يستضيف فريق ليفربول خصمه فريق ساوثهامبتون، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، وذلك في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية، كاراباو، موسم 2024/25.
تأتي تلك المباراة في خضم منافسات دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية لذلك الموسم، على ملعب “الأنفيلد”.
ولن يشارك النجم المصري محمد صلاح في مباراة الغد بين ليفربول وساوثهامبتون، حسبما أعلن المدرب آرني سلوت قبل يومين (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).
ويسعى ليفربول إلى تحقيق الفوز من أجل مواصلة درب الانتصارات الذي استمر 6 مباريات على التوالي في مختلف المسابقات، من ضمنهم 5 لقاءات في الدوري الإنجليزي. تشكيل ليفربول المتوقع أمام ساوثهامبتون اليوم في كأس كاراباو
حراسة المرمى: مامارداشفيلي.
خط الدفاع: جيريمي فريمبونج، جيوفاني ليوني، جو جوميز، آندي روبرتسون.
خط الوسط: نيوني، واتارو إندو.
خط الوسط الهجومي: ريو نجوموها، كورتيس جونز، فيديريكو كييزا.
خط الهجوم: ألكسندر إيزاك.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
It’s been a frustrating transfer window for Newcastle United so far.
The Magpies have signed Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for £55m, but have missed out on countless other targets.
Now though, could Eddie Howe be about to land his second addition of a key summer, as he prepares to lead his side back into the Champions League?
Newcastle's search for a new attacker
As outlined by Luke Edwards of the Telegraph, this transfer window has been a complete ‘nightmare’ for Newcastle United so far.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike
With James Trafford seemingly set to return to Manchester City, this would be the seventh transfer target the Magpies have missed out on already, after failed attempts to bring Liam Delap, João Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Dean Huijsen to Tyneside.
The most high-profile pursuit was of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké, with David Ornstein of the Athletic reporting that the two clubs had agreed a £65m fee for the forward, but the Frenchman is now poised to join Liverpool instead.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Thus, as they continue their search for a new attacker, Ben Jacobs of Give Me Sport is reporting that Newcastle have had a £25m bid rejected for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, although they are “optimistic” a deal can be finalised for around £30m, with the player “open” to the move.
Elsewhere, Sam Dean of the Telegraph notes that the DR Congo international has left the Bees’ pre-season training camp in Portugal, suggesting he will soon be on the move, continuing the mass exodus from West London, following Thomas Frank, Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard and Mark Flekken out the exit door.
Wissa has previously netted three times against Newcastle, two of which came last season, but could he soon be turning out at St James’ Park bedecked in black and white stripes?
How Yoane Wissa would improve Newcastle
Since joining Brentford from Lorient in the summer of 2021, straight after the Bees’ promotion to the Premier League, he has scored 49 goals in 149 appearances for the club.
Last season, by virtue of netting 19 times in the Premier League, his best-ever haul in a single campaign, he very much ranked amongst the division’s very best strikers, as the table below documents.
Yoane Wissa 2024/25 Premier League statistics
Statistics
Wissa
PL rank
Minutes
2,919
55th
Goals
19
6th
Non-penalty goals
19
=2nd
Shots
90
10th
Shots on target
51
5th
Goals-per-shot
0.21
8th
Expected goals
18.5
4th
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com
As the table outlines, Wissa ranked highly for all attacking metrics last season, with only Mohamed Salah scoring more non-penalty goals, joint alongside Erling Braut Håland and potential future teammate Alexander Isak for this metric.
Then-Brentford boss Frank labelled his form “remarkable”, adding “I definitely think he is best as a number ninw” given that he has “got that nose for goals”.
Meantime, David Astill of Total Football Analysis describes him as ‘prolific’, while analyst Ben Mattinson asserts that he is “massively underrated”, impressed by his dynamic runs in-behind and excellent “finishing” ability.
The key question still remains: how does he compare to Ekitiké? Let’s find out.
Yoane Wissa vs Hugo Ekitiké 2024/25 comparison (league only)
Statistics
Wissa
Ekitiké
Minutes
2,927
2,578
Goals
19
15
Non-penalty goals
19
14
Goals – xG
+0.5
-6.6
Shots
69
87
Shots on target %
62.32%
55.17%
Shot conversion rate
27.54%
17.24%
Big chances missed
17
16
Touches
1,020
1,155
% of touches in the box
16%
18%
Average Sofascore rating
7.16
7.27
Statistics courtesy of Squawka and SofaScore
As the table outlines, while Ekitiké’s statistics are impressive, hence why he is on his way to Liverpool for a reported fee of £79m, it’s actually Wissa who is the more clinical centre-forward.
Ekitiké ranked dead-last across all of Europe’s top five leagues last season when it came to goals – xG, with a figure of -6.6, according to FBref.com, which has to be a slight concern.
Wissa – Ekitike
Wissa, on the other hand, overperformed his xG, albeit only by +0.5, while scoring more goals and finding the target with a higher proportion of his shots.
Of course, Wissa is 28 years old, 29 in September, while Ekitiké’s 23rd birthday came as recently as last month, so Liverpool are paying a premium for potential, but if Newcastle want a striker to come in now and improve their options, Wissa is surely their man.
