وجه أحد الحسابات الجماهيرية لنادي ليفربول، رسالة للنجم المصري محمد صلاح، بعد انتهاء مباراة الفريق ضد آينتراخت فرانكفورت بفوز كاسح للريدز بخماسية لهدف واحد في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وجلس محمد صلاح على دكة بدلاء ليفربول في مباراة اليوم، لكن آرني سلوت استعان بجناحه المصري في الدقيقة 72 من عمر الشوط الثاني.

وفضل آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول الاعتماد على كل من هوجو إيكتيكي وألكسندر إيزاك وكودي جاكبو في خط هجوم الريدز منذ بداية اللقاء.

اقرأ أيضاً.. رد فعل محمد صلاح بعد نهاية مباراة ليفربول وفرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا

We’re with you Mohamed Salah.

Through thick and thin. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/otgOY4zZU3 — The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) October 22, 2025

ونشر حساب “ANFIELD TALK” في رسالة تحفيزية لصلاح بعد نهاية المباراة: “نحن معك يا محمد صلاح، في السراء والضراء”.

وعلى الرغم من تألق محمد صلاح ومساهمته في قيادة منتخب مصر لكأس العالم للمرة الثانية في مسيرته، إلا أنه يتلقى العديد من الانتقادات بسبب مستواه وتراجع مساهماته التهديفية مع ليفربول.

Steep chase looms for visitors despite Foxes stuttering during second innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Apr-2025Leicestershire will take a lead of 382 into the final day of their Rothesay County Championship against neighbours Derbyshire, who will need to pull off the biggest fourth-innings run chase in their history to emerge with a win.Leicestershire were 291 for 8 in their second innings when bad light followed by rain ended play eight overs ahead of the scheduled finish time.Rehan Ahmed hammered 77 off 59 balls in an explosive start to their second innings after Derbyshire had been bowled out for 393, Netherlands international allrounder Logan van Beek taking 4 for 100 to go with his unbeaten 82 on his Leicestershire debut.By the end of the day, however, the scoring rate had slowed considerably, the home side appearing to take a safety-first approach, intent first on avoiding defeat on a pitch that has yielded runs quickly for most of the game.At the start of play, it took only 10 balls of the morning session for Leicestershire to take the ninth Derbyshire wicket as day two centurion Martin Andersson was bowled by van Beek with no addition to his or his team’s overnight score, 138 behind.The second new ball was not yet four overs old yet it took Leicestershire a further three quarters of an hour to claim the tenth, Blair Tickner and Jack Morley adding 47 before a short delivery from Ben Mike had the New Zealander caught at second slip off the shoulder of the bat.Derbyshire thus faced a final first-innings deficit of 91, with which they might have been relatively pleased, having been still 345 behind when their sixth wicket fell on Saturday. By lunch they were much less happy.As was seen in the first innings, Leicestershire’s openers, Rehan and Sol Budinger, took on the bowlers from the off and this time the approach proved highly profitable, putting on 86 in just 13 overs before the interval and another 46 afterwards before Derbyshire could stop them.Rehan led the charge, his range of shots combining the conventional with the improvised in a way that caused Derbyshire’s bowling plans to unravel at a disconcerting pace. Luis Reece, the left-arm seamer, was taken out of the attack after two overs, as was offspinner David Lloyd, summoned after just five overs and dispensed with 12 balls later, having gone for 23 runs.There was no stopping Rehan. Having reached 51 from 32 balls with his 11th boundary just before lunch, he was briefly checked at the start of the afternoon session before a glancing blow on the helmet inflicted by Tickner seemed to galvanise him afresh.Tickner persisted in banging the ball in short, in response to which Rehan persisted in helping it on its way to the boundary until eventually miscueing one to be caught at mid-off.He stood his ground momentarily as Derbyshire celebrated, perhaps querying whether Tickner had exceeded the limit of two balls bouncing above shoulder height in the same over. Nonetheless, his 77 from 59 balls, with 14 fours and a six (off Tickner) had given Leicestershire’s second innings as good a start as they could have hoped for, putting them 223 ahead.The middle session went better for Derbyshire in that they took five wickets but the concession of another 150 runs within it stretched Leicestershire’s lead to 327, already 30 more than Derbyshire have successfully chased in the fourth innings in this fixture’s history.Two more wickets followed swiftly after Rehan’s demise, Budinger falling leg before with no argument to Reece, Ian Holland tickling one down the leg side to be caught behind off Tickner as 132 without loss became 138 for 3.Lewis Hill and Peter Handscomb added 32 before Andersson obtained an lbw verdict that appeared to surprise the Leicestershire captain, Louis Kimber edging behind in Andersson’s next over.After tea, Tickner removed Ben Cox via a leading edge to mid-on, Morley had Hill leg before sweeping, after which Leicestershire’s batting became as conservative as it had at any point in the contest as Derbyshire spinners Morley and Lloyd bowled accurately in tandem.Van Beek and Ben Green added 43 in 19 overs before Morley induced a thin edge from the former, caught behind for 25 from 66 balls, shortly before bad light forced the players off.

