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After watching on as Liverpool seemingly jumped ahead of them in the race to sign Florian Wirtz, Bayern Munich have reportedly turned their focus towards payback in the form of recruiting one particular Anfield star this summer.

Liverpool submit first Wirtz offer

Whilst it was Manchester City and Bayern who found themselves battling for Wirtz’s signature, it has been Liverpool who have grabbed hold of the headlines. Sending shockwaves through Europe, the Reds have stolen a march on their rivals and are reportedly set to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star in what could quite easily be the deal of the summer in all regards.

Having already lifted the Premier League in their first season under Arne Slot, it’s clear that those at Anfield mean business after deciding against splashing the cash last summer.

Alongside Wirtz, rumours have also indicated that Liverpool are pushing to sign the midfielder’s Leverkusen teammate, Jeremie Frimpong, to replace the Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez.

Liverpool’s interest in Wirtz is a fairly open secret already and Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes had his say on the potential move earlier this week, telling reporters: “There is concrete interest from Liverpool, but there’s no more to say right now. Florian is our player.”

Ornstein: Liverpool set to make even more signings after £150m+ triple move

The Reds seem to have plenty of tricks up their sleeve…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 26, 2025

Meanwhile, on Bayern Munich’s end, they’ve been left with no choice but to turn their attention elsewhere. And that could yet deal the Premier League champions a frustrating blow amid rumours that the German giants have set their sights on signing an Anfield star who Slot loves.

Bayern make contact to sign Cody Gakpo

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich have now made contact to sign Cody Gakpo. Club chief Max Eberl is reportedly a fan of the Dutchman and has now added him to a list of left-wing options which already includes Rafael Leao and Brighton’s Karou Mitoma.

What’s more, given that they’re set to welcome Wirtz this summer, Liverpool and FSG are open to selling Gakpo if the right offer arrives. Whether Slot would approve such an exit is the big question. Gakpo has been a man transformed under his countryman, scoring 18 goals in all competitions and claiming a spot in Liverpool’s front three as a result.

Slot hasn’t hesitated to praise the former PSV man, either. He told reporters when asked about his winger earlier in the season: “In the second half of last season Cody scored a lot of goals so he’s been a good player for Liverpool for a long time now. He continues doing that and that’s a good thing. For me, he is a regular starter.”

Also dubbed “excellent” by former Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole back in October, Gakpo is not someone that Liverpool should be keen to lose in the coming months.

Chelsea are now “really looking” at signing a “new name” in the market who was reliably believed to have agreed terms on a switch to Arsenal last year, but the move to their London rivals ultimately fell through.

Chelsea's transfer plans amid chase for Premier League top five

Enzo Maresca’s sole attention right now centres around Chelsea’s bid to seal a top five Premier League finish this weekend, and the result of this is set to have a profound effect on BlueCo’s plans for next season.

Striker keen on Chelsea move and set for imminent decision after May talks

His agents were at Stamford Bridge in the last few days.

1 ByEmilio Galantini May 21, 2025

Chelsea play Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday, with Nuno Espirito’s men also firmly in contention for Champions League qualification, so it is quite simply a must-win game for both sides.

3. Man City

68

4. Newcastle

66

5. Chelsea

66

6. Aston Villa

66

7. Nottingham Forest

65

A draw would gift Aston Villa an opportunity to go above them both, so there is absolutely no room for error, and a place in Europe’s most prestigious competition will be crucial when it comes to determining Chelsea’s transfer plans for this summer.

Competing in the Champions League would not only hand Chelsea a major pull when it comes to attracting the continent’s most high-profile players and their desired targets, but it would also gift the Blues a major financial windfall via revenue to help get those stars through the door.

The west Londoners are looking to bring in a centre-back, winger and striker, while funds generated through Europe and player sales may also allow Chelsea to go for a left-back, second central defender, versatile attacking player and a new goalkeeper (Simon Phillips).

Some doubts have surrounded both Filip Jorgensen and Robert Sanchez throughout 2024/2025, leading to Chelsea reportedly expressing an interest in Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, among others.

