Sanju Samson, the young Kerala keeper-batsman, talks about how his perspective on the game has changed and how that has brought about big scores for him

Interview by Varun Shetty24-Oct-2019More than seven years after his List A debut, Sanju Samson made his first century in 50-overs cricket earlier this month and turned it into a double . He has now returned to the India squad after a long wait.In this interview, he opens up on the crucial break that made it possible, the near-impossible task of replacing someone like MS Dhoni, and the question everyone has been asking him for a while now: why doesn’t he make these big scores more often?In 2018, you didn’t have a century in any format. What do you feel about your year so far?
Before the start of the season, I had close to two-three months of rest. I didn’t play any competitive games. I’ve really used the time to good effect. When you continuously play cricket for a long time, you tend to keep going with the motions. Having two to three months really helped me realise why I started playing cricket. The fun part [had been] lost. It was focusing more on the result and where I have to reach and what I have to do. Those three months have given me a more clear picture of why I started playing. I’ve started enjoying my cricket. I’ve started loving batting. Before, I used to bat for long because I had to bat. Now, I love to bat. The love towards my game has changed and automatically I think the results show. The more you enjoy something, the more it gives you back. That’s what has changed and I’m really enjoying this season.Did you work on your cricket during that break?

(Chuckles) The only thing I know is to play cricket and work on my fitness. So I just gave time for that. Fitness was the most important thing. If you keep playing, you can only maintain your fitness. But if you get a break you can take it to the next level. The first month I worked mostly on my fitness and later on my skills.

“As a wicketkeeper I’ve been shuffled around a lot. I get selected to the IPL team or India A or even Kerala, and sometimes the management says I have to field”

Did you feel you had to do a bit extra, considering you had failed a fitness test last year?
Absolutely. It does play on your mind. Just before that fitness test, I was my fittest ever, actually! I was working hard. But it happened just after the IPL and I had a small niggle in my knee, so I didn’t train for one week. I went and did the fitness test directly, without training or even running in the ground. I thought I was at my fittest and I could easily do it, but it didn’t happen. It was unlucky but I’ve been working hard and I’m confident about it.You’ve raised your level now?
Definitely, not only my running, but I’ve also gained on my muscle work. I have a bit more muscle and have bulked up for the season.ALSO READ: Sanju Samson makes Vijay Hazare Trophy history with unbeaten 212So that explains the double-hundred?
(Laughs) Definitely, yes. Batting for the whole 45-50 overs and running hard between the wickets – I was batting with Sachin Baby and he made me run a lot of doubles and triples. I also had to keep for 50 overs.After that innings was the biggest challenge of my life. People were seeing that after 20 overs [of keeping], I had a headache. They were saying, you can stop and another keeper can come in. But I wanted to challenge myself. It took two to three days to recover after that.What clicked for you on that day?
Things have been really clicking for the last one or two months. The way I’ve been batting in the India A series, the 91 I scored off 48 balls; the start of the tournament [Vijay Hazare] also I was batting well. I scored 60-odd against Karnataka and unfortunately got run out at the bowler’s end. Things were going really well. I could feel something special was coming. I didn’t feel like it would be a 200, but I knew something big was coming.The results in cricket keep varying. If you’re batting well, if you play six or seven innings, you’re only allowed to succeed once or twice. But when you succeed, you have to make it big. I thought the whole tournament I’d been playing well and I was happy that I was able to convert. I think I played normally that day. I never went after the bowlers or smashed the ball. I just looked at the ball and reacted and things came on nicely that day.What were some of the conversations you had during that innings?
I was in the zone, so you just keep quiet and enjoy it. Lot of fun happening in the middle – I was the happiest when I was playing that innings. I was laughing a lot and I got my first hundred. I was spending some time in the 90s and I got over it after hitting a six to complete my first List-A hundred. That was all very special. Even after I’d got 50, I told myself that if I get a hundred today then I can get a double. The way I was playing in that tournament, I knew that if I complete a hundred, I have to make it something special.A lot of people must ask you how come it’s taken so long to get that hundred. Was it a relief to get that out of the way?
Yeah, seriously, it was. If you’re not good enough and you’re not scoring that hundred, then you can say that you will improve. But I have been playing some really good innings and getting out in the 90s or 89 not out and all that. I knew it would come. If you’re desperate about it, it won’t come. Everything in my life has happened at the right time, so I just have to keep on preparing and if it has to happen, it will happen. I was happy to wait this long – and when it happened, it was a double.”Now, the boundary- and six-hitting comes more naturally to me. I practise that a bit more. I like to go after the bowlers and the shots”•AFPWere there times in the past when you felt frustrated?
I have come a long way. I debuted at 18 or 19 for India and in that time, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. I’ve seen success early in my life and failures as well. So I’m mature enough and experienced enough to understand that things will happen. Everyone was saying, “You’ve not got a hundred, you’ve not got a hundred.” But what I said to myself was, “Sanju, everything has happened so nicely. You’ve scored two IPL hundreds.” I’ve scored hundreds in a 20-over game, so it’s not a big thing to score one in a 50-over match at that level. I’ve scored against the best bowlers in the world. If I get desperate and say to myself that I need to score more centuries in domestic cricket, it will bring unwanted pressure on me. I just go out there and enjoy myself. That’s what you need to get results.After two-three years at this level, did you feel the expectations were too much?
I was fortunate enough to play with people like Rahul Dravid at the age of 19 and have him as a coach at India A. And meeting lots of people, like Ajinkya Rahane, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Ben Stokes, Joe Buttler – I talk a lot with them about the game.The main thing is that you need to understand what you’re aiming at. I’m a wicketkeeper-batsman and the Indian team has the most successful captain and keeper in the world. So MS Dhoni was someone I had to replace if I wanted to play for India. It was not going to happen. You have to be realistic about what you’re aiming for. At that point I knew I had a lot of time to prepare myself. You need to be prepared to make yourself worthy to play in the Indian jersey. I was lucky to get four or five years in the domestic season, in the IPL or in the India A set-up. Everything doesn’t happen quickly.For someone who was drilled to hit along the ground and described as a calm player by your early coaches, you’re quite an aggressive batsman these days. How did that happen?
It’s a very funny thing. My father never allowed me to hit the ball in the air when I was young [in Delhi, where Samson grew up] and then I started hitting sixes when I came to Kerala. I can’t tell you how it happened, really. I love hitting the ball and it just happens. Nowadays if you ask me whether I like a perfect defensive shot or a six, then definitely I would go for a six. That’s how the game has changed for me. Now, the boundary- and six-hitting comes more naturally to me. I practise that a bit more. I like to go after the bowlers and the shots.

