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His career may have been in the balance but, just as he did alongside AB de Villiers six years ago, JP Duminy produced an important innings when it mattered

Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth21-Feb-20140:00

Cullinan: Parnell could be the difference

JP Duminy probably should not have played this Test match. Before it, he was holding down his place in the side as a part-time bowler. If that sounds too harsh, consider that his previous seven innings yielded just 77 runs.This story should probably not be about JP Duminy. AB de Villiers was the man that took over the South Africa recovery and stood it up. He was the one whose carefree calm made batting look smooth on a pitch where the ball appeared stuck to the surface at times. He was the one who cheekily beat the four short midwicket fielders Michael Clarke had planted to wait for the mistimed pull by going over the quartet when he smacked Peter Siddle for six.De Villiers’ is probably the century you will remember from this innings, Duminy’s is the one you should not forget. It was only the third of his career but it could turn out to be the one that saves it.There could not have been a clearer sign that it needed resuscitating when, after Dean Elgar was dismissed on the first afternoon, it was not Duminy but the debutant Quinton de Kock who strode in at No. 6. Duminy occupied that position in his last three Tests. Even though Duminy has batted at No. 7, with Jacques Kallis’ retirement sending South Africa back to a more regular six specialist batsmen structure, it was thought the No. 6 spot was Duminy’s to keep.

‘There were a few butterfies’ – Duminy

JP Duminy admitted some nerves when he walked out to the crease, knowing he was under pressure to keep his place in the Test XI. Duminy and AB de Villiers put on 149 runs for the sixth wicket and both scored centuries, Duminy ending a lean run of 13 innings without a Test hundred.
“There were a few butterflies around. It was a big day for the team and a big day for me personally. The most important thing was that we built a partnership,” he said. “When the band is screaming ‘JP jou lekker ding’, it raises a few goosebumps.”
But after all that, Duminy’s day hit a downer when he dropped Nathan Lyon in the last over of the day. “It probably does take the shine of my innings,” he said. “Especially coming off such a high after the way the day unfolded. Hopefully we will catch them tomorrow.
“We knew that the bounce was only going to be with the new ball and we would have to capitalise. Tomorrow, for the first 10 overs there may be a bit of carry but after that we have to box smartly.”
Duminy spent enough time on the surface to have worked out the best way to succeed on it. “The key was to stay patient and stick to your gameplans. Against Lyon, my gameplan was to try and sweep him and that worked really well,” he said.

