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Leeds United central midfielder Sean Longstaff has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in the middle of the park since his move to the club in the summer.

The Whites swooped to sign him from Premier League rivals Newcastle United in a deal worth up to £15m to compete with the likes of Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, and Ilia Gruev.

Longstaff’s experience in the top-flight with the Magpies has helped him to hit the ground running at Elland Road with some impressive showings in midfield.

The 27-year-old star’s breakout performance for Daniel Farke’s side came in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last week, as he scored and assisted a goal.

His fantastic strike, as shown in the clip above, should have been enough to claim all three points for Leeds, but a stoppage-time equaliser meant that they had to settle for one.

Unfortunately, though, the English midfielder was not at his very best in the club’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on Saturday.

How Sean Longstaff performed against Spurs

The former Newcastle man lined up in the middle of the park alongside Stach and Ampadu once again, as they have started to form an impressive unit in midfield.

However, Longstaff did not continue his impressive form. Instead, the Englishman was a bit too easy to play against at times for the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Xavi Simons.

The experienced star was dribbled past three times in midfield, losing half (5/10) of his duels, per Sofascore, which shows that the Spurs players got the better of him too many times.

His part in Mathys Tel’s opening goal summed up his overall performance. Longstaff failed to control a bouncing ball in the middle of the park and then got outmuscled by Bentancur on the turn, which then teed up Mohammed Kudus to set Tel away for his strike.

The Newcastle academy graduate could have prevented the goal by adjusting his body to control the ball from the initial header forward from Spurs, shielding Bentancur out of contention to take it off him.

Vs Spurs	Sean Longstaff
Minutes	90
Key passes	5
Shots	4
Shots on target	0
Tackles made	4
Dribbled past	3x
Duels won	5/10
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, it was not an utterly dreadful performance from the central midfielder, who created five chances for his teammates and made four tackles.

However, all four of his shots failed to find the target, he was dribbled past three times, he lost half of his duels, and he was partially to blame for Tel’s goal.

His underwhelming display should not be a cause for too much concern, though, because it was against the Europa League champions and he has shown that he can put in some excellent showings for Leeds.

Meanwhile, though, one of his teammates put in another concerning performance that may sound some alarm bells, as he is on course to become a flop if things do not improve.

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The Championship champions swooped to add some Premier League experience to their frontline during the summer transfer window, with the addition of Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer from Everton.

Unfortunately, though, there have been more worrying performances than there have been impressive ones since he made the switch to Elland Road in August.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin may become a Leeds flop

Bringing the 28-year-old in, even on a free transfer, was always going to be a gamble by the club because of his output in recent seasons for the Toffees.

Calvert-Lewin scored three goals from 6.75 xG in the 2024/25 season, seven goals from 12.93 xG in the 2023/24 season, and two goals from 5.84 xG in the 2022/23 season in the Premier League for Everton, per Sofascore.

This shows that Leeds signed a player who had struggled badly in front of goal for at least three seasons, underperforming against his xG in all three of those campaigns.

Calvert-Lewin’s debut for Leeds, as shown in the graphic above, did little to ease any concerns about his ability in front of goal, as he missed four ‘big chances’ and a penalty in the club’s loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup.

The former England international did score an impressive header against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 3-1 win for the Whites last month, but that is his only goal for the club to date.

Calvert-Lewin had a big chance to find the back of the net against Spurs on Saturday, when Noah Okafor pressed the defence into a mistake, but the experienced striker fired his effort high and wide of Guglielmo Vicario’s goal.

The English centre-forward was even worse than Longstaff against the Lilywhites because he struggled with his play in and out of possession of the ball.

Vs Spurs	Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Minutes	90
Shots	2
Big chances missed	1
Big chances created	0
Dribbles completed	0/3
Ground duels won	0/6
Aerial duels won	2/5
Fouls committed	3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin lost the vast majority of his duels, failed in all three of his attempted dribbles, and missed a ‘big chance’, which was the aforementioned one that he fired over the bar.

This shows that he was even worse than Longstaff, who at least won half of his duels and created five chances for the team, and the striker is now in danger of becoming the next Pierre-Michel Lasogga at Elland Road.

The German striker spent the 2017/18 campaign on loan at the club in the Championship and scored ten goals in 31 league matches, but his general play was less-than-impressive.

Former Leeds forward Noel Whelan once criticised the brute number nine, who was on loan from Hamburg, saying: “He looked heavy, he looked leggy, he looked slow.”

Unfortunately, some of those criticisms could also be levelled at Calvert-Lewin, who has lost 63% of his duels and completed just 17% of his attempted dribbles in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, to go along with one goal and five ‘big chances’ missed.

