names for the first Test of the summer against Ireland, which takes place on June 1 ahead of the Ashes.While the major talking point was the axing of wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for the returning Jonny Bairstow, an offshoot was the presence of Crawley. Foakes’ omission came after the selectors could not find a way to fit both him and Bairstow into the same XI. One option mooted ahead of Tuesday’s squad announcement was to make space in the middle order by shifting either Bairstow, Harry Brook or even Ben Stokes up to open instead of Crawley. However, managing director Rob Key revealed such a move was not considered.As such, Crawley’s position was safe, sparking a wave of angst on social media lambasting the decision taken to retain him, ultimately, at Foakes’ expense. Speaking on Tuesday, Crawley, who is not on social media, dismissed the talk around him and believes some of the criticism has been unfair.”I never see any of that [online criticism],” Crawley told BBC Sport.”I talk to guys who do have social media and they see that. They see Joe Bloggs having a go at them.”[Being off] social media helps me get away from the average punter and what they have to say which, of course, I don’t care anyway.”At times last year I certainly felt I was getting a lot of scrutiny, some of it unwarranted. I was playing okay and getting decent scores and I was still getting scrutiny, but it is easy to comment.”I obviously definitely still see the pundits and the people higher up in cricket and of course I didn’t have to read the papers to know my place was under scrutiny.”I haven’t been getting the runs I should have, but I have had a few good knocks.”The 25-year-old averages just 27.60 across 33 caps, and just 25.86 in 12 matches since Stokes took over as Test captain at the start of last summer. In that time, he has just one hundred and two half-centuries across 23 innings, along with 11 single-digit scores.Related

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Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have repeatedly defended Crawley’s poor returns, stating he is a batter whose skillset “is not to be a consistent cricketer”, as McCullum put it at the end of last summer.That has played out in the County Championship so far. Crawley has played all five of Kent’s Division One games this season, scoring 350 runs at an average of 38.88. A bumper 170 against Essex and two half-centuries have come amid numerous false starts, including two ducks.Crawley cedes he has not performed as he would have liked for England. After some introspection, he believes he is better equipped to deal with the mental rigours, particularly when it comes to assessing his own performance. Part of that, he says, is coming to the belief that judging his output on centuries is “nonsense”. Crawley has three at Test level, the last of which came against Pakistan in December.”My failings in international cricket have been from putting too much pressure on myself. That is the only reason. Whenever I have gone out there with the right attitude I have done well.”I have done a lot of thinking about my game, especially in the last couple of months. I look back at times I have played well and I take the expectation away from myself and I just try and play.”A lot of people talk about scoring hundreds all of the time in cricket. I am coming to believe that is nonsense.”I just want to go out there and play well and the score will come after that.”I could play brilliantly for 20 and get a good ball. You could play terribly for a hundred and everyone says ‘well batted’, when actually I played better for the 20. You have got to judge it off your terms.”

Leeds United used to be a dominant force in English football with the Whites regularly competing near the top-end of the Premier League as opposed to the summit of the Championship.

Taking a brief trip down memory lane, the late 90s heading into the early noughties saw the West Yorkshire titans routinely compete in Europe, with the likes of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka and more all dazzling the Elland Road faithful with potent attacking displays.

Another gem that who grabbed the attention of the Leeds masses around this golden time was Alan Smith, with the versatile Yorkshire-born ace chipping in with many goals and assists of his own.

Alan Smith's time at Leeds

Much like modern day examples involving Georginio Rutter and Kalvin Phillips, Smith eventually broke Leeds hearts everywhere when joining arch-rivals Manchester United in 2004.

But, before that controversial switch to Old Trafford occurred, Smith was a regular in many a Whites side that challenged near the top of the Premier League.

Indeed, the much-loved Leeds number 17 would go on to notch up 54 goals and 18 assists from a bumper 225 appearances, with six of those goal contributions tallied up in the illustrious Champions League.

Whilst Smith will be predominantly remembered as a young hotshot striker to those in West Yorkshire, the now-retired attacker was also capable of lining up in the midfield spots when needed, with the latter stages of his long career seeing him regularly line up in the middle of the park.

