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Australia captain Steven Smith singled out a good opening partnership as the key to Australia’s success in the Caribbean ahead of their tri-series opener against West Indies on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jun-2016Australia captain Steven Smith has singled out a good opening partnership as the key to success in the Caribbean ahead of their tri-series opener against West Indies on Sunday.

Davison has been massive for me – Lyon

Nathan Lyon has credited mentor and Cricket Australia spin coach John Davison for being a huge influence on his game. Lyon praised the former Canada allrounder for being approachable and was sure that he would be able to use his guidance to good effect during his time in the Caribbean. “For me, John Davison has been a massive player. He’s someone that I can pick up the phone anytime and anywhere and give a call and throw back ideas,” Lyon said.
“I’m lucky enough to have some really good mates in and around the squad here who have played in a lot of spinning conditions and they give me a fair amount of feedback here and there, but Davis is probably the one I can pick up and call just about any time. And I know he’ll be at home watching closely and if he sees anything, he’ll send me a text or give me a call the next day.”

Unlike the faster pitches at home, the surfaces in the Caribbean are expected to become slower as the innings progresses, and how Australia handle the new ball could determine how they fare in the tournament. The Providence Stadium in Guyana stayed true to reputation during West Indies’ four-wicket triumph over South Africa on Friday, with both sides finding run-scoring difficult.”My thoughts before yesterday’s game was that it wasn’t going to be a high-scoring game,” Smith said on the eve of the match. “It’s about being smart, particularly through the middle overs against the spinners, making sure we’re able to rotate the strike, and if we get a bad ball, put it away. Whereas in Australia, the bounce is consistent, the ball doesn’t spin a great deal, so you can hit through the line and take the game on a little bit more.”I don’t think you need to tell Davey Warner or Aaron Finch how to play too much. I think that’s just their natural instinct, to play their shots, which hopefully will get us into a good position. It looks as though it might be one of those wickets where the new ball is the easiest time to bat and then the wicket slows down, making it harder to score. If we try and make the most of those first six to ten overs, hopefully we can hold ourselves in good stead for the rest of the innings.”Smith’s observations were along the lines of how South Africa’s innings panned out. They made a solid start after choosing to bat and were 52 for 1 in the 10th over. By the time AB de Villiers fell in the 31st, they were scoring at less than 4.5 runs an over. Sunil Narine, on international comeback, then wrecked the middle order to finish with career-best figures of 6 for 27 as South Africa lost eight wickets for 58 runs.”I think it’s about each individual batter having a plan against him,” Smith said about facing Narine. “Obviously, he’s a quality bowler with a different set of skills than we’re used to seeing. I think most of our guys have seen him play in the IPL or for the West Indies and know what he brings to the table. It’s just about going out and executing our skills against him.”As for Australia, Adam Zampa will likely have a big role to play, although with Glenn Maxwell’s offbreaks and the presence of a senior spinner in Nathan Lyon, a final call will only be taken after pitch inspection on match day. Smith had words of praise for the young legspinner.”He has a lot of confidence. I think he’s come a long way in the last couple of years. He’s confident in his skill set and what he brings to the table,” Smith said. “He knows what he’s trying to do, reads the batsman very well, and I think his control has improved a lot as well.”I was really impressed with how he bowled in New Zealand in the one-dayers, and throughout the T20 World Cup and the IPL in India. He’s come on a long way, and hopefully can continue to improve and get better as well.”Lyon felt it was the confidence in his ability and the knowledge of what he’s trying to do that has elevated Zampa to the next level. “I’m not sure if I’m the senior spinner. We (he and Zampa) are really good mates, that helps,” Lyon said. “I’ve known him for a fair few years now, he’s developing into a great spinner. It’s been a privilege to work with him in the nets, and hopefully, if we get the chance to play together, we can win a couple of games for Australia.”I think he’s backed himself. He understands where his game is at the moment. He trusts his spinning ability. It’s exciting to see an upcoming legspinner, especially in the one-day format.”Maxwell has spoken in the past of the difficulty of him and Lyon playing in the same Test XI as both spin the ball the same way. But this tri-series could well see the two of them playing together and Lyon didn’t believe it was impossible. “Maxi bats in the top-five, doesn’t he? He’s a batter who can bowl offspin pretty well, so there’s definitely room for two spinners, especially given Maxi’s skill with the bat. So I don’t see a problem playing with Maxi.”A regular feature of the Test team, Lyon has made only sporadic appearances in the shorter format – he has played 10 ODIs and one T20I – and he felt every opportunity would be a chance to make the spot his own. Having made two trips to the country also helped his case as he has knowledge of the conditions. “It (the Providence pitch) looks like a typical Caribbean wicket. I’ve been fortunate enough to be over here a couple of times now, so hopefully understand the wicket here. But it looks like it’s going to be a tough one-day series. Every bowler is going to be a threat, it’s just about bowling in partnerships and attacking and defending at the right time.”Lyon also dismissed notions that bowling in the shorter format may affect his performance in Test cricket. “It’s definitely not going to damage my bowling. I’m confident in my skills to get the job done in any format. It’s just about being able to adapt – the best players in the world adapt – and that’s one of my goals.”

