Which kind of pitch is worst for Tests?
If you were a part of the ICC’s pitch-monitoring process, what would you clamp down hardest on?
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2017
If you were a part of the ICC’s pitch-monitoring process, what would you clamp down hardest on?
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2017
Liverpool are now leading the race to sign an “unpredictable” forward who Arne Slot is a big fan of, according to a report.
Reds eyeing Mohamed Salah replacements
Mohamed Salah remains in negotiations over a new contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign, however L’Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi has now dropped a promising update on the Egyptian’s future.
The Paris Saint-Germain insider wrote: “Mohamed Salah to Paris can be done, but it likely won’t happen as Salah is likely to stay at Liverpool. He’s in talks over an extension,’”
Until a deal is done, however, the Reds will need to be savvy and make sure they have some suitable replacements lined up, just in case the nightmare scenario of Salah leaving in the summer comes to fruition.
Slot has been named as a big admirer of Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz, who is now a target to replace Salah, while Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo also remain on the shortlist.
Liverpool may sign £19m star in next few days; Arne Slot thinks he's ideal
The Reds are keen on signings.
ByDominic Lund Jan 21, 2025
According to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are now leading the race for Feyenoord’s Anis Hadj Moussa, who Slot is believed to be fascinated by. The 22-year-old’s performances this season have caught the eye of a number of European clubs, but the Reds are in pole position at the moment, lining up a deal that is more likely to take place in the summer.
Head of recruitment Barry Hunter is engaged in active talks with the forward’s agent, Mohamed Dahmane, and the plan is for the deal to be finalised for €12m (£10m) at the end of the season. However, that fee may increase depending on the Algerian’s performances in the second half of the campaign.
Exciting news for Liverpool
It is promising that Liverpool are in a good position to sign the winger this summer, particularly for a fee of just £10m, as he has put in some impressive performances in his debut season with Feyenoord.
The Paris-born attacker has six goals to his name in all competitions, picking up three goals and one assist in five Champions League games.
The former Vitesse man’s incredible dribbling ability was on show last season too, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has tipped Hadj Moussa for future success, while also indicating he has the versatility to play in multiple positions, saying: “Hadj Moussa is impressive, he remains clear-headed and creative when he moves forward with the ball. He is an unpredictable player, capable of surprising his opponents at any moment. He makes very good passes and can play on the right wing.
“He excels in every position, but above all, he is a player who dares.”
At just £10m, Hadj-Moussa could be a real bargain this summer, but there is every chance he will drive his price up over the next few months if he continues to perform at a similar level.
A “unique” Newcastle United player is now close to leaving the club in the January transfer window, with an agreement reached over his exit.
Newcastle transfer news
Magpies transfer rumours are refusing to go away as the current window nears its conclusion next Monday, with Semih Kilicosoy linked with a move to St James’ Park over the weekend. The 19-year-old Besiktas winger is a target this month, but it may depend on whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to keep him or not.
While Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande has been mentioned as an option to come in and boost Eddie Howe’s defensive options, Barcelona ace Eric Garcia is being looked at as an alternative, as Newcastle look to find a long-term partner for Sven Botman.
When it comes to January outgoings at St James’, Miguel Almiron has consistently been linked with a move away, with an agreement reportedly reached with MLS side Atlanta United.
That said, personal terms were yet to be agreed, which was acting as a potential stumbling block, but there has now been a fresh development in the saga.
Newcastle ace agrees January exit with medical booked
According to Monumental AM 1080 [via Sport Witness], an agreement has been reached to bring an end to Almiron’s Newcastle career. The 30-year-old will sign a four-year deal at Atlanta, with the transfer fee thought to be £9.6m. He will travel there at the end of the week to complete the transfer and undergo a medical.
Journalist Cesar Luis Merlo has also backed this up, saying the deal is “done”, with just a medical and an official announcement to come.
