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Liverpool return to action in the Premier League this evening as they prepare to travel away to face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the third game of the season.

The Reds have the opportunity to be the only team other than Manchester City to enjoy a perfect start to the campaign, as they won their first two matches.

Arne Slot has enjoyed a dream opening to his first Premier League season in the dugout with 2-0 wins over both Ipswich Town and Brentford, since he arrived to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer.

This, however, is the biggest test he has faced so far, as Liverpool are away from home against one of the biggest clubs in England, which provides the Dutchman with a chance to show everyone that his team can compete against the top sides.

Prior to this weekend, there had been some focus on the work that was, or was not, going on in the summer transfer window before the deadline on Friday.

In the end, Liverpool only made one senior addition to their first-team squad with a swoop for Italy international Federico Chiesa from Juventus on a permanent deal.

This game may come too soon for the Euro 2020 (2021) winner to make his full debut for the club but there could be another change to the frontline.

Diogo Jota could be dropped

The Portugal international, Diogo Jota, was selected to lead the line for Slot against Ipswich and Brentford in the first two matches of the season and did not disgrace himself at all.

In fact, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man registered an assist for the opening goal against the Bees, as his pass set Luis Diaz away on the counter.

However, the rest of his performance against Thomas Frank’s side left a little bit to be desired with his work in front of goal and out of possession.

Vs Brentford

Diogo Jota

Minutes played

72

xG

0.62

Shots

4

Big chances missed

1

Goals

0

Duels won

2/7

Dribbles completed

0/1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old attacker let himself down slightly in his physical duels with Brentford defenders, who came out on top in five of their seven contests with him.

The Portuguese ace, who scored ten goals in 21 Premier League matches last season, also missed the ‘big chance’ that his fell his way and failed in his only dribble attempt.

That is not to say Jota has had a poor start to the campaign, though, as he has produced one goal and one assist in his first two league outings.

However, his slightly concerning all-round display against Brentford and Liverpool being the away team in a big game at Old Trafford, where there may be more space to run in-behind the defence if the home team wants to play high and attempt to dominate the ball may mean that there is a better alternative available to Slot.

The player Slot should replace Jota with

The Dutch head coach must brutally bin the £140k-per-week star by unleashing Darwin Nunez from the start for the first time in the Premier League this season.

He was an unused substitute on the opening day at Portman Road and then came on for just 18 minutes of action in the 2-0 win over Brentford last week.

However, this could be the perfect game to hand the Uruguay international a start in because of his ability to run beyond the defence and into space.

With United being the home team, Erik ten Hag may want his backline to push high and attempt to squeeze Liverpool into their own half, in an attempt to dominate the match.

Whilst that could help the Red Devils to control the ball, that tactic would open up space in behind the two United centre-backs for Nunez to exploit on the counter.

23/24 Premier League

Darwin Nunez

Appearances

36

Start

22

xG

16.39

Goals

11

Assists

8

Big chances created

11

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old forward is a constant threat in the final third, with a return of 19 goal contributions in 22 league starts last term.

His finishing was far from perfect, with 11 goals from 16.39 xG, but he creates plenty of chances for himself with his superb movement off the shoulder of the last defender, as shown in the clip below from his match-winning strike against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.

Nunez also has a terrific record against Manchester United. In four appearances against them, the former Benfica star has produced two goals and two assists, which shows that he can make a big impact against the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire.

Therefore, Slot should unleash the striker, who was once described as an “absolute nightmare” for defenders by Gary Neville, ahead of Jota to suit this specific match.

That may be the only change to the starting XI, barring any late injuries that could force the manager’s hand, as the two wingers either side of the striker should stay the same.

Why Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah should start

The two Liverpool wingers, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, have been on fire in the first two matches of the Premier League season and should retain their positions in the side.

They are both blessed with plenty of speed and the ability to make runs in behind full-backs to create chances for themselves, which is why they could both suit this match alongside Nunez.

Diaz and Salah have also been in phenomenal form with their contributions at the top end of the pitch, which means that they could cause huge problems for the United defence.

24/25 Premier League

Luis Diaz

Mohamed Salah

Appearances

2

2

Goals

1

2

Assists

1

1

Big chances created

2

1

Key passes per game

3.5

1.0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, they have combined for three goals and two assists in the first two games and deserve to keep their respective places in the XI.

