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يواصل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي صحوته خلال المباريات الأخيرة في مشواره بالموسم الحالي بعد الفوز على فياريال ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق مانشستر سيتي فوزًا مريحًا بثنائية نظيفة على فياريال في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم، الثلاثاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وواجه مانشستر سيتي نظيره فياريال مساء اليوم الثلاثاء، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

اقرأ أيضًا | موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي القادمة بعد الفوز على فياريال في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأحرز هدفي فوز مانشستر سيتي على فياريال إيرلينج هالاند وبرناردو سيلفا، وقدموا أداءً رائعًا في المباراة بقيادة بيب جوارديولا. رجل مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفياريال في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ووفقًا لما نُشر على الموقع الرسمي للبطولة، فإن الدولي البرازيلي سافينيو، جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي قد فاز بجائزة رجل مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفياريال.

ولعب سافينيو 86 دقيقة في أرض الملعب واستطاع أن يساهم بتمريرة حاسمة في الهدف الثاني الذي أحرزه برناردو سيلفا، كما وصلت دقة تمريراته إلى 86%.

Heading into today’s Premier League showdown with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United found themselves winless from their opening three league fixtures.

Thankfully, that early-season curse has now been lifted as Eddie Howe’s Magpies just about got the better of the travelling Old Gold courtesy of a debut strike from £69m buy Nick Woltemade, who was thrust straight into action by the Toon boss.

Woltemade’s game-winning strike fell at the perfect time for the Tyneside hosts after Wolves had threatened with some early first-half efforts. Thankfully, while Vitor Pereira’s away side were wasteful, the home side were more clinical, with the ex-Stuttgart man heading home a teasing Jacob Murphy cross to break the deadlock.

Woltemade wasn’t the only inspired inclusion in Howe’s XI, however, as the 47-year-old reintroduced Joelinton back into the first team fold, who worked excellently alongside the duo of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali during the 1-0 victory.

Guimaraes and Tonali's relationship

Both Guimaraes and Tonali are solid first-team faces at this point, with both players in question starting every possible league game they can so far this season.

The Magpies’ number 39 wasn’t quite at his accurate best centrally with the ball at his feet, as seen in him relinquishing possession a near costly 19 times, but the forceful Newcastle captain did still make his presence known with six ground duels won during the tight win.

While Guimaraes wasn’t quite at his confident best roaming forward, his Italian counterpart was certainly lively in this capacity, with the energetic number eight even hitting the woodwork with one of his three efforts in a bid to make the victory more comprehensive.

With Joelinton also thrown back in the mix after injury, it must be rather easy for Howe to pick his midfield personnel when everyone is fit and firing, knowing he will get consistent greatness out of those at his disposal.

Other partnerships across the pitch will equally make Howe beam from ear to ear, with one duo, in particular, standing out once more against Wolves to now stake a claim at being even more important than the aforementioned duo of Guimaraes and Tonali.

Trippier & Murphy are looking like Howe's "best" pairing

Woltemade will hope, in time, that he can form a partnership that is held in high regard at St James’ Park, with Alexander Isak once bouncing off the likes of Anthony Gordon for fun, before he exited the building for Liverpool.

Newcastle’s right-hand side clearly boasts a healthy working relationship based on the 1-0 win, as both Kieran Trippier and Murphy worked together in harmony throughout to guide Howe’s men to a much-needed three points.

Minutes played

90

89

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

1

Touches

96

51

Shots

0

4

Accurate passes

53/68 (78%)

17/26 (65%)

Key passes

5

1

Successful dribbles

0/0

2/3

Total duels won

4/6

3/5

Between them down the right-hand side, both Trippier and Murphy would amass a whopping six key passes from their combined 147 touches of the ball, with the right winger ultimately picking up the assist that saw Woltemade break his Magpies duck to hand Howe’s men a win.

But, away from their constant creativity, both the hard-working number two and the number 23 also won their fair share of duels to keep Wolves at bay, with a combined duels won count of seven come the full-time whistle.

This split-second ability to create, but also fight for their team’s cause, certainly puts them on the same pedestal as Guimaraes and Tonali, with journalist Craig Hope stating during the match that they make a “big difference” when together on the pitch, as the pair have the “best” understanding as a partnership.

This is high praise, indeed, with Murphy hopeful he can remain a part of Howe’s first team plans, even with Anthony Elanga breathing down his neck as a new £55m recruit.

