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Aston Villa waved goodbye to an excellent 2024 by picking up a 2-2 draw versus Brighton and Hove Albion, which would have been a welcome point to collect back on home soil after losing 3-0 to Newcastle United on the road.

It could well have been all three points if it wasn’t for Tariq Lamptey’s late intervention for the away side, but Unai Emery’s hosts had to make do with just that single point being added next to their Premier League ranking at full-time.

There were a number of players who struggled for the Villans across the full 90 minutes, away from some excellent performers who managed to stop the rot after a humbling defeat at St James’ Park.

Aston Villa's best & worst performers vs Brighton

Although Pau Torres only lasted 20 minutes before having to hobble off the pitch with an injury, he was arguably at fault for Brighton’s opener on the night, after a long ball forward from the Seagulls caught the Villa centre-back napping.

Ezri Konsa also didn’t do enough to thwart the Brighton man running forward before Simon Adingra then curled an effort past Emiliano Martinez for 1-0.

Thankfully for the ropey Villa defence, the likes of Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins shone in the contest to give the hosts a slender 2-1 lead, before Lamptey’s dramatic late equaliser was then smashed home.

Amazingly, Watkins would fluff his lines late on from a corner, as his effort right at the death ended up being blazed wildly over, despite his goal on the night being calmly converted from the penalty spot.

Alongside Watkins and Rogers, he would definitely have been pleased by the showing he got from one of their teammates who hasn’t always been given regular Premier League opportunities this campaign.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Leon Bailey's performance in numbers

Having set the top-flight alight last season with a stunning ten goals and nine assists, Leon Bailey has struggled to kick back into this same top form of late.

Indeed, the Jamaican attacker has zero strikes next to his name so far in 2023/24 and only two assists, but he was seriously trying on Monday night to recapture his mojo with a high-octane display.

Minutes played

77

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

56

Accurate passes

22/25 (88%)

Key passes

3

Shots on goal

7

Successful dribbles

9/10

Total duels won

13/16

Bailey was constantly on the front foot for the Villans across his 77 minutes on the pitch, with a ludicrous nine successful dribbles tallied up down the right wing, alongside also winning a whopping 13 duels as a nippy livewire.

There would have been some audible groans at his inability to finish off chances on the night, considering he saw six of his efforts on the night amazingly blocked, but Villa stood by Rogers earlier in the season when he was arguably wasteful and are now more than reaping their rewards.

Birmingham Live journalist John Townley praised Bailey’s energetic display after the game, with the Villa number 31 having ‘tried his best’ to get into ‘dangerous’ positions all night which saw a high 8/10 rating come his way.

With Jacob Ramsey now back in contention for more starts after an injury setback, Emery has plenty of options to call upon down the right flank, with Bailey also back on track in a Villa shirt and ready to start more games after a disappointing season to date could have seen his future questioned in January.

Now, he looks to have breathed life back into his stay in the West Midlands, as his side attempt to make 2025 another fantastic year despite some bumpy recent results.

Dream Duran replacement: Aston Villa target the "perfect striker" for £46m

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طالب مصطفى عبده لاعب الأهلي الأسبق، بضرورة رحيل مارسيل كولر المدير الفني للأحمر بعد توديع الأخير لمنافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام صن داونز.

وانتهت المباراة بين الأهلي وصن داونز بالتعادل 1-1، وذلك على أرضية استاد القاهرة في إياب نصف نهائي دروي أبطال إفريقيا.

وبهذه النتيجة فشل الأهلي في التأهل إلى نهائي الموسم الجاري من دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعد صعود صن داونز بمجموع المباراتين.

وقال مصطفى عبده في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر2”: “كولر قدم مباراة جيدة في جنوب إفريقيا، لكننا قلنا إذا لعب بنفس التشكيل في مصر فذلك لن يكون مناسبًا، ولا أعرف لماذا يعاند؟، ومن يعاند؟ إذا كنت ترغب في الرحيل، فليرحل (إحنا تعبنا)”.

