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The COVID-19 lockdown could provide a new generation of cricketers the time and space required to hone the mental side of their game, according to John Gloster, the Rajasthan Royals’ physiotherapist. He believes that some lasting benefits could yet arise from cricket’s globally enforced break, in spite of the cramped conditions that some players will currently be experiencing as they attempt to train at home.Gloster, who worked as India’s physiotherapist from 2005 to 2008 and has been based in Mumbai ever since, is currently waiting – along with everyone else involved with this season’s IPL – for the final decision on a tournament that is currently postponed until April 15, but is likely to be pushed back further still, with India currently implementing strict measures to combat the virus.And until that moment comes, Gloster and his fellow back-room staffers are in the complicated situation of remotely monitoring their players’ physical, mental and nutritional levels, while helping them to channel their pent-up energies in productive ways.”For any athlete, the thing they hate most is the fear of the unknown,” Gloster told ESPNcricinfo. “When a cricketer is injured, and is unsure about time-frames, it’s easy for them to become frustrated. And that’s when we need to start working on the mental and psychological side of the game. It’s a similar situation here, because we don’t yet know when they will be playing again, so there’s no definitive starting point to work back from.”The physical side of their games is probably the easiest bit to manage, to be perfectly honest,” he added. “Because we know about that aspect, we know what constraints each player has in their home environments. But the mental side of this situation is taking us into some pretty uncharted waters.”Speaking about the situation last week, Royals’ England star Ben Stokes admitted that he was obliged to carry on training as if the tournament will get underway next month, and both he and his team-mate Jos Buttler have been posting regular videos of their training on Instagram.ALSO READ: Stokes, Buttler training with April IPL in mindBut Gloster admitted that his focus was more on the young Indian players in the Royals set-up, many of whom are in their first professional contracts and so are not yet tied into the sort of Athlete Management System (AMS) that co-ordinates the training programmes of the game’s elite players.”The physical constraints that the Indian players are now having seems to be a lot greater than that of the guys in say, South Africa, Australia or the UK,” he said, “because space is an incredible constraint here. I’ve seen some fantastic footage coming out of the players in the UK where they’re in their own gyms and they’ve got lots of space, and I think the Indian boys are going to be perhaps at a physical disadvantage there.”But one of the things that we’ve worked on very hard with our IPL players is knowing them 365 days of the year, and at an intimate level too – where they’re from, what their background is, what they eat, how big their house is, what village they’re from. All this stuff matters even more in an environment like this, because now we know what’s realistic or unrealistic when we ask them to do things.”I’m the only physio who’s based here all year round so I’ve had the opportunity to build these relationships with the players. I’ve just had Varun Aaron sending me photos of him grilling fish at home on his barbecue, and then downstairs in his gym training. Sanju Samson sends me photos asking, ‘can I eat this? Can I eat that?’, and Shreyas Gopal asked me for cooking tips the other day. They are comfortable about asking questions which are now suddenly very, very relevant to them.”Riyan Parag at Rajasthan Royals’ pre-season camp•Rajasthan Royals

