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They blew Bangladesh away in three days by an innings and 130 runs

The Report by Alagappan Muthu16-Nov-20192:26

Staying No.1 more difficult than getting there – Bharat Arun

It is not unnatural for visiting batsmen in India to feel like they are trapped; to spend over after over under pressure with their edges being beaten and their shots counting for nothing. Just that most times a spinner would be bowling. Bangladesh went through a different experience in Indore.For the first time in forever – okay, it’s actually only since 2001 – India felt compelled to keep their fast bowlers on for 23 overs straight with the new ball. And we’re talking about the third and fourth innings of a home Test here. That’s around the time a subcontinent pitch is worn beyond recognition and the ball doesn’t so much turn as create tiny rips in the universe.R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are prolific wicket-takers but Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma walked up to them said #HoldMyBeer and ripped through the opposition to set up victory by an innings and 130 runs. India’s fast bowlers average 15.82 in 2019, easily the best in the world and on the third day of this Test, they showcased all the qualities that went into that stat.Virat Kohli had declared with a lead of 343, a sizable cushion for an attack that is up there with the greatest that has ever played this game, and within the first 14 overs, they created so much excitement that the captain had burnt both reviews. Bangladesh should have tried to capitalise on that but they were sorely outmatched here.Shadman Islam, for example, was worked over brilliantly. He spent most of his knock worried about the outswinger and with good reason. Ishant was laser-focused on angling the seam away from the left-hander, putting his entire body into his action to keep the slips in play. Then, all of a sudden, he bowled one with his fingers sliding down the right-hand side of the seam. He did that so the ball would hit the deck and wobble into the batsman – a trick James Anderson and Stuart Broad use regularly in England. Islam was just not ready for something like that. He lost his stumps and worse, looked up to see the bowler barely even celebrating. Human beings react to practically everything. A cup of coffee in the morning puts a smile on our face. Seeing Ishant utterly expressionless made it seem like he had seen that wicket coming from a mile away.It was a poor match for Bangladesh’s openers overall. Imrul Kayes totalled 12 runs in two innings and considering he dropped Mayank Agarwal when he was on 32, his overall contribution to this game was 199 in negative.The only visiting player who came out with a little credit was Mushfiqur Rahim. Having top-scored in the first innings as well, he made an important half-century, replete with his trademark shots, those full-blooded cuts behind point and effortless flicks through midwicket. That he could even play them though was because his defence was in good order and also because Rohit Sharma dropped him on 4. Mushfiqur showed that once the ball gets older run-scoring becomes easier. Bangladesh could have exploited that if they’d had a better start to their second innings. That should be their primary focus ahead of the day-night Test next week. One Indian batsman made more runs all by himself than they could in either innings.Shami was an equally bright performer, picking up a wicket in his first over on Saturday and finishing with seven in the game. His biggest strength is that he consistently generates half a bat’s movement – somewhere near the perfect amount to get the edges. All he has to do to maximise that is bowl at the stumps – which he does – and make the batsman play – which he also does, especially when he goes wide of the crease.None of India’s fast bowlers look like they need the additional movement the pink ball will offer. They were so good up top that for the first 19 overs of the Bangladesh innings, the batsmen were not in control of 25% of their shots. That figure did eventually improve. But those early mistakes, which lead to a flurry of wickets, had already sealed the game.

Nothing in football is ever certain but Tottenham Hotspur supporters can rest assured that their team is in for a gripping finale to Ange Postecoglou's first season at the helm.

Fifth-placed in the Premier League with just ten matches left to go, Spurs are on the heels of Aston Villa in the top four with Manchester United snapping at their feet in sixth.

Only a few days ago, Tottenham were buoyed by a resounding victory over fourth-placed Aston Villa and knew that by winning their game in hand they would leapfrog Unai Emery's side, but last weekend's sobering loss against Fulham at Craven Cottage comes as a bitter reminder that this is squad is a work in progress.

Radu Dragusin endured a starting debut to forget after signing from Serie A side Genoa in a £27m deal in January, but the Romanian centre-back was certainly not the only player at fault, with Yves Bissouma flattering to deceive and continuing to ebb and flow this year.

