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Bumrah and Yadav are big returnees, and Jaiswal and Dube are the fresh faces. But will India get different results this time?

Sidharth Monga31-May-20243:26

How relevant is IPL form for the T20 World Cup?

On the surface, India go into this T20 World Cup looking jaded. They are trying more or less what they have been trying over the previous few World Cups but are looking for different results. There is a good chance their batting line-up might end up looking indistinguishable from the one last time around (in 2022), which gave them too few to defend in the semi-final against England. Or against South Africa for that matter.Five out of the top seven that played England could be the same, with Ravindra Jadeja, who had missed that tournament because of an injury but is available this time, not exactly different to Axar Patel either.It might appear that the intervening one-and-a-half years have not been spent well. Yet, there have been subtle changes in the structure and the approach that make India strong contenders to make it to the last four. Given that the team leadership – selectors, coach and captain – was brought together only seven months back when the board seemed to suddenly realise how close the World Cup was, it is perhaps the best that could be asked of them.Related

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There are, of course, two big additions to the squad this time: Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, who do what nobody else in the world does with their efficiency, adding heft to whatever totals India might be putting on the board. Then there is a small matter of Virat Kohli playing the best T20 cricket of his career, taking what might have seemed to him an almost existential leap from wanting to bat long, which works in every other format for him, to wanting to create impact and trusting those after him in T20s.The real new introductions, though, are two left-hand batters in Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had the leadership as excited as those watching. Technically, Sanju Samson is an addition too, but he plays more like the other India batters.It is Dube and Jaiswal who give India’s batting the freshness it has craved. This is probably where India have to make their toughest choice: only one of them can be accommodated in the XI. Rohit Sharma is the captain, Kohli is in the form of his life, Suryakumar Yadav should not be touched even if he scores seven ducks in a row in the league matches, they need a wicketkeeper, and they need two allrounders. That’s six slots taken.There are only two scenarios in which both Dube and Jaiswal can play. In the first, the team management counts on Jadeja and Dube for four overs plus some back-up for a struggling mainline bowler. In the second, they play Jadeja at No. 8, and ask for a combined eight overs from Jadeja, Hardik Pandya and Dube. But neither of them is a leap the team might be prepared to take.Given both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggle against left-arm spin, fitting Shivam Dube in might be problematic•Getty ImagesIt is not too much of a guess that India want Dube more than they do Jaiswal. Dube is the real X-factor, the spin-disruptor and the left-hand batter that they need in the middle order. In the just-concluded IPL 2024, Dube displayed an even better version of the batter he was in 2023, handling the short ball well, which made it tough for the bowlers to shut him down. He might be given the same freedom which Chennai Super Kings gave him.But the one problem with this is that it leaves an open invitation for sides to bowl left-arm spin with the new ball. Rohit and Kohli will have to be the openers should Dube play ahead of Jaiswal.But Rohit and Kohli struggle to dictate terms to left-arm spinners. Kohli has made a big improvement against this genre of bowling, but it is still his least-favoured match-up: a strike rate of 131 against left-arm spin this IPL as against 155 overall. Rohit might try to hit out – and he did try to hit out in the IPL – but in the IPL, his average and strike rate against left-arm spin were considerably lower than his overall numbers.So what India can hope for is that Rohit puts an even lower price on his wicket than he has been doing, either taking down the new ball or perish trying. It is a wicket they will be prepared to lose in pursuit of quick starts; in the worst case, Suryakumar enters and breaks the match-ups.This may not be perfect, but the most workable and practical solution is this top seven: Kohli, Rohit, Suryakumar, Samson/Rishabh Pant, Dube, Pandya, Jadeja/Axar. This can be stretched further if they play both the left-arm spinners and sacrifice a more attacking bowler.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are among two new faces in India’s squad from 2022•BCCIThere is one alternative, though, that is not as far left-field as it sounds at first. If this doesn’t work out – especially if Dube’s form is not great – there is one unexplored aspect of the batting of two ODI greats that could be explored: either of Rohit or Kohli as a middle-order batter. The top order plays fearlessly, and one of them is there to play a game more suited to their styles should there be a collapse.That is not all, though: both of them are devastating hitters at the death. There is a credible school of thought that it is not necessary for them to have batted 16 overs to be that dangerous at the death. That might not be as important as it has previously been thought to be. It can make India’s top order less predictable and less prone to being tied up by spin.And should such a leap be taken, Rohit is the likelier candidate for it because Kohli has already hit form as an opening batter. Rohit has the touch, the power and the awareness to hit any kind of bowling at the death. Of the 750 balls Rohit has faced at the death in all T20 cricket, only 50 have come since 2019. Twenty-nine of those 50 have come this year, and brought 79 runs without a dismissal.Admittedly, not the ideal Plan A given the structure of this squad, but closer to B than C.

