Rest of India lost a wicket off the first ball of the third day of the Irani Cup
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2025 Vidarbha strengthened their grip on the Irani Cup fixture by taking a sizeable first-innings lead against Rest of India and then extending it to 224 on the third day in Nagpur.The day began with Rest of India on 142 for 5 in response to Vidarbha’s 342, with their captain Rajat Patidar and Manav Suthar at the crease. Vidarbha fast bowler Aditya Thakare struck with the first ball of the day, dismissing Suthar lbw after successfully reviewing the umpire’s not-out decision.Yash Thakur took the next two wickets, bowling Saransh Jain with a yorker and having Akash Deep caught at cover. Patidar had resumed his innings on 42 and got to 66 with ten boundaries before he was the penultimate wicket to fall – caught off fast bowler Harsh Dubey while trying to clear the long-off boundary.Thakur picked up the final wicket to dismiss Rest of India for 214, finishing with figures of 4 for 66 and giving Vidarbha a first-innings lead of 128.Vidarbha’s openers Atharva Taide and Aman Mokhade put on 42 for the first wicket in the second innings before Taide holed out to deep midwicket off Suthar. Mokhade fell for 37 in the 24th over, caught behind while trying to hook Gurnoor Brar. From 64 for 2, Dhruv Shorey and Danish Malewar steered Vidarbha to 96 at stumps, ahead by 224 runs with eight wickets in hand.
Tensions boiled over during Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Ecuador as Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister clashed with new Arsenal signing Piero Hincapie. The pair exchanged heated words after a late incident in stoppage time, sparking headlines both in South America and the Premier League. After the fiery exchange, Mac Allister later sent a message to his rival.
Mac Allister clashed with Arsenal’s Hincapie in fiery duel
Ecuador beat Argentina for their first home win since 2009
Mac Allister claps back at Hincapie with Instagram post
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The drama unfolded when McAllister confronted Hincapie after a heavy late challenge involving Franco Mastantuono. The Liverpool midfielder pushed the Ecuadorian defender, and the two exchanged words before being separated by teammates. Hincapie had the last laugh on the field, as Ecuador sealed a famous win over Argentina.
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WHAT MAC ALLISTER SAID
Mac Allister later clapped back at Hincapie on Instagram as he posted an edit of him pushing the Arsenal star with the caption: "YOU ARE NOT LIKE THAT!"
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The spat adds intrigue to what could become one of the Premier League’s most interesting new rivalries. Hincapie has joined Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen in a £45 million deal, while Mac Allister has been an important figure for Liverpool since his arrival. With both players central to their clubs’ midfield battles, this fiery international clash may carry over to England in the league title race.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MAC ALLISTER AND HINCAPIE?
The pair will not be able to face off on the field in the Premier League until January, when Arsenal host Liverpool at the Emirates. In the meantime, Mac Allister will be back in action with Liverpool against Burnley on Sunday, while Arsenal face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Despite Head’s century New South Wales ended the second day on top at Adelaide Oval
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2019South Australia 7 for 222 (Head 109) trail New South Wales 289 (Solway 133*, Nevill 53, Sayers 8-64)With the decision looming on Australia’s Test batting line-up, Travis Head made a timely century against a strong New South Wales attack to shore up South Australia’s first innings at Adelaide Oval although the visitors ended the second day with the advantage.Head, who was left out of the final Ashes Test when Australia rebalanced their side with Mitchell Marsh, had made an unconvincing start to the first-class season with a scratchy half-century on a flat pitch at Junction Oval before scores of 0 and 12 against Queensland.However, he was named in the Australia A side to face Pakistan in Perth later this month in what is billed as a showdown for probably two batting spots with Head vying for a middle-order role. He will now enter that game with confidence having brought up his 11th first-class hundred from 200 deliveries with a boundary off Australia team-mate Josh Hazlewood, but he could not reach the close as Hazlewood hit back during an impressive spell with the second new ball.There was less from the rest of the batting order than he would have liked. Trent Copeland struck early to trap Jake Weatherald lbw although the batsman indicated he got an inside edge and Callum Ferguson edged to gully. Copeland struck again when a Henry Hunt got into a tangle against a short ball to leave South Australia 3 for 68.Tom Cooper helped Head added 73 for the fourth wicket only to send a top edge to fine leg where Hazlewood took a well-judged catch. Another 50-run partnership followed before Nathan Lyon earned reward for a probing spell by having Harry Nielsen caught at slip, the batsman happy to take the word of Copeland that the ball had carried.When Tom Andrews was caught behind off Moises Henriques shortly before the second new ball New South Wales were firmly on top and the removal of Head left them sensing a handy lead.The day had started with New South Wales seven down in their first innings and Chadd Sayers claimed two of the remaining wickets to finish with a career-best 8 for 64. Debutant Daniel Solway, who marked the opening day with a century, finished unbeaten on 133.
