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Liverpool enjoyed an impressive summer of transfer business as they overhauled their midfield options in order to bounce back from a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.

The Reds failed to win any major trophies last season and finished outside of the top four, in fifth place, as they missed out on Champions League football this term.

Jurgen Klopp's side are currently competing in the Europa League, due to their struggles last year, and the German head coach will be hoping for a swift return to the continent's elite competition for the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Borussia Dortmund tactician clearly identified his midfield as an area of the squad that needed surgery as the likes of Naby Keita, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all moved on from Anfield over the summer.

This opened the door for Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Wataru Endo to come in and compete for a place in the middle of the park, alongside Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.

Szoboszlai and Mac Allister, in particular, have been outstanding additions to the squad and Liverpool played a blinder with the latter as they brought in a proven Premier League performer who could hit the ground running.

Liverpool transfer news – Douglas Luiz

The Reds could now replicate that masterclass by swooping for another player who has already showcased their quality on a regular basis in the English top-flight – Douglas Luiz.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of last month that Liverpool are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign the Brazilian maestro during the upcoming January transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Premier League rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, who both finished above Klopp's side last term, are also eyeing up the impressive whiz to bolster their own midfield options.

It is said that the Villans do not want to lose their star player in January and that it would take a fee within the region of £80m to even make them consider a deal.

TEAMtalk added that Pep Guardiola, who had Luiz on City's books prior to his move to Villa, is a big admirer of the central midfielder and that Liverpool believe he suits what they need in the middle of the park.

It was also claimed that Tottenham Hotspur have previously held an interest in his services but it remains to be seen whether or not they are ready to rejoin the race for his signature.

The report did not, however, state whether or not Liverpool are prepared to firm up their interest with an official approach for Luiz, or if they would be willing to meet Villa's £80m demand.

If the Reds were able to snap him up in January, though, then the club could repeat the blinder they played with Mac Allister earlier this year.

Alexis Mac Allister's season in numbers

The Argentina international was signed from Brighton & Hove Albion over the summer after his impressive season for club and country last term.

Starts

Six

Goals

One

Assists

One

Big chances created

Two

Pass success rate

89%

Ground duel success rate

67%

As you can see from the table above, Mac Allister played a crucial role at the 2022 World Cup as his side went on to win the famous trophy – with Lionel Messi captaining them to glory in Qatar.

The central midfielder did not allow that to detract from his club form for Brighton, though, as he played 35 Premier League matches and contributed with ten goals and two assists.

Liverpool then secured his services in a deal that could rise up to £55m and the talented whiz has enjoyed a strong start to life at Anfield.

The 24-year-old wizard has not showcased the best of his attacking qualities – with one goal and one assist in the league – but has been an excellent defensive presence in front of the back four.

Mac Allister has produced 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game for his side and currently ranks first within the squad for tackles (2.4) and joint-first for interceptions (1.3) per match.

This suggests that the World Cup winner, who has made 6.6 ball recoveries per game, has been an outstanding defender for Liverpool this season as their main ball-winner on the pitch to cut out opposition attacks.

Whilst there is more to come from Mac Allister in terms of his attacking contributions, the former Brighton star has hit the ground running, thanks to his prior Premier League experience, as a superb midfielder for Klopp.

Douglas Luiz's season in numbers

The Brazil international has been in sublime form for Villa so far this season in the English top-flight and could, therefore, follow in the Argentine talent's footsteps in 2024.

Unai Emery's side are currently fourth in the division and competing to land a spot in next season's edition of the Champions League, and Luiz has been a pivotal cog in their well-oiled machine.

The 25-year-old star has played 14 Premier League matches and caught the eye with his contributions in and out of possession from midfield.

Luiz has produced five goals – four more than any Liverpool midfielder has managed – and two assists for his team in those 14 outings.

He has created three 'big chances' for his teammates and made 1.2 key passes per game, which would place him fifth within the Reds squad.

The former Manchester City prospect has also impressed onlookers with his defensive qualities. He has made 2.4 tackles per game for the Villans, which would place him joint-first in the Liverpool squad alongside Mac Allister.

Luiz, who was hailed as "transformed" by pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor last year, has also made 6.4 ball recoveries per outing and has showcased his strength in midfield with a duel success rate of 59%, which shows that opposition players do not get the better of him with ease in physical contests.

His form this season has come off the back of his return of six goals and six assists, along with 3.1 tackles and interceptions per match, in 37 Premier League appearances for Villa during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Brazilian maestro is, therefore, a proven top-flight performer who would not need a period of adaptation in England and could hit the ground running in midfield in the same way that Mac Allister has, if Liverpool can snap him up in January.