Fast bowler impresses in game of more than 400 runs by keeping a clear mind amid chaos

Matt Roller10-Jul-2022Few venues in world cricket have as intimidating a reputation for T20 bowlers as Trent Bridge. The pitches are flat, the outfield is scorched and the boundaries are unforgiving: there is one relatively long pocket, where sixes require a 75-metre hit, but the square boundaries barely measure 65 metres.In that context, England’s decision to pick an extra batter in this game – they dropped Sam Curran for Phil Salt – was a gamble, one which was vindicated by their 17-run win. The combination of Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali’s spin, sharing the fifth bowler’s allocation, was hammered, taken for 67 runs in their four overs, but Reece Topley’s spell of 3 for 22 proved decisive.Topley was the only bowler on either side to finish with an economy rate below 7.5 and was rewarded with the player-of-the-match award. ESPNcricinfo’s impact algorithm suggested that Suryakumar Yadav was the best performer by a considerable distance, but also that Topley’s wickets – he dismissed Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer – were worth considerably more than the scorecard showed.Topley’s method was simple, hitting hard lengths and looking to cramp India’s batters for room. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, only two of his 24 balls were fuller than a good length, with the vast majority bowled into the pitch while varying his speeds. “The batters came off and said that changes of pace into the middle of the wicket were the hardest to face,” he explained.He struck twice in the powerplay, including with his first ball when Pant inside-edged a length ball into his pad and through to Jos Buttler, then with the last ball of his second over as Sharma failed to pick his slower ball and dragged a pull straight down deep midwicket’s throat. At the Ageas Bowl he had bowled three overs in the powerplay but Buttler saved his third for the 12th, when he conceded only five singles.When he returned for his final over, India needed 66 runs off the last 30 balls to seal a series sweep. Yadav was flying, dominating a partnership worth 119 in 10.1 overs with Shreyas. Buttler needed a wicket, and Topley delivered: Shreyas scurried outside leg but Topley followed him with a short ball, cramping him for room and inducing a feather through to Buttler.The rest of his over was just as cagey: he conceded just a single from four balls to Dinesh Karthik, repeatedly foxing him with his hard lengths, and while Suryakumar dabbed his last ball away for four, he had pushed the required rate up past 15 an over, which would prove insurmountable.Some cricketers spend every waking hour thinking about the game but Topley, by his own admission, is not like that. He admitted himself that he is “not a massive cricket-watcher” and was taken aback by Suryakumar’s innings, full of “some amazing shots – shots I haven’t seen before”, but he stuck to his clear plan, seemingly helped by his ability to switch off and “isolate every ball”.Related

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“Bowling these days is a bit of a thankless task but you’ve just got to put your hand up and be brave,” he said. “One day it doesn’t go your way and you’re the villain and you have to get yourself up for the next game to try and be the hero. Bowlers nowadays have almost got more to learn mentally about T20 cricket – perhaps more than the skills.”There’s other games where things don’t fall your way and you get 1 for 40, or whatever. You’ve got to ride the high when things fall your way because the game is pretty fickle and there’s a lot of days where it doesn’t.”Topley did not feature for England at last year’s T20 World Cup but has taken the opportunities that have come his way this year: first in Barbados against West Indies and now against India: he has seven wickets in six T20Is this year, with an excellent economy rate of exactly seven an over.He is part of the squad that will play next week’s ODIs against India and is now certain to win further chances against South Africa. He bowls in the mid-80s mph (130s kph) and generates steep bounce thanks to his height, which could be an asset in all phases of an innings in Australia come this year’s World Cup.”Since the start of this year, I think I’ve taken all the opportunities that have come my way,” he said. “But [with a] new coach and a new captain, there’s new people to try and impress. In my head, it’s back to square one – try to impress the right people. But ultimately it’s about getting wins as a team and trying, with every game, to work out how we’re getting one step closer to trying to win the World Cup in October.”

