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Mikel Arteta's side welcome the league-leaders to the Emirates on Sunday in what already feels like a huge title showdown

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When Arsenal went to Anfield on 9 April, 2023, they were on a seven-match winning run in the Premier League and had the title firmly in their sights. Victory against Liverpool would have boosted their momentum heading into what seemed a relatively straightforward couple of fixtures – away to West Ham and home to Southampton – before a showdown at second-place Manchester City at the end of the month.

The Gunners, as they so often did in 2022-23, started magnificently. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring inside eight minutes, and he turned provider for namesake Gabriel Jesus just before the half-hour mark. Mikel Arteta's boys were turning into men and marching towards the crown.

But not even the most pessimistic Gooner could have foreseen the collapse about to unfold. Mohamed Salah scrambled one home for Liverpool on the stroke of half-time, while he missed a penalty towards the start of the second 45 as Arsenal were smothered out of the contest, eventually clinging on for a 2-2 draw – the first in a run of three successive yet inexplicable stalemates before essentially handing City the title at the Etihad Stadium.

This Sunday, Arsenal face off with Liverpool again, once more in need of three points to ignite their title hopes, once more hoping Martinelli can make a difference. The Brazilian winger hasn't quite been the same since that trip to Anfield 18 months ago, but is coming back into the form that first made him revered and adored around the streets of N5.

• AFP
  

  'Talent of the century'

  Part of Martinelli's unlikely and enjoyable ascent to Arsenal stardom is the fact he was plucked from relative obscurity, arriving in 2019 from Brazilian minnows Ituano in the lower depths of the footballing pyramid.

  No one would have blamed the Gunners for easing Martinelli into first-team action, or better yet loaned him out in order to get his palate adjusted to football that wasn't . Alas, he was simply too talented to let go without taking him for a test run.

  At only 19, Martinelli was already an established fixture in the squad and someone the Arsenal faithful were hoping could lead their rebuild. The team's soft underbelly and frustrating lack of ingenuity were integral to their malaise, only countered by prospects such as Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe pulling in the other direction.

  Jurgen Klopp was first impressed by the Brazilian after the Gunners' Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool late in 2019, remarking, "He's a talent of the century, he's an incredible striker. He's really unbelievable. So young, looks so mature already, is a proper threat. Yeah, he looks like a really decent player. I didn't want to put any backpack [pressure] on his back with this thing, but I just really like good football players and obviously he's a very good one."

  There was an obsession that Klopp developed for Martinelli, one that kept creeping up when Liverpool inflicted misery on Arsenal in that same cup competition, later saying in 2022 after dumping the north Londoners out in the semi-finals, "Martinelli, by the way, everyone should remember that name. Outstanding player."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Underrated spark

  So we get it, that's some seal of approval. Now Martinelli had to string together some performances and add some goals to his game, make his mark on an Arsenal team now expected to start delivering on their promise.

  And there it came. Bang. Out Martinelli came racing out of the blocks for 2022-23, the balancing menace to a formidable front four featuring Saka, Jesus and new club-captain Martin Odegaard – all registered at least 16 goal involvements apiece, spreading the love around in true total-football fashion. The magic was back at Arsenal and they were Premier League-leaders for essentially 90 percent of the campaign.

  Though they couldn't hold on to claim their first title in 19 years, the seeds were sewn for the future. This was surely the awesome foursome behind any long-term success to come their way. At this point, some Arsenal fans were making the case for Martinelli to start for Brazil, either alongside or in place of either Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo. There was at least an argument to be made on that trajectory, only that upward trend wouldn't last.

• AFP
  

  In a rut

  Martinelli ended 2022-23 with 15 goals and five assists in the Premier League alone, yet these tallies fell to six and four, respectively, despite playing only one fewer game in the following campaign. Whatever lightning he had contained in a bottle had scampered, with nothing left but a gloomy storm cloud over the joyful Brazilian's head.

  To the outside world, it seemed a strange mystery. Arsenal still maintained their place as City's closest challengers – and this time took the title race to the final day of the season, beating their own points and goals scored tallies from the year prior – yet the life had been sucked out of Martinelli.

  It uncovered the type of winger Martinelli truly was. You can pigeonhole him as a touchline dribbler who isn't afraid to get chalk on his boots, you can categorise him as an inside-forward whose main threat is within the 18-yard box. But ultimately, above all else, he is a confidence player.

  Arteta's adjustments to make Arsenal more streetwise at the back as well as a constant goal threat saw Martinelli shunted to the fringes of the game, before eventually ceding his spot in the starting XI – he only played two full 90s in the second half of the season.

