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The ICC board also revealed that the LA28 Olympics will have 28 games in total

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2025″Keen to build on the success” of the recently concluded Women’s World Cup, the ICC has agreed to expand the next edition of the tournament (2029) to ten teams. The ICC had announced the expansion of the women’s game on International Women’s Day back in 2021, and a recent release reaffirmed the board’s “commitment to the growth of women’s cricket” after the success of the 2025 edition.Since 2000, only eight teams have featured in the main tournament of the Women’s ODI World Cup. As compared to the 31 matches in the recent World Cup, the 2029 edition will have 10 teams playing 48 games.The Women’s T20 World Cup next year will also be expanded to 12 teams, up from the 10 that featured last year in the UAE.”Nearly 300,000 fans watched the event in stadia breaking the record for tournament attendance for any women’s Cricket event,” the ICC release said. “The tournament also witnessed viewership growth and new records being set for on-screen audiences across the world with nearly 500 million viewers in India.”The ICC board also ratified the appointment of a number of members of the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee, namely Ashley De Silva, Mithali Raj, Amol Muzumdar, Ben Sawyer, Charlotte Edwards, and Sala Stella Siale-Vaea.

Cricket at the LA 2028 Olympics and Brisbane 2032

The Board also revealed that the Olympics event in Los Angeles in 2028 will have 28 games in total, across both the men’s and women’s competitions. The six teams in each competition will comprise the top-ranked side from each of the five regions (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania), including the hosts USA. The sixth team will be identified through a qualifier, for which details are not currently known. The events, as reported earlier, will begin on July 12 and be played at the purpose-built Fairgrounds Stadium, around 50km outside of Los Angeles.Before then, cricket will also feature in multi-sport games at the Asian Games in 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the African Games in Cairo, Egypt, in 2027 as well as the PanAm Games in Lima, Peru, in 2027.Talks have also begun on cricket’s inclusion for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia. Sanjog Gupta, the ICC CEO, is believed to have told members at the meeting that he held “meaningful discussions with Brisbane 2032 for cricket’s inclusion in their program.Along with the ICC chair Jay Shah, Gupta had meetings in Lausanne, Switzerland, recently with teams from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), LA28 and Brisbane 2032, where they discussed event delivery, competition formats and qualification scenarios.

ICC starts bids for mobile gaming

The ICC also confirmed that it will begin a bidding process for its mobile cricket game, which has been at the centre of tensions between the governing body and the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). “The ICC Board confirmed its approval to issue an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Video Gaming Rights, opening the door for leading global partners to collaborate with the ICC in delivering world-class, digital fan experiences,” the board said in the statement.The dispute between the ICC and the WCA centred over NIL (Name, Image and Likeliness) rights of the players, with the latter claiming any move by the ICC to develop a game featuring players would be in breach of a contract. The ICC decided earlier this year that member boards would deal directly with players over NIL rights, rather than with the WCA who have those rights to about 600 players and have already entered the gaming market. The ICC had launched an Expression of Interest process in June, but it has taken time for boards to negotiate those rights with their players. It isn’t clear yet exactly how many boards have secured the rights, though one estimate is that at least half of the Full Members have.

Leeds United winger Raphinha is in advanced talks concerning a move away from Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), who claim that the 25-year-old’s agent is in continued talks with Barcelona regarding a transfer to the Camp Nou at the end of the current campaign.

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The report goes on to state that, despite earlier claims that the Brazil international will be available for €25m (£21m) in the event that Leeds are relegated, this is in fact not the case, before also suggesting that Victor Orta has an agreement in place to sanction Raphinha’s sale for “not too high an amount” if the Whites do drop out of the top flight this season.

Supporters will be livid

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Raphinha has become since joining the club back in 2020, the news that the winger could leave the Elland Road on the cheap this summer is sure to be an update that will leave the Elland Road faithful livid.

Indeed, the £40.5m-rated attacker has continuously been a standout for the Whites ever since his £17m move, bagging 16 goals, registering 12 assists and creating 21 big chances over his 63 Premier League outings, in addition to making an average of 2.0 key passes, taking 2.3 shots and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the £63k-per-week Brazilian average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.03 over his two league campaigns for the club – playing a crucial role in Leeds sealing a top-half finish last time out, as well as being the club’s top-scorer in the current campaign.

As such, should Orta sanction the sale of the 25-year-old for anything less than Leeds’ reported £60m asking price, it would certainly come as a huge blow to all involved with the Whites, as it is clear that Raphinha is a talent who would be well worth a figure around the £60m mark in the current market.

