Punjab had Chhattisgarh at 35 for 5, before the tail provided a fine fightback. Bengal and Vidharbha’s batsmen enjoyed better days with their openers scoring big centuries

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2017
ScorecardManpreet Gony and Harbhajan Singh celebrate taking a wicket•Fotocorp

A brutal new-ball spell from Manpreet Gony reduced Chhattisgarh to 35 for 5 – their run-rate was barely over 1 – but the lower order mounted a fine rearguard to lift the total up to a comparatively respectable 238 in Raipur.Vishal Kushwah, coming in at No. 9 in his third first-class match, top scored with 76 off only 93 deliveries. Equally aggressive was the No. 7 Jatin Saxena, whose 52 came off 59 balls. The No. 8 batsman Sumit Ruikar ensured there was a hat-trick of fifties on the scorecard, and he was the last man dismissed for an even 50.Until their efforts, Punjab looked unstoppable. Gony (4-41) and Sandeep Sharma (2-41) dismissed the Chhattisgarh openers for ducks and ensured none of the top five batsmen got past a score of 15. Left-arm spinner Vinay Chaudhary (3-56) finally broke through the lower-order resistance, dismissing two of the three half-centurions.Perhaps wanting to stamp their dominance, Punjab captain Jiwanjot Singh came out swinging when it was their turn to bat, scoring 40 off only 44 balls and remaining unbeaten when stumps was called.
ScorecardA hefty maiden first-class hundred from Abhishek Raman was the highlight of the first day’s play at Eden Gardens, where Bengal made 306 for 5 against Himachal Pradesh. Raman was out in the sixth over before stumps after smashing 176 off 242 balls, with 29 fours peppering his innings.Raman’s dismissal ended a 163-run fourth-wicket stand with Manoj Tiwary, and was followed by that of Wriddhiman Saha in the final over of the day, ensuring Himachal went to stumps not entirely displeased with their day’s work. Tiwary, batting on 78 (132b, 8×4, 1×6), will hold the key to Bengal’s hopes of a big total.Sent in to bat, Bengal lost Abhimanyu Easwaran in the first over of the day. Raman then added 37 for the second wicket with Sudip Chatterjee and 92 for the third with Koushik Ghosh (27) before Tiwary joined him with the score at 136 for 3.
ScorecardAn unbeaten hundred from Faiz Fazal led Vidarbha to a solid 259 for 3 against Services at the old VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Fazal batted right through the day’s play, and went to stumps on 128, having faced 256 balls and hit 12 fours and three sixes.Having chosen to bat, Vidarbha didn’t lose a wicket until the 50th over of the day, when Muzzaffaruddin Khalid dismissed Sanjay Ramaswamy for a 146-ball 55. By then, the two openers had added 148. Services would only take two more wickets all day, with Fazal holding fort at one end while adding 43 for the second wicket with Wasim Jaffer, 36 for the third with Siddhesh Wath, and an unbroken 32 for the fourth with Ganesh Satish.

Ed Cowan has revealed that Australia captain Steven Smith was surprised at how the national selectors ignored Cricket Australia’s directive to choose younger players for the first Ashes Test

