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Sri Lanka’s chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya has placed the onus for avoiding injuries partially on the cricketers, upon the team’s return from a difficult tour of the UK and Ireland

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Jul-2016

Sri Lanka’s chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya has placed the onus for avoiding injuries partially on the cricketers, upon the team’s return from a difficult tour of the UK and Ireland.Sri Lanka’s attack was significantly depleted by injury on their travels. Lasith Malinga and legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay were ruled out before the squad was named, then Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera were forced to return during the early stages of the tour. Angelo Mathews was also unable to bowl during parts of the ODI series, and allrounder Milinda Siriwardana had suffered an ankle injury that made him unavailable for the third Test.Sri Lanka’s new high performance manager Simon Willis had said on Wednesday that injuries might be better avoided if squads were named early, and conditioning work undertaken before the tours begin. Jayasuriya, however, chose to focus on the players’ “commitment”, and suggested more accountability from the cricketers was necessary.”Simon Willis is right in one sense, but my concern is that injuries have been happening for some time,” Jayasuriya said. “We also need the commitment from the players. You can’t deny that also. I’m saying that in front of the players. They have to come out of their comfort zone and train.”No matter how much myself, Simon and Sri Lanka Cricket are committed, if the player isn’t committed, you can’t do it. I’m not saying they are not committed – they are committed – but they need to do something different to come out and solve this issue.”Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling stocks have been particularly vulnerable to injury over the past three years. Malinga is presently in the middle of a months-long injury layoff, Chameera has suffered a stress reaction that could see him out of action for as many as four months, and Prasad has now missed two entire Test series.”There could be a lot of cricket for sure,” Jayasuriya said. “Then you have to pick the tour and say: ‘I will be playing on this particular tour’. If there’s too much cricket, then the player has to say: ‘I’m not going to last long’, and stay out. Then we can think of something else.”Both Jayasuriya and Mathews said injuries had significantly hamstrung Sri Lanka during the recent tour, where the side suffered a 2-0 defeat in the Test series and lost the ODI series 3-0. Sri Lanka’s attack was especially ineffective against England’s top order during the limited-overs series.”If we can get the same players playing through a series, there will be a difference,” Jayasuriya said. “Unlike when the tour started, by their fourth innings in the Tests, the batsmen were able to score 475. That’s because the same batting unit stayed together. But the bowlers break down from match to match. If we can stop that, we can get to a good place. In the end only Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal were left from the bowlers who started the tour, and even Lakmal, in the last match, had a knee injury.”Jayasuriya also defended his committee’s selection of Ramith Rambukwella for the one-off T20, stating that Rambukwella’s ability to clear the boundaries, and his offspin, had prompted his selection.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo De Paul this summer, according to a new transfer report.

Is De Paul having a good season?

The 28-year-old has enjoyed a memorable season, although it is for his international achievements that he has been most famed for. He played a massive role in Argentina tasting World Cup glory late last year, proving to be an influential box-to-box presence throughout the tournament.

De Paul started all seven of his country's matches on their way to glory, providing legs and fight in the middle of the park, and almost acting as a perfect foil for superstar teammate Lionel Messi. The £94,000-a-week ace has also scored twice and registered five assists in La Liga for Atletico this season, however, showing that has been effective at club level, too.

His current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, but it could be that he leaves in the upcoming transfer window, having not always been a regular starter for Atletico this season, starting just 20 league games.

Could Newcastle sign De Paul this summer?

According to a report from Spain [via Caught Offside], Newcastle are eyeing up a move for De Paul once the current campaign reaches its conclusion. The Magpies are thought to be willing to pay €40m (£35m) for his signature, making him a key part of their midfield in the process.

This could be a fantastic signing for Newcastle ahead of next season, with De Paul someone who shone so much at the World Cup, averaging 1.6 tackles and one key pass per game. He could be a brilliant midfield partner for Bruno Guimaraes at St James' Park, complimenting the Brazilian's more attack-minded, aesthetically-pleasing style and giving Eddie Howe's side even more meanness alongside Joelinton.

