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Amy Satterthwaite’s 79 not out takes match deeper than hosts would have liked

Valkerie Baynes16-Sep-2021How to defend a sub-par total in Bristol, by Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver – so England penned their victory tale against New Zealand in the first edition of their five-match ODI series.After the home side were bowled out for 241 with three balls left, the two England spearheads turned the plot on its head during a devastating spell at the start of New Zealand’s run-chase in which Brunt bowled four maidens on the trot and Sciver took 2 for 10 from five overs.Sophie Ecclestone added her own chapter by claiming two wickets in two balls, while Kate Cross also claimed two as Amy Satterthwaite offered valiant resistance with an unbeaten 79 that included a 78-run stand with Sophie Devine and took the match far deeper than England would have wanted.England’s innings had been built on an excellent 89 from captain Heather Knight, who was well supported by Tammy Beaumont’s 44 and Brunt’s 43. But with Lauren Winfield-Hill the only other England batter to reach double figures, the hosts would be left to wonder if they’d done enough. Their bowlers saw to it that they had.Brunt’s tight lines gave nothing to New Zealand’s openers, Suzie Bates and Lauren Down. After three overs, the tourists had managed just one run, a hurried single that would have resulted in a run out, had Beaumont’s diving throw from backward point not been a fraction wide.They’d only added one more when Sciver had Bates comfortably caught by Knight at first slip and, after five overs, New Zealand were 2 for 1, compared to England’s 30 for 1.Sciver struck again on the last ball of the Powerplay, luring an edge from Down which was taken by Amy Jones behind the stumps and New Zealand were 17 for 2 after 10 overs.Cross had Maddy Green caught at slip by Knight to make it 31 for 3 in the 13th over. But then Devine and Satterthwaite steadied the innings with a calm that seemed to mimic the twin hot-air balloons floating in the distance. They were by no means scoring freely, rather holding things together after a turbulent launch, however, and as those vessels drifted beyond the suburban skyline, so too did the victory target disappear out of sight – or so it seemed.Needing to score at a run a ball for the last half of the innings, Satterthwaite twice took a chance on the field with skyward shots that landed safely. She got one away nicely off Cross, back over the bowler’s head, but when Cross’s ever-reliable line and length was rewarded again with the wicket of Devine, caught at mid-on by Winfield-Hill for 34 three balls later, the tourists needed to rebuild again with the required rate creeping steadily higher.Ecclestone removed Katey Martin and Brooke Halliday with consecutive balls and it appeared just a matter of time for England to seal the win. Worryingly for England, it took time, especially given Knight’s edict before the match for her side to be more ruthless.Brunt’s return to action was delayed by a spell off the field to treat some tightness in her back but when she re-entered the the attack – with figures of 4-4-0-0 – New Zealand were six wickets down and still 118 runs adrift of their target.Brunt struck with the last ball of her second over back, trapping Hannah Rowe lbw to end with 1 for 22 from eight overs. Debutant Charlie Dean even chimed in with the wicket of Jess Kerr, bowled by a pearl of a delivery which took the top of off stump.Lea Tahuhu made a spirited 25 off just 14 in a late 34-run stand with Satterthwaite but was bowled by Freya Davies, and then Leigh Kasperek and Satterthwaite put on another 34 for the final wicket before Kasperek was brilliantly run out by Winfield-Hill in the middle of the 47th over.Kerr claimed three wickets for the White Ferns, while Tahuhu made an excellent return from foot surgery with two wickets and Devine also chimed in with two.The hosts plumped for Winfield-Hill despite adding Danni Wyatt – who had opened alongside Beaumont throughout the T20 series, which England won 2-1 – to the ODI squad.Winfield-Hill remains in search of the form that would see her cement a spot ahead of next year’s World Cup after she was strangled down the leg side by Rowe for 21 off 24 balls, ending a solid opening stand of 41.Beaumont was particularly strong on the drive, which delivered five of her six boundaries. There was little urgency to her innings but she looked solid after being dropped on 5 at the end of the third over when she sent a Devine delivery low to Green, who couldn’t hold on at first slip.Devine made the breakthrough, almost as an afterthought when she rapped Beaumont on the knee roll apparently in line but drew only a lone shout for lbw from the field. Devine made a last-second call for the DRS, which showed the ball striking the pad before the bat and going on to hit the top of leg stump.Tahuhu was instrumental in the England wobble which followed, bowling Sciver and Jones, and when Kerr had Sophia Dunkley caught cheaply down the leg side, England had gone from 109 for 1 to 140 for 5 and it fell to Knight and Brunt to drive the recovery.They did so with an 88-run stand which ended when Knight fell tamely on the penultimate ball of the 47th to a simple return catch for Kasperek.