Crouching behind the stumps at the Wankhede on Wednesday, Jos Buttler had a bat’s eye view of Chris Gayle at his brazen best

Andrew Miller in Mumbai17-Mar-2016

Crouching behind the stumps at the Wankhede on Wednesday, Jos Buttler had a bat’s eye view of Chris Gayle at his brazen best, as he watched England’s hopes of an opening match victory disappear into the Mumbai night on 11 contemptuous occasions.For a man whose next assignment after this tournament will be a maiden stint with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Gayle’s performance was an education for Buttler in both the short and the medium term. But the rough treatment that he doled out, in particular to the spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, will have long-term implications for England’s tournament hopes if they fail to bounce back with victory on Friday night against their most familiar recent foes, South Africa.”We came up against a great innings from someone who can do that,” said Buttler. “We weren’t the first side and we certainly won’t be the last, either. I think it highlights that you really have to be 100% on your game against someone who’s capable of that sort of innings, but we have to park that game. We know it’s gone now, and to advance in this tournament we need to focus all our energy on the next game.”England, understandably, opted against a practice session this morning – a period of quiet contemplation by the hotel pool is more than enough prep for a team whom England have faced in 11 matches and three formats since December. And it is not as if West Indies’ methods left anything to the imagination where the Wankhede is concerned either. The pitch is full of runs, bowling is fraught with danger, and Buttler knows that forewarned will be forearmed.”Against these top players you have to execute your skills,” he said. “You can have as many plans as you like, but if you can’t execute a skill to that plan then you’re stuffed anyway. If you need to be able to bowl a yorker in front of thousands of people to one of the world’s best batters, then you’ve got to be able to do it or they’re going to hurt you like we saw last night.”Gayle’s brilliance implied that no total would have been safe, and yet Buttler admitted that England had let their chances slip earlier in the match, by failing to press on to a total that could have given their bowlers the protection that they needed.In particular, Buttler suggested, the opening partnership of Jason Roy and Alex Hales failed to press on in the way that might have been hoped after negotiating a promising platform in the Powerplay. And he was critical of his own finishing as well, as a threatening effort of 30 from 20 balls ended with a tame miscue to square leg off a low full-toss from Dwayne Bravo.”With the bat we were probably par at best,” Buttler said. “I think probably in the first six [overs], those two guys who have been so consistent in getting us off to good starts, when they catch fire they could put on even more. And then again at the end, we finished the innings well. Myself or someone else could have had a couple of really big overs, and instead of getting a 30, we could have make it a 60 and taken us up to that 200 score.”Overall, Buttler was eager to remain phlegmatic. Tournament cricket invariably serves up precarious scenarios on the back of untimely defeats, but such is the structure of this year’s World T20, England could once again be leaving the party before it has started if they cannot turn their fortunes around immediately.”You come to these tournaments, they’re hard games,” said Buttler. “Especially the format, to go to the semi-finals you’ve got to win games. But that’s tournament cricket. If we lose one game and win five in a row and win the World Cup, we’d be happy with that.”You just have to take it as it comes,” he added. “You do the same things. It’s still a game of cricket, you still have the same emotions and the same thought processes – it’s still 20 overs, it’s still 22 yards. We’ve got to focus on that and learn from what happened last night because playing against good teams, you’ve got to be right up there on your game to win these matches.”South Africa, Buttler conceded, will offer few surprises coming into the contest. England know their methods from claustrophobically close analysis over the past few months, and doubtless recognise that Friday night’s showdown could be a trial by rapier rather than broadsword if AB de Villiers follows Gayle’s big show with his own unique stylings.But, as their errors in the West Indies contest comprehensively demonstrated, England’s focus has to be on self-improvement rather than worrying unduly about what their opponents have to throw at them. It has, after all, been the mantra of their recent upturn in white-ball cricket. Fear is the enemy when one’s natural game is the aim, and Buttler admitted that nothing that happens in the next few days will come close to the misery of their colourless capitulation at the World Cup.”I think we need to put a bit of perspective on it,” he said. “Ten months ago at the World Cup was some of the worst feelings I’ve ever had on a cricket field. But you still come back from them, you just dust yourself down and go again.”Guys who are inexperienced are loving the thought of playing the World Cup and playing these big games, especially in India where cricket is just so high-profile,” he added. “The only way you can get more experienced is by playing, so they’ll have learnt from that and grow from that. And of course, if anything was a shock to anyone last night, or was different, then of course it’s not going to be tomorrow night.”De Villiers, with his recent record at the Wankhede, might have something to say about that. But it is hard to fault the optimistic sentiments from a team that is still learning on the hoof.