This ultimately feels like the right decision for everyone concerned, even though Howe has shown his love for Almiron in the past, saying:
“He’s (Almiron) a unique footballer. I don’t think there’s anyone better at doing what he does – all energy, all action. I’d like to see his physical stats today because I’m sure they’d be through the roof. The quality he showed with his finish was very reminiscent of some of the goals he scored last year. It’s a great return to form for Miggy – he’s such an important player for us.”
Appearances
223
Goals
30
Assists
12
Almiron was struggling to get minutes with Newcastle this season, with Jacob Murphy often preferred on the right flank, and at 30, he isn’t getting any younger. He hasn’t registered a single goal contribution in nine Premier League appearances in 2024/25, highlighting his lack of influence and action.
The Paraguayan’s commitment and team ethic have always been impressive, but a lack of end product has too often been an issue, with the Magpies ace not possessing the elite quality in that area that Howe now needs moving forward.
Newcastle now looking to seal £16m signing of "fantastic" ace within days
The transfer could even happen within days.
ByHenry Jackson Jan 26, 2025
Almiron will be remembered fondly by Newcastle supporters on the whole, however, due to his likeable personality, and they will hope he flourishes in the MLS.
If a depleted Royal Challengers Bangalore attack could deflate the power-packed Mumbai Indians at the batting-friendly Chinnaswamy Stadium, imagine what they could do at a more pace-friendly Eden Gardens against the underwhelming top six of Kolkata Knight Riders.Against Punjab Kings’ bowling attack, which doesn’t look the most threatening in the tournament, Knight Riders were 146 for 7 in 16 overs, without a single marquee name in their top six which managed a combined 90 runs off 74 balls, leaving too much on Andre Russell’s shoulders and weathered knees. They signing of Jason Roy is a clear boost, but he won’t be joining them in time for this game.On Thursday, they have to match the fired-up top order of Royal Challengers. In the previous match, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis scored blazing half-centuries, hammering 11 sixes and as many fours together. Both of them like pace onto the bat, which could put the onus on the Knight Riders’ spin trio of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy, if he gets another game. Spinners have been more economical compared to the quicks in Kolkata since 2018, and both du Plessis and Kohli haven’t scored as quickly against spinners in the last three IPLs. Kohli also doesn’t have a great record against both Narine and Varun. Remember the 2021 eliminator when Narine single-handedly took out the trio of Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers to help his team to the final?Even if Knight Riders can’t replicate that performance, they will be hoping to put up a better show in front of their home crowd.
Royal Challengers will continue to be without Wanindu Hasaranga and Josh Hazlewood, who are yet to join the squad, and Rajat Patidar has been ruled out of the tournament. Their left-arm quick Reece Topley, who snared Cameron Green with a searing yorker in their last game, hurt his right shoulder badly while fielding and traveled to Kolkata with his arm in a sling. They can bring in David Willey as a like-for-like bowling replacement.Roy will join Knight Riders in time for Sunday’s game in Ahmedabad, and Litton Das will fly in from Dhaka after the ongoing Test against Ireland. Lockie Ferguson, who missed their first game as well, is still bowling with half a run-up in the nets and is unlikely to play.Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis were on fire in RCB’s first match against Mumbai Indians•Associated Press
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers didn’t have to use the Impact Player rule in their convincing win against Mumbai. If they bat second like they did that day, they can bring in another batter like Suyash Prabhudessai or Anuj Rawat in place of Akash Deep or Mohammed Siraj, and do the opposite while batting first.Probable bat-first XI: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Michael Bracewell, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Suyash Prabhudessai, 7 Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 Akash Deep, 10 David Willey, 11 Karn SharmaProbable bowl-first XI: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Michael Bracewell, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Harshal Patel, 8 Akash Deep, 9 David Willey, 10 Karn Sharma, 11 Mohammed SirajKolkata Knight Riders
While batting second against Kings, they subbed out Varun to bring in Venkatesh Iyer in the chase, and they could stick to a similar strategy in this game as well. Batting first, they could start with an extra batter with Russell slotted at No. 7 and Narine at 8, and sub out Mandeep Singh for a bowler to retain Venkatesh’s bowling option for the second innings. In either case, they could also play Kulwant Khejroliya instead of Shardul Thakur, who leaked 43 in the first game, with enough batting depth.Possible bat-first XI: 1 Mandeep Singh, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Anukul Roy, 4 Venkatesh Iyer, 5 Nitish Rana (capt), 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Shardul Thakur/Kulwant Khejroliya, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Tim SoutheePossible bowl-first XI: 1 Mandeep Singh, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Anukul Roy, 4 Venkatesh Iyer, 5 Nitish Rana (capt), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Shardul Thakur/Kulwant Khejroliya, 9 Varun Chakravarthy, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Tim Southee
The trend at Eden Gardens in the IPL has mostly been to chase. The pitch usually has something for the quicks and spinners both, and the bigger dimensions mean boundaries may not come as often as they did for Kohli and du Plessis at the Chinnaswamy Stadium a few days ago. It’s expected to be slightly humid with temperatures in the late 20s in the evening, and some early swing and dew later as usual.
