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Manchester United played out a 2-2 draw with Everton in Atlanta, Georgia, at the weekend, as Ruben Amorim’s side won the Premier League Summer Series over in the United States.

Football is encapsulated by peaks and troughs, and so too was this closing pre-season fixture over the pond defined by some good and some bad for the Red Devils, who are desperate to find themselves once again after finishing 15th in last season’s Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.

Change was always going to be necessary, and INEOS have indeed acted with intent to reshape the frontline, signing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo from divisional rivals.

However, more is still needed. United require another central midfielder, and remain interested in replacing Andre Onana between the sticks.

But there’s no question that the most pressing, and most prominent, concern remains finding a new out-and-out central striker.

Man Utd's attacking transfer plans

Rasmus Hojlund, 22, has been vocal in his desire to stay at Manchester United next season and fight for his place at number nine, but the rumour mill suggests technical director Jason Wilcox has transfer-listed him for £30m.

The Danish striker flattered to deceive last season. Sure, he was let down by a dearth of creativity behind him, but lacked control and confidence, and scored only four times across 32 appearances in the Premier League.

And Amorim is focused on signing an upgrade, and the chosen target is RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who has emerged at the centre of the transfer tussle also involving Newcastle United.

The Magpies made a £70m bid on Saturday, which was rejected. Man United haven’t, although INEOS know they can sign the Slovenian without having to sell first (whereas Newcastle must first cash in the Alexander Isak cheque).

But could the Old Trafford side yet have an even bigger deal in the pipeline?

Man Utd lining up British-record bid

According to Spanish sources, Manchester United are ready to shatter the transfer market by launching a bid for Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.

The 24-year-old is one of the best players in the world, and no mistake. However, he has been the subject of persistent transfer speculation concerning the Saudi Pro League in recent years, owing largely to a new Los Blancos contract that remains unpenned.

Man United want to take advantage and remind the world that they are a superpower. A package worth €200m (£174m) is being put together, and that would make the Brazilian the most expensive player in British football history.

Why Man Utd want Vinicius Jr.

Vinicius Jr, 25, is one of football’s true superstars, having joined Real Madrid from Flamengo for a £39m fee as a teenager in 2018.

Madrid president Florentino Perez said: “He’s a player who is already considered one of the great hopes of Brazilian and world football.”

Though Sesko is a centre-forward, and Vinicius Jr is more of goalscoring winger, this would be an opportunity too good to pass up, and there’s no question that the South American is the target INEOS must prioritise.

Indeed, it’s not like he doesn’t have the skills to serve as a goalscoring sensation at the club. As per FBref, the Real gem ranked among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goals scored, the top 13% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

Perhaps he’s coming off the back of a campaign that left something to be desired, but the man still notched 22 goals and 19 assists across all competitions. In fact, he’s now surpassed 35 goal involvements for four seasons in succession.

Sesko, conversely, has yet to prove he has what it takes to take a seat at the elite table, having scored 13 goals from 33 Bundesliga fixtures in 2024/25.

The potential is there, and, of course, Sesko may well shape into one of the finest goalscorers in the business if he signs for Man United this summer, but in Vinicius Jr, Amorim would land a tailor-made figurehead with an absurd amount of technical quality. He’s the real deal.

Of course, the Brazil international is typically found coming off the left flank, and that’s an area that Cunha will be expected to play in, but the Madrid man’s compatriot started up front for Amorim’s team against Everton the other day, and Vinicius Jr, too, could be interchangeable positionally.

Vinicius Junior – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Left winger

284

86

73

Centre-forward

60

29

15

Right winger

14

3

2

Attacking midfield

2

1

0

Data via Transfermarkt

If the talk of his shooting ability wasn’t enough, the 25-year-old also averaged two key passes per game in La Liga last season, as per Sofascore, also averaging 2.7 dribbles and a whopping 5.8 duels per match. Earning £349k per week, you’d expect him to bring such a degree of completeness to the table.

Further, he’s one of the most recognisable faces currently competing in the Champions League, scoring in the 2018 final against Liverpool and the 2023 final versus Borussia Dortmund, triumphant on both occasions.

That’s the kind of pedigree Man United need if they are to restore themselves, rekindle that fire that once burned so bright at the height of the global game.

Described as a “legend in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Vinicius Jr has already left an indelible mark at Real Madrid, and could take his development to the next level by becoming a talisman at Old Trafford.

Sure, Sesko is a talented young striker with plenty of power and much determination besides, but we’re talking about a star on a different scale here, and if there truly is a chance to bring Vini over to the Premier League, the Red Devils must pounce as they march back to the top of the European scene.

