All posts by h716a5.icu

Tamim Iqbal scored 52 but no other team-mate could build on that start

Mohammad Isam22-Jan-2022How the match played outChattogram Challengers brought down the very experienced Minister Group Dhaka by 30 runs to round off a thrilling second day in the BPL. Nasum Ahmed’s superb figures of 3 for 9 scripted Dhaka’s doom, including Andre Russell’s wicket, before he could get going in the chase of 162.Left-arm quick Shoriful Islam mopped up the lower order with career-best T20 figures of 4 for 34, as Dhaka were bowled out for 131 in 19.5 overs. Chattogram had put on a competitive 161 for 8 in 20 overs, with the English pair of Will Jacks and Benny Howell providing big hits at either ends of the innings.Dhaka were unable to take advantage of a good start provided by Tamim Iqbal’s 42nd and second straight T20 half-century. Instead, Shoriful and Nasum engineered a collapse by sharing seven wickets in their eight overs.Big hitTwo big overs helped Chattogram knock over Dhaka. Shoriful took out Tamim, for 52, and Jahurul Islam in the space of three balls in the 12th over. Nasum then removed Mohammad Naim and Dhaka captain Mahmudullah in the 14th over, and Dhaka had slipped from 73 for 1 to 83 for 5 in the space of three overs.Nasum then took out Russell in his last over. A big hit was palpable but when Russell mistimed a hoick, and Shamim Hossain stayed calm under the skier for his third catch.Chattogram got an early boost when Jacks struck 41 off 24 balls, with six fours and two sixes over midwicket and square leg, all within the first 7.4 overs. Howell added three sixes of his own, one over long-on and two high over square leg, towards the end of the innings, in his 19-ball 37. Rubel Hossain, meanwhile, made up for his poor figures in the first match, this time taking 3 for 26.Big missAfter being bizarrely run out on the tournament’s opening day, Russell had another day to forget. He conceded 17 runs in his only over, before getting out for 12. He also dropped two catches. The only saving grace for Russell was the two good catches he held on to.Chattogram captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz also went wicketless after taking a four-wicket haul in their game on Friday, but he would be more than happy to pick up the hard-fought win.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement’s future has been thrown into doubt in recent days amid the possibility of him being a target for the Belgium FA.

Domenico Todesco’s position is under threat and the Daily Record recently reported that the Gers boss would be among the candidates to replace him if Belgium decide to part ways with their current manager.

However, IbroxNews then claimed that they would not be able to pursue the Rangers tactician unless the Scottish giants sack him, as they do not have the finances to pay the compensation that would be required.

With this in mind, the Light Blues board must take the decision to relieve the Belgian manager of his duties, after a poor start to the 2024/25 campaign.

Why Rangers should sack Philippe Clement

Firstly, Clement has been at Ibrox for over a year and there is still no clear style of play that supporters can identify with, with the Daily Record writing in October that some supporters have criticised games with too many short passes and others have bemoaned too many long balls in matches.

There has to be consistent success on the pitch to back up a lack of style in the team’s play and that has, unfortunately, not been the case for Clement.

His team were knocked by Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League play-off, sending his side to the Europa League, and Rangers have struggled badly in the Scottish Premiership.

The Gers have lost three of their 11 league games and find themselves a whopping nine points behind Aberdeen and Celtic, which has given them a mountain to climb in the title race.

Rangers must now part ways with the Belgian boss and consider a swoop for former Porto boss Sergio Conceicao, who has been out of work since the end of last season.

Why Rangers should appoint Sergio Conceicao

The Portuguese tactician has not been linked with a move to Ibrox but his career record suggests that he could be a sensible appointment, if the Gers are to brutally sack Clement after his poor start to the season and lack of an exciting style of play after 13 months.

Conceicao, who Fabio Capello claimed has a “winning mentality” and “what it takes” to manage AC Milan earlier this year, is a proven winner who lifted 11 trophies during his time with Porto.

The 4-2-3-1 tactician won three Liga Portugal titles, four Portuguese Cups, three Portuguese League Cups, and one Portuguese Super Cups before his exit at the end of last season, having won his fourth Portuguese Cup.

