Newcastle United have lost one of their first-team regulars to injury ahead of the trip to Milan, and a fresh report has revealed the exact number of games that he’s expected to miss.
Who is injured for Newcastle United?
Joe Willock, Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth are all currently sidelined with injuries, but Eddie Howe did receive a boost with a few of his stars having returned from the treament room over the weekend.
During Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Brentford, Sven Botman, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali all staged their own individual comebacks which is helpful considering that the northeast outfit are set to compete in their first Champions League fixture vs AC Milan at the San Siro this week.
However, Joelinton won’t be able to participate under the bright lights of Europe's elite competition because of a recurring knee injury that he first sustained during last month’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, which saw him missing from the matchday squad for the recent win over Thomas Frank’s side.
The Magpies’ central midfielder was named as part of Brazil’s team during the international break alongside Bruno Guimaraes and he even featured as a substitute during both matches, but upon returning to the northeast, the 27-year-old has suffered a setback due to continually playing with his problem.
How long is Joelinton out for?
According to Newcastle World it goes from bad to worse, as Joelinton is expected to be on the sidelines for at least the “next six matches” after sustaining a knee injury during international duty for Brazil.
Speaking to the media, Howe previously said: “Joe had a recurrence of his knee injury playing for Brazil in the second game so he won’t be with us for a few weeks”, and the outlet claim that the earliest he’s expected to return to action is for the Premier League game vs Crystal Palace on October 21.
Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton.
How many goals does Joelinton have for Newcastle?
Following his arrival at Newcastle, Joelinton has posted 33 contributions (22 goals and 11 assists) in 161 appearances, form which has previously seen him described as “immense” by journalist Josh Bunting, so the fact that he’ll be missing for over a month will be a massive blow to Howe.
The ROGON client, who earns £85k-per-week, has also recorded 12 shot-creating actions so far this season which is the second-highest total throughout the squad, via FBRef, not to mention the different dimension that he adds to the centre with his height and physical presence, standing at 6 foot 1.
In addition, Alianca’s native is a versatile operator having been deployed in seven various positions since the start of his career, including three roles in the midfield and even everywhere across the frontline, though this is another attribute that the manager will have to cope without having at his disposal.
Joelinton was named the club's Player of the Year for the 2021/22 season so it’s clear to see how much he’s appreciated by his fellow teammates, the staff and supporters, therefore, everyone associated with the club will be hoping for his return to action as soon as possible.
Two nights after defending 118, Sunrisers Hyderabad defended 132 to snap Kings XI Punjab’s four-match winning streak
The Report by Deivarayan Muthu26-Apr-2018 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:43
‘Kings XI too dependent on Gayle and Rahul’
No Billy Stanlake and Bhuvneshwar Kumar? No problem, again. Two nights after pulling off the second-lowest successful defence in the IPL, Sunrisers Hyderabad defended 132 to snap Kings XI Punjab’s four-match winning streak. That they could pull off another coup seemed improbable when Ankit Rajpoot’s 5 for 14 – the best figures in IPL 2018 and the sixth best overall – pinned Sunrisers down to 132 for 6. It seemed as improbable when KL Rahul and Chris Gayle, the most prolific opening pair this season, raised their fourth fifty-plus stand in as many innings opening together.Enter Rashid Khan, the No.1 T20 bowler right now, and the experienced Shakib Al Hasan. They ran rings around Kings XI’s line-up and threatened both edges. Sandeep Sharma did his bit with knuckle balls. And, just like that, there was a slip breathing down the batsman’s neck. Just like that, Kings XI’s chase unravelled: from 55 for 0 they imploded to 101 for 9. Mujeeb Ur Rahman then hacked and reverse-swept his way to 10 off five balls – his first runs in T20 cricket – and reduced the equation to 15 off the last over. The first ball of that from Basil Thampi was a sharp inswinging yorker, which thudded into the pads of Mujeeb, who sneaked in a leg bye. Thampi then nailed the base of Rajpoot’s middle stump to cap Sunrisers’ comeback and move them to second on the points table.Bouncing ’em out The ball was bursting off a length and zipping through to the keeper in Hyderabad. The conditions here might have reminded Rajpoot of his stint in South Africa earlier this year as a net bowler. He bounced out Kane Williamson and