Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at Manchester United over their handling of Alejandro Garnacho, pointing the finger of blame at the Old Trafford club over perceived below-par fitness when the Argentina international arrived at Stamford Bridge. Garnacho was exiled into the so-called 'bomb squad' under Ruben Amorim, before his £40 million ($52.6m) move to west London and has taken time to settle in at his new team.
Turning point for Garnacho in Wolves win
Garnacho was a star performer as the Blues beat manager-less Wolves 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to move second in the Premier League. The Argentine winger assisted the opening goal by Malo Gusto and the third by Pedro Neto in a dominant second-half display. After a sluggish, goalless first-half, Garnacho delivered a looping cross for Gusto to head home the opener in the 51st minute and then provided a precise low cross for Neto's tap-in, sealing the win. This was the first time Garnacho had recorded two assists in a league game for Chelsea.
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Blues boss backs summer signing
Speaking after victory over Wolves the Chelsea boss aimed a dig at United over Garnacho's previous training regime. He said: "Work hard – this has been the main message when he joined us. In terms of quality on the ball we know he is good; to play with us he has to work hard. On the ball he's doing well, but also off the ball he's working hard. He arrived from a club where he was not training 100 per cent so his physical condition was not good. Slowly now he is better. He knows that to play with us he needs to be good on the ball and off the ball otherwise he's not going to play."
Maresca hails Brazilian starlet
Chelsea have found promising form in recent weeks, despite the disappointing draw in the Champions League at Qarabag. One positive story from the season so far has been the performances of youngster Estevao. The Brazilian wonderkid officially joined Chelsea in summer 2025 from Palmeiras, finalising the transfer deal that was agreed on in 2024. And he was singled-out for praise by Maresca.
He said: "When Estevao came on the energy raised because people love that kind of player, you can see his talent. We are trying to help him to adapt and give him the right minutes. He arrived from Brazil, he needs time to adapt, but he's going to start games for us in the future."
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Injury woes for Chelsea
Victory at Stamford Bridge bumped the Blues up the table, but there were injury concerns for boss Maresca. Captain on the day Enzo Fernandez has reported a long-standing injury and there were concerns for Pedro Neto too.
There’s a packed schedule facing the Blues when domestic football returns after the international break Chelsea are away against Burnley on November 22 before the massive home Champions League clash with Barcelona on November 25 and a crunch derby with title rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge concludes the month.
In stark contrast to this time last month, the mood around Chelsea at the moment is a good one.
Enzo Maresca has overseen three wins on the bounce, including an incredible result at home to defending Premier League champions Liverpool.
However, while the team has generally been performing well, there are a few players who continue to underwhelm.
One of those is undoubtedly Alejandro Garnacho, and therefore he should be dropped for someone previously compared to a young Callum Hudson Odoi.
Garnacho's slow start to life at Chelsea
It would be fair to say that the signing of Garnacho was not universally welcomed by the Chelsea support.
After all, while he’s an undeniably talented footballer, he doesn’t have the best of reputations and left Manchester United on poor terms.
Unfortunately, while there have been glimpses of the talent who racked up 21 goal involvements for a terrible Red Devils side last season, they have been nothing more than that, glimpses.
Appearances
58
Minutes
3568′
Goals
11
Assists
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.36
Minutes per Goal Involvements
169.90′
Overall, the Argentine international has been somewhat disappointing, as in his six appearances thus far, totalling 273 minutes, he has produced a grand total of zero goals and zero assists.
Worse yet, while some of the games have been against top opposition, he also failed to turn up in the EFL Cup game against Lincoln City and offered very little against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
In fact, he was so underwhelming against the Tricky Trees, that he was taken off at half-time with a combined expected goal and assist figure of just 0.01, no key passes, just seven accurate passes, zero shots and a match rating of 3/10 from the Standard’s Dom Smith, who wrote that he ‘ran down blind alleys and failed to produce anything dangerous.
In short, Garnacho is showing no sign of improving, and therefore, Maresca should take him out of the team for the game against Ajax.
The player who should replace Garnacho
Two names might stand out as potential replacements for Garancho against Ajax: Jamie Gittens and Estevao.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, the former has arguably been just as disappointing so far this season, and the latter is primarily a right-sided player and deserves another start in his favoured position.
