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‘He is going to be resting for a week,’ says the Capitals’ captain Shreyas Iyer

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-20204:09

Moody: ‘Surprising to see Delhi not having a back-up Indian wicketkeeper in their squad’

Rishabh Pant will miss a week of IPL 2020 because of the hamstring injury he picked up during the Delhi Capitals’ game against the Rajasthan Royals on October 9.”I spoke to the doctor and he said he is going to be resting for a week,” the Capitals’ captain, Shreyas Iyer, told host broadcaster Star after the side’s loss to the Mumbai Indians. “Hope he comes back strongly after this break.”Pant was seen limping towards the end of the Royals’ innings, when he took Varun Aaron’s catch to seal a win for his side.He has been the second-highest run-getter for the Capitals this season so far, having scored 176 runs in six innings at an average of 35.20 and a strike rate of 133.33.Pant’s absence means Shimron Hetmyer may also miss the Capitals’ upcoming games as the only other wicketkeeping option they have is Australia’s Alex Carey. With Marcus Stoinis, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje almost certainties for three overseas spots, Hetmyer is most likely the one to make way for Carey, just like he did for Sunday’s game against the Mumbai Indians.On the positive side for the Capitals, they have five wins from seven games and currently sit second on the points table, tied with the Mumbai Indians on points.

The end of the season is rapidly approaching, and Arsenal are still in with a brilliant chance of lifting the Premier League trophy come May.

Mikel Arteta's side battled to an impressive 3-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out in the league but were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

It was a game in which practically the team looked off their very best, but a few players stood out for the wrong reasons and shouldn't start against Aston Villa this afternoon, Gabriel Martinelli chief among them.

Gabriel Martinelli's performance against Bayern Munich

Tuesday night was Martinelli's first start for over a month since injuring his foot against Sheffield United. There was an expectation that his direct play and rapid pace would give Bayern's defence nightmares, but he ended up looking entirely ineffective and was practically managed out of the game.

It was a performance that encapsulated Arsenal on the night: underwhelming, disjointed and directionless.

The 22-year-old certainly didn't impress GOAL's Matt O'Connor-Simpson as the journalist gave him a 4/10 on the night, writing that he 'didn't really get into the game', which might even be slightly generous, based on his statistics.

In his 66 minutes of action, the former Ituano gem registered an expected goals figure of just 0.10, had no shots on target, completed one of four dribbles, took 27 touches, completed one cross, lost five of six duels, lost the ball eight times and committed a foul.

Minutes

66'

Expected Goals

0.10

Expected Assists

0.10

Shots on Target

0

Shots off Target

1

Dribbles Attempted (Successful)

4 (1)

Touches

27

Crosses (Completed)

1 (1)

Duels (Won)

6 (1)

Possession Lost

8

Fouls

1

Overall, it was an awful performance from a player who could start to slip down the pecking order if he's not careful. As such, he should be dropped ahead of the must-win game this afternoon.

Why Gabriel Jesus should start against Aston Villa

The player who should start in place of the young winger this afternoon is the same one who came on in the second half on Tuesday night and completely changed the game for Arsenal: Gabriel Jesus.

The former Manchester City ace may have only played 28 minutes against Bayern, but in his short time on the pitch, he added an attacking threat that was severely lacking before, and while he didn't score the equalising goal, it was his immaculate close control that created the chance for Leandro Trossard.

It's not just the performance against the German giants that should see the 27-year-old come back into the starting XI, though; it's the fact that he has been more effective than his young compatriot all season.

Appearances

29

36

Goals

8

8

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.48

0.36

For example, in his 29 games this season, the "exquisite" forward, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored eight goals and provided six assists, meaning he's averaging a goal involvement every two games.

In contrast, the Guarulhos-born winger has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 36 games, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.7 games, and he has played 677 more minutes this year as well.

Ultimately, with home advantage and their league form, the Gunners should be able to collect all three points this afternoon, regardless of who starts on the left.

However, if Arteta wants to make it less stressful and give the team the best preparation ahead of the game at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, he should start Jesus over Martinelli.