Trippier, despite being 34 years of age, will also hope he has plenty more first-team minutes heading his direction, as Newcastle tries to build on these three points against Pereira’s visitors, with a Champions League humdinger against Barcelona next on the menu.

Newcastle can get Woltemade hitting Isak levels by unleashing "unsung hero"

Newcastle United take on Wolves at St. James’ Park as they look to get their season up and running.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 13, 2025

Less than 24 hours out from ball one, Shan Masood and his team were still weighing up whether to play a spinner at the expense of a fast bowler in the XI

Danyal Rasool02-Jan-2025There’s a fine line between maximum preparation and cluelessness, and Pakistan are trying to make sure they tread the right side of it. With less than 24 hours to go before the second Test, Pakistan have not yet named a final XI, wanting to glean as much information as possible about what the Newlands surface will do. However, the later, they leave it, the harder it is to make the case the visitors have a side they will be comfortable with heading into the game.The captain Shan Masood admitted balancing the team was “tricky”. “We’d like to have one final look at the pitch,” he said. “Looks a bit different, less grass cover. South Africa have had the luxury of having a training session earlier than us. We’d like to take our time and see what the best possible XI is.”The Newlands surface is under scrutiny following what happened in the previous Test played here. In the first Test for new groundsman Braam Mong, India beat South Africa in a game which lasted barely 100 overs. Fast bowlers dominated the game, with uneven bounce between bat and ball, with no spin bowled; the pitch was given an “unsatisfactory” rating.Related

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With this being the same groundsman’s second Test, interest in the nature of this strip is high on both sides, with Temba Bavuma half-joking he was told he “wasn’t allowed to talk about the pitch”. Over the last couple of days, the strip that will see the Test played has had a significant amount of grass removed from it, with heavy rollers going over the surface multiple times.Either way, South Africa have named their side, with spinner Keshav Maharaj coming in. But it’s a bit more complex for Pakistan. Masood pointed out one of South Africa’s strengths was their seam bowling allrounders and deep batting line-up, saying it went right down to “Rabada at 10″, following his heroics in the fourth innings in Centurion.If Pakistan are to play a specialist spinner, it will invariably come at the expense of a seam bowler. That leaves them with just three seamers, which Masood appeared reluctant to commit to.”South Africa still have four seamers playing,” Masood said. “They have the luxury of quite a lot of allrounders in the squad. Mulder, Jansen, Bosch, so they can afford to make those decisions. For us, it’ll be slightly trickier. We still feel pace will have a large role to play in these conditions. There was a pattern that was successful for us where [Salman] Agha bowled really well in Australia and take that forward with us. We’ll have to see and probably make a decision in the evening.

“It’s heartening to compete, but we have to be ruthless, and we have to cross that line somewhere. There’s a lot of potential in that side, and if we’re not crossing the line, we’re not doing our talent and ability justice.”Shan Masood wants his team to do more than merely get into dominant positions in games

Further complicating matters, Aamer Jamal, who played the least significant role among the quicks in Centurion for Pakistan, is their only allrounder, with Masood effectively confirming his place in the XI.”Aamer links the team together. He’s a very important player in the Test team going forward. That No. 8 position where you can bat as a very decent batter and bowl like a proper fast bowler. Unfortunately, the situation of the match was such apart from his first spell at Centurion he didn’t really get a go. He was brought on at a time where we just took a gamble to have something different, maybe hit the wicket and force Rabada or Jansen to do something else. That was the reason behind that. But we hope he’ll bowl more on this surface.”It means whichever way Pakistan go, there will be compromises one way or another. But Masood said Pakistan had been taking heart from the way they competed against the side that are “No. 1″ in Test cricket. But with Pakistan letting slip a number of dominant positions over the last nine Tests, seven of which Pakistan lost, he understands belief in a side or a system can fall apart if results to prop it up aren’t forthcoming.”You want to compete against the best, and win against the best,” he said. “It’s heartening to compete, but we have to be ruthless, and we have to cross that line somewhere. There’s a lot of potential in that side, and if we’re not crossing the line, we’re not doing our talent and ability justice. That only comes from a place of care, and yes we all make mistakes and sometimes don’t cross this line, but I really believe this side has the ability, and people have seen there is a lot more to this side than the results suggest.”Moments after Pakistan finished training, the pitch was, unconventionally, given another heavy dose of watering under a hot sun. After that, the groundstaff threw a white sheet over the strip, and the two surrounding it. The secrets of this Newlands pitch remain concealed overnight, although, even when it stood exposed, few – especially in the Pakistan camp – seemed to really know what to expect from it.

