A new era is set to get underway at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with new boss Ange Postecoglou looking to revolutionise the Lilywhites following a turmoil-filled few years for the club.

Pre-season is likely to be a vital time for the Aussie as he looks to implement his fast-flowing, attacking ideas into a side that has lacked progressive football in recent times.

Postecoglou's first chance of evaluating his squad will come during the side's Asia-Pacific pre-season tour – where they face off against the likes of West Ham United, Leicester City and AS Roma.

This will, of course, present opportunities for several youngsters to shine ahead of the new season. So FootballFanCast thought it would be worth highlighting which Tottenham youngsters you should be looking out for this pre-season.

5 Matthew Craig

Some Spurs fans may not recognise Matthew Craig's name, but they may remember his short cameo against Leeds United on the final day of the season. Coming on for the final 13 minutes of the game, the 20-year-old was handed his Premier League debut by caretaker boss Ryan Mason.

Deployed as either a central midfielder, centre-back or right-back, Craig's ability to excel in a number of positions has made him a key cog in the Tottenham Under-21s side, having played every single game for the team last season.

A @premierleague debut for Matthew Craig 🤍 pic.twitter.com/3eYDvvyWfk

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 28, 2023

Craig, who has been offered a new contract by the club, now faces the decision of whether to remain at Spurs. If he does stay at the club, it would not be surprising to see him link up with the first-team squad on their pre-season tour.

4 Bryan Gil

Another youngster who will also be desperate to kick-start his Spurs career this pre-season is Spanish youngster Bryan Gil.

Having initially struggled to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, the 22-year-old started to show glimpses of quality before his loan move to Sevilla in January. That loan spell yielded five goal contributions in 24 appearances as Gil bagged himself a Europa League winners' medal.

Now set to play under a manager who allows his players more attacking freedom, Gil's smart dribbling and creativity may slot perfectly into Postecoglou's new-look Spurs side.

3 Dane Scarlett

Fresh from his loan spell at Portsmouth, 19-year-old Dane Scarlett will be returning to Hotspur Way this summer in an attempt to impress his new boss.

Contributing to eight goals while at Pompey, last season was the forward's first taste of regular senior football, having only previously made bit-part performances for Spurs in cup competitions.

Scarlett most recently, however, was part of England's Under-20 World Cup campaign, in which he provided a goal and an assist in England's run to the last 16.

So, with Postecoglou likely to be looking for more attacking reinforcements this summer, pre-season may be the perfect opportunity for Scarlett to shine ahead of the new season.

2 Pape Matar Sarr

Despite Antonio Conte being reluctant to give youth a chance during his tenure as Spurs manager, the limited minutes he gave to Pape Matar Sarr against the likes of AC Milan and Crystal Palace caught the eye.

The midfielder's performance away at the San Siro last season was a perfect example of the 20-year-old's ability to drive with the ball and win possession back – certain qualities that Postecoglou may be looking for.

So, having not received a fair crack of the whip since arriving from FC Metz in 2021, Sarr may see pre-season as the ideal opportunity to get his Spurs career up and running.

1 Alfie Devine

Impressing at the Under-20 World Cup with England alongside Scarlett, Alfie Devine will see pre-season as an ample opportunity to showcase his clear talent.

Mainly deployed as an attacking midfielder for both the Tottenham and England youth sides, the 18-year-old was a key cog in the Young Lions' World Cup campaign, scoring two and assisting one from midfield.

Creative and smart on the ball, Devine also has a bite and toughness to his game – shown by his well-documented scrap with Danny Drinkwater in a youth game against Chelsea.

With it looking likely that Devine will leave on loan this season, the midfielder can use pre-season as an opportunity to impress his current boss as well as also potential suitors as he looks to secure a temporary switch away from the club.

Roberto Martinez has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo is "still as hungry for goals as an 18-year-old" despite his ineffective showing against Iceland.

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Portugal beat Iceland 2-0Ronaldo drew a blankMartinez has no doubts over his qualityWHAT HAPPENED?

Portugal finished their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a perfect record after beating Iceland 2-0 in their final fixture on Sunday. Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Ricardo Horta gave Martinez's side all three points, with Ronaldo enduring a frustrating evening in the final third of the pitch.

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Ronaldo was largely ineffective against Iceland and missed a golden chance from three yards out before Horta tapped in the rebound to wrap up Portugal's victory. Still, the 38-year-old striker did manage to hit 10 goals through his nine appearances in the Group J qualifiers, and Martinez is confident that he hasn't lost his edge.

