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Manchester United’s main priority during the summer transfer window was to bolster the club’s frontline – something which was achieved as seen by their £200m investment in such an area.

Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all made the move to Old Trafford, forming a new deadly trio for Ruben Amorim to work with during his tenure at the helm.

However, after completing such deals, the hierarchy turned their attention to a new number six to help bolster the strength and quality within the midfield department.

Carlos Baleba was identified as the Red Devils’ primary target during the summer, but they were unable to strike a deal, with Brighton & Hove Albion demanding over £100m for his signature.

No doubt, Amorim’s men will still hold a keen interest in his signature this January, but another Premier League option has since emerged on their radar over the last few weeks.

How Anderson compares to Man Utd’s CMs in 2025/26 so far

In an attempt to bolster the midfield ranks, United have been hugely touted with a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the upcoming January window.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s side have already made contact with Sean Dyche’s men over a deal for his signature this winter, but it could cost a fee in the region of £100m.

Such a deal would be a mammoth backing from the board, but how does the 23-year-old compare to current starters Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro?

Both the current Red Devils are experienced options, with both now over 30, but it hasn’t stopped Anderson from massively dominating the pair in such key areas.

The Englishman has topped 13 separate metrics in the Premier League this campaign, with many showcasing his talents with and without the ball at his feet.

He’s completed 113 passes into the final third, with his tally of 706 passes completed, the most of any player in the division – subsequently showcasing his fantastic ability in possession.

Without the ball, the youngster has also dominated, with such a skillset potentially putting an end to Casemiro’s career at Old Trafford at the end of the campaign.

Anderson has entered the most defensive duels of any player in the division, whilst also winning the most duels – potentially making him the perfect deep-lying option for Amorim’s side.

At just 23, the Forest star has all the tools to transform into an elite-level talent, but it remains to be seen if the hierarchy would be prepared to fork out £100m for his signature.

The United star who’s their homegrown version of Anderson

Given the rumoured price tag for Anderson’s signature, it shows the importance of being able to identify talent at a young age, or even produce your own versions from the academy setup.

United have no doubt shifted their recruitment focus over the last couple of months, as seen by their deals to land Diego Leon and Senne Lammens – with both talented youngsters with huge potential.

However, the academy ranks have also proven fruitful in recent years, as seen by the emergence of the Class of 92, with the graduates playing a huge role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure.

The likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have all operated at the heart of the side throughout their respective careers – helping the club win 13 separate Premier League titles.

The fans will no doubt be hoping that Anderson can add himself to such a list in the near future, but Amorim could save himself and the club millions by unleashing Kobbie Mainoo.

Like the aforementioned academy stars, the 20-year-old burst on the scene as a teenager, making an immediate impact and becoming a key member of the United squad.

His major breakthrough came in 2023/24, where the youngster racked up 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring on five separate occasions – many of which proved to be crucial efforts.

Mainoo scored a last-minute victory in a close clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst also scoring against bitter rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final triumph.

However, he’s been unable to reach such heights over the last 12 months, with current boss Amorim preferring the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte ahead of him.

Such a decision may come as a surprise to the fanbase, especially given his stats from last season, which saw him outperform Anderson in numerous key areas – that’s despite making just 25 league appearances.

Mainoo completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst also completing more of the crosses he attempted – leading to Alex Turk dubbing him a “future £100m+ footballer”.

Games played

25

37

Goals & assists

0

8

Pass accuracy

87%

82%

Crosses completed

29%

26%

Dribbles completed

1.3

1.1

Dispossessed

1.9

2.6

Dribbled past

0.8

2.1

Interceptions made

1.1

0.9

He also completed more of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also being dispossessed on fewer occasions, subsequently showcasing his incredible ability in possession.

However, without the ball, Mainoo was dribbled past on fewer occasions, along with more interceptions made – highlighting he’s able to beat the £100m star when given the chance.

It’s evident that Mainoo is still a player with bags of talent, but the manager desperately needs to swallow his pride and hand the 20-year-old the chance to stake his claim as a first-team regular.

He’s for so often had to settle for minutes off the substitutes’ bench, which has no doubt hindered his chances of continuing his progression and building on his incredible start to his career in 2023/24.