His demotion was a not-so-subtle hint that if runs did not come soon, he could go the same way as Robin Peterson. And his replacement, de Kock, was being teed up ahead of him.What would have been more immediate in Duminy’s mind was that, as he walked out to bat, South Africa had lost two wickets in the space of half an hour. A difficult day in which scoring had been laboured could have been handed to Australia had another wicket fallen at that point. Duminy’s defence had to be almost as strong as it was when he faced Australia on debut in Perth six years ago.Then, South Africa were chasing history. Kallis had been dismissed and the match was in the balance. Duminy was up against Mitchell Johnson and Siddle. He faced 24 balls that evening for just six runs. Now, South Africa are trying to build on the history they have already created. Duminy was up against Australia’s slower bowlers in fading light. He faced 15 fairly innocuous deliveries for 2 and he may have resumed even more nervous than he was at the WACA.In both situations, Duminy had de Villiers on the other end. That year, 2008, de Villiers was in one of the best streaks of his career. It was the calendar year in which he scored the most runs, 1061. This time, de Villiers has just played a 12th consecutive Test in which he has scored at least a fifty, surpassing a record held by Viv Richards, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag. An in-form de Villiers is worth more to South Africa than just the runs he produces because, as he showed with Duminy then and now, he can usher another player to do the same.With de Villiers well settled, Duminy had the time to play himself in without the pressure to do it quickly. He didn’t even need too much of it. After looking in good touch before throwing it away against Australia last week, Duminy picked up from that this morning. He played Johnson with absolute assurance, even though Johnson had the new ball in hand, and sent his third over for 12 runs, which included a delicate touch on the leg side and the pull shot.Australia did not use the second new ball as well as they did the first and could not suffocate South Africa in the same way. Although the surface continued to offer almost nothing at all, their disciplines were looser and they allowed de Villiers and Duminy to score at 4.5 runs an over for the first half hour, after they had battled to get the run rate above three throughout the first day.The seamers were getting tired, understandably so. When they went to lunch wicketless, it was the first time since the Old Trafford Test last August that their bowlers had not struck in a session. After the break, that stretched to the longest they’d been in the field since March last year, against India in Hyderabad, longer than in two Ashes series and more than double the time they spent on the park in either innings in Centurion. It was starting to take its toll on them and work to Duminy’s benefit.JP Duminy made only his third Test century in a career spanning more than five years•Getty ImagesTo preserve his quicks, Clarke brought himself on, as well as using David Warner and Steven Smith. Sometimes using the lesser bowlers can cause a lapse in concentration but Duminy, being one himself, did not allow that to happen. He showed the same care against every bowler he was up against and showed his capability against the slower bowlers, with the sweep shot one of his best.It was only fitting that was the stroke he played to bring up his century. It was powerfully played in front of square and greeted with a smile that told a story of relief. Duminy was still on one knee when the ball crossed the boundary. He looked down at his bat as if to thank it for serving him well in his hour of need and gave it a reaffirming shake, like he was taking someone by the hand.Wayne Parnell was standing mid-pitch, applauding. Clarke, at first slip, was doing the same. The band were in full cry with “JP, jou lekker ding” ringing around St George’s Park. Duminy stayed in that position until he realised he would have to get up. When he did it wasn’t with a leap or an air punch. It was simply without the burden of being stuck in a rut.He acknowledged everyone there was to recognise and then continued with the same seriousness, knowing the job was not done. His irritation when Parnell flashed at one the ball before tea and was caught behind illustrated that Duminy was still focused on batting South Africa into a position where they had a safety net.He didn’t do it for much longer. In the second over after tea, he was out reverse-sweeping off Lyon. But he did do it to the point where South Africa would have felt comfortable, to within three runs of their eventual total of 423. Earlier this week, Russell Domingo called Duminy a “class act”, who South Africa will persist with because “he has done it before against Australia”. Now he has done it again and at time when it mattered just as much as it did in 2008.

“One of my goals and dreams the last year was to break into England’s top four”

Valkerie Baynes14-Jul-2022

Sophia Dunkley plays the ball to the boundary•Getty Images

No sooner had Sophia Dunkley established herself in England’s middle order, she set her sights on making a place in the top-four her own. No sooner had England switched focus to the next Women’s World Cup cycle, she is doing just that.In her first international outing at No. 3, Dunkley scored 22 from 24 balls as England convincingly beat South Africa in their first of three ODIs at Northampton. The knock was in keeping with her proactive batting style, which Dunkley said she was reluctant to give up heading into the second match at Bristol on Friday. It was also a key part of England’s bid to shake up their batting line-up, with the successful addition of new opener Emma Lamb and Danni Wyatt shuffling back down into the middle order.”One of my goals and dreams the last year was to break into England’s top four,” Dunkley said. “So the fact that I have an opportunity now to bat at three, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s something I’ve done in regional cricket for the last two years, so not completely new, but obviously a different level in internationals.”Naturally the bowling’s a little bit tighter, you don’t get as many bad balls, and you get a lot of pressure built on you in the powerplay, so it’s about learning how to deal with that and how I want to go about it. It’s probably not going to come overnight, and the next two games might not go as well as I’d like, but it’s about building for the future, how I see myself doing that role in the long term.”Dunkley’s first knock as England’s No. 3 included three powerful fours, driven through cover and twice hammered past long-on before she fell lbw to Nadine de Klerk.”I don’t want to take away too much of my natural aggression and intent because I think that’s still really important to push us on as a team,” she added. “So it’s finding the balance really and just doing the low-risk things for longer. I’ve had some good practice in the nets so I’m feeling good.”Related

