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Birmingham romp home in chase after spinners strangle Derbyshire batting effort

ECB Reporters Network16-Jun-2024Birmingham Bears picked up a second win in three days to keep their place among the North Group contenders with a seven-wicket Vitality Blast victory over Derbyshire Falcons at the Incora County Ground.On a used pitch that yielded runs only reluctantly, the visitors restricted Derbyshire to 133 for 7, left-arm spinner Danny Briggs taking 2 for 23 with David Lloyd scoring 50 and Brooke Guest an unbeaten 38. Richard Gleeson took two wickets in the powerplay but it was the Bears spinners largely responsible for tying down Falcons.Derbyshire’s spinners threatened to do a similar job but Dan Mousley and Sam Hain (43) showed considerable patience and eventually reaped the rewards, their 93-run partnership across 13.3 overs effectively winning the match, Mousley closing it out with his seventh four with seven balls to spare.Having opted to bat first, Derbyshire suffered a setback when the in-form Aneurin Donald fell for just 2 but seemed to be heading for a satisfactory start until Gleeson removed Cam Fletcher and Wayne Madsen in the space of three balls in the last over of the powerplay to give Bears an early advantage.A boundary apiece from Guest and Lloyd off Jake Lintott’s opening over hinted at acceleration but Falcons’ progress was unspectacular at 65 for 3 from 10. Lloyd drove a soaring straight six off Lintott and repeated the blow against Briggs to complete a 36-ball half-century but was then caught aiming to clear the midwicket boundary.Samit Patel perished cheaply, pouched at backward point when he skied one from Briggs as the competition’s all-time leading wicket-taker on 229 dismissed his closest rival. At 103 for 5 from 16, Derbyshire had been properly strangled by Bears’ spinners. Mousley’s offspin was wicketless but conceded only 16 in his allocation.Ross Whiteley lifted Chris Woakes into the car park on the leg side but once the ball had been found Woakes promptly bowled him with a full delivery off an inside edge. The over cost 13 runs but was one of only three across the innings to yield a tally in double figures and, after Zak Chappell was run out in the last over, 133 looked too little.Daryn Dupavillon, the South African quick, angled one in to bowl Rob Yates with his fourth delivery. Mousley picked up three quick boundaries but Alex Davies, having uppercut Dupavillon for four and lifted Pat Brown for an audacious six on the leg side was caught at midwicket as Brown exacted instant revenge. Mousley slog-swept Madsen for six and the Bears were 50 for 2 from six.Patel and fellow spinner Mitch Wagstaff applied the brakes, conceding just 29 in six overs bowling in tandem, but with 55 needed after 12 overs, and eight wickets in hand, the Bears were still favourites, more so after Mousley and Hain plundered 21 from the next two before Mousley swept Patel to go to fifty from 42 balls.The requirement was down to six from 17 balls by the time Brown bowled Hain after a 42-ball innings containing only one boundary. Mousley cut Chappell for his seventh four to complete the win.

A huge summer awaits for Everton.

As outlined by Rob Tanner of The Athletic, the Toffees currently have ten first-team players out of contract, which is more than any other Premier League club, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Idrissa Gana Gueye and captain Séamus Coleman, to name but a few.

So, as they move into their brand-new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, there’s going to be plenty of work for David Moyes and the back room staff to do in the transfer window, but could a current member of the squad step up and come to the fore?

The latest on Abdoulaye Doucouré's Everton future

As was widely reported this week, Abdoulaye Doucouré will leave Everton this summer as a free agent, following the expiration of his contract, stating that he is “sad to leave” and that he “will be forever a Blue”.

After scoring the winner at Nottingham Forest last month, the Mali international mimed answering the phone and signing a contract, overtly stating his desire to stay, but his five-year association with the Toffees will come to an end, with Sunday’s trip to Newcastle set to be his 166th and final appearance for the club.

Given that Doucouré has started 31 of Everton’s 37 Premier League matches to date this season, one of the five he missed being due to a red card picked up after full time of the Merseyside derby celebrations, he will be a tough man to replace.

But do the Toffees already have a young star coming through ready to do just that?

