Glasgow Rangers finally delivered a performance which will hopefully give them confidence heading into the next few weeks of the campaign, following the 1-0 win over Real Betis, as Michael Beale aims to close the gap on Celtic and secure European football after Christmas.

Although labouring through the first half, the Light Blues took control during the second period, taking 13 shots throughout the half while winning six corners, and they were eventually rewarded with a goal from winger Abdallah Sima, who netted after a goalmouth scramble with just over 20 minutes left.

It was a much-needed win and for Sima, his third goal for the club in ten appearances for the club. The winger is on loan from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion and this massive goal should give him more confidence.

Beale has practically changed the entire attacking department, with Ryan Kent, Antonio Colak, Alfredo Morelos, and Fashion Sakala all departing in the summer, signing four players to replace them.

Although Sima has netted three goals already, was it perhaps a mistake to move on Sakala? Especially with his recent form for Saudi club Al-Fayha, where he is demonstrating his attacking abilities on a regular basis.

How much did Rangers sign Fashion Sakala for?

Following the Light Blues stunning Premiership title success during the 2020/21 season, where they went through the entire term undefeated, Steven Gerrard sought to add further firepower to his side.

With this in mind, the former Liverpool captain went out and secured the signature of Sakala from Belgian side KV Oostende on a pre-contract agreement, and he arrived at Ibrox that summer.

Over the next two seasons, the likeable Zambian would go on to delight and frustrate supporters in equal measure.

What happened to Fashion Sakala?

During his first full season, the forward made 50 appearances for the club, yet he scored just 12 goals and registered seven assists, with improvements clearly needed with regard to his finishing abilities.

Indeed, he ranked third among his teammates for big chances missed during his league displays (five), while also ranking third for successful dribbles per game (1.4) and fifth for big chances created (five).

This proved he enjoyed a decent maiden year in Glasgow, and he also played a role in helping the Gers reach the Europa League final while going on to win a Scottish Cup winners medal, the first time Rangers had won the competition in 13 years.

He was also praised by former Rangers' defender Alan Hutton, who said: “He’s like a firework, isn’t he? You just light him and watch him go.

“He’s one of these players who plays at 100 miles per hour, he takes players on, he’s aggressive, he can get shots off.

“Sometimes you just wish he could slow down, but I think that’ll come with time and experience at a new club. As he plays with these players around him with intelligence – he’ll get on that same page.”

He failed to kick on during his second season until Beale arrived in mid-November and this appeared to be a catalyst in a revival for the Zambian.

Under the 43-year-old, Sakala netted 11 goals and grabbed seven assists across just 30 appearances, and it looked as though Beale had finally managed to bring out the best in the forward and that he could play a key part during the 2023/24 season.

It wasn’t to be though, as his future remained in doubt during pre-season despite being praised by journalist Josh Bunting after scoring during a friendly.

He said: “That Fashion Sakala goal for Rangers that’s what he’s so good at, that press. The finish he is calm and composed and that’s what he needs to be more like. Rushes a lot of the time, he has ability if he just settles himself . Interesting to see if he stays but that press is key.”

How much did Rangers sell Fashion Sakala for?

The 4th Official provided an update on Sakala’s future in July, saying: “Exclusive: Rangers are close to offloading Antonio Colak to Parma for £2.5m.

“Also, the club are in advanced negotiations with a Saudi club for Fashion Sakala. Fee set to somewhere around £4m.”

He ultimately joined Al-Fayha just a few weeks later for that £4m figure and has shone for them so far – arguably enjoying an even better run of form than Sima.

Indeed, Sakala has not only registered more goal contributions (four to one), but has also taken more shots per game (four to 2.2), succeeded with more successful dribble attempts (3.3 to 1.8) and won more total duels (6.3 to four), clearly indicating that he has been more impressive across a wide range of metrics domestically this term.

Although Sima has managed to get on the score sheet a few times during his Rangers spell so far, it’s evident that he needs to offer more during whole matches, instead of floating in and out of games.

Daily Record journalist Andy Newport claimed Sima was “clunky in possession” during his first few matches for the club and while his goal against Real Betis will hopefully give him plenty of confidence heading into the next few weeks, Sakala would’ve been a better option for Beale.