A £72 million Chelsea player could now reunite with former teammate and France star N'Golo Kante in Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad plotting a surprise summer move for him.

Players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer

Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson and Ian Maatsen have already left Stamford Bridge, with four of the aforementioned five bringing in a combined total of around £84 million.

£210,000-per-week striker compared to Ronaldo really wants Chelsea move

He thinks a switch to Stamford Bridge is the best possible outcome for him.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 5, 2024

While Silva re-joined boyhood club Fluminense for free after the expiry of his contract, Chelsea still stand to save some money by chalking off his £110,000-per-week wages. Ziyech, Hall, Hutchinson and Maatsen were all out of favour in west London, and move on to pastures new with the good grace of Todd Boehly, as the American balances Chelsea's books in a busy early summer.

Armando Broja, Malang Sarr, Romelu Lukaku, Trevoh Chalobah, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Mykhailo Mudryk and Conor Gallagher are other players who could be sold by Chelsea in the coming weeks, according to various reports.

There are high-profile players who co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley will be desperate to offload, with the main one being Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku. AC Milan and Napoli are frontrunners to sign Lukaku, with Chelsea demanding around £38 million to let him go.

Boehly is prepared to take a £60 million loss off Lukaku's sale, with the 31-year-old originally joining in a deal worth £98 million in 2021. Meanwhile, Chelsea are under pressure to do a deal for Gallagher, despite his importance under ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino last season.

The England star's has entered the final 12 months of his contract, so his boyhood status at the club may well be discounted as Boehly ponders the ruthless business decision of finding a buyer before Gallagher can leave for nothing.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who spent last season on loan at La Liga champions Real Madrid, is also being heavily linked with the exit door. The Spaniard has been tipped for sit-down talks with Enzo Mareca over his future recently, and it is believed Kepa is really wants to leave Chelsea on a permanent deal.

Al-Ittihad plot surprise move for Kepa who could leave Chelsea

According to TEAMtalk reporter Rudy Galetti, Al-Ittihad are planning a surprise move for Kepa this summer, who oould well reunite with Kante in the Gulf State.

The PIF-backed Saudi Pro League side are currently in talks with Athletico Paranaense keeper and Brazil international Bento, but if a deal falls through, Al-Ittihad will bid for Kepa as an alternative.

The 29-year-old joined Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao in a deal worth £72 million, making him the most expensive goalkeeper in history, but it hasn't exactly been plane sailing since his move to the Premier League.

On around £146,000-per-week in west London, the club would save a decent portion of cash by trimming Kepa's salary off the wage bill, but it is unclear just how much the Saudis are willing to pay for him.

MatériaMais Notícias

da premier bet： O sonho acabou! O Palmeiras lutou, mas não conseguiu derrotar o Chelsea, que venceu, na prorrogação, por 2 a 1, neste sábado, em Abu Dhabi. Com gols de Lukaku e Havertz (de pênalti), os Blues levaram vantagem depois dos 90 minutos e bateram os adversários, que marcaram, também de pênalti, com Raphael Veiga. Os Blues conquistam seu primeiro Mundial de Clubes.

> Rivais não perdoam Palmeiras nos memes após vice no Mundial para o Chelsea: “A piada continua”

> Palmeiras segue na fila: veja times bateram na trave, mas nunca conquistaram o Mundial

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Primeiro tempo equilibrado e Verdão desperdiçando possibilidades

A primeira etapa começou da maneira que se esperava, com os ingleses propondo o jogo e os brasileiros esperando na defesa. Mas foi o Alviverde que arriscou o primeiro chute, aos três minutos, com Danilo, que ficou com a sobra da defesa e tentou o arremate, mas o desvio foi para escanteio. Aos nove, Rony buscou jogada individual, mas finalizou de forma muito errada para fora.

Enquanto isso, o Chelsea tinha dificuldade para furar a defesa palmeirense, que embora se virasse de todas as formas para afastar, não levou tantos sustos. No ataque, aos 26 minutos, o Verdão quase abriu o placar, quando Dudu recebeu pela esquerda, cortou para o meio e chutou na saída de Mendy, mas a bola foi para fora na melhor chance do primeiro tempo para as duas equipes.

