Having done an excellent job thus far in his two years in the Newcastle United dugout, head coach Eddie Howe won't want to tempt faith by suffering any more defeats.

The Magpies have lost seven of their previous eight outings since beating Manchester United 1-0 at the start of December and the Geordie outfit have found themselves 11 points adrift of fourth in the Premier League.

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If Newcastle are to stop the rot, the January transfer window will be their best friend and Howe is already eyeing up potential targets to strengthen his squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Newcastle transfer news – Ousmane Diomande

According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are set to battle it out with Arsenal and Chelsea for Sporting Clube de Portugal centre-half Ousmane Diomande before the winter window slams shut at the beginning of February. The outlet are claiming that the Magpies have already spoken to Diomande's entourage about a possible move to St. James' Park this month.

Diomande has become a key first-team player for Sporting under Ruben Amorim as the Portuguese giants sit atop the Liga Portugal by one point with the fourth-best defensive record in the division.

Arriving last January, Sporting saw the potential in Diomande and handed the youngster a four-year deal which includes an €80m (£69m) release clause. Football scout Jacek Kulig also saw the promise in the Ivorian and expressed that the centre-back is "destined for greatness".

Having made 38 appearances in less than a year for the Leoes, the 20-year-old could already be on the move and Newcastle may be the best location for him right now.

Ousmane Diomande's stats this season

Newcastle secured the signing of Sven Botman back in the summer of 2022 for £35m from French outfit Lille. In the space of 18 months, the Dutchman has made 55 appearances for the English club, which is impressive considering he missed three months of the current campaign with a knee injury. Still only 23, it is clear that Howe sees Botman as the future of Newcastle's left-sided centre-back spot.

However, the club are yet to secure the right centre-half position. Both club captain Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar have shared the role in recent times but the duo are now on the wrong side of 30, meaning this hole will eventually need to be filled by Howe.

Schar has been the first-choice option in Newcastle's backline since the manager arrived at the club a little over two years ago. Since moving to St. James' Park back in 2018, the Switzerland international has appeared 168 times for the Magpies – 92 of these appearances have come under Howe.

While both Lascelles and Schar can definitely still do a job for the manager and have done so quite a lot this season, it may be time for the club to consider the future of the right centre-back spot. Diomande seems like the obvious candidate considering he is currently outperforming both central defenders this season in several key areas.

Goals

0.11

0.05

0.04

Expected Goals

0.06

0.05

0.05

Assists

0.05

0

0

Expected Assists

0.02

0.02

0.04

Progressive Passes

4.6

2.41

3.86

Passing Accuracy %

90.9

85.7

85.5

Passes To Final 1/3

5.83

2.83

4.18

Tackles

1.5

1.14

1.27

Tackles Won

0.96

0.74

0.91

Interceptions

0.48

0.32

0.95

Aerial Duels Won %

66.7

68.1

45.8

Stats via FBref

For the most part, Diomande is outscoring the Newcastle duo offensively and defensively but it's clear from this table that the centre-half is better suited to playing in a progressive team like Sporting, who average 59.1% of the ball each game. Newcastle, who average 54.6% possession in the Premier League, seem like a perfect match.

£69m is a lot of money to spend on one player in January, but Football Transfers have revealed that Newcastle's transfer kitty is much larger than Howe initially anticipated. If the funds are available, signing Diomande should be top of the manager's agenda.

Manchester United look to have been given a shot in the arm regarding their pursuit of one particular target after it emerged that his club would be open to selling him next month, as per a report.

Manchester United prepare for West Ham United trip

Last weekend, despite fielding a depleted squad and coming off the back of consecutive defeats to Bournemouth and Bayern Munich, Manchester United fought hard to claim a credible 0-0 draw against rivals Liverpool at Anfield in a fixture where Erik Ten Hag's men weathered the storm to take a valuable point.

Undoubtedly, the Red Devils have endured an inconsistent campaign so far and sit seventh in the Premier League table with 28 points from their opening 17 matches, leaving them six behind Manchester City, who occupy fourth in the divisional standings heading into this weekend's fixtures.

