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Pooran talks bio-bubbles, his personal aspirations for 2021, and why he opted out of Bangladesh tour

Sreshth Shah06-Jan-2021There’s a perception that West Indies cricketers have saved international and franchise cricket in 2020. But that comes with bubble life and plenty of sacrifices on a personal level. One can say you’re one of the experts of this new life that cricketers must lead. How has it been?
First of all, the bubble life is extremely difficult, to be honest. I am currently in my fifth month in a row hopping from bubble to bubble. It’s especially difficult being away from friends and family. As a cricketer, you appreciate the bubble because your focus is all about the game, how to get better, but if you’re not performing as a sportsperson and in the bubble, then you need to get out, have a drink, have a laugh, catch up with others. There are positives and negatives of being in the bubble.I learnt a lot about myself because in the last six-seven months, I wasn’t too sure if we’d play cricket again in 2020. And here I am five months after in 2021, five months in the bubble, and I am just trying to appreciate every single match. Eight months ago, I really wasn’t sure when I’d play cricket again. And now I am looking to just take advantage of these moments and looking to enjoy playing as if it’s my last game.How do you spend time alone, in your own company? Is there anything new you’ve discovered about yourself?
I’ve just been reading books. I’m reading a lot, trying my best to get better not only in cricket but other aspects of life … like my intellect. There’s not much else you can do. My focus at the moment is to get better at the game, so I’ll spend a lot of time on my iPad looking at videos, doing homework on my game, looking at other batsmen, what they do to be successful, watch interviews. That’s the most, I think, I can do.Why did you, in particular, opt out of the Bangladesh ODIs set to start mid-January? Was it because of the burnout, the bio-bubbles or something else?
It’s not at all about pulling the plug on cricket or wanting a break, but about the health factor in Bangladesh. As a player, I wasn’t sure, was a bit sceptical of the health situation there. Because other players weren’t going either, I felt I didn’t have to take the risk and Cricket West Indies were understanding and gave the players the benefit of the doubt. What I’ll be doing when West Indies play the ODIs is not be involved in any other cricket. I’ll be watching the ODI series from home.Related

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Ten West Indies players pull out of Bangladesh tour

