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Newcastle United have suffered yet another injury blow, with an important figure potentially out alongside Jacob Murphy.

Newcastle's top-four hopes

The Magpies enjoyed a triumphant Saturday night at St James’ Park, battling their way to a 1-0 victory at home to Arsenal in the Premier League. It was a huge result in the top-four picture, as Eddie Howe’s side continue to prove their Champions League credentials for a second successive season, and they keep showing that they can shine alongside the best teams in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, for all the many positives on show St James’ at the moment, Newcastle are being badly affected by injuries, with a string of key men absent at the moment, from Sven Botman in defence to Alexander Isak in attack. Against Arsenal, Burn was removed at half-time and Jacob Murphy was withdrawn after hurting his shoulder again, leaving the pitch looking clearly distressed. Now, a new injury update has emerged – one that will no doubt cause worry among Magpies supporters.

Dan Burn injury update

Taking to X, journalist Craig Hope claimed that Burn is now a real injury concern for Newcastle after being substituted and the defender fears it could be serious.

"Jacob Murphy will now face shoulder surgery after suffering same dislocation. Howe expects him to miss three months. Dan Burn is in a "lot of pain" after landing heavily on back. Howe says Burn is "worried about it" & it could be "more serious" than pain going overnight."

Losing Burn for a lengthy period of time would be an almighty setback for Newcastle, considering what a huge impact he has made in recent years, making the left-back spot his own. The towering defender has arguably become one of the most popular figures at the club, not least because he is a boyhood Magpies supporter, and his combination of defensive resilience and underrated attacking input would be a big loss. Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has lauded Burn in the past, hailing the impact he has made and saying:

"£13million or whatever it was is an absolute steal from Newcastle. To go at that price, unless his contract is up, which it isn’t, I don’t know how they got him at that price. There are a lot of younger lads at Newcastle so they need an experienced head in there. That’s what Burn has given them. He looks a confident boy, which is great for the boys around the training ground.

"He’s a player who talks all the way through games. He gives that bit extra as well as a Newcastle fan. They absolutely love him and it’s easy to see why after that ridiculous impact he’s had."

The hope is that Burn’s injury only ends up being a minor one, but the fact that he even had to come off against Arsenal speaks volumes, considering what a tough player he is. Should he be out for a significant period, it could mean Kieran Tripper switching to left-back and Tino Livramento slotting in at right-back, as proved to be the case in the second half against the Gunners.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham delivered an incredibly inspiring speech to the Herons' academy teams ahead of the 2024 Generation Adidas Cup.

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Inter Miami U15 & U17 squads in GA CupBeckham delivers inspiring speechRecap of performances through first two daysWHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of the 2024 Generation Adidas Cup, the Englishman took to the Inter Miami training grounds to speak to the U15 and U17 squads prior to the tournament. Relaying his personal experience, on top of some elder wisdom, he shared a kindhearted message to the group of youngsters.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementGettyWHAT BECKHAM SAID

"You're heading out to the tournament, you know you're representing the club, you're representing each other, your coaches, your family, but the most important thing is you go out there and have fun," the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend said.

"So, you have an opportunity now to go to these tournaments and impress, but you have to always remember what you're representing – and I've won the European Cup, the Premier League, La Liga, all these trophies – but the one trophy that I loved winning more than anything was the Youth Cup. Enjoy it, win, play hard and just have fun."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Beckham's role at the South Beach club has been influential since his arrival in 2018, and five years on, he's become a figure head of inspiration for everyone involved. From the being the face of the franchise's Front Office to being a spokesperson on all levels, the ex-United midfielder has embodied what it means to be a part of the club and MLS.

His speech to the academy kids was one of inspiration, but the most important part was how he was able to relate to them from his own footballing journey at the youth level.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

The Herons GA Cup teams will continue wrapping up group stage play early into the week, before finding out if they have qualified for the knockout or consolation rounds. Meanwhile, the first-team is back in action Wednesday evening in the CONCACAF Champions Cup against CF Monterrey in leg one of their tie.

Harry Kane's legacy at Tottenham Hotspur outweighs every single player to come before him.

Some have won trophies at Spurs. Some have scored a bucketload of goals. Some have come up with truly special moments.

However, despite never winning anything during his stint in north London, Kane will go down as definitively the best player the club has ever had.

There wasn't much animosity when he left for pastures new this summer, with the striker scoring 17 goals in his opening 11 Bundesliga matches for Bayern Munich.