Saved by Jesus: 4/10 star had one of his worst nights in Arsenal colours

The talented star underperformed when Arsenal needed him most in Europe.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 10, 2024

Glasgow Rangers head into the final eight matches of the Premiership season with a wonderful chance of securing a first league crown since 2021.

Celtic stand in the way, with the third Old Firm clash of the season occurring tomorrow afternoon at Ibrox. A win for the Gers will see them move two points clear of their rivals with a game in hand, ensuring the destination of the title remains within their grasp.

Philippe Clement will be buoyed that he could count on the services of the likes of Ridvan Yilmaz and Abdallah Sima, who may be fit to make an appearance against the Parkhead side, giving the Belgian a major boost.

When everyone is fit, the team largely picks itself, but everyone will need to be at the top of their game in order to claim all three points tomorrow.

One key player could be Todd Cantwell, who has shone under Clement.

Todd Cantwell’s statistics this season

Under Michael Beale during the opening weeks of the campaign, Cantwell registered just one assist, looking a far cry from the player that lit up Ibrox between January and May last year.

During Clement’s early tenure, the former Norwich City gem was played on the right wing, which was often detrimental to his performances, but it wasn’t long before he was deployed in his preferred attacking midfield slot.

Since the positional change, Cantwell has added five goals and three assists, proving that playing as a number ten is clearly his most effective position.

Metric

2022/23

2023/24

Goals

6

5

Assists

4

4

Key passes per game

1.3

1.6

Shots on target per game

0.6

0.7

Big chances created

5

5

Among his teammates, Cantwell currently ranks fourth for goals and assists in the top flight (nine), while also ranking third for big chances created (five), fourth for key passes per game (1.6) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (1.1), showcasing his attacking talents throughout the campaign.

Having a player of this quality to call upon makes Clement’s life a lot easier and if he maintains his current form, the 26-year-old could cause Celtic plenty of problems tomorrow.

If things had gone differently, the 50-year-old may have had another player in his ranks who could have been the difference maker, but his spell at Ibrox proved to be a disaster – Sam Lammers.

How much Rangers paid for Sam Lammers

Following the departures of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos last summer, Beale’s main priority was to bring in another couple of attacking options who could replace the two cult figures.

The Englishman had some funds to spend and his first port of call was to splash £3m on signing Lammers from Atalanta in June.

While on the surface it was healthy to see the club spending money attempting to bring in genuine quality, Lammers had scored just six goals across the previous three seasons, hardly the prolific frontman Rangers required.

This should have been a major warning sign for Beale, yet the Dutchman became one of his first summer signings and as time went on, he failed to impress.

Sam Lammers’ record at Rangers

The former Feyenoord player was often used as an attacking midfielder under Beale and Clement during his six-month stint at Ibrox, which failed to really play to his strengths.

The £18k-per-week liability scored just twice and grabbed two assists in 31 appearances for the Light Blues, with his lack of quality in front of goal worrying.

In the top flight, Lammers averaged 2.5 shots per game yet hit the back of the net on just two occasions, while he also missed six big chances in his 17 matches.

The 26-year-old also created just one big chance while averaging 0.3 key passes per game, further evidence that he was out of his depth in Scotland, failing to really give defenders any trouble during games in the top flight.

When the January transfer window opened, Clement was looking to free up some space in his first-team squad for new signings, which meant outgoings were going to happen.

Given his poor start to life in Scotland, Lammers was a clear candidate to be moved on, and he soon joined Dutch side FC Utrecht on a six-month loan deal in order to secure more regular game time and prove to the Belgian that he could shine on the continent.

Sam Lammers’ statistics at FC Utrecht

Maybe it was the pressure and expectations of playing for a club like Rangers as to why Lammers struggled at Ibrox, but he has certainly found his feet back in his homeland over the previous few months.

The forward made his debut for the Eredivisie side on January 14 and, since then, has featured in 12 league matches, scoring five goals while registering three assists.

He is clearly thriving at a club in which the pressure is perhaps not as debilitating as winning every single match while playing for Rangers, while the player is shining among his teammates in the process.

Not only does Lammers rank first in the squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.46) in the top fight, but he also ranks second for shots on target per game (1.3) and big chances created (five) while occupying third spot for key passes per game (1.2), clearly demonstrating how at ease he is back in his homeland.

