Irfan Pathan completed his first ten-wicket haul in Tests against Bangaldesh on the third day at Dhaka

Cricinfo staff17-May-2016

Irfan Pathan already has four lbws in Bangladesh’s second innings© Getty Images
On picking up 10 wickets in a match so soon after picking up his first 5-for
It’s a great feeling for me. To get first five wickets and then 10 wickets. You need one five-wicket haul to get you started. I didn’t know it is going to happen so quickly.About all those lbws
It was easy for me because I was able to bowl the inswingers, especially with the new ball. It’s difficult for any batsman to play against such a swinging ball. I don’t think they played badly, the bowling was good.How he rates this performance
Very highly. I think I bowled a lot better in the second innings than the first: in the afternoon you generally don’t get that much swing. The most satisfying was the wicket I got in the first over.What did you intend for Habibul Bashar?
We had our plans. You never know whether someone will fall into the trap. But we always have our plans to all the batsmen.Was a conscious decision to bowl from Jeremy Lloyds’ end in both innings?
It wasn’t like that. I was bowling with the wind in the first innings. In the second there was no wind so I thought I would try his end.On the conditions in Dhaka
The ball swings more here than in India. I think this wicket was the best I’ve played in Asia.

Fast bowler Pat Cummins is expected to use an Australia A series in August to make his return from a long lay-off due to a stress fracture of the back. Cummins has been named in a 24-man squad for Australia A’s winter games in Queensland, while there were also call-ups for young batsmen Matt Renshaw, Sam Heazlett, Alex Ross, Travis Dean, Kurtis Patterson and Jake Lehmann, the son of national coach Darren Lehmann.Australia A will play a pair of four-day games against South Africa A in Brisbane and Townsville from July 30 to August 9, before a quadrangular one-day series featuring the same two teams, the National Performance Squad, and a fourth international side yet to be confirmed. The one-dayers will be play in Townsville and Mackay, before two more four-day games in September.Cummins is expected to be used in the one-day games, if he continues to recover from the back stress fracture that was diagnosed last September and ruled him out of yet another home summer. Cummins was part of the World Cup-winning squad early last year and remains a Cricket Australia-contracted player, despite injuries having prevented him from playing Sheffield Shield cricket for more than five years.”Pat is tracking along nicely in his recovery from his long term injury and we are hopeful he will be available for the one-day matches in this series,” national selector Rod Marsh said. “However, we will be guided by medical staff on his return.”The list of bowlers in the squad also includes Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall, the South Australia pair who topped the Sheffield Shield wicket tally last summer, as well as Chris Tremain, and spinner Mitchell Swepson.Australia A squad Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, Pat Cummins, Travis Dean, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Sam Heazlett, Moises Henriques, Jake Lehmann, Chris Lynn, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Joel Paris, Matt Renshaw, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Chadd Sayers, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Daniel Worrall, Sam Whiteman.Four-day matches
July 30-August 2: Australia A v South Africa A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
August 6-9: Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
September 8-11: Australia A v TBC, Allan Border Field
September 15-18: Australia A v TBC, Allan Border Field
One-day series
August 13: South Africa A v NPS, Townsville
August 14: Australia A v TBC, Townsville
August 16: Australia A v NPS, Townsville
August 17: South Africa A v TBC, Townsville
August 20: Australia A v South Africa A, Townsville
August 21: TBC v NPS, Townsville
August 24: NPS v Australia A, Harrup Park, Mackay
August 25: South Africa A v TBC, Mackay
August 27: NPS v TBC, Mackay
August 28: Australia A v South Africa A, Mackay
August 30: Australia A v TBC, Mackay
August 31: South Africa A v NPS, Mackay
September 3: Final 3 v 4, Mackay
September 4: Final 1 v 2, Mackay

Aston Villa will be hoping to continue their remarkable run of form under Unai Emery as they face Brentford in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Midlands side are currently just six points off a Champions League spot, and having won their last five matches in a row, the momentum is currently with the Villans as they chase a European spot which seemed out of this world just six months ago.

Emery’s men have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match today, with several big-name players such as Boubacar Kamara, Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho still all on the treatment table.

The tie represents a major opportunity for Villa to secure another three points, while Brentford have struggled as of late, picking up just two points from their last five matches, and despite having a solid season, they will be hoping to end on a high note.

