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Barbados Tridents captain Kieron Pollard inspired his team to a 14-run win against Guyana Amazon Warriors with 4 for 30 to keep the team on top of the table in their last league match, in Guyana

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKieron Pollard ensured his team remained on top of the table•Caribbean Premier LeagueBarbados Tridents captain Kieron Pollard inspired his team to a 14-run win against Guyana Amazon Warriors with 4 for 30 to keep the team on top of the table in their last league match, in Guyana. Pollard defended 24 runs off the last over as Tridents defended a modest total of 125 by restricting Amazon Warriors to 111 for 6. Tridents, already in the playoffs, will now not make it straight to the final only if Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel lose one of their remaining two matches. Amazon Warriors are on second spot, but with the same points as Red Steel, Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Zouks.Amazon Warriors started steady in their chase with an opening stand of 43 between Lendl Simmons and Brad Hodge before both fell within a space of six balls. Simmons scored a 31-ball 15. Umar Akmal and Denesh Ramdin also could not up the ante with their stand of 28 in 4.4 overs. When Pollard got rid of Akmal in the 15th over, Warriors still needed 53 runs from 31 balls with seven wickets in hand. But Ravi Rampaul gave only 14 runs in his next two overs to make it a more challenging equation of 37 from last two overs. Christopher Barnwell hit two consecutive fours in the penultimate over, which went for 13 runs, and started the last over with a six but Pollard finished his innings of 24 off 13 and took another wicket to finish with his fourth four-for in T20s, conceding nine runs in the last over.Tridents had opted to bat but could not get substantial partnerships going early on, thanks to David Wiese’s five-for, his third in T20s. He removed the openers, Dwayne Smith and Steven Taylor, in the fifth over, and was on a hat-trick when he had Jonathan Carter caught behind on the first ball of his next over. Legspinner Devendra Bishoo dented them further by getting rid of Robin Peterson and Misbah-ul-Haq within three deliveries, and Pollard was bowled in the next over for 2, to leave the score on 65 for 6 after 13 overs. Jason Holder and Rayad Emrit then hauled them past 100 with a 45-run partnership in under six overs. Holder smashed two fours and as many sixes in his 17-ball 30, while Emrit scored a run-a-ball 21 to help them finish on a competitive 125 for 9. Sunil Narine finished with 4-1-14-0.

New Zealand quick Mitchell McClenaghan said after their eight-run win against Australia that they knew what lenghts to ball on, as early as two-three overs into the match

Sidharth Monga in Dharamsala18-Mar-2016Early doors into the warm-ups, on a beautiful sunny day bucking all forecasts, it was apparent New Zealand were going to be unchanged from the XI that stunned India in Nagpur. This was not an identical pitch but similar: the only grass it is likely familiar to is of the kind that brings tourists from far and wide to the Himalayas, and the only pace and bounce it has seen is that of the tireless groundstaff trying to get games in during the rain. Slowness was going to be the theme of the day as might suit the surroundings.Mike Hesson and Kane Williamson, though, saw something in the pitch, and decided to play Mitchell McClenaghan in place of Nathan McCullum, who had set the pace – or lack of it – for New Zealand with Shikhar Dhawan’s wicket in the first over of their defence of 126. So belatedly, long after every other bowler had done so, McClenaghan came out to mark his run-up.”I knew [I was playing] when I went to the toilet and walked back and saw it on the white board. It was quite late doors,” McClenaghan said. He went on to be the Man of the Match banging cutters in the middle of the pitch, bowling the 19th over for two wickets and three runs to shut Australia out of a chase of 143.New Zealand’s success so far is a success of execution from the bowlers all right, but their think tank has made choices that have been spot on. They have read the pitches perfectly. It becomes all the incredible because the first look they got of the square in Dharamsala was about two-three hours before the match; the ground was completely covered because of the incessant rain on Thursday.Twenty20, because of it short duration, is a lot about assessing conditions early, almost freakishly early. Mike Hussey used to do that with the bat. Mike Hesson seems to be doing it as a coach. His boys are not too far behind, though. As early as two overs into the game, even though Martin Guptill was going bang bang, McClenaghan knew he was not going to bowl full or yorkers or fast.”It was pretty early,” McClenaghan said of the change in the mindset. “I walked over after [Shane] Watson’s second over or halfway through the first. We were thinking about and talking… early into the game you have got to assess these kind of things. Walked over to Timmy [Southee] and Boulty [Trent] and Nath [McCullum] and kind of picked their brain. We basically, early, probably three overs into the game, realised it was not a yorker wicket. It was really hard to time off back of a length and cutters and change-ups. Every time someone went on pace they got pumped. That assessment was made pretty early.”Last-minute change made, early assessment done, it doesn’t quite add up if you don’t execute it well. McClenaghan, the joint second-fastest to 50 ODI wickets and within a reasonable shout of being among the fastest to 100, knows how to execute those wicket-taking lengths. Despite such an impressive record, he is used to sitting out of the ODIs; despite the great World Cup Southee and Boult had, he is the one chosen to do what he does best.The second ball McClenaghan bowled was a cutter that might have got him an lbw another day. In his second over he got Watson, the master of bowling cutters on tacky pitches, with a slower ball. Then he came back for the sucker punch in the 19th over with 22 required. He bowled slower short balls to the right-hand batsmen, and lovely legcutters landing on a dime to the left-hand batsman Ashton Agar. Mitchell Marsh and Agar had earlier hit sixes off the threatening Mitchell Santner in the 17th over to give Australia hope. Both perished against McClenaghan within five balls.McClenaghan was later asked how difficult it is to sit out games and then walk in at such a short notice and bowl so well. He was all praise for the culture in the team. “That’s the nature of our team,” he said. “Everyone’s ready to go, everyone knows his role in the side, and whoever gets picked on the day or whether is late or early, we are confident that our guys can do the job and they have got the skills to support the team.”A case in point is the exclusion of Southee and Boult, but McClenaghan knows this culture had taken root fairly early on. “We are just growing as a team,” he said. “Our culture is going to new levels. We are confident in each other, we are confident in our own game. We have left guys like Matt Henry at home who has arguably been our best bowler this year. We just know that we have got the squad, and we have got the depth, and we trust each other. To leave people out like that, kind of says a lot for where we are going as New Zealand cricket.”New Zealand now have a foot in the semi-final. As McClenaghan remarked, a leadership team just as strong of Hesson and Brendon McCullum has been established seamlessly in Hesson and Williamson. Four more sets of conditions to assess then.

Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, has urged his players not to get ahead of themselves as they build towards a World T20 semi-final against New Zealand in Delhi on Wednesday

Andrew Miller in Delhi27-Mar-2016Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, has urged his players not to get ahead of themselves as they build towards a World T20 semi-final against New Zealand in Delhi on Wednesday, despite the understandable excitement that has been generated by the thrilling 10-run victory over Sri Lanka that secured their progression to the last four.”We haven’t won anything,” Bayliss told reporters at the team hotel on the morning after the night before, as England prepared to down tools for a couple of days and recover from a gruelling qualification campaign in which they were stretched to the limit by each of their four opponents, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.”In these tight tournaments you can’t get through to the semis unless you are playing good cricket, and that’s what we set out to do to give ourselves a chance,” Bayliss said. “But it’s about peaking at the right time. I wouldn’t say we’ve played the perfect game yet – coaches are always looking for that absolutely perfect game, I don’t think it’s ever been played – but it’s what any team is striving to do.”There is, however, a sense that England are getting more right than wrong as the sharp end of the campaign approaches, and Bayliss admitted that the struggles that his players have so far endured can only harden their resolve, both for the coming knockouts and for their longer-term goals in all forms of cricket.After losing heavily against West Indies in their opening fixture in Mumbai, where Chris Gayle’s 47-ball century showed up the inadequacy of their 182 target, England then chased down a tournament-record 230 to beat South Africa before shipping six wickets in the first ten overs to flirt with disaster against Afghanistan. The manner in which they then held their nerve to see off Sri Lanka in a tense finale on Saturday was, Bayliss suggested, proof that the team was learning from its previous mistakes and experiences.”The more you are put in those pressure situations, the more you can win some of those matches,” he said. “It makes the players into better players in the long term. Once you’ve been in those pressure situations, you can draw on those experiences from before. The game against Afghanistan, I mean, that was as big a pressure playing against them as it was playing against South Africa.”Bayliss on…

Jos Buttler’s brilliance
“Like AB de Villiers, there aren’t too many guys around the world that can hit the ball 360 degrees like he can, and hopefully in years to come his record will be very similar as well. He’s already up there among the top short-form batters in the world, and he’s only going to get better with more experience and more confidence. He’s got a calm head, and he knows how to play the situation as well, like when he was knocking the ones around while Joe Root was in a good spot against South Africa.”
Eoin Morgan’s mindset
“A cool head is part of Morgs’ demeanour. It’s very difficult to get him flustered, that’s for sure. I’m sure he’d have liked to score more runs in the tournament so far but we’ve got two games to go and that’s when the good players stand up. I fully expect him to come out, lead the team well and more than likely score runs.”
Liam Plunkett’s resurgence
“He made strides in the UAE. We set him the target of trying to work on his slower balls and cutters, to try to get his performance to another level. He went away to the nets when he wasn’t playing and worked on it day in, day out. Before the end of that series, he played in one or two matches and bowled well. He’s deserved his spot, and in the two matches he’s played he’s bowled extremely well.”
Adil Rashid’s role
“He hasn’t taken a bagful of wickets, but he’s one of our X factors. Last night, he played against the Sri Lankans, who are pretty good players of spin and we [Rashid and Moeen Ali] probably got our lengths a little bit wrong. They bowled a length that was very difficult to get forward to, or to get back and hit a hard shot. We probably over-pitched a fraction, but that’s an experience that these guys will learn from.”

