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After the defeat to New Zealand in Karachi, Pakistan must travel to Dubai to play India, a team they have struggled to beat for several years

Sidharth Monga22-Feb-20251:47

Do India stick with Kuldeep, or bring in Varun?

Big picture: Pakistan’s fight for survivalIf ever Pakistan needed a miracle, it is now. Not for the cricketers’ fault, they find themselves isolated in international cricket to the extent that this is the first ICC event they are hosting in 29 years. And barely three days into the Champions Trophy, following a thrashing against New Zealand, they are staring at the exit sign of a party they waited three decades to host.To stay alive in the tournament, Pakistan must beat their arch-rivals on a slow, tired track, where India have already played and won one match, and have five spinners to choose from. For no fault of India’s cricketers, Pakistan must leave their own party and travel to Dubai because India refused to travel to Pakistan for reasons neither their board nor their government will specify. Would you blame Pakistan for feeling under siege when they must fight to even reinstate their nation’s name in the official broadcast branding? At such times, the reasons behind any such omission can seem sinister even if they might not be.It creates a weird dynamic between the two sets of cricketers. Despite all the machinations, the cricketers respect each other and are civil to each other to the extent that it annoys those who want their own hatred to reflect on the field. The edge is also perhaps because of the gulf between the two sides.As is likely to happen with a team left isolated, Pakistan, once at the forefront of innovation in Asia, are woefully behind the times, especially in limited-overs cricket. India, once the land of accumulators but not always winners, are now continuously striving to push into the future. In an era that the ICC engineers its tournament schedules to ensure at least one big India-Pakistan match, it says a lot that Pakistan have won only in 2017 and 2021 since 2011.More than the four-year pattern of wins, Pakistan will look at the conditions with some hope. The slow pitches in Dubai, recently used for the ILT20, call for an old-fashioned game that could neutralise to an extent India’s big-hitting advantage in the middle overs. With no dew – 1pm starts anyway leave little room for dew to play a role – the toss on these pitches is a big advantage. In similar conditions last year, Sri Lanka got the better of India in a bilateral series at home with an unheralded spin attack. They won the tosses, batted first and got mid-200s in each game. Pakistan will hope for a repeat, but India will also lean on the lessons they have learnt.Form guidePakistan LLWLW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WWWWLIn the spotlight: Virat Kohli and Salman AghaVirat Kohli has been out to legspin in each of the five last matches that he has faced such bowling. That’s five dismissals for 21 runs in the last 46 balls of legspin he has faced in ODIs. Now Pakistan don’t have a classic legspinner in their ranks, but Abrar Ahmed does turn the ball both ways like a legspinner. Most batters these days can hit big on flat tracks, but it is here you need the skill to pick singles without taking risks. It is not hard to imagine India needing just that in one of these games. Will the Kohli of the old turn up?Salman Agha has been the silver lining for Pakistan in recent ODI cricket. Since 2024, he has scored the second-most middle-over runs for Pakistan: 325, at an average of 65.00 and a strike rate of 88.07. Pakistan will need all of his industriousness in the middle overs when India try to choke them with their slower bowlers.Team news: Imam or Usman in place of Fakhar?Imam-ul-Haq has come into the squad as the replacement for the one dynamic opener Pakistan had, Fakhar Zaman. Usman Khan is their other reserve batter, but if he does make his ODI debut, he will have to do so in an unfamiliar role: he bats at No. 4 in List A cricket.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Saud Shakeel, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar AhmedThere’s no reason for India to make any changes to their combination or personnel.India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Kuldeep YadavPitch and conditionsIndia wanted to field first in their opening game against Bangladesh but given the way the pitch slowed up and how there was no dew, don’t expect any side to make that mistake in Dubai again. Expect teams to make the most of powerplay before the middle overs tie them up. It is hard to see the trend changing on pitches that were recently used for a whole T20 tournament.Stats and trivia: India dominate Pakistan India have won nine of their last 11 completed ODIs against Pakistan, across the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asia Cup. Pakistan have beaten India in three out of five matches in the Champions Trophy, including the 2017 final. Kohli needs 15 runs to become only the third man – and the fastest among them – to score 14,000 ODI runs.Quotes”If you remove pressure, then what remains in an India-Pakistan game? A player needs that pressure to show his wares.”
“Because there is no dew, I don’t think the toss matters much. In every big match, if there is no dew, whichever team that bats second is under a bit more pressure. Whichever team handles the pressure better, has a better chance of scoring the win.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Na Arena da Baixada, o Athletico venceu o Coritiba por 3 a 2, de virada, com direito a dois gols nos acréscimos, pela sexta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Com o triunfo, o Furacão está na 5ª posição, com 12 pontos. O Coxa é o 19º, com 2 pontos. 