The tough-tackling midfielder is so talented and offers a singular quality in the centre of the park that no other Lilywhite can replicate to the same degree.

But Postecoglou has displayed a ruthless streak throughout his maiden year in charge and while Bissouma is a good player, would it be unjust to suggest there's an upgrade out there, somewhere?

Why Spurs signed Yves Bissouma

Tottenham secured the signing of Bissouma from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee rising to £35m in July 2022 after his stellar efforts on the south coast, with Graham Potter, Seagulls manager at the time, hailing him an "incredible" talent.

Champions League football had been achieved under Antonio Conte and it was the allure of Europe's elite club competition that had persuaded the 27-year-old to close the door on his Brighton career and join the Spurs project in the capital.

The prominence that he had achieved with the Seagulls dissipated rather quickly at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the £55k-per-week ace only starting 11 Premier League matches all campaign, averaging just 0.7 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per match, as per Sofascore, while succeeding with just 47% of his contested duels.

Yves Bissouma's 2023/24 season in numbers

Described as a "monster" by journalist Aaron Stokes, Bissouma has enjoyed plenty of success when on the pitch this season but has missed five Premier League matches due to suspension and was culpable for a dreadful performance against Fulham on Saturday evening.

Writing in his post-match comments, football.london's Alasdair Gold handed the midfielder a lowly 3/10 score and wrote: 'Wasn't helped much by his wandering fellow midfielders but he struggled to make his presence felt in the game or inspire confidence in those around him.'

Matches played

20

Goals

0

Assists

0

Pass completion

92%

Key passes per game

0.4

Tackles per game

3.1

Interceptions per game

1.5

Duels won per game

6.3 (60%)

Dribble attempts per game

1.3 (72%)

Ball recoveries per game

4.6

Yellow cards

6

Yellow to reds

1

Red cards

2

Make no mistake, Bissouma is a high-class midfielder with a range of qualities in the engine room that suit Postecoglou's system well, but the best ability is availability and his recklessness has hampered Spurs' campaign.

As per FBref, the Malian midfielder ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 10% for successful take-ons, the top 5% for tackles, the top 6% for interceptions and the top 12% for clearances per 90.

Clearly, he's blessed with some pretty remarkable attributes, an adept distributor, a fearsome recycler of possession and a deceptive dribbler.

But Bissoma has got to ensure that he sees out the remainder of the campaign with a level head and a focused drive toward ensuring Tottenham succeed in their pursuit of Champions League football.

Yves Bissouma's market value in 2024

According to Football Transfers' player valuation model, Bissouma is currently worth just £10m, which marks a startling £25m depreciation in less than two years since joining.

Sure, this is largely down to the dismal 2022/23 campaign, and this price tag should see a rise over the coming months given his comeback and cementation of a starring spot in the Tottenham team. However, the fact remains that Bissouma is continuing to flicker up and down, lacking the stability and consistency needed in this N17 squad.

Yves Bissouma

27

£10m

James Maddison

27

£34m

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

28

£27m

Rodrigo Bentancur

27

£23m

Oliver Skipp

23

£16m

Pape Matar Sarr

21

£13m

The fact that Bissouma is valued lower than Oliver Skipp, who is firmly a utility presence at the club, is indicative of his inconsistent performances, but he would be most disgruntled to learn that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg remains a more valuable asset than himself.

Hojbjerg is out of contract in 2025 and was expected to have completed a transfer away from Tottenham in January, only to reject interest from outfits such as French club Lyon.

Moreover, the Danish midfielder has only started six Premier League matches in 2023/24 and is too conservative and static on the ball to truly flourish in Postecoglou's system, averaging just 0.2 key passes, 0.9 tackles and two successful duels per game this season, as per Sofascore.

Spurs must bin forgotten player who's worse than Sessegnon

Ange Postecoglou’s squad bears no future for this dud…

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 17, 2024

While a prosperous future at Tottenham could be on the cards for Bissouma, he's not quite proving himself an immovable starter at the heart of this new project, and a discussion regarding his sale certainly wouldn't be a bad move as Tottenham look to gauge whether cashing in and reinvesting on a more reliable star could be worthwhile.

