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As starts go, it has not been too bad for Crystal Palace's new boss, Oliver Glasner.

The Austrian took the reins from Roy Hodgson in late February and has picked up six points from a possible 15 thus far, without the star quality of Michael Olise in the side.

That said, taking just one point from Nottingham Forest over the weekend, despite leading for a large portion of the game, was undeniably disappointing.

While there were a few subpar performances on the day, it might be time to drop Jordan Ayew and give an academy gem his first start for this evening's clash with Bournemouth.

Jordan Ayew's performance this season

It has been an interesting season for Ayew this year, as despite having plenty of games in which he has looked rather ineffective and stunted on the pitch, he has still racked up a respectable haul of four goals and seven assists in 29 appearances, meaning he has averaged a goal involvement every 2.6 games.

However, the 32-year-old has performed in short bursts for the Eagles this season, registering just one goal and three assists in his first 16 league games before scoring once and providing two assists in three games in December and then scoring twice and providing one assist in the games against Everton and Burnley in February.

Unfortunately, in his last three league games, all of which he has started, the Ghanaian veteran has failed to register a single-goal involvement, and his individual statistics from the clash with Forest don't make for pretty reading either.

Minutes

66'

Expected Goals

0.04

Expected Assists

0.01

Shots on Target

0

Shots off Target

1

Dribbles

0

Accurate Passes

16/18 (89%)

Lost Possession

8

Duels (Won)

11 (6)

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

1 (0)

Dribbled Past

2

In his 66 minutes of action, the Marseille-born attacker registered an expected goals figure of just 0.04, an expected assists figure of 0.01, one shot off target, zero dribbles, 16 passes, lost the ball eight times, won just six of his 11 duels and failed to deliver a single cross or complete a single through ball.

In all, the right-footed ace's dreadful showing was one that would justify his place on the bench tonight, especially as Glasner could start an incredibly exciting youngster in his place.

Why Glasner should start Franco Umeh-Chibueze

The youngster in question is Franco Umeh-Chibueze, and while he has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Eagles, his name might sound familiar to fans as he has spent a number of games on the bench this season and was even given 45 minutes of action in the team's friendly against Bodo/Glimt last month.

Team

U18s

U21s

Appearances

8

20

Goals

5

10

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per match

1.00

0.55

It does feel like just a matter of time until the Irish U19 ace is given his first proper run out in the Premier League, and with a youth record as impressive as his, why not test him with a start against the Cherries tonight?

Since joining the South Londoners from Irish outfit Cork City in February 2023, the "exciting talent", as described by journalist Emmanuel Francis, has been in brilliant form for the academy sides. He made the jump from the U18s to the U21s after just eight games, in which he found the back of the net five times and provided three assists to boot.

Since joining the U21 team, the 19-year-old, whom academy manager Gary Issot described as possessing "blistering pace", has scored ten goals, provided one assist, and is currently the top scorer in the squad.

In his 32 games across the Palace youth teams and at Cork City, the left-footed prospect has predominantly played in the right-wing and left-wing positions, but he has also made appearances in left midfield, as a central midfielder, and as a centre-forward, which suggests he could comfortably fulfill the role Glasner has Ayew playing in the first team at the moment, as the right-sided attacking midfielder.

Crystal Palace may have a 20y/o Edouard replacement who's "a real threat"

The talented youngster has an unbelievable record at the youth level.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 1, 2024

Ultimately, after Ayew's poor performance against Forest over the weekend, he deserves to be dropped, and with how well Umeh has played for the youth team and the injuries at the club, he is the natural replacement.

This is why the Austrian tactician should hand the teenage starlet his maiden first-team start in a competitive setting in the Premier League tonight.