Shikhar Dhawan in the Powerplay before returning in the last over of the innings to floor Manish Pandey’s middle stump with an inch-perfect yorker from wide of the crease.Rajpoot had shown signs of his hit-the-deck bustle against Delhi Daredevils on Monday, when he claimed 4-0-23-2 in an uninterrupted four-over spell with the new ball. But this pitch had more grass and offered more bounce. Rajpoot exploited it in his first over and had Williamson splicing a catch to mid-off for a duck. This was the reason why he was picked ahead of the more experienced Mohit Sharma.Barinder Sran, at the other end, also found extra bounce but lacked enough discipline. He had Shakib top-edging a cut to third man, but replays indicated that Sran’s front foot had strayed. At that point, Shakib was on 0. Sran came close to a wicket on another occasion, when he had Pandey skewing one over mid-off. R Ashwin ran back but he could not cling on.Squeezing ’em out Pandey had two more lives, but he could not break out of the funk. Ashwin and Mujeeb did not make his life easier with their bag of tricks. They kept batsmen guessing with offbreaks, legbreaks, googlies, carom balls, and front-of-the-hand sliders. Andrew Tye’s knuckle balls ensured there was no escape against him either. The three bowlers had combined figures of 12-0-79-1. The 52-run partnership between Shakib Al Hasan and Pandey, which came at just 5.88 runs an over, was the slowest stand of 50 or more this season. Pandey’s fifty, off 48 balls, was the slowest this season, but it hauled Sunrisers past 130 and gave their bowlers a sniff.Sunrisers’ attack bosses it, again A sniff was all that they needed. Rahul and Gayle had just seen off Sandeep’s opening spell and shaved 53 runs off the target in seven overs. Rashid, though, provided the breakthrough in his first over, with a perfectly pitched legbreak, which turned just enough to beat the outside edge and clatter into off stump. Rahul did not read it: he was playing inside the line, searching for a googly. In the next over, Thampi rushed Gayle for pace and pouched a return catch. Two set batsmen gone in four balls.Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal nervously knocked the ball into the gaps to leave Kings XI needing 56 off 48 balls. Then, instead of continuing to find the gaps, Agarwal hared down the track to Shakib, but did not meet the pitch of the ball and holed out to wide long-on. That set in motion a terminal collapse.Mujeeb gave Sunrisers a late scare but the spinners and Sandeep had done enough to help them survive it. Rashid and Shakib combined for figures of 7-0-37-5. Then there was the reserve quick Thampi providing the finishing touches and highlighting the depth in the attack. He had been named the emerging player of the year last season, but could not break into the team in 2018 until Stanlake and Bhuvneshwar sustained injuries. That’s how good this attack is.
Leeds United made the decision to part ways with their sporting director Victor Orta in May of this year shortly before their relegation to the Championship was confirmed.
The Whites relieved the Spaniard of his duties alongside manager Javi Gracia and opted to bring the experienced Sam Allardyce to keep them in the Premier League.
They were unable to prevent the club from finishing in the bottom three and the ex-Leeds chief may shoulder plenty of the blame as his transfer dealings and managerial decisions played a part in the side's downfall.
Former Leeds sporting director Victor Orta.
Orta had a number of questionable big-money signings throughout his time at Elland Road, including the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Dan James, and Luis Sinisterra, who all struggled to make an impact at the top level.
However, the now-Sevilla sporting director also enjoyed plenty of success as he appointed Marcelo Bielsa and achieved promotion to the Premier League, alongside two seasons of survival in the top-flight.
He also picked up a number of talented young gems in the transfer market and Daniel Farke is now reaping the benefit of some of those moves; including current first-team star Crysencio Summerville.
The fee Leeds paid for Summerville
Orta swooped to sign the then-18-year-old winger from Dutch giants Feyenoord for a reported fee of £1.3m ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
He put pen to paper on a three-year contract with the Whites at the time and was billed as one for the future under Bielsa's reign, having signed alongside Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt that summer.
The teenage maestro arrived in England off the back of a season playing regular first-team football for ADO Den Haag on loan in the Eredivisie.
Leeds winger Crysencio Summerville.
Summerville racked up 21 top-flight appearances throughout the 2019/20 season and contributed with two goals and one assist from a wide position.
Despite his young age and lack of experience, the 18-year-old ace did showcase his exciting dribbling ability with 1.5 completed dribbles per match that term, with an impressive success rate of 63%.
