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Newcastle United could look to make a £17 million move for an international forward alongside centre-back target Marc Guehi.

The Magpies get their Premier League season underway on Saturday as they welcome Southampton to St. James’ Park. The aim of Eddie Howe and co will be to compete for a place back in Europe’s top league.

The preparation for the new campaign has been rather quiet as the club has had to abide by financial fair play rules, which has meant Newcastle have had to be careful with what money they spend. But despite resources being rather tight, the club appears to be ready to pay big for Guehi.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 26, 2024 Newcastle United are confident in agreeing Marc Guehi deal

Newcastle seem keen on adding to their defensive options this summer, as the club are still without Jamal Lascelles and Sven Botman. Therefore, it has come to light that Crystal Palace’s Guehi is a top target of theirs.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies are now increasingly confident that they can get a deal completed for the central defender. Romano adds that a new proposal has been sent to the London side, and negotiations are continuing between the two clubs, but importantly, he suggests Newcastle believe their latest bid will get the job done.

This is a big factor, as the Premier League side has already seen three bids rejected for the defender, who shone in Euro 2024 for England. The club’s third offer is said to be a figure of £55 million, which could rise to £60 million depending on add-ons.

However, Palace chairman Steve Parish has come out recently and stated that no club has met the player’s valuation. Parish told Sky Sports News: “Nobody has got to the valuation yet. If you want a superstar player, you need to pay superstar money.

Apps

6

Tackles per 90

0.5

Interceptions per 90

0.3

Fouls per 90

0.8

Clearances per 90

2

Blocks per 90

1

Average passes per 90

74.5

Pass success rate

93.5%

Stats as per Whoscored

"It's not near the point where we have to make a decision. We love having him and would love to keep him. If someone else wants to have him, they need to make it really difficult for us. He's a generational talent."

Newcastle will hope they can wrap that deal up as soon as possible, but as well as signing Guehi, it appears their business might not stop there, as the Magpies could then turn to a forward.

Newcastle United could make a bid for Federico Chiesa

According to TuttoJuve.com, Newcastle United could make a move to sign Federico Chiesa from Juventus. The report states that the Magpies could have money available for the remainder of this window should Miguel Almiron leave the club.

It goes on to add that the Premier League side could offer €20 million (£17 million) to sign Chiesa and pay him a yearly salary of €7 million (£6 million).

The winger has been with the Italian side since October 2020 but joined the club on a permanent basis in July 2022, when he signed from fellow Serie A side Fiorentina. The 26-year-old has been a big hit for Juventus, scoring eight times and recording eight assists in 30 league games in his first campaign.

The Italy international's last season was just as productive, as he scored nine times in 33 Serie A games, but the winger has also had injury problems during his time in Turin, and it now appears as though he could be on his way out of the club.

Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada has set a target for new head coach Ruben Amorim after a disappointing end to the Erik ten Hag era.

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Amorim era is underway at Man UtdDrew 1-1 in his first match against IpswichClub CEO sets out targetsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United have ushered in a new chapter with the appointment of Amorim as head coach, following the departure of Ten Hag. His tenure began with a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town and will continue with his first home game at Old Trafford against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday.

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The Portuguese coach has inherited a squad struggling in the lower half of the Premier League table after a disappointing start to the season. Despite the uphill battle, United CEO Berrada has made it clear that the club’s ambitions remain firmly set on competing for the biggest trophies in both domestic and European competitions.

WHAT BERRADA SAID

Speaking during the release of the club’s latest financial results, Berrada outlined the high expectations for Amorim's tenure.

"The season is now well underway for both our men's and women's team, and we are keen to ensure both are as competitive as possible," Berrada said. "We are delighted to have appointed Ruben Amorim as head coach of our men's team and remain committed to returning Manchester United to the top of domestic and European football."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Amorim’s task will not be without constraints, with United set to operate on a lower budget as they look to become sustainable. Thus, there won't be a huge transfer kitty for the Portuguese to work with immediately.