WHAT ROBERTO MARTINEZ SAID

Quizzed on Ronaldo's performance after the game, Portugal boss Martinez told reporters: "Cristiano Ronaldo is as hungry as an 18-year-old player. He is a role model, he always tries to be in the right position and is looking for the goal."

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DID YOU KNOW?

The respect the Portugal squad has for Ronaldo was underlined by a gesture from Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio after the final whistle. As per , The Al-Nassr star gave away his shirt to an opposition player and substitute Patricio then offered him his coat to stay warm.

Liverpool remain attentive to Celta Vigo prodigy Gabri Veiga's situation, and could look to swoop for the ace over the coming weeks.

What's the latest on Gabri Veiga to Liverpool?

That's according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who has taken to Twitter to reveal his latest update on Veiga's situation, with Liverpool interested in meeting the player's €40m (£34m) release clause this summer.

The Italian journalist said: "Liverpool are informed on Gabri Veiga but they have submitted NO bid — and it’s not something imminent, again.

"Veiga remains in Chelsea list, they had direct contacts and will discuss internally think about it."

While an official offer is seemingly not forthcoming right now, Liverpool will need to bolster their midfielder further following the £35m signing of Alexis Mac Allister, and Veiga could fit the bill.

What is Gabri Veiga's play style?

The £3k-per-week ace has enjoyed as good a breakout season as any after plundering 11 goals and four assists across all competitions for Celta Vigo this season, dubbed a "dangerous" midfielder by journalist Euan McTear.

After such remarkable success, he already ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 20% for assists, the top 12% for progressive carries and successful take-ons and the top 11% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref.

Clearly the "top talent" that Romano describes him as, Veiga is silky and elegant, clinical and expeditious, and at just 21-years-old there is an avalanche of success awaiting him over the next decade or more as he continues his ascent and makes the improvements to his game to craft himself into a first-rate maestro.

This could be achieved at Liverpool, and given his particular set of skills, he could be the dream heir to Philippe Coutinho's position in the team.

The fleet-footed Brazilian's lucrative £146m sale to Barcelona served as a watershed moment for Jurgen Klopp's dynasty at Anfield, with the money gleaned reinvested into the likes of centrepieces Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk.

However, the industrious nature of the Reds midfield lost its touch last season as Liverpool plummeted from prominence and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons, and Veiga's dynamism and forward-thinking exuberance could rekindle their verve.

During the peak of his powers on Merseyside, Coutinho scored 13 goals and supplied seven assists from 31 matches during his final full Premier League season, averaging 3.4 shots, 2.4 key passes and 2.1 dribbles per game, as per WhoScored, and was praised as "one of the very best in the world" with "magical powers" by compatriot and former teammate Roberto Firmino.

Given the "very electric" Veiga's aforementioned statistics, as he was called by Romano, he could emulate such success and provide a dimension unseen since the 31-year-old plied his trade under the Anfield lights, and his acquisition could illustrate the rebirth of Liverpool as they chart a course for success once again.

Manchester United manager Marc Skinner will explore the transfer market in January to bolster their squad.

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• Skinner vows to explore transfer market in January
• Will raid NWSL for quality players
• Man Utd seven points behind leaders Chelsea

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United manager reassured fans that the club will explore the transfer market in the January transfer window and will try to sign the "right players". Skinner even claimed that they are planning to raid the U.S. market in search of quality players as they are trying to bridge the gap with league leaders Chelsea.

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  A disappointing defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester City in the first derby of the season further increased the gap between the Red Devils and the Blues. Meanwhile, Chelsea's 4-1 win over Liverpool took their points tally to 19, seven more than Skinner's side.

• WHAT MARC SKINNER SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Skinner said: "For sure, we'll be exploring, whether it's the NWSL or other areas also out of season. I don't think I've stood still ever since I've been here. If you look at my recruitment, we've moved every season because we have to bridge this gap that we've been put into based on only being around five seasons. We don't use that as an excuse. We're building and bridging, trying to invest and progress. Yes, we're looking in this window. If the right players become available, hopefully, we can do the business we need to, to bring them in.