This means that the front three Slot should select to start against Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening is Salah on the right, Nunez through the middle, and Diaz on the left.

Related Move over Chiesa: Liverpool could have signed a "monster" Salah heir

Arne Slot missed out on a current Premier League winger

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Aug 31, 2024

With their opening Premier League game against Arsenal just around the corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly turned their attention towards welcoming a replacement for Pedro Neto.

Wolves transfer news

The Midlands club have, of course, just lost Neto to Chelsea in a move worth a reported £54m and must now replace Gary O'Neil's star man to hand their attack a much-needed boost. With a hefty fee to spend, there's no doubt that Wolves will have plenty of options and the likes of Carlos Forbs have already been mentioned.

The Ajax winger is still just 20 years old and could yet be on his way back to the Premier League for the first time since graduating from Manchester City's academy. Given his lack of senior experience in England's top-flight, however, question marks would come over his ability to fill the large void left behind by Neto this summer. Alas, those same questions would not arrive if Wolves targeted a more experienced option.

Fabrizio Romano: Wolves make enquiry to sign £40,000-p/w Premier League ace

He’s a player with plenty of experience…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 14, 2024

According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Wolves now want to sign Yoane Wissa to replace Neto this month, with the Brentford winger allowed to leave the Bees after they completed substantial summer business of their own.

A player who can play in any role across the frontline, signing Wissa has every chance of turning into a stroke of genius if Wolves push ahead with their interest and land a deal for the right price.

Now 27 years old and falling down the pecking order at Brentford thanks to the return of Ivan Toney and the arrival of Fabio Carvalho, a move to the Midlands should also suit Wissa in the next couple of weeks.

"Remarkable" Wissa can replace Neto's quality

More of a goalscorer than Neto, whose best trait is his ability to create for others, Wissa can replace the winger's quality whilst adding a different type of firepower to O'Neil's side. Alongside both Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha, the 27-year-old would undoubtedly thrive in similar fashion to how he has performed next to Bryan Mbeumo and Toney.

Goals

12

3

Assists

2

9

Minutes

2,493

1,516

Ball Recoveries per 90

3.57

4.70

A weakness of Neto's is also a strength of Wissa's, with the Brentford star's availability far more reliable than the injury-prone Neto's. In one swoop, Wolves may well get the perfect replacement without splashing a substantial amount of the £54m received for Neto.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank was full of praise for Wissa last season, saying via the Independent: “I think they are super players. Wissa, we knew, has always been a goalscorer. He scored seven goals in the first season and seven in the second in the Premier League, for a player that didn’t play much. It’s remarkable. I definitely think he is best as a 9. He’s got that nose for goals.”

Southampton were desperately unlucky to walk away from their opening Premier League fixture versus Newcastle United empty-handed, in a game that was certainly feisty.

The major moment of controversy came when Saints striker Ben Brereton-Diaz fell to the floor after an altercation with Fabian Schar in the first 45 minutes, as the Chilean striker theatrically collapsed to the ground, resulting in the Swiss centre-back receiving his marching orders for an apparent headbutt.

That man advantage didn't pay off in the end for Russell Martin's visitors, however, as a goalkeeper error by Alex McCarthy allowed Joelinton to win the game 1-0, courtesy of a calm finish.

There will have been plenty of encouraging takeaways from the heated contest though, despite the final outcome, as their business in the transfer window continues.

Southampton closing in on new transfer

As per Portuguese outlet A Bola, and now further backed up by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Southampton are edging closer and closer to snapping up Portuguese youngster Mateus Fernandes this summer.

Romano, via his social media, has confirmed that a deal will take place shortly, as the Saints continue to press on with more and more new additions, to help in their bid to stay up in the Premier League.

Starring out on loan with Estoril Praia last season, away from parent employers Sporting CP, the time could be right for Fernandes to spread his wings and move to England, to compete with the likes of Will Smallbone, Flynn Downes and more for a central starting spot.

What Fernandes can offer Southampton

The 20-year-old could become Southampton's next Gaston Ramirez, who arrived to the South Coast in 2012 as a bolt from the blue purchase, before going on to become an entertaining, attacking midfielder for Saints fans to enjoy watching.