Manchester United await for Southampton in the Premier League, with the Saints hoping to build upon their recent good form and stave off the threat of relegation.

Their recent form under manager Ruben Selles – the former coach stepping up to replace Nathan Jones, who was sacked after a wretched spell at the helm – has been far more promising, with two victories clinched from the past three league matches.

An away triumph over Chelsea preceded a battling defeat to relegation rivals Leeds United, before a pivotal win against Leicester City, themselves just two points above the bottom three, closed the gulf to touching distance; Saints are now just one point behind the Whites in 17th.

The upswing in form has come at the perfect time considering the magnitude of the task in travelling to Old Trafford and stopping Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils, who responded emphatically after losing 7-0 to Liverpool by defeating Real Betis 4-1 in the Europa League.

What will Southampton’s starting XI be vs Manchester United?

With this in mind, here is how Football FanCast is predicting Saints boss Selles to field his starting eleven when the club take on Man United at the Theatre of Dreams this afternoon, with just one change expected after three points were clinched last weekend.

(4-3-3) – (GK) Bazunu; (RB) Maitland-Niles, (CB) Bednarek, (CB) Bella-Kotchap, (LB) Walker-Peters; (CM) Lavia, (CM) Ward-Prowse (AM) Elyounoussi; (RW) Walcott, (LW) Sulemana; (CF) Adams. 

Selles will likely stick with the same backline that secured victory last time out, especially given Southampton have now kept clean sheets in two of the past three league outings, conceding only once against Leeds.

In midfield, Romeo Lavia and captain James Ward-Prowse could continue their partnership as the two behind the attacking midfield trident.

Selles will demand cohesion and attentiveness from his outfit, and might have to do so without last week’s match-winner Carlos Alcaraz, who is touch-and-go for a starting berth against United after injuring himself in the celebration last Saturday, with The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell stating that scans were ‘positive’.

The £12m winter signing is a doubt due to his fitness and the “one-dimensional” – as remarked by analyst Ben Wells – Mohamed Elyounoussi could start by replacing the starlet at St. Mary’s.