Across 368 matches with Porto, Conceicao averaged an impressive 2.29 points per game. Meanwhile, Clement has averaged 2.16 per game across 63 games at Ibrox, which immediately suggests that the out-of-work tactician could come in and provide more consistency at league level.

In terms of his style of play, Breaking The Lines once produced a lengthy, detailed, piece on his system and build-up play, which essentially uses recycling of the ball in deep possession before using rotations in forward positions to create chances when the play progresses through the thirds.

Whether or not Rangers fans would prefer that to Clement’s varied approach is completely subjective, but the facts behind the two managers’ respective teams suggest that Conceicao could come in as an upgrade and that is why the board must attempt to swoop for the 50-year-old after sacking the Belgian.

Including Tavernier: 3 Rangers stars that Clement must now ditch in January

Rangers must sell a few current first team players this winter to raise funds for more signings

1 ByRoss Kilvington Nov 16, 2024

Liverpool were unable to secure their 12th Premier League win of the season on Wednesday night, after drawing 3-3 with Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Mohamed Salah thought he had secured all three points for the Reds after his second-half double, but Fabian Schar’s late equaliser denied Arne Slot’s side all three points on Tyneside.

The point keeps the Reds at the top, but the deficit has been cut to seven points after victories for Arsenal and Chelsea against Manchester United and Southampton respectively.

However, they have continued their impressive unbeaten run, now going 17 games without defeat during the early months of the 2024/25 campaign.

Numerous players failed to deliver during the meeting with Eddie Howe’s clash, undoubtedly contributing to their inability to secure all three points.

Liverpool’s poor performers against Newcastle

Jarell Quansah was brought in to operate at right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold dropping to the bench during the draw.

The academy graduate may have won five tackles during the meeting but was wasteful in possession, losing the ball 13 times, the second most of any Reds player on the night.

Quansah was also carded for his troubles, committing three fouls in the process and was unable to fill the boots of his teammate who managed to notch an assist after his substitution.

Joe Gomez was able to keep his place at the heart of the defence after his performance alongside Virgil van Dijk during the win against Manchester City at the weekend.

However, the 27-year-old was unable to match his display against the champions, failing to make any form of positive impact during the score draw against the Magpies.

Gomez was unable to clear his lines, leading to Anthony Gordon’s goal to put the hosts 2-1 ahead in the second half, also being dribbled past twice and unable to complete any tackles.

However, he wasn’t the worst performer in the Reds side, with one player needing to be dropped as a result of his performance against the Magpies.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Liverpool player who needs to be dropped after Newcastle

Striker Darwin Núñez has been a player who has constantly had his corner fought for him during his time at Anfield.

However, he did himself no favours against Howe’s men, failing to take advantage of the faith shown in him by Slot after his start at St James’ Park.

The Uruguayan featured for the entirety of the contest, registering three efforts, but unable to get any of his shots on target.

Nunez missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the second half, failing to get on the end of Cody Gakpo’s pass across the face of goal – which could’ve secured the win for Slot’s side.

He also only completed eight passes during his display, winning just five of the 12 duels that he entered against the Newcastle backline.

As a result, he was handed a 4/10 rating by GOAL’s Mark Doyle, with writer Matt Sibson dubbing the forward as “terrible” following his below-par performance.

Minutes played

90

Touches

25

Passes completed

8/12 (67%)

Duels won

5/12 (41%)

Shots taken

3

Possession lost

9x

Big chances missed

2

Liverpool return to action on Saturday, facing Merseyside rivals Everton, looking to return to winning ways and claim bragging rights once again.

However, Nunez should play no part from the start, with the Reds boss needing to take action after his woeful showing in the North East.

Imagine him & Salah: Liverpool keen on "one of the best CFs in the world"

Liverpool are still targeting reinforcements despite the superb start to life under Arne Slot.

1 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2024

Wayne Rooney defended Rasmus Hojlund amid his terrible form as he shared valuable advice for the Danish striker.

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Rooney defended HojlundDanish striker has not scored in his last 20 matchesShared advice for United forwardFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Hojlund's nightmare season at Old Trafford continued as he appeared as a substitute in the 76th minute during United's 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. After drawing a blank yet again, the Danish forward has now extended his goal drought to an unbelievable 20 matches across all competitions. The 22-year-old has scored just seven goals for the Red Devils in the 2024-25 campaign.

