Pep Guardiola’s is set to enter a second decade as Manchester City manager.

The Spaniard is already one of the most successful managers that the Premier League has ever seen, with his six top-flight trophies (including an unprecedented fourth on the trot) the second-most of any manager since the division took shape in 1992.

In 2024, he penned a deal that will see him remain at the Etihad until at least 2027, despite his side in a bad run of form that continued throughout a season that ended trophyless.

Guardiola is, unsurprisingly, the most successful manager in City’s history, and lays claim to records across the globe thanks to his managerial prowess at Barcelona and Bayern Munich before taking up the post in Manchester.

And now, with his time at the Etihad seemingly carrying on every time it appears close to an end, he is creeping up the list of the longest-serving managers in Premier League history. Here, we take a look at the company he is keeping in England’s top division.

The top 10 longest-serving Premier League managers

Rank

Manager

Club

Time in charge

1

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal

22 years, 225 days

2

Sir Alex Ferguson

Man Utd

20 years, 336 days

3

David Moyes

Everton

11 years, 79 days

4

Pep Guardiola

Man City

9 years

5

Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool

8 years, 225 days

6

Joe Kinnear

Wimbledon

6 years, 344 days

7

Harry Redknapp

West Ham

6 years, 273 days

8

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

6 years

9

Rafael Benitez

Liverpool

5 years, 353 days

10

Alan Curbishley

Charlton

5 years, 312 days

Data correct as of December 2025

10 Alan Curbishley (Charlton) 5 years, 312 days

Perhaps the most surprising name on this list, Alan Curbishley, is fondly remembered at Charlton Athletic for his excellent work keeping them in the Premier League.

Curbishley was actually in charge at the Valley Stadium for 15 years and enjoyed two spells in the Premier League, but it is his second that makes it onto this list.

Promoted at the end of the 1999/00 season, the English boss helped Charlton avoid the relegation zone, finishing 9th on their return to the top flight.

A series of mid-table finishes followed as Charlton established themselves as a mainstay in the Premier League, even finishing 7th in the 2003/04 season.

However, after a contract renewal dispute, it was announced that he would be leaving the club at the end of the 2005/06 season. Having never finished lower than 14th since Curbishley’s second promotion, Charlton were relegated the following season.

9 Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) 5 years, 353 days

Rafa Benitez has had four spells in the Premier League, but spent the majority of his top-flight career at Liverpool.

Joining the Reds in 2004 in place of Gerard Houllier, he oversaw 228 Premier League games in charge of the club, winning 126 of those, and managing the club’s highest points tally in 2008/09 when they finished second to Manchester United, until Jurgen Klopp smashed that record during his time on Merseyside.

They were consistently in and around the top four under Benitez in his first four seasons at the club (finishing 5th, 3rd, 3rd and 4th) before finishing as runners-up to Manchester United in 2008/09, while he was also in charge for the famous comeback win over Milan in the 2005 Champions League final.

However, it quickly soured, with Benitez finishing 7th amid club turmoil in the 2009/10 season, and he left by mutual consent almost exactly six years after his arrival.

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Posts ByPatric Ridge May 30, 2025 8 Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) 6 years as of December 2025

Mikel Arteta may have only won the FA Cup during his time in charge of Arsenal but his team have been threatening for some time and he has firmly cemented himself as one of the best coaches and managers on the globe.

The Gunners have come mightily close to winning the Premier League in each of the last three seasons, pipped to the post by Manchester and Liverpool.

Arteta has built a monstrous squad, however, and it won’t be too long before the north Londoners are holding more illustrious honours above their head.

The Spaniard is one of the best in the business. Expect him to eclipse a fair few names on this list.

7 Harry Redknapp (West Ham) 6 years, 273 days

Once the assistant manager at West Ham United, Harry Redknapp took over from Billy Bonds in 1994 and helped turn the east Londoners into a regular Premier League side after their promotion in 1992/93.

Perhaps best known for his time at Portsmouth, Redknapp played a key role at Upton Park, bringing through a succession of young talent including the likes of Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand, while the arrival of Paolo Di Canio helped them secure their Premier League status.

After a series of impressive campaigns, during which the Hammers finished in the top half of the Premier League, Redknapp was sacked after a downturn in form saw them only narrowly avoid relegation in 2001 – a fate that they suffered two years later.

