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Arsenal are well and truly back in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta's side have won their last five games in a row and have dramatically improved their goal difference after blowing away West Ham United and Burnley.

While the entire team deserved credit, Martin Odegaard has perhaps stood out the most, with his three assists and one goal suggesting that he could well be back to the form he showed last season.

With how impressive the captain has been of late, Arteta would surely have to have two of him in the team, and as outlandish as that sounds, the Gunners once released a youngster from Hale End at 13 years old who is now similar to the mercurial Norwegian.

Eberechi Eze's journey to Crystal Palace

Yes, you read that right; the Gunners once had a young Eberechi Eze on their books, only he wasn't with the club for very long as he was released at just 13 years old.

The next few years were tough for the Greenwich-born gem as he was released by Fulham, Reading and Millwall before finally finding his footing in West London at Queens Park Rangers.

The dynamic midfielder would make his debut for the Hoops in an FA Cup Third Round tie against Blackburn Rovers in January 2017.

Still, it was not until the 2018/19 campaign that he truly established himself in the first team after spending the first half of the 2017/18 season on loan in League Two with Wycombe Wanderers before coming back to finish the year at Loftus Road.

In the following campaign, Eze would score four goals and provide four assists in 42 appearances for QPR before exploding in 2019/20 and scoring 14 goals and providing eight assists in 46 appearances.

Such a remarkable return from a young player understandably brought with it eyes from the Premier League, and after some negotiations, Crystal Palace signed Eze for £20m.

How Eberechi Eze compares to Martin Odegaard

Now, it's undoubtedly a big shout to compare a very talented midfielder with one who is captaining a team fighting for the league title, but it's one made primarily by the football database FBref.

The comparison is made by grouping positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues and then ranking them based on how close they are to one another for several key metrics, and in this case, Odegaard is considered to be the seventh most similar player to Eze.

For example, the "silky" Palace gem, as described by former teammate Geoff Cameron, produces 0.55 expected goals and assists per 90 to the Norwegian's 0.48 while also producing 2.95 progressive passes per 90 to his 2.90.

Eze

Odegaard

0.47

0.51

2.95

2.90

0.55

0.48

0.78

0.69

4.50

4.38

This obviously doesn't make them identical players, but there is an undeniable similarity in their underlying statistics, which suggests that they could play similar roles within a team.

So, it would certainly have been beneficial for the Gunners to keep a hold of the talented Englishman as not only has he produced 34 goal involvements in 113 appearances for the Eagles, but he could also act as the perfect backup to their captain.

Oh, and there is also the small fact that the CIES Football Observatory now values him at around €40m, which is about £34m, and that is likely a conservative estimate in today's game.

Arsenal fumbled their own dream homegrown Rice partner for £0

The 21-year-old has been impressing on the continent in recent years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 19, 2024

Ultimately, football clubs can't predict the future, and maybe Eze, who scored ten Premier League goals last season, did not show enough potential when he was 13, but they may now regret letting him go as it appears as though they fumbled their own homegrown version of their current captain.

Lille starlet Leny Yoro has reportedly reached an agreement to join Real Madrid in a transfer blow to Liverpool.

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• Yoro agrees to personal terms with Real Madrid
• Was being pursued by several other clubs
• Madrid will begin negotiations with Lille

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The France U21 international has attracted interest from several top European clubs, but it appears the reigning Champions League winners are poised to secure his signature, according to Liverpool, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United had all shown strong interest in signing the 18-year-old defender and reports in Spain also suggested that the Reds had tabled a €50m (£42m/$53m) bid for the defender. Despite the substantial offer from the Premier League outfit, Lille turned it down, indicating that the player's future lies away from Anfield.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yoro has made it clear that his preferred destination is Real Madrid and has already agreed to personal terms with Los Blancos. The Spanish giants aim to finalise the transfer during the summer window, aligning with their strategic plans to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season. However, negotiations with Lille over the transfer fee are still pending. If Real Madrid fails to secure an agreement with Lille, Yoro is prepared to stay at the Ligue 1 club for another year, allowing him to join Los Blancos as a free agent at the end of his contract.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Moreover, according to Lille are seeking a fee of €50m for the young defender. Nonetheless, it is believed that a deal could be finalized closer to €40m (£34m/$43m).

