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England captain Leah Williamson has guest edited a special edition of Beano magazine celebrating the 70th anniversary of Minnie the Minx.

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Williamson guest edits Beano comicLionesses hero hoping to inspire young girlsArsenal captain recovering from ACL injuryBeanoWHAT HAPPENED?

The Arsenal and European Championship-winning England captain has guest edited the latest issue of the famous comic strip magazine. The issue celebrates Minnie the Minx, widely considered the world's first female comic heroine. As well as appearing on the cover and writing an editor's letter, Williamson features alongside Minnie in a story that celebrates two of the most empowering female trailblazers in modern Britain.

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Williamson has long been vocal in her support of social causes, one of them encouraging more children to read. After winning the European Championship in 2022, the defender signed a three-book deal, two of which have been published this year. In Beano, Williamson champions her mum as a role model and encourages girls to never be afraid to try something new.

WHAT LEAH WILLIAMSON SAID

Williamson said: "Minnie has shown children for generations, through mischief and laughter, that it’s okay to blaze their own trail through life, and strong role models like her empower young girls, helping them break down barriers. I’m honoured to have got the chance to guest edit this historic issue of the comic, and I hope Minnie will continue to inspire many more generations to come!"

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Williamson has been out of action since April, when she suffered an ACL injury while playing for Arsenal, and missed England's run to the 2023 World Cup final. Last month she confirmed that she has started running on grass again, but the 26-year-old did not give a timeline for her return. In her absence, Arsenal have made a strong start to the WSL season, after suffering a shock exit from the Champions League in the qualifying rounds.

Mikel Arteta has insisted that Declan Rice must improve a key attribute that will take the in-form Arsenal midfielder to "another level".

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Arteta wants Rice to improve key attributeBelieves it will make Rice unstoppableWants the midfielder to reach double figures in both goals and assistsWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international has become an integral figure in the Gunners' midfield since his £105m ($137m) move from West Ham United. Although Rice ticks most boxes that one would generally expect from a No. 8, Arteta believes that he must work on his goal-scoring capability to unlock his full potential.

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Speaking to reporters, Arteta said: "He has shown that he has an eye for goals when he is in the opponents’ box. He is a real threat. That is something that can be developed. His leadership skills will naturally grow in the team and club in the years to come. He has other levels to go. I love his presence on the pitch, he’s got something special. Playing as a No 8 he can be an incredible player.”

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Rice had previously enjoyed a more advanced role in Arsenal's midfield but had to adapt to a deep-lying central position due to Thomas Partey's injury. Notably, at West Ham, David Moyes tweaked the system to allow more freedom to Rice by giving more defensive duty to Tomas Soucek. The midfielder repaid the trust shown in him and made 18 goal contributions in his last two seasons with the Hammers.

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Rice has scored three goals this campaign for Arsenal including two stoppage-time strikes against Manchester United and Luton Town and another against Chelsea.

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, has a low release clause that becomes active this summer.

Sesko moved to RB Leipzig in summerHas release clause in current contractStriker of interest to Premier League clubsWHAT HAPPENED?

Sesko snubbed a move to Manchester United in the summer when he left Red Bull Salzburg to join RB Leipzig on a five-year deal. According to , his contract at RB Leipzig contains a release clause of €50 million (£42m/$54m) that can be activated in the summer.

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The news of Sesko's relatively low release clause is likely to be of interest to his admirers. United are in the midst of a disappointing season and could look to overhaul their squad in the summer, particularly as they have a striker shortage. Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Sesko as they look to boost their attacking options.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sesko became the youngest player to score for RB Leipzig in the Champions League when he netted against Young Boys in September at the age of 20 years and 111 days.

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Sesko may well be tempted to move on if there is interest in the summer. The youngster is not a regular starter at RB Leipzig currently but has scored seven goals in all competitions for the Bundesliga side so far this season.