Aos 31 minutos, Mount sentiu e Pulisic entrou, melhorando o volume do Chelsea. Três minutos depois, Lukaku quase abriu o placar com um bate e rebate na área que ficou com o goleiro alviverde. Aos 43, Zé Rafael teve uma grande chance de tocar no meio da área em contra-ataque, mas errou o passe. Já no fim, Thiago Silva teve grande liberdade no meio e arriscou de longe para Weverton defender. Foi a melhor chance do clube inglês na etapa inicial.

Chelsea abre o placar, mas o Palmeiras empata de pênalti

O segundo tempo parecia começar como estava sendo o cenário do primeiro, mas o Chelsea acabou retornando como mais intensidade nos primeiros minutos e arriscou com chute de longe de Rudiger aos 3. No entanto, aos 9, em uma das raras falhas da defesa, Kovacic encontrou Hudson-Odoi com espaço para cruzar e achar Lukaku, que subiu mais do que a zaga e abriu o placar.

O Palmeiras sentiu o gol e quase tomou o segundo quando Pulisic tabelou com Lukaku e chutou de forma perigosa. No entanto, aos 15, Thiago Silva colocou a mão na bola dentro da área e o VAR apontou pênalti. Raphael Veiga bateu e empatou para o Verdão., que melhorou na partida e por pouco não faz o segundo também com Veiga, que acabou chutando fraco. Em resposta, os Blues chegaram mais uma vez pelo meio em tabela e Pulisic chutou para fora.

Ambos os técnico fizeram alterações por volta dos 30 minutos da segunda etapa e a partir dali o jogo passou a ser mais cadenciado, ambos com medo de levar o gol e tirar a possibilidade de prorrogação. O Alviverde ainda tentou algumas estocadas, mas sem sucesso, enquanto o Chelsea levava vantagem nas tabelas na entrada da área. Mas o empate persistiu no tempo normal.

Cenário não se altera na prorrogação e Chelsea faz de pênalti para o título

A situação pouco mudou para o primeiro tempo da prorrogação, ou seja, Chelsea se apossou do campo de ataque e da boal, enquanto o Palmeiras ficou retraído esperando um contra-ataque. No entanto, foram poucas as chances que o time de Abel Ferreira teve para poder sair da defesa como gosta.

No segundo tempo da prorrogação, os Blues passaram a pressionar demais e num bate e rebate na área Luan acabou colocando a mão na bola e o VAR aponto pênalti. Na cobrança, Havertz bateu e superou Weverton para fazer 2 a 1 no placar e conquistar o título mundial, que mais uma vez não foi alviverde.

FICHA TÉCNICA
CHELSEA 2 x 1 PALMEIRAS
Local: Mohammed Bin Zayed, em Abu Dhabi (EAU)
Data-Hora: 12/2/2022 – 13h30 (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro: Chris Beath (AUS)
Assistentes: Anton Shchetinin (AUS) e Ashley Beecham (AUS)
VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
Público: 32.871 torcedores
Cartões amarelos: (CHE) Atuesta e Wesley (PAL)
Cartões vermelhos: Luan, aos 20’/2ºTP (PAL)
Gols: Lukaku (9’/2ºT) (1-0), Raphael Veiga (18’/2ºT) (1-1), Havertz (11’/2ºTP) (2-1)

CHELSEA: Mendy; Christensen (Sarr, no intervalo para a prorrogação), Thiago Silva e Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kante, Kovacic (Ziyech, no intervalo para a prorrogação) e Hudson-Odoi (Saúl, aos 30’/2ºT); Mount (Pulisic, aos 31’/1ºT), Havertz e Lukaku (Timo Werner, aos 30’/2ºT). Técnico: Thomas Tuchel.

PALMEIRAS: Weverton; Gustavo Gómez, Luan e Piquerez; Marcos Rocha (Deyverson, aos 12’/2ºTP), Danilo, Zé Rafael (Jailson, aos 14’/2ºT) e Gustavo Scarpa; Raphael Veiga (Atuesta, aos 32’/2ºT), Dudu (Rafael Navarro, aos 12’/1ºTP) e Rony (Wesley, 32’/2ºT). Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Carlos Corberan will hope he can rely on his more experienced heads next season to steer another West Bromwich Albion to another attempt at winning promotion, with the likes of Kyle Bartley and more shining last campaign in the Championship.