Up front, Che Adams will retain his talismanic position in the place of Paul Onuachu, while pacy wingers Theo Walcott and Kamaldeen Sulemana will hope to make an impact from the flanks.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been linked with a move to Al-Ittihad before the Saudi transfer window closes – and a potentially concerning update has recently emerged.

Could Mohamed Salah join Al-Ittihad?

The future of the 31-year-old has been a massive talking point in recent days, with a move to Saudi Arabia still possible due to their summer window not closing until next week.

He has been wanted by Al-Ittihad for some time, as they eye up an audacious move for one of world football's most recognisable faces.

The likes of Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have already headed to the Saudi Pro League this summer, joining a host of other renowned names, as the league goes from strength to strength.

The level of Al-Ittihad's interest in Salah is highlighted by the fact that they have already seen a £150m offer for him rebuffed by Liverpool, but they are unlikely to go away quietly, whether that be in the next few days or when January arrives.

Will Al-Ittihad bid £200m for Mohamed Salah?

According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Al-Ittihad could now bid a world-record-equalling £200m for Salah's services, as they still look to get a deal over the line in the coming days:

"Liverpool are expecting Al-Ittihad to return with an improved Mohamed Salah offer worth £200million, sources have told Football Insider. The Saudi club had an initial bid of £100million – rising to £150million – turned down late on Thursday night (31 August).

"Al-Ittihad could now submit a new bid of an initial £150million that would be topped up with add-ons to make an astonishing £200million package in total, which would be a world-record transfer fee."

There is no doubt that this will be a worry for Liverpool supporters, with Al-Ittihad's interest in Salah clearly genuine, as they look to make a major signing of intent during the current transfer window.

It is a tough situation for the Reds, with £200m an astonishing amount of money for a player who is now 31 years of age, so it would have to be something they consider given the funds it would generate for them to sign other top players moving forward.

There is the clear issue of not being able to sign a replacement, which is a major issue, so it would be far more preferable for Salah to depart early in the next summer window.

Should the move appeal to the Egyptian, though, Jurgen Klopp tends not to be a manager who would stand in his way, given their decisions to sell Jordan Henderson and Fabinho this summer.

So it could end up being that the decision rests with Salah. He hopefully feels that he still has a lot to offer at Anfield, however, ignoring Al-Ittihad's interest for at least another year.

It wouldn't be a shock to see him end up in Saudi Arabia, where he would surely be one of the main attractions given his status as a football superstar across the globe.

Sunderland may lose out in their battle to bring in a key target to strengthen their offensive options late in the window, according to recent reports.

What's the latest news involving Sunderland?

The Black Cats have enjoyed a busy transfer window that has seen plenty of incomings arrive through the door at the Stadium Of Light, including Jenson Seelt, Jobe Bellingham, Elizier Mayenda, Nectarios Triantis, Bradley Dack, Nathan Bishop and Luis Semedo, as per Transfermarkt, but a recognised goalscorer is still on the agenda.

Last weekend, Sunderland managed to gain their first victory this campaign in the Sky Bet Championship, defeating Rotherham United 2-1 at home to avenge the disappointment of losing out in their first two league fixtures to Preston North End and Ipswich Town, as per Sky Sports.

Tony Mowbray has made it clear recently that bringing in a striker is a key priority for the Black Cats between now and the close of play in the market and has spoken in a recent interview about what he is looking for from any prospective recruits in the forward areas, stating via The Chronicle: "We're trying to control the game on most occasions, and then it's about seeing whether teams are going to press or sit off in a block."

He then added: "That's why ultimately you need some mobility at the top end because if people are sitting in a mid-block and your centre-half doesn't think they can get through the lines, sometimes you have to go over the top with some speed and some threat.

"At the moment that's what's missing from this team, because that's not really Hemir or Dack's game. Jobe has that powerful running action that can pressure people, of course, but it's not necessarily speed."

Losing attacking talent will be a big concern for the former Celtic manager and there has been no shortage of interest in star man Jack Clarke this summer, who has been subject to several rejected bids from Premier League outfit Burnley, with their last rebuffed proposal said to be in the region of £13 million, according to The Sunderland Echo.