Nevertheless, Gloster admitted that the unique circumstances of the lockdown would create some fascinating scenarios when play does finally resume, given that no amount of training can fully replicate a live match experience.”Every single cricketer, probably for the first time since the second world war, will be starting from exactly the same place in terms of match fitness,” he said. “This is really interesting, because normally when we enter an environment like the IPL, we have to manage guys who are overloaded, and factor that into their training, as well as guys who are under-loaded and need to match the necessary levels.”Whereas on this occasion, everyone will be entering the tournament without any match fitness, which will bring with it a large injury risk because the expectation for all professional sportsmen is that you’ve always got to go at 100 percent.”Therefore the best preparation that all players can make in the downtime, in Gloster’s opinion, is to hone their mental games, and take the opportunity to broaden the horizons that sometimes get restricted by the non-stop nature of modern professional sport.”I think we’re going to find just how mentally resilient all these players are,” he said. “Actually, I think it’ll be a really good test for these guys because they’re going to be tested by this environment more than they’ve ever been tested by any stressful situation on the cricket field.”There are going to be some great learnings for these guys about themselves, about how you switch off and get away from cricket, and what strategies can you use now that will make you better when we go back to the game. Because the best players in the world are the ones that can actually switch off from cricket and mentally relax when they need to.”The Rahul Dravids of the world were great readers. Shane Warne did whatever Shane Warne did outside of his game time. I don’t think modern cricketers are very good at that, it’s just cricket or nothing else. So this could be a great opportunity to find hobbies other relaxation techniques, and drill a little deeper into their own psyches.”For some that might be simple things like reading and board games, but I also like to see the guys with families spending time with their kids. As we know, modern cricketers don’t spend much time with their families so this chance just to reconnect can be a really good thing as well.”I think this is all part of a process that will be maturing our cricketers a lot more than they think. And ultimately that’s going to benefit them when they get back to playing.”

Wolverhampton Wanderer’s manager, Gary O’Neil has a squad at his disposal which can beat any team in the Premier League on their day.

The Old Gold have proven this throughout 2023/24, defeating Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea (twice) as they chase a top half finish in the league.

One key thing for O’Neil is how the squad seems to be clicking into gear at just the right time, and he can call upon players to perform across all areas of the team.

One of his most important assets is Max Kilman, as the defender has seen his market value increase rapidly.

How much Max Kilman cost Wolves

The centre-back actually arrived at Molineux for a transfer fee believed to be around £40k back in 2018 from Maidenhead United when he was aged just 21, and it has since proven to be a remarkable bargain.

He made his debut on the final day of the 2018/19 season and has since played 136 times for the Old Gold since joining.

Kilman has emerged as one of O’Neil’s key players and his market value clearly reflects that, as he is worth more than teammate, Mathues Cunha.

Max Kilman’s market value at Wolves

Following Kilman’s impressive start to the season, Kilman was targeted by West Ham United during the January transfer window but, having signed a new contract until 2028 just last August, the defender was valued at £40m by the Old Gold.

No move ever materialised and Kilman will remain with Wolves until the end of the season at least, but O’Neil will be desperate to keep hold of him.

Indeed, across the whole squad in the top flight, Kilman currently ranks first for accurate passes per game (46.6), while ranking second for accurate long balls per game (3.9), second for interceptions per game (1.1) and for clearances per game (4.8), clearly showing that he has shown excellent defensive ability and is one of O’Neil’s finest players across a range of metrics.

He was lauded by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher in 2023, who said about the defender:

"Max Kilman at the back for Wolves, an ever-present for Wolves all season. He’s no-frills at centre back, he just gets on with his job and very rarely makes mistakes, hence why he’s an automatic pick no matter who the manager is."

Even though Cunha has been in impressive form himself this term, scoring 11 goals and registering seven assists, his market value according to Football Transfers currently stands at €28.9m (£24.7m), which is lower than the £40m price tag that Wolves have placed on the Englishman.

Only seven teams have a better defensive record than the Old Gold in the Premier League this season and a lot of that is down to how solid Kilman has been among a back three which regularly features Craig Dawson and Toti Gomes.

If O’Neil can keep this group together, then the club could be on the cusp of something special, and it marks a change from their relegation worries that plagued the side throughout the vast majority of the 2022/23 campaign.

da pinup bet： Southampton, despite seeing their incredible unbeaten run come to an end at the hands of Bristol City, are still well and truly in pursuit of automatic Championship promotion, sitting just two points behind Leeds United with a game in hand.

da supremo： As the Saints potentially prepare for an instant return to the Premier League, however, they may be forced to contend with the exit of a forgotten man ahead of this summer.

Southampton transfer news

Those at St Mary's always looked likely to be promotion contenders, having kept hold of the likes of Adam Armstrong and Kyle Walker-Peters, instead only losing two key players in James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia. That gave Russell Martin plenty of pressure to deal with, however, he has ultimately worked wonders after overseeing the Saints' longest unbeaten run in the club's history to put them in the race for promotion.

