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Aaron Finch has resolved to shed the tentative ways of his first two ODI appearances for Australia

Daniel Brettig25-Jan-2013Aaron Finch was not himself during his first two ODI appearances for Australia earlier this month, and he knew it.The fearless but calculated striking for Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades that had won Finch his place in the team was momentarily absent, replaced by some indecisive prods at the ball that had him snicking behind in game one and pouched at short cover in game two.This was not the way Finch had turned heads this summer, and a nod as the ACA’s player of the month for December has reiterated the fact. As he prepares to face Sri Lanka in the two Twenty20 internationals at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium and the MCG, Finch said he would be seeking to play more naturally, using his power but also his brain.”It was a great confidence boost to get picked,” Finch told ESPNcricinfo. “I was disappointed with how I played in the two one day games, but at the same time I took a lot of experience out of it. I learned a lot about my game funnily enough, just in two games.”It doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but just the way I went about it was probably a little different to how I do for Victoria and the Renegades. I probably didn’t try to play my natural game, I was probably more conservative. You can only learn by failing I guess.”There have been a few failures over the course of Finch’s career to date, surprising those who have seen him at his best, coshing the ball so cleanly while also demonstrating a technique compact enough to withstand quality bowling. Last summer he followed an off-season in which he played for Australia A with a dire domestic season for the Bushrangers, forcing his omission from the Shield team – he is still on the fringes of the first-class team.Finch has admitted to being worn down at times by his own expectations, and said the catalyst for his success this so far this summer was the barnstorming limited overs innings of 154 against Queensland at the Gabba in October. Composed as part of an opening stand of 226 with Rob Quiney, the innings lifted much of that weight from Finch’s shoulders.”That being my first hundred in the one-day format was great, it probably took a little bit of pressure off me,” Finch said. “I’ve been putting pressure on myself to really be that guy who’s in there and wins games for the team. In the past I’ve just got us into positions where we can win, but never really finished them myself. So it was really pleasing to get a big one early in the season and ease into the season a little bit more rather than chasing your tail.”Myself and Bobby Quiney just had a great partnership, we were feeding off each other, we were both in pretty good control of our game, which in one-day cricket you can feel like you’re getting behind the game and take too many risks, but that day everything just seemed to flow for us.”That flow continued on into the BBL, where Finch showed a sharpness of leadership in first helping to recruit a strong and savvy Renegades squad, then showing vim as captain of a team that lost only one of eight qualifying matches before slipping up regrettably in the semi-finals. The likes of Aaron O’Brien and Ben Rohrer flourished under Finch, who placed more faith in them than other had at times over undersung careers.”It was a pretty nervy time, the first time I’d had the captaincy from day one,” Finch said. “I’d done it every now and then for Victoria but never had it in my own right, so I was a bit nervous. We were really confident with the players we got together that we could have a big impact in the tournament.It’s not a tournament you can win with just one or two players and the really pleasing thing was we put a side together of people who’ve won before, they know how to win and guys who really play their role well.”Going back a little bit from a Victorian point of view someone like Aaron O’Brien always played really well against us. We knew how good he was as an intelligent cricketer, plays his role, you know what you’re going to get and he never disappointed. Ben Rohrer’s probably had a different role in the past in teams he’s played with, he’s been Nos. 6 and 7 and finishing the innings, but he wanted a new challenge and he was perfect for us. He was our No. 1 target and luckily we got him. We saw the quality of him through the BBL, taking games away from the opposition.”Finch is now representing Australia in two formats, and has reason to be pleased. But there are two goals sitting centrally in his mind. The first is to take the freedom of his best domestic batting onto the international stage. The second is to finally prove himself as a first-class batsman, for a current average of 29.96 from 30 matches does him about as much justice as those two worrisome ODI innings against Sri Lanka in Melbourne and Adelaide.”It can’t be too much of a technical thing, I feel like that’s in pretty good order,” Finch said of the long-form gap on his resume. “It’s probably mental, a combination of a few things. Missing out a few times, you start to doubt yourself and then you tend to play a little more conservatively, but depending on how many Shield games I get to play after Christmas, I’m confident I can come out and do well. I don’t feel like it’s too far away, I’ve been working hard on that, and confident in myself I can score heavily.”

