Man Utd loanee Antony continued to capture hearts at Real Betis by giving a wholesome reaction to a disabled fan's attempt to kiss him.

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Antony capturing hearts in SpainEnjoyed heartwarming moment with Real Betis fanHas scored three goals in five appearancesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Antony was filmed posing for a picture with the fan, who tried to kiss him before the winger planted a peck of his own on her forehead. It comes as the winger gains in popularity in Spain after a fast start to his loan spell.

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Antony has scored three goals in five matches since leaving Man Utd for Real Betis on loan in January. That run includes a superb volley against Real Sociedad last weekend as his form picks up after a disastrous £86m move to Old Trafford.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY AND REAL BETIS?

Real Betis remain in contention to win the UEFA Conference League after knocking out Gent 3-1 in the play-off round to reach the last 16. They also sit eighth in La Liga, travelling to Getafe this weekend before hosting Real Madrid next week.

Julen Lopetegui is under pressure at West Ham United following a less-than-inspiring start to life in east London. The Spaniard was expected to take the Irons to the next level after replacing David Moyes in the summer, but so far, results have been mixed.

Heading into the November international break, the club have won just three times in the Premier League, with one of those victories coming against Manchester United. Yet, they have suffered five defeats, leaving them in 14th place in the Premier League table, just five points clear of the drop.

Will the former Real Madrid coach last the season? That remains to be seen. With this in mind, Football FanCast looks at eight possible options the Hammers could turn to should Lopetegui find himself out of a job.

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Club/Country

Games in charge

Points per game

West Ham

13

1.15

Wolves

27

1.30

Sevilla

170

1.85

Real Madrid

14

1.43

Spain

20

2.4

Porto

78

2.24

Rayo Vallecano

2

0.5

via Transfermarkt (as of 10th November 2024)

1 Graham Potter Free agent (last job: Chelsea)

Who is better to take over the club than Graham Potter? The Englishman has plenty of experience in the Premier League, taking charge of 141 games in the competition across spells with Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion.

His time at Stamford Bridge didn’t work out as expected, but Potter demonstrated his managerial nous during his spell on the south coast, keeping Brighton in the league for three successive seasons.

According to CaughtOffside, Potter is a candidate to take over from Lopetegui, although they might need to act swiftly.

2 Gareth Southgate Free agent (last job: England)

England manager for eight years, Gareth Southgate left his position having guided the nation to yet another European Championship final.

Like in 2021, however, England lost. This led to Southgate resigning, and he has been on the market ever since.

Despite this success at international level, Southgate hasn’t managed a club side since 2009, leading Middlesbrough to relegation from the Premier League.

Southgate has stated that he will be taking some time out of the game following the end of his Three Lions tenure, though he could be a long-term option if Lopetegui is able to cling on for a little longer.

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ByCharlie Smith Oct 16, 2024 3 Edin Terzić Free agent (last job: Borussia Dortmund)

Edin Terzić led Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final last season. Although they lost to Real Madrid, it looked like the club finally had a proper heir to Jürgen Klopp.

Just a week later, he asked to leave in what was a surprising move and has been out of work ever since.

Terzic averaged 1.95 points per game during his spell in charge of the Bundesliga side, seeing his team score 267 times across 128 games. This works out at just over two goals per game.

This attacking philosophy could work wonders at West Ham, as the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta could thrive under the 42-year-old, who was previously assistant at the London Stadium to Slaven Bilic.

4 Michael Carrick Middlesbrough

Michael Carrick has enjoyed a solid start to life in his first managerial role at Middlesbrough. The former West Ham United academy graduate has taken charge of Boro 107 times, winning 54 of those matches and losing only 35 times, achieving 1.68 points per game.

The former midfielder was linked with the West Ham role back in August before Lopetegui was appointed. Might it be second-time lucky for the Englishman should the former Wolves manager be sacked?

His previous connections to the club certainly suggest that Carrick will be in the running, but he might just want to see how far he can take Boro, as the Premier League is a realistic target.

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ByAlex Roberts Dec 6, 2023 5 Brendan Rodgers Celtic

Brendan Rodgers has worked his magic during two spells at Celtic, winning three Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups and three League Cups across two stints in Glasgow.

