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The England star scored twice before Kevin De Bruyne rounded out the scoring as the Premier League champions eased through at Ashton Gate

Phil Foden was on fine form as Manchester City cruised past Bristol City and into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory on Tuesday.

Foden scored within seven minutes to give the Premier League champions an early lead in what looked destined to be a routine win for Pep Guardiola's side.

But Bristol City, buoyed by a dizzying atmosphere at Ashton Gate, came back stronger in the second half, and it needed two moments of magic from Kevin De Bruyne for City to take complete control of proceedings.

His through balled helped Julian Alvarez to eventually set up Foden's second, before the Belgium international took it upon himself to fire home a textbook long-ranger nine minutes from time, with City cruising to the sixth round in style.

On what turned out to be a comfortable night for Guardiola's men, GOAL rates Man City's players from Ashton Gate…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Stefan Ortega (6/10):

Only managed a half following an injury to his hand early on. Barely called into action before being replaced by Ederson at half-time.

Rico Lewis (6/10):

Some bright touches and flicks but positionally vulnerable at times. Arguably lucky not to concede a penalty in the opening stages.

Manuel Akanji (7/10):

Typically solid performance from the Swiss star, and made several last-ditch interventions to keep the home side at bay when they were in the ascendency.

Ruben Dias (5/10):

Looked more vulnerable than his defensive partner. Slower to the ball and occasionally ran ragged by the industrious Scott. Decision making put his side in danger at times, as Bell nearly capitalised on his error late in the second half.

Nathan Ake (7/10):

Assured performance in varying positions. Incisive passing linked up defence and attack succinctly.

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Kalvin Phillips (6/10):

Enjoyed only his third start all season and did well. Nothing outstanding, but no real errors.

Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):

Initially sub-par performance from the Belgium star but made the difference in the game's key moments. Produced incisive passes for Mahrez and Ake which helped set up Foden's brace, before stroking home a long-range effort to finish the game late on.

Bernardo Silva (5/10):

Heavily involved in City build-up but had creativity restricted by resolute Bristol City defence. Involved in a feisty exchange in the dying embers, resulting in a booking.

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Riyad Mahrez (6/10):

Pinpoint assist for Foden's opener but kept at bay for most of the match before being hooked for Grealish on 71 minutes.

Phil Foden (9/10):

City's biggest threat by a mile. Expert finish from the angle for his side's opener, second effort deflected past O'Leary. Constantly involved in attack with multiple smart touches, the only blemish on performance was a second-half booking.

Julian Alvarez (4/10):

Assist for Foden's second masked an underwhelming evening for the Argentine. Swiped at a number of key chances and saw a close-range effort blocked late on. City threat came from elsewhere.

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Ederson (6/10):

Replaced Ortega at half-time and had even less to do than his goalkeeping team-mate. Relaxed day at the office for the Brazilian.

Jack Grealish (8/10):

Came on at 1-0 and could easily have coasted the final 20 minutes. Instead, Grealish made a real difference and was an upgrade on Mahrez. Assisted De Bruyne with a cute pass to make it 3-0.

Sergio Gomez (N/A):

Only introduced for the final 10 minutes.

Cole Palmer (N/A):

Only introduced for the final 10 minutes.

Maximo Perrone (N/A):

Only introduced for the final few minutes.

Pep Guardiola (8/10):

A complete performance from Guardiola's men. City were able to weather a moderate storm from the home side at 1-0 before flexing their strength in depth to pull further in the ascendency. There will likely be sterner tests ahead, but this was an assured performance against an initially resolute Bristol City team.

James Taylor came to watch his former team-mates in action on the first day of Nottinghamshire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Yorkshire

