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An XI with ten batsmen should have given South Africa enough resources to chase 290 but it may have done the opposite, according to AB de Villiers

Firdose Moonda22-Feb-2017An XI with ten batsmen should have given South Africa enough resources to chase 290 but it may have done the opposite, according to AB de Villiers. The captain was irked by the top order leaving too much for their team-mates to do in Christchurch and allowing New Zealand to level the five-match series.”It was always the plan to play a lot of batters and bat nice and deep but the red flag was always that the top order would take it a bit easy and feel like it’s okay to get out a bit early, which unfortunately cost us the game today,” de Villiers said.South Africa made three changes to the team that snuck past New Zealand in Hamilton on Sunday by bringing in the fit-again David Miller to replace Farhaan Behardien and two seam-bowling allrounders, Dwaine Pretorius and Wayne Parnell, for Kagiso Rabada, who is nursing a knee niggle, and Tabraiz Shamsi. That meant only Imran Tahir would be considered a liability in terms of run-scoring and even though they had been set a tall target, it was not impossible to reach it, even with a few early losses.Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis were dismissed but Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy and de Villiers all got in but could not get South Africa ahead of the required run rate. South Africa needed to get more than six of an over in the early stages itself and then required more than seven from the end of the 31st over and more than eight runs an over after de Villiers was dismissed in the 39th over. He blamed himself, along with the other set batsmen – particularly de Kock – for not having more staying power.

“I thought something was broken”

AB de Villiers brushed off concerns of an injury – he had gone down early in the game when fielding. In the sixth over, de Villiers dived in an attempt to stop a single from Kane Williamson and needed some on-field treatment when he did not get back up. But, after continuing to take full part in the game, he has passed himself completely fit.
“It’s not an injury anymore,” he joked. “It was on my intercostals, lower ribs, on the right. My arm got stuck under my body and it was sore for a minute. Slowly but surely [the pain] started fading away which meant that there was nothing serious, not broken. The minute it happened I thought something was broken, but it was just a hard fall. I am getting old.”

“We bat to 10 but the top five and top six still have to take the responsibility to be there at the end and two of us got in – Quinton and myself – and not one of us took it through. If one of us was there at the end, it would have been a different result,” de Villiers said.De Kock was on 57 when he followed a Trent Boult delivery down the leg side and sent it to square leg while de Villiers under-edged a Boult bouncer when he was on 45 to leave South Africa on 199 for 6, needing 91 runs from eleven-and-a-half overs. Having pulled off a heist in Hamilton, and with their allrounders on hand, South Africa would still have believed anything was possible and as Pretorius’ innings developed, that hope strengthened. “We had hope until the last ball,” de Villiers said.Although South Africa lost Pretorius on the final ball of the penultimate over, they could still have won the match with 15 needed from six balls but it quickly became clear that was not going to happen. Andile Phehlukwayo, the hero from Hamilton, turned down singles, perhaps because he did not want to give Tahir the strike, but left the boundary hitting too late. But de Villiers defended Phehlukwayo’s tactics and said the 20-year-old played the situation as he should have.”I felt Andile had the ability to clear twice in that over. That was the plan. Southee bowled a fantastic over there so credit to him and to Boult for those last few overs. They landed their yorkers really well, they had good plans in place so credit to them but that was definitely the plan, for Andile to clear the boundary twice and to take all the strike. He played it perfectly,” de Villiers said.Ultimately, de Villiers could not be too unhappy with the way South Africa fought, especially because their newer players are starting to step up. In the first ODI, Phehlukwayo was on the right side of the plan, in this one, Pretorius’ half-century showed his promise. “It is great to see them play with confidence and with a bit of freedom. It tells a story about our culture within the team – the guys are really freed up and they feel they can just watch the ball and enjoy the cricket out there. They are fully backed by all the older guys and the management so the guys come in, they feel confident and free to do whatever they want and to express their talent,” de Villiers said. “I was pretty impressed with some of the younger guys today. I thought Dwaine also bowled really well for us. I think the depth looks really good and the future looks bright.”But for now, South Africa have been presented with their first proper setback since October last year, when their winning streak began. They racked up 12 ODI wins in a row before being beaten and although they will welcome being challenged ahead of the Champions Trophy, they will not enjoy the reason they were defeated. “They handled the pressure better than us and that’s why they won the game,” de Villiers said.

