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One change to side that lost in Visakhapatnam, with Rehan visa issue resolved

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2024Mark Wood has been recalled to England’s attack at the expense of the offspinner Shoaib Bashir, as England confirmed their team for the third Test against India, which gets underway in Rajkot on Thursday.Wood played as a lone seamer in England’s victory in the first Test at Hyderabad but went wicketless on a surface that did not suit his express pace. However, he has been recalled to partner James Anderson, who impressed with five wickets at Visakhapatnam last week, on a surface that had been more green-tinged in the lead-up to the match.He is the only change to the starting XI, with Bashir sitting out after claiming four wickets on debut in the second Test. It means that England will be playing two seamers for the first time in the series, after fielding a spin-dominant attack in each of the last two matches.Related

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• England wait on Rehan availability for third Test

Rehan Ahmed’s participation in this match had been in some doubt after he encountered visa issues on his return to India, following the team’s mid-series break in Abu Dhabi. However, that issue has been resolved.Stokes confirmed England were under no doubt that Rehan’s paperwork would be authorised in time for the third Test, and has backed the 19-year-old legspinner to pick up where he left off from the first two.Rehan Ahmed’s visa issue has been resolved•Associated Press

“It’s always an anxious period but thankfully we’ve got it through this morning. First of all, the guys at the airport did a great job at giving him his visa initially to get through and then everyone at the BCCI and the government to get the visa through quickly. We don’t have to worry about any more of those issues.”We were very confident we would get the visa for Rehan before the game started. There was no thoughts around not playing him this week. The great thing about youth is they just take everything in their stride and I thought he handled a situation that could have affected quite a lot of people in a different way very, very well for such a young kid.”The Test matches he’s played so far, he’s done very, very well and everything we’ve asked of him he’s gone out and tried to deliver. I’m looking forward to him getting another game this week.”Having gone into Wednesday with 12 names, Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum decided on the extra seamer in Wood after one last look at the pitch. They were swayed by cracks in the pitch which they believe will lead to uneven bounce as the Test goes on.Otherwise, they anticipate a surface not too dissimilar to the one that resulted in a high-scoring draw in the 2016 series.”I know it was a very long time ago when we played here, but it looks a good wicket,” Stokes said. “Yesterday it actually looked quite English. It’s a little bit different today. We weren’t quite sure what we were going to do with the team but today made us realise that we are definitely going to go with two seamers.”It just looks a good wicket. It’s a bit platey. Over the five days, those plates might become a little but uneven. There might be some reverse swing which brings Woody into the game – and Jimmy as well.”England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Rehan Ahmed, 9 Tom Hartley, 10 Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson

Liverpool are now leading Manchester City in the race to sign a £317,000-p/w star, with internal talks currently ongoing, according to reporter Tobi Altschäffl.

Reds eyeing Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at Anfield is still in major doubt, having emerged as a major target for Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, and the Reds have started to look at potential replacements.

The main target Arne Slot’s side have been linked with is Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, with reports from earlier this month suggesting they have already made contact with the Bundesliga side to discuss the terms of a deal.

The German’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning he has been attracting the attention of a number of top clubs, including Manchester City, with manager Pep Guardiola believed to be a big fan and City reportedly moving into pole position for the deal this week.

Kyle Walker is now poised to join AC Milan, meaning Liverpool’s Premier League rivals may also need to bring in a new right-back at the end of the season, but there has been another twist, with the Merseysiders taking the lead back in the race for Kimmich’s signature.

Liverpool now leading race for "unpredictable" £10m forward who Slot loves

The Reds are in close contact with the 22-year-old’s entourage.

By
Dominic Lund

Jan 22, 2025

Rousing The Kop relay tweets from BILD reporter Tobi Altschäffl, who has revealed the Reds are still discussing a move for the right-back internally. Man City, he claims, are no longer considering a move for the 29-year-old, as they are planning to rebuild their squad with younger players after a major drop-off in performance levels this season.

Altschäffl makes it clear the most likely scenario is the defender signing a new contract to remain at the Allianz Arena, but if he does decide to move on, it would appear that Liverpool is now a more likely destination than Manchester.

Kimmich is the best option to replace Trent

The hope is that Trent rejects Madrid to commit his long-term future to his boyhood club, but if the 26-year-old does move to Spain, then the Bayern defender is most likely the best option to replace him.

The Germany international has a track record of winning trophies, having won eight league titles and a Champions League with Bayern, and he has a plethora of experience at international level, amassing 97 caps for his country.

