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Football FanCast brings you all the fixtures ahead of Glasgow Rangers' attempt at winning the Premiership title for the first time since 2021.

Ahead of his first full season in charge of the Ibrox side, Michael Beale will be determined to follow up on a solid finish to last season and give Old Firm rivals Celtic a proper title challenge. FFC breaks down and predicts just how the Light Blues will get on next season following the release of the fixtures for the upcoming campaign.

What can we expect from Rangers this season?

Having finished the 2022/23 season trophyless – the first time since 2020 that the Ibrox side haven’t ended a season without at least one piece of silverware – Beale will be determined to avoid this happening again.

Reaching the Champions League group stages last term was seen as a major success, yet the Gers finished with the worst-ever performance in the history of the competition, scoring just twice and losing every one of their matches. Considering the club had reached a Europa League final just months before under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, this was a massive shock and improvements will need to be made should they reach this stage again.

A sustained Premiership title challenge will also be expected for the Light Blues this season. From his arrival in November 2022 to the final game of the season, Rangers dropped points in just four league matches in what was an encouraging start by the new manager.

When does the Premiership season start/finish?

Current Premiership holders Celtic begin the new season as they take on Ross County at Parkhead on 5th August, with the game being a 12.30pm kick-off.

The domestic season finishes on the weekend of 18-19th May. As the league splits into the top and bottom six, one set of fixtures will be played on the Saturday, with the other half on the Sunday.

Who are Rangers playing first?

Rangers will face a tie against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park as their opening match of the Premiership season, and this is the second time in five seasons that the Gers have faced a trip to Ayrshire for their opening league match of the campaign.

The Ibrox side defeated Kilmarnock in all three games during the 2022/23 season, with only one being played at Rugby Park – a narrow 3-2 victory.

Alfredo Morelos netted twice and Ryan Kent scored the other during that win, and remarkably, both of these players have since left the Light Blues following the expiration of their contracts.

When are Rangers playing Celtic?

The first Old Firm clash of the season will take place at Ibrox on 3rd September, which comes just a few days after a crucial Champions League qualifier, should Rangers make it that far.

Parkhead will host the second clash between the Glasgow giants on 30th December, and they haven't won an Old Firm tie during the festive period since December 2016, and the Gers will be aiming to continue that impressive run when they travel across the city.

A return to Ibrox on 6th April could be a key one in terms of the title run-in, and having home advantage could be a big boost for the Light Blues – especially if things are tight at the top.

The fourth and final Old Firm fixture date won't be revealed until after 33 matches have been played at the end of April. However, it will be a trip to Parkhead for the Gers and the game will more than likely take place at the beginning of May, setting the tone for what could be a title decider.

What are Rangers’ pre-season fixtures?

Rangers kick off their pre-season campaign at home to Champions League qualifiers Newcastle United in what will be Allan McGregor's testimonial. The following weekend, they host Bundesliga 2 side Hamburg before welcoming Greek giants Olympiacos to Glasgow.

Beale's side then travel to Germany to face Hoffenheim, who finished 12th in the German top flight last season, just a week before the opening day clash at Killie.

Tuesday, July 18: Allan McGregor Testimonial, Rangers v Newcastle United. Ibrox, 7.45pm. Saturday, July 22: Rangers v Hamburger SV. Ibrox, 3pm. Wednesday, July 26: Rangers v Olympiacos. Ibrox, 7.45pm. Saturday, July 29: TSG Hoffenheim v Rangers. Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim. 2.30pm. Who are Rangers signing this summer?

Beale has already made a fast start with regard to his transfer business, signing six players, with a few more to arrive in the coming weeks as he looks to bolster his squad for the challenges ahead.

Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima have all joined the Light Blues so far, with Cyriel Dessers joining this week from Italian outfit Cremonese for an undisclosed fee. Prior to the Nigerian's arrival, only Dutchman Lammers had cost any money, with the Gers paying Atalanta around £3m to secure his services.