Upon his return from injury in the near future, the 40-year-old needs to hand the youngster the opportunity to have a consistent run as a regular starter to allow him to reach his full potential at the Theatre of Dreams.

Such a decision would save the club millions of pounds, with the academy graduate having the chance to lead the Red Devils to new heights in the years ahead.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

Manchester United have one player who has massively struggled to meet expectations at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

The Los Angeles Dodgers are alive.

The Dodgers responded to Tuesday’s close Game 3 loss at Petco Park, disappointing an enormous crowd that came out Wednesday to watch the San Diego Padres try to eliminate their division rivals. Los Angeles won 8–0 in a game that never felt close, never looking back after jumping out to a 5–0 lead in the third inning Wednesday.

With the NLDS now tied 2–2 and headed back to L.A. for a decisive Game 5 on Friday, here are several takeaways from Game 4 that might shape what happens next.

Who needs a starting pitcher?

Due to a litany of injuries, the Dodgers' starting rotation is a mess. Dave Roberts opted to go with a bullpen game and it worked like a charm. L.A.’s relievers gave the Padres fits all night. The different angles and velocities kept them off balance and an offense that had averaged seven runs in the first three games of the series was kept shockingly quiet.

Dodgers relievers combined to throw nine shutout innings and only allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out eight.

While Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the presumed starter for Game 5, Roberts might want to give serious consideration to going with another bullpen day instead after the Padres scored five runs off Yamamoto in his three innings of work in Game 1.

Padres offense goes lifeless

Despite a Petco Park record 47,773 Padres fans ready and willing to explode, their team didn't give them much to cheer about. The Padres fell behind early and wound up buried. Rather than fight back as it had so many times this season, San Diego's offense went quiet. In fact, it’s been held scoreless for 15 consecutive innings dating back to a six-run second inning in Game 3.

“We just need to get a better approach at the plate,” right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. told reporters after the game. “They executed their pitches today. [We] just need better at-bats as a group.”

The top six hitters in San Diego's lineup only mustered one extra-base hit on Wednesday, a ground-rule double by Tatis in the third inning. That section of the lineup went 4-for-23 (.174 batting average) with three singles, a double and a walk, with Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill both going 0-for-4 after providing crucial hits earlier in the series.

It was a brutal showing from an offense that had scored at least four runs in each of San Diego’s first six postseason games. And it kept that record crowd seated for most of the night.

Mookie's slump is over

Mookie Betts hammered a first-inning home run for the second consecutive game—and almost a third if not for Jurickson Profar's spectacular catch in Game 2. Betts was 0-for-6 in the first two games of the series, continuing a brutal playoff slump that stretched back to a hitless postseason in 2023.

Over the past two games, Betts has turned it around, going 4-for-9 with two home runs and three RBIs. If he's hitting, the Dodgers' lineup becomes exponentially more difficult for the Padres to deal with.

After Dylan Cease induced a weak groundout from Shohei Ohtani to open the game, Betts hammered a 98 mph fastball over the center field wall. The solo shot energized the Dodgers and silenced the crowd. San Diego—the town and the team—never really got back into it.

Dodgers’ depth shines through

Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched shortly before first pitch with a nagging ankle injury and shortstop Miguel Rojas also missed Game 4 with an abductor injury that forced him out of Game 3 early. No matter, as the Dodgers moved Tommy Edman to short and Max Muncy to first base while inserting Chris Taylor (center field) and Kiké Hernández (third base) off the bench. They repeatedly flipped Taylor and Hernández, showing off their versatility, and Taylor wound up in left field to finish the game after Andy Pages came into center field as a defensive replacement.

While they’d miss Freeman's bat for Game 5 if he’s still unavailable, the Dodgers didn't need him or Rojas on Wednesday. The fielding configuration worked just fine, with Hernandez and Taylor filling in admirably. Hernández also added two singles and scored once in four at-bats (though Taylor was less helpful on offense, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts).

The Dodgers spent more than $1.2 billion this offseason to load up their roster with superstars, but with their season on the line, several longtime complementary pieces helped hold down the fort in their biggest win of the year.

