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Nottingham Forest reporter John Percy has provided the latest on a slew of Nottingham Forest stars and an update on manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s future in the hot-seat at the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest dreaming of Europe

A 7-0 Premier League thrashing of Brighton continued to leave Forest and their fans dreaming of a European adventure next season. The result kept them hot on the heels of Arsenal and clear in third place, above Manchester City, while the squad appears to be enjoying the ride judging by the social media posts in the wake of the victory.

It would have been tempting to try and add more players to their side in January, and indeed The Telegraph report that owner Evangelos Marinakis was willing to dip into his pocket to add reinforcements, but after being unable to strike deals for either Matheus Cunha or Yoane Wissa, Forest ultimately ended the window empty-handed.

Instead, the focus was on keeping their players amid Chelsea interest in Murillo while Anthony Elanga was also reportedly in demand. As per The Telegraph, “keeping Forest’s stars together was the absolute priority”, and the new deals signed by both Murillo and top goalscorer Chris Wood are evidence of that success.

With just 14 games left of the campaign, Forest have already surpassed their best Premier League points tally in the 21st Century, and are on course to finish on 74 points should they continue their current trajectory, a tally only bettered in the 1994/95 campaign. Now, an update has been forthcoming on the future of the mastermind behind the rapid rise up the Premier League.

Nuno set to be offered new deal

That comes via the reliable Percy, who reports that Nuno is set to be offered a new deal at the City Ground in the months to come. Looking ahead to the summer transfer window, he claims that “transfer plans for the summer are already well advanced” and also that “talks over a new contract for Nuno are on the radar” as the club look to tie down their most successful manager since Frank Clark.

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Since arriving at the City Ground, Nuno has overseen a period of massive change and newfound success, dragging them clear of relegation last season and rejuvenating his side this season too.

Now down to the final 18 months of his initial deal in the Midlands, it is claimed that “Forest are set to instigate talks over improved terms” for the Portuguese coach, both to tie him down for the future and also likely in a bid to ward off interest in the potential manager of the season.

Games

53

Wins

21

Goals scored per game

1.6

Goals conceded per game

1.75

Points per game

1.4

With Marinakis clearly willing to back the 51-year-old coach in the transfer market and Forest continuing their astonishing revival, a new deal seems like a sensible option for all parties, and Forest fans will be hoping that it is concluded sooner rather than later.

Rahul Dravid is clear that India will look to play their best XI from now on, leading into the men’s T20 World Cup, without worrying about workload management.”Unless there’s an injury or a niggle, or someone needs to be kept out, we’ve always come here wanting to play our best possible squad or the best possible XI that we can select,” Dravid said a day before India’s Asia Cup Super 4s game against Pakistan. “The next four games as well, depending on who is available, we will be looking to play our best side.Related

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“There’s not going to be any workload management over the next three or four days, unless of course it’s forced upon us – for example, [Ravindra] Jadeja. Other than that, no. We’re looking to play every single game trying to win this tournament and do the best we can. We’ll have time after that to manage the workloads. From now on in leading into the World Cup, we want to be playing out best squad as and when possible.”While it’s difficult not to look at the bigger picture, the T20 World Cup, India are trying to be firmly in the present, Dravid stressed, and were preparing to have a squad pool that would be match-ready across different conditions.”We are absolutely focused on trying to play these conditions and do this – you should have players in your 15 that irrespective of the conditions you’ve got to be able to try and play your best XI,” Dravid said. “That’s the effort to build the kind of squad that we have. We may succeed and one or two areas you may not get the perfect selection of skills in your 15, but the effort is always there to have all your bases covered.”Asked to weigh in on the Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik toss-up, Dravid explained that the best XI could – and would – change depending on conditions and opposition bowling attacks, and that there was no clear first-choice wicketkeeper-batter just yet.”Again, we play the situation, we play the conditions, we play the opposition – what we feel on the day,’ he said. “There’s no such thing as a first-choice playing XI. Or that this is the first XI and we play the same for every single game and every single condition. That will change according to the situation.”On that day, against Pakistan, we felt that Dinesh was the right choice. Like I said earlier, it’s always going to be difficult to leave out anyone. We play Rishabh and leave out DK and a lot of people are going to be upset with that. We can’t rely on that and, honestly, we don’t pay much attention to that.2:36