Therefore, Maresca should do what he did against Benfica and bring Tyrique George in from the start, but instead of playing him up top, put him out on the left.
Now, it would be fair to say that the young Englishman hasn’t exactly blown anyone away this year, but it’s equally true that he has shown more in his limited minutes than the former United star.
For example, he was the one who saved the club from a massively embarrassing defeat to Lincoln by scoring and assisting a goal.
On top of that, he has also simply looked more engaged and threatening in games, which could be down to him being an academy graduate or him having a better attitude.
Moreover, despite being just 18 years old at the start of last season, the academy gem, who respected analyst Ben Mattinson once described as a “young Hudson-Odoi,” was able to amass a tally of three goal involvements in 12 Conference League appearances.
Finally, while Ajax are not going to be pushovers, they are also going to be one of the easier Champions League opponents the West Londoners face this season, so it makes sense to give youth players a run-out in these fixtures.
Ultimately, George might not end up being a better player than Garnacho, but at the moment, he is offering far more, and therefore, MarEsca should start him against the Dutch giants.
Chelsea have a "joke of a footballer" and he's now just "like Cole Palmer"
The Chelsea star is becoming as crucial to Enzo Maresca’s side as Cole Palmer.
Rangers have been offered the opportunity to complete the signing of a talented free agent after holding talks over his availability this week.
Aarons overjoyed with winning goal for Rangers
The Gers secured a priceless last-gasp victory away to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, thanks to Max Aarons’ dramatic winner deep into stoppage time.
It was a huge moment for Russell Martin, easing an element of pressure on him as Rangers manager, and Aarons couldn’t hide delight at his goal after the game.
“I feel amazing to get my first goal here, but to get a late winner under the circumstances, it was great. To be honest I thought we were really good today in large parts of the game. Although if we want to make it easier for ourselves that has to be across the whole game, but I think we deserved that win.
“I have dreamt of that and to do it in front of the away fans was amazing. I want more moments like that and more success here. I think that is more how we want to look and more how we want to play, that first half especially we had a good few chances.”
Rangers have been criticised for not adding enough high level experience during the transfer window, but could still turn to free agents, and it looks as though one player in that bracket is on their radar.
Rangers offered chance to sign free agent midfielder
According to Mark Hendry on his Substack, Rangers have been offered the chance to sign Pierre Ekwah, and he is open to a switch to Ibrox.
He reports that the 23-year-old “had his Saint-Etienne contract terminated by mutual consent back on September 1 and is on the lookout for a new club”, with the Gers “contacted by the player’s entourage” to determine whether a move is viable. He is a sought-after player, with clubs in Italy and Belgium keen on him, as well as some in England.
Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah.
Ekwah’s time at Saint-Etienne may not have ended too well, but he is a talented young footballer who has been rated highly for some time, making 61 appearances for Sunderland earlier in his career.
The Frenchman is a defensive midfielder by trade, but his versatility allows him to shine in a more attack-minded midfield role, as well as at centre-back. Meanwhile, former teammate Aimen Moueffek has heaped praise on Ekwah as a player, lauding his qualities both on and off the pitch.
“Pierre has relieved us, already because he’s as good a person off the pitch as he’s on the pitch, but also because his defensive strength is a major asset for the team. In addition to that, he has real quality to his game.”
Worse than Tavernier: Martin must drop Rangers flop who was saved by Aarons
Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin must drop this flop who was saved by Max Aarons against Livingston.
ByDan Emery Sep 29, 2025
Ekwah has the same agent as £72m Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe, who has redeemed himself since leaving the Gunners, and the former Sunderland man will be hoping they can help him perform a similar career redemption after leaving France in controversial fashion.
Ryan Longman failed to convert an easy chance as Wrexham suffered yet another Championship defeat at the hands of high-flying Stoke City. The loss comes as yet another setback for Ryan Reyndols and Rob Mac's side, who continue to remain in the bottom half of the league table. Sorba Thomas scored a stunning goal for the hosts in the 36th minute to seal a key win for his side.