Lauded as “sensational” by members of the media, the £317k-per-week star would also be a versatile option for Slot, given that he is capable of playing in central midfield too.

It will be difficult to find any player capable of matching Trent’s ability to pick out a pass, but there are signs that Kimmich is very assured in possession of the ball, having averaged the most passes per game of any player in Europe’s top five leagues, as of December 29th.

As such, if Kimmich decides he wants a fresh challenge next season, Liverpool should make sure they are right at the front of the queue for his signature.

Thomas Frank has claimed Tottenham will '100 percent' lose matches under him, but admitted he should not have acknowledged Arsenal's 'Invincibles'.

• Frank in as new Spurs boss
• Prepared to lose games
• Points to Arsenal's 'Invincibles'

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Frank took his first press conference in charge of Spurs on Friday, where he was asked a range of questions on the job at hand in north London. The Dane was brought in as a replacement to Ange Postecoglou, who won the Europa League last season but oversaw a 17th-place Premier League finish.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After over six fantastic seasons in charge of Brentford, Frank was sounded out by Spurs as the ideal successor to Postecoglou. When he took the Bees' head coach job back in 2018, he was relatively unknown on English soil, though has since forged a reputation as one of the savviest tacticians in the game, and is well aware of the pressure he now faces as a known quantity.

• WHAT FRANK SAID

  When asked if he is under more pressure at Tottenham because of his notoriety, Frank replied: "It's natural, it's a good pressure, the interesting thing is not when you are in it. It's something I've done for many years. I'm very aware it's a big club, there will be more scrutiny."

  Frank then relayed a message he gave to the club when he took the Spurs job, but in the act of doing so accidentally praised north London rivals Arsenal for going unbeaten during the 2003-04 season: "As I said to the staff on the first day here, I promise you one thing, one thing is 100% for sure – we will lose football matches. I haven't seen a team not losing any football matches. There is Arsenal, that we can't mention… so I made my first rookie mistake there! Then there's Preston [in 1889], and those are the only two teams."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Though Frank is prepared for his team not to be perfect and has accepted they will lose games, he will be hoping not to taste defeat in 22 Premier League matches just as Postecoglou did last season. Frank was, however, full of praise for the Australian and the legacy he's left.

  "Ange will forever be a legend here at Tottenham. One of only three who have won a European trophy here and the first in 41 years," he said. Frank added he has not spoken to Postecoglou since replacing him at Spurs.

Six points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, Arsenal have reportedly brought their summer plan forward to chase the signature of a £90m forward for Mikel Arteta as early as this month.

Arsenal transfer news

With Manchester City down and out, it seemed as though Arsenal would finally take advantage and seal the Premier League title that they’ve been chasing for the last two years. But then arrived Arne Slot and his new Liverpool side to kick off a new era at Anfield and one which could commence with the ultimate glory unless the Gunners complete a miraculous comeback.

Jesus 2.0: Arsenal in contact over signing "electric" Premier League star

The talented attacker could be a smart addition to Arsenal’s squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 3, 2025

Even after victory over Brentford to kick off 2025, Arsenal remain six points adrift of the Reds who would go as many as nine clear by winning their game in hand at this stage. In need of an incredible turnaround, those in North London may need to turn towards the January transfer window.

On that front, Bukayo Saka’s injury has seen the likes of Nico Williams already mentioned this month, but it’s an option closer to home that the Gunners could yet welcome.

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are now pushing to sign Matheus Cunha as early as this month instead of waiting until the summer, as earlier reports suggested would be more realistic.

In a deal that could be worth as much as £90m this month based on previous reports, Arsenal potentially look to steal the headlines and welcome a clinical goalscorer for Arteta.

Desperate to bridge the gap on Liverpool, Arteta would be getting quite the solution to his side’s attacking problems in Cunha, who has dragged Wolves out of the relegation zone in recent weeks to earn such interest this month.

"Special" Cunha could be instant upgrade

Without Saka, it’s increasingly difficult to name an attacking player capable of dragging Arsenal to three points when they need it most. Martin Odegaard could contribute from midfield, but those in front of him often struggle in front of goal from open play compared to Premier League rivals. And whilst recent goals from Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli have helped, there’s no doubt that Arsenal still need the added edge that Cunha would provide.

New Wolves boss Vitor Pereira will, of course, be keen to keep hold of his star man, however, having recently told reporters as relayed by the Premier League’s official website: “He is a special player. He can do things that can make the difference in small details.

