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Manchester City may have one eye on the Club World Cup this summer, though they are refusing to relent in their pursuit of additions and could now be in a position to land one of PSG’s leading stars.

Man City's changing dynamics this summer

The end of a trophyless campaign for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City appears to have only fueled his desire to ensure his side doesn’t end up empty-handed next time out.

Fortunately, the Club World Cup will offer a quickfire chance to atone for a year without silverware alongside a bounty of nearly £100 million for the eventual winners of the competition.

Of course, Manchester City are hardly struggling for cash. Still, a sizeable extra windfall would allow more room for manoeuvre in their quest to rejuvenate a squad that will see some experienced figures depart over the summer.

Kevin De Bruyne appears to be on his way to Napoli and bows out as possibly the Citizens’ greatest ever player, leaving a void to be filled not only in the engine room but in terms of leadership.

Jack Grealish could be on his way to Tottenham Hotspur after becoming a spare part. Although his influence has waned in recent times, there is no doubt that his experience has helped to set a culture of success inside the Manchester City dressing room.

Hugo Viana makes £40m+ Man City offer to sign Brazilian ahead of Man Utd

The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

AC Milan star Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri could arrive to work under Guardiola. Nevertheless, their prospective moves don’t undermine the need for stars capable of producing match-winning moments to arrive, no matter where they may feature on the pitch.

Man City eye surprise Gianluigi Donnarumma move

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have made contact over a move for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma if number one Ederson is sold this summer.

The Brazil international is attracting interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League and could be allowed to leave for just over £25 million if appropriate offers come in.

Gianluigi Donnarumma in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

40

Clean sheets

12

Goals conceded

39

On the other hand, former AC Milan star Donnarumma is in the middle of a contract wrangle with Paris Saint-Germain and is also being tracked by Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Juventus, with City also registering their interest.

Intriguingly, he has been labelled a “top goalkeeper” by Guardiola back in 2017 and won’t have done himself any harm after picking up the Champions League trophy last weekend.

Speaking about his future at the French giants, Donnarumma stated: “New deal or leaving? We will see what happens… I don’t know.

‘It’s time to enjoy this magic season now. I will go on holiday and then we will see.”

From a Manchester City standpoint, that doesn’t sound like a man who has completely ruled out the prospect of playing elsewhere next term. Now, it is over to their recruitment staff to try and tempt the £205,000 per week earner to English shores.

تحدثت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية عن أداء نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، في الوقت الحالي، وسط تعرضه للكثير من الانتقادات بسبب أدائه الضعيف ذلك الموسم رفقة كتيبة آرني سلوت.

وفقد ليفربول صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي يوم السبت الماضي بعدما خسر أمام تشيلسي، بهدفين لهدف، في الجولة السابعة على ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج”.

وقالت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية في تقرير لها:”لم تكن صيحات الاستهجان التي اُستقبل بها محمد صلاح خلال زيارته الأخيرة إلى ناديه السابق تشيلسي نهاية الأسبوع الماضي جديدة على جناح ليفربول، ولكن، ولأول مرة على الأرجح في مسيرته الحافلة مع الريدز، يواجه اللاعب المصري الآن تساؤلات حقيقية حول مكانه في التشكيلة الأساسية للفريق”.

وأضافت: “كان أداء محمد صلاح المخيب للآمال ضد تشيلسي يُعد آخر حلقة في سلسلة من العروض المخيبة له، والتي لم ترتق إلى مستوى التوقعات التي وضعها في طريقه ليصبح أفضل لاعب في إنجلترا ولاعب العام من رابطة اللاعبين المحترفين وبطل الدوري الإنجليزي الموسم الماضي”.

وواصلت: “ولكن هذا لا يعني أن محمد صلاح قد توقف عن تقديم أرقام معقولة، حيث سجل 3 وصنع 3 في 10 مباريات في مختلف المسابقات ذلك الموسم، مع العلم أنه لم يتفوق عليه في المساهمات التهديفية سوى 6 لاعبين فقط، ولكن مع التعمق والتركيز، نجد أننا أمام لاعب يعاني من أجل استعادة مستواه”.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد إهداره هدف التعادل.. محمد صلاح يلفت الأنظار بتصرف مثير في مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي

وأفادت: “لعل الإحصائية الأكثر إثارة للقلق خلال مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي، هي أن محمد صلاح لم يتمكن من إحداث مراوغة ناجحة كاملة، ولم يتجاوز لاعبًا مرة واحدة، وكان صاحب أقل عدد من اللمسات بين جميع اللاعبين الذين لعبوا 90 دقيقة، حيث يبلغ معدل مراوغاته الناجحة حاليًا 12.5% ​​فقط، مقارنةً بـ 42.3% في الموسم الماضي”.

