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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

• Labuschagne wants to do to India what Pujara did to Australia

• Boost for India as KL Rahul returns to bat in Sunday training

• Batting issues loom over Australia with big five in focus

• 'They are incredibly tough' – Gambhir backs Kohli and Rohit

• Fast and furious: A spicy pitch awaits India in Perth

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

• Ashwin wishes for a change in attitude towards cricketers

• 'A hero feeling' for R Ashwin in 'most special Test' in front of home fans

• Axar Patel defends Chennai pitch: 'We are playing on the same wicket and scoring runs'

• R Ashwin hundred flattens England as India close in

• '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?

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ByJames O'Reilly Nov 6, 2025

One of the most notable players in Leeds United’s history over the past 25 years or so is certainly Rio Ferdinand. The former England centre-back only spent two seasons at Elland Road, between 2000 and 2002, but certainly left a huge impact on the club.

Ferdinand, who has gone into punditry and presenting since his retirement, played 73 times in West Yorkshire and was a key figure in the heart of the defence. He skippered the club on numerous occasions, including during their famous Champions League run of 2000/01, where he helped them reach the semi-final.

Since Ferdinand’s days at the club, there have been a couple of other notable English talents ply their trade at Elland Road.

Leeds’ notable English talents since Ferdinand

It is certainly hard to find a player as good as Ferdinand was, yet, through their academy, the Whites produced a couple of big names. One of those was Kalvin Phillips, who was lovingly dubbed the “Yorkshire Pirlo” for his ability to control the game at the heart of midfield.

Now 29 years of age, Phillips played 234 games for his boyhood club after graduating from their academy. He was pivotal to their success in returning to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa and England’s run to the final of Euro 2020.

Eventually, he earned a big move to Manchester City, although his career has stalled since.

Another player who could be considered one of Leeds’ most talented since Ferdinand is Archie Gray. The 19-year-old now plays for Tottenham Hotspur and helped them win the Europa League last season.

Like Phillips, Gray is an academy graduate and only had one full season at Elland Road before the Lilywhites snapped him up. He played 52 games for his boyhood club before departing for North London, a huge £30m move which highlighted his talent.

As good as Phillips and Gray are, there is someone in the Leeds academy who could be considered their best talent since Ferdinand.

Leeds’ most talented player since Ferdinand

It is always a proud moment when you bring a player through the academy and into the first team, like Phillips and Gray. Ferdinand, of course, came through West Ham United’s academy before his move to Leeds.

Well, the man who could be their biggest talent since the centre-back is Harry Gray, the younger brother of Archie. At just 17 years of age, Gray has already made his debut for the club and has shone at youth level.

The England under-17 striker made his debut for the first team last season, with Daniel Farke giving him a four-minute cameo in the 6-0 win over Stoke City. He was also on the bench for the 3-1 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers this season.

The Whites academy graduate has proven why he is “the real deal,” as football analyst Ben Mattinson put it, for the youth sides. Gray has 15 goals and two assists in just 24 appearances for the under-18s and under-21s side combined.

Games

11

13

Minutes

819

998

Goals

8

7

Assists

0

2

Misn per G/A

102

110

One of the standout moments from Gray’s campaign so far is the hat-trick he scored against Scunthorpe United.

Donning the number nine shirt, you can see from this one game that the striker possesses pace, a real instinct in the box and the ability to score a range of goals.

It is easy to see why you might consider the 17-year-old to be Leeds’ best talent since Ferdinand was at the club. In a separate post on X, Mattinson described him as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation”, while evoking a certain Harry Redknapp when suggesting that he’s “going to the very top”.

With the numbers he puts up and the skillset he possesses, it feels like only a matter of time before Gray breaks into the first-team for his boyhood side and makes a real name for himself.

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ByKelan Sarson Oct 15, 2025

It would be fair to say that this season is going about as well as any Arsenal fan could’ve hoped for back in the summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side are three for three in the Champions League without conceding a goal and currently sit atop the Premier League, seven points ahead of defending champions Liverpool.

However, the North Londoners have to shift their focus from the major competitions ahead of their League Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.

The Gunners must do better in the domestic cups this season, but even so, Arteta should look to replace Declan Rice in the lineup with another international star.

Changes Arteta should make to the team

While this isn’t a game Arteta should take lightly, it is nowhere near as important as the league, and therefore, with the squad he has at his disposal, he should be looking to make some changes.

Chalkboard

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

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Starting in goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga should be given another start, and to ensure William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães are given a rest, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie should start together for the first time.