Despite all of their success on the pitch, the Saints could still see one player complete a move away from St Mary's. According to reports in Turkey, relayed by Sport Witness, Trabzonspor are preparing an offer to sign Paul Onuachu on a permanent deal after he left everyone pleased during his loan spell at the club. The Turkish club have reportedly planned talks to secure a deal.

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Having initially joined Southampton for a reported £18m in January 2023, Onuachu has quickly become the forgotten man and could now bring an end to a disappointing spell.

"Athletic" Onuachu is one to forget

Attracting the interest of Southampton last year following a clinical spell in Belgium, fans may have been excited by the prospect of what Onuachu could offer, especially since the Saints were on course for relegation at the time. The Nigerian failed to score a single goal in 11 Premier League appearances before finding himself out on loan at Trabzonspor this season, however, and it now looks as though he could complete a permanent move away.

What will perhaps frustrate Southampton fans is that Onuachu has enjoyed much-improved performances in Turkey and has earned deserved praise in the process, including from former teammate Stryger Larsen, who told Danish outlet Bold:

"He's off to a really good start. From watching him play in Midtjylland to now, he has really developed as a footballer. He has done really well for us, so we are very happy with him. He's more athletic than he was when he was young and obviously just had to learn everything."

Onuachu's stats – nine goals and three assists in 16 games – could at least up his price tag to hand Southampton a boost in an otherwise transfer to quickly forget.

In a rarity for Chelsea these days, the Blues have endured a silent transfer window on the incoming front, with Mauricio Pochettino so far forced to stick with what he's already got. The same can more or less be said when it comes to departures, given that Ian Maatsen and David Datro Fofana are the only players to have left Stamford Bridge in the transfer window this month, neither of whom had a big impact on the squad this term.

With a matter of hours remaining before the deadline, however, things could yet change on both fronts, with the Blues reportedly offered to sign a Bundesliga forward who could replace and even become an upgrade on Armando Broja.

Chelsea make Broja U-turn

Despite seemingly being set on their decision to keep hold of Broja unless someone paid a permanent fee, fresh reports suggest that Chelsea have agreed a loan deal for their young forward with Fulham in a late move in the winter window. If Broja does leave, then the London giants will be left potentially scrambling for a replacement in the final hours of the window. And that's when they could turn to the Bundesliga.

According to Simon Phillips' Substack, Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Donyell Malen by his agent before the end of the transfer window. Phillips confirmed the news, saying: “I’ve been told tonight that Donyell Malen from Dortmund has been offered to Chelsea by his agent."

The Dortmund star could even be an upgrade on Broja, but it remains to be seen whether Chelsea will be in a position to pursue such a deal in the last few hours of the window. The Blues' need for attacking reinforcements remains a prominent problem for Pochettino, however, and Malen could more than play his part in that issue finally reaching a resolution.

"Unstoppable" Malen is better than Broja

If Broja does complete his move away from Chelsea before the end of the window, then they'd be wise to turn to Malen. Not only would the Dutchman replace the young forward, but he'd also be an instant upgrade, as Malen's stats show.

Goals

7

1

Assists

0

0

Expected Goals

5.9

2.4

Key Passes

10

3

Take-ons Completed

33

13

A player who showed great potential in the early stages of his career, Malen received praise from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, who called the forward "unstoppable".

The fact that the Dutchman has reportedly been offered to Chelsea by his agent suggests that a move could be on the cards in the near future, whether that be today or in the summer transfer window. So, Malen is certainly one to keep an eye on in the coming months.

Aston Villa don’t need to add much to their squad during the current January transfer window, but a fresh face or two could give them a boost in their pursuit of glory.

The Midlands side currently sits in fourth place in the Premier League table following just four defeats in their opening 21 matches. Combine this with the fact they are through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League and into the fourth round of the FA Cup and there is a chance of a first major trophy since 1996.

