Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff and Nathan Ellis are among the pace bowlers included
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Feb-2022Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and David Warner have been rested from the limited-overs leg of Australia’s tour of Pakistan while Matthew Wade has not been included with there only being a single T20I in the schedule.Travis Head has an opportunity to play his first ODI since 2018 while Josh Inglis will be in the mix for a debut after his impressive start in the T20I side against Sri Lanka. With Wade not included, Inglis is likely to take the gloves for the one-off T20. Glenn Maxwell was not available for the tour due to his wedding.In the absence of the big three quicks, Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff and Nathan Ellis are part of the pace attack. Allrounder Cameron Green will also have the chance to resume his white-ball international career which has so far been limited to one ODI.CA contracted players with IPL deals – included those not part of this series – will not be available to take up their contracts until April 6. Of the touring party, Abbott, Ellis, Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis have IPL teams.”We have picked a talented and versatile squad with a number of challenges to juggle, including the tour structure of predominantly 50-over games, management of several multi format players in the medium to long term; and our need to build experience and depth in preparation for two short form World Cups within the next 18 months,” national selector George Bailey said.”There’s no doubt it’s been a pretty intense schedule the last six months and even if you look ahead the next 18 months so it’s about working with those individuals and the squad as a whole that you are trying to meet the needs of everything. This [squad] was a bit of a challenge.”The ODI series will be just Australia’s second in the format in more than a year having only played three matches against West Indies during 2021. They had been due to play home matches against New Zealand but that series was postponed to due quarantine requirements.Squad Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Arne Slot admitted Liverpool were "really lucky" to beat Paris Saint-Germain but alluded to Michael Jordan's philosophy that hard work pays off.
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Reds were second-best to PSG in ParisManaged to eke out a 1-0 winSlot says his team earned their luckFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Reds had only two shots throughout the match, compared to PSG’s 27, and spent most of the game chasing the ball, with the French giants controlling 71 per cent of possession. Despite PSG’s dominance, goalkeeper Alisson Becker delivered a heroic performance, making a series of crucial saves to keep Liverpool in the contest. Ultimately, it was Harvey Elliott who proved to be the difference-maker, scoring with his first touch after coming on as a substitute, securing a crucial away win for the Premier League leaders.
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Slot had no qualms in admitting that luck played a significant role in Liverpool’s victory but pointed to the philosophy of NBA legend Jordan, who famously stated that hard work paves the way for luck.
"We weren't a little bit lucky [against PSG], we were really lucky – but as Michael Jordan said once: 'The harder you work, the more luck you have'," said Slot.
"This is the biggest compliment you have to give the players, they worked incredibly hard. That also has to do with the players being – if you were 45 minutes with the other team having the ball a lot and having to defend so much – mentally and physically so strong to come up with the second-half performance of not giving away as many open chances as we did in the first half. And, even scoring a goal on the counter-attack shows you how mentally and physically strong these players are."
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With title challengers Arsenal and Manchester City both dealing with injury setbacks to key players, Liverpool have taken advantage by opening up a commanding 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League. However, Slot responded to these claims by emphasising that every title-winning team experiences moments where they win games despite not playing at their best.
"If you want to win something you need to have once in a while a game where you don't play your best football and you are lucky – which is maybe not luck if you work as hard as we do – to get away with a result," added Slot.
"There are almost no teams that play 38 games [in the league] or in the Champions League that play only good football. Real Madrid are the best example of that, they also find a way to win a game if the other team are better than them. Our full focus is now on Southampton, the first of three finals to be played in the upcoming week."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
Slot will be absent from the touchline for Liverpool’s upcoming domestic fixture against the Saints, serving the final match of his two-game suspension. However, he will return to the dugout just in time for the crucial Champions League second-leg showdown against PSG at Anfield on Tuesday. With a slender 1-0 advantage, Liverpool will need another resilient performance to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Arsenal are now prepared to swoop for an alternative to star playmaker and club captain Martin Odegaard, with manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s hierarchy said to be in pursuit of back-up options for key stars.
