Faith in Crawley epitomises coach’s desire to take the sport back to its basics

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Sep-2022Ahead of South Africa’s second innings in the opening Test match of their 2007 series with New Zealand, a 24-year-old Hashim Amla was circling the drain. A maiden century for the No.3 batter in April 2006 had been followed by just four fifties in a run of 23 innings spanning 19 months, the last of which featured him being beaten all ends up by Shane Bond on day one of the series, in Johannesburg.The knives were being sharpened ahead of Amla’s second go, which many posited could be his last if things went a similar way. And when Bond found the edge again off an attempted square drive when Amla had just two runs by his name, there was a split-second when perhaps even the man himself wondered if this, his 16th Test appearance, was going to be his last.The edge, however, was dropped. It proved a catastrophic miss: Amla seized his lifeline and scored 176 not out in a total of 422 for three. He followed that immediately with 103 in the second Test at Centurion and eventually called time on his own terms 12 years later, with 28 hundreds and an average of 46.64 across a glittering 125-cap career.The person who dropped Amla on that fateful day in November 2007 was Brendon McCullum. And the reason that’s important is because, though he kicked himself behind the stumps during the eight-and-a-half hours in which Amla was doing his thing in front of them, the Kiwi was struck by the manner in which the error was seized upon. Amla was liberated from his funk by the idea that he had nothing left to lose. He forgot about the travails, the struggle, the emotional toil of being so out of nick, and just started playing the game he wanted to play. He never looked back.That sense of playing for love is something McCullum carried with him, and has been steadily reinforced during his playing career, particularly with the passing of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes. It is a mindset England’s managing director Rob Key identified with when the pair first spoke about the job he has now, and it has subsequently driven the England men’s Test side to six wins out of seven in the first summer under McCullum’s watch.Perhaps the situation around Zak Crawley epitomises the ethos McCullum believes he saw Amla unlock that day. In the midst of his consistent selection over the summer, every new failure has taken Crawley that little bit closer to an “ah screw it” approach, and there is a quiet hope the 69 not out to close out the summer and secure England a 2-1 series win over South Africa will prove to be just that moment. The domineering strokeplay that McCullum and Ben Stokes had talked up became abundantly clear in the 36 deliveries it took Crawley to reach a first half-century of the summer.But, really, the most productive aspect of McCullum’s approach has been the liberation of a group of players who had become accustomed to the seriousness with which England treated the sport of Test cricket, but dismayed by the impact on their lives and fortunes. McCullum has steadily stripped away a lot of the formality of the format, aided by captain Ben Stokes who has long found elements of ECB-ness too constricting: whether that’s allowing players to show up when they want on the mornings of games (provided they’re ready by 10.50am), McCullum’s own wireless stereo blaring in the dressing-room or discouraging players from watching their dismissals immediately after getting out. On one occasion, when Jonny Bairstow was starting to query a bad shot – and there weren’t many of those this summer – McCullum ordered him to sit next to him and talk about anything but cricket. Bairstow was in the form of his life, and there was no need to obsess over one of the few mistakes he had made. The game is serious business, and there’s no need to take it too seriously.”I don’t really do a lot, to be honest,” McCullum said with a smile after the Oval Test. “Just let the guys do what they’re born to do – to play cricket in the style and manner they want, and try to bring the group together and make sure they’re enjoying themselves.Ben Duckett (left) is a player pushing for an opportunity in England’s revitalised Test team•Getty Images”Sometimes when you’re playing this game … you start off as a kid and it’s so much fun, and you get thrust into the bright lights and the big cities and the expectations are thrown on you, the enjoyment can go out of the game, and it can start to lead to negativity seeping in.”My job is to ensure that we’re always reminding ourselves that this job is meant to be the greatest time of our life, being a cricketer at the highest level, and trying to create memories that you look back over in time. That’s the results, but it’s also the fun and the camaraderie that you build up. Hopefully we’ve been able to achieve that.”At the age of 40, McCullum speaks from a position of experience. As a player, his career spanned three decades, but it was only in his final years as New Zealand’s captain that he believes he found the right balance. Ultimately, he embraced the notion you are there to entertain and should enjoy that responsibility above all else. A cricketer’s active years are too short to be doing otherwise.”I’ve had the benefit of a career in cricket as well, with the ups and the downs, and I had a young family early, and you get used to a bit of chaos at times,” he said. “You find a way to deal with it. I like to keep things pretty relaxed, and the guys seem to enjoy that relaxed nature as well. It seems to be working at the moment, but we’ll see.”Looking back on the summer, he admits to being surprised at how good the England team have been. And, to be honest, he’s right – a side with one win from 17 have suddenly come into a run of six wins out of seven, against New Zealand (three), India (one) and South Africa (two). Even in home conditions – which, it should be said, have not been uniform – it is a remarkable shift from a dark period in English cricket.”I knew there was a lot of talent in English cricket,” he added. “I didn’t realise it was this much and the guys were as good as what they are. With Stokesy, I thought he’d be good as a leader, but I didn’t realise he’d be quite as good as what he is. You put all those elements into the pot, and you play against good opposition and still find a way to succeed, you look back on the summer and say that was pretty good fun.”Stokes’ emergence as a talismanic skipper ranks as one of the highlights of McCullum’s first season in charge, particularly the way he has been able to inspire those around him while reinforcing the coach’s positive mantra in such a short space of time. Others include Jack Leach’s ten-wicket match haul against New Zealand at Headingley, Joe Root’s three centuries at the start of the summer and Jonny Bairstow’s re-emergence as a dominator of the red ball. His stand-out, however, is England’s response to defeat in the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s, both in the immediate aftermath and the two victories that followed.Zak Crawley’s first fifty since March helped seal the third Test at a canter•Getty Images”Even when we lost at Lord’s, you wouldn’t have known we’d lost in the dressing-room, and that’s such an important aspect of success and failure,” he said. “It’s a fine line, right? If your emotions are going to float up and down based on results, then you’re guessing.”The thing I was really pleased about was the way the guys responded to that performance, and they didn’t change at all. They’d keep turning up, still had the smiles on their faces, stuck together as a group, and hence we were able to hold the fort and get the results, Pressed on it, I’d probably say that was my favourite moment – the response to Lord’s.”Ahead of the series against Pakistan, areas of improvement will be picked out and rectified. The most glaring would seem to be the opening positions, though McCullum appears willing to give Crawley and Alex Lees more time, even with another attacking option in Ben Duckett waiting in the wings.”The last two guys who nailed it at the top of the order are both called ‘Sir’ in this country,” he joked, referencing the knighted pair of Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook. “So it’s not an easy thing to do. We’ve got to allow these guys the time and opportunity to develop. If you spend your whole days as a selector, as a coach or a captain, trying to catch form, you make things very difficult for yourself. You’ve got to give them an extended period of time, and allow that talent to come out.”He stopped short of pencilling Lees and Crawley in for the first Test at Rawalpindi in December, perhaps sensing the duty to those beyond a squad and an XI that has seen very little change. “Another thing I’ll say though, is that are some very good players out there, and we’ve seen that with some of the guys who have come in,” he added. “There are certainly some areas we can improve, but overall we’ve got to give it a resounding success.”For McCullum, the tougher days are ahead. Not so much because other teams are on watch after a summer which has drawn a lot of eyes and made a lot of noise. But rather because maintaining this will only get more difficult as time goes by.Related

