Manchester United have now held face-to-face talks over a deal for a “powerful” forward, according to The Athletic, with the deal for Matheus Cunha now edging towards completion.
Man Utd now closing in on signing Cunha
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Man United are closing in on their first summer signing, as personal terms have almost been agreed to bring Cunha to Old Trafford, in what is expected to be a £62.5m deal.
The Brazilian is said to have “accepted the project” on offer at United, having been keen on joining for quite some time, and there is an expectation the forward will be brought to play in the number 10 role, which means Ruben Amorim is still tasked with bringing in a striker.
Amorim’s current striker options, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have fallen way short of expectations this season, netting just 17 goals between them, despite chalking up a combined 98 appearances in all competitions.
Player
Rasmus Hojlund
Joshua Zirkzee
Appearances
50
48
Goals
10
7
As such, it should be no surprise the Red Devils are now stepping up their pursuit of a new striker, and The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell has now revealed that chiefs have held face-fo-face talks with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.
Delap has an active £30m release clause following Ipswich’s relegation from the Premier League, making him an attractive option for some top clubs, with Chelsea also expected to enter negotiations over a deal.
The low release clause means United will be able to sign the Ipswich forward regardless of the outcome of Wednesday’s crucial Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, which will decide whether Amorim’s side qualify for next season’s Champions League.
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It is a bonus that Man Utd will be able to sign the 22-year-old regardless of whether they are triumphant in the Europa League final, and there are some other signs that he could be an ideal addition to the squad.
Cunha, Delap, Amorim
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has singled out the Englishman for high praise this season, saying: “He’s a pivotal player for [Ipswich], there’s no denying that. I think he’s had a very good season.
“He’s got big strengths, very strong, powerful runner. Certainly knows where the goal is. He’s always had a lot of potential.”
Not only that, but Amorim is clearly in need of a consistent goalscorer, given Hojlund and Zirkzee’s struggles, and the Ipswich star has a solid goal record in the Premier League, considering he has played in a poor team, netting 12 goals.
Delap could take his game to the next level by signing for a top club, and a fee of just £30m is a bargain for a striker of his quality.
Manchester United’s recent fortunes would suggest that a place in the Europa League final isn’t quite guaranteed, not just yet, although Ruben Amorim’s men certainly have one foot in the showpiece following a stunning first-leg triumph on Thursday night.
Up against an Athletic Bilbao side who had conceded just 12 goals at home all season in LaLiga and in European competition combined, the Red Devils romped to a brutal 3-0 win in San Mames, maintaining their unbeaten run in this year’s edition.
Bruno Fernandes
After a nervy opening – which saw Inaki Williams notably guide his effort over the crossbar – the visitors took control through Casemiro’s backpost header, before ever-reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes, converted from the penalty spot following a last-ditch foul on Rasmus Hojlund.
With Dani Vivian dismissed for the action that led to the spot-kick to compound matters for the home side, United swiftly extended their advantage just minutes later, with that man Fernandes rounding off an intricate team move just before the break.
A fourth and potentially tie-clinching goal did not emerge after the interval, although Amorim can have few complaints on a night in which his experienced heads, in particular, kept their cool.
Casemiro and Fernandes rise above the rest
If the former Sporting CP boss is to have any reason for negativity following Thursday’s convincing win, the Portuguese tactician may be concerned at the shaky start which his side endured, with Victor Lindelof notably among those to have needlessly squandered possession in the early exchanges.
Key stats – Athletic Bilbao vs Man Utd
Stat
Highest ranking
Touches
Casemiro (109)
Accurate passes
Victor Lindelof (97)
Key passes
Bruno Fernandes (3)
Crosses
Bruno Fernandes (5/7)
Shots on target
Bruno Fernandes (3)
Successful dribbles
Ugarte & Sannadi (2)
Defensive actions
Casemiro (9)
Duels won
Casemiro (10)
Possession lost
Nico Williams (20)
Stats via Sofascore
The Swede did, thankfully, redeem himself soon after with a vital goal-line block, with Manuel Ugarte also enjoying his own in-game redemption, having shaken off a careless beginning to ultimately register two assists on the night, including a clever backheeled flick for Fernandes’ second.
Some initial nerves may have been understandable, although in the case of the captain and Casemiro, the experienced pairing proved to be “the difference again”, in the words of journalist Samuel Luckhurst, having been head and shoulders above the majority of their teammates.
For Fernandes, such a performance has simply become the norm, with the influential skipper now boasting 37 goals and assists this season in all competitions, including seven goals and four assists in the Europa League alone.
To see the 30-year-old pulling the strings is no surprise, although for his veteran teammate, this recent resurgence has been a welcome one, not least considering it appeared as if he was approaching the end of a storied career not too long ago.
Casemiro
Once looking like “he is playing in Soccer Aid” under Erik ten Hag last term, as per pundit Jamie Redknapp, Casemiro has been reborn in the Amorim regime, with the return to Spain seeing the former Real Madrid warrior win ten of his 12 attempted duels, alongside getting on the scoresheet.
A starter in every knockout stage game in the competition, this redemption arc continues for the 33-year-old – much like it does for Harry Maguire.
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The importance of Fernandes and Casemiro was evident as even at 3-0, Amorim opted not to rest the star duo despite making a raft of changes, with the two men simply pillars in this developing 3-4-3 system.