Arsenal target new attacking midfielder as Arteta scours for strength in depth
The Gunners were without Odegaard for nearly two months earlier this campaign, after the ÂŁ240,000-a-week midfielder suffered ankle ligament damage on international duty, and it’s safe to say he was a sore miss.
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While Arsenal managed to cope well at times in Odegaard’s absence, the Premier League title hopefuls dropped points in four out of their seven league matches minus the 25-year-old, which was a stark reminder of just how crucial he is to the cause.
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Since his return to the starting eleven, Arsenal have rediscovered their goalscoring mojo, with Odegaard putting in a truly exceptional display against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, being the “driving force” behind their 5-1 victory.
It is little surprise that, in the event Odegaard is forced to sit out through injury again, Arteta wishes to acquire a quality stand-in for the ex-Real Madrid man.
Reports have suggested that Arteta believes Arda Guler could complement Odegaard at Arsenal, with the Real playmaker starring at Euro 2024 for Turkey but finding his chances limited at the Bernabeu right now. Guler could leave Real on loan in January, so this may well be one to watch in the build up to next month.
Meanwhile, other reports believe that Arsenal could mimic Odegaard’s signing by capturing Guler in the winter, with the 19-year-old finding himself in a very similar situation to the Scandinavian when he was stuck on the fringes of Real’s first team.
While the ex-Fenerbahce sensation comes as a very prudent option for Arteta, there are other La Liga stars who are viewed by Emirates Stadium chiefs in a similar light.
Arsenal prepared to bid for Las Palmas "standout" Alberto Moleiro
Indeed, Spanish media now claim that Las Palmas attacking midfielder Alberto Moleiro is on their radar ahead of 2025.
The 21-year-old, who’s racked up four goals in 15 La Liga outings so far, primarily plays on the left-wing but can also slot into Odegaard’s position – as he’s done on three occasions this term.
Arsenal are apparently prepared to bid for Moleiro, who is rumoured to command a price tag of just ÂŁ17 million, has been a “standout” performer for the Canary Islanders as Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal also take an interest in the Spanish Under-21 international.
Moleiro’s potential signing is seen as a “strategic” move to ease their dependence on Odegaard, with the starlet lauded for possessing pace, vision, creativity, football IQ and a silky touch to his all-round game (Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig).
At below ÂŁ20 million, there is every reason to believe he could be an ideal alternative to Odegaard, but the competition from Saudi Arabia will be a major obstacle in the way.
UAE captain takes 5 for 19 to power 68-run win against Nepal, while McBrine helped Ireland qualify for the seventh straight edition
Peter Della Penna22-Feb-2022Less than three years after the national team was brought to its knees by a devastating fixing scandal, UAE have completed the valley to peak transformation by qualifying for only their second ever T20 World Cup after a 68-run drubbing of Nepal in the tournament semi-finals. Captain Ahmed Raza, who kept the faith in spite of the chaotic events from October 2019 which left his side gutted, led his side to victory with a maiden T20I five-wicket haul to run away with Player-of-the-Match honours as UAE secured a return to the T20 World Cup for the first time since 2014.Raza had never taken more than two wickets in a T20I spell entering the day, but saved his finest performance for the most important of occasions. After medium pacer Junaid Siddique’s new ball burst decimated the Nepal top-order inside the first three overs to leave the score at 14 for 3 chasing a target of 176, Raza ripped the heart out of the Nepal middle order by claiming the two most prized scalps off consecutive deliveries in the 13th over, former captain Gyanendra Malla for 20 driving a catch to Muhammad Waseem at long-on and then in-form vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee lbw for 38. At 83 for 6, Nepal were left deflated and Raza capitalised by ripping through the tail for three more wickets as Nepal were eventually bowled out for 107 in 18.4 overs.The win was set up by another rollicking display by the tournament’s leading scorer, 19-year-old Vriitya Aravind, who blitzed the Nepal bowling attack after entering in the second over to score 46 off 23 balls, including five fours and three sixes. Aravind dominated a 66-run partnership with Waseem before finally falling to Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichanne in the eighth over.But Waseem picked up the slack afterward as medium pacer Abinash Bohara bore the full brunt of the opener’s power-hitting, leaking a six and two fours in the 11th over to put UAE in total command. Waseem