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Stand of 139 for the sixth wicket sees England claim fighting win to go 1-0 up in the series

The Report by Valkerie Baynes08-Aug-2020A fighting century stand between Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler carried England to a stunning three-wicket victory over Pakistan in a thrilling opening match of their three-Test series.Buttler’s gutsy knock of 75 from 101 balls in the face of mounting criticism over his place in the side, combined with Woakes’ new-found form with the bat, handed England an unlikely victory and broke their run of five consecutive series in which they had lost the first match.ALSO READ: Dobell: England are lucky to have WoakesUnder pressure to make runs after his Test average had dipped and a torrid time behind the stumps during this match, Buttler came in with England 106 for 4 chasing a target of 277 for victory.He and Woakes, who had a high score of 37 not out from his previous 17 innings, shared a partnership worth 139 for the sixth wicket and helped England pull off the second-highest fourth-innings run chase at Old Trafford.Fittingly, Woakes hit the winnings runs with a four through third man off Shaheen Shah Afridi to finish not out on 84 as England snatched victory by three wickets inside four days.Joe Root began the day suggesting a target below 260 would be within reach. Pakistan pushed it just beyond after Yasir Shah came out, as expected, and threw the bat.Yasir resumed on 12 with Pakistan 137 for 8 and leading by 244. He clubbed 21 from nine balls, including 11 off Jofra Archer’s first four deliveries of the day, followed by a defiant four past mid-on and a brutal six over midwicket off Stuart Broad’s first three.Broad had the final say two balls later, drawing a wild swing from Yasir to a length ball outside off and finding a thick edge which went through to Buttler behind the stumps. But Yasir’s job was done.In all, Pakistan pilfered 32 runs within the first half hour, before Naseem Shah was the last man out, bowled by Archer for 4.England managed just 22 runs from the first 11 overs of their chase but, with the best part of two days ahead of them, time was the least of their worries.Wickets were, and Mohammad Abbas took the first with the first ball of the 12th, which nipped back and struck Rory Burns on the back leg as it curled in off the seam. Burns was quick to call for a review, but his dismissal was confirmed on umpire’s call with the ball hitting the top of middle stump.There appeared to be words exchanged, with Burns turning to the Pakistan team and putting a finger to his lips as he strode from the field.Chris Woakes celebrates the moment of victory•AFP

Dom Sibley and Root pressed on to 55 for 1 by lunch but there was a period after the break where England’s scoring went quiet against Abbas and Yasir and they managed just two runs in 29 balls.Yasir, who had claimed four England wickets in their first innings, broke a 64-run partnership when he had Sibley caught by Asad Shafiq for 36, the opener furious with himself after attempting a drive and sending a thick edge straight to slip.His dismissal brought Ben Stokes – and all his promise – to the crease and England’s own “miracle worker” got off the mark with a boundary through third man off Naseem. Crucially, though, Naseem swooped quickly to remove the other set batsman, when he found Root’s outside edge, which was collected by Babar Azam at slip to send him out on 42.With England 96 for 3 and needing 181 runs more to win, the glare on Stokes intensified, even though they also had Ollie Pope, who had top-scored for the hosts in their first innings, at the crease.If any indication was needed as to just how highly prized Stokes’ wicket is, Pakistan burned an ambitious review when Naseem struck him on the pad with a ball that looked to be going down the leg side. Sure enough Hawk-Eye showed it was missing and Stokes survived.To Pakistan captain Azhar Ali’s credit, however, faced with the prospect of using up another review seven balls later, when Yasir believed he had Stokes caught behind with a googly that bounced out of the rough outside off stump, Azhar went for it. His courage was rewarded when UltraEdge showed the ball had brushed the glove on the way through to Mohammad Rizwan, who gathered the ball high at his second grab.England had lost 3 for 20 and their situation worsened three overs later. Pope could do little about his dismissal when he copped an unplayable delivery from Afridi that reared off a length and hit his top hand, ballooning to Shadab Khan running in from gully.With England 117 for 5 and hope fading fast, still 160 runs from victory, Buttler and Woakes played a stunning hand that rescued their side.With Buttler’s white-ball credentials in no question, he combined the skill to rack up the runs at a good tempo with the patience required to not throw his wicket away. Even when he did fall, attempting a reverse sweep off Yasir and struck on the boot for an lbw decison he challenged and lost, Woakes was well set and the hard work was done.Needing 21 more runs, England promoted Broad, and although he fell cheaply, lbw to Yasir with the second new ball, Woakes saw them home to end a miserable run in first Tests (aside from a one-off win over Ireland) that stretched back to the start of 2019.

