Predicted Norwich XI vs Preston including Sainz and no Hernandez

Norwich City return to Championship action this afternoon as they host struggling Preston North End at Carrow Road looking for their fourth win in five matches.

Their opponents come into the game off the back of three straight defeats and David Wagner's side have the chance to add further misery to Ryan Lowe and his men.

The Canaries have averaged 39% possession or less in each of their last three league matches, which yielded two wins and a defeat, and could seek more control in order to put in a convincing performance.

To do this, Wagner could make some changes to the starting XI that featured in their most recent win against Bristol City away from home last Sunday.

With this in mind, here is the possible Norwich line-up that could be selected to take on Preston on home soil today…

1 Angus Gunn

Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

Starting off between the sticks, Angus Gunn should retain his position in the side after a strong performance on his return against the Robins.

The Scotland international made two crucial saves during the first half to keep his team in the match and earn himself a Sofascore rating of 7.7.

2 Jack Stacey

At right-back, Jack Stacey could make his 18th start of the Championship campaign since his move from Premier League side Bournemouth on a free transfer, ahead of the inexperienced Kellen Fisher.

Appearances

19

Four

Sofascore rating

6.93

6.75

Duel success rate

52%

58%

Key passes per game

1.1

0.8

Tackles per game

2.2

1.3

3 Shane Duffy

Norwich defender Shane Duffy.

Shane Duffy could keep his place at the heart of the defence after a commanding performance at the back against Bristol City on Sunday.

The Republic of Ireland international won seven of his nine duels throughout the 90 minutes, which included six of his seven aerial contests, and made six clearances.

4 Kenny McLean

Norwich midfielder Kenny McLean.

Kenny McLean started in an unfamiliar centre-back position last weekend but it was one that he adapted to with ease as the Scotland international produced an impressive display.

He was brought in to replace Danny Batth in order to provide a left-footed balance and quality ball-playing out from the back, which eventually paid dividends in stoppage time with his assist for Adam Idah's winner.

5 Dimitrios Giannoulis

The Greek international should start at left-back ahead of Sam McCallum after shaking off an injury scare against Bristol City on Sunday.

Dimitrios Giannoulis hobbled off after a rough challenge during the second half last time out and Wagner has since confirmed that the full-back will be available for selection against Preston.

6 Marcelino Nunez

Norwich midfielder Marcelino Nunez.

McLean's new role at centre-back and Adam Forshaw's continued absence has provided central midfielder Marcelino Nunez with a big opportunity to nail down his place in the team.

The Chile international has only started four Championship matches so far this season and a strong performance against Preston could allow Wagner to trust him more moving forward.

7 Gabriel Sara

Norwich midfielder Gabriel Sara.

Possibly the easiest decision Wagner has to make is the selection of Gabriel Sara in midfield next to Nunez as the Brazilian magician has been in fantastic form this season.

He has racked up five goals, eight assists, and eight 'big chances' created in 19 league starts for the Canaries throughout the 2023/24 campaign to date.

8 Christian Fassnacht

The first change that could be made to the XI is Christian Fassnacht coming back into the starting XI in place of Onel Hernandez, who started on the left on Sunday.

Norwich's summer signing could return and start on the right, which would then allow Jonathan Rowe to move over to the left, after a disappointing run of form from Hernandez.

The Cuba international has gone seven games without a goal or an assist and his last strike at Carrow Road came against Manchester United in a 3-1 defeat in October 2019.

Fassnacht has scored three goals in 11 league starts this season, including one in his last three starts, and could, therefore, provide a greater threat on the flank.

9 Borja Sainz

Norwich forward Borja Sainz.

The second change that could be made to the XI is Spanish forward Borja Sainz coming in for Liam Gibbs as part of the dynamic front two in Wagner's system.

Interestingly, the summer signing came off the bench against Bristol City in that position and it could get the best out of his knack for finding the back of the net.

Sainz, who scored against Fulham in the League Cup earlier this season, scored nine goals in 32 Super Lig starts for Giresunspor last term.

Gibbs, on the other hand, has managed one goal and zero assists in 43 Championship games for Norwich since the start of last season, which does not suggest that he is likely to have a telling impact on the match in a forward position.

10 Jonathan Rowe

Norwich forward Jonathan Rowe.

Another simple selection for Wagner is to start Rowe out wide. The England U21 international is a constant threat to defenders with his direct running and pace, which has been backed up with seven goals and one assist in the league.