Despite being KO’d by Australia in the semis, South Africa had their moments in this World Cup that they could treasure

Firdose Moonda17-Nov-20232:11

Where did South Africa fall short?

David Miller did not feel joy, pride or a sense of accomplishment after playing the best innings of his ODI career.”It’s a bit hollow,” he said afterwards, forcing a smile. “Like Quinny [Quinton de Kock] mentioned, with his four hundreds, he wouldn’t mind if he didn’t score any runs and we won the trophy. It’s the same kind of thing. We wanted to get to the final and have a crack at the trophy, but it wasn’t to be.”Those last five words carry the echoes of three decades of history and the unfairness that every new generation of South African cricketers has to make up for the one before. It’s asking too much of too many. And with reflection and perspective, it should become obvious that to tangle the mistakes of the past with the expectations of the future only creates a more pressured present which can take away from the magic of the moment.At least, despite his disappointment, Miller could bring himself back to recognise that this South African team had shown unity at the tournament. “We fought together,” he said. “I’m happy that we hung in there.”And hang in, they did.Related

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South African sport defines itself on resilience (and we can argue whether that’s the correct character trait for champion teams – and we may not agree because fearlessness, for example, is also a hallmark of trophy-winners) but that is the national signature and the cricketers’ handwriting is all over it. Miller’s too. He might not enjoy the outcome of the match where his most significant innings came in, but he can acknowledge the context. After being 24 for 4, South Africa needed someone to bat through and he just about did.”It was enjoyable anchoring the innings,” he said. “I felt like I wanted to hit fours and sixes the whole way through. But I soaked up a lot of pressure. It was more about the partnership at that stage. Every run counts in a semi-final, so we tried to salvage some sort of total.”Playing in a way that does not come naturally to him is the clearest indication of how Miller has matured in his third ODI World Cup. Early on in the tournament, he recognised that an innings like the one he played on Thursday, might be needed despite the form of the top order. “I said to Klaasie [Heinrich Klaasen] that the guys are batting really well up front, but we need to keep training with the new ball because it’s going to come at a stage where we’re going to be in a bit of dwang (trouble). So [we need to] just stay sharp.”Miller’s prediction to Klaasen was made after South Africa’s first match, against Sri Lanka, where they posted a World-Cup record total of 428. “The next game was against the Netherlands, and we were 30 for 4,” he remembered. And then 207 all out, chasing 246.That match exposed the weakness that would stalk South Africa through this competition which they chose to avoid exposing by batting first at Eden Gardens. For the first time at this tournament, it didn’t work for them and it will now become part of the folklore of failure, even though it is far from the worst of them. “There were a lot more tears in Auckland (2015),” Miller said.David Miller: “We ticked a lot of boxes off the field, and had some great memories and moments. We can look back and say it was a great time.”•ICC/Getty ImagesThat’s a comment worth remembering because it means that South Africa are not piling their disappointments on top of each other but can see a separation. Not every loss was the worst loss ever and in fact there were some wins at this World Cup that they can treasure. “Before the tournament, we spoke about having great memories,” Miller said. “A career in the game of cricket can go by quickly, so we need to enjoy the journey. I think we did. We ticked a lot of boxes off the field, and had some great memories and moments. We can look back and say it was a great time. It doesn’t help losing the semi-final but the guys showed a lot of character and they should be proud.”As for Miller, will he make it to another World Cup? It seemed like an unfair question to ask in the immediate aftermath of defeat and, understandably, he was in no position to make a decision. “The way my body feels right now, I can’t answer that. I’ll see how I go,” he said. “I’ll take it year by year and assess as I go along. It’s a long way out, so it’s difficult to say right now.”The motivation to keep going for another four years may lie solely in the fact that the next tournament is at home and there is nothing like a home World Cup. The country’s electricity supply is optional, and the high crime rate is a concern, but a party? That’s non-negotiable. This year alone, South Africa hosted a highly successful Women’s T20 World Cup and Netball World Cup to increasingly diverse fan bases.CSA’s director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, said in Ahmedabad that he hopes most of the class of 2023 will still be playing in 2027 – even de Kock, who has retired from the format. And this is despite eight of the 15 in the Cup squad being 30 or older. So it may be nothing more than blind optimism on Nkwe’s part and points to a possible transition phase coming up for the white-ball team, which will need to be carefully managed.Aiden Markram, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen are the three players in this squad who should be in their prime in 2027. Markam will be 32 then, and most likely the captain. Coetzee and Jansen will be 26 and 27, not far off the ages of Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada now, and we have seen the maturity they have both displayed. If either or both are around in 2027, they will be in their early 30s and should be able to lead the attack with even more authority. Keshav Maharaj will be 37, and judging by the Imran Tahir school-of-spin, he could still be at his best, so he should not be ruled out either and Miller will be 38.There’s a lot of cricket to be played between now and then, including two T20 World Cups, a Champions Trophy and umpteen franchise leagues. The volume of tournaments may mean that the cycle of winning and losing can become routine, and the emotions felt after each campaign could be dulled, but South Africa and World Cups, until the day South Africa win a World Cup, will always have a special allure. The story continues.

