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“Hey, I have a wife and kids at home,” Hodge tells Wood amid speed barrage

Alan Gardner19-Jul-2024Kavem Hodge described his battle with Mark Wood as “brutal” but said that only increased the level of satisfaction after his maiden Test hundred provided a platform for West Indies to hit back on day two of the second match of the series against England in Nottingham.Hodge, 31 and playing in his fourth Test, said that scoring a century was “a dream come true”, having had doubts about whether he would ever get an opportunity at the highest level. His innings of 120, the bulk of which came during a partnership of 175 with fellow Dominican Alick Athanaze, allowed West Indies to close on 351 for 5 and potentially put pressure on England by surpassing their first-innings score.”It’s a dream come true, you play the game from a youngster growing up that’s something that you want to do, especially at the highest level, in England against England,” he said. “I’m really happy and satisfied about it, especially also the position of the team, it’s always good to help the team’s cause.”Related

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Ollie Pope century drives England to 416 on high-paced first day

Hodge successfully came through a short-ball examination from England’s attack during the afternoon, led by Wood. Of the 29 balls that Hodge faced from Wood, 24 were either short or short of a good length – and the majority over 90mph.”It was brutal,” Hodge said. “It’s not every day you rock up and you face someone that’s bowling more than 90mph every single ball. There was one point, I made a joke to him, I said: ‘Hey, I have a wife and kids at home.’ But I think that made the century a lot more satisfying. Test cricket is brutal, it’s challenging, it’s mentally draining. To experience that, facing guys like Mark Wood, it was tough but it was satisfying.”While Hodge ducked and weaved successfully, as well as putting away several boundaries on the pull, Athanaze was struck on the helmet by Wood – prompting an expressive response from his batting partner.”I flinched. I thought I was going to get hit before him but it didn’t happen like that. But kudos to him that he bounced back well and was able to stand his ground and push on further.”We always bat good together, play for the same franchise back home, we’ve had a lot of big partnerships,” Hodge added. “He’s more aggressive than I am, I’m more of an accumulator, so I tend to go under the radar and go about my business quietly. Always good to spend time with him at the wicket.”Although Athanaze fell for 82 when flashing Ben Stokes to gully, Hodge stuck to it and eventually brought up three figures with a punch down the ground off Stokes. His roar of approval, which was followed by leaping into the arms of Jason Holder mid-pitch, made clear how much the moment meant to him.”It was amazing,” Hodge told Sky Sports. “I think from 97 I blanked out… I was just trying my best to stay in the moment and he bowled a big, booming inswinger and everything was just a blur, everything just happened in the moment. I told Jason I was still pinching myself after the celebration, I hadn’t grasped it yet.”Hodge only made his Test debut on the tour of Australia in January, having played three ODIs against UAE last year, and admitted that he had feared he would not get this far after repeatedly missing out on selection.”There were times when you start to doubt yourself, when you weren’t getting the opportunity,” he said. “There were times when to make the Test team, because of Covid, we had something called the best vs best, when they would bring the guys in and then split the squad into two and have warm-up games to select the team. I think I’ve taken part in that six or seven times and every time a selector or the coach would come to me and say ‘We’re not going to select you, we’re looking in this direction’.”So every time I went to a best vs best, it took a little bit out of me but I’m grateful that I stuck with it and things are working out, so I’m happy for that.”West Indies faced being written off as credible opposition after twice being dismissed for under 150 in the first Test at Lord’s, a game that lasted barely seven sessions. But Hodge said that the tourists had been focused on learning from their mistakes and was glad to have helped capitalise in more favourable conditions.”It was a matter of staying positive, we’re not the only team who have lost a Test match two days. It’s just a matter of learning from it, the conditions are new for a lot of us – this is my first time to England, so it’s just a matter of learning quickly, adapting to conditions and finding ways to improve. And when we get the opportunity to bat, take it deep. As we’ve seen, it was a very good batting wicket, so it was imperative that once we got the opportunity we stay in, dig deep and put our team in a good position.”

Chelsea’s capture of Liam Delap was Enzo Maresca’s first signing of the 2025 summer transfer window.

It will likely be the first of many as the Italian looks to sign high-profile stars that will improve his squad ahead of next season.

With Champions League football to look forward to for the first time since the 2022/23 season, Maresca is going to spend in order to be fully prepared for the group stages.

As such, the club have been linked with numerous attacking players in recent weeks. Hugo Ekitike is someone that the manager is keen on bringing to Stamford Bridge.

Date

Opponent

Venue

Monday, June 16

Los Angeles

Mercedes-Benz stadium

Friday, June 20

Flamengo

Lincoln Financial Field

Tuesday, June 24

Esperance

Lincoln Financial Field

Via Chelseafc.com

He could cost around £84m, however, which may prove to be a stumbling block. Samu Aghehowa is another striker on Maresca’s list of targets, but he could cost roughly the same as Ekitike if Chelsea are serious about bringing him to London.

Wide options are also being targeted and Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens is a talent that the Blues are desperate to have before the start of next season.

How much would the German side demand for the Englishman to let him move to the Premier League?