clobbered Kamal Singh Airee’s medium pace for another six in the 13th to bring up a 32-ball half-century, eventually ending with four fours and the same number of sixes in his 70 off 48 balls before falling in the 17th. It was part of a late flurry of wickets in which UAE lost 25 for 5 in a 17-ball sequence, but Raza and Rohan Mustafa combined to strike 14 off the final seven balls of the innings to put the target well beyond Nepal.Andy McBrine guides a drive through point•Peter Della PennaIreland win big against Oman The only Full Member in the tournament dashed the dreams of the qualifier hosts, who were hoping to get back to a third straight T20 World Cup, as Andy McBrine’s solid all-round display clinched a 56-run win for Ireland and a spot in the T20 World Cup for the seventh consecutive occasion. Entering the day, Ireland did not have a single batter with 100 runs in the tournament, and nobody outside the top three of Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie and Gareth Delany had scored more than 39 runs.So when Stirling and Balbirnie fell to left-arm pacer Bilal Khan during a sizzling double-wicket maiden in the third over after being sent in to bat, it seemed unlikely that Ireland’s struggling middle order would be able to revive the innings. But Delany and Harry Tector forged a spectacular counterattack during an 82-run third-wicket stand, which reached its climax when Delany smashed Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood out of the attack with a hat-trick of sixes that cleared the rope at midwicket and long-on in a 19-run 11th over.The momentum shifted back dramatically to Oman during an eight-ball sequence beginning in the 13th when Ireland lost 3 for 4 as Kaleemullah claimed Tector at backward point for 35 before getting Lorcan Tucker to chop on for a golden duck. A bigger blow was struck in the next over though as Khawar Ali’s magnificent spell of legspin ended Delany’s innings at 47, skying a top-edged slog sweep to Bilal at short fine leg, as Ireland slipped from 101 for 2 to 105 for 5.That triggered the arrival of McBrine, who entered the day with just 106 runs in 14 T20I innings but turned in a career-best 36 off 21 balls from No. 7. Knowing Bilal had two overs up his sleeve at the death, McBrine shrewdly chose to attack the opposite end during overs 18 and 20. Aamir Kaleem’s left-arm spin was smashed for a pair of sixes in the 18th before Fayyaz Butt was punched for a pair of boundaries in the 20th, giving Ireland a lift heading into the break.Mark Adair then struck the first blow during a timid powerplay by Oman as a top-edge by Kashyap Prajapati was taken at short third man by Craig Young for 7. Jatinder Singh’s poor run of form continued for Oman with an unfortunate lbw decision to Simi Singh for 7 in which replays indicated he was struck well outside the line of off stump on an attempted flick through midwicket.Oman maintained hope through a 40-run stand between Shoaib Khan and Maqsood. But an inspired bowling change by Balbirnie produced a double-wicket over in the 11th. Josh Little had bowled a sharp new-ball spell in which he conceded conceded just nine runs in two overs. Upon his return for a fresh spell, he found the outside edge twice in the space of four balls for a pair of edges behind to Tucker. Shoaib was cramped up by a short ball before Khurram Nawaz perished with a tame swish outside off for a third-ball duck to make it 68 for 4.Maqsood tried to soldier on but Singh sparked a swift collapse beginning in the 14th over as Oman lost their final six wickets for 25 runs. Khawar Ali’s attempted reverse sweep went pear-shaped for a simple lbw decision to go for 10. Young returned to the attack in the 15th, getting Naseem Khushi to heave to McBrine at deep midwicket for 1 before Maqsood’s vigil ended for 28, skewing a cut to Singh diving forward for a sharp catch at backward point off the next ball.McBrine sewed up Player of the Match honors in the 16th. Having bowled three tidy overs to concede just 14 runs, he struck twice in his final frame with the ball, getting Aamir Kaleem overstretching for a sharp stumping by Tucker for 1 before Kaleemullah heaved to Adair at long-on for 8. A relay effort between Tector and Adair to intercept a last desperate heave from Butt at the deep midwicket rope secured the final wicket for Singh to make victory official.After an off day on Wednesday, the teams return to Al Amerat on Thursday with UAE and Ireland contesting the tournament final to determine seedings for the T20 World Cup: the winner will join Sri Lanka and Namibia – plus the runners-up of Qualifier B in Zimbabwe in June – in Group 1 of the first round, while the runner-up will be in Group 2 with West Indies, Scotland and the winner of Qualifier B.Nepal and Oman will face off in the third-place play-off with only ranking points at stake. The same goes for Bahrain and Canada in the fifth-place match while Germany and Philippines each go in search of their first win of the tournament in the seventh-place play-off.
