Glasgow Rangers return to Europa League action this evening as they take on Sparta Prague away from Ibrox in their third group stage outing.

The Light Blues have one win and one defeat from their opening two matches in the competition and will now be hoping to strengthen their hopes of progressing through to the knockout stages.

New head coach Philippe Clement made his dugout debut against Hibernian last weekend and enjoyed a terrific afternoon as his side ran out 4-0 winners on home soil in the Scottish Premiership.

Jack Butland

GK

James Tavernier (C)

RB

Connor Goldson

CB

John Souttar

CB

Borna Barisic

LB

Nicolas Raskin

DM

John Lundstram

DM

Scott Wright

RW

Sam Lammers

AM

Abdallah Sima

LW

Cyriel Dessers

ST

The Belgian tactician will now manage in Europe for the first time since his move to the Scottish giants and will be hoping for more success than Michael Beale and Steven Davis, who took interim charge against Aris, managed earlier this season.

Rangers were dumped out of the Champions League after a 7-3 aggregate play-off defeat to PSV under Beale, whilst they lost their most recent Europa League clash in a 2-1 defeat to Aris under Davis.

The latest Rangers team news

Clement, however, looks set to be without a senior left-back available for selection after a double injury blow this week ahead of the trip to Prague.

Borna Barisic was forced to leave the field during the opening stages of the win over Hibs and it has been reported that the Croatia international was not in training on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Dujon Sterling, who has filled in at left-back at times this season, was also absent and that suggests that the summer signing from Chelsea will not be in contention to feature.

Ridvan Yilmaz came on to replace Barisic last weekend but the Turkey international is not eligible for selection this evening as he was not registered as part of the club’s Europa League squad.

There are no other fresh injury issues that have been disclosed by the manager and this means that left-back may be the only enforced change for the Belgian chief.

Whilst Clement could look to use a central defender or an experienced midfielder in that position to fill a gap for this game, the Belgian boss must finally unleash academy starlet Adam Devine from the start.

Adam Devine's statistics for Rangers

The 20-year-old dynamo has racked up 11 first-team appearances for the Light Blues since he made his debut for the club under Giovanni van Bronckhorst towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Devine started one of his two Premiership outings under the Dutchman during the top six split matches of that season and struggled to catch the eye.

He lost 62% of his individual duels and was dribbled past one time per game on average, along with 1.5 tackles and interceptions and zero key passes per clash.

These statistics show that the Scotland U21 international was bullied by opposition players as they found it far too easy to get the better of him, which is not a trait you want in a defender as the manager should want his backline to be strong and able to keep the other team at bay.

The talented youngster, who is a right-back by trade, was then provided with an opportunity to play under Beale as Barisic and Yilmaz were both unavailable after the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Devine made six Premiership appearances and started three games for the former Gers head coach throughout the 2022/23 league campaign.

The "powerful" runner – as he was dubbed by former reporter – and now Rangers content executive – Craig Vickers – improved upon the performances he displayed under van Bronckhorst the previous season.

In those six outings, the dynamic ace created two 'big chances' for his teammates and was only dribbled past 0.3 times per game, to go along with a duel success rate of 55%.

These statistics show that Devine learned from his first couple of appearances at first-team level and was able to give a better account of himself under Beale, as he showcased his ability to make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

The academy graduate carved open the opposition to create huge opportunities for others and maintained a strong duel success rate, which shows that the other teams were not able to muscle him out of the way as easily as before.

Borna Barisic's statistics this season

Rangers' 30-year-old left-back has been the first-choice in his position so far this season and has started eight matches across the Premiership and the Europa League.

However, he will not be named in the starting XI this evening as Clement has already confirmed that the Croatian ace is expected to return to action next week, which also rules him out of the game against Hearts on Sunday.

The experienced defender has been solid enough at league level for the Light Blues. Barisic has created one 'big chance' in six Premiership starts and came out on top in 55% of his physical contests.