Middlesbrough eyeing move for "tremendous" PL player for Carrick

After suffering play-off heartbreak in the Championship last season, Middlesbrough were tasked with going again in the current campaign under Michael Carrick. So far this season, however, they have failed to reach the same heights as last time out, having taken an age to get going and even flirting with the relegation zone in what was a disastrous start. Carrick's side have fought back to at least put themselves within three points of the top six, but right now they remain on course for even more disappointment.

The January transfer window could yet turn things around entirely though, with those at the Riverside Stadium reportedly eyeing a move to bring in a Premier League player who could help solve Middlesbrough's problems in the January transfer window.

Middlesbrough transfer news

The summer transfer window was always going to leave Middlesbrough struggling to get off to a good start, given that they lost Chuba Akpom in a big move to Ajax. Akpom's stats last season show just how important he was for the club, with his 28 Championship goals firing his side into the play-offs in a sensational season.

Carrick failed to replace those goals, with Middlesbrough's top scorer so far this season, Latte Lath, sitting on just six goals in 16 games. Perhaps aware of just how difficult it will be to replicate Akpom's output, however, Boro are reportedly focusing on defensive reinforcements.

Joe Worrall Nottingham Forest

According to the Sunderland Echo, Middlesbrough are eyeing a move for Joe Worrall. The Nottingham Forest defender hasn't been a consistent starter for Steve Cooper's side in the Premier League this season and could be handed the chance to get some crucial minutes in a step-down to the Championship. Considering his experience of successful promotion from England's second tier, Worrall could certainly become a key asset for Carrick, if Middlesbrough push ahead and secure a deal.

"Tremendous" Worrall could be key for Middlesbrough promotion

To say that Middlesbrough would benefit from welcoming a Premier League captain is an understatement. The Championship side sits so close, but still too far away from the play-off spots and must bridge the gap using the January transfer window. Worrall's stats show that when he has been given a starting place for Forest in the Premier League this season, he has been more than capable of stepping up. Compared to Boro centre-back Paddy McNair too, he stands out.

Player

Blocks Per 90

Tackles Won Per 90

Interceptions Per 90

Clearances Per 90

Joe Worrall

1.02

1.02

0.61

5.51

Paddy McNair

0.89

0.37

0.52

2.15

At his best, Worrall has been at the centre of praise from Cooper, who said via The Nottingham Post after handing the defender the captain's armband:

"Joe is a tremendous lad and really embodies everything we're looking to create here at the club. Since the day I walked into the building it was clear Joe has the respect of the dressing room and his performances on the pitch are full of drive, leadership and quality which is something that inspires those around him. I'm looking forward to seeing him continue to grow and flourish in his new role ahead of what will be an exciting season for the club.

Arsenal have already signed the new Sylvain Wiltord

The year is 2002, 21 years ago and the venue is Old Trafford. Arsenal can win the league at Sir Alex Ferguson's cathedral. Such an event, particularly for the Ferguson v Arsene Wenger rivalry would be remarkable.

So, did they do it? You already know the story, Martin Tyler narrated it so well. A Premiership title, the penultimate league crown Arsenal have won was the ending and Sylvain Wiltord was at the heart of it, a 1-0 win seeing the title head in the direction of north London.

The enigmatic Frenchman played in Freddie Ljungberg, sporting a luscious spiky barnet, who drew a save from Fabian Barthez. The goalkeeper could only parry it as far as his fellow countryman in Wiltord who found the net easily from close range.

The famous commentary from Tyler as his voice breaks is golden, as is the celebration. Off runs Wiltord who stands with one alarm aloft before Nwankwo Kanu leapfrogs him. It's iconic stuff and one that has gone down in Arsenal history as one of their greatest nights.

That said, Wiltord's time at Highbury wasn't all plain sailing.

Wiltord's numbers at Arsenal

After scoring a stoppage-time equaliser for his nation in the 2000 Euros final, the attacker found himself on his way to Arsenal, of course he did.

Wenger had a penchant for bringing the best French talent to the Gunners and for a club-record £13m, Wiltord was the latest.

It was a lot of money at the time, more than Patrick Vieira, more than Thierry Henry and more than Dennis Bergkamp too. That said, for such a sum they did not unearth a free-scoring machine.

During his debut term in England, the France international only scored eight times in 27 Premier League outings. It's not awful but a club-record man you'd expect far more.

The next year – that title-winning campaign – he improved on that, scoring ten top-flight goals, while also becoming a creative force with 12 assists in all competitions.