Ian Bell, Graeme Swann and Mark Butcher go through the talent pool to pick two separate squads each

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2020In the era of Covid-19, the cricket calendar will need be redrawn and there will be a crush to fit in all the fixtures that were deferred. It has even been suggested that two formats could be played at the same time. While that may not actually happen, it throws up some intriguing selection questions.How would the three best-resourced sides in the world – England, India and Australia – fare in having two teams play at the same time in a Test and T20I?England: With the height of the summer already approaching, the onus for England is to fulfil as many of their international fixtures as possible to offset a massive potential financial shortfall. To that end, Ashley Giles, the team’s managing director, hinted strongly last week that two separate squads will be the route they take to maintain the biosecure “bubbles” that the ECB is seeking to create within its chosen venues. An initial training pool of 55 players has been selected, and while several of the key names are already one-format picks, some tricky decisions need to be made about the biggest stars. Former England batsmen Ian Bell and Mark Butcher, and offspinner Graeme Swann are our selectors.ESPNcricinfo LtdIan Bell: With a T20 World Cup on the horizon – well, hopefully, anyway – I’d make that format a priority. And I’d want bowlers – people like Jofra Archer, who, I think, would do really well on Australian surfaces. For the same reason, I’d want Buttler and Jonny Bairstow in the T20 side, which brings an opportunity for Ben Foakes in the Test team. He may well be the best keeper in the country and this would be a great opportunity to see a bit more of him at that level. In English conditions, you want Stuart Broad and James Anderson in your Test side. But I would like a point-of-difference bowler in the attack – someone with a bit more pace – so I’d play either Mark Wood or Olly Stone as the quick bowler and maybe rotate Anderson with Chris Woakes as required. I also see Stone as the type of bowler who could be really valuable in an Ashes series in Australia, so I’d like to see him given more opportunity in Test cricket.ESPNcricinfo LtdMark Butcher: Big call as to which team for Stokes, obviously. Think his impact for the Test team is gigantic – he’s able to shape it for longer. Picking Archer in the T20I team was more about Wood’s relative lack of success in the limited-overs arena, though Wood’s recent Test performances have been outstanding. Tom Abell might seem a little left field, but I’ve seen enough of him to take a punt that he is a special player – great mind under pressure. I could have gone for [Alex] Hales or [James] Vince, but decided to go for a clean slate. Both Bairstow and Buttler are irreplaceable in the T20I XI, giving Foakes a clear run at the Test job. No Anderson is perhaps the biggest upset and I’ll gladly have him prove me wrong and play until he’s 40!ESPNcricinfo LtdGraeme Swann: Jos Buttler has never dismantled an attack in Test cricket. He was supposedly picked to turn games from dire situations and revolutionise the way we play, but it has never materialised. He is the one-day king and always looks more comfortable slaying a white ball rather than prodding a red one. Ben Foakes is the best keeper in the country for me, and I’m a purist, so he has to play in the Tests. Alex Hales has served his time. He’s beyond brilliant on his day and easily merits a place back in the one-day side for me. He needs to show huge remorse and humility on a private level to rebuild his relationship with Morgs. The skipper won the World Cup. What he says goes. He could demand the team all wear moustaches and they’d all turn out looking like Dennis Lillee by the end of the day. The sooner their relationship is patched up, the better for Hales and England!

Mohamed Salah will start on the bench for the third successive Premier League game as Liverpool face Leeds United at Elland Road, and head coach Arne Slot has explained his reasoning behind the decision as the Egyptian takes his place amongst the substitutes once again. The Reds have picked up four points in the two games since Salah was dropped, and Slot will hope that his decision pays off once again against the Whites.

• Slot explains decision to keep Salah on bench for Leeds clash

  Slot spoke pre-match about his decision to name Salah amongst the substitutes once again, citing the importance of picking players suited to the task at hand against a Leeds side who will be full of confidence following victory over Chelsea in midweek.

  Slot told Sky Sports: “It’s never an easy decision because we all know what a great player he is. But it is also up to me to pick the team that I think we need today. That’s why I made the decision”.

