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After warming the bench throughout in England, Kuldeep Yadav picked up a four-for in his first T20I since the 2024 T20 World Cup final

Shashank Kishore10-Sep-20252:21

Can UAE take anything away from this thrashing?

Kuldeep Yadav couldn’t resist a bit of mischief at training.After a lengthy bowling session, as he settled in for a refreshment break, he turned to the journalists that had gathered to focus on every single aspect of India’s training ahead of the Asia Cup.Which of his team-mates had matched his Yo-Yo test score, he asked them. He was referring to the chatter he had apparently seen on social media about certain players achieving certain fitness benchmarks. It was all light-hearted fun after two hours of bowling in sapping heat and humidity.Related

• 'I am always prepared' – free of IPL shackles, Dube the bowler makes an impact

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• Kuldeep bags four as India demolish UAE in 17.4 overs

• Stats – The shortest T20I that India has ever played

Kuldeep didn’t stop there. Soon the chatter veered towards Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and Neymar, the latter his favourite footballer. Kuldeep was effortlessly drawn into a football tangent. Recently, the self-confessed football tragic has even found a new outlet for that obsession in the form of his own YouTube show, .As he bantered with journalists, he looked completely in his element. It spoke of the mindspace of a man at ease with where he is at with India returning to the white-ball formats, where he is more or less assured of a place in the XI. Only two months ago, the England Test tour had felt agonisingly long.He had spent the entire summer warming the bench, often spotted with an earpiece plugged in, listening to commentary when not running drinks. For a bowler at the peak of his powers, it must have taken enormous mental discipline to stay focused, knowing it wasn’t because of his primary skill, but because of the team’s need for batting depth, that he had to sit out.On Wednesday, when the chance finally came, Kuldeep grabbed it with both hands – taking four wickets to run through UAE in India’s Asia Cup opener. It was a nice evening out upon his return to the T20I set-up since that memorable June afternoon in Barbados at the T20 World Cup last year.ESPNcricinfo LtdThat tournament should have triggered another surge in his stop-start career, but a groin injury that was later diagnosed as sports hernia forced him to miss five months of cricket. He returned to play a part in India’s Champions Trophy win, and had a decent IPL – 15 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 7.07 – for Delhi Capitals, but the England tour was a setback of sorts personally.”It was tough for me,” Kuldeep said at the post-match presentation of the time spent sitting out in England. “I was working on my bowling and my fitness with Adrian [Le Roux, India’s strength and conditioning coach], and everything came together tonight. In this format, the length is the key – reading what the batters are trying to do and reacting to it ball by ball.”When Kuldeep came on to bowl, UAE were decently placed. Their only bright sparks came early in the innings when Alishan Sharafu’s audacious lofted drive over extra cover off Axar Patel and a flurry of boundaries from Muhammad Waseem against Jasprit Bumrah had them end the powerplay at 41 for 2.Kuldeep Yadav ran through UAE’s batting order•Getty ImagesBut two boundary-less overs thereafter, including one from Kuldeep, forced the batters to take extra risks. One such mistimed hit against a nicely tossed-up delivery had Rahul Chopra drag Kuldeep to Shubman Gill at wide long-on. Three balls later, Kuldeep picked up another with his trademark fizz, trapping Waseem lbw.He nearly had a third the very next delivery against left-hand batter Harshit Kaushik but the inside edge narrowly missed leg stump. But Kuldeep wasn’t to be denied. He tossed up a wrong’un that dipped, drew Kaushik forward, and ripped past the inside edge to crash into the stumps. The zing bails lit up, as did Kuldeep’s face.He had just taken three wickets in an over, all off different deliveries. It was as if he was laying out one trick after another for everyone to see. He finished with a fourth, off another wrong’un that brushed the batter’s pad on the way to Samson – a fortuitous wicket into his kitty only because UAE had run out of reviews. UAE were bundled for 57, which India knocked off in bext to no time.After a summer spent waiting for his turn, it felt like Kuldeep was finally beginning to revel in the joy of being back where he belongs.

Rangers manager Danny Rohl has confirmed that as many as six players are currently injury doubts to square off against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership this Saturday.

It’s bad timing for the Gers, who are attempting to make it four league wins from four under their new manager. Victory over bottom side Livingston would also see those at Ibrox rise to third if Hibernian also fail to beat Dundee. It would be the result of the strong start that Rohl has made to turn things around following the disaster that was Russell Martin’s tenure.

