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Southampton have endured a long summer of outgoing transfer business as Russell Martin’s squad has been picked apart throughout the window.

Who has left Southampton this summer?

The Saints have decided to cash in on a number of their players; including Romeo Lavia, Ibrahima Diallo, Tino Livramento, James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Salisu, and Mislav Orsic.

Centre-back Duje Caleta-Car has also been allowed to leave on loan, whilst Theo Walcott, Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Willy Caballero have all departed on free transfers.

Martin could now dip into the market before next week’s deadline in order to bolster his side, and the Scottish head coach has recently been linked with a swoop for West Ham United full-back Ben Johnson.

How good is Ben Johnson?

The 23-year-old dynamo is a versatile and promising young defender who could instantly replace Livramento at St. Mary’s Stadium, after his move to Newcastle United earlier this month.

Johnson is a right-back by trade but has played at least 13 career games as a centre-back, left-back, and right-midfielder to date, which shows that Martin could utilise him in a variety of ways.

Kyle Walker-Peters is the current first-choice right-back but the Hammers youngster could come in to put pressure on the former Tottenham Hotspur ace, which would provide healthy competition for places, or replace him outright as he has also been linked with a surprise move to Arsenal.

Last season, Johnson, who was once described as "immense" by former West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand, caught the eye with his Europa Conference League performances.

The £33k-per-week titan averaged an impressive Sofascore rating of 7.15 across six appearances in the competition as he made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and won 64% of his duels.

He only started nine top-flight matches last season. However, the talented youngster did average a Sofascore rating of 6.89 over 16 starts throughout the previous campaign.

Livramento, on the other hand, did not start a single Premier League match for Southampton last term but did average a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 25 top-flight starts during the 2021/22 campaign.

Walker-Peters, meanwhile, started 30 league matches last season and averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.59.

The ex-Spurs graduate made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match but only won 52% of his individual battles, which suggests that Johnson could offer more quality in terms of the average standard of his performances as well as his physical strength.

Walker-Peters has averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.37 across three Championship matches for Southampton so far this season, which is the seventh-best score within the squad.

This shows that the drop down to the second division has allowed the 26-year-old talent to thrive.

Now, imagine what Johnson could do with the same opportunity after his impressive Premier League and Europa Conference League displays in comparison to Walker-Peters' outings at the top level in recent years.

The Hammers ace could excel at a lower standard of football and be an excellent option for Martin at the back with his ability to consistently win possession back for the side efficiently, using his strength.

This is why he could be an excellent loan signing for the Saints to finally replace Livramento and provide Walker-Peters with competition before the deadline.

Glenn Maxwell will soon find out how far he has slipped off the ODI radar of Australia’s selectors after Chris Lynn was ruled out of the series against England due to a calf strain suffered in the Big Bash League.Having only recently returned to cricket and still affected by shoulder problems, Lynn replaced Maxwell in the squad after the Victorian had offered up diminishing returns in recent appearances for the national team. He was also chided by the national captain Steven Smith on the basis that he needs to “train smarter” to more consistently play long innings.”He could train a little bit smarter,” Smith had said. “We’ve all seen the way he can come out and play and do all his funky stuff and be pretty cool with that. But when he puts his head down he’s actually a really good batsman, as we’ve seen in Shield cricket. If he keeps his head switched on and trains really well and focuses on basic things, probably more than the expansive things, then I think that will help him have his consistency.”Numerous figures, including the Brisbane Heat captain Brendon McCullum, expressed surprise that Lynn had been recalled so swiftly in a format he no longer plays for Queensland, but the calf injury has now made the debate moot, and left open the question of whether Maxwell will be reprieved. He was most recently part of an Australia squad when flown into Brisbane as cover for Shaun Marsh ahead of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.”It is annoying and I’m very disappointed to miss an opportunity with the ODI side, but I know it is minor in the scheme of things,” Lynn said. “I have been working very hard to get myself right, and the positive thing is that my shoulder is feeling very good. I’ll do the work again and I am confident I will give myself a shot at playing some good cricket again soon.”Lynn’s recent injury history has not suggested permanence, and the latest setback is expected to keep him out of action for up to a month. He may still be fit in time to return for Australia’s Twenty20 triangular series against England and New Zealand, which takes place in February immediately before a Test tour of South Africa, but will need to play at a lower level beforehand.”Chris initially left the field against the Scorchers complaining of tightness in his calf,” CA’s head of sports science Alex Kountouris said. “He reported increasing discomfort over the 24 hours that followed and the Heat’s medical staff made the decision to send him for a scan. That scan confirmed the injury, which is expected to prevent him from playing for three to four weeks.”When Chris recovers, the expectation is that he will need to prove his fitness in match action before being considered again for international selection.”