Much like their former Uruguayan, Fernandes has excelled for Sporting when operating as a midfielder who is unafraid to drive forward and create openings, away from his standard duties, as seen in the sublime assist (above) he offered up playing for the Portuguese giants in the past.

Ramirez bagged eight goals and picked up eight assists from 55 Saints appearances playing in a similar vain, with his debut season really sticking out as a high point, as the now 33-year-old amassed five goals and three assists to ensure Nigel Adkins' men stayed afloat in the top-flight.

Total shots

1.99

0.60

Shot-creating actions

4.55

3.82

Passes attempted

44.55

56.22

Pass completion %

70.2%

80.4%

Progressive passes

4.55

5.33

Progressive carries

1.99

2.63

Successful take-ons

2.28

1.11

Progressive passes received

6.79

2.19

Looking at the above table, there are many similarities between the raw Sporting attacking midfielder and Ramirez, who won himself a move to Sampdoria off the back of his time with Southampton, with his 17/18 season taking place in Italy subsequently.

Very similar in terms of their ability to take players on, alongside their quality to progress their team up the pitch, the "exceptional" youngster – as he has been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson for his delicate range of passing – could prove to be a hit in his new location.

Fernandes would offer something different away from the old guard of Smallbone, Downes and Joe Aribo that Martin currently has at his disposal, who all performed well at St James' Park, but would have trudged off the pitch despondent that they couldn't slice open the Magpies defence for a winning goal.

Nottingham Forest are next up for the lively South Coast outfit in the top flight, with an expectation that they will be able to add points onto the board off the back of this home clash.

A better signing than Ioannidis: Southampton keen on £17m ace

Southampton aren’t slowing down on the transfer front.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 15, 2024

A pundit has been left thrilled by Aston Villa's potential move for a "marquee" forward, which would be after Unai Emery's side attempt to seal deals for Hull City winger Jaden Philogene and Everton midfielder Amadou Onana.

Aston Villa closing in on deals for Philogene and Onana

The club's announcement of a near-£120 million loss in their latest set of financial accounts has not stopped them from spending big, as the Villans attempt to back Emery and reinforce the squad ahead of Champions League participation next campaign.

Deal being finalised as £50m star agrees to join Aston Villa with Philogene

Emery’s side are on the verge of a major signing.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 13, 2024

Ian Maatsen, Samuel Iling-Junior, Cameron Archer, Lewis Dobbin, Enzo Barrenechea and Ross Barkley have all been announced and confirmed as Villa signings, with the six new squad members costing a combined £86 million.

Going the other way, Villa have managed to offload Douglas Luiz, Tim Iroegbunam and Morgan Sanson for around £56 million – with Calum Chambers leaving the club by mutual consent and Philippe Coutinho sealing a move to Vasco de Gama as well.

All of Aston Villa's confirmed summer deals	Fee paid (via Transfermarkt)
Ian Maatsen	£38 million
Cameron Archer	£14 million
Samuel Iling-Junior	£12 million
Lewis Dobbin	£10 million
Enzo Barrenechea	£7 million
Ross Barkley	£5 million

Despite their PSR concerns, Villa have wasted no time at all in identifying two more major signings on top of the aforementioned bunch. In the last 48 hours, Fabrizio Romano shared news that Monchi has activated matching rights as they seal a reunion with Philogene.

The Hull City winger will re-join Villa for around £13 million, due to a 30 per cent sell-on clause in his contract, with Emery personally wanting the 22-year-old back as Monchi grants the Spaniard's wish.

Following on from one of the Championship's star wingers of last season, it now appears Everton midfielder Amadou Onana is on the verge of joining Emery as well.

Indeed, reliable journalist David Ornstein broke news this morning that Villa are finalising a £50 million deal for Onana, with personal terms already agreed on a long-term contract and the Belgian keen to join.

Pundit thrilled as Villa also eye Joao Felix move

Speaking to Villa News, amid this clamor of transfer activity, pundit and podcaster Ty Bracey has endorsed a move for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

Villa have been heavily linked with a move for Felix as they look to add a new striker and potentially replace Jhon Duran. Bracey says Felix would be a good signing for Villa, but cautions that he'll likely cost a "marquee" sum.