He has also been dribbled past 0.4 times per game and this suggests that Devine's performances last term were on a par with the Croatia international's this season.

They are both defenders who are rarely dribbled past and win the majority of their duels, whilst the 20-year-old ace actually created 'big chances' for his teammates at a more impressive rate.

Therefore, Rangers may not be significantly weakened by using Devine at left-back in place of the injured Barisic and that is why Clement must finally unleash him from the start this evening, for the first time this term.

Offering an opportunity to a promising academy graduate, who has proven – with his displays last season – that he has the quality to play at senior level, instead of playing a player out of position could be a shrewd move by Clement to excite supporters.

Fans may like to see that the manager is willing to trust and rely on youth when the chance is there to do so, rather than blocking their pathway by moving a senior star out of their usual slot.

Manchester United have lost nine games from 18 this season in all competitions and pressure is continuously piling on manager Erik ten Hag. A narrow 1-0 victory over Luton Town at Old Trafford on Saturday did little to convince anyone that the Red Devils were back to their best.

The international break may offer the players and supporters some respite but a daunting run of fixtures awaits the side, including three consecutive away matches upon returning to action against Everton, Galatasaray and Newcastle United.

If that run isn't bad enough, United also face Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Liverpool before December draws to a close and Ten Hag may find himself out of a job by Christmas.

While there are not many clear candidates to succeed the Dutchman, there is one man who could finally lead the club back to glory.

The man who could replace Erik ten Hag at Man Utd

A relatively unknown entity when he moved to the Premier League last year, Roberto De Zerbi has established himself as one of the best coaches in the top flight since succeeding Graham Potter in the Brighton and Hove Albion dugout.

By the end of his debut campaign with the Seagulls, the Italian coach guided the club on the south coast to sixth, earning a spot in the coveted UEFA Europa League.

It was recently reported that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has tipped De Zerbi to be his successor when he eventually leaves the Premier League champions, with the Spaniard's contract set to expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

However, former Liverpool and Man City star Robbie Fowler believes that Manchester United should make a move for the Brighton head coach, claiming that he is the "blindingly obvious" candidate to replace Ten Hag.

Since De Zerbi's arrival, Brighton have been able to go toe-to-toe with the biggest sides in the division. Hull City manager Liam Rosenior even called De Zerbi an "absolute genius" following a 1-1 draw with Guardiola's treble-winners at the Amex last season.

But would De Zerbi be the perfect replacement for Ten Hag that Fowler seems to think he is?

De Zerbi vs Ten Hag

The Brighton boss came out on top in emphatic fashion when his side travelled to Old Trafford back in September. The Seagulls picked up all three points with a comfortable 3-1 victory and Ten Hag even changed shape from his regular 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2 diamond, with Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund playing down the middle, in order to cut off the centre of the pitch where Brighton like to progress the ball.

The visitors struggled to play through the middle and United's tactical approach was working. However, De Zerbi quickly adapted his team's playing style to take advantage of the hosts' lack of wide players. This helped Brighton to break through Manchester United's pressure easily and even led to a 30-pass goal in the second half.

In the end, Ten Hag had too much respect for his counterpart as the Red Devils crumbled, leading Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to brand Brighton's football as "out of this world".

The Dutch coach garnered criticism in recent weeks after admitting that United "can't play like Ajax", despite spending over £400m on new signings since taking over in 2022.

De Zerbi, on the other hand, has consistently been dogmatic with his attacking, possession-based style, refusing to budge regardless of the opposition throughout his managerial career. Even when Brighton lost Moises Caicedo to Chelsea in the summer, the club acquired Mahmoud Dahoud and continued to play the same way as last season.

Brighton are overachieving under De Zerbi, but the Italian coach seems destined for one of Europe's biggest clubs and saving Man United from any further decline could be his next great challenge.

Aston Villa have started the 2023/24 campaign in style, as Unai Emery continues to bring the best out of his squad just over a year after taking over at Villa Park.