Craig Overton ignored the danger of a punctured lung – and put it all down to a twin brother who may one day join him in the England side

George Dobell in Perth19-Dec-2017Craig Overton risked a punctured lung to play his part in the third Ashes Test in Perth – and reckons that withstanding the pain was second nature because of the fast-bowling batterings he took while growing up from his twin brother Jamie.Overton, one of the few bright spots in another disappointing England campaign, was hit in the ribs while batting in the second innings in Adelaide. While he initially reported little pain and was cleared to play in Perth, he sustained another blow in the same area after he landed heavily as he dived in vain for a caught and bowled chance. Subsequent scans showed a cracked rib.But rather than sit out the rest of the match, Overton waved away warnings that he could sustain a more serious injury and dug in alongside his fellow bowlers as they struggled through two days in the field against Steve Smith and co.”Battling through the pain is in my nature,” Overton said. “Growing up as a kid, with Jamie hitting me, it was always a case of ‘Get on with it’ really. You never want to show too much pain.”The potential of the Overton twins have long excited Somerset cricket followers and, although it was Craig who achieved an England Test cap first, Jamie’s potential, at his best, to bowl a 90mph ball has seen him called up for England squads and encourages the thought that he might one day follow.”We’re fighters down in Somerset, that’s how we play our cricket,” Overton said. “It was painful, but not too bad. Even though I didn’t bowl that many overs, I could still bowl some that the other boys didn’t have to. That was the aim, just to get through this game really.Craig Overton feels the pain in Perth•Getty Images”I’ve been brought up to fight through the pain, and I’m not the sort to leave the field for nothing. It would have taken a broken leg or something that prevented me standing to stop me batting to try to save the game. All you can do is dose yourself up and try to get through it.”But then, just before lunch on the fourth day, I had to leave the field after one dive too many in the deep. The team doctor warned me it could become much worse if I landed the wrong way and I could even puncture a lung. That’s why I was making sure I didn’t dive too much because I was worried it could break properly.”Overton had assumed that the injury was behind him after Adelaide and England had few, if any, injury concerns about him entering the third Test in Perth.”It’s a hairline fracture at the minute,” Overton said. “I was hit in Adelaide, but it was fine and in the build-up to the game in Perth I was bowling fine in the nets with no painkillers. We weren’t worried about it.”Then I went for that caught-and-bowled catch off Usman Khawaja and landed awkwardly on it and we think that’s when I cracked it. But it was only a bit later, when I came back on for a second spell and bowled a bouncer that it really hurt. It caused me massive pain.”While Overton’s bravery was admirable, it has rendered him a doubt for the fourth Test starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day. He described himself as “a cross between the Michelin Man and a Mummy” when he walked out to bat in the second innings such was the extent of padding he was wearing to prevent further blows to the sore area and rates himself as “unlikely” to appear in Melbourne.”The draw of playing in that game is absolutely massive,” Overton said. “But I think you’ve also got to be realistic. There’s another game after Melbourne and then the New Zealand Test series as well. So I’ve got to keep my eye on the bigger picture. It’s not just about one game, there’s a lot more to come after this.”Although Overton is frustrated by the results, he has taken confidence from his ability to compete at this level. Only James Anderson has a lower bowling average among the England bowlers – Overton is taking his wickets at a cost of 37.66 apiece – and both Alastair Cook and Moeen Ali are averaging fewer than his 20.66 per innings.Craig and Jamie Overton could become the first twins to play for England•PA PhotosHe accepts, however, that if he is to add some bite to his bowling, it would help if he could increase his pace.”I’m proud to have shown what I can do,” Overton said. “The confidence of being able to bowl and take wickets at this level is massive. But for me, it’s not about how proud I am as a cricketer, it’s about winning games for England. That’s what hurts: we’re not winning games.”The pitches out here are generally quite flat and you’ve seen from their bowlers if you have a bit of pace you can still take wickets here. That’s one thing we’re trying to develop a little bit, and I am as well: to get that little bit quicker. It’s still a work in progress but I’ll keep at it.”