Related Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers

With Danny Röhl in need of defensive reinforcements, could Rangers sign an “aggressive” £8m-valued star better than John Souttar and Nasser Djiga?

Posts ByBen Gray Nov 20, 2025

The German told reporters in the build-up to Rangers’ return to action that he believes they’re “in a good way”, but still need to work on breaking old habits on the pitch.

As January approaches, the former Sheffield Wednesday boss may also be eyeing up some potential improvements to his squad amid recent links with the likes of Kilmarnock’s David Watson.

The midfielder would add the kind of depth that the Gers could do with this weekend following the latest injury news.

Rangers vs Livingston team news

As revealed by Rohl, as many as six stars could miss Rangers’ game against Livingston this weekend following a frustrating international break. Mikey Moore, John Souttar, Derek Cornelius and Bailey Rice are all certain to be absent after picking up knocks, whilst Youssef Chermiti and Liam Kelly are facing a race against time to return to full fitness.

Rohl told reporters: “I am very happy and very proud of my players during the international break. We do have a couple of injuries from players returning, such as John Souttar, Micky Moore, and Derek Cornelius, who all have muscle injuries. Bailey Rice got injured during training, and Liam Kelly is a question mark at the moment.”

It’s a particular blow for Tottenham Hotspur loanee Moore, who scored his first Rangers goal against Dundee just before the international break. The 18-year-old, who was dubbed “brave” by former manager Martin upon arriving, has now seen his recent momentum halted by an untimely injury.

With Rangers set to face Braga in the Europa League next Thursday, Rohl will hope to have a positive update on several injuries just in time for what is a crucial game.

Rangers open talks to sign "quality" attacking star ahead of Aberdeen

Leeds United have their eyes on a “fascinating” Brazilian forward in January after his name came up in “conversations with Red Bull”.

Leeds’ lack of goal threat in the Premier League

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far in the Premier League, having the joint second-worst attack in the top-flight. Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

The 49ers Enterprises didn’t exactly splash the cash in the final third over the summer either, with strikers Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both joining on free transfers.

Leeds’ summer signings

From

Fee

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

James Justin

Leicester City

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Liverpool

Undisclosed

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Noah Okafor was the most expensive attacking addition from AC Milan, and he has been one of a few bright sparks for Leeds going forward this season.

Centre-back Joe Rodon is Leeds’ joint-top goalscorer so far with two goals, highlighting the fact that the Whites need more firepower in the second half of the season to help their push to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Leeds looked at and failed with a deadline day move for Fulham attacker Harry Wilson, and now a new attacking target has emerged.

Leeds keen on signing Jhon Jhon

According to reports from Leeds United News, Leeds are eyeing up a move for Jhon Jhon, a versatile attacker who plays for Red Bull Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A.

Journalist Graeme Bailey called Jhon a “fascinating player” and said that his name “has come up in conversations with Red Bull”.

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

The 23-year-old previously played for Palmeiras, but it is with Red Bull Bragantino where has has gone from strength to strength.

Jhon now holds a career-high €9m Transfermarkt valuation and has scored 15 goals in 69 appearances for his current employers, registering 12 assists.

2025 has also been Jhon’s best ever year in front of goal, and for the right price, he could be an interesting addition for the Whites.

The 49ers will more than likely need more firepower than just Jhon, though, but by the looks of things, his name will be one to watch heading into 2026.

He called Bielsa a "genius": Leeds can hire "one of the best coaches ever"

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco publicou uma nota oficial na tarde desta quarta-feira (13) repudiando o fato de não poder atuar no Maracanã, contra o Nova Iguaçu, pala partida de volta da semifinal do Campeonato Carioca.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Vasco

Na publicação, a diretoria do cruz-maltino manda um recado direto à Flamengo e Fluminense, dupla que administra o consórcio do Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho.

– Esses poucos nobres, encastelados, não percebem o dano que causam ao campeonato e ao espetáculo, afastando o torcedor de um dos maiores palcos do esporte – diz trecho do comunicado.

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Mandante da partida, o Nova Iguaçu solicitou à administradora para que a partida fosse disputada no Maracanã, mas não recebeu uma resposta – positiva ou negativa. Em razão de questões operacionais, a FERJ (Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) definiu a sede do confronto e anunciou que a partida será disputada no Raulino de Oliveira.

