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  • Tebogo to take on 100m in Shanghai/Keqiao

    Tebogo to take on 100m in Shanghai/Keqiao

    Botswana’s 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo will line up in the men’s 100m at the second Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season in Shanghai/Keqiao in May.

    Letsile Tebogo will continue his bid for 100m glory in the Wanda Diamond League when he heads to Shanghai/Keqiao for the second meeting of the season on May 3.

    The Botswanan star established himself as one of the biggest stars of men’s sprinting in 2024, sweeping to the 200m Olympic title and five Diamond League victories between July and September.

    Having narrowly missed out on the Diamond League title at last year’s final in Brussels, Tebogo will be out to claim his first Diamond Trophy in 2025 before setting his sights on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.

    This year’s campaign will also mark a switch in focus for the 21-year-old, who announced after his Diamond League victory in Rome last August that he would be turning his attention to the 100m in 2025.

    Already confirmed for the 100m at the season opener in Xiamen on April 26, the Botswanan will head to Keqiao a week later to complete a Chinese double as he looks to get early points on the board on the Road to the Final.

    Tebogo is one of several track and field superstars already confirmed for Shanghai/Keqiao, including high jump world record holder and Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh and 400m hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm.

    “I’m thrilled for my first-ever race at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League! I can’t wait to bring some extra energy to an already amazing field,” said Tebogo.

    The Wanda Diamond League is the elite one-day meeting series in global athletics. It comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field. Athletes compete for points at the 14 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final, which will be held in Zurich on 27th and 28th August 2025.

  • If you want it, then earn it’ – Usain Bolt calls out ‘desparate’ Noah Lyles for claiming fastest man tag

    If you want it, then earn it’ – Usain Bolt calls out ‘desparate’ Noah Lyles for claiming fastest man tag

     

    Usain Bolt calls Noah Lyles’ fastest man claim desperate Image source: Imago

    Usain Bolt has rejected Noah Lyles’ claim that he is the world’s fastest man, insisting the American must break his records to earn the title.

    Double world record holder Usain Bolt has scoffed at Noah Lyles’ decision to brand himself the world’s fastest man.

     

    After winning the Olympic 100m title, Noah Lyles labelled himself the tag, something that Usain Bolt believes he has yet to earn since he has not broken his 100m and 200m records and is not even close to them.

     

    Usain Bolt’s 100m world record stands at 9.58 seconds while his 200m record is 19.19 seconds and he is regarded as the fastest man alive. He set the records at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

     

    How Noah Lyles took away the title of ‘sprint king’ from legendary Usain Bolt

    Noah Lyles has a personal best time of 9.79 seconds in the 100m, a time he set at the Paris Olympic Games. His 200m personal best time is 19.31 seconds set at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

     

    Usain Bolt noted that if Noah Lyles wants to be called the fastest man in the world, he has to let his times speak for him and for now, he is yet to attain that standard.

     

    “I find it funny…when I heard about it for the first time, I wondered if I would lose my mind. That’s desperate of him…that’s the first thing I thought,” Usain Bolt said in his interview with The Fix podcast.

     

    “I was like, come on man, if you want it then earn it man, earn it, earn it. You are the fastest man today. This year. Something I just laugh it off, just laugh. That’s desperation. Simply, break the records.”

     

    The fastest man in the world tag has been highly debatable with some sports fans and analysts arguing that winning the Olympic title in the 100m guarantees that.

     

    Others have argued that the athlete, who finishes the season with the fastest time, is considered the fastest in that season until another sprinter runs faster than them.

     

    Quincy Wilson: The 17-year-old track star and his love story with Masai Russell’s sister

     

    At the Paris Olympic Games, Noah Lyles clocked an impressive 9.79 seconds to cross the finish line first ahead of Kishane Thompson who came second milliseconds later. Fred Kerley rounded up the podium in 9.81 seconds.

     

    Kishane Thompson ended the season with the fastest time in the world, the 9.77 seconds he clocked at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

     

    However, one thing is evident, Usain Bolt who has the world record in the 100m remains, the fastest. From the interview, he insisted that Noah Lyles has to break his records first to be addressed with such high honours.