George Dobell at Trent Bridge01-May-2016
ScorecardSteven Mullaney’s 78 underpinned Nottinghamshire’s innings, before Yorkshire’s revival•Getty ImagesJames Taylor admitted he is lucky to be alive after returning to Trent Bridge for the first time since being diagnosed with a serious heart condition.Taylor came to watch his former team-mates in action on the first day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Yorkshire, less than three weeks after being diagnosed with the condition ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy) that has ended his career as a professional cricketer.After spending two weeks in hospital, Taylor was fitted with an external defibrillator and is expected to undergo heart surgery in the coming weeks.While he described himself as “in hysterics” when informed that he would never be able to play at professional level again, he hopes to remain involved in the game in some other capacity.”I’m lucky to be here, that’s the positive in this situation,” Taylor told Sky Sports. “But at the forefront of my head is that I can’t do what I love to do ever again. When I was told I would never play cricket or exercise again, I was in hysterics. That is sad, but it’s a fact that I know that I’m not physically able to do it.”The condition is made worse by exercise. That’s accelerated through extensive exercise so that suggests I probably shouldn’t be doing it.”But I have a massive passion for cricket and a burning desire to always be involved in cricket and be around it. Obviously I can’t play but in some capacity I’d love to stay in cricket, whatever role that may be.”Taylor said that his pain had been eased somewhat by the support of his family, friends and the wider cricket community.”The reaction and outpouring of emotion towards me as a person has made it so much better,” Taylor said. “It is priceless.”Not only the messages, but all the support from the hospitals and the NHS; let alone my family and my girlfriend. I’m lucky I’ve got good people around me. They have saved my life and kept me going mentally.”Nottinghamshire could have done with a player of Taylor’s quality as they failed to take advantage of an off-colour display by Yorkshire’s seamers on the first day of this match. Having raced to 77 without loss in the first hour – courtesy of a great deal of over-pitched bowling – they declined to 261 all out before bad light curtailed the day by more than 20 overs.That meant that Alex Hales, playing his first game of the season, was unable to grasp the opportunity to cement his England place. Hales and Steven Mullaney timed the ball sweetly in their opening stand, with Hales’ foot movement and judgment outside off stump impressive. Mullaney’s half-century included a series of glorious cover drives and two pulls for six.But when Jack Brooks dismissed Hales with the first delivery of his second spell – reward for a cunningly placed short extra cover and punishment for Hales’ failure to get completely over the ball – it precipitated a change in the balance of power.It was also the start of a much-improved display from Brooks. He was removed from the attack after his first two overs conceded 20 runs and conceded 10 fours in his first seven overs. But he dismissed Hales with the first ball of his second spell and later produced a beauty – pitching on middle and straightening – to punish Michael Lumb for playing slightly across the line. He then bowled Greg Smith off the inside edge and lured Chris Read into a drive with a delivery that left him. He also took a straightforward catch in the deep and ended Stuart Broad’s entertaining counter-attack with an excellent, accurate throw.Adil Rashid – who defeated Samit Patel with one that went straight on and made short work of the tail – was also impressive once again, while Steve Patterson typified a much-improved performance after a modest start. He ended Mullaney’s attractive innings with one that left the batsman off the pitch, though Mullaney may rue pushing at one he could have left.It left Yorkshire coach, Jason Gillespie, feeling upbeat after his team’s revival.”I’m incredibly satisfied with that from where we were after the first hour,” he said. “Andrew Gale said a few things at lunch – not ranting or raving, just quiet authority – and the guys were well aware of where we’d gone wrong. We’d got our lengths wrong and bowled too full. Steve Patterson played a big part in getting things back. He’s a very important performer for us.”Mullaney admitted that Nottimghamshire had contributed to their own downfall. “I thought we started really well,” he said. “But we’ve probably given them six or seven of the wickets. We are disappointed with our batting performance, but it could still be a good score if we bowl well.”In truth, this was a relatively modest display of cricket from two sides containing such good quality players, but Yorkshire will be delighted to have produced such a display and still ended the first day on top.

The grand finale of the 2016 Women’s World T20 is between two contrasting sides – one that knows what it takes to win the cup and another for whom the stage is new territory