The BCB has overturned its decision on the participation of Steven Smith in BPL 2018-19, allowing him to play now. It had barred him on December 20 after the other franchises objected to his appearance for Comilla Victorians, but yesterday, a majority of them wrote to the governing council, relaxing their stance.Each team is allowed to sign two players outside of the draft. Comilla brought on Sri Lanka allrounder Asela Gunaratne in this way but he had to be replaced in November. That’s when Smith joined the roster, only his name wasn’t on the draft list either, making the signing against the rules and triggering the protests.However, now that the other franchises have changed their views, the BCB has backtracked on its own as well. So much that it has changed the tournament rules, allowing a side to now replace a maximum of one outside-the-draft player with another.”We could have enforced the clause whereby the BPL can take any decision in the interest of the tournament but we wanted to be democratic,” Jalal Yunus, a BCB director who heads the BPL governing council, said. “The franchises didn’t agree at first but now majority of the franchises have said that Smith’s inclusion can only make the league better, more popular and glamorous. They have given this to us in writing which we conveyed to the BCB. They have agreed too. Now the team can complete his registration.”Such arbitrary tweaks are nothing new to the BPL, which has gone through several of them since 2012, sometimes even in the middle of the season.

أعلن نادي برشلونة الإسباني، إصابة لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، وغيابه عن جولة الولايات المتحدة، في فترة إعداد البلوجرانا للموسم الجديد.

هذا الموسم، لا يتواجد تشافي، وهناك هانز فليك المدير الفني الألماني الجديد، والذي لا يزال يتعرف على عدد كبير من اللاعبين في معسكر الإعداد للموسم الجديد.

وكشف نادي برشلونة اليوم الأربعاء عن إصابة أنسو فاتي في باطن قدمه اليمنى أثناء التدريبات أمس الثلاثاء، في مقر سيوتات اسبورتيفا خوان جامبر.

أنسو فاتي رحل عن برشلونة في اليوم الأخير من سوق الانتقالات الصيفية قبل بداية الموسم الماضي إلى برايتون، عندما علم بعدم إتاحة الفرصة له تحت قيادة تشافي.

طالع أيضًا.. تصريحات والد أنسو فاتي تزيد الغموض حول مستقبله مع برشلونة

وأكد النادي أن إصابة فاتي تمثل انتكاسة جديدة للمهاجم الذي عانى كثيرًا من الإصابات، وستبعده عن معسكر الإعداد بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

على المستوى البدني كان يحاول فاتي أن يستعيد لياقته منذ الموسم الماضي، وضمن مخططاته أن يقنع هانز فليك بالبقاء والحصول على الفرصة في الموسم الجديد.

لم يوضح النادي فترة غياب فاتي النهائية، لكنه لن يشارك في فترة الإعداد بالولايات المتحدة، والتي ستشهد 3 وديات لـ برشلونة، أمام مانشستر سيتي وريال مدريد وميلان، قبل مباراة موناكو في كأس خوان جامبر الودية، والتي تسبق انطلاقة الموسم بشكل رسمي.

Manchester United are a club that have seemingly tried everything in an attempt to return to the top, having been so absent from the pinnacle of English football ever since Sir Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement.

First employing David Moyes on his recommendation, his short-lived tenure gave birth to a decade of managerial upheaval, employing club heroes like Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, legends of the game like Jose Mourinho, and more recently a progress manager in Erik ten Hag with whom they are expected to trust to oversee the creation of a long-term sustainable project.

However, their start to the new Premier League season has thrown doubt over his credentials, with fans quick to forget the good work he engineered the year previously that returned them to the Champions League.

He will be keen to turn things around, but it must be noted that this is a process not to be completed overnight. Along with implementing a system which he hopes to yield unbridled success once again, he is also battling with regard to personnel, and ensuring that the right characters remain within the dressing room.

After all, there have been years of misfires in the market that have left them far from the level they will hope to be at.

When looking back on that plethora of deals that once promised the world, few disappointed so severely like Memphis Depay.

Why did Man United sign Memphis Depay?

Joining from PSV Eindhoven for £31m in 2015, the Dutch winger had been terrorising his homeland for years before the Red Devils came calling, with Louis van Gaal keen to bring in his compatriot in order to revolutionise his frontline.

