He warmed-up for the Tests against England by scoring 60 for Northern Districts against Auckland

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2024

Kane Williamson last played for New Zealand on the tour of Sri Lanka in September•AFP/Getty Images

Kane Williamson returned to competitive cricket after nearly two months out with a groin injury, and scored 60 for Northern Districts on day one of their Plunket Shield game against Auckland in Hamilton.Auckland asked Northern Districts to bat after winning the toss, and Williamson walked out to the crease at the fall of the first wicket. He hit seven boundaries in his 122-ball knock, which lasted for almost three hours. Williamson added 52 for the fourth wicket with Robert O’Donnell, before falling lbw to Jordan Sussex after a stand of 36 with Brett Hampton.It was Williamson’s first match in the Plunket Shield after five years – he last played in the premier first-class competition in the country in October 2019.”You always feel like an ND man, whether you are here or not,” he had said ahead of the game. “It is nice when, with the balance of the international schedule, you do have the opportunity to play.”Williamson had last played for New Zealand on the tour of Sri Lanka in September, and missed the entire Test tour of India and the white-ball series in Sri Lanka which followed. In his absence, Will Young occupied the No. 3 spot against India, and returned 244 runs to be named Player of the Series. But last week, Williamson was named in New Zealand’s squad to face England in three Tests at home.The first Test begins on November 28 in Christchurch, before the series moves to Wellington and Hamilton for the next two games. It will be Williamson’s long-time team-mate Tim Southee’s final Test series, unless New Zealand make the WTC final next year.

Leeds United still have a bit of time left to add more quality to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September.

The Whites were reportedly leading the race to sign Leicester City attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss earlier this month, but they now look set to miss out on the Morocco international.

Sky Sports reports that Crystal Palace are close to agreeing a deal with the Foxes to sign the 21-year-old playmaker in a deal that could be worth up to £32m.

Why missing out on Bilal El Khannouss is a blow

The Eagles swooping in to potentially sign El Khannouss ahead of Leeds is a blow for Daniel Farke because he is an impressive young talent who could have been an exciting addition to the squad at Elland Road.

In his first season in the Premier League, the Moroccan ranked within the top 25% of attacking midfielders for chances created (42) and the top 37% for xA (3.11), per FotMob.

Per Sofascore, El Khannouss created eight ‘big chances’ in 27 starts for Leicester, despite their relegation, and could have added an extra degree of creativity to the Leeds midfield.

The Whites could, however, forget all about the Foxes sensation by swooping to sign Gabriel Sara, who was linked with a £35m move from Galatasaray earlier this month.

Why Leeds should sign Gabriel Sara

Signing the Brazilian maestro would help everyone to forget about El Khannouss because he could be an even better signing for Leeds, particularly with the new 4-3-3 system that Farke deployed against Everton.

Lining up with three central midfielders instead of a double pivot and a number ten means that Sara could make more sense as a signing, as he is a creative central midfielder, rather than an out-and-out number ten like the Leicester starlet.

The left-footed star, who delivered 13 goals and 12 assists in his last season in England with Norwich, has been in fantastic form for Galatasaray as a creative whiz in the middle of the park over the past 12 months.

Sara has created a staggering 11 chances in two matches in the Super Liga this season, per Sofascore, which is roughly a quarter as many as El Khannouss created in the entire 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

32

30

Goals

2

2

Big chances created

8

12

xA

3.11

7.62

Assists

3

8

Key passes per game

1.3

2.3

As you can see in the table above, Sara was directly involved in six more goals in two fewer appearances at league level in comparison to the £32m-rated man, and created one more chance per game on average.

The Brazilian star, who scored a sublime solo goal against Leeds two seasons ago – as shown in the highlights below, has been a consistently brilliant creator for both Galatasaray and Norwich in the last few years.

Sara, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss David Wagner, appears more likely to make an impact in the here and now in comparison to El Khannouss, who is younger and still developing.

The 26-year-old wizard is in the prime years of his career and could arrive at Elland Road to hit the ground running as a creative maestro in the middle of the park for Farke, given his prior experience in England and his form for the Turkish giants.

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Therefore, Leeds should be pushing to secure a deal for Sara now that Palace are closing in on El Khannouss, because he has the experience, the quality, and the creativity to be an even better signing for the Whites in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Manchester United look set to complete their third big-money signing of the summer transfer window, after a deal was agreed with RB Leipzig for striker Benjamin Sesko.