The Preview by Shashank Kishore02-Apr-2016Match factsApril 3, 2016
Start time 1430 local (0900 GMT)Given their limited talent pool, West Indies would be delighted at having unearthed talents like Britney Cooper, who struck a match-winning 61 in the semi-final•AFPBig PictureThe grand finale of the 2016 Women’s World T20 is between two contrasting sides – one that knows what it takes to win the cup and another for whom the stage is new territory. Australia, barring the mishap against New Zealand, have run roughshod over their opponents, while West Indies have played an entertaining brand of cricket, even if not always of the highest quality.Irrespective of Sunday’s result, that West Indies have finally managed to pass the semi-final barrier in their fifth attempt is a step in the right direction. But try telling that to Stafanie Taylor and her team, who are looking to upset Australia, having fallen short in each of their eight previous meetings. A rare opportunity to make it a treble of titles for West Indies at global tournaments this year – their U-19 team won the World Cup in Bangladesh – should fire them up.Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Merissa Aguilleira have been the torchbearers for West Indies since the tournament’s inception in 2009. Taylor has even been upfront about how their domestic structure lacks depth and they have had to make do with a limited talent pool. Considering those constraints, the team management would be delighted at having unearthed two players for the future in Hayley Matthews and Britney Cooper, who struck a crucial maiden half-century in the semi-final.For Australia, the World T20 is simply a culmination of their summer that began with the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League, which allowed a lot of their players the best possible match preparation leading into the tournament. A T20I series loss against India offered them an opportunity to rectify creaking areas. While the top-order batsmen took their time to find their bearings on slow surfaces in India, disciplined batting efforts against Sri Lanka and Ireland, followed by a combined show of strength spearheaded by their captain Meg Lanning against England in the semi-final, points to a unit brimming with confidence.While the batting of both sides has the X-factor that could take the surface out of the equation, Australia seem well rounded in the bowling department. Ellyse Perry, their spearhead, has not had a campaign to remember, but in Megan Schutt and Rene Farrell, they have pacers, whose incisive deliveries upfront and variations at the death have been tough to get away. In comparison, West Indies have relied often on Taylor and Dottin to bail them out, with the ball too. How successful they are in dismantling the Lanning threat will go a long way in deciding the outcome of the final.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: WWWLW
West Indies: WWLWWIn the spotlightBritney Cooper made her debut in 2009 and had played 44 T20Is without scoring a half-century. While being shunted up and down the batting order may have not helped, that she was presented with opportunities to play was not lost on anyone. In what was seen as a gamble, Cooper was promoted ahead of accomplished batsmen like Dottin and Aguilleira in the semi-final against a New Zealand side on a rampage. She repaid the faith with a 48-ball 61. More than the runs, the manner in which she accrued them showed why power-hitting is West Indies’ stronger suit.That Australia are gunning for their fourth title is as much due to the efforts of Megan Schutt as it is because of Lanning. Three years ago, Schutt, just two ODIs old then, surprised many with her street-smart variations and subtle changes in length to play a key role in Australia’s World Cup triumph. Having been a constant since, she has stepped up every time Australia needed her to; her vital scalps of Tammy Beaumont and Katherine Brunt subdued England’s challenge in a tense semi-final.Teams newsWhile most teams would prefer a horses-for-courses approach, both sides are unlikely to tinker with their winning combinations, considering they have bowlers of all kinds for what is largely expected to be a belter of a surface. Australia (probable) 1 Elyse Villani. 2 Alyssa Healy 3 Meg Lanning 4 Ellyse Perry 5 Alex Blackwell 6 Jess Jonassen 7 Beth Mooney 8 Erin Osborne 9 Megan Schutt 10 Rene Farrell 11 Kristen Beams West Indies (probable) 1 Stafanie Taylor 2 Hayley Matthews 3 Britney Cooper 4 Shaquana Quintyne 5 Deandra Dottin 6 Stacy-Ann King 7 Shemaine Campbelle 8 Merissa Aguilleira 9 Shamilia Connell 10 Afy Fletcher 11 Anisa MohammedPitch and conditionsThe final will be the first women’s game at Eden Gardens this tournament, but if the league stage of the men’s competition is an indicator, there will be turn on offer, although not to the extent that was seen in the game between India and Pakistan. A 2pm start means there will be no dew, and the toss is unlikely to have that big an impact on the result.Stats and trivia The only time both sides have met in the final of a global event was at the 2013 World Cup in Mumbai, where Australia were runaway winners, by 114 runs Australia are unbeaten in T20Is against West Indies, with their head-to-head record an impressive 8-0 Stafanie Taylor is the leading run-getter among the players who will feature in the final. She has made 187 runs in five innings, with scores of 40, 40, 35, 47 and 25. She is also the leading wicket-taker among both sides in this tournament.Quotes”The men’s team has been very successful in the past couple of years. I think they’ve shown in Tests and by winning the World Cup as well. They’ve played some good cricket, but couldn’t quite get over the line. Virat Kohli took it away from us. We’re certainly not competing with them.””We’ll definitely have a ‘Champion’ dance. Dwayne Bravo said to us that we’re not doing it enough. Tomorrow, if we do win, we’re going to do it a lot.”

It was a harum-scarum day: cricket straight from the Brendon McCullum school, as the cliché du jour would have it. After 439 runs and 12 wickets it was a little hard what to make of it all.

