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Sunderland, despite losing their former talisman in Ross Stewart this summer to new divisional rivals Southampton, are dreaming of a Premier League return already into the relative infancy of this season – the Black Cats occupying the final playoff spot in the Championship after 16 matches played, Tony Mowbray's youthful side exciting and enthralling Stadium of Light supporters with memorable victories already.

Big wins against the likes of the aforementioned Saints and Birmingham City were secured without an out-and-out striker even getting on the score sheet – the midfielders all getting in on the action in the 5-0 win over Russell Martin's Southampton, including young Black Cats sensation Chris Rigg who rounded off the emphatic win with the fifth goal on the day.

Despite the rest of the team getting in on the goalscoring action, Sunderland could look to this upcoming January transfer window as a way to boost their forward line and add reinforcements up top.

Arguably, Mowbray has never replaced the out-going prolific nature of Stewart – the Scotsman scoring 40 goals in 80 appearances for Sunderland, before moving on this summer.

Here are three strikers Mowbray could look to bring into the club to finally fill the gap left behind by Stewart…

1 Luciano Rodriguez

Rumours keep pointing in the direction of Luciano Rodriguez joining the Stadium of Light this January, the young Argentinian forward already being billed as a like-for-like Stewart replacement.

The Uruguayan youngster is impressing in his native country with Liverpool Montevideo currently, scoring seven times from 28 games in all competitions.

Deployed as a right winger and a centre forward for his club, Rodriguez's potential addition to the squad in this transfer window could also give Mowbray another option down the wings if Jack Clarke was tempted by moving on to a Premier League suitor, as has been reported since the summer market.

Rodriguez also fits the mould of what Sunderland like to attract with arrivals into the building – boasting an average age of 23.3 on the pitch this season, the division's youngest – so it wouldn't be a surprise to see this move come to fruition in the months to come.

2 Colby Bishop

Sunderland could, however, go down the route of bringing in an established and experienced EFL sharpshooter on the contrary, Colby Bishop more than capable of making the step up to the Championship based on his goalscoring exploits in League One so far this season.

Playing in the lower reaches of the English football pyramid with Accrington Stanley before making the major move to Portsmouth this summer, Bishop has taken to the pressure of being the leading man for a League One promotion hopeful in his stride.

The 27-year-old attacker has amassed ten goals and two assists from 16 League One games to date, scoring in his last two matches for John Mousinho's pace-setters as Pompey aim for promotion to the second tier.

Bishop could fast-track his way into the Championship if Sunderland gamble on his services, the ex-Accrington man worthy of making a name for himself in the division above.

3 Lawrence Shankland

Sunderland could also explore another Scottish option in attack in an attempt to replicate the success of the Stewart deal, the Black Cats signing their former number 14 from Ross County.

Mowbray could look to Heart of Midlothian for a potential new recruit this time in Lawrence Shankland, Hearts' 28-year-old attacker a revelation in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership side so far this season.

The 28-year-old wouldn't fit Sunderland's preference on bringing in young gems to the Stadium of Light, but Shankland's unerring accuracy in front of goal could see the Black Cats bring him in regardless – scoring ten goals from 19 Hearts appearances this campaign, wearing the captain's armband proudly for his side.

The Championship side would face stiff competition from the likes of Rangers, who are rumoured to be interested in the 6 foot 1 striker, but Sunderland should attempt to ambitiously hijack a move to Ibrox to tempt Shankland to play English football instead.

Tottenham Hotspur are on the lookout for new players in January and Ange Postecoglou is believed to be targeting a new player who could help to add depth to a key area in N17.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer updates…

Spurs have made some really encouraging inroads towards being a side that can compete at the top end of the Premier League table under Postecoglou's tutelage; however, the Australian will be keen to ensure his side add sufficient quality in January to maintain their push for a top-four finish.

Midfield looks to be an area of concern for Tottenham and recent reports suggest that Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton is on the radar in north London amid a spate of impressive performances from the youngster in the Championship.

Nevertheless, there will be plenty of competition for his signature, with Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton all making regular checks on his progress. Following the sale of Ashley Phillips from Blackburn Rovers to the Lilywhites in the summer, both clubs are said to be on good terms, which could give Tottenham an advantage in negotiations.

On the flip side, Rodrigo Bentancur's long-term injury looks to have had an adverse impact regarding the futures of both Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp, who will be kept around in January amid Spurs' lack of options to complement their engine room, as per Football Insider.

