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Lucknow Super Giants beat the Chennai Super Kings for the second time in the space of five days

Hemant Brar23-Apr-20242:43

Why No. 3 is the best position for Stoinis at LSG

“Fortress Chepauk,” proclaimed a huge banner in CSK colours in the stands. By the end of the contest, though, Lucknow Super Giants had breached it to hand Chennai Super Kings their first defeat at home this season. It was their second loss against LSG in five days.The star of the night was Marcus Stoinis, whose unbeaten 124 off 63 balls helped LSG pull off the highest successful chase at Chepauk in T20 cricket. He was batting at No. 3 for the first time this season and achieved the target of 211 with three balls and six wickets to spare.Stoinis’ century came off 56 balls, just like Ruturaj Gaikwad’s did earlier in the night after the CSK captain lost his seventh toss in eight games. Gaikwad’s unbeaten 108 off 60 balls and Shivam Dube’s 66 off 27 powered the Super Kings to 210 for 4.CSK had looked in control for the majority of the defence. LSG needed 74 from the last five overs but Stoinis, with help from Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda, silenced the Chennai crowd. The result took LSG to fourth place with ten points from eight games; CSK are fifth with eight points after eight games.Gaikwad powers CSKAfter LSG opted to bowl, Matt Henry struck in the first over. He bowled four balls on a good length, one slightly short of it, and then pitched the last one full. Ajinkya Rahane edged the drive, and with first slip wider than usual, KL Rahul dived full length to his right and completed a stunning, one-handed catch.Rahul’s athleticism, though, was followed by some shoddy fielding from LSG. In the second over, Yash Thakur dropped Daryl Mitchell off Mohsin Khan at short third. A little later, at the same position, Henry could not get his hand to a tougher chance from Gaikwad off Ravi Bishnoi.Mitchell could not take advantage of the reprieve and fell for 11 off 10 but Gaikwad did not miss out. He was on 20 when he was dropped and hit two fours off Henry in the next over. CSK ended the powerplay on 49 for 2, with Gaikwad scoring 37 off 19 balls. While the other CSK batters struggled for timing, he looked sublime and brought up his fifty off 28 balls, with seven fours.Gaikwad, Dube take CSK past 200Ravindra Jadeja, sent in at No. 4, got out in the 12th over for 16 off 19 balls. By that time, Gaikwad had scored 71 off 39; the other CSK batters 29 off 32.Gaikwad found an ideal partner in Dube, who also hit the first six of the innings in the 13th over. After that, there was no respite for the LSG bowlers. Given Dube’s reputation of being a spin-hitter, Rahul did not risk bringing on either Bishnoi or Krunal Pandya – both turn the ball in to Dube – for the rest of the innings.Dube showed he had improved his game against pace as well. He hit Yash for three successive sixes in the 16th over and Mohsin for two sixes and a four in the 19th.Gaikwad, too, was severe on Yash, hitting him for 6, 4, 4 off successive balls – a sequence during which he also brought up his hundred.Marcus Stoinis is mobbed by his team-mates after his match-winning century•Getty Images

