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Paul Warne has turned things around at Derby County following a difficult start to the season. The Rams are on course to get a shot at making an appearance at Wembley at the very least, but will be well aware of just how many games are left to play in League One before they can potentially realise their dreaming of gaining a place back in the Championship.

As we approach the busy festive period, the last thing that Warne would have wanted is a number of injury blows. Yet, as we enter December, the Derby manager is set to be without one star player for an enxtended period.

Derby County injury news

The international break came at a disappointing time for Derby, who entered the break with just one loss in five games in all competitions. From Warne's perspective, his side's momentum had every chance of coming to an end without league action. Worse yet, he would have been aware of the dangers of those on international break picking up long-term injuries. And that's exactly what happened to one particular Derby star to deal the Rams a major blow ahead of an action-packed period of football.

Derby County eyeing January move to sign "incredible" new striker

The Rams are in need of reinforcements in pursuit of promotion…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 23, 2023

Warne confirmed that Conor Washington will miss the next three months after picking up ankle ligament damage, which requires surgery. Warne told BBC Radio Derby: It's a massive blow. Unfortunately he's damaged two of his three ligaments, so he is going to need an op and be out for 12 weeks after the op's taken place, and he hasn't had it yet. He's not in a good place, obviously.

"We are not going to boohoo about it – it's just disappointing. Every striker has a different attribute and Wash's is one where he could stretch the play for us and give us a different dimension. And he was starting to get, not his football mojo back, I don't mean it like that, but his form back possibly and think the fans started to see the good side of Wash, so it's a big blow."

What games will Washington miss?

Out for up to three months, Washington is likely to miss 17 of Derby's 29 remaining games in League One this season in what is clearly a real hit to their promotion chances. Washington's stats, which show that he has been involved in five goals this season in all competitions, suggest that the Rams will need to rely on the likes of James Collins for goals from here, as they look to set themselves up for play-off glory come their forward's return.

Out of the most important games. Washington will miss fixtures against the likes of Lincoln City, Oxford United, Peterborough, Stevenage and Barnsley, who are all vying for a place in the second tier. Given that Derby are just two points inside the play-off spots, too, they can ill-afford more slip-ups in the coming months.

In an ideal world, Washington will return with his side on course for promotion, giving him every opportunity to become a returning hero.

It took just two weeks of pain and suffering but Everton are now firmly outside the relegation zone once more after an emphatic 3-0 victory at home to Newcastle United on Thursday night.

In fact, the Toffees have been tremendous throughout the campaign, with a ten-point deduction back in November generating an unfair reflection of the team's position in the Premier League table. Everton have now earned more points overall than Chelsea and would be tenth in the top-flight had they not been punished.

One player who has been a rock at the back for the Merseyside club is Jarrad Branthwaite, but with rumours of the centre-back being linked elsewhere, Everton are said to be looking around for a new central defender.

Everton transfer news – Jake O'Brien

According to a recent report from Foot Mercato, Everton are keeping tabs on Lyon centre-back Jake O'Brien ahead of the January transfer window.

The French outfit are in free-fall at the moment and currently sit rock bottom of Ligue, despite reaching a Champions League semi-final merely three years ago.

The Irish defender moved to Les Gones during the summer for around £850k, having previously played for his boyhood club Cork City before joining Crystal Palace.

With the Eagles, O'Brien was sent out on loan to Swindon Town and eventually Belgian side RWD Molenbeek before making the switch to the Groupama Stadium, having failed to make a single competitive appearance for Palace at Selhurst Park.

Incidentally, O'Brien is Lyon's joint-top goalscorer with three goals, alongside former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette, having scored 27% of the team's goals which is incredible for a centre-back. Additionally, O'Brien has ranked quite high statistically when compared to all other central defenders from Europe's top-five leagues.

Per 90 Metric

Percentile Ranking in Men's Big Five leagues

Non-Penalty Goals

99

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

99

Passes Completed

76

Pass Completion %

88

Short Passing Completion %

87

Long Pass Completion %

92

Aerial Duels Won %

96

Ball Recoveries

87

23/24 Stats via FBref

Jake O'Brien's stats this season

O'Brien could be the perfect replacement for Branthwaite at Goodison Park as the latter is currently being touted with a move to Old Trafford ahead of the January transfer window as Erik ten Hag looks to shore up his leaky Manchester United defence.

