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da roleta： No Manchester United fan could’ve envisaged the mammoth spending that has taken place this summer, especially after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s comments back in March.

da supremo： The 72-year-old stated in an interview that the club wouldn’t spend crazy fees on players in the window, putting the blame on the previous recruitment regime at Old Trafford.

However, he’s overseen a shopping spree that has seen the Red Devils already splash £130m in new additions, that’s before the pending £74m deal to sign striker Benjamin Sesko.

The 22-year-old is set to join Ruben Amorim’s side after flying to Manchester to complete his medical, with a formal announcement all that’s left before he can be considered a Red Devil.

Despite their heavy spending already during the off-season, it could be set to continue, with various other players being considered by the staff behind the scenes.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Despite the previous moves made in the window, Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra still remains as a key target for United this summer, potentially bolstering the depth in the middle of the park.

It’s been reported that the 22-year-old is extremely keen on a move to join Amorim’s side this summer, leading to a £25m price tag being mooted by his current employers.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights between now and the end of the window, with Como star Nico Paz a player they’re keen on, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report claims that the Red Devils are plotting a move for the Argentine youngster, after he registered six goals and eight assists in Serie A throughout 2024/25.

It also states that Chelsea are also interested in a deal to land the 20-year-old this window, but any move could prove to be an expensive one, with his current employers demanding £60m for his signature.

Why United’s latest target would be their next Amad

Amad Diallo is a player who has had to bide his time at United, often being a backup option or even an outcast under the management of former boss Erik ten Hag.

The Ivorian has spent multiple years on loan at Rangers and Sunderland, before returning to the fold last year, but he had to wait until Amorim took the reins before having an impact on the first team.

He mainly operated in a wing-back role, managing to achieve a total of eight goals and six assists across all competitions, with his performance against Southampton undoubtedly his best of the season.

The 23-year-old scored a hat-trick during the 3-2 win, securing all three points for the Red Devils, before an ankle injury put a halt to his impressive spell within the first team.

He’s certainly one of the players to watch in the club’s hunt for success throughout 2025/26, potentially being joined by Paz, who could follow in the attacker’s footsteps.

The Argentine would replicate his move from Italy, whilst also having a wand of a left foot that could provide an added level of creativity to the club’s front line in the years ahead.

Paz, who’s been credited with having “immense potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has produced countless impressive underlying stats which could make him a hit with the supporters.

He notched 5.5 progressive passes per 90, with 3.9 of which were into the final third, offering another creative dimension – just like Amad has over the last couple of months.

The 20-year-old also completed 51% of the take-ons he attempted, at a total of 2.3 per 90, which ranks him within the top 6% of all players in Serie A in 2024/25.

Nico Paz’s stats for Como in Serie A (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

35

Goals & assists

14

Pass accuracy

81%

Progressive passes

5.5

Progressive carries

2.6

Successful take-ons

2.3

Take-ons completed

51%

Passes into final third

3.9

Tackles won

1.7

Blocks made

1.6

Stats via FBref

Out of possession, the talented star also impressed, winning 1.7 tackles per 90 whilst also making 1.6 blocks per 90 – having the tools to be the perfect box-to-box option in Amorim’s side.

Whilst he may be yet another big-money addition to the squad, it would be a signing that would set the club up for immediate and long-term success, given the levels he’s produced and the potential he holds, given his tender age.

Should he follow in the footsteps of Amad at Old Trafford, it would be a superb piece of business and one that could massively aid the Red Devils’ chances of success.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Aug 8, 2025

Despite Erik ten Hag still holding the status of Manchester United manager, the search for a new boss continues.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe certainly won’t have been impressed with the results this season, particularly recently, but the new owners' biggest concern simply has to be the performance of the team.

Many thought that the 3-3 draw with Coventry City was the final blow to the Dutch boss, with Alan Shearer even believing that an FA Cup win wouldn’t save the manager, stating that his future is "already determined".

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a potential replacement for Ten Hag, who’s impressed in Germany over the last few seasons.

Man United’s search for a new boss

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United have a 'major interest' in 41-year-old manager Edin Terzic.

It’s said that the Borussia Dortmund coach is the ideal profile for the project that the new Old Trafford owners are looking for.

The German international already has experience in the Premier League, having been a part of West Ham United’s coaching staff between 2015-17.

