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Graeme Smith announced his return to form in typically ebullient manner and, if he is consistent, Rajasthan are bound for the final four

Karna S05-May-2009Rajasthan got what they wanted from this game. The team has spoken about the need for consistency in the batting; Graeme Smith, who averaged 13 before this game, got among the runs today and his new opening partner Naman Ojha looked pretty solid too. Smith had not been himself for a while; he had a quiet last three games against Australia in the ODI series and flopped in the first seven here in the IPL. Today, he announced his return to form – good news for South Africa as much as Rajasthan – in typically ebullient manner.Watching Smith bat is not the most joyful act. There is nothing graceful about his batsmanship but it almost mirrors his steely mind that is so evident and celebrated in his captaincy. A tough and hard captain doesn’t usually conjure up visuals of lyrical batting; as Allan Border grew into his captaincy, he seemed to get more crab-like in the crease. It was almost a fight within himself. Smith can be a power hitter but he is not your flowing Yuvraj or Gilchrist. Everything about him suggests force; muscle over wrist, batsman over bowler, mind over matter.It begins with his stance, and how he tries to bring the bat down – a deliberate, almost very conscious, move to get it straight down, as if he is almost willing himself to get it right. It doesn’t seem to be a natural movement. More often than not, the straight drive goes to mid-on. He has a mean flick shot but even there he has turned that graceful movement to something hauled off the assembly line. Young boys are not going to fall in love with the game after seeing him bat but his peers will admire his guts and want to play as tough as him.Today offered more evidence of his tough and calculating mind. He was about to take first strike but once he saw it was the offspinner Ramesh Powar who had the ball, he asked Naman Ojha, the right hander, to do so and go after the bowler. With Ojha getting off to a flier, Smith didn’t have to worry about runs or preserving his wicket. He was not in great form when he started off, the ball meeting the edge more than the middle, but he fought on.The field setting for him was perfect, Mahela Jayawardene stationed at short mid-on to catch the error from the bottom-hand powered drive down the ground. And it almost worked: Smith hit one hard and Jayawardene almost pulled off a blinder to his right. Once let off, though, Smith broke away. He hit four fours in the next eight balls, which included his favourite flick and a slap past point, and charged along to unfurl powerful sweeps and carved drives before he holed out to long-on. The pitch helped him; it was faster, the ball came on nicely to the bat and he prospered.Later, Jeremy Snape and Darren Berry spoke about how delighted they were with Smith and Ojha’s partnership. “They played proper cricketing shots. Smith has been very professional in his preparation and it was just matter of time before the runs came. This was the strip on which he played the Test against Australia and was feeling good ahead of the game.” The strong-willed Smith is back and, if he is consistent, Rajasthan are bound for the final four.

علق محمد أبو تريكة محلل شبكة قنوات “بي إن سبورتس” القطرية، على نتائج بيب جوارديولا المدير الفني لـ مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي خلال فترة الأخيرة.

جوارديولا لم يتمكن من تحقيق سوى فوز واحد فقط خلال الـ13 مباراة الماضية، قبل أن يلاقي مانشستر سيتي نظيره ليستر سيتي في الجولة 19 من الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم.

طالع أيضًا.. تشكيل مانشستر سيتي أمام ليستر سيتي في الدوري الإنجليزي.. عودة دي بروين

وخلال تواجده في الأستوديو التحليلي للمباراة، قال محمد أبو تريكة: “(اتخنقت) من جوارديولا، وسأظل بهذا الزر الأخير في القميص، حتى نهاية الأستوديو”.

وأشار: “إذا لم يفز بيب جوارديولا اليوم، سأظل هكذا طوال الحلقة، لأنني (انخنقت) منه بكل صراحة، هذا أسوأ نصف موسم لـ جوارديولا مع الفريق”.

وشدد: “لابد وأن يتعاقد بيب مع 3 أو 4 صفقات، لا يمكنه الاعتماد على الفريق الحالي أو ينتظر عودة المصابين، يجب أن يتعاقد مع مهاجم لإراحة هالاند، وثنائي في وسط الملعب”.

