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Lyon are prepared to cash in on Rayan Cherki as Liverpool have reportedly been monitoring him as a replacement for Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.

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Lyon ready to offload Cherki in the summerLiverpool keen to get his services at AnfieldFace competition from Bayern & DortmundFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old playmaker has enjoyed a standout season with Lyon, showcasing his creativity and attacking flair. Having contributed eight goals and 18 assists across all competitions, he is regarded as one of France’s brightest young stars.

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According to while Liverpool’s scouting team is keeping a close eye on Cherki, they are not the only European giants monitoring his progress. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have both expressed serious interest in the France Under-21 international, while clubs from Italy are also keeping tabs on his development.

Cherki’s ability to control the game, create opportunities, and deliver in key moments was on display when France U21s defeated England U21s 5-3 in a recent friendly. The young midfielder was instrumental in the victory, scoring one goal and providing two assists, all while dazzling with his trademark skill and flair.

DID YOU KNOW?

Cherki’s reputation has been rising over the past few seasons, attracting attention from several clubs. Fulham and Crystal Palace were both eager to secure his services, with the Cottagers making a serious attempt to sign him in January 2024. However, their efforts fell short, as Lyon rejected their bid. Borussia Dortmund also made a move in the 2025 January transfer window, tabling a £19 million offer in the belief that it would activate a release clause in his contract. However, Lyon turned down the proposal, making it clear that they would not let him leave mid-season.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Despite previous resistance to selling him, Lyon have now reportedly reached an understanding with Cherki that they will not block a move once the season concludes. With his contract running until the summer of 2026, the French side is aware that this summer presents a prime opportunity to cash in on one of their most valuable assets.

Cherki will have the chance to further impress potential suitors when Lyon face Manchester United in their Europa League quarter-final on April 10 and 17. Strong performances in these high-stakes matches could increase his value even further and attract more concrete offers from top clubs across Europe’s elite leagues.

Series on the line in Gqeberha with the visitors desperate to set the record straight after their collapse in the first Test

Firdose Moonda07-Apr-2022Big pictureIt’s Gqeberha, with a hard click at the start and a guttural “gha” at the end, that’s the venue for the last dance of the South African summer. Where, you ask? The place with the oldest cricket ground in the country but the newest name.Formerly known as Port Elizabeth, the city was renamed last year, but not much else has changed. It’s still about life in the slow lane in this part of the country, with the whistling of a strong wind for company. It’s been blowing fiercely in the lead up to the match, almost enough to match the fury within the Bangladesh camp.The visitors are angry with everyone, from the umpires for the eight decisions that needed to be overturned in Durban to the hosts for what they called an unacceptable level of sledging throughout the tour. They’ve lodged an official complaint about both, but have since denied raising any issue about the verbals, which South Africa insist did not cross the line.Related

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Donald says Bangladesh can exploit Gqeberha conditions

