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Cricket in Meghalaya faces a multitude of hurdles. but hope for the future is embodied in the motley crew that makes up the state’s first-ever Ranji Trophy squad

Saurabh Somani20-Nov-2018If a Meghalaya player has a particularly bad outing during this Ranji Trophy 2018-19 season, you might find him teetering nervously on the edge of a cliff, about to jump off. No, literally, you might.This will not be a “leave this world behind” leap, though. It’ll be a bungee jump. Sponsored by captain Jason Lamare. Because Lamare runs an adventure-sports business in Shillong, and bungee jumping is next on the expansion agenda. And when asked if he’d let any players do it, he laughs and tells ESPNcricinfo, “Definitely. It will be a punishment – if you don’t bowl well or bat well, you’re going to jump!”This propensity to laugh is infectious and heart-warming, and it runs across the team. It’s in evidence during their training sessions, when they are on the field, when they are attending an official dinner, or when they are engaging in an impromptu game of foot-volleyball because Cyclone Gaja has stopped play in Puducherry, the venue of Meghalaya’s second Ranji Trophy match.Before the Vijay Hazare Trophy that marked Meghalaya’s entry into senior-level cricket, the team bonded by trekking up Shillong Peak in the rain. During the tournament, whose Plate Group was played across three cities in Gujarat, they watched “all the movies that released that month together” – according to Puneet Bisht, the senior-most professional.The north-east has for long been looked at as football country in cricket-crazy India. It might have stayed that way had the Lodha Committee recommendations not mandated the BCCI to include all of its states in the cricket fold. Nearly all of the cricket in Meghalaya is concentrated in the capital city of Shillong, which has a grand total of ground. But in this cricketing outpost, there might still be hope for a cricketing future.There’s the captain himself, who at 35 is one of the oldest members in the team. He played for Assam before the Meghalaya Cricket Association was formed, and this, he thought, had ended his cricket career prematurely. So did his cousin Mark Ingty, who is 42. Ingty made his first-class debut in January 2002, when fellow fast bowlers Lakhan Singh and Dippu Sangma were in kindergarten. Fun fact: the combined ages of Lakhan and Dippu fall short of Ingty’s.The BCCI has provided support staff for the team, which is a boon because it’s brought them an experienced hand as head coach, in Sanath Kumar. Like each of the other eight new teams, Meghalaya have signed up professionals too, the trio of Bisht, Yogesh Nagar and Gurinder Singh bringing skill, nous and years of experience on the domestic treadmill with them.But while necessary when the team is in its toddler phase, the professional coaches and players are peripheral to the cricketing story of the team. Sure, it’s the professionals who have done the heavy lifting for Meghalaya so far – as they have for every team in the Plate Group. But for those teams right now, the journey is far more significant than the results.Fast bowlers Chengkam Sangma (left) and Dippu Sangma travelled hundreds of kilometres to make it to the Meghalaya team•Saurabh Somani/ESPNcricinfoDippu and Chengkam Sangma’s journey to the senior team was an arduous trek, literally. Chengkam stays in Tura, home to the Garo indigenous group. It’s 323 kilometres of mountainous terrain from Shillong. For Dippu, Tura is the closest “big town” – he lives a further 100-plus kilometres away, in Baghmara.”There’s not much scope for jobs,” Chengkam says, and Dippu nods his assent. An advertisement in local papers for trials for the state team brought them together. There was one initial round of trial in Tura. Both attended, both were selected to go further, and they arrived in Shillong. Both did well once again, and found themselves part of the state team.Chengkam is one of seven siblings, Dippu counts himself among six. Both grew up on tennis-ball cricket, and neither had bowled with a leather ball until three years ago. “I found it heavy,” Dippu says of his first experience with a proper cricket ball. “I couldn’t control the swing also, and while batting, I couldn’t play the swinging ball well.”Chengkam had a similar experience, and neither had access to any coaching that would guide them. They’re now bowling at one level below international cricket, having made an unimaginable journey not just in miles but in learning the game too.”Our village is a bit backward, so there isn’t any big business. I would have done some small business if it wasn’t for cricket,” Chengkam says. His family wasn’t supportive of his foray into the game until recently. Now that he’s representing the state, they’ve relented. Other players might see dollar signs when the IPL comes calling, or in glitzy ad shoots once they make it as international cricketers. Here, the earnings as a journeyman domestic cricketer are gold dust, and a more lucrative career option than any other available.”I was studying before