“One cannot be judgmental after only one game. Even in the last game, we were in the game till the end and it was unfortunate [that we lost]. I’m pretty confident about the side we have.”
da betcris： Everton are now holding talks to land a new striker for newly returned boss David Moyes as they look to battle relegation from the Premier League, a fresh report has revealed.
David Moyes plans Everton turnaround
da bet7： After the news that Sean Dyche was relieved of his duties in charge of Everton just hours before their FA Cup tie against Peterborough United, David Moyes was quickly re-installed into the Goodison Park hotseat.
The legendary Toffees boss, who managed over 500 games during an 11-year stint on Merseyside between 2002 and 2013, rejoins with the club just a point above the relegation zone, and without a win in their last five games.
Scoring goals has been a major concern for Everton, with only Southampton (12) having managed fewer than their 15 so far this campaign, meaning that despite the Toffees conceding the fifth fewest goals in the division, they remain well in contention to drop out of the Premier League in their final season at Goodison Park.
Fewest goals scored in the Premier League 24/25
Southampton
12
Everton
15
Ipswich Town
20
Crystal Palace
21
Manchester United
23
They are set to enter the transfer window this month, with the reliable David Ornstein explaining:
“There is some money being made available by the new ownership, The Friedkin Group, led by Dan and Ryan Friedkin, but they still have to comply with profitability and sustainability rules. There is some work to do there. I think we could see a couple of new faces come in, certainly on the attacking side, maybe one for the here and now ready to hit the ground running. Maybe one for the future as well.”
And, with the focus on finding a goalscoring striker, it appears that they are ready to loosen the purse strings.
Everton hold talks to sign 11 goal striker this month
Now, Everton are believed to have held talks to sign Leicester City striker Tom Cannon this month, as they face competition from a range of Championship sides for his signature.
That is according to GiveMeSport, who report that the Toffees “have entered the race” to sign the 22-year-old, who has thrived since leaving Everton in 2022 and found the net 11 times on loan at Stoke City in the first half of the campaign.
Everton pushing to sign £83m "machine" with "sky high potential" this month
The Toffees are keen on signing a midfielder.
ByDominic Lund Jan 15, 2025
It is claimed that “Everton have held talks over making a move for Cannon within the last 24 hours”, amid ongoing speculation over the futures of both Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Merseyside. During his time with Preston last season, Cannon was hailed as “outstanding” by Hull City boss Liam Rosenior, and there is understood to be significant interest in his signature this winter.
Sheffield United have tabled a bid to sign him, while Sunderland are also keen on landing the free-scoring forward, with the race for his services described by one Sheffield United journalist as a “fluid situation that’s changing rapidly”.
Everton will have to move fast too, with the report suggesting that the Toffees “are facing an uphill battle to come out on top” as sources suggest “he is more likely to seal a switch back to the Championship”.