Everton's next midfield stalwart

Cast your mind back to last summer when, as outlined by Gabriele Marcotti of ESPN, certain Premier League clubs, namely Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Everton, were swapping players on the cusp of the 30 June deadline, thereby avoiding breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules.

One such deal saw Villa sign Lewis Dobbin for a reported £10m from Everton, while Tim Iroegbunam went in the opposite direction, costing the Toffees a reported £9m.

The majority of the players involved in these conspicuous deals had no impact at the club they joined, as the table below outlines.

Iroegbunam, in truth, made only 21 appearances for Everton this season, totalling a mere 676 minutes, so could feature on this list for sure, but this was largely due to a foot injury suffered against Newcastle in October, keeping him on the sidelines until February, having started each of the Blues’ first four matches of the campaign beforehand.

His only start under Moyes came when Arsenal visited Goodison in April, but the 21-year-old is highly-rated, with Steven Gerrard, when he was at Aston Villa, saying that Iroegbunam possesses “all the attributes to be a top Premier League player” in the future.

Meantime, Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic praised the youngster’s ‘sharp counter-pressing’, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout outlined how he ‘regularly roams forward in attack’, while boasting ‘defensive awareness, speed and tackling ability’, making him an excellent all-round midfielder.

These all sound like similar characteristics to Doucouré, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

Of course, Iroegbunam’s lack of Premier League minutes does mean only a small sample size can be analysed, but his statistics are still impressive.

The table outlines that Doucouré is more of a goal threat, but that Iroegbunam is a better out-of-possession midfielder, boasting superior numbers when it comes to ball recoveries, interceptions, clearances, tackles and aerial duels.

These are all qualities Moyes would look for in a midfield player and, while Patrick Boyland of the Athletic believes Iroegbunam is still ‘adapting’ to a new style of play, the stats suggest he could become a key figure for the Toffees next season.

Forget Angel Gomes & Doucoure: Moyes must unleash exciting Everton teen

Everton won’t need to delve into the market to land a replacement for Abdoulaye Doucoure, given one player already at the club.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 22, 2025

Liverpool are believed to have submitted an offer for a £50m player with a big future in the game, according to an exciting transfer update.

Liverpool set for Arsenal guard of honour as FSG make summer plans

The Reds are preparing to host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, which promises to be a fun occasion for anyone associated with the Reds. Arne Slot’s champions will be given a guard of honour by a Gunners side who many fancied to go all the way in the league back in August, but have instead gone another campaign without a trophy. In truth, the result is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but Liverpool will still want to open up their lead at the top to a whopping 18 points.

The Reds also continue to be linked with new summer signings, with Slot and FSG well aware that they can’t afford to rest on his laurels, and a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez has been mooted. The Argentine has experience of the Premier League from his Manchester City days and could be a fantastic signing if Darwin Nunez departs.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo has been mentioned as a target for Liverpool, following a superb season at the heart of his side’s defence, helping them push for an unlikely Champions League finish.

Liverpool make offer for Dean Huijsen

According to Cadena SER [via Sport Witness], Liverpool and FSG have made an offer for Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, having been linked with him constantly in recent months. Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are all in the same boat, too, with Real Madrid also firmly in the conversation.

The Spaniard has a £50m release clause in his current Cherries contract, with the Reds clearly seeing him as a potential big part of their future. The English clubs are ahead of Madrid in the race, but the player’s father has passed over negotiations with them to a law firm in Spain, as they look to potentially strike a deal.

Huijsen has to be considered just about the strongest centre-back Liverpool could sign, in terms of his long-term promise as a footballer. He has averaged 5.9 clearances per game in the league this season, which is more than any Reds player.

At just 19, the Bournemouth ace already looks like a top-level player, producing brilliant performances for the Cherries, leading former Bournemouth man Joe Partington to say: “Huijsen seems to be the name on everybody’s lips if you’re a top football club in Europe at the minute.”

If Liverpool could pip their rivals to the signing of Huijsen ahead of next season, it would be a major statement of intent, with centre-back a key area of focus for them.

Huge Nunez upgrade: Liverpool plot big move for "the best CF in the world"

Liverpool desperately need to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 9, 2025

An eventual successor to Virgil van Dijk needs to be found at Anfield, and if the Bournemouth man continues on his current trajectory, he could be the perfect man to fill that huge void.

