Afghanistan showed there’s not much between the two teams, but they will want their batters to kick on from starts in what is a must-win game for them

Mohammad Isam24-Feb-2022Big Picture
Chattogram was still talking about Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Afif Hossain on the morning after their 174-run seventh-wicket stand that turned Bangladesh’s lost cause into a 1-0 lead in the ODI series against Afghanistan. Ahead of the second ODI on Friday, the excitement levels have gone up a notch. The first ODI showed there is very little between the two sides, and that is good news for fans looking for an enticing contest.Afghanistan must have wondered what hit them. They reduced Bangladesh to 45 for 6, without breaking much of a sweat. Left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi blazed through some of the best batters, using subtle swing and seam variations. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also took a wicket each, but thereafter, despite their accuracy, they couldn’t break through Afif and Miraz.Part of their problem was considerable dew after sunset, but also how Afif and Miraz played quite sensibly against their best bowlers and attacked the others. Yamin Ahmadzai and Gulbadin Naib will need to bowl better in game two.Related

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There will also be a lot more focus on the Afghanistan batters who didn’t convert starts. Only Najibullah Zadran batted deep. They will need more from their batters in what is a must-win game for them.The home side have even more to worry about, particularly their batting. It remains to be seen how debutant Yasir Ali reacts to his first-match duck. The senior batters have seen and done it all, so they can be expected to bounce back. Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim had long net sessions during an optional training session on Thursday.Form guide
Bangladesh: WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)Afghanistan: LWWWWIn the spotlight
Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled a mean first spell to sink Bangladesh’s top and middle-order in the first ODI. His first spell of 5-1-19-4 included some smart bowling. He got the ball to move just enough to take the edge or skirt away from the bat. Someone who sees Mitchell Starc, Zaheer Khan and Mohammad Amir as his idols, Farooqi has the makings of a regular in the Afghanistan side.It took Afif Hossain some time to get his first big knock in international cricket but for the Bangladesh team, it came at the right time. Afif showed in the first ODI that he has plenty of options while batting, but also knows how to choose wisely. After a number of seasons in domestic cricket where he played very well, this unbeaten 93 was quite the breakthrough knock.Team news
Bangladesh are unlikely to break a winning combination, despite the collapse.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Litton Das, 2 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Yasir Ali, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanAfghanistan too may not change their XI, given that most of their batters got starts while their bowlers did a fair job until Afif and Miraz took over.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Gulbadin Naib, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Yamin Ahmadzai, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiPitch and conditions
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo described the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury pitch from the first ODI as good one for batting. But some balls did keep a bit low.The weather remains fair in Chattogram.Stats and trivia
Bangladesh have lost only two of their last 16 ODIs played at home. When he took Rashid Khan’s wicket in the first ODI, Shakib Al Hasan became the third bowler after Muthiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne to take 100 wickets, across formats, at two or more venues. Muralidaran is the clear leader in this pack, with 100-plus wickets at four venues, but Shakib’s 221 wickets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka is the most by any bowler at a particular venue. Quotes
“We have to play better cricket tomorrow than we did yesterday. We bowled 13 wides yesterday. We dropped a catch. We were 45 for 6. We need a massive improvement on yesterday’s performance in every department.”

Chelsea’s boardroom are apparently prepared to bid around £83 million for the signing of a big-name attacker – and one who would undoubtedly elevate Enzo Maresca’s side to new heights.

Chelsea face Tottenham after big Premier League win

The west Londoners don’t return to action until Sunday, with Chelsea set to take on topsy-turvy Tottenham Hotspur across the English capital.

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Chelsea are going into the contest in imperious form, remaining unbeaten in the Premier League since a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in October, winning their last three top-flight games.

Maresca’s men have also scored more goals than any other side in the division, which is testament to the excellent job he’s done since taking over from Mauricio Pochettino in the summer, as national media carry on floating the idea that Chelsea could be genuine title contenders.