The rumoured pursuit of O'Brien has similar connotations to the deal which saw Branthwaite move to Merseyside back in 2020 for a mere £1m from then-League Two outfit Carlisle United.

Everton have since bumped up their asking price for the 21-year-old to £25m. Like Branthwaite, O'Brien also has experience in the English lower leagues, having made 21 appearances for Swindon, and could be available for an incredibly cheap amount, especially with Lyon sitting bottom of France's top flight.

The Irishman is said to be worth £4m, according to the CIES Football Observatory.

Furthermore, even if Branthwaite was to remain with Everton, O'Brien could provide depth and quality on Sean Dyche's bench, particularly with Ben Godfrey being linked with a move elsewhere this winter. The ex-Norwich City defender has played merely 91 minutes all season under Dyche and O'Brien has outperformed him in almost every metric so far, based off of Godfrey's stats last season.

Goals

0.38

0

Expected Goals

0.25

0.14

Progressive Passes

3

2.13

Passes To Final 1/3

3

2.7

Passes To Penalty Area

0.13

0.11

Pass Completion

90.5

64.8

Aerial Duels Won %

73.9

46.9

Touches

69.3

43.9

Tackles

0.5

2.25

Tackles Won

0.5

1.41

Interceptions

0.38

0.91

Stats via FBref

Godfrey has been making more tackles than O'Brien, although the latter has a higher success rate. However, apart from interceptions, the Lyon star trumps the Everton defender.

If Godfrey leaves this January, Dyche should look no further than O'Brien to be an upgrade on him due to his superior defensive and in-possession capabilities across the board to repeat the club's Branthwaite masterclass.

Glasgow Rangers return to domestic action this weekend as they look to continue their bright form under Philippe Clement.

Following six wins and a draw in seven matches, the Ibrox side appears to be rejuvenated, and the onus is now to continue their upwards trajectory.

They could even secure a trophy before Christmas, as they face Hearts in the League Cup final next month, while progress in the Europa League is certainly attainable and things are looking good for the Light Blues.

Despite having to work with a squad he inherited from Michael Beale, Clement has managed to get a tune from some of the summer signings who initially struggled under the former QPR boss.

Cyriel Dessers has scored three times under the former Club Brugge boss, while Danilo has emerged as one of the finest attacking options at the club.

The Brazilian has also thrived under the 49-year-old, netting three times while grabbing four assists, and he has been given the freedom and confidence to play his own game, which appears to be paying dividends.

Another key aspect about Clement which has further endeared him to the Ibrox faithful is the fact he isn’t scared in placing his trust in young players.

Due to several injures, talented winger Ross McCausland was given a start against Livingston just prior to the international break, and he certainly took his chance by winning a penalty in the first half while looking lively throughout.

This will give him a massive confidence boost heading into the future and the good news for Clement is there are plenty of other young talents emerging from the academy.

Here are three players who look set to burst through under the Belgian to follow in McCausland's footsteps…

1 Zak Lovelace

In a way, Lovelace has already begun to make his mark in the senior side, as he was given his first start for the Gers in a tie against St Mirren last month, yet this was under interim manager Steven Davis.

He made his debut for Millwall aged just 15 and his limitless potential led Giovanni van Bronckhorst to snap him last summer from the London side.

It didn’t take long for the Dutchman to give him a senior bow in Glasgow, as the young forward came off the bench against Queen of the South in August 2022, and he even made his Old Firm debut towards the end of the season.

The 17-year-old scored 18 goals and grabbed ten assists for the B team last season and, despite being restricted to just six minutes under Beale, Davis unleashed him from the start against the Buddies.

He looked bright before suffering an injury, and he hasn’t been seen since. Clement will be keeping his eye on his recovery, however, as there is no doubt he could play a key role in the side once he is fit.

2 Bailey Rice

The former Motherwell player became Rangers’ youngest-ever league debutant in February this year as he emerged from the bench against Livingston aged just 16 years, four months and 14 days.

Lauded as a “prospect” by journalist Mark Hendry in January last year when the Gers and Manchester City were sniffing about him, it's clear he has everything required to make the grade at the club in the coming years.

The 17-year-old has made another two domestic appearances for the Ibrox side this season, yet none have come under Clement.

The club are stacked in the central midfield area, but as time goes on, he could well get another chance in the senior squad.

The Belgian will be keeping a keen eye on his development for the B team, especially with the quality he has shown so far, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Rice make another appearance or two in the coming months, especially if the fixtures pile up.

