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Newcastle United will reportedly "make a move" for a manager who Pep Guardiola thinks is "excellent", should Eddie Howe become England's next boss.

Newcastle manager Howe linked with England job

Gareth Southgate has announced that he is leaving his role in charge of the Three Lions, with the FA now searching to find an ideal successor in the coming weeks and months. The 53-year-old enjoyed an impressive eight years in the role, so his replacement will be under pressure to impress from the off.

Howe has emerged as one of the favourites to take over from Southgate, even long before this week's confirmation, having enhanced his reputation as one of the best English managers of his generation during an excellent spell in charge of Newcastle. He guided the Magpies into the Champions League, and while last season was disappointing overall, he still has more than enough credit in the bank.

The likes of Graham Potter and Lee Carsley also appear to be very much in the mix to succeed Southgate, as well as more left-field and unlikely appointments such as Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho, but Howe could arguably be among the front-runners if he wasn't already.

As it is, the Newcastle manager appears to be happy at St James' Park currently, but the lure of taking the most high-profile job could still be looming over him. Should that happen, PIF will need to find a replacement, and it looks as though their priority option has been lined up.

Newcastle line up "excellent" Howe successor

According to a new update from The Mirror, Newcastle will "make a move" for Mauricio Pochettino as a replacement for Howe, should the latter leave for England. It is noted that he has "just lost his two biggest allies in the boardroom, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi", which could arguably sway his thinking.

The Magpies boss is "believed to be torn between the chance of managing his country and staying at St. James’ Park", and Pochettino is described as the "No.1" target to come in.

Pochettino's stock has fallen a little in recent years, having been an extremely highly-rated manager during his Tottenham days, guiding them into the 2019 Champions League final, which they eventually lost to Liverpool.

The Argentine's time at Paris Saint-Germain wasn't exactly earth-shattering, even if he did still win one Ligue 1 title, and he left Chelsea by mutual consent after less than a year in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea

51

1.78

Paris Saint-Germain

84

2.15

Tottenham

293

1.84

Southampton

60

1.45

Espanyol

161

1.22

Still, Guardiola has described him as "excellent", clearly thinking of him highly as a boss, and it would be unfair to judge his time at Chelsea too harshly, considering the number of managerial changes at Stamford Bridge in recent years.

Pochettino plays a good brand of attacking football, often adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation, and while keeping Howe should be the preferable outcome for Newcastle, he could be a strong option to come in if the current boss opted to take the England job.

Bangladesh 40 for 2 (Alzarri 1-2, Seales 1-15) trail West Indies 450 for 9 (Greaves 115, Louis 97, Athanaze 90, Roach 47, Hasan 3-87) by 410 runsA maiden Test century for Justin Greaves headlined a dominant day for West Indies against Bangladesh on day two of the Antigua Test. After his 115 helped West Indies post 450 for 9, West Indies bookended the day with two Bangladesh wickets, leaving the visitors 410 behind with eight wickets in hand.It was a fine recovery after slipping to 261 for 7 despite an overnight score of 250 for 5. Greaves shared a 140-run eighth wicket stand with Kemar Roach, who batted for more than four hours for 47, his highest Test score in his 15-year career.Greaves’ unbeaten 115 justified his Super50 form, where he struck three consecutive centuries earlier this month. He made a patient effort, striking just four boundaries in his 206-ball stay. It was the perfect follow-up to the nineties that Alick Athanaze and Mikyle Louis had scored on day one to lay the foundation.Bangladesh continued to give away strong positions with the ball, toiling for 144.1 overs, but unable to bowl out the home side. Hasan Mahmud took three wickets, all of them on the second day. Taskin Ahmed toiled hard and even found the edge of Greaves’ bat once but nobody appealed. The spinners, stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, shared three wickets from their combined 73.1 overs.West Indies declared with Bangladesh needing to bat out a maximum time of an hour and 45 minutes. But there was no respite for them against the four-man West Indian pace attack. Zakir Hasan fell for 15 after he under-edged a Jayden Seales delivery onto his stumps. The left-hander struck three fours in his short stay, all off Seales, but was slightly unlucky with the ball shaving the leg-stump. Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Alzarri Joseph for 5, shortly after he was dropped on the same score.It was a long way from the start of the day for the visitors, having started the day in the best possible way by taking two early wickets.Mahmud removed Joshua Da Silva with the fifth ball of the morning session, trapped lbw with a delivery that darted into his front pad. This was Mahmud’s first wicket in the game despite bowling well on the first day. It was also his 24th wicket this year, making him the highest wicket-taker in a calendar year among Bangladesh’s pace bowlers.File photo: Hasan Mahmud had helped Bangladesh start the morning well•BCCI

