The Melbourne weather has had to tie itself in knots to usurp the chicken-and-egg situation between Pakistan’s middle-order issues and their opener’s slow strike rate to emerge as the biggest talking point in the lead-up to their first match of the T20 World Cup. That situation has got to the point where a journalist told Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam at the pre-match press conference that former players are saying that all India have to do to win on Sunday is get Babar and Mohammad Rizwan early.Babar smiled in response, and gave his full backing to the middle order. “Look, sir, this we will know on the day [of the match],” Babar said. “You never know. This is T20. On the day anyone can surprise you. It is a short format, any player can win you the match. We have belief in the middle order. They have won us enough matches, they have performed in enough difficult situations. You should be prepared for everything.”Related

• Shadab Khan is Pakistan's Mr T20, and it suits him fine

• Babar: Middle-order batters' form in NZ 'good signs' for T20 WC

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Perhaps equally the question should be asked of Babar and Rizwan if their conservative starts leave the middle order with no option but to hit out and risk losing their wickets early. That question wasn’t asked but, given their attack, Pakistan can afford to score par totals if they do bat first.”The way our fast bowlers are performing, Shaheen [Shah Afridi] has come back, [Mohammad] Wasim, and especially the way Haris [Rauf] has improved his bowling and grown his game, our confidence in our bowling unit is quite high,” Babar said. “So, on the day, we will try to execute our plans.”Babar confirmed that Shan Masood has recovered after he took a blow to the side of his head two days before the match. Fakhar Zaman, though, has not fully recovered from a knee issue and will have to wait for a game or two before becoming available for selection.”Shan Masood has recovered,” Babar said. “All the test reports look good. He is ready for tomorrow. We haven’t yet seen the pitch. We know an XI in the back of the mind, but we will confirm it when we see the wicket. Fakhar hasn’t recovered fully. It will take him one or two matches.”What gives Pakistan a bit of buffer with their middle order is their recent use of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz as low-cost power-hitters against suitable match-ups. “The way Shadab and Nawaz have played their part higher up the order, that is a key factor for us,” Babar said. “It gives us a freer mindset. And here the grounds are bigger, you won’t see as many big shots here.”

Monaco striker Mika Biereth explained why he chose to represent Denmark at the international level, having been eligible to play for four countries.

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• Biereth snubs England and Germany
• Pledged his allegiance to Denmark
• Explained his decision as he was eligible to play for four nations

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Arsenal striker Mika Biereth officially turned down the chance to represent both England and Germany at international level, instead choosing to commit his future to Denmark. He made his international debut with the senior side in March 2025, when Denmark took on Portugal in the two-legged Nations League quarter-finals.

  The Monaco forward, who has been in impressive form, also opted against reuniting with close friend Jamal Musiala on the German national team. Now, the 22-year-old has explained his decision in an interview.

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  Born in England to a Danish-German father and a Bosnian mother, Biereth had the chance to represent four countries at the international stage: England, Germany, Denmark, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, he chose to pledge allegiance to Denmark from a very young age due to his father.

  In a 2023 interview with Danish publication Bold, Biereth, who was at the time a part of the Denmark under-21 setup, explained that his father played a huge hand in him becoming a footballer.

  "I think it has something to do with my relationship with my father. He was the one who got me into football in the first place. So it's probably about making him and that side of the family proud," he said.

  The Monaco forward also made it very clear that he never considered representing any other country, and that he won't change his decision in the future: "But for me it wasn't like I wanted to play for Bosnia, Germany or England. I wasn't drawn to them. So I feel like I've made the right decision now. There's no chance I'll change it. It's my final decision."

• WHAT MIKA BIERETH SAID

  Speaking to L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News), Biereth said: “My dad is a very important person, not just in my life but also in my career.

  “He has accompanied me at every stage. I chose to represent Denmark at the age of 14 or 15. For me, it was natural. Before the last international break, I spoke with all of the nations (England, Denmark, Germany, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) out of respect. Having a link with so many countries is special. My decision won’t have made Jamal [Musiala] happy, but it is the one that made me the happiest.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Biereth has made history in Ligue 1, becoming the first player in 75 years to score 10 goals in his first seven appearances. He also stands out as the first in 70 years to net two hat-tricks within his first five league matches, marking an extraordinary start to life in France.

Manchester United are back in action in the Premier League this afternoon as they prepare to travel to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur.

The Red Devils are looking to push up the table to compete for a European place in the second half of the season and three points today will be another step in the right direction.

Ruben Amorim’s side took to the field in the FA Cup last time out, however, and secured a 2-1 win over fellow Premier League outfit Leicester City at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-minute goal from Harry Maguire.

It will be a different kind of game against Ange Postecoglou’s struggling Spurs team this afternoon, though, as they face another big club desperate to turn their fortunes around.

Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in the FA Cup last weekend and they had been hammered 4-0 by Liverpool in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final in the previous midweek.

Spurs arranged that semi-final meeting with Arne Slot’s side, though, by beating Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the competition back in December.

Manchester United's last meeting with Tottenham Hotspur

The quarter-final clash was the last time the two teams met each other in any competition, as they played in North London on the 19th of December last year.

Chalkboard

It was the hosts who took the lead when Pedro Porro’s long-range effort was parried straight back out to Dominic Solanke, who made no mistake on the rebound.

Dejan Kulusevski made it 2-0 within a minute after the start of the second-half, converting from close-range, before Solanke beat Lisandro Martinez with ease and slotted in his second and Tottenham’s third in the 54th minute.

Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back when Bruno Fernandes’ ball across the box found the striker almost on the line to tap into an empty net to make it 3-1.

There was then a glimmer of hope for the Red Devils when Amad Diallo closed down Fraser Forster and found the back of the net by tackling the ball into the goal.

Their hopes of a comeback were dashed, however, when Heung-min Son scored directly from a corner in the 88th minute to make it 4-2 to the hosts, before Jonny Evans made it 4-3 in the 94th minute.

Amorim and his United side will now be looking for revenge against Spurs for that disappointing defeat, which cost them the chance to play against Liverpool in the semi-finals, and the Red Devils head coach could look to make some changes from the team that beat Leicester last time out.

Why Kobbie Mainoo has to be replaced

Kobbie Mainoo is set to miss the match through injury and this means that he will need to be replaced in the starting XI, after he played on the left wing against the Foxes.

The England international has made the majority (51/60) of his appearances for the first-team as either a defensive or central midfielder since he emerged from the academy.

His last two outings for the Red Devils, however, have been as a left-sided attacking midfielder against Leicester and as a centre-forward against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Mainoo had managed five goals and one assist in 51 matches as a central or defensive midfielder for United in all competitions, and Amorim has seemingly seen something in his game to suggest that he could thrive in an attacking role moving forward.

However, his performance on the left flank against Leicester and as a centre-forward against Palace suggest that the Portuguese manager should have dropped him from the team even if he were not injured.

Position

CF

LAM

Goals + assists

0

0

Shots on target

0

0

Dribbles completed

0/4

0/1

Key passes

1

0

Duels won

3/13

2/6

As you can see in the table above, Mainoo offered very little at the top end of the pitch in his two starts in those attacking positions, with zero shots on target and one key pass in the two games combined.

Amorim’s experiment has not gone to plan but he will now have to plan without the English dynamo for this clash with Spurs, as he is unavailable for selection.

This has opened up a space in the left-sided attacking midfield position for the former Sporting manager to bring Alejandro Garnacho, who could be a brilliant replacement, into the starting XI this afternoon.

Why Alejandro Garnacho should start

The Argentina international was initially on the bench for the 2-1 win over Leicester last time out in the FA Cup and was brought on at half-time to replace Patrick Dorgu.

Garnacho can be a frustrating player to watch at times, because his end product is not always up to scratch, but he always makes things happen and causes constant problems for opposition defenders, even if it does not always pay off.

His cameo against the Foxes is a prime example of that. The 20-year-old starlet registered four shots on goal and two shots on target, whilst also creating one chance, in just 45 minutes of football, yet did not record a goal or an assist.

Garnacho’s constant running and the threat of his pace in behind the Leicester defence did, though, force the opposition back and allow United to gain more control in their half in the match, eventually leading to the comeback.

The Argentine youngster, who was described as a “generational” talent by Statman Dave earlier this season, is always connected to the game and rarely goes missing from the action.

Non-penalty xG

0.36

Top 13%

Non-penalty goals

0.18

Bottom 30%

Shots

3.79

Top 4%

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.54

Top 12%

Shot-creating actions

3.82

Top 49%

Progressive carries

5.79

Top 8%

As you can see in the table above, Garnacho gets himself into great positions on a regular basis, hence why he ranks so highly among his peers for xG, shot-creating actions, and progressive carries.

However, he needs to improve the final action, as shown by his placement in the bottom 30% for non-penalty goals. At 20, the winger still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve that side of his game.

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In the immediate future, today, Amorim must hope that he can take a step in the right direction by delivering a goal contribution, or multiple, in a win over Spurs this afternoon, coming in to replace Mainoo in the starting line-up.

Despite a flurry of activity late in the transfer window, this has not been an ideal weekend for Aston Villa.

Despite having 69% possession, they lost to 17th-place Wolves 2-0 as Unai Emery’s side only managed to generate 0.45 xG in the match, taking ten shots, and only creating just big chance.

On the other hand, Wolves were far more efficient, having 31% possession, but managing to create four big chances from just eight shots in the match, scoring two goals and walking away with all three points, valuable points at that considering their league position.