Harvey Barnes played an important role in Newcastle United’s most recent outing against Brentford, in which the Magpies won 2-1. Goals from Alexander Isak and a sublime effort from Sandro Tonali were enough to claim all three points for Eddie Howe’s side.

For that strike from the Italian, it was Barnes who provided the assist. The winger, who started on the left wing, put in a strong performance. As per Sofascore, he created three chances, completed two dribbles, and, of course, grabbed his assist.

After a performance like that, you might expect he’d keep his place in the Newcastle starting lineup for their next game against Leicester City. But, with some players returning from injury, that is not a guarantee.

Newcastle’s team news vs. Leicester

There could be some big players returning from injury for the Magpies’ clash with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester side. One of those is experienced defender Kieran Trippier, who was withdrawn from the game against Brentford.

Likewise, Newcastle’s talismanic striker, Isak, was substituted in the 66th minute. Given his injury issues at times in a Magpies shirt, they certainly do not want to risk him getting sidelined for an extensive period of time.

In his pre-match press conference, Howe gave an update on both of their availability ahead of the Monday night trip to Leicester. The Englishman explained that his squad have managed to avoid “any big injuries from Wednesday night”.

With that being said, he did imply that there was a chance they might be sidelined at the King Power Stadium. Howe explained that his side “certainly have a few niggles”, and it remains to be seen if Trippier and Isak will be available.

There is another player who could be set to return from injury in time to feature in the East Midlands. Newcastle fans would surely love to have him available.

The Newcastle player who could feature vs. Leciester

If Newcastle have Anthony Gordon back for the game against the Foxes, it would be a huge boost. As well as his three-match suspension, the winger picked up an injury on England duty during the March international break.

Chalkboard

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

Howe was quizzed about him in the press conference before the Leicester game and gave an update on his progress. It certainly seemed positive, explaining that he is being “monitored” by the medical staff, before saying they “will have to wait and see” if he can play.

It has been another excellent season for Gordon in 2024/25. He has featured 34 times for the Magpies, scoring nine goals and grabbing seven assists. Between the start of November and the end of January, the winger went on an unstoppable run, scoring or assisting ten goals in a run of 14 games. As football talent scout Jacek Kulig said, he is “having a superb season”.

He is a player who steps up in the biggest moments, scoring goals in both legs against Arsenal, in the Carabao Cup semi-final. His goal in the second leg at St James’ Park was the fourth Newcastle scored in the tie and sealed their place at Wembley.

Gordon has the potential to hurt Leicester on Monday. His pace is deadly, and the directness with which he attacks is frightening for defenders. As per Sofascore, he has completed 1.5 dribbles and plays 2.1 key passes per game this term.

Goals and assists

0.5

11

Key passes

2.1

50

Dribbles completed

1.5

35

Expected goal involvements

0.54xGI

12.65xGI

Big chances created

0.3

6

Dropping Barnes for the “exceptional” Gordon, as football scout Antonio Mango called him, might be deemed harsh after his performance against Brentford. However, having the former Everton star available for the Champions League run-in will be crucial.

As he showed against Arsenal, he is a big game player, and with the skillset he possesses, he can be deadly against a fragile Foxes side. If Gordon is fit enough, he surely starts on Monday evening.

Best since Isak: Howe struck gold signing “big game player” for Newcastle

Eddie Howe hit the jackpot signing this “big game player” who’s Newcastle’s best signing since Isak.

ByConnor Holden Apr 6, 2025

Brandon King’s 75 showcased an ability to adapt his white-ball prowess to Test cricket, while Jayden Seales’ double-strike exposed Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja’s familiar frailties

Andrew McGlashan05-Jul-20250:31

Konstas chops on for a duck

Jayden Seales played his part in keeping Australia’s openers waiting for 51 minutes, uncertain when exactly their need to run off and pad up would come. Then, when it did, he struck a pair of blows that could have significant short and longer-term consequences.If West Indies’ last wicket had gone quickly, Australia’s time with the bat would have been closer to an hour-and-a-half. That does not mean events would have transpired any more favourably for them, but what they ended up with was one of those nothing-to-gain scenarios. Neither Sam Konstas nor Usman Khawaja, players at opposite ends of their careers, could make it through to the close.Konstas dragged on for a duck, his third single-figure score of the series, and looked forlorn as he made his way into the dressing room. Khawaja, yet again, was pinned lbw from around the wicket. He insists he doesn’t have a problem with that angle, but the evidence is starting to suggest otherwise.Related