  • Lions’ 2025 NFL Draft Interior Defensive Linemen Big Board

    Lions’ 2025 NFL Draft Interior Defensive Linemen Big Board

     

    Here are six interior defensive linemen Lions could target early on in 2025 draft.

     

    Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon celebrates a sack as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

    Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon celebrates a sack as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard

     

    The Detroit Lions could be on the hunt for some interior defensive line help this offseason.

     

    Alim McNeill and DJ Reader are slated to be Detroit’s starters along the interior of the defensive line once again in 2025. However, there is a fair amount of uncertainty at the position behind the two of them.

     

    Subsequently, Lions general manager Brad Holmes could choose to add depth to the position group via this April’s NFL Draft (April 24-26). Detroit is currently set to pick for the first time at No. 28 overall.

     

    If Holmes does go this route, here are six players that he and the organization could target in the first two rounds of the draft.

     

    1.) Derrick Harmon, Oregon

     

    Standing in at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Harmon had an all-around productive season in his final campaign at Oregon.

     

    He amassed five sacks, seven quarterback hits and 43 QB hurries, and proved to be both a stout pass-rusher (86.2 PFF pass-rush grade) and run-defender (80.5 PFF run-defense grade). The Ducks product has the physical makeup and skillset to be an effective interior defensive lineman at the next level.

     

    As Pro Football Network’s Reese Decker writes, “Derrick Harmon is an absolute powerhouse. A strong, stout, and powerful interior lineman, he possesses a solid base, explosive initial punch, and plays with a low, smooth posture that minimizes his large frame.

     

    At 310 pounds, he’s surprisingly nimble, with the ability to collapse and shrink the pocket. A tenacious block-shedder and elite run defender, it’s nearly impossible to find a player of his size who moves both vertically and laterally as well as he can.”

     

    Harmon would be well worth the Lions’ first-round selection at No. 28 overall.

     

    2.) Kenneth Grant, Michigan

     

    Checking in at 6-foot-3, 339 pounds, Grant had a solid final season at Michigan. He produced three sacks and 23 quarterback hurries, and received a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 83.7. He also graded out better as a run-defender (87.5) than as a pass-rusher (75.3).

     

    The Wolverines product would be a welcomed addition to the interior of Detroit’s defensive line.

     

    3.) Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

     

    Nolen, measuring in at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, produced a dominant campaign in 2024 with the Rebels.

     

    For starters, he was an ultra productive run defender, earning a 91.6 PFF run-defense mark. Plus, he recorded six sacks and 25 QB hurries. For his overall efforts, he notched an 88.9 grade from PFF.

     

    As The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez pens, “Overall, Nolen has high-level physical traits that translate to him being a dominant run defender while also being a productive interior pass rusher on the next level.”

     

    It sounds like the Ole Miss product has the perfect combination of run-stopping and pass-rushing ability to be a high-level starter at the next level. Thus, it wouldn’t hurt the Lions to give him a serious look at No. 28 overall.

     

    4.) Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

     

    Williams, checking in at 6-foot-3, 327 pounds, was a steady performer in his time at Ohio State. In four seasons with the Buckeyes, he racked up 137 total tackles, including 27 for loss, and 11.5 sacks. He also consistently put up positive PFF overall marks, with grades of 77.6 or higher in each of his three final seasons.

     

    As The Draft Network’s Damian Parson conveys, “Tyleik Williams is a disruptive IDL prospect with great power at the point of attack. He’s a great run defender and potential impact pocket pusher.”

     

    I could see Williams going late in the first round, but I think he’d likely be more of a second-round target for Detroit.

     

    Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) is sacked by Buckeyes Sonny Styles (6) and Tyleik Williams (91) / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

    5.) T.J. Sanders, South Carolina

     

    Sanders, measuring out at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, put together a career-best campaign in 2024. He recorded solid marks as both a pass-rusher (81.9 grade) and a run defender (77.1 grade), and earned an overall mark of 82.4. It was good for the 31st-best grade out of 895 qualified interior defensive linemen.

     

    Equipped with quick hands and an explosive first step, Sanders would be a solid find for Holmes on Day 2 of the draft.

