All posts by h79snht.top

Aston Villa moved up to seventh in the Premier League table by beating the team that were ahead of them – Brighton & Hove Albion – 3-0 away from home on Wednesday night.

The Villans, in a match that lasted over 100 minutes, secured all three points in emphatic fashion, thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Donyel Malen, who all joined the claret and blue army in the January transfer window.

There were many impressive performers for Unai Emery’s side throughout the match at the AMEX, including the player who scored the opening goal on the night – Rashford.

Why Marcus Rashford's performance was vital for Aston Villa

The England international, who is on loan from Macnhester United until the end of the season, was the player to make it 1-0 for Villa with his terrific run in behind the Brighton defence.

He made a great movement off the shoulder of the last defender to race clear through on goal and the finish matched the run as the speedster brilliantly lifted the ball into the back of the net to give Villa the lead.

The 27-year-old attacker’s goal broke the deadlock and allowed the away side to play with more freedom, having taken the lead, which teed up the rest of the performance for Villa to go on and win with ease, which is why his display and goal were so vital for Emery’s team.

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There was a Villans star, however, who was even more important to the result, as Morgan Rogers proved that he is the main man for Villa with another sublime showing.

Why Morgan Rogers is the main man for Aston Villa

Emery has a host of brilliant attacking talents at his disposal, including the likes of Rashford, Asensio, and Ollie Watkins, but it is the former Manchester City man who runs the team with his performances.

As the attacking midfielder tasked with carrying the ball through the thirds, Rogers is crucial to everything that Villa do in possession and is now closing in on 20 goal contributions for the season, with 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions.

The 22-year-old dynamo, who was handed a player rating of 8/10 by BirminghamLive, added another two assists to his tally in the win over Brighton, playing a phenomenal long-range ball to Rashford for the opener, and racing down the flank to provide a perfect cut-back for Asensio to make it 2-0.

Vs Brighton (A)

Rogers

Rashford

Minutes

88

65

Goals

0

1

Big chances created

2

0

Assists

2

0

Duels won

6/12

0/2

Tackles + interceptions

7

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the English whiz outperformed Rashford with his contributions to the side in and out of possession throughout the game, which shows that he offered more to the team overall.

Rogers, who was compared to Jude Bellingham on Sky Sports earlier this season, has proven himself to the main man time and time again for the Villans, as he has started all 29 of his appearances in the Premier League, whilst Watkins has been a substitute on five occasions.

Illustrating his all-round quality, Rogers is the only player in the squad who ranks within the top five for shots, dribbles, key passes, and fouls won per game, which speaks to how much of an influence he has on matches on the ball.

The Villa star can impact games with his energy out of possession, by winning tackles and duels, whilst also providing a threat as a scorer and a creator of goals, which makes him the full package for Emery and the manager’s main man on the pitch in the top-flight.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Apr 2, 2025

Well, that probably wasn’t the return from the international break that Tottenham Hotspur fans had been hoping for.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travelled to West London to try and get one over Chelsea in the Premier League last night, but instead of coming out swinging as they have so often, and sometimes to their own detriment, this season, they were utterly dismal.

Granted, it looked like Pape Matar Sarr had equalised in the second half, but he fouled Moises Caicedo in the buildup, and it was chalked off, much to the chagrin of the increasingly under-pressure Australian, who made his feelings clear after the game.

There were incredibly disappointing performances across the pitch for the visitors, but there was one player who might as well have stayed in the dressing room and, as such, has to be dropped ahead of the weekend’s game against Southampton.

Spurs' poor performers

Before getting to the player in question, it’s only fair we go over some of the other starters who let the fans down last night, as, unfortunately, there were quite a few, including Cristian Romero.

The fiery World Cup winner can sometimes be exactly the sort of player you want in an intense derby, but instead of marshalling the backline and making life difficult for the Blues’ attack, he seemed off the pace, overly emotional, and was running back towards goal more often than he should have been and picked up a 5/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold.

However, there is an argument that the Argentine’s defensive partner, Micky van de Ven, had an even worse game at Stamford Bridge.