6 Joe Kinnear (Wimbledon) 6 years, 344 days

Appointed Wimbledon manager just six months before the inaugural Premier League season, Joe Kinnear is a legend with the club. The Englishman guided them to a 12th-place finish in the first top-flight season, before excelling the following campaign and finishing an impressive sixth in the division.

He backed that up by helping Wimbledon to 9th the following season as they became a stalwart of the Premier League, and though a fallow period in mid-table followed, they were still competitive in the cup competitions, reaching the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup.

Surviving international interest and a club takeover, Kinnear’s time in charge of Wimbledon was only stopped when a heart attack persuaded him to step down at the end of the 1999/00 season. A year later, his side had been relegated.

5 Jürgen Klopp (Liverpool) 8 years, 225 days

A modern-day titan of Premier League football and Guardiola’s most recent nemesis, Jurgen Klopp called time on an illustrious Liverpool career just last summer.

Arriving with his side 8th in the Premier League (though they had finished as runners-up just a couple of seasons prior), the ex-Mainz boss set to work turning Liverpool into a footballing powerhouse once more.

Backed with big-money additions like Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, and uncovering gems like Andy Robertson, the German lifted the Champions League and the Premier League during his tenure, finishing second to Manchester City on multiple occasions despite record-high points tallies.

He left having won 209 of his 334 Premier League games – and as a legend of Anfield.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 2, 2024 4 Pep Guardiola (Man City) Over 9 years as of December 2025

The only manager still active on this list, Premier League great Guardiola still has time to climb this list through the remainder of his Manchester City career.

Arriving as the world’s best manager in 2015, he endured an uncharacteristically difficult first season in charge, but quickly found his groove in the English top flight. Six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups have since followed as he and Manchester City have dominated the landscape of English football, turning the Etihad side into a European powerhouse.

3 David Moyes (Everton) 11 years, 79 days

A Premier League ever-present from the early 2000s, David Moyes remains Everton’s most successful manager of the Premier League era. Though he never won a trophy at Goodison Park, his 11-year stint turned the club into competitors in the top half of the division, with the Toffees regularly finishing in the top 8 under the Scot.

Appointed in 2002, Moyes saw his side finish as high as 4th during the 2004/05 campaign, while he also led his side to an FA Cup final, only to fall to Chelsea at Wembley.

Responsible for helping the careers of Tim Cahill, Marouane Fellaini, Leighton Baines and more, Moyes finally got his big move to Manchester United in 2013, only for that to prove a poisoned chalice at Old Trafford.

2 Sir Alex Ferguson (Man Utd) 20 years, 336 days

The only man to have won more Premier League titles than Pep Guardiola, Sir Alex Ferguson may soon be looking over his shoulder at that record – but will be safe in the knowledge the Spaniard won’t catch him here.

Serving as Manchester United boss for almost 27 years (21 of those in the Premier League), the Scotsman ushered in a golden generation at the football club, to the point where managers remain judged on his successes – something that has proved too much for a series of good coaches since his departure.

The Red Devils haven’t won the Premier League since he departed in 2013, when he clinched his 13th title in his final season in charge ahead of Manchester City.

It brought to an end a reign that saw him crowned Manager of the Year 11 times and take charge of over 800 Premier League games, winning two Champions League trophies in that time, too. By sheer circumstance, however, he is not top of this list.

1 Arsène Wenger (Arsenal) 21 years, 255 days

That honour goes to his long-time adversary Arsène Wenger, who spent less time in charge of Arsenal than Ferguson did in Manchester, but crucially, spent the entirety of his Gunners tenure in the Premier League.

Arriving as a largely unknown manager from Japan in 1996, Wenger built the only side capable of wrestling the Premier League title out of Manchester United’s hands in the years to come.

Across his first eight years in the top flight, Manchester United (5) and his Arsenal side (3) had a duopoly on the Premier League title, while he remains the only manager to coach a side to an invincible campaign, which he did in 2003/04.

His later career in north London was marred by financial constraints and increased competition at the top, but he kept the Gunners in the top 4 of the Premier League for 21 successive seasons until eventually finishing fifth and sixth in his final two seasons, with the 2017/18 campaign being his last.