     

    6.) Deone Walker, Kentucky

     

    Walker, who suited up for three seasons with the Wildcats, wasn’t as good in 2024 as he was in 2023. A first-team All-SEC selection by the AP in ‘23, the 6-foot-6, 345-pounder amassed 55 total tackles, including 12.5 for loss, eight sacks and 39 quarterback hurries as a sophomore. Additionally, he earned an 80.6 overall mark from PFF for his efforts. He followed that up with just a 71.2 overall grade this past season.

     

    The Kentucky product has enough athleticism and first-step explosiveness to be an impact interior pass-rusher at the next level. I think he’d be worth a look from the Lions on Day 2 of the draft.

  • Lions projected $41 million starter predicted to leave Detroit for AFC team | Sporting News

    Lions projected $41 million starter predicted to leave Detroit for AFC team | Sporting News

     

    Lions projected $41 million starter predicted to leave Detroit for AFC team image

    With former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn taking over as the head coach of the New York Jets, there will inevitably be some Lions players who follow him to the Big Apple.

     

    One of those players could be cornerback Carlton Davis, who had a fantastic first season in Detroit before suffering a fractured jaw that ended his campaign early. Now, Davis is set to hit the free-agent market in 2025.

     

    Meanwhile, the Jets are set to lose one of their starting boundary cornerbacks in D.J. Reed, who has made it quite clear that he plans on playing elsewhere this coming season.

     

    “I’m ready to go to free agency, bro,” Reed said in an article done by Tyler Dunne of Go Long. “I’m ready to see what’s next for me.”

     

    With the Jets needing a new boundary cornerback to pair with Sauce Gardner and Michael Carter, USA TODAY’s Nick Brinkerhoff predicts Davis will land in New York. He also predicts Reed will land in Detroit, but here’s what he said about Davis.

     

    “With Reed heading out of town to Detroit in our scenario, the door is open for a new cornerback to emerge in the Meadowlands,” Brinkerhoff said. “Davis thrived in Glenn’s scheme last season in Detroit, making him the perfect player to follow the coach to the Jets.”

  • Leeds stars back in big changes at Watford with player promotion and Struijk call

    Leeds stars back in big changes at Watford with player promotion and Struijk call

     

    Captain Ethan Ampadu was the only player to start who had also lined up in the midweek 2-0 win at Coventry City.

     

    Attention now turns back to United’s promotion quest at Watford and Farke has made ten more changes for the 7.45pm kick-off at Vicarage Road, going with the same XI that lined up at Coventry.

     

    Centre-back Pascal Struijk was handed his first start since returning from a hamstring injury in the weekend’s cup clash but now drops back to the bench.

     

    That means Ampadu is set to once again partner Joe Rodon at centre-back, behind the centre midfield axis of Ilia Gruev and Tanaka which impressed at Coventry.

     

     

     

    Farke’s matchday squad also features promotion to the bench for Isaac Schmidt from the 20 players selected for last Wednesday’s clash against the Sky Blues.

     

    Schmidt replaces Max Wober who is back on the sidelines with a knee injury which requires surgery.

     

    Wober and Patrick Bamford (hamstring) are the only two Leeds players out injured.

     

    Hornets boss Tom Cleverley has made just the one change to his side for whom Jeremy Ngakia replaces Yasser Larouci at left-back. Rocco Vata also returns to the bench having missed the weekend’s 2-2 draw at Sunderland with a virus.

     

    Leed United: Meslier, Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu (c), Firpo, Gruev, Tanaka, James, Solomon, Aaronson, Piroe Subs: Darlow, Struijk, Byram, Schmidt, Guilavogui, Rothwell, Ramazani, Gnonto, Joseph.

     

     

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  • 3 Potential Trade Candidates For the Dodgers After the Kiké Hernandez Signing

    3 Potential Trade Candidates For the Dodgers After the Kiké Hernandez Signing

     

    Now that the Los Angeles Dodgers have added Kiké Hernández, pending a physical, they have quite a predicament on their hands – too many players and not enough roster spots.

     

    To make room for the utility man, the Dodgers will have to clear space on the 40-man and the 26-man rosters. Clearing space on the 40-man roster will be easy as they’ll just move someone to the 60-day injured list. Making room on the 26-man roster will prove to be much more dofficult.