Tim Wigmore at Guildford16-Jun-2015
ScorecardGraham Wagg led a superb Glamorgan fightback•Getty ImagesRegardless of any restructuring of the County Championship, Surrey have made their commitment to the Woodbridge Road ground at Guildford palpable. 800 permanent seats were put up in the close-season here and the rather ramshackle old pavilion should be next. Surrey hope renovation will be complete by 2017 when, with The Oval hosting five Champions Trophy games, Guildford could even be awarded two first-class matches.As Zafar Ansari compiled his austere 91 on a rather genteel opening day there was copious time to admire Guildford’s protruding sycamore trees. But Ansari’s dismissal to the seventh ball of the second day, trapped on the crease by Michael Hogan, was the prelude to a harum-scarum day: cricket straight from the Brendon McCullum school, as the cliché du jour would have it. After 439 runs and 12 wickets it was a little hard what to make of it all. There was even time for a six because of overthrows.Those runs were gifted rather generously to Graham Wagg. Still, they were well earned for the entertainment he provided spectators at Surrey’s 77th game here. Entering the crease at 106 for 6, perhaps a little perturbed about his demotion in the batting order to grant greater opportunity to Craig Meschede, Wagg arrived brimming with intent. He smited anything short, drove with purpose through the offside and attacked spin with particular relish, striking two emphatic straight sixes off Ansari. The upshot was a chanceless 99-ball century – though Arun Harinath shelled a very sharp return catch a few balls later – as Wagg resurrected Glamorgan’s innings in partnership with Mark Wallace. The two harried the fielders at every turn in their aggressive running between the wickets in adding 152 in 26.3 overs.”It was fantastic. Mark and I tried to take the initiative to the bowlers,” Wagg said. “The game is moving forward and forward and as players we have to adapt to that.”If McCullum was watching in preparation for New Zealand’s next ODI, he would have been proud at the sight of Wallace, showing no regard for the leg slip poised, reverse-sweeping with impunity. Wallace’s innings would have made for a worthy first century of the season, but he fell eight runs shy after playing around a straight one from Tom Curran.Still, the partnership had transformed the complexion of the match after Glamorgan had been in a fine mess at 30 for 4: a position from which Surrey sensed ending their winless run at Guildford, which now extends to 13 years. Curran and Chris Tremlett both bowled with hostility and vim, extracting good lift from a fine wicket: it still provides full value for shots, but now ensures a more even contest between bat and ball. Both opening bowlers got deliveries to hurry onto the batsmen, with devastating effect: Jacques Rudolph, Glamorgan’s captain and talisman, played on against Curran, while Chris Cooke was bowled as the ball bounced down from his bat, raised to leave Tremlett’s delivery alone.Colin Ingram provided an enterprising riposte, driving with ferocity and pulling a flat six off Curran. It must have been enough to remind Surrey of his 91 at The Oval in a T20 game last month, so it was a matter of considerable relief to the hosts when he edged an outswinger from Aneesh Kapil to Vikram Solanki at slip. Still, Ingram had shown his colleagues the way, and Glamorgan only diverged from it in the final hour of the day, as Wagg and Andrew Salter accumulated 13 runs from 13 overs. If everyone was a bit exhausted, they could be forgiven as much on a day that did not end until 6.45pm.Much earlier in the day, Surrey had already contributed plenty of exhilarating hitting of their own. Curran already looks rather too good a player to come in at No. 9, and he was bumped down a further spot because of Surrey’s use of a nightwatchman. After 60 at Grace Road, his maiden first-class half-century, Curran amassed 45 here, including three consecutive boundaries off David Lloyd: an uppercut through point, a drive through extra-cover and a cut along the ground. With Gary Wilson typically resourceful, Chris Tremlett twice harrumphed Salter’s offspin for a huge straight six. As Surrey passed 400, their only regret was their intent had come a little late, so they were restricted to three batting points.Underpinning this frenetic but hugely enjoyable day was a feeling – in the best sense – of how little it all mattered. What was really important was the news that Moises Henriques was discharged from hospital, after Rory Burns had been the previous day. Curran captured the mood: “It was a horrible incident. To have them both all in one piece is really good news.”

Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson was spotted in Villarreal's dressing room just a day after the Blues suffered a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle.

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Jackson travelled back to SpainSpotted in Villarreal dressing roomLeave was pre-planned and approved by clubWHAT HAPPENED?

The Chelsea star – who joined the club from Villarreal in the summer for £30 million ($38m) – travelled to Spain less than 24 hours after the club's humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday. Jackson attended The Yellow Submarine's home game against Osasuna in La Liga, which they won 3-1, and was later spotted in their dressing room congratulating his former team-mates.

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Mauricio Pochettino was left fuming after his club conceded four goals for the third consecutive game. He termed the match as their worst performance in the 2023-24 season to date and had also strictly mentioned that there would be "no off day" for his players after the disastrous showing at St. James' Park.

Getty ImagesWHY NICOLAS JACKSON TRAVELLED BACK TO VILLARREAL

However, Jackson's trip to Spain was pre-planned and approved by Chelsea before the disastrous result against the Magpies, according to . After a rough start to life in England, the Senegalese striker picked up form in the last couple of months. Prior to Saturday's clash, he had netted four goals in his last two Premier League appearances, which included a hat-trick against Tottenham.

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WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The Blues, who are currently struggling in 10th position on the league table, will aim to get back to winning ways on Sunday when they take on Brighton. Jackson will be in line for another start under Pochettino despite his brief return to Villarreal.

Are you watching Mumbai Indians? Alex Hales is heading your way for the final stages of IPL, his confidence soaring after six successive sixes on the opening night of the NatWest Blast

David Hopps15-May-2015
ScorecardAlex Hales cracked six sixes off consecutive deliveries•Getty ImagesAre you watching Mumbai Indians? Alex Hales is heading your way for the final stages of IPL, his confidence soaring after six successive sixes on the opening night of the NatWest Blast. He struck eight in all and finished unbeaten on 86 from 43 deliveries. This is the man England ignored for the World Cup. One of the more curious decisions in England’s history.It was not quite 36 off an over. Three sixes off Boyd Rankin were followed off the next three balls he faced in the next over from Ateeq Javid. As David Lloyd, commentating for said with timely irony: “This lad might have been good in the World Cup.” That sentence has enough potency to cause another revolution in English cricket – and there are enough of those, thank-you.Say what you like about the NatWest Blast, there are not too many places in the world where you would find Andrew Strauss sat happily next to Kevin Pietersen, cheering the cricket. It turned out to be two spectators wearing face masks and they looked as if they were having more fun than the warring duo they were impersonating. As a message about the advantage of foregoing the politics and enjoying the cricket, it had something to commend it.Talking off enjoying the cricket, why not talk instead about Hales? Three successive leg-side sixes against Rankin – the first a full-blooded affair over long-on, the next two leg-side pick-ups, swept him past 50 off 33 balls and as good as settled the contest. Three more came against the spin of Javid. Most were leg-side pick-ups, the best were the blows over long-on where you could sense his mind tighten along with his back muscles.Insights

