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Looking to finish the January transfer window with a flourish, Aston Villa have now reportedly opened talks to sign a Champions League winner in a repeat of their previous deal to sign Philippe Coutinho.

Aston Villa transfer news

It has been a hectic month for the Villans, from the arrival of Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia to the departures of Diego Carlos, Emiliano Buendia and most surprisingly Jhon Duran. Those in the Midlands simply could not turn down the reported €77m (£64m) offer sent their way by Al-Nassr and Duran, himself, could not turn down the Saudi riches this month, culminating in a shock move.

Left with money to spend to ease any profit and sustainability concerns, the rumours have been coming thick and fast in the closing days of the transfer window. Among players mentioned includes Joao Felix, who even received a mention from Aston Villa sporting director Monchi.

Aston Villa attempting quick deal to sign ace who's close to joining Spurs

Duran is expected to complete a move to Al-Nassr…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jan 30, 2025

The Villa chief told Cope, as relayed by Fabrizio Romano: “João Félix? Unai trusts João’s talent. We were close to getting deal done last summer. These years he’s always been part of our desires. João is a big talent, he needs the right environment… but it’s not an easy deal.”

With that said, those in the Midlands could yet sign an alternative option. According to Romano, Aston Villa have now opened talks to sign Marco Asensio, who would be keen on a move from Paris Saint-Germain this month.

A Champions League winner at Real Madrid, Asensio is a big name playmaker who burst onto the scene only to fail to fulfil his potential quite as expected in Spain, which makes a move reminiscent of Steven Gerrard’s attempts to revive Philippe Coutinho’s career at Villa.

And whilst the Brazilian never hit consistent heights, he still had some special moments at Villa Park in a path that Asensio could now follow.

"Great" Asensio can revive career at Aston Villa

Whether it’s been at Real Madrid or at PSG, Asensio has never truly had the chance to become the main man and now at 29 years old, he’s in danger of leaving the spotlight with a whimper more than anything else. Aston Villa could yet change that and revive the Spaniard, however. A player who’s started just eight times in Ligue 1 this season, Asensio desperately needs a move.

At his best, with all of that winning experience, he is still a player worth taking a gamble on. There’s still the player in there who he helped Real Madrid to three Champions League medals before leaving for PSG.

Earning plenty of praise from Luis Enrique when he was at his best for Spain in 2022, the former national team boss told reporters as relayed by Madrid Universal: “It’s a pleasure too see how our six forwards press, they give is guarantees. Marco is a guarantee and he’s in great form for the World Cup.”

Left-arm spinner Sophie Day took five wickets as Tasmania’s chase fell away after a strong start

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2022Sophie Molineux’s maiden WNCL hundred and a five-wicket haul for Sophie Day took Victoria to their first win of the season with a 46-run victory over Tasmania.Molineux’s 113 off 116 balls, the latest in a long list of centuries in the tournament this season, was the cornerstone of a strong batting display. She formed a 129-run stand for the third wicket with Annabel Sutherland who continued her own impressive form with 68 off 76 balls to follow two hundreds.That followed a second-wicket partnership of 92 in 16 overs with Ellyse Perry which laid the foundation for the innings.Molineux brought up her hundred from 102 balls before becoming one of Sasha Moloney’s four wickets as she finished with outstanding figures in a sizeable total.Victoria’s didn’t close particularly well with the bat, losing 7 for 38 in the final seven overs but it did not end up proving costly.However, it looked like it could do when Tasmania reached 1 for 127 in the 25th over with Elyse Villani and Nicola Carey, who scored a century in the previous match, forging a good partnership.But Day, the left-arm spinner, changed things when she removed Villani and did considerable damage to the middle order. When she had Carey caught in the deep it was a massive dent in Tasmania’s chances although Emma Manix-Geeves and Moloney kept some hope alive before Day claimed her fifth wicket.The WNCL now breaks for the WBBL which begins next week and resumes in December.

After just over a month of rumours, offers, and deals, the silly season is almost over, and while they’ve not been as busy as some fans would have liked, Tottenham Hotspur appear determined to make the most of deadline day.

Daniel Levy and Co have already secured the services of goalkeeper Antonín Kinský and centre-back Kevin Danso, the former for £12.5m, the latter on a short-term loan with an obligation to buy at £20.9m.