وأوضحت: “في حين قد انخفضت مقاييسه بشكل عام، حيث تراجع متوسط عدد تسديداته ولمساته في منطقة جزاء الخصم إلى النصف في الدوري الإنجليزي حتى الآن ذلك الموسم، بينما انخفض عدد مرات تقدمه بالكرة للأمام والفرص التي يصنعها، كما يحصل على عدد أقل من الركلات الحرة في المباراة الواحدة مقارنة بالموسم الماضي”.

وأشارت: “ولا يعني هذا أن ليفربول لا يركز على محمد صلاح بشكل كاف، حيث تلقى اللاعب تمريرات أكثر تطورًا بكثير من أي لاعب آخر في الدوري الإنجليزي هذا الموسم، ولكن تراجع مستواه لم يقتصر على الشهرين الماضيين فقط، ففي آخر 24 مباراة له في جميع المسابقات مع ليفربول، سجل 4 أهداف فقط من 52 تسديدة، بعيدًا عن ركلات الجزاء”.

واستكملت: “ليس من الصعب إيجاد أسباب لذلك، يأتي على رأسها رحيل ترينت ألكسند أرنولد، فقبل بداية الموسم، لعب محمد صلاح 316 مباراة من أصل 401 مباراة مع ليفربول، وكان أرنولد خلفه على الجهة اليمنى، وكان بمثابة المحور الإبداعي لفريق حصد ألقابًا مهمة بشكل منتظم، في حين شهد الموسم الحالي مشاركة كل من برادلي، فريمبونج، سوبوسلاي، واتارو إندو وجو جوميز في مركز الظهير الأيمن، ولا يزال سلوت يبحث عن لاعب أساسي في ذلك المركز”.

واسترسلت: “كما شهد خطالهجوم تجديدًا شاملًا بتكلفة باهظة، حيث انضم ألكسندر إيزاك (125 مليون جنيه إسترليني) وهوجو إيكتيكي (79 مليون جنيه إسترليني) إلى جانب لاعب الوسط المهاجم فلوريان فيرتز (116 مليون جنيه إسترليني)، هذا يعني أن الأنماط والإيقاعات المعتادة لم تعد موجودة في أسلوب لعب ليفربول حتى الآن، إذ يبحثون عن هيكل هجومي جديد”.

وأكدت: “هذا الأمر سمح لدفاعات الخصوم بالتركيز بشكل أكبر على إبطال خطورة محمد صلاح، ففي كثير من الأحيان يجد نفسه في مواجهة مدافعين أو ثلاثة دون أي منفذ واضح متاح بسهولة، مع العلم أن ذلك الجيل الجديد من اللاعبين يمثل مستقبل ليفربول، في حين يمر صلاح بمرحلة صعبة تتمثل في تسليم الراية ونقل خبراته إلى زملائه، محاولًا بناء علاقات ميدانية مع أولئك الذين سيحلون محله في نهاية المطاف، مع العلم أنه لن يُنظر إليه على أنه الرجل الرئيسي للريدز لفترة طويلة”.

واستأنفت: “كما أن هناك العامل البشري، فمثل العديد من اللاعبين المرموقين، يولي محمد صلاح أهمية كبرى للتقدير الفردي، وإن لم يكن يفضل ذلك على الجوائز الجماعية، وكان من المؤسف عدم فوزه بالكرة الذهبية الشهر الماضي نظرًا لأنها تمثل فرصته الأخيرة للتتويج بها”.

وشرحت: “إلى جانب ذلك، جاء رد فعل محمد صلاح العاطفي أمام جماهير ليفربول بعد الفوز على بورنموث، دليلًا على كيفية محاولته رفقة زملائه تجاوز وفاة ديوجو جوتا المأساوية في يوليو الماضي، وبخلاف ذلك، يجب ألا ننسى أنه رغم برنامجه التدريبي الدقيق، فإنه مع بلوغ سن 33 عامًا، بدأت سرعته ونشاطه في تراجع مستمر”.

ونوهت: “في آخر عامين من عقد من الخدمة الرائعة لـ ليفربول، يقع العبء الآن على عاتق كل من محمد صلاح وسلوت لإيجاد طريقة لمواصلة تقديم أفضل ما لديه، مع تقبل وجود تراجع تدريجي في بعض الجوانب، كما أن فترة التوقف الدولي الحالي، والتي يستطيع خلالها المصري التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026 وكيفية تحسين ما حدث في نسخة 2018، قد تعطيه دفعة ثقة ضرورية”.

واختتمت:”في النهاية، يشير تطور محمد صلاح المستمر خلال مسيرته في أنفيلد إلى أنه لم ينتهِ بعد، مع ذلك فقد حان الوقت لنسخة أخرى من المصري، حيث لا يزال ليفربول بحاجة إليه”.