Any transfer talks for Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun should pick up speed in the coming weeks, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The USA international looks set to depart the Emirates this summer.

What is the latest news about Folarin Balgoun?

Balogun is a player in demand this summer following his bright loan spell at Reims last season, where he managed 21 goals and 3 assists in 37 games in Ligue 1.

The player attracted the interest of Italian side Inter Milan earlier in the window, however following initial negotiations, the Nerrazzuri ultimately decided to pursue alternative targets due to Arsenal's asking price. Following that reveal, the forward went to the Gunners staff and asked them to lower the £45m asking price according to Ben Jacobs. The striker also reiterated the fact that he will not spend another season on loan, nor will he spend a season as the backup striker behind Brazilian Gabriel Jesus.

The Italian side haven't ruled out a move for the player in case the asking price is reduced, but they could face competition from Premier League sides as according to Jacobs, a number of sides have enquired about the players' availability, with West Ham United admirers of Balogun. David Ornstein also reports that AS Monaco are interested in the player, and have seen a verbal offer turned down by the Gunners following their recent friendly.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Taylor revealed that he believes Balogun will ultimately stay at the Emirates next season, but is a player to watch in the final weeks of the window:

He said: "The player we haven’t mentioned that is actually key to this is Folarin Balogun. The fact that Gabriel Jesus is injured would, from the outside looking in, probably be a bit of an opening of the door for him to maybe prove his worth and get into the team. But Mikel Arteta says that the plan hasn’t changed for him, and from what I understand Arsenal are open to permanent offers for Balogun. And they’re not going to command a cheap fee, it’s going to be upwards of £40m.

Ultimately, I think, if they don’t receive that money, I think he’ll stay at the club, but it’s a situation where he’s not going to be playing football. He’s not really keen on another loan, but Balogun is 100 percent a player to watch in the final weeks of the window. I expect potentially something to happen, a club to come in for him, but the figures being quoted at the moment are just too steep.”

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

What could be to come for Arsenal?

The Gunners are hoping for more transfer business before the window shuts.

The club are still in negotiations with Brentford for goalkeeper David Raya, with Mikel Arteta wanting to give current number one Aaron Ramsdale more competition. The Athletic reports that whilst the first offer was rejected, all parties are committed to completing the deal, and the opening offer wasn't far from what the Bees deem acceptable.

The Gunners are set to lose a keeper this summer, with current backup Matt Turner close to sealing a move to Premier League side Nottingham Forest. Fabrizio Romano revealed that the American shot stopper was undergoing a medical today ahead of his £10m switch.

Arsenal are coming off the back of their Community Shield triumph on Sunday against Manchester City, and all focus is on preparing for their opening game of the season against Forest on Saturday August 12th.

Leed United are entering the "final stage" in negotiations to bring a player once described as "exceptional" to Elland Road this summer, per journalist Rudy Galetti.

Leeds United transfer news – what is the latest?

It's been a rough few months for the Peacocks recently. While relegation from the Premier League would be enough drama for most clubs, Leeds has had to contend with their drop to the Championship, a prolonged takeover process and a player exodus simultaneously.

The club have seen several first-team players that were unable to keep them up last year leave West Yorkshire over the last few weeks in a bid to find top-flight football elsewhere in Europe or England.

And it looks like another name could soon be added to that list with the news that the 19-year-old Italian international Willy Gnonto has already agreed to a five-year deal with Everton and has since refused to play for the club, per Fabrizio Romano.