this, I just did my graduation. My college is not very good,” Dippu offers with disarming honesty. “If it wasn’t for cricket, I would have looked for a job, maybe in the police.”They speak Hindi with a lilting twang, but despite an obvious communication gap, there is little difficulty in making themselves understood, especially when they are asked if cricket was the best option for them. “Yes,” comes one emphatic answer. “Definitely,” comes the other.Wanlambok Nongkhlaw will go back to being a traffic policeman after the cricket season•Wanlambok NongkhlawIf any of the Meghalaya team were to break traffic rules while zipping around Shillong, they might cop a fine from Wanlambok Nongkhlaw, a traffic policeman who also happens to be the only left-arm seamer in the Ranji squad.Nongkhlaw was stationed in Shillong, and was active in the local leagues for the Meghalaya Police (MLP) team. Four MLP players were called for trials, and only Nongkhlaw made it to the state team. Once the season is done, though, Nongkhlaw will return to his job – though he might perhaps let a minor infraction or two pass if he spots a team-mate riding down the street without a helmet. “A little bit you can let go,” he says, eyes twinkling.”I have not turned from a policemen to a cricketer, I’ve turned from a cricketer into a policeman,” Nongkhlaw says. “I’ve been playing cricket since childhood, and then in 2008 I got a job with the police and I was posted with the traffic police.”There are signs that a cricketing culture could take root in Meghalaya, but plenty of work remains to be done.”The first challenge is getting enough players,” coach Sanath says. “The other thing is enough place to practice. All cricket used to take place in just one ground in Shillong. Now suddenly you have the men’s team, Under-23, Under-19, women’s team, women’s age-group teams… and with just three or four pitches, everybody has to practice. They are used to unexpected rains too. So for their weather, they definitely need a very good indoor practice facility, which they don’t have yet.”Funding is an aspect Sanath stresses on. It’s needed to build more practice facilities, to send the team for matches outside the state to accelerate their learning, and to maintain and spread the game in Meghalaya.”I feel people in the north-east love sports,” Sanath says. “And they are naturally very agile and athletic. It’s just that they haven’t been given an opportunity to get into the game yet.”Lamare concurs. “We have kids who play and we have youth interested. There is a cricket academy which has 300 students now. It might take a few years, but it is going to pick up,” he says. “Once the youth in all the north-eastern states realise there is potential in cricket, there is a career. You don’t have to work now, you can actually play cricket and earn – so interest will develop.”Meghalaya captain Jason Lamare is leading them on the field, but his first love is adventure sports•Saurabh Somani/ESPNcricinfoDespite that, Lamare almost didn’t want to come back to cricket, preferring to mess about with scuba diving, ziplining, rock climbing and the like. Father Peter, a coach at the Shillong Academy, and Ingty – who has missed the first two rounds through injury – brought him around. “My dad and Mark Ingty convinced me to play,” Lamare says. “His (Ingty’s) mother and my father are brother and sister, so we’ve literally grown up playing cricket. We are very close. He’s feeling really lousy he’s not here. We miss him.”Adventure sports is, in a way, Lamare’s first love. His company, Pioneer Adventure Tours, has been in operation from 2012 and has had visits fro Shikhar Dhawan, Unmukt Chand and the actor Kalki Koechlin, among others.When Meghalaya became an Affiliate member of the BCCI in 2008, Lamare could not play for Assam any more. And at 25, he couldn’t play for Meghalaya either, since they didn’t have a senior team.”That winter I went to Goa to become a certified scuba-diving instructor,” he says. “I worked there for two seasons till 2011. Then in 2012 I started my adventure business. Adventure has always been a part of me, so that move was always going to happen. It just happened a bit earlier because my cricket career halted in 2008. I thought that since my business is stable now, I can keep it aside for two months. January 2 is the last game, and on 4th it’s back to work!”Standing around on a cricket field for 90 overs must be dull for Lamare after that. “Definitely,” he laughs. “When things don’t go your way in the game, though, you think, ‘Man I wish I was back home diving or cliff-jumping or something.'”Meghalaya are one of the few north-east teams for whom “home” games are actually at home – and not in a borrowed stadium in a different state. For Lamare, one thing is certain as soon as they have a stretch of games at home. “As soon as we’re in Shillong, the team is immediately going,” he says. Going, that is, for adventure sports with him.When they do go, whether they’re ziplining or rappelling or camping by the riverside – it will merely be an extension of life as they’ve known it these past few months. It’s been an adventure.