AND in other news: Forget Klich: Radz must ruthlessly axe £80k-p/w Leeds figure, he’s “out of his depth”

The German's enforced exit proves that the Blaugrana remain beset by financial problems – four years after Josep Maria Bartomeu's resignation

Joan Laporta claimed in February of this year, "If we meet the budget, the darkest era in FC Barcelona's history will be over." Just over two months ago, he revealed that the "financial transition", from the edge of bankruptcy to economic stability, was "getting closer and closer".

Alluding to the mess he inherited from his disgraced predecessor, Josep Maria Bartomeu, Laporta said, "The culers (Barca fans) have been patient and we are working to turn the situation around from the one we found when we came to the presidency (in March 2021). The balance sheet this season will be positive and I hope soon we can be '1:1' (the Liga regulation that allows a member club to invest as much money in transfers as it generates in revenue).

"I am an optimist and a realist, and I know what I am talking about. We have grown in terms of income and we have reduced expenses, and we are in a situation in which we are about to resolve the Financial Fair Play (FFP) issues from last season."

Many Barca fans are beginning to wonder, though, if Laporta really does know what he's talking about, because just nine days before the close of the transfer window, the club is still not in a position to register star summer-signing Dani Olmo.

Consequently, Barca are once again scrambling around at the tail end of August, trying to either sell players or remove high-earners from the wage bill just to make ends meet. At the time of writing, Ilkay Gundogan – who only arrived in Catalunya last summer and was one of the Blaugrana's best players last season – is being pushed out the door, which only begs the question: Are Barcelona really making any progress under Laporta – or simply back to square one?

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  Perfect match

  Just like everyone else in football, Gundogan was aware of Barcelona's financial problems when he signed for the club on a free transfer last summer. He'd come close to joining twice before, but now, it seemed, the timing was right. He'd just brought the curtain down on his Manchester City career in the best possible fashion, by leading Pep Guardiola's side to a historic treble, and was looking for a new challenge.

  In Barcelona, he couldn't have wished for a better option. The Catalan club represented the realisation of a dream. He'd grown up watching Xavi running the "best midfield in the world" – now he'd have the chance to play under the Spanish legend.

  Crucially, Xavi was just as keen to have Gundogan on board. He was the first player that he requested Laporta sign last summer. Far more importantly, though, the pair just clicked from their very first conversation.

  "Xavi made his ideas of how the team wants to play very clear," Gundogan explained. "It's very similar to how we played in Man City. It's a similar school, Guardiola, Xavi… But in the way he approached the talks, with his honesty, I also saw sort of my own character reflected in him."

  That shared trait served neither man well, though, at a club that seemingly has little interest in facing up to the full extent of its problems on and off the field.

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  'Didn't come here to lose these games'

  Gundogan had turned down far more lucrative offers from elsewhere to join Barca, having been swayed not solely by Xavi but also by memories of growing up watching Ronaldinho wowing Camp Nou with his still-unrivalled box of tricks. However, he quickly came to realise that the old image of Barca as '' no longer holds true. According to reports in Spain, he and his wife Sara felt "abandoned" by Barca as they attempted to settle in the city – which eventually led to an apology from the club.

  Of far greater concern to Gundogan, though, was the character of his colleagues. This was a man who had become renowned and revered at one of the greatest club sides the game has ever seen for repeatedly stepping up to the mark when his team needed him most. Gundogan wasn't just a serial winner – he was a big-game player that turned into "prime Zinedine Zidane" at the business end of every season.

  So, it came as no surprise to see him score six minutes into his first competitive Clasico, last October. However, what came as a serious shock to Gundogan was his team-mates' reaction to Barca going on to lose the game 2-1, after conceding an injury-time winner to Jude Bellingham.

  "I have just come to the dressing room," Gundogan said in a post-match interview with , "and, obviously, players are disappointed after such a big game, such an important game and such an unthinkable result, but I would like to see more anger, more disappointment.

  "This is part of the problem: you have to express more emotions when you lose and when you know you can play better. You have to do better in certain situations but we don't react. I didn't come here to lose these kinds of games. I also have a responsibility as a senior player not to allow these things to happen to the team, because we need to hang in there more."