The former Everton attacker is in danger of becoming the new Lasogga at Elland Road because of how clunky he has looked on the ball and how sloppy he has been in front of goal.

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Calvert-Lewin must finally find his form in front of goal and start to become more reliable with the ball at his feet and in duels with opposition defenders if he wants to avoid going down as a flop in West Yorkshire.

MatériaMais Notícias

Mesmo buscando o resultado após sair perdendo para o Flamengo, o técnico Mano Menezes não saiu satisfeito com o empate. Ainda assim, o treinador gostou da postura do Corinthians no jogo deste sábado (7), na Neo Química Arena. 

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– Não sai satisfeito com o resultado, mas saio satisfeito com o comportamento da equipe. Estivemos melhores posicionados. Na defesa já bem melhor posicionado. Enfrentamos uma equipe com muita qualidade, com movimentações boas e sempre se espera algo de diferente deles e minha equipe se comportou melhor e ofereceu menos oportunidades. A partir daí, você vai sofrendo menos. É uma série de coisas para melhorar, mas o caminho é esse – disse o técnico na entrevista coletiva após a partida. 

+VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO E SIMULE OS PRÓXIMOS JOGOS

Mano ressaltou que a qualidade do adversário exalta a melhora corintiana no confronto deste fim de semana.

– Não é só comportamento. Temos que aliar isso às condições de um jogo mais bem executado. Jogamos contra um time com muita movimentação. Precisamos estar atentos, fomos bem em vários momentos, mas erramos em tantos outros. O caminho é trabalhar bastante nessa parada e estaremos melhor depois desse período de treinamento.

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Com o resultado, o Corinthians manteve a sua distância da zona do rebaixamento, que é de quatro pontos. E isso não mudará, independentemente do resultado da partida entre Palmeiras e Santos neste domingo (8), já que Bahia, Goiás e Vasco já entraram em campo nesta rodada.

De toda forma, Mano Menezes diz que a possibilidade de entrar no Z4  não é discutida no Timão. 

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– Não se falou sobre isso (zona do rebaixamento) com os jogadores, porque não é questão nossa. Quem fala em rebaixamento é quem está no Z4, e a equipe vem se mantendo fora há um tempo. Mas é óbvio que precisamos melhorar o percentual de pontuação. Um ponto a cada seis não é o suficiente, mas às vezes não é o pior, pois pode lhe dar consistência para buscar mais.

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O Corinthians voltará a campo após 11 dias, por conta do período de paralisação do futebol brasileiro por conta das datas Fifa. O próximo duelo será contra o Fluminense, no dia 18 de agosto, no Rio de Janeiro, pela 27ª rodada do Brasileirão. O tempo sem jogos será importante para que o treinador dê mais a sua cara para a equipe. 

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

– Cada dia vamos trabalhar na direção de melhorar as questões gerais da equipe. Sofremos um pouco nas retomadas, quando a bola vai e volta perdemos o posicionamento, seja ofensivo ou defensivo. A equipe precisa percorrer as distâncias mais rápido e isso é possível. Existe uma mudança de ritmo nisso e o treinamento todos os dias faz você ganhar uma condição melhor, a equipe precisa desse trabalho e os jogadores estão sedentos por isso, por essas informações e é isso que vamos dar a equipe – pontuou Mano.

Mano Menezes fez somente a sua segunda partida no comando corintiano na passagem atual e ainda não venceu. A primeira havia sido na terça-feira (3), quando o Timão foi derrotado para o Fortaleza, no confronto em que foi eliminado da Conmebol Sul-Americana. A estreia seria no clássico contra o São Paulo, no dia 1º de outubro, mas como carregava uma suspensão por acúmulo de cartões, da época em que dirigia o Internacional, cumpriu suspensão, e o Corinthians foi comandado pelo auxiliar Sidnei Lobo.

تحدث الإسباني لويس إنريكي، مدرب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي باريس سان جيرمان عن مدى خطورة إصابة اللاعب الدولي الفرنسي عثمان ديمبلي، وموقفه من مباراة بايرن ميونخ ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه باريس سان جيرمان نظيره بايرن ميونخ مساء يوم الثلاثاء المقبل في إطار منافسات الجولة الرابعة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وخلال مباراة باريس سان جيرمان الأخيرة في الدوري أمام نيس، انتشر فيديو يحتوي على محادثة بين ديمبلي وأشرف حكيمي، يعترف فيها الأول بمعاناته من مشاكل جسدية حيث قال عثمان: “أوتار الركبة تؤلمني بشدة”.

وقال إنريكي حول ذلك في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “عثمان لاعب من طراز مختلف، من الرائع رؤيته في الملعب لكن علينا التحلي بالصبر والاستماع إلى ما يريده”.