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Posts ByAlex Roberts Dec 7, 2023

Wolverhampton Wanderers might well decide to change their manager in the coming days. It has been an appalling start to the season for the Old Gold, who are rock bottom of the Premier League and winless so far this term.

Gary O’Neil is seemingly under increased pressure, with his side without a win since the 27th of April, a 2-1 victory against now-relegated Luton Town. They have three draws this campaign and have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 27 goals.

The higher-ups at Molineux may well decide to pull the plug on O’Neil’s reign soon enough and are believed to be surveying options. There has been one shock candidate who has emerged.

Wolves' search for a manager

The manager in question here is Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin. The Swedish boss has been incredibly impressive at the helm for the Scottish side this season and is thought to be a target at Molineux if they decide to make a change.

According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Old Gold would have to pay a release clause of £2m if they decide to bring the impressive Swedish boss to the club. That follows a report from the start of October, which suggested the Midlands club are ‘considering making a move’ for Thelin.

Indeed, the £2m release clause was something believed to be inserted this summer in the Swede’s contract at Pittodrie. It could now be a clause the Old Gold activate as they look to transform their season.

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Why Thelin would be a good appointment

It has been a sublime start to life in British football for the former Elfsborg boss. He joined Aberdeen this summer and has made an extraordinary start to life at Pittodrie, with The Dons flying high in the SPFL this term.

Despite a 6-0 thrashing by Celtic in the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup, they are the closest challengers to the Bhoys in the top flight and sit second. Brendan Rogers’ side are only top on goal difference, with both sides currently on 28 points from 10 games.

Aberdeen SPFL stats under Thelin
Stat	Number
Games	10
Wins	9
Draws	1
Losses	0
Goals for	20
Goals against	9
Points per game	2.8
Stats from Transfermarkt

One thing that Thelin has done this season has turned their home ground, Pittodrie, into something of a fortress. Their only dropped point this term has come away from home, at Celtic Park, meaning they have a flawless record at home.

That includes a famous 2-1 victory over Scottish giants Rangers.

There is certainly a case to be made that Wolves would be taking a big risk in appointing a manager from the Scottish top flight, with the Premier League being a big jump.

However, the man who goes a long way to disproving that theory is Ange Postecoglou, the Tottenham Hotspur manager.

After a successful spell in Scottish football in charge of the Bhoys, in which he won five trophies, including two league titles, the Australian made the move to North London. There, he boasts an impressive record which includes 31 wins in 56 matches, and a fifth-place finish in his first season. The Lilywhites have performed well this term, too, and are two points outside of the top four.

Thelin could certainly be Wolves’ own version of Postecoglou, who has proven there can be a relatively seamless transition between the Scottish and English top flights.

With that in mind, it may well be worth the risk for the Old Gold, particularly with Thelin also mirroring the Spurs boss with regard to his attack-minded, free-flowing approach, as has been outlined by Dons hero, Willie Miller:

Former Celtic defender and Thelin’s fellow Swede, Johan Mjallby, described him as “the next best thing” in management in the past. It may certainly be a risky appointment for the Midlands club, but Aberdeen’s boss could be the man to come and change the fortunes around at Molineux, as they look to survive in the Premier League.

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يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباريات في بطولتين مختلفتين خلال شهر أبريل من هذا العام 2025.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي حاليًا المركز الخامس في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز برصيد 48 نقطة، حيث يقاتل من أجل التأهل إلى دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل.

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ويتمسك مانشستر سيتي بآماله في بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، حيث تأهل بصعوبة إلى نصف النهائي على حساب بورنموث، بفضل النجم المصري عمر مرموش الذي سجل هدف الفوز (2/1). مواعيد مباريات مانشستر سيتي في شهر أبريل 2025

مانشستر سيتي وليستر سيتي، الجولة الثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الأربعاء 2 أبريل 2025، 8:45 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 9:45 بتوقيت السعودية.

مانشستر يونايتد ومانشستر سيتي، الجولة الحادية والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الأحد 6 أبريل 2025، 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 6:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

مانشستر سيتي وكريستال بالاس، الجولة الثانية والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم السبت 12 أبريل 2025، 1:30 ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، 2:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

إيفرتون ومانشستر سيتي، الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم السبت 19 أبريل 2025، 4 عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، 5 بتوقيت السعودية.