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+ Veja a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Calendário

Na próxima rodada do Brasileirão, o Athletico encara o Red Bull Bragantino, fora de casa. Enquanto isso, o Coxa mede forças com o Atlético-MG, no Couto Pereira. 

O jogo

Os primeiros minutos foram intensos. O Athletico, empurrado pela torcida, chegou com perigo em cabeçada de Christian que parou na trave. A resposta do Coxa veio pouco depois. Marcelino Moreno limpou a marcação e chutou para estufar a rede, 1 a 0. 

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Com a necessidade de buscar o marcador, o Furacão se lançou ao campo ofensivo, mas encontrava um Coritiba bem postado e com pouco espaço no setor defensivo.

Na etapa final, o Athletico voltou com um ímpeto diferente e arrancou o empate logo aos 3 minutos com Pablo. Após cruzamento, o centroavante desviou para a rede. A virada poderia ter surgido na sequência. Pablo finalizou, Gabriel deu rebote e pegou à queima-roupa o chute de Erick. 

Quando o Furacão era melhor, o Coritiba voltou a liderar o placar. Aproveitando erro da saída de bola do rival, Zé Roberto acionou Robson, que chutou colocado para fazer 2 a 1. 

Quando a vitória do Coxa parecia certa, o Athletico arrancou a igualdade. Na cobrança de lateral, Vitor Roque desviou e Willian Bigode soltou o pé, 2 a 2.

Aos 53 minutos, a vitória do Athletico foi consolidada. Erick foi esperto, ganhou de Henrique e serviu Canobbio, que só empurrou para a rede, 3 a 2.

ATHLETICO 3 X 2 CORITIBA

Local: Arena da Baixada, Curitiba (PR)

Data-Hora: 14/5/2023 – 18h30

Árbitro:Flávio Rodrigues de Souza (SP)

Auxiliares:Alex Ang Ribeiro (SP) e Evandro de Melo Lima (SP)

VAR:Herman Brumel Vani (SP)

Público/renda: pagantes/R$

Cartões amarelos:Fernando, Fernandinho (CAP), Marcelino Moreno, Bruno Gomes, Marcos Vinicius (CTB)

Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols:Marcelino Moreno (19’/1ºT) Pablo (3’/2ºT) Robson (20’/2ºT) Willian Bigode (45’/2ºT) Canobbio (53’/2ºT)

ATHLETICO: Bento; Khellven (Madson, ao 1/2ºT), Pedro Henrique (Zé Ivaldo, ao 1/2ºT), Thiago Heleno, Fernando; Erick, Fernandinho; Christian (Canobbio, aos 27/2ºT), Terans (Vitor Bueno, aos 18/2ºT), Pablo (Willian, aos 27/2ºT); Vitor Roque. Técnico: Paulo Turra.

CORITIBA: Gabriel; Vinícius, Bruno Viana, Henrique, Chancellor, Jamerson (Victor Luis, aos 30/2ºT); Liziero (Matheus Bianqui, aos 41/2ºT), Bruno Gomes, Marcelino Moreno (Kaio César, aos 41/2ºT), Robson (Boschilia, aos 32/2ºT); Zé Roberto (Rodrigo Pinho, aos 30/2ºT). Técnico: Antônio Carlos Zago.

تحدث بيب جوارديولا في مؤتمر صحفي عن لقاء بيرنلي غدًا على ملعب الاتحاد ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال بيب في تصريحات نشرتها “مانشستر إيفنينج نيوز” البريطانية عن لقاء كايل والكر: “أنا متأكد من أن الجميع سيسعد برؤيته، لقد كان الظهير الأيمن الذي ميز مسيرتنا هنا، أعتقد أنه سينال امتنان جماهيرنا لأنه يستحق ذلك”.