Despite his brilliant start to the season, Alex Hales began the NatWest Blast season only seventh in the PCA’s Most Valuable Player award in county cricket. He can expect to move up the list after this innings.
Top six: Chris Rushworth (Durham) 150; James Harris (Middx) 149; Ajmal Shahzad (Sussex) 143; Adam Voges (Middx) 142; Tim Bresnan (Yorks) 112; David Willey (Northants) 109.
David Hopps

Hales is contractually able to head off to the IPL, and has pursued that right by joining Mumbai Indians for the final stages. It sounds an eminently sensible career and financial move for Hales. It will convince the IPL of its natural domination. For lovers of cricket in the UK, it is, shall we say, disappointing – but even the England one-day captain, Eoin Morgan, sees logic in spending his time at IPL so nobody can fairly complain.The weakness of a three-month long NatWest Blast tournament which clashes in part with IPL is obvious, draining the Blast not just of world-class players for large parts of it, but forcing the likes of Hales to make a choice they cannot fairly be expected to forego.Hales has also been in wonderful form in the four-day game, beginning his Championship season with a double century against Yorkshire, the defending champions. “I feel in really good touch with red ball and white ball,” he said. “I am just trying to line up the ball a bit straighter. Just a little technical thing and so far its worked.”Birmingham, the NatWest Blast champions, against Nottinghamshire, a Twenty20 side with more undelivered potential than any other, and a decent crowd in at Trent Bridge: even allowing for a cool night in Nottingham, the tournament could hardly have had a more appealing start. Thanks to Hales, among others, Nottinghamshire waltzed it by eight wickets with 33 balls to spare.It was Nottinghamshire’s victory away to Yorkshire last season that allowed Birmingham, in Brown’s words, to “burgle our way through to the quarter-finals” and, ultimately, rob the entire shebang as they beat Lancashire on their own Edgbaston turf to take the NatWest Blast trophy.After four consecutive quarter-final defeats in gold shirts, this year, appropriately enough, they wear Outlaw green: they want to do the robbing this time. They did so comfortably, before a crowd approaching 10,000, hastened towards their target of 142 by a clean-hitting start by Riki Wessels, who had 30 in three overs before he holed out to leave Hales grinning in appreciation.They were cheering by the end, aware that they had seen something special. But there is an innate politeness about England T20 crowds which means attention-grabbing screeching does not come easily, especially in the first innings on a chill night with showers forecast. Concentration is on the cricket and keeping the cold out. But Luke Fletcher, freshly armed with a new impassioned celebration as he took 3 for 24, got them cheering.Tim Ambrose, Rikki Clarke and Laurie Evans – Evans for 35 after a stand of 77 in 10 overs with Chopra – all heard their stumps rattle. No zing bails, though? Surely worth pursuing.Fletcher has not played for Nottinghamshire all season. He has just been farmed out to Surrey for a month of Championship cricket to ensure he is match fit, most probably enhancing his value for more Twenty20 with Nottinghamshire. It is a good solution to get him on the field. He is wonderfully old school, cranking up his hefty frame and, as a default position, lulling out batsmen with perfect yorkers around 80mph. If the batsman adjusts, he is wise enough to spot it.There is no better death bowler in the country. He takes his T20 cricket seriously, even if England never take a serious look at him. When he pulled off one dive in the outfield, his capacious pants almost came down. England suspect his physical fitness and, in an age of bleep tests and fat percentages, he suffers from the same misgivings felt by Samit Patel.He should be an English T20 legend, if not necessarily in international cricket (although there is a strong case to be made) at least for The Blast. But too often in the past decade the media, and so many potential fans, have looked away from T20 in England.”It was my first game for Notts and it was my opportunity to put on a show,” he said. “I don’t normally react like that.” He reckons that as much as 75% of his practice involves hitting the blockhole. In his closing spell, he does little else. He exudes reliability and his chest is so huge that, if the sponsors ever got crafty, they could double the size of the logo.Varun Chopra’s protective innings for Birmingham – 80 from 61 balls – was deft and well thought out and prevented a Warwickshire wipe out. He was run out on the penultimate ball of the innings, chasing a second. Keith Barker replicated that from the last ball. A score of 141 for 7 felt inadequate. Hales obliterated it. India: Mr Hales is arriving at immigration. He may be English. But he can play T20. Mumbai Indians will hope for a repeat.

Some have shared concerns about the Colombian, but she’s already shown she can link up with Lauren James, Fran Kirby and more to be a Blues star

Mayra Ramirez’s arrival at Chelsea was a surprise, certainly. After the news that star striker Sam Kerr would miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury, many thought the Blues would resist the urge to dip into the notoriously difficult January market because they already boasted attacking assets such as Lauren James, Fran Kirby and Mia Fishel. They had the options to be able to cope without Kerr, right?