وأكمل: “اليوم عاشت جماهير الأهلي في نكد، لا أعرف ما كان يفكر فيه، ولم يقرأ المباراة بشكل جيد، ولم يختار التشكيل الصحيح، ولم تكن التبديلات موفقة، ولا شيء كان صحيحًا، وأنا مختلف في جزئية أنه فاز بـ11 بطولة، الأهلي وفر له كل شيء وكل ما يخطر على بالك”.

وتابع: “خرج في المؤتمر الصحفي وقال إنه لم يخسر بل تعادل، هل هو في وعيه؟، وهناك مكسب كبير للاعبين إذا قرر كولر الرحيل اليوم، كان سينهي مسيرة العديد من اللاعبين، والقماشة التي لديك يمكن أن تُحقق بها أي شيء”.

طالع | حلمي طولان يدافع عن كولر: نهاية حزينة.. وهناك خلل في عنصر آخر

واستطرد: “كان من الواضح جدًا أن الأهلي سيخسر، ومن الجيد أننا لم نتعرض لخسارة ثقيلة بثلاثة أهداف، وكان يجب أن تحتسب لصن داونز ركلة جزاء 100%، ورأيي أن يرحل كولر، وأن يأتي مدرب جديد قبل كأس العالم للأندية”.

وأضاف: “عرفت أن الأهلي اتصل بمدرب وأبلغه أنه سيتم التواصل معه يوم السبت أو الأحد، لكنني لا أرغب في الإفصاح عن اسم المدرب”.

وأوضح: “الأهلي خسر أسهل بطولة في أصعب الظروف، وكان من الممكن أن تكون بطولة تاريخية، لكن كولر هو من فرط فيها بأيديه، وهو معروف بعناده، والأهلي وفر له كل الصلاحيات والإمكانات، وكان يجب أن يرحل بعد الخسارة ضد أورلاندو”.

واختتم: “كولر أنهى مسيرة لاعبين مثل ديانج، كيف يتم استبعاده؟، هذا مستحيل، لاعب مثل أفشة تشاركه في الدقيقة 92، وتخرج أفضل لاعب لديك وهو إمام عاشور، بينما أفشة في حالة صراع بينه وبين المدرب”.

Celtic have gone four matches without a defeat in the Champions League after they managed to pick up 0-0 draw with Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night.

The Hoops, who have only lost one of their six matches in the league phase so far, failed to create much of note in the game, though, and failed to get close to securing all three points.

Brendan Rodgers will now have his focus on Sunday’s trip to Hampden Park for the League Cup final clash with Rangers, as they look to win the first trophy of the season.

German forward Nicolas Kuhn could be key for the Hoops as the Northern Irish head coach appears to have unearthed the club’s new superstar with him.

Nicolas Kuhn's form this season

The former Rapid Vienna winger, who joined in the January transfer window earlier this year, has been in fantastic form as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Kuhn, who was dubbed “magical” by his boss in pre-season, has failed to provide a goal or an assist in his last four appearances for Celtic and will be hoping to get back involved in the goals against Rangers this weekend.

Prior to this quiet run, the German star had scored 11 goals and grabbed 11 assists in 18 appearances in all competitions for the Premiership champions, including four goals and four assists in three League Cup matches.

Rodgers appears to have got the best out of Kuhn after his initial return of three goals and three assists in 18 outings during the second half of last season.

His emergence as a star at Parkhead this season is, perhaps, best summed up by him being compared to one of the top wingers in Europe in the Champions League.

Nicolas Kuhn compared to £74m sensation

As per FBref, AC Milan sensation Rafa Leao has been one of the most similar players to Kuhn from a statistical perspective in the competition this term.

As you can see in the chart above, they are not like-for-like in style but both players look to drive forward with the ball at their feet, with progressive carries and take-on attempts.

They also both provide a creative threat from wide areas, with Leao cutting in on his right from the left with Milan and Kuhn cutting in on his left from the right with Celtic.

It was recently reported that Barcelona are interested in signing the Portugal international from Milan and that the Serie A giants could be willing to cash in on him for a fee of up to €90m (£74m), which illustrates how impressive the Celtic star’s performances in Europe have been.

Appearances

6

6

Key passes

7

11

Goals

2

2

Assists

1

1

Big chances created

1

4

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn has outperformed Leao in the Champions League so far this term, with as many goals, more key passes, and more ‘big chances’ created for his side.