Their new Ba: Newcastle confident of signing "remarkable" £50m star
Newcastle are weighing up a move for Brentford’s star man after move for Ekitike falls through.
After a slow start to the summer transfer window for Arsenal, they look as though they’re closing in on sealing two signings.
Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move from Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium won’t exactly be met with much fanfare considering he’s there to play second fiddle to David Raya, but it’s an important move nonetheless.
At just £5m, the Gunners have found a replacement for Neto and due to the price, it frees up money to spend elsewhere, hopefully on a wealth of attacking reinforcements.
The other arrival will see another Spaniard in the form of Martin Zubimendi head to North London. At just over £50m, that move is certainly a more exciting ones but he’s not the only midfielder who could arrive.
Arsenal looking to sign another midfielder after Zubimendi
Last summer, it looked as though Zubimendi was going to head to Liverpool. Sadly for the Anfield side, he did not. Whether or not he regrets that decision based on Arne Slot’s title success is unknown.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, a year on, he will now finally head to England, but it won’t be the red of Liverpool he’ll be donning. Instead, it’s the red of Arsenal.
The Gunners first made their move to sign the Spain international last January when they signalled their intentions to trigger his £51m release clause at Real Sociedad. Since then, an agreement has been tied up that will see the club spend a tiny bit more than that exit clause so they can pay it in instalments.
Zubimendi was reportedly in London over the weekend to wrap up the formalities of his move.
Yet, he could well be joined in the middle of the park next season by Brentford’s Christian Norgaard. That’s according to a number of sources, notably the Athletic’s David Ornstein.
He reported on Wednesday afternoon that Arsenal are “exploring” a deal to sign the Dane and have lodged their first offer, believed to be around €11m (£9m).
Fabrizio Romano furthered those claims by revealing on social media that the 31-year-old “wants to join Arsenal” this summer, so much so that personal terms have already been agreed between player and club.
Since then, BBC Sports’ Sami Mokbel has revealed that an agreement could be reached at £15m, including add-ons. A move appears to be advancing quickly, with Ornstein later reporting on Wednesday evening that the Gunners are now in the process of ‘finalising’ a deal to sign the player. A medical is also in the process of being planned.
Why Norgaard would be a good signing for Arsenal
With Jorginho having left the Emirates on a free transfer, heading to Flamengo, and Thomas Partey increasingly unlikely to sign a new deal, Arsenal need two midfielders.
Zubimendi ticks one box and in the form of Norgaard, although this would be a surprising move, it certainly makes a lot of sense.
Like Kepa, Arsenal would not be spending a bucket load on improving the squad and thus, would be leaving room to spend where it really matters this summer; on a new striker.
So, what could Norgaard offer to Mikel Arteta’s midfield? Well, like the departing Jorginho and Partey, he’s got a wealth of experience and, pivotally, he’s played in England for a long time now.
He signed for Brentford back in 2019 and has since gone on to feature 196 times for the Bees, playing 122 times in the Premier League.
34 of those top-flight outings came in 2024/25 where he scored five goals and also supplied four assists.
A holding midfielder who also chips in with goals and assists, there is reason to believe that Arteta could be signing a more experienced version of Declan Rice here.
Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates
Arsenal podcaster, Alex Moneypenny, who has appeared on Sky Sports and BBC Sport, outlines the Dane’s qualities perfectly. He’s a “search and destroyer”, a midfielder who specialises in “progressive passing”.
That’s backed up by the numbers with Norgaard ranking among the best holding midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passing distance. In fact, he ranks almost identically to Zubimendi in this category.
The ability to turn the ball over from deep or in more advanced areas certainly makes him like Rice, as does the ability to progress play. Captain of Brentford too, he’s got the natural leadership skills that Arsenal’s record signing boasts.
But, what do the statistics say?
Goals
0.16
0.13
Assists
0.13
0.22
Goal-creating actions
0.42
0.32
Pass success rate
82%
83%
Progressive passes
4.92
6.11
Passes into final 3rd
4.38
4.36
Tackles
2.52
1.69
Succesful take-ons
0.22
0.42
With the benefit of playing further forward and taking set-pieces, Rice does better Brentford’s captain for assists and successful take-ons. It’s in the passing department where they are most alike.
They complete a similar percentage of their passes per 90 minutes and there’s not a huge difference between the number of those passes that are progressive in nature.
So, while a move of this nature is hardly going to blow supporters away, he’d be a steady pair of hands just like Jorginho was. If he hits the ground running like Rice did too, fans will soon take to the Bees star.
Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m
The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.