We’ll never know the answer to that question because Chelsea did sit down to do business, the kind of which was record-breaking. The fee which brought Ramirez to London is the most a British club has ever paid for a player in the women's game, with the criteria for add-ons expected to be met to take the total paid up to £426,000 ($537,000). That would've been a world-record fee, even, until Bay FC's eye-watering acquisition of Racheal Kundananji earlier this week.

Ramirez shone for Levante after joining the club in the summer of 2022, scoring 22 goals in 38 games, and she played a crucial role in Colombia’s historic run to the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals last summer. At 24 years old, she’s still got a lot of room to grow and develop, too, such is her potential. She’s strong, she’s versatile and she’s talented.

Yet, her arrival has come with surprisingly little fanfare and even some scepticism. Why? As Chelsea look to send manager Emma Hayes off on a high, with her to take the United States women’s national team job this summer, Ramirez is an outstanding signing ahead of the business end of the season. Indeed, it’s much more than that – she can be a star for the Blues for years to come.

GettyKey absentee

Losing Kerr is a huge blow to Chelsea. One of the best centre-forwards on the planet, if not the best, the Australian doesn’t just rack up a lot of goals, she’s also excellent on the big occasions. Supremely-talented, a wonderful character and someone who doesn’t shy away from pressure, it’s hard to replace someone of Kerr's ilk. It’s even harder when you’re trying to do that in January, in a transfer window that is really difficult to operate in.

That’s part of the reason why many thought Chelsea wouldn’t sign someone to fill Kerr’s shoes. Another reason is because the squad is stacked with superb attacking players already. After all, they have Fishel, the USWNT star who was quite literally signed to step up when Kerr wasn’t available or needed a rest. They have Aggie Beever-Jones, the talented England youth international who has been incredibly prolific in her limited minutes this season. They have James, a dynamic and versatile forward with the tactical intelligence to adapt her role if needed, and they have Kirby, who is also incredibly- talented and capable of doing different jobs for the team.

Between them, and with the sublime service provided by wingers Guro Reiten and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, many thought there was enough there for Hayes to work with to adapt to Kerr’s absence.

AdvertisementGetty'Not sure she's Kerr’s ideal replacement'

Ramirez’s arrival felt like a massive statement, then. To splash such cash on one of the game’s hottest properties showed that Chelsea mean business. They want to be sure that they have a team that can lift as many of the four trophies they are still competing for in the next few months.

Yet, it’s been met with mixed reactions. "I'm not sure she's the ideal replacement for Sam Kerr in the short-term,” Fara Williams, England’s most capped footballer, told . “Will she still play alongside Sam Kerr if Kerr signs a new contract after this year when she comes back from an ACL? How [will] that look for her as a player fighting in this Chelsea team?

"Fishel can play up there and I think she gives them a different dynamic when they play. Play into her, she's very good at holding up the ball, players can work off of her, something Chelsea have never been able to do before. Lauren James as a false nine, Fran Kirby, who for whatever reason isn’t really playing that much at Chelsea. If they can get her playing regularly I think she's a good enough replacement, between her and James."

But Ramirez delivers certainty. What if Kerr doesn’t sign a new deal when her current contract expires this summer? And what if James or Kirby struggled in a more central role? Fishel, who is still inexperienced at the highest level, would need some help with the goal-scoring burden, too.

Ramirez is a proven No.9, she’s got real potential to go with her already excellent talent and she’s got so many different facets to her game that the idea of putting her and Kerr in the same team, or having them pushing each other for the same shirt, sounds like an exciting problem to have.

All the tools

So, what exactly does Ramirez bring to the table? It might be easier to list the things she’s not so good at. Boasting impressive strength and excellent footwork, the 24-year-old holds the ball up well and links up nicely with team-mates, drawing on her futsal upbringing while boasting good movement and understanding of where the space is. She’s dangerous on the move, too, because she’s explosive and difficult to dispossess.

These traits mean that, while she is best as a No.9, she can also play a little wider if needed, so any concerns about how she could play with Kerr if the Aussie stays shouldn’t be too great.

“She seems to me to be a player with a growing potential, with still a lot to give,” Levante coach Jose Luis Sanchez-Vera told last year. “We are seeing a Mayra who has exploded, especially because of her physical criteria, but she gives us a lot in different situations in the game. She's a player who people say runs into space for us, but she almost gives us more with how well she fixes the opposing defensive lines, how she allows us to support from the top, play with second line players, open doors, play with her feet, with her first touch. I think she is the player that allows us to give different contexts to the interpretation of the game.

“Right now, Mayra is exploding in the media, but she has so much room for improvement, in finishing situations, etc. If she continues like this, I think she's going to be a determining factor, not only in Spanish football, but also at European level.”

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GettyStar on the world stage

Sanchez-Vera would’ve hoped to have had Ramirez with him at Levante for longer, there’s no doubt, but during her outstanding World Cup campaign with Colombia last summer, rumours of interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon started to emerge. It felt like only a matter of time until Ramirez would leave the Spanish club, one which has become used to high player turnover in recent years such is the good job it does scouting, but also the status it holds as a club without the finances of Europe’s elite.