It looked as though his Gers career was over before it really took off during the opening stages of last season as Giovanni van Bronckhorst offered him fleeting opportunities to showcase his abilities.

The moment Beale arrived, Sakala often turned into a world beater and while his unorthodox style isn’t for everyone, there can be no denying that it was successful at times.

Beale may come to regret selling the 5 foot 10 dynamo, especially if his summer signings continue to underwhelm. Large fees were paid for Danilo, Sam Lammers and Danilo during the summer transfer window, and they now have to kick on and start repaying the manager.

Sakala is certainly taking his chance across in Saudi Arabia, and it appears he has found the perfect level for his abilities, which will allow him to finally flourish and demonstrate that he’s not only a wonderful signing, but also making sure the former QPR boss regrets moving him on so soon after taking over at the Ibrox side.

Ben Stokes, the England allrounder, will miss the Lord’s Test against India – beginning on August 9 – after his trial date for affray was set for August 6 at Bristol Crown Court.Stokes, 26, who is currently on tour with England in New Zealand, appeared in court by video link this morning to confirm his identity and issue his not-guilty plea, at his trial preparation hearing in Bristol.He missed the Ashes after being suspended from playing for England following an alleged incident outside a nightclub in Bristol in the early hours of September 25, but returned to action during England’s one-day series against New Zealand early this month.Stokes stands accused of affray, alongside two other men, Ryan Ali, 28, and Ryan Hale, 26. The trio appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court last month, where the clerk read out the charges and all three defendants indicated not guilty pleas.Stokes is being represented by Mr Gordon Cole, Hale is being defended by Michael Hall and Ali by Giles Nelson. The prosecutor is Lucy Organ. Hale and Ali attended in person to confirm their not-guilty pleas.The alleged incident took place outside Mbargo nightclub in the Clifton Triangle area of Bristol, where England had earlier played a one-day international against West Indies.It is alleged a 27-year-old man suffered a fractured eye socket in the incident, at which fellow England cricketer Alex Hales was also present.The dry nature of proceedings was alleviated briefly when Stokes, wearing a collared grey shirt without a tie, responded to the formal introduction to His Honour Judge Blair QC, The Recorder of Bristol, by replying “Hi, Judge”. The video link also buffered as Stokes confirmed his “not guilty” plea leading to a moment of confusion.While Stokes was given special dispensation to miss the Plea Trial Preparation Hearing, all three defendants were told they “must be herefor your trial”. They were warned that, if they did not attend, a warrant would be issued for their arrest and they could forfeit their bail. They were also strongly advised to provide defence statements, setting out in detail their case, by May 22.The trial is expected to last between five and seven days.

Nottingham Forest could be set to table a bid for an exciting player, but a new report has revealed that they aren’t the only club looking to bring him to the Premier League.

What's the latest transfer news at Nottingham Forest?

Over the summer, Steve Cooper was extremely busy in the window, bringing in a total of 14 fresh faces which included the likes of Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Divock Origi just to name a few, but whilst there were plenty of new recruits entering the building, a big number of players also completed departures.

In terms of outgoings, Brennan Johnson led the big-name permanent exits, whilst the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Emmanuel Dennis and Lewis O’Brien were all sent out on loan, as per Transfermarkt, and with a bit more space in the squad having been freed up, this will allow the boss to bolster his ranks further in January.

One of the players he could turn his attention to is Benfica’s defensive midfielder Florentino Luis, who despite still having another four years remaining on his contract, could find himself on the move having previously been linked with a switch to The City Ground.

The Reds reportedly joined the race to sign the 24-year-old back in August, and whilst the same outlet claimed that they were preparing an approach, a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline, though if the following update is to be believed, the hierarchy are now considering taking a second bite of the cherry.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Florentino Luis?

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest could make an “irrefutable” offer for Luis, alongside Fulham, Barcelona and Bayern Munich who are also named as interested parties.

Benfica’s central talisman, who is sponsored by Adidas, has a €120m (£103m) release clause included in his contract, but his current market value is only €20m (£17m), meaning that a cheaper deal could be available.