Bangladesh lost 14 wickets to spin on a surface that should have reminded them of home and were bowled out for their second-lowest total in Test cricket. This despite being so competitive for four full days of the match. After coups like their win in New Zealand and their ODI series victory here, Bangladesh know they are better than 53 all out and will want to use the second Test to show that.They could ask for no better place to play it than the home of their head coach, Russell Domingo, who successfully coached the Warriors franchise, based at St George’s Park, and never lost a Test here in his time with South Africa. It hasn’t hosted a Test match since January 2020, but it will return with all the usual bells and whistles. The brass band is back after their Covid-19 hiatus and a capacity of 7,500 is allowed. Although attendance is not usually that high, for South Africans who have been deprived of live sport for the last two years, it’s the perfect opportunity to see the national team up close before they head on away assignments over the winter.Bangladesh weren’t very pleased with the umpiring that was on show in Durban•AFP/Getty ImagesSouth Africa can probably already call this Test season a success after a home series win against India and a drawn series in New Zealand but will not want to slip up after seizing the advantage in Durban. Speaking of, they’ve already had one accident this week. Dean Elgar fell when getting out of the shower a few days ago and hit his head badly enough to require stitches. The cut is above his right eye, roughly where his helmet might sit, but he batted on the eve of the match and “seems to be okay”, to lead the side.Even with an under-strength squad – five first-choice South Africa players are at the IPL – Elgar has managed to establish his style of play. “Ruthless,” was how he described it in Durban and he will want nothing less than to seal a series sweep.Form guideSouth Africa WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLWLLIn the spotlightSimon Harmer surged back onto the international scene with a four-for in his first Test innings and showed the progress he has made as an attacking bowler since last playing Tests in 2015. He was humble in his success and said the return did not necessarily prove his worth but after finishing the match with seven wickets may have adjusted that opinion. Still, Harmer remains a support act to Keshav Maharaj, especially as South Africa seldom play two spinners in a Test XI and a big performance on his former home ground could go a long way to ensuring he is part of the squad that tours England this winter, and maybe even stakes a claim for the lone spinner spot, on occasion.Since he last played in South Africa in 2017 where he impressed with a score of 70 in Bloemfontein, Litton Das has become one of Bangladesh’s most dependable batters. He was the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh in 2021, with 594 from seven Tests at an average of 49.50 and is the top batter in 2022 so far, with 239 runs from three innings. His 41 at Kingsmead was a good mix of conservative batting and counter-attack and he shared in their most profitable partnership of the match, 82, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, but will want to push on to bigger things in Gqerberha.Litton Das has been one of Bangladesh’s most dependable players recently•Getty ImagesTeam newsSouth Africa are unlikely to make any changes to the batting line-up but may look at one in the bowling department. Despite being the most experienced member of the pace pack, Duanne Olivier has failed to set the stage alight and could be benched for Lutho Sipamla, who is from this city and played his early years of domestic cricket here.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Keegan Petersen, 4 Ryan Rickleton, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Simon Harmer, 10 Lizaad Williams 11 Lutho SipamlaTamim Iqbal has recovered from the stomach ailment that kept him out of the first Test and is expected to replace Shadman Islam at the top of the other. With both Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam out of the series with injury, either Abu Jayed or Shohidul Islam will play.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Abu Jayed/Shohidul Islam, 10 Khaled Hossain, 11 Ebadot HossainPitch and conditionsNever mind the surface – which had a healthy grass covering two days before the Test match but will get a trim before the first ball – it’s the air that’s a major factor in Gqeberha. Westerly Winds of around 50kph have been blowing in the lead-up to the match. That’s the drying wind, which usually means it will be good for batting, but the direction will change from the first day of the match, bringing moisture but, with autumn temperatures hovering in the low 20 C, there’s unlikely to be the humidity for swing. Rain is forecast for the first three days, with the third day the most likely to be severely affected. There’s an 80% chance of showers on Sunday but by early next week, conditions are expected to clear so this Test could go the distance.Stats and trivia Mushfiqur Rahim needs 127 runs to reach 5,000 Test runs, while Tamim Iqbal needs 212. South Africa have lost their last two matches at St George’s Park, to England and Sri Lanka.Quotes”The wind plays a massive factor here at St George’s. If the wind is coming over the scoreboard, they call it the swing wind. And it might assist the bowlers. If the wind comes through the gap between the change room and the stand, it’s a swirling wind, which plays a massive part with the ball when it goes up in the air and with catching. The wind is also a factor with batters because it tends to blow you a bit over your front foot and gets you to go across the ball a little bit.”

Manchester City host Manchester United in the derby on Sunday afternoon, and it’s frighteningly difficult to determine who will come out on top.

This is new territory for Pep Guardiola’s usually invincible outfit, who have lost seven of their past ten matches in all competitions and claimed just one victory in that timeframe.

Having lost against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, it’s pretty clear that this has turned into a crisis, and Pep must ensure that he ditches Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish for the Red Devils clash.

Why Guardiola must drop Doku & Grealish

Grealish has now gone 44 matches without scoring a goal for Manchester City, though has found a bit more success than he has had since being moved into midfield across his past few matches.

This has been done to bring a semblance of control back into the Man City engine room, uncharacteristically devoid of its typical inspiration, but Grealish still isn’t the answer and made just one tackle against the Old Lady.

Writing in their post-match player ratings, The Manchester Evening News could only provide Doku with a 5/10 score, criticising the Belgian for struggling to get involved in the flow of the match.

The electric-paced winger brings plenty to the table but still struggles to hit a vein of potency that City need in their current predicament.

It’s clear that Guardiola needs to make a few changes from the team that failed to turn the Champions League campaign back on track in midweek, and for that reason, Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes must step in for the aforementioned strugglers.

Why Pep must unleash Phil Foden & Matheus Nunes

Foden, 24, has yet to score in the Premier League this season, only starting six times due to injuries and disruption – recently missing a short period due to bronchitis.

Real Madrid were even sniffing around last summer following Foden’s awe-inspiring campaign, but were dissuaded by City’s response: that he would cost well in excess of £100m.

He’s still one of the finest players in England, and must indeed be unleashed with Nunes for the derby. The versatile Portuguese, who signed from Wolves for £53m in 2022, has been one of the better performers over the past several months and should take Grealish’s place in the middle of the park, bringing more completeness.