The MET office has delivered an update amid fears Liverpool's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid could be postponed due to extreme weather. A yellow weather warning was issued ahead of the match warning of gusty winds that could disrupt travel and cause power outages.
Harsh weather condition in Merseyside
The MET office's initial forecast carried a warning of strong winds interrupting road, rail, and ferry travel, with coastal communities put on alert for spray and waves as the weather front moved in. The forecast was put in place from Sunday evening to Monday, which raised concerns over the midweek Champions League game at Anfield.
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Fresh update from MET Office
Fortunately for Liverpool and Atletico fans, the MET Office has issued a new update confirming that severe weather conditions will subside before the ball is kicked at Anfield on Wednesday evening. The heavyweight European encounter is expected to go ahead as planned with no further formal warnings issued.
Liverpool protecting perfect record
Arne Slot's Liverpool side have begun their Premier League title defence with four consecutive wins, including a narrow 1-0 victory at Burnley last time out. In stark contrast, Diego Simeone's Atletico have only won one of their opening four La Liga matches and are currently down in 11th in the table.
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Atletico missing key players
Atletico will head to Liverpool without star striker Julian Alvarez and USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso. While the former Manchester striker suffered a knee injury in the club's 2-0 win against Villarreal at the weekend, Cardoso picked up a sprain during Monday's training session, and both men were left out of Simeone's final 22-man squad.
Black African Cricket Club questions new CSA director of cricket’s understanding of development agenda
Firdose Moonda27-Dec-2019Graeme Smith has assured South Africans of all races that he is committed to transformation after he was criticised by the Black African Cricket Clubs (BACC), who held a meeting at the Wanderers on Friday. The group, which formed in 2011 after a racially charged split in the Central Gauteng Lions, aim to reposition and grow black African cricket and expressed their mistrust in the current administration’s ability to do that.Smith was not present at the meeting, nor has he been directly approached by the BACC yet. South Africa’s new director of cricket was working in Centurion, venue for the first Test with England, but when asked for comment, he issued this statement saying he understood concerns among the black community about putting “their trust in a white man of my background”.”I’m fully aware that in times of change in any organisation there will be instances of uncertainty and distrust from members of certain groups,” he said. “I’m also well aware that in South Africa, it will take a lot for some members of the black community to put their trust in a white man of my background. I can assure them however that I fully intend to do my best to advance the transformation agenda of Cricket South Africa and ensure that young black African players are given the opportunity that they deserve to reach the highest levels in all areas of the game.”Smith’s acknowledgement of his own privilege came in response to an accusation that he does not fully grasp the black African experience, which is steeped in the legacy of Apartheid segregation. In cricket terms, that is best illustrated by national representation where only eight black African players have been capped at Test level, out of the 107 players since readmission, which speaks to the differences in opportunity and is the BACC’s main concern.”You are sitting with a director of cricket who has the responsibility to develop everyone,” BACC chairman, Ntsongo Sibiya, said. “I am not sure what he understands about a kid in Soweto or in a rural area. I don’t think he understands those dynamics. If you were a black man and Graeme Smith becomes director of cricket, would you trust him to develop your side? I am saying Graeme Smith, the position, not Graeme Smith, the man. I am talking about the director of cricket position. It is a critical position. It needs to be managed. It needs to make sure it does what this country needs. It needs to be someone that thoroughly understands.”In an effort not to concentrate the conversation on race alone, the BACC put forward other names for the