That is not to say that Celtic should now be valuing the German attacker at more than £74m but it does show the kind of level he is performing at in Europe, as the left-footed maestro is earning comparisons to players of that ilk.

Rodgers has unearthed a new superstar at Parkhead and supporters will surely be hoping that they can enjoy his talents for many more seasons to come.

Celtic will regret losing incredible star who's now compared to Bellingham

The former Celtic starlet has been compared to Jude Bellingham since moving on from the club.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 9, 2024

Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid has seemingly come at a costly price, with Ibrahima Konate set to be out until 2025 alongside another absentee in a double blow for Arne Slot.

Liverpool injury news

Whilst some title rivals may be quick to mention Liverpool’s lack of injury struggles now that the quality of their opponents has become a worthless argument, the Reds are far from without their concerns. At various points in the current campaign, Slot has already been without Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott. Now, the Dutchman’s set to miss key man Konate for up to six weeks.

Now likely turning towards either the experienced Joe Gomez or the younger Jarell Quansah, Liverpool must hope to escape a hectic festive period unscathed and with their Premier League lead intact. But it’s not just that Frenchman that Slot will be without.

According to The Belfast Telegraph, Conor Bradley is also set to be sidelined for up to six weeks after suffering an injury in his excellent display against Kylian Mabppe and Real Madrid.

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A major relief for Arne Slot.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 1, 2024

The Northern Irishman acts as the perfect cover for Alexander-Arnold – as highlighted against Real Madrid – but could now miss the next nine Liverpool games. His injury creates quite the dilemma for Slot too.

In usual circumstances, Gomez would be the man to provide cover for Alexander-Arnold in Bradley’s absence, but he’s now needed to provide cover in central defence amid Konate’s injury and potentially even at left-back until Tsimikas returns from his own injury. So, just who would step in if Alexander-Arnold also suffered an ill-timed knock remains to be seen.

Games that "outstanding" Bradley could miss for Liverpool

Liverpool’s injuries have piled up at the busiest time of the year in the Premier League. During December, alone, the Reds are set to play eight more games after already squaring off against Manchester City. It’s a period in which squad depth is key and squad depth that Liverpool currently have sidelined rather than sitting on the Anfield bench this month.

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Premier League

A cup quarter-final and games against two of the Premier League’s top six, Liverpool will undoubtedly miss the backup that Bradley provides for Alexander-Arnold amid so many fixtures.

Praised for his “outstanding attitude” by former manager Jurgen Klopp last season, Bradley must now fight back to full fitness alongside Konate if he wants to play a large part in a crucial second-half in the Premier League campaign.

Everton’s five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League unwound sharply at St. Mary’s last weekend, Southampton claiming their first top-flight win of the season.

Do not be fooled: Sean Dyche’s outfit are not in a convincing position, lacking in balance and fluency. It’s a costly combination (or lack thereof) that threatens to keep the club mired at the pit of the table, geared for another season of scraping against the pull of the drop zone.

There are some significant fault lines stripped across Goodison Park’s senior squad, and though glimmers of hope have started to appear, slanting onto Merseyside like sunlight, many supporters will feel that more misery is lined up ahead – Sod’s Law, right?

But actually, there’s just cause for hope. Everton are going to be headed by The Friedkin Group in the not-too-distant future, and there are some talented first-teamers in the mix who could raise their game even higher with some impactful transfer moves across the coming markets.

But let’s look inward for a second. The Toffees also have some stars sat on the margins who will be gunning for a resurgence, and with the turning of the wheel, a new era could mark a new hope for players such as Dele Alli.

Why Dele Alli could make a comeback

Dele is a fallen star, but he was one of the brightest on the continent before he was struck by a saddening decline.

Tottenham Hotspur’s talent crackled into life in the Premier League, arriving from MK Dons in a deal worth about £5m in 2015. A bona fide prodigy, Dele marked his first three seasons in the top division with 97 goal contributions, bestowed with the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year award in both of his opening terms.

The England international has since been on a downward spiral, losing his way with Spurs before moving to Everton and fading into the shadows, struggling with personal issues.

Hope remains that Dele, who last featured for Everton in August 2022, before a disappointing loan spell in Turkey, can revive himself to a place on the Premier League pitch, with the 28-year-old currently fighting for fitness after his interminable troubles.