It’s been a gruelling start to the season for Arsenal so far.

In their five Premier League games, Mikel Arteta’s side have played Liverpool and Manchester United away from home, and hosted Manchester City at the Emirates.

Then, in the Champions League, they kick-started their campaign away to Athletic Bilbao, who finished fourth in La Liga last season.

Fortunately, the Gunners’ opening League Cup fixture tonight is against what should be easier opposition in Port Vale. As such, Arteta has the chance to make some changes, including the dropping of Viktor Gyokeres, but not for Mikel Merino.

Why Gyokeres should be dropped

Now, while there are undoubtedly going to be some fans who want to see Gyokeres start tonight, there are several reasons why we think that is a bad idea, notably the state of the squad.

Jesus

Knee

01/26

Havertz

Knee

11/25

Madueke

Knee

11/25

Odegaard

Shoulder

09/25

Hincapie

Groin

N/A

Arsenal are already going through an injury crisis at the moment, and one of the players who is out of action and looks set to be out for some time longer is Kai Havertz.

So, while other players could start league games up top, the former Sporting CP star is the only natural option who plays there, and therefore, should be protected in a game like this.

Moreover, while some might argue that it’s the perfect fixture to help play the Swede into some form, the struggles of other top sides against lower opposition in recent weeks should serve as a warning that it may not be as easy as some expect.

In other words, if the Stockholm-born star starts and then doesn’t score against Port Vale, the narrative around his ability and suitability in this side will reach new levels and could totally derail his integration into the team.

Anyway, should the Gunners find themselves a couple of goals to the good late on in the game, Arteta could always bring him off the bench for 25 mins or so to run at a tired defence and grab a goal or two that way.

With all that said, then, the Spaniard has to drop Gyokeres to the bench tonight and go with another one of his attacking stars and not Merino.

The Arsenal star Arteta should start in place of Gyokeres

So, if Arteta does decide to start Merino in place of Gyokeres tonight, it wouldn’t be a terrible move, as we’ve already seen that he can do well up top.

Chalkboard

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

However, we think that the far better option for this game would be Gabriel Martinelli.

Yes, it’s not something he’s done all that often over the years, but the manager should play the former Ituano gem through the middle, and there are a few reasons why.

Firstly, the Brazilian is probably the club’s most inform attacker at the moment, as coming off the bench in Spain, he scored the opening goal and then provided an assist for Leandro Trossard to get the second.

Then on the weekend, as it looked like Man City were going to get all three points, he once again came off the bench to score a wonderful chip and prevent what would have been a minor disaster so early on in the campaign.

So with the 24-year-old being directly involved in the team’s last three goals, the manager should reward him with what would be just his second start of the season.

Another reason why he should be in the starting lineup is that, over the last few years, the rapid “monster,” as journalist Mark Mann-Bryans once dubbed him, has proven himself to be a real confidence player.

In other words, not only would starting him be the right thing to do as a reward for his form, but it’d also be best for the squad overall, as Arteta would have another inform free-scoring option he can call upon on the bench in league games.

Ultimately, Gyokeres should be rested tonight, and while Merino would likely do a fine job leading the line, Martinelli is in red-hot form in front of goal and deserves his chance to lead the line – it might just prove to be a game-changing development for Arsenal.