The latest on Chelsea's pursuit of Jamie Gittens

Gittens has been linked with a move to Chelsea over the previous few weeks, and it appears the club are serious about signing him.

According to Ben Jacobs on Sunday, the Blues have had a bid rejected. He said on social media: “Understand Dortmund want around £42m for Jamie Gittens. Chelsea’s opening bid of £30m has been turned down but positive talks continue. Chelsea happy to wait until after the June 10 deadline if no breakthrough ahead of the Club World Cup.”

Less than a year ago, Gittens was hailed as the future of Dortmund and was looking to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham.

Since Nico Kovac took over as coach, however, the youngster has struggled to fit into his system, and it now appears they are looking to cash in on the winger.

Since making his debut for the club in the 2021/22 season, the 20-year-old has amassed over 100 competitive appearances.

A total of 31 goal contributions – 17 goals and 14 assists – have been registered in that period, establishing him as one of the most promising young wingers on the continent.

While landing a player of Gittens’ quality this summer, do the club need another wide option?

Maresca can already count on the likes of Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Tyrique George and Mykhaylo Mudryk (when he returns from his suspension) to play on either wing.

Add in the fact that they have signed Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda, it is evident that this area is rather stacked with players.

Instead of spending another £40m-£50m on someone like Gittens, no matter how talented he is, perhaps directing these funds to other areas of the squad should be deemed a bigger priority.

A new goalkeeper, for example.

Chelsea preparing to make move for new goalkeeper

It is no secret that the Blues have struggled to find a consistent number one goalkeeper in recent years.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Edouard Mendy and Robert Sanchez have all held the position over the previous few years, but none truly convinced the supporters, with Kepa and Sanchez notably-error prone.

As such, signing a new ‘keeper this summer should be what Maresca is focusing on.

Well, according to Sky Sports, the Blues have told AC Milan that they are willing to pay a transfer fee in the region of €15m (£12.6m) to secure the services of Mike Maignan.

It’s a fee that could get them close to completing a move with journalist Graeme Bailey reporting on the saga that the Blues now expect to sign the Frenchman in time for the Club World Cup.

The Milan number one has been with the club since the summer of 2021, making a total of 163 appearances for the Serie A side, notably impressing at club level and on the international stage, most recently against German in the Nations League.

If Maresca wishes to improve his options between the sticks, then signing the 29-year-old is clearly a must.

Why Mike Maignan would be a better signing than Jamie Gittens

The Blues have a plethora of wingers available to make an impression under Maresca but their goalkeeping department leaves plenty to be desired.

Last year, Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen were both used by Maresca. The Spaniard made 34 appearances, while Jorgensen played 23 times for the club.

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Across his 34 games, the Spaniard kept just ten clean sheets, conceding 37 goals in the process. Jorgensen managed to keep only nine clean sheets while shipping 22 goals.

To summarise, the Blues need someone who could be the main choice under Maresca. A player that will win them points when the club aren’t playing well.

In that regard, Maignan is the ideal choice. He was hailed as “world-class” by writer Carlo Garganese in 2022 for a stunning performance against Inter Milan.

Across his 163 games for the Italian giants, Maignan has kept 59 clean sheets, working out as one every 2.7 games.

In the Italian top flight last season, the Frenchman made 2.7 saves per game – a 71% success rate – while also keeping 12 clean sheets, conceding 1.1 goals per game, was successful with 95% of his passes within his own half and averaged 46.5 touches per match.

When compared to his positional peers in Serie A, Maignan ranks in the top 10% for passes attempted per 90 (37.02), while also ranking in the top 7% for defensive actions outside his penalty area (1.86) per 90.

That last statistic is important, signifying that the 29-year-old plays quite far off his goal line in order to distribute the ball and stop opposition attacks.

Maignan is now the French number one and with Milan not in any European competition next season after an eighth-place finish in Serie A, joining Chelsea makes sense for all parties.

He will be able to establish himself as the number one ‘keeper at Stamford Bridge while playing in the Champions League once again.

Could they secure his services for a fee just north of £10m? It would be tough, but not impossible, that’s for sure. He could turn out to be a much better signing than Gittens should Maresca get a deal over the line.

Better than Delap: Chelsea step up move for £85m "monster in the making"

Chelsea are looking to improve their attacking options further

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 9, 2025

Leeds United have registered their interest in signing a £20m+ star who has been called “the best” in his league, as per a new transfer report.

Leeds transfer targets ahead of Premier League return

The Whites ended their campaign earlier this month by winning the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Manor Solomon’s injury-time winner against Plymouth Argyle taking Leeds to 100 points.

Daniel Farke and his side don’t have to worry about the playoffs and can instead prepare for a Premier League return, with the 49ers Enterprises looking to splash the cash ahead of the 2025/26 season.

It hasn’t taken long for a number of players to be linked with moves to Elland Road, with Leeds looking to make several signings who have Premier League experience.

Related Leeds can now sign Rooney-like striker on loan after club's transfer talks

He’s been compared to the former Man Utd striker.

Posts ByCharlie Smith May 15, 2025

In recent days, Leeds have reportedly been moving to sign Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters, who is out of contract with the Saints in the summer.

West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal is another who will be available on a free and is being eyed by the Whites, seen as competition for Jayden Bogle following his brilliant first season as a Leeds player.

