David Payne’s latest white-ball masterclass proved in vain as in-form Gloucestershire suffered a frustrating eight-run defeat to Kent Spitfires on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-affected Vitality Blast match at Cheltenham.Needing to win to enhance their chances of achieving a top-four finish in the South Group and a place in the knockout stages, Gloucestershire found themselves in a strong position after bowling the visitors out for 150 in 19.2 overs at the College Ground.Veteran campaigner Payne was outstanding in taking 4 for 25 in four overs, while Ollie Price finished with 2 for 26 after skipper Jack Taylor had won the toss and elected to bowl. Daniel Bell-Drummond did his utmost to rescue the visitors, scoring 76 off 52 balls and dominating partnerships of 56 and 54 with Joey Evison and Grant Stewart for the fourth and seventh wickets respectively.Gloucestershire openers Miles Hammond and Cameron Bancroft then raised 23 in three overs to ease ahead of the DLS requirement, only for the rain forecast for early evening to arrive ahead of schedule with two overs more needing to be bowled to constitute a game.When play finally resumed an hour later with the home side chasing a revised target of 145 from 19 overs, Kent reasserted themselves, Nathan Gilchrist removing Bancroft and James Bracey in the space of four balls in the fifth over. Umpires Alex Wharf and Ben Peverall took the players off for the second and last time when heavy rain moved back in with Gloucestershire on 29 for 2, now eight runs behind the newly-revised DLS figure, their hopes dashed by a disappointing two-over passage of play which served to fundamentally alter the outcome. The game was abandoned soon afterwards.Kent’s fortuitous win just about keeps alive their outside chances of progressing to the knockout stages, while fifth-placed Gloucestershire head to Taunton needing to win Sunday’s West Country derby if they are to keep pace with the leaders.Gloucestershire went into this fixture on the back of three straight wins and that momentum was further buoyed when left-arm seamer Payne claimed three wickets in a devastating 10-ball burst with the new ball from the College Lawn End.Making his debut after joining on loan from Essex, Feroze Khushi was pinned lbw without scoring in the first over, while new batter Tuwanda Muyeye fell second ball, driving uppishly to Jack Taylor at mid-on.Payne then accounted for Kent captain Sam Billings in his next over, the former England man top-edging a hook to Josh Shaw as the visitors subsided to 17 for 3 in the third.Charged with the task of rebuilding, Bell-Drummond plundered three successive fours in an over from Shaw that cost 15 runs, helping Spitfires recover to 40 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. Evison also adopted an aggressive approach in a 50 stand that occupied just 36 balls.When Evison chanced his arm once too often and hit Beau Webster straight to Hammond at long-off for a 16-ball 22 and Jack Leaning attempted to pull offspinner Ollie Price and contrived to hit his wicket, departing for a six-ball duck, Kent were 70 for 5 off 10.1 overs and badly in need of renewed impetus.Bell-Drummond was fast running out of partners, Marcus O’Riordan hoisting Price to deep backward square and falling into a carefully laid trap as the visitors further subsided to 89 for 6. Taking matters into his own hands, Bell-Drummond launched Price over the covers to raise a 39-ball 50 with his first six as the innings realised three figures in the 15th.Stewart came out swinging, contributing a 15-ball 21 in a revitalising stand of 54 in 4.5 overs before hitting the returning Payne straight down the throat of long-on. Bell-Drummond fell in the penultimate over, hoisting Shaw to deep midwicket, having accrued 10 fours and 2 sixes and almost single-handedly carried his side to a respectable total.
It’s only June, and Arsenal have already been in more than their fair share of transfer sagas.
The big one has undoubtedly focused on the potential deal for Benjamin Sesko and, by extension, Viktor Gyokeres, who looks like the backup option.
Then there was the questionable jeopardy around the deal for Martin Zubimendi and the potential hijack from Real Madrid, which has thankfully been quashed by the likes of Fabrizio Romano and Sami Mokbel.
Finally, another saga that followed the club from last season concerned Nico Williams. Although recent reports are to be believed, Arsenal might now be looking at someone who’d be a better deal than the Spaniard.
Arsenal's search for a Williams alternative
The first serious links to Williams for Arsenal emerged last summer, off the back of a brilliant season for Athletic Bilbao and then a sensational European Championships with Spain.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, even though nothing came of the Gunners’ supposed interest in the talented winger, links reappeared in the winter window and again in a big way earlier this summer.
Unfortunately, the dynamic 22-year-old has understandably caught the attention of several other top sides, and based on stories from the last week or so, it looks like he’ll be making his way to Spanish champions Barcelona this summer.
