The ACB said Younis will join the team in Pakistan for a conditioning camp ahead of the Champions Trophy, and stay on for the duration of the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2025Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan will return to the Afghanistan set-up as mentor for the Champions Trophy 2025. Younis had worked with Afghanistan in 2022, at a 15-day training camp in Abu Dhabi with an expanded squad of 25.The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said in a statement that Younis will join the team in Pakistan for a conditioning camp ahead of the Champions Trophy, which is set to begin on February 19 in Karachi, and stay with the team till the end of the tournament.This is the third global tournament in a row where the ACB has appointed a mentor for the team from the host country: they had Ajay Jadeja as mentor for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, and Dwayne Bravo as bowling consultant for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA. In the first of those, they finished sixth – with wins against England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and a near-upset of Australia – to seal automatic qualification for the Champions Trophy. In the T20 World Cup, they made it all the way to the semi-finals for their best-ever showing in a global tournament.ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan said of Younis’ appointment: “Since the Champions Trophy is being held in Pakistan, it was required to assign a talented and experienced player as mentor from the hosting country. We already had efficient experience with hosting countries’ mentors in ODI World Cup 2023 and T20I World Cup 2024.”Observing the conditions, therefore, we have appointed Younis Khan as mentor for our national team for the upcoming mega event and wish him best of the luck in his crucial assignment.”Afghanistan are in Group B at the Champions Trophy, with Australia, England and South Africa. The tournament is set to be primarily played in Pakistan, with only games involving India to be held in Dubai.Younis, who retired from international cricket in 2017 with the experience of 118 Tests, 265 ODIs and 25 T20Is to his name, took to coaching thereafter and was involved with the Pakistan senior men’s set-up as batting coach in 2021, albeit briefly due to differences with the PCB.

Bangladesh’s defeat means both they and Pakistan are officially knocked out of the Champions Trophy

Alagappan Muthu24-Feb-20251:45

Steyn: Class players like Ravindra hit good balls for four

So many teams are in transition right now, but all through this Champions Trophy, New Zealand have been showing that their new generation is ready for the big time. It was not so long ago that Kane Williamson was carrying this batting line-up. Seems Rachin Ravindra wants that responsibility now.He didn’t mind slotting into an unfamiliar position. He didn’t flinch having to come out at 15 for 2. He didn’t stop smiling when he brought up his hundred, an innings that confirmed not just his team’s spot in the semi-finals but also India’s. Pakistan and Bangladesh are now officially knocked out.Related

• Dot-ball 'beast' Bracewell stays under the radar but soars high

• Ravindra and Bracewell win the middle overs to knock out Bangladesh

• New Zealand, India through to Champions Trophy semi-finals

• Bracewell's best, and a rare twin failure for Williamson

• Brydon Carse ruled out of Champions Trophy with toe injury

This was a game that Najmul Hossain Shanto’s team had to win to stay alive. But they batted like that was just too much trouble. Bangladesh started at nearly a run a ball. But ten of the next 15 overs went for three runs or fewer. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah fell from the pressure created in this period. A combined 511 matches’ worth of experience was only good for 6 runs in a do-or-die game. Their wickets left Shanto with no way forward. He kept having to readjust to a new partner, to a new match situation, and in the end, produced a staccato innings of 77 off 110. He could have done better. The others should have done better.Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana raised Bangladesh’s hopes with a fiery opening spell, rattling Will Young’s stumps in the first over and snaring Williamson for a rare single-digit score. The infield was richly populated at that point. The whole atmosphere was buzzing, the crowd also getting in the act. Into this walked Ravindra. One of the best things about his batting is his touch. It’s so pure. Down at No. 4 – he was brought into the XI to replace an ill Daryl Mitchell – there was possibly a risk that he wouldn’t be able to take full toll. But as luck would have it, he began his innings within the field restrictions and that meant he could profit from his timing. His first five fours were all about finding the gaps because his timing always took care of the rest.Ravindra had to wait 11 overs since the field spread to find his next boundary but that didn’t mean he was stagnant. His first 23 runs came off 21 balls with five fours. His next 28 runs came off 29 balls with one four. There was one chance in between all that. A mix-up with his Wellington team-mate Devon Conway could have resulted in him being run-out had Tanzid Hasan been able to get a direct hit in the 12th over.