Micky van de Ven, James Maddison, Richarlison, Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Pape Sarr and Uruguay international Bentancur are all on the sidelines due to various injury concerns, leaving Postecoglou short of options in multiple key areas amid a congested fixture schedule.

Now, one position where Spurs are keen to strengthen has become clearer as the January transfer window approaches, according to a report.

Tottenham Hotspur eye Koki Machida

According to reports from Belgium via Sport Witness, Tottenham are eyeing a swoop for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise defender Koki Machida and discussions have been held over the Japan international.

Koki Machida statistics in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

18

Goals

0

Assists

0

No official bid has been made by Spurs; however, it is believed that Royale Union Saint-Gilloise would be open to letting the 26-year-old go for a fee of €15 million (£12.8m). Nevertheless, the ideal scenario for the Jupiler Pro League side would be to sell Machida and then re-sign him on a loan basis until the end of the season.

Being a lucrative option on the market due to the rarity of available left-footed central defenders around Europe, Machida has excelled in the Belgian top flight this term, recording 2.1 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per match (Machida statistics – WhoScored).

Unusually, Machida also provides a relatively strong offensive threat and can create chances with regularity from deep, evidenced in the fact he has successfully carried out 21 shot-creating actions this season in the Jupiler Pro League (Machida statistics – FBRef).

Looking ahead, Tottenham could do a lot worse than to target the Japanese defender in January as a potential solution to their injury crisis.

Tottenham eyeing swoop for "revelation" who has been likened to Toni Kroos

Tottenham Hotspur are keen to add squad depth in the January window…

BySean Markus Clifford Dec 3, 2023

Leading light of English cricket administration heads for Lahore with a remit to revamp Pakistan’s domestic and international ambitions

Umar Farooq and George Dobell06-Dec-2018Wasim Khan, Leicestershire’s chief executive, has been unveiled as the new managing director of the Pakistan Cricket Board.Wasim, who has been one of the leading lights of the ECB’s drive to engage British Asians in English cricket, forged his career as CEO of the schools’ cricket charity, Chance to Shine, before taking over at Grace Road in 2014.He has been appointed to the PCB on a three-year contract, starting on February 1, following a comprehensive two-phase selection process featuring over 350 candidates.Wasim was sounded out for the role by Ehsan Mani, the former ICC chairman who was himself appointed as PCB chairman earlier this year by the country’s new Prime Minister, the former Pakistan allrounder Imran Khan.Leicestershire pay tribute to CEO

Wasim Khan’s four-year tenure at Grace Road has been hailed by the club chairman, Paul Haywood, after his new role with the PCB was confirmed.
Since his appointment in October 2014, Wasim has overseen three successive years of net profits at the club, while in 2016, Leicestershire became one of only three first-class counties to merge with their recreational Cricket Boards.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and the whole of Leicestershire County Cricket Club, I would like to thank Wasim for everything that he has done during his time with us,” said Haywood.
“We recorded three successive years of profits, installed floodlights at the Fischer County Ground, and also hosted major events such as the Elton John concert. We would like to wish Wasim all of the best for the future in his new and challenging role.”