As cited by Sky Sports via METRO, Dutch boss Ten Hag singled out Raphael Varane, Jonny Evans and Andre Onana for special praise and complimented his side's collective resilience in a tough Anfield environment, as he stated: "We know what he [Varane] is capable of, he has many such performances and I think he did very well as the whole team in the partnership with Jonny Evans."

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He then added: "Both led the team from the back, also Andre Onana played a big part in it but I can mention all the players because it was a really good team, very disciplined."

David Alaba

18th December

Fikayo Tomori

16th December

Ronald Araujo

11th December

Jean-Clair Todibo

10th December

Marc Guehi

9th December

Leny Yoro

8th December

Next up for the Red Devils is a trip to London to face West Ham United on Saturday, in a test that will once again require Manchester United to show their capacity to dig deep as they seek to move closer to the Champions League slots.

Manchester United receive Roony Bardghji boost

According to 90min, Manchester United have scouted Copenhagen sensation Roony Bardghji on several occasions and it has now emerged that his current employers could cash in on his services next month.

Roony Bardghji's statistics in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

Goals

Assists

30

11

0

Roony Bardghji's key in-game statistics – Superliga (as provided by Sofascore)

Shots per game

1.5

Shots on target per game

0.8

Goal conversion

28%

Key passes

1.2

Left foot goals

6

Right foot goals

1

Interest in the 18-year-old is widespread from England and further afield, with Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Ten Hag's men all holding talks with intermediaries over a potential deal for the Sweden Under-21 international.

From the continent, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Marseille, AS Monaco, Napoli and PSV Eindhoven are all keen on the Kuwait City-born youngster, who is under contract at Copenhagen until the summer of 2025.

Labelled "superb" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, there is no doubt that Bardghji is a hot topic among the world's elite clubs at present and it looks only to be a matter of time before he secures a blockbuster move elsewhere.

An English Premier League attacker is keen on securing a move to Rangers, according to an update from journalist Sacha Tavolieri, with the player in question "proposed to the club".

Rangers transfer news

The Gers may have lost last weekend's Old Firm derby, but they still find themselves at the heart of the Scottish Premiership title race, sitting eight points behind their arch-rivals, but with two games in hand. Philippe Clement continues to do a good job since replacing Michael Beale, even if things haven't necessarily gone perfectly so far, and the future looks bright for the Ibrox side, who also remain in the Europa League.

For things to keep heading in the right direction, however, Rangers may need to bring in reinforcements during the January transfer window, and plenty of players have been linked with moves to the club.

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Everton duo Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate have both emerged as potential options to further shore up the defence, while young Liverpool left-back Owen Beck is another player who has been linked with a switch to the Gers. The 21-year-old recently returned to Anfield after a loan spell at Dundee during the first half of the season.

While Rangers are showing an interest in bringing certain players to the club, it looks as though one individual openly wants a move to Ibrox, following a fresh update that has emerged.

Emmanuel Dennis wants Rangers move

Taking to X on Friday, reporter Tavolieri claimed that Emmanuel Dennis likes the idea of joining Rangers, with the attacker currently on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir from Nottingham Forest.

"Emmanuel Dennis has been proposed to the club but there hasn’t been an official approach as of now. I can confirm the player’s interest for Rangers, though."

Dennis could be exactly what Rangers are after in the attacking third between now and the end of the season, providing them with the extra firepower that could be so crucial in the title race. The 26-year-old is someone with proven top-flight experience, scoring 12 goals and registering eight assists in 52 appearances in the English Premier League, with former Leicester City and Watford manager Claudio Ranieri has hailed him in the past, saying:

"[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players."

Only Abdallah Sima and James Tavernier are in double figures for goals for the Gers in the Scottish Premiership this season, but Dennis is someone who could ease that goalscoring issue and make key contributions as the big matches arrive during the business end of the campaign, giving Clement a much-needed extra attacking option.

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Dennis' aforementioned experience in British football means he shouldn't struggle with the pace of the Scottish game, and at 26, he is somebody who could be a force at the club for a number of years should he arrive on a permanent basis at some point this month, though a move seems some way off for the moment.

Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh led a giant conga line to celebrate Barcelona winning their fifth-straight Liga F title.