Bangladesh weren’t able to take their chances. New Zealand did. Williamson did have a hand in proceedings here, picking up smart catches at short midwicket and cover. Michael Bracewell, after wrapping up an uninterrupted ten-over spell, ran 30 yards to his right to pick up a diving catch that probably wasn’t even his. But he decided to take charge and it worked.Bangladesh also weren’t able to rotate strike. New Zealand could. Those were the biggest points of difference between the two teams. The pitch did become much better for batting under lights, though, a fact Mitchell Santner was looking forward to when he won the toss and decided to chase and of all people, Bracewell was his ace in the hole with the ball. The 34-year-old offspin-bowling allrounder himself couldn’t believe he had taken 4 for 26. In the mid-match interview, he said, “Funny one, once you let go [of the ball] you don’t have much control what happens at the other end.”Bracewell contributed 43 of 178 dot balls that plagued Bangladesh. You have to go back to 2012 to find an innings they had paced quite so poorly. Rotating strike was a struggle and the avenues they chose to get out of that weren’t ideal. Perhaps the pitch was too slow in the afternoon to be able to work the ball into gaps. Mushfiqur made a play against Bracewell but he couldn’t clear the long boundary with his slog sweep. Bangladesh were 106 for 4 in the 23rd over. At a time when consolidation was actually needed, Mahmudullah made an ill-advised trip down the track and skewed a leading edge to cover.

Bracewell contributed to his success by slowing his pace down. Bangladesh contributed considerably more. They exit the tournament having faced more than 50 overs of dot balls. Their decision-making left them so short on batting resources that they had Taskin on strike for the 45th over and it ended up as a maiden. The death overs were a total flex for the Black Caps. At one point, they were more than happy with just three fielders on the boundary, instead of the five allowed.Bangladesh were reminded what could have been towards the end of the chase when there was sharp turn, leading edges, low bounce and even a direct-hit run-out. The wicket merely added to their regret at the one that got away – Ravindra was 26 when Tanzid missed – and the runs that got away – 260 would have made this game so much more competitive.As it happened, New Zealand went into the chase knowing all they needed were a couple of partnerships and they got those. Ravindra put on 57 runs with Conway and then 129 with Tom Latham, who is so good as a crisis manager. You can almost imagine him side-kicking whoever leads the earth’s remaining population during the zombie apocalypse. First things first, though, there’s an ICC trophy up for grabs.

“Naturally we are worried. In Anrich’s case this is the second or third stress reaction in his back,” coach Shuki Conrad said

Firdose Moonda26-Jun-2025South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje has suffered a “stress reaction” that will keep him out of action for an unknown period of time. Nortje was not considered for South Africa’s T20I squad to play a tri-series in Zimbabwe next month and did not travel to MLC 2025, where he was due to play for Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR). Nortje has only played two games this year, at the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).South Africa coach Shukri Conrad confirmed that Nortje’s injury will be assessed and as things stand, CSA is unaware of how long he will be out of action for.The injury is the latest in a long line of setbacks for Nortje, who is no longer centrally contracted with CSA and last played international cricket at the T20 World Cup in 2024. He was then not considered for the Test side for focusing primarily on T20s by opting out of the central contract. But a fractured toe then ruled him out of the home T20Is against Pakistan before a back injury sidelined him from the 2025 Champions Trophy. He then flew to India for the IPL to join KKR but played only two games for them.Related

• Nortje injured again, Van der Dussen to lead newish-looking South Africa T20I side

Nortje has spent significant time on the sidelines in the past. He did not play any cricket between November 2013 and November 2015, November 2018 and February 2019 and then between November 2021 and April 2022 with a range of injuries relating to his back and hip.It is not known yet which formats Nortje will avail himself for when he returns to fitness.”We will have to see the length of the time that he will be out and the extent of the injury. I really feel for him,” Conrad said. “He is a superstar fast bowler and having to deal with setback after setback can’t be easy. We will wait to see how serious it is.”Naturally we are worried. In Anrich’s case this is the second or third stress reaction in his back. It is too early to make a diagnosis and we are definitely not drawing a line through this name. He is 31 years old and we are going to give him every chance to come back. We will have to see what the medical team think is the best way forward.”

