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Bangladesh will be looking to bounce back in the two T20Is in Sylhet after Afghanistan came up trumps in the ODI series

Mohammad Isam13-Jul-2023Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play their last T20I series before entering an ODI extravaganza for the next few months. Both teams have the Asia Cup and World Cup in mind but these two matches in Sylhet could pose an interesting challenge for the two sides. The home side is itching to bounce back after going down in the ODIs earlier in the week, but Afghanistan are an even stronger force in T20Is and have the wood over Bangladesh in the format.The home advantageBangladesh have had a great year so far in T20Is – winning five out of six games – so beating Afghanistan will be the icing on the cake. They won both series they have played this year, against England and Ireland, further improving their already strong home performance in T20Is, taking their win percentage up to 61.9% at home in the last three years.They have adopted a new and bolder approach with big hitting throughout the batting order, which they have shortened to include extra bowlers. Mehidy Hasan Miraz bats at No. 7, which allows for him and Shakib Al Hasan to be the spinners, followed by a four-man pace attack. This year is so far Bangladesh’s best in terms of team bowling average and strike rate.Related

'We do well when we aren't thinking about opposition' – Shakib on Bangladesh's T20 approach

Afif, Ebadot back in Bangladesh's T20I squad for Afghanistan series

Rashid, Shahzad back in Afghanistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Afghanistan have the firepowerA quick look at the Afghanistan squad makes it clear that they have loaded their side with big hitters. Mohammad Shahzad is back in national colours after almost two years, Hazratullah Zazai also returns after missing the T20Is against Pakistan, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz is in fine form after his 145 against Bangladesh in the second ODI last week.Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored a crucial 145 in the second ODI against Bangladesh•AFP/Getty ImagesThey also have youngsters Sediqullah Atal, a left-hand batter who made his T20I debut recently against Pakistan, and Ibrahim Zadran in their batting stocks. Najibullah Zadran will be the finisher alongside allrounders Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat and Azmatullah Omarzai. Captain Rashid Khan has young Noor Ahmad and the now-experienced Mujeeb Ur Rahman for company in the spin department.Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace attack alongside fellow left-arm quick Fareed Ahmad and Wafadar Momand, the only uncapped player in the squad. Nijat Masood, who took a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh on Test debut last month, was called up to replace Naveen-ul-Haq.Litton Das, Rony Talukdar vs Afghanistan’s new-ball attackBangladesh’s run rate of 6.03 in the powerplay overall against Afghanistan needs to meet their powerplay run rate of 9.36 from 2023. Litton Das and Rony Talukdar have been all the rage in the Bangladesh T20I side, leading their bold approach. They have already amassed 328 runs in six innings together, just 68 short of eclipsing Bangladesh’s best-ever opening pair. Their brave approach will be facing a strong Afghanistan spin attack, particularly Mujeeb who troubled the Bangladesh openers during the ODI series.A T20I supply line for ODIs?Since both teams have two major ODI tournaments from September, much of their focus will be on giving game time to key players who will feature in those competitions. At the same time, they will also be on the lookout for any new and emerging talent. Two T20Is can’t tell a lot but if a player makes a case for himself, doing well in these matches could help their causes.Bangladesh will get another look at batters Talukdar and Shamim Hossain, and spinners Nasum Ahmed and Rishad Hossain. It will also be another chance for Afif Hossain, who had a miserable ODI series, to get some runs under his belt.Afghanistan can look at several players including batters Hazratullah, Sediqullah and Shahzad, while fast bowlers Fareed, Janat and Nijat could get a look in. The prodigious Noor Ahmad can be a handy option in the subcontinent so a call-up in Sylhet may help him.Rain a big threat in big-scoring SylhetJuly is peak monsoon in Sylhet. It also means peak offseason for cricket in the region. The first T20Is to be held in Sylhet for five years therefore have the risk of both matches getting interrupted by rain. T20Is, however, last roughly three hours and coupled with the ground’s strong drainage facilities, they could sneak in the cricket. The scoring rate is quite high for night T20s in recent years in Sylhet, with BPL teams scoring at an average of 182 runs an innings since 2020.

