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With three matches left to play in the Premier League this season – on top of an FA Cup final in the middle of May – Manchester City still have a chance to cling onto some crumbs of pride from a sobering campaign.

Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men are now only three points off being on the same points total as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in second, whilst a FA Cup final victory at Wembley versus Crystal Palace would be an impressive hat-trick of successes for the Spaniard in the esteemed competition.

Restoring some pride now could also set City up for a Premier League title chase when the ball gets rolling for the eventual 2025/26 season, with the upcoming transfer window further giving the Citizens apt time to rebuild before going again.

Manchester City's midfield rebuild

Guardiola has already started to add new flavours to his regimented City side, seen in seven-goal hero Omar Marmoush immediately making an impression on the English game after a statement January move.

With Kevin De Bruyne exiting the building this summer, the midfield is in slight need of a revamp too, leading to City now being linked with players like Morgan Gibbs-White and now Barcelona ace Frenkie De Jong to bolster centrally.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As per reports from Spain, the Dutchman is an in-demand figure from a whole host of Premier League outfits, with Liverpool, Man CIty and Arsenal interested in signing the 27-year-old.

It’s further stated that a £34m bid could be made by Arne Slot’s title-winning Reds to try and tempt De Jong to Anfield, but City and the Gunners are still closely monitoring the Barca star’s situation to see if they can steal his services.

If De Jong can recapture the heights of his Ajax best at the Etihad, picking up such a talent for £34m will go down as a sterling bargain, with the 27-year-old also a potential upgrade on an ageing Gundogan if everything goes swimmingly.

Why De Jong could be a Gundogan upgrade

Before delving deeper into why the Dutchman might well be an inspired pick-up, it’s only right to look back at Gundogan when he was at his unbelievable peak in England.

After all, the German veteran hasn’t just fluked his sensational tally of 62 goals and 43 assists from 351 first-team appearances, but his numbers have been on an unfortunate slide this campaign.

Only five goal contributions have come his way in the Premier League this season, with De Jong amazingly only one off his ex-Borussia Dortmund’s counterpart’s total for the campaign back in La Liga.

This is a surprise considering the Barca number 21 has had many an injury setback to endure in the Camp Nou dressing room of late, but an impressive two goals and two assists have still managed to come his way, even as a mere seven league starts have been handed to him.

Games played

75

98

Games scored

6

13

Assists

6

18

Pass accuracy *

91.6%

87.3%

Progressive carries

3.37

2.20

Progressive passes

9.56

6.19

Passes into final 3rd

9.73

5.21

Tackles won

1.08

0.64

Aerials won

1.10

0.47

However, it’s over the last few seasons where we can really see the difference between the two players. Described by former Barca boss Xavi as “one of the best midfielders in the world”, he’s notably a more progressive passer and dribbler, with that no doubt a key attribute as Guardiola aims to refresh and rebuild his midfield.

Gundogan has, of course, displayed his class in the past for his current employers, but it does feel as if he’s reaching the end of his playing days now.

Whereas, De Jong – who has amassed 42 goal contributions and counting in Spain – has plenty of room to grow and impress, especially if he’s soon supplying the likes of Marmoush and Haaland with chances galore up top.

Rodri 2.0: Man City make "one of the best CMs in the world" a top target

Man City have earmarked potentially their next Rodri as a top target this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 2, 2025

Liverpool have won the Premier League less than one year after Jurgen Klopp bowed out, almost nine years of leadership, leading the larger-than-life German to intimate his decision to call it a day.

He built Anfield back up from the disrepair it had slumped into. Klopp’s Liverpool wasn’t built in a day but it will stand strong for many years to come, with Arne Slot proving that by taking the blueprint and winning the Premier League in his first season at the helm.

The Dutch tactician is a genius, but he’s dovetailed into Klopp’s hothouse and has taken this special team to another level, Liverpool now crowned top-flight champions for a record-equalling 20th time, perching alongside Manchester United.

One of Klopp’s final and most significant hurrahs was the success in repackaging a flagging midfield and turning it back into a robust machine.

They’ve all played important roles, but who can say that Alexis Mac Allister hasn’t been the pick of the bunch? He was the centrepiece as Tottenham Hotspur were defeated on Sunday evening, for sure.

Alexis Mac Allister's performance vs Spurs

Dominic Solanke powered a header past Alisson after just 12 minutes, silencing Anfield’s raucous atmosphere and threatening to spoil the party.

But Liverpool returned like a tidal wave, scoring three goals before the break and two more after the hour mark. Mac Allister’s was the pick of the bunch, thundering home to restore his team’s lead after Luis Diaz had restored parity eight minutes earlier.

The Argentine put in a performance for the ages, underscored his trophy-winning credentials and status as one of the finest midfielders in the world.

Blending combativeness with a cultured foot, Spurs simply didn’t have the answer and were overwhelmed in the centre, something which proved fatal as Mohamed Salah and co were then able to swarm and pick at the shaky backline.

Minutes played

83′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

3 (2)

Accurate passes

35/40 (88%)

Key passes

2

Tackles + interceptions

7

Clearances

1

Duels won

7/11

The former Brighton man has earned his flowers, no doubt about that. However, he wasn’t the only one to produce the goods when Liverpool needed it, with Cody Gakpo’s display confirming, were it not known already, that he is undroppable over on the left flank.

Cody Gakpo is now undroppable after title win

Gakpo has been frustrated by injury over the past few months, but he’s come on leaps and bounds under the wing of Slot this season and effectively sealed the title-winning victory over Tottenham when making it 3-1 before half-time.

Chalkboard

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

BBC Sport’s Pat Nevin hailed Gakpo for his “twinkle toes,” collecting from the corner and moving into a pocket with fleet feet, capitalising on some shoddy defending before unleashing a pinpoint finish to Guglielmo Vicario’s right.