After all, having scored 28 goals across all competitions in his final year before departing whilst also taking home the division's Golden Boot award, it seemed a foolproof signing especially given the rich history they share with forwards from that nation.

Robin van Persie and Ruud van Nistelrooy had both joined and spearheaded title charges in the past with their goalscoring exploits, and given the 29-year-old had recorded 79 goal contributions in 124 appearances for his club as a youngster, there was every reason to believe that the same might occur, especially under the experienced manager at the helm.

How good was Depay?

It would not pan out as expected, with the trickster scoring just two Premier League goals across a torrid debut year.

Such a titanic club suffering such aggressive upheaval were not to wait about for him to fulfil his potential, and just two years after his 2015 move he had left with just seven goals in 53 outings to his name, seeking to reignite his career with Lyon.

It is clear now that French football suited the dynamic forward far more, and there he would enjoy arguably the pinnacle of a career that later saw him join Barcelona before moving to their La Liga rivals for whom he now plays. Across four years in France, the £145k-per-week earner would score 76 and assist a further 55, typifying the perfect false nine, able to both drop deep to create and spearhead an attacking unit.

Such form then allowed him to become a mainstay for the national side too, with Ronald Koeman noting back in 2018: "He's great, he's turning into a top player. That's great, we need that, especially in attacking positions. He's showing that at Lyon, and at Oranje now as well.

"He has freedom here, that's what he needs to be the best Memphis. He can do that in this team. When he's a lone striker he tends to drift back too much, so we have a hole up front. But when he plays between the lines, like in the last part, he was so strong. He's turning, attacking, he's a joy to watch."

Whilst many might argue that Depay has fulfilled his potential away from Old Trafford, given the huge expectations placed upon his shoulders, this remains a notion still somewhat uncertain.

What was said about Depay when he first signed for Man United?

Given the money expended, it marked a hugely significant outlay for the time, but one which provoked huge interest from the masses.

Van Gaal would seek to talk up his new acquisition just after that 2015 capture, claiming: "I think he is one of the biggest, highly talented boys of his age because he is full of confidence."

However, that confidence would perhaps spill over into arrogance, with Dutch legend Ruud Gullit questioning his attitude during that torrid debut season: "I’m a fan of Memphis and have faith in him, but he has to do something to live up to expectations — and that is to perform.

Lyon

178

76

55

PSV Eindhoven

124

50

29

Manchester United

53

7

6

Barcelona

42

14

2

Atletico Madrid

13

6

0

Data via Transfermarkt.

"If you’re not performing you should not turn up for training in a new Rolls-Royce or Hummer. He’s got to focus entirely on football and that is where his advisors and so-called friends have a key role. He has been regarded as the biggest waste of money this season."

What makes his underperformance and subsequent speedy exit even more frustrating is the calibre of player he was compared to, with ESPN even penning a 2015 article suggesting he could be the club's new Cristiano Ronaldo.

"He is the type of player whom the United faithful have been dying to see since Ronaldo left in 2009 — a player who will make Old Trafford stand up each time he has the ball at his feet, like George Best, Eric Cantona and Ronaldo," writer Paul Parker noted.

An arrogant left winger with all the skill and bravado to terrorise full-backs, the comparisons were admittedly there to be made. However, with one quote reading "He is probably a better footballer than Cristiano Ronaldo was at 21," it feels like this is a report that has certainly not aged well.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?

Having first made his move to Old Trafford in 2003, as a little-known 18-year-old from Portugal, there were next to no expectations on the shoulders of the trickster.

Few could possibly have predicted that this gangly speedster would turn into one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, having currently notched 726 career goals and won countless trophies, including five Champions Leagues.

However, to refute that earlier claim, at 21 the 202-cap superstar had just spearheaded another Premier League triumph for Ferguson, scoring 17 and assisting eight in the process. In fact, just three years later he would make his legendary move to Real Madrid too, where he would become their leading all-time goalscorer and La Liga's second all-time top scorer, only bettered by his long-time rival Lionel Messi.

Depay realistically stood no chance of ever living up to such an impossible comparison, as it is unlikely that football will ever produce someone as talented as the Portuguese ace who won five Ballon d'Or's.

However, what is especially frustrating is that he never even came close, and even though he has enjoyed a solid career in his own right, it marked a lofty comparison that forced far too much weight onto such young shoulders.

