All posts by h716a5.icu

Two semi-finals. Two last-ball thrillers. Two incredible efforts from the fielding side

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jan-2019The first WBBL semi-final saw an astounding finish, with Brisbane Heat edging Sydney Thunder thanks to this effort from Haidee Birkett, who caught what seemed to be a match-winning hit from Nicola Carey.

Final ball. Five to win. Four for a Super Over. Spot in the Final up for grabs…

Then this happens! Haidee Birkett, take a bow! #WBBL04 | @CommBank pic.twitter.com/PYwI1lWUr4

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 19, 2019

WHAT. A. CATCH. #WBBL04

— Holly Ferling (@Holly_Ferling) January 19, 2019

Heat made it to their maiden WBBL final.

SCENES How about the reaction from our dug-out!#BringTheHeat #WBBL04 pic.twitter.com/XsZJWXMkyX

— Brisbane Heat WBBL (@HeatWBBL) January 19, 2019

But that was to be topped by this team effort from Sydney Sixers in the second semi-final. Melbourne Renegades needed three to win off the last ball. It appeared that Sophie Molineux’s shot over backward point would make the boundary, but Erin Burns’ sprint and dive kept the ball in play. Sarah Aley then fired the throw in to the keeper, and Alyssa Healy found Molineux short with a direct hit.

SPEECHLESS.

A super over for a spot in the final. Does it get any better? #WBBL04 pic.twitter.com/dAOPwvMThn

— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) January 19, 2019

Did your jaw drop on seeing that finish as well?

Holy holy moly. Speechless. Pub patrons glued to the TV. Erupted with the @ahealy77 direct hit. What a finish!

— Ed Cowan (@eddiecowan) January 19, 2019

That is 3 pieces of unbelievable fielding to execute that last ball run out. Burns, Aley, Healy. What a finish what a game! #WBBL04 #superover

— Suzie Bates (@SuzieWBates) January 19, 2019

What a game, wow #WBBL

— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) January 19, 2019

A six from captain Ellyse Perry clinched the win for Sixers, who made it to their fourth-straight final.

UNREAL! Ellyse Perry hits a super-over six to send her team into the #WBBLFinal!

You seriously couldn't write a better script. pic.twitter.com/PKS2BerH9o

— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) January 19, 2019

There were unexpected star performers, and highly rated players who just didn’t come to the party