  Liverpool start the encounter in the bottom half of the table but could rise as high as fifth with victory, with Salah on the bench and available to make an impact if called upon by Slot.

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  Salah sacrificed as Slot continues with new attacking formula

  The absence of reigning PFA Player of the Year winner Salah from Liverpool’s starting XI in recent weeks has meant that Slot has started with the more defensive-minded Dominik Szoboszlai wide right, as he has done again for the trip to Elland Road.

  While Szoboszlai has given the Reds more solidity down their right, the alteration in personnel has also begun to get the best out of Florian Wirtz. The 22-year-old put in arguably his best performance in a Liverpool shirt in the victory at West Ham United last weekend, then thought he had scored his first goal for the club against Sunderland at Anfield, only for it to go down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal.

  Whether dropping Salah from the line-up is the long-term solution for Slot remains to be seen, but he evidently feels it is the right decision in order for the Reds to turn things around at present, after their well-documented struggles throughout the autumn.

• Slot praises Salah's professionalism after dropping to bench

  Slot spoke of Salah’s professionalism when the 33-year-old was an unused substitute at the London Stadium last Sunday, telling reporters it was a “fair assumption” that Salah was not happy about the decision but that he “handled himself really well” after he was dropped from the starting XI in the league for what was the first time this season.

  Slot added: "That's a normal reaction from a player that's good enough to play for us, and I say that mildly because he has been so outstanding for this club for so many years and will be for the future. He wasn't the only one who wasn't happy that he wasn't starting and that is normal.

  "He is so disciplined – he knows what to do to stay fit," Slot said. "No matter if he plays well or if he doesn't play well, if he plays or doesn't play, he will always be that top professional and that's what he was in the last two days.

  "With all players around their world, there are also phases in your time at the club that they are human. He's scored so many goals for us and I am sure he will in the future."

  "We have to find a way to play without him because he won't be here," Slot said in reference to the Africa Cup of Nations, for which Salah will depart by December 15.

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  Salah and Isak both on bench to face Leeds

  Salah was not the only big-name player named amongst the substitutes to face Leeds, as Alexander Isak also had to settle for a place on the bench with Hugo Ekitike starting through the centre. Slot has a wealth of attacking options to call on, and the pair will certainly have their role to play for the Reds in the coming months.

Out of almost nowhere, Chelsea have emerged as Arsenal's closest challengers for the Premier League title this season as the London rivals prepare to lock horns at Stamford Bridge this weekend – but is this another false dawn? After all, Enzo Maresca's side found themselves in a similar position midway through 2024-25 only to fall away dramatically in the second half of the campaign. Ahead of Sunday's showdown, though, there is reason to believe the Blues could have staying power this time around.

After grinding out wins against Wolves and Burnley, following the customary defeat of Tottenham on the road, Chelsea have – – risen to second in the Premier League table ahead of hosting Mikel Arteta's early-season champions-elect, albeit they are still six points behind their cross-capital foes.

Serious doubts, though, remain over their ability to stay the course for the long-term – which are justified given the Blues haven't mounted a sustained title challenge since they last lifted the trophy nine seasons ago, and the backdrop of the club's tumultuous recent history since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover three years ago.

It's not long since Chelsea were in a similar position, either; around this time last season they surged into second place behind eventual league winners Liverpool, before failing miserably to deal with the packed festive schedule and sliding back down the standings amid a winter of discontent.

This time, though, things feel slightly different, with Maresca's side showing the kind of mettle and big-game aptitude that suggests they could have staying power for the season. However, the visit of the Arsenal juggernaut will be the ultimate test of their credentials at the top of the table.

Getty Images SportWinning habit

Chelsea's start to the season was inauspicious as they picked up just two wins from six league games, leading many to believe that another top-four finish would be the best that they could hope for. Since the start of October, though, there has been a shift.

The sensational late victory over Arne Slot's toiling champions has proven to be the catalyst for a run of eight victories in 10 matches in all competitions, with the alarming home defeat to high-flying Sunderland late last month proving to be an anomaly in what could prove to be a defining period in the west Londoners' campaign.

Having dropped points in clashes they were expected to win earlier in the season against Crystal Palace, Brentford and Brighton, the Blues have defeated Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Burnley with relative ease, as well as notching another victory over Spurs in north London in one of the most one-sided 1-0 wins you're likely to see.