Should Dele succeed, he would be offered a short-term contract and a chance to fight for a place in Dyche’s outfit. It is understood that he is approaching a level in which he could feature for the U21s.

Dele was once considered among the finest prospects in football, proving his pedigree with stunning performances at the highest level. With TFG looking to change things at the club, Dele could find that he is in good condition to rise with the tide.

He’s not the only one, however, with several further Everton stars currently languishing away from the limelight. Football fans across the globe would love to see Dele return to form, but Armando Broja could also be in line for an exciting comeback after some testing years.

Why Everton signed Armando Broja

Broja joined the Blues cause this summer, arriving from Chelsea on a one-year loan deal that can be made permanent at the end of the campaign, with a £30m purchase option.

An exciting young striker, Broja rose through the ranks with Chelsea and has enjoyed several loan moves already, but has been pulled back throughout his maiden years as a pro due to injuries.

Last season, he could only play a peripheral role at Stamford Bridge under the wing of Mauricio Pochettino before moving to Fulham from January until the summer, where he failed to make his mark, neither starting nor scoring in the Premier League in the Premier League.

Armando Broja: 23/24 Statistical Breakdown
Statistics	Per 90	Percentile
Goals scored	0.17	Bottom 6%
Assists	0.17	Top 36%
Pass completion	84.3%	Top 1%
Progressive carries	2.16	Top 24%
Successful take-ons	2.49	Top 1%
Blocks	1.00	Top 16%
Stats via FBref

Lacking in output, sure, but Broja’s got some nifty underlying pointers that speak of his quality and the impact that he could have at Everton, where he has still not made his debut as he recovers from a knee injury, working toward regaining match fitness.

Described as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, the 6 foot 3 forward is technical and tenacious, with a muscular physique that demands authority in the final third.

The Albania international has what it takes to make a marked impact on Dyche’s team in 2025.

Everton’s recent purple patch has at least lifted them away from the sharpest danger, eliminating that lowermost rank in the Premier League and taking them above the dotted line and into 16th place, where they currently reside, four points above Ipswich Town in 18th.

There’s plenty to be desired up top. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness levels have strapped in for the ride and have held up thus far, with the England star starting each of Everton’s ten Premier League matches in 2024/25 – he has, however, struggled for fluency, with the defeat against Saints marking the sixth successive match without a goal or an assist.

Calvert-Lewin, 27, is an aerial focal point to be admired, but he’s lacking in dimensions and dynamism, ranking among the bottom 39% of Premier League strikers this season for shots taken, the bottom 8% for pass completion and the bottom 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

He’s also out of contract at the end of the term, and looking at his rather chunky £100k-per-week wages, it’s hard to imagine TFG renewing his deal, which will not likely be diminished financially.

Especially if Broja finds his feet and fitness. It’s his time to shine. A young buck with it all to prove, Everton’s fortunes might just be changing. It’s a brand new world, one that the likes of Broja and Dele could step into with a sanguine sense and fresh vigour, ready to lead the charge.