Enzo Maresca has worked wonders during his first few months as Chelsea manager, leading the club to second in the Premier League after the first 15 matches of the campaign.
The Blues have struggled to make all the Todd Boehly additions click, which is understandable given the influx of signings and the whopping ÂŁ1.2b spent in the process.
However, the Italian has made easy work of the role to date, sitting just four points off leaders Liverpool, whilst maintaining their 100% record in the Europa Conference League.
He’s found settled sides for both competitions, allowing for rotation, and subsequently handing all first-team members consistent minutes across the board.
However, the 44-year-old is still craving a new centre-forward at the top end of the pitch to follow in the footsteps of two fan-favourites at Stamford Bridge.
The Ivorian arrived as an unknown quantity to many, but quickly introduced himself to the fanbase, scoring 147 goals for the club during two separate spells in West London.
He produced arguably his best display in a Chelsea shirt during the 2012 Champions League final, scoring the equaliser before slotting home the winning penalty in the shootout and securing the club’s first-ever European Cup.
However, he would depart for a second time in the summer of 2015, but they already managed to sign a long-term replacement the summer prior in the form of Spanish striker Diego Costa.
The now 36-year-old cost a whopping ÂŁ32m in 2014, but, like Drogba, made himself a monster hit with supporters with his hold-up play and finishing ability in front of goal.
Diego Costa Chelsea
Costa reached double figures in all three seasons, amassing a total of 59 goals in 120 games, before returning to Atletico Madrid during the summer of 2017 – banking a ÂŁ25m profit in the process.
However, the club have failed to sign a replacement for either of the aforementioned players in recent years, but that could be about to change in January.
Chelsea make contact to sign PL star in January
According to journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea have made contact with Ipswich Town over a move to sign striker Liam Delap in January.
The 21-year-old only joined the newly promoted side back in the summer, with Kieran McKenna’s men forking out £20m for his services from champions Manchester City, but he’s wasted no time in demonstrating he is capable of producing the goods in front of goal.
He’s already scored six times in his 15 outings – scoring twice as many as the Tractor Boys’ next-highest goalscorer – a signal as to how crucial he’s been in recent months.
Phillips’ report claims that they’ve already “opened talks” for the youngster to gauge if a move can be completed and how much it would set them back – likely a hefty amount given his importance to the East Anglian outfit.
There’s no denying that any deal would provide that added goal threat, something which Maresca has desperately been wanting since his appointment in the summer.
However, any deal could be bad news for one player who may fall further down the pecking order should a deal be completed during the upcoming window.
Why Delap would be an upgrade on Guiu
Spanish forward Marc Guiu joined the Blues in a ÂŁ5m deal from LaLiga outfit over the summer, operating as a backup to current first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson.
However, the 18-year-old has been restricted to just 24 minutes of Premier League action to date, having to settle for Europa Conference League minutes to gain his first team experience.
He’s since made five appearances in the competition, scoring in the recent clash with FC Astana on Tuesday night – maintaining their 100% record in the competition.
There’s no question that Delap, who’s previously been dubbed “incredible” by former boss Pep Guardiola, would be an upgrade on the Spaniard – pushing Jackson for the starting role if he was to move to the Bridge.
The former City has a real combative and physical nature, as seen in his tally of 48% aerials won, leading to comparisons to Drogba and Costa in recent months.
That likeness has been noted by GOAL journalist Krishan Davis, who said Delap is ‘cut from the same cloth’ as that pair, due to his ‘imposing 6 foot 1 physique and aggressive approach belying his excellent technical ability’.
