Postponement of second WI vs Aus ODI has domino effect on Pakistan series

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2021

Pakistan’s tour of West Indies will begin with the first T20I in Bridgetown on July 28•AFP

Complications due to Covid-19 has cut an entire T20I out of Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies. Set to begin a day later than originally scheduled (July 28), also due to the pandemic, the series will now feature only four T20Is, instead of the previously planned five.The new schedule for WI vs Pakistan

July 28: 1st T20I, Bridgetown

July 31: 2nd T20I, Providence

August 1: 3rd T20I, Providence

August 3: 4th T20I, Providence

August 12: 1st Test, Kingston

August 20: 2nd Test, Kingston

This is the result of one of the non-playing staff in the West Indies set-up testing positive for the virus two days ago. It forced one of their ODIs against Australia to be postponed and that in turn has had a domino effect on the Pakistan series, prompting the PCB and the CWI to strike off one of the T20Is that was part of the original tour calendar.Ricky Skerritt, the Cricket West Indies president, said: “Together with the PCB, CWI have examined various scenarios, and we jointly agreed that the best solution in the present circumstances is to cancel the first T20I and play a four-match T20I series starting on Wednesday and keep the rest of the tour schedule unchanged.”Both Pakistan and West Indies, who are the defending champions, are on the final legs of their preparation for the T20 World Cup to be held in the UAE from October 17.

English cricket would be in a ‘scary’ place without reach of new competition, says ECB chief

George Dobell15-Jul-2021Tom Harrison believes the traditional formats of the game in England and Wales would have been damaged more by the ECB failing to act than by any side-effects from the introduction of the Hundred.While Harrison, the chief executive of the ECB, does not deny the new competition will create some issues – at least in the short term – he remains convinced that, in the longer term, it will help the game invest in all formats.In particular, Harrison believes the Hundred can provide a new revenue stream for the ECB and decrease their reliance upon the international game.With Covid contributing to the large-scale unavailability of players, there has been increased scrutiny on the impact of the Hundred on the pre-existing county game. Even before Covid, some counties were braced to lose up to 12 players to the competition.But with Covid protocols – not least the requirement for players to self-isolate if they have been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for the virus – resulting in more withdrawals, counties have expressed concern over their ability to field strong enough sides to retain the integrity of domestic competitions. Derbyshire are currently without 20 players (and have seen the ECB cancel their final two T20 Blast fixtures as a result) due to a combination of injury and Covid regulations, while Kent are without 17 players.The Royal London One-Day Cup is due to be played at the same time as the Hundred, while the T20 Blast was played in a much shorter window and earlier in the season in order to accommodate the new competition. There is also very little LV= Insurance County Championship cricket in mid-summer due to the requirement for white-ball windows.But Harrison remains adamant the risk of doing nothing was worse than the risk of implementing a new format. And he points to an increase in free-to-air coverage and the increased value of the most recent broadcast deal as key benefits that have been delivered, in part at least, due to the new competition.”Before you assess what the Hundred has brought with it, you have got to assess what might have happened had we not had it,” Harrison said. “You have to look at the flip side of it.”That’s a scary environment, actually. That’s no free-to-air TV and that’s a huge chunk of investment into the game which we would not be able to bring.The Hundred has the potential to be transformational for the women’s game•Getty Images”If you look at this from a purely business perspective, we are very, very reliant on two things. One is international cricket in this country; more so than any other board in the world probably. And [the other] is pay TV as an underlying investor in our sport.”We just need to make sure that, at the back of our mind always, is that the health of our sport is reliant on those two things in a very significant way.”Anything we can do to balance out that huge reliance to keep us safe and secure as a sport, to keep us investing in the things we love – county cricket, Test cricket, international cricket, four-day Championship cricket, having 450 pros playing men’s cricket, starting a women’s professional environment, investing in youth programmes, All Stars and Dynamos, investing in urban cricket centres and an EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] strategy, they take investment.”They are absolutely critical to our long-term survival. The Hundred is absolutely immersed in that strategy to deliver on all of those things.”Harrison also remains confident that existing cricket lovers – some of whom are resistant to the Hundred – will “find a place” for the format.”I think people will discover a love for cricket who currently don’t get an opportunity to,” Harrison said. “For cricket lovers, I think you will find a place, even if it is hugely reluctant. Because I genuinely believe this is there to enable all cricket lovers to continue to enjoy the elements of our special sport, which is very diverse and is very adaptive to new environments, and bring something for everybody to enjoy.”And it will keep us safe as we go forward trying to invest in the things we all love.”Harrison’s confidence in the new format was echoed by Beth Barrett-Wild, the head of the women’s competition. Barrett-Wild believes that the Hundred has allowed the ECB to build partnerships with toy manufactures and broadcasters that the pre-existing formats of the game had been unable to deliver and therefore hopes it will bring the sport to a new audience.”If you look at the partners the Hundred has brought on-board, in particular through Lego and Topps Cards and the Croods movie and all the other partnerships, those things wouldn’t have likely happened through the Kia Super League [the women’s domestic T20 competition which was discontinued by the ECB at the end of 2019],” she said.Related

