Mitchell Starc has hinted strongly at his frustration at being omitted from what became Australia’s final match of the T20 World Cup against Afghanistan but he retains ambitions to be part of the 2024 squad in West Indies and USA.Starc was benched for the crucial game in Adelaide earlier this month in favour of Kane Richardson having previously been demoted from his traditional new-ball role in what had been described as a change of tactics.Related

• Starc: 'Tests always far above the white-ball cricket'

• Why did Australia leave Starc out? 'Tactical decision' says Vettori

• How Starc's lack of IPL cricket has left him off the pace

• Hayden: 'Australian team has some thinking to do' after T20 World Cup exit

• What might Australia look like at the 2024 T20 World Cup?

Australia won the match by just four runs which meant they needed Sri Lanka to beat England in order to progress to the semi-finals which did not happen. The decision around Starc became a focal point for the post-tournament fallout.After his four-wicket haul in the second ODI against England, which included a devastating swinging delivery to remove Dawid Malan, Starc confirmed he had held forthright talks with chair of selectors George Bailey although did not elaborate on what was discussed.”George and I have spoken and that is where it will stay,” he said. “I had strong opinions on it and had a conversation, and that’s where it is. I spoke to George at length, it was a good conversation. Many different things were floated there.”With Australia not set to play another T20 until August in South Africa, Starc added the next World Cup in the format was down the list of his immediate thoughts but it remained on the radar.”I still have ambitions to play T20 cricket for Australia but it is a long time to the next one and a lot of water to go under the bridge,” he said. “So we will face that when we get to that.”Starc made a pointed reference about having the new ball in his hands in the one-day series against England. His biggest impact at the T20 World Cup came when he claimed two wickets in his first over against Ireland, which was the fifth of the innings, when the ball surprisingly shaped at the Gabba before he went on to concede 43 in his next three overs.”The white ball doesn’t swing much after a couple of overs,” he said. “It’s nice to take a new one and swing it. Obviously it is a role I have played for a very long time, so nice to have that role again tonight. If I do open the bowling, I bowl fast and swing it and try and hit the stumps.”It swung at the Gabba in the fifth over which is pretty rare for a white ball at the moment. It doesn’t mean that in a different role it won’t swing. I was given a different role for the World Cup and apart from probably the first over of the first game and a couple of balls here and there I probably played it pretty well.”However, Starc’s T20 numbers in recent years have slid. All his appearances in the format since 2015 have been at international level due to the schedule making in tough to play BBL and his decision to opt out of the IPL. He admits not playing in India could have hindered the development of his game but is at ease with the route he has taken.”It may have [hampered T20 bowling] but if I’d gone there, having no break and playing 12 months of the year, what does that affect? Do I break down? Does it affect my red-ball cricket? You can’t just sit there and go ‘he should go to the IPL’ because he’d be a better T20 bowler. What’s the downside of that? Do I give away a format of the game because I’m playing 12 months of the year? In my mind I don’t regret any of those decisions not to go. I wouldn’t change it.”I feel like particularly last year, if I take my Test cricket from the last 12-18 months, and how that’s benefited from the break that I’ve had through IPL periods, that’s paid for itself I guess. It’s always been my decision, and that is part of the reason that I do it, to give myself that break physically and mentally. And the other side of it is to see and spend time with my wife [Alysaa Healy] away from cricket. It’s hard enough juggling one cricket schedule, let alone two.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O elenco do São Paulo finalizou na tarde desta quarta-feira (15) seu último treinamento antes de enfrentar o Botafogo. A delegação embarcou em viagem para o Rio de Janeiro pouco depois do término das atividades.

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Após aquecimento, Rogério Ceni comandou uma atividade técnica e logo depois um trabalho coletivo, de 11 contra 11, com ajustes. Ao fim, houveum complemento com cobranças de faltas e pênaltis.

Diego Costa, que se ausentou do jogo contra o América-MG por conta de um edema na coxa, trabalhou normalmente com o restante do elenco. Já Andrés Colorado entrou novamente para a lista de desfalques.

Após retornar contra o América-MG e treinar sem problemas na última terça-feira (14), o jogador sentiu dores na coxa nesta quarta-feira (15), sendo submetido a exames de imagem, onde foi novamente constatadaoutra lesão no reto femoral direito, a mesma coxa que havia lesionado anteriormente, mas em outro local do grupo muscular.Gabriel Sara, Talles Costa, Moreira, Alisson e Nikão seguem em recuperação no REFFIS.