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وأكمل: “إن رؤية ديمبيلي في الملعب لعشر أو عشرين دقيقة أمر مثير ورائع بالفعل، نشعر بالكثير من الرضا حول مستواه الأخير وتطوره ولسنا قلقين من هذا أبدًا”.

سيخضع عثمان لفحوصات طبية أولية لتحديد مدى الألم الذي عانى منه خلال مباراة نيس، وستعتمد مشاركته في مباراة باريس سان جيرمان المهمة بدوري أبطال أوروبا على نتائج هذه الفحوصات.

وعن مواجهة بايرن ميونخ قال إنريكي: “لقد فازوا في آخر 15 مباراة وهذا أمر رائع، نحن متحمسون لمواجهة أحد أفضل الفرق في أوروبا، وكلنا ثقة، نعرف الأجواء التي سيخلقها جمهورنا وسنسعى جاهدين لتحقيق أقصى استفادة منها”.

على الرغم من تدهور علاقة رودري وريال مدريد بعد صراع الكرة الذهبية العام الماضي، إلا أن النادي الإسباني لم يغفل عن موهبة نجم مانشستر سيتي الكبيرة.

وقد ارتبط ريال مدريد بشكل متزايد بالتعاقد مع رودري لاعب خط وسط مانشستر سيتي في الأشهر الأخيرة، وهو أمر مثير للاهتمام في وقت يبقى فيه مستقبل فينيسيوس جونيور غامضًا.

وعلى الرغم من معاناة رودري من إصابات عديدة إلا أن ريال مدريد يدرك موهبة اللاعب الإسباني وما يمكن أن يضيفه للفريق.

اقرأ أيضاً.. ريفالدو: أتفهم سبب غضب فينيسيوس.. ولم يعجبني أداء برشلونة أمام ريال مدريد

ونقلاً عن صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية فإن مانشستر سيتي يدرك تماماً موهبة رودري ويسعى الآن لتمديد عقده.

وينتهي عقد رودري الحالي مع مانشستر سيتي في عام 2027 ويحرص النادي على تجديد عقده قبل فوات الآوان، وبدأ السيتيزن بالفعل تجديد عقد اللاعب الإسباني حيث تعافى من إصابته والمفاوضات جارية.

وحدد مانشستر سيتي رودري كلاعب أساسي في النادي، ويسعى النادي الإنجليزي لتأمين مستقبل ركيزة أساسية للفريق، ويعد هذا جزء من استراتيجية للحفاظ على لاعبيه الأساسيين.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após cinco clássicos disputados em 2023, Fluminense e Flamengo voltam a campo pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, neste domingo, às 16h (de Brasília). O duelo vem se mostrando equilibrado com duas vitórias para cada lado e um empate na temporada atual.

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O Lance! relembra como o confronto entre as duas equipes vem sendo uma caixinha de surpresas para os torcedores, uma vez que a imprevisibilidade vem tomando conta do duelo, independentemente da fase dos times. Como em um carrossel com altos e baixos, o Tricolor das Laranjeiras e o Rubro-Negro visam o triunfo no Brasileirão.

CARROSSEL DO FLA-FLU EM 2023

No início do ano, o Flamengo começou a temporada com grandes expectativas, uma vez que vinha dos títulos da Copa do Brasil e Libertadores no fim de 2022. Após liderar o Campeonato Carioca por grande parte da competição, o Fluminense conquistou uma vitória em um momento considerado improvável na 11ª rodada da fase de pontos corridos e conquistou a Taça Guanabara.

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Na decisão do torneio, os dois maiores vencedores estaduais voltaram a se encontrar após o Rubro-Negro ter decepcionado seus torcedores com inúmeros vice-campeonatos, mas venceu o Tricolor das Laranjeiras no jogo de ida por 2 a 0. Mas ainda assim, a equipe de Fernando Diniz deu a volta por cima, driblou as probabilidades e impôs uma goleada imponente por 4 a 1 e venceu o Campeonato Carioca.

Depois, foi a vez do Flamengo dar o troco, em competição considerada mais importante que o Estadual: a Copa do Brasil. O sorteio do mata-mata nacional colocou as equipes frente a frente logo nas oitavas de final, em momento bem diferentes daquele que chegaram na decisão do Campeonato Carioca. Dessa vez, o Tricolor era considerado favorito à avançar, mas, assim como o Rubro-Negro no início, teve a expectativa quebrada.