director of cricket position, who they believe have more experience in transformation. “Had you said Adrian Birrell or Greg Hayes was the director of cricket, none of us would have complained. They have a track record over time of producing black cricketers,” Lewis Manthata, a BACC member, said.Birrell and Hayes are both from the Eastern Cape, the heartland of black African cricket, and have worked in rural cricket programmes for many years. While Hayes was instrumental in Makhaya Ntini’s development, Birrell has worked as recently as 2017 as the national assistant coach. Smith, despite captaining his country for 11 years, has not worked in development.”There is no one currently in the system who understands how to develop a black African child,” Sibiya said. “We have a lot of players who have come through the system but they don’t make it all the way, not because of ability but because the system halts them and does not allow them to go to the next level.”He pointed to economic issues, such as the differences required in equipment for different kinds of cricketers and the dearth of facilities in townships, as examples. “To produce a bowler, all you need is a pair of spikes,” Sibiya said. “To produce a batter, you need a R10,000 (US$700) bat. You need support. If you look at Temba Bavuma, he has got that support. How do we make sure any boy with potential can come through?”Essentially that speaks to a class issue, which is inevitably tied up with race in South Africa. Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada are both from wealthy backgrounds, while even the likes of Ntini, Lungi Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo, who are from more modest beginnings, received scholarships to top schools, where they excelled.Therein lies the BACC’s greatest concern – they want to be able to produce a cricketer from an underprivileged area, who is also allowed to develop there. They have called on the government, CSA (despite its debt forecasts), and the corporate world to provide the funds for this to be made possible. “How do you expect players of colour to come through if there is no investment?” Manthata said. “Government has a responsibility to invest but they have far more important issues to deal with. It’s the responsibility of federations and those with monopoly power.”That presents a conundrum. South Africa’s past has created a present where the wealth of the country is more prevalent in some demographics (ie. non-black African), but for transformation to succeed it needs the buy-in of all races. The BACC, whose names suggests otherwise, claim their meetings, which will be taken around the country soon, are open to all. They also said their agenda covers all players of colour even though it is most concerned with black African players.”The meeting said anyone that has vested interests in black African people can attend,” Sibiya said. “We had white people, we had coloured people. It was a black African agenda but not necessarily a black African meeting. We are looking at transformation generally and black Africans in particular as the most marginalised group from the past.”South Africa went into the Centurion Test – the first since Smith took the director of cricket job and appointed Mark Boucher as head coach – with only four non-white players, including one black African, which is shy of the transformation target of six and two, although injuries to Bavuma and Ngidi have limited the selectors’ options.
Louis van Gaal has revealed that his former employers Bayern Munich attempted to reappoint him in the summer before hiring Vincent Kompany.
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Van Gaal was approached by Bayern
Rejected the opportunity
Kompany appointed instead
WHAT HAPPENED?
Van Gaal has revealed that Bayern made an approach to appoint him after the departure of Thomas Tuchel. The club eventually hired Vincent Kompany from Burnley in a shock move but the Dutchman says he could have returned to the club he managed between 2009 and 2011.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
During his time in Germany, Van Gaal won the Bundesliga in 2009-10 and also lifted the DFB-Pokal. They were beaten Champions League finalists, too, and Bayern were seemingly keen on handing the ex-Manchester United boss a way back into the game. He has been out of work since leaving his post as Netherlands manager in 2022. Bayern also approached Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann but were rejected by both.
