Newcastle United missed the chance to reinforce their lofty Premier League position as they were given a thorough hiding against Champions League-chasing rivals Aston Villa.

A switch flicked in December and United charged their way into the ascendancy, winning the Carabao Cup off Liverpool in March and underlining their elite-level credentials.

Still third in the top flight, Eddie Howe’s side now need to regroup ahead of the crucial final stretch of the season, their six-match winning run snapped.

However, this was a bruising display that will have left stand-in manager Jason Tindall seething. So often so strong, the centre-halves were taken to the shops against Villa Park’s slick frontline.

Newcastle's defence falls against Villa

Newcastle have been in emphatic form in recent weeks, turning Crystal Palace over 5-0 in midweek. However, the relentless fixture list, having forced United into three games over six days, claimed a top outfit in this one.

Fabian Schar equalised before twenty minutes after connecting with the in-form Harvey Barnes’ whipped delivery, but it was not a good evening for the long-serving Swiss centre-back, who disappointingly lost all five of his duels.

Likewise, Dan Burn has been a pillar of strength this term but he failed to produce his best performance, skewing Youri Tielemans’ lunge into his own net to all but seal the hosts’ victory. He also struggled to impose himself against a lively frontline, winning just one of five duels.

Both Schar and Burn will recover over the coming days and gear up for next weekend’s crucial clash against Ipswich Town at St. James’ Park.

Options have been sparse in defence, but there’s one man who may be dropped going forward after being exposed against Unai Emery’s men.

Newcastle must now drop stalwart

Even with Lewis Hall sidelined for the rest of the season, Kieran Trippier surely needs to be benched for the tough run-in, with Howe perhaps shifting Tino Livramento back into his natural right-back berth and giving Matt Targett some rare game time from the outset.

26/04/25

Ipswich Town (H)

18th

04/05/25

Brighton (A)

10th

10/05/25

Chelsea (H)

7th

18/05/25

Arsenal (A)

2nd

25/05/25

Everton (H)

13th

Following the loss, the experienced full-back was branded with a 4/10 match rating by The Chronicle Live, who noted that he was run ragged by the Lions.

Ceding possession 16 times despite only making one key pass, as per Sofascore, Trippier’s ball-playing skills weren’t at their best, but more concerningly he only won one of his four contested ground duels, having a tough time against the dangerous Ollie Watkins.

Newcastle writer Thomas Hammond even made the scathing comment that “Trippier’s legs gave up on him.” Aged 34 and a true veteran of the game, it’s hardly surprising that this might be the case for the vice-captain.

Schar and Burns suffered rare off-days and you’d think that all of a Magpies persuasion will be able to rally ahead of the stretch ahead, but if faced with such intensity again, Howe and Tindall might want to consider dropping Trippier, who was already at risk of being sold during the winter transfer window and may well be in the coming months.

The concern, of course, is that the Toon face a testing finish to the season, one which they will need to pass with flying colours if a place back at the continent’s prized tournament is to be achieved, lifting a stunning campaign even higher.

Best signing since Isak: Newcastle hit the jackpot on "world-class" star

Newcastle’s signing has turned into one of the best players in the Premier League.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 18, 2025

Manchester City have dominated the Premier League for the best part of a decade, securing six titles in the last ten seasons, including a phenomenal four consecutive titles, from 2020-2024.

One area the Citizens have struggled in this season, however, is in the defensive department, conceding 40 goals already this term in their 29 games played, which is the same number of goals conceded as rivals Manchester United, who sit 13th in the league.

Rodri being out injured has played a huge factor in this, losing their protection in front of the defensive line, but the decline of Kyle Walker mixed with injuries to the likes of John Stones and Nathan Ake has left City light at the back at points this campaign.

Meanwhile, last season’s runners-up – Arsenal – have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League this season, after also conceding the fewest in the league last term, showing their defensive quality over the past few years.

Arsenal's centre-back pairing

The Gunners had the best defensive record in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign, conceding just 29 goals in their 38 games played, averaging 8.5 shots conceded per game (2nd in the division) and finishing as the league runners-up.

So far this season, Arsenal have conceded 24 times in 29 games, again making them the most resolute defensive side in the league.

Much of this comes down to their rock-solid base in defence, with William Saliba and Gabriel, the French international making 27 appearances in the league this season, whilst the Brazilian international has also made 27 appearances in the league.

William Saliba vs Gabriel comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)	Saliba	Gabriel
Goals + Assists	0.05	0.16
Progressive Carries	0.42	0.37
Progressive Passes	4.05	4.57
Passes Attempted	70.6	62.8
Pass Completion %	93.4%	90.3%
Tackles	1.89	0.86
Blocks	0.72	1.49
Interceptions	0.79	0.57
Aerial Duels Won	1.74	2.26
Stats taken from FBref

Comparing the two defenders’ underlying metrics this term, you can see how well they balance each other out, Gabriel offering more aerial prowess and box-defending traits to make blocks, whilst Saliba has a better recovery pace to make tackles and be progressive via carrying.

Manchester City spent a good deal of money in the January transfer window, and Pep could now have his very own answer to the Saliba and Gabriel partnership, with his new £63.4m duo.

