All posts by n8rngtd.top

After stunning partnership, Bairstow says Stokes’ batting complementary to his, meaning “people don’t like to bowl at us”

Alan Gardner26-Mar-20212:36

Bell: ‘Some of the best power-hitting you’ll see’

England stuck to their “no fear” philosophy and came good to level the series in Pune, testament to faith in their methods as well as the strength in depth they possess in the batting department. Even without Joe Root, who has been rested for this series, and the injured Eoin Morgan and Sam Billings, England powered to a target of 337 on the back of Jonny Bairstow’s hundred and a 52-ball 99 from Ben Stokes.Despite having collapsed in the face of a smaller target in the first ODI, going from 135 without loss after 14.1 overs to 251 all out, England showed no signs of changing their approach. Another century opening stand was followed by Bairstow and Stokes opening up the throttle during a partnership of 175 in 18.5 overs, as England got home with more than six overs to spare.”Obviously we were bitterly disappointed in that first game, with the way that we played the chase, but I think it was pretty clear that we were going to go out with the same intent as we always do,” Stokes told the host broadcaster Star Sports. “We’re really happy that we managed to get over the line quite easily, especially when India set a really challenging total. [The pitch] was probably a bit quicker than the first game, but over the years we’ve set big totals, we’ve chased big totals, so we don’t really fear too much, to be honest, and we go out and we always try and play as positively as we can.”That sentiment was echoed by Bairstow, who followed up 94 from 66 balls in the first match with 124 from 112 to set up a series decider on Sunday, the final encounter of England’s tour of India.”If you actually break the game down only from a couple of days ago, we were way ahead of the game,” he said. “A couple of bits happened and a couple of wickets fell but we were way ahead of that game and that was something that we went away and spoke about and identified. To win that, chase down 337 with six-seven overs left and six wickets in the shed is something that we were really pleased with.”England were forced to make two changes to their batting line-up after the first ODI, with captain Morgan ruled out of the series by a hand injury and Billings missing with a bruised collar bone. Dawid Malan, currently the No. 1-ranked T20I batsman, came in for only his second ODI appearance and alongside Liam Livingstone saw England home after a minor wobble in which they lost 3 for 2 in nine balls.The sight of Livingstone, on debut, striking Bhuvneshwar Kumar for back-to-back sixes having barely taken any time to settle at the crease was again indicative of England’s aggression.”I think that’s the biggest thing, and we’ve spoken about it for a period of time now, that strength in depth in the squad,” Bairstow said. “You’ve seen it many times, people coming in and performing. And also, Morgs has spoken about backing people that are in place in their positions because if you’re in a side and you’re not sure if you’re playing the next game, it can add some anxieties to it. But with the way that Morgs has gone about it, if you’re playing and you’re in possession he’ll give you a proper crack.Having scored his 11th ODI hundred, Bairstow is now behind only Root, Morgan and Marcus Trescothick for England. All of Bairstow’s centuries have come since he moved up to open in 2017, during which time he has formed a formidable opening partnership with Roy.”Well naturally I’d like to have the most ODI hundreds for England. I’m happy. I think that’s the biggest thing since opening the batting. I’ve got 11 [hundreds], I think I’ve opened only 56-57 [56] times so yeah I’m happy with those figures – but they mean nothing if you don’t keep converting them in the future. So, look, I’m happy with how I’m playing cricket at the moment and I’m really enjoying it.”Related

• Conway in top five among T20I batsmen; Stokes, Henry and Bhuvneshwar rise on ODI charts

• Buttler upbeat about exposure to local conditions before T20 World Cup

• Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes decimate India to level series