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Já com Jorge Sampaoli, o Flamengo soube controlar a ida, que terminou em empate sem gols, e foi dominante no jogo de volta. O argentino deu o famoso “nó” no Fluminense de Fernando Diniz e, com gols de Arrascaeta e Gabigol, referências técnicas do elenco, venceu por 2 a 0 e garantiu vaga nas quartas de final. Vale destacar que, neste meio de semana, o Rubro-Negro derrotou o Athletico Paranaense e se classificou para a semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

COMO CHEGAM FLUMINENSE E FLAMENGO

Longe de viver sua melhor fase na temporada, o Fluminense também deixou seu pior momento para trás e busca se estabilizar no Brasileirão. Nos últimos seis jogos do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Tricolor conquistou três vitórias, teve dois empates e uma derrota dura e embaraçosa contra o São Paulo.

Apesar disso, a equipe de Fernando Diniz conquistou a liderança do Grupo D da Libertadores no fim do mês passado e há duas semanas vem tendo semanas cheias de treinamentos para recuperar atletas, entrosar os novos reforços e recuperar o melhor futebol do time, que resultou em uma boa vitória sobre o Internacional, no último fim de semana.

+ Quem é melhor: Fluminense ou Flamengo? Veja votação jogador por jogador feita pela equipe do LANCE!

O Rubro-Negro, por sua vez, vive grande momento em 2023. Desde a chegada de Sampaoli, a equipe ganhou uma identidade própria e, já com a ajuda dos reforços que chegaram, como Allan e Luiz Araújo, é candidato a todos os títulos na temporada. O Flamengo venceu 13 dos últimos 15 jogos, com apenas uma derrota, para o Bragantino, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

O clima de clássico, especialmente diante do Fluminense, é algo que motiva bastante os jogadores do Flamengo. As equipes têm se enfrentado regularmente em grandes estágios e, dessa vez, a partida vale a manutenção na vice-liderança do Brasileirão. Vale destacar, contudo, que o Rubro-Negro não vai contar com três titulares, Fabrício Bruno, Ayrton Lucas e Erick Pulgar, por conta de suspensão.

O clássico Fla-Flu acontecerá no Maracanã, e os ingressos já estão praticamente esgotados, ou seja, é promessa de casa cheia para aquele que promete ser um grande jogo. No momento, o Flamengo tem 26 pontos no Campeonato Brasileiro e é segundo colocado, enquanto o Fluminense é o quarto, com dois a menos, caracterizando um “confronto direto”.

Leeds United have had some incredibly gifted attacking players grace the turf at Elland Road in recent seasons to help them to succeed on the pitch.

Go back to Pablo Hernandez and Raphinha under Marcelo Bielsa, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter under Daniel Farke. There have been some remarkable talents at the club.

Unfortunately, the Whites wer unable to add more attacking quality to their current squad of players for the Premier League season when they tried to dip into the market on deadline day.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider: “There will be a hint of frustration for Daniel Farke – they missed out on some targets.

“They are still lacking a bit up front, Leeds and he fears for them on that front – not getting the deal done for Manor Solomon will be a blow to Farke and the Leeds fans, because he had such a great impact there on loan last season.”

The Whites will have to hope that other players are now able to step up and show that they can be the club’s next number ten in the making, to truly take over from the likes of Summerville and Raphinha.

Why Leeds needs to find their next Summerville or Raphinha

You only have to look at what happened to Leeds in the Premier League with and without Raphinha to realise how important it is to have a pure game-changer in the squad. Someone who can create something out of nothing to win a game for the team.

The Brazil international helped the Whites to avoid relegation in both of his seasons in the Premier League at Elland Road, and they were relegated the season he left for Barcelona in 2022.

Raphinha scored 17 goals and created 22 ‘big chances’ in two Premier League seasons with Leeds, per Sofascore, which shows that he made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

30

35

Goals

6

11

Big chances missed

4

6

Big chances created

12

10

Key passes per game

2.1

1.9

Assists

9

3

Dribbles completed per game

1.9

1.8

Summerville picked up the club’s number ten shirt after Raphinha’s move to Barcelona and went on to become a hugely important player for Daniel Farke in the 2023/24 Championship season.

The Dutch wizard racked up 19 goals and nine assists in 41 starts in the regular season of the second tier, before adding another goal to his tally during the play-offs against Norwich City, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that Summerville and Raphinha were mercurial wingers who could impact games with goals and assists on a regular basis to win vital points for the team during their time at Leeds.

The club’s current holder of the number ten shirt, Joel Piroe, is not that kind of player. He is a goal poacher, and a good one at Championship level, who scored 19 goals in the second tier last term.

Chalkboard

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

His lack of physicality, having won 27% of his duels in the Championship last season and 9% of his duels in the Premier League so far, may prevent him from making much of an impact in the top-flight, as opposition defenders find it too easy to get the better of him in physical battles.

Leeds, though, may have a natural successor to the number ten shirt in waiting in the form of summer signing Noah Okafor, who could be the new Raphinha for the club at Premier League level.

