Gary Neville has explained how “scrawny and erratic” Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated Manchester United before turning into a “machine”.
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Portuguese joined Red Devils in 2003Was a tricky winger that didn't track backMorphed into a record-setting forwardWHAT HAPPENED?
The Portuguese superstar was acquired by the Red Devils in 2003 and charged with the task of filling David Beckham’s boots at Old Trafford – as he inherited the iconic No.7 shirt from an England international that had left for Real Madrid.
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Ronaldo would go on to tread that transfer path himself, but only after completing a remarkable transformation from lightweight tricky winger into a fearsome record-breaking frontman – with the first of his five Champions League and Ballon d’Or honours claimed while on the books in Manchester.
WHAT NEVILLE SAID ABOUT RONALDO
Gary Neville was initially sceptical, with Ronaldo nothing like Beckham, but has told – brought to you by Sky Bet – of how CR7 transitioned from show pony to all-time great: “When Ronaldo came, he was quite scrawny and had not developed his body. His decision making was erratic, if he should have crossed it, he dribbled, if he should’ve dribbled, he crossed it. He always frustrated the players in the middle, because he’d go to cross it and they’d make the run and then he would turn back. He was all over the place and I actually lost faith with him because he wasn’t delivering in an attacking sense, but he also didn’t run back that much – he wasn’t really helping. Whereas Becks, he was always running back and we were always doubling up – I always had help. It was quite frustrating. In 2006, he scored (against England) and that’s when he knocked us out of the World Cup in Germany. He came back and all of a sudden his physique and his body had changed and that season, in 2006, when we first won the league again, he had a transformation into this machine, and I think he scored 35-40 goals.”
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Neville added on how Ronaldo has achieved his remarkable longevity, with the evergreen forward still going strong at 39 while younger former team-mates are already retired: “Their body shapes were different [Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney], I say that respectfully in terms of Wazza had more of a square, strong shape. Whilst Cristiano had this physique like a super middleweight boxer, he was in the gym everyday doing pre activation. He would stay afterwards [training] and do all sorts, the ice bath, he had all of the stuff in his house. To be fair, Wazza, if you ask him, liked to drink and go out a little bit, and his body shape was different, but they were both unbelievable players. Cristiano just went on and he is still going on now, you’ve seen what he has got, I mean it's unbelievable.”
Glasgow Rangers made the decision to part ways with English head coach Michael Beale at the start of last month and quickly swooped to appoint Philippe Clement as their new manager.
The former AS Monaco manager has enjoyed a fine start to life at the club with six wins and two draws in his opening eight matches in all competitions.
He won four Pro League titles during his time in Belgium with Club Brugge and Genk and is now tasked with delivering trophies, including a Scottish Premiership title, after Beale failed to produce any silverware during his tenure.
Glasgow Rangers managerPhilippe Clement.
One player who could be key to any success that Clement wants to achieve at Ibrox is attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell, who has not been at his best this season after a lightning-fast start to his career in Scotland.
The Belgian head coach could help the former Norwich City star to get back to his electric best by signing a natural defensive midfielder to unlock the attacking quality within the rest of the midfield.
A number six option has, in fact, been linked with a move to Glasgow in recent weeks and this suggests that the Scottish giants are keen to improve in that area of the pitch.
Rangers transfer news – Lennon Miller
It was recently reported by TEAMtalk that the Light Blues are keeping tabs on Motherwell defensive midfielder Lennon Miller as a possible target to bolster their squad.
However, they are not the only team interested in the teenage prospect as Premiership rivals Celtic are also said to be monitoring his progress with the Scottish side.
There could also be competition from a host of Premier League outfits south of the border as Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Brighton, Brentford, West Ham United, and Newcastle United are all said to be eyeing him up.
This means that it could be difficult for the Gers to secure a deal for his services as Miller has no shortage of suitors to offer him a way out of Motherwell during the upcoming January transfer window.
Although, there is no mention of how much his current club would demand to let him go at the start of 2024 or whether or not the player is prepared to ditch them ahead of the second half of the campaign.
Cantwell's 2022/23 season in numbers
The 25-year-old whiz – Cantwell – arrived from English Championship side Norwich during the January transfer window as one of Beale's first signings at Ibrox and he hit the ground running in Scottish football.