That number became 25 when Alzarri fell in Mahmud’s next over. Zakir took a superb two-handed catch at gully, reminiscent of how he opened the Pakistan tour with Abdullah Shafique’s catch at gully in August. If Bangladesh sensed they had their opening to bowl out West Indies for under 300 runs, that was blunted by Roach.He was the right type of foil for Greaves, who was willing to grind out the Bangladesh attack. Greaves handed the strike to Roach from time to time, as the pair didn’t allow any more wickets in the first session. There were only two boundaries in those 26 overs too, but that hardly bothered the home side who needed a recovery.Greaves started the second session with his third boundary when he pulled Taskin through midwicket. He, however, survived a caught-behind chance on 77 with neither Taskin nor wicketkeeper Jaker Ali (who was deputizing for Litton Das after the first session) hearing a faint nick. it was only a replay on the big screen that showed what Bangladesh missed out on.Shortly afterwards, a Roach single brought up the team’s maiden century partnership for the eighth wicket against Bangladesh. It was followed by a rain break of seven minutes, after which Roach slammed Mehidy over his head for his first boundary. Mahmud finally removed Roach with a fine angling delivery, clipping the top of his middle-stump. Their 140-run stand was West Indies’ third-highest for the eighth wicket.Greaves soon reached his century with his fourth boundary shot, driving Taijul through the covers. It was potentially his best shot of the innings and the landmark was only his second first-class ton.West Indies declared in the 145th over of their innings, after their tail-enders Seales and Shamar Joseph struck some meaty blows. That left enough time for the bowlers to have a crack, which they successfully did.

Spinners likely to get help from the pitch as early as the first day

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Feb-2021

The pitch for the second India vs England Test in Chennai•BCCI

After toiling on a slow and flat surface in the first Test, Indian spinners are likely to get more purchase in the second Test, starting on Saturday, as the pitch is expected to take turn as early as the first day.The key difference between the two surfaces is the nature of the soil. The pitch for the first Test comprised purely of red soil and it did not break until late in the match. However, the surface for the second Test will have a base comprising red soil and a top layer comprising black cotton soil. It is understood that if the conditions are dry, the top layer, primarily made of black clay, will start to disintegrate faster.The red soil in Chennai is different from the Mumbai variant. The Mumbai one stays true through the match, while in Chennai, it usually crumbles quickly if underprepared. However, the pitch was well-bound ahead of the first Test to ensure the match stretched to the fifth day.On the eve of the first Test, Chepauk head groundsman V Ramesh Kumar had told ESPNcricinfo that he would make a surface with an “English look”, to suit all bowlers. But by the time of the toss, Chepauk pitch had been shorn of any grass. Consequently, the pitch was slow.The new ball lost its shine quickly and the leather softened early too, thus hurting India’s fast-bowling duo Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma. Sharma highlighted the bland nature of the pitch across the opening two days, by saying it resembled a “road”.Even R Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, who is closing in on 400 Test wickets, struggled to find purchase from the surface over the first two days. England took advantage of the bald, hard, flat surface as Joe Root made a double-century and England amassed 578 in the first innings.The one factor in favour of the bowlers still was the bounce, which remained consistent mostly throughout the five days. Gradually, the surface became abrasive and it helped both spinners and fast bowlers, the latter making an impact with the reverse swing as James Anderson showed in a memorable spell on the fifth morning.What India might have a desired in the first Test – a quick turner where they can dominate England batsmen – they are likely to get this weekend.Usually, groundsmen stop watering the pitch two days before the Test match to allow the moisture to be retained. When England arrived for training on Thursday morning, the pitch was left uncovered. Later, it was covered with the hessian cloth to protect against the high temperature, which is in the mid-30-degree Celsius.Another significant difference in the second Test could be the low bounce, as a consequence of the dry pitch. It remains to be seen how much grass is left on Saturday morning.The turning nature of the surface is likely to influence the final XI for India, who face difficult questions regarding their second line of spinners to assist Ashwin. India captain Virat Kohli has already spoken about the lack of contribution from Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar in the first Test.Axar Patel is likely to make his Test debut having recovered from the knee injury he picked on the eve of the first Test. In case Patel plays, the Indian team management will need to figure out whether they go with Sundar or Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner.