Tottenham (home)

December 8

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December 15

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December 22

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December 26

Ipswich Town (away)

December 30

Maresca denies Chelsea could win the league this season, though, as the Italian looks to keep his team’s feet firmly planted on the ground.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have endured a 2024/25 of serious inconsistency. Ange Postecoglou guided his side to a very impressive 4-0 win away to English champions Man City around a fortnight ago, only to watch his men fail to beat struggling Serie A side Roma, Fulham and Bournemouth thereafter.

Postecoglou is under growing pressure at Spurs as a result, and many would fancy Chelsea to win this one comfortably, especially after they smashed Southampton 5-1 at St Mary’s in their most recent encounter.

However, Maresca has praised Sunday’s opponents as a “fantastic” team and suggested that they won’t be easy customers.

“They have very good players with a very good manager,” said Maresca on Tottenham.

“It is very clear what they want to do on and off the ball. What kind of problems they have, I don’t know – you would have to be there to understand the problems. But they are a fantastic team. Two weeks ago, they beat City 4-0, so they are a very good team.”

Off the field, Todd Boehly and BlueCo are believed to be on the hunt for a new No 9, regardless of Nicolas Jackson’s excellent start to this campaign, Chelsea’s overall scoring form and their abundance of attacking quality.

Chelsea prepared to bid £83m for Isak

Chelsea have drawn up a shortlist of striker targets heading into 2025, which includes Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap, among others.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, who bagged 25 goals in all competitions last term, is regarded as one of the Premier League’s best centre-forwards – and his contract situation at St James’ Park is putting a host of elite clubs on red alert.

Eddie Howe is attempting to secure a contract extension for Isak, but these talks are proving “complex”, with Chelsea apparently lurking to take advantage. Reports have suggested that Chelsea could make a move for Isak next year, with a report in the Spanish media now providing further news on this.

It is believed that Chelsea’s board are prepared to bid around £83 million for Isak and view the Sweden international as a potentially gamechanging signing who could change the direction of Maresca’s attack.

At Newcastle, they’d analyse such an offer, which would also put the club at a “crossroads”.

Called a potential “world star” by Jamie Redknapp, Isak has also drawn comparisons with Thierry Henry, and we anticipate that the competition for his signature will be ferocious – either in January or next summer.

Glasgow Rangers head into the international break having secured all three points at Ibrox in their Premiership clash against Hearts, but it was far from pretty.

Cyriel Dessers netted for the third game in a row, opening the scoring after just six minutes with a close-range finish. That was as good as it would get for Rangers, as their performance levels dropped as the game went on.

It was yet another turgid and lethargic display which has been common this term under Philippe Clement and the international break has come at the right time for him and his team.

It is evident that several players in blue need a break due to their recent exertions in Europe and domestically. James Tavernier is one name that stands out, as his performances for the Ibrox side this season have been way below the level expected.

James Tavernier's stats for Rangers this season

Last season, the defender registered a staggering 36 goal contributions – 24 goals and 12 assists – in all competitions, becoming the Gers’ leading scorer.

Over the previous few campaigns, Tavernier’s success in the final third has been exceptional.

His numbers from right-back won’t ever be replicated and, while question marks naturally appear given the lack of success the club has achieved since 2016, the Englishman has led the team to a Europa League final in that time.

Adding in the Scottish Cup and League Cup triumphs along with the unforgettable 2020/21 unbeaten league title win, Tavernier played his part.

Has this season been a year too far for the player, however? Especially as it looked like he might have been on the move during the summer.

Indeed, Steven Gerrard was reportedly keen on signing him for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi, which would have seen the former Ibrox boss reunite with Tavernier, but no move materialised.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst – another former Gers manager – also showed keen interest in securing his signature for Besiktas. Again, no concrete bid was made by the Turkish side and the captain began the season fully committed to the Light Blues.

Perhaps Clement should have made a better effort to move him on, as his form has dipped dramatically since last term.

Tavernier’s league stats for Rangers
Metric	2023/24	2024/25
Goals	17	0
Assists	10	3
Big chances created	19	6
Successful dribbles per game	1	0.5
Key passes per game	3	2.5
Via Sofascore

In 19 games for the club in all competitions, Tavernier has scored just once – a penalty against Dundee – while grabbing a further three assists. Hardly the numbers the Light Blues have been used to with the captain.