• Joe Root: 'I've never had more fun playing professional cricket'

• How callow South Africa ceded the psychological high ground

• The shortest completed Test in England in 110 years

• The bell still tolls for Zak Crawley, despite vital return on investment

To call this a honeymoon period would suggest ignorance to the reality of Test cricket, which certainly isn’t the case. Yet you do wonder if we are not too far off from encountering a few contradictions: for example, at what point does backing someone for as long as possible in the XI become not backing the bloke who is next in? Already a handful of players posting good County Championship numbers have sought conversations about what more they need to do. That is only a good thing in the short term, as it shows just how desperate they are to be a part of all this. But the offshoot is a fear this is all a closed shop, which could breed resentment.Perhaps, though, that is taking things a little too seriously. Perhaps, even to entertain that notion, at a time when an England team have put together more Test wins in a summer than they have since 2004, is a bit like winning a sports car and immediately worrying about the insurance.After all, this is just a game. It’s all supposed to be fun. The serious stuff will be addressed when it needs to be.”You do plan forever in this job,” McCullum said, when asked about how the future might look. “But you’ve got to live as if you’ll die tomorrow as well. You’ve got to make sure that, while you do have an eye on what’s coming, that you don’t get too far ahead of yourselves. We’ve still got a couple of months before we have to head over there. Let’s just enjoy this one.”