The Spaniard has introduced a new level of performance since taking the reins from Steven Gerrard last October, firing the Villans from 16th place to 7th in his first spell as manager.

Based on his successes in the 2022/23 campaign and his strong summer of business in the transfer market, Emery was well poised to continue where he left off at the start of this season, which he has done so far in the Premier League.

Villa currently sit just one point outside of the top four and have found their feet in the Europa Conference League, however, the former Arsenal boss may be hoping to seek further reinforcements to bolster his squad in January.

Aston Villa January transfer targets

Villa started the season agonisingly, losing both Emiliano Buendia and Tyrone Mings to long-term injuries, and losing their opening game 5-1 to Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

The injury woes immediately left the Villans short to a degree, however, Emery opted to use the summer market to paper over the cracks, welcoming centre-back Clement Lenglet and forward Nicolo Zaniolo late into the window.

While the defence has found sanctuary without Mings as he continues to recover, Zaniolo has not quite hit the pace required to make a significant impact in the side, suggesting that Villa could delve back into the window for further forwards.

Reports in Spain, relayed by BirminghamLive, have suggested that the Villans are one of the interested parties eyeing Real Madrid outsider Brahim Diaz.

The former Manchester City academy talent is said to be available in January for a fee of €20m (£17m), as he continues to struggle to find a way into Carlo Ancelotti’s squad after returning from his recurring loan spells at AC Milan.

Another player said to be eyed by the Midlands club is Sporting CP forward Pedro Goncalves, who is well known to those in the Midlands for his inconclusive time at Wolves.

A report from Portugal, relayed by Sport Witness, claims that Villa may be ready to pay the 25-year-old’s €80m (£70m) release clause in the January window in the bid to strengthen their front line.

Returning to news in Spain, also relayed by Sport Witness, an update on the future of Athletic Club winger Nico Williams has been provided, with Villa named as a club that could be handed the opportunity to finally sign him.

It’s said that the 21-year-old whiz has already turned the Midlands club down twice previously, however, due to his ongoing contract disputes over extending his current deal that runs to next summer, he could soon be on the move.

Sport Witness relayed that the Spaniard is insistent on a short-term contract and a clause that could allow him to leave in the future, with a €50m (£43.5m) release clause currently in place in his contract with his boyhood club.

Nico Williams has had a strong start to 2023/24

Following in the footsteps of his brother and teammate, Inaki, Williams has prevailed as one of Bilbao’s best-performing players so far in the 2023/24 campaign.

In La Liga, the winger’s efforts have seen him rise to the top of the in-squad charts for his performances, ranking as the squad’s best when it comes to his averages of two key passes and 2.4 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

The 21-year-old gem is third in the squad rankings of overall match rating, in which he’s maintained an encouraging 7.03 rating, with his contribution in the final third noted by him sitting in joint-second for assists, with two on the board.

While it is one strength to be one of the best within the club, it is another to stand out and perform alongside those elsewhere in the league, with La Liga being home to some of the best talents in the world.

Nico Williams 2023/24 La Liga averages per 90
Statistic	Average	League Rank
Assists	0.37	Top 3%
Progressive carries	4.97	Top 3%
Successful take-ons	3.13	Top 3%
Key passes	2.58	Top 10%
Figures via FBref

As highlighted in the table above, Williams is a force to be reckoned with in the Spanish top-tier so far this season, ranking highly in the attributes required to be a winger performing at the highest level.

Once hailed as “dynamite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the talented maestro has shown consistently explosive form when going forward, with his ball carrying and creative strengths the most valuable elements of his playing style, as shown by the aforementioned statistics.

Nico Williams could challenge Emiliano Buendia

In Williams, Emery could discover a player with a paralleled style to that of Buendia, with Mango describing the Spaniard as a player able to “play on both wings” while being a “highly creative thinker”.

As well as being the typical threat in the wide channels with his dribbling strengths and pace, Williams enjoys taking up the role of a playmaker, with traits identical to Buendia.