As for the agonies of sitting on the sidelines during the nail-biting final stages of the Sri Lanka match, Bayliss was phlegmatic about his role at such moments.”You can send out one or two messages every now and then, but it’s usually on the lines of ‘this is an option, you might try that’. At the end, it’s the captain’s call out in the middle. But that doesn’t make it any easier or harder.”Sitting there I’m like everyone else, churning up inside, hoping that they can do what they’ve got to do to win the game. From my point of view, I think that if the players look to the side and the reserves, or if we’re batting, if they look to the left or the right and the coach is a nervous wreck, it doesn’t make it any easier for them. That’s how I approach it, and so far so good.”England’s progression so far, Bayliss added, was proof that his pre-tournament call for “brave cricket” had been acted upon, and he challenged the side to keep learning and keep adapting to the conditions with which they will be confronted.That process will begin with another anticipated trial by spin against New Zealand in Delhi, and Bayliss was adamant that England would not be underestimating the challenge that will be posed by a side that confounded expectations, and read their conditions supremely, to claim four wins out of four and top spot in Group 2.”New Zealand are very – don’t take this the wrong way – they’ve got a very working-class mentality,” Bayliss said. “They’re hard grinders, they’ll do what they need to do to win. And they’ve always been like that, whether it’s their rugby or their cricket. So they’re going to be very difficult to beat.”Their most startling moment in the campaign so far came in their opening fixture against India in Nagpur, when they picked three spinners, omitted their star new-ball pairing of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, and routed the hosts for 79 on a raging turner.”Yeah, they’ve adapted to conditions very well,” Bayliss said. “If that means leaving out two of their best bowlers, that’s what they do. There’s a lesson for everyone that you’ve got to play the conditions as well in this game.”England haven’t yet faced a pitch anything like as spin-friendly as those in New Zealand’s half of the draw, which could place them at a disadvantage should they make it through to the final in Kolkata, where plentiful slow and low turn has been on offer.”If we do play on that sort of a wicket, you’ve still got to have that positive mindset, and work out how you can actually score runs and do enough to win on those wickets,” Bayliss said. “It’s been a challenge from the point of view of how young and inexperienced the players are. But with experience those things will come.”It’s good to see the players learning because we do speak about it. When you win, the players can look back and say ‘that’s the way to go’. We can play aggressive cricket and be smart at the same time. There’ll be times in the future that we stuff up and we won’t play smart cricket. That’s just the game, even experienced teams do that. But it’s about being mentally aggressive.”But, Bayliss reiterated, England’s mental challenge starts with the management of expectations, which have already started to get quite excitable to judge by his overnight communications from home and via social media.”That might be the difference between Australia and England,” he joked. “Yes. I’ve already read one or two text messages I’ve got this morning from England… we’ve got to understand we haven’t won anything yet.”It can be difficult at times when you’re reading newspapers, watching television reports and getting text messages from home but that’s a learning process. You have to go through that to see how difficult it can be. If they can get through that, well, that’s a very good sign.”We’ve made the semi-final, yes, that’s a good achievement. Let’s not go over the top. If we lose on Wednesday or lose the final, no one ever remembers the runners-up or the semi-finalists. It’s a good achievement, but let’s keep everything in perspective. It’s just a semi-final we’ve got to.”As if to prove the point, Bayliss then observed that he had been in charge of Sri Lanka back in 2010, when England beat them in the semi-final in St Lucia, en route to their first and only global ICC trophy.”It’s part of the game,” he said. “You have to realise you can’t win everything, even though it’s what we’re striving to do. No one goes through their career with a perfect record, but you’ve got to give yourself the best opportunity to win as many times as you possibly can.”That’s about being in a good head space and not putting too much pressure on yourself. That allows you to play good cricket and, if you can do that, you give yourself a chance to win.”