He caught the eye with six goals and four assists in 16 Premiership appearances as the talented gem showcased his ability to produce goal contributions on a regular basis from a midfield or wide position.
Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell.
Cantwell completed 1.5 dribbles per game and impressed in possession with a pass success rate of 89% and 1.3 key passes per match for the Light Blues.
His superb performances for the club earned him an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.36, which was the third-highest score within the squad – only behind James Tavernier and Borna Barisic.
Cantwell's season in numbers
The former Bournemouth loanee has not been able to kick on and continue to provide a regular stream of goals and assists for the Gers this season.
Cantwell has made nine Premiership appearances so far throughout the 2023/24 campaign and has only contributed with one assist in that time, with his last league goal coming against Hearts in May.
The English magician has only completed 0.8 dribbles and made 1.2 key passes per game across those matches, alongside a pass success rate of 79%.
Rabbi Matondo and Todd Cantwell
These statistics show that the Rangers midfielder's form has endured a sharp decline this season after his fantastic displays last term for Beale.
He is not scoring or assisting as many goals and is not dribbling as much or creating as many chances this time around, which suggests that Clement needs to work out how to get the best out of him.
The head coach, based on the evidence of last season, knows that there is far more to come from Cantwell at the top end of the pitch and signing Miller from Motherwell could play an important role in helping the 25-year-old ace return to his best.
Lennon Miller's season in numbers
The 17-year-old enforcer is an exciting young talent who is already proving himself to be an excellent Premiership performer who has the ability to anchor the Rangers midfield.
Miller, who manager Steven Hammell dubbed a "fantastic" talent, is currently out with a knee injury and is expected to be back around a month into the new year.
However, his performances before suffering that knock were very impressive for a player of his age, which may be why the Gers and a host of other clubs are keen on acquiring his services.
The teenage starlet has started nine Premiership matches for Motherwell so far this season and caught the eye with his strong defensive instincts.
Miller has made 3.6 tackles and interceptions along with 7.6 ball recoveries per match, which points to how frequently he is able to cut out opposition attacks to win possession for his side.
He has also won an impressive 71% of his duels and this shows that the 17-year-old ace has the physicality to compete at senior level in spite of his age and inexperience.
Meanwhile, John Lundstram, who is currently anchoring the midfield, has made 2.6 tackles and interceptions alongside 7.4 ball recoveries and has only won 51% of his duels across 11 Premiership outings.
These statistics suggest that Miller could win the ball back more frequently for Rangers in the number six role whilst also being able to win a much higher percentage of his physical contests.
This could, therefore, provide the Light Blues with a stronger presence in the middle of the park and allow them to create more attacking opportunities whilst also freeing up the other midfielders to press forward knowing that they have the 6 foot gem there to screen the back four.
This is why Clement could unlock Cantwell's quality as Miller could free up the English ace to produce magical moments at the top end of the pitch instead of focusing on his defensive responsibilities.
Ingram combined with the Strikers’ captain, Travis Head, to stabilise a slow start for the hosts, before a late-order flurry from Jonathan Wells closed the innings at 178
The Report by Sam Perry in Adelaide11-Jan-2019The Adelaide Strikers overcame a sluggish start to dismantle the Melbourne Stars in Adelaide as a Colin Ingram powershow and some miserly bowling proved enough to contain the visitors.Ingram combined with the Strikers’ captain, Travis Head, to stabilise a slow start for the hosts, before a late-order flurry from Jonathan Wells closed the innings at 178.The Stars started brightly with Ben Dunk and Evan Gulbis, but the spectre of Rashid Khan loomed large. An unplayable over or two from the Afghanistan superstar saw the Melbourne franchise fall behind the asking rate, from which they never recovered. The innings petered out as the Strikers’ bowlers shared the wickets, Ben Laughlin most impressive with 3 for 19, leaving the Strikers well-positioned as the competition hits the halfway point.Strikers motor after slow startOn a perfect Adelaide evening, the Stars won the flip and elected to field, hoping to limit a powerful Strikers batting line-up without Alex Carey on international duty, but welcoming Head back into the fold.They were greeted by a pristine batting surface, but Jackson Bird led an excellent start for the Stars, who held the home side to 2 for 25 from the first five overs. The pressure continued to build after each of Evan Gulbis, Ben