Sreshth Shah13-May-201910. Kuldeep’s mysterious fall
Kuldeep Yadav, India’s premier left-arm wristspinner, had a season to forget, taking only four wickets in nine games before being shanked out of the Kolkata Knight Riders XI after being torn apart by Royal Challengers Bangalore. An economy of 8.66 is still acceptable for a wristspinner searching for wickets, but when those wickets don’t come, there’s not much to show. When he bowled quick, he was wayward. And when he looked to go slower through the air, the unsuitable Eden Gardens track allowed batsmen to take aim and tee off.9. Harbhajan, still relevant
He’s 38, and plays very little cricket outside the IPL. So there were concerns about whether Harbhajan Singh would be match-fit for 2019. But a snakepit of a pitch at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium meant there was room in the Chennai Super Kings side for an extra spinner, and Harbhajan became MS Dhoni’s trump card against opposition left-handers. Of the 11 games that Harbhajan played this season, eight were at home, and his ability to find the breakthrough in the Powerplay overs made him all the more potent. Nine of Harbhajan’s 16 wickets came in the first six overs, and he was a big reason for Super Kings reaching the title round.Lasith Malinga gets low to try and take a catch•BCCI8. Malinga, Mumbai’s all-season star
Lasith Malinga is a Mumbai Indians legend, so it wasn’t surprising that, when he was going through a lean patch fitness-wise last year, he became their bowling coach. This time, he wanted to play again, and when Malinga was picked up by Mumbai for his base price, it was expected that he would continue to play the bowling mentor’s role in the side while playing the occasional match. But injuries to Adam Milne and Alzarri Joseph, and the unavailability of Jason Behrendorff towards the back-end, pushed Malinga back into the spotlight. Although he was no longer the 140kph Slinga of the past, his skills with the slower ball, and the occasional yorker, continued to trouble batsmen both green and experienced. And in the final, despite being expensive early on, Malinga was up to the task of defending only eight runs in the last over to help Mumbai clinch their fourth IPL title.7. Rashid – found out?
It is not a coincidence that Rashid Khan’s lukewarm IPL coincided with an average run for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Since he started playing the IPL, this was the first season when Rashid was not Sunrisers’ leading wicket-taker. His average tally of 1.13 wickets per game and an economy rate of 6.28 were not poor by any stretch of the imagination, but they were not quite Rashid Khan. It didn’t help Rashid’s cause that Sunrisers’ pace attack was not as potent as before either, meaning (a) that there wasn’t much pressure for him to work with, and (b) his good work wasn’t always built on. Opponents managed to just see him off and work on the other bowlers.Ravindra Jadeja hugs Mitchell Santner after his last-ball six, while bowler Ben Stokes cuts a forlorn figure•BCCI6. Tye – no more purple patch
Andrew Tye, last year’s Purple Cap winner with 24 wickets, played just the six games in IPL 2019, taking only three wickets at an economy of nearly 11. Known for his death-bowling skills, Tye was unimpressive this IPL. He conceded at least 37 runs in each of his games, with batsmen preferring not to commit to a shot when Tye was bowling. Instead, they chose to wait, hold back, and watch Tye’s knuckleballs and slower-ball variations off his hand. It worked.5. Still no Stokes impact
The MVP from 2017 had a second season with minimal impact. Ben Stokes is not a regular bloke; he’s a special allrounder who can stake claim to a spot in the XI as much for his batting as he can for his bowling. But in 2019, Stokes barely held on to his place in either department, hitting only 12 boundaries, scoring an average of 20.50 per game, and conceding 11.22 runs an over. He was benched for three of Rajasthan Royals’ first 12 games, and against Super Kings, he failed to defend 18 off the final over against two bowling allrounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner.Sam Curran roars after picking up a wicket•BCCI4. Curran, the big-match player
Sam Curran shaking a leg with team owner Preity Zinta immediately after his match-winning hat-trick (4 for 11) against Delhi Capitals was one of the lasting images of the tournament. The 20-year-old allrounder has not yet played white-ball cricket for England, so it was surprising when Kings XI Punjab invested INR 7.2 crore in him. He opened the batting in one game, and eventually finished the season with a batting strike rate of 172.72 and a bowling strike rate of 19.80.3. Ishant’s resurgence
Over the years, Ishant Sharma was often ignored at the IPL auction table, but in Delhi Capitals he found a place that made him feel at home. Tasked to be the frontline Powerplay bowler – especially after Kagiso Rabada’s exit from the tournament with a shoulder niggle – Ishant bowled hard Test-match lengths when the fielding restrictions were on. He mixed his spells with his newfound skill with the knuckleball, and his 13 wickets at an economy rate of 7.58 was a fair reflection of what he achieved.Quinton de Kock flicks the ball on to the stumps to find Shane Watson short•Getty Images2. De Kock comes of age
Last year, Quinton de Kock got only 208 runs despite calling Bengaluru home. So it was a gutsy call for Mumbai to trade him from Royal Challengers in a trade worth his auction price of INR 2.8 crore. Could de Kock deliver, given Mumbai had to offload two foreigners to accommodate him? He could, by getting 529 runs – the third-most this season. And barring the 19th-over wobble in the IPL final, he was rock solid behind the stumps too. De Kock’s addition forced Suryakumar Yadav to drop to No. 3, but the team’s balance was not affected. His average of 37.78 was a stark improvement from his IPL average of 29.90 from 2013 to 2018.1. The other Chahar, a future superstar?
With Mayank Markande returning to build on a successful IPL 2018, very few would have given Rahul Chahar a chance to become a first XI regular. But the legspinner filled the void that cropped up due to Markande’s inefficiency. His 13 wickets at an economy of 6.55 allowed Mumbai to control the middle overs, and his big heart – to give the ball that extra air – against top batsmen impressed many. His ability to strangle batsmen with accuracy and guile helped him turn many games – including the final – towards Mumbai. It was no surprise then that the IPL award for the also went to him.

If not for two persistent mentors, this season’s leading wicket-taker of the T20 tournament would have been lost to cricket