McCausland’s recent rise over the previous few months will give him confidence that in time, he could be starting games for the Gers and this is what he should be targeting.

3 Alex Lowry

The Scot is perhaps the most highly-rated talent among the youth sides at Ibrox, especially with the way he broke through and shone upon his debut for the club back in January 2022.

He replaced Ianis Hagi in a Scottish Cup tie against Stirling Albion, and it didn’t take him long to make an impact, scoring a few moments later.

Another six appearances followed throughout the remainder of that campaign, and he even made the bench for the Europa League final in May 2022, but the Gers lost on penalties, and he didn’t make it onto the pitch.

A knee injury restricted his impact to just seven senior matches last term and this set his development back slightly and Beale sent him on a season-long loan to Hearts for the current season.

The 20-year-old has already made 15 appearances for the Jambos, and he has impressed in spells in the capital.

Not only has the attacking midfielder registered seven goal contributions, but he currently ranks third in the squad for shots on target per game (0.6), fourth for big chances created (one) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.4), demonstrating his ability in a club who are challenging for the European spots and this experience at the highest level will stand him in good stead.

Clement is clearly determined to secure success at Rangers and early indications suggest he will leave no stone unturned in the process.

While he aims to bolster his senior squad in the transfer market, there are players closer to home who could give him some different options going forward, while bolstering the home-based quota for European ties.

The three players mentioned all have the opportunity during Clement’s spell in charge to make inroads into the first team and showcase their abilities on a regular basis.

McCausland has proven that the chances are there for talented youngsters if they are good enough and Lovelace, Rice and Lowry have all demonstrated how good they can be with their fleeting appearances in the Ibrox first team.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIncisive bowling from Chris Woakes and a rapid spell from Olly Stone uprooted four Sri Lanka wickets in the first nine overs – their collective new-ball effort outdoing Lasith Malinga’s heroics at the death, and bringing about a 31-run for England win via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. Malinga had taken 4 for 19 in his final five overs, completing his first five-wicket haul in over four years, as England were restricted to 278 for 9 despite having seemed destined for a total in excess of 300.But although the hosts’ bowlers had performed creditably, keeping England in check for the majority of their innings, Sri Lanka’s top order failed for the third consecutive time, slumping to 31 for 4 then 74 for 5, effectively surrendering the match in those early overs. Dhananjaya de Silva and Thisara Perera forged an unbeaten 66-run partnership for the sixth wicket, but could not make up enough ground before rain cut Sri Lanka’s chase short at the end of the 29th over. Their score at the time was 140. With five wickets down, they would have needed 172 to win.Woakes, who had missed the home ODIs in the English summer through injury, delivered a tight and constricting first spell, eliciting a series of false shots from Sri Lanka’s top order batsmen, three of which resulted in wickets. Upul Tharanga was the first to depart, edging a ball angled across him in the first over. New captain Dinesh Chandimal was the second of Woakes’ wickets, under-edging into his stumps as he attempted to punch the delivery through the covers. Dasun Shanaka, batting unusually high at No. 5, then touched a seaming ball behind after facing a harried 18 deliveries. With Stone also having had Niroshan Dickwella caught off the glove with a vicious bouncer at the other end, Sri Lanka were reeling, and the middle order were left with a monumental task to get back in the game.De Silva and Thisara gave the recovery a shot, as both played aggressively against England’s spinners, and negotiated the fast bowlers much better than the men batting higher up in the order had done. The rain, though, snuffed out what little hope Sri Lanka had, giving England a 1-0 lead in the series with three ODIs to play.Lasith Malinga rolled back the years•Getty Images

