As Wolverhampton Wanderers look to turn what has been a disastrous campaign around, those in the Midlands could reportedly swoop in ahead of both Liverpool and Arsenal to sign an MLS talent in 2025.

Wolves transfer news

A 4-1 victory at Fulham looked destined to be a turning point in Wolves’ season. It felt as though Gary O’Neil’s side would simply kick on from there and eventually leave their poor start behind. One 4-2 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth – in which they conceded three penalties – and a 4-0 loss against Everton at Goodison Park later, however, and O’Neil’s job has never been in a more fragile state.

Three points adrift of safety and sat as low as 19th on just nine points, things couldn’t be much more bleak for Wolves, who desperately need to January transfer window to arrive. Whether it’s O’Neil in charge by that point or his successor remains unknown, but there’s no doubt that his side need reinforcements if they want to survive.

With that said, according to Caught Offside, Wolves could now swoop in ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool to sign Gabriel Pec from MLS side LA Galaxy when 2025 arrives. The talented winger has attracted plenty of potential after rising to stardom in America and is seemingly on the radar of Wolves alongside their Premier League rivals as well as Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Inter Milan.

Wolves plot to extend £60k-p/w star's contract as transfer interest grows

Wolves are looking to tie down one of their most important players to a new long-term deal.

1 ByBrett Worthington Dec 3, 2024

It would be fairly ambitious to suggest that Wolves are favourites for his signature. In fact, in their current position, they should find themselves low down on the list of suitors, but what they can crucially guarantee the Brazilian over the chasing pack is consistent game time. With the chance to replace Pedro Neto once and for all, Wolves should go all out for Pec.

"Phenomenal" Pec can finally replace Neto

Whilst Carlos Forbs arrived in the summer transfer window, the Ajax loanee has yet to show the level needed to break into O’Neil’s side or go as far as replacing a player of Neto’s calibre. Without that firepower, Matheus Cunha has of course stepped up, but when it’s not him then it’s difficult to find another player who is capable of dragging Wolves to unlikely victory. Fellow Brazilian, Pec, could change that though.

The LA Galaxy star is enjoying a “phenomenal debut season” according to MLS insider Tom Bogert and has deservedly earned the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs as a result.

The 23-year-old has only continued his form since that praise too, scoring 21 goals and assisting a further 18 in all competitions for LA Galaxy in 2024. Involved in 39 goals in 40 games, Pec is clearly one to watch.

Team closes in on making a second final in three years after bowling Madhya Pradesh out for 170

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2023
They were thwarted by Madhya Pradesh in the semi-finals last year, but Bengal are on course for payback this time around, with a final appearance in the 2022-23 Ranji season almost theirs. Having opened up a 268-run lead courtesy a five-wicket haul by fast bowler Akash Deep, Bengal ended day three on 59 for 2 at the Holkar Stadium.MP’s hopes of clawing back hinged on getting as close to Bengal’s first-innings score of 438, but a regular stream of wickets thwarted their progress. Three of their batting pillars – Rajat Patidar, Aditya Shrivastava and the returning Venkatesh Iyer – managed scores of 0, 7 and 7 respectively as MP slumped to 101 for 6.Allrounder Saransh Jain, who was promoted up to No. 3 held fort to carve a fighting half-century, his third in first-class cricket, but lack of support from the rest of the batting group meant MP had conceded too much ground by the time their first innings ended. Shubham Sharma’s unbeaten 44 at No. 8 was merely academic.Akash, who has shouldered the responsibility of leading Bengal’s attack in Mukesh Kumar’s absence, ended up with his third five-for of the season to take his wickets tally to 36 in 15 innings at an average of 20.08. He was complemented by left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed, who finished with 2 for 30.In their second dig, Bengal lost openers Karan Lal ans Abhimanyu Easwaran early, but will have Anustup Majumdar and Sudip Gharami, centurions from the first innings, resume in their quest to bat MP out of the match and seal their second Ranji final appearance in three seasons.