Unai Emery won't be rushing to sign someone just for the sake of it and will be diligent in his approach, but if the right deal for the right player comes up in the coming week, could he perhaps land a new signing or two?

Aston Villa’s search for new signings

Despite the lack of transfer activity, the club have not been shy of showing interest in a few players throughout the previous few weeks.

One name to have popped up more than once is Emile Smith Rowe, with reports from the start of the month claiming that the Englishman was on the radar of Emery and the Spaniard certainly knows him well, having coached the 23-year-old during his spell managing Arsenal.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs spoke to GIVEMESPORT regarding the attacking midfielder recently and claimed that there is a real interest from Villa in luring the player north.

He said: “Smith Rowe is still an interesting point of discussion at Arsenal. I’m still told the Villa interest is genuine. Whether or not anything moves in January remains to be seen, and I think if Smith Rowe, as an academy graduate, were to leave, then it may divide the Arsenal fan base a little bit.

“But it wouldn't surprise me if the right offer comes if Arsenal consider that. Again, that may be one to watch in 2024 rather than in the next few days. But I am told there is something genuine in the Villa interest in Smith Rowe.

With just a week to go before deadline day, Emery still has plenty of time to play with, but he may need to act swiftly as West Ham United are also showing an interest in the 5 foot 9 gem ahead of a potential move.

Smith Rowe made his debut under the former Arsenal coach back in 2018 and a reunion could work wonders for the youngster.

Aston Villa could land their next Jack Grealish with exciting January move

Aston Villa could sign a current Arsenal player this month

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Bukayo Saka was also given his debut by the 52-year-old and the current Arsenal sensation progressed through the Hale End academy with Smith Rowe.

Signing his former player could allow Emery to secure his next Saka, as if given more regular game time, he could return to the form which saw him capped by England.

How Emile Smith Rowe compares to Bukayo Saka

The duo tend to operate in different positions, yet they both made their debuts within months of each other having shone together for the U18 side.

During a Boxing Day clash against Chelsea in 2020, Mikel Arteta started Saka on the right wing and Smith Rowe in an advanced midfield role and the pair were sublime, with the latter assisting and the former grabbing a goal.

Such is their talent that the Arsenal faithful changed the lyrics to the popular Status Quo track "Rockin' All Over the World", including the line "Here we goo-ooo, Saka and Emile Smith Rowe."

Like life, football is fickle. Saka has hit new heights since that clash just over three years ago, yet Smith Rowe has been hit by various injuries and has missed 23 games since the start of the 2022/23 season.

11

10

7

2

1.8

0.9

8

3

1.1

1

Both Smith Rowe and Saka excel at holding onto the ball and finishing, according to WhoScored, and if he can regain full fitness and remain healthy, there is no doubt the 23-year-old would be a stunning signing for Emery.

He may not be making the same impact as Saka right now at the Gunners, but a lack of game time has hindered his progress. Under Emery, however, Smith Rowe will be offered plenty of appearances in the starting XI and this could benefit him and the team greatly.

The statistics that show why Emile Smith Rowe would be a good signing for Aston Villa

The current Arsenal attacking midfielder has made 109 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals, and grabbing 12 assists, yet there is no doubt these tallies would have been considerably higher had he been a regular under Arteta recently.

When he does feature, the Englishman has the ability to contribute effectively, and he displayed this during the 2021/22 campaign.

Across the squad that term in the Premier League, Smith Rowe ranked second for goals and assists (12), along with ranking third for shots on target per game (0.7) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (one), clearly showcasing his talents.

He has been limited to just one league start so far this term and his statistics have suffered as a result, with the midfielder averaging only 0.1 key passes per game along with succeeding with just 0.3 dribbles per match.

Previously hailed as a “game-changer” by journalist Mark Mann-Bryans back in 2021 when he was at the peak of his powers, the previous two seasons have seen his career regress.

Injuries have clearly played a part in his form dropping off, but a lack of time on the pitch due to Arteta favouring other players is not going to help him in the long run.