This form should certainly convince Clement to cash in on Lammers once the summer transfer window rolls around, especially as the Gers could perhaps recoup the majority, if not all, of the £3m that they invested in him last year.

Lammers is even outscoring Cantwell in 2024. The Englishman has scored four goals since the turn of the year, with the Dutchman finding the back of the net on five occasions, proving how successful a loan spell it has been for him.

This proves that Beale has the eye to spot a good player, yet he utilised his skills poorly during his spell in Glasgow, failing to really bring out his best.

With Clement looking to bring in his own players this summer, he should be cashing in on Lammers, especially considering his excellent form of late.

Clement can ditch 5/10 Rangers man by unleashing £12k-p/w star

Rangers face Celtic in the third Old Firm derby of the season on Sunday

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 6, 2024

Liverpool approached the recent victory over Luton Town in the Premier League with the knowledge that ceding ground in the title race could be detrimental, Arsenal and Manchester City snapping at the first-placed side's heels.

Firing on all cylinders, normally Anfield would have welcomed the relegation-threatened Hatters with unwavering confidence, but Jurgen Klopp's side were threadbare, a spate of injuries ravaging the squad.

Key talisman Mohamed Salah had aggravated an injury after an emphatic return at the weekend against Brentford, with Darwin Nunez also tweaking his hamstring.

Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones, more seriously, suffered injuries that will keep them out of action for a longer period, compounding an already-bloated list of absentees.

And despite a dour opening, Liverpool prevailed to keep their title challenge churning, thanks in no small part to the talented youth fold that is stretching their influence into the senior set-up.

The likes of Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott started, while 18-year-old forward Jayden Danns made a big contribution on his professional debut off the bench.

Liverpool's "special" £4m star is now worth 1175% more

Jurgen Klopp has shaped this rising talent into one of the Premier League’s most exciting prospects.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 23, 2024

All talented players, immensely so, but possibly the brightest star from the Reds' academy ranks wasn't in on the action. Indeed, Stefan Bajcetic, scarcely involved this season, might just be the cream of the crop.

The fee Liverpool paid for Stefan Bajcetic

Spain U21 international Bajcetic has actually been on Liverpool's books since December 2020, when he was snapped up from his homeland club Celta Vigo for just £224k as a 16-year-old, beating fiery rivals Manchester United to his signature.

Alex Otero, youth coordinator at Celta Vigo, detailed the midfielder's skill set to The Athletic back in 2021, revealing that Liverpool indeed held one of Europe's most talented teenagers in their grasp.

He said: “He has amazing physical characteristics. He is extremely quick, makes good recoveries, has a great spring, is really impressive in the air and carries the ball cleanly out of defence.”

Most Liverpool supporters were unaware at this stage, but after 33 appearances for the club's respective development sides, he was unleashed last season as Klopp sought to manage a shocking collapse, Liverpool's midfield sapped and defence bereft of confidence.

He exceeded expectations.

Stefan Bajcetic's 2022/23 season in numbers

Bajcetic was handed his Premier League debut before his 18th birthday back in August 2022, coming off the bench as Anfield swallowed Bournemouth up and spat the Cherries out on the back of a chastening 9-0 defeat.

His maiden outing at such a young age spoke of the exciting innate ability and evident glowing praise that had been fed to Klopp as he went from strength to strength at youth level, but it wasn't until the festive period that he was handed a second chance to impress – and boy did he take it.

Liverpool were struggling and desperately needed to defeat Aston Villa at Villa Park in the first league match following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with a refreshing 3-1 victory cherry-topped by Bajcetic's surge and finish in the late stage.

Thus paved the way for a brilliant run in the first-team, shining as his senior peers surrounding him toiled, completing the season with 11 appearances in the Premier League, notably completing 79% of his passes and succeeding with 64% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Unfortunately, Bajcetic, now aged 19, picked up an adductor injury in his thigh last March and missed the remainder of the campaign, though his contribution in stabilising the midfield was vital to the late-season revival that salvaged something from a wretched year.