A shot-stopper is still believed to be on the agenda of Stamford Bridge officials heading into June 1, and they’ve now got a fresh target under consideration.

Chelsea "really looking" at signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia

According to journalist Simon Phillips, Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia has made his way onto Chelsea’s shortlist, following two excellent seasons at the La Liga side.

“A new name added to Chelsea’s shortlist, and one we are really looking at, is Joan Garcia from Espanyol,” wrote the reporter, via his Substack.

“The 24-year-old has been linked with Newcastle and Arsenal for a summer move, but you can add Chelsea to his list of potential suitors now as well. The rumoured fee of £25m to sign him this summer is appealing to all interested clubs.”

Interestingly, Fabrizio Romano reported last summer that Garcia agreed terms on a move to Arsenal, but his switch to the Emirates eventually collapsed, and it would appear that Chelsea could try to succeed where Mikel Arteta failed.

The 24-year-old is already making quite a name for himself in Spain, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson calling him an “exciting” keeper with a great physical profile. Garcia would also fit the mould of a good-value, young signing with a potentially high ceiling, and Chelsea are widely known for targeting that kind of player, especially since the takeover.

This one could definitely be one to watch as we fast approach what will be a busy summer for the club.

Pakistan were in trouble in their chase of 107 but Babar Azam remained unbeaten to take them home

Danyal Rasool16-Jun-20241:23

Mumtaz: ‘Phenomenal display of left-arm swing bowling’ from Shaheen

Pakistan made it more complicated than it needed to be, but Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi led them to a nervy three-wicket win to sign off their T20 World Cup campaign. Shaheen led the way with the ball with three early wickets and finished the contest off with two sixes, while Babar shepherded a chase that he watched fall apart with an unbeaten 32.Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf joined Shaheen among the wickets as Ireland were reduced to 32 for 6. At that stage, an early-afternoon finish appeared likely, but Gareth Delany and Mark Adair gritted their way through a 44-run partnership off 30 balls. Imad Wasim took care of the lower order with figures of 3 for 8 in four overs, in what is likely his last game for Pakistan, but a cameo of 22 from Josh Little took Ireland to 106.Pakistan were cruising through the chase after eight overs with Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar doing their bit to take any sting out of Ireland’s bowling attack. But a frenetic phase in the middle overs, when Curtis Campher and Barry McCarthy took four wickets for 10 runs, left Babar alone with a relatively long tail.But Abbas Afridi swung his way through a happy-go-lucky 17 to bring the target down to 12, while a calf injury for Little meant Ireland had to bowl spin at Shaheen. He finished with two heaved sixes to seal a win that gave Pakistan relief rather than satisfaction.Shaheen back in love with first oversAfter going eight successive T20Is without a first-over wicket – his longest dry spell in his T20I career – Shaheen finally snapped the streak today, his third ball a perfect illustration of why he has historically been so effective up front. The new ball swung and seamed back in to pierce Andrew Balbirnie’s defences and crash into the stumps. Two balls later, Shaheen got one to shape the other way, kissing Lorcan Tucker’s outside edge on the way to Rizwan. There was nearly a third when Pakistan reviewed one that clipped Harry Tector’s pad, and though that wasn’t given, Shaheen trapped Tector in front in his next over.Pakistan fans with a message for their team in Lauderhill•ICC/Getty ImagesIreland’s recoveryWhen Pakistan had Ireland at 32 for 6, any prospect of recovery was distant. But Ireland understood that continuing to attack was the most direct route to runs. In the tenth over, Gareth Delany hit Shadab’s first ball for six and Mark Adair pulled the last one for four. They attacked Abbas Afridi, who had not played a competitive game since his inclusion in Pakistan’s World Cup squad, for 16 runs in the 11th.It kept Ireland on track three figures, and when another slump came – from 76 for 6 to 80 for 9 – Little and Ben White batted the remaining six overs, adding an unbeaten 26 for the last wicket. An hour later, they were almost rewarded for it.Pakistan’s jittersPakistan securing a straightforward win would have been an inauthentic end to the campaign they have had, and duly, the collapse came. If Pakistan felt they were sitting pretty halfway through the chase against India, it was nothing compared to the impregnability of their position against Ireland. Pakistan needed 55 in 12 overs with eight wickets in hand, with Babar and Fakhar Zaman batting, when Zaman drilled one to mid-off. It was the catalyst for flutters through the whole of the Pakistan camp as Usman Khan was deceived by McCarthy’s extra bounce in the tenth over.The memories of the chase that fell apart last Sunday were fresh as Shadab, to whom cricket is offering no hiding place at the moment, flicked his second ball to the wicketkeeper. Imad finally connected with the cut shot he’s been trying since Ravindra Jadeja bowled against him, but straight to the man at point. An unassertive top order and a non-existent middle order won’t get you out of the first round at many World Cups, and this game was the perfect illustration of the point.