Como head coach Cesc Fabregas urged patience after his side were held to a late 1-1 draw against Genoa, stressing that his squad are still young and developing. Despite Alvaro Morata and Sergi Roberto being the only experienced winners, the Spaniard believes the project is on the right path as Como look to continue their climb up Serie A.

• Como concede late in frustrating Genoa draw

  Fabregas’ men were seconds away from a valuable win before Caleb Ekuban’s 92nd-minute equaliser denied them all three points in the third round of Serie A. Nico Paz had earlier lit up the match with a stunning strike from outside the box, giving Como the lead after just 13 minutes. The Blue and Whites defended bravely and created several chances, but the task grew harder when Jacob Ramon was sent off in the 88th minute. Reduced to 10 men, Como were unable to hold on, and inexperience showed in stoppage time as Genoa snatched a share of the spoils. The result leaves Como with four points from their opening three fixtures, having beaten Lazio, lost narrowly to Bologna, and now drawn against Genoa.

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  A young Como squad still learning at the top level

  The former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder was quick to remind supporters and critics alike that his squad remains "one of the youngest in Serie A". Many players are still in their early years as professionals, while several returned late from international duty, disrupting early preparations. 

  Como are only in their second campaign back in the Italian top flight after a 21-year exile that saw them plummet as low as Serie D. Since the Indonesian Djarum Group’s takeover in 2019, the club have rebuilt impressively and finished 10th in the top-flight last season, but Fabregas insists the process will take time before they can compete with established sides like Napoli, Inter and Juventus.

• What Cesc Fabregas said about his team’s growth

  Speaking to after the game, the 38-year-old highlighted both the positives and the reality check of the late draw.

  “We're a team that had 12 players in the national team who returned a bit late. And I remind you, lest some forget, that we're a young team. There are many players in their first or second season as professionals . It's not easy, so I'm very patient, even though I see their attitude and their quality every day. We're not there yet, like Napoli, who have players who have already won and are experienced. We only have Morata and Sergi Roberto, who have already won.”

  He added: “We wonder why we don't do everything well, but we have to stay very calm because in football everything takes a long time. Last season, we did a lot of things well in the first half but didn't get any points, while in the second half we did very well.”

  The Spaniard, who was previously linked in the summer with jobs at Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig and even Inter, continues to stress that Como’s project is built for long-term stability rather than short-term success.

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  What’s next for Como and Fabregas in Serie A

  The Lariani side currently sit ninth in Serie A, a solid start for a club still adjusting to life back in the top flight. Next up is a tricky clash against Fiorentina, where Fabregas will hope his young squad can build resilience and bounce back from consecutive dropped points.

It has been a busy summer for Leeds United already, who have put a real focus on improving their squad in defence. Three defensive players have already left, with Junior Firpo’s contract expiring, Maximilian Wober joining Werder Bremen on loan, and Rasmus Kristensen leaving permanently, although he hasn’t played for Leeds for a couple of seasons.

To replace them, centre-back Jaka Bijol, arguably Leeds’ marquee addition this summer, has signed from Udinese. They have also brought in central defender Sebastiaan Bornauw and signed left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson from French side Lille.

However, the Swedish defender is not the only left-back the Whites are seemingly set to sign this summer, with another player in his position lined up.

Leeds’ next defensive signing

There is a clear focus from Daniel Farke’s side on improving defensive fortunes this season, after all three relegated sides conceded at least 80 goals in the 2024/25 campaign. Well, the next defensive player they have lined up will bring bags of Premier League experience.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a new article from Football Insider, as reported by scout-turned-transfer guru Mick Brown, Leeds are believed to be accelerating a move for Chelsea and England international defender Ben Chilwell this summer.

This will not be an easy deal for Farke’s side to complete, with the Yorkshire outfit set to contest the other two promoted sides, Sunderland and Burnley, with West Ham United also interested.

In the report, insider Mick Brown explains that any deal could ‘depend on how much Chelsea are asking for or what his wage demands are’, with a price yet to be confirmed. As for a wage, Chilwell earns £100k-per-week at Stamford Bridge, and it remains to be seen if Leeds can, or will, match that.