“The results in cricket keep varying. If you’re batting well, you’re only allowed to succeed once or twice. But when you succeed, you have to make it big”

But sometimes that will come in the way of, say, a hundred, right?
Yeah, it will. The joy of playing allows me to play like that, I think. In this type of style, failures will happen. I’ll fail a lot. But you’ve to accept that that’s your game plan. When you succeed, you’ve to make it big.But I’ve developed another style also. If you ask me to rotate the singles or stay at the crease and create partnerships, I can do that. I think I have two types of game. If there is nothing to achieve or there is no set time, then I go with my natural style. It’s very important to have two styles.How did you raise the level of your batting?
I’ve worked hard with my Rajasthan Royals coach, Zubin Bharucha. Spending five or six years with him, I think he has known a lot about my game. Lots of people have helped me. I can’t name everyone. Everyone has given me something. I believe the best coach you have is yourself. I have sat back and understood what this generation or what this Indian team is going through. And if I stand there one day, how will I respond to a situation. I’m watching TV, seeing what the team is going through and thinking about how I would apply my game.ALSO READ:Sanju Samson let off with warning by KCA, father asked to stay awayYou had many off-field distractions last year, like issues with the Kerala Cricket Association. Did that affect your mindset?
There have been lots and lots of issues, but there’s no point in going back and talking about them. Lots of things happened, good and bad, and I’m happy that they happened and made me who I am. If only good things had happened and if everyone was on my side, I would be much softer than who I am. Now I’m ready to face any situation.As a wicketkeeper, how hard is to get to that [Dhoni] level and what have you done?
As a wicketkeeper I’ve been shuffled around a lot. I get selected to the IPL team or India A or even Kerala and sometimes the management says I have to field [instead of keeping]. And I think: are you serious? (laughs) Because everyone wants me to keep and be picked for the Indian team as a wicketkeeper. But I don’t want to impose myself. I’m happy to field for the team. In the IPL, they felt I’m a much better fielder than I am a keeper because I move around and take good catches. I said, okay. I can’t really tell them I have an Indian selection [pending]. So whatever the team demands, I’ll do it. I think I’m a really good fielder too, so if they want to play me as a batsman, I can do that. I can move around quickly in the field. If they want me to keep, I can keep too. I’ve been keeping regularly for my state side in one-day cricket for the last three to four years.You once said that you felt your batting concentration was going down in red-ball cricket because of the keeping. Has that improved?
That has changed. If you are an automatic keeper, that doesn’t happen. But, as I said, if I play as a batsman, mentally, it is a bit challenging. But now I’ve coped with it and know how to deal with it.