Newcastle United have endured their fair share of injuries this season, with Eddie Howe patching together his squad throughout the campaign. The former boss has at least received a major boost on that front, however, with one star set to return earlier than expected.

Newcastle injury news

The Magpies are already without the likes of Nick Pope, Joelinton and Kieran Trippier as the Premier League season approaches its final stages. And those injury problems have far from helped Newcastle's form, with their European ambitions becoming more and more unlikely every week, especially after their latest defeat against Chelsea.

With two wins in their last six games and mounting injury problems, Newcastle have been left with it all to do if they are to qualify for some form of European football this season. As their Stamford Bridge defeat showed, however, Howe's task is a difficult one in the coming months and one that could have so easily been worsened by further injury news.

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The Magpies boss initially shared concerns over the extent of Anthony Gordon's injury against Chelsea, saying via Premier Injuries: "Gordon looks like a knee problem and it doesn’t look too good at the moment; it is unclear. Hopefully, we can give him that in the next couple of days, and we can get him seen to."

Since then, those fears have fortunately been eased to finally hand Howe some positive news. According to Jacob Whitehead of The Athletic, Gordon has avoided any serious damage to his knee and could even be back for the Manchester City game as soon as this weekend. Even if it's not the City game, the Newcastle star will reportedly be available for England selection in the upcoming international break.

"Great" Gordon's return will be a welcome boost

In a season to forget, Gordon has been one of the few bright sparks at St James' Park, fully living up to his £40m price tag and £60k per-week salary, which initially raised eyebrows. If the 23-year-old makes his return as soon as the City game, then Newcastle will stand a far greater chance of causing an upset in the FA Cup last eight and making an appearance at Wembley to help salvage their campaign.

Former manager Frank Lampard was well aware of Gordon's quality even during his Everton days, saying after the winger's goal against Brentford in 2022: “It’s what I wanted from him. It was a great run, great timing and a great pass, and his composure was great. I’m delighted for him and thought his all-round performance was great. There’s pressure on him and I thought he handled it brilliantly.”

With ten goals and seven assists to his name so far this season, Gordon has done enough to be considered for a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad, signalling even more relief that his injury is not as severe as first feared.

Wrexham have seen a bid for Preston striker Will Keane rejected as Phil Parkinson aims to bolster his attack before Friday's deadline.

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• Wrexham launch Keane offer
• West Brom bid also rejected
• Mullin back from summer surgery

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham have turned to Keane in their bid to add Championship-level experience to their squad. According to ,the Red Dragons submitted a £750,000 offer to Preston that has been rejected by the Lilywhites.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Keane scored 13 goals in 38 Championship appearances for Preston last term, and he bagged the only goal in a 1-0 win against Luton at the weekend. Wrexham have completed seven permanent signings so far in the transfer window but none were attacking additions, and the pursuit of Keane appears to be an attempt to provide competition to Paul Mullin – who made his first appearance of the season against Reading last weekend – and Co.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wrexham aren't alone in their attempts to sign Keane. Championship side West Brom saw a £500,000 bid for the former Manchester United youngster rejected, while Cardiff are also considering a move before Friday's transfer deadline.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Parkinson has hinted that Wrexham's transfer business isn't finished, but his side appears more than ready for the task ahead of them in League One. The Red Dragons have collected seven points from their opening three games and defeated the previously-unbeaten Reading 3-0 on Saturday.