While it’s never ideal to miss out on a player as exciting as Williams, it’s not all doom and gloom, as the North Londoners now appear to be interested in someone who could be a better deal than the Bilbao gem: Noni Madueke.
At least that is according to a recent report from the Independent’s Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, who has revealed that Arsenal are interested in the Chelsea winger.
In fact, the report claims that the Gunners have already made contact with the Blues over a potential move for the former Spurs academy star.
However, there is a sticking point: the West Londoners want up to £50m for the 23-year-old, which is a figure Andrea Berta and Co are not interested in going near.
It could be a complicated and somewhat costly transfer, but given Madueke’s ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be a far better deal than Williams.
Why Madueke could be a better deal than Williams
Now, it should go without saying that signing either winger would help add more dynamism to Arsenal’s attack next season, but there are a few reasons why Madueke might end up proving a better deal than Williams, and the first relates to experience.
The Englishman might only be a year older than the Spaniard, but that is not the experience we are discussing here. Instead, we are talking about the former’s familiarity with the Premier League.
This is seriously important for the Gunners as they desperately need whoever they sign this summer to come in and hit the ground running next season, as fans and pundits alike have already made it crystal clear that they expect Arteta and Co to finally get over the line in the league.
The Bilbao gem might be more than comfortable in La Liga and would likely become so in England, but there’s a realistic chance that he would require some time to bed in, time which could prove costly in a closely fought title race.
Moreover, despite the excitement around the Pamplona-born dynamo, the Blues star’s output from this season actually makes for better reading.
Appearances
43
45
Minutes
2521′
3130′
Goals
11
11
Assists
5
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.37
0.4
Minutes per Goal Involvement
157.56′
173.88′
For example, in 43 appearances, totalling 2521 minutes, the Barnet-born “mentality monster,” as dubbed by personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, scored 11 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.68 games, or every 157.56 minutes.
In contrast, the 28-capped Spaniard scored as many goals and provided seven assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3130 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, but more crucially, one every 173.88 minutes.
Yet, if even that is not enough to convince you, then perhaps the fact the Chelsea gem has the better underlying numbers might.
Yes, according to FBref, the “unbelievable” dynamo, as dubbed by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, progressive carries and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.61
0.35
Progressive Passes
3.05
3.11
Progressive Carries
6.81
5.32
Shots
3.54
2.43
Shots on Target
1.33
0.86
Passing Accuracy
77.4%
70.5%
Key Passes
1.42
1.80
Shot-Creating Actions
3.50
5.05
Tackles
1.11
1.26
Interceptions
0.44
0.32
Clearances
0.49
0.41
Successful Take-On %
44.1%
36.4%
Carries into the Penalty Area
4.12
2.61
On top of being a creative outlet through his carrying and passing abilities, the former PSV gem also comes out ahead for some defensive statistics, proving that he’s not just a flair player but someone who will come back and help out his full-back when needed.
Ultimately, Williams is an undeniable talent and perhaps someone easier to envision becoming a superstar.
Nonetheless, from output to the numbers under the hood, Madueke has him beat, and considering his familiarity with English football and the Premier League, he might just represent a better deal for Arsenal this summer.
He's more exciting than Zubimendi: Arsenal looking to sign £70m "superstar"
Arsenal could make an even more exciting signing than Martin Zubimendi.
An exciting transfer update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s quest to build a squad capable of retaining their Premier League crown, courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.
Liverpool closing in on stunning Wirtz move
The Reds appear to be edging closer to completing the most exciting signing of the summer in England, with Florian Wirtz on the verge of joining from Bayer Leverkusen.
He is expected to smash Liverpool’s transfer record, with a move of £116m mooted, in what could be among the club’s most significant signings of the past decade or so.
Wirtz has been voted as the best player in the Bundesliga in each of the past two seasons by his peers, highlighting his brilliance, and Reds supporters will be hoping that he can enjoy the same level of world-class influence that the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson have at Anfield.
Once the German superstar is confirmed as a Liverpool player, it will be time for the Reds to turn their attention to other targets.
Romano: Liverpool "on fire" with Kerkez set to join
Speaking on TikTok late on Sunday evening, Romano confirmed Wirtz will join the club once he finishes his holidays and completes a medical, but he also had news on Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez, revealing the Reds are “on fire”.
At this point, it would be a huge surprise if the Reds didn’t bring in Kerkez this summer, with the Hungarian at the top of their list for a long time now, and it’s not hard to see why.
Milos Kerkez
The Bournemouth man, on just £30,000-a-week on the south coast, already looks like such a polished footballer, despite his tender years, and the energy and competitive edge in his game have echoes of a young Andy Robertson, with former teammate Mat Ryan once heaping praise on him.