• Stats – Sixes galore and spin suffers in record-breaking England win

• Hardik Pandya could be in line for a Test return in England

While Bairstow and Roy have now added 13 century opening stands together in ODIs, this was only the second time that Bairstow and Stokes have notched three figures together. They were particularly severe on India’s spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya, during a five-over period that went for 87, with Stokes in destructive mood – from 50 off 40 balls, he went 6-6-6-1-6-4-2-6-6-2-4 before tickling a Kumar bouncer behind.”We speak about match-ups in our changing room, and against the opposition, and I took the decision that with the spinners coming on, that was my match-up, to take the risk and just let Jonny keep doing his thing,” Stokes said. “He’s in unbelievable form at the moment so you don’t really need to be talking too much to him. Just let him get on with his business. But it’s all about picking your match-ups.”Bairstow added that his and Stokes’ complementary strengths meant that “people don’t like to bowl at us”.”You can make the obvious comparisons of being right-handed and left-handed,” he said. “Because then all of a sudden if there’s a left-arm orthodox that’s turning it into Ben, then give him the strike because you know the power and how destructive he can be and vice versa.”I think that we complement each other well, like with Jason at the top of the order. But then [Stokes] being the left-hander and scoring in some slightly different areas, you’re making the bowler of think all the time as to where they need to deliver the ball. It’s a good place to be.”

Last season, one of the longest postseason droughts in MLB finally came to an end after the Tigers reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Now, the Angels stand alone as the owners of the longest active playoff drought.

It's not looking likely that the Halos will be playing into October this season, either, so their league-leading streak of 10 straight seasons without a postseason berth could increase to 11. We'll take a look at some of the longest playoff droughts in the league history.

Longest Postseason Droughts in MLB History

Throughout MLB history, there have been some extremely long postseason droughts, though none of the recent stretches have been longer than that of the Montreal Expos, who's playoff drought eventually transferred to the Washington Nationals when the franchise relocated. From 1982 to 2011, the Expos/Nationals were held out of the postseason, a streak that lasted 29 years. Prior to 1969, the teams with the best record in American League and National League met in the World Series, without any expanded postseason play.

That drought remains the longest ever in MLB's divisional era, and we'll compare how it stacks up against some of the other lengthy droughts throughout league history, as well as since the introduction of the divisional era in 1969.

Longest Playoff Droughts in MLB History (All Time)

Longest Playoff Droughts in MLB's Divisional Era (Since 1969)

Longest Active Playoff Droughts in MLB

Of the teams with the longest active droughts, only the Cubs are currently on pace to reach the postseason. The Reds are still in the hunt for a wild card spot, but would need a tremendous month of September to snap their four-year long drought.

Stokes faces both offspinners in floodlit nets session as England consider change to all-pace strategy

Vithushan Ehantharajah01-Dec-2025Around 20 punters watched England’s first evening net at the Gabba ahead of the day-night Ashes Test starting on Thursday.The outdoor facilities at this historic but ageing colosseum are the most amenable in the world for observers, offering a behind-the-batter view of what it’s like to face the fiercest bowlers going. There were plenty of eyes on the lane closest to Main Street, as Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson steamed in with the pink Kookaburra ball.But it was the net furthest away that had the most immediate interest ahead of the second Test. Both Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks were bowling their offspin to England captain Ben Stokes, duking it out for what seems, at this juncture, the last available spot in the XI.Related