“I had a lot of luck didn’t I? Jesus.” Harry Brook was under no illusions that his seventh Test century was riddled with fortune.But having been gifted five lives by New Zealand, Brook did not waste them with a hearty 171 that lifted England to 499. A score which, at this stage, puts them in the box seat, with New Zealand closing day three just four runs ahead and with only four second innings wickets remaining.Brook resumed day three on 132 not out – having bagged the accolade of being England’s second fastest batter to two thousand Test runs, in his 36th innings – adding 39 from 34 deliveries. A sixth-wicket stand with Ben Stokes (who finished with 80) took England past New Zealand’s first innings score of 348.Related

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That partnership would eventually be broken on 159, when Brook feathered an edge through to Tom Blundell off Matt Henry. The relief in the field was palpable, and not just because Brook had begun to free his arms, which included planting Tim Southee onto the roof of the Pavilion for his third six.New Zealand, who shelled eight chances in all, had dropped Brook four times on Friday (on 18, 41, 70 and 106) before another on 147 on Saturday morning. Brook looked to the heavens, as he did when he reached three figures, though he was laughing to himself this time.The last was the easiest of the lot; straight to Glenn Phillips at gully, who was also culpable for the costliest miss on 18. The Yorkshire batter did cede not all of his chances were straightforward – not least because of how hard he strikes the ball, as evidenced by most of his 18 boundaries.”That first drop, especially, I’m not sure many people are catching that to be honest,” Brook said. “I hit that very hard.”I do throw my hands at it quite hard sometimes and it is going to be a good catch if you catch one at gully there, especially with the viewing. Just go out there and watch the ball and try and hit it really.”Phillips had redeemed himself somewhat on Friday with a stunning effort diving full-length to his right to remove Ollie Pope for 77. Brook, who had been given three lives at that point, went over and apologised to Pope as he was walking off.Harry Brook went past 150 for the fourth time in Tests•Joe Allison/Getty Images

Nevertheless, it was still an innings of substance from Brook, his second of the winter after the blockbuster 317 against Pakistan at the start of October. He was out in the middle at the Hagley Oval for five hours 23 minutes, having arrived at the start of the second session of day two with his side reeling on 45 for 3.A charging lofted cover drive off Southee – from his 186th ball – took him past 150 for the fourth time. The career average is now a shade above 60, the average against New Zealand a crisp 100.00.Brook now has two centuries and two fifties in five innings against New Zealand – with the only failure a duck when he was run out without facing in the fourth innings of 2023’s famous Wellington Test.”I just think I’ve gone out there and just tried to play the ball, really,” Brook said, at a loss to explain why he found the hosts such amenable foes.”The pitches have been fairly good with a bit of pace and bounce, and if you get it past the infield most of the time it’s four. I’ve tried to use the pace, ride the bounce and had quite a bit of luck in there this week.”

Micky Van de Ven was left blown away by the performance of a Tottenham Hotspur star in the 2-0 victory against Brentford at the weekend.

Tottenham secure first Premier League win since late October

The pressure has been mounting on Thomas Frank in recent weeks, with it even emerging that Tottenham were considering a move for Barcelona manager Xavi as a replacement, but the Dane may have bought himself more time courtesy of a victory against Brentford.

Spurs breezed to a 2-0 win against the Bees, which was their first triumph in the Premier League since winning 3-0 at Everton at the end of October, with Richarlison opening the scoring after 26 minutes, finding the back of the net for the seventh time in all competitions this season.

Xavi Simons was the creator, and the Dutchman then went on to score his first goal since moving to north London just before half-time, sealing all three points for Frank’s side in the process.

Simons has received heavy criticism for making a slow start to life at Tottenham, with Jamie O’Hara left particularly scathing after the defeat against Fulham, but he clearly has the full support of teammate Van de Ven, who singled the attacking midfielder out for high praise after Brentford.

Simons needs to build on his Brentford performance

Frank will no doubt be delighted the Netherlands international appears to be finding his feet, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 9.5 after registering a goal and an assist against Keith Andrews’ side.

Having finally shown what he can produce, the 22-year-old needs to build on that performance, starting on Tuesday against Slavia Prague, with Spurs set to host the Czech side in their sixth Champions League game.

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Frank’s side have looked bereft of ideas at times this season, with only a Richarlison wonder goal preventing them from suffering an even heavier loss against Arsenal back in November.

As such, Simons needs to step up, and Tottenham will be hoping the former RB Leipzig man can start recording similar attacking numbers to what he did during his time with the German club, registering 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 games.

For most of this month, it felt like Arsenal were in real danger of falling behind their rivals in the transfer market.

Fortunately, the last week or so has finally seen the club spring into life somewhat, with both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard looking set to join Martin Zubimendi ahead of next season.