  Barca defender Inigo Martinez dismissed the significance of Gundogan's criticism, arguing that sometimes players say things that they don't mean "in the heat of the moment". But Gundogan meant every word – and he repeated many of them after Barcelona capitulated in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

  Once again he expressed his bitter frustration at the lack of "anger" after such an avoidable defeat and even called out Ronald Araujo for stupidly getting himself sent off at a crucial juncture in the contest – which didn't go over well with the Uruguayan.

  Again, though, that's part of the problem at Barca these days. There's a fragility about the team and indeed the club that means they find it difficult to deal with home truths.

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  'Stability and time'

  It's certainly no coincidence that a clearly upset Laporta decided against travelling with the team for the Liga clash with Almeria on May 16 – just a day after Xavi had openly discussed the club's financial problems.

  "The cule must understand that the situation is very complicated to compete economically," he told reporters. "It has nothing to do with what we had 25 years ago when the coach would come and say 'I want this player, this one, and this one.' It doesn't work like that anymore. I understand that and we're going to adjust to [the situation]. That doesn't mean we're not going to compete. We need stability and time."

  Barca have little of either. Laporta formally sacked Xavi less than two weeks later, and in the most disrespectful and farcical fashion imaginable, creating even more chaos at the club. And while their 2024-25 Liga campaign kicked off with a win in Valencia on Saturday, Barca's financial situation remains as uncertain as it is unresolved.

  Indeed, it's telling that several top Catalan journalists – some of whom are Barca fans – are losing faith in the current administration, given the Blaugrana find themselves cash-strapped and in registration mess for the second summer in a row.

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  Ridiculous recruitment

  The hope remains that Olmo will be registered before deadline day, but that most likely depends on allowing Gundogan, who still has two years left on his contract, to leave for nothing just to create room on the wage bill.

  Some have argued that Olmo's arrival means the 33-year-old Gundogan is no longer required, particularly as doubts have been raised over his suitability to the pressing game new coach Hansi Flick is hoping to implement. However, whatever way Laporta and his supporters try to spin it, Gundogan's enforced exit is a damning indictment of the club's ridiculous recruitment policy and only serves to highlight their ongoing inability to balance the books.

  It's certainly hard to have much faith in Barca's bid to buy and sell their way out of trouble when one considers that of the seven players signed across 2023 – Gundogan, Julian Araujo, Vitor Roque, Oriol Romeu, Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo and Inigo Martinez – only the latter is likely to still be at the club come the close of the current transfer window.

  It is Gundogan's exit that really grates, though. For starters, he remains one of the best attacking midfielders in the game, as underlined by the fact that only Bruno Fernandes created more chances than Gundogan across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues last season. He contributed 13 assists – the biggest haul at Barca – and was also directly involved in more goals (19) than in his final, treble-winning campaign at City (18), suggesting he still has at least another couple of big seasons left in him.

  He'll be missed just as much for his character as his quality, though.

Billy Stanlake was Tasmania’s bowling hero as they made it five wins in five in this season’s One-Day Cup

AAP15-Nov-2025Beau Webster will enter Australia’s Ashes Test squad in good batting form after guiding Tasmania to a four-wicket win over South Australia in a One-Day Cup match on Saturday.Webster didn’t bowl, letting an on-song Billy Stanlake do the damage as the Redbacks made just 195 in Saturday’s match in Kingston. He made his mark with the bat, though. Batting at No. 3 with authority, Webster’s 78 off 96 helped the Tigers home with more than ten overs and four wickets to spare.It was the Tigers’ fifth win from as many 50-over fixtures this year, pushing them well clear on the top of the table.Billy Stanlake celebrates a wicket with Riley Meredith•Getty Images

Webster fell with some work to be done, but Nikhil Chaudhary (19) and Nathan Ellis (20) guided them home.Earlier, Stanlake (3 for 31 from ten overs) made the most of the early movement to torment the Redbacks’ top order. He trapped Jake Fraser-McGurk on the crease for four and grabbed the key wicket of Jake Lehmann, bowled for 29.Nathan McSweeney (49 off 92) tried to steady the innings while Nathan McAndrew (40 off 29) provided some late fireworks.Webster will head west with the Australia team on Sunday, hoping there is room for him in the first Test XI.He’s made four fifties in 12 innings in his seven Tests, often arriving in tricky situations, while taking eight wickets at an average of 23. But he could be squeezed out if selectors opt to shift Cameron Green to No. 6, give opener Jake Weatherald a debut,. and reinstall Marnus Labuschagne at No. 3.