O São Paulo enfrenta o Botafogo nesta quinta-feira (16), às 16h, no estádio Nilton Santos.

Everything you need to know about Johan Bakayoko's salary details playing for PSV

Belgian youngster Johan Bakayoko made his senior debut with PSV in 2022, having previously impressed with Jong PSV.

Bakayoko is now an indispensable part of the PSV squad, playing as an attacker for the Dutch side and causing havoc down the right wing.

Initially signing a one-year deal with PSV in 2022, he later extended his contract by three years in 2023, keeping him at the club until 2026.

The Belgian is paid a substantial salary for his contributions, but compared to other stars in the squad, his earnings appear relatively modest.

Exactly how much does he earn at the Eindhoven side, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

• Johan Bakayoko's wages at PSV in numbers

  Bakayoko's updated three-year contract with PSV specifies a weekly income of €13,846, totaling €720,000 annually. While a key team member, Bakayoko's salary is relatively modest compared to other team stars.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Johan Bakayoko	Belgian	€13,846	€720,000

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• AFP
  

  Top earners at PSV

  Sergino Dest is PSV's highest-paid player, with compatriot Ricardo Pepi in third place. Dutch players Rick Karsdorp, Tyrell Malacia, and Luuk de Jong are in second, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Sergino Dest	American	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Rick Karsdorp	Dutch	€56,731	€2,950,000
  Ricardo Pepi	American	€45,192	€2,350,000
  Tyrell Malacia	Dutch	€45,192	€2,350,000
  Luuk de Jong	Dutch	€38,077	€1,980,000

• Top earners in Eredivisie

  Jordan Henderson, a former Liverpool player, has the highest wages in the Eredivisie, with Sergino Dest from PSV next. Daniele Rugani, an Italian player, is third, while fellow Ajax players Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis are fourth and fifth.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Jordan Henderson	Ajax	€90,000	€4,680,000
  Sergino Dest	PSV	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Daniele Rugani	Ajax	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Brian Brobbey	Ajax	€57,692	€3,000,000
  Steven Berghuis	Ajax	€56,731	€2,950,000

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• AFP
  

  Highest paid players in the world

  The salaries of Eredivisie players are significant but are lower compared to top global football players, with none making the top list.

  The top five earners are from the Saudi Pro League, led by Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr with the highest salary.

  Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is second, followed by Riyad Mahrez, previously with Manchester City and now at Al-Ahli, in third.

  Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages Euros	Annual wages Euros
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	€3,846,154	€200,000,000
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	€1,923,077	€100,000,000
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	€1,003,846	€52,200,000
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	€769,231	€40,000,000
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	€667,308	€34,700,000

Bangladesh fielding coach says team won’t take foot off the gas or rest players despite having already secured the series

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2022Bangladesh are eyeing a maiden ODI series sweep against India, and as a result, will not rest players or drop their intensity for the final game, according to their fielding coach Shane McDermott. The home side sealed the ODI series by winning the second game by five runs in Dhaka, but McDermott said that the team has learned enough lessons in the last two years not to put their guard down.All members of the Bangladesh squad came to their optional training session at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Friday, except Mehidy Hasan Miraz, captain Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Ebadot Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman.”You have to ask the selectors (about the playing XI) but when you are playing against India representing your country, unless there’s a workload management issue, I don’t think Bangladesh is in a position to rest players for the sake of resting players,” McDermott said. “We are not in the habit of winning consistently enough at the moment to have the luxury to leave good players out. We will be looking to pick our best team as often as possible, to win as many games as we can. The job is never done. We don’t take international matches lightly. This team has never beaten India 3-0, that’s a massive goal for us.Related

Test of India's resource depth as Bangladesh eye whitewash

Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami likely to miss Bangladesh Test series