The defender hasn’t been at his finest defensively either. In the top flight, he has lost possession on average 20 times per game, while being dribbled past 0.5 times per match.

Taking statistics out of the equation, Tavernier’s intensity has been lacking, showing little fight to win the ball back when he loses it. Could it be time for a change of leadership in the near future?

Clement may already have an ideal candidate right in front of him. Someone who has shown a resurgence of late under the Belgian…

Raskin's performance in numbers vs Hearts

Nico Raskin has started the previous five matches for the Gers, partnering Connor Barron in the heart of the midfield to good effect.

Against Hearts, Clement opted to use Raskin and Barron at the base of his midfield, deploying Mohamed Diomande in a more advanced role, which certainly suits his attributes.

During the match, Raskin took 87 touches, completed 85% of his passes, made six tackles and won an impressive eight of 11 ground duels, displaying his tenacity in the centre of the pitch.

He was even given a rating of 8/10 by Glasgow World for his display and with every passing match, Raskin’s confidence is building.

After suffering an injury in pre-season, it looked as though the Belgian would struggle to make inroads into the team, especially as a Barron/Diomande duo was forming in the middle of the pitch.

These recent displays prove just how effective the 23-year-old can be if given a chance in the starting XI.

Could he emerge as a candidate to take over the captaincy when Tavernier does finally depart Ibrox?

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Rangers' future captain

Michael Beale signed the midfielder in the 2023 January transfer window, even reportedly beating off Barcelona to secure his signature.

He then missed only three games for the Gers during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, which allowed him to settle in well ahead of his first full campaign at the club.

The youngster endeared himself to several of the senior professionals at the club, with Scott Arfield showering him with praise.

Not a bad endorsement for the future captaincy, yet Raskin struggled last term. An injury meant he missed 19 games. Even when he was fit, Clement tended to keep him on the bench as it appeared he wasn’t a big fan of the former Standard Liege starlet.

Another injury suffered before the start of the season threatened to derail his spell in Glasgow before it had even begun, but he has shown incredible resilience to emerge as a vital member of the squad.

In the Premiership, Raskin has won 6.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – while making 3.3 tackles and recovering the ball four times per game, showcasing his ability to win the ball back in the heart of the midfield and his strength in one on one battles.

Rangers may not be at their best, but this midfield triumvirate of Barron/Raskin/Diomande has given Clement a strong core to the starting XI, that’s for sure.

Tavernier won’t be at the Light Blues for much longer. Could Raskin be a viable contender for the captaincy role when it becomes available? Only time will tell.

The Rangers star who was just as good as Raskin vs Hearts

The Glasgow Rangers midfielder caught the eye with an impressive performance.

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Nov 11, 2024

The Centurions, treble winners, four consecutive Premier League titles and plenty more in between. There’s nothing that Manchester City haven’t done in the current era of English football. Yet, amid all of that historic success, they just haven’t been able to guarantee a way past several Tottenham Hotspur sides.

It’s one of the Premier League’s greatest mysteries and one that will likely remain unsolved,so much so that Pep Guardiola’s side must be dreading every meeting with the Lilywhites.

With that said, we’ve taken a look back on 10 times that Spurs shocked Manchester City.

1 Man City 0-1 Tottenham, May 2010 Crouch snatches CL football for visitors

Before Manchester City found themselves dominating under Pep Guardiola, they were at the very start of their project in 2008 and seeking Champions League qualification. In a sign of things to come, however, it was Spurs and Harry Redknapp who denied Roberto Mancini’s side, much to the shock of the rich new owners of the Citizens.

Hero of the hour Peter Crouch bundled home in dramatic fashion to see the north London side leap ahead of their opponents in pursuit of a place among Europe’s elite, as Spurs proved that money didn’t equal instant success in the Premier League.

2 Tottenham 3-1 Man City, April 2013 Spurs dent City's title hopes

Just three years later, City were firmly in the title picture and their project was flying under Mancini. Yet, the same constant remained. When it mattered most, they still couldn’t find a way past Spurs, who this time came from behind to shock the champions.

Of course, that comeback victory proved to be all-important, too, given that it was Manchester United who picked up the Premier League title that year in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season.