The 22-year-old has been subject to a tug-of-war battle between Ruben Amorim’s side and Newcastle United over the last couple of weeks – leaving the player with a decision to make.

However, the Slovenian international has made the decision to make the move to Old Trafford, after the Red Devils had a £74m bid, including add-ons, accepted earlier this week.

He joins Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo at the Theatre of Dreams this window, taking the club’s spending during the off-season to a staggering £207.5m.

The board have certainly backed the manager in his quest for success at the club, potentially doing so once again on another key target before the market slams shut on September 1st.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Fiorentina centre-back Pietro Comuzzo has emerged as a potential defensive reinforcement for United this summer, after scouting the Italian in recent months.

It’s reported that the Serie A side are currently demanding a fee in the region of £35m to sell the 20-year-old, who also has admirers from fellow Premier League sides Sunderland and Bournemouth.

However, he’s not the player who’s currently in their sights, with Brighton star Carlos Baleba another talent they’re considering, according to Fabrizio Romano.

He claimed in his latest update with GIVEMESPORT, the journalist claimed that the Red Devils have held talks with the player’s intermediaries over a potential move to the club.

The Italian also stated that the player himself would be keen on a deal to join Amorim’s side, but it would be a tricky deal to complete, given his current £100m asking price.

Why United’s latest target would be perfect for Cunha

As previously mentioned, Cunha is just one of the players to complete a huge move to join United this summer, costing a whopping £62.5m from divisional rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian will provide the added quality the club have greatly lacked in attacking areas, that’s if he can replicate his form from the previous campaign, which saw him net 15 league goals.

He’s likely to operate in the number ten position alongside Mbeumo and in behind Sesko, with the trio a real force to be reckoned with ahead of the 2025/26 season.

However, if Cunha is to reach his full potential under Amorim’s guidance, he will need support from players behind him to help him in his quest throughout his time at the club.

Baleba, who’s primarily a ball-winning midfielder, has also showcased his talents in possession for the Seagulls in recent seasons, arguably being the missing piece in the Red Devils’ puzzle.

The Cameroonian, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one analyst, won 2.7 tackles per 90 last season – enabling him to break up the play before playing into forward areas.

He registered 4.1 progressive passes per 90, 3.7 of which were into the final third, tallies which could provide Cunha with the tools he needs to create carnage in front of goal.

Games played

34

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

87%

Progressive passes

4.1

Tackles made

2.7

Interceptions made

1.6

Blocks made

1.6

Aerials won

1.4

Passes into the final third

3.7

His superb ability with the ball at his feet is further showcased by his 87% pass completion rate in 2024/25, which has seen him break the lines and contribute to his aforementioned tallies in forward areas.

The Brighton star also ranked in the top 20% of all central defensive midfielders in England’s top-flight for successful take-ons – further affirming his ability to get the ball into the opposition’s territory at any given opportunity.

Should Baleba manage to replicate his figures from his recent year at the AMEX, he could make a huge difference in the Red Devils’ quest for success at both ends of the pitch.

His ability to link up with Cunha would certainly improve the club’s situation in the final third, allowing one of the other big-money additions to prove his worth throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

He's like Bellingham: Man Utd make £60m "genius" the top target after Sesko

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The Liverpool fan who went viral for winding up Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, to the point that the Argentine ended up being shown a red card for clashing with the home support at Anfield, insists that nothing racist or overly antagonistic was said during a dramatic Champions League fixture on Merseyside that saw the hosts claim a 92nd-minute winner.

• Thrilling finish to Champions League tie

  La Liga giants Atleti appeared to have snatched something from their opening European encounter of 2025-26 when seeing Marcos Llorente net an 81st-minute leveller in a contest that Premier League title holders Liverpool led by two goals inside the opening six minutes.

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  Van Dijk grabbed winner for Liverpool in stoppage-time

  Wild celebrations were sparked on the Rojiblancos bench when that effort went in, but their mood quickly soured as Virgil van Dijk had the final say in stoppage-time. Chaos ensued after the Dutch defender put the Reds back in front.

• Simeone shown a red card after clash with fans

  Simeone and his coaching team were involved in an angry confrontation with home supporters sat close to the dugout. The fiery Argentine was subsequently shown a red card, but he did not depart without speaking to the fourth official about supposed abuse being aimed in his direction.