However, with Everton likely to be able to outspend sides in the division below them, they could yet gain the upper hand in the race for their former academy talent, while his £8,000 a week wages are unlikely to be much of an obstacle for the Toffees either. Would he want to return to his former side?
MatériaMais Notícias
da winzada777： Após o triunfo sobre o Náutico, o Vasco volta a campo, nesta quarta-feira, para medir força com o líder Cruzeiro, às 21h, no Mineirão. A partida será válida pela 31ª rodada da Série B e tem contornos decisivos para ambas as equipes. Com isso, o Cruz-Maltino divulgou a lista de relacionados para o duelo sem dois nomes, que eram esperados.
+Cruzeiro x Vasco: onde assistir ao jogo da Série B do Brasileirão
RelacionadasVascoCruzeiro x Vasco: onde assistir ao jogo da Série B do BrasileirãoVasco19/09/2022VascoYuri Lara mantém fama de pitbull no Vasco e se torna o maior ‘ladrão de bolas’ do futebol brasileiro em 2022Vasco19/09/2022VascoVasco ganha ‘reforço caseiro’ para a reta final da Série B do BrasileirãoVasco19/09/2022
da 888： Entre as ausências da lista composta pelo técnico Jorginho, está o meio-campista Carlos Palacios. O chileno ficará de fora do confronto decisivo, poisrelatou dor na coxa direita após o treino desta terça-feira. O atleta realizará ressonância magnética nesta quarta, pela manhã, e será reavaliado após o exame realizado pelo DESP.
+ Confira e simule a tabela da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro
Além do meia, o zagueiro Miranda também ficou de fora. Vale lembrar que o defensor foi punido pela Conmebol em virtude de um exame antidoping, que detectou uma substância canrenona – diurético proibido em seu organismo. Após um ano, a suspensão se encerrou nesta última segunda-feira, mas por opção da comissão técnica, ele ainda não estará com o grupo.
Restam oito rodadas para o fim da competição, e o Gigante da Colina soma 48 pontos, na quarta colocação. A diferença para o Londrina, atual quinto lugar, é de apenas três pontos. Depois do duelo desta quarta-feira, as equipes se enfrentam no próximo dia 29, no Rio de Janeiro.
+Yuri Lara mantém fama de pitbull no Vasco e se torna o maior ‘ladrão de bolas’ do futebol brasileiro em 2022
A preocupação do clube é com a extensa lista de pendurados. Apesar disso, os principais nomes do elenco estão entre os relacionados e devem estar em campo. Os jogadores pendurados são: Andrey Santos, Nenê,Thiago Rodrigues, Anderson Conceição, Danilo Boza, Alex Teixeira, Quintero e Matheus Barbosa.
Um triunfo sobre a equipe celeste seria essencial para manter a diferença e seguir no G4. Por outro lado, caso a Raposa saia de campo vitoriosa, confirmará seu acesso depois de três temporadas na segundona.
📝 Lista de relacionados para o duelo contra o Cruzeiro (MG).#VascoDaGama pic.twitter.com/xjBkHzfH9n
— Vasco da Gama (@VascodaGama) September 20, 2022
MatériaMais Notícias
da betobet： Nesta segunda-feira (5), torcedores do São Paulo marcaram presença na frente dos portões do estádio do Morumbi. O protesto começou no início da reunião feita para a votação referente àreforma do estatuto que prevê a autorização da reeleição do presidente Julio Casares.
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da lvbet： Galeria
>Lembre nove vezes que o São Paulo faturou alto com mecanismo de solidariedade da Fifa
Tabela
> Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro e simule os próximos jogos
Opresidente do Conselho Deliberativo do São Paulo, Olten Ayres de Abreu Júnior, agendou para esta segunda-feira, às 18h30, a reunião do órgão que votará a proposta que permite a reeleição dele e do presidente do clube.
Porém, de acordo cominformações confirmadas pelo LANCE!, o resultado que determinará se a medida será aprovada ou não só será divulgado na terça-feira (6). Isso porque a votação ficará aberta até amanhã (6/9).