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Amid the striker's poor form, United legend Rooney came to his defence as he hailed Hojlund as a good and a hard working player. The former England captain also shared some valuable advice for the ex-Atalanta star which could help him to regain his long-lost form.

WHAT WAYNE ROONEY SAID

Speaking on , the 39-year-old said: "You know, a striker for Manchester United, when you're not scoring goals, there's a lot of pressure, a lot of people talking about you. Can you do it for Manchester United? I think the best thing to do is simplify it and obviously making the runs into penalty boxes is as easy as it comes, you have to make them runs.

"But simplifying the game, getting the ball, laying it off, getting in the box, getting the ball out wide, getting in the penalty box, putting yourself in the best position to score goals. Nine times out of 10 you're relying on your team-mates to give you chances and put the ball in the box or slide balls in behind."

He added: "Maybe he hasn't been doing that, he hasn't been getting that service of late. But I've got faith in him. I think he is a good player and he works hard. I think that's really important as well. I think he just needs that goal and once he gets it, they'll all start coming."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Ruben Amorim's side will be back in action later this week as they take on Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie on Thursday.

Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall and Shai Hope among those left out

Matt Roller22-Feb-2022John Campbell and Anderson Phillip have been called up to West Indies’ squad for the first Test against England in Antigua next month after bright starts to the regional four-day competition.Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shai Hope, Jeremy Solozano and Jomel Warrican are not included after being part of the squad that lost 2-0 in Sri Lanka in November and December last year, while Shannon Gabriel misses out because of a hamstring injury but could be fit later in the series.Desmond Haynes, who was appointed as Roger Harper’s successor as lead selector earlier this year, said that he hoped his first Test squad in the role would send a message to players that performances at first-class level would be recognised with call-ups.Related

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Haynes replaces Harper as West Indies lead selector

However, he added that he was not averse to outside-the-box thinking and had encouraged Nicholas Pooran – who is uncapped at Test level and has made only five appearances in his first-class career – to make himself available for some red-ball cricket.”This is the message which we’re sending to the batters because we need to get our batting right,” Haynes said. “People question how strong our domestic competition is but the main fact is that if the guys are playing in it and doing well, yes, they would be up for selection.”It’s important for these guys when they’re playing in the domestic season to do well, to catch our eye. We’re a new panel, Sars [Ramnaresh Sarwan, the other selector] and myself, and we want to see the players and make sure that when we’re judging them on their ability, they’ve got some runs as well, but also they can play a role that we want them to play.”When the team was here, I had a conversation with Nicholas Pooran, saying to him I believe that if he can make himself available to play some red-ball cricket, I believe it will help his batting a lot. He did acknowledge the conversation. I personally want to know that players who are playing cricket for West Indies can play in any format of the game.”Campbell, the opening batter who averages 23.70 after 15 Test appearances to date, is included after making 127 for Jamaica against Barbados at Kensington Oval last week. Phillip, the seamer from Trinidad, is the leading wicket-taker after two rounds of the West Indies Championship and would be making his Test debut if selected.Chase and Hope have both lost their places after disappointing returns with the bat in recent series. Chase averages 14.95 in his last 21 Test innings since the start of the series in England in July 2020, while Hope averages 16.28 in 14 innings in the same timeframe. Shamarh Brooks, whose last Test appearance came in New Zealand in December 2020, has also been recalled as an option in the middle order.”We did discuss Chase,” Haynes said. “I had a chat with Roston and he realises that he has to go and do some work, and he promised me that he’s doing that. The conversation I had with Shai… I didn’t go into his batting. I’m staying far away from trying to get too involved with the coaching aspect of the game.”Haynes added that the inclusion of a single frontline spinner – Veerasammy Permaul, who was recalled to the Test side in November after a six-year absence and took 5 for 35 in the first innings against Sri Lanka – was in part due to England’s struggles against West Indies’ pace attack in their most recent series in the Caribbean in 2019, which they lost 2-1.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”We decided to go with a left-arm spinner this time instead of Rahkeem Cornwall,” Haynes said. “We have to look at the wicket in Antigua first, but we just thought that with the opportunity that Permaul had in Sri Lanka on the last tour, getting five wickets in the Test match, we thought we’d give him another chance.”We look at the England squad. We also look at what happened on the last tour here and the surfaces that we have to play on, and then we make a determination in places like Antigua on the combination that we’d go for. We did have a serious consideration regarding how England played here last time they were in the Caribbean.”West Indies also selected a 12-man President’s XI squad to play England in a four-day warm-up match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground – formerly the Stanford Cricket Ground – from March 1-4.Shane Dowrich, who made 86 for Barbados against the Leeward Islands earlier this month as he returned from a 14-month break from the game, will captain the side, with allrounder Raymon Reifer as his deputy.Solozano, who suffered a concussion on his Test debut against Sri Lanka, will open the batting for the President’s XI while Devon Thomas is also included after two fifties and a hundred in his three first-class innings this season.West Indies squad for first Test: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden SealesCWI President’s XI squad: Shane Dowrich (captain/wk), Raymon Reifer (vice-captain), Colin Archibald, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Bryan Charles, Shermon Lewis, Preston McSween, Shayne Moseley, Jeremy Solozano, Shamar Springer, Devon Thomas