Elsewhere, players such as Benie Traore and Danilo have been linked in recent weeks, with this being the clear priority during the transfer window, Beale won't be rushing into any deal unless it is completely right for the club, especially as they are short on attacking options having lost Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos for nothing at the end of last season.

FFC’s prediction…

Rangers will be fighting across four fronts during 2023/24, balancing their domestic commitments with European group-stage football in the Champions League or the Europa League, depending on how well they do in the qualifiers. This will make it tough to fight off Celtic to win the league title.

Beale will be determined to build upon a solid start to life at the Ibrox side, and if he can lead them to a strong start domestically, the Gers could build momentum fast and take the fight to the Hoops, who will be under new management, with former boss Brendan Rodgers taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou.

The first Old Firm clash against Celtic will be crucial in terms of making a statement that they mean business.

With the Gers clearly undergoing a much-needed squad overhaul ahead of the next campaign, Beale will need to make sure his new signings click together swiftly and understand the demands of playing for a club the size of Rangers.

If they can gel well and gather some early momentum, winning the title is a very realistic achievement.

FFC predicts: 1st

Two in-form teams – Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad – with strong all-round performances will play the second match on Sunday

The Preview by Vishal Dikshit29-Apr-2017Match factsSunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders
Hyderabad, April 30, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:08

Hogg: No 3 the perfect slot for Uthappa

Head to headThis season: Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 3 for 20, Yuvraj Singh struck two sixes in his innings with a strike rate of 162.50 but Sunrisers Hyderabad only managed 155 in pursuit of their 173-run target.Overall: Kolkata Knight Riders hold a dominant 7-3 lead over SunrisersForm guide

Sunrisers Hyderabad (third): beat Kings XI Punjab by 26 runs, lost to Rising Pune Supergiant by six wickets, beat Delhi Daredevils by 15 runs.

Kolkata Knight Riders (first): beat Delhi Daredevils by seven wickets, beat Rising Pune Supergiant by seven wickets, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 82 runs.

The likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Moises Henriques, 6 Naman Ojha (wk), 7 Deepak Hooda, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Siddarth KaulKolkata Knight Riders 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa (wk), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Umesh YadavStrategy puntSunil Narine could very well open the batting. No surprises there. Maybe Knight Riders should also consider opening the bowling with him, against two left-handed Sunrisers openers. While David Warner has scored a decent 67 runs off 50 balls against Narine, Shikhar Dhawan has only managed 31 runs off 30 balls. When Narine bowled one over to them in the Powerplay earlier in the season, he conceded seven runs, including three singles and two dots in the over.Stats that matter Sunrisers are the only side yet to lose a home game this season, while Knight Riders are the only team to win three away games so far Robin Uthappa is the most prolific batsman in the middle overs (seven to 15) this season. He has amassed 225 runs off 124 balls at a commanding strike rate of 181 This could also be Uthappa’s best IPL season if he keeps scoring the way he has been. His average this IPL – 41.37 – is his second-best, behind 44 in IPL 2014. His strike rate of 168 in 2017 is second best after 171.55 in IPL 2010 and he has smashed 17 sixes already. In the last two seasons combined, he had struck only 15 sixes in 28 innings. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sunrisers’ top wicket-taker and most economical bowler (minimum five overs) this season, has never dismissed Gautam Gambhir or Uthappa in the IPL. Gambhir has scored 72 runs off 63 balls against Bhuvneshwar, and Uthappa has collected 63 runs off 51 balls. Among the current Knight Riders bowlers, Umesh Yadav has been most successful against Warner. The fast bowler has dismissed him three times while conceding 30 runs off 23 balls. No bowler has dismissed Warner more than three times in the IPL.

علق يورجن كلوب المدير الفني لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ليفربول، على التعادل مع مانشستر يونايتد، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن الجولة 32 من الدوري الإنجليزي.