Sophia Dunkley sets sights on top-four batting spot for England

Danni Wyatt set for return to middle-order despite World Cup semi-final century

Lamb's maiden ton, all-round Sciver, fiery Brunt help England go 1-0 up

Emma Lamb seizes England's opening vacancy on 'amazing' day in Northampton

Nadine de Klerk: Ismail available, South Africa must up intensity

When opener Tammy Beaumont fell in just the third over of the match, Dunkley had the best view in the house as Lamb carved out a maiden century in just her fourth international appearance.Lamb had opened alongside Beaumont in the drawn Test which kicked of the multi-format series between the sides in Taunton last month and took a massive step towards establishing herself at the very top of the order in the ODI format with her knock.”Emma batted outstanding in the last game,” Dunkley said. “I’m so pleased for her. I’ve played a lot of cricket with her growing up, and grown up with her in the academy, so when we were batting together we were joking about how it was like the old times and it was nice that we could do that in an England shirt together.”It was amazing to watch her do her thing and show the world that she deserves to be an England opener, so I’m sure it’s the first of many for Emma.”It will be one day shy of 13 months since Dunkley made her Test debut against India – also in Bristol – where she notched up an unbeaten 74 in a keenly contested draw.She went on to play an important part in the white-ball part of India’s tour before finishing the English summer playing in all five ODIs against New Zealand. A trip to Australia as part of England’s ill-fated Ashes tour was followed by the World Cup, where she made a couple of half-centuries, including in England’s semi-final defeat of South Africa.”Personally it’s been a pretty crazy year and there’s been a lot of different cricket, playing in an Ashes and a World Cup was a surreal experience,” she said. “Now coming in batting at three is something different so yeah, it’s been lots of experiences, ups and downs, but a great year of cricket all round.”And she was expecting South Africa to come back fighting after a muted display in the first ODI, when their batting failed to fire. Katherine Brunt returned to international action with an imposing first spell and figures of 3 for 18 from nine overs before Chloe Tryon’s 88 gave the tourists some hope. Then their bowlers struggled against Lamb’s accomplished display and a brutal 55 off just 36 balls from Nat Sciver, who had also taken four wickets.South Africa’s bowling could be boosted by the return of Shabnim Ismail, who is available for selection in what would be her first appearance of the tour after recovering from a calf strain, with England leading four points to two.”We bowled really well in the first innings last game and it made it really hard for them to get a big score on the board,” Dunkley said. “Credit to our bowlers and Katherine up front bowling in that amazing spell, five overs for five runs.”We’re just really clear as a batting unit that we want to go out and be positive, so it was a great to be able to put that into practice and we definitely put pressure on their bowlers so I’m sure they’re going to come back hard at us in the next game.”