Home-summer focus on Tests could conflict with impending target of T20 World Cup glory

Andrew Miller14-May-2020

England may be forced to choose whether their all-format stars such as Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler feature for the Test or limited-overs teams this summer, after Ashley Giles, the managing director, conceded that two separate squads might be the best means of ensuring player safety as they attempt a return to action during the Covid-19 outbreak.Stokes produced two of the greatest England performances of all time in white- and red-ball cricket last summer, first for the ODI team with his unbeaten 84 in the World Cup final against New Zealand at Lord’s, and then, a month later, for the Test team against Australia, where his unbeaten 135 sealed a thrilling one-wicket win at Headingley.But, with England confirming their plans for a staged return to training ahead of an anticipated start to the Test summer against West Indies in July, Giles admitted that the logistical challenge of squeezing the home international schedule into a 12-week window could force them to prioritise certain formats for certain players who might ordinarily feature in both squads.The ECB confirmed that an initial pool of 30 players would be returning to individual training from next week, at seven different venues across the country, and under strict social-distancing, hygiene and temperature-control protocols. In an attempt to further limit interaction, players will be asked to arrive at venues in their training gear, with shared spaces such as dressing rooms to remain off-limits.”We’re probably erring on that side of creating a bubble to surround our people,” Giles told Sky Sports. “We’ll probably look to take all 30 people back into the environment at the venue, so that we’ve got everything we need from a playing, a practice, and a net-bowling perspective leading into a Test match, probably two weeks before the first ball is bowled in that Test match.”The likelihood is if we do that and we’re trying to main really safe environments, that we’re going to operate two separate squads.”England have prioritised the staging of their six scheduled Tests against West Indies and Pakistan because they are the most lucrative formats when it comes to fulfilling their contractual obligations to Sky Sports. If no international cricket were possible this summer, the ECB has estimated that it would be looking at a £380 million loss.However, with the T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in Australia in October and November, England recognise that their best white-ball players will need to get as much match practice as possible if they are to match their achievements in the 50-over format last season, and go one better than they did in 2016, when they were the losing finalists against West Indies in Kolkata.ALSO READ: Environment will be safer than going to supermarket – GilesSince the promotion of Chris Silverwood as England’s head coach, there has been a renewed focus on the standards of the Test team, which was largely overlooked under the previous regime of Trevor Bayliss, whose primary focus had been on that successful home World Cup campaign.And after a tricky start in New Zealand, the team achieved a memorable series win in South Africa at the turn of the year, with a raft of young players such as Dom Sibley, Ollie Pope, Dom Bess and Zak Crawley taking their chances to cement their places in the Test set-up.However, a decision may need to be taken about which of England’s multi-format players continue to feature for the Test team this summer, with six names up for particular debate: Stokes and Buttler, plus the two fastest bowlers in England’s ranks, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, as well Joe Root, the Test captain, and Jonny Bairstow.”At the moment we’ve got a schedule on paper that looks great, that we can fit everything into July, August, September, but it’s a squeeze and there’s a lot of cricket there,” Giles said. “”So again that probably leads us to a place where we’re operating two separate teams.”It’s a lot of people, it’s a lot of logistical pressure and organisation,” he added. “Part of this is about high-level performance and getting sport back on that people want to enjoy, but there is also an economics angle to this, a financial element. For the whole game in this country, us playing cricket is really important.”Where should England’s priorities lie?Ben Stokes
England’s biggest box-office name produced one of the very greatest Test innings of all time at Headingley, and in a summer when finances count for so much, he will surely be required to front up for the Test team, over the one-day squad, and give the most lucrative format some bang for its buck. Whisper it, but his T20 record isn’t a patch on the other two formats. Verdict: TestsJofra Archer
Injured through over-use after making his Test debut in the Ashes, this lay-off has arguably been as opportune as such things can be, after the mania of his first six months as an England cricketer. His value as one of the pre-eminent T20 bowlers in the world is indisputable, and he’s already been the point of difference in one victorious white-ball campaign. Verdict: ODIs/T20sJoe Root
He’s England’s Test captain, so that’s the end of the argument. Root was also their stand-out performer in the last T20 World Cup in 2016 – and would surely have been man of the final if they’d got over the line. But his importance in the other two formats has cramped his opportunities ever since. Verdict: TestsJos Buttler
Root in reverse. Buttler is already England’s greatest white-ball batsman of all time and their most feared campaigner going into the T20 World Cup. He is also Eoin Morgan’s heir apparent (and who knows how Morgan’s back, which gave him problems last year, will respond to this lengthy lay-off). The fact that his Test form was teetering in South Africa is further evidence of where his priorities need to be. Verdict: ODIs/T20sMark Wood
Now here’s a dilemma. Wood, by his own admission, is probably going to break down within days of his return to action, such is his woeful injury record. But that’s never held him back from going full throttle, and nothing gave him more joy than his recent performances in Test cricket, in St Lucia last spring and Johannesburg in January, where he bowled like greased lightning. He’d be an asset to the T20 squad, but perhaps not a first choice. Better to let him go with his heart. Verdict: TestsJonny Bairstow
Another dilemma, though largely due to the knock-on effect of Buttler’s white-ball focus. Bairstow, his predecessor as Test gloveman, might be the logical choice to step into the breach. But should a man who caused such a storm alongside David Warner for Sunrisers last season be putting his best efforts into that T20 prep? His recent Test form has not been much to boast about, either. It might depend on whether England think Ben Foakes’ time has come. Verdict: ODIs/T20s