Phoenix to play Southern Brave in eliminator; Oval Invincibles head straight to Lord’s final

ECB Media15-Aug-2024Birmingham Phoenix will meet Southern Brave in The Hundred Eliminator at The Kia Oval on Saturday after a nine-wicket victory over Manchester Originals.Moeen Ali’s side came out on top in a 30-ball-per-side match at Edgbaston, earning themselves the point they needed after rain delayed the start.Phoenix chased down their target of 42 with ease, Jamie Smith depositing Fazalhaq Farooqi over the boundary twice in the first five balls to set the tone for the chase.After a quieter second five from Farooqi, Ben Duckett smashed Tom Aspinwall’s first ball for six and then hit three of his next four to the boundary as the rain teemed down in Birmingham, the umpires remaining unmoved, determined to see the game to a result.Smith (14) was caught on the cover boundary by Sikandar Raza off Scott Currie, but Duckett (22*) and Moeen (6*) knocked off the remaining seven runs required with eight balls to spare, the skipper securing the win with a six off Currie over fine-leg.Winning the toss and bowling first, Birmingham Phoenix struck early, Kiwi speedster Adam Milne removing Matthew Hurst from the second legal delivery of the match when the young Lancastrian skied a chance to Liam Livingstone at mid-on.Milne’s compatriot Tim Southee took the second set and was immediately smashed into the stands by Phil Salt. He was then sliced over short-third by Max Holden from the final ball of the powerplay as the Originals took their score to 15 for 1.At the halfway point of the innings, the Originals were 22 for 2, Salt (12) mistiming a cross-bat shot off Milne from the 15th ball of the innings to give Livingstone his second catch of the evening.Sean Abbott then accounted for Paul Walter (1), caught at deep cover, to make it 24 for 3. Holden (15) continued to swing hard, the left-hander top-edging Southee for another boundary, but his luck soon ran out when he failed to go over mid-off as Livingstone held onto a third catch.Chris Wood closed out the innings, conceding just three runs and taking the wicket of Raza, caught by Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket as Originals closed on 41 for 5, hitting just one six in their innings.Phoenix had just 42 to chase to earn a trip to South London and they did it with ease, ensuring Andrew Flintoff’s first year as Northern Superchargers Head Coach would end with a fourth-place finish.Meerkat Match Hero Milne, who took 2 for 8, said: “To come out of the shortened game and into The Hundred Eliminator is very good for us.”There was a little bit of swing and seam so it was nice to use that first up, but in these shortened games anything can happen, so [you] just mix it up.”Anytime it’s moving around off the straight it’s nice. There’s been lots said but as a bowler it’s nice to have a little bit going your way sometimes in these shorter formats, there can be flat wickets and not much movement, so it’s nice to see a bit of swing and seam occasionally.”

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City may be going through a dark time of it late, but they do still have a chance of winning the FA Cup after defeating fellow Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth last weekend.

With no top-flight title or Champions League in sight, there will likely be a changing of the guard at the Etihad this summer, with faces such as Kevin De Bruyne perhaps leaving the building for some fresh blood to then excite the City masses.

One position that is dire need of refreshing is the right-back spot with new reports suggesting that City have a target in mind to begin such a transformation.

Man City looking at signing new full-back

With Kyle Walker departing on loan to AC Milan in January and academy graduate Rico Lewis not preferred in recent times, signing a new right-back should be one of their top priorities this summer.

Well, according to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, plenty of top-flight clubs in England, including City are considering an approach for 22-year-old right-back Kiliann Sildillia, as current employers SC Freiburg brace for lots of activity involving their star-man.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion are all named as interested parties, but City will hope they can race to the front of the queue for Sildillia’s services shortly, with recent weeks suggesting that Guardiola and Co have been watching the defender’s matches in the Bundesliga intently.

How Sildillia can become Cancelo 2.0

The right-back position in Manchester is lacking in numbers, with Matheus Nunes notably struggling up against Andoni Iraola’s challenging Cherries.

Indeed, Simon Bajkowski, chief Man City writer for MEN, gave Nunes a 4/10 for his showings, stating that he was “abysmal” for the goal.

Therefore, the attack-oriented Sildillia could be the perfect choice in this problem area, with the Frenchman perhaps becoming the faltering team’s next Joao Cancelo down the line.

Cancelo was a beloved figure at the Etihad for many of his successful years donning sky blue, with the expansive Portuguese defender going on to notch up an impressive nine goals and 21 assists from 154 clashes.

Unfortunately, the end of his time in England turned sour, leaving City with a lack of personnel down both the left and right flanks, with Cancelo comfortable in both slots in Guardiola’s XI.

Sildillia’s numbers for Freiburg by position
Position	Games played	Goals scored	Assists
RB	60	3	3
CB	18	0	0
RM	17	0	0
RW	2	0	0
LM	1	0	0
CM	1	0	0
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, the new City target is also capable of being versatile for the cause like Cancelo, with Sildillia lining up all over the pitch for Freiburg from his 102 appearances and counting.