Patrick Roberts is also a target for both Southampton and Scottish champions Celtic and is believed to have 'growing interest' from both side's in his services, journalist Alan Nixon has revealed on his Patreon.

Is there interest in Amad Diallo?

According to a separate report from The Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats have 'been keeping an eye' on the situation of former loanee Amad Diallo, but club chiefs believe that Manchester United would prefer to see the Ivory Coast international join a Premier League club instead and they will miss out as a result.

Erik Ten Hag is yet to determine Diallo's future and the £28k-a-week ace has attracted interest from Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton, alongside Sunderland.

Dubbed "incredible" by ex-teammate Luke O'Nien, Diallo spent last campaign on loan on Wearside and ended up being a major hit at the Stadium of Light, notching 14 goals and four assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Diallo also ranks highly in regard to his positional peers across Europe's next eight divisions below the top five leagues on the continent for pass completion, with an 84.7% pass success rate per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting the 21-year-old in the 98th percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

Realistically, it is difficult to see an avenue for Diallo to return if Manchester United do want him to try his hand at the Premier League; nevertheless, Sunderland still look to be at least contemplating an ambitious swoop for the Red Devils' winger.

Former Italy hero Gigi Riva – still to this day the national team's all-time top scorer – has passed away at the age of 79.

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Italian legend passed away on MondayHad been hospitalised over the weekendRemains Azzurri's all-time top scorerWHAT HAPPENED?

Riva had been taken ill at his home in Sardinia over the weekend and was taken to hospital for treatment for a suspected heart problem. However, it was confirmed on Monday that the legendary forward had died after a short spell in hospital.

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Riva spent a year at Legnano before going on to become a legend at Cagliari, spending 13 years at the club and winning a Serie A title. He was also crowned the Italian top-flight's top scorer on three occasions with Cagliari and was runner-up in the Ballon d'Or in 1969, losing out to AC Milan and fellow Italy hero Gianni Rivera.

DID YOU KNOW?

It was with the Italy national team that Riva secured himself as a national hero, however. In 42 appearances for the Azzurri, he netted 35 times to become their all-time top scorer – a record he still holds. He helped fire Italy to the Euro 1968 title, scoring in the final as they beat Yugoslavia 2-0. Two years later, Riva scored three times in the World Cup as the Azzurri made it to the final, where they were beaten 4-1 by Brazil.

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The Italian football legend's passing was confirmed shortly before the Supercoppa Italiana final between Inter and Napoli in Riyadh, so no minute's silence was held in his honour. Serie A clubs will likely pay tribute to him before their matches this weekend.

Newcastle United are now interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Jesper Lindstrom, but they will have to battle the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal for his signature, according to recent reports from Denmark.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

There have been suggestions that Newcastle have made contact with Galatasaray over a move for Nicolo Zaniolo, as a result of the "excellent impact" he made for the Turkish club after arriving in January, but they have no interest in selling him this summer.

That has not deterred the Magpies, however, as they are expected to make an official offer this week, with Zaniolo emerging as one of their key midfield targets, but they do have a few other options in mind, including Flamengo youngster Victor Hugo.

Eddie Howe's side have "decided" to make a bid of around €24m (£21m) for the 19-year-old, having closely monitored him for some time now, and the Brazilian club will have to be prepared for an "astronomical proposal" this summer.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

There are no other clubs named as potential suitors for Hugo, but Newcastle are set to face a lot of competition in their pursuit of Lindstrom, with Ekstra Bladet, via Sport Witness, recently detailing that a whole host of clubs are vying for the Frankfurt star's signature.

Alongside the Magpies, Tottenham Hotspur, RB Leipzig, Inter Milan and Napoli are all interested in the 23-year-old, who could be on the move this summer, with his current club said to be planning for a sale.

Frankfurt would find it hard to say no to a good offer, and if an auction breaks out, the fee could rise as high as €55m (£47m), although he is valued at around €35m – €40m (£30m – £34m). At the moment, Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus are the clubs that have taken the most concrete steps, having "already been in contact" with the Bundesliga club to discuss a deal.

