After suffering their first loss since August against Liverpool last weekend, Chelsea bounced back with a 2-1 win over Newcastle United yesterday afternoon.

It wasn’t an entirely straightforward victory for Enzo Maresca’s men, but with brilliant performances from several players, including Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto, they were able to pick up another vital three points, which leaves them in fourth and just one behind title-chasing Arsenal.

However, while most of the team put in performances that should see them keep their place for the next few games, a couple of starters should probably be dropped after underwhelming in West London, including Noni Madueke.

Why Madueke should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to say before the pitchforks and torches come out is that so far this season, Madueke has been quite impressive, and with his tally of five goals in ten appearances across all competitions, he has thoroughly earned his place as a regular starter in the Blues’ squad.

However, while the 22-year-old has been great in other games this season, he was underwhelming yesterday, both going forward and in his defensive duties.

For example, in his 67 minutes on the pitch, he produced an expected goals figure of 0.08 and an expected assists figure of 0.18, failed in two of his three crosses, lost the ball ten times, lost six of eight duels, failed in 50% of his dribbles and was dribbled past once himself, demonstrating how exposed he left Malo Gusto at points.

Minutes

67′

Expected Goals

0.08

Expected Assists

0.18

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Lost Possession

10

Duels (Won)

8 (2)

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (1)

Dribbled Past

1

It might sound particularly harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the Sun’s Lloyd Canfield, who gave the talented winger a 5/10 at full-time, writing that he was ‘quiet in the first half’ and that he was ‘outshone by Pedro Neto on the opposite flank,’ which is a rather kind way to describe his display.

While Madueke will undoubtedly have a large part to play for Maresca as the season develops, his performance yesterday was poor enough to be dropped for the next league game, especially when the club are currently blessed with talented wingers.

However, the Englishman wasn’t Chelsea’s worst player on the pitch.

Why Robert Sanchez should be dropped

Yes, despite looking slightly better so far this season, Robert Sanchez was arguably Chelsea’s worst player on the pitch against Newcastle.

Now, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace didn’t make a huge and costly blunder against the Toon – as he has in the past – but he was noticeably uncomfortable with the ball at his feet and almost played his teammates into trouble on multiple occasions.

Unsurprisingly, this shakey performance was spotted and commented on by a number of journalists, with Canfield awarding him a 3/10 on the day and describing him as a ‘liability’, while football.london’s Bobby Vincent simply described his showing as ‘poor’ and noted the manager’s growing frustration with his inaccurate kicking.

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, his statistics from the game also make for dismal reading.

In his 96 minutes on the pitch, he made a single save, took 46 touches, maintained an abysmal passing accuracy of just 50%, misplaced 19 of his 24 long balls – which is unforgivably dire – dribbled past one and lost his one ground duel.

Minutes

96′

Saves

1

Passing Accuracy

20/40 (50%)

Long Balls (Accurate)

24 (5)

Dribbled Past

1

Ground Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Ultimately, Sanchez has yet to really prove himself at Chelsea, and his performance yesterday has only raised more doubts about his long-term suitability as the club’s number one. Therefore, Maresca should boldly drop him for the game against United on Sunday and hand the promising Filip Jørgensen his Premier League debut – he can’t be any worse on the ball than the Spaniard.

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Erik ten Hag is pushing for a Manchester United player to leave the club given his contract situation, but he may wait to see what happens with the future of the Dutchman, according to a recent report. It has been a turbulent few weeks for the Red Devils, but they will now be hoping that three points and a strong second-half display against Brentford on Saturday can be the start of a turnaround in results and performances.

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Man Utd transfer news

Obviously, the short-term focus around Old Trafford will be on upcoming fixtures as they try to build some momentum both domestically and in Europe. But the club’s hierarchy also have their eyes on future transfers, and this is irrelevant to what happens to Ten Hag in the future.

Last week, United were linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane as he continues talks over a new deal with the German side. The German is known to the Premier League as he played for Manchester City, but now the Red Devils have their eye on bringing him back to the other side of Manchester.

United added two new centre-backs to their ranks during the summer, but the club looks keen to add to that department still. Indeed, it has been reported that the Red Devils remain interested in Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.