The three-cap England international last made an appearance for his country in 2022 and at this moment in time, he is quite far off securing his fourth cap anytime soon.

A reunion with Emery could revitalise him, however, and provide him with the minutes that he requires to get back to his best.

If a move does not go through this month, the Spaniard should be monitoring his situation and perhaps make a more concrete move for him when the summer transfer window rolls around in a few months.

A switch to Villa could be a move which benefits all parties, injecting a newfound passion into Smith Rowe’s career in the process.

da premier bet： Arsenal have yet to delve into the transfer market and sign anyone this month despite being linked with numerous players over the previous few weeks.

da pinnacle： Ivan Toney has been perennially linked with a move to the Emirates, while Mikel Arteta has even shown interest in bringing Karim Benzema to north London for the second half of the season.

Both of these moves look unlikely now, especially with just a few days left until deadline day, but that is not to say the Spaniard won't try to sign at least one player.

Arsenal’s search for new signings

Despite a plethora of marquee names being linked with a move, it could be a player thriving in the Championship who Arteta may look to sign. That’s according to journalist David Ornstein, who gave an update on the future of Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

“Brighton in negotiations with Leicester to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. LCFC want ~£30m.

“Gap in valuations but talks ongoing. Competition from Brentford (Arsenal + Fulham admire too) but European football puts BHAFC in driving seat.”

Although he states that Brighton are leading the chase, the nature of the transfer window suggests that anything could happen over the coming days.

The Gunners are currently in contention to win their first Premier League title for 20 years, while the north Londoners are through to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign.

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Adding a new signing or two could give Arteta some added squad depth ahead of a crucial few months and Dewsbury-Hall may even be a long-term replacement for Thomas Partey.

Thomas Partey’s future at Arsenal is unclear

It is no secret that Arteta is filling his squad with hungry young talent that he hopes will dominate England over the next few years.

Signing players such as Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz last summer is evidence of this philosophy and a move for Dewsbury-Hall would certainly fit into his vision.

This could mean moving a player or two on and Partey is one of the ageing midfielders in his squad who could be on the way out of the Emirates.

Since arriving from Atlético Madrid ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, the Ghanaian midfielder has made 104 appearances for Arsenal, yet has played over 24 league matches just once in his first three full seasons.

So far this season, the 30-year-old has missed 20 matches due to injury, and with just 18 months left on his current contract, could he be approaching the end of his spell in London?

Back in October, 90min claimed that Partey could consider a move away from Arsenal if he was not given more opportunities in the starting XI.

Fast-forward three months and he has started just three league games this term, with the last coming against Fulham in August.

According to reports in Spain (via the Daily Express), Barcelona are showing interest in the midfielder and his time in the Premier League could be about to come to an end.

Dewsbury-Hall is five years younger than Partey, and he could turn out to be an ideal replacement for the former Atlético gem, who looks certain to leave sooner rather than later.

The stats show why Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would be a good signing for Arsenal

Since making his debut for the Foxes during the 2019/20 campaign, the midfielder has racked up 114 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals and registering 14 assists in the process.

Despite their relegation last season, the Englishman was one of Leicester's more impressive performers, and it showed that they still had plenty of talent among their ranks.

Indeed, the 25-year-old ranked third among the squad for successful dribbles per game (1.3) along with ranking third for key passes per game (1.3) and he has taken his game to another level in the second tier during 2023/24.

Not only does the midfielder currently rank first in the squad for key passes per game (2.7) and combined goals and assists (18), but he also ranks second for big chances created (12) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.3), clearly showcasing his abilities in the Championship as he aims to bring Leicester back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Writer Kyle Boas lavished praise on the midfielder amid his links to the Premier League, saying he is “one of the most press-resistant midfielders in England” and he would certainly offer a greater attacking threat to Partey judging by his statistics this season.

His manager, Enzo Maresca, has also lauded the player following his performances, saying back in November:

"He is so dangerous near the box, and has the quality to score or assist from anywhere. He could already have had 10 or 12 assists. He is probably the most-improved for us and he's in the perfect position."

