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Many would regard midfield as the toughest area on the pitch, tasked with contributing to all phases of play, being at the very centre of everything your team does. Chelsea clearly value this area too, already spending £100m on two separate occasions to acquire top-level midfielders, breaking their transfer record twice in the process.

The Blues have an esteemed history of midfield talent in the Premier League era, whether it be midfield destroyers such as Claude Makelele, passing magicians such as Cesc Fàbregas and goal-scoring midfielders such as Frank Lampard.

But one of their very best, especially considering the price they got for him at the time, was N’Golo Kante, bought from Leicester in 2016 for a fee of around £32m.

N'Golo Kante's record at Chelsea

Kante made 269 appearances for the Blues, scoring 13 times, providing 16 assists and totaling 20,742 minutes played. The Frenchman is considered a huge legend of the club, winning the Premier League and Champions League in his time at Chelsea, alongside one Europa League, one FA Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup.

The France midfielder has always been praised for his ability to cover ground, winning tackles and often making it feel like there is a 12th man on the pitch, with his incredible engine and work ethic. This was highlighted by a famous quote surrounding Kante, stating “70% of the Earth is covered by water, Kante covers the rest”.

Kante was crucial in Chelsea’s 2020/21 Champions League campaign, earning him the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season award for that year and winning Man of the Match in the final against Manchester City.

One word that has always been associated with Kante is “humble” as fans often praise him for his humility as a person. And now there is another Chelsea star who is drawing comparisons, also being regarded as “humble” by his manager.

Chelsea have found their best since Kante

Chelsea signed Moises Caicedo for a fee of around £115m, making him the British record transfer. The 23-year-old has made 83 appearances since joining in 2023, scoring two goals, providing seven assists and totaling 6,859 minutes played.

Minutes

90

Touches

51

Accurate Passes

37/41

Long Balls

5/5

Successful Dribbles

1/1

Ground Duels Won

8/9

Aerial Duels Won

1/4

Tackles Made

4

It was after this performance that Enzo Maresca came out and stated that is”one of the best, if not the best, defensive midfielder in the world right now”. Making four tackles and winning eight of his nine ground duels in the game, Caicedo protected the back line brilliantly, limiting Tottenham to just two shots on target in the game.

But it isn’t just his work rate and ability to cover ground, winning duels for his team, as Caicedo also plays a huge part in the build-up, making five out of five long passes in the match, and also having an absolute scorching strike chalked off, as Levi Colwill was stood in an offside position.

Whilst it’s tough for a £115m player to fully prove their worth, Caicedo has proven to be a successful signing for the Blues, anchoring their midfield and receiving notably praised, with John Obi-Mikel stating after the win over West Ham United earlier in the season that it was “like a Kante kind of performance” from the former Brighton.

As such, he is definitely proving to be a worthy heir to the Frenchman’s throne.

Maresca's own Drogba: Chelsea plot summer move for "phenomenal" CF

Chelsea could land a player this summer who could be their next Didier Drogba.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 3, 2025

In his second game after a two-month break, Kohli serves a reminder with an explosive innings at Chinnaswamy

Hemant Brar26-Mar-20242:11

Moody: Kohli showed all his gears

The boisterous Chinnaswamy crowd had gone quiet towards the end of Punjab Kings’ innings as Shashank Singh carted Alzarri Joseph for two sixes and a four in a 20-run final over.That lifted Kings to 176 for 6. Given the average first-innings total in Bengaluru last IPL was 196, it felt below par. But this was not a typical Chinnaswamy pitch where you could hit through the line. It had just enough grass covering and help for both seamers and spinners.Just like the RCB bowlers, Sam Curran also found movement with the new ball, and drew a false shot from Virat Kohli first up. But the thick outside edge did not carry to short third.Related

• Kohli on his two-month break: 'A surreal experience not to be recognised'

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• Why Bengaluru brings few home comforts for RCB