The 25-year-old’s cool finish was emblematic of his campaign, an icy figure down the left flank whose goalscoring knack and industrious approach to his football suggests he has nailed down the berth and should not be moved.

There’s a case to be made that Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez should both be sold this summer, with Diaz working so seamlessly as a roving focal frontman.

It allows Salah to maximise his output and it has paid dividends for Gakpo, whose positional readjustment this season, almost exclusively playing off the left, having been dotted all about last year, has seen him clinch 17 goals and six assists in all competitions this season.

The Dutchman isn’t just a poacher either. His goals come in various forms, and he gets stuck in defensively too, having won six of his eight duels against Tottenham while chipping in with two tackles and two interceptions apiece, as per Sofascore. As a result, he was awarded with an 8/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo.

Plenty has been made of Liverpool’s projected transfer plans, and while fans would like a new wideman to enrich these formidable ranks, Gakpo, a Premier League champion, has proved that he’s a fixed feature in Slot’s starting line-up.

Klopp sold Liverpool ace for just £9.5m, now he's outperforming Isak

He was once a clutch presence in Jurgen Klopp’s title-winning Liverpool outfit.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Apr 24, 2025

This summer is pivotal for Ruben Amorim if he is to be a success at Manchester United, with the manager needing to make his own impression on the first-team squad.

The Red Devils’ current Premier League standing of 13th highlights the need for change over the next few months to stop a similar feat from happening in the future.

Outgoings are most certainly needed at Old Trafford to raise funds for any potential new additions, especially considering the cost-cutting operations in place under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Numerous players on the club’s books are earning extortionate wages given their importance to the squad, with any departures likely to raise a huge amount for the wage budget.

Such money could be used to attract new talent, including one player who’s recently emerged on their radar, offering an end to their dismal record within one area of the pitch.

Man Utd make attacking target their top priority

According to Sun Sport, United are plotting a summer move for Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca after his superb breakthrough season in Serie A throughout 2024/25.

The 24-year-old is in his second year with the Italian outfit but is enjoying his best campaign to date, notching 12 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions.

They aren’t the only side interested in a move for his signature, with fellow English side Nottingham Forest also in the race to land the 6”7 talisman this summer.

However, the report claims that Amorim’s side have made the Italian their top target for this summer – looking to bolster the attacking department ahead of 2025/26.

It would be yet another big-money addition to the club’s frontline, but he would certainly provide an upgrade on the options currently available at the manager’s disposal.

Why Lucca would be an upgrade on Hojlund & Zirkzee

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have failed to deliver at United this season, leading to rumours of a new striker moving to Old Trafford this summer.

The pair cost the club a combined £108m and have only managed to score a total of 14 goals between them in the 85 matches they’ve featured in throughout the current season.

Neither of the aforementioned forwards have managed to cement their place as the number one striker in the manager’s system, highlighting the need for added investment this window.

A move for Lucca would certainly improve the situation in the final third, offering an upgrade on the pair based on their respective figures throughout 2024/25.

The Italian, who’s been labelled “clinical” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed to outscore the pair in their respective divisions, whilst also registering more shots on target per 90 – showcasing the threat he poses in attacking areas.

He’s also completed more take-ons per 90, whilst also winning more aerial duels, highlighting the all-round centre-forward play that United have desperately craved in recent months.

Games played

29

25

30

Goals & assists

11

3

4

Shots on target

0.9

0.5

0.6

Take-on success

52%

28%

27%

Aerials won

2.1

1.2

1.3

Aerial success rate

45%

22%

28%

Fouls won

2

1.4

0.8

Whilst the club may face competition for his signature in the coming months, it’s evident that Lucca would be a superb option for Amorim – allowing the manager to have a reliable goalscorer at Old Trafford.

£25m in today’s market could be a potential bargain, having the potential to improve further down the line given his tender age, with his play style perfect for the Premier League.

A potential sale for Hojlund and Zirkzee could follow to make room for Lucca’s arrival, with the Red Devils having to take a huge loss on the fee paid for their respective signatures.

It's not Garnacho: Man Utd may have just found their new Jesse Lingard

Man Utd appear to have one high profile star now emulating Jesse Lingard

1 ByRobbie Walls Apr 4, 2025

India and Pakistan’s unedifying posturing and power plays sapped all joy from the tournament and left only a sense of what the game has surrendered

Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Oct-2025Ninety minutes passed between Tilak Varma putting the final touches on India’s Asia Cup final victory over Pakistan and the start of the post-match presentation – enough time to have played an an entire additional T20 innings. Cricket’s shortest format was in its earliest years considered its most frivolous. Now it is its most glamorous, dynamic and accessible “product” – to be shown off at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as cricket once again attempts to capture America and find fresh audiences. If it is to gain credibility as a truly global sport, there is no better medium.And yet, last Sunday night, following the pinnacle match in the tournament for teams from the sport’s most cricket-obsessed region, there was sufficient petulance to fill half a T20. We know the general outline of events. Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who, vitally, is also Pakistan’s Minister of the Interior. Naqvi, a controversial politician even within Pakistan, refused to cede the handing over of the trophy to a less-polarising figure.Suryakumar had indicated his team would not receive the trophy from Naqvi weeks before, so this standoff was entirely predictable. And yet the post-match presentation, which ordinarily would be a joyous event to cap off three tough weeks of competition, was held hostage, for no reason ultimately – no trophy was publicly handed over.Related

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Rock & Roll It podcast: Asia Cup 2025 review