The decision is taken due to the increasing number of Covid cases in Ahmedabad

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2021The remaining three T20Is between India and England in Ahmedabad will be played behind closed doors “due to increasing number of Corona cases”. The BCCI and the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) made the decision on Monday after the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation ordered the closure of shops, malls, restaurants and salons after 10pm in eight wards of the city to control the spread of Covid-19. According to the corporation, the city had 530 active cases as of 11am on Monday.The GCA will refund the spectators who had purchased tickets for the games. Along with the T20Is, the three ODIs scheduled for March 23, 26 and 28 in Pune will also be played behind closed doors as per the instructions of the Maharashtra government.”Due to rise in number of Corona cases, we at GCA have decided in consultation with BCCI, the matches will be played (behind) closed doors and not allow the spectators in the ground during T20 internationals to be played between India and England at Ahmedabad,” GCA vice-president Dhanraj Nathwani said in a press release. “We will form the policy for refund of money to the spectators, who have already purchased the tickets for these three T20s. Those who have received complimentary tickets are requested not to visit the stadium.”The BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media release: “The decision was arrived at following detailed discussions with the state and local health authorities. The BCCI will continue to comply with all the regulations put in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus and will always put the health and safety of its fans and stakeholders at the top.”The first two T20Is had seen crowds of over 66,000 each•Getty ImagesAll five T20Is of the series are being played at the refurbished stadium at Motera, Ahmedabad and the first two games saw crowds of 67,200 and 66,352 respectively. The ground has a capacity of close to 130,000 and the GCA allowed 50% crowd in the first two games.”Aside from meaning there will be considerably less noise in the stadium it doesn’t materially affect us as we remain in our bubble and even when crowds were in attendance we never came into contact with any of them, and the ball was sanitised whenever it was hit into the stands,” an ECB spokesperson said.England’s near-two-month-long tour began with the first two Tests in Chennai before the teams moved to Ahmedabad for the remaining two Tests and the T20I series. Crowds were allowed in the stadium from the second Test onwards with a maximum of 50% capacity.The T20I series is currently level 1-1. The remaining three matches will be played on March 16, 18 and 20.The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will also be hosting eight league games of the IPL from April 26 to May 8 in addition to the four playoff matches from May 25 to 30. The IPL will be played behind closed doors “to begin with”, the BCCI had said while announcing the schedule.

Pakistan tighten grip on contest despite Babar Azam’s first golden duck in Tests

Danyal Rasool30-Apr-2021This might not have been the best advert for Test cricket, but it is precisely days like these Fawad Alam has come to relish. With Pakistan needing to press home an advantage following an under-par Zimbabwe first-innings total, the left-hander struck his fourth Test hundred – he has never been out for less than three figures once he reaches 50 – stretching Pakistan’s lead past 175, with four wickets still in hand.Zimbabwe’s hapless bowlers tried to make the best of a bad situation, looking to claw a way out of the pit their batters had dug, and emerged from the day with a fair bit of credit. The run-scoring was never free, and breakthroughs fairly regular. Donald Tiripano was the pick of the bunch with three wickets; the removal of Babar Azam for his first golden duck a particular highlight.At that point, Zimbabwe might have felt a surge of optimism about the direction of this game, but it was perhaps fitting that Alam was the man to extinguish those hopes. No stranger to slow, attritional cricket when it seems no one might be watching, he dug in and began to ensure no bowler would settle. The routine of bowlers going through entire overs – spells, even – without needing to make an effort to be economical began to be undone. He used his feet to manipulate the field, work singles, and punish any loose delivery, especially when the spinners bowled a shorter length. He got off the mark the same way he got to his half-century, with a four off a spinner. The first was a smart cut past backward point, the latter an effortless flick back past the bowler that pierced mid-off and mid-on perfectly.Partners came and went either side of him, as they often tend to, but Fawad, as you’d expect, pushed ahead. Never in danger, never hassled, he moved past the half-century as if it hadn’t happened, more important goals and milestones on his mind. Towards the close of a day even the most ardent Test match enthusiasts might have found hard to remain glued to, he drove Tiripano back down the ground, a misfield gifting him the boundary that brought up this third century in in last four Tests.Related

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Abid Ali fifty propels Pakistan reply to Zimbabwe's 176