Half-centuries from Smith and Green give Australia control

Seales' late strikes, King's 75 put Australia under pressure

Hard work done but no pay day for Green as questions linger

In the here and now, it has meant for the second time in the series a Test is finely balanced after two days. Australia ahead by 42 on a pitch that is playing tricks, albeit not quite at the rate of Barbados, but that could well change on the third day, and the new ball is especially demanding. “Anything under 200 runs, I think we’ll be able to get that,” West Indies captain Roston Chase said.With a slightly longer lens, it has left next week’s day-night Test in Jamaica as potentially pivotal in how Australia’s top-order shapes up for the Ashes later in the year. Barring a major reversal from the selectors, Konstas will play at Sabina Park. He has two innings left to make a score substantial enough to at least quieten the debate around him.”You’re here for a reason. I guess you just trust that,” Josh Hazlewood said when asked about the challenges of being a young player in Test cricket having made his international debut as a 19-year-old.”You’re in this position because you’re a good player. Every time I’ve bowled [to] him in the last few months, he just keeps getting better and better, it feels like. He got thrown in a tough situation there. But we saw in the first innings, he played some really nice shots, put some pressure back on the bowlers. I think he’s turning in the right direction. But it’s tough at 19.”Meanwhile, if you go by the selectors’ words, Khawaja’s position is safe. His 47 in the first innings in Barbados was important (although he was dropped on 6) but the pattern of dismissals is hard to ignore.

“I think even if you’re an aggressive batsman in Test cricket, you still have to go with the ebbs and flows. There’s times when bowlers will bowl good spells and you have to battle it out especially on difficult wickets, you can’t attack right through”Brandon King to ESPN

In that regard, West Indies’ bowlers have been exceptional in keeping the pressure on the duo, albeit in favourable conditions. Plans have come together. In Barbados, Shamar Joseph twice brought the ball back at Konstas to exploit a technical weakness. Now in Grenada, clearly looking to play more positively, he has edged behind driving and dragged on looking to play through the off side.”We obviously have our plans for each and every batsman,” Chase said. “I guess that’s the area we’re trying to exploit and it’s been working for us so far.”This West Indies team is beginning a new phase under Chase, named captain after a two-year absence from the side, and coach Daren Sammy. Bowling is clearly their strength, but there were signs with the bat of the broader ideas they are trying to lay out.The most significant innings belonged to Brandon King who complied a maiden Test fifty that complimented aggression (including three sixes) with solid defence. When the squad for the series was named, Sammy explained that King, a player largely known for his white-ball exploits, had been picked for a specific role.He had been included on the back of a domestic season where he played just four first-class matches and averaged 30.25. West Indies are trying to find solutions to long-held batting problems; King’s innings was an example of striking the right balance.0:31

Seales strikes again as Khawaja burns review

The over before lunch, he collected two boundaries off Nathan Lyon. Shortly after the break, he pulled Hazlewood over the leg side for six and later twice took Lyon straight down the ground. But between the aggression, and dashes of his white-ball pedigree, was watchfulness.Carlos Braithwaite, speaking on ESPN’s , noted how bowlers will often look to bring the ball back into King, but in this innings he played with a very straight bat, the benefits of work he had done with assistant coach Floyd Reifer on his balance.”I think even if you’re an aggressive batsman in Test cricket, you still have to go with the ebbs and flows,” King told ESPN. “There’s times when bowlers will bowl good spells and you have to battle it out especially on difficult wickets, you can’t attack right through. It’s about recognising those moments as best as possible and when you feel like you’re on top and can get some runs, you continue.”Twice during the second day – at 64 for 3 and 174 for 7 – it looked like things could go wrong for West Indies. But they dug deep to keep themselves in the contest, to such an extent that Australia were the happier side to see the clock tick down as Lyon received treatment for a blow on the arm in what became the final over.”From the time you saw him get hit, you know he’s an experienced customer, we knew that that was going to be the last [over],” Chase said with a smile.West Indies couldn’t stay with Australia on the third day in Barbados. Now they have given themselves another chance.