The 48 hours following the final were characterised by a whirl of high-profile reactions, and reactions to reactions, each additional voice broadening and intensifying a vortex of opinion comprised of precious few cricketing facts. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, posted on X that India’s victory was an on-field continuation of Operation Sindoor (the Indian name for the skirmish with Pakistan in May), Suryakumar praised Modi for “batting on the front foot” for India in return, and Naqvi posted indignantly that Modi should not be “dragging war into sport”, when only days before, Naqvi himself posted a sports gif that appeared to reference planes being shot down. This was after Haris Rauf, while fielding in an earlier match, had made gestures depicting crashing aircraft, and Sahibzada Farhan had celebrated a half-century by firing his bat like a gun.That Varma had paced his 69 not out more or less perfectly to raise India up from 20 for 3 gained comparatively little attention. That Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Afridi’s intense new-ball overs had set up one of the most electric passages of play in a tournament too short of cricketing tension went mostly overlooked. When politics wraps its tentacles so tightly around the sport, it cannot be a surprise that a little of cricket’s soul is squeezed out.But politics is only one of two major forces currently pressing upon the game’s integrity, the other also plainly evident at the Asia Cup. Suryakumar said at one press conference that “[a] few things in life are ahead of sportsmanship spirit” to explain his team’s decision to refuse public handshakes with the Pakistan players. But handshakes or not, these sides played three times, the tournament having been structured specifically to make an India vs Pakistan triple the most likely possibility, to maximise revenue.Both sides were guilty of moments of unsportsmanlike conduct•AFP/Getty ImagesEven in global tournaments, it has long been taken as read that India and Pakistan always start in the same group, which perhaps confers a small competitive advantage – those teams are able to plan for a specific opposition long before the schedule is announced. More egregiously, with each of the “big five” Asian teams capable of making a deep run in this tournament, the three others (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka) were again stuffed into a “group of death”, the third consecutive Asia Cup in which this has been the case. Pakistan and India, meanwhile, had two Associate sides – Oman and the UAE – to play in Group A.With two teams from each group having arrived at the Super Four, one side was then required to play on consecutive nights to make the schedule work. A Group B team was, of course, saddled with this fate (Bangladesh in this instance, who rested key players for one of these games). In the previous Asia Cup, which was partially played mid-monsoon in Sri Lanka, only the match between Pakistan and India enjoyed the safety of a reserve day in the Super Four stage.As the most profitable version of the Asia Cup played out this year – India and Pakistan facing each other at prime time on three consecutive Sundays – the other six teams, who shook every hand put in front of them, who turned up to every press conference they were contractually required to attend, who, committing significant resources, had planned and trained for months for a tournament whose very schedule was an article of disrespect, seemed, for all this, no more than props in the India vs Pakistan melodrama. Competitive equilibrium is a foundational rudiment of any sport, and yet cricket has for some time been prepared to lay it on the altar of capitalism. What was new here are the depths of absurdity plumbed – these teams more or less insisting on playing each other while making a show of resenting having to do so.The fallout from Dubai will have immediate consequences elsewhere in the cricketing world. In the approach to the ongoing Women’s World Cup, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana was visibly uncomfortable when questioned on the political tension that will attend their campaign, particularly when they play India on Sunday in Colombo. Both her side and Harmanpreet Kaur’s are now required to formulate a plan on how they interact publicly. Do they take cues from the men and refuse handshakes? Will politicians also regard their match as an extension of military operations? South Asian women athletes anyway function in a far more fraught cultural and political milieu than their male counterparts – gender equality a more distant dream in this region than in some others. Now, in the midst of a World Cup, they have this poison dart flying in their direction.India and Pakistan women’s games have largely been devoid of political drama, but that looks set to change•PCBMost worrying about the game’s present direction is that there may be no meaningful shift in the short term. Politically the India-Pakistan relationship – as riven as it has been for decades – shows no signs of easing. And while there is more money in cricket than ever, it is also not about to become any less concentrated in India, which already is a cricketing superpower the likes of which the game has not seen.There was once edifying collaboration among South Asian cricket boards. Most notably, this was in 1996, when Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka together co-hosted the World Cup, in the face of criticism from the traditional cricketing powers that the region could not pull such an event off. Ahead of that World Cup, India and Pakistan put a combined team together in Colombo to demonstrate that Sri Lanka was safe for cricket. Wasim Akram and Sachin Tendulkar travelled on the same team bus, strategised as one, wore the same kit, and delighted in the joy they were bringing to a Sri Lankan crowd together. Such a string of events is unthinkable now.There is no strap of the globe in which cricket is as profound a cultural touchstone as in Asia, nor a region that affords the sport so vast a canvas. In one South Asian afternoon, full tosses could find themselves as easily crashed over freshly harvested paddies in Jaffna as through mango groves in Karnataka, as above the waves in Cox’s Bazaar or down a Himalayan hillside. In a single day, a left-arm wristspinner might find themselves ripping a rubber ball in a match in the morning, a hard ball at academy nets in the afternoon, a tape ball under lights at night. In eastern Afghanistan in the last year, cricket fans gathered in public spaces to celebrate team victories in defiance of Taliban wishes. It took gun-toting men to scatter them.Little of this joy was on display in the aftermath of a gripping Asia Cup final. Instead, an already compromised sport was co-opted, and a shared passion became a tool of political division. An even greater cultural chasm has now been cleaved than when the tournament began. Far from exhibiting the best of our sport in the region in which it is most beloved, this Asia Cup spiralled into a showcase of dysfunction.