“I am delighted to be offered the position of Managing Director of PCB – a role which I have accepted as a challenge,” said Wasim. “I have my roots in Pakistan, a country which is full of talent. I will be relocating to Pakistan with my family who are as excited as I am.”Mani added: “We welcome Wasim who will be joining the PCB soon. He was selected unanimously following a robust interview process with some seriously good candidates. I must thank each and every applicant who participated in this process.”Wasim brings with him fresh ideas and knowledge of cricket, and he will receive the support of the Board and the management of PCB.”We have started the process of revamping the PCB and under Wasim, we now have an experienced leader of the management team who will oversee the implementation of the Board decisions. His first task would be to oversee the reforms of domestic cricket structure”.Wasim’s departure is a blow to the ECB and, perhaps, sport in general in England and Wales. He is believed to be the only chief executive of BAME (black, Asian or minority ethnic) heritage at a professional sports club in the country and has long argued for greater ethnic inclusivity throughout the sport. At a time when English cricket is trying to reach out to Asian communities in particular, his departure leaves the game poorly represented.For the PCB, on the other hand, the recruitment is something of a coup – especially as Wasim is understood to have been asked to apply for the ECB’s own vacancy, the England team MD role that Andrew Strauss recently relinquished for personal reasons.The esteem in which Wasim is held in England circles was made clear in April, when he was appointed as chair of the ECB working party that was tasked with restructuring the domestic game for 2019. He remains a strong candidate to return to English cricket one day as the ECB’s chief executive.Constitutionally, Mani will retain significant executive powers within the PCB’s new hierarchy, but Wasim is expected to take a lead role in the board’s corporate governance framework, working with all the PCB’s board-of-governors committees.He will have a major say in the execution of approved strategies – in particular the reinvigoration of Pakistan’s domestic cricket, with a proposed move to eight regional sides – and is also expected to oversee the development of the PCB senior management executives to improve the board’s functionality and professionalism. At present it is thought that the board employs somewhere in the region of 900 people, at an annual budget of over Rs. 5billion.The ultimate feather in Wasim’s cap, however, would be to oversee the return of regular international cricket to Pakistan. In recent seasons, the successful staging of the PSL final (and latterly the semi-finals) has begun the process of bringing top-level sport back to the country, while Zimbabwe, West Indies and a World XI have all visited without incident since 2015.However, Pakistan has not hosted a Test tour since the attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in March 2009, and England have not visited since December 2005. Wasim will hope that his excellent relationship with ECB officials will help change perceptions about the country. In addition, as a long-time supporter of the PCA (the Professional Cricketer’s’ Association; the players’ union in England and Wales) he may also look to introduce a players’ union for Pakistan cricketers that would oversee the fight against corruption and doping.The role is sure to bring a vastly different set of challenges for Wasim, not least at a cultural level. He himself is British-born, having grown up in Birmingham, but he intends to relocate with his family to Lahore, the city in which his wife’s parents have roots.In his playing days, Wasim was a member of the Warwickshire squad that won the double in 1995. In addition to his administrative roles within cricket, he has also sat on the Equality & Human Rights Commission Sports Group, The Prince’s Trust Cricket Group, the board of Sport England and was recently named in the Parliamentary Review Muslim 100 Power List.At present, the day-to-day workings of the PCB are centred on the Chief Operating Officer, Subhan Ahmad, who is among the board’s longest-serving employees, having started his career as a data analyst 20 years ago. He has worked alongside four previous chairman – Ejaz Butt, Zaka Ashraf, Shahrayar Khan and Najam Sethi – prior to Mani’s appointment.In a further indication of the board’s renewed ambition, Sami-ul-Hasan, the ICC’s highly rated head of communications, has agreed to take on the same role at the PCB.

Romario has come out of retirement at the grand old age of 58 to play for Brazilian side America Football Club in Rio de Janeiro.

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Romario confirms return to footballWill play alongside his son at America FCHis last game was back in 2009WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil legend has confirmed he is set to return to professional football over 15 years after he hung up his boots all the way back in 2009. Romario enjoyed a successful playing career, winning the World Cup in 1994 and starring for Dutch side PSV and La Liga giants Barcelona among other clubs.

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Romario has now registered himself as a player for America Football Club, where he serves as president and also where his son, Romarinho, plays his football. He's made it clear that playing with his son and for his "favourite" team is his main motivation and it's not expected he will feature in any league games. The Brazilian legend will earn a "minimum wage" at the club but will return it to America as a donation, according to Marca.

WHAT ROMARIO SAID

He posted on Instagram: "I'm not going to compete in the championship, but rather play a few games for the team of my heart and make another dream come true, playing alongside my son. What do you think?"

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WHAT NEXT FOR ROMARIO

America Football Club currently play in the second division of Brazil's Campeonato Carioca and are preparing for the start of a new sason which kicks off on May 18. It remains to be seen when Romario will make his debut for his latest club.

