Tag Futebol

Not too much rides on this T20I series in an ODI World Cup year, but expect plenty of intrigue nonetheless

Rvel Zahid23-Mar-2023High-octane matches between Pakistan and Afghanistan in showpiece events are nothing new, but this first-of-its-kind bilateral series offers the tantalising promise of normal cricketing ties in the future. The shared love of the game on both sides of the border acts as a binding force and a hedge against volatile political relations between Kabul and Islamabad.Afghanistan were originally slated to kickstart their season with an ODI series against Australia this month in the UAE but Cricket Australia shelved its plans to play in protest at the curbs placed on women’s cricket in Afghanistan, paving the way for this series.Not much is riding on this T20I series for both teams, given this is an ODI World Cup year. Both teams are well-accustomed to the conditions given the fact that the UAE is Afghanistan’s home venue and was Pakistan’s home away from home for a decade. Pakistan’s record against its northwest neighbour is unblemished but they will be without several key players, who have been rested, potentially balancing the scales. Afghanistan could back themselves to get the better of a Shadab Khan-led side in the three T20Is.Afghanistan will be buoyed by their recent 2-1 T20I series win over UAE and, before that, a pretty decent outing in the 2022 Asia Cup, where they outgunned eventual champions Sri Lanka in the group stage and went on to overwhelm Bangladesh to make it to the Super Four round. They came within touching distance of victory in a low-scoring humdinger against Pakistan, too, until two Naseem Shah sixes denied them at the death.With a young batting line-up, Pakistan’s vulnerability to collapse can’t be ruled out because they will be up against a potent bowling attack. The 22-year-old Fazalhaq Farooqi has gone from strength to strength since his stint in IPL 2022 – where he worked under the tutelage of Dale Steyn – after which he went on to make a mark in the inaugural edition of the ILT20. His ability to bowl with control up front keeps opening batters on their toes.A well-rounded Afghanistan batting line-up has a wealth of international experience, which could put pressure on a young Pakistan pace attack. It won’t be easy to cover for Shaheen Afridi, who was phenomenal in the just-concluded PSL, but the likes of Naseem, Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan, have the skill set to pose significant challenges for Afghanistan batters. Ihsanullah, who hails from Matta, Swat, claimed his maiden five-for against Quetta Gladiators and ended the PSL season as its second-leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps.A notable addition to Pakistan’s squad is Imad Wasim; he ended PSL 8 as the tournament’s best allrounder, scoring over 400 runs and snapping up nine wickets. Having fallen way down the pecking order, he now links up with Mohammad Nawaz as they vie for that spin-bowling allrounder spot.Imad Wasim is back in Pakistan’s squad after an outstanding PSL season•Getty ImagesAfghanistan have mainly relied on their spinners to weave magic but now they have match-winners in their pace battery, too. Afghanistan have an opportunity to enhance their reputation among Full Members, and for that they’ll need to hold their nerve at crucial junctures. This being a bilateral series will help them play in an uninhibited manner given there is not a lot at stake.Pakistan have included Saim Ayub whose performances made everyone sit up and take notice during the PSL. His audacious shots were a treat to watch, notably a no-look scoop over fine leg that had social media swooning. Saim, alongside the belligerent Mohammad Haris, entertained the crowd royally in the PSL, and these purveyors of modern-day cricket almost seem genetically wired to thrive in limited-overs cricket. Shadab spoke glowingly of the new talents that the PSL has unearthed, and wants them to have a proper chance at the international level.Afghanistan, meanwhile, have recalled Mohammad Nabi after he was dropped for the UAE series. The old hand has seen it all since the early days of Afghanistan cricket and has been the fulcrum of their batting line-up. His canny offspin will come in handy in what should be spin-friendly conditions. He will be eager to locate his mojo after a poor run of form of late, only managing 45 runs and seven wickets in his last 10 matches. Nabi relinquished the T20I captaincy last year following the T20 World Cup in Australia.Uncapped opening batter Sediqullah Atal made his T20 debut for Kabul Eagles in the 2020 Shpageeza Cricket League and was part of Afghanistan’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup. He will now get to test himself against a strong international attack.Swashbuckling opener Hazratullah Zazai didn’t get the selectors’ nod, while Nijat Masood and Zahid Khan have been added to the reserves. Ibrahim Zadran and Karim Janat have been in sublime touch of late and both thumped half-centuries to script Afghanistan’s outstanding six-wicket win over UAE in the T20I series in February. A series win could be a major tipping point in the progress of Afghanistan cricket.The bowlers struggled in the sweltering heat during last year’s Asia Cup, with Naseem cramping during the high-voltage clash against India, but the weather will be milder at this time of the year, which will certainly help the fast bowlers bowl at full tilt.Emotions can flare up during Afghanistan-Pakistan contests, particularly during closely-fought matches. There was unrest in the stands during the 2019 World Cup and during last year’s Asia Cup in Sharjah. This time around, the organisers have decided to keep the two sets of fans in separate stands and have put on-site security and stewards on alert to prevent any crowd trouble. But cricket will take centrestage, and that should be enough of a draw on its own.