If it’s Hyderabad, it’s biryani first, business later

Amol Karhadkar19-May-2015May 11
The last time I was in Hyderabad was early June 2014. The new state, Telangana, had officially come into existence a day earlier, following a prolonged struggle, and the city was tense. The streets were as empty as they are on an India-Pakistan World Cup match day. This time around, there is no calm. The bustle is back, so is the persistent honking of drivers and riders, and terrible traffic jams. By the time I land at the airport, go down to the hotel, leave my luggage, collect the match ticket and reach the stadium, I am in danger of missing out on the first ball. Since the match isn’t sold out, the queue to get in moves at a rapid pace, and I heave a sigh of relief.May 12
The Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium used to be the home of international cricket in Hyderabad, while the Gymkhana Ground (also known as Parade Ground) was the place to be for all the budding and first-class cricketers. Until the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) constructed a stadium on the outskirts of the city in 2004. Since then – while the HCA administrative office at the gymkhana is still operational – all the office-bearers have moved to huge cabins in the Uppal stadium premises. There to meet some of them, I start laughing after reading a plaque above one of the cabins. “Shivlal Yadav, President BCCI”. It is well over two months since Yadav’s stint as interim president, appointed by the Supreme Court, ended.May 13
Hyderabadis love biryani. Many raised in the city have biryani for breakfast, lunch, dinner and also as an evening snack. Whether you like the dish or not, you cannot leave Hyderabad without paying a visit to Paradise, arguably the most popular biryani joint in the city. Some say it’s delicious, some that it’s overrated. The biryani is good, but the kebabs just blow me away.May 14
John Manoj is the secretary of the HCA. But he relishes the tag of cricket coach more – understandable considering his most famous ward was a certain VVS Laxman. As he narrates how he started coaching at the young age of 27, sitting in the office of St John’s Cricket Academy, which has produced almost 40 first-class cricketers since its inception in 1987, he also takes you through a pictorial history of the academy’s progress over the last three decades, which adorns the walls of his office. While Laxman features in virtually every other picture, three walls proudly display evidence of visits by the who’s who of Indian cricket, including Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. In a corner of the fourth wall hangs a photograph of Mohammad Azharuddin advising youngsters. Purely unintentional, but Azhar seems to have been sidelined even here.A roof would be welcome, thank you•AFPMay 15
Wet. Wait. Wet. Wait. The match gets off to a start. Many spectators at the Uppal stadium have no roof above their heads and as a result are drenched even when the curtailed match gets over. Fans are forced to seek shelter, either near a loo or on the staircases or anywhere else, during three rain breaks. The rain does not spare even the chief minister. During the first rain break, as his 20-car motorcade drives into Uppal, the man himself is forced to wait in his car for almost five minutes. Such is the deluge that a huge puddle has formed, preventing him from stepping out of his car. He does so only after a last-minute scupper has ensured a makeshift carpet for him. With no start to the game in sight, he leaves in a while.May 16
I meet a couple of players in the team hotel lobby. To relax ahead of Sunday’s big clash against Mumbai Indians, the Sunrisers Hyderabad players have been given time off, barring two who have to attend a sponsor’s event. You cannot help but feel for the players. No doubt they rake in the moolah but they lead hectic lives for two months. If travelling within hours after the end of a match and playing the next game soon after landing in a new city isn’t enough, they have to oblige fans and sponsors alike with wide grins. “It’s not easy but [you’ve got to do it],” says one of them as gets ready to oblige waiting fans for a selfie.May 17
The IPL is a great spectator driver. More importantly, it is a great educator. I have been to four stadiums in three cities and I have heard this conversation at least once during every match. From a corporate employee to her companion in Pune, a toddler to his father at the Wankhede, a granny to her granddaughter at the CCI, and now a woman to her husband in Hyderabad. “Look at that, they are bowling from the other side now. I didn’t know this.” Take that all you IPL haters. Had it not been for the tournament, how would so many people learn about how the game is played?Before leaving the stadium, I go to the cabin of the “President, BCCI” to take a picture of the plaque. Surprise, surprise, the plate has been removed, apparently on the instructions of a high-profile BCCI employee who saw it just before the game started.May 18
Relief. Not because I’m done with yet another gruelling IPL season – or so I think at the time (I am deputed for the next two games even before getting back to Mumbai). Not because of having to not bear with the dry Hyderabad heat anymore. Relieved purely because I have had my last breakfast at the hotel. I have enjoyed every bit of the hotel: the spacious room, decent room service and a well-maintained gym; but I dreaded the breakfast. As much due to the crammed enclosure as for the thin and inefficient staff. Over the last week, I have seen guests standing and eating, like they do in train stations. For three consecutive days, a woman is made to wait for a masala dosa for 45 minutes, only to be told that they have run out of it. She storms out of the enclosure abandoning her already ruined breakfast. If I ever come to Hyderabad with my wife, I won’t be checking in here, for sure.