Minus Zian Flemming’s late penalty for Burnley at St James’ Park, Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over the relegation-threatened Clarets on Saturday was rather straightforward.

Scott Parker’s men never gave in, but after Anthony Gordon stroked home his fourth penalty of the season, there was a sense of inevitability that the Magpies were going to secure a sixth Premier League victory of the campaign, especially as the away side had to play all of the second half with just ten men.

It was far from vintage, but Newcastle will be pleased that they now enter into the upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with a confidence-boosting win under their belt.

Then, it’s a tough encounter with Chelsea in league action, before more and more clashes come their way across the bumper Christmas period.

Before you know it, Eddie Howe’s men will be concerning themselves with matters in the January transfer window, as plenty of new signings are tipped to move to Tyneside.

Newcastle's transfer latest

Away from any new arrivals, though, Yoane Wissa lining up for Howe and Co against Burnley would have felt like a fresh signing in itself, as the injury-plagued striker finally pulled on Toon black and white, after exiting Brentford in the summer.

Still, even with Wissa’s return, Newcastle have been credited as being interested in the services of Bees goal machine Igor Thiago, as Keith Andrews fears another Magpies swoop could be forthcoming.

Of course, there is also constant talk bubbling away that Elliot Anderson might well seal a Tyneside return from Nottingham Forest.

Yet, with a ludicrous £100m price tag above the England international’s head, Newcastle might well be better placed to seek out cheaper alternatives, as Hungarian sensation Alex Tóth is allegedly catching the Premier League side’s eye.

Already garnering a lot of hype in his native country for Robbie Keane’s Ferencváros TC, Football Insider has now revealed that a £13m bid could be accepted down the line for the 20-year-old’s services, with Newcastle and Bundesliga clubs eyeing up the emerging talent.

Newcastle could be tempted to land such a promising midfield gem if he is available at such a cut-price fee, with the lingering disappointment of letting Anderson go prematurely, softened somewhat by the Budapest-born star’s arrival.

How Toth could be Anderson 2.0

Newcastle must still have restless nights about the decision to sell Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024, after the homegrown Toon prodigy had made 55 promising appearances in the first team ranks.

He was only just getting started at St James’ Park, though, with hindsight on side, as the 23-year-old is now a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up, and for good reason.

He’s made a mind-blowing 8.4 ball recoveries per game this season in Premier League action, and won 7.8 duels per match, gifting him the label of being an “elite” performer at the very top by analyst and social media personality Statman Dave.

Likewise, journalist Bence Bocsak has tipped the Ferencváros number 64 to go to “the top” too, with a new Anderson-style project potentially on Newcastle’s hands if they land Tóth this January.

Games played

17

12

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

7

1

Touches*

65.9

54.5

Accurate passes*

37.6 (84%)

32.8 (87%)

Big chances created

8

4

Ball recoveries*

4.2

2.0

Total duels won*

4.8

4.0

Winning four duels per fixture his season in Fizz Liga action, Tóth isn’t a million miles off the high-octane approach Anderson is known for. He even regularly lines up for Hungary, alongside Liverpool faces Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, off the back of these well-drilled showings, with three ground duels successfully won against the Republic of Ireland, just last month.

But, as per analyst page Football Wonderkids, it’s also his well-rounded ability to chip in with goals and assists and tidily play the ball about the pitch that makes him a “special talent” worthy of a Premier League switch, with a standout 11 goal contributions tallied up across his last two league seasons. Like Anderson, therefore, he’s got a goal involvement from the middle of the park in him too.

This has further led to the aforementioned Bocsak hailing the £13m asset as a “modern day midfielder” who is capable of everything, much like Anderson, who has three goals and seven assists for the Tricky Trees in total, yet is also known as a “warrior” for his defensive grit by Como scout Ben Mattinson.

Of course, if Tóth were to make the move to England, he wouldn’t become an Anderson-like talent overnight in his new, intimidating surroundings.

But, for just £13m, it’s surely worth the gamble that he could morph into Newcastle’s second coming of their departed midfielder in time.

He once cost £38.5m: Newcastle plot concrete move to sign "brilliant" PL star

He desperately needs a move.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 7, 2025

Eddie Howe will pray his up-and-down Newcastle United side can put their woes on the road behind them when they make the short trip to arch rivals Sunderland on Sunday.

Away from home this season in the Premier League to date, the Toon only have one win to shout about, which was an emphatic 4-1 success over Everton.