England will play their first three-Test series in Sri Lanka in 11 years, but the tour – which also features five ODIs and a T20I – may also clash with the island’s northeast monsoon

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Mar-2018England will play their first three-Test series in Sri Lanka in 11 years, but the tour – which also features five ODIs and a T20I – may also clash with the island’s northeast monsoon.England’s tour of Sri Lanka 2018

Oct 10 – First ODI, Dambulla
Oct 13 – Second ODI, Dambulla
Oct 17 – Third ODI, Pallekele
Oct 20 – Fourth ODI, Pallekele
Oct 23 – Fifth ODI, Khettarama (Colombo)
Oct 27 – Only T20I, Khettarama
Nov 6-10 – First Test, Galle
Nov 14-18 – Second Test, Pallekele
Nov 23-27 – Third Test, SSC

The matches will be played in Dambulla, Galle, Kandy and Colombo, with the SSC set to host the only Colombo Test. As it is the Tests – set for November – are more likely to be affected by rain than the limited-overs games, which end by October.SLC generally only hosts sides in November if there is no alternative, and given both teams’ busy 2018 schedule, that does appear to be the case. November Tests were last played in Sri Lanka in 2012, when both matches against New Zealand yielded results. However the previous series that began in November – the 2010 Tests against West Indies – were infamously rain-affected, and all three games ended in draws.The ODI series kicks off the tour on October 10, before the one-off T20I is played on the 27th of that month. There are then nine days before the first Test – time perhaps for England to play at least one warm-up encounter. The Test series begins in Galle on November 6, then moves to Pallekele, before the tour finishes up in Colombo.England last played Tests in Sri Lanka in early 2012, that two-match series finishing 1-1. Their most-recent three-Test tour of the island was in 2007.

Fulham lost away at Manchester City today, but the game was not without drama, with VAR once again coming under scrutiny for failing to disallow the hosts' second goal.

What was the Man City vs Fulham score?

The Cottagers were defeated 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon, in a match they would have been expected to lose, though the way it panned out will still be very frustrating for Marco Silva, as a key decision near the end of the first half changed the game.

Man City went 1-0 up just after the half-hour mark, with Julian Alvarez opening the scoring, before Tim Ream equalised just two minutes later, giving the visitors hope about taking something from the game.

On the stroke of half-time, however, Nathan Ake found the back of the net for City, heading past Bernd Leno to restore his side's lead in controversial fashion.

Although the goal was not ruled out initially, Man City journalist Sam Lee was taken aback by VAR's decision not to overturn it upon review, with Manuel Akanji appearing as though he had interfered with play.

Lee said: "Goal given! I am very surprised by that, would have been very easy to say Akanji was in the way of Leno imo."

Fulham podcaster Sammy James was even more critical of VAR's failure to restore parity, after what appeared to be a blatant offside, saying: "That is one of the worst decisions I've ever seen. If Akanji isn't there, Leno saves it. An absolute joke."

Speaking live on Sky Sports, former referee Mike Dean also expressed his shock with the decision, saying: "It just can't stand. He's jumped over the ball, he has to be interfering,

"It just has to be disallowed."

Such was the Fulham players' frustration with the costly decision, some outlets reported that they initially refused to restart the game, with it ultimately proving to be a game-changing moment, as Man City ran out 5-1 winners.

How did Fulham play against Man City?

Although the Cottagers ultimately lost 5-1, there were some positives to take from the game, particularly their performance in the first half, during which they recorded two shots on target, and a higher xG value than City, indicating they were creating good chances.

However, the game turned on its head in the second half following the bizarre decision from VAR, with the hosts going on to dominate possession and score three goals from three shots on target, with Leno putting in a poor display.

The German recorded a Sofascore match rating of just 5.7 – the joint-lowest on the pitch alongside Antonee Robinson, who also struggled for large periods of the game. Only Raul Jimenez received a rating above seven.

As such, while the VAR decision ultimately changed the course of the match, Silva will also be frustrated with the performances of some of his players, as the second-half performance was subpar.

Up next for Fulham in the Premier League is a home match against Luton Town next Saturday, in which they will be hoping to bounce back with a victory.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their attempts to bolster the playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window.

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

Gers boss Michael Beale has been backed by the board over the last few months as he has made nine new signings; including Abdallah Sima, Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers, Danilo, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, Jose Cifuentes, Leon Balogun, and Jack Butland.

According to the Daily Mail, the Light Blues are one of several sides eyeing up Peterborough United central defender Ronnie Edwards as the English head coach looks to improve the depth of his side.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

The report claims that Premier League trio West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth, and Crystal Palace have also been keeping tabs on the 20-year-old centre-back.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony is also quoted as saying that "three" Premier League teams will bid for him before the deadline, whilst Rangers appear to be eyeing their own swoop for his services.