Kolkata Knight Riders have a settled squad built on experience, while Delhi Daredevils are hoping for a fresh start under Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu09-Apr-2016Match factsSunday, April 10, 2016
Start time 2000 local (14.30 GMT)T20 ‘Champion’: Can Andre Russell add the IPL title to his cabinet as well?•BCCIBig PictureGautam Gambhir v Quinton de Kock. Robin Uthappa v Shreyas Iyer. Yusuf Pathan v Karun Nair. Andre Russell v Carlos Brathwaite. Shakib Al Hasan v Pawan Negi. T20 experience v T20 exuberance. An ensemble cast v a bunch of apprentices.Kolkata Knight Riders’ push for their third title has become stronger, with Sunil Narine’s reworked action getting a clean chit from the ICC two days before the start of the tournament. Narine, however, isn’t a certainty for the first match, having returned to West Indies following his father’s death. Shakib is ever present in Knight Riders’ attack, and Brad Hogg, 45, the inspiration behind T20I’s oldest debutant Ryan Campbell, is still fit and ready to step in. Kuldeep Yadav, also a chinaman bowler, although 24 years younger than Hogg, provides another spin option. And the ensemble has got bigger with the cheap addition (INR 30 lakh, or USD 44,000 approx) of Colin Munro who can switch-hit fast bowlers for sixes. Munro is not just about brawn; he has it in him to grind it out as he showed against Mustafizur Rahman-powered Bangladesh at Knight Riders’ den during the World T20.Daredevils let go of 11 players and rebuilt their squad and support staff, laced with a flavour of Rajasthan Royals. Iyer, the torchbearer of Daredevils’ youth force, is not far from breaking into the team’s top-ten run-getters list, after only one IPL season. Brathwaite, who went 6,6,6,6 to seal West Indies’ second World T20 title a week ago at Eden Gardens, is billed as the other face of the team. However, there are plenty of concerns in the bowling department. The injured Joel Paris has already withdrawn from the tournament, the fit-again Mohammed Shami lacks match time, and to top it all captain Zaheer Khan has not played competitive cricket since the last IPL.In the spotlightAt the 2015 IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders sent #MuscleRussell trending. He was called the “Dre Russ” at the Big Bash League, where the Jamaican duck-hooked a skiddy bouncer from Doug Bollinger for a one-bounce four over square leg. At the PSL, Andre Russell was the leading wicket-taker. He has won the BPL, BBL, PSL and World T20 this season. An IPL title will be the perfect topping.Pawan Negi, listed at a base price of INR 30 lakh (USD 44,000 approx), was purchased for INR 8.5 crore (USD 1.3m approx) at the auction, following consistent bowling performances in the Vijay Hazare (India’s domestic one-dayers) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (the domestic T20 competition). He then made his international debut for India at the Asia Cup. Negi, a T20 specialist who was earlier with Chennai Super Kings, can also swing his bat in the lower-middle order, but a hefty price tag brings pressure. Ask Yuvraj Singh. Ask Dinesh Karthik.Team newsIf Narine isn’t available, Knight Riders have a few back-up options, including Piyush Chawla. They will have to make a choice on the pace front between Morne Morkel and John Hastings. Morkel wasn’t part of South Africa’s World T20 squad, while Hastings got only one match in that tournament.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Robin Uthappa (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Brad Hogg/Sunil Narine, 9 Piyush Chawla/Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Morne Morkel/John HastingsWith de Kock in good form, Daredevils will want him to open and spend as much time as possible in the middle. Sanju Samson might beat Mayank Agarwal to the XI.Delhi Dardedevils (probable) 1 Shreyas Iyer, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Sanju Samson/Mayank Agarwal, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Karun Nair, 6 Carlos Brathwaite, 7 Pawan Negi, 8 Zaheer Khan (capt), 9 Mohammed Shami 10 Amit Mishra, 11 Imran TahirPitch and conditionsWith dew likely to come into play later in the night, chasing might be the way to go at Eden Gardens. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the match.Stats and triviaKnight Riders’ squad has an experience of 2365 matches, while Daredevils’ has a count of 1471 Gambhir is among the top run-getters for Knight Riders as well as Daredevils. He tops the list for Knight Riders with 2346 runs at a strike rate of 124.65. For his former team, Gambhir is the fourth-highest, with 1115 runs at a strike rate of 122.52Quotes”I feel proud to be able to play at the Eden in KKR’s colours. I’m happy with my contribution in the last few seasons… I think our team is stronger than before.”
“He is an inspiration. I was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore when he was there and, that time, I wasn’t playing so it was huge step for me to be in the same dressing room. Now having the opportunity to play under him [is] great. We can all learn so much from him.”

Football management is a demanding job and club boards can sometimes be quick to lose patience when things aren't going right

Getty Images18Sam Allardyce | Crystal Palace | 151 daysSam Allardyce's stint as England manager lasted just 67 days as he was forced to resign in disgrace following a scandal in September 2016. However, he managed to land another job just a couple of months later as he took the reins at Crystal Palace. He saved Palace from relegation but departed in May 2017 after 151 days.AdvertisementGetty Images17Howard WIlkinson | Sunderland | 151 daysHoward Wilkinson took the reins at Sunderland in late 2002 but the former Leeds United boss did not last very long and left the job after 151 days.Getty16Remi Garde | Aston Villa | 147 daysEx-France international Remi Garde had enjoyed a degree of success with Lyon before taking charge of Aston Villa in November 2015, but he could not replicate that at Villa Park. He departed in March 2016 with Villa at the bottom of the table after 147 days.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images15Chris Hutchings | Bradford City | 141 daysWhen Paul Jewell left Bradford City for Sheffield Wednesday in 2000, his assistant Chris Hutchings was promoted to the role of manager. However, his reign lasted only 21 games and he was sacked in November of that year.