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Barca scored seven to win title in styleRemain unbeaten in Liga FBronze and Walsh lead celebrationsWHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona extended their dominance in Spain by winning a fifth consecutive title after beating Athletic Club 7-0 on Friday. England team-mates Bronze and Walsh embraced each other at full-time before joining in with the celebrations, which took the form of a giant conga line.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT LUCY BRONZE SAID

Bronze has been part of a defence that has conceded just nine goals in the league this season and she did not hesitate to post a picture with her and the Liga F trophy on Instagram. She uploaded with the caption 'BON DIAAAAAA CULERS.'

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BRONZE, WALSH AND BARCA?

With the title wrapped up, Bronze, Walsh and Barca can turn their attention to the Champions League. After dumping Chelsea out in the semi-final, only Lyon are standing in their way as they target European silverware for a second consecutive season.

Mikel Arteta will be disappointed that his side failed to return to the top of the Premier League on Thursday night, after Arsenal were unable to breakdown West Ham United.

The game concluded 2-0 to the visitors, which was the Gunners' first home defeat of the season in 13 matches.

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With a title charge set to be guaranteed in the coming months, the boss will want to strengthen his squad, in particular his defensive department, which is slightly thin.

Arsenal transfers latest – Matthijs de Ligt

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal wants to prioritise the defence in the market, with the recruitment team admirers of Matthijs de Ligt.

The Dutch defender is valued at £52m – as per CIES Football Observatory – which is likely to be out of the Gunners budget this winter.

The club does want to recruit in January, but a loan move seems to be the most likely, with De Ligt looking more like a summer signing.

Matthijs de Ligt’s style of play

The left side of Arsenal's backline has raised eyebrows at times over the last couple of seasons, and Arteta will be hoping that De Ligt can have a Virgil Van Dijk-like impact on his side, as when the Liverpool captain first joined the club, he slotted into left centre back and transformed the team.

However, according to Nathan Ake, the Gunners would be getting their own version of the ex-Southampton defender, as the current Bayern man has “got a lot of the same attributes as Van Dijk." With that in mind, below is a table that compares De Ligt's stats from the last year across the top European leagues to Van Dijk's Premier League stats this season.

De Ligt vs Van Dijk stats
Stats (per 90)	De Ligt	Van Dijk
Touches	83.49	94.11
Touches (att pen)	1.56	2.27
Passes completed	68.35	74.85
Passes completed (long)	6.62	7.30
Progressive passes	5.37	5.21
Aerials won	3.50	4.97
Stats via FBref

Firstly, the Dutch centre-backs are both tall, which makes them incredibly dominant in the air. Not only is this important when defending crosses into the box and when dealing with direct long balls, but it also makes them a huge threat in the opponent’s box from set pieces.

Usually, height and size make defenders sluggish, and it can eliminate some centre backs ability to defend 1v1 scenarios, but they are both fleet-footed, can recover quickly, and are extremely dynamic, to the point where attackers will not even attempt to dribble past them.

Furthermore, they both possess elite ball-playing ability and can progress the ball with ease using their pinpoint passing. Van Dijk is particularly known for his ability to play accurate diagonal long balls to Mohamed Salah on the right wing, and if De Ligt were to join Arsenal, he could recreate that by utilising his passing range to find Bukayo Saka.

The duo are also commanding leaders who provide reassurance to the backline, which in De Ligt’s case is highlighted by the fact he became Ajax’s youngest ever captain at the age of 19. His experience at the age of just 24 is often undermined.

Overall, the signing of the Ajax Acadamy graduate would take the Gunners to a whole new level, and the prospect of a complete centre-back pairing would petrify Premier League attackers. However, funnily enough, De Ligt is the most similar player to William Saliba’s current partner Gabriel, according to FBref’s similar players model, which just makes him a better like-for-like replacement.

To have the Dutchman slotting in alongside Saliba – who has been dubbed "exceptional" for his fine form over the last year or so by his manager – could well represent a dream partnership as far as the north Londoners are concerned.

Although £52m is a large fee, it does seem almost like a bargain when you consider De Ligt’s vast skillset and leadership qualities, as well as his likeness to compatriot, Van Dijk.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo iniciou a temporada em alta. No Paulistão, o time já soma um empate por 1 a 1 e duas goleadas por 4 a 0 contra a Inter de Limeira e contra o Santos, rival do Tricolor, chegando à marca de nove gols marcados em somente três partidas. Com a grande fase que vive o ataque são-paulino, a equipe lidera o ranking de maior número de finalizações certas no campeonato.

