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Arne Slot is well on his way to securing his first Premier League title with Liverpool in his first attempt, currently sitting top of the tree on 67 points after 28 matches played, 13 points ahead of second-place Arsenal who do have one game in hand.

Liverpool are unsurprisingly the league’s top scorers, scoring 66 goals in their 28 games played, taking the most shots per game with 16.6 and averaging 56.7% possession; the fourth highest in the division.

Mohamed Salah has scored a whopping 25 Premier League goals this season, whilst also providing 17 assists and totaling 2,485 minutes played.

Behind Salah, the likes of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota have all contributed with goals, as has Dominik Szoboszlai in recent weeks, being deployed as a false 9 at times under Slot.

This has left Darwin Nunez’s future in doubt, as he clearly finds himself out of favour.

The Darwin Nunez conundrum for Liverpool

Nunez was signed by Liverpool back in 2022, joining for a club-record fee of around £85m from Benfica.

Since joining the Reds, Nunez has made 132 appearances, scoring 39 goals, providing 22 assists and totalling 7,105 minutes played.

The story of Nunez’s time at Liverpool can largely be put into perspective with his missed chance against Aston Villa.

Whilst he gets himself into very good positions, working hard for the team and constantly offering a threat on the break, his ability to provide that final clinical touch has proven to evade him at times.

This term, he has missed 13 big chances which remarkably is an improvement on last season where he missed a colossal 38 across all competitions.

Some of his misses have been described as “unacceptable” by pundits, and the longer this continues, the more you begin to wonder if Nunez will eventually be replaced, even if it’s by someone from Liverpool’s academy system.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Liverpool's "special" star could replace Nunez

The Reds are currently bringing through a number of highly-rated young forwards at the moment with Jayden Danns perhaps the most exciting from a striker perspective.

However, in the shape of Ben Doak, they have a winger who could also take minutes away from Nunez heading into Slot’s second term.

Liverpool signed Doak from Celtic back in 2022, with the youngster joining for a measly £600,000 compensation fee from the Scottish giants.

The 19-year-old has found himself on loan at Middlesbrough this season, making 24 appearances, scoring three goals, providing seven assists and totalling 1,789 minutes.

Doak can play on both wings, which opens the opportunity for Slot to continue using the likes of Diaz, Szoboszlai, Jota and even Curtis Jones through the middle, looking to exploit his attacking firepower out wide with the likes of Salah and Gakpo.

The Scotland international was described as a “special” young player by Jürgen Klopp, whilst Jones described the Liverpool youngster as a “potential game-changer” when he joined Boro in the summer on loan.

Doak is clearly an extremely talented player, who is expected to make the jump to Premier League football next campaign one way or another.

If Slot is willing to put his trust in the 19-year-old next season, Doak could offer some extra firepower to their attacking line, leaving the door open for Nunez to be sold, which may become more feasible if he remains out of favour under the Dutch manager.

Sold for £15m: Klopp’s Liverpool star is playing like a £100m Salah heir

This former Liverpool star could have been a valuable asset in Arne Slot’s system.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 28, 2025

The fast bowler developed a pelvic inflammation during the first Test

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2023South Africa fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of the second Test against India that starts on January 3 in Cape Town because of pelvic inflammation. South Africa have not named a replacement.Coetzee developed the inflammation during the first Test in Centurion, and his discomfort got “progressively worse while bowling” in India’s second innings, a Cricket South Africa release said. He was sent for scans on Friday, which revealed the extent of the injury. South Africa’s Test coach Conrad Shukri opted to release Coetzee from the squad “as a precautionary measure,” but there is no indication if he will be fit for the SA20, which starts on January 10.Coetzee bowled only five overs in India’s second outing on day three before leaving the field as the hosts romped to a thumping win. He did not return, and Tristan Stubbs took over fielding duties for the rest of the match.Related