Further forward, Man City’s James McAtee is wanted by Leeds, however, plenty of other Premier League sides are keen on the attacking midfielder including clubs who can offer European football.

Something the 49ers could potentially use to their advantage is links with Rangers with a takeover close to being completed at Ibrox. Nicolas Raskin, valued at more than £20m, is one player who was linked with swapping Glasgow for Yorkshire last month, and a new update has emerged.

Leeds register interest in signing Rangers star Raskin

According to reports from TEAMtalk, Leeds have seemingly made an approach by registering their interest in signing Raskin from Rangers.

It is stated ‘that a serious bid could be lodged in the coming weeks’, with Aston Villa also keen on the midfielder, however, Rangers are preparing to offer Raskin a new contract to keep him in Scotland.

Rangers Technical Director Nils Koppen recently hailed the 24-year-old, who can play as a holding or box-to-box midfielder, calling him “the best midfielder in Scotland”.

“With his big warrior’s heart, he has made himself enormously popular with our fan base. After his strong performances in the Old Firm against Celtic and in Europe against Manchester United, Tottenham and Fenerbahce, he is seen by our supporters as the best midfielder in Scotland.”

Raskin’s stats at Rangers

Games

94

Goals

5

Assists

13

Yellow cards

16

Minutes played

6,730

RTBF also praised the midfielder following his debut for Belgium earlier this year. “Nicolas Raskin was fantastic for his debut. If there’s one player who scored points today in the eyes of Rudi Garcia and his staff, it was him… [He] has the ability to play forward and build the game. I can’t see how Rudi Garcia could do without him in the next match.”

Should a move to Elland Road materialise, Raskin could rival Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu, star man Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev for a starting spot in the Premier League.

Chelsea are able to pile on the misery for Ipswich Town later on in the Premier League with Kieran McKenna’s away side looking nailed on for relegation at this point.

But, the Blues did lose the reserve fixture at Portman Road back in December 2-0, with former Chelsea academy product Omari Hutchinson getting in on the goalscoring act for the Tractor Boys to get one over on his ex-employers.

Still, Enzo Maresca will hope his top-four-chasing side have enough about them to condemn their relegation-doomed opponents to another top-flight loss, with Christopher Nkunku perhaps dropping to the substitutes bench after a frustrating Europa Conference League showing on Thursday night among other drab outings.

Nkunku's season in numbers at Chelsea

Not even a leaky Legia Warsawa outfit in the Conference League would end up gifting the Frenchman a much-needed Blues goal, with Maresca’s men thankfully running out convincing 3-0 victors away from their wasteful number 18’s woes continuing on.

Indeed, the former RB Leipzig attacker would spurn a penalty opportunity away in Poland, with four total chances not finding the back of the net from the low-on-confidence forward.

That means Nkunku is deep in a goalless stretch of form, with his team’s last six games in all competitions seeing the 27-year-old flounder in front of goal.

An alteration up top could be deemed necessary to catch a porous Ipswich side off-guard, therefore, with the visitors to Stamford Bridge later on today giving up a high 65 goals in league action.

Bringing one certain striker back into the first-team fold could really end up causing the lowly opponents all sorts of bother subsequently, leading to an out-of-sorts Nkunku being unsurprisingly axed.

Nkunku's "special" Chelsea replacement

Maresca hasn’t exactly had lady luck on his side this season in the striker department with a whole barrage of injury issues resulting in Nkunku leading the line in lacklustre fashion.

Now, the Italian will feel relieved he has Nicolas Jackson back at his disposal, with the former Villarreal centre-forward in line for a start against Ipswich after battling through his own injury setbacks. That return could come amidst recurring Liam Delap transfer talk, throwing into doubt his place as Chelsea’s first-choice number nine next term.

Even from his limited game time owing to injuries this season, Jackson has shown obvious spurts of quality when lining up as Maresca’s main marksman, with a mightily impressive 14 goals and assists combined from just 23 league starts.

Nine of those have been strikes hitting the back of the net even as Jackson has missed a whopping 17 big chances, but unlike Nkunku who never seems to drag himself out of the mire, his Senegalese counterpart has managed to ease some of the rampant criticism that has come his way by putting in clinical displays here and there.

Nkunku finds himself on a lower three goals in the demanding top-flight on the contrary, and with his confidence not exactly beaming after his no-show in Poland, bringing Jackson in from the start feels like a no-brainer.

After all, the Blues number 15 has even been heralded as “special” in the past by football journalist Rahman Osman, with Maresca also boldly publically declaring Jackson as the “perfect number nine” in the build-up to the clash with Ipswich, amid that speculation around Delap.

Therefore, Nkunku’s days could be numbered as the leading man, with Jackson potentially helping Chelsea to consolidate a spot in the Premier League top four if he can cause Ipswich defenders havoc today.

Up against the man who could potentially replace him in Delap – a player Maresca even described as “fantastic” ahead of the game – Jackson needs to prove why he should remain as the main centre-forward next season.

David Ornstein "fascinated" as Chelsea consider deal for £80m forward

He could replace Noni Madueke.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 12, 2025

And what’s the earliest a player has taken a catch on debut in a Test?