“I do think it would be a good signing but an expensive one for sure, his wage would probably be in excess of £180,000-a-week, that wouldn’t surprise me," said Bracey.

“He’d definitely be a marquee signing, I think he’d be great but it all hinges on if he wants to join. He brings Champions League experience, he’s played at the highest level so the pressure side of the game wouldn’t be a problem.

“He’s a very talented footballer, very skilful and we know he’s capable of scoring goals so he’s not someone I would say no to.“

Interestingly, recent reports have even claimed that both Monchi and Emery believe they can turn Felix into a star at Villa.

Leeds United must end the current summer transfer window with a squad that is ready to compete for automatic promotion back to the Premier League next season.

The Whites failed in the play-offs during the 2023/24 campaign and must now attempt to go one step further by finishing in the top two and avoiding the post-season tournament.

Daniel Farke has already lost Archie Gray and Glen Kamara from his squad, as they left to join Tottenham Hotspur and Rennes respectively, but has also added four players to the group.

Joe Rodon has signed permanently, after his loan spell, Joe Rothwell has joined on loan, and Alex Cairns and Jayden Bogle have both been snapped up on permanent deals.

Crysencio Summerville has recently been linked with West Ham United and Roma, whilst Brighton have had an offer rejected for Georginio Rutter.

This means that the Whites could lose more of their key players before the window slams shut at the end of August. However, Leeds could soften the blow of losing the likes of Summerville and Rutter by signing a new star duo.

Leeds eyeing Championship marksman

Firstly, Leeds have been linked with an interest in Blackburn Rovers attacking midfielder Sammie Szmodics, after his impressive exploits in the division last term.

The Whites are reportedly in the mix to sign the Ireland international alongside Premier League side Ipswich Town, who have just been promoted to the top-flight.

However, Rovers are said to be looking for a fee of £20m for the prolific attacker and it remains to be seen whether or not either side will be able to strike a deal for his services.

If Leeds can secure a swoop for the Irish marksman, though, then he could be a terrific addition to the squad after his sublime outings in the Championship last season.

Szmodics racked up 33 goals and four assists in 48 matches in all competitions for Blackburn, which shows that he knows how to find the back of the net on a consistent basis.

Summerville (20) was the only player who scored more than 14 goals in the Championship for Leeds last season, which suggests that the 28-year-old ace would be a welcome addition to the group with his impressive scoring prowess.

Appearances

44

Goals

27

Minutes per goal

145

Conversion rate

19%

Big chances created

7

Duel success rate

42%

As you can see in the table above, Szmodics fired in a staggering 27 league goals and averaged one every 145 minutes, whilst also creating seven 'big chances' for his teammates.

This shows that he scored more goals than any of Farke's current options and that is another reason why the club should swoop to secure his signature ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Therefore, the attacking midfielder could be a brilliant and lethal signing for Leeds this summer if they can get a deal over the line, and he could form one half of a new star duo for the Whites – alongside another one of their reported targets.

Leeds' interest in electric winger

The Athletic reported last month that the West Yorkshire side are one of the teams interested in a swoop for Basel winger Liam Millar this summer.

It was claimed that fellow Championship outfits Burnley and Sheffield United are also keen on the Canada international, who played for his country at the Copa America.

The former Liverpool forward spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Preston North End in England and has now attracted interest from teams who want to bring him back to the second tier.

It was reported that the player is open to returning to the country but it remains to be seen how much Basel would demand from any of the interested parties to allow him to leave.

Therefore, like with Szmodics, it remains to be seen how viable a deal is for the electric winger. Leeds should, though, push ahead and attempt to get a move over the line due to the potential quality he could provide on the pitch.

Millar and the Irish whiz could form a new star duo for Farke in the Championship, as they have both proven themselves to be fantastic players at that level.

Why Leeds should sign Liam Millar

Szmodics' aforementioned statistics in the second tier perfectly illustrate why he would form one half of a star duo for Leeds, but what about Millar?

The £8k-per-week ace caught the eye with his performances on loan for Preston, despite having to play in a slightly unnatural wing-back role on the left, rather than being an out-and-out winger.

Cutting in on his favoured right foot, Millar still showed plenty of signs of promise from the left flank with his ability to score and create goals for his side.