However, they will face competition for his signature if they do decide to make a move, with his former employers at the London Stadium also interested in replacing David Moyes.

How Terzic compares to Ten Hag

Since becoming the head coach of Dortmund on a full-time basis at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Terzic has developed the team into one that can challenge for silverware.

For example, in his first season in charge of the Bundesliga side, he led the side to a second-place finish in the German top flight, missing out on the title on goal difference to Bayern Munich.

However, he had already proved that he could bring silverware to Signal Iduna Park prior to taking on the manager role permanently, winning the German Cup in the 2020/21 season while serving as an interim.

This season, the 41-year-old’s side haven’t exactly been performing quite as well domestically, as they’re currently fifth in the Bundesliga, but they are in the semi-final of the Champions League, after becoming only the second manager to overturn a first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid in the knockout stages.

Nonetheless, as you can see from the table above, Terzic’s Dortmund are slightly better than Ten Hag’s United based on their average stats this season.

Just like the United boss, Terzic’s main formation is a 4-2-3-1, opting for a target man striker, such as Sebastian Haller, and having flying fullbacks that impact the game in the final third, Ian Maatsen and Julien Ryerson.

However, he’s a tactical mastermind who’s extremely flexible with his approach, even changing his system to overcome specific opposition, unlike Ten Hag, who is rather stubborn, always fielding a 4-2-3-1 and playing the same brand of football.

The manager who’s “similar to Jurgen Klopp,” as dubbed by David James in regards to his role as Dortmund manager before a potential move to England, also fits the bill perfectly for the United rebuild, and he also boasts a 100% win record against Premier League teams this season, having defeated Newcastle United twice in the Champions League.

Firstly, he’s a young manager who knows how to develop the youth and turn them into superstars, as shown by his involvement in the progression of Jude Bellingham.

But he’s also not afraid to trust the youngsters over more experienced players, as highlighted by the fact that young Englishman Jamie Bynoe-Gittens has played over 20 league games this season.

Additionally, he’s a brilliant man-manager who's 'loved by his players' – as per the Bundesliga website – and able to get the very best out of each individual in his team, which Ten Hag has failed to do this season in particular, hence why the Red Devils are sixth in the Premier League.

Overall, Terzic may not necessarily be a manager who’ll instantly provide success, but he’s certainly a coach who has the potential to revive a club and lead a project – much in the same way Klopp has at Liverpool.

With a 'Klopp-like intensity' in the dugout, according to ESPN's Derek Rae, the promising coach could oversee a new era at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd eyeing Ten Hag upgrade who could be "like Ange Postecoglou"

The Man United target has lost 12 games fewer than Erik ten Hag this season.

By
Tom Lever

Apr 26, 2024

Marsh dropped after a lean series with bat and ball with Tasmanian allrounder Beau Webster named to make his debut as the only change for Australia

Alex Malcolm01-Jan-2025Australia have dropped allrounder Mitchell Marsh for the final Test against India in Sydney with captain Pat Cummins confirming that Tasmanian Beau Webster will make his Test debut.Cummins confirmed on the eve of the Sydney Test that Australia would make just one change, with Mitchell Starc declared fit to play despite carrying an issue with his rib/back.Marsh’s place in the side was under the microscope after a lean series with both bat and ball. He had scored just 73 runs at 10.42 across the first four Tests, with 47 of those coming in the second innings in Perth when the game was long gone. With the ball he had bowled just 33 overs across seven innings in the series (discounting the brief second innings in Brisbane), and since claiming 2 for 12 in the first innings of the series he had figures of 1 for 127 from his last 28 overs.Related

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'Unfair' to question Marsh's fitness as pressure grows on Test spot