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He’s also been more clinical with his efforts, achieving a better goal-per-shot ratio, adding that cutting edge in attacking areas which Maresca has sought after during his tenure in West London.
Whilst it’s unclear how much any potential deal for the Englishman would cost, it’s evident that he has all of the tools to be an immediate and long-term success in England’s top flight.
Given the club’s current league standing, the fans will expect Champions League football once again in 2025/26, with Delap’s potential addition only boosting their chances come the end of May.
Forget Guiu: Chelsea gem with 101 touches deserves the limelight
Chelsea’s youngsters got the job done in freezing temperatures against Astana.
Former England opener offers latest reminder of what the Test team is currently missing
Andrew Miller07-Apr-2022There’s a cutting on the press box wall at Chelmsford with a certain timeless quality. “Cook for England” states the back page of the Essex Chronicle from November 10, 2005, after the most promising opener in the country received the first of his international call-ups – as injury cover for Michael Vaughan on that winter’s tour of Pakistan.Seventeen years, 64 first-class centuries, and one knighthood later, those words could now be framed as a question (“Cook for England?”), a demand (“Cook for England!”), or a plea (“Cook for England, pretty please? With sugar on top?”). For here, at the start of his 20th season of first-class cricket, was 266 balls-worth of further evidence – stretched over six hours of unflappable application – that the man who stepped down from Test duty as a national record-breaker remains as dryly addicted to run-making as ever.Nick Browne also made a century, it should be noted – at a quicker lick, and with the more eye-catching flourishes too, particularly when leaning through a series of compact straight drives. But while he and Alastair Cook were in harness, ticking along at 2.7 an over in a 220-run opening stand, there was little for Kent’s fielders to do but chase leather in exchange for warmth on a bitingly blustery day, and rue the early optimism that had persuaded their skipper, Ollie Robinson, to bowl first after winning the toss.For this was April … the alternative narrative. The one in which county cricket’s livid green seamers are lifeless with permafrost, and where icy cross-winds buffet the bowlers to such an extent that an extra five overs could have been factored in through aborted run-ups. In fact, those watching on the ECB’s (somewhat bouncy) live stream might have thought they had tuned back into Big Jet TV by mistake, and when Matt Quinn bailed out three times in an over, some might have figured that watching Jumbo Jets cock up their approach would be rather more fun in this weather.Related
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“Me and Cooky batting isn’t going to bring the crowds to county cricket,” Browne joked afterwards. “It was a good day for concentration.”And yet, the first part of that statement wasn’t strictly true. Despite the disconcerting rattle of the floodlights on their wobbly gantries, and the prospect of the sponsor’s tarpaulin breaking its moorings on the roof of the midwicket pavilion, a very healthy crowd – upwards of 1200 of county cricket’s hardiest – braved the chill and embraced the intermittent shafts of spring sunshine to welcome home a long-lost format.For Essex haven’t had much of a chance to cement their red-ball mastery in recent seasons. The Bob Willis Trophy was more than just a consolation prize when Covid struck in 2020, but last year’s Division Two “title” was greeted with the disdain of a Champions League runner-up flinging their medal into the crowd. This, however, is more like it. Essex are back to the top flight that has been in suspended animation since their 2019 title was won, and notwithstanding Kent’s four-wicket rally with the new ball, they’ve opened their account with a statement of intent.And yet, the pandemic did have one significant side effect. It is almost certainly the reason why Cook is still here at all, rather than tending to his new-born lambs or further sharpening those incisors as a media pundit, as he begins to discover that his wisdom is more likely to be heard when it is delivered with conviction.”It’s been a bit of a stop-start three years, hasn’t it?” Cook said earlier in the week at Essex’s media day. “I never planned to do three years. But then Covid came along and it didn’t feel right, and then last year was a conference system and again it didn’t feel right. It’s a big commitment to do it with what goes on in the other parts of my life, but I genuinely enjoy turning up, and when you feel you can be competitive you might as well carry on.”And so here he was, to the fore once more – that familiar angular stance, like a sculpture made of coathangers, pressing forward, rocking back, chopping hard and nudging off his hip like … well, like a county opener nudging the England selectors, ideally, but, beyond any