Why Chilwell would be a good signing

Last season was not the easiest ride for Chilwell, who fell out of favour with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and ended up going out on loan to Crystal Palace. The campaign ended well for the 28-year-old, though, with his temporary side lifting the FA Cup.

Despite tasting FA Cup success, there was certainly a lack of involvement for Chilwell in South London. He only made one Chelsea appearance and a further nine for Crystal Palace, totalling just 440 minutes, the equivalent of 4.8 full 90-minute games.

Yet, despite a lack of involvement last term, the defender brings bags of experience, having made 177 top-flight appearances and won some huge accolades, including the Champions League.

He is also a “creative force”, as Statman Dave said, with 20 Premier League assists and 13 goals to his name. That included this sublime strike for Leicester City against Watford in 2020.

This is highlighted by the fact that, for a seven-season period between 2017/18 and 2023/24, the England international created double-figure chances per season, as per Sofascore.

His highest was in 2018/19 for the Foxes, when he created 45 chances, and his lowest, 11 in 2021/22, was a campaign where he played just seven games.

Leeds have a good recent history when it comes to signing players from Chelsea, too. A man who Farke considered his “most important player”, Ethan Ampadu, also swapped West London for West Yorkshire back in 2023 after several loan spells.

Well, the Whites’ boss said it himself, Ampadu is pivotal to this Leeds side and their recent success. Although he has struggled with injuries, the Wales international has notched up 86 appearances in a Leeds shirt, playing as both a number six and a centre-back.

Whilst he doesn’t score many, he’s even managed to bag twice and assist the same number of goals. Having been cast aside back at Stamford Bridge, the 24-year-old has more than found a home for himself at Elland Road. Perhaps Chilwell can do the same?

If the signing of Chilwell is half as successful as that of Ampadu, then surely this is a good addition for the Whites. How they would love him to become their new version of the versatile Welshman, and help the club stay in the Premier League.

If the price and wage request is fair, then this is a deal which will add attacking quality and experience to their side.

Biggest talent since Gray: Leeds make contact for "world class" £34m star

Leeds are looking to add young talent to their sqaud

By
Joe Nuttall

Jul 16, 2025

Newcastle United are facing a pivotal summer as they brace for the potential departure of star striker Alexander Isak.

The Sweden international, who has rapidly become a fan favourite since arriving on Tyneside, has made it clear that he is open to a move away, and Liverpool are ready to test Newcastle’s resolve with what could be a British-record bid.

Isak’s absence from the club’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia, attributed to a “minor thigh issue”, has coincided with reports of a breakdown in contract talks.

Newcastle were keen to offer him improved terms, but Isak is believed to have asked for £300k per week, a demand that far exceeds the club’s current wage structure.

Though the Magpies maintain that Isak is not for sale, Liverpool’s growing interest, and Isak’s own openness to the move, has prompted Newcastle to begin preparations for life without him.

In that scenario, they would need a striker who not only shares some of Isak’s traits but also has the potential to grow into an elite Premier League forward.

Newcastle looking at Benjamin Sesko alternatives

According to GIVEMESPORT, one of the candidates to fill that role is Loïs Openda, the Belgian forward currently playing for RB Leipzig. The Magpies are believed to be ‘exploring’ a move for the striker.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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While the club have also expressed interest in Leipzig teammate Benjamin Šeško, Openda offers a more attainable option. One who, despite operating in a struggling side last season, demonstrated the kind of raw output and energy that Newcastle value highly.

Former Club Brugge manager Philippe Clement, who worked with Openda during his development, labelled him “super-fast”, as well as “combative” during difficult spells – precisely the kind of character Newcastle’s recruitment department seeks.

His contract at Leipzig runs until 2028, and a deal won’t be cheap, especially given Club Brugge’s 12.5% sell-on clause.

However, with Leipzig likely to part with Xavi Simons, while Šeško has a much higher price tag, Openda may be the more available of the two.

How Openda compares to Isak

Openda’s playing style is defined by pace, aggression, and sharp movement. While he doesn’t match Isak’s height (1.77m vs. Isak’s 1.92m), he brings a directness that can stretch defences and a physicality that belies his frame.

He’s a centre-forward by trade but is comfortable drifting out wide. Ideal for Howe’s system, which demands positional flexibility in transition.

Statistically, there’s more overlap with Isak than one might expect, with the pair deemed to be similar players among their European peers, as per FBref. According to the data site, Openda averaged 2.82 shots per 90 minutes last season in the Bundesliga to Isak’s 3.10 in the Premier League.