England captain concedes “challenge of playing on slower wickets” is still an area for batsmen to address

George Dobell in Barbados19-Feb-2019England must learn to win ugly if they are to win the World Cup. That is their challenge with just one more ODI series before the start of a potentially momentous home summer.While England have earned a reputation for explosive batting on true surfaces – they have recorded the two highest totals made in the history of ODI cricket since the last World Cup, both times at Trent Bridge – they have not always proved so dominant in conditions where bowlers have more in their favour. Think of the performance against South Africa at Lord’s in 2017, when they were bowled out for 153, or the match against Australia at Old Trafford in 2015 (they made just 138).But nowhere was this struggle to adapt more painfully exploited that in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan. In that game, on a used surface that provided a bit of assistance to spinners and reverse-swing bowlers, England were dismissed for 211. Pakistan cruised to an eight-wicket win.So, as England start their lead-up to their World Cup campaign – they now play nothing by white-ball cricket until mid-July – they know it is an area they must improve. And, with a possibility that some surfaces in this series against West Indies may prove tough for batsmen, it is a weakness that may confront them several times in the coming days.”Everybody expects us to win,” Eoin Morgan said ahead of Wednesday’s ODI in Barbados. “But the manner it will play out will be different from what people expect.”There is the challenge of playing on slower wickets that don’t necessarily allow us to play an expansive game. We have improved on it, but to produce a level of consistency in performing and winning is something we haven’t nailed down.”I played here last year for Barbados and the pitch was quite uneven and steep bouncing. It offered some turn, too, and the wind plays a big part. So it will be a tough challenge and everybody in our changing room knows that. It’s not an easy place to come and win particularly when they have a lot of match winners.”England misread the conditions ahead of the Test here, however, and it is possible they have done so again. While surfaces on the England Lions tour and in the CPL were not especially good for batting, the pitches prepared for the first two ODIs in Barbados look full of runs.Morgan’s logic is sound, though. England failed to adapt to that surface in Cardiff and, while most pitches for the World Cup are expected to promote big-hitting and high scores, there is always the possibility they will be confronted by a more demanding surface along the way. If so, their batsmen will quickly have to work out what a challenging score might be and play accordingly. It has not been a strength in recent times.England must also grow accustomed to being talked about as favourites and people expecting them to win. This is not entirely new for them – it has been the case for the last 12 months, at least – and they have encouraged such talk in the hope it will”We don’t mind the tag of favourites,” Morgan said. “We’ve spoken about it and we’ve learned to be at ease with it in the last few series. It doesn’t really mean anything: you still have to produce to be rewarded.”But, while England do start this series as favourites – they are No. 1 in the world rankings, after all, and West Indies No. 9 – Morgan made the point that Scotland beat them less than a year ago. There can be no room for complacency.Chris Woakes bowls during England practice•Getty ImagesIn terms of individual selections, the batting and spin bowling looks reasonably secure. But there is at least one seam-bowling position to be finalised, with the likes of Mark Wood, Tom Curran and Liam Plunkett hoping to do enough to see off the challenge from Jofra Archer, who qualifies in about a month.But while Morgan played down any threat to Plunkett’s position, in particular, he did accept that pace – one of Archer’s primary weapons – was an important part of his bowling armoury. And he might have provided a little hint that the loss of Olly Stone, who played in Sri Lanka but has subsequently been diagnosed with a stress fracture, could offer Archer an opportunity.”I’m not concerned about Plunkett,” Morgan replied to a question about the bowler’s apparently diminishing pace. “The trajectory and variations he brings are valuable, too. When you’re facing him, it’s not easy. Particularly here where a bit of extra height does count.”We are very lucky because we probably have only one injury to a guy who might have been involved and that’s Stone. He is capable of bowling 90mph along with Plunkett and Mark Wood. The difference of having those guys is quite significant. You only had to watch the Test matches to see how valuable they are.”One of the best attributes I have is to compartmentalise things. Until Jofra qualifies, he’s not really in our thoughts at the moment.”If Wood is unable to replicate the pace he generated in St Lucia, however, and Plunkett is unable to offer the mid-innings control that he has provided so often in recent times, it is likely Archer will feature very prominently in Morgan’s thoughts before this series is over.

Just when Colin Munro was threatening a big, game-defining innings, the 18-year-old Sunrisers debutant unveiled a nifty little variation