Samir Nasri initially got his side off to the perfect start before Spurs hit back through Clint Dempsey and Jermain Defoe to turn the game on its head. Adding the gloss on an impressive victory, Gareth Bale returned from injury with a bang by audaciously dinking a third past a beaten City side.

3 Tottenham 4-1 Man City, September 2015 Pochettino's men sweep City aside

A year before the arrival of Pep Guardiola, it was Manuel Pellegrini in charge at Manchester City, who also fell victim to Spurs during his tenure. This time, the Lilywhites didn’t just edge past the Manchester side, either – they sent them packing in style.

Kevin De Bruyne ensured that the Citizens were off to a good start once again, but it was to no avail. Eric Dier struck just moments before half-time and the momentum shifted from there.

Just five minutes after the break, it was the turn of Toby Alderweireld to take the advantage for his side before Harry Kane and Erik Lamela left their own marks on the Citizens.

It was a sign of things to come for Spurs that season, who challenged shock champions Leicester City in their most impressive campaign under Mauricio Pochettino.

4 Man City 1-2 Tottenham, February 2016 Spurs complete shock double

In the middle of a title charge against Leicester, a trip to the Etihad was the ultimate test for Pochettino’s side. They passed with flying colours as Christian Eriksen’s late winner ensured that they completed a shock double over Manchester City.

This time, it was Spurs who opened the scoring through Harry Kane’s penalty in the 53rd minute, before Kelechi Iheanacho levelled things up with just 16 minutes remaining.

Just when the Lilywhites may have been left to settle for a point, Eriksen struck to seal the three points in the 83rd minute. Spurs had once again shocked Pellegrini and City.

5 Tottenham 2-0 Man City, October 2016 Spurs deal Guardiola first defeat

When Pep Guardiola arrived, many may have believed that would be the end of Tottenham’s joy over Manchester City, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. In fact, it’s quite fitting that it was the Lilywhites who handed the Spaniard his first defeat in charge of the Manchester club.

Once again, White Hart Lane was a fortress. Guardiola and his side arrived on a run of six straight victories and ready to end any misfortune that they had been facing in north London. Spurs, meanwhile, were simply ready to cause another shock and welcome Guardiola to the Premier League once and for all.

Defeating Guardiola’s side 2-0, Spurs got off to the perfect start when Aleksandar Kolarov’s own goal opened the scoring inside 10 minutes, before Dele Alli put his side in a commanding lead to seal all three points before half-time.

6 Man City 4-3 Tottenham, April 2019 Spurs survive to send City packing in Champions League quarters

Back when away goals were a thing, the Champions League was full of some historic drama, and Guardiola’s Manchester City side felt the full impact of that in 2019.

It simply had to be Spurs who stood in their way as Manchester City went in pursuit of their first-ever Champions League trophy.

Perhaps the cruellest game on this list, Son Heung-min’s brace and goals from Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva – including four goals in the first 11 minutes – left the game level at 3-3 before the referee could even blow for half-time.

The greatest drama came after the break when Fernando Llorente’s controversial 73rd-minute goal handed Spurs the advantage on away goals to cancel out Sergio Aguero’s earlier strike. Set up for one last moment of madness, Raheem Sterling thought he’d won it at the death before VAR intervened to leave Guardiola on his hands and knees in pure disbelief – and Spurs through to the last four.

7 Tottenham 2-0 Man City, February 2020 Mourinho shocks Guardiola's champions

In a season that saw Guardiola’s side fall apart and Liverpool dominate on their way to their first-ever Premier League title before the pandemic stole the headlines, Jose Mourinho got one over on his old foe.

It turned out to be one of Mourinho’s most memorable games in charge and one of Steven Bergwijn’s best games in a Spurs shirt, albeit his first. The debutant came from the bench to help his side complete the smash-and-grab win after Oleksandr Zinchenko was given his marching orders.

Superbly volleying home to announce himself just after the hour mark, Bergwijn’s debut delight was followed by Son’s effort to seal another victory over Guardiola.