He and D’Arcy Short put on an opening stand of 166 after Peter Handscomb had lifted a stuttering Victoria

AAP25-Sep-2022A massive opening partnership from Western Australian pair Josh Philippe and D’Arcy Short lifted the defending Marsh Cup holders to a commanding five-wicket win over Victoria in Melbourne.WA eased over the line with 14 balls to spare. The contest seemed settled as the WA openers put on a match-defining partnership of 166 at almost a run a ball.Philippe was dismissed for 100 the ball after reaching his ton, while Short made a more measured 90 before falling with victory in sight. Philippe, having brought up his half-century with a six, reached three figures off just 95 balls in a knock that featured three sixes.Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland, who had Philippe caught at the wicket, then produced an extraordinary one-handed catch to send Short back to the pavilion. Despite some late pressure, Hilton Cartwright helped WA home with an unbeaten 26.The visitors, in their first outing of the domestic summer and first since holding off Victoria in last season’s Sheffield Shield final, impressed with both bat and ball.Victoria won the toss but slipped to 5 for 92 in the wake of some fine pace and seam bowling.Jhye Richardson was absent from the WA line-up as a precaution with hamstring soreness. The Test quick’s absence had little impact with Andrew Tye returning 4-54 to headline a strong team bowling performance.Victoria captain Peter Handscomb held the home side’s innings together just as it threatened to crumble. He made 93 from 110 balls, while there were also fast-scoring contributions from middle-order pair Matt Short (43 from 38 balls) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (36 from 42).Victoria opened the domestic season on Friday with a contentious victory over New South Wales, with the umpires ending the weather-impacted match for bad light the ball after the lead had changed hands via the DLS method.Will Pucovski, having shone in the opener with a half-century, fell cheaply for just 5, while there was also a failure for another Test aspirant with Marcus Harris making 8.

MatériaMais Notícias

da gbg bet： Neste sábado (13), em confronto direto na luta contra o rebaixamento, o Cuiabá recebeu o Juventude na Arena Pantanal pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão. Com gol solitário de André, o Dourado venceu e complicou ainda mais a vida do já desesperado Juventude.

>>> Assine o Premiere no Prime Video e acompanhe todas as emoções do seu clube no Brasileirão<<<

ALÍVIO ALVIVERDE

Jogando em casa, os donos da casa buscaram mais o jogo no primeiro tempo e tiveram mais domínio da posse de bola. Enquanto isso, o Papo jogou mais fechadinho e tentava levar perigo nas escapadas nos contra-ataques e conseguiu criar algumas chances perigosas, mas sem pontaria. Com a posse da bola no campo ofensivo, o Cuiabá logo conseguiu chegar ao seu gol. Aos 22 minutos, Valdivia cruzou, Daniel Guedes desviou e André estufou as redes abrindo o placar.