Expanded Hundred could help cricket rediscover 'working class connection' – Tom Harrison

Women's cricket 'fundamental' to ECB's future despite Covid financial crunch, insists Tom Harrison

It's over for 'overs' as ECB outline the Hundred's playing conditions

Hundred promises 'world-class cricket' despite spate of withdrawals

“The big difference between The Hundred and the KSL is definitely around that scale, that visibility and that broadcast footprint. Having all 34 of those matches live on Sky is massive and I don’t think that would have been achieved through a standalone women’s competition at this stage of the evolution in the women’s game. The Hundred is over-delivering in terms of profile before a ball has even been bowled from a women’s game perspective.”Barrett-Wild also believes the competition has an important role to play in ensuring the game is seen as equally accessible and relevant to men and women; boys and girls.”From equal prize money through to equal levels of broadcast coverage, and the introduction of gender neutral language, the Hundred gives us this really unique second chance to make a brilliant first impression about who cricket is for,” she said.”In every other area of the game when it comes to gender parity we’re actually playing catch-up. We’re playing catch-up on hundreds of years of history and we’re trying to make cricket more relevant, more accessible and more inclusive for women and girls.”This isn’t the case for the Hundred. We’ve been able to design the whole thing from the very start to give equal levels of prominence and profile to our brilliant female players, alongside their male peers.”The first match in the tournament – a women’s match between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals – take place at The Kia Oval on July 21. The ECB are aiming for a crowd of 10,000 at the match and have revealed ticket sales to date of 2,400. A further 6,500 tickets have been given away.Overall, around 350,000 tickets have been distributed for the entire competition. It is currently unclear how many of those are sales and how many are give-aways. The ECB have set a target of 60 percent ground capacity across the tournament.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de construir uma vantagem significativa no jogo de ida, o Atlético-MG confirmou o favoritismo ao vencer o Athletico-PR por 2 a 1, na Arena da Baixada, e conquistou o bicampeonato da Copa do Brasil. Apesar do título do Galo, a atual edição do torneio reservou surpresas e evidenciou a reorganização do futebol no Brasil. Clubes sem tanto poderio econômico e de receitas, como o Fortaleza e o próprio Furacão, que chegaram longe no torneio, têm dado exemplos de gestões responsáveis.

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>Receba as principais notícias do esporte com o novo canal do LANCE!

O advogado especializado em direito desportivo, Eduardo Carlezzo, aponta o Athletico como o exemplo de maior sucesso de projeção de um clube que não fazia parte da elite nacional, que concentra os chamados 12 grandes do futebol brasileiro, e cavou seu espaço dentro dela.

– Existem vários aspectos que poderiam ser ressaltados, mas eu apontaria um em especial do CAP: estabilidade e continuidade administrativa – declara.

Nos últimos anos, para além da boa gestão administrativa, a equipe paranaense conseguiu feitos expressivos e vive um dos melhores momentos de sua história com os títulos da Sul-Americana de 2018 e 2021 e da própria Copa do Brasil, em 2019.

– Competir em pé de igualdade com grandes investimentos, exige tempo, convicção, coragem e resiliência, tendo a transparência com o torcedor como uma meta inegociável. Evidentemente que as disparidades econômicas, caso não se tenha convicção em um projeto de médio e longo prazos, mostram-se preponderantes para que se tenha uma significativa perda competitiva – diz Rui Costa, com passagem pelo Furacão em 2018 e, hoje, dirigente no São Paulo.