Daniel Brettig22-Nov-20172:43

Shaun Marsh is back. Yet again

Australia’s captain Steven Smith was surprised at how the national selectors abandoned Cricket Australia’s previous directive to focus on choosing younger players in their squad for the first Ashes Test, former opener Ed Cowan has revealed.In pleading for greater clarity and consistency in selection policies, Cowan said that Smith had not expected the panel to turn away from youth in dropping Matt Renshaw and choosing Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine for the Gabba. Those decisions arrived a matter of weeks after Smith had explained to Cowan that there was no room in the New South Wales team for Cowan due to the need to look at younger players, despite the left-hander’s standing as last season’s leading run-maker in the Sheffield Shield.”He (Smith) has had some open and honest conversations with me,” Cowan said ahead of his return to the NSW Shield side. “I think he was surprised – without revealing confidential conversations between us – he certainly had a view that that’s the way the board had indicated selections were going to go. And I think the selection panel, as directed by Pat Howard, has turned that on its head.”Once we got to the bottom of why it happened, I was comfortable with that [being dropped from NSW team]. The only sour element comes from the fact that three weeks ago, I was evidently too old, and then someone [Shaun Marsh] who I played youth cricket with gets picked in the Test team. The policy of the young guys playing, I’ve got no problem with, as long as it is a selection policy that sticks consistently.”The bottom line here is every player in the system wants it to be at its absolute maximum capacity. We love the Australian cricket team. We want it to win and we are wishing those guys all the very best. But from a systemic point of view, we just want a little more consistency and clarity around selection.”Speaking to ESPNcricinfo earlier this month, Smith said Cowan had been left out for the younger Daniel Hughes as a direct result of the board’s directive to think long-term, following a fifth successive Test defeat in Hobart last year. “There’s been a directive from the board last year to try to get younger guys into the Australian team,” Smith said. “Guys like Matt Renshaw and Pete Handscomb, who came in and did really well. That’s got to filter down, I think, into state cricket a bit. I know Ed doesn’t agree with it, but Hughesy’s been in terrific form.”Cowan, who was a longtime team-mate of Tim Paine for Tasmania before returning home to NSW, said that the Blues’ wicketkeeper had reason to be “shattered” by the decision to not recall him, and instead choose a gloveman who has not been the Tigers’ first choice behind the stumps for two years. Paine has only kept wicket in one first-class match this season, for a CA XI against the Englishmen in their tour match at Adelaide Oval.”While Tim Paine’s a friend and former team-mate, and someone whose cricket I admire a lot, I really do feel for Nev, and to a degree, I really feel for Matt Renshaw,” Cowan said. “So I think, generally, the goalposts moving around selection is pretty hard to take, and I’m sure that’s why someone like Pete probably feels very aggrieved and I think he has every right to. Whichever way you want to select the team, it needs to be consistent, and those goalposts of performance need to be set in stone.”I feel for those guys who are really pushing for Test selection and they really don’t know what is required. I can only imagine [Nevill] is shattered, but ever the professional, he’s getting on with what he needs to do to prepare for this next game. You’re talking about a guy who’s a seasoned professional, he’ll continue to be a high performer in our team. I wish Painey well and [hope] the Australian team’s winning, but hopefully we can get some clarity around selections.”

Sunderland are keen to strike a deal to bring Universidad Catolica forward Alexander Aravena to the Championship, according to reports.

Who is Alexander Aravena?

Aravena is naturally a left-sided winger who has plied his trade with Cristian Paulucci’s side ever since his childhood days, having graduated from the club’s academy to make a total of 27 appearances so far, and despite having briefly left to join Nublense, he’s now returned for a second spell.

However, the 20-year-old’s contract is set to run out at the end of the calendar year meaning that the ongoing window will be the Primera Division outfit’s final chance to cash in should they not want to risk losing their prized asset for free upon the expiration of his deal.

The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray are likely to be searching the market for attacking reinforcements with Amad Diallo having returned to Manchester United following his successful loan, not to mention the uncertainty surrounding the future of Ross Stewart, and if the following update is to be believed, the Chile international has been flagged as an ideal candidate.

Are Sunderland signing Alexander Aravena?

According to Spanish outlet Minutod, Sunderland are "extremely interested" in signing Aravena this summer. The Stadium of Light side "would have arrived with a very good proposal" that would meet his club's expectations, but confirmation that an official bid has been submitted is yet to have been given.

Universidad Catolica chiefs are believed to have set a "minimum" price tag of €8m (£6m) for their attacker as a result of the northeast outfit "closely" keeping tabs on him, but they aren't the only admirers as he is also gaining "interest" from several unnamed clubs across Europe.

How many goals has Alexander Aravena scored?

In the Primera Division this season, Aravena has racked up an impressive 12 goal contributions (nine goals and three assists) in 19 appearances so he’s extremely prolific, and should he put pen to paper on a move to Sunderland, he would be an “excellent” addition for Mowbray according to journalist and Black Cats fan Josh Bunting.

The Huechuraba native has also so far recorded a total of 44 shots over the course of the campaign which is the second-highest number throughout his squad, via FBRef, highlighting his constant desire to find the back of the net, or at the very least try his best to test the opposition’s goalkeeper.

