England moved within touching distance of unprecedented World Cup qualifying history after a composed 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley maintained their flawless defensive record. With Thomas Tuchel's side yet to concede in the campaign, a clean sheet against Albania would make them the first European nation ever to complete an eight-game qualifying cycle without letting in a single goal.
England beat Serbia in penultimate qualifier
England cruised to another victory as they defeated Serbia 2-0 at Wembley on Thursday, stretching their perfect record in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring on the half-hour mark with a crisp volley, before Eberechi Eze came off the bench to curl home a superb late finish and seal a seventh straight win.
The match followed a familiar pattern in this qualifying cycle, with England asserting dominance early and forcing Serbia to defend deep for long spells. Harry Kane’s movement, Saka’s incisiveness and Declan Rice’s control ensured Serbia were rarely able to build sustained attacks, while England’s defence remained largely untroubled aside from isolated counterattacks.
England’s clean sheet was also significant, extending their run to seven games without conceding, already a rare feat in UEFA World Cup qualifying. Serbia created a handful of half-chances but were kept at bay through Jordan Pickford’s alert positioning and the strong recovery defending of Ezri Konsa and John Stones. With the win, England closed in on a piece of history never before achieved in a European qualifying group of eight matches.
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Three Lions closing in on a World Cup qualifying record
The victory places England on the brink of an unprecedented defensive milestone, one that would underline the transformative impact Tuchel has had since taking charge. Should the Three Lions avoid conceding in their final qualifier against Albania, they would become the first European nation ever to complete an eight-game World Cup qualifying campaign without letting in a goal. It would surpass even the great England side of 1990, which finished a six-game campaign without conceding.
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Tuchel's side maintain flawless campaign
Beyond the clean sheet streak, England’s qualifying journey has showcased the depth and discipline required to thrive under Tuchel’s demanding standards. Pickford has now kept ten consecutive competitive clean sheets, supported by a defensive line that has remained calm under pressure and excelled at denying opponents high-value opportunities. Stones, Konsa and Rice have all played crucial roles in sustaining England’s impeccable defensive record.
This campaign has also highlighted Tuchel’s insistence on competition for places, with no player guaranteed a starting role regardless of club form or reputation. Tuchel has repeatedly stressed that his focus is on building collective unity, and England’s ability to rotate without losing fluidity underscores how deeply the squad has bought into his approach.
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Albania trip last up in qualifying
England now travel to Tirana for their final World Cup qualifier to take on Albania, where the chance to make history may serve as a major motivational factor despite the game being a dead rubber. Top spot in the group is already secured and Albania are locked into second place.
Should England secure the clean sheet, they will step into the 2026 World Cup not only as qualifying history-makers but also as one of the tournament’s most tactically complete and defensively formidable sides.
عزز فريق ريال مدريد تقدمه بهدف ثانٍ أمام أتلتيك بلباو، خلال مباراة الفريقين ببطولة الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2025-2026، والمقامة مساء اليوم الأربعاء.
ويستقبل أتلتيك بلباو خصمه ريال مدريد، على ملعب “سان ماميس”، في مباراة مؤجلة من الجولة التاسعة عشر للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.
وأحرز الفرنسي إدواردو كامافينجا هدف ريال مدريد الثاني في شباك أتلتيك بلباو، وذلك بالدقيقة 42 من عمر اللقاء.
ولعب ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد كرة عرضية وصلت لكيليان مبابي الذي لعب رأسية تجاه كامافينجا، ليسجل الأخير برأسية في شباك اصحاب الأرض.
وكان كيليان مبابي سجل الهدف الأول لريال مدريد في الدقيقة السابعة من عمر المباراة، وتشير النتيجة لتقدم الضيوف بثنائية دون رد. هدف كامافينجا في مباراة ريال مدريد وأتلتيك بلباو
da dobrowin： O Corinthians estava invicto em clássicos sob o comando de Sylvinho, mas acabou sendo derrotado pelo São Paulo, no Morumbi, na última segunda-feira. Apesar dessa boa sequência recente, os números do Timão em duelos com os rivais não são bons em 2021. Levando em conta os jogos deste ano, foram apenas duas vitórias e um aproveitamento de 33,3% dos pontos disputados.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansGaviões da Fiel pede a saída de Sylvinho do comando do CorinthiansCorinthians19/10/2021CorinthiansDerrotado no clássico, Corinthians repete atuação com baixa intensidade e poucas finalizações certasCorinthians19/10/2021CorinthiansSylvinho lamenta primeiro revés em clássico com o Corinthians e nega que jovens ‘tremeram’ em partidas foraCorinthians19/10/2021
da dobrowin： TABELA > Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2021 clicando aqui
> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!