Glamorgan competed a comprehensive victory over Kent to keep pressure on the qualification spots in the South Group of the Vitality Blast.On a home return to Sophia Gardens in their T20 campaign, Glamorgan chased 119 with more than eight overs to spare in an explosive innings after a dominant bowling display.Andy Gorvin returned career best figures of 4 for 17 along with Ned Leonard taking 4 for 26 to make it nine wickets in his last two matches. Only Jack Leaning put up some resistance with 45 from 40 balls to help lift Kent from 27 for 3 after six overs.Kiran Carlson top-scored for Glamorgan with a quickfire 34 balls as a series of cameos secured a comfortable six-wicket victory.Glamorgan gave the Spitfires first use of the green-topped surface and instantly reaped the rewards of doing so in terms of economy, initially, before Imad Wasim began a clatter of wickets in the third over.With Daniel Bell-Drummond dismissed early, Kent’s top scorer in the Vitality Blast, Tawanda Muyeye, falling in the next over didn’t help Kent at 9 for 2, mistiming a drive to give Leonard a first-ball wicket, caught at deep-third.The struggles in timing and finding the pace of the pitch continued throughout the Kent innings, finding themselves three down in the powerplay with Harry Finch unable to continue his form from a half-century last time out, missing an attempted ramp.With no intention of dying wondering, the Spitfires continued to up their sluggish run-rate on a two-paced wicket. Two internationals in the form of Joe Denly and captain Sam Billings attempted to rebuild until Gorvin dismissed the pair in the same over.Kent slipped from 37 for 3 to 43 for 5 after nine overs. Gorvin was exceptionally difficult to get away with his varied medium pace. Billings was bowled first, slog-sweeping, before Denly played around a nip-backer.Leaning’s blows towards the back end, particularly off Dan Douthwaite, produced his best knock of the campaign and helped Kent to a respectable total. The 31-year-old found two sixes in the final over from Jamie McIlroy, who had dropped him off his own bowling earlier in the innings on 13. Leaning successfully farmed the strike from his No. 11 partner Matt Parkinson, after the lower-order continued to come and go.Glamorgan came out firing as Carlson so often does, leading from the front alongside Will Smale. Twelve from the first over quickly had the hosts realising that this chase could be a matter of net run rate importance rather than the risk of a win-lose situation.Smale’s ramp for six off overseas Tom Rogers’ first ball helped Glamorgan to take 46 from his three overs with a flurry of shots along the way.With Glamorgan having no issue with finding their timing, the relentless striking continued – though a few mistimed shots found fortunate results. Not all fell safe with Smale first to go, bringing the inexperienced Alex Horton to free himself for a quick 20 which included four consecutive boundaries off Rogers.Carlson’s 34 in no time ended, similarly to Smale, trying one shot too but with the game all but done following a 70 for 1 powerplay.Horton’s cameo ended pulling Nathan Gilchrist to deep square leg which brought Ben Kellaway and Colin Ingram together. Ingram punished Parkinson for two sixes in the same over before being dismissed with two to win, the batters enjoying their short stays.Asa Tribe came in to find the winning runs after his return from the Netherlands, where he played for Jersey just 24 hours prior. The potentially important figure in the successful chase being the 11.4 overs it took to complete the task.

West Ham United and manager Nuno Espírito Santo are being handed the chance to solve their Niclas Füllkrug problem, as an agent pushes one of his attacking clients towards the London Stadium.

West Ham dealt Fullkrug injury blow as striker problems worsen

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that Fullkrug has suffered a thigh injury when asked why the striker wasn’t called up to face Luxembourg and Wales.

Kicker have since reported that the 32-year-old faces “several weeks” on the sidelines as a result, dealing a major blow to Nuno, who now has just Callum Wilson and youngster Callum Marshall to call upon over the next few games.

Estimated games Niclas Füllkrug could miss for West Ham

Date

Brentford (home)

October 20

Leeds United (away)

October 24

Newcastle United (home)

November 2

Burnley (home)

November 8

West Ham will now have to rely on the inexperience of Marshall or pray that Wilson maintains his own fitness, with the latter also very prone to injury himself.

Fullkrug’s latest injury heaps pressure on West Ham’s creative players, like Lucas Paqueta, Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen, to compensate for the absence of a focal point up front.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man was forced to sit out 28 games for West Ham and Germany combined last season as a result of achilles tendon problems and a hamstring injury.