“We try his corner because we want the swing inside to explore this. But you can work a lot and in the end nothing happens. With this kind of player this can happen. I think it is not about work, it is about quality, his individual quality.

“Matheus Cunha is a player, in my opinion, who can reach high standards in this league. I hope not [elsewhere] because we need him.”

Erik ten Hag has been ruled out as Roma's next coach despite visiting the club's training ground after attending the Serie A game against Juventus.

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• Ten Hag attends Roma match as owners' guest
• Dutch coach also visits training ground
• Will not be replacing Ranieri this summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ten Hag was in the stands at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday to see the 1-1 draw, having been invited by the home team's owners, the Friedkins. The Dutchman's presence sparked suggestions he could replace Claudio Ranieri as head coach at the end of the season.

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  On Monday, Ten Hag was welcomed to the Roma training ground, where he posed for pictures alongside his former Ajax charge Devyne Rensch. Despite his appearance, reports that the former Ajax and Manchester United boss is not in talks with the Serie A side, with both his agent and Roma denying the rumours of a possible move. The Italian club are looking to bring in an Italian coach to take Ranieri's place at the end of the season.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Ten Hag has been without a job since he was sacked by United at the end of October when the Red Devils were languishing in 14th place – one place worse off than their current position under Ruben Amorim.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG?

  The 55-year-old has given no indication of where and when he will next be seen in the dugout, but it will not be at Roma, with Stefano Pioli the reported frontrunner to take over.

Wrexham are all set to compete with Birmingham City to sign ex-Man Utd midfielder Robbie Savage's son Charlie from Reading in the summer.

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• Wrexham to compete with Birmingham for Charlie Savage
• Robbie Savage's son plays for Reading
• Two sides aiming for promotion to the Championship

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Manchester United star Robbie Savage's son Charlie, who currently plays for Reading in League One, could move to either of Birmingham City or Wrexham as the clubs continue to push for promotion to the Championship next season. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's side are expected to fight it out with Tom Brady's Birmingham in the summer transfer window to secure the signature of the 21-year-old midfielder.

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• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Speaking to , TBR Football’s chief football correspondent, Graeme Bailey, said: "Savage senior’s former club Birmingham City and Wrexham – his hometown club – are both watching Savage junior and are prepared to move for him this summer. Birmingham know they are playing in the Championship next season and they are ready to compete and push for immediate promotion to the Premier League, which was done recently by Ipswich Town.

  "With that they are putting plans in place and Reading midfielder Savage is a player they like. He has been outstanding for Reading since joining from Manchester United in 2023."

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  Bailey added: "Reading are wanting to keep Savage, but that could very well be dependent on their own promotion push. Wrexham also are huge admirers. Wrexham are also looking towards next season and they will also look to have a healthy budget in the second tier. Savage is a player they would like, and given his Wrexham heritage, there is a clear appeal. They are already showing an interest in Tom Lawrence and signing two Welsh internationals with Wrexham connections, would be huge to the club and their fanbase."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  The Red Dragons will be back in action in League One on Saturday as they take on Wigan Athletic in a crucial away fixture.

Wesley Sneijder dismissed Declan Rice's free-kick double against Real Madrid as "very easy" as the midfielder helped Arsenal to a 3-0 win on Tuesday.

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• Rice scored two free-kicks in win against Madrid
• Sneijder downplayed the midfielder's strikes
• Blamed Courtois and defensive wall for 'easy goals'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rice sent the ball curling past Madrid's wall and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to give Arsenal the lead just before the hour mark in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie. Twelve minutes later, he blasted into the top corner to double their lead before Mikel Merino secured a 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.

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  Rice revealed the initial plan was to whip in a cross, but said that he saw the goalkeeper's position before Bukayo Saka told him to have a go if he 'felt it' as he blasted into the net. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta described the England international's goals as "magic moments", but ex-Madrid and Ajax star Sneijder dismissed the hype.

• WHAT SNEIJDER SAID

  "That wall wasn’t positioned properly for that first goal. [Courtois] assumes that Saka will take it, he is a left-footer," Sneijder said on . "Then he can move the wall a bit more to the right, so that he can take his own corner. A right-footed player should never be able to shoot around the wall from that angle. That’s not allowed. It seems a bit crazy what I’m going to say now. This seems very difficult, but for a right-footed player this is very easy. If you have a good strike then this is a very easy ball. When you are on the pitch, you see that the ball has to go around the wall on that side. The wall was too far to the left."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Arsenal face Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday before heading to the Spanish capital for the return fixture against Carlo Ancelotti's men on April 16.