He has 18 wickets at the World Cup already, is juggling cricket, hockey and higher education, and everything suggests he is a star in the making

Firdose Moonda05-Feb-2024Kwena Maphaka was 15 years old when he played his first Under-19 international, just six when he played for his school’s Under-9 team, and three when he first picked up a cricket ball and realised he might know what to do with it.”I’ve been told I started playing because my brother needed someone to play backyard cricket with,” he told ESPNcricinfo from Johannesburg, as South Africa prepare to play India in the U-19 World Cup semi-final in Benoni on Tuesday. “The first memory that I have is from about four years old, and it was of typical garden cricket with an older brother. He would get me out early and then I’d bowl at him the whole day and he’d hit me out of the garden. Well, I wouldn’t call it bowling. I was just throwing the ball at him.”Whatever it was, it worked.Related

• Not yet 19, Maphaka has a chance to 'be the man for the team'

• South Africa call up Under-19 World Cup star Maphaka for West Indies T20Is

• Mumbai replace injured Madushanka with South Africa teenager Maphaka

• Under-19 World Cup 2024: Musheer, Weibgen, Maphaka in ESPNcricinfo's Team of the Tournament

• Under-19 World Cup: Six things about India as they chase their sixth title

A little more than a decade after being made to chase leather by his brother, Maphaka is hunting down records instead. Already, he has more wickets than any South African at U-19 World Cups – 25 over two editions – and the joint-most by a South African in a single edition of the tournament: 18. He is five away from the most wickets by any bowler at an U-19 World Cup – Bangladesh’s Enamul Haque had 22 in 2004 – and the way he has been going so far suggests that he could get there. Maphaka’s haul from five matches includes three five-fors, the most by any player at U-19 World Cups, but the wickets aren’t the only clues that he is a future star.Maphaka is quick – “the guys in the team say around 140” – and gets late inswing, and has a hostile bouncer and an accurate yorker. Most importantly, he also has the learnings and experience after playing in 17 youth ODIs across three years – the most by a South African in that time period – including two World Cups.In the 2022 World Cup, Maphaka (15 at the time) played three of South Africa’s six matches and took seven wickets at an average of 18.28 with an economy rate of 5.56. This year, he has led the attack in all five of South Africa’s games. His 18 wickets have come at an average of 9.55 and his economy rate is 3.95, which speaks to the biggest improvement he believes he has made between tournaments: “I’ve got quicker but the main thing I’ve worked on is to have control with pace. If you are just fast, you are going to get hit everywhere, but if you’ve got control, there’s something special.”

“I’ve always wanted to make as high a team as I can in every sport I play. If everything goes well with cricket, this will probably be my last year of hockey so I just want to make it as memorable as possible”Kwena Maphaka

In West Indies at the last World Cup, Maphaka benefitted from being coached by veteran domestic (and now national men’s Test) coach Shukri Conrad and experienced professional Rory Kleinveldt. They told him to “continue working on my stock ball and try to get a little more variation into my game and also to work on my batting quite a bit”.He took that advice back with him St Stithians, an elite Johannesburg institution where he is currently in his final year of high school and where he competes in multiple disciplines. Maphaka has dabbled in gymnastics and athletics and done a 100-metre sprint “in 11 seconds flat” and still plays tennis and hockey, the latter at provincial level. “A big aspiration of mine is to make the Southern Gauteng Under-18 A team this year,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to make as high a team as I can in every sport I play. If everything goes well with cricket, this will probably be my last year of hockey so I just want to make it as memorable as possible.”You may also have heard of St Stithians because it is the alma mater of one of the country’s finest cricketers of all-time: Kagiso Rabada, who has become a “mentor” to Maphaka and “sent me a good-luck message before the World Cup”. Maphaka will know it only took Rabada eight months to make his senior international debut after he won the U-19 World Cup with South Africa in March 2014.”I just try to take it one day at a time,” Maphaka said. “My main focus is the Under-19 World Cup. I try to focus on things that are happening now rather than focus on things that may or may not happen later.”Kagiso Rabada made his international debut not long after being a star in South Africa’s 2014 U-19 World Cup win•ICCBut things have already happened. Maphaka has an SA20 deal with Paarl Royals – though he could not play this season because of the World Cup – and has played for the South Africa A side and has started to play some domestic cricket at the Lions. He hopes that next year, with schooling over, he will be contracted, but has also left space for further study. “I am really into sports management and psychology. I would either go into sports management and clinical psychology and sports psychology,” he said. “But cricket is a sport of discipline and patience and that’s something that I really like about it. My dream would be to represent South Africa in all three formats.”That’s for the future. For now, Maphaka is laser-focused on the World Cup. After bowling South Africa to victories over West Indies and Sri Lanka – the former in a game where West Indies were 190 for 5 chasing 286 and he had to dismiss the tail – he is looking to the India game and the good vibes his team has created. “I always like a challenge. Going up against the best is the best way to prove yourself. It’s a great way to test yourself and India are definitely one of the best teams,” he said. “And we expect the Benoni crowd is probably going to be the biggest. It’s going to be special to see how much people care about this team.”Among them will be Maphaka’s parents, who have been to every game so far, and his older brother Tetelo, a left-arm spinner who is also on the fringes of provincial selection. And this time, Maphaka won’t have to bowl all day to him.

With spots in the semi-finals on the line, both teams are hoping for improved displays with the bat

Firdose Moonda23-Mar-2022West Indies are banking on an improved batting performance as they make a bid to win their final Women’s World Cup league-stage match against South Africa and strengthen their chances of reaching the knockouts. Currently, West Indies are on six points and need a victory and other results to go their way to reach the semi-finals, but know they won’t get there unless they put more runs on the board after failing to cross 170 in their last four matches.Related