Add up to a good day out watching Test cricket at Newlands

Samantha Smith04-Jan-2015Choice of game
I can’t remember the last time I missed an international game at Newlands. In fact, I would probably attend a dead rubber between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh with as much vigour as an Ashes contest. It is thus safe to say that my attendance at the New Year’s Test, the marquee event in the South African cricketing calendar, is an unequivocal certainty.Team supported
South Africa. I’ve supported the Proteas ever since I watched Lance Klusener decimate bowling attacks in the 1999 World Cup. The prospect of supporting another team is a reality I do not wish to fathom.Key performer
It was a relatively slow-paced day of Test cricket with no single outstanding performance. However, Faf du Plessis’ solid knock of 68 helped place South Africa in a dominant position. He constructed two half-century partnerships with Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla, respectively. He looked poised for a big score but was convincingly stumped off the bowling of a persistent Sulieman Benn in the 50th over.One thing I’d have changed about the match
I would have liked to have seen Alviro Petersen score a ton. He seems to have an ongoing relationship with the 17-30 run bracket. It is a relationship predominantly characterised by the odd single-digit score, a career-saving fifty and poor shot selection. Nevertheless it was good to see that he has found love with a relatively well-constructed 42. It’s just a pity he couldn’t covert a start into something more substantial.The interplay I enjoyed
I relished the short-lived morning contest between a set Jermaine Blackwood and the always fiery Dale Steyn. Steyn persisted with bowling fuller deliveries predominantly around off stump, was put away for four, guided for twos and then succeeded in his second over of the day trapping the middle-order batsman LBW for 56.Wow moment
Today it was the crowd and not the cricket that generated the most entertainment. A beer snake created using plastic beer cups, held up by more than two dozen spectators and spanning almost three blocks of the popular North Stand, caught the attention of the cameramen, fellow spectators and even the cricketers. In true competitive fashion, the guys in the Railway Stand attempted to better their North Stand counterparts by joining two smaller snakes into one large anaconda of beer cups. Not to be outdone, the gentlemen in the North Stand constructed an even larger snake with the help of some eager, shirtless patrons from the Oaks embankment. For a glorious few minutes, the two groups chanted high-spirited victory songs across the field. The ideal ending would have seen a chain of plastic cups long enough to span the perimeter of the ground. Alas, it was not to be as both beer snakes collapsed without much fanfare. I’m just guessing here, but it probably had something to do with the growing presence of orange-vested security marshals perturbed by gestures of light-hearted fun. Party poopers.Close encounter
My friend and I were seated directly adjacent to the West Indies dressing room. Animated youngsters and enthusiastic adult fans lined the steps leading to the change room vying for autographs, selfies and small talk. Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were in particular demand.Shot of the day
Amla’s perfectly timed cover drive off Shannon Gabriel in the 53rd over was simply magnificent. He just keeps getting better and better.Crowd meter
As to be expected, a very healthy number of supporters turned up for day two. The Oaks grass embankment and the Snake Pit were customarily full an hour before play started. Despite cooler weather, most supporters opted for shaded seats – whether they had purchased tickets in these areas or not! The Newlands faithful duly celebrated every boundary scored by the West Indies batsmen, but reserved the most rapturous applause for AB de Villiers as he made his way to the crease.Fancy dress index
On the odd occasion, a plethora of supporters bring new meaning to “dressing up for the cricket”. While the snazzy folks in the corporate suites opt for suits, ties and pencil skirts, some prefer a different style. “Sunfoil Saturday” has become synonymous with fancy dress. Today, the theme was “Caribbean flavour”. Some took the safer route and adorned West Indies shirts and brightly coloured tops. The more adventurous came dressed as teddie bears, transvestite ballerinas, a pilot, a duo of sailors, a peculiar fairy and Mr and Mrs. AB de Villiers. You’d be forgiven for wondering how any of these costumes are Calypso-themed.Entertainment
During the lunch break, up-and-coming Proteas bowler Kagiso Rabada adjudged a gentleman in a multi-coloured shirt, bright yellow trousers and blue shoes complete with realistic braids and a Rastafarian beanie as “best dressed”. He walked away with a cash prize and adoring applause from the folks on the grass embankments.Tests v limited-overs
In truth, there is simply no comparison between the different formats of this spectacular game. One’s preference for a particular format will depend entirely on one’s time, patience levels and which elements of the game one enjoys. Personally, I view a T20 as a happy meal from a fast food joint, an ODI as a filling lunch from a family restaurant, and a Test match as a three-course meal from a five-star establishment.Accessories
I make an effort to secure seats in the lower section of Upper Block K in President’s Pavilion. With a view that looks straight onto the pitch, it’s arguably the best place to sit at Newlands. The only downside is that the smell of burning oil, garlic and fried sausages from the stalls located behind the Pavilion wafts through the Stands with great regularity. However, those who are fans of that strong combination of scents can thank me later for my seating recommendations.Banner of the day
There were a host of placards on show today. Many expressed a love for AB de Villiers, one referenced the similarity between Chanderpaul’s name to the slang word “chunder”, and another simply stated that South Africa are the world’s best Test side. However, the funniest banner, complete with a photo of its subject, read “Alviro Petersen, 34: Wanted for scoring no runs”. It would have probably been even more effective had the beleaguered opener been dismissed cheaply. Nevertheless, it certainly reflects the public’s dissatisfaction with Petersen’s lack of runs this past year.Marks out of 10
7.5. An enjoyable day at the cricket punctuated with outstanding entertainment, humourous costumes and a lively crowd. Bring on day three!

Celtic have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2024/25 campaign by winning all eight of their competitive matches in all competitions, conceding just four goals.

The Hoops have won all five of their games in the Scottish Premiership and are yet to concede a single goal, as Brendan Rodgers targets a second successive title since his return to the club last summer.

Because of the club’s success and the huge standards in the first-team squad, it is incredibly difficult for young players to make the breakthrough from the B team to the senior group.