He showed that he can be the all-encompassing player that Pep needs to take control of things against Feyenoord.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

1

Shots (on target)

1 (1)

Touches

79

Accurate passes

48/54 (89%)

Key passes

3

Dribbles (completed)

3 (1)

Ground duels (won)

11 (8)

As you can see, Nunes can make an impact when he is placed in the centre of the park, proving to keep possession versus Feyenoord while unleashing a stream of key passes and bringing a combative element besides.

His dynamism could work well with Foden, who would find both creative supply and defensive security in the Portugal international.

While it’s true that Foden hasn’t been at the races this season, the 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Year has a superabundance of quality within his grasp and must simply tap back into it.

After all, he loves playing against the Sky Blues’ arch-rivals, and might just find that Sunday’s contest is the launchpad that he needs to get his season up and running.

Man City sold their own Vlahovic & he's going "straight to the very top”

Man City must regret selling their answer to the Juventus marksman

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 12, 2024

Football's brightest prospects don't always live up to the hype, with it sometimes difficult to deal with the pressures that come with such talent

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What were you doing at 16? What were you doing at 18? Do you think you could have coped with being in an international spotlight while you were doing that?

That's the way of the sporting world. There's nowhere for the modern prodigy to hide. God forbid you make a mistake, be that on or off the pitch. It must be exhausting and, more importantly, devastating on a mental level.

For whatever reason, young athletes don't always live up to the expectations we set upon them. Maybe they were stunted in some way, maybe they were put on a pedestal, maybe injuries harmed their development beyond repair. The tales are always fascinating and proof that growth isn't always linear.

NXGN has been running for ten years now, and while there have been plenty of success stories from players on those lists, some have fallen by the wayside. Career resurgences aren't out of the question, but they haven't lived up to the hype just yet.

Here, GOAL ranks the 10 biggest underachievers to mark a decade of NXGN.

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images Sport10Ante Coric

Croatian football truly peaked in the late 2010s, and there was a buzz for the country to unearth their next gem to complement their senior pros. Ante Coric, with his twinkling toes and shaggy hair, seemed the perfect heir to Luka Modric, whom he rubbed shoulders with at Euro 2016.

And, well, that didn't quite go according to plan. Despite taking his young talent to Red Bull Salzburg as a schoolboy before returning home to Dinamo Zagreb once he turned professional, Coric failed to kick on at the highest level. A €6m move to Roma in 2018 ought to have been his big break, yet all it did was expose how his game didn't translate to the adult game.

Coric made only three appearances in the Italian capital in his debut 2018-19 season and spent the following years scarcely playing on loans at Almeria, VVV-Venlo, Olimpija Ljubljana and FC Zurich. He was released by Roma in 2022 and was a free agent for a year before signing a contract at Croatian side Rudes. However, he was sold to domestic rivals Varazdin a year later, before his contract was terminated at the start of 2025. Coric remains without a club.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport9Sergio Diaz

Real Madrid's sweep of South American football has seen them unearth some top talent over the years. That's why there was so much expectation placed on Sergio Diaz's shoulders when he swapped Paraguay's Cerro Porteno for the capital of Spain in 2016. He had torn up his domestic division as a teenager and was tipped to do the same in Europe.

Yet he didn't even get a sniff in Los Blancos' senior team, instead spending five years contracted to their Castilla reserve side, and only actually plied his trade in Madrid for one of those. That sole 2016-17 season saw him put up a measly five goals in 36 games, and he barely got a look in when he spent the next term at Segunda outfit Lugo. A fairly glamorous two-year loan at Brazilian giants Corinthians yielded four appearances before Diaz returned to Cerro Porteno for another two-year stint, scoring five times in 25 matches.

A move to Mexico with Club America followed in 2020, again doing little to restore his reputation. Madrid released Diaz the summer afterwards, and though he was able to sign for Cerro Porteno for a third time on a free transfer, he lasted only a 12 more months there before moving to Greek Super League team Panetolikos, where he has seemingly found a home at last.

AFP8Ansu Fati

A harsh selection given his young age? Perhaps, but there's no denying that the world, rightly or wrongly, expected Ansu Fati to have made more of his career by now. He broke onto the Barcelona scene in such record-breaking fashion – youngest Barca scorer in La Liga, youngest player to score and assist in the same La Liga match, youngest player with a La Liga brace, youngest Champions League scorer, you get the idea – it seemed impossible for him to fail. This was a real talent with a real future.

There's still time for Fati to deliver on his promise, especially since he doesn't turn 23 until the autumn, but he's had some major wobbles in his formative footballing years, particularly for someone who actually topped a NXGN list. For the most part, injuries have derailed his progression, already nerfing his electric pace and ability to move both ways with the flick of a mental switch. He also spent time on loan at wonderkid factory Brighton, only to become a forgotten figure on England's south coast too. The emergence of Lamine Yamal, in the meantime, hasn't done Fati any favours considering the 17-year-old has already lapped him.