The win was set up by the South Africa fast bowlers, who combined to stop Netherlands at 103 for 9
Shashank Kishore08-Jun-20242:46
Miller: I knew I had to finish the game
South Africa made heavy weather of a modest chase in New York before David Miller and Tristan Stubbs dug deep to save them from a third straight defeat at Netherlands’ hands at an ICC tournament.Miller and Stubbs added 65 for the fifth wicket to lift them from the pits of 12 for 4 on a pitch that didn’t play anywhere as badly as the scorecard suggested, even though there was enough in it for quick bowlers – 13 of the 15 wickets fell to them, while there were two run outs.As he walked out to bat, Miller might have had a flashback of Adelaide 2022, where his wicket, with 47 needed off 28 balls, shut the door on South Africa and gave Netherlands a 13-run win. On Saturday, Miller stayed the course and remained unbeaten on 59, flicking on his best six-hitting self in the penultimate over with South Africa needing 16 off 12.In the end, in a game where 209 runs were scored in 38.5 overs, South Africa won with enough to spare.Vivian Kingma struck twice in the powerplay•AFP/Getty ImagesThe South African meltdownQuinton de Kock was run out without facing a ball. Reeza Hendricks got a peach from Logan van Beek that angled in and straightened to hit the top of off. Vivian Kingma had the first of a double when he strangled Aiden Markram down leg to leave South Africa 3 for 3. And when Heinrich Klaasen’s rush of blood had him picking out Tim Pringle attempting a pull off Kingma, Netherlands dared to dream – or maybe just expected the expected, considering the recent results between the two sides at ICC events.Miller and Stubbs take overBoth Miller and Stubbs are instinctive batters who love taking the bowlers on. But the situation they walked out to was not for that sort of batting, it was a crisis. A mis-step could have meant curtains. So they chose caution, saw off the powerplay without any further damage, and hit only a further two boundaries until the ten-over mark to leave South Africa needing 72 off the last ten overs.Stubbs was on 9 off 21 at this point, struggling to force the pace, especially when the ball was dug in to the pitch. A hint of grip for the spinners also made it difficult for him to hit out. So when Bas de Leede came on in the 11th, Stubbs gave him the charge and enjoyed a massive slice of luck as a thick inside edge flew wide of the midwicket fielder.Miller, too, rode some luck. A big hit down the ground off left-arm spinner Pringle only just eluded the long-on fielder in the 12th over with South Africa still needing 57 off 50.Stubbs finally shrug off the pressure that had built around him with a hoick for six off Vikramjit Singh, and then launched van Beek down the ground three balls later to turn the tide South Africa’s way.David Miller and Tristan Stubbs put on a match-winning 65-run stand for the fifth wicket•ICC/Getty ImagesMiller lands the finishing blowsIt should have been a smooth ride from there, with South Africa needing 29 off 30. But there was another twist. First, Paul van Meekeren delivered a maiden over to Miller, and the pressure showed when Stubbs holed out to deep midwicket in the next, off Bas de Leede. Then, in the 18th, van Beek came back after being walloped for six by Miller to dismiss Marco Jansen.But, with South Africa needing 16 off 12, de Leede erred in line. Miller began the penultimate over by dispatching a half-tracker over fine leg, and then finished the game with a sequence of 2, 0, 4 and 6 – cue a roar and wild fist pumping.Miller had tamed the demons of Adelaide 2022.Sybrand Engelbrecht top-scored for Netherlands after walking out at a ricky time•ICC/Getty ImagesEngelbrecht props up NetherlandsSybrand Engelbrecht, who represented South Africa at the Under-19 World Cup in 2008 and only recently made his Netherlands’ debut, top-scored with a 45-ball 40 on surface where the next best among the top seven was 12.At the toss, Netherlands were put in to bat seemingly because South Africa wanted to exploit the morning conditions, and had them tottering at 32 for 4. South Africa’s four-pronged pace attack, led by Marco Jansen, was breathing fire at that stage, with pace and bounce off the pitch for assistance.South Africa’s hostility didn’t end there, with Ottneil Baartman and Anrich Nortje ensuring there weren’t any freebies. This resulted in Netherlands attempting to manufacture strokes, like Scott Edwards did when he executed a reverse scoop for six, but they simply didn’t have enough.It came down to Englebrecht’s patient knock and his 54-run association with van Beek to get them into three figures. It would have been inadequate on most days, but Netherlands can give themselves a pat on the back for making a match out of it to keep Group D very open.
Liverpool’s summer transfer window is beginning to form a coherent picture, with FSG acting quickly to tidy up the defensive flanks and get the mammoth deal for Florian Wirtz over the line.
The Bayer Leverkusen superstar gave curious Liverpool supporters a taste of his quality during Germany’s Nations League semi-final tie against Portugal this week, scoring during the 2-1 loss.
Minutes played
90′
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots (on target)
2 (2)
Accurate passes
32/42 (76%)
Key passes
0
Dribbles
3/5
Tackles
3
Duels won
9/16
His intelligence, tenacity and movement underscored the playmaker’s ability, having been utterly fantastic during his time in Leverkusen’s squad, winning the 2023/24 Bundesliga Player of the Year after triumphing as an invincible before claiming more Man of the Match awards than any other player across this term’s Champions League campaign.
We’re a whisker away from a positive development in Liverpool’s bid to secure a marquee deal, but it might be a case of one out, one in.
While the Wirtz deal won’t have any bearing on the potential sale of Luis Diaz, the Colombian’s departure is something to consider.
The latest on Luis Diaz's future
On Thursday, Liverpool rejected an approach from Barcelona for forward Diaz, who scored 17 goals and laid on eight assists for Slot’s side this year.
The 28-year-old, who is entering the penultimate year of his contract, will only be allowed to leave if Liverpool are offered a significant sum; the Saudi Pro League have known admirers of the South American talent.