Dunk and Dwayne Bravo delivered economical overs, as both Head and Ingram scrambled for rhythm.But they slowly built, taking the partnership from 48 off 42 balls, to then 55 from 47, before an expensive Plunkett over triggered a run spree. Head hit three sixes in a row, the first two over midwicket, then the third over long-off after Plunkett overcorrected. The returned Test batsman then tried to hit another over long-off, but holed out to Bird who took a comfortable catch. The damage largely done, Head departed for 43.Ingram continued where Head left off, taking Boland for a huge over while accompanied by a Rashid, who was promoted up the order. The move, as the Stars captain Maddinson confessed on-air, had “mucked up” his bowling plans. The Strikers captain was dismissed for 57 from 41 deliveries, leaving 19 balls left in the innings.A damaging spree of runs followed, as Wells took full toll of the Stars, combining with Harry Nielsen to plough 44 runs from the last three overs, which ultimately took the game away from the visitors.Rashid the catalystIt was as though the Stars knew they had to get the runs elsewhere. They started their chase brilliantly, taking 10 and 12 runs from the first two overs respectively, before Rashid was brought on, in the third over, to settle the pace. He did so, completely arresting the Stars’ Powerplay momentum by conceding only one from the over.Wes Agar was then introduced, and expensively so, before an athletic, sprawling catch at the deep-forward square leg boundary by Michael Neser brought Dunk undone from Ben Laughlin’s bowling. It was a quality catch, with Dunk swinging the ball away over leg, leaving Neser plenty of ground to make up before he snaffled it to his left.Stars FizzleNormally an asking rate of 10 with 10 overs remaining leaves a sporting chance, but it didn’t feel like that tonight. Once Maddinson, the captain, was removed for five, the remainder of the innings felt like a procession. It enabled Wes Agar to break his BBL wicket duck via a number of well-directed deliveries at offstump, and Laughlin to demonstrate his quality through his classic range of changes deliveries, both up and down.While their bowling just about held up well in the absence of Adam Zampa and Sandeep Lamichhane, the Stars batting is arguably hardest hit by the ODIs. They have to do without their nucleus of Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Peter Handscomb, though will welcome each of them back once the Tests begin. They’ll certainly look forward to every ounce of the trio’s firepower after tonight’s display, which revealed little depth. While a number of tonight’s Stars may be worthy of a handy contribution batting around the above-mentioned players, at this point they may struggle to post sizeable totals without them.
Manchester United won by a three-goal margin for only the second time this season as they defeated Everton in the Premier League over the weekend.
The 3-0 win will surely be a confidence booster as the Red Devils prepare to face Galatasaray in what is a vital Champions League match on Wednesday evening.
Erik ten Hag will be hoping the comfortable win over the Toffees could be the catalyst which turns around United’s season, as they haven’t exactly had the best of times recently.
Indeed, since the start of the campaign, the club have won just ten of their 19 matches and have already suffered elimination in the EFL Cup.
Surprisingly, especially with their form, the Old Trafford side occupy sixth spot in the table, just six points off the leaders Liverpool, and while a title challenge may be a tad farfetched, Ten Hag will be aiming for another top-four finish.
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag.
There needs to be some improvement to the squad, however, and with the January transfer window fast approaching, the Dutchman may just delve into the market for another signing or two ahead of the second half of the season.
Not content with just bolstering his first-team squad, Ten Hag is also keen on luring the very best young talent in the world to Manchester, and they have been linked with 16-year-old Estevao Willian recently.
Man Utd transfer news – Estevao Willian
According to reports in Spain, United are showing a keen interest in the talented winger, although they face stiff competition from close to home as Manchester City and Chelsea also retain an interest in making a potential swoop.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are another two names keeping tabs on him too, and with a reported release clause of €60m (£52m), clearly indicating that he isn’t going to come cheap regardless of who signs him.
The report claims that Ten Hag is pushing United to begin advanced negotiations with the teenage prodigy in order to fend off some intense competition.
Whether this works or not remains to be seen, although Palmeiras look resigned to losing him in the near future, such is his limitless potential.
The Red Devils are no strangers to picking up some of the best young talents in the business and a couple of them are already starring in the first team.
Alejandro Garnacho is one and could Estevao Willian follow in his footsteps?