Bowler to all-round match-winner – Mehidy Hasan Miraz comes of age

Blunt in the middle – India have a bowling problem to solve

“Even when we don’t win 3-0, we really pride ourselves on being hard to beat. We have come close against Pakistan in New Zealand. We came close to potentially making it to the T20 World Cup semi-finals. We have been competitive and we are in pressure moments more often than not. I know that after the series win, the boys have one eye on one more win in this ODI series.”Despite the series win, however, Bangladesh’s top order is a worry. They slipped to 69 for 6 after 19 overs in the second ODI, having already collapsed to 136 for 9, chasing 187, in the first game. Only Litton has looked in good form, while the rest have either given away promising starts or been dismissed early.”It has been a common concern for us. It will be a better wicket here (in Chattogram) with more value for shots. Our KPI from a batting point of view is to have one of our top five batter around till the 40th over, to take the game as deep as we can.”Guys are getting through that tough patch of the first 20 balls, the hardest time to bat. It is the next step now to take that 20 balls to 50-100 balls and that match-winning innings. Someone from the top five has to start doing it.”McDermott was happy with how Bangladesh have caught and fielded during this series. They dropped three chances in the series so far, taking eleven catches, and have generally improved their catching this year compared to 2021.Ebadot and Anamul Haque dropped two catches in the dying moments of India’s chase in the second ODI, but McDermott explained that he wouldn’t read too much into those drops as the team won in the end.”KL Rahul dropped one as well, so we all drop catches. Talking about the fear factor, we think about potentially what are the repercussions of dropping a catch when the ball is in the air. We see a lot of high balls dropped under lights, because fielders have time to think. Trying to train what we think when the ball is in the air, is a very hard task. But it can be learned.”When we drop catches under lights in critical moments, we create one of the greatest learning experiences. When the player walks off the ground, hopefully having won the game, we can easily say to them that look, catches don’t lose matches. It is a fact. It happens quite regularly. It is a part of the game.”Obviously we want to drop as few catches as possible. As a team, if we drop a catch, our support staff and our team are gelling together really well. We are trying to keep everyone’s spirits high. Who knows, it could be someone else tomorrow to drop one. We could lose the match, but as I said before, we are very happy with the way the boys are training and committing on and off the field,” he said.McDermott said that he is enjoying his second term in Bangladesh after spending couple of years as the National Cricket Academy’s head coach in the early 2000s. It was a period when the likes of Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah came through the NCA’s high performance unit to get into the senior team. He said that returning to Bangladesh earlier this year as the fielding coach was a smooth transition due to the friendships he had with many in the country.”I loved my experience here back in 2006 to 2008. I worked for the Academy, A team and national team 15 odd years ago. It was great to see the likes of Mahmudullah and Mushi debut and now working with them at the end of their career. I think they are surrounded by a very good group of young and positive players. We have a good base of four or five senior players. They have been excellent at nurturing new players into the squad.”It is nice having friendships with senior players a long time ago. It has made the transition of coming back a lot easier. I love to watch them grow. Shakib, Mushfiq and Mahmudullah are the best players the country has ever produced. It is a fact, statistically. It is very humbling to be back here to work with them again.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O fim de semana não terminou do jeito que a torcida do Fortaleza esperava. Após abrir 2 a 0 contra o Atlético-MG, o Leão foi superado dentro do Mineirão por 3 a 2.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

O resultado quebrou a chance de reação da equipe e deixou o Tricolor em situação delicada no Campeonato Brasileiro.

Lanterna

Como se não bastasse a presença na zona de rebaixamento, o Fortaleza viu o Juventude arrancar um empate contra o São Paulo fora de casa e ultrapassar na classificação.

Agora, o Tricolor fica com 10 pontos e afundado na lanterna. O Jaconero é o 19º, com 11 pontos.

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French football could be in for a massive change as reports claim that authorities are considering introducing play-offs for the Ligue 1 title.

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French FA mulling changes to Ligue 1 formatA final four playoff could be introducedFormat already in place for women's footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the French Football Federation (FFF) is evaluating bold reforms aimed at reshaping Ligue 1. Central to the proposed changes is a new play-off system that could determine the league champions through a knockout-style competition – a move that would significantly depart from the traditional points-based format used for decades.

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The FFF is exploring the possibility of introducing a ‘Final Four’ tournament to conclude the Ligue 1 season. This would see the top four teams battle it out for the title in a mini knock-out competition, with the winner crowned national champion.