His 115 off only 109 deliveries was key to overhauling a target of 255 with four wickets and 32 balls to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2019Paras Khadka struck both his and Nepal’s maiden ODI century as he led the team to a memorable four-wicket victory over UAE in Dubai. His 115 off only 109 deliveries was key to overhauling a target of 255 with four wickets and 32 balls to spare.Nepal were actually struggling in the chase at one point. From 81 for 1 in the 15th over, they slipped to 129 for 4 in the 26th as spinners Imran Haider and Ashfaq Ahmed took control in the middle overs. The series was tied at 1-1. The game was starting to drift away. A big innings was needed and as is often the case, the captain stood up.Khadka batted through to the 39th over, acting as both the sticky-tape that held his team together, and also a source of rapid runs. He struck 15 fours and a six, ensuring that Nepal were never too far behind the asking rate. He finally fell with only 40 runs needed, which proved an easy ask for Sompal Kami and Aarif Sheikh as they raced to the target.The fireworks at the end were in stark contrast to the start of the game, when UAE’s openers were dismissed for ducks even though they faced a combined 28 deliveries. Kami removed Ashfaq and KC Karan took out Chirag Suri as the score stuttered to 2 for 2 in the sixth over. It took some insane hitting by the middle order to get to a decent total, with Shaiman Anwar coming in at No. 6 and hammering 87 off 70 balls and Mohammad Boota scoring his maiden ODI fifty and a blistering one at that – 59 off only 31 balls. UAE were 47 for 5 in the 21st over but somehow they managed to get to 254 and would have had high hopes of defending it. But Khadka just wouldn’t give in.

In a football landscape that is ever-changing, the sport is moving further away from its traditional roots. But while the construction of futuristic stadiums continues, there are still footballing colosseums of the past up and down England that have survived the torrents of time to remind matchday goers of where it all started.

Liverpool's historic home, Anfield, is one such example, and Football FanCast covers everything you need to know about the 139-year-old stadium. From its glorious history to its modern redevelopments and information on getting there, no stone is left unturned.

Anfield history

Having been built in 1884, Anfield was originally the home of Everton. In 1892, negotiations to purchase the land at Anfield from John Orrell escalated into a dispute between John Houlding and the Everton F.C. committee over how the club was run.

Events culminated in Everton's move across Stanley Park to their current home of Goodison Park. Houlding was left with an empty stadium, and decided to form a new club to occupy it. The new team was called Liverpool F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd, and the club's first match at Anfield was a friendly played in front of 200 people on 1st September 1892 against Rotherham Town. Liverpool won 7–1.

Anfield underwent several developments in the late 19th and early 20th century, which included the construction of a new main stand designed by Archibald Leitch in 1895, and a decade later, the construction of the famous Spion Kop. The ground remained more or less the same for the next two decades until the Kop was expanded in 1928. Once completed, it could hold about 30,000 fans, becoming the biggest of its kind, while a roof was revolutionary in its heyday.

In 1982, the famous Shankly Gates were erected, while a start was made to convert the stadium into an all-seater after the Hillsborough disaster. The next significant changes to the stadium were made in the 1990s, first with the rebuilding of the two-tiered Centenary Stand, then with the conversion of the Kop into an all-seater stand. Finally, 1998 saw the construction of a second tier on the Anfield Road Stand.

In the late 2000s, Liverpool contemplated moving away from Anfield to a larger and more modern stadium, and even obtained planning permission for a new 60,000-seater at nearby Stanley Park. However, insufficient funding delayed the plans, which were finally discarded in 2012 by the new owners of the club.

Instead, the ownership opted to redevelop and expand Anfield. It was a decision favoured by Liverpudlians since the illustrious four walls held the secrets to immeasurable success. Reds' fans have a special place in their heart for the stadium, and any relocation plans would have been vehemently protested.

From the murals on nearby houses, and the Shankly and Paisley gates that memorialise the club's two greatest fathers, to the famous Spion Kop and Anfield Road ends, there would be too much to leave behind for the club to relocate.

Anfield is a spiritual home for Kopites, and it inhabits a trophy cabinet holding 19 league titles, 6 European Cups, 8 FA Cups, 3 UEFA Cups, 4 UEFA Super Cups, 9 League Cups, and 1 Club World Cup.

Anfield capacity

With a current capacity of 54,074, Anfield's size fails to reflect the club's stature in world football. A much older build with limited room for expansion (because of its residential location) until recently, Liverpool's stadium is traditional. For many older fans who value sentimentality over the ultramodern, oval-shaped stadiums, Anfield keeps English football's roots unsullied.

Each stand's close proximity to the pitch is what makes the stadium unique, as the Kop's sound travels and struggles to leave the four walls. But when compared to other stadiums in the country, it only ranks as the seventh-largest, despite the club's history as one of Europe's most successful powerhouses.

But apart from Manchester United's Old Trafford, which was built in 1910, the other five stadiums above Anfield in seated capacity were built within the last 20 years, becoming modern testaments to how far football has developed across a century.

