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With 25 strikes conceded in the Premier League so far this season, Aston Villa have let more goals in than Burnley, Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Taking this into account, the upcoming January transfer window could provide the Midlands club and Steven Gerrard with the opportunity to bring some reinforcements into the club, particularly in the defensive areas.

One deal that the club could look to do to strengthen the squad up at the back is by signing Rangers centre-back Connor Goldson, who Villa are reportedly in the frame to sign in January according to journalist Peter O’Rourke.

It was previously reported that Goldson had rejected the chance to sign a new deal with the Scottish club in an effort to join a Premier League club, which could pave the way for Gerrard to reunite with the defender after the 29-year-old made a total of 182 appearances under the current Villa boss at Rangers, scoring 17 goals and providing five assists in the process.

Labelled as a player with “incredible leadership” on and off the pitch by Gerrard, signing Goldson in January could be a dream move for the Villa manager to help give some guidance to Villa’s younger defenders such as Ezri Konsa, Kortney Hause and Axel Tuanzebe.

Since joining Rangers back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Brighton in a deal worth a reported fee of around £3m, Goldson has gone on to make 188 appearances for the club across all competitions, showing how vital he has been for the team since his arrival and why they would presumably prefer to keep hold of him for the remainder of the season.

This season has seen the defender, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £27k-per-week according to Salary Sport, play in all but two of Rangers’ games across all competitions, completing the full 90 minutes in all of them, highlighting him importance to the club.

With Villa also linked with a move for Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez, Goldson could be a much cheaper alternative than the England international.

That’s when you take into account his advanced age and the presumption that the Reds would want more money for their player than Rangers would want for their asset, especially with his contract set to run out at the end of the season.

In other news: Lange must avoid transfer catastrophe at AVFC over “magnificent” £28.8m-rated machine – opinion

Dwayne Bravo said Hauritz will be Australia’s main weapon but was confident West Indies had the batting might to chase a tall target

Brydon Coverdale at the WACA18-Dec-2009

Nathan Hauritz looms as the key to Australia’s victory hopes in Perth, where West Indies will need to follow the lead of South Africa last year to chase a hefty fourth-innings target. Sulieman Benn found some sharp turn in the final session on the third day as Australia struggled to 8 for 137, and Hauritz will be searching for similar spin to trouble West Indies.Australia’s lead had grown to 345 by stumps but in the back of their minds will be the chase this time last year, when AB de Villiers and JP Duminy took South Africa to a monstrous target of 414 with only four wickets down. On that occasion, Australia’s spinner Jason Krejza leaked runs but Dwayne Bravo was in no doubt who Australia’s main weapon could be this time.”The wicket is playing pretty good,” Bravo said. “It’s not keeping low or anything like that. It’s starting to turn a bit more, so I think Hauritz might play a big part for them in the second innings.”Hauritz will be encouraged by the two wickets for Benn on the third afternoon, especially a ball that turned and bounced significantly to catch the edge of Brad Haddin’s bat. West Indies will also be hoping to capitalise on the pressure building on Australia to avoid a drawn series, and on individuals within the side. Hauritz always seems to be under the microscope despite solid performances over the past year, while the debutant Clint McKay will still be nervous following a wicketless first innings.”We know the Australians are under a lot of pressure to perform well,” Bravo said. “Some of the players in the team are also under pressure. That’s good for us. We are looking forward to the challenge we have nothing to lose so were going to give it our best shot.”West Indies provided a remarkable fightback after they were dismissed with Australia still 208 runs in front, led by three wickets from Bravo and two from Benn. Australia remained in the ascendancy given their lead but Bravo was confident West Indies were still well and truly in the match.”It’s still balanced,” he said. “We know the Australian team is a world-class team and 300-odd runs on the board, they have the self-belief in their bowling attack that they know they can take that and defend that. But we have the batters in our line-up also to chase down 360-plus runs with a day and a half to go. At this point in time we’d back ourselves to get that.”Doug Bollinger was a key man with the ball for Australia as he collected his maiden five-wicket haul to help dismiss West Indies for 312, and he could yet be an important player with the bat. Australia have two wickets in hand and will aim to add as many runs as they can. Bollinger jokingly said he’d like to set a target of 500 before unleashing Hauritz and the fast men.”He’s going to be pretty confident,” Bollinger said of Hauritz. “As we saw, Benn bowled tonight and got a few to spin and bounce, which is a massive bonus for him. He’ll just come out and bowl the way he normally does and the rest will look after itself. “

Everton have been linked with a move for Mallorca midfielder Iddrisu Baba ahead of the January transfer window as Rafa Benitez looks to bolster his engine room options.