  The departure of Granit Xhaka was also a hurdle which Martinelli failed to really clear. The Swiss' phenomenal final season in north London saw him develop an intrinsic and almost instinctive relationship with the left winger, with both benefitting to the maximum. Though £105m-man Declan Rice proved a fine and able upgrade on Xhaka, his connection with Martinelli has never come close to being the same, while the less said about Kai Havertz's midfield experiment the better.

  All of a sudden, you're in a rut. The goals aren't flowing, the head drops, the mind tricks itself. Martinelli still brought the intensity and energy needed to play under Arteta, but was nowhere near the same kind of threat.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Finding his feet again

  There's still life in Martinelli yet, particularly with Arsenal's style regressing into conservatism in their search for trophies and titles. Arteta has his side playing at a more controlled tempo and digging in deep defensively, with even Saka often tasked with tracking all the way into his own third and sometimes acting as a wing-back of sorts.

  A brutal start to the season has taken its toll on the Gunners, who are now in the midst of their worst injury crisis in the Spaniard's tenure. They are leaning on fringe players to fill in and their B-list stars to step into the spotlight – Havertz has largely filled the void and Leandro Trossard is doing all he can to plug the holes here and there.

  In Martinelli's last three Premier League appearances, he has two goals and two assists, while he was the star of the show in Tuesday's gritty 1-0 win at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Speaking to post-match, he repeatedly claimed his work is for the team; there was never a mention of his form, no soundbite to make it about himself, instead trying to spin the positives of the season so far.

  Where his team-mates have looked tired and lethargic, slower and steadier, Martinelli has maintained his characteristic doggedness and drive. If you remove last Saturday's blip at Bournemouth, he's come back into prime form at the perfect time for Arteta.

Dhoni’s team is closing in on the playoffs but Morgan’s men are beginning to come together brilliantly

Sruthi Ravindranath25-Sep-2021

Big picture

These are two teams in red-hot form, and they come into the game having beaten Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, respectively, in their last games. So, when Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders face-off in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, it could well be a high-octane encounter.Knight Riders did not have the greatest of starts to the season. They had won just two out of seven games and were at the bottom of the table coming into the UAE leg of IPL 2021. And now, they are at No. 4 on the table and, given their current form, they are among genuine contenders for the playoffs.

Watch the IPL on ESPN+ (US)

You can watch the IPL 2021 live in the USA on ESPN+. If you want the English broadcast for the CSK vs KKR game, go here. And for Hindi, go here.

So, what has changed for them? One, the addition of Venkatesh Iyer, who has done well in both games so far – his 94 runs have come at a strike rate of 164.91 – and has significantly bumped up the Knight Riders’ scoring rate, especially in the powerplay. At the top, Shubman Gill had a good game against Royal Challengers and No. 3 Rahul Tripathi scored a 42-ball 74 not out against Mumbai Indians. Their bowling has been up to the task in the last couple of games too – Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine have been bowling frugal spells and the quicks have struck regularly.However, the middle order has continued to stutter. Eoin Morgan’s form, especially, has hurt them. Of the eight teams, the Knight Riders’ middle-order batters (Nos. 4 to 6) were the slowest during the first leg with a strike rate of 120. They have not had to worry about it in the last two games, as the top order has done the job, but their opponents will back themselves if they get the top three out cheaply.As for Super Kings, there doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about. They are in second spot on the table, the bowling is clicking beautifully, and the runs have been coming exactly as needed. They would want to keep the wins coming and seal the playoffs spot as soon as possible.Super Kings would like to seal their playoffs spot as soon as possible•BCCI

Likely XIs

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Moeen Ali, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Josh HazlewoodKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

Strategy punt

• Super Kings are one of Andre Russell’s favourite opponents: he averages 46.7 against them in the IPL overall, and has scored four half-centuries in the last six matches against them. Russell almost took the game away from Super Kings in the first leg, when he hit 54 off 22 balls before Sam Curran sent him back. Russell also has a superb strike rate against most of the Super Kings bowlers – 214 against Dwayne Bravo, 186 against Ravindra Jadeja, 327 against Shardul Thakur; Knight Riders might want to send him in earlier than usual, given a chance, to make the most of the middle overs, where the three of Bravo, Jadeja and Thakur are expected to bowl.

Stats that matter

• Super Kings have won four out of their last five fixtures against Knight Riders
• In the first leg of IPL 2021, Knight Riders’ run rate in the powerplay was 7.4, the third-lowest among the eight teams. They seem to have turned it around, thanks to the quick starts by Iyer and Gill. In the UAE leg of IPL 2021 so far, their run rate in the phase is 9.9, the best of the eight teams.
• Dinesh Karthik needs 54 more to tally 4000 runs in the IPL.