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal has received custom star brackets for his teeth ahead of the club's Clasico clash with Real Madrid.

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Yamal gifted custom bracketsIn Barcelona coloursYamal to face Real MadridFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona star Yamal is preparing for El Clasico this weekend and beforehand, he has received custom brackets for his teeth in the colours of the Blaugrana. The teenager wears braces but brackets sit underneath them on the teeth.

AdvertisementTHE GOSSIP

Yamal has been in great form for Barcelona this season, with five goals and seven assists in 13 games. However, he has a dismal record against Madrid; in three games against the club, he has lost all three.

DID YOU KNOW?

Yamal registered an assist against Sevilla last time out as Barca won 5-1. They are currently three points clear of Real at the top of La Liga. He then registered another assist as they beat Bayern Munich 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Real Madrid will be braced for Yamal's ability in El Clasico, as he hopes to find himself in the scoring bracket once again.

Several USMNT players will regret missed opportunities to impress their new coach in a humbling loss to Mexico

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Lining up against Mexico in front of a raucous crowd in Estadio Akron, the U.S. men's national team was missing several key stars, including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. Their absences were felt in a 2-0 defeat, marking Mauricio Pochettino's first loss as U.S. manager.

"It wasn't a great performance," Pochettino said following the match. "It's perfect for us to learn [from]…We started the game well, but after we conceded the goal after 22 minutes the impact was massive for us."

The U.S. struggled in all three phases of the match, with the midfield appearing absent for 90 minutes. With several leading Americans out of the fold, this was an opportunity for players with uncertain roles to make their cases for more playing time.

That was especially true for like Brenden Aaronson, who is shining on the club level but hasn't had a signature moment for the U.S. yet. Based on Tuesday's outing, he will join a few players who failed to take advantage of their chances against Mexico.

"Overall, I think Mexico was a little bit better than us and they fully deserve the victory," Pochettino explained. "But for us, this is a process that we started 10 days ago and today was a great opportunity for our players to [be in] a very difficult place to play and I think we can only improve and learn from this experience."

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Estadio Akron.

AFPWINNER: Raul Jimenez

Everyone in this region has known for some time that Mexico striker Raul Jimenez is a monster. It feels like, for a while there, though, people forgot.

This was your reminder, then, that Jimenez is still that guy.

His free-kick goal in the first half might just be the prettiest he's scored for and it sent shockwaves through the Estadio Akron. To have the audacity to even shoot from that distance is impressive. To bury it? That's world-class.

The forward's contribution to the second goal wasn't quality, but rather effort, as he ran Tim Ream down to set up Cesar Huerta's goal. Even at 33, he still brought that energy, and the USMNT never matched it. Even with the rise of Santi Gimenez, it's worth paying a bit more attention to Raul, who will have something to say on the road to the 2026 World Cup.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Mark McKenzie

That's some bad luck, isn't it?

Just days after being named U.S. Soccer's Man of the Match against Panama, Mark McKenzie was back in the XI to face Mexico. He was riding high off the best performance of his USMNT career. This game in Guadalajara was his chance to really show Pochettino what he could do.

Then, moments before kickoff, the bad news filtered through: McKenzie was out, with U.S. Soccer saying he experienced tightness in his left groin prior to the start of the match

That's a bad break for a player who had waited patiently for his chance. He played zero minutes at the Copa America, admitting in an interview with GOAL that he was a "fringe player." He's not content with life on the fringes, though.