مانشستر سيتي وأستون فيلا، الجولة الرابعة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، يوم الثلاثاء 22 أبريل 2025، 9 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية.

نوتينجهام فورست ومانشستر سيتي، نصف نهائي كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، يوم الأحد 27 أبريل 2025، 6:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.

New Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first game this weekend, looking to make the perfect start to his tenure at the club.

The Red Devils travel to Portman Road to face an Ipswich Town side who are yet to win a home Premier League outing after their promotion last season, with the meeting producing an opportunity for the 39-year-old to claim all three points.

Before the international break, United claimed a 3-0 win over Steve Cooper’s Leicester City at Old Trafford, in what was Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final game in temporary charge before the arrival of Amorim.

As for the hosts, they claimed their first league win last time out, causing an upset in the process, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in North London – moving the Tractor Boys out of the drop zone.

Super Sunday never fails to deliver, but the big question is who the new United boss will opt to start with in his first game at the helm.

United’s injury news ahead of Ipswich clash

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been plagued with various injuries that have seen the side look depleted in numerous key areas.

The defensive unit has taken the biggest battering, with Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Victor Lindelof all looking set to miss the trip to East Anglia on Sunday evening.

Kobbie Mainoo hasn’t featured since the 0-0 draw away at Aston Villa back at the start of October but has been pictured training during the recent break under Amorim.

Along with the injuries, many positional questions will be answered by Sunday afternoon, with many wondering whether the new boss will utilise his 3-4-3 system or the 4-2-3-1 that has been tried and tested at Old Trafford over the last couple of years.

It could allow for numerous players to stake their claim for a regular starting role under Amorim, having endured an unsuccessful stint under former manager Erik ten Hag.

One player in particular may fit perfectly into the 3-4-3 system, deserving of a rare start in the meeting tomorrow evening.

The man who Amorim needs to unleash against Ipswich

Midfielder Mason Mount arrived in a £60m deal from fellow Premier League side Chelsea last summer, but has endured a torrid spell with injuries over the last 12 months.

The 25-year-old made just 20 appearances in all competitions during his debut year in Manchester, registering just two combined goals and assists.

However, the arrival of the 39-year-old could allow him to have a bigger role in the first team, featuring in one of the two attacking midfielder roles behind the striker of Amorim’s three-back system.

2023/24

Unknown

37

6

2023/24

Calf

110

21

2024/25

Hamstring

22

3

2024/25

Head

2

0

Total:

4 injuries

171

30

The “outstanding” Mount, as dubbed by former coach Jody Morris, has previously featured in such a role during his time at Stamford Bridge, registering 13 goals and 16 assists during the 2021/22 campaign with his boyhood outfit.

He’s yet to demonstrate anywhere the level required of a player who costs £60m but, should he play in one of those aforementioned roles, he could well produce some performances to showcase why he cost such a hefty fee.

The clash against Ipswich could provide the perfect time to utilise the former England international in such a role, with Bruno Fernandes likely to feature in a deeper eight position.

It will take time for the squad to adapt to such a new system, but it could allow Mount in particular to have a huge revival under the former Portugal international at Old Trafford.

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West Ham United’s next fixture could be a decisive one for Julen Lopetegui, as his side take on Everton in the Premier League. The Hammers currently sit 14th in the league on 11 points, winning three times, drawing twice, and losing on five occasions in the opening ten games.

Everton are currently sitting 16th in the Premier League, acquiring nine points from their opening fixtures. The Hammers lost in this fixture last season, with Everton beating them 1-0 at home before West Ham replied with a 3-1 win at Goodison Park.

West Ham take on the Toffees this weekend at the London Stadium, and a loss could be enough to get Lopetegui the sack after his poor start to the new campaign, despite being heavily backed in the transfer market this summer.

Lopetegui's reign so far

The 58-year-old has had an array of jobs around Spain, Portugal and England now, most notably managing Real Madrid, Porto, Sevilla, Wolves, and the Spanish National team, all before his appointment as West Ham boss.

Lopetegui’s longest reign came in his time at Sevilla, taking charge of 170 matches and averaging a points-per-match ratio of 1.85.

In this time, the Spaniard managed to win the UEFA Europa League in the 2019/20 season, beating Inter Milan 3-2 in the final.