ليفربول تعادل بثنائية مع مانشستر يونايتد، بعدما كانت النتيجة في صالح الشياطين الحمر على ملعب أولد ترافورد، وتمكن محمد صلاح من تسجيل التعادل في الدقائق الأخيرة.

وقال يورجن كلوب في تصريحات لشبكة “سكاي” البريطانية، قبل المباراة: “كان يجب أن نفوز بهذه المباراة، هذا ما كان واضحًا خلال الأحداث التي شاهدها الجميع”.

طالع أيضًا.. رجل مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد في الدوري الإنجليزي

وأضاف: “في الشوط الأول أهدرنا العديد من الفرص، لم يكن هناك أي تسديدة لـ مانشستر يونايتد، وأقل ما يمكن توقعه هو الخروج من هذا الشوط بهدف واحد فقط”.

وأكمل: “سجلوا هدفًا رائعًا من برونو، ثم آخر عن طريق ماينو، كنا نحتاج لبعض الوقت من أجل العودة والاستقرار، كانت لدينا العديد من الفرص قبل وبعد تسجيلهم”.

وأشار: “الآن لدينا نقطة أكثر، هدف التعادل كان مستحقًا تمامًا، لم يكن من العدل أن نخسر هذه المباراة. سنواجه نفس الأمر أمام إيفرتون أنا متأكد من ذلك”.

وواصل: “أعتقد أن فرصة سوبوسلاي كان تصدي أونانا مذهلًا، أما الآخرون، فقد تسرعوا في التصرف عند اللمسة الأخيرة، كنت أود أن نقوم بلمسة أفضل، يجب أن نكون هادئين في هذه المرحلة، لدينا مباراة في الدوري الأوروبي يوم الخميس ثم كريستال بالاس، أنا سعيد ولست حزينًا، لكنني لست في قمة السعادة”.

وأردف: “لست غاضبًا على الإطلاق من اللاعبين، لقد تراجعنا كثيرًا، كان هناك الكثير من المواقف التي كان بإمكاننا فيها الدفاع عن الكرة ونقاتل بشكل أكبر عن الذي أظهرناه”.

واختتم: “سنواجه أتالانتا المباراة المقبلة على ملعبنا، هي مباراة صعبة للغاية، ولكن على أرضنا يكون الأمر أفضل، ليس لدينا العديد من المباريات على ملعبنا حتى نهاية الموسم، علينا أن نستغل ذلك، نحن ما زلنا في السباق، يجب أن ندرك ذلك”.

Galatasary's star defender Victor Nelsson wants to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer and they're fighting for his signature, according to reports.

Who will Spurs sign?

Manager Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy are hard at work to strengthen to strengthen Spurs' ranks in time for what will be a very interesting 2023/2024 season.

The Lilywhites, after sealing moves for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, attacking midfielder James Maddison and Israel international Manor Solomon on a free transfer, are now thought to be chasing two central defender signings.

Postecoglou in particular is very excited about the prospect of linking up with Maddison, with the Australian explaining this week that he believes the former Leicester City star can be a real leader of the group.

“Really excited to get James as part of the group," said Postecoglou.

“Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals.

“He obviously knows a few of the lads and I think he’s in a stage of his career where it feels like he can be a leader, which is great as well because we need players who want to embrace that responsibility within this group."

The capture of Maddison is arguably Tottenham's biggest coup of the window so far, but after conceding 63 league goals last season, Spurs will also be eager to shore up what has been a leaky back line.

The north Londoners are thought to be advancing in talks to sign Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, with Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet and Nelsson also all in the frame.

On the latter defender, who has been repeatedly linked with a move to Tottenham, Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet (via Sport Witness) have an update.

It is thought Spurs are fighting Wolves for the signing of Nelsson, who is believed to be keen on joining Postecoglou. However, it also believed Levy is unwilling to meet his £21 million asking price so far, even if Nelsson is apparently destined to make the move to England.