Unfortunately, a pregame knock robbed him of a big chance on the road, and he was replaced by Miles Robinson. There will be more for him, no doubt, but this could have been a big one.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Mexico

After a poor performance against a rotated Valencia side in a 2-2 draw over the weekend, Mexico could not afford another setback against its fierce rival. Fortunately for manager Javier Aguirre,delivered in an impressive performance against the Americans.

The home side outmuscled the U.S., especially in midfield. Gianluca Busio, Aiden Morris and Yunus Musah were rendered ineffective by Mexico's press. Despite the U.S. leading possession 53 to 47 percent, Mexico was more incisive with its attack when it got the ball. Yes, it took two moments of magic from Jimenez, but Mexico's dominance was evidence by shot attempts where it had 16 to the U.S.'s five.

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USMNTLOSER: Brenden Aaronson

It's not even necessarily that Brenden Aaronson couldn't cope with the physicality. Rather, it's that he wasn't really willing to play through it.

Time and time again, Aaronson went down due to some rough play and, time and time again, the referee told him to play on. The USMNT midfielder seemed more frustrated each time as he couldn't get a foul call no matter how hard he was hit.

That's what these games are like, though. Those are the type of calls that don't go your way when playing in a hostile atmosphere. Aaronson certainly knows that, having been through a World Cup qualifying cycle but, even with that knowledge, Mexico was able to rattle him.

As a result, he had a rough night, to put it lightly. He had multiple giveaways in bad spots, as did plenty of his teammates. Aaronson stood out, though, simply because his issues usually ended with him on the ground protesting to the referee.

Aaronson is getting stronger every year, and Leeds is sharpening in the Championship every week. This just wasn't a night for him in any way, shape or form.

Aston Villa failed in their attempt to increase the allowable losses over a rolling three-year period to £135m to combat concerns over appeasing the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules and now an unthinkable prospect is seeping into Unai Emery's transfer window.

According to numerous reports corroborated by Fabrizio Romano, Villa are in negotiation with Serie A giants Juventus for the transfer of Douglas Luiz, with a full agreement close.

Okay, Monchi and Emery are making the most of a bleak and convoluted situation and have engineered the swap signings of talented winger Samuel Iling-Junior and midfielder Weston McKennie, but Luiz is "one of the best 6s" in English football, praise bestowed upon him by journalist Adam Gilks.

Villa are still expecting to recoup around £17m in hard cash for the Brazil international, but Emery and Co must really consider whether this is the best course of action for their side, having incredibly qualified for the Champions League with a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Douglas Luiz's importance to Aston Villa

Luiz has been one of the Premier League's standout midfielders over the past year, proving to be Emery's veritable heartbeat on the field as he dictates the tempo and knits the facets of the Villan machine into one, wrapping the thirds in on themselves.

It's been said that those involved in his rise at Villa have dubbed him "world-class", with a truly complete and polished skill set making him an indispensable component of a team that has transcended expectations when Emery was appointed as Steven Gerrard's successor.

His goal contributions have placed the 25-year-old among the elite in that category, ranking among the top 16% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

Premier League Stats 23/24: Douglas Luiz
Stat (per 90)	#
Matches played	35
Matches started	35
Goals	9
Assists	5
Pass completion	89%
Big chances created	10
Key passes	1.5
Ball recoveries	5.3
Tackles	1.7
Duels won	4.2 (51%)
Dribble attempts	0.7 (60%)
Stats via Sofascore

But for all of Luiz's sharp striking movements and well-placed creative choices, it is undoubtedly his energy, intelligence and technical crispness that has established him as one of the division's best, with Villa fighting off a trio of official bids from Arsenal in 2022 and seeing Juventus joined by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United in pushing for his signature in recent weeks.

It might feel that this bitter deal is edging inexorably toward completion but Luiz is not the only player to have been touted with a move away, and given that there's a player in Jacob Ramsey who has previously been linked with a move away for a similar figure, Monchi must surely consider an alternative to losing the lifeforce of Emery's reign.

