New Zealand’s training session, meanwhile, was cut short because of what Stead said were “not really acceptable” practice pitches

Matt Roller12-Jun-20242:19

Powell on what a home World Cup means for West Indies

Rovman Powell believes that his West Indies side are facing an “undercooked” New Zealand at the perfect time after their heavy defeat to Afghanistan.Both teams were forced to cut their preparations short at the Brian Lara Stadium ahead of Wednesday night’s Group C fixture. New Zealand abandoned their afternoon training session an hour before schedule due to “unacceptable” practice strips, while heavy rain wiped West Indies’ floodlit session out altogether.It is the start of the rainy season in Trinidad and the national meteorological service issued a yellow-level adverse weather alert on Tuesday morning, signalling the likelihood of thunderstorms. There was a brief downpour during New Zealand’s session – when the pitch was uncovered – and longer, heavier ones followed after they left. Wednesday night’s forecast is much better.Related

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“We had that downpour for about five minutes, and the practice wickets got wet out in the middle,” Gary Stead, New Zealand’s coach, said after returning to the team hotel in Port-of-Spain. “I know the priority was obviously for the match wicket to get covered, but when we went back and tried them they were pretty slippery to stand up on.”New Zealand briefly tried to use the practice strips but swiftly gave up. “The balls were going through the top of the surface, so we had a good fielding training instead,” Stead said. “It was deemed not really acceptable to get anything out of the nets… The guys worked out pretty quickly that there wasn’t going to be a lot of point in it”An 84-run defeat to Afghanistan in their opening match on Friday means that a loss against West Indies would effectively – if not quite mathematically – eliminate New Zealand from the World Cup. Powell, West Indies’ captain, believes that his side can exploit New Zealand’s slow start to the tournament.”Definitely, if there’s a good time to play New Zealand, I think it’s now,” Powell said. “As you said, they’re a little bit undercooked. The pressure is really on them, because this game decides whether they go on: yes or no. Having said that, we’re not focusing on New Zealand: we’re focusing on what we have to do.”With New Zealand’s limited preparation for the tournament already under scrutiny, their batters have barely been able to face fast bowling in the nets since arriving in Trinidad. They travelled from Guyana on Saturday and trained on Sunday, but faced similar issues.”Again, the pitches weren’t great,” Stead said. “Balls were rising up around throat height regularly, so it was more facing the slower bowlers and throws. It comes back to making sure that mentally we get in a good frame of mind and ready for this match tomorrow night.”England racked up 267 against West Indies at the Brian Lara Stadium in December but Stead believes that score was an outlier, and expects a much lower-scoring game on Wednesday.James Neesham is in contention to be back in the XI against West Indies•ICC/Getty Images

“If you look at the history of the ground here… it’s certainly not a 200 wicket or anything like that. The pitch looked interesting. For us, it’s about making sure we’ve got our bases covered.”Powell also hinted towards a low-scoring game. “With the rain around, that can play a part in the scores,” he said. “If the groundsmen don’t have sufficient time to produce good wickets, that’s also a problem with the rain around. You don’t get enough time to sun. Hopefully tomorrow is a very good day in terms of the weather.”New Zealand’s management have made clear that they expect all 15 players in their squad to play a role in the World Cup and are set to bring Ish Sodhi into the side on Wednesday night. James Neesham could also come into contention, with Stead suggesting that selection will be heavily influenced by West Indies’ potential weaknesses.”Every game, we try to go in and work out what our best match-ups are,” Stead said. “That comes from the data analysis and videos that we do in our scouting. I would expect there will be some changes.” He also hinted heavily at Sodhi’s inclusion: “When we look at the West Indies team, [he is] a guy that matches up well against a number of their opposition players.”New Zealand’s net run rate took a significant dent against Afghanistan, to the extent that winning their remaining fixtures – against West Indies, Uganda and Papua New Guinea – might not be enough to qualify for the Super 8s, depending on other results in Group C.”We know what’s in front of us: we have to win three games and win them well,” Stead said. “It’s [about] still holding the belief and the confidence within the group that we can go out there and do this. We know things are stacked against us at the moment but that’s the challenge; that’s the cards we’ve been dealt. We now have to go out there and put in a performance that we’re proud of.”

There will be no domestic trophies for Manchester United this season as they have already been knocked out of the FA Cup and the League Cup, whilst being out of contention for the Premier League.

Their top-flight season has been particularly disappointing as they are currently sat in 13th place with just ten wins and 12 losses in the division so far.

The Red Devils have struggled in numerous areas, hence why they are so low down in the table, but goalscoring has been a significant problem for Ruben Amorim’s team, as it was for Erik Ten Hag’s.

Manchester United have only scored 37 goals in 29 matches in the Premier League, which is the second-lowest tally (behind Crystal Palace’s 36) in the top 14 teams in the division.

Despite beating Leicester City 3-0 last time out, goalscoring remains a problem for United moving forward and it has been an issue throughout the squad, not just in the forward department.

Why Manchester United have scored so few goals

The Red Devils have created 42.79 xG worth of chances in the Premier League so far this season, which shows that the overall team have underperformed in front of goal.

Essentially, United have not done enough to make the most of the high-quality opportunities that they have created in matches, and that has cost them throughout the season – as evidenced by their goal output and league position.

Most xG for Manchester United
24/25 Premier League	xG	Goals	xG differential
Bruno Fernandes	8.95	8	-0.95
Alejandro Garnacho	7.35	4	-3.35
Joshua Zirkzee	4.36	3	-1.36
Amad Diallo	3.87	6	+2.13
Rasmus Hojlund	3.47	3	-0.47
Stats via WhoScored

As you can see in the table above, four of the five players with the most xG in the Premier League for the Red Devils this term have underperformed, with only Amad Diallo elevating the quality of his chances to score two more goals.

These statistics can either suggest that United are creating chances for the wrong players and should be looking to create more for other stars, or that the board – simply – need to invest in the squad to improve their attacking options in the upcoming summer window.

Rasmus Hojlund, signed from Atalanta for £72m in the summer of 2023, is the club’s number nine and has only scored three goals in 24 appearances in the top-flight, underperforming against his xG.

Manchester United are, now, reportedly interested in adding another centre-forward to their ranks in the summer, and that could be very bad news for the Danish marksman.

The latest on Man Utd's pursuit of Bundesliga star

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are one of a number of European sides showing an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt number nine Hugo Ekitike.

The report claims that the Red Devils are planning to add a new striker to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, and that they are keeping close tabs on the Bundesliga star.

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It adds that Frankfurt will demand a ‘huge’ fee for their centre-forward, although it does not state exactly how much, and reveals that Newcastle United and other ‘elite’ European teams are in the race to secure the former Paris Saint-Germain ace’s signature.

This suggests that Manchester United will face plenty of competition as they plot a swoop to land the France U21 international to bolster their attacking options ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Ekitike, who has been compared to the likes of Alexander Isak and Omar Marmoush, rejected a move to Newcastle in 2022, which suggests that the Red Devils may have the edge over the Magpies in this race unless the 22-year-old forward has changed his mind on a switch to Tynecastle since then.

The news that United are plotting a ‘huge’ swoop to sign the Frankfurt centre-forward should, now, come as very bad news to Hojlund, as it could end his chances of nailing down the number nine position as his own moving forward.

Why signing Hugo Ekitike would be bad news for Rasmus Hojlund

The Denmark international has been competing with Joshua Zirkzee for the striker role this season and they have combined for just six goals between them, which shows that neither of them have been the reliable forward that Amorim has needed.

Because Zirkzee has also struggled for goals, Hojlund has had plenty of chances to start games – starting 17 times in the top-flight – but those opportunities could be limited by the arrival of a new marksman.

Ekitike, who scored a hat-trick against England’s U21s during the break, is a centre-forward who has the potential to nail down the position as his own as a regular starter, leaving Hojlund and Zirkzee feeding on scraps as substitutes or as rotation options in cup competitions.

Analyst Ben Mattinson recently claimed that the 22-year-old star “is one of the best strikers out there” and it is hard to argue with that when you look at his form for club and country.

Along with his hat-trick for France’s U21s, Ekitike has produced 19 goals and eight assists in all competitions for Frankfurt this season, including three goals from 2.58 xG in the Europa League.

24/25	Hojlund (Premier League)	Ekitike (Bundesliga)
Starts	17	23
Goals	3	13
Minutes per goal	483	145
Big chances created	3	7
Key passes per game	0.5	1.4
Assists	0	4
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the French starlet has significantly outperformed Hojlund at league level so far this term, with ten more goals and four more assists.

These statistics suggest that the Ekitike would come in as a huge upgrade on the Danish marksman and that is why his arrival at Old Trafford in the summer transfer window would be very bad news for the former Atalanta man.

It could result in his game time being heavily restricted, as Amorim may want his best number nine to start week-in-week-out, and that could force the £72m signing to consider his long-term future at the club.

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Therefore, Hojlund may hope to enjoy a strong end to the Premier League and Europa League season to show the manager and the board that he has what it takes to be the first-choice, because his form to date suggests that the signing of Ekitike is very much needed.

da brdice： Manchester City are now ready to make a big offer for a “spectacular” forward, but there could be fierce competition from their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Man City set for summer rebuild

da esport bet： Pep Guardiola is tasked with revolutionising his aging squad this summer, and perhaps one of the manager’s most difficult tasks will be finding a suitable replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, whose 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium is set to come to an end.

Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison has reportedly been identified as an heir to De Bruyne, with City willing to make a £60m bid for the England international, while they are also in talks over a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.

Attacking midfield is not the only area in which Guardiola is looking to strengthen, however, with the manager also keen on strengthening his wide options, and FC Barcelona star Lamine Yamal is among the more audacious targets.

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That said, it may be difficult to prise Yamal away from Barcelona, given that he is protected by a £850m release clause, so the Sky Blues may be forced to move on to other options.

According to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), Man City are now ready to make a big offer for Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, whose future in Italy is uncertain, amid interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

Manchester United and Chelsea are also ready to make approaches for the 19-year-old, so there could be fierce competition for his signature this summer, at which point Juventus are worried they may struggle to keep hold of the teenager.

With the Serie A side at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification, Yildiz could be on the move, but he will not come cheap, with previous reports detailing Juventus could hold out for over £75m.

Man City’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Everton (a)

April 19th

Aston Villa (h)

April 22nd

Nottingham Forest (FA Cup semi-final)

April 27th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)

May 2nd

Southampton (a)

May 10th

"Spectacular" Yildiz impressing in Italy

Despite his age, the Turkey international has managed to establish himself as a key player for Juventus this season, making 31 appearances in the Serie A, during which time he has amassed six goals and three assists.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has singled the starlet out for praise too, claiming he has “high on-the-ball bravery to make spectacular solo runs”, while also suggesting he is “almost perfectly two-footed”.

Yildiz could be an excellent signing for Man City, and at 19-years-old he is at the right age to be a long-term success at the Etihad Stadium.

However, finding a suitable replacement for De Bruyne should be City’s number one priority for the summer, rather than bringing in a new winger, given that it will be an extremely difficult task to find an heir for the Belgian.

Tottenham Hotspur have been tipped to appoint a 52-year-old after he was spotted at the Spurs stadium recently, which also follows his rumoured talks with chairman Daniel Levy.

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Fabrizio Romano is among the credible media sources to report that there is a strong possibility Postecoglou will be dismissed if Tottenham fail to mount an impressive run in Europe, so the pressure is on the 59-year-old to get it right during their return leg in Germany.

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Tottenham have identified a few candidates to replace Postecoglou already, including Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who is seen as a top target for the Lilywhites alongside the likes of Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Fulham boss Marco Silva (The Athletic).

All of this comes amid their fresh appointment of new CEO Vinai Venkatesham, who will officially commence his role this summer after swapping Arsenal for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It is a hire which could have major implications on Levy’s influence and the running of the club, with Venkatesham set to oversee both on-field and off-field matters in a very senior role (Dave Hytner).

His arrival will also have a big say on whether Tottenham end up re-hiring former managing director Fabio Paratici.

After he resigned from his post in 2023, due to a worldwide ban from football, that sentence is set to end on June 30th – and Spurs have reportedly been pursuing a return for Paratici.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and other reports in Italy, Levy has held talks with Paratici over re-joining Tottenham, and the Lilywhites chief was thought to be “working hard” to bring him back to N17.

Milan’s recent negotiations to appoint Paratici also collapsed last week, handing Spurs a potential free run.

Tottenham tipped to appoint Fabio Paratici after Daniel Levy talks

Interestingly, Paratici was spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday, sitting in the stands as he watched Postecoglou’s side draw 1-1 with Frankfurt.

After seeing this image, following on from these alleged Levy talks, pundit John Wenham is convinced that Paratici is returning to Tottenham, and the Italian could already be working on a replacement for Postecoglou.

“If Postecoglou is sacked, I’m not sure who will come in until the end of the season,” Wenham said to Tottenham News.

“We will have to wait and see. However, we saw that Paratici was at the stadium again on Thursday, sitting with the club legends. Therefore, it looks like he is coming back, and perhaps he is already lining up a new manager to replace Postecoglou.”

He would be a controversial hire after his footballing ban, but sections of supporters are keen for it to happen.

Paratici played a key role in their appointment of Antonio Conte, whilst also orchestrating deals for Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr, who’ve all gone on to impress since joining Spurs.

Mumbai broke Vidarbha’s resistance on the fifth afternoon and secured their 42nd Ranji Trophy title and first since 2015-16. Spin-bowling allrounder Tanush Kotian and fast bowler Tushar Deshpande crushed Vidarbha’s dream and dismissed them for 368, in an unprecedented chase of 538, after captain Akshay Wadkar and rookie Harsh Dubey had played out a wicket-less morning session.Fittingly, it was veteran Dhawal Kulkarni who sealed victory for Mumbai in what was his last game for them. With his captain Ajinkya Rahane and the Wankhede crowd warmly cheering him on, Kulkarni bowled Umesh Yadav to give himself a winning send-off. Having picked up a fourth-innings five-for in his first Ranji final, against Uttar Pradesh, back in 2009, Kulkarni signed off as a bona fide domestic stalwart for Mumbai.He leaves Mumbai’s seam attack in the safe hands of Deshpande, who bullied Vidarbha with around-the-wicket bouncers on the fifth day and Mohit Avasthi, who was Mumbai’s joint-highest wicket-taker this season with 35 strikes in eight games. Avasthi wasn’t available for the final because of injury, with Kulkarni taking his place.