Southampton are rock bottom of the Premier League currently and look to be sinking straight back to the Championship in a sorry fashion.

Indeed, the depressed Saints find themselves on just five points at the very foot of the difficult division with only one win next to their name and an alarming 12 defeats tallied up.

Looking back, Russell Martin must wonder if the transfer window in the summer could have been approached differently, with various new faces at St. Mary’s failing to settle.

Southampton's 2024 summer transfer window

Not every purchase can be written off as an outright failure, with the likes of Aaron Ramsdale and Taylor Harwood-Bellis standing out in defence for their side, even in spite of their lowly position in the league standings.

Ramsdale has been calm and collected when playing out from the back while Harwood-Bellis’ form has been rewarded with an England debut, a match he just so happened to score in too.

Moreover, the relegation-threatened Saints bringing in the likes of foreign imports Mateus Fernandes and Yukinari Sugawara as transfer gambles have worked somewhat too, with the promising Portuguese midfielder in particular standing out, who is now up to 14 first-team appearances in the Premier League.

Of course, other risks such as bringing in Ben Brereton-Diaz haven’t paid off at all, as the ex-Blackburn Rovers star continues to misfire up top in his new kit with zero goals registered from ten top-flight appearances.

There have also been buys that have underwhelmed to date, with Flynn Downes falling into his category after penning a permanent Saints deal in the summer.

The former West Ham United face was key in the centre of the park for Martin’s men during their unbelievable promotion journey – having been a silky operator with a stunning 93% pass accuracy averaged per Championship clash – but he hasn’t been as noticeably bright for his South Coast side as they battle against the drop.

It likely hasn’t helped the 25-year-old’s situation that he has lacked a consistent partner centrally, with Southampton now left to just curse the fact one ex-Saints star isn’t around to line up next to Downes to give the basement club a sterner figure in the middle.

Former Southampton star perfect for Downes

Southampton supporters would have been rightfully aggrieved when Oriel Romeu walked away from St. Mary’s in the summer of 2022, having been a loyal servant to the Saints for seven whole years after signing for £5m.

In that time, Romeu would notch up a mightily impressive 256 appearances in total, with eight goals and six assists coming his way, alongside praise from ex-Southampton boss Claude Puel in 2017 that boldly compared his game as a holding midfielder to that of Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

Alongside always putting in above-average performances – much like the Frenchman was renowned for at Stamford Bridge – Romeu was also capable of firing home a stunning strike from nothing like the one below against West Bromwich Albion.

Southampton would grow to rely on their “fantastic” number 6, as he was once labelled by Ralph Hassenhuttl when he was manager on the South Coast, to deliver top displays week in week out, with his exit two years ago then understandably hurting.

Games played

36

Goals scored

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

4

Touches*

58.6

Accurate passes*

38.1 (82%)

Total duels won*

5.5

Looking at the above table from his swansong season in England, it’s evident that Romeu would complement the likes of Downes well if he was still on the books, with the Spaniard equally as calm and composed on the ball as the ex-West Ham man whilst also offering more grit and bite with 5.5 duels won on average.

He hasn’t relented since leaving Southampton either, with Romeu going on to be a hit in his native country for Girona with 11 first-team appearances under his belt this season in La Liga, after also donning a Barcelona strip briefly.

