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Sri Lanka’s quicks struggled for control on windy day in Wellington, where only 48 overs of play was possible

Madushka Balasuriya17-Mar-2023Stumps In rain-impacted Wellington, with heavy winds for company, New Zealand batted just 48 overs as bad light brought about an early close to an already truncated opening day. Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls were unbeaten on 26 and 18 at the close respectively, though it was when Devon Conway was at the crease during his 108-ball 78 that New Zealand had looked the most threatening.Sri Lanka’s seamers, whose eyes might have lit up at the opportunity to bowl first on a supremely green top after Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss, unfortunately had to cope with some of the windiest conditions ever seen at Basin Reserve.”Today was certainly the windiest I’ve played at the Basin. Certainly a lot of challenge for the bowlers, and we wanted to make the most of that and put pressure on them,” Conway said after the end of play. Put pressure New Zealand certainly did.While there was certainly extra bounce in the surface – Conway would describe it as “tennis-ball bounce” – the gusty winds meant the likes of Kasun Rajitha, Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara were unable to gain the same sort of lateral movement they had so effectively utilised in Christchurch, while maintaining good lengths were also proving difficult.Conway and his more watchful opening partner Tom Latham also proved adept at leaving the ball on length, meaning Sri Lanka’s seamers were forced to pitch it full if they wanted to force the batters into a stroke. It was here that Conway in particular flourished.In a stand worth 87, it was Kumara that took the brunt of Conway’s aggression, with eight of his 13 boundaries coming against the strapping quick. Anything too short or wide was pulled and cut with ease, while anything overpitched was driven just as efficiently.Kasun Rajitha picked up the first wicket when he sent back Tom Latham•Getty ImagesThe first wicket came only once Latham looked to break free, pulling one straight down deep square-leg’s throat off Rajitha.Conway, though, carried on in a similar vein, as Williamson took over the anchor role in a 31-run stand. With the seamers struggling to make a consistent impact, Sri Lanka were forced to turn to spin shortly before tea. And it was the continued use of Dhananjaya de Silva’s offbreaks that provided an unlikely breakthrough in the final session.De Silva’s flatter trajectory from around the wicket slowed down Conway’s scoring, the left-hander scoring just three runs off the 16 deliveries he faced from de Silva. Eventually that pressure told, with Conway charging de Silva and only managing to chip a low return catch.Sri Lanka might even have had three for the day had debutant Nishan Madushka – replacing Niroshan Dickwella with the gloves – held on to a thick edge off Nicholls. It was quick and low to his left – almost a mirror image of the chance Dickwella had grassed off Williamson in Christchurch – but one Madushka ought to have held on to. Madushka has been brought into the side mainly on the back of his batting ability, and the pressure will certainly be on going forward.Williamson and Nicholls played through the rest of the session on pure merit until bad light meant play was stopped 45 minutes prior to the scheduled close.

Liverpool are flying high this season, with Manchester City’s staggering collapse raising hope that the Premier League title can be lifted at Anfield. Arne Slot’s Reds are currently four points clear with a game in hand, after all.

But the season is long and winding, and the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea have kept hot on Liverpool’s heels, especially so after the Merseyside derby was called off due to adverse weather conditions last weekend.

The festive period is known to foil many a hopeful Premier League team, but Liverpool will be confident in their faculty to overcome any wintry hindrances, especially with key players returning from injury.

Although the Anfield side have eclipsed expectations so far this term, there’s always room for improvement, and it might be wise for FSG to sanction some winter transfer activity.

Why Liverpool need a January signing

Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa have returned to first-team training, which has given a major boost to the fluency and rotation of Liverpool’s frontline.

But several key members of Liverpool’s defence remain sidelined, and though the midfield has been impressive this season, there’s a sense that Liverpool could do with a new part to ensure the hard-working engine room keeps purring as dreams of silver begin to become more concrete over the coming months.

Liverpool missed out on their big summer transfer target last summer, and though this hasn’t affected the midfield, the man in question would have been a wonderful addition – and he might still be.

Liverpool transfer news

As per The Times, Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is growing accustomed to the idea of leaving the Basque Country in 2025, having rejected the concerted efforts of Richard Hughes to bring him to Anfield at the start of the 2024/25 season.

The £50m-rated Spain international’s openness to moving has again ‘alerted’ Slot and co, although he is also on Man City and Arsenal’s radar. Though Liverpool’s summer efforts will potentially hand them a boost, their Premier League rivals will be sure to present compelling cases.