His promising displays for Den Haag on loan may have convinced Orta and Bielsa that he was an excellent prospect who could grow and develop into being a useful first-team player for Leeds over the subsequent years, and so it has proven.
Summerville's Premier League statistics
Leeds opted against sending him out on loan during the 2020/21 campaign but the teenager was unable to force his way into the first-team squad.
He made 14 appearances for the club's U21 outfit in all competitions and caught the eye with six goals and seven assists in total, which is almost one goal contribution every match on average.
His outstanding performances for the academy side led to him making his senior bow for the Yorkshire-based team against Newcastle United in the Premier League in September of 2021, under Bielsa.
Summerville went on to play six top-flight matches, and nine senior games in total, throughout the 2021/22 season, along with seven goals and one assist in 14 U21 clashes.
The talented whiz was then able to establish himself as a regular first-team figure last season under Jesse Marsch, Gracia, and Allardyce as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.
He featured in 28 of the club's 38 top-flight matches and chipped in with four goals and two assists in 12 starts for the Whites, as they dropped down to the Championship.
Interestingly, though, Summerville ranked within the top 34% of his positional peers at Premier League level for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.25) that season, which suggests that his goalscoring threat was above average.
Summerville's 2022/23 statistics.
He also put the hard yards in defensively and ranked within the top 25% or higher among his peers in the top-flight for tackles (1.89) and interceptions (0.82) per 90 respectively.
Summerville's statistics this season
The club's relegation to the Championship provided the talented forward with the perfect opportunity to really hit his stride in a Leeds shirt and become an influential figure on the pitch.
German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in to replace Allardyce and has made Summerville one of the key cogs in his attack, which has proven to be a fantastic decision by the ex-Norwich City tactician.
The 22-year-old forward has been one of the standout performers on the pitch for the Whites with his ability to score goals and create chances for his teammates on a regular basis to spearhead their promotion charge.
Summerville has recorded an impressive six goals in ten Championship starts so far during the 2023/24 campaign, which is a tally that none of his teammates have been able to match. Joel Piroe (five) is the only other Leeds player with more than three strikes, and this illustrates how important the Dutch winger's contributions have been.
The former Feyenoord prospect also leads the way for the Whites with 2.6 key passes per game and only Georginio Rutter (five) has managed more assists than him (four) for the club.
Summerville's current market value
Summerville, who Voetbal International journalist Suleyman Özturk hailed as "complete", has caught the eye with his performances this season and there has been speculation over his future at Elland Road.
Football Insider recently claimed Leeds value the talented gem at a figure of at least £25m and that fee would likely increase if Farke leads the team to promotion to the Premier League this season.
The outlet added that two unnamed top-flight clubs have shown an interest in the Dutch phenomenon but there is no mention of how serious that interest is.
It is also stated that Leeds are not looking to sell Summerville as they see him as being crucial to their hopes of returning to the top table at the first time of asking.
Irrespective of whether or not they decide to cash in on him in January, the club seeing him as a £25m player proves that Orta hit the jackpot by signing him from Feyenoord in 2020.
The 22-year-old whiz is now worth a staggering 1,823% more than the £1.3m they paid to sign him in the summer of 2020, whilst Football Insider's report left the door open for that value to increase further if the club achieve success on the pitch this term.
Orta, therefore, deserves praise for his particular deal as it is now benefitting Leeds due to his performances and his possible resale value in the future.
da casino： Arsenal have a "fantastic" squad player who's working tirelessly for manager Mikel Arteta, says Gunners legend and BBC pundit Ian Wright.
Who are Arsenal's star players?
da dobrowin： A few of Arsenal's current crop can be picked out for praise as the north Londoners enjoy a brilliant start to the new Premier League season. The likes of Declan Rice, Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba have been performing exceptionally, to name a few, to help Arsenal win six out of their opening eight league games and remain unbeaten in the top flight. They're currently joint-top with league-leading Tottenham, most recently making a statement by beating current champions Man City at the Emirates Stadium.
The performance was particularly impressive given this occasion's seismic pressure, combined with the expectation of supporters who created a powerful atmosphere. Arteta, speaking after their win over City last weekend, hailed his players for keeping their nerve.
"The crowd wants you to go and go and go, and it’s what the crowd they do, the crowd do that and we don’t go, and we have to manage that," said Arteta to Arsenal's official website.