Wembley Stadium

90,000

2007

Old Trafford

74,031

1910

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

62,850

2019

London Stadium

62,500

2012

Emirates Stadium

60,704

2006

Etihad Stadium

55,097

2003

Anfield

54,074

1884

Main Stand & Anfield Road renovations

Once upon a time, walking up to Anfield alongside or through Stanley Park, matchday goers sometimes struggled to see the stadium behind the tree line. And when you did get a glimpse of the concrete cladding of the exterior of the stands, it didn’t look particularly impressive.

But this has now dramatically changed with the construction of two additional tiers above the Main Stand. These extra tiers have made this stand simply huge, having increased the capacity of it from 12,000 to 20,500, and increased the overall capacity of Anfield to over 54,000.

The next project looks to add further seating in the Anfield Road end, which is shared between home and away fans. With construction ongoing and expected to finish in 2024, the third phase of Anfield's long overdue redevelopment will see the Kop-facing stand increase in capacity by 7,000 seats, leapfrogging both the Emirates and Etihad Stadium to become the fifth-largest stadium in the country and fourth in the Premier League with an overall capacity of 61,000.

Anfield's renowned atmosphere

For as long as time, Anfield has been renowned for its atmosphere, particularly on European nights in the Champions League.

Gianluigi Buffon, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Cristiano Ronaldo are among just some of the opposition managers and players to have flagged it as one of the hardest places to win because of its hostile and belittling atmosphere.

Rival supporters suggest it's a myth. However, the proof is in the pudding. The reaction of non-English fans when 'You'll Never Walk Alone' bellows through the stadium tells the story of even some of the continent's loudest fanbases being taken aback, while their 68-game unbeaten streak at home in the Premier League between 2017 and 2021 under Jurgen Klopp proves just how difficult a trip to Merseyside is.

Although that record no longer stands, Liverpool remain a force to be reckoned with when they play beneath the historic canopy of the Spion Kop.

For those in doubt over whether Anfield exercises a great matchday atmosphere, a quick watch of any of their famous Champions League comebacks will help to remedy any lingering uncertainty. It is not to pity other stadiums in the country, as English fans have proven they are some of the most passionate around. However, Anfield sets the benchmark.

How to get to Anfield By train

Liverpool Lime Street Railway Station is Liverpool's mainline station for regional and national journeys. It is two miles from Anfield and taxis are also available at the station. The average journey time of trains travelling between London and Liverpool is 2 hours and 35 minutes.

For those making the journey from the city's area, Merseyrail operates regular services across 67 stations throughout Merseyside. Passengers can get regular services into Liverpool from Ellesmere Port, Chester, West Kirby and New Brighton on the Wirral Line, and Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby and Hunts Cross on the Northern Line. You can also take advantage of park and ride; a number of Merseyrail stations have car parks, which can be found here.

Another way to travel between the city centre and Anfield is via bus. On matchdays, there is an express service, and more details can be found here.

By car

Anfield is accessible from all major routes; the postcode is L4 0TH. However, it is warned that the stadium parking is limited, and since it is located in a built-up residential area, enforcement will be monitoring anyone parking in areas they shouldn't.

It is best to park in the city centre and use public transport to get directly to Anfield instead of trying to drive all the way.

How to get away tickets to Anfield

Just under 3,000 away fans can be housed in the Anfield Road stand at one end of the ground, although this allocation can be increased for domestic cup games.

Until the renovation is complete, views at the back of the stand can be restricted, with the upper tier overhanging the bottom, while standing supporters in front can create a field of vision more comparable to a letterbox.

Unlike a lot of clubs, Liverpool tickets are priced consistently across their Premier League campaign – as opposed to varying prices based on different category games like many sides do nowadays. Of course, some tickets are still cheaper than others, but that’s purely down to where you sit within the stadium. Premier League ticket prices are detailed below in the form of minimum and maximum prices:

£9 to £59

£9 to £44

£9 to £29.50

£9

The best way to get tickets for an away game is by keeping up to date with sales windows on your respective club's website.

Bukayo Saka has explained why Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo is the “perfect example” for him at Arsenal.

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England star shining at the EmiratesPortuguese still going strong in SaudiBoth want to play as often as possibleWHAT HAPPENED?