This comes after Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur recently admitted he's received "concrete" offers for the Denmark international.

How good is Victor Nelsson?

The 24-year-old has been called Galatasary's "star player" by the Turkish press, and Nelsson's defensive stats from last season certainly emphasise that point.

According to WhoScored, the centre-back won more aerial duels per 90 and made more blocks per match than any of his teammates over 2022/2023.

As well as this, Nelsson featured over more Turkish Super Lig minutes than any other Galatasary outfielder last season, highlighting his real importance to manager Okan Buruk.

While he is yet to ply his trade in an elite division like the Premier League, it is clear that £21m may well be a reasonable asking price for one of Galatasary's most prized assets.

Dougie Brown, the former England and Scotland allrounder, has been named coach of UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2017

Dougie Brown, the former England and Scotland allrounder, has been named coach of UAE. He will begin working with the team full-time on June 1, leading up to a limited-overs tour of the Netherlands in mid-July.Earlier this year, Brown had worked with UAE over a three-month spell as interim coach. UAE had been without a full-time coach since former Pakistan pacer Aaqib Javed resigned from the post in April 2016.Brown, who played 25 ODIs and two T20Is in an international career spanning a decade from 1997 to 2007, had also previously overseen Netherlands, during the Desert T20 tournament in the UAE in January. Before that, he had worked as English county Warwickshire’s director of cricket, and the club won the domestic one-day cup during his time in charge.Waleed Bukhatir, a member of the Emirates Cricket Board Member and UAE’s chief selector said: “Dougie’s influence with and impact on the players has been evident through their recent form and commitment, and we look forward to watching them continue this upward curve under his guidance.”Brown said he hoped to build on the strides he made during his three-month stint with the team. “We have had an outstanding three months and I continue to be impressed with both individual and team performances,” he said. “I relish the opportunity to further develop the team culture and reinforce our style of play.”

Liverpool are on the hunt for another midfielder after securing the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and a new update has emerged on a potential move for a familiar transfer target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Aurelien Tchouameni?

According to The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe, Liverpool have reignited their interest in Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni this summer.

Bascombe claims that Tchouameni is the player Jurgen Klopp would want to sign if he was made available by Los Blancos, which is likely to depend on their potential signing of Kylian Mbappe, with Tchouameni's sale able to boost funds in order to secure the Paris Saint-Germain star's signature.

Did Liverpool bid for Tchouameni?

Tchouameni will be a well-known player to the Anfield faithful after Liverpool made the Frenchman their top midfield target last summer, however, an approach from their Champions League rivals was too tempting for the player to refuse.

In the summer of 2022, the Reds reportedly agreed personal terms with Tchouameni, but within weeks, he was confirmed as a Real Madrid player in a €100m (£86.5m) deal.

It was then reported last month that Liverpool have made a €55m (£47m) bid to tempt him away from Spain, however, it is short of expectations, with Florentino Perez demanding an eye-watering fee of €80m (£69m).

Indeed, it would be a substantial investment for FSG to sanction this summer after spending over £95m already, but with both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson set to depart for the Saudi Pro League this summer, it could be a move that sets up Liverpool's midfield for many years to come.

Tchouameni is one of the hottest young prospects in Europe, ranking in the top 1% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for pass completion and interceptions, as well as ranking in the top 11% for aerial duels won and clearances, demonstrating strong midfield traits that could make him not only the perfect Henderson replacement, but also a great partner for Mac Allister.

When comparing the 23-year-old's output with the Liverpool skipper's last season, Tchouameni comfortably outperformed the England midfielder in a number of key attributes, including pass completion (92.8% v 83%), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.51 v 0.30), successful take-ons (71.8% v 52.2%), percentage of tacklers dribbled (60.5% v 41.7%) and aerial duels won (66.7% v 52.4%).

In terms of building a partnership with Mac Allister, the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder's connection with Moises Caicedo became an unstoppable force on the south coast last season, which ultimately played a huge part in the Seagulls' qualification for European football.

As per FBref, Caicedo is named as one of the most comparable players to Tchouameni over the last 12 months, with the pair sharing similarities in their pass completion (92.8% v 88.5%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.47 v 2.52) and progressive passes per 90 (6.32 v 6.28), suggesting that Mac Allister could thrive alongside the France international, too.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to sign Tchouameni this summer – he has previously been hailed as a "ridiculous talent" by journalist Josh Bunting – and if they could secure a deal with Real Madrid, it would deliver Klopp a full midfield rebuild ahead of next season.

كشفت تقارير صحفية عن سبب مرض كيفين دي بروين لاعب مانشستر سيتي، بالمرض والقيء، قبل مواجهة ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

والتقى ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي ليلة الثلاثاء، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في ذهاب ربع نهائي دوري الأبطال.

وتغيب دي بروين عن التشكيل الأساسي للفريق، وذلك بسبب مرضه بالقيء، ودفع بيب جوارديولا بماتيو كوفاسيتش بدلاً منه قبل إنطلاق المباراة.

وفقًا لمعلومات جيريمي كروس من صحيفة “ديلي ستار” البريطانية، يعتقد كيفين دي بروين أن شيئًا أكله في فندق فريق مانشستر سيتي قبل ساعات قليلة من انطلاق المباراة هو الذي أدى إلى نوبة المرض والقيء.

وكان مانشستر سيتي قلقًا من أن دي بروين لن يكون اللاعب الوحيد في فريق جوارديولا الذي أصيب بالمرض، لكن لحسن الحظ كانت الإصابة للبلجيكي فقط.

وقد عاد بروين إلى تدريبات مانشستر سيتي قبل مباراة لوتون تاون المقرر خوضها بعد ظهر يوم السبت، في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

جدير بالذكر أن مباراة الإياب بين ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي ستقام يوم الأربعاء المقبل، على ملعب “الاتحاد”. 

Manchester City have worked on signing Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, who could be brought in to replace Bernardo Silva, however the Bundesliga club have no interest in selling the midfielder, according to a report from 90min.

Is Bernardo Silva leaving Man City?

Silva is contracted until the summer of 2025, meaning Man City could hold off on selling him this summer, despite the interest from Barcelona, with it being reported that the player himself "dreams" of a move to the Camp Nou.

For City to consider selling the Portugal international, they would need to receive a fee of around €80m (£68m), as they have no interest in letting him leave, with a contract renewal worth around €18m (£15m) set to be tabled.

According to a report from 90min, the Sky Blues are ready to stand firm over the midfielder's desire to leave, and they have now informed him they have no plans to sell him this summer.

There is an offer on the table from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, but the Man City star has little interest in the move, despite the lucrative nature of the contract, but he is keen to speak to Barca and Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG have already held conversations with the former Benfica man, informing the European champions they would be willing to pay £75m to secure his signature, however that still may not be enough, as City cannot afford to lose him this summer.

There has already been some high-profile exits this summer, with Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan departing, meaning Pep Guardiola may be less likely to sanction Silva's departure.

With the Portuguese midfielder's future in doubt though, Man City have started to look at other midfield targets, including the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Nicolo Barella and Wirtz, however none of them look to be available at the moment, meaning the need to keep Silva is even more pressing.

Who is Florian Wirtz?

If Leverkusen soften their stance at a later stage in the transfer window and allow the 20-year-old to leave, he could be a fantastic replacement for Silva, having already established himself at international level, making eight caps for Germany.

Primarily an attacking midfielder, the German is also capable of operating on both wings and at striker, meaning he could be a versatile option for Pep Guardiola's side, and he has performed very well over the past few seasons.

Despite his age, the starlet is already a very important player for Leverkusen, registering 23 goals and 30 assists in 103 appearances for the Bundesliga side, meaning he averages over one goal contribution every other game.

