Category Uncategorized

Manchester United have enjoyed an impressive resurgence under manager Erik ten Hag this season, with the Dutchman having already guided the club to Carabao Cup glory, with further honours still potentially on the cards.

One member of the first-team squad who has largely been a bystander to proceedings at Old Trafford of late, however, is academy graduate, Brandon Williams, with the versatile full-back having fallen way down the pecking order in recent years.

While still only 22, it remains to be seen if the Englishman has a future under the former Ajax boss having made just a solitary, five-minute appearance this season in the League Cup triumph over Burnley back in December.

Although injury has hampered the youngster's involvement throughout the campaign, the fact that the Manchester-born menace has rarely featured in the matchday squad when he has been fit is telling of his woes, with it having been no surprise that the defender was seemingly open to a loan exit in January.

Despite such a move having failed to pan out, it would seemingly be wise for Ten Hag to allow the forgotten figure to move on at the end of the season, with it looking unlikely that Williams will be able to dislodge either Tyrell Malacia or Luke Shaw at left-back any time soon.

What salary is Brandon Williams on at Man United?

In truth, if the former England U21 international is now surplus to requirements at the Theatre of Dreams, it should well be something of a priority to move him on come the summer, with United currently having to fork out to pay his reported £65k-per-week salary.

That is a rather hefty amount for a player who appears unlikely to get a look in this term, with Williams set to have cost the club roughly £10.1m in wages by the end of the current campaign, as per FBref.

On recent evidence, that simply appears money wasted due to the defender's lack of action, with the 5 foot 7 man having also struggled somewhat on loan at Norwich City last season, with talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino stating that the full-back had "gone backwards" after his initial promise.

The peripheral dud had previously burst onto the scene under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the 2019/20 campaign, racking up 17 Premier League appearances in that breakthrough season, notably scoring in exquisite fashion in the 3-3 draw away to Sheffield United.

Despite also emerging as a regular fixture in both domestic and European cup competitions that season, Williams was unable to build on that early success in the following campaign, having made just four top-flight outings in total.

The player himself suggested that the lack of crowds during that Covid-19 impacted year was a contributing factor in his struggles, although his subsequent form for the Canaries – where he provided just one assist in 26 league appearances – was also rather uninspiring.

As such, it must surely be time for the former youth star to be moved on by Ten Hag sooner rather than later, with it looking increasingly unlikely that Williams will be able to ever establish himself back in the side.

Both players went for USD 160,000, with Jamaica Tallawahs picking the New Zealand opener and St Lucia Stars making the West Indies batsman the first pick of the draft