His shots on target per 90 (1.14) and shot-on-target percentage (40.3%) closely mirror Isak’s (1.34 and 43.2% respectively). While Isak recorded more non-penalty goals (19 vs. 9) and expected goals (17.2 vs. 8.2), that comes in the context of Newcastle’s more cohesive attack compared to Leipzig’s disappointing season, which ended with a 7th-place finish and early Champions League exit.

Where Openda truly stands out is in his mentality and off-the-ball work – qualities Howe prizes.

While his defensive stats are modest, just 0.07 tackles in the final third per 90, his pressing intensity and recovery runs have drawn praise from Bundesliga observers. He’s also adept at attacking space in behind, a trait that fits Newcastle’s counter-attacking DNA under Howe.

That said, Openda is far from the finished product. His passing accuracy (63.8%) lags behind Isak’s (75.3%), and he averages fewer progressive passes, carries, and successful take-ons per 90.

With his flaws comes room for growth. Under Howe, a coach known for improving attacking players, those gaps could narrow quickly.

At 25, Openda is entering his prime, and with 27 caps for Belgium already under his belt, he has experience at the highest level.

The Premier League isn’t unfamiliar territory for clubs tracking him either. Aston Villa and Leicester City have previously monitored the Belgian, but neither made a formal approach.

Now, Newcastle appear to be in the strongest position – and in the most urgent need.

While Openda may not yet have Isak’s polish or reputation, he brings a skill set that could flourish under the right guidance. His pace, directness, and goal threat are real, and paired with the right supply line, he could be a devastating outlet in the Premier League.

He’s not an exact copy of Isak, but if they do lose their star striker to Liverpool, Loïs Openda represents a logical and exciting step forward.

Related More prolific than Wissa & Sesko: Newcastle plot move to sign £40m "menace"

Newcastle United target Ligue 1 striker after summer transfer setbacks

Posts ByWill Miller Jul 24, 2025

Celtic are on track to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch this week with a deal for FC Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren moving closer.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that the Hoops are close to agreeing a fee with the Danish side for the Sweden international, in a move that is expected to cost around £2m.

The journalist states that there is a desire from all parties to get a deal over the line and that talks are progressing well, as Brendan Rodgers looks to add another forward to his attacking arsenal.

Nygren scored 15 goals in 30 matches in the Danish Superliga during the 2024/25 campaign, as a left-footed right winger, and could compete with Nicolas Kuhn for a place in the team next season at Parkhead.

The Swedish star may not be the only winger to arrive in Glasgow before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as they are also eyeing up a left-winger.

Celtic have interest in Norwegian forward

According to the Daily Record, Brendan Rodgers wants further attacking signings on top of the pending arrival of Nygren, with a couple of left-sided forwards on the club’s radar.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that Norway U21 international Sondre Orjasaeter is one of the wingers being eyed up by the Scottish giants, as they look to add more quality to their frontline options.

It states that the Sarpsborg star, who is valued at £7m by his club, is a long-term target for the Scottish Premiership champions, alongside Royal Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

This should be good news for the Hoops faithful because Orjasaeter would be a signing that is just as exciting as Nygren if they can get a deal over the line before the end of the window.

Why Sondre Orjasaeter is as exciting as Benjamin Nygren

Nygren is an exciting addition because of his impressive goal tally of 15 goals in 30 league games, but the 23-year-old has only provided three assists in his last 50 outings in the Superliga.

Orjasaeter may not be a winger who is going to score 15 goals in a season, which is why Nygren is particularly exciting, as he has only scored six league goals since the start of the 2024 Eliteserien campaign.

However, the Norwegian starlet offers creativity as well as a goal threat from the left flank, and is two years younger than the Swedish forward at the age of 21.

Orjasaeter has created seven ‘big chances’ and delivered two assists in seven Eliteserien outings in the 2025 campaign to date, after he caught the eye in last year’s season.

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old starlet ranked very highly in the Norwegian top-flight as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side, and was let down by wasteful finishing from his teammates.

Orjasaeter, who was dubbed a “highly valued player” by Sarpsborg sporting director Hampus Andersson, is a winger who provides a decent goal threat, but also brings the ability to consistently unlock opposition defences with his creativity.

This is why he is as exciting as Nygren, despite the disparity between their respective goal outputs, because they could both offer a lot of quality at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops, albeit in different ways.