On the next ball, Kohli was even luckier. This time the outside edge burst through Jonny Bairstow’s hands at first slip. Usually, the first-slip fielder stands one metre behind the wicketkeeper, but Bairstow was right next to Jitesh Sharma and, therefore, had little time to react.From there on, it was a Kohli innings like no other. On the third ball of the over, he came down the track, cut the movement, and creamed it through the covers. By the end of the first over, he had found two more boundaries, and the Chinnaswamy faithful went “Aaar Ceee Beee! Aaar Ceee Beee!”Next in the firing line was Kagiso Rabada. Before Monday, Rabada had dismissed Kohli three times in 24 balls while conceding just 27. Here, on Rabada’s very first ball, a length delivery around off stump, Kohli jumped out of his crease and smashed it over extra cover. In the next over, he meted out the same treatment to Arshdeep Singh.In his first 15 balls, Kohli had hit eight fours and raced away to 33. It was the most runs he had scored off his first 15 balls in a T20, and his eight boundaries were the joint-most by an RCB batter after four overs in an innings.And he was not slogging. He rarely does. When Arshdeep slipped in a slower ball, he delayed his shot and opened the face at the last moment to steer it past a diving Bairstow for four.In the sixth over, Kohli got another reprieve when he mistimed Curran to the left of short midwicket, but Rahul Chahar could not latch on to it despite a full-length dive.1:46

Rapid fire review: A 10/10 innings from Virat Kohli

It is after the powerplay that Kohli generally drops the anchor. Since the start of 2020, his middle-overs strike rate in the IPL is 117.53. But on Monday, he kept playing attacking cricket and scored at a strike rate of 150 in the middle overs.Previously, he had scored only 32 runs off 37 balls against Chahar in the IPL. Here, the first ball he faced from the legspinner, Kohli smashed it over extra cover for a six.Kohli brought up his fifty in 31 balls – his 100th score of 50 or more in T20s. But there was no celebration – just a thumbs-up to acknowledge the applause from the dressing room. The reason was that while Kohli himself was off to a flying start, RCB were behind the asking rate. Moreover, they had lost Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green for a combined six runs.Harpreet Brar then bowled Rajat Patidar for a run-a-ball 18 and Glenn Maxwell for 3. But Kohli singlehandedly kept RCB alive.When Kohli was India’s captain, one of the things he demanded from his batters was intent, even in Tests. “Intent does not mean you have to go out and start playing shots from ball one,” he once explained. “Intent is there in a leave. Intent is there in defending as well. Intent is about being vocal out there in calling.”That may be true in Test cricket, but in T20s, intent means only one thing: playing your shots. And that is exactly what Kohli did against Kings. As per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, he attacked 11 balls in the powerplay, the most he has ever done in T20 cricket. In the middle overs, he attacked 14, the second-most in his career.

“I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But still got it, I guess.”Virat Kohli

There could be a couple of reasons behind it. With the T20 World Cup in June, this is the way the Indian team wants him to bat. Secondly, RCB’s batting depth might also have freed him up. Green joined them before this season; Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik had made handy contributions in the previous game; they had an extra batter in Mahipal Lomror, slotted at No. 8, against Kings.Kohli eventually fell for 77 off 49 balls, slicing Harshal Patel straight to deep-backward point. RCB still needed 47 from four overs at that point, but Karthik and Lomror took them home with four balls to spare.”I was very disappointed I could not finish the game; that ball was in the slot,” Kohli said after being named the Player of the Match. “But yeah, not a bad start for playing after two months and getting into the tournament.”Talking about his mindset while batting, he said: “In T20 cricket, as I am opening here, I try to give the team a blazing start. But if the wickets fall from the other end, you have to understand the conditions as well.”The wicket was not as placid as Bangalore usually is. It was a bit two-paced. And I thought I needed to play correct cricketing shots. Playing across the line was not quite working; I tried a few.”What about his lofted cover drives after coming down the pitch to Rabada and Arshdeep?”They know I play the cover drive pretty well,” he said. “So they are not going to allow me to hit through the gaps. And with guys like KG [Rabada], and Arshdeep as well – he is also tall, if they are hitting [good] length, you have to create some momentum into the ball. Once you are closer to the ball, you kind of negate the bounce; you meet it earlier.”You have to come up with a plan here and there, and try to keep improving your game. I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But still got it, I guess.”Who could have disagreed?