Saka rival: Arteta has another Madueke to unleash in "insane" Arsenal star

Arteta could turn to the incredibly exciting talent for Arsenal’s game tonight.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 24, 2025

Frank Lampard would be an ideal successor to Thomas Tuchel when the England manager’s job next becomes available, former Coventry striker Matt Jansen has exclusively told GOAL. The Three Lions legend is in the process of rebuilding his reputation as a coach with Championship promotion hopefuls and could be a contender to step into a prominent international post at some stage.

• Lampard's coaching career: Mixed bag from Chelsea legend

  Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard, who won Premier League and Champions League titles with the Blues, cut his coaching teeth at Derby County. After suffering play-off heartache there, an emotional return to a spiritual home was enjoyed when inheriting the reins at Stamford Bridge.

  Lampard opened up a pathway into the first team for several academy stars in west London, but was relieved of his duties in January 2021 after taking in 84 games at the helm. A tough time was then experienced at Everton before heading back to Chelsea on an interim basis towards the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

  Some 17 months were spent away from the dugout at that point, before being lured back in by Coventry. Another near miss in the play-offs was endured last season, but the Sky Blues are now flying high at the top of the Championship table – boasting the last unbeaten record across the top four tiers of English football.

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• Getty Images
  

  Future England boss? Lampard heading in the right directon

  Lampard is seeing his stock rise once more, with it already being suggested that he will land another prominent Premier League post at some stage. He would also be a popular pick for England, with current boss Tuchel only working on an 18-month contract through to the end of the 2026 World Cup.

  Quizzed on whether Lampard will come into contention for positions of that magnitude, ex-Coventry forward Jansen – who was dropped from England’s 2002 World Cup in dramatic circumstances – told GOAL when speaking in association with : "He's doing fantastic. They are top of the Championship at the minute. He took over there when they were struggling in the bottom half of the Championship and now they just missed out on going up through the play-offs and are now top of the league. I think they will get promoted.

  "Whether he will get head-hunted if they do get promoted, possibly. I think England would be a good fit for him if Tuchel goes. The respect that he would get from the players for what he has done in the game and with England, I think he would be a really good fit."

• England legends at the helm: Other names in the frame

  Lampard is one of several Three Lions legends that are looking to reach the very top in coaching circles. Any one of those could one day find themselves calling shots with England. Jermain Defoe believes treading such a path is possible, with the former Tottenham striker having previously told GOAL: "I don't know if they are thinking on that kind of level. Lamps has gone back in at Coventry and is doing well. Felt like he needed that.

  "There are people like Ashley Cole as well that are in the system. He's an amazing coach. The hard work that he has put in, I've seen behind the cameras all the hard work and graft that he put in with Chelsea, England and Birmingham. I’d like to see Ash at some stage get a job and then you never know. You never know with football. If that was to happen, Steven Gerrard becomes England manager, he's a legend in the game and it would be nice to see."

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• GOAL
  

  Coventry dare to dream after 25-year absence from the Premier League

  Harry Redknapp has previously claimed that Gerrard and Lampard – the latter his nephew – could do the England job "standing on their head", with both deserving of an opportunity to show what they can do at that level.

  Coventry will not want to part with Lampard's services any time soon, with dreams forming in the West Midlands of returning to the Premier League after a 25-year absence. The Sky Blues were last relegated out of the top tier in 2001 and dropped as far as League Two in 2017-18 before beginning their rise back up the divisions.

Leeds United have continued their strong return to the Premier League after beating Wolves in a 3-1 victory.

While the Whites walked away with all three points, barely any of the stats in the match went in their favour. Wolves had a greater xG of 1.78 to their 0.48 and 16 shots to Leeds’s six. Wolves managed to take the lead in the eighth minute following a defensive error that was capitalised upon by Ladislav Krejci, but it didn’t last long.

The key difference in the match was that when Leeds had an opportunity, they took it, leading to their three first-half goals. Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in Leeds’ first goal before winning a free kick just outside the Wolves box that was converted by Anton Stach for their second.

The final goal of the match came from Noah Okafor, who scored after Jose Sa’s wayward long throw found Stach. Wolves dominated most of the second half but failed to convert any of their chances.