Winning Tests in England isn’t easy. Australia won three and lost two out of six. But if “Ashes tend to define eras or legacies”, Cummins’ team fell short

Andrew McGlashan01-Aug-2023Less than two months apart, Australia’s two presentation ceremonies at The Oval were distinctly different. From the celebrations with the World Test Championship mace and players grinning from ear to ear, to a much more muted holding of a replica Ashes urn behind the “Series Drawn” banner as had been the case in 2019, some smiles looking a little less natural.The first thing to say about Australia’s two months in the UK is that it certainly hasn’t been a failure. Winning Tests in England is a mighty tough ask. Pat Cummins’ team managed three in a row. The first against India gave them the global crown and rubberstamped them as the best Test team in the world, the next two put them 2-0 up in the Ashes.It would prove a vital cushion and not one to be brushed aside because of how events transpired. England did all they could to win three in a row, but Australia had put them in that win-or-bust position by taking the key moments at Lord’s. Lyon’s vital hand, then huge absenceIn Birmingham, the match was so nip-and-tuck that the final twist did not come until Nathan Lyon was dropped by Ben Stokes with 37 needed in the match-winning partnership with Cummins.In the second Test, they were much the better team for large periods, finding a way to win without Lyon by luring England into the trap against the short ball and then holding their nerve against Stokes’ onslaught following the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow.Related

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Injured Cummins to have left wrist assessed in the coming days