وأشاد بظهيره السابق كايل والكر: “هو من أعظم اللاعبين من حيث الثبات في الأداء وعدم وجود إصابات ولعب كل مباراة على حدة ويملك شخصية مذهلة في غرفة الملابس، خلال تسع سنوات، فاز بستة ألقاب في الدوري ودوري الأبطال مرة واحدة، حقق 18 لقبا وكان دائماً حاضراً في اللحظات الجيدة والسيئة، كان الموسم الماضي صعبًا على الجميع، علينا جميعاً”.

وعن موقف لاعبي مانشستر سيتي وجاهزيتهم قبل لقاء الغد أضاف بيب: “هالاند جاهز للمشاركة وكوفاسيتش عاد للتدريبات ومرشح للمشاركة، لكن آيت نوري ومرموش وشرقي وخوسانوف مازالوا غائبين”.

وأكد حول عودة سافينيو: “سيبدع في الثلث الأخير من الملعب، بالنسبة له كل ما يهم هو الأرقام والأهداف والتمريرات الحاسمة، صنع الكثير من الفرص الموسم الماضي، لقد كان مرهقاً بعض الشيء في الثلث الأخير من الملعب في اللحظة الأخيرة، عندما يحسن ذلك، بما أنه في الثانية والعشرين من عمره، سيصبح لاعباً من الطراز الأول”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ليس مثل دي بروين.. قرار مختلف من مانشستر سيتي تجاه مستقبل جون ستونز

وسئل بيب حول إذا كان بيرنلي سيلعب بتكتيك الدفاع المنخفض: “لم يفعل سكوت باركر ذلك ضد توتنهام، ولكنه فعل ذلك ضد ليفربول، إنه يتكيف، هناك لحظات للضغط العالي ولحظات للدفاع المنخفض، لقد فعل ذلك لعشر سنوات لذا فهذه هي الطريقة التي يحسن بها الفريق من خلال قراءة الموقف التي يقدمها الخصوم واتخاذ القرارات المناسبة، في بداية الموسم يتحلى الجميع بالشجاعة، مع مرور الوقت تتابع الفرق جدول الترتيب لكننا نتحدث كل يوم عما قد يحدث”.

وأثنى بيب على فيل فودين: “لقد تحمل فودين المسؤولية عندما كان في السابعة عشرة من عمره وبدأ التدريب معنا، وأكبر مثال على ذلك كان آرسنال، كان الجميع متعبين بسبب توقف الحافلة وما إلى ذلك، قال فودين في تلك اللحظة أريد اللعب مجدداً، هذا ما حدث عندما وصل في السابعة عشرة من عمره وأراد اللعب كل يوم لانه كان سعيداً، هذه هي علامة على استعداده، جميعنا نعرف ما يمكنه فعله، فقط دعه يلعب كرة القدم، حالته البدنية ممتازة، هو مستعد ذهنياً ويمكنه اللعب كل ثلاث أيام بحماس كبير، لقد ظهر بشكل رائع ضد هدرسفيلد”.

وحول رأيه في الفرق الصاعدة للبريميرليج هذا الموسم أكمل بيب تصريحاته: “أسألوني بعد 10 أو 15 مباراة، من المبكر جداً إبداء رأيي بعد خمس مباريات لكن بيرنلي وليدز مع دانيال في ملعبهما، ويبدو أن سندرلاند أنفق الكثير وبدأوا بشكل جيد، بيرنلي لديه لاعبين مميزين مثل والكر”.

ويرى بيب أن والكر يمكنه أن يكون إلى جانب زانيتي وكافو وتورام كأحد أعظم لاعبي مركز الظهير الأيمن في التاريخ: “بالتأكيد، هو أحد أعظم الأظهرة على الإطلاق، لقد نمت في مباريات نوماً عميقاً بسبب والكر وعندما يكون في كامل تركيزه فإنه يجيد اللعب ضد أفضل الأجنحة في العالم بفضل سرعته، لقد كان ظهير أيمن رائع”.

وقال بيب عن توقعه لهذا الموسم: “أعلم أن لا أحد يصدقني، لكنني متفائل للغاية وإيجابي بشأن ما سيحدث هذا الموسم، هناك شعور رائع في الفريق ونتمنى الاستمرار ضد بيرنلي”.