While the result may turn out to be a crucial three points later in the season, the game had some major downsides for Leeds, particularly in the injury department. In the 83rd minute, Jayden Bogle was forced to come off the pitch with an injury that seemed to cause some concern, but he wasn’t the only player to come away from Molineux with a potential problem.

Okafor also limps off for Leeds vs Wolves

The Athletic’s Beren Cross reported after the game that Leeds boss Daniel Farke said it was too early to fully know the extent of Bogle’s injury. The right-back took the force of a Wolves’ player’s studs and subsequently suffered from swelling. An update is expected in the coming days.

Another concern for Leeds is that Cross spotted goalscorer Okafor “slightly limping” after he was substituted in the 70th minute. The replacement of Okafor for Jack Harrison had initially looked tactical, but reports of limping have led to speculation that his removal could have been more serious.

Okafor suffered a few muscle injuries last season for AC Milan and Napoli during his loan spell. They only ended up causing him to miss nine games throughout the 24/25 season, but for a team like Leeds, who have to fight for every point in order to ensure Premier League survival, any time on the sidelines will be a big loss.

Leeds' injury backup plan

Leeds do have options if Bogle and Okafor are out for prolonged periods. During the match, Frake replaced Okafor with Harrison, who spent Leeds’s two-year stint in the Championship on loan at Everton, ensuring that he stayed playing to a Premier League standard.

The replacement for Bogle is a bit more of a risk and comes in the form of summer arrival, James Justin. Justin was once a hotly touted prospect, but two major injuries have hampered his career.

While at Leicester City, he missed out on almost a year with an ACL injury and a further 205 days with a ruptured Achilles. Overall, since 2020, Justin has missed 547 days and 100 games through injury, making it a massive risk to rely on him for a prolonged period.

Farke will be hoping that neither injury is a major one and that they’ll both be back fit soon. However, if they’re not, they do have options, but they may consider rotating a makeshift right back with Justin to keep him fit.

AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan was once a top target for Chelsea in the summer transfer window, and they could now try again in January, with the Frenchman making his Rossoneri exit stance crystal clear behind-the-scenes.

The France international, who’s widely regarded as one of the best shot-stoppers in world football, held talks to join Chelsea before the Club World Cup, but the west Londoners only wanted to pay around £12 million for his signature (Ben Jacobs).

Milan were demanding closer to £25 million, so despite Maignan’s eagerness to join Enzo Maresca’s side, as widely reported, the deal hit a roadblock and ultimately couldn’t be done before the transfer deadline on September 1.

Maresca personally wanted Chelsea to sign a new goalkeeper and centre-back during the summer (Simon Phillips), but the Italian ultimately didn’t get his wish, even if they were exploring opportunities until late in the window.

Chelsea’s pursuit of a keeper points towards a lack of faith in current number one Robert Sanchez, and while the latter has impressed them a lot more lately, Maresca is believed to be unhappy with his options in that area of the park (Simon Phillips).

With Gianluigi Donnarumma joining Man City, Maignan is coming back into the frame as a top goalkeeping target for 2026, with his current Milan contract due to expire next summer.

Mike Maignan's stance on leaving AC Milan with Chelsea "ready" to move in January

According to journalist Graeme Bailey for TBR Football, Chelsea are “ready” to move for Maignan in January and sign him on a pre-contract ahead of next season.

Les Bleus’ number one has also postponed all new contract talks with Milan, which is a clear indicator that he’s set his sights on leaving the San Siro next year, and Chelsea could be set to benefit from the proven keeper’s arrival.

While Sanchez has kept two clean sheets in his first three Premier League games, there is little denying Maignan would be an upgrade, as explained by Liverpool’s Alisson.

They may have dropped points on Sunday and lost another player to injury in Noni Madueke, but Arsenal fans finally have something to celebrate this week.

After months of speculation over William Saliba’s future and questions about potential moves to Real Madrid, it has been confirmed that he will sign a new deal with the club.

According to a report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Frenchman will soon put pen to paper on a new five-year deal that should put any speculation over his future to bed.

It’s yet another case of Andrea Berta protecting the club’s best assets, although there is another star worth even more than Saliba, who’ll be needing a renewal of his own soon enough.

Arsenal's recent contract renewals

While most fans were understandably focused on transfers over the summer, Arsenal have also been hard at work tying their best players down to new deals.