CONFIRA O COMUNICADO DO VASCO

“Um Maracanã de poucos faz mal ao futebol. É, no mínimo, lamentável a dificuldade em se jogar no estádio.

Esses poucos nobres, encastelados, não percebem o dano que causam ao campeonato e ao espetáculo, afastando o torcedor de um dos maiores palcos do esporte.

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Por que não, então, uma gestão compartilhada? Por que não? Estamos dispostos a administrar com todos e para todos.

Pelo bem do futebol, do Rio e por um.”

Can Danny Röhl claim a win in his first Scottish Premiership match in charge of Rangers?

Amazingly, eight games into this league season, Rangers have still only won once.

Last weekend, with youth team coach Steven Smith at the helm, they required a late equaliser from James Tavernier to salvage a 2-2 draw with Dundee United at Ibrox.

This makes it the club’s worst start since 1978, excluding seasons they were outside the top-flight, and the Gers have not finished lower than third since 1985/86, which could be a genuine possibility right now.

The Light Blues are eight points behind fierce rivals Celtic but 13 adrift of current league leaders Hearts. The top two face each other at Tynecastle on Sunday, but Rangers are not involved in any title conversation, simply seeking to climb into the European places.

On Thursday night, Röhl did take charge of his new team for the first time, but one would not call it a dream start, given that they were demolished 3-0 by Brann in the Europa League.

In the next fortnight, the Light Blues face Kilmarnock, Hibs, Celtic, and then Roma, which certainly is not an easy set of fixtures, so which summer signing who looks completely “cooked”, so much so that he’s holding back teammates, should Röhl leave out of his team?

Nicolas Raskin's importance to Rangers

Last season, as Rangers endured a generally underwhelming campaign, Nicolas Raskin was named both the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award, as well as Supporters’ Player of the Year award last season, continually excellent even when the team was not.

Thus, one would assume that any new manager would make the Belgian one of the first names on the team sheet, but Russell Martin seemingly had other ideas.

Following a breakdown in the relationship between the pair, the short-lived boss decided to leave Raskin on the bench for crucial Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, while he wasn’t in the squad at all for home games against Celtic and Hearts.

In the meantime, the 24-year-old has started each of Belgium’s last three outings, scoring against Kazakhstan in Brussels, thereby hoping to feature prominently at next summer’s World Cup, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, who isn’t bad, is he?

Back at club level, following that mini-exile, Raskin has started each of Rangers’ last seven matches, heading home the opener against Hibs in the League Cup quarter-finals, likely to be a central figure as Röhl looks to remould this underperforming team.

However, to truly get the best out of the Belgian, does the new boss need to move on from one of Rangers’ worst-performing summer signings?

The Rangers star who is holding Nicolas Raskin back

Fair to say, the Rangers support have not been won over by a large proportion of their summer signings.

Youssef Chermiti, Jayden Meghoma, Nasser Djiga, and Thelo Aasgaard, to name but a few, have so far certainly not impressed, but Joe Rothwell has been one of the most underwhelming additions.

When he arrived from Bournemouth in July, Kai Watson labelled him an “excellent passer” and “exactly what this Rangers midfield needs”, concluding he would be “a very smart signing”.

Well, so far, that has certainly not been the case, as the table below makes clear.

As the table documents, while Rothwell may rank first in terms of pass completion percentage, he is simply not doing anything with this high volume of passes.

This is emphasised by the fact he’s recorded just 0.9 key passes per game in the Premiership and only four progressive passes in the Europa League, while seven players have notched more accurate passes on a per 90 basis, which isn’t ideal given that this is supposed to be his main attribute.

His lack of mobility in the middle of the park has also come under scrutiny.

Neil McCann, speaking on Sky Sports commentary during August’s 1-1 draw with St Mirren, asserted that he looked completely “cooked”, while Kenny Macintyre, speaking on BBC Sportsound, exclaimed that “Joe Rothwell… has looked knackered in every game”.

In short, the Englishman is offering very little either in or out of possession, which is hindering those around him, given that Raskin is putting in chaotic displays, feeling as though he has to do everything, with Brann’s third goal on Thursday underlining how easy this team are to play through.

So, ahead of a crucial run of games, Röhl will be desperate for Mohamed Diomandé to be fit enough to return, while any of Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron, or the aforementioned Aasgaard should complete the trio, as they’d all offer far more than Rothwell right now.