India batted 143 overs in the third innings to save the Test, with Gill, Rahul, Washington and Jadeja all contributing

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-20252:09

Manjrekar: ‘Warriors’ keep sprouting for India when needed

India captain Shubman Gill has hailed his team’s fighting effort to secure a draw heading into the final Test at The Oval with the visitors still in with a chance of sharing the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Gill was at the forefront of India’s fight, putting together 188 for the third wicket with KL Rahul. More importantly, the duo batted for nearly 70 overs after India had lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan in the very first over, with India trailing by 311.”From 0 for 2, then the partnership KL and I had, I think that ignited [the spark] yes, we can achieve this task”, Gill told . “Extremely happy. To be able to get a draw from the position we were in yesterday is extremely satisfying. This innings of mine was the most pleasing to me.”Related

• Stats – Gill level with Gavaskar and Bradman; Jadeja in elite list

• Gill on the dramatic end: Jadeja and Washington 'deserved a century there'

• India's grit outlasts England's endurance to make 2-2 a possibility

Gill brought up his fourth century of the series, drawing level with Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar for most centuries in a series in England. It took Gill’s series aggregate to 722, which is 52 short of Gavaskar’s all-time record for most runs in a series by an Indian.Rahul, meanwhile, took his series tall to 511 – the first time he’s passed 500 runs or more in a series – en route a typically stodgy 90, his fourth score of fifty or more so far this series.Gill was equally effusive in his praise for the calmness Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar showed, after he fell for 103 in the second session while wafting at a Jofra Archer delivery. At 222 for 4, with both set batters dismissed, India were still 91 behind with Shardul Thakur, three lower-order batters and an injured Rishabh Pant still to come.2:34

Has Washington nailed his spot in India’s Test XI?

Jadeja fought his way through to score his fifth score of fifty or more in six innings. His fifth Test century, which he raised with a six during the last hour after England were keen to shake hands for the draw, was full of pluck. Having been dropped first ball at first slip by Joe Root off Archer, Jadeja batted through without any further alarms to remain unbeaten on 107.Washington, whose previous best was 96 against England in 2021, also brought up his century, his first in Test cricket. Washington, who began the series at No. 8, earned a promotion to No. 5 in Pant’s absence. The partnership between the two was worth an unbroken 203 for the fifth wicket when both teams eventually shook hands for the draw.”When Jaddu and Washy were batting, it wasn’t easy,” Gill observed. “The ball was doing something, but the way they calmly batted and got Test centuries from there tells you how big of an achievement it is.”Explaining their thought process as they began the prospect of salvaging a draw early on day four, Gill said: “To be able to have the same mindset for 140 [143] overs is very difficult. That’s what is the difference between a good team from a great team. We showed today why we’re a great team.”

Central Zone spinners ran through South Zone on the opening day, restricting them to 149

Ashish Pant11-Sep-2025Saransh Jain bagged his second successive five-wicket haul, while Kumar Kartikeya finished with a four-for as the Central Zone spinners ran through South Zone on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final.Under cloudy skies and on a surface with a greenish tinge, Jain picked 5 for 49 and Kartikeya returned 4 for 53 to bowl out South Zone for 149 in 63 overs at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. In reply, the Central Zone openers Danish Malewar and Akshay Wadkar were steady in their approach before bad light ended the first day early.At stumps, Central Zone were on 50 for 0, trailing South Zone by just 99 runs.South Zone’s new opening pair of Mohit Kale and Tanmay Agarwal weathered the new-ball storm, adding 24 runs in 15 overs. When spin was introduced in the 16th over, Kale’s went for a slog, only to be cleaned up by Kartikeya.Related

• Patience and precision: how Kartikeya turned the Duleep final on its head

• Hungry and on the move, C Andre Siddarth sets sights on Ranji Trophy glory

Soon after, R Smaran swiped Kartikeya across the line, but could only manage a top-edge and was caught at square leg 1.There were immediate signs of extra zip and bounce for both Kartikeya and Jain, who operated in tandem. South Zone then lost Tanmay Agarwal through a run-out. Looking for a second run, Tanmay and Ricky Bhui collided in the middle and the former was found well short.Kartikeya struck for a third time when South Zone captain Mohammed Azharuddeen was squared up and bowled for 4 as South Zone went to lunch at 64 for 4. Jain joined in on the wicket-taking fun after lunch, trapping Bhui lbw.Salman Nizar took 13 balls to get off the mark by going on the assertive against Kartikeya, striking for a six and four. C Andre Siddarth also clipped Kartikeya through mid-on for four. But aggression got the better of Siddarth when he waltzed down to Jain, got beaten in the flight and was stumped as South Zone slipped to 97 for 6. That became 116 for 7 when Jain got a length ball to kick off the surface, rapping Nizar’s gloves, with Patidar taking a low catch at slip.Kartikeya then picked his fourth trapping Gurjapneet Singh lbw. Vasuki Koushik and Ankit Sharma tried to delay the end, but Jain picked his fifth wicket with a straight delivery that breached Ankit’s defences and trapped him in front.South Zone started with the spin of Ankit at one end and the left-arm pace of Gurjapneet at the other.Wadkar and Malewar hit Gurjapneet for three fours in an over to kickstart the charge as they reached the 50 mark in 17 overs. There was an appeal for lbw by Ankit against Wadkar but replays suggested that the ball would have clearly missed leg stump.Koushik got the ball to move around late in the day, but the two batters hung on.