Performance in Numbers
Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.
In a similar manner, the fact that Maguire was withdrawn just after the hour mark was also a sign of his growing stature under the new regime, with Amorim unable to afford an injury setback to the 6 foot 4 Englishman.
The 32-year-old hasn’t been a stranger to periods on the sidelines this season, having actually only featured on 34 occasions, although at present he looks the real bedrock in a back three that repeatedly chops and changes with each passing game.
Harry Maguire
A player his manager previously described as “perfect” for this setup, following the extension of his contract by a further 12 months, Maguire looks at home in the centre of the defensive trio, having been largely untroubled against the Basque outfit.
There was one hairy moment just prior to his withdrawal, amid appeals from the home crowd for a red card following a ‘foul’ on Maroan Sannadi, although it was otherwise plain-sailing, with the former Leicester City man spraying passes with ease after racking up a 97% pass accuracy rate in total.
Much like last month and his stoppage time heroics to clinch victory over Lyon, it was actually his impact in the final third that was most memorable from Maguire’s outing, with the towering defender proving an unlikely menace down the right flank, before whipping in a cross that eventually found its way to Casemiro, via the head of Ugarte.
The sight of the big man twisting and turning truly was a joy to behold, with that marking another “glorious” moment – as per The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell – in the revival of a player who was memorably stripped of the captaincy by Ten Hag back in 2023.
There were even suggestions that a move to West Ham United was on the cards that summer, yet now the £190k-per-week powerhouse looks a key cog in the Amorim machine – with the aforementioned Luckhurst noting his ‘solid’ 8/10 performance on the night.
In an era of pursuing younger and younger signings, with the aim of looking to the long-term, the likes of Maguire, Casemiro and Fernandes are proving that experience and class are simply priceless.
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Will Celtic be crowned champions of Scotland again as soon as this weekend?
Following their 5-1 demolition of Kilmarnock, the Hoops are 15 points clear of fierce rivals Rangers with only five matches to go, and boasting a goal difference that is just the 42 superior.
Celtic's CameronCarter-Vickersand Callum McGregor with teammates celebrate after winning the League Cup
So, even a draw against Dundee United on Saturday will secure a 13th Scottish Premiership title in just 14 seasons, rubber-stamping the title at Tannadice, just as they did in 2008 under Gordon Strachan as well as three years ago when Ange Postecoglou was in charge.
So now, as attention turns towards the summer plans, with a crucial Champions League play-off in August looming large, could Celtic save themselves a few quid in the transfer market by giving a young star, impressing out on loan, an opportunity?
Celtic's interest in Million Manhoef
As previously reported this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move for Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.
The 23-year-old Dutch U21 international joined the Potters from Vitesse Arnhem in January 2024 for a reported fee of £3m, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in 51 appearances for the EFL Championship club to date.
His performances have earned rave reviews, including from Dean Jones, who told Give Me Sport that Manhoef is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him both “quality and versatile”.
As a result, journalist Graeme Bailey believes Manhoef is valued at £10m by Stoke, which would make him one of Celtic’s most-expensive signings of all-time, so could the Scottish champions save their money by reintegrating a youngster currently impressing out on loan on the other side of the world?
Celtic's forgotten sensation out on loan
Back in June 2023, Celtic signed a 21-year-old by the name of Marco Tilio from Melbourne City for a reported fee of £1.5m.
This was, at the time, a record outgoing transfer fee for an A-League player, with Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis believing Celtic had secured a great deal for such a talented player.
Well, so far, this has not transpired, with Tilio making just two appearances in hoops to date, making his debut during a one-minute cameo against Motherwell in November 2023, before seeing 27 minutes off the bench against Hibernian 11 days later.
Instead, he has been loaned back to Melbourne City, for whom he’s now made 102 appearances, really starting to rediscover his best form this season after a long spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.
So far this year, the Australian international has scored four A-League goals, actually making him the Sky Blues’ joint-top scorer, with this season-by-season breakdown outlining his career so far.
Marco Tilio season-by-season statistics
Season
Appearances
Minutes
Goals
Assists
2024/25
14
1,002
4
3
2023/24
7
287
1
Zero
2022/23
29
2,092
10
6
2021/22
32
2,016
8
8
2020/21
22
1,139
2
5
2019/20
5
31
1
1
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt
As the table shows, Tilio has started to somewhat show the form that convinced Celtic to sign him in the first place.
Melbourne City winger Marco Tilio.
He was a “prolific goalscorer” during his first spell at Melbourne City, as per one source, form he has begun to rediscover, with Liam Bryce of the Herald believing that he certainly has the talent to ‘flourish’ in Glasgow, while Emma Kemp of the Guardian outlines that Tilio is always capable of producing a ‘moment of magic’.
So, given Tilio’s undeniable talent, he should certainly be given an opportunity at Celtic, suggesting they don’t need to go into the market and spend big on a new winger.
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Celtic have had mixed success in the Scottish Premiership since the club returned to action after the final international break of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Hoops made a fast start to the last stretch of the season when they hammered Hearts 3-0 at Parkhead in their first game after the break, thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and one from Jota.
However, they followed that up by being beaten by bottom-of-the-league St. Johnstone away in the Premiership in their most recent match on Sunday.