Everton hit gold selling £14m ace who's now worth less than 50% of the squad

Everton sold a player for a profit in 2019 who is now worth much less

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Ross Kilvington

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Sydney Thunder 1 for 140 (Hales 80*, Sangha 35*, Short 1-9) beat Hobart Hurricanes 6 for 139 (McDermott 38, McAndrew 2-31, Sandhu 2-32) by nine wickets Alex Hales continued his resurgence to lead red-hot Sydney Thunder to their sixth straight BBL win after crushing Hobart Hurricanes by nine wickets at an almost empty MCG.The opener smashed an unbeaten 80 off 56 balls in his second straight half-century as Thunder knocked off Hurricanes’ modest 6 for 139 with 16 balls to spare.Second-placed Thunder (30 points) closed the gap on league leaders Perth Scorchers (33 points) in a game played at a neutral venue as part of the tournament shifting to a Melbourne hub to combat the Covid-19 outbreak engulfing the BBL.Hales continues resurgenceThunder made a bright start to their chase with aggressive Matthew Gilkes putting Hurricanes’ strong pace bowling attack to the sword before falling for 19. After a slow start to the season, Hales returned to form last night against Melbourne Renegades with his first half-century of the season, and he was intent here on not doing anything rash.He resisted pressing for the bonus point as Thunder went through a boundary drought much like Hurricanes’ did in their innings. But Hales and stand-in skipper Jason Sangha didn’t panic as they chipped the ball around before making their move in the 13th over,Sangha smashed spinner Tim David down the ground for the first six of the innings and Hales then notched his half-century off 44 balls – the slowest 50 in his BBL career. But it was a mature knock from the Englishman who then put the foot down in trademark fashion as Thunder cruised to victory.The return to form of Hales, who holds the highest ever BBL individual score, is a major boost for Thunder who notched the longest winning streak in their history.Hurricanes’ quicks struggleHurricanes needed early wickets and speedster Riley Meredith almost obliged first delivery with a menacing swinging yorker trapping Gilkes but it was given not out.Their quicks had limited impact in the powerplay but Hurricanes clawed back into the game through spinners D’Arcy Short and Sandeep Lamichhane who dried the runs.Short lured Gilkes out of his crease for a stumping but Hurricanes couldn’t put enough pressure on Hales and Sangha. Hurricanes returned to their ace quicks Meredith and Tom Rogers in the hope for a late twist but to no avail as Hales relished the extra pace.Quite clearly, Hurricanes will need to return to the drawing board before Thursday’s rematch.Disciplined Thunder tie down HurricanesThunder’s impressive bowling attack have swept opponents during this hot streak but faced the biggest challenge in the BBL – halting Ben McDermott. Like most teams this season, they were under siege early but never lost their composure and hit back.Nathan McAndrew got the danger man out in the 10th over before McDermott really got going and Thunder’s accurate bowlers then gained a stranglehold in the middle overs. They couldn’t quite sustain it with Hurricanes providing a late rally but Thunder were satisfied with their efforts overall.Their quicks bowled a nagging length mixed with canny slower balls to frustrate Hurricanes. Pakistani quick Mohammad Hasnain set the tone with electric bowling during the powerplay although it was surprising he didn’t bowl his full quota to finish with 0 for 15 off 3 overs.Legspinner Tanveer Sangha helped tie down Hurricanes in the middle overs and claimed the wicket of stand-in skipper Peter Handscomb.Hurricanes over reliant on McDermottWith Hurricanes skipper Matthew Wade out indefinitely due to personal reasons, the burden has increased on McDermott who again unleashed belligerent strokes early.He pulled out the ramp shot to counter probing seamer McAndrew and then smashed Sangha for a huge six down the ground as he eyed another massive score.But McDermott became tied out and on 38 miscued a slower delivery from McAndrew to deep long-on leaving Hurricanes’ shaky middle-order exposed. Handscomb has been unable to find fluency all season and even a promotion to No.3 failed to the trick with a slow 21 runs off 25 balls.Hurricanes went seven overs without a boundary as the pressure fell again on big-hitter David, who broke the drought to start the power surge in the 17th over but holed out a few balls later. They’ve resisted moving David up the order but they might need to soon to spark a batting order too reliant on McDermott.Hurricanes at least finished strong with struggling Short, who was moved down to No.5, stroking three straight boundaries in the penultimate over but their total was not nearly enough.

Chairman leaves role after just over a year in office, Barry O’Brien steps up as interim

George Dobell07-Oct-2021

Ian Watmore has served ten months of a five-year term as chairman•ECB/Getty Images