However, while the club are starting to get bodies through the door, there is still a question mark over the lack of truly game-changing signings, like Liverpool’s capture of Florian Wirtz.

Yet, there might be no need for concern, as recent reports have once again linked the Gunners with an incredible attacker who could be their own version of the German international.

Arsenal target game-changing signings

While Arsenal’s focus appeared to be on useful squad players last week, the North Londoners have still been linked with a host of potentially game-changing superstars in recent weeks, such as Rodrygo and, more recently, Eberechi Eze.

Transfer Focus

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

The former could cost up to £85, but with two Champions League titles to his name and a tally of 25 goal involvements in 53 games this season, it would be hard to deny that’s a fair valuation for the Brazilian dynamo.

Likewise, while Eze’s £68m release clause is undeniably massive, he’d be more than worth it, as, on top of helping Crystal Palace win their first major honour ever this season, he racked up a haul of 25 goal involvements in just 43 appearances.

Yet, while both players would undoubtedly have a massive impact on the Gunners, there is another star linked with the club who’d surely be even more game-changing: Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, the Sporting CP star has been one of Arsenal’s top targets this summer and remains a genuine option to lead the line for next season, with it revealing that the Gunners are maintaining talks and asking to be kept up to date on the Swede’s situation.

However, what’s interesting is that the report also claims it’s now ‘only a matter of time’ before the Swedish international leaves the Portuguese champions, despite the Lisbon side holding out for more money.

Regarding the money, the story reaffirms prior reports that Sporting will not budge on their €80m valuation of the free-scoring forward, which converts to around £68m. Considering the player’s wage demands, it may be a move that ends up totalling close to £111m.

It might not be a straightforward transfer to get over the line, but Arsenal should do all they can to sign Gyokeres in the coming weeks, as he could be as consequential for them as Wirtz looks like he will be for Liverpool.

Why Gyokeres could be Arsenal's Wirtz

Now, there is already one massive difference between Wirtz and Gyokeres, which is their respective positions.

However, the fact that the former is a midfielder and the latter a striker really has no bearing on this comparison.

The basis for the Swede becoming the Gunners’ version of the German is instead solely based on how much of a game-changer he could be for them.

For example, the former Bayer Leverkusen gem was unsurprisingly brilliant this season, racking up a tally of 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3392 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.45 games, or every 109.41 minutes.

Unfortunately for the Gunners’ faithful, that level of output is undoubtedly going to have a massive impact on the Champions next season, but the good news is that the former Coventry City star could be just as impactful for Arteta’s side.

For example, in 52 appearances this season, totalling 4248 minutes, the Stockholm-born “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Alex Turk, scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes to a frankly absurd average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

The 27-year-old was just as effective last season, scoring 43 goals and providing 15 assists in 50 appearances, totalling 4,169 minutes, which came out to an average of 1.16 goal involvements every game, or one every 71.87 minutes.

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It is true that he’s currently playing outside of a top-five league, but if the Swedish machine can replicate even a third of his performances in North London, then his arrival could be what finally pushes Arteta’s side over the line in the Premier League or Champions League next year.

Ultimately, it’s Gyokeres’ incredible output and the fact his arrival would be such a signal of intent that means he could end up being Arsenal’s answer to Witz this summer.

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Kai Rooney copied Viktor Gyokeres' celebration after scoring for Manchester United's Under-16 team at the SuperCupNI.

Rooney Jr copies GyokeresScores in Man Utd's 3-0 winBeat West Cork AcademyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kai scored for United's Under-16s against West Cork Academy on Monday, converting a penalty to make it 2-0, having first assisted Sam O'Brien's opening goal. After the second goal, Rooney Jr ran to the touchline and covered his mouth in a celebration that mirrors that of Arsenal's new signing, Gyokeres. Bassirou Nkoto scored their third goal as United won 3-0.

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United had pursued Gyokeres throughout the summer but he instead opted to move to north London. That did not stop Rooney Jr from emulating the Sweden international, however. Gyokeres covering his mouth is said to be a reference to Batman villain Bane.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kai is fast developing into a really promising prospect at United, playing for the youth teams and working his way slowly through the system. Gyokeres, last season, scored 52 goals in all competitions; Rooney Jr has found a pretty promising striker to follow in the footsteps of.

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Rooney and his Under-16 team-mates will also play Rangers and Co Tyrone in their group.