“Milos is a great boy. A crazy dude, in a good way. He is always positive and smiling. Hopefully he can develop even further in England and become even more mature. He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities. A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”
Liverpool could easily get close to a decade of great service from Kerkez, assuming he avoids serious injury, and regardless of whether Robertson stays or not this summer, the Cherries ace must be considered the Reds’ first-choice left-back.
Manchester United have turned more corners than a Formula 1 driver over the last decade or so, with every seemingly positive step followed by a hefty tumble backwards in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Only last year, the Red Devils were riding high after seeing off rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final, a moment that looked like one which could kickstart the Erik ten Hag regime. Less than six months later, the under-fire Dutchman was belatedly shown the door.
Even under the new Ruben Amorim reign, high points such as the statement performances at the Etihad and Anfield failed to inspire a consistent run of form, with the Portuguese’s debut campaign ending on a deserved sour note amid last week’s Europa League final defeat.
That limp showing will now have real ramifications heading into the upcoming summer window, with Amorim already admitting that he will likely work with a smaller squad due to the lack of European football, while incomings may also be at a premium.
Indeed, the suggestion remains that the Old Trafford side will need to sell before they can buy, with exits for the likes of Antony, Jadon Sancho and the exiled Marcus Rashford set to be prioritised by Amorim and INEOS.
The gutting of the squad could not only impact the ‘deadwood’, however, with a handful of key figures also facing uncertain futures. One deal, in particular, could evoke echoes of the past.
Man United's biggest transfer mistakes
Starting with more recent sales, there is more than a tinge of regret over the £25m sale of academy graduate, Scott McTominay, with Scotland star having scored 12 goals as the MVP of Napoli’s Serie A triumph this season, after being deemed surplus to requirements back in Manchester.
That decision to cash in will sting considering United’s current woes, although it’s worth remembering that McTominay had actually only started 18 Premier League games last term. Hardly an irreplaceable figure.
The same goes for the likes of Anthony Elanga and Dean Henderson too, even with the 2023 sales having enjoyed fine seasons at their new clubs. Indeed, Elanga has helped to steer Nottingham Forest to Conference League qualification, while Henderson starred in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup final masterclass.
Again, in hindsight, those deals may appear a mistake, although Elanga had scored just four goals in 55 games for United, while Henderson was never able to truly dislodge David De Gea during his stint in the first team.
Looking further back, it is hard to think of too many departing stars who have truly gone on to sparkle elsewhere. Danny Welbeck did end the campaign with ten league goals for Brighton, although he had endured an injury-ravaged time at Arsenal after leaving United, scoring just 32 goals in total for the Gunners.
In the view of Jose Mourinho, Welbeck – alongside Javier Hernandez and Angel Di Maria – were players the Red Devils should “never” have sold, albeit with Di Maria never managing to settle in Manchester, while Hernandez has hardly ripped things up since his 2014 exit, notably scoring just 17 times in a forgettable spell for West Ham United.
Prior to that, questions are likely to be asked of Ferguson for allowing Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez to depart in the summer of 2009. Ronaldo, however, was hellbent on joining Real Madrid, with United at least raking in a world record fee. As for Tevez, the Argentine had seemingly “downed tools” under ‘Fergie’, in the view of teammate Gary Neville.
Carlos Tevez
The Scotsman himself has pointed to the sale of Jaap Stam in 2001 as arguably “his biggest mistake”, although it is the decision to let go of another centre-back – Gerard Pique – that perhaps ranks among his greatest errors. Is that move about to be repeated?
Why Man Utd sold Gerard Pique
It was almost 17 years ago that a young Pique was allowed to return to boyhood club, Barcelona, after four years in England, with the LaLiga outfit – and new boss Pep Guardiola – forking out just £5m for his services.
The promising defender had failed to usurp Ferguson’s starting pairing of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, prior to his exit, with former colleague Wayne Rooney stating that the Spaniard had lost the manager’s faith after being “bullied” in a game against Bolton Wanderers in 2007.
A peripheral figure in Manchester, the now legendary Pique went on to become a central part of Barca’s success over the next decade or so, having memorably started in the Champions League final in 2009, in which Guardiola’s men ran out 2-0 winners in Rome.
FC Barcelona's GerardPiqueduring the warm up before the match
In all, the ball-playing hero would score 53 goals in 616 games at Camp Nou, winning a plethora of major honours that include three European titles and nine Spanish titles – alongside a World Cup and European Championship with La Roja.