Appearances

35

Goals

5

xA

3.58

Assists

5

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

0.9

As you can see in the table above, the attacker outperformed his xG by over one goal and this suggests that he could thrive in a side that creates more chances for him to score.

He would play as a natural winger in a possession-heavy side at Elland Road, rather than as a counter-attacking wing-back for Preston, and this could provide him with more chances to showcase his quality.

Millar, who writer Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic described as being in "ridiculous" form for Preston, ranked within the top 12% of full-backs in the division for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.15) and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 (5.90) and successful take-ons per 90 (2.54).

These statistics show that the 24-year-old ace is a progressive flanker who is constantly looking to beat his man and make things happen in the final third, as illustrated by his dribbling and goal contribution stats.

Farke must now bring him in to unleash the electric wizard in a more advanced role for Leeds than he had at Preston to get the most out of his attacking talent.

Millar and Szmodics could, therefore, be a new star duo for the Whites if they are both brought in due to their provenm attackign quality at Championship level, as the former could create high-quality chances for the Irishman to tuck the ball into the back of the net.

Leeds make contact to sign £3m star who could replicate Rutter

The Whites are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the impressive full-back.

1 ByDan Emery Jul 23, 2024

Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy have made an approach to sign a £15 million defender for Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian looking to add more defensive reinforcements.

Spurs targeting another new centre-back this summer

So far this summer, Spurs have agreed two major signings, with Timo Werner extending his stay in north London until the end of next season and English sensation Archie Gray joining for a reported £40 million from Leeds United.

Tottenham weighing up move for £60 million forward who Postecoglou loves

The Australian is a real fan of him.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 3, 2024

Gray, who can slot into both midfield and at right-back, is a very astute addition for Postecoglou with both versatility and bags of potential. Werner, who racked up two goals and three assists on loan at Spurs last term, is set to play a role yet again next campaign as the Lilywhites look to evolve further.

Reports have claimed that Tottenham want to finally replace Harry Kane with a prolific new striker, and could add another wide player to their ranks as well. Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze is a transfer target for Postecoglou, while it is also believed Wolves star Pedro Neto is back under consideration at Spurs.

However, while the north Londoners are keen to add more attacking talent, Postecoglou admitted earlier this year that Tottenham are likely to attempt the signing of another centre-back – despite Radu Dragusin's arrival for £25 million in January.

"If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at,” said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back this summer.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit into what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham have been looking at signing Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori for months now, as per various reports, but now London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea are in talks over the Italian who impressed at Euro 2024 (Fabrizio Romano).

Match

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Bologna 3-0 Salernitana

8.09

Empoli 1-0 Bologna

7.76

Bologna 1-0 Lazio

7.65

Roma 1-3 Bologna

7.55

Bologna 4-0 Lecce

7.49

The competition for Calafiori's services could be too intense for Levy and co – potentially motivating them to move for star Championship defender Jacob Greaves.

Tottenham make approach to sign Greaves from Hull City

As per The Boot Room, Tottenham have made an approach to sign Greaves from Hull City, but it is Ipswich Town who are the more advanced.

Kieran McKenna's side have submitted a formal bid for the 23-year-old, who really impressed for the Tigers as their star defender statistically according to WhoScored.

Greaves was a mainstay under former boss Liam Rosenior last term, starting 43 Championship matches whilst making more clearances and winning more aerial duels on average than anyone in their squad.

The homegrown ace could be an astute option to provide more back up to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, especially considering City could let him go for around £15 million.

Still no official word on Andre Russell’s availability as KKR look to go from 12 to 14 points against CSK