The former Wolfsburg gem was ironically starting his first league game since the reverse fixture against the Pensioners in December, and whether it was rustiness or something else, he looked even more lost than Romero.

For example, it was his clearance that came off Jackson early in the first half and almost opened the scoring, and then in the second half he was pulled out of position by the striker for Enzo Fernández’s goal and was fully deserving of the 5/10 rating he received from Gold.

At the other end of the pitch, it was another night to forget for the club’s record signing, Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth star did make the right runs at times but simply wasn’t a factor for the vast majority of the game, and while he has to rely on the service of his teammates to an extent, the best strikers in the world will often make their own chances.

However, while the Basingstoke-born poacher was certainly ineffective, another starter was even worse and must be dropped.

The Spurs star who has to be dropped

In reality, you could make a serious argument about any of the aforementioned players being dropped for the weekend, but when it comes down to it, James Maddison put in the most frustratingly dismal display for Spurs last night.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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The former Leicester City star, who is a part of the club’s leadership group, started in a midfield three with 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur, so while they can certainly help out with attacks, the onus to get the midfield ticking was on him.

Unfortunately, he did not achieve this in the slightest, and instead of pulling the strings and taking advantage of a Chelsea side who had won just four of their ten league games since the turn of the year, he practically disappeared from the encounter.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by Gold, who also awarded the Englishman a 5/10 on the night, writing that even when he did try to make something happen, ‘nothing came off for him.’

Unsurprisingly, his lacklustre showing is reflected in his statistics.

Maddison’s game in numbers

Minutes

81′

Expected Goals

0.05

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.06

Assists

0

Touches

41

Key Passes

1

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Shots on Target

0

Duels (Won)

5 (0)

Dribbles

0

Lost Possession

4

Offsides

2

All Stats via Sofascore

In 81 minutes of inaction, the 28-year-old amassed a paltry combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.11, failed to score or assist a goal, took 41 touches but played just a single key pass, failed in 100% of his crosses, failed to take a shot on target, didn’t attempt a single dribble, lost the ball four times, lost 100% of his duels and was offside twice.

Ultimately, it was a dreadful performance from the entire Spurs team, but Maddison was particularly disappointing and, therefore, must be dropped from the starting lineup.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

Wolvaardt and Beaumont’s fifties paved the way for a tense finish

AAP25-Nov-2025

South African powerhouse Laura Wolvaardt smacked a half-century in Adelaide Strikers’ tense six-wicket WBBL win over battling Brisbane Heat. After Heat posted 169 for 5, Strikers nudged two a leg bye from the final ball in a thriller at Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval.Wolvaardt set an ominous early tone with 51 from 33 balls in a decisive Tuesday night knock, while Bridget Patterson (32* from 22) played a cool hand in the frenetic finale. The Strikers required 31 from the last three overs, an equation reduced to seven from Nadine de Klerk’s final over. With scores tied on the last ball, Patterson tried a leg-side flick, the ball hitting her pads and running to a vacant fine leg.Heat remain winless from six games while Adelaide logged a second win of the campaign.Chasing the tricky total, Wolvaardt and opening partner Tammy Beaumont (51 from 33 deliveries) made early inroads. The pair put on 92 before Wolvaardt fell in the 10th over. She’d struck 10 fours and was caught on the midwicket fence attempting another from the left-arm spin of Jonassen (1-36). Tahlia McGrath (16 from 17) chimed in before Patterson’s final flurry lifted the Strikers to victory.Earlier, the Heat’s innings was powered by Lauren Winfield-Hill (47 from 36 balls), Georgia Redmayne (36* from 20) and Jess Jonassen (37 from 35). Winfield-Hill lost her opening partner Charlie Knott (11 from 14 balls) in the sixth over but attacked Adelaide’s bowlers. She struck a six, and six fours, and was on the cusp of a half-century when she missed a reverse swat and was out lbw to the spin of Jemma Barsby (1-13).Winfield-Hill’s exit left the Heat 87 for 2 after 11 overs and Jonassen continued the momentum until a late flourish. Redmayne and de Klerk (25 from nine balls) produced cameos against a Strikers attack led by legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington (2-31) and Sophie Ecclestone (2-36).