Suryakumar – ‘I’ve told the captain and coaches I’ll play anywhere, just play me’

“We focus on just trying to pick what we think is the best XI. And with the intelligence we have in our group, we’re pretty confident that we take all of those things into consideration and have a bit of a squad culture in our side in the sense that we believe that we have a really good squad of 15. And any 11 of those can play. Sometimes good players will miss out. Players that people feel should play will miss out, but that’s just the way it is.”India have been trying to change their batting attitude in T20 cricket, looking to bat up-tempo for longer periods than they might have before. Dravid said that while there was no confusion in the minds of the players, the definition of “aggressive” changed according to situations and conditions.”Yeah, everyone has bought into it. We have talked about playing positive cricket but also being smart as well as being positive,” he said. “Sometimes you have also got to ensure that. I think it’s about ensuring that you sort of get that par-plus score, depending on what the par is on that particular wicket and in those conditions. I think that’s really important.”At least we don’t want to be the team that falls below par in a particular game. And that par can change, right? On a really flat wicket and small boundaries, par might be 200. On some other wickets, the par might be 150. We have seen some pretty challenging wickets in this tournament and probably it’s not 200-run games thus far. Whatever the conditions that are in front of us, we want to ensure that we are par or par-plus.”Everyone’s very keen to try and go about that and achieve that and it’s not always that we are going to be able to succeed but certainly we will be looking to be positive and play a kind of cricket that T20 cricket demands today.”

Chelsea are now keen on signing an “unbelievable” striker who has scored four goals against the Blues, according to a report.

Chelsea eyeing a striker

After Liam Delap ran the Blues ragged in the 2-0 defeat at Portman Road, Enzo Maresca may have been expected to make a January move for the striker, but the Blues are now expected to hold off until at least the end of the season.

Nicolas Jackson’s improved performances this season mean there is not an overwhelming need to bring in a new striker this month, but Maresca is still continuing to cast his eye on a number of targets.

Chelsea are expected to hold talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal for Randal Kolo Muani, who is set to leave the Ligue 1 club this winter, while they are also in the race for Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson.

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4

By
Tom Cunningham

Jan 3, 2025

Ferguson is not the only Premier League striker under consideration by Stamford Bridge chiefs, however, as it has now been revealed they are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha.

According to a report from Caught Offside, a number of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, are keen on Cunha, having been impressed by his performances in the first half of the campaign.

The likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have also expressed an interest in the forward, but Wolves are expected to make it very difficult for him to leave Molineux this winter.

The Old Gold are set to come forward with a contract offer for the Brazilian, which will see his £60k-per-week wages increased, with the Premier League strugglers extremely pleased with his showings up to this point and recently valuing him at £90m for this month.

Cunha could help take Chelsea to the next level

The 25-year-old has undoubtedly been one of Wolves’ top performers this season, picking up 10 goals and four assists in the first half of the campaign to ensure his side still have a good chance of avoiding relegation to the Championship.

Earlier this year, the Wolves star received high praise for his performance against the Blues in the Premier League after scoring a hat-trick.

The former Atletico Madrid man has scored four goals in four appearances against Chelsea, and the fact he is also capable of setting up goals indicates he is a well-rounded striker, who could help take Maresca’s side to the next level.

However, it may be difficult to get a deal done this winter, given that Wolves are in talks over a new contract, and it would be very risky to sell Cunha while they find themselves in a relegation battle.

أدلى آرني سلوت، المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، بتصريحات بعد تعادلهم في مباراة اليوم مع خصمه آرسنال في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتلاقى الفريقان على ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة الفريقين في قمة منافسات الجولة السادسة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.