South Australia on the ropes after Stoinis and co rattle them on the second day

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2019Western Australia quicks reduced South Australia to 124 for 6 to leave them trailing by 368 runs at the WACA on day two. Earlier in the day, Cameron Green’s second ton of the season, along with handy lower-order contributions from Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar and Joel Paris, took the hosts to 8 for 492 dec.Green continued his impressive recent form to help Western Australia out of trouble after they were reduced to 94 for 4 on the opening day. Resuming on 95, Green brought up his ton on the fifth ball he faced, with the No. 7 Inglis batting on 44 at the other end. The duo went on to put up a 139-run stand to take the team’s total past 300, before Adam Zampa got the breakthrough by pinning Green in front for 126.Inglis, joined by Agar, then cruised to his highest first-class score of 91, while the latter also brought up a half-century of his own. Zampa came back to dismiss Inglis shortly before lunch but another fruitful partnership, between Agar and Paris, followed. The pair went on to add 102 for the eighth wicket before Zampa made Agar his third victim. Western Australia declared at that point.In response, South Australia lost their opener Jake Weatherald within the first six overs following which Henry Hunt and Callum Ferguson came together for a 45-run second-wicket stand. David Moody triggered a mini collapse with Ferguson’s wicket, as South Australia lost four wickets for 24 runs in the middle, with Marcus Stoinis picking two wickets and Paris snaring one. Liam Scott then joined captain Alex Carey at the crease, as they pushed the total past 100. Scott was run out in the last over bowled on the day, after which Zampa joined Carey at the crease and the duo are set to resume batting tomorrow.

With Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoying a successful maiden campaign under Gary O'Neil, it is clear that the club are eager to back their manager by giving him some much-needed reinforcements this summer.

Striker top of Wolves' shopping list

Despite being rarely shy to splash the cash on a number nine, it is clear that recent high-profile strikers to arrive at Molineux have failed to hit the ground running.

Wolves now eyeing move to sign "complete" new forward who's outscored Hwang

He’s enjoyed an impressive season.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 22, 2024

Despite spending a club record £35m fee to secure his services, Fabio Silva struggled in the Midlands and was eventually shipped off for a loan spell with Rangers. It was a similar story with the 2019 signing of Patrick Cutrone, with the £25m fee spent on the Italian forward yielding just two Premier League goals.

Wolves have had some success this season with the partnership of Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha yielding a combined 19 goals in the Premier League. However, it is still clear that the side is crying out for an out-and-out number nine.

Update on Wolves' Nketiah pursuit

As first reported by Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Wolves are now set to launch a bid to sign Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah. Sources have told the outlet that Crystal Palace and Brentford are also set to join Wolves in the race to secure the 24-year-old's services, giving the Midlands outfit competition for his signature.

It had previously been reported that Wolves expressed an interest in the striker, though this development sees O'Neil's men set to launch a formal bid in order to get their man. The Gunners have reportedly set a minimum price tag of £40m for Nketiah – something of a steal in the modern transfer market.

Sitting on the fringes of the Gunners' starting XI for most of his senior career, it is reported that Kai Havertz's return to form, as well as Arsenal's pursuit of Ivan Toney, is what has led to Nketiah pushing for a move away from north London.

2023/24

24

10

5

2022/23

30

9

4

2021/22

21

8

5

2020/21

17

4

2

2019/20

13

7

2

2018/19

5

0

1

2017/18

3

0

0

Whilst Nketiah's stats for Arsenal don't make for great reading, it has long been common knowledge that the 24-year-old is a quality striker starved of genuine game time. Nketiah stands as the all-time top scorer for England's under-21 side, breaking a record held by Alan Shearer for decades.

August 2023 saw Nketiah earn his first call-up to the senior side, and Three Lions' manager Gareth Southgate was quick to heap praise on the forward, telling the press:

“With Eddie coming in, it is an area where we want to have a look at him. Young player with a lot of pedigree, really good finisher, and the record goalscorer in the Under-21s.”