A look at the factors that make him a challenge for batsmen

Aakash Chopra11-Jan-20192:25

Inside Jasprit Bumrah’s bag of tricks

Batsmen usually set the bowling machine about five miles an hour slower than the pace they like to face. The reason is that they have to make an allowance for not being able to watch the bowler running in, loading up in his action and releasing the ball. Since you don’t get time to prepare, you feel rushed.What is it that the eyes see and the mind processes that allows you to react appropriately? A batsman must start his trigger movement around the time the bowler takes off in his jump and must finish before the ball has been released. Syncing the trigger movement with the bowler’s action is one of the toughest things to master.Let’s dig deeper. The moment you see the ball being released from the bowler’s hand, you need to make a few decisions: play or leave, go forward or move back, play an attacking shot or a defensive one. Once the mind has processed this information, it must send signals to the body to react accordingly. Mind you, all this needs to be done in about a quarter of a second. Sounds complicated? It is, indeed, if you have not trained your mind to pick up cues that aren’t visible to a novice.ALSO READ: Bumrah a wise, autonomous freakMatthew Syed, a former international table tennis player, wrote about his experience playing tennis. Though the ball was served at him by a tennis player a lot slower than he would normally serve, Syed struggled to get his racket to it. Given the space involved is a lot larger in tennis than table tennis, you would assume that an international player would have the skills to move between the two similar sports relatively seamlessly. The reason why Syed could hit the faster ping-pong ball across a small table and struggled against a slower tennis ball on a larger court was the inability of his brain to see specific cues relating to tennis.That’s what happens to batsmen when they play a bowler with an unorthodox action. He feels a yard faster than he actually is, for the brain takes a fraction longer to make sense of the information it is processing.Jasprit Bumrah’s unorthodox action gave him a head-start that is not available to other bowlers with “regular” actions. One of the basics of bowling is that when the non-bowling hand is up, the bowling hand is somewhere close to the waist, and when the non-bowling arm starts its downward journey, the bowling arm moves upwards in order to release the ball. This does not happen in a conventional manner with Bumrah, for the non-bowling arm is neither bent nor does it go up like with more textbook bowlers. At one point in his action, both arms are stretched out and parallel to the ground – a sight batsmen are not used to seeing while preparing to play a fast bowler.But then years of training also enable batsmen to get used to a new action reasonably quickly, and if that’s the only difficulty the bowler is posing, he will be neutralised soon. Once the novelty of his unorthodox action fades away, it’s vital for such a bowler to produce something special on a regular basis to stay relevant. And that’s where Bumrah is successful. As batsmen were getting used his action, he was adding more arrows to his quiver.

When batsmen play a bowler with an unorthodox action, he feels a yard faster than he actually is, for the brain takes a fraction longer to make sense of the information it is processing

He started as a bowler who would bowl from the corner of the box and predominantly bring the ball back into the right-hand batsman. Playing those exaggerated angles is relatively easy – you mostly play inside the line without worrying about the ball going away. That’s when Bumrah began to straighten his wrist while delivering. That allowed him to deliver the ball with the seam titled towards third man, getting the ball to leave the right-hander. Also, he came a fraction closer to the stumps to cut the angle down.There’s a giveaway, in hindsight, with regard to which way the ball is going. For outswingers, his bowling arm finishes across his torso, and for inswingers it finishes in the region of his right hip. Of course, that’s not something that batsmen can spot and gain advantage from.You must have heard the commentators talk about Bumrah bowling a heavy ball. What exactly does that exactly mean?Some bowlers have the ability to hit the bat harder than the rest. These are the ones who hit the deck hard and manage to extract more from the surface than others, in terms of both pace and bounce. Generally it’s the extra bounce that gives an impression of a bowler hitting the bat harder, because the impact is a few inches higher than where the sweet spot is. In addition, if you impart enough backspin on the ball at the time of release – which not all hit-the-deck-hard bowlers manage – the ball skids off the surface as it would for the “release” bowlers, the ones who rely more on swing and lateral movement. So the combination makes Bumrah fall in a rare category.ALSO READ: The making of Jasprit Bumrah’s slow yorker to Shaun MarshSince his evolution into a top-flight bowler came about while playing white-ball cricket, he has managed to hold on to the qualities essential for succeeding in the shorter formats, while adding those needed to suit the requirements of Test cricket. Most bowlers follow a specific pattern of their own – the likes of, say, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami are quite similar in the way they operate, ball after ball, and as a batsman you align yourself to that pattern. But Bumrah, like a lot of other hit-the-deck bowlers, doesn’t follow a specific pattern. It’s not often that you will see him settle into a rhythm of bowling six balls in the same area; this is something he acquired playing white-ball cricket. He keeps varying without either bowling loose balls or overdoing the variations. And he does not get carried away and bowl a yard shorter either.The variety of skills, control in execution and the understanding of when to use them has made Bumrah the best bowler in the world across three formats.

da bet7： Chelsea were one of the clubs that were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Spain international Dean Huijsen from Premier League rivals Bournemouth in the upcoming summer transfer window.

da aviator aposta： The Blues have missed out on a swoop for the central defender, though, as Real Madrid have officially signed him from the Cherries for £50m, which was the value of his release clause.

Not all is lost for the Premier League giants, however, as they are reportedly eyeing up a swoop for an alternative to the soon-to-be Real Madrid star.

Chelsea eyeing deal for Dean Huijsen alternative

According to a report from Spain, Huijsen was the main target for Chelsea in the centre-back position, but they are now lining up a swoop for Lazio titan Mario Gila.

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The outlet claims that the former Real Madrid academy graduate is emerging as the priority target for the Blues after they missed out on the Bournemouth star to the Spanish giants.

It reveals that Lazio are set to demand a fee of £25m for the 24-year-old central defender, which is said to not be an issue for Chelsea from a financial perspective.

With all of this in mind, the club must now act on their ‘priority’ target by swooping to sign the Spaniard from the Serie A outfit for a fee of £25m, because he could come in as a big upgrade on Tosin Adarabioyo this summer.

Why Chelsea should sign Mario Gila

Signed from Fulham on a free transfer last summer, the English defender has started 14 of his 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Chelsea could sign an even better centre-back by landing Gila.

The Lazio star has averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions and 4.9 duels won per game in the Serie A this season, whilst Tosin has only averaged 1.3 tackles and interceptions and 3.2 duels won per match in the Premier League this term.

These statistics suggest that Gila could come in as a defensive upgrade on the current Chelsea centre-back due to his ability to win more tackles, interceptions, and duels per game to cut out opposition attacks.

The Blues, however, are a ball-dominant team that also need centre-backs who are good enough on the ball to build attacks for Enzo Maresca, which the Lazio colossus certainly is.

Last 365 days per 90

Tosin Adarabioyo

Mario Gila

Pass accuracy

91%

91%

Progressive passes

2.66

4.70

Progressive carries

0.34

1.46

Successful take-ons

0.27

0.20

Shot-creating actions

0.96

1.16

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Gila is more progressive, as a passer and a carrier, from a central defensive position than Tosin is, with far more progressive passes and carries per 90 over the last 365 days.

Therefore, the £25m-rated defender could come in as a big upgrade on the former Fulham man because he could offer more to the team as an out-and-out defender and as a progressive option in possession.

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Posts ByBen Gray May 18, 2025

This is why the Blues should swoop to sign him as an alternative to Huijsen, as the 24-year-old star could improve Maresca’s side with his qualities on and off the ball.