Enough with the goodwill and buddying, now let’s see some old-school brawlin’

Alan Gardner20-Nov-2020There has been a lot of love sloshing around the world of cricket in recent months. Boards flying touring teams over at their own cost. Players buddying their way through weeks in isolation. Goodwill and nasal swabs wherever you look. Everyone was so delighted that the IPL was able to be staged safely out in the deserts of the UAE that it was even more like a hippy commune than normal.Frankly, it’s enough to make the Light Roller scream into our novelty Merv Hughes face mask.Even the upcoming clash-of-evil-empires between Australia and India threatens to be a let-down. Once upon a time, you could rely on Virat Kohli turning up at the Adelaide Oval next month and flipping the bird at the first idiot in the crowd to jerk his chain. Now he is such a paragon of modern masculinity, and a gentleman to boot, that he is taking paternity leave after the first Test – thus giving Australia a helping hand in their attempt to avenge a first-ever defeat at home to India in their previous encounter.Tim Paine’s team, meanwhile, is so full of reformed characters they could pass for a group of Methodist preachers. Ever since Australia experienced their “Are we the baddies?” moment of realisation in Cape Town – the clues were all there: the swearing, the moustaches, the skulls on caps – Paine has borne the captaincy with statesmanlike responsibility, shelving the tantrums and histrionics, and attempting to return a sense of civility to the office. Seriously, who does he think he is, the next occupant of the White House?India-Australia ought to be a rivalry so heated it contributes to global warming, but both sides are now too cool for the old school. So family-friendly was the sledging two years ago that the most memorable exchange involved Paine enquiring about Rishabh Pant’s availability as a babysitter.In the words of Allan Border: “What do you think this is, a f**king tea party?” We’re all for barefoot circles before the series, so long as it’s bare-knuckle from there on. And don’t get too cosy up in your No. 1 ranking, India. Okay, you won last time around, but no Smith and Warner basically means it didn’t count (yeah, we said it).Given the amount of time spent in bio-bubbles recently, it wouldn’t be surprising if everyone was getting a bit tetchy. But that’s okay, better to shake it all out on the field. C’mon, guys, it’s getting close to Christmas and there’s only one thing that we want. We want you bad.

****

Cricket is a simple game, if you leave aside all the complicated aspects like the lbw law, fielding restrictions, and when exactly to take tea. In that spirit, we’re delighted to see that the BBL has decided to look at the flagging T20 format and jazz it up with some exciting innovations such as, erm, the old ODI batting powerplay, and that Supersub idea the ICC tried and dropped 15 years ago. Although turning the much-mocked #atthisstage commentary crutch into a points-worthy metric just to nark Twitter could turn out to be an actual stroke of genius (that or it will go the way of the ECB’s Super Series brainwave from a few years back).Anyway, after dipping into our extensive contacts book – which may or may not include the municipal waste disposal authority that services Melbourne’s Jolimont district – we can exclusively reveal some of the alternative ideas that sadly ended up in the Big Bash trash:Big Top Bash Super Silly Super Over: New method of resolving a tie. Players slap on some extra zinc oxide, grab a red nose and oversized shoes and bowl custard pies at each other. Circus music optional, losers fed to the lions.Powar Surge: The fielding team can actually bring their 12th man on to play – but only if the nominated player is considered sufficiently overweight/inept/unfit to not make much of a difference. Final adjudications to be made by Ramesh Powar himself.The XXXX-Factor: At any point in the match, a team that feels it may be trailing can opt to switch the contest to a boat race decided by which side can scull six beers the quickest. Also known as a “Boonie Bonus”.Hundred-BBL Booster: Both innings reduced to 16.4 overs. Ten balls to be bowled in a row from each end. Bowlers can deliver either five or ten balls consecutively. New batsman always on strike, even if they crossed before a catch is taken. Powerplay of 25 balls with strategic timeouts for… ()