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Mar-2018Lendl Simmons and Martin Guptill fetched the biggest bids while Kieron Pollard was the biggest transfer in the CPL draft on Thursday in London. Simmons and Guptill, along with the quartet of Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo and Sohail Tanvir, were paid the maximum price of US$160,000 by their franchises.Having been released by the Jamaica Tallawahs, Simmons put himself up for a base price of $70,000 in the draft. He ended up as the first pick of this year’s draft after the St Lucia Stars, who finished bottom last season, picked the hard-hitting Trinidadian opener. Guptill, who smashed a 49-ball century in a T20I against Australia recently, had set his base price at $90,000. The New Zealand opening batsman had represented the Guyana Amazon Warriors last season, and was bagged by the Barbados Tridents this time around.The Tallawahs meanwhile retained Russell, who missed last year’s CPL since he was serving a one-year doping ban. Also retained were Gayle (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots) and Bravo (Trinbago Knight Riders). Tanvir, the highest-wicket taker in the previous edition of the CPL, was retained by the Amazon Warriors.This CPL draft saw the maximum transfers in the tournament’s five-year existence. None was bigger than that of Pollard. The Trinidadian had led the Barbados Tridents for the past four seasons, but this year asked the franchise, which is owned by the Indian businessman Vijay Mallya, to release him. The Stars were quick to grab Pollard in the marquee round, which has a price point of $130,000.The pre-decided marquee set of players did not enter the draft – the franchises directly negotiated contracts with them. Former Pakistan captains Shahid Afridi (Tallawahs) and Shoaib Malik (Amazon Warriors), explosive openers Evin Lewis (Patriots) and Chris Lynn (Knight Riders) completed the marquee set.While Afridi welcomed the news of being retained by the Tallawahs on his 38th birthday, Malik moved on from the Tridents. The Patriots retained Lewis with Lynn returning to the CPL having last played in the 2016 final for the Amazon Warriors.All six teams had to fill a total of 108 slots with squads limited to 18 players each. Having retained a total of 61 players, franchises had to pick 47 new names from the draft. Incidentally the first seven new picks were all batsmen: D’Arcy Short, Simmons, Hashim Amla, Guptill, Ross Taylor, David Miller and Cameron Delport. Pakistan quick Rumman Raees was the solitary fast bowler among the first 10 new picks, signed by St Lucia Stars in the fifth round for $70,000.Lack of availability was the key reason behind franchises opting to pass on almost all England and Afghanistan players. Alex Hales, Adil Rashid and Tymal Mills (along with Ashar Zaidi and Recordo Gordon) had put their names up for the draft despite the CPL running parallel to the Twenty20 Blast, with the finals of both tournaments separated by a day. Mills had set a base price of $70,000, Hales $40,000, and Rashid $30,000.With Afghanistan scheduled to play in the Asia Cup in September, as well as a recently scheduled series against Ireland that runs from August 20-31, the CPL had cautioned the franchises that the likes of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman would only be available for the start and end phases of the tournament. Rashid, who had represented the Amazon Warriors last season, did not put himself up for the draft. Nabi, who played for the Patriots last year, set his base price at $60,000. Mujeeb, a first-timer, set his base price at $30,000.The only Afghanistan player chosen was 17-year-old legspinner Qais Ahmad, who went in round 11 for $7500 to Stars. Qais claimed 14 wickets in five matches at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, including 4 for 33 against the hosts in the tournament quarterfinals. But with the logjam of spinners occupying main roles in the senior team – Rashid, Nabi, Mujeeb – Qais has yet to make his senior debut and is likely to be available for the whole of the CPL.In January Sandeep Lamichhane made history by becoming the first Nepal player in the IPL when he was signed by Delhi Daredevils. Lamichhane, a legspinner, also became the first Nepal player in the CPL, after the Patriots signed him in round 13 for $5,000. Incidentally, Lamichanne did not set any base price before entering the draft.Barbados TridentsMartin Guptill, Shakib Al Hasan, Hashim Amla, Dwayne Smith, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Raymon Reifer, Ashley Nurse, Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Tion Webster, Imran Khan, Dominic Drakes, Shamar Springer, Sunny Sohal, Chemar HolderGuyana Amazon WarriorsSohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Chadwick Walton, Cameron Delport, Rayad Emrit, Imran Tahir, Jason Mohammed, Luke Ronchi, Veerasammy Permaul, Roshon Primus, Shimron Hetmyer, Devendra Bishoo, Gajanand Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Saurabh Netravalkar, Akshaya PersaudJamaica TallawahsAndre Russell, Shahid Afridi, Imad Wasim, David Miller, Ross Taylor, Rovman Powell, Samuel Badree, Kemar Roach, Glenn Phillips, Andre McCarthy, Krishmar Santokie, Johnson Charles, Steven Taylor, Kennar Lewis, Steven Jacobs, Oshane Thomas, Elmore Hutchinson, Kirstan KallicharanSt Lucia StarsLendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, D’Arcy Short, Darren Sammy, Rumman Raees, Andre Fletcher, Mitch McClenaghan, Kesrick Williams, Niroshan Dickwella, Rakheem Cornwall, Qais Ahmad, Kavem Hodge, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Dasun Shanaka, Chris Lamont, Obed McCoy, Jaskaran Malhotra, Odean SmithSt Kitts & Nevis PatriotsChris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Ben Cutting, Carlos Brathwaite, Mahmudullah, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tom Cooper, Sheldon Cottrell, Brandon King, Devon Thomas, Graeme Cremer, Fabian Allen, Sandeep Lamichanne, Shamarh Brooks, Jeremiah Louis, Alzarri Joseph, Ibrahim Khaleel, Glen JavelleTrinbago Knight RidersDwayne Bravo, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, Khary Pierre, Ronsford Beaton, Junior Dala, Javon Searles, Terrance Hinds, Kevon Cooper, Nikita Miller, Anderson Philip, Hamza Tariq, Amir Jangoo

Sevilla's boss, Quique Sanchez Flores, has issued an update on Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejri's start to life on loan at the Spanish club.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mejri not included in squad
• Sanchez Flores issues statement on youngster
• Sevilla struggling in La Liga

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sanchez Flores was critical of the youngster's start to his loan spell at Sevilla and believes he needs time to adjust. The Spanish side saw off competition from Everton to sign the United youngster after including a buy option, although, as it stands, the chances of that option being activated seem low. The club announced that he would not be considered for selection for their game against Osasuna or for the foreseeable future.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT SANCHEZ FLORES SAID

  On Hannibal's exclusion, Sanchez Flores said: "After being with him, talking to him and having seen his first minutes in Girona, we are going to give him the necessary space to understand where he is, that he is at Sevilla and what it means.