India’s latest No. 4 has learnt to temper his aggression and play according to the match situation

Deivarayan Muthu in Cuttack21-Dec-20191:23

Versatile Shreyas Iyer ‘open to batting at any position’

Since the 2015 World Cup, India have tried out as many as 14 players at No. 4 in ODI cricket: Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Manoj Tiwary, Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav have all had a crack at this slot over the past four years, with no batsman really nailing it down in this period.The Indian team management turned to Iyer following the 2019 World Cup, and although he has had just two hits at that position, the 25-year-old has shown the gears and temperament to become a long-term middle-order option, with Iyer and Rishabh Pant, who has got the chance to bat at No. 4 seven times since March 2015, tending to swap positions in order to maintain a left-right combination.”At the start, when I started playing first-class cricket, I was a flamboyant player and I never used to take responsibility,” Iyer recalled on the eve of the ODI series decider against West Indies in Cuttack. “I just used to back my instincts and go with the flow. Lately, I’ve realised that once you play at the highest level you’ve got to take that maturity to another stage.”You’ve got to play according to the team demands, and that’s what I did the other day [in Chennai]. The team didn’t demand me to score big shots at that time and we just needed a big partnership and we just needed the scoreboard to keep going. And that’s what I did. I feel that whatever the situation demands, you’ve got to play accordingly and I’m really happy with what I did in the first game.”Iyer’s temperament came to the fore on a sluggish Chepauk track in the ODI series opener after India had lost Rahul and Virat Kohli cheaply. He collected runs in risk-free fashion in a 114-run partnership with Pant and lifted India to 287 for 8. When Iyer entered at the end of the seventh over, left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell was in the middle of an incisive spell, but Iyer saw him off and then worked his way through against the rest of the West Indies attack.Iyer’s middle-order gears were on bright display when the series was on the line in Visakhapatnam. After Rahul and Rohit Sharma had reeled off centuries, Iyer extended India’s dominance with a 32-ball 53. He was on a run-a-ball 20 at one point during the second ODI, but then lined up Roston Chase’s offspin for five successive boundaries in a 31-run over – the most India have ever scored in an over in an ODI – to swell the total to 387 for 5.Shreyas Iyer is getting into his stride as India’s No. 4•BCCIThe Iyer that turned up in Visakhapatnam was the one that had torched Indian domestic cricket with his thrilling stroke play. In the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy final, Iyer made a counter-attacking century on a green top against Saurashtra in Pune. He struck 117 off 142 balls at a strike rate of 82.39 to set up Mumbai’s push for their 41st Ranji title.Iyer, though, said that he had since tempered his natural aggression to meet the demands of international cricket. He echoed Pant’s thoughts, saying that he had learned to play according to the situation in international cricket.Some of that responsibility and maturity has come from having led a young and vibrant Delhi Capitals line-up to the playoffs in IPL 2019 earlier this year. Iyer had been thrown into the deep end midway through IPL 2018, after Gautam Gambhir had stepped down as the franchise’s captain.In his very first innings as captain, Iyer scored a match-winning 40-ball 93 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders at Feroz Shah Kotla. Then, in Delhi’s run to the knockouts the next year, Iyer hit 463 runs in 16 innings at an average of 30.86 and strike rate of nearly 120. Most of those runs came on the tough pitches in Delhi and it had impressed coach Ricky Ponting.”Ricky Ponting is a very positive guy,” Iyer said. “[He] backs every player and that’s the best quality about him and he also treats everybody equally. So, he’s got an amazing nature as a coach. His man-management skill is outstanding.”Having rattled off four successive fifty-plus scores in his last four innings – two of those from No. 5 in the Caribbean and the other two at No. 4 in the ongoing series in India – Iyer believed that he could also float in the middle order.”The previous ODIs that I played, I was batting at No.5, so it’s not like I’ve been stable at No.4,” he said. “But right now in the last two games, I’ve been batting at No.4. So, I’m flexible at batting at any number. It’s just that you’ve got to play according to the situation and what the team demands and that’s what I did. And I know I can play in both flows. I can even play strokes and I can even nudge the ball and take singles. I know my game really well now and I can play accordingly.”Iyer also drew confidence from India’s thumping victory in a must-win game for them in the second ODI and hoped for more of the same in the decider on Sunday.”The last game was also do or die. If we lost that, we’d lost the series,” he said. “So, we will play this game with a similar approach. When the stakes are high, all the players lift their socks. One of the main players [should] perform and take the team to a platform from where we can win. Someone will take responsibility and create a magical moment tomorrow.”