The Argentine was signed by Villa after recording a phenomenal season in the Championship with Norwich City, in which he netted 15 goals and recorded 17 assists in the Canaries’ promotion season.

Admittedly, things have not worked as swimmingly for the 26-year-old wizard at Villa Park, where in 78 appearances, he has scored just nine goals and registered only nine assists, representing a severe dip in performance.

Links to Williams come at an interesting time with reference to Buendia, with him set to return from injury in February, with little guarantee that he will immediately return to the fold amid additional competition being added to the squad.

Signing the Spanish sensation could be bad news for the Argentine magician, who already faces competition in the form of Moussa Diaby and the improved performances of Leon Bailey, who both epitomise the strengths the manager wants from his wide players.

Buendia vs Williams 2022/23 respective league campaigns
	Emiliano Buendia	Nico Williams
Progressive passes	5.15	2.71
Progressive carries	2.24	5.90
Successful take-ons	1.01	2.81
Shots on target %	22.4%	32.8%
Key passes	1.53	1.56
Per 90 figures via FBref

As portrayed in the table above, prior to his injury, Buendia was performing at a lower rate than Williams during their respective 2022/23 campaigns, displaying that Villa could bolster their options by capturing his signature in January.

Relating to the strengths of Diaby and Bailey, the Bilbao whiz certainly fits the criteria wanted by Emery, showing an extremely direct style of play and being a player who can influence games in the final third.

Buendia is facing an ongoing battle to recover from his agonising injury, however at the point of his return, the challenges could become even more significant if Villa opt to explore the availability of Williams.

An "unbelievable" Liverpool player could be on the verge of leaving the club in the near future, according to an update from Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Liverpool transfer news – Thiago and Matip contracts

The Reds made significant changes to their squad during the summer transfer window, with their primary focus on revamping an ageing midfield, moving on the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner, among others, following a poor 2022/23 season.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were two excellent signings who arrived in their place, with Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch also coming in later in the window. They have made a big difference already, helping Jurgen Klopp's side to second in the Premier League table heading into the last international break of the year, and they should only continue to improve.

While there is plenty of love for the new arrivals, and further signings are required moving forward, there are also some players who could be out of favour come the end of the season.

Joel Matip and Thiago are among those whose are out of contract at Liverpool in 2024, meaning they could leave for free at that point, but an update has now emerged regarding one man who could leave for a fee with several years still left on his deal.

Fabio Carvalho tipped for Liverpool exit

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth hinted that Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho could leave the club soon, with the decision from the Reds to send him to the Bundesliga not helping his cause.

"He is a young player though and he's come from the Championship effectively when he moved from Fulham. So it's a difficult situation that he's in just now, but of course, the lack of game time that he's getting with RB Leipzig hasn't helped him for his development and also trying to knock on the door for Klopp as he can point to look what I'm doing at RB Leipzig. And crucially, I think as well, it just feels like Liverpool are moving on as well."

There were high expectations of Carvalho when he arrived from Fulham in the summer of 2022, with many hoping he could enjoy a similar trajectory to fellow former Cottagers ace Harvey Elliott. Instead, the 21-year-old had a really tough first season on Merseyside, not helped by playing in a team that was struggling so badly, and Carvalho's statistics of just three goals in 21 appearances for Liverpool hardly set the world alight.

The young attacking midfielder has also found it tough at Leipzig since joining on loan in the summer, with no goals or assists for Carvalho in six Bundesliga appearances in 2023/24 to date, although that has admittedly totalled just 138 minutes of action.

In fairness to Carvalho, Klopp has described him as an "unbelievable" talent in the past, so he seemingly sees him as a good footballer, but it is hard to see how he is going to feature prominently for Liverpool in the years to come, with so many top-quality options ahead of him in midfield and attack, and more new faces likely to arrive in the coming transfer windows.