  However, the potential signing of Yoro is also linked to the future of Real Madrid’s veteran defender, Nacho Fernandez. If Nacho decides to leave the club, it would pave the way for Yoro to join this summer. Conversely, if Nacho remains, Real Madrid might delay the acquisition, counting on Yoro’s eagerness to join them eventually.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  At just 18, Yoro has demonstrated remarkable maturity and skill, making him a valuable asset for any team looking to bolster their defence with talent and potential. And the anticipated signing of Yoro by Real Madrid is poised to be a major addition to their defensive setup which already consists of world-class players like Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and David Alaba.

Former USMNT star and broadcaster Alexi Lalas has opened up on his on-screen persona and admits he doesn't care about being popular.

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• Lalas enjoyed successful playing career
• Moved into broadcasting after hanging up his boots
• Is well-known for his colorful opinions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lalas won almost 100 caps for the United States men's national team during his career before moving into broadcasting. The 54-year-old is now well known for his bold opinions that regularly catch the eye both on screen, through his podcast and on social media. Lalas' takes often draw fierce responses from fans across the globe but he's not too bothered about those that disagree with him.

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  WHAT LALAS SAID

  He told : "I’m in the entertainment business. I am a performer. When you say that, sometimes people cringe. By no means am I saying that I can’t be authentic and genuine. But I recognise the way I say something is as important as what I say.

  “When I go on TV, I put on a costume and when that red light goes on, I don’t want people changing the channel. I don’t care if you like me or you don’t. I am as human as I possibly can be with the recognition that, on television, things have to be bigger and bolder.”

  Lalas also admitted he doesn't fear a backlash fans from about his opinions.

  "Life’s too short and f*ck them,” he added. "Ultimately, I’m talking about soccer. I know we get incredibly passionate and emotional about these things — something I love about sports. I try to be honest and sometimes it comes off in different ways and people perceive it differently. It’s one thing over a keyboard but it’s a very different type of interaction in normal life. There are people that come up to me who disagree with me but we have a cordial, civil and respectful conversation, even if we vehemently disagree about things on and off the soccer field.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lalas has caught the eye throughout the current season by sharing his thoughts on a range of topics. Fans called on him to be "banned from speaking about soccer" after he predicted a mid-table Premier League finish for the best team in MLS. The former defender has also claimed Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are not helping US Soccer, has spoken out about overhyping Lionel Messi and taken aim at MLS officials.

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  WHAT NEXT

  Fans can expect to hear plenty from Lalas during the Copa America as the USMNT go for glory on home soil. The Stars and Stripes play their first group game against Bolivia on Saturday before going on to face Panama and Uruguay.

West Ham United fell to defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford to end a six-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.

A sense of malaise has crept into east London of late but the Hammers are still in a good position, seventh in the top-flight and perhaps unlucky to be behind at the break on Sunday afternoon.

But David Moyes' side crashed out of the FA Cup last month and have not won a game across any competition in 2024, with January signing Kalvin Phillips flattering to deceive once again.

Kalvin Phillips endures horror start to West Ham career

West Ham completed the six-month loan signing of Phillips from Manchester City after the England international's lacklustre spell with the Premier League champions.

In midweek, Phillips made an error minutes into his Irons debut to hand Bournemouth the lead at the London Stadium and was at fault again today, losing the ball in midfield before Alejandro Garnacho sealed the hosts' victory with a second goal of the game to make it 3-0 in the 84th minute.

Tackling

Aerial duels

Interceptions

Discipline

Blocking

Source: WhoScored

Despite only being on the pitch for 18 minutes, the 28-year-old also lost possession on seven occasions and won just two of his six ground duels, hardly producing the kind of rock-solid performance to stake a claim for a prominent role under Moyes and a spot in Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad in the summer.

He wasn't the only Hammer to struggle at the Theatre of Dreams, however, with starting right-back Vladimir Coufal at the epicentre of the defensive woes.