WHAT VAN GAAL SAID
Speaking to RTL, van Gaal said he rejected the offer immediately as he is only interested in managing at international level.
He said:“As a national team coach, you’re busy for most periods and during the year you scout with your staff. That could still be possible."
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WHAT NEXT?
Bayern play Tottenham twice in quick succession as they continue their preparations for the new season. Their first competitive fixture of the season comes against Ulm in the DFB-Pokal.
Everton are eyeing up a move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher in the summer transfer window as Frank Lampard looks to utilise his connections at the west London club.
What’s the word?
According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, the Toffees are looking at signing the 22-year-old ahead of next season, having excelled whilst on loan at Crystal Palace during the 2021/22 campaign.
Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, Thomas Tuchel will reportedly look to include Gallagher in his pre-season plans at Chelsea, although this might not translate to a first-team berth, with Lampard remaining on red alert for news of any opportunity to bring the midfielder to Everton.
Lampard could love to sign Gallagher
Everton retained their Premier League status with a stunning comeback win over Gallagher’s Palace on Thursday night, but this still won’t be enough to satiate the frustration of supporters after a dreadful campaign.
Lampard will seriously need to re-evaluate the playing squad and look to improve the spine of the team ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Signing Gallagher would be a bold but wise move, as Lampard could build the Everton side around the England international given his tender years and burgeoning talent.
In all competitions this term, the 22-year-old has scored eight times (including a wonder strike against the Toffees in December) and provided five assists as Palace have had a solid start to life under Patrick Vieira.
Gallagher’s stats for this season on loan at Selhurst Park are excellent. Compared with positional peers in the big five European leagues, he ranks in the 96th percentile for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.06 per 90), the 97th percentile for non-penalty goals (0.25), and the 91st percentile for pressures (24.51).
These figures clearly show that, despite his young age, he is performing at an incredible level across several aspects of his game, and his presence in the Everton midfield could only be a good thing for the Toffees.
Having been dubbed “outrageous” earlier in the season, it’s no wonder the midfielder has gone on to make his England debut over the past six months.
With only Richarlison at Everton scoring more goals this season (10) than Gallagher, Lampard should be planning to make the Chelsea man his first signing of the summer.
Indeed, with the 22-year-old citing the current Toffees manager as his boyhood idol, and with the 43-year-old knowing what the youngster can do from his own time in charge at Stamford Bridge, Lampard might love to reunite with Gallagher at Goodison Park if at all possible.
AND in other news, Forget Richarlison: Everton “nightmare” with 17 duels won was their real star against Palace
It could be said that the 2022/223 campaign was one to forget for Liverpool, but then Jurgen Klopp will be keen for his squad to remember the suffering after years of success.
The esteemed manager has rectified the problems with sweeping changes to the midfield last summer and Liverpool are now fighting for silverware once again, topping the Premier League table after 20 matches and into the latter stage of both the Carabao Cup (semi-finals) and the Europa League (round-of-16).
Liverpool eyeing £78m "Rolls-Royce" who could be the next Saliba
Jurgen Klopp would make a clear statement of intent by completing this transfer in 2024.
By
Angus Sinclair
Jan 5, 2024
Liverpool have multiple options across each area of the pitch but it would be naive and short-sighted to assume that reinforcements would not benefit the pursuit of a grand finish to the 'rebuilding' campaign.
Klopp's side, it would seem, are ahead of schedule, and while this may be the case, the current transfer window must surely then be used to preserve this pleasing position at the front of the pack.
Liverpool transfer news – Morten Frendrup
According to a report from the Liverpool Echo's Paul Gorst at the start of the month, Klopp is looking for a new operator at No. 6 and has identified Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup for transfer.
However, with Tutto Juve since revealing that Liverpool could be joined in their interest by London clubs Crystal Palace and West Ham United, who are seemingly enticed by the bargain €10m (£9m) price tag, this deal must be tied up swiftly if he is indeed deemed worthy of a move to Merseyside.