Following the arrivals of Arthur, Clement Lenglet and Malcom, Goal looks at the footballers who could be on their way out of the Catalan club soon

GettyLucas Digne

Lucas Digne is almost certainly on his way out as Barcelona confirmed on social media on Sunday that the 25-year-old was travelling back to the Catalan capital from the club's pre-season tour in order to finalise a move to Everton.

The French full-back has made 46 appearances in two seasons at Barca, scoring two goals. He was signed for €15 million from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesYerry Mina

Yerry Mina is also wanted by Everton and could leave Barcelona after just half a season at Camp Nou.

The Colombia centre-back was signed from Palmeiras in January, but made just six appearances last season and one of those was a league defeat at Levante.

Although he enjoyed an impressive World Cup, his Barca future is uncertain due to the arrival of Clement Lenglet and the club's hopes of landing another defender before the close of the summer window.

GettyJasper Cillessen

Jasper Cillessen has made just 21 appearances in his two seasons at Barcelona and the former Ajax goalkeeper looks easily good enough to be a starter at a big European club.

The 29-year-old was linked with Liverpool earlier in the window but the Reds have since signed Alisson Becker from Roma, and the Dutchman, who played against Tottenham on Sunday and declared himself happy to be back on the pitch, now seems set to stay at Camp Nou for the foreseeable future.

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Getty ImagesAndre Gomes

Andre Gomes has endured a torrid time at Barcelona since joining in 2016. The Portugal midfielder has not been able to hold down a first-team place and admitted last season that he was suffering from depression.

He looked certain to leave this summer, but suffered an injury against Tottenham on Sunday and is now expected to be out for two months, which means he will probably stay for now.

The Reds have made some fantastic purchases down the years, and here GOAL ranks the very best of them…

With success following them at almost every turn, Liverpool have been indebted to the impact of a number of new arrivals over the years.

But which transfers rank as the greatest in the Reds' long and illustrious history?

GOAL reveals all below…

Getty ImagesJohn Barnes

One of the most skilful and graceful footballers ever to wear the famous Red shirt, Barnes was already a fine player when arriving from Watford for £900,000, but became a genuine superstar on Merseyside.

A key part of perhaps the most exciting Liverpool team of all-time in 1987-88, he went on to score 108 goals in 407 appearances, converting successfully from a flying left winger into a majestic, controlling central midfield player in the mid-1990s.

He won two league titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup, and was named Footballer of the Year on two occasions.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSadio Mane

The first big signing of the Jurgen Klopp era, and boy did it pay off.

Mane was not exactly an obvious pick when moving from Southampton for £35 million, but it didn't take long for fans – and Klopp – to fall in love with the Senegalese star.

He scored on his debut at Arsenal, netted the winner at Goodison Park in his first Merseyside derby and ended his maiden campaign at Anfield as the club's Player of the Year.

He switched wings following the arrival of Mohamed Salah, but his performances simply got better. A European, World and Premier League champion, as well as the key man as Senegal won their first ever Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, Mane deserves to go down as one of the all-time greats – for club and for country.

GettyAlan Hansen

A man who played a central role in Liverpool's dominance of the 1970s and 80s, Hansen was a centre-back ahead of his time, a ball-player and a reader of the game, blessed with a magnificent turn of pace.

In the 14 years that followed his £100,000 arrival from Partick Thistle, he won everything there was to win, including eight league titles and three European Cups.

His partnerships with the likes of Phil Thompson and, in particular, Mark Lawrenson, are among the greatest in English football history, and he remains the figure against which all Reds centre-halves are judged. An incredible footballer.

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Getty ImagesVirgil van Dijk

At £75 million, the most expensive signing in Liverpool's history, but also one of the very best.

Van Dijk transformed the Reds following his arrival midway through the 2017-18 season, turning Jurgen Klopp's side from a thrilling-but-brittle outfit into one of the meanest and most complete in Europe.

He won the Champions League in his first full season, picking up the PFA Player of the Year award for good measure, and was a central figure as Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a league title in 2020.

Was runner-up to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d'Or, which for a centre-back is some achievement. Reds fans will hope there are many more years to come from the Dutchman.

Can the Gunners bounce back after last season's capitulation?

Pain. Mikel Arteta kept using the word over and over again. And it was easy to understand why. Arsenal had just beaten Everton 5-1 but they had been pipped to fourth place in the Premier League by bitter rivals Tottenham by just two points.

So, yeah, 'pain' pretty much covered how he, his players and the club's fans were feeling on May 22. Of course, what really hurt was that Arsenal had put themselves in an excellent position to secure a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016.

After losing three games at the start of April, they reeled off four wins in a row, sparked by a dramatic 4-2 victory at Chelsea that typified the very best of Arteta's exciting young side.