Alejandro Garnacho’s statistics at Man Utd
The Old Trafford side signed the young Argentinian from Atlético Madrid back in 2020 when he was just 16 – the same age as Willian – and he has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the senior squad over the previous 12 months.
Indeed, the winger enjoyed a breakthrough campaign during 2022/23, making 34 appearances across all competitions and chipping in with five goals and five assists, proving himself to be a useful member of Ten Hag’s squad during his first season in charge.
The 19-year-old has already won three caps for World champions Argentina, and he can operate on either wing, giving the former Ajax boss plenty of options.
He showcased just how good he is by scoring a stunning overhead kick against Everton on Sunday, with many comparing it to a similar effort by Wayne Rooney against City 12 years ago.
Although the Dutchman will be aiming to add some more players who possess a winning mentality to his team, complementing them with some excellent young talent could be the correct way to go from now on.
Willian looks like he is the next big thing to emerge from Brazil and if he joins United, he may be Garnacho 2.0 for Ten Hag.
Estevao Willian’s youth statistics
The Brazilian is the product of Palmeiras’ excellent academy, which has produced talents such as Danilo, Endrick and Luis Guilherme while he is yet to make a senior appearance for the club, despite his potential.
The right-winger has scored twice in 14 matches for the U20 side, and it surely won't be long before he finally makes his long-awaited senior bow for the Brazilian side.
He was part of the Brazil squad for the U17 World Cup recently and despite being sent packing from the tournament by arch-rivals Argentina, he still managed to score three goals and register three assists, displaying his wide array of skills on the biggest stage for the best young talents in the world.
It was the tie against Ecuador in the last 16 in which Estevao was at his best in front of goal. Not only did he score twice, but he managed five total shots, supplied five key passes, and succeeded with all five of his attempted dribbles, making a mockery of the Ecuadorian backline on a regular basis.
This led to praise from talent scout Jacek Kulig, who said this after the game: “The youngest member of this excellent Brazilian team. World-class talent.”
Anderson
181
Kleberson
30
Fred
213
Casemiro
63
Antony
56
Rafael
170
Fabio
56
Alex Telles
50
Andreas Pereira
75
Stats via Transfermarkt
His performances have obviously attracted plenty of attention from the likes of United and City and while he may not be able to leave until he turns 18, it is looking increasingly likely that a club will agree a move for him before then.
Kulig lauded further praise on the youngster earlier this month, claiming that “the sky is the limit” for the 16-year-old and if the Brazilian hotshot continues his wonderful rise, he will be able to showcase those aforementioned skills on the senior stage in the coming months.
It's no wonder the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona are all sniffing around the teenager as they look to sign the next big thing.
Man Utd's £47m star deserves as much praise as Garnacho and Mainoo
Man Utd roared to an excellent 3-0 over the Toffees yesterday in the Premier League
ByRoss Kilvington Nov 27, 2023
There have been so many youngsters emerging in Brazil and Argentina over the previous few years who have been poached by the biggest teams. Although some hit the big time, such as Vinicius Jr, many are left with false promises and a career on European soil which doesn’t quite turn out as first anticipated.
If the Red Devils are certain on signing Estevao, they may be better off watching him play some senior matches first before deciding to go straight in and pay £52m.
His talent could lead him to become a first-team regular like Garnacho, but he must be nurtured if he does find his way to Manchester.