  "In the end they are kids who have come and suddenly land in a huge club like Sevilla in circumstances of maximum demand. And they need a bit of location. And that location may be seen better from the outside than from the inside. You should take a step to understand what we want.

  "Let's see if the boy applies himself and I think that in the end he will understand perfectly what we want."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite being highly-rated and impressing in moments at United, Hannibal has struggled for minutes and consistency this season. The Tunisian has been unable to gel with team-mates in Seville and Sanchez Flores has deemed it necessary for him to take some time away from the first-team. It will worry United that what should have been a promising loan spell is in tatters already – but Hannibal has time to turn it around.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR HANNIBAL?

  The next five months in Spain will be incredibly slow and painful for Hannibal if he cannot win over the former Watford boss and find harmony in the Sevilla squad – nor will the Spanish side opt to sign him permanently. Meanwhile, Hannibal will be doing little to show his parent side that he is worth offering a new contract to, with his deal at United ending in 2025.

Wrexham sealed their first signing of the January transfer window, with goalkeeper Luke McNicholas penning a permanent deal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Wrexham sign McNicholas on a permanent deal
• Joined Welsh club in the summer on loan
• Parkinson impressed with "good young goalkeeper"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Red Dragons completed the signing of McNicholas on a short-term contract in the summer from Irish side Sligo Rovers, following Ben Foster's decision to hang up his gloves in the summer. McNicholas' contract had a buy-clause in January and Wrexham have now opted to activate it. Parkinson has been impressed with the shot-stopper, who has been the third-choice behind Arthur Okonkwo and Mark Howard.

Advertisement

• WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  The Wrexham coach stated: "When we signed Luke, we did so with the protection of an option to make his signing permanent this month, if he impressed us. He’s a good young goalkeeper, we’re enjoying working with him and he has impressed during his time with us, so we are delighted to complete his permanent signing."

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  McNicholas has represented Ireland at the Under-18 level and becomes the sixth Irish member in the Wrexham roster alongside James McClean, Anthony Forde, Thomas O'Connor, Eoghan O'Connell and Liam McAlinden.

  The 24-year-old said on the move: "I'm absolutely delighted. Since I’ve come over, I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been a great group to come into, they’ve been really welcoming, and I’m really pleased to finally make my deal here a permanent one. I’m going to keep pushing in training, and to continue learning from the goalkeepers at the club to hopefully get my chance and the number one spot at some point in the future."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  McNicholas is yet to make a League Two appearance but has played four times in the EFL Cup. It remains an uphill battle to replace Okonkwo between the sticks as the Arsenal loanee appears to be Parkinson's preferred choice.

  The Red Dragons are on course for back-to-back promotions as they are currently placed in second, just two points behind leaders Stockport. They return to action in League Two against Salford City on February 3, but before that take on Blackburn Rovers in an FA Cup fourth-round tie on Monday.

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham are "leading the fight" for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, and he is "ready" to make a move this summer.

Who will Spurs sign?

Ange Postecoglou will be fairly happy with his side's moves in the transfer window, with Spurs having sealed deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon on a free transfer.

The trio join both Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro in putting pen to paper on permanent moves to north London after their previous loan deals, but reports suggest the Lilywhites could add more new faces.

Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, confirmed that his club are looking to sign a centre-back to shore up a leaky defence which conceded 63 league goals last season.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou when asked about new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible."

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer have all been linked to joining for the defensive positions.

Meanwhile, it is also believed that Spurs want to sign a new midfielder to succeed Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who could well join Atletico Madrid.

Gallagher is a name attracting their serious interest, with London rivals West Ham and Spurs "leading the fight" for his services.

David Moyes' side have already seen a bid rejected for the 23-year-old, so a transfer won't be easy, but it is believed that Gallagher "ready" to leave Stamford Bridge.

Reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella wrote in The Evening Standard:

"Conor Gallagher is ready to leave Chelsea after being deemed surplus to requirements, with ­Tottenham and West Ham leading the fight for his signature.

"The 23-year-old, who scored in a 4-3 friendly win over Brighton in Philadelphia on Saturday and also in the 5-0 thrashing of Wrexham last week, is being offered to clubs."