Karthik Krishnaswamy14-Apr-2019If 2019 has been a season of resurgence for fingerspin in the IPL, it’s largely been led by bowlers with a lot of experience – Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Nabi. On Sunday, a much younger fingerspinner unveiled a new variation to stay in the contest against a rampant hitter.Abhishek Sharma is an 18-year-old allrounder who announced himself last year with an unbeaten 46 off 19 balls on T20 debut, playing for the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils against Royal Challengers Bangalore.This season, he was one of three players who went from Delhi to Sunrisers Hyderabad to pave the way for Shikhar Dhawan to move in the other direction. His Sunrisers Hyderabad debut came on Sunday, against his old team.When Kane Williamson introduced Abhishek in the ninth over of Delhi Capitals’ innings, he was up against the left-handed Colin Munro, who was batting on 32 off 20 balls. Captains are often reluctant to bowl left-arm orthodox spinners at left-hand batsmen, but it soon became apparent why Williamson wasn’t.While it was left-arm orthodox that Abhishek bowled to the right-handed Shreyas Iyer, he primarily bowled a different kind of delivery to Munro. It wasn’t full-on wristspin with the ball leaving the hand with overspin, but a delivery akin to the seam bowler’s legcutter, with the wrist snapping backwards, and the fingers ripping down the side of the ball, to apply a significant amount of backspin.Abhishek delivered this ball from left-arm over, and it straightened away from the left-hander off the pitch. Munro jumped down the track to the fifth ball of Abhishek’s over and launched it for a big six over long-on, but the bowler came up with a fine reply. He tossed up the next ball slower and a lot wider outside off stump, and Munro, reaching out for a booming cover drive, wasn’t close enough to the pitch of the ball to play it safely. The ball spun away sharply, brushed the outside edge of his angled bat, and settled in the gloves of Jonny Bairstow, who had moved quickly and decisively behind the stumps to make a difficult catch look simple.Why did Capitals take so long to bring on Mishra?Before today, Jonny Bairstow had fallen to legspin five times in six innings this season, and the other time to Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s mystery spin. Capitals had a legspinner in their ranks, in Amit Mishra, but Shreyas Iyer didn’t bring him on until the 11th over of Sunrisers’ chase. Bairstow had fallen in the previous over for a 31-ball 41, after putting on 72 for the first wicket with David Warner.Given that Sunrisers weren’t chasing a massive target, and given their middle-order worries right through the season, it was important for Capitals to try and separate their in-form openers early. Bringing Mishra on earlier might have helped them achieve this.Another middle-order meltdownAnd yet, and yet. When Bairstow departed, Sunrisers needed 84 off 61 balls, with nine wickets in hand. Most chasing teams are still very much favourites in that situation, and ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster tool gave Sunrisers a 61.96% chance of winning. But Sunrisers have been exaggeratedly dependent on their openers this season, and when Kane Williamson followed Bairstow to the dressing room for 3 off 8 balls, Capitals could sense an opening, with the equation now reading 78 off 50 balls.Most spectators at the ground would have expected Vijay Shankar to walk in at this stage; he’s been in pretty good form this season, and has shown the game and temperament to adapt to a situation such as this one. Sunrisers, however, sent in Ricky Bhui, who was playing the second IPL match of his career.On a slightly two-paced pitch, Bhui simply couldn’t force the pace. To be fair to him, neither could Warner, who was on 32 off 32 when Williamson fell. Mishra gave away only four runs in the 13th over and five in the 15th, using a mixture of loopy googlies and flat offbreaks at over 100kph to tie Warner down. At the other end Chris Morris and Keemo Paul bowled slower, back-of-a-length cutters into the pitch, giving away just 15 between them in the 14th and 16th.By the time Bhui fell for 7 off 12, the match had swung Capitals’ way. And there was no coming back for Sunrisers when Kagiso Rabada dismissed Warner and Shankar off successive balls in the next over, both batsmen miscuing big heaves off hard-to-hit short balls. All told, Sunrisers lost 8 for 15 in their last 23 balls.

Of course, England fans will feel good – they had not won a knock-out game in 27 years, but what exactly is this New England all about?

George Dobell at Edgbaston11-Jul-2019Watching England hasn’t always been like this.For many years, watching them in World Cups has been an experience typified by pain and disappointment. Think of The Oval in 1999, when England made just 103 in pursuit of South Africa’s 225. Or Bridgetown in 2007, when England’s paltry 154 was overhauled for the loss of just one wicket. Or Wellington in 2015, when New Zealand galloped to victory in just 74 balls before the floodlights required turning on. Before this game, England hadn’t won a World Cup knock-out match for 27 years. And they hadn’t won one at home in 40 years. It felt, until this year, as if they had lost almost every big game or crucial passage of play in the tournament this century. Jeez, England supporters have earned this moment.But this England side is different. This England side – New England, as they should probably be known – would appear to relish those key moments and crucial passages of play. Instead of shrinking on the biggest stage like so many of their predecessors, this team has the skill and the confidence to seize the day.Take the start of England’s reply here. There was a time, not so long ago, when confronted by a modest target like this, Old England’s openers would have poked and prodded their way through the first few overs. The tension would have built in the face of their timidity. The bowling team’s confidence would have grown, with men around the bat and scoreboard pressure mounting. In time – and it often wasn’t that much time – Old England would have buckled.ALSO READ: The importance of Bairstow and RoyNot anymore. A sensibly measured start – New England scored six from their first three overs – gave way to an increasingly assured chase. And that, in turn, gave way to a massacre. At one stage, New England plundered 56 runs in four overs with the cream of Australia’s bowling bearing the brunt of the punishment. Twice Mitchell Starc, one of the great white-ball bowlers in the history of the format, was hit out of the attack and, after five overs, he had conceded 50 runs. Nathan Lyon, who tortured and mocked England in Australia, saw his first ball thumped back over his head for six despite the presence of a long-on and, after four overs, had conceded 36. England weren’t treating the dangermen with respect; they were hunting them down and inflicting revenge attacks.It goes without saying that the Jonny Bairstow-Jason Roy partnership has been at the heart of England’s progress in this campaign. They have now recorded four century-stands in succession – no partnership has ever previously made more than three in a single tournament – and 11 in 32 ODIs together. These are extraordinary figures even before we recognise they have the highest strike-rates of opening batsmen with more than 1,000 ODI runs in history.But bald statistics don’t fully reflect their influence. For the manner in which Bairstow and Roy play – the way they dominate against even the best bowlers – spreads confidence through the England dressing room, drains confidence from the opposition’s and puts them well ahead of any projected target. Against both India and New Zealand, they made pitches on which every other player struggled for their timing look perfect for batting. Long before their partnership was broken here Australia looked beaten and England had a foot in the final.