• Ten years since Adelaide, pink-ball Tests remain an Australian speciality

• Root unperturbed by 'challenge' of facing pink-ball master Starc

• Khawaja gets a good workout ahead of pink-ball Test

• Steven Smith bats with 'eye blacks' ahead of pink-ball challenge

• Wood set to miss second Test after long road back from injury

Mark Wood has been ruled out – England are optimistic his heavily strapped left knee will get adequate rest to ensure he is back in the mix for Adelaide – but the other 10 starters from the defeat in Perth are likely to be rolled out again.Josh Tongue is the most like-for-like replacement if the tourists want to repeat their all-pace attack from Perth. But they are understood to be trending more towards spin in their bid to come back from 1-0 down, with the expectation that the pink Kookaburra will soften earlier than the red one.The pair have had very different routes to these Ashes. Bashir has been the captain’s go-to spinner since a shock call-up to the India tour at the start of 2024, with 68 wickets in 19 caps to date. His traits – a high release-point, revs coming from over the top of the ball – were deemed better suited to Test pitches (particularly Australian ones) compared to traditional English, doorknob-turning finger spinners.Jacks, an allrounder, was the first conventional offspinner picked by Stokes, drafted on the tour of Pakistan in the winter of 2022 for his only two Test caps after developing as Surrey’s primary spin option. He took 6 for 161 in his first go on debut – the first Test at Rawalpindi – and showed his dexterity as a batter by slotting in at No. 3 in the second innings of the next Test in Multan to give Ollie Pope extra rest after keeping. That he is on this tour owes as much to his batting – destructive qualities, and comfort filling in any top six position – and his tall action and ambition with the ball.Bashir is understood to be the one in pole position, though it was Jacks who seemed to have the better of it on Monday night, before padding up. Nets can only tell you so much, of course. Stokes and the rest of England’s batters were focused on getting attuned to the shift from day to night, and then how the floodlights transformed the grass beneath their feet. They will have one more hit in similar conditions on Wednesday before they get going in their attempts to square the series.Visiting spinners have had very little success with the pink ball over here, collectively managing just 28 wickets at 64.03. Joe Root’s three in the Adelaide Test on the 2021-22 tour has him joint-second on that list (with Yasir Shah); Dawid Malan is joint-fourth with two picked up from that same game. R Ashwin sits top with six at 20.66.England would not be wrong to look at Nathan Lyon’s impressive record of 43 dismissals at 25.62 from his 13 day-night home Tests and surmise spin is a must. But they may take more meaningful notes from Kevin Sinclair’s cameo in Australia’s one and only pink ball defeat.That came here at the Gabba last year. Sinclair – also an offspinner – struck a vital 50 and then 14 not out, both from No. 7, in a tight eight-run win. He bowled just eight overs, all in Australia’s first innings which sandwiched his batting efforts, but was able to snare Usman Khawaja for 75. Replicating Sinclair’s impact rather than Lyon’s is a far easier task and would favour Jacks.It will be these cues from day-night affairs in Australia, and England’s own learnings from the seven they have played, that will continue to be disseminated among the group over the coming days. The entire top five played in England’s last pink-ball Test – against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui in 2023 – but Jamie Smith, for instance, will be playing his first of any kind.”We’ve spoken with the guys who have played some pink-ball games, and had a look at some of the pink-ball games that have been played in Australia in the past four or five years,” Carse said. His only day-night match happened to be in this country for England Lions against Australia A at Melbourne in January 2020.”On an evening, it does seem to do a little bit more, especially if you have a slightly newer ball, which I’m sure we’ll take into consideration throughout the game. It’s going to be exciting. I’m expecting a massive crowd, a hostile crowd. The guys are really looking forward to it.”I think looking back at a couple of highlights of previous games played in Australia, it’s certainly very admirable how their new-ball bowling goes. You know, they strike early and I think that’s going to be important, whether that’s certain lines we’ll be bowling or maybe bowling a touch fuller to let it swing. They’ve played some really good cricket with a pink ball. So, yeah, I’d like to say that we’ve had a look at some of the stuff that they’ve done over the previous years.”

New Zealand have had several injury setbacks during their World Cup campaign, but their stand-in captain has ensured they have four wins in four games