Webster has been the form allrounder in the Sheffield Shield in recent seasons. He was the highest scorer in the Shield last season with 938 runs at 58.62 and took 30 wickets at 29.30. Sir Garfield Sobers, in 1963-64, is the only other player in Shield history to score more than 900 runs and take more than 30 wickets in the same season.In four games this season he has scored 303 runs at 50.50, including a century and a half-century, and has taken nine wickets at 37.88 in 96.5 overs across four matches. He has also taken 6 for 17 in a Dean Jones Trophy 50-over match for Tasmania and made an unbeaten half-century for Australia A against India A in the first four-day Mackay and took two three-wicket hauls in the second in Melbourne.”Mitchy, obviously hasn’t quite got the runs, or perhaps the wickets that he would have liked this series,” Cummins said on Thursday at his pre-Test press conference. “So we felt like it was time for a freshening up, and Beau’s been with the squad. He’s been great. So it’s a shame for Mitchy, because we know how much he brings to the team, but feel like now it’s a good week for Beau to get a chance.”Marsh’s popularity within the team, and his close personal friendship with Cummins would not have made the decision easy for the captain or the selectors. But Cummins said Marsh was not surprised by the decision and was very accepting of it.”He was totally understanding,” Cummins said. “I think his words were, yeah, not necessarily blindsided. He knows he hasn’t scored the runs or taken the wickets that he would have liked. So that makes you vulnerable. Really excited for Beau. The first thing he said, I can’t wait to see Beau go out there and give it a crack.”Particularly here in Australia, I think when a batter misses out or gets dropped it’s always seen as a big thing, but it’s not the case. The way that Ronnie [Andrew McDonald] and the selectors and myself look at it is, we love pulling a squad of players together who we think we can call on at different times. And we thought the time was right for Mitchy to have a freshen up and miss this one. But it doesn’t mean that he won’t be back in that team at some point.”Cummins was asked whether Marsh needed to contribute more with the ball if he was to earn a recall but the skipper said that his batting is the main priority.”Not necessarily,” he said. “We’ve spoken about it a lot. He was in the side this summer for being a top six batter. So that’s generally a guiding principle when you pick the top order, [although] not always. I think when he’s at his best, he gets in the side on his batting alone and his bowling is a bonus. Obviously, we’ve got guys like Cam Green who will be back in the mix at some point as well, who provide some other bowling options.”Beau Webster bowls at the nets•AFP via Getty ImagesAt the same time, Cummins said Webster’s superior bowling, and ability to handle bigger loads than Marsh was a factor in the decision-making. That comes just a few days after coach Andrew McDonald suggested Marsh was fully fit and stated it was unfair to question Marsh’s lack of bowling given that he had not bowled for tactical reasons rather than any physical issues.”That was definitely a factor,” Cummins said. “Short turnaround. I think it’s always nice to have kind of a fifth bowler. He bowls quite a lot for Tasmania. So if we need to call on that we can. I think firstly, if you’re going to bat six, you’re picked for your batting, which I think he’s shown in the Shield over the last couple years, when he takes the game on he’s really changed some games for Tasmania. But I’ll sit down and work that out today. But I think particularly that pace bowling, Beau is going to be handy, and we’ve got obviously Nath [Lyon], but also Trav [Head] with some handy offies when needed.”Cummins said he hadn’t had a lot to do with Webster prior to him joining the squad after the first Test of this series. But he has been impressed with his performances for Tasmania and Australia A where he made scores of 33, 61*, 5 and 46* and took figures of 0 for 18, 1 for 51, 3 for 19 and 3 for 49 in the two wins over India A in Mackay and Melbourne ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”He’s just been a one of those star performance for Tasmania with the bat or ball, or in the field,” Cummins said. “He always seems to have a big impact. Quite aggressive. Can change the game, like we’ve seen Mitch Marsh or Trav Head, or Alex Carey do in that middle order. And he’s been a great personality around the squad. Even day five there in Melbourne he was itching to get on the field. It’s going to be awesome to see him debut. Really love what he brought to the squad so far.”Australia XI for the fifth Test: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Old Trafford offers ideal preparation for Asian pitches, as England turn to World Cup defence