• Qualification scenarios: Who needs to do what to make the semi-finals

After starting the tournament strongly with 259 for 9 against New Zealand in their opening match, West Indies have steadily made smaller totals: 225 for 6 against England, 162 against India, 131 against Australia, 140 for 9 against Bangladesh and 89 for 7 in a rain-reduced encounter against Pakistan. Of those, West Indies were only chasing in the match against India and their dwindling bat-first efforts have put their attack under significant pressure as the tournament has progressed.”It’s really difficult, especially as a bowler, that you have to go out and defend small totals, but hopefully tomorrow we’ll have all the batters showing up to the party and putting runs on the board,” Anisa Mohammed, the West Indies offspinner, said ahead of the South Africa match. “We know that some players have performed and some haven’t, so runs are due from some of the other players and we’re hoping that tomorrow will be the day.”West Indies’ inconsistency in run-scoring is evidenced in the statistics. They only have one batter among the tournament’s top 10 run-getters – Hayley Matthews – and even her form has sagged. Matthews scored 119 in the opener and 45 and 43 in the two matches that followed, but 0, 18 and 1 since. Shemaine Campbelle, Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor have recorded half-centuries but those innings have been surrounded by low scores. Other than her one fifty, Taylor has scores of 30, 0, 1, 4 and 18, and averages 17.16 in the tournament.It didn’t help West Indies that they started the tournament without their preferred opener, Rashada Williams, who was ruled out of the early matches with a concussion, and that Kycia Knight, batting mostly at No.3, has not got into double figures. This has meant that unless Matthews and Dottin have fired, the middle order has routinely had to do a rebuilding job.Laura Wolvaardt is the second-highest run-getter in this World Cup but is yet to reach three figures•AFP via Getty ImagesInterestingly, South Africa have faced similar problems. Their campaign began without Lizelle Lee, who arrived late following the birth of her first child, and their experiment with Tazmin Brits at the top of the order did not work. Once Lee returned, they moved Brits to No. 3, but after scores of 8, 2, 23 and 18 and problems getting off strike, they’ve dropped her entirely and selected Lara Goodall in her place. Lee, meanwhile, much like Dottin, has not lived up to her reputation, while Laura Wolvaardt has been South Africa’s stand-out batter.She’s the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament and has reeled off four successive half-centuries, but hasn’t yet reached three figures. In fact, no South African batter has at this tournament and Wolvaardt looks their best bet, but she, by her captain’s own admission, needs to accelerate a little earlier on to get there.”I think she would think she’s batting too slow at times,” Sune Luus said. “But I think if it isn’t for her 90 or big 50 on the day, you know, we wouldn’t be getting our scores that we’ve been getting. Laura’s world-class. I know she always measures herself up towards a Meg Lanning or some of the greater batters in the world but I think she’s up there as well. And you always have to remember she’s only 22 and she’s breaking records already. So I think she’s been phenomenal and she’s been the glue to our batting line-up.”Apart from Luus, who has scored three fifties and averages 45.20 at this World Cup, and cameo roles from Marizanne Kapp, who has been batting at No.6 in this tournament, Wolvaardt hasn’t had much to work alongside. Mignon du Preez, like Taylor, has barely showed the worth of her experience. While Taylor has one half-century, du Preez has not crossed 20 in nine ODIs this year and South Africa will need her if they want to get over 250 on many more occasions.So far, they’ve only managed that once in the tournament, scoring 271 for 5 against Australia, and though it was their best total, it was not enough to challenge the table-toppers. Luus put the result down to the bowlers not showing up as well as they have thus far – and there were also four dropped catches – and praised the batting effort, which has become better as the tournament has gone on.Mignon du Preez is yet to pass 20 in the tournament•Getty Images”We batted brilliantly to get to 270. I think obviously they’re one of the best bowling attacks in the world as well and for our batters to match that and to get 270, we did a brilliant job,” she said. It’s just about getting the bowlers to fight on the day as well and obviously didn’t happen yesterday, but I think that’s a rare thing for our bowlers. I’m pretty sure they’ll bounce back again tomorrow.”West Indies’ faith also lies in their attack, provided their batters can give them something to work with. “We know that we have a good enough bowling team that we’ll be able to go out and defend our total,” Mohammed said. “So I think it’s more a matter of our batting giving us some runs to work with and hopefully we can take it up in the field as well.”West Indies will need to up the ante in the outfield because they’ve had more than their fair share of missed opportunities. ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data puts their dropped catches at 15, the most by any team in the tournament so far. South Africa are in second place, with 14, but both teams have also claimed some blinders. Dotting flew airborne to dismiss Laura Winfield-Hill in West Indies’ second match while du Preez was in similar action when she completed a grab off Australia’s Rachael Haynes.Overall, then, these two teams can consider themselves fairly well-matched as recent results show. Two of their last five encounters have ended in ties, and their high-stakes clash may add more drama to a World Cup of thrillers. Mohammed and Luus both called it “crucial,” albeit more so for West Indies. Nothing less than victory will do for them, and they’re prepared to give it their all.”We’ve found ourselves in this position, having a must-win match tomorrow and then hope that South Africa can beat India or there can be an upset somewhere along, but we can only control the things we can control,” Mohammed said. “We have to play our best game tomorrow and just sit and wait and hopefully be able to go into the semi-finals.”

After a winter of financial wrangling, arrivals of Williamson and Paterson offer an overdue sense of optimism

Andrew Miller02-Apr-2025It’s hard these days to claim that the clouds at Middlesex have ever entirely rolled away. And yet, with the sun beating down on a glorious April afternoon at Lord’s, ahead of Lancashire’s visit for Friday’s County Championship opener, it felt possible for a moment to believe in new beginnings – even if several cold hard realities remain lurking on the fringes of the club narrative.”It’s always niggling away in the background, obviously, but I think the club as a whole have navigated through really well,” Richard Johnson, Middlesex’s head coach, told ESPNcricinfo, after a winter of discontent and, at times, outright rancour. “This group have been amazing to be honest. We haven’t let it affect the changing-room at all, and you feel like you’re coming to the other side now.”In terms of the club’s immediate balance sheet, that would appear to be the case. In February, Middlesex’s ugly and protracted row with their former CEO Richard Goatley reached a conclusion of sorts with the recovery of some £100,000 of unauthorised expenses, while the club’s slender profit of £131,000 in 2023 – attained largely through the cost-cutting that contributed to that season’s relegation – has allowed them to shake off the spectre of ECB special measures.And now, in theory, it’s onwards and upwards into a brighter new era, as epitomised by Middlesex’s trio of overseas signings for the coming season … which is three more than they allowed themselves last time out while still deep in the depths of austerity.Related