What’s the story?

According to GhanaSoccerNet (as relayed by the Liverpool ECHO), the 25-year-old is a long-term target of Benitez’s after the Spanish tactician attempted to sign him for former club Real Madrid.

Since then, Baba has signed a new contract at the Son Moix stadium containing a €45m (£38.4m) release clause, a figure that the Toffees are ‘ready to trigger’.

The report also states that Atletico Madrid have identified the box-to-box dynamo as a replacement for his compatriot Thomas Partey, meaning Everton are set to have a fight on their hands if they want to secure his signature.

Rafa Benitez eyes Everton move

After rising through the ranks at boyhood club Mallorca, Baba has established himself as one of the standout midfielders in La Liga, making 109 appearances for Luis Garcia’s charges in all competitions.

However, he’s elevated his game to new heights in the current campaign and has been of the best players for Mallorca, according to Garcia.

After Baba scored the equalising goal against Cadiz while on league duties back in October, his manager lauded the Ghana international’s impressive exploits, claiming he is enjoying an ‘incredible season’.

“So far, Baba is being the best of the team,” said Garcia. “He is having an incredible season. He not only cuts balls, scores goals but also helps in attack.

“I have already told him that he has to continue working, but he has earned himself the essential role”.

And if the African makes the switch to Merseyside over the winter window, he could play a pivotal part in Benitez’s struggling Everton side for many years to come.

The likes of Tom Davies, Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin have all struggled to make their mark in the middle of the pitch throughout 2021/22, heavily contributing to the Toffees’ poor form. For context, none of them have achieved an average match rating higher than 6.3, via WhoScored.

Baba, on the other hand, has been excelling. As per FBref.com, the 5 foot 10 gem has made a whopping 4.11 tackles per 90 this term, 1.71 interceptions and 1.55 blocks, while winning 2.40 aerial duels.

It’s clear, therefore, that the Mallorca man could be the answer to Benitez’s midfield woes, and Everton’s hierarchy must carefully consider a move for the defensive-minded star during the January window.

And, in other news…More misery: Everton could be set for a big blow in January, Rafa would be devastated

Crystal Palace will be without midfielder James McArthur for a further six weeks, according to The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam.

Scans revealed that the 34-year-old had suffered a torn hamstring in the victory over Wolves at the beginning of this month, and having sat out the 3-3 draw with Burnley last weekend, he could now miss Palace’s next nine Premier League matches.

If the timeline is accurate, he could be in line to return for the Eagles’ trip to their arch-rivals Brighton on 14 January.

How big a blow is McArthur’s absence?

Prior to the injury, McArthur had started every Premier League game under new Eagles boss Patrick Vieira.

If you go by WhoScored’s rankings, he’d been Palace’s third-best player behind Conor Gallagher and Christian Benteke. The Scotsman was averaging 2.4 accurate long balls (fourth in the club’s ranks), 2.3 tackles (third) and 1.2 interceptions (fourth) per 90 minutes, highlighting his importance to the team and how big a loss he will be during a busy period of the season.

Woosnam revealed the news on his personal Twitter profile, and here’s what these Palace supporters had to say, with one describing it as a “devastating” blow to the team.

Crystal Palace lament McArthur injury

“Jimmy Mac will be a huge miss as we don’t have another player with his engine that can cover so much ground”

Credit: @cpfc_jw19

“6 weeks! Oh dear we are really going to miss him”

Credit: @StephenRodin1

“We better start scoring even more then. Cos we’ll be shipping em in now!”

Credit: @ic_lewis

“Devastating news, he has been our rock”

Credit: @rickyj555

“Absolutely gutted, why is it always us”

Credit: @joe_cpfc_01

“Didn’t need this on a Tuesday morning”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

In other news, a journalist weighs in on Palace’s links with this Premier League forward.