To get a fee in exchange for her departure that will be second only to Kundananji for a world-record is excellent business for Levante, but it doesn’t feel like Chelsea have overpaid, either. Finances in the women’s game are on the rise, and while Ramirez might not be a household name, to be one of the sport’s most expensive signings is only an indication of her exciting potential.

The World Cup was a great snapshot to justify this. Still only 24, she spearheaded Colombia to its best-ever performance at the tournament and earned huge praise along the way. Ian Wright, the legendary Arsenal forward, described her as “easily one of the best [No.9s] in the tournament” because of her “movement” and “link-up play”, while South Korea head coach Colin Bell dubbed her “world-class” after his team struggled to contain her in a 2-0 defeat in the group stages.

Playing for Chelsea is very different to playing for Levante. Ramirez has swapped a club that is often the underdog and needs to punch above its weight for the dominant force in English women’s football, one which has huge expectations. To have that World Cup experience under her belt and the pressure that came with it will be invaluable, then, and it was proof that she can cut it at the very top.

Europe's premier club competition heads to Portugal with eight of the continent's biggest sides still in with a chance of lifting the trophy

After its unplanned, coronavirus-enforced hiatus, the Champions League is back.

After the culmination of the last 16 saw heavyweights Juventus and Real Madrid eliminated, the competition is down to its final eight sides.

The quarter-finalists have travelled to Lisbon for the final stages, all of which will be played as one-legged matches rather than the normal double-headers.

With the draw all mapped out, clubs know who their prospective opponents could be all the way through to the final. But who are the favourites, and which teams still have work to do?

Goal has ranked the runners and riders to work out who is in the best shape to lift the famous trophy on August 23…

Getty8Lyon

Despite holding a narrow advantage from the first leg, very few observers believed an undercooked Lyon side would have enough to knock Juventus out in Turin.

Rudi Garcia's side, however, stunned the Bianconeri as they just about held off Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. to seal their place among the quarter-finalists.

There they will face an in-form Manchester City, and as the clear underdogs on their side of the draw, it is difficult to see them progressing much further.

But then we said that before the last round, so…

AdvertisementGetty Images7RB Leipzig

They may not be able to call upon talisman Timo Werner in Portugal after he opted out of playing following his move to Chelsea, but RB Leipzig's chances may actually have improved over recent days.

Their quarter-final opponents, Atletico Madrid, have been thrown into chaos this week after two players tested positive for Covid-19, and Julian Nagelsmann's side will hope they can take advantage in Lisbon on Thursday.

Getty Images6Atalanta

Despite the three-month break from football, Atalanta have shown no signs of slowing down since football's resumption, with the free-scoring Bergamo outfit setting Serie A alight on their way to a third-place finish.

They now return to the Champions League with a quarter-final against PSG awaiting them and a potential path to the final which is far less daunting than what faces more established sides on the opposite side of the draw.

Josip Ilicic, who scored five goals across the two legs of their win over Valencia in the last 16, will miss the mini-tournament due to personal reasons, but Gian Piero Gasperini's side still have plenty of firepower to cause opposition defenders problems.

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Getty5Barcelona

It was far from a vintage performance from Barcelona, but Quique Setien's side got the job done against Napoli to book their place among the final eight.

This is where things get difficult though. A quarter-final meeting with many people's favourites, Bayern Munich, awaits them on Friday in a match some are predicting could get ugly for the Blaugrana.

Manchester City are also in their half of the draw, and thus Lionel Messi will likely have to be at his very best for Barca to even have a chance of reaching the final.

However, if any player can single-handedly drive his team forward through adversity, it is the Argentine magician.