But, it’s clear his most comfortable position is in the right-back area, with six goal contributions coming the Frenchman’s way from 60 contests in this spot on the pitch.

Two of those contributions have come this very campaign in the Bundesliga, with Sildillia managing to solidify himself as a trusty first-team option in Germany for both his attacking prowess and his ability to resiliently defend.

From those 16 clashes, Sildillia has managed to tally up a promising six clean sheets, with 3.3 duels won on average per league outing also matching that of Nunes back in Manchester.

But, Guardiola might be hesitant to stick it out with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man, especially if the former FC Metz ace is available, knowing full well that adding in fresh, young bodies defensively can work wonders in the case of rising star Abdukodir Khusanov.

Likewise, Nunes’ natural position isn’t on the right flank, with the attacking energy of Sildillia also potentially gifting City their next “complete” star – as he has been labelled by scout Jacek Kulig – in a similar mould to Cancelo.

Better than Marmoush: Man City want to sign "one of the best CFs in Europe"

One of the world’s best young strikers is available on a free this summer, and Manchester City are reportedly “interested” in his signature.

By
Ben Gray

Apr 1, 2025

Teams left short on match practice ahead of World Cup after second washout of series

Matt Roller28-May-2024England and Pakistan will head to the T20 World Cup short on match practice after persistent rain wiped out Tuesday night’s match between them in Cardiff without a ball being bowled. It is the second abandonment of the series after the weather ruined Wednesday’s series opener in Leeds, with only 39.2 of the 120 scheduled overs bowled so far.Jos Buttler, England’s captain, did not travel to Cardiff and Moeen Ali would have led their side in his place if the game had taken place. Buttler left the squad on Saturday night following England’s 23-run win in Birmingham and travelled to London to be with his wife Louise, with the couple expecting their third child imminently.Mark Wood was due to play his first match since early March for England, while Sam Curran would also have featured after being left out on Saturday at Edgbaston. ESPNcricinfo understands that Jofra Archer would have been rested, with England taking a cautious approach to his workload after such a long injury lay-off.Buttler is expected to travel to Barbados with the rest of the England squad on Friday, and could even return to the squad in time to play in the final match of the series at The Oval on Thursday night. As things stand, the weather forecast for south London is not hugely promising as both sides hope for a final run-out before they travel, though should at least allow for a shortened match.With neither side due to play an official warm-up match between Thursday and their respective opening group-stage fixtures, they will be relatively undercooked compared to some teams at the World Cup. Pakistan have at least played regularly in this format recently, drawing 2-2 with New Zealand in April and beating Ireland 2-1 earlier this month; Saturday’s match was England’s only T20I since December 21.There was heavy rain early on Tuesday morning in Cardiff, which continued for much of the day. It briefly stopped during the afternoon but returned at around 5.15pm, repeatedly delaying the toss until umpires Mike Burns and Russell Warren abandoned the match at 8.12pm, much to the disappointment of a sold-out crowd.

da fezbet： Glasgow Rangers will be in the market for a new head coach this summer as they prepare to bounce back from a disappointing 2024/25 campaign.

da blaze casino： Barry Ferguson is currently in interim charge but has presided over a dismal run in the Scottish Premiership and has been knocked out of the Europa League – failing to score a single goal in three of his four matches in Europe.

The Scottish boss has won three, lost two, and drawn one of his six league games at Ibrox, which does not suggest that he is the right man to lead the team forward into next season to challenge Celtic for the title.

Rangers, who needed a last-gasp stunner from Ianis Hagi to salvage a draw against Aberdeen last time out in the league, may look for an experienced coach who has a track record of winning trophies.

One man who would fit that profile is experienced Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho, who has been linked with a move to Ibrox this summer.

The latest on Jose Mourinho to Rangers

TEAMtalk reported on Sunday that the Fenerbahce manager is a possible candidate for the job ahead of next season, as the Rangers board are looking for a big-name appointment to lead the new era in Glasgow.

The outlet claimed that the 49ers, who are said to be close to sealing a takeover of the club, want to make a strong managerial move, with Steven Gerrard and Mourinho named as two contenders for the role.

It revealed that the Fenerbahce boss would be open to completing a move to Ibrox this summer, but only if the new ownership group are willing to back him in the transfer market.

TEAMtalk claimed that the club are yet to approach Mourinho to discuss the job, though, and this suggests that they are still in the early stage of their recruitment process.

As you can see in the clip above, the 62-year-old tactician refused to rule out the possibility of managing in Scottish football in the future when asked about it back in March.

The TEAMtalk report mentioned that Mourinho would want to be backed by the owners, though, and that would include them having to possibly move on from players who would not be up to the standard that the manager wants.