Questions have understandably been asked about the club’s decision to fork out £27 million for an injury-prone striker past his prime, with Nuno and West Ham’s recruitment team now tasked to pick up the pieces.

West Ham’s main objective for the winter window is to sign a striker, according to reports, and this will come as music to the ears of Hammers supporters as their side are tipped to battle against relegation.

January could be vital when it comes to rescuing Nuno from his centre-forward conundrum. Man United striker Josh Zirkzee is already being linked with a move to West Ham, as the East Londoners scramble to assess realistic moves for available number nines mid-season.

There is also the free agent market to consider as an emergency solution, with ex-Watford and Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis apparently emerging as an option.

Agent pushing Emmanuel Dennis towards West Ham

The 27-year-old terminated his Forest deal by mutual consent in August and has been readily available for hire ever since, with The Athletic reporting all the way back in 2022 that West Ham held talks over signing Dennis for ex-boss David Moyes.

Now, as per Hammers News, the Nigerian is being offered out to West Ham again.

It is believed that an agent is actively pushing Dennis towards West Ham, but as things stand, the club aren’t really biting.

Despite a stellar 21/22 at Watford, where he bagged 10 goals and six assists in 33 Premier League appearances, the Nigerian really hasn’t done much since then.

He actually plied his trade at Forest and during Nuno’s tenure, but scored just two league goals in his debut season before being shipped out on loan to Istanbul Basaksehir, Watford and Blackburn Rovers until he was released.

Once called a “beast” by members of the media, Dennis hasn’t made a significant impact for quite some time, and signing the attacker hardly seems like an adept solution to West Ham’s striker crisis, even if it would be at zero cost.

He did enjoy a brief purple during his second spell at Watford, with former interim boss Tom Cleverley hailing Dennis’ “explosive” style after he scored three times in five starts back at Vicarage Road in 2024, but he managed just one goal thereafter.

Big Picture: Will LSG spoil RCB’s party?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) need not have watched the game between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday with a calculator in hand to see what kind of margin they need for Tuesday to finish in the top two for a straight shot into the IPL 2025 final. No matter what the result on Monday night, RCB just need to win their last league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to reach 19 points that will guarantee them a place in qualifier 1, whether they finish on top or second.If LSG win on Tuesday, though, RCB will finish third and play in the eliminator, like they did last year and bowed out of the tournament after a loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR).Related

• PBKS 'haven't achieved anything yet' – Ponting keeps it real

• Hazlewood returns to bolster RCB ahead of playoffs

• Moody, Kumble want RCB to shake off loss and not second-guess themselves

• RCB need their share of luck now to find lost momentum

• Injury scare for Tim David ahead of playoffs

What might scare RCB a little is that the teams eliminated from the playoffs race have been beating the teams that have made it to the playoffs over the last four days. It was LSG who started that trend by taking down the table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) with a match-winning century from Mitchell Marsh. Nicholas Pooran’s return to runs after a slump in between also bodes well for LSG, and so does the bowling of 6’4” fast bowler Will O’Rourke, who has bagged four wickets in his two showings so far, after he came on as a replacement for the injured Mayank Yadav.The day after LSG’s last game, RCB had their four-match winning streak broken by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Even though one loss doesn’t make or break a team’s confidence, RCB suffered a blow in that clash when their middle-order basher Tim David hurt himself while fielding in the deep, and is unlikely for Tuesday.RCB will, however, be boosted by the return of their ace fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who stayed back in Australia for his shoulder rehab when the IPL had resumed, and has joined the team ahead of the last league game.

Form guide

Royal Challengers Bengaluru LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Lucknow Super Giants: WLLLL

In the spotlight: Josh Hazlewood and Rishabh Pant

There are not many overseas bowlers who have taken IPL 2025 by storm, but Josh Hazlewood is among the small bunch. His metronomic bowling style married with the T20 weapons of hard lengths, pace variations and yorkers make him one of the most feared fast bowlers in the competition. He is a potent weapon in both the powerplay and the death overs, and RCB will look to bank heavily on him, on both Tuesday and in the playoffs, before he heads to London for the WTC final.0:58

Moody: RCB need to move on from this loss quickly

Rishabh Pant is having his worst IPL season, be it in terms of runs, strike rate or average. In his last game, however, Pant gave glimpses of Pant of the old when he hit two sixes with his usual physics-defying positions he gets into by the time he finishes his shots. It could be because LSG had been eliminated from the playoffs, and we saw a carefree Pant with a nothing-to-lose attitude. LSG will hope he bats more like that on Tuesday, and he will hope he gets some more runs before flying out to London for the Test series as vice-captain.