Chelsea officially announced the signing of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town earlier this week, after triggering his £30 million release clause, and it is believed they’re seriously pursuing another former Man City gem to accompany the Englishman and Cole Palmer.

Chelsea announce Liam Delap deal as striker pens six-year contract

The 22-year-old was Kieran McKenna’s shining light in an otherwise disappointing campaign for Ipswich, who dropped straight back down to the Championship just one season after clinching promotion.

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The west Londoners are the first club to submit a bid.

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Delap bagged 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys, which is impressive for an under-performing side, and Chelsea will only pay around £20 million of the clause up front with the rest due via installments (Sky Sports).

Knowing his quality, Ipswich smartly inserted a sell-on clause into the deal, hoping to make a further profit if Chelsea eventually decide he isn’t suited to them after all.

Ipswich Town 2-0 Chelsea

8.08

Bournemouth 1-2 Ipswich Town

8.05

Ipswich Town 2-2 Aston Villa

8.04

Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton

7.83

Fulham 2-2 Ipswich Town

7.55

via WhoScored

“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” said Delap about his move to Chelsea.

“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies. Growing up watching this club and how incredible it has been over the years, I wanted to come here to win trophies. When I spoke to the club, everyone wanted to get back to the very top, and they have the quality and the players to do that.

“The hunger and desire to keep adding trophies, to take the club back to where it belongs, that is the main objective.”

Delap is in very good company at Stamford Bridge, having worked with Enzo Maresca during their time together at Eastlands, as well as Palmer, with both players coming through the academy together.

According to recent reports, Chelsea are attempting to add another ex-City academy ace to their ranks who could accompany the duo – heavily-linked Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens.

Some media sources claim that Chelsea have already submitted an offer for Gittens, and journalist Simon Phillips says that they’re really trying to get a deal done.

Chelsea "pushing" to sign Jamie Gittens amid £20m price drop

While the consensus was that the winger would cost around £50 million, his price has now dropped to around £30 million, gifting BlueCo a £20 million discount.

Phillips also states that Chelsea are “pushing” to sign Gittens, and they have a trump card in the form of Carney Chukwuemeka, who Dortmund would ideally like to keep in the Bundesliga, so they’re actually being very open in negotiations.

“Any fee for Jamie Gittens to join from Dortmund would not be £50m, it would actually be closer to £30m,” wrote the journalist.

“This has now been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

“Chelsea are pushing on Gittens, and again, our insiders believe that this will get over the line. SPTC sources have heard that Dortmund are ‘being nice’ to Chelsea in these discussions and this is likely to be because they want to keep Carney Chukwuemeka in some capacity. Gittens to Chelsea is moving, but there is other interest.

“If Chelsea sign Gittens, I do not believe that it will be the only new winger arriving this summer with Jadon Sancho now gone. Although, that ‘winger’ could just be another new attacking midfielder who is versatile and can play on the left wing as well as other positions.”

The 20-year-old bagged 12 goals and registered five assists in all competitions last season, with ex-Dortmund captain and sporting director Sebastian Kehl believing Gittens is “almost impossible to defend against” inside the penalty area.

Gittens is also represented by the same agency as Romeo Lavia and Tyrique George, which could further help to facilitate a deal.

Veteran pair of Patel and Madsen do hard work in chase as Leicestershire come up short

