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Leeds United return to action in the Championship this evening as they travel away from Elland Road to take on Rotherham United across Yorkshire.

The Whites have the opportunity to cut the gap between themselves and the top two to within five points before Ipswich Town and Leicester City play their matches, which could put some added pressure on them before they play.

Daniel Farke's side are currently sat in third place and are eight points away from the automatic promotion places as they eye up an instant return to the Premier League.

Leeds have won their last three Championship matches and now come up against a Millers team that have only won two of their 16 league matches and find themselves within the bottom three of the division.

The Whites come into the game against Rotherham off the back of a 2-1 win over Plymouth, thanks to goals from Joel Piroe and Daniel James, prior to the international break.

Farke may have to make some alterations to his starting XI, though, as there are a number of injury situations to contend with heading into tonight's match.

Latest Leeds injury news

The Whites head coach has revealed that Sam Byram and Pascal Struijk have both returned to training this week, ahead of schedule, and could be involved after further assessment.

Djed Spence, Joe Gelhardt, and Jamie Shackleton are all also back and available for selection after their respective injury issues and could return to the squad.

However, Farke has urged for caution with Spence, who has not featured since the 2nd of September, and this does not suggest that the right-back will be thrown straight into the starting XI.

Leeds do look set for a gigantic blow to their side, though, as Georgino Rutter is said to be a major doubt with an abdominal strain, which has prevented him from training this week.

The former Norwich City tactician backed Patrick Bamford to step up in his absence and FFC have predicted the former England international to lead the line tonight.

"Top class" £70k-p/w star misses out in Leeds predicted lineup vs Rotherham

Leeds can close the gap between them and the automatic promotion places to five points with a victory over Rotherham on Friday night.

ByTom Griffin Nov 23, 2023

However, Farke could benefit from being bold and finally unleashing academy starlet Mateo Joseph alongside Piroe in attack ahead of the underperforming senior centre-forward.

Bamford's season in numbers

The 30-year-old marksman has not made the most of his opportunities off the bench so far this season and came into the 2023/24 campaign off the back of a dismal year in the Premier League.

Bamford scored four goals in 28 top-flight matches as Leeds were relegated back down to the Championship, having been managed by Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce.

However, it was not a case of a lack of services coming his way as the former Middlesbrough number nine missed a staggering 13 'big chances' and ended the season with an xG (Expected Goals) of 8.61 in 18 starts.

This term, the English dud has made eight league appearances as a substitute and did not contribute with a single goal or assist for the side in those matches.

Again, the experienced forward, who has lost 67% of his ground duels so far, has not struggled in front of goal due to a lack of opportunities. Bamford has an xG of 1.16 and has missed a penalty – in the 1-0 loss to Stoke City – in those eight games.

This means that the Chelsea academy graduate has scored four goals in his last 36 league outings for the Whites and underperformed his xG by 5.77 in that period.

These woeful statistics do not suggest that Bamford is a reliable performer whom Farke can trust to lead the line effectively against Rotherham this evening, if Rutter is unable to feature.

The left-footed attacker has not shown many, if any, signs of getting back to his best in front of goal and that is why the manager should, instead, take a gamble on a young player – in Joseph – and throw the 20-year-old ace in at the deep end to see if he can swim.

Farke has already showcased his willingness to lean on academy players, as Archie Gray has played 15 Championship matches at the age of 17, and the England U20 international could be the next one to come through the pipeline.

Mateo Joseph's goal record for Leeds

Joseph joined Leeds from Spanish side Espanyol in January of last year and has been in impressive form in English football over the last 21 months or so.

The 5 foot 11 talent, who qualifies to play for England through his father, did not have the best start to life in Yorkshire, though, as he managed two goals and one assist in 11 appearances throughout the 2021/22 campaign for the U18s and U21s combined.

That was followed up with a phenomenal season for the U21s in his first full year with the Whites. The Spanish-born whiz racked up 17 goals and two assists in 24 appearances, which included 16 goals in 21 Premier League 2 outings.

His form was rewarded with 23 minutes of Premier League action across three matches at first-team level, which means that the talented youngster already has some experience of senior football.

Joseph, who has been on the bench twice without featuring in the Championship this season, scored one goal and provided one assist in a Premier League International Cup clash with Hertha BSC II. He has also produced two goals and one assist in two Premier League 2 clashes.

This means that the 20-year-old marksman has plundered 20 goals in 27 U21 matches since the start of last season, compared to Bamford's four goals in 36 league games for Leeds during that period.