Leeds United had a squad clear out last summer following their relegation from the Premier League, as they allowed a number of first-team players to move on either permanently or on loan.

The likes of Rasmus Kristensen, Jack Harrison, Max Wober, Robin Koch, Brenden Aaronson, and Marc Roca all left on loan, whilst Tyler Roberts and Rodrigo were sold, and Luis Sinisterra has since been sold to Bournemouth.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Whites will go on to regret any of the decisions made on any of those departures in the years to come.

Famously, Leeds lived to regret their decision to cash in on French forward Eric Cantona to bitter rivals Manchester United in November 1992, as they had a big shocker with him.

Why Leeds sold Eric Cantona

It was reported that the attacker did not have the best relationship with then-manager Howard Wilkinson, having had a falling-out with the boss, and that opened the door to an exit from Elland Road.

They were not prepared to rule out a move away from Yorkshire for the gem due to the 'toxicity' around him at the club, which allowed the Red Devils to swoop in and sign him for just £1m.

It was reported to be £1.6m at the time of the move before it was later revealed that the actual fee was £600k less, with the initial valuation given to temper the frustration of Leeds supporters.

In less than one full year at the club, Cantona had racked up 14 goals and five assists in 34 appearances in all competitions, and The Mirror claimed that high-profile stars within the squad could see the potential he had.

Unfortunately, that was not enough to make up for the fractured relationship with Wilkinson, and Leeds had to watch on as the France international went on to become a legend in England with Manchester United.

Eric Cantona's Manchester United career in numbers

The legendary star hit the ground running at Old Trafford with a terrific return of nine goals and 11 assists in 22 Premier League matches during the 1992/93 campaign.

Cantona then plundered a staggering 18 goals and 12 assists in 34 outings in the top-flight throughout the subsequent season, which earned him the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in the division, which shows how highly he was rated by his peers.

Eric Cantona (Manchester United)
Premier League	Appearances	Goals	Assists
1992/93	22	9	11
1993/94	34	18	12
1994/95	21	12	5
1995/96	30	14	11
1996/97	36	11	12
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the former Leeds star consistently provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals to help United to win four Premier League titles in those five seasons.

The mercurial talent, who former teammate Peter Schmeichel claimed "oozed confidence", ended his playing career with 81 goals and 62 assists in 183 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions.

Leeds, therefore, had a big shocker when they sold him for £1m, even with his less-than-ideal relationship with the manager, as he went on to win a Player of the Year award in the top-flight and played a crucial role in their rivals winning four of the next five league titles.

Batter joins Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal as the club’s overseas signings

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2023Haider Ali, the Pakistan batter, will join Derbyshire for the 2023 county season.Haider, 22, has played 35 white-ball matches for his country, including two appearances at the recent ICC T20 World Cup, where Pakistan were runners-up to England. In 33 T20I appearances, he has scored 499 runs, including three half-centuries, one of which came against England at Emirates Old Trafford in 2020.Announcing Haider’s signing on Friday, Derbyshire recognised his red-ball abilities also, citing an average of 54.33 from 11 first-class appearances, including three centuries and four half-centuries. He will be available in all formats during the 2023 county season, subject to international commitments, and joins Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal as the club’s two overseas signings.Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket and the former Pakistan coach, said: “Haider is an immensely talented young player who already has a wealth of international experience, which will be key for us in all formats.Related

• Shan Masood signs for Yorkshire on two-year deal

• County ins and outs 2022-23

• PCB's talks with Mickey Arthur to coach Pakistan fall through

“I spoke with him at the T20 World Cup, and again during the Lanka Premier League, and he’s so hungry to come to England and prove himself in all formats, that’s exactly the attitude we want in our dressing room. Of course, he still has a lot of developing to do, but I’ve outlined what I expect from him and I have no doubt Haider will succeed in county cricket.”Haider said: “I’ve seen over the last few years how many Pakistan players have improved their game by playing at a high standard in county cricket, and that’s something I think could really help my development.”Mickey Arthur is such a respected figure in world cricket and he’s still so highly regarded within the Pakistan set-up, so the opportunity to learn from him is one I’m so excited about… there’s a lot of good players here and Mickey wants to achieve something big with this club. Hopefully I can contribute a lot of runs in 2023 and entertain the Derbyshire crowd.”Haider’s move to Derbyshire comes after fellow Pakistan batter Shan Masood left the club where he scored 1,766 runs across formats last season for a two-year deal at Yorkshire, where he will be captain in 2023.

