Match facts

September 27, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1600 GMT)

Big Picture

Bereft of confidence and 0-4 down, not much was happening for Pakistan’s limited-overs squad in their ODI series against England last month. But, as is the case in sport, one moment of clear thinking can help a team turn around. Pakistan achieved that through a partnership between their best limited-overs batsmen, Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed, in a demanding chase of 303 in Cardiff. Three convincing T20 wins followed, and now, Pakistan have an atypical sense of belief in their own game, and camaraderie under newly-appointed captain Sarfraz has hit a new level. Although this series is done, Pakistan are still striving to find the glue that can hold it all together: consistency.Pakistan’s series win against West Indies has been built around the same modus operandi they’ve used for decades – bat to par and bowl well above that. Reducing the world champions to 48 for 8 and 89 for 7 in the first two T20s showed their discipline with the ball. A youthful side has also shown the ability to save runs on the field. But, how will Pakistan’s new-look outfit hold their own under the duress that this format often brings?As teams master the T20 format, they also sometimes deem a “bad day” acceptable. West Indies’ batsmen suffered two in succession, which has cost the team the series; their six-hitters have hit the wall when unable to find the boundary. “West Indies are known to be a boundary-hitting side. But it’s up to us to find a way around that,” batting coach Toby Radford said after the second T20. If they don’t, a whitewash may be inevitable.

Form guide

Pakistan WWWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LLWWW

In the spotlight

Shoaib Malik has been one of Pakistan’s most consistent T20 performers. In his last 16 T20I innings, Malik has failed to register a double-digit score just once. Malik’s experience and fielding prowess have also helped Pakistan in their dramatic limited-overs revival.West Indies’ middle order, which includes Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Carlos Brathwaite, is arguably the best in the world. Bravo resurrected West Indies’ innings in the first T20 with a 54-ball 55. But for them to be at their destructive best, West Indies’ top order has to set a base from where the middle order can attack effectively.

Team news

Pakistan have no reason to change their winning combination with a whitewash in sight, although coach Mickey Arthur said on the eve of the game that there might be changes on the fast-bowling front. “We would like to bring in [Mohammad] Amir, and start him bowling before the ODIs,” he said. “I want to know how Rumman Raees goes too, but we will take a final decision tomorrow.”*Pakistan (probable): 1 Sharjeel Khan, 2 Khalid Latif, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Sohail Tanvir, 11 Hasan Ali/Mohammad AmirWith the series gone, captain Carlos Brathwaite said they are likely to hand a debut to one or two players. Rovman Powell may make it into the XI for Nicholas Pooran, who has scores of 5 and 4 in his first two T20Is. West Indies may also rejig their misfiring top order.West Indies (probable): 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Andre Fletcher (wk), 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Carlos Brathwaite (capt), 8 Rovman Powell/Nicholas Pooran, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Samuel Badree, 11 Jerome Taylor

Pitch and conditions

Abu Dhabi, with its larger dimensions, will provide a different challenge to the batsmen. Pakistan’s batsmen scampered through for plenty of twos in the smaller Dubai outfield, which could continue. West Indies’ six-hitting ability and adaptability will be tested. The nature of the pitch is unlikely to be too dissimilar from the first two T20Is, and temperatures are expected to be in the late 30s again.

Stats and trivia

• Before this series, Pakistan had never won more than one match in a three-match T20I series
• Pakistan’s left-arm bowlers have taken 14 wickets this series, the joint most for any team in a bilateral T20I series
• Pakistan have won only one of the four T20Is they have played in Abu Dhabi

Quotes

“The dot-ball percentage was always far too high [previously in limited-overs cricket], so we had to rotate the strike more and we particulary worked hard to score off good balls. It was pleasing to see us score so many [87] off the last ten the other night.”
“I haven’t lost confidence in anyone as a team”.
*18.00GMT, September 26: The preview was updated after Mickey Arthur’s media interaction

Leeds United are staring down the barrel of what could promise to be another devastating relegation, with the late appointment of Sam Allardyce only emphasising the precarious nature of their plight.