One player who appeared to be on his way to bridging the gap was Ireland youth international Rocco Vata, before his exit from Parkhead in the summer transfer window.

Rocco Vata's potential

The 19-year-old starlet scored 23 goals in 34 appearances for Celtic B and was given opportunities in the first-team by Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers.

Vata scored his first goal for the senior side under the Northern Irish head coach last term, against Buckie Thistle, and ended his career at Parkhead with that being his only strike in six appearances.

The teenage whiz opted to turn down the chance to sign an extension at Paradise and signed for Championship side Watford, with compensation to be agreed between the two teams due to his age, and he came off the bench for the Hornets in their 2-1 League Cup defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Vata appeared to be a great prospect for Celtic, given his 23 goals for the B team and his smattering of first-team outings, but will now not have the chance to fulfil his potential at Parkhead.

In The Pipeline

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

Rodgers, however, may already have a bigger talent than the 19-year-old Irishman brewing in the academy in the form of centre-forward Daniel Cummings.

Daniel Cummings' goal record for Celtic

The 18-year-old star, who only turned 18 in April, has been in prolific form for the B team in the 2024/25 campaign, with a stunning 12 goals in eight appearances.

Cummings has scored ten goals in seven Lowland League games this term, and also fired in 12 goals in 19 Lowland League matches last season, which means that the forward has racked up 22 goals in his last 26 league appearances for the B team.

That works out as a goal every 1.18 Lowland League games on average, compared to Vata’s return of 23 goals in 34 matches for the same team – a goal every 1.48 matches on average.

The Scotland U17 international has scored two goals and provided one assist in six appearances in the UEFA Youth League, whereas Vata only managed one goal and zero assists in 12 outings in that competition for Celtic.

These statistics suggest that Cummings, who is a year younger than the Watford man, has the potential to be a greater goal threat as a centre-forward, as he outperformed his former teammate in the same competitions.

It is now down to the 18-year-old marksman to prove to Rodgers, if given the opportunity, that he has a future as a regular starter for Celtic, as he could be a star for the Hoops if his B team form can be translated to the first-team.

Sold for £20m: Celtic struck gold selling ace who's now worth millions less

The Hoops hit the jackpot when they decided to cash in on the centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2024

Manchester City are considering tabling a huge £83m+ offer for an “exceptional” new attacker, according to an eye-catching new transfer report.

Man City still top after Arsenal drama

Pep Guardiola’s side played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, as they just about managed to stay top of the Premier League table. Having taken the lead through a brilliant Erling Haaland goal, things unravelled for City when Rodri picked up what looked like a serious injury. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel turned the game on its head, but thankfully, John Stones equalised in the dying seconds after a painful second half.

It means the Cityzens top the pile by a point ahead of Liverpool and Aston Villa, as well as retaining their two-point advantage over Arsenal, with Guardiola’s men still very much the team to beat in the title race this season.

Away from the on-pitch action, players continue to be linked with moves to the Etihad, with 17-year-old Sporting CP ace Geovany Quenda reportedly being eyed up as a long-term replacement for Bernardo Silva. Meanwhile, Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo has been backed to move to City in a swap deal involving Haaland, but it would surely be a shock if the striker left any time soon.

Man City considering £83m+ bid for Musiala

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are weighing up making an £83m+ bid for Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, having been linked with him during the summer transfer window.

The Premier League champions are said to be “firmly in the race” to snap up the Germany international, with Real Madrid providing stern competition. It is the Blues who are described as the “most informed” team in the report, however, suggesting Txiki Begiristain stands a good chance of getting his man.

Musiala is one of the world’s most exciting young players currently, so the idea of him joining Guardiola at City is so exciting. The 21-year-old already has three goals in four appearances in the Bundesliga this season, while Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund has heaped praise on him.

“Jamal Musiala is a world-class player, an exceptional player. Jamal is a player that spectators go to the stadium for because of the way he plays. He can decide games, he’s an absolute team player. He is an exceptional player. He can become one of the best players in the world. Both FC Bayern and Germany are lucky to have him.”

Meanwhile, Ilkay Gundogan is believed to want Musiala with him at City, following his return to the club on loan from Barca, and there really are few negatives to them snapping him up.