Deivarayan Muthu08-Sep-2019On the night of August 15, G Periyaswamy found himself hoisted on the shoulders of his team-mates, with fireworks going off around them, to celebrate their second Tamil Nadu Premier League title. He had just taken five wickets to defend a total of 126 in the 20-over final, which took his tournament tally to 21 wickets – the most by a bowler in one TNPL season. So it wasn’t surprising that he was named player of the final and the tournament.The surprise was in how he overcame disability and difficult circumstances to get to a place where IPL scouts and Tamil Nadu selectors are now paying attention.Periyaswamy fell in love with cricket around the age of seven, but a bout of smallpox had blinded him in his right eye, which made him a target of jibes and insults at school. That made him drop out after seventh grade. He then suffered a bout of severe typhoid, followed by a knee injury. All of that, and his family’s stressful financial circumstances, threatened to end his career before it even took off, but his friend and mentor, medium-pacer T Natarajan, who plays for Tamil Nadu, and Kovai Kings in the TNPL, refused to let him give up.Periyaswamy had not played under lights with the white ball before, but he shone the brightest in this season’s TNPL with his slingy, Lasith Malinga-like action. Even some of the higher-profile Tamil Nadu players struggled to gauge his point of release. His yorkers, in the 135kph range, thudded into the base of the stumps and his cutters tricked batsmen into miscuing shots.His Chepauk Super Gillies team-mate and India allrounder Vijay Shankar said Periyaswamy was the side’s “X factor”, and was particularly impressed with how he had made the step up to a higher level of cricket.A couple of years ago, Periyaswamy attended trials for Dindigul Dragons, but they didn’t pick him. Chepauk, though, picked him as their first player in the draft this season and he helped them get to the title, brushing Dindigul aside twice in the knockouts: he followed his 3 for 27, which included the wicket of Dindigul captain R Ashwin, in the first qualifier with 5 for 15 in the final against them.”” [It feels like a dream], Periyaswamy says. “I never expected to first play the TNPL and then win it. I had to work, and I had to ask permission from my family to come and play in this tournament.”Coming from tennis-ball cricket, I initially struggled to grip the white ball, but then got used to it. This slingy action and the yorker come naturally to me. I didn’t feel much pressure playing under lights, even with the matches being shown on TV. We face pressure in tennis-ball T20s too.”

A perfect tribute to the King of Yorkers!

Here’s Namma Periyaswamy chanelling his inner #Malinga to set the stumps on fire against the Kovai Kings! #NammaPasangaNammaGethu #TNPL2019 pic.twitter.com/9o4j0DBhxu

— TNPL (@TNPremierLeague) July 30, 2019

On the night of the final, Periyaswamy’s family back home in Chinnappampatti, a hamlet about 30 kilometres west of Salem, also celebrated his success with fireworks. It had not been easy for them to let him go to pursue his dream. They needed his wages to make ends meet. At one point, Periyaswamy himself thought cricket ” [I can’t continue playing cricket], but two locals convinced his family that he had the talent to do it professionally – his mentor Natarajan and Jayaprakash, who runs the Chinnappampatti cricket club.”I am here because of Natarajan [older brother] and Jayaprakash ,” Periyaswamy says. “They came and spoke to my parents, asking them to let me play this tournament.”Periyaswamy’s father, Ganesan, runs a small tea stall and his mother, Gandhamani, rears cattle. After losing vision in his right eye, Periyaswamy found solace in playing tennis-ball street cricket in his village, but he juggled it with cattle-rearing and working as a weaver.Jayaprakash first came across Periyaswamy in 2011 and was impressed by his very round-arm action. Natarajan and Periyaswamy would combine to win several trophies for their club in tennis-ball cricket with their yorkers and slower variations.Periyaswamy went on to break into the Under-19 district side and became a yorker specialist, but then came the typhoid and the knee injury, which threatened to crush his dreams again.By then Natarajan had graduated to league cricket in Chennai – and later made it to the IPL and the state team. He and Jayaprakash always had Periyaswamy’s back.G Periyaswamy was the Player of the Tournament in this season’s TNPL for his 21 wickets•TNPL/TNCA”After Periyaswamy was down with typhoid, he became very weak and had body aches,” Jayaprakash recalls. “We consulted a doctor in Salem and after one month he recovered from fever. Then he had problems in his leg. We used to pick him up from his home at 4am, consult doctors in Coimbatore, and even Bangalore, and then drop him back after treatment. Natarajan and I always knew he had the talent to succeed. Natarajan moved to Chennai to play cricket, but he always looked after Periyaswamy.”Periyaswamy took a break from cricket at one point to work as a welder, to help his family. However, having seen a spark in his bowling, Natarajan, with assistance from a couple of club managers in Chennai, brought him to the city, to play lower-division cricket.After playing the 2017 IPL, where he was bought for Rs 3 crore by Kings XI Punjab, Natarajan set up his own cricket academy in Chinnappampatti to coach players for free. Periyaswamy was one of those players, but Natarajan soon realised he might need more help than his academy could give. In January this year, he put the bowler in touch with Tamil Nadu physio Thulasi Ram, who worked on his fitness and tuned him up for a stint with a second-division club in Chennai.Periyaswamy was intimidated by the big-city life – he still is, according to Natarajan – but his accurate yorkers made Chepauk coach Hemang Badani and performance analyst Lakshmi Narayanan (who also works with Chennai Super Kings) sit up and take notice. And despite his blindness, Periyaswamy is a good outfielder.Players who can bowl yorkers and mystery balls usually pique the interest of franchises at IPL auctions. Cases in point: Natarajan himself, Shivil Kaushik, KC Cariappa, and more recently, Varun Chakaravarthy.When Periyaswamy bowled to Natarajan in the TNPL in Tirunelveli, he did so wearing shoes that used to belong to Natarajan. After that match, Periyaswamy joked to the host broadcaster that he will never dismiss Natarajan and will instead look to beat his edges.Off the field, Periyaswamy is quiet, even in the dressing room. In contrast, in Chinnappampatti he is known as an entertainer who can mimic voices of famous Tamil cinema actors like Rajinikanth and Vijayakanth and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi.Natarajan hopes the TNPL will finally launch the 25-year old’s stop-start career.”A lot of people have discouraged him throughout his life and that has broken him,” Natarajan says. “But I always knew he had something in him. His slower-ball variation is not easy to pick.”He can swing the ball in, attack the stumps, and gets a lot of wickets lbw or bowled. The next step for him is to do more strengthening and improve his fitness. Let’s wait and see if he gets into the IPL, but for now I’m eagerly hoping to open the bowling with Periyaswamy for Tamil Nadu this domestic season.”Periyaswamy is now back in his village, juggling cricket and work once again to help repay his family’s debts. It remains to be seen if a call-up for Tamil Nadu or the IPL arrives, but his story is already one of triumph in the face of adversity.