Tottenham Hotspur did more than just end their interminable trophy drought when defeating Manchester United in the Europa League final last season; Ange Postecoglou opened up a road to the Champions League.

Given that Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League, this was quite the saving grace at the end of a campaign that left so much to be desired, and it ensured the Londoners could make a compelling case to potential signings like Xavi Simons.

While Tottenham supporters were overjoyed when signing the Dutch playmaker from RB Leipzig for £51m, after intense interest from Chelsea earlier in the summer, there’s no denying that the 21-year-old has yet to perform on English shores.

Given his big-money profile and the expectation upon his arrival, there’s a concern that Simons is echoing the likes of Tanguy Ndombele before him.

Simons' start to life at Spurs

Thomas Frank hasn’t yet established his vision at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with his side struggling for form in the final third. Simons has been a part of the problem, but it’s important to remember this is a young talent who has entered a team lacking offensive coherence.

In just two years in Germany, Simons scored 22 goals and supplied 24 assists across 78 matches. He was the difference-maker, and many Premier League clubs were keen.

Spurs won the race, and credit to them, but Simons has yet to prove he has what it takes to raise his game to the next level, thus prompting concerns that he might mimic Frenchman Ndombele, who became the Londoners’ club-record signing when joining from Lyon in a £54m deal in 2019.

Ndombele’s temperament and commitment were among the cruxes of his demise in English football, and Simons cannot be blamed for a lack of effort, but it’s a concern all the same, and one Frank will need to rectify quickly to get his side operating at full creative capacity.

The jury is still out for the Netherlands international, who is young and talented and settling into an outfit that lacks creative direction right now.

There’s actually another Lilywhites man with far more experience who might be deteriorating into Ndombele 2.0.

Spurs' new version of Ndombele

Frank has spoken of his players’ frustrations following their recent run of form, and this was clear to see last weekend when Fulham condemned Tottenham to yet another home defeat.

Pedro Porro was incensed, but the Portugal international might want to direct that anger inwards, given his spate of shambolic displays this year.

The 26-year-old has been in the English capital for almost three years now, and while he is among the most technically gifted players in the ranks, his awareness and accuracy in defensive phases could see him become a disappointment in a similar way to Ndombele, especially when considering he had such a furore about his signature in 2023 that Manchester City came sniffing around last year.

Porro is rudderless. Sofascore record that he has made five errors already in the Premier League this season, and he is among the most dribbled-past defenders in the division thus far.

#

Player

Stat

1.

Mats Wieffer

19

2.

Neco Williams

18

3.

Pedro Porro

17

4.