8 Tottenham 1-0 Man City, August 2021 New manager, same Spurs

Perhaps selling many a dream, Nuno Espirito Santo became the latest manager to defeat Manchester City in what was beginning to feel like a north London tradition. On his debut of all games, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss overcame Guardiola’s side without an exit-linked Harry Kane in controversial fashion courtesy of Son’s statement-making strike.

Of course, Espirito Santo didn’t start as he meant to go on, as his spell in charge ended in a case of what might have been rather than one full of the expected success after a debut to remember.

9 Man City 2-3 Tottenham, February 2022 Kane seals late, late show

Just when Riyad Mahrez believed that he’d rescued a vital stoppage-time point, Spurs left Guardiola in shock once again. The Lilywhites looked down, out and ready to settle for a point. But Kane wasn’t. The star striker led by example to find a dramatic winner in what was virtually the last kick of the game just three minutes after Mahrez’s equaliser.

It remains one of the most dramatic moments on this list. Even as Manchester City still went on to win the Premier League title that year, Spurs had another moment to remember against the Citizens.

10 Tottenham 2-1 Man City, October 2024 Spurs begin City's losing run

Fast-forwarding to the latest moment to savour for Spurs against Manchester City, the Lilywhites kickstarted the champions’ four-game losing run in all competitions by sending them packing in the Carabao Cup.

History suggests that goals from Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr won’t be the only goals that Ange Postecoglou’s side manage against those at the Etihad this season. Even after suffering defeats against Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town in their last five games, defeating Manchester City twice would be fairly fitting in what can and will forever be the history of Tottenham Hotspur.

Jude Bellingham limped out of Real Madrid’s win over Rayo Vallecano, but Carlo Ancelotti insists the midfielder is merely nursing “a small knock”.

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• Playmaker returned from La Liga ban
• Forced off late on at Santiago Bernabeu
• Coach confident knock is "nothing serious"

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Injury fears were raised when England international Bellingham was forced off four minutes from the end of the Blancos’ latest La Liga fixture. He was replaced by Brahim Diaz and appeared to be in some discomfort as he made his way to the bench.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bellingham had returned to Real’s starting XI against Vallecano after completing a two-match ban for telling a match referee to “f*ck off”. He looked lively as Kylian Mbappe’s 29th goal of the season and a stunning solo effort from Vinicius Junior set Real up for a narrow victory at Santiago Bernabeu.

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  WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

  Ancelotti will hope to have Bellingham at his disposal for two crucial matches prior to the next international break, while England will be sweating on the 21-year-old’s condition. Real’s boss told reporters when asked for a fitness update: “Jude Bellingham just has a small knock, nothing serious.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR JUDE BELLINGHAM & REAL MADRID?

  Real are set to face cross-city rivals Atletico in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter on Wednesday, with the Blancos leading 2-1 on aggregate. They will then travel to Villarreal on Saturday before a collection of international superstars head off with their respective countries.

India weathered a blistering opening stand between Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews to script a vital 155-run win over West Indies that propelled them to the top of the World Cup table. In the early stages of India’s defence of 317, their highest World Cup total, the result seemed far from obvious, and the centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur somewhat inadequate. Sneh Rana and Meghna Singh, however, decisively turned the tide India’s way at Seddon Park as Dottin’s wicket triggered West Indies’ slump from 100 for no loss to 162 all out.West Indies gave them a good chance of extending their winning streak after galloping to 50 in five overs, 81 in the wicketless powerplay, and 100 in just 12. The dominant hand in their blazing start, and West Indies’ maiden century stand, was Dottin’s, despite her back and legs requiring regular repairwork during her 62-run knock. Dottin carted 11 boundaries in her breathtaking 46-ball innings.India sought respite from the Dottin-Matthews onslaught but received little despite using two quicks and spinners each in the powerplay. It was third-change Rana’s frugal, game-changing opening spell that led to West Indies’ collapse.Dottin top-edged an attempted sweep to Rana’s second ball to Meghna at short fine-leg, and it was Meghna who then took over and dealt West Indies the second blow, Kycia Knight’s pull going to Mandhana at deep square-leg. Meghna followed it up with Stafanie Taylor’s wicket before Rana removed Matthews for 48. In both dismissals, wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh pouched the edges with ease.Sneh Rana dismissed both the West Indies openers after a strong start•ICC via Getty