ESPNcricinfo assesses Durham’s prospects for 2015

Alan Gardner31-Mar-2015Last season
InOut: Gareth Breese (released)Overseas: John Hastings
2014 in a nutshell
Given the thin spread of Durham’s resources, a defence of their Championship title was always an outside bet – but the odds shortened on the possibility of relegation after they failed to win a four-day game until mid-June. A one-wicket defeat to Lancashire in August left them in the bottom two but Paul Collingwood’s side reeled off three consecutive victories – including a thrashing of Northamptonshire in which Chris Rushworth took 15 wickets in a day – to pull themselves comfortably clear. Their late-season surge saw them win six in a row in all competitions and was topped by lifting the Royal London Cup on a grey day at Lord’s, the campaign lit up by contrasting Man-of-the-Match performances in the semi-final and final from Ben Stokes.2015 prospects
It would be unwise to write Durham off and they might hope for better luck with injuries this year. The squad remains much the same, with Collingwood extending his contract and John Hastings set to return after a successful spell as overseas player. Graham Onions, who has been awarded a benefit, will return following surgery on a back injury that severely disrupted his 2014 and, if an England recall looks unlikely, he should close in on Steve Harmison as the county’s second-highest wicket-taker in first-class cricket. Mark Stoneman will hope to build on a successful first season as limited-overs captain, but Durham could lose a significant asset if Stokes is called on to help revive England – though his ECB central contract should ease the financial pressures which have been emphasised by a marked lack of activity in the transfer market.Power brokers
In his first full season in charge, Jon Lewis ensured that Durham’s run of locally-sourced success would continue. Lewis, a long-time servant of the club before stepping up to replace Geoff Cook, has not sought to make dramatic changes and the positive environment was enough to convince Collingwood to play on into his 40th year, even as he contemplates a future in coaching. Collingwood will continue to lead the Championship side, with Stoneman being groomed in the shorter formats.Key player
Such is the team ethic at Durham, several names could fit the bill, from Collingwood, to Onions, to Rushworth. Stokes has plenty to prove but England’s disastrous World Cup has paved the way for a swift international return and he will miss the first month of the season with the Test party in the West Indies. The focus, then, will be on Stoneman, whose aggressive batting at the top of the order can help dictate games at seam-friendly Chester-le-Street (until England pick him in the one-day side, that is).Bright young thing
Again, Durham are well stocked in this area. Mark Wood has already made an impact with the Lions, leading to an England Test call-up, while Jamie Harrison and Usman Arshad played their part in Durham’s 2013 Championship win. Paul Coughlin might be the latest seam-bowling sensation to come through the academy. He was the youngest player on the field in last year’s Royal London Cup final but exhibited few nerves as he took the new ball; he can also bat and made 85 on Championship debut.ESPNcricinfo verdict
If they can field their first-choice XI more often than not, Durham should be comfortable enough in the top half, although the likelihood is that the squad will be stretched over the course of the season and that could be a serious concern. They could do with more runs from the top order but are always likely to win matches with the bowlers they can deploy. Whether Lewis can add further trophies to a well-stocked cabinet may depend on how often England come calling throughout the summer.Bet365 odds: LV= Championship, Div 1: 9-1; NatWest Blast 20-1; Royal London Cup 9-1

Kings XI Punjab are potentially the most fearsome batting side in the Champions League T20, but their thin bowling attack has been dealt a blow with an injury to Mitchell Johnson

Karthik Krishnaswamy17-Sep-2014How they got to the CLT20Without Mitchell Johnson and Sandeep Sharma, Kings XI will hope Akshar Patel will carry on his form from the IPL season•BCCIAbu Dhabi, April 18, 2014. When they let Chennai Super Kings hammer their way to 205, it appeared as if Kings XI Punjab had made another disappointing beginning to another disappointing IPL season. What followed was mayhem. Glenn Maxwell smacked 95 off 43 balls, David Miller an unbeaten 54 off 37, and Kings XI won with seven balls to spare. It set the template for their season, and an awe-inspiring batting line-up, led by Maxwell and Miller, powered Kings XI to top of the IPL league table, with 11 wins in 14 games.They lost the first Qualifier to Kolkata Knight Riders, but reached the final on their next attempt, by brushing Super Kings aside with another brutal batting display, led this time by Virender Sehwag’s 58-ball 122. In the final, Knight Riders proved they were a better-balanced side than Kings XI, beating them for the third time in four meetings by chasing down 200.StrengthsKings XI made the four highest totals in the 2014 IPL, emphatic proof that theirs was the most potent batting line-up in the tournament. And it wasn’t about one or two individuals. Maxwell and Miller hogged most of the attention in the league stages, and the others put their hands up in the knock-out matches. Sehwag was the game-changer in the second qualifier against Super Kings, while Wriddhiman Saha set them up in the final with an unbeaten 115 of 55 balls. Looking through the other batting line-ups in the tournament, it’s hard to see any that can match Kings XI for relentless explosive quality.WeaknessesIf Kings XI were the best batting team in the IPL, they were also the most suspect bowling attack. Though they posted four of the nine 200-plus totals in the 2014 season, they conceded four of the other five. One of these instances, crushingly, came in the final. With Mitchell Johnson missing at least the first half of the tournament with a rib injury and Sandeep Sharma sidelined until December, their bowling stocks look pretty bare.Player to WatchHaving begun the IPL season looking absolutely unstoppable, Glenn Maxwell tailed away towards the business end of it. He had a similarly mixed tri-series in Zimbabwe last month, starting with a bang – a 46-ball 93 in the first game against Zimbabwe – but scored only 22 runs in his next four innings. Kings XI, and a lot of neutral fans, will hope to see the inventive, thrill-a-minute Maxwell rather than the indifferent Maxwell.Newbie to Watch Out ForIn a team that leaked runs copiously through the IPL season, Akshar Patel gave Kings XI control with his left-arm spin, picking up 17 wickets and conceding only 6.13 runs an over. Not bad for someone who considers himself a batting allrounder. A calm, unbeaten 42 to steer Kings XI to a four-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils also bolstered his resume and Akshar gained selection for India’s ODI tour of Bangladesh. But the selectors weren’t impressed enough with his performances there to retain him for the England tour. Akshar will want to show everyone he can sustain the level of performance he maintained during the IPL.Past RecordKings XI are making their first appearance in the Champions League T20 tournament