Steven Lynch26-Nov-2024What’s the highest score in the second innings of a Test by someone who got a duck in the first? asked Mithun Ahmed from India
This question popped up in the middle of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s sparkling second innings in Perth after he bagged a duck in the first knock. In the end, Jaiswal did not quite join them, but there are seven men who made a double-century and a duck in the same Test. And the only one of those whose double came in the second innings was the South African Dudley Nourse, with 0 and 231 against Australia in Johannesburg in December 1935.Jaiswal was eventually out for 161, so the highest score by an Indian batter after a duck in the first innings remains Madhav Apte’s 163 not out against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in February 1953. A few weeks ago Sarfaraz Khan followed a first-innings duck with 150 in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.Nathan McSweeney took a catch from the 13th ball of his debut Test. Has anyone take one quicker than that? asked Manoj Arya via Twitter/X
Australia’s new opener Nathan McSweeney caught Yashasvi Jaiswal on the 13th delivery of the first Test against India in Perth. We don’t have ball-by-ball details for a lot of Tests, but McSweeney’s early grab is certainly not a record: the fastest appears to have been by the former South Africa offspinner Hugh Tayfield, who caught Arthur Morris from the second ball of the match on his Test debut, against Australia in Johannesburg in 1949. Ian Chappell (for Australia in 1964) and the New Zealand wicketkeeper Robbie Hart (2002) both took a catch from the third ball of their debut Test.The Indian slow left-armer Pragyan Ojha did take a catch from the first ball he was in the field for, against Sri Lanka in Kanpur in 2009, but India had batted first in that match (and scored 642!) so it wasn’t at the very start of the match. Charles Davis, the doyen of the ball-by-ball scorecard, tells me that another slow left-armer, New Zealander Allen Lissette, also did this against West Indies in Dunedin in 1956.Don Bradman scored a Test hundred every three innings, approximately speaking. Who holds the corresponding record in ODIs? asked Tim Sanderson from England
Don Bradman scored 29 hundreds in his 80 Test innings, a rate of better than one every three – he reached 100 in a staggering 36.25% of his Test innings. Next (of those who batted at least 30 innings) come a pair of West Indians: George Headley, with ten centuries in 40 innings (25%) and Clyde Walcott with 15 in 74 (20.27%). The leading current player is Kane Williamson, with 32 hundreds in 180 innings (17.77%), just ahead of Harry Brook (six in 35, or 17.14%).There’s something of a surprise leader in one-day internationals, with six tons in 30 innings, or 20%. It’s Dawid Malan, the recently retired England left-hander. Virat Kohli is second at the moment, with 50 centuries from 283 innings (17.66%), but he’s not far ahead of a clutch of current players: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (17.39%), Daryl Mitchell (17.14%), Babar Azam (16.23%) and Devon Conway (16.12%).David Malan has scored a hundred every five innings on average in ODIs•Getty ImagesWhile Justin Greaves was in the nineties against Bangladesh there was a reviewed lbw appeal. If he’d been given out there would have been three dismissals in the nineties in that innings – has that actually ever happened in a Test? asked Marlon Spencer from Barbados
Justin Greaves had 92 when Mehidy Hasan tried an optimistic review in the first Test between West Indies and Bangladesh in Antigua on the weekend. Greaves survived, and went on to complete his maiden century, finishing with 115 not out.Earlier in that innings, Mikyle Louis was out for 97 and Alick Athanaze for 90. This made it the 62nd Test innings to contain two nineties, some of them not outs – and there has still not yet been a case of three.Pakistan’s first innings against England in Karachi in 1973 actually contained two 99s, by Majid Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad. Later Dennis Amiss was also out one short of his hundred, making this the only Test to contain three 99s.There have been 20 instances of two nineties in an innings in men’s ODIs, and one in a T20 international (by Bermuda against Argentina in Buenos Aires in 2023). There have been no cases in women’s Tests or T20s, but four in ODIs.Gogumal Kishenchand of India played in five Test matches, and made a duck in each of them. Has anyone played more Tests while making a duck in all of them? asked Deepanjan Deb from India
A batter who mainly turned out for Gujarat and Baroda, Gogumal Kishenchand played four Tests for India in Australia in 1947-48, collecting a duck in all four second innings, and won one more cap against Pakistan in Lucknow in 1952, when he changed things around and was out for nought in the first innings.Not surprisingly, this is the most Tests by anyone who collected a duck in all of them. Three other men had a career of three Tests with a duck in each: the Jack Edwards of Australia in the 1888 Ashes series in England, Johannes “Kodgee” Kotze of South Africa in the first decade of the 20th century, and the recent Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi. Two others who have done this but might yet appear again are Nabi’s fellow Afghani Nijat Masood, who has played a Test this year, and Roy Kaia of Zimbabwe, who last featured in 2021.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Stokes rings his changes and keeps attacking intent, but moribund surface is winning so far

Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Dec-2022It doesn’t matter if you score 657, as England did in Rawalpindi, or even 1,000, as Zak Crawley joked they might on the evening of day one. Big runs get you headlines – and a few records – but wickets win you matches.Even a stranger to the format can work out: if Test cricket allows you an endless supply of one and just 20 of the other, the latter is clearly more valuable. It’s like scaling a mountain. Getting to the summit in double-quick time is cool and all. But you can only say you’ve conquered it once you’ve got down in one piece. And as remarkable as England’s first innings is, beating any of their previous scores in Asia and at a world-record run-rate, coming out victorious will make it that little bit more worthwhile.But, as Pakistan closed on 181 for 0 – taking the pitch’s tally to 828 runs in two days for the loss of just 10 wickets – the prospects for the concluding three days of the match were veering towards the tedious. Getting to the bottom of this one might be like trying to get down a flight of stairs designed by MC Escher.Not that England are thinking this situation is beyond them, certainly not yet. As Ben Stokes spoke to the umpires when bad light took the players off once more, leaving Joe Root to flick off the bails at the Pavilion End and complete the formalities of an early close, England’s spirits were seemingly undimmed, if not their bodies.”It is [flat],” confirmed Will Jacks, who hit 30 from 29 balls, then bowled 12 wicketless overs for 50 in his first on-field day as a Test cricketer.. “But I guess there’s a little bit there, maybe? It’s only two days, there are three long days ahead of us. A little bit of grip, so we hope that will increase over the next few days.”It’s easy to overlook the bowling aspect of this era, and understandably so when the other suit is so breathtaking, but in many ways, it’s the most crucially considered aspect of this new England regime. If the batting is broadly defined by an absence of thought – “it’s only you and the bowler there … just watch the ball,” as Jonny Bairstow succinctly put it at Trent Bridge last summer – then the curation of England’s efforts in the field is where the real thinking goes.Throughout the English summer we saw consistent attacking fields: slips kept in for longer than usual, catchers employed in peculiar areas, bumper plans – more refined than previous versions, it should be said – opted for sooner rather than later. “It’s great for me,” James Anderson said, and you’d think he has bowled to every conceivable field across his 19 years at this level. “It’s given me a slightly different mindset with the ball. Trying to always take wickets, not just trying to hold up an end or keep the economy rate low.”That Anderson rests overnight on figures of eight overs, two maidens, 0 for 16 is not reflective of a change of tactics, or a regression to an old, conservative norm. England were funky from the off.Will Jacks insists England will keep pushing for the win, in spite of the tough nature of the pitch•Getty ImagesBoth Anderson and Ollie Robinson were afforded three slips, before the third was deemed redundant. Ben Duckett spent most of their collective opening spell stationed at leg slip, finer for Imam-ul-Haq given a left-hander’s penchant for tucking off the hip. There was a catching midwicket and straight silly mid-on employed, and indeed a short leg to the seamers. At times those positions in front of the batter were doubled, and it was notable early on that Stokes put himself at a three-quarters cover: at times he walked in so far he could have probably shaken hands with either Imam or Abdullah Shafique by the time the ball was released.Following a 20-minute mini-session before lunch, the spinners were brought on in the afternoon session, similarly reinforced with bat-pads and short legs for the right- and left-hander. Jack Leach, emboldened by Stokes’ faith in him over the summer, tried a few different release points, while Jacks would eventually swap a straighter line for some consistency outside off. Leach was even afforded a leg gully, who was close enough to the action to warrant wearing a helmet.The day ended with Stokes sending down three overs split between two tactics. He started short, with bouncers at both batters before searching for reverse-swing with a fuller, straighter examination of Shafique. By then, all England could hold on to was the fact that the bounce is getting a little more unreliable. They could do with that degrading as quickly as the sun sets in Rawalpindi. While their batting has bought them time in this match, bad light has already taken out 32 overs from two days’ play.Is there scope for anything different? It’s hard to say, especially so early in the tour. The morning moisture might assist a ball that still seems to be holding up pretty well. Perhaps the only thing they might wince at is the lack of a point of difference or two, on a pitch that even PCB chairman Ramiz Raja lambasted as “embarrassing” during his Friday lunchtime media rounds. Perhaps an express quick and a wrist spinner? Sadly the former, Mark Wood, was ruled out of this Test well before a virus ran through the squad. The latter, Liam Livingstone, joined him in the changing room just before tea after jarring his knee while fielding on the boundary.Luck is also handy, and England might consider that the two missed opportunities to remove Shafique in the space of seven deliveries were a case of misfortune rather than straight-up negligence.The first – on 54 – was a glove down the leg side off Anderson that Ollie Pope did well to reach but could not gather cleanly. Might a fit Ben Foakes have got there? Again, it’s hard to say, but it’s a hypothetical that does a double-twist when you consider that without Jacks – a late addition after Foakes felt unwell on Thursday morning – the gap in the bowling left by Livingstone’s absence would have been considerably greater. Then, on 56, Leach leapt in expectation when Shafique guided a length delivery into the midriff of Keaton Jennings (on as a sub) at short leg. The timing on the shot, however, allowed it to burst straight in and out.Related

• Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq dig deep after England post towering 657

• Harry Brook's quick 150, Zahid Mahmood's forgettable debut

• PCB chairman slams Rawalpindi pitch as 'embarrassing' as bowlers toil in Test

• Rawalpindi opening gambit suggests Crawley-Duckett partnership may stay the course