At 22 years of age, Saka is still in the process of unlocking full potential in his game. He has made impressive progress in that quest, passing 200 appearances for Arsenal and 50 senior goals. Saka also has 32 caps for England and rarely misses a match through injury.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT SAKA SAID

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has set Saka the challenge of becoming a player that can handle 60-70 games a season with ease, much like evergreen five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo. Saka has said in of pursuing that goal: “He [Arteta] told me the elite players all do it, so if I want to get to that level I have to be ready to play that many games and try and help my team win each of those games as well.”

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He added on Ronaldo, who is still going strong at 39 years of age on the books of Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr: “He was a perfect example of that. He just exploded and turned into a goalscoring machine and I think he inspired a lot of players to try and follow in his footsteps. But at the same time I just want to try and be myself and do what's required to play and win for Arsenal.”

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Saka does have a habit of picking up slight knocks, that can lead to him being substituted, but that is due to luring opposition defenders into tackles and he feels more battle-hardened than he was when first breaking through in north London. The tricky forward added: “I feel like I’m physically much stronger than I was four or five years ago. For each tackle. I have more experience in terms of which ones to go for and which ones to jump, to try to avoid a big tackle. So I’m much smarter as well as physically stronger than I was.”

The Columbus Crew defeated Liga MX powerhouse Monterrey in leg one of their Champions Cup tie on the heels of another Cucho Hernandez goal.

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Crew defeat Monterrey 2-1MLS side headed to Mexico for leg twoHernandez continues brilliant formWHAT HAPPENED?

Goals from Cucho Hernandez and Canada international Jacen Russell-Rowe saw the MLS side come out on top in leg one of the Champions Cup semifinal tie. The Colombian opened the scoring in the 25th minute, with the Rayados drawing level in the 58th through Argentine Maxi Meza.

Russell-Rowe called game, however, heading home in the 72nd minute.

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The Crew knocked out Liga MX powerhouse Tigres in the quarterfinals of the tournament in stunning fashion, pulling off a remarkable upset on the road in Mexico. The reigning MLS champions are in stunning form, and Hernandez is leading the way, with six goals and one assist across all competitions.

DID YOU KNOW?

Monterrey knocked out Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Mexican side won the first leg 2-1 in Miami before taking the Herons back to Guadalupe and beating them 3-1 to secure a 5-2 aggregate victory.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

The Crew are back in MLS action this weekend against CF Montreal before turning their eyes to leg two. They'll take on Monterey in Mexico next Wednesday for a chance at a berth in the Champions Cup final, where they would meet either Pachuca or Club America.

Whilst Southampton are as many as 10 points adrift of Ipswich Town in the second automatic promotion spot, they are at least eight points inside the Championship's top six with a shot at Wembley potentially awaiting them come the end of the campaign.

After a rocky start, Russell Martin could yet take the Saints up at the first time of asking in England's second tier. What could help that promotion push is the January transfer window, which may see Martin handed another chance to welcome some new reinforcements. Among those could reportedly be a player from a promotion rival too, in what would hand those at St Mary's a boost.

Southampton transfer news

The Saints may have lost both James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia in the summer, but they did well to keep hold of a number of solid players. The likes of Che Adams, Adam Armstrong and Stuart Armstrong all stayed put to leave the Saints in with every chance of an instant return to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Martin also strengthened his squad by welcoming players such as Ryan Manning and Taylor Harwood-Bellis. It is a transfer trick that he could repeat come January too, with reports suggesting that the Saints are eyeing one particular target.

"Really bad news…" – Pundit reacts to "huge blow" for Southampton

This isn’t what Saints supporters will want to hear.

ByHenry Jackson Dec 8, 2023

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon of The Sun, Southampton have entered the race to sign Charlie Cresswell on loan in January after the Leeds centre-back has struggled for game time at Elland Road. The Saints aren't the first club to be linked with a move for the defender, however, with Middlesbrough also eyeing Cresswell. According to The Athletic, Daniel Farke expects Cresswell to stay put in Yorkshire, despite failing to hand the 21-year-old a consistent place in his side so far this season.

"Aggressive" Cresswell could hand Southampton promotion boost

Given Cresswell's experience in the Championship, enjoying an impressive spell on loan at Millwall last season, Southampton could be wise to land the defender on loan in January. Though, it must be said, it seems unlikely that Leeds would let their youngster leave to a side who sit just three points behind them in the Championship. Cresswell's lack of game time shows that he could do with a move, even if short-term, with the defender starting just one league game so far this season.