How good is Ronnie Edwards?

The superb 5 ft 11 brute is an excellent young defender who has caught the eye with his performances in League One over the last 12 months or so.

Edwards' displays in the third tier of English football last season suggest that he has the potential to be an upgrade on current Rangers prospect Leon King in that position at the heart of the defence.

The Posh enforcer only turned 20 in March of this year but was able to start 40 league matches for his club during the 2022/23 campaign, which shows how much faith his manager had in him.

Edwards averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.04 across those 40 games as he delivered consistently impressive displays at the back. Meanwhile, King averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.89 over 15 outings in the Scottish Premiership for the Light Blues.

In fact, Connor Goldson (7.29) was the only Rangers centre-back who averaged a higher rating than 6.96 for the club last term, which illustrates how well the Peterborough star performed – albeit at League One level.

The Gers target made 3.4 tackles and interceptions combined per league match for his side – more than any of Beale's players managed – and won an outstanding 73% of his ground duels throughout the campaign.

King, on the other hand, made 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won 67% of his battles on the deck for the Scottish giants.

These statistics suggest that Edwards has the potential to make more defensive interventions than the Scottish battler whilst being more efficient in doing so, which speaks to his physical strengthdespitef his age.

The Peterborough warrior, who was dubbed a "Rolls-Royce" by his club's director of football Barry Fry, has showcased his ability to dominate opposition attackers whilst also winning possession back for his team regularly.

His performances for the English side suggest that the potential is there for him to be a big upgrade on King for Rangers if he can translate his form over to Scottish football, which is why this could be a shrewd signing for Beale this summer.

KL Rahul’s promotion up the order prompts questions over his role with India, but he delivers with half-century

The Report by Annesha Ghosh in Mumbai17-Oct-2017AFPA 147-run stand – featuring near identical fifty-plus scores off two distinctly unlike innings – between KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw set up a 30-run victory for Board President’s XI in the first warm-up game against a full-strength New Zealand side in Mumbai. A brisk 78 from Karun Nair set up the total of 295 for 9 despite a blistering five-wicket haul for Trent Boult. Captain Kane Williamson and Tom Latham made gritty contributions, but three-fors from Shahbaz Nadeem and Jaydev Unadkat restricted the visitors’ chase. ESPNcricinfo takes a look at the highlights from the tour opener:The Rahul rejigFor someone who has opened in 41 out of 47 innings in his international career, a slew of failures – scores of 7, 17 and 4 against Sri Lanka in the ODIs – as a middle-order batsman came at a price for Rahul: non-inclusion in the XI through the home series against Australia followed by omission from the limited-overs squad against New Zealand. However, if a belated inclusion to the Board XI squad for the warm-ups came across as an oddity, having him to open the innings in the first practice game was even harder to comprehend.At a time when the national side already has three batsmen earmarked for the opening slots, Rahul’s taking up the opener’s role – despite the half-century – leaves questions to be asked what role he is expected to play in India’s limited-overs campaigns.’Outplayed by a quality Indian side’ – Boult

Trent Boult was not beating himself up over the defeat in the tour game, although he did credit the opposition. “It’s seven or eight degrees back in New Zealand at the moment,” Boult said. “A bit of a shock for the system to come here. It’s a big challenge, but I think we were outplayed nicely by a quality Indian side today.”
Boult said you can take away more than just results from warm-up games. “These [the warm-up games] are good opportunities to try out different tactics, in terms of a bowling plan, to come here and just try and bowl good lines and lengths against some of the best players in the world .It [bouncers] is probably not the best recipe to getting them out. I think they negated it nicely, played some very good shots. Probably today it wasn’t successful, but a lot of credit is due to their openers especially , they set a good platform for rest of the batting line-up to propel off.”