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• Liverpool supporter explains Simeone spat

  One supporter at the centre of that melee has addressed the unfortunate saga on social media, claiming that Simeone was merely taunted after Liverpool grabbed another late winner. He said: “Something I want to get off my chest here in regards to what happened last night with Simeone. I think he is a bit of a coward. When he went in and done his press conference after the game, the Spanish media has asked him what was said – if it was racist, if it was regarding the Falklands War or all this rubbish. There was nothing racist said by me or anyone else. There was never a mention of the Falklands War by me or anyone else. But the fact that he was asked it and he didn’t answer the question, and he just got up and walked out, has left it open to speculation for the world.

  “I’ve had messages on every platform of people saying ‘what did you say?’ I never said nothing apart from [middle finger gesture] ‘f*ck off, we’ve won’, as you do. That is what he did to us when they scored the equaliser, his assistant manager giving it in front of us. He was getting called a sh*thouse and whatever else. His assistant manager, who came over and spat at me… yeah.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Diante da maratona de viagens que irá enfrentar nos próximos dias e com um clássico contra o Corinthians pela frente, Dorival Júnior escolheu mandar a campo contra o Fortaleza um time misto no São Paulo. Ante um adversário poderoso, a aposta era em um empate. E, travando o jogo da forma como deu, o Tricolor paulista atingiu o seu objetivo, saiu do Castelão com um empate em 0 a 0 no duelo válido pela quinta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, na noite desta quinta-feira (11).

Foi o segundo empate em cinco jogos do Tricolor na principal competição nacional. Resultado que mantém a incrível invencibilidade ostentada pelo Dorival neste retorno ao clube do Morumbi, seis partidas.

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Não é que o São Paulo tenha adotado uma postura defensiva. Longe disso. Em um ótimo duelo tático de Dorival com Juan Vojvoda, as equipes foram se alternando, na forma de jogar em campo e nas boas chances de gols criadas.

O cenário se definiu mesmo no decorrer do segundo tempo. Primeiro Brítez foi expulso pelo segundo amarelo quando o Leão da Pici parecia melhor em campo. Com a vantagem numérica em campo, o Tricolor paulista criou chances, mas recebeu uma ducha de água fria: Nestor também acabou indo para o chuveiro mais cedo nas mesmas circunstâncias. Aí não teve jeito, melhor fechar a casinha e garantir o ponto ganho fora de casa.

O São Paulo chega assim aos sete pontos e cai para a sétima colocação do Brasileirão. O Fortaleza, com oito, vem logo à frente, em sexto.

PROMESSA DE JOGO MOVIMENTADO…

O jogo começou com tudo no Castelão. Em um 4-3-3 ofensivo, com as linhas altas, o São Paulo surpreendeu o Fortaleza nos minutos iniciais, dominou a posse de bola e criou boas chances de ataque.

A melhor delas foi aos 3′, quando Marcos Paulo recuperou uma bola na entrada da área (marcação de saída de jogo), passou pela marcação e arriscou com perigo.

RESPOSTAS DOS MANDANTES

A alegria são-paulina, contudo, durou pouco. Na jogada seguinte, ainda em contra-ataque, Yago Pikachu acelerou sem marcação prlo meio e arriscou o chute de esquerda da entrada da área, mas a bola saiu pelo lado direito.

Nesse momento, o Fortaleza meio que percebeu as intensões de Dorival Júnior. Vojvoda então trancou as opções de ataque pelos lados e abriu seus dois meias para reforçar a abertura que os alas visitantes deixavam.

Aos 9′, o encaixe foi perfeito. Pikachu, sempre ele, recebeu desta vez pela direita e cruzou na medida para Guilherme, que desviou de cabeça e carimbou o travessão de Rafael.

ALEGRIA DUROU POUCO

A intensidade inicial aos poucos foi sendo substituída pela maior cautela dos dois treinadores, poucos dispostos a oferecerem espaços em suas defesas para que o adversário os aproveitasse.

Dorival, pelo lado paulista, recuou Alisson para a função de segundo volante, deixou Nestor mais livre na armação e jogou Marcos Paulo na ponta-esquerda. Vojvoda, pelos cearenses, recuou seu volante para fechar uma linha de cinco na zaga e encaixou um 5-3-2-1.

Pouco adiantou. O tempo foi passando, a criatividade foi rareando e aos poucos jogadas ‘mais firmes’ das defesas apareceram. Foi assim aos 20′, quando Romero errou uma inversão e a bola sobrou para Calleri na entrada da área em boas condições, mas Brítez derrubou o argentino.