Though the thought of Diaz and Wirtz combining in a new-look Liverpool frontline is exciting, there may well be an opportunity to secure a new, younger signature.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
FSG’s no-sell stance is laced with the undertow of an openness, should the right offer be tabled.
Especially when talks have been held for an almighty replacement on the left flank.
Liverpool hold talks for marquee signing
According to transfer insider Ben Jacobs, Liverpool held discussions concerning Real Madrid’s Rodrygo last month, their intrigue persisting after initially drawing him up as a Mohamed Salah successor, should the Egyptian have left this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Arsenal would be Anfield’s most notable rival in the race, and though the Gunners have a vested interest, they have not yet launched an official bid for the Brazil forward.
Rodrygo, 24, has become disillusioned with life at Santiago Bernabeu, frustrated to be perceived to be in the shadow of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
For their part, Real no longer consider Rodrygo untouchable, but would only cash in if their €100m (about £84m) valuation was met.
What Rodrygo would bring to Liverpool
While the jury will remain out for a little while as Xabi Alonso’s plans at Real Madrid begin to shape up, it’s difficult to imagine the Spanish tactician will remove Vini Jr. from his left-sided berth.
This could lead Rodrygo to make the eventual decision to leave Los Blancos, having featured 267 times, posting 118 goal contributions, for the club since signing from Santos for a £39.5m fee when he was just 18.
However, most of those outings have come off the right wing, whereas the right-footed forward prefers the alternate side as he feels it is here he reaches his zenith.
Right winger
29
7
4
Left winger
12
6
6
Centre-forward
8
–
–
If the 2024/25 campaign has any say on the matter, it certainly looks like this is the case, which is why Liverpool could hit the jackpot in bringing Rodrygo over as Diaz’s heir.
Especially when considering the partnership that could be forged with Wirtz, the two starring in the Champions League and driving Anfield through the domestic campaign.
Wirtz brings so much to the game, astounding in his creative output and indeed willingness to take on his man and drive the ball into the danger area himself.
The German international ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Bundesliga this season for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes and progressive carries, and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
For a gifted and technically crisp winger in Rodrygo, this could be a brilliant way to add intensity and fluency to an already thriving Liverpool frontline. Rodrygo, indeed, is a natural-born goalscorer, with his finishing once described as being “terrifyingly good” by journalist Sam Tighe.
Though he only managed to score six goals in La Liga this season, the “special” Rodrygo, as he has been praised by Carlo Ancelotti, only missed one big chance, as per Sofascore, highlighting the underlying data that Wirtz’s prowess would only enhance at Liverpool. Wirtz, in fact, created 17 big chances and supplied 12 assists in the Bundesliga this term despite only starting 25 matches.
Whether Liverpool act on their interest and launch a big-money bid for the star remains to be seen, but there’s no question he would be an incredible addition to one of the best teams in the world.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtzreacts
For now, we will have to wait and see whether FSG accelerate their intrigue in the superstar, but with Arsenal keen and yet to show their hand in the transfer market, it would certainly help if sporting director Richard Hughes could draw rumours over Diaz’s future to a close.
If a suitable offer does arrive, Rodrygo might just follow Wirtz through the Anfield gates, consolidating Slot’s team as a goliath of the modern European game – here to stay.
Caicedo revenge: Liverpool can hijack Chelsea move for "England's best LW"
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz faces an uncertain future with firm interest in his signature.
They may have a season-defining game to come in the Champions League tomorrow night and a second-place finish in the Premier League to secure, but Arsenal seem to be looking ahead to the summer transfer window.
While it’s not been quite as catastrophic as some might have you believe, this year hasn’t gone entirely to plan for Mikel Arteta’s side, so the determination to add some real quality to the squad in the coming months makes perfect sense.
One of the most prominent links, and a player who was touted for a move to the club as far back as last summer, is Nico Williams.
The Spanish international is one of the most exciting wingers on the continent, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club could now have identified an alternative target: someone who shares the same agent as Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal's winger search
Given Arsenal’s need for more goals next season, it’s not been a surprise to see them linked to a plethora of dangerous wingers in recent weeks, such as Rayan Cherki and Kingsley Coman.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former is reportedly available for just £30m, which might end up being one of the bargains of the summer, as in just 42 appearances for Lyon this year, the Frenchman has scored 12 goals and provided a whopping 19 assists.
Coman, on the other hand, might be a little less exciting in the eyes of the fans, as while he’s managed to rack up a reasonable enough tally of seven goals and four assists in 39 appearances this year, he has an awful injury record, will be 29 at the start of next season, and would cost around £34m.
So, while he’s had a sensational career, it wouldn’t be accurate to describe him as being a potential upgrade on Williams, unlike the tremendously exciting Jamie Gittens.
Yes, according to a recent report from German publication Ruhr Nachrichten, Arsenal are incredibly interested in the Borussia Dortmund star, who has reportedly told his teammates he will be leaving in the summer and is part of the same agency as Saka.
In fact, while Chelsea are also keen on the young Englishman, the report has revealed that it’s the Gunners who are leading the race for his signature, partly down the clearer pathway to game time and the more stable nature of the club.