Who Villa could sell instead of Luiz

Last month, The Telegraph revealed that Diego Carlos was among those most likely to face an exit from Villa Park, with the centre-half one of the Lions' most lucrative earners at £100k-per-week but enduring an injury-stricken 2022/23 campaign that he failed to recover from with on-pitch performance, criticised for his "sloppy" defending by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell.

While he wouldn't fetch a pretty penny, Carlos would whittle down the wage bill considerably, but he's not the only one mooted for departure in that report, with Ramsey also named as a sellable asset.

Ramsey is a homegrown hero, a product of the club's academy, and, as such, if he were to be signed by a suitor Villa would take in pure profit, which is a dream financial scenario in relation to the PSR conundrum.

The 23-year-old only started eight Premier League matches last term as he battled against injuries but has previously been valued at £50m, with Newcastle, Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur all sniffing around back in January.

Hailed for his "stunning" finishing ability by journalist Gregg Evans back in 2022, the dynamic midfielder is undoubtedly talented and, with good luck on the injury front, will forge an excellent career for himself, wherever that may be.

But, frankly, Emery exceeded expectations and secured his outfit a place among Europe's elite next season without the full force of the Birmingham-born gem's qualities, suggesting that his departure would be far less likely to strike a detrimental blow to the Spanish manager's ambitious plans.

It's understood that Villa do not wish to sell Ramsey and neither does he want to leave his boyhood club despite the prestige of some of the suitors, and that a sale will only occur if other players fail to be sold.

Surely Luiz does not fall into that bracket? The £75k-per-week phenom will certainly be considered untouchable in his head coach's mind. But then PSR threatens to blot the progress like a spreading stain, and clearly the ongoing series of events are a by-product of a hand forced.

Financial Fair Play: What is PSR, how does it work and who's in trouble?

Leicester City have become the latest club charged with an alleged PSR breach, but what could happen next?

By
Stephan Georgiou

Apr 16, 2024

McKennie, Luiz's likely replacement if the deal with Juventus is ratified, has enjoyed a solid campaign in Turin, starting 29 matches, but Premier League supporters will hardly have forgotten his struggles on loan with Leeds United the season before, with his lacklustre efforts dissuading the Whites in their previous plans to activate his £30m transfer clause.

This all feels a bit tricky, and while McKennie has enough innate ability to resurrect his Premier League career with success at Villa Park, Douglas Luiz is simply too good to allow to leave if another option is feasible, and every possible effort must be exhausted in keeping him put.

Selling Ramsey, unfortunately, might be the best way to ensure that he does indeed end up batting away the Old Lady's growing chances of a swoop.

Exceptional Luiz replacement: Premier League ace wants to join Aston Villa

Unai Emery is eyeing up a reunion with one of his former players in the Midlands…

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 10, 2024

Since Todd Boehly became the owner of Chelsea Football Club, they have spent an extraordinary £1b on new signings to try and return the club to the top of English football. So far, they have had little success.

Boehly’s first season at the club, 2023/23, saw the Blues collect their lowest points since 1987/88, with 44 and register their lowest Premier League finish in a 38-game season, as per Opta Joe. Last term was a slight improvement. The Blues finished sixth in the table, which helped them qualify for the Europa Conference League. However, for all the money spent by their American owners, they are yet to have a trophy to show for it.

Twice in Boehly’s reign, the Blues have broken the British transfer record. First, they signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for £107m, before splashing £115m just seven months later to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton, after he rejected a move to Liverpool.

All those expensive incomings mean Chelsea need to balance the books, which has led to major outgoings like Mason Mount. The Cobham graduate joined Manchester United last summer for £55m.

With a similar issue on the cards this summer, it means further sales could occur at Stamford Bridge. There is already one player who could be on his way out of the club.

Chelsea could sell winger to Premier League club

The player in question here is Chelsea’s England under-21 international winger Noni Madueke. The former PSV Eindhoven man could depart Stamford Bridge this summer in search of more regular game time.