Read the latest Leeds United transfer news HERE…

That said, it's not all doom and gloom as Daniel Farke's side have welcomed a few new faces to Elland Road so far this summer, with Ethan Ampadu joining from Chelsea in a deal worth £7m, Joe Rodon moving from Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan and Kar Darlow moving from Newcastle United in a deal worth £400,000.

Things could be about to get even better as well, with The Athletic reporting last week that the club were also keen on bringing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips to the club, with Italian journalist Rudy Galetti bringing yet more good news about this deal in particular.

What has Rudy Galetti said about Leeds United and Nat Phillips?

Galetti was confident that the talks between the clubs are positive and "progressing at a good pace" due to Liverpool's willingness to let the player leave this summer.

However, any deal will likely cost The Whites £10m.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "After the farewell of Maximilian Wober to Borussia Monchengladbach, Leeds targeted Phillips as a reinforcement as a new centre-back for the season.

"The talks between Leeds and Liverpool are progressing at a good pace and are now into the final stage. They just need to discuss some important details of the proposal on the table, set at around £10m, add-ons included.

"For Liverpool, he's not considered a key player to have in the squad this season, so they are absolutely open to letting him go and there is confidence to close the deal shortly."

How old is Nat Phillips?

Born March 21st, 1997, in Bolton, England, the 26-year-old has struggled for game time on Merseyside but has shown his quality the few time he has been on the pitch and during his loan spells away from the club.

He would represent a brilliant signing for the West Yorkshire side as when he last played in the Championship – for the high-flying Bournemouth – he played an instrumental role in their promotion back to the Premier League.

He joined the side for the second half of the campaign, and once he made his debut, he became a near enough permanent fixture in the Cherries backline.

Across the second half of the season, he started 17 games for the club, averaged 0.7 shots per game, maintained a passing accuracy of 81.9%, won a massive 4.8 aerial duals a game and averaged a seriously impressive match rating of 7.01, per WhoScored.

Whilst he has found game time at Liverpool hard to come by, manager Klopp is a massive fan of the 6 foot 3 titan, waxing lyrical over his ability and character, saying:

"People love him because of his heading, but with his feet, he is unbelievable. He's a late starter, but his development is unbelievable. I would sign him for any club except Liverpool because we have him.

"We cannot keep him forever, that's clear. We needed him, just to be safe, for that half-year. We will see what happens in the window. He was fine doing it because he's a great guy."

He might not be the glamorous signing, but considering his exceptional displays the last time he was in the second tier and the glowing endorsements from Klopp, Leeds and Farke should be doing all they can to get him to Elland Road this summer.

Batsman Shamarh Brooks will lead a 13-member West Indies A squad that also includes left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell and batsman Vishaul Singh, who have played Test cricket, for the first two four-day games against Sri Lanka A next month.Cottrell took 11 wickets in just six games in the recently-concluded Caribbean Premier League for runners-up St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, at an average of 12.54 – the best for any bowler who sent down more than one over – and an economy rate of 6.57.The squad also features allrounder Rahkeem Cornwall, and fast bowler Oshane Thomas, who impressed during the CPL. Thomas, 20, clocked speeds close to 150 kmph during his stint with Jamaica Tallawahs, and was Player of the Match for his 3 for 31 against Patriots.Batsman Sunil Ambris, currently with the West Indies ODI squad in England, has also been picked. Ambris has scored 773 runs in 18 games across formats this year, at an average of 51.53.”Our A-team is the feeding ground for our senior men’s team and so we are looking to continue the development of our second-tier players,” Courtney Browne, the chairman of selectors, said. “With a strong focus on consistency in selection, this series is another opportunity for them to place selection pressure on incumbents.”The tour, comprising three four-day games and three List A matches, begins on October 11 in Jamaica.West Indies A squad: Shamarh Brooks (capt.), Vishaul Singh, Sunil Ambris, John Campbell, Yannic Cariah, Rahkeem Cornwall, Sheldon Cottrell, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Damion Jacobs, Keon Joseph, Reynard Leveridge, Oshane Thomas

Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has claimed that new Tottenham Hotspur player James Maddison is a better signing than Mason Mount, who recently joined Manchester United.