India captain unhappy with slew of dropped catches in first two T20Is, says fielding is something they need to be more ‘brave’ about

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2019Virat Kohli said his side couldn’t expect to win matches if they continued to slip up in the field the way they have done in the first two games of the ongoing T20I series against West Indies. India lost by eight wickets in the second game on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram to leave the series 1-1 going into the decider. West Indies benefitted from three dropped catches in their chase. That followed from the first T20I, which India won despite five dropped chances.In Thiruvananthapuram, two catches were put down in the fifth over, bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, reprieving openers Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis. Washington Sundar dropped a straightforward chance at mid-off when Simmons was on 6 – he would go on to make 67 not out off 45 – while Rishabh Pant put down a more difficult chance two balls later, having to dive to his left after following Lewis by moving to his right. Lewis was on 16 then and the initial pressure built by tight bowling quickly dissipated.ALSO READ: Low floodlights in Hyderabad made catching tricky – KL Rahul Later on, Nicholas Pooran was put down by Shreyas Iyer in the 17th over when he was on 18, and West Indies hunted down India’s 170 for 7 comfortably.”We had to get those 15 extra runs to defend, but look, if you field like that, then no total is big enough,” Kohli told after the match. “Last two games we have been below par in the field. We were good with the ball, in the first four overs we created enough pressure… and then you drop two chances in a T20 game in one over, that’s going to cost you. If they lose two wickets in one over, the pressure’s on them.”I think it’s a game of margins and we need to understand where we went wrong. It’s pretty evident. It’s there for everyone to see and for us to improve on. I think fielding is something we need to be more brave about, and not worry about dropping catches.”

“It’s there for everyone to see and for us to improve on. I think fielding is something we need to be more brave about, and not worry about dropping catches.”Virat Kohli

Kohli himself pulled off the most difficult catch of the match, sprinting to his right at long-on to hold onto a hard, flat Shimron Hetmyer hit. “It was one of those catches that just stuck in the hand. It came out of the lights a little bit, but I just committed to the ball and put both hands out, and luckily it came into my hand,” Kohli said. “Last game I put one hand out and I dropped it. It’s about putting in the effort when you can and sometimes they stick and sometimes they don’t.”Going with two hands instead of one was not the only thing Kohli changed from the first game to the second. He pushed himself down the order to No. 4, and sent in the raw Shivam Dube at No.3.”Well, we knew the pitch is going to offer something to the spinners. They were going to start with a spinner, so we thought why not Shivam goes up and tries and attacks the spinner,” Kohli explained. “Because the batting line-up that we have will probably go unused if two guys at the top fire. That was the plan behind it, worked pretty well.”We were really good for the first 16 overs – we were 140 for 4 [144 for 4]. From there on I think you expect to get about 40-45 runs in the last four overs and not 30. I think we lacked there a little bit, so we have to focus on that more. I think Shivam’s knock is what propelled us towards 170 because the ball wasn’t coming on to the bat so well in the first half. To be honest, West Indies assessed the pitch really nicely and they bowled enough cutters and changes of pace to not let us get any momentum.”

Unlikely to finish inside the play-offs and in managerial limbo, the bad news just keeps coming for Sunderland in what is proving to be a miserable second-half to their Championship season. Now, interim boss Mike Dodds must solve a defensive crisis after the latest injury news.

Sunderland injury news

Amid a run of six straight defeats, Sunderland could at least do with some luck on the injury front. But that hasn't been the case, with the Black Cats injury list only adding to the woes of Dodds.

Sunderland's injury/suspension list

Return date

Jack Clarke

Mid April

Patrick Roberts

Late March

Bradley Dack

Late March

Niall Huggins

Out for the season

Dennis Cirkin

Late March

Corry Evans

Late March

Luke O'Nien (suspension)

Cardiff City game

Jenson Seelt

Unknown

With nine absences to contend with, Dodds' biggest concern will be finding defensive cover for both the Queens Park Rangers game and in the coming weeks. The Black Cats boss has got just one centre-back option available for this weekend's clash in the form of Leo Hjelde, and will need to either turn to inexperience or think outside the box.

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It's a problem that Dodds may see a repeat of too, following an injury update. As confirmed by the defender on Instagram, Jenson Seelt is set to be out for a "long period of time" after suffering an injury last time out against Southampton.

With just nine games to go and with Sunderland nine points adrift of the Championship's top six, those at the Stadium of Light seem destined to watch on as their campaign ends with a whimper rather than the playoff push that they were on course for under Mowbray.

Defensive options Dodds could turn to

Matters are made worse when considering that Hjelde mainly operates as a left-back, but may now be forced inside to work alongside another inexperienced face at the heart of Sunderland's defence. Meanwhile, Dodds could also turn to Timothee Pembele for the first time and fellow youngsters Trai Hume and 18-year-old Tom Lavery in what is far from ideal for a side looking to end a woeful run of form.

Without Seelt, in particular, Sunderland could suffer, especially given the praise that former manager Mowbray once had for the defender: “I thought Jenson was good. In our minds, we’ve been wanting to get him on the pitch but it’s difficult [with Ballard and O’Nien’s form].

“Really, he was going to come on and play.. he can play holding midfield and we thought he would come on and roll into midfield like we do with Trai Hume often. Jenson can do that because he’s so talented with the ball at his feet."

With their injury crisis, Sunderland seem unlikely to end their run of form anytime soon, as they wait for a miserable campaign to end and a new manager to arrive on a permanent basis. Come the start of the summer transfer window, the Black Cats will hope to be in a position to kick on and get back on the track that Mowbray initially led them down.

Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham are thought to be keen on signing a club's duo of star players, and one is a name supporters will be very familiar with.

Spurs planning forward transfer this summer

Spurs are said to be planning to make a wide forward their major signing this summer, according to reports this week, leading to their serious interest in the likes of Wolves winger Pedro Neto and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

Tottenham want to sign £64m star who Pep said has "absolutely everything"

He’d be a very ambitious capture.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 29, 2024

Postecoglou's side have often thrived without the presence of a traditional goalscoring number nine at points this season, as the Tottenham head coach's fluid, interchanging attacking system places more emphasis on their wide men.

Richarlison is the exception to this, with the Brazilian enjoying a fantastic run of form over Spurs' last 10-12 league games, but reliable reports suggest that Postecoglou is keen to add a star new wide player who can chip in with goals/assists.

Crystal Palace (home)

March 2nd

Aston Villa (away)

March 10th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

Spurs are also likely to maintain their policy of attracting young, rising stars across Europe. They beat Barcelona to the signing of Lucas Bergvall on deadline day in January, and could still make a move for Club Brugge starlet Antonio Nusa.

“You can try to sell a vision to someone, but if there’s tangible physical evidence of it… Anyone who has watched us since I’ve joined will have seen the aspirations we have to be the kind of team we want to be," said Postecoglou on Tottenham becoming a dream destination for talent.

“That’s not just me saying it, we’re actually doing it. OK, we’re not the finished product by any stretch. But we’re giving young players an opportunity. Destiny, Pape and Micky, all guys in their early 20s who have already played significant roles.

“We’re building a team. From our perspective, it’s pleasing and hopefully we become a club which is a preferred destination for talented young players."

Going back to Nusa in this respect, Belgian outlet Walfoot now have an update which claims a move to Spurs is still definitely not ruled out.

Tottenham eyeing both Skov Olsen and Nusa from Brugge

Indeed, according to the outlet, as translated by Sport Witness, Tottenham are interested in signing both Nusa and his teammate Andreas Skov Olsen.

The 24-year-old latter player, called "perfect" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, has bagged nine goals and four assists this season. He could also represent a cheaper option for the wide area over marquee stars like Neto or Eze.

Nusa, meanwhile, has been coveted by Spurs for a while – with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard lavishing the teenager.

“Fantastic! He is an incredibly exciting player," Odegaard told TV2 (via Sport Witness). "You see it, everything he gets the ball, it’s exciting. He is still young and will get even better. It was cool to see him. He deserved to get the chance that he takes it to such an extent. Incredibly cool!"

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Neste domingo, o Vera Cruz entra em campo pela última rodada do Campeonato Pernambucano. O time está na 6ª colocação com dez pontos e disputa a vaga para o mata-mata com o Retrô, que está logo atrás com sete.

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Pernambucano-2021 clicando aqui

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>Veja 25 jogadores interessantes de clubes do Nordeste em fim de contrato

Com duas vitorias consecutivas, que tiraram o time da zona de rebaixamento para a de classificação, o meio-campista Brendo comentou esse momento decisivo e importante que a equipe vive.

– Conseguimos engatar essa boa sequência que nos trouxe ainda mais confiança e expectativa para alcançar nossos objetivos no campeonato, é seguir trabalhando forte para manter a confiança e espero continuar ajudando a minha equipe da melhor forma possível.