The 25-year-old is seen as a key member of Barca’s team, and he is in talks over a new contract, but United are keeping an eye on the situation and could make an offer if talks don’t progress. The transfer stories don’t stop there for United and Ten Hag, as the Dutchman now appears to be looking to move one of his first team players on.

Man Utd star Ten Hag wants out waiting before entering contract talks

According to Football Insider, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire will wait until Erik ten Hag is sacked before making a decision about his future at the club. The England international is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, and as of yet, no talks have been held over extending his stay.

Ten Hag is said to be pushing for Maguire to leave the club, but the 31-year-old is in no rush to decide his future, as uncertainty over Ten Hag’s future as United boss continues. Maguire is keen to assess whether his role would change under a new manager, given his lack of game time this season.

The centre-back is currently out injured, but before suffering that injury against Aston Villa, he started just three Premier League games, keeping a clean sheet in the game at Villa Park with Jonny Evans. That came after he scored a last-minute equaliser against Porto in the Europa League a few days before.

Harry Maguire’s Man Utd stats
Apps	215
Goals	12
Assists	8

Maguire still feels he has a role to play at Manchester United, but a decision may soon have to be made given his contract situation.

كشف هيرفي رينارد، المدير الفني لـ منتخب السعودية، عن التشكيلة الأساسية التي سيدخل بها مواجهة اليابان، ضمن الجولة الثامنة من التصفيات الآسيوية المؤهلة لكأس العالم، في لقاء يحتضنه ملعب سايتاما.

يدخل المنتخب السعودي المباراة وهو يحتل المركز الثالث في المجموعة الثالثة برصيد 9 نقاط، بينما يتصدر منتخب اليابان الترتيب بـ19 نقطة، بعدما ضمن تأهله رسميًا إلى المرحلة المقبلة من التصفيات.

ويعاني المنتخب السعودي من غيابات بالجُملة في صفوفه، ما يجعل المهمة أكثر صعوبة أمام اليابان، الذي يُعد أحد أقوى المنافسين في التصفيات.

طالع أيضًا | 10 غيابات تضرب السعودية قبل مواجهة اليابان في تصفيات كأس العالم تشكيل السعودية أمام اليابان في تصفيات كأس العالم

حراسة المرمى: نواف العقيدي

خط الدفاع: مهند الشنقيطي – حسان تمبكتي – علي لاجامي – جهاد ذكري

خط الوسط: نواف الصبحي – فيصل الغامدي – مسعد آل حمسل

خط الهجوم: مروان الصحفي – سالم الدوسري – فراس البريكان

ويسعى الأخضر لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية رغم الظروف الصعبة، في مباراة تمثل اختبارًا حقيقيًا لقدرة الفريق على مواجهة التحديات الكبيرة في مشوار التصفيات.

خيارات مدربنا " @Herve_Renard_HR " لمواجهة منتخب اليابان 📝⬇️. #السعودية_اليابان pic.twitter.com/COaGBRTNOw

— المنتخب السعودي (@SaudiNT) March 25, 2025

Manchester City have been warned that a guilty verdict in their FFP case could lead to a deduction "somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 points".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• City waiting on verdict in long-running case
• Various sanctions have been speculated on
• Appeals expected against any punishments

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It is not the first time that the reigning Premier League champions have been told to brace themselves for a severe punishment. There are at least 115 charges hanging over the Etihad Stadium, with an independent hearing into supposed financial mismanagement being completed.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City are, along with the rest of the sporting world, waiting on a verdict. Various sanctions have been touted, ranging from points penalties and transfer embargoes through to complete expulsion from the English top flight.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Everton and Nottingham Forest saw points stripped from their respective tallies in 2023-24 for Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) breaches, with precedents being set there. City will be hit considerably harder if they are deemed to have broken Financial Fair Play regulations.