Leeds United are back in action once again this evening as they prepare to travel to Oxford United in the Championship for the first of their two Easter matches.

The Whites play after Sheffield United face Cardiff City earlier in the day and this means that they could go eight points clear of third place with a win, if results go their way.

Daniel Farke has already shown that he is willing to make bold selection decisions ahead of big games, having already played a blinder by dropping Illan Meslier recently.

Why Illan Meslier was dropped by Leeds

The French dud was dropped by the German head coach after making two crucial mistakes in the 2-2 draw with Swansea at Elland Road at the end of last month, dropping a cross onto Harry Darling for the first goal and being beaten too easily for the second strike.

Meslier conceded 2.73 more goals than expected and made three errors that directly led to goals in the Championship before finally being taken out of the team in favour of Karl Darlow.

The English shot-stopper has prevented 0.56 xG in his three appearances since he came into the XI, without making a single error, and provided a solid presence between the sticks.

His ability to claim crosses and take danger out of situations has been appreciated by the fan base, as shown by the post from reporter Beren Cross above.

Farke could, now, repeat the trick he played by dropping Meslier by dropping another regular starter in Joel Piroe, whose performances have dipped of late.

Why Joel Piroe should be dropped

The Dutch centre-forward started the 2-1 win over Preston North End and came off the pitch without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts for the eighth game running.

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Piroe started all eight of those matches, returning zero goals and zero assists, and has only scored one goal in his last ten starts in the Championship for Leeds.

The left-footed forward was described as “anonymous” by reporter James Marshment in February, and that is one of the issues with his performances for the Whites because the striker does not offer enough in his general play without goals to go with it.

Appearances

42

xG

15.06

Goals

15

Key passes per game

0.8

Pass accuracy

77%

Ground duel success rate

33%

Aerial duel success rate

18%

Dribble success rate

31%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe is regularly dominated by Championship defenders in duels on the ground and in the air, whilst he does not excel as a passer, creator, or dribbler in possession.

This means that the former Swansea City attacker has been a lightweight in the Whites starting XI in the past eight matches as a starter, because of his poor all-round displays as well as his lack of impact in the final third.

Therefore, Farke could repeat his Meslier trick by ruthlessly ditching Piroe from the team to unleash Patrick Bamford, who recently came off the bench to win six of his nine duels against Middlesbrough.

The English number nine could provide more physicality at the top end of the pitch, as the Dutchman has been too easy for defenders to play against, as Leeds look to get their Premier League promotion over the line in the coming days.

Farke already his next Rutter in Leeds "weapon" who's shining out on loan

Daniel Farke may have his next Georginio Rutter in this Leeds star who is out on loan.

ByDan Emery Apr 16, 2025

Manchester United could only secure a 2-2 draw with French side Lyon in the Europa League last night, with Ruben Amorim’s side unfortunate not to come away the victors.

Goals from Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee could’ve secured all three points for the Red Devils but were denied the win by a late strike from the hosts in stoppage time.

Thiago Almada and Rayan Cherki were on the scoresheet for the Ligue 1 outfit, with goalkeeper Andre Onana at fault for both of the host’s efforts at the Groupama Stadium.

Whilst a win could’ve been on the cards after edging ahead with just a couple of minutes to go, Amorim’s men have the chance to secure qualification at Old Trafford next Thursday.

Despite their failure to return to home soil with an advantage, numerous players managed to impress, certainly securing their place in the side for the second leg next week.

Man Utd’s star performers against Lyon

Wing-back Patrick Dorgu once again demonstrated that he’s been a superb winter addition to the United first-team, impressing once more in the draw last night.

The 20-year-old completed 100% of the crosses he’s attempted, whilst also achieving an 88% pass completion rate along with a 100% success rate in tackles and aerial duels won – having a huge impact at both ends.

Midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been the shining light in what has been a dismal season for the club, often being the go-to man in terms of goal contributions within the final third.

Last night was no different for the Portuguese international, registering the assist for Zirkzee’s effort, stretching his lead as the Europa League’s highest contributor in terms of goals and assists.