Stoke too strong for Wrexham
Stoke City dominated possession in the first half-hour of the game, though it was Wrexham who looked more positive with their moves in quick counter-attacks. The Red Dragons had a golden opportunity to go one up in the game in the 24th minute when Ryan Longman found himself in front of goal but the Wrexham star somehow contrived to miss from close range. Issa Kabore entered the box from the right side and attempted a shot on goal, which was parried away by Viktor Johansson but the ball fell to Longman's feet. The winger had an empty net in front of him but could only find the side-netting with a lacklustre shot.
The miss proved costly for Wrexham as the hosts shortly broke the deadlock through Sorba Thomas' brilliant strike in the 36th minute. Stoke won their first corner of the match, which was taken by Lewis Baker, whose delivery lacked sting but it somehow went to Thomas on the left side. The Stoke winger quickly switched the ball to his right foot and took a shot which flew into the top right corner.
The home side could have doubled their minutes after the hour mark as Million Manhoef rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot. Baker initiated the move and found Manhoef, who cut into the penalty box on his left before unleashing a shot. Unfortunately for him, the ball came off the crossbar, saving Wrexham from more embarrassment.
Phil Parkinson's side had an opportunity to restore parity towards the end of the game when Aaron Cresswell almost sliced the ball into his own net, while trying to clear Liberato Cacace's cross but it went over the crossbar.
Wrexham's misery continued as they remained in 18th position after Saturday's result. They have managed to register just two wins out of their first 10 matches and have now lost four times.
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The MVP
Thomas stole the limelight in a match where both teams lacked sting in attack and remained toothless throughout the 90 minutes. The Welsh winger stepped up when his team needed him and scored the winner with a stunning effort in the first half to seal a crucial three points.
The big loser
Longman turned out to be the villain for Wrexham as he embarrassingly missed a sitter by being unable to find the back of the net in the 24th minute despite having an empty net in front of him. The miss cost the Red Dragons dearly as their six-game unbeaten run across all competitions came to an end. It's also the first time this season they've failed to find the back of the net in a Championship game.
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Estevao Willian arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer amid plenty of excitement, but Chelsea now believe another teenager could follow in his footsteps.
The Brazilian, who scored against Enzo Maresca’s side for ex-club Palmeiras at the Club World Cup, is being tipped for an incredibly bright future.
Despite being just 18, Estevao already boasts seven senior caps for the Brazil national side, and bagged his first goal for the five-time World Cup winners in a 3-0 victory over Chile in their last round of qualifiers.
By doing this, Estevao became the youngest Brazil goalscorer in a competitive match since footballing icon Pele.
For Chelsea, the bright young forward has already made three Premier League appearances and notched his first assist for the west Londoners in a 5-1 demolition of West Ham at the London Stadium.
He’s also poised to appear in the Champions League after being named in their official squad for the league phase — travelling with Maresca’s men to face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena this week.
6. Tosin Adarabioyo
7.20
7. Pedro Neto
7.10
8. Estevao
7.04
9. Enzo Fernández
7.03
10. Robert Sanchez
6.79
via WhoScored
All eyes are now on the dazzling teenager, who has been called the best talent to come out of Brazil since Neymar.
However, as Estevao continues to grab headlines with his potential, Stamford Bridge chiefs are convinced they’ll soon have the next “biggest thing” as well.
Chelsea convinced Dastan Satpaev could be their next Estevao
That is according to journalist Simon Phillips, who told his Substack that Chelsea expect big things from Dastan Satpaev — who’ll join Maresca’s side next summer once he turns 18.
Back in February, Chelsea agreed a £4 million deal to sign Satpaev from Kairat Almaty, which is a record transfer fee for the Kazakhstani first division.
Now, those within the club believe he actually could be the next Estevao.
Interestingly, Chelsea’s faith in Satpaev is backed up by Fabrizio Romano.
Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea really rate Satpaev
The reliable transfer journalist, speaking after Chelsea put pen to paper, revealed that BlueCo actually beat a German club to the youngster’s signature and are convinced he’s got “special” skills.