Deivarayan Muthu20-Oct-2023No Kane Williamson? No problem for New Zealand. Tom Latham has made sure of that.When Williamson hadn’t fully recovered from surgery for the anterior cruciate ligament he ruptured in the IPL this year, Latham led New Zealand to victory in their World Cup opener against England in Ahmedabad. Then, when Williamson fractured his thumb against Bangladesh, Latham once again captained New Zealand to a 149-run win against Afghanistan.Latham insists his leadership style is similar to Williamson’s but there’s a bit of Brendon McCullum about him. He doesn’t let the game drift and isn’t afraid of taking risks. Against England, for instance, he gambled on using Matt Henry in the middle overs rather than holding him back for the death. Henry whipped up a wobble-seam delivery to dismiss Jos Buttler and cracked the game open for New Zealand. Against Afghanistan, Latham similarly brought Trent Boult back in the middle overs and dismissed allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn the 2015 World Cup, McCullum used to try and kill off games in the powerplay by giving extended new-ball spells to Boult and Tim Southee. Now, Latham is trying to kill off games in the middle overs. Wickets lost between overs 31 and 40 significantly diminish a team’s ability to finish strong. That’s why Latham goes to his best options even if it leaves him short-handed later. It’s also why when he batted during this phase against Afghanistan on Wednesday, he prioritised being out there at the death over breaking the shackles. And it worked. New Zealand may have scored only three boundaries between overs 31 and 40 but they quadrupled that count in overs 41-50. Latham, as captain, appears innately tuned to the rhythm of the game.”I don’t think I’m a captain that’s hugely different to how Kane operates,” Latham tells ESPNcricinfo. “For me, it’s always been about the team in terms of trying to ensure we continue doing what we’ve done as a group as best as possible, rather than me coming in and doing something that’s completely different. I think when you’re forced into a situation when you have a couple of injuries, obviously Lockie [Ferguson] going down [with back stiffness against England]… It was tight in terms of how you want to operate, but from that game for me it was about trying to be proactive as best as you can.”I guess it comes across as me making the right decisions, but at the end of the day it’s the bowlers doing the job. They’re the ones taking the wickets, so that in turn makes the captaincy look like it’s a good thing, but I think from our bowlers’ point of view, they’ve been doing a fantastic job, especially in that first game. For me, it’s always been about trying to be proactive, especially in this tournament where conditions are slightly different than what we are used to back home.”Latham was destined to be a leader. At 14, he took on Shane Bond on his Christchurch senior club debut. At 20, he became Canterbury’s youngest captain, and more recently in 2021, he marshalled Canterbury to the one-day Ford Trophy title. But Latham downplays all of that and says he’s still a work in progress as a captain.Related

• Tactics board: India's top order vs Boult and Henry, Santner's threat in the middle overs

• Unbeaten India, New Zealand clash with history on their back

• NZ keep perfect record as Afghanistan fall apart in chase of 289

• Hardik Pandya ruled out of NZ game with ankle injury

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be in this group since 2012, I think, when I made my debut. So, I’m sort of one of the older ones (laughs) in the group or one of the more experienced guys, so you tend to lean on experiences that you’ve had in the past – whether that would be through playing or being a leader, but I guess we’ve been fortunate enough … certainly in my time as a Black Cap, we’ve had some great leaders – the likes of Brendon McCullum, and obviously Kane, who is the captain of this team.”Latham also draws inspiration from former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. “Being from Canterbury, I’ve been a passionate Crusaders supporter and an All Blacks supporter,” Latham says. “I guess seeing what he did with the All Blacks and also with the Crusaders was pretty inspiring. Probably more so with the player he was but also the leader he was. So, as I said, sometimes it’s not necessarily the on-field stuff, it’s the off-field stuff that’s probably more important in terms of pushing the team in the right direction.”ESPNcricinfo LtdLike his captaincy, Latham’s batting often goes unnoticed. In Tests, he does the difficult job of opening in result-oriented conditions. In ODIs, he has to deal with spinners operating with the softer ball, and his middle-order numbers are among the best in the world. Since the end of the 2019 World Cup, Latham has scored 1345 runs in 36 innings at an average of 43.38 and strike rate of 91.12. Among middle-order batters in this World Cup, only Mushfiqur Rahim, KL Rahul and Charith Asalanka have more runs than Latham during this period.”I guess for me, from a one-day point of view, the challenge batting in the middle order is that the situation is always different,” Latham says. “You could be in at 30 for 3 or you could be in at 200 for 3. So being adaptable is probably the biggest thing that I’ve learnt in this role since batting in the middle order – trying to read every situation as best as possible and understanding who is batting around you.”Again, conditions are going to be different on different surfaces and I guess we’re probably going to see this throughout the World Cup, where pitches might start to deteriorate a bit towards the end of the tournament. Being adaptable for me is the biggest thing and it’s something I pride myself on as best as I can.”Latham admits he isn’t a big power-hitter down the ground. Instead, he tries to attack spinners with a variety of sweeps, including the reverse. Latham minimises the risk of sweeping by getting his front pad out of the way and maintaining a low centre of gravity.”It’s a shot that I don’t necessarily practice a lot,” Latham explains, when asked about how he chooses the sweep. “Some guys can just stand there and whack it back over their [bowlers] heads like that. For me, that’s not necessarily an easy shot. Playing a sweep shot comes a little bit naturally to me. You just see the length or the line and then play accordingly. Again, every bowler is slightly different and there are different challenges with the sweep shot – whether there’s more bounce, quicker or slower.”Latham recalls nailing the sweep against India at the Wankhede in 2017, in what was his first innings from the middle order in India. The shot could serve him well in their World Cup match against India in Dharamsala on Sunday.”I do remember a series over here,” Latham says. “I mean it was the first time that I actually batted in the middle order. When I first started, we played in Mumbai, then to Pune and Kanpur and that time it was a shot that was working really well. I was just able to react to the ball and in these conditions where it’s slightly slower, I tend to use the sweep shot a little bit more. And from a bowler’s point of view, you tend to sweep their best ball and again there have been times where it hasn’t worked so well, but I guess that’s the beauty of batting.”While most of the attention will be on Rohit Sharma when he walks out for the toss with Latham on Sunday, underestimate the New Zealand captain at your own peril.