     

    This is what the Dodgers know before spring training even starts. The active position player roster will include Will Smith, Austin Barnes, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández, Teoscar Hernández, Michael Conforto, Tommy Edman, and Miguel Rojas ,leaving two spots open for Hyseong Kim, James Outman, Chris Taylor and Andy Pages to fight for.

     

    The Dodgers just signed Kim this offseason and if he proves himself in camp then he will stay with the big league club, which leaves the other three to be potentially up for grabs on the trade market.

     

    Taylor and the Dodgers agreed to a four-year, $60 million contract when he reached free agency following the 2021 season. While he does not have a no-trade clause, his contract does include two other things: A $2 million assignment bonus with each trade, plus his 2026 option increases by $1 million if traded after the 2024 season and before start of the 2026 season.

     

    Pages was almost traded once. It was back in 2020 when the Dodgers tried to send him, Joc Pederson, and Ross Stripling to the Los Angeles Angels. The deal fell through, Pages was called up in April 2024, and he never looked back.

     

    The outfielder is young and has plenty of upside after finishing the season slashing .248/.305/.407. Pages has accrued 155 days of major league service time and has one option year left after being optioned in both 2023 and 2024.

     

     

    Outman finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting two years ago, losing to Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, but his sophomore season was a complete slump.

     

    The outfielder’s offensive numbers took a significant hit in 2024, slashing .147/.256/.265 as his home run and walk rates declined while his strikeout rate increased. He ended up playing more games in Triple-A (69) than in the majors (53).

     

    While the Dodgers have a ton of depth that will set them up for a long season, that depth is also going to cause some headaches for the front office and coaching staff. Two spots for four players will leave two men very disappointed when decisions are made.

     

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  • This is just the start’ – Sears starts coaching journey at Premier League side

    This is just the start’ – Sears starts coaching journey at Premier League side

    ‘

     

    Freddie Sears played for Ipswich Town between 2015 and 2021.

    Freddie Sears played for Ipswich Town between 2015 and 2021. 

    Former Ipswich Town forward Freddie Sears has returned to West Ham United to take his first steps into coaching.

     

    The 35-year-old completed his UEFA B licence at the Hammers, attending Chadwell Heath to support their Academy U12s coaching team. He has also been helping coach the U15s side too.

     

    Sears has not hung up his boots just yet as he is still playing part-time for Chatham Town, who play in the Isthmian League Premier, the seventh tier of English football.

     

    He came through the famous West Ham academy, where he burst onto the scene aged 18, scoring a late winner against Blackburn just five minutes into his debut in 2008.

     

    On returning to his boyhood club, he said: “I did a crash course for my UEFA B licence in 2023, and by chance, it was here at Chadwell Heath!

     

    “I hadn’t been back since I left in 2012. It was surreal being back in the building. Everyone’s made me so welcome.

     

    “I spoke to some people on the course who were working at West Ham, and that’s how the opportunity came about to come back and do some coaching here.

     

    “I’ve loved being in the building. Being back at the club where I started has been fantastic.”

     

    He added: “For me, this is just the start. This year is about experience on and off the pitch. I’ve been learning from some great people who have been in this environment, [U12s coaches] Ross and Louis. Just doing my qualifications here was surreal, never mind actually coaching the boys.

     

    “I come into Chadwell Heath one day a week for the time being, coaching the U12s. I then sometimes get involved with the U15s. The other day, me and Nobes (Mark Noble) trained with them. That was really cool, rolling back the years! It’s such a good environment, it’s like nothing’s changed!

     

    “It got to the stage where full-time football was taking up too much of my time,” he explained. “Now, I’m coaching, I’ve got a young family, and am enjoying other stuff too. I’ve really enjoyed playing part-time, it’s been a good season personally with Chatham, 17 goals so far. Still life in the old boy! I’m still enjoying my football and as long as I do, I’ll keep playing.”

     

    Sears scored 34 goals in 217 games in total during his time at Town, having signed from Colchester for £100k in January 2015. He left Portman Road in the summer of 2021.

  • Liverpool and Arsenal transfer target Nico Williams

    Liverpool and Arsenal transfer target Nico Williams

    Nico Williams has been linked with Arsenal and Liverpool.Liverpool have entered the race to sign top Arsenal target Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao in the summer, according to reports.The Gunners were forced to look at new attacking options in the January transfer market after injuries to Gabriel Jesus – who has been ruled out for the season – and Bukayo Saka.