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The proposed tournament would mirror the current structure used in the top division of women’s football in France. Under that system, the team finishing first in the regular season faces off against the fourth-placed side, while second and third meet in the other semi-final. The victors of each match then clash in a final showdown to decide the champion.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Paris Saint-Germain’s recent stranglehold on French football has amplified concerns about the lack of competition at the top of the table. The capital club recently clinched their fourth consecutive title, prompting renewed calls to make the division more balanced.

To address this, a reform task force led by Toulouse president Damien Comolli is weighing up a reimagined league format. The hope is that by introducing a play-off element, the race for the title will become less predictable and more compelling for fans and broadcasters alike. Initial reactions to the Final Four proposal have been largely encouraging. Multiple club officials and league stakeholders are said to be supportive of the concept, believing it could breathe new life into Ligue 1 and boost both domestic and international interest in the French game.

Richard Thompson, the ECB’s chair, has valued the Hundred at over £1 billion (US$1.2 billion) after confirming the ECB has received an offer for its newest competition, and anticipates others will be in the offing.Thompson suggested that reports of the offer, initially revealed by Sky News as a £400 million bid from Bridgepoint Group, were “exaggerated”. The London-listed buyout firm was supposedly interested in a 75% stake in the competition, which seems unworkable at present given Thompson’s insistence that any agreement would have to ensure the ECB retained overall control of the competition. He also confirmed the first-class counties were keen on the reported figure.Speaking in Rawalpindi on Saturday having arrived to take in England’s first Test in Pakistan for 17 years, Thompson, who took up his post in August, could not go into details but reiterated the need to consider any proposal with English cricket’s best interests at heart.”We have received an offer, and I can’t comment on the actual offer,” he said. “I would not be surprised if there are other offers. There’s a feeding frenzy in broadcasting rights of tournaments at the moment, so that reality of more interest in the game is bound to materialise. I’m determined we’re not going to be opportunistic about this, we’re going to be strategic. The tournament’s only two years old. Clearly there’s a value in it, and we expected there to be interest. Let’s see how things play out.”We understand there’s value in the tournament and teams, there’s lot of other untapped value in the game that goes beyond the Hundred as well. We shouldn’t fixate over one thing. What we won’t do is be opportunistic. We’ll think things through, and understand that we won’t sell the game short. Lucknow Super Giants, one team in the IPL sold for a billion. One team. That should establish a benchmark of value. I think we’ve got a long way to go before we do something. If offers want to be made, they will be made.”We can’t disclose what was in the offer, but it wasn’t what it appears to be,” he added. “We’ll continue to talk to the county chairs about this, and if this was an absolute game-changing offer that would wipe out the debts of English cricket, of course we would look at it. But it isn’t.”I don’t think people are giving money away at the moment, so I’d be surprised if someone came along with an offer you’d have to stop the press for and reflect on. But who knows?”Team ownership is the most likely first port of call for investment, and IPL owners are circling having bulked their portfolios with investment in other franchise competitions, such as the CPL, IT20 and SA20. One connection regularly mooted is between Mumbai Indians and Oval Invincibles, especially after Mukesh Ambani, owner of Mumbai Indians, attended a Hundred match in the 2022 season along with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who is an owner in Major League T20 having supported cricket’s expansion in the US.Thompson, previously a Hundred-sceptic when chair of Surrey, has been open to private investment since taking the post. But the importance of the ECB remaining in control of its product is vital, not least for county cricket and the summer at large.”I think the point is we’re the only country that plays in the northern hemisphere [during summer],” Thompson said. “I think the ECB would need to think very long and hard if we were to sell four or five weeks of the English summer to a third party. We all know how precious the schedule is at the minute. To look at the tournament and think we would sell four or five weeks of the summer would be a huge decision to take.”Incoming CEO Richard Gould, we opposed the Hundred for two sets of reason. I’m not going to be a hypocrite. We’ve come in and seen the success. It’s reached audiences the Blast wasn’t reaching, people are talking about Alice Capsey the way they would not be doing if she hadn’t made the impact she made on the Hundred, and women’s cricket wouldn’t have broken through the way it has. And we’re getting unsolicited offers in two years. So all these things mean we’ve got to take a competition like this very seriously.”Clearly it’s created a lot of tension in the sense that one of the reasons I opposed it in the first place was because I could see three domestic competitions, more international cricket, was causing so much challenge in the schedule – a fourth isn’t going to make matters easier.”That’s absolutely what has played out, and we need to find a way of somehow working with four competitions, where the Hundred doesn’t succeed at the expense of the Blast, one doesn’t cannibalise the other, and they can co-exist together. That’s going to take some doing, but we’ve got to find a way, because the Hundred is here to stay. We’ve signed that deal to 2028, and people are making offers. It’s creating an impact in two years that we didn’t expect to happen, but it’s also created some challenge and stress as well.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers crashed out of the FA Cup on penalties at the weekend to Bournemouth in what was yet another poor result for the Old Gold.