To welcome such an experienced firefighter is for the hierarchy to admit all their mistakes that have led to this moment, many of which have come in this one season.

Trusting in Jesse Marsch was a decision they essentially had to make after he saved them the season prior, but keeping him in charge for as long as they did was far from a necessity.

Then, in appointing Javi Gracia, they afforded the Spaniard just two months before then replacing him with the affectionately known 'Big Sam'.

It has been a year of poor decisions made too late, and with three tough fixtures looming, things do not look good.

With much of this current squad underperforming, hence their league position, whether they survive or not this summer must mark a turning point. With Victor Orta having left and the future of the club's ownership still up in the air, this team must be gutted and an identity reclaimed for the club.

No longer can they afford the panic acquisitions of big names akin to Weston McKennie's January arrival, when the academy boasts such readymade talent.

Should the American return to Juventus this summer, it could allow an opportunity to open up for young Charlie Allen to step into; someone hungry, full of desire, and actually deserving of a first-team spot.

Who is Charlie Allen?

Upon joining, McKennie described himself in his first interview as someone with: "physicality, able to run, I can get box-to-box". More crucially, when questioned by teammate and compatriot Tyler Adams, he agreed to the claim: "I've got goals."

The hope was that an attacking impetus from deep would be crucial in bolstering their survival bid, yet the 24-year-old is yet to score or assist since moving to England.

Meanwhile, for the U21s, the 19-year-old maestro has six goal contributions in 18 Premier League 2 games despite operating all across the pitch. His versatility lends to his preparedness for senior football, as such fluidity in-game could prove imperative.

It is impressive that the teenager has managed to amass such numbers from defensive midfield, and often a deeper right midfield role.

However, it likely comes as no surprise to journalist Patrick Van Dort, who once claimed:

"Charlie is one of those boys that you throw him on to the park and go and ask him to play. [He’ll] play anywhere with the same attitude and enthusiasm. Technically very good and physically can handle it – he is quick enough and he has a real chance

"People say he's a dream to coach, a good listener and ticks the boxes you'd expect of someone so highly rated."

Given he sits there for free, biding his time, whilst McKennie would likely cost a king's ransom for what little he has offered thus far, no matter their division at the end of the season, Allen deserves to play over the 24-year-old flop.

Manchester United will surely continue to rebuild their squad this summer in their pursuit to rise to the top again and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target who could be on his way to Old Trafford.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in Manuel Ugarte?

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via The Faithful MUFC), the Red Devils have submitted a salary offer for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

As per the report, Man Utd are competing with Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain in their efforts to snap up the services of the talented player, but have now made a salary offer for an undisclosed amount, whilst committing to delivering the fee needed to activate his €60m (£52m) release clause.

Who would Manuel Ugarte replace at Man United?

Whilst improving the centre-forward position will be the highest priority for Erik ten Hag this summer, making subtle tweaks and upgrades in other key positions would be massively advantageous ahead of their return to Champions League football.

As a result, the opportunity to sign Ugarte would be a great move for the club as the 22-year-old could inject some much-needed youth into a crucial area of the midfield, where Fred and Casemiro are both in their 30s with the latter in the final seasons of his career.

When comparing Fred's output this season to the Uruguayan ace, it is clear that Ugarte has outperformed his positional peer in several attributes including pass completion rate (91.6% vs 79.1%), progressive passing (120 v 76), successful take-ons (54.8% v 37.5%), tackles and interceptions won (178 v 66) and aerial duels won (62.5% v 50%), as per FBref.

Bringing in a player who not only improves upon Fred's impact on the team but provides Casemiro with a young and energetic midfield partner could cause trouble for their opponents next season and boost their chances of progressing comfortably across the many competitions they will be competing in from European football to domestic cups.

It has been reported this week that the Sporting CP star – hailed a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – is excited by the prospect of a move to Old Trafford, which should put them in a great position to secure his signature over their competitors this summer.

With that being said, the signing of Ugarte would be a major coup for Man Utd as it could provide them with a young talent who could occupy an important position in the team for years to come and provides Casemiro with a reliable collaborator to work alongside him.