The former Leicester City midfielder made the move to North London this summer, after the Foxes suffered relegation to the Championship. Signing for a reported £40m, Maddison will hope to hit the ground running under Ange Postecoglou.

Meanwhile, Mount completed his move to Old Trafford for a reported £60m deal, in a transfer that saw over a decade at Chelsea come to a ruthless end.

Between the two England internationals, although he said it was close, Parlour believes Maddison just about edges it, and is a better signing this summer.

The former Gunner knows what he's talking about when it comes to quality, too, after a stellar career at Arsenal. Indeed, it was in North London that he won three Premier League titles, including as part of the famous 2004 Invincibles side, as well as four FA Cups and one League Cup.

So, his verdict on Maddison is certainly high praise.

What did Ray Parlour say?

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, in partnership with Genting Casino, Parlour said: “I'm interested to see how Maddison does…

"But Maddison, £40m, I’m thinking… well, if you keep Harry Kane, with Son [Heung-min], [Dejan] Kulusevski on the left. You know, they've got a decent strike force there.

“And I hope it all goes wrong, if I'm being honest, I hope he starts going out in London, I might try to get him on the debrief [drinking session] with me and Alan [Brazil].

“But that's a good signing for 40 million quid. You know, Mason Mount, £60m. Who would you rather have, Mount or Maddison?

"It’s a close one, isn’t it? I’d probably go towards Maddison a little bit more, with free kicks and all that sort of stuff.”

How did James Maddison and Mason Mount perform last season?

After the Arsenal legend's verdict, it's only right to take a look at how Mount and Maddison performed in the Premier League last season.

Both were part of seasons to forget for their respective sides, as Chelsea finished in the bottom half, and Leicester were relegated.

That's not to say they didn't perform on an individual level, however, especially Maddison.

The recent Spurs arrival scored a total of 10 league goals in a struggling Foxes side last season, whilst also assisting a further nine, tallying up to have an incredibly impressive 19 goal involvements.

Mount, meanwhile, struggled to have a hand in such a high number of goals, scoring just three times, and recording just two assists.

Last season's numbers certainly suggest that it was Spurs who got the better deal this summer, but only time will tell whether that rings true this time next year.

After splashing the cash on the respective players, both clubs will be hoping to see their summer business pay off next season, where they'll be hoping to secure Champions League football and challenge for silverware, at the very least.

For now, fans will be eagerly anticipating their official debuts come the start of the campaign in August.

Jonny Bairstow’s relentless pursuit of a Champions Trophy starting berth has fallen, officially, on deaf ears, after it was confirmed by Eoin Morgan, England’s ODI captain, that the out-of-form Jason Roy will be backed to the hilt in the forthcoming Champions Trophy – even if his barren run of form continues in Thursday’s tournament opener against Bangladesh at The Oval.Roy, whose career-best 162 against Sri Lanka came on his Surrey home ground in June 2016, has misplaced his mojo in recent months. He is in the midst of a run of four single-figure scores in his last five ODI innings, and has a top score of 44 in all competitions this season, including a short-lived stint with Gujarat Lions in the IPL.Bairstow, by contrast, has been in ragingly belligerent form for both Yorkshire and England, on the rare occasions he’s been able to muscle his way into the starting XI. He started his season with a career-best 174 against Durham in the Royal London Cup, and has made three fifties in his last four England innings, including a turbo-charged 72 from 44 balls against Ireland, and a pride-salvaging 51 against South Africa at Lord’s earlier this week after the top order had slumped to 20 for 6.Morgan, however, will not be swayed on the subject, arguing with some justification that England’s opening partnership of Roy and Alex Hales has been one of the central planks of their white-ball renaissance since the 2015 World Cup, and that to disrupt that now would send precisely the wrong message to an otherwise settled, confident and in-form unit.”The decision remains the same throughout the tournament,” Morgan told reporters at The Oval, on the eve of the tournament opener against Bangladesh. “Jason Roy is part of our strong opening partnership with Alex Hales. He’ll definitely play.”If we want our players to play cagily or without freedom, yes, we would change things and probably half of us wouldn’t be here. So backing it up with selection and the way that we want to play, you know, Jason really epitomises the way that we play; the aggression in which he plays, he always plays for the team, and he plays in a manner that is dictated by that. He’s a very important part of our side.”Jonny will miss out unfortunately. It’s been the case like that for the last couple of years. He’s been very good when he’s come in, but each and every one of us within the batting department has had ups and downs over the years. And one of the strongest parts of reinforcing the way that we play, and the freedom in which we play with, is backing that up with selection.”Off to a flyer: Jason Roy is charged with giving England a fast start with the bat•AFP