Mourinho, who has won eight league titles in his career, may want to move on from Jack Butland at Ibrox, as the English goalkeeper has endured a frustrating season in Glasgow.

Why Jack Butland could be sold by Jose Mourinho

The Portuguese boss has managed some iconic goalkeepers during his career, including the likes of Petr Cech, Iker Casillas, Hugo Lloris, and Thibaut Courtois, and the former England international may not join that illustrious list.

Butland is currently sat on the bench watching on as Liam Kelly plays in his place after Ferguson decided to take him out of the team, due to his poor performances on the pitch.

The experienced shot-stopper has not performed well enough in the Premiership this season, making too many errors with the ball at his feet and with his lack of shot-stopping, and the club should look to move him on this summer.

24/25 Premiership

Jack Butland

Appearances

26

Save success rate

67%

Goals prevented

-1.45

Goals conceded from outside the box

6

Error led to shot

2

Error led to goal

2

Penalties committed

1

Stats via Sofascore & FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Butland has conceded more than the average goalkeeper would be expected to based on the xG of the shots on his goal, which shows that he has been poor from a shot-stopping perspective.

The former England international has also made a whopping five errors that have led to shots, goals, or penalties for the opposition. To put it simply, he became a liability to the team between the sticks, and it was the right call by Ferguson to remove him from the starting line-up.

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Butland, however, is not the only player who should be moved on from Ibrox if Mourinho is appointed this summer, as Ridvan Yilmaz could also be on the chopping block.

Why Ridvan Yilmaz may not have a future under Jose Mourinho

The Portuguese manager builds his teams around a defensive structure and ensures that there is a solid platform for the rest of the side to build from, with his belief that the team that makes the fewest mistakes tends to win.

Yilmaz’s performances for Rangers this season suggest that he is not the kind of defender that Mourinho would want to build his team around, because the full-back is not a solid defensive operator who can be relied upon week-in-week-out.

Standing at 5 foot 9, the 23-year-old dud is not the tallest of defenders and that is reflected in his lack of success in the air. In 17 appearances in the Premiership this season, he has lost 100% of his aerial duels. Mourinho may not have much faith in a full-back who has not won a single aerial duel in 17 league games to defend the back post for him in matches next season.

Yilmaz, who Tam McManus claimed had an “absolute shocker” in the league back in March, has also made two errors that have led to shots for the opposition in the Premiership, which further suggests that he would not suit the Portuguese manager because of his desire to build a team that does not make many mistakes defensively.

24/25 Europa League

Ridvan Yilmaz

Appearances

7

Pass accuracy

66%

Tackles

6

Dribbled past

8x

Big chances created

0

Aerial duels won

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Turkish full-back also struggled in the Europa League, staggeringly being dribbled past more times than he completed tackles, whilst only winning one aerial duel.

These statistics from his performances in the Premiership and the Europa League combine to suggest that he would not suit Mourinho’s footballing philosophy, which is why he should be out of the door if the manager is appointed this summer.

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Yilmaz reportedly had interest from his former club Besiktas during the January transfer window, which suggests that there could be interest in his services ahead of next season that would allow Rangers and Mourinho to cash in on him.

Antonio Conte has reflected on the emotional weight of his Tottenham exit, and how personal tragedy reshaped his outlook on life and football.

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Conte reflects on his Tottenham daysReveals how tragedy shaped his outlookReveals ick at Spurs celebrating CL qualificationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Conte has opened up about his turbulent spell with Tottenham, describing his time in North London as a “difficult” chapter in his managerial journey. Though he led Spurs to a top-four finish in 2022, Conte has admitted that qualifying for the Champions League wasn’t something he ever felt deserved celebration — and revealed how a series of devastating personal losses shifted his perspective on football and life.

AdvertisementWHAT CONTE SAID

Speaking to Sky Italia, Conte recalled his first full season with Spurs and the emotional and philosophical toll it took: "It was a difficult year at Tottenham. I arrived in November with them ninth in the standings and we ended up in the Champions League, overtaking Arsenal… For them, going to the Champions League was like winning the Premier League.”

But for Conte, the celebrations in the dressing room after sealing fourth place didn’t sit right: "On the last day, the Champions League entry was celebrated in the dressing room. I called my staff and told them: we don’t get used to these celebrations. You don’t celebrate these things. We are used to celebrating other things. OK, great feat, but at the same time, we understand what kind of celebration it is."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Italian coach went on to speak candidly about the personal tragedies that surrounded his final months in charge — the deaths of close friends Gian Piero Ventrone and Gianluca Vialli — which ultimately left him questioning his priorities and emotional capacity to continue at Spurs.

He added: "Gian Piero Ventrone died of leukaemia in fifteen days and it was a terrible blow on an emotional and psychological level and it wasn’t easy.