Worryingly, though, if you are remove the joy of that win on Merseyside, Newcastle have drawn three and lost three from their other six encounters away from St James’ Park, meaning Sunderland will be confident they can get one over on their hot-and-cold near neighbours tomorrow.

Howe will be pondering what changes he can make for the crunch clash at the Stadium of Light, with Joelinton looking likely to miss out, in part due to injury, but also after he looked ropey yet again this season, versus Bayer Leverkusen.

Joelinton's regression this season at Newcastle

Journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the Brazilian limped off versus Leverkusen with a groin issue and will now be assessed, as to whether he can play some role in the Tyne-Wear Derby.

A couple of seasons back, losing Joelinton for such a huge tie would have been seen as disastrous, with the 29-year-old coming into his own in Newcastle black and white during the 2022/23 season, when he collected six goals and four assists in Premier League action.

That same campaign, the vibrant number seven would also average a ridiculous seven duels won per Premier League contest, as per Sofascore, but it’s clear now – when not taking a trip down memory lane – that Joelinton has significantly regressed.

From 13 games so far in the league this season, Joelinton is yet to pick up a single goal or assist, with his duels won count also taking a beating, as seen in him averaging just 4.1 per contest.

Against Leverkusen, even if injury did bring his game to a halt, Howe would have likely taken him off, anyway, with the out-of-sorts South American only winning two of his nine duels, as he cut a lethargic figure throughout.

With Howe needing all of his players to be on their A-Game against the Black Cats, it would be an almighty risk to stick with Joelinton, with injury troubles impacting him.

Joelinton isn’t the only instantly recognisable first team face who has regressed as of late, however, as this other well-established presence fears he might be dropped for the Tyne-Wear Derby.

The "really poor" Newcastle star who could be dropped

Even if Newcastle’s away form this season was sparkling, they would find it hard to get the better of a Sunderland side surprisingly competing near the top of the division, after promotion.

Transfer Focus

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

The midfield battle could be crucial as Newcastle try to pick up their first win at the Stadium of Light since 2011, with the energetic Lewis Miley perhaps preferred to Joelinton as the young Englishman prepares to do battle with Granit Xhaka.

Additionally, Sandro Tonali could also potentially be chucked to one side in another bold alteration centrally, having been “really poor” last time out, in the view of journalist Luke Edwards.

While the Italian would cover a vast 11.5km during the match through runs alone, which included this fast-paced sprint back late on after he slipped, Tonali didn’t always cut an assured figure in Germany, which is unusual for a man once noted as being “world-class” for his ability on the ball by reporter Carlo Garganese.

Tonali would come off at the end of the 2-2 draw with possession given up a costly eight times, with the number eight arguably at fault for Alejandro Grimaldo’s late equaliser, as he lackadaisically went about his business, while the Spaniard found space to slot home.

The worry will be that Howe is overusing Tonali when he ought to give him a rest, much like he has done with Joelinton, who is showing clear signs of rust now in the heart of the Newcastle midfield, with the former AC Milan battler being dropped to the bench for five games already this season, subsequently.

Against Everton and Burnley when he was rested, Newcastle would still manage to come out on top and win the contests, with Howe now potentially preparing to ditch Tonali again, owing to his comments that the former Serie A star looked a “little bit tired” against Kasper Hjulmand’s hosts.

Both Joelinton and Tonali have largely been mainstays under Howe in recent seasons, but if dropping the leggy midfield duo for the game at Sunderland enhances the overall team unit, both players should miss out, as a real team effort will be key if the Toon want to gain bragging rights over the Black Cats.

Newcastle star could miss Sunderland game after new injury "issue" emerges

An ill-timed blow for the Magpies.

By
Tom Cunningham

4 days ago

Arsenal’s worst performance of the Mikel Arteta era to date? Quite possibly.

This season has been a brilliant one for the Gunners so far but as Wolves came to town, the team at the bottom of the Premier League table, Arteta’s side didn’t look up to the task.

They struggled to create much of note, relying on two own goals to win 2-1. Their defence was also well below-par. Since Gabriel Magalhaes got injured, they have not been the same side.

Fortunately, though, Arsenal found a hero in the form of Bukayo Saka.

The winger put the team on his back, swinging in the corner that led to Sam Johnstone’s own goal. Then, with the clock running down and Wolves looking like they’d rescued a point, Saka popped up again.