The first session was an excruciatingly slow affair, with Pakistan trudging through 16 overs while adding just 13 to the overnight score, their intent conspicuous by its absence. Imran Butt, seven runs away from a half-century overnight, still hadn’t got to that mark. Azhar Ali’s arrival at the crease added some impetus, and towards the close of the session, the visitors finally looked like they were off and away.Zimbabwe began the day with eight maidens in 14 overs, Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava giving little away. Abid Ali and Butt appeared keen to take their time settling in, as they had the previous day, but ended up finding themselves in a bit of a bind, unable to up the ante as the overs trickled by. Any thoughts of punishing poor deliveries were put to one side, and when Tendai Chisoro’s left-arm spin was introduced, the batters retreated ever further into their shells. It appeared to have the opposite effect of the one Pakistan might have desired, with Abid losing his fluency, nicking off to first slip with one of the few drives he attempted. Brendan Taylor juggled with the catch but ended up holding on.Following the turgidity of the first session, the events of the second seemed positively slapdash. Pakistan raced along at more than three runs an over while Tiripano got himself on a hat-trick at one point. Butt fell nine runs short of a hundred and Azam lasted just one delivery.Zimbabwe enjoyed the better of the first half hour of the middle session. Azhar was undone by the surprise of extra bounce from Tiripano, with gully pouching a straightforward catch. Much more notably, Azam, in his first away Test as captain, fell to the most transparent of traps. Mid-on was brought up close as Tiripano bowled straight, inducing a drive which went to Roy Kaia, stationed there for that purpose. Zimbabwe had suddenly removed the two most prolific batters in the side.Butt at the other end chipped away more cautiously, eager to get to the three-figure mark he evidently had on his mind all session. It didn’t appear much would stop him, before Ngarave finally shaped one away that took his outside edge. It brought the left-armer his first Test wicket, denying Butt his first Test hundred in the process.The partnership that followed between Mohammad Rizwan and Alam was perhaps the one that conclusively wrenched the game away from Zimbabwe. The wicketkeeper continued his rich vein of form, helping to add 107 before falling five short of a half-century, Muzarabani sending his stumps cartwheeling. Faheem Ashraf missed out, too, but that only gave Hasan Ali the chance to have some fun at the bowlers’ expense. They might have been humoured from time to time, but in truth, Pakistan haven’t really left the home side with a chance.

What have you done for me lately? As attention turns to 2025, GOAL looks at where all 29 MLS teams need to go from here

The offseason is officially here: The LA Galaxy are your 2024 MLS Cup Champions, putting a bow on a stupendous season in thrilling fashion with a 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls at Dignity Health Sports Park Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd.

Of course, the old adage in sports applies: What have you done for me lately? Now attention turns to preparation for 2025 – and teams are locking in. Whether that's addressing coaching and front office vacancies, or communicating with scouts about transfer business in the winter window, it's eyes forward.

Some clubs, such as Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Wilfried Nancy's Columbus Crew, had excellent regular seasons – and their rosters are practically ready to compete in 2025, minus a few moves. Others, such as the San Jose Earthquakes and Chicago Fire, need to completely re-evaluate their team to compete in 2025. And then there's squads such as the Vancouver Whitecaps, Real Salt Lake and Charlotte FC – all of whom made the postseason, but crashed out in the first round.

How do they take the next step? GOAL looks at where all 29 MLS teams need to go from here.

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29San Jose Earthquakes

What went right: Very little. The biggest moment of 2024 for the Earthquakes was the announcement that Bruce Arena would be taking over for the start of 2025. MLS' most winningest coach, the 73-year-old has exactly what it takes to return them to the top.

What went wrong: The list is too long, but to put it in simple terms, their roster was not good enough to compete in 2025. Jeremy Ebobisse was given no help in the attack, their midfield could not retain possession and their defense leaked goals.

Biggest offseason need: They need to hand Arena the keys to their roster, and let him work his magic. They have an open DP slot, and multiple U-22 initiative slots, so there is room for their team to grow. In terms of places where they can improve, it's everywhere. They need to bolster their defense, midfield and attack — with their lone spot for 2025 not up for grabs being goalkeeper.

Advertisement28Chicago Fire

What went right: They smashed their transfer record early in the campaign, bringing in Hugo Cuypers from Belgium, and he looked the part at times – despite having little to no support in the attack from the Fire. Elsewhere, U.S. youth internationals Chris Brady and Brian Gutierrez earned minutes and were hit with adversity, which is likely good for their development. Under ex-USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter's leadership in 2025, they could take the next step in their careers.