Khushdil has been fined 50% of his match fees and handed three demerit points
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2025Pakistan allrounder Khushdil Shah has been fined 50% of his match fees for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during their first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch.Khushdil has also been handed three demerit points. This was his first offence in a 24-month period.The incident occurred during the eighth over of Pakistan’s innings, when Khushdil hit the third ball from Foulkes past mid-on. He ran into the bowler, who had his back turned towards him, with his left shoulder. The umpire had a word with Khushdil after the batters ran two.Since Khushdil accepted the sanctions levelled by the umpires and match referee Jeff Crowe, no formal hearing was needed.Related
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Khushdil top-scored for Pakistan with 32 off 30 balls in the first T20I but had little support from the other end as they were bundled out for 91. Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen then helped New Zealand chase the target in 10.1 overs to give them a 1-0 lead.Pakistan have opted for a new-look side for the tour of New Zealand, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan dropped as they look to try out a more ‘high-risk’ approach.They will hope for a turnaround as the action moves to Dunedin for the second T20I.The two teams will also face off in three ODIs after the five T20Is.
Sam Curran’s credentials as a potential England white-ball captain have received a boost with his promotion to lead Surrey’s men in this year’s Vitality Blast.Curran, who has represented Surrey since U15s and first captained a Surrey side at U17s, was England’s player of the match and tournament when they won the T20 World Cup in 2022, but has been out of favour since the 2023 World Cup. He was not selected for Brendon McCullum’s initial white-ball squads this year, including the recent Champions Trophy in which Jos Buttler’s tenure as England captain ended.He captained Surrey for three Blast fixtures in 2023, standing in for Chris Jordan, whom he is now succeeding full-time. He has led Punjab Kings on a total of 11 occasions in the Indian Premier League in 2023 and 2024. This year he also captained Desert Vipers to the final of the recent ILT20.Curran has scored over 4,000 T20 runs and made his first T20 century in last year’s Vitality Blast against Hampshire at the Kia Oval. With the ball, he has over 250 T20 wickets with his left-arm seam and swing.He was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2019, and has represented England more than 120 times across all formats since making his debut in 2018.”I am deeply honoured and proud to have been appointed Surrey’s T20 captain,” Curran said. “It is a privilege to lead such a great group of players and to continue representing this iconic club.”I look forward to leading our team and will do everything I can to live up to the standards and expectations that Surrey prides itself on.”I am very determined to deliver trophies and try to replicate what has been achieved in the County Championship the last few years to make the Members and fans proud.”Surrey’s High Performance Cricket Advisor, Alec Stewart said: “I’d like to thank Chris Jordan for his three years as captain of the T20 side. He led the team to consecutive appearances at Finals Day and will remain a key part of the side on and off the field. CJ is one of the most senior players in the team and is greatly respected by everyone at the Club.”This is the right time for Sam to take over as the captain with where he’s at in his career. It’s a great opportunity for him to put his mark on the team and help to take us that one step further to deliver silverware. Sam has shown his leadership qualities already both at Surrey and in the IPL and he will bring a huge amount to the role.”Surrey’s first Vitality Blast fixture at the Kia Oval this year is on Thursday, June 5 when they take on Hampshire in a double-header matchday.
Clare Connor says ECB “won’t shy away from difficult conversations” around team’s leadership
Valkerie Baynes02-Feb-2025
Heather Knight’s position as captain is under pressure•Getty Images
A failure to cope with pressure and physical preparation will form key lines of inquiry during a review of England’s 16-0 Ashes drubbing aimed at turning performances around in time for the 50-over World Cup in October.Clare Connor, managing director of England women’s cricket, confirmed the review would consider team leadership – including, but not restricted to, head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight, as well as all aspects of team fitness.”It’s been very evident that the Australia women’s cricket team are setting new standards of athleticism in our sport and that’s obviously one area where we have been out-shone,” Connor said.”One thing I think will be true is that our players will have to look at that level of athleticism and speed and power and the athleticism that is evident in their fielding and see that as a new benchmark.”Credit to Australia for taking the standards of international women’s cricket to another level over the last month. Their ruthlessness in doing that is admirable and I think will give us a huge amount to think about as we go home and reflect.”Clare Connor will lead England’s post-Ashes inquest•Getty Images