In a rain-hit contest, BCB XI scored at over 7.5 runs an over to down the visitors in their only warm-up game
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2018Tamim Iqbal marked his return from injury with a blazing century for the BCB XI. The touring West Indians – under brand-new captain Rovman Powell – lost their only warm-up game before the three-match ODI series that begins on Saturday in a high-scoring rain-hit contest.Tamim, who fractured his left wrist during the Asia Cup in September, scored at a strike-rate close to 150, as he pummelled the West Indian bowlers for 13 fours and four sixes, making a 73-ball 107 while chasing 332.ALSO READ: Tamim, Shakib return to Bangladesh’s ODI squadIn a game where the BCB XI bowlers were themselves clattered for 331 in the first innings, Tamim joined forces with No. 3 Soumya Sarkar early in the chase to add 114 runs for the second wicket in just 83 balls. Sarkar smacked a quickfire unbeaten ton of his own, finishing on an 83-ball 103, as BCB XI won by 51 runs (via DLS method) with rain stopping play in the afternoon.Even without the downpour, BCB XI were cruising towards their target of 332 on the back of the Tamim-Sarkar stand. When the game stopped with the BCB XI 314 for 6 after 41 overs, the hosts were only 18 runs from their initial target.ALSO READ: Rovman Powell to lead West Indies’ 15-man ODI squadEarlier in the day, the West Indians, too, had a field day with the bat after winning the toss. A century stand between openers Kieran Powell (43) and Shai Hope (81) gave them a rapid start, but five wickets in the middle overs derailed their progress. Mehedi Hasan Rana and Nazmul Islam picked up two wickets each as the visitors went from 101 for no loss to 176 for 5. But a late surge by the unbeaten Roston Chase and No. 8 Fabian Allen took them past the 330-run mark. Chase finished on 65 off 51 balls, while Allen hit a 32-ball 48. Rubel Hossain and the captain Mashrafe Mortaza were the only two bowlers to concede less than six per over.As for the West Indian bowlers, the spinners found the most reward, with Chase and Devendra Bishoo taking four wickets between them. Chase’s offspin dismissed both Bangladesh openers while Bishoo’s legspin earned him the wickets of Mohammad Mithun and Ariful Haque. Allen, the left-arm spinner, chipped in with Towrid Hridoy’s wicket. The West Indian pacers, though, found it harder on a batting-friendly surface. Keemo Paul and Kemar Roach went wicketless at over 9 per over while Oshane Thomas leaked 57 runs in his seven-over spell.
The former Barcelona stars were fantastic, but none were better than than the superstar Argentine, who contributed to all three goals.
From an Inter Miami perspective, Saturday night's clash with Nashville SC felt like a movie you'd seen a thousand times before. It's familiar but never gets old. Seeing Lionel Messi run a game could never be boring and, at this point, it's never unexpected.
That's what we saw at Chase Stadium – latest edition of the Lionel Messi show. He scored two and assisted another for Sergio Busquets in a 3-1 win, one that, once again, came with a side dish of defensive disaster from the Herons backline.
Part of that aforementioned movie always seems to include defensive setbacks. Saturday's came early via a Franco Negri own goal. It only set up Messi and co. for a comeback, though, adding a bit of drama to a game that, by the end, had little left.
Messi scored his first in the 11th minute, getting back into the fray to finish off his own rebound. A bit later, he found Busquets with a goal straight out of La Masia as the Argentine's corner was placed right onto the Spaniard's head. By the time Messi scored his late penalty in the 81st minute, the game was done. It was a good night for Miami.
Well, not all good. Diego Gomez's injury adds another starter to the Herons' injury list. The Paraguayan's first-half exit will certainly leave Tata Martino worried as the injury bug continues to bite and bite.
For now, though, it was a night of celebrating for Miami. Messi was at his best again and, when that happens, the Herons will win a lot more than they lose.
GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium…
Watch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream nowUSA Today Sports Goalkeeper & Defense
Drake Callender (6/10):
Had another nervy moment early, but did what he needed to do otherwise.
Franco Negri (4/10):
A rough own goal. Seemingly every week, a defender does something disastrous for Miami. Tonight was Negri's night.
Nicolas Freire (6/10):
Definitely struggled at times with Nashville's front two. Passing could have been better and he had a few tough moments with the opposing attackers. He survived, though, and that's all that counts.
Tomas Aviles (7/10):
A really solid game from the young defender, who has looked a bit better in recent weeks after some tough moments to start the season.
Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):
Needs to be cleaner on the ball, but he did well enough defensively on that right-hand side. Did get a bit too overzealous a few times in the second half, though.
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David Ruiz (6/10):
Picked up a dumb early yellow for kicking the ball away, which is something he'll need to learn to avoid. Other than that, was somewhat steady in midfield.
Sergio Busquets (8/10):
Any time you can get a goal from Busquets, it's probably going to be a good day. The Spanish midfielder doesn't score many, but this was a good one as his headed finish headlined another solid overall performance.
Julian Gressel (6/10):
Would have had an assist if not for an offside call. Other than that, nothing particularly spectacular.
USA Today ImagesAttack
Diego Gomez (6/10):
Horrible, horrible luck for the Paraguayan, who has been one of the club's more consistent players this season. The Herons will now have to hope that his injury isn't too serious.