It wouldn’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, with the report claiming that Dortmund will want up to €60m for the player, which is about £51m, but given his ability and potential, that may be a price worth paying, especially as he could be an upgrade on Williams.
How Gittens compares to Williams
Okay, so while Gittens can play off the right – and has even played up top at points – his preferred position is undoubtedly left-wing, which in turn makes it unlikely that Arsenal would sign him and Williams.
So, with that in mind, who comes out on top when we compare them?
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action
Well, when it comes down to their raw output, even though it is a little complicated, the Dortmund star does come out on top.
For example, in 46 appearances this season, totalling just 2783 minutes, the 20-year-old “wonderkid,” as dubbed by Statman Dave, has scored 12 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.70 games, or far more consequently, every 163.70 minutes.
In contrast, the Athletic Bilbao star has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 44 appearances, totalling 3050, so while he has an average of a goal involvement every 2.44 games, his minutes per goal involvement of 169.44 is marginally worse than his potential rival.
Moreover, when we take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers, it’s once again a closely run competition in which the Englishman just about comes ahead.
Non-Penalty G+As
0.56
0.47
Progressive Passes
2.14
3.19
Progressive Carries
5.71
5.31
Shots
2.65
1.22
Shots on Target
2.44
0.89
Passing Accuracy
76.5%
70.7%
Key Passes
1.07
1.83
Expected Assists
0.21
0.19
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.22
1.31
Shot-Creating Actions
3.72
5.12
Tackles Won
0.97
0.80
Interceptions
0.51
0.28
Successful Take-Ons
3.93
2.96
Carries into the Final Third
2.81
2.63
Carries into the Penalty Area
3.21
2.63
For example, he comes out ahead for a slight majority of relevant metrics, including, but not limited to, non-penalty goals plus assists, expected assists, shots and shots on target, passing accuracy, progressive carries, successful take-ons, carries into the penalty area, tackles won and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, regardless of which winger they do eventually sign, Arsenal will be getting someone who can contribute in the here and now and continue to develop into an even more exciting attacker as time goes on.
Borussia Dortmund'sJamieBynoe-Gittensin action with GNK Dinamo Zagreb's Kevin Theophile-Catherine
However, when it comes down to it, Gittens just about comes out ahead of Williams for output and underlying numbers, so if the North Londoners can only get one, they should go for the Englishman.
Trossard upgrade: Arsenal making move for one of the "best in the world"
Arsenal are on the hunt for a Leandro Trossard upgrade this summer.
Everton’s nine-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League crumbled as David Moyes’ side lost to Liverpool at Anfield.
Moyes, who has never won across from Stanley Park over 22 visits, took the defeat on the chin, and fair play to him. Everton have been transformed since he waltzed through the gates in January, skipping far away from the relegation zone and instead creating a foundation from which new goals can be set for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.
Everton manager DavidMoyesbefore the match
There’s still plenty to play for over the coming weeks, though, with the 15th-place Toffees set to welcome Arsenal to Goodison Park at noon.
The Gunners beat Fulham in midweek but were left reeling after their latest fitness blow in a season of fitness blows, Gabriel Magalhaes ruled out for the season after injuring his hamstring.
23/24
Premier League
1-0 loss
22/23
Premier League
1-0 win
21/22
Premier League
2-1 win
20/21
Premier League
2-1 win
19/20
Premier League
0-0 draw
Bukayo Saka has returned, scoring off the bench against the Cottagers. Everton will need to be on their A-game. However, Moyes will be buoyed by his thinning-out infirmary pile.
Everton team news
James Tarkowski will reprise his usual role at centre-half after escaping punishment for a lunging challenge on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister.
On the injury front, Orel Mangala is still, of course, out for the season, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dwight McNeil are nearing returns from respective setbacks; Saturday’s fixture might come too soon.
Armando Broja, talking of strikers, has been fit again for several fixtures and has featured off the bench in both of Everton’s recent Premier League games, but he’s unlikely to displace Beto, even if the powerful centre-forward’s Midas touch in front of goal has deserted him.
It’s unlikely Moyes will field more than one or two changes, but there is one potential tweak sure to be on the manager’s mind.
Dwight McNeil in action for Everton
Iliman Ndiaye made his anticipated return in the second half at Anfield, fit again after being withdrawn injured in February, during the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Goodison Park.
For him to return to the starting line-up, Moyes must axe another star.
Why Iliman Ndiaye could be the difference-maker
Ndiaye’s second-half introduction was met by a chorus of cheers from the travelling Toffees under the Liverpool lights. The game might have been lost, but he’s a devastating talent, signed from Marseille for about £15m last summer.
Eight goals across 29 appearances in all competitions for Everton speak of a blooming goal threat, not least because he bagged in each of Moyes’ opening three victories before falling to injury against the Reds.
Of course, the Senegalese is hardly just a ball-striking threat. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 19% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this term for pass completion, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 14% for tackles + interceptions per 90.
Capable across both attacking flanks, Ndiaye should replace Jack Harrison on the right, allowing Charly Alcaraz to continue his journey on the left; when you compare Ndiaye and Harrison’s respective data pools across the campaign, it becomes clear as to why.