Manchester City's own Gabriel & Saliba

In the January 2025 transfer window, Manchester City spent £33.8m on Lens starlet, Abdukodir Khusanov, whilst also paying around £29.6m for Palmeiras defender, Vitor Reis.

The former being 21 years old and the latter being 19 years old, gives City a new defensive foundation that could last a decade.

Much like Gabriel and Saliba too, Reis and Khusanov have traits to balance each other out, with Khusanov being more aggressive, having much more recovery speed and therefore being more involved in duels.

Indeed, the ex-Lens man has won 64% of his aerial duels in the Premier League so far, while averaging 4.5 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

Whereas, Reis provides more aerial ability and calmness on the ball, aiding Manchester City in their possession-based approach, with the South American starlet ranking in the top 15% of his peers for pass completion, across the last 365 days, as per FBref.

Khusanov has been given a quicker platform into Guardiola’s side, already making eight appearances for the club and scoring one goal. His blistering speed and tenacity to engage in duels has earned the 21-year-old high praise from Julien Laurens, labelling the young defender as “outstanding”.

Reis has only made two appearances for the first team since his arrival, but due to the teenager coming from the Brazilian League, Guardiola is likely looking to integrate Reis in a slower, more methodical manner, with the view of forming his very own Gabriel and Saliba in the years to come.

Their best signing since Haaland: Man City eyeing up "flawless" £100m star

Man City are looking to overhaul their midfield

By
Joe Nuttall

Mar 19, 2025

Australia have had the fast bowlers to dominate England and that has been no accident

Daniel Brettig in Perth18-Dec-2017In the revered Australian film , the titular character explains his practice of shooting prisoners of war by saying he enacted “Rule 303”, in reference to the .303 calibre rifle in use at the time. In this series, Australia have skated to victory in the bare minimum three matches by invoking another simple and sometimes brutal rule: “Rule 140”.There was some irony in Chris Woakes’ final dismissal by Pat Cummins, for the New South Welshman’s delivery was recorded at a speed of 130.2kph. But the wider truth of Australia’s pace advantage can be read from the overall speeds of the two bowling attacks across all three Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. According to CricViz, England’s pace bowlers have clocked an average of 135.37kph over that time, a long way short of Australia’s 141.44kph.While some spells and days offered hope to the lesser velocities of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Craig Overton, the broad truth of this encounter was that in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins, Australia had the weaponry to wear down England’s batsmen while taking no little delight in terrorising their tail enders. For an example, just look at the first ball Cummins bowled to Anderson this day. Four years ago Michael Clarke had warned England’s No. 11 to “get ready for a broken f***en arm”; this time there was no verbal warning about the spitting bouncer that slammed into the earpiece of Anderson’s helmet.Australia’s instant response to this blow was sympathetic, and in the intervening years the game has been changed by the death of Phillip Hughes in November 2014. But Smith’s team has always been conscious of keeping speed and intimidation as part of their shot locker. As Smith himself put it before the series: “I still think that we have to play the game. Some people have some weaknesses to short bowling and you’ve got to use it. If they get hit, you have concern for them, but it’s still part of the game.”Australia’s Ashes celebration will haunt England•Getty ImagesFrom the perspective of the Australian coach Darren Lehmann, his desire for bowlers of top pace has been clear ever since he took the job, and was taken to an extreme when he dropped Peter Siddle in South Africa three years ago for letting his pace decline. Numerous bowlers have been sidelined for similar reasons in the past, but seldom so pointedly or publicly. Lehmann’s explanation at the time has always been his modus operandi when choosing the members of his fast bowling group.”Unlucky for Sids because he’s done a great job for us over the last few Tests but we’ve gone for the extra pace,” Lehmann had said. “He’d like some more wickets obviously but it’s the pace drop. We need him bowling 140kph and at the moment he’s averaging 131, 132. He knows that, we’ve spoken to him and I’m sure he will be back bigger and stronger.”In the previous Ashes series in England it was Australia’s reluctance to pick Siddle due to his lack of speed that actually proved costly, as he languished on the sidelines until the encounter was decided on a pair of seam-friendly pitches in Birmingham and Nottingham. Overseas, Australia have since gone on a journey of adaptability underlined by their improving displays in Asia, but they have always remained committed to a high-speed approach at home.It has been important, as well, to ensure that the pace bowlers at Smith’s disposal maintain a high level of skill. A 145kph long hop is still a long hop – Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss dispatched plenty such deliveries in Mitchell Johnson’s more wayward years – but that same speed on a disciplined line is a far more challenging prospect. Siddle, Ryan Harris and Johnson proved that in a 2013-14 series that Lehmann’s coaching staff have been so eager to recall this time around. Now the next generation have combined velocity and accuracy with similar effectiveness – credit due to the assistant coach David Saker and his predecessor Craig McDermott.

‘If the wickets are responsive to fast bowling it gives encouragement to young bowlers to bowl fast. If they don’t, well it is probably the opposite’Trevor Bayliss, England coach.