  "It didn't help at the start of the year we took three ACL injuries. I think you'd have really enjoyed watching Emma Watson this season. I think she would have played a lot and excited fans. Obviously Gabby [George] gives us a balance in the back-line. We've gone down to five defenders with Aoife [Mannion] and Evie [Rabjohn] also being out. It is tougher and that's the rationale of where we're at. We do need to look at areas to invest and grow the squad out and compete."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  United will aim to get back to winning ways against Liverpool in the FA WSL Cup on Wednesday, before their focus shifts to a clash with rock-bottom side Bristol City in the WSL four days later.

VVS Laxman said Mohammad Nabi’s success against Mumbai Indians showed the match-readiness of the Sunrisers bench

Arun Venugopal in Hyderabad09-May-20172:11

Fantastic to see Nabi’s rhythm – Laxman

Coming into a crucial game against Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad made a few tactical calls that would have likely invited criticism had they lost. The real eyebrow-raiser was the omission of Kane Williamson in favour of Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi. After all, Williamson has played an important part in building on the platform laid by the openers, batting deep to take the pressure off a relatively fragile lower-middle order. He has scored 232 runs in six innings, including two fifties, at a strike-rate of 162.23 – he has scored more quickly than Warner, Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh.The rationale behind retaining Moises Henriques as the first-choice allrounder might have been questioned as well. While Henriques has three fifties and has done well with the bat, he has done little with the ball, so why play him ahead of Williamson, the better batsman? However at the end of the game, which Sunrisers won by seven wickets with 10 balls to spare, VVS Laxman, the team’s mentor, could smile, a man comfortable in the knowledge that the merit of his plans was reflected in their clinical execution.First Nabi proved his backers right. Playing only his second match in nearly a month, he was handed the ball in the Powerplay, bowled Lendl Simmons off his fourth delivery, and went on to complete his four overs on the trot, conceding only 13. Laxman said Nabi’s inclusion was to counteract Mumbai’s left-hand heavy top-three which includes the in-form Parthiv Patel and Nitish Rana. The absence of rust in Nabi, Laxman said, showed the constant state of preparedness in the Sunrisers camp.”We have players on the bench who can straightaway come into the playing XI and perform,” Laxman said. “Nabi is someone very good not only after the Powerplay, but also in the Powerplay. That was the rationale behind getting Nabi in. To come and straightaway be in excellent rhythm and also execute the strategy which we had for the opposition batsmen was really good to see. Those first two-three overs set the tone for the match.”On a sluggish surface where a chase of 139 could have been tricky, Shikhar Dhawan batted with restraint to finish with an unbeaten 62 off 46. His 91-run partnership with Henriques, who scored 44 off 35, closed the doors on Mumbai. Despite Henriques conceding 15 runs in the only over he bowled, Laxman talked up his utility as a bowler even as he empathised with Williamson.VVS Laxman said Mohammad Nabi’s success showed the match-readiness of the Sunrisers bench•BCCI”We have to also understand that he came into bowl in the 14th over. As an opposition batting line-up, they will be looking to target the fifth and sixth bowlers,” Laxman said. “But, I thought he bowled really well last match. We should be very happy with the way Moises has contributed to the Sunrisers franchise, not only with his batting and bowling but he is a leader within the group. Even on the field, his inputs are very good, and he definitely helps Warner by giving various suggestions.”It is very frustrating I am sure for someone like Kane Williamson, because he is in outstanding form. But when you have only four overseas players to play with, you have to work out what is the best combination to go out on that particular day, against that particular opposition, keeping the conditions in mind.”He also lauded Yuvraj, who made 9 off 11 balls, for gritting it out despite having hurt his hand. Yuvraj also reportedly nursed a calf niggle and was seen wearing a brace on his left leg. With Sunrisers close to securing a playoff spot and the Champions Trophy looming, there is bound to be concerns over Yuvraj’s fitness. Laxman, however, felt the injury wasn’t very serious.”He should be okay. Just that the hand got jammed into the ground while he was fielding. So there is some contusion, but luckily we are next playing a match after four days, so there is enough time for him to recover. But credit to him to go out there in spite of the pain, taking the responsibility that I will go out and bat and try to win the match.”Another noticeable aspect of Sunrisers’ performance was the energy demonstrated on the field, with animated discussions between the captain and the bowler ahead of almost every over. At times, the tactical talk spilled over from beyond the boundary as well. On one occasion, coach Tom Moody appeared to be shouting out instructions from the dugout to swap the fielders at cover and short-third man. Promptly, Vijay Shankar, at third man, exchanged places with Siddarth Kaul at cover.”I think it’s quite common. Davey is in crucial [fielding] positions, he’s at long-off or long-on. Sometimes it is very clear from the dugout, who is a better fielder in a certain position,” Laxman said. “If a captain misses out, then the instruction is sent to players saying it is better to swap [fielders]. That happens quite frequently.”You’ve also seen that Tom will… Whenever Davey is in front of the dugout, discussing various options [happens]. Just know what Davey is thinking about. T20 cricket is so quick, sometimes some outside help may be useful for the captain. This isn’t the first time it is happening, and it won’t be the last.”