O lance exemplifica a dificuldade dos dois lados em quebrar linhas, buscar o passe decisivo para superar as defesas, muito bem postadas de ambos os lados, igualmente preparadas para a aposta nas velocidades que nomes como Rato e Pikachu poderiam conceder. Mesmo assim ainda teve tempo para o segundo quase abrir o placar para os mandantes aos 49′, quando arrancou em velocidade, invadiu a área e finalizou com perigo para fora.

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados da Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

É TUDO OU NADA

O segundo tempo começou de maneira inversa. Foi o Fortaleza quem veio a campo com uma formatação diferente, conseguindo espaços na defesa paulista. Aos 1′, Pikachu cobrou falta no segundo pau, Romero desviou de cabeça e Caio Alexandre finalizou, obrigando a defesa a desviar. Na cobrança do escanteio, Brítez conseguiu vencer a disputa aérea e quase encontrou Romero livre, sem marcação, que ainda conseguiu o desvio para fora após se esticar.

O Fortaleza parecia ter encontrado o seu rumo. E mesmo com alguma dificuldade posterior de chegar ao ataque, continuou criando boas chances. Como aos 16′, quando Calebe, que entrara pouco antes , recebeu na intermediária, arriscou e exigiu boa aparição de Rafael.

AZEDOU…

A coisa parecia que ia para o Tricolor de Aço. São Paulo nas cordas, como se diz, satisfeito com o empate sem gols e pouco se lançando à frente. Mas um golpe de mestre jogou tudo fora. Aos 17′, Brítez fez falta boba em Calleri no meio-campo e acabou expulso.

Era o ímpeto que os paulistas queriam. Aos 21′, Luciano, outro que entrara no segundo tempo, aproveitou sobra de bola da defesa mandante e arriscou ótima finalização, exigindo boa defesa do goleiro. Três minutos depois, foi Nestor quer arriscou o arremate e viu a bola passar perto do gol.

AZEDOU (2)…

Vamos repetir as palavras. A coisa parecia que ia para o Tricolor do Morumbi. Fortaleza nas cordas, como se diz, com o sistema ofensiva sacrificado para recomposição da zaga. Mas… Aos 25′, Nestor acabou compensando a expulsão anterior após e recebeu o segundo amarelo após falta.

Com igualdade de jogadores em campo de novo, o jogo seguiu sua tendência: um São Paulo satisfeito com o empate, fechado e com pouca inspiração ofensiva ante um Fortaleza que até criou bastante, mas a qualidade necessária para alcançar as redes. Com direito a emoção de todos os jeitos. Gabriel Neves salvou finalização de Thiago Galhardo aos 38′. Pikachu chutou com perigo para fora no minuto seguinte. E pouco depois, aos 44′, Rafael defendeu o que parecia um gol contra certo de Diego Costa. Os visitantes saíram no lucro com o empate.

PRÓXIMOS JOGOS

Na próxima rodada do Brasileirão, o São Paulo terá nada mais mais nada menos que o clássico contra o Corinthians, em Itaquera, às 16h (de Brasília) de domingo (14). No mesmo dia e horário, o Fortaleza faz mais um ‘clássico tricolor’, diante do Grêmio, em Porto Alegre (RS).

FICHA TÉCNICA
FORTALEZA 0 X 0 SÃO PAULO
CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – QUINTA RODADA

Data e hora: 11/5/2023 (quinta-feira), 20 horas (de Brasília)
Local: Castelão, em Fortaleza (CE)
Árbitro: Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (Fifa-MG)
Assistentes: Luanderson Lima dos Santos (Fifa-BA) e Celso Luiz da Silva (MG)
VAR: Rodrigo Nunes de Sa (Fifa-RJ)

Cartão amarelo: Brítez e Yago Pikachu (Fortaleza); Raí Ramos, Gabriel Neves, Alisson e Nestor (São Paulo)
Cartão vermelho: Brítez, aos 17min do 2ºT (Fortaleza) e Nestor aos 25min do 2ºT (São Paulo)

FORTALEZA
Maurício Kozlinski; Tinga, Brítez, Titi e Lucas Crispim (Bruno Pacheco, 31/2). Zé Welison (Zanocelo, 31/2), Caio Alexandre, Pochettino (Thiago Galhardo, 11/2) e Yago Pikachu; Sílvio Romero (Ceballos, 19/2) e Guilerme (Calebe, 11/2)
Técnico: Juan Vojvoda

SÃO PAULO
Rafael; Raí Ramos (Rafinha, 37/2), Alan Franco, Diego Costa e Patryck (Caio, 32/2); Pablo Maia, Nestor e Marcos Paulo (Luciano, 18/2); Alisson, Calleri (Juan, 32/2) e Wellington Rato (Gabriel Neves, 18/2)
Técnico: Dorival Júnior

Newcastle United reached new levels of success under Eddie Howe’s wing last season, but there’s no denying that they have been buffeted by the summer transfer window.