Ian Watmore has stood down as chair of the ECB with immediate effect after just over a year in the role.Watmore, who experienced an almost equally brief period as chief executive of the FA just over a decade ago, is understood to have lost the confidence of the ECB board and the counties after a demanding couple of weeks which has seen England cancel their tour to Pakistan and a failure to agree a domestic schedule for the next couple of years.The 63-year-old, who has also recently stood down from the position of First Civil Service Commissioner, is understood to be retiring completely. Current ECB Deputy Chair, Barry O’Brien, will step up as interim Chair, but has indicated to the ECB board that he will not be a candidate for the role. Instead a process to find a successor will begin shortly.Watmore, the first chair to receive a salary for the role (£150,000 a year before expenses), could be forgiven for finding the job very different to the one he expected. His period in office, which officially started on September 1, 2020, has been defined by the battle to stage cricket in a time of Covid and has seen the ECB make relatively large-scale redundancies and suffer serious financial pressures. In a statement released by the ECB, Watmore alludes to some “wellbeing” concerns – he had a heart problem at the time he left the FA and is understood to have been wearied by the unrelenting pressure of his time at the ECB – and admits the demands of the job “taken have a personal toll” on him. It is understood that, when the issue of his future was raised, he was willing to move aside.While initially popular with the counties, who welcomed his gentle style of management after years of more robust characters such as Giles Clarke and Colin Graves, Watmore appears to have lost their confidence in recent weeks. It is understood that several counties contacted the ECB to express their concerns after a meeting of the county chairs at Lord’s last week in which he was described as somewhat confused. Several present at the meeting described it as “shambolic”. The ECB has also been stung by criticism of the decision to cancel the England tour to Pakistan which was made by the ECB board chaired by Watmore.Related

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But while Watmore’s tenure at the ECB is unlikely to be remembered as especially successful, he did have an impact at the ICC. He was a key figure in Manu Sawhney’s departure as the organisation’s CEO and gave crucial impetus in the push towards cricket embracing Olympic participation.It may be relevant, however, that the ICC part of his role demanded far more time than he had originally anticipated. And, at a time when the ECB seemed to lurch from crisis to embarrassment with only brief moments of respite between, he found himself worn, jaded and exhausted. Even his critics acknowledge he was a decent, well-meaning man who inherited an incredibly tough situation.It might also raise questions about the character required for the role. Watmore, a data-led individual who didn’t relish the spot light, was initially welcomed as a breath of fresh air after the eras of Graves and Clarke. But subsequent events might suggest their unquenchable self-belief and determination are pre-requisites for the job.”It is with regret that I step down as Chair of the ECB, but I do so in mindfulness of my own wellbeing and that of the game which I love,” Watmore said in a statement. “I was appointed to the post in a pre-pandemic era, but Covid has meant the role and its demands on time are dramatically different to all our original expectations, which has taken a personal toll on me. Given this, the Board and I feel the ECB will be better served by a new Chair to take it forward post pandemic. Leaving now, at the end of the season, gives the Board time to find a new Chair to support cricket through the challenges of the 2022 season and beyond.”On a personal level, I also retired last month after five years at the Civil Service Commission and recently became a grandfather. I would now like to retire completely from work and enjoy our great game as a spectator.”

The batter featured in five matches in the National T20 Cup which concluded on Wednesday

Umar Farooq14-Oct-2021Northern batter Zeeshan Malik has been provisionally suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) under the provisions of its anti-corruption code.Malik, 24, played five matches for Northern in the recently concluded National T20 Cup where he made 123 runs at an average of 24.60, finishing as his side’s sixth-highest run-getter during their campaign that ended with eventual winners Khyber Pakhtunkhwa knocking them out in the semi-finals.The PCB has opened an investigation against Malik pertaining to article 4.7.1 in its code that covers a wide range of offences, including corruption and breach of a criminal law.Though the PCB has refused to divulge the precise offence for which Malik is being investigated, the board has barred him from participating in any activity related to cricket while the probe is carried out.Malik shot to prominence after becoming Pakistan’s third-highest run-scorer at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, averaging 56.25 for his 225 runs. He hails from Chakwal in Rawalpindi division, made his debut in first-class cricket in 2016 for Rawalpindi, and has played five seasons since. His 2019-20 season for Northern saw him make 780 runs at an average of 52. His 467 List A runs in the 2018-19 season, including three hundreds, kept him in national contention.According to article 4.7.1 of PCB’s anti-corruption code, provisional suspension is effective where the PCB decides to charge an individual with a corruption offence or considers that there are other exceptional circumstances where law enforcement agencies arrest the individual under the criminal law. In cases where it considers that the integrity of the sport could otherwise be seriously undermined, the PCB holds the discretion to suspend a player pending the anti-corruption tribunal investigation of the said offence.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo está na segunda fase da Copinha. A confirmação da vaga veio na noite deste sábado, quando os Garotos do Ninho derrotaram o Floresta (CE) por 4 a 0 na Arena Barueri, pela segunda rodada da competição. Ryan Luka, Andr, Werton e Pedro Arthur fizeram os gols da vitória rubro-negra.