وشهدت المباراة مشاركة ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد كبديل، حيث تعرض لصافرات استهجان قوية من قِبل جماهير ليفربول، اعتراضًا على قرار رحيله.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | ماذا قدم محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وآرسنال بـ الدوري الإنجليزي؟

كان أرنولد قد أعلن يوم الإثنين الماضي أنه سيرحل عن صفوف ليفربول بعدما قضى 20 عامًا في النادي.

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “لكل شخص رأيه الخاص، ويمكنك التعبير عنه بالطريقة التي تريدها، الرائع فيما يخص الحياة في أوروبا أن لكل شخص رأيه، كما هو الحال في ليفربول، حيث هناك من يشعر بالرضا تجاهه، ومن ليس هكذا”.

وأضاف: “سمعت آراءً متباينة، لكن رأيي الوحيد هو أنني مدين للاعبين والجماهير بالسعي للفوز، وإذا لم يتمكن كونور برادلي من الاستمرار بسبب إرهاقه، وكان أرنولد على مقاعد البدلاء، فسأشركه لأننا نريد الفوز في هذه المباراة”.

وواصل: “كان قريبًا جدًا من تحقيق الفوز لنا بفضل تمريرتين أو 3 تمريرات، ما يجعله مميزًا للغاية”.

وشدد: “لذلك بالنسبة لي الأمر بسيط للغاية، إذا أردت الفوز، فسأشركه وهذا ما فعلته، وللجماهير الحق في إبداء رأيهم الخاص”.

واسترسل: “كان هناك الكثير من الناس إيجابيين للغاية، لذلك لست متأكدًا تمامًا، كلما طالت المباراة، لم أعد أسمع أي شخص سلبي”.

واستأنف: “كان (أرنولد) أول من قال إنه يتقبل ردود فعل كل مشجع، لكنه يريد ألا يشتت انتباه الفريق وهذا ما رأيتموه اليوم، حتى عندما دخل أرض الملعب وكانت ردود الفعل متباينة، كان الفريق لا يزال مستعدًا للقتال لتحقيق الفوز”.

Having only just returned at the end of November, Callum Wilson has reportedly suffered yet another injury setback at Newcastle United, which will keep him sidelined for a number of forthcoming games.

Newcastle injury news

Injuries have followed the former Bournemouth forward all throughout his career and especially at Newcastle. It took him until the end of last month to make his first appearance of the season, featuring against West Ham United. But four games later and Wilson has been sidelined once again. It’s further proof that those at St James’ Park must simply find a replacement for the Englishman.

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By
Barney Lane

Dec 11, 2024

On that front, names such as Bryan Mbeumo have already been linked with a move to Tyneside and there’s no doubt that the Brentford star would make quite the impact. Given his ability to play both as a winger and as a forward, Mbeumo would kill two birds with one stone by replacing both Wilson and Miguel Almiron, who is also likely to depart this summer.

Wilson, of course, is currently set to depart as a free agent at the end of the campaign when his current contract expires. And as things stand, he’s set to bow out with a narrative surrounded by injuries rather than in a starring role.

According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Wilson is now set to miss a further two months of action after picking up a hamstring injury in his latest setback. It’s a blow that could impact Newcastle on and off the pitch, since they’re now unlikely to be in a position to cash in on their forward who looks destined to leave on a free next summer.

The Magpies must now hope that Alexander Isak avoids a recurrence of his recent injury issues, which would compile their misery once and for all in the middle of the Premier League’s busiest period of fixtures.

Which games will Wilson miss?

If Wilson is set to miss another two months of action, then he is unlikely to return until the middle of February, skipping the January transfer window and the busy festive period of fixtures – just when Newcastle need their squad depth the most. If sidelined for that long then the forward will miss a total of 11 games and may return to face Manchester City on February 15.

Missing notable games against Aston Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the battle to reach the European places, Wilson should be desperate to return and finally make his mark in the current campaign.

The Scottish League Cup final has often been contested between Rangers and Celtic, with the Old Firm rivals dominating the competition since its 1946 inception.

The tournament is an opportunity to secure the first trophy of the season, potentially keeping a domestic treble dream alive heading into the second half of the campaign.