A “phenomenon” whom his compatriot and colleague Carlos Puyol described as the “best central defender in the world” in 2019, Pique represents one that got away as far as United are concerned.
The same could be set to happen with Alejandro Garnacho…
Selling Garnacho would be Man Utd's biggest mistake in 17 years
There are no doubt parallels between Pique and young Garnacho, with the wing wizard having also been plucked from Spain as a teenager in the summer of 2020, after signing from Atletico Madrid for a fee of just £420k.
Alejandro Garnacho
Like Pique too, the Argentine could be set for a swift exit at such a young age, with the 20-year-old in line to follow in the footsteps of the centre-back, who was 21 when he left Manchester 17 years ago.
The suggestion is that Garnacho – who was left out of United’s win over Aston Villa on the final day of the season – has been told by Amorim that he can leave this summer, having also started on the bench in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao.
The £50k-per-week winger publicly outlined his disappointment at that decision following the 1-0 loss, albeit with Amorim pointing to the “big opportunity” that the player had missed in the semi-final second-leg victory over Athletic Club.
And so, even despite racking up 21 goals and assists this season, finishing behind only Bruno Fernandes in that regard, the rising star looks in line for an exit, having previously been the subject of a bid from Napoli in January.
Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes himself has been touted for a departure of his own, amid interest from Saudi side Al Hilal, although whether Amorim and INEOS would sanction a sale remains to be seen.
Equally, with the talismanic skipper set to turn 31 in September, it could be argued that his best days may well be behind him, after 5 years of magnificent service. For Garnacho, by contrast, his peak years are likely to be ahead of him.
Bruno Fernandes
39
19
20
Alejandro Garnacho
21
11
10
Amad Diallo
20
11
9
Rasmus Hojlund
14
10
5
Joshua Zirkzee
10
7
3
Marcus Rashford
10
7
3
Christian Eriksen
10
5
5
Casemiro
8
5
3
Diogo Dalot
8
3
5
Manuel Ugarte
8
2
6
Thankfully, unlike Pique, United could look to rake in a sizeable fee if they do indeed cash in on the Spain-born starlet, with a £60-£70m price tag having been mooted. That said, even amid the benefits of meeting PSR regulations, would this not be an almighty mistake?
This writer was at Old Trafford the day that Garnacho announced himself to the United faithful after scoring a brilliant brace in the FA Youth Cup final, with the scrawny teenager stealing the limelight after replicating the celebration of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The words ‘Viva Garnacho’ have rung out in Manchester since that day, not least when supporters have demanded his introduction off the bench to change a game, with the electric talent one of few who regularly gets the crowd off their seats. As journalist Samuel Luckhurst noted, he is a “game-changer”.
Also described as a “diamond” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, Garnacho has enjoyed a catalogue of fine moments, be it his stoppage time winner at Fulham in November 2022; his clincher away at Elland Road just a few months later; or even his remarkable overhead kick against Everton at Goodison Park last season.
His crowning moment, of course, came following his opener at Wembley in last year’s showpiece, with it showcasing a sorry state of affairs that both he and Kobbie Mainoo now face uncertain futures at the club.
As The Telegraph’s James Ducker has noted, selling Garnacho, in particular, “would come with all sorts of warnings”, with INEOS needing to be certain that such players will be “replaced with upgrades”.
A player once described as looking “like a young Cristiano”, according to Paul Scholes, Garnacho actually boasts a greater scoring record for United than the great Ronaldo, before turning 21. Is this a player whom the Old Trafford hierarchy should really be selling?
Yes, there may be doubts over his suitability to Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, but that should not define his future. Equally, concerns over his attitude have rumbled on since Ten Hag’s early days, but that is perhaps to be expected over a player still learning his trade.
There is, of course, a need to rip up this squad and start again, although if drawing up a list of players who need to be sold, Garnacho should surely be nowhere near the front of the queue…
Xavi believed Man Utd star was the 'best midfielder' in the world and as good as Iniesta
He claims the United legend would have got in Barcelona’s iconic team…
Newcastle United fans are surely in dreamland at the moment, with their Magpies heroes in the driver’s seat now involving the ongoing Champions League race in the Premier League.
Sunday’s lunchtime kick-off versus Chelsea had all the ingredients of a high-stakes affair with both the Toon and the Blues heading into the game on 63 points each.
But, Eddie Howe’s men didn’t play with any nerves visible in their free-flowing game, meaning the Magpies are now sat in a pretty third position – only one point off Arsenal – after easing past Enzo Maresca’s men 2-0.
Both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes would steal the limelight on the day as the Newcastle goalscorers, with the fantastic midfield pairing looking ready made for Champions League football off the back of their polished displays.