Their worst traits, though, were evident at Tottenham on May 12, as they lost the game, and their discipline, in a 3-0 defeat. Four days later, they were beaten again, leaving Granit Xhaka questioning their character.

Those doubts over Arsenal's bottle remain going into the new season but there is an undeniable sense of optimism around the Emirates right now. The summer has gone better than expected, on and off the field.

So, could Arteta's team finally deliver on their potential? GOAL runs the rule over their 2022-23 Premier League prospects below…

(C)Getty ImagesSquad Goals

In terms of new signings, it's been a case of so far, so good for Arsenal. The club have once again backed Arteta in the transfer market, with some £115 million ($138m) spent on five new signings.

USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner will provide quality cover for Aaron Ramsdale following Bernd Leno's inevitable departure, for Fulham, while Marquinhos could prove a future star, with the Brazilian already being tipped to make a similar impact in north London to Gabriel Martinelli.

However, the new signings the fans are focused on are Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko – all of whom should add the kind of quality, versatility and depth that arguably cost the squad last season.

Arteta, though, has made it clear that he still believes Arsenal are short in a couple of hours. "The window is not closed," he said last week. "The squad is not closed."

Indeed, Arsenal's interest in Raphinha underlined that they would dearly love to bring in another winger, particularly if they can find a buyer for Nicolas Pepe, while Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans remains a top target.

AdvertisementGettyThe Hopes

Hope is a dangerous thing, as any Arsenal or film fan would tell you. The Gunners spent big last summer but still didn't manage to break back into the top four, which once again affected their summer transfer plans.

However, the supporters have been rightly buoyed by the arrival of two players from Manchester City that are just entering their peak years. Neither Jesus nor Zinchenko may have been guaranteed starters at the Etihad but both were highly rated by Pep Guardiola and played pivotal roles in the club's latest title triumph.

They have both previously worked with Arteta and will bring a winning mentality to the Emirates, as well as a burning desire to establish themselves as stars in their preferred positions.

Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka is still at the club, which is a huge cause for optimism in itself. The England international is now a man in demand but, for now, he is happy where he is and appears perfectly placed to become a legend in north London.

Meanwhile, William Saliba's return to the club after a hugely successful stint at Marseille should mean that Arsenal will have no worries about their options in central defence, while the presence of Zinchenko means he can step in at left-back if required. However, the hope will be that Kieran Tierney can finally get over his injury issues…

GettyThe Fears

Where to begin? Arsenal's squad was decimated by a Covid-19 outbreak just before their opening fixture last season, which contributed to their slow start – so they could certainly do without any kind of repeat.

The fans will also be praying that new leader Martin Odegaard breaks the 'Captain's curse', which claimed another victim last season when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a spectacular falling-out with Arteta, resulting in the striker being stripped of the armband and then offloaded to Barcelona.

The primary fear, though, is that the new signings flop and Arteta fails to build on the foundations he's laid at the Emirates. Indeed, it's hard to see how the Spaniard would survive further top-four disappointment, which, let's be honest, might also lead to Saka leaving for a club that can guarantee him Champions League football on an annual basis.

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Getty ImagesThe Hero

Saka is undoubtedly the darling of the Emirates but Jesus has it in him to become an instant hero at Arsenal. We know that there are longstanding doubts about his finishing, and whether he is really a natural centre-forward. Even the man himself admitted last season that he was comfortable playing on the wing.

But that was at City, and now he is at Arsenal, who have been crying out for a mobile No.9 who both scores goals and presses relentlessly. Predicting how a transfer will pan out is a perilous proposition. There are so many variables. But this just looks like one of those rare moves that suits both parties perfectly.

With a World Cup coming up, Jesus wanted a chance to shine on a big stage. Well, he's now got the perfect platform to do so at Arsenal. And judging by his pre-season performances, he could prove one of the stars of the Premier League season.

The Dutchman is under intense scrutiny after an embarrassing 4-0 loss left his team bottom of the Premier League

Manchester United were humiliated by Brentford on Saturday evening, losing 4-0 to throw Erik ten Hag's early reign into crisis. With Liverpool up next for the Dutchman, he faces the very realistic prospect of being pointless after three games in charge.

First-half goals from Josh Dasilva, Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee and Bryan Mbeumo stunned United's star-studded side and left the home fans in raptures.

It would have been even worse for Ten Hag but for Brentford appearing to take their foot off the gas in the second half.

It is a disastrous start to the season for United's new manager, who is desperate to bring in new signings before the transfer window closes on September 1…

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Michael Knighton:

The former United director this week announced his plans to try to buy-out the Glazers. And he was quickly on social media to try to garner more support from fans in his bid to oust the hated American owners.

It remains to be seen if Knighton can raise the necessary funds to even put a bid together, while the Glazers have repeatedly insisted they have no intention to sell.