He returned fleetingly in the early stage of the current campaign to make two displays, starting Liverpool's Europa League opener and coming off the bench against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup, but he has missed the majority of the season due to fitness issues, believed to be on an individual program as his body continues to grow.

Stefan Bajcetic's current market value

Described as a "special" talent by journalist Zubin Daver, the young Spaniard continues to recuperate but will be back soon, endowed with the talent and physical development to become a key figure in Klopp's system.

As such, despite injury, his current market value now stands at €10m (£9m), according to CIES Football Observatory, which marks a staggering 3917% increase from that initial bargain fee.

While he's not the main attraction at Anfield right now as far as the youth is concerned – that tag lies with Bradley, who posted a goal and five assists from right-back in January and was crowned the PFA Fan's Premier League Player of the Month – his brilliant efforts last season highlighted his calibre.

He is also still younger than his 20-year-old teammate, who is also valued at just €5m (£4m), as per CIES.

It is disappointing that Bajcetic has not been able to strut his stuff this season, but taking this prudent approach to his nurturement and development is the perfect way to go about it.

This time last year, Liverpool were struggling. At present, Klopp has revived Anfield in all its glory, and while he is draping the curtain on his illustrious tenure, the bodywork for a golden new chapter is intact, firmly so.

The stones are in place, and Bajcetic will soon be performing at the beating heart of Liverpool's team, surpassing the myriad prospects peppering Merseyside in red.

da jogodeouro： Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers knows that he will need to dip into the market during the summer transfer window to sign a new number one.

da betobet： Former England international Joe Hart has already confirmed that the end of his contract later this year will signal his retirement from professional football.

The 36-year-old colossus, who turns 37 later this month, will have spent three full seasons with the Hoops and could land a third straight Scottish Premiership title if they win the division this term.

Celtic are already looking at players who could arrive in Glasgow to replace Hart ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and a new target has seemingly been identified this week.

Celtic's interest in English titan

According to This is Anfield, the Scottish giants are one of a number of clubs interested in a possible summer deal to sign Sunderland star Anthony Patterson.

The report claims that Premier League giants Liverpool are keeping close tabs on the English titan as they look for a replacement for Adrian.

It also states that those at Anfield could face 'strong' competition for his signature from the likes of Celtic, Leeds United, Leicester City, and Arsenal, who are all keen on the talented youngster.

This is Anfield claims that the Hoops have sent scouts to watch Patterson in action regularly in the English Championship for the Black Cats this season.

It adds that a fee of at least £10m – and possibly up to £15m – could be needed to tempt Sunderland into cashing in on their number one in the summer transfer window.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic are prepared to go as high as that for the 6 foot 1 ace, as their current club-record transfer stands as the £9m they paid to sign Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018.

Why Celtic may want to sign Anthony Patterson

Rodgers could be eyeing up the impressive talent to replace Hart as his form for the Black Cats in the Championship this season has been superb.

The £10m-rated star has showcased his shot-stopping quality throughout the campaign and could arrive as an upgrade to the English veteran this summer.

23/24 season

Anthony Patterson (Championship)

Joe Hart (Premiership

Appearances

42

31

Save success rate

69%

67%

Saves per game

2.7

1.6

Clean sheets

12

11

Ground duel success rate

60%

40%

As you can see in the table above, Patterson has been a better shot-stopper than Hart this season, based on their statistics in their respective leagues.

The 23-year-old colossus, whose "outstanding" reactions have been hailed by journalist Josh Bunting, has prevented an eye-catching 3.56 goals (xG) in the Championship, which shows that he has been an above-average performer when it comes to stopping high-quality shots.

That data is not available for Hart in the Premiership but the veteran has conceded 6.5 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG of the shots against him across 19 European matches for Celtic since his move to the club in 2021.

These statistics suggest that Patterson, who is 13 years younger than his compatriot, has the potential to offer more quality shot-stopping between the sticks than Rodgers' current number one.