Tottenham Hotspur are fighting for a return to the Champions League in Ange Postecoglou's first campaign in the dugout, with the club falling by the wayside in recent years.

Shrewd investment in the transfer market is not exactly anything new under chairman Daniel Levy, widely accepted as one of the more economical figures in the Premier League, but thrifty spending hasn't always hit the mark.

Sure, Spurs yield a chequered past in this regard, but well it goes right, it goes right. Gareth Bale is probably the gold standard in this regard, one of the Premier League's all-time greats and he didn't leave for a half-bad price either.

Why Gareth Bale is a Spurs legend

Levy saw a bargain and he snapped Bale up on an initial £5m deal from Southampton back in 2007, with the teenage left-back touted for big things and choosing the Lilywhites over Manchester United as he sought a path to prominence.

Darren Bent

Charlton

Gareth Bale

Southampton

Alan Hutton

Rangers

Younes Kaboul

Auxerre

Jonathan Woodgate

Middlesbrough

Kevin-Prince Boateng

Hertha BSC

Adel Taarabt

RC Lens

Chris Gunter

Cardiff

Gilberto

Hertha BSC

Danny Rose

Leeds

It didn't go according to plan in those fledgeling days, with Bale regarded as an 'unlucky charm' after enduring a 24-match winless streak to start life in London, though an infamous two-legged affair against Inter Milan in the Champions League saw the Wales international bloom into a world-class phenomenon.

Completing a world-record £85m transfer to Real Madrid back in 2013, Bale draped the curtain on a staggering Spurs career, totalling 71 goals and 58 assists across 236 outings after enjoying a season back on loan at the club in the twilight phase of his career.

The iconic winger scored 26 goals alone in his final year in England (before moving to Madrid) and Levy needed to replace his goal threat, but actually found a replacement who had outscored Bale in Roberto Soldado.

The fee Spurs paid for Roberto Soldado

Harry Kane was stirring away in the maiden stage of his Tottenham career but he was not yet ready to flaunt his legendary goalscoring talents in the Premier League, and Soldado was landed to lead the strikeforce in 2013, joining from Valencia for £26m.

He had, in fairness, plundered 30 goals from 46 appearances in all competitions for his La Liga outfit during the 2012/13 term and looked to be a reliable and exciting new member of Tottenham's team.

Let's just say it didn't go to plan,

How Soldado is remembered at Spurs

Journalist Kevin Palmer lamented Soldado for being "so useless" that Tottenham failed to impress in the Europa League during the 2014/15 campaign, losing in the last 16 against Fiorentina in part due to the Spaniard's profligacy.

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What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

In total, Soldado chalked up 13 goals and 11 assists across 74 matches for Spurs but this doesn't even paint the full picture of a player who drastically underperformed, incapable of leading the line to even the semblance of Bale in his free-scoring brilliance.