Club manager Mikel Arteta has been similarly complimentary of the striker, commending his "remarkable" performances earlier in the season.

Nketiah continued his good form at the start of this season by scoring his first career hat-trick in the Gunners' 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United back in October. A glimpse into the quality possessed by the forward, it is clear that under the stewardship of a manager like O'Neil, Nketiah could finally fulfil his potential as a genuine Premier League star.

Walker Zimmerman says the USMNT are setting the ultimate Olympic target at the 2024 Games in Paris, with collective “eyes on a gold medal”.

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Qualified for first time since 2008Will open campaign against hosts FranceLooking to land a medal of any colourWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States are gracing an Olympic stage for the first time since 2008, with qualification falling out of reach in the last three events. Marko Mitrovic is at the helm for a trip to France, with an exciting squad pieced together.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT ZIMMERMAN SAID

MLS star Zimmerman is filling the captain’s armband, as one of three overage players in U23 ranks, and he has told of the goals being set in the U.S. camp: “We have our eyes on a gold medal. It’s a unique tournament since there are only 16 teams, so the fact that if you get out of your group, you’re in a quarter-final, and if you win that game, you’re playing for a medal even if you lose the semi-final. It just amps up so quickly and that’s really different from a lot of other major tournaments. Games are every three days and we’re going to have to rely on everyone with the reduced roster size to make it happen.”

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A medal of any kind with be considered success for the USMNT, with Nashville SC defender Zimmerman adding: “It would be a huge. It’s such an important moment for everyone on this roster to do something special as a collective, to do something special for their individual careers. It’s a big opportunity and it’s just a matter of whether we take it or not. We got to watch the movie Miracle for a team bonding event and a lot of the guys hadn’t seen it yet. I guess it was before their time, but it’s such a good reminder that you have such a great opportunity and you got to go out there and take it.”

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The USMNT will get their Olympic campaign underway on Wednesday when taking on hosts France in Marseille. Meetings with New Zealand and Guinea will follow in Group A, with the top two progressing to the knockout stage.

Manchester United have reportedly submitted a double offer for Bayern Munich pair Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

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Red Devils have lost Yoro to injuryWant further additions at the backApproach to Bayern has been rebuffedWHAT HAPPENED?

Erik ten Hag has made defensive reinforcements at Old Trafford a top priority for the summer transfer window. The Red Devils have already splashed out £52 million ($66m) on teenage centre-half Leny Yoro – only to see him ruled out for three months with a foot injury picked up during pre-season.

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United are now back in the market, with claiming that two players at the Allianz Arena are in their sights. An opening offer for Netherlands international De Ligt and Moroccan full-back Mazraoui has been knocked back.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern have made the Premier League giants aware that a bigger fee will be required in order to complete two deals. De Ligt and Mazraoui have been informed that they do not figure in long-term plans under new head coach Vincent Kompany.

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Both are said to have agreed personal terms with United, as five-year contracts wait for them to sign in England, but it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils can reach a compromise that suits all parties before the next recruitment deadline passes.

The allrounder last played international cricket in 2016 but late last year said he was available for T20Is again

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2020Dwayne Bravo is set to play his first international since 2016 after being recalled to the West Indies T20I squad for the series against Ireland.Bravo, 36, confirmed in December that he was coming out of T20I retirement with the hope of securing a spot in the squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.His last international was a T20I against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in September 2016. Despite announcing his retirement in October 2018, he was included among West Indies’ reserves for last year’s World Cup, but when he officially made himself available again he said it would only be for T20Is.West Indies T20I squad v Ireland

Kieron Pollard (capt), Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Khary Pierre, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd Lendl Simmons, Hayden Walsh jr.