Tilak, the South Zone captain, is unavailable with the Asia Cup coming up and Sai Kishore hasn’t recovered from injury either

Ashish Pant31-Aug-2025South Zone have named Puducherry allrounder Ankit Sharma and Andhra top-order batter Shaik Rasheed as replacements for Tilak Varma and R Sai Kishore for the Duleep Trophy semi-final, which begins on September 4 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.Tilak, who was named South Zone captain, has been included in India’s Asia Cup squad and will miss the Duleep Trophy games. As a result, Kerala wicket-keeper batter Mohammed Azharuddeen, who was initially named vice-captain, will now lead the South Zone side. Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan, who was also called up for the fifth Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy last month, has been named vice-captain.Related

• Padikkal, Jagadeesan key as depleted South Zone face formidable North

• 'My goal is to wear the India whites' – Auqib Nabi shakes up the Duleep Trophy with four wickets in four balls

• Deshpande is 'fit and fine' again and raring to give his dream another shot

• 'Cricket's just a game' – How Tanmay Agarwal's new mindset is fuelling his run spree

Sai Kishore, meanwhile, hasn’t recovered from the finger injury which forced him to miss the pre-season Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai. He hurt his finger while intercepting a M Shahrukh Khan drive in his follow-through during a first-division club match in Chennai.Ankit, 34, had the second-highest wickets for Puducherry in the 2024-25 Ranji season: 24 from seven matches at 28.95. He also scored 216 runs at 24.00. Rasheed, 20, who also turned out for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025, was Andhra’s highest run-scorer in the last Ranji season, recording 627 runs in 12 innings at 52.25, which included a double-century against Hyderabad.Both Rasheed and Ankit had originally been named in South Zone’s stand-by list.South Zone will face North Zone in the semi-final, who qualified on the basis of a first-innings lead against East Zone in the quarter-final. In the other semi-final, Central Zone will face West Zone.

South Zone squad

Mohammed Azharuddeen (capt & wk), Tanmay Agarwal, Shaik Rasheed, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohit Kale, Salman Nizar, N Jagadeesan (wk), T Vijay, Ankit Sharma, Tanay Thyagarajan, Vyshak Vijaykumar, MD Nidheesh, Ricky Bhui, Basil NP, Gurjapneet Singh, Snehal Kauthankar.

There is a lot to be positive about in West Yorkshire currently and the team’s new training kit is another thing which fans have taken a likening to.

The new-look attire has a splash of light blue but it exemplifies Leeds’ professionalism, and many fans appreciate what they see, with some talking about purchasing it.

A true test for any Leeds fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

Leeds had already released training wear in the summer, sporting a light grey outfit which has coincided with tremendous success so far, but with fans liking the style they see little reason not to purchase more.

Some fans are also interested in those captured in the new training gear. Ben White has been a fan favourite for most of the season but it is Eddie Nketiah who is attracting attention, having just returned from injury.

The Arsenal loanee spent about a month out injured but returned to make cameo appearances against Middlesbrough and Huddersfield, and his involvement is pleasing for some.

Others have simply taken the time to compliment the style and think it is a nice addition, though there has been little comparison between it and the current grey kit.

Instead, one fan has expressed their hope that it helps lead to promotion, as the grey kit has certainly been a lucky charm in that sense, and come the end of the year both could be memorable if Leeds manage to lift the Championship trophy after wearing it.

Meanwhile, Leeds fans have also been discussing an important player and the new attributes he has added to his game.

Despite unfortunately being defined by a handful of major incidents off the pitch – such as the Hillsborough and Heysel Stadium disasters and several bouts of severe football hooliganism – the 1980’s nonetheless provided the Beautiful Game with many incredible moments we certainly still cherish today.