It was a disappointing performance and result for the Hoops, who could have little complaints about the scoreline after they failed to produce the kind of quality supporters have become used to seeing from them in the final third.
The difference in Callum McGregor’s performance between the two matches illustrated the difference in Celtic’s play, and why the former Scotland international is so integral to Brendan Rodgers’ style of play.
Why Callum McGregor is integral for Celtic
In the 3-0 win over Hearts, the left-footed star completed a staggering 99% of his attempted passes – making 66 of 67 – and assisted Maeda for the opening goal with a through ball that split open the Jam Tarts defence.
The Scottish ace also won two of his three physical duels during the match, whilst also making two interceptions, and was not dribbled past a single time by an opposition player, which shows that he excelled in and out of possession.
Callum McGregor
This meant that McGregor was able to impact the game at both ends of the pitch, by effectively screening in front of the back four and using his quality on the ball to create the opening goal.
Against St. Johnstone, however, the captain played the full 90 minutes and did not create a single chance for his teammates despite having 79 touches of the ball and completing 94% of his passes.
Minutes
64
90
Key passes
2
0
Assists
1
0
Pass accuracy
99%
94%
Duels won
2/3
1/6
Interceptions
2
0
Dribbled past
0x
1x
As you can see in the table above, McGregor’s use of the ball and his actions defensively were nowhere up to the standards he set during the win over Hearts, as the Saints midfielders got the better of him far too easily in physical duels.
The difference in his performance correlating with the difference in results speaks to how integral he is to Celtic, because he is the heartbeat of the side and much of the team’s success depends on him playing to his level in the middle of the park.
Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor.
McGregor, who has started 28 of his 29 appearances in the Premiership this season, provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield, controlling games for the Hoops, but allowed his level to drop against St. Johnstone and it contributed to the loss.
There is a former Celtic player, however, who has gone on to develop into being an even better player than the Hoops skipper in a deep-lying midfield role, as Ryan Christie has thrived since moving on from Parkhead.
How much Celtic sold Ryan Christie for
The Hoops reportedly sold the Scotland international to Bournemouth for a reported fee of £1.5m in the summer of 2021, having spent six years at Parkhead.
Christie made 151 appearances for the Premiership giants during his time in Glasgow, scoring 42 goals and providing 44 assists, before his move down south to the Championship – at the time.
During his time with the Hoops, the left-footed whiz predominantly played as either an attacking midfielder or as a winger as part of the midfield set-up, as he looked to impact games with goals and assists.
Christie was capable of the spectacular, as shown in the clip below, and even racked up an eye-catching tally of 21 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions during the 2019/20 campaign.
At that point, it seems unlikely that anyone would have predicted that Christie would go on to become an upgrade on McGregor in the number six position, as he was thriving as an attacker before his move to Bournemouth for £1.5m.
However, that is what has happened as the former St. Johnstone star has gone on to become an exceptional deep-lying midfield player in the Premier League at the Vitality.
Why Christie is now an upgrade on McGregor
Since signing for the Cherries, the bulk of the 30-year-old star’s appearances for the club have come as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder, which is a big change from purely playing as an attack-minded midfielder or winger for Celtic.
If you compare Christie’s performances against McGregor’s over the past 365 days, whilst both now play in similar positions in midfield – unlike their time together at Parkhead, then it appears as though the left-footed ace would be an upgrade on the Celtic captain.
As you can see in the chart above, the Bournemouth star offers significantly more out of possession whilst also providing his team with more from an offensive perspective, when it comes to creating chances and building play that leads to shots.
Similar conclusions can be drawn by comparing Christie’s form in the Premier League to that of McGregor’s in the Champions League in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown below.
These statistics, this season and over the past 365 days, suggest that the former Bhoys ace would currently be an upgrade on McGregor in midfield, by doing more to help out his defence whilst also providing more creativity with his passing from a deep-lying role.
The Scottish ace was hailed by former Cherries defender Joe Partington earlier this year, as the former Celtic man was lauded for his consistency in the middle of the park.
Partington said: “Ryan Christie’s consistency this season is incredible. His level is so so high – his ability to look exceptionally in control of what he’s doing. I hope its not underwhelming to say he’s outstandingly basic.”
Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie.
He added: “His touch is always perfect, his pass is always the right weight at the right time at the right angle – he plays the pass to the right player in the right moment into the right space.”
Christie, who has started 27 of his 29 appearances in the Premier League, has consistency to go along with his quality on the pitch, and consistency has been an issue – albeit over just two games – for McGregor since the international break.
However, there is no guarantee that he would have developed in the way that he has if Celtic had kept him at Parkhead, as the midfielder may have stuck to his role as an attacker, rather than being moved further back into a number six position.
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Therefore, the Hoops may not see Christie as one that got away from them from that perspective, but he was still a quality player who was sold for a relatively small amount of money, which should be frustrating for the Scottish giants.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is on the verge of losing a star player this summer, and it is believed he’s already held talks over joining a big club.
Players likely to leave Arsenal this summer
Alongside the likes of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares, who are both expected to complete permanent moves away from Arsenal amid impressive loan spells at Sevilla and Lazio respectively (Pete O’Rourke), other Gunners players appear set for the exit door as well.
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Arsenal will need to find a buyer for Reiss Nelson, who’s endured a nightmare temporary stint at Fulham and has spent most of the Premier League campaign out with a hamstring injury.
Ipswich Town (away)
April 20th
Crystal Palace (home)
April 23rd
Bournemouth (home)
May 3rd
Liverpool (away)
May 11th
Newcastle United (home)
May 18th
The Hale End academy graduate, who’s been at London Colney for 17 years, doesn’t appear to have a long-term future under Arteta, and will most likely be up for grabs again when the summer window reopens.
Fabio Vieira, meanwhile, is enjoying a productive spell on loan at Porto this term, bagging five goals and four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions, but journalist Charles Watts has predicted that Arsenal are still likely to sell him permanently, especially considering the presence of rising star Ethan Nwaneri.
“I don’t think it is an absolute certainty that his Arsenal career is finished,” said Watts to CaughtOffside.
“But I would be surprised at this point if he comes back and makes the grade in north London. I still think the most likely option is that he moves on permanently come the end of the season.
“Arteta admitted that Vieira was allowed to leave so that Ethan Nwaneri could get more minutes this season and Nwaneri has already shown how good he can be. It just feels like an exit is inevitable and that Arsenal will have to take a fairly big financial hit on a player they spent £34 million on back in 2022.”
Arsenal are also ready to sell Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer, with the Ukranian falling down Arteta’s pecking order and Andrea Berta seemingly keen to trim his £150,000-per-week wages off the books.
Thomas Partey highly likely to leave Arsenal with Barcelona talks held
There is also the matter of Arsenal’s out-of-contract duo Jorginho and Thomas Partey.
As things stand, both men are set to leave on free deals past June 30th, and a debate has surrounded whether Berta should negotiate fresh terms with the latter following Partey’s impressive run of form lately.
The £200,000-per-week Ghanaian put in a brilliant performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week and scored against Brentford during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with the Bees last weekend.
The “sensational” former Atlético Madrid ace is rumoured to be eyeing an exit regardless, and now journalist Graeme Bailey is reporting that Partey is “highly” likely to leave Arsenal this summer.
“As it stands, Thomas Partey is highly unlikely to remain with Arsenal this summer,” wrote Bailey on X.
“Barcelona want Thomas Partey as their Joshua Kimmich alternative, and they have held talks.”
With discussions already taking place with Barca, Arteta faces a very real prospect of losing one of his most reliable players of recent times, and one who’s made 45 appearances in all competitions, including as a makeshift right-back.
The Oman captain on his journey back from injury and his aspirations at the Asia Cup
Shashank Kishore11-Sep-2025Jatinder Singh nearly retired in June 2024. He was suffering from sciatic nerve compression in the spinal cord and the pain was so much worse than the disappointment of not making the Oman squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.The flare-ups were so bad that even bending down was a battle. Walking was measured and slow. Playing cricket seemed impossible in these circumstances.”I remember sitting with my wife and telling her that maybe it was time to retire,” Jatinder, now 36 and Oman’s captain at the Asia Cup, tells ESPNcricinfo. “I didn’t want to be a burden on the team anymore. I felt like I was holding them back.”His wife, Ramandeep Kaur, did not let him quit.”She told me, ‘For the number of years you’ve given to cricket, this injury is just a small blip. You can’t let this one setback define you. Push through it. Once you find your rhythm again, you’ll be unstoppable.'” Her words gave him new direction. Instead of retiring hastily, Jatinder decided to make a comeback.Related
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His journey of recovery took him to India. Through his team-mate Suraj Kumar, he found Dr Gaurav Sharma – a sports-science specialist with IPL franchise Gujarat Titans. But what Jatinder thought would be a quick, month-long recovery turned into a painstaking 105-day rehabilitation process in Chandigarh.”When Gaurav saw me, he told me it was not a short-term thing,” Jatinder says. “It was posture-related, and we needed to work on strengthening the smaller muscles so that the shooting pain would not come back.”Jatinder Singh was considering retiring in 2024•ICC/Getty ImagesJatinder stayed in the suburb of Kharar and travelled to the clinic in Chandigarh for treatment. Evenings were spent in sessions with strength and conditioning coach Jitendra Billa near the Mohali stadium. He was dedicated to this routine for three months.”It was exhausting, physically and mentally. But help came from all sides,” he says with gratitude.Former India fast bowler Aavishkar Salvi, who was Oman’s bowling consultant at the time, arranged for Jatinder to stay closer to the clinic. “Salvi bhai spoke to Baltej Singh [Punjab fast bowler], who offered me his vacant apartment for three months.”After nearly eight weeks, when he could resume light training, Jatinder rang Salvi again. “This time, he connected me to Punjab cricketer Jassinder Singh, who helped organise nets and a throw-down specialist for me to be able to resume batting.”For the first time in months, he felt good about playing cricket.”It was still hard mentally,” he says. “When you’ve been through an injury, your mind replays the pain, and you fear it happening again. But with every net session, every treatment, every day at the gym, I started feeling stronger. That fear slowly went away.”By the end of September last year, Jatinder was back. In October, he was appointed Oman’s captain for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup. It felt like a blessing after all the pain he had endured.”I never played cricket with the aim of becoming captain,” he says. “My only passion was to play the game. So, for me, this was part of god’s plan. I’m just grateful.””Gratitude” is a word Jatinder often uses while he tells his story, which started on cement pitches and mud grounds in 2011, when most of Oman’s players had full-time jobs and could train only in the evening.Jatinder Singh began playing cricket while working a full-time job•Peter Della PennaThe turning point came when Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis took over as Oman’s coach in 2014, bringing with him semi-professionalism, part-time contracts, and a culture of discipline. Soon enough, Oman had positive results – they won the ACC Cup in 2015 and secured entry to the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland and Scotland.”We trained and played in 50-degree heat at home and then had to play in near-freezing conditions abroad,” Jatinder says with a smile. The hard work paid off when they beat Ireland at the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.”That’s one of our golden moments,” Jatinder says. “The other big moment was climbing from Division 5 up the ladder and securing ODI status in 2018. And then of course, hosting matches at the T20 World Cup in 2021, along with UAE.”I’ve seen cricket change in our country. From days when we had no facilities, to today, when we have facilities par with some of the best in the world. What we need are opportunities to improve.”Jatinder works in the administration department of a private company – Khimji & Ramdas, which is owned by the family of Pankaj Khimji, the top boss of Oman Cricket. His days are carefully planned: fitness sessions in the morning, nets in the afternoon, office work, and more training in the evening.”It’s busy, but it keeps me disciplined,” he says.That discipline is being tested again as Oman prepare for their biggest challenge – their first Asia Cup. The team recently completed a D20 domestic tournament in Al-Amerat, providing some match practice before facing Asia’s best.”For us, this Asia Cup is like a World Cup,” Jatinder says. “It’s a chance to rub shoulders with the giants, to see how they think and prepare.”I know Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma from the ACC Emerging Cup in Oman last year. We had some great conversations. Abhishek gave us valuable advice about training and told us to back ourselves as a talented group.”Jatinder Singh had moved to Oman at the age of 10•ICC/Getty ImagesOman’s squad is a mix of players from India and Pakistan and is coached by a talismanic Sri Lankan in Mendis. Their bond, he says, is unshakable despite a few tumultuous months, when several regular players were dropped in the wake of a contract crisis that rocked the team.”For all of us, Oman is the top priority,” Jatinder says. “Our team is like a family. We joke around, spend time together, and no one takes anything personally. Most of us live close by in a radius of 25km in Muscat, so we train and socialise together all the time. It makes a big difference.”Family has always been the anchor for Jatinder ever since he moved to Oman as a 10-year-old. His father worked in the Royal Oman Police for decades, rising through the ranks to retire as head of the carpentry department in 2022.”He wasn’t a cricket person at first,” Jatinder says with a laugh. “But now he follows every match and even calls me with advice sometimes.”I’m grateful to every person who helped me, my wife especially. My coaches, my team-mates, even friends who encouraged me when I felt low. Each of them has played a part in this journey. Now, I just want to keep going, to keep making Oman proud.”
Stats highlights of Narine’s T20 career in which he will play his 500th game on Friday
Sampath Bandarupalli28-Mar-20241:37
Narine’s ‘amazing’ journey to 500 T20s
3 – Players before Sunil Narine to feature in 500-plus T20 matches. Kieron Pollard leads the list with 660 appearances, while Dwayne Bravo (573) and Shoaib Malik (542) are next.536 – Wickets for Narine in T20s are the third-most behind Bravo’s 625 and Rashid Khan’s 566 scalps. Imran Tahir (502) is the only other bowler with 500-plus T20 wickets.6.10 – Narine’s career economy rate is the second-best among the 309 players who have bowled 2000-plus balls in men’s T20s. Only Samuel Badree is ahead of Narine, with an economy rate of 6.08 in his 197-match T20 career.1 – Narine’s economy rate (7.18) in the death overs (17-20) is the best among those who have bowled 600-plus balls in men’s T20s (where ball-by-ball data is available). Narine’s economy rate of 6.08 in the first six overs is the second-best among the bowlers with 1200-plus balls, behind only Bhuvneshwar Kumar (6.00).30 – Maiden overs bowled by Narine are the most for any bowler in men’s T20s. Narine’s tally does not include the Super Over he bowled in the 2014 CPL match for Guyana Amazon Warriors against Nicholas Pooran and Ross Taylor while defending 11.9 – Narine dismissed both Shane Watson and Rohit Sharma on nine occasions each. Only one other bowler has dismissed a batter nine or more times in men’s T20s – Bravo, who claimed Kieron Pollard’s wicket on ten instances.10 – Batters dismissed by Narine on five or more instances in T20s, including Watson and Rohit. Sohail Tanvir (seven), Evin Lewis (six), Chris Gayle (six), Martin Guptill (six), Chadwick Walton (five), Rovman Powell (five), Dwayne Smith (five) and Ambati Rayudu (five) are the other batters he dismissed five or more times. R Ashwin (eight) is second on the list for dismissing most batters on five or more occasions in men’s T20s.
115.14 – Strike rate of the top hitters in T20s against Narine (69 batters with 4000-plus runs and 135-plus strike rate in T20s). Among the players who have bowled 1000-plus balls against such batters, only Imad Wasim fared better, as those batters scored at a 114.76 strike rate off his bowling (where ball-by-ball data is available).84 – Wickets for Narine against the top run-scorers in T20s (31 batters with 8000-plus runs in T20s). Only Dwayne Bravo has taken more wickets (88) against such batters in T20s where ball-by-ball data is available. The combined strike rate of those 31 batters while facing Narine in T20s is only 107.22.