There is no immediate threat to the Chennai Test as the TNCA is confident of staging the match as it it slated to start only after the seven-day state mourning for former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who died on Monday night

Arun Venugopal06-Dec-20161:40

No paucity of venues for hosting Tests – Shirke

The BCCI is yet to decide on moving the fifth and final Test between India and England from December 16 out of Chennai following the death of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday. Ajay Shirke, the secretary, said the board was seeking inputs from the host association – the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) – and monitoring the situation closely. He also said no deadline had been set for naming an alternate venue since it was an evolving situation.”We haven’t taken any decision with regard to the Chennai Test match,” Shirke told reporters after the meeting of the senior tournament committee in Mumbai. “It’s a very sensitive decision. We are keeping a close watch on the situation and we are taking the inputs from the local host association as to what is the mood and the sentiment of the people, and based on what evolves, the final decision for the match will be taken.”TNCA secretary Kasi Viswanathan, however, wrote to the board that Chennai was ready to host the Test. “We have communicated to the BCCI this morning that we won’t be able to host the ongoing Ranji Trophy game [between Odisha and Jharkhand in Natham near Dindigul] and Under-19 match because of state mourning for seven days and closure of schools and colleges for three days,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “But, we will host the Test match because after December 12 the [week-long] mourning period is over.”Shirke said there was no shortage of of back-up venues should the need arise. “We are monitoring the situation almost on an hourly or a daily basis,” he said. “The BCCI has got a number of alternate venues; in fact, there are new venues which have been added so there is no paucity of venues for hosting a Test match. Again, that should not be read as a decision [of the game] having been shifted.” It is understood that Pune and Bangalore are front runners to host the final Test if it is moved out of Chennai.The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai last hosted a Test match three years ago against Australia, while its most recent international game came last year in an ODI against South Africa. During England’s tour of India in 2008, Chennai emerged as one the two alternate venues after the terror attacks in Mumbai forced the Test matches to be moved out of Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

A round-up of the second day of Group A matches in the third round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2016Mehul Patel took his second five-wicket haul and career-best figures of 5 for 35 to help Gujarat snatch the first-innings lead against Railways in Lahli. Gujarat had been bowled out for 187, after which Railways were brought down to 63 for 7 as 17 wickets fell on the opening day. Railways were shot out for 124, before Gujarat responded strongly in the second innings, ending the day on 295 for 3 for an overall lead of 358.Railways resisted when play resumed, with Karn Sharma and Anureet Singh, the overnight batsmen, adding 52 for the eighth wicket. Mehul then dismissed Anureet for his fifth, before Rush Kalaria wrapped up the innings with two wickets in the 44th over. Karn scored 48 and Anureet made 27, finishing as two of only three batsmen to record double-digit scores.Priyank Panchal scored 101 and shared a second-wicket stand of 141 with Bhargav Merai (70) to sink Railways. Parthiv Patel, the Gujarat captain, and Manpreet Juneja added 98 unbeaten runs for the fourth wicket before stumps were drawn. Parthiv was not out on 39 and Juneja had made 59.Madhya Pradesh snuffed out two Mumbai wickets to end the second day in Raipur in a dominant position. After MP’s first innings ended on 445, Mumbai were reduced to 38 for 2, trailing by 407 runs.MP had ended the opening day on 239 for 2 with Rajat Patidar unbeaten on 83 and Devendra Bundela on 36. Patidar batted on and raised his century before being dismissed for 106, while Bundela scored 60. Patidar, Harpreet Singh and Bundela fell for the addition of 16 runs, before MP were buoyed by Shubham Sharma (83 not out) and Ankit Dane (47), and the duo’s sixth-wicket partnership of 102. Vijay Gohil and Tushar Deshpande took three wickets each.Mumbai lost Kaustubh Pawar and nightwatchman Balwinder Sandhu in their reply. Akhil Herwadkar played out 58 balls and stayed not out on 29.Uttar Pradesh piled on a mammoth 524 before taking a Tamil Nadu wicket late in the day at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. Tamil Nadu ended the day on 34 for 1, behind by 490 runs.UP began the day on 207 for 1, with Samarth Singh having struck his maiden century in only his second first-class match. Samarth added 72 more to his overnight tally, before being dismissed 13 short of a double ton. Umang Sharma, who resumed on 36, added only 10 more to his overnight score, but UP were lifted by contributions all around, including half-centuries from Eklavya Dwivedi, the captain and wicketkeeper, who struck 60, and Saurabh Kumar (51). T Natarajan, the left-arm medium pacer, inflicted the bulk of the damage, taking 4 for 83.Sandeep Sharma added two wickets to his overnight tally to finish with 4 for 96 as Bengal’s first innings ended on 404 against Punjab at the Lohnu Cricket Ground in Bilaspur. Amit Kulia, Bengal’s new-ball bowler, then struck thrice in 16 overs as Punjab went into stumps on 168 for 4, behind Bengal by 236 runs.Bengal began the day on 332 for 5, with Pankaj Shaw unbeaten on 11 and Pragyan Ojha on 2. While Ojha fell on the same score in the 10th ball of the day, Shaw batted on and raised a half-century. He was the last man dismissed, for 55. Sandeep Sharma was supported by Vinay Choudhary, who took 3 for 75.Punjab lost Manan Vohra and Jinwanjot Singh early, while Yuvraj Singh, the captain, and Gurkeerat Singh got off to starts, but couldn’t convert them. Uday Kaul held up his end and scored an unbeaten 73, and in the company of Taruwar Kohli (26 not out) prevented further damage. Kulia finished with 3 for 44, while his opening partner Ashok Dinda took the other wicket.