"Then Gianluca Vialli also passed away, with whom I had met the month before at a restaurant with my wife. I had seen him very calm, he was even fine, but during that dinner, I understood that something was wrong. You notice it when someone is enjoying something, he had drunk, eaten and after a month he passed away."

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The Napoli manager also spoke about Sinisa Mihajlovic’s death and its impact on him, and how it led him to reconsider his priorities in life.

Conte continued: "Sinisa’s story also had an impact. A series of pains that made me rethink some priorities. I had my family far away, in Italy, while I was in a hotel. My wife had always made an effort for me. So I asked myself: how much is it worth sacrificing family and friends for this knowing that from one day to the next you find yourself facing tragedies of this kind and no longer being there? This made me change some priorities.

"Then I also had a problem and I had to urgently have gallbladder surgery and I was at risk of getting pancreatitis. In short, that period made me think a lot about the priorities."

Eoin Morgan has suggested that England’s underperformance at the World Cup in India is unparalleled across sport and that their players are “definitely unsettled” after heavy defeats in four out of their five group games.England have not been mathematically eliminated from the tournament – even defeat in Lucknow on Sunday will not officially knock them out – but they are unlikely to qualify for the semi-finals even if they put together an improbable run of form and win all four of their remaining fixtures.Morgan, who captained them to the 2019 title, said it had been “unsettling” to watch England’s plight over the last three weeks and that their confidence had taken a beating. He also hinted at wider issues than simply form, saying: “I think there’s something else going on – there has to be.”Related

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And Morgan went as far as to suggest that England’s campaign has been among the worst in sporting history, in the context of the widespread expectation that they would reach the semi-finals. “I’ve never come across a sports team that has underperformed like this England team, given the level of expectation that is on their shoulders,” he said on Sky Sports.”There’s something within the team that is definitely unsettled. The method which they’re trying to use and given the substantial nature in which they’ve lost the game[s], it is definitely called into question, the morale within the changing room and the confidence. It must be at its lowest that it’s been for a considerable period of time now.”Morgan said that it was “an unacceptable excuse” to simply say that players were all out of form at the same time. “I think there’s something else going on – there has to be,” he said. “When you look at the strength in depth, particularly with the bat, England are as good on paper as any other side in this tournament, but they haven’t yet fired.”They’ve made mistakes with selection: they’ve really struggled to find a balanced side and one that’s effective enough to compete, never mind win this tournament. It’s been unbelievably challenging for Jos and his team… they have to regain the confidence in the method that they’ve used for so long that has made them double world champions.”Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach, said that the squad are “feeling the heat” and “gutted” about their results to date, and admitted that he has been unable to get his head around their collective failures with the bat. England have lost 47 out of a possible 49 wickets (Reece Topley was absent hurt against South Africa) and no batter has made an individual 50 in their last two matches.”The thing that’s baffled me the most is that it’s been consistent across the board,” Trescothick said. “Bar the game at Dharamsala, where we played Bangladesh, where one got a big score [Dawid Malan’s 140] and we got a few other big scores around it, there’s just never been the consistency of people getting the runs.”I think they’re trying to understand it… it [their form] has not gone, it’s just hiding in a funny place at the moment. It’s not suddenly disappeared and they’re never going to score runs again. They’ll rebound from this and rebound back into form at some point. But it might be, unfortunately, disappointing that it’s going to be too late for this competition.”Dawid Malan is bowled for 140•Getty Images

Sunday’s match in Lucknow will be played on a used pitch, the same one that was used for South Africa’s win over Australia two weeks ago.”The timing actually couldn’t be any worse,” Morgan said. “Given India are still out and out favourites to win this tournament on home soil, that challenge just becomes far bigger now than it probably would be if you were playing on a fresh pitch.”England just have to play what’s in front of them,” he added. “For a lot of this tournament, I believe that they’ve been carrying other things or looking outside of the camp, as opposed to their own performance. They need to stay in the present for as long as they can tomorrow and turn India over.”

The road to 2027 begins already for two teams in search of better 50-over fortunes

Andrew Miller02-Dec-2023

Big picture – Caribbean reboot

The return to action hasn’t been quite so jarringly immediate as it was for India and Australia in the wake of the World Cup final, or indeed for England’s T20 World Cup winners in Australia last winter. And, let’s face it, a four-island jaunt to the Caribbean in December is a reasonably palatable assignment after the indignities that preceded it.Nevertheless, it’s still only three weeks since Jos Buttler’s browbeaten squad limped back to Blighty with their World Cup dreams in tatters, and less than a fortnight since their four-year reign as 50-over world champions was formally ended in Ahmedabad. Whatever way you look at it, it seems a curious juncture in the global cycle to be undertaking another three-match ODI series.And to judge by the inexperienced squad lining up against them, West Indies might be in broad agreement. Not only did they miss out entirely on the World Cup just gone, having fallen short in the brutal qualifying tournament that took place in Zimbabwe in June and July, it now transpires that that failure has condemned them to onlooker status at the 2025 Champions Trophy as well. The road to 2027 will feel all the more dim and distant without that staging post to aim for.Related