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The great Kane Williamson is clearly the biggest deal of these (even if the nature of that arrangement, as a spin-off of his Hundred deal with London Spirit, begs as many questions as it answers). However, the most immediately consequential could be South Africa’s former Nottinghamshire stalwart, Dane Paterson, who has a date with destiny looming at the World Test Championship final on June 11, and four home matches in the meantime in which to hone his Lord’s length.”It’s a win-win, he’ll be highly motivated,” Johnson said. “He can’t wait to get over and start playing. His performances for Nottinghamshire over the last three or four years have been amazing – 180 wickets at 23 – so he’s full of experience, and someone you can lean on as a player and a coach to perform.”Add to the mix Ireland’s Josh Little, primarily for the T20 Blast, plus Gloucestershire’s ex-Pakistan spinner Zafar Gohar, and such is the quality, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Middlesex have actually streamlined their squad since last season – with the departures of Ethan Bamber to Warwickshire and Mark Stoneman to Hampshire among the most significant.”We’ve recruited really well, even though we’ve had to let some good people go,” Johnson said. “Kane brings that stardust, and he’s not even someone I can say we lacked when we weren’t able to bring in overseas players, because to get a player of that quality is quite unusual.Kane Williamson will feature for Middlesex as part of his deal with London Spirit•Getty Images”I don’t even know how that side of things works,” he added. “All I got was a phone call to say, ‘do you fancy Kane Williamson playing for you?’ And I was like, ‘yeah, okay, no problem!’ To have someone of his stature around, one of the top-four batters of his generation, is just brilliant for our younger players and senior players alike, because you can gain so much from having a guy like him in your changing room.”For Toby Roland-Jones, Middlesex’s veteran seamer and Championship captain, Williamson’s arrival is no less of a surprise, but one that he is eager to lean into, not least given his long and successful stint in charge of New Zealand, which culminated in victory in the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021.”When someone of that magnitude comes in, his impact can spread a little bit further than just runs on the pitch,” Roland-Jones said. “I’m looking forward to picking his brains, and exploring how he sees the game, once you’re over the ropes.”With captaincy, everyone tries to be themselves and have their own stance,” he added. “But you’re always learning on this job, whether you’re 37 or 21, and fundamentally, any chance you get to see a different side of the game, or even just get a bit of confirmation that you’re aligning with certain views, is great. That’s the thing that keeps us all coming back.”Dane Paterson was a quality performer for Nottinghamshire before his move to Middlesex•Getty ImagesRoland-Jones himself is back for a third season as captain, conscious of the creep of time as he enters his 38th year, but no less committed to the cause than he was when taking a hat-trick to seal Middlesex’s last County Championship title way back in 2016.”I do feel good,” he said. “I’m probably somewhere in the middle of those two adages, of knowing when it’s time, but also of pulling the pin too early. But my mentality towards the game and bowling has always been to push things as far as I can. If I can find the right balance over the next year or two years, or whatever it is, then I’ll be in a good place to know when it’s right. It certainly doesn’t feel like that at the moment, but ask me in October when I’m struggling to get out of bed in the morning!”Last summer’s haul of 52 wickets at 22.55 backs up Roland-Jones’ assertion that he’s still got what it takes. Sadly, however, the chance to compare his creaking bones with those of English cricket’s most venerable seamer, James Anderson, will not come to pass this week. Anderson had been due to lead Lancashire’s attack at the age of 42, but has now been ruled out until May with a calf strain.”I was also looking forward to seeing him run in, and I feel for him,” Roland-Jones said. “I think the boys were excited to match up and test themselves out too, and I hope he has a speedy recovery. But, fundamentally, arguably the best English bowler of all time is missing the first game of the year here in April, and that serves us better than him playing. So from that side of things, I can probably accept it.”The chance to get out there and play – in what should be perfect spring conditions, and in what on paper promises to be a clash between two of the likelier promotion candidates – could be just the tonic that Middlesex need. After a glut of negative headlines, and amid that nagging existential angst, it’s time to let the cricket do the talking.”We’ve been close in two different ways the last two years,” Roland-Jones said, reflecting on the narrow margins by which Middlesex were relegated in 2023 and then missed out on an immediate return with last summer’s third-place finish. “In those situations, you probably get a clearer picture of the good parts of your squad, as well as those bits that are missing.”Certainly, the guys upstairs have tried to address that. I do feel like we’re going into this campaign with more depth in key positions, and a bit of added confidence and experience from some of the guys who are still establishing themselves and hopefully maturing and growing more and more. It feels like we’re really nicely placed.”

Liverpool could reportedly ask former manager Jurgen Klopp to make a sensational return to Anfield if they sack Arne Slot. The Dutchman replaced the 58-year-old in 2024 and led them to Premier League title success in his first season in charge. But amid a wretched run of form, Klopp has emerged as a candidate if Merseyside chiefs lose patience with his successor.

• Slot under huge pressure

  With Liverpool's heavy 4-1 defeat at home to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, they have now lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions – a 71-year low. The former Feyenoord manager said that with the players they have, which include spending more than £400 million ($528m) on transfers this summer, this run "cannot continue". However, club legend Jamie Carragher thinks Slot may have just a week to save his job, with the former defender saying the games against West Ham, Sunderland, and Leeds United over the next week or so will decide his fate.

  He wrote in The Telegraph: "Arne Slot has a week to save his job. It is hard to believe that sentence is being written, but Liverpool’s next three games are against West Ham United, Sunderland and Leeds United. Anything fewer than seven points will make an already unacceptable situation untenable. No matter how much goodwill the manager has, Liverpool Football Club cannot sustain the drop in standards witnessed over the past three months. No one knows better than me how much that reality will be hurting everyone connected with my old club. Liverpool do not willingly sack coaches, especially those that bring great success."