Zubimendi’s decision to reject the Reds’ approach opened the door for an existing member of Slot’s squad, but there’s no reason why the pair cannot cohabit in the number six role.

What Martin Zubimendi would bring to Liverpool

So far this season, Ryan Gravenberch has started every fixture spanning Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League campaigns, with his withdrawal after the hour mark at St. James’ Park last week making for the first minutes missed all term.

Slot clearly has a lot of trust in the dynamic, press-resistant midfielder, but he looked fatigued at Newcastle. Slot doesn’t favour Alexis Mac Allister in the deep-sitting role and Wataru Endo has scarcely featured all season, his tough-tackling style saved for late moments when Liverpool need grit.

Bringing a player of Zubimendi’s ilk could be the dimension provider that Liverpool need to achieve their lofty goals over the business months of the season.

Last term, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were knocked out of kilter toward the final stages, burned out, and it’s paramount that the same issue does not strike twice under Slot’s wing, for the Reds are in a fantastic position to claim some silverware before the summer.

Ryan Gravenberch vs Martin Zubimendi (24/25)
Match Stats*	Gravenberch	Zubimendi
Matches (starts)	14 (14)	16 (15)
Goals	0	1
Assists	1	1
Touches*	73.8	68.1
Pass completion	89%	85%
Key passes*	0.6	0.6
Dribbles*	0.9	0.8
Ball recoveries*	5.4	4.4
Tackles + interceptions*	3.9	3.8
Total duels (won)*	5.5 (63%)	5.9 (64%)
Stats via Sofascore (* = per game)

Given that Gravenberch has been widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders on English shores this season, it’s curious to note that Zubimendi operates at a similar level over in La Liga, such is his quality, with Spain manager Luis de la Fuente even hailing him as one of “the best centre-midfielders in the world.”

It would be a fantastic deal for Liverpool to make, one that might even elevate Slot’s fledgling project to an even higher level. Who knows, perhaps it would even prove to be the Dutch coach’s own Virgil van Dijk signing.

The club’s towering captain has been a pillar of strength and leadership since he arrived from Southampton in January 2018, in a deal worth £75m – a world record for a defender at the time.

Before Van Dijk’s arrival, Klopp’s Liverpool were an entertaining team with an unforgiving frontline, but they lacked balance and security in the defensive third. It was a team that pulled fans from their seats but threw them back down slumped after error-stricken, authority-bereft defensive displays.

Van Dijk changed all that, rewrote the narrative and supercharged a quest toward the biggest honours. It was he who served as the transformative figure and cemented Klopp’s legacy as one of the greatest in Liverpool’s rich history.

Now, Zubimendi can do the same. The 25-year-old Spaniard is already regarded as a “world-class” player in his homeland, as Spanish football writer Alexandra Johnson has said, and is on the radar of England’s biggest and best outfits.

Like Gravenberch, he plays a loose and influential role in the centre of the field, capable of collecting and driving forward while playing balls to well-placed teammates, who can then surge into dangerous areas. Think of Mohamed Salah, arcing in from the right, finding a sharp delivery that is not only perfectly weighted but posted at the perfect time. With regularity.

He could combine with Trent Alexander-Arnold, while enhancing the qualities of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, perhaps providing the latter with more opportunities to raise his potency in front of goal.

While £50m would be a big winter outlay for FSG, it feels unreasonable to expect Gravenberch to continue without any real competition across the duration of the campaign. Imagine if the Netherlands star picks up a month-long injury in the new year. Detrimental.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It’s a deal that needs to be completed, especially with Arsenal and City lurking. Having patiently waited to land Van Dijk after missing out in the summer of 2017, perhaps a similar scenario can also occur with regard to Zubimendi’s capture.

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Dec 12, 2024

da bwin： Much like the first transfer window Ipswich Town found themselves involved in after promotion, this January window looks set to be a busy one for the relegation-threatened side.

da 888casino： After all, this drawn-out month gives them a fantastic opportunity to recruit fresh blood that can help in their ongoing quest to stay put in the Premier League.

Already, Ipswich have signed Ben Godfrey on a loan deal to bolster defensively, with rumours now focusing in on the exciting Suffolk side adding in more firepower up top.

Ipswich's search for a striker

It looks as if Godfrey won’t be the only confirmed signing this early into January either, with Jaden Philogene reportedly joining the building for a £20m fee from Aston Villa to gift McKenna’s men a daring option down the right wing.