Após o gol, Gabriel Pirani quase ampliou, mas parou em boa defesa de Pegorari. Aos 38 minutos, o arbitro foi checar com o VAR um possível pênalti para os gaúchos após jogada de Bruno Nazário, mas deixou o jogo seguir.

O PESADELO JACONERO

Voltando do intervalo, o Cuiabá veio com a mesma postura e quase ampliou o placar no primeiro minuto, Rafael Gava soltou a bomba e obrigou Pegorari a fazer bela defesa. Com a vantagem, António Oliveira decidiu promover a estreia do novo reforço, o atacante Deyverson. Entrando no lugar de André, o centroavante ex-Palmeiras teve grande chance, mas mandou por cima do gol.

Mesmo precisando vencer, o Juventude mal conseguiu criar e facilitou a vida do sistema defensivo dos donos da casa. Pra piorar, Vitor Leque levou o segundo amarelo e foi expulso, deixando a equipe com 10 e sem chance alguma de tentar buscar um empate.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoEm jogo equilibrado, Goiás e Avaí ficam no empate na SerrinhaBrasileirão13/08/2022CorinthiansVítor Pereira mostra confiança na Copa do Brasil e avalia protestos da torcida do Corinthians: ‘Cobrança é importante’Corinthians13/08/2022Athletico ParanaenseReal Madrid e Juventus estariam atentos aos passos de Vitor RoqueAthletico Paranaense13/08/2022

Liverpool ceded ground in the Premier League title race in midweek, with Caoimhin Kelleher’s late error allowing Fabian Schar to score from an acute angle and give Newcastle United a point at St. James’ Park.

The hosts were well worth their point, truth be told, but Liverpool will be frustrated by the manner in which their winning streak was sliced, for Mohamed Salah had swept the visitors into a lead with two goals and an assist for Curtis Jones.

Having previously won seven on the trot in all competitions and secured successive Anfield victories over Real Madrid and Manchester City last week, Liverpool have established a commanding position in the Premier League and the Champions League, at the summit of both tables.

However, Arsenal and Chelsea are snapping at their feet in joint-second-place (albeit from a seven-point distance) while Pep Guardiola’s City are masters at putting together imperious runs of form toward the business end of the campaign.

Liverpool cannot afford to lose more ground in the Premier League. They must defeat Sean Dyche’s men. It won’t be easy: this is the Toffees’ final season at Goodison Park, and oh how they’d love to silence the Redmen one last time on their fabled home soil.

Liverpool team news

Slot and his squad will of course be confident in their quality and chances of defeating their neighbours, but Liverpool do have a host of frustrating injuries to contend with.

Alisson Becker is on the cusp of a comeback, but is not quite ready. Kelleher has been brilliant between the sticks in the Brazilian’s absence, and will be desperate to put Wednesday’s blunder behind him.

Further issues abound across the outfield ranks, with defenders Kostas Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley all out of contention.

Moreover, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa are still sidelined up front in a damaging blow; in particular, Jota’s clinical edge would be greatly appreciated. Even though the Portuguese is not yet ready to return, Darwin Nunez must not reprise his starting berth at the front of the attack.

Why Darwin Nunez must be dropped

Nunez has some particular qualities that make him an interesting asset to have up front. He’s lively, energetic and tenacious, but the Uruguay international also struggles to produce clinical results.

Across 18 matches under Slot’s wing, the 25-year-old has posted three goals and two assists. Not great. Against Newcastle, Nunez’s predatory sense (or lack thereof), proved to be Liverpool’s undoing, for he squandered opportunities and failed to produce the fluent football required for the system to purr.

The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle branded him with a 5/10 match rating after a troubled St. James’ Park showing, criticising Liverpool’s record signing for his lack of influence and missed chances, albeit acknowledging his work rate and determination.

This forthcoming fixture is so important, and it’s for that season that Slot must push him back to the bench.

While several key options are sidelined, there are several choices to pick from. The answer to the quandary has to be unleashing Luis Diaz as the focal frontman to terrorise Jarrad Branthwaite and co.