Joe Root’s purple patch, top-order support and the continued rise of Ollie Robinson

George Dobell29-Aug-20213:32

Bell: The character England showed was most pleasing

After England levelled the series with an innings victory at Headingley, we take a look at some of the things that have started to go right for the hosts.Root’s remarkable run
It’s been a long time since an England batter played with the consistency and freedom that Joe Root is showing currently. In recording his sixth Test century of the year – a century that looked inevitable by the time he had 30 – he not only drew level with the England record (held by Michael Vaughan and Denis Compton) but kept himself in with a chance of overhauling Mohammad Yousuf’s record of 1788 Test runs in a calendar year. Root currently has 1398 which leaves him 390 behind with a maximum of 10 more innings available to him. The result also gave him the record for the most victories as an England Test captain (27) and ended a winless stretch of eight Tests. They had also gone six Tests in succession in England without victory before this; their worst streak since 1989-90.The last few months have been tough for Root. He’s had to contend with the loss of two of his best players, in Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, and see his plans for the Ashes unravel. He knows his team are jaded by bubble life and yet he, as a young father and key player, has somehow found a way to unlock the best form of his career. England still face a struggle to win this series, but few could doubt that Root is the natural leaders of the side. “As long as I am enjoying it and I feel like I am the right person to take this team forward, that will be my focus,” Root said afterwards. “As long as we feel like we are moving in the right direction and that I am the right man for it in my own mind, I am more than happy to keep doing what we are. I’m living my boyhood dream in captaining England.”Openers click
In recording England’s highest opening partnership since the India tour of 2016, Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed went a long way towards “setting the game up”, in Root’s words. It’s no coincidence that England’s top four subsequently all passed 50 in the same innings for the first time since the Dunedin Test of 2013; in seeing off the new ball and putting overs into the legs of the bowlers, Burns and Hameed performed a valuable role in their first go at starting the innings together.It was only one innings, of course. But while the number of ducks in Burns’ career – he went into this match having been dismissed for six in his 14 most recent Test innings – is still a concern and Hameed did get a little bogged down on the second day, going 28 balls without scoring before his dismissal, this was an encouragingly solid partnership that provided hope of better times ahead. You would think Zak Crawley’s game was pretty well-suited to Australian pitches – he produced perhaps his second-best Test innings at Johannesburg – but, if the Ashes goes ahead, Burns and Hameed have a fair chance of being England’s opening pair in Brisbane. The way back to the Test team looks long and arduous for Dom Sibley.Malan’s assured return
It could easily be overlooked in light of more eye-catching performances elsewhere, but this was an impressively assured return from Dawid Malan. Despite having batted only once in first-class cricket this year, he demonstrated excellent judgement over which balls to leave around off stump and looked solid in defence. He has some attractive attacking strokes, too, including a sweetly timed cover drive suggesting that he has the game to make the No. 3 spot his own despite having rarely batted there in his first-class career. His dismissal, caught down the leg side, was a little unfortunate, but he should have taken confidence from this innings and the knowledge that his place is probably now secure for the rest of the series. Given that he seemed a long way from this side only a few weeks ago and hadn’t played a red-ball innings in the interim, it represents a pretty remarkable comeback.An Ollie Robinson inswinger did Cheteshwar Pujara in early on the fourth day at Headingley•Getty ImagesRobinson on the rise
In recent weeks, England have been without at least six seamers – Stuart Broad, Archer, Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Mark Wood and Stokes – seamers who might have been selected ahead of Ollie Robinson. At the same time, it has become more apparent that James Anderson, for all his skill and good-intentions, is struggling to sustain his impact across entire matches. Dating back to the start of the 2020 international season in England, Anderson has claimed six second-innings wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 57.50 a time; in the same period, he has claimed 40 first-innings wickets at a cost of 17.30 apiece. But so impressive, so consistent and so effective have Robinson’s performances been that he has mitigated against these other factors and may well have established himself as one of England’s first choice new-ball bowlers. His performance here – he claimed his second five-wicket haul in his fourth Test (it would have been three in four, but for a dropped catch on debut) – won him the Player of the Match award and went a long way towards helping England achieve their first victory with him in the side. But it’s not just the wickets that have been impressive, it’s the manner in which he has taken them: hitting an immaculate length delivery after delivery and demonstrating an ability to move the ball both ways and also achieving bounce (only Kyle Jamieson releases the ball from a higher point in Test cricket at present), there seems no reason he won’t continue to enjoy success.Overton proves his worth
This was also Craig Overton’s first victory as a Test cricketer in his fifth Test. And while his returns didn’t grab the limelight in quite the same way as Robinson, this was a quietly assured performance. With bat, ball and in the field he played his part, with six wickets, an innings of 32 and a sharp slip catch. You know what you’re going to get from Overton: he will deliver a high number of overs and thump out a consistent length all day. Yes, in a perfect world, you would love him to have a few more mph or an ability to gain a little more movement. But he is willing and able to bowl long spells, he will never take a backward step and, as he showed at Old Trafford in 2019, is the sort that is happy to bowl uphill and into the wind when others are not. He is, to use an old-fashioned expression, very much the sort you would want beside you in the trenches. It’s entirely possible that, when England are back to anywhere near full strength, Overton will miss out. But he may well have pushed ahead of Sam Curran for a spot and, in reducing his Test bowling average to 30.93, and taking his batting average to 22.28, has shown he deserves respect. Overton is a tough, reliable cricketer and has never let England down. Every captain needs such a player.