When the Champions League begins amid the now-typical glitz and glamour in Bangalore on Thursday evening, much of the buzz will centre on how the tournament – and the concept – could change the game of cricket and the lives of the cricketers. For the suits who keep the game’s economy moving, cricket’s first global inter-club tournament opens up a whole new set of opportunities for advertising and sponsorship. Teams from outside India, keen on grabbing a slice of the one pie that has stayed reasonably intact through the recession, seek Indian sponsors who in turn see the benefits of overseas exposure.In short, think global, act local.That’s what prompted the Sussex Sharks to tie up for this tournament with Royal Stag, a whiskey brand from the Pernod Ricard stable, for logos on helmets, caps and trousers, and Pepsi as shirt sponsors.Sure, the tournament is played within the Indian marketplace and therefore viable for local companies but Sussex chief executive Dave Brooks underlines the bigger picture in seeking domestic sponsors. “We have a long historical link with Indian cricketers from Duleepsinhji and Ranjitsinhji to the Nawab of Pataudi and now Piyush Chawla. We are keen to build on that in the largest cricket market in the world and our heritage makes us attractive to local sponsors.”You don’t even need a historical context – the Eagles, South Africa’s domestic Twenty20 runners-up, have tied up with Karbonn Mobiles, a relatively new entrant in the Indian mobile phone market and are eyeing more such deals. “There is a big market in India and the IPL and the Champions League Twenty20 serves as a great vehicle for any sponsorship and awareness campaign,” Johan van Heerden, the Eagles chief executive, said. “The response from the Indian sponsors has been very good though it was very short notice.”There could have been issues with the teams’ main sponsors back home but it doesn’t seem to be the case. “Our UK sponsors, RDF IT Solutions, agreed to stand aside for this competition as they do not operate in the Indian market,” Brooks said. Ross Dykes, chief executive of Otago Volts, has a slightly different explanation – the sheer magnitude of the Indian market. “There is no conflict with our domestic sponsors as they realise they cannot compete on a global market – particularly when we are playing outside their geographical sphere of impact.”Though the deals are short-duration, like the tournament itself, there is optimism about the prospects of a longer association. “The deal is short-term for the Eagles but, hopefully, it will be long-term for the South African teams that qualify in future,” van Heerden said. “In fact, we are hoping for a long-term impact in the Indian market in terms of club branding as well.” It’s a sentiment Brooks echoes: “We expect our Indian deals to be short term but you never know – it may develop into something over the long term.”The feeling is mutual among the sponsors. For the fledgling Karbonn, who has also tied up with the Cape Cobras, the small step might just turn out be the proverbial giant leap and it’s looking at cricket to help it bridge that gap. “Cricket in India is treated as almost a religion and the Twenty 20 format has wide appeal,” said Sudhir Hasija, MD of United Telelinks, one of the stakeholders in the company. “This tournament gives us the opportunity to build brand awareness. We do plan to take Karbonn Mobiles global, and this gives us an opportunity for a wider exposure.”Sudha Natrajan, president and COO of Indian media management company Lintas, points to IPL 2 in South Africa as proof that global cross-branding can succeed. “The local sponsors would benefit as the feed is global and the tournament would go to different countries in the future. As the telecast would be global, having international players and teams to sponsor at relatively lower costs than it would to sponsor the international ICC teams would be an advantage for advertisers. And that’s a win-win for the Indian sponsors.”Her one caveat: The sponsors should do deals on a year-on-year basis instead of firming up a three or five-year commitment.The Otago Volts, New Zealand’s Twenty20 champions, are yet to close any deal though they are in negotiations. That hasn’t stopped them, though, from joining in the planning. Dykes suggests that national boards take an active role in ensuring the longevity of the sponsorships with every franchise of the particular country. “If the Champions League Twenty20 is ongoing, then any one of New Zealand’s six provincial teams could be competing in the future. With little lead time available this time around, the sponsorships will be one-offs. However, to try and establish consistency, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is looking at the sponsorships being longer term and applicable to teams in any given year.”What Dykes, Brooks and van Heerden don’t spell out, but which is implicit in their words – and in Natrajan’s calculations – is the reasonable expectation among market watchers that the Champions League will eventually acquire the status, and consequently the longevity, of its more illustrious counterpart in European football.”The possibilities are immense,” said the head of an Indian media-buying agency. “It may travel the route of the UEFA Champions League. It will be interesting to see how the Indian fans, or even fans from the other clubs, respond to the occasion. In fact, the fan base will be another major factor that the companies will need to keep in mind in future.”What fans’ response largely hinges on is star appeal – the more big names in a team, the greater its brand identity even if on-field performance is below par. Hence, Sussex know that Chawla’s presence will help, as will the presence of bigger foreign stars “Players like Dwayne Smith and Luke Wright are well known in India,” Brooks said, “and by the time we head home, a few others will be too.”That’s what Otago are banking on too. They aren’t a household name in India by any stretch of imagination but they have a few players who are, and who could help them close the deals. “I am sure having names like Brendon McCullum in our side has a positive impact on how our potential sponsors view our commercial worth,” Dykes said.Eagles’ van Heerden went a step ahead to compare his team’s endorsement value with the other South African representative in the tournament, the Cape Cobras. With a number of big names including Herschelle Gibbs, JP Duminy and Charl Langeveldt, the net worth of the Cape Cobras far outweighs that of the Eagles. “We could see the difference between the two,” van Heerden said. “The Cobras have world stars and that secured them far better returns on sponsorship.”Of course, not all the franchises have managed rich pickings. David Townsend, the New South Wales Blues communications manager conceded they have been unable to secure final sponsors and so will retain their current Australian sponsor, the Roads & Traffic Authority. They may have winners on the field in Brett Lee and David Warner but in the equally competitive world of boardrooms and bottomlines, they’ve already conceded bragging rights.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outUmar Akmal’s maiden ODI century floored Sri Lanka•AFP