"We have to understand emotionally it’s not easy, it’s not easy to chase 15, 20 passes and you have to be able to do that and then have the courage to play. You don’t want to play against this team that just gives the ball to them every single time and I thought the players were excellent. They were all dancing and super happy, they are now on international break. The mood is always much better, and the ones who are not involved are going to have a few days off, and it sends everybody until the game against Chelsea away with the right spirit and the right emotion."
Latest Eddie Nketiah news
However, while it has been a promising start to the new season, there is a case to be made that Arsenal may need a new striker, especially given a lot of their victories have come by narrow one-goal margins. This had led to the Gunners targeting Brentford's star striker, according to the latest Ivan Toney transfer news.
Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard.
Club fan favourite Wright also believes that they should make a move for Toney, as he explained to the Stick to Football Podcast. During this sit-down, he also heaped praise on Eddie Nketiah for his work rate; saying the Englishman works his socks off for Arteta.
Eddie Nketiah strengths
Eddie Nketiah weaknesses
Holding on to the ball
None
Finishing
"You can’t question the endeavour of both of these players, Eddie and Jesus, but in the moments I think you look back at the Tottenham game, with the Jesus miss," said Wright.
“For a player of his level, his calibre, to get into that position at 1-0 up, you have to [score]. Those chances have to be buried. And I believe for what Arsenal are trying to do, the margins are so small now, you cannot afford to be missing chances like that and not win those games.
“And what I’m seeing with Eddie, he’s working his socks off, no chances really made for him. The work off the ball, fantastic, same with Jesus."
There’s plenty of substance, and little that’s flash, in Brad Haddin, who is not about to let Adam Gilchrist’s vast reputation cramp his style
Andrew Miller26-Jun-2009Of the 16 players in Australia’s Ashes squad, only six have previous experience of an Anglo-Australian Test match, and of those, only four – Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and Brett Lee – have sampled the unique atmosphere of a Test series in England. In an era when Twenty20 cricket is threatening to turn people’s attention away from the game’s most venerable traditions, it’s a dwindling bunch of cricketers who can pinpoint exactly what it is that makes this rivalry so special.But the Australian tourist best placed to explain the enduring significance of the Ashes is also the one most used to being overlooked. Few players have waited on the sidelines as long or as uncomplainingly as the wicketkeeper, Brad Haddin, a man whose fate it is to be defined in terms of a man who can never be replicated. When Adam Gilchrist retired from international cricket at the end of the 2007-08 season, he closed the book on a career that transformed the expectations of a generation of glovemen, but his reputation didn’t make the vacancy any less sweet for Haddin to fill.”I think we talk a lot about icon series. You talk about India being the powerhouse of world cricket, and we’ve just been playing a very successful South Africa side over a pretty extended period,” Haddin told Cricinfo. “But as a young kid growing up in Australia, the icon series for us was a five-Test series against England. We’re pretty excited about the whole theatre of the event, and from a personal point of view, I can’t wait to get involved right from the start of the first session in Cardiff.”Haddin toured England in 2005, but didn’t get a look-in, while 18 months later, during the 5-0 whitewash Down Under, he was a distant observer, quietly plying his trade in state cricket for New South Wales. But now, at the age of 31, and almost a decade on from his first appearance for Australia in a one-off ODI against Zimbabwe in January 2001, Haddin is the man in possession and he’s revelling in the opportunity. “If the opportunity had never arose I would still have been a happy man,” he said. “I did everything I possibly could, I just happened to be behind one of the best ever to play the game.”Haddin has certainly been forced to earn his recognition the hard way. He was limited to just 21 ODI appearances in his first six years in the national set-up, and in that time he never played more than five games in a row. But metaphorically speaking, he managed not to drop the ball whenever he was called upon, and as a reward for his reliability, his tally began to rise after Gilchrist retired in early 2008. His most treasured possession, however, his baggy green cap, was not presented to him until Australia toured the Caribbean in May 2008.Even then, the hard yards of his journey to the top had not been completed. During his debut appearance he fractured the ring finger of his right hand, but not only did he play on through the pain during the final two Tests of the series, he shrugged off an infection that set in as a result.”I think Test cricket is the pinnacle,” Haddin said. “Growing up in Australia, you want your baggy green cap, and you want to be tested over five days. It’s the true test of where your cricket is at. Other forms are exciting and very good for the game, but Test cricket is the pinnacle.”His current Test average of 37.54 is testament to the fact that he’s not about to let Gilchrist’s vast reputation cramp his style. Haddin’s longevity in the eyes of the selectors is down to the composure he brings to his performances. There is little that’s flash but there’s plenty of substance, as befits a cricketer with nearly 6500 first-class runs to his name.”I see myself as a wicketkeeper-batsman,” he said. “I think Adam changed the perception of how wicketkeepers are viewed, but I think if you talk to him he would also say he’s a keeper first and a batter second, and I don’t think that’s changed. I’m a true believer that you should pick the best wicketkeeper available. You’re a keeper first, and then a batsman.”From a personal point of view, I’ve spent 10 years keeping to Stuart MacGill at the SCG. They talk a lot here of how the ball wobbles after it goes past the bat. But the beauty of Test cricket is that you do play in different venues, all around the world. I played 10 years of first-class cricket, travelling state to state and getting used to the conditions, but one of the attractions of Test cricket is going to India, West Indies, and all over the international stage, and testing yourself in all different conditions.”