That England got as many as they did was largely the work of senior batsmen Eoin Morgan and Joe Root, who hit 92 off 91 balls and 71 off 83 respectively – the pair batting together in a 68-run third-wicket stand. Where Root had been assured from the outset, striking crisp boundaries off the fifth and eighth deliveries that came his way, Morgan’s first 30 balls at the crease were a little more frazzled.He was flummoxed by a Lakshan Sandakan googly in his first few minutes, the ball turning sharply back at him to strike him on the pad. More plays-and-misses and miscued strokes were to follow, but eventually his innings hit a rhythm. The sweeps and reverse sweeps began to be played with more conviction, and to profitable effect. His fifty – the 40th of his career – was completed off his 57th delivery, and he accelerated upon reaching the milestone, hitting 34 off his next 23 balls.Malinga’s haul featured all the vintage dismissals. He took Morgan’s wicket in the 42nd over – the batsman chipping a tame catch back to him after failing to pick up the slower ball. Next delivery, he bowled Moeen Ali with a slower yorker, the ball diving beneath Moeen’s shot. He got the balls at either end to reverse swing as well – perhaps the only one-day bowler in the world who can still get the ball to behave this way consistently. He breached speeds of 140kph at various points through the innings, and pointed to the name on his back when he took the fifth wicket with a fast, tailing yorker that Liam Dawson was not equipped to resist.His overall figures were 5 for 44. Having been dropped from the side for over a year, he has now taken 10 wickets in four games since his return.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has defended VAR for not intervening in a controversial moment during Liverpool's recent draw with Manchester City.

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Howard Webb explains VAR processLiverpool denied late penalty vs Man CityDoku challenge on Mac Allister ruled fairWHAT HAPPENED?

Appearing on the latest ediiton of , Webb said that it was right for VAR not to intervene and overturn Michael Oliver's decision not to award a penalty for Jeremy Doku's challenge on Alexis Mac Allister near the end of the 1-1 draw at Anfield on March 10. The retired official turned boss of the refereeing body, insisted there wasn't enough of an error to get involved, which also would have been the case had the opposite happened and the penalty been given by the on-field ref.

AdvertisementGETTYWHAT WEBB SAID

Webb said: "It's one of those…if the referee gives it on the field, it would have been a 'check complete' by the VAR. Equally, having not given it, it's also 'check complete'. You hear Michael Oliver say the ball is in between two players going together. The ball is too low to head. Doku lifts his foot to play the ball, and he does make contact on the ball. And yes, we know there's some contact on Mac Allister as well. Mac Allister comes into him. Mac Allister is not really playing the ball either. So, I understand why it's split opinion.

"The VAR stays out of it. I think that is what we would we would expect. The VAR looks at it and doesn't see a 'clear and obvious' situation. You see something that's pretty subjective and therefore stays out of it, and the feedback we've had from people within the game is that this is a pretty subjective situation. It's split opinion. So on that basis, the VAR, working to that high threshold kind of followed the right course in not getting involved."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mac Allister had already converted from the spot early in the second half when Darwin Nunez was brought down by Ederson, cancelling out John Stones' first half goal. But the Argentine told afterwards that he felt he was denied a "clear penalty" when he was struck in the chest by Doku's boot. "I think the ref did a very good job throughout the game, but I think he made a mistake in the last decision," Mac Allister added.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL & MAN CITY?

Nothing changes for Liverpool or Manchester City. They remain separated by just a single point in the Premier League table, with Arsenal narrowly ahead of the third place Reds on goal difference. Both clubs also remain in the hunt for European silverware, with City set to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals next months and Liverpool braced for Atalanta in the Europa League last eight.

An unbeaten half-century from 20-year-old Pant helped guide India A to victory in the tri-series final