What went wrong: The Fire had little go right. They had a few nice wins, but they finished 28th in the Supporters' Shield standings, scoring just 40 goals while conceding 62. Their attack wasn't good enough, and their defense struggled against possession-based teams who put them under pressure in their own half.

Biggest offseason need: To trust in Berhalter's rebuild, and let him utilize his connections within the league to build a title-contending roster. Replacing Shaqiri will be key, and they'll likely use his DP spot to bring in a top-tier attacker as a result. Another option is buying-down the contract of Gaston Gimenez, so they could potentially bring in two new DPs this winter. Regardless of what they do, though, they ned to give Cuypers some support while shoring up both their midfield and defense. Chicago haven't qualified for the postseason since 2017. This is their biggest offseason to date.

27New England Revolution

What went right: Carles Gil, Luca Langoni and Esmir Bajraktarevic all showed that they care about the club throughout the season, as the only three standout performers, and those they should build on heading in to 2025. Arguably their best moment of 2024 was acquiring promising left back Peyton Miller, though. He looks to be the part and has really impressive attacking instincts.

What went wrong: Caleb Porter's debut season in the northeast was a complete disaster. The two-time MLS Cup winner let the program down, feuding with players and media members to create an unstable environment. However, the club has shown they have trust and faith in him to guide them into 2025. In addition to their touchline woes, the Revs scored just 37 goals and conceded 74. On both ends of the pitch, they need to look hard in the mirror and ask who is an MLS-caliber player.

Biggest offseason need: The Revs need help at right back, center back, defensive midfield and in the attack. Really, they need a roster overhaul. However, the four players discussed along with goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic are all likely to be members of the starting XI next year. Now, let's see how the Revs and Porter tackle the transfer market this winter.

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26Sporting Kansas City

What went right: SKC generally had a year to forget, underwhelming across the regular season. But they had a terrific US Open Cup run, where they made it to the final. They lost to LAFC, but their performances across the tournament were the highlight of their season.

What went wrong: Sporting’s midfield and attack really let them down in 2024. They conceded 66 goals and lost an astonishing 19 matches. Overall, though, their roster wasn’t built to compete with MLS’ elite – and as a result, there’s an expectation they’ll be active in the transfer market this offseason.

Biggest offseason need: After parting ways with club legend Johnny Russell and goalkeeper Tim Amelia after the end of the season, Sporting are looking to flip the narrative heading into 2025. Their biggest priority should be the No. 10 position. Speaking at year-end availability, GM Mike Burns alluded to it, saying “Without question, our primary focus is a 10. We're looking for a guy that can break down lines in the final third, ideally can score, can set up goals."

Everton are believed to be preparing an offer for a "top-level" Premier League player before the end of the transfer window, according to a new claim.

Everton transfer news

The Blues made a disastrous start to their 2024/25 campaign on Saturday afternoon, being beaten 3-0 at home to Brighton, with Ashley Young sent off to compound Sean Dyche's misery. It is an early blow for the supporters, who have been hoping for a more successful season, and it arguably highlighted the need for more new signings between now and the end of the month.

Roma midfielder Edoardo Bove has emerged as one rumoured transfer target for Everton, with a £13m move potentially on the cards. In May 2023, he became the youngest-ever player to score in a European semi-final, highlighting what an exciting talent the 22-year-old is.

Meanwhile, Arthur Melo has been linked with a move to Goodison Park in the coming weeks, although his brief time as a Liverpool player could make it a tricky piece of business to get done. Currently at Juventus, the Brazilian could be seen as an alternative to Kalvin Phillips, who has joined Ipswich Town on loan.

Everton must keep hold of the most important players at the club currently, one of whom is Dominic Calvert-Lewin. One report has claimed that the 27-year-old could still leave the club before the deadline.

Everton ready loan offer for Arsenal striker

According to a fresh report from Football Insider, Everton are preparing a bid for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah this summer, with a season-long loan move from the Emirates in the offing. The move "could depend on whether Calvert-Lewin leaves the club before the window closes", though.

The Blues "could be given a free run at the striker", with Marseille and Bournemouth seemingly out of the race to sign him, but Crystal Palace and Wolves are mentioned as potential suitors.

Nketiah could be a really astute signing for Everton for the 2024/25 campaign, possessing proven Premier League pedigree and nerveless finishing.