واستدرك: “عندما يسجل المهاجم 60% من الأهداف، تكون هناك مشكلة تواجه الفريق، وتجعلك تتساءل أين باقي اللاعبين؟، وماذا يفعلون؟”.

واختتم: “الفوز ينسب لـ جوارديولا والخسارة تنسب له أيضًا، بيب وميسي لهما معايير مختلفة في كرة القدم، الفوز هو الأمر الطبيعي لكلاهما، بينما الخسارة لابد وأن يتحملها”. رسالة أبو تريكة لـ جوارديولا قبل مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليستر سيتي

Since Todd Boehly's arrival, Chelsea's transfer tactic has centred around signing players for the future rather than those currently in their prime. However, the Blues have struggled to regain their place in the Premier League's top four, with several arrivals struggling to get going at Stamford Bridge. The American is seemingly sticking to his ways rather than switching things up, however.

Reports suggest that the London club have now turned their attention towards beating Manchester United and a number of other clubs to the signature of one particular South American gem, with Boehly reportedly bidding hard for the youngster's signature.

Chelsea transfer news

Stagnating in the Premier League's mid-table for the second consecutive season, it's fair to say that Chelsea's summer rebuild hasn't exactly gone to plan so far. The Blues showed the exit door to the likes of Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz to welcome Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo and many more. Yet, even after splashing the cash, Boehly has seen the same results on the pitch. The American owner will hope that with time and players realising their potential, Mauricio Pochettino's side will find their best form. Potentially helping them on their way to that return could be a Brazilian gem too.

According to Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, Chelsea are bidding hard to sign Estevao Willian, who is also known as Messinho at Palmeiras. The 16-year-old has also attracted the interest of Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, who are also doing the same and Chelsea, whereas Paris Saint-Germain are also keen in what could be a busy race for his signature.

Wherever Estevao decides to go, he must wait until he turns 18 years old to complete a move to Europe, handing the likes of Chelsea plenty of time to build their deal for the winger. Attracting plenty of interest, the teenager looks set to have a crucial decision to make when the time comes.

Estevao is a "huge talent"

The fact that Estevao is already reportedly attracting the interest of some of Europe's top clubs tells the story of a 16-year-old with the world at his feet. With a big decision to make, Chelsea will hope to eventually add the teenager to what is a squad increasingly full of potential. And whilst Boehly's transfer tactic is yet to work out, Estevao could eventually become the player that Chelsea have been looking to take centre stage for years to come, should he choose a move to Stamford Bridge. Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig has certainly been impressed by the youngster, posting on X:

Whilst Chelsea's attention should be focused on potential January arrivals, it should be seen as a positive that Boehly is planning for the future, especially when it comes to signing a player of Estevao's potential.

Brighton and Hove Albion have made contact to enquire about a deal to sign a new defender, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

Roberto De Zerbi's season so far

The Seagulls have made a generally positive start to the new campaign having won six, drawn four and lost four of their opening 14 games, meaning that they currently find themselves eighth in the Premier League table.

Luton Town (4-1)

Liverpool (2-2)

West Ham United (3-1)

Wolves (4-1)

Fulham (1-1)

Aston Villa (6-1)

Newcastle United (3-1)

Everton (1-1)

Manchester City (2-1)

Manchester United (3-1)

Sheffield United (1-1)

Chelsea (3-2)

Bournemouth (3-1)

Nottingham Forest (3-2)

Ahead of January, Roberto De Zerbi will know that strengthening his squad further could allow him to challenge for a high place in the division, not to mention how far he could take his side in the Europa League, and he’s set his sights on one target in particular.

Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez has established himself as Diego Alonso’s overall second best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.03 (WhoScored – Sevilla statistics), and the 20-year-old’s impressive form has seemingly caught the eye at The Amex.

The Spain youth international was recently the subject of interest from the south coast outfit who were reportedly considering making a move, and if the following update is to be believed, the hierarchy have now taken their admiration one step further prior to the upcoming transfer window opening.

Brighton interested in Juanlu Sanchez

According to Spanish outlet ABC Sevilla (via Sport Witness), Brighton are keen on Sanchez ahead of January. The Seagulls have reached out to ask how much it would take to secure the services of their target “in recent days”, after sending scouts to assess his performances. The Sevilla defender is set to have a release clause of €25m (£21m) in the new year, and whilst an official offer is yet to be made, there is “clear interest”.