Pooran, Pollard in ESPNcricinfo's T20 team of the year

Who are you excited to watch in those Bangladesh ODIs, given so many withdrawals allow some new faces to have a crack at international cricket?I have a couple of names. Kyle Mayers, Kjorn Ottley, Akeal Hosein and even Jason Mohammed. These are guys that can do really good. Looking forward to seeing them tackle this challenge in Bangladesh. Bangladesh plays very well at home, but these guys are good enough and it’s a great opportunity for them, which they should look to grab.The T20 World Cup is scheduled later this year in India. What are your – and West Indies’ – aspirations for that event?Personally, I am looking forward to the T20 World Cup. As a team, our strength is T20s. For the last couple of years, we’ve been doing good in World Cups, but as a team where we are ranked [10th], it doesn’t show how good our team actually is. Most of the senior guys are coming back to the West Indies team … like Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine are all coming back eventually. As a player, I am especially excited because I want to do good for the West Indies people and put a smile on their faces. My record for West Indies in T20s isn’t that good and I want to improve that for the next couple of months.Can you pinpoint why the rankings aren’t reflective of how good, as you just said, West Indies cricket is?I just believe that most of the series West Indies play, they don’t play with their strongest team. And by strongest I mean Chris Gayle, Pollard, Russell, Narine, Bravo in the team together. In the last couple of years, we haven’t witnessed these players together. Either most of them weren’t selected, some were unavailable … but definitely a case around that. We couldn’t play as a team after the last T20 World Cup. This, I am saying from a player’s and a fan’s point of view. Not seeing some of my favourite players represent West Indies might be one of the reasons.You were one of the breakout stars of the T10 format, top-scoring in the Abu Dhabi T10 League in 2018 even, and this season will be captain at Northern Warriors. When it comes to batting in T10 cricket, does the tradition role of a ‘top-order’ or ‘middle-order batsman’ exist? Or are all the batsmen – from Nos. 1 to 7 – simply … ‘batsmen.’No, I feel there are different roles. If you lose your openers in the first or second over, then the middle order needs to come into play. I wouldn’t expect them to come out and take risks that are not required, and yes, it’s only 10 overs, and your strike-rate needs to be in the 150s or 160s, but if you keep going hard at the bowlers, then there’s a chance of losing a lot of wickets.So it’s just like 50 overs or T20s, you need to rebuild, but in this case you can rebuild only for one or two overs, so I do feel there’s a middle order and it’s very important to a team’s success in T10. Especially when you play in bigger grounds.Nicholas Pooran finished IPL 2020 with a strike-rate of 169•BCCISpending so much time in the UAE for the IPL, then, will be very helpful as you approach the T10 tournament?The first two years of the T10 was – in Sharjah – everyone had high strike-rates. In a small ground like that, even edges went for six, but in Abu Dhabi – where we will be playing now – you can’t come out and play a big shot and hope it goes for six. It’s difficult. So you need to get yourself in as well in T10, more so in Abu Dhabi because of the ground sizes.After this IPL, we saw that the new ball is especially effective in Abu Dhabi. If you’re going to get wickets, you will get it with the new ball. The ground is obviously bigger so you need to hit the gaps, try to run your twos. If you mistime your ball, you will get out, which doesn’t happen in smaller grounds like Sharjah.It’s also the first time you’ll be captaining a franchise. There’s a theory that certain players fare better when they aren’t burdened with captaincy while certain players thrive under the extra responsibility. Where do you stand on that debate when it comes to you?First I consider myself as a player in a team. And in franchise cricket, a lot of decisions, like choosing a captain is about trust and communication. I can’t say if I’ll be a captain of other franchises, but if they see me fit that I am ready to lead whatever team … it’s no problem.I always see myself as a leader on and off the field. If things aren’t working out and I have to make a decision where leadership is not for me, I’ll own up and take that decision. But for now it’s a challenge I am always willing to accept.As a globetrotting cricketer, I’m sure you can discuss batting with many great players. But do you discuss tactics with people too? Who is your go-to person to discuss cricket beyond just batting?I am very close to Pollard. I think he is one of the best T20 players in the world. He has played the most T20 games, so I discuss tactics with him. I try to model my game around him. I discuss field settings, bowling options, bowling changes, where bowlers should bowl to certain batsmen according to the game’s situation. I also have played enough T20 cricket to understand what is required at a particular stage of the game.

Manchester United decided to splash the cash on their attack during the summer transfer window after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign.

The Red Devils opted to spend £66.4m on the signing of Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig to lead the line for Ruben Amorim this season.

Sesko provided an assist in the 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League last weekend, and has had a strong start to life at Old Trafford since his move to England.

The 6 foot 5 centre-forward has scored two goals from 1.81 xG and provided one assist across five starts in the top-flight for the Red Devils so far this season, per Sofascore.

Sesko scored 21 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig in the 2024/25 campaign, after a return of 18 goals in 42 outings in all competitions in his first season in Germany, per Sofascore.

The 22-year-old marksman, having already scored two league goals for United, will be hoping that he can continue to impress and be the first striker since Robin van Persie to score 20 or more Premier League goals in a season.

Why Man United have been looking for their next Robin van Persie

Manchester United have been searching for their next van Persie for around 12 years, as his haul of 26 goals in the Premier League in the 2012/13 campaign is the last time a player hit 20 league goals for the club.

The former Netherlands international, who was signed from rivals Arsenal, netted a staggering 26 goals in the top-flight that season for Sir Alex Ferguson to win the title for the Red Devils, their most recent title to date.

The highlights in the video above show just how lethal the Dutchman was in front of goal for United that season, with his incredible movement in behind and his lethal left foot that consistently buried chances past goalkeepers.

24/25

Bruno Fernandes & Amad Diallo – 8

23/24

Bruno Fernandes & Rasmus Hojlund – 10

22/23

Marcus Rashford – 17

21/22

Cristiano Ronaldo – 18

20/21

Bruno Fernandes – 18

19/20

Marcus Rashford & Antony Martial – 17

18/19

Paul Pogba – 13

17/18

Romelu Lukaku – 16

16/17

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 17

15/16

Anthony Martial – 11

14/15

Wayne Rooney – 12

13/14

Wayne Rooney – 17

12/13

Robin van Persie – 26

As you can see in the table above, no Manchester United player has come close to what he achieved in the 2012/13 campaign since then, with no player scoring more than 18 Premier League goals.