Karthik Krishnaswamy28-Oct-2020

Kolkata Knight Riders celebrate the wicket of Faf du Plessis•BCCI

Big pictureLWWLWWLLWLWL. That’s six wins and six losses, all more or less evenly distributed. It’s been that sort of season for the Kolkata Knight Riders, who’ve shown glimpses of being the force they used to be in their glory years, only to regress to the mean immediately afterwards.That sort of form has left them in a delicate situation with two games left to play in the league phase. They could win just one of them and still make the playoffs, but they could also win both and fail to qualify. With a net run rate of -0.479 – only the bottom two teams currently fare worse – they’ll probably need to win two out of two to give themselves a proper chance.First up they face the Chennai Super Kings, who are out of the reckoning for the playoffs and are now simply looking to, according to their captain MS Dhoni, enjoy the “12 painful hours” they have left in the tournament. Dhoni’s math may have been slightly off – he was speaking after the Super Kings’ victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, which was their 12th game of the season – but if his players do find a way to enjoy themselves and play with freedom over their last two games, they could become dangerous opponents.All the pressure will be on the team that has something to lose.In the newsA knee injury has kept Andre Russell out of the Knight Riders’ last three games, and it’s not clear whether he’s recovered enough to feature on Thursday, but news of his pull-out from the upcoming Lanka Premier League – for which injury has been cited as the reason – suggests he hasn’t.Previous meetingA 51-ball 81 from Rahul Tripathi carried an otherwise misfiring Knight Riders batting unit to 167, and the Super Kings appeared poised to haul it down when they needed 69 from 48 balls with nine wickets in hand. But the Super Kings were unable to deal with Sunil Narine and Russell – all of whose overs had been held back for the last 10 overs – and they imploded to lose by ten runs.Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 N Jagadeesan, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Monu Kumar, 11 Imran Tahir.Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Nitish Rana, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Sunil Narine, 7 Pat Cummins, 8 Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Prasidh Krishna.Strategy punt One of the big contributors to the Super Kings’ victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last match, also played in Dubai, was the bowling of Imran Tahir, Mitchell Santner and Ravindra Jadeja, who tied Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers down expertly through the middle overs. At least two of the three spinners, who all turn the ball away from the right-hander, are likely to feature again, and one way for the Knight Riders to deal with their threat better than the Royal Challengers did would be to have left-hand batsmen face more of their bowling. This could mean Nitish Rana moving back to No. 3, perhaps, or Eoin Morgan or Sunil Narine batting at No. 4. It could even mean the addition of an extra batsman – the Knight Riders squad includes the left-handed Rinku Singh, who is yet to play a game this season – instead of either Kuldeep Yadav, Kamlesh Nagarkoti or Prasidh Krishna. The Knight Riders were three down early in both their most recent games, and they attempted to counterattack their way out on both occasions. That approach brought them a win against the Delhi Capitals, and also brought them back into the game against Kings XI Punjab, only for their lack of batting depth to hurt them later on. The inclusion of an extra batsman could enable the Knight Riders to play in this counterattacking fashion with a bit more security. When Dinesh Karthik has begun his innings within the first 10 overs this season, he’s scored 48 runs in eight innings at an average of 6.00 and a strike rate of 72.73. When he’s made his entry in the second half of the innings, he’s scored 100 runs in four innings at 33.33 and 175.44. The Knight Riders have batted him at No. 4 in their last two games, but he’s perhaps better used further down the order – below Morgan and/or Narine – or certainly in a role that brings him in close to the death (last five) overs: he has a strike rate of 188.88 in that phase this season, and an average of 42.50.Stats that matter It’s time once again for Narine vs Dhoni. Narine has now bowled 63 balls to Dhoni in the IPL without conceding a boundary. He’s given away just 30 runs in all, while dismissing him once. Of all bowlers to have sent down at least 50 balls to left-hand batsmen this season, Varun Chakravarthy (10.83) and Jadeja (120.00) have the best and worst averages, respectively, though Navdeep Saini, who hasn’t dismissed a left-hander this season while conceding 110 runs, could be said to have done worse. Jadeja also has the worst economy rate (12.63), while Chakravarthy’s is a healthy 7.09. The Knight Riders (6.86) and the Super Kings (6.91) have the worst powerplay scoring rates of all teams this season. The Knight Riders (22.45) also have the worst average in this phase, followed by the Rajasthan Royals (23.60) and the Super Kings (23.71). If they play, it will be Narine’s 350thT20 game, Ravindra Jadeja’s 250th, and Kuldeep Yadav’s 100th.

Brighton star Julio Enciso has claimed that he "almost died" after fainting on the plane taking him to international duty with Paraguay.

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Enciso reveals nightmarish flightSays he faintedRequired help from another passengerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Enciso has revealed that he endured a nightmarish trip back to South America from England, as he aims to play for Paraguay against Ecuador on Wednesday. He has claimed that he passed out and required help from another passenger, as he feared for his life.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Enciso has made five substitute appearances for Brighton thus far this season but has been included in Paraguay's squad to play both Ecuador and Venezuela. Both games are 2026 World Cup qualifiers – Paraguay have not qualified for the tournament since 2010, when they reached the quarter-finals in South Africa.