  • He’s a representation of the club’s journey’ – McKenna on Woolfenden’s new contract

    He’s a representation of the club’s journey’ – McKenna on Woolfenden’s new contract

     

    Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna says Luke Woolfenden is an important player for the club on and off the pitch.

    Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna believes the best is yet to come from homegrown centre-back Luke Woolfenden.

     

    Th 26-year-old, born and raised in Ipswich, progressed through the Playford Road academy and has climbed with the club from League One to the Premier League.

     

    He penned a new contract until 2027 recently which, if he sees out, would take him to a decade with the Blues as a professional.

     

    “We’re pleased,” said McKenna, who has started Woolfenden in eight of the 24 Premier League games played so far this season.

     

    “Luke’s an important player for us for the here and now. He’s performed well this year in the games that he’s played in.

     

    “And he’s also an important member of the squad and, really, a representation of the journey the club’s been on.

     

    “With Harry (Clarke) and Cameron (Humphreys) both being out on loan now, he’s the player who has been here the longest and has that connection with the academy.”

     

    Seemingly on the cusp of a first team breakthrough in 2018, Woolfenden admits he was disappointed to be loaned out to League Two club Swindon by newly-appointed boss Paul Hurst and watched from afar as Ipswich finished bottom of the Championship.

     

    Linked with a Premier League move in 2020, he subsequently found himself in and out of favour under Paul Lambert in League One and was then cast aside by Paul Cook. It was a time, he says, where he was ‘waking up most mornings and wanting to be anywhere else other than Ipswich’.

     

    The along came McKenna and Woolfenden became a main man in back-to-back promotions. He was as emotional as anyone when the step-up to the Premier League was secured.

     

    “Luke’s had difficult times here,” said McKenna. “He has that context and can share that context with others. He can talk about some of the challenges we face now compared to some of the challenges that the club faced a few years ago.

     

    “He’s both an important member of the team but an important member of the club and deserves his new contract.

     

    “I think he’s still improving, still developing. Centre-halves develop a little bit later sometimes and I think he’s still improving different aspects of his game and I’m sure he’s going to keep working to do so.”

  • Who impressed in the cup? Four players who could earn more league minutes for Town

    Who impressed in the cup? Four players who could earn more league minutes for Town

     

    Ipswich Town put in a strong display against Coventry City despite making 11 changes

    Ipswich Town put in a strong display against Coventry City despite making 11 changes 

    Ipswich Town made 11 changes for their FA Cup clash against Coventry City, winning the game 4-1. Alex Jones picks out four players who impressed against the Championship side and could look to work their way into Kieran McKenna’s Premier League starting lineup.

     

    Cameron Burgess is facing stiff competition to start at centre-back

    Cameron Burgess is facing stiff competition to start at centre-back (Image: PA)

     

    Cameron Burgess

     

    Defensively, Ipswich have a lot of depth. The first-choice back line now seems set in stone, with Axel Tuanzebe and Leif Davis playing either side of Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves. Consistency is key in that part of the pitch.

     

    That leaves the likes of Ben Godfrey, Ben Johnson and Luke Woolfenden in a difficult position. Cameron Burgess finds himself in a similar situation.

     

    The 29-year-old hasn’t been left totally in the cold. He was brought in for his first Premier League start against Everton back in October, which happened due to Greaves’ hamstring injury.

     

    He’s played 10 games at the level so far this season, registering an assist for Conor Chaplin’s goal against Bournemouth in December.

     

    His consistent displays saw him briefly keep his place in the starting lineup once Greaves returned to fitness, but the 4-0 defeat to Newcastle United changed all of that. His only league start since then came in the 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City.

     

    With McKenna keen to pack his bench with attacking options, there’s rarely any space for natural centre-backs. That being said, Burgess rarely puts a foot wrong and surely has to be in the manager’s mind.

     

    Could another strong display against Coventry see him force his way into the starting lineup? With this entire discussion, there is, of course, the caveat that the FA Cup tie was against a Championship side that made four changes, but it shouldn’t take much away from the display as a whole

     

    There’s every chance we see Burgess play in the Premier League again before the end of the season.