Earlier, India’s batters, led by Mandhana and Harmanpreet, pulled no punches in a game they needed to win to stay safe in the race to the knockouts following the loss to New Zealand at the same venue. They put on their highest total in ODI World Cups – and the overall highest in this edition – after choosing to bat first.Mandhana hit 123 in 119, and Harmanpreet 109 in 107, and they put on 184 for the fourth wicket, India’s best in ODI World Cups, to lift them from 78 for 3.On a used surface, India almost instantly shook off the hesitancy that stifled them in the powerplay against Pakistan and New Zealand, Yastika Bhatia’s fearless stroke play underpinning their approach early on. Bhatia got off the mark with a four off a mistimed cut that flew over the slips, and next over, she cracked three fours off pulls as Chinelle Henry gave away 15 runs to begin her day.India’s rapid start led West Indies to introduce spin in the sixth over. But it was the change at the other end, in the form of medium-pacer Shakera Selman, that brought the breakthrough when, on 31, Bhatia lobbed a dolly back to Selman off a slower delivery. Another soft dismissal followed, this time Mithali Raj, who became the captain with most appearances on the day, falling to Matthews.Mandhana, meanwhile, steadied the ship at one end, though the two early wickets made her cautious. India got to 62 for 2 in the powerplay, the best in that phase before West Indies bettered it in the chase, and No. 4 Deepti Sharma’s back-to-back fours off Selman promised a lot. That, however, was not to be. Coming on in the 13th over, Anisa Mohammed drew an edge off Deepti’s slog-sweep, which Matthews intercepted with a stunning one-handed grab behind the keeper.Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin gave West Indies a brilliant start with a quick 100-run stand•ICC via Getty Images

With India 100 for 3, 20 overs in, it was down to Mandhana and Harmanpreet to lift them to the 250-run mark, which they hadn’t reached in this World Cup before this game. On 34 off 51 balls, Mandhana struck her first four – a languid flick through the midwicket area – and upped the tempo thereafter. She got to her second fifty in the tournament with another flick, on the 60th ball of her innings, and her next 50 runs came off just 43 balls.With 200 up in the 36th over, Mandhana cracked a 78-metre six off Aaliyah Alleyne as fielding errors came thick and fast. After reaching the 90s with a four, Mandhana got a big slice of luck when, on 94, Alleyne dropped her at deep midwicket. Shamilia Connell tested her with a short ball and even pinged her pad, but Mandhana survived, and a four, courtesy a short-arm pull off Matthews, took her to her second ODI World Cup century, and second against West Indies. Three of her 13 fours on the day came off back-to-back deliveries as Matthews found herself at the receiving end in the 42nd over. India had crossed 250 by then and as Harmanpreet looked to up the ante at her end, Mandhana pulled one straight to deep midwicket to be dismissed.Harmanpreet, too, paced her innings well. A drop by Anisa at short third handed her a reprieve when on 20. She remained boundary-less in her first 20 balls but struck 12, two of them sixes, off her next 87. It was her strike rotation, though, that accounted for the bulk – 57 – of her 109 runs. Harmanpreet, unsurprisingly, relied heavily on the sweep but it was a full-blooded lofted shot that brought up her second straight fifty.She batted close to three hours and faced issues with her wrist as she neared the three-digit milestone. But neither pain nor West Indies could keep her from bringing up her first century in the format since her epochal 171 not out in the semi-final of the 2017 World Cup. A single down the bowler’s right steered her to the mark, and a 15-run over from Anisa soon after lifted India past 300.India’s 317 for 8 eventually proved too much for West Indies as they were rolled over inside 41 overs. On a day of record-breaking feats, Jhulan Goswami added the finishing touch with the wicket of Anisa, and she rose to the top of the wicket-takers’ tally in women’s ODI World Cups. Fittingly, it was Rana who closed out the game, catching Connell off her own bowling.

INEOS have sent Manchester United scouts to watch a hugely in-demand young player, according to a recent report. The Red Devils enjoyed their first Premier League game at Old Trafford under new head coach Ruben Amorim on Sunday, as they cruised to a 4-0 win over Everton. It has been a good week for United, as Amorim continues to get to grips with his new squad.