Furthermore, the youngster is a versatile operator having been deployed in seven various positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even four roles in the midfield, so he would be a great option for the boss to have at his disposal should any unexpected injuries occur.

The Black Cats have already completed the signing of centre-forward Eliezer Mayenda from FC Sochaux-Montbeliard but that clearly hasn't stopped the hierarchy from assessing what other targets are out there to bolster their ranks in the final third, and if an offer gets tabled in the final stages of the window, Aravena could be following in the former's footsteps by making the move to the Championship.

أشار دكتور طارق الجلاهمة في الأستوديو التحليلي بشبكة قنوات “بي إن سبورت” إلى تراجع مستوى محمد صلاح، خلال الحديث عن مباراة ليفربول وأستون فيلا.

وفرض أستون فيلا التعادل على ليفربول بثلاثة أهداف لمثلهم، خلال المواجهة التي جمعت الفريقين بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال: “صلاح في لندن لم يعد، لا في هذه المباراة ولا في المباراة الماضية، مستوى صلاح في تراجع ملحوظ”.

اقرأ أيضًا | رجل مباراة ليفربول وأستون فيلا في الدوري الإنجليزي

وأضاف: “فريق ليفربول ليس لديه ما ينافس عليه فقد الشغف والحماس، يلعب من أجل اسم ليفربول وتوديع كلوب”.

وأتم: “دياز لعب مباراة كبيرة، خروجه كان مفاجأة، كنت أتوقع استمراره وخروج صلاح الذي لم يقدم مباراة، كانت هناك قراءات لكلوب، لكن مباراة مثيرة في آخر 10 دقائق بها تقلبات كثيرة”. حديث طارق الجلاهمة عن محمد صلاح

Leeds United have seen a once-promising summer dragged into disrepute, and Daniel Farke's job has now been made a whole lot harder by the continued failures of the past…

Who has left Leeds United this summer?

It seems that the overconfidence that the previous regime held with regard to the club's ability to avoid relegation has finally come back to bite them, as last season saw them fall to Premier League relegation after narrowly avoiding such an eventuality the year prior.

At first, the hope was that many of those stars involved in such a failure would stick around, seeking to help dig the club out of the hole they put them in. This has been far from the case.

No less than six of their starters have departed on loan, including Max Wober, Jack Harrison, Robin Koch, Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, something that has left many fans furious. The Whites must stop this rut with a few acquisitions of their own, or else watch a fanbase who deserve so much more see their frustrations boil over.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Fortunately, pundit Carlton Palmer told Football League World about one player they could sign to offset the mass exodus: "Leeds have a genuine interest in Swansea striker Joel Piroe. They need to bring a striker in, but Swansea do not want to sell and with interest from other clubs, Swansea are asking for a £20m price.

"Bamford has still not featured this season and this is a worry as he was injury-plagued last season, they need reinforcements in the attacking part of the pitch and it's not going to be cheap. In Piroe, they have a Championship proven scorer if they could get him."

How good is Joel Piroe?

Perhaps the only way to convince these top players to remain at Elland Road is to give them an incentive, with a swift return to the top flight arguably the biggest available to them.

Acquisitions such as Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow offer instant experience at a level above theirs, whilst the Dutchman in question has already shown his quality in the Championship to suggest he too is ready for a step up.

After all, having only left his homeland two years ago, both of his seasons in Wales have been exceptional ones.

The opening term saw the 24-year-old record 24 goals and assist a further six, almost emulating those figures the year after with another 20 strikes during the 2022/23 campaign.

Such form understandably drew praise, with writer and podcaster Benjamin Bloom leading it: "PROLIFIC PIROE," he began. "When he joined Swansea in 2021 from PSV, Joel Piroe was something of an unknown quantity. However, he took to the Championship like a duck to water and is now coming to the end of a second brilliant season".

Considering that the departures have largely been attacking players too, with Rodrigo, Harrison and Aaronson all departing, plus the fact that Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra are both absent too, and their firepower has been severely diminished over the course of just one window.

Their former Spaniard was their top scorer in the Premier League most recently and left for just £3m. Among that list too were the 12 league goal contributions of Harrison and the eight goal contributions notched by Gnonto across all senior competitions in England. Whilst not standalone outstanding numbers, their cumulative exit could prove catastrophic.