How good is Conor Gallagher?

The midfielder struggled to gain consistent starting places for Chelsea last season, making half of his appearances from the bench (WhoScored).

However, Gallagher showcased his true quality on loan at Crystal Palace over 2021/2022, where the player ranked as their best-performing player per 90 whilst chipping in with eight goals and three assists (WhoScored).

Gallagher has also been praised by former Spurs star Jermaine Jenas, who told Match of The Day (via The Sun) that he is a "game-changer" and similar to Chelsea legend Frank Lampard.

“He reminds me a lot of Lampard," said Jenas.

"I think he is a game-changer aswell Conor Gallagher. He’s the type of player that you bring on and he has an impact on the game.

“He presses, gets himself in the box and creates chances. Also, he’s won a World Cup. He was part of the U17 World Cup-winning side so he understands tournament football and I’m pleased for Conor.”

CSA is hoping for Test status for the Boxing Day game against Zimbabwe, as the much-anticipated Test series against India has been reduced to three matches

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-20174:16

Four-day Tests on the cards

India’s tour to South Africa has been cut to three Tests from the original four, but will include an additional ODI, taking the total number of 50-over matches to six along with three T20s. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier in the week, India’s tour will begin with a late New Year’s Test which starts from January 5 at Newlands – three days later than the usual start for the festive fixture.Although South Africa have lost out on a Boxing Day Test against India, they host Zimbabwe for a four-day day-night match in Port Elizabeth, starting from December 26. Cricket South Africa is awaiting ICC approval before labelling the Zimbabwe fixture a Test.The confirmation of the India’s tour comes after months of speculation about when the tour would be finalised and whether South Africa would be able to host a 10-Test summer. That will only be possible if the Zimbabwe match is allowed to go ahead as a Test; CSA is confident the ICC will give them the green light at their October meeting in Auckland.For over a decade, the ICC has been hearing the case for four-day Tests and the discussion was taken up in earnest again this year. One of the key reasons for shortening Tests is to be able to save time on a tour and allow for more matches.An insider told ESPNcricinfo that CSA understands if four-day Tests are approved, they will only be played when decided by an MoU between member countries and they are more likely to be played between the so-called younger teams in Test cricket or when a top-tier team plays a lower-ranked opponent. South Africa hope to be pioneers in the format.After that match, they will turn their attention to India, who will arrive in South Africa on December 28, four days after their home series against Sri Lanka ends. India will have a two-day practice match in Paarl on December 30 and 31. India were understood to have wanted two warm-up matches, but there isn’t enough time.”The time constraints faced by India have forced us to reduce the Test matches to three, while increasing white-ball cricket to six ODIs and three T20I matches,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA CEO, said.Cape Town will host the first Test while venues are yet to be confirmed for the following two. Given the large Indian support base in Durban, Kingsmead is highly likely to host one of the matches which will leave the Wanderers in Johannesburg or SuperSport Park in Centurion to host the remaining Test. While the Wanderers is regarded as South Africa’s home of cricket, SuperSport Park may edge it out because it is the only one of the big five grounds that does not host Australia for a Test in March.

The transfer window officially opened for business last month and Tottenham Hotspur have been busy in their attempts to improve the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

They started the summer by bringing in Ange Postecoglou from Scottish giants Celtic as their new head coach and have made four first-team signings to date.

Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro have completed permanent moves to the club after their respective loan spells, and they have been joined by attacking midfielder James Maddison along with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs could still be in the market for further additions, however, and another new forward could be on the agenda after Lucas Moura departed on a free transfer.

Postecoglou could land the dream replacement for the Brazilian attacker by securing a deal to sign reported £50m transfer target, Jadon Sancho.

How many Premier League goals does Jadon Sancho have?

The England international has struck nine times in 55 Premier League appearances for Manchester United since his move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021.

His tally of 12 goals and six assists across 79 outings in all competitions for the Red Devils means that he has averaged a goal contribution every 4.39 matches on average during his time at Old Trafford so far.

Whereas, Moura produced 39 goals and 27 assists in 221 competitive clashes for Spurs, which was one involvement every 3.35 games on average.

Like United's Sancho, the former Paris Saint-Germain ace is capable of being deployed on either flank or through the middle of the pitch, which made him a versatile option for Tottenham over the years.

Postecoglou could utilise the ex-Manchester City prospect on the left or right wing in north London and this makes him a valuable player to have in the squad, particularly after Moura's departure, as he is not restricted to a specific role or position.

