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Liverpool are considering making an £8m offer for a highly-rated young player who “has everything” in his game, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have had some quiet transfer windows of late, with supporters left frustrated by a lack of business, even though they are shining under Arne Slot, topping the Premier League table after a flying start to the campaign.

More signings should be expected moving forward and Juventus starlet Kenan Yildiz has been mentioned as an option for Liverpool. It is believed that £66m could be enough for the Merseysiders to get their man, with the 19-year-old an attacking player with a high ceiling.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Reds future is still in doubt, with the vice-captain not yet signing a new contract at Anfield, so it’s no surprise to see potential replacements being lined up. Porto right-back Martim Fernandes has been mentioned as a target, with the 18-year-old already racking up 24 appearances for the Portuguese giants.

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has also been linked with Liverpool, but the Dutchman is seen as a replacement for Ryan Gravenberch, should his international teammate depart. That would be a huge shock, however, given his performance under Slot this season, where he has become one of the first names on Slot’s team sheet.

Liverpool planning £8m offer for young star

According to a new report from Caught Offside, Liverpool are contemplating tabling an £8m bid for Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller, with club scouts giving “glowing reviews” of him. The 18-year-old is one of the hottest prospects in Scottish football and has been linked with a host of other big clubs, including Newcastle United, Celtic and Rangers.

Miller would very much be one for the future at Liverpool, rather than someone who could come straight in as a key starter, especially with the Reds already possessing so much depth in the middle of the park. Like current Anfield youngster Ben Doak, though, the Motherwell ace is a player who has an enormous amount of potential, recently being lauded by Andy Halliday.

“I’ve been lucky to play with a few talented youngsters, but I look at Lennon and he’s got everything. It’s not even being a young player, I think he’s one of our best players and has been for a couple of seasons, now. I think we’ve very lucky to have him, but I’ve said this many times as well, and I think Lennon knows it, that’s he’s also very lucky to have Motherwell.”

Despite still only being 18 years of age, Miller has already played 59 times for Motherwell, showing that he is already an important figure at the heart of his side’s midfield.

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The lure of moving to a club as big as Liverpool would surely appeal, even though he knows his playing time would be limited, and he could be loaned out to begin with, potentially even remaining where he is for another season.

Glasgow Rangers are “ready to swoop” and bring a £15,000-a-week player to Ibrox in January, according to one pundit.

Rangers transfer rumours as pressure mounts on Clement

Manager Philippe Clement appears to be under big pressure to turn things around with the Gers, with his side third in the Scottish Premiership and already way behind rivals Celtic.

Ross County vs Rangers

December 8

Scottish Premiership

Rangers vs Tottenham

December 12

Europa League

Celtic vs Rangers

December 15

League Cup Final

Rangers vs Dundee

December 21

Scottish Premiership

St Mirren vs Rangers

December 26

Scottish Premiership

The 50-year-old was even linked with the Belgium job in recent weeks, however, his focus appears to be on turning things around at Ibrox after two away wins against Nice in the Europa League and St Johnstone in the Scottish top flight.

The January transfer window will allow Rangers and Clement to shake up their squad, should they wish, and Brighton striker Evan Ferguson appears to be on the club’s radar ahead of a potential loan move.

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Another forward who could move to Scotland on loan is Leeds United’s Joe Gelhardt. The £15,000-a-week attacker has found game time hard to come by at Elland Road and Rangers, who were keen in the summer, are once again interested ahead of 2025.

Pundit makes Rangers claim on Joe Gelhardt move

Talking to Football Insider, pundit and former scout Mick Brown had his say on Rangers and a move for Gelhardt in January, with Leeds yet to decide whether to sanction a loan or permanent exit. He’s been “told” Gelhardt is interested in a move away from Leeds and added that Rangers “will be ready to swoop”, with the possibility of playing in Europe potentially appealing to the 22-year-old.

“Rangers are having to look at different sorts of players now. You wouldn’t have thought previously they’d be after a player who can’t get in the Leeds team, but that’s their reality at the moment.

“Joe Gelhardt is a talented player, he had a very good reputation a couple of years ago. But he’s struggled to make much of an impact or to kick on there.

“He’s not been playing regularly for Leeds, and from what I’m told, he’d be interested in a move. As far as Rangers are concerned, that’s the type of player they have to be looking at. If Leeds let him go in January, even if it’s only on loan, they will be ready to swoop.