Alan Gardner at The Oval02-Jul-20183:03

Centurion Hain ‘frustrated’ by final loss

ScorecardThe shape of the English summer is set to be defined over the next ten weeks by Virat Kohli’s India. A day out from that tour beginning in earnest, India lifted their first silverware, thanks to the A team’s five-wicket victory over England Lions at The Oval. An unbeaten half-century from 20-year-old Rishabh Pant guided them to the tri-series title, though it was an accomplished collective performance from a team bristling with IPL talent.Having been put into bat, the Lions were indebted to the series’ leading run-scorer, Sam Hain, maintaining his prolific white-ball form, as well as a colourful 83 from Liam Livingstone, who showed power and finesse to score swiftly on a slowish surface. The next-highest contribution was Steven Mullaney’s 17, as the India A bowlers bided their time and struck at opportune moments: twice during the initial Powerplay, as the Lions reached 41 for 2, and repeatedly at the back end of the innings.Deepak Chahar, two days after being called into India’s full squad for the T20 series beginning on Tuesday, picked up three wickets, while slow left-armer Axar Patel – also now in the ODI squad – was their most economical bowler as well as also claiming a trio of catches, two of them exceptional efforts.Rishabh Pant puts away a square drive•Getty ImagesThe Lions would rue a chance that wasn’t held, off Pant on 35, when Reece Topley failed to get his hands under the ball running in from long-on. With India A having just lost Hanuma Vihari to a needless run-out, the Lions needed to seize the moment; instead, Pant and Krunal Pandya added an unbroken 71 to seal the chase.There were perhaps a couple of hundred spectators in south London’s grand old ground, though the Indian tricolours were visible as Pant brought up his fifty moments after lashing Matt Parkinson – the bowler who might have had him caught – twice down the ground for six and four. A congregation had mustered near the changing rooms for the chance of a selfie with Rahul Dravid, the India A coach, and the visitors seemed to enjoy the conditions brought about by the UK’s recent heatwave, as the Lions sweated in the sunshine.Although Prithvi Shaw fell to the first ball of the seventh over, India A already had 39 runs on the board. A double-strike from Liam Dawson – who drew level with Sajid Mahmood as the leading List A wicket-taker for the Lions, or England A/B, with 33 – checked the innings at 83 for 3 in the 16th over, but further inroads were delayed by a fourth-wicket stand of 67 in good time.India A’s captain, Shreyas Iyer, cracked the first six of the innings – possibly the biggest of the day – off the bowling of Parkinson, though Iyer appeared unhappy to be given out caught behind down the leg side off Mullaney; wicketkeeper Ben Foakes also whipped off the bails, for good measure. Mullaney then dropped a return catch off Vihari on 25, though Topley’s miss of Pant was to prove more costly.Trevor Bayliss, England’s head coach, and Ed Smith, the national selector, were both in attendance and although the Lions came up short, there were several positive contributions in a hard-fought contest – most notably from Hain.Sam Hain drives during his century•Getty ImagesTrying to force a way into England’s white-ball sides at the moment is a bit like getting hold of tickets, or looking for a quick route to MCC membership. Be prepared for a wait, basically.Nevertheless, Hain is making a compelling case. Following his second hundred of the series, he averages 68.81 in List A cricket; that rises to 115.00 from eight innings for the Lions and he has already joined James Taylor (who made four) and Dawid Malan as the only players to score three one-day hundreds for England’s second XI. Both of those went on to play for the senior teams although Malan, somewhat curiously, has been capped in T20 and Tests but not – thus far – ODIs.Hain has been likened to Jonathan Trott, with his extended routine for taking guard and penchant for leg-side nudges, and he certainly seems a tad more circumspect than some of England’s new generation of dashers. That approach was well-attuned to the conditions at The Oval, however, where India A won a useful toss and made life difficult for the Lions throughout.Only during a partnership of 152 in 26 overs between Hain and Livingstone did India A appear under pressure in the field. Livingstone hooked the first of his five sixes off Khaleel Ahmed in the 17th over, having taken some time to find his feet, and he became increasingly fluent as the innings progressed. Having reached his first fifty of the series, from 63 balls, Livingstone began to cruise up through the gears, but fell one over after hitting Chahar for consecutives sixes when Axar took an excellent diving catch running in off the boundary.Hain’s innings was a more nuggety affair, although he did deposit Krunal into the seats at deep midwicket. His hundred came from 113 deliveries, but he was unable to carry on right to the end, edging Chahar behind as the Lions lost 6 for 79 over the course of their last 16.2 overs.

It is fair to say that Sheffield Wednesday have had a less-than-ideal start to their Championship season as they sit winless heading into the second half of October.

The Owls won the play-offs to earn promotion to the second tier from League One last season and have not enjoyed the step up in quality so far.

Xisco Munoz was brought in to replace Darren Moore after his exit over the summer and the former Watford head coach lasted just ten matches as he picked up two points in the club's worst-ever start to a league campaign.

He was relieved of his duties after ten games and German tactician Danny Rohl has been appointed as his successor. The ex-Bayern Munich assistant now has the unenviable task of turning the ship around to avoid relegation.

Club

Tenure

RB Leipzig

July 2016 – June 2018

Southampton

December 2018 – August 2019

Bayern Munich

August 2019 – June 2021

Germany

August 2021 – September 2023

Danny Rohl's assistant managerial career (via Transfermarkt)

Sheffield Wednesday have only scored five goals in their 11 Championship matches and have failed to score in five of their last six, which shows that goalscoring has been a significant issue for them.

The Owls have had some impressive attackers at this level over the years and one player they may wish they had now is forward Michail Antonio, who the club ended up having a mare with back in 2014.

When did Sheffield Wednesday sign Michail Antonio?