8 – Four-plus wicket hauls for Narine in the IPL are the most by any bowler in the league. He has had only five four-wicket hauls in the T20s played outside of the IPL. His 13 four-plus wicket hauls rank joint-fifth in all men’s T20s.111 – Wickets for Narine in the CPL are the second-most for any player behind Bravo’s tally of 128.52.74 – MS Dhoni’s strike rate against Narine is the lowest for any batter-bowler combination in men’s T20s (minimum 75 balls, where data is available). Narine has dismissed Dhoni only twice in 91 balls but conceded only two boundaries and bowled 50 dot balls.155.05 – Narine’s batting strike rate in the first six overs in T20s. Only three batters have faced 1000-plus balls in the first six overs in men’s T20s at a strike rate higher than Narine’s (where ball-by-ball data is available).10 – T20 titles won by Narine including one T20 World Cup. Only Bravo (17), Pollard (16) and Malik (15) are ahead of Narine, while Rohit also won ten.
Root insists he wants to continue, but who are the other runners and riders?
Andrew Miller18-Jan-2022As England begin their inquest into another abject Ashes campaign, one of the key issues is bound to be the captaincy, especially with the tour of the Caribbean beginning in March. ESPNcricinfo identifies six of the front-runners, for want of a better word, starting with the man who may yet remain at the helm…
Joe Root
At least he still wants the role … or claims to, at any rate. Joe Root has been England captain for five years and 61 Tests, more than any of his predecessors, and yet not even his second 4-0 Ashes thrashing can persuade him it’s time to jack it in. Whether that makes him heroic, pig-headed, oblivious or a prisoner of conscience, only he can truly say. But given his deep-seated concerns about the quality of the young players being sent to join his ranks, he clearly sees it as his duty to hold the line in the manner that serves his team best.The case against his retention is two-fold. Firstly, he has looked shattered after each of his Ashes beatings, and if he spends the next two years averaging in the low-30s, as he did in 2018 and 2019, then England’s batting will be in an even deeper hole. Secondly, aside from the loyalty he engenders as a thoroughly good egg, there’s nothing about Root’s leadership that would be missed if he returned to the ranks. Tactically he’s still a “craptain” – the self-deprecating nickname he resurrected for himself in 2017 – while more damningly, his crass handling of Jofra Archer (and latterly Ben Stokes, though doubtless Stokes was complicit in his own injury) is a serious black mark against his tenure.
Ben Stokes
Stokes’ only Test as captain ended in defeat•Getty Images, where England allrounders are concerned. Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff have been there and done that, and both men crashed and burned after being asked to lead their country while remaining the team’s brightest star. And yet, there are many reasons to believe that Stokes is cut from a different cloth to his predecessors. First and foremost, he is the ultimate team man – an unfailingly loyal deputy to his friend and captain Root, but ever-ready to answer the call when needed, most extraordinarily last summer, when he defied the pain of his as-yet unhealed broken finger and led a scratch ODI team to a 3-0 series win over Pakistan, in the wake of the main squad’s Covid outbreak. Botham and Flintoff in their pomp were their respective teams’ heartbeats. But that’s not quite the same thing.Secondly, the longer Stokes’ career goes on, the more his pre-eminence as a batter comes to the fore. Pat Cummins has shown that fast bowlers are perfectly capable of leadership (more of which later…) but they are also more liable to suffer tenure-interrupting injuries. The fact that Stokes played on this winter in spite of his side strain suggests that he’ll be better placed to resist the Botham/Flintoff folly of assuming they, and only they, can be the matchwinner in any adverse situation. He’s unlikely to be as shy about bowling himself as Root, England’s premier allrounder in 2021, but after a gruelling and confused Ashes performance, it’s probably in England’s wider interests that Stokes spends 2022 rediscovering his game, rather than worrying about taking on more responsibilities.
Rory Burns
Burns captained Surrey to the Championship in 2018•Getty ImagesA County Championship-winning captain with Surrey, and not only that, a man whose returns in that 2018 season were so far and away beyond any other batter – by runs scored and minutes batted – that no-one else on the circuit was remotely qualified to fill Alastair Cook’s immense shoes after his retirement that same year. And though Burns’ returns haven’t been stellar in recent seasons, he’s still been the best of the rest of England’s batting. He was the only man bar Stokes to make an Ashes hundred in the 2019 series, and the only man bar Root (with six) to reach three figures in 2021, against the world champions New Zealand at Lord’s.However, Burns seems all of a sudden to be on borrowed time in the England set-up. His first-ball duck at Brisbane was an indignity to scar even the most resilient of characters, but his dropping for the Boxing Day Test, with the series on the line, was a dramatic indication of how his stock has fallen. His failure to communicate like a senior player appears to have told against him, which effectively means his captaincy card is marked too. His attitude towards the media has also been deeply frosty for months, ever since his Twitter spat with the former England women’s player-turned-commentator Alex Hartley – the sort of PR gaffe that is unlikely to sit well with the ECB’s all-inclusive vibe.