Of course, Chelsea's young squad reached the latest significant milestone in its progression in the Champions League in midweek, as they utterly dominated the 10 men of Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in a mightily impressive 3-0 thumping that sets them up very nicely for Sunday's top-of-the-table showdown.

AdvertisementAFP'There is only one way'

For Maresca, this developing winning habit is vital to his side's chances of success: "Last year, we were playing in the Conference League, and I said many times that for me personally, if you want to build a winning mentality, there is only one way: winning games. Because otherwise, if you don't win games, it's difficult to convince the players, 'guys, we are building a winning mentality'," the Italian tactician said after Tuesday night's dismantling for the Catalan giants.

"But when we don't win, it's difficult. So the only way in any competition, Conference League, Champions League this season, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, is to win games. It's the only way to build the winning mentality. And I think the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season helped a lot.

"And now we are trying to do exactly the same. For sure, the players are better players in this moment compared to last season, because we spent more time together."

Getty Images SportRotation, rotation, rotation

In downing the mighty Barca by exploiting their recklessly high line, Maresca served up another timely reminder of his tactical acumen, but what has been even more impressive of late is his ability to utilise his whole squad without results and performances suffering.

No Premier League manager has made more changes to their starting XIs than the Italian so far in 2025-26, with the five he made for the Barcelona game from his team that eased past Burnley taking his tally for the season to a remarkable 102, and it's only November.

While he has a core of guaranteed starters in bigger games, Maresca has been able to lean on the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Jamie Gittens, fit-again Liam Delap and academy graduates Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George in lower-stakes situations – either from the start or as substitutes.

They have handled remarkably well without the talismanic Cole Palmer, too, who has made just four appearances this season due to a groin issue and subsequent broken toe. He has, though, been passed fit to play on Sunday. Meanwhile, defensive midfielders Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo – whose imminent returns will strengthen the group again – have also been sidelined, as well as long-term absentee Levi Colwill.

That ability to rotate, and doing so successfully, could well prove to be vital for Chelsea as they fight on four fronts over the notoriously hectic winter period. If they require a two-legged play-off to reach the Champions League last 16 and make progress in the domestic cup competitions, then they face a brutal schedule of as many as 32 games in the next four months.

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Getty Images SportAnother false dawn?

There will, of course, still be question marks over whether Chelsea have the staying power to go the distance and truly challenge Arsenal – who look ominously capable of becoming runaway leaders – all the way until the final day of the campaign, especially given the young group's lack of experience in that department.

If we zoom out, the Blues are only one point better off than at the same stage last season, and they have certainly benefitted from unrecognisable champions Liverpool and, to a lesser extent, disjointed Manchester City underperforming considerably to this point.

As we've touched upon, their title challenge completely unravelled over the winter period last term before they managed to steady the ship in time to secure a top-four finish on the final day. Even when they were second, Maresca was consistent in his messaging that his team were 'not ready' for a title challenge, although that led some to question whether he had manifested their downturn in form with his pessimistic outlook.

It will be very interesting to see how Chelsea contend with the relentless nature of the schedule this time around, but there is a sense that things are different one year on in terms of cohesiveness, togetherness and strength in depth – something the manager has recognised, albeit he maintains it is too early to predict what they are capable of.

Manchester United are pursuing new reinforcements in January and could now be set to submit a bid for one of Europe’s most high-profile midfielders.

Man Utd looking towards the January window

Admittedly, the Red Devils have enjoyed a mixed start to the Premier League season and will now look to take advantage of the chance to move up a few places within a tight collective of sides all vying for a spot in the European slots.

On Monday, Manchester United’s frustrating defeat at home to Everton brought back some old scars that have been a feature of Ruben Amorim’s tenure at the club, with his side unable to break down a spirited Toffees outfit despite having a man advantage for most of proceedings.

Falling flat in attack, Joshua Zirkzee’s emergence after failing to earn a regular place in the side this season was questioned by BBC Radio Manchester’s Gaz Drinkwater, who believes Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount should’ve been brought into the starting side instead.

He said: “Bring Mount and Kobbie Mainoo into the starting XI. He obviously doesn’t see Mainoo as a midfielder because he can’t get in the team in that position. Amorim sees him as a number 10 or maybe even a false-nine type player where maybe they [the front three] interchange a bit.