MatériaMais Notícias

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> Confira a classificação do Campeonato Carioca

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> Confira mais notícias sobre o Vasco da Gama

– (Após o fim do Campeonato Brasileiro) O Pássaro me perguntou o que eu queria fazer. Eu disse que precisava ir para casa, não aguentava mais. Mas sempre falei para o Pássaro que, se eu estou nos planos, conta comigo. Se não conta, fala que eu sigo minha vida. Desde que voltei, todos os funcionários, massagistas, todos falaram que eu tinha que ficar para dar a volta por cima. Sou profissional, preciso do dinheiro, mas não é o que conta mais. Graças a Deus, quando fui para fora tive independência financeira. Sei que estou devendo também. Assumo a responsabilidade também pela queda, é a hora de responder dentro de campo – revelou o zagueiro.

Leandro Castan já tinha um dos maiores salários do elenco – estimado em R$ 250 mil. No acordo, as dívidas existentes foram renegociadas. A adequação à nova realidade, sem as cotas financeiras da elite nacional e com aumento da dívida do clube, foi uma das novelas do Cruz-Maltino neste início da temporada 2021. A permanência dele chegou a ser posta em xeque. Ele alega ter recebido ofertas, mas que não lhe satisfizeram.

> A vocação do gol! Roberto Dinamite completou 67 anos. Relembre os maiores feitos do craque com a camisa do Vasco

O Vasco volta a campo no próximo domingo diante do Boavista, fora de casa, pela penúltima rodada da Taça Guanabara. Os comandados de Marcelo Cabo necessitam vencer os dois jogos que restam e torcer por tropeços de Fluminense ou Portuguesa.

Liverpool have been in rude health of late and Saturday's 4-1 drubbing over Brentford is yet another step toward the Premier League title, two points above second-placed Arsenal after 25 matches.

Jurgen Klopp is leaving at the end of the campaign, however, and no weight of silver-laden success will allay the poignancy of the lionised German's departure.

That said, the facts are what they are and Liverpool must prepare for Klopp's exit, and while the appointment of a new manager is crucial, the club has been left in a great position to continue the dynasty created back in 2015.

The senior set-up is welled over with talent but just as importantly, the Anfield academy is thriving at a level unseen for many years, with teenager Kieran Morrison just one of the myriad prospects looking to make waves.

Liverpool's next Connor Bradley

Morrison might be one of many but few can claim they boast as much natural quality, with the Northern Irishman, aged only 17, flourishing in his formative years after joining the club from Manchester United as an U14, recently ending speculation about his future by penning new terms with the Anfield side.

Morrison is a creative midfielder with an impressive level of dynamism, having enjoyed prolific success across the current campaign "across a variety of different positions", something that coach Marc-Bridge Wilkinson was quick to praise.

Across ten starting appearances in the U18 Premier League this term, Morrison has plundered seven goals and three assists, notably scoring a sublime hat-trick against Middlesbrough, leading journalist Jack Lusby to praise his "outstanding" efforts.

Given his Northern Irish roots, Morrison could well be Liverpool's next Conor Bradley, with the fast-rising right-back producing some exceptional performances across recent weeks, posting one goal and five assists since the new year.

The 20-year-old has bided his time over recent years and earned his stripes on loan with Bolton Wanderers last year before finally taking a snipe at a first-team spot, and Morrison could take a leaf from his countryman's book in this regard.

Having also made his debut in the Premier League 2, Morrison is one of the most exciting prospects around and given his attacking qualities in midfield, he could be the perfect understudy for Dominik Szoboszlai.

Shades of Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool completed the signing of Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60m back in July and he has been one of the centrepieces as the Reds enjoy a resurgence, pumping energy and spark and creativity into the engine room.

Described as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller, Szoboszlai has scored five goals and provided four assists under Klopp's wing while completing 88% of his passes in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, also averaging 1.8 key passes and 6.3 ball recoveries per match.

With a mean shot and an impressive technical ability, Szoboszlai has been a key cog in the system and he could provide Morrison with the perfect template to succeed in the Premier League.

Morrison has showcased his ability to spread goals and assists across his play while maintaining fluency in his overall performance on the pitch.

Therefore, Liverpool might find that they already have the dream heir in their grasp, they need only guide him to the fore over the coming years.