“If the opportunity never arose, I would still have been a happy man. I just happened to be behind one of the best ever to play the game.”
It didn’t take long for Haddin’s first examination of this Ashes campaign to come about. In glorious conditions at Hove on Wednesday, on the opening day of Australia’s first competitive outing since the World Twenty20, their batting malfunctioned in the mid-day sun, as they slipped to 114 for 5 against a rookie attack led by a South African journeyman of Italian extraction, Pepler Sandri.By the close, however, the scoreline had been transformed. Brett Lee and Nathan Hauritz eventually made the game look pretty simple as they piled on the runs in an eighth-wicket stand of 117, but Haddin’s performance was the one that made the difference. He top-scored with a cool 69 from 119 balls, an innings of class and intent that reiterated, regardless of the low-key environment, that he has sturdy enough feet to fill some of the most daunting boots the game has ever known.”I didn’t find it tricky at all, stepping into Adam’s role,” he said. “The one thing I tried to do was make sure I was ready. I couldn’t control when Adam was going to retire, if at all, so the bottom line is, all I was trying to do was make sure I was the best cricketer I could possibly be, and if the opportunity came down the track, all well and good, I’d be ready for the challenge of stepping in. I didn’t waste too much energy thinking about what ifs, because it’s something I couldn’t control.”I enjoyed my time on tours with Adam, because I could look at the set-up of Australian cricket, and learn how the elite players train. But taking over his role wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. Six years before that I may have thought about it too much, but for the last five years it wasn’t in my thought processes as much as people think.”Haddin was 30 when he eventually got his extended run in the side – coincidentally just two years older than Gilchrist himself had been in November 1999, when he finally took over from his own immoveable predecessor, Ian Healy. If nothing else, the two careers that preceded him proved to Haddin how precious it is to have the opportunity to represent your country. With that in mind, the succession couldn’t really be in better hands.
Arsenal are enjoying another thrilling season of football this year and with 17 games gone, they currently find themselves atop the Premier League table with just one game to go until Christmas – a first vs second clash at Anfield.
Mikel Arteta's men might not be quite as free-flowing as they were last year, but their seriously impressive defensive displays have put them in pole position to end their two-decade title drought if they can maintain their current trajectory.
The board looks set to do all they can to help with that, as the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates could become the Gunners' own Rodri, and he has been far more impressive than Chelsea's Moises Caicedo to boot – Douglas Luiz.
Arsenal can sign the next Saliba in "insane" star who could fetch £86m
The young Dutchman could become one of the best defenders in the world.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 19, 2023 Arsenal transfer news – Douglas Luiz
According to ESPN, Arsenal are looking to shuffle their midfield setup in the January window and are seriously interested in adding Aston Villa's maestro to their ranks.
The Brazilian midfielder was the subject of two failed bids from the Gunners last summer but signed a new deal with the Villans in October 2022, which is set to run until 2026.
With three years to run on his current deal and his importance to the Claret and Blue, the transfer is likely going to be very costly, with former England international Joe Cole telling TNT Sports (via the Mirror) that he expects the 25-year-old to move for a fee comparable to Caicedo and Declan Rice, so in the £100m range.
Douglas Luiz celebrates for Aston Villa
The former Chelsea man seems to believe he is worth it, though, saying: "He has been performing in the same league as them, performing better than Caicedo, arguably."