Days after he was removed from the limited-overs captaincy, Angelo Mathews has been dropped from Sri Lanka’s ODI squad, possibly over fitness concerns. Mathews has responded almost immediately, demanding the selectors allow him to take a fitness test.The ODI squad for the forthcoming series against England has not yet been released, but it has been named and sent to the sports ministry for the minister’s mandatory approval. As the squad is not official yet, there is a small chance Mathews could find his way back into it. For now, however, he is in a standoff with the selectors.It is understood that concerns over Mathews’ fitness were a central feature of the meeting between him, coach Chandika Hathurusingha, and the selectors, which took place on Friday – the same meeting in which Mathews was asked to step down from the captaincy. ESPNcricinfo also understands Mathews was one of at least two players asked by Hathurusingha not to undergo a yo-yo test ahead of the Asia Cup, the reasoning being Mathews had played every one of the eight matches during South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka, and the risk of injury was thus high.Mathews has also had recurring injuries in his legs, but it is his match fitness that has been called into question on this occasion. In the Asia Cup, he had been sluggish between the wickets, and had played a role in the run-outs of two batting partners.But although he has stopped bowling in order to prevent further injury, Mathews has been consistent with the bat in ODIs. Since the start of 2017, Mathews has made 888 ODI runs at an average of 59.20, across 22 innings, albeit with a modest strike rate of 76.35. In Sri Lanka’s most recent bilateral series, against South Africa, Mathews was in fact the highest scorer across the five matches, having scored 235 runs at 78.33, with a strike rate of 83.62. Since the start of 2017, no other Sri Lanka batsman with over 500 ODI runs averages more than 45.Mathews has already hit back at the selectors’ decision to remove him from the captaincy by sending a letter to SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, in which he said he resented being made the “scapegoat” for Sri Lanka’s failure at the Asia Cup. The same selection committee, along with coach Hathurusingha, had asked him to take up the limited-overs captaincy in January, six months after he had resigned as captain last year, ending a five-year tenure.Sri Lanka’s five-match ODI series against England begins on October 10.

Erling Haaland has been told he is "not on the same planet" as Harry Kane, as the Bayern Munich forward has the passing abilities to play "No.10".

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Article continues below

Haaland was criticised again after Villa benchingMan City star told he pales in comparison to KaneEngland striker hailed for his link-up play & passing abilityWHAT HAPPENED?

After being dropped from the starting line-up against Aston Villa, the Norwegian forward has been told that his qualities pale when compared to Kane. The English skipper was judged as a more complete player than Haaland as the former Tottenham forward can still be lethal with his all-round capabilities when he is starved of service in attack.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT HAS BEEN SAID

In the, Craig Burley while comparing Haaland to Kane, said: "I don't think it is any surprise that some of Haaland's all-round game has room for improvement. He is about physicality and goals. When it comes to all-around play – I am not suggesting he is a worse goalscorer – he is not on the same planet as a Harry Kane. In terms of his link-up play, Kane can drop off and play passes like a No.10. He can play 50-60-70-yard ping passes, round the corner, you name it.

"Karim Benzema, drifting around the pitch when he was at Real Madrid. Flicking little balls and linking up play. But that is not Haaland. He needs the goals to keep those numbers up because lots of his other game needs polishing."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Haaland has been getting a lot of stick since his unimpressive performance against Arsenal after he missed a couple of gilt-edged chances. Manchester United legend, Roy Keane, described him as a 'League Two' striker after the 1-1 draw with the Gunners and after the benching against Villa, the chorus has just got louder.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Despite the criticism targetted at Haaland, the Norwegian has found the net 29 times in 35 appearances across competitions. He will be hoping to find his scoring boots once again when City face Crystal Palace on Saturday in their next Premier League encounter.

تلقى المنتخب المصري للكرة الطائرة رجال، هزيمة بثلاثة أشواط أمام نظيره الإيطالي، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم ضمن أولمبياد باريس 2024.

منتخب مصر خسر الشوط الأول 25-15، وفي الشوط الثاني انتهى لصالح إيطاليا 25-16.

في الشوط الثالث، كان المنتخب المصري قريب من إحياء آماله، ولكن إيطاليا قضت على آمال الفراعنة بالفوز 25-20.