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Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder are among the big names who have opted out of ODIs since the qualifiers, seemingly indefinitely, while Shane Dowrich’s retirement only days after his recall – having played his one previous ODI back in 2019 – was further evidence of the format’s lowly standing within the region at present.Rovman Powell, Dominic Drakes, Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales are among the other familiar names missing for this campaign, and while Shimron Hetmyer is back in favour with the selectors, the decision to move on from the veteran Darren Bravo feels peculiar in light of the reasons given for Hetmyer’s absence in Zimbabwe. Though he is already 34, and therefore unlikely to feature in 2027, Bravo was still the leading run-scorer in this year’s Super50 Cup, as he captained Trinidad and Tobago to victory in the final.In the bigger picture, it feels there’ll be significantly more at stake for these two teams come the T20I leg of the tour later in the month, when the narrative shifts from two World Cup also-rans to a clash of the defending champions versus the impending hosts of the 2024 tournament next June. Nevertheless, all revivals have to have a starting point, and in the 50-over stakes, that begins at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday afternoon.From England’s perspective, it’s a shot to nothing. A chance for a cast of talented fringe players to impress their captain (and indisputable white-ball GOAT, notwithstanding his recent struggles) Buttler, and make the case for a 2015-style cleaning-out of the stables – even if Ben Duckett, one of the players with most to gain in the coming weeks, has played down the likelihood that any long-term places are up for grabs in the coming days.As for West Indies, at least it’s a return to the fray after their telling absence in the months just gone. Financially, if not necessarily competitively, England’s visit – and moreover the hordes of supporters that are sure to accompany them – offer significant compensation for the recent dents in their coffers. And besides, it’s cricket in the Caribbean with Christmas drawing nigh. What’s not to enjoy?

Form guide

West Indies LWLLW
England WWLLL

In the spotlight – Shimron Hetmyer and Will Jacks

There are a fair few players with a point to prove in this series, but Shimron Hetmyer’s back-story takes some beating. He’s been powerless to influence not one, but two recent World Cup campaigns. In 2022, he was axed on the eve of West Indies’ T20 World Cup campaign after missing a connecting flight to New York, then last summer, he was overlooked for the ODI qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe because the selectors decided to stick with the players who had made their mark on the tour of South Africa earlier that year … and we all know how that decision panned out. Never mind that Hetmyer’s absence had been due to his forceful displays for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, or that in 2019, on his previous ODI tour of India (the venue for the World Cup that West Indies missed) his fifth and most recent century had helped to secure a startling eight-wicket win in Chennai. He’ll no doubt be eager to make up for that lost time.Of all the England players who might believe their time has come, few have a better case than Will Jacks. As a hard-hitting opener for Surrey and Oval Invincibles, he had been outshining the mighty Jason Roy at a domestic level long before the selectors decided that Roy’s lock on a World Cup place was untenable. Jacks wasn’t awarded a central contract in the recent round of deals, but that fact has the potential to work in his favour at this early juncture – with nothing to lose, he has everything to win next time out if he can set about making a long-term case. And to judge by his forceful 94 from 88 balls against Ireland in September, he offers an unfettered attitude to top-order strokeplay that wasn’t adequately replicated in Roy’s absence last month.

Team news – Rookies to the fore

Bravo may have been a notable omission but his Trinidad and Tobago team-mate Kjorn Ottley – only a year younger at 33 – is back in favour for the first time in three years and looks set to open alongside Brandon King. Shai Hope, the captain and wicketkeeper, is by some distance the most experienced man in their ranks, although Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph and Oshane Thomas offer a decent spine to a side that could feature two new ODI caps, including the talented allrounder Matthew Forde, 21, who impressed for the Academy side in the Super50 Cup.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Kjorn Ottley, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 5 Keacy Carty, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Yannic Cariah, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Matthew Forde / Gudakesh Motie, 11 Oshane ThomasAll change for England after their World Cup catastrophe, although how much of it will be permanent remains to be seen. For now, only Jos Buttler remains from the class of 2019, but with the ink still drying on a host of multi-year ECB contracts – including for the likes of Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid – you’d suspect one or two of the old guard aren’t quite done yet. That said, there ought to be at least seven names in this opening XI who played no part in the tournament just gone, including the same top three who finished the series against Ireland – Will Jacks, Phil Salt and Zak Crawley – and potentially a spot for the Lancashire left-arm spinner, Tom Hartley.England (probable): 1 Will Jacks, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Ben Duckett, 6 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Rehan Ahmed, 10 Tom Hartley, 11 Gus Atkinson.