Luis Suarez (8/10):
It's usually Messi teeing up Suarez but, this time, it was the Uruguayan's turn to return the favor with an assist. Was unlucky not to get a goal or two of his own as Suarez was a menace all night long.
Lionel Messi (9/10):
Got his goal and then found Busquets for the second before sealing it with a late penalty. It all felt so familiar. Messi ran the show once again, dominating from the start as he terrorized the Nashville defense.
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Leo Afonso (6/10):
Came on and nearly got a goal just moments after replacing Gomez. Stepped into a tough situation and did well, earning the late penalty to help seal the game.
Yannick Bright (6/10):
Replaced Gressel to add some fresh legs to the midfield.
Banjamin Cremaschi (N/A):
Was given a few late minutes as he continued his injury comeback.
Tata Martino (7/10):
Martino's job is made a lot easier when his superstars step up. They did exactly that on Saturday night, leading the way in a good home win. Outside of that, he's left a bit hamstrung by injuries, but he managed his personnel as well as he could.
Roy Keane has been backed to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United as the Irishman's former team-mate urged him to "clean house" at Old Trafford.
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Ten Hag on shaky ground at Man UtdMight be forced to leave by INEOSGiuseppe Rossi thinks Keane is perfect replacementWHAT HAPPENED?
Ten Hag's future allegedly hangs in the balance as INEOS might show him the door at the end of the campaign if the manager fails to guide the Red Devils to a European spot. There has been intense speculation on his potential successor as several names have been floated, including Zinedine Zidane, Gareth Southgate, Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi.
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However, former Manchester United forward Giuseppe Rossi believes that club legend Keane is the ideal candidate to replace Ten Hag as he has the perfect understanding of the "culture" at Old Trafford. Rossi did share the Red Devils' dressing room with Keane for a brief period in the early 2000s and has witnessed first-hand the no-nonsense approach of the legendary midfielder, which he thinks could be crucial to turning around the fortunes of a lackadaisical United squad.
WHAT ROSSI SAID
Speaking to Rossi said: "When I think about potentially having Roy Keane as manager at Old Trafford, that sounds like it could be really great. It would be something very cool. The club should definitely think about it if they have a change in management. A man who is a legend of the club and helped build their culture, that’s exactly what is needed.
"Maybe some of the players that are not playing for the shirt would understand it more. Maybe you need someone to go into Manchester United and clean the house so to speak and build from there. It could be a great situation."
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IS KEANE INTERESTED IN THE MAN UTD JOB?
Keane fired Sunderland to the Premier League in his first full season as manager during the 2006-07 campaign but his tenure turned sour soon after, and he struggled to carve out a name for himself in his subsequent stint at Ipswich. Although he has also worked as an assistant manager with the Ireland national team, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, the Sky Sports pundit is well aware that his CV does not "warrant" him being in the frame for such a high-profile job as United.
When asked by Gary Neville, on his show , if he would take up the reins of his former club he said: "That’s never going to happen. My CV wouldn’t warrant it – it’s as simple as that, The Man Utd job is a tough job.”
Opening batsman slams unbeaten 62-ball 104 to set up 38-run win over Comilla Victorians
The Report by Mohammad Isam21-Jan-2019How the game played out Laurie Evans and Kamrul Islam Rabbi played the key roles in a convincing 38-run win for Rajshahi Kings over Comilla Victorians. After Rajshahi were asked to bat, Evans struck the first century of this Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, and Rabbi then picked up 4 for 10 – including three in the 18th over of the chase – to completely derail the Comilla chase of 177.Rabbi removed Tamim Iqbal in the sixth over when Comilla were starting to get into their stride before returning late in the chase to send back Shahid Afridi, Liam Dawson and Mohammad Saifuddin in the space of four balls.Evans’ unbeaten 104 in 62 balls, with nine fours and six sixes, was his maiden T20 century. He added 148 runs for his unbroken stand with Ryan ten Doeschate, a BPL record for the fourth wicket, after they had come together at a tricky 28 for three in the seventh over. Ten Doeschate hit two fours and three sixes in his 59 not out off 41 balls.Turning pointsRajshahi’s run-rate took a sharp upward turn in the 14th over when Evans and ten Doeschate took 21 runs, including three sixes, off Thisara Perera. The Evans-ten Doeschate combine blasted 74 runs in the last five overs, a sharp contrast with previous Rajshahi batting performances when they have struggled in the slog overs. Imrul Kayes and Thisara Perera fell to a full toss and a long hop respectively from Qais Ahmed off consecutive balls in the 14th over. With Comilla needing 45 off the last four overs, Mustafizur Rahman conceded just three runs in the 17th over, bowling four dot balls to Afridi.Star of the day Evans, whose five previous innings had produced just 13 runs with two ducks, was nimble-footed against both spin and pace, ensuring he got under the ball even when he was playing flat-batted shots.The big miss Surprisingly, Comilla captain Imrul Kayes used Mahedi Hasan for just one over in which he also took a wicket, even though the offspinner had taken a four-wicket haul less than a week ago.Where the teams stand Rajshahi entered the top four with eight points in seven games, while Comilla are in third place with the same numbers but with a superior net run-rate.