The Eagles are already looking for a replacement as they know their star is likely to be on his way out in the new year, and with his list of admirers growing, it “isn’t known” how much longer they will be able to hold onto their prized asset.

Is Florentino Luis a good player?

Previously, Luis has been dubbed a “Portuguese Octopus” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and the way that he protects his backline when sitting in front of them is remarkable, so it comes as no surprise to learn that Cooper and Nottingham Forest have reignited their interest in their former target.

The Team of Future client currently ranks in the 99th percentile for interceptions and the 96th percentile for tackles, via FBRef, displaying his ability to win back possession for his team and get stuck into challenges, but he’s also capable of having a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch.

Since the start of his career, Luis, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role, has posted 13 contributions (ten assists and three goals), so being such a well-rounded player, it would be a massive coup if he was to put pen to paper in the Midlands in January.

Eoin Morgan insists he can still play Championship cricket this season after breaking a thumb in the nets, but events could conspire against it

David Hopps and George Dobell04-Apr-2018The unexpected delight of seeing England’s limited-overs captain, Eoin Morgan, in a Championship match will be delayed after Morgan broke his thumb in the nets.Morgan, who was not picked up by an IPL team this year, has not played a Championship match since he made a pair against Somerset at Merchant Taylor’s School three years ago, an outcome that seemed to encapsulate his gradual isolation from the longer form of the game.But while some were surprised that he declared his availability for Middlesex’s Specsavers Championship campaign – especially after England team-mates, Alex Hales and Adil Rashid, both committed to white-ball only deals – Morgan insists the experience will help with his limited-overs cricket and retains hopes of representing the county later in the season.”I still want to play county cricket and red ball cricket,” Morgan told ESPNcricinfo. “Technically I’m not very good. I’m vulnerable for the first 22-23 balls of my innings and if I still strive to play red-ball it forces me to work on my technique. Until I don’t think it can help my game in any way, I’ll keep playing it. I’ll probably revisit that decision after the 2019 World Cup.”Originally I was going to be available for 12 Championship matches this season. There’s very little ODI and T20 cricket this year. Now I’m missing three games definitely and, depending on how it heals, it could be four.”I have actually been available to play for Middlesex for the two years. I’ve not been selected. But I was due to play this year. I was told I was playing a couple of months ago. I had a box of Duke’s balls sent out to New Zealand and practised with Mark Ramprakash before every training session.”Morgan, who was speaking at the 2018 launch of All Stars, the ECB initiative to get more children playing the game, retains an outside hope that the injury may heal quicker than originally expected. He is due to have another scan within the next 24 hours and, if it is concluded that he does not require surgery, he could return for the Championship match at Hove on May 4.Morgan suffered the injury during a net session at Merchant Taylor’s ground last week. Facing Tom Barber, the left-arm fast bowler who was armed with a red ball at the time, he was hit on the left thumb. “He’s got a yard,” Morgan said in praise of Barber’s pace.Middlesex have been less optimistic, speaking of a “4-6 week absence”. If pessimistic forecasts prove correct then he would be relying on the Royal London Cup to give him regular cricket ahead of England’s opening ODI of the season against Scotland in Edinburgh on June 10, which is quickly followed by a five-match series against Australia.If Morgan then opted for a spell in the Caribbean Premier League, which runs from August 8 to September 16, it would then be quite possible that his Championship absence would extend a further year.Middlesex’s confidence in their untold batting riches as they attempt to regain their Division One status at the first attempt has now dissipated. Their England Lions opener Nick Gubbins has hamstring trouble and England have withdrawn Dawid Malan from the first two rounds of the Championship after his heavy schedule in Australia and New Zealand.The hurried signing of Australian allrounder Hilton Cartwright will only partially answer their needs, though Morgan’s bad luck may open the door to a return for Nick Compton, who had previously been told he was unlikely to feature in the first team this season.

Manchester United suffered their third straight defeat in midweek against Bayern Munich and the pressure is now firmly on Erik ten Hag, despite a spirited performance in Germany.