Andrew Miller10-Sep-2020Eoin Morgan has challenged his world-beating ODI players to adapt their dynamic brand of cricket to the slow, low pitches on which they will be defending their World Cup title in India in 2023, and believes that three matches against Australia at Emirates Old Trafford offer the perfect opportunity to start putting some new plans into action.Traditionally, the surface at Old Trafford has been among the more rapid on the English circuit, offering good carry to the quicks and sharp turn and bounce for the slow bowlers. However, the venue has already hosted six internationals in the summer’s bio-secure circumstances, the majority of them on sluggish surfaces exacerbated by the chilly Manchester weather, and Morgan was both confident on what to expect in the coming days, and grateful for what it could mean for their preparations.”It’s a huge benefit to us playing at Old Trafford,” he said. “Hopefully it will be slow and take a lot of turn. That’s very useful considering that’s both our weakest point, and it’s more than likely what we will play in India in 2023. If we had a choice of grounds to play at for the next period of time, this would be one of them.”ALSO READ: Aaron Finch seeks winning formula as Australia reset ODI recordEngland’s preparation for the 2019 World Cup was notable for their belligerent attitude to wickets that did not favour their expansive strokeplay, with Morgan himself happy to defend his batsmen even after scorelines of 20 for 6 against South Africa at Lord’s, or 8 for 5 against Australia at Adelaide – the logic being that it was better to absorb the lessons while maintaining a positive attacking mindset, rather than let doubt seep into their game-plans on the odd surface that misbehaved.With India on the horizon, however – both for 2023 and for next year’s T20 World Cup – Morgan acknowledges that England will now need to be upfront about their adaptability.”Going away from what we’re strong at will do us some good for a period of time,” he said. “It allows us to focus on things that are our weaker side, so creating another dynamic well-rounded game in that manner is important. We need to get better at playing on those types of surfaces, because over the course of the last four-and-a-half years, we had to wait either to play in Cardiff, or Old Trafford, or go away on winter tours to experience [spinning] conditions.”It is probably a bigger challenge for our seamers than our batters, because our batters have gone through this for the last couple of years,” he added. “So hopefully we’ll learn more, and upskill what we need to do to get better at playing those types of pitches.”With Morgan himself now fit again after his finger dislocation during the T20Is, and Jason Roy restored to the top of the order following his side strain, England look set to field as many as nine of the 11 men who triumphed at Lord’s in that extraordinary World Cup final 14 months ago – and as the captain himself acknowledged, success on that scale creates a pressure to perform like nothing else.”I think the expectation outside of our own group is probably higher than it’s ever been,” Morgan said. “And it should be. We’re an incredibly talented group of guys and collectively if we perform together, we’re a hard side to beat.”I’d much rather go in with a weighted level of expectation than none at all. We’ve grown into being comfortable with that expectation over the last few years, and slowly it’s crept into our minds as well, just through levels of performance.”Eoin Morgan swings down the ground•Getty Images

However, speaking on his 34th birthday – a milestone that highlights England’s onus on succession planning in the coming months – Morgan acknowledged that there had been room for “huge improvements” during their 2-1 win over Australia in the T20Is, not least in the fielding department which he described as “second-rate”, particularly during their five-wicket defeat in the final fixture.The fact that Morgan himself missed that game through injury seemed to suggest that his continued presence as England’s chief motivator and tactician is pivotal to the team’s success. However, he insisted that no-one is “irreplaceable”, and that the close-knit circumstances of England’s bio-secure summer had made it even more apparent who are the leaders within England’s dressing-room.Morgan’s obvious successors within the white-ball squad are Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes – currently absent on compassionate leave – while Moeen Ali stepped in for the final T20I last week. With Joe Root, the Test captain, also back in the ODI squad, there is no shortage of senior players for England to lean on.”Jos operates in a different manner [to me],” Morgan said. “The energy that he exudes might come across more passionate and more vocal in the field. Same with Ben. Joe is probably a bit calm and more reserved as well. So you’ve different attributes that he might see at different stages, and we had a glimpse into what it might look like with Moeen as captain and Chris Jordan as his vice-captain.”One of the huge benefits of having the same group of 17 players together for an extended period of time is that the guys go through many different experiences together,” he added. “The longer that journey, different leaders evolve. Some guys stand up at different times, and recognising when they step into the game is important because it is an area that we’ve neglected over the years.””Towards the back end of the World Cup and definitely the semi-final and final, the guys who were leaders within our group stood up both vocally and performance-based when they needed to. So, the age-old saying that you don’t really think about the captaincy until you are given it, we’re trying to get rid of that stigma and build, not just one leader to be the next captain, but a group that will support that leader as well and drives things forward.”

da dobrowin： In recent years, Everton have conducted sensible business, investing in up-and-coming talents that would bolster their squad and make the club a tidy profit in the process.

da bwin： The club have moved away from signing high-profile names who have excelled previously, before arriving at Goodison Park, failing to make an impact and pocketing a small fortune from the club.