واختتم عن دوري أبطال أوروبا: “أشعر بالقشعريرة طوال الوقت عندما أشعر أننا لا نزال هنا للعب في هذه البطولة”.

There’s no hiding from the fact that Manchester United fell by the wayside last season, but Ruben Amorim is intent on bringing Old Trafford back to the fore.

The Premier League giants were grounded, finishing 15th. Having also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim knows he has his work cut out, but with Matheus Cunha signed and conversations ongoing for the transfer of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, there’s hope yet that a corner can be turned in the coming months.

However, it’s not only the frontline that needs repackaging. Indeed, the Red Devils are also hoping to make some changes in the central engine room.

The latest on Man Utd's midfield search

Manchester United need a midfielder, hopefully someone who can help to dynamise and widen the scope of Amorim’s ball-playing tactical vision.

Juventus’ Douglas Luiz has been placed on the radar, but after a disappointing season in Italy that led to only three Serie A starts, would he be the best pick?

Transfer Focus

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

Instead, United appear to be showing greater interest in Valencia star Javi Guerra, with reports from Italy claiming that the 22-year-old is actually close to joining United this summer.

A fee could be agreed for around €30m (£26m); this is an attractive figure, but it’s led to Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid also registering their interest.

United need to move quickly to get this one done.

What Javi Guerra would bring to Man Utd

While Christian Eriksen’s departure at the end of his contract takes away some experience from United’s ranks, last season’s travails have made it clear that some youthful exuberance would be a good thing for the progression of Amorim’s project.

Guerra would certainly offer that. His technical quality and trademark Spanish footballing IQ have led talent scout Jacek Kulig to liken him to Xabi Alonso, one of the finest playmakers of his generation.

More contemporarily, he’s perhaps cut from the same cloth as Martin Zubimendi, who has just signed for Arsenal in a deal worth £51m. In this way, United could land their own version of the distinguished Spain international, thus bridging the gap toward England’s leading pack.

Matches (starts)

36 (31)

36 (33)

Goals

3

2

Assists

3

1

Touches*

49.8

61.0

Pass completion

80%

84%

Big chances created

6

1

Key passes*

0.6

0.5

Dribbles*

0.8

0.5

Ball recoveries*

4.7

3.9

Tackles + interceptions*

2.0

3.2

Duels won*

3.5

4.6

Zubimendi is obviously the crisper and more refined player, with ex-Spain manager Luis de la Fuente even going as far as to name him one of the “best central midfielders in the world”.

Slightly more progressive and mobile, Guerra could add that robust number eight profile that the Red Devils so crave in the middle of the park. Guerra actually ranked among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 18% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

Hailed a “serious talent” by Statman Dave, Guerra might be young but he’s already proving himself capable against the best of them, one of only six U21 midfielders to have won over 50 tackles and take-ons each across Europe’s top five leagues last year, a list that also contains Jude Bellingham and Barcelona’s Pedri.

It’s a profile that United don’t quite have at present, especially now that Eriksen has gone. This could herald a new wave of quality through to this great football club, looking to get back on its feet after quite the rough patch.

Man Utd open talks to sign Weghorst 2.0 who was "like Cristiano Ronaldo"

Manchester United are still hunting for a new talisman for Ruben Amorim’s side this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 7, 2025

For the third summer in succession, Manchester United appear set to bring in a new centre-forward once again, with new boss Ruben Amorim simply crying out for a prolific presence to lead the line.

Not since the days of Robin van Persie has a United player hit 20 goals in a Premier League season, with the young duo of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee scoring just seven times between them in the top-flight in 2024/25.

Matheus Cunha has already arrived through the door – with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo expected to follow – although neither man is an orthodox number nine, ensuring further reinforcements are still needed.

£185m signings with Cunha: AI predicts Man Utd's 2025/26 starting line-up

Four new faces could be in the side against Arsenal in August.

1

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 22, 2025

With that in mind, we’ve asked the AI tool ChatGPT to predict which of the Red Devils’ leading targets would prove to be the biggest hit at Old Trafford next term, fitness permitting.