According to a report from Mark Douglas of i Newspaper, Newcastle United are targeting Madueke, 'who may become available' for a transfer this summer, provided Chelsea complete the signing of Michael Olise, who himself could be an option for the Magpies if the Blues or Man United fail to land him.

However, Eddie Howe’s side could well target Madueke as an alternative to the France under-21 international, who may become third choice on the right wing at Stamford Bridge if they sign Olise. He would have to compete against the Crystal Palace man, and Cole Palmer for a spot in the side.

It may not be a tough deal to complete, given 'Newcastle have already done business' with the Blues in the past. The price for Madueke is not clear, but he is valued at £42m by Football Observatory. This is a fee that seems realistic, given Chelsea will be hoping to make a profit on the £29m they paid PSV in January 2023.

Why Madueke could be a big loss

It is fair to say that Madueke’s involvement for Chelsea last season was not as much as he would have hoped. He played just 23 times in the Premier League and performed fairly well, finding the back of the net five times, and registering two assists. However, the 1052 minutes he played equated to just over 11 full 90 minutes.

Given Madueke is just 22 years old, it is in his interest to get as many minutes as possible, to ensure he hits the heights predicted for him. After all, he was called the “future of Chelsea” by Chelsea journalist Felix Johnston on X. He is a tricky winger, who loves to cut inside on his left foot and drive at defenders.

If Chelsea do decide to move Madueke on this summer, it could be a bigger loss for the Blues than Conor Gallagher, who seems destined to move away from the club this summer. The England international is linked with a transfer to London rivals Tottenham. The BBC believe he is valued at £50m by Chelsea.

Gallagher was a key player for the Blues last season featuring in all but one of their Premier League games. He also captained his boyhood club 30 times in all competitions. However, they could cut ties this summer.

If Chelsea do sell both Gallagher and Madueke, the loss of the latter could be felt more. This is because a shift from the right wing to attacking midfield could be on the cards for Palmer. The Premier League Young Player of the Year played there 18 times last season, and in Gallagher’s absence, he could well be in for a permanent switch as a number 10.

Regardless of whether they sign Olise or not, a future at Chelsea could still be on the cards for the 22-year-old on the right wing. As with any club, the Blues need squad depth, and with Palmer becoming the first choice number 10, it means Madueke’s sale could have long-term implications, because of a lack of options on the right.

Olise would be the only man holding down the fort on that side, a player who himself is injury-prone. Squad rotation will be vital for Chelsea, especially given the fact they are back in Europe next season.

Madueke, Palmer, Olise stats on RW in 2023/24 compared

Player

Games

Goals

Assists

Minutes

Madueke

34

8

3

1591

Palmer

18

12

5

1519

Olise

19

10

6

1277

Stats from Transfermarkt

It remains to be seen if Chelsea do commission the sale of Madueke this summer. However, the impact it could have on the squad is somewhat understated, and in a few months time the Blues could be regretting their decision to sell the exciting right-winger this summer.

Related Chelsea made mistake signing £60m ace who's now worth 2x less than Olise

The Chelsea player earns £175k per week.