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Stand-in captain Lewis targets 2-0 win after coming through in final-ball ODI triumph

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2024

Captains Kate Cross and Gaby Lewis pose with the T20I trophy•ECB/Getty Images

Gaby Lewis says that Ireland’s aim is to keep the buzz going after their thrilling final-ball victory in Belfast on Wednesday, as the format switches from 50-overs to 20 for the Dublin leg of England women’s tour.Lewis, who is currently standing in for Laura Delany, led from the front with a matchwinning 72 from 56 balls in the third ODI, but it was left to Ireland’s lower-order to scramble over the line by three wickets, despite a spirited England fightback led by Lauren Filer and Mady Villiers.The result didn’t impact the series, which England claimed 2-1 after emphatic wins in the first two fixtures, but the feelgood factor has been palpable for the hosts, especially after the disappointment of failing to qualify for next month’s T20 World Cup.Not only can they look forward to eager crowds in Clontarf for the T20Is, but the fact that Ireland came out on top in a contest that was reduced to 22 overs a side clearly augurs well for their prospects in the shorter format.”It’s huge,” Lewis said. “If you suffer a defeat in the last game of the series, you’re on a bit of a downer coming into the next series. But that just puts the defeat to the back of your mind. It’s not forgotten, we have obviously learned from it, but all you can all you can remember is the buzz we had on Wednesday.”So, we’re looking forward to bringing that positivity into these two games this weekend. And especially because it was a shortened game, it gives us that confidence in the T20 format. We’re looking forward to a 2-0 series win this weekend!”Kate Cross, who is leading a new-look England squad in Heather Knight’s absence, admitted that Ireland had been the better team on the day. However, she was proud of the fight they had shown in adversity, and backed a team that has featured six new caps across the three matches to learn more from the setback than they could have picked up in victory – not least Hollie Armitage, whose glaring misfield off the final ball handed Ireland their matchwinning boundary.”Ultimately the result was probably a fair one,” Cross said. “Ireland were the better team in that third ODI, but what our girls did really well was they fought to stay in the game. If you can take games of cricket as deep as possible, then you just don’t know.”We got a little bit of a sniff at the end of that game, but incidents like what happened with Hollie are just part of the game. Obviously it’s more upsetting that it’s off the final ball, but I just said to her that we all made some mistakes in the field at some points, which contributed to us losing that game.”England’s T20I squad will feature some more fresh faces, with Seren Smale and Charis Pavely among the players who could make their international debuts this weekend. Katie George has also been called into the squad, partially as cover for Mahika Gaur, the 18-year-old left-arm seamer whose comeback from a side strain is being carefully handled by the team management.”Mahika is coming back from an injury,” Cross said. “She’s not played much cricket this summer, and to throw her into back-to-back games feels like it might be a bit of a risk for her, especially when there’s a World Cup around the corner, plus a South Africa series and an Ashes to play for this winter.”Katie’s been added to the squad to just give us a little bit more depth in the seam attack. She’s had to fight back through a lot of injuries herself. Stress-fracture rehabs are never easy, you end up doing a lot of lonely work, So for her to have her name back in an England squad is absolutely exceptional for her.”

Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell both have a lot on their plate in the summer transfer window as they look to build a Glasgow Rangers team that can compete for the Scottish Premiership title.

The Gers have failed to win the title in each of the last four seasons and the new Light Blues duo are tasked with bringing glory back to Ibrox in the years to come.

They recently made their first signing of the summer transfer window with the arrival of Max Aarons on loan from Bournemouth to bolster their defensive options. Lyall Cameron has also joined the Scottish giants, but he had agreed to sign from Dundee on a pre-contract deal in January.

As well as potential incoming signings, Martin and Thelwell will also have to deal with the potential of some of the club’s key players moving on from Ibrox.

Nicolas Raskin, for example, is a reported target for Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as they aim to snap him up from Ibrox in the coming weeks.

Why losing Nicolas Raskin would be a big blow for Rangers

If the Belgium international completes a move to England before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September, Martin’s squad could be weaker.

The 24-year-old star walked away from last season with the Men’s Player of the Season and the Men’s Players’ Player of the Season awards to show for his efforts on the pitch for the Gers.

This demonstrates the high regard in which he is held at the club, among players, and by supporters, and it is well-deserved following his impressive displays in the Premiership and the Europa League.

Raskin did produce four goals and ten assists in the Premiership for Rangers, flexing his attacking quality, but it was his defensive work that really caught the eye domestically and in Europe.

Nicolas Raskin (24/25)

Premiership

Europa League

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian midfielder offered defensive protection in front of the back four with plenty of tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries.

These statistics illustrate why losing the former Standard Liege star would be a big blow for Martin, as he is a combative and quality midfield operator, but the Gers are reportedly interested in a gem who could be a dream replacement for him.

Rangers eyeing deal for Brazilian midfielder

According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are lining up a move to sign Troyes central midfielder Metinho on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The report claims that the Light Blues are long-term admirers of the 22-year-old talent, and have been eyeing him up as a target throughout this summer.

It states that the Scottish Premiership giants are now ready to ramp up their efforts to bring the former Basel loanee to Ibrox, who joined Troyes for a fee of £4m from Fluminense in 2021, ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The Scottish Sun adds that Troyes are willing to cash in on the Brazilian star and that Basel are ‘desperate’ to win the race for his signature, which may be why Rangers are now looking to speed up their pursuit of the midfielder.