It is asking a great deal of a team to inspire a new generation of supporters on the back of just one game. But if any side could do it, it is, perhaps, this New England

But while this team may be defined by its aggressive batting, this was a match defined by the bowling in the first half-hour. So well did Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer harness the conditions that, within 37 deliveries, Australia were three down and England had a grip on the match they were never to relent.Maybe this was a sign of New England, too. Old England, all too often, would have started cautiously. They would have eased into the game, bowled just back of a length to avoid being driven and looked to keep the score below 40 or so in those opening overs. That is, by and large, the story of England’s bowling in the 2015 World Cup.Again, not anymore. New England seized the moment. Despite losing the toss, they recognised that if this surface was to offer anything, it would be in the first few overs before the last of the overnight dew disappeared. So instead of easing their way into the day, instead of playing it safe and looking for an economical start, they went for the throat.Woakes is something of an antihero in this England side. He doesn’t bowl at 90 mph – well not often, anyway – he doesn’t smack the ball into the stands – well not often, anyway – and he doesn’t show any interest in living out his life on social media. But he is a fine cricketer who, given any help from the surface, can trouble the best. Here he had David Warner fencing at one that rose on him off the seam, before bowling Peter Handscomb with a delivery that nipped back through a gate so large you could nickname it Brandenburg. It was a spell that would have pleased James Anderson with a red ball. And that’s high praise.Archer, meanwhile, is well on his way to stardom. He has played only 13 ODIs but has already taken more wickets (19) in a World Cup campaign than any England bowler has previously managed. Like Glenn McGrath, he bowls so straight and from so close to the stumps that he needs to only gain a fraction of movement to trouble batsmen. And unlike McGrath, he has a change of pace – and extremes of pace – without an obvious change of action. The delivery he produced to dismiss Aaron Finch – quick, accurate and nipping in – was perfect to exploit the weakness of a man who is prone, early in his innings, to falling over a little. The delivery he produced later to dismiss Glenn Maxwell, a knuckle ball that bamboozled the batsmen and left him looking accusingly at the blameless pitch, was a thing of great skill and beauty. In between, Alex Carey was struck a fearsome blow on the helmet. It has been a long, long time since England had a bowler with the range of options – the pace, hostility, skills and intelligence – of Archer.”They’ve bowlers who hit the seam,” Finch said afterwards. “If there’s anything in the wicket, they will get it out of it. Woakes puts it in the right area time and time again. Archer is getting better and better as he plays more international cricket. In this game, the damage was done with the ball. The game was definitely lost in that first 10 overs.”This early movement shouldn’t be a total surprise. For many years the domestic knock-out tournament – the NatWest Trophy or Gillette Cup – was dominated by its early (10.30am) starts: teams winning the toss would inevitably insert the opposition and invariably take several wickets in the first few overs when there was still a little moisture in the pitch from overnight dew. Starting at 10.30am – albeit slightly later in the season – was seen a risking the integrity of the competition. There is a reason – and a very good one – that ODIs in England generally do not start before 11am.But you still have to exploit that help. At Lord’s England – and Archer and Mark Wood, in particular – failed to use more helpful conditions by bowling too short. Here they showed they had learned from those errors and produced spells that defined the game. Even without eye-catching contributions from Ben Stokes or Jos Buttler, this was as complete a performance as England have produced in the tournament. To have played so well against the old enemy in a high-profile knock-out match bodes well for their prospects in the final.How significant is it that the game will be shown free-to-air in the UK? Well, there’s much to like in this England side. The audacity, the skill, the bravado and the smiles. It is asking a great deal of a team to inspire a new generation of supporters on the back of just one game. But if any side could do it, it is, perhaps, this New England.

Manchester City backed up a comeback victory over AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup with a straightforward 2-0 win over relegation-doomed Leicester City in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s men weren’t hindered one bit by the absence of Erling Haaland through injury with the Foxes only managing two shots all night to try and snatch an unlikely result at the Etihad.

Instead, January signing Omar Marmoush stood out once more for the Citizens as their main marksman, but it was the exploits of Jack Grealish in the number ten role behind the Egyptian that stole many of the plaudits come the full-time whistle.

Jack Grealish's performance in numbers

Even as Marmoush collected another strike to add to his ever-growing City back-catalogue, Grealish would dominate most of the conversation post-match for his stylish showing as a central attacking midfielder.

After all, the ex-Aston Villa man got his team up and running with the opening strike just minutes into the one-sided clash, with the Birmingham-born ace stroking the ball into the back of Mads Hermansen’s net to amazingly collect his first Premier League goal for a long 16 months.

The 29-year-old will hope this standout performance pushes him on to more positive showings in the near future, with the up-and-down number ten finishing off the contest with two key passes next to his name from 50 accurate passes overall.

It could be argued that – in the short-term – Grealish could take over the reins from Kevin De Bruyne well, therefore, with there being a growing likelihood that the Belgian great will depart the Citizens very soon.

But, there is another unlikely candidate away from the 29-year-old who could be Guardiola’s next creative force similar to De Bruyne.