O Floresta volta a campo na próxima terça-feira, às 19h30, na Arena Barueri, para enfrentar o Forte (ES). Já classificados para a fase mata-mata, Flamengo e Oeste se enfrentamno mesmo local e data, às 21h45, para definir o líder do Grupo 29. Ambas as partidas são válidas pela terceira e última rodada da fase de grupos da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior.

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>Veja imagens da chegada de Paulo Sousa, o novo técnico do Flamengo, no Rio

PRESSÃO RUBRO-NEGRA

Assim como foi diante do Forte (ES), o técnico Fábio Matias mandou a campo uma equipe ofensiva, que foi para cima do Floresta logo no começo. Não por acaso, o Flamengo pressionava a equipe cearense, que só conseguiu chegar ao campo de ataque aos cinco minutos.

Desse modo, após tanto pressionar, os Garotos do Ninho conseguiram tirar o zero do marcador. Aos 12 minutos, Matheus França cruzou para Ryan Luka, que matou no peito e bateu firme para fazer o primeiro do Fla. O zagueiro Léo ainda teve a chance de fazer o corte, mas não conseguiu.

Diretamente do gramado da Arena Barueri, confira o gol dos #GarotosDoNinho #VamosFlamengo #FLAxFLO

⚽: @ryansouza099 pic.twitter.com/rK3Zbtijvj

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) January 8, 2022

NA RAÇA

Após o gol, o Flamengo não mudou a postura e continuou no campo de ataque em busca do segundo gol, o que aconteceu dez minutos depois. Matheus França enfiou para Marcos Paulo pelo lado esquerdo, mas Dudu chegou primeiro e começou a proteger a bola, que sairia em tiro de meta.

Entretanto, o lateral teve raça e conseguiu o cruzamento rasteiro de carrinho e sem cometer falta. Assim, a bola sobrou livre para André, que só teve o trabalho de fazer o segundo gol do Rubro-Negro na partida. Na comemoração, os Garotos do Ninho fizeram uma homenagem ao Dia do Fotógrafo. Veja como foi no vídeo abaixo:

Os Romantinhos 🌹do Mengão cravaram mais um com @Dezinn_11, que homenageou todos os fotógrafos do Brasil! 📸⚽🔴⚫ #GarotosDoNinho #VamosFlamengo #FLAxFLO pic.twitter.com/FiTn7dmLYG

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) January 8, 2022

FLA VOLTA LIGADO

O Flamengo retornou para o segundo tempo com a mesma intensidade e, logo aos três minutos, ampliou a vantagem. Ryan Luka invadiu a área pelo lado esquerdo e tocou atrás para Marcos Paulo, que finalizou de primeiro. Cauã deu rebote, e a bola sobrou para Werton fazer o terceiro do Flamengo.

Wertinnnn, tá aíiiiii! E sem freio! ⚽ #VamosFlamengo #GarotosDoNinho #FLAxFLO pic.twitter.com/e5KHDPeS3B

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) January 8, 2022

LEVOU PERIGO

Marcos Paulo, um dos principais nomes do Flamengo dentro de campo, quase fez um golaço do meio da rua. Após cobrança de escanteio na área, a zaga do Floresta fez o corte, mas a bola sobrou para o lateral-esquerdo. Mesmo de longe, o camisa 6 arriscou o chute, que levou perigo à meta de Cauã.

PARA FECHAR A GOLEADA

O Flamengo fechou a conta com Pedro Arthur, que entrou na etapa final. Os Garotos do Ninho puxaram contra-ataque após chegada do Floresta, e Mateusão foi acionado pela direita. O atacante, por sua vez, serviu o camisa 18, que limpou a marcação e, de fora da área, finalizou rasteiro e no canto para fazer o quarto gol rubro-negro.