Sanchez could be a "gifted" player for De Zerbi

Being a right-back, Sanchez is naturally stronger in the defensive aspect of his game which he’s proven so far this season where he currently ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 98th percentile for blocks (FBRef – Sanchez statistics).

Sponsored by Nike, De Zerbi’s target is also capable of making a positive impact in the final third having posted 23 contributions, 13 assists and 10 goals, in 128 appearances since the start of his career (Transfermarkt – Sanchez statistics).

The Seville native also has previous experience competing in both the Champions League and Europa League, so he will additionally know what it takes to be successful at the level required in the competition that the club are currently in.

As described by Jose Manuel Rodriguez, Sanchez is a genuinely “gifted” player, and whilst he could be ready to be thrown straight into the starting line-up, being just 20 years of age, he could be more of an exciting signing for the long-term future of Brighton.

When Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season, there was an air of inevitability about the outcome, an acceptance that it was going to happen sooner rather than later.

The Saints were one of several sides that lurked dangerously close to the trap door year after year, surviving by the skin of their teeth on numerous occasions, finishing no higher than 15th in four of their last five campaigns.

One reason for their plight was St Mary's becoming a hunting ground for the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, who continuously bled the club dry of its best talent, including Luke Shaw, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane.

While Southampton made a habit out of unearthing gems from leagues across Europe or unleashing stars from their youth academy, the 2018 summer transfer window, in particular, saw them struggle to replace the previous quality that was lost.

Jannik Vestegaard, Angus Gunn, Stuart Armstrong and Danny Ings all arrived, but the biggest disappointment of them all was the acquisition of fleet-footed Basel winger Mohamed Elyounoussi, who arrived when his stock was at its highest having shot onto the scene as a highly-rated winger.

How much did Southampton pay for Mohamed Elyounoussi?

Southampton suffered the devastating £10m loss of Dusan Tadic to Ajax in the summer of 2018 and replaced him with Mohamed Elyounoussi from Basel for £18m.

At the time, the Saints thought that fee was a steal. The fleet-footed winger had produced incredible numbers in the Swiss Super League, posting an eye-watering 53 goal contributions in 84 appearances for Basel across two seasons, including a goal and an assist in the Champions League knockout stages against Manchester City.

The Morocco-born star was destined to become a world-beater and had the hallmarks of a player who could take the Premier League by storm. The searing pace, low centre of gravity to glide past defenders and ability to perform on the big stage all pointed towards Elyounoussi making a mockery of the price tag.

Upon his arrival, Saints boss Mark Hughes was excited about the possibility of working with such a talented player and was confident that the then 23-year-old could reach the potential that his formative years promised.

He said: “Mohamed is another very exciting addition to our attacking options. He has got an outstanding record of goals and assists in two different countries, and we have been extremely impressed by the intelligence he has shown in his play from a tactical point of view.

“He’s still at a young age as well, so we’re confident he can continue to improve and fulfil even more of his potential with us."

The Norwegian signed a five-year deal with Southampton which outlined their European ambitions.

How did Mohamed Elyounoussi perform at Southampton?

For all of the hype and excitement surrounding the transfer, the Saints were to be let down by the impact Elyounoussi made across his difficult five-year spell.

Known for unleashing his box of tricks and frightening the life out of defenders with his electrifying pace, supporters anticipated entertainment in full flow and would have envisaged him becoming the next big-money player developed into a world-class talent by the club.

Elyounoussi's Southampton career would spiral into the opposite as lacklustre performances on the field saw him become a shell of his former self, registering zero goal contributions in his first season at the club which led to him going out on loan to Celtic.

Although performances improved in Scotland, albeit playing against lesser quality opposition, the former Molde winger was still subjected to criticism by several media outlets and was described by Hoops podcaster Paul John Dykes as a "passenger", a word that rung true during his time at St Mary's.

During his time at Southampton, Elyounoussi made 90 appearances and only chalked up a disappointing nine goals and six assists as Southampton ultimately paid the price.