A tie against Burnley in the Premier League is next up for the Red Devils and while they currently occupy 13th spot in the table with just two wins from five, Vincent Kompany’s men have themselves secured only one point thus far.

This upcoming clash represents a wonderful opportunity for United to get back on track and a confidence-boosting victory will hopefully allow them to kick-start their season and nudge them further up the table.

Following the defeat to Bayern, Ten Hag will likely make changes, especially as several of his starting XI underperformed, with Christian Eriksen among the protagonists in this regard.

How did Christian Eriksen perform vs Bayern Munich?

The Danish midfielder made his first Champions League start since October 2020 against the Bundesliga side, yet he failed to showcase his vast talents when United needed him most.

His Sofascore match rating of 5.6 was the lowest out of anyone on the pitch during the match, as Eriksen's 69-minute spell saw him complete just 30 successful passes while giving away a penalty and being dribbled past twice as he failed to assert his authority in the heart of the midfield.

Following the tie, he and Casemiro were criticised by journalist Mark Critchley, who said: “Manchester United are under the microscope in just about every part of the pitch at the moment but the midfield might be most concerning.

“Casemiro and Christian Eriksen both look like short-term fixes to a long-term problem.”

Will Christian Eriksen start for Manchester United vs Burnley?

The £150k-per-week “absolute genius” – as so dubbed by Statman Dave in 2022 – hasn’t exactly lit up Old Trafford this season.

He has averaged a Sofascore match rating of just 6.9 across five Premier League ties, registering only two goal contributions – one goal and one assist – while creating zero big chances and averaging just 0.8 key passes per game.

Across the United squad, these statistics rank him only tenth, third and tenth for key passes per game, while he doesn’t even rank for big chances created.

It has been an underwhelming campaign thus far and indeed, across the previous 12 months, Eriksen has failed to showcase his best qualities over a range of metrics.

According to FBref, the Dane ranks in the lowest 93% for tackles (1.17) and the lowest 88% for interceptions (0.55) per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, while some of his attacking statistics have not been great either.

He ranks in the lowest 74% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.43) and the lowest 40% for touches in the opposition box (1.37) when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues and Ten Hag should perhaps give someone else an opportunity against Burnley today.

Something needs to click into gear for the Dutchman, and he needs it fast, otherwise the pressure could soon become unbearable, and he may well be looking for a new role sooner rather than later.

With it looking as if Eriksen is a key part of the 'problem' at present, a new solution must be found this evening.

There was a time on Merseyside, not too long ago, when Liverpool supporters would have taken the prospect of Champions League qualification in a heartbeat, without demanding success of a more profound kind.

Now, however, expectations are much higher, with Jurgen Klopp's managerial appointment in 2015 ending an interminable period of instability and kicking off an ascent to the top of domestic and continental competition.

Last season's fifth-placed finish marked an end to a seven-year stay in Europe's elite club tournament, and resulted in sweeping changes made to a deteriorating midfield that had stood as tall and mighty as an impregnable fortress for the majority of Klopp's rule.

The prestigious Premier League outfit is now battling for a spot on the podium once again, and its manager is certain to be targetting the highest spot.

The 56-year-old boss labelled his side 'Liverpool 2.0' after years of illustrious success appeared to have ended with the drastic decline last year, but now there is optimism anew that silverware can be sniffed out in its hordes again.

All this is an illumination of the strides made under Klopp's tutelage, with the Premier League and Champions League trophies among the expansive scale of honours won during this grand period.

It's a far cry from the previous days of misery, with the season preceding Klopp's arrival, the 2014/15 term, among the most miserable of campaigns for the Reds in a very long time, with the £75m sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona seeming to shut the door on the halcyon days for good.

His replacement, Mario Balotelli, was something of an enigma, but if his cloak of mystery was enticing at first, the overt failure of his acquisition became too clear only too quickly.

Why did Liverpool sign Mario Balotelli?

Losing Suarez felt like an insurmountable blow; who could replace a world-class striker who had just ripped English football to shreds and spearheaded an unlikely title charge, posting an unbelievable 31 goals and 17 assists from 33 matches.