O dirigente, que também participou do projeto de reconstrução da Chapecoense em 2017 após o trágico acidente aéreo, ainda destacou:

– A única maneira de enfrentar um rival com mais dinheiro é trilhar o caminho longo, até que se possa desenvolver projetos competitivos que superem a escolha individual e pontual de atletas de alto custo e de notória capacidade técnica.

Outro caso de sucesso na temporada de 2021 no futebol brasileiro, o Fortaleza fez uma temporada de dar orgulho aos seus torcedores. Além de chegar até a semifinal da Copa do Brasil, também eliminado pelo Atlético-MG, o Leão do Pici terminou o Campeonato Brasileiro na quarta colocação e garantiu vaga direta na fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores da América, feito inédito na história do clube.

Diante de um orçamento bem inferior a maioria dos times da elite do futebol brasileiro, a equipe nordestina faz todo e qualquer investimento com muita inteligência, uma vez que o quadro financeiro da instituição não permite erros. Em 2021, o Fortaleza projetou uma receita de aproximadamente R$ 94 milhões, valor equivalente a apenas 10% da expectativa estimada pelo Flamengo, por exemplo, que deve alcançar R$ 98 milhões este ano, sem considerar os valores em premiações.

– Nós temos consciência desta margem de erro e por isso prezamos por uma gestão competente e responsável, acima de tudo. Cada investimento ao longo da temporada é feito com suporte de tecnologia e análise de desempenho para mapear corretamente jogadores e treinadores – destaca Marcelo Paz, presidente reeleito do Fortaleza até 2024.

Nova ordem no futebol brasileiro

As equipes tradicionais do futebol brasileiro têm sofrido com crises financeiras e esportivas nos últimos anos. Por um outro lado, a má gestão abriu espaço para clubes emergentes, como o Cuiabá, que este ano disputou o Campeonato Brasileiro pela primeira vez na história e, além de permanecer na Série A, principal objetivo na temporada, ainda alcançou uma vaga na Sul-Americana.

– Não sei se é o início de uma nova ordem, mas sim um momento de quebra de paradigmas, em que os mais organizados e estruturados vão ganhar espaço. A gestão em qualquer negócio é fundamental. Cito o Ceará e o Fortaleza como exemplo, o Atlético Goianiense, clube aqui da nossa região, que trabalha com orçamento muito mais baixo que a grande maioria e está se consolidando na Série A – argumentou Cristiano Dresch, vice-presidente do Dourado.

Para Marcelo Segurado, executivo de futebol do Santa Cruz, a principal armadilha para as agremiações de maior expressão é a ideia de que somente a camisa vai fazer com que o resultado venha.

– Quando uma instituição dessas cai, é em virtude de erros que vêm sendo cometidos por vários anos. Um time não cai pelo planejamento errado de um ano. Assim como os que ascendem de séries inferiores não chegam lá por um ano extraordinário – acrescentou o executivo.

Some of the Bavarians' best players will be free agents at the end of the season, while their most valuable player has just 18 months left on his deal

There's always someone worse off… While bitterly frustrated Liverpool fans are presently wondering how on earth Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been allowed to enter the final six months of their respective contracts, it's nothing compared to the sense of anxiety at the Allianz Arena right now.

Rather incredibly, seven senior Bayern Munich players are set to become free agents this summer, and another, Jamal Musiala, has just 18 months left on his deal. The Bavarians have been badly burned before – Michael Ballack, Nicklas Sule and David Alaba all infamously left Bayern for nothing at various points of the past – but the summer of 2025 could be truly catastrophic for the club.

So, how has it come to this? And what chance do Bayern have of convincing some of their most important players to sign extensions? GOAL breaks it all down below…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Manuel Neuer (& Sven Ulreich)

  Are Bayern planning for a future without Manuel Neuer? It would certainly appear so. Alexander Nubel is currently impressing on loan to Stuttgart, while Bayern sporting director Max Eberl has done nothing to dismiss reports that Jonas Urbig will join from Koln this month.

  As it stands, though, both Neuer and his long-time understudy Sven Ulreich are expected to stay at the Allianz Arena for another season. The pair both signed extensions on the same day in November 2023 – and don't be surprised if they do likewise in the coming weeks.

  "There's nothing official at the moment," Neuer said earlier this week. "But when the time comes, you will hear about it, and I would just say, it will be soon."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Eric Dier

  Bayern's decision to sign Eric Dier during the 2024 January transfer window took an awful lot of people by surprise, given his struggles at Spurs.