Sancho also has the potential to offer far more in the final third than he has shown at United so far as the 23-year-old wizard's performances for Dortmund suggest that there is an exceptional talent there to be unearthed.

Scout Jacek Kulig lauded the exciting forward as a "phenomenon" during his time in Germany and it is easy to see why when you delve into his statistics.

The English magician racked up 38 goals to go along with 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, which works out as a direct involvement every 1.17 outings on average.

Sancho recorded 12 or more league assists in each of his last three seasons in black and yellow and could come in as a much-needed creative spark for Postecoglou if the Australian head coach can get him back to his best.

Ivan Perisic was Tottenham's top assister with eight in the Premier League last term and he was one of only three players with more than five assists, which suggests that the club did not have an outstanding creator to provide the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son with regular service.

The United winger, who has not been able to hit top form at Old Trafford, has the untapped potential to be that player for Spurs. Therefore, Sancho could be an exceptional signing for Postecoglou and the dream replacement for Moura this summer.

India’s lower order propelled them to 600 before their bowlers left Sri Lanka five down and 247 short of the follow-on mark at stumps on day two

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy27-Jul-20171:38

Maharoof: Disappointed by Gunathilaka and Mendis dismissals

Swing, seam, pace and bounce. Dip, drift, turn and bounce. Ingredients that seemed largely absent when India piled on 600, their second-highest total in Sri Lanka, haunted the home side in their reply, as they ended the second day of the Galle Test five down with the follow-on mark still 247 runs away.Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami took the top order apart, even as Upul Tharanga hurtled along with a profusion of silken off-side boundaries. Then came R Ashwin, going around the wicket to left and right-handers alike, harnessing the sea breeze and testing both edges with drift, swinging arm balls, and the occasional instance of sharp turn. Over the course of an unbroken spell of 18 overs, he gradually discovered the ideal pace and angle of seam to extract the maximum possible help from the Galle pitch, and could have easily ended the day with more than one wicket.Umesh gave India their first breakthrough, in the second over of Sri Lanka’s innings. Swing did Dimuth Karunaratne in, a full ball curling back into the left-hander from over the wicket and forcing him to play around his front pad. He missed and reviewed Bruce Oxenford’s lbw decision, a wasted referral given there was no inside edge, and that the ball had pitched on middle stump and had straightened down that line.R Ashwin got drift and dip to be a constant threat•AFP

For a time, Danushka Gunathilaka, making his Test debut, matched Tharanga shot for shot, as the two left-handers drove repeatedly on the up during a second-wicket partnership of 61 at just under five an over. But he played one shot too many, feet rooted to the crease as he flashed at, and edged, a Shami delivery angled across him.Kusal Mendis, in at No. 4, had the misfortune of getting a Shami special when he was still to get off the mark. It hit the seam in the corridor, seamed away slightly with some extra bounce, and all he could do was nick it. Two times in five balls, Shikhar Dhawan was the catcher at first slip.The next two wickets fell during Ashwin’s long and endlessly tormenting spell. The first began with his drift and dip beating Tharanga in the air. Having jumped out of his crease and inside-edged into his pad, he turned and hurried back as the ball rolled towards Abhinav Mukund at silly point. Abhinav flicked the ball to the keeper, and when the bails came off, Tharanga’s bat, after a momentary grounding on the dive, had bounced up. A cruel end to an innings of 64 and a 57-run fourth-wicket stand with Mathews.Then came the wicket of another left-hander, Niroshan Dickwella, who pressed forward but found himself nowhere near the pitch of the ball, thanks to Ashwin’s dip. Extra bounce grabbed the shoulder of his jabbing defensive bat, and Mukund, diving right at silly point, took a superb, low one-hander.Mathews struggled initially against Ashwin, and on 32 survived an lbw decision reviewed by India when ball-tracking returned an umpire’s call verdict. He slowly grew in assurance, and ended the day batting on 54 with Dilruwan Perera for company. With Asela Gunaratne, who fractured his left thumb on the first day, unlikely to bat, Sri Lanka have quite a task ahead of them.An improved bowling display from Sri Lanka, led by Nuwan Pradeep, who finished with 6 for 132, threatened at various points to limit India’s total. But the lower order, led by Ashwin and the debutant Hardik Pandya, kept counter-punching.India lost both their overnight batsmen, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, inside 12 overs of the morning, both out to seam. Away-seam and extra bounce from Nuwan Pradeep found Pujara’s edge on 153, while Rahane, driving away from his body at a rare full ball from Lahiru Kumara, edged to slip.Despite the selection of Pandya, India stuck with Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha at Nos. 6 and 7, trusting their experience and proven firefighting abilities ahead of the debutant’s promise. Ashwin and Saha had put on three fifty partnerships and one double-century stand, and averaged 47.50 as a pair since the start of 2016. They combined once again to stall Sri Lanka’s momentum, adding 59 for the sixth wicket.Not for the first time in his career, Ashwin began finding the gaps almost as soon as he walked in, and took three fours from successive Herath overs, twice driving him through the off side and once stepping out to clip him between midwicket and mid-on. In all, he would hit seven fours in a 60-ball 47.Both fell in the space of six balls, with lunch imminent, and when Pradeep took his sixth wicket after the break, cleaning up Ravindra Jadeja with the bouncer-yorker double, Sri Lanka may have hoped for a quick end to the innings.As it turned out, India’s last two wickets added 83 in 71 balls in a burst of six-hitting. The quicks leaked runs in an effort to pepper the lower order with the short ball, and Herath kept get hitting back over his head, notably by Mohammed Shami who hit him for three sixes. Pandya hit three sixes too, all off Pradeep, two hooked over backward square leg and one whipped over midwicket.The dismissal of Shami, caught on the square-leg boundary off Kumara, ended a ninth-wicket stand of 62, but Sri Lanka’s ordeal wasn’t yet over. Umesh Yadav, India’s No. 11, also joined in the hitting spree, taking Kumara for a big six down the ground and Herath for the lofted four that brought up India’s 600.Pandya, who had brought up his half-century, off 48 balls, in the same Herath over, fell soon after, finding deep square leg while going after another short ball from Kumara.