Newcastle United are becoming quite the force in the transfer market and could now be able to tempt a high-profile star to St James’ Park in the near future.

Wissa injury puts dampener on Newcastle's new arrivals

Excitement has engulfed the North East air as supporters await Yoane Wissa’s debut following his £55 million move from Brentford on Deadline Day. Nevertheless, the DR Congo international may need to wait a little while before being able to pull on the famous black and white for the first time after Eddie Howe confirmed he picked up a knee injury before his side took on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He explained: “Unfortunately not, no, so he won’t make this game (vs Wolves). I saw him for the first time yesterday. He’s feeling the effects of the injury he sustained just before he came off, so we’re going to have to see how he is.”

Later, he added on a potential timescale for his return: “I don’t know currently as I sit here. I think he’ll go away for tests and maybe see a specialist to see.”

Jacob Ramsey also missed out due to an ankle issue, leaving Howe short on options as his side look to climb the Premier League table. Nevertheless, Newcastle retain a strong squad with proven top-flight quality, and Nick Woltemade got off to the perfect start with a fine headed goal to open the scoring against Wolves.

Tino Livramento could be in line for a new contract to ward off Manchester City’s advances, albeit the Magpies have needed to deal with change this summer, signifying that incomings in January may be likely.

Adhering to their preference of bringing in Premier League talent, Newcastle are now looking to tempt a renowned star to the North East who has previously been on their radar.

Newcastle United target Jan Paul van Hecke open to Magpies switch

According to Football Insider, Newcastle target Jan Paul van Hecke is open to joining the Magpies due to the prospect of being able to play Champions League football in the North East.

Valued at £60 million, PIF held internal talks about signing the Netherlands international during the summer window and Dan Burn was even drafted in to try and convince him that a move to St James’ Park would be best for his career.

Worth even more than Anderson: Newcastle struck gold on "one of the best"

Newcastle have so much talent running through Eddie Howe’s first-team squad.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 12, 2025

Deemed as an alternative signing to Crystal Palace central defender Marc Guehi, the 25-year-old has made just shy of 100 appearances for the Seagulls, registering one goal and three assists.

Establishing himself as a reliable presence within Fabian Hurzeler’s backline, Van Hecke has already been a consistent figure for the Seagulls on Premier League duty in 2025/26.

Ultimately, plenty can change between now and the January window, though Newcastle already seem to be building a shortlist of exciting targets.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has defended Florian Wirtz following his underwhelming start to life at Liverpool after signing for the Reds in a deal worth £116 million. Wirtz came in for fresh criticism following Liverpool's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, but Nagelsmann feels the team's strikers could help out by finishing some of the chances the German star creates.

• Wirtz continues to struggle

  Wirtz failed to shine again on Sunday as Liverpool slumped to a seventh defeat in their last 10 games in all competitions. Liverpool's big-money buy has failed to manage a single goal or assist in the Premier League side since arriving at Anfield in the summer and has only show a few glimmers of the talent that persuaded the Reds to invest so heavily in his services. His performances have already drawn plenty of criticism, with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger even claiming his arrival has "destroyed" Liverpool's midfield.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Nagelsmann takes aim at Liverpool

  Nagelsmann has been quick to defend Wirtz and feels he simply needs time to prove himself. He told reporters: "Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. They somehow don't like to shoot the ball in. To be honest, the overall situation doesn't make it easy for Flo either. The whole club isn't as stable this year as it was last year. It's much harder to slip into the team now. If you look at the game against [Manchester] City, they were actually the worse team over the 90 minutes. So it's also difficult for Flo to make a big impact. Ultimately, the overall situation is such that he just needs a little more time, which is normal; you see that with other players who move to the Premier League too.