Whilst he was under contract at the club, his total earnings totalled £9m but if you add that to his initial transfer fee of £18m, he drained the Saints of a whopping £3m per goal, as per Capology.

Elyounoussi threatened to become a world-beater as a youngster but failed to live up to the hype in England and supporters will have been glad to see the back of him this summer as he joined Copenhagen, recently scoring against Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Teenage fast bowler joins squad on back of impressive Warwickshire displays

George Dobell27-Jun-2018Henry Brookes has continued his swift ascent by winning a call-up to the England Lions squad.Brookes, 18 years old and with just six first-class games behind him, has made quite an impression in his limited opportunities at Warwickshire.Blessed with decent pace – a recent televised game showed him bowling at 90mph – he has also demonstrated admirable skill and maturity. Both his team-mate, Jonathan Trott, and his county director of cricket, Ashley Giles, have stated with confidence that he will represent England.A former England Under-19 player, Brookes has also made two first-class half-centuries in his eight innings at that level. He was not selected for Warwickshire’s current Championship match in a bid to manage his workload. He is understood to be fully fit.His Warwickshire teammate, Olly Stone, would surely have won a call-up to the squad, too, but is currently sidelined through injury.

He will now rest the ankle for five days with the aim of returning to running on Tuesday and hopes to face Surrey later in July

George Dobell05-Jul-2018

Thumbs up from Stuart Broad•Getty Images

Stuart Broad will return to competitive cricket on July 22 in a bid to prove his fitness ahead of the Test series against India.Broad was forced off the pitch during Nottinghamshire’s Championship match against Worcestershire last week after experiencing pain in his left ankle. He has subsequently had several scans – none of which are understood to have shown a major problem – and a painkilling injection.He will now rest the ankle for five days with the aim of returning to running on Tuesday. If that goes as plans, he will play in the Championship match against Surrey at Trent Bridge that starts on the 22nd. The Test series against India starts in Birmingham on August 1.”I’ve had some injections in my left ankle for an ongoing ligament problem,” Broad confirmed in a post on Instagram.It leaves England with some concerns over the fitness of both their senior bowlers. James Anderson, who has been managing a shoulder problem for some time, will play two games ahead of the Test series – one a 2nd XI match and one a Championship match against Yorkshire – as he looks to prove his fitness.Plans to select either of them for either an England Lions match against India A or in Surrey’s side to play West Indies A have been abandoned.

Stats analysis of Matthew Hayden’s career

S Rajesh13-Jan-2009A batting average of 50 is generally considered the benchmark for greatness, and Matthew Hayden finished his Test career just above that mark. Despite a slump that reduced that average by nearly three runs in four months, Hayden still ended with a mean of 50.73, making him one of six Australians to score more than 5000 Test runs at a 50-plus average. In terms of aggregate, his 8625 is in fourth position, bettered only by Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Allan Border.The start and end to his career were similar – he averaged around 24 in his first 13 and last nine Tests – but in between he was amazingly prolific, with 29 centuries in 145 innings, and an outstanding average of more than 58.

Hayden’s career in three parts

Period	Innings	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
First 13 Tests	22	536	24.36	1/ 2
Next 81 Tests	145	7706	58.37	29/ 25
Last nine Tests	17	383	23.93	0/ 2
Career	184	8625	50.73	30/ 29

Hayden’s remarkable run began in that unforgettable tour of India, when he scored 549 and averaged 109.80. Since then, his year-end average didn’t dip below 43 for seven successive years, before dipping to 32.47 in 2008. During this seven-year period, from February 2001 to January 2008, he was the leading run-scorer in Test cricket, with 7706 runs in 81 matches. The average, at 58.37, wasn’t bad either.