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Amorim will get to know his players very well over the coming weeks, as United play every three to four days in various competitions. However, as any new manager or head coach does, he may already know which players are not going to be part of his team going forward and have replacements in mind.

Midfielder Christian Eriksen looks set to leave Old Trafford at the end of this season. The Denmark international is out of contract at the end of this campaign, and as things stand, he will not be offered a new deal and therefore will be allowed to leave for nothing, as the Man United boss targets two new midfield signings.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Amorim has requested that United look to sign Patrick Dorgu from Leece in the January transfer window. It has been stated that signing a left-back is a priority for the Red Devils, and Dorgu could be that addition in the New Year.

INEOS send Man Utd scouts to watch Valentin Atangana

According to Alan Nixon, relayed by Inside Futbol, Manchester United had scouts present to watch Reims midfielder Valentin Atangana in action last week. As previously mentioned, signing a midfielder or two is on United’s radar, as Eriksen looks set to leave soon and there is still talk of an exit for Casemiro in the summer.

Atangana is 19 years old and has come through the ranks at Reims, playing 35 times for the first team over two and a half seasons. The French under-21 international has started all 13 league games he has played in Ligue 1 in this campaign but has yet to find the back of the net or register an assist.

The midfielder is not being watched just by United, as there are also many other Premier League teams keeping an eye on his situation. Teams such as Brentford, Liverpool, Everton, and Aston Villa are also tracking the player and have had scouts tracking him as well.

Interestingly, When looking at Fbref’s comparison tool, which evaluates players based on key statistical metrics, Atangana is very similar to United’s own Kobbie Mainoo.

Atangana

Mainoo

Apps

13

7

xG

0.2

0.1

xA

0.3

0.7

Progressive carries

16

5

Progressive passes

41

24

Shots per 90

0.90

0.63

Tackles (Won)

25 (19)

16 (13)

Interceptions

16

14

This report states that no fewer than 26 teams have been watching Atangana, with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund looking like serious competition for the English clubs in the mix.

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Fluminense-PI e Santos fizeram um movimentado jogo na chuvosa noite de terça-feira em Teresina, noAlbertão. O time da casa esteve a poucos minutos de uma histórica classificação, após sair na frente com gol de Mario Sérgio, o popular ‘Super Mario’, mas o Peixe conseguiu um gol salvador com Ricardo Goulart, o que fez a disputa ser decidida nos pênaltis. Melhor para o Santos, que fechou em 5 a 4 e cravou sua classificação na terceira fase da competição. Clique no player acima e veja os melhores momentos do jogo.

>>>ATUAÇÕES: Ricardo Goulart chama a responsa em classificação sofrida do Santos na Copa do Brasil

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Former Tottenham chairman Lord Alan Sugar has urged the club to bring in Jurgen Klopp as their new manager amid widespread calls for Thomas Frank's sacking after Sunday's humiliating 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Spurs suffered their third loss in their last five league matches at the City Ground as they dropped to 11th place in the Premier League table.

Getty Images SportFans call for Frank's sacking

Callum Hudson-Odoi bagged a brace and Ibrahim Sangare also got on the scoresheet to wrap up a thumping 3-0 win for Nottingham Forest.

Following yet another shambolic performance at the City Ground, frustrated Spurs fans have called on the club to sack Frank. The defeat leaves the north London side in the bottom half of the table, with supporters angry after yet another sub-par display. 

AdvertisementGettyFormer owner wants Klopp to rescue Spurs

Lord Alan Sugar, who was a part-owner at Spurs from 1991 to 2001, has urged the English side to hire legendary former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to replace Frank in the new year.

On X, the former Spurs chief wrote: "With the massive fortune of the Lewis family it would be a win-win situation if they hired Jurgen Klopp in January. “Loads of money for players and a great manager. Who agrees #coys."