• Questions aplenty for India as SA look to give Elgar the perfect farewell

• Shardul Thakur hit on the shoulder at India's nets session

• Injured Bavuma ruled out of Cape Town Test

• Jubilant South Africa put their name up in lights

• Avesh to join second Test squad to replace Shami

Coetzee becomes the second South Africa player to get injured in the first Test against India, with captain Temba Bavuma ruled out of the New Year’s Test with a hamstring injury. Zubayr Hamza has been called up as a batting replacement, with Stubbs also in the squad, but South Africa already have two other fast bowlers they can call on to play in Coetzee’s place. Lungi Ngidi has recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of the T20Is against but not selected for the first Test because he was deemed not to be match fit. He was seen training during the match. Allrounder Wiaan Mulder is another option in the squad but it is likely South Africa will turn to Keshav Maharaj in what should be a more spinner-friendly surface in Cape Town.In Centurion, Coetzee was South Africa’s most expensive bowler in both innings with the ball, and picked up just one wicket.

Manchester United’s stance on Ruben Amorim’s future as head coach has been revealed following the Portuguese’s sack admission.

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• Appointed in November 2024
• Has won just 15 of 41 games at the helm
• Boasts full support of club's board

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils hoped that a change in their dugout would deliver a reversal in fortune during the 2024-25 campaign. After taking the decision to part with League Cup and FA Cup-winning coach Erik ten Hag, reins at Old Trafford were handed to Amorim.

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  He has overseen just 15 victories through 41 games at the helm, giving him a miserly win ratio of just 36 per cent, and United’s latest setback saw them suffer an agonising 1-0 defeat to domestic rivals Tottenham in the Europa League final.

• WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

  Amorim said in the wake of that contest, as uncomfortable questions continue to be asked of his ongoing presence: “If the board and the fans feel I am not the right guy I will go tomorrow with no compensation. But I will not quit.”

  He also told : “I'm confident that I'm still the guy. More than (in) the beginning. I know that it is going to be tough. I know that we lost against an English team. I know that the patience of the fans is going to be really short next season. But I guarantee you I will not quit, I will not go away, so at this time I am really confident.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Amorim reportedly considered walking away back in January, following a difficult start to his tenure, but now boasts the full support of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the United board. report: “No change to previous Man United position following last night's press conference. Club and ownership still behind Ruben Amorim and feel the fans are too.”

Tim Seifert held New Zealand A together with a fine century while Henry Thornton claimed another four wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2023Will Sutherland returned to bowling for the first time since the end of last season then played an important hand with the bat to help Australia A to a narrow victory in the final one-day game against New Zealand A and a 3-0 series scoreline.Sutherland, who was captaining Australia A, took 1 for 20 from six overs in his first competitive bowl since suffering a stress fracture in the Sheffield Shield final. He then made 32 as part of a seventh-wicket stand of 52 with Ollie Davies to take the home side to the brink of victory after they had lost wickets regularly in the chase.Tim Seifert dominated with the bat for New Zealand A with a superbly-controlled century which included six sixes before being eighth out. He shared a stand of 76 with Leo Carter to lift the innings from 39 for 3.Tim Seifert held New Zealand A together with a century•Getty Images

Tom Bruce, the New Zealand A captain, had avoided three consecutive first-ball ducks but edged Sutherland to slip for 2.When Carter fell to Tom Rogers they stuttered again until Jacob Duffy provided Seifert with support to haul the total over 200. Henry Thornton continued his remarkable few days with four more wickets to make it 11 in two outings after his 7 for 39 in the second game.Matt Short took charge of the early stages of the chase but he fell to the very promising Will O’Rourke who then removed Josh Phillipe and Ashton Turner to bring New Zealand A back into the game.Davies joined Matt Renshaw to settle the chase but when Renshaw drove to cover Australia A still needed 65. Davies and Sutherland got them most of the way there before Thornton’s memorable week ended with him hitting the winning runs.It completed a good bounce back from Australia A who had lost the four-day series 2-0.

Chelsea are reportedly in pole position to sign Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen this summer as doubts surface over Real Madrid's pursuit.