“They’re not the only club interested, but they’ll back themselves to win that race. They play in Europe as well, whether it’s the Champions League, Europa League, or even the Conference League, which is always a draw for players.”

Gelhardt, who came in for praise from Jamie Carragher after breaking into the Leeds side in the Premier League, can play as a centre-forward or a second striker and is under contract in Yorkshire until 2027.

كشف على الشيبان مدير الاحتراف في نادي الخليج السعودي، حقيقة وجود مفاوضات من جانب نادي الزمالك لضم مهاجم الفريق المصري محمد شريف.

محمد شريف يلعب في صفوف فريق الخليج السعودي، منذ بداية الموسم قبل الماضي بعد رحيله من الأهلي، بعقد مدته موسمين ينتهي بنهاية الموسم الحالي.

طالع.. خاص | زيزو يواصل الغياب عن تدريبات الزمالك.. وموقف النادي

وقال الشيبان في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: “لسنا على علم بمفاوضات الزمالك مع محمد شريف، كما أن اللاعب لم يبلغنا بأنه سيوقع لنادي آخر”.

وأضاف: “محمد شريف عقده يستمر لنهاية الموسم الرياضي الحالي، نادي الخليج ينتظر رفع التقارير الفنية للمدرب فيما يخص جميع اللاعبين بما فيهم اللاعبين الأجانب ومن بينهم شريف بالطبع لتحديد مصيره”.

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة سموحة، بعد غد الأربعاء، في إطار مواجهة الجولة الأخيرة من دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية.

وكان الزمالك انتصر في مباراته الأخيرة على حرس الحدود، ببطولة الدوري المصري، 2-0، ورفع رصيد إلى 38 نقطة محتلًا المركز الثالث في جدول الدوري المصري الممتاز.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após derrota dura em jogo válido pela série A3 do Campeonato Paulista, a equipe tenta se reerguer para evitar que o resultado do jogo contra o Noroeste se repita. Yuri, atacante do Rio Preto, concedeu entrevista e contou sobre os aprendizados e a postura da equipe referente ao prosseguimento da competição estadual.

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‘Foi uma derrota muito amarga, era um confronto direto e queríamos os 3 pontos. Estávamos fazendo uma ótima partida, mas infelizmente não foi da forma como queríamos’, contou Yuri.

O atacante do Rio Preto explicou como andam os preparativos para a próxima rodada do estadual: ‘Da melhor forma possível, treinamos e corrigimos os erros internamente para estarmos preparados, e assim, trazermos os 3 pontos.’ O jogador ainda deu detalhes do ânimo do time que não aparenta estar abalado com a derrota contra o Noroeste.

‘Estamos preparados fisicamente e mentalmente para suportar as adversidades do confronto. Vamos em busca dos 3 pontos para tentarmos nos consolidar entre os 8 primeiros colocados, para ficar mais próximo da classificação’, conclui o atleta.

يستعد منتخب ليبيا لمواجهة قوية أمام نظيره الكاميروني، مساء اليوم، ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، في لقاء يسعى خلاله الطرفان لتعزيز حظوظهما في التأهل للنهائيات.

وتقام المباراة على ملعب أحمدو أهيدجو في الكاميرون، حيث يتطلع منتخب ليبيا لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية أمام منافس قوي بحجم الأسود، الذي لم يتعرض لأي خسارة حتى الآن في التصفيات.

مدرب سيراليون: جاهزون لمواجهة منتخب مصر.. وأشعر بالقلق من محمد صلاح ومرموش

ويتواجد منتخبا ليبيا والكاميرون ضمن المجموعة الرابعة التي تضم إلى جانبهما منتخبات الرأس الأخضر، أنجولا، موريشيوس، وإيسواتيني.

ويحتل المنتخب الكاميروني المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 9 نقاط، حصدهم من انتصارين وثلاثة تعادلات، دون أن يتلقى أي خسارة، بينما يأتي منتخب ليبيا في المركز الثالث برصيد 8 نقاط، جمعهم من فوزين وتعادلين وخسارة واحدة.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026 تقام بمشاركة 9 مجموعات، بواقع 6 منتخبات في كل مجموعة، ويتأهل مباشرة إلى المونديال المنتخب صاحب المركز الأول من كل مجموعة، بينما تخوض أفضل 4 منتخبات من أصحاب المركز الثاني مرحلة إضافية من التصفيات القارية. موعد مباراة ليبيا والكاميرون في تصفيات كأس العالم