Röhl has plenty to ponder right now, it would have been a sobering flight back from Bergen this week, but one of his top priorities has to be getting the best out of Raskin, something Rothwell’s continued inclusion is certainly not doing.

Worse than Antman: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who's "nowhere near ready"

Glasgow Rangers manager Danny Rohl should drop this flop who was even worse than Oliver Antman.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 24, 2025

Manchester United are a club who have been known to possess one of the best academies in world football – often producing a conveyor belt of elite-level talent.

Arguably one of the best to ever come out of the Red Devils youth ranks is winger Ryan Giggs, with the winger coming out of the academy and making an immediate impression within the first-team.

The Welshman spent 23 years at Old Trafford, subsequently becoming a one-club legend, whilst also racking up 632 Premier League appearances – the most of any Welshman in the division’s history.

Giggs also won 13 Premier League titles during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, forever cementing himself as one of the best ever players to operate in England’s top-flight.

However, in the present day, Ruben Amorim has his own crop of talented teens who could emulate the attacker’s success should he hand them the chance to thrive at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd’s most promising youngsters in 2025/26

Numerous youth players have constantly been on the fringes of United’s first-team squad over the last couple of years, but none more so than centre-forward Chido Obi.

The Dane joined the Red Devils from Arsenal last year and made an immediate impact at youth level, subsequently scoring 17 goals in just 21 appearances across various age categories.

He was rewarded with eight senior outings under Amorim at the back end of last season, but is yet to score his first senior goal – something which will no doubt come in time given his tender age of just 17.

However, Obi isn’t the only youngster who could make the jump in the next few months, with winger Shea Lacey undoubtedly champing at the bit to become a first-team regular.

The 18-year-old made 13 appearances across all competitions last campaign, netting just twice, but he’s already matched such a tally in his first three outings of 2025/26.

Like Giggs, Lacey is a left-footed forward who loves to drive at the opposition and cause carnage within the final third – potentially emulating such success at Old Trafford in the years ahead.

However, despite the promise generated by the aforementioned duo, the club could well have another gem on their hands in the form of one other academy prospect.

The United star who could become the next Giggs

Youngsters making the jump into the senior ranks at United hasn’t been alien to fans over the last few years, with numerous players making an impression on the fanbase.

Alejandro Garnacho ended up making 144 appearances for the Red Devils over a three-year period at Old Trafford – scoring 26 times and registering 19 assists.

However, his attitude often came into question under various managers, which resulted in the Argentine forward departing in a £40m deal to join Chelsea this summer.

Marcus Rashford matched Garnacho in making the jump up from the youth ranks, even scoring a double on his debut in the Europa League against Midtjylland back in February 2016.

Like the aforementioned star, he’s been out of favour under Amorim, subsequently leaving on loan during the off-season to join Barcelona until the summer of 2026.

However, the supporters may have another young star to back in the coming years, with forward JJ Gabriel, a player who has been touted with a huge future at Old Trafford.

He may be just 15 years of age, but he’s already a regular within the club’s U18 ranks – taking to the age group like a duck to water over the last couple of months.

Gabriel has scored seven goals in just six outings, a run of form that has allowed him to be called up to the England U15 setup – highlighting his rapid development at Carrington.

Man Utd – Youngest PL players

Player

Age

1. Angel Gomes

16y 8m 20d

2. Shola Shoretire

17y 19d

3. Chido Obi

17y 2m 18d

4. Mason Greenwood

17y 5m 7d

5. Federico Macheda

17y 7m 14d

6. Alejandro Garnacho

17y 9m 28d

7. Nicky Butt

17y 10m

8. Kobbie Mainoo

17y 10m 1d

Stats via Transfermarkt

Given his tender age, expectations will no doubt need to be managed, but one insider has already claimed that the teenager is “already better than Premier League players”.

It’s unclear how close to the first-team Gabriel is, but it’s rapidly become apparent that boss Amorim is a huge admirer of the youngster and sees him as a future gem for the Red Devils.

In recent days, the 40-year-old boss has included Gabriel in his first-team training sessions – something which is often unheard of for a player of his youthful years.

Generational talents very rarely come around in the modern game, but the club already have a star on their hands, but the staff behind the scenes desperately need to keep his feet on the ground.

His early form in 2025/26 is nothing short of remarkable, with Gabriel having the chance to emulate the success of former academy star Giggs if given the chance in the not-too-distant future.