Frank admitted his team played badly against Forest

Following the Forest defeat, Frank admitted the shortcomings of his team as he told reporters: "Yeah, it was. It’s hugely disappointing. That was a bad performance, especially first half. I think overall, especially after the 1-0 goal, we looked disjointed. Also after the second goal, it looked disjointed after that; didn’t win enough duels; and we couldn’t hit each other – it seems like we gave the ball away every single time we won it back throughout the game. That doesn’t help to win a football match. On paper, black and white, we lose 3-0 here. That is disappointing. The better team won today. When things go against us, we have to keep doing the right thing and keep our cool heads."

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AFPWill Klopp come to Spurs?

Klopp left Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season and announced that he would take a step back from football management. Since then, the German has enjoyed a quieter lifestyle and took over as Red Bull’s head of global soccer in early 2025. The former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund manager's stature, European pedigree, and history of reviving underperforming teams naturally make him the type of candidate that Spurs would consider, if they at all think of changing managers.

Real Madrid are also said to be interested in Klopp, but in a recent interaction with the media, Red Bull's global director of football, Oliver Mintzlaff, refuted claims of the German leaving their organisation, as he said: "Jurgen has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be a coach at the moment. Whether that changes at some point in his life, of course, is possible. But I can see how passionate he is about this job, how many ideas he has and how much he wants to develop further. Therefore, I’m completely relaxed."

Manchester United and Ruben Amorim want to sign a “special” £70 million star in January after holding more talks over a deal, according to a new report.

Preparations at Carrington are well underway, as Amorim gets ready for his first game in charge of the Red Devils, which comes on Sunday against Ipswich Town. January is still a month and a bit away, but since Amorim’s arrival was confirmed, United have been linked with a host of potential signings.

Fabrizio Romano says Amorim "loves" Man Utd player who is yet to make debut

Ruben Amorim has undertaken his first Man United training session and loves one key player.

ByBrett Worthington Nov 19, 2024 Latest Man Utd news

Amorim got training underway as United’s new head coach on Monday, after waiting for his visa to be confirmed. The Portuguese has had to work with a limited group of players due to the international break, but he will be hoping everyone is back at Carrington by Thursday at the latest.

One player who has been part of the training group since the beginning of the week is defender Leny Yoro, and Amorim is said to already “love” the Frenchman. Yoro has yet to make his competitive debut for the club due to an injury he picked up in pre-season, but he could be in line to make the matchday squad on Sunday, as he eyes a return to fitness. Yoro has been in training for a few weeks now, and despite not being at the club for long, Amorim already loves him and Kobbie Mainoo and sees them as the future of the club.

Fabrizio Romano said: “Kobbie Mainoo is a crucial player for Manchester United owners, directors, and for Manchester United staff. Ruben Amorim loves these kind of players. Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro, these sort of players are exactly the direction he wants to take for Man United’s future.

“So the new contract of Mainoo is going to be an important topic in the next few weeks and months. Man United are still working on it. We are not yet at the final stages, but the conversation remains ongoing, and the conversation remains positive on both player and club sides.”

While Amorim loves Yoro, the Portuguese and Man United also have their eye on another defender, who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for some time now.

Man Utd and Amorim want Branthwaite in January after talks held

According to The Daily Mail’s Confidential, Manchester United are still keen on signing Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton in January and tops the club’s Christmas list of targets. The 22-year-old has been with the Toffees since 2020, but it is only in recent years that he has been given a chance in the first team, which he has taken and performed very well.

Branthwaite, who has been described as “special” in the past by Jamie Carragher, stepped up to the first team at Goodison Park last season, playing 35 games in the Premier League and scoring three goals in the process. The centre-back hasn’t featured as much this season due to an injury but did start the last game against West Ham.

This report states United have held more talks in recent weeks about the possibility of making a January move for Branthwaite. The Red Devils are looking to operate on a more restrictive budget going forward, but the defender has plenty of admirers from Old Trafford, and there is a sense of urgency around this deal, given there are plenty of other teams interested in his services.

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United saw several bids rejected during the summer, and since then, Branthwaite has refused to sign a new contract at Everton, as they remain firm on their £70 million valuation. Sporting director Dan Ashworth is said to be the driving force behind the deal, but United have to find ways of generating the funds for Amorim so they don’t break financial fair play rules.