We at Football FanCast predict the starting XI that Emery will select for the crucial visit to the Gtech Community Stadium this afternoon.

How will Aston Villa line up against Brentford?

4-2-3-1: Emiliano Martinez; Ashley Young, Diego Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Alex Moreno; Leander Dendoncker, Douglas Luiz; John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins

Martinez will keep his place in goal and the Argentinian ‘keeper has kept a clean sheet in four of his previous five matches – with Villa conceding just one goal in that time – and he will be hoping to enjoy a comfortable afternoon.

Young will continue to deputise at right-back due to Cash being unavailable, while Alex Moreno will keep his place on the left side of defence.

Despite enjoying some solid performances of late, we think Emery could drop Ezri Konsa to the bench and give a runout to Carlos. The £100k-per-week centre-half – who was dubbed a “monster” by Watkins – hasn’t started a match since August, but he has recovered from his knee injury that has ruled him out of the majority of the season. Mings will partner him at the heart of the defence.

Dendoncker and Luiz will form the midfield axis like they did against Newcastle and will be hoping to replicate their performances against the Magpies.

Emery will yet again deploy three attacking players behind a lone striker. McGinn and Ramsey will operate on the flanks as the Englishman aims to build on his impressive display last weekend, where he scored and provided an assist. Buendia will hope to make things happen in the number ten role directly behind the in-form Watkins, who has scored 12 goals since Christmas.

Another three points will propel Villa towards the promised land of European football, but Brentford will make it a tough match as they seek their first win in over a month.

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that West Ham United manager David Moyes "has almost zero chance" of remaining beyond the end of the season.

What's the latest on West Ham manager David Moyes?

It's been a bad season for the Hammers so far in the Premier League and they consequently find themselves at risk of being relegated.

Indeed, they currently sit inside the bottom three and will be desperate to pick up a win against Southampton this weekend, with the Saints at the very foot of the table but just one point behind the Hammers.

As a result of this poor form domestically, Moyes' position as manager has felt under threat for some time. For instance, back in February, The Times reported that he would be sacked if they lost at home to Nottingham Forest.

In the end, they won that game 4-0 but then lost to Brighton & Hove Albion by the same margin before drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa in their most recent league match.

And so, while speaking on the latest episode of Chasing Green Arrows, Jones has claimed that Moyes must once more win this weekend to keep his job.

He added, however, that the manager will leave at the end of the reason regardless, explaining (57:55): "West Ham, really up against it and David Moyes very much against it.

"If West Ham lose this weekend, David Moyes is very likely to lose his job and he has almost zero chance of being West Ham manager beyond this season.

"They're just trying to figure out what to do next."

When will Moyes be sacked by West Ham?

Seeing as a defeat against the Saints would potentially see West Ham drop to 20th in the table – if Bournemouth were to also win – with just 11 games to save their season, it's not hard to see why Moyes would be sacked.

And while he has been able to enjoy some good times with the club in past season – taking the club to the Europa League semi-final last term – things have soured badly this term.

This has been fairly evident for some time now. Indeed, Moyes was booed before the new year when West Ham lost 2-0 at home to London rivals Brentford.

To make things worse, The Guardian have even reported that some West Ham players have grown weary of his tactics. And so, if the 59-year-old has lost the dressing room – even if he can keep them up – it will surely be the right time for a clean break this summer.

After all, the club's board will no doubt be hoping for a fresh start next term and won't want to carry any lingering issues from this current season into the next.

Worcestershire broke the only unbeaten record in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast and moved clear at the top of the North Group

ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2016
ScorecardBen Cox sealed Worcestershire’s victory in the final over•Getty ImagesWorcestershire broke the only unbeaten record in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast and moved clear at the top of the North Group when beating Northamptonshire by Worcestershire by three wickets at New Road.Wicketkeeper Ben Cox followed up three catches in Northamptonshire’s 169 for 7 by taking the nine runs wanted from the last over in three balls from Mohammad Azharullah – a reverse paddle for four, a pull for four and a single into the covers.Cox finished unbeaten with 42 from 24 balls, having turned the match in his team’s favour after going in at 102 for 5, but it seemed that Worcestershire had lost their best chance when Tom Kohler-Cadmore was dismissed for 60 by Rob Keogh’s juggling act on the deep extra cover boundary.Keogh, who previously held a one-handed catch at mid-off from Brett D’Oliveira, knocked the ball up before completing the catch.Both sides were handicapped by constant drizzle and poor light in Worcestershire’s innings and at first the game was tilting towards Northants when Azharullah took two wickets in an over to leave the home side teetering on 20 for 3.Earlier, Ben Duckett’s first half-century of the season in the competition was crucial to setting up a challenging total for Northants, but the left hander benefited from two lapses in Worcestershire’s normally reliable fielding.This was rough luck on George Rhodes as the son of the county’s director of cricket made his home debut following an impressive start in the Royal London Cup against Yorkshire earlier in the week.The 22-year-old spinner was in his first over when Duckett, on 6, was dropped by Jack Shantry at short third man and returned later to see the batsman’s second life, on 28, when D’Oliveira fumbled a stringing drive to extra cover. Rhodes had figures of 1 for 11 from his two overs, his wicket coming when Alexei Kervezee at deep square leg held a well-judged catch from Steven Crook.Duckett went on to reach his 50 from 34 balls after hitting three sixes and four fours but without addition to his score he was seventh out at 140, bowled by Joe Leach as Worcestershire’s acting captain finished with 3 for 26.Leach was called on to lead the side when Daryl Mitchell suffered a side strain in the nets, a major blow to Worcestershire, who were already without paceman Matt Henry, but Northamptonshire were even more depleted with Richard Levi, Rory Kleinveldt and Olly Stone on their lengthening casualty list.Wickets fell on a regular basis on a sluggish surface, although Alex Wakely, Josh Cobb and Keogh all had time to deal in some heavy blows.Keogh was brilliantly caught overhead at mid-off as Shantry atoned for his earlier miss but the when he came on to bowl the penultimate over, Graeme White smashed three consecutive sixes.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSri Lanka might have feared the only thing they could catch in Durham would be a cold, but instead they caught a collection of stunners to keep England just about in sight on the opening day of the second Test. Four of the wickets would easily fit into a ‘classic catches’ compilation and though the final score of 310 for 6 was healthy enough for England – and given the fragility of Sri Lanka’s batting may already be enough – there was a wastefulness about the dismissals.Both England’s openers missed milestones; Alastair Cook left waiting a little longer still to reach the 10,000-run milestone which he has been on the cusp of since January and Alex Hales throwing away the chance of a maiden century for the second innings running. Joe Root’s iffy conversion rate did not improve when he fell for 80 and shortly before the close the in-form Jonny Bairstow, after adding 70 in 19 overs with Moeen Ali either side of the new ball, bottom edged Nuwan Pradeep who finished the day with a worthy 3 for 69.Sri Lanka struck each time partnerships started to form. Hales and Root added 96 for the third wicket, the highest stand so far after Nick Compton’s lean run had continued when he was spectacularly caught at long leg by Suranga Lakmal from a top-edged hook. Hales moved to his fifty off 102 balls, clumping Rangana Herath over mid-on, but fell the ball after lofting Milinda Siriwardana straight for six when he tried to cut the left-arm spinner and Angelo Mathews held a stinging catch to his right at slip.To have worked hard against some decent pace bowling in consecutive Tests and then fall attacking the spinner in May will have left Hales cursing. He had played confidently, boosted by his 86 at Headingley, with another astute display of attack and defence. In tricky conditions, he waited for a delivery he was sure he could take advantage of and the standout part of his batting was the off-side driving which brought five of his boundaries.Nothing had seemed more certain than a Root century as he breezed his way into the 80s. He was jaunty before lunch, when scoring had been hard work for the top three against some tight bowling, and progressed serenely during the afternoon, with a 70-ball half-century, barring a tight stumping appeal against Herath when he just managed to push his back foot over the line.A sluggish outfield kept the boundary count down, but Root’s deft placement and scampering between the wickets more than compensated to such an extent that England scored at four an over during the afternoon session. However, shortly after tea, Pradeep got a delivery to bounce awkwardly at Root and he spooned a catch into the covers – by far the simplest of the catches taken. Root had a face of thunder as he stomped off and thumped his bat as he strode up the pavilion steps: since the start of 2015 he has fallen between 70 and 98 on nine occasions.James Vince, having shown glimpses of his cover driving, completed the quartet to be acrobatically dismissed when he carelessly drove in the air to short cover. It gave Siriwardana his second of the day and was bonus for Sri Lanka from a player brought in to strength the batting, at the expense of Dasun Shanaka, but it may also have left Herath scratching his head a little about when his 300th wicket would arrive.There would have been a strong temptation for Cook to stick Sri Lanka in on overcast morning after they managed just 91 and 119 in similar conditions last week at Headingley. However, the occasional signs of uneven bounce and some turn for Herath suggested he made the correct call.Cook had looked compact as he set out collecting the 20 needed to tick off the 10,000 landmark and played a delightful whip-pull to open his boundary account before, on the stroke of the first hour, he was undone by the round-the-wicket line of Lakmal which the paceman had switched to just the previous ball. The delivery was short of a length and could have been ignored, but Cook jabbed at it and the catch was held by a tumbling Dimuth Karunaratne at second slip to begin Sri Lanka’s impressive catching theme.Both morning dismissals came from smart pieces of bowling with Pradeep out-thinking Compton with a rare bouncer. Lakmal put in a nine-over spell with the new ball although even that extended burst was unlikely to have worked up much of a sweat in conditions that saw the Sri Lankans retain multiple layers, but he certainly hadn’t cooled to a stand-still when Compton’s top edge flew in his direction. For a moment it appeared he had misjudged the chance, but managed to arch his body and take the ball diving backwards then, equally impressively, keep himself inside the boundary rope. It was reward for a hard-working spell from Pradeep, who had threatened the pads of the batsmen with some late movement.Compton had spoken before the match about playing for his Test future, and a 34-ball stay which included a close call for lbw against Herath, which replays showed would have taken a good chunk of leg stump although was umpire’s call, and a dicey single will not have furthered his cause. This series began with question marks over both Compton and Hales after their uncertain returns in South Africa and already, less than halfway into the series, fortunes are diverging.