This time it was from open play. He got the ball on the right, put in an inch-perfect delivery, and it was headed into his own net by Yerson Mosquera.

So what went wrong?

Why Arsenal struggled to beat Wolves

As poor as Arsenal were at the Emirates on Sunday, you have to credit Wolves.

The Old Gold have been dire this term but they headed to the capital and played with a renewed sense of organisation, a new sense of grit and fight.

The fact that they scored what they thought was a goal to win them a point said it all. Out of nowhere, Tolu Arokadare headed the ball home with only injury time remaining.

This was a battle for Arsenal and that goal proved it. For that strike, their defending was notably poor. Arteta acknowledged that.

Speaking at full-time, he said that his team showed “horrible defensive habits” before the Wolves goal, suggesting that it was “unacceptable”. Quite.

Chalkboard

That said, they were also abject in the final third. Arsenal created just two big chances, only forced the goalkeeper into one save and had two shots on target.

Against a side who have amassed two points all season, to quote Arteta, that is unacceptable.

What didn’t help, once again, was the performance of a certain Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede scored 54 times in 2024/25 but has really struggled since coming back to England. He now looks like he’s suffering from a lack of confidence.

The three performances he’s put in since returning from injury have been really worrying. He didn’t have a single shot in his 45-minute cameo a week ago against Aston Villa and then after being given a start against Club Brugge in Europe, left the pitch after the hour mark having managed just four passes. He only had one shot of note, too.

Against Wolves, he was just as bad. He struggled to get on the end of chances and barely saw any of the action, completing just three passes. If Arteta’s side are to win the league, then they need far more from their marquee summer signing.

Arsenal star was as bad as Gyokeres vs Wolves

For Arsenal’s forward line this has been a puzzling season to date. In the early months of the campaign, the team were accused of relying on set-pieces. Yet, over the last month, they’ve not scored a single goal from a set play in the league.

Their open play threat has improved significantly. That was until Wolves came to town.

The attacking threat on this occasion, Saka aside, was virtually non-existent. The fact that Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli all failed to last 90 minutes said it all.

While Gyokeres will take a lot of the blame for the bluntness in attack, Martinelli must also take some criticism.

Having scored a brilliant goal in midweek, curling the ball in from range, he was back to his usual inconsistencies on Saturday.

What summed up the Brazilian’s performance was his header from one of Declan Rice’s first-half corners. A deep ball to the back post found Martinelli and standing a matter of yards out from the goal, he somehow headed the ball off target.

Minutes played

57

Touches

33

Accurate passes

12/18 (67%)

Shots

4

Shots on target

0

Big chances missed

1

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/1

Successful dribbles

1/2

Possession lost

11x

Ground duels won

4/6

Aerial duels won

0/2

Truth be told, the winger struggled to get the better of an ageing Matt Doherty on Wolves’ right flank. Martinelli only completed one dribble and succeeded with a dire 67% of his passes.

While the 24-year-old did have four shots, not a single one of them was on target. Not great at all.

In the words of GOAL’s Charles Watts, he was largely “disappointing”. It was a performance way below what we’ve come to expect from him this season.

In the Champions League, the Brazilian has scored in five consecutive games but domestically, he’s leaving a lot to be desired.

When Arsenal face Everton next week, Arteta must ensure that Martinelli is back on the bench with Leandro Trossard – arguably the club’s best forward this season – selected ahead of him.

Only 3 passes all game vs Wolves: Arsenal star must now be dropped

Arsenal struggled to beat basement club Wolves on Saturday night.

ByMatt Dawson 1 day ago

Crystal Palace may have a big decision to make in the January transfer window, with it being revealed Real Madrid are preparing a bid for one of their key players.

Palace fighting for European qualification

Palace have taken major strides under the helm of Oliver Glasner, winning the FA Cup for the first time in their history last season, which granted qualification for the Europa Conference League, and they are now knocking on the door to make it to Europe once again.

The Eagles are flying high in the Premier League, currently sitting in fourth, moving into the Champions League places as a result of a 2-1 victory away at Fulham last time out.

Adam Wharton once again put in a top-quality performance, assisting Eddie Nketiah’s opening goal, with the Englishman attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool ahead of the January transfer window.

Real Madrid have also been named as potential suitors for Wharton in the past, but he is not the only Crystal Palace star of interest to the Champions League club, according to a report from Spain, which states they are now preparing a €40m (£35m) offer for Marc Guehi.