The first major contract to be signed was Saliba’s defensive partner, Gabriel Magalhães, who agreed to new terms back in June.

While he might not get the same attention as the Frenchman, the former Lille ace has been instrumental in transforming the Gunners into the best defensive team in the world, and at 27 years old, he is only just heading into his peak.

Later in the same month, Berta secured a deal with the incredibly talented Myles Lewis-Skelly, which should keep him at the club for another five years.

Despite it being his first year of senior football, the Hale Ender ended up making 39 appearances for the first team, including starts against Real Madrid home and away.

While it took a little longer, the North Londoners were also able to secure the future of fellow academy star Ethan Nwaneri.

While he didn’t play quite as much football as Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old was still able to score nine goals and provide two assists in 1378 minutes.

However, it must be noted that Saliba’s renewal is the most impactful of all, as it sends a message that this project is far from reaching its peak.

With that said, there is another player in the squad worth millions more than the centre-back who will need his own renewal this time next year.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Saliba

While Berta has done brilliantly on the renewal front, there are still several key players who need to be secured in the coming months, such as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

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However, one Arteta signing who’ll need a new contract next summer, and the man in question is Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain moved to the Emirates in the summer of 2023, and by this time next season, he will have less than two years remaining on his initial deal.

We have no doubt that the Gunners are already thinking about offering him a new deal, as, in addition to performing brilliantly, he’s still worth an enormous sum of money.

For example, the CIES Football Observatory values him at €100m, which is about £87m.

For comparison’s sake, they also value Saliba at €83.3m, which is about £73m, or £15m less than the Englishman.

Now, that is an extraordinarily large amount for midfiedler, it would be hard to deny that he’s justified over the last couple of years.

For example, the “world-class” international, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has made 110 appearances for the Gunners, totalling 8876 minutes.

In that time, he has scored 16 goals and provided 22 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal or assist involvement every 2.89 games, or every 233.57 minutes.

Rice’s Arsenal record

Appearances

110

Starts

101

Minutes

8876′

Goals

16

Assists

22

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

233.57′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

More than that, though, he has added some real steel to the Gunners’ midfield and helped make them the team they are today.

Ultimately, while it is an enormous sum of money, Rice has proven that it is more than worth it over the last two years, and we have no doubt Saliba’s value will rise as well.

Related Agents tell Arsenal they can sign £36m France star who loves Saliba like a "brother"

He’s very close to the Gunners’ star centre-back who’s set to sign a new deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Sep 26, 2025

Newcastle United are “in the mix” to complete the signing of a player who was described as one of the “biggest revelations” from Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy.

Hopkinson excited about Newcastle role

David Hopkinson has been appointed as the Magpies’ new CEO, in the biggest development at the club since the international break got underway. The 54-year-old Canadian has admitted that he cannot wait to get started in his new role, as he looks to make Newcastle supporters embrace him.

“I’m getting into this with both feet. This is not some sort of transactional assignment for me. This is where I intend to make my home. This is the community I intend to represent on every stage imaginable.

“The CEO role has an ambassadorial component to it and I want to be a great ambassador for Newcastle United and ultimately for Newcastle. My intention is to become an adopted Geordie here, but you have to earn that.”

The summer transfer window may be closed, but that hasn’t stopped Newcastle being linked with potential future signings, with one exciting name now thrown into the hat.

Newcastle "in the mix" to sign Barcelona rising star

Speaking to The Boot Room, journalist Graeme Bailey reports that Newcastle will be “in the mix” to sign Barcelona youngster Marc Casado in 2026.

“Casado is a really interesting name to keep an eye on heading into 2026. Newcastle do need and wanted something extra in midfield and he is someone who does appeal. It remains to be seen if he is attainable in the near future, but if he is available, then Newcastle are likely to be in the mix.

“Newcastle could get a closer look at Casado in the Champions League this season as they welcome Barcelona to St James’ Park in the Champions League later this month.”

Casado is a big young talent with a bright future in the game, so the idea of Newcastle prising him away from Barca is a mouthwatering prospect, if they are able to.