“I don’t understand the logic of bringing in a totally cold Joshua Zirkzee into the game, who has basically had zero minutes this season, and he did nothing.”

Man Utd plotting "bargain" deal to sign "imposing" Ligue 1 defender who scouts love

He could complete Amorim’s back three.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 27, 2025

Without doubt, the Red Devils will need to recruit wisely in January as they begin to feel the effects of a hefty schedule, and they could now be set to lodge a bid for a high-profile midfielder.

Man Utd ready bid for Federico Valverde

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are preparing a £87m bid for Federico Valverde, and he may be allowed to depart amid a spate of up and down performances for Real Madrid.

The Uruguay international may now be set for a change of scenery and would be open to a move elsewhere, potentially re-establishing himself as the central part of a project at Old Trafford.

Five similar players to Federico Valverde

Declan Rice

Arsenal

Bernardo Silva

Manchester City

Eduardo Camavinga

Real Madrid

Nicolo Barella

Inter Milan

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

All data courtesy of Football Transfers

Labelled “superb” by Thibaut Courtois, Valverde has registered four assists in 17 appearances across all competitions this season. Overall, he has scored 32 times and laid on 35 goals for his teammates in 340 appearances for Los Blancos, cementing himself as a fan favourite.

Amorim is confident that his versatility, quality and combativeness could form a new dynamic in the engine room as they look to reclaim their place among the elite of English football.

Real Madrid aren’t totally closed off to selling Valverde, creating a scenario that could work out for all parties if the 27-year-old makes a headline-grabbing move to English shores.

First, there was one blot on Arne Slot’s second-season copybook. Then two, then three, then four. Now, Liverpool are in a crisis, having lost five of their past six matches in the Premier League.

There is nothing damning about losing to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, but as the Sky Sports pundits rightly pointed out after the Reds’ 3-0 defeat, they lacked even the basic bones of an expected performance, and to say they toiled would be far too suggestive of any kind of work-rate.

This title defence is quickly becoming a muddy footslog for Slot’s side, who trail and have only the vestiges of last season’s fluency and coherence across the park.

To think of Slot’s side as title challengers at this moment of time would be deceitful. Not only are Liverpool eight points adrift of Arsenal at the summit, but they are so far away tactically that it’s simply unfathomable to imagine a string of the incredible form we have been witness to over the past decade.

It’s difficult to single out a single defining negativity at Liverpool, but Florian Wirtz has been the loudest talking point after his £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in June.

Why Florian Wirtz is struggling at Liverpool

There are arguably been an uptick in Wirtz’s performances over the past several weeks. Certainly, the German international excelled during the win over Real Madrid after racking up two assists against Eintracht Frankfurt during the previous Champions League matchweek.

But, as with the rest of Slot’s Redmen, that good work has been undone by a wretched display at Man City, with the visitors totally outplayed by their rivals.

Wirtz wasn’t the worst player on the pitch, and in the first half, especially, he was bright, drawing fouls and catching the eye with fleet-footed bursts.

But it wasn’t enough, and the 22-year-old was swallowed up along with the rest of his side, failing to create a chance until he was hooked for Federico Chiesa late on, having faded after the interval.

This is hardly an Anfield side whose stability – or lack thereof – would allow a young playmaker to dovetail right in, but Wirtz has still got to account for his struggles, having now gone 11 matches in the Premier League without a single goal involvement.

And yet, he was regarded as “a truly generational talent” for his efforts in his homeland, as was said by sports media professional Cristian Nyari after Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen stormed their way to an invincible Bundesliga title, Wirtz crowned the division’s Player of the Year.

Hope and expectation remain that he will come good. However, long-term hope is fading regarding a more established part of the Liverpool squad. For this player, there is a growing sense that it might be better to part ways with him in 2026.

Liverpool's "serious, serious problem"

Slot has more than a few problems to wrestle with across the third international break of the season, and at the top of his pile of worries has got to be the form of Ibrahima Konate in defence.

Konate, 26, has been among the most concerning starters in Liverpool’s line-up this season, maybe even the worst of a bad bunch.