Guehi has been identified as the ideal target for the Spanish side, who are looking to bring in a new centre-back in the January transfer window, given that Éder Militão is set to spend up to four months on the treatment table.

The Eagles will have a big decision to make in the January transfer window, given that Glasner has already made it clear Guehi wants to leave in 2026, and they are currently at risk of losing him on a free transfer in the summer.

Palace sanctioning Guehi's departure would be major risk

Palace currently have a real opportunity to make more history this season, given that they are currently in the Champions League places, and letting their captain leave next month would jeopardise their chances of finishing in the top four.

The England international has been Glasner’s most consistent performer in the Premier League this season, averaging a 7.40 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player in the squad.

Crystal Palace eyeing January move for goal-scoring star with 13 G/A in 2025

The Eagles have identified a new target, ahead of a potential winter move.

ByDominic Lund 6 days ago

The 25-year-old has averaged 2.03 tackles per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 87th percentile compared to other centre-backs, while he has also displayed his attacking qualities, picking up two goals and three assists in the Premier League this season.

Although it may be difficult to resist a big January bid for Guehi, given that he is set to leave in the summer, Crystal Palace should resist any approaches and keep the centre-back until the end of the season.

Manchester United have now submitted a £26m opening offer for a former Premier League striker, who has been in impressive form this season.

Man Utd looking to sign new striker amid Sesko's slow start

Benjamin Sesko’s Man United career is yet to truly take off, having scored two goals in his first 11 Premier League games, and the Slovenian striker has missed the last two matches due to a knee injury, with Joshua Zirkzee leading the line against Crystal Palace last time out.

With Zirkzee ending his goal drought in the 2-1 triumph against the Eagles, it remains to be seen whether Sesko will be able to force his way back into the side upon his return, but the Dutchman could be on the move in the January transfer window.

West Ham United are now planning to sign Zirkzee this winter as a replacement for Niclas Fullkrug, with AS Roma also being credited as potential suitors, and the 24-year-old departing would exacerbate the need for Ruben Amorim to bring in a new centre-forward.

According to a report from Spain, Man United have now submitted an offer of around €30m (£26m) for Real Betis striker Cucho Hernandez, who has emerged as an important player for the Spanish side under the helm of Manuel Pellegrini.

The bid is said to be ‘financially attractive’ to Betis, but the La Liga side now have a big decision to make, given that Cucho could be the key to them having a successful season, and it would be difficult to replace him.

United are looking to bring in forwards capable of providing ‘energy, mobility and goals’, and they have decided the 26-year-old fits the bill, off the back of an impressive 2025-26 campaign thus far…

Cucho impressing in La Liga and Europa League

The Colombian recently scored his first Europa League goal of the season in Betis’ 2-1 victory against Utrecht, and he has also put in some eye-catching displays in La Liga, chipping in with five goals and two assists in 14 games.

The former Watford man has some Premier League experience too, scoring five goals in 25 matches for the Hornets in the 2021-22 campaign, during which time Claudio Ranieri said: “I love him, because always during the training session he gives 100 per cent. He wants to score, he wants to shoot. He is a fighter. I love these kinds of people.”

Related "Elite" England star now Ruben Amorim's number one target at Man Utd

Man United are looking to strengthen in the middle of the park.

Posts ByDominic Lund Dec 3, 2025

Man United should have reservations about signing Cucho, given that the centre-forward wasn’t exactly prolific during his previous stint in England, but he could be a decent back-up option for Sesko, should Zirkzee move on this winter.

كشف أحمد حسن مدير منتخب مصر الثاني، حقيقة رحيل محمد شريف عن صفوف الفراعنة المشاركين في بطولة كأس العرب الحالية في قطر.

وتواجه منتخبا مصر والكويت، في الجولة الأولى من منافسات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب، على ملعب استاد لوسيل، بالمباراة التي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1.

طالع | محمد عواد: تصدي بسام نقطة تحول أمام الكويت.. وهدفنا صدارة المجموعة

ونشر أحمد حسن عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”: “محمد شريف مستمر بشكل طبيعي في معسكر المنتخب الوطني في قطر ولا صحة للشائعات المتداولة بشأن استبعاده”.

واختتم: “ولا أدري لماذا تثار تلك الشائعات في ذلك التوقيت بدلًا من دعم المنتخب في البطولة”.