However, while both are sure to help Ange Postecoglou’s team stop conceding so many goals, they won’t do much to help them score many, either.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted an incredibly exciting winger for a move to N17 before the day is done, a winger who could be the ideal rival for the injured Brennan Johnson.

Tottenham target Premier League ace

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham are interested in Aston Villa star Leon Bailey.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Romano has revealed that Manchester United are also keen on the Jamaican winger and that “both clubs called to be informed on Bailey.”

The Italian journalist does not mention how much the £120k-per-week dynamo might cost today, but considering he joined the Villans for £25m in August 2021, it would be a surprise to see the final price fall below that.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line but given how well Bailey can play and Spurs’ acute need for attacking reinforcements, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be Johnson’s perfect rival.

Why Bailey would be the perfet Johnson rival

So, the first thing to say is that, as things stand, Johnson is having a far better season than Bailey this year.

For example, in his 32 appearances, the Welshman has scored 12 goals and provided three assists, while the Jamaican star has scored one goal and provided three assists in 29 appearances.

However, while that is certainly far from ideal if Levy and Co want to sign the latter to challenge the former, things look very different if we compare their output from last season.

For example, in his first campaign for the Lilywhites, the former Nottingham Forest star scored five goals and provided ten assists in 38 appearances, totalling 2506 minutes, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 2.53 games, or every 167.06 minutes.

In contrast, the often “unplayable” Villa star, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists in 52 appearances, totalling 3197 minutes, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.85 games, or every 114.17 minutes.

Appearances

52

38

Minutes

3197′

2506′

Goals

14

5

Assists

14

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

0.39

Minutes per Goal Involvement

114.17′

167.06′

Now, if the former Bayer Leverkusen star was able to achieve numbers like those under the attacking tutelage of Unai Emery, just imagine what he could do under the ultra-attacking Postecoglou.

Ultimately, it might not be the sort of signing that gets the fans on their feet to start with, but Spurs need attacking reinforcements, and while he’s underwhelmed this season, Bailey has shown in the past that he has the ability to be an elite attacker in the Premier League and Europe.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do what they can to bring the Villa ace to N17 before the day is over, as he’d be the perfect winger to challenge and push Johnson off the right.

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1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 3, 2025

Chelsea have often been known to make a move or two in the transfer window, especially since the takeover of Todd Boehly back in May 2022 from Roman Abramovich.

It’s safe to say the American has shown ambition in signing players to try and secure the club their first Premier League title since the 2016/17 season under Italian Antonio Conte.

Conte’s compatriot Enzo Maresca is the latest man tasked with the challenge of ending the drought, with the club’s investment crucial in handing him the best opportunity to be a success at Stamford Bridge.

On the flip side, outgoings are just as important, balancing the books to prevent any financial breaches, whilst also raising funds to reinvest into the playing squad.

Given the quantity of players currently on the payroll of the Blues, it’s no surprise to see numerous players linked with a move away, including one talent who only recently joined up with Maresca’s side.

Chelsea star in talks to leave Stamford Bridge

According to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, Chelsea star João Félix is already in talks over a move away from West London, just a couple of months after permanently moving to the Bridge.

The Portuguese international cost owner Boehly around £46m in the summer, with academy graduate Conor Gallagher moving to Atlético Madrid as a separate deal, but used as a sweetener to allow Felix to move.

However, the transfer hasn’t gone as planned for the Blues, starting just three Premier League outings to date, registering just one goal with the majority of his minutes coming off the bench.

The report claims that the 25-year-old has been in direct talks with former Blues boss José Mourinho over a move to join Turkish side Fenerbahçe this month, whether that be on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Benfica academy graduate is said to be ‘uncomfortable’ with his current situation under Maresca, as per the report, opening the door to a move should the right offer fall his way.

Should he move, it could see a repeat of a deal for one other star who moved to the club with high expectations before moving on quickly, allowing the hierarchy to cut their losses.

Why Felix could be a Morata repeat for Chelsea

Striker Álvaro Morata may have joined from Real Madrid rather than Atlético, but he was another LaLiga talent who moved to Chelsea with real hope of being a success given the huge price tag.

The 32-year-old cost a whopping £70m including add-ons back in the summer of 2017, with real expectations of transforming the frontline after notching 20 goals with the Spanish giants the season prior.