Should the toss be scrapped? What about the tournament’s format itself? We spoke to a few players

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Dec-2019India’s domestic season will enter its second phase, comprising the Ranji Trophy followed by the Irani Cup. The BCCI and its state associations will need to grapple with the massive volume of cricket given 38 teams. There’s still lots of room for change though, and ESPNcricinfo spoke with four established players asking them to recommend one change they would want in domestic cricket going forward.Wasim Jaffer (Vidarbha batsman) – Sporting pitches a must
I want first-class matches to be played on sporting pitches. A sporting pitch for me is where the team batting first scores 300-350. Not 500 or 600. If the game is too dependent on the toss, we have lost the battle straightaway.Currently, I feel both the curator’s and the match referee’s hands are tied because of the pressure from the host association. The BCCI needs to give more powers to the match referee. I have seen the odd match played in conditions that are very favourable to the host association. Ideally, the match referees have all the rights to reprimand them, but they don’t.As an example take this match in Rajkot between Saurashtra and Karanataka, where the spinners had a big say. Karnataka lost the toss and Saurashtra easily won in the end. That match was shown live on TV. How could you play on such a pitch?Even though the BCCI is doing far more than many other countries to make good pitches by sending a neutral curator a week or so before the game, if the pitches are sporting and the conditions are even for both teams, where everyone – batsman, fast bowler, spinner – is involved, then Indian cricket will improve.The other advantage of having a sporting pitch is that if a player excels in a demanding situation the selectors can gauge the value of such a performance and that can help in the longer run.Abhinav Mukund (Tamil Nadu batsman) – Upgrade television cameras
Every single domestic match in India is covered by cameras with the match officials having access to the feed to assess line calls. But the quality of these cameras has not changed for more than a decade. That is the change I would want. The feed that we as players get from the most of the existing cameras is very, very bad. I feel the cameras have not changed since I made my first-class debut. Technology has advanced far ahead so better cameras ought to be there in domestic cricket.How can better cameras help? Take the example of a no-ball call, it is something that is referred constantly, so with better cameras the decisions could become more accurate than what exists now. Also, currently the team analyst does not get the feed to the side-angle camera. It is unfair only because if the match is being broadcast on TV, everyone has access to the side camera angle. With better cameras, decision making will become smoother and teams can also avail of the benefits, especially in marginal decisions.Ekana Cricket Media/ Randhir DevJaydev Unadkat (Saurashtra fast bowler) – Do away with the toss
Perhaps the BCCI can think of doing away the toss. Give the visiting the team the choice to bat or bowl. That probably could make the matches more challenging. That way the wickets will be more sporting as well.The home team naturally has a better idea of the pitch and how it will behave. For example, if I am playing at home and Saurashtra have prepared a turner, a wicket I know will turn in the fourth innings, so if I get to bat first I am 90% certain I can beat any team.In the same scenario, if the visiting team gets to decide to bat first, based on past results and behaviour of the pitch and our performance in the first innings, it would be more challenging even for the home team. We will have to figure out what kind of wicket to give and what kind of cricket to play. We will then have to fight it out even in home conditions. Essentially what I am saying neutralises home advantage and makes the contest even.Unmukt Chand (Uttarakhand batsman) – Make Deodhar Trophy more relevant
The Deodhar Trophy needs to be made more competitive. I know the schedule is too tight for the BCCI administration to fit in everything, but this time the Deodhar Trophy followed the Vijay Hazare Trophy and was a rushed affair. The Deodhar Trophy, played between three teams – India A, B and C – lasted five days including a a rest day before the final.Somehow, in a way, such a schedule affects the relevance of such a big tournament. So I would want the Deodhar Trophy become more competitive and played over a larger time span. Also in the current format, players have no attachments to their teams. If you are playing for your state you have that attachment and there is a pride involved. Right now it is more like you are looking at your own performance and not care about anything else. It is not an individual game. There has to be something you are fighting (together) for.How can it be more competitive? In the past the Deodhar was contested between zones. You had this pride of playing for North Zone etc. Also the tournament then did not end in four days, there was a proper time given, proper relevance.