Former South Africa batter Faf du Plessis has opted not to put his name in the IPL 2026 auction, choosing instead to play the Pakistan Super League (PSL).”After 14 seasons in the IPL, I’ve decided not to put my name into the auction this year. It’s a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back,” du Plessis wrote in a statement on his social media handles.”This league has been a massive part of my journey. I’ve been lucky to play with world-class teammates, for amazing franchises, and in front of fans whose passion is like nothing else. India has given me friendships, lessons, and memories that have shaped me as a cricketer and as a person.”Related

• RR trade Samson to CSK for Jadeja and Curran

• Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk on Delhi Capitals' release list

• IPL 2026: How the squads stack up ahead of the auction

Du Plessis, who has 154 IPL appearances, did not rule out a return to the competition in the future.”Fourteen years is a long time, and I’m proud of what this chapter has meant to me. India has a special place in my heart, and this certainly isn’t goodbye – you’ll see me again,” he said.”This year, I’ve chosen to take on a new challenge and will be playing in the upcoming PSL season,” du Plessis said. “It’s an exciting step for me – a chance to experience something new, to grow as a player, and to embrace a league filled with incredible talent and energy. A new country. A new environment. A new challenge. I’m looking forward to the Pakistan hospitality.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In IPL 2025, du Plessis made 202 runs from nine games for Delhi Capitals, and even captained the team in two games when their regular captain Axar Patel was injured. However, he was released by the franchise ahead of the auction.Overall, du Plessis is the fourth-highest run-scorer among overseas players in the IPL. Apart from DC, he has played for Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rising Pune Supergiants, winning the title twice with CSK.Du Plessis has played in the PSL before, making six appearances between 2019 and 2021 for Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators.While the IPL season will be played between March and May, it overlaps with the PSL, which is scheduled between April and May.

يرى تيم شيروود مدرب توتنهام السابق انه على السبيرز نسيان التعاقد مع أحد اللاعبين حيث سيحل محل النجم المصري محمد صلاح في ليفربول خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوية في يناير.

ويبدو أن حقبة محمد صلاح مع ليفربول قد اقتربت من النهاية، وقد أصبح مستقبله غامضًا بعد تصريحاته النارية.

وكان آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول قد استبعد محمد صلاح للمباراة الثالثة على التوالي ضد ليدز يونايتد، وألمح المصري إلى أنه قد تعرض للخيانة وأن علاقته مع مدربه قد تكون انهارت تماماً.

ويرتبط ليفربول بالتعاقد مع أنطوان سيمينيو لاعب بورنموث لملء الفراغ الذي من المتوقع أن يتركه رحيل النجم المصري محمد صلاح.