Fati remains at Barcelona but is a bit-part figure in Hansi Flick's setup, often left out of matchday squads altogether. Maybe he's one permanent transfer away from finding his feet again, maybe he's one ill-advised move from winding up out of the spotlight and into infamy forever.

Getty Images Sport7Timothy Fosu-Mensah

Louis van Gaal's time at Manchester United saw the Red Devils win their first major trophy in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, but his greater impact came elsewhere, continuing both his and the club's long-standing philosophies of promoting youth. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were the main beneficiaries of the Dutchman's trust, and for a while, it seemed his compatriot Timothy Fosu-Mensah would stand as a cornerstone for United as well.

A versatile and intelligent player capable of playing in both defence and midfield, Fosu-Mensah at the very least looked someone who could be important as a squad member or off the bench. His diverse defensive skillset should have meant his floor as a player was a utility figure for a top-level side.

Fast-forward to 2025, and at the age of 27, Fosu-Mensah is without a club. He was last on the books at Bayer Leverkusen, where he didn't play a single minute in 2023-24, and was only a member of the matchday squad a handful of times. His last senior competitive appearance came on April 23, 2023, featuring for 11 minutes in a 2-0 win against RB Leipzig.

It seems Fosu-Mensah has been unable to totally recover from two ACL injuries – one in 2019 and the other in 2021 – and there are doubts over his future as a professional, which is a real shame considering how much potential he showed as a teenager.

Post-Anderson and Broad era gets underway but reboot already under scrutiny

Andrew Miller07-Mar-2022Big Picture”We’re not going to panic,” Paul Collingwood said last week, midway through England’s one and only warm-up game ahead of a Test series that – fairly or otherwise – is destined to attract some snap judgements in the coming days. As preambles go for England’s much-vaunted “red-ball reset”, it wasn’t the most glowing of status reports.For England – in case you drifted off during the Ashes and haven’t entirely tuned back in since – have committed to doing things differently on this trip. Or should that be, the same but differently? For it would appear, for this first Test in Antigua, that instead of leading the line with 1,177 Test-wickets worth of mega-experience in James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England are about to launch their new era with a cut-throat new-ball pairing of … [checks notes] Chris Woakes and Craig Overton? That is “quite surprising”, as Kemar Roach put it this week.That potential attack is not quite as it was meant to be, of course. Ollie Robinson – England’s best newcomer of the 2021-22 season – would have been inked in for this contest, had he not succumbed to another iteration of the fitness issues that marred an otherwise combative Ashes campaign. But that in itself was a weird message to put across at the start of the squad’s new dawn: when you want to prove you mean business, it seems odd to bin the veterans whose professional standards have not dipped in more than a decade, in favour of a rookie who hasn’t yet convinced he’s got the stamina to match his undoubted talents with the ball.At least there’s Mark Wood – or at least, there should be, but Wood himself has been under the weather, having missed the first innings in Coolidge while undergoing blood tests for a non-Covid-related illness. He seemed back to his 0-100 best on the final day, but the sapping demands of a Test match may require some honest assessment from the management if they hope for him to replicate his Ashes heroics, let alone touch the 96mph/154kph speeds that he served up during England’s most recent Test in the Caribbean, at St Lucia in 2019.Either way, it’s all a touch sub-optimal for a side that has lost 10 of its last 14 Tests since February last year. And that’s before we even consider England’s bafflingly hopeless record in the Caribbean, a region where they have won one Test series in 10 in the past 50 years, in spite of the fact that West Indies’ golden era finally passed with the retirements of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh two decades ago.”For me, England is our big series,” Roach added. “I’m always looking to put my best performance out against the Poms.” And few were bigger than his opening gambit on that last tour three years ago, when he routed England in a session, bowling them out for 77 with figures of 5 for 17. With Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph on hand for high-octane back-up, not to mention the cloud-snagging discipline of Jason Holder – whose most recent intervention against England was the small matter of four wickets in four balls to win January’s T20I series – there may yet be some uncomfortable echoes of Babylon’s Fire for Joe Root’s men to negotiate in the coming days.Related