However, despite scoring 15 goals during his only full year in England, it was soon apparent that he wasn’t the right fit for the club, only lasting another six months before departing on loan to join Felix’s former side Atlético.

Whilst they didn’t lose a whole host on their investment, leaving permanently for £58m at the end of his temporary stint under Diego Simeone, it was a move that didn’t pay off – very similar to that of Felix in 2024/25.

Since leaving West London, Morata has moved to AC Milan in Italy, but has registered double figures in every campaign since leaving the English outfit – potentially allowing the club to rue their decision given their recent hunt for a number nine.

Álvaro Morata’s stats since leaving Chelsea back in 2019

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2019/20

44

16

4

2020/21

44

20

11

2021/22

48

12

7

2022/23

45

15

3

2023/24

48

21

4

Total:

229

84

29

Stats via Transfermarkt

Should the Portuguese ace, who earns £130k-per-week, depart this month, it would be a shame to see a player of his quality to leave, but it’s clear that he’s currently not in Maresca’s plans moving forward given his lack of action to date.

The “sensational” 25-year-old, as dubbed by journalist Alex Goncalves, hasn’t been given the opportunities to showcase his star quality and given the fact he’s set to enter his prime years, he desperately needs to be playing regular football.

Given the form of former talisman Morata after departing West London, the club need to consider all viable options to prevent a similar situation from occurring once again.

Felix is certainly deserving of more time in England to allow Maresca’s side to reap the rewards of his attributes and to prevent themselves from prematurely offloading a player who could aid their top four push in the next few months.

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Colombo was due to host but there are fears that ongoing political demonstrations may cause logistical challenges

Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Jul-2022

The second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be moved from Colombo to Galle*, owing to the possibility of political demonstrations in the island’s capital.While at no stage have cricket matches been threatened by the large-scale civil unrest seen in Sri Lanka over the last few months, and particularly in the past week, there are fears that masses descending on Colombo’s streets again may create logistical challenges for a Test match.Galle itself had seen a large protest on July 9, on the second day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka. However, the crowds seen there were not extraordinary in scale, as had been the case in Colombo.Related

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SLC 'very confident' of hosting Asia Cup despite political crisis

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Sri Lanka Cricket has been at pains to point out that the island remained a viable cricket destination, even as they prepare to host a Lanka Premier League in the first few weeks of August, followed by an Asia Cup featuring nine teams.There have been international matches in Colombo recently. Two of the three T20Is, and three of the ODIs from the Australia tour were all played at Khettarama stadium. While those games were almost uniformly well-attended, and went off as usual, the scale of the political demonstrations has increased substantially in Colombo since then. Khettarama was scheduled to host the second Test against Pakistan but if it shifts to Galle, this would be the third successive home Test series to be played exclusively at the venue.* This story was updated at 15:43 GMT after SLC confirmed the change in venue

Nico O'Reilly has revealed exactly what Pep Guardiola told him before his incredible impact against Bournemouth in the FA Cup.

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O'Reilly registered two assistsOnly came on at half-timePep gave youngster clear instructionsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

O'Reilly came off the bench at half-time in City's win over Bournemouth on Sunday. The Cherries were 1-0 up at the time, but O'Reilly laid on two assists as City turned the game around. First, he found Erling Haaland at the back post with a low cross, before a clever flick found Omar Marmoush before his fine winner.

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The 20-year-old has been shining in the FA Cup this season, scoring a brace against Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round and netting once versus Salford City in the third. In total, he has made 10 first-team appearances for the Blues, registering five goal involvements.

WHAT O'REILLY SAID

He told : "My instructions were to get involved as much as I can. It was good to get the contributions with the two assists – I was buzzing. I'm grateful for the opportunities I get from the manager and playing with the best players that are out there."

AFPWHAT NEXT?