Team news and likely XIIs

RCB will be forced to make a couple of changes. Hazlewood’s return to the XI will be in place of Lungi Ngidi, who misses the last league game to fly back home for WTC final preparations with his national side.The big miss will be David, who had scored 42 runs off 20 deliveries he faced in their last two games. RCB may not have a like-for-like replacement for him if he’s unavailable, but they do have Liam Livingstone and Tim Seifert who was brought in as replacement for Jacob Bethell for the remainder of the tournament, just like they have Blessing Muzarabani for Ngidi. Both Seifert and Muzarabani have joined the squad. Their captain Rajat Patidar was only fit to bat in the last game, and he could continue to be their Impact Player if he has still not recovered to field.Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Mayank Agarwal, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash SharmaThe main change LSG could make is bringing back Digvesh Rathi, who missed the last game because of his one-match suspension. If their opener Aiden Markram has returned home to prepare for the WTC final, LSG will need a new opener. Will Pant move up the order again? They may also want to give chances to more players on the bench such as batter Matthew Breetzke, wicketkeeper-batter Aryan Juyal, batting allrounder Yuvraj Chaudhary, bowling allrounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar and batting allrounder Arshin Kulkarni who still haven’t played a game this season, and Himmat Singh hasn’t batted even once despite getting two matches this season.Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Matthew Breetzke/Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Himmat Singh, 8 Digvesh Rathi, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Will O’Rourke, 12 Akash Singh

The big question

Pitch and conditions

It’s going to be a mixed-soil pitch for Lucknow’s last game of the season, made up of red and black soil. That’s usually a batting-friendly track. The last game played on that strip was between LSG and CSK when the hosts were restricted to 166 and MS Dhoni had taken CSK home. It’s expected to be extremely hot in Lucknow on Tuesday, with temperatures going over 36 degrees Celsius, and a good amount of humidity too to make it more sultry. There is no rain in the forecast.

Stats and trivia

• RCB will have to find a way to stop LSG’s overseas batters from hitting sixes: Marsh has struck the second-most sixes in the powerplay so far whereas Pooran has the most in the middle overs
• Will RCB be brave enough to bowl Krunal Pandya to Pooran? Because Pooran also holds the record of most sixes against spin in this IPL, at 25, with 15 being the second-best. Pooran has hardly faced Krunal so far, having scored 25 off his 15 balls so far in the IPL without being dismissed yet
• RCB could become the first time in the history of the IPL to win all their seven away games, if they bag another W on Tuesday
• Virat Kohli is 24 away from 9000 runs for RCB overall, in the IPL and Champions League T20 combined

MatériaMais Notícias

A briga judicial entre Palmeiras e WTorre ganhou mais um capítulo nesta semana. Dessa vez a Justiça deu 15 dias para que a construtora mostre que tem recursos para pagar a dívida de R$ 128 milhões cobrada pelo clube por repasses de receitas do Allianz Parque não pagos desde 2015. A ordem judicial não é para o pagamento imediato, já que tal decisão será tomada em outra oportunidade. A informação foi divulga pelo GE e confirmada pelo Lance!.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoAdvogados de flamenguista preso por morte de palmeirense reafirmam que cliente não arremessou garrafaFora de Campo12/07/2023Futebol NacionalConfira o novo nome da área dedicada ao seu time no Lance!Futebol Nacional12/07/2023PalmeirasCinco motivos para acreditar que o Palmeiras pode eliminar o São Paulo da Copa do BrasilPalmeiras12/07/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

O objetivo dessa comprovação é que, caso o Tribunal tome a decisão final favorável ao Verdão, a Real Arenas demonstre ter condições de arcar com os valores da dívida. O prazo dado para a gestora do Allianz Parque teve início na terça-feira (11), quando saiu a deliberação da juíza responsável pelo caso.