equivocation, that ship has sailed.Nick Browne brings up his half-century for Essex•Andrew MillerAnd alongside him for 82 overs, his friend and acolyte Browne – and who’s to say that he can’t do some nudging of his own, given the Test team’s open-book status, and the clear run of opportunities between now and the New Zealand series in June.Browne’s approach – tall, left-handed, risk-averse – is not dissimilar to Cook’s, albeit rather more smoothed at the corners, and between them they gave Kent’s toiling attack not a sniff until two loose drives at the Aussie import Jackson Bird – a bowler who must be sick of the sight of Cook in particular. The last time they met, on a Melbourne featherbed in December 2017, Cook walked away with 244, and Bird never played Test cricket again.Up until that point, both men had produced chanceless knocks – although the look on Darren Stevens’ face after a lively lbw shout against Cook maybe begged to differ. County cricket’s elder statesman toiled to no avail for 14 typically economical overs, albeit eight of his 28 runs were served up in the space of his first four balls, as he twice offered Browne too much width for his favoured cut. Thereafter he knuckled down like the old pro that he literally is, confirming – much like Cook, in fact – that hunger remains the defining factor when gearing up for the season-long grind.Cook found fewer freebies to help kickstart his innings – he made just seven runs in the first hour, but then more than doubled his output in two balls as Quinn strayed onto the leg side, and that rapacious ability to pounce on mistakes surged back into view. By lunch, he had made 34, with Browne already past a 109-ball fifty, but Cook picked up his tempo as Kent’s optimism waned in the mid-afternoon, and as he fairly sprinted into the 80s it seemed for a moment he would win the race to the century. But another of Browne’s compact punches down the ground soon settled that score.A penny for Dan Lawrence’s thoughts as he watched this attritional masterclass playing out for the bulk of the day’s three sessions. His own England endeavours haven’t warranted any press-box cuttings just yet, but he’s the man in possession as the Test season approaches, and on the season’s eve, he had made it clear he planned to pick Cook’s brain in particular, to a bid to unlock the mental side of his burgeoning career.Alas for Lawrence, Cook denied him the chance for some on-field tutelage, by settling instead for a “do as I say not as I do” moment of practical demonstration, as he lost his shape and his concentration, four balls after knocking his landmark single off his hip, and snicked an edge through to Robinson. Lawrence had time in his 21-ball stay to flick Matt Milnes through fine leg for four, but had reached just 7 when he shouldered arms to an inducker from Quinn, and was sent on his way lbw. It was a very similar demise to his final-day duck in Grenada, in fact – and quite conceivably betrayed a surfeit of risk-aversion, as he over-thinks the transition required to make his starts count in red-ball cricket. But then again, blaming the white-ball game for such matters is a “big cop-out that a lot of journalists use”, so what would I know?Essex’s day was not without blemish, off the field either. The day began with a well-meaning but amorphous “moment of reflection”, with both teams lined up on the boundary’s edge to contemplate everything from Shane Warne’s death, to the war in Ukraine … to the contents of an Essex racism report that is rumoured to be close to seeing the light of day, but also seems to be at the centre of a row every bit as divisive as the one that has beset Yorkshire all winter long. Among the first-day attendees was Essex’s ex-chairman, John Faragher, who declined the club’s request that he lie low following his resignation for allegedly using racial language in a board meeting. However this one ends, it’s unlikely to end quietly.Ultimately, all such matters belong on a spectrum of incidents that inform English cricket’s ongoing cultural revolution. The ground announcer’s amusingly self-conscious attempts to say “batter” instead of “batsman” was another reminder that habits, once ingrained, are hard to amend overnight. For better and very much for worse, the County Championship remains a bastion for doing things the old-fashioned way.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has hailed captain Bruno Fernandes and claimed that he 'deserves' to win titles.
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Fernandes scores hat-trick against SociedadAmorim claims he deserves titlesUrges Red Devils to help him win silverwareFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Fernandes has been one of the best players in the Premier League over the last decade, with the Manchester United star consistently delivering the goods for the Red Devils since his move to Old Trafford from Sporting CP. The Portuguese has scored 94 goals and provided 79 assists in 276 appearances, but with the team struggling for form, major titles have been a distant dream.