Wood says five-wicket haul finally proves he is an England player

Crawley, Lees impress as England's latest opening gambit

How the Caribbean remains England's final frontier

Woakes keen for another crack but Robinson out of first Test

Friendship and memories at unveiling of Richards-Botham Trophy

Talking of Root, so much rests – as ever – on his shoulders. His stellar form in 2021 gave way to exhaustion and disillusionment as England’s dismal Ashes went down the tubes at the turn of the year, but his promotion to No. 3 signals a redoubled desire to lead from the front. Rather than hope against expectation that his openers can lay a platform, he’s committed to staunching the bleeding at the earliest opportunity – an admirable attitude, if perhaps an acknowledgement that if he can’t lift the team, then no one can.Root can at least anticipate a similar level of commitment from his vice-captain, the somewhat battered talisman Ben Stokes, even if Stokes’ struggles in the Ashes were proof that it’s not quite as simple as flicking a switch and finding your best form when you’ve endured quite such high-profile setbacks as he did last year.In theory, however, it ought to be England’s batting that gives their team the edge in this series – which is a curious conclusion to reach after they failed to reach 300 in any of their ten Ashes innings. There’s also Jonny Bairstow at No. 6, after all – the man who produced quite possibly the best innings on either side in the Ashes, a thrillingly combative century at Sydney that briefly kept a rampant Australia attack at arm’s length.Opener John Campbell is expected to return for West Indies•Getty ImagesPound for pound the experience of that trio ought to outmatch their opponents, on whom a huge amount rests on the proven obduracy of the captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, at the top of the order. There have been some promising signs elsewhere in their line-up, not least the impressive early outings of Nkrumah Bonner at No. 3, who made his maiden Test hundred when West Indies took on Sri Lanka in Antigua last year, and Kyle Mayers, whose debut double-century to beat Bangladesh in Chattogram in February 2021 was one of the performances of the decade.Overall, however, West Indies are suffering from a malaise not dissimilar to that which has dogged England in the recent past. The preponderance of white-ball cricket at regional level has produced some outstanding ball-strikers in recent years, and some proud success on the global stage. But it has left too many batters too ill-equipped for the rigours of the red-ball game – a debate that was enthusiastically taken up by Mali Richards, son of Viv, during his commentary duties in England’s warm-up game.As such, there’s no knowing what to expect in the coming days, except that West Indies will be gunning for the contest in a matter befitting the regional pride that their home record against England has long instilled. Whether or not you think that the dropping of Anderson and Broad is proof of England’s complacency or a necessary step in the “resetting” of those flatlined red-ball fortunes, you can rest assured how their absences will be framed in the Windies’ team-talks, and how there will be an extra spring in a few steps as they seek once more to rally round.Form guide(Last five matches; most recent first)
West Indies LLLWL
England LDLLLIn the spotlightAlex Lees is set to become the 22nd man to open the batting for England since the retirement of Andrew Strauss a decade ago, following the dropping of both men who fronted up at the start of the Ashes, Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed. Like Burns before him, Lees gets his chance after sterling service on the county circuit – although his two County Championship wins with Yorkshire in 2014 and 2015 are already ancient history, given that this call-up comes after a dip in form and a move north to Durham. He made a decent impression in England’s warm-up in Coolidge with an unruffled first-innings half-century, but the bar for the role is currently extremely low. Of those who have debuted as specialist openers since Strauss, no one averages more than Joe Denly (31.33), the man who debuted in the corresponding Test in the Caribbean three years ago.Alex Lees is set for a Test debut•Getty ImagesThere’s nothing quite like a West Indies fast bowler to set the pulses racing, and in Jayden Seales, they have a truly special prospect in the process of breaking through. After cutting his teeth at the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, Seales was picked to take on South Africa the following year without ever having played a regional first-class fixture. It mattered not, as he dismissed Keegan Petersen in his first over with a display of startling pace, then backed that up against Pakistan two Tests later, with a second-innings five-for and eight in the match, en route a thrilling one-wicket victory in Jamaica. At the age of 20, there’s the danger of expecting too much too soon. But with 16 wickets at 21.31 in four Tests to date, he certainly delivers the raw goods.Team newsWest Indies have recalled opener John Campbell after a year out of the side, and are set to pick left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul in a home Test for the first time since 2015. Shai Hope and Roston Chase were dropped following defeat in Sri Lanka, meaning a reshaped middle order – Shamarh Brooks offers another batting option, though the temptation may be to target England’s batting fragility with a five-man attack. Shannon Gabriel was not fit to be picked in the squad but has been training with West Indies in Antigua and could feature later in the series.West Indies (possible) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 John Campbell, 3 Nkrumah Bonner, 4 Kyle Mayers, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua da Silva (wk), 8 Alzarri Joseph, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Veerasammy Permaul, 11 Jayden SealesEngland have named their 12-man squad already, with Robinson’s absence notable following a back spasm in the warm-up. With Jack Leach a probable starter, Woakes already talked up as a new-ball shoo-in, and Wood sure to play if he is fully fit after undergoing blood tests last week, the final place looks like being a tussle between Overton and the uncapped Saqib Mahmood. Mahmood would be the bolder pick, but seeing as he was not in the warm-up frame until Wood’s illness, Overton is the likelier man to get his chance, following a brace of appearances against India last summer.England (probable) 1 Alex Lees, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Dan Lawrence, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Craig Overton, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jack LeachPitch and conditionsA straw-coloured, intermittently cracked surface awaits on Tuesday, although it’s anyone’s guess at this stage how it will play. West Indies and Sri Lanka played out two high-scoring draws in the ground’s most recent contests last year, although it didn’t seem that way when Sri Lanka crumbled to 169 all out in their first innings. The weather is set to be glorious, with intermittent Caribbean storms coming and going in a matter of minutes.Stats and trivia England have never won a Test in Antigua in nine-and-a-bit attempts spanning 31 years. They were beaten in three of their seven visits to the old Recreation Ground between 1981 and 2009, and also lost by ten wickets on their third and most recent visit to the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in 2019. That tally also includes the so-called “sandpit Test” of 2009, which was called off after ten balls due to an unfit outfield. Kemar Roach, with 231 Test wickets, needs another five to go pass the tally of the great Sir Garfield Sobers. Only six West Indians have taken more than Sobers – including five all-time great fast bowlers in Walsh, Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding. England last played a Test against West Indies without either James Anderson and Stuart Broad at Edgbaston in 2012 – when both were rested for a dead-rubber in, ironically enough, England’s first attempt at succession planning. The match is best remembered for Tino Best’s 95 from No. 11. Almost three-and-a-half years since the prospect first tickled every cricket fan’s inner nerd, it seems that we are finally going to witness Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Ben Foakes in the same Test team. What japes.Quotes “Obviously they’re missing two experienced bowlers [in Anderson and Broad], but at the end of the day cricket is played on the park so we’re not taking it for granted.”
Kraigg Brathwaite is focused West Indies beating on the opposition players who have been picked to tour“We know that historically it’s not an easy place for England to come and play – but that’s a great opportunity for the group. To come away from here winning would be a huge achievement.”