It would have been a welcome relief to see the ex-Arsenal man put pen to paper on a new contract this summer, therefore, whilst the likes of Alex Mowatt, Jed Wallace and others scattered around the Baggies camp have been there and done that up and down the EFL across their careers to date.

Even more wily heads could be added to the Hawthorns camp soon…

West Brom interested in serial promotion winner

According to football journalist Michael Graham earlier this week, Sunderland were said to in the driver's seat over a deal for former Sheffield United midfielder Oliver Norwood this summer.

It comes after prior reports stated that West Brom are also in the queue to try and snap up the successful free agent.

Norwood has four promotions to the Premier League on his CV from the second tier, with two of those coming during a fruitful patch of his career in South Yorkshire, as West Brom now hope his expertise in moving up to the top flight can rub off the rest of the Baggies ranks.

Slipping up in the play-off semi-finals last campaign to eventual promotion winners Southampton, the Northern Irishman could also fill a gap left behind by Okay Yokuslu's potential departure, with talk centring in on the fact the Turkish midfielder could move back to his native country this off-season.

How Norwood can be West Brom's next Brunt

Norwood could act as a dependable and reliable figure in the centre of the park in a similar fashion to the way former West Brom great Chris Brunt used to operate too, with the now retired star also hailing from Northern Ireland, after going down in the Baggies hall of fame as an esteemed servant to the West Midlands club.

Brunt ended up amassing a ridiculous 421 games in total for West Brom, with his calm and experienced head constantly showing its worth, as he ended up maintaining a starting spot for the majority of his 13 seasons at the Hawthorns.

Norwood was able to be a similar safe figure to rely upon when still playing at Bramall Lane, with 27 games coming his way last season in the Premier League for Chris Wilder's men, despite entering the twilight of his career now at 33 years of age.

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22/23

51

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21/22

49

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20/21

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19/20

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Only absent from two Championship games the last two full campaigns he's competed in, Norwood would be a welcome signing if a move can be agreed, with the West Midlands outfit previously in desperate need of measured heads that have won promotion when crashing out of the play-offs, having unfortunately crumbled at St. Mary's in a 3-1 second leg exit.

Brunt also managed to lift West Brom up to the Premier League three times when he was a constant part of the furniture at the Hawthorns, operating in a central midfield spot like Norwood on occasion, but mostly standing out down the flanks for his long-standing employers.

It must have been a sad severing of the ties for Norwood walking away from his fixed home in South Yorkshire this summer, but he could well get one over on his former club if he was to pick up a mind-boggling fifth promotion under Corberan this forthcoming campaign.

Mulumbu 2.0: West Brom risk losing vital star worth more than Diangana

West Bromwich Albion really won’t want to lose this star this summer.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 8, 2024

There are a number of permutations Australia’s selectors are mulling over as a decision on the first Test squad looms

Andrew McGlashan22-Oct-2025There’s a one-day series going on against India, but the main topic of conversation in Australian cricket is what the selectors will do with the squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth. Decision day is looming with one more round of Sheffield Shield to be played and while a few things are becoming clearer the big calls are still to be made.The fitness of Pat Cummins looms large over everything. But on the assumption he misses at least the first Test, which is all-but certain, and Scott Boland slots into the attack, the major talking points around the final XI will remain the top order. Here we run through three potential scenarios that George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and head coach Andrew McDonald will be pondering. There is also a chance that the squad announcement won’t clarify everything, with the final calls not taken until the eve of the first Test.

Option 1: One in, one out

If the only spot vacant is an opener, then Marnus Labuschagne’s irresistible claims for a recall will see him go in at the top alongside Usman Khawaja as he did in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s. That was a last-ditch move from the selectors, basically honouring Labuschagne’s role in getting them to the final, and he was dropped the Test after. He will be in much better form heading into the Perth Test should the role come his way again.”He can open…he can bat three. He’s versatile,” Steven Smith said. “We’ll see where it all stands when the team gets picked. I mean, it’s not too different to batting three, to be honest. He could be in first ball. So, it’s essentially the same thing.”This team also means Beau Webster’s bowling is retained which would take the pressure of Cameron Green to send down too many overs as he continues to work his way back with the ball even if his withdrawal from the India ODIs was described as a conservative decision. It keeps Green at No. 3 where he finished the West Indies series with scores of 52, 46 and 42 in tough batting conditions.Webster has missed the first two rounds of the Sheffield Shield after rolling his ankle but will feature against Victoria in Melbourne and last week Bailey confirmed he would be part of the Test squad.Could Jake Weatherald make his Test debut?•Getty Images