Working on perfecting both fingerspin and wristspin, and training for allrounder status, he hopes to make himself indispensable to West Indies cricket

Deivarayan Muthu26-Oct-2025West Indies’ Gudakesh Motie isn’t your average spinner. The 30-year-old, whose primary skill is left-arm fingerspin, can also bowl wristspin with that arm, turning the ball away from left-handers, denying them a favourable match-up. Clips of him bowling left-arm wristspin to left-handers in Guyana’s Global Super League earlier this year went viral.T20 continues to move forward at warp speed, and Motie is expanding his skills and range to keep up. Besides being the second highest wicket-taker in the CPL since his debut in September 2021, behind only Imran Tahir, his captain at Guyana Amazon Warriors, Motie was recently picked by Paarl Royals in the SA20, and is also part of Quetta Qavalry in the Abu Dhabi T20 league. He has previously had stints in the PSL (Multan Sultans) and UAE’s ILT20 (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) as well.”[Left-arm wristspin] is something I’ve been working on for quite a long time now,” Motie said on the sidelines of a spin-centric camp at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai earlier this month, ahead of West Indies’ tour of Bangladesh. “I think I’m not perfect with it yet and I still have a lot of work to do. That’s something I want to go in the nets and work on, so that I can get it and use it whenever I’m under pressure or bowling to a left-hander.”Related

• Motie takes 13 to spin West Indies to 1-0 series win against Zimbabwe

• West Indies find success via Hosein and Motie's complementary strengths

• Motie's four-for puts Amazon Warriors in third successive CPL final

Whether he’s bowling to a left- or right-hander, Motie sees himself as a strike bowler in T20. The numbers back him up as well. In his four years in the format, he has taken 118 wickets in 104 innings at a strike rate of 17.7, which is better than fellow West Indians Sunil Narine (23.1) and Akeal Hosein (20.60) and comparable with elite T20 spinners like Noor Ahmad (17.3) and Rashid Khan (17.0) during this period.”Well, whenever I’m bowling to a left-hander or anyone, I just look to get them out as quickly as possible, because I see myself as a wicket-taker,” Motie said. “And if they’re coming at me, I just find ways to get them off strike.”At Amazon Warriors in the CPL and the Global Super League, Motie has had veteran Tahir as a sounding board. “Imran is always there to pass on his knowledge to me, so I try to use him as best as possible,” he said. “Whenever we are training, I look at him, look at what he’s doing differently and ask him a lot of questions.”Hometown hero: Motie has won the CPL and the Global Super League with Guyana Amazon Warriors•Randy Brooks/CPL T20/Getty ImagesMotie is now one of the faces of Amazon Warriors along with Tahir and is a crowd favourite in Providence. As a homegrown player, Motie relishes the crowd support and hopes to make the country proud.”Well, it’s a very proud moment for me. The people in Guyana really love me,” Motie said. “So every opportunity I get, I just want to go out and do it for my family and my country.”It all began at the Albion cricket club in Guyana. “I started to practice [at the club] when I was six years old,” Motie recalled. “I was very young and from there, I was really committed to whatever I wanted. I know cricket was the only thing for me at that age, going forward. And then, I went on to play for Guyana at the youth level at age ten. And going on from there, I went on to play for the same team, played all ages and made my first-class debut in 2015. I took it forward from there.He had two senior international pros to learn from. “I had Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo there with me. They are a very big help to me in my career so far because I learned most of my bowling from those two guys. They were playing for West Indies at the time I was playing youth cricket [for Guyana]. So whatever they know, they’re always passing it on to me and we always work together.”Motie left England captain Ben Stokes dumbfounded with a delivery that exploded out of the footmarks and blew away his middle stump•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesMotie also draws inspiration from other giants of spin. “Coming through, there were players like [Daniel] Vettori and [Ravindra] Jadeja. I’ve picked up a lot of things from Vettori – the way he uses the crease and the pace with which he bowls.”Like Vettori did back in the day, Motie also brings the traditional skills of a left-arm fingerspinner. He can give the ball a rip and toss it up liberally, daring batters to go after him. When Ben Stokes tried to whip him hard into the leg side in the Lord’s Test last year, Motie got one to fizz out of the footmarks and knock out middle stump. That ball elicited a nod of acknowledgement from Stokes at the time.”I was just trying to hit my length there and there was a rough outside there,” Motie said. “But, fortunately, it spun and went through and hit the stump, which I was very happy with. It was a big wicket for me.”Motie was rested for the recent two-match Test series in India, but remains a crucial part of West Indies’ plans for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. He is yet to play international cricket in India – he has played a handful of games in Sri Lanka – but he seems to have a fair understanding of what to do in these conditions, thanks to his camp with Keacy Carty, Sherfane Rutherford, Amir Jangoo, Ackeem Auguste, and CWI talent manager Jamal Smith at the Super Kings academy earlier this month.Motie hopes that the experience of bowling for the first time on black- and red-soil pitches in Chennai at the CSK camp will prove valuable in next year’s T20 World Cup•Super Kings Academy”It was a very good opportunity to come to Chennai because you’re bowling on different pitches,” Motie said. “It’s black and red soils, which I haven’t bowled on before. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to gain that experience, going to play a series in Bangladesh and then the World Cup here.”Motie also has ambitions of being an allrounder. He showed his batting potential in his ODI half-centuries against England in 2025 and against Sri Lanka in 2024. Occasionally, Amazon Warriors have also used him as a pinch-hitter in the CPL.”Definitely, that [batting] is something I’ve been working on for quite some time now,” Motie said. “I want to turn into a general allrounder. I don’t want to just be a bowler; I want to contribute with the bat too. I’ve been putting in a lot of work and I came here and put a lot of work into it. So, hopefully, whenever I get the opportunity, I can do it.”West Indies are in the middle of a big block of cricket: their ongoing white-ball tour of Bangladesh will be followed by an all-format tour of New Zealand, with the T20 World Cup being the marquee ICC event in 2026. Motie’s form and multi-dimensional skills could be central to their chances, especially in the white-ball game, during this busy period for them.