He left under a cloud to join Leicester City in 2019, leading the Foxes to back-to-back 5th-place finishes in the Premier League, along with winning their first FA Cup in 2021.

No stranger to the demands of the English top flight, the Northern Irishman could be a decent choice. But with Celtic finally performing in Europe, it remains to be seen if the West Ham job would even appeal at this moment in time.

6 Ruud van Nistelrooy Free agent (last job: Man Utd interim manager)

Ruud van Nistelrooy enjoyed a positive spell as caretaker manager of Manchester United, winning three of his four games before Ruben Amorim arrived at Old Trafford.

Prior to this, the legendary Dutch striker spent a season in charge of PSV Eindhoven, leading the club to the Dutch Cup. Rather surprisingly, he departed at the end of that campaign.

With Van Nistelrooy now no longer attached to his former club, he may well be on the lookout for a permanent role as a top-flight manager once again – and it could yet be that he stays in the Premier League.

7 Thomas Frank Brentford

Quite frankly (no pun intended), the job Thomas Frank has done with Brentford has been incredible. Upon taking over the club in 2018, Frank has not only led them to the Premier League, but firmly established the Bees as a regular fixture in the top flight.

The Dane has been linked with a move to West Ham in recent weeks amid Lopetegui’s poor form, but would he seriously consider abandoning the project he is still building in west London?

There would be more money available to him at the Irons, but that comes with its own pressures, and it would be fair to say Frank has it pretty good at his current club.

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ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2024 8 Marco Silva Fulham

Marco Silva has finally found his mojo in England with Fulham. Previous stints with Hull City, Watford and Everton allowed the Portuguese manager to showcase his managerial talents in brief spells.

However, his tenure with the Cottagers has been a match made in heaven. Silva won the Championship title during his first season at the club, before leading Fulham to 10th and 13th-place finishes in the top flight.

This season, the club entered the recent international break in the top half and just a point outside the top four after an impressive start.

If the Irons wish to appoint someone with plenty of top-flight experience who can build a successful team that plays attacking football, they could do no worse than make an approach for Silva.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is certain to be without a “very strong” player for their trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday, with star winger Son Heung-min also very likely to miss the Premier League encounter.

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It is a perfect response to their regrettable 3-2 fumble at Brighton just before the international break – a result which Postecoglou will want to forget as soon as possible considering Spurs’ two-goal lead – but the Lilywhites’ past two outings are doing wonders to put it behind them.

Next up, Crystal Palace await Postecoglou’s side at Selhurst Park, with Eagles boss Oliver Glasner under intense pressure and looking to secure his first win of the new campaign.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League games	Date
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham	October 27
Tottenham vs Aston Villa	November 3
Tottenham vs Ipswich Town	November 10
Man City vs Tottenham	November 23
Tottenham vs Fulham	December 1

Richarlison and Wilson Odobert will both be available for the south London clash, with the latter coming off the bench against AZ and making his first appearance in weeks after recovering from a hamstring injury.

However, the same cannot be said for Son, who is a huge doubt for Palace. The South Korea international will not be able to train this afternoon, and is therefore unlikely to make a return on Sunday.

“Sonny is still not right or feeling 100 per cent,” said Postecoglou in his press conference today.

“He won’t train today and so unlikely for the weekend and we’ll see how he is beyond that.”

The 32-year-old will be a big miss considering his importance to Postecoglou in an attacking sense, having stood out as one of their key players since the Australian took over from Antonio Conte last season.

Tottenham without Djed Spence for Crystal Palace through injury

Alongside Son, Postecoglou won’t be able to call upon right-back Djed Spence. The Englishman suffered a groin injury in training last week, and it is believed Spence will be absent for Tottenham’s trip to Crystal Palace as a result, but he isn’t expected to be out for much longer.

Spence was recently awarded a new deal at Spurs, owing to the redemption arc he’s undergone since being sent out on multiple loan spells last season. Italian media praised Spence for his form out on a temporary spell at Genoa last season, and he’s now brought that home to N17.

The “very strong” defender, as he was called by Gabriel Martinelli, is now a member of Postecoglou’s first-team squad – and could play a role as Tottenham seek to end their 16-year wait for a major trophy.