Guardiola's next creative superstar

Whilst there will be smiles aplenty that Grealish opened the scoring in the 2-0 victory, the ex-Villa midfielder is also known to be inconsistent and fleeting with his moments of magic, alongside the fact the 5 foot 11 presence is also nearing 30 years of age.

Therefore, Guardiola could be seeking out fresher blood when searching for his side’s next version of the electric number 17, with Savinho ticking all the boxes on Wednesday night when constantly finding openings.

Minutes played

85

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

61

Accurate passes

38/41 (93%)

Key passes

5

Shots on goal

2

Successful dribbles

2/4

Total duels won

6/11

Stats by Sofascore

Far from the finished article when it comes to slotting home chances – with two shots on goal not finding the back of the net – the Brazilian does excel when carving out opportunities for his thankful teammates, leading to one burst forward early on being gobbled by an expectant Grealish.

Finishing his exciting 85-minute spell on the pitch with five key passes next to his name, alongside two successful dribbles being amassed, the 20-year-old would have been pleased with his efforts, knowing there’s plenty more in his tank to come as he matures in Manchester.

After all, the gung-ho number 26 was an assist king with former employer Girona when tallying up 11 goals and ten assists from 41 appearances, with his assist total at City already up to a sizeable 12 from two fewer games. That makes him the most creative player in the squad this season, four clear of Matheus Nunes and five clear of that man De Bruyne.

Therefore, the Brazilian could well be the man Pep looks to in terms of creating chances when the Belgian departs, with the long-standing Citizens servant up to a jaw-dropping 174 assists himself.

Savinho is some way off that total, obviously, but the baton is likely to be handed over soon when the 33-year-old icon exits the building, with the tricky winger ready to become the club’s next creative superstar.

Move over Nunes: Man City begin work on signing the new Joao Cancelo

Manchester City could land their next Joao Cancelo in this attack-oriented defender.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 2, 2025

With Real Madrid’s season in danger of completely derailing, the powers that be at the club could opt to rip everything up and fire Carlo Ancelotti.

Los Blancos are about to head into their crunch second leg against Arsenal in the Champions League requiring a three-goal win, while their La Liga title challenge is no longer in their hands at this late stage, trailing Barcelona by four points.

As a result, reports in Spain have suggested that former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could be considered by the Madrid hierarchy to replace the Italian.

Pundit Simon Jordan has had his say on the rumours, with the businessman backing the German to control the likes of Kylian Mbappe at the Bernabeu.

Arsenal beware: 8 times Real Madrid pulled off an impossible comeback

The Gunners have been warned…

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 15, 2025 What did Simon Jordan say about Klopp?

Following reports from Spanish outlet Sport that Klopp could emerge as an option for Los Blancos, Jordan backed the Premier League and Champions League winner to be a success in the Real dugout.

He told TalkSport: “I think it would be a perfect fit. He’s the perfect character to manage a club like Real Madrid in the style of football he plays, the character that he brings, how he embraces the culture of the club he moves into.

Could Klopp take over at Real Madrid?

Klopp has only recently taken over at Red Bull as their Head of Global Football. While there is thought to be a clause that would allow him to take the Germany job, there doesn’t appear to be a clear path to a huge club like Real Madrid.

Klopp had also previously stated that he was finished as a coach, having run out of energy at the end of his time at Liverpool.

Therefore, a return to the dugout so soon after beginning his new role in the new year would be a surprise, though clubs don’t come much bigger than Real Madrid, so could he be tempted?

Fresh from their Premier League title celebrations following a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, it seems as though Liverpool have already turned their attention towards the summer and one particular winger.

Liverpool crowned Premier League champions

When Jurgen Klopp bellowed Arne Slot’s name in front of an emotional Anfield this time last year, not even those in attendance would have believed that his Liverpool side were champions in waiting. One year on, however, the Reds have done what Manchester United failed to do and Slot has done what David Moyes failed to do by keeping what is now officially England’s most successful club on their perch.

Whilst there’s plenty to celebrate, however, there’s also still plenty of work to do at Anfield this summer. And that should only excite those around the club. Slot’s champions, who rarely looked unlikely to take their crown, still have clear levels to reach which could see them endure a busy transfer window.

The likes of Alexander Isak and Jonathan David have been names mentioned in recent months, which should indicate the attacking overhaul that the Reds are looking to complete this summer.

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Isak, given his outstanding Premier League record at Newcastle United, should be the dream move for Slot. Amid the Swede’s hefty £100m+ valuation though, David wouldn’t be a bad second choice. The LOSC Lille forward is set to become a free agent when the summer arrives, allowing his next club to land one of the bargains of the window.

Strikers aside, meanwhile, it looks as though Michael Edwards is also looking to sign another winger when the summer arrives, reportedly turning towards Ligue 1 and a frustrated player.

Liverpool make first Seghir enquiry

According to L’Equipe, Liverpool have made their first enquiry over signing Eliesse Ben Seghir from AS Monaco this summer. The winger is reportedly valued at just €30m (£25m) and is becoming frustrated by his game time in France, where he has started just 18 of 31 Ligue 1 games.