ECB Reporters Network01-Jun-2024Derbyshire Falcons opened their Vitality Blast account for the season with a tense four-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at Edgbaston.Foxes chose to bat but stuttered to 97 for 6 as Zak Chappell, Pat Brown and Samit Patel took two wickets apiece before an unbroken stand of 79 in 45 balls by Peter Handscomb, who made 75 off 51, and Rehan Ahmed (36 off 22) lifted them to 176 for 6.Falcons replied with 178 for 6 in 19.1 overs thanks principally to a high-class partnership of 102 in 58 balls from 40-year-old Wayne Madsen and 39-year-old Patel. Patel smashed 64 from 32 in a scintillating knock while Madsen made a composed 43 off 35.Their quality left Falcons needing 18 from the last 12 balls and Brooke Guest lifted the first and sixth of those balls over the rope to bring Foxes down to earth after their opening-game victory over Yorkshire Vikings last night.The Leicestershire innings received an early jolt when Sol Budinger received a reminder of what a great leveller cricket can be. The opener slapped Chappell to backward point to follow Friday’s dazzling half-century with a golden duck.Rishi Patel feathered Brown to wicketkeeper Brooke Guest and Louis Kimber’s vigorous start ended when he skied Chappell to mid-off where Madsen judged a difficult catch perfectly.Handscomb continued to watch partners come and go. Wiaan Mulder lifted Brown to deep cover and Ben Cox and Ben Mike holed out to Patel to give the spinner his 343rd and 344th T20 wickets.That left Foxes on an uneasy 97 for 6 in the 13th over but Handscomb played a true captain’s innings. He worked the ball around adroitly in an accomplished half-century – surprisingly only his eighth time past 50 in 124 T20s – and Rehan offered valuable support, hitting three sixes, to lift the total to somewhere around par.Falcons paid a high price for over-aggression in the opening overs. Luis Reece charged and missed at Kimber. David Lloyd, having hit his first ball for six, was bowled by his sixth, a gorgeous, swinging yorker from Mike. Harry Came, having socked Ian Holland over mid-off for four, needlessly tried the same next ball and was caught at mid-off.At 31 for 3, Falcons’ foundations were rocky but Madsen and Patel counterattacked with selectivity and skill. Former England allrounder Patel showed his immense powers have not dimmed in a glorious knock which included four fours and five sixes before he was caught by Mike right on the square leg rope off Rehan.Madsen then lifted Mike to mid-off at which point Falcons needed 28 from 21 balls. Ross Whiteley skied Scott Currie to long-on but Guest smote Mike for mighty sixes over long-off and straight in the penultimate over to leave just two required from the last.

The Young Lions reinvented themselves at this summer's tournament, and Carsley has shown himself a qualified and capable coach at international level

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

For the first time since 1984, England's Under-21s have retained the European Championship, succeeding where the senior men's side have failed over their last two continental tournaments.

Despite a slow start in Slovakia, the Young Lions ended the Euros as champions again, ousting Germany 3-2 in a pulsating final. Harvey Elliott was the star of the show and won Player of the Tournament, but a fair chunk of praise should also go to head coach Lee Carsley.

There was scrutiny over the 51-year-old following his mixed interim spell in charge of the senior side in the autumn of 2024, but he has again proved his credentials by claiming silverware. Now, he has put himself in the best position to think about taking the Three Lions job on a permanent basis some day.

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  Different game

  Over and over again, we see club managers who can't adapt to the different challenges posed in the international game, and vice versa. The teams who have dominated at international level are rarely managed by those who have enjoyed the bulk of their success in their careers with clubs.

  Lionel Scaloni has only managed Argentina's senior and U20 teams;l Spain's Luis de la Fuente's career prior to first taking charge of Spain U21s in 2018 was particularly underwhelming; Didier Deschamps was a credible manager with Monaco, Juventus and Marseille, but will be most remembered as a coach for his work with France; Germany's previous era of serial contention that culminated in 2014 World Cup glory was built on a long-term vision with Joachim Low at the helm.

  Managing a football team isn't all about the x's and o's, even despite the tactical nuances and evolutions of the modern game. Limited time on the training pitch means even the most astute of coaches can come unstuck, with Luciano Spalletti the latest high-profile flop after failing to bring silverware back to Italy. Carsley's relative lack of experience away from the England setup should not be a knock on his qualifications to take the Three Lions job.

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  Following in Southgate's footsteps

  Of course, England don't even need to look too far to see the benefits of promoting from within and overlooking a coach's club record. Sir Gareth Southgate, who relegated a consolidated Middlesbrough side from the Premier League in 2009 and didn't particularly set the world alight in three years in charge of the Young Lions, is the country's most successful international manager ever after Sir Alf Ramsey, who won the World Cup in 1966.

  Though Southgate couldn't quite get England over the line and came under heavy fire for an over-reliance on intangibles over on-field tweaks, he still managed to steer the Three Lions to successive European Championship finals as well as two deep runs at World Cups. He has been widely credited by players, staff and pundits alike for completely changing the mood of the camp at their St George's Park training base, bringing the energy and instilling the camaraderie required to mix it with the very best in the international game. Gone are the days of cliques brought about by club allegiances, and instead, England players look forward to their meet-ups.

  Southgate, brought in as an almost reluctant successor to the disgraced Sam Allardyce in 2016, learnt how to deal with the pressures of the country's most important sporting job on the fly. In 2018, he focused on fundamentals and set-pieces to plot a route through the World Cup, before his side became a more complete outfit for the Euros three years later. Only the reigning champions of France and a rare missed penalty from Harry Kane saw them eliminated in 2022, and Southgate's England then battled adversity to reach another Euros final in his last hurrah. All this came off the back of England's most infamous tournament exit in 2016 to Iceland, too.