“I said a couple of days ago and consistently say, most of a players future is in their own hands,” said Postecoglou on Spence.

“They’re as much in control as anyone else. I think sometimes footballers forget that. With Djed, it could have been easy for to go out on loan again. But when he came into preseason, he was determined to make a career for himself here at Tottenham rather than wait to be loaned out.

“He did everything right in training, his attitude was great. He’s a good footballer, I think the way we play suits him and he’s knuckled down to that. And he’s earned himself a spot on the roster in our squad.

“The rest is up to him again. Because it’s an easy decision for me to make when I see that. Like I said, sometimes footballers think their fate is in other peoples’ hands. For the most part, it’s in their own. If they’re doing well and doing everything right, the future tends to take care of itself, whether that’s where you currently are or you move on. And Djed’s certainly done that.”

تتجه إدارة نادي الاتحاد السعودي إلى إعادة تقييم أحد المشاريع الرياضية التي أطلقتها بداية الموسم الجاري، بعد أن تبيَّن عدم تحقيقه النتائج المرجوة، ما قد يؤدي إلى إنهائه بنهاية الموسم، إلى جانب اتخاذ قرارات جديدة تخص الجهاز الفني.

ووفقًا لصحيفة “الرياضية”، فإن الإدارة تدرس إلغاء مشروع استثمار وشراكة اللاعبين الأجانب المعارين إلى نادي جدة، وهم الأرجنتيني أسياس رودريجيز، والكولومبي ريكاردو كارابالو، والفنزويلي براينت أورتيجا، بالإضافة إلى إنهاء عقد الجهاز الفني الإسباني بقيادة إيفان كاراسكو بيريرا، مع احتمال إعادة توجيهه للعمل في أحد فرق الفئات السنية بالنادي.

طالع أيضًا | تقارير سعودية تكشف مستجدات موقف كنو قبل المواجهة الحاسمة بين الهلال والنصر

ويشمل هذا التوجه دراسة إمكانية الاستفادة من أحد اللاعبين الأجانب الثلاثة ضمن فرق الفئات السنية في الاتحاد، سواء في الفريق المستحدث تحت 21 عامًا أو فريق تحت 18 عامًا، لضمان تحقيق أقصى استفادة ممكنة من المشروع قبل إنهائه.

وكانت إدارة الاتحاد قد أعلنت في وقت سابق عن استراتيجية تعتمد على استكشاف المواهب ومتابعتها من خلال تحليل البيانات، لضمان استقطاب اللاعبين الأكثر تميزًا لدعم الفريق الأول أو تحقيق عوائد استثمارية مستقبلية.

طالع أيضًا | الخليج السعودي يوضح لـ”بطولات” حقيقة رحيل محمد شريف نهاية الموسم

وشملت الاتفاقية مع نادي جدة، التي أُبرمت بداية الموسم، إعارة اللاعبين الثلاثة وتحمل رواتبهم، إلى جانب التعاقد مع جهاز فني إسباني بعقد يمتد لثلاثة مواسم، بهدف متابعة تطورهم عن قرب.

Chelsea are leading the race to sign a £45,000-a-week “battleship”, according to a new report.

The Blues have made a good start to life under manager Enzo Maresca, but the Italian will know there is a long way to go in this season before it can be labelled a success.

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Chelsea have always been a side looking to find the next big stars, and have always looked to be busy in transfer windows when opportunities present themselves. Therefore, January may be a chance for Maresca to make changes to his squad once again as they seek more talent and possibly look to shift more deadwood.

Signing a new striker may be a top priority for the Blues either in January or next summer, as it is probably an area they have been struggling in for a number of seasons.

There have been a few names linked to the club, but it has now been claimed that Chelsea are leading the race to sign Viktor Gyokeres. The 26-year-old is expected to leave Sporting CP soon, as he’s got a gentleman’s agreement that he can leave for £67 million – which could open the door for Chelsea to land the Sweden international.

Meanwhile, the west London side could have an opportunity to move on a player who has struggled at Stamford Bridge. Crystal Palace have made an approach to sign Mykhailo Mudryk on loan in January.

The Ukraine international has struggled since joining Chelsea, and the fact that Palace want to take him on loan could present the Blues with an opportunity to move the player on, even if it is for the short term.