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  WHAT FOOTBALL FINANCE EXPERT SAID

  Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has told the podcast of what could happen to City: “Looking at the commission reports for Nottingham Forest and Everton when they have both been charged by the Premier League, it is noticeable that the commission conclusion was that they were 'minor breaches'. They were minor breaches and they resulted in a four-point deduction [for Forest] and a six-point deduction [for Everton, which was reduced from 10 on appeal]. What Manchester City is being accused of is effectively corporate fraud, which has to be constituted as a major breach of the rules.

  “If guilty, and I really have to stress the word 'if', the punishment is likely to be far harsher [than what Everton and Nottingham Forest got]. It has to be a points deduction – if found guilty. We are looking at a points deduction somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 points.”

A £15,000 a week player is looking to seal a move away from Leeds United in the January transfer window, according to a new report. The Whites have had a testing time with injuries this season, but that hasn’t affected Daniel Farke’s side too much on the pitch, as they sit just three points behind leaders Sunderland before their game against Millwall on Wednesday night.

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The Yorkshire side have seen some important players ruled out with injuries already this season, one being midfielder Ethan Ampadu. The Welshman has been out injured for over a month now, as he suffered the knee injury in the 3-0 win over Coventry City back in September. He isn’t expected to be back yet, but Farke has confirmed that Ampadu is ahead of schedule and could be back sooner rather than later.

“He’s working hard, already doing some running. It will be a while before he can join us in team training; he’s even a bit ahead of schedule. I’m carefully optimistic he can return to team training a bit earlier. We will see.

“Normally, it would be realistic to be back in training in the middle of December and then available in the beginning of January. It would be nice if he can help us already a bit earlier and sooner because he’s our captain and a versatile player. We would love to have him back, but we won’t rush it. It was a serious injury. He’s a bit ahead, but let’s see how it develops.

Meanwhile, Leeds are being linked with a move for midfielder Lewis O’Brien, as the midfielder is currently on loan at LAFC but could return to Nottingham Forest in January. He is a player who Leeds have tried to sign before, and they could look to do so once again. But while the focus may be on arrivals, it seems one player is keen to leave Elland Road in the New Year.

Joe Gelhardt looking to leave Leeds in January

According to MOT Leeds News, Joe Gelhardt wants to seal a loan move away from Leeds United in January. The 22-year-old came through the academy at Wigan Athletic, and after impressing, Leeds decided to snap him up in 2020, but it is a move that has yet to work out.

Gelhardt, who earns £15,000 a week at Elland Road, has featured a lot for the Yorkshire side but has yet to get a run of regular minutes under the current manager, failing to start under Farke in the Championship this season. The forward has appeared just three times this season in all competitions, totalling 72 minutes of football.

Apps

57

Goals

3

Assists

5

This report states that Gelhardt has become frustrated with his lack of game time, and having joined Sunderland for six months in the 2022/23 campaign, it seems he wants another loan move in January.

Two-time defending BBL champions Sydney Sixers have bolstered their shorthanded attack with the prized signing of Pakistan legspinner Shadab Khan.Shadab will be available for the remainder of the season in a timely addition for the injury-hit Sixers, who have lost offspinner Ben Manenti to a season-ending neck injury while frontliner Steve O’Keefe is currently on the sidelines with a calf strain.They have also been left depleted in the pace ranks with English import Tom Curran returning home due to a back injury while compatriot Chris Jordan’s five-match stint has come to an end. In better news, former Australia Test seamer Jackson Bird is expected to return soon and make his BBL season debut as he recovers from an Achilles injury.Renowned for his ability to wickedly turn the ball, Shadab will add dynamism and class to Sixers’ attack as they chase a historic hat-trick of BBL titles. He returns to the BBL after a brief three-match stint with Brisbane Heat in the 2017-18 season.He starred at the recent T20 World Cup with nine wickets from six games, including 4 for 26 against eventual champion Australia in the semi-finals. Shadab, however, was wicketless in his past two T20Is against West Indies earlier in the month.A handy lower-order batter, Shadab averages 18.33 with a strike rate of 136.81 from 64 T20Is and has also scored three half-centuries in his six-Test career.Shadab is the fifth Pakistani to sign in this season’s BBL and joins Melbourne Stars’ trio Haris Rauf, Syed Faridoun and Ahmad Daniyal, and Sydney Thunder’s Mohammad Hasnain.Sixers coach Greg Shipperd said the squad now boasted a trio of exciting young spinners with Lloyd Pope and Todd Murphy also part of the ranks.”All three young men are still learning their craft but have shown at various levels that they can be world class,” he said. “We welcome Shadab’s skills in all three facets of the game and can’t wait to see him get an opportunity in coming matches.”Even though they have had a horror run of injuries, Sixers sit second on the BBL ladder with their next match against crosstown rival Thunder – dubbed the ‘Sydney Smash’ – on December 26 at Sydney Showgrounds.