It is wholly understandable why the Englishman could do with a temporary move away from Arsenal, given the quality ahead of him in the pecking order, but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has still heaped praise on him, saying:

"Well to me he is top level. He’s started nine out of our ten Premier League games, so that tells you how much we trust him and the importance he has in the team. I’m really happy for him, an academy player to experience a Premier League hat-trick. He needs to enjoy the moment, he fully deserves it, and hopefully there are many more to come."

The £100,000-a-week Nketiah has scored 38 goals in 168 appearances for Arsenal, two of which have come vs Everton, which is a good return for a player who is often introduced from the substitutes' bench, and he also netted a highly impressive 16 times in just 17 caps for England's Under-21s.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Dyche must axe 5/10 Everton man after Brighton

He couldn’t get into the game as the Toffees slipped to an opening weekend defeat.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 17, 2024

This further shows why the 25-year-old could be a good addition for Dyche, providing him with additional firepower and a player who is desperate to prove his worth to his current employers.

Glasgow Rangers secured their place in the next round of the League Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over St. Johnstone at Hampden Park on Saturday.

The Light Blues, who continue to play their home matches away from Ibrox for now, bounced back from their Champions League disappointment by ensuring that their name is in the hat for the next round in the domestic cup.

Philippe Clement's side came into the match off the back of their 2-0 defeat to Dynamo Kyiv at Hampden on Tuesday night, which meant that they will not be playing Champions League football this year.

Earlier this month, the Belgian boss had made it clear that qualifying for the competition would have been a big boost to their efforts in the transfer market, as they would have had more funds to offer players higher wages alongside the chance to play in the Champions League.

Rangers will have European football, however, as they qualified for the group phase of the new-look Europa League, in which they will play at least eight matches.

This means that they will still have something to offer potential recruits and the Scottish giants are reportedly looking to add to their midfield ranks before the end of the window.

Rangers eyeing Premier League whiz

According to Football Insider, the Light Blues have identified Manchester United central midfielder Hannibal Mejbri as a target for Clement this month.

The summer transfer window slams shut at the end of August and this means that the Gers have less than two weeks to wrap up the remainder of their deals.

This looks to be a transfer that will be difficult for the Ibrox giants to complete for a number of reasons, though. Firstly, the Premier League side are only prepared to let him go on a permanent deal, which rules out a loan or a loan with an option or obligation to buy for Rangers.

Secondly, Football Insider claims that Scottish Premiership rivals Celtic, who do have Champions League football on offer, are also willing to hijack the club's pursuit of Hannibal, which could provide tough competition for his signature.

Lastly, it has previously been reported that Manchester United are looking for a fee in the region of £7m to part ways with the Tunisia international, which means that the Gers would have to splash out a significant fee to secure his services.

If Nils Koppen and Philippe Clement can overcome these hurdles to bring Hannibal to Glasgow, the 21-year-old ace could be an exciting player to partner Mohammed Diomande in midfield.

What Mohammed Diomande brings to Rangers

The Ivory Coast international joined the Light Blues on a permanent deal this summer after he had spent the second half of last term on loan from Danish side FC Nordsjælland.

He caught the eye in his first five months at Ibrox with some impressive displays in the middle of the park for Clement's side, showing off his quality in and out of possession in the Premiership.

The 22-year-old maestro is a dynamic midfielder who combines athleticism and duel-winning with creativity and drive on the ball to help his side to progress up the pitch.

Appearances

13

Goals

2

Assists

0

Key passes per game

1.5

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, Diomande immediately adapted to the physicality of the Premiership by winning more duels than he lost in his 13 appearances.

The central midfielder was also unfortunate to end the campaign without an assist to his name as he created 20 chances for his teammates, with 1.5 key passes per game, but his teammates let him down in front of goal.

Diomande finally landed his first league assist for Rangers at the start of this season, teeing up Cyriel Dessers in the recent 2-1 win over Motherwell.

However, the Ivorian star has created two 'big chances' in two appearances in the Premiership this term and only been rewarded with one assist, which suggests that his teammates have still let him down slightly at the top end of the pitch.

The signing of Hannibal this month could provide the team with another big source of creativity to help to break down opposition defences, alongside Diomande's defence-splitting passes.