Rayo Vallecano

2

0.50

RM Castilla

38

1.66

Spain U20

11

2.45

Spain U19

18

2.44

Spain U21

19

2.89

FC Porto

78

2.24

Spain

20

2.40

Real Madrid

14

1.43

Sevilla

170

1.85

Wolves

27

1.30

The Spanish manager’s biggest failure was his job at Real Madrid, only managing 14 games in charge before he was replaced by Santiago Solari. Real Madrid went on to finish third in La Liga that season (2018/19), never truly recovering from their poor start under Lopetegui.

But the possession-based coach ended up at West Ham after a successful spell with Sevilla, and a good short stint with Wolves, where he managed to average +50% possession with a bottom-half side in the Premier League, which was seemingly a big reason Lopetegui got the job for the Hammers.

Despite improving West Ham’s possession numbers, going from an average of 40.5% last season to an average of 44.9% this season (a rise of 4.4%), the overall level of performance has been poor, and a loss against Everton at the weekend could be enough to tip the scales, and see Lopetegui sacked after just a few months in charge.

Potential replacements are already being linked, and one man who could be on West Ham’s radar, would be following suit with the most recent Premier League appointment, Ruben Amorim of Manchester United, in trading Portugal for England.

Notably linked with the Irons over the summer, he’s now heading in the direction of Old Trafford.

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West Ham could hire manager from Portugal

According to reports from talkSPORT, West Ham are likely to make contact with Portuguese manager, Sergio Conceicao, if they do decide to sack Lopetegui.

The ex-Porto boss has been described as “fantastic” by journalist Jerry Mancini, who further labelled him a “first-class manager”.

The 49-year-old has managed Olhanense, Coimbra, SC Braga, Vitoria Guimaraes, FC Nantes, and, of course, FC Porto. Conceicao spent seven years in charge of Porto, managing 368 games, and averaging 2.29 points per game.

Conceicao often deploys a 4-2-3-1, with his wingers playing high and wide, his full-backs contributing on both sides of the ball, a more protective double pivot in central midfield, with a creative number ten, who can float and link play between the lines.

In their most recent season (2023/24), Porto averaged 63.6% possession, the highest in Liga Portugal, ahead of Benfica and league winners, Sporting.

This is a great sign for West Ham, as they would still be getting the type of manager they wanted to build towards a more possession-heavy side, who controls the tempo of a game.

This change could be a welcome one for West Ham fans, as not only would it freshen things up, and bring a better overall vibe around the club, but a few existing stars could thrive better in Conceicao’s system, which could see them return to top form.

Which players would benefit from Conceicao's appointment

The first big one who could benefit is attacking midfielder, Lucas Paqueta. The 27-year-old has made 12 appearances for Lopetegui so far this season, scoring two goals, but yet to provide an assist in his 787 minutes played.

The creative passing of Paqueta is one of, if not his best attributes, and getting the best out of him is likely to have a positive correlation with the success of the team.

In Conceicao’s system, Paqueta would play as the floating number ten, able to link play between the lines and find himself in pockets of space where he can affect the game, as opposed to having to come deeper to aid build-up in Lopetegui’s system.

From last season, Paqueta’s progressive carries, progressive passes, key passes, and shot-creating actions are all down, and by unleashing him in a more natural and free role, he could take West Ham’s level back up a notch.

Another player who could benefit from the appointment is 18-year-old midfielder, Lewis Orford, as Conceicao would want to add more mobility in the middle of the park, with a good blend of on-ball qualities in order to release Paqueta further forwards.

Alongside the other defensive midfield options such as Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, and Tomas Soucek, it is likely Conceicao would want a more mobile duel winner, and the height, mobility, and press resistance of Orford could be a brilliant profile to bring into the fray for the Portuguese coach.

Overall, the 49-year-old would be a very astute appointment for the Hammers, bringing in an experienced manager, who has implemented possession football at previous clubs, and has the character to match.