It now remains to be seen whether or not Thelwell will be able to do enough to beat the Swiss giants to his services before the end of the summer window.

Why Rangers should sign Metinho

The Ibrox side should push to beat Basel to this signing because the 22-year-old midfielder has the potential to be a dream replacement for Raskin this summer.

Metinho spent the first half of last season on loan at Sparta Rotterdam and only started two of his 12 appearances in the Eredivisie, in what was a frustrating few months for the midfield talent.

However, a move to Basel in January helped him to kick on and flourish in the second half of the campaign, as he caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Swiss top-flight as a combative midfielder.

The right-footed star played 12 league matches for the club and completed 86% of his passes, whilst delivering two assists, but his most impressive contributions on the pitch came out of possession in the middle of the park.

24/25 Super League

Metinho per 90

Percentile rank vs CMs

Tackles made

2.77

Top 10%

Tackle success rate

71%

Top 20%

Duels won

6.66

Top 24%

Duel success rate

65%

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.51

Top 15%

Ball recoveries

6.66

Top 20%

Dribbled past

0.50x

Top 14%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Troyes loanee ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of defensive metrics, which show that he excelled off the ball as a screener in front of the back four.

His tackle and duel success rates are particularly impressive because they show that he is efficient with his defensive work, rather than competing in and losing a lot of duels. The Brazilian gem is tough to get past, which is why he is a formidable defender.

These statistics also suggest that he would be a dream replacement for Raskin to take up the defensive responsibilities that the Belgian has in midfield at Ibrox. The current Gers star averaged 2.84 tackles and interceptions and was dribbled past 0.86 times per 90 in the Premiership, whilst he won 66% of his tackles.

Metinho, who was once described as an “exciting” prospect by talent scout Jacek Kulig, posted more impressive defensive numbers than that in the Super League, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, which suggests that he has the potential to offer even more than Raskin out of possession.

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Of course, the £4m-rated star needs to add a goal threat to his game, as Raskin managed four league goals to go along with his ten assists, but he is only 22 and has time left ahead of him to develop into the dream replacement for the Belgian.

From Perth to Sydney, all you need to know about the five grounds for the India-Australia Test series

Andrew McGlashan14-Nov-20242:06

Straight Talk: Will the lack of warm-up matches impact India’s performance?

Optus Stadium, Perth: Australia’s new fortress?

Cricket Australia recently made a change to the tradition of starting the Test summer at the Gabba, with Perth now the first venue for the visiting team.Optus Stadium is still a relatively new ground having hosted its inaugural Test in 2018-19 when India toured – a high-octane match on a lively surface which Australia won despite one of Virat Kohli’s finest hundreds – before it missed out for two summers due to Covid-19 border restrictions.Optus Stadium (2018-19 onwards)•ESPNcricinfo LtdAustralia have continued a formidable record at the ground which could play into their favour when it comes to setting the tone for the series. All four of their wins have been by handsome margins, with the last three coming against New Zealand (a day-night Test), West Indies and Pakistan. All followed similar patterns: a big first innings total, a hefty lead when the opposition can’t respond, swelling the advantage rather than enforcing the follow-on and then taking advantage of an increasingly difficult surface.While pace bowling has been traditionally associated with Perth (both at the new ground and the WACA), Nathan Lyon has an outstanding record at Optus Stadium where he has enjoyed the bounce on offer.Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (519 at 103.80)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Nathan Lyon (27 at 18.00)
Average first innings of match total since 2018-19: 456

Adelaide Oval: The day-night battleground

The venue of 36 all out. A few hours where India nicked everything. As was the case in 2020-21, this season it will be a day-night Test at the home of the format. Australia have never lost a pink ball game at the ground; their day-night Test defeat to West Indies came in Brisbane.Adelaide Oval stats (2018-19 onwards)•ESPNcricinfo LtdIndia won in Adelaide on the 2018-19 tour when it was a day game, in what was an absorbing Test where Australia’s lower order threatened to get them home. Last year’s day Test against West Indies was over before lunch on the third day.Related

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Barring the extremes of the 2020-21 Test against India, Australia have a tried-and-tested formula in day-night Tests in recent seasons. They look to bat big in the first innings – England even offered them that opportunity by bowling first in the 2021-22 Ashes – which has often given them a crack with the new ball under lights on the second evening.Since 2018-19, the night-time third session has a batting average of 26.84 compared to 28.04 for the first session and 30.15 for the middle one. Timings can become a key factor in pink-ball Tests to try and exploit the new ball under lights.Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (574 at 71.75)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Mitchell Starc (30 at 17.20)
Average first innings total since 2018-19: 375

Gabba, Brisbane: No longer an Australian fortress?