The academy starlet's former boss Michael Skubala once hailed him as a "humble" person who is a "threat" for any defence, and the young ace could be a threat to Rotherham's backline if Farke decides to unleash him from the start.

Neither Bamford nor Joseph have the creativity to adequately replace Rutter, who has created a staggering 15 'big chances' for his teammates this season, but the U21s star's goalscoring record suggests that he has the potential to be a better option than the senior centre-forward this evening.

Unai Emery's policy on youth has been clear since taking the reins at Aston Villa. With the signing of young stars like Jhon Duran or the continued integration and development of Jacob Ramsey for example, it's shown that if you're good enough, you're old enough.

Alternatively, there are some that can slip through the Villans' net. A prime example of such is the high-flying Jaden Philogene-Bidace.

Where did Jaden Philogene come from?

Philogene-Bidace, although now playing without that second surname, is an electric 21-year-old winger. Born and raised in west London, Philogene somehow didn't get picked up in a formative academy fashion like so many youngsters in the city.

Instead, he got his start through the Pro: Direct Academy. Here, he shone and had a pick of Football League clubs back in 2018. He settled for Aston Villa and saw three years in the youth setup before making his senior breakthrough in 2021.

While he had shown great tenacity up to this point with academy showings, as well as consummate preseason involvements for Villa – Philogene found opportunities elsewhere with loan deals for Stoke and Cardiff City, respectively.

He may have been too late of a developer for Villa, yet Philogene had a safety net of multiple suitors primed on departure, and now he finds himself in the Championship with Hull City as well as flourishing in England's U21 side.

What has Philogene done since leaving Aston Villa?

Such has been the creative winger's attitude and skill, that his Premier League exit has done him little negative damage. At Hull, there have been more opportunities in a highly developmental side, and it has of course reaped further individual chances.

Of these chances, Philogene's momentum saw, of course, an England U21 debut with two brilliant goals against Serbia.

In just seven games this domestic season, Philogene has demonstrated his raw talents and looks to be keeping up with his former place competitor Moussa Diaby at Villa.

Diaby has five goal involvements (two goals, three assists) in eight Premier League games. Philogene has five goal involvements (one goal, four assists) in one less game. Add those aforementioned strikes at international level into the equation and he's even outscored the French summer signing in 2023/24.

It's said that despite a football academy grounding, Philogene was consistently the best player in his schooling. This raw tenacity looks to be bearing fruit and in future, this season could be seen as the true kickstart for his career.

FBref reflects a player who potentially needs to strengthen offensive output – yet the creative sparks are present. For his low non-penalty xG of 0.17, there's a high shot total of 2.76 per 90.

While he doesn't have high pass completion compared to others in his position at 71.8% per 90 – he has a brilliant successful take-on rate of 2.60 per 90.

Other high-scoring marks come with blocks (1.38 per 90) and tackles (2.64 per 90). Compared to others in his position (those stats put him in the top 15% and 3% percentiles), Philogene presents as this tenacious force raring to get stuck in. If he can tailor his raw craft to the effective stats, then Aston Villa will be ruing his £5m departure even more.

Newcastle have loved a cult forward or two over the years. Callum Wilson, now a seasoned scorer alongside the more exuberant Alexander Isak, is no exception to this trend. Still present at the ever-developing, ever-moneyed Newcastle – 31-year-old Wilson can look back on an impressive goal tally.

Wilson's scored more than you'd think. Perhaps it's a nod to the luxury of the league around him, as his 82 Premier League appearances for the Magpies with a prolific 42 goals somehow slipped under the radar. It's no wonder he's a fan favourite like he was at Bournemouth. However, this article isn't wholly about him.

In terms of cults on Tyneside, there's only really one man who epitomises the title. With a special onus on his 2011/12 season, as well as the fact he's still scoring at 38 – let's look at Papiss Cisse.

How good was Papiss Cissé at Newcastle?

For that one season in 2011/12, (and perhaps with the exception of 2014/15), Cisse was electric.

The Senegalese striker arrived in Newcastle after ripping up Ligue 2 with Metz and then the Bundesliga with Freiburg.

During the 2010/11 term, Cisse was second to Mario Gomez's 28 goals in the scoring charts with 22. An eventual total tally of 37 league goals is still a record for a Freiburg player, with that 22 itself being a season record for an African in the Bundesliga – surpassing Tony Yeboah's 20 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt back in 1992/93.