This summer has to be a massive one for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have seriously struggled this season through a combination of poor form and a torrent of injuries, so much so that they’ve lost more games than they’ve won in the Premier League.

However, as there were at the start of last season, there have been signs that the Australian could make things work with more backing, and based on reports from the last few weeks, Daniel Levy and Co appear to be looking to make signings in the coming months.

One of the players most heavily touted for a move to N17 has been Southampton gem Tyler Dibling, although if he did join the Lilywhites, he’d be worth considerably less than one of his main rivals for game time.

Why Spurs want to sign Dibling

While Spurs’ interest in Dibling is now in the open, the North Londoners are not the only club keen to secure the youngster’s services, with fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle United also said to be interested.

So, why are a number of the league’s biggest clubs circling a winger from a club who look destined to be relegated to the Championship?

Well, simply put, he has been one of the very few bright spots for Southampton this year, and while he hasn’t necessarily lit the world alight, he’s done enough to suggest that his ceiling is extraordinarily high.

For example, despite being just 19 years old and playing for a genuinely awful Saints side, the Exeter-born “game-breaker,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances, which is not bad going for his debut season in the top flight.

Moreover, while his primary and best position is off the right, the young Englishman has also shown himself to be a versatile attacker, making five appearances as a centre-forward this season, five in attacking midfield, and one in right midfield.

Dibling’s positional versatility in 24/25

Position

Games

Goals

Assists

Right-Wing

12

1

0

Centre-Forward

5

2

1

Attacking Midfield

5

1

2

Right Midfield

1

0

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Finally, over the last year or so, Tottenham have clearly chosen to target up-and-coming talents in the transfer market, with moves for Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert.

So, in their case, signing Dibling would also fit nicely with their long-term vision for the team, and it seems more than likely that his €25m valuation from Transfermarkt, which is about £21m, will start increasing very soon.

That said, if Levy and Co can bring the youngster to North London in the summer, he’ll have to work hard to match the valuation of his biggest competitor for game time.

The Spurs star worth millions more than Dibling

Now, when it comes to the winger options at Spurs, Postecoglou has a few players who can choose from on the left, but when it comes to the right, the only truly natural option he currently has is Brennan Johnson.

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The Welsh international joined the North Londoners from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, and while things haven’t necessarily been plane sailing since then, he has established himself as a useful attacking outlet.

For example, despite enduring a slow start to his first campaign in the capital, the 23-year-old scored five goals and provided ten assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2248 minutes. This comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.26 games or every 149.86 minutes.

This season has been even better, as in 39 appearances, totalling 2493 minutes, the “frightening” ace, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, has scored 14 goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.16 games, or every 138.5 minutes.

Johnson’s Spurs career

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

34

39

Minutes

2248′

2493′

Goals

5

14

Assists

10

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.46

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.86′

138.5′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Impressively, despite getting so much stick earlier in the season that he deactivated his Instagram account, the Welshman is currently the club’s top goalscorer.

So, when you take all that into consideration, it’s not massively surprising that Transfermarkt values him at €50m, which is about £42m, or £22m more than Dibling is currently worth.

Ultimately, if the Spurs do sign the young Saints star, then they’ll have yet another promising prospect in their squad. However, seeing if he can take Johnson’s spot from him in the long run will be interesting.

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

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

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

Jack Grealish's performance in numbers

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

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

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

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

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

Guardiola's next creative superstar

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

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

Minutes played

85

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

61

Accurate passes

38/41 (93%)

Key passes

5

Shots on goal

2

Successful dribbles

2/4

Total duels won

6/11

Stats by Sofascore

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

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

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

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

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

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With Matheus Cunha likely to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, those in the Midlands have reportedly made their first move to sign an attacking addition in what would be a shock deal.