Sesko will be hoping that he can end that drought for the Red Devils and kick on to be the 20+ goal centre-forward that the club have not had since van Persie’s incredible season, given his aforementioned record for Leipzig and the two goals he has already scored this term.

However, there is another player currently shining at Old Trafford who may be the club’s new version of van Persie, despite not being an out-and-out centre-forward.

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The Premier League giants paid £71m to sign winger Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, and it is safe to say that he has hit the ground running in Manchester.

Why Bryan Mbeumo is Man Utd's new Robin van Persie

The Cameroon international arrived at Old Trafford as a player who had already proven himself in the Premier League during his time with the Bees, just as Van Persie had done with Arsenal prior to his move to the club in 2012.

Mbeumo scored a staggering 20 goals in 38 matches in the top-flight for Brentford in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which means that he scored more league goals than any Manchester United player has managed since Van Persie.

As they did with the Dutchman, Manchester United are now profiting from bringing in a player who has already proven himself as a goalscorer in England, as he has provided a huge threat in front of goal for Amorim.

Mbeumo has scored five goals in ten appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, per Sofascore, and four of those five have come in his nine outings in the Premier League.

The left-footed star scored twice against Brighton in the top-flight on Saturday and his second goal was incredibly van Persie-esque, with a brilliant run across the defenders and a terrific left-footed finish into the roof of the net with power and accuracy.

It was a goal that the former Premier League title winner would have been proud of, and it led to Alice Talks Football to describe him as “one of the best players in the league this season” on X.

xG

2.89

2nd

Shots per game

2.6

1st

Shots on target per game

1.3

1st

Goals

4

1st

Minutes per goal

194

1st

xA

2.04

1st

Assists

1

Joint-1st

Goals + assists

5

1st

It is hard to argue with that assessment when, as you can see in the table above, he has been the most impactful attacking player for the team that currently sit sixth in the Premier League table.

He has been the standout attacking star for United, with the most combined goals and assists and the most xA, and deserves to be in the conversation when fans and pundits speak about the best players in the league this season.

Putting all of this together, it appears as though INEOS and Amorim may have unearthed Manchester United’s new van Persie, as Mbeumo has the lethal left foot, the movement, and the experience to follow in the Dutchman’s footsteps.

Hopefully, supporters will be celebrating next May if the Cameroon international can rake in a 20-plus-goal-haul to earn the club a trophy or two at the end of the season.

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The Red Devils could be able to cut ties in January.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 27, 2025

Ryan Mason now has only two wins from his last ten games in charge of West Bromwich Albion, as the pressure on his shoulders at the Hawthorns only gets heavier by the match.

Indeed, after falling to a 3-2 defeat to Tonda Eckert’s red-hot Southampton in the Championship in mid-week, the Baggies – who had promotion aspirations coming into the long second-tier season – now sit in an unsatisfactory 16th spot in the competitive division, six points shy of the coveted playoff positions.

Will Mason ultimately have to pay the price with his employment? Only time will tell.

An obvious source of frustration for the under-fire boss will be the continued no-show performances from Isaac Price, who was once one of the former Tottenham Hotspur coach’s first names on the teamsheet, only to now find himself slipping out of his manager’s first team plans on occasion.

Price's drop off at West Brom

Price started the brand new Championship season like a runaway train, with three goals and one assist coming his way from just his opening three clashes.

Of course, there would have to be a slight decline, as it’s unreasonable to expect the Northern Ireland international to be consistently hitting these ridiculous heights over a full campaign.

But, he has been extremely poor, all the same, in recent weeks as West Brom’s form has fallen off a cliff, leading to Mason only handing the ex-Everton youngster 26 minutes of action against Queens Park Rangers at the start of the month.

From the start against the Saints, he wasn’t any better, either, with just one of his six efforts at St. Mary’s being hit on target, alongside the lacklustre 22-year-old only winning two of his seven duels, as his previous tag of being an energetic livewire was nowhere to be found.