A round-up of the opening day of Group C matches in the seventh round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2016Right-arm medium pacer DP Vijayakumar’s six-wicket haul studded Andhra’s dominant display with the ball against Kerala at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Vijaykumar’s 6 for 37 reduced Kerala to 188 for 8 after Andhra had sent them in. Six of Kerala’s top seven fell to Vijaykumar after his new-ball partner B Ayyappa provided the first breakthrough in the 10th over of the morning when he sent back Bhavin Thakkar. Vijaykumar then scythed through Kerala, reducing them to 36 for 4, before Rohan Prem, the captain, and Mohammed Azharuddeen, who top-scored with 82, got together for a 71-run stand. Prem was caught behind off Vijaykumar for 42. Azharuddeen then added 48 with Iqbal Abdulla for the sixth wicket, before being dismissed off what turned out to be the last ball of the day.Hyderabad captain S Badrinath struck his 32nd century and passed 10,000 first-class runs to take his side to 267 for 4 against Chhattisgarh in Valsad. Badrinath walked out with Hyderabad having lost Akshath Reddy in the second over. Badrinath stitched together 120 for the second wicket with Tanmay Agarwal, who ground it out for 124 balls for 39, and added 122 more for the third wicket with BP Sandeep before becoming right-arm pacer Abhimanu Chauhan’s first victim. Badrinath’s 134 came off 254 balls, and contained 20 fours and two sixes. Sandeep remained not out on 73 and had Mehdi Hassan, batting on 10, for company at stumps.In Surat, Services rode on centuries from Ravi Chauhan and Nakul Verma to put up 276 for 3 against Himachal Pradesh in Surat. Chauhan struck his maiden century in his 12th first-class game, while Verma struck his second hundred and reached his career-best score. The two came together at the fall of captain Anshul Gupta for 8 with just 10 on the board and shared a 264-run second-wicket partnership. However, Himachal hit back late in the day, with Chauhan falling for 149, caught off Pankaj Jaiswal – who had also taken out Gupta – before Jaiswal’s new-ball partner Rishi Dhawan bowled Vikas Yadav in the next over – the penultimate over of the day. Verma remained not out on 113.Bowlers called the shots at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Ghaziabad where Goa were reduced to 197 for 6 against Haryana. Goa opener Sumiran Amonkar stuck around at one end, but Goa lost wickets around him. When Amonkar was bowled by Amit Mishra, he had made 34 out of Goa’s 74 for 4. Reagan Pinto and Snehal Kauthankar got together to repair the damage, before Pinto had to retire hurt on 25. Goa lost late wickets, but Kauthankar was still at the crease at stumps on 80. Right-arm medium pacer Harshal Patel took three wickets for Haryana.At the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, a solid team effort took Jammu & Kashmir to 270 for 6 after they were put in by Tripura. J&K lost their openers early and were 14 for 2 before Pranav Gupta and Ian Dev Singh struck half-centuries and shared a third-wicket stand of 109. Tripura wrested back the advantage with three quick wickets as J&K went from 123 for 2 to 131 for 5, before Aditya Singh (65 not out) put on 50 for the seventh wicket with Puneet Bisht and an unbroken 89 with Samiullah Beigh (35 not out) for the seventh.