GALERIA >Veja até quando vai o contrato de cada jogador do Corinthians
Ao longo desses dez meses, o Corinthians encarou 11 clássicos e venceu apenas dois (sendo somente um em casa), como dito acima. Além disso, são cinco empates e quatro derrotas, ou seja, o retrospecto não é nada positivo. Das 11 partidas, em nove o time saiu de campo sem conquistar um triunfo.
Entre os 33 pontos que estiveram em disputa nesses clássicos, o Timão ficou apenas com 11. Em outras palavras, a equipe leva, em média, um a cada três pontos que disputa diante dos rivais neste ano. O desempenho é o pior nesse tipo de partida desde 2016, quando o aproveitamento foi de somente 25%.
Já em termos de gols, o retrospecto ruim é ainda mais evidente. Foram apenas oito tentos marcados e 13 sofridos nesses 11 jogos, ou seja, a média de bolas na rede a favor é menor do que por partida, enquanto a de tentos cedidos é maior do que um por duelo. Sem contar o saldo de gols negativo de cinco.
Vale lembrar que o ano do Corinthians em clássicos começou com uma goleada por 4 a 0 para o Palmeiras, no Allianz Parque, em janeiro. A primeira vitória veio somente no fim de abril, contra o Santos, e a segunda (e última) aconteceu apenas no fim de setembro, cinco meses depois, diante do Palmeiras, em casa.
Confira os clássicos do Corinthians em 2021:
18/1/2021 – Palmeiras 4 x 0 Corinthians – Brasileirão-2020 17/2/2021 – Santos 1 x 0 Corinthians – Brasileirão-2020 3/3/2021 – Corinthians 1 x 1 Palmeiras – Paulistão-2021 25/4/2021 – Santos 0 x 2 Corinthians – Paulistão-2021 2/5/2021 – Corinthians 2 x 2 São Paulo – Paulistão-2021 16/5/2021 – Corinthians 0 x 2 Palmeiras – Semifinal Paulistão-2021 12/6/2021 – Palmeiras 1 x 1 Corinthians – Brasileirão-2021 30/6/2021 – Corinthians 0 x 0 São Paulo – Brasileirão-2021 8/8/2021 – Santos 0 x 0 Corinthians- Brasileirão-2021 25/9/2021 – Corinthians 2 x 1 Palmeiras- Brasileirão-2021 18/10/2021 – São Paulo 1 x 0 Corinthians- Brasileirão-2021
Bayern Munich's dominance caught Paris Saint-Germain by surprise, winger Bradley Barcola admitted after his side suffered a 2-1 defeat at home against the German giants on Tuesday. A Luis Diaz double in the first-half put Bayern fully in control of the Champions League tie before the Colombian was sent off. A late goal from Joao Neves pulled one back as PSG pushed for an equaliser, but Barcola says the damage had already been done by their tame start.
Bayern’s 10-man show shocks defending champions
Many expected PSG to be Bayern’s first real test in the European competition, especially with the German side on a 15-game winning streak heading into the tie. But Vincent Kompany's team were ruthless as they tore through the French side’s defence. Even after losing their brace scorer, Diaz, to a red card for a reckless challenge on Achraf Hakimi, Bayern held strong at the back to secure a crucial win.
It was a bitter pill for the defending champions, who also had to cope with major injuries to two of their key starters during the game. Hakimi was left in tears after the ex-Liverpool winger went in late on the Moroccan, catching him on the ankle after losing possession. He was initially shown a yellow card, but it was upgraded to red following a VAR review.
Earlier in the game, the reigning Ligue 1 champions had Dembele limping off just minutes after scoring an equaliser, which was ruled out by VAR. The 28-year-old, who has struggled with a hamstring injury this season, was replaced by Barcola in the 25th minute, who couldn't make much impact in the game.
AdvertisementgettyBarcola admits PSG were caught off guard
The French forward was candid in his assessment after the game, explaining how Bayern’s performance exceeded expectations. "It's surprising," he said.