Match facts

Final, Mumbai Indians v Rising Pune Supergiant
Hyderabad, May 21, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:45

Agarkar: Mumbai have gained from lesser-known players

Form guide

• Rising Pune Supergiant: beat Mumbai by 20 runs; beat Kings XI by 9 wickets; lost to Daredevils by 7 runs.

• Mumbai Indians: beat KKR by six wickets; lost to Rising Pune by 20 runs; beat KKR by 9 runs.

Head-to-head

Overall: It’s 4-1 to Rising Pune Supergiant. Mumbai Indians’ most recent win against their opponents in the final came last year.This season: Rising Pune won home and away in the league stage, and then shocked Mumbai again at the Wankhede in the first qualifier.

Big picture

It’s groundhog day in the IPL, and Mumbai have gone to great lengths to make it happen. Now all they have to do is figure out a way to end the loop and get the girl. But if not that, then at least the trophy.Twice in the league, and again in the first qualifier earlier this week, Rohit Sharma and his men have come up against Rising Pune, done everything they can, only to wake up and see its still February 2. Bill Murray’s character – spoiler alert – eventually escaped his fate by accepting his curse. While that makes rom-com fans go “aww”, those that frequent the Wankhede would go “&^%$*”. Mumbai are two-time champions. Rising Pune won’t even exist in the IPL after Sunday. They want a win before this rivalry ends.Krunal Pandya was seen receiving treatment to his groin during the second qualifier but Rohit has said he should be okay to play. Mitchell McClenaghan, who did not play that game, will be assessed on the morning of the final in Hyderabad.

The likely XIs

Mumbai Indians 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), 2 Lendl Simmons, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Karn Sharma, 9 Mitchell Johnson/Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jasprit BumrahRising Pune Supergiant 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Manoj Tiwary, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Dan Christian, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Adam Zampa

Strategy punt

There are statistics to suggest the legspinner Karn Sharma, Mumbai’s unexpected trump card, and left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya, should be saved for the Rising Pune middle order. They have been hit for 20 runs off nine balls by Rahul Tripathi and 25 runs off 13 balls by Steven Smith. But they have managed five dots in nine balls to MS Dhoni and 11 dots in 22 balls to Manoj Tiwary, at an economy rate of six or less.

Stats that matter

• Rising Pune have kept a lid on Mumbai’s power players. Rohit and Kieron Pollard average 20.66 and 14.33 against them this season.
• In three matches, Rising Pune have only allowed Mumbai to hit 23 sixes and 35 fours. In comparison, Mumbai thrashed 29 sixes against Kings XI after only two meetings, and 47 fours after three rounds against Knight Riders.
• One of Rising Pune’s biggest strengths is their ability to strangle teams in the middle overs. They have taken the most wickets – 41 – established the lowest run-rate – 7.16 – and accumulated the most dots – 321 – between overs seven and 15 this IPL.
• Mumbai, with 10, have the record for the most fifty-plus scores from the middle order in 2017. But only one of them has come against Rising Pune. Rohit’s batsmen from No. 3 to No. 7 average only 13.86 and strike at 113 against Smith’s bowlers.
• Dhoni, who will be playing his seventh final in ten IPLs, averages 64.66 and strikes at 161.66 against Mumbai in IPL playoff and knockout matches.
• Among those who have bowled at least six overs against Mumbai in this IPL, offspinner Washington Sundar’s economy-rate of 5.25 is the second best, behind Rashid Khan’s 5.12.
• Ajinkya Rahane has struggled all season, but he has contributed two of the four fifties Rising Pune have against Mumbai. No other team has managed more than two 50-plus scores against Mumbai.
• These statistics indicate how Rising Pune have kept the head-to-head in their favour so far, but Mumbai are big-match specialists. Lendl Simmons had three successive fifties in IPL play-off and knockout games before this year.
• Jasprit Bumrah has bowled more deliveries (152) in the last five overs than anyone else, and was resplendent when he bowled the first Super Over of his career earlier this season. He will go into the final on the high of recording his best figures in T20s – 3-1-7-3 – in the second qualifier against KKR on Friday.
• Pollard has faced 273 balls in the 2017 season – his second-highest tally in 10 IPLs. Nine more and he’ll eclipse his personal best. But here’s the kicker: Mumbai have won the title in two out of three previous seasons that he has batted more than 200 balls.
• In 12 innings this season, Krunal has conceded runs at only 6.72 per over. Here are the strike-rates of batsmen who have faced at least 10 balls from him. Tiwary (83), Manish Pandey (117), AB de Villiers (118), Hashim Amla (133), Rahane (135) and Suryakumar Yadav (161).