Conforme o que já foi revelado pelo L! anteriormente, é o primeiro passo para a medida voltar ao estatuto do Tricolor após sua saída em reforma promovida pelo antecessor Carlos Augusto Barros e Silva, o Leco, em 2017.
Caso o Conselho aprove a volta da reeleição às normas são-paulinas, uma assembleia geral de sócios deverá ser convocada para que a proposta passe pelo crivo dos associados no Morumbi.
Nas redes sociais, de forma antecipada, um grupo de torcedores já havia se organizado para ir ao Morumbi em forma de protesto contra a medida.
Um perfil no Twitter, denominado de ‘Movimento 1930’, informou mais cedo nesta segunda-feira (5) que estaria na frente do portão 17 durante a votação – que acontece de forma online, e como dito antes, só será resolvida na terça-feira (6).
-Enquanto os nobres Conselheiros, presididos pelo Sr. Olten, se reunirão a portas fechadas para aprovar uma mudança estatutária em benefício do grupelho que comanda o clube há 10 anos, estaremos na frente do PORTÃO 17 para lembrá-los de que o SPFC é da torcida – postou o perfil.
O LANCE!apurou que o protesto tinha cerca de 40 pessoas, todos do lado de fora e sem poder entrar no clube de fato. Ainda foi informado ao L! que havia algumas pessoas presentes que não se identificaram como funcionários do São Paulo, mas estavam no local para impedir qualquer situação maior. Sobre a votação, como de costume, feita de portas fechadas.
De acordo com informações levantadas pelo jornalista Giovanni Chacon, da ‘JovemPan’, alguns torcedores presentes na manifestação tentaram entrar de forma pacífica por um portão aberto do estádio em busca de membros envolvidos na votação, porém foram retirados.
O mandato dos dois envolvidos termina no final do próximo ano. A principal justificativa envolta nisso tudo é que três anos de mandato não seriam suficientes para arcar com as demandas do clube do Morumbi.
Também adiantado pelo LANCE!, o entendimento dentro do órgão é que a gestão de Julio Casares está sendo positiva para ‘reconstrução’ que o São Paulo enfrenta – principalmente no quesito financeiro, uma vez que atravessa uma dívida estimada em mais de R$700 milhões.
In what would be one of the most shocking moves of 2025, Manchester City have reportedly opened talks with the representatives of a Premier League title rival’s player in an attempt to land a Raheem Sterling repeat.
Man City transfer news
For the first time since Pep Guardiola’s debut campaign, Manchester City are in need of a host of reinforcements. From an ageing backline to similar issues in midfield, the Premier League champions must turn towards the transfer window in 2025 if they want to prevent their recent blip from becoming a gradual fade away from the title picture.
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With that said, it’s no surprise that the Citizens have been linked with Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes in recent weeks. The Brazilian midfielder would be an instant upgrade on Ilkay Gundogan, whose return included plenty of sentiment, but ultimately failed to make the positive impact that City had hoped.
The German, now 34 years old, is past his best and among the players that City will need to replace when they get the opportunity to do so. And Guimaraes isn’t the only Premier League talent that they could turn to in terms of reinforcements.
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have opened shock talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold over a potential move to the Etihad Stadium when his current £180,000-a-week Liverpool contract expires in the summer.
To say that the move would shock the Premier League would be an understatement. Alexander-Arnold would likely have a strained relationship with Liverpool fans if he decided to move to Real Madrid, but a move to Man City would end that relationship entirely.
He wouldn’t be the first to swap Anfield for the Etihad, as a certain Raheem Sterling did the same in the summer of 2015, with City splashing out a reported £49m to sign the Liverpool winger, who went on to enjoy incredible success under Guardiola.
Despised by the Reds ever since, Sterling is a prime example of what Alexander-Arnold may have to prepare himself for if he completed such a move.