Liverpool needed a solution, and myopic investments and business over the summer had left the club in an unfavourable position in the closing stages, with Loic Remy's transfer from Queens Park Rangers falling through due to health concerns.

The answer came in the form of Balotelli, who completed a £16m transfer from AC Milan in the late days of the 2014 summer transfer window, with his signature preferred to Samuel Eto'o's, who was on standby.

The Italian marksman had previously enjoyed success in the Premier League with Manchester City, scoring 30 goals from 80 appearances across three seasons and providing the assist for Sergio Aguero's historic title-winning goal against QPR.

Moreover, he had 26 goals from 33 Serie A outings since leaving the Etihad Stadium, and despite off-field controversies, at least offered a consistent goal threat, and a menacing presence in the final third… right?

How did Mario Balotelli perform for Liverpool?

To say that Balotelli's time in Liverpool was underwhelming would be quite the understatement, and it is, without a doubt, one of the worst signings of the modern era given the stark decline of the Reds squad after such a tantalising glimpse of something more the term before.

Having branded his time at Anfield "the worst mistake" of his life, the 36-cap international flattered to deceive and then some, only making 16 appearances in the league, with injury and disciplinary issues restricting his impact.

That sole Premier League strike was hardly enough to earn the Italian a reprieve from his dreadful performances, however, with just four goals – and seven bookings – from 28 matches for the club.

It was hardly the impact that the club's support would have hoped for after such devastating attacking feats from the side's erstwhile Uruguayan striker.

How much did Liverpool sell Balotelli for?

It clearly wasn't working out and Balotelli, who was on £85k-per-week during his stay, hardly provided the level of prowess to bolster the frontline after such a remarkable rate of scoring.

In fact, he was among the lowest of Liverpool's squad across the league campaign, outscored by the likes of Alberto Moreno, Rickie Lambert and Lazar Markovic.

Moreno, in particular, was a left-back who had been signed from Sevilla in a £12m transfer that summer, and offered offensive qualities that impressed the Liverpool faithful but was far too frail in his defensive capabilities.

After that one season at the club, Balotelli was loaned back out to Milan but failed to impress for another year, hampered by his poor 12 months under Brendan Rodgers, scoring just three times, before joining French side OGC Nice on a free transfer in 2016 – swiftly discarded by Klopp in his first summer transfer window with Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard

9

Raheem Sterling

7

Philippe Coutinho

5

Jordan Henderson

6

Adam Lallana

5

Daniel Sturridge

4

Alberto Moreno

2

Rickie Lambert

2

Lazar Markovic

2

Mario Balotelli

1

Glenn Johnson

1

Fabio Borini

1

Joe Allen

1

Emre Can

1

Martin Skrtel

1

Sourced via Premier League

Of course, the following season saw the dismissal of Rodgers and the arrival of one Jurgen Klopp, a move that will forever be etched into the club's lore.

Signing Balotelli was always going to be a high-risk roll of the dice for Liverpool, but his past exploits did underscore the prolificness that the club thought would mollify the bite of Suarez's departure.

Unfortunately, it really did spiral into something of a nightmare scenario for all involved parties, and his presence at the club really is emblematic of the dark days preceding Klopp's arrival.

The sheer brilliance of the German's reign has eradicated all feeling of dread that seeped through Anfield's very walls. The road to prominence is often paved in a chequered past, but Liverpool have now reached their illustrious destination.

Glasgow Rangers underwent their biggest transfer window in recent years during the summer, moving on 11 players while bringing nine fresh faces to the club as Michael Beale began a much-needed overhaul of the squad.

It didn’t come cheap either, as he splashed out £6m on Danilo and £3m on Sam Lammers and the results have yet to be seen. It is still early in their Rangers’ careers, but the duo will need to start making an impression sooner rather than later otherwise they could soon start to face the wrath of the Ibrox faithful.

The consensus is that they will come good, especially once they settle into life at the Light Blues, and they could both turn into excellent signings should they demonstrate their full potential.

It marks a huge difference signing players who have recently played in the Eredivisie and Serie A, as it wasn’t that long ago that the club were luring players north of the border for transfer fees that didn’t quite match their ability.