Why Noah Okafor may be the new Raphinha for Leeds

The Switzerland international arrived from AC Milan in a £17m deal last month and ended the window as the only winger signed by the club all summer.

Leeds have gambled on the 25-year-old attacker after he endured a dismal 2024/25 campaign. The speedster only scored one goal in 21 matches for Napoli and Milan in all competitions, per Sofascore, and missed 13 games through injury, per Transfermarkt.

Okafor’s worrying injury record and his disappointing goal return last season may not fill many supporters with much hope for the kind of impact he can have on the pitch in the Premier League this season.

However, the Swiss left winger’s form in previous seasons suggests that there is the potential for him to emerge as a Raphinha-esque star who is worthy of wearing the number ten shirt at Elland Road.

Okafor produced six goals in 881 minutes in the Serie A in the 2023/24 campaign, a goal every 147 minutes on average, for Milan, which shows what he can do when fit.

The Leeds winger shone in Austria for RB Salzburg prior to his move to Milan in 2023, having racked up 34 goals and 23 assists in 110 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

21

Goals

9

Conversion rate

24%

Minutes per goal

105

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.2

Assists

8

As you can see in the table above, Okafor’s best season in Austria shows that he does have the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis when he is at his best.

The Switzerland international was described as an “electric” and “dangerous” player by analyst Ben Mattinson, which are adjectives that could also be used to describe both Summerville and Raphinha during their time at Elland Road.

Okafor has not had much luck with injuries in recent seasons, which has affected his development, but his form for Milan in his first season in Italy and his performances for Salzburg show that he does have the quality to make a big impact in the final third.

It is now down to Farke to get the best out of the left-sided attacker because he could be the Raphinha to his Bielsa at Premier League level, by scoring and assisting goals to win vital points for the team.

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Given Piroe’s dismal start to the Premier League season, losing 91% of his duels and being left as an unused substitute against Newcastle last time out, Okafor may have a real chance to grab the number ten shirt next season if the Dutchman moves on and he produes quality displays out wide this term.

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Fi Morris, Daniel Gidney, James Sheridan and Matty Hurst pose with Lucknow Super Giants shirts•Lancashire CCC

Lancashire officials have played down the idea that Manchester Originals could be seen as a consolation prize by the RPSG Group, who are finalising a deal for 70% stake in the franchise after missing out on a minority share in London Spirit.Lancashire shortlisted four bidders with links to IPL franchises, though Reliance, the owners of Mumbai Indians, were removed when they won the auction for a stake in Oval Invincibles. The RPSG Group – who run Lucknow Super Giants – eventually saw off competition from Kolkata Knight Riders and Amit Jain, whose bid involved a cricketing partnership with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.The auction for Originals took place three days after the RPSG Group had missed out on London Spirit, the Lord’s-based franchise, in a three-hour bidding war with a Silicon Valley tech consortium. They were the final bidders remaining as Spirit’s valuation reached an eye-watering £295 million, and instead secured Originals at a valuation of £116m.Related

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Lancashire want IPL link for Manchester Originals

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Lancashire have stressed that the RPSG Group had been their preferred partner for a significant period of time, and RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka has insisted his commitment to “developing a deep bond” with the club, saying he sees “huge potential” in the partnership.”Lord’s is Lord’s, but Manchester is Manchester,” Shashwat Goenka, Sanjiv’s son and the group’s vice-chairman, said at a launch event at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday. “While we did bid aggressively for Lord’s, we stopped at a point and I’m extremely happy with Manchester. We’ve been delighted with our interactions with Lancashire and I’m very excited with this partnership.”James Sheridan, Originals’ chair, played down the significance of the failed bids in London. “It doesn’t concern us,” he said. “We’ve had some amazing conversations… I was actually on the phone to one of Shashwat’s colleagues the minute after the auction finished in London. We’re not concerned. We’ve got 100 percent, total confidence that RPSG is in the right place.”ESPNcricinfo revealed last year that officials from the RPSG Group had visited Manchester during the Hundred, while Lancashire also sent a delegation to Kolkata – where RPSG is based – last year. “The team from Lucknow have just been exemplary from a partnership approach, right from day one,” Sheridan said. “We have got a fantastic partner that we can build something very special with.”Lancashire opted to sell part of their stake in Originals but will retain 30% and plan to include a reserved matters provision – effectively a set of veto rights – while drawing up contracts over the next six weeks. They will use their windfall of more than £30 million to pay down their debt and invest in infrastructure projects, including the development of a second home venue in Farington, near Preston.Daniel Gidney, Lancashire’s chief executive, believes that new investment will eventually help Originals compete with Manchester’s two Premier League football clubs. “We’ve talked about Manchester being probably the UK’s number one sporting city… We want the Manchester franchise in the Hundred to become the third-biggest sports team in Manchester and challenge those two [United and City].Sheridan and Gidney speak to the press•Lancashire CCC