At 28, De Paul now has a wealth of experience, having won 53 caps for Argentina and made 273 appearances in Serie A and La Liga combined, but he is also still young enough to potentially be at his best for another four or five more years. He has been described as a "great player" by former player Ricardo Giusti and he is someone who has all the attributes to help take Newcastle to that next step.

It goes without saying that a top-four finish is vital if the Magpies want to sign him, however, with the Atletico man surely wanting Champions League football if he leaves his current club.

Liverpool will look to add another three points to their tally this weekend when they host relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in their Premier League clash at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp will be hopeful that his team can take some confidence from their huge 6-1 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday night, as they will need it if they are going to fight for their outside chance of qualifying for the Champions League in their remaining eight games.

The Reds are nine points adrift of Newcastle United in fourth and with just 24 points left for the taking, Liverpool are in no position to rest on their laurels and will need to put everything they can into their battle to climb the table.

It will be no easy task for Klopp to put together a winning formula for the final hurdles of the season as there has been no individual player that has really stood out as a consistent performer over the season so far apart from Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has had to contend with some torrid defensive displays in front of him.

As a result, unleashing the players in the team that are explosive and passionate in their approach could be the key to snatching important from opponents and there is no player more chaotic in a Liverpool shirt than club-record signing Darwin Nunez.

Will Darwin Nunez start vs Nottingham Forest?

There is no doubt that Nunez has quite literally burst onto the scene since penning his £85m deal on Merseyside last June and despite some criticism for his missed opportunities in front of goal, has been a real breath of fresh air for the Reds.

The fiery £140k-per-week Uruguayan has scored 15 goals and registered four assists over 37 appearances in all competitions so far – with a goal contribution every 113 minutes, which is a pretty impressive output for a striker who has missed 18 big chances in the Premier League.

Nunez proved just how explosive he can be in the attacking threat when he made his nine-minute cameo against Leeds earlier this week with ten touches, an 89% pass completion rate (8/9) and one shot on target, which he comfortably converted to deliver the sixth and final goal in West Yorkshire.

Klopp has wasted no time in lavishing praise on his 23-year-old attacker and made his admiration for the player known after he scored against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this season:

"I would say he is really getting there. Everybody can see he is just a handful, just a proper threat."

With that being said, it would make perfect sense for Klopp to unleash Nunez on the Garibaldi Reds this afternoon at Anfield as he could cause absolute chaos for their defenders throughout and deliver the important three points needed.

West Ham United gave their survival hopes a big boost as they fought back from 2-0 down to earn a draw against league leaders Arsenal.

What happened in West Ham vs Arsenal?

Things could not have gotten off to a much worse start for the Hammers as they found themselves 1-0 down within six minutes when Ben White crossed for Gabriel Jesus to tap in, before Martin Odegaard made it 2-0 with less than ten minutes on the clock, volleying in Gabriel Martinelli's cross.

At that point, it seemed as if David Moyes' side could easily be overwhelmed by the Gunners but a mistake allowed the home side back into the game, with Said Benrahma converting a penalty after Lucas Paqueta was felled by Gabriel.

Bukayo Saka had a golden chance to restore Arsenal's two-goal lead when Michail Antonio handballed but he put his penalty well wide, and it was 2-2 minutes later thanks to Jarrod Bowen's well-taken volley.

The Jamaica international had a chance to make amends late on but headed Benrahma's superb cross against the crossbar, with both sides forced to settle for a point.

Who was West Ham's worst performer vs Arsenal?

Although fans may leave the London Stadium happy after a spirited second-half display, there were still a number of disappointing performances on Sunday afternoon.

As per Sofascore, Antonio was perhaps harshly the worst-rated West Ham player on the pitch with a shocking 6.2/10 rating, with only Thomas Partey (6.1) rated lower of every player to feature in the game.