"We knew it was going to be difficult. We honestly weren't expecting this, but we'll try to take the positives from this match because it was a really tough evening. It's a good wake-up call. They were a very good team we were up against, and we'll try to bounce back as quickly as possible," the 23-year-old added.
The former Lyon player was particularly critical of PSG’s start and the defensive errors that allowed Diaz to score twice in the first half. "We lacked concentration on certain plays, which cost us goals," he analysed. "It wasn't all bad; we did wake up well, but the start of the match was very costly. We weren't fully committed from the outset, and the first half was very average, which is what made us lose the game."
Meanwhile, manager Luis Enrique also rued the poor defending in the first half and admitted that the upcoming games will be tough for his injury-riddled team. He told Canal+: "At 11 against 11, Bayern were stronger, without a doubt. We gave the opposition some very nice gifts in the first half. We could have conceded more. In the second half, it was different because we had an extra player. Consequences? I can't talk about the future. We know our schedule is the worst. The next few will be difficult."
More injury troubles for Luis Enrique
PSG’s injury woes have been mounting since the start of the season, with international breaks proving particularly cruel. Dembele and Desire Doue both missed early matches after picking up injuries during duties with France. While the French forward returned to action, Doue suffered another setback during a Ligue 1 clash against Lorient, where he had to be stretchered off in tears. The former Rennes prodigy now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, according to , Hakimi is expected to be out until mid-December, potentially missing the start of the 2025 AFCON. With Dembele again sidelined, the Spanish manager faces a major challenge in keeping PSG competitive in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
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AFPWhat's next for PSG?
The French giants now face a tough few weeks as they try to navigate the season with several key players sidelined. The small silver lining for PSG boss is that despite the injury setbacks, the club still sit atop the Ligue 1 table, with seven wins in 11 matches, just two points ahead of Marseille, who are themselves battling a severe injury crisis. After a tough Tuesday's loss ,the team will now prepare for another tricky game against Lyon.
Manchester City star John Stones has revealed that he considered announcing his retirement from professional football last season amid his persistent injury problems. Stones appeared in just 11 Premier League matches for the Cityzens in 2024-25, having to remain sidelined for a long period with foot and hamstring problems. He played his last game of the 2024-25 season in February.
Stones had an injury-plagued 2024-25 season
Last season proved to be a nightmare for Stones, who is now back to fitness and ready to make an impact for club and country. However, he's admitted injury problems led him to some dark places mentally.
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Retirement became an option
Speaking to the , Stones said: "Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about stopping. I didn't want to do it. I had had enough of being so professional and trying to do everything right in my power, to then keep breaking down and not having the answers. It was a very difficult place to be in.
"There comes a point where you don't know why it happens and it is even harder when you put in so much effort, or you are ultra professional, to be able to play and be available. When that time comes and something happens, it would be easier to say 'well I didn't do X, Y and Z that's why' – but when you do it, it's then mentally challenging. Hopefully I don't go back to that place.
"My emotions were high. I wasn't thinking straight. I don't think deep down I would have ever done it [retired].
"I said years ago when City wanted me to have a new challenge, I said 'I am going to fight'. That's all I have known since I was a kid – why should I stop that now? So yes, there is that fight in me and that winning mentality that doesn't want to stop."
Stones ready to sign new City contract
The reported last month that City want to keep Stones at the club and are ready to open talks over a new contract. The England star's current deal expires at the end of the season but he remains a key member of Guardiola's squad, and he is now minded to remain at the Etihad.
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Stones set to make England comeback
Stones was forced to pull out of the England squad in September after suffering a minor muscle injury, but he is now up and running and has earned a Three Lions call-up for the October international games. Thomas Tuchel's side face Wales in a friendly on Thursday, before travelling to Riga to face Latvia in a World Cup qualifier five days later.
Manchester United cult hero Diego Forlan has been hospitalised after suffering a partially-collapsed lung and three broken ribs during an appearance for a veterans team in his native Uruguay. The 46-year-old former striker was involved in a sickening collision that saw him require urgent treatment on the field before being rushed to a nearby medical facility.
Forlan left in agony after collision
Forlan was turning out for Old Boys in Uruguay's over-40s league. His team went on to beat Old Christians 4-1, but the ex-United and Atletico Madrid frontman was unable to complete the game. He collided with an opponent when attempting a shot.