Posts ByTom Lever Jun 15, 2024

Six Afghanistan players including Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are in danger of missing the final week of CPL 2020, including the tournament’s playoffs, since they might be dashed back home to Kabul to play in the Shpageeza Cricket League, Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competition.While the CPL final is scheduled for September 10, the Shpageeza League, featuring six teams, is scheduled from September 6 to 16. The 11-day tournament will feature 19 matches including four play-offs and will be played at the Kabul International Stadium.Rashid (Barbados Tridents), Mujeeb (Jamaica Tallawahs), Naveen-ul-Haq (Guyana Amazon Warriors), and the St Lucia Zouks trio of Nabi, Zahir Khan and Najibullah Zadran are the Afghanistan players taking part in the 2020 CPL, which is being played in Trinidad behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.Rashid represents the Band-e-Amir Dragons in the Shpageeza League, while Nabi captains the Mis-e-Ainak Knights, Mujeeb and Naveen play for the Kabul Eagles, and Zadran and Zahir the Speenghar Tigers.The ACB said it was committed to have the Afghanistan players in CPL available in time for Shpageeza League barring logistical issues or government restrictions. Nazeem Jaar Abdulrahimzai, the acting chief executive officer of the ACB, said the plan was to fly the Afghanistan players in the CPL to Kabul by September 5. However, the ACB has taken into account the fact that Trinidad has kept its borders closed and the players could miss the first few matches of the Shpageeza League.”We have sent an email to Cricket West Indies. We will have players from CPL on September 5,” Abdulrahimzai told ESPNcricinfo. “They are aware about that. They are just waiting for the flight details so they will prepare for the players to fly out.”Neither CWI nor the CPL or the franchises have made any comment yet. It is understood that once it had received the No Objection Certificates that had been granted by various boards, the CWI had informed them that players would only be able to exit the CPL’s biosecure bubble after getting permission from the Trinidad government to board a charter flight to move to a different Caribbean island or fly out to other destinations.At the time the ACB granted them NOCs to take part in the CPL, it is understood the Afghanistan players were allowed to be available to their CPL teams between August 1 and September 10. The ACB is not revoking those NOCs, but is trying to coordinate with CWI to find a solution. The franchises, on their part, have not yet been informed of the Afghanistan players’ plans. It is understood they will release the Afghanistan players subject to nods from the CPL and CWI.Mujeeb Ur Rahman appeals for a wicket•BCCI

It is understood that CWI informed the ACB that the only way the Afghanistan players could exit the CPL’s biosecure bubble safely with permission from the Trinidad government was if a charter plane landed to pick them up.According to Abdulrahimzai, the ACB has chalked out two routes for the players to be flown to Kabul. “We have arranged a chartered plane. It will pick them (players) from Trinidad,” he said. “The first choice is they will fly to Barbados as they already have the ticket from there (to come back). From Barbados to London and then via UAE to Kabul. If that is not possible we are working on the second option as well: pick them from Trinidad, fly to London and then to Kabul.”Currently Afghanistan does not have any mandatory quarantine norms, which means their players can move seamlessly out of the CPL bubble and into the Shpageeza League. The ACB has said it will follow the guidelines imposed by the Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health and the World Health Organisation during the course of the tournament. The ACB also said that the decision to allow spectators at the stadium is subject to the approval of relevant health authorities and the Government Emergency Committee for the prevention of COVID-19.Abdulrahimzai said the ACB was also liaising with the government authorities to check if crowds could be allowed at the Shpageeza League, which in the past has attracted full houses.Rashid, Nabi, Mujeeb could leave early for IPLThe BCCI will also need clarity on the availability of the Afghanistan players. Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb, meanwhile, are also due to take part in the IPL, which begins in the UAE on September 19. Though the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) wants its players’ full availability, it is understood that in case they take part in the Shpageeza League, the IPL trio will be allowed to travel to the UAE in time to play their respective franchises’ opening matches.Abdulrahimzai said the three IPL-bound Afghanistan players would be allowed to leave the Shpageeza League early so they could undergo the mandatory six-day quarantine which is part of a rigorous testing process in place for the IPL, but the ACB was yet to take a final decision.Rashid and Nabi represent Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL while Mujeeb plays for Kings XI Punjab. “Those players who are in the IPL we might release them few days earlier so they can go be in the UAE for the mandatory quarantine,” Abdulrahimzai said.

Everton travel to face Arsenal at the Emirates this afternoon, looking to end the season on a high whilst potentially having a huge impact on the Premier League’s title race.

Sean Dyche and co are looking to make it five wins from their last six against Mikel Arteta’s side who are still in with a slim chance of claiming their first league title since 2003/04.

The Toffees will also hoping to make it two wins in a row, following on from last weekend’s 1-0 win against already relegated Sheffield United, with Abdoulaye Doucoure’s first goal in 2024 securing the win for the hosts.

If Everton are to pull off a shock and claim another three points in north London, Dyche will have to brutally drop one player from the starting eleven – with tomorrow potentially his last game for the club.