Hugo Bueno

16

5.

Matty Cash

16

In fairness, Porro sits among the top 16% of Premier League full-backs this season for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, but his defensive work has been well below the desired standard.

But his lack of focus and misuse of his own athleticism led one Tottenham podcast host to brand him “an absolute liability” last season, and that’s only been underscored since then, with Frank now facing his own Ndombele-like conundrum in working out what to do with this talented but toiling star.

Porro has enjoyed some high points across his Tottenham career, but he’s been culpable for too many poor performances over the past couple of years, and in this, it is he and not the young Simons who is shaping into the London side’s new version of Ndombele.

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Jaffer: Coming in around 30th over will suit Suryakumar Yadav

Big picture: India vs NZ is a battle of titans

It finally feels like a World Cup year, doesn’t it? In an age of content saturation – organisers trying to horn in as many big events as possible and writers doing much the same to make you care about their own work – something pure happened on Wednesday night in Hyderabad. A game that needed no bigging up. A game that stood on its own. A game that will not soon be forgotten…And already, it’s time to top it, which is exactly why it feels amazing. Because this series – for all the spin put into it – was going to be just another notch in the bilateral cricket calendar. Instead, it’s become something that actually matters. it’s become something fun. There’s a buzz. There’s an expectation. There’s a thrill. As if we haven’t seen anything yet because imagine even half of what happened two days ago happening at the World Cup.Shubman Gill was so good. Like eerie good. Like, there’s over the top and then there’s this. A 23-year-old scoring a double-century in the 49th over of an ODI while single-handedly propping up the rest of his team – and we haven’t even mentioned the opposition. Somewhere in Nakatomi Plaza, John McClane is rolled up in a ball crying because he’s not the gold standard in doing the impossible anymore. Kids half his age are pulling his shtick.

LIVE in the UK and USA

You can watch the second ODI between India and New Zealand LIVE on ESPN Player in the UK and on ESPN+ in the USA.

But John, listen. It’s okay. It happens. This sport that you’ve probably never even heard of does this kinda thing all the time. Like, just about an hour later, with New Zealand at 131 for 6 in a chase of 350, this guy called Michael Bracewell was about to shatter everything we thought was sacred. The coming of age of a golden boy of Indian cricket almost always includes the humbling of the opposition. Sunil Gavaskar took down Garry Sobers. Sachin Tendulkar took down Adbul Qadir. Virat Kohli took down Lasith Malinga. Gill took down Lockie Ferguson. After that, he was supposed to ride all the way off into the sunset but he was made to wait. He was made to sweat.So here we are, still feeling the tremors of that game, and an excitement for what’s to come. Because India vs New Zealand is a battle of titans and equals.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
New Zealand LWWLW

In the spotlight: Hardik Pandya and Glenn Phillips

Once upon a time, Hardik Pandya would walk into a cricket field and start hitting boundaries. He’d come to press conferences, stop just short of Marlon Samuelsing it, and say with a perfectly straight face that “I could hit a six anytime I wanted to.” Now, five years later, a father and a future leader, some of that fire has been tempered. Two of his four slowest ODI innings (min 30 balls faced) have come in the last week. Both on tough pitches and in winning causes. India will hope their point of difference allrounder is adding to his game, and not necessarily compromising it because the Hardik of old used to put fear in the opposition – which is awesome enough – but he’d also one-up it by feeding off that fear until nothing seemed beyond his reach.Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell are two big hitters in the New Zealand side•Associated Press

We’ve all noticed there’s a bit of Steven Smith about Glenn Phillips, right? In his stance. In his backlift. In the way he refuses a run. There’s a chance that he’s copied one of the most un-outable batters of our times just to maximise the one thing he has that Smith doesn’t. Pure, beautiful power. The guy claims to do 800 press-ups a day in order to sustain the thing sets him apart. Six-hitting. West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have all seen just how destructive he can be – even from dire situations. At some point in this series, India could to see it too.

Team news: Will India try Malik? Is Sodhi back to fitness?