Everton are reportedly ready to assert their dominance in the summer transfer window, as the club have been linked to a prolific forward.

The Toffees confirmed their Premier League survival in dramatic fashion on the final day, after what was a dreary season both on and off the pitch for the club.

Now that the Blues have sealed their fate in the top division, Sean Dyche will look to get to work this summer to make essential improvements in the bid to push on from a tough campaign at Goodison.

Having netted just 35 goals this term, Everton recorded their lowest-scoring tally over the past five seasons, however, the club’s latest transfer link could solve all woes in the final third.

What’s the latest on Yuri Alberto to Everton?

As reported by GOAL earlier this week, Everton are reportedly interested in Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto.

The report states that the Blues are considering a proposal to the Brazilian club for the striker, with them currently “keeping an eye” on the 22-year-old.

As per CIES Football Observatory, the Corinthians talisman is valued at €30m (£26m).

What could Yuri Alberto bring to Everton?

Operating over 2022/23 in the unfamiliar Brazilian league schedule, the striker has scored a total of 13 goals and registered six assists in 38 appearances in the Brasileiro Serie A and Paulista Serie A1 competitions – as per Sofascore.

At just 22, the forward has already had experience in European football, spending a season on loan in Russia representing Zenit St Petersburg, in which he contributed to ten goals in 15 appearances, scoring six and assisting four.

Lauded as being “dangerous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Brazilian has areas of expertise in most areas of his game acting as a number nine, with Kulig listing him as being a “complete forward”.

Everton have found joy in equipping a Brazilian forward to lead the line previously, with Richarlison having a similar feat in his homeland, scoring 11 goals and assisting seven for Fluminense before signing for Watford in 2017 – as per Transfermarkt.

The young striker could add so much to the Toffees squad, and even force Dyche to reconsider the solidity of Calvert-Lewin’s place at the club.

The Englishman enjoyed a formidable scoring run in the 2020/21 season, bagging 16 league goals, however since then has suffered prolonged injuries, leaving him scoring just seven goals over the past two seasons at Goodison – as per Sofascore.

While injury struggles are out of his hands, competition for starting places remain, and the introduction of Alberto would certainly raise the bar in terms of battling for the number nine spot.

When comparing the two players, the Brazilian showcases a higher threat on the ball than the Everton forward, averaging 2.62 shot-creating actions to Calvert-Lewin’s 1.85 per 90, highlighting his efficiency in attack.

A similar pattern is evident in terms of positioning and threat going forward, with the 22-year-old averaging 6.83 progressive passes received, to the Englishman’s 4.33 per 90 – all statistics as per FBref.

The most important thing for the club is to secure a goalscorer this summer, however, Alberto could offer a dynamic player with “killer instinct” to Dyche’s set-up.

A player that is still developing at just 22 could give Everton more than just goals, with the potential to be a leading name at the club should he continue to showcase his talent in the final third.

It could also mean the end of the road for the stricken Calvert-Lewin who is surely now running out of time to prove his worth in Merseyside.

The Cameroon international is in a different category to David de Gea – his dribbling and passing ability can transform the Red Devils' style of play

Manchester United have the completed the signing Andre Onana after weeks of negotiations, and after agreeing a £48 million ($61m) fee with his former club Inter, Erik ten Hag finally has the goalkeeper he craved. As much as the Dutchman tried to defend David de Gea throughout a season filled with clangers, there was always the sense that he was protesting too much and that he did not genuinely trust in the Spaniard.