Why Seamus Coleman should be dropped against Arsenal

Experienced right-back Seamus Coleman has been an excellent servant during his time at Goodison Park, making 421 appearances since 2009, but unfortunately, injuries have caught up with the Irishman in recent years.

He’s only featured 11 times in the league this campaign, with his latest display coming against Chris Wilder’s side last Saturday.

His outing against the Blades was just his sixth Premier League start of the 23/24 season, but he failed to take advantage of the rare opportunity.

The 35-year-old featured for the whole 90 minutes, losing possession 19 times and winning just 37% of the duels that he contested during the victory.

Minutes played

90

Possession lost

19x

Duels won

3/8 (37%)

Fouls committed

2

Successful dribbles

0/3 (0%)

Crosses completed

1/2 (50%)

Coleman also committed two fouls and completed zero of his three attempted dribbles down Everton’s right-hand side, with the ageing full-back – who recently signed a new contract – looking past his best.

With his poor display, coupled with the much-improved quality of the opposition, Dyche must brutally drop the Irishman and replace him with one Toffees player who has excelled out of position so far this season.

The man to replace Coleman against Everton

Ben Godfrey has enjoyed a return to the side in recent months, after only making one appearance up until the middle of December.

However, all but two of his 15 Premier League appearances this season have come in an unnatural right-back position, with the 26-year-old unable to dislodge either James Tarkowski or Jarrad Branthwaite from the heart of Everton’s defence.

He’s taken to his new role exceptionally well, with his best display undeniably coming against Liverpool during the 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby.

Godfrey, who’s been dubbed as “immense” by boxer and Everton fan Tony Bellew, made six clearances and five interceptions, whilst winning two tackles – preserving the Toffees’ clean sheet in a pivotal match for the club.

His pace is key when coming up against quick wingers and with Arsenal possessing rapid players such as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, the 26-year-old’s acceleration and tackling ability are potentially able to nullify the Gunners’ attacking threat down the left-hand side.

It may seem a brutal call to bench Coleman, but Dyche must hand the Englishman another opportunity to prove himself ahead of next season.

Dyche could send Coleman packing by unleashing Everton's teen sensation

The 35-year-old is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

ByEthan Lamb May 17, 2024

The New Zealand batsman is not convinced of the need to split teams with Super Overs in 50-over cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-20202:30

Jimmy Neesham: ‘Would have preferred another Super Over’

Ross Taylor does not believe there would be anything wrong in having joint winners in the one-day World Cup rather than using Super Overs to split the teams.It is almost a year since England and New Zealand could not be separated across 100 overs and the Super Over in the World Cup final at Lord’s with England taking the title on boundary countback.The ICC has since amended the playing conditions and if the situation played out again there would be additional Super Overs to decide the winner, but Taylor does not see a problem with having joint champions.”I’m still undecided in a Super Over in a one-day game, I think one-day cricket is played over such a long time that I have no problems in a tie being a tie,” he told . “In T20, to continually go on is the right way to go. A bit like football or some other games, trying to get that win in, but I don’t think the Super Over is necessarily needed in a one-day game. I think you can have a joint winner.”During the World Cup I actually went up to the umpires to say ‘good game’, I didn’t even know there was a Super Over. A tie is a tie, I suppose you could have this argument either way, but in a one-day game I think if you can go 100 overs and still have someone equal at the end I don’t think a tie is a bad thing.”Since the World Cup final, New Zealand have been involved in another three Super Overs in T20Is and lost of all of them against England and India. Overall they have won just one of eight they have been involved in.”One over across 50 overs or 20 overs is tough to swallow, but if we are in that same situation we still back ourselves,” Taylor said. “First and foremost you have to try and win the game in the allocated time. We haven’t been able to be ruthless enough there, and if we can do that and not even let it get into a Super Over then hopefully the right results comes.”Taylor, who won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal as New Zealand’s player of the year for 2019-2020, has previously spoken of his motivation to extend his career to the 2023 one-day World Cup in India. He is New Zealand’s leading ODI run-scorer with 8574 runs at 48.44, the fifth-highest average for a batsman with over 200 innings.