“Certainly the extra pace helps but you’ve also got to be skilful with it and put the ball in the right areas and get the ball to move, and they’ve certainly been able to do that as well,” England’s coach Trevor Bayliss said. “I think the basic conditions … if the wickets are responsive to fast bowling it gives encouragement to young bowlers to bowl fast. If they don’t, well it is probably the opposite.”One of the curious things about the series was that England, in winning all three tosses, enjoyed the better of the conditions on offer, especially when Smith declined to enforce the follow-on in Adelaide and opened up his batting order to a sharply swinging pink ball under lights.Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood were able to slog through full days of bowling on day one in both Brisbane and Perth, maintaining their speed, accuracy and fitness for long enough periods to ensure England could never quite break free. Then when the fifth wicket fell in each innings, the liberal use of bouncers ensured that the visiting lower order was quite simply not a factor.Joe Root, who has been unable to cope with the sustained barrage, was frank in conceding that he had entered the series knowing he and his bowlers needed to outsmart and out-skill the Australians, for there was no question about whether or not they could out-blast them. “We’ve got a very skilful, talented bowling unit but that’s probably one area where we haven’t got lots of resources in the side at the moment,” he said.”We had to try and out skill them and we weren’t quite able to do it in these first three games. That’ll certainly be our challenge in the last two. We certainly haven’t been able to get the ball to move as much we’d have liked, and credit to the guys they tried absolutely everything. It wasn’t due to a lack of effort, we felt like we tried every plan, different fields, bowling straight, hanging it wide, every now and again a bit of bumper warfare. It felt like we didn’t leave anything to chance.”Lacking that extra pace to mix things up meant that England were unable to pressure the Australians in general and Smith in particular after any early movement with the new ball had dissipated. Even then it was plain to see the contrast in bounce and carry when a few less kilometres of speed were behind it. At the start of Australia’s first innings, after Anderson and Stuart Broad had been made to hop around, the new ball in their hands looked like it was hitting a pudding relative to the pacy surface Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins had been operating on. No-one was better placed to exploit the difference than a ruthless Smith, with significant help from the Marsh brothers, among others.England’s No 11 James Anderson takes a blow on the helmet•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaNews that Mitchell Starc is now nursing a bruised heel – quite often the forerunner to a stress “hot spot” or fracture – provided a reminder of the fine balance Cricket Australia’s medical staff, selectors and coaches have had to maintain to keep the pacemen fit. As was the case four years ago, they appear to have run a long-term plan that has paid off at the most important time in the team’s four-year Test match cycle.”I think here in Australia it certainly makes a difference on the flatter tracks where there isn’t much sideways movement,” Smith said. “That extra air speed can make a big difference. We’ve worked really hard to ensure we had these three big quicks on the park and ready for this series. A couple of them skipped the one-day series in India. We knew what was coming up, we were preparing for this series and we wanted those big three on the park to do what they’ve done the last three Test matches. A lot of praise has got to go to the medical staff for ensuring those guys were ready to go and also the selectors.”Starc and Hazlewood in particular have played some pretty consistent cricket for a little while now. The force that goes through their bodies bowling at 145kph plus it must take a lot out of you. I was tired after bowling a couple of overs here the other day and I don’t have any force going through the body. So I’ve got a new-found respect for the bowlers, the work they do off the park, the weights, the rehab, the fitness, everything they do to get themselves right to play Test match cricket and bowl at that pace consistently, it’s an incredible effort.”In 2013-14, of course, John, Harris and Siddle were able to stay together for all five Tests. This time around the selectors and medical staff must deliberate on Starc’s fitness to ensure he is ready for the next major assignment: four Tests in South Africa in March. Starc has already insisted to Smith that he wants to be playing come Boxing Day, but if there is anything that has been proven by the way the Australian pacemen have been brought to a peak of effectiveness at exactly the right time, it is that great talent needs to be supported by sound management. Unlike Morant’s “Rule 303”, Australia’s “Rule 140” is anything but a snap decision.

MatériaMais Notícias

da esoccer bet： A derrota por 1 a 0 do Corinthians diante do Argentinos Juniors, pela Libertadores, deixou a torcida corintiana ainda mais revoltada com Fernando Lázaro. Tanto na arquibancada quanto nas redes sociais, torcedores protestaram e pediram a saída do treinador. Com ampla história no clube, ele disse entender o lado do torcedor, mas não se mostrou afetado pelas cobranças.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansRóger Guedes lamenta má atuação do Corinthians e dispara: ‘Perdemos a essência’Corinthians20/04/2023CorinthiansVÍDEO: veja os melhores lances da derrota do Corinthians para o Argentinos Juniors pela LibertadoresCorinthians20/04/2023CorinthiansTorcida do Corinthians manda recado ao elenco após derrota: ‘Ou joga por amor ou joga por terror’Corinthians19/04/2023

da brdice： +Fernando Lázaro tem noite desastrosa e leva a pior nota em derrota do Corinthians

– Não misturo (torcida com trabalho). Não me impacta nesse sentido. O torcedor está assim por uma derrota em casa, que não acontecia faz tempo. Sei o sentimento e o que gera esse resultado, aliado ao resultado da Copa do Brasil. Gera cobrança do torcedor. Entendo o sentimento do torcedor. Vamos buscar melhorar. Saímos triste pelo resultado. Entendo a cobrança – falou o técnico corintiano na coletiva de imprensa.

+ Assine o Star+ por apenas R$32,90 por mês e acompanhe o Timão na Libertadores quando e onde quiser!