After losing Jhon Duran during the week, Aston Villa will be looking to improve their attacking line and bring some reinforcements to help the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers in this second half of the season.

Aston Villa looking at bolstering their offence

A deal to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United and their bid to sign Marco Asensio PSG looks as good as done with both players set to undergo medicals on Sunday afternoon.

That being said, Emery and Monchi could well be looking to complete more deals before the window slams shut on Monday evening.

Indeed, according to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa remain in talks with Chelsea over a move for Joao Felix.

However, the deal seems to be complicated at this current moment, with Chelsea demanding an “important financial package” due to Villa being a direct competitor for a Champions League spot this season.

Discussions between the clubs will continue, as Villa are also interested in Chelsea defender, Axel Disasi, where a similar “important fee” is being requested, so this will likely continue over the coming hours to see if any deal can be struck.

Felix has made 20 appearances this season for Chelsea since joining in the summer, scoring seven goals, providing two assists and totalling 947 minutes played, being a very important player in their UEFA Conference League campaign thus far.

How Joao Felix could improve Marcus Rashford

An agreement is reportedly already in place to take Rashford to Villa Park this month after a loan with an option to buy of around £40m was struck.

The 27-year-old can play all across the frontline, doing his best work from the left wing, making 24 appearances so far this campaign, scoring seven goals and, providing three assists.

Rashford, Felix and Ollie Watkins could thrive playing together, as the two Englishmen both look to make runs in behind the opposition defence at every opportunity. In turn, this could stretch the pitch, allowing Felix to pick the ball up in the pockets of space between the midfield and forward line, which is where he does his best work.

Felix vs Rashford comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)	Felix	Rashford
Goals	0.67	0.42
Assists	0.17	0.18
xG	0.54	0.19
xAG	0.24	0.18
Progressive Carries	5.12	2.52
Progressive Passes	6.34	2.38
Progressive Passes Received	7.07	8.18
Shots Total	4.83	2.23
Key Passes	1.46	1.26
Shot-Creating Actions	4.39	2.73
Successful Take-Ons	2.44	1.47
Stats taken from FBref

When comparing Felix and Rashford, you can clearly see how both players offer something different to the attacking dynamic, Rashford averaging more progressive passes received, showing his willingness to run in behind and be an outlet. Meanwhile, the Chelsea gem clearly excels dropping deep, receiving the ball to feet and impacting the game in all phases, such as build-up.

Alex Barker (EuroExpert on X) labelled Felix an “immense” talent, speaking on how the Portugal international has struggled with certain tactical fits. The 25-year-old has such clear talent, but the way he is utilised is a very important factor when judging his importance to a team.

At Villa, with other players wanting to stretch play and run in behind, Felix could finally become the player he is supposed to be, being the primary creator, having the license to roam, drop deeper and help progress play, but also arrive around the box to provide game-changing moments and output.

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Setting their sights on the future, Newcastle United have now reportedly joined the race to sign a rising star who’s been dubbed the Swedish Lionel Messi and attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies may have disappointed in the January transfer window, but that’s quickly been forgotten thanks to Eddie Howe’s side and their success in the Carabao Cup. Reaching the final after easing past Arsenal to win 4-0 across two legs, Newcastle will now square off against Liverpool in search of their first piece of domestic silverware since 1955.

What certainly helped that search was their FA Cup victory over Birmingham City, in which Joe Willock netted a well-timed brace to get his side over the line in a frantic 3-2 victory against the League One opposition.

Meanwhile, sat just two points outside the Premier League’s top four, the prospect of completing a move to St James’ Park is certainly becoming increasingly attractive for potential reinforcements, which could yet include a rising star.

According to The Boot Room, Newcastle are now racing to sign Roony Bardghji from FC Copenhagen ahead of huge teams like Barcelona and Manchester United when his contract comes to an end this summer.

The young winger, who’s been dubbed the Swedish Messi, is certainly one to watch and already knows how to hurt English opposition, having scored against Manchester United in the Champions League in November 2023.

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ByAngus Sinclair Feb 10, 2025

Yet to feature this season after suffering an ACL injury in the last campaign, Europe’s biggest clubs are eagerly anticipating Bardghji’s return, including those in Tyneside.

Still just 19 years old, concerns over Bardghji’s ability to bounce back from such a serious injury should be eased by just how young he is and, therefore, how much time he has to hit previous heights once again.

"Unreal" Bardghji could be ultimate bargain

Winning the race to sign Bardghji, alone, would be an impressive achievement for Newcastle, but to secure his signature for free would represent an act of genius from those at St James’ Park. A future star who’d undoubtedly be worth a hefty fee if it wasn’t for his contract situation, the Magpies could be about to land the ultimate bargain.