City will play Nottingham Forest at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final. Pep Guardiola has already confirmed that O'Reilly will "for sure" play in the game.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who had been recently dropped for the home Test series against Sri Lanka, has returned to the squad for the rescheduled fifth Test against England, which will be played in Edgbaston from July 1-5.Ravindra Jadeja, whose IPL season ended abruptly with a rib injury, is also part of the 17-man touring party.Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, who were all rested for the home T20I series against South Africa next month, will be in Test action in Birmingham.Related

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However, Ajinkya Rahane will be out of action after sustaining a hamstring injury during his spell with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Along with Pujara, Rahane was also previously dropped for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.From the squad that took on Sri Lanka in the Test series, openers Mayank Agarwal and Priyank Panchal were left out. Agarwal could instead turn out for his state Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy knockouts, which start from June 6 in Bengaluru.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Pujara has worked his way back into the side after piling up 720 runs in eight innings for Sussex – including four centuries – at a stunning average of 120. Only Durham’s Sean Dickson and Derbyshire’s Shan Masood have scored more runs than Pujara in the County Championship Division Two, with both batters having played an extra game.Pujara’s 203 at Hove in April came against a Durham attack that included seamer Matthew Potts who was recently called up to England’s Test squad for their home series against New Zealand.Pujara was also among the runs in the Ranji Trophy, scoring two half-centuries in five innings for Saurashtra.Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna, who is uncapped in Test cricket, are part of the seam attack that will be led by Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. At 6′ 2″, Krishna was originally picked as a reserve bowler for the England Test series last year. He has since made rapid strides across formats.Krishna was the highest wicket-taker for Karnataka in the league phase of the Ranji Trophy, collecting 15 wickets in two games at an excellent average of 11.60, and then impressed with his hit-the-deck bustle for Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing IPL.Jadeja aside, R Ashwin was the only frontline spin option in the squad. Andhra’s KS Bharat was picked as the second wicketkeeper behind Rishabh Pant.India’s Test specialists are likely to leave for England on June 15. The Birmingham Test was pushed back following a Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp last year. India, who currently lead the series 2-1, will look to seal their first Test series win in the country since 2007.Head coach Rahul Dravid is set to join the tour party after the conclusion of India’s five-match T20I series against South Africa on June 19 in Bengaluru. There will be a clash of dates between India’s T20 warm-up games in England – against Northamptonshire and Derbyshire – and the Edgbaston Test, so there is a possibility of VVS Laxman filling in for Dravid during those T20s.

Manchester City’s 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace last weekend left the reigning champions eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.

The draw continued a run of poor form from Man City, who have claimed just one win in their last six Premier League outings and face a Manchester Derby at the Etihad next up.

Boss Pep Guardiola has come under criticism in some quarters for his team selection and in particular, the continued absence of wingers Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish – opting for more central players such as Matheus Nunes to play out wide.

Many believe that, especially with the return of talisman Kevin De Bruyne to full fitness, Guardiola needs to revert back to having flying wingers for the Belgian to seek out with his excellent range of passing. However, the form and numbers from City’s options so far this season do not make for great reading from Guardiola’s perspective.

Manchester City wingers struggling to hit the heights

Man City have tried to utilise many options in the wide areas this season to find a formula of turning around their season. Savinho and Doku started the season either side of Erling Haaland, however, an injury to Doku has meant that Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Nunes have all been deployed there.

Goals are usually something that goes hand in hand with Guardiola’s Man City yet there has been an over-reliance on forward Haaland this season with the midfield not chipping in as they usually do.

Haaland leads the way with 13 Premier League goals, but the next man in the charts for City is defender Josko Gvardiol and defensive midfielder Mateo Kovacic with three goals apiece.

Jeremy Doku has two Premier League goals but remarkably Foden, Grealish and Savinho are all yet to register a league goal in Man City colours this season.

If only Pep had another England international and a product of Manchester City’s flourishing academy to call upon…

Man City wonderkid thriving in the Premier League

Jadon Sancho, once a product of Manchester City’s academy, left the club to join Borussia Dortmund in 2017 without making a first-team appearance.

Sancho went on to make his name at Dortmund, with 120 goal contributions in 158 appearances across two spells. This sparkling form caught the attention of the hierarchy at Old Trafford with Sancho making his Manchester United move in 2021.

However, the England winger struggled to adapt at United, making just 18 goal contributions in 83 appearances across three seasons. This meant a summer move to Chelsea, where Sancho finally seems to have found a home to help his undoubted talent flourish.

As it happens, Sancho is currently outperforming Man City’s wide attacking options in many different areas.

Goals

2

2

0

0

0

Assists

3

2

1

1

2

Shots on target

42.9%

28.6%

10%

33.3%

35%

Pass completion

85%

79.4%

83.4%

88%

78.3%

Ball recoveries

24

22

20

18

31

Not only is Sancho leading the way in terms of goals and assists compared to City’s options, he also has the highest percentage of shots on target throughout the season.