طالع أيضًا | نتائج مصر اليوم في أولمبياد باريس (مباشر)

ويحتل المنتخب المصري المركز الأخير بعدما تلقى الهزيمة في المباراة الأولى أيضًا من بولندا، وتنتظره مواجهة أمام البرازيل يوم الجمعة القادمة.

مصر تشارك في أولمبياد باريس بـ148 لاعباً ولاعبة أساسيًا و16 لاعبا احتياطيا بإجمالي عدد لاعبين 164 لاعبا في 22 رياضة، وتعد بعثة الفراعنة الأكبر في تاريخ العرب وإفريقيا.

وتقام فعاليات أولمبياد باريس 2024 خلال الفترة من 26 يوليو الجاري، وحتى 11 أغسطس في العاصمة الفرنسية باريس.

While hugely encouraged by the efforts of his side to salvage an unlikely draw in Dubai, Australia’s captain is mindful of the need to view the result in perspective

Daniel Brettig in Abu Dhabi15-Oct-2018

Tim Paine and Nathan Lyon walk back after salvaging a draw for Australia•Getty Images

“We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations.” This message, one of many famous lines delivered by Sir Winston Churchill in his speech to the House of Commons following the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, was not a million miles from the sentiment of Australia’s captain Tim Paine in the moments after his side salvaged the unlikeliest of draws against Pakistan in Dubai.Having marked the stalemate with his own fist pump and congratulations for the other not-out batsman Nathan Lyon, Paine saw the Australian viewing area beginning to erupt in celebrations. Recalling the words of the former England captain Michael Vaughan after another narrow escape by Australia, at Old Trafford during the 2005 Ashes, he immediately gestured to his men to settle down. This draw, miraculous as it was, needed to be viewed in perspective.”Just when I saw a little bit of it [the celebrations] spilling out the door, I think it was the Forged In Fire documentary we watched last year during the Ashes and Michael Vaughan said after one of the Tests that he felt as an opposition captain that they had them when he saw them celebrating a draw,” Paine said. “I’ve seen that myself before.”I think we were clearly pretty excited by what we’ve been able to achieve because it doesn’t happen too much, but you’ve got to keep a bit of perspective on it and realise that we had been outplayed particularly over the first few days. While it was great we did fight back, a draw is a draw and we’re here to win.”Vaughan’s words had been in reference to watching a great Australian team overwhelmed with relief at having escaped defeat, as he recounted to the in 2013: “At the end we were down because we had missed a chance. But I remember Brett Lee and [Glenn] McGrath hugging each other in the middle as if they won the World Cup. I looked behind me and saw them jumping up and down on the balcony. I told the lads to look at them celebrating. I never thought I would see an Australia team celebrate a draw. I said: ‘If we play like this, and I know we will be better at Trent Bridge, then the Ashes will be ours, no question. We have got them mentally’.”Nowhere is the mental battle intrinsic to Test cricket more vital than in the unrelenting heat and dry, dusty conditions of the UAE. Paine has made it clear to his men that while there is a great deal of succour to be taken from the Dubai rearguard, more must be done in Abu Dhabi if the touring team are to gain Australia’s first win in a Test series in Asia since the 2011 Sri Lanka tour.”It’d be a massive thing for any Australian side, and for this one in particular,” Paine said. “Touched on it last week that not many people gave us a chance over here, which is a great opportunity for us to prove people wrong and a great thing to keep driving us. We’re trying to get better every day, and if we manage to play our best next week maybe that is possible. But we’ve got to turn up for a really tough match, it’s going to last five days and we’ve got to be on for all of those five days and every session.”Last week when we dropped the ball a little bit for a session, the game can be taken away from you really quickly here. We’ve got to take it, as boring as it is, a day at a time, a session at a time, and if we do that, we know we’ll be right in it at the end. I think the fact that guys in the second