“Once selected I’ll be fully committed to represent the region again in T20 cricket, which I think is exciting for West Indies cricket and fans, with the young talents around,” he said.Bravo has had an extensive T20 career, amassing 450 matches – currently the second-most behind Kieron Pollard – with a host of franchises and leagues. He has played 66 T20Is, scoring 1142 runs and taking 52 wickets and it’s with the ball that he is being earmarked for a key role by the West Indies selectors.”Dwayne Bravo was recalled with the specific intention of bolstering our ‘death’ bowling which was identified as an area that really needs improving,” Roger Harper, CWI’s lead selector, said. “His record in this department speaks for itself. He will also be able to act as a mentor to the other ‘death’ bowlers and lend his experience wherever needed.”Jason Holder is being rested for the three-match series as part of workload management while allrounders Fabian Allen and Keemo Paul were unavailable due to injury. Paul suffered a back problem during the ODI series against Ireland.There is also a recall for allrounder Rovman Powell and on Monday Romario Shepherd, who has played five ODIs but has yet to be capped in T20Is, was confirmed as the 14th player in the squad.”Rovman Powell is a genuine all-rounder who we believe can add impetus and up the strike rate at the back-end of the innings,” Harper said. “He was excellent in the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup – where he scored two excellent centuries and a 96 and also had some other good performances.”

Manchester United came into their clash with Liverpool with the chance to upset all three of their fierce rivals.

Having secured a 2-2 draw in a frantic match at Old Trafford it certainly upset Jurgen Klopp's side who spurned the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League.

For Manchester City and Arsenal, it was a hugely positive result, one which grouped the title challengers to within a point.

For United, they have now only won once in their last six league matches and a draw, albeit a surprising one on this occasion, only means they have more work to do in their bid for Champions League football next term.

There have been positives; notably that of Kobbie Mainoo whose remarkable rise to stardom only continued on Sunday, scoring what he thought was the winner.

The England international gathered the ball in his stride before placing a gorgeous effort into the top corner. His incredible performances have come just at the right time, with the teenager now outshining £70m signing and multiple Champions League winner Casemiro.

Casemiro's performance vs Liverpool in numbers

When the Brazilian signed for United in the summer of 2022, question marks were understandably raised.

Although the Red Devils were bringing one of the most decorated midfielders in the game to the Premier League, he was now in his 30s and reaching the latter stages of his career.

Signing an ageing player is not always a bad thing; they bring experience, know-how and quality. Yet, they have no resale value and when it goes wrong, it really goes wrong.

This has been the case for Casemiro, notably in his second campaign with United where he has cut a rather forlorn figure in the middle of the pitch, constantly at fault and criticised for his lack of athleticism which has been found out in England's top-flight.

After another disappointing display against Liverpool this weekend, commentator Ian Darke remarked "Casemiro can’t really run anymore." Those are apt words indeed.

That has been a regular criticism towards the former Real Madrid hero who no doubt suffers from a lack of organisation in United's midfield, but has largely suffered as a result of his overall performance levels which simply haven't been good enough.

What rather summed up Casemiro's campaign was a moment in the second half when he went to press goalscorer Luis Diaz. The 32-year-old headed towards the Liverpool winger, only to be skipped past as though he wasn't even there.

That was one of two times Casemiro was dribbled past throughout an ineffective display that Man United personality Mark Goldbridge claimed was an "absolute stinker".

Further criticism came from Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst who gave the £350k-per-week earner a 5/10 match writing, writing: 'Squandered a good headed-chance by trying to pick out a teammate and irked the crowd by kicking the ball out. More prudent on the ball in the second.'

Somehow lasting the full 90 minutes, the midfielder ended the match with the worst pass completion rate of any player to start the game (67%), having ceded possession on 16 occasions. Only two players in United red managed more; Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire.

Minutes played

90

Touches

67

Accurate passes

33/49 (67%)

Key passes

1

Crosses

0

Long balls

0/5

Possession lost

16x

Duels won

5/10

Clearances

6

Interceptions

1

Tackles

4

This was another off day for Casemiro and next time around he must be dropped. With Mason Mount now returning to the fray, even scoring against Brentford, perhaps he deserves a run-out next to Mainoo? It can't get any worse, surely?