Why Luis Diaz must start up front

With Nunez still erratic and Jota still injured (typical cases both), Slot must indeed unleash his Colombian menace at number nine.

The highly-charged Diaz has been in fine fettle this season, starting with a bang. It’s true that he’s fizzled out across the past couple of months, having gone nine Premier League matches without a goal, but he still carries a significant threat and scored a hat-trick from centre-forward against Bayer Leverkusen last month.

He’s got the shifty movement and electric pace to cause problems at the front of the ship, emulating, in a way, the role that Nunez plays so well for Liverpool.

The thing is, Diaz’s hat-trick matches Nunez’s total haul across the current term, with his bluntness in the final third starting to see Reds supporters’ frustrations boil over.

With Cody Gakpo thriving on the left flank, it makes perfect sense to play Diaz in the middle, where he can act as a kind of roving focal point to create opportunity for overlaps, namely from Gakpo and Salah.

As per FBref, the Colombia international also ranks among the top 4% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90, highlighting the technical skill and link-up quality that he will bring to the Goodison grass.

Left winger

15

8

2

Centre-forward

2

3

0

Right winger

3

1

0

It goes without saying that Liverpool will see more of the ball than their counter-attacking neighbours, but this does not mean Everton cannot win. They will look for openings and seek to break Liverpool’s high line apart. Then charge. Then pounce.

Liverpool, as funny as it sounds, will need to ensure they succeed when presented with counter-counter transitions, which would be when, say, Virgil van Dijk dispossesses Dominic Calvert-Lewin on the break and looks to reorient the flow of the play toward Jordan Pickford’s goal.

The £55k-per-week Diaz will be essential in making the most of such patterns, for he is crisp on the ball and immensely creative besides. The 27-year-old also carried a deceptive strength, and won’t be easily outhustled by the likes of the heavyset Branthwaite.

Harking back to Nunez a moment, take a look at the clip below. It’s great that Liverpool scored and all that, but Nunez’s sloppy side pass almost broke down a promising passage.

Given that the Uruguayan only completed eight passes across 90 minutes on Tyneside, there’s a case to be made that he might prove ineffective against a Toffees team that will need to be outstyled in Liverpool’s final third, broken down and breached.

Branthwaite – who notably diverted Marcus Rashford’s effort into the net at Old Trafford last week – has yet to recover last season’s imperious defensive level, but he’s still a titanic young centre-back and will be tasked with nullifying whoever Slot deploys at centre-forward. Would Nunez really have greater success than Diaz in open play?

Described as a “livewire” by journalist Peter Hall, Diaz’s fleet-footed style, his tricks and slipperiness, could be what Liverpool need to leave Goodison Park one final time with three points in the bag.

Branthwaite – who Liverpool have been linked with in recent times – could well be in for a tough afternoon…

Ignored by Klopp: £32m Liverpool flop is now outscoring Salah in 2024

Klopp sold a star at the beginning of his Liverpool era, and now that very flop is outscoring Mohamed Salah in 2024.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2024

After four straight draws in the Championship, West Bromwich Albion finally broke out of this poor run of form with a straightforward 2-0 victory over Coventry City on Wednesday night.

Subsequently, the Baggies are now occupying that final coveted playoff spot in the difficult division, knowing that their resolve in the promotion places will be significantly tested the more December drags on.

Carlos Corberan will just want more from his players in matches to come to continue tallying up victories over falling victim to more draws, with the likes of Mikey Johnston arguably needing up to their game down the left flank for the promotion hopefuls.

Johnston's return to West Brom

After an explosive loan stint last campaign, it was always going to be tricky for Johnston to return and pick back up from where he left off, after only linking back up with Corberan’s camp on a permanent deal right at the tail-end of August.