Tonali and Guimaraes stole the show
In such a tense affair, the best possible mood setter would be to score early on.
Tonali certainly felt that way anyway when he gifted Howe’s hosts the lead after just two minutes, with the former AC Milan maestro managing to tap home after an inviting delivery into the box fell charitably at his feet.
Away from sending the home masses into delirium with the opening strike of the day, Tonali would continue to keep plugging away centrally with his boundless energy, leading to the standout number eight winning three ground duels.
On top of that, he was also on the lookout for an assist to complement his goal with two key passes tallied up, but no such moment would arrive.
Instead, Dan Burn would turn provider when teeing up Guimaraes for Newcastle’s game-clinching second, with the popular Brazilian also showing off his varied game – much like Tonali – when winning three duels, while registering two more shots past his fabulous late effort looping over Robert Sanchez.
But, there is another sensational forward player for Howe’s side that hasn’t even been mentioned yet who is slowly but surely turning into Newcastle’s next iteration of Nolberto Solano with his expert eye for an assist.
Newcastle's new version of Solano
The now retired right winger would consistently dazzle Premier League defences with his trickery when donning Magpies black and white.
He would also pick up assists by the bucket-load to back up his memorable showboating, with Solano’s assist haul of 15 in league action during the 1999/2000 season yet to be topped, until potentially now.
Jacob Murphy amazingly only finds himself three short of Solano’s bumper total in the here and now, with his 12th assist of the Premier League season to date the cross that Tonali very kindly finished off.
It’s been a remarkable campaign for the 30-year-old so far, considering he had only picked up eight assists last season when he was sparingly used 21 times in league action due to injury concerns. Now, he’s as crucial as Tonali and Guimaraes are in Newcastle’s exciting hunt for European glory.
1. Alexander Isak
33
23
6
2. Jacob Murphy
33
8
12
3. Harvey Barnes
31
9
4
4. Anthony Gordon
32
6
5
5. Bruno Guimaraes
36
5
6
Staggeringly, only Alexander Isak is able to surpass Murphy for goals and assists this season in the Premier League for the Magpies, with the ex-Norwich City man certainly living up to his next Solano label more when powering home eight goals from 33 games. In total, the silky Peruvian would pick up 48 strikes on Tyneside.
Murphy will hope he can get near to that sizeable tally soon, with the hard-working yet skilful winger another gem playing out of his skin for the Toon as Champions League football possibly reappears.
Howe thinks he's perfect: Newcastle make bid for "incredible" £21m maestro
The Magpies have submitted a significant offer for a new midfielder.
India’s defeat at the MCG made 2024-25 one of their worst seasons in Test cricket
Sampath Bandarupalli30-Dec-20245 – Test defeats for India in 2024-25, equalling their record (from 1999-2000) for most losses in a season. Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma are the only India captains with five Test defeats in a season.6 – Number of innings in 2024 in which India have been dismissed for less than 160, the joint-most for them in a calendar year after 1952 and 1959.2014-15 – The last time Australia won more than one match in a Test series against India. Since then, Australia have lost four bilateral series against India 2-1.3 – Players with 40-plus scores and three or more wickets in both innings of a Test for Australia: George Giffen in the 1894 Sydney Test against England, Alan Davidson in the 1960 Brisbane Test against West Indies, and now Pat Cummins against India at the MCG. Only 14 players have pulled off this all-round feat in Test cricket.1007 – Number of balls faced by the two teams in Melbourne after the fall of the sixth wicket. This has happened just one other time since 1998 – 1066 by England and India in the 2014 Nottingham Test (complete data for fall-of-wicket is available only since 1998).
10.93 – Rohit Sharma’s batting average after 15 innings in eight Test matches in the 2024-25 season – the lowest for any batter with a minimum of 15 innings in the top seven in a Test season.Rohit has been dismissed in single digits in ten of those 15 innings – the most for a top-seven batter in a season. Virat Kohli is second with nine single-digit dismissals in 2024-25.14.92 – Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling average in Tests in 2024 – the third-best among bowlers with more than 50 wickets in a year. Imran Khan took 62 wickets at 13.29 in 1982, while Sydney Barnes’ 61 in 1912 came at 14.14 apiece.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1478 – Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Test runs in 2024, the second-highest for India in a year behind Tendulkar’s 1562 runs in 2010.2 – Visiting batters with 80-plus scores in both innings of an MCG Test: Herbert Sutcliffe in 1925 and Jaiswal in 2024. Jaiswal is the seventh batter with two 80-plus scores in a Melbourne Test.