It’s been a testing period for those of a Toon persuasion, but it’s important to acknowledge the trophy-winning success of 2024/25, having won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League through the Premier League.

And while Newcastle failed to win their opening game of the new league campaign, they played well at Villa Park and left with a point, having lacked the presence of an out-and-out frontman, Anthony Gordon deputising at number nine.

Gordon is a fantastic player who will continue to star for the Tynesiders over the coming years, but he’s not a goalscoring striker.

Newcastle, as is no surprise, need to sign replacements up top, with the truant Alexander Isak showing no desire to return to Howe’s squad.

Newcastle searching for Isak replacement

Newcastle signed Isak from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m fee in 2022, and he has since gone from strength to strength to be regarded as “the best striker in the Premier League” by the likes of Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher.

But he’s headed for the exit, it would seem, having intimated to the Newcastle hierarchy that he has no intention of rejoining Howe’s squad, and only wants to sign for Liverpool.

Newcastle need to sign two strikers, though. There is optimism that a deal will be concluded for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, but the DR Congo striker was never considered Isak’s potential replacement, and instead, an upgrade on Callum Wilson.

The likes of Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and long-time transfer target Goncalo Ramos are on the club’s radar, but whether either are deemed appropriate to succeed Isak remains to be seen.

However, there’s another Premier League talent who has been earmarked, with discussions between the clubs rumoured to be in the works.

Newcastle in talks for new striker

As per David Ornstein of The Athletic, Newcastle are holding discussions over the possible signing of Jørgen Strand Larsen via intermediaries.

The Norwegian frontman spent last season on loan at Molineux but only became a fully-fledged Wolverhampton Wanderers player at the beginning of July.

Even so, he is on the Magpies’ shortlist, though it would take a considerable offer to convince Wolves to part with the goalscorer, who has been valued at around £65m.

Why Newcastle want Strand Larsen

The 6 foot 4 Strand Larsen proved an industrious and effective outlet for Wolves last season, standing firm and tall as a focal point from which the likes of Matheus Cunha could use to create and link play together.

Strand Larsen’s 14-goal, five-assist return across the Premier League campaign bespeaks his potential, having only the year before plied his trade in Spain with Celta Vigo.

His 60% success rate in hitting the target put him among the top 1% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for that metric, and with a bit more confidence behind his powerful strikes, there’s every reason that the Norwegian could be fashioned into a superstar at St. James’ Park.

With the likes of Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga blending their blistering speed and dynamic movements down the flanks, the Old Gold centre-forward would not need to play the flashy role under Howe’s tutelage, but rather, provide Newcastle with a clinical presence in the final third.

Gordon has spoken of his struggles last season, but how he has since rekindled the fire in his belly and is ready to return to the form that saw him crowned Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24, having notched 21 goal involvements in the Premier League.

Gordon in the PL

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

34 (28)

Goals

11

6

Assists

10

5

Shots (on target)*

2.3 (0.9)

1.7 (0.6)

Pass completion

82%

81%

Key passes*

1.6

1.5

Big chances created

16

6

Dribbles*

1.5

1.1

Ball recoveries*

3.6

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.1

Duels (won)*

5.3 (49%)

4.4 (52%)

Data via Sofascore

That kind of electric dribbling and unrelenting chance creation bodes well for a striker of Strand Larsen’s ilk, especially when Toon legend Alan Shearer has already singled him out as being a frustrating adversary for Premier League defenders.

After one display against Ipswich Town, Shearer said: “He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent and I thought his touch and his control were superb.”

Such coolness in the final third would allow Gordon to shift in and play neat one-twos so he can strike on goal himself, too. And what’s more, the same could be replicated with the rip-roaring Elanga on the alternate wing.

