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Former England captain Graham Gooch has committed £50,000 to funding PCA-run courses for all 18 English counties on gambling awareness education

George Dobell23-Mar-2017

A contribution from Graham Gooch has helped the PCA fund gambling awareness courses at all 18 first-class counties.Gooch, the former England captain, has run a scholarship scheme designed to encourage the development of young players for many years. It has, in the past, led to the likes of Alastair Cook spending time abroad to work on his game.But this year, to mark their 50th anniversary, the PCA appealed to its members – both current and former professional cricketers – for extra contributions to help them increase their annual funding from £400,000 to £600,000. Gooch responded by offering £50,000 from his scholarship fund with the proviso that it would be used for a specific project rather than split across several. The PCA suggested the gambling awareness scheme and Gooch agreed.”There are a lot of dangers in the world for young people now and I am particularly interested in helping out with the education of young cricketers with all the worries and concerns of online gambling and getting into bad habits,” Gooch said. “If we can educate people, make them aware of the pitfalls and get insight from people who have been down that route and fallen foul then hopefully they can be warned about the potential dangers.”Gooch’s donation helped the PCA fund not just courses – to be run by Paul Buck, whose gambling addiction resulted in a 32-month jail sentence of which he served 11-and-a-half months – but a helpline for those who feel they might be struggling with gambling addiction.The statistics are alarming. Gambling is the fastest growing offence in the UK that leads to a prison sentence – 1,444 custodial years over the last five years – and the fastest-growing addiction both in the UK and across the world. A recent study from Lincoln University suggests there are 1.1 million gambling addicts in the UK. Bankruptcy, divorce, depression and suicide are all common consequences. Gambling addiction has also been reclassified to full addiction status, the same as heroin, by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.Professional cricketers, with time on their hands and a relatively large amount of expendable income at a young age, are considered a high-risk category. That means they – or the young male ones, at least – are considered three times more likely to be “problem gamblers” than people in the general population. With one in four males between the ages of 18 and 24 “likely to have some form of gambling problem” according to PCA chief executive, David Leatherdale, it is, as he says, “definitely an issue.”The world has changed a great deal in recent years. Not so long ago, sporting events were sponsored by tobacco companies – the John Player Special League was the NatWest T20 Blast of its day – and cigarettes were distributed free of charge in press boxes. In 1994, for a bit of fun, the Warwickshire committee made an accumulator bet on their team winning all four domestic trophies. They ended up with three.Since those days, there has been a crackdown on tobacco advertising and some tightening of regulation as regards alcohol sponsorship and advertising, though the ECB retain several sponsorship deals with companies that sell alcohol. Most of all, there is greater awareness of the dangers of match-fixing and an absolute ban on players or officials betting on the sport.But gambling advertising has filled the void left by the departure of tobacco sponsorship. It has grown by 1,300 percent over the last decade with the growth in the use of smart phones making it easier than ever before. According to statistical survey data, eighty-seven percent of first-class players in England have gambled on some other form of sport in the last 12-months and 67 percent in the last month.Gambling is fully legal in the UK and there are no rules prohibiting cricketers from gambling on other sports. Buck says it is “normalised” to the extent that perimeter advertising at many sporting events offers in-game betting and, at a recent awareness session at a PCA rookie camp, 20 of 22 players admitted to having an online gambling account. It was the two who did not admit to having one that worried the people taking the session.”Personally I have never been a gambler,” Gooch continued. “But I do like going to a horse racing track and having a bet there. I’ve also hosted Ladbrokes in hospitality boxes at Test Matches so I don’t have any issues with gambling.”But sportsmen, in particular, do find themselves with time on their hands. When I played, people would go to a betting shop if they wanted to have a flutter. Now the temptation to bet online is great. In the social media world it’s very easy to get into that. You have to be very careful that it doesn’t consume you and cause major problems for you and your family down the line.”Both Buck and Leatherdale believe that cricket is “ahead of the game” in trying to prevent the problem growing. “Cricket is a long way ahead of the other sports we work with, football and rugby, in this regard,” says Buck. They hope that by showing young players where uncontrolled gambling can lead, they can shock them out of potentially bad habits.There will be practical help too. While no debts will be paid off, players will be given psychological help where appropriate and given assistance in restructuring their finances where possible. The key, though, is intervening before that stage is reached. And, thanks in part to Gooch, the PCA have a decent chance of achieving that aim.