Although his dogged determination often saw him get the better of Rob Holding, notably forcing the defender to bring him down for a free-kick on the edge of the box in the first half, there were several moments in which he nearly cost Moyes.

During his 87 minutes on the pitch, the experienced £85k-per-week forward managed just 30 touches and a disappointing eight passes, which was the fewest of any player to start the game, including Lukasz Fabianski, who managed nine.

Tomas Soucek has been the man who has been lamented recently for his lack of involvement from midfield and today the Czech Republic international managed just 21 touches and ten passes, which suggests that he deserves equal criticism for another almost anonymous display.

Despite seeing so little of the ball, the former Nottingham Forest man still managed to lose possession on ten occasions and gave away the penalty which could have easily cost West Ham a share of the points had Saka not fluffed his lines.

The 33-year-old perhaps should have ensured that the Hammers would take all three points when he headed against the bar from close range too, with the striker once again proving that he cannot be relied upon as a consistent option in the attack.

Antonio, who was dubbed "not good enough" by Glen Johnson earlier in the season, has managed just three Premier League goals so far this campaign, and was fortunate today that his poor performance didn't cost Moyes a point.

Javi Gracia has given Leeds United a new lease of life since his arrival at Elland Road, with the Spaniard overseeing vital wins against Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest.

The Yorkshire outfit now look to be in a better position than most in the Premier League relegation battle but it is so tight that a poor run of form could easily see Leeds drop back down the table.

Gracia's instant impact on results has been impressive but his transformation of key attackers has also been vital to the upturn in form, with Luis Sinisterra arguably enjoying his best game since joining the club on Tuesday night when he scored the winner against Forest.

However, it has arguably been the form of Jack Harrison since Gracia's appointment that has been the most eye-catching change under the former Watford boss at Elland Road.

How has Jack Harrison improved under Gracia?

Although it was a strong start to the season from the former Manchester City man, as he notched three assists and one goal in the opening three fixtures, he would then endure a barren run of form that saw him fail to register a single goal contribution in any game for the rest of 2022.

While the 26-year-old winger did manage a goal and assist in the 3-1 win over Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup, he had a woeful record of no goals and just one assist in 15 Premier League games ahead of Marsch's sacking in February.

Gracia was appointed on February 21st and Harrison, who earns £50k-per-week at Elland Road, has been a key player for the new manager ever since then, kick-starting his and Leeds' revival with an assist in the 1-0 win over Southampton.

Other than in tough away defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal, Harrison has been a constant threat to Premier League defences recently, hitting three goals and an assist in games against Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

Leeds were very close to losing the English wide man in January when Leicester City came calling, but Marsch handed the Yorkshire outfit a parting gift by ensuring that Harrison remained at Elland Road, until the end of the season at least.

Marsch said: “Listen, all I’ll say is, I really like Jack first as a person. He’s one of the most incredible people I’ve ever coached.

“We like him here. We want to keep him. He’s performing really well. I think getting him fit and healthy has been a big key. He’s got flexibility in the way he plays.”

Harrison has certainly lived up to that praise following the American's departure and if he can maintain this impressive form, then he could be a key player for Leeds in their bid for survival.

Journalist Liam Keen has revealed that Matheus Cunha is expected to feature for Wolves at the weekend despite an injury scare.

What's the latest on Matheus Cunha?

The forward, who joined from Atletico Madrid in January, is yet to score in 11 appearances for the club, and there was concern that he could miss his side's crucial game against Leeds United on Saturday.

The striker was withdrawn with an ankle injury against Fulham, which caused him to miss Wolves' loss to Liverpool, but Cunha is expected to be in the squad as Wolves host Javi Gracia's side at Molineux.

Speaking on the Express and Star Podcast, Keen claimed that his injury is simply careful management of his previous ankle problem and that he is fit to play.

He said: "He's having to manage the injury, having to take the load off the ankle at times and just manage it.