But then the mood started to change. Over an extended period of three Tests, the injury to Lyon always shaped as a telling factor. Meanwhile, a shoulder injury to Ollie Pope, and Stokes’ admission that he couldn’t bowl, forced England into rebalancing the team. If those two events had not happened, would Chris Woakes have played at Headingley?Either way, after Mitchell Marsh’s stunning comeback century revived Australia in Leeds, they then had England 142 for 7 at lunch – still 121 behind. Mark Wood, having bowled rockets with the ball, smashed 24 off eight balls and Stokes got England just about level. Later that same day, Moeen Ali was handed the wickets of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.Australia were dealt a rough hand batting during a tough third-evening session after rain and were duly nipped out by England’s quicks. They fought gallantly to defend 251 but there was too much resting on Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Although not quite as tight as Edgbaston, it was another match of narrow margins.However, there was nothing tight about Old Trafford. Australia fluffed their lines with the bat in the first innings – something that would be a theme for the latter part of the series – with five of the top six making between 32 and 51. They were then obliterated by England’s batting in a manner rarely seen of an Australian side. Then it rained for the best part of two days, although Labuschagne made an excellent century. That meant Australia couldn’t lose the series.”It’s a bit of a strange one,” Cummins had said. “As a group [we’re] proud that we’ve retained the Ashes but it’s off the back of not our greatest week. It feels like it’s good to retain the Ashes, but we know we’ve got a fair bit of work to do for next week… we want to win it to make sure we win it outright.”Nathan Lyon’s injury always shaped up as a telling factor in the Ashes•AFP/Getty ImagesDropped catches cost AustraliaAnd so to The Oval. For the first time on the tour, the coin fell in Cummins’ favour and he inserted England on an overcast day. Then Australia dropped five catches. Most crucially was Alex Carey’s off Harry Brook when he was on five. England reached 283 which, overall, left both sides reasonably happy. But Australia could only manage 12 more as the pattern of unconverted starts haunted them again. By the end of the series, five England batters averaged over 40 compared to just two (Usman Khawaja and Marsh) for Australia. Although Smith and Labuschagne managed a century apiece, England’s overall success against them was significant.England were back in the lead after one over of their second innings. Australia showed spirit to ensure it didn’t entirely run away from them, but Bairstow and Joe Root built a big advantage. In the end, the target was 384. Then David Warner and Khawaja added 135 before the rain came. Warner’s final Ashes innings ended against a new nemesis – Woakes from over the wicket for the fourth innings in a row – but even after Khawaja and Labuschagne had also fallen, Smith and Travis Head brought the requirement down to 120 with seven wickets in hand.However, Moeen lured Head into a drive, Woakes kept finding the outside edge and, finally, Stuart Broad (from around the wicket, of course, to the left-handers) closed out the series and his career.Away Ashes proves elusive againIt all means that there will be a generation of Australian cricketers added to those who won’t have won an Ashes series in England. There is no shame in that, but this time it was there for the taking.We know for certain that Warner won’t be back. You can all but certainly add Smith and Khawaja to that, along with Starc (who was named Australia’s Player of the Series, four years on from playing just once). Lyon has spoken about trying to keep going for another four years but it will be a big ask. Josh Hazlewood feels like an unlikely candidate at 32. Even at 30, Cummins could be a borderline case. They are all outstanding cricketers with plenty on their CVs, but an Ashes series win in England would have been an added gold star.Four years is obviously a long time for any team. England are also entering a new era, not least in a bowling attack where the youngest in the last two matches has been 33. For Australia, their more immediate decisions will need to come later this year. They will start firm favourites in their home season against Pakistan and West Indies – although it is to be hoped that the makes it to Perth, Melbourne and Sydney – but a transitional phase will begin, and how it’s managed will be vital.Warner’s desired end date of January at the SCG is known. He is clinging on and may have done enough to get those three more Tests, although there is time for that to change by December. Regardless, Australia will hope that Khawaja has a couple more years in him to manage the changeover in opening batters.Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green will be expected to play key roles when Australia transition•Getty ImagesWhile no one else has signalled imminent plans to retire (Smith, again, shut down rumours during the Oval Test) there will need to be an eye to the future. One aspect to consider is whether they can introduce a younger member to the pace attack, at least occasionally, to ensure there is some experience when a permanent gap appears. The other interesting dynamic that has now appeared is between Marsh and Cameron Green; the former could start the home summer ahead in the pecking order. They will hope to have Lyon back but will need to keep nurturing Todd Murphy.Australia just short of their legacyAustralia began 2023 with a trifecta of huge Test challenges ahead of them: an away tour in India, the World Test Championship final, and this Ashes. India slipped away after a dramatic collapse in Delhi, but a few months later they were toppled for the mace. Heading into the England series, Cummins had reluctantly acknowledged “whether we like or not, Ashes tend to define eras or legacies”.In their last two away Ashes series, Australia have won four Test matches. That’s as many as they had achieved in the previous four tours from 2005 to 2015. England rarely lose series on home soil, but Australia have now held the Ashes since late 2017.As Cummins and Stokes came together at the end of an epic series – perhaps one of the greatest ever – the consensus was that 2-2 was the fair result. But there was also the feeling as the presentations went on, that one captain stood on The Oval outfield, at least in that moment, felt a little more ebullient than the other. And it wasn’t the one holding the urn.

Statistical insight to England’s new ODI XI at Cardiff.

Sampath Bandarupalli08-Jul-20211985 The last instance of England playing an ODI with less experience than their total of 124 ODI caps in the first ODI against Pakistan in Cardiff. England’s XI had a combined tally of 70 ODI caps during the consolation final of the Rothmans Cup against Pakistan in 1985.5 Number of ODI debutants in England’s playing XI against Pakistan – Zak Crawley, Brydon Carse, Lewis Gregory, Phil Salt and John Simpson. This only the fifth instance of England handing out debuts to five or more players since their inaugural ODI. The other such instance in the last two decades came against Ireland in 2015 at Dublin.3241 Total runs in ODI cricket from the England XI, prior to the game against Pakistan, their second-lowest at the start of any given ODI since 1987. The England XI against Ireland in 2015 had made 1846 ODI runs between them. The current England XI began the match with 80 ODI wickets between them. That is their lowest since they fielded a team with a total of 44 wickets against Ireland in 2011.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3.769 Ratio of the ODI experience of skipper Ben Stokes and his team-mates in Cardiff, the highest such ratio for any captain in the format. The previous highest ratio was 3.767 between the experience of MS Dhoni and the rest during the first ODI against Zimbabwe in 2016. The Indian skipper had played 275 ODI games going into the fixture, while the remaining ten Indians had collectively featured in only 73 ODIs.9 Number of players in the current England ODI XI with fewer than five ODI caps to their names. This is the first instance, among the ten full-member nations, of a team fielding eight or more such players since the 1992 World Cup, when South Africa – newly restored to international cricket, fielded ten players with five ODI caps or fewer against New Zealand, in only their fifth-ever ODI.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Number of players before Stokes to make his captaincy debut in an ODI having more matches, runs and wickets in the format than the rest of the team. Kepler Wessels had been in such a situation when he first led South Africa in the 1992 World Cup against Australia, for whom he played 54 ODIs, scoring 1740 runs and taking 18 wickets.In fact, before Thursday, England had played only one ODI in which their captain had had more ODI experience than the rest of his team-mates; Eoin Morgan vs Australia in 2015.