The under-fire Gunners star was deployed in a surprising new position for his national team, but should he change roles at club level too?

The international break is not the most-popular concept among most Premier League fans. Many see it as an irritating interruption to the absorbing club season, but it can often provide some intriguing stories of its own.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann provided one of the most eye-catching narratives of the most recent pause by shockingly deploying Kai Havertz at left-back for Die Mannschaft's games against Turkey and Austria.

Havertz has played in a string of positions during his career so far – midfield, second striker, out wide and centre-forward. Still, nobody expected his versatility to extend as far as being able to play in a defensive role. Quizzed on his decision before the Turkey game, Nagelsmann responded in forthright fashion: "I have a great idea, he's an exceptionally good footballer. This is a very good option."

• Getty Images
  

  Nagelsmann's surprise pays off?

  Despite the ex-Bayern Munich boss' confidence, it was hard not to raise an eyebrow when Havertz trudged over to the left wing at the Olympiastadion in Berlin to take his place alongside Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rudiger and Benjamin Henrichs in the back four.

  However, inside five minutes, the Arsenal man had scored, sweeping home Leroy Sane's cross after the ball broke from a set-play. It was a nice moment, especially considering how badly Havertz has struggled in front of goal since joining the Gunners, but it told us little about how he might fare as a left-back long-term.

  As the game progressed, though, there were a few promising signs in this regard. Havertz scampered forward each time Germany were in possession, generally staying wide as opposed to coming inside, as is all the rage in the Premier League currently.

  Despite this attacking intent, he was not culpable for either of Turkey's first-half goals, matching up well against his opposite number. The blame for each of those must instead be apportioned to right-back Henrichs, whose positioning was lax for both strikes.

  Turkey's third, however, scored after Niclas Fullkrug had levelled the scores up in the 49th minute, did involve Havertz. He was penalised for handball in the box, rather unfortunately, when his arm was deemed to have been in an 'unnatural position' when it blocked Abdulkerim Barakci's volleyed cross. Yusuf Sari would then dispatch the resulting penalty.

  That moment aside, Havertz enjoyed a pretty solid first outing in his new role. He got up and down the wing, though his defensive positioning was a little suspect at times, and made a team-high five clearances, as well as registering two interceptions. He got on the ball far more frequently than he has been for his club recently too, registering more touches (63) than he's managed in all-but one of his Arsenal appearances so far.

  Nagelsmann was certainly impressed, saying at full-time: "Kai said he wanted to do it, wanted to try it. I don't see this as a risk for him, but as a very, very big opportunity to play a key role at the Euros. For a first time in an unfamiliar position, he did extremely well and probably was our best player."

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Don't back down, double down

  Not everyone was as enthused by the experiment, with Lothar Matthaus one of Nagelsmann's most vocal critics. The Germany legend wrote in his column: "It can’t be a permanent solution if we suddenly let one of the best German offensive players of recent years play full-back. This is also a slap in the face to those who have played there recently, even if there were problems on the left side of the defence."