What Hannibal Mejbri could bring to Rangers

The young starlet is coming off the back of a frustrating season. He scored one goal in five Premier League outings for Manchester United and was then sent out on loan to Sevilla, where he made six appearances in LaLiga and failed to register a single goal contribution.

That should not put off Gers supporters, though, as that campaign came after his impressive performances on loan with Birmingham in the English Championship.

It was his first full season of regular first-team football and it allowed the central midfielder to showcase his creativity in possession and his desire to battle off the ball.

Starts

21

Goals

1

Assists

5

Big chances created

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.0

As you can see in the table above, Hannibal provided Birmingham with plenty of quality when it came to breaking down defences with his passing, whilst also making multiple defensive interventions each match.

The 21-year-old ace ranked within the top 7% of Championship midfielders for assists per 90 (0.23) and the top 10% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.18), which shows that he was one of the most creative players in his position in the division.

His creativity was also on display at academy level for Manchester United. The Rangers target produced six goals and 17 assists in 41 matches for the club's U21 team before his breakthrough at first-team level.

Hannibal, who was once described as an "absolute baller" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could come in at Ibrox (Hampden) and catch the eye – as Diomande has – with his fantastic creative and combative displays in midfield.

Rangers must finally drop 6/10 star who loses the ball 25 times a match

The Light Blues scrapped past St Johnstone in the League Cup on Saturday

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 18, 2024

The United youngster and Diomande could combine to create an exciting pairing in the middle of the park with their qualities in and out of possession, with the tenacious Connor Barron then being deployed at the base of the three.

Marc Cucurella stands accused of doing a “cracking Steven Gerrard impersonation” after enduring a slippery pitch nightmare for Chelsea at Tottenham.

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Ex-Liverpool famously slipped versus BluesSpanish defender lost his footing against SpursCriticised for having to change his bootsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Euro 2024-winning defender was handed a starting berth by Enzo Maresca for the Blues’ trip across London to face capital rivals Spurs. He contributed in the worst possible way to Chelsea falling two goals behind inside 11 minutes.

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His first moment to forget arrived in the fifth minute, as he lost his footing and allowed Brennan Johnson to scamper down the wing and cross for Dominic Solanke to break the deadlock. Six minutes later and Cucurella slipped again during the build-up to Dejan Kulusevski’s second for the hosts.

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Rival fans have taken great delight in trolling Cucurella, who endured similar issues to those which ex-Liverpool captain Gerrard suffered during a meeting with Chelsea in 2014. @CORF_FPL said on social media: “Cucurella with a cracking Steven Gerrard impersonation there..” @mejar412 went on to say: “Cucurella should definitely do a third slip. We want a hat-trick.” On a similar theme, @jacobs_ladder71 added: “I think Marc Cucurella would have been better off with a pair of Crocs.” Others to save the Spaniard include @Murdo1991 and @Ivan_510, who said the clumsy full-back was “having a complete mare” and putting in a “hall of shame performance”.

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GettyWHAT THE PUNDITS ARE SAYING

Cucurella changed his boots after seeing Chelsea breached for a second time, but Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher – on commentary duty for – was baffled as to why the mishaps were allowed to happen in the first place. He said: "Cucurella's coming to the bench, don't blame anyone else – it's your own fault son! Absolute schoolboy stuff. Embarrassing. He slips again. Look at him shrugging his shoulders. Did he not do a warm-up?"

The Mumbai Indians’ head coach says his batters have adapted well to the challenge of playing on slow wickets in Chennai

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Apr-2021The Mumbai Indians’ head coach Mahela Jayawardene feels that his batters have adapted well to the challenge of playing on slow wickets in Chennai, but there are areas where the team could “still improve”, referring to the middle-overs batting especially in their previous match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.After successfully defending 152 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Mumbai bowlers were once again adept in their defence of 150 against the Sunrisers. Legspinner Rahul Chahar starred again as he turned the game around with contributions from Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, as Sunrisers fell from 71 for 1 to 137 all out in the chase. But on both occasions, Mumbai’s batting never hit top gear, especially in the middle overs where they considerably slowed down after getting off to a decent start in the powerplay. Against the Sunrisers, Rohit Sharma’s efforts took them to 53 for 0 in the powerplay but Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Vijay Shankar applied the squeeze thereafter, which meant their run rate never crossed 7.50 after the tenth over.”Probably the last game was a bit of an off one for us but the previous two games I think our tempo was very good,” Jayawardene said. “Overall, we are very happy but knowing Rohit, he will keep pushing the guys. If we haven’t hit those marks, he will bring it up and want us to improve. I think last game we have to consider that we were up against two quality spinners in Rashid and Mujeeb, especially in the middle overs, and at the same time we lost a couple of wickets.