Related It's not Mainoo: Man Utd may have found the new Pogba in "phenomenal" star

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 24, 2025

Aston Villa could make a move for an “excellent” striker in 2026, amid Ollie Watkins’ struggles to make an impact.

Villa lay down marker with victory over Arsenal

Villa secured their seventh win on the spin in all competitions on Saturday, courtesy of a 2-1 victory against Premier League leaders Arsenal, which came in dramatic fashion, with Emiliano Buendia firing home a late winner to send Villa Park into raptures.

Unai Emery was delighted with the result, despite also making it clear his side must keep their feet on the ground, saying: “Today we must be happy, the supporters, Aston Villa fans and ourselves because we did the job we needed.

“Of course, we got three points and we are, in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world, more or less, now feeling strong and feeling comfortable.

“But this is a race for 38 matches and we are on 15.”

It is difficult not to get too carried away, with the Villans now just three points behind Arsenal, but Watkins may need to get back to his best if Emery’s side are going to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

The Englishman has scored just three goals in 15 league outings, and Aston Villa are now lining up a move for a new striker in 2026, with a report from Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) revealing they could launch an attack to sign Bologna’s Santiago Castro next summer.

Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the centre-forward, and a deal could be on the expensive side, with the Italian club potentially set to demand €40m – €50m (£35m – £44m) for his services.

Ideally, Bologna would like to keep hold of the 21-year-old, and they are planning to offer him a bumper new contract in the coming weeks, in order to ward off the interest from elsewhere.

Emery's a fan: Aston Villa willing to make mega-money bid for £52m "baller"

The Villans are lining up a winter move for a new midfielder.

ByDominic Lund 5 days ago Castro could be "excellent" addition to Villa's attack

Donyell Malen has proven himself as a solid option at striker this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions, but Villa may still have room to bring in another centre-forward, given that the Dutchman regularly features out wide.

Castro has proven he could be a viable target with some of his displays this season too, having scored five goals in all competitions, two more than Watkins, while he also showcased his ability to create chances last term, leading to high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

The Argentinian hasn’t been prolific since moving to Bologna, chipping in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 outings, but he is still very young, having only turned 21 in September, and Villa should continue to monitor his performances between now and next summer.

It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

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This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

Middlesbrough – 22/23

Pre-Carrick

Under Carrick

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

Stats via Transfermarkt

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

Related Southampton can hire big Eckert upgrade with move for "world-class" manager

Southampton can hire an even better manager than Tonda Eckert by making a move for this free agent boss.

Posts ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.

Marnus Labuschagne credited Steve Smith’s influence for helping him rebuild his game after he was dropped from the Australian Test team.Labuschagne took a major step towards reclaiming his berth for the first Ashes Test by top-scoring for Queensland on Monday in their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Allan Border Field.Related

• Labuschagne launches with a century: 'Nothing else matters but runs'

• Weibgen feels wait was worth it: 'I've got to know my game'

• Renshaw, Khawaja, Labuschagne pile up runs against Tasmania

While his 160 was not perfect, Labuschagne clearly won round one of the informal Shield bat-off for top-order spots ahead of the Ashes opener from November 21 in Perth.After a mammoth first innings of 612, Queensland were well-placed at stumps on day three, with Tasmania 62 for 1 in their second innings and trailling by 171.Labuschagne was dropped for the Test series in the West Indies after Australia’s World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa in June. While he starred in the Bulls’ Shield opener, on the other side of the country incumbent Test opener Sam Konstas notably failed again for NSW in their match against WA.Labuschagne said after Monday’s play that Smith had loomed large in his thinking after he lost his Test berth.”It’s always nice to score a hundred and to get the team in a position where we can win the game on day four, it’s always a good thing,” Labuschagne said. “I felt good out there. It felt like I was reading the conditions well. I took the game on at certain times.”I feel like I’ve really stripped it back and my focus is just scoring runs – it’s not really too technical … just what I need out there to score runs. The nice thing is, over the last six or seven years, I’ve played with one of the best players in the world and learned a lot from him.”So having a technique that’s adjustable and something that I can just use, rather than work out what’s the exact, perfect way to play – just going back to find a way to score runs.”Labuschagne also scored a domestic one-day century last month.National selector George Bailey was present in Brisbane as Labuschagne flourished after taking 12 balls to get off the mark.His big innings was not flawless – he was dropped on 61 and nearly blew his century with a wild swipe on 98. Labuschagne went down the wicket to spinner Nivethan Radhakrishnan and wicketkeeper Jake Doran could not take the chance. It was either a dropped catch or a missed stumping. The ball ricocheted off Doran’s glove and landed clear of Jackson Bird at first slip.Soon afterwards, Labuschagne brought up his 33rd first-class century with an all-run four. Labuschagne hit 17 fours and two sixes and only faced 206 deliveries.Queensland took control with their huge first innings, with opener Matt Renshaw also putting his hand up for a Test recall and current opener Usman Khawaja impressing.The pick of the Tasmanian attack was legspinner Nikhil Chaudhary, the Indian-born allrounder who plays for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. Making his first-class debut, he finished with 5 for 108.He found out only two days before the match that he was playing. “Nothing can get better than having a five-for on debut,” Chaudhary said.