The middle overs didn’t go India’s way with the ball in Hyderabad. Would that tempt them to bring in Umran Malik? The upside is his pace. The downside is their batting depth takes a big hit if he comes in for Shardul Thakur.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Suryakumar Yadav, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Mohammed SirajIsh Sodhi, currently out with an ankle injury, is tracking well according to New Zealand batting coach Luke Ronchi. A call on his inclusion will be made later.New Zealand (probable): 1 Finn Allen, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Henry Nicholls, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ish Sodhi/Henry Shipley, 10 Doug Bracewell, 11 Lockie Ferguson

Pitch and conditions: Raipur’s first ever ODI

A sellout crowd of over 50,000 is expected in Raipur to mark the occasion of its first ever ODI. The city is also in the running to host Women’s IPL matches in March. Seems good things happen to not just to people who wait but stadiums as well. No one’s really sure how the pitch will behave, although Mitchell Santner suspects it has more bounce than Hyderabad. Dew will once again play a role on a day where the temperature will go up to 31C in the afternoon and then down to 21C in the evening. No rain is expected.

Stats and trivia

• Bracewell has an ODI strike rate of 122.22. With a minimum of 10 innings played, only three others, from Full Member countries, can say they score their runs quicker. Andre Russell, Glenn Maxwell and Liam Livingstone.
• It’s basic. But it bears saying. India have a batting line-up that now includes not one, not two, but three ODI double-centurions. What the actual…

Leeds United are competing well in the Premier League and could turn to an exciting Brazilian in their bid to improve the quality of their squad at Elland Road.

Leeds frustrated after draw with Bournemouth

Despite a spirited performance against an established top-flight outfit, Leeds will feel a sense of frustration at dropping two points against Bournemouth in the dying embers of their 2-2 draw in Yorkshire.

Joe Rodon and Sean Longstaff forced the home side into the lead after Antoine Semenyo’s opener. However, Eli Junior Kroupi had the last word to steal a share of the spoils for Andoni Iraola’s men courtesy of a fantastic finish in stoppage time.

Speaking post-match, Daniel Farke chose to remain positive after his side were held, paying tribute to his players for their impressive levels of chance creation.

“It was a really good point against a good side, but if you concede that late and should deservedly have won this game of course it doesn’t feel great. Just compliments for our lads today. We’ve outperformed them in terms of expected goals, 19 shots. Just one team was missing big chances, normally we should have won.

“First half we had enough chances to win two Premier League games and sadly missed them all. There was not one big mistake but we’re in possession on 94 minutes then there’s a sloppy touch on the ball. We would not need to be there with a foul.”

Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie admitted his side were relieved to leave Elland Road with a point, illustrating the distance Leeds have come in a short space of time and the progress they’ve made.

Behind the scenes, the Whites and the 49ers Enterprises are already plotting a transfer swoop that could add another intriguing option to his talented squad if all were to go to plan.

Leeds look to sign Gustavo Prado below release clause value

According to South American reports via Sport Witness, Leeds are considering a £17 million move for Internacional youngster Gustavo Prado, who is capable of playing on either flank and is someone viewed as a market opportunity for the Elland Road club.

The Whites have increased their scouting focus on the Americas and have sent a scout to Chile to watch the star in action for Brazil’s Under-20 side at their World Cup. Despite his release clause standing at £51 million, they could look to swoop at around the £17 million mark, a valuation that he could be made available for by his current employers.

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Prado, 20, has scored twice in 22 appearances across all competitions in 2025, and his potential arrival may provoke nostalgia over his compatriot Raphinha, who is now one of the world’s best wingers at Barcelona following his spell in Yorkshire.

Nevertheless, Stuttgart and Atalanta are also keen on his services, signifying that there is work to be done before he indeed signs on the dotted line at Elland Road, a deal that won’t come cheap.

