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.

Tottenham beat AZ Alkmaar as Postecoglou returns to winning form

Spurs narrowly scraped past Dutch giants AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday evening, courtesy of Richarlison’s first goal of the season, and the win makes it two from their last two games after a rampant 4-1 victory at the expense of West Ham last weekend.

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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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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 16, 2024 Chelsea transfer news

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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ByCharlie Smith Nov 6, 2024

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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1 ByLuke Randall Jun 16, 2024

“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.”

They are unlikely to be hit by international call-ups but pace-bowling depth could be tested

Alex Malcolm04-Dec-2021

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

Joe Clarke keen to keep in permanent role at Stars

David Hussey aims to bring KKR lessons to Melbourne Stars

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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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.”

Santos boss Pedro Caixinha has hailed Neymar as a "genius", while hoping he can take after Lionel Messi on the national stage.

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• Neymar starring for Santos
• Labelled as a "genius"
• Santos boss makes Messi point

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Santos head coach Caixinha heaped praise on the 33-year-old, after finding form at the Brazilian giants since his move from Al-Hilal. He also hopes that his team can help the ex-Barcelona star "grow" and be embraced by Brazil's fans, just as Messi went on to do at Argentina following their 2022 World Cup triumph.

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• Bruno Vaz / Santos FC
  

  WHAT PEDRO CAIXINHA SAID

  After Santos' 3-0 win over Internacional de Limeira on Sunday, he told reporters: "Neymar is a football genius, but he is a very humble person, easy to get along with. He wants to win and compete. We have him at Santos as a cause. He could be at other levels of world football. This represents a lot of his relationship with Santos, the love he has for Santos, the confrontation zone he found here."

  He added: "Argentina did this with Messi. Brazil should do this with Neymar. Our responsibility is to help him grow, to make him feel confident, happy, that he wanted to play and make a difference. If he finds it here, he will find it in the national team. Things can happen."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following a slow start, Neymar has found his feet at Santos after signing a six-month deal with his boyhood club. The former Paris Saint-Germain star has scored two goals and bagged three assists in his last three games and if he keeps this up for a sustained period, a Brazil recall could be on the cards. That would have been unthinkable after having his contract cancelled at Al-Hilal and enduring an injury-hit year or so.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Neymar, who completed 90 minutes for the first time in his second spell at Santos at the weekend, could next feature for his side in their Campeonato Paulista quarter-final at home to Bragantino on Saturday.

Successes against Labuschagne little consolation for England getting “battered”

Andrew Miller13-Jan-2022Mark Wood insists he does not take any moral victories out of his high-octane Ashes performances “because we have been getting battered”, but hopes that a green pitch at Hobart could offer one last opportunity for England to go out on a high at the end of a tough campaign.Wood, who turned 32 this week, has dismissed Marnus Labuschagne three times in 52 balls in the series, and has earned plaudits for his wholehearted displays at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, where he has consistently bowled in excess of 90mph.However, he goes into the Hobart Test with just eight wickets at 37.62 to show for his efforts, and with England already 3-0 down in the series after losing the Ashes in 12 days of action, he is desperate to get some validation for his displays in the form of “wins and wickets”.”Personally, I feel pleased with my efforts but when you’re playing for England, effort should be should be given,” Wood said. “It’s non-negotiable. You should be giving everything you’ve got, every time, and I’ve tried to give 100%. I would like more wickets in the end column but, especially in the first innings at Sydney where I only picked up one wicket, I felt I bowled really well.”Mark Wood has bowled with fire but little luck throughout the Ashes•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