Worse than Dias: Pep must drop 3/10 Man City star who had a "stinker"

The Cityzens defender could find himself out of the team after that performance.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 22, 2024

Assuming he avoids serious injury, there is no reason why the Bayern maestro can’t go on to have a legendary career, and he would be an upgrade on the likes of Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish on the left wing, given his status as a truly world-class footballer with years ahead of him.

MatériaMais Notícias

da doce： Os atos de racismo e violência sofridos pela torcida do Flamengo marcaram a vitória do clube carioca sobre a Universidad Católica (CHI), na quinta, por 3 a 2 em Santiago. O jovem Thiago Sepúlveda, de 10 anos, foi um dos atingidos por sinalizadores arremessados contra o setor destinado aos rubro-negros. A mãe de Thiago, Danielle Carvalho, disse que o filho “não quer mais saber de futebol”.

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da 888casino： – O Thiago ficou com a marca de queimadura em volta do olho. E ele me disse: ‘Mãe, eu senti algo quente’. Foi sinalizador. Saía aquela fumaça vermelha, e lançavam. Poderia ter sido pior. O médico disse que foi leve, mas por mais alguns centímetros ele poderia ficar até cego. Meu fiho está muito afetado, triste. Ele me falou: ‘Mãe, não consigo parar de pensar. Estou com medo, não quero saber de futebol agora’. E eu não quero que ele tenha essa imagem – afirmou Danielle Carvalho, mãe de Thiago, em entrevista ao jornal “O Globo”.

Danielle Santiago, que é jornalista e mora em Santiago há 14 anos, registrou ocorrência na delegacia e, agora, cobra punição aos responsáveis. Em seu relato, a mãe de Thiago reclamou da falta de apoio recebida pelos funcionários e policiais presentes no Estádio San Carlos Apoquindo.

Segundo seu relato, foram os torcedores do Flamengo que conseguiram levar Thiago para uma área segura, onde foi atendido.

– Falei que tinha visto quem foi, pedi para me levarem para prendê-lo, mas ninguém me deu confiança. Se tivessem me ouvido, ele estava preso agora. Criaram problema para eu entrar com guarda-chuva, e tinha chovido no dia anterior. Mas os torcedores da Católica tinham garrafas, pedra, sinalizador. Como entraram com isso? Não podemos normalizar mais um caso de violência. Esse torcedor tem que ser punido – completou.

As agressões à torcida do Flamengo se intensificaram na etapa final da partida. Após o jogo, tanto o Flamengo quanto a Universidad Católica se pronunciaram sobre os episóidos. Nesta sexta, a Conmebol publicou um comunicado a respeito dos recentes casos de racismo em jogos da Libertadores.

Thomas Partey has lifted the lid on how "frustrated" the Arsenal dressing room was after their 1-1 draw at Brighton.

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Brighton draw 1-1 with ArsenalGunners concede hotly-debated penaltyPartey opens up on "frustrated" dressing roomFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ethan Nwaneri's first-half opener was cancelled out by Joao Pedro's second-half penalty, a hotly-debated decision that incensed Arsenal's players, manager, and fans. After the 1-1 draw on Saturday at the Amex, midfielder Partey gave an insight into how "sad" his team-mates were as they lost ground in the Premier League title race.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT THOMAS PARTEY SAID

He told Arsenal's website: "We are sad, frustrated, everybody is down but that's part of football. We wanted to win, we wanted to keep the momentum going and at the end of the day, we didn't get it. But it's also a positive one because we did not lose. We have to try our best and win these games because they're the most important ones, but it's not an easy game against a good side and to win here you have to be perfect. We need to forget (about Saturday) and keep on working hard to win our next game."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While Arsenal closed the gap to league leaders Liverpool to five points, the Reds have two games in hand and could go eight clear if they beat Manchester United on Sunday. And the manner of the Gunners' performance may concern many in their bid to win the title.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Arsenal take a break from league action over the next week or so as they host Newcastle United on Tuesday in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final and then entertain Man United in the FA Cup third round on January 12.

Manchester City kicked off their latest defence of the Premier League title with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Erling Haaland, of course, scored the first goal of the season for Pep Guardiola's side by bulldozing his way into the box and brilliantly lifting the ball over and past Robert Sanchez.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic then showed his former employers what they have been missing with a terrific interception, drive forwards, and finish from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 in the second half.