Arsenal are planning to "step up" contract talks with Aaron Ramsdale as we approach the back end of the Premier League season, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Which Arsenal players will be offered new contracts?

With the Gunners currently sitting top of the Premier League table, six points clear of Manchester City, it is no real wonder Mikel Arteta wants to tie down a number of first team players to new contracts, having already agreed terms with Gabriel Martinelli.

Bukayo Saka is in line for a new deal, with it being reported at one point that a verbal agreement had been reached, while captain Martin Odegaard is set to be offered a new long-term contract, in a deal that would run until 2030.

Arteta is also keen on extending defender William Saliba's stay at the Emirates Stadium, although he has already turned down an extension, as the offer was significantly less than what he had been hoping for.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Jones confirmed that Arsenal are set to enter discussions with Ramsdale soon, although it is not yet considered a pressing matter.

The journalist said: "I think Ramsdale is going to be an important one as we start to get out of this season, as that will be a situation they start to look at. There's no urgency around Ramsdale right now.

"He's still got two years left after this season. That’s because of how well things have gone with him, as he's been a great fit for not just the playing style, but as a personality as well.

"Ramsdale's extension is going to be something we hear more and more about at the back end of this season in terms of Arsenal trying to step up talks to get him tied down to a new deal.”

Does Aaron Ramsdale deserve a new contract?

There is no doubt that the 24-year-old has earned a new deal, as the goalkeeper, who currently earns £83k-per-week, has been fantastic for Arsenal so far this season, keeping 12 league clean sheets, the third-highest amount in the top flight.

Members of the media praised the shot-stopper for another fantastic performance in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday, hailing him as "absolutely sensational", while also giving him credit for some important saves in the latter stages of the match.

Ramsdale is already contracted until 2025, with an option for an extra year, meaning Arsenal are at no risk of losing him any time soon, but fresh terms should still be offered at the earliest opportunity, to ensure his long-term future is at the Emirates Stadium.

Legal counsel for the USA Cricket Association (USACA) has sent former executive secretary Kenwyn Williams a cease and desist letter, ordering him to refrain from filing a temporary restraining order against Broward County Florida