As Chelsea eye a deal for Gyokeres, they also have their eye on a defender who will become a free agent in 2025.

Chelsea leading the race to sign £45k-p/w "battleship" ace in 2025

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are leading the race to sign defender Jonathan Tah after entering talks over a possible deal. The 28-year-old currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen and has done so since July 2015, but it is only recently that he has become one of the more admired centre-backs in football.

Tah, who has been described as a “battleship” by his Leverkusen teammates, was a key part of Die Werkself’s success last season in winning the league and cup double, as well as getting to the Europa League final.

This report states that Chelsea have begun talks with Tah, who is free to talk to foreign clubs in January as he is a free agent at the end of the campaign. The Blues are looking to beat several teams who are interested in signing Tah by making early efforts to agree to a deal.

Jonathan Tah’s Bayer Leverkusen stats

Appearances

370

Goals

15

Assists

12

The defender looks set to leave Leverkusen at the end of the season, as they have struggled to convince him to stay. Teams such as Manchester United, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid are interested in the 28-year-old, but Chelsea have made him one of their top targets.

Tah, who earns €54,423 (£45,000) a week at Leverkusen, is happy at the Bundesliga side, and while he has yet to make a final decision on his future, he is keen to explore new opportunities.

Some penalty-takers boast near-perfect records from 12 yards.

Take former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who missed just two of the 32 penalties he took during his career before moving to Saudi Arabia in the summer.

Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier missed just one of the 44 penalties he took for both the Saints and England.

Other players, however, don’t boast quite so impressive records from the spot. Here, FootballFanCast has delved into the stats to find the the eight players with the most penalty misses in Premier League history.

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Rank

Player

Pens taken

Pens missed

Miss rate

Wayne Rooney

33

11

33.3%

Steven Gerrard

39

7

17.9%

Frank Lampard

50

7

14%

Riyad Mahrez

19

6

31.6%

Jermain Defoe

20

6

30%

Sergio Aguero

33

6

18.2%

Mohamed Salah

33

6

18.2%

Jamie Vardy

33

6

18.2%

8 Jamie Vardy 6 penalties missed

Not one to deploy the “wait and see what the ‘keeper does” approach of many modern penalty-takers, when Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy steps up from the spot, he often chooses to simply lash it with all his might at the goal.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Since the 2015/16 season, Vardy has taken 33 Premier League spot kicks for the Foxes, scoring 27 and missing six – the most recent coming towards the end of the 2022/23 season in a 5-3 defeat to Fulham.

Season

Team

Opposition

Result

2015/16

Leicester

Everton

W 3-1

2017/18

Leicester

Liverpool

L 2-3

2018/19

Leicester

Tottenham

L 1-3

2019/20

Leicester

Burnley

L 1-2

2020/21

Leicester

Wolves

W 1-0

2022/23

Leicester

Fulham

L 3-5

7 Mohamed Salah 6 penalties missed

Quite strangely, Mohamed Salah boasts the exact same penalty record as Jamie Vardy in the Premier League, with the Egyptian having scored 27 and missed six spot-kicks for Liverpool in the top flight.

Two of Salah’s missed penalties came in recent games against Bournemouth. The first was in March 2023, when Salah missed the target from 12 yards in a famous 1-0 win for the Cherries at the Vitality Stadium.

The second came just five months later at Anfield, with Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto getting down smartly to deny the Egyptian, who then tapped in the rebound.

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ByBarney Lane Oct 19, 2024 6 Sergio Aguero 6 penalties missed

Manchester City never lost a Premier League game in which Sergio Aguero scored a penalty, winning 24 and drawing just two of the 26 matches in which the Argentinian was on target from the spot.

In fact, City lost just once when Aguero took a penalty, whether he scored or not.

That sole defeat came in May 2021 at the hands of Chelsea, with Aguero missing from the spot just before half-time in a 2-1 victory for the Blues at the Etihad Stadium.

5 Jermain Defoe 6 penalties missed

At the time of writing, Jermain Defoe is the Premier League’s 10th all-time top scorer with 162 goals.