  "We all know what he's capable of, and it's perfectly normal for a player of his age to go through a bit of a dip in form. We can't expect him to perform at the same level for three years straight. Instead, we all need to support him a little bit so that he can clear his head here, and then maybe Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. That would be one idea, because he does not create few chances, it's just that… they somehow don't like to shoot the ball in, that's also part of the truth."

• Wirtz branded a 'little boy' after City loss

  Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville didn't hold back in his criticism of Wirtz after watching Liverpool comfortably beaten by City. He told : "Wirtz is a problem. Let's just call it as it is. It's an issue. He's £100m+, and to be fair, I said a few weeks ago [Milos] Kerkez looked like a little boy out there. Today, I thought Wirtz looked like a little boy. That can't be the case.

  "We've been tiptoeing around him for a few months, around the fact that he's young, he's coming to a new country, but he's £100m+, you're going to have to stand up soon. He's obviously got something, he's a really good player, he's technically fantastic, but he's been mauled out there today by Matheus Nunes and by others. He's been chucked around the pitch, and didn't deliver on the quality side of things as well, so his performance was a real worry."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Can Wirtz regain form with Germany?

  Wirtz is now with the Germany squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers against against Luxembourg and Slovakia and will hope he can try and regain some kind of form before returning to Liverpool. Germany can secure top spot in Group A, and with it automatic qualification to next year's tournament, with two wins from their final fixtures. Wirtz will then head back to Liverpool with Nottingham Forest first up for Slot's side after the international break.

Although a significant transfer is off the table for Manchester United this January, they will still look to reinforce their squad before the end of deadline day.

Erik ten Hag's squad has been relatively thin all season due to injuries, yet that problem will only worsen with a few players on their way out.

Therefore, to avoid a repeat of the first half of the season, United will become active in the latter stage of the window.

Man United want to sign a centre-back

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Man United have inquired about a potential loan deal for Matthijs de Ligt.

The Dutch centre-back is estimated to be worth £43m as per CIES Football Observatory, but he could become a stop-gap signing this winter.

The fact that United are in a rebuilding period means that a loan seems to be the way forward, alongside their financial fair play restrictions.

How De Ligt would fit into the United starting XI

Injuries have been a problem across the entire team for the Red Devils this season, but their centre-backs have been particularly affected.

Every single central defender, bar Willy Kambwala, has picked up an injury this season, but luckily, Lisandro Martinez returned to the field against Spurs last time out.

The Argentine is hands-down United's first-choice left centre-back, with Ten Hag valuing his on-the-ball ability and proactivity. However, the boss has yet to find a perfect partner for the number six that he can rely on, which is why the loan move for De Ligt has come into the picture.

The 24-year-old defender was the rock and leader of Ten Hag's Ajax team that reached the semi-final of the 2018/19 Champions League campaign, which is why he's been described as a "generational talent" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig. However, he has fallen out of favour at Bayern Munich and only played 14 games across all competitions.

Nonetheless, let's take a look at De Ligt's stats from the last year and how they compare to his positional peers from Europe's top five leagues.

The biggest attribute of the former Juventus star is his ability to control a game via his technical qualities and vast passing range, which is also one of Martinez's biggest strengths, as highlighted by the fact he had the second most accurate passes per game for United last season.

As a pairing, they would assert so much dominance in possession, rarely losing it while also having the ability to feed those higher up the field. They would also bring the best out of Andre Onana's passing qualities while allowing Ten Hag to switch to his playing out-from-the-back philosophy.

Furthermore, De Ligt's pure power and athleticism allow him to be dominant in the air, which would help United become more dangerous from crosses while also making them less likely to concede from set pieces. This is particularly important when next to Martinez, who ranks in the bottom 2% for aerials won across the top European leagues, as per FBref.