But the ongoing turmoil at Old Trafford gives Knighton more fuel to publicise his cause.

Raphael Varane:

The France international has been dignified despite losing his place in the starting line-up following Ten Hag's arrival.

But a second successive game in which United have looked shambolic defensively should see him recalled by time the Liverpool game comes around a week on Monday.

In just 45 minutes, he added much-needed assuredness to the centre of defence.

Brentford fans:

They booed Christian Eriksen from the very start – and taunted him throughout with chants of "You only went for the money" and "You should have stayed at a big club."

Revenge is very sweet indeed.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Erik ten Hag:

Could afford to laugh off the "panic" surrounding last week's defeat to Brighton – but the joke is wearing thin.

These are very early days but it is hard to describe United's situation as anything other than a crisis.

Ten Hag is determined to bring his brand of football to the club and it was his vision that convinced United to choose him over Mauricio Pochettino. But he cannot afford many more games like this, with United humiliated before the half-time break.

If the players he inherited cannot fit into his system, then he will have to change the system – even if only in the short term.

Lisandro Martinez:

Signed as one of the key players to implement Ten Hag’s brand of football, due to his ability to build from the back.

But he has endured a chastening first two games in English football, which has already seen him targeted by opponents due to his height.

He will take time to get accustomed to a new league and has not been helped by United’s shambolic performances so far. But the fact that Ten Hag felt the need to substitute him at half-time was a measure of Martinez’ struggles.

Far too weak when beaten by Ben Mee for Brentford's third and it is hard to see him keeping his place for the Liverpool game.

David de Gea:

This was a horror show for the Spaniard.

Made an absolute mess of Josh Dasilva’s tame effort from distance to allow the ball to squirm through his hands and into the back of the net and give Brentford the lead.

Then, he put Eriksen under pressure for Mathias Jensen to double the home side's lead.

In punishing heat, De Gea was facing the early evening sun – but even that cannot be used as an excuse for either goal.

It was a game to forget for the goalkeeper, who had looked to have put such performances behind him after returning to his finest form last season.

If Dean Henderson were still at the club, De Gea would almost certainly be dropped.

Christian Eriksen:

Returning to the stadium he lit up in the second half of last season, Eriksen was roundly booed by Brentford fans every time he touched the ball.

And the home crowd rejoiced in seeing him commit the error that led to their second goal.

Receiving the ball on the edge of the area after a short pass from De Gea, the Dane mis-controlled under pressure from Jensen, who seized possession and fired low into the corner.

De Gea didn’t do him any favours – but he still should have done better in that situation.

GettyRatings: Defence

David de Gea (2/10):

Culpable for Brentford's opening two goals, which left United with a mountain to climb. Allowed Dasilva's weak shot from distance to slip through his fingers – and then put Eriksen in trouble with a short pass on the edge of the box for Jensen to score from.

Diogo Dalot (4/10):

Left huge spaces behind him for Brentford to attack but at least provided an outlet going forward.

Harry Maguire (3/10):

The lack of understanding between him and Martinez was laid bare once again. It will take time for them to gel but it is a partnership that is benefiting no-one but opposing forwards at the moment.

Lisandro Martinez (2/10):

Worrying signs of opponents targeting the Argentine by hitting the ball long for a big man to dominate in the air. Humbled when Mee beat him for the third, despite falling backwards.

Luke Shaw (3/10):

Caught out for pace and strength by Mbueno for Brentford's fourth. Spared further humiliation when taken off at half-time.

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Christian Eriksen (4/10):

Played in a deep holding role, he broke up the McFred partnership. But this was a miserable return to his former club: jeered throughout and culpable for Brentford's second.

Fred (3/10):

Picked ahead of McTominay but hardly repaid Ten Hag for his faith. Provided little in the way of a shield for a defence that was overrun.

Bruno Fernandes (4/10):

Starved of service but did little to change the course of the game. Largely anonymous.

Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish also got on the scoresheet as the Three Lions ran out 6-2 winners in Qatar

The preparations weren't perfect. Recent results weren't good. And yet England still kicked off their World Cup campaign in sensational style on Monday afternoon, routing Iran 6-2 at a windy Khalifa International Stadium on Monday afternoon.

Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with a towering header before Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling both struck just before the break to make it 3-0 to the Three Lions.

There would be no let-up against overmatch opposition after the restart either, with Saka helping himself to a second goal before Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish came off the bench to put the seal on statement win.

Below, GOAL runs through all of the winners and losers from England's dream start to Qatar 2022…

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Dortmund's bank balance:
How Borussia Dortmund must have enjoyed this game. Firstly, there was the sight of one of their own scoring his first international goal, and then being serenaded with 'Hey Jude' by adoring English fans. Then, and perhaps more importantly, the knowledge that with the kind of towering header more befitting an old-school No.9, Jude Bellingham had probably added another few million to his asking price. Dortmund know the England midfielder is going to leave Signal Iduna Park next summer. It's sad, but inevitable. Bellingham has long been destined to sign for one of Europe's elite. He hammered that home during the group stage of this season's Champions League. But the World Cup is an even grander stage. Some players shine solely for a month and end up commanding colossal fees. So, Dortmund can pretty much name their price for a teenage prodigy like Bellingham. And it will be met; the kid is a generational talent.