Additions of players such as Jarrad Branthwaite and James Garner are prime examples of their excellent dealings, with the duo joining the club for a combined £10m, before benefitting from regular game time, which has seen their values soar to a total of £44.7m as per Transfermarkt.

However, the club have slipped back to their old ways with one addition who has failed to make an impact during his short stint on Merseyside this campaign.

The player joined the club with high expectations of taking the attacking department to the next level, but he's disappointed during his limited game time under boss Sean Dyche.

Arnaut Danjuma's stats at Everton

After multiple failed attempts at convincing the winger to join the Toffees, Everton finally signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal last summer, on a deal until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

At the time, it looked as though Dyche and his side conducted smart business in bringing the Dutchman to Goodison, however, the move has been a disaster for all parties involved.

The 27-year-old has only made 14 appearances for the Toffees since the start of the season, starting just 14% of the club's Premier League outings in a campaign where the side claimed survival with three games to spare despite receiving a total of eight points deducted after multiple PSR breaches.

Danjuma has only found the back of the net on one occasion for the Toffees in the Premier League, scoring in the 2-2 draw away at Sheffield United at the start of the season.

His lack of minutes on the pitch has been further highlighted in recent weeks, with his start against Fulham back in January his latest appearance for the club, in what has been a disappointing campaign for the forward.

It's clear that Danjuma has fallen out of favour under Dyche, with the attacker failing to appear at all, despite the club's recent injury troubles at the top end of the pitch, with youngster Youssef Chermiti preferred to the Dutchman after injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto.

Both parties will be desperate for the spell to come to an end, with the Toffees also needing to clear his hefty earnings off the wage bill ahead of the summer.

Arnaut Danjuma's wage at Everton

Although he's only on loan at Everton for the current campaign, Danjuma is still earning £52.5k-per-week, as per Capology – a huge amount given his lack of impact at Goodison, having now become something of a forgotten figure.

The "rubbish" loanee, as dubbed by Daily Mail journalist Ian Ladyman, will have pocketed a total of £2.7m in wages alone this season, a figure that would've seen him earn £450k per start.

His income at Everton is currently more than double than that of fellow attacker Dwight McNeil, who earns a reported £25k-per-week, despite keeping the 27-year-old out of the team for the vast majority of the 2023/24 season.

Players who earn less than Danjuma at Everton

Player

Wage

Ashley Young

£40k-p/w

Jarrad Branthwaite

£35k-p/w

James Garner

£30k-p/w

Nathan Patterson

£28k-p/w

Dwight McNeil

£25k-p/w

Stats via Capology

It's a shame that the move for the attacker hasn't worked out this season, but the Toffees will be relieved that he's only at the club on a temporary basis, with Dyche able to reinvest the money elsewhere during the upcoming transfer window.

The summer could be a busy one for Everton, with sales needed to avoid further punishment, but also giving them the opportunity to showcase their excellent recruitment demonstrated in previous windows.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 6, 2024

The two-Test series which is part of the World Test Championship is Bangladesh’s fourth postponement since March

Mohammad Isam23-Jun-2020New Zealand’s two-Test tour of Bangladesh, which was scheduled in August-September as part of the ICC World Test Championship, has been postponed for a later date amid the Covid-19 pandemic.Cricket has been suspended since mid-March in Bangladesh, with the Shere Bangla National Stadium, cricket’s headquarters in the country, well within a virus “red zone”. Bangladesh has crossed the 100,000 mark for total number of coronavirus cases, with over 1,500 deaths attributed to the pandemic so far.BCB’s chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that the board considered the health and safety of the players when deciding on the postponement.”In the present Covid-19 pandemic scenario, hosting a full cricket series in August 2020 will be a challenge in terms of preparations and we cannot take chances with the safety and health of players, support staff and related stakeholders,” Chowdhury said.”Under these circumstances, the BCB and NZC have felt that the best way forward would be to defer the series. We realise that this will be hugely disappointing for the players and officials of both teams, not to mention the fans of the two nations but I must thank NZC for its understanding and for recognising the rationale behind such a decision.”This is Bangladesh’s fourth postponement since March, following the second Test against Pakistan in Karachi (April), Ireland and UK tour (May) and Australia’s tour of Bangladesh (June). Their tour to Sri Lanka, scheduled for July-August, is still in doubt.New Zealand have also had several deferrals including the cancellation of the Chappell-Hadlee series in March after one ODI. They have postponed their Europe tour (Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland) and a tour to the West Indies.

da bwin： A fresh update has emerged from the camp of Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez after reports that Arsenal had bid for his services over the weekend.