Sky Sports have confirmed that a Manchester United takeover is no closer to completion, despite recent rumours of a deal involving Sheikh Jassim.

What’s the latest Man United takeover news?

It has been an eventful few days when it comes to Old Trafford takeover rumours, with speculation from Qatar suggesting that Jassim was successful in his bid to take full control from the Glazers.

As to be expected, that claim gathered plenty of attention in the media as claims emerged on both sides of the story, with journalist Ben Jacobs for example one of those arguing against the rumours on an agreement being reached, saying on Tuesday morning:

"Lots of speculation on the MUFC sale process, and an out-of-hours stock price surge reacting to that. But as of last night no group had been informed they are successful. Not expecting anything public or groundbreaking in the next few days. If that changes will update you."

Sky Sports have now confirmed that it was in fact Jacobs in the right and not the reports sending United fans wild, with chief reporter Kaveh Solekhol sharing news from “sources”. He said on Tuesday evening that the rumours regarding Jassim are false, adding:

"Man United fans will want an update on what is happening with a takeover. Is anything happening? Are we closer to any resolution?

"We’ve checked with all sides, with all our sources, and they’re telling us no update at the moment."

Jassim already planning Man United transfers?

Although Jassim is unaware if his fifth and final bid has been successful to take charge in Manchester, he already appears to be eyeing up a marquee signing for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Recent reports have claimed that the Qatar group are planning a stunning move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. Jassim feels that the French superstar “belongs at Man United”, with PSG valuing the player at £170m.

However, with the transfer window now officially open, every passing day without a takeover resolution could impact United’s plans in the market. For example, back in March, some inside Old Trafford were worried that the ongoing saga would affect the club's planning in the window.

Hopefully, there will be a development soon for either Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but no off-field news continuing could spell trouble for the Red Devils and cause unrest among the club's supporters.

Edgbaston, Dubai, Sharjah, Christchurch, Hamilton, and now Melbourne: Pakistan’s rise to the No. 1 Test spot and subsequent fall has been punctuated by a series of spectacular batting collapses.On the final day at the MCG, on a still-pristine pitch on which Australia had added 159 runs in the morning in under 30 overs, Pakistan lost their last eight wickets for 100 runs. That sealed their 11th successive Test defeat in Australia and, with it, a chance to go to Sydney with the series still alive.Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, had his own future on his mind, but he struggled to explain how his side ended up losing a Test which they had begun by declaring on 443 by an innings and 18 runs.Pakistan had to bat out a minimum of 67 overs when they began their second innings in a Test in which three days were almost half lost to rain.”There is no explanation,” he said. “Once you are under pressure, from a position when you score [443] in the first innings and are dominating the game, then on the last day you are saving the Test, that pressure sometimes does things like that. And it was sheer pressure. Full credit to Australia, the way they batted and put us under pressure.”Though he acknowledged his side’s batting in pressure situations “is not what it should be”, he did also point towards the limitations of a bowling attack that twice wilted under pressure from Australia’s batsmen.The first time was on the third day when, after a tight opening spell, David Warner and Usman Khawaja rattled along at such speed that they punctured whatever momentum Pakistan had built from Brisbane and their first innings here.Then, on a final day which began with Australia 22 ahead and six wickets down, Pakistan allowed the lead to balloon to 181 half an hour before lunch.”Those two sessions took the game away from us almost,” he said. “From a winning position, you are on the back foot. We just gave the momentum back to Australia. They were a bit lucky they played well, took their chances, and after that we were in no position to attack.”Even today, in the morning session, we could’ve taken a couple of wickets. [Mitchell] Starc played well and that was a big blow for us. If we had taken one more wicket, wrapped the tail up, maybe 50-60 runs deficit, it could have been easy for us to handle the situation.”The taking of wickets has been a particular problem. When Steven Smith declared today, it was the sixth time in the last five Tests Pakistan have played in Australia that the hosts have had the luxury of declaring.Yasir Shah conceded over 200 runs in an innings for the second time this year, continuing a tour in which he has bowled mostly to fields set for run-saving, rather than wicket-taking.”I think as a bowling unit, we couldn’t put pressure,” Misbah said. “When the opposition is playing well and you’re not bowling well, then it is difficult to implement any sort of plan, any sort of strategy. That has been happening to us.”Yasir is a bit low on confidence at the moment. That sometimes doesn’t give you control as a captain. When you have no control, you struggle with your strategies. And it looks to those sitting outside, watching, what’s going on? That’s where I think everything went wrong for us in this Test.”