After being tackled, Forlan was left in a crumpled heap on the turf. He was seen writhing in agony as team-mates came to his aid and physios were waved on. After being taken to hospital, it was revealed that a man who earned 112 caps for his country as a professional had suffered a tear in his lung and three cracked ribs.
AdvertisementAbsolves opponent of any blame
Forlan confirmed as much in WhatsApp messages that have been obtained by Spanish newspaper . In those he says: “They are going to admit me and put a tube in to drain it. I will remain in the hospital until Tuesday. In 20 years as a professional, this has never happened to me.”
Forlan went on to absolve his opponent of any blame, with the injuries he picked up an unfortunate consequence of playing a physical sport. He added: “I see that I beat Quique and I see Josema going inside. And then I hook it inside, so that I am left on my left foot and I hit it (the ball). That's when Josema comes out to block the shot, I hit it, jump, and then either I touch it or Josema touches me, but it was the play, it wasn't his fault.
“The truth is that it wasn't his fault and that's where I was left off balance, he unbalanced me and I was left in the air. And my hand stayed there, as if I couldn't get my hand out to support myself and I fell like a sack of potatoes.”
Forlan went on to say: “My hand ended up below my chest, and it ended up breaking my ribs. When I fell, I said, ‘Thank goodness I didn't hurt my wrist’. But right away, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't find air, I couldn't find a position. It was a constant pain that wouldn't go away. It didn't go away until I got to the hospital.”
GettyProfessional tennis venture in 2024
Forlan has remained active since bringing his football career to a close in 2018. He has spent time in management, while also making his professional debut on the ATP Challenger Tour as a tennis player in November 2024.
He was handed a wildcard entry to the Uruguay Open in Montevideo and teamed up with Argentine star Federico Coria for a doubles match against Bolivian duo Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos. Forlan found himself on the wrong end of a 6-1 6-2 defeat.
Forlan told reporters after branching out into a different sport: “Everyone starts to speculate when you start a new career, right? The next thing is to keep playing, enjoying, and playing at the ITF level, where there is really good competition. The truth is that it's a delightful experience.”
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Getty Legacy at Man Utd
While still finding his feet on the court, Forlan earned hero status at Premier League giants United across two years at Old Trafford. His most memorable appearance for the Red Devils saw him bag a brace in a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Liverpool in December 2002.
He won the Premier League and FA Cup with United, but managed just 17 goals through 98 appearances and only rediscovered his best form when heading to Spain with Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.
Ex-United team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of Forlan in the book ‘Bring on United’: “He was a very nice guy and when the lads came in from abroad, we'd try to talk to them because I knew what it was like to come in as an outsider. He could shoot with both feet, but unfortunately, it didn't work out for him at United. We knew what a good player he was and he'd go on to be the best player in the 2010 World Cup to prove that.
“I remember the chat I had with the gaffer [Sir Alex Ferguson] about players after they'd left and he said: 'Diego Forlan was a great player. It was my mistake that I never managed to get the best out of him'.”
Everyone at Old Trafford will be wishing Forlan all the best in his recovery from an unfortunate injury suffered playing the game that he still loves.