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Chamari Athapaththu breaks into top ten after showing strong form in the Commonwealth Games Qualifiers

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2022

Tahlia McGrath and Meg Lanning put on 144* in 13.1 overs in the first T20I against England•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Meg Lanning and Tahlia McGrath have moved up in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings among batters after guiding Australia to a 1-0 series victory in the T20I leg of the ongoing Ashes series. Lanning, the Australia captain, displaced Smriti Mandhana from third place, while McGrath vaulted up 29 places to 28th.In the first T20I in Adelaide, McGrath followed up figures of 3 for 26 with an unbeaten 91 off 49 balls, including 13 fours and a six. Lanning also fired with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls as Australia hunted down 170 with nine wickets and three overs to spare. The second and third T20Is ended in no-results following lashing rain in Adelaide.Full rankings tables

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Shafali Verma regained the top spot on the table, leapfrogging Beth Mooney, who was sidelined from the Ashes games after undergoing surgery for a fractured jaw. Verma (726) now has a two-point lead over Mooney.Among allrounders, Ellyse Perry dropped out of the top ten in the list that continues to be led by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine.Meanwhile, Chamari Athapaththu advanced six places to break into the top ten. She made scores of 24, 86, 57, 30, 48 in Kuala Lumpur as Sri Lanka assured themselves of an opportunity to compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be played in Birmingham this July-August.

A long-term view is being taken with the fast bowler after his history of injuries

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2022Pace bowler Jhye Richardson says he’s on board with the decision to rest him for the Test tour of Pakistan and backed Justin Langer to secure a new term as national coach.Richardson’s three-year hiatus from the Test arena came to an end in December when he was part of the Australian unit that beat England by 275 runs in the day-night Ashes clash in Adelaide. He snared 5 for 42 in the second innings in a stunning display, but an injury to his left foot and shin kept him out for the rest of the series.He has battled a series of shoulder injuries in recent years and selectors want to take a careful approach with him to avoid his body breaking down. Richardson has been selected for the upcoming five-match T20 series against Sri Lanka but he will be rested for the three-Test tour of Pakistan, which begins in March.Related

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Jhye Richardson relieved with comeback five-for after 'tough' first innings in Adelaide

Ben McDermott and Travis Head earn T20I call-ups for Sri Lanka series

“These conversations have always been positive, there’s never been a negative word said regardless,” Richardson said. “It’s making sure we’re in the best place possible to play for the next 10 years, and making sure the body is right and 100 percent moving forward.”It would be exciting to play Test cricket in the subcontinent, it’s a big challenge. But for me now the focus is most certainly on the Sri Lankan series with another T20 World Cup coming up.”National selector George Bailey indicated he still expected Richardson to play a part during the winter with a Test tour of Sri Lanka also in the calendar. In the short term, though, it is unclear what cricket Richardson could play after the T20I series with the domestic schedule yet to be determined and Western Australia’s hard border adding to the complexity.Jhye Richardson took a five-wicket haul in his one Ashes appearance•AFP/Getty Images”He is a player that we we’ve got long term expectations for,” Bailey said. “He still hasn’t played a huge amount of cricket coming back from the injuries and things that he’s had over the past couple of years. So just making sure that he gets the opportunity to build up the way that he needs to build up is really important.”Richardson will line up for Perth Scorchers against Sydney Sixers or Adelaide Strikers in Friday’s BBL final at Marvel Stadium. He will still have to manage the injury he suffered during the Ashes.”I had a scan on it [the shin], and it showed the muscle was pulling on the bone a little bit, so there was a little bit of stress there, which is why it’s taken longer to settle down,” Richardson said. “But throughout the whole time it’s been functional. I’ve been able to play and bowl throughout that whole series, and then moving into Scorchers stuff.”Meanwhile, Langer’s future is still uncertain despite helping Australia secure the T20 World Cup crown and a 4-0 Ashes triumph. Richardson, who played under Langer at WA, wants the veteran coach to be rewarded with a fresh deal.”For someone to come and take the World Cup, to then win an Ashes 4-0, I can’t fault anything that JL has done,” Richardson said. “JL and I have always gotten along really well. What he’s been able to achieve recently has been absolutely amazing. And no doubt the guys from a playing point of view have full faith in him. He’s been awesome.”

Raul Jimenez is undoubtedly one of the finest Wolverhampton Wanderers players in the Premier League era. The Mexican centre-forward was deadly for the Old Gold and is their all-time top goalscorer in the top flight since 1992 when the Premier League began with 41 goals.