Ipswich aren’t done there, however, with the Premier League minnows still in the hunt for Middlesbrough sharp shooter Emmanuel Latte Lath, despite GIVEMESPORT recently revealing that Leeds United are out in front in attempting to land the clinical Ivorian.

The Whites are now considering lodging a £15m bid to try and win the Boro number nine, but Ipswich won’t be fazed by this new development, hoping that the allure of top-flight football could sway Latte Lath into calling Portman Road his next home before the February deadline is up.

Latte Lath could well strike up a devastating attacking duo with Philogene if a deal is reached, with the tricky winger a superstar in the Championship with Hull City last season, and will now be ready – like his Boro counterpart – to now take the division above by storm.

What Latte Lath could offer Ipswich

Away from Ipswich potentially splashing the cash recklessly on Igor Jesus to join from Botafogo for £30m, the Tractor Boys would win themselves a better bargain for their buck with Latte Lath, considering he is already a potent attacker in the English game.

It would all depend though on whether or not the 26-year-old would be able to handle the step-up, but when you glance at his goalscoring numbers in the EFL to date.

Latte Lath’s goal numbers for Boro by competition

Competition

Games played

Goals scored

Championship

56

26

EFL Cup

6

2

FA Cup

1

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

26 of Latte Lath’s strikes for Michael Carrick’s men have come in the bread and butter of the second tier, with ten league goals coming his way this 2024/25 so far to alert teams to his services.

Jesus, meanwhile, has scored just eight times in 31 games for his current side, while there is less risk involved in Latte Lath’s signing considering his lesser price tag, and his blistering numbers to date playing on English shores means he could settle in well to McKenna’s group as another option away from Liam Delap just leading the line.

Latte Lath vs Igor Jesus – League stats

Stat (per 90)

Latte Lath (2024/25)

Jesus (2024)

Goals

0.57

0.31

Assists

0.11

0.19

Shot-creating actions

2.69

3.47

Progressive carries

1.31

1.23

Progressive passes

1.14

2.16

Pass completion

75.3%

71.6%

Tackles

1.03

0.49

Interceptions

0.34

0.12

Aerial duels won

40%

38.2%

Stats via FBref

Equally, as indicated above, Latte Lath also comes out on top with regard to goals per 90, while he also seemingly offers a great physical presence as the first line of defence, as showcased by his superior record with tackles, interceptions and aerial duels won.

With the pair operating in similar level leagues – with the Championship and Brazilian Serie A classed among the ‘next 14 competitions’, outside of Europe’s top five leagues – it does illustrate just what an upgrade the Boro man would be on his Botafogo counterpart.

Likewise, Philogene will pray he finally gets his chance to impress in the big-time at Ipswich, having been used infrequently by Unai Emery at Villa Park.

Indeed, the ex-Hull ace has only been thrown in from the start in league action this season two times, despite setting the second tier alight last campaign at the Tigers.

There was, of course, this outrageous strike that went viral for looping over the Rotherham United goalkeeper’s head, with Philogene registering 12 goals and six assists overall in the Championship.

With a spot down the right wing more open, owing to Wes Burns being the only fit option currently, the reserve Villa figure could become a main spark in the first team when making the switch to Suffolk.

Latte Lath – who was once described as being a “dream to play with” by Boro teammate Luke Ayling – will hope his fair share of first-team opportunities comes about if he joins, with the pair potentially making Ipswich even more threatening in attack ahead of tough games to follow near the foot of the league.

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Posts 2 ByKelan Sarson Jan 8, 2025

Crystal Palace are reportedly “checking in” on a “rapid” Liverpool player ahead of the January transfer window, with manager Oliver Glasner looking to reinforce his side after the New Year.

Crystal Palace transfer news

Palace’s 2-1 win over Southampton on Sunday means the Eagles have now lost just one of their last seven games in the Premier League. It’s form that has seen Oliver Glasner’s side rise to 15th place in the top flight and means they are now six points clear of the relegation zone.

Given they didn’t win a game until the end of October, it’s safe to assume that most fans will be pretty happy with their recent form.

Glasner, however, isn’t ready to rest on his laurels just yet, and is reportedly ready to use the January transfer market to further strengthen his squad. The Eagles have already been linked with a number of players, including Manchester City’s James McAtee and Millwall midfielder Romaine Esse, while Fluminense winger Jhon Arias is also understood to be on their radar.

Benfica winger Jan-Niklas Beste is another player Palace are reportedly keen on, with Sky Sports Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri claiming the London club have “fallen under the spell” of the German and are already talking with the player’s advisors.