Premier League

52

7

6

Europa League

13

4

1

FA Cup

4

0

3

League Cup

5

2

1

Europa League Qualifying

2

3

0

Realistically, all seven of the signings made to replace Bale fell wide of the mark – bar Christian Eriksen – but Soldado really was the worst of the bunch, giving the transfer fee and weight of expectation after such clinical efforts in Spain.

Soldado flattered to deceive at Tottenham but Levy's blushes were spared two years on as Kane began a ridiculous rate of scoring at Spurs for the best part of a decade.

Still, journalist Sam Tighe mused that Soldado might have been the "flop of the season" – he really was that bad.

David Moyes has pulled off a real statement of intent by luring Kalvin Philipps to West Ham United on a loan deal until the end of the season, and his quality could shine through should he remain fit and healthy.

The Englishman will add some much-needed steel to the centre of their midfield, and it could prove to be an inspired signing as Moyes looks to secure another continental trophy with the club.

While this is a big coup, with just under a week left until deadline day, the Scot will be hoping to bring in at least another player or two, especially as he needs to bolster his attacking options.

West Ham’s search for new signings

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the Irons are currently showing interest in former Celtic sensation Jota as they look to improve their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

He said: “Former Celtic winger Jota is still hoping for a move to the Premier League this month.

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Mark Marston

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“West Ham have spoken about a possible deal, whilst Brighton, Everton and Newcastle have been linked. Spurs remain admirers too.”

He moved to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ittihad last summer for a fee of around £25m following an impressive spell in Scotland, yet his move to the Middle East has not played out as well as anticipated.

Could the Portuguese gem perhaps return to British shores in the coming days? There is no doubt he has the potential to shine in the Premier League, and with West Ham needing some freshness injected into the final third, he could be an ideal signing.

Moyes may need to move a player or two out the door, however, with winger Said Benrahma attracting interest from French side Marseille.

Indeed, the Hammers even rejected a loan bid from the Ligue 1 outfit last week for the Algerian, but a move for Jota could indicate that his time in London is approaching an end.

Said Benrahma could leave West Ham United

The winger is certainly a polarising figure. At times, he can be devastating and cause utter chaos to opposition defences, yet more often than not, he fails to leave his mark in matches and Moyes could do with an upgrade on the player going forward.

Since joining West Ham from Brentford at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign, the 28-year-old has scored 24 goals and registered 19 assists across 155 matches, a ratio of a goal contribution every 3.6 games, which is a solid, if unspectacular, return.

This season, however, the winger has grabbed only one assist in 22 matches and his performances have been underwhelming, to say the least.

Among the squad, Benrahma currently ranks 14th for goals and assists (one) in the Premier League, while also ranking sixth for shots on target per game (0.5) and 17th for overall Sofascore rating (6.73), indicating that this term has hardly been a productive one.

The former Brentford winger still has two and a half years left on his current contract and this could tempt Moyes into moving him on this month, especially as he could command a decent fee.

It is clear he is not having the same impact this term compared to previous seasons. Moyes has started him just 13 times in all competitions, which proves he does not place his trust in the 28-year-old that often.

Jota could be a big upgrade to the current West Ham player, and it would be interesting to see if he could pick up where he left off after starring at Celtic.

The stats that show why Jota could be an upgrade to Said Benrahma

Admittedly, the 5 foot 9 winger has not had a good season for Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League since making his big-money move there last summer.

This was surprising, especially due to how impressive he had been for Celtic during their treble-winning 2022/23 campaign and his performances were always going to catch the eye of potential suitors.

Last term, Jota not only ranked first among the squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.45) in the Premiership, but he also ranked second for goals and assists (22), shots per game (2.4), big chances created (13), and key passes per game (1.9), demonstrating how much of an influence he had in the team.

In comparison, Benrahma ranked eighth for Sofascore rating (6.86) among the West Ham squad, along with ranking third for goals and assists (nine), first for shots per game (2.1), second for big chances created (five) and for key passes per game (1.4), suggesting that he also had a decent season for the Hammers, yet Jota’s numbers across these key metrics are better.