In recent seasons, Australia’s aura at the Gabba has diminished somewhat, with India famously winning in 2020-21 and equally so West Indies through the efforts of Shamar Joseph. But the future is in doubt. The venue only has guaranteed Test cricket for one more summer after this one amid the uncertainty over redevelopment plans for the 2032 Olympics.Gabba stats (2018-19 onwards)•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt reverts to a day Test for this series having been a flood-lit encounter against West Indies. In 2022-23, the match against South Africa ended in two days on a heavily-grassed surface that produced uneven bounce. It was borderline dangerous when facing the quicks. The overall bowling average at the ground since 2018-19 has dropped by nearly 10 runs per wicket compared to the figure for the previous four years (36.21).Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (497 at 62.12)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Pat Cummins (36 at 17.25)
Average first innings total since 2018-19: 227

Melbourne Cricket Ground: New fast-bowling paradise

Since the insipid Ashes Test in 2017-18, the pitch at the MCG has undergone a transformation and is now among the most interesting in the country, leaning in favour of the fast bowlers. To highlight the shift, in the last six seasons the bowling average has dropped 15 runs. Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, it was a whopping 41.19.Melbourne Cricket Ground stats (2018-19 onwards)•ESPNcricinfo LtdAlready this season there have been three fascinating surfaces for a Sheffield Shield match, the ODI against Pakistan and the Australia A-India A fixture with runs at a premium and the ball holding sway. India have won their last two Tests at the ground: by 137 runs in 2018-19, when Jasprit Bumrah produced a magical spell on what remained a sluggish surface, and eight wickets in 2020-21.Interestingly, since 2018-19, it’s the ground where the toss appears to have mattered least with a 3-3 record for teams batting first. Against England in 2021-22 (Scott Boland’s Test where he claimed 6 for 7) and South Africa the following year, Australia bowled first and won by an innings.Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: David Warner (361 at 60.16)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Pat Cummins (31 at 15.41)
Average first innings total since 2018-19: 299

Sydney Cricket Ground: Will it spin?

The SCG remains a ground where the pitch is still trying to regain its former glories when spin would come to the fore. There were promising signs last season against Pakistan where it was a result surface that offered some assistance for all the bowlers. The other factor with Sydney in early January is often the weather: India were denied a likely victory in 2018-19 by two days of rain and the 2022-23 South Africa match was badly affected.Sydney Cricket Ground stats (2018-19 onwards)•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe average for pace bowlers at the ground since 2018-19 is by far the highest of the five venues for this season. Reverse swing can be a factor depending on how abrasive the square becomes. Like the Gabba, the SCG doesn’t utilise drop-in pitches.Leading run-scorer since 2018-19: Marnus Labuschagne (734 at 81.55)
Leading wicket-taker since 2018-19: Nathan Lyon (26 at 32.42)
Average first innings total since 2018-19: 436

He may have hit three fifties in four games, but the Delhi Capitals captain seems a shadow of himself

Alagappan Muthu11-Apr-20232:50

Tait: Warner seemed ‘pretty frustrated’

David Warner is fun to watch. And we don’t even need to put him on a cricket field for that. At the height of Covid-19, his social media was getting more views than cat videos as he and his family made the best of being stuck home.On Tuesday against Mumbai Indians, he walked onto the pitch in full hype mode. Short purposeful steps that allowed him to practically lap Prithvi Shaw to the crease. Whirling the hand in his right hand. Then his left. Then holding it horizontally with both hands and hoisting it over his head as he stretched his back out. All part of the routine that gets him ready to do what he does well.Set up a T20 innings.About an hour or so into the game, he unleashed a big pull shot and screamed. He arrived at the non-strikers’ end and punched that piece of wood in his hands. In the dugout, his team-mates were on their feet applauding. The big screen was showing that he had completed a third fifty in four innings this IPL.But nothing lifts his mood because he took 43 balls to get there.Warner was T20 before T20 went mainstream. A batter who saw the game in black and white. There’s a little round thing coming down at him. His job was to whack it as hard as possible. Usually, that resulted in him hitting a silly number of boundaries. The count is 820 right now in the IPL. Only one person in the history of the tournament has managed more – Shikhar Dhawan with 873, but he’s only there because he’s played 46 more innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdWarner at his peak is minimalist. He isn’t 360. And yet even now he is a threat every time he walks out to the middle. That’s largely because he is able to hit fours and sixes even while targeting orthodox areas in the field. The only luxury he affords himself are those switch hits.In 2016, when he led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL title, he scored 63.4% of his 884 runs with shots he could just stand and admire. Right now, although he is the second-highest scorer of the season, only 51.7% of his 220 runs have come in boundaries.In 2021, after becoming the first player to score 500 runs in six straight IPL seasons, he had the same problem. Only 49.2% of his 195 runs came from hits to the fence.Other batters do singles and twos. Warner does fours and sixes. The irony is that he is actually trying. Look at his lofted shot percentage through recent IPLs. They’re all similar. He’s actually trying to hit more out of the park than he did in 2016. The problem is they aren’t happening. His strike rate when trying to go over the top in 2023 is 245.9 – the lowest it’s been in seven years.In Delhi, he was faced with a pitch that was slow and did not enable stroke play once the ball got older and the field restrictions were removed. These aren’t the best conditions for a batter like Warner, especially in this kind of form, and it became painfully apparent in the 18th over when he missed back-to-back slower balls and one of them knocked the wind out of him.The exact opposite was happening at the other end. Axar Patel was smoking everything. Dude was responsible for nine out of the 10 boundaries that Delhi Capitals hit while he was at the crease and the secret to his success was very simple.”When I saw the surface, the ball was stopping and coming,” Axar told the broadcasters in the mid-innings interview. “So I had to figure out what shots of mine will come off on a slow pitch. I was trying to hold my shape and going for balls in my hitting area. On this surface, it was important to hold my shape and I was trying just that. I was not trying to hit too hard.”Warner just wasn’t able to do that. He was kept quiet early on by a set of bowlers working to a plan – do not give width; do not let him free the arms. Later, when he knew he couldn’t bide his time anymore, he was too anxious to make contact; he was too anxious to find the release shot that sets him on his way. It even clouded his thinking. There was a ball in the 13th over where he shaped to flick, then changed his mind to sweep, and finally did nothing with it.Axar was India’s second highest scorer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He sometimes bats at No. 5 for them in limited-overs cricket. Capitals might even think of pushing him up there based on his 54 off 25. It is probably no coincidence that this man whose career is on the rise played the innings of the game on a tough pitch whereas the other guy under pressure to be the team’s best batter, to be their captain and make up for the loss of Rishabh Pant and to prove that he’s still good enough to play in the next Ashes is messing up.Above all, there’s a sense that Warner seems to be wanting it a bit too much. And it keeps backfiring. In the eighth over, he faced a free hit right-handed hoping to make the favourable match up work against the offspin of Hrithik Shokeen. All he got was a miscued single. It feels like he’s overthinking, which is blocking him from doing the one thing that makes him a great batter. See ball. Hit ball. The moment he gets back to that, he’ll be fine and we’ll be spoiled.