innings saw that their plans would work over here [helps]. You never know. You can have the greatest plans in the world but until you get out in the middle in a Test match under that sort of pressure you never know.”For guys to actually go out and do it, they’ll take a lot of confidence out of that, we’ll clearly as a team take a fair bit of momentum out of it. But we spoke again this morning about the need to turn up here in the next couple of days and start getting our mind around the fact it’s going to be a real battle again for five days and that’s how cricket is played over here.”By way of adjustment, Paine said he was considering a shuffle of the batting order after the struggles of Shaun and Mitchell Marsh in the first Test at Nos. 3 and 4. But he confirmed the top six would be the same in personnel if not order of appearance, with the only question of selection around whether to include one of Michael Neser or Brendan Doggett at the expense of Jon Holland, given the well-grassed appearance of the Abu Dhabi surface relative to Dubai.Paine’s captaincy has evolved quickly in a short space of time, since he was thrust into the role by the extraordinary circumstances of the South Africa tour and the Newlands ball tampering scandal. He reflected upon trying to be mentally fresher than he was at his first attempt in the England ODI series mid-year, where he trained so much as to find himself fried when match day came around – something underlined by a wide margin of defeat. In Dubai his immaculate wicketkeeping and second-innings defiance illustrated far more reserves of mental and physical energy, the better to outlast Pakistan’s bowlers.”I think in England one thing I learned was I probably trained too hard and tried too hard,” Paine said. “I was getting into games quite mentally worn out I guess. I was using quite a lot of energy even when I wasn’t at the cricket. So it’s just being able to relax a little bit more and not train as hard.”In the last 12 or 18 months I’ve probably been as fit as I’ve ever been. My wicketkeeping to be honest hasn’t changed too much. I keep that pretty simple. I do a lot of work at home by myself with a golf ball and I just find that that’s been the best way for me to prepare. It’s a good way to just make sure that I’m getting myself in good positions. I’ve wicketkept a lot over the years so I know if my body and head are in a good position, I’ll catch more than I drop. That’s just been the focus for me.”I saw Ian Healy years ago doing it so I do that. I can do it up standing up, I can do it standing back. The beauty of it is I can catch 10 times as many balls as if I had someone hitting me balls. A lot of the time at Bellerive I just go up the back of the grandstand by myself for an hour or two just banging the golf ball up against the wall. It’s pretty boring but in some weird way I really enjoy it. I find it relaxes me as well and allows me to go into a Test knowing I’m in a good place.”As for Pakistan, with their captain and fellow wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed criticised for trying too many things on the final day, rather than sticking rigorously to one or two plans, Paine struck a note of sympathy. Given the year he’s had, Paine knows as well as anyone that captaincy is far from a simple task.”Over here you’ve got to think of different things [to get people out], there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “I hadn’t read any of it to be honest, but I find it interesting when you do too much, you’re doing too much, and when you don’t do enough you haven’t done enough. What I do know is that captaining a Test team out in the middle is a lot harder than it looks sitting in the commentary box.”It’s one of those things, you can get nailed for it either way, so it can be a hard job, but I’m sure they know what they’re trying to do, we certainly know what we’re trying to do, and what matters to us is what’s inside our four walls and I’m sure Sarfraz and Pakistan are the same.”

The pair struck fifties after Megan Schutt restricted New Zealand to a below-par total, sealing the T20I series with a game to play