Bairstow’s mood was not improved during England’s morning training session, when he took a painful blow to the hand during a catching drill and was forced to leave the field for an ice pack. Thankfully there was no lasting damage, but even if there had been, it would have had insultingly little impact on England’s plans for the Bangladesh encounter, with Morgan also confirming that Ben Stokes is set to play as a batsman only if his dodgy left knee is unable to withstand the rigours of bowling.”Ben Stokes has had a little bowl today. We will see how he pulls up tomorrow to see how much he will bowl. But I certainly see him bowling,” Morgan said. “It’s a very strange injury in that it’s only in his delivery stride that he feels the pain. So if given he couldn’t bowl, I still think he’d make great contributions with the bat and in the field.”Morgan’s determination to show faith in his first-choice XI was arguably reinforced by the events in their most recent ODI performance – when a batting side that had been piling up 300-plus scores for fun was shredded by South Africa’s seamers on a lively but not unplayable Lord’s surface. After slumping to six down in the space of five overs, Morgan admitted that a pre-tournament reality check wasn’t necessarily a terrible thing.”If you’re looking for positives out of it, absolutely. It certainly was a wake-up call in the fact that you need to be able to adapt in different circumstances,” he said. “When you play against one of the better sides in the world, you can be susceptible to things like that happening in given conditions.”Thursday’s opponents are not used to being clumped among the “better sides” in the world. And yet, there is no danger of England being anything less than on their guard for the visit of a Bangladesh team who got the better of them at both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, when their stunning victory at Adelaide delivered the coup de grace to the most miserable campaign yet in England’s sorry history of ICC failure.”Probably, since then, we’ve been on a huge upward curve,” said Morgan, “and we’ve been tremendously lucky in the fact that we’ve had a group of players that have bought into a way of playing and enjoyed it, and executed extremely well.”We need to bring our ‘A Game’ if we’re going to win this trophy. If at the end of it, we are holding the trophy, I think we’ll have played really well.”

The Premier League fixtures have been released, and Sheffield United will kick off their return to the top flight with a visit from Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane.

The two will meet for the first time in over two years and the occasion will mark the Blades' return to the Premier League after their promotion from the Championship last season.

To get you ready for the start of the new Premier League season, here is Football FanCast's official preview for the game, answering several key questions below.

When is the match and is it on UK TV?

The match will take place on Saturday, 12 August at 15:00pm BST, but due to the national Saturday 3pm blackout, it won't be televised on UK TV.

Every Premier League Opening Day fixture in full

Who is Sheffield United's key player?

As Paul Heckingbottom's side aim to avoid relegation this season, Iliman Ndiaye will undoubtedly play a massive role in their campaign. The 23-year-old attacker was a revelation for United last season, with his 27 goal contributions dwarfing anyone else in the side as they finished second and sealed their return to the Premier League.

With an average WhoScored rating of 7.23, only Oliver Norwood's 7.24 was better, but with the midfielder turning 33 in April, it's likely his impact in the side will only lessen going forward, whereas Ndiaye's should only get stronger.

Who is Crystal Palace's key player?

After Roy Hodgson returned to Selhurst Park towards the tail end of last season, Eberechi Eze came alive and started to display the level of talent that encouraged the Eagles to sign him in the first place.

The former Queens Park Rangers gem was in blistering form to end the campaign, scoring six goals and creating one assist in the 10 games after Hodgson replaced Patrick Viera in the dugout.

Although the former England manager likely won't be in charge of the club come the start of the season, don't expect Eze to drop off.