“I am just thinking how I am going to recover and sleep through the night,” Ashwin said

Sidharth Monga15-Feb-20212:54

Manjrekar: Ashwin a player who loves responsibility

R Ashwin spent the limited-overs leg of the Australia tour, which he was not part of, working hard on and frustrated with his batting. He was being left out of the side because of Ravindra Jadeja’s added batting advantage. It was not an unreasonable selection call: there was room only for one spinner in away Tests, and of late Ashwin had made a fast descent from could-be-an-allrounder to is-he-a-tailender zone.Consequently India’s last four wickets were offering nothing while players such as Sam Curran and Kyle Jamieson were proving to be the extra depth that beat India in Tests they were competitive in. In 19 Tests leading up to the Australia tour, Ashwin had averaged 15.4 with a top score of 38. The batsman who not long ago could cover up for selection errors – like he did here – had gone missing.Like the earnest competitor that Ashwin is, he felt he needed to prove he was worthy of a place in the side. He would ask batting coaches what he needed to do and would tell them he would do it. Every chance he got, Ashwin worked on his batting, much like he did on his legspin to try and add value to himself as a limited-overs cricketer. His team-mates and coaches have sometimes in the past secretly ridiculed him for being too ambitious, but this was an understandable desperation and ambition.Related

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• 'Chennai's Super King'

As it is, Ashwin was playing only one format for India, and there too he was now at the risk of being limited to Tests in India only. If not for the injury and concussion to Jadeja in the T20Is, there’s a fair chance Ashwin wouldn’t have played the Adelaide Test. That dismissal of Steven Smith in the first over and then the continued grip on him in Melbourne might not have happened had Jadeja, the better batsman of the two, had not been injured. And it might not have been that unreasonable a selection either.Vikram Rathour, the India batting coach, worked hard with Ashwin, gave him the freedom to try new things, but then concluded that his batting looked fine. He just needed to worry less about the results even though he could understand Ashwin’s concern because it was playing him out of the side.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”He has been very very helpful in terms of trying to explore new options,” Ashwin told Star Sports after his hundred in Chennai, confirming Rathour’s role in his batting turnaround. “As it is I am someone who tries a lot, and he is facilitating me to go out and express myself and explore various options. I’d love to credit him for my batting in the last four-five Tests. He has kept me in the loop, he has said I have been batting very well, and not to overthink it.”In that Adelaide Test, there were signs of the return of Ashwin the batsman when he added 27 with Wriddhiman Saha in the first innings, but again he was part of that horrible collapse in the second innings. Ashwin did feel, though, that he was batting better and that something good was around the corner. The last day of the Sydney Test, all the pain in his back, and the team situation, just took his mind off all the nuts and bolts he was worrying about.In the lead-up to the second Test, all Ashwin worried about with the bat in hand was how to counter Jack Leach, who had got him on the forward-defensive and also on the book foot. It is actually instructive that Ashwin spoke of the whole batting unit looking to find ways to counter Leach, not Dom Bess, who also got five wickets in the Test. Again, Ashwin credited Rathour for working with him on the sweep, a shot he hasn’t played much since he was 19.”After the last Test we were talking about how we are going to counter Leach and probably start bringing the sweep into our game,” Ashwin said. “The last time I swept was when I was 19 years old. And I missed a couple of sweep shots, got dropped from the side and didn’t play the sweep for the last 13-14 years. [I’ve] been practising only that shot over the last week to 10 days. Very very thankful that the plan has paid off. The wicket is such that you can get your runs square. A very very good day.”You might argue that this hundred was not exactly the typical lower-order runs India were after on their trips in England and New Zealand, but it did keep at bay any critics of the pitch his home ground rolled out. Surely they can’t doctor the pitch for both his bowling and his batting? And for a dreamy ambitious boy who grew up playing cricket in the streets of Chennai, to score a Test hundred at his theatre of dreams was extra special.”I am just thinking how I am going to recover and sleep through the night,” Ashwin said. “I am glad it has happened at my home ground. I don’t know if I am going to play another Test here. I don’t know when the next Test will be here.”As Ashwin said, the side has been living a dream over the last two-three months. Why not make it better and knock a home hundred and five-for off the list then?