Tavolieri claims that Benfica are open to doing business, but only want to sell Beste on a permanent basis, and would hope to make back at least the £6.5 million they spent to sign him from 1. FC Heidenheim in the summer.

Palace eyeing Liverpool loan starlet

Another player who reportedly could be on his way to Selhurst Park after the New Year is Liverpool starlet Ben Doak. The young winger has impressed while on loan at Middlesbrough this season, scoring two goals and registering five assists in 18 games.

This year, he’s also been a regular fixture for Scotland, making six appearances for Steve Clarke’s side. According to journalist Alan Nixon, Palace “have now been checking on” Doak and could be “poised to move” for the 19-year-old in January.

Nixon claims that Doak’s preference would be to return to Anfield and fight for a place under Arne Slot, but that he would also be open to a switch elsewhere in the Premier League on loan.

Appearances

18

Goals

2

Assists

5

Shot per 90

1.63

Key passes per 90

2.59

Successful take-ons per 90

2.18

Doak was given widespread praise after he helped Scotland beat Croatia 1-0 in the Nations League back in November. Speaking about his performance, Scotland boss Clarke said: “He was good. It was good, but I thought he might be.

“He gets the assist for the goal with the run, could maybe have had a couple more, could maybe have scored one himself. That’s a contribution from a young player that we need to protect and look after, but realise that he is good for now and hopefully for a long time in the future.”

Former Scotland forward James McFadden, meanwhile, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound: “We all know he’s rapid and often you get players who are really quick but don’t have technical ability. But you can see he has got that. His first touch is good, it takes him where he wants to go.”

da bet7： Manchester is Red in 2024, with Manchester United securing their second win of the calendar year in four games over their bitter rivals Manchester City.

da apostaganha： As far as Manchester derbies go, the 195th edition was not the highest standard, given both sides’ poor form of late, but United piled the misery onto the Citizens after a phenomenal comeback.

It is fair to say that for much of this game, it was not one for the neutral. The first half did not have many key moments to note until Josko Gvardiol got his head on a deflected Kevin De Bruyne cross. His looping effort flew into the back of the United net leaving Andre Onana rooted to the spot.

United failed to get themselves back into the game despite seeing lots of the ball in the second period. Ruben Amorim’s side had a key chance through Bruno Fernandes, but he could only lift his chipped shot over Ederson wide.

However, it was the man lovingly dubbed United’s “Portuguese Magnifico” who equalised in the 88th minute. Amad Diallo expertly won a penalty, which the Red Devils skipper converted coolly to draw things level.

Just seconds later, it was Amad who gave United the lead, latching onto the end of Lisandro Martinez’s pass and converting from a tight angle to win United the game. He was certainly a standout player against City.

Amad Diallo's performance in numbers vs Man City

It has been a phenomenal rise to the top for Amad under Amorim. In five Premier League games under the Portuguese boss, he has four assists and a goal, which, as we know, was the winner against City.

Of course, he played a huge role in both strikes, winning the penalty that Fernandes converted. After getting on the end of a misplaced backpass from Matheus Nunes, he waited for the midfielder to try and win the ball back and went down under the pressure of his challenge.

The goal, meanwhile, was spectacular, meeting Martinez’s ball with a superb touch around Ederson, and firing home from a narrow angle.

Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst was full of praise for the attacker, who played as a number 10 against the hosts and gave him a 9/10 for his efforts. Indeed, Amad’s stats on the night show just how well he played. He won 7/10 ground duels, completed five of eight dribbles and had a 92% pass accuracy.

There is no doubting the fact that the 22-year-old was fantastic throughout the game, and his attacking performances were a key reason United won. However, the Red Devils defended with heart, and Harry Maguire played superbly.

Harry Maguire's performance in numbers vs Man City

It has been a really impressive resurgence in a United shirt for Maguire, who struggled to get into the team in Erik ten Hag’s first season at the club. His outing against City was fantastic and epitomised the defender.

Battling against Erling Haaland, Maguire was a rock and the Norwegian striker gave him little trouble. The Englishman had some impressive stats, winning 75% of his duels, three tackles and making five interceptions. On the ball, the United number five was classy, completing 92% of his passes.

Maguire stats vs. Man City

Stat

Number

Touches

51

Pass accuracy

92%

Passes completed

34/37

Duel win %

75%

Ground duels won

4/4

Aerial duels won

2/4

Tackles won

3/3

Interceptions

5

Stats from Sofascore

Luckhurst was certainly complimentary of the defender. The journalist gave Maguire an 8/10 rating for his efforts, noting he had ‘little hassle’ from Haaland, explaining he was able to ‘dominate him’ in the second 45 minutes. Further praise was forthcoming from journalist Alex Turk, who described the England international as “monstrous”, while the manager even reserved very special words for his centre-back.