The election for the post of league director ended in a deadlock, with both candidates receiving 12 votes each

Peter Della Penna18-Aug-2018Two rounds of voting were not enough to break the deadlock between ex-USACA president Atul Rai and former USA captain Sushil Nadkarni for the right to serve a three-year term as league director on the new USA Cricket board of directors. So the men decided to shake on it.In an unprecedented move, the two candidates have agreed to a split term according to a USA Cricket press release. In the main election voting that concluded on July 29, Rai and Nadkarni each received 12 votes from the eligible voting leagues. A special runoff vote that ended on August 12 produced the same result. A stipulation was announced that the winner would then be decided by a coin toss with the winner serving the full three-year term.However, both men agreed beforehand to serve half of the term each, an agreement that was unanimously approved by USA Cricket’s four-person nominating and governance committee, which includes ICC chief executive David Richardson. Rai wound up winning the coin toss, meaning he will serve the initial 18 months in the position. Nadkarni will then take over for the final 18 months before a fresh election is held for the league director position in 2021.Now that the seven-person constituent board has been finalised, the final three independent directors will be selected by the nominating and governance committee. The committee is meeting this weekend in Florida to finish their evaluations before putting their three candidates forward to complete the 10-member board of directors.

Leeds United have a rich history of bringing talented young prospects through their academy system over the years; including the likes of David Seaman, James Milner, and the late Gary Speed.

The Whites also have a number of graduates from their youth side who are currently competing in Daniel Farke's first-team squad during the 2023/24 campaign.

Sam Byram, Crysencio Summerville, and Pascal Struijk are just three of the former academy players who are now stars for the team in the Championship.

Leeds current most-valuable former academy players:

Kalvin Phillips

£27.5m

Pascal Struijk

£15.4m

Crysencio Summerville

£12.8m

Jack Clarke

£10.3m

Lewis Cook

£8.5m

Two of those three players are in the table above as some of the most valuable players to come through the youth set-up but Farke may wish that he had another one of the gems on that list – Jack Clarke.

The ex-Leeds talent would have been a dream for the German head coach and a better option than Wilfried Gnonto as he has gone on to prove himself to be an exceptional talent at this level.

How much did Leeds sell Jack Clarke for?

Former Whites sporting director Victor Orta, unfortunately, cashed in on the young gem in the summer of 2019 as Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur swooped in to sign him for an initial fee of £8.5m.

That move came after the teenage winger had scored two goals and provided two assists in 22 Championship matches for Marcelo Bielsa throughout the 2018/19 campaign, which was his breakthrough year at senior level.

However, the English forward failed to make an impact in north London as he only made four first-team appearances for Spurs before his move to Sunderland, initially on loan, in January 2022.

How many goals has Clarke scored for Sunderland?

Clarke has racked up 17 goals in 79 senior matches for the Black Cats in all competitions over the last 18 months or so, and has established himself as a start for Tony Mowbray's side.

He played a role in their promotion to the Championship during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign as the exciting winger scored one goal and provided three assists in 20 League One outings during his loan spell from Tottenham.

Sunderland then opted to sign him on a permanent basis from the Premier League club in the summer of 2022 and he has gone on to prove himself at Championship level with some outstanding performances.

The Black Cats made the play-offs during the 2022/23 season and Clarke played a significant part in their success as he delivered goals and assists from out wide.

He produced nine goals and 12 assists across 47 appearances for the club on the left flank, which showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis.

Only Ross Stewart (ten) and Amad Diallo (14) scored more goals for Sunderland than Clarke, and no other player for his side managed more than seven assists. This shows that he was the outstanding creative threat for Mowbray last term and one of the manager's most lethal scorers.

How many goals has Clarke scored this season?

The 22-year-old wizard has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the 2023/24 campaign with sevengoals in nine Championship matches for the Black Cats.

He is the current top scorer in the division and is showing off his ability to be a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch when it comes to scoring goals, as well as creating them.

Clarke has averaged a fantastic Sofascore rating of 7.83 across those eight games and caught the eye with 2.3 key passes per game and three 'big chances' created in total.

Only Norwich City's Gabriel Sara (8.05) and Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (7.88) have averaged higher Sofascore ratings within the division, which shows that the Sunderland star has been one of the best performers in the Championship so far this season.

Clarke, whose dribbling ability was hailed as "effortless" by former Leeds forward Noel Whelan, is also exceptional at carrying his team up the pitch.

Over the last 365 days, the young whiz ranks within the top 3% of players among the Men's Next 14 Competitions for progressive carries per 90 (5.55), which shows that he is outstanding at driving forward with the ball to get closer to the opposition's goal.

His performances for Sunderland in the Championship over the last 12 months or so suggest that he would be a far better option than current Leeds left winger Gnonto for Farke.