“If he is available, no doubt the selectors will put him in,” Alex Carey says of Pat Cummins, who has been included in the squad for the third Ashes Test

Matt Roller10-Dec-20253:24

Miller: Bazball is dead because England don’t believe

Alex Carey believes England’s players will benefit from their mid-Ashes trip to Noosa but insists that memories of the 2023 series will help Australia guard against complacency at 2-0 up.England arrived in Noosa, the affluent resort town on the Queensland coast, on Tuesday for a four-night mini-break, and will train three times in Adelaide ahead of the third Ashes Test. Their preparation has consistently been questioned throughout this tour, despite Brendon McCullum’s claim that they had “over-prepared” ahead of their eight-wicket loss at the Gabba.Players were photographed by Australian media on Tuesday swimming at the beach and drinking at bars, while former England captain Nasser Hussain wrote in his column: “I can’t understand England’s schedule for the week ahead.”Related

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But Carey, who scored 63 and took seven catches in Australia’s eight-wicket win at the Gabba, said that a mid-series break was “not new stuff” and that his team-mates were expecting England to respond strongly in Adelaide next week.”I think it’d be a nice holiday,” Carey said at a Woolworths Cricket Blast event in Adelaide. “It’s a pretty big series, with lots of time between games. For the Australian cricket team, we get to go home for a few days and be with families, so touring parties have got to find time to fill in those little windows.”I’m not sure you need to do it [but] it’s totally up to the touring groups to find ways to take your mind off cricket for a little bit. The Ashes is very hotly contested. You don’t want to be thinking of cricket every single day of the tour. If you do have a little break, it’s probably not a bad time to refresh the batteries.”Carey said that media interest in England’s Noosa trip was unsurprising. “Look, we’re in a pretty lucky position that we’re playing professional sport and people want to follow the journey,” he said. “If the media likes to follow certain teams around, that’s totally up to them to do. We understand that comes with the privilege of playing the game.”1:26

Swann: Tongue and Bethell should play in Adelaide

Australia’s efforts in the first two Tests extended their recent record in home Ashes series to 15 wins, two draws and no defeats in their last 17 Tests. But Carey played down the prospects of a 5-0 whitewash, instead reminding his team-mates that they left a 2-0 lead slip in the 2023 series in England, which ended in a 2-2 draw.”We know England are a very good team. We also understand we were in a position like this a couple of years ago in England,” Carey said. “We weren’t able to win that series, but we were good enough to retain the Ashes. We’re really excited for the opportunity we’ve got, but we understand we’ve got to keep playing good cricket.”We are not looking too far ahead either. I think this playing group has been able to adapt really well, stay really present and again find ways to improve. We all know the threats that England pose, but for us to focus on our best stuff is a pretty good way to go about it. We’re definitely not taking the foot off the gas at all.”2:19

Australia face big selection call on Khawaja

Australia named a 15-man squad for the third Test on Wednesday, with Pat Cummins’ return as captain confirmed. Nathan Lyon will come into contention to play in Adelaide after he was left out of the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, while Usman Khawaja has been included after recovering from his back problems. Jhye Richardson will also join the group in Adelaide to “continue his preparations” as he continues his return from shoulder surgery, CA said.”He looks like he’s moving really well,” Carey said of Cummins. “You’ve probably seen that in the nets. It’s probably just about the body of work he’s put together and being Test-fit. He’s been around the group the whole time, with lots of energy, so if he is available, no doubt the selectors will put him in.”He also expected Lyon to have “a really big role” in the final three Tests, having bowled two overs in Perth before losing his place in Brisbane. “You want guys being disappointed, not being selected,” Carey said. “You want that hunger and we are really lucky to have a squad of 15 who are all ready to go… No doubt, Nathan probably has a big role to play in this Test match.”Meanwhile, Jhye Richardson will join the Test squad to continue his return to action from shoulder surgery. Richardson was impressive against England Lions with 4 for 35 in the first innings and, significantly, sent down 26 overs in the game in his first first-class match in over a year. Australia’s selectors have previously said they hoped he would be an option for the later stages of the Ashes.Richardson will miss Perth Scorchers’ opening BBL match against Sydney Sixers on December 14 but is expected to be available for the game against Brisbane Heat on December 19.Australia squad for third Ashes Test Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