Jota was even lauded by former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish, who dubbed him as a “revelation” under Ange Postecoglou as they swept to five of the six domestic honours in his two seasons under the current Tottenham Hotspur manager.

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Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

As mentioned, the 24-year-old has struggled in Asia this season, making just 11 appearances and scoring only two goals, as clubs are limited to naming just eight foreign players in their domestic squads.

This has clearly limited his appearances, and it looks as though it is time for a fresh start and a return to Britain could bring out the best in him.

Benrahma has shown this term that he simply cannot be trusted to add goals or assists to this West Ham team on a regular basis and if he isn’t moved on this month, he will surely depart London in the summer.

This could give Moyes the licence to ditch the Algerian by making a concrete move for Jota as he looks to add some more depth to his attacking options.

There is no doubt the former Celtic star will be fresh having played so few matches, and this could be a huge bonus for West Ham, especially as they chase another continental title.

Jota has won five major titles during his previous two full seasons, and he certainly knows how to win trophies, which the Hammers will be hoping he showcases in the Europa League later this year if they win the race for his signature.

He will again team up with Matt Kuhnemann for defending champions Brisbane Heat

AAP14-Dec-2024Mitchell Swepson is eyeing the BBL as his last chance to push for a Test return in Sri Lanka, with Australia’s hopefuls left to make their case with the white ball.Swepson and Brisbane Heat team-mate Matt Kuhnemann are vying to be on the plane to Sri Lanka in January, with two Tests on the spin-friendly Galle wicket.Australia’s domestic schedule means that by the time of the next Sheffield Shield game, the second and final Test in Galle will have already started.Related

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While Nathan Lyon will be the first-choice spinner, Sixers spinner Todd Murphy is expected to join him as a second offspinner.Kuhnemann, Swepson and Melbourne Renegades’ Adam Zampa then loom as options if Australia play a third spinner, given their ability to turn the ball the other way.Melbourne Stars pair Glenn Maxwell and Beau Webster could also find themselves on the tour, given they can play as offspinning allrounders.Webster has been released from Australia’s Test camp to play in Sunday night’s BBL opener against Perth, while Maxwell is still out with a hamstring injury.”Playing for Australia is always the goal I am striving for and while I’m not sure how many spinners they are going to take on that tour I would love to be a part of it,” Swepson told AAP ahead of the Heat’s title defence. “All the Shield games are done now [until February] and the BBL is all we have in front of us.”I’m not sure they will pick blokes based on the BBL but bowling well in any format helps.”Swepson and Kuhnemann both have Test experience on the subcontinent, with Swepson playing previously in Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2022.  He didn’t play on Australia’s last trip to Asia in 2023, with Kuhnemann instead impressing in that year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Swepson has 17 wickets in the Shield for Queensland this summer and Kuhnemann has 18 for Tasmania.Swepson, 31, said he was a better bowler now than when he played Test cricket in 2022.”I know when to attack, when to hold and defend and when to play a role the team requires,” he said.  “This is my 10th year playing for Queensland and I think that experience has really  helped me.”Both the Tests I played in Sri Lanka were in Galle and they both are again. I felt like I bowled pretty well and that might hold me in good stead.”Over in those sub-continent conditions they lean more towards the finger spinners so I know I have that up against me, but I think that as a legspinner I also get my accuracy as close to a finger spinner as possible.”Kuhnemann, 28, is now with Tasmania after leaving Queensland to get more overs in Shield cricket.”For me, the pinnacle is red-ball cricket. If my red-ball game is going well, then that looks after my white-ball cricket,” Kuhnemann said. White-ball cricket I am pumped at. I have been pretty good the past few years. Hopefully, I can add a few strings to my bow.”Whenever a subcontinent tour comes around, all the spinners around the country get excited and come out of the woodwork a bit.”

The makeshift right-back sent Arne Slot's side top of the Premier League with a sensational strike that lit up an otherwise dull game at Anfield

Who needs Trent Alexander-Arnold?! Certainly not Liverpool! Dominik Szoboszlai once again did an outstanding job filling in at right-back in Sunday's Premier League meeting with Arsenal at Anfield – before then deciding the game in the home side's favour with the kind of fantastic free-kick that Trent made his trademark.