There's even been a goal from inside his half too. Of course, there has. This is a goalscoring marvel.

Fortunately, the Lilywhites haven't missed their star forward. Despite back-to-back defeats, Ange Postecoglou's men are still in an unlikely title fight. Kane hasn't necessarily been forgotten but it's proven they are not just a one-man band.

Harry Kane's record at Tottenham

Before moving to Germany, Kane became the club's all-time leading goalscorer, departing the English capital with a whopping 278 goals under his belt from 430 appearances.

This was a player who for nine straight seasons scored more than 20 goals in a single campaign. In five of those terms, he even found the net on more than 30 occasions with his best tally coming back in 2017/18.

During that phenomenal campaign, Kane scored 41 times in all competitions with 30 of those strikes coming in the Premier League. So much for that one-season wonder, eh?

He seemingly saved his best for the big event too. In north London derbies the England international scored 14 goals. The 30-year-old has only scored more goals against Everton (16) and Leicester (20) during his career.

#1 Leicester

20 in 20 games

#2 Everton

16 in 17 games

#3 Arsenal

14 in 19 games

#4 Southampton

12 in 20 games

#5 West Ham & Crystal Palace

11 (22 & 20 games)

#6 Newcastle

10 in 17 games

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Finding a goal-scoring commodity as good as Kane again will be a tough ask, but there is one young sensation in the academy who's starting to make all the right noises.

Tottenham's best young striker

Back in June, Spurs were able to tie down the future of budding striker Mikey Moore. Aged 15 at the time this was a piece of business that for obvious reasons didn't spark flames.

However, the decision to do that and wave away interest from top clubs has been an inspired one with the forward going from strength to strength this season.

Now 16, Moore has already made his debut for the U21s at Spurs, although has only featured twice so far.

It is for the U18s where the teenager is really shining, having scored eight goals in just seven games this term. It's a ruthless streak that Kane has more than achieved throughout his career to date.

Described as a "special talent" by the Secret Scout, a reputable source who specialises in youth scouting, it surely won't be long before he plays up a level or even gets a look in at first-team level.

A lot has to happen before then but there is a real belief that Spurs have the next Kane in their ranks. It may also prick the ears of those at the FA who will be looking for England's new goalscoring sensation in the next decade.

Moore could well be that man, and he's already doing it at international level too. Indeed, when you consider his form on the global stage he has scored 17 times overall this term. A recent hat-trick for England U17s vs Croatia has caught the eye, which adds to strikes against the Faroe Islands and Norway in 2023/24.

Mikey Moore's style of play

It would be unreasonable to pile such high pressure on the attacker but the following words from journalist Dave Hynter suggest that Tottenham have one of the best young talents in the country at their disposal.

Hynter wrote: "The Under-17 Premier League Cup final against Nottingham Forest in April was streamed on the club’s TV channel and a large viewership saw Moore score twice in a 5-1 win. The first a mazy dribble and finish. He does this a lot. ​​​​​​

"Moore has many qualities but he really quickens the pulse when he runs at opponents, gliding past them as if they are not there. Later that month, Moore would make his under-21 debut for Spurs – aged 15 – becoming the youngest player in the modern era to appear for them at that level."

Like Kane, therefore, Moore isn't just about scoring goals. That innate ability to breeze past opponents and provide end product to boot is not something that everyone has.

The future certainly looks bright for a player who is well on track to becoming the next Kane.

Previous England sides have toured Sri Lanka with trepidation, but not this one which has risen to the top of the rankings