Umar Akmal’s maiden international hundred, a rousing unbeaten 102 from 72 balls, and Younis Khan’s first half-century as captain took Pakistan to a large total and set up their first win on tour. Batting first has been distinctly advantageous at the Premadasa and so it proved as Pakistan put up a mammoth score and then pressured the Sri Lankan batsmen into self-destruction. Iftikhar Anjum played a major hand, claiming career-best figures as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 175, losing their last seven wickets for 45 runs in 12.3 overs.The pace was set early by Umar’s elder brother Kamran, who ensured the tempo did not flag despite Imran Nazir’s early dismissal, but Sri Lanka’s spinners struck thrice in less than six overs. Young Umar walked to the crease when Pakistan were 130 for 4, with a struggling captain searching for a partner and only Shahid Afridi to follow. He took the opportunity to prove that not all is as made to believe about Pakistan’s domestic set-up. His effervescence complimented Younis’ solidity and their 176-run stand paved the way.Where Nazir, Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq struggled against a combination of tidy bowling and a slow track, Umar appeared comfortable from the get-go. He showed he wasn’t going to get bogged down, swinging his seventh delivery – from Ajantha Mendis, no less – over long-on for a six and flicked almost effortlessly. His was a sensible approach, poaching the odd boundary and turning ones into twos while also dominating the perceived weaker bowlers. Finding the narrowest of gaps in the field and always sprinting hard between the wickets, he began rebuilding.Credit is due to the man at the other end. Younis’ innings contained crisp drives and wristy flicks and stolen runs but most importantly it was an effort that allowed Umar to flourish. Around his captain, Umar could play his own game and Pakistan didn’t feel the pinch. Pakistan had been hurt in the series by Younis’ indifferent form. Today they realised just what a difference runs from him can mean.Importantly, he quickly assessed conditions and played with a welcome smoothness. Younis’ innings was controlled, he ran hard between the wickets, and Pakistan’s run-rate lifted to nearly five-and-a-half an over. With Umar rattling along Younis too changed his game. Soon defence turned to single hunting, gliding and efficiently flicking in the gaps.Umar’s half-century came up from 46 balls, after which he upped his strike-rate. Always keen to get back and across and then mow the ball over the on-side, he took consecutive fours off Mendis and then clubbed Lasith Malinga for 13 in the 46th over. Another effortless six off Malinga followed in the 48th over, the back leg lifted to gain power. Younis departed for 89 in the 49th over trying to get six but Umar reached three figures with two balls to spare. You can argue the pressure of winning the series wasn’t there, but maiden ODI centuries don’t come cleaner than this.To chase 322 under lights in Sri Lanka a team needs something near a batting miracle. Upul Tharanga (80) played a cool hand to try and keep the required run-rate in check but there was little support. Pakistan’s bowlers began by bowling too short – in particular Naved-ul-Hasan – and Tharanga and Sangakkara added 65 in good time. Sangakkara sped away to 39 from 33 balls before he was early into a drive against a slower ball from Anjum and scooped a catch to point.From here the attack tidied up, Anjum sticking to a decent length and the spinners taking as much pace off the ball as possible. Thilina Kandamby went next, slashing Saeed Ajmal to slip, and a one-handed effort from Naved in the deep took out Chamara Kapugedera. Anjum bowled a lot of deliveries on an awkward length, too short to drive but too full to pull, and was rewarded with 5 for 30. Ajmal tossed the ball up into the rough with good control to take two wickets.Tharanga played an extension of his half-century in the previous game, accumulating most of his runs by soft-handed steers through the arc between cover and gully. Third man proved a productive area for Tharanga, who didn’t take the aerial route much. With his dismissal, feathering Anjum to Kamran, went Sri Lanka’s chances. From here on it was a steady procession of wickets and Sri Lanka fell way short of the target.