اقرأ أيضاً.. مهاجم إيفرتون السابق يختار بديل محمد صلاح في ليفربول

وقال شيروود في تصريحات نقلتها ” مترو” البريطانية: “أعتقد أن ليفربول سيسعى لضم سيمينيو في يناير، وهذا خبر سيئ لأي ناد آخر كان يرغب في التعاقد معه، توتنهام كان مهتم به أيضًا”.

وأضاف: “إنه لاعب مجتهد للغاية وأعتقد أنه لاعب موهوب”.

وواصل: “لا شيء مضمون، أليس كذلك؟ لكنني أعتقد أنه بفضل خبرته في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز وتجربته في مختلف المستويات فقد أثبت جدارته في المستوي العالي”.

وتابع: “سيمينيو يتمتع بالقوة والسرعة، هو لاعب مثالي على الجانب الأيمن كما أنه ملتزم بروح الفريق، أعتقد أنه موهوب بالفطرة”.

وأكمل: “عندما تضم لاعباً من خارج الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مثل فلوريان فيرتز فأنت لا يمكنك التنبؤ بتأقلمه ولا تملك الوقت الكافي له ليتأقلم”.

وشدد: “أعتقد أنه سيمينيو سينضم مباشرة للفريق، وقد تدرب جيداً في بداية الموسم، وهو لاعب رخيص الثمن، إنه شاب وله مستقبل واعد ويعد الخيار الأمثل، وهذا خبر سيئ للأندية الأخرى، على توتنهام أن ينسى الأمر”.

وحول قرار آرني سلوت بشأن محمد صلاح، علق: “قرر سلوت إجراء تغيير لمصلحة ليفربول وليس لمصلحة صلاح، وعلى صلاح أن يدرك ذلك، هذا النادي أكبر دائماً من أي فرد وسيبقى لذا من المحزن رؤية هذا”.

وسئل شيروود إذا كان ذلك سيؤثر على إرث صلاح: “هو في نظري لاعب عبقري ولن يدمره ذلك، ما زلت أعتقد أنه قادر على تقديم الكثير، عندما يقول الناس إن لياقته البدنية قد تراجعت، عندما يتقدم اللاعب في السن ويقدم أداءً سيئًا فهذا أمر طبيعي نظراً لتقدمه في السن، من حق أي لاعب أن يقدم أداء سيئ حتى اللاعبون الشباب يمرون بأوقات سيئة، ما زال لديه الكثير ليقدمه بغض النظر حول من سيقوم بتدريبه لكنني أعتقد أنه يريد أن يبذل قصارى جهده في يناير وإلا فإنه لن يتحدث”.

ويأمل شيروود أن يحصل سلوت على وقته حتى نهاية الموسم: “سلوت ليس في وضع جيد، لديه الكثير من الإمكانيات لكن هناك عدد من اللاعبين لا يقدمون الأداء المطلوب”.

واختتم: “مهما كانت الأسباب، أعتقد أن ليفربول سيمنح سلوت فرصة حتى نهاية الموسم، وأعتقد أنهم سيسمحون برحيل صلاح إذا وجدوا السعر المناسب، لا يمكن السماح للأمور الثانوية بالتحكم في الأمور الرئيسية وليفربول لن يسمح بذلك، ولم يفعلوا ذلك في الماضي، ليس دور سلوت هو رعاية اللاعبين بل هو اختيار الفريق المناسب للفوز بالمباريات، وصلاح يطلب منه أن يرعاه حالياً”.

Over recent years, Manchester United haven’t been shy to splash the cash on new additions in an attempt to help various managers lead them up the Premier League table.

Since the summer of 2022, over £800m has been spent on signings, with the expectation that more funds are needed to take the Red Devils back to their former glory.

Erik ten Hag spent three quarters of the aforementioned figure, but his inability to provide sustained success has handed Ruben Amorim the responsibility at Old Trafford.

The 40-year-old himself has already splashed over £200m in the transfer market, with more additions expected during the upcoming January transfer window.

Numerous areas of the pitch are subject to investment, as seen by the attacking department in the summer, but the winter window presents the perfect chance to bolster the midfield.