Os quatro gols dos #GarotosDoNinho, diretamente do campo da Arena Barueri! #VamosFlamengo 🎥👏

⚽: @ryansouza099, @Dezinn_11, @wertonre e @PedroArthuur_11. pic.twitter.com/ZYVBiM0Diw

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) January 9, 2022

FICHA TÉCNICA
Floresta (CE) 0 x 4 Flamengo

Data e hora: 08/01/2022, às 19h
Local: Arena Barueri, em Barueri (SP)
Árbitro: Matheus Delgado Candançan
Assistentes: Alex Alexandrino e Robson Ferreira Oliveira

Cartões amarelos: Willian Wallace e Diogo (FLO) / Igor Jesus, Kayke David e Victor Hugo (FLA)
Cartões vermelhos: –
Gols: Ryan Luka (0-1) (12’/1ºT), André (0-2) (22’/1ºT), Werton (0-3) (03’/2ºT), Pedro Arthur (0-4) (38’/2ºT)

FLORESTA (Técnico: Daniel Rocha)
Cauã; Kayky Batista (Samuel, 11’/2ºT), Léo, Crisderlano e Davi Castro (Lázaro, 29’/2ºT); Dudu, Athyrson (Vitinho, 11’/2ºT) e Rodrigo (Diogo, 29’/2ºT); Adrielson, Iarley (Levi Ribeiro, 29’/2ºT) e Willian Wallace (Maicon Kauã, 41’/1ºT).

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Fábio Matias)
Bruno; Wesley (Breno, 17’/2ºT), Kayque Soares, Cleiton (Otávio, 17’/2ºT) e Marcos Paulo; Igor Jesus; Kayke David (Victor Hugo, 31’/2ºT), Matheus França e Werton (Pedro Arthur, 17’/2ºT); Ryan Luka (Mateusão, 26’/2ºT) e André (Petterson, 26’/2ºT).

John Obi Mikel took another dig at a misfiring Nicolas Jackson as he urged Chelsea to sign Victor Osimhen, Alexander Isak or Viktor Gyokeres.

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• Jackson hasn't scored in last four games
• Chelsea have dropped 10 points during this period
• Mikel wants top-tier striker

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jackson started the season with promise but has struggled to find the back of the net in the recent past. The forward has failed to score in Chelsea's last four games, a period where the team squandered crucial points and slipped further behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

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• Getty
  

  WHAT MIKEL SAID

  Mikel, a known critic of Jackson, addressed this issue during , stating that Chelsea's lack of clinical finishing is hindering their progress.

  "We are creating chances, we are still playing well, we are still doing the right things but we’re not clinical enough, we’re not scoring goals," Mikel said.

  "We’ve talked about getting another top, top striker who can win us these kind of games, difficult games where if Nicolas Jackson is not firing on all cylinders you can give him a rest and then get someone else to come into the team and try to win us games and score goals. We are not clinical enough, he is not scoring enough goals. He puts himself in the right positions but then he’s not finishing, he’s not scoring enough.

  "He’s not a striker who’s going to get us to the top four or win us the Premier League title. He’s not that striker. I don’t think he can get us over the line in terms of winning trophies. For me, he’s a player who can link up play, he’s good on the ball but he’s not scoring enough goals."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mikel emphasized that Chelsea need a top-tier striker to complement Jackson or even replace him when necessary. He went on to specifically name Victor Osimhen, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, and Newcastle's Alexander Isak as players who could significantly improve the team's offensive capabilities.

  "If we had Victor Osimhen or the guy from Sporting, Viktor Gyokeres, trust me, we’d still be competing for the Premier League," Mikel added. "Nicolas is not scoring enough, the finishing, he needs to find a way. For me it’s a bit of a worry because we’re not scoring enough.

  "Without Cole Palmer I don’t know where we would’ve been this season, definitely not where we are right now, he’s carrying the team on his shoulders, he’s creating chances, scoring goals, what more can he do? One goal in six [from Jackson] is not good enough. You talk about top, top strikers, look at Isak at Newcastle, he’s flying, that’s what we need."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA & JACKSON?

  Chelsea's relatively light January schedule provides a window of opportunity to recalibrate their approach. They face League Two side Morecambe in the FA Cup third round on January 11, followed by league matches at Stamford Bridge against Bournemouth and Wolves. These fixtures could allow Jackson to regain his confidence and fire on all cylinders until the business end of the season.