Both teams went in with spin-heavy attacks, which means Kuldeep, Varun, Muqeem and Abrar all feature

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025Toss The toss in Dubai turned out to be a formality with Pakistan surprisingly choosing to bat first after Salman Agha called it right. Dubai has usually been a venue for chasing under lights. The chasing team has won the last three T20I meetings between these two sides at this venue – Pakistan twice and India once. Yet Pakistan have decided to bat first and trust their spinners to defend the total.India were looking to bowl anyway. And they have retained the XI that they used in their first game against UAE, which meant Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy were both part of their attack again. Pakistan also stuck with their XI from their game against Oman, meaning Haris Rauf remained on the bench.Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hasan Nawaz, 6 Mohammad Haris (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Sufiyan Muqeem, 11 Abrar Ahmed.India 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Sanju Samson (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

حددت لجنة الاستئاف موقفها من ريال مدريد، الذي تقدم بطلب لإلغاء أحد البطاقات الصفراء التي تم إشهارها في وجه المدافع الشاب دين هويسن ضد فالنسيا.

وكان دين هويسن مدافع ريال مدريد قد حصل على بطاقة صفراء خلال مباراة الليجا ضد فالنسيا، وكان ريال مدريد يسعى لإلغاء الإنذار.

ونشرت “ONE FOOTBALL” أن القرار النهائي من لجنة الاستئناف أكد صحة قرار الحكم وقد تم رفض إلغاء البطاقة الصفراء التي حصل عليها هويسن.

اقرأ أيضًا.. شكوك حول مشاركة لاعب ريال مدريد مع فرنسا ضد أوكرانيا

وكانت هذه البطاقة قد أثارت جدلاً، ويعني قرار لجنة الاستئناف أن اللجنة لم تعتبر الحجة التي قدمها الفريق القانوني لريال مدريد لإثبات خطأ واضح في قرار الحكم كافية.

ولم يتم توضيح السبب المحدد للبطاقة الصفراء التي حصل عليها دين هويسن، ويأتي قرار ريال مدريد بتقديم هذا الاستئناف بشكل يؤكد تسليط الضوء على أهمية هذه العقوبة والشعور بالظلم الذي تعرض له اللاعب.

وسيتعين على ريال مدريد قبول قرار لجنة الاستئناف وبالتالي فإن اللاعب سيبقى في قائمة اللاعبين الذين تلقوا تحذيراً قبل اللعب في المباريات القادمة في الدوري الاسباني.

Liverpool have been one of the busiest clubs in the transfer market this summer, reshaping their squad after a successful campaign that saw them win the Premier League in Arne Slot’s debut season.

The Reds have already secured several high-profile signings.

Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen to bolster creativity in midfield, Hugo Ekitiké joined from Eintracht Frankfurt to add options in attack, while Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez strengthen the full-back positions.

Central defender Giovanni Leoni also arrived from Parma, providing further depth at the back.

Yet, despite these reinforcements, Liverpool’s question marks still remain over the striker position.

Alexander Isak has been the top target all summer, but Newcastle’s reluctance to sell has forced the club to explore alternative options.

Door opened for Liverpool to sign new striker

At the same time, Darwin Núñez’s departure to Al-Hilal has left a gap in the squad.

The Uruguayan, who joined Liverpool for a then-record £85m in 2022 from Benfica, leaves after a mixed spell in England.

Consequently, Liverpool now require a forward who can combine technique, physical presence, and a consistent finishing ability to complement Liverpool’s already dynamic attacking options.

Juventus have made Dusan Vlahović available for transfer, and Liverpool are reportedly monitoring the situation.

According to reports, via Sport Witness, the Serie A side are hopeful that either Liverpool or Newcastle United will make a move for the Serbian striker.

Juventus have set a price of €38m (£35m), significantly lower than the €85m (£80m) valuation Vlahović once carried, reflecting both his current position in their squad and financial considerations.

Vlahović earns €12m per year, a wage considered prohibitive for the club as they attempt to balance the books while maintaining competitive strength.

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While content in Turin, he has expressed interest in eventually playing in the Premier League, meaning the right proposal could convince him to move.