Umar Akmal, the Pakistan batsman, believes he can revive his Test career despite not having played the format for nearly six years.Akmal, 26, had made his Test debut at the age of 19 in 2009. He scored a century in his first innings but did not make another one in his next 15 Tests and was not picked again in the format after September 2011. He had scored 1003 runs in 30 innings, with six half-centuries, and averaged 35.82.Akmal was of the opinion that his batting style was suited to the way Test cricket is played presently. “I still wonder what I did wrong and where I went wrong to be dropped from Test side,” Akmal said in Dubai, where he is playing for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL. “They only dropped me saying that I am not suitable for Test cricket because I don’t hold back, which is required in Tests.”But the approach to playing Test cricket has changed over the years. Now teams score 350 or so in one day and matches hardly go into fifth day. I was playing the very same brand of cricket, which was actually evolving at that time, but I was dropped because I play fast and not the conventional way. Was that my mistake? If so, then the whole world has now adapted this modern form of cricket in Tests as well.”Around 2010 and 2011, Akmal’s form dipped and subsequently he began to make headlines for discipline problems. His limited-overs form began to suffer as well and he has only two centuries in 105 ODI innings and eight half-centuries in 77 T20I innings. His flashy shot selection was a point of much debate. Akmal’s duck against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday was his 24th in the format – the most in T20 cricket.Akmal, however, said that his position in the batting order adversely impacted his ability to play long innings and score big. He preferred to bat up the order but was kept in the lower middle, often having to play the low-percentage role of aggressor towards the end of an innings.The recent 1-4 defeat in Australia was Akmal’s first ODI series since the 2015 World Cup. He made 131 runs with a high score of 46, having batted one innings at no. 5 and four at no. 6.”I am not careless, just playing my natural game,” Akmal said. “If I am asked to score ten per over then what you expect from me? Should I play for myself, score at five, and let the run rate mount on my team? No, I rather go out, play big, and try to achieve my team’s requirement. And we all know where I play [in the batting order], at which number. People often compare me with other batsmen but why don’t people realise that the number I bat at is critical and there is the burden of extra responsibility.”I still try to help my team out of pressure situations by pushing back the opponent, but sometimes I am not able to do so. But my intentions are clear that I want to play for my team according to the requirement and will play my shots.”Another issue is Akmal not satisfying the PCB’s standards of fitness, on which there has been greater emphasis over the last three years. At his previous assessment, Akmal was weighed at 91kg and his fat-level reading was 115.6 – anything over 100 is considered high. Akmal, however, defended his fitness levels.”If you talk with different players around the world, some are slightly bulky and some are smart in physique, but that doesn’t mean weight defines their actual fitness,” Akmal said. “I don’t remember going off the field in a game, or conceding a second run. I am energetic in the field and my running between the wickets is fine as well.”So what exactly do you expect from me? To be smart and thin, why? I can quote you many examples in which those players are theoretically fit but cannot even clear the circle. I have a natural body and if I try to reduce it I may lose my strength for power hitting.”