The Pulheim-born maestro is also a fantastic dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Having been hailed as an "elite talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Wirtz clearly has a lot of potential, so it is disappointing that he is not available for the time being, but Man City should keep him on the shortlist as a possible future target.

England put together a complete performance on a difficult day for cricket in Cardiff to seal passage to the Champions Trophy semi-finals

The Report by David Hopps06-Jun-2017England 310 (Root 64, Buttler 61*, Hales 56) beat New Zealand 223 (Williamson 87, Plunkett 4-59) by 87 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:32

Fleming: NZ batting undone by extra bounce

This was not quite the contest which brought the Champions Trophy alive, alas, but England will not lose sleep over that. They became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals with a comfortable 87-win against New Zealand. A grimy Cardiff day during which persistent showers gradually gave way to howling winds demanded application and resolution and they were not found wanting.New Zealand were in the game as long as their captain Kane Williamson was at the crease, gathering runs with his usual precision. At 158 for 2, they were more than halfway to their target of 311 with two wickets lost and nearly 20 overs remaining. But from the moment Williamson fell for 87 from 98 balls, unhinged by a ball from Mark Wood which reared at him from just short of a length, they looked ill equipped to compete, losing their last eight wickets for 67 in 14 overs.New Zealand fined for slow over rate

Match referee Andy Pycroft ruled that New Zealand were two overs short of the target with all time allowances considered.
In accordance with Article 2.5.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, players are fined 10% for every over failed to be bowled, and the captain is fined double that amount. As such, Williamson has been fined 40% of his match fee, while his players have received 20% fines.
If there is a second over-rate offence committed by New Zealand during the Champions Trophy with Williamson as captain, he will be suspended for one match.

There was little sign of the memorable cricket that characterised the series between these sides in England in 2015, one that signified the start of England’s more courageous approach to one-day cricket as they admired how Brendon McCullum would bet the lot and raised him. What there was, was a confident team performance.England’s innings felt like a strain yet with cool heads, at the end of it, they again surpassed 300. They have done it 23 times since the last World Cup, comfortably more than any other side. As New Zealand’s bowlers increasingly resorted to short balls, and the umpires stoutly ignoring the showers strafing the ground, it felt like hard work. That hard work persuaded them the score was a decent one.That proved to be the case on a Cardiff surface that played unevenly at times. After an over in which Liam Plunkett struck both Williamson and Ross Taylor on the helmet, the target looked onerous. He was unfortunate to go wicketless in his first spell, but his menace would not have been missed by New Zealand’s tail as they looked on from the dressing room and the last three wickets gained him 4 for 55.England’s seam attack have consistently held that cross-seam deliveries are the way to go in Cardiff and their example is bound to be followed by others.New Zealand survived an edgy period against the new ball – 22 for 1 in seven overs as Jake Ball (halting his run-up several times because of the strength of the wind) took on the new ball with relish. His first ball bowled Luke Ronchi, foot-fast and amplifying his reputation as a poor starter.An even more unnerving period came after the loss of Martin Guptill, who drove at a full ball from Ben Stokes and was held by Joe Root in the gully. Williamson was hit on the side of the helmet as he ducked into a short ball from Plunkett, who then struck Taylor on the grille before he had scored with one that spat off a length.For all that, Taylor and Williamson added 95 in 17 overs and England’s disquiet was growing before Williamson fell. Taylor, who has the capability to go from first gear to fifth, never made the transition and three overs later, with 39 from 59 balls, dragged Ball to short midwicket. Jimmy Neesham whacked Plunkett over the long-on boundary, but plopped the next into the hands of deep square leg.England had omitted Adil Rashid’s legspin for their first game, a victory against Bangladesh, but Stokes was held to be fit enough to bowl a full spell again as England’s fourth seamer, so with seam stocks replenished Rashid replaced the injured Chris Woakes. He survived the challenge of Cardiff’s short straight boundaries, having Neil Broom lbw sweeping and then Mitchell Santner stumped off a leg-side wide, smart work this by Jos Buttler.In England’s innings, the adaptability of Joe Root – England’s Williamson and one of three batsmen to pass 50 – was apparent from the outset, his game management in place as he worked the ball around. New Zealand also responded to the unresponsiveness of the Kookaburra – a cricket ball that does not like to party and that makes cricket duller because of it – with a pragmatic acceptance that rewards would be hard won and a shift to a shorter length.Jason Roy’s lack of form remains a problem that England will be desperate he resolves against Australia in the final group match. It is not just the runs; it is his effrontery that so often sets the tone. A record of 47 runs at 6.71 in England one-day matches since his bench-warming exercise at the IPL reveals that impudence is currently in short supply. He survived an lbw appeal first ball from Southee, tried to play himself in, then walked across his stumps twice in one over against Adam Milne and lost his leg stump.Alex Hales is in better touch. Trent Boult gave him an early opportunity to get his long levers loosened and he hauled the same bowler downwind for six. When he carved Milne over long-off for six more, England were 118 for 1 in the 21st over and beginning to take command only for Milne’s slower ball to deceive him as he anticipated a short one.When Morgan succumbed to an wide ball from Corey Anderson, feathering a catch to the wicketkeeper as he advanced down the pitch, Root, on the verge of fifty, would have recognised the need for a substantial innings. But he was starved of strike during his stand with Stokes – facing only 15 balls in the next ten overs – and he met an ungainly end when he dragged Anderson on to his stumps, envisaging a big shot that never materialised.Stokes possessed most menace. One straight drive left Root dancing in self-preservation. Twice, Anderson disappeared straightish for sixes and, with Santner’s left-arm spin vulnerable – his first five over-spell conceding 36 – there seemed opportunity to feast on the back-up seamers. But Stokes was tormented with a few wide ones outside off stump and, on 48, he had a brainstorm as he ran an uppercut against Boult into third man’s hands.It didn’t feel like a day for Moeen Ali, and he soon perished like a butterfly in winter, pulling Anderson to short fine leg where Boult again proved himself one of the more athletic fielders in the fast-bowling fraternity. Rashid fell lbw to Santner as one skidded on a little on a dampening surface.England needed Buttler’s intervention, an unbeaten 61 from 48 balls. His first boundary took 24 balls – and even that, fortunately for him, came via his helmet as Southee fired in another short one in thickening drizzle.Buttler then ramped a bouncer from Boult into the cameraman’s gantry and flat-batted another short ball from Milne back over his head for another six. Rare moments of ambition on a workmanlike day, but by the time Southee ended England’s innings three deliveries early with wickets in successive balls enough to swing the match in England’s favour. Decisively so, it was to prove.

أبدى جيمي كاراجر، النجم السابق لفريق ليفربول، تعجبه من إحدى قرارات المدرب يورجن كلوب في مباراة الأحد أمام كريستال بالاس في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، على ملعب “الأنفيلد”.

وتعرض ليفربول لهزيمة مفاجئة أمام كريستال بالاس بهدف دون رد، ليتجمد رصيده عند 71 نقطة في المركز الثالث.

اقرأ أيضًا | للمرة الثالثة.. ليفربول يكرر سلسلة سلبية بعد الخسارة أمام كريستال بالاس

وتعجب جيمي كاراجر من تأخر يورجن كلوب في الدفع باللاعب الشاب هارفي إليوت، حيث دخل المباراة في الدقيقة 82.

وقال كاراجر في تصريحاته خلال تحليل المباراة عبر شبكة “سكاي سبورتس” العالمية: “كان إليوت مثيرًا للإعجاب حقًا من مقاعد البدلاء، هذا الموسم”.

وأضاف: “أنا مندهش من أن الأمر استغرق حتى الدقيقة 82 قبل أن يشارك!”.