Nacho Monreal has sung the praises of Myles Lewis-Skelly, saying the youngster will "make a lot of appearances as an Arsenal player" amid talk he could leave the club. There has been mounting speculation that the 19-year-old will seek a move away from north London in search of more game time ahead of next summer's World Cup. Lewis-Skelly was omitted from Thomas Tuchel's most recent England squad.

• AFP
  

  Monreal judges current Arsenal left-backs

  In an interview with GOAL, in association with BetMGM, Monreal gave his opinion on Arsenal's current crop of left-sided defenders. The former Spain international made more than 250 appearances for the Gunners from the left-back position, spending six seasons at the Emirates Stadium from 2013 to 2019. 

  Monreal was effusive in his praise of the young Englishman, saying he prefers to watch Lewis-Skelly over Mikel Arteta's current first choice, Riccardo Calafiori. 

  While the Spaniard was clear that he rated Calafiori highly, he was cited Lewis-Skelly's technical ability and willingness to step into midfield as traits which make him a "special" player. Monreal was clear that he views Lewis-Skelly as a long-term prospect for the Gunners, despite his lack of game time and the player's desire to force his way back into Tuchel's plans for the 2026 World Cup.

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• 'Special' Lewis-Skelly must stay in north London

  Monreal said: "I really like Lewis-Skelly. I think he’s one of the best left-backs. When he plays, when I see him, he’s something special. Of course, he’s not playing because Calafiori is playing so well.

  "This is nothing against Calafiori, but Lewis-Skelly is different. When you see him play, you will see him most of the time in the middle of the game. He’s not a typical left-back. If I compare myself with Lewis-Skelly, I was more in the left side, go to the side, but he comes often into the middle. He’s really good technically, how he receives the ball, how he turns, how he’s always playing forward.

  "So I don’t know if he’s going to be in the squad for the World Cup, because obviously if you want to be in the squad you need to play in your team. He’s not playing right now, but if we are talking only about his level, yes, he’s a top, top left-back. He’s going to make a lot of appearances as an Arsenal player, 100 percent."

• Arteta prioritises Calafiori's physicality over technical Lewis-Skelly

  Despite his many admirers in the game, Lewis-Skelly has struggled for minutes this season.The youngster became a key part of Arteta's side during the run-in last term, appearing in 23 Premier League games, making 15 starts. This year, the 19-year-old has yet to start a league game, making seven appearances from the bench.

  Arteta has prioritised physicality in his Arsenal side this term, deploying four players that can play at centre-back across his first choice back four in Calafiori, William Saliba, Gabriel and Jurrien Timber.

  The Arsenal manager has praised Lewis-Skelly for his maturity in light of fewer opportunities, and expressed sympathy at his disappointment in being left out of Tuchel's squad to face Albania and Serbia. 

  Speaking ahead of the Gunners' recent trip to Sunderland, Arteta said: "We are here to support and to help each other and give a good perspective of the situation.

  "When you look at his age, what he's already done, he's just remarkable. So don't look at the one [bad] moment what is happening for you because maybe it happens for the right reason and today you cannot see it."

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  What comes next for Lewis-Skelly?

  Reports coming out of north London suggest that despite Arteta leaning towards Calafiori over the past few months, the club has no intention of letting the young England international leave. With Tuchel telling Lewis-Skelly that being "a good citizen" would not be enough to get into his squad, time will tell whether the 19-year-old pushes for more minutes or a loan move away to realise his World Cup dreams.