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's domestic statistics

2022/23

2023/24

Goals

2

9

Assists

2

9

Key passes per game

1.3

2.7

Big chances created

3

12

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

1.3

Stats via Sofascore

Dewsbury-Hall has not just impressed among his current teammates, but also when compared to positional peers in similar leagues.

Over the previous 365 days, the 25-year-old is currently ranked in the top 2% for assists, shot-creating actions, progressive carries, touches in the opposition penalty area and none-penalty goals per 90 when compared to players who play in a similar position, and showcases how much he has improved.

Signing the Foxes gem could give Arteta the licence to drop Rice slightly deeper and allow Dewsbury-Hall the freedom to further demonstrate his attacking attributes as he aims for another crack at the top flight.

A fee of £30m would not break the bank either, and the Spaniard could recoup some of that by moving on Partey during the summer transfer window, knowing that he has a more than able replacement within his squad.

The 5 foot 10 maestro can operate across a few positions, with either a central or defensive midfield slot his preferred option, but he has been pushed further forward a few times during his career.

This versatility could be a big bonus for Arteta as he looks to fill his squad with adaptable players, and Dewsbury-Hall could take the next step by joining Arsenal.

Rangers bloggers Four Lads Had a Dream have mocked what they’ve heard from across town following their Scottish Cup win on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Rangers beat rivals at Hampden

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men enjoyed a day to remember on Sunday afternoon, beating their most bitter rivals 2-1 in their semi-final clash.

It was a match that not only saw the Gers keep their hopes of winning a treble alive this season, but also ended Celtic’s dream of doing the same in the process.

Rangers were the better team at Hampden Park but that hasn’t stopped Hoops fans from blaming various things on the defeat, including poor refereeing from Bobby Madden, while there are also investigations into potentially offensive songs from some sections of the Ibrox outfit’s support.

[freshpress-poll id=“386877”]

The Latest: Baffled

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Four Lads Had a Dream couldn’t believe the reaction to the loss, not holding back on their thoughts on what they’re hearing from Celtic:

“Tackled hard. Referees fault. Sung bad songs. Over Celebrated. What a bunch of spoilt brats they are in defeat.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“383632”]

The Verdict: Bad losers

Put simply, this feels like a case of sour grapes from Celtic fans, who were outplayed by Rangers at Hampden and were fortunate to even take the lead in the first place – Madden had a better game than several of the Hoops key men.

The rivalry clearly means that any defeat will hurt but there was no bias in Rangers’ favour and supposed over-celebrations is a ludicrous accusation to make, given the magnitude of the game.

Football fans are admittedly fickle and will always feel hard done by when they lose, but this reaction has been particularly intense over the past couple of days.

In other news, a Premier League club are reportedly eyeing up a move for a Rangers player. Read more here.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher described one Reds player as “really poor” alongside Milos Kerkez during the 1-0 victory away to Burnley.

Liverpool leave it late to stun Burnley

Yet again, the Reds left it late to win a Premier League game on Sunday, with Mohamed Salah’s last-gasp penalty sealing a priceless win at Turf Moor.

Liverpool are yet to get going this season, in terms of performance level, but their ability to go until the very end of matches is proving to be a priceless asset to have, ensuring they top the table with maximum points.

One player who struggled at Burnley was Kerkez, who was booked for a shocking dive and then substituted in place of Andy Robertson before half-time, with Arne Slot admitting he couldn’t trust the Hungarian to avoid getting a second yellow card.

Speaking on commentary for Sky Sports, Carragher made it clear what he thought of Kerkez’s awful attempts to win a penalty, lambasting the left-back.

“I mean it was a dive, no doubt about that. I don’t think anybody in the stadium thought it wasn’t, it was so theatrical. I mean it was absolutely stupid, that. I don’t think there’s any contact there really, and he’s in a good position! I think he can hook his foot around that and get a cross in. As soon as I seen him make that run I thought he’s gonna be in a really good position on the byline.”