Coufal's performance v Manchester United by numbers

The Hammers right-back has been a bright spark this season and has posted five assists from 21 appearances in the Premier League, but his defensive frailties were on full show against Erik ten Hag's form-building squad.

Minutes played

72'

Touches

56

Pass completion

27/33 (82%)

Key passes

1

Crosses

2/6 (33%)

Possession lost

15x

Ground duels won

0/2 (0%)

Aerial duels won

0/2 (0%)

Dribbled past

2

Source: Sofascore

Hooked after 72 minutes, Coufal failed to win a single duel or make a single tackle against Manchester United, with Marcus Rashford succeeding with three dribbles down his offensive left side.

The experienced Czech, aged 31, did seek to influence the play from an attacking standpoint and made some decent moves up the flank, floating in six crosses, but it wasn't enough to justify a flimsy effort on the edge of the rearguard.

The Evening Standard's Malik Ouzia handed Coufal a 6/10 match rating but this is probably generous given that he struggled to make a meaningful defensive contribution, also yielding the lowest pass completion of any West Ham starter.

It's important to remember that the loss against Manchester United was the first in seven matches for Moyes' men, who still have a foothold on a European spot, but more mettle and fluency are certainly required to prevail in the push for prominence this season.

Especially with so many teams pushing hard to snatch the London club's spot.

The January transfer window is set to slam shut in little over a week and Glasgow Rangers still have a bit of time to make further additions to their squad.

Philippe Clement is looking to bolster his playing squad ahead of the second half of the season as the Light Blues prepare to battle for trophies domestically and in Europe.

One player who has been linked with a move to Ibrox is Vitesse forward Million Manhoef. TEAMtalk reported earlier this month that the club are one of the sides keen on a deal for the winger, who could be snapped up for a fee of around £3m.

Clement could now land Borna Barisic's next Ryan Kent on the left flank, as Abdallah Sima does not provide the same creative qualities that made the aforementioned duo so fearsome for opposition defences, in a move for the Light Blues target.

Barisic and Kent's chemistry

The pair struck fear into full-backs with their electric link-up down the left side to create high-quality chances for their teammates on a regular basis.

They were particularly impressive as creators during the club's last Scottish Premiership success in the 2020/21 campaign under Steven Gerrard, as you can see in the table below.

Appearances

37

33

Assists

Nine

Six

Big chances created

Nine

Nine

Key passes per game

1.8

2.2

They also caught the eye last season under Gio van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale as Kent produced eight assists, nine 'big chances' created, and 2.2 key passes per game in 29 league outings, to go along with Barisic's nine assists, 12 'big chances' created, and 2.3 key passes per match across 30 clashes.

Whereas, this season the Croatia international has only created one 'big chance' in 11 league games. That could be down to Sima's lack of creativity on the wing as the forward has only managed 1.0 key passes per game and created two 'big chances' in 20 Premiership matches.

The statistics that show why Manhoef could be Barisic's next Kent

Rangers could get Barisic back to his best by signing Manhoef to be his next Kent on the flank, which could also allow Sima to play centrally or on the right wing.

The 22-year-old attacker's form throughout the 2022/23 campaign for Vitesse suggests that he has the creative skills to be a dream partner for the Gers left-back.

He ranked within the top 13% of Eredivisie midfielders for shot-creating actions (3.76) per 90 and the top 11% for Expected Assisted Goals (0.20) per 90.

Manhoef, who Dutch football writer Michael Bell stated has "pace to burn", contributed with five assists and ten 'big chances' created across 27 starts in the Dutch top-flight in total, and these statistics show that he has the quality to be an impressive creative threat on the left flank.

The Dutch wizard, who has scored 13 Eredivisie goals since the start of last season, has the creativity to form an exciting partnership with Barisic at Ibrox, just as Kent did.

They could both provide a consistent threat in the final third as they could combine to create high-quality opportunities for the likes of Sima, Cyriel Dessers, and Todd Cantwell, among others, to find the back of the net.

Whereas, Barisic's output has been restricted by having Sima in front of him this season, as the forward is not as focused on creating for others as much as he is on scoring goals – with ten league strikes.

Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has lifted the lid on a new transfer target for West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan, technical director Tim Steidten and co this January.

Moyes desperately seeking new striker

Following a plethora of injuries, manager David Moyes is said to be eager on bringing in a new forward option.

Related Journalist says West Ham have made a move for club's £8.6m top scorer

He’s been a star this season.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 11, 2024

Star midfielder Lucas Paqueta is expected to be out for around two months, while the club's player of the season so far, Jarrod Bowen, could be sidelined for up to three weeks. The duo join Konstantinos Mavropanos and striker Michail Antonio on the West Ham injury list, with fellow attacker Mohammed Kudus also at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana right now.

Moyes is starved of alternatives to the aforementioned, with the out-of-favour Danny Ings, youngster Divin Mubama, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma being West Ham's only fall-back choices.

As a result, the Hammers are keen to add another final third option to Moyes' ranks. Indeed, Moyes himself is also believed to be at work on signing a new striker in January.

West Ham players currently unavailable

Reason (via Premier Injuries)

Lucas Paqueta

Calf injury

Jarrod Bowen

Ankle injury

Konstantinos Mavropanos

Knock

Michail Antonio

Knee injury

Nayef Aguerd

AFCON

Mohammed Kudus

AFCON

The Scotsman's personal staff and West Ham's recruitment team are "working overtime", according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, and there have been a fair few number nines linked with moves to the London Stadium.

Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy, PSG forward Hugo Ektike and Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez stand out as the biggest names, with Greek international Vangelis Pavlidis also standing out as a pretty enticing option given his form in the Eredivisie this season.

ExWHUemployee backs interest in the latter player, but he's also shared news on a new option who West Ham are more likely to swoop for this month.

West Ham more likely to go for Fotis Ioannidis

According to the insider, West Ham are likelier to go and sign Panathinaikos star Fotis Ioannidis in the January window, coming amid his excellent season in the Greek Super League.

Ioannidis has bagged 16 goals in all competitions for his side this season, which has apparently alerted the Irons. Ex also says the club's scouts have been left impressed by the 24-year-old's performances abroad this season.

“A couple of Greek forwards have caught the eye,” stated Ex (via West Ham Way).

“The first is Vangélis Pavlídis of our Conference league opponents Az Alkmaar. He has a very good scoring record for them in the Dutch league but again could come with quite a high price tag.

“Perhaps a more realistic option is Fotis Ioannidis of Panathinaikos, rivals of our opponents this year Olympiakos. These two teams played recently and Ioannidis scored a 65 minute equaliser. We watched him play for Panathinaikos against Maccabi Haifa and he scored in a 2-1 loss and impressed our scouts. He is the more likely option to be explored out of the two.”

It's no surprise that Newcastle United are already turning their attention towards the January transfer window after suffering defeats against both Luton Town and Nottingham Forest to sum up a season to forget so far. Out of the Champions League and eight points adrift of the top four in the Premier League, to say that Eddie Howe needs reinforcements would be an understatement.

No matter who the Magpies sign in January, they must avoid a repeat of the mistakes they made during the summer transfer window, which saw them fail to recruit enough depth. That said, this time around, Howe has reportedly identified the positions that he needs PIF to strengthen.

Newcastle transfer news

With Sandro Tonali into his 10-month ban, Newcastle must get things right in January, with the season arguably more than salvageable if the right additions arrive. Those at St James' Park have already suffered the consequences for a lack of squad depth and as injuries continue to pile up, the last thing they need is to suffer another setback in the transfer market. When the window opens in a matter of days, they'll certainly be ones to keep an eye on.

According to Luke Edwards of The Telegraph, Howe wants as many as three new signings in January, with a midfielder and forward the reported priorities alongside another goalkeeper. This follows Nick Pope's injury, which could see him miss the majority of the campaign and there have also been concerns over stand-in Martin Dubravka and his recent form.

Meanwhile, the Magpies still need a replacement for Tonali following his ban and added depth in the forward role. As things stand, Howe has just Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak to call upon, who have both suffered injury setbacks in the current campaign. If the boss gets his wish next month, then the Magpies could rescue their season before it's too late.