England lost every match of the multi-format Ashes series which ended with an innings defeat inside three days in the MCG Test after failing to register any points from the three ODIs or three T20Is, losing two of the latter by more than 50 runs.They were dominated physically and mentally by the Australians, who suffered several injuries to key players yet were able to adapt and crush their opponents.”One of the main things that is evident is the ability to play under pressure,” Connor said. “We have shown glimpses of being able to do that, certain individuals have, but as a collective we have to be honest and say that we haven’t handled the pressure of this series in the way that we want to and we’ll need to compete in future Ashes and a World Cup every year. That’ll be a key area of focus, and how we fast-track that capability.”Related
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Performing under pressure isn’t a new focus for the team. During England’s home summer in 2024 when they hosted Pakistan and New Zealand, coaching staff put the team in various unexpected scenarios such as last-minute team changes, and Knight sitting a game out.But those attempts to accelerate learning against sides which otherwise posed little challenge fell flat against the mighty Australians, and at the T20 World Cup before that, where England exited in the group stages after a shocking fielding performance against West Indies.”One of the reflections, immediate reflections, and I’m sure it’ll evolve over the coming weeks, is the sort of scarcity of time when our players are under pressure,” Connor said.”The run-in to the T20 World Cup last October, we’d dominated all of the cricket we’d played in for almost 18 months. Within that were two white-ball series wins against Australia in the home Ashes in 2023 where we got onto a run of confidence and performance and skill that exposed Australia under pressure and showed some of their vulnerability when you can get into them.”While Connor spoke of trying to find more ways to put players under pressure, including through the domestic system and A-team tours, another theme emerged.England seem to struggle with tempering the confidence gained from successfully navigating those situations with the reality of facing a superior side. They need to move beyond the satisfaction of pushing Australia in 2023 and focus on ways to dominate them.Hosting India this summer before big crowds could prove a helpful test ahead of October’s 50-over World Cup in India, and Connor believes there is no alternative but to turn England’s form around by then.”We have to do that,” she said. “We have to use time wisely. We’ve now got the opportunity to really hold the mirror up to where we are and what has gone well and what hasn’t gone well and what needs to happen and when, by whom, to take the team forward.”England dropped catches with alarming regularity across the tour•AFP/Getty Images
England’s World Cup and Ashes shortcomings have put Lewis and Knight under pressure. Immediately after the Melbourne Test, Lewis said he believed he was the right person to take the team forward, while Knight said she wouldn’t make any knee-jerk declarations on her future as captain.”I think there’s a lot of collective learning for us around leadership,” Connor told a media briefing by phone from Melbourne. “Heather and Jon are more disappointed and frustrated than anybody.”Everybody on this call knows what Heather Knight pumps into being England women’s captain. So that will form part of discussions over the coming weeks, all of the areas of accountability in our set-up, with the ultimate goal of, in the short term, being ready for this summer and then being ready to get on a plane to the World Cup in India.”With any team sport defeat or success, responsibility for that and accountability lies with lots of us. It’s not just the captain and the head coach, it’s people who are all in leadership positions making decisions. We won’t shy away from difficult and honest conversations about how to take the team forward because that’s our jobs, for several of us.”England were thrashed 16-0 in Australia•Getty Images
The absence of a clear-cut successor to Knight amid a four-pronged leadership group that also includes Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone, or beyond, should also be considered when assessing the captaincy position.Connor said Ecclestone’s refusal to give a pitch-side TV interview to former team-mate, now broadcaster, Alex Hartley during the Ashes “was an unfortunate incident that won’t happen again”.That followed Hartley’s comments after England bowed out of the T20 World Cup, in which she said that a handful of players were “letting the team down” with their fitness levels.”Our players in general… embrace their media obligations,” Connor said. “It matters to them to be good role models for women’s cricket and the England women’s cricket team. As professional women’s cricket has developed at the rate that it has over recent years, that scrutiny is something that we will all have to embrace and accept.”