With five WTC series scheduled over the next 18 months, the team will have to start showing more attention to detail

Mohammad Isam in Kolkata24-Nov-2019Bangladesh’s Test cricket has been stuck in a vicious cycle for years.After every overseas series loss, fingers are pointed at the same issues: the pitches back home, the standard of domestic first-class cricket, technical frailties of the batsmen, and everything in between. Then the attention shifts to the limited-overs formats, which Bangladesh play more of anyway. They are a pretty good ODI team, and they are looking to catch up with the rest of the world in T20Is.The cycle has repeated itself with no actual change on the ground over the course of Bangladesh’s last four overseas series: 2-0 losses in South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand and India. The inability to compete in Test cricket, especially away from home, is a long-standing issue, but there’s always a limited-overs series around the corner for a change of taste. Then, before the next overseas tour, there will be talk about conditions being a challenge for a set of batsmen bred on slow and low pitches, primarily against left-arm spinners, and a set of fast bowlers who have been bit-part players on those unhelpful tracks.The cycle can seem an endless one.But it will have to break, out of necessity, over the next 18 months, when Bangladesh are set to play at home against Australia, New Zealand and West Indies, and away against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in the World Test Championship. In this period, they will also play a Test match each against Zimbabwe and Ireland. This sets a new and unprecedented agenda since, because of all these contests, Bangladesh will have to take Test cricket more seriously than they have done before.Mominul Haque, who was named Test captain after Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC last month, wants his players to work harder and improve their Test game, and wants this work to reflect in Bangladesh’s next WTC assignment.”We took a lot of lessons from this Test series,” Mominul Haque, who led the Test side in India, said. “How to play this challenging pace attack, how to bat session by session, how to bat against the new pink ball, these are the small things we learned from this series. Everyone knows that we don’t play a lot of Tests.”We have around ten Tests coming next year, so I think we can overcome these issues. If [the players] have taken the lesson from this series, you will be able to see it in the next series. You will see it otherwise too. We have to be mentally stronger, I feel.”For this improvement to take place, the Test team – and the coaching staff – will have to pay more attention to detail. Bangladesh can learn from how well they have managed the ODI team since 2007, with proper plans in place. They have found at least two batsmen to compete for specific batting positions. The established batsmen have grown more consistent, and the line-up as a whole has looked more settled. Bangladesh have also found new talents among bowlers and allrounders, with Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Saifuddin standing out as examples.Virat Kohli and Mominul Haque at the toss in India’s first-ever day-night Test•BCCIBangladesh haven’t tasted as much success in T20Is, with big-hitting talent in particular proving elusive, but their players have been highly motivated to improve themselves in the format. A similar sense of desperation and hunger for technical knowledge would serve Bangladesh well if applied to Test cricket as well.Making Mominul the captain is a positive move, and so far he has shown a glimpse of his aggressive side, choosing to bat first in both Indore and Kolkata, against arguably the best pace attack in the world. Bangladesh failed on both occasions but, as their coach Russell Domingo said, they don’t want to be sitting ducks. That may be ridiculed in many quarters, but he makes a fair point.It would be a sensible move for the BCB to retain Mominul at the helm for at least a year, to give him the time, and a bit of security, to prove his captaincy mettle. His partnership with Domingo may well have some potential, given their pragmatic personalities.Mominul also represents a niche in Bangladesh cricket by being a Test specialist. The term was almost a slur in the past, while used to describe players like Javed Omar, Rajin Saleh and Enamul Haque Jr, but the establishment is finally seeing some value in players with Test-match virtues like Mominul, Taijul Islam and Shadman Islam. Taijul is a fighting cricketer who brings value to the team as a left-arm spinner who is prepared to bowl long spells. Shadman, as opener, has shown he can bat with patience and leave well outside off stump, even though he didn’t make a fifty in either New Zealand or India.Eventually, Bangladesh may have to bring more Test specialists into their side, with some of the senior players possibly needing to give up one or two formats to lengthen their international careers. It could have happened earlier, for instance, in the case of Mahmudullah, and now might be a good time for that decision.The two Tests in India were, in the end, missed opportunities for Bangladesh. Had they prepared a little better, they could have shown more than just glimpses of their ability, and a fighting performance against a top side in their own conditions could have raised Bangladesh’s profile considerably. It would have shown that their cricket is improving overall, even in the longest format.Instead, their performance in India could prove damaging in the longer term, putting forward another reason for the bigger cricket nations to not show any interest in hosting Bangladesh in bilateral Test series. The only way for Bangladesh to change this perception would be to ensure that they pay enough attention to detail in Test cricket. The pieces of the puzzle are lying there, scattered on the floor. All they have to do is pick them up and put them together.