Leeds are now in desperate need of a fresh front line, both to prevent any more enforced exits and actually begin the rebuild.

There are arguably few better options on the market at present than Piroe, who Farke must act quickly to secure.

With the 2023/24 Premier League campaign kicking off last week, Nottingham Forest will be looking to bounce back from their opening-day defeat at Arsenal in front of their home fans this weekend.

The Reds were beaten by the Gunners on Saturday lunchtime, with Taiwo Awoniyi's consolation unable to spark a successful turnaround at the Emirates Stadium.

After gaining automatic promotion from the Championship, Sheffield United's first away trip of the season comes at the City Ground, as they seek their first points of the season after being beaten themselves by Crystal Palace.

Ahead of the clash at the City Ground, Football FanCast takes a deeper look into the previous meetings in years gone by…

Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United: Who has the better head-to-head record?

There isn't much separating these two sides in this statistic, but Nottingham Forest just edge it.

The pair have each had their own spells of dominance in this fixture, with Sheffield United claiming 11 wins across their 16 meetings between 1925 and 1952, whilst Forest got their own back from 1963 to 1971, going unbeaten against the Blades during this period.

In recent times, the results have constantly swung back and forth, which is evinced in the stat below.

Nottingham Forest wins: 46 Draws: 32 Sheffield United wins: 44 Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United: Who has the more wins at the City Ground?

Forest will certainly be the favourites in their first home game of the campaign. Last term, the east Midlanders won the majority of their points at the City Ground, and it was a difficult place to go to, even for some of the league's strongest teams.

Treble winners Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw there in February, and three months later, Arsenal suffered a fatal blow in their title charge after Steve Cooper's side clinched a 1-0 victory to hand the Premier League trophy to the Citizens – whilst retaining their top-flight status in the process.

Though, Sheffield United can take some comfort in the fact that they've had their fair share of victories away at the Reds.

Nottingham Forest wins: 27 Draws: 16 Sheffield United wins: 17 Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United: Who has the better cup record?

Sheffield United have never met the Tricky Trees in any cup competition other than the FA Cup, where they have racked up a sizable advantage in victories.

The Blades are four-time FA Cup winners in comparison to Forest's two triumphs, but they have never won the League Cup, whilst the east Midlanders have won the competition on four occasions.

But it is Paul Heckingbottom's side who tend to come out on top when they are pitted against each other in the cup, with the Blades' last victory coming en route to the FA Cup semis in 2014.

Nottingham Forest wins: 3 Draws: 3 Sheffield United wins: 8 Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United: What were the last five meetings?

17th May 2022 – Nottingham Forest 1-2 Sheffield United: The last meeting between the pair saw Forest clinch a dramatic victory in the play-off semi-final second leg via a penalty shootout.

Brice Samba saved spot-kicks from Oliver Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Morgan Gibbs-White to send his side through to the play-off final at Wembley, where they defeated Huddersfield Town 1-0 to gain promotion to the Premier League, ending their 23-year absence from the division.

14th May 2022 – Sheffield United 1-2 Nottingham Forest: Three days prior, Forest defeated the Blades 2-1 at Bramall Lane thanks to goals from Jack Colback and Brennan Johnson, who scored his 19th goal of the campaign.

Norway international Sander Berge netted a vital stoppage-time consolation goal, which kept the tie well and truly alive going into the second leg at the City ground.

This fixture was the first time the two sides had ever faced each other in the play-offs.

4th March 2022 – Sheffield United 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Ryan Yates headed home a last-gasp equaliser to keep Forest within touching distance of the top six.

The crucial away point moved them up to eighth, two points adrift of the sixth-placed Blades, who were on the verge of moving five points ahead of their promotion-challenging rivals.

Ulitmately, Cooper's side ended the campaign in fourth on 80 points whilst Paul Heckingbottom's Sheffield United finished 5th on 75 points, setting up the aforementioned play-off semi-final clash.

2nd November 2021 – Nottingham Forest 1-1 Sheffield United: The reverse fixture produced the same result, and it was the east Midlanders again who fought back late on to salvage a point.

Morgan Gibbs-White broke the deadlock in the 78th minute for Sheffield United before Lewis Grabban levelled in the 83rd. At times, it was an 'ill-tempered' clash as the pair fought to get back into the win column.