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق صافرة بداية مباراة ليبيا والكاميرون في تمام الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت ليبيا ومصر، والساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليبيا والكاميرون اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

وسيتم بث المباراة حصريًا عبر شبكة قنوات SSC، حيث ستنقل أحداث اللقاء مباشرة عبر قناة SSC Extra 1، التي تمتلك حقوق البث الحصري لعدد من مباريات تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة للمونديال. معلق مباراة ليبيا والكاميرون اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

وأسندت شبكة قنوات SSC مهمة التعليق على أحداث المباراة إلى المعلق فهد الدريبي، الذي سيتولى الوصف التفصيلي للمواجهة المنتظرة.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.

The first 15 games will be played in Karachi before Lahore takes over as host for the remaining matches, including the final

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2021

The Pakistan Super League will begin on January 27 2022, with the draft to be held on 12 December. The league, which begins about a month earlier than usual to make room for Australia’s upcoming tour in March-April, will have the final take place on February 27.Unlike the last two years, only two venues will be used for the tournament, with the event beginning in Karachi, where 15 games will be played from January 27 to February 7. All matches thereafter will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium, including the final.The PSL has also rejigged player categories for some players ahead of the draft, notably moving Mohammad Rizwan, who captained Multan Sultans to the title last year up from Silver, the third most valuable category, to Platinum, the most valuable. Islamabad United batter Asif Ali and Lahore Qalandars bowler Haris Rauf also take their places in Platinum.”I am delighted that the HBL PSL 7 schedule has been announced,” PCB chairman Ramiz Raja said. “This will now get the ball rolling with teams planning and finalising their line-ups and the PCB increasing the pace of the operational delivery to ensure they provide quality playing facilities for the players as well as five-star experience to the fans and our valued commercial partners.”The HBL PSL 7 will also kick start what will be a bumper year for Pakistan cricket with the Australia men’s cricket team to play a full series in March-April with England men’s cricket side to tour Pakistan twice for white-ball and red ball cricket.”The list of overseas players involved hasn’t yet been released. In 2021, the overseas players dominated the Platinum category picks, with Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, David Miller, Chris Gayle, and Tom Banton making up the list alongside Hasan Ali.Double-header games will be held at 2pm and 7pm local time, except on Fridays, where the timings will be pushed back an hour. All singe-header days will have 7pm starts. The PCB said the tournament had been planned to ensure all sides played an equal number of games in Karachi and Lahore, and the same number of games under lights.

MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Erison não escondeu seu entusiasmo por ter desembarcado noBotafogo. Em entrevista coletiva realizada nesta sexta-feira (21), o jogador de 22 anos, não escondeu seu entusiasmo por ter assinado por dois anos com o clube alvinegro.

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Aos seus olhos, ele chega em um momento de grandes esperanças tanto para o clube quanto para os jogadores devido à chegada do investidor John Textor.

-O Botafogo está se reestruturando, isso é muito importante para todos nós. Temos que ser fortes dentro de campo, vencer, conquistar e dar muitas alegrias ao torcedor – declarou.

Erison também detalhou suas qualidades.

-Minhas características são força, velocidade, boa finalização e cabeceio – e não mediu palavras sobre sua euforia:

– Estou muito feliz de vestir essa camisa. Pode esperar que vou honrar essa camisa e lutar muito dentro de campo – finalizou.

O atacante chegou ao Rio de Janeiro no início da semana e já foi integrada aos treinos. Ele destacou a relação com os companheiros.

-Foi uma semana muito boa, fui muito bem recebido. Isso é muito importante pra que eu possa fazer grandes treinos e jogos pelo Botafogo – disse.

ودع مانشستر يونايتد منافسات كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، عقب تعرضه للهزيمة أمام خصمه فولهام، بنتيجة 4/3 في ركلات الترجيح وذلك عقب انتهاء الوقت الأصلي والإضافي بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل فريق. 

وواجه مانشستر يونايتد نظيره فولهام، وذلك ضمن منافسات دور الـ16 من كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي على ملعب “أولد ترافورد”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الـ8 من كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي (محدث باستمرار)

هدف فولهام الأول جاء عن طريق كالفن باسي من ضربة رأسية بحلول الدقيقة الأولى من الوقت المحتسب بدلا من ضائع عن نهاية الشوط الأول بصناعة رودريجو مونيوز.