WHAT ENCISO SAID

Enciso told Del Paraguay: “My head hurts. I almost died, I fainted on the plane. I was powerless, I didn’t eat or sleep well. At one point I got up to go to the bathroom and I felt like I was falling.

“A guy grabbed me and took me to the front. He made me drink coke and a Japanese soup and that did me good.”

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Seemingly Enciso has recovered and is aiming to play for Paraguay this week. Once he returns to England, Brighton play Newcastle on October 19.

Women’s series between Australia and New Zealand later this month to have a limited crowd

Andrew McGlashan14-Sep-2020Crowds will return to international cricket for the first time since March later this month, with confirmation that a limited number of spectators will be able to attend the Australia-New Zealand women’s matches being staged at Allan Border Field in Brisbane, although those watching are encouraged to keep their cheering to a minimum.The availability of tickets was announced by Cricket Australia on Monday for the T20I and ODI series which begins on September 26. Capacity at the venue will be capped at 50% under Queensland Government Covid-19 regulations, which includes everyone in the ground, while there are various other protocols and restrictions in place. By Monday afternoon, T20 tickets had sold out.One of the specific recommendations Cricket Australia has put out involves shouting and cheering to cut the risk of droplet spread. “Try to keep shouting, singing, cheering or celebrating to a minimum to avoid transmission,” the guidelines state.All tickets will have to be bought online, then spectators will swipe in using a mobile device with details stored in case contact tracing is required. The ground will be split into six zones with people not allowed to move outside of their designated area.The range of Covid-19 measures which have become common over the last six months will be in place including social distancing. There will be no interaction with the players during the matches for things like selfies or autographs. The one area that had still to be confirmed is what would happen when the ball gets hit into the crowd and returned to the field of play.Members of Australia’s squad from New South Wales, Victoria, and the ACT, along with the full New Zealand party, are currently in two weeks quarantine in Brisbane. They are able to train for three hours a day at Allan Border Field during this time with the rest of the Australia squad arriving next Monday. The two sides will play each other in a warm-up match before the internationals start.Crowds of varying sizes have been able to return to watch the winter sports codes in Australia since July in all states and territories other than Victoria. One of the key elements of the men’s international season, whether the MCG can host the Boxing Day Test against India, hinges on if crowds are able to return at some level by then. A final decision is not expected on that until November as Melbourne works through easing its restrictions.The last international match in Australia to have a crowd was the T20 World Cup final at the MCG on March, where more than 86,000 people watched the home side lift the trophy; globally, the last match with crowds was a T20I between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe on March 11. Two days later, the men’s ODI between Australia and New Zealand at the SCG was played behind closed doors amid rising cases of Covid-19. That was the last international match to be played until July with the series called off the next day.The ECB is on the verge of completing a full men’s programme of international matches in a condensed season with all those games having taken place behind closed doors in biosecure bubbles at the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford. The England women’s team will play West Indies in a five T20I series starting on September 21 in Derby without crowds. The recently completed CPL was also played behind closed doors in Trinidad.There have been small-scale trials in the UK with fans briefly able to return to a handful of county cricket matches but plans for more have been shelved due to the rising Covid numbers.

Michael Olise trolled Harry Kane when he signed his Bayern Munich team-mate's match ball after his stunning display against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

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Kane bagged another Bayern hat-trickTeam-mate left hilarious message for himStriker identified Olise as the culpritWHAT HAPPENED?

Kane scored four times as the German side started their Champions League campaign with a 9-2 win in Munich, ensuring he went home with the match ball for the second game in a row, after netting a hat-trick against Holstein Kiel at the weekend.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 31-year-old has made a habit of scoring trebles since joining the Bundesliga team from Tottenham, and it seems his team-mates are growing tired of having to sign balls for him. Kane posed alongside his trophy after Tuesday's game, but a message reading: "Bro not again" caught the attention of many.

WHAT KANE SAID

Kane was asked on social media who left the message on his ball, he replied: "It was my guy Michael Olise".

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The England star has scored nine goals in just five matches so far this season and will hope to add to that record when his side meet Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.