At 20 years old, Monaco’s caution would be seen as understandable if it wasn’t for Ben Seghir’s impressive form throughout the current campaign, which has seen him score nine goals and assist a further four in all competitions despite those limited starts.

Dubbed an “exciting” player by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, Liverpool’s interest should come as no surprise and their status as champions may yet go a long way towards beating Manchester City to Ben Seghir’s signature, with the Blues also showing some interest.

A young talent frustrated by his game time at Monaco, the 20-year-old is certainly one to watch as the summer transfer window approaches, having already drawn in a sponsorship deal with Adidas, who are soon to return as Liverpool’s chief kit manufacturer.

Arne Slot revealed in his pre-match press conference on Friday morning that he will finally enforce some rotation across Liverpool’s final four Premier League matches of the season.

It’s taken him long enough, but then who can blame the Dutch manager for sticking to his guns, now crowned the division’s champion in his maiden year on English soil?

The business end of the 2024/25 league campaign has been navigated with a confident swagger for those of a Liverpool persuasion, with their team strutting far out ahead of second-place Arsenal, who themselves have held a healthy advantage over the rest of the Champions League hopefuls.

For those looking at the Anfield side from an outside perspective, it might seem like there’s a lot of work that needs to be done: Andy Robertson has faced criticism for his performances, Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer and Slot’s frontline hasn’t always fired across every cylinder.

While Mohamed Salah has been a true talisman, posting 33 goals and 23 assists across all competitions, his attacking partners have flattered to deceive at times, with none more culpable than Darwin Nunez.

No road back for Darwin Nunez

Tough season for Nunez. In fact, the 25-year-old has looked so far away from the vision that Slot wants from his striker that his exit is all but confirmed this season, with Liverpool actively planning to cash in while already searching for potential heirs.

Nunez has only returned seven goals this year, and it’s a bleak indictment of his performances that 37 of those 43 matches he has featured in have returned blanks. That is not the form of a club-record Liverpool striker, one whose total payment could reach £85m.

While Slot was quick to dismiss claims that Nunez is being repeatedly benched due to a clause that means his 50th Premier League start would impel Liverpool to pay Benfica an additional £5m sum, the fact remains that the Uruguay international has been used sparingly this season.

In fact, he’s only started once in the top flight since Boxing Day.

Frankly, it’s hard to envisage a world where Nunez lines up as Anfield’s chief centre-forward next season, not after falling heavily by the wayside under Slot’s wing.

Liverpool, for sure, are ready to sign a new forward.

Liverpool ready to sign new forward

Liverpool have identified a new attacking star, and while he might not be an out-and-out frontman, Daizen Maeda has all the qualities to become a valued part of Slot’s frontline.

That’s according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, making the claim that the 27-year-old, who can play across the frontline, is attracting interest from both Arsenal and Slot’s Reds ahead of the summer transfer window.

Valued at £25m, Maeda has been scouted by Liverpool across the campaign and would certainly be curious at a transfer to Anfield, having been quizzed on a potential transfer away from Scotland in March and responding that it was a “difficult question.”

Daizen Maeda would be perfect for Slot

Discovered by Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, who signed Maeda from Yokohama F Marinos on an initial loan in December 2021 before the deal was made permanent the following summer, it’s been a profitable few years in Scotland for the Japan international.

Described as an “absolute nuisance” of a forward by pundit Rio Ferdinand, Maeda’s ability to provide danger from every angle is something that differentiates him from most other forwards, having also been noted as a “physical beast” by his former coach John Hutchinson.

This season alone, he’s posted 33 goals and 11 assists across 47 appearances for the Hoops, which curiously means he has outscored Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who has posted 26 goals this term and is on Liverpool’s list as a potential Nunez replacement, albeit an unlikely signing given he is valued at £150m.

His ability to step up in the Champions League, scoring four times in the competition this season, including against Bayern Munich in the first knockout round, makes a firm comment on his capacity for success at Liverpool, with the physicality to serve as Slot’s next version of Nunez, one who might provide a more clinical output.

While he hasn’t always been the most consistent in front of goal, Maeda is a tireless performer and possesses fleet feet besides.

Matches (starts)

31 (27)

Goals

16

Assists

9

Shots (on targets)*

1.8 (0.6)

Big chances missed

16

Pass completion

83%

Big chances created

10

Key passes*

1.3

Dribbles*

0.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

Duels won*

3.1

Some would point toward Maeda playing in a division of objectively inferior quality, but the fact that he has converted 16 goals and missed as many chances bespeaks his natural goalscoring ability, something that has been hardened under Brendan Rodgers’ wing to be sure.

Nunez, for reference, has scored 25 goals across his three years in the Premier League, rather shockingly missing 53 big chances.

Though Maeda isn’t the natural central striker that Liverpool fans hope to walk through the door this summer, he has clinched 14 goals and four assists from just ten matches as Celtic’s striker.