• Pitch imperfect from Pakistan as duff selection deepens their woes

“We’re going to have to take a few worldie catches and have a few crazy moments go our way to win,” Jacks admitted.”There’s only one team that can win it. Pakistan look like they are happy with a draw, the way they are batting. With this team environment we’ve got and our leaders, we’ll be pushing for the win, no matter what happens.”You have to admire that enthusiasm because it is sincere and it speaks to how quickly new blood has been inculcated in this side. Stokes will spend the evening racking his brains for ways to get more creative, primarily through schemes in the field but maybe also through trying to engage Pakistan in a bit of a stand-off. Whatever patience England need to adopt will have to be reciprocated ten-fold by Pakistan’s batters, who are still 476 behind with three days to play.On Monday, Brendon McCullum, speaking on behalf of his captain at the start of the week, said there would be no draws. “If we get beat, Pakistan, we know, will have played well. I expect us to play well and if we get outplayed, that’s okay too.”For now, it looks like both sides are going to finish second to this pitch, which looks like walking away with all the joy and a second demerit point in nine months. Unless, of course, something spectacular happens. Which, given England’s recent history, is not totally out of the question.

Luck Index estimates that the umpire’s call on the lbw shout against Keiron Pollard could have played a significant hand

ESPNcricinfo stats team03-Nov-2020With a place in the playoffs at stake in the match against Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the match. They won the toss and put Mumbai into bat – a significant advantage given how dew has been a big factor of late. With this match not being of any consequence to Mumbai, they opted to rest their best bowlers this season Jaspirt Bumrah and Trent Boult. If that weren’t enough Sunrisers had Mumbai on the mat at five down for 82 runs in the 13th over. The match was following an almost ideal script for the Sunrisers.Until the 15th over of Mumbai’s innings. Rashid Khan came on to bowl the last over of his spell. In the absence of Hardik Pandya – who was also rested for this match – Mumbai had their last recognized pair in the middle. Getting one of either Keiron Pollard or Ishan Kishan would’ve have further tilted the scales in favour of the bowling team. Rashid – being the champion bowler he is – created opportunities to dismiss both. However, both batsmen survived his over. Kishan was dropped by the bowler himself and Pollard survived a close lbw shout on the basis of umpire’s call.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhile Kishan’s drop didn’t cost Sunrisers big, ESPNcricinfo’s Luck Index reckons that given the batting that was to come, Mumbai would’ve scored 20 runs fewer had umpire C Shamshuddin given Pollard out on the last ball of Rashid’s over. Pollard, who was on six off ten balls, went on to score 41 off 25. He plundered 35 runs off the 14 balls that he faced after that event. Luck Index estimates that Mumbai’s remaining batsmen would’ve got just 15 runs from those 14 balls. That is so because Mumbai went on to lose Kishan shortly after, and had they lost Pollard as well, it would have left the task of securing Mumbai a defendable total to Nathan Coulter-Nile – a bowling allrounder in T20s – and their tail.Luck Index estimates the impact of the decision by distributing the balls that Pollard faced after the event among the batsmen who weren’t dismissed and if necessary, those who didn’t bat in the innings. (This calculation takes into account the expected balls that each batsman is likely to play, based on their quality.)If the umpire’s decision had favoured Sunrisers they would’ve been chasing 130 instead of 150 in this high-stakes match that will decide whether they progress to the playoff of IPL 2020.

Being a left-back has changed over time, and now, being one of the best on the left-hand side of defence requires world-class attacking and defensive attributes.

In today’s game, Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes and FC Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde are seen as some of the best left-backs in the world.

The Best 15 Left-Backs in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the top left-back around in 2025?

ByCharlie Smith Oct 8, 2025

But who is the greatest left-back in history? Here is a look at 20 of the best left-backs, considering their longevity, consistency at the highest level, while also highlighting personal accolades and team honours.

20 Patrice Evra

Starting the countdown is Patrice Evra, who is one of Man Utd’s best money buys in their history. Costing just £5.5m from Monaco in 2006, Sir Alex Ferguson helped turn Evra into one of the world’s best.

The Frenchman spent eight years at Old Trafford, captaining club and country, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League.

He possessed blistering pace, could defend one on one with ease and contributed to goals with his pinpoint crossing ability.

19 ​Jose Antonio Camacho

In the 1970s and 1980s, Spain and Real Madrid could rely on ​tough-tackling Jose Antonio Camacho at left-back, and he’d spend his entire club career at the Bernabeu.

Making more than 500 appearances for Madrid, Camacho’s passion and grit was combined with athleticism and skill, which saw him win 19 honours for Los Blancos.

18 Leo Junior

A favourite of Pele’s, Leo Junior was a regular for Brazil between 1979-1992 and after retiring, would go on to represent his country on the beach, winning six Beach Soccer World Championships.

On the grass, Junior began and ended his career with Flamengo and was nicknamed “Capacete” because of his afro hairstyle. An attacking full-back who played further forward when needed, Junior was comfortable with either foot and his knowledge of the game resulted in him going into coaching with Flamingo and Corinthians.