De Gea had long been cast out from the Spain team due to his poor footballing abilities and his limitations in an aspect of the game that is getting ever more important, in addition to a marked decline in his shot-stopping ability, has led to him leaving United too.

Even though he won the Golden Glove for the most clean sheets in the Premier League last season, De Gea's skillset was rooted in the past and he was quite clearly holding United back, preventing them from going in the new direction Ten Hag envisioned for them.

Onana, however, can lead United into the future. The Cameroonian was a big part of Ten Hag's most successful side at Ajax and he can help the Red Devils take the next step after an excellent first season under the Dutchman.

• Getty
  

  Ice cool on the biggest stage

  The FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City was almost certainly the game that convinced Ten Hag and United that they had to move on from De Gea. The Spaniard routinely gave away possession to Pep Guardiola's side at Wembley and was too slow to get across and save Ilkay Gundogan's winning goal.

  But one week later while watching the Champions League final between City and Inter, United saw the future right in front of them. In Istanbul, Onana gave a masterclass in controlling and distributing the ball while under pressure.

  Ten Hag already knew all about Onana after working with him for five years at Ajax. But now United could see that if they wanted to build on the progress that they had made under the Dutchman, then they needed to go all out and sign the Cameroonian.

  Onana may have ended the night on the losing side, but he was one of the standout players in the Champions League final and was a key factor in Inter making such a contest of a match that many observers predicted would be a one-sided affair.

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• Getty Images
  

  Endorsed by Guardiola

  Guardiola had spoken about Onana's quality on a number of occasions before the final. In the pre-match press conference, he was asked who Inter's most dangerous player was, and rather than point to a forward like Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko or Romelu Lukaku, he offered a concise analysis of his side's opponents.

  And he singled out Onana, who he described as "an exceptional goalkeeper to take the position to build-up. Really, really good."

  In an interview with , he again praised Onana for helping Inter play out from the back, contrasting the Serie A side's style of play with United: "The goalkeeper, Onana, makes it really difficult to deploy a high press against. You cannot press the goalkeeper properly. They are masters at keeping the ball, right up to the attackers – the likes of Lautaro, Dzeko and Lukaku.

  "If you look at United, for example, it is long ball. With [Marcus] Rashford and another one (forward) to run onto. But Inter are different, they keep the ball."

• Getty
  

  Passing ability of a midfielder

  Onana lived up to Guardiola's billing. In the opening minute of the final, he could be seen dribbling outside of his area, in front of his centre-backs. A few minutes later, when Bernardo Silva ran to press him in his area, he nonchalantly chipped the ball to Federico Dimarco.

  Towards the end of the first half, Onana had five City players in front of him and only one real option to hit, but he slipped the ball straight into the path of Marcelo Brozovic, making the pass with the ease of a top-class holding midfielder.

  Late in the game, when Inter were desperately chasing an equaliser, many goalkeepers would have resorted to quickly punting the ball forward. But Onana remained calm and courageous, venturing way out of his area with the ball at his feet – closer to the halfway line than his area – and taking on Erling Haaland before finding Lukaku and starting a dangerous Inter attack.

  Short passing under pressure is far from Onana's only attribute, and in one moment in the second half he took out seven City players with a curling pass to start a counter-attack. Over the course of the 90 minutes, Onana put opposite number Ederson, once regarded as one of the best ball-playing goalkeepers in the world, in the shade with his passing and dribbling.

  The Brazilian came to City's rescue with some fine saves, including tipping away Robin Gosens' shot in the final seconds of added-time. But Onana also performed well with his hands, foiling Haaland from City's best chance of the first half. There was very little he could do about Rodri's winning strike, too.

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• Getty
  

  Key to Ten Hag's golden era at Ajax

  While European superpowers such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were crushed by City, Inter got mighty close to toppling Guardiola's side, and a large part of that was the calmness and control Onana gave them in possession. But that is far from the only reason why United should be trying to sign the goalkeeper.