2000/01

47

15

6

2001/02

53

17

12

2002/03

55

13

10

2003/04

20

4

2

Stats via Transfermarkt.

The trouble for Wiltord was, however, that Wenger couldn't find his best position. Versatility is known as a hot commodity right now but the £13m star arguably faltered because of it. He played up front, behind the striker and on both wings, all with varying levels of success.

That said, his time in London cannot be overlooked, purely for that night in Manchester over two decades ago.

Arsenal's new Sylvain Wiltord

The story of the energetic forward's time in the English capital is similar to a star now plying his trade at Arsenal.

Signed for £65m, Kai Havertz wasn't quite a club-record buy but he cost a vast sum of money and similarly, is struggling to find his best role at the Gunners.

With Arsenal in title contention we may well still get a famous night from Havertz, who has already shown he can do it on the big stage. It was his goal that won Chelsea the Champions League after all, gliding past Ederson before firing into an empty net. If the German could replicate that in red and white, he'd certainly pay back his transfer fee.

There are plenty of parallels, which were outlined on social media by Arsenal reporter Tim Stillman, who noted: "I think maybe because he’s never bad. It’s largely been a bit 6/10. I think tonight (vs Sevilla) was 7/10. No more no less. I don’t know,

"I guess I am thinking a bit Sylvain Wiltord? Arsenal broke their transfer record for him as a striker and he was never that player and he didn’t live up to the price tag but…we found really useful roles for him…?"

Of course, with Henry up top Wiltord was never going to be afforded the luxury of a regular role as the striker. Havertz isn't quite fighting with a player of his calibre but the German's best role – as a number 10 – isn't a system Arsenal tend to utilise. Instead, he's largely been fielded as a left #8 next to Martin Odegaard.

Such a role hasn't been best suited to the former Chelsea man. Havertz has only found the net once in Arsenal colours, although that was a penalty against relegation-threatened Bournemouth.

Dubbed "anonymous" by the Standard's Simon Collings, that is an apt choice of word. He is yet to register an assist in the league, has lost possession of the ball 79x and has missed three big chances. Problems are mounting for Havertz who has struggled all term long to prove he was worth such a large investment.

It's still early days but in the second half of the season the 24-year-old must do better.

Spurs could now sell big name in January, even if he’s happy at Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur are now thinking about selling a big name player in January, despite the belief he is currently happy in north London.

Spurs better without Harry Kane?

The arrival of former Celtic and Australia national team manager Ange Postecoglou in north London has brought with it a completely new lease of life for the club. Spurs return to action on Monday, when they face off against Fulham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and supporters will be eager to see their newly-thrilling side in action once again. The Lilywhites currently sit top of the Premier League pile, winning six games from a possible eight over an unbeaten run and best start to a season since 1960/1961.

The sale of star striker and all-time top goalscorer Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich for around £82 million according to their club chief Uli Hoeness, prompted real worry that Spurs would struggle without his presence up front. However, quite the opposite has happened, with Tottenham instead reinventing themselves under the very popular Postecoglou. Kane himself, speaking to the media recently, heaped praise on his former club for their real hot streak of early-season of form.

"I have made it clear my whole career I am a Tottenham fan and I would love to see Tottenham do well," he said at a press conference with England (via 90min).

"It's great to see. I think I've said before, the manager is doing great for them with the way they're playing. The fans are right behind the team and it's definitely what they needed after the last few years. I'll always keep an eye on Spurs and the Premier League. There is no other team in the Premier League I would want to win than Tottenham.

"I have to be respectful to Bayern Munich and of course, the fans know I will always have a soft spot for Spurs – there is no question about that. Of course, I hope [Tottenham] do as well as possible but my main attention is where I am now and trying to perform for Bayern."

Times are appearing very rosy at N17 right now, but according to a new report, Kane may be followed by another big name Spurs player out the door soon.

Hugo Lloris transfer update

According to a report out of France this week, long-serving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could well depart in January. Sharing a Lloris transfer update on his future at Tottenham, RMC Sport claim that the club are "considering" his departure in the winter window.

The 36-year-old, who hasn't played a single minute in all competitions for Postecoglou, is set to leave when his contract expires next summer, but Spurs may well opt to cut short his last year in north London. This is despite Lloris apparently being happy training with the club right now.

The France international legend, called "exemplary" by Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps, has made around 444 appearances in all competitions since joining from Lyon in 2012 (Transfermarkt).

Myanmar 9 for 8, Pavandeep Singh 5 for 1

One of the stranger scorecards you will see as Myanmar took on Malaysia

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2018It is certainly an entry into the list of most extraordinary scorecards.At the ICC World T20 Asia Regions Qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur, Myanmar and Malaysia produced a completed match – albeit rain-affected – with a grand total of 20 runs.Having been put into bat, Myanmar were reduced to 9 for 8 from 10.1 overs before rain arrived. Six batsmen made ducks as Malaysia’s Pavandeep Singh bagged 5 for 1 off his four overs. None of Myanmar’s scoring shots produced more than a single.Chasing a revised target of 6 – in eight overs – Malaysia didn’t make the ideal start, losing both openers for ducks in the first over before Suhan Alagarathnam secured victory with the only boundary of the match, a six.

Crystal Palace eye move to sign "good character" with 7 goals this season

Since losing Wilfred Zaha following the expiry of his contract, Crystal Palace have done well to remain on course for another solid mid-table finish under Roy Hodgson. They are still lacking an attacking spark at times, however, with just seven goals in eight games representing their struggles. Putting that number into context, only Sheffield United, Burnley, and Luton Town have scored less so far in the Premier League so far this season.

The next two transfer windows could help solve their problem, however, with one particular Championship star linked with a move to Selhurst Park, and he would certainly provide Hodgson's side with a boost going forward.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

Zaha's exit stole the headlines during the summer transfer window regarding Crystal Palace, but the Eagles still welcomed some exciting new faces. The likes of Dean Henderson and Matheus Franca came through the door hoping to ensure that Palace once again secure their top flight status with relative ease, and also inject some long-term potential into what was once an ageing squad.

Palace are screaming out for some excitement at Selhurst Park to replace Zaha's flair, and that's where one potential January reinforcement could come into play. The latest Jonathan Rowe transfer news has claimed that Palace are among the clubs interested in making a move for the Norwich City winger – an added bonus in any possible negotiations is the fact that Rowe's agent is the same as Sam Johnstone and Jeffrey Schlupp.

If Palace are to land the 20-year-old's signature, they will have to fight off reported interest from Brentford, Aston Villa, Burnley, and Sheffield United, in what is becoming a busy race. Norwich, meanwhile, are reportedly keen to secure Rowe's future at Carrow Road, keeping hold of one of their star men in the process. When both the January transfer window and summer transfer windows arrive, the young wide player certainly looks like one to keep an eye on.

How has Jonathan Rowe performed this season?

At just 20-years-old, Rowe's goals this season are helping him to become the main man for the Canaries, who will be desperate to keep hold of their red-hot goalscorer. In total, the winger has scored seven times and provided a further two in just 13 games in all competitions. If he was at Palace this season, then he would be their top goalscorer, proving just how fast he has got going in the current campaign.

His performances have resulted in deserved praise, including from Norwich manager David Wagner, who spoke about Rowe's England U21 call-up, saying, in part, via The Eastern Daily Press: “But he's a good character, he knows that he deserves the praise which he gets, but he knows as well that he had to work very hard for it and the most important thing is he knows if he only continues what he has done so far, this will not be enough for the future.

"He now has to have the moments where you have to invest more and he will do so. Hopefully he stays healthy. We can be very, very happy that he is in our team."

Sunderland: Black Cats threw £15m down the drain on 5 ft 10 flop

Sunderland have been transformed since the arrival of Tony Mowbray, as the Englishman stamped a clear mark of progression in his first term as manager.

The former Blackburn manager took the squad he inherited and in their first season back in the Championship, led them into the play-offs.

While a defeat to Luton Town in the semi-finals would derail any dreams of recording back-to-back promotions, the Black Cats are purring once more, comfortably sitting in the top six after nine matches played.

It's not always been plain sailing for the North East side, consecutive relegations saw them drop to the third tier in 2018, spending four miserable campaigns in the doldrums of League One.

During the period in which Sunderland dropped like a stone, reckless decision-making in the transfer window was the key factor to their downfall, especially in the summer of 2016 as poor recruitment by David Moyes was decisive in their relegation.

The Scot brought in the likes of Papy Djilobodji, Darron Gibson, Steven Pienaar and Paddy McNair, but by far the worst of the lot was the acquisition of record-signing Didier Ndong.

How much did Didier Ndong cost Sunderland?

During his year stint at Lorient, Didier Ndong rose to prominence as one of the most sought-after midfielders in the league, featuring in all but four of his side's 38 matches in Ligue 1.

Following his club record £13.6m arrival, the Gabon international said: "Maybe the Sunderland fans don't know me yet, but I promise they will quickly discover that I will give everything for them and the club", which couldn't be further from reality.

Britain Football Soccer – Arsenal v Sunderland – Premier League – Emirates Stadium – 16/5/17 Sunderland’s Didier Ndong in action with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey Action Images via Reuters / Paul Childs Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative fo

As per Capology, Sunderland paid Ndong £30k-per-week to keep him at the club, amounting to a total of £1.5m in wages for the year he was on the payroll at the Stadium of Light.

What's more alarming is when you look at how the wage expenditure was spread across the entire squad. There were 13 other players earning more than the Gabonese in the 2016/17 season, including Jermaine Defoe on £80k per week, Fabio Borini on £60k, Lee Cattermole on £50k and John O'Shea on £47k.

Jermain Defoe

£80k-per-week

Fabio Borini

£60k-per-week

Adnan Januzaj

£60k-per-week

Patrick van Aanholt

£55k-per-week

Lee Cattermole

£50k-per-week

Sunderland would suffer a damning relegation to the second tier with a squad of underperforming high earners, and Ndong was one of several who disappointed having crumbled under the weight of his hefty price tag.

How many games did Didier Ndong play for Sunderland?

Having fended off a whole host of clubs across the continent to land the up-and-coming star, Sunderland expected him to be the combative and energetic midfielder capable of dragging them to safety, but that was a seemingly impossible task.

The Black Cats ended up spending all but two weeks of the season in the Premier League's relegation zone, ending the campaign in last place and although Ndong made 31 appearances in that term, to say he underwhelmed would be an understatement.

Reflecting on his time in England in 2019, the 29-year-old summed up it up perfectly, stating "I lacked professionalism", and that was a true indictment of his performances as he failed to help Sunderland in their quest to bounce straight back to the big time.

Expected to be levels ahead of his positional peers at Championship level, Ndong rarely showed any glimpse of repaying the money that was shelled out on him as he made 18 appearances in the first half of the campaign before engineering a loan move to Watford.

If Sunderland supporters hadn't already been put through the mill enough, especially after a gut-wrenching relegation to League One in 2018, Ndong found a way to rile up the fanbase even further.

He failed to turn up to training in July of that year, posted pictures on social media of him on a luxurious trip to Morocco and was subsequently sacked by the club after breaching his contract by going missing in the months that followed.

Ndong eventually agreed to pay back £3.5m in compensation once he found a new club, which proved to be Guingamp with the 5 foot 10 dud going down as FourFourTwo's worst-record signing in Premier League history.

More mess at Man Utd! Why Red Devils are being sued by their own staff following major admin error

Manchester United are being sued by members of their own staff for around £100,000 following a significant administrative error, a report says.

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Man Utd sued by own members of staffCould cost club around £100,000Private information sent to employeesWHAT HAPPENED?

An email was sent out to 167 staff that revealed their wage slips and those of everyone else in the pool. That gave out the name, address, National Insurance number, earnings, pensions benefits and tax contributions of everyone else, reports.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The information was sent out in a single file that was received by members who work in the catering and hospitality, museum and stadium tour areas as well as programme sellers. The incident happened in March 2018 as United were trying out a new system with a “lack of managerial staff overseeing the procedure". The employees have since lodged a complaint with the High Court on data protection grounds.

WHAT MAN UTD SAID

A spokesman for the club said: "We take the data privacy of our employees very seriously and regret this isolated incident, which occurred in 2018. Measures were put in place to prevent it happening again and we informed the Information Commissioner’s Office, which took no further action."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

The legal battle will be a headache for the high ups at Old Trafford amid another underwhelming season on the field. The Red Devils are currently sixth in the Premier League table and eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Kent prosper in Sam Billings' absence thanks to Matt Henry glut

Matt Henry claimed his fourth five-wicket haul of the season as Gloucestershire were made to follow on at Bristol