Kagiso Rabada rejected the idea that he might need a period of rest after a below-par performance in the Port Elizabeth Test

Firdose Moonda at Newlands04-Jan-20171:03

‘Resting is when you’re off’ – Rabada

Rest and rotation of fast bowlers has become a contentious, and much-discussed, subject in recent years. Ask Graeme Smith, South Africa’s former captain, however, and he will tell you it is all modern day mumbo-jumbo that messes up a team’s mojo. Little wonder that Kagiso Rabada agrees.”Resting is when you’re off,” Rabada said. “When you get time off that’s when you must rest. When you need to bowl is when you need to bowl, to get yourself to the highest level you can be at. There’s no room for you to rest if you’re not bowling well.”After his first Test at a level slightly below excellent in Port Elizabeth, where Rabada was down on pace and lacked his usual aggression, his workload has become a topic of conversation. Rabada has played every Test since January 2016 (10) and all but two ODIs (15) and one T20 (nine) but the 21-year old denied suggestions that he is fatigued. Instead, he went the other way and, much like Dale Steyn used to say, claimed that the more he bowls, the better he feels.”I didn’t feel good rhythm in Port Elizabeth at all but I’ve just bowled more and got better rhythm through bowling,” he said.Before the St George’s Park match, Rabada was on a three-week break after the Australia tour. He was not required to play for his franchise, Lions, in the T20 tournament and he was not called on for the exhibition match between the national cricket and rugby teams. His captain, Faf du Plessis, said he believed Rabada had “had enough rest” ahead of the series and was ready to go.Rabada’s view is clear, although he would consider accepting a prescription of rest on the advice of higher-ups. “If it’s recommended you have to be open-minded about it,” he said. “The people that are in your area, you have to respect their opinions because they’re employed for a reason. Take their advice because they know what they’re talking about.”But you have to make the choice – it’s about how you feel. So you take their advice and then see what you think of it. It’s a broad topic. If you’re bowling well, you feel good. You don’t have to bowl as much. But I guess it comes with experience, because everyone’s different – knowing yourself and knowing when to rest.”Does the same thing apply to batting? With Hashim Amla struggling for fluency and form on the eve of his 100th Test, it has been suggested he could also do with a break, but Rabada was quick to defend the team’s most senior batsman. “He is not a robot so he is not going to play well all the time. He is a great player so he knows what to do to get back into form. You don’t do so well for so long by fluke. He knows what to do.”

Allrounder Jimmy Neesham has been ruled out of the first Test against India in Kanpur due to a rib injury

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2016New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham has been ruled out of the first Test against India in Kanpur due to a rib injury. But since he is expected to be fit for the second Test, which begins on September 30, New Zealand Cricket have opted not to name any replacements.Neesham picked up the injury during training last Thursday, and it had affected his participation in the warm-up fixture against Mumbai in Delhi. He didn’t bat in either innings and bowled just five overs.Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, expected Neesham to return to full fitness ahead of the second Test in Kolkata. “Jimmy was struck in the nets and has been in discomfort the last few days,” he said. “It will take a few days for the bruising to go away, but it’s very much a short-term injury.”This comes as yet another setback for Neesham, who hasn’t played international cricket since the recurrence of a back injury last November. He is the second player from the squad in India to have fitness issues after Tim Southee had to return home with a ligament strain on his left ankle. Matt Henry was brought in. Squad for first Test: Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling.

Former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner has been appointed West Indies team manager for a three-year period and he joined the team for the upcoming Test series against India

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2016Former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner has been appointed West Indies team manager for a three-year period and he joined the squad for the upcoming Test series against India.Garner, 63, had served as West Indies interim manager from 2009 to 2010 which included the World T20. Garner was also a director on the board for West Indies Cricket Board, president of the Barbados Cricket Association and the West Indies A team manager.”I always answer the call in West Indies cricket,” Garner said. “It is always an honour to serve in any capacity in West Indies cricket and I’m pleased to be back with the team as manager to share my knowledge and experience to the team and be an ambassador for West Indies cricket and the region.Garner played 58 Tests and 98 ODIs from 1977 to 1987 and was an integral member of the West Indies team that won the World Cup in 1979.West Indies begin their four-Test series against India in North Sound on July 21.

Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four chances were blown in tatters after they were demolished by Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.

Under the guidance of interim boss Cristian Stellini, the north London outfit put in a shambolic display, likely their worst of the entire 2022/23 Premier League campaign as the Magpies hit them for six, with Harry Kane only mustering a mere second-half consolation goal.