Hardik Pandya has been named in India’s 15-member squad for the T20Is against South Africa after an injury layoff kept him out of action for over two months.India’s T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has been recovering from a neck injury he sustained in the first Test in Kolkata, was also named in the squad, but his participation will depend on his fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (COE). Suryakumar Yadav will lead the squad for the five-match series starting on December 9.There was no place in the side for Rinku Singh and allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy who had toured Australia recently for the T20I series. Those were the only two omissions from India’s last T20I assignment.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Hardik returned to action on Tuesday in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s domestic T20s, for Baroda. He opened the bowling for figures of 1 for 52 and then batted at No. 4 to smash an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls with four sixes and seven fours for a seven-wicket win over Punjab. That was his first match since the Asia Cup Super Fours match against Sri Lanka on September 26.Rinku didn’t bat at all on the Australia tour and was picked in the XI only for the last T20I of the series, in Brisbane, which was washed out after 4.5 overs. That was his only international outing since hitting the winning runs in the Asia Cup final and he is currently playing in the SMAT for Uttar Pradesh.Reddy also didn’t get any chances in the T20Is in Australia but his exclusion was expected once Hardik was fit again.If Gill doesn’t regain his fitness in time, Sanju Samson could open along with Abhishek Sharma, which he has been doing while leading Kerala in the ongoing domestic T20s. In Australia, Samson batted at No. 3 in the only chance he got, in the second T20I in Melbourne. He was also in the XI for the opening game but Suryakumar batted at No. 3 and the match was washed out after 9.4 overs.Jitesh Sharma is the second wicketkeeper in the side. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the fast-bowling attack along with Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Hardik, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are the allrounders while Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are the frontline spinners.The five matches will be played on December 9, 11, 14, 17 and 19 in Cuttack, New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad respectively. South Africa won the two-Test series 2-0 and India led the ODI series 1-0 when the T20I squad was announced during the second ODI in Raipur on Wednesday.

India’s T20I squad for South Africa series

Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vice-capt)*, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar
*Subject to fitness clearance from BCCI CoE.

Liverpool’s disastrous campaign is showing little sign of relenting at the moment, and there are so many different parts of Arne Slot’s system to criticise.

After the 4-1 defeat at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate took heavy pelters for their woeful defensive displays.

However, they were hardly the only Redmen who flattered to deceive, with Cody Gakpo yet again failing to convince on the left side of Slot’s frontline.

It might seem somewhat blunt to say, but Gakpo plays with a lack of dynamism, often repeating the same old patterns. As per Sofascore, he is averaging less than one dribble per game in the Premier League this season, while only completing 39% of his attempted ball carries on the continent.

Though he scored 18 goals and provided seven assists across all competitions for Liverpool last season, it always felt like Luis Diaz had more to his game.

Well, now Diaz plies his trade with Bayern Munich, and Liverpool are searching for a left-sided forward after opting against a like-for-like replacement this summer.

Liverpool searching for a left winger

We’re just over one month away from the opening of the January transfer window, and Liverpool’s interest in Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been confirmed.

Semenyo, 25, has been one of the most in-form forwards in the Premier League this year, but FSG and Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes appear to have earmarked an alternative who may actually prove a better pick than the Ghanaian.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool chiefs have learned that a deal for Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior would likely cost the club about £80m next summer, with the Brazil international informing Los Blancos he will not be renewing his contract, of which has entered the penultimate year.

Manchester United are set to rival the Reds for the 25-year-old, while old suitors in the Saudi Pro League are bound to return for his signature. Hughes needs to pull the right strings quickly if he is to get this one over the line.

What Vinicius Junior would offer Liverpool

Vinicius Jr has been a thorn in Liverpool’s side on numerous occasions over the years, scoring five goals and providing two assists across six meetings. It was his goal that sealed the Champions League title against Jurgen Klopp’s side in 2022.

Brought from his Brazilian homeland to the Spanish capital in 2019, Vini has won the whole gamut at the Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 111 goals and supplying 89 assists across 340 matches in all competitions.

There’s no question that Vinicius Jr would mark an upgrade on a player like Gakpo, offering a wide range of qualities that could even see him replace, metaphorically, Mohamed Salah, as the club legend begins to wind down.

Matches (starts)

12 (10)

13 (10)

Goals

3

5

Assists

2

4

Shots (on target)*

2.5 (0.4)

2.6 (1.2)

Big chances missed

2

5

Accurate passes

19.3 (81%)

26.8 (82%)

Chances created*

1.8

2.2

Succ. dribbles*

1.3

2.3

Tackles*

0.8

1.2

Duels won*

5.1

5.5

Hailed as “the best player in the world” by teammate Jude Bellingham, it stands as a testament to Vinicius Jr’s level that he is still comfortably outstripping Gakpo as far as respective league stats are concerned, having endured something of a testing campaign under Xabi Alonso’s wing.