From the old fashioned curly perm and Chuckle Brothers-esque moustache combo, to the notoriously short-shorts and classic black & white boots we’ve all come to expect from such a bygone era, this was a time in which real footballing skill was truly starting to take over.

As Brazil wowed supporters worldwide via their traditional brand of attacking flair, the likes of France and Holland among several other international powerhouses continued to excel both collectively, and on an individual level.

So then, in response to all the amazing technical brilliance and raw passionate spirit from the sport’s many die-hard followers achieved throughout this memorable decade, here are 50 of the best footballers to ply their trade in the 1980s…

50. Rafael Martin Vazquez

49. Bernd Schuster

48. Soren Lerby

47. Toninho Cerezo

46. Thomas Ravelli

45. Jorge Burruchaga

44. John Barnes

43. Careca (Antonio de Oliveira Filho)

42. Enzo Francescoli

41. Harald Schumacher

40. Falcao (Paulo Roberto)

39. Alan Hansen

38. Pierre Littbarski

37. Neville Southall

36. Bruno Conti

35. Jan Ceulemans

34. Eder (Alexio de Assis)

33. Rudi Voller

32. Manuel Amoros

31. Junior (Leovegildo Lins da Gama)

30. Andreas Brehme

29. Rinat Dasayev

28. Marco Tardelli

27. Jean Tigana

26. Ian Rush

25. Graeme Souness

24. Alain Giresse

23. Preben Elkjaer

22. Bryan Robson

21. Jean-Pierre Papin

20. Glenn Hoddle

19. Paulo Futre

18. Igor Belanov

17. Enzo Scifo

16. Ronald Koeman

15. Emilio Butragueno

14. Gary Lineker

13. Paolo Rossi

12. Zbigniew Boniek

11. Frank Rijkaard

10. Hugo Sanchez

9. Lothar Matthaus

8. Zico

7. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

6. Franco Baresi

5. Marco van Basten

4. Ruud Gullit

3. Socrates

2. Michel Platini

1. Diego Maradona

Manchester United managed their crucial win at home to CSKA Moscow tonight. No matter how it was done, you might say, the most important thing was winning.

After all, getting out of the group is all that matters. If they play better in the future, they can still win the competition.

So in some sense it’s been a good night for Manchester United. But in other ways it’s been a terrible night for the Red Devils. The fans have seen the problems facing their team rear their ugly heads once again, and amidst anger from the terraces as well as those at home with social media access, United did manage to win the game. But we’ve learnt so much about this team.

If Chelsea are facing a player revolt, Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United are facing a fan revolt. The natives aren’t happy, the players don’t look like they can penetrate, and United are on course for another qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Limply.

If you sit deep against United, they simply can’t bother you

Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Crystal Palace and now CSKA Moscow have found it out. Sitting deep against United simply forces them to pass the ball around aimlessly, drawing a perfect arc around the 18-yard box but without ever threatening to dominate. The obsession with possession means forgetting about goals.

If you want to beat United, sit deep and they can’t score. Then hit them on the break. Just before Rooney’s goal, Seydou Doumbia was clean through but only a wonderful save from David De Gea and a last-ditch clearance from Chris Smalling saved United. That would’ve been 1-0, all out fan revolt, and a very real possibility of a Manchester United exit in the group stages.

Manchester United can’t attack

Is it that they can’t attack or that they won’t attack? That’s what the fans would like to know. Because a team with Mata, Herrera, Memphis, Martial and Rooney in there really should be scoring goals. If not scoring them by the bucketloads, at least by the espresso cups. United just can’t seem to do it.

If it’s actually the fault of the players who can’t find the net, then to some degree it’s understandable. But United have created so few chances this season that it really must have something to do with their build-up. All that passing needs to penetrate, if it doesn’t, you’re left looking very stupid. And boring.

Wayne Rooney is closing down records

How does he do it? He can barely score a goal in a year, but so far this season he’s managed to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s England scoring record and he’s on course to break his Manchester United scoring records too.

He’s now only 13 goals short of being Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer and he’s closing in on Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record of most European goals for United. Even off-form, and with a team who can barely create any chances for him, he’s still finding ways to score.

“They are all Liverpool players here. Decisions that were made in the past were not as bad as maybe some people think. It is not a coincidence they are here. When I saw the squad – when on my holiday – I thought, ‘good job, I can work with this.’ Yes, we have some injuries but players will come back. It’s a good squad. It’s even good for those players who can’t play in this moment to see how we work.”