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By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 8, 2024

Here, we have taken a look back at eight of the most memorable League Cup finals between the two teams.

1

Celtic 7-1 Rangers (1956/57)

Bhoys inflict massive defeat on Rangers at Hampden

The first Old Firm League Cup final came in the 1956/57 season. The Light Blues had won the inaugural tournament while winning a second title just three seasons later. Celtic, on the other hand, only reached their first final the season before this clash, defeating Partick Thistle 3-0 in a replay.

Rangers were clear favourites, but on the day, Celtic were superb. They were 3-0 up after 53 minutes before the Gers scored on the hour to reduce the deficit. The next 30 minutes saw the Parkhead side net four answered goals to claim a stunning 7-1 win.

The result is still the heaviest Old Firm defeat inflicted on Rangers, while it is also the record victory for a major domestic cup final in the UK.

The match has been dubbed “Hampden in the Sun” by the Celtic faithful following the chants on the terrace after the win, which is still fondly remembered nearly 60 years on.

Remarkably, Celtic didn’t win another major honour until 1965, while Rangers ended that season as league champions.

2

Rangers 0-1 Celtic (1966/67)

Celtic secure first of four major trophies

The Bhoys had won the League Cup twice in a row heading into the final against Rangers in October 1966, looking to make it three successive victories.

Hampden was packed to see Jock Stein’s men prevail 1-0 in a tight final which was settled by a fine Bobby Lennox effort after just 19 minutes. The Gers were dogged over the remaining 70 minutes but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

The result proved to be the catalyst for the club to not only win the Scottish Cup and league title, but also become the first British team to win the European Cup, defeating Inter 2-1 in Lisbon.

The League Cup final may not have been the most exciting clash between the sides, yet from Celtic’s perspective, the win was the start of something special.

3

Rangers 1-0 Celtic (1970/71)

Rangers' teenage striker settles cup final

The Light Blues had lost their previous two League Cup finals to Celtic. Add in a Scottish Cup defeat to the same opposition in 1969, it was evident the Ibrox side was out for revenge.

This marked the seventh consecutive final in the competition for Celtic, winning the previous five tournaments. A crowd of nearly 107,000 were packed into Hampden – the last League Cup final to attract over 100k fans – as the Light Blues were eyeing their seventh triumph.

Captain John Greig missed out and 16-year-old Derek Johnstone made the starting XI. The teenager ended up as the hero. With five minutes left of the first half, a cross was delivered into the Celtic box upon which Billy McNeill hesitated, allowing the youngster to send a powerful header into the back of the net.

It was a moment of magic at Hampden. More than 50 years later, Johnstone is still the youngest player to score a League Cup final goal.

4

Rangers 2-1 Celtic (1977/78)

Gers claim first part of treble

Rangers had won the treble during 1975/76 and were looking to make it two in the space of three seasons.

The League Cup success during that treble-winning campaign was their only triumph in the competition since 1970. The final was one of the tightest played between the pair in the tournament, being settled in extra time.

Davie Cooper – who would win seven League Cups at Rangers – opened the scoring for the Gers, before Johannes Edvaldsson netted an equaliser for Celtic, extending the match for another 30 minutes.

With just a few minutes of the tie remaining, Gordon Smith popped up to head home the winner as the Light Blues secured the first trophy of the season. A few months later, they added the Scottish Cup and league title to their collection.

5

Rangers 3-2 Celtic (1983/84)

Ally McCoist hat-trick wins it for the Gers

The 1983/84 League Cup final was one of the most pulsating between the Old Firm rivals. Having lost to Celtic the year prior, the Light Blues were seeking revenge, and they duly got it thanks to Super Ally.

The striker opened the scoring with a penalty before firing an effort past Pat Bonner to make it 2-0. The Parkhead side came roaring back into the tie, netting twice to take the match into extra time.

Another penalty was awarded to Rangers, with McCoist taking centre stage to score his third and win the cup for the Ibrox side in a thrilling clash between the clubs.