They swooped to sign the English-born whiz on loan from Reading in February 2012 before completing a permanent deal for his services that summer.

At that point, Antonio had yet to prove himself at first-team level after a smattering of appearances for the Royals and for Colchester, on loan, over the previous 18 months.

He had scored one goal and assisted one in 21 Championship games for Reading during the 2010/11 campaign and then produced four goals and three assists in 15 League One outings for Colchester throughout the first half of the 2011/12 season.

These statistics show that Gary Megson, who left the club later that month, took a gamble when he signed Antonio on loan in 2012 but it was one that ultimately paid off for the Owls.

The impressive dynamo went on to score five goals and produce two assists in 14 League One matches for the club, which helped to earn them promotion back to the second tier.

This convinced Megson's replacement, Dave Jones, to complete a permanent deal to sign Antonio for an undisclosed fee from Reading ahead of the 2012/13 campaign, following on from their success in the third division.

Jones stated that the signing showcased the club's ambition and said that the former Southampton attacker had plenty of development left to go through, as he was far from being the finished article at that point in his career.

How many Championship goals did Antonio score for Wednesday?

Their move to sign him on a permanent basis turned out to be an outstanding piece of business as the marksman went on to plunder 11 goals in two Championship seasons at Hillsborough.

Antonio proved himself to be a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch in his first full season with the Owls as he displayed his talent as a scorer and a creator of goals.

The Jamaica international went on to produce seven goals and 11 assists in 37 league outings for the club, which showed that the former Reading ace was capable of making a big impact in the final third at that level.

However, his form took a dip during the 2013/14 campaign as Antonio went on to score four goals and provide six assists in 27 Championship clashes in his second full year with Wednesday.

How much did Forest pay for Antonio?

Despite his output dropping, Nottingham Forest swooped to sign him from the Owls for a reported fee of £1.5m in 2014 as then-boss Stuart Gray opted to cash in on the creative forward.

Antonio stated that he got too "comfortable" at Hillsborough and felt that he needed to push himself with a move to the City Ground, which suggests that the club and Gray did not do enough to help his development in Yorkshire.

Forest, on the other hand, were able to help him explode throughout the 2014/15 campaign as they unlocked his full potential as a scorer and a creator.

The impressive ace racked up a stunning 14 goals and 14 assists across 46 Championship outings for the Tricky Trees, which was his best tally for goals and assists in a single season in his career at that point.

They clearly saw his talent and believed that he was able to show more than the four goals and six assists the Owls attacker managed throughout the 2013/14 campaign and it paid off for them.

How much did West Ham pay for Antonio?

His sublime form for Forest led to Premier League interest in his services as West Ham United secured a deal to sign him for a reported fee of £7m.

This means that his value shot up by a staggering £5.5m in one year after his £1.5m exit from Sheffield Wednesday, which suggests that Gray had a mare by selling him in 2014.

The former Owls boss seemingly did not do enough to help Antonio's development or to convince him to remain at Hillsborough and that cost the club millions, which Forest then profited from as they unleashed his potential and earned a big payday within a year.

Since his move to the Hammers, the 33-year-old has proven himself to be a reliable, if unspectacular, performer at Premier League level.

Antonio, who was once dubbed a "rapid powerhouse" by former academy scout Andy Clarke, has scored 77 goals and produced 44 assists in 285 matches in all competitions for West Ham to date.

The experienced attacker has hit double figures for goals in three Premier League seasons and caught the eye as his side won the Europa Conference League last term.

Antonio scored six goals and provided one assist in seven starts in the competition as the Hammers secured a European trophy and qualification for the Europa League earlier this year.

If only Rohl had him to call upon this season…

The BCCI’s technical committee has also proposed that the Ranji Trophy include a pre-quarterfinal round, and that Bihar feature in the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Apr-2018