Whilst Romeu gets to enjoy the glitz and glamour of the Champions League with his current employers, Downes will be hoping he can guide his team to safety somehow, with that task looking more and more tricky as defeats begin to stack up.

Archer axed for £25m signing in Southampton's dream XI after January

Southampton could well be busy this January transfer window as Russell Martin adds in a whole host of new players.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 23, 2024

Lamine Yamal is confident that himself or Raphinha will bag the 2025 Ballon d'Or if Barcelona go on to "win titles" this season.

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Yamal confident Ballon d'Or will head to BarcaHeaped praise on team-mate RaphinhaWill be in action for Spain against the Netherlands this weekFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona are in contention to win a treble this season after enjoying a brilliant campaign under Hansi Flick. They have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League and are in the last-four stage of Copa del Rey. The Catalan giants are also leading the La Liga title race ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference with a game in hand.

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Much of the Catalan club's success in the 2024-25 campaign is due to the consistent performances of their younger players, including Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old feels that one of the Blaugrana stars will bag the Ballon d'Or if they manage to win multiple titles this season. He also heaped praise on Brazilian winger Raphinha, who has been among the top goalscorers in Europe this term.

WHAT LAMINE YAMAL SAID

Speaking on his and Raphinha's chances of winning the Golden Ball in Paris later this year, Yamal told : "We haven’t talked about that. If we win the titles they have ahead of us, one of us will win it, whoever it is. I’m very happy for Raphinha, I always tell him his change has been incredible and he’s having a great time. The Ballon d’Or does not worry me."

He added: "I go out to enjoy myself and not think about this. I want to enjoy and have a good time, play football, which is what I do best, and not think about these things."

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

Yamal will now shift his focus to international football as Spain are all set to lock horns against the Netherlands in a two-legged Nations League quarter-final tie on March 20 and 23.

The defending champions are hanging by a thread in the race for the playoffs and one more defeat could all but end their season

Srinidhi Ramanujam30-Apr-20222:16

Should Sunrisers use Washington Sundar in the powerplay?

Big picture A mix of youth and experience has taken Sunrisers Hyderabad forward, as they now have five wins from eight matches, after early jitters this season. Up against a struggling Chennai Super Kings in the southern derby at MCA Stadium on Sunday, Sunrisers begin favourites as they look to remain in the top four.In Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, Marco Jansen, and T Natarajan, Sunrisers possess one of the most dangerous pace attacks in this IPL, with Washington Sundar taking the lone specialist spinner’s spot. These pacers have alone accounted for 45 of the 57 wickets taken by the team this edition, with Natarajan and Malik scalping 15 wickets each. It shouldn’t be a surprise that they boast the best bowling average this IPL.As far as batting is concerned, unlike the last few seasons, there is no power-hitter like Jonny Bairstow or David Warner at the top of the order. However, the likes of Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, and Abhishek Sharma have lifted Sunrisers’ batting. Only captain Kane Williamson’s underwhelming batting form would be a bit of concern moving into the second half of the tournament – he has scored a total of 148 runs from eight matches so far, averaging just 21.14.Live in the USA

You can watch the action on ESPN+ in English and in Hindi.