Southgate's selections:

Yes, it was only Iran. Yes, there will be some concerns over the concession of two goals. Yes, Southgate will be ultimately judged on where England end up. But this was a fine way for the England boss to kick off his campaign. Statistically speaking, of course, Southgate is doing a better job with the Three Lions than any manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, but he's had his critics. There have been constant allegations of costly conservatism, particularly since last summer's Euro 2020 final loss to Italy, and they intensified during a dismal National League campaign this year. So, while England were always expected to win their opener, there was some pressure on Southgate to get his selection right, to prove that he can get the best out of what is a great crop of players. And he did just that on Monday. Southgate's big call was vindicated, with Bukayo Saka, who was picked ahead of Phil Foden, scoring two fine goals. However, Southgate also deserves credit for sticking with Raheem Sterling, who has struggled since leaving Manchester City for Chelsea during the summer, but proved once again that he loves a big international tournament.

Bukayo Saka:

It's only right that the Arsenal man is singled out for special praise. After all, we're talking about the youngest player to score two goals on their World Cup debut since Franz Beckenbauer. Southgate definitely deserves his plaudits for putting his faith in Saka. But Saka was the one who had to deliver, and he did just that. In sensational fashion. His first goal was a thumping volley, his second a neat finish after a lovely jinking run. Despite his decent return in terms of goals and assists so far this season, there was an undeniable feeling at the Emirates that Saka had yet to quite catch fire. He picked a perfect time to do so!

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Concussion protocol:

FIFA's rules are clear: if a player is showing signs of concussion, he must be removed from the field. So, how on earth was Alireza Beyranvand allowed to briefly continue after suffering a head injury in an accidental collision with team-mate Majid Hosseini? It was clear to every single person inside the Khalifa International Stadium that the goalkeeper was in no fit state to play on, given how unsteady he was on his feet – and this after receiving close to 10 minutes of treatment from the medics. Consequently, there was not only sympathy in the stands for Beyranvand when was belatedly stretched from the field, but also bewilderment bordering on anger. Serious questions need to be asked about the enforcement of the concussion protocol – chief among them, who made the decision to allow the Iran No.1 to continue. It's been clear for some time that football still has a serious problem with how it deals with head injuries. A fact that was hammered home on the game's grandest stage on Monday afternoon. Seriously, how long before such negligence proves fatal?

OneLove:

There was a massive queue at the media entrance at the stadium four hours before kick-off. Journalists from all across the world wanted to get to the ground early to ensure that they were present – ostensibly to watch England play Iran, but primarily to see whether a group of men would be able to wear an armband. That is an inescapable truth. The build-up to this fixture was completely overshadowed by a shameful and ridiculous row involving FIFA and several European football associations, including England's, over a small show of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. FIFA made it clear on the morning of the game that they would not allow England and the other six teams to wear their OneLove armbands – and they got their way. The game's governing body will rightly bear the brunt of the criticism, but all of the FAs involved should not escape criticism. They could have taken a real stand here. And the same goes for the players, too. They could have collectively called FIFA's bluff, dared them to reduce the game to a farce by booking each captain for an armband. Instead, they backed down. And a real opportunity to provoke a difficult but long overdue conversation was missed. Nonetheless, the feeling persists among everyone here in Qatar that football has reached its tipping point, and that it really could go either way: radical reform or complete collapse.

Getty ImagesEngland Ratings: Defence

Jordan Pickford (7/10):

Had very little to do during the other than take kick-outs and pick the ball out of his net after Iran's goals. However, he did produce one excellent stop from Mehdi Torabi in the dying seconds.

Kieran Trippier (7/10): Always pushing forward and produced some decent deliveries. Solid showing. There will be no clamour for Trent Alexander-Arnold to start ahead of him.

John Stones (6/10): Under zero pressure for most of the game and was typically neat and tidy in possession. However, he did give away the late penalty converted by Taremi.

Harry Maguire (6/10): Caused chaos every time he ventured forward for a set-piece, popping up with an assist for Saka's goal, but was caught napping by Taremi. Then forced off with a head injury.

Luke Shaw (8/10): Really enjoyed himself as he was able to effectively play as a wing-back. Produced a cracking cross for Bellingham's goal.

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Jude Bellingham (8/10):

A class act. Only a kid but played as if he's already been to four World Cups. Capped a composed display with a textbook header, proving he really does have everything in his locker.

Declan Rice (6/10):
Did exactly what was required of him, pilfering possession and passing the ball well, for the most part.