Dhoni, Pollard, Bravo, Rayudu and Malinga have starred in these matches in the past – here’s a lookback

Omkar Mankame22-Mar-2025Chennai, 2008 – CSK won by six runsThe first meeting between these sides in the IPL produced a high-scoring nail-biter. Brisk fifties from Matthew Hayden and Suresh Raina powered CSK to 208, before MI, despite losing wickets regularly, kept the chase going. Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh combined to bring the equation down to nine from the last four deliveries, but Joginder Sharma kept his nerve to take CSK over the line.Mumbai, 2012 – MI won by two wicketsAfter a few years of lopsided contests came the real humdinger. MI’s pursuit of 174 had been led by half-centuries from Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. But a dramatic collapse – 134 for 1 became 159 for 8 – left them needing 16 from the final over and then 14 from three balls. No fear! Dwayne Smith, playing his first game of the season, hit Ben Hilfenhaus for 6, 4, 4 to set off celebrations in the MI camp.Dwayne Smith has been among those who have played starring roles for both MI as well as CSK•BCCIMumbai, 2014 – CSK won by four wicketsRelated

Trial by spin likely as weakened MI enter CSK's cauldron

Gaikwad: Dhoni focused on hitting as many sixes as possible

What can MI do to cope with Bumrah's absence?

CSK look ready for spin to win again in Chennai

Nine current IPL players who also featured in 2008

Smith – now in the other camp – had anchored CSK’s chase of 158 with a fifty. But Lasith Malinga’s death overs wizardry meant CSK still needed 11 from the final over. CSK, however, had their own master of the death overs in the middle: MS Dhoni smashed a six and a four off Kieron Pollard to finish it off with three balls to spare.Mumbai, 2018 – CSK won by one wicketCSK’s first game back from a two-year ban pitted them against the defending champions. Hardik Pandya and debutant Mayank Markande took three-fors and CSK, chasing 166, looked buried at 118 for 8 in the 17th over. With 47 needed off the last three, Dwayne Bravo scored 19 and 20 off the next two overs, and a heavily hamstrung Kedar Jadhav, batting on one leg, finished the job in the last over.Hyderabad 2019 – MI won by one runA fourth IPL title was up for grabs for either side. The contest ebbed and flowed and left CSK needing nine off the last over. Shane Watson, with a bloody knee, was run-out for 80 on the fourth ball. With two needed off the final ball, Malinga – with figures of 0 for 42 in his first three overs – bowled the perfect yorker to trap Shardul Thakur in front and deliver MI the trophy.MI edged out CSK to win the IPL 2019 by one run•Mahesh Kumar A/Associated PressDelhi, 2021 – MI won by four wicketsAmbati Rayudu was rampant against his former team, and powered CSK to 218. That seemed more than enough when MI found themselves at 94 for 3 after 12 overs. But with 125 needed from the last eight overs – and 48 from the last three – Kieron Pollard smashed six fours and eight sixes and took MI home by scampering through for a double off the last ball of the game.Navi Mumbai, 2022 – CSK won by three wicketsBoth MI and CSK struggled after the mega auction before IPL 2022, so this was a bottom-of-the-table contest. Tilak Varma’s 43-ball 51 not out took MI to 155 after Mukesh Choudhary had wrecked their top order. Then Daniel Sams did the same to CSK. It came down to CSK needing 16 off the last four balls with Dhoni facing Jaydev Unadkat. In a display of vintage brilliance, Dhoni sealed the deal with a sequence of 6, 4, 2 and 4.