Neither side had hit their rhythm yet, with Forest languishing in 16th at that stage, whilst the Blades sat one place above their eventual play-off rivals on goal difference.

19th April 2019 – Sheffield United 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Sheffield United moved into second place after defeating 10-man Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Bramall Lane. Chris Wilder's side went up that season, pipping Leeds United to the final automatic promotion spot.

Forest, under the stewardship of Martin O'Neill, sunk into 13th, 10 points adrift of the play-off places with three games to spare.

Who has played for Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United?

Billy Sharp (Sheffield United 2004-2005, 2007-2010, 2015-2023; Nottingham Forest 2012-13): The Championship's all-time top goalscorer spent a year on loan at Forest from Southampton during the 2012/13 season. He netted 10 league goals that year whilst laying on five assists.

Sharp made 377 appearances for boyhood club Sheffield United, scoring 129 goals whilst providing 44 assists. He was an integral part of the club's promotion to both the Championship and the Premier League.

The striker is now a free agent after being released at the end of the season. Rotherham United had been in talks to sign the 37-year-old, but if reports are to be believed, they decided to pull out due to the time it has taken him to make a decision.

David McGoldrick (Nottingham Forest 2009-2013; Sheffield United 2018-2022): The Republic of Ireland international was on Forest's books for four years. He made 73 appearances in total, scoring nine goals whilst providing five assists.

His time at Bramall Lane was far more fruitful. McGoldrick, like Sharp, was a key player during the club's return back to the Premier League, after spending 12 years outside of the division. The centre-forward racked up 42 goal contributions in 136 games for the Blades.

He now plies his trade in League Two with Notts County, who signed the forward this summer on a free transfer following a 25-goal season with League One outfit Derby County.

Oliver Burke (Nottingham Forest 2013-2016; Sheffield United 2020-2022): Burke, a Nottingham Forest academy graduate, was snapped up by RB Leipzig in 2016 for £13m after netting four goals in five games at the start of the 2016/17 Championship campaign. His time in Forest's first team was short-lived, making just 31 appearances.

He joined Sheffield United in September 2020 from West Bromwich Albion and went on to appear 36 times, which remarkably is the most amount of games he's played at a single club. The 26-year-old is now at Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen.

Adlene Guedioura (Nottingham Forest 2012-13, 2018-2019; Sheffield United 2021-2022): The 62-cap Algeria international made a century of appearances for Forest across his two spells at the club.

Contrastingly, he appeared just twice for Sheffield United across a brief four-month spell and will certainly be better known for his time in a Forest shirt.

Guedioura, 37, is currently playing his football in Qatar with Al Wakrah SC.

Ben Osborn (Nottingham Forest 2014-2019; Sheffield United 2019-present): Osborn graduated from the Nottingham Forest academy and went on to make 230 appearances for the club before sealing a Premier League move to Sheffield United in 2019.

The former England youth international has been a valuable member of the Blades' squad over the last four years and now has the chance to play in the top flight again this season.

What is Nottingham Forest's biggest win over Sheffield United?

9th October 1976 – Nottingham Forest 6-1 Sheffield United: The Tricky Trees' biggest win over Sheffield United came during Brian Clough's era, as his side annihilated the Blades thanks to goals from Viv Anderson, Terry Curran, Peter Withe, Barry Butlin and a brace netted by Ian Bowyer.

The east Midlands club gained automatic promotion that year from the second tier of English football.

What is Sheffield United's biggest win over Nottingham Forest?

3rd December 1904 – Sheffield United 4-0 Nottingham Forest: It has been well over a century since Sheffield United's biggest victory over Nottingham Forest.

John Nicholson was the club secretary back then, but often took duties associated with being a modern-day manager. Nicholson's side dispatched the Reds handsomely thanks to goals from Alonzo Drake, John Lang, Jimmy Donnelly and Arthur Brown, with the latter finishing the campaign as the division's top goalscorer after netting 23 times.

They finished in sixth place, eight points adrift of champions Newcastle United whilst Forest ended the campaign in 16th.

Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United: Key match stats This will be the 123rd meeting between the pair The two sides will be in England's top flight simultaneously for the first time since the 1992/93 campaign Brennan Johnson has scored in his last two appearances against the Blades Morgan Gibbs-White will face his former side for the first time since departing Bramall Lane

MatériaMais Notícias

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No jogo da quarta-feira, diante do Athletico, a tendência é que o auxiliar Marcinho comande a equipe. Após seis partidas, o Bragantino está na 17ª colocação, com cinco pontos.

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna this summer and a significant update has now emerged regarding the situation.

How many times has Marcos Acuna played for Sevilla?

The 31-year-old left-back has enjoyed a strong career for club and country, most notably winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina last December. He made six appearances in the tournament, four of which were starts, putting his experience to good use.

Acuna has also played 125 times for Sevilla since arriving from Sporting CP in 2020, winning the Europa League with them last season, in what has arguably been the most successful period of his career.

The Argentine has emerged as a primary transfer target for Villa this summer, as Unai Emery looks to add more quality and depth to his squad. Lucas Digne has been a disappointing signing from Everton and can be improved upon, and it looks as though the Sevilla man has been identified as the No.1 target in that position.

A move to Villa Park certainly appears as though it is increasingly likely at this point and another update has only further added fuel to the fire.

Will Aston Villa sign Marcos Acuna?

According to Football Insider, talks are continuing over the weekend between Villa and Acuna representatives, as they look to complete another strong signing:

"Aston Villa are continuing talks on Saturday over a deal to sign Sevilla left-back Marcos Acuna.

"Unai Emery has made it a priority to sign a new left-back to compete with January signing Alex Moreno, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury."

It really does feel as though it would be a surprise if Acuna didn't complete a move to Villa at this point, considering talks are seemingly progressing at a good speed and Digne looks to be on his way out.

Assuming a deal is agreed in the near future, he could be a great signing at left-back, adding experience, fight and ability to a Villans side that is improving all the time, regardless of last weekend's 5-1 defeat away to Newcastle United.

Pep Guardiola has described Acuna as a "top defender", which speaks volumes about the calibre of footballer he is, while Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas has heaped praise on him in the recent past, saying:

"Acuna is someone who transmits his experience to the young players. He is one of the best wing-backs in the world in a three-man defensive system."

At 31, Acuna is admittedly not getting any younger, but he is such fit player, providing constant energy down the left flank, that he should remain in and around the peak years of his career for the foreseeable future, slotting in seamlessly at Villa and making them an even more formidable outfit under Emery.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked to former target Michail Antonio, as Gary O’Neil gets to work on solving the Old Gold’s issues in front of goal.

After a depleting summer at Molineux, the return to action commenced on Monday night in what ended in a 1-0 away defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, however, the story was far from the lack of points.

O’Neil’s side were explosive for 90 minutes, registering a mammoth 23 shots on goal to the host's 15, as well as grasping a higher rate of expected goals, with 2.35 xG to United’s 2.21 xG, via Sofascore.

While the performance was bold and exciting, there was however a resounding continuation of last campaign’s woes in finishing moves with a goal, making the club’s hunt for a goalscorer still a prominent target this window.

What’s the latest on Michail Antonio to Wolves?

As reported by TEAMtalk, Wolves could be on the prowl for West Ham United striker Antonio, as the Irons continue their search for a forward to replace Gianluca Scamacca.

The 33-year-old talisman was linked with a move to Molineux back in the January window, with talkSPORT listing him as a target for former boss Julen Lopetegui.

Valued around £9m by FootballTransfers, the Old Gold could reach a compromise to secure the Jamaican, who is out of contract in east London next summer.

What could Michail Antonio bring to Wolves?

If there’s one area that Antonio is seasoned in, it’s scoring goals.

While the forward has undergone some testing campaigns in claret and blue, he has contributed to the action in the final third.

Last term was a poor one for the Irons, facing a relegation battle for the majority of the season to eventually claim 14th place and six points above the drop zone.

Despite the trialling form of the squad, Antonio contributed to eight goals in the Premier League, scoring five and assisting three in a campaign that broke his run of hitting double figures for three consecutive years.

In the three seasons prior to last, the Jamaican netted 10 goals in the league, as well as providing for his teammates with 16 assists over the 2021/22, 2020/21 and 2019/20 seasons, via Transfermarkt.