  Nagelsmann was not deterred by this criticism, again fielding Havertz at left-back for his team's trip to Vienna. Germany repeated their ultra-attacking approach and were torn apart by Ralf Rangnick's side in transition. By the time Marcel Sabitzer made it 1-0 just before the half-hour mark, they could have already been two goals down.

  Things got even worse early in the second half when Leroy Sane was sent off for a brainless shove on Phillipp Mwene. That dismissal ended round two of the Havertz experiment early as he shifted to a right-sided attacking role before being subbed off 13 minutes from time – shortly after Christoph Baumgartner scored Austria's second.

  When he was at left-back, Havertz again looked comfortable enough defensively and carved open a few opportunities for his team-mates, finding an unmarked Sane with an inch-perfect crossfield pass late in the first half. But after the game, his new position was scarcely addressed. As one might expect, the significance of Germany succumbing to back-to-back defeats attracted far more interest.

• Getty
  

  Indicative of a wider malaise

  This latest pair of worrying results continue the trend of Germany's long-term demise as a footballing superpower, with both the men's and women's senior sides exiting their most recent World Cups in the group stage.

  It's not just on-field results that are the issue either. There is also a startling lack of connection between the national team and the supporters, with many fans choosing to boycott Qatar 2022. Havertz himself addressed this recently, saying: "We had no support. There were also other reasons for this, we understand that. But there was also no support in terms of football. We were on our own."

  The reasons for this severing of emotional ties are complex. One key issue is the perceived overcommericalisation of the national team, but the chaos in the dugout and on the pitch has certainly not helped things either. Hansi Flick was supposed to bring some order on the men's side, but failed, becoming the first Germany manager to ever be sacked in September following a terrible run of results.

  Nagelsmann had offered some hope in the previous international break, leading the team to positive results against the United States and Mexico, but the Turkey and Austria defeats have swiftly extinguished hopes of a swift revival. It's clear that the new coach is still not sure what he wants the team to be. Opting to play Havertz in a brand new role speaks to this, even if left-back has been a real problem area over the past few years.

  He tried to explain his gung-ho approach after the Austria game, saying: "We're not defensive monsters. We won’t be defensive monsters next summer either. That's not us. Our players play at clubs where they have to focus less on defence and more on attack."

  It's a bold way to play, especially with a tournament around the corner, and the stress of potentially having to thrive in an unfamiliar position is unlikely to help Havertz get back to his best at club level any time soon.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Havertz looks absolutely lost

  Despite its challenges, the international break likely came as welcome respite for the £65-million ($81.5m) man. The stats since Havertz joined Arsenal from Chelsea this summer make for grim reading.

  He's managed just one goal and one assist in 19 appearances so far, with his poor 2022-23 form for the Blues bleeding over into the current season. It's not just the lack of attacking output that's been concerning either. Even Havertz's most staunch supporters would struggle to defend his start in north London.

  There's a growing list of grimace-inducing moments that will have worried manager Mikel Arteta: his air kick against Manchester United, him somehow avoiding a red card at Newcastle and that pitiful first-minute header in the Sevilla game. More generally, there's a feeling that he looks a little lost each time he takes to the field, with his body language being criticised.

  He's underperformed his Premier League xG by a team-high 1.2 this season and isn't carving out many chances much either; 14 Arsenal players are averaging more shot-creating actions in the Premier League this season.

With the Egyptian expected to move to Saudi Arabia next summer, rumours are rife that the Reds are already searching for a worthy successor

Liverpool's decision to reject all offers from Al-Ittihad for Mohamed Salah just before the close of the transfer window has been fully vindicated, with their Egyptian king one of the main reasons why they're back in the top four of the Premier League right now and dreaming of a surprise title challenge.

However, while the Reds' refusal to let the winger leave was utterly unsurprising, given his ongoing importance to Jurgen Klopp's team, the feeling was that they were merely postponing the inevitable. It's still difficult to see Salah moving during the January transfer window, no matter how much money is on the table, but next summer could be a very different story altogether.

After all, he will turn 32 next June and have just one year left on his contract, so it would make perfect sense for Liverpool to belatedly cash in on their talismanic attacker. Of course, finding a replacement will not be easy, even if there are some excellent options.

However, right now, one name is generating more transfer rumours than most – Leroy Sane. And while it's easy to understand why Liverpool might view the Bayern Munich man as their ideal Salah successor, a certain degree of scepticism among the supporters is also understandable.