Sri Lanka’s spinners picked up nine wickets as West Indies bundled out for 89 in chase of 163
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2024Sri Lanka’s spinners ripped through the West Indies batters on a turning Dambulla surface to level the series at one apiece, as they won the second T20I by 73 runs.Debutant Dunith Wellalage – belatedly making his T20I bow – was the pick of the bowlers, ending with figures of 3 for 9, while Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka grabbed two each. Matheesha Pathirana was the sole seamer to pick up a wicket in the innings.With the bat, Pathum Nissanka’s 54 off 49 had helped set the platform as Sri Lanka did well to keep a steady run rate throughout their innings, having won the toss and elected to bat first. There were also runs for Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera and Kamindu Mendis, but this game was all about Sri Lanka’s spinners who showed total dominance in the West Indian chase.Sri Lanka spinners flex their skillsHasaranga, Sri Lanka’s premier spinner, bowled his first delivery of the game in the 11th over of the chase. And the fact that he picked up a wicket with that delivery was perhaps the least remarkable aspect about it.What was more astounding was that he was the sixth bowler used by Sri Lanka, and West Indies had still managed to collapse to 39 for 6. But who needs Hasaranga when you have the world-renowned offspin stylings of, um, Charith Asalanka. Yes, with two left-hand batters at the crease, the Sri Lanka captain opted to introduce himself and a right-arm variant of Kamindu Mendis ahead of Hasaranga.Maheesh Theekshana chipped in with two wickets•Associated PressAnd it worked too. Asalanka’s two overs brought two wickets for just six runs – and those weren’t even the best figures at that stage of the game. No, that honour belonged to Wellalage – though he is by no means new to the international stage – who had grabbed three for himself.In the lead-up to the game, Asalanka had stated how he had expected more for the spinners in the first T20I, and his wish was granted and then some in the second. Gudakesh Motie turning the ball square in the first innings would have set off West Indies’ alarm bells, but not even that could have prepared them for a 100kph sharp-turning offbreak from Theekshana.WI need to go back to drawing boardThe first T20I had seen the West Indies batters execute their plans to perfection and put Sri Lanka’s bowlers to the sword. Stepping out, moving around in the crease, using the depth, everything came off, with the last over-finish in reality nowhere close as it looked.Sri Lanka, though, took their learnings and came back stronger – mainly in that they were prepared for what this surface was set to offer, replacing pace-bowling allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe with Wellalage.West Indies, however, seemed to have missed the memo, and had only two spinners in their line-up. And those two – Motie and Roston Chase – did their part, going for just 37 off their collective eight overs. It will not be a surprise if Fabian Allen gets a go in the final game.West Indies’ batters then seemed at a loss on how to deal with Sri Lanka’s array of spin threats, expertly utilising the conditions along with clever variations in pace, line and length. West Indies will need to come up with plans soon if they are to pose a threat in Thursday’s decider.Nissanka shines in hindsightOn the face of it, Nissanka’s innings seemed to be more detrimental than anything else – and by the standards of modern T20 cricket, it was not too difficult to understand why. This was an innings that saw 42 runs come in boundaries (9 fours and a six) but also included 27 dot balls.Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis added 77 for the first wicket•Associated PressIn fact, it was a microcosm of Sri Lanka’s innings as a whole; they played out 58 dots. It meant that in five of the first ten overs less than five runs were scored, and roughly half of their powerplay total of 52 was plundered in one Shamar Joseph over, where a combination of luck and belligerence saw Nissanka plunder 25 runs.But if that over was meant to signal the start of Sri Lanka’s onslaught, Nissanka and Co seemed to have other ideas. That over ensured that the first three overs, in which Sri Lanka scrounged together eight runs, were quickly in the rearview; by the end of the powerplay Sri Lanka’s run rate was at a healthy 8.66 – but that was the highest it would reach at any point across their innings.The rest of Nissanka’s time at the crease was spent punctuating periods of dot deliveries and the odd single with an odd boundary. But the time he spent at the crease ensured he was able to do this consistently – and with it keep Sri Lanka’s scoring rate ticking above seven an over.Anchors are largely considered obsolete in T20s, but on a wicket such as this Nissanka – who was named Player of the Match – proved to be invaluable (even if it did not seem so at the time), as he allowed the likes of Perera to take early risks. And then with wickets in hand for the death overs, the middle and lower order hit out freely. As a result, Sri Lanka struck 85 runs in the last ten overs – just four short of West Indies’ final total.
Leeds United continued their pre-season preparations over the weekend as they held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw in their latest friendly ahead of the Premier League season.
Daniel Farke’s side boasted new signings Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Sean Longstaff, whilst the Whites are also set for another new face.
As you can see in the post from Graham Smyth above, Hoffenheim central midfielder Anton Stach is closing in on a permanent move to Elland Road from the Bundesliga outfit.