He found overwhelming success in his first seven Tests but is now struggling in England. It’s all to do with the nuts and bolts of how he bowls
Aakash Chopra19-Aug-2012Fifty one wickets at 14.15 runs per wicket in seven Test matches, against three different opponents. Ten wickets in a match twice, five wickets in an innings six times, and four-fors twice. Vernon Philander has been a phenomenon that has taken Test cricket by storm.Philander is the second-fastest in Test history to 50 wickets, and those 50 came at the speed at which Usain Bolt runs. It was as if every time Philander bowled an away-going delivery, it found the outside edge of the batsman’s bat and then the safe hands of the wicketkeeper or slips. And every time the ball nipped back after pitching, it eluded the bat and either trapped the batsman in front or disturbed the stumps behind him.So it is surprising that there is nothing really extraordinary about Philander’s bowling. He has simply relied on the basics of maintaining a disciplined line and length – a strategy he believes “works anywhere in the world”. Surely, though, there must be something that made him so much more successful than most have managed to be at the start of a career? And why isn’t the magic working in England at the moment?This is an attempt to decode the Philander puzzle.Movement off the surface without any visible hints Philander looks quite innocuous when compared to his fast bowling colleagues, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn. He doesn’t have the disconcerting bounce that Morkel can achieve, nor does he get the ball to swing prodigiously in the air at high speeds like Steyn does. He’s not as tall as Morkel nor does he run in as fast as Steyn.But Philander compensates for the lack of these natural gifts by getting the ball to dart around after pitching, without giving clues about where it will go.Thousands of hours of practice hardwire a batsman to look for certain clues in a bowler’s action – like the wrist position at the time of release, the position of the seam, and which way the shiny side faces in the air – to predict the ball’s behaviour in the air and off the surface. If the ball starts swinging in one direction the moment it leaves the bowler’s hand, you can assume with a reasonable degree of confidence that it is unlikely to dart the other way after pitching.For example, if a bowler bowls a good outswinger, the chances of the delivery coming in to the right-hander after pitching are minimal. Batsmen comfortable against the moving ball have mastered the art of playing in that imaginary second line.Unfortunately, this theory isn’t going to help batsmen facing Philander, because his deliveries rarely move in the air before pitching, especially when the ball is a few overs old. He delivers it with a completely upright seam, and nothing in his wrist position or action betrays his intentions with regard to movement off the surface.As a batsman, you can only prepare for what you can see, and if the ball hasn’t moved an inch before it lands, it’s fair to assume it won’t do so after pitching. But that isn’t always the case with Philander’s deliveries, most of which change direction after hitting the surface. This forces the batsman to read him off the pitch. Most batsmen struggle even when reading a spinner off the surface because there is so little time to adjust, so you can imagine their plight against a quicker bowler like Philander.
Would you rather face Steyn, Morkel or Philander? Ten out of ten batsmen will choose Philander over the other two, seven days a week
Teasing and testing line and length For all the movement he gets off the surface, Philander would be only half the bowler he is if he bowled a few inches left or right of the line he bowls currently. He bowls from fairly close to the stumps and maintains a line consistently on the fourth or fifth stump – a few inches outside off. His length is also a bit fuller than Steyn’s and Morkel’s, so it not only forces the batsman to get on the front foot, it also ensures that the ball can’t be left on bounce – since it is always around knee high. Since the batsman is forced to get on the front foot, there isn’t enough time to adjust for lateral movement off the surface.Lowering the guard Would you rather face Steyn, Morkel or Philander? Ten out of ten batsmen will choose Philander over the other two, seven days a week. The fact that he has been taking wickets with alarming regularity is unlikely to influence their decision – an irrational one – because batsmen are conditioned to believe that a lot of swing, disconcerting bounce and genuinely fast bowling are more difficult to tackle than subtle movement off the pitch. However, the level of difficulty a bowler poses isn’t always directly proportional to the number of wickets he takes. There are lots of bowlers who look very dangerous but don’t bowl enough wicket-taking deliveries. It doesn’t come as a surprise that most batsmen automatically concentrate harder when facing the likes of Steyn and Morkel, and are happy to switch ends to face Philander instead. If you are happy to face a certain bowler, the odds of lowering your guard against him increase. While Philander’s line and length force a batsman to play at almost everything, his pace – or the lack of it, when compared to his bowling partners – makes him the more desirable bowler to face.For these reasons, he could be a very potent partnership breaker in slightly seamer-friendly conditions. But the first two Test matches in England have exposed him to the thorny side of international cricket. Philander is at his best when the ball zips off the surface, because it reduces the time the batsman has to adjust to the lateral movement. The moist and soft English pitches may have offered him movement, but because they are also slow, England’s batsmen have had the much-needed extra time to make the right adjustments.Unless he makes some adjustments of his own, Philander is likely to struggle in dry subcontinental conditions as well, because those placid tracks won’t provide the substantial sideways movement he relies on, and the lack of pace will give the batsman a fraction extra time.Philander has impressed us with his speed in the 100-metre dash. Now he needs to brace himself for the marathon that is international cricket.