The South Africa batsman has arrived for the latter part of the BBL, eager to pass on his knowledge and experience

Andrew McGlashan13-Jan-2020AB de Villiers has arrived in Australia for his long-awaited Big Bash stint with the Brisbane Heat feeling in some of the best form of his career and ready for the “big role” he has to play on and off the field.De Villiers replaces Tom Banton for the latter stages of the tournament with the Heat currently fifth in the table, having four wins and four defeats from their eight matches.It was a lengthy process to bring de Villiers to Australia with the chances of the signing having seemingly slipped away until the deal the was agreed in early October.De Villiers joins on the back of 325 runs at 46.42 and a strike-rate of 152.58 in the Mzansi Super League for Tshwane Spartans, who finished runner’s up.”I had a fantastic tournament in South Africa, had a few good knocks, felt in some of the best form of my career so hopefully we’ll see more of that in this tournament,” he said the morning after arriving in Brisbane ahead of his first match against the Adelaide Strikers on Tuesday.Even with so many matches behind him – 304 in all T20s – de Villiers admitted he still gets butterflies but believes that is a good thing and is ready to embrace a broader role with the Heat.”I’ve said it many times before, wherever I play around the world, whether it’s a club game or a World Cup semi-final, I feel the same pressure when I go out to bat,” he said. “I’ve always got that pressure I put on myself to perform at the best of my ability. I’ve done it so many times, it doesn’t guarantee success but I know what to expect, I know the butterflies are a good sign generally.”All I can do is go out and enjoy myself, make sure I have a good influence on my team-mates and make sure I have an impact on the game with bat in hand. Then there’s the fielding and the off-field stuff, I have big role to play as an individual and not just a cricketer.”The Heat captain Chris Lynn has urged team-mates to make use of every moment de Villiers is with them as they hunt for a place in the knockouts in what has so far been a topsy-turvy tournament.”Experience is everything, there were a couple of games where we needed that experience so to have him is just gold,” Lynn said. “We’ve got a young team and the guys are mad if they aren’t like a sponge over the next few weeks.””It’s a natural role for me,” de Villiers said. “I’m 35 and have played quite a bit of cricket around the world. I’d hate to think that I won’t have that kind of role. I had a similar role in South Africa. I enjoy guys asking me questions about my batting. Like to think we’ll help some of the youngsters understand what’s needed to achieve success.”Where de Villiers bats is yet to be determined with the Heat needing to reshape the order now that Banton has departed, but it is likely to be at No. 3 or 4. All eyes will be on the team if de Villiers and Lynn are at the crease together for any length of time. “It could be interesting,” de Villiers said. “I don’t know what to expect to be honest. I’ve a feeling it’s going to work and will be nice to watch.”Lynn, who was a key part in long project to get de Villiers to the Heat, was in no doubt of his standing. “In my opinion he’s probably the No. 1 entertaining batsman in the world. When he gets going he hits the ball 360 degrees whenever he wants. I believe he’s two steps ahead of the game compared to everyone else. I think he’s the best in the game and the way he thinks is totally different to other batters around the world.”

Manchester United reportedly had a plan to prevent injuries during pre-season – but that backfired with setbacks for Leny Yoro, Rasmus Hojlund & more.

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Man Utd lost Hojlund and Yoro to injuryRashford & Antony also hurt in pre-seasonRed Devils' injury prevention plan backfiredWHAT HAPPENED?

United lost new signing Yoro and striker Hojlund to injury in their pre-season loss to Arsenal last month, while forwards Marcus Rashford and Antony were forced off in their win over Real Betis last week. While Rashford and Antony returned for the defeat at the hands of Liverpool, the Red Devils' efforts to keep their team fit – after an injury-ravaged last season – went awry.

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According to The Athletic, United tried to avoid injuries by managing loads, using sweat patches to monitor fluid loss during sessions and installing an ice bath next to the roof-top swimming pool at the team hotel. Despite those efforts, Hojlund is out for six weeks and Yoro faces approximately three months on the sidelines.

DID YOU KNOW?

United had an injury nightmare with the first-team squad last season. The likes of Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, Hojlund and more missed some or all of the 2023-24 campaign.

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Erik ten Hag's United – who lost to Liverpool, Arsenal and Rosenborg, but beat Rangers and Real Betis in their pre-season campaign – are next in action on Saturday at Wembley against rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield.