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Manchester United eventually cruised to a 3-0 win over a West Ham United side who gave it a really good go in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday. Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring after 23 minutes, extending his recent run to four consecutive league appearances with goal and marking his 21st birthday to boot. The even younger Alejandro Garnacho’s brace later sealed things, with the 19-year-old scoring at either end of the second half. How the game unfolded West Ham started the contest with their tails up, playing with plenty of the ball in the hosts’ defensive third, and Andre Onana needed to be alert to keep his side going an early goal down. His reflexes were spot on to leap and divert Emerson’s shot to safety. In the other goal, Alphonse Areola wouldn’t be outdone by his opposite number. Cutting in from the left, Bruno Fernandes looked to have sent a dipping rocket towards the top far corner until the Frenchman’s strong hands pushed the ball to safety. But there was littl...

If the end of 2022 was Lionel Messi's peak, the ascension of his final mountain, then 2023 was a wind-down year for the all-time great. Both Messi and supreme contemporary rival Cristiano Ronaldo have continued to dominate on less significant shores, away from the European limelight. Their respective career trajectories depicts the gradual decline of an era that we may never see again. In their place, French superstar Kylian Mbappe and Nordic machine Erling Haaland have been touted as the second coming of the two aforementioned greats. While contrasting in style, those have been regarded as the two best their generation has to offer. But 2023 bore witness to a fresh litany of young talent attempting to thrust themselves into conversations alongside Mbappe and Haaland in a post-Messi/Ronaldo Europe. Here are the ten best young players - 'young' being 21 or younger at some point in the calendar year - of 2023. 10. Alejandro Balde Alejandro Balde has cemented himself as Barcel...

Mauricio Pochettino is confident Nicolas Jackson will become a "fantastic player" for Chelsea if he's given time to settle in and has likened his start at the club to Vinicius Junior's at Real Madrid . The 22-year-old has started all five of Chelsea's Premier League Game s so far, and opened his goalscoring account during the routine 3-0 win over Luton Town in Game week three. But that solitary strike has been a rare bright spot in what's been a desperately disappointing start to the season for Chelsea. The Blues have lost to West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, and also dropped points against Liverpool and Bournemouth to leave Pochettino's side 14th in the Premier League table. Chelsea have scored just five goals in that time, with Jackson's performances up front coming under the microscope. But he has received the backing of Pochettino ahead of Chelsea's clash with Aston Villa, with the former Spurs boss suggesting that he needs time to settl...