Alex Malcolm01-Oct-2018Half-centuries from Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani proved the depth of Australia’s batting in the second Twenty20 international, and guided the hosts to a series victory over New Zealand at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.Meg Lanning and Rachel Haynes controlled the chase in the opening match in Sydney, and Healy and Villani did the same in the second, as the home side cruised past New Zealand’s sub-par total of 145 with seven balls to spare and six wickets in hand.Australia again wobbled early in the run chase with Beth Mooney clean bowled for 0 in the second over by a superb yorker from Lea Tahuhu. Ashley Gardner was then run out in unusual circumstances in the fifth over. She was left stranded by Healy who stood motionless at the non-striker’s end following Gardner’s call for a single. Sophie Devine’s throw from midwicket half-volleyed in front of the stumps and New Zealand keeper Katey Martin got herself in a tangle as she unsuccessfully attempted to reach forward to collect the throw and dislodge the stumps in one motion. After a long deliberation the third umpire deemed it was the ball that had hit the stumps direct and dislodged the bail, and not Martin’s gloves or body.But Healy went on to show her class with 10 boundaries to all corners of the picturesque ground. Villani’s power finished the job to hand Australia an unassailable lead in the three-match series.Earlier, Player of the Match Megan Schutt delivered a miserly spell of 3 for 15 from four overs to keep the total under 150 despite a stunning innings from opener Suzie Bates. Schutt forced both Sophie Devine and Jessica Watkin to hole out in the deep in the Powerplay to leave Bates with a lot of work to do. She was up to the task smashing 11 fours and two enormous sixes in her 77 from just 52 balls. It took a brilliant diving catch from Healy to stop her from marching towards a second T20 international hundred.Bates did get decent support from captain Amy Satterthwaite. The pair put on 60 in just six overs, which included six fours and three sixes, to give Australia some concerns.Seamer Delissa Kimmince held her nerve with a very tidy spell amongst the early carnage, claiming the dangerous wicket of Satterthwaite and conceding just 17 from her four overs to give Australia a very manageable chase.

Crystal Palace are said to have a clinical new striker target on their radar as manager Roy Hodgson seeks to address that area of the squad.

Palace among Premier League's lowest scorers

The Eagles lie a lowly 13th in the Premier League table, having scored just five goals in their last five league matches with a single win to boast in that time. Palace rank among the division's lowest-scoring sides, and despite an upturn in form for Odsonne Edouard, it is believed the south Londoners are keen on signing a new striker.

Red Bull Salzburg ace Karim Konate, who has enjoyed an electric start to the Austrian season, is one name Palace are reportedly keeping tabs on.

By his own admission, Edouard also suggested that he is eyeing a move away to one of the top European clubs if he can maintain his own brilliant start to 2023/2024 – meaning Palace may have to weigh up future replacements for the Frenchman.

“I try to give the best version of myself every time I step onto a pitch," said Edouard to PSG's official website, as translated by Sport Witness.

"Making the supporters at Selhurst Park proud is my goal. It is by achieving successful performances that I could aspire to join one of the biggest European clubs. I strive to become a striker that matters on the European scene. It is therefore important to have a great season with the Eagles.”

It will be interesting to see who Palace, and by extension sporting director Dougie Freedman, could bring in to support Hodgson in the forward areas, with news now coming to light on an interesting new target.

Palace eyeing up Thijs Dallinga

Indeed, it is now believed Palace are eyeing Toulouse forward Thijs Dallinga. According to TEAMtalk, Hodgson's side are impressed by the Dutchman's performances in France and are keeping tabs on his progress ahead of a possible swoop.

Headed attempts

Offside awareness

Passing

Dallinga is also being watched by Bournemouth and Brentford with all three clubs, including Palace, searching for striking reinforcements. The 23-year-old has performed brilliantly so far this season, scoring seven goals already across his Europa League and Ligue 1 appearances.

Dallinga "terrifies opponents" with his positioning

Dallinga is continuing to earn rave reviews across the channel, with a report by The Athletic describing him as an attacker who "terrifies opponents" with his positioning. The former Excelsior star bagged 18 goals in all competitions over his debut campaign for Toulouse last term, playing a heavy hand in their eventual French Cup triumph as well.

"He has the ability to attack the spaces in behind but also come short to play the passing game," wrote journalist Ahmed Walid earlier this year (The Athletic).

"The first part is clear in Dallinga’s constant signalling for the ball to be played behind the defence, regardless of how far away he is.

"The centre-forward doesn’t get tired from making off-ball runs behind the defence, even if the pass doesn’t arrive, however, when the pass comes, he is ready."