LSG’s stuttering startDeepak Chahar got the new ball to swing in both directions and had Quinton de Kock chopping one onto his stumps in the opening over. Rahul and Stoinis kept LSG on track with a flurry of boundaries before CSK struck again.Having hit a boundary earlier in the over, Rahul tried to go aerial against Mustafizur Rahman but failed to clear Gaikwad at extra cover. LSG finished the powerplay on 45 for 2.Stoinis keeps LSG in contestDevdutt Padikkal came in as Impact Player but struggled with timing. Meanwhile, Stoinis singlehandedly kept LSG in the contest by hitting boundaries at regular intervals. He brought up his fifty off 26 balls, with six fours and two sixes.Still, it was an uphill task. LSG needed 128 from the last ten overs, of which Matheesha Pathirana was to bowl four and Mustafizur three. Pathirana ended Padikkal’s struggle on 13 off 19 balls with a 151.4kph length ball that uprooted leg stump.The dew effectDew in the second half of the game was the only reason LSG had opted to chase. They have otherwise preferred to set the target this season. The first obvious sign of dew having an impact came in the 13th over, when Tushar Deshpande bowled a beamer. Stoinis hit it for four. And when Mustafizur dug a cutter into the pitch, the ball came onto the bat nicely, and Stoinis launched it to the straight boundary off the back foot.When Shardul Thakur got the 16th over, Stoinis and Pooran knew they had to cash in, with the remaining four shared by Mustafizur and Pathirana. Pooran hit the first three balls for 6, 4, 6 and LSG eventually took 20 runs off Shardul.Stoinis silences ChepaukPooran holed out to long-off against Pathirana when LSG needed 53 from 22 balls. Once again, it was all up to Stoinis. He hit Pathirana for a four before pulling Mustafizur for a six in the 18th over. Two balls later, he brought up his hundred.With 32 required from two overs, Stoinis and Hooda picked up three boundaries in the first four balls from Pathirana. It left them needing 17 from six balls.Stoinis launched the first delivery from Mustafizur over long-on before drilling the next straight back for four. Luck, too, favoured him as the next one raced past short third for another boundary. It turned out, Mustafizur had overstepped as well, which reduced the equation to two needed from four balls. Stoinis then moved across and pulled a short-of-length ball over backward square leg to complete the job.At the toss, Rahul had said that it was not easy to silence Chepauk. By the end of the day, LSG had done that too.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is reluctant to alter his starting XI, even after Vinicius Jr’s match-winning cameo against Real Oviedo.

• Alonso hints Vinicius Jr may continue as a substitute
• Praised attacker's 'big impact' as a substitute
• Madrid face Mallorca next in La Liga match

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alonso has hinted that Vinicius could continue in an impact substitute role after being dropped from the starting lineup. Speaking ahead of Saturday's clash with Mallorca, Alonso praised the Brazilian's performance from the bench against Real Oviedo and suggested his status as an automatic starter is not guaranteed.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Vinicius was a surprise omission from the starting XI for last weekend's 3-0 victory over Oviedo, with compatriot Rodrygo preferred on the left wing. The 25-year-old responded emphatically, coming on as a substitute to score one goal and provide an assist. The decision to bench him comes amid a standoff in contract talks between the Brazil star and Madrid, while club legend Pedja Mijatovic recently said the club should sell him.

• WHAT ALONSO SAID

  During his pre-match press conference, Alonso said: "I'm very happy with Vini. Against Oviedo, he showed he can have a big impact off the bench," the manager stated. He stressed the importance of squad unity, adding: "In a locker room, the key is that everyone is willing to contribute, whether on the pitch or off… and he's going to be crucial.

  "In a locker room, the key is that everyone is willing to contribute, whether on the pitch or off. Truly believing in this is fundamental. And everyone here does. Vinicius is important in this, [Federico] Valverde, [Thibaut] Courtois… they're all very important."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS JR?

  It remains to be seen whether Vinicius will be restored to the starting XI for Madrid's home fixture against Mallorca on Saturday evening. Alonso has kept his cards close to his chest, but his comments suggest he is considering using the Brazilian as a high-impact player from the bench as Los Blancos look to secure a third straight win before the international break.

In the stands for England’s 2010 triumph, the opener is now integral to their World Cup defence 14 years on

Andrew Miller03-Jun-2024

Phil Salt poses on the outfield at Bridgetown, where he watched the 2010 World T20 final•Gareth Copley/Getty

Fourteen years ago, in May 2010, Phil Salt was a kid in the stands at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, watching England’s cricketers parading their first piece of global silverware, after victory over Australia in the final of that year’s World T20. Now he’s back as an England star in his own right, seeking to launch his team’s defence of the same trophy at the same venue, when they take on Scotland in Bridgetown on Tuesday morning.By his own admission, Salt’s is not a homecoming to rival that of Jofra Archer or Chris Jordan, the two born-and-bred Bajans in England’s anticipated starting XI. Even so, having spent six formative years in Barbados – honing his love of cricket from the age of nine to 15, while his father Chris was working as a property developer – he acknowledges it’s an extraordinary turn of events.”To be back here and have the opportunity to play for England in a World Cup isn’t something I ever thought I’d be doing, but it’s certainly very special,” Salt said. “Everything about the place suits me. Pretty laid-back, a lot of cricket, a lot of sport, still got a lot of friends on the island. I don’t think there’s too many people that disagree that living in Barbados is a touch. But yeah, I loved it.”Salt played a small part in England’s T20 World Cup victory in Australia two years ago. After coming into the starting XI as a replacement for the injured Dawid Malan, he did not bat in the semi-final against India as Jos Buttler and Alex Hales romped to a ten-wicket victory, then made 10 from 9 balls at No.3 in a low-scoring final against Pakistan.Now, however, is very much his moment. Six months ago, he nailed his audition to be Buttler’s regular opening partner with back-to-back centuries against West Indies in Grenada and Trinidad, then ran hot at a crucial juncture of Kolkata Knight Riders’ recent IPL triumph, with a run of 290 runs from 144 balls in five innings, including 89 not out from 47 balls against Lucknow Super Giants.Salt had always had the ability to start an innings strongly – two years ago, he marked his T20I debut (coincidentally, also at Bridgetown) with 57 from 24 balls. And yet, he recognises his game has gone to a new level in recent months, to the extent that he enters this tournament as one of the most dangerous batters on display.”It’s been a combination of things,” he said. “The opportunity to gain more experience in international cricket has definitely been the biggest part of it in my own head. I’ve also had a look at where I’m strong, where I’m not, used the analysis, learnt from the coaches, to make those movements in my game.”I can’t put my finger on any one thing, but it’s maybe a mindset shift, that I want to be the person winning more games for England. You like to think [that people fear you] as an opening batter, but the moment you recognise that and you start thinking, ‘I’m the big guy I am’, the game’s always going to bite you. I try not to think about anything like that and keep it one ball at a time.”Salt’s form was integral to KKR’s third IPL title•BCCI

Another key facet of his growth, he says, has been the opportunity to bat alongside his England captain in the Hundred – an alliance that has been instrumental in Manchester Originals reaching the final for two years running. In 2022, Salt’s tally of 353 runs in ten innings was second only to Malan (377), while his 232 the following year may have been dwarfed by Buttler’s haul of 391, but they came at a blistering strike-rate of 194.95.The pair reprised their antics in an opening stand of 82 in 6.2 overs against Pakistan at The Oval on Thursday – England’s final warm-up ahead of the Scotland encounter. Though Salt admitted their partnership had taken a while to click, he felt the dynamic was now similar to the one he had enjoyed in the Vitality Blast with his former Sussex captain, and now England selector, Luke Wright.”[Luke] liked to take a few balls. So, my role at the time was just to get us off to a flyer,” Salt said. “That probably stood me in good stead for batting with someone like Jos.”We do have different styles. In my career I’ve always been the aggressor and I suppose I am the aggressor early on in this partnership. I feel like we both showcased it pretty well at The Oval the other night. I didn’t get a flyer, but we sort of hung in and then Jos went and then we dovetailed nicely.”It’s good because we both communicate a lot out there and we realise that when one goes, we feed the strike to the other person, so there’s no ego about it. It’s whoever goes first. We just communicate and it sounds really simple, but I’ve batted with a lot of people and it’s not always the case. So, it’s nice when you have that connection with your partner.”It remains to be seen whether it’s a partnership that can carry England all the way to their third T20 World Cup title. But, auspiciously for Salt, when they won the first of those back in 2010, it was once again the opening partnership that laid the foundations for everything that followed. As the impressionable youngster in the stands remembers well.Related

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Clash of batting powerhouses as KKR and DC prepare for another run-fest

England and Scotland grudge match set to break new ground

England have 'no preconceived ideas' about used Barbados pitch

“Craig Kieswetter was definitely one [role-model],” Salt said, recalling the Somerset opener who burst to prominence alongside Michael Lumb, after the pair were hastily thrown together on the eve of the tournament, and contributed a match-winning half-century in the final.”He was a bit of an unknown at the time and then he came out, and I was in awe of him. I thought he was brilliant, he took some incredible catches and the way he played, he was certainly someone I tried to model myself on at the time. I watched a lot of good cricket here. People like Chris Gayle … when I was a kid, anybody who hit the ball hard or kept, I’d watch them on YouTube and just try and try and emulate them.”And though he played down any similarities between the class of 2010 and the team he’s fronting up for now, Salt did recall the highlight of his day out at that original final. If he gets to emulate it this time around, he really will have fulfilled his childhood dream.”Colly [Paul Collingwood] came past up this stand here – the Hall and Griffith where I was sat upstairs watching the final – with the trophy and said, ‘here, touch it while you can’. So, I got a touch of the trophy that day. That’s the thing that always sticks with me when I think about that day.”

تحدث الإسباني لويس إنريكي، المدير الفني لفريق باريس سان جيرمان عن أزمة الصراع السياسي بين روسيا وأوكرانيا على لاعبيه ودوناروما.

ويريد الإيطالي دوناروما الرحيل عن صفوف باريس سان جيرمان نظرًا لعدم قناعته بالمقابل المادي الحالي، مع عدم اتخاذ الإدارة أي قرار يخص تعديل عقده وفقًا للأداء الذي قدمه الموسم الماضي باعتباره عاملًا مؤثرًا في تتويج الفريق الفرنسي ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا لأول مرة في تاريخهم.

وقال لويس إنريكي في مؤتمر صحفي قبل مباراة الجولة الثانية من الدوري الفرنسي في تصريحات نقلتها “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “نحن منفتحون، صحيح أننا سعداء بما وقعناه ولكن كما هو الحال دائمًا، نحن مستعدون لأي مواقف قد تنشأ”.

اقرأ أيضًا | جوارديولا يكشف موقفه من تعاقد مانشستر سيتي مع دوناروما

وعن دوناروما: “إنها قرارات صعبة دائمًا، لا مشكلة لدي في اتخاذها، لكنني لن أشرح أي شيء عن لاعبي باريس سان جيرمان، لست مهتمًا بذلك، أتفهم الانتقادات الموجهة لقرارنا وقراري”.

وبسؤاله عن التوترات المحتملة التي يمكن أن تنشأ بين الأوكراني زابارني وحارس المرمى الروسي ماتفي سافانوف، أتم: “الرياضة وخاصة كرة القدم، هي أفضل وسيلة لجمع الناس لا لتفريقهم، الرياضة واللاعبون يتفوقون على المصالح السياسية والاقتصادية للسياسيين”.

Inter are unwilling to drag Hakan Calhanoglu’s case and want to end it soon as they have now issued an ultimatum to his agent.

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Calhanoglu issued transfer ultimatum by InterGalatasaray yet to make offer for midfielderMight be forced to stay after deadline issuedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report by Gazzetta, Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio contacted Calhanoglu's agent Gordon Stipic and informed him that if there is no offer for the player by July 13, he will have to stay at the Nerazzuri. Inter are set to commence their pre-season on August 1, and Ausilio wants new manager Christian Chivu to have a full squad at his disposal when he arrives at training, and no conflicts once the preparations begin.

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The Nerazzuri have witnessed a conflict inside the dressing room, and skipper Lautaro Martinez had publicly criticised Calhanoglu after the Fluminense game, without naming him, and stated that if someone wants to leave, they are free to do so. Club president Beppe Marotta later revealed that the dig was aimed at the Turkish international, with the midfielder trying to switch to Galatasaray. As of now, the Super Lig outfit's representatives are in Milan but have neither met the Nerazzuri officials nor placed any bid for Calhanoglu; however, his agent Stipic is said to be working on the deal. Moreover, the Turkish midfielder's shift to Galatasaray also depends on whether they are able to sell Victor Osimhen is a favourable price and offer Inter a satisfactory amount for Calhanoglu; something which is believed to have stalled the developments.

DID YOU KNOW?

Brazilian midfielder Ederson, who won the Europa League with Atlanta in the 2023-24 season, is interested in joining Inter. He has two years left on his contract and is believed to be a like-for-like replacement for Calhanoglu.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR CALHANOGLU?

Calhanoglu will have to rely on Galatasaray and how they go about accumulating the sum asked by Inter, which has now dropped to €32m ($37m/£28m) from the initial €40m ($47m/£34m). He had previously made his intentions clear of heading to TurkiyeTurkey, however, in case the deal doesn't go through, he would be forced to joined the pre-season scheduled.