  Onana was Ten Hag's No.1 for the majority of his time at Ajax, and duringtheir time together, they won won three Eredivisie titles and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, outclassing Real Madrid and knocking out Juventus before being eliminated in agonising fashion by Tottenham.

  Onana, who first came to Europe to join Barcelona and then moved to Jong Ajax, the Dutch giants' youth side, was a key factor in Ajax's success under Ten Hag. He would frequently start attacks by finding playmaker Frenkie de Jong, and was on hand to offer his defenders a way out of trouble whenever they came under pressure.

  Onana had to miss nine months of football between 2021 and 2022 while he served a doping ban for accidentally ingesting the banned diuretic Furosemide, mistakenly thinking it was a paracetamol. But once he was free to play again Ten Hag slowly reintroduced him to the team and defended him from criticism when he first returned, calling him a "masterful goalkeeper".

Match facts

October 8-12, 2016
Start time 0930 local (0400 GMT)1:17

Injuries plague India-New Zealand series

Big Picture

As we move from Kanpur’s correct Hindi to Kolkata’s formal and slightly archaic English to the delightful informal mix of Hindi and Urdu in Indore, one thing has not changed. Kanpur’s Green Park is a 10-minute walk from the district court. One of Kolkata’s Eden Garden’s ends is called the High Court End. And now Indore’s Holkar Stadium turns out to be located under a kilometre from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. It is fitting considering a larger court’s shadow has loomed while the series has gone on.The Kanpur press box was used by Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri to further the BCCI’s old guard’s view; president Anurag Takur himself made a visit to the Eden Gardens press box. None of it could make you look away from some high-quality Test cricket watched by encouraging crowds barring the second day of Kolkata. Indore, making its Test debut, has thrown up thousands to just watch the nets; this Test should be a spectacle too.The scoreboard reads 2-0 India, which is obviously a fair indicator, but the margins of defeats – 197 runs and 178 runs – don’t do New Zealand justice. R Aswhin, the series’ leading bowler, was gracious enough to acknowledge the fight New Zealand have shown despite injuries and limited experience in such challenging conditions. “The best thing about this New Zealand team is they don’t give anything easily,” Ashwin told . “They have come with a gameplan, and it is really showing. They are making us work very hard for every single wicket and run.”As New Zealand try to avoid a whitewash against the No. 1-ranked Test side in the world, they will be buoyed by the return of their captain Kane Williamson, who missed the Kolkata Test because of illness. Williamson said he was “certainly very hopeful” of playing as he worked to get his energy levels back up after a virus attack. It’s not just New Zealand who have had to fight injuries and illnesses. India have lost Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar from their bowling department. The loss of two openers – KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan – will result in uncertainty at the top as Gautam Gambhir looks to come back once again, at a week short of 35.India have kept finding ways to win crucial moments and sessions in this series. With uncertainty around their board, they will need to keep finding ways if they are to realise their unstated – for obvious reasons of not putting too much pressure on themselves – dream of going unbeaten through the whole home season.

Form guide

India WWDWD (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LLLDWKane Williamson said he was “certainly very hopeful” of playing in Indore•BCCI

In the spotlight

Tom Latham, who doesn’t play too much limited-overs cricket at the international level, has never played in such heat and humidity. He has fought awfully hard for 455 minutes in the middle, but has still been able to get only 135 runs in four innings. He has been playing a game that doesn’t come naturally to him, which has brought him the respect of the opposition, but he will want to play that big innings that defines a match.Rohit Sharma paid back the first instalment for the faith shown in him by the team management when he scored 82 runs coming in at 43 for 4 in India’s second innings in Kolkata. His critics worry this might just be a one-off. Now the second-highest run-scorer in the series, Rohit himself said he has not been under any pressure; even if he was, this innings should have eased it, but he will also know the next instalment should not take too long.New Zealand spinners are rarely asked to win Tests on their own. They are usually asked to do the containing role to support their quicks. As in Kanpur, they will again be asked to win New Zealand the Test. Right now they average 35 (Micthell Santner), 50 (Ish Sodhi) and 58 (Jeetan Patel). They will need to cut out the loose balls for starters, and then give the ball enough opportunity to assume the natural variation off a pitch that looks dry.