Graham Dorrans certainly falls into this category, and while he seemed like a positive signing at the time, having played nearly 150 matches in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City, the move soon turned into a nightmare for both the midfielder and the Gers.

How much did Rangers sign Graham Dorrans for?

Pedro Caixinha was appointed as the manager of Rangers in March 2017 and by the time the summer transfer window rolled around, he acted swiftly in order to bulk up his squad which had just finished third in the Premiership.

Overall, 11 players arrived, either on loan or permanent deals, and it was the capture of Dorrans which was perhaps the most impressive, especially given his prior experience in England.

He cost £1.5m, which was a significant amount of money at the time, especially as the club had just completed their first season back in the top flight.

Former Gers boss Alex McLeish showered him with praise upon arriving in Glasgow, saying: “I like Graham as well. He would definitely have been a player I would have looked at if I was at Rangers, and even back when I was at Birmingham I liked him. At the time, I could never really get him, he had gone to West Brom and was doing well.

“He’s a good player. He’s stylish, he’s got the confidence and that’s exactly what that dressing room needs right now.

“He knows what it’s all about as a Rangers man, and it’s good to hear him say it’s a dream and that there’s never a bad time to play for Rangers. That’s a fantastic tribute to the club.”

What happened to Graham Dorrans?

The midfielder made an instant impact at the club, scoring twice on his league debut, and it looked as though the £1.5m fee could soon turn into a bargain.

Another six goal contributions followed – three goals and three assists – across the next 12 games as Dorrans soon became a mainstay in the heart of the Rangers midfield, and Caixinha even lauded him in October 2017, saying: “Dorrans is a great player.

“He is what I call a silent leader. He doesn’t need to shout, just leads all the time by playing football.

“It’s a different type of leadership that I like.

“We’ve trusted him since the very beginning and I know what he’s capable of. He can get even better.”

Everything was going swimmingly until he suffered an ankle injury that very same month which eventually resulted in surgery, and he missed a total of 26 games.

After making just six appearances on his return to the team, the 12-cap Scottish international suffered yet more injury woes, this time a knee injury, and it would ultimately lead to his departure.

Overall, Dorrans played just 23 games for the Light Blues, scoring five times and grabbing four assists, which wasn’t a bad return at all, yet it could have been so much better had he remained fit and was given a proper chance under Steven Gerrard.

Where is Graham Dorrans now?

Since leaving Rangers, the former Norwich gem has spent time at Dundee, Western Sydney Wanderers and Dunfermline Athletic and his stint in Australia proved that he still had the ability to make a difference in a team.

Across 23 matches for the club, Dorrans managed to find the back of the net four times while registering two assists, and he followed this up by returning to Scotland and claiming the League One title with the Pars during the 2022/23 season.

At 36 years old, the midfielder ended up joining West of Scotland Football League side Johnstone Burgh in May, and it was a remarkable drop for a player who was playing for Rangers just five years previously.

His new boss, Jamie McKim, was delighted to have someone of such experience joining his squad.

He said: "We're absolutely buzzing to get this deal over the line.

"It's definitely the biggest signing we as a club have ever made. It's certainly one of the biggest ever signings at our level too.”

Upon his arrival at the Gers back in the summer of 2017, the former Scotland international was a signing which signified how far the club had come in the previous five years, yet it soon turned into a nightmare for him.

Initial impressions were wonderful and Caixinha had a player who not only dominated games from the middle of the pitch, but someone who could also chip in with the odd goal and assist too.

Everything came crashing back down to earth once he suffered his ankle injury however as the player lost all the early momentum he had gained during the embryonic stages of his career at Rangers.

It wasn’t to be for Dorrans, and he will now be remembered as someone who couldn’t keep fit, wasting £1.5m in the process as the transfer may well go down as one of the worst in recent memory.