United’s hunt to land a new midfielder in January

Given the lack of depth in United’s central midfield department, a new number six has been seen as the priority in the January market, leading to numerous names being touted with a big-money transfer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes has been one of the latest players linked with a transfer to Old Trafford, with the player himself open to a potential winter move.

The Red Devils’ interest has led to a £44m price tag being mooted in recent days, but at present, there have been no conversations between the clubs or the player.

However, he may be seen as a potential back-up option in the coming months, with rumours picking up over a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson.

According to The Athletic, Amorim’s men have made the 23-year-old their primary target for the next window, but any deal could cost a pretty penny for INEOS.

The report also states that Sean Dyche’s side are reluctant to lose their star man during the midway point of the season, leading to a £100m asking price being quoted.

Why United’s primary target would be the best deal since Bruno

Back in January 2020, United did spend big to improve their first-team squad, subsequently forking out a reported £47m for the signature of midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

At the time, the Sporting CP star would have been an unknown quantity to many, but nearly six years on, it’s safe to say such a move was one of the club’s best in recent times.

The 31-year-old has since racked up a total of 303 appearances for the Red Devils, even managing to net his 100th goal for the club in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea back in September.

However, he’s also been a provider for those around him, as seen by his tally of 86 assists, with the Portuguese international current averaging 0.62 goal contributions per 90.

United have tried to replicate such deals in years gone by, completing moves for the likes of Patrick Dorgu, but the Dane’s move has been merely unsuccessful.

The aforementioned star has found minutes hard to come by, even struggling to perform when given the chance, which could lead to an early departure despite only joining 12 months ago.

However, a deal for Anderson would certainly follow the Bruno trend, with the Red Devils potentially getting themselves one of the division’s best talents at present.

The Englishman has taken his game to the next level in 2025/26, with his stellar performances cementing his place as an international regular within Thomas Tuchel’s England side.

His tally of two combined goals and assists in the Premier League may not seem impressive, but it’s his underlying stats which have made him such a sought-after talent.

Anderson, who’s been labelled a “warrior” by Ben Mattinson, has regained possession the most of any player in the league this season – with such an asset filling the club’s hunt for a dominant ball-winner.

Such a feat is made all the more impressive by his other tallies out of possession, with the Forest star winning 2.8 tackles and 7.2 duels won per 90 – further reaffirming his dominant nature.

Elliot Anderson – PL stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

12

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Progressive passes

8.3

Passes into final third

8.2

Take-ons completed

1.3

Ball recoveries

8.5

Tackles made

2.8

Duels won

7.2

Stats via FBref

However, with the ball at his feet, he’s been just as effective, as seen by his remarkable tally of 8.3 progressive passes completed per 90, with 8.2 of his efforts being made into the final third.

To top off the 23-year-old’s incredible numbers in 2025/26, he’s completed 1.5 key passes per 90 to date, with 1.3 of his passes being into the opposition’s penalty area.

A deal for Anderson would be yet another huge piece of business conducted by INEOS, but it’s one that would certainly solve one of Amorim’s biggest issues at Old Trafford.

Should the £100m man get anywhere near the levels produced by Bruno at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be a phenomenal addition, and one that could allow the side to finally compete for titles once again.

Related Joao Gomes upgrade: INEOS ready Man Utd talks for "out of this world" star

Manchester United look set to make another move for a central midfielder ahead of the January window.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

Sam Konstas, the incumbent Australia opener, strengthened his case for the Ashes by hitting a hundred in a session for Australia A against India A in Lucknow. Campbell Kellaway, who is also in the opening mix, contributed 88 off 97 balls in a 198-run opening stand, which established Australia A’s dominance.Related

• Paine: We'll encourage Konstas to play as he sees it

• Abhimanyu 'knows what to do if opportunities don't come', says Kanitkar

For India A, Harsh Dubey, the Vidarbha left-arm fingerspinner, took three wickets, including that of Konstas for 109 off 144 balls.Konstas, 19, made a welcome return to form after managing only 50 runs in six innings in the Caribbean earlier this year. After rain had washed out the first session at the Ekana Stadium, Kellaway and Konstas hit the ground running for the visitors.After bringing up his fifty off 86 balls, Konstas raced to a century of 122 balls. He got the landmark with a six over long-off off offspinner Tanush Kotian just before tea. All three sixes from Konstas came in the arc between long-on and deep midwicket against spinners.”I thought I had to face quite a few demons mentally just trying to get through that and, yeah, obviously different challenges and just trying to adapt to the conditions,” Konstas said after play. “So super stoked and hopefully can build on from that.Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway had a huge partnership•Tanuj/UPCA