أعلن سامي الطرابلسي، المدير الفني لمنتخب تونس، التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة قطر، بعد قليل، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العرب.

يواجه منتخب قطر نظيره تونس، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات بكأس العرب، على أرضية استاد البيت.

يدخل المنتخبان المباراة بشعار “لا بديل عن الفوز”، بعد نتائج مخيبة في الجولتين الأولى والثانية، فالمنتخب القطري خسر في مباراته الافتتاحية أمام فلسطين، بهدف نظيف، ثم تعادل مع سوريا 1-1.

طالع.. ترتيب مجموعات كأس العرب 2025 بعد نهاية الجولة الثانية

أما المنتخب التونسي، فقد خسر مباراته الأولى أمام سوريا وتعادل مع فلسطين بهدفين لكل منتخب، في الجولة الثانية من البطولة.

وشهد التشكيل الأساسي لتونس أمام قطر، تواجد محمد علي بن رمضان، لاعب وسط فريق الأهلي، وعلي معلول لاعب الصفاقسي التونسي الحالي.

قطر تحتاج إلى الفوز على تونس، مع انتظار تعثر سوريا أمام فلسطين، بينما تونس لا بديل أمامها سوى الفوز بفارق هدفين أو أكثر، مع فوز سوريا على فلسطين، وفي حال انتهاء مباراة سوريا وفلسطين بالتعادل، سيودع كل من تونس وقطر البطولة من الدور الأول. تشكيل تونس أمام قطر

حراسة المرمى: أيمن دحمان.

خط الدفاع: علي معلول – حمزة الجلاصي – ياسين مرياح – محمد بن علي.

خط الوسط: محمد علي بن رمضان – فرجاني ساسي – حسام تقا.

خط الهجوم: فراس شواط – سيف الجزيري – أسامة الحدادي.

Left-arm quick’s T20 World Cup hopes all but dashed after being ruled out of the entire BBL with an ongoing back injury

Alex Malcolm03-Dec-2025

Spencer Johnson’s hopes of playing for Australia in the T20 World Cup early next year have been dealt a hammer blow after he was ruled out of the upcoming BBL season because of a back injury.Johnson has not played since the IPL, where he suffered back pain that he initially thought was a recurrence of a disc issue he had dealt with previously. The 29-year-old left-arm quick then suffered more pain while training ahead of the July T20I tour of the West Indies and scans showed a stress fracture.He underwent months of rehab which included pilates and swimming while waiting for the bone to heal. He had another scan in October and was hopeful he would be cleared to play in the BBL in the new year.Related

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But Brisbane Heat confirmed on Wednesday that their title-winning quick would be unavailable for the entire season.”Spencer continues to recover from a back injury and pleasingly, this is improving. However, the latest time-frame for his return to play does not enable him to participate in the BBL this season,” Heat CEO Terry Svenson said. “We’re all disappointed for Spencer but will provide him with ongoing support as he continues to recover.”Australia’s first game of the T20 World Cup is on February 11, which means it is almost certain he will not be fit in time to push his case for selection in the final 15-man squad. Johnson was seen as a potential long-term replacement for Mitchell Starc, who has retired from T20I cricket. But while Johnson has been injured, Australia have won three of their four T20I series with a pace attack of Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett gelling nicely. Pat Cummins could also return for the World Cup if fit.Johnson will continue to do his rehab in Adelaide where he lives and is domestically contracted with South Australia. Johnson has nominated for the IPL auction at the second-highest base price of 150 lakh (AUD$252957) and is hopeful of being fit and available for the tournament if bought after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders at the end of last season.”I’ve had plenty of expert support from everyone involved in the process and I am very confident that I will be back and doing what I love as soon as possible,” Johnson said.Meanwhile, England left-arm quick Reece Topley has signed with Sydney Thunder as an overseas replacement for Lockie Ferguson. Topley will play with Thunder for the first half of the season while Ferguson is at the ILT20. Topley will head to the SA20 when Ferguson returns to the BBL for the second half of the season.

MatériaMais Notícias

A vitória do Corinthians por 1 a 0 sobre o Cruzeiro, nesta quarta-feira (10), no jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil, não apenas marcou o primeiro passo da equipe na luta por uma vaga na final, como também quebrou um tabu que durava 11 anos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalMelhores momentos: Memphis decide, Corinthians vence o Cruzeiro e abre vantagem na Copa do BrasilFutebol Nacional10/12/2025CruzeiroZagueiro do Cruzeiro deixa jogo contra o Corinthians com lesão no tornozeloCruzeiro10/12/2025Fora de CampoCaio Ribeiro perde a paciência durante Cruzeiro x Corinthians: ‘Tem que ajudar’Fora de Campo10/12/2025

➡️ Gil vê equilíbrio entre Cruzeiro e Corinthians e admite coração dividido: ‘Amigos dos dois lados’

A última vez que o Timão havia vencido o Cruzeiro em Minas Gerais foi em 2014, na primeira rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Na ocasião, o Corinthians venceu por 1 a 0, com gol do peruano Paolo Guerrero.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

A lista inclui alguns asteriscos, como a vitória do Corinthians em 2015, que ocorreu na Arena Pantanal, em Cuiabá, e não no Mineirão. Outro duelo vencido pelo Timão aconteceu em 2018, no próprio Mineirão, mas em partida amistosa. A partida terminou 2 a 0, com um dos gols marcado por Romero, atualmente no elenco corinthiano.

continua após a publicidadeVeja abaixo a lista de jogos:Cruzeiro 4 x 2 Corinthians (Copa do Brasil de 2016)Cruzeiro 3 x 2 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2016)Cruzeiro 1 x 1 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2017)Cruzeiro 1 x 0 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2018)Cruzeiro 1 x 0 Corinthians (Copa do Brasil de 2018)Cruzeiro 0 x 0 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2019)Cruzeiro 1 x 1 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2023)Cruzeiro 3 x 0 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2024)Cruzeiro 3 x 0 Corinthians (Campeonato Brasileiro de 2025)

➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro

Vantagem

As equipes voltam a se enfrentar no próximo domingo (14), às 18h (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena. O Corinthians joga pelo empate para avançar à final da Copa do Brasil. O Cruzeiro precisa vencer por dois gols de vantagem para se classificar diretamente; se ganhar por apenas um, a vaga será decidida nos pênaltis. O adversário sairá do confronto entre Fluminense e Vasco.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansCruzeiroFutebol Nacional

The allrounder flew home to Mumbai from Srinagar on Tuesday evening, but the move is believed to be precautionary

Shashank Kishore14-Oct-2025

Allrounder Shivam Dube has been pulled out of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy 2025-26 squad on the eve of their season opener against Jammu & Kashmir due to back stiffness. Dube flew home to Mumbai from Srinagar on Tuesday evening.The move is believed to be precautionary, given he’s also part of India’s T20I squad that is set to leave for Australia on October 23 for a five-match series.Dube had a prolific 2025 Asia Cup, where India captain Suryakumar Yadav regularly turned to him as a bowling option. In the final against Pakistan, he played a pivotal all-round role. Used as a new-ball option in Hardik Pandya’s absence, he bowled three tight overs for just 23 runs and later scored a crucial 22-ball 33 as India sealed a tense chase.While Dube will have to wait until after the Australia tour for a Ranji return, Mumbai will welcome back allrounder Musheer Khan, who missed the previous season due to a neck and collar-bone injury he suffered during a road accident.Also back from injury is older brother, Sarfaraz Khan, who was ruled out of contention for the just-completed Test series against West Indies due to a quadriceps injury.Mumbai will be captained by India allrounder Shardul Thakur, who takes over the mantle from Ajinkya Rahane, who is set to continue playing.Rahane has been training for the season from as early as July, when he said on a podcast that he’d even carried his trainers and kit to the UK – while on a media assignment during India’s Test tour – to be able to train for the upcoming season.Mumbai are in Group D alongside J&K, Hyderabad, Delhi, Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The opening round of the new season against J&K has been billed as a rematch of last season’s group fixture, which Mumbai lost by five wickets at the Bandra Kurla Complex grounds.

Liverpool were comprehensively beaten by Manchester City on Sunday. That’s five defeats from six in the Premier League for Arne Slot’s side, and the crisis switch has been flicked back on.

As things stand, there are fears that the eighth-place Reds face an uphill battle to seal a top-four (or top-five, depending on UEFA coefficients), much less challenge against Arsenal and the resurgent Citizens for the throne they so spectacularly won last year.

This is a pale imitation of that title-winning team, and though Pep Guardiola tactically dismantled Slot and his men at the Etihad Stadium, Liverpool continue to come unstuck by their own self-destructive tendencies.

So sluggish and limp against City on Sunday. Liverpool’s press was non-existent, and neither has the stable framework of recent years been in sight since the summer.

But, right at the very epicentre of all this is Ibrahima Konate, who was targeted by the Sky Blues at the weekend and it worked out for them and then some as they sent Liverpool packing, having shipped three.

Why Konate is such a big problem for Liverpool

Against Manchester City, Konate took 88 touches of the ball, whereas captain Virgil van Dijk was in possession 58 times, data via Sofascore.

That tells the tale. Guardiola set his side up to put pressure on Liverpool’s France centre-back and he was unable to respond, having been at fault for the early penalty that Giorgi Mamardashvili saved and then again when Erling Haaland rose and scored soon after.

This is a defender whose form has gone beyond out of sorts. Konate is failing to do the basics, and he is now being preyed upon by opposition coaches. Sky Sports fan voice Lewis Anderson commented after the match that the 26-year-old “needs dropping like a hot stone”, given his consistent inconsistency this season.

But who to replace him? In spite of Liverpool’s thrilling transfer window success this summer, the lateness of their concerted effort to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace ended with FSG empty-handed, for the Eagles played hardball after struggling to find a suitable replacement.

Konate is one of the biggest flashpoints within Slot’s squad right now, and he needs to be dropped. Options are slim, admittedly, but there’s one man who will fancy his chances of taking the powerful defender’s place in the starting line-up in the future, albeit not for a while as he recovers from injury.

The teen who can end Konate's Liverpool career

There was a real buzz around Anfield when sporting director Richard Hughes swept over to Italy and returned with one of the region’s most prodigious talents in Giovanni Leoni.

The 18-year-old joined for a £26m and had also been sought after by the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United.

However, this fairytale move to Liverpool quickly devolved into a nightmare for the Italian centre-back, who ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton in September, the severity of which is so great that Slot said afterwards that he would be sidelined for around a year.

From a wider perspective, this has been a damaging blow for a Liverpool backline lacking depth and balance. Moreover, Konate’s abject performances have left him droppable, save for the threadbare defensive line that is now forcing Slot’s hand.

With Konate out of contract at the end of the season and attracting interest from heavyweights such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, Liverpool chiefs face a decision as they continue to probe in discussions to try and make a breakthrough, extending the £70k-per-week talent’s stay on Merseyside.

However, could Konate’s departure on a free transfer actually be a scenario that would not prove detrimental? After all, Van Dijk is sticking around for a while longer, and when Leoni returns, he could establish himself as the next big thing.

After all, he caught the eye against Saints before that bitter injury.

Giovanni Leoni vs Southampton

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

81′

Touches

102

Accurate passes

88/91 (97%)

Possession lost

3x

Recoveries

3

Tackles won

0/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

6

Ground duels

1/2

Aerial duels

3/3

Data via Sofascore

Hailed as a “Rolls-Royce” of a defender who can “be the leader of that defence” in spite of his youth by one content creator, Leoni’s season-ending injury on his senior debut for Liverpool can only be described as agonisingly unfair.

But it has happened, and nothing can change that. The defender’s road to recovery is long indeed, but there remains every expectation on Merseyside that he will bounce back and realise his potential.

And, with the data analysts sure to be mulling over Konate’s future as the end of his contract edges ever nearer, we might even see that stance on the Les Bleus star slacken.

Crystal Palace’s Guehi remains a top target, and Leoni showed a glimpse of his quality in less than 90 minutes of football this season, proving he has what it takes to slip into his struggling senior peer’s seat.

Van Dijk must rally his Liverpool forces across the remainder of the campaign and ensure that this brutal dip in form does not fester and linger as a wider, more damaging issue.

However, this acclimatisation period of new signings struggling to bed into life under Slot’s wing will not go on forever, however interminable it seems right now.

But there’s no denying more is needed, and if Konate cannot bring himself together over the coming months, it’s hard to envisage Liverpool offering new and improved terms.

And given Leoni took to his Liverpool role like a duck to water before disaster struck, there’s every chance he will respond next season in a more stable tactical set-up, quickly vindicating the potential decision to let Konate leave when his contract expires this summer.

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Posts ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

Afghanistan were all systems go in their opener against Hong Kong, and could go clear at the top with another win on Tuesday

Mohammad Isam15-Sep-20252:26

Abhinav Mukund impressed by Afghanistan’s on-field trial

Big picture: Afghanistan’s chance to make it two in twoAfter the net run-rate-boosting win over Hong Kong on the first day of the Asia Cup, Afghanistan have the chance to go clear at the top of Group B on Tuesday. Bangladesh are up next, fresh from the hiding at the hands of Sri Lanka. Afghanistan are the more confident of the two sides, which gives them the advantage before the start of the game.Azmatullah Omarzai’s record-breaking half-century from No. 6 led them in their 94-run win against Hong Kong. He added 82 runs for the fifth wicket with Sediqullah Atal, who ended unbeaten on 73. Afghanistan’s bowling was true to their reputation, hardly allowing the hapless Hong Kong batters a whiff.Related

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Afghanistan get their win but Trott wants improvement

Rashid Khan must have also been pleased with AM Ghazanfar and Noor Ahmad now taking more responsibility. Mohammad Nabi didn’t bowl against Hong Kong, but is likely to be back in the attack against Bangladesh, who have to take on an irrepressible spin attack, a particularly hard task given their own frailties and the conditions in the Emirates.Their batting was under pressure against Sri Lanka right from the start as they played out two wicket-maidens to begin with. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy couldn’t revive the innings, leaving the job to Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain. They have often done this well in the past, but couldn’t on the day.Bangladesh’s catching was below par. The bowlers also collapsed in the face of sensible and aggressive batting. Dropping Taskin Ahmed in favour of Shoriful Islam might have destabilised a side that looks up to Taskin for inspiration.They have to get their act together against Afghanistan, a side headed in the direction opposite to where Bangladesh are going. Bangladesh must lift themselves, otherwise their Asia Cup campaign could well be over before even taking off.1:14

Maharoof: Bangladesh have been lacking in major tournaments

Form guideAfghanistan WLWWW
Bangladesh LWWLWIn the spotlight: Azmatullah Omarzai and Shamim HossainAzmatullah Omarzai is emerging as Afghanistan’s top pace-bowling-allrounder, who can bowl in pressure situations and bat effectively in the top six. His half-century against Hong Kong was Afghanistan’s fastest in the format. Omarzai struck five sixes and two fours in his 21-ball 53. He is more than useful with the ball too, often helping Afghanistan break partnerships. He would, however, like to improve his T20I batting record against Bangladesh, having scored just 88 runs in six outings so far.Shamim Hossain dug Bangladesh out of a hole against Sri Lanka, but his unbeaten 42 – and Jaker Ali’s unbeaten 41 – couldn’t quite get them to a winning position. Shamim and Jaker added 86 for the sixth wicket, both doing the sort of fire-fighting job they are asked to do often. The good part about Shamim’s innings was that he took the attack to the Sri Lanka bowlers at the end of the innings, something that should give him confidence against Afghanistan.Taskin Ahmed should return to the Bangladesh XI•AFP/Getty Images

Team newsAfghanistan are likely to stick to the same XI that played against Hong Kong in the tournament opener.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Sediqullah Atal, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Mohammad Nabi, 5 Gulbadin Naib, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiSaif Hassan and Nurul Hasan are top-order batting options Bangladesh could look at, while Taskin is likely to return into the playing XI.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Tanzim Hasan, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsAbu Dhabi has rewarded batters with intent in the Asia Cup so far, but the bowlers too have found help from the pitches. The forecast is for high temperatures.Stats and trivia The two maiden overs Bangladesh played out at the start of their innings against Sri Lanka was only the second such instance in a men’s T20I match between two Full-Member teams. Zimbabwe did it against West Indies in 2010. Omarzai struck the fastest T20I fifty for Afghanistan in their Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong. His 20-ball half-century beat Nabi’s 21-ball effort against Ireland in 2017.

Newcastle United have not been afraid to splash the cash since PIF took over the club just over four years ago. T

hey have well and truly backed Eddie Howe, smashing the club transfer record twice by signing Alexander Isak and his replacement this summer, Nick Woltemade.

The Magpies have added depth in other areas of the pitch too. Out wide, Anthony Gordon and his namesake Anthony Elanga were two notable reinforcements who cost £45m and £55m respectively. At the back, they have signed the likes of Sven Botman and Tino Livramento, building a strong defence for the present and future.

However, it is in midfield where the signings have really felt substantial, with Bruno Guimaraes one of the notable names.

The numbers behind Bruno Guimaraes impact at Newcastle

At 27 years of age, Guimaraes is entering his peak years. The Brazilian joined the Magpies back in January 2022 from Lyon for a fee of £35m. He’s since gone on to rack up 167 appearances for the North East side.

This season, the 39-cap Brazil star has shone in the middle of the park. He has three goals and three assists in 13 games, which included one of each against Nottingham Forest in a 2-0 Premier League win.

In terms of his quality on the ball, one of Guimaraes’ standout traits is his carrying ability. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League when it comes to progressing the ball from the middle third to the final third, averaging 0.5 carries into the penalty box per game during 2025/26. That places him in the top 8% of top-flight midfielders.

However, it is not just the quality on the ball Guimaraes brings. He is an excellent leader, having captained the Magpies 12 times out of the 13 games he’s played. That in itself highlights what he brings to Howe’s squad.

As good as Guimaraes is, there is a case to be made that Newcastle have a better midfielder.

Newcastle's best signing of the PIF era

Howe is certainly not short of options in the middle of the park. The Englishman has Guimaraes as one of his first-choice midfielders, but can also pick from Joelinton, summer signing Jacob Ramsey and homegrown star Lewis Miley.

However, the best of the bunch must surely be Sandro Tonali. The Italian has been at Newcastle since the summer of 2023 and has amassed 69 appearances in that famous Black and White striped shirt so far.

Since his return at the start of last season, he has been sensational. The former AC Milan midfielder has become a key man in the centre of the park for Howe, forming a quite brilliant midfield pivot with Guimaraes.

He has certainly become one of the best players in the current Magpies side. In fact, Taylor Payne, host of Newcastle fan podcast On The Tyne, said he is “the best midfield player to ever pull on a black and white shirt.”

It is easy to see why Payne and every other Newcastle fan rate him so highly. The 29-cap Azzurri star is brilliant both in and out of possession. He is a pressing monster, as shown by this clip from last season.

On top of that, he has some standout numbers. This season, has created 1.8 chances per game, showing his impact in the final third. Last term, he averaged 6.1 ball recoveries per 90 minutes.

Tonali key stats from last 2 PL seasons

Stat (per 90)

2024/25

2025/26)

Chances created

0.9

1.8

Forward passes

14

17.8

Take-ons completed

0.7

0.7

Duels won

4.6

3.5

Ball recoveries

6.1

4

Stats from Squawka

Tonali, who earns £120k per week at St James’ Park, has been a revelation in midfield for the Magpies. He is a man whom Howe can trust on and off the ball, and is surely one of the most complete midfielders around.

It is easy to see how he has become the best signing since the PIF takeover four years ago. Tonali is certainly a brilliant operator in the middle of the park.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025