One player who is not going to be a part of the squad for next season, though, is experienced striker Patrick Bamford, who has been told that he is not in Farke’s plans.
The German head coach has confirmed that he has spoken with the English forward to tell him that he will be training with the U21 team until he can find a new club.
It is now down to Leeds and Bamford to find an ideal solution for him before the end of the summer transfer window, with one year remaining on his contract.
Why Patrick Bamford is not in Daniel Farke's plans
Farke explained his thought process behind his decision on the long-serving Whites number nine, saying: “Patrick is a player who needs right now, at this stage, to be the main man right. He needs the backing, the arm around the shoulder, after difficult years to be there was confidence. And then if Patrick gets this he will score goals.
“He will score on each every level because he’s a top player. But after the last two seasons, I was not willing to say come on you are right now our main man on a permanent level.”
This suggests that the decision has been made with both the club’s and Bamford’s best interests at heart, as it will allow the player to go and pursue a move that would see him play regularly, whilst potentially creating space for Leeds to bring in another forward to improve their team.
Patrick Bamford’s underwhelming form
Season
Appearances
Starts
xG
Goals
24/25 (Championship)
17
0
2.11
0
23/24 (Championship)
33
15
9.52
8
22/23 (Premier League)
28
18
8.61
4
21/22 (Premier League)
9
7
N/A
2
20/21 (Premier League)
38
37
N/A
17
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the veteran striker is not the same player he was when he took the Premier League by storm under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign.
His form in the last three seasons does not suggest that he is likely to make enough of an impact at the top level to be a genuine starting-calibre option, which is why it is the right call to allow him to move on.
Leeds plotting bid for new striker
Leeds, who have already signed Lukas Nmecha, are in the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the summer transfer window slams shut.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, the Championship champions remain interested in a deal to sign Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz.
The reporter claims that the West Yorkshire outfit are hoping to bank some cash from a sale of Mateo Joseph, whom they value at £10m, to fund a new bid to tempt the Cottagers into cashing in on the Brazilian striker.
Fulham'sRodrigoMunizin action with AFC Bournemouth's Lewis Cook
He states that Celta Vigo, who have money to spend after selling Fer Lopez to Wolves, and Real Betis are both eyeing up a potential swoop for Joseph this summer.
Muniz has reportedly been valued at £50m by Fulham, though, and it remains to be seen how much Leeds will be able to spend on him, even if they bank £10m for the Spanish youngster.
Why Muniz would be a huge upgrade on Bamford
Bamford being moved on because Farke cannot guarantee that he will be the main man in the Premier League makes even more sense when you consider the club’s ongoing pursuit of Muniz.
The Brazilian centre-forward would arrive at Elland Road as a huge upgrade on the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough man, as a star who has showcased his quality in the Premier League in the last two seasons.
Rodrigo Muniz Premier League stats – Fulham
As you can see in the graphic above, Muniz is already an experienced forward in the top-flight, with 17 goals to his name for the Cottagers to date.
The 24-year-old marksman, who was hailed as “seriously impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has performed even better at Premier League level than Bamford has in the Championship in the last two seasons, hence why he would be a huge upgrade for Leeds in the number nine position.
Last two seasons
Muniz (Premier League)
Bamford (Championship)
Appearances
57
50
Starts
26
15
xG
14.43
11.63
Goals
17
8
Big chances created
3
1
Assists
2
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Muniz has scored nine more goals and provided one more assist than the Whites attacker in the last two years, whilst playing at a higher level.
These statistics show that the Brazilian striker is an efficient and clinical centre-forward who can make the most of the chances that are created for him, outperforming his xG by more than two goals.
Whereas Bamford’s finishing let the team down far too often, underperforming his xG by almost four goals in the Championship in that time, which suggests that he may have been a liability in front of goal in the Premier League next season.
This further explains why Farke’s decision to leave the striker out of his squad for the 2025/26 campaign makes a lot of sense, as the club are looking to bring in a forward who would be a huge upgrade on him in the top-flight.
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However, it is now down to Leeds to find Bamford a new club and to secure a deal with Fulham to bring Muniz to West Yorkshire before the end of the window.