  Carsley, who remains highly regarded by the decision-makers at the Football Association (FA), would be walking into a far smoother situation than Southgate did, whenever that vacancy arises again.

• Getty Images
  

  Couldn't have done any better

  England U21s triumphed this summer despite being unable to call upon key players such as Jarrad Branthwaite, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Rico Lewis, Lewis Hall, Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo, Jobe Bellingham, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Tyler Dibling. A shorthanded team lacking in the star-power of their 2023 triumph took a couple of games to iron out their kinks, and Carsley wasn't afraid to make bold calls, relying upon only two players from the squad that triumphed two years ago – Elliott and centre-back Charlie Cresswell.

  "The lazy thing as coaches would be to try and just reproduce what we did last time, but we've done it differently," Carsley said after lifting the trophy. "We thought outside the box with our training, with our tactics, with the way that we wanted to play, with our squad selection. We knew we had the Club World Cup in the background as well, so being able to adapt quickly to pivot if we lost players and make sure we picked the right squad that were able to not only play a lot of the minutes with less recovery time, but play to a good standard."

  Winger Jonathan Rowe found success playing as a No.9, while Tino Livramento thrived at full-back after Jack Hinshelwood was brought into defence at the expense of Archie Gray.

  Match-winner Rowe alluded to the impact Carsley had on the side following Saturday's victory over Germany in the final: "Grit, perseverance, determination… you name it. We all dug deep, stuck in and we all achieved what we came here to achieve. It's the start of a new wave. We have so much talent in England so it's only right that we utilise it to its full potential. With the right head coach, with the right staff, with the right mindset, with the right people, you can accomplish anything."

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  Taste of the senior job

  Carsley's short stint in interim charge of the England senior side during the second half of 2024 was quite the ride. The Three Lions won five of their six Nations League matches against lesser opposition in Ireland, Finland and Greece, only falling to the latter in the 94th minute at the end of a match in which the boss experimented with an attacking line up.

  After the highs and lows of last summer's Euros, Carsley was tasked in the short-term to improve the team's playing style and set up a strong foundation for Tuchel to work with. "We wanted the England team to be exciting to watch, be attacking," he said following his sixth and final match. "I see them day in and day out in the training ground and now people have seen it. I don't think it's a gamble with some of these players, they're excellent players and the mentality is what stands out for them. Any challenge you put in front of them, they want to overcome. Like I've said in the past, especially with the U21 players, they have a history of winning and expect to win when they turn up for England."

  This also made Carsley believe he could be Three Lions manager on a permanent basis one day, adding: "I think it's given the staff and myself the confidence that we can do the job. You always doubt yourself whether you can do it or not. We often speak about a lot of England managers sat in the house picking the team and to have the responsibility to do that, the trust from my bosses has been a massive confidence."

  It would not be a complete unknown for Carsley, while he is clearly aware that on top of philosophy and entertainment, England is now a nation that needs to win.

Liverpool have confirmed a new contract for Virgil van Dijk, fending off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich to keep the captain on Merseyside for two more years.

Liverpool seal new contracts for key stars

The Reds could officially win the Premier League this weekend in what has been a brilliant first campaign under Arne Slot. Should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon, Liverpool could seal the title with a win at Leicester City shortly after.

However, away from the pitch, a hot topic of conversation has been on the futures of star trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk. Salah, as we know, has officially signed a new two-year contract at Anfield, whereas Alexander-Arnold looks set to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano had recently said that Van Dijk is set to join Salah in signing a new Liverpool contract through until 2027, and talking recently, the skipper was asked about his pending new deal: “I think first, all the focus should be going to the Hillsborough anniversary. I think that’s the main thing and then we’ll see. The focus will still be on Leicester, but maybe there’s some news. I know … but I don’t know.

“I love the club, that’s pretty obvious. I think you can see that in the way I speak about the club, the way I work for the club in terms of what I do on the pitch on and off the pitch, and that will always be the same.”

Club have accepted "brilliant" star's exit as Liverpool line up Mane 2.0

He’s enjoyed an excellent season…

1 ByTom Cunningham Apr 16, 2025 Van Dijk signs new Liverpool deal worth over £40m

Bayern Munich were keen to sign Van Dijk on a free transfer, seeing the centre-back as a ‘unique opportunity to strengthen its defence with experience, leadership and proven quality’, but it has now been confirmed by Liverpool that Van Dijk has signed a new contract at Anfield.