Option 2: Marnus at No. 3, Webster unlucky

While it’s often said there is very little difference between opening and No. 3, Labuschagne’s position is No. 3. If there was a decision made that he has to return in that slot, then an opener is still needed. That creates a few scenarios.Sam Konstas has been unconvincing in two Shield rounds, but a big score against Queensland, at a Test venue in the Gabba, would be an interesting twist. Uncapped Jake Weatherald has played arguably the most significant innings so far among the contenders with 94 off 99 balls in a low-scoring contest against Western Australia. Matt Renshaw started the season with a century for Queensland and has since earned an ODI recall. Would runs against India in the next two games be of any significance? And then there’s Mitch Marsh…This balance of top order would see Green move back down to No. 6 and require the selectors to have complete confidence in him being able to operate close to, if not completely, unrestricted as a bowler so that he can ease the burden on the three frontline quicks. If that was the case, Webster would very unfortunately be sidelined.Steven Smith averages 67.07 at No.3 but hasn’t batted there since 2017•Getty Images

Option 3: Positional shifts

This XI is the same as option one but with a subtle shift in the order. Smith returns to No. 3 and Green drops one spot to No. 4, where he made 174 against New Zealand early last year before his back injury. It’s an outcome endorsed by a number of pundits, including Mark Waugh, who believe that it is Green’s natural position.”I think he can bat anywhere,” Smith said of Green. “As he showed in the West Indies, I thought he batted really nicely at three. You know, he’s got a really good technique, good temperament. The beauty with our line-up, I think everyone can sort of slot in at different spots and be versatile.”Smith, meanwhile, has averaged 67.07 from 29 innings at No. 3 but, while on Tuesday he said he wasn’t “too fussed” about batting orders, he may be reluctant to shift again after the opening experiment.What would you do? Have your say

What could change

Whichever batting line-up Australia settle on for Perth, there’s a very good chance it’s not the one which finishes the series in Sydney. If Khawaja struggles early on it will raise questions about whether Australia need to bite the bullet and find opener. And what happens if Labuschagne is picked to open and starts poorly in the first two Tests? There are also, probably unfairly given his early success, still a few questions asked about whether Webster’s technique will stand-up long term in Test cricket. Josh Inglis is a versatile batter who the selectors value highly and he would come into the mix should anyone struggle or be injured.

He may be far from Pakistan’s poster boy, but his consistency with both bat and ball is helping them play the kind of cricket they want to

Danyal Rasool13-Sep-20258:26

Wahab: Haris Rauf has to come back against India

This story begins, as any story about Mohammad Nawaz, in an MCG dressing room, head in hands as he tries to hold back tears. Babar Azam isn’t prone to giving rousing speeches, but he sees the sensitivity of the moment, and rises to it. He modulates the emotional temperature of the room perfectly, aware that, in front of rolling in-house PCB cameras, any attempts to be excessively rousing may come off as a loss of control.”Koi masla nai hai, [It’s not the end of the world],” the Pakistan captain begins, voice steady, pitch level. “We need to work together as a team.” He then turns to Nawaz, who moments earlier just bowled the final over of that pulsating contest against India, failing to defend 16 as a match Pakistan had controlled slipped out of their hands.”And especially you, Nawaz,” Babar says to the man who cannot take his eyes off the floor. He switches to Punjabi, using both men’s mother tongue to further cement their collective solidarity, “you’re my match-winner, and I’ll always have faith in you, come what may. Keep your head up.”Related