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA DE 2021

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Com 19 finalizações certas, de acordo com o Footstats, o São Paulo divide a liderança com o Bragantino e o Mirassol, porém finalizou mais vezes que essas duas equipes, com um total de 46 chutes em somente três jogos.

Esses números mostram além da eficiência, a quantidade de jogadas produzidas. O São Paulo de Hernán Crespo, em média, finaliza 15,3 vezes por partida, acertando 6,3 chutes por jogo.

Sob o comando do argentino, esses números viram desempenho, uma vez que é o time que mais marcou gols na competição, balançando a rede nove vezes. Além disso, é o time que menos tomou gols, empatado com a Ferroviária, com o Bragantino e o Ituano, todos com um gol sofrido nesses três primeiro jogos.

O Tricolor também tem dois dos artilheiros da competição, Gabriel Sara e Pablo, com dois gols cada. Pablo é, ainda por cima, o jogador que mais se envolveu em gols no torneio, pois também contribuiu com duas assistências.

O São Paulo busca manter essa boa fase no próximo sábado (13), quando entra em campo diante do Novorizontino, no estádioEstádio Doutor Jorge Ismael de Biasi, às 16h30, pela quarta rodada do Paulistão 2021.

Windies spinner admits long-term finger injury would have been a liability during long spells in 50-over format

George Dobell24-Apr-2019

Sunil Narine appeals after trapping Sohail Tanvir in front•AFP

Sunil Narine insists he is still desperate to return to international cricket despite being forced out of West Indies’ World Cup plans.Narine has not played an ODI since October 2016 – he has not played any international cricket since a T20I in September 2017 – but would have been included in West Indies’ provisional World Cup squad, alongside other notable returnees in Andre Russell and Evin Lewis, had injury not intervened.While he feels confident of getting through T20 matches – he is currently playing for KKR in the IPL – he feels he “wouldn’t be able to do myself or the team justice” in the longer format.Narine sustained a torn ligament in his right middle finger some months ago, limiting the amount of certain deliveries he can bowl in a spell. He has been advised to rest and rehabilitate once his involvement in the IPL ends and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of surgery on the finger in future years.He also accepts there is no realistic chance of playing Test cricket again; his last first-class game – also his last Test – was in December 2013.”I would have loved to play in the World Cup,” Narine told ESPNcricinfo. “I have missed international cricket and I’ve missed representing West Indies. It’s where my heart lies.”But I don’t feel my finger is quite ready for ODI cricket. I can get through a T20 where I bowl just four overs. But even that isn’t easy and I need help from the physio. It’s holding me back from playing international cricket. I wouldn’t be able to do myself or the team justice.”There is a possibility, however, that Narine could be available for the latter stages of the tournament should he be required as an injury replacement.”I can’t say for sure at the moment,” he says. “You never want anyone to suffer an injury, but if it did happen and I was able to give West Indies my all, I would love to be part of it.”But I don’t think it would be right to go into such a big tournament carrying an injury that won’t permit an increased workload and stress on the finger. The performances are fine, but I need to build up the required strength to go from four to 10 overs regularly.”He is, however, delighted to have been approached by the selectors in what would appear to be another sign of the improved relationship between players and the board since the election of Ricky Skerritt as president of Cricket West Indies.”I’m really happy that the selectors considered me,” he says. “It shows they have faith in me. I haven’t played international cricket in so long and this shows how much they want me to come back. It was good to have some conversations with them and I feel we’re all on the same page going forward.”While Narine’s career has been plagued by doubts about the legality of his action – he has been obliged to remodel it on several occasions – he is adamant that is not relevant to his current decision. He has previously employed Carl Crowe, the spin bowling consultant, on a retainer to provide on-going advice and analysis and feels he is now “comfortable and confident” with his action.”My action is as good and strong as it has ever been,” he says. “It has taken a while to get to the point where I could bowl at full pace with the new action, but I’m comfortable and confident with it now. The pace and the variations are there, I just need to recover from the finger issue, build up strength, and I will be available for West Indies in both T20 and ODI cricket.””We’re really happy with where he is at the moment and we have lots planned over the 12 to 18 months to ensure he keeps ahead of the batsmen,” Crowe said. “But we all recognise that moving to 10 overs will be pushing it too far at the moment due to his finger. Sadly, the World Cup is too much, too soon.””International cricket is where I want to be,” Narine says. “Once I’m able to give the team my all, I’d like to be back there helping West Indies win games.”