6

Celtic 1-2 Rangers (2002/03)

Alex McLeish wins second League Cup

Throughout the league season in 2002/03, nothing could separate Rangers and Celtic as they went blow for blow in the SPL.

The Light Blues won the title by scoring just one more goal than their rivals in what was an extraordinary campaign. Both teams were as good as each other, but when they clashed at Hampden in March 2003 for the League Cup final, Alex McLeish was the man who came out on top.

Celtic would have been the more confident, having defeated the Gers in the league just a week before the final, but it was McLeish’s side who started liveliest. Indeed, well-taken goals from Peter Lovenkrands and Claudio Caniggia ensured they were the ones who led at the interval.

Celtic struck back through Henrik Larsson with just over 30 minutes left. It looked like John Hartson had netted the leveller, but he was ruled offside somewhat controversially. The Welshman even missed a penalty late on to compound his misery.

It was another thrilling clash between the two giants. Rangers won their seventh treble just a couple of months later.

7

Celtic 1-2 Rangers (2010/11)

Walter Smith wins last domestic final as Rangers boss

This marked the third meeting between the teams in the League Cup final over the previous three campaigns, with each side notching one win apiece.

Walter Smith had announced he was retiring at the end of the season, and following a Scottish Cup loss to Celtic just weeks earlier, the League Cup showdown was to be his Hampden swansong.

Steven Davis scored a long-range effort to settle Smith’s nerves, although Joe Ledley equalised minutes later for the Parkhead side.

The rest of the match was nervy, and it was no surprise it went to extra time. With a dreaded penalty shootout awaiting, Vladimir Weiss’ quick freekick found Nikica Jelavic, who latched onto his excellent pass.

Shrugging off two defenders, the Croatian forward curled an effort which looked like it had missed, before hitting the inside of the post and settling into the net. A 2-1 win was secured, giving Smith the perfect send-off at the national stadium.

8

Rangers 0-1 Celtic (2019/20)

Celtic win fourth successive League Cup

This was the first Old Firm cup final of any kind since 2011, thus creating an extra hostile atmosphere at Hampden.

Steven Gerrard had led the Gers to two victories over Celtic the season before and was going about his business quietly, reaching his first final as manager.

A positive start was needed by the Light Blues, and they got it, peppering the Celtic goal with shots during an utterly dominant first half.

Celtic scored on the hour thanks to a header from Christopher Jullien, but they had Jeremie Frimpong sent off just minutes later for a foul inside his penalty area.

With a chance to level the match heading into the final 25 minutes against ten men, Alfredo Morelos missed the penalty, spurning a perfect opportunity to score his first Old Firm goal.

Neil Lennon’s side held on for a famous win, but the Gers should arguably have had the tie sewn up in the first half, with Celtic having Fraser Forster to thank for a series of wonderful saves.

Reasons behind the impending renaming are purely financial rather than political

Danyal Rasool15-Mar-2022

The PCB is set to change the name of Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium, nearly 50 years after it was named in honour of former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi. The reason, however, is not political. PCB chairman Ramiz Raja told ESPNcricinfo that the board was in advanced negotiations with a number of sponsors, one of which would win the right to have the stadium renamed after it.While there have been several moves in the past to change the name of the stadium, those were for political reasons. In February 2013, not long after Gaddafi’s death, the Punjab Olympic Association asked the provincial chief minister to rename the stadium in keeping with increasing public opinion against the former Libyan leader.This time, though, it’s purely financial. And the National Stadium in Karachi, as well as other major cricket stadia around the country, might also be renamed once sponsors are lined up.”We acquired the services of YouGov to estimate the brand worth of our stadia, and how much sponsorship deals would be worth,” Ramiz said. “That’s not just true of the Gaddafi Stadium, but also the NSK and others. We’ve been working towards this for a while, and the response from sponsors has been satisfactory. Once we finalise a deal [for Lahore], the name Gaddafi will go completely, with a sponsor’s name replacing it.”The change in name, if and when it happens, will also mean the end for one of the quirkiest venue names in the cricket world. The stadium was originally named Lahore Stadium when it was built in 1959. But in 1974, when Gaddafi visited Lahore, he gave a speech in favour of Pakistan’s right to pursue nuclear weapons at the Organisation of Islamic Conference. It led to the then prime minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, naming Pakistan’s premier cricket stadium after the Libyan leader.Over time, the stadium’s name has evolved beyond the name of the politician that inspired it, and associations between the stadium and the president have long since been decoupled. The name is now seen more as a snapshot in time of the political climate in Pakistan of the 1970s rather than an endorsement for any particular kind of foreign policy.When Gaddafi was ousted from power, there were strong suggestions Pakistan cricket might look to distance its most famous stadium from him, but that movement gradually fell away.