Barcelona have been rejected for the second year running by Athletic Club's Nico Williams as the Spain international has signed a new deal with the Basque club. The 22-year-old seemed certain to move to the Catalan side this summer after weeks of rather talks between Barcelona and the player's camp. The Spanish winger has now signed a 10-year deal with Los Leones.

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Williams makes massive Barcelona U-turnSigns a 10-year extension with Athletic ClubRelease clause increased by 50%Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

On Friday morning, Athletic Club made the surprise announcement that Williams has signed a new contract with his boyhood club. The 22-year-old was expected to be announced as a new Barcelona player in the coming weeks, with reports suggesting that the Catalan side had agreed to personal terms with Williams. The Spain international has signed a massive 10-year deal at San Mames until the summer of 2035.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT WILLIAMS SAID

Speaking to club media, Williams said: "When it comes to making decisions, the most important thing is to listen to your heart.

"I am in the place where I want to be, with my people. This is my home. Aupa Athletic!"

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Athletic Club have been involved in what can only be described as a spat with Barcelona since last summer; however, it was this season where the real throw-down took place between the two La Liga sides. After Barcelona pushed on to try and sign Williams this summer, Athletic reached out to La Liga to inspect the Catalan side's finances. Having confirmed Williams' extension, Athletic included a dig at Barcelona as they added a hashtag which read: AthleticWIN.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Hansi Flick's Barcelona are likely to now make a move for Manchester United's Marcus Rashford or Liverpool's Luis Diaz. They will be hoping that they can improve the squad heading into next season and potentially beat Athletic Club through the campaign.

Javier Aguirre's team advanced as Group A leader with seven points

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Giménez hasn’t scored in an official match since 2023Mexico will face Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinalsCosta Rica will take on the United States in the quarterfinalsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Mexico striker Santiago Giménez voiced his frustration following a controversial VAR decision that denied him a stunning last-minute winner in 0-0 draw against Costa Rica – their final group-stage match at the 2025 Gold Cup.

“I wasn’t sure if the offside was on Quiñones or me – they said it was on me,” the AC Milan forward said. “But it wasn’t a touch, it was a deflection. I saw the replay. These are the kinds of things that happen in football. If I were the ref and saw a goal like that, I’d let it stand. But there are people who are just against football.”

Despite the frustration, Giménez acknowledged the team’s progress.

“I really wanted that goal and the three points,” he added. “Still, it’s a draw that feels like a win because we topped the group. Now it’s time to move forward—every match is a new story, and we’re focused on defending the Gold Cup title.”

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Despite scoring in Mexico’s pre-Gold Cup friendly against Switzerland – ending an almost two-year scoring drought – Giménez hadn’t netted in an official match since the 2023 Gold Cup final.

On Sunday night, he seemed to finally break that spell in stoppage time, launching a stunning overhead kick in the 94th minute after a free kick from Luis Chávez deflected off Orlando Galo. The ball landed perfectly for Giménez, who fired it past Keylor Navas. However, the goal was ultimately disallowed after the referee reviewed the play on VAR and ruled him offside.

Getty Images SportWHAT SANTIAGO GIMÉNEZ SAID

Gimenez remains content with Mexico's showing in the group stage following their 0-0 draw.

“The main goal was to finish top of the group," he said. "We need to sharpen both our starters and our substitutes. We’re a family, and we’re committed. In games like this, you need to find a way to win. But a draw works for us.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?

Mexico now prepare for the Gold Cup quarterfinals, where they will face Saudi Arabia next Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

Liverpool welcome lowly Southampton to Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

While the Reds will still be giddy from their incredible Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening, Arne Slot will no doubt have forced full attention back on the Premier League – there’s a 13-point title lead to defend, after all.

Saints, marooned at the bottom of the division, were thrashed 4-0 at Stamford Bridge last time out and are all but condemned to an instantaneous return to the second tier.

Slot will expect a comprehensive victory and professional performance, but with a slender 1-0 advantage over PSG, who ran roughshod over Liverpool’s seasonal reputation at the Parc des Princes (albeit with nothing to show for it), rotation is surely a given.