Ideally, scouts and the club's technical director Jorg Schmadtke would continue to assess the player's development until the summer but with rival competition and a low value, plans may well be accelerated over the coming weeks.
Morten Frendrup's style of play
Described as a midfield "destroyer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – who also dubbed him a "superb talent" – Frendrup is noted for his pace, passing, athleticism, positioning, tenacity and tackling.
Having chalked up 70 appearances for Genoa since moving from his homeland in 2021, and after guiding them back into Serie A before the summer, he has been immense over the past months, starting all 18 league matches in 2023/24 and racking up four assists.
While Frendrup might appear amiable and unassertive, he is a veritable monster on the pitch and has been the life force for his club, with his no-nonsense defensive work and unwavering protection of the backline striking fear into opponents.
While he is comparatively inexperienced on the major stage, the 22-year-old is unquestionably talented and could be an astute addition to a team already boasting options in the No. 6 role.
As a holding midfielder, he is diametrically opposed to Alexis Mac Allister, who is not the cleanest defensively but is technically brilliant and offers a range of passing that allows him to pull the strings from the heart of the field.
Morten Frendrup: Key Characteristics
Strengths
Weaknesses
Tackling
Ball retention
Aerial duels
Passing
Intercepting
Blocking
*Sourced via WhoScored
As per FBref, Frendrup ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 7% for assists and the top 11% for blocks per 90, showcasing his blend of creativity and defensive ability.
The 5 foot 10 ace is without a doubt one of the toughest-tackling players in Italian football and has averaged 4.0 tackles and 6.7 ball recoveries per game this term, as per Sofascore, also succeeding with 66% of his duels.
Whether such prowess would translate to life on English shores remains to be seen, and while his passing is not the crispest – he ranks among the bottom 27% of midfielders for pass completion – this could be improved over the coming years.
Why Liverpool should sign Morten Frendrup
With Mac Allister and summer signing Wataru Endo, aged 30, Liverpool's options in the deep-lying midfield right now, it's understandable that another player is being targetted.
The former is naturally played in a more creative role, while Endo was a surprise summer signing from German Bundesliga side Stuttgart for £16m in August, after the Reds' high-profile transfer battle with Chelsea for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia leaving Klopp empty-handed and hot under the collar.
But having won the club's Player of the Month for December, Liverpool have proved themselves in the market once again with a shrewd purchase, and Frendrup could repeat the feat.
Earlier, it was highlighted that Frendrup's passing is one of the weaker facets to his game, but then the same could have been said for Endo last season.
Last year in Germany, Endo only completed 80% of his passes from defensive midfield; in the Premier League this season, he boasts an 87% pass success rate – with the right coaching and tools, Frendrup could emulate this.
Schmadtke pulled something of a blinder with this one, and under Klopp's guidance and among a crop of players challenging for a place at the forefront of European football, the Japan captain has developed and deepened his skill set despite his 30 years of age.
Klopp likes fluidity and he demands his players to have a combination of skills to effectively contribute to the system, while Endo is a bit more straightforward in his craft than say, Mac Allister or Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich (who has recently been linked with Liverpool), he has showcased his best qualities tremendously over the past few months.
Liverpool's Wataru Endo.
In a world dominated by extravagant expenditure and high-profile rumours leading the discourse throughout the transfer window, Liverpool have often delved down the less-trodden path to secure players to improve Klopp's squad.
Admittedly, Endo was not the German manager's first choice, but with Caicedo yet to live up to the price tag and Lavia ravaged by injury in west London, the former Stuttgart star has shone.
The Kimmich's of the world would boost the Reds, there is no doubt about that, but Frendrup could be shaped into a true world-beater, and the Anfield side would not be foolhardy to repeat the feat with Frendrup, who has the trappings of a midfield machine in the making.
Arsenal had to sit on the sidelines and watch the FA Cup action over the weekend, but following their thumping 5-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out, spirits are high.