Leeds United have had their fair share of entertaining forward players over recent years, with last campaign seeing the Whites boast Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter in attack.

That is a ridiculous duo for the level of the Championship, as the electric pair ended up making the testing division their playground at points, with a combined goal and assist haul of 55 mustered up between them in all competitions.

Unfortunately, both top-drawer Whites players departed after promotion was amazingly not reached, with Leeds used to the grim reality of exceptional aces moving on from West Yorkshire after the collective team have failed to meet their expectations.

Raphinha's time at Leeds

One notable example of this kind is Raphinha’s exit from Elland Road in 2022, after he had dazzled many a spectator on a regular basis in his new surroundings with devastatingly effective displays in attack.

The Brazilian attacker would go on to score 17 goals and pick up 12 assists across 67 appearances in England, with 14 of those goal contributions still managing to come about even as the Whites narrowly escaped relegation during the 2021-22 season.

Raphinha would ultimately go on to win a dream move to Barcelona after standing out as a diamond in Jesse Marsch’s relegation-threatened side, winning the Whites a bumper £55m in the process.

Lauded as a “magician” by one of his ex-teammates in Daniel James when still at Leeds, the enigmatic South American leaving did open up a hole that the Whites would need to plug, but that was a task that was always going to be difficult.

Summerville and Rutter did arguably excite and enthral the Leeds masses in a similar way, but more would have been expected of this Whites flop, considering he was labelled just last year as possessing a “touch of magic” by Farke.

The Leeds player who could have been the next Raphinha

The player under the spotlight here is Ian Poveda, who has gone from being an “incredible” talent in the eyes of Pep Guardiola to someone who is now on the books of table-topping Sunderland after leaving the Whites.

It was a bumpy ride for the Colombian in West Yorkshire in truth, with the unpredictable attacker snapped up from the Manchester City youth system in 2020 known as a flair player designed to entertain the masses watching on.

He would score plenty of sublime individual goals playing on youth pitches for City, hammering home 15 strikes playing for both the U18s and U21s, before a move to Leeds came to be.

A left-footed right winger like Raphinha, it was that stunning level of quality above and his ability to skin opposition defenders that drew understandable comparisons between the two, with the Brazilian’s career average of dribbles per game sitting at 1.3 and Poveda’s at 1.2 underlining their similar play styles.

Unfortunately, Poveda just couldn’t dazzle defences like he did for City when lining up for the senior Leeds side, with zero goals from 30 Whites appearances.

Poveda’s numbers away from Leeds

Club played for

Games

Goals scored

Assists

Blackburn Rovers (loan)

10

1

2

Blackpool (loan)

26

3

2

Sheffield Wednesday (loan)

10

0

1

Sunderland (permanent)

3

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Picking up just a paltry assist – a far cry from the form of Raphinha’s at Elland Road – his time spent away from West Yorkshire didn’t exactly go to plan either as many loan spells up and down the EFL ultimately passed him by.

He has also been troubled by injury issues over the course of his underwhelming playing days, with the former Arsenal youth product only fit enough to make three first-team appearances for Sunderland to date, after Farke and Co allowed for the 24-year-old’s contract to just run down.

Poveda could find that a consistent run at the Stadium of Light sparks something out of him when his injury demons aren’t in his way.

But, as much as Leeds wanted Poveda to be their next superstar from South America – akin to Raphinha – the move is now seen as a major disappointment.