Manchester United are plotting a loan swoop for a “complete” £64 million player in January, according to a recent report.

Ruben Amorim completed his first training session as Man Utd head coach on Monday afternoon, as he prepares his new side to face Ipswich Town on Sunday, in what is his first game in charge of the Red Devils.

Man Utd transfer news

All focus around Old Trafford will be on that first game under the Portuguese and then the many other matches United face in the next few weeks. However, as the days and weeks go on, the January transfer window is getting closer and closer, and it seems United are slowly putting potential plans in place.

One player United could look to sign in January is midfielder Oihan Sancet, as the Red Devils have been linked with a move for the Athletic Bilbao midfielder. Sancet has a release clause of £67 million, but United are not the only team interested, as Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are also keen on signing the Spanish international.

Amorim now thinks he's found a £54m upgrade on Rashford for Man Utd to sign

Amorim wants United to sign a player he thinks is better than Marcus Rashford.

By
Brett Worthington

Nov 19, 2024

As well as Sancet, Man Utd have their sights set on AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, as Amorim sees the USA international as an upgrade to Marcus Rashford. The winger has been in excellent form in Italy, and that has put him on the radar of the Red Devils as well as Arsenal and Liverpool. But Pulisic doesn’t come cheap, as a minimum offer of £54 million would be needed to get negotiations underway.

However, both these deals could be difficult to do, as United may have to settle for loan deals in January, and they have their eye already on one potential target.

Man Utd plotting January loan swoop for Randal Kolo Muani

According to L’Equipe, relayed by Fussball News, Manchester United are interested in signing Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January. The Paris Saint-Germain striker, who is used to a 3-4-3 formation from his time at Frankfurt, has been with the French giants since September 2023, but it has been a testing 18 months or so, as he’s yet to nail down a regular starting spot.

The 25-year-old, who has been labelled “complete” by Kylian Mbappé in the past, scored six goals in 26 Ligue 1 appearances last season. In this 2024/25 campaign, Kolo Muani has started just two of the 12 games he has played in all competitions, but he has scored two goals during that time.

This report states that United are thinking about a loan swoop for Kolo Muani, who is in the 90th percentiles for non-penalty XG per 90 minutes for forwards, in January, as their expensive summer business may mean they can only do loan deals in the New Year. So, the fact that Kolo Muani’s contract runs until 2028 allows the Red Devils to take the Frenchman on loan.

Randal Kolo Muani’s PSG stats
Apps	52
Goals	11
Assists	6

However, United could face a potential stumbling block as the striker, who cost PSG £64 million, has stated that he has not thought about leaving the French club. He said: “No, I never thought about it. You have to keep the mentality. It’s up to me to keep working so that the coach trusts me.”

Lamine Yamal received a special welcome at a WWE Smackdown taping in Barcelona on Friday, meeting legend Triple H and receiving a personalised belt.

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• WWE Champ Cody Rhodes poses for pic with young star
• Triple H heralded Yamal and Barcelona's bright future
• Wonderkid appeared with teammates Balde and Fort

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The WWE rolled out the red carpet for Barcelona's wunderkind on their first official televised event in the Catalonian capital. Yamal took the time to pose with Triple H, Drew McIntyre, and current Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal attended the event alongside his Barça teammates Alejandro Balde and Hector Fort. The three youngsters received a rapturous welcome by the fans in attendance. Playing to the crowd, the 17-year-old gleefully flashed his new hardware while sporting a massive grin.

• WHAT TRIPLE H AND DREW MCINTYRE SAID

  Both Triple H and Mcintyre took to their own X accounts to brag about meeting the young star.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

  Luckily, Yamal doesn't have to worry about defending his ceremonial belt. Instead his focus will turn to Barcelona's top-of-the-table clash with Atletico Madrid on Sunday night. Next week, he'll report for duty with Spain ahead of their Nations League double header against the Netherlands.

Mohammed Shami had broken the stumps with the Sri Lanka captain on 98

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-20232:58

Run-out controversy: should India have gone ahead with their appeal?

India captain Rohit Sharma defused a potentially controversial situation by withdrawing a run-out appeal against Dasun Shanaka, despite the Sri Lanka skipper being out of his crease at the non-striker’s end in the first ODI in Guwahati.The incident occurred in the final over of the game, when Mohammed Shami ran in to bowl but broke the stumps at the non-striker’s end before delivering the ball. Sri Lanka needed 83 off three balls at the time and Shanaka was batting on 98.