When given the opportunity at Millwall, Cresswell impressed former boss Gary Rowett, who previously said:

“Knowing his dad and the character he had, you can see that in the lad as well. He’s been brought up really well with a real hunger for work-rate. He’s an aggressive boy who wants to fight, I think that’s why Millwall was something they were very, very keen on even though they had some very good other options. A loan player wants to know they’ll get a fair chance and what you’re offering is actually what it says on the tin – not just to try and get the player into our club. He’s not going to be our player at the end of it, he’s going to be Leeds’ player, so we’ve got to do the best job we can along the way.”

Andre Russell and Shakib Al Hasan kept Dhaka Dynamites in the game before losing steam at the close

The Report by Shamya Dasgupta30-Jan-2019Cameron Delport contributed with bat and ball, and on the field, to lead Chittagong Vikings to an important 11-run win over Dhaka Dynamites in Chattogram. He was ably aided by captain Mushfiqur Rahim with the bat and pacer Abu Jayed, who made inroads with the new ball and calmed any nerves with an excellent final over, conceding just six with 17 to defend.Batting first after winning the toss, Vikings started well with Mohammad Shahzad and Delport till Sunil Narine came in and had Shahzad stumped off his second ball. The scoring rate dipped after that, Vikings reaching the halfway stage with just 68 on the board. But they did have wickets in hand – nine of them – and Delport had hit his stride.An excellent third-wicket partnership between Delport and Mushfiqur turned the tide away from Dynamites. The two of them added 79 in just seven-and-a-half overs before Andre Russell turned the game around in the final over of the innings.Not any of his first three deliveries of the final over were particularly threatening, but each of them got him a wicket for a hat-trick. Mushfiqur first miscued a full toss down Shuvagata Hom’s throat at long-on, and Delport, next ball, sent Russell to the same fielder after not failing to get hold of one in the slot. It became three in three as Dasun Shanaka attempted a scoop but only sent it as far as Mizanur Rahman at short fine-leg.At various points of their chase, Dynamites looked likely to pull it off.When Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan were together for the fourth wicket, for example, and had added 50 runs before Delport sent Nurul back lbw. To make matters worse for Dynamites, Kieron Pollard ran himself out next ball, leaving Dhaka 73 for 5.But Russell joined Shakib for a quick 66-run stand after that, with Russell hitting 39 in just 23 balls. He was caught by Delport off Shanaka, but Shakib carried on, and brought the equation down to 21 from ten balls before holing out off a Shanaka slower delivery after scoring 53 in 42 balls.That left the remaining Dhaka batsmen with too much to do, and they fell short in the end.Andre Russell put in a strong all-round performance•Raton Gomes/BCBTurning points
Mushfiqur was the man Delport needed at the other end when the game was nicely balanced – Vikings 107 for 2 after 14 overs. Mushfiqur took off with a six over fine leg to a Rubel Hossain bouncer, and the scoring picked up in a big way after that, despite a quiet over from Narine and Russell’s hat-trick towards the end. With Nurul striking the ball well and Shakib settling down nicely, Dynamites were on track for the big chase, but Delport was in the thick of the action again, trapping Nurul plumb in front to break the flow. Next ball, Pollard was run-out. Shakib had been dropped earlier in his innings, but had got his teeth into the chase, speeding up after losing Russell and keeping Dynamites on target despite a steep asking rate. He had to be stopped if the Vikings wanted to have a shot, and Shanaka did the trick with a slower offcutter, which Shakib could only send high as opposed to long, and Nayeem Hasan held on gleefully.
Star of the day
He scored at a strike rate of 124.56, but Delport’s innings was outstanding in the context of the game, as he batted from the start till the second ball of the final over, scoring 71 off 57 balls and never quite letting the Dynamites bowlers gain the upper hand. He was clinical with his slower variations too, getting rid of the dangerous-looking Nurul and conceding just 31 runs in his four overs, the second-most economical among the Vikings bowlers.The big miss
Pollard, first ball, tapped Delport to cover and went for the run. Shakib, from the other end, hollered “no, no, no”, but Pollard paid no heed, completed his half of the run, and continued his jog to the dugout. At that stage, Pollard might have been able to make a difference.Where they stand
Vikings stayed at third place on the table, now level on points with Comilla Victorians, though after playing one extra match and with an inferior net run rate. The loss wasn’t ideal for Dynamites, who are in fourth place, with ten points from ten games.