That was something Sir Alex Ferguson brewed, once notably comparing him to a United legend: “He’s an outstanding person who has a strong character and a real determination. There are some of the characteristics which have led me to liken him to Roy Keane – and that is why we were prepared to try him in the midfield role.”

CM

128

2

5

SS

60

16

10

CF

54

12

8

AM

46

1

2

DM

8

0

0

RM

7

0

1

RW

4

1

1

LM

4

2

1

CB

1

0

0

His spell with the Red Devils saw him become a frequent midfield option, with one Leeds star now aiming to become his club’s next Smith.

Leeds' next Alan Smith

Although the Championship high-flyers are experiencing a crisis in confidence at the moment, Farke’s camp is undoubtedly brimming with some top talents for the division.

One of those talents was only picked up last summer in the form of Ao Tanaka, but the Japan international has managed to seamlessly fit into the Elland Road setup as a stylish and composed performer after signing for £3.5m.

Much like Smith, Tanaka is capable of firing home a crucial goal for Leeds at a moment’s notice, with the ex-Fortuna Dusseldorf man up to four goals and two assists for his promotion-chasing outfit from 36 league clashes.

But, as much as this output has caught the eye of the Leeds faithful, Tanaka’s often under-the-radar presence has also offered Farke’s men some calm in tense moments, with an unerring 90% pass accuracy averaged per Championship clash.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Smith was also a cool customer for Leeds during some jittery contests, with his longetivity in football – which resulted in 284 Premier League appearances being amassed – yet another aspect of his varied game Tanaka will aim to replicate, with the 26-year-old’s instant impact in England leading to him perhaps becoming an accomplished top-flight presence down the line.

While the Japanese is undoubtedly more defensive in nature, his ability to find the net suggests he could play behind the striker and venture into more forward areas, just as Smith did during his early days at Elland Road.

Already, the Whites number 22 is being hailed as “exceptional” according to Opta stat man Jonny Cooper, with the next step for both Tanaka and Leeds hopefully the Premier League, if the West Yorkshire giants are able to push through any upcoming hiccups.

Farke must ruthlessly axe Leeds star who earns more than Gnonto & Meslier

This Leeds United star’s first team spot is now arguably up for grabs.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 31, 2025

Alexis Mac Allister has expressed his desire for Liverpool to sign a Tottenham star, who he claims to be the "best in the world" in his position.

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Mac Allister lavished praise on Romero Shares the same dressing room on Argentina dutyWants Liverpool to bid for the Tottenham defenderFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mac Allister has made a passionate case for his club to pursue a transfer for fellow Argentine international Cristian Romero, praising the defender as one of the finest in the world. When asked by to name a player he would want to join him at Anfield, Mac Allister instantly responded with Romero’s name. His reasoning went beyond national camaraderie, pointing instead to Romero’s quality on the pitch and the trust he inspires during matches.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT MAC ALLISTER SAID

“Oh, Cuti [Romero]. He’s a player I love,” said the World Cup winner. "The way he speaks and plays, sometimes you feel like he’s too much because he makes everything so easy. He gives me confidence. For me, he’s been the best centre-back in the world for several years."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mac Allister and Romero have built a strong partnership on the international stage, featuring prominently in Argentina’s recent success. Both players were part of the squads that lifted the Copa America in 2024 and the 2022 World Cup. The duo’s on-field chemistry and mutual respect are evident, and Mac Allister now appears eager to bring that connection to Merseyside, where Liverpool are looking to strengthen under Arne Slot following a successful Premier League campaign.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Despite Mac Allister’s hopeful endorsement, a move to Liverpool for Romero appears improbable in the short term. The Tottenham defender is being pursued by Atletico Madrid, and the defender has done little to silence the speculation, telling reporters: "I'd love to play in La Liga. I'd love to play in La Liga. I like watching a lot of games, and I have a lot of teammates who play there in Spain, and we watch them. It's one of the leagues I'd like to play in."