Celtic can land bigger signing than Schlupp in move for "incredible" star

Celtic have progressed in their attempts to sign a left-back who would be even better than Jeffrey Schlupp.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 14, 2025

It is now down to the club to ensure that they get transfers over the line for both of these wingers in the coming days and weeks, to give Rodgers plenty to work with next season.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Manchester City are now reportedly readying a formal proposal to sign a talented South American defender for Pep Guardiola.

Pep reveals Man City's FA Cup pride

Whilst it’s been a fairly disappointing season in the Premier League and arguably Guardiola’s toughest, Manchester City still have the FA Cup final to look forward to this weekend. In what is the third year in a row that the Citizens have reached the final at Wembley, they will be desperate to avoid an upset against Crystal Palace and fall at the final hurdle for the second consecutive year.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham May 15, 2025

Guardiola knows exactly what the occasion means and spoke about how proud he and his side are of their FA Cup achievements in recent years. The Spaniard told reporters earlier this week: “I say it every time we are in this position, but I will say it again: it is such a privilege to be able to play in this incredible stadium and have a chance to win this beautiful trophy,” said Guardiola, ahead of his squad’s trip to north-west London.

“This is our third year in a row in the FA Cup Final, which is something we are very, very proud of. In the FA Cup, you play all the top teams from the Premier League and the Championship and always there are times when it is difficult.

“To have made three Finals in a row shows how consistent we have been. It says everything about this generation of players and the club itself. The FA Cup is the most challenging and beautiful domestic cup competition in the world, there is no doubt about that.”

Away from their potential Wembley success this weekend, meanwhile, those at The Etihad have already reportedly set their sights on welcoming a defensive reinforcement when the summer transfer window arrives.

Man City readying Wesley proposal

According to Coluna do Fla, as relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City are now readying a formal proposal worth €35m (£29m) to sign Wesley Franca from Flamengo this summer. The Brazilian right-back is reportedly keen on a move to Man City, but has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Liverpool as a result of his impressive campaign.

Their £29m proposal will reportedly fall short of Flamengo’s valuation, however, with the Brazilian club demanding as much as €45m (£38m) to sell Wesley before the Club World Cup begins.

Dubbed “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, Wesley looks set to have quite a decision to make this summer. With a whole host of Premier League clubs chasing his signature, the 21-year-old looks destined for England and may well end up in a Manchester City side who desperately need a right-back.

It’s not all rosy when it’s raining sixes

Ian Chappell05-May-2024Over the years I’ve learnt that for every upside in an idea – no matter how good – it’s guaranteed there’ll also be a downside.Consequently there’s some disillusionment with the growing amount of six-hitting involved in the T20 game and particularly in the highly successful IPL tournament.Big hitting has dramatically increased. At the present pace IPL 2024 will comfortably set the record for the number of sixes clouted in a match. The big-hitting spree was highlighted by England seamer and Punjab Kings captain Sam Curran, who said after his team’s high scoring victory over Kolkata Knight Riders: “Cricket is turning into baseball isn’t it?”Related

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• How many sixes need to be hit before they lose their magic?

• It's too many runs, somebody make it stop

There are many reasons offered for the massive increase in six-hitting; among them improved bats, short boundaries and evening dew. Curran also highlighted the current players’ training methods, explaining “they can hit balls for a long time” as another reason for the improvement.The current training regime highlights how batting is now more of a power game as distinct from the artistry of the past. While training is an acknowledged part of professional cricket, it’s worth investigating the exponential growth in six-hitting.
The IPL tournament plays a particularly important role.The popularity of the IPL is ingrained and as Curran says: “I’m sure everyone wants to keep seeing sixes.”There’s no doubt the younger generation, bred on big hitting and high scoring in T20 cricket, embrace the IPL. Then there’s the older generation, who have grown up with batting artistry and quality bowling spells and are often bewildered by segments of the modern game.Those are facts of life. As the IPL (and other administrations) consider the bottom line critical, then big hitting and thrilling chases, while they continue to draw large crowds, will remain as attractions of the game.