It was capped off by star man Matheus Cunha receiving his marching orders in the final minute of extra time, which means he will miss several matches over the next few weeks.

How the club could use a player like Raul Jimenez to lead the line in his absence, with the Brazilian having initially thought to have been the ideal heir for the Mexican striker upon his departure.

Molineux's cult hero: The numbers behind Raul Jimenez's Wolves career

The striker joined Wolves in 2018 ahead of their first season back in the Premier League, going on to score 17 goals in all competitions.

The following campaign was even better. Not only did the Old Gold finish seventh for the second season in a row, but Jimenez found the back of the net 27 times while chipping in with nine assists. Wolves even reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

2022/23

20

3

1

2021/22

36

6

5

2020/21

11

4

0

2019/20

55

27

10

2018/19

44

17

7

Jimenez’s talents in the final third were exceptional, but injuries soon began to plague him. A horrendous skull fracture in November 2020 ruled him out for the rest of the season and he was arguably never the same in the Midlands.

He would go on to score just nine further goals for the club, struggling to recapture his early form at Molineux and was sold to Fulham in the summer of 2023 for just £5.5m.

Jimenez has since scored 18 goals for the London side, with Wolves failing to find a proper heir to his cult hero status.

Wolves have found their next Raul Jimenez

If not the aforementioned Cunha, might Jorgen Strand Larsen be the ideal candidate?

The Norwegian striker joined the club on an initial loan deal last summer, which will be made permanent at the end of the season.

Seven goals and three assists is hardly the most prolific of returns, but three of these goals have come against Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham Hotspur, suggesting he loves playing against a higher-quality opposition.

Hailed by journalist Josh Bunting last August, he outlined qualities, specifically his ability to be in the right place at the right time, that evokes memories of Jimenez: “His movement off the ball really stands out to me,” Bunting noted. “He’s sharp on the ball and gets into the space really well.”

When compared to his positional peers in the Premier League, Larsen ranks in the top 1% for shots on target percentage (63.9%) per 90 and in the top 24% for aerials won (2.27) per 90. For context, Jimenez ranks in the top 21% for aerials won with 2.64, outlining their similar prowess when the ball is off the deck.

The 25-year-old will surely get better the more he plays in the top flight. With Cunha suspended due to his sending-off in the FA Cup clash against the Cherries, Larsen will need to step up over the next few weeks.

If he can score the goals which keep Wolves in the top flight, the supporters might rank him in the same breath as Jimenez.

Wolves think "incredible" £49.5m star may now leave amid Man Utd interest

Ruben Amorim is on a mission to provide Man Utd with strength in depth.

1 BySean Markus Clifford Mar 1, 2025

Restored and anew, Everton meet Brentford at the Gtech this evening with fresh energy, looking to bounce back from drawing against Manchester United at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Everton trudged off the pitch with a sense of injustice. A contentious VAR intervention ruled out a last-gasp penalty after Harry Maguire was cleared of sending Ashley Young to the turf. Matthijs de Ligt also appeared to pull his shirt.

But alas, Goodison Park was consigned to a second successive 2-2 draw, one week after James Tarkowski thundered

David Moyes’ side back to parity with effectively the last kick of the game. How the deliverance of the points shared determines the mood.

Still, the Toffees are now six games unbeaten in the Premier League, a far cry from the relegation-threatened, inspiration-lacking and unconfident outfit under Sean Dyche’s wing.

Brentford are an excellent team on their home patch, but this is a new version of Everton, there’s something different with Moyes back, and achieving victory is a very real possibility.

It won’t be easy though, not least as the Blues travel to the capital with a whole host of stars left in the infirmary.

Everton's latest injury blow

Everton’s medical room might need an emergency expansion, for Moyes has been dealt a spate of injuries since being helmed in.