Games played

10

Minutes played

754 mins

Games started

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

With his last goal for the club coming all the way back in October, amid a barren patch of form that can be seen looking at the table above, it could well fall to a new manager to get the very best out of Price.

Indeed, if Mason is brutally given the axe, there is one rumoured manager target who could be the fresh head coach the Northern Ireland international needs to reignite his failing season.

The Mason upgrade who can revive Price

As is the cruel nature of the beast, whenever a manager is going through a torrid run of form, rumours will circulate in the air that he is soon going to be on the chopping block.

That has begun for Mason, with suggestions that former Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick could soon fill the vacancy if it opens up.

After all, Carrick did manage to guide Boro to one playoff finish during his three seasons at the Riverside helm, which is where West Brom are aspiring to be, leading to 56 league wins being notched up in total by the ex-Manchester United legend on Teesside.

He did eventually get the sack, but he still holds a prestigious reputation in the beautiful game among his peers, having been noted as a figure that “oozes class” by Plymouth Argyle boss Tom Cleverley, whom he played alongside at Old Trafford.

Most importantly for West Brom’s specific predicament, too, he managed to have a positive impact on a litany of attacking midfielders at the Riverside, with Finn Azaz – who operates from the number ten spot much like Price, but can also fill in down the left – amassing a ridiculous 16 goals and 16 assists from 66 games under Carrick.

Carrick even worked alongside Morgan Rogers at Boro before his Aston Villa explosion, with seven goals and nine assists coming his way under the out-of-work boss, before maturing into a Premier League-calibre star.

If Carrick were to be handed the reins after Mason, Price would be praying that he could be transformed into another revelation, having shown glimpses here and there of what he can do.

Price and co would surely relish the opportunity to work with a figure like Carrick, and not just because of his playing career, having been hailed as an “insanely talented coach” by former Boro player Lukas Engel.

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Before anyone gets too carried away, however, Mason does a bumper set of Christmas fixtures ahead to save his skin. Still, the final nail in the coffin would surely come if more and more losses were tallied up.

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Arsenal are fielding enquiries for a ‘frustrated’ star in their squad ahead of the looming January window, and Premier League rivals Man City are one of the clubs keen.

Arsenal play Aston Villa in crucial Premier League title clash

Arsenal travel to the Midlands this Saturday to take on an in-form Aston Villa — a fixture that could prove pivotal in the early title race.

The Gunners arrive in pole position atop the table, buoyed by a recent 2–0 win over Brentford that extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to a remarkable 18 games.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Villa have surged into third thanks to a stunning 4–3 victory over Brighton in midweek, their sixth consecutive win across all competitions, so Unai Emery’s side will be no pushovers.

Historically, the matchup has been a tight affair. Across all competitions, the two clubs have met over 200 times — with Arsenal holding a slight edge.

However, in recent seasons, Villa have shown that they can be a thorn in Arsenal’s side.

The Villans completed a league double over Arsenal in 2023–24, including a 2–0 win in April that derailed Mikel Arteta’s title hopes and handed the Premier League crown to City.

Arteta will be fully aware of the danger they pose, especially on home turf, with Villa reigning victorious in five of their last seven home league games while boasting the joint-third best home record in the division.’

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Arteta is waiting on a definitive update.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

To trot out the old cliché, every game is like a cup final for Arsenal right now, so Arteta will need every man at their very best against a Villa side flying high on confidence.

The north Londoners’ strength in depth, following a near-£270 million summer spend, has paid dividends amid the club’s injury woes.

It has even allowed Arteta to rest some key personnel amid the hectic festive calendar, like he did against Brentford, with right-back Ben White getting a rare start ahead of first-choice Jurrien Timber.

The Englishman has barely been given any game time this season thanks to Timber’s form, with an update now emerging on his future ahead of January.

Ben White 'frustrated' at Arsenal as Man City make January enquiry

As per TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, White — once a regular starter — is growing ‘frustrated’ with his limited minutes.

The 28-year-old has made only a handful of appearances so far this season, prompting concern about his long-term future at the club.

That frustration hasn’t gone unnoticed beyond North London. City, now exploring options at right-back, have reportedly marked White as a strong candidate to reinforce Pep Guardiola’s squad.