Tottenham Hotspur are now in advancing talks to sell a £20 million member of Ange Postecoglou's squad this summer, and Fabrizio Romano says Spurs really want to conclude this deal.

Spurs player who could be sold this summer

Postecoglou and the wider Spurs recruitment team are said to be planning a real overhaul in the next few weeks.

Tottenham plot to replace senior star with £50 million teen after Ange call

He’s been in “fantastic” form.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 8, 2024

Bryan Gil, Giovani Lo Celso, Troy Parrott, Joe Rodon, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Richarlison, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon, Yves Bissouma, Emerson Royal and Manor Solomon all come as players who Spurs could reportedly sell, with the Lilywhites apparently open to offers for more than a dozen members of Postecoglou's squad (Paul O'Keefe).

The Tottenham manager has suggested that a few players may well be moved on during this summer window as well. The Australian, speaking to members of the press recently, said Spurs need to implement change as he looks to transform the team.

"We need change. Change has to happen," said Postecoglou on the summer transfer window.

"You can’t want to alter your course and expect the same people are going to be on that. It’s just not going to happen. We’ve had two windows and we’ve had some development of players, for sure, but when I say we’ve still got a long way to go, that’s what I’m talking about.

"It’s impossible to say you’re going to have drastic change and yet expect everyone to be on that journey."

A player who has really struggled since joining Tottenham for £20 million is right-back Djed Spence, after arriving at N17 with a growing reputation and plenty of promise.

The Englishman spent last season on two loan spells. He played the first half of 23/24 at Leeds United, but the Whites cut short his temporary spell, prompting Tottenham to agree a loan deal with Genoa for the second half of last campaign.

Spence impressed during his stay at Genoa, making 16 Serie A appearances, with reports suggesting the Italians want to sign him permanently. Genoa are said to be keen on agreeing a deal with Tottenham for Spence, and Romano now says the transfer is gaining momentum.

Tottenham in advancing talks with Genoa to sell Spence

According to the reliable transfer journalist, Tottenham are in advancing talks over selling Spence to Genoa – and it is a deal they want to happen.

"Genoa keep advancing in talks with Tottenham to sign Djed Spence on permanent transfer after successful loan spell," wrote Romano, via X.

"Negotiations continue with all parties keen on reaching an agreement in June. Genoa also approached OM to keep Vitinha, but only on loan."

The 23-year-old would depart north London after just two years, only making a handful of senior appearances, with neither Antonio Conte nor Postecoglou giving him an opportunity.

Nick Selman eases home side past paltry target after bowlers make light work of Notts