And with how well he measures up to Manchester City's Rodri, it would be hard to disagree.
Douglas Luiz could be Arsenal's Rodri
Now, some might argue that the outstanding performances of summer signing Rice suggest there is no need for the club to go and break the bank for a player like Luiz. Still, his arrival would allow the Englishman to move into a left-eight role and have an even more significant impact on the game.
Furthermore, FBref has named Rodri the seventh most similar player to the former City midfielder across Europe's top five leagues, which is quite the compliment considering everything the Spaniard has achieved at the Etihad.
This similarity is evident when you compare the pair alongside Caicedo to test Cole's claim that the Villa star is outperforming the Ecuadorian.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion ace – who was linked with a move to the Emirates over the summer – comes last in every important comparative metric, while the other two trade blows and come out on top in various statistics.
Rather surprisingly, Luiz and Rodri produce the exact same non-penalty expected goals and assists figures, while the former is far more likely to cross the ball and the latter more likely to recover the ball.
Luiz
Rodri
Caicedo
0.24
0.24
0.09
4.94
9.47
4.92
2.27
2.14
0.61
3.38
0.38
0.45
1.56
1.37
1.14
2.99
3.36
2.88
0.00
0.15
0.08
6.56
7.71
5.83
Their defensive output isn't too far off either, with the "underrated" Luiz, as described by former Arsenal player Paul Merson, winning more of his tackles but Rodri making more tackles and interceptions overall.
Ultimately, if Arsenal can get this deal done, they absolutely should, as the opportunity to sign a Rodri-esque player doesn't come around often, and Rice would be given that bit more freedom to get involved in the attack as well.
Liverpool haven't been short of attacking quality in their lineups over the past couple of years, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane feared components of a Reds forward line over a number of seasons – both players routinely slotting in alongside Mohammed Salah to terrorise Premier League defences week in week out.
Jurgen Klopp's choice of fresh blood in attack ever since Firmino and Mane uprooted to Saudi Arabia have performed adequately in the absence of their two former star men, with Cody Gakpo relocating from the Netherlands to play under the German head coach at Anfield last December whilst Luis Diaz has now entered into his third straight season with the Reds this campaign after departing FC Porto in 2022.
iago-aspas-luis-diaz-diogo-jota-liverpool-opinion
Both players have shown glimpses of quality this season to date – with Diaz scoring at the death versus Luton Town last time out to steal a share of the points for his team – but eyes are shifting towards young Liverpool attacker Mateusz Musialowski now who is currently outscoring both the Dutchman and the Colombian at youth level.
Diaz and Gakpo will hope they can improve their numbers, looking over their respective shoulders apprehensively at Musialowski who is edging closer to a first-team berth if he continues his current rich vein of form.
Liverpool's attacking numbers this season
Gakpo has been utilised mainly as a substitute option by Klopp this campaign so far, only scoring two goals in top-flight action as a direct consequence with the 24-year-old last finding the back of net in a 2-1 away defeat to Tottenham back in September.
#1 Mohamed Salah
10
#2 Darwin Nunez
7
#3 Diogo Jota
6
#4 Luis Diaz
4
#5 Cody Gakpo
4
Stats via Transfermarkt.
The Dutch attacker's recent cameos off the bench have left much to be desired, only garnering a 6.1 overall Sofascore rating from his 24 minutes on the pitch against Luton – losing possession three times on the Kenilworth Road turf, alongside hitting one of this two efforts wide.
Gakpo's poor individual display on top of Liverpool's overall underwhelming performance was fortunately bailed out by Diaz's late goal on the night, the Colombian forward netting his first Reds goal since the second matchday of the season as a result to help his team draw 1-1.
Musialowski will hope that both players continue to blow hot and cold for Klopp's men, with the German manager unafraid in the past to call upon certain youngsters to make an impact in his starting eleven – Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones springing to mind who have slotted into the first team after breaking through at youth level.
Musialowski's numbers this season
Described as "supremely talented" by Liverpool social media channel TheRedmenTV, the Polish attacker is excelling in his current age bracket for the Reds.
Linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer per reports, Musialowski has stayed focused on his game away from rumours and is playing out of his skin for the U21s as a result.