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WATCH the first India vs Sri Lanka ODI full replay

“I had no idea Shami had done that,” Rohit told Star Sports after the game. “When he went up in an appeal… Again, he [Shanaka] is batting on 98. The way he batted was brilliant. We got to give it to him. We cannot get him out like that. We wanted to get him out the way we thought we would get him out. But that was not something that we thought of. But again, hats off to him, he played really well.”Had Rohit not withdrawn Shami’s appeal, Shanaka would have been out, but the Sri Lankan captain was allowed to continue his innings and went on to finish 108 not out off 88 balls. India ended up winning the game by 67 runs, after Virat Kohli’s 113 off 87 balls – his 45th ODI century – had powered the hosts to 373 for 7 in 50 overs.After winning the T20I series 2-1, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The teams now travel to Kolkata for the second ODI at Eden Gardens on January 12.

The international break looks to be coming at the best possible time for Aston Villa, who succumbed to a fourth straight defeat in all competitions away at Liverpool this Saturday.

It wasn’t quite the pasting they were handed on their travels to Tottenham Hotspur, with Arne Slot’s Reds having to dig deep to overcome Unai Emery’s men 2-0, but it was still a defeat at the end of the day that leaves the low on confidence Villans in eighth spot in the Premier League, which is a worrying ten points behind table-topping Liverpool.

There were various different Villa underperformers that failed to step up to the mark under the intense lights of Anfield, as Emery attempts to get more out of his team on the training ground between now and their next Premier League clash, knowing that a break could be what his team desires.

Main Villa underperformers at Anfield

Before he can get to work in this department, however, the stinging defeat versus Liverpool will be firmly on his mind, with the likes of Diego Carlos struggling at the back throughout to contain the hosts’ firepower up top.

The Villa defence were all at sea for Liverpool’s opening breakaway goal, which saw Darwin Nunez fire home after Mohamed Salah rampaged forward, but the game-deciding second strike from the Egyptian at the death saw the Brazilian centre-back inexplicably head it off the electric number 11, who then ran through unchallenged to confidently seal the win.

Away from the defenders having a shaky night, the attackers were also below-par, with Morgan Rogers giving possession away a costly 21 times across the course of the game.

Ollie Watkins also fired more blanks for the away team, as the usually potent 28-year-old’s barren patch in front of goal now stretches to five games in all competitions, with the former Exeter City wonderkid only managing six accurate passes away from missing a single big chance.

But, although Rogers and Watkins underwhelmed, they have shone for their team this season away from this match in isolation.

Whereas, across the campaign to date, Leon Bailey keeps mustering up weak performances and his outing at Liverpool unfortunately followed that trend.

Bailey's performance in numbers

It could be argued that Bailey was lucky not to receive a booking in the build-up to Nunez’s opener, having hauled down Salah viciously before the Uruguayan got the better of Martinez.

Away from that contentious moment, the Jamaica international barely got into the contest, with only 23 touches of the ball coming his way. Even the aforementioned Martinez managed more than that, with the busy Villa shot-stopper registering a heftier 36.

Bailey’s performance in numbers
Stat	Bailey
Minutes played	65
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	23
Accurate passes	11/15 (73%)
Key passes	0
Accurate crosses	0/1
Shots	1
Duels won	1/4
Stats by Sofascore

There are more numbers, when looking at the table above, that further demonstrate how passive Bailey was against Slot’s hosts, with only 11 accurate passes coming his way from a lack of touches, alongside only managing one shot the entire game before being substituted just after the hour mark.

Thankfully for Bailey, his replacement in Jaden Philogene-Bidace failed to also flicker into life – as the ex-Hull City winger only managed eight touches himself – but Emery will be searching for better alternatives down the right flank away from the former Bayer Leverkusen attacker during the break to come.

After firing home ten goals and picking up nine assists last season in the top flight, it’s hard to not ponder why Bailey’s form has taken such a sharp and sudden decline, with zero goals and two assists coming his way this campaign from ten Premier League clashes.

Handed a 5/10 match rating after the game by Birmingham Live’s John Townley, with the journalist simply stating that the Villa number 31 is ‘struggling for confidence’, the time could now be right for Bailey to be given a break from first-team duties, as Emery goes about reinvigorating his troops to bounce back from the sorry state they’re currently submerged in.

Aston Villa's "outstanding" loan ace is worth more than Rogers after exit

The Villa striker has excelled this season

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 8, 2024