Peter Della Penna22-Jun-2016

Legal counsel for the USA Cricket Association (USACA) has sent former executive secretary Kenwyn Williams a cease and desist letter, ordering him to refrain from filing a temporary restraining order against Broward County Florida over the sanctioning of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches scheduled for next month at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill. Williams had sent an email on June 13 asking the County to cancel the six CPL matches and in the days since has progressively stepped up his threats to sue the county over the sanctioning of the matches.”You have no authority to bring this lawsuit or other legal action in the name of USACA or any of its regions or members,” Marshall Beil, USACA’s representing attorney at the law firm McGuire Woods, LLP, wrote to Williams in an email on Tuesday afternoon. USACA president Gladstone Dainty, ICC head of global development Tim Anderson and Broward County officials were also copied on the email, which has been obtained by ESPNcricinfo. “No suit has been authorized by USACA or any subdivision of USACA. You are not an officer or director of USACA, and you are not authorized to act on behalf of USACA or any region or subdivision of USACA.”USACA demands that you cease and desist from threatening and/or instituting legal action in the name of USACA or any region, league or member of USACA. If you proceed with your threatened action, USACA will inform the court of your complete lack of standing and authority to sue and will hold you personally responsible for any damages, costs and fees, including legal fees, your actions may cause.”The current imbroglio involving Williams and USACA was set in motion on June 9, when USACA vice president Owen Grey issued a letter to the ICC informing it that USACA would “take action” against the ICC’s continued suspension of it. Grey stated that USACA had appointed Williams to represent it in a legal capacity and that Williams would be the USACA delegate attending this month’s ICC annual conference in Scotland.Williams then sent Broward County and CPL officials the June 13 email in which he asked them to cancel the six CPL matches at the end of July, claiming that the county had not pursued proper sanctioning. The ICC had stripped USACA of its sanctioning authority for games in the USA in June 2015 at the time of its administrative suspension, though Williams claimed in his letter to county officials that USACA continues to maintain sanctioning authority and it had yet to be sought from USACA.According to documents obtained by ESPNcricinfo, Williams sent a subsequent email on June 14, notifying Broward County officials that he was intending to pursue litigation against Broward County Parks & Recreation manager Duncan Finch for “being in violation of the sanctioning policy of USA Cricket” and that in order to avoid “unnecessary litigation” Williams was reaching out to achieve “an amicable resolution to this dispute”.”As we believe that we will suffer irreparable harm, we do intend to seek a court order granting a preliminary injunction,” Williams wrote to Patrice Eichen of the Broward County Attorney’s Office. Eichen responded on June 16, telling Williams that the County had issued a sanctioning permit to the CPL for the six matches.”The County has determined that CPL has complied with or is in the process of complying with the County’s requirements related to issuance of a Park Permit to host the events at CBRP,” Eichen wrote. “The County does not believe there is any violation of County policies to justify taking action to stop the upcoming events.”Williams then responded once again on Monday, June 20, attaching a draft document for a temporary restraining order in which USACA’s Southeast Regional board – which represents Florida among other states – is listed as a plaintiff in proposed legal action against proposed defendants Broward County Parks and Recreation, Finch and Lauderhill mayor Richard Kaplan. In the draft seeking injunctive relief, Williams repeatedly bases his course for action on a position that USACA still maintains sanctioning authority for matches in the USA.”All cricket matches in the USA or cricket events held in the USA require the approval of USACA unless they are already specifically approved or pre-approved,” the draft document states. “Defendants have intervened and bypassed the sanction procedures of USACA to partner directly with the CPL to tortuously interfere with USACA’s business relationship, causing irreparable injury to plaintiffs’ revenue potential and reputation.”Among the other claims made in the draft document sent by Williams to Broward County officials threatening a lawsuit are that USACA is a non-profit organization which “derives its revenue in part from grants and sanction fees from cricket events”. As such, the proposed legal action argues that the “defendants’ planned cricket events are of a high commercial value and will deprive USACA of substantial revenue needed to promote cricket to its thousands of members throughout the USA,” and, furthermore, that such legal action would be in the public’s interest.”Plantiffs will also lose the credibility to conduct business with other third parties if they can cut out the sanctioning procedures of USACA, thereby causing irreparable injury and loss of substantial revenue to plaintiffs,” the proposed suit says. “Defendants are holding a sporting event for entertainment purposes for a small demographic of fans. The events if enjoined will not disserve the public interest. The members of USACA as well as the members in the Southeast Region will be more disserved if defendants are not enjoined.”However, USACA’s own legal rebuttal from Beil contradicts Williams’ view that legal action against Broward County would serve USACA positively. As of now, Williams has yet to follow through on officially filing the proposed suit in Broward County.Meanwhile, Grey has told ESPNcricinfo that Williams still has the support of the board to act as a legal liaison for USACA and Beil’s directive does not necessarily represent the majority view of the USACA board.”I am aware of [Beil’s] letter,” Grey said. “However, USACA’s lawyer was instructed to do so by Gladstone Dainty, not the board of directors. An emergency BOD [meeting] is scheduled to address this issue.”