PTI

The Irani Cup may not be part of the 2018-19 Indian domestic calendar, and the Ranji Trophy could instead feature an additional knockout round. These changes will come into effect if the Supreme-Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) approves a list of proposals drafted by the BCCI’s technical committee during a meeting on Monday.The technical committee has also approved the inclusion of Bihar as the 29th team in the Ranji Trophy. “However, the committee felt in the view of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India’s judgment dated July 18, 2016, the North Eastern associates and affiliate members must also be considered,” a BCCI release stated. “The recommendations of the Technical Committee will be sent to the Committee of Administrators (CoA) and then ratified by the BCCI general body.”The Irani Cup, which pits the Ranji Trophy champions against a Rest of India team, has been a regular fixture in domestic cricket since the 1959-60 season. It does not form part of the newly proposed calendar, however, which will proceed as follows: Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ranji Trophy league phase, Mushtaq Ali T20, Ranji Trophy knockouts, Deodhar Trophy.According to the new proposals, the Ranji Trophy will retain the broad framework that was in use in the 2017-18 season, with four groups of teams playing home and away games. This went against the wishes of a number of captains and coaches, who recently pushed for a return to the old three-group format, which they felt would offer teams more matches.The inclusion of a pre-quarterfinal stage, however, could mean four teams qualify for the knockouts from each group rather than two.The newly proposed Ranji Trophy format, if approved, will also be implemented in the (Under-19) Cooch Behar Trophy and the (Under-23) CK Nayudu Trophy.The Duleep Trophy is set to feature the pink Kookaburra ball, and include only four teams – one from each Ranji Trophy group. The 50-overs Deodhar Trophy will similarly feature one team each from the four Ranji groups.In the recently concluded 2017-18 season, the Mushtaq Ali T20 began with an zonal tournament, from which ten teams – two from each zone – qualified for the Super League stage, divided into two groups. The two group toppers met in the final. The new proposals include a semi-final stage after the Super League.

Crystal Palace could make a move for a 21-year-old striker in the January transfer window, but they will have to do battle for his signature with West Ham United.

Are Crystal Palace signing a striker?

Palace had a relatively quiet summer transfer window, making four additions to their squad, but they have made a solid, if not spectacular to the Premier League season, currently sitting in eighth place, having taken seven points from their opening five games.

Roy Hodgson's side were linked with moves for a number of different strikers, including Kelechi Iheanacho and Che Adams, but the manager ultimately decided to stick with what he had, and he has been justified for his faith in Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

The duo have already scored eight goals between them this season, indicating the Eagles may not need to strengthen their attack during the January transfer window, but there has now been a suggestion they could go back in for one of their summer targets.

Palace were said to be working on a deal for Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window, and Football Insider report they could now reignite their interest in the Paris Saint-Germain forward in the upcoming window.

The 21-year-old is viewed as "one of the best" options available on the market mid-season, with it recently being revealed his current employers have decided it is best if he moves on in January, having been frustrated he didn't leave in the summer.

However, the Eagles may have to do battle for the striker's signature with West Ham United, who have also been credited with an interest ahead of the January transfer window, and both clubs should be in a good position to win the race.

In the summer, the youngster made it clear he wanted to move to the Premier League, rather than agreeing to join Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, and he was willing to hold talks with English clubs in order to make that switch a reality.

How many goals has Hugo Ekitike scored?

The Frenchman has scored 18 goals in 72 professional games, but his career has stalled since making the move to the Parc des Princes, having been unable to establish himself in the star-studded PSG team.

Last season, the "special" forward managed to amass three goals and four assists in 25 Ligue 1 games, but he will likely need to move on if he is going to develop further and make a name for himself at the top level.

Considering he is a striker, the 6 foot 2 forward is particularly impressive at setting up chances for his teammates, averaging 0.31 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 96th percentile compared to his positional peers.

The only doubt over making a move for Ekitike is whether he would be a necessary signing for Hodgson, considering Edouard and Mateta have both made solid starts to the season, but the manager should undoubtedly keep him on the radar ahead of the January transfer window.

MatériaMais Notícias

Os últimos dias de Richard Rios foram de ótimas notícias. Além de ser acionado e entrar em campo pelo time principal do Flamengo no Campeonato Brasileiro, em partida contra o Palmeiras em São Paulo, o jovem volante acertou a renovação de seu contrato com o clube. Agora, o vínculo do colombiano de 20 anos – que chegou ao Ninho no ano passado – é válido até dezembro de 2021.

-Estou muito feliz em renovar o contrato com o Flamengo. Espero dar muitas alegrias para a Nação – afirmou Richard Rios ao site oficial do Rubro-Negro.

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Richard chegou ao Flamengo em 2019 após chamar a atenção pela seleção de futsal da Colômbia. O jovem teve rápida adaptação ao campo e, no início desta temporada, participou da conquista do Campeonato Carioca de 2020. Pelo Sub-20, já foi campeão do Estadual, do Brasileiro, do OPG e da Supercopa em 2019.