James Anderson was enjoying a productive Roses new-ball spell against Yorkshire – and then local rivalries gave way to England concerns as he limped off injured

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford19-May-2017
Scorecard1:22

County Championship round-up: Lancashire sweat over Anderson injury

James Anderson is occasionally seen as one of England’s grumpier cricketers but he can hardly have failed to be content with life as he began his sixth over on the first morning of this 270th Roses match. Having already caught Adam Lyth at third slip off Tom Bailey and bowled Alex Lees playing no stroke for nought, Anderson was probably looking forward to interrogating the techniques of Gary Ballance, the country’s most in-form batsman, and Peter Handscomb, an Australian with whom he will hope to renew hostilities in the winter.But that is where the tidings of joy ended for Lancashire, England and the bowler himself. As he was about to bowl his 34th ball of the day Anderson pulled up in his delivery stride and immediately collapsed on his back in the middle of the pitch clutching the right side of his groin. Umpire Nick Cook quickly summoned Lancashire physio, Sam Byrne, with whom Anderson left the field. Thus a match which takes pride in its insularities acquired national significance within an hour of it beginningGlen Chapple, the first team coach at Old Trafford, confirmed that Anderson had suffered a tight groin and would be assessed again on Saturday morning to see if he needs a scan. Chapple’s counterpart, Andrew Gale, was in admirably generous mood, saying that “for the sake of the country’s cricket, no one wants to see Jimmy go down,” but Gale’s magnanimity did not, of course, prevent Yorkshire’s batsmen looking to make hay on a day when the sun rarely shone at Emirates Old Trafford.Those efforts were led, predictably enough, by Gary Ballance, for whom this spring has been a season of greater than green abundance. Yet by the close, Yorkshire cause’s was being advanced by Jack Leaning and Andrew Hodd, whose unbroken 73-run partnership for the seventh wicket had probably justified their captain’s decision to bat first, even if that decision was prompted by a fear of batting last.Indeed, this first day at Emirates Old Trafford was notable for a scoring rate and a measure of justified caution which would have been familiar to the watching Richard Hutton, Yorkshire’s newly-appointed president. Hutton’s own era was notable for its Verdunesque sieges against the White Rose’s closest rivals, albeit that such rivalry also concealed warm friendships and a common approach to the incomparable game.To a degree Yorkshire and Lancashire need and deserve each other and this was grittily apparent as the visitors proceeded carefully to 71 for two at lunch with Peter Handscomb and Ryan McLaren, both of whom were playing in their first four-day Roses match, tussling for advantage. McLaren, who looks a better signing with every day’s cricket he plays for Lancashire, won that battle when he had Handscomb lbw for 29 in the sixth over of the afternoon.Yet as they pondered a score of 90 for 3, Yorkshire supporters could be encouraged by the way their captain was batting and especially his neat and accurate footwork. Last summer Ballance scored 780 Championship runs despite often appearing moored to the crease; this year he has three centuries and two fifties to his credit and his movements are altogether more fluid and purposeful. Perhaps he has watched his Yorkshire and England colleague, Joe Root, in action and adapted the injunction of the popular songster, Robbie Williams, to the effect that “if you can’t get a run and your best friend can, it’s time to move your body”. More likely, of course, Ballance has tweaked his technique to good purpose in the manner of fine batsmen. As a result, he leads his county in more ways than one.All of which only increased the mild shock caused when Ballance was dismissed for 74 by a wide ball of no menace from Bailey, the wicket-taking capability of the delivery only being revealed when the batsman slapped it carelessly to Stephen Parry at mid-off. That wicket was the prelude to Lancashire’s best period of the day since Anderson had conjured one back off the seam to trim Alex Lees’ off stump. Tim Bresnan hit Simon Kerrigan for a straight six but was bowled for 13 by one from McLaren which kept slightly low. Azeem Rafiq had managed only 16 when he pulled an unusually short ball from Parry straight to Steven Croft at midwicket. That left Yorkshire on 178 for 6 but Leaning and Hodd’s shot selection was the best of the day and they looked in little trouble as they shepherded their side to a slight superiority at the close.Yet the relative gentleness of the evening session and the sense in which it took its place in a long tradition did not expunge the equally pleasant memories of the early morning when Anderson had run in under full sail and the cricket had been watched by 4000 schoolchildren, all of them attending the Lancashire Foundation’s Schools Open Day. The children were given Lancashire Lightning flags and nearly all were flourished as Croft led his players out for the morning session. Not since Pyongyang displayed its latest batch of missiles have thousands of red flags been waved with so much zeal; certainly such enthusiasm was a contrast to the seething silence which once characterised the first mornings of Roses matches. God knows what Emmott Robinson would have made of it.