It marks another sad page in Spurs’ sorry season, with the struggling side opting for a four-back system, in which Cristian Romero partnered Eric Dier and neither could register a rating above 5.6, per Sofascore figures.

The former was particularly disappointing, even more so than goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who was hooked at the break with a suspected injury.

How did Cristian Romero play against Newcastle?

Having played a three-back all season, it was clear that the Argentine could not adapt to the system at such short notice and he was severely punished as Eddie Howe’s men stuck five goals past the trio by the 21st minute.

Across the 90 or so minutes he was on the pitch, the £50m aggressor won just one of his five duels (20%), was dribbled past on three occasions, including for Joelinton’s sumptuous strike – a moment that Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville lambasted as “shocking” on Twitter – and the renowned “liability” – as once described by Jamie O’Hara – also recorded one error leading to a shot.

In addition to that, within eight minutes of coming on, Romero was booked for scything down Callum Wilson, who had bagged the Magpies’ sixth and final goal with practically his first touch.

BBC contributor Oli Prince-Bates also claimed the £165k-per-week defender was “the most overrated player” in the Premier League, whilst the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick was equally unimpressed by the World Cup winner as he wrote in his post-match column: ‘A World Cup winner in a back four but just as poor as the rest, and all at sea for at least three of the goals.’

Elsewhere, Romero failed to register a single interception or tackle, which are usually two key facets of his aggressive game and only further highlights just how much of a difficult afternoon he had up against the likes of Alexander Isak and Josh Murphy, who both bagged themselves the easiest brace of their careers.

All in all, you could pick fault in any of Spurs’ backline as they are not equipped to be deploying a four-at-the-back system and whilst Lloris may get scapegoated, given his persistent errors, Romero should have done far better as arguably the Lilywhites’ best centre-back.

On the eve of a critical contest that will make or break England’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the World T20, Joe Root has said that the side are yet to play their best cricket in the tournament

Andrew Miller in Delhi25-Mar-2016On the eve of a critical contest that will make or break England’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the World T20, Joe Root took a momentary break from the high-octane, foot-to-the-floor attitude that has propelled his team’s campaign, and opted, along with a handful of his team-mates, to take the slow road to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal.The three-hour journey time was more or less the same as it will take for England and Sri Lanka to face off in Delhi on Saturday, by which time the showdown between West Indies and South Africa will have given both teams a clearer idea of what exactly they need to reach the semi-finals.However, after the frantic, error-strewn batting display that so nearly wrecked England’s tournament against Afghanistan, a day of quiet contemplation in the passenger seat was doubtless time well spent – especially for a batsman such as Root, whose calm under fire was the defining feature of England’s most outstanding effort in the competition so far.”With the schedule being so busy, having the opportunity to do something like that, being only three hours away in a car, it was a no-brainer for me,” Root said. “Getting to experience a bit of India and obviously one of the wonders of the world, so it was a really enjoyable day and something I’m really glad I did.”With two wins out of three in the tournament so far, England remain firmly on the road to the knockouts, albeit with their souped-up auto-rickshaw skidding uncomfortably through one or two of the tighter bends along the way.The contrast in demeanour between England’s serene pursuit of 230 against South Africa and their near-catastrophic loss of six wickets in the space of ten overs against Afghanistan was particularly stark, and Root admitted that a degree of expertise was still lacking in their approach to each game.”We’ve obviously not performed at our best through the whole competition yet, which, in a way, is quite exciting because that is still to come,” he said. “The really pleasing thing for me is we are winning games of cricket, which is really important in this format of the game, so as long as we continue to do that, that is all we can worry about, getting that win tomorrow to give us the best chance of qualifying.”Sri Lanka haven’t exactly brought their A game to the competition either. They too were walloped by West Indies and run close by Afghanistan, but at the Feroz Shah Kotla, where Afghanistan fielded four spinners against England and so nearly reaped their rewards, the likelihood is that England will need to repel a similar line of attack with a much greater degree of expertise. A team with the experience of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews, to name but two, will be primed to strike if England dare to falter again.Jos Buttler, David Willey, Joe Root and Liam Plunkett took time out to visit the Taj Mahal•Getty Images