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• Huijsen has £50m release clause
• Madrid have doubts about signing him
• Chelsea now in pole position

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  reports that Madrid have doubts over whether they can afford Huijsen, who has a £50 million ($63m) release clause at Bournemouth. Los Blancos signed Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer last summer and could do the same with Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in the coming months. Moreover, Chelsea are said to have a good relationship with the Spain international's representatives and want to secure a deal before the Club World Cup starts in mid-June. That could spell doom for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

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  The report adds that a potential stumbling block for Chelsea is that the 20-year-old would favour a move to Madrid if it were on the table. But with Los Blancos unsure over whether they have the funds available, Chelsea are leading the charge for the centre-back. It has also been reported that Huijsen is keen to continue in the Premier League for the time being.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea do face a lot of competition for the young defender, however, with Arsenal, Liverpool, and Newcastle United also keeping tabs on the former Juventus player.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Before the summer transfer window opens, Huijsen will hope to help Bournemouth secure European football for the first time in their history next season.

The allrounder is still building up to full capacity but Australia are never short of options with the ball

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2023Ellyse Perry’s knee injury could keep her from bowling for the entire white-ball series against West Indies that kicks off the women’s home summer.Perry hurt her left knee playing the second one-day international of Australia’s series against Ireland in July. The injury forced her out of the final match against the Irish, as well as England’s franchise tournament the Hundred.In early September, Cricket Australia (CA) named the 32-year-old allrounder in the squad for the white-ball series against West Indies that begins with a T20I at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.CA said at the time Perry was expected to be “fully available” for the six-match series, and on Tuesday she had her first competitive hit-out since July in a one-dayer for Victoria against Western Australia.Related

• West Indies women mix experience with youth for upcoming Australia tour

• Megan Schutt: 'I didn't have the skill or work ethic, I just happened to be able to swing a ball'

Perry did not bowl in that match and said she may not do so again until after the West Indies series finishes in mid-October.”Nothing’s wrong, it’s just building workloads back up again so I’m fully prepared for the summer,” she said. “In terms of my full fitness, bowling will probably be something that I still work through across this series.”It might mean that I’m not available to bowl until late in the piece or perhaps towards the start of the WBBL.”Australia used Perry’s bowling sparingly during the white-ball legs of the women’s Ashes that preceded the Ireland tour and she has not sent down more than two overs in a T20I since the 2020 T20 World Cup.Australia are rarely short of bowling options in their limited-overs teams. Fellow allrounders Ash Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Jess Jonassen and Georgia Wareham have all been selected in the squad to face West Indies.Perry shrugged at criticism of CA’s decision to schedule the first match of the women’s summer on the same day and in the same city as the NRL grand final.”The summer scheduling, and how much cricket we need to fit in, you can’t always get things 100 percent in a clear window,” she said. “Given the time of the match, being played early in the day, at a wonderful venue, there’s plenty of value in this fixture. I’m sure we’ll get a good crowd.”Perry played alongside Meg Lanning as Australia’s captain made her return to cricket this week following a four-month medical absence.Lanning hit a half-century in the first of two matches and CA is hopeful she will return to the national side later in the home summer. Perry heralded Lanning’s return to state cricket as a big step towards an Australia comeback.”That’s absolutely significant,” she said. “At the same time, it’s just significant that she’s back and she’s enjoying playing her cricket. She really just picked up where she left off in terms of her batting.”

Gregor Kobel is one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga. Two financially strong clubs from England are now said to be interested in signing him.

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• Chelsea, Newcastle eyeing Kobel
• Swiss GK wants to leave BVB for Champions League football
• Dortmund currently not within the Bundesliga top four

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to a report by , Premier League giants Chelsea and Newcastle United have set their sights on Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who reportedly wishes to leave Signal Iduna Park and play for a club that would play Champions League football next season. The 27-year-old's agent is travelling to London next week to meet with representatives from both clubs for talks.

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  Kobel's contract in Dortmund runs until 2028. According to BILD, Chelsea are reportedly willing to pay €70 million (£60m) for the Swiss international. The Blues are known to be looking for a new keeper, as they are reportedly unhappy with their current number one, Robert Sanchez.

  Meanwhile, Newcastle are said to be open to selling their current first-choice goalkeeper, Nick Pope, in the summer, who has just one year left on his contract. Earlier this season, Championship side Leeds United were linked with Pope.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea and Newcastle aren't the only Premier League teams that have been rumoured to be keeping tabs on the Dortmund custodian, with Manchester United also reportedly monitoring Kobel's situation.