The full-throttle winger’s first spell would see him pick up a phenomenal seven strikes from 18 league contests, as his heroics enabled the Baggies to pick up a playoff position with ease, due to his devastating attacking displays turning second-tier defenders inside and out.

No such strikes like this one that was hammered home versus Queen Park Rangers last campaign have occurred this season, however, as the former Celtic man remains goalless from 16 league contests.

He has only started seven of these named games though, with Corberan hopeful that more consistent game time for the electric winger in a congested fixture period could reawaken his best for the promotion candidates.

The Spaniard will also want Fellows to reach the heights he knows he’s capable of moving forward, having started the season like a runaway train with three assists picked up from three, only to amass four after.

But, both Fellows and Johnston certainly have enough in their ongoing bank to justify their inclusions in Corberan’s main XI.

Whereas, it could be up for debate whether this soon-to-be out-of-contract face is one he should be striving to keep around, as a decision on his future becomes more paramount by the day.

Molumby's future at West Brom

A regular in the treatment room last season, Jayson Molumby will just be pleased – when thinking about his situation short-term – that he is getting way more minutes in the here and now when injury-free.

The Republic of Ireland international has started 13 contests for his playoff-chasing team so far in the Championship, with his display in the aforementioned Coventry success somewhat standing out, considering the Baggies number eight only misplaced three of his 63 passes alongside winning four duels.

Player

League games played

Contract expiry date

Semi Ajayi

12

June 2025

Kyle Bartley

14

June 2025

John Swift

19

June 2025

Jayson Molumby

17

June 2025

Grady Diangana

12

June 2025

Sourced by Transfermarkt

But, as West Brom know all too well when losing the likes of Okay Yokuslu at the end of the 2023/24 season, nobody in the Baggies ranks is irreplaceable, with a growing possibility that the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion man could just walk away for nothing this summer.

This wouldn’t be the end of the world for West Brom, who made do without their Irishman for large spells of last campaign, with Corberan also well accustomed to this situation of having to be quick on his feet when losing individuals who have had their contracts run out.

Corberan certainly values his “animal” – as he’s described him in the past – which saw him win an impressive eight duels versus Sheffield United in the middle of the month, but his excessive wage could also be a stumbling block as to whether he sticks around past this coming summer.

Amazingly, his excessive £17.3k-per-week salary seems him earn just a fraction more than Josh Maja, whilst also bettering both Johnston and Fellows on weekly income too, who earn a lesser £10k-per-week and £6k-per-week respectively.

It wouldn’t be the best-case scenario for West Brom to lose another presence for zilch, but the Baggies have been here before and managed to dress their wounds appropriately, with Molumby one that might head for the exit door very soon if talks don’t speed up.

Perhaps cashing in in January would be a wiser approach, rather than risk losing him on a free next summer…

West Brom must finally ditch £7m dud who Ismael said had “everything”

West Bromwich Albion will have to consider shifting on this dud soon.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 12, 2024

Ghulam Fatima’s maiden ODI five-wicket haul backed up by half-centuries from Sadaf Shamas and Bismah Maroof helped Pakistan secure a comfortable five-wicket win over Ireland and complete a 3-0 series sweep in Lahore.Batting first, Ireland started strongly with Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis adding 84 runs for the opening wicket. Fatima removed Lewis, but Paul recorded her third ODI fifty to keep Ireland going. She got good support from Amy Hunter with the duo adding a 65-run stand for the second wicket.It was Fatima who once again broke the stand, getting rid of Hunter, whose wicket signalled an Irish collapse. Paul fell soon after for 65 while Orla Prendergast too did not last long as Ireland slipped from 149 for 1 to 161 for 4. There was brief resistance from Eimear Richardson, but once she fell in the 44th over to Fatima, the visitors lost their way again.They lost their last six wickets for 23 runs to be bowled out for 225 in 49.5 overs. Fatima with 5 for 34 was the star of the show with the ball.Pakistan’s chase then got off the wrong foot with both openers falling cheaply. Prendergast castled Muneeba Ali for 12 before Jane Maguire sent back the in-form Sidra Ameen for 10. However, Maroof and Shamas made sure the chase never got out of hand. Shamas, playing just her second ODI innings, recorded her maiden fifty while Maroof too chugged along.The duo added 124 runs for the third wicket in quick time before both fell in quick succession, but their stand had ensured the chase was on solid ground. While Shamas was stumped off Richardson for 72 off 80, Rachel Delaney brought about the downfall of Maroof for 57.There were no alarm bells for Pakistan though as Omaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz and Sidra Nawaz all chipped in to take their team over the line in 47.1 overs.Fatima was named Player of the Match while Ameen, having scored 277 runs in the three-match series, was named Player of the Tournament.