How good is Jesper Lindstrom?

Football writer Seb Stafford-Bloor has praised the attacking midfielder on a number of occasions, describing him as "fun to watch", before recently adding:

"Jesper Lindstrom is a fascinating player. Really talented and unusual, but also hard to define."

Having arrived in the Bundesliga from Brondby ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, it was always going to take the Dane some time to adapt, but teammate Kevin Trapp believes he has already come on leaps and bounds since his arrival:

"Jesper is very young and came from a different league. The Bundesliga is a tougher league than the Danish league, you have to get used to it. It’s normal, and everyone in the club and the team knows that. Jesper has already made significant steps forward… you can see that he's an outstanding footballer and has very good technique."

Of course, a move to the Premier League would be another step up for the maestro, but he has proven he may be up to the task, having scored seven league goals last season, the third-highest amount in the squad. If Newcastle are able to sign Lindstrom for a fee close to his valuation of around £30m, he could be a quality addition, but it may be difficult to win the race for his signature, given the level of interest.

With Leeds United about to embark on their first season in the Championship for four years, journalist Phil Hay is worried about where the goals will come from and who can be Daniel Farke's Teemu Pukki in white.

Leeds United transfer news

Before the dust had even settled on the Peacocks' relegation from the Premier League last season, players started looking for a way out of the club, and after Sam Allardyce was shown the door, it didn't take long for some of the first team to follow him.

So far, the club have sent four players out on loan, including recent signings Rasmus Kristensen, Brenden Aaronson, and Marc Roca. That number could soon be five as Maximilian Wober looks likely to join Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach in the coming days.

That said, the club still, at this point anyway, possess a decent lineup of attacking wide players, such as William Gnonto, Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville, and Jack Harrison.

However, whilst those players are certainly good enough for the Championship, the options at striker of Patrick Bamford and Gerorginio Rutter could be a problem and don't fill Phil Hay with a great deal of confidence going into the new season.

He explained his feelings on the situation on The Square Ball YouTube channel:

"I do still find myself asking, 'Who is going to be his Teemu Pukki in this team? Who is going to score 20-plus goals? I'm not looking at either Rutter through the middle or Patrick Bamford through the middle and thinking you've got a dead cert there for 20-plus in the season to come.

"I would also say, and I think you're right here, that while they're well served out wide with options, and they definitely are. I'm not sure that there is somebody who is perfectly suited to that central creative role."

Who have Leeds United been linked to?

With the striking situation looking a little worrying, have the club been linked to anyone that could come in and help move the club forward this season?

Well, the good news is that, according to WalesOnline, Leeds have made contact with fellow Championship side Swansea City over their free-scoring Dutch centre-forward Joel Piroe.

The Welsh publication has revealed that the player has refused to sign a new contract with the Swans and that because of this, his valuation could be lower than the £20m it was last summer.

While the 23-year-old isn't currently the Whites 'primary focus', he would be an excellent purchase due to his proficiency in the second tier over the last two seasons.

In his first year in English football, the 6 foot 1 dynamo scored 22 goals and provided six assists in just 40 starts. He followed that up by scoring 19 goals and providing two assists last season in just 43 starts.

So far, the Dutchman has 49 goal involvements in his 7293 minutes of Championship football for the Welsh club, meaning he has produced a goal involvement every 148 minutes, or once every one and a half games or so.

While it might not quite be as prolific as Pukki was for Norwich City in the 2020/21 and 2018/19 seasons, it's still massively impressive and would give the rest of the team an excellent base upon which to build.

If Leeds can get this deal done, it could go a long way in easing Hay's concerns.

Liverpool are now looking for their next defensive midfielder with Fabinho expected to make a move to Saudi Arabia this summer and now a new potential transfer target has been identified.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Joao Palhinha?