Pakistan ended the third day on 3 for 64, still 276 runs behind after Australia put up 580 in their first innings

The Report by Andrew McGlashan23-Nov-2019Marnus Labuschagne’s maiden Test century and highest first-class score, which he narrowly missed converting into a double, followed by an evening surge from the quick bowlers put Australia well on track for victory at the Gabba on Saturday. A lead of 340 would have been overwhelming for Pakistan even before they stumbled to the close on 3 for 64 against Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.Australia ended up losing their last five wickets for 35 but it barely mattered, and gave them the perfect period to bowl in the evening. Starc raced in and struck in his second over when he had Azhar Ali lbw with a bail-trimmer, and then continued Haris Sohail’s poor tour when the left-hander sparred at a short delivery he could have left alone much in the manner of the first innings.Cummins, who was handed the first new ball for the first time in Australia, was then brought straight back into the attack to target Asad Shafiq and the move worked a treat as he edged to third slip. Shan Masood and Babar Azam did well to survive to the close, Masood coming close to nicking Nathan Lyon to slip in the penultimate over of the day when the umpires’ soft signal was not out.ALSO READ: Brettig – Labuschagne blossoms into a selector’s dreamIn January, there was much surprise – and a degree of ridicule – when Labuschagne was elevated to the No. 3 spot, but he will end the year having cemented the role for the foreseeable future. His hundred came from 161 balls with one of his least convincing shots of an innings filled with classy, classical strokeplay, when he edged Shaheen Afridi to third man. His progress continued to be serene until after tea when he steered Afridi to gully and had to haul himself from the crease, acknowledging congratulations from the Pakistan players and the crowd.Though David Warner could only add three to his overnight score, before becoming Naseem Shah’s maiden Test wicket, and to the almost disbelief of the crowd Steven Smith was bowled by Yasir Shah for 4, Matthew Wade joined Labuschagne in a stand of 110 which kept Australia motoring.Resuming on 1 for 312, it was Labuschagne who dominated the early scoring as Warner struggled for the fluency of the previous day – adding 3 off 25 balls – as Pakistan finally opted for a sustained around-the-wicket line. In a match that has become an almighty struggle for the visitors, Warner’s dismissal was an absorbing moment as 16-year-old Naseem worked him over from around the wicket before finding his under edge with a rapid short ball (and his foot was behind the line this time).However, that was Naseem’s only spell of the day as he sent down just four overs before spending the rest of the time grazing in the outfield, while the lead swelled against some unthreatening part-time spin and the expensive Yasir, who became the first bowler to concede over 200 three times in Test cricket.Mitchell Starc celebrates with his teammates after a wicket•AFP

Yasir did, though, have the satisfaction of claiming Smith for the seventh time when, the ball after Smith had whipped a boundary to the leg side to get off the mark, he played over a very full delivery – again looking for the on side – and was bowled. Yasir knew the stats, signaling seven as he celebrated, leaving Smith with his first single-figure Test score since Newlands when his career was thrown into turmoil. To no-one’s surprise he was spotted in the nets during the lunch break. When Josh Hazlewood later drove a boundary, it meant Smith would have the lowest score of the innings.While claiming two of the bigger wickets offered solace for Pakistan, the lead was already over 100. With Naseem not returning to the attack, and Yasir unable to stem the runs, no pressure was built on Labuschagne or Wade up to the lunch interval. By then, Labuschagne had the century and Wade was settled.Pakistan appeared to stop trying to bowl out Australia, giving Haris’s part-time left-arm spin a lengthy outing against defensive fields. Wade helped himself, his half-century including a huge six down the ground off Iftikhar Ahmed, and Labuschagne continued on his pristine progress with one of the shots of the match – a straight drive off Imran Khan – and some delightful deft touches against the spinners to move past 150.Wade had a hundred for the taking when he edged Haris, the ball bouncing off Mohammad Rizwan’s knee into the gloves. Rizwan then took another excellent catch off Haris when Travis Head could hardly believe he had glanced an edge down the leg side having been gifted the opportunity for one of the more pressure-free Test innings.After tea, the talk was when, or if, Australia would declare in the evening but Tim Paine bottom-edged a pull that looped to slip against Afridi and after Labuschagne departed the tail was whittled out swiftly. However, the most significant wickets of the final session were still to come.