“It’s about adapting to conditions a bit better than we did in the previous game,” Root said. “We obviously didn’t do that very well – and not having too many preconceived ideas. We saw how the pitch played there, it might be slightly different again, so when we get out there it is about making sure that we make those assessments and are very clear on how we approach the 20 overs.”What constitutes clarity in the current England approach, however? Eoin Morgan, their captain, was adamant to the point of obstinacy on Wednesday afternoon, defending his team’s “no-fear” attitude against Afghanistan, despite the lemming-like end-game that such an approach can invite.”Everyone has their own way of playing it, there’s no right or wrong way,” Root said. “But for me it is about trying to face as few dot-balls as possible and trying to cash in with the boundaries when they are available.”You never want to lose wickets but you always have to look to put a score on the board,” he added. “That is what we tried to do and, obviously, our approach might have been slightly wrong in the last game and that is something we want to put right leading in to tomorrow.”Every surface is different so it is about giving yourself the best chance on that particular pitch. Sometimes you might need to take a few extra balls to get accustomed to it but ultimately it is about playing the situation in front of you, reading the pitch and score if you are chasing and making sure you are working with your partner to whittle that down and take the game away from the opposition.”It sounds simple when expressed with the sort of quiet authority that Root has brought to his England performances in all three formats this year. However, his crass run-out against Afghanistan denied him the chance to apply similar wisdom to Wednesday’s erratic game plan, and he couldn’t deny that the errors have continued to stack up for his team.”If we’re being honest we probably haven’t done one part of our game consistently well,” he said. “There have been times when we’ve bowled extremely well and times when we’ve obviously batted extremely well. The exciting thing for me is that if that comes together and we can consistently do that, we’ll be a hard team to beat.”In the meantime, England will settle back to watch how their qualification rivals fare in Nagpur, then hope that prior knowledge of the Delhi pitch can work in their favour, just as they came good at the second time of asking at the Wankhede last week.”There’s always pressure to perform, we know it’s a must-win game but it’s been like that since we got here,” Root said. “You can only really afford to lose one game and even then you can crash out of the competition.”It’s T20, it’s a complete knockout from here on in if we want to win it. The pressure is no more than it has been since that second game, it’s about getting over the line tomorrow.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has received an early Team News boost as he has confirmed that Fabio Vieira is OK to play Sporting after illness.

The Lowdown: Sore throat…

Vieira has been suffering with a sore throat recently, and subsequently was not able to take the planned presser ahead of the game on Wednesday evening.

This comes after Kieran Tierney was ruled out of the squad through illness, sparking fears that Vieira could face the same fate.

The Latest: Vieira OK

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of the UEFA Europa League first leg clash, Arteta has since confirmed that Vieira is ‘OK’ to play after the initial scare:

“Fabio is OK, yes.”

The Verdict: Boost

The news that Vieira is OK after illness will come as a boost to Arteta, considering that he is dealing with a number of first-team absentees in his squad.

Along with Tierney, both Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah have also been ruled out of the game through injury, leaving Arsenal somewhat short in numbers, especially in attacking areas with Gabriel Jesus’ lingering injury on top of that.

When Vieira has stepped in, he has generally done well, with two goals and five assists in 25 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season (hailed him as a ‘tremendous player’ who gives him ‘big headaches’ in terms of team selection.

Moreover, the Spaniard also praised the inside knowledge that Vieira has given him and his team on Sporting from his time playing for FC Porto in Portugal, which could prove useful in gaining an advantage ahead of the second leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Nottingham Forest seem set to lose one of their talismanic attackers, Anthony Elanga, in the coming days.