Em contato com a reportagem do Lance!, a WTorre optou por não se pronunciar sobre o tema. A empresa não nega a dívida com o clube, mas contesta os valores colocados no processo. Além disso, tem o entendimento que o assunto deveria ser tratado na arbitragem, onde estão outras discussões no Tribunal escolhido pelas partes.

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Já o Palmeiras, afirmou que “segue determinado a receber o pagamento integral da dívida, que é incontroversa e confessada pela própria Real Arenas por meio de relatórios mensais”.

O clube entende que os valores já mudaram desde que o processo foi iniciado há alguns meses. O valor que era de R$ 128 milhões, já é estimado em mais de R$ 136 milhões. No mês passado, a própria juíza que deliberou a nova determinação no caso, havia suspendido a ordem que dava um prazo para a empresa pagar a dívida, sob o risco de penhora de bens.

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+ Justiça suspende ação de execução que o Palmeiras moveu contra a WTorre

Segundo o contrato selado entre o Verdão e a WTorre, o clube tem direito a receber percentuais que crescem gradativamente ano a ano do acordo de exploração do estádio. Ou seja, parte das receitas referentes a exploração de áreas da arena, camarotes, realização de shows, locação de cadeiras e até naming rights devem ser direcionadas aos cofres do Alviverde, algo que não tem acontecido.

A última vez que a WTorre fez o repasse desses valores foi em junho de 2015, há quase oito anos. Foram apenas sete meses em que o acordo foi cumprido: novembro e dezembro de 2014, e entre janeiro e junho de 2015, com exceção do mês de maio. De lá para cá, o Palmeiras nunca mais viu os valores.

O acordo entre as partes é válido por 30 anos, ou seja, termina em novembro de 2044, quando o clube terá 100% das receitas do estádio.

There’s a very strong argument that Luis Suarez is the best striker of his generation. Above Robert Lewandowski, above Karim Benzema and above the rest of the chasing pack. From his Liverpool days, which very nearly featured the club’s first Premier League title at the time, to forming MSN next to Neymar and Lionel Messi, the South American never dipped below world-class throughout a long prime.

Even now at Inter Miami, Suarez is still showing his quality as he approaches his 40s. He’s simply one of those players who, no matter their natural physical decline, were always likely to fall back on an unbelievable technical ability.

What validates Suarez’s place as one of the best of his generation the most, however, is the praise of so many legends that came before him. Among those to be left in awe of his ability, former teammate and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard said it best: “Luis seems to be cleaning up at the moment.

“He’s won everything and we are lucky to have such a world-class talent like Luis playing here with us and helping us to great things and be successful.

“He is out there by a big distance as the best player I have played with and that is no disrespect to anyone else – there has been some top talent for club and country – but this fella can do the lot.

“He is different to most footballers. There is some disappointment looming around but if this fella stays around for a few more years I think there will be some really big nights.”

Gerrard’s praise would have been music to Suarez’s ears at the time and even after he joined Barcelona, the South American didn’t forget the impact that Liverpool had on his career.

Suarez: Rodgers educated me before Barcelona move

Reflecting on his time at Anfield after grabbing further headlines in Spain, Suarez wasted no time before handing plenty of credit to Brendan Rodgers for the impact that he had on his career.

Rodgers and Suarez very nearly achieved what many thought was the unthinkable at Liverpool in 2014 before the Reds slipped to defeat in the Premier League title race. Alas, even in the face of defeat, it’s clear that both the manager and the forward got the best out of each other.

Matthew Kuhnemann insists he’s put interrogation of his action firmly behind him as he targets a Test tour of the West Indies mid-year.The left-arm spinner was cleared to continue bowling by the ICC in late February after being reported for a suspect action following Australia’s away triumph over Sri Lanka.Kuhnemann was temporarily suspended from bowling and had a 10-day wait for results after being put through testing by cricket’s governing body.Related