Speaking ahead of his side’s hard-fought 1-0 Europa League win against Rubin Kazan, Jurgen Klopp moved to somewhat quell the building speculation that signings in January could be plentiful. If you believe all the rumours floating around the German could assemble a completely fresh XI by February, and I think we can all see that such a state of affairs is extremely unlikely.

Yes, Klopp is sure to want one, maybe two, new players as he looks to implement his own style at Anfield, but as he alluded to, there is plenty of quality on Merseyside right now. Not convinced? Well here are FIVE players currently out of the limelight that prove the German tactician doesn’t have to go crazy with Fenway Sports Group’s chequebook this winter…

Jordon Ibe

https://vine.co/v/eLv1ttPE2Mz/embed/simple

Although there was talk of Ibe being ‘better than Raheem Sterling’ over the summer, it’s fair to say that such claims have proven to be more than premature.

No disrespect to the 19-year-old ex-Wycombe man, but he’s not even close to the level of his senior – albeit by only exactly 365 days – compatriot just yet, whose all-round game is much more sophisticated than angry Kopites wanted to admit when he travelled down the M62 to Manchester.

Alas, Ibe did show a glimpse of the magic in his boots on Thursday night in the Europa League with a decent performance on a horrendous pitch against Rubin Kazan.

In a game in which the Reds lacked that moment of a luck or a creative spark, the teenager really stepped up 10 minutes into the second half to net what proved to be the winning goal, with his pace, power and direct running all on show. We may still be some time from hailing Ibe as a real star at Anfield, but he’s showing signs of filling Sterling’s boots, and Klopp clearly seems to appreciate his talents – as the below video (from after the Rubin game) shows. https://vine.co/v/eLvxnjZeeli/embed/simple

Lazar Markovic

https://vine.co/v/erBX21LiLmz/embed/simple

Reports have already suggested that Klopp wants Markovic back – although a January deal is off the agenda due to his loan move to Fenerbahce – so it’s pretty clear that the 21-year-old Serbian features in the German’s thinking long-term.

An apparent clash of personalities between the youngster and Brendan Rodgers, to which the player has already alluded, perhaps ruined his debut campaign at Anfield, but there’s no doubt that the wide attacker has talent.

On the few occasions he was deployed in his favoured position – he spent lots of time at wing-back – last term, Markovic looked impressive and appeared to have a little bit of a Yossi Benayoun vibe about him in terms of his movement and the way he holds himself on the ball, and with Klopp’s side looking a little blunt at times, that spark could be useful.

Daniel Sturridge

It’s likely that a ‘well, Sturridge is back from injury soon’ narrative will plague the Reds’ season, but there is method in the apparent madness the striker causes among Kopites.

Although perennially short of full fitness, the 26-year-old is a real threat when he can be wheeled out onto the pitch, as was shown when he smashed in two wonderful goals against Aston Villa in September.

Should Klopp be able to keep him match-ready, then the German will have, arguably, one of the best strike forces in the Premier League in Sturridge and Christian Benteke, with pace, power and clinical finishing aplenty.

Jordan Henderson

https://vine.co/v/O0a5U7pjhvj/embed/simple

In among the madness of the current season at Liverpool it’s been somewhat forgotten that Henderson has been injured since the early stages of the campaign.

After taking the captain’s armband from Steven Gerrard on a permanent basis, the England international featured in wins at Stoke and at home to Bournemouth – he set up the only goal against the Cherries with a lovely cross – and it’s pretty clear that his energy has been missed.

Slotting the 25-year-old back into his midfield may well be a headache for Klopp given the form of Emre Can, James Milner and, in particular, Lucas Leiva, but we’re sure the 48-year-old will be pretty happy to have another top quality player at his disposal.

Joao Carlos Teixeira

Since Klopp’s arrival it’s noticeable that younger players have been given greater opportunities. From being allowed to train with the senior side at Melwood through to being placed on the bench, injuries may have forced the German’s hand to an extent, but it’s encouraging to see fresh talent, and Teixeira has been one of the most exciting thus far.

A solid performance against Bournemouth in the League Cup win in which his neat piece of skill (above) contributed to Nathaniel Clyne’s goal shows that he has the technical ability and confidence, and with games set to come thick and fast over the Christmas period Klopp is sure to have to lean on him a little more as the inevitability of squad rotation sets in.