Sitting nine points clear of the relegation zone and in the comforts of mid-table in the Premier League, Fulham are gradually re-establishing themselves as a consistent Premier League side, much to the credit of Marco Silva. When the Cottagers lost Aleksandar Mitrovic in the summer transfer window, it was easy to assume that they'd struggle, but Silva has got former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez firing on all cylinders once again to hand his side a major boost.

Now, with the January transfer window open, Fulham could make further improvements. And that could include winning the race to sign an in-demand midfielder ahead of Premier League rivals this month.

Fulham transfer news

Fulham's last result – a 2-1 win over Arsenal – sums up the progress that they've made since returning to England's top flight. The London club's best moments this season came back-to-back when they scored ten goals in two games as they smashed West Ham United and Nottingham Forest 5-0. They are results that Silva will want to see his side replicate on a more consistent basis, however, and the transfer window this month could play a major part in that, especially if they sign one particular target.

According to Ben Jacobs, Fulham are optimistic about signing Andre from Fluminense, who have become resigned to losing the midfielder after he verbally agreed terms with the London club.

Given that Liverpool were also reportedly interested in Andre in the build-up to the winter window, it would be some coup for Fulham to land the Brazilian in the coming weeks.

"Monster" Andre is better on the ball than Palhinha

If you cast your minds back to the summer transfer window, Joao Palhinha was reportedly steps away from completing a move to Bayern Munich when things fell through. If the Cottagers lost the midfielder, then they could have been stuck for potential replacements at the worst time possible. Andre can ensure that fears over finding a Palhinha alternative come to an end, however, with the Brazilian even better than the Portugal international in some ways. Andre's stats show that he could be the perfect upgrade at the heart of Silva's midfield.

Player

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Key Passes

Successful Take-ons

Andre

58

184

19

38

Joao Palhinha

8

101

7

14

It's no shock, given the numbers, that Fernando Campos had nothing but good things to say about Andre. The journalist posted on X: "Pressure and playing with the confidence of someone who knows they are different. Get out of the way and make the team work. André Trindade is the best midfielder in the country and is a monster of a player."

In what could be one of the smartest deals of the January window, Fulham could land themselves an improvement at the heart of midfield for Silva to take things up a level at Craven Cottage.

Tottenham recruitment chiefs and chairman Daniel Levy are now said to have their eyes on a "scintillating" new target as the club's transfer plans take further shape.

Spurs aiming to sign midfielder after Dragusin and Werner

According to widespread reports since Spurs completed deals to sign Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin, the Lilywhites are also now looking to sign a midfield number eight.

Related Club willing to sell as Spurs in regular talks for signing after Dragusin

They’re actively pursuing another new addition.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 13, 2024

Both Werner and Dragusin made their debuts in Tottenham's 2-2 draw away to Man United on Sunday, with the visitors coming back from behind twice to take a point away from Old Trafford.

Manager Ange Postecoglou will be thrilled by his side's early moves in the January transfer market, especially to shore up key positions and provide him with a much-needed alternative centre-back option.

However, it is believed Postecoglou is keen on a new midfield running man who can alternate with playmaker James Maddison. Much could depend on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future at the club in that regard, as Spurs will need to free up squad space and bring in funds to make that potential transfer happen.

That being said, Tottenham are apparently pressing for a third January signing in the form of a new midfield engine, with links still surrounding Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

Reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold backs the 'Hojbjerg out, new midfielder in' hypothesis in a report this week, but the Spurs correspondent also suggests that isn't their only transfer plan.

Tottenham eyeing Jonathan Rowe move

Indeed, according to Gold, the north Londoners will explore deals for young stars on the rise.

One of them is Norwich City sensation Jonathan Rowe, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign for the Canaries with 11 goals and two assists in the Championship so far.