That said, the arrival of a new face before the transfer window slams shut this week could help further lift the mood, especially as the latest name touted for a move to N5 could mimic Leandro Trossard's fantastically successful move last January.
What's better is that this player's finishing ability has been compared to arguably the greatest Premier League player of all time: Thierry Henry.
Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
Conducting the right transfer has become something of an art form in the modern game, with a plethora of different strategies and ways of looking at the market, but in this case, it seems as if Arsenal are simply looking to repeat the same trick they pulled last year and head to the Amex for their latest star.
According to reports from Spain, the Gunners are keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion ace Karou Mitoma, either this month or in the summer if it comes to that.
The report has revealed that it is Mikel Arteta himself who is pushing for this transfer, although the club are set to face some stiff competition, with Manchester United and Manchester City both big fans of the Japanese international and keen to add him to their ranks this year.
If the north Londoners can get their man this month, it would be the second January in a row in which they have signed the Seagulls' premier winger. However, with the Mirror reporting last month that any deal would cost in the region of £70m, it would be a far more expensive transfer than the one for the Belgian.
How Mitoma compares to Arsenal's left-wingers
The Gunners are blessed with an incredibly talented team – of that there can be no doubt – and while this talent certainly extends to the left wing in the shape of Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, it stops there, and neither one has lit the league alight this season.
On a pure league goals and assists basis, the Japanese superstar has his potential new teammates beat, registering three goals and four assists in just 17 appearances.
In comparison, the Belgian has scored four times and assisted once in 17 appearances, and the Brazilian has four goals and two assists in his 19 league appearances.
Mitoma vs Martinelli vs Trossard
Stats
Mitoma
Martinelli
Trossard
Appearances
17
19
17
Goals
3
4
4
Assists
4
2
1
Goal Involvements
7
6
5
The "insane" 26-year-old, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, isn't just impressive because of his numbers, though, as in his short time in the Premier League, he has already racked up quite the catalogue of impressive goals and mazy runs.
In fact, his finishing was something that former teammate Christian Burgess flagged to Sky Sports, with the Englishman claiming that Mitomoa "finishes like Thierry Henry," which could be just the thing to convince Arsenal fans that he is a player worth signing, and when you watch his goal compilations, it's impossible to miss.
Ultimately, with the opportunity to end the club's two-decade title drought still within reach and Martinelli and Trossard not quite at the races this season, signing Mitoma should take precedence as one of the Gunners' critical objectives before the window ends.
Moreover, the sight of a left-sided forward bursting down the wing before gently guiding the ball into the far corner has been missing from the Emirates for far too long.
Julian Gressel says the return to action of Lionel Messi after injury should have Inter Miami’s MLS rivals feeling “a little bit scared”.
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All-time great recovering from ankle knock
No risks being taken on his fitness
Could return after the international break
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi has not taken in a club appearance since mid-June, when he left Tata Martino’s camp in Florida and linked up with the Argentina national team for Copa America duty. He lifted the trophy at the end of that competition, but suffered an unfortunate ankle injury in the final.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Messi has been eased back to fitness since returning to Chase Stadium, with no risks being taken, and Inter Miami have continued to fare admirably without him. Martino has, however, indicated that his talismanic No.10 could return to action against the Philadelphia Union on September 14.
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WHAT GRESSEL SAID
Argentina left Messi out of their latest World Cup qualification squad, giving him time to work on his recovery in the United States, and Gressel has told of welcoming the all-time great back: “It’s Lionel Messi, I don’t think I really need to say much on what contribution he brings here. We’ve been very good without him, now you add a player like him into this team, and I’m sure other teams are looking at that and are a little bit scared of us. He has a couple of weeks to get back to game fitness, and hopefully he can join us on the field for the next game.”
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WHAT NEXT?
Inter Miami have pulled eight points clear at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference, as they chase down the Supporters’ Shield, and will hope to have a fully fit Messi firing on all cylinders when entering the post-season play-offs.