Viktor Gyokeres – 15-20 Premier League goals

By all accounts, the man whom Amorim truly wants is his former Sporting CP talisman, Viktor Gyokeres, with prior reports indicating that the clinical Swede is open to joining United, even amid the lack of Champions League football.

While recent speculation would suggest that it is Arsenal who are more likely to win the race for the 27-year-old’s signature, there remains a glimmer of hope that he could end up in Manchester instead – not least if the Gunners plump for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

The former Coventry City star – who has scored 97 times in just 102 games in Portugal – would certainly represent an upgrade on Amorim’s current attacking options, although the prospect of “tougher defences” in the Premier League, in the view of ChatGPT, could hamper his impact somewhat.

Ollie Watkins – 18–22 Premier League goals

The latest high-profile name to emerge as an option for the Old Trafford side appears to be Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, with reports indicating that contact has already been made regarding a possible move for the England international.

While at 29, the former Brentford man would buck the trend of INEOS’ recent youth-centric transfer policy, his proven Premier League quality has made him an attractive prospect, having hit double figures in each of his five top-flight campaigns.

In the view of ChatGPT, the experienced marksman could thrive when supplied by the service of the likes of Bruno Fernandes, as “United historically create more chances”, ensuring “Watkins would likely see more high-quality opportunities”.

Victor Osimhen – 20-24 Premier League goals

Watkins’ recent Premier League experience will count for a lot, but it seemingly isn’t everything. If you can score regularly across Europe, surely you can do the same in England?

That appears to be the case with regard to Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, with the Nigerian believed to be among the players that United are considering, amid his expected exit from the Serie A side.

With 151 goals to his name in 264 senior career games, across his time in France, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Turkey, the 26-year-old represents an almost guarantee of goals, having bagged 37 times in just 41 outings on loan at Galatasaray in 2024/25.

According to ChatGPT, that momentum could well be maintained in Manchester, as “his proven scoring consistency, physicality, link-up play, and aerial threat suggest he could swiftly hit the 20‑goal mark in the Premier League”.

AI predicts the 2025/26 Premier League table

Who are the winners and losers from AI’s table?

1

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 7, 2025

From crossing the divide between both Manchester United and Manchester City and starring at Juventus to featuring for Argentina, it’s fair to say that Carlos Tevez’s career isn’t short on moments to remember, or teammates for that matter.

The iconic forward shared a dressing room with some of the best players in football history, but the two that instantly stand out are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Whilst Tevez did become an Olympic Gold Medalist with Lionel Messi for Argentina in 2004, it was with Ronaldo at club level that he enjoyed the most success.

During the two seasons they played together at Old Trafford from 2007 to 2009, the attacking duo won the Premier League twice, the Club World Cup, the League Cup and the Champions League. To say their partnership was a success would be an incredible understatement.

Their best season together came in the 2007/08 campaign as they combined to score a total of 45 Premier League goals and help Manchester United on their way to another title-winning season.

Premier League stats 2007/08 (via FBref)

Carlos Tevez

Cristiano Ronaldo

Appearances

34

34

Goals

14

31

Assists

6

6

Of course, it wasn’t long after that when Tevez committed the ultimate sin of swapping Old Trafford for the chance to join arch-rivals Manchester City, whilst Ronaldo also left for Real Madrid at the same time.

The impact Tevez often made when partnering Messi for Argentina and Ronaldo at Manchester United is undeniable and the forward has been full of praise for both over the years, previously telling reporters: “Cristiano had to work and prepare himself to be the best, while for Leo it comes naturally.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith May 22, 2025

“Those are the greatest differences that I see between the two best players on the planet. Messi plays another sport. For him to score three goals [in any given game] is normal.”

As much as Messi and Ronaldo steal the headlines, however, when asked to pick his best ever teammate, Tevez chose to name an England and United legend instead of the men who dominated the Ballon d’Or podium for over a decade.

Carlos Tevez: Rooney was my best ever teammate

Snubbing both Messi and Ronaldo, Tevez revealed that Wayne Rooney was his best ever teammate during an interview relayed by GiveMeSport.

The impact that the England legend made as part of a deadly front three with Ronaldo and Tevez is clearly something that the latter has not forgotten and will not do so anytime soon.