It is believed this has grabbed attention from Levy, technical director Johan Lange and co, with Tottenham now interested in signing Rowe from Norwich. There has been no official move made just yet, but the 20-year-old attacking midfielder is a new name on their radar.

Rowe has been "making a lot of noise" amid his "scintillating" season in England's second tier, as said by former Three Lions international and pundit Cole Palmer.

Jonathan Rowe's best games in the Championship – 2023/2024

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Norwich City 2-1 Hull

8.44

Hull 1-2 Norwich City

8.04

Huddersfield Town 0-4 Norwich City

7.94

Norwich City 2-0 Birmingham City

7.75

Coventry City 1-1 Norwich City

7.70

"One player making a lot of noise is Jonathan Rowe, Norwich's 20-year-old winger has scored five goals in nine appearances and was named EFL Young Player of the Month in August," said Carlton Palmer to Football League World in October.

"His scintillating form has seen him earn a call-up to England's under-20 squad. If he can keep producing performances like he's doing then he's going to become a very hot commodity."

Rowe would also do wonders to fill Spurs' homegrown quota, though it is unclear just how much Norwich would demand for their starlet.

Gloucestershire ended Somerset’s 100 per cent Royal London One-Day Cup record with a four-wicket win in a low-scoring contest at Bristol.The visitors posted 242 for 9 from their 50 overs after winning the toss, with Lewis Gregory their only batsman to look comfortable on the slow pitch, making 52 off 33 balls, while Benny Howell claimed 3 for 45 from his ten overs.In reply, Gloucestershire made 246 for 6, winning with four balls to spare. Graeme van Buuren top-scored with 61, while Miles Hammond made 48 and Jack Taylor 43 not out.The result left the hosts with six points from five matches and Somerset eight from the same number of games.The first ten overs of Somerset’s innings brought just 32 runs for the loss of Tom Banton, bowled by a David Payne yorker for 11. It was 38 for 2 when Peter Trego fell lbw attempting to sweep left-arm spinner van Buuren.James Hildreth chipped a catch to mid-wicket off Ryan Higgins with the total on 51 and Azhar Ali had failed to hit a single boundary when bowled trying to cut loose with a reverse sweep off Tom Smith for 43.Somerset managed only two fours off the bat in the first 30 overs, which ended with them 105 for 4. Skipper Tom Abell and George Bartlett added 55 before the latter was run out for 29 by Higgins attempting a second run to deep point.Gregory announced his intentions with a six over long-on off Payne, but Somerset still needed an injection of quick runs when Abell was caught at backward-point off Smith for 42. Gregory hit sixes off successive balls from Higgins, before Roelof van der Merwe was caught at third-man off Howell for 16.Gregory’s impressive contribution was ended by a catch at mid-off, giving Howell his second wicket. Craig Overton was unbeaten on 25.Gloucestershire’s reply was off to a bad start when, in the first over, skipper Chris Dent was run out at the non-striker’s end by bowler Overton, sent back attempting a quick single.Soon Gloucestershire were finding it equally difficult to score quickly as they crawled to 26 for 1 from ten overs. When Gregory struck with successive deliveries in the 14th over, having Gareth Roderick caught behind for 25 and Howell caught at point for a first-ball duck, the outcome was in the balance.After 25 overs, Gloucestershire were 86 for 3. Then James Bracey, on 21, attempted to launch Josh Davey over the leg-side and fell to a well-judged catch by van der Merwe.Miles Hammond played sensibly for his 48 off 83 balls when brilliantly caught by Azhar at mid-wicket off Tim Groenewald and Gloucestershire were in trouble at 114 for 5 in the 31st over.Somerset’s bowlers were backed up by some inspired fielding. With 15 overs to go, Gloucestershire needed a further 115 at seven and half an over. Their hopes rested largely with van Buuren and Taylor, who both hit sixes off Davey to boost the run-rate. Neither looked troubled as van Buuren moved to a fine half-century off 52 balls before miscuing Overton to Azhar at mid-off.The pair had added 83 in 14 overs. Higgins blasted Groenewald over long-on for six as the 46th over went for 17. Another massive six by Higgins off the same bowler two overs later sealed Somerset’s fate, Groenewald losing his line and length to prove expensive.