Newcastle's ears pricked up after this, as well as after a half-season where he scored nine in 17, and signed Cissé for £10m in January 2012. Here, the fun commenced.

In the second half of the sharp-shooting 11/12 campaign, fans saw one of the Premier League's most ridiculous runs of form as a leggy, frenetic Cisse bagged an insane 13 goals in 14 games with two amazing efforts coming against Chelsea. Stamford Bridge in May 2012. It's almost synonymous with Cisse.

The first goal sees Jonas Gutierrez find Davide Santon making a nice overlap. He jinks down the left channel before slipping the ball into Cisse. Don't look away. He's just on the edge of the box and in one movement, the ball's up and away. He's flicked it up and volleyed into the far right side with Cech no chance. He's made the skullcap-wearing maestro look like a playground kid. Up you get, Petr.

After seeing that first goal, it's easy to think 'it can't get better' – but obviously it always does.

Play is on the left-hand side and just out of the corner, big Shola Ameobi has chested it down. Again, I implore you, don't even blink – because on the bounce it's a pelter from with the outside of the right boot.

It's a dream of a strike and again, Cech may as well not even dive. Top right corner, disbelief. Look, even Drogba is clapping. Chelsea later ended the term sixth; a place behind Papiss-inspired Newcastle. This win not only helped to sway things. It stormed the goal of the month voting…

Where is Papiss Cissé now?

As hinted to briefly earlier, other than 2011/12's goal run, Cisse's next big season was in 2014/15 as he scored 11 goals in 22. Impressive, but he wasn't consistent enough – and feeling he'd had his time in the sun, he moved on in 2016 for around £5m.

Cue a goal-laden journey through China, three Turkish clubs and one near-death experience in a horrendous coach crash, before going back to Ligue 2 – the division where it all started.

In a beautifully Geordie-centric cyclic fashion too, at Amiens, he's up top with Andy Carroll who himself has gone off the beaten path.

Shandong Luneng – 2016/18

16

31

Alanyaspor – 2018/20

38

58

Fenerbahce – 2020/21

5

25

Caykur Rizespor – 2022

2

14

Amiens – 2022-

10

30

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Since leaving in 2016, Cissé has scored a whopping 80 goals and ten assists at club level compared to Wilson's 81 goals. That's not bad for a striker who is seven years Wilson's senior.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is “King of Kings”, with the AC Milan icon set to watch the 2024 Kings World Cup from his throne before handing over a $1m prize.

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• Swedish legend is now retired
• Will be involved in Kings League spectacle
• 32 teams competing for global crown

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Swedish legend is now officially retired, with an advisor role being filled at San Siro. He is, however, still passionate about football and has been drafted in to work alongside the likes of Gerard Pique, Neymar and Sergio Aguero when the Kings League takes a global competition to Mexico.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ibrahimovic, with over 500 career goals to his name, will crown the winning team as a seven-figure cash reward is handed out. He is joining a number of celebrity team presidents – with that list including streamers, content creators and football superstars – at the Kings World Cup.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  The Kings World Cup will involve 32 teams – 10 from Kings Spain, 10 from Kings Americas and 12 foreign guests. FURIA FC, with Brazil’s all-time leading scorer Neymar part of their set-up, have already seen their presence confirmed. Ibrahimovic is now on board, with the promise of more big names to come.

Newcastle United have been put through the wringer this summer, having missed out on key attacking targets in Liam Delap, Bryan Mbeumo, Joao Pedro and now Hugo Ekitike.

However, context is important, and in the latter’s case, Liverpool have moved ahead with a bumper deal after Eddie Howe and co stood firm on their stance that Alexander Isak is not for sale.

Ekitike, valued at €100m (£85m), has handed in a transfer request at Eintracht Frankfurt as he edges closer to Anfield. Thus, Newcastle have turned their attention to Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

However, the Magpies may be foiled once again with that one.

Newcastle lining up Ekitike alternatives

On Friday afternoon, Manchester United finally achieved a breakthrough in their long pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, with a £71m fee agreed between the Premier League clubs.

This transfer may run counter to Newcastle’s ambitions regarding Wissa, for the Bees have already lost Thomas Frank and their captain Christian Norgaard, and thus will be loath to part with their central striker too.

Thus, Newcastle need – once again – an alternative.

Well, according to Sport BILD, Howe has lined up Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as an ambitious alternative, with the free-scoring marksman said to be one of the players who is on the Magpies’ ‘radar’.

While the £64m-rated Osimhen is the centre of talks between Napoli and Galatasaray, with whom he spent the 2024/25 season on loan, the allure of the Premier League could work in the Toon’s favour.