Overall, De Ligt would make United a much more balanced team, and his composed approach would work perfectly alongside the aggressive Argentine. Even if it's just a loan, it could turn Ten Hag's season around.

Pep Guardiola has not made many signings but keeping Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne a boost in quest to entrench dominance

No one believed Manchester City were capable of winning a fourth Premier League title in a row, then they did, becoming the first team in 135 years to do so. So can they keep making history and win five in a row?

You would certainly not want to bet against the record of Pep Guardiola, who has only failed to win the league title in three of his 15 years as a manager, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City.

Arsenal, who finished two points behind City last season after narrowly missing out on the crown the previous year, look like being their only credible challengers, as Liverpool will be in a season of transition under Arne Slot and Manchester United and Chelsea look set for more inconsistent campaigns.

Still, there is a danger that City could turn stale and finally surrender the title to Arsenal. They have made just one major signing in Savinho and have lost a very useful squad player in Julian Alvarez. There is also the possibility that this could be Guardiola's last season with the club, leaving the potential for motivation to fizzle out as it did at Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp announced he would be leaving.

It is set to be an equally intriguing season off the pitch for City as their hearing with the Premier League over allegedly breaking its financial rules is set to finally take place in September. The whole league has a stake in the outcome of the case, which could have seismic ramifications either way.

If City are found guilty, they could be relegated from the league. If they are declared innocent of the charges, there is set to be an outpouring of indignation from their rivals. And if they win their other court case against the Premier League over associated party transactions, it could usher in a new era of total domination. Watch this space…

• Getty
  

  Mood around the Etihad Stadium

  The summer after City won the treble, there was a feeling of both loss and renewal, as Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez departed but a whole wave of new signings arrived. But as the new season dawns upon the Etihad Stadium, there is a sense that little has changed since the end of the last campaign.

  Savinho is the only new face, and arguably the club's biggest achievements of the summer have been to keep hold of Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson, who both looked likely to leave for Saudi Arabia.

  It could well be the last dance for Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, and indeed for Guardiola. And unless City spend some of the money they earned from the Alvarez sale, there is bound to be some trepidation ahead of the new campaign.

  There is also some dismay among fans about the hearing over the 115 charges being brought forward. City's results will be questioned with even more fervour than before, while the battle in the courtroom could gain more attention than the action on the pitch.

  However, many supporters also relish being the team that everyone loves to hate. If City can win yet another title amid all the noise around them, they will be more than happy.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Transfer business

  City have made just one signing so far, bringing in winger Savinho from fellow CFG club Troyes for £31m ($40m). The Brazilian propelled Girona to finish third in La Liga with nine goals and 10 assists and will provide extra competition for Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku on the left wing, although he can also play on the right, as he does for Brazil.

  It has been a busy summer of departures. Julian Alvarez has joined Atletico Madrid in a stunning £82m ($105m) move which should lead to City making further signings before the transfer window shuts. Tommy Doyle has joined Wolves permanently for £4m ($5m) after spending last season on loan there.

  Taylor Harwood-Bellis has also made a permanent move to Southampton, with City pocketing £20m ($25m) from the deal. Sergio Gomez has moved to Real Sociedad permanently for £8.4m ($10.8m) and Yan Couto, who was on loan at Girona last season, has gone out on loan to Borussia Dortmund.

  Kalvin Phillips has joined Ipswich on loan while it remains to be seen whether Joao Cancelo makes another loan move or tries to mend his broken relationship with Guardiola.

• Getty
  

  Pre-season performances

  City returned to the United States for their pre-season tour looking to capitalise on their stunning growth in North America in recent years as well as warm up for the new campaign.

  They were left without many of their first team regulars due to the Copa America and European Championship, leaving Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish as the star attractions. On the pitch, the tour was a mixed bag of results.

  City were surprisingly beaten 4-3 by Celtic in their opening game in Chapel Hill, with Haaland scoring but the team looking vulnerable defensively, particularly on the counterattack. Haaland struck again against AC Milan but City were on the losing side once more, going down 3-2 after a sloppy display by Ederson.

  Grealish scored and looked lively when City drew 1-1 against Barcelona in Florida before losing on penalties. The tour, at this point, threatened to be a bit of a letdown but City salvaged it by hammering Chelsea 4-2, with Haaland scoring a hat-trick.