The Shaw showRight from the first ball of the tour opener, New Zealand’s quicks threw everything they had at the 17-year-old: searing yorkers, waist-high short balls, deceptive outswingers. And then, there were the bouncers – a barrage of them, angled into the body, outside the off stump, down the leg side. He delivered by leaping, cutting, pulling, and even took evasive action when needed.In the 19th over, when the infielders appealed for a caught-behind, Shaw nonchalantly drowned New Zealand’s protracted celebrations with a quiet stare at the bowler even before the umpire turned down the appeal. “I heard he’s 17; [I] couldn’t quite believe it,” Boult said of Shaw. An 80-ball 66 against the simmering New Zealand pace battery did lend credence to Boult’s confession of ignorance.Boult from the blackThat New Zealand waited until the tenth over to introduce a spinner, can be reasoned by the bounce and carry offered by what otherwise wore the look of a uni-dimensional flat pitch. More than just the surface, it was the accuracy and lateral movement generated by Boult’s left-armers that applied the choke on President’s XI in the latter half of their innings. Used in three spells, Boult breathed fire every time Williamson brought him on even as the sweltering Mumbai heat began to tell on the hosts. The second and third spells, comprising three and two overs near the close of the 40th and 50th over, accounted for four of his five wickets, triggering a collapse in which the home team lost five for 23.Taking turnsA major part of the build-up to the tour has revolved around New Zealand’s preparations – both technically and mentally – about rising to the challenge of spin. Accordingly, the Board President’s XI bowled 24 overs of spin at them, taking five wickets for 115 runs. However, Colin Munro, Williamson and Latham, in particular, appeared to be adroitly warming up to the spinners before Karn Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem began extracting more from the surface.New Zealand’s own spinners didn’t have a particularly bad day, although Todd Astle’s walk-off with a groin injury, having bowled just three balls, might worry them. Two other frontline spinners – Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi – oversaw the undoing of the well-set President’s XI openers, after they began operating in tandem from the 26th over. Their partnership helped wrest control in the middle overs, and they took 3 for 94 in the 18 overs between them.

A round-up of the Momentum Cup matches played on March 3, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2017Warriors thumped Dolphins by 130 runs in Port Elizabeth, stopping them from building a lead at the top of the table. No. 3 Warriors now have the chance to go top, if they beat No. 2 Titans in their next match on Sunday.Warriors chose to bat and put up 274 for 5 on the back of a century from Colin Ingram. Batting at three, Ingram’s 105 came off 112 balls, and included seven fours and two sixes. Lesiba Ngoepe provided the final surge, pushing the team over 250 with an unbeaten 43 off 26. In their reply, four of Dolphins’ top six got into double digits, but none could get past the 30s. Warriors’ bowlers mostly kept a tight rein on them – five of the seven who bowled went at less than five an over, and four of those were below three to the over – but medium pacer Ayabulela Gqamane was the pick of the lot. He took two top-order wickets and went at 2.57 in his seven overs as Dolphins imploded for 144 in 35.1 overs.Fast bowlers Shadley van Schalkwyk and Mbulelo Budaza set up a 22-run win for Knights against Titans in Benoni. Van Schalkwyk claimed Titans’ top three in their chase of 250, while Budaza took 4 for 43 to polish off the tail. The top scores for Titans came from Nos. 6 and 7 Albie Morkel and David Wiese, who scored 42 and 46 respectively, but that was not enough to take the team home.Knights’ 249 was was built around a 75 from wicketkeeper Rudi Second and a 72 from Leus du Plooy. They did not manage to bat out their 50 overs – they were bowled out in 47.1 – but in the end, that did not cost them.Lions came out top in a closely-fought game with Cape Cobras in a battle of the bottom two teams. They won by three wickets with one ball remaining chasing 245 in Paarl.Cobras were off to a horror start after choosing to bat, falling to 8 for 3 in the fourth over. But four solid middle-order contributions steadied them. Justin Ontong was the was the biggest contributor with 80, while Aviwe Mgijima scored 58 and the two Danes – Vilas and Piedt – scored 42 apiece. Rassie van der Dussen laid the platform for the chase with a dogged 66, and after he got out captain Dominic Hendricks kept the chase going for Lions. Cobras managed to keep breaking through at the other end – especially pacer Lizaad Williams, who took 3 for 31 – but Hendricks did the job. He finished on 91 not out as Lions edged home.

Arsenal are reportedly mulling over a sensational swoop on Al-Ittihad that would see them take Karim Benzema on a short-term loan agreement.

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Premier League giants open to added firepowerWould like to acquire another prove goalscorerVeteran Frenchman would tick box for ArtetaWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners are eager to add more firepower to their ranks during the January transfer window, with Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Kai Havertz yet to convince when given opportunities to lead the line in a 2023-24 campaign that still promises plenty.