Whilst some are quick to undervalue Rooney’s influence, Tevez went as far as putting the former United forward above two of football’s greatest-ever players when discussing his best teammates.

Armitage-Kalis stand sets up visitors for winning total despite clatter of wickets

ECB Reporters Network08-Jun-2024Northern Diamonds at last got their Charlotte Edwards Cup campaign up and running with a 13-run victory over fading Central Sparks at Edgbaston.Diamonds had lost their first five games but found their form to handed Sparks their third successive defeat after successfully defending a modest total of 137 for 7.The Diamonds innings was an extraordinarily lop-sided affair, featuring their second-biggest ever Charlotte Edwards Cup partnership followed by a collapse of six wickets for 17 runs in the 25 balls. Hollie Armitage (62 off 49 balls) and Sterre Kalis (43 off 39) added 97 in 76 balls but the rest of the rejigged batting order imploded against an attack led by Hannah Baker’s three-for.Sparks replied with 124 for 8. England star Amy Jones, on her first appearance of the summer, struck 39 off 30 but all six Diamonds bowlers took wickets in a compact team effort headed by Katherine Fraser’s skilful 3-0-12-1.After Diamonds were put in on a good batting pitch, Lauren Winfield-Hill fell in the fourth over when she chipped Charis Pavely to extra cover, but Sparks’ next breakthrough was a long time coming.Armitage worked the ball skilfully to leg to keep the scoreboard moving and punished anything loose on the way to a 41-ball half-century which she reached with her seventh four, lapped off Grace Potts. Kalls, who reached the crease with just 52 runs from her previous five innings, visibly grew in confidence after she settled and produced the shot of the day when she lifted Emily Arlott over extra cover for four.Arlott had her revenge later in the over though when Kallis was bowled through a cut – and the innings immediately went into freefall. Armitage fell next ball when a flighted delivery from Georgia Davis defeated an attempted pull. When Erin Burns charged and missed at Baker three wickets had fallen for three runs in 11 balls.Sparks took advantage of some frenzied attempts to find late boundaries as Bess Heath edged Katie George behind and Leah Dobson and Fraser were caught in the deep off successive balls by Baker.Sparks soon lost Abbey Freeborn, bowled middle stump by Rachel Slater. Davina Perrin and Jones added 42 in 29 balls before the former lifted Armitage to extra cover.Jones hoisted Slater straight for six and it appeared it was the England wicketkeeper’s day when she was dropped on 22 and 25, but there was no reprieve when she missed a pull at Sophia Turner (one of the drop culprits) and was lbw.Fraser added the important wicket of skipper Eve Jones, neatly caught by Dobson at deep midwicket in an excellent over which cost just two runs. That over left Sparks under pressure, needing 52 from six overs with two new batters at the crease.Katie Levick lured George down the track to have her stumped and had Courtney Webb caught at deep cover, and 18 from the last over proved far too many for the Sparks tail to find.

After a superb season that has seen Leeds United win 28 matches to date, they will finally be returning to the Premier League in 2025/26 after a two-year absence.

The Whites have been unbelievable under the guidance of Daniel Farke over the last two years, claiming automatic promotion from the Championship after missing out just 12 months ago.

However, when looking at the bigger picture, promotion is just the start for the German, with his biggest test now keeping the club in the top-flight and avoiding an immediate return to the second tier.

It’s something the 48-year-old has been unable to do in his two previous attempts with Norwich City, with the supporters hoping that he can make it third time lucky with the Yorkshire outfit.

If he is to achieve such a feat come the end of the 2025/26 campaign, it’s vital that the hierarchy back the manager in the transfer market to make the changes he desires to his first-team squad.

The latest on Leeds’ pursuit of new additions this summer

With the window still a couple of weeks away from opening, Leeds have wasted no time in identifying potential signings, already going after goalkeeper Finn Danhem from German outfit FC Augsburg.

The 27-year-old has appeared on the club’s radar after keeping nine clean sheets in his 16 Bundesliga appearances this campaign – whilst achieving a staggering save percentage of 85%.

However, he’s not the only player to be touted with a switch to Elland Road this summer, with Wolves’ Sam Johnstone also on their radar, according to Football Insider.