The BCCI and PCB will meet in Dubai on May 29 to discuss the MoU to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023

Sidharth Monga25-May-2017

The BCCI and PCB will meet in Dubai on May 29 to discuss the MoU to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. Because of the strained relations between the two countries, the BCCI has not had the federal government’s clearance to honour the MoU, which was signed in 2014. India didn’t play the proposed series in 2015, and look set to give it a miss in 2017 too.Earlier this month, the PCB had sent a notice of dispute to the BCCI, claiming losses for the BCCI’s refusal to tour in 2015. Although the BCCI indicated this MoU was “just a letter” and not a formal “contract”, it wrote to the government of India again about two weeks ago. Amitabh Choudhary, the acting BCCI secretary, said he communicated the same to PCB’s chairman Shaharyar Khan. Choudhary said the PCB’s response invoked a provision in the MoU for dialogue should a series not go ahead. Choudhary will represent the BCCI in the meeting with Shaharyar and/or PCB’s legal representatives.”We still remain committed to playing,” Choudhary said, “but the position doesn’t change: the series cannot go ahead without the permission of the government of India. After PCB wrote to us, we have written to the government of India again, and are awaiting the response. I believe the dialogue should go on, which is why we are meeting.”However, India continue to play Pakistan in multi-team events, as they did in Kolkata in the World T20 last year, and will do again in Birmingham during the Champions Trophy, six days after this meeting between the two boards.India were supposed to play away against Pakistan in 2015, and are scheduled to host them in 2017. In 2015, the BCCI had offered PCB a series at home, which the PCB declined. India in turn refused to play Pakistan’s home series at a neutral venue without specifying any reasons. “We are not asking any permission from the government,” the then BCCI president Shashank Manohar had told ESPNcricinfo. “We are not playing in UAE. That is certain. There are reasons. But I don’t want another debate on that. So I will not tell you the reasons.”

As Football FanCast previews the opening weekend to the 2023/24 Premier League season, we’ve taken a look at Newcastle United vs Aston Villa in a game between two sides who unexpectedly impressed in the last campaign.

When is the match and is it on UK TV?

Newcastle vs Aston Villa plays host to the season’s first Saturday Night Football installment on Sky Sports on Saturday, August 12, 5:30pm BST.

The fixture kicks off Unai Emery’s first full season in charge at Aston Villa after a stellar stint in charge so far, which saw the Villains go from relegation contenders to qualifying for the Europa Conference League by the end of the season.

Eddie Howe, meanwhile, will be hoping for a repeat from his side, as they look to make it back-to-back top-four finishes.

Every Opening day premier League fixture in full

Who is Newcastle United's key player?

When thinking of Newcastle United’s key players, it’s hard to look past Callum Wilson.

The England international had a season to remember last time out, scoring a total of 18 Premier League goals.

With that confidence, Wilson should only enjoy a repeat in the forthcoming campaign, too, as should Newcastle, as a whole.

As Alexander Isak continues to offer plenty of competition, Wilson may well step things up another gear or two, resulting in even more goals for the Magpies.

Who is Aston Villa's key player?

Just like Newcastle, Aston Vila’s key player comes from within their frontline, with Ollie Watkins the dangerman.

Under Steven Gerrard, some may have been worried about the direction in which Watkins was heading. Since the arrival of Emery, however, the former Brentford striker has been a man transformed, ending the season on 15 Premier League goals.

Watkins’ battle against fellow England striker Wilson will certainly be an interesting one on the opening day.