Rumoured to be on £220,000-a-week beforehand, Van Dijk has become a Liverpool legend since joining from Southampton back in 2017, winning numerous trophies, and David Ornstein reports the new two-year deal is now worth £400,000-a-week.

Ornstein confirms there are no pay cut or break clauses, which will guarantee the Netherlands star is paid £41,600,000 through to the summer of 2027, by which time he’ll be 35. This is even more than the fee Liverpool paid to Brighton for star midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (£35m), but Reds fans will feel their captain deserves every penny.

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1

Minutes played

27,925

Trophies won

8

Talking after penning terms, Van Dijk said: “I’m very happy, very proud. There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it. “It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.”

Van Dijk is now the highest paid defender in the top flight and will be the second-highest paid player in any position once Kevin De Bruyne departs Man City this summer, behind only Erling Haaland who sits on £500,000-a-week at the Etihad.

It has been a strange season for Alejandro Garnacho. The Manchester United attacker has ten goals and eight assists across all competitions this term, but just six of those 18 goal involvements have come in the Premier League, in 31 games.

With that being said, the 20-year-old has achieved a huge milestone this season. Last weekend, he scored his 15th Premier League goal, coming against Newcastle United as Ruben Amorim’s side slipped to a 4-1 defeat.

Impressively, that took him past his idol, and one of the best players in United’s history, Cristiano Ronaldo, for goals at the same age. At 20 years old, the former Red Devils number seven had just 14 top-flight goals.

However, Garnacho certainly has a way to go before he can match Ronaldo’s legacy at Old Trafford.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man Utd legacy

Once described as “the greatest player of all time” by former teammate Gary Neville on Sky Sports, few in history have done it like Ronaldo. The 40-year-old is now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, but his extraordinary career really took off during his first spell at Old Trafford.

After signing for United in 2003 for a reported £12.24m, the Portugal star scored 118 times and grabbed 60 assists in 292 appearances for the English giants.

He was phenomenal, winning three Premier League titles in a row and the Champions League in 2007/08.

That 2007/08 campaign was nothing short of extraordinary, with United winning the double and Ronaldo the Ballon d’Or in 2008, becoming the best player on the planet. He scored 42 goals and provided eight in 49 games in all competitions that season.

His move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 for a then-world-record £80m was certainly devastating for the Red Devils. He was, in many ways, irreplaceable. Although their success continued, it was never easy to replace someone like Ronaldo.

Well, they might well be in danger of a repeat situation this summer, in a deal worth even more than Ronaldo’s back in 2009.

Man Utd’s new Ronaldo in 2025

If you asked United fans 16 years ago which player they would least like to be sold, Ronaldo would likely have been the answer. Well, in 2025, the answer to that question would surely be Bruno Fernandes.

It has been an unforgettable season for United’s captain Fernandes, in what has been a poor season as a side. He has an incredible 16 goals and 18 assists in 46 games in all competitions for the Red Devils.

His eight goals and ten assists in the Premier League this term ensures it is his second-best season in terms of output since his move to United back in 2020. The only season he exceeded those numbers was 2020/21, when he scored and assisted 29 goals. As Statman Dave said, he is a “machine”.

It isn’t easy to pinpoint one performance from the Red Devils’ number eight that has been his best this season. He has managed multiple goal involvements in a single game eight times, but his best was arguably the excellent hat-trick against Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

Indeed, Fernandes’ underlying FBref numbers compared to other midfielders in the last 365 days are astounding. For example, the 30-year-old averages 9.32 progressive passes, which ranks him in the top 3% of midfielders.

Goals and assists

0.65

99th

Key passes

3.15

99th

Progressive passes

9.32

97th

Shot-creating actions

5.93

99th

Ball recoveries

6.10

85th

United fans – and Amorim – may be worrying that their captain will leave the club, given Madrid were recently linked with a move. At the end of March, the Daily Star claimed Los Blancos are targeting a £90m move for their talisman.

That would see him leave for even more than Ronaldo did all those years ago, and given Fernandes’ importance to this United side, there is certainly a case to be made that this would be an even bigger loss.

The Red Devils will surely be hoping Fernandes doesn’t become their new Ronaldo, in that sense.

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