Cunha fuels Wolves exit rumours

When Cunha put pen to paper on a new deal at Molineux back in January, there may have been some initial hope that he would stay put once more when the summer transfer window arrives. A closer look at that new deal quickly revealed a release clause reportedly worth around £63m, however, and the speculation has been coming thick and fast ever since.

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As if a departure didn’t seem inevitable enough, the forward only added fuel to the fire with his recent comments, saying: “I had a lot of offers but I wouldn’t feel well if I had done it. Some things you can’t control but I couldn’t leave the club in the middle of the season, in a difficult situation, in the relegation zone.

“Now, we’re close to achieving our goal [of staying up]. But I’ve made it clear that I need to take the next step. I want to fight for titles, for big things. I have potential.”

Whilst he has since added further clarity to his comments, claiming that he wants to take Wolves to that next level, it’s fair to say that Cunha far from helped put out the fire that is likely to be an ongoing transfer saga.

Amid reported interest from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, the time will come when the Wolves star has a decision to make over his future. And unlike in January, that decision could result in a departure away from Molineux.

It’s then that Wolves will need to seek an instant replacement, which could yet see them land one of the most surprising deals of the summer transfer window.

Wolves express interest in signing Sancho

If Wolves are to replace Cunha then they must turn towards a big name and Jadon Sancho is certainly that. According to Football Transfers, Wolves have now expressed their interest in signing Sancho from Manchester United or, indeed, Chelsea is they decide to reluctantly keep hold of their obligation to buy the struggling winger.

Once a player worth £73m when he swapped Borussia Dortmund for Manchester United, Sancho now represents a risky that Wolves must take their time to consider. Sancho failed at a place that many have done in recent years in Old Trafford, but whether the same excuse can be afforded during his Chelsea spell is still up for debate.

Wolves can’t afford to get things wrong when replacing Cunha, either. They must ask the question whether Vitor Pereira will be the manager to finally get the best out of Sancho again. And if the answer is a resounding no, then they must avoid making the same transfer mistake that United and Chelsea made in recent years.

Despite being described as “special” by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca in October, Sancho has since struggled to make his mark at Stamford Bridge and a summer switch to Wolves may not result in a turnaround in form.

Tottenham Hotspur are now very interested in signing a “sensational” Premier League forward this summer, and they are preparing a €60m (£51m) offer for his services, according to a report.

Spurs planning for the summer transfer window

The 1-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night was a stellar effort, with Ange Postecoglou’s side booking their place in the Europa League semi-final, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty lingering over Tottenham as we edge closer to the summer transfer window.

Given Spurs’ very poor Premier League campaign, Postecoglou’s future remains in doubt, and AFC Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been invited for talks over a potential move to north London this summer.

The Lilywhites are also putting plans in place to improve their squad, and there could be a focus on bolstering their attacking options, with Athletic Bilbao attacking midfielder Oihan Sancet recently joining the list of targets, given the Spaniard’s goalscoring exploits.

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Signing a new winger is also on the agenda for Tottenham, and scouts have been left hugely impressed by Strasbourg’s Dilane Bakwa, having recently watched the Frenchman in action.

However, given that Bakwa remains unproven in the Premier League, it could be viewed as a risk to sign the 22-year-old, and Spurs have also set their sights on a winger from much closer to home, namely AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states the Lilywhites and by extension Daniel Levy are now preparing to make a €60m (£51m) offer for Semenyo, having been impressed by the forward’s performances in the Premier League this season.

Bournemouth are open to negotiations over a move, which suggests the door could be open for a deal, should the north Londoners be willing to stump up a sizeable fee.

"Sensational" Semenyo impressing for the Cherries

The Ghanaian made a flying start to the campaign, and he has continued to impress throughout the season, picking up ten goals and six assists in all competitions, most recently scoring the winning goal in his side’s 1-0 victory over Fulham.

Journalist Thierry Nyann lauded the Bournemouth star as “sensational” earlier in the campaign, and he has developed a reputation for scoring some spectacular goals, including a fine effort in his side’s 3-1 victory against Southampton in September.

The only concern about signing the winger will be the fact he is yet to prove himself at the very highest level, but he has shown remarkable signs of development throughout his career, working his way up from League 2 to the Premier League.

At 25-years-old, Semenyo still has time on his side to improve even further, and he could be a fantastic signing for Tottenham this summer.

Well, it would be fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur surpassed most people’s expectations last night.