da 888casino： Tottenham Hotspur’s poor run of form got even worse last night.

da bet7k： Ange Postecoglou returned to Glasgow to take on Rangers in the Europa League, but instead of getting one over his old rivals, he oversaw a rather dismal 1-1 draw.

However, while it ended a point a piece, the hosts were undoubtedly the better team and, on another night, could and probably should have been two or three goals up before the Lilywhites equalised.

That said, while it was a night to forget for Spurs, there was at least one starter who could hold his head high, a starter Lionel Messi thought could have joined him at Barcelona in the past.

Spurs' poor performers

Before we get to the player in question, we have to look at some of Spurs’ worst performers from last night, as while they got out with a point, it was an abysmal showing from one of the Premier League’s ‘big six.’

The starter who has been getting the most stick is Timo Werner, who was hooked at halftime for what might have been his worst game for the club since his arrival mid-way through last season.

That’s an opinion likely shared by Postecoglou, as in his post-match press conference, he slammed the German, saying his display “wasn’t acceptable,” which might even be too kind, as in just 46 minutes he lost the ball 16 times and received a 2/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold.

Other than the former Chelsea ace, Pedro Porro was a disaster in attack and defence; Brennan Johnson went from ineffective off the right to anonymous off the left when Dejan Kulusevski came on, and the midfield duo of Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur might as well have sat on the bench all game as they were so easily bypassed.

Overall, it was the sort of showing that can get a manager the sack.

However, aside from Kulusevski, who scored but still looked somewhat off his best, there was one starter from last night who almost single-handedly kept Spurs in the game, a player lauded by Messi over a decade ago.

The Spurs star who proved Messi right

So, to get straight to the point, the player in question is, of course, goalkeeping veteran Fraser Forster.

The six-capped Englishman spent a significant period of his career playing for Celtic, and it was with the Hoops that he left a seriously good impression on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner following a 2-1 Champions League victory against Barcelona in 2012.

The 36-year-old was an immovable object for those 90 minutes, facing 14 shots on target and keeping the Catalans out until Messi finally scored a consolation goal in the 91st minute.

It was such an incredible showing from the Hexam-born shot-stopper that the Argentine megastar later told the press that it was the “best goalkeeping performance I have seen” and that the team “even talked about him playing here.”

Unfortunately for the Englishman, that path never presented itself to him, but last night, against Rangers, he rolled back the years once more and ensured that Spurs came away with a point from Ibrox.

In his 93 minutes of action, the “magnificent” veteran, as dubbed by former manager Neil Lennon, made five saves, four of which were inside the box, prevented 0.73 goals, made one punch and high claim, took 41 touches, maintained a passing accuracy of 85%, and made one clearance.

Unsurprisingly, it was a showing that impressed the watching press, with Gold awarding him an 8/10 match rating at full-time and crediting him for his ‘crucial’ save against Cyriel Dessers just five minutes from time.

Forster’s game in numbers

Minutes

93′

Saves

5

Saves inside the Area

4

Goals Prevented

0.73

Punches

1

High Claims

1

Touches

41

Passing Accuracy

23/27 (85%)

Clearances

1

All Stats via Sofascore

Ultimately, the majority of the Spurs team were utterly dire against Rangers, but Forster put in another strong showing against his old rivals and, in turn, justified Messi’s high praise from all those years ago.