However, despite the showing of the 30-year-old, one other player managed to impress within Amorim’s side – arguably becoming as important as the talent in recent months.

The player who’s becoming as important as Bruno for United

As previously mentioned, Fernandes has thrived this year despite United’s lowly league standing – notching 31 combined goals and assists across all competitions.

It’s unthinkable to imagine where the Red Devils would be without him in 2024/25, undoubtedly the key reason as to why they still have an opportunity to end the season as Europa League winners.

However, if they are to achieve such a feat, he won’t be able to do it alone, with other first team members needing to step up to the occasion and push the side in the right direction.

Centre-back Yoro has done just that over the last couple of months, cementing his place within the backline upon his return to action after a long injury lay-off.

His showing against Lyon last night was yet another one to be proud of, catching the eye at both ends of the pitch despite his defensive position.

The 19-year-old managed to net his first goal for the club during the draw, putting the side level after Onana’s mistake from Almada’s free-kick in the first half.

However, he also starred with his ball-playing, notching a total of 64 touches, and completing 50 passes at a completion rate of 93% – highlighting his composure on the ball.

Minutes played

90

Touches

64

Passes completed

50/54 (93%)

Goals scored

1

Tackles won

1/1 (100%)

Ground duels won

2/4 (50%)

Interceptions made

1

He also managed to impress at the back, winning 100% of the tackles he entered, whilst also managing to win two ground duels – thriving despite the side conceding twice.

As a result of his showing, Yoro was handed an 8/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – showcasing how impressive he was in France last night.

After such a display, it’s safe to say the Frenchman has managed to cement his place as a regular starter at the heart of the backline, with the defence needing to be built around him this summer.

Whilst Bruno has been the star in attacking areas of late, there’s no denying that Yoro has proven he’s capable of being a key player in the United rebuild, having the potential to improve further given his tender age.

Man Utd chase £50m Rashford & Elanga hybrid who's 'one of the best in PL'

Man Utd are seeking potential alternatives to Matheus Cunha this summer

ByRobbie Walls Apr 10, 2025

How Knight Riders trumped Kings XI by being unpredictable, and, really, what was all the hand-waving from Dinesh Karthik all about?

Dustin Silgardo03-May-2019They say that if you can really up the ante in the last few overs of the first innings of a T20 match, it can really deflate the opposition, and stick the momentum firmly on your side.Sam Curran’s 24-ball 55 not out, including 22 runs in the last over, bowled by Harry Gurney, certainly made Kings XI the happier side at the break, and Knight Riders needed a start frenetic enough to snatch that momentum back, and away. Enter Chris Lynn, and in 22 Powerplay deliveries, he had put the pressure right back on Kings XI.He started quietly enough, but then got stuck into young Arshdeep Singh, taking three fours in the fourth over of the chase, and then hit R Ashwin for a four and a six in the fifth, and Andrew Tye for a six and four in the sixth before falling off the last ball of the Powerplay.The 46 he scored was also his best Powerplay performance this season – comfortably topping the 38 he had scored in 26 balls against Chennai Super Kings in Kolkata – both in terms of runs scored and strike rate.Gill at ‘home’ at the top of the inningsWe go back to Andre Russell saying the other day, that Knight Riders “have a good team”, but were “making bad decisions”. That’s when the team was in the middle of a win-drought. A change in the script, winning a match they had to win to stay in the running for a playoff spot does make it seem like some good decisions were taken, and we think one of them was in not being predictable.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Sticking with Sandeep Warrier instead of Prasidh Krishna, who had done well in patches but had been really expensive in his last few games Shubman Gill opening the innings on a ground he is very familiar with turned out to be a masterstroke. Not that Gill hadn’t opened before in IPL 2019 – he had thrice before, and now has three fifties in four innings at the top – but the temptation must have been to go with Sunil Narine after Kings XI put up 183 for 6. Knight Riders went with Gill, and were rewarded with a 49-ball unbeaten 65, the 19-year-old batting through the innings to take the team home. Russell was again given a lot of balls to face, having been sent in at No. 4 midway through the 11th over. It showed intent on the part of Knight Riders, an example of the team learning from its earlier mistakes, and the 24 he struck in 14 balls went some distance in helping them win with two overs to spare and boost their net run rate.Curran picks his targets, and spotsCurran’s 55 not out off 24 balls was his first really significant innings in the IPL, and his performance suggested that he had learnt from his previous six outings with the bat.He had been out twice to the variations of legspinner Sandeep Lamichanne, in Kings XI’s two games against Delhi Capitals, so he wisely played Knight Riders’ leggie, Piyush Chawla, cautiously. He had also struggled against Royal Challengers Bangalore offspinner Moeen Ali, trying to hit the ball square of the pitch before missing a reverse sweep and being trapped lbw.ESPNcricinfo LtdAgainst Knight Riders’ Sunil Narine, Curran looked to hit straight, getting both his boundaries in the long-on region. He went straight against the seamers too but mixed it up with some shots to fine leg.His reading of the slower balls was impressive. Against Mumbai Indians, he had fallen to a Jasprit Bumrah slower ball, but here, he anticipated a short slower one from Russell, walked across his stumps and slapped the ball to fine leg, and then, in the final over, waited on a Harry Gurney slower one and hit it down the ground for six.Pooran – a better No. 4 than Miller?David Miller is not the best batsman against spin. He doesn’t get out to spinners too often, but since 2017, his strike rate against spinners – in all T20s – has been 116.83. Nicholas Pooran, in contrast, has scored at 139.33 against spinners in the same period. The sample size in Pooran’s case is smaller than Miller’s though.As a result, Pooran, especially against a team like Kolkata Knight Riders, was Kings XI’s choice for No. 4 ahead of Miller, as he showed with a 27-ball 48 before toe-ending Nitish Rana to the midwicket fence. Miller was left on the bench for the game.ESPNcricinfo LtdBefore this game, in his IPL 2019 appearances, Pooran had batted at No. 4 only once, in the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and had scored a 10-ball 21. This time, he was even better. He hit Piyush Chawla for a six and a four in the eighth over, and another six in the tenth over, but was quiet against Sunil Narine – remember that maiden Super Over Narine bowled to Pooran in the 2014 Caribbean Premier League?Miller has had an underwhelming tournament, with 213 runs in 10 outings, with an average of 26.62 and strike rate of 129.87. Pooran might have done enough in his latest innings to keep that No. 4 spot for himself in whatever matches Kings XI Punjab have left in the tournament.Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell have a chat•BCCIWhen you’re not happy and you know it, wave your hand
It was interesting to see Dinesh Karthik looking a lot more animated than he usually is soon after the Powerplay. A meltdown, we called it on our ball-by-ball coverage, and it certainly looked like it, Karthik waving his gloved hands about and – from the looks of it – letting it rip. He even gave his team an animated talk during the strategic time out.What it was about, we didn’t know at the time. Was it about the murmurings of discontent in the ranks that we have been talking about?Karthik answered it after the game, saying, “I wasn’t too happy with the way the fielders and bowlers were doing, the body language. The kind of things I didn’t expect from them. So I thought I’d let the boys know what I felt about it.”

At one stage this Premier League season, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea looked like genuine title challengers hot on the heels of Liverpool.

Now, however, the Blues look shaky gripping onto fourth spot in the unforgiving league, with an unwelcome eighth defeat of the season greeting them come full-time away at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Cole Palmer’s complete absence from the squad did make Chelsea’s task of picking up a win on the road a lot harder, but there were still far too many underperformers that let the team down on the day, regardless of the England international sitting the contest out.

Chelsea's biggest underperformers vs Arsenal

Starting in goal, current number one Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had a particularly shaky time of things on Sunday afternoon.

Before Mikel Merino gifted the hosts a 1-0 lead, Sanchez’s rash play out from the back nearly resulted in Gabriel Martinelli firing home, with the 27-year-old inexplicably kicking it straight to the Brazilian forward.

He arguably could have done better too when Arsenal’s man of the moment looped this header over Sanchez, but there were other underperformers who also struggled at the Emirates away from the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion ‘keeper in isolation.