Ange Postecoglou’s side went into the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final away to Eintracht Frankfurt off the back of a dire 4-2 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, so plenty of fans and pundits alike feared the worst.

However, the North Londoners put in a superb performance on the night, demonstrating that, when near their best, they can be a real force to be reckoned with.

In fact, there were brilliant displays across the pitch from the visitors, but a couple really stood out and are now undroppable, including Dominic Solanke.

Solanke's game vs Frankfurt

It’s been a challenging couple of months for Spurs’ record-signing, as, since returning from his knee injury towards the end of February, he failed to score in eight games across the league and Europa League until his ninth appearance last night, that is.

After James Maddison won the Lilywhites a penalty in the 38th minute, it was up to the former Bournemouth star to put it away, and with a well-placed shot down the middle, he did just that.

However, it wasn’t just the goal that made his performance such an impressive one, as the Englishman ran himself into the ground all game, be that to help craft chances for his teammates or to pressure the hosts’ backline and stop them from gaining any sort of foothold in the game.

Unsurprisingly, the watching press was equally impressed, with Alasdair Gold awarding the poacher an 8/10 match rating at full-time and writing that he ‘gave everything’ and that Frankfurt ‘never had a moment of quiet with him.’

In short, it was the sort of display that makes him undroppable for the semi-finals, which could also be said for one of his fellow starters.

The Spurs star who is now undroppable

So, there were a few other starters from last night that put in a solid showing, from Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur to Mathys Tel and Destiny Udogie, but when it comes to the other star of the night, it has to be Cristian Romero.

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As one of the club’s co-vice-captains, the World Cup winner led by example last night, and while he may have had one of his trademark moments of madness towards the end of the match, he was simply superb for the rest of the game.

Alongside centre-back partner Micky van de Ven, the Argentine restricted the hosts from gaining any serious chances at goal and then, on top of that, he also played the ball into Maddison, which won the side their game-winning penalty.

Like Solanke, the former Juventus gem left quite the impression on Gold, who awarded him a 9/10 match rating and wrote that he ‘defended well’ and put in ‘one of his best displays of the season’.

It might sound like hyperbole, but it’s really not, and the defender’s statistics help further illustrate how good he was.

For example, in his 97 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.44, made ten clearances, blocked one shot, made four interceptions and two tackles, won nine of 12 duels, lost the ball just seven times, took 71 touches, played one key pass, created one big chance and completed 100% of his dribbles.

Romero’s game in numbers

Minutes

97′

Expected Goals

0.15

Expected Assists

0.29

Clearances

10

Blocked Shots

1

Interceptions

4

Tackles

2

Dribbled Past

0

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (5)

Aerial Duels (Won)

6 (4)

Lost Possession

7

Touches

71

Fouls Won

1

Key Passes

1

Big Chances Created

1

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (2)

All Stats via Sofascore

Ultimately, it was a brilliant performance by Spurs last night and an even better individual performance by Romero, which makes him simply undroppable for the rest of the campaign.

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Sheffield United now find themselves in pole position to land an instant promotion back to the promised lands of Premier League with the Blades two points clear of a faltering Leeds United at the summit of the Championship.

Of course, nothing is set in stone until the 46-game marathon is over and done with, but Chris Wilder’s men will be quietly confident of their chances after a recent 3-1 victory over playoff-chasing Coventry City.

On top of that, Wilder also has the know-how as a manager to guide his team over the line, having clinched two promotions already in the Bramall Lane hot seat over two distinguished spells.

But, not everything is potentially rosy on the horizon with the step back up to the Premier League meaning alterations will have to be made.

Unfortunately, top-flight football might not be on the menu for everyone next season with an £88k-per-week quartet potentially not looking at much game time. Here are four players who could be given the boot if promotion is sealed.

1 Jack Robinson

Whilst Jack Robinson has been a mainstay of Wilder’s XI so far this season – with 28 Championship appearances under his belt – the Blades boss could opt for a fresher body in the centre-back department if top-flight football returns to South Yorkshire.

After all, it was heavily reported during the January transfer window that United were chasing Queens Park Rangers enforcer Jimmy Dunne, among other targets, meaning these options could be explored again very soon.

Moreover, the 31-year-old might still hold visible scars from the last time his side fell from the tricky division, resulting in the ex-Liverpool centre-back tallying up just one clean sheet from a miserable 35 outings.

2 Sydie Peck

Whilst Robinson is undoubtedly an experienced head in Wilder’s camp, homegrown product Sydie Peck is very much on the opposite end of the spectrum, with the rising midfielder only 20 years of age.