India vs Pakistan, minus the fervour

Gill vs Afridi, Haris vs Bumrah and other contests within India-Pakistan contest

It was particularly cruel on Nawaz, who had been forced into a situation that wasn’t his to manage. He was bowling the final over when Pakistan had banked on pace to have finished the job by then. There was a no-ball for height that arguably wasn’t the correct call, and a free hit that knocked back a stump only to then trickle away for three.Just weeks earlier, Nawaz had produced a remarkable all-round performance against India in the Asia Cup in Dubai. He had doubled up as the game’s most economical bowler and the most destructive batter, sealing a classic win that would go on secure Pakistan’s berth in the final. It was that kind of showing that led Babar to declare him a match-winner, and yet, it had been wiped from memory, replaced by that chaotic over in Melbourne. Sunday will be the first time he faces India since that heartbreak.Mohammad Nawaz after the chaotic final over against India at the MCG•Getty ImagesThe one thing Babar couldn’t relate to – at the time, anyway – was being left out of the side. Pakistan have not always viewed Nawaz as a matchwinner in that same vein over his career, ever since he lit up the first game in PSL history, where he took 4-13 and was unbeaten with the bat for Quetta Gladiators. That is evident in when he has played; he has batted every position from 3 to 9. At four, where his numbers are strongest and where he first batted in that Asia Cup win over India, he would be sent in just twice more, and never again. With the ball, Pakistan have used him during the Powerplay, where he has bowled about a third of his T20I deliveries, and boasts a better economy rate than in any other phase of the innings.But more telling is how often Pakistan have not used him at all. In the 162 T20Is they’ve played since his debut up until July this year – when Nawaz returned once more after 18 months in the wilderness – he had taken part in just 60. It seems Nawaz can be deployed, with ball and bat, whenever Pakistan want, or, as about two-thirds of the games during his career attest, not deployed whatsoever.2:08

Samiuddin: Hesson clear with his plans for Pakistan

It is what makes this most recent resurgence hard to view as anything more than transitory, but his impact for Pakistan over the last 12 T20Is has been phenomenal. Called up for the spin-heavy conditions of Bangladesh in July, Nawaz is holding together this fragile strategy Pakistan have adopted under Mike Hesson, where specialist fast-bowling heft is sacrificed at the altar of piecemeal lower-order batting contributions.A hat-trick during a five-for against Afghanistan, and significant runs accrued over the past month in the UAE at a strike rate just under 140 have propelled Nawaz to perhaps the single most important player in this Pakistan set-up. Hesson on Thursday called him “the best T20I bowler in the world right now” and the numbers agree; no Full Member player has more T20I wickets this year (21), and no one that has bowled at least 200 deliveries has bettered his economy rate of 6.47.This is the kind of cricketer Nawaz was meant to become when he offered Pakistan a snapshot in that first PSL game. A decade on, Pakistan, and perhaps Nawaz himself, may finally have begun to work out what kind of cricketer he is. Though similar flashes in the past have proven false dawns, he has perhaps never played cricket as well, or as consistently, as he has in this latest edition of a cricketer whose reinventions are becoming impossible to keep track of.In one sense, Nawaz cannot really be called a match-winner. Not in the conventional sense of the word. He isn’t, and won’t ever be, Pakistan’s best spinner, and isn’t, and won’t ever be, their best batter, or their most explosive. But on any given day, he could fit either of those descriptions, and that, in T20I cricket, wins you matches. Matches of the sort Nawaz has been winning for Pakistan of late, and that Nawaz won when he last played India at the Asia Cup three years ago.

It would be easy to say that this is becoming a season to forget for Liverpool, but Arne Slot’s Reds have in actual fact sunk so low that this wretched campaign will be seared into the fanbase’s memory for years to come.

The Premier League champions have lost nine of their past 12 matches in all competitions, including twice at Anfield in a space of just five days. This is beyond concerning: this is a calamity.

For all the mitigating circumstances at the Merseyside club, there is simply no excuse for the lack of fight and intensity that fans have watched all too often since the summer, Liverpool having established themselves as title winners and broken the summer spending record.

Alexander Isak is the most expensive player in British history, joining Liverpool from Newcastle United for £125m on deadline day.

His only goal since joining came against Southampton in the Carabao Cup. The Sweden striker has not integrated well, though it’s not exactly easy to dovetail into this current Liverpool side.

He needs more support, and that’s why sporting director Richard Hughes is surveying the market for a new wide forward to replace Mohamed Salah.

Why Liverpool want to replace Mohamed Salah

Salah’s struggles this season must be viewed through a wide and balanced lens. The 33-year-old has been wildly out of sorts, but he’s ageing, grieving the passing of his teammate Diogo Jota and playing a tweaked role now that Liverpool have signed big-money strikers.

Taking all this into consideration, he’s still struggling to perform to the expected level. This is perhaps why Liverpool are gearing up for winter bid for Bournemouth’s versatile forward Antoine Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.

But should Liverpool be aiming higher? After all, they need to land an elite winger who will succeed in rekindling Isak’s world-class quality.