R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah shared seven between them to wrap up a dominant series sweep

Shashank Kishore14-Mar-2022

For 173 balls, Dimuth Karunaratne defied India. In constructing a fine 14th Test century, he showed his team-mates hitting your way out of trouble wasn’t the only way to succeed on a tough Bengaluru track that offered sharp turn and variable bounce. Then he got a pearl from Jasprit Bumrah that breached his defences.Even someone as well set as he was couldn’t quite judge the extent of late inward movement on that full delivery, and that was that for Sri Lanka. In the face of a relentless attack, the others proved to be sitting ducks as their high-risk, high-returns strategy fell flat.India wrapped up an emphatic 2-0 series win inside two sessions on the third day at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The series lasted all of six days, with Sri Lanka’s 208 all out in their final innings being their highest total of the lot.The innings promised a lot more, especially after Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis started the day positively. While Mendis’s aggression wasn’t much of a surprise, Karunaratne tried to take a leaf out of Shreyas Iyer’s book early in the day, repeatedly stepping out to negate Jadeja from the rough.In the very first over, he also attempted an uncharacteristic reverse sweep. This wasn’t the stonewaller Karunaratne, who has methodically constructed knocks to be the highest run-getter among openers since 2018. This was Karunaratne trying to throw the oppositions spinners off their settings in the face of a challenging surface.This approach rubbed off on Mendis too, as he stepped out and took R Ashwin on at the other end. The first eight overs of the day produced 42, and suddenly India were searching for answers, even if they knew one wicket could open the doors.In this period, what worked for Sri Lanka was their clarity in committing themselves fully forward or going right back to play the ball. The odd ball scooting low or jumping from the rough didn’t seem to bother them much. Mendis raised his 12th half-century off just 57 balls.R Ashwin had Dhananjaya de Silva caught by Hanuma Vihari at short leg to go past Dale Steyn on the most-Test-wickets chart•BCCI

But the party didn’t last long as he ran down the pitch, only to be deceived by Ashwin’s guile. Stepping out to smother the spin, he was done in by the skid off the pitch as Rishabh Pant effected an excellent stumping. This helped Ashwin equal Dale Steyn’s tally of 439 Test wickets, a day after he went past Kapil Dev’s tally of 434.On a surface that turns big, the most dangerous delivery can often be the one that doesn’t turn. Angelo Mathews found out as much the hard way, stabbing at a Jadeja delivery outside the line only for the ball to sneak through and flatten the stumps. From there on, Sri Lanka were in free fall.Dhanajaya de Silva was out to sharp turn as he lobbed a catch to Hanuma Vihari at short leg as Ashwin went past Steyn. Niroshan Dickwella survived a DRS call for caught behind, but his tendency to run down the pitch and play big shots cost him as he was done in by Axar Patel’s flatter trajectory to be stumped.As all this played out at one end, Karunaratne shelved his enterprising avatar and brought out the hard grind, also to good effect. He played with soft hands, played with his bat close to the body and ensured he didn’t let the spinners dictate terms. The same could hardly be said about the rest of the line-up. Charith Asalanka was the next to go as he lobbed a simple catch to backward short leg.As Karunaratne approached his century, he started to take chances as he was running out of partners. Once into the nineties, he reverse swept for two runs, then brought out a conventional sweep in front of square for four and then, having got to 99 via three singles, brought out a neat flick to the backward-square-leg fence off Bumrah to reach his hundred.No sooner had he celebrated getting to the landmark in what was a terrific knock, did Bumrah bounce back to get him with that magic ball. On “tail dismantle” mode, Bumrah took one more – Suranga Lakmal’s last innings in Test cricket ending with his stumps disturbed – to finish with a match haul of eight. The tame end wasn’t entirely unexpected, but Sri Lanka would be the first to admit they ought to have applied themselves better.This was among the easier series wins for India at home lately and, while clinically dismantling their opponents, they’d ticked plenty of boxes to end a dominant home season on a high. The season had begun with New Zealand being handed defeat across formats, and ended with Sri Lanka being given the same treatment, West Indies having fared no better in between.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea are currently two for two in the UEFA Conference League, having beaten Gent 4-2 in the opening fixture, and Panathinaikos 4-1 in the second fixture.