O treinador também foi questionado se estaria disposto a entregar o cargo em meio a sequência negativa do Timão, mas disse que está focado em acabar com a oscilação da equipe. Mesmo com a derrota, Lázaro acredita que o grupo do Timão na Libertadores está aberto.

– Temos oscilado, a sequência tem sido de alternância de resultados e desempenhos. Não é ruim, mas tem alternado, e isso nos incomoda. Os resultados negativos, como hoje, não são o objetivo, queremos constância. Conseguimos resultado fora na competição, e depois esse resultado em casa seria importante para consolidação e valorização dos pontos fora. Sabemos que está em aberto, grupo difícil. Temos o Del Valle. Penso em trabalhar, ir buscando corrigir, melhorar e estamos batalhando nesse sentido, de menos oscilação de um jogo para outro – ponderou o técnico.

BALBUENA

Uma das surpresas na escalação inicial do Corinthians foi Balbuena, já que Bruno Méndez vinha formando parceria com Gil. O paraguaio novamente não foi bem e foi um dos culpados pelo gol do Argentinos Juniors na partida.

Além da análise da derrota, Lázaro justificou a opção por Balbuena afirmando que ele neutralizaria a força no jogo aéreo da equipe argentina.

+ Veja tabela e a situação do grupo do Timão na Libertadores

– Partida que não iniciamos bem, tomamos gol cedo, isso acelerou um pouco, enervou. Era um jogo de paciência, contra um adversário forte, que buscava atrair uma primeira marcação para uma bola que fosse colocada em disputa, ou buscando o espaço na defesa para criar situações. Isso é um pouco a opção pelo Balbuena, é uma bola que eles utilizam bastante, o pivô, e tendo consciência disso, entendemos que era um jogo para muita disputa aérea. Ele teve bem nessas disputas, muitas situações, o adversário exigia isso, por isso a opção – explicou Lázaro.

O Timão volta a campo pela Libertadores no dia 2 de maio, contra o Independiente del Valle, na Neo Química Arena. Antes, o clube alvinegro enfrenta Goiás e Palmeiras, pelo Brasileirão, e tentará reverter a desvantagem contra o Remo, pela Copa do Brasil.

continua após a publicidade

The campaign is still a month away from completion, although attention at Manchester United is swiftly turning toward the summer transfer window and the need to bolster Ruben Amorim’s ranks.

While it would be foolish for anyone of a United persuasion to be too optimistic regarding the impact of potential new signings, amid the club’s wretched recruitment record over the last decade or so, it is difficult to argue that this side is in need of major surgery once again.

With departures expected to reach double figures, ahead of next season, there is likely to be something of an overhaul at Old Trafford, with drastic improvement needed amid the Red Devils’ place in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Much could depend on whether or not Champions League qualification is secured, via Europa League glory, although regardless of what occurs on the continent, it looks as if the INEOS regime are already closing in on the signing of wantaway Wolverhampton Wanderers man, Matheus Cunha.

The latest on Man Utd's move for Cunha

It’s fair to say that Cunha can’t have done much more to catch the eye of those at Old Trafford this season. Indeed, during Wolves’ 2-0 win over United on Boxing Day, the Brazilian was simply sensational for the hosts, having scored directly from a corner, while also teeing up Hwang Hee-chan for the second of the day.

That was followed by the 25-year-old’s impact in Sunday’s 1-0 win for the Old Gold, as it was actually his surging run which earned the free-kick that Pablo Sarabia duly converted.

Now onto 14 league goals for the season, Cunha appears all but certain for a Molineux exit this summer – following prior January interest – having already outlined his desire to “take the next step” in his career.

As widely reported, that ‘next step’ looks set to lead the former Atletico Madrid man to Manchester, with positive talks having been held regarding the forward’s potential contract at the Theatre of Dreams.

That move for the £62.5m sensation could represent the first piece of business in a potentially hectic summer for the Red Devils.

Man Utd readying offer for new midfielder

Alongside that interest in the Wolves ace, it would appear that United are also keeping a close eye on Ipswich Town starlet, Liam Delap, with the Englishman set to be available for £30m amid the Tractor Boys’ impending relegation.

Transfer Focus

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

Elsewhere, meanwhile, reports in Spain have suggested that Amorim and co could also go back in for a long-term target, in the form of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, with the Dutchman said to be ‘back on the Red Devils’ radar’.

As per the report, United are ‘willing to present a proposal’ in order to entice the LaLiga giants into a summer sale, with the Premier League said to be ready to ‘test the limits’ of Barca’s resolve.

The 27-year-old was famously linked with the Old Trafford side back in the summer of 2022, during Erik ten Hag’s first window in charge, albeit despite an agreement on a fee, a deal for the former Ajax midfielder couldn’t get over the line amid issues regarding personal terms.

There may be a feeling of De Jong’s chance having come and gone, although United should still jump at the opportunity to land such a statement signing.

How De Jong could fit in at Man Utd

There could well be a fresh look to Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up next term, with a new goalkeeper and centre-forward seemingly set to be prioritised, while Cunha would likely line up in one of the two number ten berths.

The Wolves talisman has already thrived in a similar system under Amorim’s compatriot, Vitor Pereira, in recent months, with his overall record in England’s top-flight now standing at 39 goals and assists in just 77 games.

What the one-time RB Leipzig man will need, however, is quality service from those around him, hence why bringing De Jong into the fold could be a dream scenario.

Likely to operate as part of the midfield two – potentially alongside Bruno Fernandes or Manuel Ugarte – the Netherlands international is simply a master at progressing play, as emphasised by the fact that he ranks in the top 9% of European midfielders for progressive passes, and the top 16% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Also ranked in the top 1% for pass completion, the experienced metronome has rightly been lauded as “one of the best midfielders in the world” by former boss, Xavi Hernandez, ensuring he would be a worthy upgrade in Amorim’s ranks.

Non-penalty goals

0.12

Top 25%

Assists

0.12

Top 28%

Shot-creating actions

2.59

Top 36%

Passes attempted

82.09

Top 4%

Pass completion

93.8%

Top 1%

Progressive passes

7.17

Top 9%

Progressive carries

2.09

Top 16%

Passes into final third

9.20

Top 3%

Tackles (in attacking 3rd)

0.49

Top 10%

As stated, that forward-thinking ability that De Jong provides would ensure he is the ideal figure to pick out the likes of Cunha ahead of him, as indicated by the fact that he also ranks in the top 3% for passes into the final third, at an average of 9.21 per 90.

What also sets the 5 foot 11 maestro apart is just how effective he is at regaining possession too. As evidenced last season – considering he has only started seven league games this time around – De Jong averaged 2.2 tackles per game, having also recovered the ball 5.9 times per game in LaLiga.

For context, United’s ball-winning monster, Casemiro, has only recovered 3.9 balls per game in the Premier League this term – albeit while enjoying a far superior record with regard to tackles made (3.5).

For De Jong to then have such quality both in and out of possession would ensure he can comfortably cope in a midfield two, with United having the chance to acquire two players entering their peak years, in the form of him and Cunha.

After Cunha: Man Utd in talks to sign a "monster" upgrade on Delap

Man Utd could be set to land another sparkling forward this summer, alongside Matheus Cunha

ByRobbie Walls Apr 22, 2025

The comeback

Saurashtra, the defending champions, pulled off a miraculous win in Solapur to keep their knockout hopes alive.Down and out at 69 for 8 in their second innings, with their lead just 112, they were revived by Jaydev Unadkat, the captain, and Chirag Jani, one of their premier allrounders, who made 45 and 43 respectively.The ninth-wicket pair added 93 to help Saurashtra set Maharashtra a target of 213, which proved 48 too many. Left-arm spinner Parth Bhut sent Maharashtra on a tailspin by picking up 7 for 44, his fourth five-for in first-class cricket.Seven Maharashtra batters got off to starts, but none managed more than Taranjitsingh Dhillon’s 28 at No. 7. The defeat sees Maharashtra languishing in the second half of the Group A table, while Saurashtra are closing in on the top three.Related

• Mayank Agarwal cleared to return for Ranji action

• Mayank Agarwal discharged after mid-flight medical emergency

• Run-hungry Ricky Bhui leads the way for Andhra

• Prithvi Shaw set to make Ranji return after lengthy injury layoff

The thrillers

Having come into their fifth-round fixture without a win, Services were bundled out for 108 on the opening morning under swinging conditions in Lahli. It’s from here that they orchestrated an epic comeback against Haryana that culminated in a sensational one-run victory.This was only the second time in Ranji history that a team had managed to secure victory by one run. Andhra was the only other team to pull off this feat, when they beat Tamil Nadu by this margin, at Salem in 1974-75.Pulkit Narang, the offspinner who has recently been part of India A, led Services’ turnaround. His three wickets were instrumental in Services pocketing a five-run first innings lead. Rajat Paliwal, the captain, then led the way with 86 in the second innings to set Haryana a target of 146, which if achieved would have propelled them to the top of the standings.Haryana made a good fist of the target, with openers Ankit Kumar and Harshal Patel adding 51. Then from 81 for 1, they sensationally collapsed; losing 6 for 11 as Narang ran through the batting line-up to pick up 5 for 55 as Services clinched a famous win.In Surat, Manish Pandey played a clutch knock to help Karnataka clinch a one-wicket thriller against Railways.Chasing 226, the inexperienced top order, sans Mayank Agarwal and Devdutt Padikkal, caved in and were at 99 for 6. Stand-in captain Nikin Jose registered a pair. But the lower order rallied with Pandey remaining unbeaten on 67.Pandey aside, there was a crucial contribution from pacer Vijayakumar Vyshak, who made 38. But when he was dismissed, Karnataka still needed 29 runs with just two wickets in hand.Pandey found support from Vidwath Kaverappa and Vasuki Koushik to clinch an unlikely win. Vyshak had also picked up a five-for with the ball in Railways’ second innings to help limit Railways’ lead, which proved to be crucial.The win helped Karnataka jump to second in Group C, level on points with Tamil Nadu. However, TN are toppers by virtue of a better quotient and two bonus points to Karnataka’s zero.Mohit Avasthi holds the ball up after bagging a seven-for•Cricket Association of Bengal

The upset

Gujarat, the early pace-setters of the season, have stumbled big time. After winning their first two games, they’ve now lost two on the bounce, in addition to a drawn game due to the elements. This leaves them precariously placed, and outside the top three, in Group C going into the second half of the league phase.Their latest defeat was against the Wriddhiman Saha-led Tripura, a team that had only won nine Ranji games in all since they came into existence in 1985-86. However, this season alone, they’ve added two more wins and are third in the pool, which gives them a chance of pushing for the knockouts.Tripura’s win was all the more special as they rallied around in the second innings after conceding a 26-run lead, courtesy an outstanding effort from Manisankar Murasingh who scored 72 in their 343.Gujarat weren’t really in the chase of 318, slumping to 64 for 5 from where there was no turnaround. Parvez Sultan, the left-arm spinner, ended with a match haul of 10 for 116.

The victory march

Mumbai recorded their fourth win in five games as they thumped Bengal by an innings and four runs at Eden Gardens. The turnaround was led by Shivam Dube, the captain, and debutant Suryansh Shedge, who added 144 for the fifth wicket on the opening day. From 87 for 4, they managed 412 in the first innings.Bengal were bundled out for 199 and 209, with only Anustup Majumdar (first innings) and Abishek Porel (second innings) standing tall with the bat. Fast bowler Mohit Awasthi recorded figures of 7 for 52 as Bengal were skittled in under 60 overs in the second innings.

Leeds United have their eyes on a new centre-back signing and one who could come in to replace Pascal Struijk.

Leeds return to top of Championship with win over Middlesbrough

The Whites and Daniel Farke managed to get back to winning ways in the week after a run of just one victory in their previous six Championship games with a 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough.

Dan James’ early goal proved to be the winner, although Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford both had goals wrongly ruled out for offside.

Leeds’ win, coupled with both Burnley and Sheffield United dropping points, ensured that they’d return to the top of the table with just five games remaining.

Talking after the game, Farke said: “I’m proud of my boys. It was a tough game, overall an excellent advert for the Championship. Both sides had periods, but in the end we found a way to win this game and it was crucial today to return to our clean sheet behaviour.

“We had to dig in, had to deal with a couple of injuries and had one day less in between games, and Middlesbrough were in red-hot form. “We had to dig in and show steel and togetherness and spirit to bring this over the line in a hard-fought game and a well-deserved win.”

Leeds (85 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (85 pts)

Preston North End (h)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Norwich City (h)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

Leeds won at the Riverside without Pascal Struijk, with the left-footed centre-back suffering an injury against Luton Town. There is a concern that Struijk may have a fracture in his foot and could be out for the season, which resulted in Ethan Ampadu filling in at centre-back.

Now, a transfer target has emerged on the Elland Road radar who could prove to be a replacement for Struijk.

Leeds keen on signing Modibo Sagnan

According to reports in France, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds and the 49ers are interested in signing Montpellier HSC centre-back Modibo Sagnan.

Like Struijk, Sagnan is a left-footed defender and could be on the move this summer with Montpellier bottom of Ligue 1. Leeds could take advantage of their potential relegation with a move for the Mali international.

Sagnan, 25, can also turn out as a left-back as well as a centre-back and has played for the likes of Real Sociedad, Lens and FC Utrecht before joining Montpellier.

Over the last 12 months, Sagnan has ranked in the top 10 percentiles when compared to centre-backs in the big five European leagues for both goals and take ons – he has scored five times in 39 games for his current employers.

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Struijk also has an eye for goal with Leeds, but by the looks of things, should Leeds win promotion, a move for Sagnan could be one to watch.

da betsson： Manchester City find themselves on a decent run of form, which has seen them remain unbeaten in their previous six games in the Premier League and FA Cup.

da pixbet： With an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest to look forward to this weekend, especially as the competition represents the only chance they have of silverware this season, Pep Guardiola will be desperate for a win.

With just five league games left between now and the end of the campaign, City are yet to guarantee a top-five finish, which will see them secure qualification for the Champions League for the 15th year in a row.

It promises to be an exciting end to the season for the club. If FA Cup glory is achieved, plus a solid finish in the top flight, Guardiola could enter the summer with some renewed hope of starting a fresh era at the Etihad.

After several signings made during the winter transfer window, the Spaniard is already thinking ahead to the summer equivalent as one of Europe’s top young talents is being earmarked for a move to City.

Man City's summer transfer plans

With Kevin De Bruyne set to depart the Etihad Stadium this summer, City will be in the market for a new attacking midfielder.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest’s mercurial playmaker, has already been earmarked for a possible summer switch but the Citizens may have to pay upwards of £100m.

The England international isn’t the only player on City’s radar in the attacking midfield positions, however.

Transfer Focus

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

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Indeed, according to Football Insider, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz remains the number one target for City to replace De Bruyne this summer.

German publication Bild reported last week that City could be set to pay the £129m fee that the German side has set for the player, although Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also showing plenty of interest in the German international.

This high fee could give City a major advantage over the other teams, as detailed by former City financial advisor Stefan Borson who told Football Insider: “The impression I get is that they see Wirtz as that kind of headline signing to replace Kevin De Bruyne, and they recognise that to do that deal is going to cost what it costs.

“I think in some ways City might quite like the fact that that is the price because it pretty much rules out Real Madrid from the situation, and it possibly also rules out Bayern Munich as well.”

Replacing the ageing Belgian with someone who has the world at their feet could boost their confidence heading into next season, no doubt about that.

He is also comparable to another young maestro who is making waves on the continent – Lamine Yamal.

Why Wirtz could be Man City's very own Yamal

Yamal has been breaking records since he made his Barcelona debut at the age of just 15 years, nine months and 16 days in April 2023, becoming the youngest-ever debutant for the club in La Liga.

He hasn’t stopped there. A few months later, the winger made his debut for the Spanish national side aged just 16 and even scored, becoming both the youngest player and scorer for his country after the win over Georgia in September 2023.

At the 2024 European Championships, Spain won the title with Yamal playing a key role. His stunning goal in the semi-final against France set the nation on their way to an eventual 2-1 win, which powered them into the final.

He is on a fast track to greatness, and this season has been his most productive yet. Indeed, the 17-year-old has scored 14 times while grabbing 22 assists as Barcelona edges towards the La Liga title.

Although he plays in a different position to Wirtz, operating as a natural winger rather than an attacking midfielder, the two share some similar statistics this season.

Yamal is even the seventh-most comparable player to the Leverkusen star as per FBref.

The pair have registered similar statistics across a range of metrics in their respective domestic leagues, including goals and assists (19 vs 18), shots on target per 90 (1.26 vs 1.15), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.76 vs 5.53), touches in the attacking penalty area (122 vs 187) and successful take-on percentage (50.3% vs 49.6%) this season.

Should Guardiola get a deal for Wirtz over the line in the coming months, he could be signing his very own version of the Spanish superstar, that’s for sure.

Despite being only 21 years of age, it feels as though Wirtz has been around for a lifetime. He made his debut for Leverkusen during the 2019/20 season, even scoring in the Bundesliga.

The next two seasons saw him go from strength to strength, registering 18 goals and 22 assists for the club across just 69 matches. His emergence from raw talent into a potential world-class star was evident, but then disaster struck.

In March 2022, he suffered a cruciate ligament tear that saw him miss 43 games for club and country, ruling him out of the 2022 World Cup in the process.

This type of injury may have kept plenty of players down on their luck. Not Wirtz, who has arguably returned even stronger.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously hailed the 21-year-old as a “superstar”, and that is exactly what he was last season for Leverkusen. The club won the domestic double.

Florian Wirtz’s stats for Leverkusen this season

Metric

Champions League

Bundesliga

Goals

6

9

Assists

1

10

Big chances created

4

16

Key passes per game

2.8

1.9

Successful dribbles per game

2

2.7

Via Sofascore

Throughout the 2023/24 Bundesliga season, Wirtz created 12 big chances, averaged 2.3 key passes per game and succeeded with 2.5 dribbles each match – a success rate of 51% – which helped the club claim their first ever league title.

Although Leverkusen won’t win any silverware this term, Wirtz has still contributed superbly, netting 15 goals along with recording 13 assists in all competitions.

He has yet to hit his peak and this is what is so enticing about the youngster. Guardiola will be able to push him towards becoming one of the best in the world should he end up at City this summer.

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Jack Edwards produced a superb spell as the home side were bundled out for 161 on a hot day

AAP01-Feb-2024New South Wales rocketed to top spot on the Marsh Cup table after posting a five-wicket bonus-point victory over defending champions Western Australia at the WACA Ground.Player of the match Jack Edwards snared 3 for 14 as WA were rolled for 161 in 39.1 overs in 41-degree heat on Thursday.In reply, NSW reached the victory target with a whopping 17.4 overs to spare courtesy of important knocks from opener Daniel Hughes (52 off 83 balls) and Ollie Davies (38 off 34 balls).The result catapulted NSW from third to first, while WA’s second loss of the season relegated them to second spot. Both of WA’s losses have been to the Blues, setting up an intriguing battle if the two powerhouses make the final.WA slumped to 89 for 7 after being sent in to bat before some late heroics from D’Arcy Short and AJ Tye lifted the home side to a defendable total. Edwards caused the early damage, before offspinner Chris Green and Will Salzmann joined in on the fun.The wheels fell off early for WA as they slumped from 15 for 0 to 15 for 3 in the space of seven balls. Sam Fanning was the first to fall when he struck Ben Dwarshuis to point. Josh Philippe followed next over when Edwards found a leading edge.Alarm bells were ringing for WA next ball when a rising Edwards delivery crashed into the left glove of Sam Whiteman and rebounded onto the stumps.Cameron Bancroft helped steady the ship with a cautious knock, but his good work was undone when he was cramped by Edwards and edged behind.Green then sent Ashton Agar and Cameron Gannon packing in consecutive balls to leave WA in dire straights. Short and Tye refused to go down without a fight, the duo striking some lusty blows in a 69-run partnership off 63 balls.But just as WA looked set to push on towards 200, Salzmann dismissed both Short and Tye within the space of three balls in the 38th over to end the home side’s resistance.NSW slipped to 19 for 2 in their run chase after Edwards and Blake Macdonald fell to the impressive Gannon, but a strong knock from Hughes ensured there would be no major collapse.

While it was roughly six months ago that Erik ten Hag finally lost his job at Manchester United, it could be argued that the Dutchman’s fate was sealed far earlier, particularly following what has proved to be a damaging 2023 summer window.

Despite the way his tenure ended, it’s worth remembering that the former Ajax boss had overcome a shaky start to life at Old Trafford to ultimately enjoying a promising debut campaign at the club, securing a third-place Premier League finish and winning the Carabao Cup to boot – ending a six-year wait for silverware.

Although that season was punctuated by the lows of the FA Cup final defeat to rivals Manchester City – and the 7-0 drubbing away at Anfield – Ten Hag had largely helped to stabilise the Red Devils, having also overseen the resurgence of 30-goal talisman, Marcus Rashford.

What United needed then was to kick on again with a handful of marquee summer signings, in order to try and bridge the gap with those above them. Instead, in came an error-prone Andre Onana, an injury-prone Mason Mount, and a goal-shy Rasmus Hojlund.

That assessment may be with hindsight in mind, although the issues were staring the Old Trafford hierarchy in the face. Onana, for instance, had made a catalogue of mistakes during his time at Inter and Ajax; Mount had endured an injury-hit 2022/23 season at Chelsea and Hojlund had scored just nine Serie A goals for Atalanta.

Arijanet Muric

5

Robert Sanchez

5

Bart Verbruggen

4

Andre Onana

3

Alphonse Areola

2

Alex McCarthy

2

Nick Pope

2

Ederson

2

How different things could have been had different targets been acquired, be it Ten Hag’s first-choice striker, Harry Kane, or even a certain Declan Rice.

Why Man Utd missed out on Rice

There remains the feeling that during the days of the great Sir Alex Ferguson, both Kane and Rice would have ended up at Old Trafford, a point that club legend Teddy Sheringham notably made last month:

As reported by Sky Sports at the time, it was the England captain who was Ten Hag’s ‘number one target’, albeit with Rice – alongside Mount – also on the club’s midfield shortlist.

The then-West Ham United skipper had also been linked with a move to Manchester a year earlier, while in 2021, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also seemingly keen on signing the rising midfield star from the London Stadium.

As it proved, Kane moved on to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £86m, while Rice made the move to Arsenal on a £105m deal, with the Gunners also edging out rivals Manchester City to make that deal happen.

Whether United were truly in the mix, considering the mammoth nature of the transfer fee, is a valid point, albeit when considering that £156m was spent the previous summer on Antony and Casemiro, it illustrates where the funds could have been more wisely invested.

As it is, the 26-year-old – who deemed the Emirates “project” to be more “exciting” than the one at the Etihad – is now the centrepiece of Mikel Arteta’s midfield, having since scored twice against the Red Devils over the last two seasons.

The one-time Chelsea youth project no doubt joins the list of those who got away for the Old Trafford side, although – thankfully – the club could be brewing their answer to the Three Lions star.

Man Utd's answer to Declan Rice

While Arsenal’s title bid faltered, it has proven to be a positive few weeks, at least, for Rice in north London, with the midfield machine scoring in the 1-1 draw against Ruben Amorim’s side, before producing stunning heroics in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Real Madrid.

Those pinpoint free-kicks highlighted another weapon to the £105m man’s already impressive arsenal, with the Gunners’ number 41 having perhaps helped to already book their place in the last eight.

Of course, back in Manchester, United already have a set-piece king of their own in the form of Bruno Fernandes, with the Portuguese playmaker notably netting from range against both Arsenal and Everton in recent weeks.

The 30-year-old is, however, a naturally more attack-minded playmaker than his Arsenal counterpart, with a better likeness seemingly shown in the form of young Kobbie Mainoo, even amid the 19-year-old’s injury-hit season this time around.

Described as a “generational talent” by teammate Hojlund, Mainoo has had a campaign to forget due to his repeated spells on the sidelines, albeit with it hard to ignore the brilliance of his breakthrough 2023/24 season, which was rounded off with the decisive goal in May’s FA Cup final.

Subsequently thrust in as Rice’s partner in the knockout stages of Euro 2024, as Gareth Southgate’s men surged to the showpiece, the United teenager was actually praised by his midfield colleague for his “leadership” despite his youth, with the pair forming a “nice partnership” in the centre of the park.

Much like Rice, Mainoo showcased his ability to feature as a number six or as a number eight during Ten Hag’s reign, with club legend Paul Scholes even stating that the pair are alike in the fact that it can be hard to pin down their best position.

Even so, what the two men both possess – as the Arsenal star showed on Tuesday – is the impact they can make in the final third, with Mainoo notably curling home in fine fashion against both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool last season.

While we are yet to see the £20k-per-week starlet’s free-kick ability, he does mirror Rice in being able to thrive when popping up just outside the area, while at the other end of the pitch, the United man can also sniff out the danger when needed – as shown with his vital goalline clearance against Everton on what was his first Premier League start.

Where the two international colleagues are also alike, perhaps most notably, is their knack for driving forward with the ball from deep, with Rice ranking in the top 4% of European midfielders for progressive carries, while Mainoo ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

The issue now for Amorim is finding a permanent home for his young sensation in the 3-4-3 system, having trialled the 2022 FA Youth Cup winner as a number ten of late, with it set to be a real waste if United fail to get the best out of their own Rice-like midfield powerhouse.

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