As the chance to complete a league double over Manchester City arrives, Manchester United have reportedly held talks with the representatives of one particular target worth as much as £68m this summer.

Man Utd looking to shock Guardiola once again

Scoring twice in the final two minutes to defeat Manchester City at the Etihad back in December, Manchester United will be hoping to find something to salvage from a disastrous campaign by completing a double over their rivals this weekend. Last time out, Amad Diallo was Ruben Amorim’s hero. This time, however, his side must look towards a fresh attacking spark amid the winger’s absence.

Man Utd could offer Hojlund in shock swap deal to sign "amazing" £42m ace

They’d be getting an instant upgrade.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 4, 2025

Speaking ahead of the Manchester derby, Amorim spoke about his side’s ambitions for the rest of the season and their problems compared to City’s. The former Sporting CP boss told reporters: “We want to win this game, we want to improve in the league table and especially we want to win games.

“We are going to have full focus on this game. I don’t see one win as a special moment. Special moments are to win titles. Even if the third division, you can beat the best team in the division.

“I am more focused on our problems; I think we have bigger problems than Manchester City. They had problems in that run. They have improved. They have maybe the best coach in the world. They have top players. It will be a difficult match. I am so focused on improving my team, I am not focused on City’s improvements.”

Season

Competition

Match

2024/25

Premier League

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2024/25

Community Shield

Man City 1-1 Man Utd

2023/24

FA Cup

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man City 3-1 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man Utd 0-3 Man City

The Manchester United boss also admitted that the focus is to improve his side, saying: “The focus must be on how to improve our team in every aspect. Of course, the Premier League is so different.

“People say Sir Alex Ferguson took two or three times to win something… it is completely different nowadays. The pressure is different. No matter the context, we need to be there [at the top]. We will have to say a lot of adversity and big teams.”

That is, of course, likely to come in the form of summer reinforcements, which could yet include the arrival of a much-needed, big-money goalscorer when the transfer window opens.

Man Utd hold positive talks with Ekitike

According to Anfield Watch, Manchester United have now held positive talks with the representatives of Hugo Ekitike over a potential summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the deal won’t come cheap, with the German club set to remain firm on their €80m (£68m) asking price in the coming months.

With competition from Liverpool for the Frenchman’s signature, the Red Devils should go all out to sign what would be an instant solution to their attacking problems.

Dubbed “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Ekitike has scored 19 goals in all competitions so far this season and looks like he’s only just getting started on Europe’s top stage.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy could soon green-light a move for a “fantastic” manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to a report.

Ange on thin ice at Tottenham after Chelsea defeat

Tottenham’s poor form continued against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Thursday, suffering a 1-0 defeat against their London rivals, but in truth they have had little to play for in the Premier League for quite some time.

Winning the Europa League is the last remaining avenue for Spurs to have a successful season, with a triumph ending their long trophy drought, while also granting them access to next season’s Champions League.

As such, Postecoglou is on very thin ice, and Levy has now started to identify potential replacements for the Australian, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola one of the names on the shortlist, having enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Cherries.

Sky pundit: "Monster" player is "going to leave" Tottenham alongside Romero

Spurs are facing an exodus this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025

Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner is also of interest, alongside Fulham manager Marco Silva, and there has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the Portuguese coach.

According to a report from Football Insider, Levy could green-light a move for Silva, with Postecoglou under serious pressure as we approach the business end of the season.

Former Everton chief Keith Wyness goes on to explain why appointing the Fulham boss could make perfect sense for Levy, saying: “Silva is probably more in the running than Iraola.

“I think he’s more of a Levy character, he’s got the London experience – performing well with Fulham.