The 21-year-old midfielder has racked up 42 appearances for the La Liga champions, registering six assists in that time, while scout Jacek Kulig hailed him as one of the “biggest revelations” during the 2024/25 campaign.

Whether Newcastle are able to entice Casado to St James’ Park remains to be seen, but if he is struggling to start regularly for Hansi Flick’s side, he may see a move elsewhere as best for his long-term development.

PIF have already signed Newcastle's new Elliot Anderson and he's "terrific"

Eddie Howe will hope he has his own Elliot Anderson now at Newcastle United in this terrific talent.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 8, 2025

At 21, he is a player with so many more years ahead of him, and he could be viewed as a long-term successor to Bruno Guimaraes at the heart of the Magpies’ midfield.

Big picture – Shreyas Iyer faces his former team

Less than a year back, Shreyas Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL title. On Tuesday in IPL 2025 in Mullanpur, Iyer will line up against KKR, this time as the captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS).Ahead of IPL 2025, KKR retained six players, but Iyer wasn’t in that list. A shift to a new team and his reunion with coach Ricky Ponting have helped Iyer unlock his best.In IPL 2024, Iyer had a strike rate of 146.86 and in this season, he has lifted it to 208.33, the highest among Indian batters who have faced at least 100 balls this season. Overall, only Nicholas Pooran has a higher strike rate than Iyer under this condition. Iyer has also overcome his short-ball weakness, putting the fast bowlers away.He and PBKS will be up against the best spin-bowling side so far this season. Iyer might have faced a fair bit of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy at the KKR nets, and is yet to fall to spin this season.Narine and Varun have bowled 41 of KKR’s 49 overs of spin, in a department where KKR’s average (20.62) and economy rate (6.73) are far superior to the second-best side.Overall, though, both PBKS (three wins in five matches) and KKR (three wins in six) have been inconsistent. Iyer and his former team will hope they can improve on that before it gets too late.

Form Guide

Punjab Kings LWLWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders WLWLW2:33

Chawla: Not the Chahal we’re used to seeing

Team news and likely XIIs

Lockie Ferguson is all but out of the IPL with an injury he picked up against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and his absence will alter PBKS’ overseas combination. They could instead play Xavier Bartlett, a frontline quick, or one of pace-bowling allrounders Azmatullah Omarzai or Aaron Hardie.Punjab Kings (probable): 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Nehal Wadhera, 5 Shashank Singh, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Azmatullah Omarzai/Aaron Hardie, 9 Marco Jansen, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Arshdeep Singh, 12 Yash ThakurKKR are entering the contest against PBKS after consigning Chennai Super Kings to a record fifth successive defeat. Narine, Varun and Moeen Ali had a feast on a spin-friendly pitch in Chepauk, and with spinners averaging 30.12 in Mullanpur this season, PBKS, too, could be tested by the trio.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Moeen Ali, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Vaibhav Arora, 12 Varun Chakravarthy

In the spotlight – Yuzvendra Chahal and Ajinkya Rahane

While KKR’s spinners have been terrific, PBKS’ Yuzvendra Chahal is yet to hit form. He has bowled 15 overs in five games, with an average of 83.50 and economy rate of 11.13. Chahal bagged at least 18 wickets every season from 2019 to 2024. He remains the highest wicket-taker in IPL history, and PBKS will bank on his experience to come good soon.Ajinkya Rahane is the only KKR batter to score 200 runs this season. CSK freed him up in 2023 and 2024, and since then, he finished as the highest run-getter at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. Rahane’s dismissal for 61 in KKR’s chase of 239 against Lucknow Super Giants turned the game around and set them up for a narrow defeat at Eden Gardens.

The big question

PBKS spent INR 18 crore on Chahal, and another INR 4.2 crore on Glenn Maxwell. Apart from Chahal being ineffective with the ball, Maxwell has scored just 34 runs in four innings. PBKS will need them to fire if they are to progress deeper into the tournament.

Pitch and conditions

Both games played in Mullanpur this season have seen 200-plus scores batting first. Each time, the team batting first went on to successfully defend it. Don’t rule out a big total on Tuesday, when temperatures are expected to slide to 27 degrees Celsius in the evening after rising to 38 degrees in the morning.