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According to , Mikel Arteta could line up a stunning move for former France international Benzema. The 36-year-old won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, before leaving European football as he followed ex-Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo to the Middle East.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United have also been linked with Benzema, although an approach there is considered to be unlikely, while Chelsea are another side that remain in the hunt for a proven No.9. It could be that they present the greatest threat to London rivals Arsenal if a deal is to be done for Golden Ball winner Benzema.

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Ivan Toney would also be of interest to Arsenal, as a forward with Premier League pedigree, but any deal for the Brentford frontman would not come cheap. That is said to be leading the Gunners to consider stopgap solutions, with Benzema now figuring prominently in their thoughts.

The Argentina youth international bagged the winning goal for Los Blancos against Napoli, and now looks set for a bright future at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid's hero against Napoli was an unlikely one. With Los Blancos tied, 2-2, with the Italian side, and five minutes remaining, you wouldn't have guessed who would be the one to bag the winner. With Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde on the pitch, Nico Paz didn't seem like the match-winning presence.

But Paz provided the big moment all the same, expertly pivoting away from a defender before unleashing a 25-yard strike that found the bottom corner — via a ricochet from the gloves of Alex Meret.

After the game, Carlo Ancelotti didn't seem surprised: "He is a player for the future of Real Madrid. He has all the quality that a Real Madrid player needs to have."

Still, this is a player with rare talent, and excellent footballing pedigree. Paz's father played for an elite national team, while his Madrid academy education has ensured that he has been put in all of the right places to be a star for years to come. Add that he is a midfielder, hoping to break into a side that has some of the best in the world, and Paz has a real chance to get his minutes — while also being allowed to grow at his own pace.

But who is Nico Paz, why do Madrid rate him so highly, and can he really be the future of this storied club?

Real MadridWhere it all began

Paz had something of an advantage from day one. His father, Pablo, was an excellent footballer in his own right, a centre-back who enjoyed a 21-year career starting in Argentina, before moving to La Liga, and ultimately finishing in the Canary Islands. He made 14 appearances for Argentina's national team, and was in the squad for the 1998 World Cup.

Nico, then, was earmarked as a talent from early on. Born on the island of Tenerife, Paz was originally, like his father, a centre-back. But as he grew and developed, it became clear that he was better used further up the field. It was something that Madrid realised when they signed him to La Fabrica — their elite youth setup — in 2016. Paz quickly became a promising attacking player, before settling into a central midfield role.

AdvertisementGetty The big break

Paz's development in the Madrid ranks has been steady. Such is the quality of La Fabrica, that the player was offered time to grow and figure out his best position. He was training with Raul's Castilla side in 2021, and made his official debut for the team — Madrid's U-23s — in January 2022, then aged 17.

His first goal for the team came less than a week later, Paz bagging the opener against Getafe less than three minutes into the game. He settled in after that, and continued to impress. Ancelotti, who has historically has been reluctant to use the academy, called the youngster up to first team training last summer.

Getty How it's going

A Madrid injury crisis has proved to be a blessing for Paz. With Vinicius Jr out, Luka Modric struggling for fitness, and Brahim Diaz not quite ready for a full game, there was room for the youngster to earn a few minutes in white.

He made his debut against Braga in the Champions League, and worked his way into the side from there. Paz has now played for Madrid's senior side four times, and held his own in each instance.

Most recently, Toni Kroos — a player who knows a thing or two about being a successful midfielder — highlighted Paz's quality, saying: "This boy should train with us every day because he is very good."

And although he is a regular fixture on the Madrid bench, Paz's occasional showings for Castilla have been equally impressive; he has six goals to his name in 10 appearances.

According to , Paz had hoped to work his way into the Spain squad. But with Luis de la Fuente showing little interest in the teenager, Argentina swooped in. Paz trained with the senior side ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and seems to be in line for a debut before too long.

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Getty ImagesBiggest strengths

Paz is an interesting player in that he doesn't quite have a defined position. Nominally a "playmaker", Paz has switched from centre-midfield, to box-to-box, to No.10 when needed.

Academy coaches highlighted his control in tight spaces, and corresponding strength to ensure that he doesn't get barged off the ball. He has an excellent right foot, and is also good in the air — his 6'1 frame allowing him to take on most central defenders. In a sense, then, all of the traits of a modern attacking player — versatility and all — are here.