How many goals has Gnonto scored this season?

The Italy international has scored one goal in five league appearances for Leeds so far this season for the German head coach and is yet to prove himself to be a reliable scorer at this level.

Gnonto has also failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates and has made 0.6 key passes per game for the Whites, as per Sofascore, which is a tally that ten other players within the squad have beaten thus far.

The 19-year-old whiz has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90, which is the 17th-highest score at the club, and this comes off the back of his debut campaign in English football last term.

He scored two goals and assisted four in 24 Premier League outings for Leeds throughout the 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated to the Championship.

These statistics suggest that Gnonto is not a better option than Clarke for several reasons. The English ace, based on the current evidence that is available, offers a greater goal threat, provides more creativity for the team, and has a higher average performance level on the left wing.

This indicates that Leeds' team would have improved considerably at the top end of the pitch if they had Clarke available for selection instead of the Italian teen.

Therefore, the current Sunderland star would have been a dream for Farke with his dynamic and lethal attacking displays down the left flank, as he has proven himself to be an upgrade on Gnonto.

Orta raked in a significant fee for the teenager in 2019, of £8.5m, but it is a shame that the Whites were never able to see the best of his abilities at Elland Road, as he has gone on to be a star on Wearside.

Tottenham Hotspur lost their way following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino, as Daniel Levy took a sharp turn away from what had been ushering in a slow and steady return to the top.

The former Southampton boss had cultivated a fine atmosphere in north London once again, turning mid-table finishes into European nights, before even launching a Premier League title charge before reaching the Champions League final too.

They were poised to win plenty, but seemingly out of nowhere, their chairman got unsettled. He would admit his failures in the recent fan forum: "I had gone through a period where we'd almost won. With Mauricio we went through some very good times. We didn't quite get there but we came very close and we had a change in strategy. The strategy was 'let's bring in a trophy manager.'

"We did it twice and look you have to learn from your mistakes. They're great managers but maybe not for this club. For what we want, we want to play in a certain way and if that means it has to take a little bit longer to win maybe it's the right thing for us. That's why bringing Ange in was from my point of view the right decision."

That period of success was underpinned by numerous stars, as Harry Kane rose to prominence with his goalscoring and creativity, whilst the defensive foundation was built from the rock-solid pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Even Mousa Dembele in the midfield marked one of the greatest generals the club had ever seen.

However, it could be argued that few typified such a positive era more than Dele Alli, who has overseen a tough drop-off in recent years.

His story is a bleak one, and with immense bravery, he would share it back in July. However, it is worth remembering just how good the 27-year-old was when he was at his best.

How many goals has Dele Alli scored?

Having joined from MK Dons as a teenager, instantly many stood up and took note when the Lilywhites saw fit to unload £5m on such an unproven youngster.

Whilst he had torn up League One courtesy of his offensive exploits from midfield with 34 goal contributions in total, few could possibly have expected him to take to the top flight with such ease. However, as is often the case with generational talents such as him, there is no limit to his excellence.

The England international would score ten goals and assist nine in just his first year with Spurs, taking no time to adapt, before preparing for the season of his life.

Featuring in 37 out of a possible 38 league matches, Dele would score 18 and assist a further nine playing off Kane, truly taking the world by storm in the process. His performances were mesmeric and completely unforeseen, showing little signs of slowing down.

Manchester City and Barcelona even took an interest in the creative superstar, to which his club replied with an appropriate if deterring price tag of £150m. He had the world at his feet, and Pochettino would relentlessly praise his star youngster: "If he is not the best young player in Europe, he’s one of the best. Look at his age and his statistics, the potential is massive."

He would later note in a separate interview: "He's mature enough now to accept sometimes what happens on the pitch, but he is so calm, he is so brave. Then he scored – and he scored a great goal – and I am very pleased. He needs to improve, he is not at his best expression, but it is coming."

Few could possibly predict that his claim would soon ring untrue, and that this would instead mark the sad peak of a player once destined to win it all.

What happened with Dele Alli?

Unsurprisingly, as the current Chelsea boss was dismissed, there were a few who took issue with that decision. After all, he and Dele shared a father-son relationship, with which the underlying implications could explain his sudden drop-off.

Jose Mourinho failed to recapture that spark, and eventually the club decided enough was enough. He was sent to Everton with little fanfare on a free transfer, marking the true low point for such a technically gifted player. Despite that, talkSPORT pundit Darren Ambrose retained that he should have been kept, suggesting an "outstanding player" remained in there.