Here on earth the Chicago White Sox are off to another challenging start, but a better place awaits. Last month’s papal election brought us Robert Prevost, better known as Pope Leo XIV, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Sovereign of the Vatican City State—and lifelong White Sox fan. So even as they suffer to an 18–42 record, last in the American League, the White Sox can hope for reprieve in the afterlife. 

But in the meantime, they believe they see a path forward. Just as the Los Angeles Dodgers and DH Shohei Ohtani have taken over Japan, the White Sox hope to become Vatican City’s team. 

Frankly, though, they have some work to do to get there. 

The Italian peninsula has not historically been much of a baseball hotbed. There has never been a major leaguer born in Vatican City, and there have only been two Italians this century—third baseman Alex Liddi, of Sanremo, who played for the Seattle Mariners from 2011 through ’13, and lefty Sam Aldegheri, of Verona, who pitches for the Los Angeles Angels. 

The White Sox themselves are something of underdogs, the perpetual little brother to the more popular Chicago Cubs, and the 2024 loser of a major league–record 121 games. So they took some pleasure in watching their local rival claim that he was a Cubs fan—and then have to walk the statement back. former Rome bureau chief Chico Harlan reported that, four hours after being elected, Pope Leo responded to a friend’s request for clarification with one word: “Sox.”

But now it’s time to get to work. White Sox officials admit they have not yet begun the process of establishing an academy in the area. (L'Accademia, the famous art gallery that houses Michelangelo’s David, lies some 170 miles south in Florence and would likely not be suitable.) They have also not yet assigned scouts to cover the Holy See, whose population of 882 would probably not require too many eyes. “I’m not sure from the baseball development standpoint that we're gonna, like, tap into an untapped market,” says general manager Chris Getz, overlooking the fact that the College of Cardinals has never lost a game in conference play. (Still, the youngest current cardinal is 45 years old—one month older than even Kansas City Royals pitcher Rich Hill—and in an era of performance-enhancing drug testing, the aging curve is not in his favor.) The 135 Swiss Guards might offer a better option: They must be between 19 and 30 years old, at least 5’ 8.5” tall and of “irreproachable health.” There should be at least one lefty with a sweeper in there. 

But perhaps the problem is not one of ability but one of marketing. Not everyone in Vatican City may have considered baseball as a realistic career path. “Maybe we could put out a memo,” offers reliever Mike Vasil. “You know, ‘We’re looking for talent.’” 

Righty Jonathan Cannon suggests, “Maybe MLB will do a game over in Rome for us.” (Chicago could play Atlanta, who could assume the identities of their Single A affiliate for the day: the Rome, Ga., Emperors.)

It’s a good point: Developing young players might take time, but they could pick up fans much more quickly. Stadio Olimpico, which has hosted an Olympics, a World Cup and three European Championships, could work. But why leave the Vatican at all? At about 650 feet long by about 500 feet wide inside its columns, St. Peter’s Square is a bit smaller than the Rate but could easily accommodate the minor league ballparks in which the Tampa Bay Rays (George M. Steinbrenner Field) and the Las Vegas Athletics of Sacramento (Sutter Health Park) are spending the season. The ancient Egyptian obelisk in the center of the piazza, brought to town from Alexandria in 40 AD by Emperor Caligula, would create interesting ground-rule opportunities. And no offense to the Campfire Milkshake, the highlight of last season, but it’s hard to top gelato as a concession-stand item.

And once they catch White Sox fever, those fans will stick around. One estimate has nearly 90% of Japanese tourists to Los Angeles visiting Dodger Stadium. It’s hard to find data on visitors from Vatican City, but more than 1.1 million Italians traveled to the United States last year; surely some percentage of them could be persuaded to brave deep-dish pizza to catch a game at Rate Field. 

Still, there’s room for more. A Vatican City Connect jersey? A Pope Leo XIV bobblehead? White Sox catching coach and Catholic school alum Drew Butera has an innovative idea: staging a “throw harder than the Pope” competition. Now that’s the sort of creativity we’re looking for.