ECB Reporters Network08-Aug-2021Glamorgan cruised to their fourth win in seven matches in Group 1 in the Royal London Cup as they beat Notts Outlaws by eight wickets after easily chasing down a modest score of 73 in a weather-effected contest.It means they still lead their group and remain very much on course for a home semi-final in the knock-out stage. They host Yorkshire on Thursday while the Outlaws, now four points behind the leaders, welcome Northamptonshire.Umpires Ian Gould and Neil Mallender made three inspections of the Sophia Gardens pitch and outfield before finally declaring play could start at 3.00pm, with the game reduced from 50 to 23 overs. After winning the toss the Glamorgan skipper, Kiran Carlson, invited the visitors to bat first.Ben Slater took a boundary over the covers in the opening over before Michael Hogan, who had removed Surrey opener Mark Stoneman with his first ball five days earlier, struck with his second ball to take out Sol Budinger.Budinger skied a catch that wicketkeeper Tom Cullen comfortably dealt with and then fellow opener Ben Slater fell lbw to Lucas Carey in the next over. By the end of the first Powerplay, the Outlaws were 19 for 3 with Matt Montgomery also back in the hutch and the Glamorgan seamers very much on top.Lyndon James survived a sharp chance at point to Andrew Salter, but then took a nasty blow on the helmet from James Cooke. An over later, on the recommendation of the umpires, he retired hurt and was replaced by concussion sub Sam King.His departure brought Liam Patterson-White to the wicket, but he didn’t last long, sent back to the pavilion courtesy of a spectacular one-handed catch by Steve Reingold at short midwicket off Cooke. When Glamorgan turned to spin, Salter clean bowled Peter Trego for eight in the ninth over.Dan Schadendorf was caught in the deep trying to hook Cooke to leave the Outlaws reeling at 31 for 6 and when 17-year-old academy star Fateh Singh struck the returning Hogan to the boundary in the 14th over it was only the third four of the innings.Hogan’s response was to clean bowl Brett Hutton, but Singh brought up the 50 in the 16th over with the first of two successive boundaries before departing for a combative 21 in the 18th over. James Weighell then mopped up the tail to end with 3 for 7 as he removed King and Dane Paterson with successive balls in the 21st over.That left Glamorgan with a modest total to chase and they ended the first Powerplay on 26 for 0 before New Zealand’s Hamish Rutherford spooned back a catch to pace bowler Dane Paterson in the very next over.Nick Selman steered the home side through the 50 mark in the 12th over. Steve Reingold was trapped lbw to Patterson-White in the 16th over and that allowed Carlson to come in and hit the winning boundary two balls later. Aussie opener Selman remained unbeaten on 36.

Kagiso Rabada’s performance at Lord’s was exactly what is expected of a big player in a big match

Firdose Moonda11-Jun-20251:11

Steyn: Why Rabada proved key to Australia’s collapse

Kagiso Rabada insisted he would not be “Mr I Apologise too much” after his recreational drug ban and showed he has nothing to be sorry about when it comes to his bowling. His performance at Lord’s was exactly what is expected of a big player in a big match: intimidating, incisive, and laced with unplayable deliveries that cut through the opposition.In the immediate aftermath of day one of the WTC final, you may read that line and think it’s more suited to the Australia attack given the way things ended, but save some headspace for a nod on how it started.Rabada set the tone with the very first ball. It jagged away from Usman Khawaja and beat his outside edge. For the next three overs, Khawaja did not even attempt to score a run as Rabada tested him with “pace, bounce and movement”, the three things the man himself says are his best attributes. The trick is not simply having them, it’s “doing those things consistently”, as Rabada put it in the post-match press conference.Related

• Alex Carey has another eventful outing at Lord's

• South Africa's trial by paralysis epitomises the Bazball fallacy

• Rabada sorry but 'won't be Mr-I-Apologise too much'

• Australia's quicks follow Rabada's start as wickets tumble

He didn’t concede a run until his 20th ball when Marnus Labuschagne managed to tuck him away to square leg. Next ball, Rabada squared Khawaja up, drew his edge, and David Bedingham took a fine catch at first slip. Rabada was away. Three balls later, Cameron Green went the same way and South Africa, through Rabada, were bossing the early exchanges.The wickets are what will get him on the honours board but it was some of the deliveries in between that really wowed. In the second over of his second spell, Rabada bisected Beau Webster with a ball that hit the seam, snuck through his bat-pad gap, and passed just over the top of the middle stump. Then there was the wicket which should have been. Full and fast, Rabada hit Webster, on 4, on the back pad and half-appealed with no support.South Africa must have heard a hard sound, as Webster hit his own pad, and thought it was an inside edge. They didn’t push the issue but replays showed it was plumb.Rabada found out moments later. “Corbin Bosch came down to fine leg and he said it was out and I was like, ‘oh man’. It is a bit annoying,” Rabada said. “He didn’t start off too well there. It looked like he was going to get out any ball, but his positive intent got him through. Cricket’s a funny game.”1:45