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The left-armer joins legspinner Georgia Wareham on the sidelines leaving the hosts needing further reinforcements

AAP07-Dec-2021

Sophie Molineux is aiming to be return in time for the ODI World Cup•Getty Images and Cricket Australia

Australia have suffered yet another blow ahead of this summer’s Women’s Ashes series after star spinner Sophie Molineux was struck down by a stress fracture in her right foot.Molineux suffered the injury during the last week of the WBBL, and has been ruled out of the entire multi-format series.Australian team doctor Pip Inge said Molineux is currently in a moon boot, but it’s hopeful the 23-year-old will be able to play in March’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand.”Sophie’s focus now shifts to her rehabilitation plan which means she’ll be unavailable for any upcoming domestic matches as well as the Ashes in January,” Inge said. “At this stage we are aiming to have Sophie available for the ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand in March.”Related

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The injury to Molineux comes less than two months after legspinner Georgia Wareham ruptured the ACL in her left knee, ruling her out of the World Cup, Ashes, and Commonwealth Games campaigns.This summer’s Ashes series comprises of one Test, three one-dayers, and three T20s. The Test match starts on January 27 at Manuka Oval in Canberra.Molineux has excelled in her two Tests, nine ODIs, and 27 T20s for Australia, and her absence combined with that of Wareham is a big blow to the team’s spin stocks. But Australia still have Jess Jonassen, Amanda Jade-Wellington, and the uncapped Alana King to call upon in the spin department. Offspinner Molly Strano has also been part of recent squads.Molineux carried her injury into Melbourne Renegades’ Challenger final loss to the Adelaide Strikers late last month. She didn’t bat despite her team’s early collapse, and returned expensive figures of 0 for 22 from two overs with the ball. It was revealed during the match that Molineux had been in a moon boot in the lead-up to the clash.

Chelsea have stared down the barrel of desperation since everything changed a few years ago, but last season’s football saw a new sense of optimism take root at Stamford Bridge.

At the time, Mauricio Pochettino’s departure was met with questions and concern, but the club have a vision and Enzo Maresca is proving to guide Chelsea back to a position of strength among Europe’s elite.

Sunday’s hard-fought draw against rivals Arsenal in the Premier League saw the Blues move into third place, sitting atop a congested pile that stretches one measly point down to ninth, but sees Liverpool and Manchester City start to shift away in a budding title showdown.

Competing for that ultimate prize might be a step too far for Chelsea, but the squad have so much more to give and are demonstrating quality of the first class. Transfer strategy has been focused, and new forwards like Pedro Neto are proving their worth.

Pedro Neto steps up

Arsenal had claimed the lead through Gabriel Martinelli’s second-half strike, meeting a fizzed delivery of Martin Odegaard, whose return was a blow for the hosts in a tight encounter.

The setback stoked the fire in Stamford Bridge’s belly, however, and saw Chelsea up the ante and deservedly restore parity through Neto’s stunning strike.

A real roof raiser. It’s a shame that the hosts were unable to follow up with a winner to take them within touching distance of second-placed City, but significant steps are being taken and transfer arrivals are proving to be on the money.

Neto, one of the Premier League’s most talented wingers, had endured several frustrating years at Wolverhampton Wanderers, so clearly of the top drawer when taking to the field but being pulled back by the cold steel coils of injury, limited to infrequent starting berths, limited success.

2023/24

20 (18)

2

9

2022/23

18 (13)

0

1

2021/22

13 (5)

1

1

2020/21

31 (30)

5

6

2019/20

29 (9)

3

3

No such misfortune so far as a Blue. Neto has only started five of Chelsea’s 11 top-flight fixtures so far but he rewarded Maresca’s faith with his splendid strike on Sunday, swiping Arsenal of their bragging rights.

It’s pleasing to see some of Chelsea’s forwards start to step up in the absence of Cole Palmer, who was on the field for the full 90 minutes but not with the aura of his usual self.

Chelsea’s all-conquering attacking midfielder is the star of the show, his person no doubt pasted to the walls of many young Blues fans across west London, but he’s not infallible, and flattered to deceive against the Gunners.

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

Cole Palmer's performance vs Arsenal

Palmer has been incredible across his Chelsea career so far and has been Maresca’s talisman this season, so elegantly shifting between assault force and architect.