وتمكن قائد مانشستر يونايتد برونو فيرنانديز، من تسجيل هدف التعادل بتسديدة يسارية رائعة من صناعة ديوجو دالوت بالدقيقة 71.

وأهدر أليخاندرو جارناتشو، فرصة تسجيل هدف قاتل بالدقيقة الأخيرة من عمر الشوط الثاني، لكن أهدر الكرة بغرابة شديدة، لتتجه المباراة إلى الأشواط الإضافية.

أخطر محاولات الشوط الإضافي الأول، كانت من نصيب أوبي الذي كاد قريبًا من تسجيل هدف ثان لصالح مانشستر يونايتد لولا تألق لينو.

بينما واصل أونانا تألقه وحرم ريان سيسيجنون من تسجيل ثاني أهداف فولهام في الشوط الإضافي الثاني.

واتجه اللقاء إلى ركلات الجزاء والتي كانت من نصيب فولهام، حيث فاز بنتيجة 4/3 أمام مانشستر يونايتد.

وبهذه النتيجة، تأهل فولهام إلى دور الـ8 من مسابقة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي. اهداف مباراة مانشستر يونايتد وفولهام في كاس الاتحاد الانجليزي

Glasgow Rangers appear to finally be clicking into gear. The Europa League victory over Malmö last week was arguably the finest display by the Ibrox side this season.

It was certainly a disappointing start to the campaign, with several disjointed performances allowing the likes of Celtic and Aberdeen to race ahead of the Gers in the Premiership title race.

The games will come thick and fast between now and Christmas, with the Light Blues chasing success both domestically and on the continent.

Philippe Clement will be buoyed by the performances of some of his new signings in recent weeks, something he will hope to continue over the coming weeks.

Clement’s summer signings are starting to gel

Jefte has been one of the most impressive summer signings by the Belgian as he looked to add some depth to the left-back area of the squad.

With Ridvan Yilmaz suffering an injury, the Brazilian has taken full advantage, emerging as the first choice option on the left side of the defence and showcasing his talents.

Connor Barron is another youngster who arrived in the summer transfer window who is also making his mark in the team. Against Malmö, the former Aberdeen starlet made four interceptions, won two of his three ground duels and took 53 touches during the game.

It is clear that Clement is building for the future, as well as the present, but he did add some experience to the side too.

Player

Club signed from

Connor Barron

Aberdeen

Clinton Nsiala

AC Milan

Mohamed Diomande

FC Nordsjaelland

Liam Kelly

Motherwell

Hamza Igamane

AS FAR

Jefte

Fluminense

Neraysho Kasanwirjo

Feyenoord (loan)

Vaclav Cerny

Wolfsburg (loan)

Nedim Bajrami

Sassuolo

Robin Propper

FC Twente

Vaclav Cerny, Nedim Bajrami and Robin Propper have plenty of experience playing across Europe, which could have plenty of advantages.

The former two enjoyed impressive starts to their time at the Gers, and while it has taken Propper a few weeks to really settle into life in Glasgow, it looks as though he has finally formed a decent partnership with John Souttar.

How much Rangers paid to sign Robin Propper

With Connor Goldson leaving Rangers in the summer, it became evident that another experienced defender was required heading into the campaign.

While he could call upon Souttar, Leon Balogun and Ben Davies at his disposal, Clement wanted another player, which led to Propper making the move from FC Twente to Glasgow.

The 31-year-old only cost the Light Blues a fee in the region of £1.5m, which certainly appeared to be a bargain given his experience in the Eredivisie.

He was hailed by Clement upon his arrival in Glasgow at the start of August, who said: “We are thrilled to welcome Robin to Rangers and he will be an excellent addition to our squad.

“As a defender he is powerful and has great attributes, which include the experience he has gained from his years playing in the Netherlands and the leadership qualities he has shown from being the captain of FC Twente.”

Despite adding some young talent, Clement saw Propper as a player who would go straight into the starting XI. After a few games of finding his feet, he is now settled into the starting XI, that’s for sure.

Robin Propper’s Rangers statistics

When compared to his positional peers across similar leagues, Propper ranked in the top 19% for aerials won per 90, while also ranking in the top 9% for passes attempted and in the top 7% for progressive passes per 90, showcasing his impressive passing ability, especially in moving the ball forwards.

That was in the previous 12 months for Twente and the hope is he can replicate these statistics for the Light Blues over the next few years.