O duelo será com o Sete de Setembro-PE às 16h no Estádio Cornélio de Barros Muniz, casa do adversário. Caso o Vera Cruz confirme a vitória, também garante uma vaga para o Campeonato Brasileiro Serie D de 2022.

– Sabemos da importância dessa partida para o clube e para torcida, vamos entrar respeitando o adversário com foco total em busca da nossa classificação para o mata-mata da competição – finalizou o meia.

Chelsea are apparently willing to bid for a "spectacular" player this summer as chairman Todd Boehly plots to continue the club's lavish spending.

Pochettino faces season-defining next few Chelsea games

Reports have suggested manager Mauricio Pochettino's future at Chelsea could depend on how they perform over their next few matches, especially their crunch EFL Cup final clash with Liverpool at Wembley (Pete O'Rourke).

Journalist shares "key" detail on how Chelsea chiefs could sack Pochettino

Todd Boehly and senior club officials may take action on one condition.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 7, 2024

The Blues, before their much-needed 3-1 win away to Aston Villa in the FA Cup earlier this week, suffered back-to-back humblings with Liverpool and Wolves putting Pochettino's side to the sword.

This piled pressure on Chelsea's head coach, who has so far failed to build upon the club's near-£400 million summer spending spree last year. Boehly and the club's board have spent over £1 billion in total since Clearlake Capital's takeover in 2022, but that so far hasn't translated to consistently excellent on-field performances.

"We are not good enough [today]," said Pochettino after their defeat to Wolves last weekend.

Lesley Ugochukwu

6.20

Noni Madueke

6.47

Malo Gusto

6.50

Mykhailo Mudryk

6.55

Axel Disasi

6.63

"Myself, also. I’m responsible for this ­situation. What we showed today was not good enough. We didn’t manage the ­situa­tion properly and of course no one can be safe. I don’t want to come here and say I am the best. We’re all responsible.

"The players need to take responsibility like I take responsibility. At the moment we’re not matching the history of the club. That’s true. We need to accept it, be critical but we cannot give up. We’ll work hard to change. If it’s not working in this way, we need to move on and find a different solution."

With the summer window just around the corner, it will be interesting to see if Chelsea dip into the market again to try and solve glaring issues. It is believed they want to strengthen the midfield department further as one example, with news emerging on Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.

Chelsea willing to bid £85 million for De Jong

The Dutchman is apparently attracting Stamford Bridge interest, and it is believed Chelsea are even willing to bid around £85 million to sign him in the summer.

That is according to journalist Luis Miguelsanz, who wrote as much in an article for Sport this week. De Jong, who is rumoured to be on around £231,000 per week, has been at the centre of contract re-negotiations to disperse his salary over more years at Camp Nou.

However, talks are proving very difficult in what is a complicated situation. If Barcelona are forced to sell their star midfielder, then clubs like PSG and Chelsea are apparently waiting in the wings.

Xavi is in no doubt about the player's quality, though, having called him one of the best midfielders in world football.

"He has been at an extraordinary level for months," Xavi said.

"He gives us a lot. He breaks lines of pressure, he drives forward. He is one of the best midfielders in the world. He's spectacular."

The Portuguese forward has been a huge commercial hit in the Middle East, but he's no longer making a decisive impact in the biggest games

Cristiano Ronaldo's first full season at Al-Nassr is now over, and he will be holding his head up high after plundering 44 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions. Thirty-five of those came in the Saudi Pro League as he set a new competition record while becoming the first man to win a Golden Boot in four different countries.

"I don’t follow the records, the records follow me," Ronaldo wrote on social media after beating Abderrazak Hamdallah's previous mark of 34 goals in a single season. It's remarkable that the 39-year-old is still finding the net at such a prolific rate, and no one will be surprised if he breaks more records in an Al-Nassr shirt next term.

But it appears that Ronaldo has lost his winning touch. He arrived at Al-Nassr on a free transfer in January 2023 after an acrimonious end to his second stint at Manchester United, and despite his scoring exploits, his new club have had no tangible success to celebrate in the 16 months since his glitzy unveiling.

There was a time when Ronaldo's presence gave his team an edge in the most important matches, but those days are long gone. He's evolved into little more than a stat-padder, and although the five-time Ballon d'Or winner isn't really damaging his overall legacy in the Middle East, he's certainly not enhancing it either.

Getty ImagesAl-Hilal are top dogs

Al-Nassr's 2023-24 campaign ended in heart-breaking fashion as they suffered a penalty shootout defeat to arch-rivals Al-Hilal in the Kings Cup final. It was a chaotic showpiece event that saw three players sent off, including former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, and there was very little to separate the two teams on the night.

But other than hitting the post with an overhead kick from an offside position and converting his spot-kick in the shootout, Ronaldo had no meaningful impact on proceedings. He collapsed to his knees in tears at the final whistle, which was an understandable emotional reaction given the fact he has played a total of 4,969 minutes for club and country this season – more than any of the other 25 Portugal players who have been called up for Euro 2024 by head coach Roberto Martinez.

It was, however, Al-Nassr's third loss to Al-Hilal of the campaign, who beat Ronaldo and Co. 3-0 at home on their way to lifting the league title and knocked them out of the Saudi Super Cup in the semi-finals.

A theory for Al-Hilal's dominance has been floated by popular Saudi journalist Mohamed Al Skiekh, which doesn't reflect well on Ronaldo. “It is not luck, but there is strong work in Al-Hilal and a successful strategy from its management," he said on . "All of this combines with the love of all elements for the club. Within Al-Hilal, there is no player who considers himself the only star.”

AdvertisementGetty/GOAL'Ronaldo decides everything'

Al-Nassr couldn't find any salvation in the AFC Champions League either, as they suffered a quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain. Hernan Crespo's side edged the first leg 1-0 in the United Arab Emirates, but the result probably would have been different had Ronaldo not squandered two gilt-edge chances from close-range – the kind he'd have gobbled up easily in his prime.

He did make amends briefly in the second leg by scoring a last-gasp penalty in extra-time to give Al-Nassr a 4-3 win and force a shootout, but Al Ain eventually came out on top, and would go on to win Asia's most prestigious club trophy.

The European version of the Champions League was Ronaldo's playground, as the former Real Madrid man won the competition five times while scoring a record 140 goals. He was the ultimate difference-maker, but also knew what it meant to be a team player, especially towards the end of his time at Santiago Bernabeu as he became more of a poacher.

Ronaldo's predatory instincts are still reasonably sharp, but current Al-Nassr boss Luis Castro makes sure everything is geared towards the veteran striker, which has caused an imbalance. "Al Nassr's real problem is that Ronaldo is the one leading the team, not Mr. Castro," former Tottenham and Egypt star Mido said on the channel in March. "Ronaldo decides everything in the team. I respect the tradition and Al-Nassr fans, and the team must be bigger than any one player. Mr Castro is too weak."

GettyFighting off Father Time

Off the pitch, Ronaldo remains one of the most influential figures in football, and his CR7 brand is still going strong. To his credit, the Sporting CP academy graduate has also fully immersed himself into a new culture, and is seen as the face of the Saudi Pro League revolution.

A host of other top Europe-based players have followed Ronaldo to the Middle East, including Neymar, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane, and more blockbuster deals are likely to be on the cards in the summer transfer window. But Ronaldo hasn't set a shining example with his conduct on the pitch.

Opposing fans have consistently taunted Ronaldo with chants for his eternal rival Lionel Messi, and the Al-Nassr star has been unable to control his temper. His most recent outburst came after a 3-2 win over Al-Shabab in February, as he made an obscene fist-pumping gesture in the direction of the home fans, which led to him being hit with a one-game ban and a hefty fine.

Ronaldo has also let himself down with his general in-game discipline, often lambasting referees when things are not going his way. He even received a red card in Al-Nassr's Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal for throwing an elbow at Ali Al-Bulaihi, which felt like a new low for one of the game's all-time greats.

These shameless acts of petulance were far less frequent when Ronaldo was at his peak. Now, with every poor first touch, missed chance and wayward pass, it's clear to see the frustration bubbling just under the surface in Ronaldo's body language as he desperately tries to fight off Father Time.

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Getty Gradual decline

The start of Ronaldo's decline can be traced back to his homecoming at Old Trafford in August 2021. United re-signed the Portuguese from Juventus for £20m ($25m), after finishing second in the Premier League the previous season, and he scored twice on his second debut against Newcastle to spark talk of a potential title tilt.

The honeymoon period didn't last long, however, as United fell out of the top four and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was given his marching orders. Ronaldo finished 2021-22 with a respectable haul of 24 goals in all competitions, but the Red Devils ended up empty-handed and posted their worst Premier League points tally of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

It didn't take a genius to work out that United took a huge step backwards as a collective by trying so hard to accommodate Ronaldo, which Erik ten Hag immediately sought to address after succeeding Solskjaer. And when it became clear he would have to accept a bench role, Ronaldo went to war with Ten Hag in a bid to manufacture an escape route, eventually departing the club in November 2022.

Solskjaer has since admitted that bringing Ronaldo back "turned out wrong", as he abandoned the high-intensity formula that had helped United start competing with the best teams on domestic and European fronts once again. "Without him [pressing], we had to change a little bit the different roles we'd gotten used to," the Norwegian told the podcast, brought to you by . "We were one of the highest pressing teams before [Ronaldo joined]."

Al-Nassr haven't got worse since signing Ronaldo, but they won't catch Al-Hilal next term if they continue to pander to him in the same way United did.

Who’s in form and who’s notGlenn Maxwell isn’t warming up for the World Cup in the IPL but rather in Division Two of the County Championship for Lancashire. He failed with the bat in both innings against Middlesex at Lord’s but took a career-best 5 for 40 in the second innings to help Lancashire to a seven-wicket win. Two of his victims were Dawid Malan and Eoin Morgan.David Warner’s stellar form continued with yet another half-century in the IPL against Delhi Capitals although it was his slowest of the tournament. He is the leading run-scorer in the IPL and looks set for a big World Cup campaign.Not many of his fellow World Cup squad members are in the same kind of touch, though. Steven Smith is still battling to find some rhythm. His last two IPL innings for Rajasthan Royals have yielded just 15 and 12 and he’s chewed up 37 balls in the process.Marcus Stoinis played well in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s only win of the IPL to date last week, making 28 not out from 16 balls. Two of his four boundaries came off Andrew Tye, although he was also dropped off Tye’s bowling. Stoinis failed to score against Mumbai Indians on Monday. He also hasn’t bowled in his last three matches after conceding 12 runs per over in his first two.Jason Behrendorff dismissed Virat Kohli again but has been quite expensive in his last two outings after bowling well in his first three for Mumbai.#AsheswatchPeter Siddle wasn’t selected in the Australia A four-day squad for the tour of England but he continued to push his case for the Ashes with a six-wicket haul for Essex against Surrey at The Oval. He ploughed through 49 overs for the match and claimed seven wickets in a draw. He also made 41 not out with the bat.Peter Siddle back in the wickets for Essex•Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne made a century for Glamorgan, just his fifth in first-class cricket, but it came on a Cardiff pitch that yielded six centuries and just 19 wickets in four days and was criticised by Northamptonshire.Matt Renshaw made 48 not out in quick time to help guide Kent home in a fourth-day run chase at Edgbaston. He also made 39 in the first innings on a surface that was described as “Test quality” by Kent assistant coach Allan Donald. Renshaw again batted at No. 3 in both innings.Cameron Bancroft made scores of 33 and 22 also batting at No. 3 on debut for Durham in a loss to Sussex in Division Two.Did you see?Chris Lynn has become a forgotten man in Australian cricket. After being groomed in the ODI team last year to potentially become a key cog in the World Cup campaign, his name was nowhere in the picture when Australia listed 34 cricketers to tour England on Monday. But he continued his good form in the IPL over the weekend making a blistering 82 from 51 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Chennai. He struck seven fours and six sixes in his second half-century in three matches.Injury listNathan Coulter-Nile was due to head to the IPL this week after a short rest at home following the UAE tour but he did not end up travelling and was replaced in the Royal Challengers squad by Dale Steyn. It was only precautionary and not due to any specific injury. He was named in the World Cup 15-man squad and is expected to be fully fit for the camp in Brisbane on May 2.Performance of the weekMaxwell’s five-wicket haul at Lord’s was pretty significant. Not only did it set up a victory for Lancashire, it was the first time he had taken five wickets in a first-class match. Notably, it was also the first time he had taken four wickets in a first-class innings since his Test debut in Hyderabad in March of 2013.

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Em sua primeira temporada completa como jogador profissional do Palmeiras, o promissor atacante Gabriel Veron passou por diversos problemas físicos, perdendo as finais do Campeonato Paulista e Libertadores, além de ser cortado da lista do Mundial de Clubes. Ainda lesionado antes da decisão da Copa do Brasil, o camisa 27 conseguiu a recuperação parcial antes do primeiro duelo, e com muito esforço, ficou à disposição na grande final.

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>>20 motivos para acreditar que o Palmeiras vai seguir faturando títulos nos próximos anos

Entre as contusões do jovem, a última delas havia ocorrido pouco antes do confronto diante do Santos, pela final da Taça Libertadores. Na ocasião, uma lesão muscular na coxa esquerda tirou o jogador da partida e também resultou no corte do atleta no Mundial de Clubes, dando lugar ao também formado nas categorias de base, Lucas Esteves.

Embora a lesão não fosse séria, Gabriel passou todo o mês de fevereiro tratando o problema na Academia de Futebol e não atuou na reta final do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Alvo de críticas de torcedores nas redes sociais por conta da demora em seu processo de retorno aos gramados, segundo o apurado pela reportagem do NOSSO PALESTRA/LANCE!, o atacante viveu uma sequência de múltiplas lesões pequenas, que causaram apenas desconforto, mas não prejudicaram a musculatura do jogador.

A fim de conseguir estar devidamente recuperado e na melhor forma possível para ficar à disposição de Abel Ferreira nas duas partidas da grande decisão, Gabriel Veron tomou suplementação nas semanas que antecederam a final e intensificou os tratamentos dentro do Centro de Excelência do clube. Sempre brincalhão e espontâneo nas redes sociais, o jovem demostrou grande maturidade e muito profissionalismo longe das câmeras ao longo do processo de terapia.

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Ainda segundo a reportagem, o atleta está sendo muito bem avaliado pela diretoria e comissão técnica do Verdão e agora também tem acompanhamento particular, fora do clube, além de todo o trabalho realizado com o departamento médico e setor de fisioterapia da Academia.

Com reforço no trabalho físico e muscular do atacante, a expectativa é de que Veron fique prevenido de lesões e consiga maior sequência na temporada 2021. Em 2020, o atacante somou 39 jogos, com nove gols, quatro assistências e 45 passes para finalização.

Em alta pelo título da Copa do Brasil, Gabriel Veron também entrou na história da competição se tornando o primeiro jogador a ser campeão do torneio por três categorias distintas. Em 2019, ergueu a taça pelas categorias Sub-17 e Sub-20 e fechou a trinca na conquista deste domingo, conquistando seu terceiro título como atleta profissional.

Pundits across the sport love to tell us just how important it is to be top at Christmas, but is it really that big of a deal? Football FanCast takes a look at every club that has been top of the Premier League during the festive period.

Liverpool were runaway winners in 2024/25, and even looked imperious by Christmas morning last time around, when the table was a lot tighter.

So what are the omens for those who lead at Christmas? Here is a list of every team to lead the way come December 25th – and who ended up champions in the following May…

1992/93 – Norwich City Eventual champions – Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Norwich City

20

39

2

Aston Villa

20

35

3

Blackburn Rovers

20

34

4

Manchester United

20

34

The inaugural Premier League season eventually saw Manchester United topple Norwich City at the top of the table to win their first title. Initially, the Premier League was made up of 22 teams. Manchester United won the title with 84 points from 42 games. Norwich finished third, qualifying for the old UEFA Cup despite leading the way on Christmas Day.

1993/94 – Manchester United Eventual champions – Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Manchester United

21

52

2

Leeds United

22

40

3

Blackburn Rovers

20

38

4

Newcastle United

21

36

Manchester United made it two for two, winning their second-ever Premier League title after being top at Christmas a whopping 12 points ahead of second-place Leeds United. The Red Devils beat out the rest, winning the title with an impressive 92 points.

1994/95 – Blackburn Rovers Eventual champions – Blackburn Rovers

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Blackburn Rovers

19

43

2

Manchester United

19

41

3

Newcastle United

19

38

4

Nottingham Forest

19

35

Blackburn Rovers spent big money to get their hands on their first and only Premier League title. Manager Kenny Dalglish had Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton up top, forming the famous SAS partnership. They would beat Manchester United by a single point, winning the title with 89 points. This is also the year Eric Cantona kicked that Crystal Palace fan, which may go some way to explaining United’s failure to track Rovers down post-Christmas.

1995/96 – Newcastle United Eventual champions: Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Newcastle United

19

45

2

Manchester United

19

35

3

Liverpool

19

34

4

Tottenham Hotspur

19

34

“I would love it if we beat them”, Newcastle United boss Kevin Keegan yelled at the Sky Sports cameras in reference to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. Unfortunately, they blew their 10-point lead at Christmas, and Manchester United would go on to win their third title in four years. What might have been for the Entertainers…

1996/97 – Liverpool Eventual champions: Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Liverpool

19

38

2

Arsenal

18

35

3

Wimbledon

18

34

4

Aston Villa

18

33

Liverpool were hoping to defeat the monopoly their bitter rivals had on the Premier League, but they too would fall away despite being on top at Christmas. This season marked a major change in English football, as Arsene Wenger took charge at Arsenal. His side wasn’t fully formed just yet though, and Manchester United once again won the league despite being down in fifth place, seven points behind the leaders.

1997/98 – Manchester United Eventual champions – Arsenal

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Manchester United

19

43

2

Blackburn Rovers

19

39

3

Chelsea

19

38

4

Leeds United

19

34

For the first time in Premier League history, Sir Alex Ferguson was worried. Manchester United had established themselves as THE team in the league, but Arsène Wenger had their number in 1997/98. Arsenal won the league by just one point, lifting the trophy with 78 points.

What makes this more remarkable is that while the Gunners had a game in hand at this point, they were a whopping 13 points behind the Red Devils on Christmas morning.

1998/99 – Aston Villa Eventual champions – Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Aston Villa

18

36

2

Chelsea

18

33

3

Manchester United

18

31

4

Middlesbrough

18

30

Arsenal’s win in the previous season meant Manchester United would spend a lot in the summer to reclaim their crown. Dwight Yorke and Jaap Stam were the two most notable additions. Fergie’s men went on to win their fifth Premier League title, but they cut it close. Arsenal were just a single point behind them, with Manchester United on 79, and Arsenal on 78.

Despite this, it was John Gregory’s Villa that were threatening to make a title charge, but they fell away dramatically as the Villans finished sixth, securing just 19 more points from a possible 60.

1999/00 – Leeds United Eventual champions – Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Leeds United

18

41

2

Manchester United

17

39

3

Sunderland

18

37

4

Arsenal

18

36

It wasn’t very close this time around. Manchester United’s great treble-winning side trounced the competition to win the league with a massive 91 points. Arsenal finished second and Leeds United rounded off the Champions League places in third.

However, you wouldn’t know it by the time Christmas came around. United were behind by just two points with a game in hand before ending 18 ahead of their nearest challengers.

2000/01 – Manchester United Eventual champions – Manchester United

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Manchester United

19

43

2

Arsenal

19

35

3

Leicester City

19

35

4

Liverpool

19

33

We may have entered the millennium, but things in the Premier League remained the same. Manchester United were once again named champions, beating second-place Arsenal by 10 points. This was the first time they would win the Premier League three times in a row, but it wouldn’t be the last.

This one wasn’t exactly a thriller of a title race either, as the Red Devils had amassed a strong lead by the halfway stage.

2001/02 – Newcastle United Eventual champions – Arsenal

Position

Club

Games Played

Points

1

Newcastle United

18

36

2

Arsenal

18

33

3

Liverpool

17

32

4

Leeds United

18

32

Arsenal were once again the team to break Manchester United’s stranglehold on the league, with the red half of Manchester falling all the way down to third for the first time in the competition’s history. Thierry Henry would end the season as the league’s top goalscorer with 24.

However, Newcastle were the pace-setters at Christmas, though their three-point lead was no match for a relentless Arsenal, who broke the record for successive wins as they saw Liverpool, United and the Magpies off in the new year.