Sam Billings
Billings has captaincy experience with Kent and Oval Invincibles•PA Images via Getty ImagesIt’s a measure of how far England have fallen that a player who, a week ago, was 90 minutes away from boarding a flight back to the UK, has not only driven 500 miles and nine hours to make his Test debut, but has emerged from the Ashes rubble as a viable captaincy candidate. That prospect was stepped up a notch after his first-innings 29 at Hobart (yes, things are that desperate …), then receded somewhat after his flaccid flick to mid-on in the final-day collapse. But in between whiles, Billings carried himself with composure, most particularly behind the stumps, where his sheer glee at being involved was radiated across England’s fielding effort – a devastating counterpoint to Jos Buttler’s self-absorbed misery of the first four games.In terms of his actual credentials, Billings is a curious case. He’s been around the England set-up for seven years now, having made his white-ball debut amid the post-World Cup reboot in 2015, but has played just 58 games out of a possible 185 – the sort of record that would be fittingly augmented by a one-off Test cap. Either way, that familiarity meant he was able to saunter into the dressing room as an old lag, and “add a bit of experience around the group” while placing his arm around a few battle-weary shoulders as well – including, you presume, his young team-mate Zak Crawley, whom he has skippered at Kent since 2018. In between injury, England and IPL call-ups – and despite some heat from one or two of the more county-militant members – Billings has a decent record in the role, having helped to keep the club in the Championship top flight, while taking them to the Blast title last summer too.
Stuart Broad
Broad has experience of captaining England, albeit in a different format•ICC/GettyFor 15 minutes at the end of the first day in Sydney, Stuart Broad demonstrated precisely why he will make such an outstanding pundit, as and when he trades the dressing-room for the Sky Sports commentary box. After delivering on the field with England’s first five-for of the series, he delivered off it too in front of the assembled media, with nothing less than a manifesto for the reboot of England’s Test fortunes: stop planning for tomorrow, start focussing on today. If a player performs, let him “own the shirt”; if he doesn’t, expect him to work for it. And for God’s sake, start scoring some runs…Frankly his address was as inspirational as anything England had hitherto produced on the field, and it awakened a dormant truth about a Test team that is sleepwalking to oblivion despite containing four of its greatest players of all time: the solution to their current troubles may lie deeper within. At the age of 35, Broad is two years older than Bob Willis was in 1982, the last time England picked a fast bowler as captain. But he’s still four years shy of his sidekick James Anderson, and besides, it’s been 11 years already since Broad was considered worthy of the T20 leadership. With the Ashes now gone, there’s a stark choice to be made about England’s old boys. Use their unrivalled knowledge to the max, or lose it. There’s certainly little point in preserving their energies for future engagements, which begs the question, why not let them leave their mark in the most indelible fashion possible?
Alex Lees
Alex Lees captained England Lions in Australia•Getty ImagesIt’s a thoroughly left-field notion, and it surely will not happen, but given how much value the ECB has placed in the England Lions set-up in recent times, is it out of the question that they might promote the current Lions skipper – a man who has already been tipped for a Caribbean call-up? Yes, it probably is – although England’s Test cricket has arguably not been at such a low ebb since 1988-89, so it would be fully in keeping with the current 1980s vibe for the selectors to go the full Chris Cowdrey.Lees enjoyed a passable season for Durham in 2021, averaging 39.06 with a solitary century against Warwickshire. However, he’s not even his club captain (that honour belongs to another Ashes-disaster cast-off, Scott Borthwick, and what a story that would be!) At present, the most accomplished England-qualified county skipper is arguably Somerset’s Tom Abell, but he’s just suffered a knee ligament injury during the Big Bash, so bang goes that notion. In fact, it’s probably best to pretend this paragraph never entered the public discourse…
West Bromwich Albion’s early promotion hopes continue to be dashed by inconsistent form in the Championship.
After 12 up-and-down games this season in the second tier, the Baggies have exactly five wins and five defeats next to their name, with two losses on the trot to Watford and Ipswich Town, no doubt worrying Ryan Mason in the Hawthorns hot-seat.
Mason has had to deal with an awful lot of change in a short space of time in the West Midlands, in his defence, with Tom Fellows’ departure very much hurting him this summer, after he stood out as one of the Baggies’ brightest attacking sparks last season.
Why Fellows leaving hurt West Brom
The former Tottenham Hotspur coach turned West Brom manager would only have been occupying his new dug-out for around two months, when news began to filter through that Fellows had left his boyhood club behind for Championship rivals Southampton.
He has managed to pick up the pieces, with the likes of Isaac Price at his disposal, already up to five goals and one assist this season, as one presence who has made the loss of Fellows feel less obvious. Still, losing such a creative force has definitely had a negative impact.
If Fellows was still pulling on Baggies’ blue and white, Aune Heggebo might well have more goals to shout about from his early days in England, with the assist king managing to tally up a jaw-dropping 14 assists across 45 Championship encounters last campaign.
Instead, the Nordic centre-forward has often cut an isolated figure up top, with it not being the greatest shock in the world that the ex-Brann striker is only one goal down in his new location, considering he only accumulated a meagre 20 touches last match against Ipswich Town.
Josh Maja would have also been left feeling flat when Fellows exited the building for the South Coast, with the former Sunderland man often relying on a quick burst forward from the 22-year-old to then fire home last campaign. Now, after managing a 12-goal season next to Fellows, he is a regular on the bench, in another sad decline in the attacking areas.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom in the forward positions, even as only 12 goals have been fired home in league action to date by his side, with one talent at Mason’s disposal right now, arguably a bigger star than the brand-new Saints’ number 18.