Liverpool are reportedly considering a move for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, whose contract with the club expires in 2029. Despite splashing a mind-boggling $595 million on transfers over the summer, including back-to-back British record transfer fees on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, the club's collapse has forced them to enter the market once again.

• Liverpool's title defence in danger

  It was all smiles in the Liverpool camp just six months ago, when Arne Slot  – in his debut campaign at Anfield after leaving Feyenoord – comprehensively guided the Reds to their first Premier League title since the 2019-20 season, and only their second league title in the Premier League era. 

  As if the league title wasn't enough, Liverpool splashed almost $600m on transfers over the summer. They broke the British transfer record – twice – first by signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a move worth $153m, before pulling out all the stops to capture Alexander Isak's signature from Newcastle United under controversial circumstances. The deadline day operation cost the Merseyside giants $165m. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez were acquired to succeed one of the most lethal full-back pairings to have ever graced the English top-flight in Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid, and the gradually ageing Andy Robertson.

  While the adaptation period of almost all summer signings wasn't immediate, Slot's troops conjured a five-game winning streak to begin the defence of their league crown. However, they have since fallen apart like a house of cards. The season began with a Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace, but that only proved to be a minor blip as they won the next seven games across all competitions. But things went downhill. Before Sunday's 2-0 win over West Ham, Liverpool lost nine of their previous 12 games. The highs of finishing the summer with an all-timer transfer window quickly turned into the lowest of the lows, even calling into question whether Slot is good enough to steer the seemingly sinking ship of England's champions.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Camavinga catches Liverpool's attention

  Amidst all the chaos at Anfield, have been informed by sources that Liverpool are reportedly plotting an ambitious move to sign Real Madrid midfielder Camavinga. Per the report, Slot deems Camavinga to be an absolutely necessary signing to bolster the midfield. While Los Blancos are in no mood to entertain thoughts of a possible Camavinga departure, the club's hierarchy has reportedly held talks over the Frenchman's long-term future at the Bernabeu. Some even believe Camavinga, currently valued at $70m, could free up funds for future transfers if he is cashed in on. 

  However, the reigning Premier League champions are likely to face stiff competition. Reportedly, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal are the other Premier League heavyweights keeping tabs on Camavinga's situation in the Spanish capital. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, too, are believed to be in the mix should a potential transfer race ignite. 

• Camavinga 'very happy' at Real Madrid

  Camavinga has won everything there is to win at club level. Arriving from Rennes in 2021, the 23-year-old established himself as a key player under Carlo Ancelotti, playing a pivotal role in Madrid's Champions League and La Liga double. He was once again instrumental when Madrid replicated the feat in the 2023-24 season. 

  But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the versatile midfielder. Persistent injuries have prevented Camavinga from truly taking off at Madrid, leaving many to wonder whether he’ll ever reach the heights he once seemed destined for. That being said, he is contracted to Madrid until June 30, 2029, and the club views him as a key player for both the present and the future, despite his fitness issues. 

  Head coach Xabi Alonso is also believed to be a huge admirer of Camavinga's qualities. He has featured in 14 games across all competitions, clocking 563 minutes. He hasn't received as many starts, being named in the XI just five times, but he seems to be a player who could become influential under Alonso. "I know him from watching him, from how he interprets the game. He has enormous potential, a lot of qualities, and there’s a place for him within the project. He’s eager, he’s willing," Alonso said in September while describing Camavinga.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Liverpool face tricky schedule in December

  Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League clash will see them welcome newly-promoted Sunderland to Anfield, with Regis Le Bris’ side emerging as one of the season’s surprise packages. The Reds will also take on Brighton and Tottenham in the coming weeks – fixtures that could provide a real test of their mettle as they look to turn their season around in the second half of the campaign.

Both players were off the field for large portions of the second innings against Sri Lanka

Shashank Kishore26-Sep-20252:05

Is captaincy affecting SKY’s form?

Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, has allayed concerns around the fitness of Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma leading into Sunday’s Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Dubai.Hardik held his left hamstring and walked off the field after bowling the first over of Sri Lanka’s innings on Friday, in which he dismissed Kusal Mendis for a first-ball duck. Hardik didn’t return to take the field for the remainder of the innings.”Hardik had cramps, he will be assessed tonight and tomorrow morning, we’ll then take a call on that,” Morkel said at the post-match press conference. India’s bowling coach was merely reiterating what India captain Suryakumar Yadav said at the post-match presentation.Meanwhile, Abhishek too spent the entire second half of Sri Lanka’s innings off the field. Abhishek showed signs of discomfort in the ninth over, when he clutched onto his right thigh while running. He eventually left the field in the 10th over, just before a Pathum Nissanka six was signalled dead ball because he hadn’t left the field before Varun Chakravarthy began to run in to bowl.Like Hardik, Abhishek too spent the rest of the innings being iced and treated with pickle juice to ease cramps. Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma came on as substitute fielders at different points. At one point, even Tilak Varma was briefly off the field, but he soon returned after a hydration break.With the Sri Lanka game stretching way beyond its scheduled close due to the Super Over finish, India are left with an even shorter turnaround time before they take the field on Sunday. Morkel stressed on the need for the players to recover, and stay away from training on Saturday.”The key for the boys is to rest,” he said. “They’re in an ice bath already. The recovery started straight after the match. The best way to recover is sleep and stay off your feet. Hopefully they can get a good night’s sleep.”There will be individual pool sessions for the guys organised. Then some massages before they get mentally ready for the big battle on Sunday. It’s a quick turnaround, and playing smart is going to be the key. There will certainly be no training.”‘Arshdeep, Harshit are X-factors’Morkel also touched upon the challenges players like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana face when being called upon to deliver at a crucial stage in the competition. On Friday against Sri Lanka, the pair returned combined figures of 2 for 100 of eight overs in India’s defence of 202, before a nerveless Arshdeep delivered in the Super Over to seal victory.”In our environment we want to move away from an excuse culture,” he said. “The effort they put in at training, we expect them to go out there and deliver. Yes, sometimes lack of game time is a factor. You can bowl as many overs as you like in the nets, but nothing beats game time.”The quality of work we put in, we expect the guys to deliver. At the moment, things aren’t happening for them but the team is winning, they’re all X-factor players and real match winners.”

Lancashire have said they are investigating the incident at Old Trafford

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2025

Lancashire have said they are investigating after an incident in which a fan attending the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford was asked to cover up the Pakistan shirt they were wearing.The fan, named in Pakistani media as Farooq Nazar, posted a video on social media documenting the request, initially from a member of the security staff at the ground, that he cover the shirt, a replica of Pakistan’s traditional green limited-overs kit.The security guard, who identifies himself as working for Lancashire, says: “I’ve been asked by control if you can cover that shirt up, please.” Later on, a steward can be heard saying the shirt “might be considered nationalistic”.Related

Gill, Washington, Jadeja tons script India's great escape

Weary England show their frustrations as Test ends on sour note

Cricket must be played by the rules, not Stokes' moral code

In the video, Nazar can be seen becoming increasingly agitated amid repeated requests to cover up. Eventually, he is approached by a police officer, who asks to continue the conversation away from the stands. According to reports, Nazar then opted to leave the ground rather than hide his shirt.Political relations between India and Pakistan, frosty for years, have been at their most tense this year, following a brief military skirmish between the two countries in May. Those tensions have filtered into relations between the BCCI and PCB; the two sides have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 and no Test cricket since 2007-08. Their participation in ICC events hosted by either country has also recently become problematic, with a neutral venue added in to stage their games as part of a hybrid solution to the issue.It is unclear on which day of the Test, which ended in a draw as India batted their way through five sessions, the incident took place but Lancashire confirmed they were looking into it.”We are aware of the incident referenced and are taking steps to understand the facts and context surrounding the matter fully,” a Lancashire spokesperson said.In recent years, Lancashire have openly spoken of building their links with India. The Hundred team based at the ground, Manchester Originals, are set to become 70% owned by Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG group, which runs Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, while Lancashire’s chief executive, Daniel Gidney, has suggested giving the BCCI a stake in the 100-ball tournament.