The Polish winger has bagged six goals in all competitions for the youthful Reds side after eight matches, assisting a further two goals to provide for his teammates. The latest of those goals came on Tuesday evening as the club fell to a 2-1 defeat against Barrow in the EFL Trophy.
Musialowski's effort versus Morecambe in the EFL Trophy recently saw Liverpool's number 92 remain persistent, hitting a deflected effort in eventually after the ball returned to his feet off the back of a slaloming run into the area.
Dubbed the "Polish Messi" for his tricky feet at youth level, the 20-year-old will hope his continued goalscoring exploits at U21 level means he's given the chance to impress in Klopp's first team sooner rather than later.
This could come at the expense of Gakpo and Diaz, with competition heating up in the attacking spots at Anfield.
The sight of three left-arm wrist spinners bowling at England in the nets at Edgbaston underlined the extent to which the talk of spin bowling has dominated the lead-up to this series.It’s not just England’s reputation against such bowling or the dramatic impact made by Kuldeep Yadav at the start of the limited-overs series between these sides. It is that England has experienced a prolonged spell of unusually hot and dry weather. Even if the squares were heavily watered, it was argued, the dry outfields would draw moisture out of them and leave the pitches dry and dusty.So, Akhil Patel (the brother of Samit Patel), William Blackwell (a club cricketer at Coggeshall in Essex) and Sam Wisniewski (a Yorkshire Under-17 cricketer) were all recruited to bowl to England’s batsmen in the nets. And, had Jake Lintott, a left-arm wrist-spinner of the fringe of the Hampshire side been available, he would have done so, too. Dom Bess and Jack Leach also took part.But a first look at the Edgbaston surface suggests such talk may have been overplayed. The pitch looks similar to the surfaces seen here for the 2015 Ashes – when England’s seamers took 19 of the 20 wickets to fall – and the 2016 Test against Pakistan, when England’s spinner, Moeen Ali, took just two of the 20 Pakistan wickets.Not only has Birmingham seen the dry spell end in recent days – the city experienced minor flooding in some areas on Saturday after torrential rain – but the groundstaff at Edgbaston have pumped millions of litres of water onto the outfield in recent weeks. At one stage, they were putting as many as 47,000 litres of water on to the outfield in 36-minute bursts. Even on Monday night, the groundstaff were spraying seaweed onto the outfield in order to ensure the grass retained moisture even if another hot spell occurs during the game.As a result, conditions are remarkably similar to usual despite the extreme weather. Indeed, it might be the sort of surface where the captain winning the toss has a tricky decision to make over whether to bat or bowl first. The first session is likely to prove hard work for batsmen and the pitch is unlikely to deteriorate much over the first three days at least.It therefore seems most unlikely that India will play three spinners and means there is every chance that Kuldeep will not be selected.The Edgbaston surface two days before the first Test•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
It is also quite possible that, even after the furore into Adil Rashid’s selection, he could be omitted. While Moeen was informed a few weeks ago that he would subsequently be considered only as a second choice spin bowler, he looked back to his best in the recently concluded Championship match against Somerset – he claimed the 10th five-wicket haul of his first-class career – and has, at least, had a chance to play some first-class cricket. Rashid has not played a first-class match since September.It is 25 years since England played two frontline spinners (Moeen is being classified as a frontline spinner for the purposes of clarity) in an Edgbaston Test. On that occasion, England fielded two offspinners against Australia – Peter Such and John Emburey – and slumped to an eight-wicket defeat.While Jeetan Patel has enjoyed a good season with Warwickshire – who are based at Edgbaston – he usually gains little help from the surface and sometimes benefits from the footmarks left by Keith Barker, the club’s left-arm swing bowler. The legspinner Josh Poysden also claimed a five-wicket haul at the ground when playing as a second spinner, though he would be the first to admit than some poor batting from Glamorgan played a large part in that haul.With Moeen and Ben Stokes offering all-round depth, England are blessed with many options. They could play two spinners without weakening their seam bowling. If, for example, they omitted a batsman – Dawid Malan – they could bat Moeen at No. 7, with Rashid at No. 8 and James Anderson, Stuart Broad and, probably, Jamie Porter to follow.While Sam Curran could also come into the equation, it could be that his left-arm angle counts against him: England, despite the possibility of playing five left-handers in their top seven, are unlikely to want to provide R Ashwin and co. with any help from Curran’s footmarks. Malan, it might be noted, averages 29 in Test cricket. Moeen averages 32.40.Either way, it seems spin may not play the prominent role in the match that was originally anticipated. Whether by accident or design, Edgbaston appears to have survived the warm spell with its characteristics intact. It looks, in short, a good, English, Test surface with some encouragement for seamers but where batsmen can also prosper.