Had he been more clinical from the spot earlier in his career, he could be even higher on that list. In 307 games for Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth between 2003 and 2014, the Englishman took 14 penalties, scoring only eight and missing six – one per season between 2005/06 and 2010/11.

After Defoe moved to Sunderland in 2014, his record from 12 yards improved drastically, with the veteran striker scoring all six of his Premier League spot-kicks for the Black Cats.

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ByMark Marston Dec 23, 2023 4 Riyad Mahrez 6 penalties missed

During his spells with Leicester City and Manchester City, Riyad Mahrez took a total of 19 penalties in the Premier League.

He scored 13, but missed six – meaning his conversion rate from the spot in the top flight was just a dismal 68%.

Three of his penalty misses for Leicester came in the space of just eight months in 2016, with the Algerian failing from the spot against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Swansea City.

3 Frank Lampard 7 penalties missed

Frank Lampard scored 43 penalties during his Premier League career, which is the second-most of any player in the division’s history, behind only Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer with 56.

However, Lampard also missed seven penalties during his time in the top flight. The Englishman missed from the spot for Chelsea twice against Stoke City, twice against Manchester City, and once against Charlton Athletic, Newcastle and Hull City.

2 Steven Gerrard 7 penalties missed

There was little to separate Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, two of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, during their playing days. Both could pick a pass, both had a great eye for goal, and both were integral to their respective teams’ successes.

When it came to missing penalties, the two could only be separated by Gerrard taking fewer spot-kicks than his former England teammate.

Just like Lampard, Gerrard missed from the spot on seven occasions in the top flight, failing to score from 12 yards in games against Arsenal, Fulham, West Ham United, Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers.

1 Wayne Rooney 11 penalties missed

No player in Premier League history has missed as many penalties as Wayne Rooney, who misfired from the spot on 11 occasions during his career – eight times for Manchester United and three times for Everton.

Those three misses for the Toffees all came after he re-joined his boyhood club in the 2017/18 season, with the England legend missing from 12 yards against West Ham, Swansea and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Fortunately for Rooney, him missing penalties proved to be a good omen. The 13 games in which he missed from the spot in all competitions ended in victory for his team.

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“I think we can leave a few more balls outside off stump to make them bowl straighter at us.”

Mohammad Isam10-Jan-2022Bangladesh have to be “decisive” in whatever they do in Christchurch now, according to batting coach Ashwell Prince. The visitors were bowled out for 126, responding to New Zealand’s 521 for 6 declared, a display which didn’t reflect any of their trust in leaving or even playing the swinging ball.The top five all got out in single-figures, a stark contrast to the first eight batters playing at least 50 deliveries in the first Test last week. They went on to bat for 173 overs in Mount Maunganui, as opposed to a mere 41.2 overs on the second day at Hagley Oval.Prince said that Yasir Ali, who reached his maiden Test fifty, top scoring with 55 in this innings, showed that he was confident in what he wanted to do.”Yasir was solid in defence and decisive in attack,” Prince said. “I think it is that type of a pitch. You have to leave the ball with confidence. You have to be decisive playing a defensive or an attacking shot. The keyword is decisive with whatever option you will be taking.”Yasir and Nurul Hasan added 60 runs for the sixth wicket. Nurul struck the ball well during his 41, but their effort fell way short of bailing out Bangladesh from a difficult situation.”At tea time, we identified the pitch was quite good for batting,” Prince said. “There was value for shots off the surface. The outfield was nice. If we could hang in a little bit, we could get a partnership going. The movement happened a bit quicker off the surface today. I was comfortable thinking some of the balls would go past the outside edge. It is normal for these conditions.”Sohan [Nurul] played positively. Came forward nicely at the bowlers. He got his front foot out of the pitch of the ball. He got his weight over the ball. Yasir, only playing his third Test, was unlucky caught down the leg-side at the Mount. He applied himself well in that game, and today as well.”Prince alluded to how New Zealand batted on the first day, led by Tom Latham, who ended up scoring 252.”We learned from the Kiwis that they left a lot more balls outside the off stump. It comes a little bit more naturally for the New Zealand batters. They play on bouncy surfaces. Our guys play a lot more balls. I thought we left really well and played well off the back foot at the Mount.”I thought we could have left a few more balls today. Hopefully tomorrow we can get off to a good start. I think we can leave a few more balls outside off stump to make them bowl straighter at us.”Prince said that they knew New Zealand would hit back after the defeat in the first Test, and that as soon as they did, it became difficult for Bangladesh. He said that it was similar to how Bangladesh ran away with the game having batted big in the first innings in Mount Maunganui.”Of course we are disappointed [with the top five in the first innings]. It was a massive effort last week. We played 173 overs against a quality bowling attack. I think it is fair to say that we expected NZ to come back with a lot more urgency in this game. If you compare the two games, you can see that it is really difficult to fight your way back, even if you are the No. 1 team.”Last week, we managed to get ourselves ahead of the game. In this game so far, they started really well yesterday, continued it this morning. They also started well with the ball. They made it tough for us to get back into the game. We have to live to fight another day.”