Carragher slams "really poor" Liverpool legend

Kerkez wasn’t the only player who felt the wrath of Carragher in the commentary box, however, with Salah also criticised for his current form, despite his match-winning penalty.

“He’s been really poor again. He just hasn’t really hit those heights of last season so far this season. It was always going to be difficult. But he doesn’t look at the races right now.”

In fairness to Carragher, he does have a valid point with Salah, even though the manner in which he buried the spot-kick was emphatic, outlining the strength of mind he possesses in big moments.

The Liverpool superstar has actually made a very disappointing start to the season, in terms of his all-round involvement in matches, and his general decision-making.

Granted, Salah is adjusting to a new system with Florian Wirtz in it, getting used to new teammates such as the German, Kerkez and Hugo Ekitiké, but the Reds need their iconic attacker to up his level in the coming weeks.

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At 33, it is only natural that some may begin to start writing Salah off, with his pace not what it was, but it is more likely that he is simply out of form. It should also never be forgotten that the passing of Diogo Jota could be affecting him, too, with all of Liverpool’s players still in the grieving process.

Deadline Day is set to be busy for Nottingham Forest.

Giovanni Reyna joined the club last night on loan, but Nuno Espirito Santo has his eye on another transfer.

The boss will hope that the new faces will boost their chances of survival.

Forest's search for a goalkeeper

Last night, Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail announced on X that Forest are set to re-open talks with Sam Johnstone.

Any move for the keeper will be in the region of £15m.

The £40k-per-week star is said to be keen on the move, as he targets a spot in the England squad for the Euros.

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 Johnson would be an upgrade on Matt Turner

The goalkeeper spot for Forest has arguably been their weakest position across the entire squad this season, with neither Matt Turner nor Odysseas Vlachodimos impressing the Tricky Trees faithful.

The USMNT shot-stopper has been the first-choice this season, starting 17 of a possible 22 Premier League games this season. He started the campaign as the number one, but was benched for five consecutive games in November.

The potential signing of Johnstone would be a huge upgrade on the former Arsenal keeper, with Gary Lineker labelling the England star as "sensational." The 30-year-old has started 16 games this season, but he has found himself on the bench since returning from injury.

Over those matches, Johnstone has kept five clean sheets, whereas Turner has only kept two, and the duo have both prevented around 5.40 goals overall this season.

The table below shows Johnstone's clean sheet record over his last five seasons, which proves he is a keeper that can be relied upon behind any defence, whether it be at Palace or West Brom.

PL 2023/24

16

5

PL 2022/23

9

3

Champ 2021/22

36

15

PL 2020/21

37

6

Champ 19/20

46

14

Johnstone is also an experienced player who could provide an important calmness to the backline, especially as Forest will inevitably be in the middle of a relegation scrap until the end of the season.

Furthermore, the frustrating side of Turner's game is his frequent case of giving the ball away cheaply, with his passing being found when the opponent presses. The 29-year-old has made three errors leading to goals this season, but on the other hand, the Palace keeper hasn't even made one, which not only provides much more security but also gives the side confidence in using the keeper as a safety outlet.

Overall, the fact that Nuno Santo is looking to secure a deal for a goalkeeper suggests that he doesn't have full confidence in his keeper's ability to perform at the desired level and standard. A move for Johnstone could be a very smart decision, and although he probably isn't as cheap as the club would want, he would definitely be an upgrade on Turner.

Sunrisers Hyderabad might have the same number of points as their opponents, but have looked a far better team

The Preview by Vishal Dikshit03-Apr-20193:27

Agarkar: Delhi Capitals’ top three need to perform better

Big picture

Even though Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have the same number of points – four – to their names right now, they have had considerably different journeys to earn them. Apart from the fact that Sunrisers have played one match fewer, Delhi have somehow managed to lose their nerves in the last two matches, not an ailment Sunrisers have shown symptoms of.Delhi were cruising in their chases against both Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab before slipping. Kagiso Rabada saved them in the Super Over against Knight Riders, but against Kings XI, there was no coming back as they lost seven wickets for just eight runs.