Konate’s time on Merseyside has been defined by ups and downs. He has struggled with injuries at different points since signing for the club in 2021, leaving RB Leipzig after his £36m release clause was activated.

There’s no question that he is a top-class defender, so strong and powerful and convincing as Van Dijk’s partner. Most of the time, that is. Not now.

Konate, a Premier League title winner, is becoming a significant worry. Liverpool do not have the depth in central defence to drop him, and yet, on current form, he surely cannot be allowed to play, as he is a threat to Liverpool’s own performance. Pep knew this on Sunday and targeted him, evidenced by Konate’s 88 touches compared to only 58 from the skipper.

And though he was largely imperious last season, the Frenchman has plummeted since the summer, and he might have hit the nadir against Man City.

After the game, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley took to social media to label Konate “a serious, serious problem” for the struggling Premier League champions, with his mistakes and unconvincing displays now frequent symptoms of Liverpool’s wider decline.

With Virgil van Dijk now 34 years old, there is a real conundrum for sporting director Richard Hughes to chew on going forward, especially as Joe Gomez is clearly untrusted as a centre-half by Slot and summer recruit Giovanni Leoni is out for the campaign with an ACL injury.

Konate, after all, is out of a deal next summer, with Real Madrid at the top of his list of suitors. Given the star’s form this season, though, it wouldn’t be surprising if FSG felt they should part ways with the defender.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Touches

88

Accurate passes

70/75 (93%)

Possession lost

6x

Dribbles

0/1

Recoveries

3

Tackles won

0/0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

5

Duels won

3/8

Given the amount of pressure pushed against the France international, it’s curious that he failed to make an interception or even attempt a tackle against City’s rampant forwards.

The Liverpool Echo were unimpressed, handing Konate a match-low 4/10 score and commenting on his faults for the penalty, saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Erling Haaland’s opening goal.

What do to about this quandary is up to Hughes and Slot and FSG, but the fans are getting fed up, and Konate may well be playing himself into a hole.

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AC Milan have now reportedly dropped their price for Rafael Leao, with Arsenal now preparing to accelerate their interest to sign the impressive Portuguese winger.

The Gunners couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the Premier League campaign, but their recent run of clean sheets finally came to an end against Sunderland.

After over 13 hours, David Raya finally picked the ball out the back of his own net courtesy of Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard. And like London buses, when one arrived, another soon followed with the Black Cats netting a last-gasp equaliser through Brian Brobbey.

Slipping up for the first time since drawing against Manchester City at the end of September, Arsenal’s recent run of form has been nothing short of excellent.

Speaking about the draw at full-time, Mikel Arteta told reporters: “The last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points. We had to navigate through a really tough game, we knew that. It was very disruptive; we have to deal with situations that are difficult to deal with.

“They did really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards, but after that I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage.

“They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal, we had totally dominated the game and then you have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there.”

Up next, Arsenal have the small matter of the North London derby in a game that represents the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways. It also represents the start of an all-important week, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich following the Tottenham Hotspur clash over a seven-day period after the international break.

It’s the type of period that Arsenal’s stars are made for and the type that Leao could soon get the chance to enjoy following the latest transfer reports.

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According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now ready to accelerate their move to sign Leao after AC Milan dropped their price tag to around €85m (£75m) from the winger’s €150m release clause.

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Milan’s hierarchy is reportedly preparing for the possibility that negotiations between Leao and themselves over a new contract could yet stall and have adjusted their price tag as a result. As things stand, the Portugal international has until 2028 until his current contract runs out, but Milan’s updated stance suggests that he may not see out the final three years of that deal.

League stats 25/26

Rafael Leao

Bukayo Saka

Minutes

453

681

Goals

4

3

Assists

1

0

Successful Take-ons

5

17

When compared to Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s interest in Leao begins to make sense. On the opposite flank to the England international, the Milan star has already been involved in five league goals in just 453 minutes this season – the same as around five games.

Described as “crazy” by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in 2023, Leao is a star who’s ready to take the Premier League and The Emirates by storm.