With Guardiola priding his teams on keeping possession, Sancho is only second to Jack Grealish in terms of pass completion and in a side struggling to keep clean sheets, interestingly, the former is only bettered by Savinho in winning the ball back for his Chelsea side. A statistic that goes somewhat against the grain of Sancho’s ‘lazy’ label.

If the former United winger can keep his current form up at Stamford Bridge, Guardiola may begin to look on even more with envy at an academy product that slipped away.

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1 ByJoe Nuttall Dec 8, 2024

Arsenal are back. So some would proclaim anyway. Over the last three matches, Mikel Arteta’s side have scored a combined haul of 13 goals.

It’s amazing what happens when Martin Odegaard is in your team, isn’t it? The skipper missed a 12-game period after the first international break of the season and during that run, the Gunners rather fell off a cliff.

A rugged period between October and November’s international break saw Arsenal fail to win a Premier League game and that means they’re now nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, even if they did hold them to a 2-2 draw.

That said, Manchester United on Wednesday evening are likely to provide a far tougher test than the likes of Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.

As it happens, they’re now managed by Ruben Amorim who used to coach the Sporting team that Arsenal so ruthlessly dispatched in the Champions League a week ago.

The last time Arsenal played Manchester United at the Emirates

“Gabriel Jesus, he’s sat down one, and he’s won the game!” The roar from Peter Drury was glorious if you are an Arsenal supporter.

What a game this was back in September 2023. Arteta’s side needed a big win early in the Premier League campaign and that’s precisely what they got, defeating their old rivals 3-1 at the Emirates.

They were made to work incredibly hard for it, however. Marcus Rashford opened the scoring on 27 minutes before Odegaard hit back just a minute later.

We had to wait until injury time for the game to be decided though. That wasn’t before Alejandro Garnacho scored but saw his strike cruelly disallowed, a goal dear old Erik ten Hag probably still suggests was onside to this day.

2.27

xG

0.94

55%

Possession

45%

2

Big chances

1

17

Total shots

10

12

Corner kicks

3

532

Passes

462

11

Tackles

15

55

Ball recoveries

43

30

Ground duels won

27

13

Aerial duels won

13

Alas, the rub of the green was not with the Red Devils on that sunny afternoon. In the 96th minute, the ball fell to mega-money summer arrival Declan Rice at the back home who lashed home via a deflection for his first goal in Arsenal colours.

Off he went, darting away towards the corner flag, engulfed by his teammates. What a moment. The Emirates was bedlam.

The match was then decided in the 101st minute. The hosts broke from a corner through the lesser-spotted Fabio Vieira. He slid in Jesus who cooly sat Diogo Dalot down before sticking the ball past Andre Onana.

Arsenal will hope for a slightly less dramatic affair on Wednesday but they will take three points in any way they come as they look to chase down Liverpool.

Arsenal team and injury news

The North London side may have Odegaard back in the fold but this doesn’t look like a fully fit squad just yet.

The big news we await concerns defensive stalwart Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazilian took a blow to the face at the London Stadium, an incident that saw him win a penalty for his side.

That being said, he was withdrawn at half-time with Arsenal citing management of the knock he picked up in Lisbon a few days prior.

Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey were both absent from the matchday squad against West Ham and could miss out again. Merino sat out last time owing to a knee injury while Partey’s issue was described as muscular, meaning the £33m and £45m signings are both doubts.

While their involvement remains more uncertain, full-backs Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu definitely remain out.

Arsenal's predicted lineup vs Manchester United

With Merino and Partey still doubts for Wednesday evening’s clash, it means a relatively unchanged team is likely to take to the field at the Emirates.

The undisputed number one, David Raya, maintains his place between the sticks and providing Gabriel is fit after Saturday evening’s substitution, will have an unchanged defence in front of him.

Jorginho shone in the win at the former Olympic Stadium and deserves to keep his place next to Declan Rice.

There might be claims for Kai Havertz to be rested but after scoring in consecutive fixtures he starts ahead of Jesus again.

The only change to the starting lineup will see Leandro Trossard drop out. Like Havertz, the Belgian has scored in successive outings but with Gabriel Martinelli waiting in the wings and ready to torment United’s defence with his pace, this feels like an ideal match for the Brazilian.