“I thought early on [the pitch] had a bit of nip and just trying to get through that and then spin wise it didn’t spin as much. So just backing my instincts and yeah, just trying to rinse and repeat each ball with my process.”Speaking on Wednesday morning, Australia coach Andrew McDonald lauded the pre-season work Konstas has put in but continued to stress that Sheffield Shield runs would carry most weight in selection.”To come from the West Indies, to go away and work on your game, that winter investment, to get an immediate return gives a lot of confidence,” McDonald told SEN radio. “A lot of our game is about confidence and believing in what you’re doing.”To get that feedback in that short space of time is incredibly rewarding for the player and coaches that have worked on that. And now, it’s the ability to sustain that.”India A finally separated the opening pair in the 38th over when Punjab fast bowler Gurnoor Brar dismissed Kellaway. Dubey and Khaleel Ahmed then made further inroads as Australia A slipped from 198 for 0 to 224 for 4.Cooper Connolly and Liam Scott, though, added 109 in 24.2 overs to re-establish Australia’s command. Dubey struck again, just before stumps, to cut Connolly’s innings short on 70 off 84 balls. Scott (47*) and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe (3*) were both unbeaten at stumps on the first day in Lucknow.

أثارت معاناة محمد صلاح هذا الموسم مع ليفربول، محل نقاش كبير بين نجوم الريدز السابقين جيمي كاراجر وجون بارنز.

وشكك جون بارنز في ما قاله جيمي كاراجر عن النجم المصري هذا الموسم، وكان مدافع وقائد ليفربول السابق قد ذكر أن صلاح لم يعد بإمكانه أن يبدأ كل مباراة بشكل أساسي، كما كان يفعل في المواسم الماضية.

ورد بارنز نجم ليفربول السابق صاحب الـ33 عاماً، قائلاً في تصريحات نشرتها “rousing the kop”: “حسناً، محمد صلاح يستطيع البدء في كل مباراة، الأمر ببساطة أن ليفربول يلعب بطريقة مختلفة الآن، لقد ذكرت هذه الحقيقة مع توماس توخيل فيما يتعلق بطريقة لعب إنجلترا”.

وأضاف: “في الماضي كان ترينت يصنع اللعب وصلاح ينهي الهجمة، كانت طريقة لعبنا تمهد لصلاح تمرير الكرة له والتسجيل، أما الآن فإننا نلعب بطريقة مختلفة تماماً”.

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وواصل: “لدينا فيرتز وإيكتيكي الذي يراوغ كثيرًا، وجاكبو على اليسار، لذا نلعب بطريقة مختلفة، ما يعني أن صلاح لن يكون مؤثراً بنفس القدر، لا علاقة للأمر بكونه في الثالثة والثلاثين، أو الرابعة والثلاثين من عمره”.

وتابع: “الفريق الآن يلعب بطريقة مختلفة لخلق فرص للاعبين مختلفين، لذا يتزامن ذلك مع كونه في الثالثة والثلاثين، لذا يمكنه أن يبدأ في كل مباراة لكنه لن يبدأ لأننا نملك وفرة من اللاعبين الهجوميين وبالتالي قد يتم إبعاده”.

It was utter pandemonium at Yankee Stadium after New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who had entered play mired in the longest home run drought of his career, belted a go-ahead grand slam to power the club to a 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Judge, facing Red Sox relief pitcher Zack Kelly in the bottom of the seventh inning, took the first two pitches for balls before crushing the next offering, a 95-mph fastball right down the middle.

As the baseball took flight towards the left field seats and ultimately landed at its final destination, Yankees fans jumped up and down in the stands in pure elation as Yankees players excitedly high-fived each other and celebrated in the dugout.