The November 1 ODI has been moved to Thiruvananthapuram after leading voices in football including Tendulkar, the co-owner of the Kerala Blasters franchise, raised concerns over potential damage to the turf in the Kochi stadium
Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2018
BCCI
The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has decided to shift the November 1 ODI between India and West Indies from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram with the issue gaining a political dimension. The decision was taken after the southern Indian state’s sports minister intervened in the matter and asked the KCA to shift the venue.Last week the BCCI’s tours, programmes and fixtures committee finalised the itinerary for West Indies’ tour of India, which comprises two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is. One of the ODIs, scheduled for November 1, was to be hosted at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Kochi.The Kochi ground has predominantly become a venue for football in recent years. It was one of the six venues for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in October 2017 and is also home base for the Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL). The last cricket match played at the venue, in 2014, was also against West Indies, a big win for the visitors.Since then, only one other international match has been played in Kerala, a T20I against New Zealand last November at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, which India won. Critics of the KCA asked why the association was so keen to host the ODI in Kochi when another ICC-certified cricket ground was available in Thiruvananthapuram.As soon as the BCCI announced Kochi as the venue for the West Indies ODI, a number of leading voices in football including Sachin Tendulkar – a co-owner of the Kerala Blasters franchise – raised the red flag. On Tuesday, Tendulkar posted a message on his Twitter feed, saying he had “urged” Vinod Rai, chairman of the Supreme-Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) that is supervising the BCCI, to look into the matter.”Worried about the potential damage to the FIFA approved World class Football turf in Kochi. Urge the KCA to take the right decision where cricket (Thiruvananthapuram) and Football (Kochi) can happily coexist,” Tendulkar tweeted.Rai had already been made aware of the issue by another prominent voice, Shashi Tharoor, the Minister of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, who called the KCA move to play the match in Kochi a “suspect” and “bizarre” decision. Tharoor told Rai to review the decision only because the Kochi turf would need to be dug up to get the venue ready for the ODI, which would would prove detrimental to its footballing use.Since both the grounds in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are owned by the state government, the Kerala sports minister AC Moideen held a meeting with the KCA top brass on Thursday to chalk out a solution.According to Jayesh George, the KCA secretary, the state cricket body has signed a MoU with the government to get both the grounds on lease. Accordingly the KCA has invested money in uplifting the infrastructure at both venues and felt it has the right to choose the ground for cricket matches.However the MoU also states that both grounds, being multi-purpose venues, can host football too. “Till today we planned to host the ODI in Kochi,” George told ESPNcricinfo. “Since 2011 we had maintained the stadium in Kochi. But the government took possession of the ground last year for the Under-17 World Cup.”George said Moideen assured the KCA that the government would grant land to develop a cricket-only stadium to avoid such issues in future. “Since the government has intervened and advised us to conduct the match in Thiruvananthapuram, we are doing that.”
The captain’s unbeaten 88 against Nepal led Scotland into the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier and one step closer to the showpiece event in England in 2019
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2018 ScorecardScotland celebrate progress into Super Sixes•IDI via Getty Images
Kyle Coetzer might well remember his 27th List A fifty with a great amount of fondness. His unbeaten 88 against Nepal led Scotland into the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier and one step closer to the showpiece event in England in 2019.Considering he only had to chase 150, the bowlers deserve a lot of credit as well. Stuart Whittingham and Safyaan Sharif ran through Nepal’s top order with the new ball, taking four wickets in the first five overs. With Nepal struggling at 14 for 4, captain Paras Khadka (63) did his best to keep the scoreboard ticking along. He helped Nepal reach 100 in the 29th over, but fell soon after and the tail was left with too much to do.Opening batsmen Matthew Cross (14) and the captain Coetzer were watchful at the start of Scotland’s chase. They added 33 at the top before Cross fell to Sandeep Lamichhane’s legspin. Basant Regmi, too, took two wickets as Scotland’s middle order wobbled just a bit, but Coetzer’s half-century ensured they could overcome it and seal victory with four wickets and 51 balls to spare.