Newcastle's mounting injury problems

Whilst failed recruitment has been a large part of their failure, Newcastle's injury list certainly hasn't helped. Speaking ahead of his side's trip to Anfield on New Year's Day, Howe said:

“Of course, we’ve suffered the injuries we’ve had and those players you see aren’t available. I don’t think anyone is coming back in the next few days. It was really good that we had Joelinton return today, he’s been a massive miss for us. And we’ve still got players that are finding their fitness from playing matches, which is never ideal, and there were several players on the pitch today in that respect. We’ve not had it easy, and I think that needs to be acknowledged by me more than anyone else in my reflection of the team.”

Newcastle absentees

Potential Return Date

Sandro Tonali

31/08/2024

Nick Pope

13/04/2024

Jacob Murphy

30/01/2024

Harvey Barnes

30/01/2024

Joe Willock

13/01/2024

Elliot Anderson

13/01/2024

Jamaal Lascelles

No return date

Javier Manquillo

No return date

Matt Targett

No return date

As many as nine absentees, it's fair to say Newcastle's luck hasn't been in so far this season. The January transfer window could change that, however, with Howe identifying three main targets.

Crystal Palace's hunt for a possible Roy Hodgson replacement has taken a twist, as one "strong" manager emerges as a real contender with Steve Cooper.

Hodgson nearing Palace sack

Following a serious nosedive in Premier League form recently, reports suggest that Palace could decide to sack Hodgson soon, just over seven months after reappointing the Englishman.

Related Crystal Palace leading race to sign "outstanding" player ahead of rivals

The Eagles could receive a January boost…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 24, 2023

Hodgson hasn't won a league game since the Eagles' 2-0 victory away to fellow strugglers Burnley in early November, with Palace losing five out of their last eight top-flight matches.

Only bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United and Burnley have scored fewer goals than the south Londoners so far this season, and Palace's recent form is a clear indication that they're candidates to be relegated.

Palace have survived in the Premier League since being promoted via the Championship play-offs in 2013, but the club's torrid form could result in them dropping back down to England's second tier just over 10 years after escaping it.

Hodgson is under increasing pressure at Selhurst Park, with the former England boss taking a stance of defiance in his latest press conference while insisting talk over his future will be natural.

“It’s a bit of a deja-vu situation for me at the moment, because after the games I find it hard to really accept too much criticism of the team’s performances, but on the other hand I’m talking to people whose judgement has to be from the result backwards, and the results have been poor," said Hodsgson on his precarious position of Brentford.

“So until such time as we can get some better results I would have to accept that (criticism), but I would be more concerned if the team was playing badly, and more concerned if we didn’t have the (Michael) Olises and the Eberechi Ezes to come back and help us out of this situation.”

There has been talk of former Nottingham Forest boss Cooper holding talks with Palace over the potentially vacant role, if Hodgson is indeed sacked.

Lopetegui contending to replace Hodgson at Palace

However, the Welshman is by no means their only candidate to succeed Hodgson, with ex-Wolves and Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui also in the frame.

Indeed, according to Football Insider, Lopetegui is a "strong contender" for the Palace job and is set to provide "growing competition" for Cooper.

The Spaniard has also been spotted at Selhurst as he looks to make a Premier League return, nearly five months after parting company with Wolves in August.

A Europa League winner at Sevilla, Lopetegui would bring real credentials, and he's been praised as a "strong leader" by Wolves owner Jeff Shi.

"Julen has a strong personality and he’s a coach with clear leadership, not just with football players but with the clubs he has been at," said Shi to the Wolves official website.

"He has a lot of experience in elite football and his track record is proven. We know we are in a difficult moment as a team right now, so we especially need a strong leader, with a strong personality, more than any other time I have been here. It is because of this that Julen was always our preferred choice."

Everton face an uphill battle ahead of the second half of the campaign, having been dragged down to 19th place in the Premier League for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations. This misery was piled on by a 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester United on Sunday which has left the side five points adrift of safety.