Comparing Vlahović and Núñez

Vlahović and Núñez share similarities as strikers, but their profiles also reveal key differences that could shape Liverpool’s decision.

Both players possess a natural athleticism and are capable of moments of brilliance that can win games single-handedly. A key similarity is their chaotic nature.

However, Vlahović has demonstrated a more consistent finishing record, which was often a weakness for Núñez during his time at Anfield.

Last season, he scored ten league goals and provided four assists as Juventus secured fourth place in Serie A and a spot in the Champions League.

He also netted twice in three Club World Cup matches, highlighting his capacity to perform on significant stages.

Dušan Vlahović – 2024/25

Matches Played

29

Starts

21

Goals

10

Assists

3

Progressive Carries

27

Progressive Passes

22

Núñez’s game, by comparison, is marked by inconsistency.

Over the past three seasons, he scored 34 goals in all competitions for Liverpool but underperformed his expected goals tally by -8.5xG, second-worst in the Premier League behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

His energy and unpredictability made him an intriguing forward, but his low conversion rate ultimately forced Liverpool to look for more dependable options.

The statistical profile reinforces these observations.

According to FBref, Vlahović ranks in the 89th percentile when compared to other strikers in Europe’s top five leagues for total shots per 90 (3.49), highlighting his constant threat in front of goal.

He is in the 91st percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (6.38), demonstrating his ability to position himself effectively in dangerous areas.

While his assists per 90 (0.10) place him in the 80th percentile, this suggests he can contribute to link-up play, although scoring remains his primary strength.

Núñez, by comparison, produced fewer reliable outputs in terms of positioning and finishing, although his energy and unpredictability provided a different type of offensive threat.

Vlahović excels at receiving the ball in central areas or channels, maintaining possession, and then turning or dribbling past defenders.

His strength allows him to act as a focal point for the attack, linking with wingers and midfield runners, a role that complements Liverpool’s system of wide and overlapping play.

By contrast, Núñez often relied on bursts of pace and opportunistic positioning, leaving gaps in Liverpool’s build-up play when he was neutralised by opponents.

Internationally, Vlahović is also already a seasoned presence – he has 36 caps for Serbia, scoring 14 goals.

Financially, the £35m valuation for Vlahović presents a significant contrast with Núñez’s transfer fee of £85m.

For Liverpool, acquiring a striker of comparable size and potential at less than half the previous cost represents an opportunity to strengthen without overextending the budget.

The key will be persuading Vlahović that the move is the right step for his career, as he currently enjoys both status and salary at Juventus.

Ultimately, Vlahović could offer Liverpool the best of both worlds: a player with the chaos and unpredictability that Núñez brought, but with greater finishing reliability, technical ability, and positional intelligence.

If integrated effectively alongside wingers like Mohamed Salah and new recruit Florian Wirtz, he could provide the decisive edge in both the Premier League and European competitions that Liverpool need after Núñez’s departure.

Kerkez will love him: £76m star talking to Alisson about joining Liverpool

Liverpool are drawing up contingency plans in the event they can’t sign Newcastle’s Isak.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 24, 2025

Newcastle United have re-entered the race to sign a former Bundesliga Golden Boot winner in the summer transfer window.

Journalist drops new Wissa update

The Magpies now have less than two weeks left in the transfer window to sort out their transfer situation, in terms of both keeping hold of Alexander Isak and bolstering their attacking options. Predicting what will happen to Isak isn’t easy, with Liverpool yet to submit a second offer for the Swede, but journalist Criag Hope provided an update on the striker situation before Isak’s Instagram bombshell on Tuesday evening.

He states that Brentford striker Yoane Wissa remains Newcastle’s “banker” signing of the summer, and that the current star attacker won’t be going anywhere if they can’t agree a move for the Bees ace, which is supported by the statement released by the Magpies following Isak’s social media post.

It promises to be a dramatic few weeks at St James’ Park, regardless of what the eventual outcome is, and it is important that alternatives to Wissa are also looked at by the Magpies. Now, their interest in a former target looks to be back on the table, following a fresh claim.