Matches (starts)
26 (18)
25 (22)
Goals
1
6
Assists
0
0
Touches*
29.8
39.2
Shots (on target)*
1.0 (0.2)
1.0 (0.4)
Big chances missed
4
2
Pass completion
75%
84%
Key passes*
1.1
0.6
Dribbles*
0.8
2.3
Ball recoveries*
2.2
5.9
Tackles + interceptions*
1.2
2.5
Duels won*
2.7
5.9
Harrison’s a man of industry and energy, but he’s struggled to offer much of substance in the way of goals, assists, key contributions.
Ndiaye brings so much more to the table, with his unique brand of football sure to revive Beto at the front of the ship too. The hulking Bissau-Guinean scored five Premier League goals across four matches through February, skill set unlocked with Moyes in the driving seat.
However, the goals have dried up, with Beto now without a successful strike across four top-flight fixtures. But how exactly could Ndiaye fix his woes?
Everton striker Beto
Well, while Beto’s litany of missed big chances – five since last scoring, to be exact – are a by-product of his own returned profligacy, he’s not exactly being supplied with the greatest supplementary force.
Harrison was particularly out of sorts against Liverpool on Wednesday evening, failing with both of his attempted dribbles while also losing every single one of his seven contested duels.
A loanee, he’s being outstripped by Ndiaye – who has been praised for his “dynamite” quality by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp – and, frankly, most positional peers in the Premier League this season, and his 25-year-old teammate’s return could bear dividends for an Everton side seeking a return to winning ways.
Let’s not forget, the Blues have now gone five games without a win in the league, albeit only losing one of those matchups. Still, it’s clear that Moyes needs more firepower from varying angles to overcome tough opponents.
Arsenal have conceded the fewest number of goals in the Premier League this season, with David Raya also boasting the second-best save percentage in the division this term at 76.5% (FBref).
It’s going to be difficult, even if Everton have a stentorian Goodison crowd behind them. The players will need the 12th man, but they will also need Ndiaye in their starting mix, for he adds so much flavour and could elevate Beto up top.
Moyes may have found the new Gareth Barry in Everton's £100k-p/w "leader"
Everton went punch for punch with Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
The IPL now has 101 centuries, after Gill and Sudharsan got to their milestones in Gujarat Titans’ 231 vs Chennai Super Kings
Sampath Bandarupalli10-May-2024101 – Total number of centuries scored in the IPL after the Gujarat Titans (GT) innings against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Gill’s century was the 100th recorded in the IPL, and Sai Sudharsan made it 101 in the same innings.The IPL is now only the second T20 competition in the world to have had 100-plus centuries. Only England’s T20 Cup is ahead, with 157 hundreds scored across 21 editions.93 – The number of centuries scored across the 916 IPL matches played in India. Six of the remaining eight were scored in the UAE, while two more came in South Africa.8 – Centuries for Kohli in the IPL, the most by an individual in the league. Kohli has scored centuries against seven different franchises, which is also a record.ESPNcricinfo Ltd30 – Number of balls that Chris Gayle took for his century against Pune Warriors India in 2013. It remains the fastest century in the IPL. Gayle scored an unbeaten 175 in that game, the highest individual score in the IPL.4 – Centuries by Kohli in 2016 and Jos Buttler in 2022, the most in a single edition of the IPL.3 – Centuries for KL Rahul in the IPL against Mumbai Indians, the most by any batter against a single opponent. He scored his maiden IPL ton against MI in 2019 for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and then hit two more in IPL 2022 for Lucknow Super Giants.19 – Individual centuries for RCB in the IPL, the most for a single franchise.The Punjab franchise has had 13 different batters scoring hundreds in the IPL, the most for any team.13 – The most centuries scored against a team in the IPL – Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad have all been at the receiving end.Virat Kohli has the most centuries in the IPL•BCCI25 – Hundreds ending up on the losing side, while the remaining 76 came in wins.Three of Kohli’s centuries have come in defeats, the most for any batter, while all seven centuries Buttler has hit have come in wins.32 – Centuries scored in the IPL while chasing, of which Buttler has the most with three. The remaining 69 hundreds have come in the first innings, with Kohli (6) scoring the most.93 – Number of IPL centuries scored the players from the top three. As many as 76 have been by the opening batters, while 17 have been by the No. 3s. There have been five centuries by players batting at No. 4, and three more have come from No. 5s.53 – Number of players to have scored centuries in the IPL – 23 of those 53 players have hit at least two, including nine who have hit three or more.