It appears that the Sweden star will sign for Newcastle United in the coming days for £55m, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the winger has completed his medical with the North Eastern side.

As a result, Forest need a new winger to don Garibaldi Red next season. Sky Sports suggested that they ‘are interested in a deal’ to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko and they are thought to have made an approach to the Dutch outfit to enquire about his availability this summer.

However, Bakayoko is not the only player on the list to replace Elanga, with Forest linked with a few more options out wide.

Nottingham Forest target new winger

It is certainly a frustrating situation that Forest find themselves in, having to replace Elanga this summer. However, the fee they are receiving is substantial, and allows them to sign a suitable replacement. Bakyoko is certainly not their only option.

In fact, according to journalist Greame Bailey, one of the players who Forest are considering to replace their number 21 is Ipswich Town star Omari Hutchinson.

Bailey explains that there is a ‘whole host of options out there’, but confirms that Hutchinson is one player the East Midlands side are considering.

At this stage, a price for the England U21 star has not been confirmed. However, given he cost the Tractor Boys £20m from Chelsea last summer, they would surely look to break even on the attacker, at the very least.

Why Hutchinson would be a good signing for Forest

At just 21 years of age, Hutchinson impressed in his first full season as a Premier League footballer. Once described as an “outstanding” player by football scout Antonio Mango, he would be an investment for both the present and future of Forest.

Last season, the versatile attacker, who has played for both Arsenal and Chelsea’s academies, played 31 times in the top flight for Ipswich. He bagged three goals and two assists, all of which came against some big sides, including both Chelsea and Manchester United.

Hutchinson was also a key member of England’s U21 European Championship-winning side last month under Lee Carsley. He played in all six games, including 98 minutes in the final against Germany, where he scored as England won 3-2 in extra time.

As a replacement for Elanga, there is no doubt that the Ipswich star would have a lot of work to do to match his numbers. The Sweden international managed six goals and 11 assists in 38 Premier League games last season.

However, there are similarities between the players, and Bakayoko, too, who managed 15 goals and assists last term.

Elanga and Hutchinson, in particular, are versatile and can play either flank or as a number 10. Bakayoko, too, is naturally a right winger.

The 21-year-old is naturally a left-footed player, and likes to cut inside on his strong foot when playing on the right-hand side. Just look at this goal he scored against Man United, picking up the ball in the right half-space, driving inside and firing home.

Indeed, the stats on FBref stack up well for Hutchinson against the other two players. For example, the Ipswich star stands out when looking at progressive numbers. Last season, he was averaging 1.57 passes into the final third per 90 minutes, more than Elanga’s 1.15 and Bakayoko’s 1.37 each game.

Key passes

1.08

1.80

2.60

Passes into final third

1.57

1.15

1.37

Progressive passes

2.61

2.27

3.60

Take-ons completed

1.78

0.90

2.69

Ball recoveries

3.83

3.20

2.49

Even though a price is not clear at this stage, a deal for Hutchinson could be a snart move for Forest. He has shown elite potential and versatility, and is already comparing well against Elanga and another of their targets in Bakayoko.

As far as an Elanga replacement goes, this could be a dream move for Forest this summer, and help them build for the present and the future.

Forget Fofana: Nottingham Forest could land instant Elanga upgrade for £34m

Nottingham Forest could replace Anthony Elanga with a current Premier League star

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 5, 2025

Aston Villa are back in action in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, as Unai Emery’s side welcome Fulham to Villa Park on match day 12 of the 2023/24 season.

The Villans will be desperate to get back to winning ways in the league, and after securing three valuable points in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, the Midlands club will bid to get their form rolling once more.

Emery made four changes to the squad that lost to Nottingham Forest in the league to face AZ Alkmaar in the Conference League, with a similar rotation expected ahead of Sunday’s clash.

Here is Villa's predicted lineup vs Fulham and those three alterations from the midweek triumph…

1 GK – Emiliano Martinez

Holder of the 2023 Yashin Trophy, World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez will remain between the sticks for Villa against Fulham. The 31-year-old had a shaky performance during the defeat to Forest, however his quality outside of the mishap is irreplaceable.