• Getty
  

  A familiar foe

  Liverpool know all about how dangerous Sane can be. During his time at Manchester City, he scored four times against the Reds, whom he consigned to their only defeat during the 2018-19 Premier League campaign – which, of course, played a pivotal role in the outcome of one of the greatest and most closely fought title races in history.

  However, the fans will also remember that by the time of that epic encounter at the Etihad, Sane was no longer a certain starter. He may have scored a career-high 16 goals that season, but speculation was already mounting that Sane wanted out.

  Guardiola certainly did little to hide the fact that he was no longer entirely happy with the 2017-18 PFA Young Player of the Year. The issue was Sane's work-rate. Guardiola felt the youngster wasn't fulfilling his defensive duties when City were out of possession and admitted that he was frustrated by Sane's famously laid-back attitude as he believed it was holding the forward back.

  "I am so demanding of him and sometimes I like to be critical of him," the Catalan coach confessed to reporters in April 2019. "We know his potential and we want to help him to be more consistent in his game."

  Guardiola failed in that regard, though, with Sane belatedly completing a transfer to Bayern in 2020 after the deal had been held up by a serious knee injury sustained in a Community Shield clash with Liverpool the year before.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Further struggles in Munich

  The change of scenery did little to remove the doubts surrounding Sane. If anything, they increased because many in Munich felt that the attacker simply wasn't right for Bayern; that he lacked the doggedness, determination and winning mentality demanded at the Allianz Arena.

  Sane continued to score goals, hitting double figures in all competitions in each of his first three seasons at the club, but sparkled only sporadically.

  When he first arrived, he spoke enthusiastically about playing under Hansi Flick, whom he first came across while playing for Germany's Under-21s. However, it later emerged that Flick had actually been pushing for the Bavarians to sign Timo Werner instead. This, then, was a deal very much of Hasan Salihamidzic's doing, as even Sane had admitted himself, explaining that the sporting director had been "behind the transfer from the first moment".

  In that context, it's perhaps unsurprising that Sane struggled. Flick regularly questioned his work ethic and rarely gave him a full 90 minutes.

• Getty
  

  Positional problems

  The arrival of Julian Nagelsmann looked like the turning point in Sane's spell at the Allianz Arena, with the new, young coach giving him an inside-left role, which he relished, as he was part-winger, part-No.10. Indeed, during the first half of the 2021-22 season, Sane looked perfectly primed to become a bona fide superstar, netting 10 times before the winter break, with half of those goals coming during an electrifying Champions League group-stage campaign.

  However, as he admitted himself, Bayern's season then screeched to a standstill and they were sensationally dumped out of Europe by Villarreal. Many pundits blamed Nagelsmann's decision to change formation, from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3 that saw Sane moved back to the right, where his output dipped dramatically. He would score just four goals after Christmas and looked a shadow of his former self.

  His frustration was obvious, too, and the fans became enraged by his air of resignation. Talk of a move away from Munich only intensified as Nagelsmann's reign unravelled earlier this year. The word was that Bayern were open to offers for their €60 million (£52m/$63m) signing.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Right coach at the right time?

  It wasn't initially clear if Thomas Tuchel taking over from Nagelsmann, who was sensationally sacked in March, was a positive or negative development for Sane. The former Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach has a reputation for asking a lot of his forwards from a defensive perspective, but at the same time, he managed to get something approaching the very best out of enigmatic characters like Neymar and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

  Tuchel also primarily deployed Sane on the right during the first weeks of his tenure and there was no marked improvement in the winger's performances. However, behind the scenes, the pair were bonding.

  Despite the ongoing transfer talk, Tuchel was adamant that Sane had a key role to play in his side. He was convinced that he was the right coach to extract the absolute maximum out of one of the game's great unfulfilled talents.

  Putting Sane back on the left certainly helped, but it was clear that there was more to it than that. There was, as Tuchel put it, "good chemistry" between the pair, so when he challenged Sane to dominate the Bundesliga, the winger obliged.

  He's already well on his way towards obliterating his previous best goals tally for a single season (eight), having struck six times in seven outings in 2023-24, and Tuchel enthused after the 3-0 win over Freiburg just before the international break, "If he continues to play with that kind of freedom, hunger and positive body language, he can make the difference.”

  As for Sane, he's in no doubt that Tuchel is not only "the right person for Bayern" – but also him as a player. "I talk to him a lot," he recently admitted. "He gives me a very good feeling and I feel a lot of trust."