This leaves the Blues top of the Conference League table on six points, scoring eight goals and conceding three. Chelsea take on FC Noah in the third clash, who have won one and lost one, leaving them on three points in 18th place.

One man who is likely to start, and who has been playing well in this competition for the Blues so far, is Ukrainian superstar, Mykhailo Mudryk.

Mykhailo Mudryk's form

Mudryk joined Chelsea in the 2022/23 January transfer window, joining from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee of around £88.5m, some of which is add-ons.

Since joining, the 23-year-old has made 70 appearances for the Blues, scoring eight goals, providing nine assists, and totalling 3,411 minutes played.

The Ukrainian speedster hasn’t lived up to the price tag and potential thus far, but under Maresca, the winger is starting to find himself in better positions to thrive and get the best of his skillset.

So far this season, Mudryk has made 12 appearances, scoring one goal, and providing five assists in 648 minutes played.

Being isolated in 1v1 scenarios out wide with opposition full-backs, having runners in the halfspaces for him to pick out with his clever passing, and having that extra coaching detail to attack the back post in the box, and get himself goals in this fashion, have all seen improvements for Mudryk.

But there is another change Maresca could make ahead of the Noah game in order to get the very best from the mega-money signing.

Chalkboard

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

How Chelsea can improve Mudryk further

Described as having “pure quality” by Jacek Kulig, Enzo Fernández could be unleashed in a deeper role against Noah, replacing Moises Caicedo and Roméo Lavia.

The 23-year-old thrives in this deeper role, being able to use his expansive passing range, pick out his teammates, and kickstart attacks from deep zones.

By putting Mudryk on the left, and continuing to add the extra coaching details for the Ukrainian to make runs in behind and attack the box, both players could benefit, allowing Fernandez the opportunity to play those longer balls in behind, and the Ukraine international the chance to stretch his legs and show off his electric pace.

The midfielder has made 75 appearances for the Blues since joining in that same 2022/23 January transfer window as Mudryk, scoring seven goals, providing six assists, and totalling 5,823 minutes played.

But in recent weeks, the Argentina international has found himself on the bench, with Caicedo and Lavia forming a more physical midfield duo, providing Chelsea with that little bit more defensive balance out of possession. Maresca even said the only reason Fernandez finds himself on the bench currently, is because he prefers the “physicality” of his other two battling midfielders. As a result, he’s been linked with a possible exit in the direction of Barcelona.

So what do Caicedo and Lavia bring to the team that Maresca values and what can Fernandez bring that is different to them?

Caicedo & Lavia compared to Fernandez

Caicedo joined the club for around £115m from Brighton in August 2023. Since then, the 23-year-old has made 60 appearances for the club, scoring two goals and posting six assists.

Lavia also joined the club in August 2023, signing for a fee of around £58m from Southampton. The 20-year-old had a tough first year in London, suffering from multiple big injuries, the biggest being a hamstring problem which kept him out for 28 games. Therefore, Lavia has only made seven appearances for the Blues.

Instantly, the defensive actions stand out when analysing the trio’s metrics so far this season, with Caicedo and Lavia making more tackles, more blocks, and more interceptions per 90. Part of the reasoning for this is the deeper positions they are placed in (holding midfield) compared to Fernandez, who has often had to push slightly higher to help the team.