On the other side are Super Kings, grappling with injuries to key players – Moeen Ali was the last entrant to this list after they lost pacers Deepak Chahar and Adam Milne – and team balance. With two victories from eight matches, they are placed second from the bottom and are hanging by a thread in the playoff qualification race.In the batting department, with opener Ruturaj Gaikwad struggling to get going, Super Kings need the likes of Shivam Dube and Robin Uthappa to get back to their best. In the first five matches, both batters had scored two half-centuries each and had scored 401 runs between them. Contrastingly, in the last three matches, Dube and Uthappa made a total of 40 and 34 runs, respectively. Despite boasting batting depth, Super Kings would need someone to stay long in the innings and not just rely on MS Dhoni for fireworks at the end if they are to climb up the ladder.To their relief, Super Kings have improved their bowling in the powerplay. After picking up just two powerplay wickets in the first four matches, left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary and Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana took five wickets apiece in this phase in the last four matches. Dwayne Bravo leads the attack with 14 wickets from eight matches. However, the bowling unit, collectively, needs to be consistent and economical – barring Mitchell Santner and Theekshana, the rest of the bowlers have conceded at more than eight runs per over – for a miraculous turnaround.With Dhoni back as captain, will the sun rise for Super Kings in the second half of the IPL 2022? In the news Washington Sundar returned to the Sunrisers XI in their previous match against Gujarat Titans, after missing a few games due to a finger injury. Both the teams are unlikely to make any changes to the playing XI.Likely XIs Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Marco Jansen, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T Natarajan Chennai Super Kings : 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Robin Uthappa, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Dwaine Pretorius, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Mukesh ChoudharyStrategy punt Dhoni has enjoyed great success against fast bowlers this edition, scoring 109 runs from 67 balls at a strike rate of 163. Against a pace-packed Sunrisers, the wicketkeeper will be key in overcoming the threat that their bowlers pose. In the IPL, Dhoni has particularly targeted Bhuvneshwar, having hit 94 runs at a strike rate of 165 in 11 innings, without getting dismissed.Stats that matter Among batters to have scored a minimum of 50 runs, Gaikwad (12.8) and Williamson (15.8) have the worst and fourth-worst batting average this IPL. Dhoni averages 53.3 against Sunrisers in the IPL. Aiden Markram has crossed the 40-run mark in four out of the six innings this season.

With Luke Shaw still proving to be an unreliable option thanks to endless injury issues, Ruben Amorim has reportedly given Manchester United the green light to finalise a move to welcome an upgrade in 2025.

Man Utd transfer news

As the Manchester derby approaches, Manchester United are a difficult side to predict. Whilst they swept Everton aside, they’ve struggled since then under Amorim and found themselves on the wrong end of defeat against both Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, before being forced to seal three points late on against Viktoria Plzen. But whilst Manchester City are more vulnerable than ever, the Red Devils could strike and Amorim could defeat Pep Guardiola for the second time in a matter of months.

What has been clear, however, is the task on Amorim’s hands and the desperate need for reinforcements, which could yet see one particular upgrade arrive in 2025.

According to reports in Spain, Amorim has now given the green light for Manchester United to finalise a move for Miguel Gutierrez in a deal that the Red Devils want to secure for less than the left-back’s reported €35m (£29m) release clause.

Barcelona lining up move for "great" Man Utd star Ratcliffe's ready to sell

The La Liga giants could take full advantage.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 14, 2024

An upgrade on Shaw, the one complication which could stand in the way of any deal taking place for Gutierrez is that Real Madrid will receive a 50% of any transfer fee thanks to their sell-on clause agreed with Girona. Whether that means that Manchester United will have to pay a premium price remains to be seen.

There’s no doubt that the Red Devils need a left-back, however. Names such as Alvaro Fernandez have been mentioned in recent weeks, but it looks as though Gutierrez is now emerging as a serious candidate to replace Shaw.

"Fantastic" Gutierrez would be an instant upgrade

As much as it’s difficult to argue against Shaw’s quality, that quality quickly becomes null and void when he is consistently sidelined through injury, and Manchester United can no longer wait for their left-back to be back fit and firing. They must pursue an instant upgrade in the form of Gutierrez. The former Real Madrid gem has found his feet at Girona and has not looked back since.

To no surprise, the Manchester United target has found himself at the centre of praise this season, including from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who described his form as “fantastic” after he was involved in four goals in three games at the start of November.

A player on the rise, the Red Devils could have their answer to their left-back problems once and for all should they make their move for Gutierrez in 2025.

Delhi Capitals seemed in control, but two double-wicket overs from the New Zealand quick dismantled their chase

Sidharth Monga02-Apr-20222:00

What makes Lockie Ferguson so effective?