• Kuhnemann cleared of suspect bowling action by ICC

The 28-year-old, who spoke to media on Friday for the first time since the incident, said he was always confident his action would be given the green light. So much so, he used the 10 days to spend some time on the Gold Coast.”It was actually great to have a bit of downtime with my family,” he said. “[The wait] wasn’t as nerve wracking as people may have thought.”When it first happened there was definitely some shock [and] I was very grateful for the support Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania provided.”[But I’ve played] over 100 professional games and had never been questioned … I was always confident that I would be fine.”I’ve had a couple of weeks to sit back and reflect on everything now and move on.”Had tests deemed Kuhnemann extended his elbow by more than 15 degrees, he would have been banned from bowling until he could prove he had remedied the situation.Kuhnemann was Australia’s highest wicket taker in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka with 16 scalps at an average of 17.18. He played through pain after breaking his right thumb in the Big Bash League in January.Kuhnemann said the ICC tests, thumb injury and battles securing a spot for previous state side Queensland had built his resilience.”It is the life of a professional sportsman these days, people might doubt you and whatnot but it’s how you take the doubt and turn it into a positive,” he said. “I’ve never been more confident in my ability as a cricketer.”Over in Sri Lanka that was probably the best time of my career, the ball was coming out beautifully.”Kuhnemann will be hoping to help last-placed Tasmania to a win when they host New South Wales in a day-night fixture in the final Sheffield Shield round starting Saturday.The next goal is a potential stint in England with Durham and a trip to the Caribbean with Australia, who play West Indies in a three-Test series beginning June.”I’ve never been to the West Indies … but it can take some spin,” Kuhnemann said. “If the opportunity comes, I’d love to go over there and play.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo-PB demonstrou uma nova postura no primeiro jogo da Série C do Brasileiro. Para o meia Marco Antonio, o grupo comprou a ideia de jogo imposta pelo técnico Felipe Surian e teve intensidade na construção do placar no primeiro tempo, marcando duas vezes, e que resultou na vitória por 2 a 1 contra o Operário-PR na noite de quinta-feira, no estádio Almeidão, pela estreia na Série C do Brasileiro.

Marco Antonio foi titular na partida e atuou durante os 90 minutos. O jogador também teve participação no lance que originou uma cobrança de escanteio e saiu o primeiro gol do jogo diante da equipe do Paraná.

– Estamos muito contentes com a nossa vitória e também pelo desempenho atingido. Principalmente na intensidade que tivemos no primeiro tempo. Foi alta o tempo todo e conseguimos construir o placar. Sabíamos que seria de grande importância começar vendendo e conseguimos. Fico muito feliz de estar conseguindo ajudar o time dentro de campo. Isso se passa pela confiança depositada pelo professor. Desde que ele chegou vem implementando o seu método de jogo e nos mostrando como tem que ser feito. Nós jogadores compramos a ideia e tem dado certo – disse Marco Antonio.

Sem tempo para descansar, o Botafogo-PB já embarca nesta sexta-feira para Belém, no Pará. No próximo domingo, no Baenão, o Belo enfrenta o Remo, que vem de derrota no primeiro jogo da Série C para o São Bernardo fora de casa.

– O jogo contra o Remo será muito difícil. Eles têm uma equipe muito qualificada e um fator casa muito forte. Sei bem como é e conheço bem o local de jogo. Mas tenho certeza que estamos bem preparados para fazer uma grande partida e voltar com os três pontos – concluiu o meia, que atuou pelo Remo no ano passado.

Jacob Bethell continued his serene start to life in an England shirt by hitting the winning runs in Christchurch

Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Dec-2024Hitting the winning run in a Test match that takes you to a half-century on debut. Walking off alongside England’s all-time leading run-scorer, Joe Root. Sunday was just another of a series of bucket-list moments for Jacob Bethell.Since September, the 21-year-old has enjoyed life in England’s priority lane, ticking off T20I and ODI caps against Australia and West Indies, registering three white-ball half-centuries against the latter. This first against the red was right out of his limited-overs playbook, taking just 37 deliveries, as the tourists chased 104 inside 13 overs to beat New Zealand by eight wickets in Christchurch. They take a 1-0 lead to Wellington.”[It was] a hell of a lot of fun yeah,” Bethell said. “And to walk off with Rooty [who made 23 off 15] at the end there was pretty special.”To come out in the second innings and have a chance to walk off with an England win was at the forefront of my mind and luckily I was able to do that.”Related