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Fernandes has been in superb form this season as well, despite United's abysmal results. He scored a hat-trick in their 4-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday, after which Amorim claimed Fernandes 'deserves' to win titles and urged the Red Devils to help him lift silverware.
(C)Getty ImagesWHAT AMORIM SAID
Speaking to the media, Amorim said: "We know that sometimes he is frustrated. We know he wants to win so bad so when things are not going well, he is changing position going after the ball.
"Sometimes he needs to trust his teammate but when we need it, he is always there. He can bring the ball forward, he can score goals, he can defend. It is a perfect captain for our team and we need to help him win titles because he deserves all that."
WHAT NEXT FOR FERNANDES?
The United captain won his second trophy with the Red Devils last season in the form of the FA Cup, though his only hope of adding a winners' medal to his collection this term comes in the form of the Europa League. United have been pitted against Lyon in the quarter-finals.
As the January transfer window approaches, Southampton have reportedly joined the race to sign a striker worth as much as ÂŁ100m for incoming new manager Ivan Juric.
Southampton transfer news
A 5-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur – in which the Saints conceded four first-half goals – proved to be the final straw in Russell Martin’s Southampton reign. Bottom of the Premier League and as many as nine points adrift of safety, Southampton are in a perilous position and simply must hope that pending new manager Juric can pull off what would be the greatest of escapes.
Convincing the manager to depart AS Roma just three months after he arrived to replace Daniele De Rossi, Southampton have reached a verbal agreement with Juric, who is now working on exit terms to leave the Italian club according to Fabrizio Romano.
Seemingly deciding against chasing the signature of Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl, those at St Mary’s will hope to get their deal to welcome Juric over the line before instantly backing their new manager in January.
According to GiveMeSport, Southampton have now joined the race to sign Evan Ferguson from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2025. The young striker has struggled to break into Fabian Hurzeler’s side and could now leave Seagulls on loan amid interest from West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester United and now Southampton.
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If the Saints are to pursue his signature in 2025, however, then they’ll likely be in position to land a loan deal and loan deal only, given that Brighton reportedly value their striker at a staggering ÂŁ100m.
"Amazing" Ferguson would be a major coup
Even just on loan, if Southampton managed to win a hectic race to secure Ferguson’s signature until the end of the season then it will be one the most impressive coups of the winter window.
Juric’s pending new side are sat rock bottom and no side have managed to score less goals than the 11 that they’ve managed in 16 games. For a player of Ferguson’s quality to arrive, Southampton may need to put together quite the pitch.
The Irishman, although enduring recent struggles, has been the subject of much praise since breaking through the Brighton ranks, with former teammate Alexis Mac Allister telling reporters via BBC Sport after a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth in 2023: “Evan is an amazing player. He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is.”
Of course, whilst they may be struggling, what Southampton can offer Ferguson is the chance to be a Premier League starter week in, week out in what may well give the Brighton striker plenty to ponder ahead of 2025.
Wrexham hero Jay Rodriguez revealed how he felt after scoring his first-ever goal for the club in their win over Stockport.
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Rodriguez opened up on his missed penaltyScored his first-ever Wrexham goalRed Dragons beat Stockport 1-0Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The English forward, who joined the Red Dragons from Burnley in the January transfer window, scored his first-ever goal for the club as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side edged out Stockport 1-0 in a crucial League One fixture on Saturday. In the 29th minute, Wrexham won a penalty and Rodriguez stepped up to take the spot-kick. He saw his initial attempt stopped but the striker was quick to pounce on the rebound and score the winner.
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Speaking to reporters after the match, the 35-year-old said: "The main thing is the three points, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about getting the goal. It's a nice relief. I've always said to myself that if I continue to work hard, keep improving in every training session, do my finishing and keep knuckling down, hopefully, it'll come good. "I've always had that belief, it's done good for me throughout my career so I won't change now. Hopefully, I can get on a run and help the team.