     

    Most of Jack Taylor’s Premier League minutes have come from the bench

    Most of Jack Taylor’s Premier League minutes have come from the bench

     

     

     

    There’s a big debate about Ipswich’s midfield. Sam Morsy, Jens Cajuste, Kalvin Phillips – who starts? Jack Taylor has become a side note in this entire discussion, which is probably a bit unfair.

     

    The 24-year-old has made a huge leap. Yes, he played a season in the Championship with Peterborough United in 2021/22, but his side suffered relegation back to League One, where he became one of the best players in the division.

     

    He’s since stepped up to the Premier League via a bit-part season in the second tier, now facing stiff competition to start.

     

    Everything we’ve seen from Taylor has been good. His cameos have been sharp, particularly the one at Wolves, where he scored a late winner. He earned his first start in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, putting in a solid display in a game his side should have won.

     

    Since then, he has only started in the FA Cup, having scored against Bristol Rovers in the third round – albeit from a blatantly offside position.

     

    Is there a chance he gets another look in? With question marks surrounding Morsy’s performances, Cajuste’s fitness and Phillips’ consistency, it’s not impossible. He offers something different to those three as well, which could be used to Town’s advantage in some games.

     

    Jack Clarke scored twice and provided an assist against the Sky Blues

    Jack Clarke scored twice and provided an assist against the Sky Blues

     

     

     

    Welcome to the party, Jack Clarke. We saw glimpses of promise in a Town shirt, but his display against Coventry showed what he’s capable of.

     

    Overall, it’s been a tough start to life at Portman Road for the winger, who has started just five games in the Premier League. His best display came at home to Aston Villa back in September, where he bagged the assist for Liam Delap’s opener, but he wasn’t able to sustain his form.

     

    Despite notching a goal and an assist against Bristol Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup, his confidence has clearly taken a hit. He started against Manchester City and looked lively, but then faded and made a terrible mistake that led to their fifth goal.

     

    He failed to make the squad for the subsequent game at Liverpool and only played two minutes off the bench against Southampton. At that point, it was hard to see a way back.

     

    The win at Coventry showed a different side to his game. He felt like the main man in attack, but he also linked up well with those around him. He was selfish and clinical at times, but he also sacrificed an opportunity for a hat-trick to set up Jaden Philogene for his first Ipswich goal.

     

    Crucially, he enjoyed playing in that match. He looked much more like his old self, like the one that tore the Championship to shreds with Sunderland. His performance, coupled with the scenes after the match where he was pushed to celebrate in front of the away fans, should do him the world of good.

     

    Performing like that against Premier League opposition is another matter entirely, but this game could give him the platform to kick on. With Sammie Szmodics set for another spell on the sidelines, there may be some more opportunities for him on the horizon.

     

    George Hirst suffered three injuries between December 2023 and November 2024

    George Hirst suffered three injuries between December 2023 and November 2024

     

    Striker George Hirst hasn’t had it easy this season. Having picked up an injury over the summer, he returned to find that Delap had taken his place in the starting lineup following a run of hot form at the start of the season.

     

    His comeback lasted less than two months before he suffered another knock, ruling him out for a couple of months. That was his third injury in less than a year – a gutting moment for him.

     

    He’s determined to stay fit now. If he can do so, there’s no reason why he can’t earn more starts in the Premier League.

     

    Yes, Delap’s form is an issue for him. There’s no real platform for him to play week in, week out, but McKenna isn’t afraid to rotate. We saw that away at Brentford – Hirst’s only Premier League start so far this season – where the former Manchester City man was brought off the bench instead.

     

    Hirst’s two starts this season have seen him notch a goal and an assist in each. If he can stay fit, then those cameo appearances could turn into starts. Based on what we’ve seen so far, he would be ready to take those opportunities.

     

    There aren’t many players who boast the same attributes as him – tall and physical, yet agile, mobile and intelligent on the ball with a clear eye for goal.

     

    He showed that on numerous occasions against Coventry, creating the chance for the penalty before firing home from the spot. His assist for Clarke looked simple, but required him to turn and find a pocket of space to play the pass.

     

    McKenna will know how to get the most out of the 25-year-old between now and the end of the season. As one of two natural strikers in the squad, he will have a big part to play.