A major European outfit is planning to make a move and sign an exciting Aston Villa player, but NSWE are not looking to sell anytime soon, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa transfer rumours

The 2024/25 Premier League season started off very well for Unai Emery’s side, but in recent weeks there has been an inconsistency in performances and results, and that has seen them fall away slightly in the table. Villa still have plenty to play for, and because of that, January is a good opportunity for Emery and co to bring in some fresh faces.

It could be a busy January for Villa given the number of players they have been linked with. Benfica defender Antonio Silva is probably the most high-profile player to be linked with a move to Villa Park. The centre-back is admired a lot by people at Villa, and contact has already been made with his representatives to get an understanding of the costs of a potential deal in January.

Sky Sports: Aston Villa eyeing move for 18 y/o talent who could cost £19m

Aston Villa find themselves in a Premier League transfer race to sign a striker.

By
Brett Worthington

Dec 17, 2024

Silva is not the only defender on Villa’s radar, as they are also interested in signing Raul Asencio from Real Madrid. The young man has impressed in his limited appearances for the Spanish giants, and Emery sees him as someone who could improve his side’s defence, but they are not the only Premier League team interested in securing this transfer.

Emery also appears to have his eye on improving his forward line, as they are interested in signing Stefanos Tzimas. The 18-year-old has scored seven goals in 14 games for Nuremberg while on loan from Greek side PAOK. Tzimas is considered a very talented forward in his homeland, and if Villa are to secure his signature, it could cost them £19 million.

European side move to sign £30m+ Aston Villa ace

According to Il Mattino, relayed by Sport Witness, Napoli are prepared to make a move and sign Jhon Duran from Aston Villa. The 21-year-old has been at Villa Park since January of last year, when he joined from MLS side Chicago.

Duran arrived at Villa relatively unknown, but he had a growing reputation in the game due to his performances in the USA. It took the Colombia international a while to get familiar to his new surroundings, but from the back end of last season and now this campaign, Duran has become an important player for Villa and has scored some key goals, particularly the winning goal against Bayern Munich.

Duran has 11 goals in 24 games this season, and now this report states that Napoli are starting to take serious notice. It is claimed that the Italian giants are putting the “spotlight” on the Villa striker as they look for a “sidekick” to current striker Romelu Lukaku. Duran is said to be at the top of Napoli’s director of football, Giovanni Manna’s, wish list.

People at Napoli have been left impressed by Duran’s physicality and speed which are on show most weeks at Villa Park. Aston Villa are not looking to sell their forward, and it is claimed that should Duran leave, it would cost up to €40 million, which is roughly £33 million. Napoli have already begun contact with Aston Villa intermediaries, but they are described as “frenetic,” and it is unclear if this is a deal for January or the summer.

Declan Rice lavished praise on his Arsenal team-mate Myles Lewis-Skelly after the 18-year-old scored to make history on his England debut.

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• Lewis-Skelly took just 20 minutes to score
• Put in a stellar display throughout the match
• Rice labelled him as "fearless" after victory over Albania

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 18-year-old full-back found the net just 20 minutes into the match against Albania, helping England secure a 2-0 victory at Wembley in their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier. It was a routine win for Thomas Tuchel's troops on his managerial debut with Harry Kane sealing the three points with a poacher's finish in the 70th minute.

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  Lewis-Skelly, one of Arsenal’s brightest young talents, seized the opportunity when Jude Bellingham played him through on goal. With remarkable composure, the teenager calmly slotted the ball between the legs of the Albanian goalkeeper, sending the Wembley crowd into a frenzy.

• WHAT DECLAN RICE SAID

  Arsenal midfielder Rice was full of admiration for his young club team-mate, highlighting his maturity and confidence despite his tender age.

  “He [Myles Lewis-Skelly] is fearless. He does everything right off the pitch and he is only 18," he told Itv after the match. “I knew he was going to play like that tonight because of the confidence he has. He has kept his feet on the ground and it is only the start for him."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  At 18 years and 176 days, Lewis-Skelly broke a record that had stood since 2016, surpassing Marcus Rashford, who was 18 years and 209 days old when he scored his first England goal against Australia.