Form guide (most recent matches first)

Delhi: Lost to Kings XI by 14 runs, beat Knight Riders in the Super Over, lost to Super Kings by six wickets
Sunrisers: beat Royal Challengers by 118 runs, beat Royals by five wickets, lost to Knight Riders by six wickets

They can’t afford to make such mistakes again, especially against a team that’s been among the best in the last few seasons.Sunrisers’ bowlers must be desperate to have a go and get their act back together, especially in the death overs, seeing the way Delhi have batted at the end recently. Their top-order batsmen, of course, are likely to tear into any bowling attack that errs even marginally.Sunrisers’ death bowling wasn’t tested against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday, and it’s one area, along with their middle order, that Delhi would want to target. Yusuf Pathan has faced 22 balls this IPL and Manish Pandey nine. That means only one thing for Delhi: get quick wickets.Having already lost two of their four matches, this is a good chance for Delhi to win at home before they travel for three away matches within the next ten days. The Delhi track has see-sawed so far, giving first-innings scores of 147 and 185, and might continue to be low and slow on Thursday.Sportzpics

In the news

David Warner had taken a blow on his hand while taking a sharp catch at extra cover to dismiss Virat Kohli on Sunday. But he is now “100%” for Thursday, and while Jonny Bairstow showed signs of discomfort during his century, perhaps because of cramps in the Hyderabad heat, he is also fit.

Previous meeting

When Sunrisers met Delhi Daredevils last in May 2018, they had chased down 188 with ease, ending a Rishabh Pant century in vain. Delhi man Shikhar Dhawan was with Sunrisers then and had scored an unbeaten 92 off 50 balls.

Likely XIs

Delhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Colin Ingram, 6 Chris Morris, 7 Hanuma Vihari, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10, Avesh Khan, 11 Sandeep LamichhaneSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 2 David Warner, 3 Vijay Shankar, 4 Yusuf Pathan, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (capt), 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Siddarth Kaul

Strategy punt

• Even though Mohammad Nabi opened the bowling against Royal Challengers and took 4 for 11, it might be a good idea to hold him back until Pant and Colin Ingram walk out to bat, to turn the ball away from the left-handers. His economy rate in the middle overs (7-15) is better than in Powerplays anyway: 5.30 compared to 6.10.
• The home side may want to open with legspin – Lamichhane – against Bairstow if the pitch is slow and low, as expected. Bairstow has been dismissed by legspinners all three times this IPL and averages 23 against them in all T20s since 2015.
• Sunrisers might not want to give Bhuvneshwar more than an over in the death, especially if they bowl first, given his poor recent form. His quota could be given to Rashid Khan, who has gone at 8.20 per over in the last five overs in the IPL since 2015, better than Bhuvneshwar’s 9.50 and Sandeep Sharma’s 10.

Stats that matter

• You’re set for a spectacular scrap no matter who bats first on Thursday. Opener Prithvi Shaw has scored only five runs off Bhuvneshwar’s 12 balls overall in T20s, although with no dismissals. On the other hand, Warner has struck Rabada for only 16 off 14 balls, being dismissed once.
• Only two batsmen had got the better of Rashid in the last IPL: Chris Gayle and Suresh Raina. Pant, another left-hander, will take confidence from that and his own record against Rashid in the IPL: 45 runs off 30 balls and only one dismissal. To add to that, Pant averages a whopping 62.80 and strikes at 162 against Sunrisers.
• Pandey will have to find a way to score against the left-arm spin of Axar Patel, if he is fielded. Pandey has scored 23 runs off 39 balls against Axar over the years, while being dismissed twice. He hasn’t scored particularly quickly against left-arm spin in the IPL since 2015 anyway, with a scoring rate of 116.20.
• What home advantage? Sunrisers’ IPL record in Delhi reads: five wins in seven games, winning 71.40% of the matches.