Paul Scholes has criticised Alejandro Garnacho for 'sulking' after being substituted during Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad.

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Scholes criticises Garnacho for 'sulking' Subbed off for Eriksen against Real SociedadMan Utd draw 1-1 against the Basque sideFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester United's disappointing form has continued to haunt them as Ruben Amorim saw his side draw 1-1 against an out-of-form Real Sociedad at Anoeta Stadium despite taking the lead via Joshua Zirkzee. However, after Mikel Oyarzabal converted his penalty to bring the Basque side level, Garnacho was taken off in place of Christian Eriksen, and the Argentine has been accused of 'sulking' by Red Devils legend Scholes after his substitution.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT SCHOLES SAID

Speaking on TNT Sports, Scholes said: "He looked like he was sulking a little bit to me. I am not having fatigue. I think they are alright. I don't think there are great legs in this Manchester United team.

"Garnacho's biggest strength is running through. Sometimes he makes the wrong decisions but he had a lack of energy and a little bit of sulkiness. He will need to get better as they don’t really have anything else to call on."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Garnacho was also criticized last week for his 'unacceptable' behavior against Ipswich Town after the Argentine winger refused to return to the bench after he was subbed off for Noussair Mazraoui before half-time after Patrick Dorgu's red card. Amorim had then announced that he would hold conversations with the starlet about his behaviour.

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WHAT NEXT FOR GARNACHO?

Manchester United will take on Arsenal next up in the Premier League when the two sides meet at Old Trafford on Sunday, March 9, Garnacho is likely to be a starter yet again for Amorim.

Tottenham have now tabled an offer to sign a young star who has drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi as they look to hand Ange Postecoglou more firepower in 2025, it has been reported.

Tottenham looking for attacking midfielders

Dejan Kulusevski has emerged as a key man for Postecoglou in the early stages of the new Premier League season, but James Maddison has blown hot and cold in north London, while there is a lack of alternatives for Postecoglou to turn to.

Tottenham keen on 56-Premier League goal player in potential free transfer

Ange Postecoglou is keen to bolster his attacking options.

3 ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2024

The Australian coach has experimented with his midfield, using Pape Sarr as a box-to-box option, but is yet to settle on a true first choice trio.

The club have been linked with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White in recent windows, but they have managed to land neither and still look a creative midfielder light for Postecoglou’s attacking style of football, part of the reason that they have been unable to sustain any sort of form in the first quarter of the campaign.

Now, they could be set to try and change that by snapping up a young talent turning heads in the top flight.

Tottenham target teenage talent

That comes as a fresh report from Spain claims that Tottenham have tabled a £20m+ offer to sign impressive teenage talent Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton in 2025. The Argentine broke through at CA Rosario Central under the management of former Man City striker Carlos Tevez, and he revealed that the teenager reminded him of his one-time teammate Messi.