It was a moment of outrageous quality completely at odds with the dross that preceded it, as the top two teams from last season seemed reluctant to take too many risks at this early stage of the season.

The champions won't care, though, as they once again managed to win a game in which they hadn't played particularly well to go top of the table, three points clear of their main title rivals.

GOAL rates all of the Liverpool players on show as the Reds ended a run of six Premier League games without a win against Arsenal with a hard-fought 1-0 victory…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (6/10):

Made one decent stop from Madueke during the first half but, truth be told, he didn't actually have much to do.

Dominik Szoboszlai (8/10):

Once again deployed in defence due to Liverpool's issues at right-back and once again put in an excellent shift for his side before winning the game with a sensational strike from 32 yards out.

Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

After two shocking displays, against Bournemouth and Newcastle, the Frenchman looked back to something resembling his best. Such a shame, then, to see him forced off through injury.

Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

Another typically dominant display at the back and, on days like this, it's the Dutchman's anticipation that really stands out. The one gripe was that he didn't shoot after pouncing on a poor pass from Raya.

Milos Kerkez (7/10):

Much more like it from the Hungarian. He struggled in his first two Premier League appearances for Liverpool but he stood up very well indeed to the threat posed by the lively Madueke down Arsenal's right-hand side.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Ryan Gravenberch (7/10):

The Dutchman's propensity for picking up bookings remains a concern, but he's such a calming and influential presence in the middle of the park. Helped Liverpool gain control of the game after the interval.

Alexis Mac Allister (6/10):

Recalled to the starting line-up after missing the game against Newcastle, and although he created a couple of chances, the Argentine is clearly still not 100 percent match fit after a stop-start couple of months. 

Florian Wirtz (6/10):

We're still waiting to see the real Wirtz, but this was a bit better from the Germany international, who picked out Salah with a couple of nice passes (both of which were wasted), while he also had one of Liverpool's few shots on target. Ran himself into the ground, too, before hobbling off late on.

AFPAttack

Mohamed Salah (4/10):

Struggled to get any change out of Calafiori all afternoon and failed miserably to take advantage on the few times he found himself in a dangerous position. A really poor performance from a player who hasn't quite got going this season.

Hugo Ekitike (5/10):

Ekitike had scored in his first three competitive games for Liverpool but he never even went close to maintaining his 100 percent strike rate. The Frenchman was forced to feed off scraps for the entirety of his 79 minutes on the field.

Cody Gakpo (5/10):

Looked like a threat when he got on the ball, but the Netherlands international offered no real penetration. 

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Curtis Jones (6/10):

Came on for Mac Allister on the hour mark and added a bit of intensity to Liverpool's pressing.

Joe Gomez (7/10):

Took over in the centre of defence for the injured Konate for the final 12 minutes and did well to putt off Eze without fouling the new signing before making a brilliant interception to deny Gyokeres.

Federico Chiesa (N/A):

Replaced Ekitike up top in the closing stages and pressed well.

Wataru Endo (N/A):

Brought on in the dying minutes to help Liverpool close out the game.

Arne Slot (6/10):

The decision to stick with Szoboszlai paid off spectacularly, but the former Feyenoord coach will probably be most satisified with the fact that his side looked solid for the first time this season. Still, victory won't mask the fact that his team still hasn't quite clicked yet.

Steven Gerrard’s time at Aston Villa has been a puzzling period so far.

The England great arrived in the Midlands with a healthy reputation following his career in Scotland and after the first few weeks, you could see why there was such a buzz about his management skills.

However, sadly the Villans have slipped by the wayside and to coin an old phrase, they’ve been on the beach in the final few months of the season.

Villa may well find it difficult now to finish in the Premier League’s top 10 after a run of form that’s been rather topsy-turvy, but back to back wins prior to their defeat at Liverpool showed there is still quality in the squad.

Philippe Coutinho looks set to sign for the club permanently but it wasn’t the former Red that Klopp waxed lyrical over at full time.

As the Merseysiders came away with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park, Klopp sunk his teeth into the display of the host’s forward line.