Best batsmen between Feb 1, 2001 and Jan 31, 2008 (at least 3000 runs)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Jacques Kallis	69	6729	67.96	22/ 34
Ricky Ponting	77	7301	64.04	27/ 27
Mohammad Yousuf	52	5034	63.72	18/ 17
Kumar Sangakkara	65	5714	59.52	16/ 22
Brian Lara	56	5820	58.78	19/ 18
Matthew Hayden	81	7706	58.37	29/ 25

His imposing presence and sheer aggression at the crease were unique, but Hayden backed his style with plenty of substance. Many of his colleagues are calling him Australia’s greatest opener, and while that might be arguable, Hayden has the numbers to support that argument. Among Australian openers who scored at least 2500 runs, only one – Bob Simpson – had a higher average. Critics might question the quality of bowling attacks around the world, but Hayden did the job in most conditions, against most opposition line-ups. His average dipped below 40 against only one team – New Zealand – though he did have his problems tackling the conditions in South Africa and England. (Click here for his career summary.)

Leading Australian openers (at least 2500 runs)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Bob Simpson	38	3664	55.51	8/ 19
Matthew Hayden	103	8625	50.73	30/ 29
Justin Langer	65	5112	48.22	16/ 18
Bill Lawry	67	5234	47.15	13/ 27
Arthur Morris	45	3381	45.68	11/ 12
David Boon	36	2614	45.06	8/ 10
Mark Taylor	104	7525	43.49	19/ 40
Michael Slater	74	5312	42.83	14/ 21

Increase the cut-off to 5000 runs, and throw open the competition to openers from all teams, and Hayden’s numbers still compare favourably – he is one of only six openers to score more than 5000 runs and average more than 50.

Leading openers in world cricket (at least 5000 runs)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Len Hutton	76	6721	56.47	19/ 31
Jack Hobbs	58	5130	56.37	14/ 27
Virender Sehwag	61	5238	52.38	14/ 16
Graeme Smith	72	6036	52.03	18/ 22
Matthew Hayden	103	8625	50.73	30/ 29
Sunil Gavaskar	119	9607	50.29	33/ 42
Justin Langer	65	5112	48.22	16/ 18
Geoff Boycott	107	8091	48.16	22/ 42
Herschelle Gibbs	68	5242	47.22	14/ 21
Bill Lawry	67	5234	47.15	13/ 27
Gordon Greenidge	107	7488	45.10	19/ 34
Graham Gooch	100	7811	43.88	18/ 41

With Justin Langer, Hayden formed one of the greatest opening pairs of all time. In terms of partnership runs, only Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes got more, but their average was more than four runs lower than the Australian pair. Hayden and Langer got 3567 of those partnership runs in matches that Australia won, which is a record for any opening pair.

Most prolific opening pairs in Tests

Pair	Innings	Runs	Average stand	100/ 50 p’ships
Greenidge-Haynes	148	6482	47.31	16/ 26
Hayden-Langer	113	5655	51.88	14/ 24
Atapattu-Jayasuriya	118	4469	40.26	9/ 24
Slater-Taylor	78	3887	51.14	10/ 16
Lawry-Simpson	62	3596	60.94	9/ 18
Hobbs-Sutcliffe	38	3249	87.81	15/ 10
Chauhan-Gavaskar	59	3010	53.75	10/ 10

Hayden began his love affair with the subcontinent way back in 2001, and the relationship has stood the test of time. After that watershed series, Hayden also scored hundreds in Sri Lanka and in Sharjah (in a Test against Pakistan). Of the four centuries he has scored in this continent, at least three can be counted among his best innings. Among Australians, Hayden’s record in Asia is bettered only by Border, who scored 1799 runs at 54.51 in 22 matches.

Best Australian batsmen in Asia(at least 1000 runs)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Allan Border	22	1799	54.51	6/ 8
Matthew Hayden	19	1663	50.39	4/ 8
Mark Taylor	13	1020	48.57	2/ 3
Ricky Ponting	24	1541	41.64	5/ 7
Steve Waugh	23	1205	41.55	3/ 5

Unlike many batsmen who prefer batting in the first innings of a Test, Hayden’s stats are marginally better in the second (an average of 51.82 as against 50.02 in the first). Among Australian batsmen who’ve scored at least 2000 second-innings runs, Hayden’s average is third, next only to Don Bradman and Border.The ODI star

Hayden’s Test record is admittedly more imposing, but he was an outstanding performer in the shorter version too, with 6131 runs at 44.10 – the seventh highest in terms of runs for Australia, and third-highest in terms of averages among Australians with at least 2500 runs, next only to Michael Bevan and Dean Jones. Hayden’s partnership with Adam Gilchrist was worth 4503 runs, the most by any opening pair.Hayden’s big-match temperament shone through in the World Cups and in tournament finals: in 21 World Cup innings he averaged 51.94, and the story was similar in tournament finals – an average of 50.66, with seven fifty-plus scores in 17 innings. His World Cup tally is fourth among all Australians, while his average in tournament finals is highest among Australians who scored at least 750 runs in such matches.

سجل الدولي الإسباني، جافي لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي برشلونة، هدف البلوجرانا الأول في مباراته أمام أتلتيك بلباو على ملعب الجوهرة المشعة، في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني.

برشلونة وصيف الليجا، تمكن من تسجيل هدف التقدم بمرمى أوناي سيمون حارس فريق أتلتيك بلباو بطل كأس ملك إسبانيا، بنصف نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني.

طالع أيضًا.. فليك يعاقب لاعب برشلونة باستبعاده من التشكيل الأساسي أمام أتلتيك بلباو

الدقيقة 17 شهدت الهدف الأول عن طريق جافي، الذي تلقى تمريرة من أليخاندرو بالدي بعد مرتدة رائعة للفريق الكتالوني، ضرب من خلالها دفاعات النادي الباسكي.

وإذا استمرت النتيجة هكذا حتى نهاية المباراة، سيتأهل برشلونة إلى النهائي، في انتظار الفائز غدًا من مواجهة ريال مدريد وريال مايوركا. هدف برشلونة الأول أمام أتلتيك بلباو في كأس السوبر الإسباني

Newcastle United are believed to be a plotting a formal bid for a gifted Championship starlet with a big future in the game, a new report has claimed.

Newcastle want January signings

The Magpies' struggles this season have been well-documented, with constant injury problems making it difficult for them to replicate last year's brilliance. A second consecutive top-four finish in the Premier League is looking increasingly difficult, but with the January transfer window now underway, they will have a chance to make new signings, with Eddie Howe surely keen on boosting the squad options that he currently has.

The absence of Sven Botman at the centre of Newcastle's defence has hurt them badly so far this season, and a lack of top-quality centre-backs means that they have been linked with moves for the likes of Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie and highly-rated Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo.

Newcastle's midfield has struggled at times, too, not helped by Sandro Tonali being suspended for ten months and not being back until next season, and Kalvin Phillips continues to stand out as a primary target, with a loan move for the Manchester City and England ace mooted.

It is important that signings arrive for the here and now this month, but equally, it is also paramount that Howe looks to hoover up top young talent as well, which is where a new transfer story comes into play.

Newcastle eyeing move for Rory Finneran

According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Newcastle are readying a bid for Blackburn Rovers teenager Rory Finneran, with scouts left impressed after watching him in action recently.

"Newcastle are plotting a formal move for Blackburn Rovers starlet Rory Finneran, sources have told Football Insider. Finneran, 15, is regarded as a future star by the Championship club and is already a Republic of Ireland Under-17 international.

"Newcastle are readying an offer for the defensive midfielder – who has impressed Magpies scouts at youth level for both club and country. Finneran has regularly taken part in first-team training with Blackburn and was named on the bench for their recent 2-1 win over Bristol City on 12 December."

Finneran may be something of an unknown, considering he is still just 15 years of age, but he is someone who is highly thought of at Blackburn, with the report's description of him as a "future star" outlining his potential. The midfielder has already made ten appearances for his current club's Under-18s, despite being three years younger than that age group, further showing the speed at which he is developing.

Newcastle could be an ideal club for Finneran to move to, with the Magpies' current issues not masking the fact that they are still heading in a positive direction overall.

Newcastle battle rivals for shock Dybala signing as release clause revealed

This could be a high-profile statement of intent by the Magpies.

ByHenry Jackson Jan 1, 2024

The emergence of Lewis Miley this season could even be used as inspiration for the Blackburn starlet, too, with the 17-year-old enjoying a breakthrough campaign that has seen him becoming a genuinely important first-team player.