"I think it's probably one of the worst penalties I've ever taken to be honest, it was meant to go higher than that and into the corner. But fortunately, it bounced for me and I finished it. Hopefully, if I do take another one it'll go straight in."
Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Welsh club are pushing for a third consecutive promotion as they dream of attaining direct qualification to the Championship. On the club's ambitions, Rodriguez added: "You have to dream big otherwise there's no point in turning up every day and working hard. The best place to be is in the Premier League. We've got eight really important games now. You can't look too far ahead but you can dream, but you have to take care of business.
"It's really admirable that the club's been from where it's been to be where it is now and it's still pushing now, it's something I'm really proud to be a part of. It's a big thing for me to leave my hometown club Burnley, it had to be a really big project, and obviously Wrexham is a massive project. To be asked to come along, I'm grateful for the opportunity. It had to be a big thing, and it was a good situation for all."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
Phil Parkinson's side will be back in action next Saturday as they face Exeter City away from home in a League One clash.
Brooke Guest and Leus de Plooy fifties make high-class Notts attack work for rewards
ECB Reporters Network19-May-2022Nottinghamshire 22 for 0 trail Derbyshire 260 (du Plooy 57, Guest 51) by 238Half-centuries by Brooke Guest and Leus du Plooy helped Derbyshire total 260 all out on the opening day of their LV= County Championship match against Nottinghamshire, for whom leading wicket-taker Dane Paterson finished with 3 for 36.After being asked to bat first on a heavily green-tinged pitch, and facing a trio of international fast bowlers in Stuart Broad, James Pattinson and Paterson, Derbyshire will feel they could have done much worse, particularly after leading scorer Shan Masood – who still hopes to become the first player since Graeme Hick in 1988 to aggregate 1000 first-class runs before the end of May – suffered a rare failure.Australian former Test bowler Pattinson, his dander up after twice being hooked for six, bowled with real pace and there was plenty of aggression from Broad in the last of his three Championship appearances before an expected Test recall against New Zealand next month.On the down side for Derbyshire, they are without three senior bowlers, with Suranga Lakmal, Anuj Dal and Ryan Sidebottom all injured. Nottinghamshire began their reply with 22 without loss from three overs, all the runs off the bat being scored by Ben Slater.Pakistan Test opener Masood, whose seven previous innings included three centuries, two of them doubles, and only one score under 62, this time fell on 18, caught behind pushing at a ball from Pattinson that found a thin edge. His dismissal left him on 844 runs for the season, still with an outside chance to make history as the earliest to reach the magical 1000 in May, although he has only the second innings of this match in which to do it because the rest of the month is given over to the Vitality Blast.Were he to make 156 or higher he would better Don Bradman’s 1938 achievement of reaching the milestone by May 27.After Masood’s dismissal, Derbyshire slipped to 41 for 3 when Paterson removed Billy Godleman and Wayne Madsen with consecutive balls. Godleman was caught at third slip before Madsen nibbled at one that left him late to be caught behind, yet new man du Plooy helped Guest steer a path to 89 for 3 at lunch, the latter miscuing Pattinson for six over the short boundary on the Bridgford Road side.After the interval, Guest completed a 68-ball half-century but was not able to build on it, losing his middle stump to a quick ball from Broad that deflected off his bottom hand. du Plooy followed Guest in losing his wicket soon after passing fifty, leg-before playing back to a ball from Steven Mullaney, but Derbyshire added 102 runs in the session.Alex Hughes, a late call-up after Dal turned his ankle warming up on the outfield, joined Guest in hooking Pattinson for six, off a no-ball to boot, having been dropped on 6 off Mullaney.Slater took a stunning boundary catch to deny former Derbyshire team-mate Luis Reece a half-century, before being given a rare opportunity to bowl his offspin and claiming his maiden Championship wicket with his first ball as Tom Moores stumped Alex Thomson.After the second new ball was taken, Hughes became a second victim for Broad when he was lbw to a full delivery but he and debutant Liam Hurt – the fast bowler on loan from Lancashire – had added 27 to secure a second batting point. Paterson and spinner Liam Patterson-White picked up the last two wickets.