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Can Glenn Maxwell finally become a BBL winner?•Getty Images

Captain Glenn Maxwell
Coach David HusseySquad
Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch (injury replacement player), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Seb Gotch, Liam Hatcher, Clint Hinchliffe, Syed Faridoun (Pak), Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill (injury replacement player), Tom O’Connell, Billy Stanlanke, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Joe Burns, Sam Rainbird, Joe Clarke (Eng), Qais Ahmad (Afg), Sam Elliot, Beau WebsterIn Qais Ahmad, Joe Burns, Joe Clarke, Syed Faridoun, Beau Webster
Out Jackson Coleman, Ben Dunk, Andre Fletcher, Nic Maddinson, Lance Morris, Nicholas Pooran, Will Pucovski, Zahir KhanLast season
Having fallen just short at the final hurdle in 2019-20, Stars endured a disappointing end to the season last year losing their last three matches to miss out on the finals. The loss to Renegades at Docklands is the game that will haunt them conceding 63 runs from 26 balls when Renegades had just five wickets in hand. Coach David Hussey admitted his team didn’t deserve to play finals but was still disappointed when they could not win their last game with a bonus point which would have seen them scrape in. They had some injury issues with their bowlers and struggled to get the balance of the top order right.Related

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International impact
Hussey celebrated when Australia’s Test and Australia A squads dropped ahead of the Ashes with none of Stars’ players required for long-form duty against England and England Lions. Australia have a three-match ODI series against New Zealand tentatively booked in to start on January 30 with the BBL due to conclude on January 28Player to watch
Marcus Stoinis has been marked as a key man for Stars within the camp and if he performs well they will be a force. His record-breaking season as an opener two years ago set up Stars’ run to the finals. He has spent most of his two years since working on his finishing skills for Delhi Capitals in the IPL and Australia in international cricket. He will need to shift his mindset back to setting the tone at the top of the order. He hasn’t bowled much recently in both the IPL and in the World Cup due to some injury issues, but Stars could need his bowling skills at the MCG, particularly while Billy Stanlake and Liam Hatcher are out injured.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)
The dependency on Maxwell and Stoinis is going to be the key challenge. In the 2019-20 season, Stoinis scored 705 runs and Maxwell 398 runs. The Stars made the final. In the 2020-21 season, Stoinis and Maxwell made 396 and 379 runs respectively. No Stars batter was among the top 10 run-scorers in the BBL.

Amid their worst patch of form under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have reportedly turned their attention towards the transfer market and a La Liga duo who would hand their midfield a much-needed boost.

Man City transfer news

Losing four games in a row for the first time in his managerial career, Guardiola finds himself in uncharted waters at the Etihad and five points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table. The international break, for once, was perfectly timed for the Citizens, who have been given the chance to gather their thoughts and perhaps finally begin to welcome a plethora of players back from the sidelines.

It’s a period of form that City cannot afford to dwell on after the international break, with the visit of bogey team Tottenham Hotspur to come before Feyenoord make the same trip, with Guardiola’s side making what is currently an ominous journey to Anfield a few days later. Three crucial games, it could be a make-or-break week for all involved.

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Man City are on the lookout for a long-term replacement for a key player and their scouts have spotted a potential target.