However, upon speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, it became clear that his issues were far from the football pitch.

Speaking with immense courage, he revealed the fractured relationship he endured with his parents, among other horrors that plagued his youth. He struggled to hold back tears as he told the former Manchester United full-back, who tried desperately to comfort a man clearly suffering from so much emotional turmoil.

2019/20

25

8

4

2018/19

25

5

3

2017/18

36

9

11

2016/17

37

18

9

2015/16

33

10

9

All stats via Transfermarkt.

Having since emerged from the six-week rehab programme to which he admitted himself, there is hope that he can come out the other side as a man no longer troubled by the ghosts of his past. Potentially, if the Toffees are lucky, he could also reignite a football career that has been understandably put on the back burner.

What is Dele Alli doing now?

Still at Finch Farm, the 6 foot 2 maestro continues to battle his fitness woes as he seeks to return to first-team action. After all, should he become available, there are few at Goodison Park who boast half as much quality as Dele.

However, to mark his sensational fall from grace, Football Transfers helps showcase that fall in valuation, from a man with a reported £150m price tag by his name.

They instead suggest that Sean Dyche's man is worth just €7.8m (£7m), as Spurs were forced to oversee the painful depreciation of one of their brightest ever stars.

During the 2021/22 season, it was Frank Lampard who managed to usher out just a glimpse of the talent English football knows well, as his half-time substitution against Crystal Palace helped spearhead the most miraculous of turnarounds as they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

His creativity and attacking impetus proved vital in retaining their Premier League status, a feat they will hope to accomplish again. There is no doubt that the entire football world will patiently await his return to fitness, and hope that he can once again begin starring at the elite level where many will feel he belongs.

Zimbabwe all but crashed out of the running for a spot at the 2019 World Cup with a narrow three-run defeat to United Arab Emirates in their final Super Six match at the Harare Sports Club. Chasing 230 in 40 overs in a rain-affected match, Zimbabwe went into the last over needing 15, but managed only 11. Their chase had been powered by Sean Williams’ 80, but his dismissal in the 37th over left the lower order with too much to do, and UAE held their nerve to record their first victory over a Test nation.

How can Zimbabwe still qualify?

Zimbabwe’s loss means they end with five points whereas Afghanistan and Ireland, who will play each other on Friday, have four each. Whoever wins on Friday will take the tenth spot in the World Cup but Zimbabwe still have a slim and improbable chance of making it which rests on the Afghanistan-Ireland match ending in a tie. In that case, all three teams will be tied on five points each but both Afghanistan’s and Ireland’s net run rate will take a beating since the teams will be conceding as many runs as they score. While Afghanistan’s NRR (0.34) is already below Zimbabwe’s (0.42), Ireland’s NRR (0.47) will slip below Zimbabwe’s to a value of 0.377.
However, if Friday’s clash is washed out, the three teams will end on five points again but the NRRs for Afghanistan and Ireland won’t change and Ireland will go through because of a higher NRR.

Needing to score at 5.75 from the outset, with only 40 overs and the potential of further rain delays, this was a situation in which Zimbabwe might have welcomed Cephas Zhuwao’s big hitting up front. But without him in the XI, Hamilton Masakadza and Solomon Mire opened the batting.With the ball skidding on a little quicker on a surface juiced up by the shower, Mohammad Naveed’s pace soon proved too much for Mire. Late on a pull, he spliced an easy catch to Shaiman Anwar at midwicket. Working up serious pace, Naveed then sent Masakadza’s off stump cartwheeling with a delivery clocked at 140kph. Those wickets put a dent in Zimbabwe, but it seemed they were floored when Brendan Taylor played down the wrong line at a delivery from Ahmed Raza that rushed on with the arm, zipping between bat and pad to bowl him for 15. Zimbabwe were reeling against the ropes at 45 for 3 with their best batsman back in the dressing room and the asking rate now at 6.6 per over.But while UAE’s bowling attack packed a punch, they couldn’t quite deliver the knockout blow. Williams and Peter Moor gritted their way through the new ball, a stiffness in their strokeplay that spoke volumes about the incredibly high stakes of this match. It wasn’t until Williams started to connect his reverse sweeps that they began to settle. He collected boundaries off Raza and Mustafa, and then broke free with a remarkable upper cut off Amir Hayat in the 25th over. That shot took him into the 40s, and a quick single soon after brought up a vital fifty from 56 deliveries.