“He’s been with Everton, Watford – he’s got the runs on the board.

“I think he would operate at Spurs quite well. He’s done well on a tight budget with Fulham, and that’s what Levy will be looking for.

“We’ve seen the numbers at Tottenham, they’re not spending much on wages or fees – it’s very low.”

"Fantastic" Silva has earned move to top club

The 47-year-old has had his fair share of setbacks, previously being sakced by Everton, but he has since done a stellar job with Fulham, having achieved promotion from the Championship before stabilising the Cottagers as a Premier League club.

In light of his accomplishments, the former Everton boss has been lauded as “fantastic” by journalist Konstantinos Lianos, and he is on course to record a top-half finish in the Premier League this season.

Should Postecoglou fail to win the Europa League, it is looking likely the 59-year-old will depart this summer, particularly with his relationship with the fans increasingly under strain.

Silva has proven he could be a solid replacement for Ange, but there also has to be questions asked of Levy, given that so many top managers have now failed to bring success to Spurs.

Chelsea has been the home to countless attacking stars over the years, but not many have managed to match the levels produced by Ivorian striker Didier Drogba.

The forward joined the Blues back in the summer of 2004 from Ligue 1 outfit Marseille, with José Mourinho working tirelessly to complete a deal to take him to Stamford Bridge.

Such a deal would prove to be a masterstroke, with the now 47-year-old starring over two separate spells in West London, claiming a total of 12 major trophies with the Blues.

Drogba notched a total of 164 goals during his time at the club, arguably scoring the most important goal in their history during the Champions League final back in 2012.

However, in the present day, Enzo Maresca doesn’t have the focal point he desires to have his own version of the talisman, leading to huge rumours over a deal for a new number nine this summer.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of a new striker this summer

Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has been hugely touted with a move to join Chelsea this summer, with the 22-year-old starring in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

He’s managed to notch a total of 12 goals in 31 appearances for the Tractor Boys, leading to links to move to Stamford Bridge given his £30m release clause.

However, it appears as though Maresca’s side have been handed a boost in their pursuit for his signature, with Delap not interested in a move to Manchester United after their own willingness to land him.

Players such as Jonathan David and Victor Osimhen have also been thrown into the mix lately, but Borussia Dortmund talisman Serhou Guirassy is the latest player to emerge as a target.

According to journalist Maurizio Russo, the Blues are currently leading the race for the 29-year-old, who has managed to net 28 goals in his 40 appearances across all competitions this term.

Chelsea’s best striker since Drogba

Over the years, Chelsea have spent big to try and fill the centre-forward role, but so far to no avail, given their huge hunt for a new number nine.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Álvaro Morata and Christopher Nkunku have all tried to cement their place at the top end of the pitch, but none of them have successfully managed to do so.

The hierarchy have splashed over £200m on the aforementioned trio alone, highlighting the need to land the right star to end their hunt over the next few months.

Guinean forward Guirassy could manage to do just that should he complete a switch to the Bridge this summer, but he won’t come cheap, currently having a £70m release clause in his contract.

However, when comparing him to the current options at the manager’s disposal, he’s massively outperformed them both – showcasing what a sensational signing he could be in their quest for Premier League glory.

Guirassy, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, has outscored Nicolas Jackson and Nkunku in 2024/25, whilst also registering a higher goal-per-shot-on-target rate – demonstrating his clinical nature in the final third.

Games played

25

26

27

Goals scored

15

9

3

Goals per shot-on-target

0.5

0.2

0.2

Shots taken

3.4

3.3

2.4

Fouls won

2

1.2

1.1

Aerials won

3.9

0.8

1.5

Aerial success rate

54%

34%

42%

He’s also won more fouls per 90, whilst also registering more shots per game – offering an all-round presence that the Blues have greatly missed in recent months.

However, the 29-year-old has dominated aerially, winning more of the duels he’s entered in the air, finally allowing Maresca to have that target man that he’s craved since joining last summer.

Whilst £70m may appear to be a mammoth sum of money for a player entering the back end of his career, the Dortmund attacker has the star quality to make an immediate impact in West London.

With the majority of the side being full of youngsters, the balance between them and Guirassy could be a successful one, massively aiding the club in their title ambitions throughout 2025/26.

Best signing since Palmer: Chelsea now favourites to sign £85m "diamond"

Chelsea can seal their best signing since Palmer with this “English diamond”

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After tying both Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah down to new deals, Liverpool are now reportedly set to offer another star man a fresh contract in the hope that he stays put.

Liverpool still trying to convince Alexander-Arnold

Although the Reds have plenty to celebrate with Van Dijk and Salah staying put before they sealed their status as Premier League champions last weekend, there still remains questions to be answered in the coming weeks. And the first on everyone’s mind will undoubtedly surround Trent Alexander-Arnold and his future at the club.