“It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team,” Buttler said
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-20251:41
Roller: Buttler’s captaincy was untenable after Champions Trophy exit
Jos Buttler has resigned as England’s white-ball captain after their group-stage exit at the Champions Trophy, announcing on Friday that he will lead the side for the final time against South Africa in Karachi.England have already been eliminated from the Champions Trophy, after they lost their first two group games against Australia and Afghanistan. They prepared for the tournament with a trip to India which saw them win only one of their eight matches in Brendon McCullum’s first tour as white-ball coach.”I’m going to stand down as England captain,” Buttler said. “It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz will take the team to where it needs to be.” Harry Brook, Buttler’s vice-captain, is the early favourite to replace him.Buttler will continue to play for England, and said he wants to “get back to really enjoying my cricket”. He said: “The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment. I’m sure, in time, that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and [will] also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it.”Related
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Buttler was appointed as Eoin Morgan’s successor in June 2022 and won the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year. But England’s results have declined sharply since and after three unsuccessful ICC events in a row – the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy – Buttler has decided to stand down.He hinted after England’s eight-run loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday – their ninth defeat in 10 white-ball games this year – that he would resign, saying he needed to “consider all possibilities” and work out whether he was “part of the problem or part of the solution.””It was quite clear that this tournament was going to be important: results-wise and for my captaincy,” Buttler said. “Two losses and being out of the tournament [was] a bit of a hangover of tournaments before. I’d just reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame and I’m sad about that.”With Brendon coming in only recently, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and to take the team forward. But it’s not quite worked out that way, so just feels like the right time for me and the team to have a change.”1:35
Buttler: ‘Right time for me and the team to have a change’
Buttler’s position came under increasing scrutiny after a sustained poor run of ODI form for England stretching back to the start of the 2023 World Cup. In defence of their World Cup title, England won just three group games out of nine and were the first team to be officially eliminated from the tournament. It began a run that has seen them lose 18 of the last 25 ODIs, including the two that put paid to their Champions Trophy campaign at the first hurdle.While he will likely go down as England’s best white-ball batter, Buttler’s ODI form, like that of the side he led, had been on a sharp downturn over the last 18 months. He averages 26.40 in his last 21 innings, with a strike rate of just over 100 – down from 115.97 over his ODI career. He managed starts in each of the two games this Champions Trophy, coming into the middle order while England had a platform to build off, but got out for 23 off 21 and 38 off 42.Brook is tipped to succeed him, though McCullum said England had not yet settled on a candidate. He praised Buttler’s leadership while saying he was “incredibly sad” to see him step down.”We’ve all seen over the last couple of years how much he’s invested in captaining his country and trying to get very best out of those guys around him,” McCullum said. “People forget that he literally won a World Cup only a couple of years ago, and that can never be taken away from him. It’s incredibly unselfish from Jos to step aside and to leave the post for someone else, and he’s still a huge player for us moving forward. I’m sure we will look at ways that we can get the best out of him in terms of his role, so he can have maximum impact as well.”Both Rob Key, managing director, England Men, and Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, paid tribute to Buttler’s time in charge.”Working with Jos has been a pleasure,” Key said. “He’s been dealt some tough challenges, but never once flinched trying to drive this team forward for the better. Nobody deserved that World Cup win in Australia more. I can’t wait to see him back in the ranks and at his best.”Gould added: “I’d like to thank Jos for all he has given in his two and a half years captaining England Men in white-ball cricket. Under his leadership, England became men’s T20 World Champions, and throughout his time as captain he has been a role model in the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch.”Jos is one of cricket’s all-time great white ball players. I’ve been lucky enough to follow his career from when he first came through as a youngster in Somerset, and I hope we still have many years to enjoy of him pulling on an England shirt.”
After a tough preseason campaign, Everton are continuing to strengthen their squad in a bid to make the first campaign at the Hill Dickinson Stadium a memorable one. The Toffees have already brought in several new faces, including a new striker to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Thierno Barry from Villarreal.
More recently, David Moyes has added Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to his squad. The Toffees have snapped up the Englishman on a £29m deal, albeit with that including £4m in add-ons.
Moyes’ side will seemingly add another midfielder, with the club working behind the scenes to add depth in the middle of the park.
Everton’s next midfield target
Dewsbury-Hall is not the only Premier League star that the Toffees are targeting. David Ornstein recently reported that they have opened discussions with Manchester City over a season-long loan move for Jack Grealish, with the Englishman looking set for an exit from the Etihad this summer after missing out on their recent Club World Cup exploits.
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Elsewhere, meanwhile, the Merseysiders are still focusing on other targets at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
According to a recent report from Spanish newspaper El Mira, Everton are close to signing UD Almeria midfielder Dion Lopy. The Premier League side have readied a bid for the player and are willing to fork out around €25m (£22m).
UD Almeria's Dion Lopy in action against Jude Bellingham.