Mustafa, Williams pick up demerit points

UAE captain Rohan Mustafa and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams have been found guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during their verbal exchange in the 37th over after Mustafa had dismissed Williams. Both players admitted to their offences and a formal hearing was not required. They’ve each picked up one demerit point as a result, alongside fines of 15% of their match fees.
Mustafa was found to have breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match”, while Williams was found guilty of violating Article 2.1.4, which deals with “using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match”.

Immediately afterwards, however, Moor chipped a drive straight to Adnan Mufti in the covers to fall for 39. A 79-run partnership was broken, and the pressure increased once more. Needing at least a boundary an over, Raza and Williams scampered for every possible run, taking on the field, while Raza managed to puncture the leg-side boundary to keep the asking rate just about within check. Their fifty stand came up from only 36 deliveries, but the exertion began to tell on Williams, and cramps set in.With Zimbabwe needing 53 from 36, Raza heaved mightily to place a flighted delivery from Mustafa on the roof above the players’ dressing rooms, but then whipped a full-toss straight out to Shaiman Anwar at long leg. In an atmosphere of rising tension, Mustafa repeatedly warned the non-striking batsmen for backing up to far, threatening the Mankad but never actually tipping the bails off. When Williams collided with Hayat turning for a second run in the next over, words were exchanged and the umpire stepped in to cool things off. When Williams whipped a sweep over fine leg, but lapped the next ball to be caught, one-handed, by Hayat in that position, Mustafa bellowed a send-off.Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer arrived at the crease in an atmosphere of almost unbearable tension, and in fading light Naveed rifled in a full delivery to bowl him first ball, and the home side slipped to 209 for 7. Craig Ervine and Kyle Jarvis swung gamely, and Ervine was on strike to the final ball with six needed. But Naveed held his nerve, restricting them to two runs to break Zimbabwean hearts.Mohammad Naveed exults after picking up a wicket•IDI via Getty Images

UAE’s innings had begun under rather clearer skies. Asked to bat by Zimbabwe on the same pitch as was used in the game between Scotland and West Indies on Wednesday, captain Rohan Mustafa signalled his intent early with a hack over cover for four. Ashfaq Ahmed was also unafraid to hit over the top early on, but after conceding two boundaries, Tendai Chatara had him caught behind, pushing flat-footed at one that left him off the track.But while Jarvis’ length and swing troubled both edges of the bat, Chatara struggled for any consistency and despite the early wicket his opening spell leaked 31 runs in four overs. He wasn’t the only Zimbabwean to have an off day, and nerves may well have contributed to Zimbabwe’s stiffness in the field.Ghulam Shabber was gifted a life when an edge off his bat flew right between Taylor, keeping wicket once again, and Masakadza at first slip. He was also gifted extra runs, Chatara misreading the spin on the ball as it bounced towards him in the outfield, slipping wrong-footed, and giving away four. When his luck eventually ran out and he was bowled, missing a sweep at Raza, Rameez Shahzad continued to take the fight to Zimbabwe’s bowlers.Shahzad smashed an unbeaten 112 against West Indies earlier in this tournament, and in January he cracked 121 to help UAE chase down 300 against Scotland. Against Zimbabwe he showed that he hadn’t lost any touch by getting off the mark with a towering six off Raza that landed on the roof of the three-storey building at the Golf Course End. Fifteen overs of drives, pulls and dabs later, he brought up a half-century off 51 balls with an adventurous ramp over point, and UAE were bossing the innings at 171 for 3 after 37 overs.Zimbabwe’s bowlers surged once again at the death, and the wicket of Shahzad in the 39th over slowed UAE’s charge. Mohammad Usman and Shaiman Anwar holed out, and when Blessing Muzarabani removed Ahmed Raza in a wicket maiden in the 47th over, UAE had slipped to 211 for 7 with the rain on its way. There was just enough time for Naveed to blast 22 from 10 deliveries, boosting the score beyond Zimbabwe’s reach and, ultimately, shattering their World Cup dreams.

Manchester United appear to be solving the transfer issues ahead of the deadline at 11 o'clock tonight, with Erik ten Hag pushing for a squad capable of competing in the Premier League and Champions League this season.

What's the latest on Sofyan Amrabat to Manchester United?

According to Sky Sports News [1st September, 09:51am), Manchester United are in advanced talks with Serie A outfit Fiorentina for midfield maestro Sofyan Amrabat.