"He should be fine. They're not expecting him to be out injured. They're expecting him to still be fine for Saturday provided, obviously. there's no issues for the rest of this week.

"So it looks worse than it is, but it's just managing the load on the ankle. He was in the squad at Newcastle, he was warming up, I saw him on the sidelines, he looked fine.

"So I would imagine, unless there's [any] issues in the rest of this week, he will be fine for the weekend against Leeds."

Has Cunha been good enough so far?

The 23-year-old joined on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for around £35m, but his lack of goals will be of some concern to Julen Lopetegui.

Wolves' strikers have gone over a year without a Premier League goal, despite the likes of Cunha and Diego Costa arriving to support Raul Jimenez up front, and it was hoped that Cunha could provide more of a threat in attack.

The Brazil international has never been prolific at any of his clubs, and failed to score for Atletico Madrid this season before his move in January.

He may be more suited to a second-striker role rather than as an out-and-out number nine, but given the hefty fee Wolves will have to pay for him in the summer, they will be hoping for a vast improvement in his end product.

Wolves have navigated themselves away from the relegation zone for now, but there is still a long way to go this season as they continue to battle the drop, and their striking problems have been one of their biggest issues in what has been an overall underwhelming season.

And despite Cunha's slow start to life at Molineux in front of goal, having him back in first-team contention can only be a boost for the Old Gold.

Newcastle United could reportedly make their interest in Inter Milan central defender Stefan de Vrij more concrete ‘in the coming days’.

The Lowdown: Contract expiring

De Vrij’s contract expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

He has recently confirmed that he is ‘in talks’ with Inter over a renewal, but a move away has not yet been ruled out.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per Italian news outlet FC Inter News, Villarreal have already made an offer to De Vrij to join them for next term, while a number of other clubs hold an interest.

Newcastle are one of them, along with Sevilla, Atletico Madrid, Leicester City and Nice, and could firm up their interest ‘in the coming days’.

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The Verdict: No-brainer

It is a no-brainer for the St. James’ Park outfit to sign someone of De Vrij’s quality and experience on a free transfer.

Once hailed as a ‘monster’ who possesses ‘excellent technique’ by his former team-mate at Lazio Mauricio, the six-foot-three colossus is a complete centre-back, ranking in the top 19% for a number of key metrics in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year.

He has amassed 59 times by the Netherlands.

Nonetheless, De Vrij could form a formidable new partnership for the Magpies alongside fellow countryman Sven Botman.

Phil Hay has claimed that Leeds United are admirers of out-of-work coach Marcelo Gallardo.

The Lowdown: The manager search continues

After sacking Jesse Marsch over a week ago, Leeds are still without a permanent manager, and caretaker boss Michael Skubala will take charge for the time being, including for their relegation six-pointer at the weekend.

Leeds have certainly been trying to land a new manager, though they have been foiled in their attempts to bring in a new coach, with the likes of Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot and Alfred Schreuder all now off the table.

Someone who may well have been easier to land is the unattached Gallardo, who is yet to take up another job since leaving River Plate last year, although his unwillingness to join mid-season is proving to be a stumbling block.

The Latest: Gallardo is wanted by Leeds

Hay has admitted Leeds do admire Gallardo, who has been called ‘legendary’ and would love him as their manager, although he has also claimed on The Phil Hay Show that the Argentinian is unwilling to join a club without a pre-season to work with the players.

He said: “They like Marcelo Gallardo, who was at River Plate for eight years and left that job in October, but everybody around Gallardo says he does not want to take his next job at this stage. He wants it to be with a full season ahead of him, which I totally understand; it makes sense.

“That’s kind of the Bielsa attitude towards work, is that you want pre-season so you can plan it properly – you don’t really want to firefight.”

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The Verdict: Leeds must make an appointment sooner rather than later

Given that Leeds have got the two Manchester United games out of the way that were always going to be tough tests, the Whites now have two huge games on the horizon against relegation rivals Everton and Southampton, though having a new man in place in to prepare for them clearly would have been ideal.