‘Pretty cool to have it in the home changeroom’ – Rabada on his 5-fer

In the next over, Rabada beat Webster’s inside and outside edges and he’s right in saying it looked as though a nick-off was imminent. It came, but only much later. That Webster survived that spell from Rabada makes his 72 even more deserving and asks questions of whether the change bowlers in South Africa’s attack, especially Lungi Ngidi, backed up their new-ball pair well enough.Ngidi’s eight overs cost 45 runs and he looked rusty. That South Africa picked him over Dane Paterson, who came off an excellent home summer and has 180 wickets at an average of 23 for Nottinghamshire, remains questionable but Rabada was never going to be the one to answer for that. Asked if he’d have any advice for Ngidi, he said he would, “just tell him to have a good night’s sleep, have a nice steak and a nice milkshake, watch a movie and come back tomorrow”.Rabada didn’t say it, but he and Ngidi will hope they don’t have too much to do on the second day. If they do, they will want to do it more like Rabada did.ESPNcricinfo LtdHis final riposte was to run through the Australia tail with precision. He got one to straighten on Pat Cummins, who exposed his off stump and was bowled, removed Webster, and bowled Mitchell Starc to complete his second successive five-for at Lord’s.Rabada was received by former captain Graeme Smith, who is working as a commentator, on the boundary edge and was hugged before he was interviewed. The emotion was obvious. Rabada described his achievement as “really special” and quickly deflected the attention off himself and on to the bigger picture. “It means a lot for me to play for South Africa, I give my all each and every time.”Does it mean more than equalling Allan Donald on South Africa’s Test wicket-takers’ list? Though Rabada called Donald “a legend” when speaking to Smith and said afterwards that he was “inspired by those who’ve come before”, there is a distinct sense that this will mean a lot less if South Africa don’t walk away with something from this game. Especially as they got themselves off to an excellent start and sent hope soaring in what felt like a home crowd.Kagiso Rabada acknowledges the crowd’s support after his five-for•ICC via Getty ImagesWith South Africans filling the stands, Rabada received applause and his own version of the Seven Nation Army chant. Ninety minutes later, there was silence as Wiaan Mulder and Temba Bavuma barely scored a run. That swing in South Africa’s fortunes has already made this Test gripping.”In Test cricket there’s always nerves,” Rabada said. “Dealing with it is about understanding what the bottom line is, and the bottom line is if you’re a bowler, try to bowl a good line and length; as a batter, it’s about keeping the good ball out and scoring off it or scoring off balls that are not quite there and missed executions from the bowler. That’s the bottom line. So everything else is just noise.”South Africa’s bottom line at the end of day one is that even after Rabada did Rabada things, they were 169 runs behind and four of their top five have been dismissed. The captain and the lower-middle order have a massive task on their hands on a surface that is doing a lot, and seemed to do more once the clouds had cleared. All Rabada can do now is look for reasons that might change, for his batters’ sake.”The ball was nipping quite a bit and at times moving off the slope quite a lot, but I still felt like batters could get in,” he said. “If you just bowled well and got more balls in the right area for a long period of time, then that’s when you could create chances. But with this ball getting older, hopefully we can score some runs.”

Manchester United’s squad will undergo drastic change this summer, ahead of a huge season in 2024/25. They ended the current campaign in the perfect way, triumphing in the FA Cup final, beating Manchester City in the end-of-season showpiece at Wembley Stadium 2-1, thanks to goals from academy stars Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

However, despite silverware to end the term, the future of manager Erik ten Hag remains up in the air, following a poor season for the Red Devils overall. They finished eighth in the Premier League, which could see Ten Hag leave the club, with new owners INEOS currently conducting a post-season review. There is currently no time frame given for the review to finish.

It is not only Ten Hag who could leave at the end of the season. Many players could be sold in the summer, and some have already departed Old Trafford. Anthony Martial was a confirmed departure on a free transfer, after nine years of service at United. His fellow Frenchman, Raphael Varane, has also left the club following the expiration of his deal.

With that in mind, United need to replace their two exiting Frenchmen. They have already been linked with a Varane replacement and could look to do a deal this summer.

Man Utd target new centre-back

The player in question here is Sporting CP’s Ivorian centre-back Ousmane Diomande, who has been linked with several clubs this summer. The latest of those clubs is United, and they could try and secure his services swiftly to beat any other interested parties.

Indeed, this is according to a report from The Express journalist Charlie Gordon, who broke the story on Friday. According to the report, United are 'considering a move' for the 20-year-old, having met with his team earlier in the season, and are now continuing the relationship since INEOS’ takeover.

Gordon explains that United are not the only Premier League side who want to sign the defender. The Red Devils’ bitter Rivals Liverpool are keen on Diomande, as are Eddie Howe’s side Newcastle United, although their interest is thought to have “cooled” in the last few weeks.

United’s interest was piqued when Sporting slashed the price of the 20-year-old defender. He has a release clause in his contract worth £68m but Sporting would accept an offer of around £51m and even consider bids as low as £35m. They need to raise funds in the summer, which has led to United's interest in the player.

Why Diomande would be a good signing

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co manage to get a deal for Diomande over the line this summer, he would be a signing for both the present and the future, given he is just 20 years of age. He has featured 26 times in the league for Sporting this season, as they won the title, and helped to keep ten clean sheets. He even managed to get himself on the scoresheet twice and grab an assist.