Indeed, both Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku offered very little down the flanks as the pair failed to muster up a single on-target effort, further reinforcing Palmer’s absence.

But, there was another attacker away from the out-of-sorts duo that struggled to leave his mark on the contest, having tallied up fewer touches than Sanchez across the course of his forgettable 90 minutes.

Maresca must forget 35-touch Chelsea dud after Arsenal

Not many players from a Chelsea perspective trudged off the Emirates turf happy with their individual efforts, with Maresca branding the overall showing as “frustrating” at the close of the game.

That would be an apt word to describe Pedro Neto’s away day too, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker showing bursts of quality here and there, only to then fall flat for the visitors at the final moment. Handed a 5/10 player rating by the Sun, they suggested he was ‘always up against it as a false 9’ but was far too easily ‘outmuscled by Arsenal’s defenders’.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

35

Accurate passes

15/17 (88%)

Shots on goal

3

On-target shots

0

Possession lost

12x

Successful dribbles

0/2

Accurate crosses

1/6

Total duels won

1/7

The table above makes for some pretty grim reading from Neto’s point of view, with his accumulation of 35 touches coming in at six fewer than Sanchez’s at 41, with no successful dribbles and no shots on target not exactly causing the Gunners’ defence much bother when he ventured forward.

Moreover, just one accurate cross being tallied up all game shows how poor the former Wolves’ man end product was in North London, on top of just one duel being won showing off his lack of fight whenever he became a passenger to the play unfolding.

Whilst he does boast five goals and six assists in all competitions this season away from this no-show at Arsenal, Maresca could now axe Neto as his lone striker option for contests to follow even as Nicolas Jackson remains sidelined.

The ex-Leicester City boss might well fancy throwing Nkunku into this role instead having got seven goals out of the Frenchman up top this campaign, or Cole Palmer would surely be a worthy option as a false 9 once he’s fit again.

Despite some positives falling into Maresca’s lap this campaign, his side still find themselves short of being an elite team in the top flight, with more defeats piling up down the line potentially damaging their ongoing top-four chances.

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Tanzim, Shoriful and Sarkar powered Bangladesh to their ODI win over New Zealand in their backyard

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2023

Shoriful Islam ran through New Zealand’s middle order•Getty Images

Bangladesh’s seamers skittled New Zealand for 98 in a thumping nine-wicket win in the third ODI in Napier to help the visitors avoid a series whitewash. This was New Zealand’s lowest total against Bangladesh.New Zealand head coach Gary Stead had warned about Bangladesh’s improved pace attack in away conditions, and the visitors showed their worth on Saturday as Bangladesh produced their first ODI victory against New Zealand in their own backyard.Only four New Zealand batters reached double-figures as Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Soumya Sarkar picked three wickets each.Tanzim got the party started for Bangladesh, squaring Rachin Ravindra up to have him nick behind in the fourth over. He then got the better of Henry Nicholls in the eighth with a short ball.Will Young, who finished as the top-scorer in the series, then provided some resistance along with Tom Latham, as the two added 36 runs for the third wicket. But Shoriful bowled Latham through the gate with a nip-backer to spark a slide which saw New Zealand lose four wickets in the space of five overs and 12 runs. Shoriful had Young edging one to gully before castling Mark Chapman with another good delivery. Tanzim then had Tom Blundell caught at backward point to leave New Zealand 70 for 6.Sarkar then took over, knocking Josh Clarkson and Adam Milne over and getting Adithya Ashok to nick off. Mustafizur Rahman picked up the final wicket to complete the rout.Bangladesh’s openers started watchfully until Sarkar had to retire hurt after something went into his right eye. He tried applying water and even an eye drop, but could not carry on.Anamul Haque hit Jacob Duffy for two boundaries in the next over as Bangladesh shifted gears. Clarkson and Will O’Rourke conceded three boundaries each in the 10th and 11th overs as Anamul and Najmul Hossain Shanto raced towards the paltry target. O’Rourke had Anamul edging behind for a 33-ball 37, but it was much too little and much too late as Shanto sealed the win two overs later, bringing up a 42-ball half-century in the process.