ByBrett Worthington Nov 14, 2024

Increasingly in need of reinforcements, meanwhile, the Premier League champions have seemingly turned their attention towards La Liga. According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City are now monitoring both Williot Swedberg and Alberto Moleiro ahead of potentially joining the race to sign the midfield duo alongside Newcastle United and Liverpool.

Swedberg – Celta Vigo’s talented 21-year-old – can play at left-wing and in central midfield, in what would be crucial added depth for Guardiola’s injury-struck side. Meanwhile, Moleiro is an attacking midfielder who is continuing to play a vital part for Las Palmas at just 21 years old.

City could certainly do with a midfield boost amid Rodri’s season-ending injury and Kevin De Bruyne’s own fitness struggles in the middle of the park.

Man City need midfield refresh

Man City’s main focus in the January transfer window should centre around replacing Rodri. Without their defensive midfielder and recent Ballon d’Or winner, Guardiola’s side have been more vulnerable than ever before. Mateo Kovacic has attempted to fill that gap, but it’s been to no avail. Once the Citizens tick that task off their list, however, they should shift their focus towards replacing De Bruyne, whose contract comes to an end next summer.

That’s when Moleiro should come in. The Las Palmas star has impressed in the current campaign – scoring four goals in 13 appearances – and has been earning praise for some time in La Liga. In 2023, Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig dubbed the midfielder’s touch as “silky”.

Replacing De Bruyne is a near-impossible task, but at 21 years old, Moleiro has plenty of time to grow into the player that City may desperately need next summer.

West Ham United reportedly sent scouts to watch a Championship star in action as they look to add some firepower to their frontline in the upcoming transfer window.

Julen Lopetegui is under pressure after a lacklustre start to life in east London, and looks set to seek inspiration from the transfer market as he aims to turn the Hammers’ fortunes around. And as a result, scouts were thought to have been in attendance in the second tier this past weekend.

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ByConnor Holden Nov 24, 2024 West Ham scouts watch Middlesbrough ace

Middlesbrough thrashed Oxford United in the Championship on Saturday to move within five points of the league’s automatic promotion places.

A hat-trick from striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, two goals from Finn Azaz and another from Tommy Conway sealed an impressive 6-2 victory for Michael Carrick’s side, which saw them climb into fifth.

The game was the third on the bounce in which Boro have scored four or more goals – something they last achieved back in 1947. It was also the first time they’ve scored six in a game for 64 years. Unsurprisingly, Carrick was seriously impressed.

“It’s just really enjoyable watching them perform at the moment, seeing them express themselves and getting their rewards for it,” the former Manchester United midfielder, who took over as Middlesbrough boss in 2022.

Carrick was particularly delighted with Latte Lath, who has now scored five goals in his last three games. “Emmanuel has found his stride,” explained the English manager. “He’s showing that extra bit of sharpness, that zip that he’s showing us he’s got.”

Latte Lath on West Ham's radar

Latte Lath was Boro’s top scorer last term with 18 goals in all competitions and attracted interest from Premier League clubs over the summer. One of those clubs was Ipswich Town, who submitted a bid in the region of £20 million for the Ivorian on deadline day, which was rejected.

With seven goals to his name this term, the interest in Latte Lath from the top flight hasn’t faded. According to Sky Sports Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, West Ham sent a scout to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday to watch Latte Lath, whom they are monitoring ahead of a potential swoop in January.

Emmanuel Latte Lath's career

Latte Lath began his career in Serie A with Atalanta, where he burst onto the scene with a goal against Juventus on only his third substitute appearance for the club.

That appearance, however, proved to be his last in an Atalanta shirt as he spent the next six years out on loan with various teams in Italy, before moving to Middlesbrough permanently in August 2023.

He’s since gone from strength to strength at the Riverside Stadium, and was called up to the Ivory Coast national team for the first time earlier this year, making his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Gabon.

Last season, he drew high praise from teammate Luke Ayling, who said he loves playing alongside the striker.

“For the first few games I was here, he was out injured. Once he came back, I noticed immediately what a good player he is. He’s a dream to play with,” Ayling said.

“He runs his socks off up there, he’s so strong for such a little man, and he leaps so well, too. I’ve got a few assists from him where I know that if I put it into an area, he will probably be there. He’s made me look a bit better with my crossing! I’ve really enjoyed playing with him.”