Match facts

October 9, 2016
Start time 1000 local (0800 GMT)

Big picture

Having been clouted to all parts of Centurion, the Wanderers, and most brutally in Durban, Australia’s punch-drunk bowlers will be seeking some respite in Port Elizabeth. Equally, Steven Smith, the touring captain, will be eager to add some respectability to a series score line that is as stark as the contrast between crestfallen Australia and jubilant South Africa on Wednesday night at Kingsmead.Unfortunately for Smith, and coach Darren Lehmann, Australia’s options for an improved line-up are slim. Scott Boland arrived as one of the more experienced members of the attack, but was promptly dropped after game one, while Joe Mennie’s fast-medium pace also lasted only one match before he was shuffled back out. The spectre of defeat invariably leads to players starting to think of their own positions in the team, and it will be critical for Lehmann and Smith to ensure minds remain focused on the task.Lehmann has stated that he believes the biggest problem for Australia’s bowlers has been an inability to replicate training patterns under the spotlight of crowds, television cameras and confident opponents, something for assistant coach David Saker, and Ryan Harris, the bowling assistant, to ponder.”We’ve got to find a way to get some early wickets and put some pressure back on South Africa, and at the moment, we’re not doing that,” Lehmann said after Durban. “And we’re not doing the good things that we do in the nets and taking them out into the middle in front of a packed house. At the end of the day, the blokes have trained really well and prepared well, and bowled really well in the nets, but international cricket is quite pressurised. They’ve just got to get used to that.”For South Africa, Port Elizabeth will be about seeking to avoid a let-down following the heights of Kingsmead and the sealing of the series. Acting captain Faf du Plessis appeared somewhat shocked to have been on the winning end of that match, something for which he had David Miller to thank, with a century that was scored having picked up a groin injury that has proved bad enough to leave him sidelined. The hosts will also be mindful of trying to keep Australia’s batsmen under slightly more control than they managed in game three, even if a mighty total ultimately proved inadequate.

Form guide

South Africa: WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: LLLWW

In the spotlight

Early in South Africa’s chase in Durban, Quinton de Kock was subjected to plenty of verballing by the Australians in reference to a slow start that was soaking up balls. That baiting seemed primarily to wake de Kock from his initial slumber, and he went on to hammer 70 from a mere 49 balls to get South Africa off to the start they needed to stand a chance. Off the back of his punishing 178 in the opening game, his wicket looms as vital to Australia’s chances.John Hastings’ reputation for miserly spells has taken something of a hit in recent days, as he has not been able to quell South Africa’s scoring in ways that he has previously managed against other teams. As the most experienced member of the bowling attack on tour, Hastings will be expected to step up in Port Elizabeth and lead a better collective display.

Teams news

The groin injury which Miller sustained during his monumental matchwinning hundred will keep him out of the rest of the series which is likely to mean a recall for Farhaan Behardien. The rest of the recast batting order, which made room for Hashim Amla by shuffling Rilee Rossouw down the order, can be expected to be retained. Dale Steyn, however, may be rested now that the series is decided as could Kagiso Rabada with the possibility of playing an extra spinner.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Farhaan Behardien , 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 Andile Phehlukwayo, 9 Dale Steyn/Kyle Abbott, 10 Kagiso Rabada/Aaron Phangiso, 11 Imran TahirScott Boland may be in line for a recall by Australia’s tour selectors, after the bowling attack was hard-hit once again in Durban. Usman Khawaja is also waiting for his next chance.Australia: (possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Mathew Wade (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Chris Tremain, 11 Daniel Worrall/Scott Boland

Pitch and conditions

Spin, and pace off the ball will likely play a role on one of South Africa’s slower pitches. The weather forecast for Port Elizabeth is for fine conditions, with periods of cloud cover.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have won four of the seven ODI encounters between the two teams at Port Elizabeth, though South Africa have won the two most recent contests, in 2009 and 2011
• Australia haven’t lost four matches in an ODI series since England won 4-0 with one match rained out in 2012

Quotes

“I think we worked out we’re taking pretty much seven of our first-choice one-day team out of the bowling attack, and when you go through that it’s some high-quality bowling. But it’s an opportunity for the young guys to learn, to learn quickly and learn what they need to do to step up in international cricket. At the moment, we’re failing in that and they’ve got to get better.”

Newcastle United are set to send scouts to watch Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this weekend ahead of a potential switch to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Newcastle?

The Athletic have reported that Eddie Howe is set to enter the upcoming transfer window in search of a new number six, and with the 22-year-old being Ruben Amorim’s top-performing defensive player and third overall with a WhoScored match rating of 7.08, Ugarte has seemingly been identified by the manager as an ideal deep-lying target on the market.

Back in April, Record claimed that the Jose Alvalade Stadium outfit could be forced to cash in on some of their most prized assets at the end of the season to create funds for new signings and the Magpies were credited with a “growing interest”, off the back of which they are believed to have promised to submit an official proposal ahead of the 2023/24 term.

Who is signing Ugarte?

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), Newcastle and top-flight rivals Liverpool will both "have representatives" in Lisbon this weekend to "focus" on Ugarte during Sporting CP's fixture vs Benfica on Sunday.

As it stands, it's currently unknown which of the two suitors are leading the chase, but it's worth noting that the midfielder has a €60m (£52m) release clause included in his contract, alongside the fact that Aston Villa are claimed to have already held contact regarding a deal, as per A Bola.

Newcastle are clearly serious about securing the services of Ugarte, first to have promised to table a proposal and now to deploy officials to assess him in action, and should they be able to get a deal over the line for the defensive midfielder, it would be a massive coup for PIF and Howe.

The World Cup participant ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles having made 114 this season which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, and the 98th percentile for interceptions so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team.

Sporting’s “warrior”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his natural position, is also capable of contributing to efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having provided three assists and scored one goal since joining, so this really is a no-brainer of a move to pursue should the opportunity present itself.

Arsenal's squad have been largely faultless this season, with a group of high-quality players all finally pulling in the same direction.

This is far from groundbreaking when challenging for a Premier League title, but given the tumultuous dressing rooms that the Emirates has played host to over the years, this turnaround has been sensational.

Mikel Arteta has fostered such an environment through the ruthless culling of those he did not deem worthy, and the additions of some experienced positivity in the form of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Some of the more notable casualties of the Spaniard's early regime were Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, both of whom were at one point vital to the team and fan favourites.

However, their work-shy natures did not resonate with the revolution, and they had to go.

Whilst most of the business done since his 2020 appointment would deservedly be lauded, it is actually the first transfer of the Arteta reign that has arguably fallen the flattest. The decision to sign an unknown Spanish centre-back for £12m may have raised eyebrows at the time, but few could have predicted just how troublesome Pablo Mari would find adapting to the English game.

Subsequent loans have only served to elongate his failing spell in north London, which must come to an end this summer.

Will Pablo Mari leave this summer?

Having moved to the Emirates with little reputation, it quickly became clear that the 29-year-old would be nothing more than a squad player after making just ten league appearances in his debut campaign.

This is a figure that would only dwindle the season following, leading to the first of two loans he has endured.

Having spent the whole current season in Italy playing for Monza, his 6.85 average rating is solid if unspectacular. However, with the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for competition back at his parent club, it is far from the required level the defender needs to be at to actually challenge for a place.

At this rate, the £88k-per-week dud will leave north London having made a total of 22 appearances for the club, perhaps for the best.

The legacy left would be a virtually anonymous one, perhaps even marking him out as a worse signing than Shokdran Mustafi.

Although often ridiculed for his shocking performances, of which there were plenty, the German defender was far from as bad as people make out. In his debut season, fresh from winning the World Cup, the £35m stopper averaged a 7.14 rating.

Throughout the four full years he enjoyed at Arsenal, that average figure would drop no lower than 6.97.

Whilst the 30-year-old will always be remembered for his high-profile blunders, he was not nearly as "really poor" – as once claimed by football.london reporter Kaya Kaynak – as Mari has been.

The Delhi High Court has refused to permit the contentious RP Mehra Block of the Ferozeshah Kotla ground to be used for the first semi-finals of the World Twenty20, on March 30

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2016

The Delhi High Court has refused to permit the contentious RP Mehra Block of the Feroz Shah Kotla ground to be used for the first semi-finals of the World Twenty20, on March 30. This puts a question mark over the match venue, and officials of the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) are due to meet the ICC on Wednesday to try and resolve the issue.On Monday the DDCA approached the court with a petition seeking to open the stand, in an attempt to avoid the semi-final being shifted to an alternate venue if the issue related to the Mehra Block was not resolved.Ravinder Manchanda, the DDCA treasurer, meanwhile said that the DDCA had sent a letter to Justice (retired) Mukul Mudgal, appointed as the observer by the court for the World T20 matches in Delhi, assuring him the safety of the Mehra Block. “We have withdrawn the petition. We have given an undertaking to the Justice Mudgal as far as safety of the structure is concerned, and the safety and security of the spectators is concerned. Justice Mudgal would do the needful now,” Manchanda told ESPNcricinfo.The court had, in an earlier oral order, said that the Mehra Block would remain an unauthorised structure until the DDCA had got the clearance from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). On Tuesday, the court reiterated that stand when it told DDCA that it would not open the Block for public use unless the SDMC granted the completion certificate.The court also reminded the DDCA counsels that Justice Mudgal was not there to give clearances, and it was the SDMC approval that the court wanted to see. “We can’t grant use of any building without completion certificate,” a two-judge division bench of the High Court told the DDCA counsel. Duly the DDCA withdrew its petition.According to a key official involved with the conduct of matches in Delhi, Justice Mudgal is highly unlikely to change his stance on the Mehra Block. “Since it [Mehra Block] is not an authorised structure, Mudgal has not permitted anyone else except the media. And that, too, because the angle of the cameras cannot change. The stand is right behind the bowler’s arm,” the official said.The official also clarified that Mudgal had not raised any issue with respect to hoardings in front of the Mehra block as certain media reports indicated. “He only said no person would be allowed there except for media,” the official said. It is understood that Mudgal made his stand clear to ICC chief executive Dave Richardson recently.

Sheikh Jassim is very confident in his bid to take full control at Manchester United, Fabrizio Romano reports.

The Lowdown: Second bid

Jassim made an offer to take control at Old Trafford before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month. The current Manchester United owners have seemingly placed a £5bn valuation for the club, with previous reports believing Jassim’s opening bid was set to be rejected.

However, Jassim seems determined to complete a deal and sent a ‘formidable delegation to Old Trafford’ last week for talks. Those discussions lasted ten hours and were thought to be positive, with Sky Sports stating that a second offer from the Qatari investors was set to be made today ahead of a new deadline.

The Latest: Romano’s post

Romano took to Twitter in the last 24 hours to share what he’s heard from the Qatari investors. The transfer expert said that Jassim is ‘still very confident’ to buy the club ‘for full ownership’ but said that possible rival Sir Jim Ratcliffe will also make a new bid.

‘Sheikh Jassim feels still very confident on his bid to buy Manchester Utd for full ownership; Sir Ratcliffe’s INEOS group will also bid again after positive talks last week.’

Romano reiterated that the deadline for second bids is on Wednesday evening, adding that it will then be ‘up to the Glazers, again.’

The Verdict: Promising

This update appears to be a promising sign for those wanting Jassim to replace the Glazers, and there will more than likely be further developments throughout the day.

Erik ten Hag may also be keeping one eye on takeover updates, especially as it could impact his transfer plans for the summer. The Qatari group led by Jassim previously wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they could help Ten Hag in the transfer market, while they were also confident there would be no dual ownership issues.