According to Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy, Liverpool are interested in signing Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Reddy revealed on Twitter: "Lavia and Gravenberch have long been considered by LFC (regardless of current situation), with their reps spoken to. Other players they've looked at: Nicolo Barella, Khephren Thuram, Florentino Luis, Joao Palhinha, Teun Koopmeiners…"

"They do love a surprise, stealth signing"

How good is Joao Palhinha?

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to quickly replace Fabinho as the Brazilian mainstay has had a huge influence on the club's success over the last five years.

The Liverpool ace played a key role in his deep-lying role to lead his team to a Champions League trophy, FA Cup, League Cup and their first-ever Premier League title, so it will be difficult to find a player who can emulate his impact.

As a result, the signing of Palhinha would be a great move for the Merseyside giants as the Portuguese sensation has been a revelation over the last 12 months and has been a difference-maker at Craven Cottage.

No other Premier League player completed more tackles and interceptions than the 6 foot 3 titan (193), with fellow Liverpool target Moises Caicedo coming in second to the Fulham whiz (156), and this attribute is not the only one that the two hot top-flight talents share.

When comparing Palhinha's output to his Ecuordorian positional peer last season, the pair came close in a number of key attributes desirable in the defensive midfield role including pass completion (82.5% v 88.5%), percentage of dribblers tackled (53% v 58.8%), blocks (48 v 43) and aerial duels won (64.5% v 64.9%). as per FBref.

Not only that, the 28-year-old ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for tackles per 90, as well as ranking in the top 12% for clearances per 90 and aerial duels won per 90, proving that he is one of the best defensive presences in Europe.

Lauded as being as "strong as an ox" by Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir, the confident ball-winner has been the recipient of high praise during his short time in English football, with pundit Jamie Redknapp showering compliments on Palhinha:

"He has been a brilliant signing. £20 million. He has got a real knowledge and nous of where he should be. He picks the right pass. He has a real presence about him. He is a fantastic signing for them."

Despite making a £20m move from Sporting Lisbon to west London last summer, the Portugal international has already become an invaluable asset to Fulham and it would reportedly take an offer of £90m for them to part ways with their star player, presenting a slightly cheaper alternative to Caicedo who has a £100m price tag.

With that being said, if sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could secure a deal for Palhinha it would be a major coup for the club and if he can continue to dominate in midfield at Anfield, he would be the dream successor for Fabinho next season.

A concise look back at the events that led to the pay-dispute crisis between the Australian players and their cricket board

Daniel Brettig30-Jun-20173:46

What is the CA-ACA pay dispute?