Their report claims that the 32-year-old is wanted by the club and would like to make the switch to Yorkshire after making just seven league appearances after joining the West Midlands side last summer.

No fee has been mentioned, but they do confirm that a move could allow the shot-stopper to become a key player in the side and bolster his chances of returning to the England setup.

Why Leeds’ latest target would be an upgrade on Illan Meslier

It’s safe to say current goalkeeper Illan Meslier has endured a couple of months to forget at Leeds, losing his number one spot to Karl Darlow after a string of errors.

The Frenchman has been the club’s number one since the 2020/21 campaign, with Farke taking action into his own hands to secure promotion for the club in recent weeks.

He’s been on the bench for each of the Whites’ last six matches, with the side only conceding two goals during such a time period, highlighting that the manager did make the correct call.

There have been countless occasions where Meslier has cost the club points in key moments of the campaign, with the title potentially being wrapped up way before the final day if it wasn’t for his blunders.

However, his latest spell on the sidelines is evidence that a new goalkeeper is desperately needed this summer, which could make Johnstone the perfect upgrade between the sticks for Farke.

When comparing their respective stats this season, the Englishman has massively outperformed the 25-year-old in various key areas, showcasing why he would be the right option for the German.

Johnstone, who’s been labelled “sensational” by Gary Lineker, has achieved a higher tally of saves per 90, whilst also registering fewer errors leading to goals – giving the side a more reliable presence between the sticks.

Games played

7

39

Shots-on-target faced

5.6

2.2

Saves made

3.3

1.6

Passes completed per 90

40

34

Crosses stopped

1.2

0.8

Defensive actions outside box

1.6

0.9

Errors leading to goals

0

3

He’s also completed more passes per 90, enabling the side to play out from the back should they want to, but also having the option to go long if under pressure.

Pressure is something that is to be expected in the top-flight, but Johnstone’s tally of 1.2 crosses stopped and 1.6 defensive actions outside the 18-yard box could help see the side out in key moments.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the Wolves ‘keeper would set the club back this summer, it’s evident from the stats produced that he would be a better option than Meslier for Farke.

The Premier League is an unforgiving division, punishing any side that isn’t up to the level required, further adding to the reasons as to why a deal for the former Man Utd youngster needs to be completed ahead of 2025/26.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers are enjoying a strong finish to the season and could make an early summer move that would signal their intent under Vitor Pereira, according to reports.

Wolves in new dawn under Vitor Pereira

Not so long ago, Wolves looked destined to appear in a relegation dogfight and found their Premier League status under threat. Vitor Pereira wasn’t a universally popular appointment when he arrived at Molineux, but ten top-flight victories and two draws out of 19 matches have more than secured his side’s survival for another season.

Last weekend, a narrow loss to Manchester City brought a run of six straight Premier League wins to an end, though they really should’ve taken something from a tight encounter at the Etihad Stadium.

Looking forward, the landscape is a positive one for Wolves as they look to make improvements on the market. Sunderland’s Dennis Cirkin could be one of their first additions at Molineux should the Black Cats fail to win promotion.

Nicolas Pepe has emerged as a surprise target for Wolves following his career revival at Ligue 1 outfit Nice, though he also has interest in his services from Saudi Arabia.

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Despite rescuing their season after a poor start, the Old Gold will be conscious that they cannot afford to be slow off the mark next term once divisional rivals have a chance to bolster their squads in the market. Strength in depth is needed to solidify their Premier League credentials, but Pereira has already shown that he can maximise the output of key assets, which is likely to breed confidence.

Now, Wolves have began to accelerate in a move to sign a talented midfielder that is also wanted by one of Europe’s giants, per reports.

Wolves want to sign Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup

According to Football Transfers, Wolves have positioned themselves to sign Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup, who is also attracting interest from the likes of Fiorentina and AC Milan.

West Ham United are also in pursuit of the Denmark international after a season that has seen him win more tackles and make more ball recoveries than anyone else in Serie A this season, setting a trend.

Morten Frendrup’s impressive season for Genoa – Serie A

Tackles won

60

Duels won

170

Recoveries

175

Pass accuracy

85.6%

Successful dribbles

10

Possession won in final third

20

Labelled “very impressive” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, Frendrup has scored twice in 35 appearances across all competitions this campaign.