Like Amad, Maguire performed admirably against the Citizens. He was commanding and colossal at the back, keeping quiet a man with 13 Premier League goals already this term. It was a fantastic defensive showing from United’s number five.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 14, 2024

Still searching to fill their managerial vacancy, Coventry City owner Doug King has confirmed the reports that he has a former Premier League manager who won countless trophies as a player on his shortlist of candidates.

Coventry's managerial candidates

The Sky Blues shocked the rest of the Championship when they sacked Mark Robins, who was one VAR decision away from taking his side to the FA Cup final and defeating Manchester United last season. After seven years in charge, the manager was dismissed with Coventry in an unexpected relegation scrap in the early stages of the campaign.

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 11, 2024

To their credit, even without a permanent manager and left with interim boss Rhys Carr to take charge, Coventry managed to get the post-Robins era underway in impressive fashion, having rescued an unlikely point against Championship leaders Sunderland last time out.

With the international break now underway, however, Carr may not be in charge for much longer as Coventry look to officially get a new era underway. The likes of Lincoln City’s Michael Skubala have already been linked with a move to take the vacant, but Coventry owner Doug King confirmed that one particular name is on his shortlist.

As confirmed by King, Frank Lampard is among the candidates to replace Robins with the owner now assessing his options. He told Sky Sports, as relayed by BBC Sport: “We’ve received a huge amount of CVs from high quality people, of which Frank is one. We’ve done nothing on that process.

“Clearly we’re in the international break. We’ll be assessing everything. We’ll work out who’s going to make the shortlist and we’ll go from there.”

Out of a job since leaving Chelsea at the 2022/23 campaign, Lampard may finally get the chance to restore some credit to his managerial career.

"Tremendous" Lampard isn't without risks

To go from the experience of Robins – a man who was the heart and soul of Coventry at times – to a manager who has always fallen just shy of truly impressing as a coach would be the ultimate risk for the Sky Blues.

Birmingham City should be the first example that they look at in this current moment in time. They decided to controversially part ways with John Eustace in favour of appointing Wayne Rooney, only to drop from the top half to relegation into League One as a result.

Currently sat 17th and just one point adrift of the bottom three, Coventry cannot afford to make a similar mistake so close to the busy festive period, which can make or break a season. In a vital two-week period, King must get his next appointment right even if that means denying Lampard a chance to step back into management.

Former Premier League manager and current Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho is among those to have praised Lampard in the past – dubbing his ex-midfielder a “tremendous professional” – but he may be forced to wait for his return to the technical area despite Coventry’s opening.

Manchester United are willing to include Rasmus Hojlund in a swap deal to sign Napoli star Victor Osimhen in the summer.

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Man Utd eyeing move for OsimhenReady to offload Hojlund in the summerRed Devils unlikely to trigger Osimhen's release clauseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Nigerian forward is currently on loan at Galatasaray where he has scored 20 times in 27 appearances across all competitions. Osimhen will return to Napoli in the summer and the Serie A giants are willing to let the player leave, provided a club matches his €75 million (£62m/$78m) release clause.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Per , Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Osimhen in the summer as Ruben Amorim is looking to bolster his attack ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. The Red Devils, however, are not ready to match the player's release clause and instead are plotting a swap deal that includes €40m (£33m/$41m) fee plus Rasmus Hojlund.

DID YOU KNOW?

Hojlund has endured a nightmare campaign in his second year at Old Trafford as the striker has scored in only two Premier League games, with his last goal coming against Nottingham Forest on December 7. The Danish forward's poor form has raised some eyebrows at Old Trafford and it seems he could now be heading back to Serie A.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

United will be back in action on Sunday as they host Fulham in a fifth round FA Cup tie at Old Trafford.

Harshal Patel has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20I series in the West Indies – there’s one game to go after Saturday’s fixture – after failing to recover from a rib injury, the BCCI confirmed around the time of the toss ahead of the fourth T20I.The BCCI didn’t make it clear whether Harshal, who hasn’t played a single game on the ongoing white-ball tour, picked up the injury after reaching the Caribbean or if he was carrying the injury from the earlier tour of England. He did play all three T20Is in England, with middling returns – four wickets at an average of 23.25 and an economy rate of 8.45 – even as India won 2-1.