However, it is obvious Caicedo and Lavia are more physically able, covering ground, winning duels and recovering at pace. Fernandez, whilst not bad at duelling and winning tackles moving from side to side, his ability to get up and down the pitch quickly isn’t as good as the other two.

The metrics tell us that the South American does bring a more creative spark to the team, leading the trio in progressive carries, progressive passes, key passes, and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes. His ability to find line-breaking balls, and get the team into advantageous positions purely through his passing ability is a huge positive when he is in the team.

Maresca is often finding himself making the decisions for his midfield based on what the opposition can offer, with all three of Caicedo, Lavia and Fernandez starting against Manchester City on the opening day, for that extra level of control and solidity.

Whilst having one of these three on the bench isn’t what they will want, having three midfielders of this calibre is only a positive for the Chelsea boss, and across the entirety of the season, it is likely having this midfield quality and depth will play into their hands, allowing Maresca to make tactical tweaks at his own peril.

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Coventry City seemingly aren’t messing around when it comes to appointing a successor to Mark Robins, with Frank Lampard the main frontrunner to take on the reins at the CBS Arena.

Of course, there are many bumps that can come up when attempting to secure a manager’s signature, with nothing set in stone yet that the former Everton boss will definitely be Robins’ replacement until official confirmation filters through.

There are also alternatives for the Sky Blues, with one left-field choice also on the Championship club’s agenda.

Coventry looking at exciting Lampard alternative

As per journalist Tom Collomosse, Coventry are eyeing up Lincoln City head coach Michael Skubala as another face that could take over from the adored figure of Robins, with Blackburn Rovers boss John Eustace also on the ever-growing list of alternatives to Lampard.

Stating further that there have been a mammoth 60-70 applicants for the vacant job post, the Imps manager will believe he is a viable option for the Coventry hierarchy to look at, having guided Lincoln to a respectable seven wins from 14 in League One this campaign.

Also formerly on the books of Leeds United as an U21 coach, Coventry will hope – if they can’t get their hands on Lampard – that Skubala is a suitable second choice, with fans at Sincil Bank no doubt gutted if the popular 42-year-old did end up packing his bags for a major move to the West Midlands.

But, it could be a match made in heaven, with Skubala impressing those in the third tier ever since he made a move to Lincoln a reality, as the Championship now calls out to him.

What Skubala could offer Coventry

Skubala was an instant hit at Sincil Bank when he relocated from Leeds last year, taking the Imps on a mightily impressive 16 game unbeaten run between January and April this year, that saw his new side just narrowly miss out on the playoffs.

Now, in fifth spot in the league, the ex-Leeds coach will hope this time around sees his team compete in the playoffs come the end of the long and gruelling regular season, in a league that is being dominated by the might of ex-Premier League clubs such as Birmingham City.

Skubala’s managerial record

Club managed

Games

Wins

Draws

Losses

Lincoln

49

23

13

13

Leeds (caretaker)

3

0

1

2

Leeds U21s

23

12

2

9

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Skubala even took on caretaker duties at Elland Road on one occasion, with his first taste of interim action even seeing the Whites draw 2-2 with Manchester United in a barnstorming contest at Old Trafford.

His Lincoln sides have also been known to operate on the front foot, scoring 73 times across the 39 games he has taken charge of, only leaking 45 in the process.

Whilst Lampard does have an upper-hand on the Lincoln manager when it comes to experience of the second tier, having guided Derby County to a playoff final at the level in 2019, it’s fair to say Skubala is fresher when it comes to his successes in the here and now.

Unfortunately for the frontrunner for the Sky Blues vacancy, his reputation in the managerial game has taken a bruising, having only steered Everton to 12 wins from 44 fixtures at Goodison Park, not far off the number of games Skubala has under his belt now in Lincolnshire.

Lampard does feel like the safer shout as a more household name, but with Skubala also favouring a similar formation to Robins in a 3-1-4-2 set-up, Coventry could fancy going bold as a new era looms on the horizon for the Sky Blues.

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