It would be an achievement in itself for Wood to play at Hobart given his prior injury record, in which he has often struggled to back up his uncompromising displays for two Tests in a row, let alone three. But having adopted a longer, smoother run-up in recent years, compared to the sprinter’s-blocks-style approach of his early career, Wood believes he’s taken much of the strain off his body, and hopes a strong finish to the series can finally assuage the lingering doubts about his durability.”Maybe it has proved things wrong but, at the same time, I understand why people would think that when you look at my record,” Wood said. “But since I’ve changed my run-up, things have been different. As a fast bowler, you’re probably never 100% and you carry niggles, but I’m really pleased with how I’ve stood up in terms of injuries, and the medical team have been fantastic with me.”I look forward to trying to play four games out of five. This is one last big push for me to try and keep my speeds up and offer that to the team. It’s all well and good playing the games, but it’s wins and wickets I’m after, so that’s my priority.”Without the likes of Jofra Archer and Olly Stone to back up his 90mph methods, Wood admits he has been England’s only remaining “point of difference” in this series.”I’ve actually enjoyed that responsibility of having to keep charging in, doing that side of things for the team,” he said. “I have kept my paces up, but not got the wickets I really wanted. Now I have another chance in this game to put something in the right column at the end.”The continuation of his recent run of success against Labuschagne, currently the ICC’s No.1-ranked Test batter, would help England’s cause no end. Having not been dismissed for less than 47 in 14 consecutive first-innings since his Test recall during the 2019 Ashes, Labuschagne fell for 1 and 28 in Australia’s first innings at Melbourne and Sydney, then again for 29 in the second innings at the SCG, as Wood’s raw pace exposed him on each occasion.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I noticed he was changing his technique [in the second innings],” Wood said. “His back foot was coming across more, opening himself up a little bit [because] I was trying to be wide on the crease. Luckily I got him again but it wasn’t the greatest ball, it bounced a bit on him, and might have hit a crack.”Nevertheless, after twin scores of 103 and 51 in the Adelaide victory, and a crucial 74 in the first innings at Brisbane, Wood acknowledged that Labuschagne was still a major part of an Australia team that has dominated the critical moments of the series.”He’s one hell of a player, so I’m just pleased to get top players out like him. We know we need to try and capitalise on the first 20 balls of an innings, and really put them under pressure there, because if he gets in, he does a lot of damage.”I’ve played games against Marnus where he’s getting the better of me so I don’t see it as a huge thing in my mind. But I want to raise my game and prove myself against the best players. It’s always special when you get a big wicket like [Steven] Smith or [David] Warner or Labuschagne, these are top, top players.”Wood dismissed Smith for 12 in his first innings of the series at Brisbane, and despite an important 93 at Adelaide, his haul of 217 runs at 36.16 is a long way short of his huge returns in the last two Ashes. Wood, however, said there was no extra pleasure to be got from keeping him relatively quiet, because England were still getting “battered”.”It would be a moral victory if he was getting out and we were winning, but he’s still contributing to them winning,” Wood said. “They’re still getting more scores than we are and we’re still not bowling them out, so it’s important that we turn that around.Related

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England’s team for the final Test could feature as many as five changes from the side that drew at Sydney last week, with Rory Burns expected to return in place of the out-of-form Haseeb Hameed, and Jos Buttler already heading home after suffering a broken finger while keeping wicket on the second day. Ben Stokes (side strain) and Jonny Bairstow (cracked thumb) are also doubts, but Wood insisted that England’s walking wounded would do their utmost to be ready for the contest.”They’re in good spirits so far, and both of them are pretty obvious characters to tell if they’re not,” he said. “They’ve seemed happy and they’ve trained as normal, and they are two characters that don’t give up easy, so we’ll just have to see how they train tonight.”The Hobart Test is likely to be Wood’s final slice of Ashes action in Australia, but he and his white-ball colleagues are due to return Down Under next winter for another shot at the T20 World Cup, and he said that the memories of this tour would be a driving force come that campaign.”I certainly don’t want to feel like I’ve done in this series,” he said. “When you’re disappointed, sat in the dressing room, it’s not a nice place to be. When we come out here for the T20 World Cup, we’ll be coming out here to win, and we’re here to win in this last Test match as well. We haven’t performed very well on this trip, but this gives us a chance to show some fight, and some character, and stand up for England.”