He said in his post-match press conference: “There were one or two moments where we had to defend with the centre-halves in the six-yard box because of the quality of Villa. Ingsy unbelievable, Watkins and these kind of things that’s tricky, but we did it.”

It’s hardly a surprise that Klopp was so effusive in his praise of Ings considering the pair worked together when he played at Anfield but it’s a promising sign for the Villa Park faithful.

There may only be two games of the campaign left but if the former Southampton man really is looking “unbelievable” now, it should delight the supporters at Villa.

After all, this is a player who Dean Smith paid £25m for last summer following the sale of Jack Grealish.

To suggest he’s been good business so far would be lying. The 29-year-old has been rather inconsistent since signing, scoring just seven goals for Villa.

That means that at the moment he’s cost the club a whopping £3.5m per goal.

If Villa are to make this move a worthwhile investment then they’ll need Ings at the top of his game heading into next term – a position Klopp clearly believes he’s getting to again.

The German is no stranger to praising opposition players, with the Anfield chief hailing the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Adama Traore and Gabriel Martinelli relentlessly in the past.

Klopp knows an exciting talent when he sees one, so those at Villa should be extremely excited about what the future holds for the forward under Gerrard’s tutelage beyond the current campaign.

A summer of rest and recuperation should do the England international the world of good, and then hopefully we’ll see the very best from the “unbelievable” Ings next season.

AND in other news, AVFC can save millions by unleashing “outstanding” 18 y/o who’s a “young Michael Owen”…

Need to keep ‘making good decisions at crunch moments’, says the wicketkeeper-batsman as Sri Lanka chase series sweep against New Zealand

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo21-Aug-2019

Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka’s relatively new captain, doesn’t ride players hard, doesn’t tear them down for taking aggressive options, and when criticism is required, he ensures it’s constructive. Perhaps this is all a bit sappy, but it the feedback from several members of this Sri Lanka dressing room.Thisara Perera spoke of Karunaratne being “like a brother” during the World Cup campaign. Acting coach Rumesh Ratnayake spoke of the calmness Karunaratne spreads through the dressing room. And now, ahead of the second Test against New Zealand, Niroshan Dickwella has given Sri Lanka’s fifth Test captain in three years an endorsement of his own.Dickwella had been Karunaratne’s deputy during the Test series victory in South Africa. And although no vice-captain has been officially named for this series, with Dickwella’s own place in the XI not assured ahead of the first Test, he spoke about the unique qualities Karunaratne has brought to the role.ALSO READ: Fernando – Sri Lanka are winning, but it’s in spite of the system”Dimuth is a very different kind of captain,” he said. “His way of managing players is different, and every captain has their own style. I’ve played a lot with Dimuth and what he does is give the player the freedom to go and express themselves 100% in the match.”What Dimuth says is go and do what you want to do, and what you feel you can do. If we make a mistake, he’ll pull us aside and say this happened, why don’t we fix that mistake for next time? He talks a lot about being confident about your abilities. And he gives you that confidence.”Sri Lanka have so far won each of the three Tests they have played under Karunaratne, but they arrive now at a venue at which they have struggled. Sri Lanka have lost five of their seven most recent Tests at the P Sara Oval, including their last match to New Zealand here, in 2012. The pitch, Dickwella said, should favour fast bowlers and batsmen more than the Galle surface, on which neither team crossed 300. Sri Lanka’s victory in Galle was ultimately comfortable, but the team remains wary of a New Zealand resurgence, particularly at a venue that often provides good bounce for seam bowlers.”It’s a big challenge. Having won one game, we have a big responsibility to win the series. We have the confidence, but we need to keep making good decisions at crunch moments,” Dickwella said. “Close-in fielders, including me, have missed some chances in Galle, but those were difficult chances – you don’t have even seconds to react. But still, we spoke about that. We’re happy to improve on those areas.”In the batting, we were 142 for 2 and then collapsed to 168 for 7 in the first-innings, so we have to improve on that as well. When it comes to bowling, when one bowler is bowling well, from one end, we need to build a partnership from the other end as well.”