Elanga, 24, has declared himself to be “one of the fastest players in the league,” and after two years of work under Nuno Espirito Santo in a counter-attacking Forest side, he will have perfected the art of swift transitional play.

This should see him dovetail into Newcastle’s first team, having impressed on his league debut for the outfit on Saturday, completing 23 sprints, winning five duels and making two key passes.

It’s clear, however, that Elanga works better with a strong forward in the centre – see his connection with Chris Wood at the City Ground, for example – and Strand Larsen could surely play that role, brawny, aerially efficient and composed with the ball at his feet.

While Strand Larsen doesn’t appear to be the first-choice pick for Newcastle as the end of the transfer window looms large, he’s proven in the Premier League and stands below a high ceiling indeed. He would be a credit to the squad, completing an exciting and multi-faceted frontline.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Aug 18, 2025

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة مساء يوم الأحد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد نظيره فريق برينتفورد.

ويستضيف ملعب “جيتك كوميونيتي ستاديوم” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبرينتفورد، في الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويمتلك مانشستر سيتي 10 نقاط حيث يحتل المركز الثامن في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي في الوقت الحالي، بينما يحتل برينتفورد المركز الرابع عشر برصيد 7 نقاط.

ويسعى مانشستر سيتي إلى تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم لمواصلة سلسلة نتائجه الإيجابية، وذلك قبل فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر أكتوبر. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبرينتفورد اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 6:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وبرينتفورد اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وبرينتفورد اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق علي سعيد الكعبي على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Liverpool could now look to table an “increased bid” for a brilliant player in the coming days, Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol reports.

Liverpool suffer injury blow before Newcastle

The Reds are preparing for a tough trip to Newcastle United on Monday night, with the Alexander Isak saga only adding an extra spark to the game. It will be a big test for Arne Slot’s Premier League champions, and unfortunately, Liverpool’s head coach has confirmed that Jeremie Frimpong will be absent with a hamstring injury that will keep him out until next month.

“The medical team was completely right about it, to tell me I had to take him off [against Bournemouth]. He’s out until the end of the international break, and that happened in the game. I think I got criticised a bit for taking him off, didn’t I?

“I already said immediately after the game it had nothing to do with how he played. “We felt he had an issue with the hamstring, the medical staff, and they were completely right. Good call to take him off, otherwise he would maybe have been out for longer. We expect him to be back after the international break.”

Away from on-pitch matters, a key Liverpool transfer update has now emerged, as the Reds up the ante in their attempts to sign a long-time target.

Palace "cannot" let Guehi's deal run down

According to Solhekol, Liverpool may now submit an “increased bid” for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, with Steve Parish determined not to lose him for free when his contract expires next summer. However, it may be dependent on Palace’s UEFA Conference League action.

“It is possible [Marc Guehi leaves Crystal Palace in this window], it depends on what happens in the game tonight (Thursday). If they win the game easily so that almost they’re through the playoff, it doesn’t matter about the return leg next week, I can see a situation where maybe Liverpool step up their interest in Guehi and make an increased bid for him in the next couple of days.

“And then Palace would have a decision to make. But having heard from [chairman] Steve Parish, he said we cannot have a situation where a player as good as Guehi leaves on a free transfer next summer. So they would possibly be open to selling both those players [Eberechi Eze as well].”

The Reds will have to force the Eagles’ hand a bit after they only managed a 1-0 win against Fredrikstad in their Conference League qualifer, with Oliver Glasner saying after the match: “I just know if Marc leaves and he’s not available for Fredrikstad we will have big troubles. It’s pretty clear, we can’t register anyone, so from my side he has to stay.”

A new centre-back is so important for Liverpool this summer, with too much reliance on Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate staying fit, despite bringing in exciting teenager Giovanni Leoni from Parma. Guehi has always felt like an ideal choice to come in, considering he is a Premier League captain who has become an established player for England, being hailed as “world class” by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa.

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The £50,000-a-week defender could provide great competition in Liverpool’s defence, and with doubts persisting over Konate’s long-term future, he could even be the future leader of Slot’s back-line at Anfield.