Why Newcastle want Victor Osimhen

Osimhen is one of the most feared and famous centre-forwards currently competing in Europe. The end of an unhappy marriage with Napoli led to his loan move to Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig, but who can say he hasn’t made good use of the cards dealt?

The prolific star’s meaty haul does suggest that he’s got every bit the clinical nature of Isak, with Statman Dave even commenting that he’s “the best striker on the market” right now.

With Isak’s long-term future a debatable thing, there’s a chance that Osimhen could prove to be not just a fitting replacement but an incredible upgrade. Indeed, his goalscoring consistency can be viewed across a number of years and a number of countries.

24/25 – Galatasaray

41

37

8

23/24 – Napoli

32

17

4

22/23 – Napoli

39

31

5

21/22 – Napoli

32

18

6

20/21 – Napoli

30

10

3

A title winner who is more than just a goalscoring focal point, Osimhen could be the perfect man to add another layer to this incredible Newcastle side.

Isak, a world-class striker, scored 27 goals across 42 matches last season. Osimhen, meanwhile, bagged 37 times over 41 games. Though the Nigerian competed in a division of inferior quality to the Premier League, he scored six goals across seven matches in the Europa League, including a brace in a 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Moreover, Isak’s six Champions League outings in 2023/24 yielded just the one goal, and no assists either. Conversely, Osimhen’s prolificness in the European theatre is underscored further by his record of nine goals and an assist across 17 Champions League fixtures.

And Osimhen could even emulate his positional peer in regard to movement and intelligence. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 4% of strikers across Europe last season for shot-creating actions and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90.

Ultimately, Newcastle have scored a winner by keeping hold of Isak, and in Osimhen, they could land a new number nine to challenge him for that first-choice spot, certainly proving an upgrade on the young Ekitike.

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From overhead kicks, last-gasp winners and routine thumpings, the November international break was full of moments of jubilation. But, in between that jubilation, came the heartbreak of missing out on a place at the 2026 World Cup.

For many players, it was their final opportunity to reach football’s biggest stage, only to see it snatched from their grasp once more. Whilst Scotland may still be in party mode and Ireland preparing for the playoffs after Troy Parrott heroics, the likes of Hungary and Nigeria have been left to wonder what might have been.

With the tournament fast approaching, some of the world’s most impressive stars have now had their fates sealed and face the heart-wrenching task of watching on from home as their club teammates do what they can only dream of next summer.

From Victor Osimhen to Dominik Szoboszlai, we’ve taken a look at the best XI of players set to miss out on a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Goalkeeper and defence

GK: Jan Oblak (Slovenia & Atletico Madrid) – Part of Slovenia’s disastrous qualification attempts, Jan Oblak could do nothing but watch on as his side earned just four points from six games in a group with Switzerland, Kosovo and Sweden.

By the end of qualifying, the standings weren’t even close as Kosovo’s 11 points were enough to finish second and leave Slovenia in third to sum things up.

RB: Ola Aina (Nigeria & Nottingham Forest) – If Oblak’s situation was frustrating then Ola Aina’s was on a whole new level over the international break. The right-back could only watch amid his recent injury woes, as Nigeria crashed out of qualifying in a disastrous penalty shoot-out.

The Super Eagles’ manager, Eric Chelle, limited his penalty options by taking off attacking players to hold on for the shoot-out, before suffering the consequences.

CB: Willi Orban (Hungary & RB Leipzig) – As Parrott wheeled away in celebration for Ireland, Willi Orban was one of several Hungary players suffering the heartbreak of late defeat.

They had their World Cup fortunes in their grasp, only for it to be snatched away in the most harsh way possible. Now, the RB Leipzig man, at 33 years old, may never get the chance to feature in the tournament.

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CB: Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia & Nottingham Forest) – It makes Serbia’s struggles all the more confusing, the fact that they also had a defender of Nikola Milenkovic’s calibre at their disposal, but it sums up his season. The Nottingham Forest star has struggled to replicate last season’s form at club level and took that form into the international break.

LB: Milos Kerkez (Hungary & Liverpool) – It’s been a difficult season for Milos Kerkez. The left-back has failed to hit the ground running at Liverpool and recently lost his place back to Andy Robertson. Now, he’s had his World Cup dreams shattered to coincide with his dream move slowly but surely becoming more of a nightmare.

Midfield

CM: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon & Brighton) – Carlos Baleba is undoubtedly destined for big things, but the world stage will have to wait for his presence as Cameroon crashed out of qualifying against DR Congo. At 21 years old, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder will still have more opportunities in his future and those may yet coincide with an impressive move at club level.

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary & Liverpool) – Szoboszlai was lost for words after Parrott’s late winner. When his side took the lead before half-time, the Hungary captain would have had his sights set on the World Cup.

Just 45 minutes later, however, he saw his dreams torn apart in cruel fashion. A rare standout for Liverpool this season and often dragging Hungary to victory, Szoboszlai has certainly been hard done by.

RM: Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon & Man Utd) – Like his international teammate and potential future club teammate, Belaba, Bryan Mbeumo will be missing the 2026 World Cup.

At the peak of his powers and with everything beginning to come together at Old Trafford, there would have been plenty of hope around Cameroon that the winger could drag them through the qualifiers. Ultimately, though, he struggled to land a mark on DR Congo.

LM: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia & PSG) – As talented as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is, Georgia were always likely to be underdogs in World Cup qualifying. They finished third in Group E and won just once in six games, as Spain and Turkey took the top two spots, and they were forced to settle for third ahead of Bulgaria.

Attack

ST: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Galatasaray) – The biggest stage has continuously passed Osimhen by in recent years. Since falling out with Napoli, he’s played much of his club football at Galatasaray, despite endless rumours linking him with some of Europe’s biggest clubs and leagues. Now, he’s set to miss the World Cup and didn’t even get to take a penalty for Nigeria as they crashed out after he was substituted off.

ST: Serhou Guirassy (Guinea & Borussia Dortmund) – Serhou Guirassy is quietly one of the most impressive strikers that European football has to offer. He’s consistently starred in the Bundesliga in recent years, yet won’t get the chance to do the same for Guinea next summer. His side finished fourth in Group G, despite losing just three of their 10 games.

2026 World Cup groups predicted by AI

يستمر مسلسل ديريك كوتيسا لاعب سيرفيت السويسري، وانتقاله المحتمل إلى الأهلي في ظل اقتراب نهاية القيد مساء السبت المقبل 8 فبراير.

كوتيسا أحد أهداف الأهلي خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية الجارية، من أجل تدعيم صفوف المارد الأحمر لاستكمال الموسم في المنافسة على البطولات، واستعدادًا لمونديال الأندية في الصيف.

اللاعب السويسري الذي ينتهي عقده بنهاية الموسم الجاري، شارك بديلًا في مواجهة سيون الأخيرة والتي انتهت بالتعادل 3-3.

مشاركة اللاعب بديلًا جعلته يعلق على ذلك بغضب في تصريحاته، وأكد: “شعرت بالاحباط بسبب قرار المدرب، والذي ربما لو كان يريد الفوز، كان يمكنه أن يشركني في الشوط الأول، ويبدو أنني من دفعت ثمن عدم الفوز في المباريات الأخيرة”.

تلك التصريحات مع موقف النادي، جعلت موقع “TDG” السويسري، يطرح تساؤلًا حول نية النادي في التخلي عن لاعبه مقابل 1.5 مليون يورو لصالح الأهلي، وذلك من أجل الاستفادة المادية حتى لا يرحل بدون مقابل في الصيف.

في الوقت ذاته، أشار التقرير السويسري، إلى أن ديريك كوتيسا لا يريد الذهاب إلى مصر، ويرغب في إنهاء الموسم ومن ثم يحصل على الوقت في الاختيار بين العروض المقدمة له.

وكان وكيل كوتيسا أكد في تصريحات سابقة أن اللاعب السويسري يرغب في الاستمرار داخل أوروبا.

التقرير السويسري، كشف أيضًا عن محاولة رينيه فايلر إقناع اللاعب بالانتقال إلى الأهلي، ولكن كوتيسا رفض ذلك، وأخبره بأنه ليس لديه نيه للمغادرة في ميركاتو الشتاء، مع الذهاب إلى حافلة الفريق عبر ذلك الحديث الذي كان بعد مواجهة سيون أمس الثلاثاء.

هذا ما جعل التقارير تطرح التساؤل، بعد أن جلس اللاعب على مقاعد البدلاء في مواجهة سيون، مما قد يشير لمحاولة النادي الضغط على لاعبه السويسري للموافقة على عرض الأهلي.

توماس هابيرلي، المدير الفني لفريق سيرفيت، أكد بأن جلوس اللاعب على مقاعد البدلاء، جاء ضمن سياسة التدوير التي يقوم بها بسبب ضغط المباريات.

وحسب ما أشار التقرير السويسري، أن رينيه فايلر، المدير الرياضي للنادي، لا يتدخل بشكل أو بآخر في القرارات الفنية للمدرب، حتى أنه لا يقترح عليه أي شيء، ويجعل له الكلمة العليا بالنسبة لإدارة الفريق داخل الملعب.

في النهاية، كل شيء سيتضح خلال أيام قليلة، وعلى الأهلي حسم صفقاته الشتوية قبل مساء السبت المقبل، ويبدو أن كوتيسا أحد أهم الأهداف.

الأهلي تعاقد خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية، مع أشرف بن شرقي بعد فسخ تعاقده مع الريان القطري، وكذلك أحمد رضا من بتروجيت، ومصطفى العش معارًا حتى نهاية الموسم من زد، ونيجيك جراديشار من فيهرفار المجري.

Severely injured and then mercilessly booed by IPL crowds, Hardik Pandya has bounced back to play a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph

Sidharth Monga30-Jun-20241:12

Manjrekar: ‘No surprise to see Hardik flourish on the big stage’

After one of the great jailbreaks in a match against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Hardik Pandya sat down with journalists on the floor of the press rooms at the MCG. It wasn’t a press conference but a mixed media zone, an ICC initiative that facilitates a more casual and friendly interaction with players at World Cups. In such a setting, players are not conscious of cameras and are likelier to speak from the heart.The recorder is there to capture words, so the eye can focus on a player’s mannerisms, but Hardik said something that caught my attention: something to the effect of having risen above results, having lost the fear of failure. Was he saying it because India had won? Would he have felt the same had India not?”I said it,” was Hardik’s response. “Even with three balls left, I told the boys, ‘Even if we lose the game, it’s okay.’ I said I am proud of the way we have fought in the game. We have been a team that has worked very hard individually, together, collectively. So even if we had lost the game, I would have still had a smile on my face and would have just said we gave it everything, and they were just good on that day.”Somewhere down the line I have accepted the fact that this sport will give me ups and downs. The more ups I have the better, but even the downs I will cherish because failure teaches you a lot of things.”Related

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Sometimes sports can be messy and without any explanation

Dravid: India's T20 World Cup win a 'great testament to the fight in the team'

Truth be told, this is how the sport should be played. This is how you perform at your optimum. But like George Costanza in “The Deal” episode of Seinfeld, I wanted to say: “Where are you living? Are you here? Are you on this planet? It’s impossible. It can’t be done.”Thousands of years people have been trying to have their cake and eat it too. So all of a sudden you are going to come along and do it. Where do you get the ego? No one can do it. It can’t be done.”Quite a few have tried to seek that balance and failed. This sport just doesn’t let you. You have to care like hell but play like you don’t care. Only the greatest can attain that nirvana.Sure enough, the injuries returned for Hardik. The only man in India who can do what he does, wasn’t able to do what he does. In the middle of a great ODI World Cup campaign last year, he hurt himself again while trying to field off his own bowling. The details are not important right now – and surely someday they will say their piece – but something happened at Mumbai Indians and suddenly nobody wanted to touch Hardik with a bargepole.He was booed wherever he went, and a while he became sport for the crowds. The ball didn’t come out of his hand right either. Paras Mhambrey, India’s bowling coach, said the team management kept monitoring him remotely, and Hardik kept following the process: workloads, intensity, net practice. His luck was bound to turn at some point, Mhambrey said.Hardik Pandya scored 144 runs and took 11 wickets in this T20 World Cup•CREIMASIt did turn around during this T20 World Cup. He was part of a strong team for the conditions. He didn’t have to carry the weight of the world. Wickets started coming, first against Ireland, then against Pakistan. Runs arrived when needed. He came to the final looking like a Tamil film hero: sharp cuts, just a moustache with no accompanying stubble.The game was nearly gone, but his MI team-mate Jasprit Bumrah kept it alive until Hardik’s return. He started with a wide slower ball and was lucky enough to get the edge of the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen. Then he tightened up. Cutters into the pitch. Nothing fancy. Didn’t try to reverse it like Bumrah. Kept it alive for Bumrah like Bumrah had done for him.Bumrah and Arshdeep left Hardik plenty to defend in the 20th over. Just 14 had come off the previous four overs, along with two wickets, but David Miller was still there. And anything can happen in the last over especially if the first ball flies. The plan was to not bowl in Miller’s arc. Hardik was by now deliberately taking his time before starting to run in. He got the line right but the length horribly wrong.Miller hits these full tosses for six blindfolded, but this is the last over of a World Cup final that South Africa had in their pocket four overs ago. It was not the sweetest hit, but bats these days can carry the ball far. It seemed like this was carrying too, but Hardik’s other MI team-mate Suryakumar Yadav took a catch for the ages. Those replays might be discussed for ages. Did Suryakumar’s boot just faintly touch the boundary? The tan lines on the outfield raised the possibility that the boundary triangles had not been restored to their original position after an earlier stop.That is how close Hardik came to ignominy again. Imagine the tide turning once again. Such are the margins. Eventually, though, he finished the game off. A great measure of what being part of a winning group in sport can do is how Rohit kissed Hardik on the cheek.Speaking to Star Sports, a teary-eyed Hardik made two false starts and then finally managed to say: “Those six months, I wanted those six months of mine. I couldn’t even figure out what happened to me. I controlled a lot. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. People who were happy with my misery, I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. And I will never.”Now look at the fate. I got a chance to do this in the final over. I couldn’t ever have imagined this. I am speechless.”The biggest takeaway from all this is that no feeling is ever final until you retire in cricket. Even after retiring as a player, you can win your first World Cup, as Rahul Dravid did. You have to stay fit, dust yourself off, and get back to it. And if you can, rise above the results and live to tell the tale.

Manchester United have now entered concrete talks to sign AIK Fotboll striker Kevin Filling, and a move could be possible in the January transfer window.

Man United have a reputation of bringing through young players, having named at least one academy graduate in every first-team squad since October 1937, and they have continued to rely on youngsters in the early stages of the new Premier League season.

Senne Lammens appears to have taken Altay Bayindir’s shirt and established himself as the new starting goalkeeper, with Ruben Amorim also regularly calling upon the likes of Leny Yoro, Amad Diallo and Benjamin Sesko.

Sesko’s arrival at the club was met with scepticism, given that on paper the Slovenian looked like another Rasmus Hojliund-type signing, considering he is just 22-years-old and arguably doesn’t have the experience to lead the line for a club like United.

However, after taking a while to get going, the striker has now started to prove his worth, picking up two goals and an assist in his last four matches, most recently setting up Bryan Mbeumo’s first goal in the 4-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Man Utd enter talks to sign Kevin Filling

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X, Man United are now in “concrete” negotiations to sign another young striker, entering talks to sign AIK Fotboll’s Filling, who is valued at around €3m (£2.6m).

The “talented” youngster could be on the move as early as this winter, suggesting the Red Devils could get a deal done in the January transfer window, but there may be competition for his signature, as some unnamed Bundesliga clubs also find the centre-forward “interesting”.

At just 16-years-old, the striker is very much one for the future, but he has already made a breakthrough at senior level with AIK Fotboll, chipping in with two Allsvenskan goals in seven appearances so far this season.

The young Swedish forward has also started to make an impression at international level, making three appearances for Sweden U18s, and he netted a brace in an international friendly against Wales U18s earlier this month.

Of course, at just 16-years-old, Filling is likely to be some way off first-team level at a club like Man United, so it would make sense if he was sent back on loan to his current club or perhaps a smaller English club to gain more experience.

However, at around just £2.6m, it is definitely a risk worth taking for Man United, who should definitely try to get a deal done this winter.

Manchester United are also showing interest in Bayern Munich star Harry Kane £86m striker who Harry Maguire called "world-class" now key target for Man Utd

A top striker has now emerged as one of the Red Devils’ main targets.

ByDominic Lund Oct 16, 2025

There’s little glamour in the No.3’s methods, but the pay-off for his team is proving spectacular