That figure is said to be an ‘irresistible amount’ for the Spanish side, with the report outlining ‘barring a drastic turn of events’, Lopy will ‘soon pack his bags’ in order to seal a move to Merseyside.
Why Lopy would be a good signing
At just 23 years of age, Lopy is already a full senior international, which is a testament to the quality he possesses. Described as one of many “exciting” Senegalese talents by analyst Ben Mattinson, Lopy has already garnered a strong reputation.
After breaking through the academy at French side Stades Reims, Lopy made 62 appearances for the club, grabbing two assists from midfield. From there, he made the move to Spain, joining Almeria, where he has become a key player.
Last term for the club in La Liga 2, the 23-year-old played 36 times, chipping in with one goal and three assists. He tended to operate from the base of midfield, although did push further forward at times, too.
Moyes would surely love for the potential new Everton midfield to become the second coming of Idrissa Gueye. The Toffees star, who is an international teammate of Lopy’s, was a key player last term in the final season at Goodison Park.
He helped keep his side in the Premier League and achieve a comfortable mid-table finish.
He played 37 times in the top flight last season, missing just one game against Leicester City at the start of the campaign.
Like Lopy did for Almeria, Gueye sat at the base of the midfield and showed just how good a ball-winner he is. His 133 tackles were the most in the top flight.
If Lopy can replicate what Gueye has done for the Merseysiders in midfield, then he would surely be a successful signing. When looking at the numbers via Sofascore, there is certainly reason to believe he can become as good of a ball winner in the Premier League as his Senegal teammate.
Last season, the 23-year-old made 78 tackles and 46 interceptions for Almeria in the league, averaging a combined 3.6 per 90 minutes. Compare that to Gueye’s stats, courtesy of Sofascore, and they stack up well, with the Everton number 27 making 133 tackles and 48 interceptions, a combined average of 5.3 each game.
Tackles
2.3
3.9
Interceptions
1.3
1.4
Aerial duels won
1.5
0.7
Key passes
0.8
0.6
Accurate long balls
3.8
2.3
Dribbles completed
0.4
0.5
Of course, Lopy still has some way to go before he matches, or nears, Gueye’s numbers from last season. However, he has all the tools to suggest he can replicate his impact in midfield and be the second coming of his compatriot.
Stade De Reims midfielder Dion Lopy.
After the deals for Dewsbury-Hall and Grealish are completed, signing Lopy could be Moyes’ next big focus to strengthen in the middle of the park, and buy a long-term replacement for Gueye.
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The openers added a 120 run-stand in quick time but the middle order could not launch from the platform
Deivarayan Muthu12-Apr-2025
B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill added 120 runs for the opening wicket off 73 balls•BCCI
Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan struck up a 120-run opening stand for Gujarat Titans (GT), but their middle order couldn’t quite launch from that platform. After Gill and Sai Sudharsan holed out in the 13th and 14th overs, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) conceded 45 off the last five overs, keeping GT to 180 for 6. GT managed only 60 runs off their last eight overs.After GT were asked to bat first on a black-soil surface, Gill and Sai Sudharsan added 54 in the powerplay. Sai Sudharsan had kicked off the innings with a slapped four off the first ball from Shardul Thakur and then when Akash Deep overpitched one in the second over, he stretched out and drove the ball past the bowler for four more. At the other end, Gill often shimmied out of the crease to manufacture scoring opportunities.When LSG tried to burgle an over from Aiden Markram, Gill and Sai Sudharsan spoiled their plan by taking the part-time offspinner for 15 in the eighth over. Mystery spinner Digvesh Rathi, though, showed better control and fronted up to bowl in the powerplay as well as in the death. He could’ve cut Sai Sudharsan’s innings short on 46 had Abdul Samad held onto a catch at short cover.Sudharsan went onto bring up his fourth half-century in six innings in IPL, soon after Gill had raised his own fifty. LSG separated GT’s opening pair in the 13th over, when Gill swatted a slower cutter from Avesh Khan to long-on for 60 off 38 balls. In the next over, Bishnoi got both Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar in the same over to slow GT down.Bishnoi and Rathi had combined figures of 8-0-66-3. Thakur then closed out the innings well with his variations on a pitch that was slowing down, something that Sai Sudharsan alluded to at the innings break. Sai Sudharsan also said that some balls were keeping low, which will bring GT’s three-man spin attack into the fray during their defence.