"Fantastic" Alexander-Arnold would reach new level under Guardiola
Throughout history, there are several examples of dream partnerships which the world of football never quite got to see play out on the pitch, with Steven Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp near the top of that list.
And by the end of his career, the world of football may well be left wondering just how Alexander-Arnold would have excelled under Guardiola unless he shocks the rest of English football this summer.
The England international is undoubtedly one of the best right-backs in Premier League history and we’ve already seen how the detail of Arne Slot’s tactical approach has created a new version of the Liverpool star.
So there’s no telling just how much Alexander-Arnold would evolve under the guidance of one of football’s greatest minds in Guardiola.
Dubbed “fantastic” by former Liverpool manager Klopp last season, it feels unlikely that Alexander-Arnold would shatter Liverpool hearts to such a degree at this stage, but he certainly has a decision to make in the coming months.
Manchester City’s horrendous run of form continues following a disappointing 3-3 draw at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League. Pep Guardiola’s side have now failed to win in six games, but have put an end to a five-game losing streak against the Dutch side.
They have now conceded seven goals in their last two home games, including their humbling 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
It seemed like the Cityzens were in cruise control, and were 3-0 up with 20 minutes or so left of normal time. Two goals from Erling Haaland, including a penalty, either side of an Ilkay Gundogan strike gave Guardiola’s men a handsome lead. It was a scoreline which seemed unassailable at one stage.
However, the visitors pulled off the unlikeliest of comebacks. Anis Hadj Moussa kickstarted the revival in the 75th minute before striker Santiago Gimenez gave the Dutch team some hope with their second.
Slovakian international David Hancko scored the third in the 89th minute, to complete one of the most iconic games in recent Champions League history. There were some incredibly disappointing performances from the Cityzens, with goalkeeper Ederson one of the players who struggled.
Ederson’s stats vs. Feyenoord
It was certainly a poor night for the City number 31. He was rounded easily for the opening goal, leaving a big gap for Moussa to slot home into an empty net. The second was not necessarily Ederson’s fault, although he failed to prevent a cross from making its way through to Gimenez. However, his error for the equaliser was arguably the worst.
The Brazilian came rushing out of his goal to sweep up a long, searching pass from the visitors. However, normally so composed in these scenarios, the goalkeeper attempted a headed clearance which he missed, allowing Feyenoord to capitalise and grab their third.
The former Benfica man received a 4/10 rating from GOAL journalist Richard Martin. He was critical of the goalkeeper for all three goals, explaining that he ‘appeared to take his eye off the ball late in the game’ as the visitors managed to draw level.
His poor performance was reflected in his Sofascore stats at full-time. The Cityzens goalkeeper had 37 touches of the ball and made two saves on the night. However, he prevented just 0.07 goals and made one error leading to a goal. It was a difficult night’s work for the Brazilian.
There was an outfield player who was arguably just as disappointing as Ederson on the night, however, and could not help prevent another calamitous result for City. That man is Jack Grealish.
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Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Grealish’s stats vs. Feyenoord
It is worth pointing out that England international Grealish was not at fault for any of the goals. However, he did have a frustrating night from an attacking point of view, and could not help add to any goals that might have been decisive for City.
Indeed, there were two really good chances for the Cityzens number 10 on Tuesday night. He had an excellent chance at 3-0 but failed to capitalise, and saw his shot hit the bar after it deflected off Phil Foden. It summed up the night for City.
Grealish’s stats on Sofascore were rather uninspiring. He had 55 touches of the ball, completing 80% of his passes and creating just one chance. The former Aston Villa captain managed to lose the ball 13 times and did not completed a dribble out of an attempted three.
Stat
Number
Touches
55
Pass accuracy
80%
Passes completed
28/35
Dribbles completed
0/3
Number of times possession lost
13
Ground duels won
4/9
Chances created
1
His efforts earned him a slightly better rating than Ederson. Martin gave Grealish a 5/10 for his night’s work, explaining that it was ‘not an encouraging return at all’, and criticised him for squandering ‘a great chance’ at 3-0.