Dubbed “unreal” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig before his injury, the future is certainly still bright for Bardghji when he recovers from what was an ill-timed blow last season.

After scoring 11 goals in the previous campaign, the teenager will be desperate to make his return sooner rather than later and instantly hit the ground running wherever he finds himself.

Newcastle, meanwhile, could finally end their search for an impressive reinforcement by securing one of the bargains of the summer.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been blasted by fans for a "categorically unacceptable season" following Saturday's defeat to Bournemouth.

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Arsenal fans not happy with OdegaardCaptain criticised for performances this seasonGunners up against PSG nextFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal dropped points again on Saturday as Mikel Arteta's side were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth. Odegaard was at fault for Bournemouth's winner, after allowing Evanilson to get the wrong side of him, and came in for criticism from supporters afterwards.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Supporter @joojobryte posted on X: "Arteta needs to start benching this dude, he does more talking off the pitch than playing football."

And @LFCRayy added: "The most washed arsenal player playing the strong mentality card is insane to me."

Elsewhere, Arsenal fan @aliladiere was not happy at all, posting: "I just don’t get how you can go the whole season of Arsenal Football Club and be as poor as Odegaard has been. They need to tell us if something is going on cos this is categorically unacceptable."

Another Gooner, D@EideballHater99, said: "Odegaard is either giving the ball away or making a 5 yard sideways pass to Saka, this guy provides absolutely no value to this team on the pitch."

And @Bxshhyy posted: "Odegaard why are you scared to shoot the ball bro I promise it won’t blow up."

WHAT ODEGAARD SAID

Odegaard spoke of his disappointment after the final whistle. He told Sky Sports: "Massive disappointment. I think we started the game pretty well. We got the goal and felt like we controlled pretty much everything, but they score and we lose control of the game. We never find the rhythm after that, it is too chaotic and too sloppy from us. The second half is not acceptable. We have to move on as we have a massive game coming up. We have to get ready for that and analyse this game as well. This is what we want – we want to compete in every competition. We wanted to come here and do a good game and win, but that wasn't the case."

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Odegaard's form has been in the spotlight throughout the campaign. The captain has just two goals and seven assists this season in the Premier League, a big difference from the 15 goals he managed in 2022-23 and the 10 assists he conjured up last term. The Norwegian also struggled in the Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG and his form will be a major concern for Mikel Arteta going into the return. The Arsenal boss has called up his team to use the "anger, frustration and rage" from the Bournemouth loss as motivation against PSG and will hope Odegaard can step up.

Liverpool are believed to be interested in completing the signing of a “powerful” £33.1m-rated player ahead of Man City in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool transfer news

After so many relatively quiet windows of late at Anfield, the Reds need to spend big this summer, in order to make Arne Slot’s squad even stronger. Giuliano Simeone has been linked with a move to the club, with the 22-year-old currently playing under father Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid.

Oihan Sancet is another player who has been mentioned as an option for Liverpool, with the attacking midfielder a key player for Athletic Bilbao, scoring 12 goals in just 16 La Liga starts so far this season.

With the Reds needing to bring in a new centre-back once the season reaches its conclusion, Feyenoord ace David Hancko has been backed to come in, with Slot knowing him well from their days together at the Eredivisie club. At 27, the Slovakia international would bring a good amount of experience, but also still have plenty of years ahead of him.

In perhaps the most exciting recent Liverpool transfer rumour, the Merseysiders are thought to be in contact to sign Bayer Leverkusen and Germany star Florian Wirtz. He has scored six goals in the Champions League this season and is arguably one of Europe’s most talented attacking players.

Liverpool eyeing "powerful" £33.1m full-back

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Liverpool are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong at the end of the current campaign.

Rivals Manchester City are also said to be keen on acquiring his signature, with the Dutchman reportedly having a “gentlemen’s agreement” in place to allow him to leave in the summer, valuing him at £33.1m.

With doubts still persisting over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at Liverpool, Frimpong stands out as a strong option to replace him, even though he has primarily been used as a wing-back instead of a right-back at Leverkusen.

The 24-year-old has a total of 67 goal contributions (28 goals and 39 assists) in 176 appearances for the reigning Bundesliga champions, and Neil Lennon once hailed him during their time together at Celtic, saying:

“He took the plunge to go to Germany and he has excelled and I’m really proud of him. He’s deceptive. He’s small but he’s so powerful, good on the ball and quite different from a lot of fullbacks out there. I follow his career and I hope he gets the move that he wants now.”

Even if Alexander-Arnold does stay put at Liverpool, which is clearly the preferable option, bringing in Frimpong to increase competition for places would still make plenty of sense.

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Posts ByBen Goodwin Feb 21, 2025

The Netherlands international’s versatility could appeal to Slot, considering he could also be a backup option to Mohamed Salah on the right wing, and he is at an age where he can still improve further, too.