Right-backs Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson are still out, while the on-loan Orel Mangala may not return this season. Dwight McNeil started the season in fine fettle but his recovery from a knee injury has been a slow and protracted thing, and he’s not going to be back any time soon.

The startling number of absentees across the frontline might have felt like a millstone around the Everton manager’s neck, but Moyes has shown he’s made of sterner stuff, enduring and indeed crafting a six-match unbeaten run, with four wins in the process.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti are all out of action, while Iliman Ndiaye faces weeks further on the side after suffering medial ligament damage against Liverpool.

To add insult to injury, right winger Jesper Lindstrom was withdrawn before the hour mark against Man United, with Moyes revealing he was struggling with illness.

If the Dane fails to recover in time, Moyes will have a problem on his hands – but he could find a solution by unleashing one versatile midfielder in a fresh role.

Moyes could unleash his star in fresh role

Bereft of options, but not ideas. Moyes arrived last month with a tactical plan that doesn’t differ greatly from Dyche’s pragmatic approach. Both are rooted in their workmanlike philosophies, hardly opposite ends of the scale.

But Moyes is more in tune with his team, more adaptable, more expansive with his vision. It is for this reason that Everton have been unshackled from the rut in which they languished, now looking to press against the top half of the Premier League.

Defeating Brentford would be a significant hurdle scaled, with Thomas Frank’s side currently six points ahead in 11th place. Moyes will need to muster all his tactical nous, especially if Lindstrom’s out for the count.

Positionally, Lindstrom is important for the success and fluency of Moyes’ frontline, but without a goal contribution across 26 Everton appearances this season, he’s hardly indispensable from a prolific standpoint.

That’s why Everton’s boss might be inclined to unleash James Garner on the right flank. An industrious and willing midfielder, Garner can match Lindstrom’s energy while offering a more serviceable style.

The 23-year-old began the 2023/24 campaign on the right flank and was used as a makeshift right-back earlier this season to combat injury blows, showcasing an impressive level of dynamism.

Central midfield

27

1

2

Defensive midfield

18

0

2

Right midfield

11

0

1

Right-back

3

0

0

Attacking midfield

3

0

0

Left midfield

1

0

0

It’s not like Moyes doesn’t have ways to damage the Bees in the box. Indeed, Beto has been in inspired form over the past several weeks, scoring five goals from his past four Premier League games.

Before, the Guinea Bissau international had bagged four goals from 45 fixtures in England’s top flight. Playing with all the vim and vigour, Beto could feed on Garner’s work-rate and creativity.

After all, the Cobham youth graduate has been hailed for his “phenomenal” ball-playing ability in the past by pundit Trevor Sinclair.

As per Sofascore, Garner has averaged four successful duels per game in the Premier League this season, winning 55%. He’s also created two big chances from just six starting displays, a moderate return.

A balanced and somewhat unorthodox take on the right-sided role could ensure that Everton manage to bypass Frank’s high-energy, intense pressing style.

Lindstrom has only put out an average of 0.4 dribbles and 0.8 key passes per league match in 2024/25, despite playing the entirety of the campaign on that flank.

In contrast, Garner’s natural inclination toward breaching defences with his deliveries has seen him rack up 0.6 and 0.7 averages across the same metrics, bespeaking the suitability for the job that previously convinced Dyche that he had an apt utility option to unleash.

Whether Everton manage to defeat a Brentford side with the seventh-best home record in the Premier League this term remains to be seen. The Toffees are a lowly 16th in the away rankings.

But, how much should we dig into this? Are Everton not new and improved on the road, with Moyes in the dugout? Crystal Palace were felled in south London less than two weeks ago, Brighton at the AMEX before that.

Scrap the form table, this is a different Everton. If Lindstrom is unavailable, well, Garner can shift into a fresh role – such is the new confidence about this outfit, willing and able to overcome setbacks.

He hated Dyche: Everton struck gold selling Toffees flop for 370% profit

Everton aren’t renowned for being the best when it comes to buying & selling, but they struck gold making 370% profit on a player struggling in Saudi

ByBen Gray Feb 25, 2025

Everton and James Tarkowski made it a Goodison goodbye to remember in an affair full of drama as he slammed home at the death to snatch a point and dent what has seemed an inevitable Liverpool title charge.