Allegations of pitch tampering have hit Ranji Trophy 2024-25 after Jammu and Kashmir refused to bat on day three of their final-round clash against Baroda at the Reliance Stadium in Vadodara.J&K alleged the surface was tampered with overnight to help the home team, Baroda, to force an outright result in their favour to ensure qualification for the knockouts.The Baroda Cricket Association denied the allegations, saying it was merely a case of pitch dampness that isn’t unusual during the winter season. A J&K spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.Related

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Play was held up for approximately an hour and 25 minutes and needed the intervention of the match referee Arjan Kripal Singh before J&K resumed their second innings from their overnight score of 125 for 1 at 10.55am.The match officials extended play by an hour beyond the scheduled close to make up for lost time. J&K had already taken the first-innings lead and were handily placed, leading by 205, when play began.The day was dominated by the spinners as J&K lost 8 for 112 to be bowled out for 284 setting Baroda a target of 365. Shubham Khajuria top scored for J&K with 94 while wicketkeeper-batter Kanhaiya Wadhawan scored 84. For Baroda, the spin trio of Krunal Pandya, Ninad Rathva and Mahesh Pithiya picked up three wickets apiece. In response, Baroda were 58 for 2 at stumps, losing both their openers who fell to Sahil Lotra’s offbreaks.Mumbai’s bonus-point win over Meghalaya has made this fixture even more crucial. J&K can qualify for the quarter-finals even with a draw, whereas Baroda must chase down the remaining 307 runs on the final day to make it through.

If the voting process for the Ballon d'Or were truly fair, Lionel Messi would have 14 Golden Balls to his name instead of eight. The Barcelona legend was by far the best footballer in the world between 2008 and 2021, but had to concede defeat to Cristiano Ronaldo five times, and Luka Modric once, as the Real Madrid duo were rewarded for spearheading their team's unprecedented success in the Champions League.

The generational rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo divided fans, with very little to separate the two superstars in terms of goal output, but there was always a huge gulf in quality. The truth is, Messi never had any equal. Even after being forced to leave Barcelona, the place he'd called home for 21 years, the diminutive maestro was able to claim a final Ballon d'Or after almost single-handedly inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar.

How to watch the Ballon d'Or 2025 on TV

Karim Benzema is the only player who can honestly claim to have beaten Messi to the award while eclipsing him on individual performance, having enjoyed a stellar 2021-22 season for Madrid while the Argentine struggled to settle in his first year at Paris Saint-Germain. For the most part, the system failed Messi, and there is now a chance that it will also fail Lamine Yamal on September 22.

Barcelona's latest jewel, who has just inherited Messi's iconic No.10 jersey, will – if the betting odds are to be believed – have to watch Ousmane Dembele lift the Golden Ball in Paris on Monday evening. The France winger is the overwhelming favourite for the 2025 prize after leading PSG to the treble, but Dembele wasn't better than Yamal last season. Like Messi before him, the 18-year-old is the purists' champion and, in an ideal world, he'd be automatically vaulted to the top of the podium.

GettyNumbers favour Yamal

Let's get the raw numbers out of the way first: Dembele recorded 46 goal contributions for PSG in 2024-25, seven more than Yamal managed at Barca. Per 90 minutes, the France international also had a shot conversion rate of 17.4 percent compared to Yamal's 8.1%, created more chances (3 to 1.8), and posted more touches in the opposition box (9.2 to 7.5).

Those statistics suggest that Dembele was more effective than Yamal, but further context is needed. Yamal played 4,548 minutes across all competitions, significantly more than Dembele's total of 3,286. The vast majority of those came in La Liga, too, which is a much more competitive division than Ligue 1. That is backed up by the fact that Barcelona only finished four points ahead of Real Madrid in the Spanish title race, while a whopping 19 points separated runaway French champions PSG and runners-up Marseille. Luis Enrique's side retained their crown with six games to spare, which should never happen in one of Europe's top-five leagues.

Spain's Copa del Rey is also levels above the French equivalent, and Barca had to see off Real Betis, Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid en route to the trophy, while PSG beat lower-league sides Le Mans, Stade Briochin and Dunkerque before seeing off soon-to-be-relegated Reims to lift the Coupe de France.

Dembele's exploits in the Champions League are, therefore, the main driver for his Ballon d'Or claim. He scored eight goals and laid on six assists in 15 appearances, which was enough to earn Dembele the Player of the Tournament award, but technically speaking, he didn't outperform Yamal. Barcelona's teenage sensation hit nine goals and set up 13 in two fewer games, and it could be argued that he was unfairly penalised for the Blaugrana's semi-final exit at the hands of Inter.