The outlet state that he could be available for a bargain price of £16.9 million, representing value for money in a modern-day market that rarely throws up inexpensive opportunities to pounce.

With rival suitors beginning to circle for his signature, Wolves need to put forward a convincing proposal in the hope that he will opt to move to Molineux once the window finally opens.

Vital century extends stellar record in Pakistan and stands as contrast to collapse that followed

Matt Roller16-Oct-2024Ben Duckett is ideally suited to conditions in Pakistan and England’s collapse against their spinners in Multan on the second evening only highlighted his value. On his return to the top of the order (having slipped down due to injury last week), Duckett scored 114 – his fourth Test hundred – on a recycled pitch. He outscored the other five members of England’s top six combined, who managed just 100 between them.Duckett was the second of four wickets to fall in an 18-ball period as the sun started to set behind the Zaheer Abbas Enclosure, slashing Sajid Khan to slip. This was the seventh day the same pitch had been used, and as the ball got older, it started to misbehave off the surface, with some significant turn and low bounce.The collapse was a particular frustration to Duckett given his own strength against spin, and he threw his head back in frustration when dismissed. England were understandably wary about Pakistan’s ploy to re-use the same surface for this Test but it played into Duckett’s hands, as he swept and reverse-swept prodigiously through his innings.”My theory is that the spinners’ best delivery is where I want the ball [to pitch] to play a sweep shot,” he explained. “It’s also trying to get rid of the fielders around me, especially with a new ball. They want to have a short leg, a slip, a leg slip… then it’s trying to get those fielders out and make it slightly easier where I can rotate and get singles.”Duckett scored nearly half of his runs from sweeps, whether reverse, paddle, slog or conventional, but believes he has become more adaptable in the last two years. “Last time I came to Pakistan, I potentially played too many sweeps and didn’t really change it up, whereas now I’m trying to make the bowlers change their lengths and lines.”Yet it was only fitting that he reached three figures with a flat, hard sweep off Salman Agha for four, having spent 22 balls in the 90s on the way to the slowest of his four Test hundreds. He revealed last week that his failure to convert his half-centuries had started to play on his mind, but, despite the odd scare, he cast those issues aside. “It was more of a relief than anything.”Duckett said he had also been relieved upon learning that Pakistan had picked a single seamer, Aamer Jamal, given he is still recovering from the dislocation of his left thumb during the first Test. He faced only 13 balls from Jamal compared to 113 from the four spinners used, and only the offspinner Sajid – whose stock ball turns away from his outside edge – caused him any real issues.Related

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His most anxious moment came on 83, when he missed a reverse-sweep off Sajid which in turn missed his leg stump by no more than millimetres. “It was a different challenge today, facing a good offspinner who eventually got me out in the end,” Duckett said. “But it was nice to back my defence, and play with a straighter bat to him.”That thumb injury forced Duckett down to No. 4 in the first Test, but he was back at the top of the order this week and put on 73 with Zak Crawley in a typically breezy opening stand. It was their first partnership since July, after Crawley missed the Sri Lanka series with a broken finger, and a reminder of their contrasting strengths at 5ft7in and 6ft5in respectively.It was the 13th time out of 36 that Crawley and Duckett have added at least 50 for the first wicket, and their partnership is world-leading in their two years opening together. “It’s so good batting with ‘Creeps’,” Duckett said. “I’ve realised what it’s like not being out there with him in the last few games. We complement each other well.”The importance of Duckett’s contribution became apparent as this second day wore on, with Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Harry Brook dismissed by balls that either turned appreciably out of the footmarks or skidded through lower than anticipated. It is now up to England’s lower order to drag them up towards parity on the third morning.Duckett extended his stellar record in Pakistan, and specifically in Multan: he hit twin half-centuries in England’s tight win here two years ago, then slapped 84 after his thumb injury last week. “I’m obviously facing a lot of spin, and a lot of spin turning into me, which I do enjoy,” he said. “They’re fast-scoring grounds out here, and generally very good to bat on.”Only Brook has scored more Test runs or hundreds for England in Pakistan than Duckett, and already it feels as though his output in the final innings of this match could dictate the result: by the time this surface is into its eighth or ninth day of use, Duckett’s prowess against spin could prove invaluable.