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  WHAT'S NEXT?

  Dortmund must win the remaining four Bundesliga matches of the season if they are to secure a place in the Champions League. Their next match is away to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday, April 26. Currently seventh in the table, they are four points behind the Champions League places. Missing out on Europe's premier club competition would make Kobel's departure more likely.

Wayne Madsen adds fifty as Derbyshire wicketkeeper plays vital hand

ECB Reporters Network19-Jul-2023Derbyshire wicketkeeper Brooke Guest scored a career-best unbeaten 145 to frustrate Division Two leaders Durham in the LV=Insurance County Championship game at Derby.Guest backed-up his hundred against Sussex at Hove last week with another accomplished display to steer Derbyshire to 317 for 6 after Durham had put them in. Wayne Madsen made 62 and shared a third wicket stand with Guest of 118 in 32 overs before he fell to England fast bowler Matt Potts who took 2 for 57 from 20 overs.Durham’s decision to bowl first was probably based on the overhead conditions rather than the pitch which played well once the sun broke through. But while there was cloud cover, the openers were challenged by Potts and Ben Raine who saw Luis Reece dropped on 3 at second slip by David Bedingham.It did not prove costly as Reece, who along with Harry Came has signed a two-year contract extension, offered no shot to a ball from Raine that took out his off stump in the 11th over of the morning.Durham had to wait another 14 overs for their second success with Potts removing Came with a full length ball that straightened to bowl him for 16.Madsen almost went first ball, edging Potts just short of first slip and there was more frustration for the paceman when he squared Madsen up but the ball flew over the slip cordon.Potts had the chance to remove Madsen on 14 in the fourth over after lunch when an edge off Brydon Carse went low to him in the gully but the ball went through his hands. It was a miss Durham were made to pay for as Guest and Madsen played with increasing authority in bright sunshine.Guest drove Migael Pretorious through the covers for his ninth four to reach 50 from 103 balls before Madsen greeted Matt Parkinson by sweeping him for four. He came down the pitch to the legspinner and lifted him over mid-on for his eighth boundary to go to 50 off 73 balls and the runs continued to flow with the century stand coming up from 157 deliveries.Durham were desperate for a wicket and Potts provided it when he found some extra bounce to have Madsen caught in the gully by Alex Lees.Haider Ali survived a close lbw shout against Potts but announced his intentions in the last over before tea by launching Parkinson into the seats behind long-on. It completed a good session for the hosts with Guest 13 runs short of another hundred which he completed in the eighth over after the restart by sweeping Parkinson for his 15th four.Guest faced 181 balls and showed good judgement to bat his side into a promising position against the top side in the division.The stand with Haider was worth 70 when Durham got a fourth wicket in bizarre fashion. The Pakistan right-hander went to sweep Scott Borthwick, survived a confident lbw appeal but set off for a run that was never on and was stumped.That brought in Leus du Plooy who needed 21 to complete 1000 Championship runs for the season but made only 2 before he scooped Borthwick low to cover.Durham should have removed Guest on 122 when he edged Raine behind but Ollie Robinson could not hold on and he took advantage to pass his previous best score of 138 against Glamorgan last season.Raine claimed his second wicket when he bowled Anuj Dal but Guest made sure it was Derbyshire’s day.

The Padres are reportedly keeping their managerial job within the organizational family.

San Diego is hiring front-office assistant Craig Stammen as its next manager, according to a Thursday morning report from Jon Heyman of the . Stammen, 41, pitched for the Padres from 2017 to '22.

In 2024, Stammen assumed a baseball operations role with San Diego focused on player development.

Born in rural Ohio, Stammen pitched collegiately for Dayton before the Nationals drafted him in 2005. After several up-and-down years shuttling between the rotation and bullpen, he broke through as a reliever for the Nationals' first playoff team in 2012.

He spent seven years with Washington and six with the Padres in all, and now will be tasked with injecting life into a San Diego team that disappointed in 2025. The Padres went 90–72 but failed to advance out of the wild-card round; since their ballyhooed postseason return in 2020, San Diego hasn't gone farther than the NLCS in Stammen's last season.

The Padres will open Stammen's first season on March 26 against the Tigers.