Therefore, it would be unreasonable to expect Peck to be able to acclimatise to the bright lights of the Premier League instantly, with his 35 league clashes and counting this season bumped up by injury troubles centrally.

The academy prodigy won’t be axed completely next season, but it would be fair to assume Peck might take more of a background role as tougher and more physical opponents wait in the wings.

3 Rhian Brewster

Rhian Brewster is another face who might have to become used to taking a back seat more often, with the former Anfield wonderkid looking out of his depth previously in the Premier League.

Indeed, the hot-and-cold attacker has actually never bagged a top-flight strike from 40 appearances, which will worry Wilder and Co tremendously.

He is deep in a purple patch of form at the moment, with four strikes and three assists accumulated in second-tier action.

However, it would be an almighty risk on the end of the newly-promoted side to solely put their trust in Brewster to come up trumps, especially if his inconsistencies rear their ugly head again.

4 Kieffer Moore

Lastly, another attacker that might find his minutes are limited in the top-flight is Kieffer Moore, with the Welshman a regular in the Bramall Lane treatment room.

Snapping up the ex-Cardiff City marksman on a free transfer last summer would have been deemed smart business, considering the seasoned attacker has a hefty 59 strikes next to his name in the Championship.

Games played

22

Goals scored

5

Games missed through injury

17

Days missed through injury

82

Five of those have come in his new surroundings, but his recurring injury problems will have irked Wilder, leading to figures such as Tyrese Campbell and Tom Cannon presumably gaining more starts in the top-flight away from the often injury-hit striker.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The brutal reality of the latter stages of the Champions League hit Aston Villa like a brick when they travelled to Paris to take on PSG on Wednesday night.

Villa, who did take the lead through Morgan Rogers, were beaten 3-1 by a dominant Paris Saint-Germain side, managed by Luis Enrique, who had some terrific individuals on display at the top end of the pitch.

The effervescent Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue, and Ousmane Dembele put on a masterclass in front of their home supporters, with all three of them involved in at least one of the three goals.

Because of the quality of the PSG attackers, several Aston Villa players endured a rough evening in France. One of those was Axel Disasi, after he was brought on at half-time.

Axel Disasi's awful performance against PSG

The versatile defender, who is a centre-back by trade, came on to replace Matty Cash at the break at right-back and was almost immediately sent to the shops for PSG’s second goal in the 49th minute.

Kvaratskhelia, who is a test for any full-back, showed unbelievable footwork to jink past the Frenchman before blasting a finish into the top corner of Emi Martinez’s near post.

In his 45 minutes on the pitch, Disasi managed two tackles, one interception, one block, and one key pass, whilst he also won half (2/4) of his ground duels, in what was a solid display outside of being brilliantly beaten by the Georgian magician.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

The 27-year-old defender, who is on loan from Chelsea, was far from the worst player on the pitch for Unai Emery, though…

Aston Villa's worst player against PSG

While Disasi struggled, it was Matty Cash who was even worse than him in the first half.

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The Poland international was actually selected ahead of the Chelsea loanee to start at right-back against Kvaratskhelia and had to be withdrawn from the action at half-time after a dismal opening 45 minutes in Paris.

GOAL awarded him a player rating of just 4/10 and wrote that he was a ‘red card waiting to happen’, after his early yellow card for a foul on the former Napoli forward.

The English-born defender must be brutally binned from the starting XI by Emery after his poor showing in the opening 45 minutes, as Disasi outperformed him off the bench – despite his part in the second PSG goal.

Aston Villa’s right-back battle
Vs PSG	Matty Cash	Axel Disasi
Minutes	45	45
Pass accuracy	50%	69%
Key passes	0	1
Tackles + interceptions	3	3
Duels won	3/8	2/5
Possession lost	9x	5x
Fouls committed	4	0
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 4/10 full-back was incredibly wasteful with the ball at his feet and offered nothing at the top end of the pitch, whilst Disasi – at least – created one chance for the team in the second half.

As mentioned by GOAL, Cash was also walking a disciplinary tightrope with four fouls committed and a yellow card to his name in the first 45 minutes, as he was forced to foul Kvaratskhelia, who got the better of him, on several occasions.

With their respective performances in mind, Emery must drop the former Nottingham Forest star from the starting line-up to bring Disasi in at right-back from the start next time out.

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