  But the former England international has proven himself a very useful addition to the squad. He made 20 appearances during the second half of last season, and although he's seen far less game time under new coach Vincent Kompany, he's certainly earned the Belgian's respect after stepping into the starting line-up after the winter break and helping Bayern keep back-to-back clean sheets, against Borussia Monchengladbach and Hoffenheim.

  "Eric is a player with a lot of experience who knows what to do in these moments," Kompany enthused. "Players like Eric have character and always prioritise the team."

  Those sentiments were echoed by Eberl after the 5-0 win over Hoffenheim: "Eric is always there when needed and he's a good man to have in the dressing room."

  However, Eberl also admitted that there have not yet been any discussions with Dier or his people over a new deal and, in all likelihood, there won't be, with the 31-year-old widely expected to leave this summer.

• AFP
  

  Thomas Muller

  Thomas Muller is a bona fide Bayern Munich legend. He's spent his entire professional career at the club, winning everything worth winning. Fair to say, then, that he's earned the right to decide what to do next – and that's exactly the position he finds himself in.

  As far as Bayern are concerned, Muller's future is up to him. There's a one-year extension there for him if he wants it. It's even been claimed that a coaching role is on the table too. As it stands, then, it would be a surprise if Muller doesn't retire at the Allianz Arena, but we won't find out his plans until he sits down to discuss his future with his Bayern bosses in March or April.

  "The talks with Thomas will certainly be very brief," Eberl told last week. "There will be no lengthy negotiations. It’s simply a question of: 'Hey, do you still want to continue or not?'

  "Thomas is an iconic figure at FC Bayern and will remain so. He has experienced everything with this club and he's extremely important to us."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Leroy Sane

  Bayern Munich agreed to pay Manchester City an initial €45 million for Leroy Sane (and a potential €15m in add-ons) in the summer of 2020. He was unquestionably the kind of talent a team could be constructed around.

  However, the past four-and-a-half years have shown precisely why Pep Guardiola was willing to let Sane leave. He continues to be dogged by the same inconsistency that was such a source of frustration at the Etihad – which is precisely why he's poised to become the most expensive signing ever to leave Bayern on a free transfer.

  Sane, however, is desperate to stay, so much so, in fact, that he's even reportedly willing to accept a pay cut. It should also be noted that nothing has yet been decided, while the 29-year-old winger is also doing everything he can to convince the club that he's worth keeping, with four goals in his last four Bundesliga appearances, after netting just once in his previous nine.

  Given he's available for no fee, Sane won't be short of offers right now, but if he can maintain his rich vein of form during the second half of the season, he could well get the extension he craves.

  "We've never said that Leroy doesn't have a future at Bayern," Eberl said after Sane's double against Hoffenheim on Wednesday. "We know what he can do. Leroy has incredible quality. If he can show it like he did tonight, then he is, of course, a player Bayern could consider re-signing."

Fast bowler reiterates commitment to Test cricket despite recurrence of elbow injury

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2021

Jofra Archer is out for the rest of the year•Getty Images

Jofra Archer has admitted that a conversation with Tim Bresnan about his elbow injury made him feel nervous but he remains hopeful of a comeback in England’s Test series in the Caribbean in March 2022.Bresnan, the seam-bowling allrounder who was part of the England side that went to No. 1 in the ICC’s Test rankings in 2011, has suffered with elbow injuries throughout his career, undergoing surgery three times and struggling to regain his pace afterwards.Archer, writing in his column, said that the pair had spoken recently about their respective experiences.”Tim Bresnan had a similar problem, and we spoke about the issue which made me a bit nervous, I must admit,” he said. “But I’m sure it will be fine in the long run, and I’m grateful that the injury doesn’t stop me going about my daily business. It’s not as if I’m limping around, or anything like that.”When I got the news that I’d be out for the rest of 2021 because I had suffered another stress fracture in my elbow, it was pretty tough to take. But I’ve always been of the view that everything happens for a reason, and the injury doesn’t change the way I look at my career.”Archer also insisted that he remains focused on resuming his Test career, rather than specialising in white-ball cricket.Related

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“I’ve said many times before that Test cricket is the most important format to me and nothing has changed in that respect,” he said. “It’s frustrating to be sitting out an important series against India, as well as not being to make the trip to Australia this winter – not to mention the Twenty20 World Cup in the UAE.”If I do end up with another stress fracture, I may have a different view on things as regards to my future. But for the moment, I’m still only 26 and I think my best years as a Test cricketer are ahead of me.”Archer was officially ruled out “for the rest of the year” by the ECB at the start of August, following scans which revealed the recurrence of his stress fracture, but he suggested that he was unlikely to play any cricket until England’s three-Test series against West Indies from March 8-28.”I don’t want this thing hanging over me. I want to be out there again, taking wickets and helping win games for England,” he said. “Having said that, I’m trying to be cautious about when I make my comeback, but I guess there’s a chance I’ll be ready in time for England’s three-Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean in March.”But I can’t make any promises, and I’ll be seeing a specialist soon about the elbow.”

Isn’t it funny to think that were it not for Nottingham Forest, Liverpool would boast a flawless record across three competitions heading into the third month of the 2024/25 campaign?

Liverpool have won their opening game in the Champions League, against AC Milan at the San Siro, while also thumping West Ham United at Anfield in the Carabao Cup second round.

Losing on Merseyside against Forest in the Premier League was a shock, like being thrown into a blizzard having lounged on a Caribbean beach. Still, Arne Slot’s Reds are flying, and have won all five of their other top-flight matches, thus perching atop the table six games in.

Now, Bologna travel to Liverpool in the second game of the Champions League. The Italians drew 0-0 against Shakhtar Donetsk in their opener but will face a different beast later today.

Let’s not forget that Liverpool lost their last home fixture in European competition – and against Serie A opposition too. Slot will need to be wary.

Despite this, he should probably consider dropping Luis Diaz, imperious as he has been this season.

Why Slot should drop Luis Diaz

Liverpool resisted caving into the sugar rush that would have come with signing Anthony Gordon this summer, offered as they were to sign the Newcastle United star amid PSR concerns.

What would be the point? Diaz might not have hit the degree of goalscoring success desired last season but he certainly produced excellent performances.

Moreover, he looks to be a factory-build fit for a ‘Slot system’, ranking among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 10% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, emphasising his technical skill.

As the table below shows you, though his goalscoring numbers have shot up, he’s not really raised the underlying metrics, which speaks volumes of his importance within the starting line-up.

Luis Diaz: Premier League Statistics

Stats (*per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

37 (32)

6 (6)

Goals

8

5

Assists

5

1

Touches*

43.8

41.8

Shots (on target)

2.5 (0.9)

2.3 (1.3)

Pass completion

85%

89%

Key passes*

1.8

1.5

Ball recoveries*

3.4

3.7

Dribbles (completed)*

1.8

1.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.0

1.5

Total Duels won*

4.6

4.0

Stats via Sofascore

He’s scored five goals from six Premier League matches, which is quite a thing given that Diaz only bagged eight across the entirety of last season, 37 fixtures played. He’s been more effective with his time, more economical in his offensive movements.

He didn’t, however, produce his finest performance against Wolves last time out, blanking and failing to offer all that much in attack for Slot’s side, which failed to really get going but still managed to claim a much-needed victory.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, the 27-year-old lost 84% of his contested duels, ceded possession ten times and failed to complete his one attempted dribble, also being dribbled past twice and taking just one blocked shot.

It was a performance that sat on more middling ground, with The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle awarding the Colombian a 6/10 match rating, acknowledging his threat on the left flank but admitting that he ’caused panic’ for the travelling side after a couple of iffy moments in the defensive third.

Diaz has spoken of his adoration of his new head coach and is showcasing his new-found love on the pitch. However, he must not be unleashed across every single one of Liverpool’s matches, lest he suffer a damaging injury.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse The best replacement for Diaz at Liverpool

Luckily, Liverpool aren’t overly reliant on Diaz, who has been one of the club’s best players over the first few months but, thankfully, competes with the brilliant Cody Gakpo for a starting berth.

Slot’s found a neat way of doing things on the left side of his frontline. It’s quite simple, really: Diaz operates on Premier League days, while Gakpo takes the reins during midweek competitions.

That’s how things have been carried out thus far, and though it won’t remain that way throughout the campaign and beyond, Liverpool are reaping the rewards of owning two talented wingers jostling for top spot.

Diaz has started every Premier League match, whereas Gakpo – who was kailed for his “special skill set” by Klopp’s former assistant manager Pep Lijnders – has yet to play from the outset in the top flight and has instead done so against West Ham and Milan. He’s been one of the best players on the pitch on both occasions and now deserves another shot.

The Netherlands international differs from Diaz in that he’s a little more dynamic and less of a touchline winger than Diaz, who, albeit, is proving that claim wrong by performing with a high goal output this year. It’s a testament to Slot’s system and its implementation that both players have hit the ground running.

Klopp, with no disrespect, didn’t figure out the best way to use Gakpo, who is so clearly, in hindsight, an out-and-out wide forward, where his pace and power and potency meld together to the greatest effect. Last term, he featured on the left across just 12 of his 53 outings, which points toward a degree of positional mismanagement.

The synergy must continue to be built up, and that’s talking about the Liverpool squad as a whole, not just Slot’s preferred 11 in the Premier League.

Diaz is in red-hot form and thus is unlikely to lose his starting berth any time soon, but the games come thick and fast for Liverpool and rotation is necessary across different competitions.

Slot’s already found a formula that’s bearing fruits for his team, and with Diaz placed on the bench for this one, Gakpo will have his chance to shine and deepen the bond that’s blossoming over on Merseyside.

Related Slot could finally drop Szoboszlai by unleashing "special" Liverpool ace

The Hungary star is leaving fans wanting…

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 30, 2024

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are "very short" in attack and need January reinforcements after a blowing a two-goal lead against Aston Villa.

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Arsenal draw 2-2 against Aston VillaArteta says they are "very short" in attackCalls for January reinforcementsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal looked to be heading to a simple 2-0 win over Villa at the Emirates on Saturday, before two goals in eight minutes from the visitors turned the game on its head. The Gunners have seven players out injured and had three academy players among the substitutes, whereas £85 million ($103m) signing Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score two late goals for Premier League leaders Liverpool at Brentford. This was not lost on manager Arteta.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

“When you look at the performances, I don’t know how many teams are playing at this level on the league, but when you look at the bench, probably you say, I think we are very short,” he said. “There are moments, obviously. They (Liverpool) managed to do that, they made the subs and the subs made the impact – and they managed to change the game. And, in our side, it was the opposite, even though after conceding the two goals very close to each other, the danger was because I knew how the team was we could go downhill because we were physically drained. Suddenly, the team find another gear to go again and just put Aston Villa in the box and go on, go again, trying to find the goal that wouldn’t have been able to score at the end.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal are now six points behind first-placed Liverpool and Arne Slot's men have a game in hand. Unless the Gunners don't make some more signings in January, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus out injured, they may miss out on the Premier League title for another year.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Arsenal take a break from the Premier League on Wednesday when they host Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

أعلن جورجي جيسوس المدير الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي الهلال، عن تشكيل لاعبيه لمباراة الأهلي في المواجهة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري السعودي.

ويلتقي الهلال أمام الأهلي مساء اليوم، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الـ23 من الدوري السعودي، على أرضية استاد المملكة أرينا.

طالع | الهلال السعودي يفكر في صفقة هجومية قوية قبل كأس العالم للأندية

 ويمتلك الهلال 51 نقطة، محتلًا المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري بعد أن فاز في 16 مباراة، وخسر ثلاثة وتعادل في ثلاثة أخرين.

ويتواجد الأهلي بالمركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، ولديه 44 نقطة بعدما فاز بـ14 لقاء وتعادل مرتين وتلقى 6 هزائم. تشكيل الهلال اليوم أمام الأهلي في الدوري السعودي

حراسة المرمى: ياسين بونو

خط الدفاع: علي البليهي- كوليبالي- كانسيلو- متعب الحربي.

خط الوسط: مالكوم- روبن نيفيز- سيرجي سافيتش

خط الهجوم: سالم الدوسري- ماركوس ليوناردو- كايو سيزار

📋 قائمتنا الأساسية والاحتياطية للقاء اليوم في #دوري_روشن_السعودي ✅ #الهلال 💙 pic.twitter.com/zU4fUCQNHD

— نادي الهلال السعودي (@Alhilal_FC) February 28, 2025

Looking ahead towards 2025, Manchester City are reportedly set to intensify their interest in a young goalkeeper who could replace current shot-stopper Ederson at The Etihad.

Man City transfer news

Whilst Rodri’s recent long-term injury has shifted the headlines towards just who Manchester City may turn to when it comes to replacing the Spaniard in the January transfer window, they’ve also got cause for concern over the future of Ederson. At 31 years old, the goalkeeper has two years left on his current deal and already attracted the reported interest of clubs in the Saudi Pro League during the summer before ultimately staying put.

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Pep Guardiola was very open with reporters when speaking about the Brazilian’s future in pre-season, saying via BBC Sport: “I’d like him to stay but it depends on other clubs. I don’t know the situation. There have been no contacts in the last days. It’s a question of training, being with us until the transfer window finishes and we’ll see.”

In the end, Guardiola got his wish, but the rumours may just have acted as a warning sign for City to begin their search for a future replacement in 2025. According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are now set to intensify their interest in Lucas Chevalier, who recently kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory for LOSC Lille over Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe.

If there’s a way to impress on-watching clubs, then denying one of the best forward lines in European football is certainly among the desired options, and Chevalier did just that for his side. Still just 22 years old, the Frenchman is one for the future and a shot-stopper who could yet be on his way to stardom to replace Ederson at Manchester City. When 2025 arrives, he looks set to be one to watch.

"Talented" Chevalier could replace Ederson

Whether it’s in 2025 or at the end of his current contract in 2026, replacing Ederson will be an incredibly difficult task for Manchester City. The Premier League champions arguably won’t find a goalkeeper with better passing range or someone as daring as the Brazilian – two traits which stand out in Guardiola’s side. But that’s not to say Chevalier isn’t a solid candidate.

Clean Sheets

15

10

Save Percentage

76.4%

70.7%

Saves per 90

2.76

1.81

Pass Completion Rate

77.1%

87.3%

On the shot-stopping front, it’s clear that Lille’s number one is more than ready to step up to the level of the Premier League champions. Predictably, however, Ederson is in a world of his own when it comes to distributing the ball in a trait that his potential replacement will have to discover if he is to arrive at The Etihad.

Dubbed “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig, Chevalier looks destined to reach the top, whether it’s courtesy of a move to Manchester City or elsewhere. The Cityzens, meanwhile, must keep an eye on Ederson’s long-term future at the club.

In what would undoubtedly be a frustrating blow for Danny Rohl, Sheffield Wednesday are now reportedly bracing themselves for an out-of-window bid for one of their defenders.

Sheffield Wednesday transfer news

Since smashing Plymouth Argyle on the opening day of the season, Sheffield Wednesday struggled to get back to winning ways until they squared off against Blackpool in the Carabao Cup. The Owls secured a narrow 1-0 victory courtesy of Di’Shon Bernard’s goal just after the half hour mark in what could be a key turning point following a difficult start for Rohl’s side.

That aforementioned start is arguably not down to their transfer business in the summer, however, with the likes of Ike Ugbo, Max Lowe, Yan Valery and Nathaniel Chalobah representing solid business on paper that Rohl will hope to see pay dividends on the pitch. That said, their summer business will look incredibly different if they lose one particular player in an out-of-window deal.

According to Spanish journalist Angel Garcia via The Star, Maccabi Tel Aviv are now ready to pay to sign Pol Valentin from Sheffield Wednesday before the transfer window in Israel slams shut on Wednesday evening.

The deal would be a major blow for the Owls given that they wouldn’t be able to replace their right-back, having seen the English window close at the end of August.

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Valentin has gradually become an important part of Rohl’s squad, adding depth within the backline and often appearing from the bench in an attempt to sway the game in Sheffield Wednesday’s favour. Of course, it would be easy to forget the importance of such a player from the bench, but depth could quickly prove to be the difference in the Owls’ pursuit of Championship survival.

Sheffield Wednesday must keep "popular" Valentin

Losing any player outside of the transfer window is enough to spark frustration, but losing a player who is an active part of the current squad would represent the ultimate blow for those at Wednesday. In the case of Valentin, this is a player who Rohl has fallen back on from the bench in every Championship game except for one so far this season, which saw the full-back start against Leeds United.

A player who can play on the left and right-hand side, the Spaniard’s versatility would also make him a hard man to replace even when the January transfer window does swing open. Among those at the club, meanwhile, he seems to be a well-liked figure given the praise of The Star’s Joe Crann in the summer.

Crann told the Owls Heaven podcast via Sheffield Wednesday News: “We saw what happened last season with Pol Valentin – came in and the first few games and people were not sure, but by the time we got to the end of the season, he’s one of the most popular players in the team.”

So, should that Tel Aviv bid arrive for the £2,000 a week defender, it is one that Sheffield Wednesday should instantly turn down.