Well, they may have found their man in Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, with Spanish sources suggesting that Liverpool are prepared to fight for the 23-year-old’s signature next summer.

Olise joined Bayern from Crystal Palace in 2024 and has since staked his claim as one of the most exciting forwards in the business. Vincent Kompany’s side know this and will demand a staggering €140m (equating to £122m) sum for his sale.

Arsenal and Manchester United are also keen, so Hughes had better roll up his sleeves.

Why Liverpool should sign Michael Olise

It might have been an unhappy return to English shores for Olise this week as his Bayern team were beaten 3-1 at the Emirates, but the right winger still caught the eye, completing three dribbles and winning eight duels.

A fully-fledged member of Didier Deschamps’ France set-up, Olise has proven himself across a range of different levels, and now he is ready to take the baton from Salah and become a superstar at Anfield.

Should Salah find a purple patch within him once again, the fact remains that his £400k-per-week contract expires at the end of next season, and Liverpool are somewhat short of options on that flank.

The two could cohabit on Liverpool’s attacking flank next season, and Olise has the athleticism and output to ensure Isak reminds everyone that he is “the best striker in the Premier League”, as he was hailed by Jamie Carragher for his form with Newcastle during the 2024/25 campaign.

Olise ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, data via FBref.

Harry Kane is a very different type of number nine to Isak, but the Sweden international’s more energetic and mobile playing style might actually give rise to Olise’s finest creative qualities.

Indeed, Isak is fast and furious, skilful on the ball. His ability to split lines open with cleverly-timed runs would play into Olise’s playmaking.

Hailed as “one of the best wingers in the world” by podcaster Henry Swain, Olise would be taking Salah’s place on the right, whereas Isak is tussling for a starting berth with Hugo Ekitike, who also joined Liverpool this summer.

Should the Reds succeed in adding Olise to their ranks, he has the potential to become their star forward. This is quite a claim, Isak, Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are among the attacking options at Slot’s disposal, after all.

But it’s the truth. Here is a player whose proven ability across so many different areas underscores his quality. He is artful on the ball and combative and physical when he needs to be. Isak might have proven himself in front of goal in the Premier League, but his start to life on Merseyside shows that he has weaknesses within his game.

Olise, after all, has recorded 62 goal contributions from only 74 matches for the German giants, and that after enjoying a talismanic role at Selhurst Park with Palace.

Toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Carragher spoke on Sky Sports of Eberechi Eze and Olise’s brilliance for Oliver Glasner’s Palace. He said those Eagles would fly high at top clubs in the Champions League.

The pundit was right. Olise is a superstar, and given his Premier League and European experience, his flair and gusto, he would be the perfect right-sided forward to take Salah’s place and combine with a striker like Isak to fire Liverpool back into the ascendancy – and keep them there.

But given his potential to succeed Salah, and unenviable task if ever there was one, Olise might even prove a better deal than Isak, whose success perhaps runs counter to Ekitike’s own long-term ambitions at the front of the Anfield ship.

As bad as Konate & Van Dijk: £85m Liverpool duo cannot start together again

Liverpool plummeted to new depths after losing 4-1 to PSV at Anfield in the Champions League.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 27, 2025

Arne Slot explained "three elements" that are central to Liverpool's strong defensive structure amid an excellent start to the Premier League season.

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Reds have best defensive record in Premier LeagueHave conceded just three times in eight matchesSlot revealed the secret to successFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With an exceptional record of seven clean sheets in 12 games across all competitions, Slot’s Liverpool have only allowed five goals in total. In the Premier League, they have shipped in three goals, while Nottingham Forest, the next closest, had conceded six before facing Leicester City on Friday.

AdvertisementGOAL/GettyWHAT SLOT SAID

Slot attributes Liverpool’s defensive resilience to three key elements: dominance in possession, the high-calibre players in defence, and remarkable teamwork during challenging game phases. Speaking to the press, the Dutch manager explained: "One of them is that we – most games, almost all of them, maybe except for one – we dominated and controlled for large parts of the game. So it helps if you dominate, if you have the ball. But I also like that if there were difficult parts in the game, or for large parts in the game like we had against Chelsea, that the work rate is incredible. That is something that’s very important.