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Dambulla09-Oct-2018Of course there is pressure when you are the No. 1 ODI team in the world. Of course there is widespread expectation to beat a Sri Lanka in some disarray. But so what, asks Jos Buttler. After decades of being expected to be swept aside in the format, especially when playing in South Asia, it’s nice to go in to a series the much more fancied team.”I like being favourites – it shows we’ve been doing good stuff,” Buttler said on the eve of the first ODI in Dambulla. “It’s been tricky in the past for England sides to come here. But we are full of confidence, we look forward to adapting our play.”There’s always pressure being No. 1. Once you get there, I think that’s when the hard work really starts. You’ve got a bit of a target on your back. It’s down to you to keep improving and try to stay there. That’s the challenge and it has its own pressures. I think in the dressing room we have a good understanding of what that is and who we are as a side, and know that we need to keep improving and pushing the boundaries, and putting no limitations on what we’re capable of. That should stand us in good stead. A lot of the guys enjoy the pressure in the dressing room.”So many of the major trepidations that England teams of yesteryear had, are simply not a worry for this ODI outfit. A relatively modest spin contingent, for example, will have worried previous England captains, but not this lot. In Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, England almost certainly have a better-heeled slow-bowling outfit than Sri Lanka, for whom Akila Dananjaya has been a consistent performer, but Lakshan Sandakan and Amila Aponso have been sporadic ones.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”In England if you look at the two guys who have played well consistently for us are usually the two spinners,” Buttler said. “Adil takes a lot of wickets, Moeen is economical, and they’re a big strength of the side for us, even in home conditions. Seam is going to have a big part to play as well. Maybe there are few different roles for the seamers and the spinners, but the guys are excited for that.”And the conditions may not be overly spin-friendly anyway. During the South Africa series, Sri Lanka made the decision to play on good batting tracks at home, to better prepare themselves for the challenge of next year’s World Cup, and the New Zealand and South Africa ODI series on the horizon. Whatever the conditions, England are confident they have enough know-how in their squad to tackle them.”A lot of the squad have been a part of the IPL and experienced that,” Buttler said. “Not just for the conditions, but touring this part of the world and the chaos that comes with the IPL – stuff like weather and not allowing it to impact your performance and preparation. Guys have travelled the world a bit as well. Hopefully you’ll see some return on investment on guys have been part of that competition.”

Arsenal return to Premier League duty this evening as they take on Brentford at the Emirates, and they will be hoping to secure all three points which would take them top of the table.

This would depend on the final result between Manchester City and Liverpool in the early kickoff on Saturday, but a win would prove that Mikel Arteta’s men are going to be title challengers once again.

The Spaniard may make a change or two from the last tie against Burnley prior to the international break, but much will depend on whether a couple of players are ready to be unleashed in the starting XI.

Arsenal team news vs Brentford

Arteta discussed a few of his players while speaking to the press on Friday morning, most notably Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.

He said: "He [Jesus] is available. He played 96 mins in a really competitive match.

"He had a long flight. I have to see the condition."

With regard to Odegaard, the manager sounded hopeful that he would play a part in the match, saying: "Hopefully yes. We have another training session today."

If the Norwegian maestro is ready to play, then he must be included in the starting XI this evening as he could make the difference.

Martin Odegaard’s season in numbers

The 24-year-old enjoyed his best campaign to date last season as he registered 23 goal contributions – 15 goals and eight assists – in the top flight, and it so nearly helped the club win a first title since 2004.

He hasn’t quite been at this scintillating best during the current campaign, but he has still scored five times and grabbed an assist while missing four matches through injury.

The 5 foot 10 gem was hailed as “exceptional” by City manager Pep Guardiola – underlining how good he has been recently – and if the Gunners hope to have any sort of success this season, Odegaard will be vital.

The former Real Madrid starlet currently ranks first among the squad for shots on target per game (1.1) in the Premier League, along with ranking second for big chances created (two), third for key passes per game (1.7) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (0.8), indicating just how effective he has been going forward.

Arteta started Kai Havertz in his place in midfield against Burnley, yet the German international failed to have the required impact, making just one key pass during his 59 minutes on the pitch, while completing only 17 accurate passes during the match.

Havertz has scored only once in an Arsenal shirt since joining from Chelsea, and he hasn’t quite hit the ground running in north London.

Arteta must now start Arsenal's "clinical" dynamo over "lively" returning ace

Mikel Arteta will have some choices to make ahead of the fixture…

ByRosie Tudball Nov 25, 2023

This could lead to Arteta boldly ditching the former Blues man in place of Odegaard, who would clearly have a much bigger impact.

A return to the starting XI for the skipper would give the supporters a massive boost and could spur them to victory against the Bees.

If Arteta can keep the Norwegian sensation fit and healthy for the remainder of the campaign, the north London side will have a wonderful chance of claiming their first Premier League title in 20 years.

Arteta won't rush his recovery, however, but if he is ready, the 24-year-old must be unleashed from the first whistle today.

Neymar has flown in to join his team-mates at Al-Hilal as they prepare to take on rivals Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup final.

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Neymar pictured alongside team-matesBrazilian star recovering from ACL injuryAl-Hilal seeking Saudi Super Cup triumphWHAT HAPPENED?

The 32-year-old was pictured watching his side train ahead of Thursday's showdown as he continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus tear in his left knee he sustained while playing for Brazil in October 2023.

Neymar appeared in good spirits alongside club president Fahad Nafil Al-Otaibi on the sidelines and could be seen snapping selfies on the pitch while his team-mates got to work behind him.

AdvertisementGettyImageTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Brazilian was a marquee signing for Al-Hilal but has only made five appearances for the Saudi Pro League leaders since securing a €90 million move last summer. His brilliance on the pitch has been missed, but the 18-time champions have not been beaten since losing the Arab Club Champions Cup final to Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in August.

WHAT AL-HILAL SAID

Al-Hilal took to Instagram to document the return of the former Paris-Saint-Germain and Barcelona star with a series of images and the message: "The Brazilian magician @neymarjr in our training session in Abu Dhabi 🤩 #AlHilal 💙"

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DID YOU KNOW?

Al-Hilal are vying for their fourth Saudi Super Cup triumph after previously winning the competition in 2015, 2018 and most recently in 2021. They remain the most successful club in Saudi Arabia having won 60 domestic trophies.

Shane Warne has lashed out at Victoria’s likely move to bat Finch in the middle order in his one Shield game before the India Test series

Alex Malcolm25-Nov-2018Victoria captain Peter Handscomb has all but confirmed that Aaron Finch will not open the batting in this week’s Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland at the Gabba, despite Finch looking set to open for Australia in the first Test against India.Handscomb, who himself has been named in Australia’s 14-man squad for Adelaide, said a final decision had not yet been made but following Victoria coach Andrew McDonald’s comments last week, suggesting Finch was better suited to the middle order, Handscomb reiterated that Victoria were unlikely to break up their opening combination of Marcus Harris and Travis Dean, despite the fact that Harris and Finch could well be the opening combination for Australia in the first Test in Adelaide.”Obviously Harry has got the call up [to the Australia squad] and Deany has been making runs for us for years, so it’s hard to knock those two out of the opening positions for us,” Handscomb said. “Finchy averages 50 batting at No.5 and 6 for us so it’s also hard to change that as well.”Finch’s average over the last two Sheffield Shield seasons at No.5 and 6 for Victoria is 46.41, from 13 innings only, and includes two centuries and three fifties. His career average for Victoria in those two spots is 32.89 from 29 innings.He has not opened for Victoria since 2013-14 where he averaged just 18.50 at the top of the order in eight innings Shield innings, that did include 97 against South Australia at the MCG.The situation involving Finch’s revolving position has not pleased Shane Warne who came out strongly on Twitter calling it a “disgrace” and that Victoria should be doing what is right for Australia.

Just read @AaronFinch5 will not be opening in the shield game this week with Harris, but a week later they will open together for Aust against India. This is a disgrace by Vic & must be fixed before the game- can we please have common sense back into cricket in this country !

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) November 25, 2018

Have we forgotten what shield cricket is for in this country ? To produce test players. Shield cricket should also be the place to learn how to play the game the right way-so when you’re picked for Aust you’re ready. Vics have it wrong and should do what’s best for Aust – end of

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) November 25, 2018

Finch’s overall first-class average at the top of the order is actually better than his career first-class record. He averages 46 from 24 innings, that includes games for Australia A, the Cricket Australia XI and Australia, with two centuries and six half-centuries.He made 122 in a match for Australia A against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2011, sharing in a 289-run opening stand with David Warner. He also scored 288 not out for the CA XI against New Zealand in a bizarre tour game at Blacktown in Sydney in 2015. He and former New South Wales batsman Ryan Carters put on 503 for the first wicket in 121 overs before the match was abandoned due to an unsatisfactory pitch.Finch made scores of 62, 49, 39 and 31 in the Test series against Pakistan in the UAE after being picked as a makeshift opener for the tour. He had batted no higher than No.4 in his previous 44 first-class innings over nearly three years prior to that tour.He has been opening in T20 and ODI cricket for Australia since the UAE tour but has been struggling for runs. Handscomb believes batting in the middle order in the Shield game would not affect Finch’s preparation for the Test match.”I wouldn’t be worried at all,” Handscomb said. “Finchy has been opening the batting in white-ball cricket. He’s been facing a new swinging ball. And batting No.5 and 6 you also get the opportunity to face the second new ball, hopefully, if we’ve done our job right. He’ll be fine. He’ll get what he needs. If he does open the batting for Australia he’s ready to go.”Handscomb said his own call up to the Australia Test squad had come as a surprise after his omission from the Test tour in the UAE.”It’s a weird one,” Handscomb said. “I was hoping that I was going to get the call but I wasn’t entirely sure what was going to happen and what direction the selectors were going, but obviously I was very happy that they’ve gone with me.”He has not received any indication as to whether he will play in Adelaide but he has been in contact with Australia coach Justin Langer.”He just messaged once the side got announced and just said congratulations and good work on getting yourself back in,” Handscomb said. “But I’ve got another Shield game to go and he just said go out there and showcase what you’ve got.”