However, Sean Dyche and his recruitment team have been hard at work identifying players that could be brought to Goodison Park to help in the club's pursuit of top-flight survival.

The Toffees have been linked with one player, in particular, this week who could do an excellent job in the middle of the park.

Everton transfer news – Leander Dendoncker

According to Football Insider, Everton will dip into the January transfer market for a defensive-minded player and have set their sights on signing Aston Villa's out-of-favour midfield general Leander Dendoncker.

The 28-year-old's services are no longer required at Villa Park and the Midlands club were reportedly set to sanction a last-minute sale of the player to Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce before the transfer deadline, but a move fell through in the end.

The Belgian hasn't started a single Premier League game for Villa under Unai Emery this season, playing just seven minutes of top-flight football, but could be handed a career lifeline by Dyche and Everton sporting director Kevin Thelwell, who signed him during his time in charge at Wolves.

How Leander Dendoncker compares to Idrissa Gueye

Despite picking up £90k-per-week for his troubles, Dendoncker has played merely 119 minutes in total in all competitions this term, earning himself two starts. In the two games Dendoncker was named in the first XI, he was replaced at half-time against Zrinjski Mostar in the Europa Conference League and Everton, ironically, in the EFL Cup.

The Belgium international moved to Villa at the start of the 2022/23 campaign for £12.9m when Steven Gerrard was in charge of the team. However, the midfielder struggled to have any real impact at all, featuring just 21 times for the Villans in all competitions, 13 of which were substitute appearances.

In one of Dendoncker's rare starts for Villa, which came in a 1-1 draw away at Brentford, The Athletic journalist Gregg Evans hailed the Belgian as "superb", but these opportunities have come few and far between for the player.

However, Dendoncker was a key player at Molineux with Wolves under both Nuno Espirito Santo and Bruno Lage. In fact, his stats in his final season with the Old Gold were better than Everton's energetic, 34-year-old midfielder Idrissa Gueye this term.

Per 90 Metrics

Dendoncker – 2021/22

Gueye – 2023/24

Goals

0.12

0.11

Expected Goals

0.1

0.09

Progressive Passes

2.95

3.88

Key Passes

0.51

0.82

Assists

0.16

0

Blocks

0.71

0.82

Clearances

1.75

0.94

Tackles

1.01

0.82

Defensive 1/3 Tackles

1.15

0.82

Aerial Duels Won %

47.6

12.5

Stats via FBref

As shown above, Dendoncker's attacking stats aren't much better than Gueye but they are still a slight improvement, although it is defensively where the Belgian particularly shines. Additionally, the Villa want-away is six years younger than his counterpart and could essentially be the Senegal international's long-term replacement in the team.

The Villa "goal machine" – as once described by journalist Tim Spiers – may even be available for as little as £3m, as per CIES Football Observatory.

The former Wolves man is also quite a versatile player which could suit Dyche as he is able to cover at centre-back, having played in this position 65 times in his career so far, including 27 in the Premier League. This would benefit Everton if any injuries arose to the likes of James Tarkowski and Jarrard Branthwaite.

Dendoncker may be a little rusty at first, given his lack of game-time over the past two seasons, but if Dyche can reignite his form at Wolves, there is certainly a good player in there.

NFL legend Tom Brady, who is now an investor at Birmingham, joined Real Madrid’s dressing room celebrations following their Clasico triumph.

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American football icon in SpainWitnessed thriller at the BernabeuBellingham secured dramatic winWHAT HAPPENED?

The American football icon added to the Blues flavour at Santiago Bernabeu, which saw St Andrew’s academy graduate Jude Bellingham net a dramatic 91st-minute winner for Los Blancos. They prevailed 3-2 on the day, having trailed on a couple of occasions.

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Brady had revealed ahead of the game that he was in Madrid to savour the experience of El Clasico. He was treated to a thrilling contest in the Spanish capital, with Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez also on target for the home side.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Real were happy to let former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brady join in with their celebrations afterwards, as he mingled with jubilant players behind the scenes. Carlo Ancelotti’s side are now nine points clear at the top of La Liga.