“I watch football and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone play who gives me as much pleasure as Buonanotte. When he brakes and accelerates, he reminds me of [Lionel] Messi. He is at a very high level.”

Bought by Brighton, he was sent on loan to Leicester City for the 2024-25 campaign and has already played a starring role for his new side, grabbing four goals and two assists in the first stage of the Premier League season.

Appearances

11

Goals

4

Assists

2

Minutes per goal/assist

133

% of club goals involved in

37.5%

His form has seen him dubbed a “magician” by Rising Stars XI on X, who claimed that the Argentine is “impressing everyone” by shining in a struggling Foxes side.

Still just 19-years-old, his form has turned heads and the report reveals that Tottenham have already made a big step towards trying to secure his signature. The Lilywhites have reportedly “put an offer of 25 million euros [£20.7m] on the table” plus potential add ons, though this is below Brighton’s asking price of 30m euros (£24m).

Any move would not take place until the summer given Buonanotte’s current loan spell in the Midlands, by which time his value could have soared yet further should he manage to reach double figures in either goals or assists for the Foxes, a possibility that doesn’t appear unreasonable given his current form.

As a result, Tottenham may want to get an agreement set sooner rather than later, while Brighton could find themselves better off holding out until the summer.

Change is afoot for Premier League strugglers Leicester City. They announced their decision to sack manager Steve Cooper on Sunday afternoon after a poor start to the season, with the club just 12 games into the new top-flight campaign.

They are certainly in danger of being dragged into the relegation zone at this stage of the season. The Midlands club are 16th in the table, having won just two games and lost six thus far. One of the most worrying things is their goal difference, which currently stands at minus eight.

The search is on for a new boss at the King Power Stadium, and they have recently been linked with one manager who is coming off the back of a good interim stint.

Leicester target Dutch manager

The manager in question here is Ruud van Nistelrooy. The former Dutch striker recently enjoyed a stint as interim boss at Manchester United following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, although he was not kept on as a coach under Ruben Amorim.

Now, according to Football Insider, the former Red Devils centre-forward has emerged as a target at the King Power Stadium. He is viewed as ‘the wildcard candidate’ for the Foxes, but is someone ‘on the managerial shortlist’ of the club.

He is not the only out-of-work boss in consideration for the vacant Leicester role. Former West Ham United and Everton manager David Moyes is one name who has cropped up, as is ex-Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea boss Graham Potter.

Why Van Nistelrooy would be a good appointment

Leicester learnt exactly what Van Nistelrooy is capable of as a manager. During his short but sweet time in the hot seat at Old Trafford, the Foxes were on the wrong end of two of his three wins as United’s interim. They suffered a 5-2 drubbing in the Carabao Cup and a 3-0 loss in the league.

He also coached United to a 2-0 win in the Europa League against Greek side PAOK and earned a point in the Premier League at home against Chelsea. The Dutchman certainly made a good impression during his short time as a manager in English football.

However, his pedigree as a manager extends further than those four games. He has previously managed PSV Eindhoven in his native Netherlands and was fantastic during his time at the Philips Stadion.

The 48-year-old oversaw 50 games during his time at PSV and played some entertaining football. He picked up 38 wins and scored an impressive 127 goals. He also coached the club to Dutch Cup success in his only season in charge, beating Ajax 4-3 to lift the trophy.

Comparisons between Van Nistelrooy and former Foxes boss Enzo Maresca can certainly be drawn. The Italian, who is now head coach at Chelsea, helped the former Premier League champions to promotion last season, winning the Championship in emphatic fashion. He won 36 out of 53 matches in all competitions to give Leicester fans a memorable season.

Stat

Van Nistelrooy

Maresca

Games

50

53

Wins

34

36

Draws

8

4

Losses

8

13

Goals for

127

103

Goals against

60

50

Average domestic league points per match

2.22

2.11

Interestingly, the duo both began their non-playing careers as assistant coaches, with Van Nistelrooy working with the Netherlands national team and Maresca at Ascoli, Sevilla and then West Ham. They then coached at youth level, with Van Nistelrooy taking charge of the PSV academy sides and the Chelsea boss coaching at Manchester City.

Both managers were also assistants at one of the Manchester clubs, Van Nistelrooy, of course, on the Red half via PSV and Maresca on the Blue side. The similarities are clear to see and are incredible coincidences.

Bringing in the former United interim, who Ten Hag described as “very driven”, might be worth a shot for the Foxes. Backing an inexperienced manager has worked in the past, and it could be the key to surviving this season.

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It is certainly a risky move, but one that could pay off in the short and long term for Leicester.