Chelsea have plenty to work on; this is a side blessed with immense talent but yet to channel it pointedly, like a precocious teenager lacking experience and maturity. But the possibilities are boundless, sprawled across a sweeping expanse that has prompted Maresca to state: “For the next five to ten years we want to dominate.”

It’s a future that really could be realised. The west Londoners will be driven toward the limelight across countless contests by their 22-year-old superstar, but he does need to find the next gear in the matches of the greatest significance.

Gary Neville, live on Sky Sports, had hailed Palmer for one “absolutely sensational” movement, almost otherworldly when collecting and dropping his shoulder, deft touch, sharp swivel. He’s the real deal, carrying the quality within that suggests he might cement himself in Chelsea lore for time immemorial.

But even Frank Lampard suffered a howler every now and again. Palmer has indeed been sensational since Todd Boehly signed Manchester City’s prospect in a deal worth £42.5m, almost single-handedly supercharging the club’s incipient resurgence last term, posting 25 goals and 15 assists.

Neville’s arch-rival, Jamie Carragher, hailed the England international as “the best player in the Premier League” last month, but he didn’t bring it all together against resilient Arsenal, not quite nullified but placated.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

50

Shots (on target)

4 (1)

Accurate passes

23/30 (77%)

Key passes

1

Crosses (completed)

4 (0)

Possession lost

18x

Dribbles (completed)

4 (1)

Total duels (won)

9 (3)

As you can see not his finest hour (and a half). Palmer was unable to get himself in the scoresheet and only made one key pass all afternoon, despite ceding possession 18 times across his 50 touches in total.

Football.london’s Bobby Vincent shared the opinion that he had endured an uncharacteristically poor showing, branding the Three Lions star with a 5/10 match rating and commenting on his ‘very quiet’ effort, marshalled as he was by Thomas Partey.

It was an off day, but the mercurial talent will rest easy in the comfort of his skill set, aware that better, more impactful displays abound in front of him.

The best thing about Palmer is he’s always looking to make things happen, be it lancing through defensive lines and striking true into the net or ripping opponents to shreds with speech-stifling passes, cleaving blocks and allowing the electric-paced Neto, for example, to slot through, into the third.

It might have been Palmer’s worst performance in a Chelsea shirt, but does that not simply speak to the magnitude of the nascent greatness that the Londoners have equipped themselves with?

The third-placed Blues will march on, with Palmer at the vanguard.

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MatériaMais Notícias

A saída de Germán Cano do Vasco, após dois anos com o argentino disparado na artilharia do time, deixou uma dúvida no ar: quem será o novo goleador Cruz-Maltino? Para suprir a perda, o clube trouxe dois novos nomes para a posição: Raniel e Getúlio. E a dupla inicia bem a sua trajetória em São Januário.

Titular nos três primeiros jogos da equipe no Campeonato Carioca, Raniel estufou as redes em todos os duelos, assumindo assim a artilharia da competição. Essa foi a primeira vez na carreira em que o atacante marcou em duas partidas consecutivas – fez em três. Desde o retorno de Romário, no fim de 1999, que um jogador não iniciava anotando tentos nos três primeiros confrontos vestindo a camisa vascaína.

Raniel, aliás, já igualou o número de gols marcados por seu último clube, o Santos. Contratado pelo Peixe em 2020, o jogador também marcou três vezes, porém, em 33 jogos disputados.

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Neste domingo, foi a vez de Getúlio fazer a sua primeira aparição entre os titulares – já havia saído do banco de reservas duas vezes – e não decepcionar. Assim como Raniel, poupado pelo técnico Zé Ricardo – entrou apenas no 2º tempo -, o seu substituto também alcançou um feito até então inédito em sua carreira: marcou dois gols pela primeira vez em uma mesma partida, ajudando o time a vencer o Madureira por 3 a 1.

Com o início promissor de seus dois atacantes, o Vasco segue invicto no Carioca, somando 10 pontos em quatro jogos – três triunfos e um empate. Além disso, é o dono do ataque mais positivo do campeonato, com 11 gols, o melhor começo ofensivo da equipe desde 2014.