Likewise, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are in need of a rest, and in their place, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White should come back into the side.

At the base of midfield, Martin Zubimendi should be replaced by fellow summer signing Christian Nørgaard, and while there is an argument to also rest Eberechi Eze, it might be good for him to stay in the team following his goal on the weekend.

Moreover, by keeping the former Crystal Palace star in the lineup, Arteta can start Ethan Nwaneri on the right in place of Bukayo Saka, who was reportedly unwell against the Eagles, and therefore shouldn’t be anywhere near the team on Wednesday.

Finally, injuries once again leave the manager with few options when it comes to changing the striker and left-wing setup.

For example, while it would be great to hand Viktor Gyokeres a rest, the fact that Gabriel Martinelli is now out means he’s unlikely to get one.

This is because Leandro Trossard will now have to stay out wide instead of starting down the middle.

With all that said, there is one more regular starter who should be replaced: Rice.

The Arsenal star who should replace Rice

Like many of the other stars in the team, Arteta simply must drop Rice to the bench for the game against Brighton on Wednesday for a couple of reasons.

First of all, he just needs a rest as he’s already played 937 minutes of football for Arsenal this season, and he came off with a slight knock on the weekend.

Second, his importance to the side is massive, as on top of everything he does in open play, his deliveries are also one of the main reasons the team have been so utterly incredible at set-pieces.

With that said, who should come in to replace him?

Well, with Norgaad replacing Zubimendi and Eze potentially keeping his place in the team, the most obvious and best option would be Mikel Merino.

The Spanish international might be just a step below the former West Ham United captain, but he remains a top-level midfielder and someone who is capable of impacting the game in all phases of play.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won, the top 2% for non-penalty goals and touches in the opposition’s penalty area, the top 11% for through ball and more, all per 90.

Merino’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Average Shot Distance

11.10

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 1%

Aerials Won

3.08

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.32

Top 2%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.92

Top 2%

Goals

0.32

Top 3%

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.24

Top 3%

Shots on Target

0.74

Top 3%

GCA (Shot)

0.07

Top 3%

xG: Expected Goals

0.24

Top 5%

npxG + xAG

0.35

Top 6%

Goals – xG

+0.08

Top 6%

Goals/Shot

0.17

Top 7%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.08

Top 7%

Progressive Passes Rec

4.52

Top 8%

Shots Total

1.82

Top 8%

npxG/Shot

0.13

Top 8%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.56

Top 8%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.04

Top 8%

Shots on Target %

40.4%

Top 11%

Through Balls

0.42

Top 11%

All Stats via FBref

Moreover, he has also transformed into a lean, mean goalscoring machine for club and country this year.

Since the start of 2025, he has scored nine goals and provided three assists for the Gunners.

On top of that, the 6 foot 2 titan has scored eight goals and provided one assist for Spain this year, which is a run of form that has seen his manager, Luis de la Fuente, claim he is “on the same level as Pedri and Rodri.”

Ultimately, Merino has proven himself to be an excellent player in most areas of the pitch, and therefore, he should be the one to come in for Rice against Brighton.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 28, 2025

A full-back’s role has changed significantly in recent years, with managers now wanting more than just defensive stability from their right-back.

The best of the best have to be just as good going forward, building attacks and contributing to goals all while stifling wingers coming back the other way… but who is the top right-back around today?

Ranking factors

To help rank the right-backs in order, we have considered the following criteria:

Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team’s performances Role – how unique their skillset is Reputation – what others say about them

Rank

Player

Age

Club

Nation

Achraf Hakimi

26

PSG

Morocco

Trent Alexander-Arnold

27

Real Madrid

England

Jules Kounde

26

Barcelona

France

Jurrien Timber

24

Arsenal

Netherlands

Jeremie Frimpong

24

Liverpool

Netherlands

Denzel Dumfries

29

Inter Milan

Netherlands

Pedro Porro

26

Tottenham

Spain

Dani Carvajal

33

Real Madrid

Spain

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

32

Napoli

Italy

Tino Livramento

22

Newcastle

England

Malo Gusto

22

Chelsea

France

Marcos Llorente

30

Atletico Madrid

Spain

Daniel Munoz

29

Crystal Palace

Colombia

Vanderson

24

Monaco

Brazil

Diogo Dalot

26

Man Utd

Portugal

15 Diogo Dalot Man Utd and Portugal

Named Man Utd’s Player of the Year in 2024, Diogo Dalot has impressed at Old Trafford on a personal note. The Portugal international has featured regularly under new manager Ruben Amorim, who has hailed the full-back’s pace and “qualities” at Old Trafford.