وكان محمد شريف أبدى اعتراضه أثناء استبداله في مباراة مصر والكويت، حيث وجه بعض الكلمات إلى حلمي طولان المدير الفني.

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A Conmebol sorteou nesta segunda-feira (3) os confrontos das oitavas de final da Copa Libertadores 2025, e pelo segundo ano seguido, o Verdão vai encarar um time brasileiro por uma vaga nas quartas.

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O Palmeiras de Abel Ferreira vai desafiar o Botafogo de Jhon Textor por uma vaga entre as oito melhores equipes do continente, marca que o clube vem alcançando desde 2018.

Do lado direito e mais forte da chave, o time de Abel Ferreira pode encarar o São Paulo novamente nas quartas, assim como na campanha do Tri, em 2021, caso passe do Fogão, e o tricolor passe do Nacional-URU, claro.

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Já numa hipotética semifinal, o Palmeiras pode encarar o Flamengo, que teria que passar por Bolívar e depois do vencedor entre Peñarol e o primeiro colocado do grupo C (que pode ser o Grêmio).

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Do outro lado da chave, o Palmeiras pode encontrar numa possível final alguns campeões de Libertadores, como River Plate, Atlético-MG, San Lorenzo e Fluminense.

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CA’s medical staff will look into Khawaja’s back spasm and the coach says the batting order will be discussed leading into the Brisbane Test after Head’s heroics

Alex Malcolm24-Nov-2025

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has said there will be further investigation into Usman Khawaja’s back issue in the lead-up to the Brisbane Test and admitted the selectors have “a lot to consider” around the batting order after Travis Head’s match-winning performance as a stand-in opener.Australia’s players and staff flew to their home cities on Sunday after the first Ashes Test finished inside two days in Perth.Khawaja’s back spasms have become a major talking point, with the 38-year-old unable to open in both innings and only able to bat once in the game. He also dropped a catch at slip before leaving the field in England’s second innings.Related

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McDonald confirmed that the medical staff would look into the injury further as Khawaja has never suffered a back spasm of that nature in his lengthy career.”There was discussions around further investigation to whether it was more serious than what we sort of first anticipated,” McDonald said on Monday. “So we’ll work through that. We’ll get a squad together. We’ll step through everything that we normally step through.”We get to camp in six days’ time. It’s a long way out, a lot of information to gather between now and then, and hopefully Usman is fit and available for selection.”I think anytime you spasm, it’s a result of something going on in your back. So I think that further investigation is just due diligence around that. You spasm for a reason. He hasn’t had it before, so that’s what will probably entail a bit more further investigation.”My gut feel is that it should be okay, but as I said, we’ll wait for that information to present.”McDonald dismissed Khawaja’s age as a reason for the back issue flaring up. Khawaja did play 18 holes of golf on each of three days leading into the Test match (54 holes in total), something he had done previously leading into a Test without issue. But McDonald, like CA chief executive Todd Greenberg, reiterated that it had never caused a problem before.”These things can happen,” McDonald said. “And I don’t think you can join the dots to something around his age. I think it’s just one of those things that’s happened.”Travis Head smashed his way to an extraordinary 69-ball century•Getty Images

McDonald was asked whether Head’s extraordinary performance in the second innings, where he made 123 off 83 balls to win the Test match, would cause a rethink about a permanent change at the top of the order.”We’ve got a lot to consider,” McDonald said. “Batting orders are always debated heavily over a period of time. Middle order players haven’t been sort of the ones that have been the popular ones to open the batting. So we’ll discuss and work through what it looks like.”I think it gave us a little bit of a lens potentially to the future in terms of adjusting batting orders in second innings, which is something that we have discussed. To be able to put different people in different positions with the scenario that was presented. So this one happened probably through a bit more chance and obviously the unfortunate injury to Usman. But I think it really probably opens up that discussion more than, more than anything else for us.”Australia’s selectors do not have a history of making a change off a sample size of one innings. Steven Smith made 91 not out in an unsuccessful fourth innings chase in his fourth innings as an opener but the experiment was shelved after he averaged 28 across eight Test innings in the role.The impact Head had on the pink-ball Test in Adelaide last year, where he made a match-winning century at No. 5 in Australia’s first innings having been shielded from batting in a difficult period under lights on the first night, will also be a key factor in any decision to move him permanently to the top for Brisbane. Head had looked reasonably good in the first innings in Perth when he entered in the 16th over before shovelling a pull shot to mid-on.The potential to be flexible with Head looks more appealing to the coach.”We’ve sort of hypothesized around a middle order player going up to the top order if the second innings happened to flatten out,” McDonald said. “In particular, if we needed quick runs, and the wicket was going to deteriorate. So in our strategy and our planning, we have tabled that from time to time.”We’ve had a conversation around Travis opening the batting for a long period of time, and Trav’s has been on the record this week and previously around that also. I suppose, now that it’s out there, yeah, happy to talk about it. Will we do it? If it presents at the right time, potentially.”

Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett bowled with trademark accuracy on a day where Australia’s fringe quicks were in the spotlight. But wickets were hard to produce on a relatively sedate WACA surface as Cameron Green batted fluently to keep Western Australia afloat against Queensland.On a dramatic day in Australian cricket, Sean Abbott was withdrawn from the Ashes squad after scans on his left hamstring confirmed a moderate grade strain. If a replacement for Abbott is needed for the first Test squad, Neser would likely head the queue while Bartlett might also come under consideration.Neser probed away outside the off stump and was finally rewarded when he had Hilton Cartwright plumb lbw for 37. He finished with 1 for 37 from 15 overs. Even though he was wicketless, Bartlett similarly nagged away in his Shield season debut having played in the white-ball series against India.”You can’t look at those things too much,” Bartlett said about a potential Ashes squad call-up. “Hopefully perform for Queensland over the next couple of days and that’s all you can really do.”Related

• Hazlewood cleared of injury, Abbott out of first Test after hamstring scans

WA were held together by opener Cameron Bancroft’s 76 and then Green, who finished 49 not out, until losing three late wickets.Josh Inglis, the reserve wicketkeeper in the Ashes squad, fell for 4 just before stumps after edging quick Gurinder Sandhu to second slip in a reckless dismissal having slashed hard at a delivery well outside off stump. It was a disappointment for Inglis in his first red-ball match since the West Indies Test series.Queensland’s late rally has them slightly in the ascendancy in a match that has see-sawed over two days.After a hard-fought opening day, Queensland resumed on 323 for 6 and faced a WA attack without the services of Green, who bowled two four-over spells on day one in his return to bowling following a side injury that ruled him out of the India ODI series.With a target of bowling 15-20 overs across the match, Green kept the powder dry until Queensland’s second innings but he was in the action after holding on to a stinging blow from Bartlett at midwicket.It was a relief for Green, who had uncharacteristically dropped a relatively straightforward chance in the gully late on day one. It was a desperately needed wicket for WA after Bartlett and Lachlan Hearne counterattacked to great effect to lift Queensland to a solid first-innings total.A cavalier Hearne appeared to be powering to a second century in as many Shield matches until being the last batter to fall for 87 off 134 balls.Michael Neser trapped Hilton Cartwright lbw for 37•Getty Images

Bancroft and skipper Sam Whiteman had to survive a testing period before lunch as Neser and Bartlett bowled an unnerving length outside the off stump. A confidence-boosting century against South Australia in the last match has rejuvenated Bancroft, who was again proactive and cleverly rotated the strike with quick singles.The openers were again under pressure after lunch, but Neser and Bartlett were left frustrated and could not create any clear cut opportunities as Whiteman and Bancroft notched a half-century stand.Skipper Marnus Labuschagne needed a spark and he turned to emerging quick Tom Whitney, playing in his fourth first-class match, who responded by trapping Whiteman for 26.Whitney on the next delivery had a big lbw shout against Cartwright turned down, but Bancroft steadied WA with calm batting punctuated by the occasional sweet drive through the off side.Bancroft had started the season slowly with just 21 runs from his first four innings, falling out of the Ashes selection race. But he has turned back the clock since and soon lifted his bat after notching a classy half-century.Neser’s luck changed after tea when he dismissed Cartwright before Bancroft uncharacteristically threw his wicket away after smashing a full toss from legspinner Mitchell Swepson straight to a jubilant Labuschagne at midwicket.But Green rattled along at swift pace. He was ruthless against Swepson, smashing a rank long hop that landed on the vacant grassbanks.Disaster struck for WA late in the day when Cooper Connolly was run-out at the bowler’s end after a mix-up with Green. Connolly had turned for the second run only to be sent back as a hustling Labuschagne fired a quick throw to Sandhu who effected the run-out.