Stats and Trivia

• The last time PBKS and KKR played each other, PBKS successfully chased a T20 record 262 at Eden Gardens. Overall, though, KKR have a clear 21-12 advantage over PBKS.
• Iyer dominates the head-to-head T20 numbers against his former IPL team-mates Narine (42 runs off 35 balls) and Varun (38 off 22). Both bowlers have dismissed Iyer once each.
• KKR are yet to register a fifty-run opening partnership in six innings. Their highest remains 46, which Quinton de Kock and Narine had added while chasing 104 in the last game against CSK.

  Quotes

  “I think Ajinkya Rahane brings a lot of calmness in the dugout. He’s the type of player that every youngster should idolise. His personality, the way he keeps himself around the game, everyone knows how he performs. Meanwhile, Shreyas has a very confident nature, executes his plans. I don’t think there’s anything lacking in either of them. But their game of play is different.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Pouco mais de um ano após deixar a comissão técnica fixa do Santos, Marcelo Fernandes está de volta ao clube para desempenhar a mesma função. Clube e treinador acertaram o retorno neste domingo (6). A informação foi publicada inicialmente pelo canal ‘De Olho no Peixe’ e confirmada pelo Lance!.

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Marcelo fará parte da equipe permanente santista juntamente com o ex-jogador Claudiomiro, que ocupa essa função desde a saída de Fernandes. Ambos trabalharão em conjunto na missão de auxiliar na integração do novo técnico do Santos, que está sendo procurado após a demissão de Paulo Turra na manhã deste domingo (6).

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Diego Aguirre é o nome forte da diretoria santista para assumir o clube. A opção pelo treinador uruguaio surgiu após Mano Menezes recusar iniciar negociações com o Alvinegro Praiano, pois está em negociação com um clube árabe. Rogério Ceni e Thiago Carpini são alternativas que estão sendo consideradas, porém há impasses entre os membros do comitê gestor.

Na época em que Marcelo Fernandes saiu, a decisão foi anunciada pelo clube alvinegro como “em comum acordo”. Na ocasião, o profissional mencionou que havia chegado o momento de buscar novos desafios em sua carreira. Entretanto, após um ano, o técnico não trabalhou em outros lugares e era frequentemente visto em jogos do Santos, na Vila Belmiro.

Fernandes deixou o Santos logo após a chegada de Lisca para o comando técnico do clube. Ele ficou incomodado com a decisão da diretoria de colocar um auxiliar do treinador gaúcho no confronto diante do Botafogo, no primeiro turno do Brasileirão do ano passado, que ocorreu no mesmo dia do acerto do Peixe com Lisca, que também tinha uma preferência por não trabalhar com comissões técnicas permanentes.

Contudo, Lisca deixou o Santos após apenas 59 dias de trabalho. Orlando Ribeiro, que dirigia o sub-20 santista, comandou a equipe profissional até o final da temporada passada. No início deste ano, Odair Hellmann foi escolhido para assumir o comando do Peixe. Ele foi demitido em junho, após uma derrota do Alvinegro Praiano para o Corinthians, na Vila Belmiro, pelo Brasileirão. No lugar dele, foi contratado Turra, que foi dispensado do cargo depois de 40 dias e com apenas uma vitória conquistada.

Essa será a terceira passagem de Marcelo Fernandes no Santos. Zagueiro do clube na década de 90, o profissional assumiu uma função na comissão técnica santista em 2011. Em 2015, dirigiu o clube interinamente pela primeira vez, após a saída de Enderson Moreira, e foi campeão paulista, derrotando o Palmeiras na final. Porém, os maus resultados do clube no Brasileirão daquele ano fizeram com que o Peixe contratasse Dorival Júnior, com Marcelo voltando ao cargo de auxiliar.

Em 2017, Fernandes foi ’emprestado’ à Portuguesa Santista, dirigindo a Briosa na Série A3 do Campeonato Paulista. Porém, após o fim da competição, o profissional foi demitido. O primeiro retorno ocorreu no fim de 2020, durante a gestão do ex-presidente Orlando Rollo, que assumiu o cargo nos três meses finais da gestão de José Carlos Peres, que sofreu impeachment. Essa passagem durou até julho do ano passado. Neste período ele dirigiu o Santos durante algumas trocas de treinadores.