Leicester City now eyeing move for "exceptional" manager to replace Cooper

It comes with the Foxes firmly on the ropes in the Premier League.

1 ByBen Browning Nov 24, 2024

West Indies toil during unbroken 193-run second-wicket stand but rain cuts further time from the game

Valkerie Baynes11-Mar-2022Joe Root looked genuinely impressed by what he was seeing. As Zak Crawley drove Kemar Roach down the ground for a boundary – not exactly sweetly struck but with the momentum of his considerable levers behind it – the England captain met him in the middle of the pitch for a couple of fist-bumps and approving nods, chattering away in encouragement and eliciting a broad grin from his young charge.Given that it was boundary number eight of 16 and counting for Crawley, who was compiling the second Test century of his career, the exchange may not have been unusual but in the circumstances, it stood out.After a dirty day three when Root more commonly wore a look of anguish as his attack failed to capitalise on prior opportunity, not to mention a tumultuous start to the year, England turned the tables on West Indies with an unbroken second-wicket stand in Antigua worth 193, a century and fifty so far to its protagonists and a 153-run lead heading into the final day.Related

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The hosts failed to make further inroads after Roach removed debutant opener Alex Lees, lbw in single figures for the second time in the match, to put the tourists at 24 for 1, still 40 runs in arrears.On a pitch that had admittedly offered nothing for the bowlers all match, the West Indies bowlers leaked runs, Veerasammy Permaul particularly expensive in conceding 51 off his 10 overs.Fellow left-arm spinner Jack Leach, meanwhile, had been one of the brighter lights for England, bowling 20 maidens – almost half his overs – as he took 2 for 79, including West Indies’ last wicket with the third ball of the day as the hosts took a 64-run first-innings lead.Quick Jayden Seales was the man dismissed, and he did not enjoy much more success with the ball, 12 wicketless overs costing 51 runs.But Roach, who was getting considerable swing with the new ball on the fourth morning, set Lees up with a series of deliveries that moved away from the left-hander before banging one in full and straight to beat the inside edge and slam into the front pad. Lees reviewed, perhaps in hope after seeing Crawley successfully overturn an lbw decision from umpire Gregory Brathwaite in the first over, only to have it confirmed that the ball was crashing into leg stump.Crawley was yet to score when he was reprieved the first time, with Hawk-Eye showing the ball was missing leg stump by some way. He had moved to 18 when West Indies burned a review shortly after Lees’ dismissal, Crawley adjudged not out to a Roach inswinger that hit him high on the back leg outside off stump.He had to wait out a 10-minute rain delay and Alzarri Joseph maidens either side of it on 49 before he regained the strike from Root and flipped Roach off his hip for a single to bring up his fifty off 100 balls. Crawley peeled off his next fifty from 81 balls as he and Root hit full flow and West Indies floundered for ideas despite trying seven different bowling options.Joe Root celebrates his half-century•Gareth Copley/AFP via Getty ImagesCaught behind off Seales for just 8 in the first innings, Crawley tightened up his defence but played expansively where it was warranted, pulling the short ball with authority, cutting anything wide and finding the boundary with the sweep and drive also.Root raised his half-century late in the afternoon session with a four off Permaul through third, and Crawley survived a hearty shout by West Indies, thinking he’d been caught at slip off the spinner, but for replays to show he had edged the ball into the pitch before it bobbed up to the fielder.Having scored 267 against Pakistan at Southampton in August 2020, his eighth Test, Crawley had made 12 single-figure scores – including two ducks – in 21 innings since.Called back into the side for the first time since the English summer for the last three Ashes Tests when England initially dropped Rory Burns and then Haseeb Hameed, Crawley scored a second-innings 77 in Sydney and survived the post-series clear-out, which also saw Lees called up to accompany him at the top of the order.Just like 19 months before, Crawley again lived up to the potential that put him there as he and Root gave England something to smile about before the intermittent rain that had punctuated play briefly a few times set in.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic set a personal career best with his quickfire brace in AC Milan's comeback win at Lecce.

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Milan secure 3-2 comeback winPulisic scores brace at LecceAmerican posts personal best statFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Milan came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Lecce in Serie A on Saturday, thanks in no small part to Pulisic's double in the 73rd and 81st minute. And according to Opta, that is the fastest the United States international has scored twice in a match in his career for club or country.

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The result keeps Milan in the hunt for European football next season but they are still down in eighth in Serie A. Without Pulisic's goals this term, they could be a lot further down the league table.

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The 26-year-old has scored 14 goals and bagged nine assists for Milan in all competitions this season.

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Pulisic's Milan will hope to build on this victory when they host Como in their next Serie A encounter on Saturday.