Slot has already demonstrated his willingness to use such a dynamic profile across different attacking roles through the deployment of Luis Diaz across the campaign, with the Colombian having featured routinely in a central berth to accommodate Cody Gakpo and create an electric sense of fluency.

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Maeda would merely strengthen this exciting thread of attacking players, with the confidence and completeness to effectively step into Nunez’s boots and take Liverpool’s project to the next level.

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The Wolverhampton Wanderers hierarchy have now held internal talks over signing a “clinical” £15 million player instead of the rumoured move for Jamie Vardy, according to a reliable reporter.

Wolves keen to land a new striker this summer

Thanks to the work that Vitor Pereira has done since arriving at Molineux, Wolves have another season in the Premier League to look forward to. However, despite avoiding relegation, the Midlands side look set to lose star player Matheus Cunha. That is because the Brazilian is reportedly closing in on a move to Manchester United, with the Red Devils now working on a deal that they hope can be wrapped up soon.

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That would leave Wolves with Jorgen Strand Larsen, Hee-chan Hwang and Sasa Kalajdzic as their only recognised senior strikers, and it seems Pereira wants to have more options at his disposal. Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one option under consideration, as he is set to become a free agent at the end of the campaign, and he’s yet to agree a new contract with the Toffees.

It’s also been reported by Football Insider that the Midlands side are keeping an eye on Phil Harres, who has been performing well for struggling Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel. However, these links have all come after it was claimed that Wolves are keen on signing Jamie Vardy, as he is also set to become a free agent and thus would be a cheap option to add experience and depth.

Wolves hold internal talks over signing Cameron Archer

But a move for Vardy may not be on the cards for Pereira’s side, as according to reporter Ben Jacobs, via Molineux News, Wolves could look to sign Cameron Archer from Southampton instead of Vardy this summer.

Speaking on The Wolfpack podcast, Jacobs revealed that the Premier League side may not be interested in a deal for Vardy after all and instead have held internal discussions over a move for Archer, who is also liked by Leeds United.

As quoted by Molineux News, Jacobs said: “It’s not a deal that Wolves are looking to do (Jamie Vardy). They’ll buy younger. One of the names I’ve heard out there for Leeds and Wolves – it’s more like an internal conversation than necessarily a player Wolves are actively approaching or working on – but they like the profile of Cameron Archer at Southampton.”

Apps

70

Goals

6

Assists

2

Archer, who has been described as “clinical” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, joined the Saints last summer from Aston Villa in a deal worth £15 million, and it’s been a transfer that hasn’t really gone to plan.

The centre-forward has played 31 games in the Premier League this season but has only started 13 of those games. Meanwhile, he has scored just two goals, and they came early in the season in back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Leicester.

Archer is under contract until 2028, but given Southampton are heading back to the Championship, the striker could be available on the cheap.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to finish the season on a high and could land a summer coup involving one of Europe’s highly-rated young defenders, according to a report.

Tottenham Hotspur prepare for Europa League date with destiny

There are no two ways about it; Spurs face arguably the biggest week in their modern existence as Ange Postecoglou prepares his side to take on Manchester United in Wednesday’s UEFA Europa League final.

Financially, the winners of the competition stand to earn £10.95 million for a victory in the final, which has created a unique sense of jeopardy between two of England’s most reputable clubs.

Factor in money accumulated across the course of their run to Bilbao and subsequent qualification for the Champions League, there could be a bounty exceeding £80 million in store for either Tottenham or Manchester United.

However, Spurs may have to navigate the showdown without Pape Matar Sarr after he was taken off during their 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last Friday.

Speaking about his latest injury scare, Postecoglou stated: “Pape felt something in his back, so we took him off as a bit of a precaution. I don’t think it’s anything too significant, speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back.”

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Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison will miss the final for Tottenham, who know the implications of Wednesday’s final and what it could mean when it comes to attracting potential recruits this summer.

Ultimately, having the Champions League carrot ready to dangle could be a key advantage in the race for talent, though they are now reportedly looking at signing a Paris Saint-Germain star who has earned intriguing recognition.

Tottenham Hotspur looking to sign PSG defender Axel Tape

According to Sports Zone, Tottenham are circling for Paris Saint-Germain defender Axel Tape this summer amid his reported decision to leave the French giants on a free transfer.

Bayer Leverkusen are said to be in ‘pole position’ to sign the 17-year-old, while Bournemouth and Chelsea are also in the hunt to offer a Premier League avenue to the youngster.

Likened to Dean Huijsen by Rising Gems, Tape has made three first-team appearances for Paris Saint-Germain this campaign and primarily features as a central defender.

Daniel Levy is well-known for his penchant to facilitate the arrival of young talent to develop into first-team stars, which is a brief Spurs could look to fill once again should the Bondy-born man arrive in London.

Prodigious figures such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mikey Moore have all been given senior minutes this term, even if the root cause of their frequent involvement has been an injury crisis.

Looking to the future, Tape could be the latest to join a conveyor belt of youthful assets who are only going to multiply in value under Postecoglou’s watch.