In the Premiership this term, Propper has succeeded with 92% of his passes, firmly backing up his stats from last season, while the centre-back has also won 7.3 total duels per game – a success rate of 63% – which proves that he comes off better in one-on-one battles more often than not in the top flight.

He delivered arguably his finest performance in a Rangers shirt during the win over the Swedish side last week.

Partnered alongside Souttar, the Dutchman was rock solid at the heart of the defence, making six clearances while he also wasn’t dribbled past once during the match, yet again displaying his impressive physical characteristics.

It is still early in his spell with the club, but the initial signs are certainly promising that he can live up to his previous success in the Netherlands and become a player Clement can trust, both in Europe and domestically this season.

Despite only joining the Gers in the summer, his market valuation has already soared, which is further evidence that Clement made the right call in signing him for the club.

Robin Propper’s market valuation

While paying £1.5m for a defender who was turning 31 in a few weeks may have been questioned, the move looks like it could pay off for Clement.

Indeed, according to Football Transfers, Propper is now currently valued at €4.5m (£3.8m), which represents an increase on the fee that the club paid for him at the start of August.

Despite it being only a few weeks, Propper is already worth over 150% more than the £1.5m transfer fee, which proves that the club struck gold on his signing.

Depending on how he continues to perform, could this value continue to rise? Despite Propper turning 31 recently?

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Only time will tell with regard to this, but it looks as though his first few weeks in Scotland will be an indicator of his future displays.

More of the same will be expected in the coming weeks, but if he and Souttar can continue to play well together and develop their chemistry, then Propper might be one of the finest signings Clement made during his time as manager of Rangers.

Rangers once had the next "Stevie G", he's now worth just £125k after exit

The Light Blues once had the heir apparent to Gerrard on their books…

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 28, 2024

Pakistan seek a response with the bat after two failed displays at Cardiff and Lord’s

Andrew Miller12-Jul-2021

Big PictureAnyone in need of a pick-me-up this morning? Can I interest you in a tale of a band of plucky underdogs, thrown together in adversity at 48 hours’ notice, charged with defending their nation’s honour against the sixth-best ODI team in the world, and doing so with such aplomb that they now stand on the brink of a 3-0 series whitewash? Okay, so it’s not quite the homecoming narrative that the British sporting public had been gearing up for this week, but I’m afraid it’s the best we can offer right now.Yes, it’s the climax of the Royal London One-Day series, between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston. And no, that’s not quite a match for England versus Italy in the climax of Euro 2020. But given that the BBC were waving their forthcoming coverage of the Hundred at some 30 million viewers during the half-time interval at Wembley, maybe a handful of those heartbroken fans will be minded to flick channels a few days early on Tuesday and take solace in the fortunes of England’s other national team.Nope. I’m not selling it, I can tell. There’ve been some stellar displays in the past two matches – in particular from Saqib Mahmood, whose athleticism, technique and ferocity has been the true difference between the teams. But England won the first match at such a canter that Cardiff’s floodlights weren’t even required to clear their throats, while the second was a cakewalk long before the halfway mark of Pakistan’s chase.Related

Phil Salt quickly takes to life with England

Mahmood channels the moods of his makers to confirm himself as a complete England package

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And therein lies a strange irony about the live sports-watching experience. Whereas an agonised throng at Wembley would happily have sold their grannies for a similarly angst-free display of dominance on Sunday night, you suspect the patrons at Edgbaston wouldn’t mind a little more jeopardy to spice up their occasion.Still, it could have been worse I suppose. England’s Wembley defeat could have been confirmed by something even more arbitrary than a series of misses from 12 yards … something like passes completed, or shots on target, as Jimmy Neesham wryly noted on Twitter in reference to the last major final involving an England team. Because if Sunday’s loss was a bitter pill to swallow for England’s fans (and rumour has it that it was…), then at least there’s the two-year anniversary of a happier close shave coming up on Wednesday.None of which has much bearing on the upcoming event, of course. Pakistan being Pakistan, they are perfectly capable of bouncing back from consecutive thumpings with a display of irresistible flair and aggression; but England’s spare-parts XI has hit the ground purring in its first two well-oiled outings. They seem well placed to make it a hat-trick. And what Harry Kane and Co. would have given for one of those at Wembley…Form GuideEngland WWWWL
Pakistan LLWLW
In the spotlightIt’s been a remarkable week for England’s scratch side, and while some players may be left with little more than warm memories when the big guns return to reclaim their rightful berths, others – most notably Mahmood, but also Phil Salt at the top of the order – are keenly aware of the opportunities that are knocking right now. Salt’s 60 from 54 balls at Lord’s was an outstanding audition from a fearless batter playing with exactly the sort of mindset that will have earned the approval of the absent Eoin Morgan. His response to the loss of Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley for ducks was to keep peppering the boundaries, ten in all in a 97-run stand with James Vince, as he placed the team’s advancement ahead of any concerns for his own wicket – and given that he made a slightly tangled 7 from 13 balls at Cardiff it was a doubly impressive approach. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow will return in due course, but ever since the banishment of Alex Hales, England’s 50-over team has lacked a reserve opener whose methods fit the team’s mood so well. A similar showing from Salt at Edgbaston could further accelerate his progress.Phil Salt after scoring his maiden ODI fifty•Getty Images