AdvertisementGetty Images/GoalDembele myth debunked

According to , Yamal also boasted a higher dribbling success rate than Dembele (53.5% to 44.4%), and won more duels (8 to 3.5) per 90 minutes. That means not only was Yamal superior in one-v-one situations, but he also did more meaningful work off the ball, which goes some way to debunking the myth that Dembele was the most monstrous presser in the game last season.

Consistency across the entire campaign must be factored in, too. Yamal stayed at the same incredibly high level all the way through, but Dembele didn't really explode into life until December, and was even dropped from Luis Enrique's squad for PSG's Champions League league-phase clash with Arsenal due to an apparent lack of commitment in training.

As if all that wasn't enough evidence in Yamal's favour, Dembele was also second-best at international level. The 28-year-old only scored twice in seven appearances for France between September and June, while Yamal notched three goals and one assist in the same number of games for Spain.

Crucially, it was Yamal who edged their 'Ballon d'Or play-off' in the Nations League semi-finals, as he scored a superb brace in Spain's thrilling 5-4 win against France after extra-time, while Dembele failed to get on the scoresheet after squandering several clear chances.

Getty Images SportBig-game player

"Today, Lamine made a statement. He proved he’s the best in the world and deserves the Ballon d'Or," Spain boss Luis de la Fuente declared after Yamal's Player-of-the-Match display against France. In truth, that was just one of many similar statements Yamal made in the most important matches last season.

Real Madrid were especially sick of the sight of the teenager by the end of May. La Masia's remarkable academy graduate scored in both of Barca's La Liga victories over their arch-rivals, as well as in their Clasico triumph in the Supercopa de Espana, while he also produced two assists against Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey showpiece as Flick's side ran out 3-2 winners after extra-time.

Yamal found the net against top-six clubs Atletico, Athletic Club and Villarreal, too, while in the Champions League, he scored in each of the knockout rounds. It's normal for talented youngsters to freeze up on the biggest stage, but Yamal seems to relish it.

"Obviously I know I am playing for Barca. I know the importance of that, but I don't think about pressure," Yamal told in April. "I play, enjoy myself… And that's all."

That enjoyment was clear for all to see in Barca's 3-1 win against Benfica in the second leg of their last-16 tie. Yamal provided the moment of magic that broke the deadlock after just 10 minutes, humiliating two Benfica defenders with a delightful dummy after gliding to the edge of the box, before playing in Raphinha to score (albeit with what looked like a mis-hit shot).

Benfica hit back with a quick equaliser, only to be undone by Yamal again, as the Spaniard cut in from the byline to unleash a sublime curling strike that nestled perfectly into the far corner of the net. Going away from goal with such a small target to aim for, it was the kind of effort most players would only dare to attempt on the training ground, but Yamal's audacity is his superpower.

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Getty Images Sport'Cheat code'

That remarkable finish against Benfica would have been worthy of winning Goal of the Tournament, but Yamal somehow managed to better it in Barcelona's semi-final clash with Inter. Barca fell 2-0 down inside 21 minutes in the first leg at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, and desperately needed a spark to get back into the game, which Yamal provided on his 100th senior appearance for the club.

After shaking off a challenge from Marcus Thuram on the right flank, Yamal skipped past Henrikh Mkhitaryan and tiptoed into the penalty area. At this point, the wiry attacker was surrounded, but he somehow got off a shot without breaking stride, and it flew in off the post past the completely helpless goalkeeper Yan Sommer.

In that moment, Yamal became the youngest player to score in the last four of the Champions League at 17 years and 291 days old, smashing Kylian Mbappe's previous record at Monaco. There were no remonstrations in the Inter defence afterwards, just a series of stunned faces wondering what on earth had just happened.

It was a feeling they got used to over the next 65 minutes. Yamal didn't deliver any more decisive blows, but he was a constant thorn in Inter's side and practically every Barca attack went through him. He had more shots than anyone else on the pitch (six), completed more dribbles (six), and 17 of his 102 touches came in the opponent's box, the second-most in a Champions League semi-final ever, behind Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery against Real Madrid in 2015. Barca eventually battled to a 3-3 draw, and then-Inter boss Simeone Inzaghi expressed his relief at having survived Yamal's masterclass after the final whistle.

“I have never seen a player like Yamal in the last eight or nine years,” Inzaghi said to . “He is a phenomenon. We had to triple him and obviously, spaces opened up elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, former Manchester United and Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves described Yamal as a "cheat code" in the studio, before adding: "I just want to see Lamine Yamal get the ball and everybody else get out of the way."