Fulham could be set to lose one of their first-team stars, with a fresh report revealing that another key man is being watched ahead of next summer alongside Joao Palhinha.
Palhinha linked with Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool
During the previous transfer window, Palhinha came very close to completing a move to Bayern Munich on deadline day, and while a deal ended up collapsing at the last minute, they remain interested in securing his services. However, Thomas Tuchel’s side won’t be alone in their pursuit with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United from the Premier League also keen to strike a deal and keep him in England, and he’s not the only player who could be heading for the exit door.
Fulham in pole position to sign £30m "leader" who could replace Palhinha
The Cottagers are at the front of the queue to land a defensive midfielder should they lose their talisman in January.
ByChloe Chadwick Nov 20, 2023
Marco Silva’s left-winger Willian will have reached the expiration of his deal at the end of the season (Fulham contracts), and should the club decide not to trigger his option to stay for a further year, they will have to cash in come January.
The Brazilian was attracting significant interest from Saudi Arabia before he joined last summer, but having impressed during his performances in the top-flight, the 35-year-old is expected to be targeted once more, and this time, not only by his former admirers.
Willian wanted in Saudi Pro League and MLS
According to The Daily Mail, Willian is of interest to numerous potential suitors who are considering making a move for him upon the conclusion of the current campaign.
“He will have offers from Saudi, once more. But it is understood a number of MLS outfits are also monitoring his situation ahead of next season. But if Willian does leave the Premier League, he will do so for a club who can compete for trophies.”
Fulham forward Willian.
Fulham need to keep "electric" Willian
Since joining Fulham, Willian has 16 contributions, nine goals and seven assists, to his name in 46 appearances, showing how prolific he can still be in the final third, and he’s constantly able to pose a threat even if the end product isn’t always there (Transfermarkt – Willian statistics).
Sponsored by Puma, Ribeirao Pires’ native has recorded 51 shot-creating actions so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, highlighting what a standout performer he can be in the attacking areas compared to his peers (FBRef – Fulham statistics).
Silva's wing wizard is even a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and three roles in the midfield, making him a useful option to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur.
As hailed by Simon Collings, Willian still has “electric” pace and always looks like a live wire despite now being an experienced figure, so trying to retain his services at the end of the season should be a no-brainer of a decision to make.
Folarin Balogun has unleashed a brand new look ahead of a return to action as AS Monaco look set to qualify for Champions League.
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Balogun opts for dramatic new lookHas head shaved ahead of final fixturesForward remaining "calm" despite goal droughtWHAT HAPPENED?
The former Arsenal striker might not be having the best of seasons on the football pitch but his style game remains on point. Usually known for his short and dense spread, Balogun has now gone for a radical transformation and has been happy to show off his latest cut.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT BALOGUN SAID
Sharing his new look, Balogun posted a picture on his Instagram story and wrote: "Calmm".
@balogun InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Balogun will need to remain "calm" on the pitch too due to a drop in form after a spectacular 2022-23 season where he scored 22 goals in 39 appearances. His returns have dwindled in this campaign as he has managed to find the net just eight times in 30 appearances across competitions.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Despite Balogun's dip in productivity, Monaco are second in the league standings and another victory would see them finish as runners-up to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. The top three sides qualify directly for the Champions League group stage for the next season and Monaco should be among them.