Once hailed as “special” for his activity in the final third by manager David Moyes, the 33-year-old has scored 61 goals throughout his Premier League career representing the Hammers, making him a strong acquisition for Wolves.

Monday night’s performance was just as thrilling as it was agonising, as O’Neil’s side registered six shots on target at Old Trafford to no avail, in a game that could’ve been different with a player with an enhanced clinical nature involved.

After months of speculation regarding his future at Molineux both long and short-term, Fabio Silva took to the field to try and break the deadlock, in a cameo that saw him miss a decisive chance.

While the Portuguese attacker’s talent is unquestionable, the 21-year-old is lacking the maturity in his game to be relied on as an assured outlet for goals, which is where Antonio could find a way into the squad.

Indeed, across 63 senior appearances for the Midlands side, the former FC Porto wonderkid has found the net only four times, averaging one goal every 630 minutes, as per Transfermarkt.

Another loan move could be beneficial for the young starlet, making way for a more prolific and experienced talent such as the 33-year-old to capitalise on the electrifying chances presented by the Old Gold’s attack.

In the day’s second game, Lahore Whites survived a middle-order collapse to sneak past Karachi Whites’ target of 164 courtesy fifties from Kamran Akmal and Sami Aslam

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2017Sohaib Maqsood smashed an unbeaten 42-ball 80 to hand Faisalabad a seven-wicket win against Lahore Blues in Rawalpindi. The Blues posted an impressive 187 for 5, courtesy Imam-ul-Haq’s 31-ball 50 and useful knocks from Babar Azam (45) and Hussain Talat (26-ball 43), but Faisalabad’s top order responded with as much aggression to comfortably chase down the target. The win was Faisalabad’s second in as many matches.Faisalabad captain Saeed Ajmal struck early to dismiss Ahmed Shehzad for 12 after electing to bowl first. Babar then joined Imam to add 70 for the second-wicket, off just 48 balls, to set the platform for a big finish. Imam, who scored 44 in the first match, hit six fours and a six, but was out soon after reaching his fifty.Mohammad Hafeez, too, fell soon after, as he was run out for 18. Those two wickets in the middle overs coupled with Babar’s strike-rate of 121.62 slowed Blues down. It needed a late blitz from Talat – who hit five fours and two sixes – to ensure they finished on 187. Taj Wali conceded only 23 runs in his four overs while Ajmal finished with 3 for 26.Chasing 188, Faisalabad opener Gauhar Ali was out lbw in the second over, but Sahibzada Farhan and Maqsood added 90 for the second wicket to put their team ahead once. The Blues had an opening when Farhan was stumped for 58 in the 13th over, but Asif Ali then smashed 42 off just 17 balls to take the game beyond them. Asif hit five fours and three sixes, but could not see the game off, out with Faisalabad needing just two for victory. Maqsood eventually finished the game with a six to complete the win with 11 balls to spare.Sami Aslam pulls through the leg side•Getty ImagesIn the day’s second match, Lahore Whites’ middle order did just about enough to sneak past Karachi Whites to complete a tight three-wicket win. Lahore Whites began their chase of 164 strongly, after openers Kamran Akmal (52) and Sami Aslam (56) put on 93 in 9.3 overs, but a collapse triggered by Karachi bowlers Zulfiqar Babar, Rumman Raees and Anwar Ali saw the game go into the final over.Needing eight to win off six balls, Aamer Yamin and Amad Butt struck boundaries off the second and fourth ball to seal a three-wicket win for Lahore Whites.The game turned on it’s head after Karachi Whites took five wickets between the 15th and 19th over to negate the early advantage created by Kamran and Aslam. Lahore Whites slipped from 123 for 2 to 155 for 7 in the space of 24 balls – as Rumman and Anwar helped Karachi Whites claw back, but it wasn’t enough.That Karachi Whites posted 163 for 8 was courtesy Khurram Manzoor’s 43-ball 64 at the top. Asad Shafiq was out for two and Haris Sohail could add only 17 as their score read 95 for 3 after 12 overs. Sarfraz Ahmed scored a brisk 26-ball 39 towards the end of the innings, but Umaid Asif’s inexpensive spell – 3 for 18 off four overs – ensured Karachi Whites’ total would always be in reach for Lahore Whites.