Arsenal back on track against Wolves

da betano casino： After a pair of damaging results saw Arsenal lose control of the Premier League title race and drop out of Europe at the quarter-final stages, Mikel Arteta's side got back to winning ways courtesy of a 2-0 win over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.

It is a result that lifts them back to the top of the Premier League as things stand, with Liverpool behind them on goal difference and Manchester City trailing by a point but with a game in hand on both clubs.

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The Gunners face Chelsea next at the Emirates Stadium before a trip across north London to take on Tottenham over the weekend, with the Gunners likely needing to take three points from both London derbies to still be in consideration for the title come the end of the weekend.

There are still areas of improvement needed though, with Arteta's side clearly still lacking a spark in central midfield and also a reliable goalscoring striker. As it stands, only Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard have reached double figures this season for goals, with no one breaching the 20 goal mark yet.

Arsenal's top goalscorers

Player

Goals 23/24

Bukayo Saka

18

Leandro Trossard

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Kai Havertz

10

Gabriel Jesus

8

Gabriel Martinelli

8

Despite being the highest scorers in the competition, there is a feeling that Arsenal need more, and they have been credited with an interest in Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.

The Mexican has enjoyed a fine campaign to date, scoring 24 times and grabbing 7 assists in 40 outings for his side in all competitions. On Friday, it was reported that Arsenal were one of many sides pushing to sign the 23-year-old, and there were even rumours that Arsenal had made a bid for his services.

Gimenez to Arsenal update

Now, a fresh update has emerged on the status of Arsenal's interest in the £29k-a-week Gimenez, and it appears to be just that for now. As per Mexican outlet Azteca Deportes [Via Sport Witness], an "internal Feyenoord source" has relayed to them that no bid has been forthcoming from any party, with the Gunners part of a trio of sides keen on signing Gimenez.

Atletico Madrid and Juventus are also keeping a close eye, but again have not made an offer and there has been "no formal approach" for the striker from any of the three clubs in question.

It remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal's interest firms up into something more serious in the coming weeks and months, but he would certainly solve a problem the Gunners seem to have in central areas, and is reportedly available at a bargain price of just £40m this summer, which would allow plenty of scope to rebuild the squad elsewhere too.

Liverpool made it three wins from three in the Arne Slot era with a convincing win over Manchester United.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool win 3-0 again Man Utd
• Slot emulates Eriksson record
• Reds & City only perfect teams

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Slot began his Liverpool campaign with two comfortable wins over Ipswich Town and Brentford. However, it was the Reds' 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday that is their most impressive win so far as they dominated their bitter rivals. Luis Diaz scored a brace and Mohamed Salah also got on the scoresheet to maintain their perfect start to the season.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With this latest clean sheet, Slot has now emulated a record of Sven-Goran Eriksson's. In 2007, the Swede won his first three Premier League games with Manchester City without conceding a single goal, per Opta. Slot becomes the first manager to do the same since Eriksson 14 years ago.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Slot also became the first Liverpool manager to win his first away league game against Manchester United in 88 years. The last Reds manager to do so was club legend George Kay, who won his first league match at United in 1936.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR SLOT?

  The Dutch manager will now have two weeks to work with the rest of his squad thanks to the international break. The Reds will return to action against Nottingham Forest on September 14.