14 – Centuries in IPL 2024 so far – the most in an IPL edition, surpassing the 12 in IPL 2023.16 – Individual hundreds scored at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, the most at any venue in the IPL. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is next on the list with 14, while no other venue has had centuries in double-digits.19y 253d – Manish Pandey’s age when he scored a century in the IPL – 114* against Deccan Chargers in 2009. He is the youngest player to score a century in the IPL and the only one with a century before turning 20. Pandey also became the first Indian to score a hundred in the IPL with that innings.39y 184d – Gilchrist’s age in 2011, when he scored 106 against RCB. He is the oldest player to score a hundred in the IPL.Chris Gayle acknowledges the applause after his record-breaking century•BCCI67 – Balls taken by Pandey for his century mentioned above and by Kohli against Rajasthan Royals in 2024 – the slowest IPL centuries.8.5 – The point at which Gayle completed his century against Pune Warriors India in 2013, the earliest instance of an individual reaching his hundred in the IPL. Only one other batter got to his hundred before the end of the tenth over – Gilchrist in 9.6 overs against Mumbai Indians in 2008.3 – Number of instances of two centuries in the same innings in the IPL. Kohli and AB de Villiers became the first pair to achieve this feat against Gujarat Lions in 2016. David Warner and Jonny Bairstow did it against RCB in 2019, while Gill and Sai Sudharsan have now done it against CSK.There have been five other matches in the IPL when the two centuries have been scored, all since 2023.4 – Batters with successive hundreds in the IPL. Shikhar Dhawan in 2020 was the first to achieve this feat and Buttler did it in 2022. Then Kohli and Gill scored centuries in their last two league matches of the 2023 season.
And which bowler has taken the last wicket most often to win a Test or an ODI?
Steven Lynch20-Sep-2022I was wondering about the biggest difference between player numbers in the same Test team. I wondered about Jimmy Anderson, then remembered Brian Close! Is he the record-holder? asked Brian King from England In the final Test against South Africa at The Oval last week, Jimmy Anderson (who was cap No. 613 in 2003) played alongside debutant Harry Brook, England’s No. 707. That’s a difference of 94 (including the special cap No. 696 given to Glamorgan’s Alan Jones, 50 years on from his appearance against the Rest of the World in 1970).I was surprised to discover that there are actually 73 combinations from all countries that equal or beat 94, including a difference of 122 between Brian Close (England’s No. 344 in 1949) and Mike Selvey (466 in 1976). But top of the list is the Yorkshire and England allrounder Wilfred Rhodes, who was cap No. 121 when he made his Test debut in 1899. During his final series, in the West Indies in 1929-30, the 52-year-old Rhodes played alongside Leslie Townsend (No. 254), a difference of 133. He also played with Bill Voce (253), Freddie Calthorpe (252) and Les Ames (244), so occupies the first four places on this particular table.The record for a side other than England is a difference of 98, between Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies cap No. 204) and Shai Hope (302), against Englandin Bridgetown in May 2015. It was Hope’s first Test, and Chanderpaul’s 164th and last.How many Test matches have been shorter, in terms of balls bowled, than the one that’s just finished at The Oval? asked Michael Templeton, and many others The third Test between England and South Africa at The Oval last week was over in just 909 balls, the shortest Test with a positive result anywhere since February 2021, when India needed only 842 deliveries to polish England off in Ahmedabad.It was the shortest completed Test in England since 1912, when the match against South Africa at The Oval lasted only 815 deliveries. The shortest anywhere was the match between Australia and South Africa on a rain-affected pitch in Melbourne in 1931-32, which was done and dusted in 656 balls.For the full list, which also includes drawn Tests (look down the fifth column to see when there was a winner), click here.Which bowler has taken the last wicket most often to win a Test, or an ODI? asked Ahson Atif from India There’s a tie at the top of this list for Tests, as two bowlers have taken the match-winning (final) wicket on 22 occasions: R Ashwin for India, and Australia’s Shane Warne. Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker Muthiah Muralidaran comes next with 18, ahead of his compatriot Rangana Herath with 14, and Waqar Younis on 13.Things are more clear-cut in one-day internationals: Wasim Akram took the last wicket to win a match no fewer than 27 times, well clear of Murali and Glenn McGrath (21). Waqar, Lasith Malinga and Shahid Afridi all did it on 20 occasions.Arthur Milton (left) had one international cap in football and Mike Smith (right) played one rugby union international for England•S&G/PA Photos/Getty ImagesWhen was England’s batting in a Test opened by a football and a rugby international? asked George Clarke from England This unusual double happened in the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley in 1958, when Mike Smith faced the new ball with Arthur Milton, who went on to score a century on his debut.Even though he wore spectacles, Smith had played one rugby union international for England, against Wales (who won 8-3) at Twickenham in 1956. “I played as an outside centre during my final year at Oxford,” he said. “But I had a poor game and was not selected again.” Milton – a nippy winger for Arsenal, and later Bristol City – won one England football cap, in a 2-2 draw against Austria at Wembley in 1951. “The attack was spoiled by the relative failure of Milton on the right,” concluded the Times. “The occasion and the tension generally were too much for him.”I noticed that Yuzi Chahal batted only once in his first 13 T20Is. Has anyone batted less often? asked Arun Nissar from India You’re right that the Indian legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal batted only once in his first 13 T20 internationals – but there is someone who didn’t bat at all in his first 13: the Afghanistan seamer Fareed Ahmad, who didn’t bat until his 14th such match, in which he made 24 not out. Despite that promising start, he’s batted only once more in six further matches.Chahal has now played 66 T20Is, and got to the crease only four times. That’s easily the fewest innings by anyone who played so often – next comes another legspinner, New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi, who batted 12 times in his first 66 T20Is. At the other end of the scale, David Warner has played 91 T20Is so far, and batted in all of them.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions
His longer-format skills haven’t always translated to T20 success, but he’s raised his game to a new level this season
Sidharth Monga23-Oct-2020As a T20 death bowler, Mohammed Shami has his limitations. Unlike Jasprit Bumrah, he has an orthodox action. Unlike Mitchell Starc, he doesn’t bowl left-arm. Unlike Jofra Archer, he doesn’t bowl 150kph. Unlike Kagiso Rabada, his hard lengths tend to skid on because of his height. Unlike Dwayne Bravo, he doesn’t have fancy slower balls or the experience of having bowled in a million T20 leagues. Unlike in ODI cricket, the ball hardly reverses in 20-overs cricket. Shami’s predicament in the shortest format is not too different to Test legend Dale Steyn’s: take away some swing, add some seam, you have Shami.With that little going for him, Shami is still the Kings XI Punjab’s lead bowler. In a way, on the surface, Shami’s shortcomings show in the team’s overall results. In this IPL, one of his better years, Shami has conceded 12.60 per over in the death (last four) overs of innings. That’s the fifth-worst economy rate among those who have bowled at least five overs in that phase. And yet, Shami has been an essential part of the revival of the Kings XI’s campaign, which features wins over the top three sides in their last three games.In the match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Shami contributed with the wicket of AB de Villiers, who had been held back because of the presence of two legspinners in the Kings XI attack. When the Royal Challengers felt the match-ups were right, though, Shami got de Villiers out with a slower short ball.Against the Mumbai Indians, Shami got the big wicket of Hardik Pandya with a hard-length ball in the 16th over, thus limiting the damage at the end of the innings. He conceded just 15 in his last two overs, the 16th and the 19th. And then he returned to bowl a Super Over for the ages with six yorkers to defend just five runs and take the match into the second Super Over, which the Kings XI won.
Shami's improvement since IPL 2019, & his great yorkers this season is a great encouragement to all of us that improvement, even at a later stage is not beyond any of us if we work hard at it.
— Ian bishop (@irbishi) October 20, 2020
Against the Delhi Capitals, Shami bowled the 18th and the 20th, conceding just 13 runs, taking out Marcus Stoinis with an attempted yorker and Shimron Hetmyer with a perfect one. The Capitals eventually ended short of a challenging total by ten runs, by the estimation of their captain Shreyas Iyer.It’s not just his economy of late, but also the wickets that Shami has been taking, which has helped take the heat off the other overs. He has taken nine wickets at the death in this IPL, behind only Rabada’s 11. It can be argued Rabada benefits from the pressure created by his excellent bowling unit whereas Shami’s wickets actually buy his colleagues some relief. Let us be wary of over-estimating the worth of wickets at the death, because teams keep on hitting regardless, but you are still better off – even if slightly – bowling to batsmen who are not de Villiers, Pandya, Stoinis or Hetmyer.Shami has turned it around with yorkers. Not even counting the six he nailed in the Super Over against Mumbai Indians, Shami has bowled a higher percentage of yorkers than Bumrah, Archer or Rabada. Only T Natarajan has bowled more yorkers than Shami at the death this IPL. And this is going by the definition of the yorker according to the pitch maps: within two metres of the stumps. Sometimes a batsman is charging at you, and you shorten the length to york him, which then ends up being counted as a slot ball. Shami has a few there that have resulted in dots or singles.The yorker is a risky delivery, which is why it is tried so rarely. The margin for error for someone like Bumrah is greater than that for Shami. The Super Over is a good example, where Bumrah got away with two full-tosses because his action gives you less time to react. Shami had to get each one of his yorkers right.ESPNcricinfo LtdIf you look at overall numbers and not just the death overs, Shami has had an impressive IPL. For starters, he has bowled hardly any easy overs: all but 36 of his deliveries have been bowled in the powerplay or at the death. That is why his economy rate of 8.43 needs to be put in perspective. Let our Smart Stats do it for you. His Smart Economy rate is 7.5; among those who have bowled at least 20 overs in this IPL, only six seamers have done better. Add to it 16 wickets, not one of which is of a tailender. That is why his Smart Wickets tally is greater than Rabada’s; at 18.74, it is only behind Archer’s 18.83.ESPNcricinfo LtdShami has not gone into the off-season and added a new ball or remodelled his action or approach. Perhaps he has practised his yorkers more this year. Perhaps this being the only cricket for a major part of this year has helped him. Perhaps the slower nature of the pitches in the UAE has given him a slightly bigger margin for error, and thus more confidence and clarity, to go for the yorkers. However, it seems the biggest difference is that he has been allowed to take absolute charge of his bowling. You look at KL Rahul, his captain, and you know there is zero micromanagement. Rahul’s interview after that Mumbai match said as much: Shami said he wanted to bowl six yorkers, and Rahul just discussed the fields with him.Shami has responded well to the responsibility. If the Kings XI continue to bat as well as they have in the last three games – especially the chaos that Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran have introduced to the middle overs – Shami and their death bowling remain key to their qualification chances. So far, Shami the death bowler has been the revelation of this IPL, but the test of all these revelations lies in over-exposure. We will know in the coming games, but to carry an attack such as Kings XI’s this far is an achievement that should not be written off.