Manchester City “will be interested” in a title-winning manager to replace Pep Guardiola when the time comes for him to move on.

Guardiola assesses Man City's title chances

City make the trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League this weekend, looking to stay in touch with Arsenal and continue their good recent form, especially Erling Haaland.

When asked about the state of the title race on Friday, Guardiola gave a rather sarcastic response, but also feels positive about where his team are at currently.

“Our mentality and our body language are in the right spo,t and it will make us stable but (we need to) play better during 95 minutes. In the first two games, three games, for sure we are out and Liverpool is already done, and now it looks like Liverpool is done, and I tell you that they will be back.

“I said many times, I know all the pundits, all the specialists, former players, they know everything that is going to happen after five games. I’m not able to do that. I always wait 10, 15 games to know exactly what is going on but I think obviously Liverpool, Arsenal are there, someone else will be there, and hopefully we can be there.”

It remains to be seen how long Guardiola will stay in charge of City, but he will need to be replaced eventually, and an interesting name has been mentioned as an option to come in.

Title-winning manager backed to succeed Guardiola

Writing for Sky Germany, relayed by Sport Witness, Didi Hamann revealed Vincent Kompany could replace Guardiola at Manchester City one day, and Bayern’s recent contract extension may well have been designed to ward off the interest from the Etihad.

“FC Bayern extended Kompany’s contract until 2029, even though he still had 20 months left on his contract. I mean, the extension wasn’t a must, but I understand why they did it.

“Bayern probably have in mind that Manchester City will be interested in Kompany at some point when Pep Guardiola retires. It would be interesting to know if Kompany has a clause in his contract. Christoph Freund didn’t reveal anything about that on Wednesday evening, but he didn’t completely deny it either.”

Kompany’s status as a playing legend at City, and the fact that he is now a Bundesliga champions in charge of Bayern Munich, does make him a fairly obvious contender to be Guardiola’s successor at the Etihad.

At 39, he is an exciting manager who is growing all the time, with Bayern youngster’s Tom Bischof recent comments highlighting the effect he is having at Bayern, who are off to their best start to a season in their storied history.

Man City have Fernandinho 2.0 who's "one of the best players in the world"

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ByJoe Nuttall Oct 24, 2025

City fans will hope that Guardiola is still around for years to come, with the Spaniard showing few signs of wanting to move on, but Kompany should be kept an eye on as a leading option, assuming he continues to impress at Bayern.

Minority owners Red Bull have reportedly told Leeds United to replace Daniel Farke with a manager who has worked with Thomas Tuchel at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Leeds set fresh Farke sack timeline

The pressure is on Farke, who’s looking to avoid his very own Groundhog Day in the Premier League. The German is yet to achieve survival in the Premier League, despite previous attempts with Norwich City, and will be desperate to silence any doubters at Elland Road this season.

It looked for a moment as though the Leeds boss was about to do exactly that against Manchester City last time out, to his credit, only for Pep Guardiola’s side to turn on the style and secure a late 3-2 victory. A point at the Etihad would have been invaluable for those in Yorkshire, but they now play host to Chelsea this Wednesday with Farke under increasing pressure.

According to The Guardian, defeat against both Chelsea and Liverpool could spell the end for Farke at Elland Road. On paper, that may seem harsh. After all, Leeds are facing the world champions who just earned a point against Arsenal with 10 men and the Premier League champions, albeit during a tumultuous period for the Reds.

That is the harsh reality of the Premier League, though, and Leeds are seemingly willing to act as early as possible in an attempt to avoid the drop. As such, names like Ange Postecoglou have already been mentioned as potential candidates recently, but Red Bull have reportedly recommended Zsolt Low instead.