Back to the drawing board. In 2022/23, Newcastle United were in their heyday under Eddie Howe, but for a host of reasons, haven’t been able to kick on and find themselves needing more after yet another Premier League setback.

Crystal Palace were the better team at Selhurst Park, limiting Newcastle to one off-target shot and unleashing 16 of their own. xG (expected goals) is hardly the defining factor in assessing a contest’s flow, but the hosts produced 1.76 xG, whereas United mustered a measly 0.04 xG via Sofascore through Joelinton’s blocked shot.

If a single match was a personification of Newcastle’s struggles, this one would be a fitting emblem. Goals are in short supply and creativity is more so. It was ironic that Marc Guehi, fiercely pursued by the Toon this summer, would turn into his own net to give Newcastle the lead, their sole attacking move of significance across the affair.

But irony’s a fickle thing, and Guehi put in a commanding defensive display and responded with an assist for Daniel Munoz’s last-gasp equaliser, meaning the Magpies are tenth and could be lower still before the day is up.

Howe needs to tinker away to recentre his outfit’s fluency, and though changes are needed up front, Tino Livramento failed to bring it all together on the defensive right flank.

Tino Livramento's performance vs Palace

He wasn’t the worst player on the field, but Livramento didn’t enjoy his finest performance. The Shields Gazette acknowledged the right-back’s willingness to get forward but rebuked his lack of quality on the ball and fragility in several defensive moments.

He was handed a 5/10 match score, which is probably about right.

Newcastle signed Southampton’s talented prospect in a deal worth £40m, and while there have been ups and downs, Livramento is patently one of the prized young full-backs in English football and, recently 22, has a wide expanse of growth still to be crossed.

This was evident in south London, with Livramento being dribbled past twice and losing six of his 11 contested duels, as per Sofascore.

Pared down, neither of these metrics is particularly damning, but it’s telling that he failed to make a single key pass, hardly helping Newcastle in their desperate quest to restore some control in creative phases.

The Toon’s lack of playmaking success this season, compared to last, is rather damning, however, and very much indicative of Newcastle’s struggles.

Oh sure, Anthony Gordon needs to do more, playmaking is negligible in the centre of the field and the Magpies’ failure to sign a right winger is biting at them, but when Kieran Trippier is sat waiting in the wings, it’s perhaps time for Howe to unleash his veteran once again. It might bear dividends.

Howe must boldly unleash Kieran Trippier

Curiously, Newcastle ranked joint-second for big chances created (97) in the Premier League last term, level with champions Manchester City. The fact that Newcastle more-or-less have the same parts is more curious still but perhaps comments on the rust that is spreading across a squad crying out for some fresh inspiration.

Newcastle are bound to target impactful attacking additions in 2025, with recent reports even suggesting that Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is on the winter radar.

However, the intervening December period cannot be allowed to sprout rotten results; while Newcastle have been out of sorts, they are only four points behind third-placed Brighton & Hove Albion and could easily spring back into the ascendency with a winter purple patch.

Easier said than done. Fluidity simply isn’t there, and that’s why Trippier must start going forward. The 34-year-old was nearly sold in the summer but has remained at St. James’ Park. He has played just six minutes of Premier League football in two months, but having recovered from a hamstring injury will be desperate to make his mark.

You have to say, his ball-playing skills could have been utilised against a resilient Eagles backline. As per FBref, the £120k-per-week veteran ranked among the top 1% of full-backs in the Premier League last season for assists, the top 2% for passes attempted, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90.

Given that not only has the Magpies’ creative wellspring dried up, but their possession has dropped from a 52.5% average to a 49.5% average, as per FBref, you could surmise that Trippier’s reintroduction could have an effect on United and their purchase in passing transitions.

Moreover, Trippier, who has been one of the harbingers of the new era upon joining from Atletico Madrid for a £12m fee in early January 2022, is not as defensively disastrous as he is depicted, for he succeeded with 56% of his ground duels last term and averaged two tackles per game, as per Sofascore.

Recent reports suggest that Newcastle are willing to accept offers for their skipper in January, with his high wages and reduced role not quite justifying his place in the first-team squad any longer.

Why don’t we shelve that for the upcoming month, or perhaps even until the end of the campaign? Trippier is one of the finest playmakers in the Premier League – and don’t Newcastle need some inspiration in that regard?

New role: Howe can replicate Joelinton success with Newcastle sensation

Howe should unleash a rising Newcastle star in a new role to create Joelinton 2.0

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2024