“That is the scale and level of the ambition of both of us as partners… This is something that is incredibly exciting for us and that is why we wanted to partner with an IPL team and we always have done. You’ve got a 1.4 billion population of people who adore cricket: why wouldn’t we want to inject a bit of that energy and passion into Manchester and Lancashire?”The two parties did not confirm as much but it is widely expected that the franchise will be renamed Manchester Super Giants from 2026, following the lead of the Lucknow and Durban teams in the IPL and SA20 respectively. The RPSG Group also own Mohun Bagan, the Kolkata-based football club who play in the Indian Super League.LSG reached the play-offs in their first two IPL seasons before missing out on net run-rate last year, and spent a record INR 27 crore (£2.54m approx.) on Rishabh Pant at November’s auction. The arrival of four IPL owners in the Hundred has led to speculation that Indian men’s players could feature in future, but that appears unlikely in the short term.”If you could get Rishabh Pant playing in the Hundred, you’d have a lot more eyeballs on what’s going on,” Sheridan said. “But we all know that the BCCI doesn’t allow that to happen at the moment… I don’t think that is likely to change anytime soon.” Goenka added: “Where Indian players play and don’t play is the prerogative of the BCCI.”Phil Salt and Beth Mooney, who have both been retained for 2025, said that the partnership will benefit Originals. “There’s definitely a new level for this tournament to find,” Salt said. “At the inception of the IPL, their ambition was to bring the world’s best tournament that we’ve ever seen… We sit here today knowing full well that our ambition is to bring the world’s best cricket to Manchester.”Mooney, speaking from Vadodara shortly before playing for Gujarat Giants, added: “The IPL changed the landscape of men’s cricket, and we’re seeing that starting to happen with the WPL heading into its third season… The exciting part of the Hundred is that it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

أعلن البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، عن تشكيل لاعبيه لمباراة القمة اليوم أمام الأهلي، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع الزمالك، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويحتل الزمالك صدارة ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري برصيد 17 نقطة من 8 مباريات، فاز في 5، وتعادل في 2، وتلقى هزيمة.

طالع أيضاً.. تشكيل الأهلي أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري.. القوة الضاربة

على الجانب الآخر، يدخل الأهلي المباراة محتلاً المركز الثامن بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 12 نقطة، جمعها من 7 مباريات، حقق الفوز في 3 لقاءات، وتعادل في مثلها، بينما تلقى هزيمة واحدة.

وشهدت تشكيل الزمالك اليوم أمام الأهلي، خط هجوم مكون من ثلاثة لاعبين آدم كايد وعدي الدباغ وبيزيرا. تشكيل الزمالك أمام الأهلي في الدوري المصري

حراسة المرمى: محمد صبحي.

خط الدفاع: محمود بنتايج – نبيل عماد دونجا – حسام عبد المجيد – عمر جابر.

خط الوسط : محمد إسماعيل – عبد الله السعيد – ناصر ماهر.

خط الهجوم : آدم كايد – عدي الدباغ – خوان بيزيرا.

While South Africa will continue to be without regular captain Temba Bavuma, Bangladesh will miss the services of Jaker Ali

Firdose Moonda28-Oct-2024

South Africa play their last away Test of the 2023-25 cycle in Chattogram•Getty Images

Big picture – SA have a shot at WTC finalTest cricket’s context was cracked open over the last week as South Africa won a first match in the subcontinent in a decade, and New Zealand won their first series in India to prove (some parts of) Asia can be conquered. All that means that the World Test championship (WTC) is alive. Both South Africa and New Zealand remain in contention for the final, with virtually every remaining match a must-win. For South Africa, that starts in Chattogram, where they will play their last away Test of the 2023-25 cycle.After beating Bangladesh in Mirpur, South Africa will be confident of their chances of a clean sweep – especially as their opposition continues to operate in disarray. Bangladesh replaced their head coach on the eve of the series, which they expected to start with a farewell for Shakib Al Hasan. But he had to make himself unavailable as he was not able to travel to Dhaka. Now, their current captain Najmul Hossain Shanto wants to step away from the leadership after being in charge for less than a year.Related