In total, the one-time Benfica star scored 57 goals for the club in 166 games. His form was especially good before his terrible head injury against Arsenal which took him eight months to recover from. At his current club Fulham, he is beginning to look close to his best again.

The Midlands club have never really managed to replace him since his departure, and whilst Matheus Cunha has supplemented the number of goals he scored, he is more of a second striker.

That said, summer signing Jorgen Strand Larsen is someone who has been impressive this season in front of goal.

Strand Larsen’s season so far

Wolves brought Strand Larsen in from Celta Vigo in the summer, signing him on a loan deal with the obligation to buy if there are certain conditions met. He will cost the Old Gold £23m if he does make a permanent move.

So far, he has impressed in a Wolves shirt. The centre-forward has played 13 times for the club, scoring four goals and grabbing three assists. He has been fairly consistent so far. The longest he has gone this term without a goal involvement is two games. It has been a good start to life in the Midlands.

Equally, the Norweigan centre-forward is currently second on the list of most goal involvements for the Old Gold this season. Cunha is the only player with more, with a standout haul of ten goals and assists to his name already.

Player

Goals

Assists

G/A per game

Matheus Cunha

7

3

0.76

Jorgen Strand Larsen

4

3

0.53

Goncalo Guedes

4

1

0.45

Rayan Ait-Nouri

3

2

0.38

Mario Lemina

1

3

0.28

It will certainly be pleasing for Wolves fans to see their summer signing enjoying a good campaign so far. He is certainly stepping up now Jimenez has left the club, and they will be hoping he can continue his fine form into the festive period.

Strand Larsen’s form is encouraging, and there might well be another deadly striker at the club next season if one star who is out on loan can continue his form next season.

Wolves' in-form loan star

The player in question here is Fabio Silva. The Portuguese striker has not had an easy ride playing for the Old Gold but is enjoying life out on loan this season with La Liga side Las Palmas. He has four goals and one assist in ten games for the club so far.

Incredibly, the former Porto star is just one goal this season behind his entire tally for Wolves. He has scored five times and has six assists in 72 appearances. Given they paid £35.6m for him in 2020 as an 18-year-old, this is a disappointing return.

After several loan spells, it must be a relief for Silva to have found his best form in front of goal, and he has certainly reaped the rewards so far. The 22-year-old recently made his debut for the Portugal senior team, a 19-minute cameo against Croatia in the Nations League.

Manager Roberto Martinez was full of praise for the Wolves striker in the days leading up to his debut. He called him “a different player” to the one Old Gold fans have seen, and the fact he gave him a senior bow shows the faith he has in him.

There is perhaps still hope at Wolves that their former teenage prodigy can come good. He is on par in terms of goals this season with Strand Larsen, and if he can translate that form over to the Premier League, they would have two talented young strikers on their books, and, finally, some genuine replacements for Jimenez.

Forget Cunha: Wolves' "tenacious" star could be their next big-money sale

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Rishabh Pant is a shot-maker of such quality that he can take the conditions out of the equation, and for 100 runs and 139 balls in Cape Town he did just that. This wasn’t so much a Test match innings as it was a display of jaw-dropping daredevilry. And at the end of it, India had a lead of 211 and a real chance at making history.South Africa, who to their immense credit finished 101 for 2, were under siege in the chase, not just from the bowlers but from a very chirpy Virat Kohli. Once, when he was running across from one end of the field to the other, he looked at Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen and said “Relax guys. I can hear your heartbeat.”So began a remarkably combative last 29.4 overs of play and it peaked in the 21st.R Ashwin to Elgar. He bowls a beautiful offbreak. Tossed up from around the wicket, drifting in late, drifting in big. The left-hander prepares to nudge the ball into the leg side. He brings down a straight bat. But this drift. It is too much. It takes the ball clean past the inside edge and hits him on the front pad.Umpire Marais Erasmus puts the finger up immediately. But ball-tracking told a different story. Bouncing over leg stump.Ashwin was completely unimpressed. “Find better ways to win, SuperSport,” he said. Kohli was livid. He took an almighty kick at the turf, then walked right up to the stump mic and said, “focus on your team as well while they shine the ball, eh? Not just the opposition. Trying to catch people all the time.” KL Rahul chimed in with “whole country playing against 11 guys”.Rishabh Pant celebrates his hundred•Getty Images