It was not a perfect performance from City, who were troubled and needed Ruben Dias and Ederson at times to keep the Blues at bay, but it was enough to secure all three points.

Savinho made his debut on the flank but was substituted with a minor injury concern at half-time and there could be more debuts to come for City, as they are reportedly in the market to bolster their squad.

Julian Alvarez recently completed his permanent move to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and the Cityzens are now reportedly looking to take a player away from LaLiga, having just sent the Argentina international to Spain.

Man City's interest in Real Madrid star

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are lining up a swoop to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazil international is on the club's radar as they weigh up what to do in the next ten days or so before the deadline passes.

It states that the Cityzens are considering their options after Oscar Bobb broke his leg and Savinho suffered a fitness concern against Chelsea on Sunday.

Football Insider reveals that Guardiola did not want to lose Alvarez to Atletico Madrid this summer and his exit could tempt the club to dip into the market to secure a replacement.

The outlet claims that Rodrygo is one of the players the Premier League champions are interested in signing and that it would take a fee of at least £70m to secure his services.

This would not be an easy deal for City to complete in the coming days, however, as the Brazilian whiz is said to be happy and ready to fight for his place at Real Madrid, which means that he may take some convincing to make the move to England.

Football Insider also says that sources would be 'surprised' if the Cityzens were prepared to splash out £70m to sign the forward this summer, and that suggests that it may take some negotiating with Real Madrid to bring the price down.

However, if the English giants can get a deal over the line for the winger then that could help Guardiola to forget all about Alvarez this season.

Julian Alvarez's form for Man City last season

The World Cup winner signed for Atletico for a whopping £81.5m earlier this month after two years in England, where he was a key player for City in the 2023/24 campaign.

Guardiola found a way to fit Haaland and Alvarez in his starting XI, with the latter deployed in an attacking midfield role, as the Argentine star started 31 of the club's 38 Premier League games.

The 24-year-old sensation embraced his new role by showing off his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for City in the top-flight, to contribute to another league title success.

Appearances

36

xG

13.12

Goals

11

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.9

Assists

9

As you can see in the table above, the young forward was directly involved in 20 goals in 36 appearances in the division, which shows that he was a reliable attacking option for Guardiola.

Alvarez also produced an eye-catching five goals and two assists in seven outings in the Champions League, scoring those five goals from just 1.74 xG.

These statistics show that the Argentine attacker provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League and the Champions League for City, which is why it is easy to understand why Guardiola did not want to lose him this summer.

However, the Spanish tactician could forget all about the Atletico Madrid signing if the club can bring in Rodrygo to star for the Cityzens this season.

Why Man City should sign Rodrygo

The Premier League giants must swoop for the Brazilian whiz to bolster their squad and ensure that Guardiola does not end up rueing Alvarez's departure.

Despite featuring in a team that included the likes of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham, among many other stars, Rodrygo was the star for Real Madrid in their opening match in La Liga on Sunday night.

The young attacker scored the only goal of the game for the Spanish giants in a 1-1 draw with Mallorca, brilliantly curling an effort into the far corner from just inside the box.

Last season, the 23-year-old ace showcased his quality in LaLiga and in the Champions League for Real Madrid whilst playing on the right flank.

Rodrygo contributed with five goals and two assists in 13 matches in Europe's premier cup competition as the Spanish side went on to win the trophy, beating Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley.

Appearances

34

Goals

10

Big chances created

5

Assists

5

Key passes per game

1.4

As you can see in the table above, the £70m-rated star also hit double figures for goals in LaLiga for Carlo Ancelotti, to go along with five assists.

Rodrygo, whose finishing was once described as "terrifyingly good" by journalist Sam Tighe, also managed 19 goals and 11 assists in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, including nine goals and nine assists in LaLiga.

These statistics show that the Brazilian maestro is a consistent and impressive performer in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator, having proven himself in a major European league and in the Champions League.

Man City could land dream signing for Haaland in swoop for £60m star

The Cityzens have been linked with an interest in the forward this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2024

Therefore, Guardiola could forget all about Alvarez by landing another phenomenal young attacker who can make a big impact in the final third for City.