The Sky Blues are said to be one of a few clubs who’ve made enquiries, alongside Marseille, Como and Atlético Madrid, but Arsenal’s stance is pretty clear.

Arteta, alongside club management, are poised to reject any proposals for White in the January window, even amid mounting interest. This is because they don’t want to weaken the squad in any way shape or form amid their title challenge.

From White’s perspective, the situation is increasingly uncomfortable.

Once viewed as a defensive mainstay, he now finds his opportunities severely curtailed, and media sources suggest he’s unwilling to spend extended periods on the sidelines.

As things stand, White remains at Arsenal, but the coming months could prove pivotal.

If this current trend continues, and if City or other suitors persist, the defender’s exit may well be one to watch in the summer instead.

Nuno Espirito Santo is now reportedly ready to launch his first transfer move in charge of West Ham United to sign Bristol City’s set-piece specialist Scott Twine.

The Hammers could certainly do with a busy January transfer window. Whilst results have improved recently, their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in a game that they led 2-0 exposed their problems once again.

After watching on as his side let go of their 2-0 lead gained through Callum Wilson’s goals, Nuno told reporters: “It’s a very tough place to come. The first half was us – we took advantage of the straight ball, of the second ball, we managed the tempo of the game, we managed to control Bournemouth, and we achieved a good lead.

“In the second half, Bournemouth did exactly the same that we did [in the first]. They managed better the circumstances of the game, we couldn’t go out, they put us against the ropes, they engaged five players in the last line.

“The boys were organised but were missing the pass to go out of pressure, to really hurt them with space, under tough circumstances. But the positive is that I think the team was resilient, was organised, was compact and was really committed.”

After the dramatic draw, West Ham have at least escaped the dropzone, albeit only on goal difference. With the visit of Liverpool up next, they’ll be hoping to compile the champions’ recent misery and escape the relegation zone in the process.

It goes without saying that the January transfer window would be a lot easier if West Ham were approaching it without the bottom three in mind. It would hand Nuno the perfect opportunity to welcome first-choice reinforcements and potentially take the Hammers onwards and upwards.

On that front, the former Nottingham Forest manager already has certain additions in mind, according to reports.

West Ham and Nuno ready to launch Scott Twine move

According to Sports Boom, Nuno is now ready to launch West Ham’s move to sign Twine from Bristol City in the January transfer window. The set-piece specialist would be an instant upgrade on James Ward-Prowse, who has been frozen out by Nuno, and would cost West Ham just £8m.

League stats 25/26	Scott Twine	Lucas Paqueta
Minutes	1,244	958
Goals	6	3
Progressive Passes	41	71
Ball Recoveries	52	53

Although it is in a league below the Premier League, Twine has shown plenty of promise compared to Lucas Paqueta this season. Based on those numbers, £8m could quickly turn into a bargain for the London club.

Whether Bristol City allow one of their key men to leave so easily remains to be seen, however. Robins manager Gerhard Struber recently praised his midfielder – telling reporters: “Scott (has) outstanding technical power with his monster leg.

Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 25, 2025

“It helped us to score in this way but I like his energy at the moment – his work ethic on the field to invest everything. You do not see it that often that players on this level work really hard against the ball but this was the key – players with high technical level were involved in our defensive pressing moments.”

West Ham now make enquiry to sign Champions League CF with eight goals in 25/26

One of the New York Mets’ biggest fans couldn’t wait to welcome superstar outfielder Juan Soto with open arms.

After news broke of Soto’s historic signing with the Mets on Sunday night, Cleveland Cavaliers star and longtime Mets superfan Donovan Mitchell shared a screenshot of a jubilant Soto during a late-night FaceTime call. 

“LFFFGGGMMMMMM,” Mitchell wrote in the caption on X.

Soto, who has already made four All-Star teams and played in two World Series at just 26 years old, reportedly agreed to a monster 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets, the largest ever in professional sports history.

Mitchell had been anxiously following the months-long Soto saga this offseason and is rightfully overjoyed to see the superstar join his beloved team in Queens.

Other fanbases will mourn missing out on the ex-New York Yankees slugger, but Mitchell—and Soto, based on the looks of it—couldn’t be happier. 