This will be one to keep an eye on, and it’ll be interesting to see who may join Jassim and Ratcliffe with new bids in the coming hours.

Kylian Mbappe's possible Paris Saint-Germain exit will reportedly cost Ligue 1 a whopping €140 million in television rights.

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Mbappe set for PSG departureEyes Real Madrid summer moveExit could cost Ligue 1 €140mGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The World Cup-winning Frenchman has reportedly told the Paris outfit he wants to leave the club this summer. Real Madrid are frontrunners to recruit him when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season and while this will be a huge blow for PSG, the league could suffer as well. According to , Ligue 1 stands to lose more than €140m (£120m/$151m) in TV rights for the next five years.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The report adds the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is in negotiations for rights for the French top-flight for 2024-29 and not being able to count on Mbappe weakens their hand in negotiations. Therefore, the price of TV rights could be reduced by up to 20 per cent of the initial amount the LFP negotiated early on in the process. This will have a huge knock-on effect for PSG and the league as a whole when it comes to attracting new players and revenue.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Mbappe, 25, is reportedly demanding €70m (£60m/$76m) per year and a transfer bonus of €125m (£107m/$136m) in order to sign for Real Madrid. Lose Blancos areready to make Mbappe their next ‘Galactico’, but personal terms are proving difficult to agree.

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WHAT NEXT?

Negotiations between all interested parties will continue in the coming weeks and there may be some extra twists and turns along the way. But on the pitch, PSG travel to Nantes on Saturday in Ligue 1, followed by a home clash against Rennes on February 26.

Arsenal may have recruited well this summer, but there remains one disappointment for Mikel Arteta which he will seek to rectify before deadline day concludes…

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners were decisive with their business throughout the window, welcoming Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber in quick succession before adding David Raya later on.

However, it is one of these signings that is actually now posing the biggest headache for the Spanish manager, with the former Ajax star having been struck down with injury in what was his very first Premier League start.

Reports have since confirmed that their worst fears have been realised, with a seven-month lay-off as the 22-year-old recovers from ACL surgery.

The tough proposition is now deciding whether they wait, potentially sacrificing their title push in favour of saving money, or instead signing another player who could be unnecessary in the long-term by returning into the market.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Now, recent reports from Denmark seem to suggest that the 41-year-old has taken the latter route, with their interest in SL Benfica youngster Alexander Bah detailed.

It is expected that the Portuguese club will try and command €30m (£26m) for his services.

How good is Alexander Bah?

The only positive surrounding the miserable injury that has spurred this potential move is that Arteta could now add to his wealth of young talent set to star in the present and the future.

After all, the 25-year-old has shone across various different clubs now, having amassed 257 career appearances, surprisingly scoring 25 and assisting 47 from full-back, via Transfermarkt.

He clearly boasts a dynamic attacking impetus despite being a right-back by trade, and that desperation to contribute to the attack could see him become a hugely important figure this season, on the opposite flank to Oleksandr Zinchenko.

The Denmark international actually boasts plenty of similarities with the 26-year-old former Manchester City star, as a creative defender often more impactful when pushed further forward rather than left to defend.

This is due to his inversion from left-back into midfield, allowing him to flex his offensive know-how alongside his work rate and tenacity.

These are traits also seen in Bah, who when compared against other full-backs across European divisions similar to the Portuguese top flight, stands out.

He ranks in the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90, the top 5% for pass attempted per 90, the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 and even the top 12% for tackles per 90, via FBref.

Given how unknown a commodity he remains, the words of scout Ron Dor still ring true:

"Alexander Bah? One of the most undervalued RB profiles in the game."

To compare those figures with Zinchenko's, it becomes clear just how impactful the former Slavia Prague star could instantly be.

After all, when the Ukraine international is instead compared against full-backs across Europe's top-five leagues, he sits in the top 15% for total shots per 90, the top 2% for passes attempted, and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref.

He retains that immense creativity, but arguably lacks the solidity that could help Bah shine. It seems he is readymade for Arteta's system, and could more than make up for Timber's absence should he take to English football with ease.