Newcastle re-enter race to sign attacking star

According to an update from journalist Marc Mechenoua on X, Newcastle are back in the race to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku this summer, along with Inter Milan. He is reportedly valued at £35m.

Nkunku’s pedigree is there for all to see, even though his time in a Chelsea shirt hasn’t been hugely productive, with only 18 goals in 62 appearances not the most earth-shattering return.

The 27-year-old is a three-time Ligue 1 champion from his spell at Paris Saint-Germain, while at Borussia Dortmund, he won the Bundesliga Golden Boot award back in 2022/23, netting 16 times in the competition.

Granted, the £195,000-a-week Nkunku’s reputation isn’t arguably as great as it was a few years ago, but Eddie Howe may feel that he is the ideal manager to get the most out of him moving forward, with the Frenchman still in his prime years.

Chelsea submit £43m bid for defender who's "as good as Van Dijk and Saliba"

The Blues have now received a response after submitting an offer for a highly-rated centre-back.

ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

If Isak leaves, Nkunku and one other striker would be ideal business, whether it is Wissa, Nicolas Jackson or someone else, but if the Newcastle marksman stays put, the Chelsea man may need to be the only addition if other deals don’t work out.

SRH captain Pat Cummins struck thrice and that helped restrict DC to just 133

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-May-20251:01

What did Cummins do right?

No Result Rain put an official end to Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) IPL 2025 playoffs hopes and gave Delhi Capitals (DC) what could be a valuable point in their bid to finish in the top four. It certainly looked like a point gained for DC rather than one lost, after Pat Cummins took three new-ball wickets to put SRH in the driver’s seat at the innings break.Rain arrived soon after DC, sent in to bat, finished their innings at 133 for 7. By the time the weather cleared, the outfield was too sodden for the ground staff to clear by 11.42pm, the official cut-off time for a five-over chase.

c Kishan b Cummins, again and again and again

A grass-free surface at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium proved to be a tricky one, offering enough grip for balls banged into a hard length to misbehave, and Cummins is a master of banging the ball into a hard length.The SRH captain took the new ball himself with Mohammed Shami left out, and struck first ball, getting it to straighten and find Karun Nair’s edge. It was a sign of things to come, with the ball frequently stopping on the batter or – particularly if delivered with a wobbly seam – deviating sideways, usually just enough to find the edge.By the time he had bowled 19 balls, Cummins had taken three wickets and Ishan Kishan – keeping for the first time this season, relieving Heinrich Klaasen of the gloves – three catches.Pat Cummins wheels away after dismissing Karun Nair with the first ball•BCCI

With Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat also getting into the wickets column, DC were gasping at 29 for 5 in the eighth over. The fullish ball Unadkat bowled to dismiss KL Rahul, from left-arm around, summed up the conditions – on nine out of ten IPL pitches, Rahul would have probably middled the drive he attempted; this was the tenth pitch, and the ball straightened to kiss his edge and make Kishan the first keeper to catch out an entire top four in an IPL innings.

Stubbs and Ashutosh steer DC towards respectability

Tristan Stubbs anchored DC’s recovery from that point, putting on 33 with Vipraj Nigam for the sixth wicket – Nigam sacrificed his wicket following a mix-up that left both batters at the same end – and 66 with Ashutosh Sharma for the seventh.As they have done in other recent games, DC named a bowler-heavy starting XI despite batting first, and brought Ashutosh off the Impact Player bench when the need arose. And Ashutosh was primarily responsible for a late flourish that brought DC 61 runs off their last six overs, hitting three sixes in a 26-ball 41. Stubbs finished unbeaten on 41 off 36 balls.

Rain ends SRH’s hopes

Rain began soon after DC’s innings ended, leaving SRH waiting to begin a chase that eventually never took place.With three games left to play, SRH can finish the league stage with a maximum of 13 points. Four teams already have 14 or more points. DC, with 13 from 11 games, sit just outside that group.