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Australia take 115-run lead but late wickets under lights keep tourists interested

Valkerie Baynes15-Jan-2022Australia’s seamers, led by Pat Cummins, ran rampant over England’s flat-lining batting order to bundle the tourists out for just 188 on an eventful second day of the fifth and final Ashes Test.By the close, the hosts had extended their lead – which was 115 runs after England’s first innings – to 152, but Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood had given the tourists some reason to hope after claiming cheap top-order wickets as Australia finished on 3 for 37 in their second innings with Steve Smith unbeaten on 17 and nightwatchman Scott Boland on 3.Related

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As it happened – Australia vs England, 5th Test, Hobart, 2nd day

Australia’s quicks managed to keep the pink ball talking for an extended period under the lights on a day when 17 wickets fell in Hobart. Cummins took 4 for 45 and Mitchell Starc 3 for 53 with No. 8 Woakes England’s top-scorer with 36, followed by Joe Root’s 34 and Sam Billings, whose 29 on debut was solid.Broad and Woakes took advantage of the conditions to reduce Australia to 2 for 5 in the fourth over, with David Warner making a pair after falling to his nemesis Broad for the 14th time in Tests thanks to a brilliant diving catch by Ollie Pope at point and Marnus Labuschagne strangled down the leg side off Woakes to give Billings his first Test catch.At the start of the day, Australia added 62 runs for the loss of four wickets with Alex Carey unable to convert his start of 24 and Nathan Lyon making a bright cameo worth 31 off just 27 balls, including three sixes off Wood, before he was last man out with the hosts first-innings total on 303.England’s reply started in calamitous style when Rory Burns was run out for a duck, called through by opening partner Zak Crawley for a single that was very risky at best and found short of his ground by a direct hit from Labuschagne in the covers. Debate raged over whether the run was on and whether Burns had done enough to make it home after a slight hesitation two-thirds of the way down the pitch and failing to dive, but the outcome was beyond question.Crawley followed for 18 when he provided Cummins’ first wicket, well caught by Travis Head leaping high at short leg, and England were two wickets down by the dinner break.From there it became an all-too-familiar tale for England’s batters as they fell woefully short of the 300-mark needed to challenge Australia and which has eluded them all series. Each time a partnership looked like forming, it was prised apart by Australia’s bowlers.Joe Root and Dawid Malan put on 49 runs before both fell in quick succession during a passage of play which also claimed Ben Stokes as England lost three wickets for seven runs in the space of 21 deliveries.Pat Cummins claimed a four-wicket haul as England subsided•Getty ImagesMalan was fortunate, on 13, when Australia shunned a review after having a caught-behind appeal turned down off the bowling of Cameron Green, with replays suggesting an edge. But Malan was eventually out to a leg-side strangle off Cummins, who then trapped Root lbw, before Mitchell Starc had Stokes superbly caught by Lyon at point.Pope fell fishing unnecessarily outside off stump at a Boland delivery to send an edge through to wicketkeeper Carey, leaving it to Billings and Woakes to construct England’s second-highest stand of 42 for the seventh wicket.Green accounted for Billings, caught by Boland at long leg, and Woakes finally fell to Starc, having survived two dropped catches in the slip cordon and initially being given not out when the Australian fielders believed he’d been caught down the leg side. The hosts reviewed and the DRS revealed the tiniest hot spot as the ball passed the bat and Woakes was gone after a valuable knock in the context of England’s innings, as they quickly subsided to 188 all out. But England needed more from someone, anyone.It came from their seamers, with Broad and Woakes making early inroads before Wood snared the wicket of Usman Khawaja with a spicy bouncer which caught the glove as Khawaja took evasive action and sailed through to Billings.Olllie Robinson had come in further down England’s batting order than usual at No. 11, indicating that the back spasms which restricted him to bowling a solitary over across the last two sessions on Friday would keep him out of the attack during Australia’s second innings. But he did come on late in the evening session to relieve Woakes and bowled four overs.Billings said after play that the ball had become soft and the seam had flattened out early in Australia’s first innings, where Head starred with a century, by way of explaining England’s struggles to get much from it after the first 20 overs or so on the opening day. While the contrasting bowling performance on Saturday gave England something to aim for, their inability to make enough runs could well come back to bite them once more.