Manchester United are keen to strengthen at every given opportunity and may now find themselves ahead in the race to sign one of England’s rising stars.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim keen to steady ship

Ruben Amorim is under pressure at Old Trafford and needs to strike together a run of results in order to avoid further scrutiny from external sources, albeit speculation is continuing to mount over his future.

Despite claims that the Portuguese boss could change his formation for coming fixtures, Dean Jones has claimed Amorim may instead look to alter personnel in an attempt to improve performances at Old Trafford.

He said: “I have spoken to connections close to the club, and there seems to be an expectation that this time, something does change. Realistically, it probably will not be the system.

“Because they have worked so tirelessly on his formation, he will probably roll it out again – but one thing he can do this time is change the personnel. This is the area that people seem to feel is most likely to change.”

Steve Parish is working tirelessly to stop Oliver Glasner making a future move to Old Trafford. The Crystal Palace boss would likely be a key contender if the role became vacant, but Amorim is still the man charged with turning around their Premier League fortunes.

Not just Hojlund: Man Utd must rue selling a CF who's outperforming Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in allowing one former player to depart Old Trafford.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 3, 2025

Ultimately, the problems Manchester United have faced in recent years are far deeper than who is in the dugout, though the expectation on the manager is always a major talking point.

Either way, player recruitment is always on the agenda at the global giants and the Red Devils could have the advantage in the race for a player who could ignite their season.

Manchester United looking to win Hayden Hackney race

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are ahead of Fulham in the race to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, and they may look to formalise their interest in the England Under-21 international come 2026.

Tottenham Hotspur are also watching with intent and will have been impressed with what they’ve witnessed, given his return off a goal and two assists in nine appearances across all competitions.

Labelled “outstanding” by pundit Neil Maddison, the Three Lions youth international is out of contract in the summer of 2027, and it remains to be seen if Boro are tempted to cash in come January or whether he will stay for their promotion push under Rob Edwards.

Manchester United made an approach for Carlos Baleba during the summer, illustrating their appetite to strengthen the engine room, and it appears that INEOS have their eyes fixed on some form of midfield reinforcement come the January window.

MatériaMais Notícias

Neymar marcou seu primeiro gol com a camisa do Al-Hilal na última terça-feira (3). O camisa 10 desencantou com seu novo clube saudita depois de cinco jogos com o clube. O craque fez o segundo gol da partida que terminou em 3 a 0.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasChampions LeagueOnde assistir RB Leipzig x Manchester City; horário e escalações do jogo pela ChampionsChampions League04/10/2023Fora de CampoWeb: Benzema enaltece Vinicius Júnior após gol em vitória do Real Madrid na ChampionsFora de Campo03/10/2023VaivémNovela Tite fica perto de desfecho, Botafogo coloca Lage ‘contra parede’… O Dia do Mercado!Vaivém03/10/2023

No dia 7 de março de 2009, Neymar entrou em campo pela primeira vez como profissional. O jogador estreou com a camisa do Santos na vitória do Peixe sobre o Oeste, mas não marcou gols. 8 dias depois, no terceiro jogo de Neymar, o primeiro como titular, o jogador marcou seu primeiro gol com a camisa alvinegra na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Mogi Mirim.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Pela Seleção Brasileira, em 2010, depois de não ser convocado para a Copa do Mundo na África do Sul, Neymar precisou de apenas um jogo para marcar seu primeiro gol com a amarelinha. O jogador balançou a rede de cabeça na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre os Estados Unidos.

continua após a publicidade

Com a camisa do Barcelona, seu primeiro clube na Europa, Neymar demorou um pouco mais para fazer um gol. O atacante estreou no dia 18 de agosto de 2013, contra o Levante, pelo Campeonato Espanhol. O gol pelo Barça, veio no segundo jogo do brasileiro, na final da Supercopa da Espanha, contra o Atlético de Madrid.

+ Condição especial para matrícula no curso Gestor de Futebol, aprovado por Dante, Petković, Léo Moura e outros craques. Saiba mais!

Na França, Neymar chegou como a contratação mais cara da história e marcou seu primeiro gol logo na estreia. A partida do PSG foi contra Guingamp, o time venceu por 3 a 0 e o camisa 10 terminou com uma assistência, além do gol.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

Neymar