When Celtic secured the £4.5m signing of Vasilis Barkas back in the summer of 2020, fans of the club may well have believed the 27-year-old would go on to make the number one jersey at Parkhead his own for many a season to come.

However, it became evident all too quickly that the Greece international was not up to the standard required at Celtic, with the £2.52m-rated shot-stopper making just 15 Scottish Premiership appearances last season, over which he conceded 0.7 goals per game and averaged an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.79 – ranking him as the Bhoys’ joint-ninth worst performer in the league.

Aside from his poor level of overall performance, the goalkeeper was also found wanting in a number of Celtic’s biggest tests of the season, with one such example coming in a 2-0 defeat to the Bhoys’ Old Firm rivals.

Regarding this performance, Kris Commons said of the 27-year-old’s display: “As for Vasilis Barkas in goal, can he make one save in a big game? He doesn’t save enough shots, has no presence and doesn’t shout.”

Tam McManus also criticised this particular showing, with the former Hibernian man stating: “Barkas, I mean [his] first real test was Saturday against Rangers. I think he’s horrendous at the first goal. He’s got to save that. [Celtic] spent £5m on Barkas, I think it is a waste of money.”

Indeed, since this fixture back in October 2020, the £9k-per-week ‘keeper has gone on to make just six league appearances for the Hoops, while the club made the decision to sign Joe Hart this summer – a player who has gone on to become Celtic’s undisputed number one this season.

As such, it is no wonder the Daily Record recently claimed that Barkas looks to be one of Celtic’s worst transfers in modern times, nor why the publication suggested that Ange Postecoglou may well look to ship the goalkeeper out this January – as the latter of these points would appear to be an absolute must for the 56-year-old manager in the upcoming transfer window.

In other news: Ange drops big transfer hint on “unbelievable” 12 G/A gem, Celtic fans surely buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to make it three on the trot in the Premier League this afternoon but standing in their way is an in-form West Ham United, who have home comforts at the London Stadium.

Nuno Santo’s men were beaten embarrassingly in the Netherlands by Vitesse on Thursday night, so the Portuguese will be wanting a reaction in this crunch match.

Spurs have defeated Aston Villa and Newcastle United in their last two domestic outings but the Irons represent a tougher test as they could leapfrog them with a win today.

Both teams are vying for a spot in the top-six, with the Lilywhites narrowly holding the edge at this stage.

It means Nuno has to get his team selection absolutely spot on if they are to extend their fine form in the English top-flight.

And with that in mind, he ought to stick with what has been working, particularly in the final third as they have scored five goals in their last two matches, more than they managed in the six previous games.

That means it should be Tanguy Ndombele sitting in the no.10 role over the likes of Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso, who both were underwhelming in the midweek defeat.

Once described as “unplayable” by ex-goalkeeper Joe Hart, the 24-year-old has the capability to be a “world-beater” on his day. Indeed, he offers the Lilywhites something they do not possess in any other player, that being a dumbfounded technical ability.

Ndombele is able to drive the ball forward with his gifted dribbling skills and passing – as per WhoScored, he’s averaged 2.5 dribbles per game, whilst only three other players see more of the ball than him, having also averaged 40.3 passes per league outing too.