Shubman Gill’s lone hand with the bat nearly went in vain but Lockie Ferguson put in a spectacular bowling performance to drag Gujarat Titans to only the third successful defence in this IPL, and the second under lights.Gill scored a personal best 84 off 46 in a breath-taking yet silken innings; the others, including extras, managed just 87 off 74 balls. Titans’ 171 for 6 was a strictly middling total, which Capitals looked like cruising past on two occasions, but an accurate and quick Ferguson twice produced double-wicket overs to dismantle the chase with figures of 4-0-28-4.Gill was particularly severe on spin, scoring 45 off 21 balls from Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, who conceded just 24 in the other 27 balls they bowled, giving them reason to believe they actually controlled the middle overs. The Capitals batters would have thought they were in control, too, but once it gets up to 145kph and above – even some of Ferguson’s offcutters were that quick – and above the chest, funny things happen. Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel and Mandeep Singh all fell to his short-pitched deliveries.Shubman Gill waits and watches…•BCCIGill plays a different game
It was like watching two different matches when Gill batted. Matthew Wade fell trying to ramp Mustafizur Rahman in the first over. Vijay Shankar struggled through his 20-ball 13. It took Hardik Pandya, batting at No. 4, 18 balls to go past a run a ball; he ended up with 31 off 27. And yet the score at the fall of his wicket was 109 for 3 in 14 overs. That’s because Gill was batting like a dream at the other end even if deprived of support and strike.Gill has been guilty in the past of scoring at a middling strike rate, especially for an opener who gets the use of field restrictions. This, though, was arguably his best T20 innings, and definitely his best score in the format. The intent was spot-on, and the method was more timing than strength. ESPNcricinfo’s metrics valued this knock of 84 at 109.54 smart runs.By the time he was done hitting four sixes and six fours, Gill had taken Titans to 145 for 4 in the 18th over. The finish was neither great nor terrible with David Miller and Rahul Tewatia somehow taking Titans to 171 despite Mustafizur conceding just four runs and taking two wickets in the final over.Pandya the opening bowler
Not long ago Hardik’s India future was in doubt given his lack of bowling fitness. The argument was that India couldn’t afford a specialist death-overs hitter. Two matches into the IPL, and he has walked in to bat in the third and seventh over, and has twice bowled his allotment of four overs. In this one, he even opened the bowling. And he struck first ball, dug into the surface and sitting up on Tim Seifert. Capitals 8 for 1 in 1.1 overs.Ferguson’s first intervention
Still, Mandeep and Shaw got Capitals off to a healthy enough start, taking them to 32 for 1 in four overs, taking a toll on Mohammed Shami. Enter Ferguson. The first ball was right at Shaw’s throat. He committed to hooking, but the ball got to him quickly, rushing him into the shot, taking a top edge to long leg. Mandeep’s defeat was even more comprehensive. He was caught hopping away from the line, looking to use the pace, but the extra bounce took his top edge to Wade.Pant matches fire with fire
There was a distinct change in the time available to play Ferguson when Pant walked out. Pant started off by pulling him through midwicket and then lashed at one outside off, getting four through the edge. Varun Aaron, who conceded just seven in his first over, was sidelined by a niggle, and Capitals went after the change bowlers. Shankar’s 12th was taken for 14 despite Lalit Yadav being run out. Tewatia’s 14th went for 13. Now just 54 were required off the last six.Twice in the match, Lockie Ferguson struck twice in an over•BCCIFerguson gets involved again
Hardik didn’t have much of a choice but to go back to Ferguson in the 15th over. He went around the wicket, bowled an offcutter-bouncer at 145kph first ball, and bowled it wide enough that Pant had to drag it to access the leg side. There wasn’t enough time to do so, and the top edge settled with long leg.That wicket took Capitals’ win probability down from 64% to 62%, which suggested the wicket might have come too late.What if Ferguson took one more, though? He did so with another fast, short offcutter, this time with a tickle down the leg side. Now there was a dip in the win probability to 54%.Rashid, Shami finish it off
There was was Rovman Powell at the wicket, and with just 46 required from 30 you couldn’t count out a big hitter. Powell set out to play out the one over each left for Rashid Khan and Ferguson. Rashid, though, proved to be too good for Shardul Thakur, trapping him in front with the last ball he bowled.Powell still kept Capitals alive by seeing off Ferguson with a steered boundary, bringing the equation down to 30 in the last three overs. Now Hardik would have decisions to make. Ferguson and Rashid were bowled out. Shami wasn’t having a great night. Two other overs needed to be squeezed in, one of which Hardik could bowl himself.If Powell managed to take down Shami, though, there would be pressure on the last two. The small leg-side boundary was tempting, but Shami was accurate and quick with his offcutter to get Powell lbw, and end the contest for all practical purposes ended in the 18th over.