Related 4/10 Spurs star was just as bad as Werner vs Rangers

Spurs slipped up again, this time in Europe against Rangers.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 13, 2024

Kohli is not part of the T20Is against Sri Lanka, while Dhawan does not find a place in the ODI squad

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Dec-2022

Hardik Pandya will lead India in the three-match T20I series at home against Sri Lanka starting on January 3, with Suryakumar Yadav as his deputy, while Rohit Sharma is set to return for the three ODIs that follow.Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are also not part of the T20I squad; and Shikhar Dhawan has been left out of the ODI set-up after a poor run in Bangladesh, where he scored only 18 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 51.42.Rishabh Pant has not been included in either the ODI or the T20I squad against Sri Lanka after he was given a break from the ODI series in Bangladesh. Pant subsequently returned for the two Tests and scored a rapid 93 in the victory in Mirpur.Related

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The BCCI release that followed the selection meeting chaired by Chetan Sharma did not specify which players had been rested, dropped or injured.While Rahul is part of the ODI squad, he hasn’t been named vice-captain, with Hardik taking over as Rohit’s deputy in his first 50-over series since the tour of England in July. Rahul had recently led India in the third ODI in Bangladesh after Rohit was ruled out with a thumb injury.Jadeja’s recovery taking longer than expected
Ravindra Jadeja did not feature in either squad as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. He last played for India at the Asia Cup in UAE in August-September, and subsequently underwent surgery. Jadeja’s inclusion for the Bangladesh tour was provisional and he was later withdrawn after NCA medical staff deemed him “not fully fit”.ESPNcricinfo understands Jadeja’s recovery is taking longer than expected, and while an exact date for his return isn’t known, the team is keen to have him back for the four-Test series against Australia starting in February. Jadeja could play in a Ranji Trophy game for Saurashtra, subject to permission, to prove his match fitness ahead of that series.The selectors chose a young pace attack for the T20Is against Sri Lanka with both Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, who were part of the 2022 T20 World Cup squad, missing. Shami, however, is back in the ODI set up for the first time since the tour of England in June-July, after being withdrawn from the recent tour of Bangladesh because of a shoulder injury.Rishabh Pant is not part of the white-ball series against Sri Lanka•Getty Images

Mavi, Mukesh get maiden T20I call-ups
After fetching big money at the IPL 2023 auction last week, Uttar Pradesh’s Shivam Mavi and Bengal’s Mukesh Kumar earned maiden T20I call-ups. In the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Mavi had picked up ten wickets in seven games at an economy of 6.64; Mukesh six in six at 7.04.The T20I squad also features Harshal Patel and Umran Malik, whose most-recent T20I was in June against England. ESPNcricinfo understands Harshal had contracted Covid upon his return from New Zealand and was asked to rest from the first two rounds of the Ranji Trophy as a precautionary measure. He was subsequently given a fitness clearance ahead of the selection meeting.Arshdeep Singh is back in the ODI squad after making his debut on the recent tour of New Zealand but missing the subsequent trip to Bangladesh. He is yet to take a wicket in ODIs after going wicketless in two matches in New Zealand.Middle-order batter Rajat Patidar and spin allrounder Shahbaz Ahmed are the other omissions from the ODI squad after the recent series in Bangladesh, where neither played a game. Deepak Chahar, who had pulled out of the tour of Bangladesh with a hamstring strain, was also not part of either squad.At the start of an ODI World Cup year, India begin their home season by hosting Sri Lanka for three T20Is in Mumbai (January 3), Pune (January 5) and Rajkot (January 7), and three ODIs in Guwahati (January 10), Kolkata (January 12) and Thiruvananthapuram (January 15), after which they will also host New Zealand and Australia before the IPL.India’s squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (capt), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (vice-capt), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh KumarIndia’s quad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh