Roberto De Zerbi has been tipped to be a candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp, however, a former Liverpool star has explained why it won't happen.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
The former captain smashed 144, including a last-wicket stand with Tamim Iqbal who came out to bat with a broken hand, to lift Bangladesh to a winning total
The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Sep-2018
1:01
Maharoof: SL need specialist batsmen, not allrounders
Mushfiqur Rahim’s sublime 144 hauled Bangladesh kicking and screaming to 261, then a fired-up Mashrafe Mortaza set in motion a Sri Lanka collapse, and the first match of the Asia Cup soon turned into a thrashing – Bangladesh claiming victory by 137 runs, after Sri Lanka crashed to 69 for 7, then 124 all out.A third Bangladesh senior had also played an impressive role in the victory. Tamim Iqbal faced only four deliveries in all, but he had crucially come out to bat again with a broken wrist – which he had sustained in the second over – with nine wickets down. Mushfiqur made spectacular use of his teammate’s bravery, hitting a further three fours and three sixes, as 32 runs were added to the team total, lifting Bangladesh from a modest score to a competitive one.Though his contribution was eventually drowned out by those of Bangladesh’s experienced players, one Sri Lanka old-timer also had an outstanding outing. Lasith Malinga, playing his first international in a year, shook off the rust, struck twice in his first over, and finished with 4 for 23 from 10 overs, to suggest that his one-day career was far from done yet. Had his teammates held all their catches, Malinga might have wreaked even more damage. He should have had Mohammad Mithun – who went on to make 63 in a 131-run stand with Mushfiqur – caught at mid on for one, if Angelo Mathews had held the catch while diving forward. In general, Sri Lanka were woeful in the field, spilling no fewer than four catches, including two off Mushfiqur, who was reprieved on 10 and 85. For the umpteenth time in the last three years, their catching can be said to have cost Sri Lanka a one-dayer.Though perhaps it is their batting that was the worse suit on this evening (it’s often difficult to work out which discipline was the worst with this Sri Lanka ODI team). Kusal Mendis – opening in place of Danushka Gunathilaka – was Bangladesh’s first victim, when he got himself trapped in front of the stumps the first ball he faced. Upul Tharanga had been storming away at the other end, and looked good for a big innings, until, typically, he suddenly played a poor shot. Attempting to steer a Mashrafe delivery to third man, Tharanga only managed to play it on to his stumps. Mashrafe would have a second important wicket soon after – nailing Dhananjaya de Silva in front of the stumps for a duck, with de Silva going on to waste Sri Lanka’s review. The review could potentially have saved Kusal Perera later on.Mushfiqur Rahim celebrates after reaching his sixth ODI century•ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images
In general, this was not an evening of good decision-making from Sri Lanka’s batsmen. Kusal Perera’s lbw (he had actually got a thin inside edge to that ball from Mehidy Hasan) left the team 38 for 4, not long before Angelo Mathews compounded Sri Lanka’s woes by running out Dasun Shanaka as the pair attempted a painstaking recovery. Thisara Perera holed out soon enough, and Mathews was himself dismissed for 16 off 34 balls – trapped lbw by Rubel Hossain. That Sri Lanka even survived into the 36th over and made as many as 124 was down to a plucky tail, who hung around, despite the target being clearly out of their reach. Even the tail’s efforts were not enough to prevent a record though – this victory was Bangladesh’s biggest in terms of runs, away from home.Although Mushfiqur had a little luck early on – having been dropped in the 10th over – his was nevertheless a terrific innings. He had begun slowly, playing out a maiden against the red-hot Malinga, before later producing Bangladesh’s first boundary of the match, off the last ball of the eighth over. He built steadily alongside Mithun, taking an especial liking to Sri Lanka’s finger-spinners, often venturing down the track to them, sometimes to hit boundaries.Although after Mithun fell, Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain followed in quick succession, Mushfiqur batted efficiently with the tail, looking for boundaries at the start of each over, and singles towards the end. Despite his best efforts, the lower order batsmen continued to perish, however, and Bangladesh found themselves nine down in the 47th over, which should have been the end of their innings given one of their batsmen had suffered a fractured wrist earlier in the innings.Tamim, though, made the courageous decision to bat again, with his bottom hand in a cast. He hid that injured left hand behind his body, and rode out a Suranga Lakmal ball at his ribs, to hand the strike over to Mushfiqur, who didn’t disappoint. Mushfiqur moved expertly around the crease to smoke a spate of valuable late boundaries, moving past his previous best ODI score of 117, while twice making sure to take a single off the last ball of the over, to ensure Tamim did not have to face another ball. Mushfiqur had hit successive sixes off the first two balls of the final over, bowled by Thisara Perera, before he holed out attempting a third six. His valiant hand would turn out to be more than enough for Bangladesh to claim an important first victory in the tournament.
The United States women's team will face Mexico on July 13 in an Olympics warm-up match that will also honour the famous 1999 World Cup winners.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Surrey must beat Glamorgan in Cardiff on Friday and hope other results go their way to reach the last eight of the Blast
ECB Reporters Network15-Aug-2018
ScorecardSurrey can still qualify for the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast after inflicting a ninth defeat in 13 games on Hampshire at the Kia Oval.They cruised to a seven-wicket win with 15 balls to spare after restricting Hampshire to 133 for 7 with Aaron Finch leading them home with an unbeaten 67.Victory moved Surrey above Sussex into fifth but they will need to beat Glamorgan in Cardiff on Friday to have any chance of a top-four finish, and even that will depend the results of their rivals in the final rounds of south group games on Thursday and Friday.Hampshire hopes had been briefly raised when Afghanistan off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowled Jason Roy round his legs for a duck in the first over. Dale Steyn then deceived Will Jacks with a slower ball to leave Surrey 25 for 2 in the fourth over.But Finch, back in the side after missing three games because of a family bereavement, continued his outstanding form in the Blast, taking his competition aggregate to 545 runs.He had a reprieve on 18 when Lewis McManus dropped a regulation chance at deep mid-wicket off Liam Dawson. Otherwise Finch was untroubled as he and fellow Australian Nic Maddinson put on 92 for the third wicket in 11.4 overs.Maddinson also had a life when he was badly dropped by Joe Weatherley at long on off the luckless Dawson on 31, but the pair took control thereafter with Finch depositing Gareth Berg over mid-wicket to bring up his fifth half-century in this season’s Blast while Maddinson produced the shot of the night with a pulled six off Steyn that landed 30 rows back in the stand front of the gas holder.Rahman picked up his second wicket when Maddinson was stumped aiming to leg but Surrey only needed 17 to win and Finch saw them home, his runs coming off 57 balls with seven fours.Earlier, after deciding to bat first, Hampshire had been becalmed by a slow pitch and some disciplined bowling and their total of 133 for 7, which only contained two sixes and nine boundaries, was never likely to test Surrey’s powerful batting.They started promisingly. Rilee Rossouw and Sam Northeast took them to 49 for 1 in the sixth over but after Rossouw upper-cut a slower ball from Morne Morkel to point Hampshire struggled to pick up momentum.Northeast battled through to the 19th over to top score with 37 but his runs came off 36 deliveries and only contained one boundary and whenever Hampshire attempted to accelerate they invariably lost a wicket.Dawson briefly flourished before picking out short fine-leg trying to repeat a scoop off Morkel which had brought him a boundary from the previous ball. Captain Jade Dernbach picked up two wickets in the penultimate over and was the pick of the seamers with 2 for 19 while Batty also enjoyed the conditions, getting the ball to grip and turn as he took 1 for 18. Having been 77 for 2 at halfway, Hampshire only added 60 runs in the second half of their innings.
The £5 million ($7m) home of former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has been targeted by hammer-wielding thieves, with police now investigating.
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |
Arsenal have confirmed that they will screen their pre-season friendly with rivals Tottenham in Hong Kong at Emirates Stadium.
| Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱 |
The striker position at Manchester City has been full of heritage since the successful silverware-laden days at the Etihad.
While that infamous move for Robinho – the club’s very first marquee signing during the Mark Hughes era – didn’t turn out too successfully, the same cannot be said for a certain Sergio Aguero.
The Argentine is now known as one of the greatest foreign imports the Premier League has ever seen, scoring that title-winning goal which was just one of 260 goals he scored in City blue. He is a legend in these parts, a true icon of English football.
Well, they’ve now found someone capable of usurping Aguero’s record. Yep, you guessed it, it’s the relentless Erling Haaland.
Already a treble-winner, the Norwegian has found the back of the net on 118 occasions in 135 outings. He is certainly one of the best forwards of the modern era.
That said, he should watch out for Omar Marmoush who’s enjoyed a fine start to his time in English football…
This January was an important one for the Citizens. For the first time in his tenure, Pep Guardiola was fighting for his life, seemingly unable to turn the tide on a run of form that saw them win just once in 13 matches. It was unheard of.
So, over the winter, they did their due diligence and splashed the cash to bring in the likes of Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Egyptian superstar Omar Marmoush.
The forward had scored 15 Bundesliga goals in 17 matches before switching Germany for England in a £59 move. Since then, he’s continued his menacing form.
The 26-year-old has so far featured off the left, up top and when Haaland has been fit, behind him.
That level of versatility is a key part of why Guardiola wanted to bring him to the Etihad over the winter and he’s rewarded the faith shown, notably scoring a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Newcastle.
That remains the sole game in which Marmoush has contributed with goals but his general play has been eye-catching with teammate Haaland declaring that “you can see he has something special.”
However, the transfer may never have happened if City’s transfer strategy last summer headed in a different direction.
Marmoush’s signing was needed. Haaland, of course, is a man possessed but behind him, they lacked a certain degree of firepower with Kevin De Bruyne now in the latter stages of his career and Phil Foden – the Premier League’s Player of the Season for 2023/24 – failing to meet the same standards. He’s scored just ten times in 36 outings this season, a far cry from his 27-goal exploits of last term.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
In many ways, the sale of Julian Alvarez didn’t help. It certainly benefited the club’s coffers, raking in an enormous sum of £82m. Since then, he’s showcased why City should regret selling him.
This wasn’t your Gabriel Jesus level of back-up striker. He was a constant threat and helped himself to 19 goals and 13 assists last season. Replacing an output like that wasn’t going to be easy.
Marmoush will no doubt help over the forthcoming seasons but Alvarez has now proven himself as one of the finest forwards in European football.
He showcased that in the Champions League this week, taking his tally in the competition this term to seven in nine games – just one behind Haaland – with a breathtaking strike against rivals Real Madrid.
Alvarez danced past Eduardo Camavinga on the left, cut inside and then bent a delicious effort into the far corner. It was postage stamp stuff. Quite brilliant.
That goal means that the Argentine now has 22 for the season and it was hardly a surprise to see pundits and journalists alike wax lyrical.
|
Alvarez vs Real Madrid: UCL Last 16 |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes played |
90 |
|
Touches |
35 |
|
Accurate passes |
18/21 (86%) |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Shots |
1 |
|
Successful dribbles |
1/3 |
|
Key passes |
1 |
|
Ground duels won |
3/8 |
|
Tackles |
2 |
|
Stats via Sofascore. |
|
Joe Cole suggested that “he’s a Ballon d’Or winner of the future” while Spanish football expert Neal Gardner simply stated that he is “the most complete striker in the world right now.”
That was corroborated by Argentine journalist Roy Nemer who even before this goal suggested that Alvarez was the “best forward in the world” this season.
It’s hard to dispute that claim considering he ranks inside the best 7% of positionally similar players in Europe’s big five leagues for progressive carries, the best 11% for progressive passes and the top 15% for tackles, underlining the fact that he can do most things incredibly well.
Usually, City get things spot on when sanctioning sales. However, in a campaign where they will miss out on the Premier League and Champions League, they did get this one wrong.
Still, Marmoush is here now and they will get to enjoy the fruits of his labour before too long.
Savio upgrade: Man City may regret selling 'the best winger in the world'
Man City might rue selling a player who has shone for his current club since leaving.
By
Ross Kilvington
Mar 3, 2025
Four years on from the famous leak, how well do you remember England’s much-derided Ashes 2013-14 cookbook?
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2017
A frustrating week for Manchester City came to an end on Sunday as they were beaten 2-0 by Premier League leaders Liverpool at The Etihad.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai secured all three points for Arne Slot’s men, who are now 11 points clear at the top of the division.
This came off the back of a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, resulting in their exit from the competition, on Wednesday night, thanks to a stunning hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe.
There were some positives for Pep Guardiola and his team to take from the defeat to the Reds, though, and one was the performance of Abdukodir Khusanov at the heart of the defence.
The January signing from Ligue 1 side Rennes was selected alongside Nathan Ake at centre-back, with Ruben Dias left on the bench, and stepped up with an excellent showing for the Cityzens.
Khusanov had a nightmare debut against Chelsea, making an error for Noni Madueke’s goal after just three minutes, but the 20-year-old titan appears to have settled into Premier League life now.
The talented youngster made a terrific last-man challenge on Szoboszlai towards the end of the game and halted Salah, when the score was 0-0, in the first half when the forward appeared set to test Ederson unchallenged.
Chalkboard
In total, he made six clearances, one block, one tackle, and one interception, whilst the centre-back also won two of his three duels and completed 99% (87/88) of his attempted passes.
Khusanov made some vital defensive interventions and produced some excellent moments to keep Liverpool at bay, whilst Ake struggled in the left-sided centre-back role.
Guardiola must instantly drop the Netherlands international from the starting line-up for the next game against Tottenham Hotspur after he put in a dismal display against Liverpool.
As you can see in the clip above, Salah’s goal to open the scoring at The Etihad came via a deflection off Ake, as the left-footed flop dangled a leg out and deflected the effort past Ederson.
The former Chelsea and Bournemouth star offered very little from a defensive perspective, as Salah also burst past him with ease in the left channel and Khusanov had to sweep up and win possession back before the forward could get a shot away in the first half.
|
Vs Liverpool |
Nathan Ake |
|---|---|
|
Clearances |
2 |
|
Blocks |
0 |
|
Tackles |
0 |
|
Interceptions |
0 |
|
Duels won |
0/1 |
|
Touches |
77 |
|
Accurate passes |
70/73 (96%) |
|
Key passes |
1 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, Ake lost 100% of his duels in the match and did not make a single tackle, interception, or block to help his side out.
Whereas, Khusanov, as aforementioned won two of his three ground duels and made six clearances, tackles, blocks, and interceptions combined, which means that he showed up the Dutch dud – who is ten years his senior – on Sunday.
Guardiola must, now, instantly drop Ake from the XI and bring Dias, who has won 54% of his duels in the Premier League this season, back into the side to provide a dominant presence alongside Khusanov against Spurs.
Man City now poised to chase "great" £100m ace in blockbuster summer deal
He could replace Kevin De Bruyne…
By
Tom Cunningham
Feb 22, 2025
It will then be down to the Dutchman to show, in training or off the bench, that he can bounce back with an improved display when he next gets an opportunity to start.
The visitors secured a huge victory in the opening Test against Sri Lanka but there are some key achievements Lyon still wants to tick off
AAP03-Feb-20252:48
Steven Smith: ‘A near-flawless performance’
Nathan Lyon has warned Australia could still be years away from Test greatness, despite continuing their blistering summer with a record-breaking rout of Sri Lanka.Australia claimed their biggest ever win on the subcontinent, thrashing Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in the Galle series opener, only weeks after sealing their first series defeat of India in a decade.Related
Kuhnemann, Lyon consign Sri Lanka to their biggest defeat
Length, more than pace, key to Australia spinners' success, says Smith
McDonald credits Kuhnemann recovery, Dubai training camp for Galle rout
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph confirmed Australia’s spot in a second consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final, with the ICC’s top-ranked side winning more Test matches in the past cycle than any other team.Elder statesman Lyon saw signs of greatness in the win in Galle, where Australian appeared in control from a first over that featured three fours off Travis Head’s bat. But Lyon does not feel the current crop of Australian players can yet lay claim to being a truly great side.”We want to become a great Australian team. We’re on that journey, we’re not there yet. That’s our end goal,” he said. “Part of that journey is making sure that when we close the window, we nail it shut. It’s all about being ruthless and doing our best thing for long periods of time.”The win in Galle ensured Australia would continue to hold every bilateral trophy for which they are eligible, alongside the ODI World Cup and the WTC trophy.But Lyon was quick to point out that Australia had drawn and not won the past two Ashes series played in England, last winning outright on the road in 2001. Australia have also not won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India since Ricky Ponting’s side took out the four-match series 2-1 in 2004.Nathan Lyon took seven wickets in the first Test•AFP/Getty Images
“There’s a few things [Australia needs to achieve],” said 37-year-old Lyon. “This is only me and my thoughts as well. We’ve got some great players within that change-room, there’s no point hiding behind that. “Australia will have to wait until 2027 for chances at away series wins in India and England. The country’s greatest ever offspinner, Lyon said he “100 percent” hoped to play on that next trip to spin-friendly India as a 39-year-old.Sri Lanka may be the last time before then that Lyon has the chance to bowl in tandem with fellow offspinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann.The trio took 17 of Australia’s 20 wickets in Galle, but the team does not have a subcontinent Test tour planned between the ongoing two-match series and India in 2027.”We’re going okay, but I still feel like we’ve got a lot of improvement to do. That’s about being ruthless,” Lyon said of the offspinning trio. “We’re three totally different bowlers with three totally different mindsets as well. I feel like I’m learning off Todd and Matt, and I feel like they’re pushing me to try and get better as well. Hopefully I’m passing on a little bit of knowledge here and there.”Lyon is mostly free of a left hip injury he suffered in the summer, though he is still in pain if he falls on the area.”But I didn’t have to land on it today, so all good,” said Lyon, who took match figures of 7 for 135 in Galle. “Apparently I ripped the deep tissue off the fascia [hip muscle], whatever that means. Apparently there was a bit of excess blood or something in there. Not ideal, but all good now.”