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  Klopp to make Liverpool return?

  According to The Sun, Liverpool are considering reaching out to Klopp over possibly managing the defending English champions until the end of the season if Slot cannot turn the club's fortunes around. The German, who is now Global Head of Soccer for Red Bull, would be seen as a short-term option, with Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique their top long-term target. The report adds that conversations have taken place among Liverpool executives over worries Slot has 'lost the dressing room', with the board potentially waiting until the new year to see if he can arrest the club's slide. This comes shortly after German journalist Michael Reif claimed Liverpool aren't just in a "mess", but that they have been "practically burned to the ground", while warning that Slot should "watch out" over a potential Klopp return.

• Slot speaks out on Liverpool future

  After the PSV drubbing, Slot said he spoke with the club's owners about his Liverpool future. The Dutchman has vowed to fight on, saying his job is safe for now. 

  He told reporters on Thursday: "We've had the same conversations that we've had since I got here. We fight on. We try to improve, but the conversations have been the same as they have been for the last one and a half years."

  When pressed on what he can change to arrest the dreadful run of results, Slot added: "That's not so easy to say. It's normal to reflect on a game with decisions you have made. Maybe you do it a little bit more if you lose. In the end, it's about doing what this club is about. Keep fighting no matter how difficult it is I would be nice if we rewards ourselves in he moments we play well. People are focused on he parts we don't play well but there are large parts where we do play well."

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  Slot's Liverpool facing crunch fixtures

  Liverpool's dire run of results has seen them drop to 12th in the Premier League, just a matter of months after they topped the division. Now they are a whopping 11 points behind league leaders Arsenal after 12 games and going by their current form, things could get even worse. For instance, Sunday's trip to West Ham looks quite daunting now, especially as the Hammers have picked up seven points from their last three games. Moreover, the Reds have lost six of their last seven league matches but fixtures against West Ham, Sunderland, and relegation-threatened Leeds are as good an opportunity as any to turn their fortunes around.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has again defended divisive attacker Brenden Aaronson, who has been the subject of more abuse from his own fans, albeit while admitting that the USMNT star is an "annoying" player. It comes as Leeds are struggling to tread water on their return to the Premier League, sitting just inside the relegation zone on goal difference, with the pressure also mounting on Farke himself.

• Aaronson criticism 'more than unfair'

  With the second most goal-shy attack in the Premier League through 12 games, Leeds aren't scoring enough to get the points they need to be higher up the table. Aaronson has featured in all of those fixtures, starting nine of them, supposedly as a chief source of creativity from the right.

  The American has contributed one goal and one assist and is frustrating fans, many of whom have openly let him know about it. Even Farke admitted he understood it because of inconsistencies in performances, but is also keen to point out that the criticism is "more than unfair".

  He said after Leeds' 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday: "I have to say Brenden is a player who polarizes and can be annoying even for me. Sometimes he’s not clear enough and can be a bit hectic. But I have to say what we're doing in criticizing this young man – then we don't have to do all these mental health awareness days.

  "He represents so many skills we want to stand for as Leeds United. He works his socks off, gives everything, is relentless and leaves his heart on the pitch. It's more than unfair at the moment. In the last three performances he was always there covering 13 kilometers per game. Why we're looking so solid on our right side – with all respect to Jayden [Bogle] – Brenden is so crucial to protect him."

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  Farke concerned about impact of negative comments

  Farke went on to address concerns about the kind of impact that persistent criticism and abuse could ultimately have on Aaronson.

  "I'm just worried how we are as a society, with social media stuff, how we are as human beings," he said. "You just see the negative comments. If you see 5,000 negative comments about yourself as a 25-year-old guy, you think the whole world is on your shoulders.

  "I could make my life easy and also slam him and then everyone would say, 'Yes, Daniel, tell him, great, we don’t like him anyway.’ But I protect human beings. This is what I do. I work with human beings, I don't work with robots. I also see what this lad is doing. And he is always a fantastic team-mate. He works his socks off.

  "We feel better if we can put our anger just on other human beings. I don't like it. And when everyone is on his back, for such a young lad, is it really like how we want to treat human beings in our society? At least I don't want to treat them [like that].

  "So we can criticize them, and we can think, 'Okay, you should not play football games' – whatever. But also, come on, watch, judge his performances, be at least a little bit fair. And if you don't want to do this in terms of relationship, come on, be a bit respectful with a young lad of 25-years-old. And then, otherwise, we don't have to have all this mental health awareness days, and we can put it into the bin."

• Farke defended Aaronson in September

  Farke also staunchly defended Aaronson back in September. "It's important to not put too much weight on his shoulders. Sometimes the feeling with Brenden is that we are a bit over-critical in public,” the Leeds manager said at the time. "We know Brenden has challenges in his offensive game in terms of decision-making, being a bit clearer and more straightforward. This is something we speak a lot about.It's not like I press a button and do my magic and he's a completely different player. In training we bring him more into positions where he has to take decisions. It's not like he is not willing to score or not highly motivated. Sometimes because he is so on it he is perhaps losing a bit of his calmness. But it's not helpful if everyone is always criticizing him."

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  Leeds needs points fast

  It's more promising for Aaronson that his two Premier League goal contributions so far this season have both come within the last four games. Sadly for an already struggling Leeds, things aren't about to get any easier, with Manchester City away on Saturday, followed by visits of Chelsea and Liverpool.

  To avoid another relegation back to the Championship, they need to start picking up points fast.

GOAL brings you the lowdown on how British players are doing away from home, with many footballers now taking their talents abroad in search of prosperity. Despite the riches and the glamour of the Premier League, it's far from the be all and end all. You can still carve out a fantastic career even while out of the intense spotlight of the English media.

For example, the captain of the Three Lions decided to leave the Premier League just as he was closing in on becoming its all-time leading scorer, while two of his international team-mates are shining at Real Madrid and Scotland's Ballon d'Or nominee is living like a king in Italy.