“If you combine that with having the likes of Virgil and Ibou and the two goalkeepers we’ve used until now, that is probably one of the reasons why we haven’t conceded that much. Then to be aware of the fact that we also have Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, we’re in a good place when it comes to centre-backs – and the goalkeeper speaks for itself I think.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Although Liverpool have maintained a tight defence, recent games have seen the Reds securing victories by narrow margins. Each of their last three league matches has been won by just one goal, a trend that also appeared in their recent Champions League fixture against RB Leipzig. Nonetheless, Slot is not concerned with the margin of victories and added: "I think every game has its own story. The Leipzig game, I said about the difference in the period of rest we had in between the games, so that could be a factor where Leipzig were, in the end of the game, a bit better than we were.

“I don’t know if it had anything to do with it, but it could. I think when I look at the Crystal Palace game it was one or two transition moments where we were still, in my opinion, dominating the game but we were a bit unlucky or we didn’t have a good enough rest defence – combined with some set-pieces. I liked the last six minutes of injury time we had in Leipzig where we constantly had the ball and controlled it. Those moments were not difficult.

“Also the Leipzig game, the first chance they had in the last 10 to 15 minutes was from a second phase set-piece. But yeah, you also concede the set-pieces, the other team is a bit stronger than you at that moment. I’m not worried, but I would prefer to see that we dominate until the end of the game. But it’s also good to see that, if we have to defend, that we have a team that defends with 11, with two outstanding centre-backs and a goalkeeper that makes saves as well.”

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Liverpool’s commanding start to the season sees them narrowly leading Manchester City by a single point at the top of the Premier League standings. However, Slot's defence will be tested by a free-flowing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, who have scored 15 times in eight matches.

Middlesbrough have made a manager with “an impressive CV” a top target to replace Rob Edwards, and it would be a “significant coup” if they can get a deal done.

Edwards confirmed as Wolves boss as Middlesbrough receive £3m

Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old left the Riverside and agreed a contract until 2029 with Wanderers after they sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. It is reported Boro will receive around £3million in compensation after Edwards only joined them in June on a three-year contract.

Edwards, who managed Luton in the Premier League, begins a fourth spell at Wolves after making 111 appearances as a player as well as enjoying time as a coach and interim boss. He will be joined by assistant head coach Harry Watling after the pair worked together at Middlesbrough, with the rest of his backroom staff to be confirmed in the near future.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.

“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.

“We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that.”

For Boro, it is now about finding a swift replacement as they aim to continue their Championship promotion push without Edwards.

Middlesbrough make Steven Gerrard a top manager target

As reported by Rousing the Kop and journalist Graeme Bailey, Steven Gerrard is among the top targets for Middlesbrough to replace Edwards.

Steve Gibson is a long-term admirer of the former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, who is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.

Gerrard almost returned to Ibrox last month and is open to a return to the dugout, with a move to the Riverside something that could appeal to him.

Gerrard has never managed in the Championship, with his most successful period as a manager coming in Scotland, winning the league title with Rangers.

Club

Games

Points per game

Rangers

192

2.15

Aston Villa

40

1.18

Al-Ettifaq

55

1.33

The 45-year-old primarily plays an attacking 4-3-3 system and is closing in on 300 games as a manager. Could that benchmark come at the Riverside?

A 21-member squad, with nine fast bowling options, is set to depart tonight

Firdose Moonda15-Jan-2021Left arm-seamer Marco Jansen will replace Ottniel Baartman in South Africa’s Test squad which leaves for Pakistan tonight. Baartman has been ruled out of the touring party for a medical reason unrelated to Covid-19, while the entire 21-player party have returned two negative tests each ahead of their flight.Jansen, who is 20 years old and has just 12 first-class matches to his name, lies second on this season’s first-class bowling charts. He has taken 21 wickets at an average of 20.71 in the franchise four-day competition this summer. He is a former national Under-19 player and was also part of the South African A side that toured India in late 2019.Jansen’s inclusion means that South Africa have kept their arsenal of pace bowlers for Pakistan at nine, led by Kagiso Rabada, who has not played a Test in a year. Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Daryn Dupavillon, and allrounders Wiaan Mulder and Dwaine Pretorius make up the rest of the pack.South Africa will play two Tests in Pakistan, in Karachi and Rawalpindi, and three T20Is, all in Lahore. The T20Is could be played by a second-string side, with the Test squad needing to return home to prepare for three yet-to-be-confirmed Tests against Australia.South Africa squad: Quinton de Kock (capt & wk), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Marco Jansen.