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Shanto’s legacy includes an away Test series win over Pakistan, and a drawn series against New Zealand at home. If this is his last game in charge, he will doubtless want to add South Africa to his list of achievements.To get that right, Bangladesh will have to acquit themselves better in the first innings, which is where they lost the opening Test. Conditions in Chattogram are expected to be less hostile, but they will also need some of their big names to step up. Mominul Haque and Litton Das, neither of whom got into double-figures last week, are two players on whose shoulders much responsibility rests, as they seek to blunt a South African attack buoyed by a fast-bowling great.Kagiso Rabada picked up his 300th wicket and his first five-for in Asia in the first Test, and after sitting out white-ball series in recent months, is showing the value of workload management. How he performs on what is expected to be an unhelpful surface in the second Test could define the outcome of the series.The same might be said of the two spin contingents. Taijul Islam exposed familiar problems in some South Africa batters’ reading of turn, and Bangladesh may want to provide him with someone who can offer more support than Nayeem Hasan did. South Africa, too, might seek an extra bowler to add an option to the four frontline bowlers they used in Mirpur, especially as the result has important consequences for them.South Africa more or less need to win at least four of their five remaining Tests to qualify for the WTC final, and while Bangladesh are out of contention, they will want to do well at home after a major setback.Mahmudul Hasan Joy hasn’t scored a half-century in his last eight Test innings•AFP/Getty Images

Form guideBangladesh: LLLWW
South Africa: WWDLLIn the spotlight – Mahmudul Hasan Joy and David BedinghamWith scores of 30 and 40 in the first Test, Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the only Bangladesh batter to get starts in both innings. He will know that a lot depends on him if his side is to bat better. Mahmudul already has a Test century against the same opposition, with his only hundred so far having come in South Africa in 2022, against an attack that included Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder. Since that hundred, Mahmudul has scored three half-centuries in 21 innings, and none in his last eight. As recently as August, he scored 65 for Bangladesh A against Pakistan A, and will want to re-find form in this most important of matches.Just seven Tests into his career, David Bedingham will be keen to build on the hundred he scored with an under-strength South Africa team in New Zealand earlier in the year, by showing what he can do in a first-choice team. Since that match, Bedingham has not crossed 40 in six innings, and was dismissed for 11 and 12 in Mirpur. With a first-class average of 51.66, Bedingham is, by a distance, one of South Africa’s best batting talents, and will be given a long run in a Test side searching for stability. He’ll also know that he carries a reputation as a run-scorer, and is expected to deliver on that soon.Team News – Jaker Ali ruled outBatter Jaker Ali has been ruled out of the second Test after suffering from concussion during practice on Sunday. Bangladesh have handed a maiden call up to Mahidul Islam Ankon in his place. But they could yet replace Jaker with a bowler in seamer Nahid Rana, who has four Test caps to his name. Bangladesh might also consider handing a debut to left-arm spinner Hasan Murad in place of offspinner Nayeem, who went wicketless last week.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2 Shadman Islam, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mahidul Islam Ankon/Nahid Rana, 9 Nayeem Hasan/Hasan Murad, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Hasan MahmudSouth Africa could field an additional seamer in either Lungi Ngidi or Dane Paterson•Alex Davidson/ICC/Getty Images

Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of this match as he continues to recover from an elbow injury, which will leave Aiden Markram with the leadership role again. Though four bowlers proved enough for South Africa in the first Test, they may want to bulk up their resources at a more batter-friendly venue in Chattogram. That would likely mean benching Matthew Breetzke, and including one of spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy or a seamer in either Lungi Ngidi or Dane Paterson.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 David Bedingham, 5 Ryan Rickelton, 6 Matthew Breetzke/Senuran Muthumsamy, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Wiaan Mulder, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Dane Piedt, 11 Kagiso RabadaPitch and Conditions – Chattogram likely to be batting friendlyAfter the bounce and turn of Mirpur, which was particularly prevalent on the opening day, Chattogram is expected to be better for batters upfront. It is reputed to be the flattest of all Bangladesh’s pitches, with ten totals of over 500 in 24 matches played at this venue. That might make taking 20 wickets a challenge.The weather is set to be fair for all five days, with no rain forecast, and temperatures in the early 30°C. Humidity is high at over 70%, and South Africa were asked how they were preparing for it. “From a weather point of view, there’s not too much we can do besides hydrate well,” Markram said.During the first Test, Kyle Verreynne joined Aiden Markram in getting a Test century in Asia•AFP/Getty Images

Stats and Trivia Bangladesh have only won two of the 24 Tests they have played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, and the last one was almost six years ago. They beat West Indies in 2018, and previously also won a match against Zimbabwe in 2014. Before the Mirpur Test, Markram was South Africa’s only top-seven batter to have played a Test in the subcontinent, and consequently, the only one to have scored a century in Asia. He has since been joined in the latter category by Kyle Verreynne. Quotes”You have asked a very deep question. I don’t have an answer to it. This depends a lot on the individual. Some can move on, while others may be affected by [off-field activities]. I personally try to keep away from these things, and stick to my job.”
“It’s not much that we pay attention to, to be honest. It’s completely outside of our camp, outside of our team… Whatever the Bangladesh team is going through, unfortunately, has got nothing to do with us.”

The Russell Martin regime is in full swing at Rangers, with the Ibrox side having already confirmed seven new signings this summer, with 21-year-old Djeidi Gassama the latest of those to arrive.

Following what was a largely miserable 2024/25 campaign for Rangers, excluding an encouraging Europa League run, a real overhaul is needed for the Light Blues, as they bid to close the gap at the Premiership summit.

The defensive unit, in particular, looks set to undergo noticeable change, with Martin having already brought in Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga and Max Aarons thus far, with veteran centre-back Leon Balogun having departed on a free transfer.

With John Souttar attracting interest from abroad, alongside Turkish full-back, Ridvan Yilmaz, there looks likely to be further upheaval before the window is out, ensuring there could be a much-needed fresh look to the Gers’ backline next season.

While Martin’s free-flowing brand of football will put greater emphasis on the attacking ranks to shine, having a solid base to build from will be crucial, with recent reports indicating that a deal for experienced centre-back, Conor Coady could be in the works.

Capped ten times for England, the 32-year-old would be a worthy addition to the Ibrox dressing room, albeit with Martin and co perhaps having their eyes fixed on a far more exciting centre-back signing.

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Reports late last week revealed that the Gers were still showing an interest in bringing Coady to Glasgow, with that coming following prior claims that Rangers were actually in advanced talks for the one-time Wolverhampton Wanderers man.

A deal for the £75k-per-week star – who has a year left on his contract at the King Power Stadium – may not be too far from completion, albeit with the Gers still keeping their options open for potential alternatives in the centre of defence.

Indeed, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Old Firm side are among the clubs interested in signing Xavier Mbuyamba from Dutch outfit, Volendam, with Gent also in the mix.

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Romano reported that the 23-year-old – who was previously on the books at both Barcelona and Chelsea – is available for a fee of just €500k (£434k), having failed to agree to a new contract with his current side.

It is claimed that clubs in England are also keen on the former Celtic target, with the race now on to see if Rangers can secure the signature of a potentially game-changing signing.

Why Rangers need to sign Mbuyamba

As has already been explored, there is certain merit in bringing in a ‘leader’ like Coady, with the Englishman the type of figure who can replace the likes of Balogun, and Connor Goldson before him, as the centre-piece of the defence.

That said, the ageing star would be more of a short-term fix than a long-term solution, having also been part of a dismal Leicester side that slumped to relegation last time out, after making 22 Premier League appearances in 2024/25.

Mbuyamba, however, could be a star both for now and for the future, having previously been hailed as an “elegant and dominant centre-back” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also likened him to ex-Manchester City captain, Vincent Kompany.

For those in the Premiership, a more interesting comparison has been drawn in the past between the 6 foot 5 Dutchman and his high-profile compatriot, Virgil van Dijk, with Sky Sports stating back in 2023 that such likeness has been noted by ‘coaches and media in Holland due to his similar playing style and huge potential’.

That link to Van Dijk had come amid claims that Celtic were interested in signing the then-21-year-old, although two years on, it might well be Martin and Rangers who manage to finally bring Mbuyamba to Glasgow.

While he was operating in Holland’s second tier last season, the in-demand defender did enjoy a fine campaign in all, having showcased his brilliance in both boxes, after scoring five times in 34 league outings, while providing one assist and creating five ‘big chances’, as per Sofascore.

Defensively, the towering ace also helped to keep 12 clean sheets, while averaging 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game. That dominance also saw Mbuyamba win 61% of his total duels.

Games (starts)

34 (34)

Goals

5

Assists

1

Big chances created

4

Key passes

0.4

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles & interceptions

2.8

Dribbled past

0.2

Total duels won

61%

As for Coady, while he was operating at Premier League level, the one-time Liverpool man scored once, while averaging just 1.2 tackles and interceptions per game, alongside winning just 45% of his total duels.

That represents a noticeable drop off from his final season at Wolves in 2021/22, with the then-Old Gold skipper – who was operating as part of a back three at the time – scoring four goals, while averaging 1.5 tackles and interceptions and winning 53% of his total duels.

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Whether, at 32, Coady is merely now on the decline, or perhaps better suited to life in a back three, is up for debate, but either way, his recent woes should have alarm bells ringing for those at Ibrox.

As for Mbuyamba, the former Netherlands youth international still appears to be a player on the rise, with it an exciting prospect to consider whether or not “the new Van Dijk” – as described by journalist Tom Maston – could flourish under Martin’s watch.

On the evidence of his recent form, Coady has already hit his ceiling as a player. Mbuyamba’s potential is yet to be truly explored…

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