Pitch and conditions

No major damage has been reported after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake in the early hours of Saturday morning in Antigua, so there’s no suggestion that the match will be affected. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is not traditionally the most high-scoring of Caribbean venues, with just three scores in excess of 300 in 20 previous matches, and none higher than the 322 for 6 posted by Ricky Ponting’s all-time-great Australia in the venue’s maiden fixture during the 2007 World Cup. It’s been an intermittent host for ODIs in recent years, however, with just three matches since 2017. Local knowledge suggests the pitch will take spin.

Stats and trivia

• England have won 52 of their 102 previous ODIs against West Indies, against 44 losses and six no-results.
• West Indies, however, have the edge on home soil, with 23 wins against 17 defeats since their first ODI meeting in the Caribbean in 1981.
• England have won each of their last four ODIs at the venue, spanning their tours in 2014 and 2017, having lost their first three, including two at the 2007 World Cup.
• England’s last series, in the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup, ended in a 2-2 draw, including a memorable match in Grenada that featured a world-record 46 sixes.
• Jos Buttler needs 39 runs to reach 5000 in ODIs. However, he has passed that total just once in his last 12 innings.

Quotes

“You see the depth of talent of guys coming through and you want to help shape that period of white-ball cricket. That’s something I feel responsibility and motivation for….to get England white-ball cricket back to where it’s been for a long time.”

Arsenal’s ambitions of ending their two-decade wait for a Premier League title have taken a huge hit in recent weeks, with various injuries and setbacks derailing their progress.

Whilst Liverpool have been the runaway leaders for the majority of the campaign, Mikel Arteta’s side have the quality across the pitch to mount a serious charge to close the gap.

However, the hamstring injury to winger Bukayo Saka has seen an understandable decline in goals within the final third, with the Englishman registering five goals and 10 assists before his spell on the sidelines.

He’s been missing since the triumph over Crystal Palace on the 21st of December, with the Gunners failing to win five matches across all competitions in that time frame.

Saka isn’t the only forward who’s been sat on the sidelines in recent weeks, as two other players have seen their season cut short by injuries over the last couple of weeks.

Arsenal’s injuries to Gabriel Jesus & Kai Havertz

Just a couple of weeks after the injury sustained to Saka, Arteta also saw Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus suffer his own setback, picking up an ACL injury in the FA Cup defeat against Manchester United.

The 27-year-old had previously had issues with his knee, but this time the issue appears to be way more serious, undergoing surgery to solve his latest issue – ruling him out for the remainder of 2024/25.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Kai Havertz recently picked up a torn hamstring injury during the warm weather training camp in Dubai, leaving the Gunners without a recognised senior centre forward.

His own setback will also see him miss the rest of the season, with Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri the only attacking options left at Arteta’s disposal.

The decision not to sign a new attacker in January now looks to be a huge mistake, but it’s not the first time they may regret not landing a forward, after one former target’s rapid development on the European stage.

The player who Arsenal nearly signed & is now worth more than Saka

There’s no denying that Saka has been a sensational player for Arsenal over the last couple of years, registering 56 combined goals and assists over the last two years despite his recent issue.

However, he’s often needed the added reinforcement alongside him to help the club end their long wait for a Premier League title despite finishing runners-up in each of the last two seasons.

They may have been able to complete the task had the club completed a deal for Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, especially considering his form over the last couple of years.

Former boss Arsène Wenger revealed in an interview that he flew to speak to his compatriot during his time as a youngster at Monaco, but was unable to convince him to move to North London.

The 26-year-old has since emerged as one of the leading attackers in European football, impressing at Monaco, before a huge move to PSG back in 2017 – costing the Parisians a whopping £150m.

Mbappé, who’s since been dubbed “lethal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 256 times in just 310 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants, offering that clinical edge Arteta’s side have been craving.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2017/18

46

21

16

2018/19

43

39

17

2019/20

37

30

18

2020/21

47

42

11

2021/22

46

39

26

2022/23

43

41

10

2023/24

48

44

10

Total:

310

256

108

He’s since moved to Real Madrid in what’s dubbed the “most expensive free transfer in history” after the Spanish side had to pay the attacker a mammoth signing bonus after leaving PSG.

The forward has continued his goalscoring form under Carlo Ancelotti, scoring 24 times in his 36 appearances for his new side, creating a deadly partnership with Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior.

As a result of his tremendous displays over the last few years, Mbappé is now valued at £133m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Saka, who’s valued at £125m after his own emergence in England.

There’s no denying that the Englishman is one of the Premier League’s leading attackers, as seen by his goal contributions before his injury, with Arteta certainly desperate for the youngster to return to action as soon as possible.

However, the thought of the academy graduate featuring alongside Mbappé is a scary one, but unfortunately for the supporters, it will always remain a case of what could’ve been had Wenger worked his magic during his time in charge.

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