Paul Bolton11-Jun-2018
ScorecardSam Billings is in danger of becoming a captain without portfolio, observing from afar while Kent make impressive progress towards possible County Championship promotion.Since he succeeded Sam Northeast as captain, Billings has played just four Royal London Cup matches for Kent and has yet to feature in their Championship campaign.Billings opted to start the season with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL rather than Kent and is now away on international duty with England. If he remains in England’s ODI and T20 squads, it could be another month before Kent see their captain again.But Billings’ international future is far from assured. Since he made 56 against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 10, Billings has scraped just 78 in runs in his last 12 innings – 10 of them in three innings for Kent. His latest failure came in England’s embarrassing defeat by Scotland on Sunday when he slapped a full toss to midwicket.In Billings’ absence, Adam Rouse has performed admirably behind the stumps and vice-captain Joe Denly has led the side to three successive Championship wins. A fourth, which would avenge an opening-round defeat by Gloucestershire at Canterbury, is possible here against a side that has struggled to match the intensity of Kent’s cricket over the first three days.Despite Billings’ absences and lack of runs, it seems certain that Rouse will make way the next time the captain becomes available for county duty with Kent placing faith in Billings’ leadership qualities and historic performances with the bat.”Off the field, Sam has been unbelievable,” Kent assistant coach Allan Donald said. “There is nothing we can do about his England commitments because everyone wants to play international cricket. When he comes back someone has to make space, it’s as simple as that.”Sam is a world-class cricketer. I have been very impressed with the way he captains the team especially his aura in the dressing room and the way he speaks to the players. He is very impressive. He hasn’t burnt the house down at the moment in terms of runs but he will come good, there is no question about it.”Kent seem to be doing very nicely without Billings thanks largely to the outstanding contribution of Matt Henry, the New Zealand pace bowler, who has taken 43 of their 85 Championship wickets so far.Henry will be available for the top-of-the-table clash against Warwickshire at Tunbridge Wells next week and the day-night match against Middlesex at Canterbury before he returns home. Kent are already trying to persuade New Zealand to allow Henry to return for their last five Championship matches, including a potential Division Two title decider against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.”Matt has brought leadership, he’s brought skill and great intensity to this group which is what you want from a guy who has played international cricket,” Donald said.Donald displayed similar qualities during a long and distinguished career as Warwickshire’s overseas player and the former South Africa fast bowler watched admiringly as Henry overcame a slow, low and used pitch with skill and aggression.Henry, who claimed his fourth five-wicket haul of the season, took three for nine in 27 balls with the second new ball and needed only two deliveries with it to break an obdurate seventh-wicket partnership of 104 between Graeme van Buuren and Kieran Noema-Barnett.Chris Dent and Benny Howell applied themselves better when Gloucestershire followed on 342 in arrears and Kent suffered a setback when Harry Podmore crumpled in his delivery stride clutching his right knee and was helped off the field by Donald.

Tyler Adams starts them young! USMNT star's infant son watches on as Bournemouth midfielder makes long-awaited international return in Jamaica Concacaf Nations League semifinal win

Tyler Adams made his long-awaited return for the United States men's national team on Thursday, with his infant son watching on at the AT&T Stadium.

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Adams makes USMNT return against JamaicaHis side scrape into Nations League finalInfant son watches on from the standsUSA Today Sports WHAT HAPPENED?

The Bournemouth midfielder came on as a second-half substitute as the USMNT scraped past Jamaica to reach the CONCACAF Nations League final, winning 3-1 after extra-time thanks to some late heroics. But while reaching the final was a huge moment on a collective level, Thursday night was hugely significant for Adams. It marked his first international appearance since the 2022 World Cup, a moment which his family – young and old – were there to witness.

AdvertisementWHAT WAS SAID

Adams' girlfriend Sara Schmidt was there at AT&T Stadium alongside several members of his family. Most notably, though, was Adams and Schmidt's infant son, Jax, who could be seen watching on intently despite being only a few months old. Indeed, Schmidt noted in her Instagram stories that it was "Jax's first game day".

GOAL/IG: sarah_schmidt22Getty ImagesTHE GOSSIP

Adams and Schmidt announced back in November 2023 that they were expecting a baby boy, who was born in January of this year. It hasn't taken long for the Bournemouth star to get his son integrated into the soccer lifestyle, even if Thursday night wasn't the USMNT's best showing.

Gregg Berhalter's side came within seconds of Nations League elimination before Miles Robinson's deflected header in the 96th minute sent the semifinal to extra time. Then, Haji Wright and Gio Reyna put on a show to help send the Stars and Stripes to the final – even if it did paper over some of Berhalter's weaknesses as coach.

DID YOU KNOW?

Adams' return to the international stage shows he is slowly recovering from a hamstring injury that has hampered his 2023-24 season. He made his return for Bournemouth last week in a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory over Luton in the Premier League.

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