Cameron Green struck a timely half-century to put Western Australia in the box seat of their Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia at the WACA Ground.In reply to SA’s paltry first-innings total of 128, WA were dismissed for 299 late on day two, giving them a sizeable first-innings lead of 171.Green and Cameron Bancroft combined for a 101-run stand on a green deck to guide WA out of early trouble, before Hilton Cartwright and Josh Philippe powered home the advantage.The Redbacks lost pace bowler Brendan Doggett to a suspected side strain early in the day, but Nathan McAndrew picked up the slack to finish with 5 for 84, ripping through WA’s tail. David Grant was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 76.South Australia made a strong start to their second innings through Jake Weatherald and Henry Hunt by reaching 0 for 68 at stumps, reducing WA’s lead to 103.Bancroft was the first wicket to fall on Thursday when he edged Grant behind. Green looked ominous during a knock that featured seven fours and a six. But he fell shortly after Bancroft’s dismissal when he skied an attempted pull shot off Grant.Green started the domestic season with a classy 106 against South Australia. But his next five knocks in Shield and one-day cricket returned scores of 2, 5, 7, 13 and 9 in what marked a rare form slump for the 22-year-old.His half-century on Thursday was welcome news for both WA and Australia’s national selectors, who view Green as a vital part of the Ashes puzzle.At 5 for 250, WA looked set to tear the game wide open. But Cartwright’s dismissal lbw to Grant sparked a collapse of 5 for 49 to give the Redbacks some hope.

Mumbai allrounder Shivam Dube and video analyst also test positive, stay at home as team travels to Kolkata

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jan-2022Seven members of the Bengal Ranji Trophy squad – six players and a senior support staffer – have tested positive for Covid-19, leading to training sessions being cancelled. Their travel to Bengaluru, where the Elite Group B games are scheduled, on January 8, could also be pushed back.Confirming the update, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Debabrata Das told ESPNcricinfo that the positive results came up after the players and support staff were tested over the weekend keeping in mind “the pandemic situation” in the country as a whole and the state of West Bengal in particular.A PTI report quoted sources as saying that the seven people in question are players Sudip Chatterjee, Anustup Majumdar, Kazi Junaid Saifi, Geet Puri, Pradipta Pramanik and Sujit Yadav, and assistant coach Saurasish Lahiri.Related

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The players and Lahiri were present at the team’s training sessions as well as practice matches, played in Kolkata, in the lead-up to the Ranji Trophy, and have now all been placed in isolation. The team was scheduled to play a couple of warm-up games against Mumbai, who are playing their Group C games in Kolkata, before leaving for Bengaluru, but those have now been cancelled.Mumbai’s Dube tests positive; Patil named replacement
ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Mumbai allrounder Shivam Dube* and the team’s video analyst have also tested positive for Covid-19 prior to the team’s departure for Kolkata today, and did not travel with the team. Sairaj Patil has replaced Dube in the line-up.”The CAB is taking all necessary precautions and actions in this regard,” Snehasish Ganguly, secretary of the association, said in a statement.Kolkata is one of six cities that were named to host Ranji Trophy group-stage matches this year, with Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram the other venues. Kolkata is also scheduled to host the knockouts of the tournament. All of that could, however, change now, and it has been learnt that the BCCI will meet later this week to discuss the situation.Local tournaments in Kolkata cancelled
All local CAB-run tournament that were in progress have been put on hold, and the association has called for an emergent apex council meeting, which will take place tomorrow. The meeting is “to review the current Covid situation and take necessary decisions pertaining to holding of local tournaments (first division, second division and district tournaments) at present,” CAB president Avishek Dalmiya said in a statement.The statement said that CAB is also “taking immediate steps to vaccinate the registered players who fall in the 15-18 age bracket since health and safety of cricketers and all concerned is paramount to the association”.According to the West Bengal state government’s daily Covid-19 bulletin on Sunday, January 2, 6153 positive cases had been reported in the previous 24 hours, taking the total in the state to 1,649,150; the number of active Covid-19 cases as of that date was 17,038. On Sunday, the state government also announced a slew of new restrictions, including on social, religious and cultural gatherings, academic activities, government and private-sector offices and entertainment venues.