Perhaps if he had remained injury-free, Dorrans may have made more than 23 appearances for the Light Blues and not turned into another waste of money.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed urged the world to change its perception about playing international cricket in the country after a highly successful T20I series against West Indies in Karachi. He also heaped praise on his team-mates for completing a 3-0 clean sweep, despite the depleted resources of the opposition.”I have been hearing people say that a weak side has arrived for the series,” Sarfraz said. “The PCB did not ask anyone to send a weak team. We had asked West Indies to tour Pakistan. We played better cricket and credit must be given to our side. Our players deserve to be appreciated for their performances because they played exceptionally well. It would be wrong to say that a ‘B side’ had come. Eight players from this touring squad were part of the last West Indies tour. Four of them were part of the PSL. I don’t think this was a weak side. We played better.”Over the past year, Pakistan has staged several high-profile matches at two of their major centres – Lahore and Karachi. Through these fixtures, the country has broken the long-standing isolation from hosting international teams. There have been over 100,000 spectators who watched the PSL final and the three T20Is against West Indies, which is widely seen as a major step towards branding Pakistan as a safe country.”I don’t think teams have any excuses left for not coming to Pakistan anymore,” Sarfraz said at the post-match press conference. “Even today, the crowd turnout was massive, despite this match being the third game of the series. People of Karachi have proved to the world that cricket can be played in Pakistan, so the teams should not be looking for any excuses to not tour Pakistan. An ICC World XI side has come to Pakistan, we have had the PSL final [in Karachi], and before that Sri Lanka came to Pakistan. So I expect no team will be using security concerns as an excuse in the future. This year or the next year, [international] cricket will come back to Pakistan.”A Karachi boy himself, Sarfraz was thrilled with the conduct of the spectators: “No praises can do the justice to the discipline the Karachiites have shown. They have braved all the hurdles to come to the stadium. My family had also come to watch matches in the stadium and they told me about the problems that the people had to face on their way here. We should praise the efforts they made. The crowd was to its full capacity today. Likewise, we should also thank the security forces and intelligence agencies for their services. The PCB also deserves credit for all of their efforts.”Shaheen Afridi receives his cap from Wasim Akram•PCB

For Pakistan, the series proved productive with three PSL performers – Hussain Talat, Asif Ali and Shaheen Afridi making their debut at home. The move to promote Babar Azam to the opening slot saw him finish atop the batting charts – with 165 runs at 82. 50 – and bag the Player-of-the-Series award. Ahmed Shehzad, however, sat out all three games, despite being in the 15-member squad.”It is very satisfying that you are able to execute the plans you have come up with,” Sarfraz said when asked if winning against a weakened squad was still satisfying. “We had come on this tour with some new plans. We changed the opening combination and gave opportunities to two new cricketers right from the start of the series. All the players who were given opportunities, made the most of them. Shaheen Shah Afridi was also provided a chance today. This is a good sign that youngsters are being given a run in the national side and they are proving themselves by performing at the international level.”It is very positive that new talent is coming in since the last couple of years. The selection committee and the team management deserve credit for this that they support everyone, which translates into good performances. We are trying to give everyone a chance. We knew we had to win today’s game to consolidate ourselves at the top of the T20I rankings but still we went in with a new pace attack.”Highlighting the value of the victory, Sarfraz, who has won all seven T20I series since becoming captain, said it was but natural for the fans to expect more of his team.”Shaheen Afridi made his debut and bowlers like Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir sat on the bench today. It is not like that it is becoming difficult for those who have been dropped to make a comeback in the national side. We try to give whoever is with the team a chance. Of course, the expectations increase with every win. And, you know being a captain of Pakistan is not an easy task. When you lose everyone starts to blame the captain. But, I am hopeful that things will remain better as they have in the past.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Pela partida derradeira do Campeonato Cearense 2020, Fortaleza e Ceará jogaram na Arena Castelão na noite desta quarta-feira e, assim como na ida, deu Leão do Pici. Vencendo dessa vez por 1 a 0, o time de Rogério Ceni conseguiu o bicampeonato estadual, repetindo o feito de 2015 e 2016.

RECEITA IDÊNTICA

As duas equipes tinham como base de atuação a marcação com muitos jogadores próximos a região da bola e, no momento da retomada da posse, saída com velocidade para o plano ofensivo tentando aproveitar os espaços da defesa adversária. E quem conseguiu ser melhor sucedido nessa estratégia, pelo menos na etapa inicial, foi o Vozão que chegou com duas oportunidades de muito perigo onde tanto Vinícius como Rafael Sobis fizeram o travessão de Felipe Alves balançar com duas finalizações de extremo perigo.