2 LB – Lucas Digne

Despite the return of Alex Moreno from injury, Lucas Digne started against AZ and was a continual threat down the left side thanks to his dynamic progressive ability.

Although the Frenchman displays his defensive frailties due to his direct nature when getting forward at full-back, highlighted by him losing possession 20 times vs Forest, his presence down the flank is hard to replace.

No player in the Villa squad averages a higher rate of key passes per game than Digne this season, with the former Everton ace recording an average of two per game in the 2023/24 Premier League, via WhoScored.

3 CB – Pau Torres

Summer capture Pau Torres will almost certainly reclaim his spot in central defence following the rotation mid-week. The Spaniard was forced into action in the dying embers against AZ to replace Diego Carlos.

The Brazilian was forced to withdraw due to a minor injury, making Torres' claim to start against Fulham undeniable.

4 CB – Ezri Konsa

Against AZ, Ezri Konsa assumed the right-back position in place of Matty Cash, and is likely to rejoin forces with Torres in central defence as he has done in the Premier League this term.

With an average pass completion rate of 93.3% per game, only Tyrone Mings – who has played just 31 minutes of the season – tops the charts at Villa in that area, reinforcing Konsa’s reliability at the back.

Clement Lenglet will be the player to make way for Konsa’s return to central defence, after starting against AZ alongside Carlos on Thursday.

5 RB – Matty Cash

During his pre-match press conference ahead of the AZ clash, Emery revealed that Cash had recovered from a small injury he sustained against Forest last weekend.

The 26-year-old is expected to be restored to the starting XI after starting on the bench in midweek, adding a host of attacking threat to the final third at right-back.

6 CM – Douglas Luiz

Douglas Luiz also started on the bench in midweek, yet the reported Arsenal target will seemingly make his return to the XI to face Fulham.

The £75k-per-week Brazilian was lauded for his “magic” moment to assist Ollie Watkins’ winning goal vs AZ on Thursday by journalist John Townley, with his place in the squad irreplaceable as his magnificent form continues.

7 CM – Youri Tielemans

Pairing Luiz is typically Boubacar Kamara, yet the latter man did not enjoy his best outing in Europe this week, notably missing a gilt-edged chance to score and losing possession on ten occasions.

As such, Youri Tielemans could well keep his place in the centre of the park following an 'encouraging display' last time out, as per BirminghamLive's Townley, with the aim now for the summer signing to cement his place in the side moving forward.

8 RW – John McGinn

One of the most reliable players in Emery’s side is club captain, John McGinn, who will continue to occupy the left side in the Spaniard’s free-flowing midfield four.

To portray his consistency of high performances, the Scotsman hasn’t received a Sofascore match rating lower than 7.1 in the Premier League since September, cementing himself as a well-rounded player in the squad.

With two goals and two assists to his name already this season, the 29-year-old could be one to watch against the Cottagers due to his ability to cover significant ground and pop up in unexpected areas to help his team.

9 LW – Leon Bailey

Leon Bailey’s assist against AZ this week took his contribution to goals to five in his last five games for Villa, surely warranting him a starting spot in the Premier League over Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Jamaican has only started two league games so far this campaign, scoring three goals and claiming two assists, with the Italian still waiting to contribute in the final third to strengthen Bailey’s claim to start against Marco Silva's side.

10 ST – Moussa Diaby

Making up one-half of the strike partnership is Moussa Diaby, who started his first Conference League game of the season against AZ.

The forward has impressed since arriving in the Midlands from Bayer Leverkusen during the summer transfer window, forming an electrifying partnership with Watkins to see his playmaking and clinical streak in front of goal exploited.

With three goals and three assists so far in the league, the Frenchman will be one for Fulham to revise thoroughly, with only Digne averaging more key passes than the 24-year-old with 1.9 per game, via WhoScored.