Red Bull tell Leeds to hire Zsolt Low

As reported by TeamTalk, Red Bull have told Leeds to hire Low to replace Farke if they decide to part ways with the German. The minority owners don’t have a say on sporting matters but are there for the 49ers to lean on, should they please.

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It seems that, if they choose to do exactly that, then Low could be an option. The 46-year-old won’t be a name that many are familiar with at Elland Road, but he is someone that PSG, Bayern Munich and Chelsea know well.

Low was Tuchel’s assistant at all three clubs and is known by Red Bull thanks to his time as the interim boss at RB Leipzig at the end of last season and his time as Adi Hutter’s assistant at Red Bull Salzburg.

Out of the options available, Low would arguably be the greatest gamble. He’s had just eight games as a manager and won just two of those games at Leipzig last season – using a 4-4-2 system.

His work as an assistant is admirable, but Leeds must replace Farke with a far more experienced candidate.

Leeds lining up January spending spree for "phenomenal" Farke replacement

Tottenham Hotspur’s form has been somewhat patchy this season, and ENIC Group are looking to strengthen the first-team ranks this January despite handing £150m to new manager Thomas Frank in the summer.

Injuries have put pressure on the London club once again this season, with the win over Brentford last weekend ending a run of six matches in the Premier League without victory.

However, it’s true that Spurs have left something to be desired in attack this season, and that is holding them back. With that in mind, they might just be something in recent rumours that Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is on their radar.

The latest on Spurs' interest in Semenyo

You can trace Tottenham’s interest in Ghana international Semenyo back to the summer, with an official enquiry sent to Bournemouth this summer. Chairman Bill Foley didn’t want to let him leave, and the versatile forward has shown why on the field.

Spurs are persistent, though, and it’s understood that they, along with Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, are ready to move for his signature this January, now that a £65m release clause becomes active.

While Spurs will fight tooth and nail to get a deal over the line, it will candidly be difficult with two of the division’s heavyweights in the mix. Should things not go their way, ENIC will have alternative targets earmarked.

However, they may already be a rising star on the books who has the profile to become Tottenham’s own version of the in-demand forward, and he’s currently completing a year out on loan.

Spurs may already have their own Semenyo

Last season, James Maddison hailed Mikey Moore for his “young, fearless mentality”, having earned a place in Ange Postecoglou’s squad sporadically throughout the campaign.

A decision was made when Frank replaced Ange at the end of the 2024/25 season that the 18-year-old’s development would be best served at a club that could offer him more minutes, and so he joined Rangers in Scotland on a one-year deal.

A “superstar” of a talent, as said by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Moore has torn development opponents to shreds over the past few years, scoring 21 goals and supplying 15 assists across just 34 games for the Londoners’ youth side.

With ferocious dribbling and close control, Moore has what it takes to develop into a leading winger in the Premier League, his dynamism lending itself to roles on both attacking flanks.

Mikey Moore – Club Stats so Far

Club/level

Apps

Goals (assists)

Tottenham U18

24

19 (13)

Tottenham

21

1 (2)

Rangers

19

2 (2)

Tottenham U21

5

2 (2)

Tottenham U19

5

0 (0)

Data via Transfermarkt

It’s been a tough campaign for the teenager, walking into a Rangers side who have fallen by the wayside, but he has started to play with a measure of form for new manager Danny Rohl, scoring in both of his past two Premiership matches.

There’s something quite unique about the 5 foot 11 winger’s profile, with data-driven site FBref likening his creativity and economical sprinting outbursts to Premier League stars like Morgan Rogers and Lilywhites teammate Mohammed Kudus.

But it’s the opinion of Spurs writer James Harris that Moore could “bring back the old Aaron Lennon” to the club with his pace and grace down the wing. The former England international’s explosiveness made him an incredibly effective and unpredictable opponent on his day, but he only scored 30 goals across 376 outings for the outfit.

Moore, with his impressive track record as a youngster, could better Lennon by some margin in that regard, potentially rivalling someone like Semenyo for output in the Premier League.

Whether that will be as the Ghanaian’s teammate at Tottenham, however, remains to be seen.

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