Com a redução natural da condição física em manter as linhas altas de pressão, o Tricolor passou a ter menos dificuldades na hora de armar suas jogadas ofensivas e passou perto de marcar quando Romarinho escapou do corte de Tiago Pagnussat e tocou pro meio onde David receberia absolutamente livre pra tocar para as redes. Porém, no meio do caminho, Luiz Otávio interceptou de maneira precisa.

SE UM LADO NÃO APROVEITA…

Assim como já tinha acontecido na etapa inicial, o Ceará se valeu da velocidade pelos lados de campo para “espaçar” a defesa do arquirrival e criar duas chances incríveis antes dos 10 minutos no tempo complementar. Nas duas, a bola passou cruzando toda a pequena área da meta de Felipe Alves, mas Eduardo Brock e Vina não alcançaram na primeira além de Sobis não conseguir concluir na segunda. Momento de pressão do Alvinegro perante ao Leão do Pici.

Exatamente dentro da sua característica de saída rápida, o Fortaleza se mostrou mais eficiente na conclusão que o Vozão e deixou a dianteira no agregado que já era interessante ainda mais sólida. Depois de enfiada boa para David, a bola girou nos arredores da grande área e Yuri César bateu para o desvio de Pagnussat que bateu no travessão de Fernando Prass. Na volta, ela ficou viva e o lateral-direito Tinga bateu com força pra estufar as redes do rival aos 15 minutos.

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ADMINISTROU E COMEMOROU

Podendo tomar até dois gols que seguiria como campeão, o Tricolor soube utilizar o tempo a seu favor e, também contando com a queda física do seu oponente, conseguiu manter o marcador até o apito final que decretou a equipe como campeã do Cearense 2020.

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta is now being targeted by a rival Premier League club, and could be allowed to leave, according to reports from Spain.

Which West Ham players could leave in January?

There have been reports indicating that Ben Johnson's time at West Ham could be coming to an end, considering he was selected to play for the Under 21 team on Friday night, which suggests David Moyes no longer considers him a first-team option.

Pablo Fornals is another Hammers player who could be leaving in the near future, with it recently emerging he has refused to sign a new contract to extend his stay at the London Stadium, meaning he can leave for free in the summer of 2024.

Fornals was on the verge of leaving the Irons in the summer transfer window, as the attacking midfielder was linked with a move to Sevilla, and the Spaniard is not the only player in that area of the pitch who was tipped for a move elsewhere.

Manchester City reportedly made a bid of £70m for Paqueta, but the move collapsed following a Football Association investigation into alleged betting breaches, although he denies any wrongdoing.

Despite a move falling through in the summer, the Brazilian could still end up at another English club, with reports from Spain now detailing that Newcastle United are ready to offer in excess of €60m (£51.7m) to sign him in the January transfer window (via GOAL).

The Magpies are looking to bolster their squad in a season where they are competing in the Champions League, and the West Ham star has been identified as a target, with the report suggesting the Hammers could be open to his departure.

The original report states that Moyes "would accept" an offer of £54m from the Irons' Premier League rivals, but Newcastle could face competition for his signature from Man City, who may be willing to renew their interest this winter.

Is Lucas Paqueta leaving West Ham?

In truth, the report seems a little far-fetched, considering it suggests West Ham would accept a bid of £54m, despite reports they knocked back much higher bids from Man City in the summer, turning down an £87m proposal from the reigning Premier League champions.

The Brazil international is a key player for Moyes, making 41 appearances in all competitions last season, and he is already off the mark in front of goal in the current campaign, weighing in with one goal and one assist in five league outings.

Lauded as "sensational" by members of the media, the former Lyon man has established himself in the West Ham first team, and the club are in a strong negotiating position, as he is contracted until the summer of 2027, with the option for an extra year.

As such, Paqueta's departure should only be considered if huge bids arrive in the January transfer window, and £54m would be far too low, especially considering he would be strengthening one of the Hammers' Premier League rivals.