This sort of presence was seen first-hand last weekend when the £26m-rated French dynamo not only landed himself on the scoresheet but was also Spurs’ star man, earning a match-high 8.21 rating.

He won them three free-kicks, managed four successful dribbles and enjoyed an impressive 92.4% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.

Ndombele lost some of his closest friends during the Lilywhites’ summer exodus, with both Serge Aurier and fellow countryman Moussa Sissoko moving onto pastures new. This led to speculation over his future in north London but he’s still here and very much starting to deliver as club-record signing should.

Nuno has been praised for his trust in the midfield maverick, too.

“I thought he was brilliant against Newcastle,” claimed ex-Premier League striker Noel Whelan to Football Insider. “Even when he went in at the start of the season asking to leave the club, the manager kept the faith in him. He’s fought back and shut a few people up with his performances.”

He then added: “It was a quality 90 minutes and a really well-taken goal. He could be a real key player for them this season.”

After being absent in midweek, it should be time to bring Ndombele back into the starting XI. He has the capability of really hurting an Irons side that have appeared to be very resolute in the past week, keeping back-to-back clean sheets.

Nuno must start the French beast at the London Stadium today.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal Spurs’ biggest signing since Son with “complete” £27m-rated beast…

Manchester United are still thinking whether or not to part ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Antonio Conte keen on the Old Trafford position, should it become available.

That’s according to reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano and, as to be expected, a number of United supporters have been reacting to the update on social media.

Solskjaer’s position as manager has been under major threat following the 5-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool on Sunday, which made it four defeats from seven in all competitions.

Romano has been providing the latest on the Norwegian’s future since the loss to Jurgen Klopp’s side and revealed that Conte now wants the Red Devils job.

The United hierarchy are still yet to make a decision on Solskjaer, though, who signed a new contract through to 2024 earlier this year.

United fans react

Romano’s late-night Twitter post on Monday had plenty of United fans talking. This is what some had to say in reply, with many hoping to see the back of Solskjaer and the arribval of Conte.

“Wow.. big news!”

Credit: @DesireMUFC

“Let me hear that sweet sweet phrase… Here we go”

Credit: @_chulat

“SIUUU GET OLE GAWNNN”

Credit: @LiamsUTD

“why is this so difficult for them just sack him already”

Credit: @itssofiiaaa

“Please get it over the line.”

Credit: @mufcfanzone4

“Wonderful NEWS, we’ll be waiting to hear from you Fab once they have made that decision”

Credit: @lincz45

With Lee Johnson’s Sunderland side having highly impressed so far this season, picking up 16 points over their opening seven fixtures of the 2021/22 League One campaign heading into Saturday’s fixture against Bolton Wanderers, the 40-year-old Mackems manager would more than likely have been expecting another dominant display against the Trotters.

And, while Ian Evatt’s side put up an extremely resolute fight in the fixture, besting Sunderland in possession of the ball, shots at goal and passes completed, Carl Winchester’s 17th-minute strike proved to be the difference in the match, with the Black Cats extending their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions, seeing off Bolton 1-0 at the Stadium of Light.

In terms of individual performances, despite the fact that the overall display was not Sunderland’s best of the season by any stretch of the imagination, there were nevertheless a number of players who impressed, none more so than the match-winner himself.

Six interceptions

Having returned to the side after being rested for the 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Wigan Athletic in midweek, Winchester dominated from right-back, demonstrating exactly why he is currently keeping the Leeds United loanee, Niall Huggins, out of the team.

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch, the £180k-rated man highly impressed in defence, making three clearances, six interceptions, four tackles, blocking two shots and winning five duels.

The 28-year-old also looked good going forwards, scoring one goal, making one key pass, completing one cross and drawing one foul for his side.

These returns saw the man the Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley dubbed a “winner” receive a SofaScore match rating of 8.0, with no player from either side achieving a higher score than the £2.4k-per-week defender.

As such, while Huggins did impress while filling in for Winchester in the Carabao Cup win on Tuesday, it is clear to see why the Northern Ireland international is still Johnson’s first choice in the position, as the right-back ran the show against Bolton.

In other news: Johnson drops update on talks with £4.3k-p/w “nightmare”, SAFC fans will be buzzing