Red Devils director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves has flown to Italy today to try and close a deal for the Moroccan, with The Athletic's David Ornstein reporting that there is no agreement between the respective outfits.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

The reporter inside Old Trafford revealed that Amrabat was "keen to join" Erik ten Hag's side live on air, so it's now down to both clubs to agree on the terms of a deal, with La Viola thought to value him at £30m.

A loan deal with an obligation to buy has been discussed, but time is in short supply, so the United hierarchy will need to make progress swiftly.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Despite Manchester United placing Amrabat at the top of the shopping list for the entirety of the summer transfer window, the closing stage is nigh and the 27-year-old has yet to join the fold at the Theatre of Dreams.

The prestigious Premier League outfit have closed a deal for Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon today – to combat the long-term injury to Luke Shaw – but still need to buttress the midfield with a first-class acquisition.

Fabrizio Romano claimed that the midfielder has always been the "top target" for Ten Hag's side, having thrived at the centre of Fiorentina's squad and dazzled on the biggest stage with Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, with his nation becoming the first African side to reach the final four.

Described as the "best central midfielder in the tournament" by journalist Carlo Garganese for his escapades in Qatar, Amrabat was immense and completed 85% of his passes while averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.4 clearances per game as Morocco commendably came fourth.

One of the finest passers of the ball around, Amrabat ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for pass completion and the top 2% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

The fact that the £32k-per-week ace maintains such precision despite the sheer volume of passes forged each match is a testament to his first-rate technical ability; for reference, Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara, one of Europe's most prominent maestros, ranks among the top 4% for passes attempted and 6% for progressive passes per 90, but only among the top 21% for pass completion.

By placing Amrabat into the squad, Ten Hag would open up a new dimension to the fluidity and drive of the midfield, threading the departments of the pitch together superlatively with such a sensational ball-player.

While this is his standout faculty, Amrabat is considered a "raging bull" in the midfield – as said by journalist Amine El Amri – with an admirable "defensive instinct", according to pundit Joe Cole.

It is because of this that United would land a massive upgrade on Scott McTominay by signing the 6 foot 1 gem, with the Scotland international said to be "not good enough" for the Red Devils by club legend Roy Keane.

McTominay is also attracting attention from the likes of Fulham, who are establishing contingency plans in case Joao Palhinha departs for Bayern Munich today, and United might be wise to ship the long-serving player on to recuperate funds for the Amrabat deal.

McTominay is a tenacious defensive presence and ranks among the top 1% of midfielders for clearances and aerial wins per 90, but only ranks among the top 52% for pass completion and the bottom 7% for progressive passes per 90.

Given the vision that Ten Hag has, Amrabat would be the perfect signing to tidy up the midfield and increase the robustness, and while McTominay has served Old Trafford well, now might be a good time to move onto the next chapter, with the La Viola phenom proving to be a monumental upgrade.

Barinder Sran’s three-wicket haul helped Punjab sneak home by five-runs against Rajasthan, but they couldn’t prevent them from securing a place in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament. Although Rajasthan and Punjab finished with 12 points each, the former qualified by virtue of a better net run-rate. Rajasthan will now take on Delhi in Kolkata on Friday.Earlier, having been put into bat, Punjab managed only 129 for 9 in 20 overs. Captain Harbhajan Singh promoted himself to No.3 like he has done all tournament, and scored a 31-ball 32. The other major contribution came from Sharad Lumba, who made 31 off 26 batting at No.6. Yuvraj Singh laboured to 4 off 11 balls two days after he had struggled his way to a 33-ball 17 against Jharkhand. He finished his tournament with 209 runs from nine innings at a strike-rate of 96.29, the lowest for a frontline batsman in the team. While Manan Vohra made 20, Gurkeerat Singh and Mandeep Singh made one each.Left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed finished with figures of 3 for 17 to emerge as the joint second-leading wicket-taker of the tournament. Seamer Deepak Chahar, meanwhile, took his tally to 19 wickets – despite hobbling off with a leg injury after taking two wickets – to become the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. Chahar and Khaleel, who have been part of Rising Pune Supergiant and Delhi Daredevils respectively, have listed their base prices at INR 20 Lakh.Rajasthan got off to a poor start in their chase, losing Aditya Garhwal and Salman Khan with only four runs on the board. It was down to Ankit Lamba, who scored a 37-ball 47, and Mahipal Lomror (21) to repair thing. They put on a 49-run stand for the third wicket. However, Manpreet Gony (2 for 20) and Sran picked up five wickets between them to kill the chase. Sran, who has turned out for Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Lions in the previous editions, has listed his reserve price at INR 50 lakh ahead of the auction.