Barcelona fans seemingly mistakenly attacked their team's bus as it arrived for their Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

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Supporters throw missiles at own team busThe bus was not carrying Barcelona playersCatalan side face PSG in Champions LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of the high-voltage clash, local fans gathered outside the Montjuic Stadium to welcome the teams when a section of the supporters seemingly threw glass bottles towards one of the buses as they mistook it for the PSG team bus. However, the transport that was hit was not carrying the players.

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The Blaugrana fans are expected to jeer their former player Ousmane Dembele who moved to the French side last summer. The winger had scored a goal in the first leg at Parc des Princes last week, though Barca won 3-2.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

After facing Luis Enrique's side in Europe, the Catalan giants will shift their focus to La Liga where they are all set to take on arch-rivals Real Madrid on Sunday.

Liverpool are believed to be keen on securing a double swoop for two talents from the same team, but they are far from alone in showing an interest.

Liverpool eyeing January moves

The Reds are flying high after making significant additions to their squad during the summer transfer window, allowing Jurgen Klopp's side to become Premier League title challengers again. January signings could further boost Liverpool's chances of going all the way this season, with a number of players linked with moves to Anfield in recent months, with various areas of the pitch potentially being looked at.

One individual who has been backed to become a Reds player is highly-rated Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, with the Portuguese a player who is capable of thriving as both a centre-back and left-back. Another midfielder also isn't out of the question, with Fluminenese midfielder Andre possibly on the move after helping his side to Copa Libertadores glory last month. A "verbal agreement" with the Brazil international has even been mooted. Inter Milan free-kick maestro Hakan Calhanoglu is reportedly seen as an option, too, although at 29, there could be question marks over whether he would be the right choice.

Liverpool keen on signing Yoro and Santos

According to a fresh transfer update from TEAMtalk, Liverpool are interested in signing Lille pair Leny Yori and Tiago Santos, but other Premier League clubs are also in the mix for the defenders, who have caught the eye of Reds scouts.

"A pair of Lille defenders are courting heavyweight interest from Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

"Yoro is understood to be viewed slightly more favourably than Santos despite being the younger of the pair, though both players have received glowing reports from the scouts of the interested English sides."

Both Yoro and Santos could be players who come in as the future of Liverpool, rather than signings who could immediately increase their Premier League title chances.

The former is an exciting 18-year-old central defender with so much potential, although the Reds transfer target has still started 12 Ligue 1 games this season. Meanwhile, the latter is a 21-year-old right-back who also has plenty of playing time to his name in 2023/24, enjoying 11 league outings, nine of which have come from the start.

Liverpool could soar to new heights by signing "world-class" £87m Trent partner

Jurgen Klopp has this exciting forward firmly on his radar…

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 4, 2023

At some point, Liverpool are going to need to bring in young defensive reinforcements, and both Yoro and Santos could represent eye-catching exciting options, proving to be eventual mainstays of the team. Both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are both now 32 years of age, so they won't necessarily be around forever, while Andy Robertson also turns 30 next year.

Planning for the future is so important, ensuring that the Reds remain a force long after Klopp has left as manager, and acquiring the signature of two such big talents could be ideal ahead of their rivals, with Santos possibly seen as a right-back who could allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to become an out-and-out midfielder.

ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) to consider whether Hales and Stokes have brought the game into disrepute