Yet to follow in his teammates’ footsteps by putting pen to paper, it seems likely at this stage that the academy graduate will be off to Real Madrid as a free agent when the summer arrives. Liverpool, however, are reportedly yet to give up hope and after Alexander-Arnold received a reminder of what Anfield glory truly feels like, perhaps they are right to hold onto that belief.

Alexander-Arnold, himself, chose to remain reserved when questioned about his future following his winning goal against Leicester City, meanwhile. He told reporters: “I have said all season that I am not going to speak on my situation. I am not going to go into the details.

“But days like today are always special. Scoring goals, playing games, winning games, winning titles — they are special moments for me and I am glad to do my part.”

Revealed: The "exciting" 9-goal winger Liverpool chiefs have enquired about

The Premier League champions could swoop in…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 29, 2025

With that said, the right-back isn’t the only Anfield star who has found himself at the centre of contract headlines, with one of Liverpool’s most important players now reportedly set to be offered a fresh deal in Merseyside.

Liverpool set to offer Ryan Gravenberch fresh contract

According to The Boot Room, Liverpool have now made contact with Ryan Gravenberch’s camp over a fresh deal at the club, as they look to tie down yet another one of Arne Slot’s key men.

The Dutchman, who is currently on £150,000-a-week has been a revelation under Slot, converting from a struggling midfielder to Liverpool’s unlikely solution in the No.6 role – replacing Fabinho at long last.

The Liverpool boss has rarely hidden his admiration for the former Bayern Munich star either, telling reporters earlier in the campaign after his side drew against Fulham: “Impressed, like everyone who was in the stadium or saw the game. Ryan did outstanding again today.

“Without the ball, he was mostly in our last line, had to play sometimes against a nine, against wingers who are really fast. And with the ball, he came into the midfield. An outstanding performance from him.”

With three years left on his current deal, it looks as though Liverpool are keen to ensure that Gravenberch is at the heart of their midfield for years to come and even beyond those three years.

Tottenham Hotspur are being told to appoint an “influential” manager by incoming chief Fabio Paratici, with current Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou still heading for an exit despite reaching the Europa League final.

Tottenham welcoming Fabio Paratici back after worldwide ban ends

Reports claim that Paratici’s return to Spurs is gaining serious traction, after talks to become AC Milan’s new sporting director reportedly fell through recently.

Paratici could sign £150k-a-week Liverpool player after Tottenham return

The ex-managing director is expected to come back after his worldwide FIFA ban ends.

ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2025

The 52-year-old was forced to resign from his post as Tottenham managing director in early 2023 after being found guilty of false accounting during his time at Juventus, with FIFA handing Paratici a 30-month worldwide ban from official footballing activity.

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

However, that ban is due to end on June 30th, and it is believed that Paratici is now very likely to make a return to Tottenham after rumoured meetings with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy – which were reported as far back as March.

A popular figure among the fan base, Paratici also played a role in appointing Antonio Conte during his time in N17, and if his comeback is made official, the Italian will likely have a major say on Tottenham’s potential replacement for Postecoglou.

While Spurs eased past Bodo/Glimt to reach their first European final since 2019, where they have a golden chance to clinch their first piece of silverware since 2008, reliable media sources have claimed that Postecoglou could still leave Tottenham regardless of their success abroad (The Telegraph).

Fabio Paratici recommends Roberto De Zerbi to Tottenham

A succession of managers have been linked with the job over the last few weeks, but Paratici has a particular name in mind – compatriot Roberto De Zerbi.

The Italian moved to Marseille after a successful period at Brighton, where he’s now on around £105,000-per-week, with De Zerbi remaining popular among those close to Spurs – specifically Paratici.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to The Boot Room, Paratici has recommended De Zerbi to Tottenham, and the chief is believed to be a huge fan.

“I understand Roberto De Zerbi is a name that Fabio Paratici – incoming Spurs technical director – is a fan of,” said Bailey.

“He liked him during his time at Brighton and recommended him. Even during his talks with AC Milan recently, he was a name put forward. De Zerbi is understood to be on the radar of a number of Italian clubs – but Spurs do like him.”

The outlet themselves add that Postecoglou is “set to leave” this summer, and De Zerbi could be a fantastic candidate to replace him, going by the words of Man City boss Pep Guardiola, who called him “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years”.

“There is no team playing the way they play – it’s unique,” Guardiola said of De Zerbi’s Brighton in 2023.

“I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn’t been for a long time.

“They deserve completely the success they have.”