On the ball, the Ivorian is a wonderful progressive passer. As per FBref, he averages 5.15 progressive passes per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 9% of centre-backs across Europe. The 67.36 average passes he completes per 90 shows he is comfortable on the ball and ranks him in the top 5% of centre-backs.

Not only that, Diomande is a superb ball carrier. He averages 57.32 carries per 90, which places him in the top 4% of centre-backs. His comfort on the ball is very impressive and shows he would be a calming presence at the back for United.

Out of possession, Diomande is also a wonderful defender. The 20-year-old uses his impressive pace to his advantage and is excellent when defending wide areas. This is reflected in this 5.62 ball recoveries per 90 on average, which places him in the top 18%. Diomande is very dominant in the air, averaging a 72.3% win rate, placing him in the top 6% of centre-backs. He is a superb defender, especially in the wide areas.

In signing Diomande, who could “become a monster” according to football analyst Ben Mattinson, United will be hoping he can replicate the impact their last signing from Sporting has had. That man, of course, is Bruno Fernandes.

Whilst they play vastly different positions, Fernandes a creative genius in the final third and Diomande a fast, strong defender, he could elevate United’s side to the next level, as their captain did when he first joined the club.

The Portugal international has currently got 79 goals and 66 assists in 233 games for the Red Devils, but his first few months saw him bag 12 times and register eight assists in just 22 appearances in all competitions. United will undoubtedly hope Diomande can put up the defensive equivalent of those numbers.

United making signings from Sporting is a match made in heaven, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani also joining the Old Trafford club from Leões. Perhaps Diomande could be the next player in line to continue that dynasty, if he joins as part of the new Ratcliffe regime this summer.

Man Utd eye Branthwaite alternative who can be "one of the best"

He has been on loan at Roma this season

By
Joe Nuttall

May 31, 2024

Virgil van Dijk is set to miss Netherlands' clash against Germany after being sent off, but has spoken of the positive side of the red card.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Van Dijk sent off against Hungary
• Will miss crucial clash against Germany
• Dutch captain happy to 'get some rest'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronald Koeman's Netherlands suffered a disappointing setback in their race to finish atop their Nations League group as they drew 1-1 against Hungary at the Puskas Arena Park. Van Dijk was sent off in the 79th minute of the game after receiving his second yellow of the night and is now set to miss the crunch clash against Germany.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Van Dijk is now set to return to Merseyside as he looks forward to some extended rest ahead of a tough set of fixtures coming up. The Liverpool star has been in top form for Arne Slot's side amid a number of injury issues in the squad including goalkeeper Alisson, who is set to miss up to two months due to a hamstring tear. The Dutch captain has opened up on the positive side of being shown the red card against Hungary.

• WHAT VAN DIJK SAID

  Speaking to the media, Van Dijk said: "I wanted to stay with the team to give the lads my support, but now I have decided it is better to go home. A lot has been said about the massive pile of matches we are playing in this period and all the travelling. This is a good moment to get some rest.

  "With all the matches we have coming, I fully understand that the club thinks it is a good moment to get some rest."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR VAN DIJK?

  The Liverpool captain will now get some time off from playing action and he will return to action when the Reds take on Chelsea on October 20 at Anfield.

It was #PlayBold the way RCB have always wanted it to be, and by the end of it, the WPL had it’s biggest ever chase, completed with nine balls left

Srinidhi Ramanujam15-Feb-20254:42

Mithali: Ghosh changed the dynamic by smashing 23 off Gardner’s over

For Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), their “#PlayBold philosophy also means doing whatever it takes”. No player has taken that more seriously than Richa Ghosh.Having made her international debut five years ago at the age of 16, Ghosh has shown the ability to learn and adapt quickly to survive in the fast-paced format, both for India and for RCB. She offered another glimpse into that on the opening night of WPL 2025 when she hit a brutal 27-ball 64 against Gujarat Giants to take RCB to their target of 202 with nine balls to go. No bigger target has been chased down in the WPL before.With Vadodara hosting its first WPL match, there was talk about the square boundaries being a bit skewed – 50 metres to one side, 60 metres to the other, and 69 metres down the ground on either side. But sometimes, to some players, like Ghosh on Friday, the size of the boundaries didn’t matter. After her heroics, she would just say, “I knew I could clear [the boundaries] so I was just reacting as the ball came.” She hit four sixes, including the winning hit, to go with seven fours.Related

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• Ghosh, Ahuja script stunning comeback as RCB complete WPL's biggest chase