George Dobell03-Dec-2018English cricket could be forgiven for feeling as if the Ghost of Christmas Past was visiting over the next few days.Events that the game may well have wanted to put behind it – notably, the late-night brawl involving Ben Stokes and Alex Hales in Bristol in September 2017 – will be dragged up once again as the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) considers whether Hales and Stokes have brought the game into disrepute.There is no doubt it has been an ugly episode for the game and the individuals involved. Footage of high-profile players involved in a fight and the headlines that followed – headlines that alleged homophobic bullying, among other things – certainly showed the game in an unflattering light. And, coming at a time when the ECB are keen to underline their credentials as a family sport, they were damaging in every way. At first glance it may seem a straightforward case.But first glances are sometimes misleading and this case is not as straightforward as is sometimes presumed. For a start, Stokes has already been cleared of the charge of affray at Bristol Crown Court and looks set to remain insistent that, apart from staying out later than was wise, he has done very little wrong.For that reason, the CDC – which claims to be an entity independent of influence from the ECB or beyond – has assembled an especially experienced panel and permitted legal representation for the players; something it says it will do only in “the most exceptional case” in its own regulations.The three-man panel comprises three highly-respected lawyers with a cricket background: former Derbyshire batsman, Tim O’Gorman, who is now general counsel for Halfords Group and chairs this panel; former Gloucestershire and England swing bowler Mike Smith, who is now an employment lawyer, and the judge, Chris Tickle, who was a long-time member of the Warwickshire committee.They will hear the case – brought by the ECB (it is an irony that the ECB’s favoured law firm, On Side, will act as the prosecution, having sat in on Stokes’ trial in a supportive role) with the players’ legal teams providing the defence. While the court case was conducted in public, the CDC hearing will be conducted behind closed doors with no access for media.The case will be heard – and hopefully concluded – over two days this week. Hales will appear before the panel on Wednesday morning, with the expectation that Stokes will appear later the same day, with the possibility his testimony will run into Friday. A verdict – and the announcement of any potential sanctions (fine and bans are both possible) – is also expected on Friday. It may or may not be relevant that the ECB are holding their Christmas party that day; an early announcement is anticipated.There is no guarantee that that will be the end of the matter, though. All parties – both players and the ECB – retain the right to appeal the CDC verdict.Stokes will argue, with the help of a QC and the team of the lawyers who supported him in Bristol Crown Court, that he became involved in the violence only to protect himself and others from harm. So while there is no doubt the footage widely distributed looked bad, further detail shown to the court may provide mitigation.It may also be deemed relevant that the two men at the heart of the case, Kai Barry and William O’Connell, praised Stokes as “a hero” for saving them from homophobic abuse and attack. A key moment in the court case came when a fellow defendant, Ryan Ali, accepted that video footage showed him attacking Hales and Barry with a bottle. Stokes is therefore likely to argue his action were proportionate and responsible.But both he and Hales may struggled to explain why they were out at a bar in the early hours of the morning. At that time, there were no curfews for the team, but they were midway through a limited-overs series against West Indies and the late night and amount of alcohol consumed does not fit well with the level of self-sacrifice expected of international sportspeople. Some censure, for that part of the night at least, looks inevitable.It is worth noting, however, that several other members of the England squad have already been punished for their part in events that night. It is understood they received fines of between £1,000 and £2,000 and written warnings as to their future conduct. At least one of them is understood to have returned to the team hotel later than Hales. The CDC panel may struggle to justify substantially tougher penalties.If there are suspensions, however, it seems they will apply only to cricket played under the direct authority of the ECB. So neither Stokes or Hales are likely to be barred from appearing in the IPL (or any other foreign league; there is some legal doubt over the jurisdiction the ECB would have in attempting to prevent players earning a living in such a way) though they could, in theory, be given suspensions from county and international cricket. There are, then, obvious potential consequences ahead of England’s tour of the Caribbean which starts in January. As a result, there may also be consequences for England’s World Cup planning.There is an important distinction between the players, though. For while Stokes has already, in effect, been suspended for the Ashes series – he also lost the England vice-captaincy – Hales has missed only two ODIs (also missed by Stokes) at the end of the 2017 summer in the immediate aftermath of the incident. That could leave him a little more vulnerable to any further sanction, especially as he is currently not a first-choice member of England’s ODI side. Put simply, Stokes already has time served in the bank. Hales does not.Furthermore, while Hales was not on trial in Bristol – he was never even arrested – some his actions on the night in question may well require explanation to the CDC, not least the suggestion that he had only arrived on the scene after the incident. Copious CCTV footage suggests that was not true.There was also the suggestion, from Stokes’ defence team, that the most serious injury sustained in the episode – Ali’s broken eye socket – may have been caused by an apparent kick to the head by Hales.In Hales’ defence (and, because he was not on trial, he did not have a chance to clear his name in court) it must be remembered that that moment in the fracas came after he had been attacked by a man wielding a bottle. It also came when Stokes and Ali were embroiled in a struggle on the pavement.Hales may well tell the CDC that he was out of his depth, scared and trying to prevent his friend being hurt by an attacker who had shown he was prepared to use a weapon. Perhaps a dozen times, he tried to dissuade Stokes from continuing the fight it and even tried pulling him away at one stage.So there is plenty for the panel to consider. And plenty at stake.