The prospects of Ireland’s ODI series against England going ahead were boosted on Monday, as their centrally-contracted players returned to training under strict health protocols following government approval.Cricket Ireland has been involved in discussions with the ECB for several weeks about moving the three-match series forward from September to the end of July, and the games look set to go ahead pending approval from the UK government.Ireland men’s and women’s squads will resume training this week, with some players starting on Monday, following deep cleans at the Cricket Ireland High Performance Centre in Dublin, the Civil Service ground in Belfast, and at Bready CC, as well as online education sessions for players and coaches over the weekend.ALSO READ: Ireland itching to play England ODIs despite risks, says Paul StirlingRichard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s high performance director, said that the timing of the resumption was necessary to avoid falling behind England’s white-ball players, most of whom returned to training last week.”We are still in discussions with the ECB,” Holdsworth said. “In terms of getting ready for those matches should the approval come, with a six-to-eight-week period regarded as essential from the standing start of lockdown to being ready for international cricket – particularly for our bowlers – it was crucial that our players did not lose any more time with the England squad already back to training.”In addition, there is also still the outside prospect of the men’s T20 World Cup in late 2020 – so it may still be a big year for the men’s squad. The women’s squad are looking at a rescheduled World Cup qualifier tournament which, if it proceeds this year, will require a lead-up programme.”We have a few players still overseas at the moment, and two who permanently reside in England, but otherwise we expect to have the contracted senior men’s squad involved today. The women’s senior performance squad and the four emerging contracted players will start training from tomorrow [Tuesday].”Ireland’s centrally-contracted players remained on full pay throughout the lockdown – although the majority of their earnings usually comes from match fees rather than retainers – and have been in regular contact with support staff over the past few months.Training will start at an individual level under strict guidelines similar to that followed by England, meaning players will turn up in full kit after registering their temperature before leaving home, use all their own equipment, and have no access to changing rooms or storage facilities.England are likely to be without several important players for the series, with the expectation that they will name completely separate Test and white-ball squads for the series against West Indies and Ireland respectively.The series is also set to be the first in the qualification process for the 2023 World Cup via the new ODI Super League, and Paul Stirling told ESPNcricinfo last month that “whatever team they [England] put out, we know it’ll be a strong one”. England have won their last five completed ODIs against Ireland, a run which dates back to their famous defeat in Bengaluru at the 2011 World Cup.

England fast bowler continuing recovery from elbow problem and could miss Sri Lanka tour

George Dobell29-Jan-2020

Jofra Archer will miss England’s T20I series against South Africa as he continues to recover from an elbow problem, which could also threaten his participation in the Test tour of Sri Lanka in March. Lancashire quick Saqib Mahmood, who was already part of the ODI squad, will take Archer’s place for the T20Is.Archer had been suffering from soreness that reduced him to a role in only one match of the Test part of the tour. While he appeared to be close to a recall ahead of the third and, in particular, the fourth Test, it may be that in attempting to prove his fitness, he delayed the recovery time from the injury.ALSO READ: Ollie Pope on breakthrough seriesHe had been pencilled in to play in Johannesburg, bowling with impressive pace in training over the previous two days, but reported a recurrence of pain a few minutes before the toss and withdrew in obvious distress.While initial scans revealed no serious injury, it has now decided that a period of rest would be beneficial. It seems unlikely the injury will force him out of the IPL, but there may be some nervousness among the England management.Archer himself suggested that he might not be sent to Sri Lanka “if the elbow isn’t good enough”, saying that the decision would be left down to the medical team.”The last thing you need is to come rushing back and suffer a setback that keeps you out longer,” he told the . “Looking back, I don’t think it would have been the best move to play [in Johannesburg], for myself or the team. As the game has gone on, I’ve seen the number of overs the boys have bowled. It was the right decision.”Now we go to Sri Lanka, and it might be a repeat of the pitches in New Zealand. If the elbow isn’t good enough, I can’t see them sending me to Sri Lanka. We’ve got a long summer of cricket coming up. We’ve got a Twenty20 World Cup and the physios will have a plan for my wellbeing.”Archer played down concerns about how he has been handled with England – expressed most recently by Kevin Pietersen – saying that Joe Root had given him reassurances about his importance after breaking down at the Wanderers. He also reiterated his commitment to playing Test cricket, having claimed a five-wicket haul in his only appearance in South Africa.”I’ve got a few milestones I’d like to achieve — so I very much want to play Test cricket,” Archer said. “It’s not true that modern cricketers only want to be white-ball cricketers. Because I had a good World Cup that doesn’t mean I only like World Cup cricket.”I’ve played seven Test matches and got three five-wicket hauls. Even in the ones when I didn’t take five, I took two or three. I’m pretty all right at Test cricket.”Saqib made his international debut last year during the T20I series in New Zealand, for which Archer was rested. With a T20 World Cup at the end of the year, England were keen to play as close to a full strength side as possible in South Africa, so several members of the victorious World Cup team who have been rested from the ODI series will return for the T20s.