  City then warmed up for the new season by beating Manchester United on penalties to win the Community Shield after Bernardo Silva had snatched a 1-1 draw at Wembley.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Talking tactics

  While other football dynasties' lust for winning eventually burns out, Guardiola keeps finding new ways of motivating his players, and keeps on innovating tactically. Last season he reinvented Phil Foden in midfield and turned centre-back Josko Gvardiol into a marauding, free-scoring full-back.

  It will be intriguing to see whether he tweaks Erling Haaland's role in the team and asks for him to get more involved in the build-up, as the Norwegian looked static and blunt against the top opponents last season, drawing blanks against Arsenal, Real Madrid and in the FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United.

  Guardiola also must find a solution to the departure of Alvarez, who filled in as back-up to Haaland and De Bruyne. There is no clear candidate currently in the squad to take the baton from the Argentine as second striker, although Savinho could be deployed there as City are already well stocked when it comes to left wingers.

  Guardiola's use of Grealish will also be one to watch. The coach warned the England winger that he cannot afford another season in the wilderness and he faces fresh competition from Savinho as well as Doku.

The former South Africa batsman will link up with the team before their T20I series against Ireland in March

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2020Afghanistan’s coaching staff, helmed by Lance Klusener, has been bolstered by the appointment of HD Ackerman, the former South Africa Test batsman, cricket commentator and columnist.The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Ackerman, 46, would start work with the team on March 1, ahead of the national team’s three-T20I series in India against Ireland, which will be followed by a one-off Test. His contract will run till the end of 2020. Ackerman played four Test matches for South Africa, two against Pakistan and two against Sri Lanka, all at home in 1998, scoring one half-century in aggregating 161 runs at an average of 20.12. He had a much more fruitful time in first-class cricket, though, playing the 1993-94 season all the way to mid-2009, in which he scored 14,625 runs, including a triple-century, at an average of 43.65 in 220 outings. He also played 230 List A matches and 55 T20s.The T20I series against Ireland will be played in Greater Noida, near the Indian capital of New Delhi, on March 6, 8 and 10.

Barcelona haven't given up on Nico Williams as they are reportedly set to reignite their pursuit of the Athletic Club star in 2025.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Barcelona seemed to be the frontrunner for Williams
• Forward stayed put at Athletic Club
• Catalan club to resume efforts to sign him next summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The talented winger, who has been one of Athletic Club's standout players in recent years and also emerged as a bright spark for La Roja in Euro 2024, attracted significant interest from multiple European clubs – with Barcelona particularly keen to bring him to Camp Nou. However, despite their best efforts, the deal did not materialise as Williams decided to remain at Athletic Club for the 2024-25 season, which put an end to the Blaugrana's immediate pursuit.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to reports from Barcelona are already making plans to return for Williams in the summer of 2025. The club has maintained good relations with both the player and his representatives, and they believe that a deal is still possible in the near future. Williams has a release clause set at €62 million and the Catalan club hope that they will be able to pay the fee upfront next summer, braving their persistent financial struggles. The report further mentions that Barcelona had always wanted to sign the player in 2025 but his meteoric rise in Germany, inspiring Spain to the European championship, led them to make a serious push for the player in 2024.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Barcelona's arch-rivals, Real Madrid, are also reported to be monitoring the Athletic Club winger. According to , Real Madrid sees Williams as a possible successor to Vinícius Junior, should the Brazilian winger leave the Santiago Bernabeu for Saudi Arabia. Real Madrid are reportedly open to the idea of parting ways with Vinícius, especially after securing the services of Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman's arrival has strengthened Real Madrid’s forward line, and the club believes they could manage without Vinícius if a suitable offer were to come in for the 24-year-old.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  With both Barcelona and Real Madrid expressing interest in Williams, the battle for his signature could intensify next summer. While Barcelona have maintained a close relationship with the player and have been tracking him for years, if Real Madrid come calling, it would be difficult for the forward to turn them down. Nonetheless, the stage looks set for a potential battle between Spain’s biggest footballing rivals for one of the game’s most promising young talents.