In terms of bringing someone in from elsewhere, the Whites are seemingly back at square one, with Schreuder – who was in the Elland Road stands last weekend – now reportedly out of the running for the vacant role, so many will hope Orta and Andrea Radrizzani have something else up their sleeve.

When Marsch was sacked, many will have expected that something was in the pipeline, and even more so following Radrizzani’s ‘white smoke’ tweet, which suggested something was close to being finalised, but that has not come to fruition.

And while Skubala may yet be a relatively safe pair of hands for now, the Leeds board could well be counting their lucky stars he has got something of a tune out of the squad since Marsch’s departure – or Tuesday evening’s announcement will surely have seemed far more panicked indeed.

Leeds United are hoping to complete the signing of Servette youngster Diogo Monteiro in the final few days of the January transfer window, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on Monteiro

The Whites are still looking to get some business done before next Tuesday’s deadline, with Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie firmly on their radar.

Leeds have also been linked with a move for Monteiro in recent days, with the 18-year-old an exciting prospect with three caps to his name for Portugal’s under-19s.

He is out of contract at Servette at the end of this season, and it looks as though Elland Road could be his next destination.

The Latest: Leeds want Monteiro signed soon

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for The Athletic, Hay said that Leeds are still aiming to get a deal over the line for Monteiro this month, along with hopefully bringing in McKennie.

The reporter tweeted:

“Leeds and Juventus still locked in talks over Weston McKennie. Leeds want this one done but agreeing the structure of a deal with Juve has proved complicated.

“Club still aiming to get Diogo Monteiro over the line before next week’s deadline too.”

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The Verdict: One for the future

Monteiro clearly wouldn’t be coming in as a key player immediately given his age, but he is someone who could be viewed as an important part of the club’s future. Hay wrote for The Athletic that the teenager ‘is highly-rated but would be added to the Under-21 squad at Elland Road initially’.

He has seven appearances to his name for Servette in all competitions this season, showing that he can already perform at a high level, and his aforementioned international experience at youth level suggests that he could be a future senior star for Portugal.

Leeds will be in need of freshening things up defensively in the near future, with captain Liam Cooper now 31, and Monteiro could be viewed as a long-term replacement for the Scotland centre-back.

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Leeds United have already bolstered their attack this January, much to the delight of their supporters.

Georginio Rutter’s addition will help massively alleviate the pressure that surrounds Patrick Bamford, with the English striker often having been rushed back to action due to a lack of a viable alternative.

Whilst the Frenchman marks a movement in the right direction, they remain light up front and would only ever be two injuries away from being in the same position as last season.

As such, the offer they received to acquire Cho Gue-Sung perhaps should be one Victor Orta considers with more seriousness, given the quality he boasts and the inexpensive nature of the potential deal.

The South Korea international could occupy a role backing up Rodrigo, who has enjoyed a remarkable goalscoring season thus far. 

Having already outscored his previous two campaigns with a ten-goal haul, Cho would represent a lethal foil given how he performed not only at the World Cup but domestically too.

Such was his form that Tottenham Hotspur forward Heung-min Son looked to issue him with some advice: “Every day, I think about how much more I can improve and Cho must do the same.

“For him to move to a European club must mean he is the best player in South Korea just now and that is quite an achievement.

“Once he adapts, he will enjoy the experience. But he has to keep working hard every day.”

In Qatar, Cho’s brace against Ghana helped him earn a 7.03 rating across the competition. This backed up his 21 goals and five assists from the season prior too, which does highlight his proficiency.

Having soared into the limelight for his displays at the World Cup, a move to the Premier League could be imperative to furthering the 24-year-old’s development. Simply being in the presence of Rodrigo would help him emulate the 31-year-old Spaniard who cannot continue his current form forever. When it does end, they will likely look to Rutter to step up.

But should they sign Cho too, they could have multiple avenues with which they could fire their way up the table.