As a young man I enjoyed playing both cricket and baseball. If I’m not going to face many deliveries in a short version of cricket but field a lot, then the game loses a lot of its attraction

Nevertheless a cricket dilemma could occur if the T20 spectacle became wearisome. If an administration decided to further shorten the game this would severely test player loyalty. If players aren’t experiencing much cricket other than being in the field a lot, then a large contract can only conceal so much dissatisfaction. Apart from throwing the ball back, there’s not much fielding involved when it’s raining sixes.The increased growth in shorter forms of the game is allied to the exorbitant cost of running first-class competitions. Strong first-class competitions are crucial to developing Test cricketers and hence the current five-day game favours India, Australia and England but is under immense strain.Then there’s the financial return from the media for a cricket board. The shorter forms of the game bring far greater financial rewards than a first-class competition, so guess which route a board, strapped for cash, is going to take.India, with its huge spending power rules cricket, therefore other countries tend to follow their example. Hence the growth in T20 leagues in other countries mirrors the IPL success.In many ways one of cricket’s perceived blunders is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for administrators. They could never have envisioned the vast power they were conceding but IPL auctions have provided massive financial rewards for players.However, the administrators are now almost assured of player loyalty, as they are not going to revolt against the short length of a game when they are being well rewarded.As a young man I enjoyed playing both cricket and baseball. If I’m not going to face many deliveries in a short version of cricket but field a lot, then the game loses a lot of its attraction. If that were the case I’d prefer to play baseball, where fielding is integral and at least I’d bat a few times. In the short version of cricket I would often feel I hadn’t earned my beer at the end of the game.That is the opinion of someone from the older generation. However that thinking ignores the enormous preference a modern administration places on market trends and financial returns rather than a player’s wishes.

The factors include Miller’s unprecedented IPL form, Hardik’s dual impact, hiding Tewatia’s bowling, and more

Karthik Krishnaswamy31-May-20224:36

Vettori: Hardik and Rashid are two of the best five players in IPL

From having their chances almost universally dismissed to winning the IPL title in their debut season, Gujarat Titans went on a thrillingly unexpected ride. The concerns around their squad following the auction weren’t entirely unjustified, but in a 10-team tournament, every squad had its problem areas. Titans proved to be the best of them both at maximising their strengths and finding ways to work around their weaknesses.And over the two months of the IPL, a span of time in which poor form isn’t easy to turn around – witness the impact of Kieron Pollard’s struggles on Mumbai Indians, for example, or of Ravindra Jadeja’s on Chennai Super Kings – most of Titans’ key players found their rhythm at the right times. This set in motion a chain reaction that turned their eclectic collection of talents into a team with a repeatable formula for winning matches.Miller defies history

In the immediate aftermath of the auction, an ESPNcricinfo panel including former international cricketers Wasim Jaffer and Daniel Vettori put together a potential starting XI for Titans, and found no room for David Miller. This was before Jason Roy’s withdrawal, of course, but Miller’s recent IPL form hadn’t given the panelists much of a reason to pick him anyway.Related

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Scratch “recent”. Of the 58 batters to face at least 500 balls across the six IPL seasons from 2016 to 2021, Miller had the second-lowest strike rate – 118.65.Few, then, would have imagined that he would end IPL 2022 with 481 runs at an average of 68.71 and a strike rate of 142.72. Miller must have put in an incredible amount of work behind the scenes to achieve these successes, and Titans’ coaching staff may also have had a hand to play – not least for backing him, which he has highlighted more than once – but you wonder if he would have started the season at all had the squad contained one or two higher-profile middle-order options.3:36

Aakash Chopra deciphers David Miller’s technique against spin

Hardik’s dual impact

Hardik Pandya didn’t bowl a ball during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, so whether his body could hold up to any sort of bowling workload was a genuine concern before Titans began IPL 2022. As it turned out, he bowled in 10 of their 15 games, sent down an average of 3.1 overs each time he bowled, and executed his skills brilliantly: he finished with eight wickets at 27.75, and an economy rate of 7.27, bettered only by Rashid Khan among Titans’ regular bowlers.Hardik also assumed a new role with the bat, turning himself into an anchor at No. 4, and ended the season as Titans’ highest run-getter with 487 at an average of 44.27 and a strike rate of 131.26.His successes had knock-on effects on the rest of the team. Titans had one of the worst-performing top threes in the tournament – Wriddhiman Saha’s belated entry alleviated this issue in the second half of the season – but they only rarely suffered top-order collapses. Titans’ Nos. 5 and 6 faced more balls (493) than the batters in those positions from any other team, but only 13% of those balls came during the first 10 overs of innings. Of all teams, only Sunrisers Hyderabad (12%) and Rajasthan Royals (9%) had their Nos. 5 and 6 facing a smaller proportion of their balls during the first 10 overs.