Capable of playing on either side, Dalot, who is valued at €30m by Transfermarkt, is under contract until 2028.

Nations League

2025

Liga Portugal

2018

FA Cup

2024

League Cup

2023

14 Vanderson Monaco and Brazil

Brazil have had some brilliant full-backs down the years, and it looks as if Vanderson could be the next star right-back for the Seleção.

Vanderson, who has been compared to iconic right-back Maicon, has starred for Monaco, which saw him become a top transfer target for Barcelona.

Campeao Gaucho

2021

13 Daniel Munoz Crystal Palace and Colombia

Starring under Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace in 2025 has been Daniel Munoz, with the Colombian an ever-present in a 3-4-2-1 system at Selhurst Park.

The 29-year-old really impressed in the Premier League during the 2024/25 season, which resulted in interest from Pep Guardiola and Man City. Munoz has also chipped in with some important goals for Palace, with Glasner calling him “amazing”.

FA Cup

2025

Community Shield

2025

Belgian Cup

2021

12 Marcos Llorente Atletico Madrid and Spain

Marcos Llorente has starred for Atletico Madrid since joining from Real Madrid back in 2019 and has been used regularly as a right-back under Diego Simeone, who has called him “indispensable”.

The Spain international can play in a variety of positions all across the pitch and has been hailed as a ‘modern football machine’ due to his ‘relentless engine’. At 30 years of age, Llorente is showing no signs of slowing up.

Champions League

2018

FIFA Club World Cup

2018, 2019

La Liga

2021

UEFA Super Cup

2016

Spanish Super Cup

2017

11 Malo Gusto Chelsea and France

Malo Gusto has found his feet at Chelsea after moving to Stamford Bridge in 2023 and helped the Blues win the Club World Cup in the USA.

Under contract until 2030 with the Blues, Gusto is into double figures for Chelsea assists and has been called “fantastic” and “top” by Enzo Maresca.

10 Tino Livramento Newcastle and England

Versatile Newcastle star Tino Livramento can play as a right-back or as a left-back at St James’ Park and looks to be Kieran Trippier’s long-term replacement on the right-hand side of the back four.

The Magpies star is going from strength to strength with the Magpies since joining from Southampton and is now valued at a career-high figure by Transfermarkt.

He’s also been called “outstanding” by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer and even pocketed Mohamed Salah in the 2025 EFL Cup final.

9 Giovanni Di Lorenzo Napoli and Italy

Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been a consistent performer for the 2025 Serie A winners in recent seasons and will soon close in on 300 appearances for his current employers.

Also a regular for Italy, Di Lorenzo has been hailed for his composure on the ball in the final third alongside his ability to read a game, which has resulted in him being regarded as one of Serie A’s best and most dependable players.

European Championships

2021

Serie A

2023

Coppa Italia

2020

8 Dani Carvajal Real Madrid and Spain

Iconic right-back and Real Madrid legend Dani Carvajal is next on the list. The 33-year-old has made more than 400 appearances for the European giants over the past 12 years and has called himself a “total killer”.

Unfortunately, Carvajal has missed the majority of the 2024/25 season with a cruciate ligament injury, but has vowed to be in his “prime” when he returns.

European Championships

2024

Nations League

2023

Champions League

2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024

FIFA Club World Cup

2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023

La Liga

2017, 2020, 2022, 2024

Copa del Rey

2014, 2023

UEFA Super Cup

2014, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2024

Spanish Super Cup

2017, 2019, 2021, 2023

FIFA Intercontinental Cup

2024

7 Pedro Porro Tottenham and Spain

If an attacking right-back is what you want, then Tottenham’s Pedro Porro is a standout candidate after being labelled as the “best” in the Premier League over the last 18 months.

The “titanic” Spain international is averaging an assist every five games at Spurs and a goal every 10 games, showing his attacking qualities.

Europa League

2025

Liga Portugal

2021

Taca da Liga

2021, 2022

6 Denzel Dumfries Inter Milan and Netherlands

Denzel Dumfries has been described as a “monster” of a right-back, and he has excelled at Inter Milan in an attacking wing-back role.

His “complete” performance against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final highlighted his attacking ability by scoring twice, and it is no surprise to see him in the top 10.

Serie A

2024

Coppa Italia

2022, 2023

Italian Super Cup

2022, 2023, 2024

Eerste Divisie

2016