But there was fierce intelligence at work too – Ghosh problem-solved as she went along, and constantly exploited signs of weakness in the opposition.When Ghosh had walked out, RCB needed 93 off 46 balls with six wickets in hand. After early hiccups in the chase, Ellyse Perry had lifted RCB with a 34-ball 57, but it was left to Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja, returning to RCB after missing a season owing to injury, to take the team home. After them, it was just the bowlers.Ghosh took 12 deliveries to score 15 runs – she also got a life first ball when Simran Shaikh fumbled a chance – and the required run-rate was well over 12 at that stage. She was just waiting. Like a musician changing the key, the tempo, the mood, or the character of the piece, Ghosh switched gears in the 16th over, bowled by Ash Gardner, Giants’ star of the night who deserved to be on the winning side after slamming 79 not out off 37 balls and sending back Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge earlier.Before the start of the over, it was 63 needed off 30. After six balls, it was 40 from 24.Richa Ghosh smacked four fours and a six off one Ash Gardner over•AFP/Getty ImagesGhosh showcased skill, both power and deft touches, beauty and brawn, all in one exciting package. She took on one of the best T20 bowlers in women’s cricket, who until then had 2-0-10-2 in the contest. Dew was playing its part too.Gardner missed an off-stump yorker off the first ball and that was enough for Ghosh to use her wrists and find the gap in the cover region. A wide, and then the next ball was also in Ghosh’s arc and she swung through the line to launch it over long-on. The next three balls were nonchalantly hit to the boundary – two fours were guided past short third with gentle dabs and another was a pull to deep midwicket. That their fielding was sloppy didn’t help Giants.As per ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster, RCB’s win probability at the end of the 15th over was 12.66%. It climbed to 72.91% after the 16th over, as Gardner conceded 23 runs. It was a gripping and thrilling few minutes of the night that will probably be remembered as the best piece in Ghosh’s composition.Kanika Ahuja and Richa Ghosh put on an unbroken stand of 93 off 37 balls•BCCIShe had moved to 37 off 18 and eventually brought up her fifty off 23 balls.A 16-run 17th over meant it had suddenly become RCB’s game to lose. Ghosh’s bat swing generated enough power to land a few more big blows, including the winning six over deep midwicket in the penultimate over.RCB had broken the record for the biggest chase. Ghosh, 21, embraced Ahuja, 22, after the match-altering stand of 93 – Ahuja had hit 30 not out off 13.Mandhana, watching from the dugout in the final moments, had her hand over her mouth and shouted “shottttttttt!” when the job was done. The RCB players and coaching staff stood up to applaud the two as they returned.Ghosh turned the let-off on zero into gold. It was a “playbold” love letter from her to RCB on Valentine’s Day.

Five-member panel recommends Gunathilaka and Mendis be suspended for two years; Dickwella for 18 months

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Jul-2021The three Sri Lanka players whose night out in Durham broke bio-bubble protocols could be in for long suspensions if the recommendations of the committee that investigated the incident are followed. The five-member committee, led by a former Supreme Court judge, has recommended that Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis be suspended from international cricket for two years, while Niroshan Dickwella be suspended for 18 months.Sri Lanka Cricket’s executive committee is due to meet on Friday to discuss the inquiry committee’s report, after which the players’ punishments will be finalised. It seems likely that suspensions will be handed out to all three. According to two board officials, though, it is not yet certain whether the board will be as harsh as the inquirers have suggested.”It’s a very eminent committee that has made these recommendations – a committee that has a former Supreme Court judge – so we will have to take it very seriously,” SLC secretary Mohan de Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “But we will be taking the matter up for discussion at the executive committee meeting on Friday.”De Silva did not rule out the possibility the board will consult further with the players involved, or team management, before the final decision on punishments is reached.Related

• Durham bubble breach: Gunathilaka, Mendis and Dickwella suspended from international cricket for one year

• How Sri Lanka Cricket is toying with Sri Lanka's cricket

• SLC forms five-member panel to probe bubble breach

• Mendis, Gunathilaka, Dickwella suspended

It is understood that harsher punishments have been recommended for Gunathilaka and Mendis because of previous disciplinary incidents. Mendis was not officially reprimanded by the board after he had caused the death of a pedestrian while driving back from a wedding in the early morning, in 2020. That accident is understood to have been part of the inquiry panel’s reasoning in recommending a two-year suspension, however. Gunathilaka, meanwhile, has already served two suspensions for disciplinary breaches while with the team. Most recently, he had broken curfew in the middle of a Test match in 2018.Dickwella has not previously drawn official SLC disciplinary charges, nor had he been arrested, as Mendis was after the accident.Although SLC has not officially handed out any suspensions yet, Sri Lanka’s coaching staff has intimated they are not expecting any of these three players will be available for the T20 World Cup this year.