Firdose Moonda01-Nov-2023It didn’t always look easy with Rassie van der Dussen. If he was not lunging forward, his 1.88 metre frame making it look ungainly to defend, he was pushing awkwardly, trying to come to terms with the line. It didn’t always look elegant – and it seldom does with van der Dussen – but it was definitely effective.Van der Dussen scored South Africa’s eighth century of the tournament, and 16th in ODIs this year, through a combination of patience and placement which perfectly demonstrated how he has moulded himself to his anchor role. He came in with nine balls remaining in the powerplay, after a brief but energetic knock from Temba Bavuma, and scored 21 off his first 33 balls. At the time, the talk was that South Africa were taking too long. That quietened when Quinton de Kock reached his fourth hundred of this World Cup. Van der Dussen then accumulated 112 off his next 85 balls to take South Africa within reach of 350, and went entirely silent after their 190-run win, but we’ll get to that.First, to van der Dussen, the number of runs he scored, the way he scored them and who he scored them off. After a watchful start, he ran 56 singles, four twos and the only three of the innings. He scored at a run a ball against Mitchell Santner (27 from 27), and took 33 runs off 22 balls from Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. None of that was an accident. Every time South Africa have been put in to bat – five times in total – they’ve followed a similar template: caution upfront, rotation through the middle and a strong finish.In part, that’s a nod to the quality of the opposition attacks, and especially the quick bowling at this tournament, but it’s also a way of ensuring a line-up that only includes six specialist batters can save their power-hitters for when they can actually make an impact. Afterwards, that’s what van der Dussen confirmed.”We felt they bowled pretty well upfront,” van der Dussen said at the post-match press conference. “Tim Southee and Trent Boult are very experienced and they didn’t give us much and then with their finger spinners, Santner is a guy who has some of the best control in the world. The other two (Phillips and Ravindra), we knew we could put under pressure but also that they have been bowling well in the tournament so far. We had to fight through that period. But we know we don’t always have to be in fifth gear. We can play in third gear and then at the end up it a little bit.””That period” lasted as long as 35 overs, as South Africa’s run-rate hovered between 4.5 runs to 5.5 runs an over. Instead of chasing sixes and sevens an over, they saw it as a way of “finding the balance between being attacking and scoring runs and also setting the base up,” van der Dussen said. Hindsight tells us that it was more than enough but South Africa, and van der Dussen, would not have known that at the time. Instead it was de Kock who acted as the pace-setter. “He really guided me through my innings today. I was under pressure and asking him about a few options,” van der Dussen said.At one stage, he asked de Kock whether he should start to score quicker. De Kock’s advice was to wait for as long as possible. “I said, if you want me to make a play, tell me,” van der Dussen said, “but he said, ‘no, no, just extend it and just look at your options for the spin, keep playing straight, keep being really relentless if it’s in your area but if it’s not, respect it, because we know how these guys bowl and they’re very disciplined with the ball’.”Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen raised the pace as they batted longer•AFP/Getty ImagesIntermittently, van der Dussen was allowed to play his shots, especially the flick and the sweep, that he practices so often in the nets, and has brought out several times at this tournament. His best run-scoring options were, as de Kock suggested, down the ground and that is where he scored four of his five sixes, and 37 runs off 17 balls. In the end, his century came at a strike rate of 112.71, which is a decent pace for scoring big runs and a retort to an oft-mounted critique against his methods.There is a school of thought that van der Dussen scores too slowly and there is some statistical evidence to support that. Of the South African batters who have scored at least 500 ODI runs this year (and there are six of them), van der Dussen has the lowest strike-rate. But that also proves something far more important about the role he plays: he is the fulcrum around which the rest operate and he owns that.On the eve of the match van der Dussen was asked about doing the “dirty work” for South Africa and he explained how it’s meant he doesn’t have the flashy reputation of some of his team-mates, let alone their pay cheques.Related

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“Me, Quinny and Temba often joke about it, saying the reason (Heinrich) Klaasen and the other guys get millions at IPL is because they can come in and hit sixes at the back. But it’s a role that needs to be done, and from my side and other guys as well, we’re really happy to be doing it. In our team, there’s a sense of … what’s the word I’m looking for?”The word was probably “selflessness”, given what he said next. “It’s amazing to see what you can achieve when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit, or when you don’t care who gets the credit, for getting the win or getting over the line or putting in a good performance. There’s a real sense of that in our team. And if that’s going to help us win matches and win the World Cup, then I’ll be happy not to be thanked for that.”But he won’t mind a little recognition for an ODI batting average that sits close to 54, a record that makes him the third highest run-scorer in ODI cricket for South Africa in the current squad, the second-fastest South African to 2,000 ODI runs after Hashim Amla, and sixth overall. He also won’t mind the acknowledgement that he has scored a quarter of South Africa’s tournament hundreds so far, even though there is a player who has done double that.Next to de Kock’s fourth tournament hundred and amid the narrative of his impending ODI retirement, van der Dussen may not get the plaudits he deserves, but he should. Like de Kock, van der Dussen could also be playing in his last World Cup (he is 34 years old), although he hasn’t said as much. And much like de Kock, who told the broadcaster in the innings break that “as my career is coming to a finish, I just bat as much as I can,” van der Dussen seems to want to do the same.