Kieron Pollard’s all-round performance of a 36-ball 50 and bowling figures of 1 for 12 in two overs kept MI New York in the hunt for a playoff spot in MLC 2025 as they defeated bottom-placed Los Angeles Knight Riders by six runs.Pollard came in at 63 for 4 in the tenth over of the first innings and hit four sixes and one four to give MINY a fighting total of 142 for 9 although he had little support from the remaining batters, except Nicholas Pooran’s 24-ball 30 from No. 3. MINY’s batting was wrecked by Shadley van Schalkwyk taking 3 for 24 with support from Jason Holder (2 for 28) and Corne Dry (2 for 25) to leave LAKR chasing 143.However, even that target proved difficult to chase for LAKR as they finished on 136, six runs short, despite losing only four wickets. Openers Alex Hales produced a sluggish 21 in 26 balls and Andre Fletcher was out for a 10-ball nine. Even though Sherfane Rutherford scored a 28-ball 29 and Unmukt Chand hit a 48-ball 59, they couldn’t keep up with the game’s equation that left them needing 21 off the last two overs.Pollard dismissed Rutherford in the 19th over and LAKR retired out Chand at the end of the same over. But with 16 needed off the final over, new batters Andre Russell and Holder could not take them over the line with Ehsan Adil holding his nerves with the ball.The defeat was LAKR’s eighth in nine outings while it was MINY’s third win in nine games.

Levante's young forward Etta Eyong is in sublime form in La Liga and has garnered attention over the past few months from major Spanish clubs. On one hand, there is Real Madrid, whose decision-makers view Eyong as a promising prospect, and on the other hand, there is Barcelona, who had wanted to sign the Cameroonian in the previous window. The 22-year-old has now made a decision over which club he would prefer to join, if bids are tabled.

• In-demand Eyong is one of La Liga's MVPs

  In just 11 La Liga appearances this season, Eyong has forced top European clubs to enquire about his transfer. Thanks to his six goals and three assists in 896 minutes in the Spanish top flight, the Cameroonian is currently the talk of the top-flight. His exploits had started last season, when he took the limelight in the Spanish third tier, nailing 19 goals and six assists in 30 appearances. He also featured four times in La Liga, scoring a crucial winner against Girona. He joined Levante earlier this season, after Villarreal did not keep faith in him, and was even close to joining Barcelona. Currently, the third-highest scorer in the competition behind Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Atletico's Julian Alvarez, Eyong's demand has escalated, with a potential transfer over the horizon.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Which club does Eyong want to join?

  According to a report by SPORT, Los Blancos have initiated contact with Eyong's entourage over a possible move for the 22-year-old. Although anything concrete is yet to develop, Levante are aware of the situation, and there is no rush as the player is not looking for a move until the January window. However, he had indicated in the past that his preference is Barca. The Catalans' director, Deco, was in contact with Villarreal back in August, but with the club demanding a full €10 million for his transfer, the club had no other option but to back out. 

• What are the finances involved in his transfer?

  The Cameroonian joined Levante from Villarreal for a transfer fee of €3 million, and the latter included certain clauses which would yield profit for both the outfits. Firstly, he has a release clause worth €30m, and Villarreal, his former club, have the right of first refusal. Secondly, an offer worth €15m might be enough to ensure a transfer. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Do Barca need a No.9?

  Hansi Flick has a brilliant attacking third, comprising Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Marcus Rashford among the notable players. While the Polish forward is injured, Rashford has stepped up to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities, having secured 12 goals in 14 appearances for the club since his loan move from Manchester United. However, Lewandowski's age and the lack of a prominent No.9 might be Deco's concern in the upcoming windows. Eying's market value has escalated and might not be a feasible option considering the financial regulations imposed by the league authorities. However, the Barca administration might offload certain players in the future to accommodate a player of Eyong's caliber. But as of now, there is no movement from the Catalans regarding a new forward.

West Ham United have agreed a deal with Nuno Espírito Santo to replace Graham Potter, who was sacked on Saturday morning after just nine months and 25 games in charge.