West Brom have a bigger talent than Fellows
West Brom cashing in on their star asset for around the £10m mark this summer might have looked foolish at the time, considering he had previously been touted to move for a far bigger amount to pastures in the Premier League.
Now, however, with hindsight on side, it could well have been a smart call to make, with Fellows drawing blanks at St. Mary’s ever since he made his big move.
On the contrary, Samuel Iling-Junior is already terrorising Championship defences on the right wing in Fellows’ absence, with the former Juventus man arguably possessing a higher ceiling than their former homegrown gem
Indeed, while Fellows was tipped to make the Premier League cut and hasn’t just yet, Iling-Junior has been there and done that at the very top already, with three goals and two assists next to his name for the aforementioned Serie A giants in the Italian top-flight.
The “explosive” forward – as analyst Ben Mattinson once glowingly labelled him – even has nine Champions League clashes under his belt to further reinforce his pedigree, as Iling-Junior is now tasked with achieving what Fellows couldn’t do at the Hawthorns, in securing promotion up to the Premier League with his gung-ho displays, out on loan from the Baggies’ near rivals Aston Villa.
Iling-Junior’s career by position
Position
Games
Goals + Assists
LW
66
15 + 15
LM
38
4 + 7
RW
15
5 + 1
LB
9
1 + 2
RM
6
1 + 0
CM
3
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
He is also a far more malleable presence than his Saints counterpart, with Mason no doubt pleased he has such a versatile talent, especially if he needs to potentially throw him into his starting XI wherever suits, as the season drags on.
Once on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur, before sealing a move around the £12m mark to Villa, it really could be labelled as a coup that West Brom have Iling-Junior on their books for the season.
But, as West Brom realised last campaign, having scintillating talents such as Fellows on your books doesn’t guarantee promotion, with a team effort the only way the Baggies are going to return to the Premier League under Mason.
West Brom have signed a "menace" who looks like another Pereira-type player
West Bromwich Albion looks to have signed a new Matheus Pereira-type menace in this exciting attacker.
Tottenham Hotspur responded in stoppage time to cancel out Newcastle United’s controversial late penalty at St. James’ Park and arrest their losing run.
It was more of the same in the first half, with Spurs unable to test the goalkeeper for the fourth successive game before the break. But as in Paris last week, Thomas Frank’s side showed fight after the break, and this was typified by Cristian Romero as he scored twice to secure a point.
Bruno Guimaraes opened the scoring, but Anthony Gordon’s spot kick was a contentious call, and Arsenal correspondent Charles Watt even commented on the “madness” in seeing it given.
But the captain’s contribution also saw Tottenham end a run of four losses to the Magpies, and it gives Frank a foundation to build on throughout December.
Cristian Romero leads the Spurs' fightback
Romero is among the most aggressive and tenacious players in the Premier League. He led by example on Tyneside, scoring both goals with a brave header and dramatic bicycle kick in the dying embers.
On his return from suspension, Romero reminded the fans of the dimension he adds when on the field and wearing the armband.
Defensively, the Argentina international was something of a mixed bag, though, only winning six of 13 contested duels across the evening and being skinned by Harvey Barnes for the winger’s chance.
However, the 27-year-old made five ball recoveries and five clearances, also blocking two shots. He led by example.
Romero’s heroics will secure the headlines this morning, but there was arguably a Spurs man in front of him who played an even more impressive game, point-sealing strikes aside.
Frank has found Spurs' new Mousa Dembele
In testing times this season, 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall has stepped up and looked like one of Tottenham’s most promising players, purposeful on the ball and combative in the challenge.
He’s still so young, but the teenager’s maturity and natural technical flair indicate a certain likeness to former Lilywhites star Mousa Dembele.
His heart and passion are clear to see, and as he polishes his natural skillset, he could emulate Dembele’s all-controlling role in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield, earning him so many plaudits.
Newcastle were on the front foot for much of the game, but Bergvall helped repel the hosts throughout.
One Spurs podcast host even remarked that the Swedish talent was “a class above the rest in the first half”, effortless on the ball and tenacious in a way which hasn’t been matched by his teammates (barring Romero).
How often was this the case with Dembele? his elegance and physicality made him a unique midfielder, and it was his effortless dribbling that led Belgian teammate Kevin De Bruyne to call him “the best in the world” during his heyday.
Bergvall isn’t there yet, but he’s shining in a Tottenham team which, at times, appears allergic to positive attacking play, inviting pressure on themselves with poor passing.
However, the club’s never-say-die attitude was embodied by players like the skipper and Bergvall, with the Scandinavian star showing off both sides of his game by winning his tackle and succeeding with both attempts to carry the ball forward.
Minutes played
77′
Touches
28
Accurate passes
13/17 (76%)
Unsuccessful touches
3
Dribbles
2/2
Recoveries
2
Tackles
1/1
Clearances
1
Duels won
3/4
Football.london gave him a 7/10 post-match rating and acknowledged Bergvall’s intensity in pressing against the Newcastle engine room and providing plenty of energy to keep the spirited fightback focused.
Bergvall has some way to go before he could say he is on a level with Dembele at his Tottenham best, but this is the kind of profile and the kind of performance that Frank needs from his team to start playing with an exciting identity.
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