“You aren’t going to have the same breakfast every day, right? So if we keep having the same thing, it’s quite easy for the opposition to plan against us. So we would like to try and change depending on the opposition, on the conditions”Mahela Jayawardene

“I think considering all that, we handled the situation better to set it up in the last two overs and get that par score. We always try and get to the par score on the day on that wicket would be a good score. There are areas we could improve but pretty happy how things are.”The Sunrisers bowlers, on Saturday, exploited the slowness of the surface, conceding just a single boundary between overs ten to 16. The onus was once again on Mumbai’s lower middle order to drag them to a competitive total, just as they had done against the Knight Riders. After the match, Sharma had also said that they could do better in the middle overs, but was mindful of the fact that it hasn’t been easy to bat at the venue especially against spinners. “I thought we had a good score for this pitch,” Sharma had told Star Sports. “Having said that, we can do better in the middle overs. The pitch is getting slower and slower, bowlers are always in the game till 20 overs. Even the seamers, it’s not easy to get them away and the slowish nature makes it harder for the batter to slog straightaway”.Kieron Pollard lifted Mumbai Indians in the last over against the Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCI/IPL”Yes, the wickets are slightly on the slower side but still seeing scores of 150-160, the other day we saw 200,” Jayawardene said. “On a given day depending on the opposition how you approach can have that different variable. They are not unplayable wickets. They are good competitive wickets and adjusting to those challenges is always the key for any batsman. I think we’ve been consistent with that approach. It’s been challenging but we have adapted pretty well. Sometimes we’ll make mistakes and that’s part of the game.”On the day, Mumbai also sent Kieron Pollard to bat at No. 5, ahead of Hardik Pandya – a move that paid off – as he blasted an unbeaten 22-ball 35. Jayawardene put the move down just to tactics, adding that they also wanted Pollard to get more time in the middle.”You aren’t going to have the same breakfast every day, right? So if we keep having the same thing, it’s quite easy for the opposition to plan against us. So we would like to try and change depending on the opposition, on the conditions.”Especially in this kind of competition, we need to keep everyone guessing on what we are going to do. That was the process. Obviously, Polly [Pollard] got a bit more time in the middle early season, which we could give him in the first few games. We have a very versatile line-up where guys can bat depending on situations. They understand we’re going to utilise that.”

Dele Alli is likely finished at the "top level" after nearly two years since his last competitive game, according to Tottenham hero Teddy Sheringham.

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Dele, 28, currently a free agentStruggling to earn new Everton dealOffered chance to train with ComoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The midfielder has been a free agent since his contract with Everton expired in the summer. He's continued to train with the Toffees in the hope of earning a new deal, but has an offer to join up with Cesc Fabregas' Como after watching them beat Roma on Sunday.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Fabregas has confirmed that Dele can train with Como if he wants to, and a change of scenery might be helpful after the 28-year-old failed to revive his career with Everton. It's been nearly two years since he last played in a competitive game, appearing for Besiktas in February 2023, and former Spurs striker Sheringham is among the growing number of pundits who believe Dele won't play at an elite level again.

WHAT SHERINGHAM SAID

"I would still be very surprised if Dele Alli can come back to the top level. When players have been out for so long, I would be very, very surprised if there was a comeback there. He might play at a lower level," ex-Spurs and Manchester United striker Sheringham told .

"I hear he's been through a few troubles but it's tough when you haven't been playing for a few years. He was an outstanding talent coming through. Everyone comes to fruition at different times.

"He probably just came to fruition at a young age rather than maturing and doing well at an old age. He came flying on the scene and everyone thought big things about him but wasn't to be."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR DELE?

It remains to be seen whether Dele, who spoke candidly about his childhood traumas in an interview with Gary Neville last year, will take up Fabregas' offer to join the Serie A side, who are 16th in the table. For now, Dele is still working on a potential revival at Everton, but Sean Dyche has confirmed that the midfielder is recovering from a fresh injury setback.