The Yankee Stadium crowd then implored Judge to do a curtain call, and the Yankees captain obliged.

After the game, Judge commended the crowd, saying it was a "playoff atmosphere."

"Yeah tonight was rockin'," Judge said. "Especially after the seventh inning. At-bat after at-bat. Dugie [Alex Verdugo] getting it started for us, going down 0-2 quick and battling back to get on base.

"Kinda felt like a playoff atmosphere there in the seventh inning, we were kinda rallying so we've been waiting for that."

When told that his crowd-supercharging grand slam ended a 16-game home run drought, Judge briefly wore a look of surprise on his face before admitting he didn't know the streak was that long.

"Was it 16 games?" Judge asked. "I didn't really know that. It's just another day. I really don't focus on hitting homers. I don't focus on any of that. I've got a job to do. Sixteen games, is that a lot or was it not? I don't know."

When told it was the longest streak of his career, Judge quipped that he'll "definitely break that" record at another point in his career. Judge was all smiles during his press conference, and it's not difficult to see why.

The Yankees have won three straight games, two of which were walk-off victories, and now have a three-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East and a two-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for the best record in the American League.

New York will play host to Boston for two more games on Saturday and Sunday before embarking on a seven-game road trip to Seattle and Oakland.

Kylian Mbappe has joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho in an exclusive Clasico club after finding the target again for Real Madrid in a crunch clash with arch-rivals Barcelona. The World Cup-winning France international has made a habit of doing that since becoming another ‘Galactico’ at Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2024 – with the exploits of all-time greats being emulated.

• Mbappe the Galactico: Acquired for big games

  The Blancos snapped up Mbappe with the hope of seeing him deliver in games that matter most. Fixtures do not come much bigger than meetings with Barcelona, as said contests attract interest from every corner of the globe.

  Figures such as Mbappe are expected to illuminate proceedings, and he has been doing his best for Madrid since being added to their star-studded ranks. He was handed the No.9 shirt last season that Portuguese GOAT Ronaldo wore immediately after making his own move to Spain from Manchester United.

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  Mbappe's record in El Clasico: Goals & defeats

  Mbappe failed to find the target in his first meeting with Barca, which ended in a humbling 4-0 defeat. Another setback was suffered in the Spanish Super Cup, when going down 5-2, but the Frenchman did contribute to the Blancos’ cause on that occasion. He was on target again in a 3-2 Copa del Rey defeat to Barca in April.

  Mbappe was then the star of the show for Real as they travelled to Catalunya on May 11, but another painful loss was suffered. Barcelona prevailed 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller, but struggled to keep Mbappe in check as he registered a hat-trick.

  Fast forward to the present and Mbappe opened the scoring in another Clasico clash at the Bernabeu. He did so in style, finishing emphatically with a shot across the goalkeeper after being played through by Jude Bellingham.

  Having scored in four successive Clasico matches, Mbappe finds himself joining an exclusive club. The only other members are Ballon d’Or-winning icons of Real Madrid and Barcelona’s glittering past.

  Mbappe is the third player to score in four consecutive El Clasico games across all competitions in the 21st century (six goals), after Ronaldinho Gaucho between 2004 and 2006 (four matches, five goals) and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2012 (six matches, seven goals).

• Trophy target: Mbappe chasing down major honours

  Mbappe has endured plenty of pain at the hands of Barcelona, but will be hoping to enjoy a reversal in fortune across the 2025-26 campaign. He plundered 44 goals across his debut campaign in Madrid and is well on course to match or better that return this term. He already has a Champions League hat-trick to his name, against Kairat Almaty, and is looking to guide Real towards domestic and European honours – posting numbers that CR7 would have been proud of in the process.

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• Bellingham takes Clasico record from Vinicius Jr

  He will hope to see the likes of Bellingham provide plenty more assistance, with the England international looking to rediscover his best form on the back of summer shoulder surgery. The 22-year-old was also on target in Real’s latest clash with Barca, becoming the youngest player in the 21st century to score and assist in a Clasico for the Blancos – breaking a record that Vinicius Junior previously held after achieving the same feat in a Copa del Rey fixture in April 2023.