November 11: MoU negotiations between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) formally begin in Melbourne, with a meeting between CA’s chairman David Peever and his opposite number Greg Dyer. The meeting was preluded by news that the ACA was chasing a more expansive definition of Australian Cricket Revenue – the agreed pool of money from which their payment has been drawn – to include digital revenue.December 7: Australia’s captain Steven Smith and deputy David Warner dine with CA board directors where the governing body’s desire to break up the revenue sharing model is discussed. It is an evening that begins a trend of CA trying to go around the ACA to deal directly with the players.December 12: CA sends its initial pay submission to the ACA and players, detailing plans to break up the revenue sharing model and offer fixed wages to domestic male and female players, while only offering surplus profits – capped at A$20 million – to international men (subsequently expanded to also include international women). A particular sticking point is the pregnancy policy for female players.December 19: CA suspends pay talks with the ACA after the pregnancy clause revelations, locking the players’ association’s negotiating team out of a scheduled meeting at the board’s Jolimont headquarters – this is the first major breakdown in pay talks between the two bodies in 20 years.December 22: Australia’s men’s and women’s captains Steven Smith and Meg Lanning write to the CA chief executive James Sutherland requesting that the board respects the ACA as the players’ collective bargaining agent and asking that they cease attempts to deal directly with individual players.December 27: Sutherland seeks to take some heat out of discussions by stating during the Boxing Day Test match against Pakistan that Australia’s players’ association and board have “more in common than not”.January 24: The ACA claims that it is not being offered substantial financial details on which to judge CA’s proposal and weigh it up against its own.March 5: Sutherland maintains CA’s desire to break up the revenue percentage model while visiting India for Australia’s Test tour.March 21: Players are presented with CA’s formal pay offer, which adds some detail and some adjustments to the December proposal but remains largely unchanged in its modelling and overall thrust, seeking to breakup the revenue sharing model and return wage control to the board. The offer also outlines what CA intends to do with the money raised by changing the model – expanding its media wing and investing in other new projects in addition to https://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/1087893.html” target=”_blank”>funding the grassroots.April 19: Tim May, the former ACA chief executive and an architect of the first revenue sharing MoU in 1998, challenges CA to provide a more substantial case for breaking up the model.April 27: CA’s head of cricket operations, Sean Cary, one of few board employees to work closely and consistently with the ACA, quits to take up a tennis job in the United States.May 11: Mitchell Starc insists that no Australian players will entertain contract negotiations until a new MoU is agreed upon, following revelations that CA’s team performance manager Pat Howard has offered multi-year deals to the top five players – Starc, Steven Smith, David Warner, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.May 12: Sutherland writes to his opposite number at the ACA Alistair Nicholson, criticising the ACA’s approach to negotiations and informs all players coming out of contract that they will be unemployed as of July 1. The ACA requests mediation to move pay talks forward after numerous rounds of fruitless meetings between the players’ association and the board.May 15: David Warner further inflames the dispute by saying CA might find itself without any players for the Ashes if the two parties cannot reach an agreement.May 17: CA’s chairman David Peever rejects the ACA’s request for mediation, stating that negotiations had not yet begun.May 18: The ACA unveils a contingency fund for players left out of pocket in the event of the pay dispute going beyond June 30.May 25: The ACA announces the foundation of The Cricketers Brand, a commercial wing of the association for the use of the players’ intellectual property, which passes out of the hands of CA beyond June 30 when the MoU expires.May 27-28: Peever rejects the ACA’s calls for mediation a second time as CA again attempts to deal directly with the players. Australia’s federal minister for sport, Greg Hunt, reveals the governmentwould be prepared to provide mediation for the two parties if the dispute were to threaten the Ashes.May 30: CA releases a video featuring lead negotiator Kevin Roberts explaining CA’s pay offer to players, with another released the following week. One of the graphics accompanying the video states that the Big Bash League lost A$33 million for CA over its first five years, a claim attacked by the ACA’s Simon Katich.June 8: Warner criticises CA for the release of the videos to players in the middle of their Champions Trophy campaign. Australia would be eliminated in the first round after a pair of washouts are followed by a loss to England.June 20: South Africa launches its new Twenty20 tournament and it is revealed that numerous Australian players, including internationals, have expressed interest in the event which will clash with the home season. At the same time it emerges that players have discussed playing exhibition matches should the dispute be lengthy.June 21: Following the announcement of the AFL’s pay deal with its players, the AFLPA chief executive and former ACA chief Paul Marsh criticises CA for endangering the international game. At the same time CA’s lead negotiator Roberts goes on a national roadshow to explain CA’s position to the players.June 23: CA offers a pair of concessions relative to its previous offer – increasing payments for domestic male players and also linking all players to the capped bonus system originally offered only to international players – at the same time as sending contract offers out to all players. The ACA, angered by the offers being sent out without an MoU, rejects the concessions.June 27: Players meet at an annual golf day in Sydney and implore CA’s chief executive James Sutherland to get directly involved in negotiations. Sutherland, who has kept at arm’s length from talks, arrives back in Melbourne from ICC meetings a day before the MoU expires.June 28: Players are sent a communique from the team performance manager Pat Howard outlining arrangements beyond the expiry of the MoU, including a warning that any players taking part in exhibition matches will be banned from the Ashes. Limited talks between the two parties go nowhere substantial.June 30: MoU deadline day arrives, and CA marks it by hardening its stance against the players, announcing that all money originally intended to be paid to out of contract players will instead be diverted to grassroots funding programmes until an MoU is agreed upon. This move enrages the playersfurther.