Nuno Espírito Santo takes over from Graham Potter at West Ham

The 51-year-old, after leaving Nottingham Forest due to a public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis, has wasted absolutely no time getting back to work, replacing Potter at West Ham.

The latter recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, behind only Avram Grant, with the Irons conceding a calamitous seven of their 13 goals from corners so far this season.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

It quite simply couldn’t go on, and West Ham shareholders held a very real worry that relegation was staring them in the face (Claret & Hugh), despite senior members of the squad telling close friends that Potter was the right man for the job (The Telegraph).

ExWHUemployee was first to report earlier this week that Nuno was close to agreeing a West Ham deal, and widespread reports suggested that the former Wolves and Tottenham boss was a standout favourite.

Now, those reports have come to fruition, with the tactician poised to take charge of his first game away to Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday.

It is interesting to note that chairman David Sullivan was reportedly in favour of Slaven Bilic’s return on a short-term contract until the end of the season, with some media sources claiming that Nuno was demanding big wages to join West Ham and a longer-term deal.

The driving force behind Nuno Espírito Santo's move to West Ham

Therefore, it is little surprise that he wasn’t the driving force behind Nuno’s move to East London.

Indeed, according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, vice-chairman Karren Brady was leading West Ham’s charge to appoint Nuno, with the journalist also revealing a disagreement between the official and Sullivan over Potter’s previous contract.

It appears Brady has overruled Sullivan for the second time in a year through Nuno’s arrival, but considering the coach’s obvious credentials, her decision could prove to be the right one.

Why Brady was right to push for Nuno's appointment at West Ham

A succession of other candidates were linked with the post, including Bilic, Gary O’Neil, Scott Parker, Marco Silva, Sean Dyche, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick.

However, Nuno stands above all the aforementioned names.

Following his appointment at the City Ground, the ex-Al-Ittihad boss – who won a Saudi Pro League title there before leaving just months later – steadied the ship, solidified Forest’s leaky backline, improved their set-piece fragility and gave his former team a clear counter-attacking identity.

What followed was a sensational 2024/2025, where Forest stood out as last season’s major surprise package, and they were justly rewarded via securing a place back in European football for the first time in 30 years.

Nuno eventually got the very best out of his players, despite inheriting what was once a dire situation. West Ham supporters will be hoping he can now replicate that feat down south, with Nuno aiming to end 2025 on a high in very testing circumstances.

Despite fighting half-centuries from Dercksen and Tryon, the loss eliminated SA from the tournament

Firdose Moonda07-May-2025

Jemimah Rodrigues scored her second ODI century•SLC

India posted their highest score against South Africa – 337 for 9 – and their fifth-highest total in all ODIs to seal their spot in the Sri Lanka Tri-Series final on Sunday, where they will play the hosts. In response, South Africa batted bravely to score their second-highest total batting second, but were still knocked out of the tournament.That means South Africa’s match on Friday against Sri Lanka will be a dead rubber. But more concerning for South Africa is that they have won only one of their last ten ODIs. Exactly the opposite statistic applies to India, who have lost only one of their last ten games, and controlled proceedings for almost all of their match against South Africa on Wednesday, even if the margin victory suggests otherwise.Jemimah Rodrigues scored her second ODI century, and the third-fastest for India in women’s ODIs, off 89 balls, to anchor their batting effort. After the loss of three wickets in the powerplay, Rodrigues shared an 88-run stand with Smriti Mandhana, and then a 122-run partnership with Deepti Sharma, which allowed India to score the most number of runs after the fall of the third wicket in an ODI innings.Rodrigues’ innings epitomised India’s dominance, with the right balance of timing and aggression. She drove, swept and reverse swept well against a South Africa attack that seemed out of bite and ideas. They were without regular captain Laura Wolvaardt, who was ruled out of the game with illness, and stand-in skipper Chloe Tryon used eight bowlers, including herself. Only Tryon and Sune Luus, who bowled three overs, conceded at less than six runs an over, while premier left-arm spinner Nonkululekho Mlaba gave away 71 runs in only eight overs.South Africa had moments in charge, and started well with the ball when Nadine de Klerk had Pratika Rawal caught at backward point. While Rawal reached out for a full ball, Masabata Klaas bowled Harleen Deol with a delivery that jagged back in and beat her defence. India were 18 for 2 in the third over but did not struggle to rebuild.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Boundary balls came once – sometimes more – an over as de Klerk and Klaas were inconsistent with their lengths. Annerie Dercksen, at first change, also started off short and wide but rushed Harmanpreet Kaur into a pull, and had the Indian captain caught at midwicket.Having created the opportunity to put pressure on India, South Africa didn’t take advantage of it. Though they cut off boundaries for the next three overs, Mlaba’s introduction changed that. Rodrigues drove her second ball for four, and then took two boundaries off her next over as Mlaba struggled with a line down leg. By the 15th over, India were scoring at a run a ball.They were pulled back, but Rodrigues and Mandhana were largely untroubled by a slew of spinners until Mandhana tried to hit Tryon over midwicket and handed de Klerk a catch. By then, Rodrigues had fifty, and was well set. Deepti took over the attacking role, and took advantage of short deliveries from debutant Miane Smit, while Rodrigues worked her way through the 60s and 70s.On 81, she shuffled across her stumps to hit Nondumiso Shangase over cover, and that was the signal that she was looking to chang gears. It took just nine more balls for Rodrigues to get her century, with a single off Mlaba, which prompted an air kiss and a bat-guitar celebration. Rodrigues scored 23 more runs off the next 12 balls she faced but was dismissed the ball after Deepti got to fifty, when she miscued Klaas to Luus at point.Deepti Sharma scored 93 with the bat, and bagged a wicket with the ball•SLC