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The second-innings speed run was in keeping with how England attack smaller targets. Barring a thick inside edge to get him off the mark, the other eight boundaries were real statements shots. Especially a pull for six on to the grass banks of the Hagley Oval off fellow debutant Nathan Smith.Smith did not take kindly to Bethell’s onslaught, having copped four boundaries off the left-hander in his first over, and went to bouncers. Bethell, however, is no stranger to short-pitched bowling. He was reared on it as a kid born in Barbados and later raised the UK – a scholarship to Rugby School brought him over aged 12 – as a regular target of the intimidatory tactics of bigger kids.”I was very small growing up so I didn’t really get a lot in my half up until I was about 16 or 17 when I got a bit bigger,” he said. “I never had as much power on it but I could still play it well. And now it’s just a decision on whether to hit it on the ground or hit it for six.”Such confidence, delivered with a mixed Bajan and Brummie accent that has a distinctly Welsh feel – which almost makes sense as the crow flies – is why England had no qualms placing him at No. 3. Even his first innings was met with something of a shrug.Conditions were tough, New Zealand’s seamers up and at them. Bethell backed himself, but managed just 10 from 34 balls – only getting off the mark with his 13th, still on one after 26 – before Smith snicked him off. Root’s dismissal then had England reeling on 45 for 3 at lunch on day two.”That’s part of the game, isn’t it?” Bethell said, like he’d been here before. “I saw it [as] if I got through to lunch, it looked like a different pitch after lunch. It does help when you’ve got Harry Brook batting, he makes it look quite easy.

“Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it”

“I think it could have been a different story, I battled hard and unluckily didn’t make it through to lunch but another day you get through and go on to make a big one.”Ben Stokes singled out those 34 deliveries after the match rather than the half-century, clearly buoyed by the way someone so young owned his space during those first 49 minutes as a Test batter. “If he sticks to having that attitude, that swagger about him, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be alright,” Stokes said.Bethell’s selection for the tour outright was a huge show of faith, picked as the spare batter despite a first class average of 25.44 from 30 innings – none of which had come higher than No. 5. Not that he was worried.”Pretty much every time I’ve played against better people, I’ve played better,” he said. “Step up to the Hundred, played better. Straight into internationals, played better. I didn’t really have a doubt in my mind that coming into Test cricket that I’d have done well.”The strut, the talk, the arrogance, reinforced by what was only his sixth first-class fifty, could see Bethell retain this new spot for the series. It would require Ollie Pope to keep the gloves and stay at No. 6, meaning Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson, who arrived on Saturday as Jordan Cox’s injury replacement, waiting his turn.England still regard Pope as their No. 3, and the man himself spoke forcefully that he still wants to make the position his own after his innings-saving 77 on day two. It is clear Pope wants that spot back for series against India and Australia next year.Bethell, however, is hopeful he gets a chance to show he can thrive up top, something he wants to do at Warwickshire but has not yet been able to make a solid case for.”I like batting up the order so, yeah, I was really happy that opportunity arose,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to bat in the top four so three is perfect.Bethell his eight fours and a six in his maiden Test fifty•AFP/Getty Images”I think my game is fit to play any style. On Sunday we saw a bit more of an attacking style. I can also absorb a bit of pressure, so I’m sure at times in my career there will be times to do that as well.”As a multi-format batter already, inevitably there will come a time when Bethell is pulled a few different ways. It may already be happening.Following the conclusion of this Test series, he will head to Australia to fulfill his overseas commitments with Melbourne Renegades. And just last week, he was one of 12 English players picked up in the IPL mega auction, earning a maiden gig with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a tidy sum of £245,000. It will also see him miss the first seven rounds of Warwickshire’s County Championship campaign.He will join England team-mates Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone at RCB. No surprises, though, for guessing who he is most looking forward to rubbing shoulders with.”It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it?” Bethell said, with a wry smile. “Virat! He’s a great of the game so… King Kohli.”Like all young players at the premier franchise competition, he wants to be a sponge. “Any kind of overseas player that’s gone over there has come back with a wealth of experience.”But this first taste of the longest format has him craving more. With an Ashes tour on the horizon – England’s successful 2010-11 tour was his formative series – this format, and this team, are where he wants to truly establish himself.”It’s everything I’ve dreamed of to be honest,” Bethell said of Test cricket. “Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.”And then since Baz [Brendon McCullum] took over with Stokesy, I’ve always watched it on TV and gone ‘how fun that does that look’ and it lived up to expectation. It was so fun.”