Every Monday this season, GOAL will provide you with the latest on British stars playing on the continent and beyond. Here's what happened this weekend following a manic international break…

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  Kane plays sidekick role

  By Harry Kane's high standards, this was a pretty slow week for him. He scored once as Bayern Munich smashed Freiburg 6-2 at the Allianz Arena. Therefore, he contributed to merely 16.7 percent of his side's goals. What gives?

  Even despite finding the back of the net again, Kane was merely a member of the supporting cast as the Bavarians were forced to come from behind at home. Their visitors rudely sailed into a two-goal lead inside the opening 17 minutes, with both efforts coming from corners. Bayern, whose draw with Union Berlin before the international break interrupted their 16-match winning streak to open the season, took that personally.

  Goals from Kane, Lennart Karl, Nicolas Jackson and Dayot Upamecano, plus a fine brace from Michael Olise, saw Vincent Kompany's men eventually run out rampant winners, but it was difficult to ignore their weaknesses defending dead balls ahead of a trip to set-piece kings Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

  "The first 20 minutes weren't good from us, but then we showed character," Kane said post-match. "The goal to take the lead shortly after half time obviously helped us. We came out with significantly more energy in the second half. We did really well both with and without the ball and showed the true face of FC Bayern. It was a really good win."

  In good news for Kane on an individual note, he is now joint-top of the European Golden Shoe rankings after Erling Haaland drew a blank in Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Newcastle on Saturday, with both strikers now level on 14 goals apiece.

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  Bellingham saves Madrid as Trent finally impresses

  Poor Jude Bellingham was surprisingly the subject of a strange campaign from certain corners of the English media during his week away with the Three Lions. Fortunately, the Spanish press recognise his talent is less worthy of inflammatory sh*t-stirring, particularly with Real Madrid lingering from one crisis to another in recent weeks.

  Pressure is already mounting on head coach Xabi Alonso despite a fairly positive start to life in the Bernabeu dugout, with the uncertain future of star winger Vinicius Jr one of the main talking points. Results are starting to slide a little too – their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool team in the Champions League a fortnight ago has already aged like milk.

  On Sunday, Madrid made the trip to Elche, whose fast start to life back in La Liga has slowed in recent weeks, yet they still gave a decent account of themselves during this clash at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. Aleix Febas gave the hosts a surprise lead at the start of the second half, before Bellingham's header from a corner was turned in by Dean Huijsen to pull Los Blancos level.

  When Alvaro Rodriguez put Elche back in front with six minutes to go, it appeared Madrid would be crashing to defeat, but Bellingham tapped home the second ball from a free-kick after his initial effort was denied to ensure it ended 2-2 and rescue a late point for the visitors.

  Bellingham was not the only England international to prove his worth to Madrid, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also turning some doubters into believers with his wicked deliveries from set plays, even despite his haphazard defending. , who gave the right-back a rating of 8/10 when Bellingham only got a 7, wrote: "Honestly, his set pieces are a real treat. He's delivering the ball with flair… and Madrid is getting something out of every attack. The Englishman takes a long-range shot and it sails high. He gets caught out of position for Elche's 1-0 goal. All of Madrid's danger stems from a Trent cross. A low, powerful ball that hits the crossbar. He's everywhere. And another set piece… and a Madrid goal."

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  Tomori keeps out Inter in derby win

  The first Derby della Madonnina of the season swung the way of AC Milan on Sunday, emerging as 1-0 winners in their 'away' match against Inter. A second-half strike from Christian Pulisic was all that separated these two great rivals, though the Nerazzurri spurned several chances to get on the scoresheet, with Hakan Calhanoglu denied from the penalty spot by former Rossoneri team-mate Mike Maignan.

  Fikayo Tomori started on the right of a back three and was tasked with trying to clamp down wing-back extraordinaire Federico Dimarco as well as Inter captain Lautaro Martinez. The latter was hooked with 25 minutes remaining despite his side chasing a goal, if you want to know how that particular battle turned out.

  At 27, Tomori was the elder statesman in a Milan backline which featured 26-year-old Matteo Gabbia in the middle, while the incredibly raw Strahinja Pavlovic, 24, conceded the penalty for a trip on Marcus Thuram. In fact, Tomori is actually the oldest defender in the entire Rossoneri squad, save for summer signing Pervis Estupinan by a few months, and Massimiliano Allegri has heavily leant on the forgotten England man upon his return to San Siro, featuring in all but two games so far this season.

  Allegri proclaimed pre-match that 'whoever wins the most duels will win the derby'. Tomori responded by winning six of his seven in the air and on the floor, while he made all three of his tackles, six clearances, two interceptions and one block.

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  McTominay helps get Napoli back on track

  It was always going to be hard for Scott McTominay to return to club level with Napoli and exceed what he achieved over the November international window. His early submission for the 2026 Puskas Award – an outrageous overhead kick, obviously – was the first of many screamers during Scotland's 4-2 win at home to Denmark that saw them book a World Cup spot for the first time since 1998, only enhancing his modern-day legend.

  That ought to have served as quite the palette cleanser given Napoli's indifferent defence of their Serie A title. The reigning champions of Italy went into the international break with Antonio Conte playing up the possibility of leaving the club, as is usually customary wherever he goes but is a warning sign nonetheless. A 3-1 triumph against Atalanta at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona snapped a run of three games without victory and would have vastly improved the mood around Naples.

  David Neres' first-half double got Napoli on their way, and McTominay's quick thinking allowed the Brazilian to score his second, slipping the winger in down the left before he fired across goalkeeper Marco Carnasecchi to double the hosts' advantage. For those of a Manchester United persuasion wanting to check in on their alumni, Rasmus Hojlund teed up Neres for his first goal of the evening too.