The fact that Gakpo is hitting the target less than once every two Premier League matches is deeply concerning. This is not the rip-roaring prolific form that Slot and Liverpool’s coaches would expect, and his limited output across other areas amplifies the noise. That said, Gakpo is creating a consistent number of chances this season, and that does count for something.

Hailed by former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric as being one of the Spanish outfit’s “world-class superstars” and as “the best player on the planet” by Statman Dave, signing Vinicius Jr would signal an ominous statement of intent at Liverpool, and now it’s up to the Reds to put the plan into action.

Would that mean the end of Gakpo at Liverpool? The Dutchman did cohabit with Diaz, but there is a difference in quality that Vini would be sure to take advantage of, and it would throw Gakpo to the backbench.

As bad as Konate & Van Dijk: £85m Liverpool duo cannot start together again

Liverpool plummeted to new depths after losing 4-1 to PSV at Anfield in the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 27, 2025

And just like that, after only five months and 13 league games at the Southampton helm, the Will Still experiment at St. Mary’s is over.

There was so much hype surrounding Still’s appointment after he had made quite the name for himself in France when spearheading a 17-game unbeaten run in charge of Stade Reims.

But, with only two Championship wins under his belt from those games mentioned, it did feel like only a matter of time before the underwhelming 33-year-old was put out of his misery.

It will be intriguing to see who the Saints turn to next as they attempt to get out of their second-tier slump and rise back into the promotion reckoning, with interim boss Tonda Eckert even in with an outside shout, having masterminded a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday night.

Latest on Southampton's manager search

Indeed, Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas has already confirmed that Eckert will lead Southampton out again on Saturday as crisis-stricken Sheffield Wednesday come to St. Mary’s, as the club continues to weigh up whether he’s a viable candidate for the full-time job.

If he were to guide the Saints to another league win, he would surely be in the conversation. But, there are various other names also being linked to the ongoing EFL opening.

Reports have suggested that EFL veteran Tony Mowbray could be in the running, alongside ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, with the Saints’ sporting director Johannes Spor also casting his net out to Germany, on the hunt for a successful replacement for Still.

Sky Sports has even boldly suggested that former Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana would be interested in becoming the next head coach, with Lallana assisting Eckert for the time being during his temporary duties.

The same report does state that it is an unlikely option at this moment in time, owing to Lallana’s complete lack of experience as a head coach.

But, it could well be deemed an inspired choice from left-field, all the same, with the second-tier side perhaps gaining their own Frank Lampard-style figure in the process, who continues to take the Championship by storm with Coventry City.

Southampton's own Lampard appointment

Once upon a time, Lampard was in much the same position as Lallana, as he tried to navigate a coaching career post a glittering playing career from midfield.

While it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Lampard during his managerial career to date, with tricky spells at both Everton and Chelsea, he has been largely a hit in the Championship, as evidenced by him steering the Sky Blues to the top of the EFL’s elite division right now.

Games managed

94

104

Wins

46

38

Draws

23

21

Losses

25

45

Goals scored

157

145

Goals conceded

108

153

Off the back of his “fantastic” stint at the CBS Arena to date – as journalist Sam Cunningham has labelled it – Lampard has managed to collect 46 victories from 94 second-tier games, with Lallana now wanting to kickstart his own EFL managerial journey, to try and follow in the ex-Chelsea icon’s footsteps.

After all, Lallana would no doubt command the same respect Lampard clearly holds, with the former St. Mary’s playing icon going on to bag a hefty 60 goals and collect a weighty 47 assists while on the South Coast.

He would surely want to make his own Saints side as entertaining to watch as Lampard’s rampant Sky Blues, therefore.

Moreover, Lallana will be hungry to be a success as a main manager, having played under some of the best in the managerial game in the form of Jurgen Klopp and Roberto De Zerbi, alongside also working closely with Lee Carsley in the England U21 set-up.

Russell Martin also gave a glowing assessment of the 34-year-old when he was still manager at St. Mary’s, with the recently sacked Rangers boss lauding Lallana as a “brilliant” voice to have around the dressing room. He’s also been hailed in the past as “very intelligent” by De Zerbi.

Southampton will know that they need to get this managerial appointment spot on, having been on the receiving end of a litany of blunders in recent years, with Nathan Jones and Ivan Juric also going down as failures, as an outside-of-the-box appointment, such as Lallana, is possibly eyed up.

After all, as a Saints player, the one-time Premier League title winner would once score 11 goals and collect ten assists in league action, to seal promotion to the big time. Can he repeat the same magic as a rookie replacement for Still?

Spors is a fan: Tonda Eckert asked directly about becoming permanent Southampton manager

Tonda Eckert has taken over Southampton as interim boss following their dismissal of Will Still.

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