17 Andy Robertson

Not many would have predicted Andy Robertson to turn into one of the best left-backs the Premier League has ever seen when he joined Liverpool in 2017, but that is what’s happened.

The Scot has even arguably gone under the radar at Anfield and his attacking ability is just as good as his defensive attributes. A left-back who never tires, Robertson has been key in Premier League and Champions League triumphs at Anfield.

16 ​Hans-Peter Briegel

German left-back ​Hans-Peter Briegel was so athletic that he could have been a long jumper. However, he chose football, which turned out to be the correct call.

Named the German Footballer of the Year in 1985, Briegel won the 1980 European Championship with West Germany and, at club level, starred for 1. FC Kaiserslautern in Germany before heading to Italy with Hellas Verona and Sampdoria.

15 David Alaba

David Alaba began his career as a left-back and in his prime, was one of the best we’ve seen in the modern era, spending 11 years with German giants Bayern Munich.

As time has gone on, Alaba has also been used centrally after his move to Real Madrid. He has won more than 100 caps for Austria, 10 Bundesliga titles, four Champions Leagues and was named as his country’s Footballer of the Year on 10 occasions.

14 Jordi Alba

One of Barcelona and Spain’s best ever left-backs, Jordi Alba retired in 2025 following a glittering 19-year career.

The attack-minded full-back won 17 honours at the Nou Camp, including the Champions League, while also being a 2012 Euros winner.

A left-back loved by Lionel Messi, Alba provided an assist for the Argentine in his final league game, whereas Messi returned the favour.

13 Denis Irwin

An extremely reliable and underrated Man Utd star in the 1990s, Denis Irwin was worth every penny of the £650,000 transfer fee.

He was so good at Old Trafford that Ferguson said Irwin, who won seven Premier League titles, would be the only certainty in his all-time Man Utd XI.

The Irishman was also a free-kick specialist and was arguably ahead of the times, paving the way for how full-backs play today.

12 Bixente Lizarazu

French left-back Bixente Lizarazu starred for Bordeaux after coming through their academy which earned him an eventual move to Bayern Munich where he would end his career.

A 1998 World Cup and 2000 Euros winner, Lizarazu was part of one of the most iconic France teams in history. At club level, Lizarazu won five Bundesliga titles in six seasons with Bayern and the Champions League.

11 Andreas Brehme

Not only could German left-back Andreas Brehme defend, he could also score and nearly hit 100 career goals for club and country.

A set-piece specialist, Brehme was known for his unbelievable delivery and is rightly regarded as one of Germany’s best ever full-backs, starring for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

It might not have been vintage Bruno Fernandes this season, yet, even so, the Manchester United skipper is still the heartbeat of Ruben Amorim’s side, as was evident again on Monday night.

Up against an undoubtedly poor Wolverhampton Wanderers side, the 31-year-old was arguably the deciding factor, netting twice himself, while providing a delicious assist for Mason Mount to convert for United’s third.

Two missed penalties earlier in the campaign may have highlighted a drop in standards, although Fernandes still ranks third in the Premier League for goals and assists in 2025/26, while leading the way again for chances created (45).

The hope will be that the Portugal star can replicate last season’s heroics, which saw him overcome a slow start – having failed to score until Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim appointment – before going on to rack up 38 goals and assists in all competitions.

Suitable for a midfield two or not, the ex-Sporting CP playmaker remains so influential to United’s fortunes – but what will happen if the club are left to make do without him?

Latest on Man Utd's search for a midfielder

It’s worth noting that Fernandes, speaking ahead of his 300th United appearance earlier this season, gave no suggestion that he was angling for a move away from Old Trafford, having openly discussed the decision to turn down a move to Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer.

Nor, however, did the £300k-per-week sensation completely shut down the topic of his long-term future, having relayed that he won’t discuss any potential plans until after the World Cup, with just 18 months left to run on his existing deal.

There have been suggestions that INEOS could even look to cash in on their talisman in order to help fund a midfield overhaul in 2026, with potential replacements seemingly being eyed up.

With that in mind, reports in Spain have claimed that the Red Devils are among the clubs pursuing a move for Real Madrid sensation, Arda Guler, with both Arsenal and Liverpool also in the frame.

The report suggests that United have already ‘accelerated initial contacts’ regarding a possible swoop, with the 20-year-old’s ‘versatility’ noted as a selling point for Amorim and co.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Whether the LaLiga giants would be willing to sell the Turkish starlet remains to be seen, although prior reports indicate he could command a fee of around £88m.

Why Guler could be the perfect successor to Fernandes

It was a moment that epitomised the genius of Bruno Fernandes.

Picking the ball up just outside the Wolves box, the midfielder – who had been sent off at Molineux just over a year ago – had the vision and the quality to pick out Mount with a stunning dinked pass, building on the two inventive assists he produced at Selhurst Park late last month.

Even when not at his free-flowing best, the majestic talent can still unlock a defence in an instant, possessing the type of creative quality that few can match across the global game.

Finding a successor to such a figure thus appears almost impossible, if not improbable, yet Guler would be a more than worthy option, having been hailed as the “best CM/AM prospect in world football right now” by writer Neal Gardner.