Balogun insists he's fully fit and ready to fight for his spot on Pochettino's squad with the World Cup 10 months away

Balogun stressed that he's fully fitStriker ready to make markDoesn't expect long adjustment periodFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

After dealing with injuries throughout the 2024-25 campaign, U.S. international Folarin Balogun finally has his chance to work under national team manager Mauricio Pochettino. The striker is eager to make an impression in his first camp under the USMNT coach.

"I think with Mauricio coming in, the objective was clear that he wanted to bring the group forward," Balogun told reporters. "So as players, it's no surprise for us to be competing for places and positions. I think it's something we've done all our careers, and everyone wants to make an impression, and I think that's just natural. [The World Cup] is such a big competition coming in 10 months, it's important to leave your mark."

Balogun had some initial struggles after committing to the USMNT, but was one of the few bright spots during the 2024 Copa America. Overall, he has 17 caps and five goals for the U.S.

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After a calf injury ruled him out of Monaco's first fixture, Balogun has featured in the club's last two matches – scoring one goal. He insisted his persistent injury issues are now behind him.

"I feel good. Injuries are behind me and yeah, it was a tough period, but I think every athlete goes through that at some stage," he said. "And yeah, first impressions of Mauricio and his staff, they've been really good for me. They've embraced me, made me feel welcome. And the feedback I've got from the other players and stuff, they're great people and everyone's delighted to have them here, so it's all good."

Last season, Balogun was limited to just 13 league appearances, scoring four goals. He hasn't featured for the national team since the Copa America. He admits he will have to earn his spot back after being away.

"I mean, you can't do much if you're not in the field. But yeah, overall I do believe that now I'm in a good shape and in a good way," he said. "And yes, it's something I've been doing all my career, fighting for my position and fighting to get in teams. So I believe that's a balance that comes more naturally to me."

Getty Images SportWHAT BALOGUN SAID

Balogun said he's trying not to overthink and be intuitive on the pitch.

"I think it's important to make an impression, but yeah, of course that's part of the psychology to not overdo it because things will just become more complicated," Balogun said. "The harder you try, sometimes the more difficult it is. When I wasn't getting called into camp, obviously, I knew the priority for me was to be healthy.

"I think everybody's playing football at a high level as athletes and as footballers. As attackers especially, it's our job to look for creativity and to look for different ways to break down the offenses. So for sure, I don't think it'll take too long and I'm looking forward to playing with everyone."

DID YOU KNOW?

Balogun last scored for the U.S. in a 2-1 loss to Panama in the Copa America. His first goal came in a 2-0 win over Canada in 2023.

Manchester United are eyeing up a move for a striker to boost their attacking options ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to ESPN, Erik ten Hag is monitoring the performances of Reims marksman Hugo Ekitike, and they have reportedly made an enquiry over the 19-year-old.

They could face a battle for him though, as Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move, and the player could be available for a bargain price of €15m (£12.7m).

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Ten Hag could find the next Mbappe in Ekitike

With Manchester City announcing the signing of Erling Haaland earlier this week, that news would have come as a blow to United, especially given their prior interest in the Borussia Dortmund striker.

However, in Ekitike they could well have “the next Mbappe”, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, and this could well be music to the Old Trafford faithful’s ears ahead of next season.

With his market value currently sitting at £18m, almost 50% more than the aforementioned transfer fee, it represents an excellent deal and one that the Red Devils simply can’t let slide.

The 19-year-old has scored nine times this season and possesses a 33.3% goal conversation rate, which places him fifth out of all players in the top five leagues in Europe. This actually ranks above the likes of Haaland and Robert Lewandowski, illustrating what an immense talent he is.

In one sense, it may be wise for the teenager to remain in France for another season to continue his development. The new project at Manchester United under Ten Hag could go either way and it would be a shame to see a young prospect’s career being derailed if the club have yet another poor season.

However at the price quoted, it might be tough to resist for United, especially if they dither and allow rival suitors to nip in and sign Ekitike instead.

AND in other news, Man United plotting bid to sign “complete” £63m monster, he’d be their own De Bruyne