How will Newcastle United line-up?

With a long summer ahead, Newcastle may well introduce some fresh faces on the opening night of the Premier League season.

The biggest move that the Magpies have been linked with so far is for Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella.

According to Luke Edwards, Mike McGrath and Matt Law of The Times, Newcastle are closing in on a move for the midfielder this summer, in what could be one of the deals of the transfer window.

With that said, here’s how Newcastle could line up against Aston Villa: Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier; Sven Botman; Fabian Schar; Dan Burn; Nicolo Barella; Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes; Miguel Almiron, Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson

How will Aston Villa line-up?

Having already signed Youri Tielemans on a free deal this summer, Emery has the option to throw the former Leicester City midfielder straight into his Aston Villa side to face Newcastle on the opening day.

The Frenchman will also be boosted by the return of a fully fit Diego Carlos, who missed the majority of last season through injury after signing for the club last summer.

It remains to be seen who else Villa will welcome this summer, but here’s how they could line up against Newcastle: Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash; Tyrone Mings; Diego Carlos; Lucas Digne; Douglas Luiz, Youri Tielemans; Emi Buendia; John McGinn; Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins

What were the last five meetings between the two teams?

In the last five meetings between these two sides, both Newcastle and Aston Villa have two wins apiece with one solitary draw.

The last time they squared off, of course, saw Villa shock Howe’s side by brushing them aside to comfortably win 3-0 at Villa Park.

There’s no doubt that Newcastle will be looking for revenge after an afternoon to forget last time out.

A positive for the Magpies is the fact that Villa’s last trip to St James’ Park ended in a 4-0 victory.

With that said, here are the last five results:

April 2023: Aston Villa 3-0 Newcastle United October 2022: Newcastle United 4-0 Aston Villa February 2022: Newcastle United 1-0 Aston Villa August 2021: Aston Villa 2-0 Newcastle United March 2021: Newcastle United 1-1 Aston Villa Who is going to win?

No doubt a tight affair, given how impressive both sides were last season, we could be in for a blockbuster opening to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

As both sides look to pick up where they left off, we can’t see past an entertaining draw between two of the most exciting teams in the league when they are in their best form.

FFC predicts: Draw

Liverpool have had their opening offer for Torino defender Perr Schuurs immediately turned down, however they are set to return to the negotiating table with a new bid, according to reports from Italy.

Are Liverpool signing a defender?

Jurgen Klopp has already made two new additions to his squad this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai being brought in to bolster the midfield, and he is also eager to strengthen his defence.

Football Insider report the Reds are set to turn their attention to signing a centre-back, with Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio on the shortlist, and it has recently emerged they are one of the favourites to sign the 21-year-old, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven has also been named as a target for Klopp, however Tottenham Hotspur are now close to completing a deal for the 22-year-old, currently in the process of finalising an agreement over a £30m move.

As such, Liverpool may well go back in for Marc Guehi, with reports suggesting they are ready to battle Newcastle United for the Crystal Palace star, however he will not come cheap, with the Eagles now holding out for a fee of £60m.

Schuurs is another key target for the Reds, however their opening offer of €30m (£26m) for the Torino defender has been rebuffed by the Italian club, who are holding out for a fee of around €40m (£34m), according to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness).

Despite Torino's refusal, FSG are set to return to the negotiating table with another offer, as Klopp has made it clear he wants them to sign the 23-year-old "at any cost" this summer.

There may be competition for the centre-back's signature, however, as Napoli have also made an offer amounting to €28m (£24m).

At the moment, the Dutchman is in no hurry to decide his future, despite the growing interest in his signature, but he may find it difficult to turn down a move to the Premier League.

Is Perr Schuurs going to Liverpool?

It is clear that Klopp is determined to sign the former Ajax man, with a new offer already in the works, but Torino are in a very strong negotiating position, as his contract is not set to expire until 2026, and they have the option for an extra year.

As such, Liverpool may have to match the Serie A club's asking price, but there are indications he could be worth it, given the level of his recent performances for Torino.

Over the past year, the 6 foot 3 defender ranks in the 81st percentile for tackles completed per 90, when compared to his positional peers, while he averaged 3.4 clearances per game last season, the highest figure of any Torino player.

Not only that, Schuurs could also make a positive influence in the dressing room, having been hailed as a "leader" by former Manchester City goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus, so his arrival would be a boost for the Reds both on an off the pitch.