That praise is not without merit, with Como’s Nico Paz the only attacking midfielder under the age of 21 to have registered more goals and assists (ten) than Guler in Europe’s top five leagues this season, as per Transfermarkt.

A key beneficiary of Xabi Alonso’s arrival at the Bernabeu, the rising star has already chalked up ten goals and assists in 22 games in all competitions this term, the same number of goal involvements that Fernandes has achieved back in Manchester.

Like Fernandes, the former Fenerbahce man has the flexibility to flourish in a more advanced role, or on the flanks, although he has blossomed in a slightly deeper role of late, averaging 2.3 key passes per game and creating eight ‘big chances’ in LaLiga this season, as per Sofascore.

For context, back at United, Fernandes has created seven ‘big chances’, albeit while averaging three key passes per game, with the pair both representing the creative hubs for their respective sides.

Interestingly, too, the Red Devils skipper is noted as the fifth most similar midfielder to Guler across Europe’s top five leagues, with regard to their stylistic and statistical likeness, as per FBref, further reinforcing why the Madrid man could fill that possible void in Amorim’s future side.

As indicated above, the pair – across the last 365 days – have enjoyed a particularly similar record with regard to assists, shot-creating actions, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, all key attributes for a playmaking midfielder in their pomp.

In truth, United have rarely seen a side without Fernandes in it, such is his remarkable reliability and availability, although if the day comes where he opts to move on to pastures new, Guler must surely be at the top of the list with regard to replacements.

Prising him from the Spanish capital might not be easy, although with Alonso’s place at Los Blancos seemingly under threat, now could be the time to pounce.

He's like Caicedo: Man Utd ready bid to sign England's "best CM since Scholes"

Manchester United look set to make a huge January move for one English sensation.

By
Ethan Lamb

4 days ago

Elite central midfielders cost a pretty penny in the transfer market in the modern day, but Manchester United are trying to find their next top talent in such an area.

Over the years, the Red Devils have previously been home to numerous incredible talents, with Paul Scholes one of the best midfielders to ever play for the club.

The Englishman made a staggering total of 718 appearances for the club over a 19-year period, subsequently winning every major honour available in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad that often dominated England’s top-flight, subsequently being a part of the squad that managed to win 11 Premier League titles.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is yet to taste glory in the division, with the potential moves for numerous players potentially aiding his quest for success.

Man Utd ready big-money bid for new midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have once again been labelled as one of the sides interested in a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s men could look to revisit such a move in the months ahead, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side once again expected to demand a fee in the region of £100m.

However, the Red Devils are likely unwilling to fork out such a fee, especially after rejecting a move for the Cameroonian in the summer after a similar price tag was mooted.

He’s not the only midfielder currently in INEOS’ sights, as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has once again appeared on their radar over the last couple of days.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are set to make a €100m (£87m) offer to sign the 21-year-old when the winter window opens on January 1st.

It also states that the Eagles don’t want to part ways with their young talent, but could be forced to cash in if a bid of such a nature is to be made in the near future.

How Wharton compares to Caicedo

As previously mentioned, big money is currently being spent in the transfer market on midfield talent – with Moises Caicedo the best example of such a scenario in 2023.

The Ecuadorian international joined Chelsea for a reported £115m two years ago – a then English record – but it has since been broken by striker Alexander Isak.

However, such a deal now appears to be an excellent one despite the mammoth sum forked out for his signature, with the 24-year-old currently one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He was named as the Blues’ Player and Supporters Player of the Season for 2024/25, with clubs like United no doubt wishing they had their own version of the midfielder.

Whilst landing such a player would also cost a pretty penny, the Red Devils fans could get their wish of getting a similar calibre of player if they complete a move for Wharton.

The Englishman has been labelled as a similar player to Caicedo by FBref, with the Palace star even managing to outperform the Blues sensation in numerous key areas.

Wharton has registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90 to date, arguably making him a better ball-playing option at the base of the midfield.

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

2

4

Progressive passes

5.9

5.7

Key passes

1.7

0.5

Clearances made

1.6

1.1

Tackles won

1.2

1.1

Take-on success

43%

31%

Recoveries made

5.8

5.6

Whilst being composed with the ball is key in Amorim’s system, the manager is desperately craving a dominant ball-winner who can sit and conduct the play in front of the backline.

The Palace star has demonstrated just that, even bettering the Chelsea star in that aspect, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won in the middle third of the pitch this campaign.

Wharton’s all-round dominance over the former English record addition is highlighted in his better take-on success rate and higher tally of recoveries made per 90 – which has led to one coach dubbing him the “best English midfielder since Scholes”. It sounds a stretch but given the numbers and clamour from many Three Lions supporters to see him alongside Declan Rice at next summer’s World Cup, it’s easy to see why that assessment has been made.

£87m may seem a mammoth sum for such a young talent, but it’s evident that the Englishman has bags of ability, but not to mention the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

If he can replicate such numbers at Old Trafford, he would certainly become a fan-favourite, potentially emulating Scholes in helping the club create new history in the Premier League.

Cunha & Mbeumo hybrid: Man Utd keen to trigger release clause for PL star

Manchester United could sign another attacker who’s like a hybrid of Cunha and Mbeumo

ByJoe Nuttall 5 days ago