We also break down how Capitals could sneak past Mumbai into the top spot
S Rajesh17-Mar-20236:40
Giants win and spice up qualifying scenarios
Are Delhi Capitals through to the playoffs?
Capitals are currently on eight points from six games, with matches coming up against Mumbai and UP Warriorz. If they lose those two matches, it is possible that Warriorz and Gujarat Giants can catch them on eight points. However, Capitals are so far ahead on net run rate that they are certain to finish among the top three.Currently, they have an NRR of 1.431, compared to -0.196 for Warriorz and -2.523 for Giants. For Capitals to finish fourth, their NRR will have to drop below both their rivals. While it is possible for Warriorz to go past Capitals on NRR, it is almost impossible for Giants to overcome the huge deficit in just a couple of games.If, for instance, Capitals lose their last two games by a combined total margin of 200 runs (chasing 160 each time), their NRR will only drop to -0.311. Giants will then have to win their two games – against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Warriorz – by a combined total margin of around 235 runs to go past Capitals’ NRR. Apart from such margins being almost impossible to achieve, a huge defeat for Warriorz will also adversely impact their NRR, which they will then have to make up through big wins against Mumbai and Capitals.Thus, it’s safe to infer that Capitals are almost certainly through to the playoffs. Their best case, though, will be for Mumbai to lose their last three games so that they can somehow sneak the top spot.1:12
Team mentor Sthalekar believes Warriorz have the best spin attack
Can Royal Challengers Bangalore qualify?
Giants’ win against Capitals has made it tougher for Royal Challengers, since four teams can now get to eight points. The best case for them will be for Warriorz to lose their remaining games and stay on four points, and for Giants to beat Warriorz and move to six. Then, if Royal Challengers win their last two, they can get to six points and take the third place ahead of Giants on NRR, since their current NRR of -1.55 is better than that of Giants.If they lose on Saturday then they are out of the tournament.What about the qualification chances of Warriorz and Giants?
Both these teams are locked on four points, though Warriorz clearly have the advantage, with an extra game in hand and a much better NRR. Both teams play on Saturday – Warriorz take on table-toppers Mumbai while Giants face bottom-placed Royal Challengers. Even if Warriorz lose, they’ll still be in the mix, but if they win and Giants lose, it’ll almost certainly be the end of the road for the latter.
Entire tournament to be played in Trinidad with hosts Trinbago Knight Riders looking for fourth title
Gaurav Sundararaman17-Aug-20201:24
Will be strange to play without crowds – Ross Taylor
Can TKR bounce back from last season and win their fourth CPL crown?•Getty Images Lopsided Scheduling The fact that Trinbago Knight Riders and St Lucia Zouks have Indian ownership has forced not just the CPL to conduct matches to suit the Indian viewership, but the schedule also favours those two franchises.The Knight Riders and Zouks play eight and seven day matches, respectively. The lopsided nature of the schedule is evident when you compare that with Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs, who play just one and three day matches, respectively.This could affect teams in multiple ways especially with rain likely to have an impact on the tournament. For teams like Amazon Warriors, who play nine matches under lights, dew is likely to play a major factor. If it remains dry during day matches, then Knight Riders and Zouks can dominate with their spin-laden bowling attacks.Playoffs format tweaked again The playoffs format this year will comprise just the two semi-finals and the final without any advantage for the team winning the league stage. There will be one less match compared the four games during the play-offs last year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Spin to win Queens Park Oval in Port-of-Spain will host ten matches while the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba will stage 23 games. With pitches set to deteriorate rapidly, there is a good chance that spin could play a dominant role. Also, spin has worked well at both the venues: slower bowlers have conceded 6.90 runs per over compared to 8.38 by pace bowlers.Hence there is a good chance that teams such as Barbados Tridents and Knight Riders could field even four spinners in the XI. Get ready to watch some masterclasses by legspinners like Rashid Khan (Tridents), Imran Tahir (Amazon Warriors), Sandeep Lamichhane (Tallawahs) and Zahir Khan (Zouks). No Gayle in CPL 2020 T20′ s leading run-getter and six-hitter will not be part of 2020 season. Having decided to move to the Zouks after a bitter fallout with Tallwahs, Chris Gayle pulled out of the tournament recently, citing family reasons, taking everyone by surprise. As it happens, Gayle is the top scorer in CPL as well, with 2354 runs at an average of 39.23 and a strike rate of 133.44, including four centuries.Needless to say, in a tournament already affected by the pandemic and no crowds expected at least during the league phase, Gayle’s propensity to do the unthinkable could have provided the necessary balm.ALSO READ: Gayle pulls out of CPL 2020Who are the emerging players to watch out for?
The CPL has made it mandatory for each team to give an emerging player a minimum of five games during this season. The rule states that at least one emerging player should make five appearances or multiple players should make five combined appearances. The rule is designed to provide exposure to young, uncapped talent.So, watch out for Jayden Seales (Knight Riders) and Nayeem Young (Tridents) who shot to fame in the Under 19 World Cup earlier this year. Joshua Da Silva from St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, who recently kept wickets as a substitute during the final Test of the England series, is another young player who might have a breakthrough season along with speedster Keon Harding (Tridents).ESPNcricinfo Ltd Tell me about the favourites…
With 2410 T20 caps between them, one can’t really look past Knight Riders, who have won the CPL twice (Trinidad’s one other CPL title was as the Red Steel) and this time will be playing the entire league at home. In terms of experience, if you put together the entire squad of Tridents and Amazon Warriors even then they have fewer matches than Knight Riders whose line-up includes greats like captain Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo. They will be coached by Brendon McCullum, who is the third-highest scorer in T20 cricket.This will be McCullum’s second stint as Knight Riders’ coach in the CPL and he will want to make use of this experience before he heads to the UAE to take charge of the other Knight Riders franchise (KKR) in the IPL.Five-time finalists Warriors will miss their regular captain Shoaib Malik, but they remain firm favourites as well. Chris Green has taken over as captain and will have a point to prove after he had been pulled up for suspect action. He has got his action cleared since, but is yet to test it out in top-flight cricket. Green, who plays for Sydney Thunder in the BBL,was the most economical T20 bowler in 2019 and was even picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the most recent IPL action.As for Tallawahs, they have a power-packed middle order that could spring a surprise. Their gun allrounder Andre Russell will also have a point to prove after having said recently that this could be his last season with the team.
Newcastle United continue their Champions League campaign as Portuguese giants Benfica come to town.
Despite only picking up two victories in the Premier League all season so far, the Magpies did at least manage to entertain their die-hard fans last time out on Europe’s grandest stage.
Eddie Howe’s men went away to reigning Belgian Pro League champions Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and hammered the hosts 4-0.
They are winless on their own patch in the illustrious competition, however, as a Marcus Rashford-led effort ensured Barcelona travelled to Tyneside to collect a 2-1 win in mid-September.
Still, with Nick Woltemade finding the back of the net for fun at the moment, with the German actually in on the act in Belgium, too, it could be another game to remember for the 6-foot-6 menace against Benfica.
It’s safe to say memories of Alexander Isak are long gone now.
How Woltemade compares to Alexander Isak this season
Even while Newcastle haven’t been at their best so far this season, Woltemade has continually stood out as a thorn in the side for opposition defenders to thwart.
Indeed, the German attacker already has five goals next to his name for the Magpies from just eight appearances, with his strike last time in the Champions League for Howe’s men – which got the ball rolling against David Hubert’s side – coming about from just 42 touches of the ball.
He was instinctive once more for his new outfit against Brighton and Hove Albion, with a cleverly executed back-heel beating Bart Verbruggen in the Seagulls net, after the lethal number 27 had only amassed 31 touches across his 90 minute spell.
With a goalscoring frequency of every 99 minutes next to his name in the top-flight, it’s clear that Howe will be relying on Woltemade to unnerve Benfica under the St James’ Park floodlights later on, having already lived up to his tag of being an “absolutely ridiculous” finisher that he was previously handed to him by journalist Zach Lowy.
The towering centre forward is already emulating some of the greatest finishers the Toon have ever had and after fearing for their future without Isak in the summer, they now could care less that he was playing for Liverpool. After all, the German is streets ahead of Newcastle’s once much-loved striker.
Games
5
4
Goals
4
0
Shots
8
6
Shot accuracy
50%
16.67%
Conversion rate
50%
0%
Take-on success
40%
0%
Duels won per 90
4.8
2.2
Positive signs indeed, and to get more from his big summer arrival, Howe could be tempted to tinker with his wide options this week.
How Newcastle could make Woltemade even better
While Woltemade was a nuisance for the Seagulls to contain, the same can’t be said for his attacking teammate in Anthony Elanga.
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He remains without a goal or assist at Newcastle, since securing a £55m move to the club this summer from Nottingham Forest.
Howe was so disappointed by his forgettable showing on the South Coast that he was hauled off at the half-time interval, with the usually quick and hard-to-read winger failing to complete a single successful dribble from his minimal 20 touches of the ball.
In his place could come Jacob Murphy, who Woltemade would surely love lining up alongside if the experienced 30-year-old’s link-up play with ex-striker Isak is anything to read into.
Amazingly, 11 of Isak’s 62 strikes for the Toon came about from a Murphy assist, with journalist Lee Ryder just last season going out of his way to hail the number 23’s work alongside the Swede as “incredible”, when the pair combined for a goal against Ipswich Town.
Games played
4
Minutes played
114 mins
Goals scored
0
Assists
2
To further back up the argument, Murphy also has an assist next to his name in the Champions League this season – which bumped his assist haul for the club in total to a sizeable 36 assists – with a late cameo against Barcelona seeing him combine with Anthony Gordon for a consolation effort.
He might not be as flashy or as direct as Elanga can be, but Howe and Co know where they stand with Murphy and what can he offer, having once been noted as being an “unsung hero” by journalist Scott Wilson for how he slips under the radar.
He will want to be front and centre of a confidence-boosting victory, however, if he is selected, with Woltemade also no doubt ready to lurk in the danger areas again to power home an effort put on a plate for him by his seasoned teammate.
Newcastle have signed a "monster" who is another Woltemade-type player
Newcastle United have picked up another Nick Woltemade-type player.
It’s safe to say it has been a topsy-turvy few weeks for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.
A few weeks ago, the Gunners had played out an unbeaten week against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
Well, it would appear that the intense period has rather taken it out of them. The Gunners did beat Brentford but a defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, their first loss in 18 games, has raised questions.
Arteta’s squad may be full of depth but any team would struggle with the number of injuries they have suffered this season.
Sadly, that trend is only continuing ahead of their Champions League clash with Club Brugge on Wednesday night.
The latest injury news from Arsenal
Arsenal headed to Villa Park last weekend without a number of key players. Kai Havertz was absent once again, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were both unfit to play.
Arteta stressed over a week ago that Saliba’s injury was only a ‘matter of days’ but he is still missing from the squad ahead of Arsenal’s encounter with Brugge in midweek.
Given the club’s defensive frailties against Villa a few days ago, another missed match for Saliba is a hefty blow. Arsenal need to return to form and without their two defensive warriors, they are struggling.
Also missing from the squad to face Brugge will be Leandro Trossard. The Belgian has been one of Arsenal’s key men this term, scoring six goals and supplying five assists in 17 matches. It’s a huge blow, really. He’s been a clutch player for a long time but he’s been in the form of his life throughout 2025/26. Dare we say it, he may well be the club’s most important forward right now.
The Belgian returned to the squad following a small injury against Villa and did score, although he has now suffered another setback.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta said: “Obviously when you are missing players, you are loading other players and there is a consequence to that, and it’s a really dangerous circle.
“You have to separate the kind of injuries. Some of them have been long-term, and some have been acute injuries. It’s something that we are constantly looking at. We have played a lot of games with a lot of players missing and that puts a lot of stress, and then you get more injuries.”
While setbacks for Trossard and Saliba are key blows, it’s also disappointing that Max Dowman has picked up a longer-term problem. The teenager was likely set to feature in the remaining league games of the Champions League but is unlikely to be seen again in 2025.
Most injuries in the PL this season
Club
# of injuries
1. Leeds
28
2. Arsenal
26
2= Aston Villa
26
4. Crystal Palace
25
5. Chelsea
23
Commenting on that blow, the manager stated, “When you play in the position that he plays, when you play the manner that he plays, it was going to happen, and it has happened.
“It’s not ideal. He picked up weeks, it could have been worse, and we learn from that and now use this time to continue to improve in his education, in everything that is related to professional football, his habits, the way he needs to develop his physicality as well and the understanding of the game.”
That blow has, at least, allowed the club to replace Dowman with Gabriel Jesus in their Champions League squad. He could be in line to feature for the first time in nearly a year following an ACL injury.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brugge
With Saliba, Gabriel and summer signing Cristian Mosquera all missing through injury, the backline likely picks itself with Ben White featuring at right-back alongside a centre-back pairing of Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie.
Riccardo Calafiori is suspended for Arsenal’s clash with Wolves at the weekend and thus, Arteta may use this as an opportunity to get minutes into the legs of Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back.
In midfield, Declan Rice will be missing with illness. Martin Zubimendi is also due a rest, meaning we could see a midfield three of Christian Norgaard, Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze.
In the forward line, Viktor Gyokeres could start for the first time since returning from injury, playing ahead of Mikel Merino. He is likely to be flanked by Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli with Bukayo Saka handed a rest. Expect to see him feature from the bench.
Ethan Nwaneri and Kepa Arrizabalaga are set to be in contention for rare starts but it feels more likely that they will be among the subs again.
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