India were rage-mode. Elgar did so very well to resist them but he couldn’t hold out. The South African captain fell off what turned out to be the last ball of the day. So now the game is in the hands of a virtual rookie. Petersen is four Tests old. He has earned praise from all corners – and he batted befitting all of it – making 48 unbeaten runs. The longer he lasts in the middle tomorrow the better it will be for his side. After all, they are almost halfway to the target with eight wickets still in hand.Long before all this tension though, there was nothing but magic. Magic from a man named Pant.Watching him on the field really takes you back to your childhood, back when you were running around with your brothers and your sisters and your best friends, all in search of the nearest empty piece of land to play a little bit of cricket. The driveway at home. The hallway at school. Anywhere you can show off. Be silly. And bring joy.Bring joy to the most important people in your life simply by doing something you love.As adults, we grow out of that phase. Rishabh, it seems, just knows better.There was a moment, as he was nearing his century, when he chased one that was so far wide of off stump that he began to overbalance. But, instead of stopping himself and preparing to face the next ball, he sort of went with the flow and pretend ran a double on a pretend pitch between point and the stumps at the keeper’s end.Raucous laughter rang out in response. Most of it would have been from the Indian dressing room but can you really rule out a smile from a South African face? After all, when he attempted a reverse scoop off the 6’8″ Marco Jansen and failed to connect, Hashim Amla on the broadcast said, “I would have loved to have seen that come off.”Keegan Petersen scored at a brisk pace•Getty Images

This is Rishabh Pant. He is such a thrillingly free spirit that everyone just falls in love with him.Entertaining the masses is one thing. As part of a high-performing sports team, he is also committed to winning and to do that at Newlands he needed to do more than just have a whack.Pant walked out after two quick wickets – Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane undone by extra bounce. And within seven balls he was smelling leather. Kagiso Rabada decided to test him with the short ball but Pant was ready. He rocked back and pulled South Africa’s pace ace to the square leg boundary to get off the mark.There were other shots like that too. Shots straight out of a dream. 34th over. A down the track slap off Duanne Olivier that was all kinds of impudent. 48th over. A one-handed slog sweep. For six. 60th over. A flay over point that didn’t fetch a single run but will still make the highlights because he went so hard at it that he lost the grip on his bat and it went flying.Pant defied logic for every second he was out there. If you want any more evidence of that, look down the scorecard, look for the next best score.Kohli 29 off 143.That was a superb innings as well. He may not have the runs to show for it but his presence in the middle prevented the team from collapsing. Solid doesn’t come close to describing the India captain at the crease. But this should: he played a false shot once every 12 balls in a match where there was one every six balls.Kohli wasn’t just good. He was twice as good as everybody else.

Fenerbahce have responded to the “malicious” racism allegations made against Jose Mourinho, branding Galatasaray’s comments as “pathetic slander”.

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• Heated Istanbul derby delivered more fireworks
• Portuguese coach courting controversy
• Comments said to have been taken out of context

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A fiery Istanbul derby was played out between arch-rivals Fenerbahce and Galatasaray on Monday. Ex-Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Mourinho was his lively self on the touchline, as he took issue with a number of decisions made and became “triggered” by a shushing gesture from Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The self-anointed ‘Special One’ went on to make a typically outspoken comment after the game, accusing the Galatasaray coaching team of “jumping like monkeys” on the bench as they tried to impact decisions being made on the field.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Galatasaray took issue with that statement and said in one of their own: “We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA. Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce – an institution professing to uphold 'exemplary moral values' – in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager.”

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  WHAT FENERBAHCE SAID

  Fenerbahce have been quick to bite back, saying in response to what they consider to have been an exaggerated reaction by their bitter rivals: “A statement made by our Technical Director Jose Mourinho after the match was completely taken out of context and an attempt was made to deliberately distort it. As every sensible person can see and understand, these statements used by Jose Mourinho to describe the excessive reaction of the opposing team's technical staff to the referee decisions during the match can in no way be associated with racism.

  “Trying to portray this statement as racist is a completely malicious approach. We would like to inform the public that we will use our legal rights regarding this pathetic slander that was made in order to take the competition off the field, change the agenda and manipulate it.”