Team news

India have lost Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shikhar Dhawan from the last Test. Gambhir should replace Dhawan, and depending on the nature of the pitch either Umesh Yadav or Amit Mishra should come in. A left-field selection could mean a debut for either paceman Shardul Thakur or offspinner Jayant Yadav.India (probable): 1 M Vijay, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt.), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Amit Mishra/ Umesh YadavWilliamson’s return will mean Henry Nicholls misses out with Martin Guptill expected to be given another chance. Matt Henry’s impressive performance in Kolkata could mean he stays in and Neil Wagner makes way for the third spinner Ish Sodhi.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt.), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Luke Ronchi, 6 Mitchell Santner, 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Matt Henry/Neil Wagner, 9 Jeetan Patel, 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Trent Boult

Pitch and conditions

The Indore pitch is known to provide assistance for quicks and value for shots, but don’t expect it at the cost of home advantage. The word is that the pitch is expected to behave similarly to Kanpur. Virat Kohli said it was a hard surface, which should have some carry. Williamson, though, said the pitch was soft and bare at both ends. He expected turn, but also felt that the softness of the pitch with the weather around was a factor. There has been some rain around in the lead-up to the Test, but the forecast is for an uninterrupted match.

Stats and trivia

• Virat Kohli has won all his six tosses at home
• India have been unbeaten in their last 13 home Tests. They have won 11 and drawn two
• Samandar Singh Chauhan, the curator at Holkar Stadium, is the man responsible for the pitches that gave ODI cricket its first two double-hundreds. Sachin Tendulkar did it in Gwalior, and Virender Sehwag here
• Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor and BJ Watling have averaged under 20 in this series

Quotes

“One thing that stands out for me as a learning is how to control a session that’s not going your way. The session when the other team is batting well, you should know how to control runs and at the same time not go negative.”
“We know we are up against a stiff challenge in India but at the same time we are yet to have played our best cricket. Although we’ve come off the back of a couple of losses we do feel if we can put out our best performance we can get a result in this part of the world. But we certainly need to improve on our last couple.”

Journalist Dean Jones has suggested that Manchester United outcast Mason Greenwood wouldn't be welcome at any other side in English football amid rumours surrounding his future.

What's the latest news involving Mason Greenwood?

The Sun have claimed that Greenwood could be offered a chance to continue his career at Juventus, with the option of a long-term loan deal said to be a possibility by the outlet.

As per the report, the 21-year-old has not played for the club since last year due to allegations of rape and assault, which were dropped earlier this year. Greenwood has been training alone away from Manchester United's Carrington complex, though Juventus, Roma and AC Milan retain an interest in the player.

The Mirror cite that he is still currently suspended by Manchester United as they carry out an internal investigation into affairs. The Red Devils made a statement following the news of his charges being dropped, stating: "Manchester United notes the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service that all charges against Mason Greenwood have been dropped. The club will now conduct its own process before determining next steps. We will not make any further comment until that process is complete."

It isn't thought that Greenwood has any future at Old Trafford and any decision on this will be dealt with by the club directly rather than management staff.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones has suggested that Greenwood may go abroad as the 'backlash' over the striker signing for another club in England would be immense.

Jones told FFC: "It would be really interesting if Juve went down this route. I can't see Greenwood being welcomed at any English clubs in the near future and I think there'll be a backlash if anyone was just trying to sign him. So you know, there probably is an element of going abroad that might suit him if that can happen."

What next for Manchester United?

Off-field situations will be dealt with by the powers that be at Manchester United, leaving manager Erik Ten Hag to focus on the task at hand on the pitch.

The Red Devils are embroiled in a battle for the Premier League top-four and sit fourth in the table, just one point above Liverpool in fifth; however, they have played a game less than their bitter rivals.

Manchester United face Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Fulham in their last four league fixtures, before taking on Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley in early June for a chance to win another piece of silverware.

Ten Hag will be fully focused on trying to make sure his side finish this term with a flourish and will leave matters outwith his control to whom they may concern.