Fakhar Zaman has cut a slightly bewildered figure for Pakistan in the first two ODIs – sixth man out for 47 at Cardiff, and fourth man out for 10 at Lord’s; returns which at least demonstrate a degree of durability given how easily Mahmood and Lewis Gregory have been cutting a swathe through the powerplay. But England have done their homework on their free-flowing opponent, in particular with a tight line into his body, thus denying him the chance to free those dangerously boundary-laden arms. His series strike-rate of 50.89 is the lowest of his career to date, and barely half his career figure of 95.00. If Pakistan are to get something from the series, they made need Fakhar to find a way out of his shackles.Pitch and conditionsA lack of recent 50-over matches at Edgbaston mean that the conditions may be a touch unknowable, although the venue tends to offer a true batting surface with good carry. That said, in each of its last two Blast fixtures, scores of 81 (by Yorkshire) and 63 (by Birmingham Bears) were recorded, so make of that what you will, and with ceaselessly damp conditions in the Midlands this month, the pitch looked to have some moisture in it on the eve of the contest. The groundstaff were using sunlamps on the strip to help speed up the preparation. The weather for Tuesday is set to be overcast, but the rain is expected to stay away.Team newsWith the series already sealed against Sri Lanka at Bristol last week, England resisted the temptation to give their bench an airing – with Tom Banton and George Garton now doubly unlucky not have got their chance given the Covid chaos that broke out in the squad soon afterwards. And with that precedent in mind, there’s little reason to think that England will change their approach now – with World Cup Super League points up for grabs, they’ll be loath to tinker with an unexpectedly successful formula, unless they feel the need to manage Mahmood’s workload with the T20Is coming up. An unchanged XI seems likely, although Jake Ball was given an energetic work-out in England’s practice session on Monday.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 James Vince, 5 Ben Stokes (capt), 6 John Simpson (wk), 7 Lewis Gregory, 8 Craig Overton, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Saqib Mahmood, 11 Matt ParkinsonPakistan need to change their fortunes, but other than wishing for a return to form for Babar Azam, it’s hard to see how a wholesale switch of personnel can help their cause. Fakhar and Rizwan are similarly proven performers with the bat, while Saud Shakeel’s maiden fifty at Lord’s was a timely confirmation of his abilities too. There’s more room for an overhaul in the bowling, however. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali have led the line well, but their support cast has let them down, notably Haris Rauf and the allrounders Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan. Mohammad Hasnain may be due an outing.Pakistan: (possible) 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Sohaib Maqsood, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris Rauf/Mohammad Hasnain.Stats and trivia Edgbaston has not hosted an ODI since the World Cup semi-final in 2019, two years and a day ago, when England beat Australia by eight wickets. Pakistan have played 14 previous ODIs at Edgbaston, winning six and losing eight. However, only five of those have come against England, whom they last played at the venue in 2006. The rest have been at ICC events, most recently their group-stage victory over New Zealand in 2019. Hasan Ali took his fourth ODI five-for with figures of 5 for 51 at Lord’s. Each of his previous three five-wicket hauls had come in 2017, while in 13 completed matches dating back to November 2018, he had not picked up more than a single wicket in an innings.Quotes”15 of the current squad in isolation. Buttler and Archer injured. What @benstokes38 and the team have achieved is incredible. Looking forward to watching the next game!”
Eoin Morgan, England’s captain-in-exile, delivers his Twitter verdict on the team’s performance in the opening two games.