Guardiola will be hoping Ederson, Grealish and their teammates can bounce back quickly. City have an incredibly tough trip to Anfield on Sunday afternoon to play top of the Premier League Liverpool, in what is a vitally important game in the title race.
On the evidence of last night’s display, Grealish should well find himself out of the starting lineup.
Man City may have already sold their next Haaland for just £15m
Manchester City decided to cash in on their long-term Erling Haaland replacement.
ByDan Emery Nov 19, 2024
They’ve already taken down West Indies and England; can they pull off another giant-killing act?
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Uthappa: No better opportunity for Williamson to get a big score
With seven wickets in hand and 27 balls remaining against England, New Zealand were 54 runs away from sealing a semi-final spot. But New Zealand lost, and that complicates things before their final Group 1 game against an unpredictable Ireland. One more defeat, and a window opens up for both England and Australia to sneak past them into the final four.Related
Stability or strike rate? Williamson finds himself in the middle of this dilemma
All of New Zealand’s success at this World Cup has come batting first and defending totals. Against Australia, they smacked 66 in the last six overs and then folded the hosts up for 111. Against Sri Lanka, they hammered 65 in the final five before reducing their opposition to 8 for 4.The first time they had to go against that template, against England, their bowlers struggled early and their batters appeared to succumb to the pressure of the required rate.Finn Allen and Devon Conway made a bright start to the tournament against Australia, but they haven’t scored too many runs since then•ICC via Getty Images
New Zealand will want to rectify errors from the England game before a bigger platform, and a tougher opponent, comes calling. But pushing Ireland aside will be no mean task. They’ve already upset England in a rain-shortened game, not long after thumping West Indies by nine wickets and hunting down 177 against Scotland from a position of 61 for 4.Barring Lorcan Tucker’s attacking, unbeaten 71 against Australia, however, Ireland’s batters have struggled in the Super 12s. Against New Zealand, they will be tested once more. However, there’s nothing quite like pulling off another landmark win, even if their chances of making the semis are negligible.
Ireland LWLWW (Last five completed matches; most recent first)
New Zealand LWWLWJosh Little has been Ireland’s only real wicket threat at this World Cup•Getty Images
New Zealand’s top three have all struggled in recent games. Devon Conway has 96 runs all tournament with 92 of them coming in one innings, Finn Allen has fallen off after blasting a 16-ball 42 against Australia, and the No. 3 Kane Williamson has scored his runs at less than a run a ball. They’ve been helped by Glenn Phillips stepping up with 178 runs in four innings, but the top three will not want to rely on the batters who follow them in this potential banana-peel fixture.Wickets have been hard to come by for Ireland’s fast bowlers, barring Josh Little. Barry McCarthy and Curtis Campher have averaged in the high 30s, while Mark Adair has gone wicketless in his last four games, getting carted for 59 in his four overs in the most recent of them, against Australia. They now have one last chance to make an impact on this tournament.
Ireland have three unused players in the squad: uncapped opener Stephen Doheny and fast bowlers Graham Hume and Conor Olphert. While Doheny might not find a place at the top, Ireland wouldn’t mind giving a chance to one of the seamers given the current group’s indifferent returns.Ireland (probable): 1 Paul Stirling, 2 Andy Balbirnie (capt), 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair/Graham Hume, 9 Fionn Hand, 10 Barry McCarthy/Conor Olphert, 11 Josh Little.New Zealand have used only 12 players in this World Cup, with a fit-again Daryl Mitchell taking the place of Mark Chapman after the first game. Fresh injuries aside, they are likely to field the same XI.New Zealand (probable): 1 Finn Allen, 2 Devon Conway (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 James Neesham, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Lockie Ferguson.
The weather is expected to be pleasant, with no rain forecast in Adelaide on Friday. Given the long straight boundaries and short square boundaries at the venue, expect the bowlers to stay away from the shorter lengths.