Everton player ratings

Jordan Pickford – 6

Although the England number one had little to do, it was a frustrating evening for Jordan Pickford who parried Curtis Jones’ effort into the path of Salah as Liverpool found what they believed to be the winner.

Jake O'Brien – 8

One of O’Brien’s best performances in an Everton shirt as he continues to make up for a slow start in a rejuvenated run under David Moyes, he was unfortunate not to end the game with three points.

James Tarkowski – 8

Dominant up against Luis Diaz and then against Darwin Nunez, Tarkowski enjoyed an evening to savour, equalising with a thumping finish at the death to send Goodison Park into bedlam.

Jarrad Branthwaite – 7.5

Just like his centre-back partner, Branthwaite enjoyed a fine evening, and continues to rediscover last season’s form as he made what seemed like a million clearances.

Vitaliy Mykolenko – 5.5

Back from injury, the Ukraine endured a quiet evening and summed that up with a late cross into the stands just when Everton needed a pinpoint delivery.

James Garner – 6

Although not as prominent as his teammates, Garner still managed to push his side onto the front foot in what could have resulted in victory on another day.

Idrissa Gueye – 7.5

Among those who deserved three points at Goodison Park, Idrissa Gueye took control in the middle of the park in a scrappy affair, breaking up play throughout.

Jesper Lindstrom – 6

Did well to keep Andrew Robertson busy and push the Liverpool frontline into their defensive half, albeit whilst failing to make his mark on the scoresheet.

Abdoulaye Doucoure – 7

Moving up next to Beto at times, Doucoure handed Virgil van Dijk a rare uncomfortable game, but loses marks for heading a crucial chance wide of the mark. Sent off after the full-time whistle to add to the drama.

Iliman Ndiaye – 6

Earning the free-kick which led to Beto’s opening strike, Ndiaye left his mark before limping off in tears midway through the half. Everton will certainly be hoping for a swift return.

Beto – 9

One of the best games that he has enjoyed at Goodison Park, Beto handed Ibrahima Konate a nightmare at times in a true derby battle, whilst also netting his third goal in two league games.

Substitutes: Jack Harrison, Carlos Alcaraz, Tim Iroegnunam

Liverpool player ratings

Alisson – 7

The Brazilian would have been left angered by his side’s lack of sharpness for Beto’s goal, but otherwise enjoyed a quiet game on the shot-stopping front.

Conor Bradley – 6

In a game full of angst, Conor Bradley was among several who received a booking from Michael Oliver, before he tested the referee’s patience with one foul too many for Arne Slot, who hooked the right-back on the hour mark.

Ibrahima Konate – 6.5

Losing a crucial aerial battle in the dying embers, Konate will be desperate to move on from what was a difficult evening at times up against Beto.

Virgil van Dijk – 7.5

Unusually scrappy by his standards and forced to shift out of first gear by a resilient Beto and Doucoure, but still mopped up with aplomb several times.

Andrew Robertson – 6

Again Liverpool’s achilles heel at times, Robertson – like many – failed to escape Oliver’s book and faced the same fate as Bradley when Slot introduced Kostas Tsimikas.

Ryan Gravenberch – 6.5

By his standards, the Dutchman struggled to take control of proceedings and instead found himself sucked into a scrappy affair before Slot brought his game to an end on the hour mark.

Alexis Mac Allister – 7

Found an excellent equaliser by heading home despite his unlikely aerial prowess. Mac Allister is creating a habit of enjoying important moments.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 6.5

Entering the derby in fine form, Szoboszlai struggled to gain control at times up against a frantic Everton midfield. Tested Pickford with a fine effort in the first half.

Mohamed Salah – 8

For a moment, it looked as though the Egyptian King was set to bow out at Goodison Park with one last royal goodbye, only for Tarkowski to spoil his moment.

Luis Diaz – 4

Continuing Liverpool’s number nine problem, Diaz struggled to get into the game and continued to look like a player shoehorned out of position.

Cody Gakpo – 6

Unusually quiet despite recent form, Gakpo followed the initial trend of a frustrating night for Liverpool’s frontline before being replaced by Darwin Nunez.

Substitutes: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kostas Tsimikas, Darwin Nunez, Curtis Jones