Liverpool were made to work against Luis Enrique’s side, under the cosh for the vast majority, so expect alterations.

Liverpool team news

Cody Gakpo was a late exclusion on the continent, having only just returned from an ankle issue, and while there’s hope he’ll feature next week against PSG, it’s unlikely Slot – who serves the second and final match of his touchline ban – will field him from the outset this weekend.

Diogo Jota fronted Liverpool’s attack in France, flanked by Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, but all three flattered to deceive and Slot may turn to off-the-bench hero Darwin Nunez, with goalscorer Harvey Elliott also waiting in the wings for his maiden Premier League start of the campaign.

Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton all remain sidelined.

While Liverpool’s gaffer has been reluctant to field wholesale changes this season, this might be an opportunity to do just that. For example, Ryan Gravenberch looked leggy and disjointed in midweek, and should be benched for the first time in the English top flight this season.

Why Slot should drop Ryan Gravenberch

When Liverpool failed in their bid for Martin Zubimendi in August, supporters felt more than a bit of anxiety after sources revealed Liverpool would not be jumping the gun and moving for an alternative.

To be fair, the alarm was just: Jurgen Klopp had gone, and with him the most illustrious of eras for the Anfield side. But Gravenberch stepped up, with one analyst describing him as “absolutely world-class” in Slot’s new Liverpool system.

However, the 22-year-old’s newfound powers have come alongside newfound responsibilities. The Netherlands international has started every single one of Liverpool’s top-flight matches this year, only missing the defeat against PSV in the Champions League too.

1)

Virgil van Dijk

38

3,417′

2)

Mohamed Salah

40

3,396′

3)

Ryan Gravenberch

38

3,241′

4)

Alexis Mac Allister

39

2,879′

5)

Trent Alexander-Arnold

37

2,707′

Is it any wonder he’s beginning to look sapped of his early-season vigour? At PSG, Gravenberch was culpable for a dismal performance, battling hard against the host tidal waves but distinctly lacking any control and fluidity with his passing.

He will, however, be required from the outset in next week’s corresponding fixture, and with that in mind, Slot might want to bite the bullet and take this essential cog out of his machine against Southampton.

No disrespect to the South Coast side, but a rotated Liverpool should have enough in the tank to beat off Ivan Juric’s men on Merseyside, and while Elliott may be eyeing a start in place of Liverpool’s quasi-ten Dominik Szoboszlai, there’s another midfielder who could take Gravenberch’s role in the deeper fathoms of the engine room.

The perfect Gravenberch replacement

Alexis Mac Allister has played a lot of football this season (see table above) but is one of the most industrious and stable players in Liverpool’s first team. He should start to provide a semblance of control in this likely-changed line-up.

Though he can operate as a six, Mac Allister would be better kept in his preferred box-to-box role, with another man stepping in to take Gravenberch’s place.

Curtis Jones has been a regular presence in Liverpool’s first team since emerging from the academy in 2019. He was one of the first to support Slot after the coach arrived in the summer, saying: ‘It’s probably the happiest I’ve been in terms of style of play.’

Slot’s genius can be found in the tactical nuances. Liverpool aren’t wholly different from the thrash-metal side of Klopp, but they are more composed, calmer and softer in phases, though devastating and electric when they do ramp up the gas.

Jones’ shift perfectly illustrates that, for such a technical midfielder, it is even crisper in possession and less energetic and erratic off the ball. His efforts this term have also yielded far more fruitful results in front of goal.

Goals

0.08

0.24

Assists

0.08

0.24

Touches

70.57

61.36

Pass completion

91.1%

93.4%

Passes attempted

59.85

51.18

Progressive passes

5.71

5.05

Shot-creating actions

2.78

2.33

Progressive carries

2.39

1.04

Successful take-ons

1.16

0.72

Ball recoveries

5.55

4.41

Tackles

2.08

2.09

Such first-class composure and accuracy on the ball bespeaks Jones’ value to this Liverpool team, and though he’s been fielded in advanced midfield areas this term, the vast majority of his career appearances have come from the very centre of midfield (146).

The 24-year-old’s movement and intelligence are facets often overlooked when assessing his worth on the European scale. Jones has also won 55% of his duels in the Premier League this term while completing a whopping 69% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Gravenberch is keen on foraying forward himself, so silky on the ball, so there’s another element to Jones’ game that may prove translatable when stepping into his Dutch teammate’s boots. Jones has even been hailed for his “perfect” distribution by Liverpool content creator Matt Addison.

Should Elliott also find himself on the starting teamsheet, he could do with a robust and dynamic anchoring point behind him to promote his playmaking prowess. Gravenberch is that player, but he’s tired, and needs recharging. The Carabao Cup final, let’s not forget, is also just one week away.

Chalkboard

This security on the ball could be exactly what Liverpool need to defeat Southampton comprehensively and allow for the rotation Slot needs to enforce ahead of such a pivotal match on Tuesday evening against PSG.

Liverpool now open talks over move to sign £66m "monster" Nunez replacement

The Reds have made the first move to sign a striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Mar 6, 2025

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has his eyes on both Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes and Real Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi, according to reports, but he could also look to bring in another highly-rated player with the duo.

Berta targeting Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi for Arsenal

Earlier this week, journalist Eduardo Burgos broke news that Berta personally wants both Guimaraes and Zubimendi, not either or, to come in and bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield ahead of next season.

Berta blow as £327k-per-week star rejects Arsenal offer and signs new deal

His final decision has been made.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 13, 2025

While Arsenal are struggling to finalise a deal for Zubimendi right now, with advanced talks stalling (CaughtOffside), they haven’t completely given up the chase either, and it is believed that the Gunners could strike a deal for Guimaraes for around £59 million if Newcastle fail to qualify for the Champions League.

News of Berta plotting moves for both midfielders was then backed up by reports closer to home, with GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs sharing that Guimaraes has been put forward by Arsenal’s new transfer chief as a serious option.

Arsenal’s interest in the Brazil international with Zubimendi appears pretty concrete at this stage, which comes as good news considering Thomas Partey and Jorginho are set to leave when their contracts expire this summer.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games	Date
Chelsea (home)	March 16th
Fulham (home)	April 1st
Everton (away)	April 5th
Brentford (home)	April 12th
Ipswich Town (away)	April 20th

Jacobs, sharing a further update on the club’s plans for what could be a record-breaking summer under Berta, says another Newcastle United star Alexander Isak remains firmly on their radar.

Arsenal may sign Alexander Isak with Guimaraes and Zubimendi

The £120,000-per-week striker has dazzled as one of the English top flight’s standout forwards this season, and despite the potential cost involved in their mooted double-swoop for Zubimendi and Guimaraes, it is believed Berta may also try to sign Isak for Arsenal alongside the pair.

“So Zubimendi is very much the Edu target, but Berta is going to be looking at Bruno Guimaraes,” said Jacobs to GiveMeSport.

“And my understanding is that Arsenal may try for both Zubimendi and Guimaraes, plus Isak or [Benjamin] Sesko.”

The Swede has scored 22 goals in just 32 appearances across all competitions, so Arsenal are well aware of his quality, but a deal for him could be too much to ask. Newcastle value their man at around £150 million, so the Gunners would need to smash their transfer record to even hope of prising Isak away from St. James’ Park.

Arteta personally wants Isak, according to other reports, but Sesko may be a much more realistic target considering the release clause in his contract.

The third umpire felt there was no conclusive evidence to rule that the bail had been dislodged by the wicketkeeper’s glove

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-20230:45

‘You have to respect the third umpire’s decision’ – Gill

Hardik Pandya was dismissed in debatable circumstances in the first ODI against New Zealand in Hyderabad, with the third umpire deciding he had been bowled even though it might have been the wicketkeeper’s glove that dislodged the bails.The dismissal occurred in the 40th over of India’s innings, when Hardik tried to dab a delivery from Daryl Mitchell to deep third but checked his shot at the last moment. The off bail was dislodged as the ball passed extremely close to the stumps and the decision was referred by the on-field umpire to the TV umpire K Ananthapadmanabhan.Replays showed that wicketkeeper Tom Latham, who was standing up to the stumps, also had his gloves very close to the bails; the bails seemed to light up a fraction after the ball had passed over the top of the stumps and into Latham’s gloves.