5/10 Arsenal star had his worst game all season against Sunderland

Nitish Rana has decided to return to his original home state Delhi after spending two domestic seasons with Uttar Pradesh (UP). He has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) and is likely to make the switch before the upcoming domestic season.”The experienced batter asked for an NOC and we have given it to him,” UPCA’s chief executive officer Ankit Chatterjee told ESPNcricinfo. “He mentioned family reasons for his decision.”Ashok Sharma, secretary of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), also confirmed that Rana had spoken to them about his decision and has already received the NOC from UP. “However, DDCA has not yet received a copy of his NOC. Only after receiving the NOC, we can say anything about the chances of him playing for Delhi,” Sharma said.Related

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Rana had played age-group and domestic cricket for Delhi until 2022. In 2023, he made the switch to UP and even went on to lead the side. However, his stint with UP was largely disappointing, and due to poor performances last season, he was dropped from the one-dayers and first-class cricket.In the 2024-25 domestic season, he played four Ranji Trophy matches, scoring only 150 runs in six innings, including just one half-century. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s, he scored only 111 runs in nine matches, with an average of 13.87 and a strike rate of 114.43. In the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, he got to play only two matches and due to his continued poor form, he was dropped from the team.After that, he was also left out of the Ranji Trophy side when the second phase of the tournament started in January this year. Even in IPL 2025, before injuring his calf muscle, Rana scored only 217 runs in 11 innings with two half-centuries for Rajasthan Royals, struggling for consistency.When he was not included in the auction for this year’s UP T20 League, it became evident that he might not play for UP this year. Overall, he played ten first-class matches for them, scoring 447 runs, including one century and two half-centuries. Additionally, in seven List A matches, he scored 72 runs, and in 16 T20 matches, he accumulated 314 runs with two half-centuries. He also captained the UP team in six Ranji Trophy and four Vijay Hazare Trophy matches during the 2023-24 season, leading them to victory in one and three games respectively.Rana’s potential return to Delhi will be interesting, especially because during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match last season, he had an on-field argument with Delhi’s current captain Ayush Badoni which required an umpire intervention. There is also stiff competition for middle-order spots in the Delhi squad.For now, if the DDCA accepts his NOC, Rana could feature in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) as well, scheduled for August.

KSCA president Raghuram Bhat accepted their resignations in an emergency meeting

Shashank Kishore07-Jun-2025

Two senior officials of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam, have resigned from their positions citing “moral responsibility” for Wednesday’s stampede at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s IPL 2025 victory celebration. KSCA president Raghuram Bhat accepted their resignation in an emergency meeting of the managing committee.*Bhatt declined to respond if the KSCA was responsible for the stampede, saying he would address the media at an appropriate time once the court hearings and the findings of the one-person panel appointed by the Karnataka government were concluded.During the event, planned to celebrate RCB’s first IPL title win in 18 attempts, 11 people died, and several others were injured.Related

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In the communication to the KSCA on Friday night, Shankar and Jairam wrote: “Due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days, and though our role was very limited, but owing moral responsibility, we wish to state that last night we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as secretary and treasurer of the KSCA.”The Bengaluru Police filed a first information report (FIR) against the RCB franchise on Thursday. In the FIR, which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, the police have said that they had denied RCB permission to conduct the event at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, around which the stampede occurred. RCB were listed as the first accused in the FIR, along with DNA Entertainment, the franchise’s event partners, and the KSCA, which is in charge of the stadium.On Friday, the police confirmed the arrest of Nikhil Sosale, the marketing and revenue head of RCB, acting on the directive of newly-appointed police commissioner SK Singh, who took over after his predecessor was removed from the post by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah in the wake of the incident.1:15

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Later in the day, the KSCA filed a writ petition, in which they argued that the FIR against them was a “knee-jerk” reaction by the police, done under pressure from the state government.The KSCA further stated that the incident was an accident caused by an unexpected rush and crowd surge, and that no intent or motive could be attributed to the petitioners. It emphasised that gate and crowd management were not the KSCA’s responsibility, but that of RCB’s, the event organisers, and the police.The counsel defending KSCA had also raised concerns over the arrest of Sosale, claiming it indicated a targeted approach. Sosale has challenged his arrest, and approached the Karnataka High Court, according to Bar and Bench, an Indian legal news platform.RCB has yet to issue an official statement following the arrest. On Thursday, however, the franchise announced a compensation of INR 10 lakh for each of the deceased, and pledged to cover the medical expenses of those injured in the incident.* 1400 GMT, June 7, 2025 Updated after the meeting