India still had 7.2 overs left to bat, and a good platform to build on. Deepti took it on herself to press forward, and scored 43 runs off the next 22 balls, and was especially severe on de Klerk’s slower balls. Deepti hit her over her head for two sixes, and was on track to bring up a stunning century but was caught at long-on off the penultimate ball of the innings before India finished with 337.South Africa’s task was always going to be tough, after they were asked to score 63 more runs than their previous-highest successful chase of 275. At least that was against India, and one of the top performers then, Lara Goodall, was here too. Goodall was promoted to open the batting in Wolvaardt’s absence but nicked off in the second over to give Amanjot Kaur a wicket in her first over of the series.Tazmin Brits and Smit put on 63 for the second wicket but struggled to score quickly. Brits was on 26 off 41 balls when she pulled Amanjot to Rodrigues at midwicket. Four overs later, Smit was bowled by Deepti while looking to sweep, and pressure built on South Africa. The required run rate was above eight runs an over from the 20th over, and it only kept climbing further.Dercksen and Shangase tried to get things on track with a 70-run stand in 66 balls. Shangase was on 36 off 35 balls when she tried to hit part-time spinner Rawal over long-on but was caught on the boundary. Sinalo Jafta was promoted to No. 6 and came out swinging, but India did not seem to think that was much of a threat.Nondumiso Shangase and Annerie Dercksen added 70 runs for the fifth wicket•Getty Images

In the 32nd over, Mandhana, who has only bowled three times in 101 ODIs for a total of four overs, was given the ball. Her first over went for eight runs, but she bowled one more over before giving way to Sree Charani, who had Jafta lbw with the first ball of her third spell. South Africa were 188 for 5, and needed 150 runs from the last 15 overs.Dercksen gave them hope when she brought up a second successive half-century, and beat her previous career-best of 61 by 20 runs. But she became the third South African, after Brits and Karabo Meso in previous matches, to struggle with the conditions. Dercksen received treatment on her lower back twice, forcing breaks in play. After the second treatment, Dercksen was bowled by Amanjot, and South Africa’s best partnership – 72 off 60 balls between Dercksen and Tryon – was broken. Tryon went to score her 12th ODI fifty, and eventually finished with a strike rate of 155.81 in her knock of 67.South Africa needed 39 runs off the last two overs when the umpires took players off the field for bad light, with the score on 299 for 6. The DLS par for South Africa at that stage was 314. Tryon and de Klerk appeared aggrieved with the decision to come off but were surprised to hear 15 minutes later that the match would restart. They scored 12 runs off the penultimate over, and were left needing 27 to win off the last. Tryon was bowled off the first ball of the final over, and South Africa ended 23 runs short.