Sky Sports reporter Paul Gilmour has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur could sack interim manager Cristian Stellini after the club's humiliating loss.

What's the latest on Spurs and their manager?

It's hardly been a good season for the North London outfit but some must have hoped things would improve when Antonio Conte left a few weeks ago.

Instead of a new manager bounce, however, the club have sunken even further into their own misery with the Italian's former assistant Stellini now pulling the strings.

Indeed, the shocking 6-1 defeat at Newcastle United in the Premier League over the weekend means the interim has won just one of his four games in charge and it sounds as though he might not be around to oversee many more.

Indeed, when asked if he thinks Stellini could be sacked before the end of the season, Gilmour revealed that the club's hierarchy were at the training ground early on Monday morning so an exit for the 48-year-old might be on the cards.

He told Sky Sports News (1:40): "It wouldn't surprise me if the club were at least discussing that after what happened yesterday.

"We have seen many of the club's hierarchy drive into the training ground early this morning."

Will Cristian Stellini be sacked by Spurs?

Stellini was promoted by Daniel Levy to take charge until the end of the season, giving Spurs ample time to decide a long-term replacement for Conte who would be hired in the summer.

With that in mind, it's a remarkable turn of events which leaves the club now potentially on the brink of sacking the 48-year-old coach.

Only adding to Gilmour's insight, Dan Kilpatrick has reported in the Evening Standard that "sources" at Spurs are unsure if Stellini will last until Thursday when Manchester United travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – with Ryan Mason tipped to potentially step up.

The current interim certainly has come in for some heavy criticism in the media after the loss at Newcastle, with Jamie Carragher calling for him to be sacked.

The pundit wrote on Twitter: "Tottenham are a disgrace!

"How have they gone to a back four for the first time this season, with Porro a full back that can’t defend & Perisic who is a winger.

"Get a proper manager in right now, not Conte’s mate."

While Stellini himself dropped a damning assessment of the game, telling reporters (via Goal): "There are no words to explain a performance like this. The first 25 minutes were maybe the worst I've ever seen. Changing the system was the wrong decision and that's my responsibility.

"We have to apologise to everyone. If it's the system, it's easier to change. If it's not the system, then we have to analyse why.

Arsenal dropped yet more points in the Premier League title race with a 3-3 draw against Southampton last night, meaning they have just a five-point lead over Manchester City, who have two games in hand.

Mikel Arteta’s men will realistically need to beat City in midweek in order to win a first league title in 19 years, and considering the reigning champions haven’t lost a match since February, it’s an extreme challenge.

The Gunners are masters of their own downfall, however, falling 2-0 and 3-1 behind in a nervy evening at the Emirates, with only some salvation secured through two late goals rescuing a point that looked so unlikely after 80 minutes.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were among the few players who performed to their high standards, with both grabbing a goal and making 11 key passes between them; it’s just a pity the other players weren’t at the races.

Oleksandr Zinchenko was uncharacteristically poor, winning just two duels and failing to even attempt a dribble during the tie, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6/10 for his troubles.

But it was another consistent performer who failed to build on some excellent performances of late who really let Arteta down in Thomas Partey.

How did Thomas Partey perform against Southampton?

The Ghanaian will have been expected to assert his authority in matches like this, controlling possession so Arsenal could dictate the play and create plenty of chances, yet he struggled against the Saints last night.

Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts stated that Partey was “so poor” and that several big players such as Martin Odegaard and Zinchenko “underperformed”, and this is in line with the performance they put in against the team that was sitting at the bottom of the league table before the match started.

Statistically, Partey took 100 touches and completed 91% of his attempted passes, though this was all in vain as the Gunners struggled throughout and couldn’t quite find their rhythm.

The Ghanaian won just 50% of his duels, was dribbled past four times and committed two fouls during the match, while also losing possession eight times throughout.

Considering on average this term he has only been dribbled past once per game and wins 58% of his duels, his display last night was way below his usual standards, and just when Arteta needed his key men to step up and take control of the title race following dropped points against Liverpool and West Ham United, they pretty much blew it.