With the club talisman Wilfried Zaha looking likely to leave Palace this summer, they'll need someone to step up in his absence and the 24-year-old is more than ready to do so and his average WhoScored rating of 7.02, a number higher than everyone else in the squad only solidifies that.

How will Sheffield United line up?

One thing Sheffield United showed last season, is their ability to switch things up tactically and deploy a number of different formations to adapt against any opponent.

The one they used most predominantly, though, was the 3-5-2, so expect them to return to that particular shape as they return to the Premier League.

With legendary striker Billy Sharp leaving the club, and Ndiaye linked with a potential move away, the Blades' lineup could look very different to last year.

The club is reportedly interested in Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, but with AC Milan now also looking at the 20-year-old, it remains to be seen whether he'll join the club.

So, going off what we know here's how United will likely line up in the opening game of the season.

Predicted lineup (3-5-2): Foderingham; Egan, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson; Bogel, McAtee, Norwood, Berge, Lowe; McBurnie, Ndiaye

How will Crystal Palace line up?

With a new manager coming in, and whoever will take the hot seat still up in the air, it's hard to gauge how Palace will line up in the first game of the season.

Any manager wants to implement their own unique style when they arrive, but for argument's sake, let's imagine they'll rely on the formation Hodgson used so effectively towards the end of the season.

Following the 75-year-old's appointment, the Eagles went unbeaten in eight of their final 10 league games, and it was largely using a 4-3-3 formation. Without a new manager in charge, it's also difficult to predict the transfer business the club will make, but with the club recently linked to Arsenal man Folarin Balogun, you can still expect them to be active in the window.

Taking into account Zaha's likely departure, here's our predicted lineup for Palace on the first game of the season.

Predicted lineup (4-3-3) : Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp; Olise, Balogun, Edouard

How did the last five league meetings between the sides go?

The last five league meetings between the two sides have been fairly evenly split, with Palace coming out on top on three occasions, while United were victorious twice.

The two sides haven't drawn a game since 2009, so expect a fiery contest, with both teams giving it their all for maximum points.

May 2021: Sheffield United 0-2 Crystal Palace January 2021: Crystal Palace 2-0 Sheffield United February 2020: Crystal Palace 0-1 Sheffield United August 2019: Sheffield United 1-0 Crystal Palace February 2011: Crystal Palace 1-0 Sheffield United Who is going to win?

Sheffield United looked fantastic under Heckingbottom last season, and with Palace still unsure of who will be in charge of the club when the season kicks off, things may take an interesting turn.

Don't be too surprised with the Blades return to the Premier League with a bang and upset the apple cart a little, similar to their return in 2019.

On that note, United will mark their return to the top flight with a victory against a Palace side still trying to find their footing under whoever their new manager will be.

FFC predicts: Sheffield United win

تحدث طه إسماعيل نجم الأهلي الأسبق والمحلل الرياضي الحالي، عن إصابة لاعب الفريق وسام أبو علي، التي تعرض لها في العضلة الخلفية خلال المران.

وكان الأهلي قد نجح في الفوز على الزمالك بهدفين دون رد، أمس الجمعة، في نهائي كأس مصر الذي أقيم على ملعب “الأول بارك” بالمملكة العربية السعودية.

وقال طه إسماعيل في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “وسام أبو علي لاعب جيد، لعب مباراة بلدية المحلة وسجل هدفين، والمباراة التالية لم يلعب، ثم تعرض للإصابة في التدريبات”.

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وأضاف: “لا أفهم سبب ذلك، كيف يُصاب في التدريبات، المفترض أن أساليب التدريب تكون واعية وأن تتم المحافظة على سلامته، لأنه الأفيد بين المهاجمين الثلاثة، كهربا كبير في السن وموديست بطيء وثقيل، لذلك كان يجب المحافظة على وسام أبو علي ورضا سليم، لأن مثل هؤلاء اللاعبين إلى جانب أفشة وإمام عاشور يصنعون الفارق”.

واختتم: “يجب على الجهاز الفني والمسؤولين من الناحية البدنية أن يُحافظون على اللاعبين، ليس كل يوم والتالي لاعبون يُصابون في التدريبات”.